Leishmaniasis of the prepuce.
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Antiprotozoal Agents↗
Biomedical subjects
M Pau
Publications and source records attributed to M Pau.
Do speed bumps really decrease traffic speed? An Italian experience.
Italy introduced the extensive use of speed bumps only in 1990, in an attempt to limit the high number of fatalities involving pedestrians in urban streets caused by the high speed of vehicles. In many countries, such devices have been the subject of careful investigations (in order to assess their effectiveness and disadvantages for the traffic circulation) and this has resulted in a number of modifications in the design to improve their performance. On the contrary, no systematic and scientific studies have been carried out on Italian installations: moreover, the type of undulation adopted is known to produce a series of problems for some categories of users and is not so effective in reducing speed as larger devices such as 'speed humps' or 'speed cushions'. This paper proposes a study of the effectiveness of 23 speed bumps installed in the city of Cagliari; to this aim, a speed analysis was performed at speed bump locations, at the crosswalks protected by the devices and at sections of the streets where bumps are installed but far from them. The results show that in one third of the cases the 85th percentile of speed measured at the speed bumps is higher than the posted speed limit (50 km/h) and an equal percentage of vehicles travel at a speed in the range of 45-50 km/h. No statistically significant differences were found from the comparison of speed values observed in free, bump or crosswalk sections of the same streets, while speed profiles calculated at four sites, where a high percentage of braking vehicles was observed, showed a common trend from which it clearly emerges that the effect of the device on driver's behaviour is restricted to a short spatial range (about 20-30 m before and after the bump). The current situation thus suggests the use of more effective devices such as humps or cushions, or the integration of speed bumps with other traffic calming techniques.
Accidents, Traffic↗
Gram-negative bacterial toe web infection: a survey of 123 cases from the district of Cagliari, Italy.
BACKGROUND: Foot intertrigo is mostly caused by dermatophytes and yeasts, less frequently by gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Nevertheless, the importance of polymicrobial infections and especially colonizations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa can cause therapy problems in relation to antibiotic resistance and the risk of potentially lethal complications. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the main epidemiologic and clinical features of intertrigo from gram-negative bacteria, the function of promoting factors, and the measures taken to treat and prevent this disorder. METHODS: Between 1989 and 1998, 123 cases of intertrigo from gram-negative bacteria were observed at the Cagliari University Dermatology Department. Routine clinical and blood examinations, repeated bacterioscopic and mycologic examinations, cultures aimed at identifying the responsible bacteria, and antibiograms were performed. RESULTS: P aeruginosa was found to be the prevailing pathogen, both alone and associated with other gram-negative bacteria (such as Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Morganella morganii) and gram-positive bacteria. Clinical manifestations were similar in the majority of patients: erythema, vesicopustules, erosions, and marked maceration caused by abundant, malodorous exudate. Lesions affected the interdigital spaces of both feet and frequently extended to the planta and the back of the toes. Patients complained of burning and pain. Successful therapies were achieved with combined topical and systemic treatment; to avoid the risk of antimicrobial resistance, the choice of the active antibiotic was guided by antibiograms. CONCLUSION: In all symptomatic toe web infections, the presence of gram-negative germs, such as P aeruginosa, should be investigated to avoid the risk of treatment failures and more severe local or systemic complications.
Administration, Topical↗
Characterization of a novel form of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2B) and expression of VEGF and angiopoietin-2 during chicken testicular development and regression.
The complex process of angiogenesis is controlled by the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors and by the recently isolated angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) that signal through the transmembrane endothelial receptor tyrosine kinase Tie2. We report here the characterization of a novel form of Ang-2 (Ang-2B) with a truncated amino-terminal domain resulting from an alternative splicing of the gene. While previous reports have found the expression of Ang-2 limited to the embryo, female reproductive organs, and tumor tissues, we have observed striking changes in Ang-2 expression during chicken testicular development and regression. The expression of Ang-2 and VEGF is abundant in prepuberal testis and low in quiescent adult testis. Testicular regression is accompanied by high expression of Ang-2 and very low expression of VEGF. These observations are in accordance with the proposal that Ang-2 induces angiogenesis in the presence of VEGF and vascular regression in its absence.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Several novel transcripts of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase expressed in adult chicken testis.
Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), in addition to being a classic glycolytic enzyme, is a multifunctional protein involved in relevant cell functions such as DNA replication, DNA repair, translational control of gene expression, and apoptosis. Although the multifunctional nature of GAPDH suggests versatility in the mechanisms regulating its expression, no major qualitative changes and few quantitative changes in the GAPDH transcripts have been reported. While studying the expression of GAPDH during spermatogenesis, we detected alternative initiations to TATA box and alternative splicings in the 5' region of the pre-mRNA, resulting in at least six different types of mRNAs. The amount and the polyadenylation of the GAPDH transcripts increased in mature testis in relation to immature testis and further increased when cell suspensions from mature testis were exposed to heat shock. These results suggest that alternative initiation, alternative splicing, and polyadenylation could provide the necessary versatility to the regulation of the expression of this multifunctional protein during spermatogenesis.
