Effect on the canine Eck fistula liver of intraportal TGF‐β alone or with hepatic growth factors

Transforming growth factor‐β canceled the hepatocyte proliferation caused by transforming growth factor‐α when the two substances were mixed and administered through a disconnected central portal vein branch after creation of an Eck fistula. In contrast, transforming growth factor‐β had no antidotal action on the stimulatory effects of insulin or full test doses of insulinlike factor‐2, hepatocyte growth factor, epidermal growth factor or triiodothymanine. A minor antidotal effect on hepatic stimulatory substance activity could be detected, but only with hepatic stimulatory substance was given in doses smaller than those known to cause maximum stimulatory response. These results suggest a highly specific pharmacological and physiological interaction between transforming growth factor‐α and transforming growth factor‐α in the modulation of liver growth control. (HEPATOLOGY 1992;16:1267–1270.) Copyright © 1992 American Association for the Study of Liver Disease

Clinical and Laboratory Findings in Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Infection.

Purpose: Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE), a disease caused by Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus (TBEV), is emerging in Italy. This study aimed to characterize the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, imaging and electroencephalogram characteristics in Belluno, North-East Italy. Results: 76% were males, mean age 53 years; 50% did not report tick bite. 72% had a biphasic course, 42% a monophasic one, 8 cases of abortive TBE. Mostly no specific symptoms were observed, together with neurological signs and symptoms. None died, but 35% had sequelae at the one-month follow-up. Men had a higher risk of having neurological/neurocognitive sequelae; paresthesia or tremors were associated independently with sequelae. In terms of laboratory data, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia and lymphocytosis were associated with the first phase (p < .01), while monocytosis, lymphocytopenia, high levels of ESR and CRP with the second (p < .05). Other abnormal laboratory data were observed: high levels of transaminases, bilirubin, GGT, fibrinogen, amylase, LDH, CPK and electrolyte disorders. Most of the liquor showed pleocytosis and increased protein levels. No specific findings characterized imaging; electroencephalogram mainly reported general and focal anomalies in the temporal lobe. Conclusions: Although patients have not reported a tick bite, TBEV infection should be considered for diagnosis. Usually no specific symptoms are reported along with neurological signs and symptoms. The biphasic course is more often described than the monophasic course; abortive TBE is sometimes present. Paresthesia and tremors are independently associated with neurological/neurocognitive sequelae; men have a higher risk of having sequelae. The first phase is probably associated with thrombocytopenia, neutropenia and lymphocytosis; the second with monocytosis, lymphocytopenia, high levels of CRP and ESR. Electrolyte disorders, high levels of transaminases, GGT, bilirubin, CPK, LDH, fibrinogen and amylase may characterize TBEV infection. © 202

Risk factors and outcome among a large patient cohort with community-acquired acute hepatitis C in Italy

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of acute hepatitis C has changed during the past decade in Western countries. Acute HCV infection has a high rate of chronicity, but it is unclear when patients with acute infection should be treated. METHODS: To evaluate current sources of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in Italy and to assess the rate of and factors associated with chronic infection, we enrolled 214 consecutive patients with newly acquired hepatitis C during 1999-2004. The patients were from 12 health care centers throughout the country, and they were followed up for a mean (+/- SD) period of 14+/-15.8 months. Biochemical liver tests were performed, and HCV RNA levels were monitored. RESULTS: A total of 146 patients (68%) had symptomatic disease. The most common risk factors for acquiring hepatitis C that were reported were intravenous drug use and medical procedures. The proportion of subjects with spontaneous resolution of infection was 36%. The average timespan from disease onset to HCV RNA clearance was 71 days (range, 27-173 days). In fact, 58 (80%) of 73 patients with self-limiting hepatitis experienced HCV RNA clearance within 3 months of disease onset. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that none of the variables considered (including asymptomatic disease) were associated with increased risk of developing chronic hepatitis C. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the importance of medical procedures as risk factors in the current spread of HCV infection in Italy. Because nearly all patients with acute, self-limiting hepatitis C - both symptomatic and asymptomatic - have spontaneous viral clearance within 3 months of disease onset, it seems reasonable to start treatment after this time period ends to avoid costly and useless treatment

