Inflammatory Prostatitis Plus IBS-D Subtype and Correlation with Immunomodulating Agent Imbalance in Seminal Plasma: Novel Combined Treatment.

We recently demonstrated the effectiveness of long-term treatment with rifaximin and the probiotic DSF (De Simone formulation) in improving urogenital and gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with both chronic inflammatory prostatitis (IIIa prostatitis) and diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), relative to patients with IBS-D alone. Because the low-grade inflammation of the intestine and prostate may be one of the reasons for co-developing both IIIa prostatitis and IBS-D, we designed the present study to once again evaluate the efficacy of combined rifaximin and DSF treatment in patients affected by IIIa prostatitis plus IBS-D, but we also measured seminal plasma pro-inflammatory (IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines before and after treatment. Methods: We consecutively enrolled 124 patients with IIIa prostatitis and IBS-D (diagnosed using the Rome III criteria).

NGS study in a sicilian case series with a genetic diagnosis for Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (PRNP, p.P102L).

Background: Gerstmann Sträussler Scheinker (GSS) is an inherited, invariably fatal prion disease. Like other human prion diseases, GSS is caused by missense mutations in the prion protein (PrP) gene (PRNP), and by the formation and overtime accumulation of the misfolded, pathogenic scrapie PrP (PrPSc). The first mutation identified in the PRNP gene, and the one blamed as the main cause of the disease, is c.

CCR3 gene overexpression in patients with Down syndrome.

Chromosome 21 trisomy or Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability (ID). DS is also associated with hypotonia, muscle weakness, autoimmune diseases, and congenital heart disease. C-C chemokine receptor type 3 (CCR3) plays a role in inflammatory, autoimmune, and neuronal migration mechanisms.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor is expressed in human and rodent testis.

Background: The incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide-l (GLP-1) is an important regulator of post-prandial insulin secretion, acting through a G protein-coupled cell surface receptor (GLP-1R). In addition to its expression in pancreatic β-cells, several studies suggested that GLP-1R is located in extra-pancreatic tissues.

Objectives: In this study, we examined for the first time the testicular distribution of the GLP-1R, both in normal human and neoplastic testicular tissues as well as in rodent testis and rodent testicular cell lines.

Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase 1 Protein Expression in Normal Pancreas and Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic cancer is a most frequent cancer in Europe, and the majority of cases of cancer of the pancreas are diagnosed above the age of 65. Radical surgery is the first curative treatment of pancreatic cancer, and alternative or combined therapeutic options, in particular, consist of adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy, with or without radiotherapy. Many factors, including diet and genetics, have been implicated in the development of cancer of the pancreas.

Resveratrol reduces inflammation-related Prostate Fibrosis.

Inflammation-related prostate fibrosis (PF) is strongly associated with impaired urethral function and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) severity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of RSV in patients with small prostate volume and LUTS. Sixty-four patients with PF were randomized either to RSV therapy (group A= 32 patients) or placebo (group B= 32 patients).

Differentially Enhancing Effects of Long-term Treatment with Serrazyme, Boswellia and Pine on Seminal Bacterial Detection in Patients with Chronic Bacterial or Inflammatory Prostatitis, Probably Related to Several Degrees of Bacterial Adherence.

Background: Prostatitis is a recurrent urinary infection in males and is often difficult to cure. The aim of the study was to examine whether anti-inflammatory effects of enhanced drainage of prostatic secretions, obtained through two months treatment with a proteolytic enzyme mucoactive (PEM) compound (Serrazyme and other constituents), influenced qualitative or quantitative expressions of bacterial growth in seminal cultures.

Method: 450 patients with prostatitis syndromes were randomized either to PEM therapy (intervention group) or to no treatment group.

Symptom Severity Following Rifaximin and the Probiotic VSL#3 in Patients with Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (Due to Inflammatory Prostatitis) Plus Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

This study investigated the effects of long-term treatment with rifaximin and the probiotic VSL#3 on uro-genital and gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) plus diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS) compared with patients with D-IBS alone. Eighty-five patients with CP/CPPS (45 with subtype IIIa and 40 with IIIb) plus D-IBS according to the Rome III criteria and an aged-matched control-group of patients with D-IBS alone ( = 75) received rifaximin and VSL#3. The primary endpoints were the response rates of IBS and CP/CPPS symptoms, assessed respectively through Irritable Bowel Syndrome Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS) and The National Institute of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI), and performed at the start of therapy (V0) and three months after (V3).

Sperm of patients with severe asthenozoospermia show biochemical, molecular and genomic alterations.

The multifactorial pathological condition, that is, severe low sperm motility is a frequent cause of infertility. However, mechanisms underlying the development of this condition are not completely understood. Single abnormalities have been reported in sperm of patients with asthenozoospermia.

Leucine zipper, down regulated in cancer-1 gene expression in prostate cancer.

Numerous genetic alterations have been implicated in the development of prostate cancer (PCa). DNA and protein microarrays have enabled the identification of genes associated with apoptosis, which is important in PCa development. Despite the molecular mechanisms are not entirely understood, inhibition of apoptosis is a critical pathophysiological factor that contributes to the onset and progression of PCa.

Expression of Phosphodiesterase 4B cAMP-Specific Gene in Subjects With Cryptorchidism and Down's Syndrome.

