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The race for the most distant object in the Universe has been played by long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), star-forming galaxies and quasars. GRBs took a temporary lead with the discovery of GRB 090423 at a redshift z=8.2, but now the record-holder is the galaxy GN-z11 at z=11.0. Despite this record, galaxies and quasars are very faint (GN-z11 has a magnitude H=26), hampering the study of the physical properties of the primordial Universe. On the other hand, GRB afterglows are brighter by a factor of >100, with the drawback of lasting only for 1-2 days. Here we describe a novel approach to the discovery of high-redshift (z>6) GRBs, exploiting their near-infrared (nIR) emission properties. Soon after the bright, high-energy prompt phase, a GRB is accompanied by an afterglow. The afterglows of high-redshift GRBs are naturally absorbed, like any other source, at optical wavelengths by Hydrogen along the line of sight in the intergalactic medium (Lyman-alpha absorption). We propose to take advantage of the deep monitoring of the sky by the Vera Rubin Observatory, to simultaneously observe exactly the same fields with a new, dedicated nIR facility. By comparing the two streams of transients, one can pinpoint transients detected in the nIR band and not in the optical band. These fast transients detected only in the nIR and with an AB colour index r-H>3.5 are high-redshift GRBs, with a low contamination rate. Thanks to the depth reached by the Rubin observations, interlopers can be identified, allowing us to discover ~11 GRBs at z>6 per year and ~3 GRBs per year at z>10. This turns out to be one of the most effective probes of the high-redshift Universe., Published in Nature Astronomy, Volume 6, pp. 1101-1104

Very-high Energy (VHE) gamma-ray astroparticle physics is a relatively young field, and observations over the past decade have surprisingly revealed almost two hundred VHE emitters which appear to act as cosmic particle accelerators. These sources are an important component of the Universe, influencing the evolution of stars and galaxies. At the same time, they also act as a probe of physics in the most extreme environments known - such as in supernova explosions, and around or after the merging of black holes and neutron stars. However, the existing experiments have provided exciting glimpses, but often falling short of supplying the full answer. A deeper understanding of the TeV sky requires a significant improvement in sensitivity at TeV energies, a wider energy coverage from tens of GeV to hundreds of TeV and a much better angular and energy resolution with respect to the currently running facilities. The next generation gamma-ray observatory, the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO), is the answer to this need. In this talk I will present this upcoming observatory from its design to the construction, and its potential science exploitation. CTAO will allow the entire astronomical community to explore a new discovery space that will likely lead to paradigm-changing breakthroughs. In particular, CTA has an unprecedented sensitivity to short (sub-minute) timescale phenomena, placing it as a key instrument in the future of multi-messenger and multi-wavelength time domain astronomy. I will conclude the talk presenting the first scientific results obtained by the LST-1, the prototype of one CTAO telescope type - the Large-Sized Telescope, that is currently under commission., PoS: Proceedings of Science, 395, ISSN:1824-8039, Proceedings of 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2021)

The ASTRI (Astrofisica con Specchi a Tecnologia Replicante Italiana) Project led by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) is developing and will deploy at the Observatorio del Teide a mini-array (ASTRI Mini-Array) composed of nine telescopes similar to the small-size dual-mirror Schwarzschild-Couder telescope (ASTRI-Horn) currently operating on the slopes of Mt. Etna in Sicily. The ASTRI Mini-Array will surpass the current Cherenkov telescope array differential sensitivity above a few tera-electronvolt (TeV), extending the energy band well above hundreds of TeV. This will allow us to explore a new window of the electromagnetic spectrum, by convolving the sensitivity performance with excellent angular and energy resolution figures. In this paper we describe the Core Science that we will address during the first four years of operation, providing examples of the breakthrough results that we will obtain when dealing with current open questions, such as the acceleration of cosmic rays, cosmology and fundamental physics and the new window, for the TeV energy band, of the time-domain astrophysics., Comment: Published in Journal of High Energy Astrophysics. 46 Figures, 7 Tables

