Salivary Proteome Changes in Response to Acute Psychological Stress Due to an Oral Exam Simulation in University Students: Effect of an Olfactory Stimulus

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a crucial role both in acute and chronic psychological stress eliciting changes in many local and systemic physiological and biochemical processes. Salivary secretion is also regulated by ANS. In this study, we explored salivary proteome changes produced in thirty-eight University students by a test stress, which simulated an oral exam. Students underwent a relaxation phase followed by the stress test during which an electrocardiogram was recorded. To evaluate the effect of an olfactory stimulus, half of the students were exposed to a pleasant odor diffused in the room throughout the whole session. Saliva samples were collected after the relaxation phase (T0) and the stress test (T1). State anxiety was also evaluated at T0 and T1. Salivary proteins were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis, and patterns at different times were compared. Spots differentially expressed were trypsin digested and identified by mass spectrometry. Western blot analysis was used to validate proteomic results. Anxiety scores and heart rate changes indicated that the fake exam induced anxiety. Significant changes of α-amylase, polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (PIGR), and immunoglobulin α chain (IGHA) secretion were observed after the stress test was performed in the two conditions. Moreover, the presence of pleasant odor reduced the acute social stress affecting salivary proteome changes. Therefore, saliva proteomic analysis was a useful approach to evaluate the rapid responses associated to an acute stress test also highlighting known biomarkers.     

Application of the Shvo catalyst in homogeneous hydrogenation of bio-oil obtained from pyrolysis of white poplar: New mild upgrading conditions

Upgrading of bio-oils obtained from the fast pyrolysis of biomasses requires the development of efficient catalysts able to work under mild conditions and to cope with the complex chemical nature of the reactant. The present work focuses on the use of the ruthenium based Shvo homogeneous catalyst for the hydrogenation of model mixtures (vanillin, cinnamaldehyde, methylacetophenone, glycolaldehyde, acetol, acetic acid) and of a real bio-oil. The hydrogenation of model compounds has been investigated both in mono- and biphasic mixtures under a P(H₂) = 10 atm in the temperature range of 90-145 °C varying the substrate to catalyst molar ratio from 2000:1 to 200:1. Employing the most active reaction conditions (substrate/catalyst 200:1, T = 145 °C, P(H₂) = 10 atm) the Shvo catalyst maintains its performances under acidic “bio-oil conditions” leading to the almost quantitative conversion of the polar double bonds within 1 h. The activity of the Shvo catalyst was also investigated for the hydrogenation of a bio-oil from poplar in solvent free conditions. Hydrogenation deeply changed the chemical nature of the pyrolysis oil. Aldehydes, ketones and non-aromatic double bonds were almost totally hydrogenated. The catalytic system also promoted the hydrolysis of sugar oligomers into monomers.     

Preserved monitoring and control processes in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess an aspect of metamemory never examined before in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE): the ability to upgrade the accuracy of one's memory predictions after study. Method: Four lists of different levels of difficulty and relatedness were presented to 15 TLE patients and 15 control participants, who were asked to predict their subsequent recall both before and after studying each list. Results: The results showed clear impairment in recall in TLE patients. However, both TLE patients and controls showed an improvement in accuracy in their poststudy predictions compared with their prestudy predictions, showing that both groups were able to upgrade their metamemory predictions. Unexpectedly, prediction accuracy was overall higher in TLE patients than in controls. Moreover, study time was allocated in both groups taking into account the characteristics of the list. Conclusion: These results confirm and extend findings of Howard et al. (2010) of intact metamemory in TLE patients, and provide further support to the dissociation between memory and metamemory in this clinical population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intramolecular C-H--O interaction between lactam oxygen and N-alkyl protons.

We report evidence of an unusual C-H--O interaction between an alpha-methylene hydrogen of the alkylamine chain of substituted (N,N-dimethylamino)propyl-azetidinones, substituted (N,N-dimethylamino)propyl-thiazolidinones and substituted (N,N-dimethylamino)propyl-thiazinone and the lactam carbonyl oxygen. NMR analysis results, supported by molecular mechanic predictions, were in agreement with ab initio calculations. The observed interaction shorting the nitrogen-nitrogen distance in the H1-histamine antagonist, 2-(4-methylphenyl)-3-[3-(N,N-dimethylamino)propyl]-1,3-thiazolidin-4-one (1) could explain its fitting with the H1-antihistaminic pharmacophoric model and the high antihistaminic activity.     

