Early treatment with an M1 and sigma-1 receptor agonist prevents cognitive decline in a transgenic rat model displaying Alzheimer-like amyloid pathology.

The application of the selective allosteric M1 muscarinic and sigma-1 receptor agonist, AF710B (aka ANAVEX3-71), has shown to attenuate Alzheimer's disease-like hallmarks in McGill-R-Thy1-APP transgenic rats when administered at advanced pathological stages. It remains unknown whether preventive treatment strategies applying this compound may be equally effective. We tested whether daily oral administration of AF710B (10 µg/kg) in 7-month-old, preplaque, McGill-R-Thy1-APP rats for 7 months, followed by a 4-week washout period, could prevent Alzheimer's disease-like pathological hallmarks.

Agreement between patients and physicians on scores of inflammatory bowel disease activity and burden assessed on a telemonitoring platform.

Background And Aims: Telemonitoring is increasingly used in the management of IBD patients. We investigated the agreement between patients and physicians on scores of disease activity and burden.

Methods: Consecutive outpatients at one IBD clinic were recruited between February and December 2021.

A multicenter survey on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography during the COVID-19 pandemic in northern and central Italy.

COVID-19 has dramatically impacted endoscopy practice because upper endoscopy procedures can be aerosol-generating. Most elective procedures have been rescheduled. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is frequently performed in emergency or urgent settings in which rescheduling is not possible.

Predictivity of early and late assessment for post-surgical recurrence of Crohn's disease: Data from a single-center retrospective series.

Background And Aims: Post-surgical recurrence of Crohn's disease (CD) after ileocolonic resection is common. Early identification of features associated with recurrence is a standard procedure of postoperative management, but the prognostic role of such features when detected at later time points is unclear. We compared the predictivity for Crohn's disease recurrence of common clinical-instrumental variables when assessed early (<12 months) or late (>36 months) after surgery.

In vitro characterization of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) production by dendritic cells and macrophages during Streptococcus suis infection.

Streptococcus suis serotype 2 is an important porcine bacterial pathogen and emerging zoonotic agent. Infections induce an exacerbated inflammation that can result in sudden death (septic shock) and meningitis. Though neutrophilic leukocytosis characterizes S.

Recognition of Lipoproteins by Toll-like Receptor 2 and DNA by the AIM2 Inflammasome Is Responsible for Production of Interleukin-1β by Virulent Suilysin-negative Serotype 2.

serotype 2 is an important porcine bacterial pathogen and zoonotic agent causing sudden death, septic shock and meningitis. These pathologies are the consequence of an exacerbated inflammatory response composed of various mediators including interleukin (IL)-1β. Elevated levels of the toxin suilysin (SLY) were demonstrated to play a key role in -induced IL-1β production.

Switching from infliximab originator to a first biosimilar is safe and effective. Results of a case-control study with drug levels and antibodies evaluation.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease is treated with anti-TNF agents such as infliximab and its biosimilars, but use of biosimilars is limited due to perceived risks of adverse events.

Aim: To explore safety and effectiveness of switching from the infliximab originator to a first biosimilar.

Patients And Methods: Clinical and biological outcomes were compared between 53 patients who switched from the infliximab originator to the biosimilar CT-P13 (Switched group) and 13 patients treated with CT-P13 from the beginning (Naïve group).

Interleukin-1 signaling induced by Streptococcus suis serotype 2 is strain-dependent and contributes to bacterial clearance and inflammation during systemic disease in a mouse model of infection.

Streptococcus suis serotype 2 is an important porcine pathogen and zoonotic agent causing sudden death, septic shock and meningitis, with exacerbated inflammation being a hallmark of the infection. A rapid, effective and balanced innate immune response against S. suis is critical to control bacterial growth without causing excessive inflammation.

Cytomegalovirus myocarditis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) successfully treated with ganciclovir.

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium. Viruses, such as enterovirus, adenovirus, parvovirus B19, HHV6 or cytomegalovirus (CMV) and autoimmune diseases are recognized causes of myocarditis. We describe the clinical case of a young Indian woman with SLE and a concomitant acute CMV related myocarditis with favourable outcome after ganciclovir therapy.

Management of Helicobacter pylori in Piedmont, Italy.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a Gram-negative bacterium, usually acquired during childhood, whose natural habitat is the gastric lumen. H.

Clinical relevance and inter-test reliability of anti-infliximab antibodies and infliximab trough levels in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Treatment with infliximab is a common option for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Therapeutic drug monitoring could improve treatment management.

Aims: To test inter-test reliability of two commercially available diagnostic kits for infliximab trough levels and infliximab antibodies, and their association with treatment outcomes.

