292 research outputs found
The serodiagnosis of parasitic infections
No full textAbstract [The serodiagnosis of parasitic infections]. Recently, the term of clinical immunoparasitology has
been coined to indicate the application of immunological methods to the laboratory diagnosis of parasitic
infections. In particular, serological diagnosis (indirect diagnosis) is useful especially in the cases of toxocarosis,
trichinellosis, echinococcosis, cysticercosis, toxoplasmosis, amoebic abscess, some filariasis, visceral
leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis. When possible, for infections caused by protozoa or helminths, the
“gold standard” is represented by direct diagnosis performed by microscopic and/or macroscopic observation
of the parasite. In any case, immunological results must be interpreted in consideration of the clinical
picture of the patient and confirmed possibly by finding the parasite or its genome, even using molecular
methods. Furthermore, since the presence of specific antibodies can reveal an acquired infection, but
not necessarily a disease, it is particularly helpful, in addition to a qualitative evaluation, a quantitative one,
by determining the serum antibody titre. After recovery, the antibody levels decrease, however, they may
persist for long periods, for this reason they do not help in evaluating the treatment outcome. Interpretation
of serological results may be difficult when the patients originate from areas where the suspected infection
is endemic, in that case, a serum positivity could reflect ad old exposition to the parasite, therefore it is not
related to the present clinical status. Furthermore, serology may frequently result falsely negative in not
immunocompetent subjects (organ transplanted, HIV positive individuals, premature babies, diabetics).
Clinicians can interpret correctly the serological results only if the Parasitology laboratory inform them about
the significant diagnostic values, the sensitivity and the specificity of the test in use. At present time, many
diagnostic kits for immunoparasitology are commercially available, and industries are developing newer
and newer ones (which are not always validated). In relation to this aspect, it should be helpful, for each of
parasitic infection, to establish reference centers, not only to control the quality of commercial kits, but also
as a reference point to those laboratories which use “in house” kits. To this regard, the recent establishment
of a European Centre for Control of Infectious Diseases will help. The antigen characteristics (crude, E/S,
recombinant, synthetic) for assays searching for antibodies (IHA, IFA, EIA, WB) of different classes, the controls
to choose for these assays, the specimen requirements will be discussed. The recent findings on the
serological diagnosis of intestinal protozoa infections, malaria, leishmaniasis, echinococcosis, cysticercosis,
trichinellosis, toxocariasis, schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis will be presented
In onda. Saggi su donne e radiodrammi in Inghilterra dagli anni Ottanta ad oggi
No full textIn onda includes four essays on radio plays written by English female authors Marina Warner, Eva Figes, Selma Dabbagh and Timberlake Wertenbaker. The book analyses both original works for the radio and adaptations of classics and modern classics. The author examines the affirmation of women's voices and family relationships and conflicts
Le traduzioni portoghesi delle opere di Leonardo Sciascia
No full textBetween 1968 and 1996 various novels and collections of short stories by
Leonardo Sciascia were published by a number of quality publishing houses
in Portugal. They were translated by prestigious but almost always different
translators, thus leading to a dispersal that was not favourable to the creation of a signature style of the author in translation. The paratextual elements construct an accompanying discourse which balances the Sicilianness of the author, his importance in the Italian landscape, and his international profile
DALLA FASE D'ATTESA AI PRIMI MESI DI VITA DEL BAMBINO: PRESENTAZIONE DI UN MODELLO D'INDAGINE LONGITUDINALE PER ESPLORARE LE RAPPRESENTAZIONI MENTALI MATERNE E PATERNE E LE PROBLEMATICHE CONNESSE ALLA GENITORIALITA'
No full textIron deficiency differently affects peroxidase isoforms in sunflower
