Diversity and spatial distribution of metalreducing bacterial assemblages in groundwaters of different redox conditions

The spatial distribution and diversity of metal-reducing bacterial assemblages belonging to Geobacteraceae were studied in groundwaters with different physicochemical characteristics by means of terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) molecular fingerprinting, as applied to the 16S rRNA gene. The physicochemical conditions of these environments were unfavorable to support active-metal-reducing processes. The highest diversity of Geobacteraceae was observed in groundwater samples characterized by the highest dissolved Fe and Mn concentrations. T-RFLP analyses revealed major differences in the Geobacteraceae ribotype diversity and community composition of the groundwater samples as well as a considerable variability and spatial turnover of Geobacteraceae assemblages. Results from this work suggest that changes in the physicochemical characteristics of the aquifer deeply influence the richness and community structure of Geobacteraceae, even in those systems in which metal-reduction processes are not dominant. [Int Microbiol 2009; 12(3):153-159

Warm-season turfgrass species generate sports surfaces with different playability

Synthetic sports surfaces are increasingly subject to standardization of athlete-surface and ball-surface interactions (playability parameters). Such standardizations have led to an increase in the level of the engineering and predictability of these surfaces, and as such may be beneficial also for natural turf. In warm and temperate climates, many natural turf sports surfaces are established with warm-season (C4) turfgrass species due to their suitability to the environment in such areas. This study was aimed at evaluating the Féderation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)-standard playing characteristics of different sports turf surfaces obtained from three commonly used C4 turfgrass species: 1) ‘Tifway 419’ hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon var. dactylon × C. transvaalensis), 2) ‘Zeon’ manilagrass (Zoysia matrella), and 3) ‘Salam’ seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) for factors concerning leaf tissue (silica, lignin, water content) and canopy structure (shoot density, leaf architecture, stolon density, etc.). Results showed that surfaces of different C4 turfgrass species generate different playability parameters, with seashore paspalum being a harder faster surface, manilagrass being a softer slower surface, and hybrid bermudagrass showing intermediate characteristics. These playing quality results were associated with certain specific canopy biometrical/morphological parameters such as shoot density, horizontal stem density (HSD), leaf section, and, to a lesser extent, to certain plant tissue compounds (lignin, silica)

Economic evaluation of two therapeutic sequences in the first-line treatment of moderate to severe active ulcerative rectocolitis in Italy

Background: Vedolizumab (VDZ) and infliximab are used to treat moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC). The choice of the drug to use at first-line is often based on a combination of clinical and economic factors. The cost of treatment pathway is rarely considered. Therefore, this cost-consequence analysis (CCA) investigated the overall costs of treatment pathway for vedolizumab followed by infliximab (VDZ → IFX) compared to infliximab followed by vedolizumab (IFX → VDZ). Methods: We used a published cost-consequence model (CCM), based on a targeted literature search reporting the time-on-treatment data for vedolizumab or infliximab in UC in first and second-line of treatment. CCM time horizon was defined by the length of treatment sequences. Considering the Italian hospital perspective, the CCA evaluated the biologic drugs acquisition costs, drug administration costs, hospitalization costs, switch costs, colectomy costs and third-line treatment costs. Third-line options included colectomy, tofacitinib, ustekinumab or dose escalation of second-line biologic. Results: Over the 5.2-year time horizon (duration of the longer VDZ → IFX pathway), the mean cost per patient of VDZ → IFX pathway was slightly lower than the mean cost per patient of IFX → VDZ pathway (€ 86,339 vs 89,636). The CCM predicted that using VDZ as first-line treatment delayed the time to costly third-line therapies compared to first-line using IFX (VDZ-first-line median time-on-treatment 3.6-years and IFX-second-line 1.6-years; IFX-first-line 1.4-years and VDZ-second-line 2.3-years and third-line 1.5-years). Conclusion: The CCA showed that a biologic treatment pathway that begins with first-line vedolizumab is not more expensive than one beginning with first-line infliximab and delayed the time to costly third-line

Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes

Background: Albuminuria has been classically considered a marker of kidney damage progression in diabetic patients and it is routinely assessed to monitor kidney function. However, the role of a mild GFR reduction on the development of stage 653 CKD has been less explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of kidney disease measures, namely albuminuria and reduced GFR, on the development of stage 653 CKD in a large cohort of patients affected by T1DM. Methods: A total of 4284 patients affected by T1DM followed-up at 76 diabetes centers participating to the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici Diabetologi, AMD) initiative constitutes the study population. Urinary albumin excretion (ACR) and estimated GFR (eGFR) were retrieved and analyzed. The incidence of stage 653 CKD (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) or eGFR reduction > 30% from baseline was evaluated. Results: The mean estimated GFR was 98 \ub1 17 mL/min/1.73m2 and the proportion of patients with albuminuria was 15.3% (n = 654) at baseline. About 8% (n = 337) of patients developed one of the two renal endpoints during the 4-year follow-up period. Age, albuminuria (micro or macro) and baseline eGFR < 90 ml/min/m2 were independent risk factors for stage 653 CKD and renal function worsening. When compared to patients with eGFR > 90 ml/min/1.73m2 and normoalbuminuria, those with albuminuria at baseline had a 1.69 greater risk of reaching stage 3 CKD, while patients with mild eGFR reduction (i.e. eGFR between 90 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) show a 3.81 greater risk that rose to 8.24 for those patients with albuminuria and mild eGFR reduction at baseline. Conclusions: Albuminuria and eGFR reduction represent independent risk factors for incident stage 653 CKD in T1DM patients. The simultaneous occurrence of reduced eGFR and albuminuria have a synergistic effect on renal function worsening

Viral Production, Decay Rates, and Life Strategies along a Trophic Gradient in the North Adriatic Sea

Although the relationships between trophic conditions and viral dynamics have been widely explored in different pelagic environments, there have been few attempts at independent estimates of both viral production and decay. In this study, we investigated factors controlling the balance between viral production and decay along a trophic gradient in the north Adriatic basin, providing independent estimates of these variables and determining the relative importance of nanoflagellate grazing and viral life strategies. Increasing trophic conditions induced an increase of bacterioplankton growth rates and of the burst sizes. As a result, eutrophic waters displayed highest rates of viral production, which considerably exceeded observed rates of viral decay (up to 2.9 × 10(9) VLP liter(−1) h(−1)). Viral decay was also higher in eutrophic waters, where it accounted for ca. 40% of viral production, and dropped significantly to 1.3 to 10.7% in oligotrophic waters. These results suggest that viral production and decay rates may not necessarily be balanced in the short term, resulting in a net increase of viruses in the system. In eutrophic waters nanoflagellate grazing, dissolved-colloidal substances, and lysogenic infection were responsible together for the removal of ca. 66% of viral production versus 17% in oligotrophic waters. Our results suggest that different causative agents are primarily responsible for the removal of viruses from the water column in different trophic conditions. Factors other than those considered in the past might shed light on processes responsible for the removal and/or decay of viral particles from the water column

Physiological and morphological factors influencing wear resistance and recovery in C3 and C4 turfgrass species

High turfgrass wear resistance and recovery are the most sought after characteristics in turfgrass species when used for sports turf, but they are also very important in home gardens and public parks. Several wear resistance investigations have been conducted in field conditions in recent years, but these investigations involved the use of machinery and techniques that are not able to segregate the plant wounding and death effects from soil compaction effects that are generally associated with turfgrass wear. The same can be said of wear recovery investigations, with an extensive use of agronomical machinery for field trials. This study focussed on the wear resistance and recovery of mature swards of Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. var.dactylonC. transvaalensis Burt-Davy cv. Tifway 419, Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr. cv. Zeon and Paspalum vaginatum Swartz. cv. Salam and a typical sports-type mix of Lolium perenne L. (cvv. Speedster 35% and Greenway 35%) + Poa pratensis L. (cvv. SR2100 15% and Greenknight 15%). The goal of this trial was to evaluate turfgrass wear resistance and recovery devoid of climatic and soil effects and thus, sward growing, wear simulation and recovery were conducted in controlled environment. Furthermore, wear simulation was conducted with FIFA-approved, numerical control machinery (Lisport). Wear resistance and recovery data was plotted against results from laboratory investigations on key tissue constituents. Zoysia matrella proved to be the most wear resistant, but the slowest in recovery, whereas the bermudagrass hybrid showed the exact opposite behaviour. Lignin and carbohydrate concentrations proved to be the two factors most closely correlated with wear resistance and recovery respectively. These two classes of compounds were present in an equilibrium that was species specific, with a frequent mutual exclusion between lignin and starch concentrations that deserves further investigation at the intra-specific level