Phytic acid (PA), the main form of phosphorus storage present in seeds, is an antinutritional factor for its ability to chelate cations important for human nutrition. Plant breeders have spent many efforts to isolate and develop low phytic acid (lpa) mutants in different important crops. We isolated different common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) lpa mutants with reduction of PA content at different extent. The consumption of common bean seeds harboring the lpa1 mutation, affecting the PvMRP1 transporter and causing a reduction of 90% in PA content, improved iron status of volunteers in human trials, but caused adverse gastrointestinal effects, presumably due to the increased stability of lectin phytohemagglutinin L (PHA-L) in these seeds, compared to the wild type (wt) ones. A hard-to-cook (HTC) defect observed in the lpa1 seeds intensified the problem. We confirmed and quantified the HTC phenotype of the lpa1 common bean seeds in three different genetic backgrounds, giving a genetic demonstration of the so-called "phytase-phytate- pectin" theory and found differences depending on the background. In one of them, we correlated the HTC defect to the redistribution of calcium, whose concentration in all parts of the seed and, particularly in the cell walls, was larger in the lpa1 compared to the wt. Furthermore, the lpa1 mutation, combined with the presence of different PHA alleles, affected the stability of the PHA-L lectin, due to an excess of free cations.

Phytic acid (PA), the main form of phosphorus storage present in seeds, is an antinutritional factor for its ability to chelate cations important for human nutrition. Plant breeders have spent many efforts to isolate and develop low phytic acid (lpa) mutants in different important crops. We isolated different common bean lpa mutants with reduction of PA content at different extent. The consumption of common bean seeds harboring the lpa1 mutation, affecting the PvMRP1 transporter and causing a reduction of 90% in PA content, improved iron status of volunteers in human trials, but caused adverse gastrointestinal effects, presumably due to the increased stability of lectin phytohemagglutinin L (PHA-L) in these seeds, compared to the wild type (wt) ones. A hard-to-cook (HTC) defect observed in the lpa1 seeds intensified the problem. We confirmed and quantified the HTC phenotype of the lpa1 common bean seeds in three different genetic backgrounds, giving a genetic demonstration of the so-called "phytase-phytate-pectin" theory and found differences depending on the background. In one of them, we correlated the HTC defect to the redistribution of calcium, whose concentration in all parts of the seed and, particularly in the cell walls, was larger in the lpa1 compared to the wt. Furthermore, the lpa1 mutation, combined with the presence of different PHA alleles, affected the stability of the PHA-L lectin, due to an excess of free cations. Moreover, we showed a decreased seed density in the lpa1 mutant compared to the wt, but only in some of the analyzed genetic backgrounds. All these data suggest that the pleiotropic effect due to the lpa1 mutation are strictly dependent on the genetic background. Other common bean lpa mutants, have been recently isolated with milder effect on PA reduction than the previously described lpa1 one. A candidate gene approach for three of these mutants did not reveal any mutation in known PA biosynthetic genes or in genes coding for PA transport. A mapping approach is underway in order to identify the affected genes. These mutants can be assayed for their cooking and nutritional properties in order to develop useful biofortified beans devoid of negative traits.

