Let's talk posters: a novel role-playing activity to prepare undergraduate researchers for poster presentations.

Calls to increase undergraduate involvement in research have led to a significant increase in student participation via course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). These CUREs provide students an authentic research experience, which often involves dissemination of research by public speaking. For instance, the First-year Research Immersion (FRI) program at Binghamton University is a three-semester CURE sequence that prepares students for scientific research and effective communication of their findings.

Appearance of food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis as an inflammatory disease: a pediatric case report and differential diagnosis.

Anaphylaxis is the most serious of all allergic reactions. Despite advances in the knowledge of anaphylaxis, its clinical manifestations continue to be under-recognized. Indeed, proper diagnosis of anaphylaxis is often missed, and the treatment is delayed.

Neuro-PIMS-TS: a single case report and review of the literature.

Neurological manifestations related to SARS-CoV-2 infection in adults have been largely reported since the beginning of the pandemic. Subsequent large-scale studies involving children confirmed the occurrence of neurological symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection also among paediatric patients, especially in the context of paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with COVID-19 (PIMS-TS). At this regard, we report the challenging case of a 10-month-old baby with PIMS-TS complicated by acute cerebral oedema successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulins, corticosteroids and anakinra.

Prospection of Fungal Lignocellulolytic Enzymes Produced from Jatoba () and Tamarind () Seeds: Scaling for Bioreactor and Saccharification Profile of Sugarcane Bagasse.

The lignocellulosic biomass comprises three main components: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Degradation and conversion of these three components are attractive to biotechnology. This study aimed to prospect fungal lignocellulolytic enzymes with potential industrial applications, produced through a temporal analysis using and seeds as carbon sources.

Perspectives on Expanding the Repertoire of Novel Microbial Chitinases for Biological Control.

Interest in chitin-degrading enzymes has grown over the years, and microbial chitinases are the most attractive and promising candidates for the control of plant pests (fungi and insects). Currently, there are many studies on chitinases produced by cultivable microorganisms; however, almost none of them have achieved acceptable applicability as a biopesticide in the field. Approximately 99% of the microorganisms from soil cannot be isolated by conventional culture-dependent methods, thus having an enormous biotechnological/genetic potential to be explored.

Paradoxical effect of fat diet in matrix metalloproteinases induced mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Aims: Diabetic cardiomyopathy represents the main cause of death among diabetic people. Despite this evidence, the molecular mechanisms triggered by impaired glucose and lipid metabolism inducing heart damage remain unclear. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of altered metabolism on the early stages of cardiac injury in experimental diabetes.

Early limb paralysis in infants: do not forget about congenital syphilis.

We describe the case of a 2-month-old baby with congenital syphilis, presenting with limb paralysis. The radiological investigations showed periosteal thickenings of the limb. Despite negative maternal serology during the first trimester of pregnancy, clinical and radiological features led to the suspicion of pseudoparalysis of Parrot, which was confirmed by blood tests.

A Halotolerant Endo-1,4-β-Xylanase from Aspergillus clavatus with Potential Application for Agroindustrial Residues Saccharification.

The use of non-potable water (such as seawater) is an attractive alternative for water intensive processes such as biomass pretreatment and saccharification steps in the production of biochemicals and biofuels. Identification and application of halotolerant enzymes compatible with high-salt conditions may reduce the energy needed for non-potable water treatment and decrease waste treatment costs. Here we present the biochemical properties of a halotolerant endo-1,4-β-xylanase produced by Aspergillus clavatus in submerged fermentation, using paper sludge (XPS) and sugarcane bagasse (XSCB), and its potential application in the hydrolysis of agroindustrial residues.

Molecular determinants of homo- and heteromeric interactions of Junctophilin-1 at triads in adult skeletal muscle fibers.

