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Wechsler JR, Tamasi S. Motivations of undergraduate student medical interpreters: Exposure and experience. BMC Med Educ 2024; 24:444. [PMID: 38658919 PMCID: PMC11040973 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05417-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND When patients do not speak the same language as their doctors, they face poorer medical outcomes, decreased doctor-patient trust, and a diminished desire to seek medical care. It has been well established that interpretation is an essential part of an accessible healthcare system, but effective use of such language services relies on both the interpreters themselves and the healthcare teams working with them. This study presents an interdisciplinary examination of the motivations of undergraduate student medical interpreters, a group which serves as a bridge between these roles. While not full-time interpreters, they receive official training and spend time serving patients in local clinics. Further, for those who aspire to careers in medicine, interpreting provides invaluable exposure to the medical field and early professional know-how. METHODS Semi-structured individual interviews with undergraduate student interpreters were conducted to describe this multifaceted educational experience. A thematic analysis framework was employed to understand how and why they volunteer their time to interpret. RESULTS Motivations of student interpreters were found to fall under three general categories: (1) personal identity, or connection to family, language, and their career aspirations; (2) community engagement, or the opportunity to make a direct impact on patients at an early stage; and (3) pre-professional experience, both in general and specifically in healthcare. Each of these contributes to the view of a student medical interpreter as a unique contributor to language equity in medicine, as they provide language services in the short-term as well as set themselves up to be linguistically and culturally competent providers in the long-term. CONCLUSIONS A greater understanding of student motivations adds to knowledge about language mediation and validates the utility of students in this role, encouraging the development of more student interpreter programs. Particularly in communities with high proportions of non-English speakers, these students can contribute to making medical care as inclusive and accessible as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie R Wechsler
- Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Meda K, Wagstaff W, Sadigh G, Tamasi S, Kadom N. What People Tweet about Imaging Costs. Curr Probl Diagn Radiol 2021; 51:51-55. [PMID: 33745768 DOI: 10.1067/j.cpradiol.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients may experience adverse health outcomes when they are unable to manage medical bills. It is currently unknown, however, whether patients talk about cost in the context of medical imaging services they received. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective qualitative analysis of twitter posts related to medical imaging and cost. Tweets were extracted from twitter, inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and tweets were categorized as either "positive" or "negative"; none were "neutral". A qualitative thematic analysis of all included tweets was performed to develop themes and topics expressed. A single tweet may have been assigned several different codes according to its content. A random sampling of the tweets from each topic were selected by the two reviewers, verified by the remaining reviewers, and quoted (Q). RESULTS Here, 9.8% (n = 99) of tweets relevant to medical imaging were included in the analysis. The majority had a negative sentiment (91%, n = 90) related to themes of (1) cost of care (47%, n = 42), (2) care delivery (23%, n = 21), (3) insurance Issues (23%, n = 21), and (4) need for information (7%, n = 6). A few positive tweets (9%, n = 9) were related to themes of (1) Gratitude (44%, n = 4), (2) Affordability (33%, n = 3), and (3) Better than expected (22%, n = 2). CONCLUSION Among tweets related to medical imaging we found that 10% relate to cost and that these are overwhelmingly negative, mostly due to perceived high cost of care, deficient care delivery, and insurance issues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William Wagstaff
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Gelareh Sadigh
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Susan Tamasi
- Department in Linguistics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Nadja Kadom
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA; Department of Radiology, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA.
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Kadom N, Tamasi S, Vey BL, Safdar N, Applegate KE, Sadigh G, Bettermann EL, Balthazar P, Krupinski EA, Duszak R, Heilbrun ME. Info-RADS: Adding a Message for Patients in Radiology Reports. J Am Coll Radiol 2020; 18:128-132. [PMID: 33068534 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacr.2020.09.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Kadom
- Associate Professor, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia. Director of Pediatric Neuroradiology and the Director of Quality in the Department of Radiology at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (Egleston), Atlanta, Georgia.
