Hepatitis C Virus Infection May Lead to Slower Emergence of P. falciparum in Blood

International audienceBACKGROUND: Areas endemic for Plasmodium falciparum, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) overlap in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. HBV and HCV infections develop in the liver, where takes place the first development stage of P. falciparum before its further spread in blood. The complex mechanisms involved in the development of hepatitis may potentially influence the development of the liver stage of malaria parasites. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of these interactions could provide new pathophysiological insights for treatment strategies in Malaria. METHODOLOGY: We studied a cohort of 319 individuals living in a village where the three infections are prevalent. The patients were initially given a curative antimalarial treatment and were then monitored for the emergence of asexual P. falciparum forms in blood, fortnightly for one year, by microscopy and polymerase chain reaction. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: At inclusion, 65 (20.4%) subjects had detectable malaria parasites in blood, 36 (11.3%) were HBV chronic carriers, and 61 (18.9%) were HCV chronic carriers. During follow-up, asexual P. falciparum forms were detected in the blood of 203 patients. The median time to P. falciparum emergence in blood was respectively 140 and 120 days in HBV- and HBV+ individuals, and 135 and 224 days in HCV- and HCV+ individuals. HCV carriage was associated with delayed emergence of asexual P. falciparum forms in blood relative to patients without HCV infection. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study represents first tentative evidence of a potential epidemiological interaction between HBV, HCV and P. falciparum infections. Age is an important confounding factor in this setting however multivariate analysis points to an interaction between P. falciparum and HCV at the hepatic level with a slower emergence of P. falciparum in HCV chronic carriers. More in depth analysis are necessary to unravel the basis of hepatic interactions between these two pathogens, which could help in identifying new therapeutic approaches against malaria

Learning from Data Journeys

This is the final version. Available on open access from Springer via the DOI in this recordThis chapter discusses the idea of data journeys as an investigative tool and a theoretical framework for this volume and broader scholarship on data. Building on a relational and historicized understanding of data as lineages, I reflect on the methodological, conceptual and social challenges involved in mapping, analysing and comparing the production, movement and use of data within and across research fields - and some of the strategies developed to cope with such difficulties. I then provide an overview of the significant variation among the data practices garnered in this volume. Specific nodes of difference and similarity across data journeys are identified, while also emphasising the extent to which such commonalities are dependent on specific situations of inquiry. In closing, I highlight the significance of this approach towards addressing concerns raised by data-centric science and the emergence of big and open data.European CommissionAlan Turing Institut

Inquinamento ed avvelenamento da mercurio

Scienza e Lavor

Interventi di consolidamento dei terreni di fondazione di una torre campanaria con iniezioni di resina ad alta pressione di espansione

La memoria mira ad illustrare le modalit\ue0 d\u2019esecuzione di iniezioni di resina espandente ad alta pressione d\u2019espansione ed i suoi effetti nel sottosuolo trattato. Dopo un inquadramento geotecnico preliminare sull\u2019evoluzione del processo generato da una serie ordinata di iniezioni, vengono successivamente riportati alcuni significativi risultati registrati nel corso del monitoraggio dell\u2019intervento di consolidazione del terreno d\u2019imposta della fondazione della torre campanaria della chiesa parrocchiale di Borgolavezzaro (NO). Di questo intervento vengono in particolare sottolineate le modalit\ue0 operative, la modesta invasivit\ue0 ed, infine, le caratteristiche fisico-meccaniche del materiale iniettato che si mantengono pressoch\ue9 inalterate nel tempo. L\u2019aumentata conoscenza sul comportamento a breve e lungo termine della resina utilizzata e sui fenomeni d\u2019interazione che si sviluppano tra la stessa resina espandente ed il terreno trattato consentono d\u2019intervenire in assoluta sicurezza nel risanamento di edifici di elevato pregio