Untangling Neolithic and Bronze Age mitochondrial lineages in South Asia.

Two key moments shaped the extant South Asian gene pool within the last 10 thousand years (ka): the Neolithic period, with the advent of agriculture and the rise of the Harappan/Indus Valley Civilisation; and Late Bronze Age events that witnessed the abrupt fall of the Harappan Civilisation and the arrival of Indo-European speakers. This study focuses on the phylogeographic patterns of mitochondrial haplogroups H2 and H13 in the Indian Subcontinent and incorporates evidence from recently released ancient genomes from Central and South Asia. It found signals of Neolithic arrivals from Iran and later movements in the Bronze Age from Central Asia that derived ultimately from the Steppe. This study shows how a detailed mtDNA phylogeographic approach, combining both modern and ancient variation, can provide evidence of population movements, even in a scenario of strong male bias such as in the case of the Bronze Age Steppe dispersals.

Evolution of the millimeter-wave collective Thomson scattering system of the high-field tokamak Frascati Tokamak Upgrade.

We first describe the improved receiving system of the diagnostic experiment of millimeter-wave collective Thomson scattering being run on the Frascati Tokamak Upgrade (FTU), and then discuss some peculiar problems and new operating procedures related to the investigation of strong anomalous spectra of nonthermal origin, many-orders-of-magnitude stronger than the ion thermal feature merged in them, systematically observed in the experimentation, and finally ascribed to a perturbation of the gyrotron that generates the probing beam. Arguments in favor of a more general valence of the solutions actuated for the specific case of FTU are finally given.

Epidemiology and cost analysis of varicella in Italy: results of a sentinel study in the pediatric practice. Italian Sentinel Group on Pediatric Infectious Diseases.

BACKGROUND: Describing the epidemiology of varicella is relevant to the development of specific prevention strategies and to building up of economic models evaluating the cost:efficiency ratios of these strategies. AIM: Our study was designed to describe the epidemiology of chickenpox among Italian children and to assess the resulting economic and health burden on the country. METHODS: Thirty-nine Italian pediatricians participated in a sentinel network on pediatric infectious diseases representing a total pediatric population of 30 168 children. Each case of varicella observed from January through December, 1997, was recorded. Economic analysis was conducted from the societal point of view. All costs were broken down into two groups: direct and indirect costs. RESULTS: A total of 1599 cases of varicella were reported among children 0 to 14 years old. There were 1266 primary cases (mean age, 4.5 +/- 2 years) and 333 secondary cases (mean age, 3.6 +/- 3.2 years). The global incidence of chickenpox was 51.01/1000/year. Complications were seen in 56 cases (3.5%). Drugs were prescribed in 672 cases. A group of adults (364 susceptible and 193 with uncertain status) were exposed to primary cases. Seventy (12.5%) were eventually infected among whom there were 4 pregnant women. For pediatric patients an average cost of $146.90 (250 400 lire) was estimated; this is largely accounted for by indirect costs. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiology of varicella in Italy is consistent with that found in previous studies in industrialized countries. Severe complications did not occur in our population. We believe that the health arguments in favor of universal vaccination of children > 18 months of age do not differ in our own country from those of other industrialized nations. Our data could now be incorporated into pharmacoeconomic models to establish cost-efficient strategies for Italy.

Topical oxatomide: an alternative approach for the treatment of vulvar lichen sclerosus.

OBJECTIVE: The treatment of vulvar lichen sclerosus has greatly improved in recent years, with the introduction of new pharmacological approaches and reconsideration of the traditional ones. Oxatomide is a molecule with both antihistamine and inhibiting activities for the inflammatory response, which may have potential use against this disease. METHODS: We enrolled 22 patients affected by vulvar lichen sclerosus in a double-blind, cross-over, controlled trial. They were administered a 5% oxatomide-based gel formulation and a placebo (petrolatum ointment) topically. At the beginning and the end of the investigation the severity and duration of symptoms, clinical appearance and tolerability were recorded. Statistical analysis of data was performed by Fisher's exact test and the Student-Newman-Keuls test. RESULTS: The results indicate that both regimens are significantly correlated with vulvar pruritus improvement and that 5% oxatomide gel has better anti-itching effects compared to the placebo. Other symptoms responded poorly to the treatment. The rate of complete-partial regression of pruritus was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the oxatomide group than in controls, while no significant improvement was obtained neither with oxatomide or with placebo in terms of clinical appearance. CONCLUSIONS: These results, adequately confirmed, could suggest the introduction of oxatomide, in selected patients, as an alternative for the treatment of vulvar lichen sclerosus.