在籍生徒の当校選択意識とその実態 : 不適応生徒発生の一条件として

Objective To determine whether the mode of delivery is associated with the risk of celiac disease (CD) in a cohort of children genetically predisposed to CD prospectively followed from birth. Study design By telephone interview, we recorded information on the mode of delivery of children participating in the Risk of Celiac Disease and Age at Gluten Introduction study, a multicenter, prospective intervention trial that compared early and delayed introduction of gluten in infants with at least 1 first-degree relative affected with CD. The human leukocyte antigen genotype was determined at 15 months of age, and serologic screening for CD was performed at 15, 24, and 36 months of age and at 5, 8, and 10 years of age. Patients with positive serologic findings underwent intestinal biopsy. The primary outcome of the current study was the prevalence of CD autoimmunity and overt CD at 5 years of age, according to the mode of delivery. Results The study-group included 553 children at CD risk because of positivity for human leukocyte antigen-DQ2, -DQ8, or both. We obtained data on the mode of delivery from 431 of 553 children; 233 of 431 children were born by vaginal delivery (54%). At 5 years of age, the prevalence of CD autoimmunity or overt CD was not different between children born by cesarean or vaginal delivery (24% and 19%, P=.2; 19% and 14%, P=.2 respectively, by the log-rank test). Conclusions In this cohort of children genetically predisposed to CD, the mode of delivery did not influence the risk of developing CD

Diagnosis of Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS): The Salerno Experts' Criteria

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) is a syndrome characterized by intestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms related to the ingestion of gluten-containing food, in subjects that are not affected by either celiac disease or wheat allergy. Given the lack of a NCGS biomarker, there is the need for standardizing the procedure leading to the diagnosis confirmation. In this paper we report experts’ recommendations on how the diagnostic protocol should be performed for the confirmation of NCGS. A full diagnostic procedure should assess the clinical response to the gluten-free diet (GFD) and measure the effect of a gluten challenge after a period of treatment with the GFD. The clinical evaluation is performed using a self-administered instrument incorporating a modified version of the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale. The patient identifies one to three main symptoms that are quantitatively assessed using a Numerical Rating Scale with a score ranging from 1 to 10. The double-blind placebo-controlled gluten challenge (8 g/day) includes a one-week challenge followed by a one-week washout of strict GFD and by the crossover to the second one-week challenge. The vehicle should contain cooked, homogeneously distributed gluten. At least a variation of 30% of one to three main symptoms between the gluten and the placebo challenge should be detected to discriminate a positive from a negative result. The guidelines provided in this paper will help the clinician to reach a firm and positive diagnosis of NCGS and facilitate the comparisons of different studies, if adopted internationally

Diagnosis of Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) is a syndrome characterized by intestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms related to the ingestion of gluten-containing food, in subjects that are not affected by either celiac disease or wheat allergy. Given the lack of a NCGS biomarker, there is the need for standardizing the procedure leading to the diagnosis confirmation. In this paper we report experts’ recommendations on how the diagnostic protocol should be performed for the confirmation of NCGS. A full diagnostic procedure should assess the clinical response to the gluten-free diet (GFD) and measure the effect of a gluten challenge after a period of treatment with the GFD. The clinical evaluation is performed using a self-administered instrument incorporating a modified version of the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale. The patient identifies one to three main symptoms that are quantitatively assessed using a Numerical Rating Scale with a score ranging from 1 to 10. The double-blind placebo-controlled gluten challenge (8 g/day) includes a one-week challenge followed by a one-week washout of strict GFD and by the crossover to the second one-week challenge. The vehicle should contain cooked, homogeneously distributed gluten. At least a variation of 30% of one to three main symptoms between the gluten and the placebo challenge should be detected to discriminate a positive from a negative result. The guidelines provided in this paper will help the clinician to reach a firm and positive diagnosis of NCGS and facilitate the comparisons of different studies, if adopted internationally

Mechanism of Human Papillomavirus Binding to Human Spermatozoa and Fertilizing Ability of Infected Spermatozoa

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are agents of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in females and males. Precise data about the presence, mechanism of infection and clinical significance of HPV in the male reproductive tract and especially in sperm are not available. Here we show that HPV can infect human sperm, it localizes at the equatorial region of sperm head through interaction between the HPV capsid protein L1 and syndecan-1. Sperm transfected with HPV E6/E7 genes and sperm exposed to HPV L1 capsid protein are capable to penetrate the oocyte and transfer the virus into oocytes, in which viral genes are then activated and transcribed. These data show that sperm might function as vectors for HPV transfer into the oocytes, and open new perspectives on the role of HPV infection in males and are particularly intriguing in relation to assisted reproduction techniques

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements