Distinctive features and differential regulation of the DRTS genes of Arabidopsis thaliana.

In plants and protists, dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and thymidylate synthase (TS) are part of a bifunctional enzyme (DRTS) that allows efficient recycling of the dihydrofolate resulting from TS activity. Arabidopsis thaliana possesses three DRTS genes, called AtDRTS1, AtDRTS2 and AtDRTS3, that are located downstream of three members of the sec14-like SFH gene family. In this study, a characterization of the AtDRTS genes identified alternatively spliced transcripts coding for AtDRTS isoforms which may account for monofunctional DHFR enzymes supporting pathways unrelated to DNA synthesis.

[Laparoscopic second-look in acute intestinal ischemia].

The early surgical reexploration to check the viability of intestinal loops in patients operated on for acute mesenteric ischaemia (the so called "second-look"), has contributed in improving the prognosis of this disease. However, since there are no certain predictive criteria for the progression of ischaemia, and not all patients are reoperated for a "second-look", some patients will undergo an unnecessary surgical and anaesthesiological procedure (negative second-look), and others, for which a surgical "second-look" might be beneficial, will not be operated on. In order to find a method which allows an effective early exploration of all patients operated for acute intestinal ischaemia, we performed a "laparoscopic second-look" on the last two patients we have operated on.

[Acute diaphragmatic lesions due to closed thoracic-abdominal trauma].

Diaphragmatic injuries due to blunt trauma are steadily related to a high mortality. Their diagnosis may be difficult, due to the lack of specific symptoms and, more frequently to the high incidence of coexisting lesions which can mask the clinical appearance. This work presents the main aspects of ten cases admitted to the Emergency Surgery Division of Cagliari (USL 21), during the last seven years, with a review of the literature.