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Vescica iperattiva: terapie farmacologiche a confronto
No full textObjective: to evaluate the effectiveness and adherence to therapy of patients with Over Active Bladder (OAB) referring to Urodynamic Unit of Obstetric and Gynecologic Clinic of the University of Sassari.
Materials and methods: from January 2012 to December 2014, 181 women with diagnosis of OAB or mixed Urinary Incontinence (UI) and urgency underwent pharmacological therapy (Fesoterodine fumarate: Toviaz; solifenacina succinate: Vesiker; Mirabegron: Betmiga; single therapy versus association with local estriol and pelvic floor rehabilitation). The patients underwent telephonic interview to evaluate adherence to therapy, treatment efficacy, adverse events and improving of quality of life.
Results: 24.31% of patients not responded to the call (44/181) and 6.08% (11/181) refused to take part in the study. 126 patients agreed to participate: 34.13% (43/126) didn't start the treatment or discontinued it prematurely. Of these, 26% refused the treatment for economic reasons; 21%, all receiving antimuscarinic (Toviaz), stopped for side effects, 44% for comorbidities that controindicated therapy, 9% had no benefit. The patients who received the treatment reported a reduction in symptoms and improvement of quality of life in 70% of cases. Women using local estrogen therapy and Toviaz reported the greatest benefits.
Conclusions: the data collected demonstrated the effectiveness of pharmacological treatment in the OAB, and greater tolerance of Mirabegron compared to antimuscarinics. We recorded a good adherence to prescribed therapy that was interrupted mainly for the presence of comorbidities and for the cost of therapy. It would be useful to confirm the data with studies with larger sample size
Disturbi di personalità e temperamenti affettivi nei disturbi dell'umore
No full textIntroduction. Personality disorders (PD) and Affective temperaments (AT) have been considered vulnerability factors for the development of mood disorder (MD).
Objective. To study the simultaneous presence of PD and AT in patients with DU and differences between unipolar depression (DD) and bipolar disorder BD.
Methods. An observational study was conducted. Patients were administered the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego questionnaire (TEMPS-A) for AT and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV Axis II Disorders (SCID-II) for PD. The interrelationships of the different PD and AT were studied by factor analysis (principal component analysis, PCA) (orthogonal rotation, Varimax).
Results. Participants were 156 adult patients with MD, 37,1% with DD and 62,9% with BD. DD patients presented with significantly more paranoid PD (p=0.009), depressive (p=0.029), anxious (p=0.009) and hirritable temperament (p=0.006) compared to BD. PCA results showed four significant factors, explaining the 63,1% of total variance, corresponding to four potential groups of patients with specific PD and AT associations. Conclusion. The comorbidity between MD and PD and AT may differentiate DD from BD. Specific patterns of comorbidity may be useful as they may substantially influence the course of the mood disorders and how patients respond to treatment
Molecular and antigenetic characterization of <i>Streptococcus suis serotype</i> 2 isolates in Central Vietnam
No full textStreptococcus suis is a Gram-positive bacterium with clinical relevance in pigs and is emerging in human. There are 35 S. suis serotypes have been distinguished to date, of which serotype 2 is most commonly associated with disease in human and pigs, worldwide. Recently, S. suis emerged as a zoonotic agent in human in contact with infected pigs or with their products. More recently, several studies from Southeast Asia demonstrated that S. suis can cause adult endocarditis, septicemia, arthritis and especially meningitis with high fatality rate and severe neurological sequelae. Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, restriction endonuclease analysis with HaeIII, ribotyping, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis have been used to determine S. suis strains epidemiological relationships. Characterization of the 16S-23S ribosomal (r) DNA intergenic spacer region (ITS) has also been used to compare bacterial strains and to identify species within the genus Streptococcus, including S. suis.
