Matelda: Poetic Image or Archetype?

As their recurrence in different epochs and cultures shows, archetypal images exercise a powerful influence on imaginative and expressive modes. This essay addresses the problem, encountered by feminist critics and artists, of how to deal with 'positive' female archetypal images, of which Matelda (Purgatory XXVIII–XXXIII) is an expression. The analysis of the development of this image and of its interaction with an often contrasting social reality is expressive of the tensions and aspirations at play within a nation's culture. As the longevity of these images resides in their dynamism, women artists, rather than dispensing with them, may find it a more fruitful strategy to transform them by giving them new meanings

Female Voice - Male Rhetoric (Inferno V)

We do not encounter many female characters in the 'Comedy', and this is particularly true of the first cantica, so it is significant that Francesca is, in the poem, the very first soul who speaks, just as it is significant that the first theme to be explored is courtly love. The aim of this article is to discuss Dante's reasons for choosing to explore the theme of courtly love from a female perspective, as this procedure is unusual in the literature of the times, as it is in Dante's case also

The Function of Lethe

When, in the last canto of the 'Purgatorio', Dante-character claims not to remember having ever estranged himself from Beatrice, she reminds him that he has just drunk of Lethe, and adds that his inability to remember is proof of his estrangement. If Lethe were just a generic river of forgetfulness, it would lose the metaphorical complexity of the Lethe of classical myth, and, as a consequence, its inclusion would amount to a mere literary reference that Dante had not been able to resist. This cannot be the case, firstly because these cantos are brimming with such references and the complexity of their meanings and interpretations has to be assumed totally; and secondly because, in making use of myth, Dante never erases or diminishes its original significance but enriches it instead through a Christian perspective, the procedure being one of equation and integration of the truth of pagan myths into Christian truth, just as Matelda equates the myth of the golden age with the Edenic myth. This article examines the function of Lethe in Dante's 'Comedy'

An optimized procedure for the design and evaluation of Ecotilling assays

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most common form of genetic variability in the human genome and play a prominent role in the heritability of phenotypes. Especially rare alleles with frequencies less than 5% may exhibit a particularly strong influence on the development of complex diseases. The detection of rare alleles by standard DNA sequencing is time-consuming and cost-intensive. Here we discuss an alternative approach for a high throughput detection of rare mutations in large population samples using Ecotilling embedded in a collection of bioinformatic analysis tools. Ecotilling originally was introduced as TILLING for the screening for rare chemically induced mutations in plants and later adopted for human samples, showing an outstanding suitability for the detection of rare alleles in humans. An actual problem in the use of Ecotilling for large mutation screening projects in humans without bioinformatic support is represented by the lack of solutions to quickly yet comprehensively evaluate each newly found variation and place it into the correct genomic context.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We present an optimized strategy for the design, evaluation and interpretation of Ecotilling results by integrating several mostly freely available bioinformatic tools. A major focus of our investigations was the evaluation and meaningful economical combination of these software tools for the inference of different possible regulatory functions for each newly detected mutation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our streamlined procedure significantly facilitates the experimental design and evaluation of Ecotilling assays and strongly improves the decision process on prioritizing the newly found SNPs for further downstream analysis.</p

L’ordine delle somiglianze nel "Sorriso dell’ignoto marinaio" di Vincenzo Consolo

In this paper the analysis of the symbolic and linguistic structures of Consolo’s text reveals its political message, specifically the role of language in constructing, and deconstructing, history and reality

Development and validation of in vitro diagnostic devices for HPV detection and genotyping

