Environmental Diagnosis through a Flow Cytometric Approach.

In an era when ecological and environmental needs and responsibilities apply pressure on the world's countries and sustainability takes centre stage, ecologic/environmental (E/E) laboratories stand as beacons of scientific inquiry, innovating, optimising, and applying various tests for a better knowledge of our natural resources and the quality status of ecosystems. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the use of flow cytometry (FC) as a tool for assessing environmental quality, mainly using living organisms and their biological changes as bioindicators. Cytometric approaches applied to both marine and terrestrial ecosystems ensure the detection of biochemical and functional status of the cells composing either an organ thereof or the organism itself.

Chemical Probes to Investigate Central Nervous System Disorders: Design, Synthesis and Mechanism of Action of a Potent Human Serine Racemase Inhibitor.

The intricate signaling network within the central nervous system (CNS) involving -methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) has been recognized as a key player in severe neurodegenerative diseases. The indirect modulation of NMDAR-mediated neurotransmission through inhibition of serine racemase (SR)-the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of the NMDAR coagonist d-serine-has been suggested as a therapeutic strategy to treat these conditions. Despite the inherent challenges posed by SR conformational flexibility, a ligand-based drug design strategy has successfully produced a series of potent covalent inhibitors structurally related to amino acid analogues.

Long-term clinical evaluation of laparoscopic management of large hiatal hernias.

Background: Large hiatal hernias (LHH) account for 5-10% of all hiatal hernias. Surgery of LHH should be associated with low rates of postoperative complications and recurrences, to guarantee a favorable quality of life (QoL). Data on long-term results of laparoscopic repair of LHH are lacking.

Developing and testing an Arduino-based microcurrent stimulator to mimic marine electric pollution on benthos.

The lack of economic funds commonly represents a limiting factor in scientific research and prevents scientists from developing brilliant ideas. Indeed, a new project may involve using appropriate scientific instruments and concurrently dealing with the costs before pursuing new research fields. The innovative concept of investigating the effects of electric fields, as a simulation of marine electrical pollution, on benthic organisms such as foraminifera (marine protozoa) has been recently explored by our research group.

LAPAROSCOPIC ANTIREFLUX SURGERY: WERE OLD QUESTIONS ANSWERED? PARTIAL OR TOTAL FUNDOPLICATION?

Laparoscopic total fundoplication is currently considered the gold standard for the surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Short-term outcomes after laparoscopic total fundoplication are excellent, with fast recovery and minimal perioperative morbidity. The symptom relief and reflux control are achieved in about 80 to 90% of patients 10 years after surgery.