330 research outputs found
Recupero della chemiosensibilità con alfa 2 beta interferone e lonidamina (LND) nel cancro ovarico avanzato.
No full textLa cultura volgare senese all'epoca di Dante
No full textNell'articolo sono presi in considerazione i primi testi documentari in senese antico. I primi documenti sono lettere e inventari, si collocano quindi sul versante della comunicazione privata o comunque legata a singoli individui. A partire dall'ultimo decennio del Duecento, l’uso del volgare si associa a contesti ufficiali. Questo percorso ha il suo culmine nella scrittura del Costituto del Comune di Siena (1309-10), ma un momento intermedio e finora poco studiato è rappresentato dalle iscrizioni delle tavolette di Biccherna. Di una iscrizione si dà uno specimen di edizione diplomatica; inoltre le iscrizioni vengono commentate linguisticamente, con attenzione non solo agli aspetti fonomorfologici del testo, ma anche in riferimento alla sintassi, alla testualità e alla pragmatica storica dell’italiano. Oltre agli aspetti di linguistica interna, nella ricostruzione della cultura volgare senese si è posta particolare attenzione agli aspetti sociali; della scelta per il volgare è stata messo in luce il valore simbolico come strumento usato nella polemica tra ceti e gruppi sociali (in particolare i mercanti che si schierano contro i detentori del sapere giuridico); questa analisi da un lato ha confermato il rapporto tra classe al potere, uso del volgare, idea del bello; dall’altro lato ha portato alcune idee nuove relativamente al concetto di “democratizzazione” della cultura, a lungo dibattuto soprattutto dagli storici e dai linguisti
La sintassi participiale dell'italiano antico e il rapporto col latino
No full textLa presenza in italiano di costrutti participiali pone il problema del rapporto con l'ablativo assoluto latino, rapporto variamente interpretato: chi pensa a un costrutto ereditario, chi evidenzia la spinta colta, chi non scioglie il dubbio. Graze all'uso combinato di alcuni criteri, applicati alla prosa toscana delle origini, sembra possibile sciogliere il nodo: il criterio cardine è la distribuzione del costrutto tra le varie tipologie testuali e la valutazione delle alternative sintattiche; ma utili risultano anche i fattori stilistici, i valori semantici della proposizione participiale, la funzione informativa e la collocazione del costrutto rispetto alla proposizione reggente
Prevalence of chronic venous pathology in healthcare workers and the role of upright standing
No full textBackground: Chronic venous disease (CVD) affects around 25% of adult population in developed countries and it often represent a health problem for different kind of workers, in particular for who spend much of the working time in upright standing.
Methods: The study was carried out on a population of 173 nonmedical workers of a midsize hospital in Italy (91 nurse, 31 support staff workers and 51 employees). The study protocol was taken from a previous study of our group and included a clinical examination and a questionnaire.
Results: From the analysis of data it emerged a particular importance ofupright standing as major risk factor for CVD. The prevalence of venous pathology seems to be greater among nurses and auxiliaries than the administrative staff and, as expected, it was significantly higher among female workers than in males.
Conclusions: The results obtained show that the clinical-diagnostic protocol described can be used by doctors far screening venous pathology at workplaces.
