A rare presentation of primary lung adenocarcinoma mimicking bilateral interstitial infiltration: A case report and literature review.

Background: Primary lung adenocarcinoma can sometimes present atypically, mimicking interstitial lung disease (ILD), and posing significant diagnostic challenges. Such presentations often lead to misdiagnoses, delaying appropriate treatment.

Case Presentation: A 35-year-old female non-smoker presented with a six-month history of progressive cough, mild hemoptysis, fatigue, and exertional dyspnea, with no associated weight loss.

Sarcoidosis Presenting as Granulomatous Mastitis, Erythema Nodosum, and Arthritis Syndrome: A Case Report and Comprehensive Review of the Literature.

Granulomatous mastitis (GM) is a long-term inflammatory disease of the breast that usually occurs in women of reproductive age. Autoimmune mastitis is one of the most common pathological breast conditions necessitating tailored treatment. However, GM as a first clinical manifestation of sarcoidosis is uncommon.

Misdiagnosis of persistent asthma of a patient suffering from acute bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA).

Background: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a condition characterized by an exaggerated immune response (a hypersensitivity response) to the fungus (most commonly ).ABPA causes airway inflammation that if left untreated can lead to bronchiectasis (an abnormal dilation of the airways) due to the immune system and fungal spores damaging sensitive lung tissues and ultimately leading to scarring.

Case Presentation: We present a case of a 32-year-old female patient who was misdiagnosed with persistent asthma and treated accordingly for several months until a reexamination was done and a diagnosis of ABPA was concluded.

First case recognized as autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 2 with myasthenia gravis in Palestine: A case report and literature review.

Background: Myasthenia gravis is an organ specific autoimmune disorder that is potentially serious but treatable. It is characterized by fatigability of the voluntary muscles and weakness caused by antibodies against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) on the postsynaptic membrane at the neuromuscular junction.Sometimes, and in very rare cases, it can be associated with other autoimmune conditions in a so called autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 2, which consists mainly of autoimmune adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease) with autoimmune thyroid disease and/or type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Assessment of the impact of clinical recommendations on antibiotic use for CAP and HCAP: results from an implementation program in an Academic Hospital.

Background: Local guidelines and recommendations to treat common infectious diseases are a cornerstone of most Antimicrobial Stewardship programs. The evaluation of the adherence to guidelines is an effective quality measure of the programs themselves; the proposed evaluation model aimed at examining antibiotic treatment for pneumonia.

Study Design: A retrospective pre-post intervention study was conducted in a North-Eastern Italian Academic Hospital.

Environmental contamination by bacteria in hospital washrooms according to hand-drying method: a multi-centre study.

Background: Hand hygiene is a fundamental component of infection prevention, but few studies have examined whether hand-drying method affects the risk of dissemination of potential pathogens.

Aim: To perform a multi-centre, internal-crossover study comparing bacterial contamination levels in washrooms with hand-drying by either paper towels (PT) or jet air dryer (JAD; Dyson).

Methods: A total of 120 sampling sessions occurred over 12 weeks in each of three hospitals (UK, France, Italy).

The influence of affective temperaments and psychopathological traits on the definition of bipolar disorder subtypes: a study on bipolar I Italian national sample.

Unlabelled: Affective temperament and psychopathological traits such as separation anxiety (SA) and interpersonal sensitivity (IPS) are supposed to impact on the clinical manifestation and on the course of Bipolar Disorder (BD); in the present study we investigated their influence on the definition of BD subtypes.

Method: : Among 106 BD-I patients with DSM-IV depressive, manic or mixed episode included in a multi-centric Italian study and treated according to the routine clinical practice, 89 (84.0%) were in remission after a follow-up period ranging from 3 to 6 months (Clinical Global Impression-BP [CGI-BP] <2).

Effect of anti TNFalpha therapy on arterial diameter and wall shear stress and HDL cholesterol.

It has been recently hypothesized that both TNFalpha and anti TNFalpha treatment have a stimulating effect on nitric oxide synthesis and release. Moreover, an in vitro experiment has demonstrated that HDL-cholesterol binds TNFalpha. Aims of our study were to investigate wall shear stress of peripheral arteries and endothelial function of brachial artery in subjects with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) at baseline and after infliximab.

Plasma risperidone concentrations during combined treatment with sertraline.

The effect of sertraline on the steady-state plasma concentrations of risperidone and its active metabolite 9-hydroxyrisperidone (9-OH-risperidone) was studied in 11 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. To treat concomitant depressive symptoms, additional sertraline, at the dose of 50 mg/d, was administered for 4 weeks to patients stabilized on risperidone (4-6 mg/d). Mean plasma concentrations of risperidone, 9-OH-risperidone, and the active moiety (sum of the concentrations of risperidone and 9-OH-risperidone) did not change significantly during combined treatment with sertraline.

Hematocrit is associated with carotid atherosclerosis in men but not in women.

Background: It is known that blood and plasma viscosities are associated with clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis, though evidence is not conclusive particularly in women.

Objective: To verify whether hematocrit and blood and plasma viscosities are independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis and whether their measurement can improve the definition of the global coronary heart disease (CHD) risk.

Method: Eight hundred and ninety-two participants in a cardiovascular disease prevention campaign were examined with regard to conventional CHD risk factors (age, blood pressure, lipids, glucose, body mass index, waist/hip ratio, cigarette smoking and diabetes), hematocrit and blood and plasma viscosities.

Inhibition of risperidone metabolism by fluoxetine in patients with schizophrenia: a clinically relevant pharmacokinetic drug interaction.

