Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric dysbiosis: Can probiotics administration be useful to treat this condition?

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is responsible for one of the most common infections in the world. 'e prevalence exceeds 50% of the population in developing countries, and approximately one-third of the adults are colonized in North Europe and North America. It is considered a major pathogenic agent of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, atrophic gastritis, gastric cancer, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALT). Hp colonization modifies the composition of gastric microbiota that could drive the development of gastric disorders. Currently, an emerging problem in Hp treatment is represented by the increasing rate of antimicrobial therapy resistance. In this context, the search for adjuvant agents can be very useful to overcome this issue and probiotics administration can represent a valid option. The aim of this review is to describe the gastric microbiota changes during Hp colonization, the mechanisms of action, and a possible role of probiotics in the treatment of this infection

Common features between neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions of the biliary tract and the pancreas

The bile duct system and pancreas show many similarities due to their anatomical proximity and common embryological origin. Consequently, preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions of the bile duct and pancreas share analogies in terms of molecular, histological and pathophysiological features. Intraepithelial neoplasms are reported in biliary tract, as biliary intraepithelial neoplasm (BilIN), and in pancreas, as pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasm (PanIN). Both can evolve to invasive carcinomas, respectively cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Intraductal papillary neoplasms arise in biliary tract and pancreas. Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the biliary tract (IPNB) share common histologic and phenotypic features such as pancreatobiliary, gastric, intestinal and oncocytic types, and biological behavior with the pancreatic counterpart, the intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas (IPMN). All these neoplastic lesions exhibit similar immunohistochemical phenotypes, suggesting a common carcinogenic process. Indeed, CCA and PDAC display similar clinic-pathological features as growth pattern, poor response to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy and, as a consequence, an unfavorable prognosis. The objective of this review is to discuss similarities and differences between the neoplastic lesions of the pancreas and biliary tract with potential implications on a common origin from similar stem/progenitor cells

Considering a mixed atomic basis set composed of only 1s STO and 1s GTO in molecular calculations

An atomic basis set composed of only 1s orbitals is introduced, for molecular calculations in the HartreeFock-LCAO approximation. The 1s Slater Type Orbitals are located at the nuclei and the 1s Gaussian Type Orbitals can be used both in fixed locations and as Floating Orbitals. Surprisingly, despite the simplicity of the orbitals, this basis set provides an accurate description of molecular systems containing atoms with two shells such as oxygen and carbon, used as case studies in this work. From a numerical perspective, the basis set is first optimized for the free atoms and then they are introduced into the molecular environment. The molecular calculations for OH_2 and CH_2 show validating results for the energy and the molecular geometry. From the description of the inner atomic and the valence shells achieved with this particular basis set, we can assign a charge to the bonds and the lone pairs by using the Löwdin population analysis, with excellent result from the molecular point of view.Fil: Pérez, Jorge Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Cs.exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Física; ArgentinaFil: Cesco, Juan Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Matemática Aplicada de San Luis "Prof. Ezio Marchi". Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico, Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto de Matemática Aplicada de San Luis "Prof. Ezio Marchi"; ArgentinaFil: Alturria Lanzardo, Carmina José. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Matemática; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Zaccari, Daniel Gustavo. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; ArgentinaFil: Ortiz, Félix. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; ArgentinaFil: Soltermann, Arnaldo Teseo. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Hoggan, P. E.. Université Clermont Auvergne. Institut Pascal; Franci

Improving the dielectric properties of ethylene-glycol alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers.

