Sviluppo di un sistema di controllo per sensore tattile skin-like

La tesi presenta un sistema software per l'analisi dei segnali di un sensore tattile in silicone. I dati raccolti da un micro controlore vengono analizzati con l'ausilio di Support Vector Machines, il sistema discusso è stato poi validato sperimentalmente

Genetic variability among Blastoschizomyces capitatus isolates from different clinical sources.

Sixteen clinical isolates and nine ATCC reference strains of Blastoschizomyces capitatus were analysed genetically, examined for the cellobiose, arbutin and salicin assimilation and tested for the aspartyl-proteinase secretion. The restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) with HpaII and HinfI enzymes and the electrophoretic karyotype (EK) were investigated. Both the restriction enzymes revealed two groups (I, II) constituted by the same isolates: 17 isolates (68%) in group I and 8 (32%) in group II. The EK analysis revealed sixteen groups. These data prompts for a genetic variability of the isolates of Blastoschizomyces capitatus and their account in two distinct genetic groups as suggested by REA. This grouping was confirmed by examing the utilisation of cellobiose, arbutin and salicin. The tests for secretory aspartyl proteinase (Sap) were positive only for three isolates, suggesting a marginal role of this specific enzyme in pathogenesis for these isolates

Successful salvage therapy with Daptomycin for osteomyelitis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a renal transplant recipient with Fabry-Anderson disease

Daptomycin is licensed in adults for the management of Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistant infections, including bone and skin complicated infections. We describe for the first time its use in a renal transplant recipient for Fabry-Anderson Disease with right heel osteomyelitis. The patient was unresponsive to first-line Teicoplanin and second-line Tigecycline, whereas he was successfully treated with third-line Daptomycin monotherapy at 4 mg/Kg/qd for 4 weeks. Local debridement was performed in advance of each line of treatment

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates from patients with cystic fibrosis: Genome diversity, biofilm formation, and virulence

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia </it>is emerging as one of the most frequently found bacteria in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In the present study, phenotypic and genotypic traits of a set of 98 isolates of <it>S. maltophilia </it>obtained from clinical (CF and non-CF patients) and environmental sources were comparatively evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>S. maltophilia </it>exhibited a high level of genomic diversity in both CF and non-CF group, thus possibly allowing this bacterium to expand its pathogenic potentials. Strains sharing the same pulsotype infected different patients, thus likely indicating the occurrence of clonal spread or acquisition by a common source. CF isolates differed greatly in some phenotypic traits among each other and also when compared with non-CF isolates, demonstrating increased mean generation time and susceptibility to oxidative stress, but reduced ability in forming biofilm. Furthermore, in CF isolates flagella- and type IV pili-based motilities were critical for biofilm development, although not required for its initiation. Sequential isogenic strains isolated from the same CF patient displayed heterogeneity in biofilm and other phenotypic traits during the course of chronic infection. CF and non-CF isolates showed comparable virulence in a mouse model of lung infection.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Overall, the phenotypic differences observed between CF and non-CF isolates may imply different selective conditions and persistence (adaptation) mechanisms in a hostile and heterogeneous environment such as CF lung. Molecular elucidation of these mechanisms will be essential to better understand the selective adaptation in CF airways in order to design improved strategies useful to counteract and eradicate <it>S. maltophilia </it>infection.</p

Epithelioid variant of pleomorphic liposarcoma as potential mimic of metastatic carcinoma

We report a case of epithelioid variant of pleomorphic liposarcoma (EPL) found in the the infrapatellar fat pad of Hoffa of a 31-year old male. Histologically, the predominant population was formed by epithelioid cells with eosinophilic or clear cytoplasm admixed with rare pleomorphic lipoblasts. The immunohistochemical panel was not helpful in the diagnosis. FISH analysis using the locus-specific indicator CHOP (12q13) dual color break apart was applied to representative formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. The result of FISH indicated a rearranged CHOP (DDIT3) gene and confirmed the diagnosis of EPL. The EPL should be differentiated from a metastatic carcinoma or other type of sarcoma. In these cases a clinicopathological correlation and an exhaustive sampling of the specimen for demonstration of lipogenic areas or pleomorphic lipoblasts is always necessary. FISH with demonstration of CHOP gene rearrangement is useful in providing specific ancillary information for the difficult differential diagnosis of this case

Levofloxacin to prevent bacterial infection in patients with cancer and neutropenia.

