The role of sleep and dreams in long-COVID.

Recent investigations show that many people affected by SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) report persistent symptoms 2-3 months from the onset of the infection. Here, we report the Italian findings from the second International COVID-19 Sleep Study survey, aiming to investigate sleep and dream alterations in participants with post-acute symptoms, and identify the best determinants of these alterations among patients with long-COVID. Data from 383 participants who have had COVID-19 were collected through a web-survey (May-November 2021). Descriptive analyses were performed to outline the sociodemographic characteristics of long-COVID (N = 270, with at least two long-lasting symptoms) and short-COVID (N = 113, with none or one long-lasting symptom) participants. They were then compared concerning sleep and dream measures. We performed multiple linear regressions considering as dependent variables sleep and dream parameters discriminating the long-COVID group. Age, gender, work status, financial burden, COVID-19 severity and the level of care were significantly different between long-COVID and short-COVID subjects. The long-COVID group showed greater sleep alterations (sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, sleep inertia, naps, insomnia, sleep apnea, nightmares) compared with the short-COVID group. We also found that the number of long-COVID symptoms, psychological factors and age were the best explanatory variables of sleep and oneiric alterations. Our findings highlight that sleep alterations are part of the clinical presentation of the long-COVID syndrome. Moreover, psychological status and the number of post-acute symptoms should be considered as state-like variables modulating the sleep problems in long-COVID individuals. Finally, according to previous investigations, oneiric alterations are confirmed as a reliable mental health index.

Biofilm is a Major Virulence Determinant in Bacterial Colonization of Chronic Skin Ulcers Independently from the Multidrug Resistant Phenotype.

Bacterial biofilm is a major factor in delayed wound healing and high levels of biofilm production have been repeatedly described in multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs). Nevertheless, a quantitative correlation between biofilm production and the profile of antimicrobial drug resistance in delayed wound healing remains to be determined. Microbial identification, antibiotic susceptibility and biofilm production were assessed in 135 clinical isolates from 87 patients. Gram-negative bacteria were the most represented microorganisms (60.8%) with MDROs accounting for 31.8% of the total isolates. Assessment of biofilm production revealed that 80% of the strains were able to form biofilm. A comparable level of biofilm production was found with both MDRO and not-MDRO with no significant differences between groups. All the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 80% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa MDR strains were found as moderate/high biofilm producers. Conversely, less than 17% of Klebsiella pneumoniae extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL), Escherichia coli-ESBL and Acinetobacter baumannii were moderate/high biofilm producers. Notably, those strains classified as non-biofilm producers, were always associated with biofilm producer bacteria in polymicrobial colonization. This study shows that biofilm producers were present in all chronic skin ulcers, suggesting that biofilm represents a key virulence determinant in promoting bacterial persistence and chronicity of ulcerative lesions independently from the MDRO phenotype.

Molecular and immunological characterization of Staphylococcus aureus in pediatric atopic dermatitis: implications for prophylaxis and clinical management.

S. aureus represents a critical cofactor in atopic dermatitis (AD). In this paper, the prevalence of S. aureus infection/colonization was evaluated in 117 children as well as in their cohabitants, in order to assess the value of S. aureus characterization in predicting disease onset and severity and in providing indications for prophylaxis. Results showed that children with AD as well as their cohabitants had a significantly greater incidence of S. aureus infection/colonization as compared to controls. The genetic characterization showed a virtual identity of the bacteria strains collected at different sites of the patients with those found in the cohabitants, suggesting both a direct transmission between the nasal reservoir and the lesions in the same atopic subject and a risk for reinfection within family cohabitants. These data stress the need of preliminary laboratory assessment and posttherapy control in both AD patients and their close contacts for effective S. aureus eradication.

Organophosphate-resistant forms of acetylcholinesterases in two scallops--the Antarctic Adamussium colbecki and the Mediterranean Pecten jacobaeus.

We describe the acetylcholinesterase polymorphisms of two bivalve molluscs, Adamussium colbecki and Pecten jacobaeus. The research was aimed to point out differences in the expression of pesticide-resistant acetylcholinesterase forms in organisms living in different ecosystems such as the Ross Sea (Antarctica) and the Mediterranean Sea. In A. colbecki, distinct acetylcholinesterase molecular forms were purified and characterized from spontaneously soluble, low-salt-soluble and low-salt-Triton extracts from adductor muscle and gills. They consist of two non-amphiphilic acetylcholinesterases (G(2), G(4)) and an amphiphilic-phosphatidylinositol-membrane-anchored form (G(2)); a further amphiphilic-low-salt-soluble G(2) acetylcholinesterase was found only in adductor muscle. In the corresponding tissues of P. jacobaeus, we found a non-amphiphilic G(4) and an amphiphilic G(2) acetylcholinesterase; amphiphilic-low-salt-soluble acetylcholinesterases (G(2)) are completely lacking. Such results are related with differences in cell membrane lipid compositions. In both scallops, all non-amphiphilic AChEs are resistant to used pesticides. Differently, the adductor muscle amphiphilic forms are resistant to carbamate eserine and organophosphate diisopropylfluorophosphate, but sensitive to organophoshate azamethiphos. In the gills of P. jacobaeus, amphiphilic G(2) forms are sensitive to all three pesticides, while the corresponding forms of A. colbecki are sensitive to eserine and diisopropylfluorophosphate, but resistant to azamethiphos. Results indicate that organophosphate and/or carbamate resistant AChE forms are present in species living in far different and far away environments. The possibility that these AChE forms could have ensued from a common origin and have been spread globally by migration is discussed.

