Effect of Pharmacist-Initiated Interventions on Duration of Antibiotic Therapy for Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

Background: Current guidelines for the treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) recommend 5 days of antimicrobial therapy. Despite these recommendations, the duration of therapy exceeds 5 days for up to 70% of patients, with most superfluous prescribing occurring upon discharge from hospital. Shortening the duration of antibiotic therapy could decrease adverse events, resistance, and costs.

Combining the HCT-CI, G8, and AML-Score for Fitness Evaluation of Elderly Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Single Center Analysis.

Background: Accurate assessment of elderly acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients is essential before intensive induction chemotherapy and subsequent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In this context, we investigated the capacity of three scores for frailty prediction.

Methods: At diagnosis, 197 patients were clinically evaluated for appropriate treatment intensity.

CMV retinitis in a stem cell transplant recipient treated with foscarnet intravitreal injection and CMV specific immunoglobulins.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis (CMVR) has been reported rarely in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In addition, little is known about strategies for ophthalmic surveillance and adequate antiviral treatment of CMVR. A case of CMVR in an allogeneic HSCT recipient is described, including clinical signs and therapy.

Rescue treatment with eltrombopag in refractory cytopenias after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Patients with post-transplant cytopenias due to poor graft function or primary engraftment failure show poor prognosis with a high mortality rate mainly because of graft host disease (GVHD), infection and/or bleeding. Treatment options are scarce and a CD34+ stem cell boost or a second bone marrow transplantation may be required to restore adequate haematopoiesis.

Methods: In the present study patients with primary engraftment failure ( = 1) and refractory poor graft function ( = 11) were treated with eltrombopag in a single centre.

Polymorphism analyses and protein modelling inform on functional specialization of Piwi clade genes in the arboviral vector Aedes albopictus.

Current knowledge of the piRNA pathway is based mainly on studies on Drosophila melanogaster where three proteins of the Piwi subclade of the Argonaute family interact with PIWI-interacting RNAs to silence transposable elements in gonadal tissues. In mosquito species that transmit epidemic arboviruses such as dengue and chikungunya viruses, Piwi clade genes underwent expansion, are also expressed in the soma and cross-talk with proteins of recognized antiviral function cannot be excluded for some Piwi proteins. These observations underscore the importance of expanding our knowledge of the piRNA pathway beyond the model organism D.

Conversion from laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) to one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB): preliminary data from a multicenter retrospective study.

Background: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is the most commonly performed bariatric procedure, while laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) has been for a decade one of the most popular interventions for weight loss. After LSG and LAGB, some patients may require a second surgery due to weight regain or late complications. One anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) is a promising bariatric procedure, which provides effective long-term weight loss and has a favorable effect on type 2 diabetes.

Hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index and risk of developing invasive fungal infections after allografting.

We evaluated the potential correlation of the hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index (HCT-CI) with the risk of developing post-transplant invasive fungal infections (IFIs). Between January 2009 and March 2015, 312 consecutive patients who received a first allograft entered the study. Low/intermediate HCT-CI risk score (0-2) was observed in 172/312 (55%), whereas high HCT-CI score (≥3) was seen in 140/312 (45%).

Correction: Moreno, A., et al. Design of a Cooperative ITS Architecture Based on Distributed RSUs.

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Design and Field Experimentation of a Cooperative ITS Architecture Based on Distributed RSUs.

This paper describes a new cooperative Intelligent Transportation System architecture that aims to enable collaborative sensing services. The main goal of this architecture is to improve transportation efficiency and performance. The system, which has been proven within the participation in the ICSI (Intelligent Cooperative Sensing for Improved traffic efficiency) European project, encompasses the entire process of capture and management of available road data.

Does information on systolic and diastolic function improve prediction of a cardiovascular event by left ventricular hypertrophy in arterial hypertension?

Left ventricular (LV) mass (LVM) is the most important information requested in hypertensive patients referred for echocardiography. However, LV function also predicts cardiovascular (CV) risk independent of LVM. There is no evidence that addition of LV function significantly improves model prediction of CV risk compared with LVM alone.

[Usefulness of a telematic system and image analysis in the follow-up of high-risk patients: a new health service model].

Background: Inadequate blood pressure control in hypertensive patients is in contrast with the evidence from clinical studies of effectiveness of the same antihypertensive compounds used in clinical practice. These results may be due to follow-up management of hypertensive patients and in particular to the interaction between general practitioners (GPs) and hypertension specialists. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an internet-based digital network, connecting specialists and GPs in the Campania Region, on blood pressure control and major cardiovascular events.

Beta2-adrenergic receptor polymorphisms and treatment-induced regression of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertension.

Objectives: Although blood pressure is considered the major determinant of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertension, genetic variability is increasingly being considered among the factors influencing this complication. beta(2)-Adrenergic receptors (beta(2)ARs) are up-regulated in hypertension and largely polymorphic within the human population. Recently, we have shown that the Glu27 beta(2)AR variant is strongly associated with cardiac hypertrophy in hypertension.

New susceptibility locus for hypertension on chromosome 8q by efficient pedigree-breaking in an Italian isolate.

Essential hypertension (EH) affects a large proportion of the adult population in Western countries and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. EH is a multifactorial disease with a complex genetic component. To tackle the complexity of this genetic component, we have initiated a study of Campora, an isolated village in South Italy.

