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Effetti degli incendi in suoli su substrati calcarei in area Mediterranea
Get PDFThis study investigated fire effects on soils evolved on calcareous substrates. Two areas in south-central Sardinia (Laconi, burned in 2013 and S. Antioco in 2010) were chosen considering specific features. A grid sampling with regular spacing (100x100 m) was conducted on the two areas, identifying 40 soil sampling points in the burned (B) and 40 in the unburned areas (UB). Analysis of bulk density, soil texture, electrical conductivity, pH, organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus and hydrophobicity were conducted on the 160 soil samples. Surface rate of spread, fireline intensity and flame length, evaluated by BehavePlus 5.0.5, were the parameters of the investigated fires. The differences between the physical-chemical soil properties of the B and the UB area were identified by variance analysis (ANOVA). The multiple correlations were evaluated by Principal Factor Analysis (PFA). The results show that, in both areas, fires were characterized by high severity. This affected some physical-chemical properties of the soils, though these differences are often not generalizable but rather site-specific. In general, high severity fires seem to have played a key role, since in both sites the PFA extracts most of the parameters related to fires. Fires may have exerted a marked influence on surface hydrological processes and this influence may have been amplified by strong gradient conditions able to increase the severity of the fire and, consequently, of the underlying erosive processes
Eradication of persistent HBV genomes using SaCas9/3xgRNAs based gene therapy
Get PDFThe existence of stable, drug-resistant, DNA intermediate in viral replication cycle allows many viruses to persist in infected cells and is the main obstacle for curative therapy. In the case of chronic hepatitis caused by HBV (hepatitis B virus), the viral genome persists in host cells as covalently closed, circular DNA (cccDNA). Here we demonstrate that the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology cleaves HBV genome efficiently and specifically. To ensure successful disruption of cccDNA, we multiplexed three different gRNAs, targeting regions of viral polymerase gene (P) conserved among all ten HBV genotypes, in a single “all in” SaCas9/gRNAs AAV vector. Additionally, to achieve maximum gene editing efficiency, we added to our construct a shRNA-expressing cassette, targeting the viral trans-activator X mRNA, which should result in suppression of virus expression in treated cells. Transfecting our pX601-HBV3xgRNAs/shRNA plasmid into HepG2.2.15 cells (Vitro chronic hepatitis model for HBV) resulted in a significant reduction of viral DNA levels. Sanger sequencing of extracted PCR products confirmed canonical SaCas9 mediated cleavage of viral DNA. Disruption HBV cccDNA led to a significant reduction of intracellular viral DNA and RNA levels, as analyzed by qRT-PCRs. In summary, we designed and validated in vitro an application of SaCas9/gRNA gene editing platform, in a chronic hepatitis model, to directly target and cleave persistent episomal HBV genome. Our data set the stage for the next, pre-clinical phase of research in the animal model, toward developing a gene therapy-based treatment for patients with a chronic HBV hepatitis
Strategie per la gestione della questione dei rifugiati a partire dalla lunga storia ed esperienza della Giordania
No full textThe essential theme of this research is the refugee issue in Jordan. This phenomenon, which accompanies the history of the Kingdom of Jordan, can’t be considered only as the management of an emergency through sectorial policies disconnected and not addressing the issue of administrative reorganization and promotion of public participation.
For these reasons, its necessary to start from the history of Jordan: from a long history of refugees and asylum-seekers (Attachment 1), from a role it plays at international level as a territory where the government defines experimental management forms (Attachment 2), to description the current administrative situation of the Kingdom of Jordan (Chapter 5); in addiction, it is fundamental to deal with the actual crisis caused by the conflict in Syria (Chapter 4).
These topics interrelate in Chapter 6; define the guide lines to deal with the problem of refugees and the question of government of the territory in Jordan (management of collective services, reorganization of administrative authority).
The case study, useful to understand the current situation, is the refugee camp of Zaatari (illustrate in Chapter 2), from which can be draw inspiration information and good practices to create urban and territorial strategies for a refugees
Improvement of ALT decay kinetics by all-oral HCV treatment: role of NS5A inhibitors and differences with IFN-based regimens
No full textBackground: Intracellular HCV-RNA reduction is a proposed mechanism of action of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), alternative to hepatocytes elimination by pegylated-interferon plus ribavirin (PR). We modeled ALT and HCV-RNA kinetics in cirrhotic patients treated with currently-used all-DAA combinations to evaluate their mode of action and cytotoxicity compared with telaprevir (TVR)+PR.
Study design: Mathematical modeling of ALT and HCV-RNA kinetics was performed in 111 HCV-1 cirrhotic patients, 81 treated with all-DAA regimens and 30 with TVR+PR. Kinetic-models and Cox-analysis were used to assess determinants of ALT-decay and normalization.
