Space, the final frontier: The spatial component of phytoplankton-bacterial interactions.

Microscale interactions between marine phytoplankton and bacteria shape the microenvironment of individual cells, impacting their physiology and ultimately influencing global-scale biogeochemical processes like carbon and nutrient cycling. In dilute environments such as the ocean water column, metabolic exchange between microorganisms likely requires close proximity between partners. However, the biological strategies to achieve this physical proximity remain an understudied aspect of phytoplankton-bacterial associations.

Microfluidic approaches in microbial ecology.

Microbial life is at the heart of many diverse environments and regulates most natural processes, from the functioning of animal organs to the cycling of global carbon. Yet, the study of microbial ecology is often limited by challenges in visualizing microbial processes and replicating the environmental conditions under which they unfold. Microfluidics operates at the characteristic scale at which microorganisms live and perform their functions, thus allowing for the observation and quantification of behaviors such as growth, motility, and responses to external cues, often with greater detail than classical techniques.

Amino acids L-phenylalanine and L-lysine involvement in trans and cis piperamides biosynthesis in two Piper species.

Several Piper species accumulate piperamides as secondary metabolites, and although they have relevant biological importance, many details of their biosynthetic pathways have not yet been described experimentally. Experiments involving enzymatic reactions and labeled precursor feeding were performed using the species Piper tuberculatum and Piper arboreum. The activities of the phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) enzymes, which are involved in the general phenylpropanoid pathway, were monitored by the conversion of the amino acid L-phenylalanine to cinnamic acid.

Single-cell stable isotope probing in microbial ecology.

Environmental and host-associated microbiomes are typically diverse assemblages of organisms performing myriad activities and engaging in a network of interactions that play out in spatially structured contexts. As the sum of these activities and interactions give rise to overall microbiome function, with important consequences for environmental processes and human health, elucidating specific microbial activities within complex communities is a pressing challenge. Single-cell stable isotope probing (SC-SIP) encompasses multiple techniques that typically utilize Raman microspectroscopy or nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) to enable spatially resolved tracking of isotope tracers in cells, cellular components, and metabolites.

Patterning of Microorganisms and Microparticles through Sequential Capillarity-assisted Assembly.

Controlled patterning of microorganisms into defined spatial arrangements offers unique possibilities for a broad range of biological applications, including studies of microbial physiology and interactions. At the simplest level, accurate spatial patterning of microorganisms would enable reliable, long-term imaging of large numbers of individual cells and transform the ability to quantitatively study distance-dependent microbe-microbe interactions. More uniquely, coupling accurate spatial patterning and full control over environmental conditions, as offered by microfluidic technology, would provide a powerful and versatile platform for single-cell studies in microbial ecology.

Sequential capillarity-assisted particle assembly in a microfluidic channel.

Colloidal patterning enables the placement of a wide range of materials into prescribed spatial arrangements, as required in a variety of applications, including micro- and nano-electronics, sensing, and plasmonics. Directed colloidal assembly methods, which exploit external forces to place particles with high yield and great accuracy, are particularly powerful. However, currently available techniques require specialized equipment, which limits their applicability.

Revisiting the Mechanism of Hydrolysis of Betanin.

Betanin (betanidin 5-O-β-D-glucoside) is a water-soluble plant pigment used as a color additive in food, drugs and cosmetic products. Despite its sensitivity to light and heat, betanin maintains appreciable tinctorial strength in low acidic and neutral conditions, where the color of other plant pigments, such as anthocyanins, quickly fades. However, betanin is an iminium natural product that experiences acid- and base-catalyzed hydrolysis to form the fairly stable betalamic acid and cyclo-DOPA-5-O-β-D-glucoside.

Improved Synthesis of Analogues of Red Wine Pyranoanthocyanin Pigments.

An improved procedure is described for the preparation of pyranoflavylium cations from the reaction of 5,7-dihydroxy-4-methylflavylium cation with aromatic aldehydes. Modifications of the procedure of Chassaing et al. (.

Piperlongumine and some of its analogs inhibit selectively the human immunoproteasome over the constitutive proteasome.

