Early palliative care program in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients favors at-home and hospice deaths, reduces unplanned medical visits, and prolongs survival: A pilot study.

Background: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a lethal disease; most patients die in hospitals because palliative care (PC) is not wildly and early available. We aimed to determine the impact of an early PC program in IPF patients on place of death, emergency department (ED) admission, unplanned medical visits and survival before and after its implementation at our clinic.

Methods: IPF patients from our ILD clinic who died between January 1st, 2018 and December 31th, 2023 were included in the analysis.

Clinical Outcomes according to Timing to Non Invasive Ventilation Initiation in COPD Patients with Acute Respiratory Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Nighttime and non-working days are characterized by a shortage of dedicated staff and available resources. Previous studies have highlighted that patients admitted during the weekend had higher mortality than patients admitted on weekdays ("weekend effect"). However, most studies have focused on specific conditions and controversial results were reported.

COPD Exacerbation: Why It Is Important to Avoid ICU Admission.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Hospitalization due to acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) is a relevant health problem both for its impact on disease outcomes and on health system resources. Severe AECOPD causing acute respiratory failure (ARF) often requires admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) with endotracheal intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation.

Structural Investigations on Novel Non-Nucleoside Inhibitors of Human Norovirus Polymerase.

Human norovirus is the first cause of foodborne disease worldwide, leading to extensive outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis, and causing around 200,000 children to die annually in developing countries. No specific vaccines or antiviral agents are currently available, with therapeutic options limited to supportive care to prevent dehydration. The infection can become severe and lead to life-threatening complications in young children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals, leading to a clear need for antiviral agents, to be used as treatments and as prophylactic measures in case of outbreaks.

A new antiviral scaffold for human norovirus identified with computer-aided approaches on the viral polymerase.

Human norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide, affecting every year 685 million people. In about one third of cases, this virus affects children under five years of age, causing each year up to 200,000 child deaths, mainly in the developing countries. Norovirus outbreaks are associated with very significant economic losses, with an estimated societal cost of 60 billion dollars per year.

Rational modifications on a benzylidene-acrylohydrazide antiviral scaffold, synthesis and evaluation of bioactivity against Chikungunya virus.

Chikungunya virus is a re-emerging arbovirus transmitted to humans by Aedes mosquitoes, responsible for an acute febrile illness associated with painful and debilitating arthralgia, which can persist for several months or become chronic. Over the past few years, infection with this virus has spread worldwide with a previously unknown virulence. No specific antiviral treatments nor vaccines are currently available against this important pathogen.

Design, synthesis and evaluation against Chikungunya virus of novel small-molecule antiviral agents.

Chikungunya virus is a re-emerging arbovirus transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, responsible for an acute flu-like illness associated with debilitating arthralgia, which can persist for several months or become chronic. In recent years, this viral infection has spread worldwide with a previously unknown virulence. To date, no specific antivirals treatments nor vaccines are available against this important pathogen.

An update on small molecules targeting CXCR4 as starting points for the development of anti-cancer therapeutics.

CXCR4 (C-X-C Chemokine Receptor type 4) and its natural ligand SDF-1α (Stromal-Derived-Factor-1α) are involved in a number of physiological and pathological processes including cancer spread and progression. Over the past few years, numerous CXCR4 antagonists have been identified and currently are in different development stages as potential agents for the treatment of several diseases involving the CXCR4/SDF-1α axis. Herein, we focus on small molecules reported in literature between 2013 and 2017, claimed as CXCR4 antagonists and potentially useful in the treatment of cancer and other diseases where this receptor is involved.

Rational design and synthesis of novel phenylsulfonyl-benzamides as anti-prostate cancer agents.

Prostate cancer is a major cause of male death worldwide and the identification of new efficient treatments is constantly needed. Different non-steroidal androgen receptor antagonists are approved also in the case of castration-resistant cancer forms. Using a rational approach and molecular modelling studies to modify the structure of antiandrogen drug bicalutamide, a new series of phenylsulfonyl-benzamide derivatives was designed and synthesised.