Multidrug-Resistant Strains in a Hospital: Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Local Epidemiology.

Multidrug-resistant is a significant healthcare challenge that particularly affects vulnerable patients through opportunistic nosocomial infections. Surveillance is crucial for monitoring the prevalence of these infections. Eighty-four KPC strains (2019-2022) were collected from patients admitted in Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico.

A Focus on the Pathophysiology of Adrenomedullin Expression: Endothelitis and Organ Damage in Severe Viral and Bacterial Infections.

Adrenomedullin (ADM) is a peptide hormone produced primarily in the adrenal glands, playing a crucial role in various physiological processes. As well as improving vascular integrity and decreasing vascular permeability, ADM acts as a vasodilator, positive inotrope, diuretic, natriuretic and bronchodilator, antagonizing angiotensin II by inhibiting aldosterone secretion. ADM also has antihypertrophic, anti-apoptotic, antifibrotic, antioxidant, angiogenic and immunoregulatory effects and antimicrobial properties.

Mid-Regional Pro-Adrenomedullin Can Predict Organ Failure and Prognosis in Sepsis?

Sepsis causes immune dysregulation and endotheliitis, with an increase in mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM). The aim of the study is to determine an MR-proADM value that, in addition to clinical diagnosis, can identify patients with localized infection or those with sepsis/septic shock, with specific organ damage or with the need for intensive care unit (ICU) transfer and prognosis. The secondary aim is to correlate the MR-proADM value with the length of stay (LOS).

Orodispersible Film Based on Maltodextrin: A Convenient and Suitable Method for Iron Supplementation.

Orodispersible film (ODF) is an innovative dosage form used to administer drugs and nutrients, designed to disintegrate or dissolve in the oral cavity without needing water. One of the advantages of ODF is that it is suitable for administration in older people and children who have difficulty swallowing because of psychological or physiological deficiencies. This article describes the development of an ODF based on maltodextrin, which is easy to administer, has a pleasant taste, and is suitable for iron supplementation.

Postoperative procalcitonin is a biomarker for excluding the onset of clinically relevant pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Background: Early detection and therapy of pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy is crucial to improve outcomes of this surgery. Since it is not clear if procalcitonin (PCT), can predict the onset of clinically relevant post-operative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF), we aimed to investigate this ability.

Methods: One-hundred-thirty pancreaticoduodenectomies (PD) were analyzed.

Implications of Possible HBV-Driven Regulation of Gene Expression in Stem Cell-like Subpopulation of Huh-7 Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line.

Elevated levels of STIM1, an endoplasmic reticulum Ca sensor/buffering protein, appear to be correlated with poor cancer prognosis in which microRNAs are also known to play critical roles. The purpose of this study is to investigate possible HBV origins of specific microRNAs we identified in a stem cell-like subpopulation of Huh-7 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines with enhanced and/or expression that mimicked poor cancer prognosis. Computational strategies including phylogenetic analyses were performed on miRNome data we obtained from an EpCAM- and CD133-expressing Huh-7 HCC stem cell-like subpopulation with enhanced and/or expression originally cultured in the present work.

SARS-CoV-2 Variants in COVID-19 Disease: A Focus on Disease Severity and Vaccine Immunity in Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department.

Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants along with vaccinations are fundamental for severe COVID-19 disease prevention. A study was performed that focused on 43 patients with the SARS-CoV-2 infection who were admitted to the Emergency Department. RT-PCR-positive nasopharyngeal samples were sequenced using the MiSeq II system for variant detection.

High-dose versus low-dose venous thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are at high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Standard doses of anticoagulant prophylaxis may not be sufficiently effective for the prevention of VTE. The objective of this systematic-review and meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy and safety of high-dose versus low-dose thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Active Surveillance Cultures and Procalcitonin in Combination With Clinical Data to Guide Empirical Antimicrobial Therapy in Hospitalized Medical Patients With Sepsis.

Objective: The prevalence of colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) has increased over the last decade, reaching levels as high as 23% in certain patient populations. Active surveillance cultures (ASC) represent a valuable tool to identify patients colonized with MDRO to apply preventive measures, reduce transmission, and guide empiric antimicrobial therapy. There is a paucity of data evaluating the impact of admission ASCs to predict future infection.

Anticoagulant treatment for upper extremity deep vein thrombosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Data on anticoagulant treatment for upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT) are largely derived from studies on usual site venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Objectives: The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anticoagulant therapy for UEDVT.

Patients/methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE and EMBASE was conducted for studies including patients with UEDVT.

SARS-CoV-2 AY.4.2 variant circulating in Italy: Genomic preliminary insight.

