ChatGPT as a prospective undergraduate and medical school student.

This article reports the results of an experiment conducted with ChatGPT to see how its performance compares to human performance on tests that require specific knowledge and skills, such as university admission tests. We chose a general undergraduate admission test and two tests for admission to biomedical programs: the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), the Cambridge BioMedical Admission Test (BMAT), and the Italian Medical School Admission Test (IMSAT). In particular, we looked closely at the difference in performance between ChatGPT-4 and its predecessor, ChatGPT-3.

Efficacy of bezlotoxumab in preventing the recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection: an Italian multicenter cohort study.

Objectives: Bezlotoxumab (BEZ) is a promising tool for preventing the recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). The aim of the study was to emulate, in a real-world setting, the MODIFY trials in a cohort of participants with multiple risk factors for rCDI treated with BEZ in addition to the standard of care (SoC) versus SoC alone.

Methods: A multicenter cohort study was conducted including 442 patients with Clostridioides difficile infection from 2018 to 2022, collected from 18 Italian centers.

REDS study: Retrospective effectiveness study of dalbavancin and other standard of care of the same IV antibiotic class in patients with ABSSSI.

Objectives: Acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections (ABSSSIs) are a common source of morbidity in both the community and hospital settings. The current standard of care (SoC) requires multiple-dose intravenous (IV) regimens, which are associated with high hospitalisation rates, concomitant event risks and costs. Dalbavancin is a lipoglycopeptide, long-acting antibiotic that is effective against Gram-positive microorganisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Nodular Cutaneous Lesions in Immune-Compromised Hosts as a Clue for the Diagnosis of Disseminated Nocardiosis: From Bedside to Microbiological Identification.

Background: is a group of ubiquitous bacteria known to cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised hosts, including those affected by malignancies and solid-organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplants. Pulmonary involvement, occurring in two-thirds of cases, is the most frequent presentation. Diagnosis might be challenging both because of microbiological technical issues, but also because of the variability of organ involvement and mimicry.

Real-Life Experience of Molnupiravir in Hospitalized Patients Who Developed SARS-CoV2-Infection: Preliminary Results from CORACLE Registry.

Real-life experience of molnupiravir treatment is lacking, especially in people hospitalized for underlying diseases not related to COVID-19. We conducted a retrospective analysis regarding molnupiravir therapy in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted for underlying diseases not associated with COVID-19. Forty-four patients were included.

Cefiderocol use in Gram negative infections with limited therapeutic options: Is combination therapy the key?

Objectives: To date limited information about cefiderocol use is provided by real life studies. Our aim is to evaluate characteristics and outcome of patients with Gram-negative infections with limited therapeutic options treated with cefiderocol in combination or monotherapy.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data on demographical, clinical characteristics and clinical cure, in-hospital and 30-days mortality, microbiological failure and Clostridioides difficile infections of all patients ≥ 18 years old treated with cefiderocol for ≥ 48 h.

Impact of an empiric antimicrobial therapy manual on antimicrobial usage and multidrug resistant organism trends in a large Italian teaching hospital.

Aim: To evaluate the changes in antimicrobial consumption and multidrug-resistant microorganism trends after introducing an empiric antimicrobial therapy manual to support antimicrobial stewardship.

Methods: A 4-year prospective interventional study assessed the effect of introducing an empiric antimicrobial therapy manual in medical and surgical wards during two periods: pre-intervention period (January 2015-May 2017) and post-intervention period (June 2017-December 2019). Outcomes included microorganism trends of bloodstream infections (BSI) for carbapenemase-producing bacteria (KPC), extended spectrum beta-lactamase ESBL-, meticillin-resistant (MRSA) and .

Liver involvement and mortality in COVID-19: A retrospective analysis from the CORACLE study group.

Introduction: liver abnormalities are common in COVID-19 patients and associated with higher morbidity and mortality. We aimed to investigate clinical significance and effect on the mortality of abnormal liver function tests (ALFTs) in COVID-19 patients.

Methods: we retrospectively evaluated in a multicentre study all patients admitted with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19.

Dispersion of Few-Layer Black Phosphorus in Binary Polymer Blend and Block Copolymer Matrices.

Exfoliated black phosphorus (bP) embedded into a polymer is preserved from oxidation, is stable to air, light, and humidity, and can be further processed into devices without degrading its properties. Most of the examples of exfoliated bP/polymer composites involve a single polymer matrix. Herein, we report the preparation of biphasic polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate) (50/50 wt.

COVID-19 pneumonia: do not leave the corticosteroids behind!

The host inflammatory response is critical in the progression of lung injuries in patients with SARS-CoV-2. Corticosteroids (CS) have been widely used as immunomodulating agents, but the right timing, dosage and type of molecule are unknown. In fact, the early use of CS could facilitate the viral replication but late administration may not prevent the alveolar damage.

Pulmonary Echinococcosis or Lung Hydatidosis: A Narrative Review.

Lung hydatidosis is a zoonosis related to infection by the tapeworm species. Lung involvement in this condition is second only to the liver echinococcosis. Diagnosis ordinarily results from an accidental finding in a direct chest radiograph evaluation because of the delayed growth of the cysts.

Vitamin D pathway gene polymorphisms affecting daclatasvir plasma concentration at 2 weeks and 1 month of therapy.

Aim: Vitamin D (VD) influences genetic expression through its receptor (VDR). VD pathway gene polymorphisms seem to influence antiviral drug pharmacokinetics and therapeutic outcome/toxicity. We investigated the association between daclatasvir (DCV) plasma concentrations and genetic variants (SNPs) associated with the VD pathway.

Retreatment with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir in cirrhotic patients with genotype-4 who failed a previous interferon-free regimen: a case series.

Background: The novel available interferon (IFN)-free regimens significantly improved the sustained virological response (SVR) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), without important side effects and with shorter duration of treatment. In a subset of patients, however, the treatment failure (TF) was due to the presence of resistance-associated substitutions (RAS) that lead to virological breakthrough (BT) or relapse. We analysed in this case series the role of RAS on the TF in cirrhotic patients with genotype (GT)4, treated with a previous IFN-free regimen, and retreated with the combination of sofosbuvir (SOF)/velpatasvir (VEL) for 12 or 24 weeks, without ribavirin (RBV).

Role of ribavirin in the treatment of hepatitis C virus-associated mixed cryoglobulinemia with interferon-free regimens.

Mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) is the most common extrahepatic manifestation of chronic hepatitis C (CHC), with the presence of symptoms in 10-15% of cases. There have been encouraging data regarding immunological and clinical responses in patients treated with the novel combinations of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), but the role of ribavirin (RBV) in the treatment of MC has not yet been demonstrated. We prospectively enrolled 132 patients affected by MC and CHC, and virological, immunological and clinical responses were evaluated at 12 weeks after completion of treatment.

Treatment with daclatasvir and sofosbuvir for 24 weeks without ribavirin in cirrhotic patients who failed first-generation protease inhibitors.

Background: Treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C who failed the triple therapy with first generation of protease inhibitors is not still defined. The combined use of sofosbuvir (SOF) and daclatasvir (DCV) seems to be promising due to higher genetic barrier, good tolerance and effectiveness.

Methods: We described the treatment with this drug combination in a real-life cohort of 20 cirrhotic patients with genotype 1 who failed the triple therapy.