Probiotics and Prebiotics for the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome-A Narrative Review.

Gastrointestinal functional disorders (GFDs), including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are imbalances in the gut-brain axis characterized by persistence of symptoms in the abdominal area. Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide benefits to the health of their hosts when administered in adequate amounts, while prebiotics are a substrate that is selectively used by host microorganisms. This narrative review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of prebiotics and probiotics mostly in irritable bowel syndrome, particularly on issues such as the interaction between these products and the gut microbiota, the duration of supplementation and long-term effects, the definition of ideal dosages, and the regulation and quality control of these products.

Sex- and site-specific associations of circulating lipocalin 2 and incident colorectal cancer: Results from the EPIC cohort.

Experimental research has uncovered lipocalin 2 (LCN2) as a novel biomarker implicated in the modulation of intestinal inflammation, metabolic homeostasis, and colon carcinogenesis. However, evidence from human research has been scant. We, therefore, explored the association of pre-diagnostic circulating LCN2 concentrations with incident colorectal cancer (CRC) in a nested case-control study within the in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort.

Comparison of Aesthetic Results of Mercedes-Y Versus Inverted-V Incision for Umbilical Reconstruction: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

No Level Assigned This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.

Visceral adipose tissue, epicardial fat, and hepatic steatosis in polycystic ovary syndrome: a study of ectopic fat stores and metabolic dysfunction.

Purpose: In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), ectopic fat accumulation remains debatable. Therefore, intra-abdominal, hepatic, and epicardial fat were compared between PCOS women and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls and their associations with metabolic and hormonal parameters were explored. Furthermore, the performance of echocardiographic epicardial adipose tissue thickness (EATT) and hepatic steatosis measurement using transient elastography-based controlled attenuation parameter (TE-CAP) in screening abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) was originally evaluated.

Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Malignant Solitary Fibrous Tumors: A SEER Database Analysis.

Background/objectives: Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) represent a rare mesenchymal malignancy that can occur anywhere in the body. Due to the low prevalence of the disease, there is a lack of contemporary data regarding patient demographics and cancer-control outcomes.

Methods: Within the SEER database (2000-2019), we identified 1134 patients diagnosed with malignant SFTs.

Colitis cystica profunda associated with diverticulosis and calcification mimicking colorectal carcinoma: a case report and a brief literature review.

Colitis cystica profunda (CCP) is a rare, uncommon and nonneoplastic condition that can occur anywhere in gastrointestinal tract, but its main occurrence is in the rectum and sigmoid colon. It is characterized by the presence of mucin filled cysts, lined by benign epithelium, beneath the muscularis mucosae, usually confined to the submucosa, and it can clinically and radiologically mimic a neoplasm. Here we report a rare case of CCP in a patient with a 2-months history of abdominal pain and severe anemia, associated with diverticulosis.

Hypoxia in Human Obesity: New Insights from Inflammation towards Insulin Resistance-A Narrative Review.

Insulin resistance (IR), marked by reduced cellular responsiveness to insulin, and obesity, defined by the excessive accumulation of adipose tissue, are two intertwined conditions that significantly contribute to the global burden of cardiometabolic diseases. Adipose tissue, beyond merely storing triglycerides, acts as an active producer of biomolecules. In obesity, as adipose tissue undergoes hypertrophy, it becomes dysfunctional, altering the release of adipocyte-derived factors, known as adipokines.

Late Hepatocellular Carcinoma Occurrence in Patients Achieving Sustained Virological Response After Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy: A Matter of Follow-Up or Something Else?

: Despite achieving a sustained virological response (SVR) with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), an unexpected increase in the occurrence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been observed among HCV-treated patients. This study aims to assess the long-term follow-up of HCV patients treated with DAAs who achieved an SVR to investigate the potential for late-onset HCC. : In this prospective multicenter study, we enrolled consecutive HCV patients treated with DAAs following Italian ministerial guidelines between 2015 and 2018.

Standardization of Dual-Energy CT Iodine Uptake of the Abdomen and Pelvis: Defining Reference Values in a Big Data Cohort.

To establish dual-energy-derived iodine density reference values in abdominopelvic organs in a large cohort of healthy subjects. : 597 patients who underwent portal venous phase dual-energy CT scans of the abdomen were retrospectively enrolled. Iodine distribution maps were reconstructed, and regions of interest measurements were placed in abdominal and pelvic structures to obtain absolute iodine values.