Alternative Splicing↗
Four isoforms of the signal-transduction and RNA-binding protein QKI expressed during chicken spermatogenesis.
Genes expressed during spermatogenesis undergo alternative initiation and alternative splicing and may be under the control of a coordinated mechanism of RNA processing. A family of proteins that combine features of signal-transduction and RNA-binding molecules could be instrumental in this process. We have characterized a cDNA from adult chicken testis that codifies a highly conserved member of the STAR protein family, the orthologue of the mouse quaking gene qki. The predicted chicken protein differs only in four amino acids from the corresponding mouse protein. Messages of 7, 6, and 5 kb are expressed differentially during chicken spermatogenesis. The 5-kb message, the predominant form in adult testis, presents heterogeneity in the coding region, showing insertions of 51 and 75 bp and a deletion of 24 bp, which gives rise to four possible isoforms of the protein.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Intralesional treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis with meglumine antimoniate.
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Adolescent↗
Characterization and expression of two chicken cDNAs encoding ubiquitin fused to ribosomal proteins of 52 and 80 amino acids.
We have determined the complete nucleotide sequence of two chicken cDNAs, Ub-t52 and Ub-t80, encoding ubiquitin fused to ribosomal proteins of 52 and 80 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequences of the ribosomal proteins are identical or very similar to the homologous human and rat proteins and to the corresponding proteins of other species. Unexpectedly, the ubiquitin moiety of the Ub-t52 protein showed two amino acid substitutions: serine-20 has been replaced by asparagine and serine-57 by alanine. Ubiquitin is a protein strongly conserved during evolution, with no changes in sequence previously reported in vertebrates. Ub-t52 and Ub-t80 are highly expressed in early embryogenesis and during postmitotic stages of spermatogenesis, in parallel with the expression of the polyubiquitin gene UbII. Whereas the 5' untranslated regions (5'UTRs) of the chicken polyubiquitin mRNAs showed marked differences in mature testes in relation to somatic tissues, no differences were observed in the 5'UTRs of the ubiquitin-ribosomal protein mRNAs. These mRNAs possess a 5'-terminal oligopyrimidine tract that could be used as a mechanism to postpone translation during postmitotic stages of spermatogenesis, as has been proposed in quiescent cells.
Alanine↗
Heat-shock inducible polyubiquitin gene UbI undergoes alternative initiation and alternative splicing in mature chicken testes.
Ubiquitin, a heat-shock protein highly expressed during spermatogenesis, plays an essential role in the differentiation of the germinal cells, particularly in the structural changes of chromatin taking place at the end of the process. To shed light on the mechanisms that modulate transcriptional activity of the heat-shock inducible polyubiquitin gene UbI during spermatogenesis and stabilize the message when transcription is not longer active, we have compared the characteristics of UbI transcripts in mature and immature testes and somatic cells. In mature chicken testes, transcription starts at a site placed closer to the heat-shock promoters than in somatic tissues. This site is upstream from the TATA box used in somatic cells. In addition, UbI transcript undergoes an alternative splicing that produces a longer 5' untranslated region in mature testis. These findings may provide a basis for the observed increase in expression of UbI in mature chicken testes and for the stability of the message when transcription ceases at the end of spermatogenesis.
Alternative Splicing↗
Multicenter clinical comparison of resin-containing bottles with standard aerobic and anaerobic bottles for culture of microorganisms from blood.
In a study comparing the Bactec 9240 (Plus Aerobic/F and Anaerobic/F bottles, containing resins; Becton Dickinson, USA) and the Vital (standard aerobic and anaerobic bottles, with no additives; bioMérieux, France) blood culture systems, 6456 sets of four bottles of 9660 blood cultures submitted were evaluated. There were 531 clinically significant isolates from 795 positive blood cultures. Of the 531 positive blood cultures, 355 were positive in both systems, 141 with the Bactec 9240 alone, and 30 with the Vital alone (p < 0.001); five were not detected by either system. The average time to detection of positive cultures for the matched sets was 10.65 h and 18.41 h by the Bactec 9240 system and the Vital system, respectively. The false-positive rate per bottle was 0.65% in the Bactec 9240 and 0.71% in the Vital. The rate of false-negative pairs (i.e., major errors) was very low (0.12% for the Bactec 9240, 0.19% for the Vital) and not significantly different between the two systems. The striking differences in recovery of microorganisms may be due to the presence of resins in the Bactec medium. However, the observed superiority of the Bactec 9240, even for patients not receiving antibiotics, suggests that resins adsorb other inhibitors present in patients' blood.
Adult↗
Tinea capitis in children in the district of Cagliari, Italy.
