We report the identification of two different mutations involving the first nucleotide of intron 1 of the alpha2-globin gene: IVS-I-1 G-->A and G-->T. The available data indicated that both mutations reduce the efficiency of proper mRNA splicing, resulting in alpha(+)-thalassemia (alpha(+)-thal).
Association of oral lichen planus with thyroid disease in a Finnish population: a retrospective case-control study: "A different finding from a Mediterranean area".
Two cases of malaria imported from West Africa by two sailors (falciparum and vivax respectively) are reported. It is pointed out that nowadays malaria is no longer indigenous to Sicily but has to be imported; an increasing number of cases of malaria are being reported world-wide in relation to increased traffic volumes, particularly air traffic. This means growing importance of imported pathology for which a new training strategy is required (with regard to young physicians who at present are quite uniformed of the problem). Doctors and travellers should also be informed of the risk of contracting malaria.
Two new eutardigrade species are described: Eremobiotus ginevrae sp. nov. and Paramacrobiotus pius sp. nov. The first is similar to Eremobiotus alicatai (Binda, 1969) but differs in the claw shape and dimensions. It has been found in Sicily, Israel and Russia. The second species, belonging to the richtersi group, is currently found exclusively in Sicily. It has a smooth cuticle, three macroplacoids and a microplacoid, eggs with reticulated trunco-conical processes with small terminal thorns; the egg-shell is areolated and the areolae are clearly sculptured.
The concept of "nerves" is an integral component of the language of distress found in a number of societies. Individuals, however, often extend its meaning well beyond the realm of suffering. In this article, I examine some Sicilian-Canadian uses of "nerves" from a Pirandellian perspective. This, I believe, gives us an insight into how people (1) make use of illness narratives to give meaning to their life experiences, and (2) attempt to influence the thought and behavior of significant others. In the process, I address the question how do we move away from anthropological definitions and explanations that tend to simplify or mask some of the rich complexities surrounding the meaning(s) of "folk" concepts?
Researchers identify "nerves" as an idiom of distress, an illness category, a metaphorical device capable of communicating social distress, and a technique for impression management. Much of the literature, however, links "nerves" to women. In this paper, I address two aspects of the phenomenon which have received limited attention. First, I discuss "nerves" within the context of Sicilian-Canadian conceptions of anatomy and physiology. Sicilian-Canadians regard "nerves" as essential components of the human anatomy which, in some cases, may be linked to both physical and psychic distress. Second, I build on this discussion to examine how Sicilian-Canadian males make use of the "nerves" idiom. The implications of my work include the need to: (1) modify our definition of "nerves" to recognize formally that we are dealing with a dynamic complex consisting of multiple, variable, and ambiguous meanings--meanings that enable people to confront or cope with a variety of situations; (2) direct greater attention to "nerves" as an idiom of physical distress; and, (3) examine further the role of physical "nerves" in the social construction of gender.
