Clarithromycin for improved clinical outcomes in community-acquired pneumonia: A subgroup analysis of the ACCESS trial.

Background: In the ACCESS trial, the addition of clarithromycin to standard-of-care antibiotics (SoC) enhanced early clinical response and attenuated the inflammatory burden in adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) requiring hospitalisation. A post-hoc analysis was performed to investigate the benefit in specific subgroups.

Methods: The primary endpoint comprised two conditions to be met during the first 72 h: ≥50% decrease in respiratory symptom severity score; and any of ≥30% decrease in sequential organ failure assessment score and favourable change in the kinetics of procalcitonin (PCT, defined as ≥80% PCT decrease or PCT <0.

TLR4 and TNF-α single nucleotide polymorphisms in patients with brucellosis: Association with infection complications.

Objectives: To investigate associations of the carriage of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of proteins involved in the immune response of patients with brucellosis.

Methods: A case control study of patients with brucellosis upon WHO criteria. Blood genomic analysis was performed by RFLP- PCR for the detection of SNPs: i) at promoters -376 G > A (rs1800750); -308 G > A (rs 1,800,629); -238 G > A (rs361525) of the TNF gene, ii) at -896 A > G Asp299Gly (rs4986790) and -1196 C > T Thr399Ile (rs4986791) positions of the TLR-4 gene.

Investigating the Role of Anti-TPO Antibodies in HIV-Associated Thrombocytopenia before and after Initiation of HAART: A Case-Control Longitudinal Study.

This longitudinal, case-control study aimed to investigate the role of thrombopoietin (TPO) and anti-TPO antibodies in HIV-associated thrombocytopenia, focusing on the changes seen before and after the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Patients were assessed before and at least six months after the initiation of HAART. In total, 75 PLWHIV (age/sex-matched and randomized at 2:1, according to thrombocytopenia status) were included in this study.

Calprotectin serum levels on admission and during follow-up predict severity and outcome of patients with COVID-19: A prospective study.

Background & Aims: Calprotectin reflects neutrophil activation and is increased in various inflammatory conditions including severe COVID-19. However, serial serum calprotectin measurements in COVID-19 patients are limited. We assessed prospectively, calprotectin levels as biomarker of severity/outcome of the disease and a COVID-19 monitoring parameter in a large cohort of consecutive COVID-19 patients.

Soluble IL-2R Levels at Baseline Predict the Development of Severe Respiratory Failure and Mortality in COVID-19 Patients.

Risk stratification of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) patients by simple markers is critical to guide treatment. We studied the predictive value of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) for the early identification of patients at risk of developing severe clinical outcomes. sIL-2R levels were measured in 197 patients (60.

Effects of Scaffold Pore Morphologies on Glucose Transport Limitations in Hollow Fibre Membrane Bioreactor for Bone Tissue Engineering: Experiments and Numerical Modelling.

In the current research, three electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds with different pore morphology induced by changing the electrospinning parameters, spinning time and rate, have been prepared in order to provide a fundamental understanding on the effects pore morphology have on nutrient transport behaviour in hollow fibre membrane bioreactor (HFMB). After determining the porosity of the scaffolds, they were investigated for glucose diffusivity using cell culture media (CCM) and distilled water in a diffusion cell at 37 °C. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the microstructure of the scaffolds were analysed further using ImageJ software to determine the porosity and glucose diffusivity.

Lessons from pathophysiology: Use of individualized combination treatments with immune interventional agents to tackle severe respiratory failure in patients with COVID-19.

Aims Infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) may lead to the development of severe respiratory failure. In hospitalized-patients, prompt interruption of the virus-driven inflammatory process by using combination treatments seems theoretically of outmost importance. Our aim was to investigate the hypothesis of multifaceted management of these patients.

Evolution of epidemiological characteristics of infective endocarditis in Greece.

Objective: The clinical profile, management and outcome of infective endocarditis (IE) may be influenced by socioeconomic issues.

Methods: A nationwide prospective study evaluated IE during the era of deep economic crisis in Greece. Epidemiological data and factors associated with 60-day mortality were analyzed through descriptive statistics, logistic and Cox-regression models.

An open label trial of anakinra to prevent respiratory failure in COVID-19.

Background: It was studied if early suPAR-guided anakinra treatment can prevent severe respiratory failure (SRF) of COVID-19.

Methods: A total of 130 patients with suPAR ≥6 ng/ml were assigned to subcutaneous anakinra 100 mg once daily for 10 days. Primary outcome was SRF incidence by day 14 defined as any respiratory ratio below 150 mmHg necessitating mechanical or non-invasive ventilation.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy in goats: is PrP rapid test sensitivity affected by genotype?

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) surveillance in goats relies on tests initially approved for cattle, subsequently assessed for sheep, and approval extrapolated for use in "small ruminants." The current EU-approved immunodetection tests employ antibodies against various epitopes of the prion protein PrP, which is encoded by the host gene. The caprine gene is polymorphic, mostly at codons different from the ovine .

Efficient management of secondary haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis with intravenous steroids and γ-immunoglobulin infusions.

Background: Secondary haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) is a rare life-threatening condition mainly associated with underlying infections, malignancies, and autoimmune or immune-mediated diseases.

Aim: To analyse all sHLH cases that were diagnosed and managed under real-world circumstances in our department focusing on the treatment schedule and the outcome.

