An Innovative Approach to Designing Digital Health Solutions Addressing the Unmet Needs of Obese Patients in Europe.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the worldwide obesity rate has tripled since 1975. In Europe, more than half of the population is overweight and obese. Around 2.

Potential impact of a nonavalent HPV vaccine on HPV related low-and high-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions: A referral hospital-based study in Sicily.

While bivalent and quadrivalent HPV vaccines have been used for about 10 years, a nonavalent vaccine against HPV types 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52 and 58 has been recently approved by FDA and EMA and is now commercially available. The objective of our study was to evaluate the potential impact of the nonavalent vaccine on HPV infection and related low- and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL, HSIL), compared to the impact of the quadrivalent vaccine, in a female population living in Sicily (Italy). Low estimates of HPV vaccine impact were calculated as prevalence of HPV 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52 and 58 genotypes, alone or in association, but excluding presence of other HPV types; high estimates were calculated as prevalence of HPV 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52 and 58 genotypes alone or in association, in the presence of other HPV types.

Facilitators and barriers HPV unvaccinated girls after 5 years of program implementation.

Understanding perceptions and characteristics of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinated and non-vaccinated girls can inform communication activities and vaccine delivery strategies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate knowledge and factors associated with HPV unvaccinated girls after five years of vaccination program implementation in Sicily, an Italian region with low vaccination coverage (<50.0%).

Geographical distribution and risk association of human papillomavirus genotype 52-variant lineages.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype 52 is commonly found in Asian cases of cervical cancer but is rare elsewhere. Analysis of 611 isolates collected worldwide revealed a remarkable geographical distribution, with lineage B predominating in Asia (89.0% vs 0%-5.

Geographical distribution and oncogenic risk association of human papillomavirus type 58 E6 and E7 sequence variations.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) 58 accounts for a notable proportion of cervical cancers in East Asia and parts of Latin America, but it is uncommon elsewhere. The reason for such ethnogeographical predilection is unknown. In our study, nucleotide sequences of E6 and E7 genes of 401 HPV58 isolates collected from 15 countries/cities across four continents were examined.

Laboratory and clinical aspects of human papillomavirus testing.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is associated with a wide spectrum of disease that ranges from self-limited skin warts to life-threatening cancers. Since HPV plays a necessary etiological role in cervical cancer, it is logical to use HPV as a marker for early detection of cervical cancer and precancer. Recent advances in technology enable the development of high-throughput HPV assays of different formats, including DNA-based, mRNA-based, high-risk group-specific and type-specific methods.

Identification of human papillomavirus type 58 lineages and the distribution worldwide.

Background: Human papillomavirus type 58 (HPV-58) accounts for a much higher proportion of cervical cancers in East Asia than other types. A classification system of HPV-58, which is essential for molecular epidemiological study, is lacking.

Methods And Results: This study analyzed the sequences of 401 isolates collected from 15 countries and cities.

Oral human papillomavirus infection in women with cervical HPV infection: new data from an Italian cohort and a metanalysis of the literature.

A key issue in oral HPV infection is whether it can be associated with a genital HPV infection, or whether it can be considered as an independent event. This analysis evaluated the frequency and type-concordance of oral HPV infection in women with cervical HPV infection by means of: (i) a cross-sectional study on a sample (n=98) of Italian women; and (ii) a literature-based metanalysis, including the experimental study the subject of this Paper and nine other published studies (n=1017), which also examined the influence of oral sampling procedure (oral brushing vs oral rinse) and HIV status on oral HPV detection. The prevalence of oral HPV infection in the Italian study was 14.

Human papillomavirus infection in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures: impact on reproductive outcomes.

A prospective study was performed to assess the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in 199 infertile couples and outcome of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). A highly statistically significant correlation between pregnancy loss rate (proportion of pregnancies detected by β-hCG that did not progress beyond 20 weeks) and positive HPV DNA testing in the male partner of infertile couples, compared with HPV negatives, was observed (66.7% vs.

Low rate of oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in women screened for cervical HPV infection in Southern Italy: A cross-sectional study of 140 immunocompetent subjects.

Even though the natural history of cervical and oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been investigated intensely, the possibility that HPV may infect both sites in the same subject is not well documented. This study investigated the frequency of concurrent oral and cervical HPV infection in southern Italian women, in the light of some selected socio-behavioral variables. One hundred forty women (mean age: 36 years), with known cervical HPV status, were analyzed for oral HPV.

Prevalence of cervical human papillomavirus infection and types among women immigrated to Sicily, Italy.

We determined the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) cervical infection and HPV genotypes among 115 women immigrating to Sicily (Italy), with regard to abnormal cytology and socio-behavioral characteristics in a cross-sectional, observational study. Information was collected with the help of cultural mediators/translators. HPV-DNA was assayed by the INNOLiPA HPV assay and a nested PCR/sequencing method.

Controversies surrounding human papilloma virus infection, head & neck vs oral cancer, implications for prophylaxis and treatment.

Head & Neck Cancer (HNC) represents the sixth most common malignancy worldwide and it is historically linked to well-known behavioural risk factors, i.e., tobacco smoking and/or the alcohol consumption.

Prevalence of genital human papilloma virus infection and genotypes among young women in Sicily, South Italy.

Infection with oncogenic human papilloma virus (HPV) types is a necessary cause of cervical cancer. This study assessed the prevalence of HPV infection and genotypes among 1,006 randomly selected women, ages 18 to 24 years, living in Sicily (south Italy). The overall HPV rate was 24.

