53 research outputs found
DNA-Based Technology for Herpesvirus Detection
No full textThe detection of viral DNA is considered crucial in both diagnosis and prognosis. Nowadays, molecular diagnostic approaches represent the most promising tools for the clinical detection of viral infections. This review aims to investigate the most used and promising DNA-based technologies for viral detection, focusing on herpesviruses because of their ability to undergo latent and reactivation cycles, persisting lifelong in the host in association with several diseases. Molecular technologies, such as PCR-based assays, enhance sensitivity and specificity in identifying viral DNA from clinical samples such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid and saliva, indicating PCR and its derivatives as the gold standard methods for herpesvirus detection. In conclusion, this review underscores the need for continuous innovation in diagnostic methodologies to address the complexities of herpesvirus identification in different clinical samples
Italian Catholicism and its Literary Representations
No full textPresenter: Mary Jo Bona, PhD
Mary Jo Bona is Professor of Italian American Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies in the Department of Cultural Analysis and Theory at Stony Brook University. Bona is the author of By the Breath of Their Mouths: Narratives of Resistance in Italian America and Claiming a Tradition: Italian American Women Writers; editor of The Voices We Carry: Recent Italian American Women’s Fiction and co-editor (with Irma Maini) of Multiethnic Literature and Canon Debates. Bona is a past president of the Italian American Studies Association and editor of two of its conference volumes. Bona is the series editor of Multiethnic Literature at SUNY Press. Her current project examines representations of migratory women through the trope of needlework.
Respondent:
Gloria Nardini, PhDUniversity of Illinois - Chicag
Immune Modulation by Microbiota and Its Possible Impact on Polyomavirus Infection
No full textPolyomaviruses are a family of small DNA viruses capable of establishing persistent infections, and they can pose significant pathogenic risks in immunocompromised hosts. While traditionally studied in the context of viral reactivation and immune suppression, recent evidence has highlighted the gut microbiota as a critical regulator of host immunity and viral pathogenesis. This review examines the complex interactions between polyomaviruses, the immune system, and intestinal microbiota, emphasizing the role of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in modulating antiviral responses. We explore how dysbiosis may facilitate viral replication, reactivation, and immune escape and also consider how polyomavirus infection can, in turn, alter microbial composition. Particular attention is given to the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio as a potential biomarker of infection risk and immune status. Therapeutic strategies targeting the microbiota, including prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), are discussed as innovative adjuncts to immune-based therapies. Understanding these tri-directional interactions may offer new avenues for mitigating disease severity and improving patient outcomes during viral reactivation
JG26 attenuates ADAM17 metalloproteinase-mediated ACE2 receptor processing and SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro
No full textBackground ADAM17 is a metalloprotease implicated in the proteolysis of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), known to play a critical role in the entry and spread of SARS-CoV-2. In this context, ADAM17 results as a potential novel target for controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods In this study, we investigated the impact on ACE2 surface expression and the antiviral efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 infection of the selective ADAM17 inhibitor JG26 and its dimeric (compound 1) and glycoconjugate (compound 2) derivatives using Calu-3 human lung cells. Results None of the compounds exhibited cytotoxic effects on Calu-3 cells up to a concentration of 25 mu M. Treatment with JG26 resulted in partial inhibition of both ACE2 receptor shedding and SARS-CoV-2 infection, followed by compound 1. Conclusion JG26, an ADAM17 inhibitor, demonstrated promising antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 infection, likely attributed to reduced sACE2 availability, thus limiting viral dissemination
The Music of Heikki Aaltoila as genotext in the Film Niskavuoren Heta
No full textTiedekunta – Fakultet – Faculty
Humanistinen tiedekunta Koulutusohjelma – Utbildningsprogram – Degree Programme
Filosofian, historian, kulttuurin ja taiteiden tutkimuksen laitos
Opintosuunta – Studieinriktning – Study Track
Musiikkitiede
Tekijä – Författare – Author
Maini Tuominen
Työn nimi – Arbetets titel – Title Khorasta kuuloasentoon
Khorasta kuuloasentoon Heikki Aaltoilan musiikki Niskavuoren Heta –elokuvan genotekstinä sivuja 46
Tiivistelmä – Referat – Abstract
Tutkielma käsittelee Niskavuoren Heta -elokuvan musiikkia ja sen suhdetta elokuvan muuhun kerrontaan. Tärkeänä viitekehyksenä on psykoanalyyttinen musiikin ja elokuvamusiikin tutkimus, mutta tutkielmassa on perehdytty myös muuhun elokuvamusiikin tutkimukseen ja sen historiaan.