| | - Susan Tamasi
- Director, Program in Linguistics, Professor of Pedagogy, Program in Linguistics, Associated Faculty, Center for the Study of Human Health, Associated Faculty, Department of Anthropology, Emory University College of Arts and Sciences, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Brianna L Vey
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Nabile Safdar
- Vice Chair of Imaging Informatics, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at the Emory University School of Medicine and the Associate Chief Medical Information Officer for Emory Healthcare, Atlanta Georgia; Department of Radiology, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (Egleston), Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kimberly E Applegate
- Department of Radiology, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (Egleston), Atlanta, Georgia; Professor of Radiology and Pediatrics, Division Chief of Pediatric Radiology, at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Gelareh Sadigh
- Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Patricia Balthazar
- Body Imaging fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston Massachusetts; and former Diagnostic Radiology chief resident at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Elizabeth A Krupinski
- Professor of Medical Imaging and Vice Chair for Research at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Richard Duszak
- Professor and Vice Chair of Radiology, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences; Acting Section Chief, Division for Abdominal Imaging, Emory Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute, Reston, Virginia
| | - Marta E Heilbrun
- Vice Chair, Quality Section, Emory Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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Volpe A, Rea G, Tamasi S, Vallone G. [Herniation of the bladder through the inguinal canal. Role of cystography and ultrasonography]. Radiol Med 2001; 102:82-4. [PMID: 11677445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A Volpe
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomorfologiche e Funzionali, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
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Ciccarelli R, Tamasi S, Mamone R, Gatta G, Califano L. [A rare case of cystic ameloblastoma with multiple recurrences: diagnostic imaging]. Radiol Med 2000; 100:502-3. [PMID: 11307515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- R Ciccarelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomorfologiche e Funzionali I, Servizio di Diagnostica per Immagini, Università degli Studi Federico II, Napoli
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Mecca ML, Rea G, Tamasi S, Dolezalova H, Vallone G. [A case of colo-colic invagination in a patient with left colon stenosis ]. Radiol Med 2000; 99:478-80. [PMID: 11262830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- M L Mecca
- Dipartimento di Scienze Bioformologiche e Funzionali, Servizio di Radiologia, Università Federico II, Napoli
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Tamasi S, Rossi E, Carbone M, Amodio F, Mattace Raso M, Brunese L, Ciccarelli R, Vallone G. [Echographic evaluation of the thymus gland in childhood]. Radiol Med 2000; 99:352-4. [PMID: 10938704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The thymus is a linphoepithelial organ located mostly in the anterior mediastinum and, for a smaller part, in the neck. The gland is particularly developed in the fetus and in children, while it shrinks in young adults following an involution process. We investigated the US appearance of the thymus in normal pediatric subjects to gather information for use in pediatric patients with suspected thymus conditions, using a safe, irradiation-free, technique. MATERIAL AND METHODS We performed a US examination of the anterior mediastinum and the neck in 30 children (14 males and 16 females) ranging in age 6 months to 11 years. We used a Sonora LOGIC 700 MD General Electrics unit with 7.5-13 MHz linear probes and acquired transverse and longitudinal scans on the chest wall and the neck, integrated with intercostal scans. RESULTS The thymus had the same echogenicity as the liver parenchyma in 22 children (73.3%), lower echogenicity in 2 (6.6%, age range 6-12 months) and higher echogenicity with heterogeneous structure in 6 children (20%, age range 8-11 years). The gland was in central and symmetric localization in 20 children (66.6%) while it exhibited a slight deviation leftwards in 7 (23.3%) and rightwards in 3 children (10%). We considered as normal the following values: in the right lobe, 1.4 cm for the AP diameter and 2.5 cm for the longitudinal one; in the left lobe, 1.4 cm for the AP diameter and 2.9 cm for the longitudinal one. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Radiological studies of the thymus are really difficult to perform because the gland is extremely variable in size, extension and shape. The thymus has the same echogenicity as the liver parenchyma and lower echogenicity than the thyroid parenchyma. We believe that US is an effective technique for studying the thymus in all its involution stages and that provides similar information to CT and MRI. Also, US does not use radiations and needs no sedation, which improves safety for young patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Tamasi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomorfologiche e Funzionali, Università degli Studi Federico II, Napoli
