Psychological health in COVID-19 patients after discharge from an intensive care unit.

Along with physical changes, psychological changes are detectable in patients with COVID-19. In these patients, the stressful experience of intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization may aggravate psychological conditions. Our study examines the short- and long-term psychological consequences of COVID-19 in ICU patients.

Anesthetic Management of an Adult Patient With Down Syndrome for Thoracic Surgery.

The anesthetic management of adult patient with Down syndrome (DS) can be challenging due to poor patient cooperation, age-related comorbidities, and a possible difficult airway. Thoracic anesthesia requires an advanced airway management; thus, treatment of DS patients can be particularly demanding. An accurate preoperative assessment is paramount in order to plan a well-designed perioperative strategy in advance.

The impact of different gas mixtures on inflammatory responses in advanced recreational divers.

Introduction: Decompression sickness (DCS) is considered a 'bubble disease'. Intravascular bubbles activate inflammatory responses associated with endothelial dysfunction. Breathing gas has been proposed as a potential risk factor but this is inadequately studied.

The role of teicoplanin in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection: A retrospective study in critically ill COVID-19 patients (Tei-COVID study).

Teicoplanin has a potential antiviral activity expressed against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and was suggested as a complementary option to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. In this multicentric, retrospective, observational research the aim was to evaluate the impact of teicoplanin on the course of COVID-19 in critically ill patients. Fifty-five patients with severe COVID-19, hospitalized in the intensive care units (ICUs) and treated with best available therapy were retrospectively analysed.

Long-term effects of pneumococcal colonization during early childhood wheezing.

Background: Bacterial colonization during wheezing in early childhood has been associated with short-term relapses of wheezing, but no study has addressed the effects of Streptococcus pneumoniae colonization on long-term outcome of wheezing. The aim of the present study was therefore to evaluate whether pneumococcal (PNC) colonization during the first wheezing episode in early childhood is a determinant of asthma, atopy or lung function in the long term.

Methods: In 1981-82 83 infants were hospitalized for first wheezing episode at <24 months of age.

Chronic exposure to environmentally-relevant concentrations of fluoxetine (Prozac) decreases survival, increases abnormal behaviors, and delays predator escape responses in guppies.

This study evaluates the impact of fluoxetine, an antidepressant drug and common pollutant in aquatic environments, on growth, survival, and behavior in juvenile guppies and on predator escape responses in adult guppies (Poecilia reticulata). In juveniles, the effects of acute (4d) and chronic (35d) exposure on growth and survival were examined, and behavioral changes were noted throughout the chronic experiment. In adults, escape responses to a mock predator during chronic (28d) fluoxetine exposure were videotaped to determine the overall speed of response in treated vs.

An epidemiologic survey of celiac disease in the Terni area (Umbria, Italy) in 2002-2010.

The present work is an epidemiology survey of celiac disease in the province of Terni (Umbria, Italy) in 2002-2010. Data were collected from the Local Health Unit (LHU) 4 (ASL 4), Terni database and were extrapolated from the overall population of 232,540 (as of 2010) by identifying residents with prescription charge exemptions for celiac disease-oriented drugs. Prevalence and incidence analysis over the timeframe being examined showed that prevalence (330 cases in 2010) has consistently been increasing from 2002 to 2010, whereas incidence has remained essentially the same with minor, yearly fluctuations.

Study of ethane level in exhaled breath in patients with age-related macular degeneration: preliminary study.

Purpose: A variety of factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), and oxidative stress plays an important role in the onset and progression of the disease. Breath ethane is now considered a specific and non-invasive test for determining and monitoring the trend of lipid peroxidation and free radical-induced damage in vivo. This test provides an index of the patients' overall oxidative stress level.

Genotoxic effect of bile acids on human normal and tumour colon cells and protection by dietary antioxidants and butyrate.

Background: Colorectal cancer is the second cause of death for tumour worldwide. Among the risk factors for this disease the dietary habits seem to have a pivotal role. An elevated intake of fats causes a high release in the gut lumen of bile acids that are positively correlated with colorectal cancer, since they act as detergents and proliferation promoters.

Effect of two-hour daily hemodialysis and sham dialysis on breath isoprene exhalation.

Background: Isoprene, a volatile hydrocarbon produced by the human organism, is currently being extensively investigated because the mechanisms underlying its endogenous origin are unknown and because experiments suggest it is toxic and cancerogenous. Previous reports of increases in breath isoprene concentrations during 4-hour, thrice-weekly hemodialysis, but not during continuous ambulatorial peritoneal dialysis, prompted us to assess the behavior of isoprene in another dialytic modality, i.e.

Lack of isoprene overproduction during peritoneal dialysis.

Objective: Isoprene is the constitutive unit of isoprenoid lipids and sterols. However, it is also a potential toxic and carcinogenic agent. Recent findings of a marked and prolonged isoprene overproduction induced by hemodialysis sessions raises the question of isoprene behavior in patients on peritoneal dialysis.

