Online University Counselling Services and Psychological Problems among Italian Students in Lockdown Due to Covid-19.

With the advent of Covid-19, Italian university students were overwhelmed by fear of the pandemic and the social restrictions of the lockdown phase, with all didactic activity provided online. These stress factors caused people to experience psychological problems and/or the aggravation of pre-existing mental symptomatology. Psychological support is, therefore, important for the university-student population.

Energetic aspects of intramolecular coupling between the nucleotide binding site and the distal switch II region of the yeast RAS2 protein.

We have studied the interaction of the yeast RAS2 protein with guanine nucleotides using energetic parameters for the dissociation of RAS.nucleotide complexes. The results indicated that a Gly-->Ser substitution at position 82 led to an altered interaction with GppNHp and, to a lesser extent, also with GDP.

Mutagenic alteration of the distal switch II region of RAS blocks CDC25-dependent signaling functions.

We have explored the role of the distal switch II region of the yeast RAS2 protein in determining the response to the nucleotide exchange factor CDC25. We first constructed yeast tester strains in which the deletion of the chromosomal CDC25, RAS1, and RAS2 genes, in combination with the chromosomal suppressor CRI4, resulted in detectable phenotypes in vivo and in vitro. Phenotypes included impaired growth at 37 degrees C, defective glucose-induced cyclic AMP signaling, and low adenylyl cyclase activity of membrane preparations.

Properties of the SDC25 C-domain, a GDP to GTP exchange factor of RAS proteins and in vitro modulation of adenylyl cyclase.

The SDC25 C-domain, the product encoded by the 3'-terminal part of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SDC25 gene, acts as a GDP dissociation stimulator on RAS proteins (Créchet, J.B., Poullet, P.

The SCH9 protein kinase mRNA contains a long 5' leader with a small open reading frame.

The SCH9 yeast gene, that was previously identified as a suppressor of cdc25 and ras1- ras2-ts temperature-sensitive mutants, encodes a putative protein kinase that positively regulates the progression of yeast cells through the G1 phase of the cell cycle. We have determined the structure of the SCH9 transcription unit, using primer extension and S1 mapping techniques. The corresponding mRNA included an unusually long 5' region of more than 600 nucleotides preceding the major open reading frame (ORF).