Iron deficiency affects most of the world population both in developed and developing countries, especially people who consume high amount of phytate-containing food. Phytic acid (PA), the main form used by seeds to store phosphorus, is an antinutritional factor for its ability to chelate minerals important for human nutrition. We previously isolated and characterized a lpa1 (low phytic acid) mutant in common bean with 90% reduction of PA. The lpa1 beans have been shown to improve iron status in human trials, but some adverse gastrointestinal effects have been reported and linked to the stability upon cooking of a bean lectin, the PHA-L, contained in these seeds (Petry et al., 2016). Here we will present data on the distribution of globoids and of minerals, by µPIXE analysis, in wt and lpa1 seeds. We have also studied the influence of the lpa1 mutation and of the cooking temperature on the thermal hydrolysis of bean PHAs by analysing beans, both wt and lpa1, carrying different PHA alleles (PHA-E, PHA-L and PHA-E,L), cooked at sub-optimal (95°C) or normal temperature (100°C). Our results show that the lpa1 mutation strongly influences the stability of the PHA-L, but not that of the PHA-E. We show that the mechanism by which the lpa1 mutation affects PHA-L stability involves an excess of free cations (most likely Ca2+) generated by the low levels of PA and we also show a redistribution of Ca2+ ions that in the lpa1 mutant are more concentrated in the cell wall middle lamella area of the parenchyma cells, in accordance with the proposed theory for the development of the HTC defect (Kruger et al., 2015). Petry et al. (2016). Journal of Nutrition 146, 970-975 Kruger et al. (2005). Food Chemistry 174, 365-371

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive motor neuron (MN) death that leads to muscle weakness, paralysis, and eventually death. When symptoms become clinically evident, patients and ALS model animals (mSod1G93A mice) have already lost a large portion of motor units, suggesting the existence of a compensatory mechanism that allows for reactively normal movement despite denervation. Furthermore, it has been shown that specialized cholinergic synapses, the C-boutons, regulate activity strength of motor output in a task dependent manner. We hypothesized that the cholinergic modulation of motor neurons through C-boutons increases motor neuron excitability, and that this C-bouton associated activity increase in surviving motor neurons could compensate for motor unit loss during ALS disease progression. We first provide a thorough analysis of the muscle denervation and behavioral changes in the mSod1G93A mice using immunohistology, electrophysiology, and quantitative analysis of locomotor behavior. Then, in support of our hypothesis, we show that task dependent modulation of hindlimb muscle activation that relies on C-bouton activation diminishes as the disease progresses. Furthermore, the capability of mSod1G93A mice to walk at higher speeds on a treadmill decreases significantly at younger ages when C-boutons are silenced. Our observations that C-bouton modulation of motor neurons is involved in compensation during ALS disease progression can have significant therapeutic implications for sustaining mobility and preserving the quality of life in human ALS patients.

The multi mini prism device is a crucial component of the Espresso Anamorphic Pupil Slicer (APSU). At the end of the slicer, is necessary to differently fold each field to correctly illuminate the echelle and this is made by cylindrical prisms glued onto a silica window. We present the integrated robotic system conceived to reach the required tolerances in term of alignment and integration. It consists in a tip/tilt stage to select the wedge angle, a rotational stage to select the right clock angle, coupled to an x-y stage to position the elements on the window and a z axis to perform the gluing.

Diabetes is one of the systemic disorders most frequently associated with erectile dysfunction (ED). An extensive literature documents well the relationship between ED and several factors related to diabetic pathology, but the role of risk factors mainly related to life-style, e.g. cigarette smoking, is still not defined.Eligible for the study were men aged 20-70 years with a diagnosis of insulin-dependent (type 1---IDDM) or non-insulin-dependent (type 2--NIDDM) diabetes who were observed on randomly selected days in 178 diabetes centers in Italy. ED was defined as a failure to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance.The study population consisted of 9,670 diabetic men. Of these 2,962 (30%) were never smokers, 2,877 (30%) current smokers and 3,831 (40%) ex-smokers. After taking into account the effect of age, the odds ratios of ED in comparison with never smokers was 1.4 (95% confidence interval 1.3-1.6) for smokers and 1.5 (95% confidence interval 1.3-1.6) for ex-smokers. Duration and intensity of the smoking habit was associated with an increased risk of ED. Among ex-smokers, the risk of ED significantly decreased; with increase in the number of years since the patient quit smoking.The study offers an assessment of the association between smoking habit and ED and its potential interaction with other risk factors in diabetic men.

