Laccases are a class of multi-copper oxidases with important industrial values. A thermotolerant laccase produced by a basidiomycete fungal strain Cerrena unicolor CGMCC 5.1011 was studied. With glycerin and peptone as the carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, a maximal laccase activity of 121.7 U/mL was attained after cultivation in the shaking flask for 15 days. Transcriptomics analysis revealed an expressed laccase gene family of 12 members in C.  https://www.selleckchem.com/  unicolor strain CGMCC 5.1011, and the gene and cDNA sequences were cloned. A glycosylated laccase was purified from the fermentation broth of Cerrena unicolor CGMCC 5.1011 and corresponded to Lac2 based on MALDI-TOF MS/MS identification. Lac2 was stable at pH 5.0 and above, and was resistant to organic solvents. Lac2 displayed remarkable thermostability, with half-life time of 1.67 h at 70 ºC. Consistently, Lac2 was able to completely decolorize malachite green (MG) at high temperatures, whereas Lac7 from Cerrena sp. HYB07 resulted in accumulation of colored MG transformation intermediates. Molecular dynamics simulation of Lac2 was conducted, and possible mechanisms underlying Lac2 thermostability were discussed. The robustness of C. unicolor CGMCC 5.1011 laccase would not only be useful for industrial applications, but also provide a template for future work to develop thermostable laccases.Trametes spec. laccase (EC 1.10.3.2.) mediates the oxidative coupling of 6-aminopenicillanic, 7-aminocephalosporanic, and 7-aminodesacetoxycephalosporanic acid with 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid derivatives to form new penicillin and cephalosporin structures, respectively. The heteromolecular hybrid dimers are formed by nuclear amination of the p-hydroquinones with the primary amines and inhibited in vitro the growth of Staphylococcus species, including some multidrug-resistant strains.
  Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH)-expressing neurons located in the lateral hypothalamus are considered as an integral component of sleep-wake circuitry. However, the precise role of MCH neurons in sleep-wake regulation has remained unclear, despite several years of research employing a wide range of techniques. We review recent data on this aspect, which are mostly inconsistent, and propose a novel role for MCH neurons in sleep regulation.
 
  While almost all studies using "gain-of-function" approaches show an increase in rapid eye movement sleep (or paradoxical sleep; PS), loss-of-function approaches have not shown reductions in PS. Similarly, the reported changes in wakefulness or non-rapid eye movement sleep (slow-wave sleep; SWS) with manipulation of the MCH system using conditional genetic methods are inconsistent. Currently available data do not support a role for MCH neurons in spontaneous sleep-wake but imply a crucial role for them in orchestrating sleep-wake responses to changes in external and internal environments.
 While almost all studies using "gain-of-function" approaches show an increase in rapid eye movement sleep (or paradoxical sleep; PS), loss-of-function approaches have not shown reductions in PS. Similarly, the reported changes in wakefulness or non-rapid eye movement sleep (slow-wave sleep; SWS) with manipulation of the MCH system using conditional genetic methods are inconsistent. Currently available data do not support a role for MCH neurons in spontaneous sleep-wake but imply a crucial role for them in orchestrating sleep-wake responses to changes in external and internal environments.
  In the last months, Italy faced a COVID-19 emergency and implemented preventive measures in order to protect patients and healthcare providers from a disease outbreak. The pandemic control strategies impacted patient experience directly. Questionnaires evaluating patients reported measures (PREMs) may assess critical issues and represent a helpful tool to measure the patient perception of healthcare service. Our aim was to prospectively assess patient satisfaction about doctor-patient interaction in a high-volume radiation therapy and oncology center during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
  Cancer patients receiving either systemic and/or radiation treatment underwent a survey. Two validated questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30, FACIT-TS-G version 1) and 14 specific questions evaluating patients' perception of COVID-19 measures were administered.
 
  One hundred twenty-five patients admitted to our department from 1-30 April 2020 completed the questionnaires. The majority (66.4%) of patients were women and the most common di, and patient-doctor communication, impacting the quality of clinical care in the next phases of the pandemic.The effect of the strength and orientation of magnetic field with respect to the temperature gradient on the effective thermal conductivity [Formula see text], in a kerosene-based ferrofluid with magnetite particles is reported. A new theoretical model to explain the experimental dependence [Formula see text], obtained for both the parallel and perpendicular orientation of the magnetic field, relative to the temperature gradient is proposed, based on the Sillars equation (which is applied for the first time to a ferrofluid in this purpose). For computing [Formula see text], we have considered that the particle agglomerations, arranged in field-induced microstructures, have ellipsoid forms and the ratio a/b between the major axis and the minor axis of the ellipsoid increases with increasing the magnetic field strength. Using the proposed theoretical model, we established for the first time a semi-empirical relationship between the ratio, a/b and the magnetic field, H, both for parallel and perpendicular H relative to the temperature gradient, determining then the dependence on H of [Formula see text]. The theoretical results are in agreement with the experimental measurements. The reported results are of great practical importance and show that ferrofluids may be useful for incorporation in magnetic tuneable heat transfer devices or for other potential thermal applications.
  Hand function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is amajor determinant of functional ability.
 
  To explore hand dysfunction in RA patients and to investigate the role of ultrasonography and nerve conduction studies in detecting factors affecting hand dysfunction.
 
  One hundred RA patients were included in this cross-sectional study and subgrouped into those with aweak hand grip (groupA) and those with agood hand grip (groupB). Ultrasonographic examinations and nerve conduction studies were performed. Multiple regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves were used.
 
  The age of enrolled patients was 45.16 ± 11.66years, 88% were females. Patients in groupA had poorer hand function and quality of life compared to those in groupB (P < 0.001). Using musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS), higher scores of synovial proliferation, bone erosion, and cartilage damage were found in groupA. Hands with weak grip strength had reduced sensory median and ulnar conduction velocity than those with good grip (P = 0.