The effect of fluoxetine on the steady-state plasma concentrations of risperidone and its active metabolite 9-hydroxyrisperidone (9-OH-risperidone) was evaluated in 10 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Patients stabilized on risperidone (4-6 mg/day) received additional fluoxetine (20 mg/day) to treat concomitant depression. One patient dropped out after 1 week due to the occurrence of akathisia associated with markedly increased plasma risperidone concentrations.

No effect of reboxetine on plasma concentrations of clozapine, risperidone, and their active metabolites.

The effect of reboxetine on steady-state plasma concentrations of the atypical antipsychotics clozapine and risperidone was studied in 14 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder with associated depressive symptoms. Seven patients stabilized on clozapine therapy (250-500 mg/day) and seven receiving risperidone (4-6 mg/day) were given additional reboxetine (8 mg/day). After 4 weeks of reboxetine therapy, mean plasma concentrations of clozapine, norclozapine, and risperidone active moiety (sum of concentrations of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone) increased slightly but not significantly by 5%, 2%, and 10%, respectively.

Plasma concentrations of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone during combined treatment with paroxetine.

The effects of paroxetine on steady-state plasma concentrations of risperidone and its active metabolite 9-hydroxyrisperidone (9-OH-risperidone) were studied in 10 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Patients stabilized using risperidone therapy (4-8 mg/d) also received paroxetine (20 mg/d) for 4 weeks. During paroxetine administration, mean plasma concentrations of risperidone increased significantly (P < 0.

Relationship between plasma risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone concentrations and clinical response in patients with schizophrenia.

Rationale: Evaluation of relationships between serum antipsychotic drug concentrations and clinical response may provide valuable information for rational dosage adjustments. For risperidone, this relationship has been little investigated to date.

Objective: To assess the relationship between plasma concentrations of risperidone and its active 9-hydroxy-metabolite (9-OH-risperidone) and clinical response in schizophrenic patients who experienced an acute exacerbation of the disorder.

Plasma concentrations of clozapine and its major metabolites during combined treatment with paroxetine or sertraline.

The effect of paroxetine or sertraline on steady-state plasma concentrations of clozapine and its major metabolites was studied in 17 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder stabilized on clozapine therapy (200-400 mg/day). In order to treat negative symptomatology or concomitant depression, 9 patients received additional paroxetine (20-40mg/day) and 8 patients sertraline (50-100 mg/day). After 3 weeks of paroxetine administration, mean plasma concentrations of clozapine and norclozapine increased significantly by 31% (p<0.

Plasma concentrations of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone: effect of comedication with carbamazepine or valproate.

To evaluate the pharmacokinetic interaction between risperidone and the mood-stabilizing agents carbamazepine and valproic acid, steady state plasma concentrations of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone (9-OH-risperidone) were compared in patients treated with risperidone alone (controls, n = 23) and in patients comedicated with carbamazepine (n = 11) or sodium valproate (n = 10). The three groups were matched for sex, age, body weight, and antipsychotic dosage. Plasma concentrations of risperidone and 9-OH-risperidone did not differ between valproate-comedicated patients and controls.

Relationship between plasma concentrations of clozapine and norclozapine and therapeutic response in patients with schizophrenia resistant to conventional neuroleptics.

Rationale: Monitoring plasma clozapine concentrations may play a useful role in the management of patients with schizophrenia, but information on the relationship between the plasma levels of the drug and response is still controversial.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between plasma concentrations of clozapine and its weakly active metabolite norclozapine and clinical response in patients with schizophrenia resistant to conventional neuroleptics.

Methods: Forty-five patients, 35 males and ten females, aged 19-65 years, were given clozapine at a dosage up to 500 mg/day for 12 weeks.

Small effects of valproic acid on the plasma concentrations of clozapine and its major metabolites in patients with schizophrenic or affective disorders.

Two separate studies were carried out to assess the effect of valproic acid on the steady-state plasma concentrations of clozapine and its major metabolites norclozapine and clozapine N-oxide in psychotic patients. In the first study, concentrations of clozapine and metabolites were compared between patients treated with clozapine in combination with sodium valproate (n = 15) and control patients treated with clozapine alone (n = 22) and matched for sex, age, body weight, and antipsychotic dosage. Patients comedicated with valproate tended to have higher clozapine levels and lower norclozapine levels, but the differences did not reach statistical significance.

Saccharification of Complex Cellulosic Substrates by the Cellulase System from Clostridium thermocellum.

True cellulase activity has been demonstrated in cell-free preparations from the thermophilic anaerobe Clostridium thermocellum. Such activity depends upon the presence of Ca and a thiol-reducing agent of which dithiothreitol is the most promising. Under these conditions, native (cotton) and derived forms of cellulose (Avicel and filter paper) were all extensively solubilized at rates comparable with cellulase from Trichoderma reesei.

Chemically Defined Minimal Medium for Growth of the Anaerobic Cellulolytic Thermophile Clostridium thermocellum.

A minimal chemically defined medium has been developed for Clostridium thermocellum. The growth factors required are biotin, pyridoxamine, vitamin B(12), and p-aminobenzoic acid.

Changes in lung lysyl oxidase activity in streptozotocin-diabetes and in starvation.

The effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes and of starvation on the lysyl oxidase activity of rat lung were investigated. Enzyme activity was elevated 2--3 fold in the lungs of streptozotocin-diabetic rats. In contrast, starvation of rats produced a rapid loss of lung lysyl oxidase activity, with levels approximating 25% of control values after 48--72 h of starvation.