The natural small molecule piperlongumine A is toxic selectively to cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. This toxicity has been correlated with cancer cell ROS, DNA damage and apoptotic cell death increases. We demonstrate here a new mechanistic property of piperlongumine: it inhibits selectively human immunoproteasome with no noticeable inhibition of human constitutive proteasome.

Development and Validation of the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales-Residential Facility (HoNOS-RF).

The Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (HoNOS) (Lora et al. Epidemiol Psichiatr Soc 10(3):198-212, 2001) is widely used. However, clinicians have expressed concerns about its ability to describe severe mentally ill patients, as it does not consider some relevant clinical aspects.

[Morphologic and molecular characterization of Phomopsis longicolla(teleomorph unknown: Diaporthales) from tempered and subtropical regions of Argentina].

Diaporthe (teleomorpho)-Phomopsis - (anamorph) (DP) is a fungal group of great genetic diversity with over 900 species associated to a wide host range that includes cultivated and uncultivated species, forest, fruit trees and weeds. DP isolates are hemibiotrophs and have different sources of primary inoculum as stubble and seeds to restart cycles of parasitism - saprophytism. They colonize host tissues from early plant stages and establish different nutritional relationships, acting as endophytic and necrotrophic fungi.

Is structured group psychoeducation for bipolar patients effective in ordinary mental health services? A controlled trial in Italy.

Background: Recent reviews of evidence-based guidelines for the clinical management of Bipolar Disorders (BD) have recommended that "all patients with BD be offered group or individual psychoeducation" to prevent relapse, improve treatment adherence, quality of life, and functioning. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of psychoeducation in routine mental health services in reducing number of hospitalisations and number of days spent in hospital, at a 1-year follow-up.

Methods: A total of 102 outpatients were recruited from two Italian Departments of Mental Health.

Beliefs and attitudes among Italian high school students toward people with severe mental disorders.

The negative attitudes surrounding mental disorders and their treatment are a major obstacle to the correct identification and treatment of emerging psychopathologies. The purpose of this study was to investigate mental health literacy in a large and representative sample of high school students in Italy, via a booklet containing several questionnaires delivered to 1032 teenagers. The items in the questionnaires probed knowledge about mental health and illness, stigmatization, stereotypes, behaviors, opinions, and attitudes.

Schizophrenia susceptibility and NMDA-receptor mediated signalling: an association study involving 32 tagSNPs of DAO, DAOA, PPP3CC, and DTNBP1 genes.

Background: Recent studies supported associations between four NMDA-receptor-mediated signalling genes (D-amino acid oxidase, DAO; D-amino acid oxidase activator, DAOA; protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit gamma isoform, PPP3CC; dystrobrevin-binding protein 1, DTNBP1) and schizophrenia susceptibility, even though with contrasting results.

Methods: In an attempt to replicate these findings for the first time in an Italian population, a panel of 32 tagSNPs was analysed in a representative case-control sample involving 879 subjects.

Results: An association in the allele frequency was observed for the estimated PPP3CC CAG triplotype in the SNP window rs4872499 T/C-rs11780915 A/G-rs13271367 G/A (pcorrect = 0.

Soybean sudden death syndrome species diversity within north and South america revealed by multilocus genotyping.

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybean has become a serious constraint to the production of this crop in North and South America. Phenotypic and multilocus molecular phylogenetic analyses, as well as pathogenicity experiments, have demonstrated that four morphologically and phylogenetically distinct fusaria can induce soybean SDS. Published molecular diagnostic assays for the detection and identification of these pathogens have reported these pathogens as F.

Development and validation of a self-reported questionnaire on users' opinions about schizophrenia: a participatory research.

Background: Although users' involvement in mental health research has repeatedly been acknowledged as having a positive influence on research quality, this rarely happens.

Aims: To develop and validate a Questionnaire on Users' Opinions (QOU) about schizophrenia, in close collaboration with 279 persons affected by this disorder.

Methods: A preliminary list of items concerning the opinions of users with schizophrenia regarding causes, treatments and psychosocial consequences of the disorder was developed by 38 users with schizophrenia and 40 professionals who attended a workshop.

