Complete Genome Sequence of Bluetongue Virus Serotype 1 Circulating in Italy, Obtained through a Fast Next-Generation Sequencing Protocol.

A field strain of the bluetongue virus serotype 1 (BTV-1) was isolated from infected sheep in Sardinia, Italy, in October 2013. The genome was sequenced using Ion Torrent technology. BTV-1 strain SAD2013 belongs to the Western topotype of BTV-1, clustering with BTV-1 strains isolated in Europe and northern Africa since 2006.

Glucokinase regulatory protein gene polymorphism affects liver fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background And Aims: Variant in glucokinase regulatory protein (GCKR), associated with lipid and glucose traits, has been suggested to affect fatty liver infiltration. We aimed to assess whether GCKR rs780094 C→T SNP influences the expression of steatosis, lobular inflammation and fibrosis in NAFLD patients, after correction for PNPLA3 genotype.

Methods: In 366 consecutive NAFLD patients (197 from Sicily, and 169 from center/northern Italy), we assessed anthropometric, biochemical and metabolic features; liver biopsy was scored according to Kleiner.

CT enterography as a powerful tool for the evaluation of inflammatory activity in Crohn's disease: relationship of CT findings with CDAI and acute-phase reactants.

Purpose: Few studies have correlated computed tomography enterography (CTE) findings with Crohn's disease (CD) clinical and biochemical activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate correlations between CTE findings with CD activity.

Materials And Methods: The CTE datasets from 62 patients were retrospectively reviewed for different parameters: bowel wall thickening and hyperenhancement, mesenteric alterations, abdominal free fluid and complications related to the disease (fistulas, strictures, abscesses).

Is the efficacy of sorafenib treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma affected by age?

Cancer is a prevalent disease in the elderly population and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health problem among all tumors. Curative treatments for early-stage include liver transplantation, resection and percutaneous ablation. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and sorafenib, classified as non-curative treatments, can improve survival for patients with intermediate and advanced tumors, respectively.

Body mass index and liver stiffness affect accuracy of ultrasonography in detecting steatosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection.

Background & Aims: Few studies have evaluated the accuracy of ultrasonography in detecting steatosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C. We assessed its accuracy in detecting steatosis and factors that affect its diagnostic performance in consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection.

Methods: We analyzed data from 515 patients with chronic hepatitis C, confirmed by liver biopsy, assessing anthropometric, biochemical, metabolic, virologic, and ultrasonography features.

PNPLA3 GG genotype and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background And Aim: To evaluate if the presence of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with NAFLD, could be related to gene variants influencing hepatic fat accumulation and the severity of liver damage.

Methods: We recorded anthropometric, metabolic and histological data(Kleiner score) of 162 consecutive, biopsy-proven Sicilian NAFLD patients. Intima-media thickness(IMT), IMT thickening(IMT≥1 mm) and carotid plaques(focal thickening of >1.

Complete genome sequence analysis of a reassortant strain of bluetongue virus serotype 16 from Italy.

The complete genome sequence of a reassortant field strain of bluetongue virus serotype 16 (BTV-16), isolated from cattle in the Apulia region of Italy in 2002, has been determined by Illumina sequencing. Sequence comparisons of segment 1 (Seg-1) to Seg-10, except Seg-5, show that BTV-16 strain ITL2002 belongs to the major eastern topotype of BTV.

NT pro BNP plasma level and atrial volume are linked to the severity of liver cirrhosis.

Background And Aims: Plasma levels of NT-pro-BNP, a natriuretic peptide precursor, are raised in the presence of fluid retention of cardiac origin and can be used as markers of cardiac dysfunction. Recent studies showed high levels of NT pro BNP in patients with cirrhosis. We assessed NT pro-BNP and other parameters of cardiac dysfunction in patients with cirrhosis, with or without ascites, in order to determine whether the behaviour of NT pro BNP is linked to the stage of liver disease or to secondary cardiac dysfunction.

Industrial, not fruit fructose intake is associated with the severity of liver fibrosis in genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background & Aims: Unhealthy food intake, specifically fructose, has been associated with metabolic alterations and with the severity of liver fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In a cohort of patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C (G1 CHC), we tested the association of fructose intake with the severity of liver histology.

Methods: Anthropometric and metabolic factors, including waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), dorso-cervical lipohypertrophy and HOMA were assessed in 147 consecutive biopsy-proven G1 CHC patients.

Survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated by percutaneous radio-frequency ablation (RFA) is affected by complete radiological response.

Background: Radio-frequency ablation (RFA) has been employed in the treatment of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as curative treatments.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness and the safety of RFA in patients with early HCC and compensated cirrhosis.

Methods: A cohort of 151 consecutive patients with early stage HCC (122 Child-Pugh class A and 29 class B patients) treated with RFA were enrolled.

Investigating genetic diversity of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis in Italy with MLVA-16.

Despite the eradication of brucellosis from most of Europe, the disease remains relatively common in a variety of livestock in southern European countries. It is therefore surprising that with such high prevalence rates, there have been few genetic characterizations of brucellosis outbreaks in this region. We conducted a genetic assessment of 206 isolates of Brucella abortus and B.

Association of vitamin D serum levels and its common genetic determinants, with severity of liver fibrosis in genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C patients.

Lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] serum levels have been associated with the severity of liver fibrosis in genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C patients (G1CHC). In addition, a recent genome-wide study identified genetic variants (rs12785878, near dehydrocholesterol reductase, DHCR7; rs10741657, near CYP2R1; and rs7041, near vitamin D-binding protein, GC) affecting 25(OH)D serum levels in healthy populations. We aimed to assess the association between vitamin D serum levels and its genetic determinants, with the severity of liver fibrosis.

