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showing 10 items of 25122 documents
Combined effects of the PNPLA3 rs738409, TM6SF2 rs58542926, and MBOAT7 rs641738 variants on NAFLD severity: a multicenter biopsy-based study.
2016
The PNPLA3 p.I148M, TM6SF2 p.E167K, and MBOAT7 rs641738 variants represent genetic risk factors for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Here we investigate if these polymorphisms modulate both steatosis and fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. We recruited 515 patients with NAFLD (age 16–88 years, 280 female patients). Liver biopsies were performed in 320 patients. PCR-based assays were used to genotype the PNPLA3, TM6SF2, and MBOAT7 variants. Carriers of the PNPLA3 and TM6SF2 risk alleles showed increased serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase activities (P 0.05). The MBOAT7 variant was solely associated with increased fibrosis (P = 0.046). In the multivariate model, v…
Early miR-223 Upregulation in Gastroesophageal Carcinogenesis
2017
Objectives: To test miR-223 upregulation during gastric (intestinal-type) and Barrett esophageal carcinogenesis. Methods: miR-223 expression was assessed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in a series of 280 gastroesophageal biopsy samples representative of the whole spectrum of phenotypic changes involved in both carcinogenetic cascades. The results were further validated by in situ hybridization on multiple tissue specimens obtained from six surgically treated gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas. miR-223 expression was also assessed in plasma samples from 30 patients with early stage (ie, stages I and II) gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma and relative controls. Res…
Oral health and systemic inflammatory, cardiac and nitroxid biomarkers in hemodialysis patients.
2016
Background Periodontal diseases have systemic inflammatory effects and have been adversely associated with cardiovascular diseases, which are also the most frequent cause of death in the end-stage renal disease. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the oral health and serum biomarkers among the hemodialysis (HD) patients in Slovenia. Material and Methods 111 HD patients were periodontally examined and their sera were assayed for C reactive protein (CRP), cardiac troponin T (TnT), nitrite/nitrate (NOx) and antibody levels to A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis. The association of oral health with systemic response was analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis test, Fisher’s exa…
Clinical Characteristics of Patients Carrying the Q703K Variant of the NLRP3 Gene: A 10-year Multicentric National Study
2016
Objective.The aim of our study was to analyze the clinical and functional effect of the p.Q703K (p. Q705K, c. 2107C>A) variant of the NLRP3 gene in a population of patients screened for suspected cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS).Methods.Since 2002, 580 patients underwent molecular analysis for NLRP3. Data on clinical presentation, response to treatment, and longterm followup were collected using a uniform questionnaire. The pattern of cytokine secretion after lipopolysaccharide stimulation from isolated monocytes was analyzed in 3 patients carrying the p.Q703K variant and 1 patient with a chronic infantile neurologic, cutaneous, articular syndrome phenotype carrying both the…
Functional Mechanics of a Pectin-Based Pleural Sealant after Lung Injury.
2017
Pleural injury and associated air leaks are a major influence on patient morbidity and healthcare costs after lung surgery. Pectin, a plant-derived heteropolysaccharide, has recently demonstrated potential as an adhesive binding to the glycocalyx of visceral mesothelium. Since bioadhesion is a process likely involving the interpenetration of the pectin-based polymer with the glycocalyx, we predicted that the pectin-based polymer may also be an effective sealant for pleural injury. To explore the potential role of an equal (weight%) mixture of high-methoxyl pectin and carboxymethylcellulose as a pleural sealant, we compared the yield strength of the pectin-based polymer to commonly available…
Estimating Global Burden of Disease due to congenital anomaly: an analysis of European data
2017
ObjectiveTo validate the estimates of Global Burden of Disease (GBD) due to congenital anomaly for Europe by comparing infant mortality data collected by EUROCAT registries with the WHO Mortality Database, and by assessing the significance of stillbirths and terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomaly (TOPFA) in the interpretation of infant mortality statistics.Design, setting and outcome measuresEUROCAT is a network of congenital anomaly registries collecting data on live births, fetal deaths from 20 weeks’ gestation and TOPFA. Data from 29 registries in 19 countries were analysed for 2005–2009, and infant mortality (deaths of live births at age <1 year) compared with the WHO Mortality …
Short‐term neuropsychiatric outcomes and quality of life in COVID‐19 survivors
2021
BACKGROUND: The general medical impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19) are increasingly appreciated. However, its impact on neurocognitive, psychiatric health and quality of life (QoL) in survivors after the acute phase is poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate neurocognitive function, psychiatric symptoms, and QoL in COVID-19 survivors shortly after hospital discharge. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analysis of a prospective study of hospitalised COVID-19 survivors followed-up for 2 months after discharge. A battery of standardised instruments evaluating neurocognitive function, psychiatric morbidity, and QoL (mental and physical components) was administered by telephone. RESULTS: Of the …
Vascular Risk Factors, Vascular Diseases, and Imaging Findings in a Hospital-based Cohort of Mild Cognitive Impairment Types
2017
Background: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a transitional state between normal cognition and dementia. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the role of vascular risk factors, vascular diseases, cerebrovascular disease and brain atrophy in a large hospital-based cohort of MCI types including 471 amnestic MCI (a-MCI), 693 amnestic MCI multiple domain (a-MCImd), 322 single non-memory MCI (snm-MCI), and 202 non amnestic MCI multiple domain (na-MCImd). For comparison, 1,005 neurologically and cognitively healthy subjects were also evaluated. Method: Several vascular risk factors and vascular diseases were assessed. All participants underwent neurological, neuropsychological an…
Preventive Effect of Cow's Milk Fermented with Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 on Common Infectious Diseases in Children: A Multicenter Randomized Co…
2017
Background: Fermented foods have been proposed to prevent common infectious diseases (CIDs) in children attending day care or preschool. Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of dietary supplementation with cow’s skim milk fermented with the probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 in reducing CIDs in children attending day care or preschool. Methods: Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial on healthy children (aged 12–48 months) consuming daily 7 grams of cow’s skim milk fermented with L. paracasei CBA L74 (group A), or placebo (maltodextrins group B) attending day care or preschool during the winter season. The main outcome was the proportion of children who exp…
Trends in Food Habits and Their Relation to Socioeconomic Status among Nordic Adolescents 2001/2002-2009/2010
2016
BACKGROUND: In the Nordic countries, substantial policy and intervention efforts have been made to increase adolescents' consumption of fruit and vegetables and to reduce their intake of sweets and soft drinks. Some initiatives have been formulated in a Nordic collaboration and implemented at national level. In recent years, social inequalities in food habits have been attracted particular governmental interest and several initiatives addressing the socioeconomic gradient in food habits have been highlighted. However, few internationally published studies have evaluated how trends in adolescents' food habits develop in the context of Nordic nutrition policy, or have compared differences bet…