[Bilateral breast carcinoma. 12 years' experience]. / Carcinoma mammario bilaterale. Dodici anni di esperienza.

In order to assess bilateral breast carcinoma (BBC) clinical findings, 19 BBC cases were enrolled in succession (1982-1993). Of these, 7 (1.6%) had synchronous breast carcinomas and 12 (2.7%) had metachronous breast carcinomas. The occurrence of BBC was of 4.3% of women with breast cancer. The median age of the patients was 63.7 years for synchronous cancers and 53.5% for metachronous. Synchronous carcinomas were found symmetrically located in 42.5% of cases and metachronous in 58.3%. The most frequent location was in the upper outer quadrant (UOQ): 50% in synchronous and 37.5% in metachronous. T1 was detected in 71 and 66% of cases in the second tumor, synchronous and metachronous respectively, and in 28 and 25% of cases in the first tumor, always synchronous and metachronous. The 71.4% of synchronous carcinomas and the 83.3% of metachronous carcinomas were represented by invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Between the first and the second metachronous carcinoma the free time interval ranged from 11 to 144 months (mean, 67 months). All the patients were treated by surgery and adjuvant therapy (RT, CT, HT) according to stage, to menopausal status and to receptor status. In synchronous carcinomas only 1 recurrence was recorded, while in metachronous carcinomas the recurrences were 5. The 5-year actuarial survival was of 100% in synchronous carcinomas and of 33% in metachronous carcinomas independently of stage, while the 5-year actuarial survival after the metachronous tumor was of 50%, if the free time interval was less than 3 years, and of 75%, if more.

[Epidemiological and clinical aspects of a survey of viral non-A, non-B hepatitis in the province of Alessandria]. / Rilievi epidemiologici e clinici su una casistica di epatiti virali non A-non B (NANB) nella provincia di Alessandria.

An epidemiological and clinical research on 48 cases of nonA-nonB hepatitis hospitalized in Alessandria, Infectious Diseases Department, from 1-1-1983 to 1-3-1984 is reported. NonA-nonB hepatitis formed 25% of full cases of viral hepatitis in the same period (192 cases); it was mainly related to hemotransfusion (33,3%) and drug addiction (29,2%); its chronic evolution was observed in the 37,5% of the cases.

[Effects of lysozyme treatment on immune reactions in viral hepatitis. Preliminary report]. / Effetti del trattamento con lisozima sul movimento immunitario in corso di epatite virale. Nota preliminare.

The effect of orally administered Lysozyme (2 g per diem for 6-15 days) on serum immunoglobulins, C3 complement component, its C3A properdine activator and intestinal flora was studied in 45 subjects with acute viral hepatitis. Comparison of the data before and after treatment revealed a significant decrease in IgA, IgM and C3A and an equally significant increase in C3. Coproculture tests revealed important changes in many case in which one or more pathogenetic species (Enterobacter, Proteus, Citrobacter) had completely disappeared. The mechanisms used by Lysozyme in the modulation of immunological responses during viral hepatitis are discussed. These include reduction of the enteric antigen stimulus by inhibiting the growth of bacterial flora, the blocking of anti-complement factors and the modification of antibody response.

[Clinico-epidemiologic study on 1258 cases of viral hepatitis admitted to Piedmont hospitals 1977-1979]. / Indagine clinico-epidemiologica su 1258 casi di epatite virale, ricoverati in Piemonte negli anni 1977-79.

A clinical and epidemiological assessment of 1258 hospital patients in Piedmont in 1977-1979 showed that, at present, the frequency of hepatitis A and B can be regarded as virtually the same, that males are more frequently affected, that AVH A is more frequent in early life, whereas AVH B is significantly more common later, that urban areas are more frequently stricken than rural areas, that AVH A is more common in persons living in groups, whereas AVH B is more frequent among pensioners and the unemployed (the latter being primarily drug-addicts). Patients with AVH A, and hence a minor hepatitic involvement, had shorter hospital stays, while the immune response in both types of hepatitis is characterized by a more frequent increase in gamma-globulins, coupled with arise in IgM levels.