An infrared spectroscopy method to detect ammonia in gastric juice

partially_open6Ammonia in gastric juice is considered a potential biomarker for Helicobacter pylori infection and as a factor contributing to gastric mucosal injury. High ammonia concentrations are also found in patients with chronic renal failure, peptic ulcer disease, and chronic gastritis. Rapid and specific methods for ammonia detection are urgently required by the medical community. Here we present a method to detect ammonia directly in gastric juice based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The ammonia dissolved in biological liquid samples as ammonium ion was released in air as a gas by the shifting of the pH equilibrium of the ammonium/ammonia reaction and was detected in line by a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy system equipped with a gas cell for the quantification. The method developed provided high sensitivity and selectivity in ammonia detection both in pure standard solutions and in a simulated gastric juice matrix over the range of diagnostic concentrations tested. Preliminary analyses were also performed on real gastric juice samples from patients with gastric mucosal injury and with symptoms of H. pylori infection, and the results were in agreement with the clinicopathology information. The whole analysis, performed in less than 10 min, can be directly applied on the sample without extraction procedures and it ensures high specificity of detection because of the ammonia fingerprint absorption bands in the infrared spectrum. This method could be easily used with endoscopy instrumentation to provide information in real time and would enable the endoscopist to improve and integrate gastroscopic examinations.openGiovannozzi, A; Pennecchi, F.; Muller, P.; Balma Tivola, P.; Roncari, S.; Rossi, AGiovannozzi, ANDREA MARIO; Pennecchi, FRANCESCA ROMANA; Muller, P.; Balma Tivola, P.; Roncari, S.; Rossi, ANDREA MARI

Effect on albumin and fibronectin adsorption of silver doping via ionic exchange of a silica-based bioactive glass

Protein adsorption is a crucial step in the life of biomaterials for bone application, such as bioactive glasses. The investigation of adsorption mechanisms is a difficult task per se, which is even more complex on bioactive glasses due to surface reactivity. Here, the effect of silver doping by ionic exchange on the interaction of a silica-based bioactive glass with albumin and fibronectin, serum proteins related to osseointegration, is reported. The presence of silver does not change relevant surface properties such as topography, surface energy, wettability, or surface ζ potential. Nevertheless, the interactions with proteins are much different. The presence of silver significantly increases the adsorption of albumin and fibronectin and leads to a higher loss of secondary structure compared to the undoped surface, as a consequence of the interactions and bonding between silver and thiols in the cysteine residues. Selectivity of silver-doped glass is discovered: Ag enhances more adsorption and dena- turation of albumin since it has more cysteines than fibronectin. It is also here observed that due to the formation of a hydrated silica gel layer during adsorption, proteins are not only present on the surface of the bioactive glasses, but also embedded inside the surface reaction laye

Raman-dielectrophoresis goes viral: towards a rapid and label-free platform for plant virus characterization

An innovative spectroscopic method that allows to chemically and structurally characterize viruses directly in suspension within few minutes was developed. A library of five different plant viruses was obtained combining dielectrophoresis (DEP), performed with a device specifically designed to capture and agglomerate virus particles, and Raman spectroscopy to provide a chemical fingerprint of virions. The tested viruses, purified from infected plants, were chosen for their economic impact on horticultural crops and for their different morphological and structural features. Using the Raman-DEP device, specific profiles for each virus were successfully obtained, relying on chemical differences occurring even with genetically similar viruses belonging to the same taxonomic species and morphologically indiscernible by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, we investigated the potentiality of Raman-DEP to follow dynamic changes occurring upon heat treatment of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles. Raman peak deviations linked to TMV coat protein conformation were observed upon treatment at temperatures equal or higher than 85 degrees C, substantiating the rod-to-spherical shape transitions observed by TEM and the concomitant drastic loss of infectivity following plant inoculation. Overall, the Raman-DEP method can be useful for the characterization of virus (nano)particles, setting the basis to create a database suitable for the study of viruses or virus derived-nanoparticles relevant for the agricultural, medical, or biotechnological fields

Pro- and anti-oxidant properties of near-infrared (NIR) light responsive carbon nanoparticles

Elemental carbon nanomaterials (ECNMs) are redox active agents that can be exploited to purposely modify the redox balance of cells. Both pro- or antioxidant properties have been reported. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are not comprehensive studies exploring both properties on the same material in view of a potential application in medicine. At the same time, the effect of the bulk structure on the pro/antioxidant properties is poorly known. Here, carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) derived by glucose with definite size and shape have been prepared, and their redox properties evaluated in cell free systems in the dark or following activation with a Near Infrared (NIR) laser beam (945 nm, 1.3 W/cm2). We found that, when irradiated with NIR, CNPs efficiently generate heat and singlet oxygen (1O2), a property that can be exploited for dual photo-thermal (PT)/photodynamic (PD) therapy in cancer. On the other hand, in the absence of photo-activation, CNPs react with both oxidant (hydroxyl radicals) and antioxidant (glutathione) species. When tested on a murine macrophages cell line (RAW 264.7) CNPs were clearly antioxidant. Furthermore, albeit efficiently internalized, CNPs do not exert cytotoxic effect up to 80 µg/ml and do not exacerbate TNF-α-mediated inflammation. Overall, the results reported herein suggest that CNPs may represent a new class of safe nanomaterials with potential applications in medicine

