Immersive virtual reality is more effective than non-immersive devices for developing real-world skills in people with intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disability (ID) demonstrate persistent challenges around developing life skills. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) is gaining interest as a tool for training life skills as it enables individuals to engage in hands-on learning in a safe, controlled and repeatable environment. However, there are concerns about the potential drawbacks of IVR, such as cybersickness and practical challenges with using the equipment, which may hinder its widespread adoption in educational settings. The current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of training in IVR and a non-immersive virtual environment for improving real-world skills in people with ID. METHODS: In the present study, 36 adults (16 female, 20 male) with ID were recruited from a disability organisation. Participants completed a real-world assessment of waste management skills before and after training in either the IVR or non-immersive group. RESULTS: Consistent with our hypotheses, the IVR group scored significantly higher in the real-world assessment after virtual training (d = 1), and at the 1-week follow-up (d = 1.12), compared with the non-immersive group. Further analyses showed that the IVR group, but not the non-immersive group, significantly improved performance in the real-world assessment across timepoints. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that IVR was more effective for improving and retaining real-world waste management skills. This study supports IVR as a viable tool for professionals and caregivers to develop skills for independent living among people with ID.

Bovine lactoferrin for Helicobacter pylori eradication: an open, randomized, multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: Cure rates for eradication of Helicobacter pylori appear to be decreasing, thus more effective therapies must be identified. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of bovine lactoferrin in the treatment of H. pylori infection. METHODS: In a multicentered prospective study, 402 (mean age 52.4, range 19-84 years) H. pylori-positive patients were assigned to one of three regimens: group A - esomeprazole 20 mg b.d., clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. and tinidazole 500 mg b.d. for 7 days; group B - lactoferrin 200 mg b.d. for 7 days followed by the same schedule of group A; group C - esomeprazole 20 mg b.d., clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. and tinidazole 500 mg b.d. plus lactoferrin 200 mg b.d. for 7 days. RESULTS: Of the 402 patients, 389 completed the study. Six patients were discontinued due to side effects, one patient in group B died and six patients were lost to follow up. The eradication rate (intention-to-treat analysis) was 77% in group A (105/136), 73% in group B (97/132) and 90% in group C (120/134) (chi(2)-test P < 0.01). The incidence of side effects was 9.5% in group A, 9% in group B and 8.2% in group C (chi(2)-test P = 0.1). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that bovine lactoferrin is an effective adjuvant to 7-day triple therapy for eradication of H. pylori infection.

Dysphagia aortica: a neglected symptom of aortoesophageal fistula.

Aortoesophageal fistula, secondary to thoracic aortic aneurysm, is an uncommon cause of gastrointestinal bleeding that is uniformly fatal without surgical intervention. Typical symptoms are midthoracic pain and/or dysphagia followed by a usually short, albeit unpredictable, symptom-free interval and by a 'herald' haemorrhage, which is observed in 80% of patients before fatal exsanguinations. Dysphagia is present in 45% of patients, sometimes for several weeks, before the first bleeding occurs. However, dysphagia aortica is rarely considered in the differential diagnosis of dysphagia and lack of awareness, as well as symptom's underevaluation, both contribute to a significant diagnostic and therapeutic delay. We present a case of a 77-year-old woman who died for a bleeding AEF consequent to a thoracic aortic aneurysm and whose main symptom during the past 2 months was dysphagia, which was not taken seriously into consideration by her general practitioner. This case report emphasises that primary care physicians should be alerted to evaluate carefully the alarming symptoms like dysphagia -- especially in elderly patients -- before life threatening complications occur, as they are the ones who could suspect early the diagnosis and make a proper referral.

Clinical usefulness of serum pepsinogens I and II, gastrin-17 and anti-Helicobacterpylori antibodies in the management of dyspeptic patients in primary care.

BACKGROUND: Several tests have been proposed for evaluating dyspeptic symptoms and their relationship to the underlying gastric disease. Serum pepsinogens and gastrin-17 are known to be useful biomarkers for the detection of gastric pathologies. AIM: To evaluate the capability of screening dyspeptic patients in the primary care by analyses of serum pepsinogens I (sPGI) and II (sPGII), gastrin-17 (sG-17) and the IgG anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies (IgG-Hp). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three hundred and sixty-two consecutive patients with dyspeptic symptoms (208 females, mean age 50.6 +/- 16 years, range 18-88 years) referred by general practitioners for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were enrolled. A blood sample was taken from each subject for IgG-Hp, sPGI, sPGII and sG-17 analyses. RESULTS: Two hundred and eighty-seven patients had a complete screening; of these, 132 resulted positive for Hp infection. Patients with atrophic chronic gastritis showed significantly lower serum pepsinogen I levels and sPGI/sPGII ratio than patients with non-atrophic chronic gastritis. Moreover, by calculating the values of sPGI by sG-17 and sG-17 by sPGII/sPGI, subjects with atrophic chronic gastritis could be distinguished from those with non-atrophic chronic gastritis and from those with normal mucosa, respectively. sG-17 levels were found to be a useful biomarker for the detection of antral atrophic gastritis, while the combination of sPGI, the sPGI/sPGII ratio and sG-17 was found effective in identifying corpus atrophy. CONCLUSION: A panel composed of PGI, PGII, G-17 and IgG-Hp could be used as a first approach in the 'test and scope' and/or 'test and treat' strategy in the primary care management of dyspeptic patients.