Methods: Prospectively collected data from all adult patients fulfilling the criteria of sHLH who diagnosed and managed from January 1, 2010 to June 1, 2018, in our department of the tertiary care university hospital of Larissa, Greece, were analysed retrospectively ( = 80; 52% male; median age: 55 years).

A chronic alcoholic man with high fever, neck rigidity and loss of consciousness: remember the Austrian syndrome a commonly unrecognised invasive pneumococcus triad.

Austrian syndrome is a rare medical condition characterised by the triad of pneumonia, meningitis and endocarditis due to Native aortic valve insufficiency is the most common cause of cardiac failure in these patients, requiring valve replacement. We report a 52-year-old chronic alcoholic man who presented with fever, neck rigidity and loss of onsciousness. Lumbar puncture revealed central nervous system infection while chest X-ray showed pneumonia.

Biocompatibility Assessment of Conducting PANI/Chitosan Nanofibers for Wound Healing Applications.

As electroactive polymers have recently presented potential in applications in the tissue engineering and biomedical field, this study is aiming at the fabrication of composite nanofibrous membranes containing conducting polyaniline and at the evaluation of their biocompatibility. For that purpose, conducting polyaniline⁻chitosan (PANI/CS) defect free nanofibres of different ratios (1:3; 3:5 and 1:1) were produced with the electrospinning method. They were characterized as for their morphology, hydrophilicity and electrical conductivity.

Effect of Polymorphisms at Codon 146 of the Goat PRNP Gene on Susceptibility to Challenge with Classical Scrapie by Different Routes.

This report presents the results of experimental challenges of goats with scrapie by both the intracerebral (i.c.) and oral routes, exploring the effects of polymorphisms at codon 146 of the goat gene on resistance to disease.

Biochemical and histological contributions to textural changes in watermelon fruit modulated by grafting.

Increased watermelon fruit flesh firmness is systematically incurred with grafting on Cucurbita hybrid rootstocks (heterografting). Possible differences in mesocarp cell wall constitution and histology between heterografted, homeografted (self-grafted) and non-grafted watermelon were examined, as well as their contributions to fruit texture. Firmness correlated positively (r=0.

Goats with aspartic acid or serine at codon 146 of the PRNP gene remain scrapie-negative after lifetime exposure in affected herds in Cyprus.

The results of the study reported here are part of an ongoing integrated research programme aimed at producing additional, robust, evidence on the genetic resistance to classical scrapie in goats, with particular reference to codon 146. The study targeted animals aged ⩾6 years, which were born and raised in infected herds and were being culled for management reasons. A total of 556 animals were tested, and all positive animals (n = 117) were of the susceptible NN genotype.

Assessing the Increase in Specific Surface Area for Electrospun Fibrous Network due to Pore Induction.

The effect of pore induction on increasing electrospun fibrous network specific surface area was investigated in this study. Theoretical models based on the available surface area of the fibrous network and exclusion of the surface area lost due to fiber-to-fiber contacts were developed. The models for calculation of the excluded area are based on Hertzian, Derjaguin-Muller-Toporov (DMT), and Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) contact models.

Production of Fluconazole-Loaded Polymeric Micelles Using Membrane and Microfluidic Dispersion Devices.

Polymeric micelles with a controlled size in the range between 41 and 80 nm were prepared by injecting the organic phase through a microengineered nickel membrane or a tapered-end glass capillary into an aqueous phase. The organic phase was composed of 1 mg·mL(-1) of PEG-b-PCL diblock copolymers with variable molecular weights, dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (THF) or acetone. The pore size of the membrane was 20 μm and the aqueous/organic phase volumetric flow rate ratio ranged from 1.

Rapid dissemination of colistin and carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Central Greece: mechanisms of resistance, molecular identification and epidemiological data.

Background: Colistin-resistant/carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is a significant challenge for antibiotic treatment and infection control policies. Since 2012, in Central Greece an increase of colistin/pan- resistant A. baumannii has occurred, indicating the need for further analysis.

Objective Evaluation of Planned Versus Achieved Stromal Thickness Reduction in Myopic Femtosecond Laser-assisted LASIK.

Purpose: To evaluate corneal stromal thickness reduction and compare to attempted and achieved ablation depth in a consecutive case series study of myopic LASIK.

Methods: Stromal thickness reduction was retrospectively evaluated in 205 consecutive eyes of 205 patients undergoing myopic and myopic astigmatic LASIK. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography was performed preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively.

In vivo epicardial force and strain characterisation in normal and MLP-knockout murine hearts.

The study's objective is to quantify in vivo epicardial force and strain in the normal and transgenic myocardium using microsensors.Male mice (n = 39), including C57BL/6 (n = 26), 129/Sv (n = 5), wild-type (WT) C57  ×  129Sv (n = 5), and muscle LIM protein (MLP) knock-out (n = 3), were studied under 1.5% isoflurane anaesthesia.

Angiopoietin-2 associations with the underlying infection and sepsis severity.

Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) is an important mediator in sepsis. We have previously shown that endotoxemia levels are related to the underlying infection and affect septic patients' outcome. Based on this background we now investigated if circulating Ang-2 (cAng-2) and monocyte Ang-2 expression in septic patients are associated with the underlying infection and organ failure.