Cryptorchidism represents a risk factor for infertility and germ cell testicular neoplasia. An increased rate of cryptorchidism has been reported in subjects with Down's syndrome. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are important messengers that regulate and mediate a number of cellular responses to extracellular signals, such as neurotransmitters and hormones.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis and irritable bowel syndrome: effectiveness of treatment with rifaximin followed by the probiotic VSL#3.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of treatment with rifaximin followed by the probiotic VSL#3 versus no treatment on the progression of chronic prostatitis toward chronic microbial prostate-vesiculitis (PV) or prostate-vesiculo-epididymitis (PVE). A total of 106 selected infertile male patients with bacteriologically cured chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were randomly prescribed rifaximin (200 mg, 2 tablets bid, for 7 days monthly for 12 months) and probiotic containing multiple strains VSL#3 (450 × 10(9) FU per day) or no treatment. Ninety-five of them (89.

Arterial erectile dysfunction: different severities of endothelial apoptosis between diabetic patients "responders" and "non responders" to sildenafil.

Background: The low pharmacological response to phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors represents an expression of higher endothelial damage in certain categories of patients with erectile dysfunction and high cardiovascular risk. The present study evaluated this objective in type 2 diabetic patients with erectile dysfunction, classified as "non responders" to Sildenafil.

Methods: Eighteen "responder" and twelve "non responder" type 2 diabetic patients were evaluated, relatively to different levels of endothelial damage, through the diagnostic use of a new immunophenotype of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (CD45neg/CD34pos/CD144pos) and endothelial microparticles (CD45neg/CD144pos/Annexin Vpos), recently developed and published by our group.

LDOC1 gene expression in two patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas and Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. Risk factors for this cancer include tobacco and alcohol use, ultraviolet light exposure, and viral infection. Parkinson's disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, with a prevalence of 3% in persons over the age of 65 years.

High frequency of chronic bacterial and non-inflammatory prostatitis in infertile patients with prostatitis syndrome plus irritable bowel syndrome.

Background: Although prostatitis syndrome (PS) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are common disorders, information on the prevalence of IBS in infertile patients with PS is relatively scanty. Therefore, this study was undertaken to estimate the frequency of PS and IBS and to evaluate the prevalence of the various diagnostic categories of prostatitis.

Methodology/principal Findings: This study enrolled 152 patients with PS, diagnosed by the NIH-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) in an andrological setting, and 204 patients with IBS, diagnosed according to the Rome III diagnostic criteria in a gastroenterological setting.

A high percentage of skin melanoma cells expresses SPANX proteins.

The expression of SPANX (sperm protein associated with the nucleus in the X chromosome) gene family has been reported in many tumors, such as melanoma, myeloma, glioblastoma, breast carcinoma, ovarian cancer, testicular germ cell tumors, and hematological malignancies. However, no systematic approach has so far been devised to estimate the percentage of cancer cells expressing SPANX. This study was undertaken to quantify the expression of SPANX proteins in melanomas.

Transrectal ultrasonography in infertile patients with persistently elevated bacteriospermia.

Aim: To identify and define prostate and seminal vesicle abnormalities in patients with chronic male accessory gland infection (MAGI) who failed to respond to antibacterial treatment.

Methods: We selected 67 consecutive patients with MAGI and persistently elevated bacteriospermia (=or>10(6) colony forming units [CFU]/mL) after three antibiotic courses. Fourteen infertile patients with initial chronic microbial (=or>10(6) CFU/mL) MAGI who responded to antibacterial treatment (<10(3) CFU/mL) served as a control group.

Expression of SpanX mRNA in testicular germ cell tumors.

The function of SpanX proteins is unknown, evidence is accumulating to suggest their involvement in tumorigenesis. A locus in Xq27, where the SpanX gene family is located, has been associated with testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) onset. Therefore, we evaluated the presence of SpanX mRNA in six TGCT cases by RT-PCR.

Incorporation of the unusual C(alpha)-fluoroalkylamino acids into cyclopeptides: synthesis of arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) analogues and study of their conformational and biological behavior.

A series of six arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) cyclopeptide analogues containing a C(alpha)-di- or trifluoromethylamino acid (alpha-Dfm or alpha-TfmAaa) at different positions of the ring were synthesized. All peptides were obtained in two diastereomeric forms, which were separated by HPLC. In vitro biological tests of the new cyclopeptides P were carried out in comparison with their corresponding cyclopeptides R lacking the alpha-fluoromethyl group.

Expression of SpanX proteins in normal testes and in testicular germ cell tumours.

We investigated the expression of the SpanX protein family in cells of normal testes and in testicular germ cell tumours, mainly seminomas and embryonal carcinomas, using an immunohistochemical approach. Most of the normal germ cells, belonging to spermatogonial and primary spermatocytic classes, showed a strong nuclear positivity. In contrast, post-meiotic germ cells showed diffused cytoplasmic and sometimes also perinuclear localization of the signal.

Amino acid bromides: their N-protection and use in the synthesis of peptides with extremely difficult sequences.

N(alpha)-Protected alpha-amino acid bromides were easily generated in situ with 1-bromo-N,N-2-trimethyl-1-propenylamine from the corresponding amino acids under very mild conditions. o-Nbs and the azido moieties proved to be compatible with these overactivated halides and were successfully applied in difficult peptide bond formations. N-Deprotection methods and the total step-by-step solution synthesis of a peptide containing up to seven consecutive L-(alphaMe)Valine residues are also reported.