Tutkielmassa elokuvan musiikki otetaan lähikuunteluun – irrottamatta sitä elokuvan muusta kerronnasta – ja luodaan nimenomaan tutkittavana olevasta elokuvasta sen oma sisäinen musiikkifunktioiden luokittelu. Tätä luokittelua verrataan Anu Juvan elokuvamusiikin funktio- analyysiin.
Elokuvan musiikkia analysoidaan Julia Kristevan terminologiaa käyttäen siten, että elokuvan näyttämölliset tapahtumat – valkokankaalla – käsitellään fenotekstinä ja musiikki edustaa genotekstiä. Fenoteksti kertoo siitä, miten asioiden halutaan olevan, miltä niiden halutaan näyttävän ja mikä on ikäänkuin ”totuus” asioista. Genoteksti taas paljastaa syvempiä tunteita ja ja ajatuksia; elokuvassa tämä tapahtuu musiikin keinoin. Näitä käsitteitä selvennetään paneutumalla Kristevan muuhunkin ajatteluun, lähinnä pienen lapsen eriytymättömään maailmaan ennen verbaalisen kielen kehittymistä. Tämä maailma on se osa mielen rakennetta, joka pysyy meissä läpi elämän ja jota kuvataan tiedostamattomana mielen osana. Lapsen olemassaolon tapaa, joka on yhtä äidin kanssa ja joka koostuu äänistä, rytmeistä, kosketuksista ja niin edelleen, Kristeva kutsuu nimellä khora.
Tämä tutkielma pyrkii osoittamaan Niskavuoren Heta –elokuvan musiikin analysoimisen avulla, miten meillä on elokuvamusiikissa – kuten musiikissa yleisemminkin – suora yhteys arkaaiseen kehitysvaiheeseemme
Old wild wolves: ancient DNA survey unveils population dynamics in Late Pleistocene and Holocene Italian remains
No full textBackground The contemporary Italian wolf (Canis lupus italicus) represents a case of morphological and genetic uniqueness. Today, Italian wolves are also the only documented population to fall exclusively within the mitochondrial haplogroup 2, which was the most diffused across Eurasian and North American wolves during the Late Pleistocene. However, the dynamics leading to such distinctiveness are still debated. Methods In order to shed light on the ancient genetic variability of this wolf population and on the origin of its current diversity, we collected 19 Late Pleistocene-Holocene samples from northern Italy, which we analyzed at a short portion of the hypervariable region 1 of the mitochondrial DNA, highly informative for wolf and dog phylogenetic analyses. Results Four out of the six detected haplotypes matched the ones found in ancient wolves from northern Europe and Beringia, or in modern European and Chinese wolves, and appeared closely related to the two haplotypes currently found in Italian wolves. The haplotype of two Late Pleistocene samples matched with primitive and contemporary dog sequences from the canine mitochondrial clade A. All these haplotypes belonged to haplogroup 2. The only exception was a Holocene sample dated 3,250 years ago, affiliated to haplogroup 1. Discussion In this study we describe the genetic variability of the most ancient wolf specimens from Italy analyzed so far, providing a preliminary overview of the genetic make-up of the population that inhabited this area from the last glacial maximum to the Middle Age period. Our results endorsed that the genetic diversity carried by the Pleistocene wolves here analyzed showed a strong continuity with other northern Eurasian wolf specimens from the same chronological period. Contrarily, the Holocene samples showed a greater similarity only with modern sequences from Europe and Asia, and the occurrence of an haplogroup 1 haplotype allowed to date back previous finding about its presence in this area. Moreover, the unexpected discovery of a 24,700-year-old sample carrying a haplotype that, from the fragment here obtained, falls within the canine clade A, could represent the oldest evidence in Europe of such dog-rich clade. All these findings suggest complex population dynamics that deserve to be further investigated based on mitochondrial or whole genome sequencing
Access barriers to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Zimbabwe: a case study of Chivhu Hospital
No full textIncludes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.Access to healthcare is one of the basic social goods which ensures that individuals lead healthy and long lives. There is an increased need towards ensuring access to health care for all, which has led to the question of how access is defined. Access in this study is defined as the degree of fit between the health care system and patients. It involves an interaction between the system and patients in a way which removes access barriers to care. A comprehensive framework was used to measure access in this study. The framework allows for a systematic approach to the concept of access and measures access in three dimensions namely affordability, availability and acceptability. Using this framework, the study looked into the factors affecting access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) by patients at Chivhu Hospital in Zimbabwe. Chivhu was chosen because it has a mixed population of urban and rural patients which represents the typical Zimbabwean population. A cross sectional study design was adopted for this study