To analyze the prevalence and risk factors for erectile dysfunction (ED) in Italy in a cross-sectional study.Eligible for the study were men aged 18 years or more, randomly identified by 143 general practitioners among their registered patients during the period January 1996 to February 1997. ED was defined as the impossibility to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance.Of the 2, 010 men interviewed, 257 (12.8%) reported ED. The prevalence increased with age, from 2% in men aged 18-39 to 48% in those70 years (tested for trend, p = 0.0001). A history of cardiopathy, diabetes, hypertension, neuropathy, thrombotic/hemorrhagic stroke, peripheral vascular disorders, pelvic/medullary injury and pelvic surgery/radiation all increased the risk of ED. The association of hypertension and diabetes tends to increase the risk of ED. In comparison with nondiabetic and nonhypertensive men, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.4 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.7-3.2) for hypertensive men without diabetes, 4.6 (95% CI, 1.6-13.7) for diabetic men without hypertension and 8.1 (95% CI, 1.2-55.0) for men with diabetes and hypertension. In comparison with never smokers, the OR of ED was 1.7 (95% CI, 1.2-2.4) for current smokers and 1.6 (95% CI, 1.1-2.3) for ex-smokers and increased with duration of the habit.The study offers a quantitative estimate of the prevalence of ED and of its main risk factors in Italian men.

SummaryA recessive maize mutant disrupted in seedling develop-ment was isolated following transpositional mutagenesiswith Mutator. This mutant, lilliputian (lil1), exhibits aphenotype consisting of a large primary root, extremelyreduced stature, crinkly leaves and has been mapped byTB-A translocations on the short arm of chromosome 2.Comparative histological analyses revealed an increase incell number in the mutant root and leaves, as well as anirregularity in cell shapes, suggesting that the alteredmorphology of lil1 roots and leaves is related to anuncoordinated increase in cell divisions and to a defect indivision plane alignment. On the other hand, the reducedstature of the mutant plant may be ascribed to a defectin cell elongation. In situ hybridization of primary roottissues reveals higher levels of a-tubulin transcripts in thepericycle and in cells surrounding vascular elements inmutant rather than in wild-type tissues. These featuressuggest a role of the Lil1gene in the correct functioningof microtubules. Moreover, the fact that the mutation isrecognizable even in the dormant embryo and that mutantseedlings are obtained from immature (12 DAP) lil1embryos indicates that the defect in cell division patternaccounting for the disrupted seedling morphology mani-fests itself even during embryo development.Introduction

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to analyze the prevalence and risk factors for erectile dysfunction (ED) in men with diabetes in Italy in a cross-sectional study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Eligible for the study were men aged 20-69 years with a diagnosis of IDDM or NIDDM who were observed on randomly selected days in 178 diabetes centers in Italy. ED was defined as a failure to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. RESULTS: Of the 9,868 diabetic men interviewed, 3,534 (35.8%) reported ED. The prevalence increased with age, from 4.6% in men aged 20-29 to 45.5% in those aged > or =60 years (test for trend, P = 0.0001). After taking into account the confounding role of age, men with NIDDM reported ED less frequently than did men with IDDM (odds ratio [OR], 0.7; 95% CI 0.6-0.8). In comparison with men reporting diabetes lasting < or =5 years, the ORs for ED were 1.3 and 2.0 for subjects with diabetes lasting 6-10 and 11-30 years, respectively. In comparison with men with good metabolic control, the ORs for ED were 1.7 and 2.3 in men with fair and poor control, respectively. A history of diabetes-related arterial, retinal, or renal diseases and neuropathy was associated with an increased risk of ED. Finally, in comparison with never-smokers, the ORs for ED were 1.5 (95% CI 1.3-1.6) for current smokers and 1.4 (95% CI 1.3-1.6) for ex-smokers. The OR increased with number of cigarettes smoked per day: in comparison with men smoking or =30 cigarettes day. CONCLUSIONS: The study offers a quantitative estimate of the prevalence of ED and of its main risk factors in Italian men with diabetes.

