Topical gentamicin for the prevention of tunneled hemodialysis catheter-related infections: a randomized double-blind study.

Introduction: Infection is the second leading cause of death in dialysis patients, with catheter-related bloodstream infection being the most serious. Exit Site Infection and Tunnel Infection are also related to the catheter.

Objective: To compare the infection rates achieved with the application of either topical gentamicin or placebo to the exit-site of tunneled catheters filled with locking solution in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Patient satisfaction with telemedicine in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods study.

Background: The capacity to deliver essential health services has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly due to lockdown restrictions. Telemedicine provides a safe, efficient, and effective alternative that addresses the needs of patients and the health system. However, there remain implementation challenges and barriers to patient adoption in resource-limited settings as in the Philippines.

Electro-oxidation of tetracycline in ethanol-water mixture using DSA-Cl anode and stimulating/monitoring the formation of organic radicals.

Recent studies reported a new strategy of electro-oxidation of organic compounds using methanol as solvent. Considering its well-known toxicity, this work sought to evaluate the use of ethanol as an alternative solvent for pollutants degradation. Therefore, thorough analyses were performed in order to evaluate tetracycline (TC) electro-oxidation using DSA-Cl anode in ethanol-HO solutions.

Electrochemical degradation of a methyl paraben and propylene glycol mixture: Interference effect of competitive oxidation and pH stability.

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are one of the many classes of harmful pollutants frequently found in water resources. Even at low concentrations, EDCs might accumulate in the organisms and interfere on numerous processes controlled by hormones. Parabens, for example, are preservatives widely used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, but several studies related them to human breast cancer.

Spontaneous Acute Aortic Thrombosis in SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates. The impact of thrombotic complications has been increasingly recognized as an important component of this disease.

Case Reports: We describe four cases of spontaneous acute aortic thrombosis in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection observed from March to December 2020 at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Gemelli IRCCS in Rome, Italy.

Enteral feeding in duct-dependent congenital heart disease.

Background: Infants with duct-dependent congenital heart lesions are treated with a prostaglandin E1 infusion. We aimed to describe the feeding strategies used at our institution in such infants, and to describe the incidence of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) in this patient group, investigating whether enteral feeding is associated with a higher risk.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, coarctation of the aorta, pulmonary atresia, or transposition of the great arteries born over a defined period were identified.

Accuracy of Components of SCAT to Identify Children With Concussion.

Background: The Sport Concussion Assessment Tool version 3 (SCAT3) and its child version (ChildSCAT3) are composite physical and neuropsychological scoring systems used to assess athletes after sport-related concussion. Based on limited validation data, we aimed to evaluate the ability of SCAT3 and ChildSCAT3 to differentiate children aged 5 to 16 years with concussion from controls.

Methods: Prospective observational study of children in the emergency department with concussion (CONC group) and 2 control groups ([1] upper-limb injury [ULI] and [2] Well children) with equal-sized subgroups in 3 age bands of 5 to 8, 9 to 12, and 13 to 16 years.

Detection of pneumothorax with ultrasound.

Diagnosis of a pneumothorax in the perioperative area can be difficult. Traditional gold-standard modalities may not be available or feasible to institute. Ultrasound guidance allows the anesthesia provider a method of quickly ruling out this potentially life-threatening complication.

Abnormal mechanisms of antisaccade generation in schizophrenia patients and unaffected biological relatives of schizophrenia patients.

Although errant saccadic eye movements may mark genetic factors in schizophrenia, little is known about abnormal brain activity that precedes saccades in individuals with genetic liability for schizophrenia. We investigated electrophysiological activity preceding prosaccades and antisaccades in schizophrenia patients, first-degree biological relatives of schizophrenia patients, and control subjects. Prior to antisaccades, patients had reduced potentials over lateral prefrontal cortex.

Designing ARVs Patent Pool Up to Trade & Policy Evolutionary Dynamics.

Patent pools for second and third-line Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) should not be delayed as they are instrumental to urgent public health needs in the under-served markets.Nonetheless, multinational originator companies still seem to perceive patent pooling for ARVs as a minefield that would offer the generic competitors lots of deeply exploitable opportunities, to the detriment of patent owner's rights.This paper analyses the brand industry concerns, while looking for a strategy up to a really equitable and free world market, without any discrimination between end-users in wealthy and resource-limited countries.

Elevated nailfold plexus visibility aggregates in families and is associated with a specific negative symptom pattern in schizophrenia.

Twenty-four individuals with schizophrenia and 28 of their first-degree biological relatives were studied using clinical scales, functional ratings, and neuropsychological tests. An assessment of Nailfold Plexus Visibility (NPV) was also performed on these individuals. In keeping with the literature, we found an increased prevalence of high NPV in our schizophrenia subjects relative to controls and community norms, and also found that high NPV patients had significantly more negative symptoms and poorer social functioning.

What strategies to boost production of affordable fixed-dose anti-retroviral drug combinations for children in the developing world?

Background: No more than 8% of HIV positive children needing treatment in low- and middle-income countries have access to antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). Children presently account for about 4% of all treated patients, while for equitable access they should make up at least 13%.

Aims: This study explores key issues, implications and interaction dynamics to boost production of easy-to-use and affordable fixed-dose combination (FDC) ARVs for children in the developing world.

[Bacterial meningitis in adults: a retrospective multicentric study in Tuscany (Italy)].

The Infectious Diseases Unit of Lucca Hospital conducted a multicentric retrospective study to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical features of adult patients affected by bacterial meningitis attending all the Infectious Diseases Units of Tuscany (Italy) from July 1999 to June 2004. A specific questionnaire was sent to all the units to collect information about each case of bacterial meningitis occurring in patients older than sixteen. Patients with meningitis by Mycobacterium tuberculosis were excluded from the analysis.

Affordable antiretroviral drugs for the under-served markets: how to expand equitable access against the backdrop of challenging scenarios?

Background: Threats by enforced Intellectual Property (IP) rights to equitable HIV treatment access by poor populations are impending. India and China's policy directions in the field will be crucial in ultimately affecting the affordability and accessibility of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy in the under-served markets. These directions, together with the exploitation level of IP-bound flexibilities and the evolutionary modelling in partnerships and trade agreements between research-based and generic pharmaceutical industry, will also affect the outcomes of self-sufficiency efforts now at their beginning in the developing world as far as domestic manufacturing of generic ARV drugs is concerned.

Priority strategies for sustainable fight against HIV/AIDS in low-income countries.

Response to HIV/AIDS epidemic in resource-constrained countries is still woefully disappointing. This paper highlights some priorities shared at recent Florence World Conference (Florence, Italy: January 21st-24th, 2004) on how to overcome the obstacles still delaying sustainable fight against HIV/AIDS in developing world areas. Messages reported here result from selection made by the authors among challenging topics by more than one hundred speakers and have been chosen because of their value as most practical ways to secure prevention, treatment and care and achieve self-managing in fighting epidemic in income-limited settings.

Evaluation of moxifloxacin activity in vitro against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including resistant and multidrug-resistant strains.

The new quinolone moxifloxacin was tested against 86 strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis including 13 resistant and 4 multiresistant strains. The antimicrobial susceptibility was tested, in parallel, using two different liquid media, the radiometric Bactec 12B and the Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (Becton Dickinson, USA). All strains but two were susceptible at 0.

Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory aspects of sandfly fever.

Purpose Of Review: Sandfly fever viruses are still a significant health problem in many regions of the world, such as Africa, the Mediterranean basin, the Middle East, and Central Asia. This review provides an update on the advances in knowledge about epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory aspects of infections caused by Toscana, Sicilian and Naples viruses.

Recent Findings: Diagnosis of Toscana virus infection has been facilitated by new molecular methods and by immunoenzymatic tests based on the recombinant nucleoprotein.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae non-pulmonary infection presenting with pharyngitis, polyarthritis and localized exanthem.

We report a case of pharyngitis, polyarthritis and localized exanthem in acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection not involving the lower respiratory tract. Diagnosis was made by means of a particle agglutination test and IgM/IgG indirect immunofluorescence assay. This case describes a clinical complex never reported before and suggests the need for a high index of suspicion in cases of atypical presentation of M.

Extent of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 drug resistance as a predictor of virological failure after genotype-guided treatment switch.

Little is known about factors involved in virological response to treatment changes guided by genotyping in patients whose highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) fails. A 12-month observational study was conducted of 45 patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1, who underwent a new genotype-guided HAART regimen following virological treatment failure. Logistic regression models were used to define factors predictive of virological response to genotype-assisted treatment switches.