Publications by authors named "Luca I"

Background And Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence and to identify the independent predictors of multi-drug resistance among a cohort of patients admitted to emergency department for urinary tract infections (UTI), and to assess the impact of antimicrobial resistance on the clinical outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a prospective multicentre study enrolling all adult patients admitted to one of the eight emergency departments participating in the study with a microbiologically confirmed diagnosis of UTI from February 2023 to July 2024. The primary outcome evaluated was 30-day mortality; secondary outcomes included 7-day mortality and clinical response.

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Objectives: To assess short-term barnidipine efficacy and tolerability on Systemic Sclerosis (SSc)-Raynaud's phenomenon (RP).

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated patients with SSc starting barnidipine 10 mg/day. Raynaud's Condition Score (RCS) and mean blood pressure (MBP) were assessed at baseline and 6-month follow-up.

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Background: The best treatment for bloodstream infections (BSI) due to chromosomal AmpC (c-AmpC) producing Enterobacterales is not clearly defined.

Objectives: To describe the clinical and microbiological outcomes of patients treated with piperacillin/tazobactam, cefepime or carbapenems for bloodstream infections (BSIs) due to c-AmpC beta-lactamase-producing strains.

Data Sources: We searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library and EMBASE to screen original reports published up to January 2024.

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Article Synopsis
  • Pathogenic species of Leptospira cause leptospirosis, leading to serious infections in both animals and humans, particularly affecting major organs.
  • This study analyzed kidney injury and conducted a retrospective review from dog samples at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Timisoara over several years, focusing on correlation with factors like breed, gender, and infection status.
  • Findings revealed a significant link between unvaccinated dogs and increased leptospirosis risk, and compared diagnostic methods, showing that qPCR was more effective and specific for detecting leptospirosis than traditional immunohistochemistry (IHC).
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Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease resulting from the dysbiosis of periodontal bacteria and the host's immune response, leading to tissue degradation and sustained inflammation. Traditional treatments, such as mechanical debridement and antimicrobial agents, often fail to fully eradicate pathogenic bacteria, especially in deep periodontal pockets. Consequently, the need for novel therapeutic approaches has increased the interest in bioactive natural extracts, such as that of , known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties.

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Aneurysms of the common femoral and profunda femoris arteries are rare. Open surgical repair is the treatment of choice, even though hybrid and total endovascular repair with stent graft placement are reported in the literature. We describe a case of a successful total endovascular repair of a common femoral aneurysm extending to the profunda femoris with a bifurcated abdominal endograft placed in the common femoral artery with distal landing in profunda femoris and superficial femoral artery to preserve flow in both arteries.

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Background: Image and Performance-Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs) can enhance mental and physical capabilities and impact one's overall health. Initially confined in sport environments, IPEDs use has become increasingly widespread in a high-performing society. The present study was aimed at profiling IPEDs use during the COVID-19 lockdown among an international sample of young adults.

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Incidence data from 17-year veterinary neoplasm surveillance and registration were reviewed. Most of the neoplastic cases diagnosed in Nigerian veterinary teaching hospitals (VTHs) were in the avian (49%) and canine species (44%). Fewer cases were recorded in the equine (3.

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Purpose: To study plasma levels, efficacy and tolerability of imatinib in a patient affected by metastatic GIST treated with oral Imatinib and undergoing hemodialysis.

Patients And Methods: The patient suffered from metastatic GIST to the liver having a mutation of exon 9 of KIT. He was on hemodialysis and received first-line treatment with imatinib 400 mg/day.

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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.

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Background: The best treatment for carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) infections is still a matter of debate.

Objectives: To describe the outcomes of patients treated with cefiderocol for CRAB infections, and to compare the efficacy of cefiderocol versus best available therapy (BAT).

Data Sources: We searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library and EMBASE to screen original reports published up to September 2023.

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Background: The aim of this case series report is to evaluate the characteristics of multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) in neonates following prenatal maternal COVID-19 infection.

Methods: We present a case series of three newborns (≤28 days of age) diagnosed with MIS due to the vertical transmission of SARS-CoV2 infection and admitted from 1 January 2021 to 1 June 2023. The inclusion criteria were negative RT-PCR-SARS-CoV-2 test in infants, initial negative IgM-SARS-CoV-2 in infants followed by the emergence of positive IgG-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in infants and maternal COVID-19 infection in the third trimester of pregnancy.

