La Sardegna medioevale nella Cronaca di Giovanni della Grossa (sec. XV)

The chronicle written by Giovanni della Grossa in the middle of the fifteenth century, ¡s the oldest chronicle about medieval Corsica. In his work, that relates the history of Corsica from its origins to 1464. the writer refers to the nearby island of Sardinia many times. So, through the narration of Corsica's history, some episodes emerge of Sardinian history. The article examines the motives and the ways of the Sardinia's presence in the corse chronicle. Even if this chronicle can't be used as a historical source for the IX to the XIII centuries, there emerges from it a picture of the "giudicale" Sardinia, while the story of the writer della Grossa is an important source for the relations between Corsica, the Crown of Aragon and the catalan-aragonese Sardinia in the XIV-XV centuries.[fr] La chronique de Giovanni della Grossa, écrite dans la seconde moitié du XV siècle, est la plus ancienne chronique de la Corse médiévale. Dans cette ouvrage, que raconte l’histoire de la Corse de ses origines a l'année 1464, il y a plusieurs références à la voisine Sardaigne: à travers le récit de l'histoire de la Corse on peut extrapoler des episodes d'histoire sarde. Ce travail examine les raisons et les façons de la presence de la Sardaigne dans le récit du chroniqueur corse. Même si on ne peut pas l'utiliser comme source historique pour les siècles du IX jusqu'au XIII, cette chronique nous montre l'image que on avait en Corse de la Sardaigne "giudicale"; au contraire, le récit de Giovanni della Grossa est une source importante pour la question des relations entre la Corse, la Couronne d'Aragon et la Sardaigne catalan-aragonese pandant le XIV et le XV siècle

Ordini religiosi e politica regia Nella Sardegna catalano-aragonese della prima metà del XIV secolo

The Catalan king James the Second and his son, the Infant Alfonso, thought that the support of the local clergy support was of fundamental importance in undertaking the conquest of the Pisan territories in Sardinia. The documents found in the Crown of Aragon Archives point out the importance attached by the Catalan-Aragonese sovereigns to the Mendicant Orders, especially the Franciscans and the Dominicans, as a vehicle for the Catalanization of the island, and the efforts made to gain their loyalty. The documents also show that the Catalan-Aragonese occupation marked the definitive decline of the Monastic Benedictine Orders, which had already largely decayed, although they were still possessors of vast territories.Le roi catalan Jacques II et son fils, l’Infant Alphonse, en entrepre­nant la conquête de la Sardaigne pisane, croyèrent de fondamentale impor­tance obtenir l'appui du clergé local. La documentation retrouvée dans les Archives de la Couronne d'Aragon met en évidence le considérable rôle attribué par les souverains catalano-aragonais aux Ordres Mendiants, sur­tout Franciscains et Dominicains, comme véhicule pour la catalanization de l’île, et les efforts faits pour s'en assurer la fidélité. La documentation démontre, en outre, comme l'occupation catalano-aragonaise marque le déclin définitif des Ordres Monastiques Bénédictins, dépuis longtemps en grave décadence, même si encore propriétaires de vastes extensions territo­riales

I monasteri delle clarisse a Cagliari e Oristano (secoli XIV-XVI). Fondazione, ruolo sociale, patrimonio artistico

ITALIANO: L’articolo si focalizza sui monasteri di clarisse fondati tra XIV e XVI secolo nelle città di Cagliari e di Oristano: la prima capitale del regno di Sardegna catalano-aragonese poi spagnolo, la seconda capitale del regno o “giudicato” di Arborea, inglobato nel regno di Sardegna a partire dal 1420. Queste due città furono le prime, nell’isola, ad avere un monastero di clarisse. Di questi monasteri l’articolo ripercorre le origini, le principali vicende e il ruolo sociale. Si sofferma, inoltre, sul superstite patrimonio artistico medievale conservato nella chiesa clariana di Oristano e sulle architetture di epoca moderna dei monasteri cagliaritani. / ENGLISH: The article focuses on the monasteries of Poor Clares founded between the 14th and 16th centuries in the cities of Cagliari and Oristano: the first one was the capital of the catalan-aragonese Kingdom of Sardinia, the second one was the capital of the kingdom or “giudicato” of Arborea, incorporated into the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1420. These two cities were the first, in the island, to have a monastery of Poor Clares. The article traces the origins of these nunneries, the main events and their social role. It focuses also on the surviving medieval heritage in the Clarian church of Oristano and on the modern age architecture of the nunneries in Cagliari

