A quantification of the electron return effect using Monte Carlo simulations and experimental measurements for the MRI-linac.

The integration of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and linear accelerators into hybrid treatment systems has made MR-guided radiation therapy a clinical reality. This work aims to evaluate the influence of the Electron Return Effect (ERE) on the dose distributions. This study was conducted using MRIdian (ViewRay, Cleveland, Ohio) system.

Magnetic Resonance-Guided Stereotactic Radioablation for Septal Ventricular Tachycardias.

Background: Stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation (STAR) was introduced to treat ventricular tachycardia (VT) refractory to catheter ablation. No data are now available in the septal VT substrate setting, representing a challenge when using conventional techniques.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the arrhythmic burden in patients with septal VT treated with magnetic resonance-guided STAR (MRgSTAR).

Intravenous fosfomycin for treatment of severe infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii: A multi-centre clinical experience.

Background: Severe infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) have been reported increasingly over the past few years. Many in-vivo and in-vitro studies have suggested a possible role of intravenous fosfomycin for the treatment of CRAB infections.

Methods: This multi-centre, retrospective study included patients treated with intravenous fosfomycin for severe infections caused by CRAB admitted consecutively to four hospitals in Italy from December 2017 to December 2022.

The role of cardiac magnetic resonance in sports cardiology: results from a large cohort of athletes.

Background: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) provides information on morpho-functional abnormalities and myocardial tissue characterisation. Appropriate indications for CMR in athletes are uncertain.

Objective: To analyse the CMR performed at our Institute to evaluate variables associated with pathologic findings in a large cohort of athletes presenting with different clinical conditions.

Multicentric characterisation of lateral beam profiles generated by 6FFF beam of three 0.35 T MR-linac systems.

Background: The physical characterisation of FFF-beam profiles in the presence of a magnetic field requires a new standardization procedure and formulation.

Purpose: The aim of this multicentric experience is to propose new normalisation factors to allow for the calculation of standard parameters typical of flattened beams, such as dosimetric field size and penumbra, for a 6 MV FFF beam from an MR-linac.

Methods: The measurements were carried out on three ViewRay-MRIdiansystems.

Risk factors for carbapenem-resistant (CRAB) bloodstream infections and related mortality in critically ill patients with CRAB colonization.

Background: Among MDR bacteria, carbapenem-resistant (CRAB) is a major concern due to the limited therapeutic options. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a worrying increase in the spread of CRAB infections was reported.

Objectives: The study assessed the risk factors for CRAB bloodstream infection (BSI) in patients admitted to the ICU with CRAB colonization, and the related mortality risk factors.

Effectiveness of clinical scores in predicting coronary artery disease in familial hypercholesterolemia: a coronary computed tomography angiography study.

Purpose: One of the major challenges in the management of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is the stratification of cardiovascular risk in asymptomatic subjects. Our purpose is to investigate the performance of clinical scoring systems, Montreal-FH-score (MFHS), SAFEHEART risk (SAFEHEART-RE) and FH risk score (FHRS) equations and Dutch Lipid Clinic Network (DLCN) diagnostic score, in predicting extent and severity of CAD at coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in asymptomatic FH.

Material And Methods: One-hundred and thirty-nine asymptomatic FH subjects were prospectively enrolled to perform CCTA.

Determinants of LV mass in athletes: the impact of sport, constitutional traits and cardiovascular risk factors.

Background: Whether cardiovascular (CV) risk factors might impact Left Ventricular (LV) mass in athletes is unknown.

Methods: The impact of CV risk factors (Total/LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, positive family history, smoking, body fat, blood pressure), constitutional characteristics (age, sex, body mass index) and type of sport was assessed in 1111 Olympic athletes.

Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant impact: BMI ≥ 30 kg/m (odds ratio [OR] = 2.

Ceftazidime-Avibactam for the Treatment of Carbapenem-Resistant Infections in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant (CRKP) infections in patients with cirrhosis represent a significant therapeutic challenge as they are associated with poor outcomes due to high rates of treatment failure, and frequently induce liver decompensation.

Aims: To evaluate treatment failure and in-hospital mortality in two cohorts of patients with cirrhosis and with CRKP infections treated with antibiotic regimens including or excluding Ceftazidime-avibactam.

Methods: Data from hospitalized patients with liver cirrhosis and CRKP infections were extracted and retrospectively analyzed.

Extracorporeal CO 2 Removal During Renal Replacement Therapy to Allow Lung-Protective Ventilation in Patients With COVID-19-Associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

The aim of this retrospective multicenter observational study is to test the feasibility and safety of a combined extracorporeal CO 2 removal (ECCO 2 R) plus renal replacement therapy (RRT) system to use an ultraprotective ventilator setting while maintaining (1) an effective support of renal function and (2) values of pH within the physiologic limits in a cohort of coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Among COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit of 9 participating hospitals, 27 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring invasive mechanical ventilation undergoing ECCO 2 R-plus-RRT treatment were included in the analysis. The treatment allowed to reduce V T from 6.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Trajectories the Year after COVID-19 Hospitalization.