Aims: The determination of elusive redshifts of bright BL Lac objects Methods: We use the capabilities of newly available spectrograph X-Shooter at European Southern Observatory (ESO) Very Large Telescope, that combines high resolution and a large wavelength range, to obtain UVB to near-IR spectra of BL Lacs. Results: Our observations of PKS 0048-097 detect three emission lines that permit to derive a redshift z = 0.635. Moreover, a Mg II absorption system at z = 0.154 that is associated with a foreground spiral galaxy at 50 Kpc projected distance is found. Conclusions: The obtained redshift allows us to comment about the optical beaming factor and the absorption of the high energy spectrum by the Extragalactic Background Light., 5 pages, 6 figures; Accepted for publication by A&A; AA/2012/19114

Single units of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), usually components of nuclear and cytoplasmatic proteins, are present at the C-terminal domain of cruzipain (Cz), a lysosomal major antigen from Trypanosoma cruzi. On the other hand, antibodies directed against some self-antigens like myosin are associated with Chagas heart disease. The participation of O-GlcNAc moieties in the molecular antigenicity of Cz was determined using GlcNAc linked to aprotinin by ELISA. The immune cross-reactivity between Cz and myosin is mainly focused in the C-T domain. ELISA inhibition assays using rabbit sera specific for Cz and C-T in conjunction with immune-gold electron microscopy analysis of heart tissues from mice immunized with C-T confronted with polyclonal rabbit sera specific for Cz and C-T prior and after myosin adsorption provided evidence which indicates that O-GlcNAc moieties constitute a common epitope between Cz and either myosin or other cardiac O-GlcNAc-containing proteins, showing a new insight into the molecular immune pathogenesis of Chagas heart disease.

This paper describes the findings of a comparative study looking at how children with different types of disabilities can take advantage of the use of ICT to support them in their learning experience.

Several drugs have been associated with an increased risk of erectile dysfunction (ED). We analysed the role of pharmacological treatments on the risk of ED using data from a cross-sectional study on prevalence and risk factors for ED in the general population in Italy. A total of 2450 men aged more than 18 years were randomly identified by 143 general practioners (GP) among their registered patients and invited to a confidential interview by their GP. Patients were asked 'about their ability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance'. If they were dissatisfied, they were defined as having ED. Out of the 2450 men identified, 440 (18%) refused to participate. The present analysis therefore includes information on 2010 men. After adjustment for related pathologies, anxiolytics and antidepressants showed insignificantly higher odds ratio (ORs, respectively, 1.7 and 2.1); antipsychotic drug use significantly increased the risk of ED (OR 9.0, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.8-44.4). Diuretics (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.4-6.9) and anticholinergic drugs (OR 12.8, 95% CI 2.7-60.1) were associated with ED risk. No association emerged between ED and H2 antagonists, anticholesterolemic or hypoglycemic drugs. In conclusion, after taking account of related pathologies, our results suggest that men treated with antipsychotic, diuretic and anticholinergic drugs are at greater risk of ED.

Objectives: We analysed the role of smoking on the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) using data from a cross-sectional study on prevalence and risk factors for ED in the general population in Italy. Methods: A total of 2010 men aged more than 18 years were randomly identified and interviewed by 143 general practitioners among their registered patients. Patients were asked "about their ability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance." If they were dissatisfied, they were defined as having ED. Results: In comparison with never smokers, current smokers had an odds ratio (OR) of ED of 1.7 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.2–2.4) and ex-smokers of 1.6 (95% CI, 1.1–2.3). The association between smoking and ED risk was present in subjects without a history of any cardiovascular disease, cardiopathy, hypertension, diabetes and neuropathy, but not in those with a history of these conditions. For example, the ORs of ED in smokers, in comparison with never smokers, were respectively 2.4, 2.0 and 1.7 in men with no history of any cardiovascular disease, diabetes and neuropathy, but respectively 1.0, 1.0 and 1.2 in those with a history of the conditions. Conclusions: This study shows that the risk of ED is influenced by smoking and that the duration of the habit increases the risk. Further, it highlights the potential interaction of smoking with medical history on ED risk.

