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Toxoplasmosis is a common zoonosis in humans and is still a serious problem for pregnant women also in western industrialized countries. The infection may be acquired or congenital and in pregnant women, may be transferred to the fetus causing miscarriage or congenital malformations. In Italy, a nationwide epidemiological surveillance system for Toxoplasmosis is still lacking. Aim of the present study is an assessment of the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies IgG in a Northern Italian region. We have performed a retrospective study in which we analyzed 16937 samples (16.118 female, 819 male all in fertile period). All samples were analyzed using Toxo IgG Architect®, for the quantitative determination of IgG antibodies in human serum or plasma. The data were classified following manufacturer’s guide (

Bidimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) protocols were adapted on Chamelea gallina digestive glands studies by the analysis of Heat Shock Proteins (HSP) compared with monodimensional electrophoresis (1-DE) results. Because polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) act on HSPs, C. gallina specimens were exposed to 0.5 mg/L of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) for 24 h, 7 and 12 days. Immunoblotting after 1-DE showed a single band of 70 kDa significantly induced after 7 days of B[a]P exposure. After 2-DE, eight major high-resolved spots between 17 and 98 kDa were revealed. Three spots fell within the range of 62–98 kDa and of 5–6 pI, parameters which could include HSP70. Two spots of 77 and 72 kDa, obtained after 2-DE immunoblotting, could correspond to constitutive HSC70 and to inducible HSP70 forms respectively. Changes observed in inducible and in constitutive forms might be related to an adaptation to stress and to a normal protein synthesis capability, respectively. Employment of 2-DE and relationship between HSP70 and HSC70 may be useful to clarify their role in molluscs subjected to stress events.

Aim: reactive oxigen species (ROS) have a well-estabilished role in the athogenesis of many forms of malignancy and superoxide dismutase(SODs) are the only enzymes dismuting one of the main radicals: the superoxide anion. Since many human tumors have shown significant changes in the activity and expression of SODs, this enzyme might be correlated with survival and clinical-pathological parameters for the prognosis of human carcinoma. This preliminary study were performed to assess the SODs(CuZnSOD and MnSOD) activity and expression in gastric adenocarcinoma with respect to healthy tissue using western blotting (W-B) technique as a specific and sensible clinical test.

The site-selective thio-allylation of electron-deficient 1,2-dienes is documented under scandium catalysis. The methodology enables the realization of alpha-beta unsaturated, beta-thio, gamma-allyl carboxylic acid derivatives via a one-pot Lewis acid promoted Michael addition/[3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement sequence (20 examples) in high yields (up to 95%). Full rationalization of the reaction mechanism and stereochemical outcome is provided via DFT simulations