Effects of exogenous lactase administration on hydrogen breath excretion and intestinal symptoms in patients presenting lactose malabsorption and intolerance

To establish whether supplementation with a standard oral dose of Beta-Galactosidase affects hydrogen breath excretion in patients presenting with lactose malabsorption. METHODS: Ninety-six consecutive patients positive to H2 Lactose Breath Test were enrolled. Mean peak H2 levels, the time to reach the peak H2, the time to reach the cut-off value of 20 ppm, the cumulative breath H2 excretion, the areas under the curve, and a Visual Analogical 10-point Scale for symptoms were calculated. Genotyping of the C/T-13910 variant was carried out. RESULTS: Following the oral administration of Beta-Galactosidase, in 21.88% of the cases, H2 Lactose Breath Test became negative (Group A), while mean peak H2 levels (74.95 ppm versus 7.85), P < 0.0000, in 17.71% (Group B) were still positive, with the H2 level 20 ppm above the baseline, but the peak H2 levels were significantly lower than those observed at the baseline test (186.7 ppm versus 66.64), P < 0.0000, while in 60.41% (Group C) they were still positive with the peak H2 levels similar to those observed at the baseline test (94.43 versus 81.60 ppm). All 96 individuals tested presented the C/C-13910 genotype nonpersistence. CONCLUSIONS: The response to oral administration of Beta-Galactosidase in patients with symptoms of lactose malabsorption presents a significant variability

Adenotonsillectomy in children with recurrent acute tonsillitis: review and implications for practice

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Derivation of multivariate indices of milk composition, coagulation properties, and individual cheese yield in dairy sheep

Milk composition and its technological properties are traits of interest for the dairy sheep industry because almost all milk produced is processed into cheese. However, several variables define milk technological properties and a complex correlation pattern exists among them. In the present work, we measured milk composition, coagulation properties, and individual cheese yields in a sample of 991 Sarda breed ewes in 47 flocks. The work aimed to study the correlation pattern among measured variables and to obtain new synthetic indicators of milk composition and cheese-making properties. Multivariate factor analysis was carried out on individual measures of milk coagulation parameters; cheese yield; fat, protein, and lactose percentages; somatic cell score; casein percentage; NaCl content; pH; and freezing point. Four factors that were able to explain about 76% of the original variance were extracted. They were clearly interpretable: the first was associated with composition and cheese yield, the second with udder health status, the third with coagulation, and the fourth with curd characteristics. Factor scores were then analyzed by using a mixed linear model that included the fixed effect of parity, lambing month, and lactation stage, and the random effect of flock-test date. The patterns of factor scores along lactation stages were coherent with their technical meaning. A relevant effect of flock-test date was detected, especially on the 2 factors related to milk coagulation properties. Results of the present study suggest the existence of a simpler latent structure that regulates relationships between variables defining milk composition and coagulation properties in sheep. Heritability estimates for the 4 extracted factors were from low to moderate, suggesting potential use of these new variables as breeding goals

Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Regulates Hippocampal GABA(A) Receptor Delta Subunit Gene Expression.

Chronic ethanol consumption causes structural and functional reorganization in the hippocampus and induces alterations in the gene expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs). Distinct forced intermittent exposure models have been used previously to investigate changes in GABAAR expression, with contrasting results. Here, we used repeated cycles of a Chronic Intermittent Ethanol paradigm to examine the relationship between voluntary, dependence-associated ethanol consumption, and GABAAR gene expression in mouse hippocampus. Adult male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to four 16-h ethanol vapor (or air) cycles in inhalation chambers alternated with limited-access two-bottle choice between ethanol (15%) and water consumption. The mice exposed to ethanol vapor showed significant increases in ethanol consumption compared to their air-matched controls. GABAAR alpha4 and delta subunit gene expression were measured by qRT-PCR at different stages. There were significant changes in GABAAR delta subunit transcript levels at different time points in ethanol-vapor exposed mice, while the alpha4 subunit levels remained unchanged. Correlated concurrent blood ethanol concentrations suggested that GABAAR delta subunit mRNA levels fluctuate depending on ethanol intoxication, dependence, and withdrawal state. Using a vapor-based Chronic Intermittent Ethanol procedure with combined two-bottle choice consumption, we corroborated previous evidences showing that discontinuous ethanol exposure affects GABAAR delta subunit expression but we did not observe changes in alpha4 subunit. These findings indicate that hippocampal GABAAR delta subunit expression changes transiently over the course of a Chronic Intermittent Ethanol paradigm associated with voluntary intake, in response to ethanol-mediated disturbance of GABAergic neurotransmission

Genetic parameters of milk fatty acid profile in sheep: comparison between gas chromatographic measurements and Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy predictions.

Fatty acid (FA) composition is a key component of sheep milk nutritional quality. However, breeding for FA composition in dairy sheep is hampered by the logistic and phenotyping costs. This study was aimed at estimating genetic parameters for sheep milk FA and to test the feasibility of their routine measurement by using Fourier-transform IR (FTIR) spectroscopy. Milk FA composition of 989 Sarda ewes farmed in 48 flocks was measured by gas chromatography (FA GC ). Moreover, FTIR spectrum was collected for each sample, and it was used to predict FA composition (FA FTIR ) by partial least squares regression: 700 ewes were used for estimating model parameters, whereas the remaining 289 animals were used to validate the model. One hundred replicates were performed by randomly assigning animals to estimation and validation data set, respectively. Variance components for both measured and predicted traits were estimated with an animal model that included the fixed effects of parity, days in milking interval, lambing month, province, altitude of flock location, the random effects of flock-test-date and animal genetic additive. Genetic correlations among FA GC , and between corresponding FA GC and FA FTIR were estimated by bivariate analysis. Coefficients of determination between FA GC and FA FTIR ranged from moderate (about 0.50 for odd- and branched-chain FA) to high (about 0.90 for de novo FA) values. Low-to-moderate heritabilities were observed for individual FA (ranging from 0.01 to 0.47). The largest value was observed for GC measured C16:0. Low–to-moderate heritabilities were estimated for FA groups. In most of cases, heritabilites were slightly larger for FA GC than FA FTIR . Estimates of genetic correlations among FA GC showed a large variability in magnitude and sign. The genetic correlation between FA FTIR and FA GC was higher than 60% for all investigated traits. Results of the present study confirm the existence of genetic variability of the FA composition in sheep and suggest the feasibility of using FA FTIR as proxies for these traits in large scale breeding programs

Effect of Appendectomy on ClinicalCourse of Diverticulosis

Diverticulitis is a common condition where inflammation seems to play a key role in all forms of the disease. Since diverticular disease, in some cases, exhibits clinical and histopathologic similarities with the idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease, could have in common, with these some environmental risk factors, as appendectomy, that could interfere with the natural history of diverticular disease. Since the prevalence and the role of appendectomy in patients with colonic diverticula has not been defined, the aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of appendectomy, both in uncomplicated diverticular disease and in patients with diverticulitis. Two hundred and seven consecutive patients with verified diagnosis of diverticular disease of the colon were enrolled. Diagnosis of diverticulitis was defined by means of clinical, colonoscopic, and computerised tomography criteria. Logistic regression was used to describe the relation between the dependent variable (diverticulitis) and several covariates: sex, age (60), BMI (26), and history of appendectomy (emergency or elective appendectomy). We included the first order interactions in the model to assess the effect of each variable for a particular degree of the others covariates. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. Results: The first order interactions did not show a relevant effect (p>0.10) and therefore were excluded from the logistic model. Sex (p=0.88), BMI (p=0.80), elective appendectomy (p=0.17), age (p=0,11), do not affect significantly, either as an independent variable or as a confounder, the risk of development of diverticulitis, and therefore were also excluded from the model. According to the final model the risk of diverticulitis is 4,94 fold higher (95% confidence interval: 1.98 to 12.37) in patients with history of appendectomy with emergency operative treatment, compared with patients without appendectomy or history of elective resection (p<0.001. Conclusions: The risk of diverticulitis does not increase in patients with elective appendectomy, therefore only patients with emergency appendectomy have an increased risk of diverticuliti

