Incidence of hospital-acquired infections due to carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in critically ill patients in Italy: a multicentre prospective cohort study.

Background: Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria, including Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) and Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), are common causes of infections in intensive care units (ICUs) in Italy.

Objective: This prospective observational study evaluated the epidemiology, management, microbiological characterization, and outcomes of hospital-acquired CRE or CRPA infections treated in selected ICUs in Italy.

Methods: The study included patients with hospital-acquired infections due to CRE and CRPA treated in 20 ICUs from June 2021 to February 2023.

Clinical Practice With Preprimed Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Safety, Sterility, and Functionality.

This 5 year retrospective study presents the clinical experience with preprimed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) circuits used in a Single Hub Center Hospital, focusing on sterility, functionality, and safety. The ECMO program has been active since 2019, with a total of 223 circuits managed. Our preassembled and preprimed ECMO circuits were stored in a sterile environment and continuously circulated until implantation.

The Italian version of the Majeed pelvic score: translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation.

Purpose: The assessment of functional outcomes after pelvic ring fracture remains a controversial topic. The Majeed pelvic score (MPS) is the most commonly used pelvic-specific questionnaire in the literature. The aim of this study is translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Italian version of MPS.

Fermented blend from sunflower seed press-cake and bovine sweet whey: Protein breakdown during gastrointestinal digestion.

Sustainable food production implements circular economic system, valuing side streams and minimizing waste. This study was aimed to develop a new food by fermenting a blend of dehulled sunflower seed protein powder (SSPP) and reconstituted bovine sweet whey powder (RSWP). Blends were inoculated with B12 alone or in association with L12, and fermentation proceeded until reaching pH 4.

Gene therapy for epilepsy targeting neuropeptide Y and its Y2 receptor to dentate gyrus granule cells.

Gene therapy is emerging as an alternative option for individuals with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. Here, we explore the potential of a novel gene therapy based on Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a well-known endogenous anticonvulsant. We develop a lentiviral vector co-expressing NPY with its inhibitory receptor Y2 in which, for the first time, both transgenes are placed under the control of the minimal CamKIIa(0.

In vitro pharmacological characterization of growth hormone secretagogue receptor ligands using the dynamic mass redistribution and calcium mobilization assays.

Ghrelin modulates several biological functions via selective activation of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR). GHSR agonists may be useful for the treatment of anorexia and cachexia, while antagonists and inverse agonists may represent new drugs for the treatment of metabolic and substance use disorders. Thus, the identification and pharmacodynamic characterization of new GHSR ligands is of high interest.

Rehabilitation after musculoskeletal injury: European perspective.

Trauma is one of the main causes of death in younger people and ongoing disability worldwide. In Europe, while there is generally good organization of trauma reception and acute treatment, rehabilitation from major musculoskeletal injuries is less well defined and provided. This article documents the diverse approaches to rehabilitation after major injury in 6 European nations.

Whey-based sports supplements: Heat damage and protein breakdown after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion.

This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of heat damage on the release of total amino acids (AA), essential AA (EAA), branched-chain AA (BCAA) and bioactive peptides following in vitro static simulated gastrointestinal digestion (SGID) of four commercial whey-protein based sports supplements. The extent of protein glycation and denaturation was evaluated through the determination of the content of furosine and soluble whey proteins. The strongest protein breakdown (41.

Point-of-Care Fluorescence Biosensing System for Rapid Multi-Allergen Screening.

With the steady increase in allergy prevalence worldwide, there is a strong need for novel diagnostic tools for precise, fast, and less invasive testing methods. Herein, a miniatured fluorescence-based biosensing system is developed for the rapid and quantitative detection of allergen-specific immunoglobulin-E. An antibody-based fluorescence assay in a microfluidic-patterned slide, combined with a custom-made portable fluorescence reader for image acquisition and user-friendly software for the data analysis, enables obtaining results for multiple allergens in just ~1 h with only 80 μL of blood serum.

Evaluation of the Nautilus Smart Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Patients With Hemostatic Alteration: A Case Series.

The intricate management of hemostatic disorders in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) assisted patients poses challenges, particularly when procoagulant administration is necessary. We hereby report the performance of the Nautilus* Smart ECMO Module in three patients with hemostatic disorders. We collected data from ECMO procedures with Nautilus* Smart ECMO Module and analyzed the performance: the operating pressures and resistance of the device in addition to the coagulation status of the patients.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Italian version of the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) index.

The aim of the study was to accomplish translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) Index questionnaire for its use in Italy. The WORC original version was translated and cross-culturally adapted into Italian. Subsequently, it was administered to a population of 60 patients suffering from rotator cuff disease to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Italian version.

Viral Vector-Based Gene Therapy for Epilepsy: What Does the Future Hold?

In recent years, many pre-clinical studies have tested gene therapy approaches as possible treatments for epilepsy, following the idea that they may provide an alternative to conventional pharmacological and surgical options. Multiple gene therapy approaches have been developed, including those based on anti-sense oligonucleotides, RNA interference, and viral vectors. In this opinion article, we focus on translational issues related to viral vector-mediated gene therapy for epilepsy.

Surface layer proteins from ATCC® 15009™ affect the gut barrier morphology and function.