Results: HCV-RNA kinetics was biphasic, reflecting a mean effectiveness in blocking viral production >99.8%. The first-phase of viral-decline was faster in patients receiving NS5A-inhibitors compared to TVR+PR or sofosbuvir+simeprevir (p<0.001), reflecting higher efficacy in blocking assembly/secretion. The second-phase, noted δ and attributed to infected-cell loss, was faster in patients receiving TVR+PR or sofosbuvir+simeprevir compared to NS5A-inhibitors (0.27 vs 0.21 d-1, respectively, p = 0.0012). In contrast the rate of ALT-normalization, noted λ, was slower in patients receiving TVR+PR or sofosbuvir+simeprevir compared to NS5A-inhibitors (0.17 vs 0.27 d-1, respectively, p<0.001). There was no significant association between the second-phase of viral-decline and ALT normalization rate and, for a given level of viral reduction, ALT-normalization was more profound in patients receiving DAA, and NS5A in particular, than TVR+PR.
Conclusions: Our data support a process of HCV-clearance by all-DAA regimens potentiated by NS5A-inhibitor, and less relying upon hepatocyte death than IFN-containing regimens. This may underline a process of “cell-cure” by DAAs, leading to a fast improvement of liver homeostasis
La Tossina botulinica nel trattamento della vescica iperattiva
Get PDFAim: we have used the botulinum toxin in patients whit incontinence urinary from overactive bladder. This is an atraumatic technique in alternative to oral drug therapy
Methods: were selected 9 patients whit an average age of 68. All the patient were in good general clinical condition. The procedures were performer under locale anestesia whit sedaction by botulinum toxin type A bladder infiltration, replicating it almost avery 6 months.
Results: after a follow up of 3 and 6 months we observed that on 9 patients just 1 patient have resubmitted the symptoms in the 6’ month . The reimaining patients did not complain of symptoms until 6 months.
Conclusion: bladder infiltration of botulinum toxin type A represent a new therapeutic option for the resolution of this condition so debilitating. This method can be a simple and reliable alternative to the use of an oral drug therapy that is ineffective and often with side effect
Identification of cork characters for phenotypic selection
No full textGlobal change effects can determine major changes in species distribution and productivity. In the Mediterranean region of the severity of hot and dry periods is growing and an increased frequency of extreme events and a major vulnerability of natural ecosystems is evident. Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) is widely spread in the West Mediterranean region and its economic and social is important
Provenance behaviour in the cork-oak internationl network trials FAIR 202
No full textThe international network of provenance trials in cork-oak was established as a result of the EU Concerted Action FAIR 202, 1995-2000. 34 provenances were selected in the natural range of cork oak and trials were established in 1996/97 in France, Italy, Portugal, Tunisia and Spain. This study compares the behavior of provenances in the trials of Grighini (Sardinia), Monte Fava and Quinta da Nogueira (Portugal), Monfrague (Spain), Les Maures (France) and Tebabe (Tunisia)
Biomass and allometry of cork oak trees growing under different land uses in silvo-pastoral ecosystems
No full textThis study focuses in three LUT: woodlands (W), wooded grasslands (WG), and open grasslands (OG). Four sites were selected with three sites having all three LUT and one site
having only W
Modelling goods and services from cork oak forests
No full textForest ecosystems provide multiple essential ecosystem services (ES) for ecological and human well-being. In forest management, understanding of the services and functions distribution, interactions and assessing the economic
value of forest ES represent an important future challenge to balancing tradeoffs among them. In this study we consider three ES related to cork oak forest management: (i) carbon storage and sequestration, (ii) water yield, and (iii) cork
production
Dalla <i>blame culture</i> alla <i>just culture</i>: l’errore umano come opportunità d’insegnamento nella responsabilità penale del medico
Get PDFThe exasperated tendency to search for the guilty person for all harmful acts derived from the exercise of activities with high intrinsic risk factors (blame culture), has led healthcare professionals, expecially doctors, to the adoption of defensive medicine behaviours.
As a remedy, it is often recommended to catalogue the informations collected to improve health security, using human errors as a learning opportunity to avoid repeating the same mistakes, improving the just culture concept, economically more sustainable.
Work begins with the phenomenological analysis of medical errors, in order to evaluate the usefulness of the objective prediction of medical risk by means of precautionary rules.
From the organizational flaws and the most common deficits in healthcare facilities (hospitals infections and contagious diseases from blood transfusion), to the analysis of the assumptions of criminal liability of the organization (D. Lgs. n. 231/2001) with a short excursus on female genital mutilation.
The importance of the human factor in the health sector has been studied in comparison with the model of aeronautical law.
The phenomenon of “defensive medicine” has been examined as well as the proposals for its reduction, the Balduzzi law (L. 189/2012) and the recent Gelli Bianco law (L. 24/2017).
A final analysis of the guidelines leads to a brief reflection on the effectiveness and efficacy of penal sanctions against health professionals