Reduced Incidence of Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Infections in Cardiac Surgery Patients after Implementation of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Project.

Infections due to carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-Kp) are associated with increased mortality in cardiac surgery patients. In this short communication, we report on the changes in the incidence of CR-Kp colonization and CR-Kp infection in cardiac surgery patients from 2014 to 2018 in a teaching hospital in Italy, after the implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship project in 2014. During the study period, 2261 patients underwent open-heart surgery.

Diastereoselective Nickel-Catalyzed Carboiodination Generating Six-Membered Nitrogen-Based Heterocycles.

A scalable, diastereoselective nickel-catalyzed carboiodination reaction is reported that avoids metal-based reducing agents. Novel -dihydroquinolones and previously unreported tetrahydroquinolines are now readily prepared. The generation of -dihydroquinolones is noteworthy, as this selectivity is opposite to that of the Pd variant.

MULTIMODAL IMAGING AND TREATMENT OF SYPHILITIC CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULARIZATION.

Purpose: To report a rare case of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) developed 2 years after successful treatment of ocular syphilis, identified by optical coherence tomography angiography.

Methods: Case report.

Results: A 31-year-old man with a history of syphilitic chorioretinitis developed a CNV 2 years after clinical remission of the infection.

Retinal and Choroidal Changes of Vitreoretinal Lymphoma from Active to Remission Phase after Intravitreal Rituximab.

To identify main qualitative and quantitative changes by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in eyes with vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) shifting form active to remission phase, after intravitreal rituximab (IVR). SD-OCT scans retrospectively assessed for: hyperreflective retinal dots (HRD), intraretinal infiltration, subretinal infiltration, outer retina (OR) fuzzy borders, and pigment epithelium detachments (PED).Central macular thickness (CMT) and choroidal thickness (CT) were measured.

Identification of hyperreflective foci in angioid streaks.

Aims: To assess hyperreflective foci (HF) number in angioid streaks (AS) by means of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Methods: Observational and cross-sectional study. Sixty-two eyes with AS and 62 controls underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundoscopy, and SD-OCT.

Reduced vascular perfusion density in idiopathic epiretinal membrane compared to macular pseudohole.

Purpose: To investigate the retinal capillary perfusion density by means of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) in idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) and macular pseudoholes (MPH).

Methods: This observational cross-sectional study examined consecutive patients affected by ERM and MPH presenting between June 2017 and December 2017, as well as the 30 eyes of 30 healthy subjects. All patients underwent swept-source OCT-A examination.

Minimally invasive surgical versus transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A multicenter study.

Objectives: Treatment of aortic valve stenosis is evolving, indications for transcatheter approach (TAVI) have increased but also surgical valve replacement has changed with the use of minimally invasive approaches. Comparisons between TAVI and surgery have rarely been done with minimally invasive techniques (mini-SAVR) in the surgical arm. Aim of the present study is to compare mini-SAVR and TAVI in a multicenter recent cohort.

Inner Retinal Layer and Outer Retinal Layer Findings after Macular Hole Surgery Assessed by means of Optical Coherence Tomography.

Aim: To summarize the spectrum of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) features after full-thickness macular hole (MH) repair surgery.

Methods: A PubMed engine search was carried out using the terms "Macular Hole," "Optical Coherence Tomography," and "Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography." All reports published in English up to October 2018, irrespective of their publication status, were included.

Broadband dual-frequency comb spectroscopy in a rapid compression machine.

We demonstrate fiber mode-locked dual-frequency comb spectroscopy for broadband, high-resolution measurements in a rapid compression machine (RCM). We apply an apodization technique to improve the short-term signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR), which enables broadband spectroscopy at combustion-relevant timescales. We measure the absorption on 24345 individual wavelength elements (comb teeth) between 5967 and 6133 cm at 704 µs time resolution during a 12 ms compression of a CH-N mixture.

Natural History of Treatment-Naïve Quiescent Choroidal Neovascularization in Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using OCT Angiography.

Purpose: To describe the evolution of treatment-naïve quiescent choroidal neovascularizations (CNVs) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by means of OCT angiography (OCTA).

Design: Prospective, observational, consecutive case series.

Participants: Fifteen eyes (7 right eyes and 8 left eyes) of 14 patients (8 women and 6 men) fulfilled the criteria of quiescent CNV in AMD among an overall pool of 950 neovascular AMD patients.

[A strategic roadmap of the Italian Society of Interventional Cardiology (SICI-GISE) to ensure patient's access to appropriate treatment].

