An oxaloacetate decarboxylase homologue protein influences the intracellular survival of Legionella pneumophila

Legionella pneumophila is a facultative intracellular parasite which is able to survive in various eukaryotic cells. We characterised a Tn5-mutant of the L. pneumophila Corby strain and were able to identify the insertion site of the transposon. It is localised within an open reading frame which shows high homology to the α-subunit of the oxaloacetate decarboxylase (OadA) of Klebsiella pneumoniae. The OadA homologous protein of L. pneumophila was detected in the wild-type strain by Western blotting. Since the intracellular multiplication of the oadA− mutant strain is reduced in guinea pig alveolar macrophages and human monocytes, it is concluded that the oadA gene product has an effect on the intracellular survival of L. pneumophil

Molecular cloning, promoter analysis and SNP identification of Italian Nicastrese and Saanen lactoferrin gene

Lactoferrin (Lf) is an iron-binding glycoprotein found in exocrine secretions including milk. High levels of lactoferrin may have a role in the prevention of microbial infection of the mammary gland. In this report we sequenced and characterized goat lactoferrin cDNA and its promoter region in two different breeds of goat. The complete cDNA comprised 2356 nucleotides, including 38bp at the 5'-UTR and 194bp at the 3'-UTR. The open reading frame is 2127bp long and it encodes a mature protein of 689 aminoacids. A total of 19 nucleotide differences, 11 of them being responsible for 8 aminoacid changes, were identified through the comparison with French, Korean and Tibetan goat lactoferrin cDNAs. About 1700bp of the lactoferrin gene promoter were sequenced. Sequence analysis revealed a non-canonical TATA box, multiple SP1/GC elements, and other putative binding sites for transcription factors, such as NF-kappaB, STAT3 and AP2. Two SNPs were identified, one of which would seem to create a new putative AP2 consensus sequence. The presence of an additional AP2 binding site could be associated with quantitative differences of such protein fraction, which could enhance all the activities related to such protein, and improve mammary gland defence against bacterial infections

Le dimensioni psicologiche nel monitoraggio del paziente diabetico in terapia con microinfusore: stato attuale e prospettive.

SUMMARY Psychological aspects in the evaluation of the diabetic patient treated with infusion pump-therapy: current state and perspectives This article aim is to offer a close examination of up-to-date theoretical contributions referring to the following subject: psychological aspects in CSII therapy. This close examination was made considering two different researches: the first by regarding the evaluation of the post implant period, and the second concerning the study of drop out causes. It was possible to find out problems and psychosocial changes caused by the implant, but also to specify critical points, useful to build necessary protocols, to support diabetological valuations and to suggest psychoeducational interventions

DNA polymerase alpha inhibition by aphidicolin and fragile site expression in prometaphase chromosomes of the Italian Mediterranean River Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis, 2n=50)

The present study reports on the expression and localization of "fragile sites" (FS) on prometaphase chromosomes of two groups of river buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis, 2n=50; Mediterranean Italian breed), reared in two different farms, with the aim to characterize chromosome fragility in this species. Totally, 400 aphidicolin induced breakages were identified and localized on the standardized ideogram of the river buffalo karyotype. Preliminary results can be synthesized as follows: (a) aphidicolin showed a remarkable decondensing effect on chromosome structure, enabling further studies at high resolution level; (b) the chromosomal expression of the breakages was not different in the two groups of animals; (c) the most fragile chromosomes were the inactive-X, chromosomes 9, 8 and active-X, showing 42, 32, 31 and 30 breakages, respectively; (d) the breaks were localized in the RBG-negative bands (corresponding to eterochromatic regions) or at the band-interband regions; (e) the chromosomal distribution of the break sites was not random and only partially related to chromosome length. The study is in progress to determine the relative incidence of the fragile sites at chromosomal band level, in order to construct a 'fragile-site map' of river buffalo, which could be utilized for genetic improvement programs of the species

Recurrence of non-hydropic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL): a literature review

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL) is typically defined as the acute onset (less than 3 days) of a perceptive hearing loss of more than 30dB over at least three contiguous frequencies on pure tone audiometry. The exact incidence of SSNHL is uncertain, since many patients have a rapid and spontaneous resolution of symptoms and therefore don’t reach medical attention. Estimate of incidence ranges from 5 to 20 per 100.000 individuals, and bilateral involvement is very rare; it increases in the older patients (>65 yo)(77 per 100.000) the in younger population (<18 yo)(11 per 100.000) [3]. The true incidence of paediatric SSNHL is not established in literature; 40% of examined child with SSNHL, showed anatomic abnormaliti