(Cite this article as: Rosati MV, Sacco C, Mastrantonio A, Giammichele G, Buomprisco G, Ricci P, et al. Prevalence of chronic venous pathology in healthcare workers and the role of upright standing. Int Angiol 2019;38:201-10. DOI: 10.23736/S0392-9590.19.04040-9
Detection of gyrA and gyrB mutations in Clostridium difficile isolates by real-time PCR
No full textFluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistance in Clostridium difficile has been associated with mutations in the quinolone-resistance determining region (QRDR) of gyr genes. In particular, the majority of resistant clinical isolates show mutations in codon 82 of gyrA or in codon 426 of gyrB. A real-time PCR method was developed to identify these mutations in FQ-resistant C. difficile strains. Twenty-one clinical isolates, selected as representative of the different gyr alleles known up to date, and 20 clinical isolates with unknown behavior towards FQs were used to validate the method. Each mutation was detected by real-time amplification followed by hybridization with two fluorescent probes designed with the sequence complementary to the wild-type sequences of gyr genes. The melting peak analysis of the probe-PCR product hybrid was performed on a LightCycler (Roche Diagnostic). Single and multiplex assays were performed with the same reaction conditions. In both cases, isolates showing mutations in gyr sequences had a well distinguished Tm compared to that of isolates showing wild-type genes or silent mutated codons in the nucleotide region covered by probes. The results obtained indicate that this real-time PCR assay is a rapid, reproducible and accurate screening method of the predominant mutations determining FQ-resistance in C. difficile strains. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Prediction of decreased susceptibility to penicillin of Neisseria meningitidis strains by real-time PCR
No full textSequence analysis of the penA gene, encoding penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2), in 30 penicillin-intermediate (PenI) Neisseria meningitidis strains showed altered gene sequences due to the translocation of exogenous DNA blocks derived from commensal neisseriae, which are known to have PBP2 proteins with decreased affinity for the antibiotic. In order to obtain a rapid and reproducible method for predicting the PenI phenotype, a real-time PCR assay was set up with primers and probes designed on the basis of the penA gene. The A→G mutation at codon 566, in the transpeptidase domain of the penA gene (which is present in the whole sample of 30 PenI strains and in all the 41 sequences of PenI meningococci isolated worldwide and has been deposited in the sequence databank), was chosen as a marker of penA translocations. Two hybridization probes were designed to distinguish the wild-type penA gene in penicillin-susceptible (PenS) meningococci from the mutated penA gene at codon 566 in PenI strains. Thermal analysis of probe hybridization revealed a melting temperature difference of at least 6°C between PenI and PenS strains. This real-time PCR protocol characterizes the penicillin phenotype of N. meningitidis in a few hours without DNA sequencing and is useful for rapid screening of the penicillin-intermediate genotype among meningococcal isolates
Variation in expression of HMW1 and HMW2 adhesins in invasive nontypeable <it>Haemophilus influenzae </it>isolates
No full textAbstract Background Among surface antigens of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), the HMW1 and HMW2 proteins are the major adhesins promoting colonization of the upper respiratory tract. Since they are potential vaccine candidates, knowledge concerning variation in HMW proteins expression among clinical isolates is of great interest. In this study, expression of hmw1A and hmw2A genes was evaluated by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR in 3 NTHi invasive isolates (strains 56, 72, 91) and in the prototype strain 12. Number of 7-bp repeats within the hmwA promoters and presence of HMW proteins by Western blotting were also determined. Results Results showed that gene transcription varied not only among different isolates but also between the hmw1A and hmw2A genes from the same isolate. Compared to that found in prototype strain 12, up-regulation of the hmw1A gene expression was found in strain 56, down-regulation of both hmw1A and hmw2A genes transcripts was observed in strain 72 whereas the two hmwA genes appeared differentially expressed in strain 91 with the hmw1A transcript enhanced but the hmw2A transcript reduced. Conclusion Increasing numbers of 7-bp repeats within the hmwA promoters generally correlated with decreased amounts of mRNA transcript, however additional control mechanisms contributing to modulation of hmw1A gene seem to be present.</p
THE METHOD OF MEASURING RADON AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS AS EARTHQUAKE PRECURSORS
No full textIn Pizzoli (Abruzzo - Province of L'Aquila) in central Italy, emissions of Radon (Rn222) in a measurement station, with a frequency of once every 10 minutes, have been continuously monitored, from 2 November 2015 to December 14, 2015, using a sensor with ionization chamber. Moreover, all the environmental parameters, both inside and outside the station, have been recorded with the same frequency. In particular, the following values are measured: internal temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, air density. External temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, air density, speed and wind direction, amount of rainfall were detected too. The results were evaluated, and the relationship between radon levels and the seismic activity has not yet been discussed due to irrelevant seismic activity recorded in the period. There was a systematic relationship between the concentration of radon and the outdoor temperature but also with other factors such as wind and atmospheric pressure. Inside the detection station, the temperature and humidity are almost constant. The results show the potential of this acquisition technique in distinguishing the type of measured anomalies in Radon emissions
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