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Elisa Marabotto, 1 Sebastiano Ziola, 1 Vincenzo Savarino, 1 Edoardo Giovanni Giannini, 1 Manuele Furnari, 1 Giorgia Bodini, 1 Fabiana Zingone, 2 Matteo Ghisa, 2 Brigida Barberio, 2 Patrizia Zentilin, 1 Edoardo Savarino 2 1Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; 2Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, Padua, ItalyCorrespondence: Elisa MarabottoDivision of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 6, Genova 16132, ItalyTel/Fax +390103538923Email elisa.marabotto@unige.itAbstract: Potassium-competitive acid blockers (P-CABs), such as vonoprazan, represent a novel and heterogeneous class of drugs that competitively block the potassium binding site of gastric H+/K+ ATPase, thus potentially overcoming the limitations of proton-pump inhibitors. Different studies evaluated the efficacy of vonoprazan versus proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) for the treatment of acid-related disorders, and, therefore, P-CABs present the same indications of PPIs: gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastric and duodenal ulcer healing, management of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-associated ulcers and Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy. The aim of this review was to evaluate the role of vonoprazan for the treatment of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and the management of gastric ulcer occurring after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Indeed, vonoprazan (at the dose of both 10 and 20mg) showed similar results to PPIs in patients taking long-term NSAIDs, in the absence of severe adverse effects, and provided a more rapid and effective treatment of ulcers induced by ESD. However, studies in medical literature are heterogeneous, mainly performed with a retrospective design, and often carried out in Japan only. For these reasons, further prospective, randomized studies are warranted in order to help physicians, patients, and policymakers regarding the use of vonoprazan in clinical practice.Keywords: gastric ulcer, P-CAB, adverse events, peptic disease, PPI, H2-receptor antagonists

Ulderico Freo, Maurizio Furnari, Carlo Ori Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit, Department of Medicine – DIMED, Padua University, Padua, Italy Background: Pain is a common and undertreated non-motor symptom in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Opioids have been seldom used in PD because they could worsen cognitive and motor functions. Objective: We aimed to assess efficacy and tolerability of tapentadol in PD patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 21 PD patients treated with tapentadol extended release (ER) for chronic pain. Patients were evaluated before treatment and at 3 and 6 months during treatment for pain intensity (current, 24-hour average, and minimum and worst) with a 0–10 Numerical Rating Scale and the painDETECT questionnaire; for motor symptom severity with the Unified PD Rating Scale part III and the Hoehn and Yahr scale; for cognitive functions with Mini-Mental Status Examination, Corsi’s Block-Tapping test, Digit Span test, Digit-Symbol Substitution test, FAS test, Rey’s Auditory Verbal Learning test, Trail-Making test A and B and the 9-Hole Peg test; for anxiety and depression with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; and for the quality of life with the Short Form-12. Data were analyzed by 1-way analysis of variance and paired t-test, and by Friedman’s and Wilcoxon’s tests. Statistical significance was taken in all cases as P

Manuele Furnari,1 Nicola de Bortoli,2 Irene Martinucci,2 Giorgia Bodini,1 Matteo Revelli,3 Elisa Marabotto,1 Alessandro Moscatelli,1 Lorenzo Del Nero,1 Edoardo Savarino,4 Edoardo G Giannini,1 Vincenzo Savarino1 1Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; 2Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Translational Research and New Technology in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; 3Department of Radiology, San Bartolomeo Hospital, Sarzana, Italy; 4Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Surgery, Oncology, and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy Abstract: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common chronic functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, meanly characterized by recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort and altered bowel habit. It is a complex disorder involving biological, environmental, and psychosocial factors. The diagnosis is achieved according to the Rome III criteria provided that organic causes have been excluded. Although IBS does not constitute a life-threatening condition, it has a remarkable prevalence and profoundly reduces the quality of life with burdening socioeconomic costs. One of the principal concerns about IBS is the lack of effective therapeutic options. Up to 40% of patients are not satisfied with any available medications, especially those suffering from chronic constipation. A correct management of IBS with constipation should evolve through a global approach focused on the patient, starting with careful history taking in order to assess the presence of organic diseases that might trigger the disorder. Therefore, the second step is to examine lifestyle, dietary habits, and psychological status. On these bases, a step-up management of disease is recommended: from fiber and bulking agents, to osmotic laxative drugs, to new molecules like lubiprostone and linaclotide. Although new promising tools for relief of bowel-movement-related symptoms are being discovered, a dedicated doctor–patient relationship still seems to be the key for success. Keywords: IBS, functional gastrointestinal disorders, laxatives

Direct current-superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) characterized by asymmetric Josephson junctions have never been used for applications. In order to demonstrate their potential advantages, a throughout numerical analysis of different asymmetric configurations has been carried out. A damping resistance has been included in the SQUID circuit and the thermal noise associated with junction and damping resistances has been considered in the numerical model. Magnetic modulations and flux noise spectral densities have been computed as a function of many parameters (bias current, asymmetry, SQUID inductance, and damping resistance) and the performance of symmetric and asymmetric devices have been compared. The results show that, by properly optimizing the SQUID design, asymmetric SQUIDs are characterized by higher magnetic flux to voltage transfer coefficient and lower flux noise. As a result, asymmetric configurations can be very useful in all the applications where high sensitivity is required. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]