Microstructural characterization and in vitro bioactivity of porous glass-ceramic scaffolds for bone regeneration by synchrotron radiation X-ray microtomography

One of the key purposes of bone tissue engineering is the development of new biomaterials that can stimulate the body's own regenerative mechanism for patient's anatomical and functional recovery. Bioactive glasses, due to their versatile properties, are excellent candidates to fabricate porous 3-D architectures for bone replacement. In this work, morphological and structural investigations are carried out on Bioglass^®- and CEL2-derived scaffolds produced by sponge replication (CEL2 is an experimental glass developed at Politecnico di Torino). Synchrotron radiation X-ray microtomography is used to study the samples 3-D architecture, pores size, shape, distribution and interconnectivity, as well as the growth kinetics on scaffolds struts of a newly formed apatitic phase during in vitro treatment in simulated body fluid, in order to describe from a quantitative viewpoint the bioactive potential of the analyzed biomaterials. An accurate comparison between architectural features and bioactive behaviour of Bioglass^®- and CEL2-derived scaffolds is presented and discussed.     

Scrotal hematoma due to neonatal adrenal hemorrhage: the value of ultrasonography in avoiding unnecessary surgery

Scrotal hematoma is an uncommon presentation of neonatal adrenal hemorrhage. Nine previous cases of such an association have been reported in the literature, and unnecessary surgery was carried out in five of these cases. The authors report three new cases observed during a 3-year period and stress the critical role of scrotal and abdominal ultrasonography in order to avoid unnecessary surgical exploration.     

Dream interpretation can change beliefs about the past.

Forty-six nonclinical subjects reported on their childhood experiences on two occasions, separated by 3–4 weeks. between these sessions, some subjects were exposed to a 30-min therapy simulation in which their dream material was analyzed by a clinical psychologist. He suggested to subjects that their dreams were indicative of having experienced, before the age of three, certain critical experiences (e.g., being lost in a public place or feeling abandoned by parents). Subjects previously reported that these critical events had not occurred. The brief therapy simulation led them to dramatic shifts in belief that the experiences had occurred. These results show that brief therapy-like interactions can change people's beliefs about the past, and have implications for the power of clinical intervention. Dream interpretation, commonly practiced in psychotherapy to guide patient's understanding of themselves, may have unexpected side effects if it leads to beliefs about the past that may in fact be false. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Emergence of fluconazole-resistant strains of Blastoschizomyces capitatus causing nosocomial infections in cancer patients

Blastoschizomyces capitatus strains resistant to fluconazole were isolated in three cancer patients. All of the strains had identical genomic DNA restriction profiles. Our findings give evidence for the emergence of fluconazole-resistant B. capitatus and suggest a nosocomial acquisition emanating from a common source within the hospital environment.     

The characterization of the V species and the identification of the promoting effect of dopants in V/Ti/O catalysts for o-xylene oxidation

The present work deals with the study of the role of promoters in TiO₂-supported vanadium oxide, catalyst for the oxidation of o-xylene to phthalic anhydride. Two different series of catalysts were prepared, the first one consisting of undoped samples having different vanadium oxide content, and the second one of samples having 7 wt.% V₂O₅ and variable amounts of Sb and Cs as promoters. All the samples were characterized by means of Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermal-programmed reduction and oxidation, in order to define a method for the quantification of the different V species (i.e., isolated vanadium, dispersed polyvanadate and bulk vanadium oxide) that develop on TiO₂ support in the presence of promoters. It was found that polyvanadate and bulk vanadium oxide spontaneously release molecular oxygen at 600–650 °C, whereas the isolated V is not susceptible of self-reduction. The latter species is predominant in samples having low vanadium oxide loading (≤2 wt.% V₂O₅, with TiO₂ surface area 22.5 m²/g), and possesses the highest intrinsic activity in o-xylene conversion. The presence of Sb, a promoter of activity, increases the dispersion of the most active species and also hinders its segregation in the reaction environment. These promoting effects are more pronounced when both Cs and Sb are present.