Twenty-four hour recordings of colonic motility in patients with diverticular disease: evidence for abnormal motility and propulsive activity.

Introduction: Diverticular disease of the colon is one of the most common pathologic entities in western countries. Although altered motility of the large bowel is commonly believed to be one of the major pathophysiologic mechanisms, no convincing evidence has been reported yet. In fact, only a few conflicting studies concerning distal colonic motility (with no information on forceful propulsive activity) are available in the literature.

Protective activity of butyrate on hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage in isolated human colonocytes and HT29 tumour cells.

Epidemiological studies support the involvement of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in colon physiology and the protective role of butyrate on colon carcinogenesis. Among the possible mechanisms by which butyrate may exert its anti-carcinogenicity an antioxidant activity has been recently suggested. We investigated the effects of butyrate and mixtures of SCFA (butyrate, propionate and acetate) on DNA damage induced by H(2)O(2) in isolated human colonocytes and in two human colon tumour cell lines (HT29 and HT29 19A).

Mortality in patients with coeliac disease and their relatives: a cohort study.

Background: Although previous studies have shown increased mortality in patients with coeliac disease and their relatives, no data are available in relation to different patterns of clinical presentation. We assessed mortality in patients with coeliac disease and their first-degree relatives.

Methods: We enrolled, in a prospective cohort study, 1072 adult patients with coeliac disease consecutively diagnosed in 11 gastroenterology units between 1962 and 1994, and their 3384 first-degree relatives.

Onset, time course, and persistence of increased haemodialysis-induced breath isoprene emission.

Recent findings of increased isoprene emission in the exhaled breath of patients undergoing haemodialysis and experimental evidence of the potential toxic and cancerogenic effects of isoprene hydrocarbon led us to assess how long haemodialysis patients are exposed to how much isoprene after a single haemodialysis session. Patients with end-stage renal failure on regular 4-hour (from 08.00 to 12.

Low-amplitude propagated contractile waves: a relevant propulsive mechanism of human colon.

Background: Human colonic motility is still poorly understood, especially as far as concerns its propulsive function. Available data refer almost exclusively to the forceful propulsive activity, which is recognized as high-amplitude propagated contractions, the manometric equivalent of mass movements. By contrast, information on less vigorous propulsive contractions is still lacking.

Double-blind manometric assessment of two topical glyceryl trinitrate formulations in patients with chronic anal fissures.

Background: Chronic anal fissure is a frequent and troubling condition, that may need surgical sphincterotomy for relief of symptoms. However, this approach may yield minor incontinence in up to 30% of cases. Interest has, therefore, recently increased in "chemical sphincterotomy" by using topical glyceryl trinitrate ointment.

Volatile alkanes and increased concentrations of isoprene in exhaled air during hemodialysis.

In this study we examined breath volatile hydrocarbon concentrations in exhaled air of hemodialysis patients. We assessed both C(2)-C(5) alkanes - among them ethane and pentane the production of which in man is essentially due to the action free radicals exert on polyunsaturated fatty acids - and isoprene, an unsaturated hydrocarbon the biosynthesis and biological effects of which are the subject of controversy and mounting interest. Twenty patients were studied.

Effect of lansoprazole on human leukocyte function.

Recent findings on the capacity of omeprazole to influence various leukocyte functions, in vitro, raises the question on the potential use of protonic pump inhibitors, commonly used in the treatment of acid-secretion-related disorders, as immunomodulators. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effect of lansoprazole on human natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxix activity, chemotaxis and superoxide anion (O2*-) generation exerted by polymorphonucleated cells (PMNs). NK cytotoxicity activity was assessed by a 51Cr release assay, PMN chemotaxis was determined by an under agarose method and O2*- generation was analyzed on the basis of reduced cytochrome C.

Breath alkanes determination in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Purpose: By considering the pathophysiologic basis of inflammatory bowel diseases, a role for excessive lipid peroxidation caused by oxygen free radical compounds has been proposed repeatedly. However, to date only a few studies are available on this topic in human beings. This study was designed to assess breath alkanes in a group of patients with active inflammatory bowel disease by a technique that clearly distinguishes pentane from isoprene, to prevent overestimation of values as in previous studies.

Valproate-induced epileptic tonic status.

We observed a young patient with slight mental retardation, suffering from drug-resistant tonic-clonic seizures, who presented a status epilepticus (SE), in two separate periods when valproic acid (VPA) was added to the phenobarbital (PB) already being used in the patient's therapy. The VPA-induced SE was characterized by normal plasma levels of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), normal ammonemia and normal liver function. The case we studied represents the first report on a VPA-induced SE.

Hepatobiliary alterations in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a multicenter study. Caprilli & Gruppo Italiano Studio Colon-Retto.

Background And Methods: Four hundred and eighty-four patients with inflammatory bowel disease underwent clinical examination, ultrasonography, and biochemical liver function tests, to estimate the prevalence of hepatobiliary alterations. The patient group included patients without a history of liver disease. Controls were recruited from patients with functional symptoms.