Resistance-Associated Substitutions (RAS) and Clinical Factors as Determinants of Sofosbuvir-Daclatasvir Treatment Outcomes in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients.

Background: Direct acting antivirals (DAAs) have demonstrated remarkable efficacy, in achieving hepatitis C viral (HCV) elimination rates higher than 90%. One particular concern associated with treatment failure is the emergence of resistance associated substitutions (RASs) in the genome. The occurrence of RASs highlights the adaptability and resilience of the HCV.

The hypercoagulable state in multiple myeloma: The contribution of thrombin generation test.

Background: Multiple myeloma is a hematologic malignancy which confers a high venous thromboembolic risk. This risk is linked to patient-related factors, disease-specific mechanisms, and antimyeloma therapy, especially immunomodulatory drugs. Some studies have suggested that the thrombin generation assay may be a predictive marker of thrombosis.

Systemic lupus erythematosus induced by interferon β1 therapy in a patient with multiple sclerosis.

Drug-induced lupus erythematosus is defined as a lupus-like syndrome temporally related to a drug exposure. We report a 34-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis who developed, while being treated with interferon β-1a, myalgia and associated with wrist synovitis. Clinical and immunologic investigations were in favor of systemic lupus erythematosus.

[Rheumatoid arthritis: current status of therapy].

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a frequent chronic inflammatory disease characterized by distal, bilateral and symmetrical lesions, leading to joint distortions and articular destructions. RA can also cause severe extra-articular manifestations associated with a poor prognosis. Recent advances in the field of immunopathology of RA have oriented treatment targeting the pro-inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin (IL) and IL6.

[The incidence of cesarean section and the means of delivery in women who have already had a cesarean].

Background: This study has taken into account the modalities of delivery during years 1983-1996 in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the "Spirito Santo" Hospital in Pescara.

Methods: Delivery methods of gravidae already subjected to a caesarean in the last seven years (1990-1996) have been examined and the single and multiple indications of a repeated caesarean have been analyzed considering also the modalities in dealing with the labour after a previous caesarean.

Results: The data obtained underline a minimum variability in the incidence of vaginal delivery, while among the operative deliveries, a marked reduction in the application of forceps and a more substantial rise of the caesarean in the last three years have been observed.

[Diphenols and caramel compounds in roasted coffees of different varieties. II. (author's transl)].

Eleven diphenols and seven caramel compounds were extracted from roasted coffee with pentane/ether (1 + 1), silylated with BSTFA, characterized, and semiquantified by GC-MS. Seven phenols and five caramel components were identified for the first time in roasted coffee. Robusta coffee contained the highest amounts of phenols and maltol.