Liver transplantation plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in patients with permanently unresectable colorectal liver metastases (TransMet): results from a multicentre, open-label, prospective, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Despite the increasing efficacy of chemotherapy, permanently unresectable colorectal liver metastases are associated with poor long-term survival. We aimed to assess whether liver transplantation plus chemotherapy could improve overall survival.

Methods: TransMet was a multicentre, open-label, prospective, randomised controlled trial done in 20 tertiary centres in Europe.

Are there any benefits of prolonged hypothermic oxygenated perfusion?: Results from a national retrospective study.

Dual hypothermic oxygenated perfusion (DHOPE) is increasingly being used to extend liver preservation to improve transplant logistics. However, little is known about its benefits in high-risk liver grafts. This study aimed to investigate whether prolonged DHOPE provides benefits other than improved logistics in all liver types.

The Diagnosis of Wilkie's Syndrome Associated with Nutcracker Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome or Wilkie's syndrome is a vascular compression disorder that causes the abnormal compression of the third portion of the duodenum by the SMA. It has a low incidence rate, which is higher in young women, and is rarely associated with the Nutcracker phenomenon: a condition of the compression of the left renal vein between the SMA and the aorta, which manifests as pain in the left flank and pelvis. Here, we report on the case of a 54-year-old woman with a history of repeated episodes of abdominal pain caused by the Nutcracker syndrome and Wilkie's syndrome.

The dual nature of DNA damage response in obesity and bariatric surgery-induced weight loss.

This novel study applies targeted functional proteomics to examine tissues and cells obtained from a cohort of individuals with severe obesity who underwent bariatric surgery (BS), using a Reverse-Phase Protein Array (RPPA). In obese individuals, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), but not subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), shows activation of DNA damage response (DDR) markers including ATM, ATR, histone H2AX, KAP1, Chk1, and Chk2, alongside senescence markers p16 and p21. Additionally, stress-responsive metabolic markers, such as survivin, mTOR, and PFKFB3, are specifically elevated in VAT, suggesting both cellular stress and metabolic dysregulation.

Fairness and pitfalls of the Italian waiting list for elective liver transplantation: The ECALITA registry study.

Background: The challenge of transplant waiting-lists is to provide organs for all candidates while maintaining efficiency and equity.

Aims: We investigated the probability of being transplanted or of waiting-list dropout in Italy.

Methods: Data from 12,749 adult patients waitlisted for primary liver-transplantation from January 2012 to December 2022 were collected from the National Transplant-Registry.

Fat Distribution and its Correlation with Insulin Resistance, Androgen Markers, and Proinflammatory Cytokines in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

The high cardiometabolic risk associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may be linked to central fat accumulation. This study compared fat distribution between women with PCOS and controls matched by body mass index. It also sought to determine if insulin resistance (IR), androgens, or inflammatory markers correlate with body composition parameters in PCOS patients.

Mapping in healthy subjects different body areas for dermal thickness and skin hardness by high frequency ultrasound and durometry.

Objectives: Body mapping of normal values of skin thickness and hardness may be a useful aid in daily practice. By employing non-invasive techniques, our pilot study provides these values in healthy individuals using high frequency ultrasound (HFUS) and durometry in areas used to evaluate the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS).

Methods: One-hundred-fifty-two healthy volunteers from Ghent and Genova University Hospitals (mean ages 31.

Comprehensive genomic profiling by liquid biopsy captures tumor heterogeneity and identifies cancer vulnerabilities in patients with RAS/BRAF wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer in the CAPRI 2-GOIM trial.

Background: Emerging evidence supports tumor tissue-based comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Data on liquid biopsy-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) CGP are scarce and mainly retrospective. Prospective comparison between the two tests is not currently available.

Textbook Outcome in Colorectal Surgery for Cancer: An Italian Version.

: The textbook outcome (TO) is a composite tool introduced to uniform surgical units and regulate surgical quality and outcomes. A patient is considered TO only if all predetermined items are met. In colorectal surgery, TO represents a new tool that can achieve important results given the prevalence of colorectal cancers.

Endovascular Aortic Repair With the E-Tegra Device: Preliminary Outcomes From a Multicenter National Registry.

Purpose: Endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) is currently expanding its feasibility thanks to design innovations, but hostile proximal necks and narrow iliac arteries are still a constraint, as expressed by the Instructions for Use (IFU) of most devices. Our aim is to report the preliminary results of the E-Tegra endograft in infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) performed in 15 high-volume centers.

Materials And Methods: The e-Tegra Italian endoGraft REgistry (TIGRE) is a prospectively maintained database of consecutive EVAR with the E-Tegra stent-graft across 15 participating centers between March 2021 and March 2023.