Paraprobiotics and postbiotics represent a valid alternative to probiotic strains for ameliorating and preserving a healthy intestinal epithelial barrier (IEB). The present study investigated the effects of surface layer proteins (S-layer) of the dairy strain ATCC® 15009™ ( ATCC® 15009™), as paraprobiotic, on the morpho-functional modulation of IEB in comparison to live or heat-inactivated ATCC® 15009™ in an co-culture of Caco-2/HT-29 70/30 cells. Live or heat-inactivated ATCC® 15009™ negatively affected transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and paracellular permeability, and impaired the distribution of Claudin-1, a tight junction (TJ) transmembrane protein, as detected by immunofluorescence (IF).

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy vs No Axillary Surgery in Patients With Small Breast Cancer and Negative Results on Ultrasonography of Axillary Lymph Nodes: The SOUND Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is the standard of care for axillary node staging of patients with early breast cancer (BC), but its necessity can be questioned since surgery for examination of axillary nodes is not performed with curative intent.

Objective: To determine whether the omission of axillary surgery is noninferior to SLNB in patients with small BC and a negative result on preoperative axillary lymph node ultrasonography.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The SOUND (Sentinel Node vs Observation After Axillary Ultra-Sound) trial was a prospective noninferiority phase 3 randomized clinical trial conducted in Italy, Switzerland, Spain, and Chile.

Use of patient-specific guides and 3D model in scapula osteotomy for symptomatic malunion.

Background: Scapular osteotomy for malunion can lead to resolution of pain and functional improvement in scapula fracture sequelae. Understanding three-dimensional bone morphology and analysing post-traumatic deformity is the main step of planning and the key to success of the procedure. 3D models and patient-specific guides are a growing technology to enhance accuracy of planning and to assist during surgery.

Consensus for management of sacral fractures: from the diagnosis to the treatment, with a focus on the role of decompression in sacral fractures.

Background: There is no evidence in the current literature about the best treatment option in sacral fracture with or without neurological impairment.

Materials And Methods: The Italian Pelvic Trauma Association (A.I.

Combined Arthroscopic-Assisted Lower Trapezius Tendon Transfer and Superior Capsule Reconstruction for Massive Irreparable Posterior-Superior Rotator Cuff Tears: Surgical Technique.

Primary or revision irreparable rotator cuff tears remain a challenge. Clear algorithms do not exist. Several joint-preserving options are available, but no technique has been definitely proven to be better than another.

Use of the iliac-outlet and iliac-inlet combined views in percutaneous posterior column retrograde screw fixation.

Posterior column fractures are common acetabular injuries. Although displaced fractures require open reduction and fixation, undisplaced patterns may benefit from percutaneous screw fixation. The combination of iliac oblique with inlet and outlet views offers an intuitive and panoramic rendering of the bony corridor into the posterior column; lateral cross table view completes the sequence of fluoroscopic projections.

A multi-centre peptidomics investigation of food digesta: current state of the art in mass spectrometry analysis and data visualisation.

Mass spectrometry has become the technique of choice for the assessment of a high variety of molecules in complex food matrices. It is best suited for monitoring the evolution of digestive processes in vivo and in vitro. However, considering the variety of equipment available in different laboratories and the diversity of sample preparation methods, instrumental settings for data acquisition, statistical evaluations, and interpretations of results, it is difficult to predict a priori the ideal parameters for optimal results.

Cerebral Perfusion and Neuromonitoring during Complex Aortic Arch Surgery: A Narrative Review.

Complex ascending and aortic arch surgery requires the implementation of different cerebral protection strategies to avoid or limit the probability of intraoperative brain damage during circulatory arrest. The etiology of the damage is multifactorial, involving cerebral embolism, hypoperfusion, hypoxia and inflammatory response. These protective strategies include the use of deep or moderate hypothermia to reduce the cerebral oxygen consumption, allowing the toleration of a variable period of absence of cerebral blood flow, and the use of different cerebral perfusion techniques, both anterograde and retrograde, on top of hypothermia, to avoid any period of intraoperative brain ischemia.

Management of distal femoral fractures with metaphyseal and articular comminution (AO/OTA 33C) using nail and plate fixation: a technical note and case series of 14 patients.

Purpose: To describe the surgical technique and the outcome of a case series of comminuted intra-articular distal femur fractures (AO/OTA 33C) treated with a nail-plate combination (NPC) implant.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a case series of 14 patients with comminuted intra-articular distal femur fractures (DFF) treated with an intramedullary retrograde nail in combination with a lateral low-contact condylar locking plate, in a period between June 2020 and January 2023 at a Level 1 trauma center. Baseline demographic and clinical data were recorded.

Immunomodulatory role of vitamin D and selenium supplementation in newly diagnosed Graves' disease patients during methimazole treatment.

Introduction: Methimazole (MMI) represents the conventional therapeutic agent for Graves' disease (GD) hyperthyroidism, but MMI efficacy is limited since it marginally affects the underlying autoimmune process. In a previous study, we randomly assigned 42 newly diagnosed GD patients with insufficient vitamin D (VitD) and selenium (Se) levels to treatment with MMI alone (standard) or combined with selenomethionine and cholecalciferol (intervention) and observed a prompter resolution of hyperthyroidism in the intervention group.

Methods: In the present study, we aimed to explore changes in peripheral T regulatory (Treg) and circulating natural killer (NK) cell frequency, circulating NK cell subset distribution and function, during treatment.