Two-dimensional enzyme diffusion in laterally confined DNA monolayers

Addressing the effects of confinement and crowding on biomolecular function may provide insight into molecular mechanisms within living organisms, and may promote the development of novel biotechnology tools. Here, using molecular manipulation methods, we investigate restriction enzyme reactions with double-stranded (ds)DNA oligomers confined in relatively large (and flat) brushy matrices of monolayer patches of controlled, variable density. We show that enzymes from the contacting solution cannot access the dsDNAs from the top-matrix interface, and instead enter at the matrix sides to diffuse two-dimensionally in the gap between top- and bottom-matrix interfaces. This is achieved by limiting lateral access with a barrier made of high-density molecules that arrest enzyme diffusion. We put forward, as a possible explanation, a simple and general model that relates these data to the steric hindrance in the matrix, and we briefly discuss the implications and applications of this strikingly new phenomenon

An Innovative, Open, Interoperable Citizen Engagement Cloud Platform for Smart Government and Users' Interaction

This paper introduces an open, interoperable, and cloud-computing-based citizen engagement platform for the management of administrative processes of public administrations, which also increases the engagement of citizens. The citizen engagement platform is the outcome of a 3-year Italian national project called PRISMA (Interoperable cloud platforms for smart government). The aim of the project is to constitute a new model of digital ecosystem that can support and enable new methods of interaction among public administrations, citizens, companies, and other stakeholders surrounding cities. The platform has been defined by the media as a flexible (enable the addition of any kind of application or service) and open (enable access to open services) Italian "cloud" that allows public administrations to access to a vast knowledge base represented as linked open data to be reused by a stakeholder community with the aim of developing new applications ("Cloud Apps") tailored to the specific needs of citizens. The platform has been used by Catania and Syracuse municipalities, two of the main cities of southern Italy, located in the Sicilian region. The fully adoption of the platform is rapidly spreading around the whole region (local developers have already used available application programming interfaces (APIs) to create additional services for citizens and administrations) to such an extent that other provinces of Sicily and Italy in general expressed their interest for its usage. The platform is available online and, as mentioned above, is open source and provides APIs for full exploitation.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figures, journal pape

Surfactant replacement after acute massive milk aspiration in a very low birthweight infant

[No abstract available

Successful Treatment With Caspofungin of Refractory Candida krusei Candidemia in a Very Low Birth Weight Preterm Infant

[No abstract available

Cervical Insufficiency: A New Issue for Guidelines on Prevention of Perinatal Group B Streptococcal Disease?

The updated Guidelines on Prevention of Perinatal Group B Streptococcal Disease, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, actually represent the mainstay in the prevention of neonatal early-onset group B streptococcal (GBS) sepsis. According to these guidelines, patients with possible preterm delivery are screened for GBS colonization and offered intrapartum prophylaxis only if they enter preterm labor or experience preterm premature rupture of the membranes. Nonetheless, the fulfillment of these recommendations seems to be suboptimal in clinical practice, as it is heavily influenced by the knowledge of the colonization status. We report here 2 cases of blood culture-proven, early-onset neonatal GBS sepsis involving preterm infants delivered by mothers who had midtrimester cervical insufficiency and bulging membranes. Midtrimester acute cervical insufficiency strongly predicts preterm delivery. These women are liable to miss intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis because they typically have shorter labor, and the test results for GBS status are unlikely to be available before delivery. We believe that women with midtrimester cervical insufficiency and bulging membranes should be screened for GBS infection soon after hospital admittance if the gestational age is close to the threshold of fetal viability. A timely diagnosis of GBS colonization may not only increase the number of patients receiving targeted intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis but would also allow consideration of the administration of antepartum antibiotic prophylaxis. Indeed, as further outlined in this report, GBS intraamniotic infection may dramatically occur before the onset of preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of the membranes

Early onset sepsis in very low birth weight newborn infants

Early onset sepsis (EOS) is a severe problem affecting very low birth weight (VLBW) infants and is associated with a threefold increased risk of mortality. Although advances in perinatal care have led to improved survival of VLBW infants over recent decades, survival without major neonatal morbidity has not increased. The authors reviewed the current literature on EOS, focusing on the peculiarities concerning risk factors, etiology, diagnosis, treatment and outcome in very low birth weight infants, and on the recent advances in the management of this condition