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We sought to examine the role of preoperative and 2nd postoperative day albumin levels as predictors for postoperative course in infants undergoing repair of congenital heart disease. This retrospective, single-center, observational study comprised consecutive infants younger than 1 year who had undergone repair of tetralogy of Fallot, ventricular septal defect, complete atrioventricular canal or transposition of the great arteries over a 25 months period. We correlated preoperative and postoperative day (POD) #2 albumin level to vaso-inotropic score (VIS) and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) as markers for degree and duration of postoperative cardiac support. A composite outcome was defined as maximal vaso-inotropic score of > 10 and ICU LOS > 96 h. Preoperative albumin level negatively correlated with VIS and ICU LOS. Compared to preoperative albumin level of > 4 g/dL, the relative risk of meeting composite criteria was 1.5 for preoperative albumin of 3.1-4 g/dL and 2.6 for preoperative albumin ≤ 3 g/dL. Compared to POD#2 albumin level > 3 g/dL, the relative risk of meeting composite criteria was 1.8 for albumin of 2.6-3 g/dL, and 2.5 for albumin ≤ 2.5 g/dL. In summary, we found that preoperative and POD#2 albumin levels predicted prolonged and complicated postoperative course. These finding may help clinicians to inform the patient’s parents, early in the ICU hospitalization, as to the predicted risks and difficulties of their infant’s postoperative course.The N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP), produced by cardiomyocytes, has several reported utilities and associations in acute Kawasaki disease (KD). The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between serum values of NT-proBNP at time of KD diagnosis with cardiac systolic, diastolic function and electrocardiographic changes, at onset of the disease and during the first year of follow-up. KD was diagnosed in 127 children between March 2007 and July 2014, mean diagnostic age 3.5 ± 2.9 years. Coronary artery maximum z score was 2.6 ± 2.8 (range – 0.6 to + 18.9), with giant aneurysm in 5/122 (4.1%). Age-adjusted NT-proBNP was 2.6 ± 1.6 z score, 78/122 (63.9%) > 2.0. There was a crescendo correlation between onset NT-proBNP z score and C-Reactive protein (CRP) serum levels (slope + 0.49, p  less then  0.001). There was a crescendo correlation between NT-proBNP z score and indexed left ventricular (LV) mass (slope + 1.86, p = 0.02), LV diastolic function parameter E/e’ ratio (slope + 0.31, p = 0.04) and a decrescendo correlation with age-adjusted LV shortening fraction (SF) (- 0.63, p = 0.02). Lower SF z score, higher left ventricular mass index and E/e’ ratio were associated with higher NT-proBNP z score, but without correlation with CRP levels. Within 2-3 months from the onset of the disease, there was a resolution of the systolic dysfunction. Electrocardiographic parameter changes were associated with decreased LV shortening fraction but not with NT-proBNP. KD patients with elevated NT-proBNP at onset have sub-clinical myocardial involvement and might benefit from follow-up and continued evaluation, even in the absence of coronary artery involvement.The recent scientific progresses on the use of enzyme-mediated reactions in organic, non-aqueous and aqueous media have significantly supported the growing demand of new biotechnological and/or pharmacological products. Today, a plethora of microbial enzymes, used as biocatalysts, are available. Among these, microbial transglutaminases (MTGs) are broadly used for their ability to catalyse the formation of an isopeptide bond between the γ-amide group of glutamines and the ε-amino group of lysine. Due to their promiscuity towards primary amine-containing substrates and the more stringent specificity for glutamine-containing peptide sequences, several combined approaches can be tailored for different settings, making MTGs very attractive catalysts for generating protein-protein and protein small molecule’s conjugates. The present review offers a recent update on the modifications attainable by MTG-catalysed bioreactions as reported between 2014 and 2019. In particular, we present a detailed and comparative overview on the MTG-based methods for proteins and antibodies engineering, with a particular outlook on the synthesis of homogeneous antibody-drug conjugates.BACKGROUND Tumor assessments after first-line therapy of RAS wild-type mCRC with cetuximab (cet) versus bevacizumab (bev) in combination with FOLFIRI were evaluated for factors influencing resectability, conversion to resectability, and survival after best response. METHODS Conversion to resectability was defined as conversion of initially unresectable to resectable disease at best response as determined by retrospective assessment. Canagliflozin inhibitor Univariate and multivariate logistic models were fitted with resectability at best response as response variable. A Cox model comparing the survival from best response was used to measure the influence of treatment, resectability at best response, and resection. Interaction of resection and treatment arm on survival was tested by likelihood ratio test. RESULTS Overall, 270 patients were evaluable (127 cet-arm, 143 bev-arm). Lung metastases (odds ratio [OR] 0.35, 95% confidence response [CI] 0.19-0.63), BRAF mutation (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.12-0.82), and elevated alkaline phosphatase (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.18-0.9) before randomization were associated with less chance of successful conversion and were integrated into a nomogram. Early tumor shrinkage (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.06-3.3; p 0.034) and depth of response (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.03; p  less then  0.001) were associated with successful conversion therapy. Resection of metastases improved post-best-response survival (hazard ratio 0.53, 95% CI 0.29-0.97; p = 0.039), predominantely in cet-treated patients (interaction test, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Conversion to resectability is significantly associated with baseline characteristics that can be used in a nomogram to predict conversion. Moreover, early efficacy parameters (ETS and DpR) are associated with successful conversion therapy. In FIRE-3, resection of metastases was associated with improved post-best response survival, this effect originated predominantly from the cetuximab-based study arm.