Study of Postacceleration Effects in the Coulomb Dissociation of Neutron Halo Nuclei

We investgate the breakup of one-neutron halo nuclei in the Coulomb field of a target nucleus. In the post-form distorted wave Born approximation theory of this reaction, with only Coulomb distortions in the entrance and the outgoing channels, an analytic solution for the breakup $T$-matrix is known. We study this $T$-matrix and the corresponding cross-sections numerically. This formula can be related to the first order semiclassical treatment of the electromagnetic dissociation. This theory contains the electromagnetic interaction between the core and the target nucleus to all orders. We show that higher order effects (including postacceleration) are small in the case of higher beam energies and forward scattering. We investigate the beam energy dependence of the postacceleration effects. They are found to be quite important for smaller beam energies (slow collisions), but almost negligible at larger ones.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

Modulation of Akt and ERK1/2 Pathways by Resveratrol in Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) Cells Results in the Downregulation of Hsp70

BACKGROUND: Resveratrol is known to downregulate the high endogenous level of Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) in Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) K562 cells and induce apoptosis. Since Heat Shock Factor 1 (HSF1) controls transcription of Hsp70, we wanted to probe the signaling pathways responsible for transcriptional activation of HSF1. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Cells exposed to 40microM Resveratrol rapidly abolished serine473 phosphorylation of Akt and significantly reduced its kinase activity. Inactivation of Akt pathway by Resveratrol subsequently blocked serine9 phosphorylation of Gsk3beta. Active non-phosphorylated Gsk3beta rendered HSF1 transcriptionally inactive and reduced Hsp70 production. Blocking PI3K/Akt activity also demonstrated similar effects on Hsp70 comparable to Resveratrol. Inactivation of Gsk3beta activity by inhibitors SB261763 or LiCl upregulated Hsp70. Resveratrol significantly modulated ERK1/2 activity as evident from hyper phosphorylation at T302/Y304 residues and simultaneous upregulation in kinase activity. Blocking ERK1/2 activation resulted in induction of Hsp70. Therefore, increase in ERK1/2 activity by Resveratrol provided another negative influence on Hsp70 levels through negative regulation of HSF1 activity. 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17AAG), a drug that inhibits Hsp90 chaperone and degrades its client protein Akt concomitantly elevated Hsp70 levels by promoting nuclear translocation of HSF1 from the cytosol. This effect is predominantly due to inhibition of both Akt and ERK1/2 activation by 17AAG. Simultaneously treating K562 with Resveratrol and 17AAG maintained phosho-ERK1/2 levels close to untreated controls demonstrating their opposite effects on ERK1/2 pathway. Resveratrol was found not to interfere with Bcr-Abl activation in K562 cells. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Thus our study comprehensively illustrates that Resveratrol acts downstream of Bcr-Abl and inhibits Akt activity but stimulates ERK1/2 activity. This brings down the transcriptional activity of HSF1 and Hsp70 production in K562 cells. Additionally, Resveratrol can be used in combination with chemotherapeutic agents such as 17AAG, an Hsp90 inhibitor reported to induce Hsp70 and hence compromise its chemotherapeutic potential

Application of Nanotechnology in a Novel Air Purifier for Remediation of Airborne Pathogen and to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19

The spread of COVID-19 occurs via airborne transmission. With a constant and variable spread of COVID-19, indoor air-quality has become a major concern all over the world. People who are infected with COVID can release particles and droplets of respiratory fluids that contain the SARS CoV-2 virus into the air when they exhale (e.g., quiet breathing, speaking, singing, exercise, coughing, sneezing). Once infectious droplets are exhaled, they move outward from the person (the source) into the surrounding environment; these droplets carry the virus and transmit infection. Indoors, the very fine droplets and particles will continue to spread through the air in the room or space and can accumulate. Harmful pathogenic organisms like fungi, bacteria and viruses, as the one responsible for causing contagious diseases like the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 can also be successfully destroyed and neutralized. We have developed and studied the efficiency of the AFL Mini Sanifier II® in a simulated environment of a fiberglass chamber using various types of meters to assess the suspended particulate matter (PM) in the ambient air. We also report the development of a novel face mask that was assessed for safety measures and further improvement by the researchers in the West Texas A&M University. The mask is user friendly and portable, equipped with a small internal fan that supplies a continuous air to the user preventing the suffocating effect caused by the other masks. The novel mini air purifier is equipped with the advanced nanotechnology that cleans and sanitizes both the air and surfaces and subsequently has been shown to reduce common allergy, asthma and hay fever related symptoms. This mask and the mini air purifier function in an advanced way to combat all forms of airborne pathogens including the bacteria, viruses, mold spores and harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) present in the air