Assessment of treatment response in hepatocellular carcinoma: a review of the literature.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high incidence all over the world. Even if the primary end point of treatment of HCC is survival, radiological response could be a surrogate end point of survival, and could have a key role in clinical management. Since 1950 several radiological response criteria have been applied; however, it was not until 2000 that specific criteria for HCC were introduced by the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), and these were then standardized in 2010 with the development of the modified Response Evaluation Criteria for Solid Tumors (mRECIST) for HCC.

Cost-effectiveness of boceprevir or telaprevir for previously treated patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C.

Background & Aims: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) show that triple therapy (TT) with peginterferon alfa, ribavirin, and boceprevir (BOC) or telaprevir (TVR) is more effective than peginterferon-ribavirin dual therapy (DT) in the treatment of genotype 1 (G1) chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with previous relapse (RR), partial response (PAR), and null-response (NR). We assess the cost-effectiveness of TT compared to no therapy in the treatment of patients previously treated with G1 CHC.

Methods: The available published literature provided the data source.

Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: present and future.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a major health problem. It is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer-related death. Despite the availability of several treatment opportunities, diagnosis is still made in an advanced phase, limiting application of most therapeutic choices that currently are based on the Barcelona Clinic Cancer Liver Classification and include surgical resection, orthotopic liver transplantation and ablative methods for very early and early disease, arterial chemoembolization for intermediate stages and systemic therapy with sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Self-limiting outbreak of crayfish plague in an Austropotamobius pallipes population of a river basin in the Abruzzi region (central Italy).

Crayfish plague, caused by the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci, is a serious disease of European freshwater crayfish and has eliminated entire populations in several European countries. In September 2011, mortality was observed among the Austropotamobius pallipes population of a river basin in the Abruzzi region (central Italy), and A. astaci DNA was detected by PCR in dead crayfish.

High sCD36 plasma level is associated with steatosis and its severity in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C.

Soluble CD36 (sCD36) plasma levels, a known marker of cardiometabolic disorders, are associated with surrogate markers of steatosis, while experimental and human studies show a link between CD36 expression in the liver and steatosis. In a cohort of patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C (G1 CHC), we tested the association of sCD36 plasma levels with host and viral factors and sustained virological response (SVR). One hundred and seventy-five consecutive biopsy-proven patients were studied.

Cost-effectiveness of sorafenib treatment in field practice for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Unlabelled: The purpose was to assess the cost-effectiveness of sorafenib in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients incorporating current prices and the results of the recent published field practice SOraFenib Italian Assessment (SOFIA) study. We created a Markov Decision Model to evaluate, in a hypothetical cohort of Caucasian male patients, aged 67 years with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) C HCC, or BCLC B HCC who were unfit or failed to respond to locoregional therapies, well compensated cirrhosis, and with performance status 0-1 according to Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), the cost-effectiveness of the following strategies: (1) full or dose-adjusted sorafenib for BCLC B and C patients together; (2) full or dose-adjusted sorafenib for BCLC B patients; (3) full or dose-adjusted sorafenib for BCLC C patients. Outcomes include quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).

Diagnosis of dourine in outbreaks in Italy.

Dourine is trypanosomosis that affects equids, it's mainly sexually transmitted. The disease was first eradicated in Italy in the 1940s, but there was then a serious epidemic in the mid-70s. After sporadic reports at the end of the 1990s, in May 2011 it was reported once more.

Serum γ-glutamyl transferase levels, insulin resistance and liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases.

Background And Aims: Serum levels of γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase(γ-GT) were associated with liver disease severity and metabolic alterations, which in turn are able to affect hepatic damage. In patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C (G1CHC) and chronic hepatitis B (CHB), we assessed the link between liver fibrosis and γ-GT serum levels, and we evaluated if normal or high γ-GT serum levels affect the association between insulin resistance (IR) and severity of liver fibrosis.

Methods: 843 consecutive patients with chronic liver disease (CLD)(193 NAFLD, 481 G1CHC, 169 CHB) were evaluated by liver biopsy (Kleiner and Scheuer scores) and clinical and metabolic measurements.

Effects of IL28B rs12979860 CC genotype on metabolic profile and sustained virologic response in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C.

Background & Aims: Patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C (G1 CHC) frequently develop steatosis and insulin resistance (IR), caused by metabolic and viral factors. These accelerate the progression of liver disease and reduce the response to therapy. A sustained virologic response (SVR) to therapy in patients with G1 CHC is associated strongly with polymorphisms near the interleukin-28B (IL28B) gene, but the interaction between IL28B genotype and IR, and their combined effects on SVR, have not been defined.

Natural history of untreatable hepatocellular carcinoma: A retrospective cohort study.

Aim: To investigate the clinical course of untreatable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) identified at any stage and to identify factors associated with mortality.

Methods: From January 1999 to December 2010, 320 out of 825 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of HCC and not appropriate for curative or palliative treatments were followed and managed with supportive therapy. Cirrhosis was diagnosed by histological or clinical features and liver function was evaluated according to Child-Pugh score.

Reproductive status is associated with the severity of fibrosis in women with hepatitis C.

Introduction: Chronic hepatitis C is the main cause of death in patients with end-stage liver disease. Prognosis depends on the increase of fibrosis, whose progression is twice as rapid in men as in women. Aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of reproductive stage on fibrosis severity in women and to compare these findings with age-matched men.