In comparison with the international scenario, in Italy the penetration of several important scientific and technological innovations in the field of cardiovascular intervention appears to be inadequate both in terms of number of patients treated with respect to the actual need, and inhomogeneity between the different geographical areas of the country. One of the main institutional objectives of the Italian Society of Interventional Cardiology (SICI-GISE) is to develop a roadmap to guarantee homogeneous access throughout the whole national territory to treatments that are recommended by the major international guidelines. The present document focuses on four main areas of cardiovascular intervention: (i) transcatheter treatment of aortic valve stenosis, (ii) percutaneous mitral valve repair, (iii) prevention of cardioembolic stroke through percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, (iv) optimization of coronary revascularization with the aid of the functional study of coronary lesions.

Widefield OCT angiography and ultra-widefield multimodal imaging of Susac syndrome.

The aim is to present the changes in ultra-widefield and widefield multimodal imaging, including optical coherence tomography angiography of a 33-year-old woman diagnosed with Susac syndrome, over 1 year of follow-up. Fundus examination and multimodal imaging revealed bilateral arterial occlusion of multiple vascular branches with retinal ischemia. Over 1 year follow-up, best-corrected visual acuity improved while retinal ischemia gradually resolved.

Genotypes and population genetics of cryptococcus neoformans and cryptococcus gattii species complexes in Europe and the mediterranean area.

A total of 476 European isolates (310 Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii, 150 C. neoformans var.

A Comparison Among Different Automatically Segmented Slabs to Assess Neovascular AMD using Swept Source OCT Angiography.

Purpose: We systematically compare the intermodality and interreader agreement in age-related macular degeneration(AMD)-associated neovascularization assessment for optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images obtained using different slabs.

Methods: We collected data from 48 patients (50 eyes) with type 1 or 2 neovascularization (NV) and AMD. Subjects were imaged with a swept source (SS)-OCTA system.

Heterologous regulation of CXCR4 lysosomal trafficking.

G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling is regulated by members of the protein kinase C (PKC) and GPCR kinase (GRK) families, although the relative contribution of each to GPCR function varies among specific GPCRs. The CC motif receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a member of the GPCR superfamily that binds the CC motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12), initiating signaling that is subsequently terminated in part by internalization and lysosomal degradation of CXCR4. The purpose of this study is to define the relative contribution of PKC and GRK to CXCR4 signaling attenuation by studying their effects on CXCR4 lysosomal trafficking and degradation.

HYPERREFLECTIVE FOVEAL SPOTS IN PATIENTS WITH VITREORETINAL ANOMALIES: A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis.

Purpose: To describe structural optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography features in patients who have developed hyperreflective foveal spots with or without vitreomacular interface abnormalities or with vitreous adhesion alone.

Methods: The study design was observational and cross sectional. The presence of defined epiretinal membrane was considered an exclusion criterion.

Needle revision outcomes after glaucoma filtering surgery: survival analysis and predictive factors.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of needle revision and examine factors predictive of failure.

Methods: In total, 157 eyes of 131 patients that underwent needle revision augmented with either 5-fluorouracil or betamethasone for trabeculectomy failure were included in this retrospective study. Complete failure was defined as additional glaucoma surgery, ciliodestructive procedures, loss of light perception, sight-threatening complications, hypotony maculopathy, and surgical bleb revision.

Forming Benzylic Iodides via a Nickel Catalyzed Diastereoselective Dearomative Carboiodination Reaction of Indoles.

A diastereoselective dearomative carboiodination reaction is reported. We report a novel metal-catalyzed approach to install reactive secondary benzylic iodides. Utilizing the unique reactivity of nickel, we have expanded the carboiodination reaction to non-activated aromatic double bonds forming a previously unattainable class of iodides.

Aurora borealis and string of pearls in vitreoretinal lymphoma: patterns of vitreous haze.

Aims: Peculiar retinal signs of vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) have been identified. However, limited information on the vitreous features of VRL is available. This study aims to characterise the vitreous involvement in VRL with the help of multimodal imaging.

The effect of surgical versus transcatheter aortic valve replacement on endothelial function. An observational study.

Background: The effects of surgical aortic valve replacement versus transcatheter aortic valve replacement on endothelial function are unknown. We investigated the effects of surgical and transcatheter aortic valve replacement on early and 90-day endothelial function measured by brachial flow mediated dilation and apoptotic rate in the human umbilical vein endothelial cells in patients with significant aortic stenosis, intermediate risk of surgery, and no coronary artery disease.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational case control single-blind study at a single tertiary center.