An Assessment Of The AFL Mask® And LUNA Wallmount, The New Developments In The AirPurifier Industry For Preventing The Airborne Pathogens

The current unprecedented situation with the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) poses a great challenge to the scientific world, demanding immediate development of technologies to fight with and prevent transmission of pathogens, especially in regards to airborne pathogens and surface contaminants. It also urges us to reevaluate designs of advanced Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). We have been working on the development and assessment of the AFL-Photo Catalytic Oxidation (AFLPCO®) Nanotechnology to combat with airborne pathogens and different forms of impurities and pollutants present in the indoor air. Various types of facemasks are available in the world market and have become the most important personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and the public. Depending upon their filters, they can provide protection against dreaded contagious diseases and several types of pollution. With the current 2 spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic, facemasks and powerful air purification equipment are considered as lifesaving apparatus necessary for survival and living a healthy life. The facemasks filter fine airborne particles from reaching the respiratory system and prevent infection. We have designed a new type of facemask, AFL Mask® and LUNA Wall Mount Sanifier® air purification unit to combat with the airborne pathogen and increased air pollution. The AFL Mask® has proven to prevent the entry of the PM2.5 and airborne pathogen up to 99% and provide internal air, reducing the chances of building up moisture on the face. This newly designed AFL Mask® and LUNA Wall Mount Sanifier® can be used to prevent the pathogens and particulate matters significantly. We also tested the LUNA Wall Mount Sanifier® (LNT2-6000 Model), AFL Car Sanifier® and AFL Mask® for Ozone emission. All the equipment tested were proven safe to international standards in terms of Ozone emission. &nbsp

Projectile structure effects in the Coulomb breakup of one-neutron halo nuclei

We investigate the Coulomb breakup of neutron rich nuclei 11Be and (19,17,15)C within a theory developed in the framework of Distorted Wave Born Approximation. Finite range effects are included by a local momentum approximation, which allows incorporation of realistic wave functions for these nuclei in our calculations. Energy and angular as well as parallel momentum distributions of the fragments emitted in the breakup of these nuclei on heavy targets have been calculated using several structure models for their ground state. Comparison with the available experimental data shows that the results are selective about the ground state wave function of the projectile. Our investigations confirm that the nuclei 11Be, 19C and 15C have a one-neutron halo structure in their ground states. However, for 17C such a structure appears to be less likely. Calculations performed within our method have also been compared with those from an adiabatic model and the results are discussed.Comment: Minor corrections in a couple of references, Requires elsart.cls 33 pages including 16 figures, Nucl. Phys. A in Pres

Increase in 2.5 Micron Airborne Particulate Matters, AHPCO® and Plasma Nanotechnology in Reducing the Symptoms of Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis

Increase in the particulate matter of size 2.5 microns are a major health concern of the present decade that led to a gradual rise of allergy and asthma cases all over the world. When inhaled, they can reach deep into our lungs and enter tissues via the bloodstream and contribute to health conditions ranging from coughing or lung irritation to chronic bronchitis and cardiovascular complications. These substances are generally composed of the combustion particles, organic compounds and metals. Levels of the most dangerous particles, called PM 2.5 reached beyond the prescribed safe level in all the major cities of the world: Beijing in China, Delhi in India, Los Angeles and New York in the US. PM 2.5 is becoming an ever-increasing problem that must be addressed. We are aiming our research towards the reduction of PM 2.5 in the indoor air by using a novel hybrid technology. The newly developed AHPCO ® or Advanced Hydrated Photocatalytic Oxidation and Plasma Nanotechnology in the Bi-Polar units were tested to evaluate the reduction of the particulate matters with a focus on PM 2.5 as well as animal dander and fungal spores. Utilizing two fiber glass chambers, we analyzed the particle count to assess and evaluate the efficiency of the hybrid AHPCO ® and Plasma Nanotechnology in reducing the particle count present in the indoor air in course of progressive time intervals. The air purification system developed with the novel hybrid technology reduced the indoor particulate matters and animal dander efficiently

