Natural small molecules as inhibitors of coronavirus lipid-dependent attachment to host cells: a possible strategy for reducing SARS-COV-2 infectivity?

Background: Viral infectivity depends on interactions between components of the host cell plasma membrane and the virus envelope. Here we review strategies that could help stem the advance of the SARS-COV-2 epidemic.

Methods And Results: We focus on the role of lipid structures, such as lipid rafts and cholesterol, involved in the process, mediated by endocytosis, by which viruses attach to and infect cells.

LARAMED: A Laboratory for Radioisotopes of Medical Interest.

The widespread availability of novel radioactive isotopes showing nuclear characteristics suitable for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in nuclear medicine (NM) has experienced a great development in the last years, particularly as a result of key advancements of cyclotron-based radioisotope production technologies. At Legnaro National Laboratories of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (LNL-INFN), Italy, a 70-MeV high current cyclotron has been recently installed. This cyclotron will be dedicated not only to pursuing fundamental nuclear physics studies, but also to research related to other scientific fields with an emphasis on medical applications.

Accuracy of Flight Altitude Measured with Low-Cost GNSS, Radar and Barometer Sensors: Implications for Airborne Radiometric Surveys.

Flight height is a fundamental parameter for correcting the gamma signal produced by terrestrial radionuclides measured during airborne surveys. The frontiers of radiometric measurements with UAV require light and accurate altimeters flying at some 10 m from the ground. We equipped an aircraft with seven altimetric sensors (three low-cost GNSS receivers, one inertial measurement unit, one radar altimeter and two barometers) and analyzed ~3 h of data collected over the sea in the (35-2194) m altitude range.

Shelf life of diluted human interferon-α for veterinary clinical use.

Background: Oral, low-dose, human interferon (IFN)-α treatments have shown efficacy in different models of viral and autoimmune diseases. Human IFN-α is commonly used at a daily dose between 1 and 10 IU/kg body weight. Registered products matching these doses at convenient concentrations are lacking.

Quantification, microbial contamination, physico-chemical stability of repackaged bevacizumab stored under different conditions.

In this work, the stability of Bevacizumab (Avastin(®)) repackaged in individual 1 mL single-use syringes and stored at different conditions was assessed. Bevacizumab repackaged in single-use syringes results from the off-label use of the drug as an intravitreal agent in the treatment of retinal diseases. Bevacizumab stability was assessed by assaying the anti-VEGF activity using an indirect ELISA method and a Dynamic Light Scattering study.