The appearance of emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 carrying mutations into the spike protein has recently raised concern with respect to tracking their transmission and mitigating the impact in the evolving pandemic across countries. AY.4.

Utility of preoperative systemic inflammatory biomarkers in predicting postoperative complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy: Literature review and single center experience.

Background: The role of preoperative inflammatory biomarkers (PIBs) in predicting postoperative morbidity has been assessed in colorectal and otorhinolaryngeal surgery. However, data regarding the role that preoperative inflammatory biomarkers have on morbidity after pancreaticoduodenectomiy (PD) are less consistent.

Aim: To assess the utility of PIBs in predicting postoperative complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Extended venous thromboprophylaxis in patients hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Patients hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) that may persist beyond the currently recommended period of 6 to 14 days of thromboprophylaxis. This systematic review evaluated the efficacy and safety of extended venous thromboprophylaxis in patients hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke.

Materials And Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE and Clinicaltrials.

S-Adenosylmethionine Supplementation May Reduce Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Prospective Evaluation Using the FACIT-F Questionnaire in Colon Cancer Patients Undergoing Oxaliplatin-Based Chemotherapy Regimens.

Background: Fatigue is a common distressing symptom for patients living with chronic or acute diseases, including liver disorders and cancer (Cancer-Related Fatigue, CRF). Its etiology is multifactorial, and some hypotheses regarding the pathogenesis are summarized, with possible shared mechanisms both in cancer and in chronic liver diseases. A deal of work has investigated the role of a multifunctional molecule in improving symptoms and outcomes in different liver dysfunctions and associated symptoms, including chronic fatigue: S-adenosylmethionine (SAM; AdoMet).

Platelet reactivity and clinical outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention in complex higher-risk patients.

Aims: To investigate the levels of platelet reactivity and the impact of high platelet reactivity (HPR) on long-term clinical outcomes of complex higher-risk and indicated patients (CHIP) with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) treated with elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We enrolled 500 patients undergoing elective PCI for stable CAD and treated with aspirin and clopidogrel. Patients were divided into four groups based on the presence of CHIP features and HPR.

Diagnostic Accuracy and Prognostic Value of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratios in Septic Patients outside the Intensive Care Unit.

: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) ratios and to compare them with other biomarkers and clinical scores of sepsis outside the intensive care unit. : In this retrospective study, 251 patients with sepsis and 126 patients with infection other than sepsis were enrolled. NLR and PLR were calculated as the ratio between absolute values of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and platelets by complete blood counts performed on whole blood by XE-9000 (Dasit, Italy) following the manufacturer's instruction.

The variants question: What is the problem?

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) originated in Wuhan, China in early December 2019 has rapidly widespread worldwide. Over the course of the pandemic, due to the advance of whole-genome sequencing technologies, an unprecedented number of genomes have been generated, providing both invaluable insights into the ongoing evolution and epidemiology of the virus and allowing the identification of hundreds of circulating genetic variants during the pandemic. In recent months variants of SARS-CoV-2 that have an increased number of mutations on the Spike protein have brought concern all over the world.

COVID-19 sniffer dog experimental training: Which protocol and which implications for reliable sidentification?

The introduction of trained sniffer dogs for COVID-19 detection could be an opportunity, as previously described for other diseases. Dogs could be trained to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the whiff of COVID-19. Dogs involved in the study were three, one male and two females from different breeds, Black German Shepherd, German Shepherd, and Dutch Shepherd.

Different Biliary Microbial Flora Influence Type of Complications after Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Single Center Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Bacterobilia is associated with postoperative morbidity after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), mostly due to infectious complications. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of bacteria species isolated from intraoperative biliary cultures, and related complications after PD.

Methods: An ANOVA test was used to assess the prevalence of isolated bacterial species and postoperative complications.

Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease and Platelet Reactivity on Clinical Outcomes Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

We investigated the interaction between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and high platelet reactivity (HPR) in determining long-term clinical outcomes following elective PCI for stable coronary artery disease (CAD). A total of 500 patients treated with aspirin and clopidogrel were divided based on the presence of CKD (defined as glomerular filtration rate of < 60 ml/min/1.73 m) and HPR (defined as a P2Y12 reaction unit value ≥ 240 at VerifyNow assay).

The Bayesian reconstruction and the evolutionary history of Salivirus type 1 and type 2: the worldwide spreading.

Introduction: Salivirus (SalV) represents an emerging problem in public health especially during the recent years. In this study, the Bayesian evolutionary history and the spread of the virus through the different countries have been reported.

Methodology: a database of 81 sequences of SalV structural VP1 fragment were downloaded from GenBank, aligned and manually edited by Bioedit Software.