Air Pollution With 2.5 Micron Particulate Matters and Testing the Decay of the Aerosol Concentration as a Function of Time to Compare the Efficiency of AHPCO® and Bi-Polar Units in Reducing the Indoor Particle Counts

One of the top environmental concerns of the world today is air pollution, which is affecting our health every day (Bickerstaff & Walker, 2001). Studies have shown that air pollution has a major effect in human health by increasing sickness and death (Dockery, & Pope III, 1994). A major form of air pollution is aerosol; scientists describe it as tiny, airborne solid and liquid particles that are released by Earth's surface both naturally and as a product of human activities (Simmon, & Voiland, 2010; NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory [NOAA], 2017). Our biggest problem with air pollution is the aerosols in the form of Particulate Matter (PM), also known as particulate pollution. The most dangerous particulate matters are those which are less than 10 micrometers, because when inhaled, they can reach deep down into our lungs and even into our bloodstreams (U.S Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], “Particulate Matter (PM) Basic,” 2017). The purpose of this study was to test a new kind of air purifier, and help the public make the right choice for their health. In this research several experiments were conducted using the Air Oasis filter-less air purifier with Advanced Hydrated Photo Catalytic Oxidation (AHPCO) and Bi-polar units inside the fiberglass chambers to estimate the decay of aerosol concentration as function of time. In higher concentration a prominent rate of decay was measured when using the Air Oasis units however, there has not been any significant change at the lower concentration

Hemodynamic wall shear stress profiles influence the magnitude and pattern of stenosis in a pig AV fistula

Venous stenosis is a significant problem in arteriovenous fistulae, likely due to anatomical configuration and wall shear stress profiles. To identify linkages between wall shear stress and the magnitude and pattern of vascular stenosis, we produced curved and straight fistulae in a pig model. A complete wall stress profile was calculated for the curved configuration and correlated with luminal stenosis. Computer modeling techniques were then used to derive a wall shear stress profile for the straight arteriovenous fistula. Differences in the wall shear stress profile of the curved and straight fistula were then related to histological findings. There was a marked inverse correlation between the magnitude of wall shear stress within different regions of the curved arteriovenous fistula and luminal stenosis in these same regions. There were also significantly greater differences in wall shear stress between the outer and inner walls of the straight as compared to curved arteriovenous fistula, which translated into a more eccentric histological pattern of intima-media thickening. Our results suggest a clear linkage between anatomical configuration, wall shear stress profiles, and the pattern of luminal stenosis and intima-media thickening in a pig model of arteriovenous fistula stenosis. These results suggest that fistula failure could be reduced by using computer modeling prior to surgical placement to alter the anatomical and, consequently, the wall shear stress profiles in an arteriovenous fistula

Gastric adenocarcinoma in a patient re-infected with H. pylori after regression of MALT lymphoma with successful anti-H. pylori therapy and gastric resection: a case report

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been etiologically linked with primary gastric lymphoma (PGL) and gastric carcinoma (GC). There are a few reports of occurrence of both diseases in the same patient with H. pylori infection. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a patient with PGL in whom the tumor regressed after surgical resection combined with eradication of H. pylori infection. However, he developed GC on follow up; this was temporally associated with recrudescence / re-infection of H. pylori. This is perhaps first report of such occurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Possible cause and effect relationship between H. pylori infection and both PGL and GC is discussed. This case also documents a unique problem in management of PGL in tropical countries where re-infection with H. pylori is supposed to be high