A Novel Non-Destructive Technique for Cultural Heritage: Depth Profiling and Elemental Analysis Underneath the Surface with Negative Muons

Scientists, curators, historians and archaeologists are always looking for new techniques for the study of archaeological artefacts, especially if they are non-destructive. With most non-destructive investigations, it is challenging to measure beneath the surface. Among the vast board of techniques used for cultural heritage studies, it is difficult to find one able to give information about the bulk and the compositional variations, along with the depth. In addition, most other techniques have self-absorption issues (i.e., only surface sensitive) and limited sensitivity to low Z atoms. In recent years, more and more interest has been growing around large-scale facility-based techniques, thanks to the possibility of adding new and different insights to the study of material in a non-destructive way. Among them, muonic X-ray spectroscopy is a very powerful technique for material characterization. By using negative muons, scientists are able to perform elemental characterization and depth profile studies. In this work, we give an overview of the technique and review the latest applications in the field of cultural heritage

A Novel Non-Destructive Technique for Cultural Heritage: Depth Profiling and Elemental Analysis Underneath the Surface with Negative Muons

Scientists, curators, historians and archaeologists are always looking for new techniques for the study of archaeological artefacts, especially if they are non-destructive. With most non-destructive investigations, it is challenging to measure beneath the surface. Among the vast board of techniques used for cultural heritage studies, it is difficult to find one able to give information about the bulk and the compositional variations, along with the depth. In addition, most other techniques have self-absorption issues (i.e., only surface sensitive) and limited sensitivity to low Z atoms. In recent years, more and more interest has been growing around large-scale facility-based techniques, thanks to the possibility of adding new and different insights to the study of material in a non-destructive way. Among them, muonic X-ray spectroscopy is a very powerful technique for material characterization. By using negative muons, scientists are able to perform elemental characterization and depth profile studies. In this work, we give an overview of the technique and review the latest applications in the field of cultural heritage

Evaluation Of Antifungal Combination Against Cryptococcus Spp.

The second cause of death among systemic mycoses, cryptococcosis treatment represents a challenge since that 5-flucytosine is not currently available in Brazil. Looking for alternatives, this study evaluated antifungal agents, alone and combined, correlating susceptibility to genotypes. Eighty Cryptococcus clinical isolates were genotyped by URA5 gene restriction fragment length polymorphism. Antifungal susceptibility was assessed following CLSI-M27A3 for amphotericin (AMB), 5-flucytosine (5FC), fluconazole (FCZ), voriconazole (VRZ), itraconazole (ITZ) and terbinafine (TRB). Drug interaction chequerboard assay evaluated: AMB + 5FC, AMB + FCZ, AMB + TRB and FCZ + TRB. Molecular typing divided isolates into 14 C. deuterogattii (VGII) and C. neoformans isolates were found to belong to genotype VNI (n = 62) and VNII (n = 4). C. neoformans VNII was significantly less susceptible than VNI (P = 0.0407) to AMB; C. deuterogattii was significantly less susceptible than VNI and VNII to VRZ (P < 0.0001). C. deuterogattii was less susceptible than C. neoformans VNI for FCZ (P = 0.0170), ITZ (P < 0.0001) and TRB (P = 0.0090). The combination FCZ + TRB showed 95.16% of synergistic effect against C. neoformans genotype VNI isolates and all combinations showed 100% of synergism against genotype VNII isolates, suggesting the relevance of cryptococcal genotyping as it is widely known that the various genotypes (now species) have significant impact in antifungal susceptibilities and clinical outcome. In difficult-to-treat cryptococcosis, terbinafine and different antifungal combinations might be alternatives to 5FC.599585593JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)SATREPS (Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development) [02P-29548-09

Evaluation of antifungal combination against Cryptococcus spp

The second cause of death among systemic mycoses, cryptococcosis treatment represents a challenge since that 5-flucytosine is not currently available in Brazil. Looking for alternatives, this study evaluated antifungal agents, alone and combined, correlating susceptibility to genotypes. Eighty Cryptococcus clinical isolates were genotyped by URA5 gene restriction fragment length polymorphism. Antifungal susceptibility was assessed following CLSI-M27A3 for amphotericin (AMB), 5-flucytosine (5FC), fluconazole (FCZ), voriconazole (VRZ), itraconazole (ITZ) and terbinafine (TRB). Drug interaction chequerboard assay evaluated: AMB + 5FC, AMB + FCZ, AMB + TRB and FCZ + TRB. Molecular typing divided isolates into 14 C. deuterogattii (VGII) and C. neoformans isolates were found to belong to genotype VNI (n = 62) and VNII (n = 4). C. neoformans VNII was significantly less susceptible than VNI (P = 0.0407) to AMB; C. deuterogattii was significantly less susceptible than VNI and VNII to VRZ (P < 0.0001). C. deuterogattii was less susceptible than C. neoformans VNI for FCZ (P = 0.0170), ITZ (P < 0.0001) and TRB (P = 0.0090). The combination FCZ + TRB showed 95.16% of synergistic effect against C. neoformans genotype VNI isolates and all combinations showed 100% of synergism against genotype VNII isolates, suggesting the relevance of cryptococcal genotyping as it is widely known that the various genotypes (now species) have significant impact in antifungal susceptibilities and clinical outcome. In difficult-to-treat cryptococcosis, terbinafine and different antifungal combinations might be alternatives to 5FC599585593JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency); SATREPS (Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development