Increased Hepatitis C virus screening, diagnosis and linkage to care rates among people who use drugs through a patient-centered program from Italy.

Background: Rates of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and diagnosis are variable among people who use drugs (PWUD). In Puglia in 2018, of 871 subjects screened, 38% had HCV antibodies (HCVAb). Despite sustained virologic response at week 12 Sustained virologic response (SVR12) rates >95%, addiction centers in Italy are not allowed to prescribe direct-acting antivirals (DAA).

Pulse waveform analysis of optic nerve head circulation for predicting carotid atherosclerotic changes.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between the parameters of pulse waveform analysis in the optic nerve head using laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) and intima-media thickness (IMT) and severity of carotid arterial plaque.

Design: Prospective and cross-sectional study.

Methods: One hundred seventy-six subjects were studied.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the BseCI DNA methyltransferase from Bacillus stearothermophilus in complex with its cognate DNA.

The DNA methyltransferase M.BseCI from Bacillus stearothermophilus (EC 2.1.

Alkaline phosphatase from the Antarctic strain TAB5. Properties and psychrophilic adaptations.

The gene encoding alkaline phosphatase (AP) from the psychrophilic strain TAB5 was cloned, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. A single open reading frame consisting of 1125 base pairs which encodes a polypeptide consisting of signal peptide of 22 amino acids and a mature protein of 353 amino acids was identified. The deduced protein sequence of AP exhibits a 38% identity to the AP III and AP IV sequences of Bacillus subtilis and conserves the typical sequence motifs of the core structure and active sites of APs from various sources.

[Novel site-specific endonucleases from Brevibacterium species].

New site-specific endonucleases BecAI and BecAII have been detected in Brevibacterium species A. Endonuclease BecAII free from contaminating nonspecific endonucleases, exonucleases, and phosphatases was isolated by column chromatography on phosphocellulose, heparin sepharose, and DNA cellulose. It recognizes and cleaves the 5'-GG decreases CC-3' sequence and is a true isoschizomer of HaeIII restriction enzyme.