Comparative Study of Salivary, Duodenal, and Fecal Microbiota Composition Across Adult Celiac Disease.

Background: Growing evidence suggests that an altered microbiota composition contributes to the pathogenesis and clinical features in celiac disease (CD). We performed a comparative analysis of the gut microbiota in adulthood CD to evaluate whether: (i) dysbiosis anticipates mucosal lesions, (ii) gluten-free diet restores eubiosis, (iii) refractory CD has a peculiar microbial signature, and (iv) salivary and fecal communities overlap the mucosal one.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study where a total of 52 CD patients, including 13 active CD, 29 treated CD, 4 refractory CD, and 6 potential CD, were enrolled in a tertiary center together with 31 controls.

Clinical monitoring of safety and functionality of a non-medicated patch for pain alleviation associated to dysmenorrhea.

FIT® Lady patch is an easy-to-use class I medical device, developed to relieve pain associate to menstrual period, without pharmacological substances. The patch is based on far infrared (FIR) electromagnetic waves reflection properties that normally are emitted from the body, as a consequence of body heat dispersion between the difference of cutaneous body and ambient temperature. Consequently, infrared (IR) waves are reflected and resorbed at cutaneous level and thermal energy again locally introduced leads to a better microcirculation.

Validation of cleaning procedures used in an Italian Hospital Pharmacy for antineoplastic drug decontamination: a new tool for industrial hygiene.

Background: Current Italian regulations and procedures for surface decontamination of antineoplastic drugs (ADs) are not clear. Therefore, most hospital pharmacies follow internal procedures as an interpretation of the recommended handling guidelines.

Objectives: Our study compared 7 different cleaning procedures after controlled contamination of the work surface of a biological safety cabinet workbench in an Italian hospital oncology pharmacy (HOP) to determine which of them is more efficient and practical.

Evaluation of safety and skin tolerability of organic cotton pads in case of irritative vulvitis.

Background: The woman vaginal environment is a fragile and delicate ecosystem that is often impaired by physical and chemical agents. This condition tends to damage skin barrier causing allergic reactions that lead to chronic irritating conditions.

Methods: Clinical and in-vitro studies were performed on organic cotton pads in order to assess if their use can prevent the onset of irritant conditions.

A new, sensitive and versatile assay for quantitative determination of α-fluoro-β-alanine (AFBA) in human urine by using the reversed-phase ultrahigh performance-tandem mass spectrometry (rp-UHPLC-MS/MS) system.

A method for the quantitation of α-fluoro-β-alanine (AFBA), the main metabolite of capecitabine (Cape) and 5-fluoruracil (5-FU), is described. Among antineoplastic drugs (ADs), 5-FU and Cape (the new oral prodrug) are the most commonly applied drugs in cancer therapy. The main objective of this study was to develop a reliable method that would be easy to run on a reversed-phase UHPLC system coupled to tandem mass spectrometry.

Myofibrillar protein overdegradation in overweight patients with chronic heart failure: the relationship to serum potassium levels.

Objectives: Muscle release of the amino acid 3-methyl-histidine (3MH) is a sensitive index of myofibrillar protein overdegradation (MPO). We hypothesized that patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) could have increased muscle release of 3MH, which in turn reflects MPO, and that serum electrolyte sodium (Na(+)) and potassium (K(+)) levels may be associated with this 3MH muscle release.

Methods: Thirty-one overweight outpatients (body mass index, 27 ± 4.

Lung anabolic activity in patients with chronic heart failure: potential implications for clinical practice.

Objective: The proteins in the lungs are in constant flux, undergoing degradation and resynthesis. We investigated pulmonary protein and amino acid metabolism, the biochemical basis of the remodeling process, in individuals with chronic heart failure receiving or not receiving β-blocker therapy with bisoprolol (BIS).

Methods: Clinically stable rehabilitative patients with chronic heart failure, without metabolic diseases or liver/renal failure, and with a stable weight over the preceding 3 mo underwent right heart catheterization, and radial artery cannulation.

Preserved muscle protein metabolism in obese patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: We hypothesized that obese chronic heart failure (CHF) patients, who are known to have less cardiac dysfunction, could show preserved muscle protein balance. The aim of this study was to relate muscle protein balance and cardiac function to body mass index (BMI) in order to provide further insight to the obesity paradox in CHF patients.

Methods: Thirty stable CHF patients were categorized by BMI (n=6, normal; n=14, overweight; n=10, obese) and underwent post-absorptive: (i) right heart catheterization to determine cardiac hemodynamics and (ii) arterial and venous blood sampling to measure arterial and venous levels of essential amino acids (EAAs) and to calculate arterovenous differences (positive = uptake; negative = release).

Spontaneous neurocognitive retrieval of patients with sub-acute ischemic stroke is associated with dietary protein intake.

Objective: To document the relationship between neurocognitive recovery and macronutrient intake of patients suffering from ischemic strokes.

Design: Thirty day prospective study of 17 patients suffering from sub-acute stroke (> 14 days from the index event; 10 males, 7 females; mean age 75 +/- 8 years) admitted to our rehabilitation unit.

Results: At admission (ADM), mean energy intake was inadequate (< 24 kcal/kg) for bodily needs, whereas protein (> 0.

Normalization of zinc intake enhances neurological retrieval of patients suffering from ischemic strokes.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to investigate whether zinc (Zn2+) supplementation could contribute to neurological retrieval of patients suffering from strokes and low Zn2+ intake.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-six patients with subacute stroke, having adequate daily energy (> or = 24 kcal/kg/day) and protein (> or = 0.8 g/kg/day) intake (EPI) and Zn2+ ingestion lower than two-thirds of the recommended allowance of 10 mg/day, were randomly allocated either to a control group (n = 13) or Zn2+ group (n = 13) where Zn2+ supplementation consisted of 10 mg Zn2+/day.