The subject of this dissertation is the work I carried out at AB ANALITICA s.r.l. in the context of a doctoral program based on higher apprenticeship, an innovative form of PhD aiming at reducing the distance between academia and business. In the first part of my PhD I worked on the new version of a product for HPV detection, recently developed at AB ANALITICA: the REALQUALITY RI-HPV STAR device. My task was to bring the original device to a higher level of analytical sensitivity for certain HPV genotypes as required by the World Health Organization (WHO). This device was based on Real-time PCR and melting curve analysis with intercalating dye technology. The primers used in the original reaction mix were GP5+/GP6+ primers. These primers are capable of detecting most HPV types in aggregate. However, the analytical sensitivity they provide is not equal for all the detected genotypes and their performance was not in compliance with WHO requirements for genotyping tests. Thus, first of all, the primer composition in the reaction mix was modified by adding other primers to the original pair. A multiple primer reaction required employing specific reagents and, at the end, the whole set up of the assay had to be modified. The occasion was used to also improve an ergonomic aspect and amplify the target pathogen and the internal control gene in multiplex instead of running two separate reactions as in the original assay. Higher analytical sensitivity was achieved, but primer dimers related issues emerged, which could have impaired the correct interpretation of the assay results, and the project was abandoned. In the second part of my PhD, I worked at the design, development and validation of two new assays for HPV detection, based on Real-time PCR with target specific primers and TaqMan fluorescent probes. The HPV types detected by the first of the two assays are the 14 most common high risk types, i.e. HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66 and 68. The second assay detects the two most common low risk types, i.e. HPV 6, 11, as well as other possible high risk types, i.e. HPV 26, 53, 67, 70, 73 and 82. Assay 1 has already been validated and its performance resulted largely in compliance with WHO requirements and with the acceptability criteria established in the validation plan. This assay, therefore, is ready to be commercialized under the name REALQUALITY RQ-HPV HR MULTIPLEX. As for assay 2, some performance parameters have still to be assessed; however, initial data are promising. This second assay, if associated to assay 1, provides the final user with a complete panel for HPV investigation. The two assays combined, therefore, will be soon proposed, as an alternative product, under the name REALQUALITY RQ-HPV HR/LR MULTIPLEX

Prostacyclin and Sodium Nitroprusside Inhibit the Activity of the Platelet Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptor and Promote Its Phosphorylation

Prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) induce a rapid decay of the thrombin-promoted increase of [Ca2+]i in aspirin-treated platelets incubated in the absence of external Ca2+. The mechanism of their effect was studied with a new method which utilizes ionomycin to increase [Ca2+]i, followed by bovine serum albumin (BSA) to remove the Ca2+ ionophore. The rapid decay of [Ca2+]i after BSA is mostly due to the reuptake into the stores, since it is strongly inhibited by the endomembrane Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin. PGI2 and SNP are without effect on the BSA-promoted decay both with and without thapsigargin, showing that they do not affect the activity of the Ca2+-ATPases. The fast decay of [Ca2+]i after BSA is decreased by thrombin which produces the Ca2+ releaser inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3), thus counteracting the activity of the endomembrane Ca2+ pump. When added after thrombin, PGI2 and SNP accelerate the BSA-activated decay of [Ca2+]i. However, under the same conditions, they do not decrease the concentration of InsP3. In saponin-permeabilized platelets, cAMP and cGMP counteract the Ca2+ release induced by exogenous InsP3. Their inhibitory effect disappears at high InsP3 concentrations. This demonstrates that PGI2 and SNP potentiate Ca2+ reuptake by inhibiting the InsP3 receptor. Two bands of approximately 260 kDa are recognized by a monoclonal antibody recognizing the C-terminal region of the InsP3 receptor. Both are phosphorylated rapidly, the heavier more intensely, in the presence of PGI2 and SNP. The phosphorylation of the InsP3 receptor is fast enough to be compatible with its involvement in the inhibition of the receptor by cyclic nucleotides