HPV genotype prevalence in cytologically abnormal cervical samples from women living in south Italy.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the commonest sexually transmitted infection, and high-risk HPV types are associated with cervical carcinogenesis. This study investigated: the HPV type-specific prevalence in 970 women with an abnormal cytological diagnosis; and the association of HPV infection and cervical disease in a subset of 626 women with a histological diagnosis. HPV-DNA was researched by nested PCR/sequencing and the INNOLiPA HPV Genotyping assay.

HPV group- and type-specific concordance in HPV infected sexual couples.

The concordance of human papillomavirus (HPV) groups and types was evaluated in 45 sexual couples with both partners HPV infected, by analyzing cervical samples from women and three genital sites (penile brushing, urethral brushing, and semen) from men. When grouping HPV types, no significant HPV group sharing was found between partners, either considering samples from any male site (concordance: 55.5%; P = 0.

Penile, urethral, and seminal sampling for diagnosis of human papillomavirus infection in men.

Methods that used specimens from three genital sites (penile brushing [PB], urethral brushing [UB], and the retrieval of semen [SE]) from 50 men were examined for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA detection. The rates of detection by PB, UB, SE, PB and UB, and PB and SE were 88.9%, 50.

Brushing of oral mucosa for diagnosis of HPV infection in patients with potentially malignant and malignant oral lesions.

Introduction: Adequate brushing of oral mucosa is important for accurate human papillomavirus (HPV) detection in potentially malignant (oral leukoplakia [OL], oral lichen planus [OLP]) and malignant (oral squamous cell carcinoma [OSCC]) lesions. Since various factors may limit the adequacy of oral brushing and, consequently, the accuracy of HPV detection, modified sampling procedures should be evaluated for their effect on HPV frequency and/or types detected.

Aim: To compare the HPV frequency in samples obtained by brushing the lesion site with the frequency in samples obtained by brushing an apparently normal adjacent site.

Use of fuzzy neural networks in modeling relationships of HPV infection with apoptotic and proliferation markers in potentially malignant oral lesions.

To evaluate in oral leukoplakia the relationship between HPV infection and markers of apoptosis (bcl-2, survivin) and proliferation (PCNA), also conditionally to age, gender, smoking and drinking habits of patients, by means of Fuzzy neural networks (FNN) system 21 cases of oral leukopakia, clinically and histologically diagnosed, were examined for HPV DNA presence, bcl-2, survivin and PCNA expression. HPV DNA was investigated in exfoliated oral mucosa cells by nested PCR (nPCR: MY09-MY11/GP5-GP6), and the HPV genotype determined by direct DNA sequencing. All markers were investigated by means of standardised immunohistochemistry procedure.

Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance-favour reactive compared to atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance-favour dysplasia: association with cervical intraepithelial lesions and human papillomavirus infection.

Background And Objectives: The current study compared the cervical cytological sub-category "atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance-favour reactive (AFR)", recently recommended to be eliminated by the Bethesda system, to the sub-category "atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance-favour dysplasia (ASC-US)", in terms of prevalence of coexistent squamous intraepithelial lesions of either low-grade (LSIL) or high-grade (HSIL) and rate of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

Study Design: One hundred women with AFR and 100 with ASC-US were consecutively included in the study. All patients underwent colposcopy, followed by biopsy when necessary, and were screened for HPV infection by the combined use of Hybrid Capture II (DIGENE) and PCR with MY09/11 primers, the latter followed by direct sequencing of the amplifications products for HPV genotyping.

Expression of cell cycle markers and human papillomavirus infection in oral squamous cell carcinoma: use of fuzzy neural networks.

Our aim was to evaluate in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) the relationship between some cell cycle markers and HPV infection, conditionally to age, gender and certain habits of patients, and to assess the ability of fuzzy neural networks (FNNs) in building up an adequate predictive model based on logic inference rules. Eighteen cases of OSCC were examined by immunohistochemistry for MIB-1, PCNA and survivin expression; presence of HPV DNA was investigated in exfoliated oral mucosa cells by nested PCR (nPCR, MY09-MY11/GP5-GP6), and HPV genotype was determined by direct DNA sequencing. Data were analyzed by traditional statistics (TS) and FNNs.

HPV DNA in clinically different variants of oral leukoplakia and lichen planus.

Objectives: Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in oral leukoplakia (OL) and oral lichen planus (OLP) in comparison with that in healthy oral mucosa, also conditionally to age, gender, smoking, and drinking habits of patients, so as to investigate any possible association of HPV infection with a specific clinical variant of OL or OLP.

Study Design: We did research on HPV DNA in 68 cases of OL (homogeneous form [H] in 45 cases and nonhomogeneous form [non-H] in 23 cases), and in 71 cases of OLP (nonatrophic/erosive form [non-AE] in 27 cases, atrophic/erosive form [AE] in 44 cases). HPV DNA was investigated in exfoliated oral mucosa cells by nested PCR (nPCR: MY09-MY11/GP5-GP6) and the HPV genotype determined by direct DNA sequencing.

Detection of human papillomavirus DNA in cervical samples: analysis of the new PGMY-PCR compared to the hybrid capture II and MY-PCR assays and a two-step nested PCR assay.

The PGMY-PCR for human papillomavirus (HPV) was evaluated, in parallel with nested PCR (nPCR), in samples with noted Hybrid Capture II (HCII) and MY-PCR results. PGMY-PCR detected HPV DNA in 2.5% of HCII-negative-MY-PCR-negative samples and in 71.