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Boron-enhanced proton therapy has recently appeared as a promising approach to increase the efficiency of proton therapy on tumor cells, and this modality can further be improved by the use of boron nanoparticles (B NPs) as local sensitizers to achieve enhanced and targeted therapeutic outcomes. However, the mechanisms of tumor cell elimination under boron-enhanced proton therapy still require clarification. Here, we explore possible molecular mechanisms responsible for the enhancement of therapeutic outcomes under boron NP-enhanced proton therapy. Spherical B NPs with a mode size of 25 nm were prepared by methods of pulsed laser ablation in water, followed by their coating by polyethylene glycol to improve their colloidal stability in buffers. Then, we assessed the efficiency of B NPs as sensitizers of cancer cell killing under irradiation with a 160.5 MeV proton beam. Our experiments showed that the combined effect of B NPs and proton irradiation induces an increased level of superoxide anion radical generation, which leads to the depolarization of mitochondria, a drop in their membrane mitochondrial potential, and the development of apoptosis. A comprehensive gene expression analysis (via RT-PCR) confirmed increased overexpression of 52 genes (out of 87 studied) involved in the cell redox status and oxidative stress, compared to 12 genes in the cells irradiated without B NPs. Other possible mechanisms responsible for the B NPs-induced radiosensitizing effect, including one related to the generation of alpha particles, are discussed. The obtained results give a better insight into the processes involved in the boron-induced enhancement of proton therapy and enable one to optimize parameters of proton therapy in order to maximize therapeutic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes in detail the equipment and method for measuring the Doppler frequency shift (DFS) on an inclined radio path, based on the principle of the phase-locked loop using an SDR receiver for the investigation of seismogenic and man-made disturbances in the ionosphere. During the two M7.8 earthquakes in Nepal (25 April 2015) and Turkey (6 February 2023), a Doppler ionosonde detected co-seismic and pre-seismic effects in the ionosphere, the appearances of which are connected with the various propagation mechanisms of seismogenic disturbance from the lithosphere up to the ionosphere. One day before the earthquake in Nepal and 90 min prior to the main shock, an increase in the intensity of Doppler bursts was detected, which reflected the disturbance of the ionosphere. A channel of geophysical interaction in the system of lithosphere–atmosphere–ionosphere coupling was traced based on the comprehensive monitoring of the DFS of the ionospheric signal, as well as of the flux of gamma rays in subsoil layers of rocks and in the ground-level atmosphere. The concept of lithosphere–atmosphere–ionosphere coupling, where the key role is assigned to ionization of the atmospheric boundary layer, was confirmed by a retrospective analysis of the DFS records of an ionospheric signal made during underground nuclear explosions at the Semipalatinsk test site. A simple formula for reconstructing the velocity profile of the acoustic pulse from a Dopplerogram was obtained, which depends on only two parameters, one of which is the dimension of length and the other the dimension of time. The reconstructed profiles of the acoustic pulses from the two underground nuclear explosions, which reached the height of the reflection point of the sounding radio wave, are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is one of the most appealing radiotherapy modalities, whose localization can be further improved by the employment of boron-containing nanoformulations, but the fabrication of biologically friendly, water-dispersible nanoparticles (NPs) with high boron content and favorable physicochemical characteristics still presents a great challenge. Here, we explore the use of elemental boron (B) NPs (BNPs) fabricated using the methods of pulsed laser ablation in liquids as sensitizers of BNCT. Depending on the conditions of laser-ablative synthesis, the used NPs were amorphous (a-BNPs) or partially crystallized (pc-BNPs) with a mean size of 20 nm or 50 nm, respectively. Both types of BNPs were functionalized with polyethylene glycol polymer to improve colloidal stability and biocompatibility. The NPs did not initiate any toxicity effects up to concentrations of 500 µg/mL, based on the results of MTT and clonogenic assay tests. The cells with BNPs incubated at a 10B concentration of 40 µg/mL were then irradiated with a thermal neutron beam for 30 min. We found that the presence of BNPs led to a radical enhancement in cancer cell death, namely a drop in colony forming capacity of SW-620 cells down to 12.6% and 1.6% for a-BNPs and pc-BNPs, respectively, while the relevant colony-forming capacity for U87 cells dropped down to 17%. The effect of cell irradiation by neutron beam uniquely was negligible under these conditions. Finally, to estimate the dose and regimes of irradiation for future BNCT in vivo tests, we studied the biodistribution of boron under intratumoral administration of BNPs in immunodeficient SCID mice and recorded excellent retention of boron in tumors. The obtained data unambiguously evidenced the effect of a neutron therapy enhancement, which can be attributed to efficient BNP-mediated generation of α-particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of costs in the cultivation of fruit crops have their own characteristics. Before establishing perennial plantings, it is necessary to grow planting material. The high cost of planting material is due to the rather sophisticated technology of growing it. Nowadays, seedlings grafted on low rootstock and have 3 or more branches are chosen to lay modern intensive gardens, thus accelerating the formation of crown in the garden and the entry of trees into the the fruiting period for 1-2 years, as well as by its growth strength and reduction of harvest costs. For cultivation of sweet cherries planting material, summer budding and winter grafting are used, but in these methods seedlings are poorly branched or well branched, but with sharp angles of lateral branches offset. Spring grafting with long stalks can become a promising and resource-saving way of obtaining branched sweet cherry seedlings. This method does not require the use of a grafting complex, provides minimal costs for grafting care, there is also no need for special methods of seedlings branchings strengthening.

A total of 23500 Extensive Air Showers (EAS) with energies above ∼ 1016 eV have been detected during the ∼3500 hours of the Horizon-T (HT) detectors system operations before Aug. 2016. Among these EAS, more than a thousand had an unusual spatial and temporary structure that showed pulses with several maxima (modals or modes) from several detection points of the HT at the same time. These modes are separated in time from each other starting from tens to thousands of ns. These EAS have been called multi-modal. Analysis shows that the multi-modal EAS that have been detected by Horizon-T have the following properties: 1. Multi-modal EAS have energy above ∼1017 eV. 2. Pulses with several modes are located at large distances from the EAS axis. An overview of the collected data will be provided. General comments about the unusual structure of the multi-modal EAS will be presented.