Prevalence of HBV genotypes in South American immigrants affected by HBV-related chronic active hepatitis

This study evaluated the prevalence of HBV infection in a population of South American immigrants in Italy and to determine in patients with detectable serum HBV-DNA the HBVgenotypes. Between April 2005 and April 2006 a total of 130 South American immigrants were tested for HBsAg. In HBsAg positive patients the biochemical and virological activity of infection and the possible presence of co-infections (HCV, HDV, HIV) were evaluated. In patients with detectable serum HBV DNA, the HBV genotype was determined by INNOLiPA. Among the 130 subjects tested, 14 (10.7%) resulted HBsAg positive. All were men, with a mean age of 22 years (range 19-37) and 12 (85.7 %) came from Brazil, while 2 (14.3%) came from Ecuador. All patients infected by HBV had elevated alanine-aminotransferase serum levels (mean level was 127 IU/L, range 74-312) and serum HBV DNA detectable by PCR-Real Time (mean level 1,037,652 copies/mL, range 19,876-1,377,648). Genotype distribution was as follow: genotype D, 9 (64.2%), genotype A, 5 (35.8%). All patients infected by genotype D came from Brazil, while among the patients infected by genotype A, three came from Brazil and two from Ecuador. Our study evidences a moderate prevalence of HBV-infection in South American immigrants with the identification of two genotypes, D and A. These genotypes are not the most prevalent in the South America and this is probably the expression of a possible geographical redistribution of HBV genotypes

Prevalence of HBV-genotypes in immigrants affected by HBV-related chronic active hepatitis

BACKGROUND: The genetic heterogeneity of the HBV genome has been established and eight genotypes can be classified according to the criterion of >8% differences in the complete nucleotide sequence of the viral genome. AIMS: To evaluate the prevalence of HBV-infection in a population of immigrants and to determine in patients with detectable serum HBV-DNA the HBV-genotypes. METHODS: Between January 2005 and December 2005 a total of 556 immigrants were tested for HBsAg. In HBsAg positive patients the biochemical and virological activity of infection and the possible presence of co-infections (HCV, HDV, HIV) were evaluated. In patients with detectable serum HBV DNA, the HBV-genotype was determined by INNOLiPA. RESULTS: Among the 556 subjects tested, 60 (10.7%) resulted HBsAg positive. All were men, and 42 (70%) come from Africa, 10 (16.6%) from Asia and 9 (14.4%) from East-Europe. 28/60 (46.6%) patients presented normal ALT levels (<40 IU/L) and undetectable serum HBV DNA (<100 copies/mL in real-time PCR), while 32 (53.4%) patients had ALT levels above laboratory normal values and detectable serum HBV DNA. Genotype distribution was as follow: genotype E, 16 (50%), genotype D, 9 (28.1%), genotype A, 7 (21.9%). CONCLUSION: Our study evidences a moderate prevalence of HBV-infection in immigrants, particularly in sub-Saharan African people, and the potentiality of migratory flow in the introduction of genotype non-D hepatitis B virus, potentially characterized by a different natural history and, possibly, a different response to antiviral treatment

VHL Frameshift Mutation as Target of Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay in Drosophila melanogaster and Human HEK293 Cell Line

There are many well-studied examples of human phenotypes resulting from nonsense or frameshift mutations that are modulated by Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay (NMD), a process that typically degrades transcripts containing premature termination codons (PTCs) in order to prevent translation of unnecessary or aberrant transcripts. Different types of germline mutations in the VHL gene cause the von Hippel-Lindau disease, a dominantly inherited familial cancer syndrome with a marked phenotypic variability and age-dependent penetrance. By generating the Drosophila UAS:Upf1D45B line we showed the possible involvement of NMD mechanism in the modulation of the c.172delG frameshift mutation located in the exon 1 of Vhl gene. Further, by Quantitative Real-time PCR (QPCR) we demonstrated that the corresponding c.163delG human mutation is targeted by NMD in human HEK 293 cells. The UAS:Upf1D45B line represents a useful system to identify novel substrates of NMD pathway in Drosophila melanogaster. Finally, we suggest the possible role of NMD on the regulation of VHL mutations

