In mammals, perception of smells during the first hours of life is an essential prerequisite for adaptation of the newborn to the new extrauterine world. Functional magnetic resonance studies have shown that olfactory impression is processed in the lateral and anterior orbito-frontal gyri of the frontal lobe. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can detect changes in oxygenated [Hb O2], and deoxygenated [Hb H] Hb during cortical activation. The aim of this study was to assess by NIRS olfactory cortex activity in newborn infants receiving olfactory stimuli. Twelve males and 11 females were studied when awake at 6 h to 8 d after birth. NIRS monitoring was carried out using two optodes placed above the left anterior orbito-frontal gyri. Each newborn was exposed for 30 s to two different smell stimuli-mother's colostrum and vanilla-and to a negative control, distilled water. Changes in Hb concentration were measured over the orbitofrontal region. During exposure to vanilla, [Hb O2] increased significantly over the left orbito-frontal area in all babies. The magnitude of the [Hb O2] increase over the illuminated region during colostrum exposure was inversely related to postnatal age. We conclude that monitoring Hb changes by NIRS can be valuable in assessing olfactory responsiveness in infants.

Newborn infants in intensive care units are exposed to several unfamiliar smells, mostly related to the nosocomial environment. How the preterm baby perceives these olfactory stimulations remains unclear. Near-infrared spectroscopy can be performed noninvasively above the olfactory cortex to monitor changes of cerebral blood flow as an indicator of cortical activation. The aim of this study was to explore by near-infrared spectroscopy how odorous substances routinely used in the neonatal intensive care unit influence bilateral cortical hemodynamics in the olfactory region of the brains of preterm infants. Specifically, a detergent (Neomidil) and an adhesive remover (Remove) have been tested. Twenty preterm neonates of gestational age 30 -37 wk (mean 33.7 Ϯ 2.3 SD) and postconceptional age 32-37.3 wk (mean 35.5 Ϯ 2.75 SD) were monitored by near-infrared spectroscopy. Two optode pairs were placed above the anterior orbitofrontal gyri, which is involved in olfactory processing, on each side of the skull. Fifteen babies were exposed to the smell of a disinfectant and five babies to that of a detergent, both applied to small cotton pads. Changes of oxygenated Hb and deoxygenated Hb were recorded before, during, and after a 10-s stimulus. In 17 out of 20 babies, there was a decrease in oxygenated Hb and total Hb after the exposure to the substances. The decrease was significantly greater in the right side than in the left side. This change was different from that observed in our previous study after exposure to colostrum and the pleasant smell of vanilla, which elicited an increase in blood oxygenation in the same region. The biologic significance of this finding is unknown. We conclude that cortical hemodynamic modifications occur in the preterm newborn after exposure to preparations commonly used in the neonatal intensive care unit. A lateralization seems to occur in processing unpleasant olfactory cues. The newborn infant is exposed to a multitude of nonphysiologic environmental stimuli, which are perceived, processed, and elaborated in the form of different responses, both physiologic and behavioral. Some of these stimuli have been shown to affect the growth, development, and survival of the neonate, especially the premature infant treated in the NICU (1-5). Most studies have focused on responses to visual (3, 5, 6), auditory (3,5,7,8), and tactile stimulation (1, 3, 5). However, there is little information about the responses to a large variety of pungent and artificial odorous compounds (i.e. disinfectants, detergents, adhesive removers) to which the premature baby is exposed. In a recent study by our group, we found that unfamiliar, but likely pleasant, olfactory cues such as colostrum and vanilla can elicit a hemodynamic cortical response in healthy newborns. This suggests olfactory processing (9).The olfactory system is well structured from 32-34 wk of gestation and distinct behavioral responses to olfactory stimuli

We present an on-line database of all-atom force-field parameters and molecular properties of compounds with antimicrobial activity (mostly antibiotics and some beta-lactamase inhibitors). For each compound, we provide the General Amber Force Field parameters for the major species at physiological pH, together with an analysis of properties of interest as extracted from µs-long molecular dynamics simulations in explicit water solution. The properties include number and population of structural clusters, molecular flexibility, hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecular surfaces, the statistics of intraand inter-molecular H-bonds, as well as structural and dynamical properties of solvent molecules within first and second solvation shells. In addition, the database contains several key molecular parameters, such as energy of the frontier molecular orbitals, vibrational properties, rotational constants, atomic partial charges and electric dipole moment, computed by Density Functional Theory. The present database (to our knowledge the first extensive one including dynamical properties) is part of a wider project aiming to build-up a database containing structural, physico-chemical and dynamical properties of medicinal compounds using different force-field parameters with increasing level of complexity and reliability. The database is freely accessible at

The production innovations have been evolving more and more towards organic, sustainable or environmental friendly systems. Contemporarily, the yield and the quality of crops must be assured. The reduction of fertilisers may be obtained by improving the nutrients uptake or their utilisation by the plants. The aim of our work was to verify if the progressive reduction of nutrient solution concentration in the floating system can be compensated by applications of a biostimulant (Actiwave®, Valagro S.p.a.) without compromising the yield and the quality of vegetables. The experiments were performed on rocket (Eruca sativa Mill.) grown in floating system with standard nutrient solution (NS100%), which was compared with nutrient solutions diluted 4 (NS25%) or 10-fold (NS10%) with or without 0.3 ml L-1 Actiwave. At harvest, yield, leaf area, root dry weight, chlorophyll, carotenoids, and leaf nitrate content were determined. Results showed that Actiwave significantly increased the nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiency in all treatments. In fact, no statistically significant differences were found in yield between NS100% and NS25% plus 0.3 ml mL-1 Actiwave. Moreover, Actiwave reduced the leaf nitrate content and increased chlorophyll and carotenoids in all treatments. Our results indicate that Actiwave lowered the leaf nitrate content through its ability in stimulating nutrient uptake and nitrogen metabolism. The combination of hydroponics and biostimulants appears as a promising environmental friendly strategy for the greenhouse production of highquality vegetables.

This study suggests that elevated S100B protein represents a useful tool for the early detection of intraventricular hemorrhage in the postasphyxia period when clinical examination and cerebral ultrasound might still be silent.