The use of a telematic connection for the follow-up of hypertensive patients improves the cardiovascular prognosis.

Background: Inadequate blood pressure (BP) control could be due to incorrect management of hypertensives caused by the lack of interaction between general practitioners (GP) and hypertension specialists.

Objectives: To test the effectiveness on BP and total cardiovascular risk (TCVR) control of an internet-based digital network connecting specialists and GPs.

Methods: We created a network among the Hypertension Clinic, Federico II University (Naples, Italy), 23 hospital-based hypertension clinics and 60 GPs from the area (CampaniaSalute Network, CS).

The many ways to myocardial perfusion imaging.

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is important for the management of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD). Nuclear cardiology is the most widely used noninvasive approach for the assessment of myocardial perfusion. The available single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) flow agents are characterized by a rapid myocardial extraction and by a cardiac uptake proportional to blood flow.

The Glu27 allele of the beta2 adrenergic receptor increases the risk of cardiac hypertrophy in hypertension.

Objective: Cardiac and vascular remodeling occur in response to hypertension. Genetic background appears to modify the development of target organ damage (TOD). We evaluated the impact on hypertension-associated TOD of a highly polymorphic gene with elevated significance for the regulation of the cardiovascular system, the beta2AR gene.

AKT participates in endothelial dysfunction in hypertension.

Background: In hypertension, reduced nitric oxide production and blunted endothelial vasorelaxation are observed. It was recently reported that AKT phosphorylates and activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase and that impaired kinase activity may be involved in endothelial dysfunction.

Methods And Results: To identify the physiological role of the kinase in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), we used adenoviral vectors to transfer the human AKT1 gene selectively to the common carotid endothelium.

A common variant of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (Glu298Asp) is an independent risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis.

Background And Purpose: Endothelium-derived NO is formed from L-arginine by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) encoded by the NOS 3 gene on chromosome 7. Because several studies have indicated that NO plays a key role in the development of the atherosclerotic process, we investigated whether common variants in the eNOS gene are associated with an increased risk of plaque on carotid arteries.

Methods: We studied 375 subjects attending the hypertension center of our institution to be screened for arterial hypertension.

Haemodynamic and metabolic effects of rilmenidine in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome X. A double-blind parallel study versus amlodipine.

Objective: To compare the effects of rilmenidine with those of amlodipine on blood pressure, glucose metabolism, plasma lipid concentration and fibrinolysis parameters.

Design: A four-month randomized double-blind, parallel group study.

Patients And Methods: Obese hypertensive patients with hypertriglyceridaemia (> or = 2.

Effects of valsartan on left ventricular diastolic function in patients with mild or moderate essential hypertension: comparison with enalapril.

Objective: This study compares the effects of an AT1 angiotensin II receptor antagonist (valsartan) with those of an ACE inhibitor (enalapril) on left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in patients with mild or moderate essential hypertension and no evidence of LV hypertrophy at echocardiography.

Methods: A total of 24 patients (16 men, mean age 47 +/- 8 years) underwent radionuclide ambulatory monitoring (Vest) of LV function at rest and during upright bicycle exercise testing before and after two 4-week treatment periods with valsartan (80-160 mg/day orally) and enalapril (20-40 mg/day orally) according to a double-blind, crossover randomization scheme.

Results: In the overall population no differences between the two treatments were found in LV peak filling rate (PFR) either at rest or at peak exercise.

Effect of alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone on diabetes and lipid peroxidation in BB rats.

Oxygen free radicals have been shown to interfere with pancreatic islet beta cell function and integrity, and have been implicated in autoimmune type 1 diabetes. We hypothesized that the spontaneous autoimmune type 1 diabetes of the BB rat would be prevented by in vivo administration of a free-radical spin trap, alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN). Twenty-eight diabetes-prone (BBdp) and 13 non-diabetes-prone (BBn) rats received PBN (10 mg/kg) subcutaneously twice daily, and 27 BBdp and 12 BBn rats received saline as controls.

Distinct vasodilation, without reflex neurohormonal activation, induced by barnidipine in hypertensive patients.

Barnidipine is a new 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium antagonist with a strong and long-lasting vasodilatory effect. In order to assess the haemodynamic profile of the antihypertensive effect of barnidipine, a randomized, double-blind study of barnidipine vs nitrendipine was performed in 24 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Following an initial 4-week placebo period, patients whose sitting diastolic blood pressure (SiDBP) was between 95 and 114 mm Hg, and whose sitting systolic blood pressure was between 150 and 219 mm Hg, were randomized (2:1 ratio) to receive either barnidipine (10 mg) or nitrendipine (10 mg) once daily, for a 6-week double-blind period.

Influence of left ventricular hypertrophy on heart period variability in patients with essential hypertension.

Objective: To evaluate whether left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients is associated with a greater impairment of sympathovagal balance assessed by means of heart period variability.

Design And Methods: Forty hypertensive patients, 20 with echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy and 20 without, and 20 control subjects, were subjected to 24 h blood pressure monitoring and Holter recording on 2 consecutive days. Power spectrum analyses of heart period variability were performed utilizing the fast Fourier transform algorithm.