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) can be formed at the interface between solids and fluids, and are often used to modify the surface properties of the solid. One of the most widely employed SAM systems is exploiting thiol-gold chemistry, which, together with alkane-chain-based molecules, provides a reliable way of SAM formation to modify the surface properties of electrodes. Oligo ethylene-glycol (OEG) terminated alkanethiol monolayers have shown excellent antifouling properties and have been used extensively for the coating of biosensor electrodes to minimize nonspecific binding. Here, we report the investigation of the dielectric properties of COOH-capped OEG monolayers and demonstrate a strategy to improve the dielectric properties significantly by mixing the OEG SAM with small concentrations of 11-mercaptoundecanol (MUD). The monolayer properties and composition were characterized by means of impedance spectroscopy, water contact angle, ellipsometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. An equivalent circuit model is proposed to interpret the EIS data and to determine the conductivity of the monolayer. We find that for increasing MUD concentrations up to about 5% the resistivity of the SAM steadily increases, which together with a considerable decrease of the phase of the impedance, demonstrates significantly improved dielectric properties of the monolayer. Such monolayers will find widespread use in applications which depend critically on good dielectric properties such as capacitive biosensor

Delay in Pancreatic Endoscopic Ultrasound During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Pancreas/Tertiary Referral Center.

In our tertiary referral Pancreas Center, we observed a reduction in the number of pancreatic endoscopic ultrasound (EUSP) procedures, mostly performed for neoplastic and pre-neoplastic reasons, during lockdown. We compared the period of major spreading of Covid-19 Infection in Italy, between February 1st and April 30th, 2020, with the same period in 2019.THIS DATASET IS ARCHIVED AT DANS/EASY, BUT NOT ACCESSIBLE HERE. TO VIEW A LIST OF FILES AND ACCESS THE FILES IN THIS DATASET CLICK ON THE DOI-LINK ABOV

High levels of NK cells in the peripheral blood of patients affected with anti-phospholipid syndrome and recurrent spontaneous abortion: a potential new hypothesis

Objectives. No data regarding phenotypic assets of circulating lymphocytes in anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) are reported in the literature. Role of anti-phospholipid antibodies (aPL) in recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) remains uncertain, while natural killer (NK)-cells are involved in RSA pathogenesis. In this study, patients affected with APS without RSA, APS with RSA and RSA without aPL were studied for NK-cell subpopulation to evaluate its role in abortive events typical of APS. Methods. NK-cell levels in peripheral blood of APS patients without RSA (n=28) and in APS-RSA patients (n=25) were evaluated by means of flow cytofluorimetry. NK-cells levels were evaluated also in RSA without aPL associated with either endocrine (n=86), anatomic (n = 30) or idiopathic (n = 77) conditions and in 42 healthy women. Results. High NK levels were found in 14/25 (56%) APS-RSA patients. Among these patients, all except one aborted before the 10th gestational week (GW), while among the remaining patients all except one aborted after the 10th GW. NK mean levels were significantly higher in APS-RSA than in all the other conditions studied, including healthy subjects, except idiopathic RSA. Conclusions. Our results demonstrate that the numbers and proportions of NK-cells are significantly higher in patients with RSA with APS than in APS without RSA. Increased numbers of NK-cells correlate with reduced gestational age at abortion in patients with APS-RSA. These data lead to a hypothesis that NK-cells contribute to the development of RSA in patients with APS. NK-cells might precipitate damage initiated by aPL or they might cause pathology in RSA independent of aPL

Proton pump inhibitors and dysbiosis. Current knowledge and aspects to be clarified

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are common medications within the practice of gastroenterology. These drugs, which act through the irreversible inhibition of the hydrogen/potassium pump (H+/K+-ATPase pump) in the gastric parietal cells, are used in the treatment of several acid-related disorders. PPIs are generally well tolerated but, through the long-term reduction of gastric acid secretion, can increase the risk of an imbalance in gut microbiota composition (i.e., dysbiosis). The gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem in which microbes coexist and interact with the human host. Indeed, the resident gut bacteria are needed for multiple vital functions, such as nutrient and drug metabolism, the production of energy, defense against pathogens, the modulation of the immune system and support of the integrity of the gut mucosal barrier. The bacteria are collected in communities that vary in density and composition within each segment of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Therefore, every change in the gut ecosystem has been connected to an increased susceptibility or exacerbation of various GI disorders. The aim of this review is to summarize the recently available data on PPI-related microbiota alterations in each segment of the GI tract and to analyze the possible involvement of PPIs in the pathogenesis of several specific GI diseases