Search results for "Roca"

Fabrication of Bismuth Absorber Arrays for NTD-Ge Hard X-ray Microcalorimeters

2020

The high-spectral-resolution detection of hard X-rays (E > 20 keV) is a challenging and nearly unexplored area in space astrophysics. Traditionally hard X-ray detectors present moderate spectral resolutions, although few tens of eV one could open new frontiers in the study of nuclear processes and high-temperature plasma dynamics in energetic processes. This can be achieved by using cryogenic microcalorimeters. Within a research activity aimed at developing arrays of neutron transmutation-doped germanium (NTD-Ge) microcalorimeters for the high-spectral-resolution detection (about 50 eV@60 keV) of hard X-rays (20 keV < E<100 keV), we developed an electroplating process to fabricate …

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent deregulation of cell cycle control induced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rat liver epithelial cells

2006

Disruption of cell proliferation control by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may contribute to their carcinogenicity. We investigated role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in disruption of contact inhibition in rat liver epithelial WB-F344 'stem-like' cells, induced by the weakly mutagenic benz[a]anthracene (BaA), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF) and by the strongly mutagenic benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). There were significant differences between the effects of BaA and BbF, and those of the strongly genotoxic BaP. Both BaA and BbF increased percentage of cells entering S-phase and cell numbers, associated with an increased expression of Cyclin A and Cyclin A/cdk2 complex activity. Their eff…

Characterization of hydrocarbon-degrading and biosurfactant-producing Pseudomonas sp. P-1 strain as a potential tool for bioremediation of petroleum-…

2014

The Pseudomonas sp. P-1 strain, isolated from heavily petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil, was investigated for its capability to degrade hydrocarbons and produce a biosurfactant. The strain degraded crude oil, fractions A5 and P3 of crude oil, and hexadecane (27, 39, 27 and 13 % of hydrocarbons added to culture medium were degraded, respectively) but had no ability to degrade phenanthrene. Additionally, the presence of gene-encoding enzymes responsible for the degradation of alkanes and naphthalene in the genome of the P-1 strain was reported. Positive results of blood agar and methylene blue agar tests, as well as the presence of gene rhl, involved in the biosynthesis of rhamnolipid, …

Molecular docking and oxidation kinetics of 3-phenyl coumarin derivatives by human CYP2A13.

2021

CYP2A13 enzyme is expressed in human extrahepatic tissues, while CYP2A6 is a hepatic enzyme. Reactions catalysed by CYP2A13 activate tobacco-specific nitrosamines and some other toxic xenobiotics in lungs.To compare oxidation characteristics and substrate-enzyme active site interactions in CYP2A13 vs CYP2A6, we evaluated CYP2A13 mediated oxidation characteristics of 23 coumarin derivatives and modelled their interactions at the enzyme active site.CYP2A13 did not oxidise six coumarin derivatives to corresponding fluorescent 7-hydroxycoumarins. The Km-values of the other coumarins varied 0.85-97 µM, Vmax-values of the oxidation reaction varied 0.25-60 min-1, and intrinsic clearance varied 26-…

Biodegradation Potential of Oil-degrading Bacteria Related to the Genus Thalassospira Isolated from Polluted Coastal Area in Mediterranean Sea

2021

Three bacterial species related to the genus Thalassospira (T. lucentensis, T. xianhensis and T. profundimaris), isolated from polluted sediment and seawater samples collected from Priolo Bay (eastern coast of Sicily, Ionian Sea), were analyzed for their biotechnological potential. For this purpose, the presence of specific catabolic genes associated to aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon metabolism, the production of biosurfactants and emulsification activity, the capability to degrade oil-derived linear, branched, cyclic alkanes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were evaluated. Alkane hydroxylase gene (alkano-monoxygenase alkb and citocrome P450) were present in genome of all st…

Cardiac sarcoidosis: Matching speckle tracking echocardiography to macroscopic Ventricular pathology (a case report)

2016

Marine pollution in the Libyan costal area: environmental and risk assessment

2018

A comprehensive assessment of the potential adverse effects on environment and human health generated by the inputs of chemicals from the most important Libyan petrochemical plant is presented. Ecotoxicological risk associated with the presence of As, Hg, Ni, Zn and PAHs in marine sediments is low or moderate, with a probability of toxicity for ecosystem < 9% and < 20% for heavy metals and PAHs respectively. However, sur- face sediments result strongly enriched in Hg and As of anthropogenic origin. Investigation of metals in fish allowed to assess potential risks for human populations via fish intake. Target hazard quotients values indicate potential risk associated to toxic metals exposure by…

Volumetric and transport properties of aerosol-OT reversed micelles containing light and heavy water

1992

Densities and viscosities of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT in-heptane system containing light and heavy water, as a function of the molar ratio R (R=[H2O or D2O]/[AOT]) were measured at 0, 5, 25 and 40°C. At low R values, the apparent molar volume of deuterium oxide is smaller than that of light water. The difference is related to the strength of the hydrogen bonding H2O and D2O. The viscosities of both H2O-AOT-n-heptane and D2O-AOT-n-heptane systems were explained in terms of intermicellar interactions mainly governed by hydration of the head groups of AOT.

Androgen hydroxylation catalysed by a cell line (SD1) that stably expresses rat hepatic cytochrome P-450 PB-4 (IIB1).

1989

Androgen hydroxylation catalysed by Chinese hamster fibroblast SD1 cells, which stably express cytochrome P-450 form PB-4, the rat P450IIB1 gene product, was assessed and compared to that catalysed by purified cytochrome P-450 PB-4 isolated from rat liver. SD1 cell homogenates catalysed the NADPH-dependent hydroxylation of androstenedione and testosterone with a regioselectivity very similar to that purified by P-450 PB-4 (16 beta-hydroxylation/16 alpha-hydroxylation = 6.0-6.8 for androstenedione; 16 beta/16 alpha = 0.9 for testosterone). Homogenates prepared from the parental cell line V79, which does not express detectable levels of P-450 PB-4 or any other cytochrome P-450, exhibited no a…

Deshidrogenación oxidativa de propano sobre molibdatos mixtos de cobalto y níquel nanoestructurados

2009

La demanda actual de olefinas ligeras está aumentando considerablemente en los últimos años, al ser las materias primas de las que se obtiene numerosos productos de importancia industrial y doméstica, como el polipropileno, el ácido acrílico o la acroleína. El coste de producción de dichos productos puede reducirse significativamente empleando materiales de partida más económicos, como son los alcanos. Sin embargo, los procesos industriales empleados en la actualidad para la conversión de los alcanos a olefinas (craqueo con vapor de agua y deshidrogenación catalítica, fundamentalmente) presentan dificultades de origen termodinámico difícilmente superables. En este sentido, la deshidrogenaci…