No full textThe response of both specific (ascorbate peroxidase, APX) and unspecific (POD) peroxidases and H2O2 content of sunflower plants (Helianthus annuus L. cv. Her) grown hydroponically with (C) or without (-Fe) iron in the nutrient solution were analysed to verify whether iron deficiency led to cell oxidative status. In -Fe leaves a significant increase of H2O2 content was detected, a result confirmed by electron microscopy analysis. As regards extracellular peroxidases, while APX activity significantly decreased, no change was observed in either soluble guaiacol or syringaldazine-dependent POD activity following iron starvation. Moreover, guaiacol-dependent POD activity was found to decrease in both ionically and covalently-cell-wall bound fractions, while syringaldazine-POD activity decreased only in the covalently-bound fraction. At the intracellular level both guaiacol-POD and APX activities underwent a significant decrease. The overall reduction of peroxidase activity was confirmed by the electrophoretic separation of POD isoforms and, at the extracellular level, by cytochemical localization of peroxidases by diaminobenzidine staining. The electrophoretic separation, besides quantitative differences, also revealed quantitative changes, particularly evident for ionically and covalently-bound fractions. Therefore, in sunflower plants, iron deficiency seems to affect the different peroxidase isoenzymes to different extents and to induce a secondary oxidative stress, as indicated by the increased levels of H2O2 However, owing to the almost completely lack of catalytic iron capable of triggering the Fenton reaction, iron-deficient sunflower plants are probably still sufficiently protected against oxidative stress
Re-evaluation of patients involved in a trichinellosis outbreak caused by Trichinella britovi 15 years after infection
No full textThis study re-evaluates 13 out of 48 subjects involved in a trichinellosis outbreak that occurred in Central Italy (Umbria Region) in 1988 resulting from the consumption of raw boar meat harboring Trichinella britovi. During the outbreak, 28 of 48 serologically positive subjects were asymptomatic, whereas 20 subjects presented one or more clinical signs including but not limited to fever, myalgia, periorbital oedema and conjunctivitis. Several patients were hospitalized with severe clinical signs requiring treatment with mebendazole and corticosteroids. Upon re-evaluation of 13 patients, none presented clinical signs; however, three still had increased CPK or LDH serum levels with some signs of electromyographic changes. In this study, enzyme immunoassays (EIA) were used to test the 13 positive sera for reactivity with T britovi antigens using both excretory/ secretory (E/S) antigens and a synthetic antigen composed of P-tyvelose conjugated to bovine serum albumin. Western blots (WB) were also carried out using a commercial kit. Studies using EIA with E/S antigen identified five positive sera; however, using beta-tyvelose as antigen, only one positive sample was identified. Nearly all sera reacted positively with one or more Trichinella antigens when analyzed by WB, in particular to the 45 kDa beta-tyvelose containing glycoprotein. Results indicate that T britovi, though less pathogenic than other Trichinella species, is clearly capable of inducing sustainable sequelae
Alterations in thylakoid membrane composition induced by iron starvation in sunflower
No full textPrevious analysis of photosynthetic electron transport of isolated thylakoid membranes in iron-deficient sunflower plants showed a decrease in the whole chain and photosystem I (PSI) activities, whereas photosystem II (PSII) activity resulted to be unaffected (Tognini et al., 1996). On the basis of these results, the analysis of the molecular composition of thylakoid membranes was carried out. By using immuno-blotting methods, a decrease in the protein content of PSI in iron-deficient plants was detected, while light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) increased and PSII core complex (CC) did not change compared to the controls. In iron-deficient plants, the tetramethylbenzidine staining of thylakoid protein gels showed a decrease in the content of cytochrome f and cytochrome b6, while cytochrome b559 remained unchanged in control and stressed plants
Shape-Shifting Tales. Michèle Roberts's Monstrous Women
No full textThe book provides an analysis of the representation of women’s bodies and their monstrous metamorphoses in selected short stories by contemporary English writer Michèle Roberts. The author explores the relationship between traditional fairy tales such as the Grimm Brothers’ and Charles Perrault’s, the lives of female saints and Roberts’s counter-narratives, focussing on the analysis of images of sublimed fleshliness and of acts of monstrous violence on the body. The book takes into account relevant Women’s Studies criticism regarding the mother-daughter relationship, as Roberts’s stories question the role of mother figures in traditional fairy tales and hagiography and at the same time rework the concept of motherhood itself
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