Clinical and polygraphic improvement of breathing abnormalities after valproate in a case of Pitt-Hopkins syndrome
No full textPitt-Hopkins syndrome is a rare genetic form of severe psychomotor delay, caused by mutations in transcription cell factor-4 gene and characterized by distinctive dysmorphic features and abnormal breathing pattern. The current report describes the polygraphic features of the syndrome's typical breathing pattern in a patient both in wakefulness and in sleep. The control of these breathing alterations is important to prevent the neurological sequelae linked to chronic cerebral hypoxemia in early ages. No data are available on effective treatment options for breathing abnormalities of Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. The authors polygraphically documented a reduction of apneic and hypopneic phenomena, with a significant improvement in saturation values, after the introduction of sodium valproate. © The Author(s) 2012
Dispersion relation in oscillatory reaction-diffusion systems with self-consistent flow in true slime mold.
No full textIn the large amoeboid organism Physarum, biochemical oscillators are spatially distributed throughout the organism and their collective motion exhibits phase waves, which carry physiological signals. The basic nature of this wave behaviour is not well-understood because, to date, an important effect has been neglected, namely, the shuttle streaming of protoplasm which accompanies the biochemical rhythms. Here we study the effects of self-consistent flow on the wave behaviour of oscillatory reaction-diffusion models proposed for the Physarum plasmodium, by means of numerical simulation for the dispersion relation and weakly nonlinear analysis for derivation of the phase equation. We conclude that the flow term is able to increase the speed of phase waves (similar to elongation of wave length). We compare the theoretical consequences with real waves observed in the organism and also point out the physiological roles of these effects on control mechanisms of intracellular communication
Issues in Integrating Information Technology in Learning and Teaching EFL: the Saudi Experience
No full textThe Saudi education system is facing a climate of change characterized by an interest in integrating new technology and educational approaches to improve teaching and learning. In this climate, the present paper explores the issues in integrating information technology in learning and teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in government intermediate schools in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The background to information technology use in Saudi education is introduced, with specific reference to the Watani project for integrating computer and internet use into educational administration and teaching. Taking an interpretive approach, the author offers insights into the current status and use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) facilities in the two intermediate schools. A discrepancy is found between intention and practice. Issues are highlighted that contribute to the failure to exploit fully the potential of ICT: teacher resistance, lack of training and budgetary or resource constraints. The author concludes that the wider exploitation of information technology in learning English, supported by appropriate training, could benefit both students and teachers and offers recommendations for its implementation.
The Saudi education system is facing a climate of change characterized by an interest in integrating new technology and educational approaches to improve teaching and learning. In this climate, the present paper explores the issues in integrating information technology in learning and teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in government intermediate schools in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The background to information technology use in Saudi education is introduced, with specific reference to the Watani project for integrating computer and internet use into educational administration and teaching. Taking an interpretive approach, the author offers insights into the current status and use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) facilities in the two intermediate schools. A discrepancy is found between intention and practice. Issues are highlighted that contribute to the failure to exploit fully the potential of ICT: teacher resistance, lack of training and budgetary or resource constraints. The author concludes that the wider exploitation of information technology in learning English, supported by appropriate training, could benefit both students and teachers and offers recommendations for its implementation
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