653 research outputs found
Biosimilars in Italy: a gastroenterologist's view
No full textThe introduction of biological therapy has revolutionized the paradigm of treatment in the last two decades. This is expected to lead to corresponding amelioration of the course of several immune-mediated diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). However, this may come with an appreciable increase in expenditure on drugs. Due to ongoing patent expiry of some biologicals, the introduction of biosimilars is creating the opportunity for substantial financial savings to be made, leading to easier, wider and earlier access to therapy for some patients, and possibly to changes in resource allocation by health services. However, the complexity and potential immunogenicity of the first monoclonal biosimilar of infliximab introduced to the market, and the extrapolation of its indications to all diseases approved for the originator, despite the absence of controlled trials in all diseases at time of market authorization, have initially raised concerns in the scientific community. In Italy, the uptake of this biosimilar (CT-P13) is already close to the European mean, although the utilization and regulation at regional levels is highly heterogeneous
Esophageal achalasia: A mistery with different solutions
No full textAchalasia is still an intrigning "mistery" and although different "solutions" are available, the definitive "cure" is missing. The present review summarizes the available data in the literature regarding drug therapy, the use of botolinum toxin intrasphinteric injection, and pneumatic dilation while direct comparative information is still lacking, some guidelines on therapeutic options can be given
Risk of Post-Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis and Ways to Prevent It: Old Myths, a Current Need? The Case of Allopurinol
No full textGenetics and ulcerative colitis: What are the clinical implications?
No full textSubstantial progress has been made in the last years in characterizing the susceptibility genes involved in IBD pathogenesis, especially for Crohn's disease. Although some genetic factors associated with Crohn's disease also predispose individuals to ulcerative colitis, markers specific only for ulcerative colitis have been found. Recent genomewide association studies in ulcerative colitis have identified several new loci, and suggested many new potential pathways. The identified susceptibility genes and their variants could be useful to predict disease course and to improve stratification of patients, when correlated with other subphenotypes. Moreover, understanding the biological pathways involved in the disease could lead to the development of new treatments and molecules that specifically target such pathways, discover different therapeutic approaches and eventually progress to personalized treatment. © 2011 Bentham Science Publishers Ltd
Precision Medicine in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
No full textUlcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are traditionally defined as the two main subtypes of inflammatory bowel disease. However, a more recent view considers IBD as a spectrum of heterogeneous phenotypes with consistent differences in clinical presentation and behaviors, likely explained by differences in underlying pathogenetic mechanisms. The etiology is still elusive, and the suggested pathogenesis is a complex interplay among genetic predisposition and abnormal immune response at the mucosal intestinal level, activated by only partially identified environmental triggers leading to altered intestinal permeability and impaired handling of gut microbiota. The undeniable continuous progress of medical therapy with more frequent shifts from traditional to more advanced modalities also underlines the actual unmet needs. We are using medications with completely different mechanisms of action, with a lack of predictive factors of outcomes and response and still an unsatisfactory rate of success. In addition, we are missing still valuable and accurate markers to predict disease progression and severity in order to avoid under- or over-treatment. In such a complex scenario, it is undoubtful that the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms may improve the management and pave the way for precision and eventually personalized medicine in these patients; however, there are still several challenges that will be the focus of this review
(Ri)leggere Nag Hammadi: un’introduzione
No full textNell’inverno tra il 1945 e il 1946 vennero ritrovati in Egitto, non lontano dall’odierna Nag Hammadi, dodici codici manoscritti – più alcuni fogli di un tredicesimo – in lingua copta. Realizzati tra IV e V secolo d.C. copiando opere anteriori originariamente composte in greco, contenevano circa cinquanta trattati fra antichi vangeli apocrifi, scritti gnostici, testi ermetici e persino un frammento della Repubblica di Platone. Il volume ne offre la prima traduzione italiana integrale. Le traduzioni, realizzate da un gruppo di specialisti, sono accompagnate da aggiornate introduzioni e da un agile apparato di note. Completano il libro un’introduzione generale su alcune questioni di metodo, una presentazione e traduzione completa dei “colofoni” dei codici, e un saggio sulla contestualizzazione dei codici nella letteratura copta e sul relativo dibattito contemporaneo
Puglia: segnali e apprendimenti nel nuovo ciclo (“I caratteri delle due stagioni della Rigenerazione Urbana in Puglia”, WP 1/2017)
No full textFall-Risk Assessment by Combined Movement Related Potentials and Co-contraction Index Monitoring
No full textIn this paper we propose a novel approach for online
fall-risk assessment based on concurrent EEG and EMG
monitoring. The fall-risk evaluation is based on: i) clinical
condition of the individual, ii) environment, iii) EMG agonistantagonist
co-contraction analysis and iv) Movement Related
Potentials and event related desynchronizations
occurrence/absence. The fall-risk assessment evaluation
algorithm has been implemented on a FPGA (Altera Cyclone V
SE 5CSEMA5F31C6N) in order to realize an autonomous and
stand-alone fall prevention tool. The experimental results (based
on a dataset of 10 individuals) are described and demonstrate the
validity of the algorithm and its FPGA implementation, which
responds in 41ms, well within the 300ms time limit according to a
study on 45 fallers and 80 non-fallers (with 74 years average age)
Quantitative and qualitative traits of natural ecotypes of perennial grasses (Dactylis glomerata L., Festuca arundinacea Schreb., Phalaris tuberosa L., Brachypodium rupestre (Host) R. et S.) collected in Southern Italy
No full textPuglia: segnali e apprendimenti nel nuovo ciclo (“Rigenerazione Urbana in Puglia: Bilanci, questioni e prospettive dopo 10 anni esperienza”, WP 2/2017)
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