In this study, a specific and sensitive PCR assay for fast detection of S. suis serotype 2 is crucial to meningitis treatment based on the S. suis serotype 2 cps2J gene was developed and evaluated for diagnosis in meningitis patients hospitalized in central Viet Nam. The intergenic spacer region was amplified by traditional PCR from strains obtained in this study and sequenced. ITS - based phylogenetic analysis is also presented and discussed. We also identified and characterized the main immunodominant antigens of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 based on the immunoproteomics approach
Development of pipeline to create and validate metagenomic datasets enabling microbiota associations with host traits
No full textThe microbiota can be depicted as a measurable organ consisting of microbial cells, and creating a unique ecosystem together with the host eukaryotic cells. Therefore, to understand the normal physiology and pathology of animal ecosystems, it is mandatory to tackle a comprehensive analysis of the host, the microbiota, and their interactions. Since over 99.8% of the microbes cannot be cultured, metagenomics offers a path to the study of their community structures and metabolic potential. These goals are achievable thanks to the recent advances in sequencing complex assortments of small genomes, through 16S and WGS approach. In spite of the great number of latest studies, there is not a defined and standardized pipeline to measure the microbial community; rather, significant efforts are needed to optimize sample preparation and data analysis workflows for metagenomics analysis of microbiome.
In the present PhD Thesis, a major task is aimed at developing rapid and efficient workflows for metagenomics analysis. These include the choice of the sample, the extraction methods more efficient according to sample features, choice of sequencing approaches and the statistical methods.
A developed workflow was successfully applied to investigate to the first time the sheep gut microbiome, to perform association studies linking gut microbiota to T1D host traits in mice and to assess dietary and immunogenetic background impact over gut microbiota in a translational murine model of NAFLD
Tectonics units of central Sardinia: s tructural evolution and related ores
No full textMany studies consider the Variscides of Sardinia as the result of the Lower Carboniferous amalgamation between the north Gondwana margin and the ribbon of Gondwana-detached terranes. The orogenic wedge in Sardinia is best preserved in the Nappe zone, where a huge stack of tectonic units, is well exposed from NW to SE. Though this zone was satisfactory outlined under stratigraphic and structural point of view, several questions still remain open for the lack of basic modern geological maps and for the lack of geochronological data on the sequences of some tectonic units (Barbagia Units) where the metamorphism erases any fossil record. Bridging this gap made necessary undertaking the detailed mapping of the nappe zone in the southern slope of the Gennargentu using new tools, such as gamma ray portable spectrometry, able to discrimate undistinguishable units on geochemical base. In this way a new vast area was mapped. The study and dating of detrital zircons was performed on some metamorphic units. In this way a maximum age to the Barbagia Units was assigned and the formations of the Meana Sardo unit were discriminated. The provenance of the clastic component was located in the cratonic areas facing the Galatian Terrenes. These results allowed defining the structural frame and evolution of this sector of chain. Moreover he new knowledge on the structural, stratigraphic and geochronological scenario allowed a new hypothesis on the genesis of the ore deposits
Growth performances of suckling Sarda breed piglets
No full textPostnatal growth performance has an important economic relevance in pigs breeding. A lot of different factors affect piglets growth rate: prenatal condition, maternal nutritional and hormonal status, breed, litter size; birth weight. Heavier piglets will have more appetite, will react better when turned away from their mother, will grow more and better and will have less health problems and better feed conversion index. The Sarda swine breed has been officially recognized in June 2006, when it has been inserted among the Italian local pig breeds. Our study has focused on various aspects of growth performance of suckling Sarda piglets: how litter size and farm can affect birth weight and growth rate and how sows diet can affect offspring performance. We have also investigated different mathematical models in order to identify which best describe the growth Sarda breed suckling piglets. Piglets ADG was significantly affected by litter size. Contrariwise the effect of and sex was not significant. Furthermore supplemental energy during lactation improved suckling piglets growth rates and consequently reduced the time to reach the slaughter or weaning weight. The Logistic model appears to be a good device to design Sarda purebreed. Due to the dimension of the sample more research must be carried out to evaluate the effect of genetics and environmental conditions on piglets growth. Particular attention must be used to farm system considering peculiarity of the breed, in order to make the farming of Sarda breed economically sustainable
La Necropoli di Mozia (Sicilia): aspetti topografici, articolazione cronologica e composizione dei corredi
No full textSubject of the present work is funeral ritual in Mozia, today’s S.Pantaleo, ancient phoenician colony in the Marsala “Stagnone”.
We’ll attent to outline a thorough picture of the findings occured in more then one century of investigations, with specific attention on the archaic necropolis, whose final publication is one of the main goals of the PhD project.
