Coronary thrombosis after European adder bite in a patient on dual antiplatelet therapy: A case report.

Introduction: Until now very few cases of an adverse cardiovascular event have been described following European viper envenomation (Aravanis et al., 1982) (Aravanis et al., 1982) (Aravanis et al.

Breath-holding physiology, radiological severity and adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients: A prospective validation study.

Background And Objective: COVID-19 remains a major cause of respiratory failure, and means to identify future deterioration is needed. We recently developed a prediction score based on breath-holding manoeuvres (desaturation and maximal duration) to predict incident adverse COVID-19 outcomes. Here we prospectively validated our breath-holding prediction score in COVID-19 patients, and assessed associations with radiological scores of pulmonary involvement.

Accidental ingestion of sodium molybdate at the workplace followed by short-term biomonitoring.

Introduction: Most of the molybdenum (Mo) is used in metallurgical applications, the tetrathiomolybdate form is an experimental chelating agent for Wilson's disease. Human data of acute Mo exposure are lacking and, no report of no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) has been described until now. Case-study: We report a case of acute occupational exposure to molybdenum, with the related plasma and urine molybdenum concentrations, caused by an accidental ingestion of a sip of an anti-corrosion liquid for metal containing sodium molybdate.

Multidisciplinary program based on early management of psychological factors reduces disability of patients with subacute low back pain: one-year results of a randomized controlled study.

Background: Multidisciplinary rehabilitation induces disability improvement, pain reduction and favors return-to-work in patients with subacute low back pain (LBP). Current research advises additional high-quality trials.

Aim: The aim of this study is to test the effect of a multidisciplinary rehabilitative program incorporating cognitive-behavioral interventions compared to general physiotherapy alone to treat subacute LBP, and to appraise its long-term extent.

Functional capacity assessment and Minimal Clinically Important Difference in post-acute cardiac patients: the role of Short Physical Performance Battery.

Background: The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) test is a well-established tool to assess physical performance, and to identify frail patients. Assessment of the SPPB in a specific population of elder patients in cardiac rehabilitation phase after a cardiac event is missing.

Aim: The aim of this study was to correlate SPPB and the cardiac rehabilitation outcome in a group of elder patients after a cardiac event and to identify the Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) of the SPPB.

Non-traumatic splenic rupture in amyloidosis as a rare evolution of multiple myeloma.

We report the case of a 64-year-old man with a diagnosis of IgG lambda multiple myeloma (MM) symptomatic for bone lesions for which he received autologous stem cell transplant after induction treatment and high-dose melphalan, thalidomide and lenalidomide therapy. Twelve years after the diagnosis, he had an unexpected and acute onset of abdominal pain with signs of hypovolemic shock. A computed tomography scan was immediately performed and demonstrated a splenic rupture.

Proposal of a multidimensional strategic-management dashboard for use in a rehabilitation respiratory unit.

Health information systems are the core support to decision-making in health organizations. Economic and clinical managements often function separately, while a governance system for quality and safety functions with quality checks and performance accountability, could improve efficiency. The aims of this study were, within a respiratory rehabilitation unit (RRU), to: develop a management-strategy dashboard based on key performance areas (KPAs), identify key performance indicators (KPIs) for each KPA which allow multidimensional assessment; estimate the expected results from the implementation of this dashboard using the balanced score card (BSC) method.

Visual pursuit of one's own face in disorders of consciousness: a quantitative analysis.

Background: Eye behaviour is important to distinguish minimally conscious state (MCS) from vegetative state (VS).

Objective: To search for conditions most suitable to characterize patients in MCS and in VS on quantitative assessment of visual tracking.

Design: This is a cross-sectional study.

Left ventricular hypertrophy as protective factor after bypass grafting.

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a well established cardiovascular risk factor, accounting for an increase in cardiovascular morbid-mortality, although how much the magnitude and the kind of LVH could affect cardiovascular outcomes is in large part unknown. We speculate that mild LVH in absence of left ventricular (LV) chamber dilation, could play a protective role towards functional capacity, clinical outcome, cardiovascular and total morbi-mortality in conditions in which LV systolic function is generally reduced. Accordingly to many epidemiological observations, the availability of extra-quote of systolic function could lead to a significative improvement in the final outcome of some kinds of heart patients, as those undergoing bypass-grafting, where the stress for heart and cardiovascular system is always high.

Cell-Penetrating Peptides: From Basic Research to Clinics.

The presence of cell and tissue barriers together with the low biomembrane permeability of various therapeutics often hampers systemic drug distribution; thus, most of the available molecules are of limited therapeutic value. Opportunities to increase medicament concentrations in areas that are difficult to access now exist with the advent of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), which can transport into the cell a wide variety of biologically active conjugates (cargoes). Numerous preclinical evaluations with CPP-derived therapeutics have provided promising results in various disease models that, in some cases, prompted clinical trials.

Low-dose modified-release prednisone in axial spondyloarthritis: 3-month efficacy and tolerability.

Background: Oral glucocorticoids (GCs) have been shown to be effective in reducing the inflammatory symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, but their use is not supported by evidence in spondyloarthritis (SpA). Modified-release (MR) oral prednisone taken at bedtime has been shown to be more effective than immediate-release prednisone taken in the morning. The efficacy of low-dose MR prednisolone in patients with SpA is unknown.