In adult skeletal muscles, 2 junctophilin isoforms (JPH1 and JPH2) tether the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) to transverse tubule (T-tubule) membranes, generating stable membrane contact sites known as triads. JPHs are anchored to the membrane of the SR by a C-terminal transmembrane domain (TMD) and bind the T-tubule membrane through their cytosolic N-terminal region, which contains 8 lipid-binding (MORN) motifs. By combining expression of GFP-JPH1 deletion mutants in skeletal muscle fibers with in vitro biochemical experiments, we investigated the molecular determinants of JPH1 recruitment at triads in adult skeletal muscle fibers.

Distinct regions of triadin are required for targeting and retention at the junctional domain of the sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Ca2+ release, which is necessary for muscle contraction, occurs at the j-SR (junctional domain of the sarcoplasmic reticulum). It requires the assembly of a large multiprotein complex containing the RyR (ryanodine receptor) and additional proteins, including triadin and calsequestrin. The signals which drive these proteins to the j-SR and how they assemble to form this multiprotein complex are poorly understood.

Clonal spread and patient risk factors for acquisition of extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in a neonatal intensive care unit in Italy.

Aim: To report an outbreak of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of an Italian university hospital. Patient risk profiles for acquisition of A. baumannii and measures used to control the outbreak are described.

Respiratory disorders and hospitalization rates during the second RSV season in preterm infants who received palivizumab prophylaxis during their first RSV season.

This prospective study evaluated the frequency and severity of respiratory symptoms during the second respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season in an italian cohort of preterm infants (< or = 35 weeks) who had received palivizumab prophylaxis in their first year of life (October 2004-April 2005) and who had not previously been hospitalized for RSV-induced lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). infants were evaluated at enrolment (May-September 2005), in October/November 2005 and in April 2006. The occurrence of any respiratory episode, the rate of hospitalization for respiratory-related LRTI, total length of stay in hospital, physician-documented recurrent wheezing (>or = 3 physician-documented episodes of wheezing) and use of airway medication/antibiotics were recorded during follow-up.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a neonatal intensive care unit: molecular epidemiology and infection control measures.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a non-fermentative, gram-negative rod, is responsible for a wide variety of clinical syndromes in NICU patients, including sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis, diarrhea, conjunctivitis and skin infections. An increased number of infections and colonisations by P. aeruginosa has been observed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of our university hospital between 2005 and 2007.

Fetoneonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT): our experience.

Objective: Fetoneonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) is a relatively rare clinical syndrome characterized by marked thrombocytopenia shortly after birth. It occurs when fetal platelets are destroyed, after sensitization, by a transplacental passage of maternal antibodies directed against a fetal platelet alloantigen inherited from the father. This article reviews some pathophysiologic and clinical aspects of FNAIT.

Molecular epidemiology of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Objectives: To investigate the molecular epidemiology of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in the neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital in Italy.

Methods: Antibiotic susceptibility was evaluated by disc diffusion and Etest. ESBLs were identified by isoelectric focusing, PCR and DNA sequencing analysis.

Molecular epidemiology of an outbreak of Serratia marcescens in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Objective: To investigate and control a biphasic outbreak of Serratia marcescens in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Design: Epidemiological and laboratory investigation of the outbreak.

Setting: The NICU of the 1,470-bed teaching hospital of the University "Federico II," Naples, Italy.

Early death in two sisters with Hennekam syndrome.

We report on two sisters with facial anomalies, protein-losing enteropathy, and intestinal lymphangiectasia consistent with the diagnosis of Hennekam syndrome. Both patients had a number of other anomalies not previously described in this autosomal recessive disorder, i.e.

Gestational maturation of electrical activity of the stomach.

Gestational maturation of gastrointestinal motility is a key factor in readiness of the preterm neonates for enteral nutrition. Since gastric motility mainly depends on the electrical activity of the smooth muscle cells, it was of interest to investigate the developmental aspects of electrical activity of the stomach. The latter was recorded weekly through cutaneous electrogastrography in 27 preterm infants (aged 29-34 weeks of gestation).