Selecting the best machine learning algorithm to support the diagnosis of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A meta learner study.

Background & Aims: Liver ultrasound scan (US) use in diagnosing Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) causes costs and waiting lists overloads. We aimed to compare various Machine learning algorithms with a Meta learner approach to find the best of these as a predictor of NAFLD.

Methods: The study included 2970 subjects, 2920 constituting the training set and 50, randomly selected, used in the test phase, performing cross-validation.

Pharmacological management of dementia with Lewy bodies with a focus on zonisamide for treating parkinsonism.

Introduction: Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) has no approved symptomatic or disease-modifying treatments in the US and Europe, despite being the second most common cause of neurodegenerative dementia.

Areas Covered: Herein, the authors briefly review the DLB drug development pipeline, providing a summary of the current pharmacological intervention studies. They then focus on the anticonvulsant zonisamide, a benzisoxazole derivative with a sulfonamide group and look at its value for treating parkinsonism in DLB.

Trends in Tumor Indices in Relation to Increased Hepatocellular Carcinoma Size: Evidence for Tumor Evolution as a Function of Growth.

Background: The prognosis of HCC depends in large measure on maximum tumor diameter (MTD).

Aims: To examine characteristics of tumor aggressiveness over an MTD range of < 2 to 8 cm.

Methods: A large HCC database was examined retrospectively for trends in serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and percent of patients with macroscopic portal vein thrombosis (PVT) or tumor multifocality.

miR-369-3p modulates inducible nitric oxide synthase and is involved in regulation of chronic inflammatory response.

Dendritic cells are the most important antigen-presenting cells that link the innate and acquired immune system. In our previous study, we identified that the upregulation of miR-369-3p suppresses the LPS-induced inflammatory response, reducing C/EBP-β, TNFα and IL-6 production. With the aim of gaining further insight into the biological function of miR-369-3p during acute inflammatory response, in the present study we identified novel gene targets of miR-369-3p and demonstrated the suppressive ability of these genes on the inflammatory dendritic cells.

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded renal biopsy tissues: an underexploited biospecimen resource for gene expression profiling in IgA nephropathy.

Primary IgA nephropathy (IgAN) diagnosis is based on IgA-dominant glomerular deposits and histological scoring is done on formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue (FFPE) sections using the Oxford classification. Our aim was to use this underexploited resource to extract RNA and identify genes that characterize active (endocapillary-extracapillary proliferations) and chronic (tubulo-interstitial) renal lesions in total renal cortex. RNA was extracted from archival FFPE renal biopsies of 52 IgAN patients, 22 non-IgAN and normal renal tissue of 7 kidney living donors (KLD) as controls.

A Possible Role of FZD10 Delivering Exosomes Derived from Colon Cancers Cell Lines in Inducing Activation of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Normal Colon Epithelial Cell Line.

Exosomes belong to the family of extracellular vesicles released by every type of cell both in normal and pathological conditions. Growing interest in studies indicates that extracellular vesicles, in particular, the fraction named exosomes containing lipids, proteins and nucleic acid, represent an efficient way to transfer functional cargoes between cells, thus combining all the other cell-cell interaction mechanisms known so far. Only a few decades ago, the involvement of exosomes in the carcinogenesis in different tissues was discovered, and very recently it was also observed how they carry and modulate the presence of Wnt pathway proteins, involved in the carcinogenesis of gastrointestinal tissues, such as Frizzled 10 protein (FZD10), a membrane receptor for Wnt.

Portal Vein Thrombosis and Markers of Inflammation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Macroscopic portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a major poor prognosis factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Inflammation is increasingly recognized to be part of the hepatocarcinogenic process and its markers are also prognostically useful.

Aims: To examine the relationship of inflammation biomarkers to the presence of PVT and to survival in PVT patients with HCC.

Redondovirus DNA in human respiratory samples.

Background: Redondovirus (ReDoV) is a recently discovered circular, Rep-encoding single-stranded DNA (CRESS-DNA) virus in humans. Its pathogenesis and clinical associations are still completely unknown.

Methods: The presence of ReDoV DNA was investigated in biological specimens of 543 Italian subjects by in-house developed PCR assays.

Remnant cholesterol as a risk factor for cardiovascular, cancer or other causes mortality: A competing risks analysis.

Background And Aims: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDis) are leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Even after the introduction of pharmacological therapy to lower Cholesterol, there is still a residual risk that may be ascribed to remnant cholesterol (RC). We aimed, by analyzing two prospective cohort studies, to estimate the effect of RC on risk and hazard of cardiovascular deaths (CVDs), while accounting for competing risks such as cancer (CDs) and other-causes deaths (OCDs).

-induced inflammation masks the underlying presence of low-grade dysplasia on gastric lesions.

Background: infection has been associated with a long-term risk of precancerous gastric conditions (PGC) even after eradication.

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of High-Resolution White-Light Endoscopy with Narrow-Band Imaging in detecting PGC, before/after eradication.

Methods: We studied 85 consecutive patients with -related gastritis with/without PGC before and 6 mo after proven eradication.

Altered miRNAs Expression Correlates With Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors Grades.

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) are rare and heterogeneous tumors that present a wide spectrum of different clinical and biological characteristics. Currently, tumor grading, determined by Ki-67 staining and mitotic counts, represents the most reliable predictor of prognosis. This time-consuming approach fails to reach high reproducibility standards thus requiring novel approaches to support histological evaluation and prognosis.