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hospitalization has been related to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Available information is limited by insufficient follow-up and lack of longitudinal studies. Baseline factors (e.

Clinical Characteristics and Outcome of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Treated with Standard Dose of Dexamethasone or High Dose of Methylprednisolone.

The hyperinflammatory phase represents the main cause for the clinical worsening of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), leading to the hypothesis that steroid therapy could be a mainstream treatment in COVID-19 patients. This is an observational study including all consecutive patients admitted to two Italian University Hospitals for COVID-19 from March 2020 to December 2021. The aim of this study was to describe clinical characteristics and outcome parameters of hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with dexamethasone 6 mg once daily (standard-dose group) or methylprednisolone 40 mg twice daily (high-dose group).

High prevalence of Merkel cell polyomavirus is associated with dysregulation in transcript levels of TLR9 and type I IFNs in a large cohort of CF patients from the Italian (Lazio) reference center for cystic fibrosis.

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) has been detected in respiratory specimens including those from Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients, raising questions about its immunological and clinical relevance in the respiratory tract. MCPyV might promote an inappropriate antiviral response contributing to a chronic inflammatory response and resulting in detrimental effects in CF. Respiratory samples (n = 1138) were randomly collected from respiratory tract of CF patients (n = 539) during July 2018-October 2019.

CURB-65 plus hypoalbuminemia: a new score system for prediction of the in-hospital mortality risk in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.

Introduction: There is the need of a simple but highly reliable score system for stratifying the risk of mortality and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) transfer in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia at the Emergency Room.

Purpose: In this study, the ability of CURB-65, extended CURB-65, PSI and CALL scores and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) to predict intra-hospital mortality and ICU admission in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia were evaluated.

Methods: During March-May 2020, a retrospective, single-center study including all consecutive adult patients with diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia was conducted.

Switching to a Bictegravir Single Tablet Regimen in Elderly People Living with HIV-1: Data Analysis from the BICTEL Cohort.

Bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (BIC/FTC/TAF) is a recommended once-daily single tablet regimen for the treatment of people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). We aimed to assess efficacy, safety and tolerability of BIC/FTC/TAF among PLWH, with a specific focus on people older than 55 years. Thus, we recruited an observational retrospective real-life cohort including all PLWH who underwent a therapeutic switch to BIC/FTC/TAF, independently from the provenience treatment regimen.

Clinical Effects of Oral Bacteriotherapy on Anal HPV Infection and Related Dysplasia in HIV-Positive MSM: Results from the "HPVinHIV" Trial.

Background: Anal HPV infection, anal dysplasia and, ultimately, anal cancer are particularly common in HIV-infected men who have sex with men. Treatment of anal dysplasia, aiming to prevent evolution to squamous cell carcinoma of the anus, is currently limited to direct ablation and/or application of topical therapy. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of oral bacteriotherapy (Vivomixx® in EU, Visbiome® in USA) on anal HPV infection and HPV-related dysplasia of the anal canal in HIV-infected men who have sex with men.

Efficacy of Remdesivir-Containing Therapy in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Prospective Clinical Experience.

Objectives: Remdesivir is currently approved for the treatment of COVID-19. The recommendation for using remdesivir in patients with COVID-19 was based on the in vitro and in vivo activity of this drug against SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted on a population of patients hospitalized for COVID-19.

Clinical Characteristics and Outcome of Patients with Suspected COVID-19 in Emergency Department (RESILIENCY Study II).

Objectives: COVID-19 may show no peculiar signs and symptoms that may differentiate it from other infective or non-infective etiologies; thus, early recognition and prompt management are crucial to improve survival. The aim of this study was to describe clinical, laboratory, and radiological characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to those with other infective or non-infective etiologies.

Methods: We performed a prospective study from March 2020 to February 2021.

Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections in COVID-19 patients hospitalized in intensive care unit.

Objectives: Superinfections in patients hospitalized in intensive care unit (ICU) are an important and challenging complication, also in COVID-19. However, no definitive data are available about the role of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-AB) in COVID-19.

Methods: This was a single-center, cross-sectional study including patients with MDR-AB infections admitted to ICU with or without COVID-19, between January 2019 and January 2021.

Lesson learned from the 2017 measles outbreak in Italy: report from an emergency department.

Measles is a preventable disease still responsible for a number of outbreaks worldwide. Although most adults with measles recover uneventfully, measles-related complications may occur. However, as to whether every complicated case requires hospital management is still a point of debate.