Several studies reported data on the increased risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) in populations of diabetic men, but few presented data separately for Type 1 and Type 2 subjects. No comparison data for these diabetic subgroups are available with regard to risk factors for ED.Eligible for the study were men aged 20-69 years with a diagnosis of insulin-dependent (Type 1) or non-insulin-dependent (Type 2) diabetes who were observed on randomly selected days in 178 diabetes centres in Italy. Erectile dysfunction was defined as a failure to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance.The study population consisted of 1383 Type 1 and 8373 Type 2 men. The prevalence of ED increased with age for both groups. After taking into account the effect of age Type 2 men (37/100 men) tend to report ED less frequently than Type 1 men (51/100 men). A significant positive relationship was reported between ED and poor metabolic control and smoking for both Type 1 and Type 2 men, whereas high body mass index (BMI) increased only the risk of ED in Type 1 cases.The study offers a quantitative estimate of the prevalence of ED and its main risk factors in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic subgroups.

A recessive maize mutant with disrupted seedling development was isolated following transpositional mutagenesis with Mutator . This mutant, initially identified during germination on the basis of abnormal growth of the scutellar node, was designated lsn1 ( l arge s cutellar n ode). The mutant seedling exhibits an enlarged primary root with a longitudinal groove and multiple separate root tips. The mutant root is shorter than normal, because of defective cell elongation, and lacks lateral roots. The mutant plant shows defective leaves and reduced internode elongation. Histological analyses on primary root, shoot, scutellar node and juvenile leaves revealed a series of defects, all related to an irregular differentiation of vascular elements. In addition, in situ hybridization of mutant leaves demonstrates an abnormal pattern of expression of Knotted-1 , a marker of meristem function. The presence of multiple roots fused together can be interpreted as suppression of the negative control responsible for the differentiation of only one root primordium. Therefore, the data obtained on seedlings of lsn1 point to a relationship between meristem activity, vascular differentiation and auxin polar transport, and may allow the identification of a gene which is active during embryogenesis.

In a subset of patients attending liver units, a chronic increase in serum transaminases may remain of undetermined cause despite thorough investigations. On the other hand, elevated levels of serum transaminases have been reported in about 40% of adult celiac patients. To evaluate the prevalence of subclinical celiac disease in patients with chronic unexplained hypertransaminasemia in comparison with that in the general population (0.5%), 140 consecutive patients with chronic increases of serum transaminases levels of unknown cause were tested for antigliadin and antiendomysium IgA antibodies. All patients with positive antibody tests were offered upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with distal duodenal biopsy. Thirteen patients (9.3%, 95% confidence interval 5. 0-15.4) had positive antigliadin and antiendomysium antibodies. The prevalence of antibodies was 17% in women and 5.4% in men (8/47 vs. 5/93 respectively; relative risk 3.2, 95% confidence interval 1.1-9. 1). Distal duodenal biopsy performed in all but one of the patients showed mild villous atrophy with increased intraepithelial lymphocytes in three cases, subtotal villous atrophy in six, and total villous atrophy in three. The prevalence of celiac disease in the patient group was significantly higher than that in the general population (P

Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects millions of men throughout the world. The literature is ample, but an accurate estimate of its prevalence is still difficult since figures mainly refer to the USA, and are based mostly on small selected samples of people. Caution must anyway be used in comparing data from studies conducted in the past because of possible differences in the definition and classification of ED. Many factors are believed to contribute to the development and maintenance of ED. The influence of age and of several medical conditions (diabetes, vascular disease, and chronic diseases such as hepatic failure, renal failure and dialysis) is well defined. Also well documented is the role of some drug groups, whereas the role of other pharmacological agents is still controversial because of the frequent coexistence of other pathological conditions or concomitant exposure to other drugs. Less well defined and sometimes controversial is the role of risk factors mainly related to life-style such as cigarette smoking, alcoholism, total cholesterol levels and certain types of trauma. This paper reviews the main data on the epidemiology of ED and some related risk factors.

