Enhancing blood pressure management protocol implementation in patients with acute intracerebral haemorrhage through a nursing-led approach: A retrospective cohort study.

Aim: To evaluate the impact of nurse care changes in implementing a blood pressure management protocol on achieving rapid, intensive and sustained blood pressure reduction in acute intracerebral haemorrhage patients.

Design: Retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data over 6 years.

Methods: Intracerebral haemorrhage patients within 6 h and systolic blood pressure ≥ 150 mmHg followed a rapid (starting treatment at computed tomography suite with a target achievement goal of ≤60 min), intensive (target systolic blood pressure < 140 mmHg) and sustained (maintaining target stability for 24 h) blood pressure management plan.

Lipohypertrophy in Elderly Insulin-Treated Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

Background: The number of older adults with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (DM) is steadily increasing worldwide. Errors in the insulin injection technique can lead to skin lipohypertrophy (LH), which is the accumulation of fat cells and fibrin in the subcutaneous tissue. While lipohypertrophic lesions/nodules (LHs) due to incorrect insulin injection techniques are very common, they are often flat and hardly visible and thus require thorough deep palpation examination and ultrasonography (US) for detection.

Portosystemic shunts versus endoscopic intervention with or without medical treatment for prevention of rebleeding in people with cirrhosis.

Background: People with liver cirrhosis who have had one episode of variceal bleeding are at risk for repeated episodes of bleeding. Endoscopic intervention and portosystemic shunts are used to prevent further bleeding, but there is no consensus as to which approach is preferable.

Objectives: To compare the benefits and harms of shunts (surgical shunts (total shunt (TS), distal splenorenal shunt (DSRS), or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS)) versus endoscopic intervention (endoscopic sclerotherapy or banding, or both) with or without medical treatment (non-selective beta blockers or nitrates, or both) for prevention of variceal rebleeding in people with liver cirrhosis.

Insulin-Induced Skin Lipohypertrophy in Type 2 Diabetes: a Multicenter Regional Survey in Southern Italy.

Introduction: Lipohypertrophies (LHs) due to incorrect insulin injection techniques have been described in the literature for decades. Their rate averages 38%, but this is still controversial because of the vast range reported by different publications, most of which fail to describe the selected detection protocol and therefore are not entirely reliable. We still need to identify the real LH rate, and only consistently using a standardized method in a large cohort of insulin-treated (IT) patients make this possible.

Role of non-classical effects of testosterone and epitestosterone on AMH balance and testicular development parameters.

Testosterone (T) and its 17-α epimer, epitestosterone (EpiT), are described as having non-classical effects in addition to their classical androgen actions via the intracellular androgen receptor (iAR). The actions of these androgens play an essential role in triggering factors that shift Sertoli cells from the proliferation phase to the maturation phase. This process is essential for successful spermatogenesis and normal fertility.

Adjustable sling for the treatment of post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Urinary incontinence after prostatectomy has a significant negative impact on the quality of life of the patient. The surgical treatment includes several models of male slings, such as adjustable slings. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of adjustable sling in the treatment of post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence.

Plasma expanders for people with cirrhosis and large ascites treated with abdominal paracentesis.

Background: Plasma volume expanders are used in connection to paracentesis in people with cirrhosis to prevent reduction of effective plasma volume, which may trigger deleterious effect on haemodynamic balance, and increase morbidity and mortality. Albumin is considered the standard product against which no plasma expansion or other plasma expanders, e.g.

The impact of signal pre-processing on the final interpretation of analytical outcomes - A tutorial.

The present tutorial paper is aimed to analyse and critically discuss the consequences of row pre-processing (conversion of measurement units, derivatives, and standard normal variate transform) on the evaluation of final outcomes of chemometric data analysis. An in-depth focus on pre-processing effects both on the signal shape and on misinterpretation of results - a crucial and disregarded issue in the analytical field - is presented. It is shown how this preliminary step of data processing may lead, in many cases, to draw incongruous conclusions, not actually based on real information embodied within data, but on artefacts arising from the mathematical transforms.

A randomized, open-label, comparative, crossover trial on preference, efficacy, and safety profiles of lispro insulin u-100 versus concentrated lispro insulin u-200 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a possible contribution to greater treatment adherence.

Background: Several outstanding pharmacological advances making innovative drugs sophisticateddevices available during the last few years. Nevertheless too many patients still disappointingly fail to meetthe metabolic targets suggested by current guidelines. Incorrect insulin administration techniques may greatly affect metabolic control in T2DM people.

A novel electroanalytical approach based on the use of a room temperature ionic liquid for the determination of olive oil acidity.

In this paper, a novel voltammetric/amperometric approach for the direct determination of free acidity (FFA, expressed as mass percentage of free oleic acid) in olive oil samples is presented. The method is based on the reduction processes occurring at a platinum microdisk electrode involving the free fatty acids present in the matrices. To overcome problems related to the low conductivity of the samples investigated, olive oils were mixed with suitable amounts of the room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), tri-hexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium bis (trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide ([P][NTf]), which acted as a supporting electrolyte.

The impact of infection by multidrug-resistant agents in patients with cirrhosis. A multicenter prospective study.

Background & Aims: Bacterial strains resistant to antibiotics are a serious clinical challenge. We assessed the antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria isolated from infections in patients with cirrhosis by a multicentre investigation.

Results: Three hundred and thirteen culture-positive infections (173 community acquired [CA] and 140 hospital acquired [HA]) were identified in 308 patients.

Has your ancient stamp been regummed with synthetic glue? A FT-NIR and FT-Raman study.