Topically administered hyaluronic acid in the upper airway: A narrative review

Hyaluronic acid plays a role in controlling inflammatory airway processes and mucociliary clearance, and it is also involved in tissue healing and remodelling. Some studies have tested the effectiveness of topically administered hyaluronic acid in patients with upper airway diseases with positive preliminary results. This article describes the use of topically administered hyaluronic acid in patients with otolaryngological disorders. Pertinent studies published between January 2000 and October 2016 were selected by means of a MEDLINE search using the following terms: \u2018hyaluronic acid\u2019 and \u2018otolaryngology\u2019, \u2018otitis\u2019, \u2018pharyngitis\u2019, \u2018tonsillitis\u2019, \u2018rhinitis\u2019, \u2018rhinosinusitis\u2019 and \u149ose\u2019. Twelve of the 19 initially identified papers were selected, corresponding to 902 patients as a whole. There is some evidence that topically administered hyaluronic acid is effective or moderately effective in different otolaryngological conditions, as it improves the global subjective and clinical status of patients with inflammation of the nasopharyngeal and oto-tubaric complex, those with rhinitis or rhinosinusitis and those who have undergone nasal and sinonasal surgery. However, these findings should be viewed cautiously as they are based on a limited number of studies, some of which were probably under-powered because of their small patient samples

Synthesis, Antitumor and Antiviral In Vitro Activities of New Benzotriazole-Dicarboxamide Derivatives

Cancer and viral infections continue to threaten humankind causing death worldwide. Hence, the discovery of new anticancer and antiviral agents still represents a major scientific goal. Heterocycles designed to mimic the chemical structure of natural pyrimidines and purines have been designed over the years, exerting their activity acting as false substrates on several different targets. We reported a series of bis-benzotriazole-dicarboxamide derivatives which inhibit viral helicase of poliovirus, and hence we planned structure modifications to obtain different series of new dicarboxamides. Here, the synthesis and characterization of 56 new compounds: 31 bis-benzotriazole dicarboxamides and 25 mono-substituted acidic derivatives are reported. The synthesized compounds were tested for their antiviral and antitumor activity. Mostly, compounds 4a, 4c and 4d showed antiviral activity against tested Picornaviruses, Coxsackievirus B5 and Poliovirus-1. Likewise, four derivatives (3b, 3d, 4d, 9b) showed notable antiproliferative activity inhibiting cell growth in two distinct antitumor screenings. Compound 3b was selected as the antitumor lead compound for the wide range of activity and the potency proved. The lead compound was proved to induce apoptosis in SK-MES1 tumor cells, in a dose-dependent manner

Inhibition of enterovirus a71 by a novel 2-phenyl-benzimidazole derivative

Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) infection has emerged as a significant public health concern at the global level. Epidemic events of EV-A71 have been reported worldwide, and this succession of outbreaks has heightened concern that EV-A71 may become a public health threat. In recent years, widespread A71 enterovirus also occurred in European countries. EV-A71 infection causes hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD), herpangina, and fever. However, it can sometimes induce a variety of neurological complications, including encephalitis, aseptic meningitis, pulmonary edema, and acute flaccid paralysis. We identified new benzimidazole derivatives and described theirin vitrocytotoxicity and broad-spectrum anti-enterovirus activity. Among them, derivative 2b resulted in interesting activity against EV-A71, and therefore it was selected for further investigations. Compound 2b proved to be able to protect cell monolayers from EV-A71-induced cytopathogenicity, with an EC50 of 3 µM. Moreover, Vero-76 cells resulted in being significantly protected from necrosis and apoptosis when treated with 2b at 20 and 80 µM. Compound 2b reduced viral adsorption to Vero-76 cells, and when evaluated in a time-of-addition assay, the derivative had the highest effect when added during the infection period. Moreover, derivative 2b reduced viral penetration into host cells. Besides, 2b did not affect intestinal monolayers permeability, showing no toxic effects. A detailed insight into the efficacy of compound 2b against EV-A71 showed a dose-dependent reduction in the viral titer, also at low concentrations. Mechanism of action investigations suggested that our derivative can inhibit viral endocytosis by reducing viral attachment to and penetration into host cells. Pharmacokinetic and toxicity predictions validated compound 2b as a good candidate for furtherin vivoassays