Detection and genotyping of human Papillomavirus in urine samples from unvaccinated male and female adolescents in Italy

The introduction of vaccination against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in adolescent girls in 2006 has focused virological surveillance on this age group. As few studies have evaluated HPV infections in young populations, further data are needed in order to improve and extend prophylactic policy and to monitor epidemiological changes. The present study aimed at evaluating overall and type-specific HPV prevalence in both female and male adolescents in Italy. HPV DNA detection and genotyping was performed on urine samples collected from 870 unvaccinated adolescents (369 females, 501 males, 11-18 years of age) in five cities in Italy. Following DNA extraction by means of a commercial kit (NucliSENS®-miniMAG®, bioMérieux), the L1 gene fragment was PCR amplified and genotyped by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. HPV DNA was detected in 1.5% of all samples, and in 3% and 0.4% of samples from females and males, respectively. In approximately 70% of HPV DNA positive adolescents, the infection was due to a single genotype, with 88.9% of genotypes belonging to the HR-clade. The only two HPV-positive boys (14 and 18 years old) had HPV-70 genotype. Only one of the 11 HPV-infected girls was in the 11-14 age-group. HPV prevalence was 4.2% in girls aged 15-18 years and 60% of infections were due to vaccine types HPV-16 or HPV-6/-11. This is one of the few studies, the first conducted in Italy, on HPV infection in adolescents. Urine testing is the easier way of detecting HPV infection in younger populations. Our data revealed a very low HPV prevalence, and no infections were observed in the 12-year-old vaccine target population. The majority of infections were seen in females aged 15-18 years. Overall, more than 50% and 30% of the potentially persistent HPV infections detected in this group could have been prevented by the quadrivalent and the bivalent vaccines, respectively

I monasteri delle Clarisse a Cagliari e Oristano (sec. XIV-XVI). Fondazione, ruolo sociale, patrimonio artistico

Il saggio analizza le vicende storiche, artistiche e architettoniche dei conventi di clausura a Cagliari, Oristano e Sassari nel Cinquecento

Epidemiology and prevention of Rotavirus infection:an underestimated issue?

Rotaviruses (RVs) were found to cause human disease in 1973. They are the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in infants and young children of <5 years of age worldwide and they are the cause of approximately half a million deaths each year. The impact of the disease on families and society (increased health care costs, lost productivity) is extremely significant and the incidence of gastroenteritis (RVGE) is similar both in industrialized and in developing countries. Virtually, all the children will be Infected by RVs before the ages of 3-5 years with the highest incidence rate registered between 6-24 months of age while the greatest risk for developing severe disease by RV occurs under 12 months of age. Clinically, the infection can vary from asymptomatic and sub clinic forms, which are more common in older children and adults, to acute gastroenteritis with fever, vomiting and self-limiting watery diarrhea which persist for 3 to 8 days. Severe forms with profuse diarrhea accompanied by vomiting and fever with risk of dehydration not adequately and rapidly correct can be fatal, mainly in developing countries. Hygienic-sanitary measures are unable to limit the diffusion of this infection and vaccination at present seems the only effective system to reduce the burden of the disease, human and economic costs related to RVGE. Since the 1980s research has focused on the development of RV vaccines. Vaccines against RV are efficacious, and underwent extensive safety trials (involving more than 130,000); no association with intussusception was detected and in four years since they were licensed a substantial reduction in the rates of RVs hospitalization and deaths for RVs infection have been observed both in developed and less-developed countries. It has been also described in different studies that herd immunity can be induced by RV vaccines (as an indirect effect) by reducing the risk of unvaccinated persons to be infected. Thus, introduction of the vaccine into countries immunization programs is likely to have a greater effect than that predicted on the basis of the efficacy trials. The worldwide epidemiological impact of RV infection pointed the development of safe and effective vaccines against RVs as a public health priority. The great economical burden on health care systems and families suggests the importance of monitoring circulating strains, establishment of systems for surveillance and implementation of universal newborns vaccinaton

A novel splicing defect (IVS6+1G &gt; T) in a patient with pseudovitamin D deficiency rickets

A 15-month-old boy with severe rickets, that by clinical analysis was diagnosed as affected by hereditary pseudovitamin D deficiency rickets (PDDR), was evaluated for mutations in the 25OHD(3) 1alpha-hydroxylase gene. Molecular analysis showed a double heterozygous state for a novel splicing mutation in the invariant dinucleotide of the donor site of IVS6 and a 7 nucleotide insertion in the exon 8, which is common in different ethnical backgrounds. (C) 2002, Editrice Kurtis