What people with schizophrenia think about the causes of their disorder.

Aims: To describe what users with schizophrenia think about the causes of their disorder.

Methods: In each of the 10 participating Italian mental health centres, 25 users with schizophrenia were consecutively recruited and asked to complete the Users' Opinions Questionnaire (UOQ).

Results: 150 out of 198 respondents mentioned at least one social cause for their mental disorder, and 114 reported exclusively social causes.

[The acceptability of the NICE recommendations for schizophrenia in the Italian Departments of Mental Health. The SIEP-DIRECT'S Project on the discrepancy between routine practice and evidence].

Aims: This paper aims at presenting the most significant results emerging from the work carried out by the focus groups of the multi-centre Project SIEP-DIRECT'S. The Project is aimed at assessing the existing discrepancies between the evidence-based NICE guidelines for schizophrenia and the usual practices of care given by Italian mental health services. Each focus group was requested to give an evaluation on: (a) appropriateness of the English NICE guidelines in the context of the Italian mental health services; (b) clarity and usefulness of the 103 indicators developed on the basis of the NICE recommendations to measure their level of application within the services.

Morphologic, Molecular, and Pathogenic Characterization of Diaporthe phaseolorum Variability in the Core Soybean-Producing Area of Argentina.

ABSTRACT Isolates of the Diaporthe/Phomopsis (D/P) complex were collected in the main soybean producing area of Argentina during the 1996-97, 1997-98, and 1998-99 growing seasons. Twenty-three morphologic characters related to type of colonies, stroma, pycnidia and conidia, presence of perithecia, and asci length were studied by principal component analysis (PCA). Genomic DNA were analyzed by the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique.

The stigma of schizophrenia from patients' and relatives' view: A pilot study in an Italian rehabilitation residential care unit.

Objective: To identify the constituent elements of the stigma from the perspective of those having first-hand experiences of it.

Methods: Subjective experiences of stigma were explored in six focus groups: three with people suffering from schizophrenia and three with patients' relatives. Focus group sessions were tape-recorded, transcribed and analyzed by means of an inductive method, forming categories from the texts, as a basis for coding.

[Biotic and abiotic factors that affect the quality of Schinopsis balansae Engl. and Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco Schltdl. seeds].

Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco (white quebracho) and Schinopsis balansae (red quebracho) are distinctive trees of the South American Park in Argentina. Quebrachos are found in forests that have been exploited very intensively. The object of this work was the identification of biotic and abiotic factors specially fungal pathogen that affect the quality of both species and its relation with germination.

The VADO approach in psychiatric rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: This study investigated whether a specific structured planning and evaluation approach called VADO (in English, Skills Assessment and Definition of Goals) resulted in improved personal and social functioning among patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Methods: A total of 85 patients with chronic schizophrenia who were under a stable medication regimen were randomly allocated to the VADO-based intervention or to routine care; 78 completed the program. Interventions were carried out in nine Italian day treatment or residential rehabilitation facilities.

Outcome assessment of the VADO approach in psychiatric rehabilitation: a partially randomised multicentric trial.

Background: Recent studies on representative samples of psychiatric services have shown that low proportions of cases received effective rehabilitation interventions. The following are likely to be the most important causes: the scarcity of mental health workers trained in social and work skills strategies and the absence of a structured framework to formulate rehabilitation practices. The aim of this study was to assess if a specific structured planning and evaluation manual, called VADO (Valutazione delle Abilità e Definizione degli Obiettivi--in english: Skills Assessment and Definition of Goals), is more effective than routine interventions in reducing disability in patients with schizophrenia.

[Community attitudes towards mental illness and socio-demographic characteristics: an Italian study].

Aim: To assess the association between socio-demographic characteristics and community attitudes towards mentally ill people.

Method: We assessed a sample of 280 subjects, stratified for sex and age, which has identified using the electoral registers of Brescia. A letter was sent to everyone in order to introduce the future potential study participant to the topics of the public attitudes towards mental illness and it included an invitation to take part in the study.