BACKGROUND: The prophylactic use of fluoroquinolones in patients with cancer and neutropenia is controversial and is not a recommended intervention. METHODS: We randomly assigned 760 consecutive adult patients with cancer in whom chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (<1000 neutrophils per cubic millimeter) was expected to occur for more than seven days to receive either oral levofloxacin (500 mg daily) or placebo from the start of chemotherapy until the resolution of neutropenia. Patients were stratified according to their underlying disease (acute leukemia vs. solid tumor or lymphoma). RESULTS: An intention-to-treat analysis showed that fever was present for the duration of neutropenia in 65 percent of patients who received levofloxacin prophylaxis, as compared with 85 percent of those receiving placebo (243 of 375 vs. 308 of 363; relative risk, 0.76; absolute difference in risk, -20 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, -26 to -14 percent; P=0.001). The levofloxacin group had a lower rate of microbiologically documented infections (absolute difference in risk, -17 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, -24 to -10 percent; P<0.001), bacteremias (difference in risk, -16 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, -22 to -9 percent; P<0.001), and single-agent gram-negative bacteremias (difference in risk, -7 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, -10 to -2 percent; P<0.01) than did the placebo group. Mortality and tolerability were similar in the two groups. The effects of prophylaxis were also similar between patients with acute leukemia and those with solid tumors or lymphoma. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic treatment with levofloxacin is an effective and well-tolerated way of preventing febrile episodes and other relevant infection-related outcomes in patients with cancer and profound and protracted neutropenia. The long-term effect of this intervention on microbial resistance in the community is not known

State of the art of 18F-FDG PET/CT application in inflammation and infection: a guide for image acquisition and interpretation

Aim The diagnosis, severity and extent of a sterile inflammation or a septic infection could be challenging since there is not one single test able to achieve an accurate diagnosis. The clinical use of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ([F-18]FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging in the assessment of inflammation and infection is increasing worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to achieve an Italian consensus document on [F-18]FDG PET/CT or PET/MRI in inflammatory and infectious diseases, such as osteomyelitis (OM), prosthetic joint infections (PJI), infective endocarditis (IE), prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE), cardiac implantable electronic device infections (CIEDI), systemic and cardiac sarcoidosis (SS/CS), diabetic foot (DF), fungal infections (FI), tuberculosis (TBC), fever and inflammation of unknown origin (FUO/IUO), pediatric infections (PI), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), spine infections (SI), vascular graft infections (VGI), large vessel vasculitis (LVV), retroperitoneal fibrosis (RF) and COVID-19 infections. Methods In September 2020, the inflammatory and infectious diseases focus group (IIFG) of the Italian Association of Nuclear Medicine (AIMN) proposed to realize a procedural paper about the clinical applications of [F-18]FDG PET/CT or PET/MRI in inflammatory and infectious diseases. The project was carried out thanks to the collaboration of 13 Italian nuclear medicine centers, with a consolidate experience in this field. With the endorsement of AIMN, IIFG contacted each center, and the pediatric diseases focus group (PDFC). IIFG provided for each team involved, a draft with essential information regarding the execution of [F-18]FDG PET/CT or PET/MRI scan (i.e., indications, patient preparation, standard or specific acquisition modalities, interpretation criteria, reporting methods, pitfalls and artifacts), by limiting the literature research to the last 20 years. Moreover, some clinical cases were required from each center, to underline the teaching points. Time for the collection of each report was from October to December 2020. Results Overall, we summarized 291 scientific papers and guidelines published between 1998 and 2021. Papers were divided in several sub-topics and summarized in the following paragraphs: clinical indications, image interpretation criteria, future perspectivess and new trends (for each single disease), while patient preparation, image acquisition, possible pitfalls and reporting modalities were described afterwards. Moreover, a specific section was dedicated to pediatric and PET/MRI indications. A collection of images was described for each indication. Conclusions Currently, [F-18]FDG PET/CT in oncology is globally accepted and standardized in main diagnostic algorithms for neoplasms. In recent years, the ever-closer collaboration among different European associations has tried to overcome the absence of a standardization also in the field of inflammation and infections. The collaboration of several nuclear medicine centers with a long experience in this field, as well as among different AIMN focus groups represents a further attempt in this direction. We hope that this document will be the basis for a "common nuclear physicians' language" throughout all the country

Predictors of pain intensity and persistence in a prospective Italian cohort of patients with herpes zoster: relevance of smoking, trauma and antiviral therapy

Herpes zoster (HZ) is a common disease, characterized by rash-associated localized pain. Its main complication, post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), is difficult to treat and may last for months to years in the wake of rash resolution. Uncertainties remain as to the knowledge of predictors of HZ-related pain, including the role of antiviral therapy in preventing PHN in ordinary clinical practice. This prospective cohort study was aimed at investigating pain intensity at HZ presentation and its correlates, as well as the incidence of PHN and its predictors

SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 disease severity are associated with genetic variants affecting gene expression in a variety of tissues

Variability in SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 disease severity between individuals is partly due to genetic factors. Here, we identify 4 genomic loci with suggestive associations for SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and 19 for COVID-19 disease severity. Four of these 23 loci likely have an ethnicity-specific component. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) signals in 11 loci colocalize with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) associated with the expression of 20 genes in 62 tissues/cell types (range: 1:43 tissues/gene), including lung, brain, heart, muscle, and skin as well as the digestive system and immune system. We perform genetic fine mapping to compute 99% credible SNP sets, which identify 10 GWAS loci that have eight or fewer SNPs in the credible set, including three loci with one single likely causal SNP. Our study suggests that the diverse symptoms and disease severity of COVID-19 observed between individuals is associated with variants across the genome, affecting gene expression levels in a wide variety of tissue types