There are about 21062 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Italy. The country of the clinical trial is determined by the location of where the clinical research is being studied. Most studies are often held in multiple locations & countries.
Accumulating evidence is showing that gut microbiota could play a key role in gastrointestinal tract and immune system development and function. Many beneficial effects elicited by gut microbiota are mediated its metabolites. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are major metabolites produced by gut microbiota. Among SCFA, butyrate has emerged as pivotal regulator of many gastrointestinal function and immune system development and function. Butyrate is produced by intestinal microbial fermentation of resistant starches and dietary fiber. It regulates several beneficial intestinal and extra-intestinal functions, among the first it serves as the primary energy source for the gut epithelium, increases mineral absorption, stimulates proliferation and differentiation of normal colon epithelial cells, improves the gut barrier function by stimulation of the formation of mucin, antimicrobial peptides, and tight-junction proteins, interacts with the immune system and has anti-inflammatory effects. Butyrate also seems to regulate the expression of antimicrobial peptides in particular upregulating transcription of cathelicidin thanks to his action of histone deacetylase inhibitor and it has been shown to induce human β-defensin 2 (HBD-2) mRNA expression in colonocytes, although there are few publications reporting its regulation of defensins (Berni Canani R et al. W J Gastroenterol. 2011;17(12):1519). Preliminary data showed that breast milk contains butyrate. Butyrate could be an ideal compound for infant formulas for an efficient regulation of a number of protective actions at gastrointestinal tract level and at systemic level. A new butyrate releaser, useful for all the known applications of butyrate, presenting physiochemical characteristics suitable for easy oral administration (free from unpleasant organoleptic properties of butyrate): N-(1-carbamoyl-2-phenyl-ethyl) butyramide (FBA) has been developed. The molecule is a butyrate amide with the amino acid phenylalanine, solid, odourless, tasteless, stable at gastric pH, and able to release butyrate constantly throughout gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the study was to evaluate tolerability and safety profile of a nutritional intervention with FBA in formula fed at term neonates. The effects on the expression of innate immunity biomarkers as well as on neonatal gut function were also assessed.
Fasting mimetic diet (FMD) showed positive effects on cardiovascular risks. Purpose of the trial is to evaluate FMD effects on patients affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD), through the stimulation of kidney stem cells and improving cardiovascular and metabolic status. From April 2018, the investigators enrolled 13 patients (7 male) with an history of primary glomerulonephritis (GMN) and an eGFR between 60 ml/min and 30 ml/min. Exclusion criteria are: age <18 y.o., age> 65 y.o., secondary GMN, severe heart failure (NYHA IV),ongoing infectious diseases, ongoing neoplasia, hepatic diseases, COPD, inflammatory bowel disease, history of stroke, history of acute coronary disease less than 3 months, pregnancy, refuse informed consent.
Primary Objective: To demonstrate the non-inferiority of the seroprotection rate (serum bactericidal assay using human complement [hSBA] titer greater than or equal to [>=] 1:8) to meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, and Y following the administration of a single dose of Meningococcal Polysaccharide (Serogroups A, C, Y, and W) Tetanus Toxoid Conjugate vaccine (MenACYW Conjugate vaccine) (Group 1) compared to a single dose of Nimenrix® (Group 2). Secondary Objective: To describe: - the antibody response of meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, and Y measured by hSBA, before and 1 month following meningococcal vaccination administered alone (Groups 1 and 2) or concomitantly with 9-valent human papilloma virus (9vHPV) and tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis - inactivated polio vaccine [adsorbed, reduced antigen(s) content] (Tdap-IPV) vaccines (Group 3). - the antibody response of meningococcal serogroup C measured by hSBA and serum bactericidal assay using baby rabbit complement (rSBA), before vaccination and at Day 31 after vaccination with MenACYW Conjugate vaccine or Nimenrix® (Groups 1 and 2) according to MenC primed status. - the antibody response against antigens of 9vHPV and Tdap-IPV vaccines, before and 1 month following vaccination. - the safety profile in each group after each and any vaccination.
