Ergebnisse der Transplantation von heteroplastischen Geschwülsten vermittels Blutzusatzes zum Tumorbrei

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit 6 Textabbildungen.     

Ueber Toxine und Antitoxine der Blastomyzeten in bezug auf die Aetiologie und Behandlung der bösartigen Geschwülste

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

BOOST: a phase 3 trial of sorafenib vs. best supportive care in first line treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with deteriorated liver function

Aim: Only patients with good liver function {[Child-Pugh (CP)] A class} were eligible for trials testing sorafenib as first-line treatment of hepatocellular car...     

A Low-Cost Wireless Bite Force Measurement Device

Assessing maximum voluntary bite force is important to characterize the functional state of the masticatory system. Due to several factors affecting the estimation of the maximum bite force, a unique solution combining desirable features such as reliability, accuracy, precision, usability, and comfort is not available. The aim of the present study was to develop a low-cost bite force measurement device allowing for subject-specific customization, comfortable bite force expression, and reliable force estimation over time. The device was realized using an inexpensive load cell, two 3D printed ergonomic forks hosting reusable subject-specific silicone molds, a read-out system based on a low-cost microcontroller, and a wireless link to a personal computer. A simple model was used to estimate bite force taking into account individual morphology and device placement in the mouth. Measurement reliability, accuracy, and precision were assessed on a calibration dataset. A validation procedure on healthy participants was performed to assess the repeatability of the measurements over multiple repetitions and sessions. A 2% precision and 2% accuracy were achieved on measurements of forces in the physiological range of adult bite forces. Multiple recordings on healthy participants demonstrated good repeatability (coefficient of variation 11%) with no significant effect of repetition and session. The novel device provides an affordable and reliable solution for assessing maximum bite force that can be easily used to perform clinical evaluations in single sessions or in longitudinal studies.     

Very Low Alcohol Consumption Is Associated with Lower Prevalence of Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

The role of moderate alcohol consumption in the evolution of NAFLD is still debated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of current and lifelong alcohol consumption in patients with NAFLD. From 2015 to 2020, we enrolled 276 consecutive patients fulfilling criteria of NAFLD (alcohol consumption up to 140 g/week for women and 210 g/week for men). According to their current alcohol intake per week, patients were divided in: abstainers, very low consumers (C1: <70 g/week) and moderate consumers (C2). We created a new tool, called LACU (Lifetime Alcohol Consuming Unit) to estimate the alcohol exposure across lifetime: 1 LACU was defined as 7 alcohol units per week for 1 drinking year. Patients were divided into lifelong abstainers and consumers and the latter furtherly divided into quartiles: Q1-Q4. Stratification according to alcohol intake, both current and cumulative as estimated by LACU, showed that very low consumers (C1 and Q1-Q3) displayed lower frequency of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma compared to abstainers and moderate consumers (C2 and Q4). We can speculate that up to one glass of wine daily in the context of a Mediterranean diet may be a long-term useful approach in selected NAFLD patients.     

Clinical and Metabolomic Effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Pediococcus acidilactici in Fructose Intolerant Patients

Fructose intolerance (FI) is a widespread non-genetic condition in which the incomplete absorption of fructose leads to gastro-intestinal disorders. The crucial role of microbial dysbiosis on the onset of these intolerance symptoms together with their persistence under free fructose diets are driving the scientific community towards the use of probiotics as a novel therapeutic approach. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of FI in a cohort composed of Romanian adults with Functional Grastrointestinal Disorders (FGIDs) and the effectiveness of treatment based on the probiotic formulation EQBIOTA^® (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CECT 7484 and 7485 and Pediococcus acidilactici CECT 7483). We evaluated the impact of a 30-day treatment both on FI subjects and healthy volunteers. The gastrointestinal symptoms and fecal volatile metabolome were evaluated. A statistically significant improvement of symptoms (i.e., bloating, and abdominal pain) was reported in FI patient after treatment. On the other hand, at the baseline, the content of volatile metabolites was heterogeneously distributed between the two study arms, whereas the treatment led differences to decrease. From our analysis, how some metabolomics compounds were correlated with the improvement and worsening of clinical symptoms clearly emerged. Preliminary observations suggested how the improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms could be induced by the increase of anti-inflammatory and protective substrates. A deeper investigation in a larger patient cohort subjected to a prolonged treatment would allow a more comprehensive evaluation of the probiotic treatment effects.     

Substances of abuse consumption among patients seeking medical help for uro-andrological purposes:a sociobehavioral survey in the real-life scenario

Substances of abuse(SoA),as well as smoking and alcohol consumption,are well known for their impact on male fertility status,erectile function,and ejaculation.W...     

Apathy and impulsiveness in Parkinson disease: Two faces of the same coin?

Apathy and impulsiveness are 2 common non-motor symptoms in Parkinson disease that could occur in different periods or simultaneously. Apathy and impulsiveness could be interpreted as opposite extremes of a spectrum of motivated behavior dependent on dopaminergic dysfunction, in which, impulsivity, is a result of a hyperdopaminergic state, whereas apathy is viewed as a hypodopaminergic. The study aimed to investigate the presence of impulsiveness and other neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson disease patients with apathy symptoms.Eighty-one patients with Parkinson disease were enrolled in this retrospective study. All subjects were evaluated by the Italian version of the Dimensional Apathy Scale and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-version 11, to assess, respectively, apathy and impulsiveness; they were divided into 2 groups (apathy and no apathy). All patients were administered also with questionnaires assessing depressive and anxious symptoms.Statistical analyses showed relevant results. In no-apathy group, education was a significant predictor on impulsiveness (attentional and motor) and apathy (executive and emotional); depression was a significant predictor on planning impulsivity and apathy.This study aimed to consider the importance of apathy and impulsivity in Parkinson disease. Although these are considered as opposite extremes of a spectrum of motivated behavior dependent on dopaminergic dysfunction, these can also occur separately. Moreover, several variables could represent important predictors of apathy and impulsiveness, such as depression. Future investigations should deepen the role of other demographics and psychological variables.