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Tarantino L, Giorgio A, Mariniello N, de Stefano G, Perrotta A, Aloisio V, Tamasi S, Forestieri MC, Esposito F, Esposito F, Finizia L, Voza A. Percutaneous ethanol injection of large autonomous hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules. Radiology 2000; 214:143-8. [PMID: 10644114 DOI: 10.1148/radiology.214.1.r00ja13143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To verify the effectiveness of percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) in the treatment of large (>30-mL) hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twelve patients (eight women, four men; age range, 26-76 years) with a large hyperfunctioning thyroid nodule (volume range, 33-90 mL; mean, 46.08 mL) underwent PEI treatment under ultrasonographic (US) guidance. US was used to calculate the volume of the nodules and to assess the diffusion of the ethanol in the lesions during the procedure. When incomplete necrosis of the nodule was depicted at scintigraphy performed 3 months after treatment, additional PEI sessions were performed. RESULTS Four to 11 PEI sessions (mean, seven) were performed in each patient, with an injection of 3-14 mL of 99.8% ethanol per session (total amount of ethanol per patient, 30-108 mL; mean, 48.5 mL). At scintigraphy after treatment in all patients, recovery of extranodular uptake, absence of uptake in the nodule, and normalization of thyroid-stimulating hormone (thyrotropin) levels were observed. In all patients, US showed volume reductions of 30%-50% after 3 months and 40%-80% after 6-9 months. Side effects were self-limiting in all patients. During the 6-48-month follow-up, no recurrence was observed. CONCLUSION PEI is an effective and safe technique for the treatment of large hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Tarantino
- Ultrasound Service, D. Cotugno Hospital, Torre del Greco (Na), Italy
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Amodio F, Rossi E, Carbone M, Brunese L, Tamasi S, Mansueto G, Somma P, Vallone G. [Echographic study with high-frequency and high-spatial resolution transducer in the evaluation of renal transplant in pediatric age]. Radiol Med 2000; 99:68-71. [PMID: 10803190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We investigated the role of power Doppler US with a high-frequency and high-resolution transducer (13 MHz) in the visualization of interlobular arterioles in patients with normally functioning renal transplants or with chronic rejection. MATERIAL AND METHODS We examined 15 patients (mean age 15 years; range 10-18 years) with a General Electric 500 MD unit using 7.5 and 13 MHz linear transducers. In all the patients serum creatinine and diuresis were evaluated; 4 patients underwent US-guided biopsy that resulted in the diagnosis of chronic rejection. RESULTS Normally functioning renal transplants were found in 11 patients and chronic rejection was seen in 4. In normally functioning renal transplants, interlobular vessels could be depicted as "cortical blush" with the 7.5 MHz transducer; in the same patients power Doppler US with the 13 MHz transducer permitted a correct evaluation of interlobular vessels that were arranged in series like a palisade. In chronic rejection power Doppler US with the 13 MHz transducer better depicted cortical vascularity and showed irregular, narrow arteries. CONCLUSION Power Doppler US with a 13 MHz transducer is particularly useful in children after renal transplants due to their reduced tissutal thickness. The lateral resolution of 13 MHz transducers (< 0.3 mm) allows to separate interlobular vessels from each other and the high frequency of the probe can depict interlobular vessels in the peripheral cortex. The optimal visualization of cortical vascularity with a 13 MHz transducer allows early detection of chronic rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Amodio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomorfologiche e Funzionali, Università degli Studi Federico II, Napoli, NA
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Mattace Raso M, Tamasi S, Salzano A, Carbone M, Brunese L. [A case of a teratocarcinoma with retroperitoneal location]. Radiol Med 1999; 98:424-6. [PMID: 10780233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- M Mattace Raso
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomorfologiche e Funzionali, Università degli Studi Federico II, Napoli, NA
