Noninvasive ratio indexes to evaluate fibrosis staging in chronic hepatitis C: role of platelet count/spleen diameter ratio index.

Objectives: Noninvasive evaluation of fibrosis is an on-going effort in the management of chronic hepatitis C. This study was planned to noninvasively evaluate fibrosis staging.

Design: We evaluated the biochemical, functional [aminopyrine breath test (ABT)] and ultrasonographic variables of 75 chronic hepatitis C patients.

Lack of effect of dietary nucleotide supplementation on erythrocyte 2,3-diphosphoglycerate concentration. A study on preterm neonates.

Background: Recently we demonstrated an increased 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) erythrocyte concentration in rat pups subjected to nucleotide-enriched artificial feeding.

Design: The present study was carried out to test the hypothesis that a possible increase in 2,3-DPG concentration can also be obtained in human neonates who are fed nucleotide-enriched formula. Preterm neonates born or referred to the neonatal intensive care unit of the G.

Ultrasound imaging of the female perineum: the effect of vaginal delivery on pelvic floor dynamics.

Objective: To assess the use of perineal ultrasound in the evaluation of the influence of vaginal delivery on urethral mobility and on the contraction strength of the levator ani muscles.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study of 70 nulliparous women. Each woman underwent perineal ultrasound assessment at 36-38 weeks' gestation and at 1 week and 3 months following delivery.

Transvaginal sonohysterographic evaluation of uterine malformations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic value and the usefulness of sonohysterography (SHG) in the detection of uterine anomalies, compared with other diagnostic methods.

Study Design: From January 2002 to December 2003, we collected 54 patients with a history of primary or secondary infertility or repeated spontaneous abortion and with a clinically or sonographically suspected abnormal uterus. All patients had previously undergone hysterosalpingography (ISG).

Perineal ultrasound evaluation of the urethrovesical junction angle and urethral mobility in nulliparous women and women following vaginal delivery.

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the differences in the urethrovesical junction angle and urethral mobility by means of perineal ultrasounds in women following vaginal delivery with respect to nulliparous women. We have enrolled 34 women, 12 nulliparous (Group A) and 22 women in the post-partum period (Group B). The ultrasounds were employed to measure the urethrovesical junction angle ("urethro-pelvic" angle) and the urethral mobility.

Vaginal versus transabdominal hysterectomy: is mode of hysterectomy to influence pelvic statics or is pelvic statics to influence mode of hysterectomy?

Background: To check the hypothesis that the mobility of the urethrovesical junction in the preoperative phase is different in women that will undergo either vaginal, abdominal, or laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy.

Methods: Eighty-seven consecutive hysterectomies, carried out between January 1999 and December 2001 in our Department, were retrospectively considered. The type of surgical procedure as well as the approach was decided by the surgeon, according to personal experience.

Colour blindness in everyday life and car driving.

Purpose: The aim of the present work was to ascertain, through the administration of a psychosocial questionnaire, the difficulties that subjects with defective colour vision experience in carrying out everyday tasks and work, including driving a car with a driver's licence held for no more than 3 years.

Methods: Subjects with defective colour vision (n = 151) and subjects with normal vision (n = 302) completed a psychosocial questionnaire regarding the difficulties associated with congenital colour vision deficiency in daily life, work and driving a car. Subjects were diagnosed as colour-blind using the Ishihara test.

Modifications of immunological and neuro-endocrine parameters induced by antiorthostatic bed-rest in human healthy volunteers.

Aim: Space flight has profound effects on immunological and neuroendocrine parameters. Microgravity plays a major role in the induction of these changes. The aim of the present study was the evaluation on ground of the effects induced by antigravitary posture on immune and neuroendocrine functions.

Previous hepatitis B virus infection is associated with worse disease stage and occult hepatitis B virus infection has low prevalence and pathogenicity in hepatitis C virus-positive patients.

Background: Anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) frequently show markers of previous hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Moreover, they may carry occult HBV infection. These features might influence clinical and biochemical features as well as stage of disease.

A human placental polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) may promote the growth of human corneal fibroblasts and iris pigment epithelial cells in primary culture.

The optimal concentration of a human placental polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) preparation (100 microg/ml) enhances the growth of human corneal fibroblasts in primary culture depending upon the donor age. In particular, this effect is very consistently reproducible with donors over 60 years of age (p = 0.0028), suggesting a selective benefit of PDRN in the tissue culture of senescent cells.

Colour blindness in Italian art high school students.

To highlight the link between colour blindness and school achievement, the Ishihara and Farnsworth tests were administered to 3,565 high school art students (2,545 girls and 1,020 boys). Analysis showed colour defective students were discriminated against in theoretical subject matter, relative to orthochromate students, but not in the art-related subjects. This emphasizes the need to recognize youth with colour defective vision early.

Grading of laboratories on CD4+ T-lymphocyte evaluations based on acceptable data boundaries defined by the measurement error.

Background: We addressed the definition of limits of error of %CD4+ and CD4+ counts (AbsCD4+) typical of laboratories of excellence, as well as the grading of laboratories based on the decision to take these limits as boundaries of unacceptable data.

Methods: We studied the 99.9% confidence intervals of the means of 24 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)+ and HIV- blood samples analyzed by 18 laboratories of the Liguria Region Quality Assessment Program (Liguria Region QALI).

Reference values for fetal limb biometry at 10-14 weeks of gestation.

Objectives: To calculate reference ranges for fetal limb measurements obtained by transabdominal ultrasound at 10-14 weeks of gestation.