Acanthamoeba keratitis: perspectives for patients

Purpose: To unveil the long-term prognosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis based on clinical presentation and timing of diagnosis to better inform patients since the first visit regarding their length of treatment, quality of life, and visual function.Methods: Retrospective observational study enrolling patients with Acanthamoeba keratitis from 1994 to 2019. Patients with a complete eye examination and medical records were analyzed. The severity of the disease, the time from onset of symptoms to the appropriate therapeutic regimen, the time until clinical resolution, visual function, and long term follow-up was evaluated. Quality of life was assessed at the last follow-up visit by means of the VFQ-25 questionnaire.Results: Thirty-five patients (40 eyes) were assessed. The overall healing time of patients with Acanthamoeba keratitis was 12.5&nbsp;±&nbsp;3.5&nbsp;months, while patients with a severe corneal ulcer (stage III) had a significant longer healing time (16.2&nbsp;±&nbsp;3.7&nbsp;months) compared to patients with stage II (7.04&nbsp;±&nbsp;0.7&nbsp;months) or I (7.7&nbsp;±&nbsp;1.5&nbsp;months; p &lt;&nbsp;.05). Patients who received a prompt therapy (&lt;30&nbsp;days form symptoms onset) had a reduced healing time compared to patients with a delayed diagnosis (p &lt;&nbsp;.01). Quality of life was assessed after a mean of 11.7&nbsp;±&nbsp;4.7&nbsp;years and it was mildly reduced (86.6&nbsp;±&nbsp;17). Patients that were diagnosed early (&lt;30&nbsp;days from onset) showed a lower reduction in quality of life than in patients that were diagnosed &gt;30&nbsp;days from onset. After resolution, 59% of the patients considered unnecessary any further proposed surgical intervention.Conclusions: Delayed diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis and disease severity significantly increases healing time and duration of treatment. The time to diagnosis and disease stage at diagnosis predicts the duration of treatment, the final outcome, quality of life, and the requirement of surgery. These data would allow us to promptly inform patients about long-term disease timeline, future outcomes, improving disease acceptance, and quality of life

Cataract surgery in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome: Current updates

Pseudoexfoliation is a ubiquitous syndrome of multifactorial origin affecting elderly people by increasing the risk of cataract and secondary glaucoma development. Despite modern techniques and technologies for cataract surgery, pseudoexfoliation syndrome represents a challenge for surgeons because of the increased weakness of the zonular apparatus and limited pupil dilation. Due to the inherent difficulties during surgery, the risk of vitreous loss in these patients is several times higher than in cataract patients without pseudoexfoliation. Using currently available surgical devices (ophthalmic viscosurgical device, iris retractors and ring dilators, capsular tension ring, etc.), the risk of intraoperative complications may be much reduced, allowing the surgeon to handle difficult cases with greater confidence and safety. This review analyzes the methodologic approach to the patient with zonular laxity with the aim of providing useful advices to limit the risks of intraoperative and postoperative complications. From the preoperative planning, to the intraoperative management of the small pupil and phacodonesis, and to the postoperative correction of capsule phimosis and intraocular lens dislocation, a step approach to the surgical management of pseudoexfoliation patients is illustrated

eCOMPAGT – efficient Combination and Management of Phenotypes and Genotypes for Genetic Epidemiology

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High-throughput genotyping and phenotyping projects of large epidemiological study populations require sophisticated laboratory information management systems. Most epidemiological studies include subject-related personal information, which needs to be handled with care by following data privacy protection guidelines. In addition, genotyping core facilities handling cooperative projects require a straightforward solution to monitor the status and financial resources of the different projects.</p> <p>Description</p> <p>We developed a database system for an efficient combination and management of phenotypes and genotypes (eCOMPAGT) deriving from genetic epidemiological studies. eCOMPAGT securely stores and manages genotype and phenotype data and enables different user modes with different rights. Special attention was drawn on the import of data deriving from TaqMan and SNPlex genotyping assays. However, the database solution is adjustable to other genotyping systems by programming additional interfaces. Further important features are the scalability of the database and an export interface to statistical software.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>eCOMPAGT can store, administer and connect phenotype data with all kinds of genotype data and is available as a downloadable version at <url>http://dbis-informatik.uibk.ac.at/ecompagt</url>.</p