Symmetric transcription of bacteriophage T4 base plate genes.

Dot-blot and Northern-blot experiments, using strand-specific RNA probes, show that part of the bacteriophage T4 DNA that codes for six of the base plate structural genes (gp 51, 27, 28, 29, 48 and 54), is transcribed in vivo from both DNA strands. The r DNA strand transcripts contain sequences which are translated into structural proteins. Antisense l strand RNA is about 100 fold less abundant than RNA molecules transcribed from the r DNA strand.

Molecular anatomy of the human glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase core promoter.

The gene encoding glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), which plays a pivotal role in cell defense against oxidative stress, is ubiquitously expressed at widely different levels in various tissues; moreover, G6PD expression is regulated by a number of stimuli. In this study we have analyzed the molecular anatomy of the G6PD core promoter. Our results indicate that the G6PD promoter is more complex than previously assumed; G6PD expression is under the control of several elements that are all required for correct promoter functioning and, furthermore, a still unidentified mammalian specific factor is needed.

Use of bovine lactoferrin for Helicobacter pylori eradication.

BACKGROUND: One-week triple therapy is the most frequently recommended treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection. Eradication rate is satisfactory, nevertheless is advisable to look for more effective therapies. AIM: To test the efficacy of a standard triple therapy plus bovine lactoferrin in the eradication of H. pylori infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty consecutive H. pylori positive patients, suffering from dyspeptic symptoms were recruited in a 7-day triple therapy open randomised single centre study with rabeprazole, clarithromycin, tinidazole, bovine lactoferrin (group A) or rabeprazole, clarithromycin, tinidazole (group B), or a 10-day therapy with rabeprazole, clarithromycin, tinidazole (group C). H. pylori status was assessed 8 weeks after the end of the treatment by means of a 13C-urea breath test or a H. pylori stool antigen-test. RESULTS: Eradication rates (intention to treat/per protocol) were: group A (92.2/95.9%), group B (71.2/72.5%) and group C (70.2/75%). The efficacy of triple therapy added with lactoferrin was significantly higher than other two regimens (p=0.01, intention to treat analysis; p=0.005, per protocol analysis). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that lactoferrin tested in the present study was effective in curing H. pylori and could be a new agent to assist the antimicrobials in the eradication of the bacterium.

[Topical treatment of ulcerative colitis. Doubleblind study between beclomethasone dipropionate and mesalazine]. / Trattamento topico della colite ulcerosa: confronto in doppio cieco fra beclometasone dipropionato e mesalazina.

Fifty-nine patients with ulcerative colitis localised in the rectum, sigmoid and colon entered the trial. Thirty were treated with BDP and twenty-nine with 5-Aminosalicylic (enemas and suppositories) for 8 weeks, in a doubleblind, controlled study. Clinical, endoscopic and histological assessment was carried out before and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. It is concluded that BDP is a new important treatment for mild and moderate activity ulcerative colitis.

[Laparoscopic fundoplication in gastroesophageal reflux disease: reflexions on a personal caseload]. / Fundoplicatio laparoscopica per malattia da reflusso gastroesofagea (MRGE): riflessioni su una casistica personale.

Ninety-two patients with severe, proton-pump-inhibitor-dependent gastro-oesophageal reflux disease were submitted to surgery and operated on by the same surgeon (SC) over the past 7 years (mean age: 42; range: 23-74 years). Partial fundoplication was performed in 14 patients with impaired oesophageal motility, while 78 total fundoplications were done in the others, 51 without, and 27 with division of the short gastric vessels. The mean follow-up was 29.5 months (range: 1-85 months). Conversion to open surgery was necessary in 6 patients (all in the first 40 cases). Perforation of the gastric fundus and early migration of the stomach into the mediastinum were the two most important complications observed. The mortality was nil. 39% of the patients complained of postoperative dysphagia but only five required endoscopic (4) or surgical (1) treatment. The percentages of dysphagia after partial fundoplication and total fundoplication with or without division of the short gastric vessels were 28%, 37% and 47%, respectively. In 83.7% the patients were satisfied with the clinical results and in 84% of cases medical treatment was avoided after surgery. On the basis of these data, laparoscopic surgery appears to be a good option for gastro-oeophageal reflux disease in selected patients with a poor response to, or dependent on medical treatment. However, the results of surgery may be subject to the limitations of a learning curve, as in all complex laparoscopic procedures.