The potential of FT-NIR and FT-Raman spectroscopies to characterise the gum applied on the backside of ancient stamps was investigated for the first time. This represents a very critical issue for the collectors' market, since gum conditions heavily influence stamp quotations, and fraudulent application of synthetic gum onto damaged stamp backsides to increase their desirability is a well-documented practice. Spectral data were processed by exploratory pattern recognition tools.

Artificial nose, NIR and UV-visible spectroscopy for the characterisation of the PDO Chianti Classico olive oil.

An authentication study of the Italian PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) olive oil Chianti Classico, based on artificial nose, near-infrared and UV-visible spectroscopy, with a set of samples representative of the whole Chianti Classico production area and a considerable number of samples from other Italian PDO regions was performed. The signals provided by the three analytical techniques were used both individually and jointly, after fusion of the respective variables, in order to build a model for the Chianti Classico PDO olive oil. Different signal pre-treatments were performed in order to investigate their importance and their effects in enhancing and extracting information from experimental data, correcting backgrounds or removing baseline variations.

Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases.

Background:: Our previous systematic review has demonstrated that antioxidant supplements may increase mortality. We have now updated this review.

Objectives:: To assess the beneficial and harmful effects of antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in adults.

Morphological and functional response to injury to the external urethral sphincter - similarities and differences between male and female rats.

Aims: The objective of this study was to evaluate the similarities and differences of the urethral morphological and functional changes following external urethral sphincter EUS injury in male and female rats.

Methods: 30 female and 30 male age-matched Wistar rats were used in the experiments. Half of them underwent electrocauterization of the surrounding tissues lateral to the urethra at the level of the (EUS) and the others, a sham operation.

Vitamin D supplementation for prevention of mortality in adults.

Background: Available evidence on the effects of vitamin D on mortality has been inconclusive. In a recent systematic review, we found evidence that vitamin D3 may decrease mortality in mostly elderly women. The present systematic review updates and reassesses the benefits and harms of vitamin D supplementation used in primary and secondary prophylaxis of mortality.

An unusual presentation of zollinger-ellison syndrome.

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is an often progressive, persistent and frequently life-threatening disease, described for the first time as characterized by ulceration of the upper jejunum, hypersecretion of gastric acid and non-beta islet cell tumors of the pancreas; this syndrome is due to the hypersecretion of gastrin. We report a case of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome presenting as severe esophagitis evolving in stenosis, which demonstrates how a delayed diagnosis may induce risk of disease spreading. In this setting new diagnostic approaches, such as somatostatin receptor scanning and positron emission tomography with 68 Ga-labeled octreotide, could be particularly useful, as well as further new therapeutic options, such as molecular targeted treatments and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, though surgery is currently the only form of curative treatment, and the role of the therapeutic options mentioned needs to be clarified by forthcoming studies.

Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases.

Background: Our systematic review has demonstrated that antioxidant supplements may increase mortality. We have now updated this review.

Objectives: To assess the beneficial and harmful effects of antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in adults.

Urinary incontinence following surgery for BPH: the role of aging on the incidence of bladder dysfunction.

Purpose: The reported incidence of urinary incontinence (UI) due to bladder dysfunction following surgery of BPH is variable. We described the causes of incontinence in a large group of men that developed this unusual complication and analyzed the influence of age on the prevalence of bladder dysfunction.

Materials And Methods: We evaluated a total of 125 patients with urinary incontinence following surgical treatment for BPH: Transurethral resection of the prostate (81 men) and open prostatectomy (44 men).

Vitamin D supplementation for prevention of mortality in adults.

Background: The available evidence on vitamin D and mortality is inconclusive.

Objectives: To assess the beneficial and harmful effects of vitamin D for prevention of mortality in adults.

Search Strategy: We searched The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, the Science Citation Index Expanded, and Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science (to January 2011).

Hepato-biliary clinical trials and their inclusion in the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group register and reviews.

Background And Aims: The Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group (CHBG) is one of the 52 collaborative review groups within The Cochrane Collaboration. The activities of the CHBG focus on collecting hepato-biliary randomized clinical trials (RCT) and controlled clinical trials (CCT), and including them in systematic reviews with meta-analyses of the trials. In this overview, we present the growth of The CHBG Controlled Trials Register, as well as the systematic reviews that have been produced since March 1996.

Systematic review: primary and secondary prevention of gastrointestinal cancers with antioxidant supplements.

Background: The evidence on whether antioxidant supplements prevent gastrointestinal cancers is contradictory.

Aim: To assess the beneficial and harmful effects of antioxidant supplements in preventing gastrointestinal cancers.

Methods: Using the Cochrane Collaboration methodology, we reviewed the randomized trials comparing antioxidant supplements with placebo or no intervention on the occurrence of gastrointestinal cancers.

Antioxidant supplements for preventing gastrointestinal cancers.

Background: Oxidative stress may cause gastrointestinal cancers. The evidence on whether antioxidant supplements are effective in preventing gastrointestinal cancers is contradictory.

Objectives: To assess the beneficial and harmful effects of antioxidant supplements in preventing gastrointestinal cancers.

Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases.

Background: Animal and physiological research as well as observational studies suggest that antioxidant supplements may improve survival.

Objectives: To assess the effect of antioxidant supplements on mortality in primary or secondary prevention randomised clinical trials.

Search Strategy: We searched The Cochrane Library (Issue 3, 2005), MEDLINE (1966 to October 2005), EMBASE (1985 to October 2005), and the Science Citation Index Expanded (1945 to October 2005).