Cost-effectiveness analysis of pressure-controlled intermittent coronary sinus occlusion in elective percutaneous coronary intervention

Objectives: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) represents the standard treatment for ST-elevated myocardial infarction, nevertheless, mortality and heart failures are frequent. Pressure-controlled intermittent coronary sinus occlusion (PiCSO) might reduce infarct size showing better patients' outcomes. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of PCI+PiCSO compared to PCI from the National Healthcare Service (NHS) perspective in Italy. Methods: A Markov model was developed to estimate life years (LYs), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and costs. A micro-costing analysis has been performed to inform the cost of PCI+PiCSO procedure. Sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the model results. Results: Considering a willingness-to-pay threshold of 50,000€/QALY for the ICUR and a cost for PCI+PiCSO procedure of 14,654€, the innovative strategy may be cost-effective compared to PCI alone from the Italian NHS perspective, showing an ICUR of 17,530€/QALY (ICER 14,631€/LY) over a lifetime horizon; the probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that PCI+PiCSO is cost-effective in 78.8% of simulations.Considering the above mentioned willingness-to-pay threshold, PCI+PiCSO strategy would be cost-effective over a lifetime horizon considering a cost for PCI+PiCSO procedure lower than 28,160€. Conclusion: PCI+PiCSO procedure may be considered a cost-effective technology that allows reducing cardiac events, while improving patients' life expectancy and quality of life

The biocompatibility of dibutyryl chitin in the context of wound dressings.

Abstract Dibutyryl chitin (DBC) is a modified chitin carrying butyryl groups at 3 and 6 positions; its peculiarity is that it dissolves promptly in common solvents, while being insoluble in aqueous systems. The high biocompatibility of dibutyryl chitin in the form of films and non-wovens has been demonstrated for human, chick and mouse fibroblasts by the Viability/Cytotoxicity assay, In situ Cell Proliferation assay, Neutral Red Retention assay, Lactate Dehydrogenase Release assay, MTS cytotoxicity assay, and scanning electron microscopy. DBC was hardly degradable by lysozyme, amylase, collagenase, pectinase and cellulase over the observation period of 48 days at room temperature, during which no more than 1.33% by weight of the DBC filaments (0.3 mm diameter) was released to the aqueous medium. DBC non-wovens were incorporated into 5-methylpyrrolidinone chitosan solution and submitted to freeze-drying to produce a reinforced wound dressing material. The latter was tested in vivo in full thickness wounds in rats. The insertion of 4x4 mm pieces did not promote any adverse effect on the healing process, as shown histologically. DBC is therefore suitable for contacting intact and wounded human tissues

Programmi di early access dei farmaci e managed entry agreement in Italia: i risultati di un Focus Group (programmi di early access e managed entry agreement)

BACKGROUND: Early access of medicines occurs with an uncertainty in the evidence even higher than the one experienced when price and reimbursement status is negotiated. Our aim is discussing the role of managed entry agreements (MEA) within early access programs (EAP) in Italy. METHODS: The discussion relied on a Focus Group, participated by twelve experts, including clinicians and representatives of regulatory authorities, regional and local pharmaceutical departments, pharmaceutical companies, and an association advocating for active citizenship. RESULTS: The Focus Group emphasised that the topic under discussion should be embedded into a more general reform of EAP in Italy. The 648 List mostly includes mature products and indications that are rarely launched into the market afterwards. The 5% Fund is affected by an important administrative burden uncertainty of the timing of reimbursement. CONCLUSIONS: Starting from the discussion on MEA and EAP, the Focus Group recommended a new legislation better regulating EAP, that early access concerns specific classes of medicines selected on the grounds of the need to guarantee a rapid access and to collect real world data, that early access can be accompanied by outcome-based and population-based MEA, and that MEA are embedded into the subsequent price and reimbursement negotiation