The burials in the first period of phoenician occupation are concentrated in the archaic necropolis, while from the ending of VII century b.C. we are witnessing a progressive expansion of the funerary area: tumbs are documented from the “East Staircase Tower” to the tophet, for around 500 meters around the island’s belt.
Documentation of burials, rich in numbers until the end of the VII century b.C., become lacking for the later periods, which leads to the issue of the inadequate number of them from the VI century b.C. onwards, and the Birgi’s necropolis question.
Grave goods coming from V.Tusa’s 70’s excavations are included in the catalogue that represent the second part of the present work, that also includes a group of five tumbs identified and recovered by the writer during 2011 Rome “La Sapienza” excavations
The evolution of the coastal and maritime landscape of South central and Southeast Crete (Late Final Neolithic to Roman period). A contribution to the comprehension of a fragmented seascape.
No full textThe long past of the attested maritime activity in the island of Crete, its strategic geographical position regarding the Mediterranean sea-routes (of either short or long distance trade) and its high seismic activity, which is constantly evolving the geomorphology of its coastal landscape due to the fact that the Eurasian tectonic plate meets the African one right under the island, make it an ideal terrain for the practice of coastal archaeology and geo-archaeology. This dissertation attempts to raise the knowledge regarding the evolution of the little-known maritime and coastal landscape of South central and Southeast coast of Crete. The research covers a wide timespan, which begins in the transitional period that precedes the Bronze Age, the Late Final Neolithic at ca. 3200 BC and finishes with the division of the Roman empire in AD 395. Furthermore it concerns twenty-four study areas comprised in the coastal area between the locations of Lassaia and Livari as well as the opposite islands of Chryssi and Lefki. The methodology that I followed was the multidisciplinary and as extensive as possible data collection regarding the areas of study, as well as the on-site visits that were accompanied by a detailed photographic documentation. The process of this data in combination with several new observations and evidence led to a much-improved comprehension of this until recently unknown seascape
Pratiche curatoriali sperimentali dell'ultimo ventennio. L'esperienza del nuovo istituzionalismo
No full textNew Institutionalism refers to a series of curatorial practices focused on an idea of
contemporary art institution reshaped after Modernist and Postmodernist perspectives,
investigating a system of production-display-consumption of culture.
Developed at the end of the 1990s in North Europe, it had an historical phase ending in
the middle of the 2000s, but its influence is still ongoing in contemporary curatorial
projects.
The research analyses the relationship between this phenomenon and artistic practices,
and proposes a curatorial canon of that phenomenon through a selection of its most
innovative museographic strategies.
In the first part, this thesis draws attention to the main features of New Institutionalism,
identified in the attitude of criticality and performativity, both deriving from the legacy of
Institutional Critique and Relational Aesthetics.
In the second part, it outlines a grammar of exhibition format, through the projects
experimented by Charles Esche, Maria Lind and Manuel Borja-Villel. Suggesting a
selection of the pivotal exhibition projects, it highlights new possibilities for
monographic, archivist, group shows and innovative approach in presenting museum
collections.
The aim is to demonstrate how New Institutionalism represents an important experience
in analysing the most experimental curatorial practices in the last twenty years and how
this kind of studies contribute to deeply understand the relationship between art and
museum in the 21st century
Design, synthesis and investigation of the photosensitive properties of mesoporous titania powders and donor-acceptor chromophores
No full textThe experimental work performed during this thesis was devoted to the design, synthesis and characterisation of photosensitive materials.
On one side, synthesis of mesoporous titania powders through EISA method was performed. The influence of synthetic conditions (precursors type and molar ratio, ligand addition, calcination rates and temperatures, water addition and surfactant type) on both structural (phase composition and crystallite size) and morphological (surface areas, pore distribution and size) parameters were evaluated by X-Ray Powder Diffraction, N2 Physisorption measurements and Transmission Electron Microscopy. The materials were also tested as photoanodes in the water splitting reaction and the results compared to Degussa P25 as standard.
On the other hand, synthesis, electrochemical and optical characterization of novel D-π-A dyes were performed. All the compounds obtained in each synthetic step were characterised in the same way, thus allowing to study the influence of the introduction of donor or acceptor fragments on a bithiophene backbone. Almost all the synthesised compounds were electropolymerised. The corresponding conducting polymers, which can be regarded as polymer dyes, were characterised by cyclic voltammetry and UV-Vis spectrophotometr