The use of quantitative, automated, infrared technology for pupillary examination has long been used in ophthalmology and anesthesiology research. Its interest in neurocritical care has progressively grown, in parallel with the advancements in device technology. In this regard, the use of the noninvasive NPi®-200 pupillometer (Neuroptics, Laguna Hills, California, USA) allows the measurement of a series of dynamic pupillary variables (including the percentage pupillary constriction, latency, constriction velocity, and dilation velocity), which can be integrated into an algorithm, to compute the Neurological Pupil index (NPi). The NPi is a proprietary scalar index with values between 0 and 5 (with a 0.1 decimal precision), an NPi value < 3 indicating an abnormal pupillary reactivity. Importantly, the NPi is not influenced by sedation-analgesia, at the doses used in neurocritical care practice, and by mild hypothermia. Preliminary single-center data recently demonstrated that abnormal NPi is associated with worse outcome in patients with traumatic and hemorrhagic ABI, and can be a useful adjunct for ICP monitoring and therapy. There is currently a great need for quantitative tools to predict early prognostication in ABI patients, and the NPi appears of potential great value. We hypothesize that: 1. Abnormal NPi (defined as NPi <3) are strongly predictive of poor GOS-E (1-4) at 6 months after the acute event. 2. NPi=0 is strongly predictive of mortality (GOS 1). 3. Abnormal NPi is predictive of a higher ICP 20 index (number of end-hourly measures of ICP >20 mm Hg divided by the total number of measurements, multiplied by 100) and a greater burden of interventions needed to control ICP (measured by the Therapy Intensity Level scale for ICP management, Therapy Intensity Level (TIL) 4). Methods This international multicentre prospective observational study aims to recruit >400 patients admitted to intensive care units. Duration of the study 18 months, including 12-month of recruitment based on 60 patients/centre plus 6 months GOS-E follow-up.
The present is a followup study that aims at investigating the effect of genetic and environmental factors on the possible development of psychopathological conditions in a longitudinal perspective. The final goal is to understand those factors that causing vulnerability to mental illness, eventually allowing better prevention and early detections of those persons with mental illness.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder. It is the second most frequent cause of presenile neurodegenerative dementia in those less than 65 years of age. Currently, there is no effective pharmacological treatment to slow down the progression of FTD. Recently, it has been proposed that neuroinflammation could be involved in specific forms of FTD and that novel drugs targeting neuroinflammation could potentially be useful in FTD treatment. An available form of ultra-micronized PEA combined with luteoline (PEA-LUT) has gained attention for its proven anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties reported in neurodegenerative conditions related to FTD, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The administration of PEA-LUT treatment may have a clinical impact in behavioural variant FTD (bv-FTD) patients. In particular, PEA-LUT treatment could be able to reduce behavioural disturbances, the more disabling symptoms in bv-FTD, with a related improvement of daily living activities of affected people. Moreover, a multimodal approach (cognitive/neurophysiological) can be used to assess the brain correlates related to the clinical improvement associated with PEA-LUT treatment, thus making remarkable strides in understanding how FTD affects the brain. Potentially the proposed project could provide a valid treatment for cognitive and behavioural dysfunction in FTD patients, with consistent impact for the National Health Systems and minimum cost for the patients.
The onset of chronic Fibromyalgia symptomatology is due to central alterations, together with peripheral neuroimmune modifications. Using positron emission tomography (PET), it has been observed for the first time that fibromyalgia patients have a high activation of microglial cells compared to normal subjects. Experimental evidence in neuroinflammation models in vitro and in vivo have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effect of Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), effects confirmed by observational clinical investigations conducted in patients with fibromyalgia in which micronized and ultra-micronized Palmitoylethanolamide (mPEA and umPEA) reduced the intensity of pain improving the quality of life. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of PEA-m + PEA-um administered as an add-on therapy with a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical investigation.
To understand and analyse the global impact of COVID-19 on outpatient services, inpatient care, elective surgery, and perioperative colorectal cancer care, a DElayed COloRectal cancer surgery (DECOR-19) survey was conducted in collaboration with numerous international colorectal societies with the objective of obtaining several learning points from the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our colorectal cancer patients which will assist us in the ongoing management of our colorectal cancer patients and to provide us safe oncological pathways for future outbreaks.
Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is an autoimmune disease persisting when immunosuppression is achieved. Orbital fibroblasts from GO patients display peculiar phenotypes even if not exposed to autoimmunity, possibly reflecting genetic or epigenetic mechanisms, to be investigated here. Primary cultures of orbital fibroblasts from GO and control patients will be established. Cell proliferation, release of hyaluronic acid (HA) and HA synthases (HAS) will be measured. Next Generation Sequencing and gene expression analysis of the whole genome will be performed, as well as global DNA methylation assay.
Stapler-less laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is emerging as a new potential affordable cost-effective alternative procedure. However, no pre-clinical data are currently available on human tissue. We aimed to evaluate whether traditionally suturing without the use of surgical stapling may produces a comparable bursting pressure on human gastric tissue.