Methods: Six hundred and six normal fetuses were examined transabdominally in a cross-sectional study by a single observer. The crown-rump length of the fetuses ranged from 31 to 78 mm.

Combined oral therapy with sildenafil and doxazosin for the treatment of non-organic erectile dysfunction refractory to sildenafil monotherapy.

The purpose of this work was to investigate the efficacy and safety of sildenafil in combination with doxazosin for the treatment of non-organic erectile dysfunction in patients who did not respond to sildenafil. We enrolled 28 patients with non-organic erectile dysfunction, for whom 3 months of sildenafil monotherapy had failed. They were divided in two random and homogeneous groups: 14 were treated with doxazosin (4 mg daily) and sildenafil (100 mg 1 h before sexual intercourse); the other 14 patients received sildenafil and placebo.

Liver iron accumulation in chronic hepatitis C patients without HFE mutations: relationships with histological damage, viral load and genotype and alpha-glutathione S-transferase levels.

Background: Host and viral factors have been suggested as possible causative factors for the presence of liver iron accumulation in chronic hepatitis C. However, there is no agreement regarding the influence of liver iron accumulation on the biochemical and histological severity of chronic hepatitis C. Moreover, data concerning the relationships between both viral load and genotype and liver iron accumulation are scanty.

Maternal dietary PUFAs intake and human milk content relationships during the first month of lactation.

Maternal dietary fatty acids (FFAs) intake and corresponding human milk composition relationships have been assessed throughout the first month of lactation in 34 lactating women consecutively enrolled. All mothers were on their habitual diet. Food records (95 items) were administered to the mothers, six-times during the first month of lactation (1 day after delivery, 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after colostrum appearance) and referred to maternal dietary intake of the day before.

[2,3 diphosphoglycerate in preterm newborns].

Background: It has been largely shown that during the first month of life, in the preterm neonate Hb levels and Hct percentages rapidly decrease, high HbF concentration persists and a high oxygen affinity occurs. Data are needed to establish the level at which 2,3 dyphosphoglycerate (2,3 DPG) interacts with the regulation of oxygen affinity.

Subjects And Methods: 24 samples, from eight uncomplicated preterm newborns (34.

Serum pro-collagen III peptide levels are related to lobular necrosis in untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Objective: Liver biopsy is mandatory for correctly grading and staging chronic hepatitis activity. Nevertheless, serum markers of fibrogenesis may be useful to help us understand the mechanisms of the fibrogenic process, to follow-up patients, and to establish the efficacy of therapy. In this study, our aim was to identify the relationships between pro-collagen III peptide (PIIIP) serum levels and detailed liver histology in a group of untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC).

Can the MEGX test and serum bile acids improve the prognostic ability of Child-Pugh's score in liver cirrhosis?

Background: Liver transplantation is nowadays the therapeutic option for end-stage liver disease. Correct disease staging is the main step towards improving the timing of listing for liver transplantation so as to avoid premature or late entry. The need for correct prognostic evaluation is due to the limited number of donors and to the increasing number of patients awaiting transplantation.

Chronic liver disease related to hepatitis C virus: age of patients seems to be a determinant of severity independently of viral genotype.

Background: Hepatitis C virus infection accounts for varying severity of chronic liver disease. Clinical manifestations of infection have been related to different virus genotypes, with conflicting results.

Design: We performed a cross-sectional study on a Northern-Italian group of patients with chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma related to hepatitis C virus infection in order to verify the association of different viral strains and the outcomes of viral disease.

Leptin has no role in determining severity of steatosis and fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Objective: The presence of steatosis is a common histological finding in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). The causes of the severity of this condition are not yet clear, although both metabolic and viral factors supposedly are involved. In this study our aim was to examine the possible influence that leptin levels, hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels, and hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection have on the severity of steatosis and on the presence and degree of fibrosis in patients with CHC.

Influence of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy on 13C aminopyrine breath test: comparison among omeprazole-, lansoprazole-, or pantoprazole-containing regimens.

Objective: Proton pump inhibitors and antimicrobial agents are widely used to eradicate Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. In the general population the prevalence of infection and of polypharmacy increases the possibility of drug-drug interactions during H.

Cholestasis is the main determinant of abnormal CA 19-9 levels in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Background/aims: Altered CA19-9 levels are commonly found in patients with liver cirrhosis though a clear explanation for this finding has not yet been given. The aim of this study was to investigate whether CA19-9 levels might be related to alterations in biochemical parameters and/or to functional impairment in cirrhotic patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: We studied 126 patients with liver cirrhosis, 60 of whom also had hepatocellular carcinoma.

Utility of alpha-glutathione S-transferase assessment in chronic hepatitis C patients with near normal alanine aminotransferase levels.

Objectives: To study whether determining alpha-glutathione S-transferase (alpha-GST) might improve the assessment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with near normal alanine aminotransferase levels (NNA).

Design And Methods: We studied 119 viraemic CHC patients. They were subdivided into two groups according to the pattern of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) alteration, i.

Absence of hemispheric dominance for mental rotation ability: a transcranial Doppler study.

Mean blood flow velocity (MFV) of the middle cerebral arteries was monitored in 19 healthy, adult, right-handed subjects during the resting phase and the execution of a series of neuropsychological tests: two right/left discrimination tasks, two mental rotation paradigms (the Ratcliff's test and a cube comparison test) and a phonemic fluency task, which was utilised as an internal control. In the group as a whole, the Ratcliff's test was associated with a significant bilateral increase in MFV versus both the resting state (right: p < .000001, left: p < .