The effect of breakwaters on the structure of marine soft-bottom assemblages: a case study from a North-Western Mediterranean basin.

This two-year study is the first attempt to analyse the ecological effects of breakwater systems on soft-bottom assemblages along the North Tyrrhenian coast. Differently from previous studies focusing on infauna of on-shore and off-shore sides, we compared the assemblages inhabiting the surrounding soft-bottoms not directly protected by the breakwaters, defining our sampling stations at varying distances from the breakwaters and at constant distance from the coast. Data collected revealed that abundance, species richness and M-AMBI ecological quality differed between northern and southern sides, and were related to distance from structures.

Ketamine, propofol and low dose remifentanil versus propofol and remifentanil for ERCP outside the operating room: is ketamine not only a "rescue drug"?

Background: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ERCP is a painful and long procedure requiring transient deep analgesia and conscious sedation. An ideal anaesthetic that guarantees a rapid and smooth induction, good quality of maintenance, lack of adverse effects and rapid recovery is still lacking. This study aimed to compare safety and efficacy of a continuous infusion of low dose remifentanil plus ketamine combined with propofol in comparison to the standard regimen dose of remifentanil plus propofol continuous infusion during ERCP.

Regional anticoagulation and antiaggregation for CVVH in critically ill patients: a prospective, randomized, controlled pilot study.

Background: The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy and clinical safety of regional anticoagulation (heparin pre-filter plus post-filter protamine) plus antiaggregation (pre-filter prostacyclin) [Group 1 (G1)] vs. only systemic heparin anticoagulation without antiaggregation [Group 2 (G2)] in critically ill patients with acute renal failure undergoing continuous veno-venous haemofiltration (CVVH).

Methods: One hundred and ten patients were randomized in a prospective, controlled pilot study.

The increase of endothelial progenitor cells in the peripheral blood: a new parameter for detecting onset and severity of sepsis.

Sepsis is a clinical syndrome characterized by non-specific inflammatory response with evidence of profound changes in the function and structure of endothelium. Recent evidence suggests that vascular maintenance, repair and angiogenesis are in part mediated by recruitment from bone marrow (BM) of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). In this study we were interested in whether EPCs are increasingly mobilized during sepsis and if this mobilization is associated with sepsis severity.

Opioid-free analgesia by continuous psoas compartment block after total hip arthroplasty. A randomized study.

Background And Objective: Adequate analgesia is needed after total hip arthroplasty to control pain at rest and during rehabilitation. Our aim was to compare, in a randomized study, the efficacy of two analgesia regimens in control of postoperative pain after total hip arthroplasty: opioid-free continuous psoas compartment block vs. an opioid/non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs continuous intravenous infusion.