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The aim of this work was to provide well defined criteria for ramp construction for wheelchair dependent individuals (WDI). Force capability was measured in a large sample (140) of WDI, who presented different levels of motor impairment. Levels of impairment were established on the basis of the answers given in a questionnaire regarding the degree of self sufficiency at home as well as outside the home and active participation in sports events. Taking into account those WDI who exhibited at least a minimal level of self-sufficiency, the following prescriptions are indicated. For a 1 metre ramp length, allowable maximal incline 15%; up to 3 metre ramp length, maximal incline 10%. The reliability of such prescriptions was confirmed by having a test ramp traversed by 43 WDI. These values are suggested as confidence limits when faced with public building accommodations. Special prescriptions could be adopted for selected populations of WDI.

Low molecular weight peptides have been isolated by alkali extraction from deproteinized DNA of E. coli cells grown in the presence of radioactive glutamic acid or orthophosphate. The labeled peptides, purified by gel filtration chromatography on Sephadex G25 and G10, contain prevailingly glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glycine, serine and alanine. Electrophoretic studies at different pH show that some peptide fractions contain a phosphoric residue. The N-terminus of the phosphorylated peptides is apparently blocked and they were able to bind to DNA in the presence of Mg2+ ions. Moreover the acidic peptides extracted from E. coli DNA show a sharp activity in the control of lambda phage DNA transcription 'in vitro'.

Prevalence of anti-Chlamydia trachomatis specific IgG antibodies was evaluated in a sexually transmitted disease outpatient population composed of 741 heterosexuals, 470 males and 271 females, and of 147 homosexual-bisexual men. The prevalence rates were 60.0% in heterosexual males, 50.6% in females and 73.5% in homosexuals-bisexuals. A positive association between age and antibody prevalence was found in males. Among heterosexuals there is an increasing trend of seropositivity with number of partners during the previous year. A significant association between anti-chlamydial and anti-herpes simplex, type 2, antibodies has been demonstrated.

Sounds obtained in normal man by electric stimulation of masseter muscle have been analyzed both in the domain of time and frequency. Data thus obtained have been compared with those obtained by the same technique in vastus lateralis and soleus muscles. Results suggest the feasibility of sound analysis in dentistry diagnosis.

Blood pressure, heart rate, VO2 and lactate accumulation have been measured during the hauling of ropes that, in off shore sailing, very often implies MVC isometric effort. Measures have been taken alternatively on the boat or in laboratory with a boat simulator. It appears that energy output is moderate, lactic O2 debt not relevant and blood pressure is maintained quite unchanged due to the short duration of isometric effort. Cardiovascular load is therefore not heavy and sailing can be enlisted among aerobic recreational exercises.

A brief introduction outlines the sources of radionuclides in the environment, their diffusion and transfer to different environmental compartments and their pathways to individuals; definitions of the main quantities and measurement units used in the study are included. A review is given on published data concerning the radioactive contamination of human milk after the Chernobyl accident. The authors' investigation on breast milk contamination in Italy in the same period is discussed together with an examination of the natural radioactive content. Finally, possible future developments and prospects of the research on this issue are explored.

The Authors discuss the case of a 23-year-old man who manifested the characteristic symptomatology of a progressive mental deterioration and disorders in behaviour displaying themselves as apathy, speechlessness, progressive detachment from environment and considerable slovenliness. It has been also emphasized a situation which suggest Kleist's melokinetic apraxia. In addition to usual routine laboratory studies, the patient underwent a EEG, an encephalography and psychodiagnostic investigations executed by a means of series of tests in order to ascertain his intellectual efficiency and outline his psychological profile. On the basis of the investigations made and after a discussion concerning possible differential diagnoses, the Authors have reached the conclusion that it is an uncommon case of juvenile Pick's disease.

On the basis of an existential analysis (Daseinanalyse), the authors consider the suicide, at age 42, of Cesare Pavese, one of the most important Italian poets and writers of the post-World War II period. It is found that in his poems, his novels, and particularly his letters and diary the idea of suicide was present in his consciousness since adolescence; year by year it is possible to follow the development of his ideas and fantasies about suicide. Incapable of establishing authentic communication with others, Pavese narrowed his existential horizon to the point of being less and less capable of living in the world and projecting himself into the future. From these considerations it is concluded that Pavese's acute feeling of incapacity caused him to have lasting experiences of failure that brought him to view suicide as the only way to free himself from his own torment.

Evaluation of the compressive load acting on the lumbar spine (L3-L4) during half-squat exercises executed with a barbell resting on the subject's shoulders was undertaken. The kinematics of the upper body segments of two male and two female subjects as well as the barbell were described using data obtained by means of an optoelectronic system (CoSTEL). L3-L4 compressive load was calculated using a model of the anatomy of the trunk musculoskeletal system. Filtered surface electromyographic trunk flexor recordings from the obliquus externus and rectus abdominis and trunk extensor erectores spinae muscles as well as measurement of the ground reaction forces were also carried out for predicted result validation. During half-squat exercises with barbell loads in the range 0.8 to 1.6 times body weight the compressive loads on the L3-L4 segment vary between 6 and 10 times body weight. Erectores spinae contraction force was predicted to be between 30 and 50% of the relevant maximal isometric force. The magnitude of trunk flexion was found to be the variable which influenced most spinal compression load.

Low molecular weight peptides are linked to the chromatin DNA of several tissues, from which they can be dissociated by alkaline extraction. They show very high specific activity in the control of transcription "in vitro". In this work the biochemical properties of controlling transcription peptide effectors isolated from trout testis DNA are reported. The purified peptides prevailingly contain glutamic acid, serine, aspartic acid, glycine and alanine. Studies of the peptide structure by N-terminal analysis using the dansyl chloride procedure was unsuccessful, suggesting the presence of a blocked NH2 group. At the same time the active peptides cannot be digested by carboxypeptidases. The gel filtration of the chromatin peptidic fractions on Sephadex G-25, Trisacryl GF05 or Sephadex G-15 shows that the active peptides elute as a single major peak with an elution volume corresponding to a molecular weight of about 1000. The paper electrophoresis performed at different pH and ionic strength shows that the chromatin peptides are separated in two fractions. One of them is strongly acidic and migrates towards the positive pole until pH 1.9, indicating the presence of phosphoric residues which probably exert an important role in the control of transcription "in vitro". The chromatin peptides are further purified by Sephadex G-10 and high performance liquid chromatography. The amino acid analysis of the purified peptides are reported.

After pointing out that in literature studies concerning the anthropo-phenomenologic aspects of the existence of subjects suffering from epilepsy are very scanty, the Authors dwell upon the opportunity of deepening this study which may allow a better knowledge of the complex problems of the patient. These problems should be neglected if only the biologic side of the disease was taken into consideration.

The most abundant RNA visible between 5.8S and 18S rRNA on an ethidium bromide-stained gel of total Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA has an apparent size of about 600 nucleotides. By purifying the band and using it as a probe to screen a genomic library, we isolated and sequenced the unique gene for this RNA. The transcribed sequence, determined to be 519 nucleotides long, contains elements typical of RNA polymerase III transcription. The RNA is predominantly cytoplasmic, so we called it small cytoplasmic RNA 1 (scR1). ScR1 is neither 3'-polyadenylated nor 5'-trimethylguanosine capped. We constructed a null mutation of the gene by deleting 252 base pairs from the transcribed region. Haploid strains carrying the scr1-delta lesion grew very slowly, segregated cytoplasmic petites [( rho-]) at high frequency, and showed signs of aberrant cell division. A secondary structure model for scR1 shows some of the conserved features of the signal recognition particle 7SL RNAs.