Barrett's oesophagus: long-term follow-up after complete ablation with argon plasma coagulation and the factors that determine its recurrence.

Background: Argon plasma coagulation seems to be a promising technique for ablation of Barrett's oesophagus, yet few long-term efficacy data are available.

Aim: To report on a long-term follow-up and the factors that determine the recurrence of intestinal metaplasia in a cohort of patients with non dysplastic, intestinal type Barrett's oesophagus, after complete ablation of the metaplastic mucosa with argon plasma coagulation.

Methods: Ninety-six patients underwent endoscopic argon plasma coagulation with adequate acid suppression obtained through a continuous omeprazole therapy (50 patients) or through laparoscopic fundoplication (46 patients).

Combination therapy with amantadine and interferon in naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C: meta-analysis of individual patient data from six clinical trials.

Background/aims: In chronic hepatitis C, clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of amantadine (AMA) and interferon (INF) compared to INF monotherapy, have produced conflicting results. We performed a meta-analysis of the individual patient's data from previous studies.

Methods: Nine hundred and seventy-two patients from six European centres were evaluated by means of individual patient meta-analysis, using mixed models with centres and the centre-treatment interaction fitted as random variables.

Endoscopic ablation of Barrett's esophagus using argon plasma coagulation (APC) following surgical laparoscopic fundoplication.

Background: Barrett's esopagus (BE) is considered a risk factor for the development of esophageal carcinoma. Recently, partial restoration of squamous mucosa after ablation of BE with endoscopic techniques has been described.

Methods: From November 1996 to November 1999, 23 patients with histologically proven BE have been treated by endoscopic argon plasma coagulation (APC) following suppression of gastro-esophageal reflux by laparoscopic fundoplication.

Alcohol abstinence does not offset the strong negative effect of lifetime alcohol consumption on the outcome of interferon therapy.

Heavy alcohol consumption has been reported to negatively affect the outcome of interferon therapy. We studied the impact of lifetime alcohol consumption in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon after 6 months of alcohol withdrawal. Alcohol intake was measured when patients with chronic hepatitis C were referred to us for the first time, and from that moment complete abstinence was recommended.

Interferon and amantadine in combination as initial treatment for chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background/aims: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of amantadine in combination with interferon in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

Methods: Multi-centre trial including 180 chronic hepatitis C patients without cirrhosis, randomly enrolled to receive interferon 6 MU every other day for 6 months followed by 3 MU for further 6 months (group A, 90 patients), or the same schedule plus amantadine 200 mg/day (group B, 90 patients). Primary end-point was a sustained virological and biochemical response, secondary end-points were on-treatment (third month) and end-of-treatment response rates.

Immunohistochemical characterisation of the lymph node reaction in pig post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS).

The superficial inguinal lymph nodes of 10 piglets which had died spontaneously of post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), in which the porcine circovirus type II (PCV-II) genome was revealed by PCR, were submitted to immunohistochemical investigation for CD4, CD8, IgM, MAC387, S-100 protein, vimentin and F-VIII-RA and compared with three normal cases. The lymph node reaction was graded as initial, intermediate and end stage according to histological criteria. In the initial and intermediate stages, absence of follicles and depletion of lymphocytes were evident.

Spontaneous release of interleukin 1 beta from human blood monocytes in thyrotoxic osteodystrophy.

Hyperthyroidism is a well documented cause of impaired bone turnover characterized by increased osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity, resulting in predominance of bone resorption and in decreased bone mass. Thyroid hormones can carry out a direct effect on osteoblasts which express specific receptors on their surface membrane; differently effect on osteoclast seems to be mediated by local factors, cytokynes released by activated osteoblasts or by bone monocytes cells. Interleukin 1 beta is the first purified cytokyne shown to have bone resorbing activity.

[Wilson's disease: physiopathology, therapeutic approach and case report].

Wilson's disease is an hereditary recessive autosomal disorder which affects around five people per million inhabitants. The primary defect is localized in the liver and the disease is manifested by the accumulation of copper in tissues. The diminution of ceruloplasmin, which until a few years ago was mistakenly thought to be the pathogenetic cause of Wilson's disease, is an epiphenomenon of the underlying metabolic defect characterized by defective copper biliary excretion.

Antigenic and sequence analysis of H3 influenza virus haemagglutinins from pigs in Italy.

To investigate the possible mechanism of maintenance of old human influenza A (H3N2) viruses in pigs, the haemagglutinins (HAs) of seven isolates from swine were studied by analysis of nucleotide and deduced primary amino acid sequences, as well as reactivity of the HA molecule to chicken antisera and monoclonal antibodies. The swine HAs were closely similar to the HA of the A/Victoria/3/75 human variant as regards antigenic and molecular characteristics. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the swine HA genes were transmitted from an early human H3 virus to pigs, where they survived with limited mutations over a period of 5 years.

Experimental encephalomyocarditis virus infection in pigs.

A field isolate of Encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus was inoculated intravenously into 8 pigs. Four animals died at post inoculation day (PID) 2, the remaining being sacrificed at PID 5, 7, 11 and 15. Two control, in-contact pigs were sacrificed at PID 19.

Genetic reassortment between avian and human influenza A viruses in Italian pigs.

Pandemic strains of influenza A virus arise by genetic reassortment between avian and human viruses. To examine the possibility that pigs serve as "mixing vessels" for such reassortment events (Scholtissek et al., Virology 147, 287-294, 1985), we phylogenetically analyzed the internal protein genes of classic H1N1, avian-like H1N1, and human-like H3N2 viruses circulating among Italian pigs.

Ultrastructural study of experimental myocarditis induced by cardiovirus (EMCV-M) in swine.

Eight 6-week-old piglets were inoculated with a strain of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) isolated from an outbreak which occurred naturally in the Po Valley in 1988. Two non-infected animals, kept in the same cage, were used as controls. Out of the eight inoculated piglets, two died and two were suppressed on the 2nd post infection day (PID), the four remaining were killed on the 5th, 7th, 11th and 15th PIDs.

Detection of two antigenic subpopulations of A(H1N1) influenza viruses from pigs: antigenic drift or interspecies transmission?

Serological analysis of a group of 63 influenza H1N1 viruses isolated from pigs in Italy in the period 1976-1988 revealed the presence of two distinct antigenic subpopulations: some viruses possessed a haemagglutinin indistinguishable from that of viruses typically associated with pigs, i.e., A/New Jersey/8/76 (H1N1), whereas others showed a close antigenic relatedness with the haemagglutinin of avian-like H1 viruses.

First recovery of A/equine/Fontainebleau/1/79 influenza viruses in Italy.

In Italy epizootics of equine influenza often occur, but no virus isolation has been reported since 1971. This paper describes the antigenic and biochemical characterization of two equine influenza viruses isolated in Italy from 1985 to 1989. The virus isolates were shown to differ antigenically from earlier strains of the same subtype, A/equine/Miami/1/63 (H3N8).

Human influenza A viruses in pigs: isolation of a H3N2 strain antigenically related to A/England/42/72 and evidence for continuous circulation of human viruses in the pig population.

An influenza virus strain isolated in Northern Italy in 1977 was identified as belonging to the H3N2 subtype (A/swine/Italy/1850/77). A close antigenic relationship to the human strain A/England/42/72 was demonstrated. Serologic surveys of 548 pig sera from 53 farms in two provinces in Northern Italy demonstrated the existence of antibodies to the swine/Italy/1850/77 strain and to A/Hong Kong/1/68, A/Victoria/3/75 and H 1 N 1 (Hsw 1 N 1) strains in the pig population.