Renal response to L-arginine in diabetic rats. A possible link between nitric oxide system and aquaporin-2.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether L-Arginine (L-Arg) supplementation modifies nitric oxide (NO) system and consequently aquaporin-2 (AQP2) expression in the renal outer medulla of streptozotocin-diabetic rats at an early time point after induction of diabetes. Male Wistar rats were divided in four groups: Control, Diabetic, Diabetic treated with L-Arginine and Control treated with L-Arginine. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was estimated by [14C] L-citrulline production in homogenates of the renal outer medulla and by NADPH-diaphorase staining in renal outer medullary tubules.

Infliximab three-dose induction regimen in severe corticosteroid-refractory ulcerative colitis: early and late outcome and predictors of colectomy.

Background: Infliximab is effective as rescue therapy in severe corticosteroid-refractory ulcerative colitis. The optimal dose regimen and the long term benefits are not well defined. The aim of the present study was to evaluate short- and long-term colectomy rate in a cohort of patients with severe corticosteroid-refractory ulcerative colitis who received a three-dose infliximab induction regimen.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in brain cortex mitochondria of STZ-diabetic rats: effect of l-Arginine.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in many diseases, including diabetes. It is well known that oxygen free radical species are produced endogenously by mitochondria, and also nitric oxide (NO) by nitric oxide synthases (NOS) associated to mitochondrial membranes, in consequence these organelles constitute main targets for oxidative damage. The aim of this study was to analyze mitochondrial physiology and NO production in brain cortex mitochondria of streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats in an early stage of diabetes and the potential effect of L-arginine administration.

Oxidant/antioxidant status in patients with chronic HIV infection.

The infection caused by HIV leads to an activation of the immune system, which involves local and systemic oxidative stress. In HIV-positive (HIV+) patients, oxidative damage is the result of HIV infection and its progression through the replication of the virus. We have examined 52 subjects: 26 HIV+ patients, and 26 healthy subjects (NC).

Study of bone metabolism in patients with chronic HIV infection.

Aims: Various studies have confirmed the high incidence of skeletal homeostasis modifications in subjects who are carriers of chronic HIV infections, and specific pharmacological treatments, which modify the metabolism and condition both the weight loss and the reshaping of the bones. The presence of a reduction in body mass index seems to contribute to the progressive deterioration of the skeletal framework. The aim of this study was to see whether the presence of HIV-seropositivity could constitute a risk factor for the development of osteoporosis/osteopenia, even in the light of the fact that our group was composed of patients with a concentrated age span well under the limit for both post-menopausal and senile osteoporosis, and with a median age superimposable for both sexes.

Prospective study of the effects of concomitant medications on thiopurine metabolism in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Thiopurines are increasingly used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), being the most common immunosuppressive therapy; however, potentially harmful interactions between thiopurines and other drugs (especially 5-aminosalicylic acid, 5-ASA) were described.

Aim: To explore potential interactions between thiopurines and concomitant medications.

Methods: A total of 183 consecutive IBD patients were enrolled.

Abdominal bowel ultrasound can predict the risk of surgery in Crohn's disease: proposal of an ultrasonographic score.

Objective: Abdominal bowel ultrasound (US) is widely used in the management of Crohn's disease (CD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic role of bowel-wall US morphology on the short-term risk of surgery.

Material And Methods: The 147 CD patients recruited in a case-control study comprised 49 cases operated on within 30 days after US examination and 98 matched non-operated controls.

The role of endoscopic assessment in ulcerative colitis in the era of infliximab.

Endoscopic evaluation of mucosal appearance is important for the clinical management of ulcerative colitis patients, as it offers valuable prognostic tools and data useful to change the management and treatment strategies. In the field of severe ulcerative colitis, partial endoscopy and bioptic sampling allows to obtain additional and relevant prognostic information: if severe endoscopic lesions are present, response to standard treatment is less likely, and if CMV superinfection is detected, anti-viral treatment should be added to conventional treatments. When clinical remission is obtained with conventional treatments, distal colonoscopy may add valuable data: the occurrence of complete endoscopic healing is a major predictor of long-term remission with no clinical activity.

[Endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for pancreatic lesions: effectiveness in clinical practice].

Unlabelled: Endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) was shown to be a highly reliable and a very effective diagnostic technique, both based on data from clinical trials and from large clinical practice studies. EUS-FNA results are reported to be in good-to-very good agreement with the final diagnosis, and the agreement significantly exceeded the chance agreement. The overall sensitivity and specificity of EUS and of EUS-FNA are very good.

Endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for pancreatic lesions: effectiveness in clinical practice.

Background: Diagnosis of pancreatic masses is often difficult. Endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle aspiration has been proposed as the best single-step strategy.

Aims: To prospectively evaluate feasibility, effectiveness and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle aspiration of pancreatic masses in a consecutive study of unselected patients.

Infliximab and the risk of latent viruses reactivation in active Crohn's disease.

Background: Infliximab is used for refractory Crohn's disease but there are concerns regarding long-term safety. Recently, JC-polyomavirus (JCV) was studied after 3 cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) were found after treatment with natalizumab. The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term effect of infliximab on reactivation of several harmful latent viruses.