Withdrawal of mechanical ventilation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients: a multicenter Italian survey

Background: Law 219/2017 was approved in Italy in December 2017, after a years-long debate on the autonomy of healthcare choices. This Law, for the first time in Italian legislation, guarantees the patient's right to request for withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments, including mechanical ventilation (MV). Objective: To investigate the current status of MV withdrawal in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients in Italy and to assess the impact of Law 219/2017 on this practice. Methods: We conducted a Web-based survey, addressed to Italian neurologists with expertise in ALS care, and members of the Motor Neuron Disease Study Group of the Italian Society of Neurology. Results: Out of 40 ALS Italian centers, 34 (85.0%) responded to the survey. Law 219/2017 was followed by an increasing trend in MV withdrawals, and a significant increase of neurologists involved in this procedure (p 0.004). However, variations across Italian ALS centers were observed, regarding the inconsistent involvement of community health services and palliative care (PC) services, and the intervention and composition of the multidisciplinary team. Conclusions: Law 219/2017 has had a positive impact on the practice of MV withdrawal in ALS patients in Italy. The recent growing public attention on end-of-life care choices, along with the cultural and social changes in Italy, requires further regulatory frameworks that strengthen tools for self-determination, increased investment of resources in community and PC health services, and practical recommendations and guidelines for health workers involved

Budda wciąż działa – praca nad sobą nigdy się nie kończy: Esej o Grotowskim

This essay uses the personal recollections of Italian director Gioacchino Palumbo, including the experience of viewing of Apocalypsis cum figuris as well as some personal encounters with Jerzy Grotowski, to present a subjective account of selected aspects of Grotowski’s theatrical and non-theatrical practices, with an emphasis on understanding theatre as a lifelong work on oneself. Palumbo highlights those aspects of Grotowski’s work and quotations from his statements and writings that have contributed to his own development as a theatre artist. Particularly interested in Grotowski’s attitude to diverse sources of inspiration, Palumbo extensively discusses Grotowski’s interview on Gurdjieff, considering it as a representative example of artist’s approach to cultural phenomena that influenced him. The essay is preceded by an introduction in which Giuseppe G. Condorelli presents the original theatrical work of Palumbo, who has been running his own theatre laboratory in Catania since 1981.Punktem wyjścia eseju są osobiste wspomnienia włoskiego reżysera Gioacchino Palumbo, w tym doświadczenia związane z oglądaniem Apocalypsis cum figuris i osobistymi spotkaniami z Jerzym Grotowskim, a celem – subiektywna prezentacja wybranych aspektów teatralnych i pozateatralnych praktyk Grotowskiego, z naciskiem na rozumienie teatru jako trwającej całe życie pracy nad sobą. Palumbo podkreśla te aspekty twórczości Grotowskiego i cytaty z jego wypowiedzi i pism, które przyczyniły się do jego własnego rozwoju jako artysty teatralnego. Szczególnie interesuje go stosunek Grotowskiego do różnorodnych źródeł inspiracji, dlatego obszernie omawia wywiad Grotowskiego na temat Gurdżijewa, uznając go za reprezentatywny przykład podejścia artysty do zjawisk kulturowych, które na niego wpływały. Esej został poprzedzony wstępem, w którym Giuseppe G. Condorelli przedstawia Palumbo jako oryginalnego artystę teatralnego, prowadzącego od 1981 roku własne laboratorium teatralne w Katanii

Immigrazione ed HBV in Italia: Stato attuale e prospettive future

This work evidences that with migratory phenomena many people arrive in our country and many of them come by areas, particularly sub-saharian Africa, endemic for HBV infection. This could be determine an increment in prevalence of this infection in our area. The most part of subjects could be infected by a non-D genotype (genotype D is the prevalent in Italy) characterized by a different natural history and response to antiviral therapies with the necessity of a different clinical and therapeutic approach