FosA8-producing ST131: clinical cases in Italy, February 2023.

Fosfomycin-resistant FosA8-producing are uncommon strains with extremely low incidence in Europe, based on only three reports in the literature. We detected FosA8-producing ST131 in clinical isolates from two patients admitted in February 2023 to a rehabilitation unit in Italy. The occurrence of rare -like genes in the high-risk clone ST131 is of clinical relevance.

Medicinal clays improve the endurance of loaded inspiratory muscles in COPD: a randomized clinical trial of nonpharmacological treatment.

Background: Inspiratory resistive breathing (IRB) challenges affect respiratory muscle endurance in healthy individuals, which is considered to be an interleukin 6 (IL-6)-dependent mechanism. Whether nonpharmacological thermal therapies promote the endurance of loaded inspiratory muscles in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unclear. The objectives of this study were to compare the effects of two thermal interventions on endurance time (ET) and plasma IL-6 concentration following an IRB challenge.

The mediating role of cytokine IL-6 on the relationship of FEV₁ upon 6-minute walk distance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objectives: To explore the mediating role of protein interleukin-6 (IL-6) on the relationship between forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and, further, to determine whether status variables (such as age, sex, and body mass index [BMI]) operate as moderators of this mediation relationship.

Design: Moderated mediation model.

Setting: An inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation center in Italy.

In vitro treatments with ceftriaxone promote elimination of mutant glial fibrillary acidic protein and transcription down-regulation.

Alexander disease is a rare, untreatable and usually fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by heterozygous mutations of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) gene which ultimately lead to formation of aggregates, containing also alphaB-Crystallin, HSP27, ubiquitin and proteasome components. Recent findings indicate that up-regulation of alphaB-Crystallin in mice carrying GFAP mutations may temper the pathogenesis of the disease. Neuroprotective effects of ceftriaxone have been reported in various animal models and, noteworthy, we have recently shown that the chronic use of ceftriaxone in a patient affected by an adult form of Alexander disease could halt its progression and ameliorate some of the symptoms.