Effects of chlorpyrifos on the catalytic efficiency and expression level of acetylcholinesterases in the bivalve mollusk Scapharca inaequivalvis.

Three acetylcholinesterase (AChE) forms were detected and recovered from foot or gill tissues of the benthonic bivalve mollusk Scapharca inaequivalvis. A study was performed to investigate changes in catalytic and hydrodynamic features of these enzymes, as well as in their expression levels, after a 4-d or a 15-d exposure to a sublethal concentration (0.1 microl/L) of the pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF). Both considered organs hold, in either CPF-exposed or untreated animals, two nonamphiphilic AChE forms, G2 and G4, which copurified on a procainamide-containing affinity gel and were separated by density gradient centrifugation. A third AChE form, an amphiphilic membrane-anchored G2, was also purified on the same affinity matrix from both organs. All enzymatic forms are true AChEs and are poorly inhibited by CPE They show different increases in the maximum velocity (Vmax) and in the Michaelis constant (Km) values after CPF exposure. Consequently, catalytic efficiency of AChEs, as defined by the ratio Vmax:Km, rises in the gills and drops in the foot. This would produce an overexpression of AChE-specific mRNAs. The effect was longer lasting in the foot. The combined results indicate that overexpression of enzymes in the presence of organophosphate (OP) may be a consequence of OP resistance itself. Again, the resistance of the organism to CPF seem to depend mainly on the resulting increase in AChE content.

N.Br halogen bonding: one-dimensional infinite chains through the self-assembly of dibromotetrafluorobenzenes with dipyridyl derivatives.

The N.Br halogen bonding drives the self-assembly of 1,4-dibromotetrafluorobenzene (1 a) and its 1,3 or 1,2 analogues (1 b,c, respectively) with dipyridyl derivatives 2 a,b. The isomeric supramolecular architectures 3 a-f are obtained as cocrystals that are stable in the air at room temperature. The solid-state features of these 1D infinite chains 3 have been fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray, Raman, and IR analyses. The occurrence of N.Br halogen bonding in solution has been detected with (19)F NMR spectroscopy. The N.Br halogen bonding is highly selective and directional and the geometry of the single strands of noncovalent copolymers 3 is programmed by the geometry of halogen-bonding donor and acceptor sites on the starting modules. The composition and topology of the instructed networks can be predicted with great accuracy. Experiments of competitive cocrystal formation established the strength of the N.Br interaction relative to other halogen bondings and the ability of different modules 1 to be involved in site-selective supramolecular syntheses.

Increased acetylcholinesterase activities in specimens of Sparus auratus exposed to sublethal copper concentrations.

The present study looks at possible changes in the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in tissues (brain and white muscle) of the Mediterranean bony fish Sparus auratus after a 20 days exposure to sublethal concentrations (0.1 or 0.5 ppm) of copper in the marine water and on control untreated animals. The trials also included measurements of Cu concentration in the tissues to evaluate possible metal accumulation. Moreover, sedimentation analysis as well as V(max) and K(m) determination were carried out in tissue extracts of Cu-exposed or control animals. V(max) and K(m) were also determined with or without addition of Cu(2+) in the assay. No Cu accumulation occurred in brain and muscle after Cu exposure. AChE showed in both tissues a molecular polymorphism with putative globular (G) and asymmetric (A) forms. Cu exposition led to an increased specific activity and improved catalytic efficiency of AChE in brain and muscle, seemingly regarding G forms. The increase in catalytic efficiency also resulted from the in vitro assay with tissue extracts and Cu(2+) addition. The higher AChE activity and catalytic efficiency in both tissues after Cu exposition and without metal accumulation, suggests an increase of free Cu aliquot into the cells, likely due to mechanisms of metal homeostasis.

Different activity of glyoxalase system enzymes in specimens of Sparus auratus exposed to sublethal copper concentrations.

The present study regards possible changes in the activity of glyoxalase system enzymes (glyoxalase I, GI, and glyoxalase II, GII) in tissues (brain, liver and white muscle) of the mediterranean bony fish Sparus auratus after a 20 days exposure to sublethal concentrations (0.1 or 0.5 ppm) of Cu in the marine water and on control untreated animals. The experiments also included measurements of copper concentration in the tissues, as well as of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, to evaluate possible Cu accumulation and changes in glycolytic activity respectively. Cu accumulation only occurs in the liver. GI, GII and LDH activities kept unchanged in the brain after copper exposure. GI activity in liver and muscle of copper-exposed animals decreases probably for a slackening in the glycolytic rate, as suggested by the lowering of LDH activity. GII activity remains unchanged or increases (liver extract, 0.5 ppm of Cu), maybe to safeguard enough cellular levels of GSH.