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Santamaria R, Vitagliano L, Tamasi S, Izzo P, Zancan L, Zagari A, Salvatore F. Novel six-nucleotide deletion in the hepatic fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase gene in a patient with hereditary fructose intolerance and enzyme structure-function implications. Eur J Hum Genet 1999; 7:409-14. [PMID: 10352930 DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejhg.5200299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Hereditary fructose intolerance (HFI) is an autosomal recessive human disease that results from the deficiency of the hepatic aldolase isoenzyme. Affected individuals will succumb to the disease unless it is readily diagnosed and fructose eliminated from the diet. Simple and non-invasive diagnosis is now possible by direct DNA analysis that scans for known and unknown mutations. Using a combination of several PCR-based methods (restriction enzyme digestion, allele specific oligonucleotide hybridisation, single strand conformation analysis and direct sequencing) we identified a novel six-nucleotide deletion in exon 6 of the aldolase B gene (delta 6ex6) that leads to the elimination of two amino acid residues (Leu182 and Val183) leaving the message inframe. The three-dimensional structural alterations induced in the enzyme by delta 6ex6 have been elucidated by molecular graphics analysis using the crystal structure of the rabbit muscle aldolase as reference model. These studies showed that the elimination of Leu182 and Val183 perturbs the correct orientation of adjacent catalytic residues such as Lys146 and Glu187.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Santamaria
- Dipartimento di Biochimica e Biotecnologie Mediche, CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Gaetaniello L, Fiore M, de Filippo S, Pozzi N, Tamasi S, Pignata C. Occupancy of dipeptidyl peptidase IV activates an associated tyrosine kinase and triggers an apoptotic signal in human hepatocarcinoma cells. Hepatology 1998; 27:934-42. [PMID: 9537431 DOI: 10.1002/hep.510270407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (CD26/DPP-IV) is an ectoenzyme expressed on different cell types. Signaling properties and functional consequences of the CD26 triggering have been elucidated mostly on T cells, where the molecule delivers a costimulatory signal that potentiates T-cell activation through the T-cell receptor. We conducted studies in the human hepatocarcinoma-derived PLC/PRF/5 cell line to examine the signal transduction through CD26 and its functional properties in the absence of other T-cell-specific membrane molecules. Engagement of CD26 in PLC/PRF/5 cells through a specific antibody induces tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins with maximal intensity 15 minutes after the stimulation. This effect was under the negative regulatory control of CD45 tyrosine phosphatase, in that the addition of orthovanadate clearly enhanced the phosphorylation events. Using in vitro kinase assays with CD26 immunoprecipitates, we observed that a protein or proteins with kinase activity are coprecipitated with the CD26 molecule. In addition, unlike Jurkat T cells, in which CD26 expression exerts a protective effect against apoptosis, in PLC/PRF/5 cells CD26 occupancy delivers a potent apoptotic signal. This effect was also observed in HepG2 cells, thus indicating that it represents a more general phenomenon occurring in different liver neoplastic cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Gaetaniello
- Department of Pediatrics, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
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De Filippo G, Pozzi N, Cosentini E, Cavalcanti M, Carel JC, Tamasi S, Franzese A, Pignata C. Increased CD5+CD19+ B lymphocytes at the onset of type 1 diabetes in children. Acta Diabetol 1997; 34:271-4. [PMID: 9451471 DOI: 10.1007/s005920050087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine whether the proportion of circulating B cells expressing the differentiative antigen CD5 was increased in children affected by type 1 diabetes, and whether the number of these cells was correlated with the presence of anti-islet cell autoantibodies. Sixteen children affected by insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 1) were investigated for the presence of B lymphocytes bearing the CD5 surface molecule, T-cell-specific activation markers, organ- and nonorgan-specific autoantibodies. The number of CD5+CD19+ cells was higher in type 1 children with a very recent onset of the disease, as compared with patients on insulin therapy for more than 30 days and controls (P < 0.05). No correlation was found between the number of CD5+CD19+ cells and the presence of either organ- or nonorgan-specific autoantibodies. Our results indicate that CD5+CD19+ cells are involved in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes in children. A potential immunoregulatory role of this B cell population is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- G De Filippo
- Department of Pediatrics, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
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Santamaria R, Tamasi S, Del Piano G, Sebastio G, Andria G, Borrone C, Faldella G, Izzo P, Salvatore F. Molecular basis of hereditary fructose intolerance in Italy: identification of two novel mutations in the aldolase B gene. J Med Genet 1996; 33:786-8. [PMID: 8880583 PMCID: PMC1050737 DOI: 10.1136/jmg.33.9.786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
We screened the aldolase B gene in 14 unrelated Italian patients with hereditary fructose intolerance (HFI), and found two novel disease related mutations: a single nucleotide deletion in exon 2 (delta A20) that leads to an early stop codon, and a C-->T transition in exon 8 that substitutes an Arg with a Trp residue at codon 303 (R303W).
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Affiliation(s)
- R Santamaria
- Dipartimento di Biochimica e Biotecnologie Mediche, CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, Medical School Università di Napoli Federico II, Italy
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