Adequate energy-protein intake is not enough to improve nutritional and metabolic status in muscle-depleted patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: An adequate energy-protein intake (EPI) when combined with amino acid supplementation may have a positive impact on nutritional and metabolic status in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods And Results: Thirty eight stable CHF patients (27 males, 73.5+/-4 years; BMI 22.

Effect of calorie-protein supplementation on the cognitive recovery of patients with subacute stroke.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to investigate whether protein-calorie supplementation may enhance the cognitive retrieval of patients with stroke.

Patients And Methods: A randomized, double-blind, controlled pilot clinical trial was performed comparing diet and diet plus protein-calorie supplementation regimens. The subjects were 48 patients with subacute stroke (>or14 days from index event).

Branched-chain amino acids may improve recovery from a vegetative or minimally conscious state in patients with traumatic brain injury: a pilot study.

Objective: To investigate whether supplementation with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) may improve recovery of patients with a posttraumatic vegetative or minimally conscious state.

Design: Patients were randomly assigned to 15 days of intravenous BCAA supplementation (n=22; 19.6g/d) or an isonitrogenous placebo (n=19).

[Metabolic frailty in malnourished heart failure patients].

Unlabelled: Muscular wasting (MW) and cardiac cachexia (CC) are often present in patients with chronic heart failure (HF).

Aim: To identify whether MW and CC are due to malnutrition or impairment of protein metabolism in HF patients.

Material And Method: In 78 clinically stable HF patients (NYHA class II-III), aged from 32 to 89 years, we measured anthropometrical parameters and nutritional habits.

School teachers can effectively manage primary prevention of adult cardiovascular disease. The Stradella Project.

Objective: To determine whether school teachers educated about Primary Prevention of Adult Cardiovascular Disease (PPCVD) could help their students improve their blood lipid profile.

Method: Five teachers voluntarily received training about PP-CVD. Thirteen classes of a single high school in Stradella (north Italy) were randomized to receive a 2-month course on PP-CVD (PP-classes; 150 pupils) by their teachers or to a control group (control classes; 130 pupils) during 2004.

Sera of patients with celiac disease and neurologic disorders evoke a mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis in vitro.

Background & Aims: The mechanisms underlying neurologic impairment in celiac disease remain unknown. We tested whether antineuronal antibody-positive sera of patients with celiac disease evoke neurodegeneration via apoptosis in vitro.

Methods: SH-Sy5Y cells were exposed to crude sera, isolated immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgG-depleted sera of patients with and without celiac disease with and without neurologic disorders, and antineuronal antibodies.

Branched-chain amino acids enhance the cognitive recovery of patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To investigate whether supplementation with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) improves recovery of cognition and influences plasma concentrations of tyrosine and tryptophan, which are precursors of, respectively, catecholamine and serotonin neurotransmitters in the brain.

Design: Forty patients with TBI were randomly assigned to 15 days of intravenous BCAA supplementation (19.6g/d) (n=20) or an isonitrogenous placebo (n=20).

Plasma precursors of brain catecholaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmitters in rehabilitation patients with ischemic stroke.

Objective: To determine levels of plasma amino acid tyrosine and tryptophan, precursors of brain catecholamine and serotonin neurotransmitters, respectively, in rehabilitative patients with ischemic stroke.

Design: Controlled, pre-post analysis, consecutive sample.

Setting: Rehabilitation center.

Clenbuterol antagonizes glucocorticoid-induced atrophy and fibre type transformation in mice.

Beta-agonists and glucocorticoids are frequently coprescribed for chronic asthma treatment. In this study the effects of 4 week treatment with beta-agonist clenbuterol (CL) and glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) on respiratory (diaphragm and parasternal) and limb (soleus and tibialis) muscles of the mouse were studied. Myosin heavy chain (MHC) distribution, fibres cross sectional area (CSA), glycolytic (phosphofructokinase, PFK; lactate dehydrogenase, LDH) and oxidative enzyme (citrate synthase, CS; cytochrome oxidase, COX) activities were determined.

Inadequate nutritional intake for daily life activity of clinically stable patients with chronic heart failure.

We investigated the nutritional adequacy and energy availability in 57 normal-weight patients with chronic heart failure (HF) and 49 matched healthy sedentary subjects. We found that the chronic HF patients had a higher total energy expenditure (1,700 +/- 53 vs 1,950 +/- 43 kcal/day; p <0.01), a negative calorie balance (104 +/- 35 vs -186 +/- 40 kcal/day; p <0.

Is nutritional intake adequate in chronic heart failure patients?

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate the nutrition adequacy and energy availability for physical activity in free-living, clinically stable patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Background: Little information exists regarding the nutrition adequacy and alimentary habits of patients with clinically stable CHF. We hypothesized that CHF patients have an inadequate intake of calories and protein, leading to a negative calorie and nitrogen balance, an expression of increased tissue breakdown.

An organizational model to translate nutritional recommendations into routine clinical practice in secondary prevention of coronary artery disease.

Background: We hypothesized that nutritional risk factors can be reduced routinely in all patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) by modifying general hospital catering into "antiatherogenic catering" and providing patients with an education program.

Methods: General nutritional rules were applied to transform the standard alimentary regimen of our catering service (lipids 30% energy) into antiatherogenic catering (lipids 20% energy). The educational program (EP) consisted of a nutritional manual and 4 h/week of lessons.