Between 1986 and 1995, 4104 children were observed in the Clinic of Dermatology in Cagliari, Italy. Three hundred and thirty-six children (8.2%), 188 boys and 148 girls, aged 1 month to 13 years, were affected by tinea capitis. Microsporum canis was detected in 278 cases (82.7%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes in 58 cases (17.3%). Systemic treatment with 20-25 mg kg-1 day-1 griseofulvin led to complete recovery in 30-40 days. None of the patients relapsed. The epidemiology of the infection was analysed according to age, sex and seasonal progression. Microsporum canis was the preponderant aetiological agent of tinea capitis in children in the district of Cagliari, Italy.
Adolescent↗
Pityriasis rotunda: a survey of 42 cases observed in Sardinia, Italy.
BACKGROUND: Pityriasis rotunda (PR) is an uncommon dermatosis characterized by multiple, round or oval, sharply demarcated scaling patches that are dyschromic and asymptomatic. It has been described in Japanese and in blacks, usually in association with certain infective or malignant systemic diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to further clarify this rare entity which in Italy seems to be confined to the island of Sardinia. METHODS: We studied 42 Sardinian patients, 22 males and 20 females, in an age range of 3-32 years. In 29 cases, the disease involved more than one family member. The patients were observed in Cagliari, the capital city of Sardinia. RESULTS: Bacterial, viral and fungal investigation yielded negative results. Haematochemical and immunological examination and thyroid, hypophyseal and adrenal hormones did not reveal any alterations. No systemic pathologies were found associated with the disease. CONCLUSIONS: The cases studied by us and those previously reported seem to indicate the presence of two distinct types of PR with significant prognostic differences.
Adolescent↗
Atypical localization of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Anus Diseases↗
Trichophyton mentagrophytes kerion in a woman.
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Administration, Oral↗
Characterization of soybean allergens causing sensitization of occupationally exposed bakers.
Fourteen bakers suffering from workplace-related respiratory symptoms and sensitized to soybean were studied. Twelve of them were also allergic to wheat flour, 10 to rye flour, and five to alpha-amylase of Aspergillus oryzae (Asp o 2). IgE estimation by RAST strongly indicated that the trypsin inhibitor and lipoxidase are major allergens of soybean. Various allergenic components could be characterized by immunoblotting after two-dimensional electrophoresis. Our RAST and immunoblotting results show an interindividually different allergic response to inhalative soybean constituents, and that the trypsin inhibitor (20 kDa, pI approximately 4.5) is an important inhalative soybean allergen recognized by IgE antibodies in the sera of 86% of the examined sensitized bakers.
Adolescent↗
A novel carbonic anhydrase II mRNA isolated from mature chicken testis displays a TATA box and other promoter sequences in a leader 5' untranslated region not present in somatic tissues.
The primary structure of a novel carbonic anhydrase II-encoding cDNA clone (CAII) isolated from a chicken testis cDNA library is presented. The size of the CAII mRNA obtained from meiotic and haploid chicken testis cells is larger than the corresponding mRNA from immature testis and somatic tissues. The nucleotide sequence of the chicken testis CAII clone revealed a protein-coding region identical to the published sequence of CAII mRNA from erythroid cells. However, the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of the testis CAII mRNA is larger than the corresponding somatic sequence. The 5' UTR contains a leader sequence not present in the CAII mRNA isolated from erythroid cells or chick retina. The additional 5' UTR of the mRNA displays a TATA box, located 23-30 bp upstream from the cap site of the CAII mRNA transcribed in erythroid cells, and several G+C-rich boxes. Our results suggest that the use of a testis-specific promoter would result in the incorporation of somatic promoter sequences into the 5' UTR of the testis message.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Intron and intronless transcription of the chicken polyubiquitin gene UbII.
We have previously reported that the chicken polyubiquitin gene UbII is preferentially expressed during spermatogenesis and we show here that UbII is the predominant polyubiquitin gene expressed in early embryogenesis. Two main initiation sites were detected. Transcription from the initiation site used in early embryos results in the presence of an intron in the 5'-untranslated region of the transcripts as has been reported for other polyubiquitin messages. In mature testis, however, the use of a different initiation site, located within the intron, produces intronless transcripts. Distinct promoter sequences, present in each initiation site, may regulate the differential expression observed in this gene.
Animals↗
Leishmaniasis in Sardinia. IV. Epidemiological appraisal of cutaneous leishmaniasis and biochemical characterization of isolates.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is endemic in Sardinia where 250 cases were reported from 1922 to 1988. The province of Sassari, in the north of the island, shows the highest number of cases. The vertical distribution of localities where cases had occurred is analysed and the age distribution of cases is given. Isolation of parasites was attempted in 12 cases, but successful growth of Leishmania was obtained from three cultures only. The stocks belonged to two different zymodemes of L. infantum: zymodeme Montpellier (ZMON) 24 and ZMON 24 MPI variant. The distribution of dermotropic L. infantum zymodemes in the Mediterranean area is discussed and the presence of a possible parasite reservoir is suggested.
Age Factors↗