0000000000479198
AUTHOR
M. Mazzola
IBD, malignancy and oral microbiota: Analysis of the literature
The human microbiota, in adults, varies in number and species based on the location in the gastrointestinal tract. The highest concentration is at the intestinal level, where mainly Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and proteobacteria are found. Instead, in the oral cavity, five major phyla exists. Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Fusobacteria. Variations in the microbiota cause bysbiosis, which is responsible to a great extent for the onset of many diseases including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). In some cases (8-10%) IBD has shown oral manifestations that may reflect a change in the composition of the oral microbiota. Th…
Comparative analysis of the structure of temporomandibular joint in human and rabbit.
In order to increase knowledge on the morphology and structure of the articular disc of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) for a better understanding of the functional role of the same, it proceeded with an investigation on histological samples in the block of TMJ and periarticular tissues of adult rabits and human fatustes at different stage of development. (www.actabiomedica.it)
The importance of HCV on the burden of chronic liver disease in Italy: a multicenter prevalence study of 9,997 cases
Knowledge of the current epidemiology of chronic liver disease in Italy is mostly obsolete and fragmentary for the lack of up-to-date consistent data. In 2001, a 6-month prevalence study was undertaken in 79 hospitals to assess the characteristics of chronic liver disease in Italy. Both prevalent and incident cases were enrolled. A total of 9,997 patients were recruited, of whom 939 (9.4%) had normal liver biochemistry, 6,210 (62.1%) had chronic hepatitis, 1,940 (19.4%) had liver cirrhosis, and 341 (3.4%) had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In 567 patients (5.7%) the diagnosis was not established. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) was found in 69.9% of the patients and was the only etiological factor…
THE FINGERPRINT OF THE HUMAN GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT MICROBIOTA: A HYPOTHESIS OF MOLECULAR MAPPING
The precise etiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IDB) remains unclear and several factors are believed to play a role in its development and progression, including the composition of microbial communities resident in the gastrointestinal tract. Human intestinal microbiota are extensive with at least 15,000-36,000 bacterial species. However, thanks to the new development in sequencing and molecular taxonomic methodologies, our understanding of the microbiota population composition, dynamics, and ecology has greatly increased. Intestinal microbiota play a critical role in the maintenance of the host intestinal barrier homeostasis, while dysbiosis, which involves reduction in the microbiome…
SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study
Abstract Background Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could support safer elective surgery. Vaccine numbers are limited so this study aimed to inform their prioritization by modelling. Methods The primary outcome was the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent one COVID-19-related death in 1 year. NNVs were based on postoperative SARS-CoV-2 rates and mortality in an international cohort study (surgical patients), and community SARS-CoV-2 incidence and case fatality data (general population). NNV estimates were stratified by age (18–49, 50–69, 70 or more years) and type of surgery. Best- and worst-case scenarios were used to describe uncertainty. Results NNVs were more favourable in su…
The aetiology of chronic hepatitis in Italy: results from a multicentre national study
Background: No recent national-level data on the aetiology of chronic hepatitis are available in Italy. Aim: To evaluate the current aetiology of chronic hepatitis in Italy. Patients: A total of 6210 chronic hepatitis patients (both prevalence and incident cases) consecutively admitted to 79 hospitals located throughout Italy were enrolled over a 6-month period in 2001. The hospitals were randomly selected through systematic cluster sampling. Results: The main agent associated with chronic hepatitis was hepatitis C virus, which was found in 76.5% of the patients (in 62.6% it was the only aetiologic factor). Hepatitis B surface antigen was present in the serum of 12.2% of the cases (in 9.2% …
HCV infection is a risk factor for gallstone disease in liver cirrhosis: an Italian epidemiological survey
We assessed the prevalence of gallbladder disease (i.e. gallstones plus cholecystectomy) among patients with liver disease and its association with the severity and aetiology of hepatic injury. Subjects, referred to 79 Italian hospitals, were enrolled in a 6-month period. The independent effect of the severity and aetiology of liver disease on gallstone disease prevalence was assessed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Overall, 4867 subjects tested anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive alone, 839 were hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) alone, and 652 had an excessive alcohol intake. The prevalence of gallstone disease was 23.3% in anti-HCV-positive patients, 12.4% in HBsAg pos…
Colorectal cancer: An update on the effects of lycopene on tumor progression and cell proliferation
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Various factors, including oxidative stress, where excessive productions of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) occur, contribute to its pathogenesis. Numerous studies have investigated the effect of antioxidant substances derived from food such as fruits and vegetables; however, data on Lycopene are still rare. Studies on HT-29 colorectal cancer cells and on animal models have shown that lycopene has effects on cell proliferation and on the progression of the CRC by interacting with various cellular signaling pathways. This analysis of the literature focused on the antioxidant effect of lycop…
Chronic hepatitis B in Italy: New features of an old disease - Approaching the universal prevalence of hepatitis B e antigen-negative cases and the eradication of hepatitis D infection
We evaluated 1336 hepatitis B surface antigen-positive subjects consecutively observed in 79 Italian hospitals over a 6-month period. The proportion of hepatitis B e antigen-negative cases was 86.4%, that of patients coinfected with hepatitis D virus was 9.7%, and the rate of patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus was 16.8%. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that age >49 years, alcohol abuse, and anti-hepatitis D virus and anti-hepatitis C virus positivity were independent predictors of progression to liver cirrhosis. © 2007 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.
Helicobacter pylori and Barretts esophagus: a protective factor or a real cause?
Nothwithstanding the definite aethiopathogenetic path of certain diseases, the relationship between Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) and barrett's esophagus (BE), a condition that increases the risk for dysplasia and consequently adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus and esophagogastric junction, remains uncertain. this paper reviews the current scientific literature with emphasis on the protective correlation between H. Pylori infection and BE, and demonstrates that a causal relathionship has not been disproved with certainty. Furthermore, H. Pylori infection could pose a risk for the onset of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which could in turn trigger BE, a precancerous lesion and…
ORAL MICROBIOTA: CHARACTERISTICS, RELATED PATHOLOGIES AND FUTURE PROSPECTS
The oral microbiota is represented by the set of bacteria and microrganisms that reside in the oral cavity. It is formed from bird and stabilizes during the period of permanent dentition. The oral microbiota poresents from 500 to 700 bacterial species, belonging to six main phyla, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Spirochaetes and Fusobacteria. These bacteria partecipate in the formation of dental plaque, a sort of biofilm that deposits on the rigid surfaces of the oral cavity, and contributes to the healthy maintenance of the oral cavity. An alteration of the oral microbiota contributes to the pathogenesis of periodontitis, caries, gingivitis and also of systemic d…