Somatostatin Receptors in Merkel-Cell Carcinoma: A Therapeutic Opportunity Using Somatostatin Analog Alone or in Association With Checkpoint Inhibitors Immunotherapy. A Case Report.

Merkel-cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly aggressive skin cancer typically involving elderly people. Surgery is usually the first treatment for primary tumor. In adjuvant setting, radiotherapy is effective in reducing local recurrence and in improving overall survival.

Colorectal Cancer and Bone Tissue: Fantastic Relations and Where to Find Them.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. There is a need for the early diagnosis of CRC for a better prognostic outcome. It is, therefore, crucial to understand the CRC pathogenesis in all its aspects.

Flavonoid and Non-Flavonoid Compounds of Autumn Royal and Egnatia Grape Skin Extracts Affect Membrane PUFA's Profile and Cell Morphology in Human Colon Cancer Cell Lines.

Grapes contain many flavonoid and non-flavonoid compounds with anticancer effects. In this work we fully characterized the polyphenolic profile of two grape skin extracts (GSEs), Autumn Royal and Egnatia, and assessed their effects on Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid (PUFA) membrane levels of Caco2 and SW480 human colon cancer cell lines. Gene expression of 15-lipoxygenase-1 (15-LOX-1), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), as well as cell morphology, were evaluated.

Crohn's Disease Following Rituximab Treatment for Follicular Lymphoma in a Patient with Synchronous Gastric Signet Ring Cells Carcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Recently, there have been a few reports of rituximab (RTX)-induced Crohn's disease, but there is no literature available on successful long-term treatment and the clinical outcome of this condition. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of a rare case of Crohn's disease induced by RTX administered as induction and prolonged maintenance therapy of a follicular lymphoma, diagnosed synchronously with a gastric signet ring cells carcinoma, treated at our hospital.

Discontinued disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer's disease: status and future perspectives.

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the main cause of dementia and represents a huge burden for patients, carers, and healthcare systems. Extensive efforts for over 20 years have failed to find effective disease-modifying drugs. Although amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation in the brain predicts cognitive decline, effective reduction of plaque load by numerous drug candidates has not yielded significant clinical benefits.

Performance of EU-TIRADS in malignancy risk stratification of thyroid nodules: a meta-analysis.

Objective: Several thyroid imaging reporting and data systems (TIRADS) have been proposed to stratify the malignancy risk of thyroid nodule by ultrasound. The TIRADS by the European Thyroid Association, namely EU-TIRADS, was the last one to be published.

Design: We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the prevalence of malignancy in each EU-TIRADS class and the performance of EU-TIRADS class 5 vs 2, 3 and 4 in detecting malignant lesions.

Seroprevalence of group B Coxsackieviruses: Retrospective study in an Italian population.

Group B Coxsackieviruses (CVB) include six serotypes (B1-6) responsible for a wide range of clinical diseases. Since no recent seroepidemiologic data are available in Italy, the study aim was to investigate CVB seroprevalence in a wide Italian population. The study retrospectively included 2459 subjects referring to a large academic hospital in Rome (Italy) in the period 2004-2016.

Effects of a Low Carb Diet and Whey Proteins on Anthropometric, Hematochemical, and Cardiovascular Parameters in Subjects with Obesity.

Background: The best way to lose body weight, without using drugs and/or suffering hunger and stress, has not yet been defined. The present study tested a low carbohydrate diet, enriched with proteins, in subjects with overweight and obesity.

Methods: The study enrolled 22 uncomplicated overweight and obese subjects.

The Effect of Three Mediterranean Diets on Remnant Cholesterol and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Secondary Analysis.

Background: Elevated fasting remnant cholesterol (REM-C) levels have been associated with an increased cardiovascular risk in patients with metabolic syndrome (Mets) and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). We aimed to estimate the effect of different diets on REM-C levels in patients with MetS, as well as the association between NAFLD and REM-C.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the MEDIDIET study, a parallel-arm Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT).

Improved Symptom Profiles and Minimal Inflammation in IBS-D Patients Undergoing a Long-Term Low-FODMAP Diet: A Lipidomic Perspective.

Given the link between the minimal inflammation underlying irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and dietary treatments, considerable attention has focused on diets low in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs). In this context, inflammatory patterns and lipidomic investigations may shed light on the pathophysiological mechanisms whereby a low-FODMAP diet (LFD) improves the IBS diarrhoea (IBS-D) variant. Thus, we investigated whether a long-term LFD induced changes in symptom profiles, anthropometric characteristics, inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, cyclooxygenase-2, and prostaglandin E2) and erythrocyte-membrane fatty acid (FA) composition in IBS-D patients.

Clinical Multigene Panel Sequencing Identifies Distinct Mutational Association Patterns in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

Extensive molecular characterization of human colorectal cancer (CRC) via Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) indicated that genetic or epigenetic dysregulation of a relevant, but limited, number of molecular pathways typically occurs in this tumor. The molecular picture of the disease is significantly complicated by the frequent occurrence of individually rare genetic aberrations, which expand tumor heterogeneity. Inter- and intratumor molecular heterogeneity is very likely responsible for the remarkable individual variability in the response to conventional and target-driven first-line therapies, in metastatic CRC (mCRC) patients, whose median overall survival remains unsatisfactory.