Molecular Aspects of the Interaction with Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria of Hydrothermal Carbon Nanoparticles Associated with Bac8c2,5Leu Antimicrobial Peptide

Molecular Aspects of the Interaction with Gram-Negative and Gram- Positive Bacteria of Hydrothermal Carbon Nanoparticles Associated with Bac8c2,5Leu Antimicrobial Peptide Giulia Barzan,⊥ Ida Kokalari,⊥ Giacomo Gariglio, Elena Ghibaudi, Marc Devocelle, Marco P. Monopoli, Alessio Sacco, Angelo Greco, Andrea M. Giovannozzi, Andrea M. Rossi, and Ivana Fenoglio* Cite This: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.2c00305 Read Online ACCESS Metrics & More Article Recommendations *sı Supporting Information ABSTRACT: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are widely studied as therapeutic agents due to their broad-spectrum efficacy against infections. However, their clinical use is hampered by the low in vivo bioavailability and systemic toxicity. Such limitations might be overcome by using appropriate drug delivery systems. Here, the preparation of a drug delivery system (DDS) by physical conjugation of an arginine-rich peptide and hydrothermal carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) has been explored, and its antimicrobial efficacy against Eschericia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus investigated in comparison with the unloaded carrier and the free peptide. The mechanism of interaction between CNPs and the bacteria was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and a combined dielectrophoresis−Raman spectroscopy method for real- time analysis. In view of a possible systemic administration, the effect of proteins on the stability of the DDS was investigated by using albumin as a model protein. The peptide was bounded electrostatically to the CNPs surface, establishing an equilibrium modulated by pH and albumin. The DDS exhibited antimicrobial activity toward the two bacterial strains, albeit lower as compared to the free peptide. The decrease in effectiveness toward E. coli was likely due to the rapid formation of a particle-induced extracellular matrix. The present results are relevant for the future development of hydrothermal CNPs as drug delivery agents of AMP

Machine layout and performance

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is one of the largest scientific instruments ever built. Since opening up a new energy frontier for exploration in 2010, it has gathered a global user community of about 7,000 scientists working in fundamental particle physics and the physics of hadronic matter at extreme temperature and density. To sustain and extend its discovery potential, the LHC will need a major upgrade in the 2020s. This will increase its luminosity (rate of collisions) by a factor of five beyond the original design value and the integrated luminosity (total collisions created) by a factor ten. The LHC is already a highly complex and exquisitely optimised machine so this upgrade must be carefully conceived and will require about ten years to implement. The new configuration, known as High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC), will rely on a number of key innovations that push accelerator technology beyond its present limits. Among these are cutting-edge 11-12 tesla superconducting magnets, compact superconducting cavities for beam rotation with ultra-precise phase control, new technology and physical processes for beam collimation and 300 metre-long high-power superconducting links with negligible energy dissipation. The present document describes the technologies and components that will be used to realise the project and is intended to serve as the basis for the detailed engineering design of HL-LHC

Development of a candidate reference sample for the characterization of tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy spatial resolution

Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (TERS) imaging of self-assembled thiol monolayers' nanometric patterns

Electrochemical inactivation ofBacillusspores in drinking water using a quaternary oxide electrode

Bacillus spores are resistant to disinfection methods and they represent a potential threat that requires improved methods to ensure water safety. Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) and B. anthracis Sterne (BA) spores were used to investigate the effectiveness of the electrochemical (EC) disinfection process. We tested the quaternary metal oxide (TiO2–Sb2O5–SnO2–RuO2) as the anode material in an EC cell for the inactivation of the spores. The presence of chloride ions at low concentrations was found to be critical for the effective inactivation of BT spores. Active chlorine was produced in-situ by anodic oxidation of chloride in the solutions. Local tap water used as a realistic test solution was found to contain average chloride concentrations of 1.2 mM. High concentrations of active chlorine were generated in the range of 0.35 to 0.5 mM (25 to 35 mg/L) to ensure that the high concentrations of spores were inactivated. We showed that the amount of active chlorine produced in the EC cell can be readily controlled by the operating conditions, including potential, flow rate and chloride content. Scanning electron images of the EC treated spores indicate damage to the outer membranes resulting in disruption and leakage of the spore contents. EC water disinfection processes using inexpensive electrode materials are a promising alternative as shown by inactivation of challenging biological threats such as Bacillus spores.</jats:p