Adolescents Emotional State and Behavioral and Dietary Habit Changes during Isolation Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. As an infectious disease with no specific treatment, several measures have been established to minimize the outbreak of this disease, including social isolation.

Objective: To evaluate the behavior of adolescents during the isolation period.

Risk Stratification of Cholangiocarcinoma Patients Presenting with Jaundice: A Retrospective Analysis from a Tertiary Referral Center.

Cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors that arise from the biliary tract. Jaundice is a common clinical presentation; however, the prognostic impact of this symptom is poorly understood, and current management recommendations lack solid evidence. We aim to assess the clinical outcomes and predictive factors of CCA patients presenting with jaundice in the Emergency Room (ER).

Degradation of microplastic seed film-coating fragments in soil.

Encapsulating fungicides and/or insecticides in film-coatings applied to agronomic seeds has become a widely accepted method for enhancing seed germination and overall seedling health by protecting against many diseases and early-season insect pests. Despite advancements in seed film-coating technologies, abrasion of the seed coating can occur during handling and mechanical planting operations, resulting in variable amounts of detached fragments entering the soil. The present study investigated the degradation in soil of these plastic-like, small-sized fragments, referred to here as microplastic coating fragments.

Evaluation of buccal swabs for pharmacogenetics.

Objective: A simple, non-invasive sample collection method is key for the integration of pharmacogenetics into clinical practice. The aim of this study was to gain samples for pharmacogenetic testing and evaluate the variation between dry-flocked and sponge-tipped buccal swabs in yield and quality of DNA isolated.

Results: Thirty-one participants collected samples using dry-flocked swabs and sponge-tipped swabs.

Introducing pharmacogenetic testing with clinical decision support into primary care: a feasibility study.

Background: Inappropriate prescribing increases patient illness and death owing to adverse drug events. The inclusion of genetic information into primary care medication practices is one solution. Our aim was to assess the ability to obtain and genotype saliva samples and to determine the levels of use of a decision support tool that creates medication options adjusted for patient characteristics, drug-drug interactions and pharmacogenetics.

Manipulation of an existing crystal form unexpectedly results in interwoven packing networks with pseudo-translational symmetry.

Nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) are multimodular enzymes that synthesize a myriad of diverse molecules. Tailoring domains have been co-opted into NRPSs to introduce further variety into nonribosomal peptide products. Linear gramicidin synthetase contains a unique formylation-tailoring domain in its initiation module (F-A-PCP).

Synthetic cycle of the initiation module of a formylating nonribosomal peptide synthetase.

Nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) are very large proteins that produce small peptide molecules with wide-ranging biological activities, including environmentally friendly chemicals and many widely used therapeutics. NRPSs are macromolecular machines, with modular assembly-line logic, a complex catalytic cycle, moving parts and many active sites. In addition to the core domains required to link the substrates, they often include specialized tailoring domains, which introduce chemical modifications and allow the product to access a large expanse of chemical space.

Neurotoxicity of European viperids in Italy: Pavia Poison Control Centre case series 2001-2011.

Context: Some clinical aspects about neurotoxicity after snakebites by European viper species remain to be elucidated.

Objective: This observational case series aims to analyze neurological manifestations due to viper envenomation in Italy in order to describe the characteristic of neurotoxicity and to evaluate the clinical response to the antidotic treatment, the outcome, and the influence of individual variability in determining the appearance of neurotoxic effects.

Materials And Methods: All cases of snakebite referred to Pavia Poison Centre (PPC) presenting peripheral neurotoxic effects from 2001 to 2011 were included.

Phospholipase A1 from Trypanosoma cruzi infective stages generates lipid messengers that activate host cell protein kinase c.

Here we have studied phospholipase A1 (Plase A1) from Trypanosoma cruzi infective stages and it's possible role regarding the interaction with mammalian host cells. Plase A1 was mainly detected as a membrane-bound activity in the infective amastigote and trypomastigote stages, being remarkably higher with respect to the non-infective epimastigotes. It is noteworthy that only the infective stages secreted Plase A1.