Newborn hearing screening in the Campania region (Italy): early language and perceptual outcomes of infants with permanent hearing loss.

Hearing loss in children causes a deficit in early perceptive and language skills. The objective of this study was to evaluate early receptive and expressive language outcomes in children with hearing loss, identified by hearing screening, compared to the time of diagnosis. We studied 18 severely hearing impaired children who were divided into two groups according to the time of diagnosis. Evaluation of communicative language ability was carried out at 18 month of age using the "MacArthur Child Development Inventory" questionnaire, while evaluation of acoustic-perceptual abilities was assessed with the Genovese-Arslan protocol every three months following diagnosis. The linguistic communicative and acoustic-perceptual outcomes of hearing impaired children diagnosed before 6 months of age followed those expected for normally hearing children, with a trend of temporal progression of skills that were faster than those of children diagnosed after 6 months of age.

The rs39335 polymorphism of the RELN gene is not associated with otosclerosis in a southern Italian population.

Otosclerosis, the single most common cause of hearing impairment in white adults, is characterised by bone dystrophy localized to the otic capsule and isolated endochondral bone sclerosis with alternating phases of bone resorption and formation. Conductive hearing loss develops when otosclerotic foci invade the stapedio-vestibular joint (oval window) and interfere with free motion of the stapes, but affected subjects frequently develop profound sensorineural hearing loss. The aetiology of otosclerosis is unknown. In the last years, several association studies have been performed and have suggested that single nucleotide polymorphisms in some genes may be implicated in development of otosclerosis. The strongest association has been demonstrated for the reelin gene, located on chromosome 7q22.1, which encodes an extracellular matrix protein. The involvement of reelin in the pathogenesis of otosclerosis is controversial; it was identified in European and North African populations, but was excluded in an Indian population. To analyze the role of reelin in otosclerosis, it has been studied in a case-control analysis for the polymorphism rs39335 in a southern Italy population. In this population, the pathogenic link between the rs39335 variant and otosclerosis was excluded.

Autonomic cardiovascular regulation in quiescent ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: In inflammatory bowel diseases, changes in autonomic enteric regulation may also affect neural cardiovascular control. However, while cardiac autonomic modulation has been shown to be impaired in active ulcerative colitis, the occurrence of cardiovascular autonomic alterations, also in the quiescent phase of inflammatory bowel diseases, is still a matter of debate. The aim of our study was thus to explore the features of cardiovascular autonomic regulation in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease during their remission phase. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Autonomic cardiovascular control was evaluated by time- and frequency-domain indexes of spontaneous heart rate and blood pressure variability and by assessing the baroreflex heart rate control (sequence technique) in 26 patients with ulcerative colitis, in 26 patients with Crohn's disease and in 23 healthy controls. RESULTS: The groups were matched for age, gender and body mass index. They had similar blood pressure mean levels and variability. By contrast, mean heart rate, its overall variability (standard deviation), and baroreflex sensitivity were lower in ulcerative colitis patients than in controls. Moreover, all indexes related to cardiac vagal control were significantly lower in ulcerative colitis patients with respect not only to controls but also to Crohn's disease patients. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac vagal control is impaired in quiescent ulcerative colitis only, and not in Crohn's disease, while in both bowel diseases vascular control appears preserved. Since cardiovagal modulation seems related to anti-inflammatory mechanisms, the reduced parasympathetic cardiac regulation in apparently quiescent ulcerative colitis suggests that such systemic derangement is accompanied by local subclinical inflammations, even in the absence of clinically active inflammatory processes.

S-100 immunoreactive interdigitating cells in normal and in Down's syndrome human thymuses.

The present research deals with the localization of the interdigitating cells (IDCs) in normal and in Down's human thymuses. Eight thymic biopsy samples of normal children from 16 months to 10 1/2 years and six samples of Down's children from 2 months to 6 1/2 years were stained by the indirect immuno-peroxidase method using an anti-S-100 protein serum. IDCs are localized in the medullary zones, always numerous in all the Down's thymuses and in an age-related decreasing number in normal thymuses. The interrelationships between the physiological and pathological role of IDCs in inducing self-tolerance and T-cell activation and the numerical distribution in normal and in Down's human thymuses are discussed.

Malignant enterochromaffinlike cell carcinoid of the gastric stump: an ultrastructural study.

