An engineered bacterial symbiont allows noninvasive biosensing of the honey bee gut environment.

The honey bee is a powerful model system to probe host-gut microbiota interactions, and an important pollinator species for natural ecosystems and for agriculture. While bacterial biosensors can provide critical insight into the complex interplay occurring between a host and its associated microbiota, the lack of methods to noninvasively sample the gut content, and the limited genetic tools to engineer symbionts, have so far hindered their development in honey bees. Here, we built a versatile molecular tool kit to genetically modify symbionts and reported for the first time in the honey bee a technique to sample their feces.

The clinical impact of pectoral nerve block in an 'enhanced recovery after surgery' program in breast surgery.

Pectoral nerve block (PECS) is increasingly performed in breast surgery. The study evaluated the clinical impact of these blocks in the postoperative course. In this case-control study, patients undergoing breast surgery with 'enhanced recovery after surgery' pathways were divided into group 1 (57 patients) in whom PECS was performed before general anesthesia, and group 2 (57 patients) in whom only general anesthesia was effected.

Worrisome trend of new multiple mechanisms of linezolid resistance in staphylococcal clones diffused in Italy.

In order to assess the frequency of clinically relevant linezolid-resistant staphylococcal isolates, and the role of linezolid in maintaining and coselecting multiple resistance mechanisms (cfr, 23S rRNA, L3/L4 mutations), a prospective Italian study was performed from 2010 to 2011 to confirm the diffusion of three major multidrug-resistant clones (ST2, ST5, ST23).

Primary role of multiparametric flow cytometry in the diagnostic work-up of indolent clonal mast cell disorders.

Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification the diagnosis of systemic mastocytosis (SM) relies on bone marrow (BM) examination and is based on one major and four minor criteria. Herein, we used WHO criteria to compare flow cytometry (FC) with other available techniques in the diagnosis of SM after BM examination.

Methods: We analyzed a cohort of 95 patients with suspect SM.

[A cluster of methanol-related poisonings in Sicily: case characterization and identification of unexpected sources of exposure].

Objective: To describe methanol poisoning exposures in Italy and to investigate a cluster of methanol-related deaths due to abuse occurred in Sicily among immigrants from East Europe.

Design: the human methanol exposures handled by the Poison Control Centre of Milan, the major national centre for toxicological advise active in Italy, were reviewed retrospectively (January 2004-September 2006) and prospectively (October 2006-October 2008).

Setting: For each case of managed human exposure, the Poison Control Centre of Milan uses a standard format to collect patient information, substance/exposure information, clinical effects, therapy, outcomes.