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The wild cat (), spread in Romania from the Danube Delta to the mountain range is present in the Banat area, on the hunting ground that can be contaminated with different stage developmental forms of parasites, some of them having real zoonotic potential. The wild cat is an animal protected by the Romanian law of protection animals. Coprological samples from 88 wild cats from 16 hunting grounds, as well as the gastrointestinal tract collected from six wild cats cadavers and the molecular characterization of the cestodes identified in their intestines, allowed us to establish intestinal parasitic fauna.

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(Frölich, 1789) is a widespread parasite known as the tongue worm belonging to the family Linguatulidae. The adult form of the parasite is usually located in the upper respiratory tract of domestic and wild carnivores while the larval forms are located in the visceral organs of intermediate hosts (various herbivorous mammals). Twenty-four European brown hares () were examined in this study, of which two were positive with nymphs.

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Canine morbillivirus, also known as canine distemper virus (CDV), is the causative agent of canine distemper (CD), which is a serious contagious disease of canines, large felids, and, occasionally, raccoons. This study included seven raccoons from the Timisoara Zoological Garden, Romania. CDV was detected using RT-qPCR on blood samples, but several other exams were also performed-clinical, bacteriological, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and histopathology, toxicological screening, and necropsy-which confirmed CDV infection.

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Background: The patient selection for optimal adjuvant therapy in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) is provided by nomogram based on tumor size, mitotic index, tumor location, and tumor rupture. Although mutational status is not currently used to risk assessment, tumor genotype showed a prognostic influence on natural history and tumor relapse. Innovative measures, such as KIT/PDGFRA-mutant-specific variant allele frequency (VAF) levels detection from next-generation sequencing (NGS), may act as a surrogate of tumor burden and correlate with prognosis and overall survival of patients with GIST, helping the choice for adjuvant treatment.

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Background: No clear evidence supports the use of cefiderocol as first line treatment in A. baumannii infections.

Methods: We conducted an observational retrospective/prospective multicenter study including all patients> 18 years with carbapenem-resistant A.

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Dry eye disease (DED) is a dynamic and complex disease that can cause significant damage to the ocular surface and discomfort, compromising the patient's quality of life. Phytochemicals such as resveratrol have received increasing attention due to their ability to interfere with multiple pathways related to these diseases. However, the low bioavailability and the poor therapeutic response of resveratrol hinder its clinical applications.

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Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive skin cancer, associated with a worse prognosis. The Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) avelumab and pembrolizumab have been recently approved as first-line treatment in metastatic MCC (mMCC). The clinical observation of improved outcomes in obese patients following treatment with ICIs, known as the "obesity paradox", has been studied across many types of tumors.

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Diabetic wound infections (DWI) represent one of the most costly and disruptive complications in diabetic mellitus. The hyperglycemic state induces a persistent inflammation with immunological and biochemical impairments that promotes delayed wound healing processes and wound infection that often results in extended hospitalization and limb amputations. Currently, the available therapeutic options for the management of DWI are excruciating and expensive.

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Objective: Dentin-pulp complex is object of interest in the regenerative endodontic field as well as the natural function of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) that may differentiate into specific cells able to repair and/or regenerate both hard and soft dental structures. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the capacity of hDPSCs to differentiate in odontoblastic-like cells by evaluating the expression of specific odontogenic-related genes and to prove the ability of treatment with calcium-based materials such as calcium carbonate (CaCO3), calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂), and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA).

Methods: hDPSCs were obtained and isolated from a third molar of a young patient.

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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality and morbidity worldwide. Bevacizumab was approved for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) based on favorable benefit-risk assessments from randomized controlled trials, but evidence on its use in the real-world setting is limited. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the outcomes and safety profile of bevacizumab in mCRC in a real-world setting in Romania.

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Pregnancy is a unique experience in women's life, requiring a great ability of adaptation and self-reorganization; vulnerable women may be at increased risk of developing depressive symptoms. This study aimed to examine the incidence of depressive symptomatology during pregnancy and to evaluate the role of affective temperament traits and psychosocial risk factors in predicting them. We recruited 193 pregnant women, collected data regarding sociodemographic, family and personal clinical variables, social support and stressful life events and administered the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A).

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Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common disease-causing skin inflammation, redness, and irritation, which can eventually result in infection that drastically impacts patient quality of life. Resveratrol (Res) is a natural phytochemical famed for its excellent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. However, it is poorly bioavailable.

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