We studied the prevalence of perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (p-ANCA), as detected by immunofluorescence, in 290 Italian subjects. One hundred and two were affected by ulcerative colitis, 48 by Crohn's disease, 40 by gluten-sensitive enteropathy and 100 were normal subjects. The prevalence of p-ANCA was significantly higher in ulcerative colitis patients (45.1%) as compared to Crohn's disease patients (4.8%), gluten-sensitive enteropathy (0%) and normal subjects (1%; p < 0.0001 ulcerative colitis vs. all other groups). In this setting, the overall specificity of the test was 98.1% with a sensitivity of 45.1%. The specificity slightly decreased to 95.1% when ulcerative colitis patients were compared to patients with Crohn's colitis. In our series, p-ANCA appeared to be more prevalent in ulcerative colitis patients with more aggressive disease. ELISA experiments performed in order to identify the putative antigen(s) recognized by p-ANCA-positive sera showed that 8 of 12 sera positive at immunofluorescence reacted with at least one of the neutrophil preparations tested. The reactivities were directed towards various neutrophil preparations. Preabsorption with the specific antigen recognized by ELISA significantly inhibited the p-ANCA immunofluorescence reactivity indicating that p-ANCA reactivity might derive from the recognition of heterogeneous neutrophil-associated antigens.

Serum IgA antiendomysial antibodies (EmA) were present in 20 (64.5%) of 31 patients with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) on a normal diet. A significant correlation was found between these antibodies and the severity of gluten-induced jejunum damage. IgA EmA were positive in 19 (86%) of the 22 DH patients with subtotal villous atrophy, in comparison with the positivity of only one (11%) of the nine DH patients with less severe intestinal involvement (partial villous atrophy or mild abnormalities). The specificity of this test for gluten-sensitive enteropathy was 100%, these antibodies being consistently negative in biopsied disease controls showing a normal jejunal mucosa. Moreover, IgA EmA proved to be useful in monitoring the response to gluten withdrawal in DH patients, as these antibodies always disappeared in all the DH cases studied after 1 year of gluten-free diet together with the regrowth of jejunal villi. The strict relationship between IgA EmA and subtotal villous atrophy is more helpful still since the enteropathy present in DH is usually symptomless and therefore difficult to suspect.

The present studies were performed as a result of the report that the human T-cells may be composed of heterogeneous subpopulation in the sense of their ability to bind SRBC. In this paper, the diversity of human peripheral lymphocytes in M.S. patients, other neurological diseases and controls were investigated by means of an interesting approach based on the heterogeneity of humnan T-lymphocytes examined by the rosette formation of SRBC (E rosette) in two different reaction media.

Objectives: To analyze the frequency and risk factors for urinary incontinence (UI) in Italy. Methods: Eligible for this cross-sectional study were men aged greater than or equal to 50 years and women aged greater than or equal to 40, randomly identified among registered subjects of a network of general practitioners during the period March-October 1997. All subjects were invited by telephonic interview to determine the presence of UI, reported by the subjects as lass of urine in the last year. The subjects with UI were further questioned at home for evaluation of the type, degree and frequency of UI episodes. Results: Of the 5,488 subjects interviewed (2,767 women and 2,721 men), 92 (3%) men and 316 (11%)women reported at least one episode of UI during the year before the interview. The frequence of UI increased with age both in men and women, being 2 and 11% in men and women, respectively, aged 50-60 years and 7 and 16% in those aged greater than or equal to 70. Of the subjects with UI identified, 229 women and 64 men and a group of 289 subjects without UI were questionned at home using a detailed questionnaire. Six and 55% of men and women, respectively, reported stress incontinence, 20 and 12% urge incontinence and 20 and 24% mixed incontinence. The risk of UI increased with body mass index in women. A history of recurrent urinary infection was associated with UI in men and less markedly in women. No association emerged between education, smoking and alcohol or coffee consumption and risk of UI. Parity was directly associated with the risk of UI in women. Conclusions: The study offers a quantitative estimate of the prevalence of UI and its main risk factors in this Italian population. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.