A metastasizing carcinoid of the gastric stump found 25 years after Billroth II gastric resection for duodenal ulcer is described. Electron microscopy and optical endocrine cell staining proved the tumor to be composed of enterochromaffinlike (ECL) cells. This unusual combination further shows that, at variance with most of these tumors, ECL cell carcinoids may develop also in a condition excluding a trophic effect of gastrin. This case emphasizes the malignant behavior of gastrin-independent ECL cell tumors.

[Endoscopic palliative treatment of malignant bile duct obstruction by endoprosthesis]. / Il trattamento endoscopico palliativo delle stenosi neoplastiche delle vie biliari mediante inserzione di endoprotesi.

Endoscopic positioning of a large biliary endoprosthesis has become a well codified procedure for palliative treatment of primary or metastatic malignant bile duct obstruction. Authors' experience, regarding 47 patients treated by this technique from February 1992, is reported. Furthermore, either absolute or site-related per cent rate of successful positioning of endoprosthesis, efficacy of procedure, early and late complications and mean survival are reported. Results confirm the effectiveness of the procedure in reducing jaundice resulting from malignant bile duct obstruction and low complication rate; early detection and treatment of prosthetic obstruction with subsequent cholangitis, that is the most important factor responsible for death, depend upon close collaboration between physician and endoscopist.

[Multidimensional appraisal in patients suffering from chronic idiopathic constipation]. / Valutazione multidimensionale in pazienti affetti da stipsi cronica idiopatica.

A multidimensional appraisal of the patient suffering from chronic idiopatic constipation is used in this study. 16 consecutive patients affected by chronic idiopatic constipation defined by Rome criteria were enrolled. The following assessments were performed: radiological study of colorectal transit time using radiopaque markers, anorectal manometry, proctography, psychiatric appraisal, with the somministration of The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2, Hamilton Rating Scales for Depression, Hamilton Rating Scales for Anxiety, Toronto Alexithymia Scales, quality of life appraisal, by means of Short Form 36. The present study must be considered a pilot-study, lead on a limited champion of 16 cases; the reported data express therefore tendencies. Chronic idiopatic constipation appears to be a disturbance with a strong impact on the patient's quality of life. The study moreover confirms the hypothesis of a multifactorial genesis for chronic idiopatic constipation, in which psychopathological aspects (anxiety, depression and alessitimia in particular) and personality traits play a fundamental role, as much as the physiopathological alterations. Colorectal transit time study and anorectal manometry confirm to be valid instruments for the evaluation of physiopathological characteristics, useful for a classification of patients, particularly with respect to the presence of a normal or slowed colorectal transit and to the relief of pelvic floor dysfunctions. The differences between subgroups based on physiopathological characteristics, with respect to quality of the life and personality traits, expressed as tendency, need a confirm form studies lead on larger champions.

Coding region intron/exon organization, alternative splicing, and X-chromosome inactivation of the KRAB/FPB-domain-containing human zinc finger gene ZNF41.

ZNF41 belongs to a cluster of human zinc finger genes residing within a gene-rich region at Xp11.23. ZNF41 encodes a KRAB/FPB (Krüppel-associated/finger preceding box) domain, a potent transcription repression motif present in hundreds of vertebrate zinc finger protein genes, composed of two protein modules, A and B. Three introns, placed at identical positions in paralogous genes, interrupt four exons encoding the ZNF41 N-terminal amino acids, the KRAB/FPB-A and KRAB/FPB-B modules, and the remaining coding region adjoined to the C-terminal zinc finger domain. Since the KRAB/FPB-A and KRAB/FPB-B modules are encoded by dedicated exons in ZNF41 and paralogous genes, exon skipping may lead to differential usage of these modules in alternative gene products. RT-PCR analysis of ZNF41 mRNAs showed that, while skipping of the KRAB/FPB-A and/or KRAB/FPB-B exons was not detected, the use of alternative donor/acceptor sites upstream of the KRAB/FPB-A exon generates multiple ZNF41 transcripts potentially encoding polypeptides differing in the N-terminal region and expressed in different tissues. The expression pattern in cell hybrids containing either active or inactive X chromosomes indicates that ZNF41, which resides within a region of the X chromosome that includes genes that are both subject to and escape X-inactivation, is susceptible to X-chromosome inactivation.

Isolation and expression analysis of a human zinc finger gene (ZNF41) located on the short arm of the X chromosome.

We have isolated a novel human zinc finger gene, ZNF41, from a human X-chromosome-specific library. Nucleotide sequence analysis reveals that ZNF41 potentially encodes a polypeptide featuring an array of 18 contiguous zinc fingers of the C2H2 type. Multiple polyadenylated transcripts homologous to ZNF41 are present at different levels in several distinct cell types. Southern analyses of somatic cell hybrids containing either intact or rearranged X chromosomes confirm the genomic origin of the isolated gene and establish that it is localized between Xcen and Xp22.1.