OBJECTIVE: To test the efficacy of treatment with clindamycin of a partner on the recurrence rate of bacterial vaginosis in women within 3 months from diagnosis. SUBJECTS: Eligible for the study were sexually active women with one current sexual partner, who were aged 18-45 years, with a clinical diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis and whose partner agreed to be treated. METHODS: A double blind, randomised, controlled trial was conducted comparing the effect of treating the partner with either clindamycin capsules or placebo on the reduction of the recurrence rate of bacterial vaginosis. Women were treated with clindamycin 2% vaginal cream, administered intravaginally once daily at bedtime for 7 consecutive days. The partners were randomly allocated to clindamycin hydrochloride capsules, 150 g by mouth four times daily for 7 consecutive days, or a placebo. A total of 139 couples were randomised--69 were treated with clindamycin vaginal cream group and 70 with placebo. One, 4, and 12 weeks after the end of treatment the patients and their partners were examined; vaginal discharges were examined to check for clue cells, vaginal pH was determined, and a KOH test carried out. RESULTS: Overall, 131 women out of the 139 who entered the study were cured (94.2%, lower 95% confidence interval 79.8, based on Poisson's approximation). There was no difference in the cure rate among women whose partner received clindamycin or placebo (chi(2) p = not significant). A total of 55 couples (26 in the clindamycin and 29 in the placebo group) withdrew from the study during the follow up period. Of the 69 women whose partner received clindamycin, 22 (31.9%) reported "recurrence" or persistence. The corresponding number was 21 (30%) of the 70 women whose partner received placebo (chi(2) p = not significant). Of the 84 couples in which the woman was cured by the first week's visit and who completed the study; there were five recurrences (11.6%) among the 43 women whose partner received clindamycin and nine (22.0%) of the 41 whose partner received placebo (chi(2) p = not significant). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that vaginal clindamycin is effective and safe in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, but it does not support the suggestion that male treatment markedly reduces the short term recurrence rate.

Background Several studies reported data on the increased risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) in populations of diabetic men, but few presented data separately for Type 1 and Type 2 subjects. No comparison data for these diabetic subgroups are available with regard to risk factors for ED. Methods Eligible for the study were men aged 20-69 years with a diagnosis of insulin-dependent (Type 1) or non-insulin-dependent (Type 2) diabetes who were observed on randomly selected days in 178 diabetes centres in Italy. Erectile dysfunction was defined as a failure to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. Results The study population consisted of 1383 Type 1 and 8373 Type 2 men. The prevalence of ED increased with age for both groups. After taking into account the effect of age Type 2 men (37/100 men) tend to report ED less frequently than Type 1 men (51/100 men). A significant positive relationship was reported between ED and poor metabolic control and smoking for both Type 1 and Type 2 men, whereas high body mass index (BMI) increased only the risk of ED in Type 1 cases. Conclusions The study offers a quantitative estimate of the prevalence of ED and its main risk factors in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic subgroups.

We review below the evidence from the literature about the relationships between bacterial vaginosis, its treatment and pregnancy outcome. The literature indicates that there is a well-defined association between the presence of bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy and the risk of premature membrane rupture and preterm birth. Less definite is the role of the treatment of such pathology in reducing the frequency of preterm birth and/or premature rupture of membranes. The results of the controlled clinical trials are not entirely consistent. Of the most studied therapies, clindamycin seems to have shown favourable results most consistently but the published data are limited to trials including just a few hundred subjects. Only the availability of further data from controlled clinical trials will clarify the role of such treatment for bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy.