Chronic bacterial prostatitis: efficacy of short-lasting antibiotic therapy with prulifloxacin (Unidrox®) in association with saw palmetto extract, lactobacillus sporogens and arbutin (Lactorepens®)

Bacterial prostatitis (BP) is a common condition accounting responsible for about 5-10% of all prostatitis cases; chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP) classified as type II, are less common but is a condition that significantly hampers the quality of life, (QoL) because not only is it a physical condition but also a psychological distress. Commonly patients are treated with antibiotics alone, and in particular fluoroquinolones are suggested by the European Urology guidelines. This approach, although recommended, may not be enough. Thus, a multimodal approach to the prolonged antibiotic therapy may be helpful.210 patients affected by chronic bacterial prostatitis were enrolled in the study. All patients were positive to Meares-Stamey test and symptoms duration was > 3 months. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of a long lasting therapy with a fluoroquinolone in association with a nutraceutical supplement (prulifloxacin 600 mg for 21 days and an association of Serenoa repens 320 mg, Lactobacillus Sporogens 200 mg, Arbutin 100 mg for 30 days). Patients were randomized in two groups (A and B) receiving respectively antibiotic alone and an association of antibiotic plus supplement.Biological recurrence at 2 months in Group A was observed in 21 patients (27.6%) and in Group B in 6 patients (7.8%). Uropathogens found at the first follow-up were for the majority Gram - (E. coli and Enterobacter spp.). A statistically significant difference was found at the time of the follow-up between Group A and B in the NIH-CPSI questionnaire score, symptoms evidence and serum PSA.Broad band, short-lasting antibiotic therapy in association with a nutritional supplement (serenoa repens, lactobacillus sporogens and arbutin) show better control and recurrence rate on patients affected by chronic bacterial prostatitits in comparison with antibiotic treatment alone.NCT02130713Date of trial Registration: 30/04/2014

Effect of metabolic and antioxidant supplementation on sperm parameters in oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia, with and without varicocele: a double-blind placebo-controlled study

Since sperm require high energy levels to perform their specialised function, it is vital that essential nutrients are available for spermatozoa when they develop, capacitate and acquire motility. However, they are vulnerable to a lack of energy and excess amounts of reactive oxygen species, which can impair sperm function, lead to immotility, acrosomal reaction impairment, DNA fragmentation and cell death. This monocentric, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigated the effect of 6 months of supplementation with l-carnitine, acetyl-l-carnitine and other micronutrients on sperm quality in 104 subjects with oligo- and/or astheno- and/or teratozoospermia with or without varicocele. In 94 patients who completed the study, sperm concentration was significantly increased in supplemented patients compared to the placebo (p =.0186). Total sperm count also increased significantly (p =.0117) in the supplemented group as compared to the placebo group. Both, progressive and total motility were higher in supplemented patients (p =.0088 and p =.0120, respectively). Although pregnancy rate was not an endpoint of the study, of the 12 pregnancies that occurred during the follow-up, 10 were reported in the supplementation group. In general, all these changes were more evident in varicocele patients. In conclusion, supplementation with metabolic and antioxidant compounds could be efficacious when included in strategies to improve fertility

Multiparametric MRI of the bladder: inter-observer agreement and accuracy with the Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) at a single reference center

Objectives: To evaluate accuracy and inter-observer variability using Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) for discrimination between non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Methods: Between September 2017 and July 2018, 78 patients referred for suspected bladder cancer underwent multiparametric MRI of the bladder (mpMRI) prior to transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). All mpMRI were reviewed by two radiologists, who scored each lesion according to VI-RADS. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for each VI-RADS cutoff. Receiver operating characteristics curves were used to evaluate the performance of mpMRI. The Ƙ statistics was used to estimate inter-reader agreement. Results: Seventy-five patients were included in the final analysis, 53 with NMIBC and 22 with MIBC. Sensitivity and specificity were 91% and 89% for reader 1 and 82% and 85% for reader 2 respectively when the cutoff VI-RADS > 2 was used to define MIBC. At the same cutoff, PPV and NPV were 77% and 96% for reader 1 and 69% and 92% for reader 2. When the cutoff VI-RADS > 3 was used, sensitivity and specificity were 82% and 94% for reader 1 and 77% and 89% for reader 2. Corresponding PPV and NPV were 86% and 93% for reader 1 and 74% and 91% for reader 2. Area under curve was 0.926 and 0.873 for reader 1 and 2 respectively. Inter-reader agreement was good for the overall score (Ƙ = 0.731). Conclusions: VI-RADS is accurate in differentiating MIBC from NMIBC. Inter-reader agreement is overall good. Key Points: • Traditionally, the local staging of bladder cancer relies on transurethral resection of bladder tumor. • However, transurethral resection of bladder tumor carries a significant risk of understaging a cancer; therefore, more accurate, faster, and non-invasive staging techniques are needed to improve outcomes. • Multiparametric MRI has proved to be the best imaging modality for local staging; therefore, its use in suitable patients has the potential to expedite radical treatment when necessary and non-invasive diagnosis in patients with poor fitness

Molecular and clinical characterization of albinism in a large cohort of Italian patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the molecular basis of albinism in a large cohort of Italian patients showing typical ocular landmarks of the disease and to provide a full characterization of the clinical ophthalmic manifestations. METHODS: DNA samples from 45 patients with ocular manifestations of albinism were analyzed by direct sequencing analysis of five genes responsible for albinism: TYR, P, TYRP1, SLC45A2 (MATP), and OA1. All patients studied showed a variable degree of skin and hair hypopigmentation. Eighteen patients with distinct mutations in each gene associated with OCA were evaluated by detailed ophthalmic analysis, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fundus autofluorescence. RESULTS: Disease-causing mutations were identified in more than 95% of analyzed patients with OCA (28/45 [62.2%] cases with two or more mutations; 15/45 [33.3%] cases with one mutation). Thirty-five different mutant alleles were identified of which 15 were novel. Mutations in TYR were the most frequent (73.3%), whereas mutations in P occurred more rarely (13.3%) than previously reported. Novel mutations were also identified in rare loci such as TYRP1 and MATP. Mutations in the OA1 gene were not detected. Clinical assessment revealed that patients with iris and macular pigmentation had significantly higher visual acuity than did severe hypopigmented phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: TYR gene mutations represent a relevant cause of oculocutaneous albinism in Italy, whereas mutations in P present a lower frequency than that found in other populations. Clinical analysis revealed that the severity of the ocular manifestations depends on the degree of retinal pigmentation

A Multicenter Retrospective Survey regarding Diabetic Ketoacidosis Management in Italian Children with Type 1 Diabetes

We conducted a retrospective survey in pediatric centers belonging to the Italian Society for Pediatric Diabetology and Endocrinology. The following data were collected for all new-onset diabetes patients aged 0-18 years: DKA (pH < 7.30), severe DKA (pH < 7.1), DKA in preschool children, DKA treatment according to ISPAD protocol, type of rehydrating solution used, bicarbonates use, and amount of insulin infused. Records (n = 2453) of children with newly diagnosed diabetes were collected from 68/77 centers (87%), 39 of which are tertiary referral centers, the majority of whom (n = 1536, 89.4%) were diagnosed in the tertiary referral centers. DKA was observed in 38.5% and severe DKA in 10.3%. Considering preschool children, DKA was observed in 72%, and severe DKA in 16.7%. Cerebral edema following DKA treatment was observed in 5 (0.5%). DKA treatment according to ISPAD guidelines was adopted in 68% of the centers. In the first 2 hours, rehydration was started with normal saline in all centers, but with different amount. Bicarbonate was quite never been used. Insulin was infused starting from third hour at the rate of 0.05-0.1 U/kg/h in 72% of centers. Despite prevention campaign, DKA is still observed in Italian children at onset, with significant variability in DKA treatment, underlying the need to share guidelines among centers

Framework for Computerizing the Processes of a Job and Automating the Operational Management on Site—A Case Study of Demolition and Reconstruction Construction Site

With regard to the topic of digitization for operational site control, it is clear that while there is an acceleration towards digitization of processes, especially complex ones, there are still clear research gaps to be filled. The present study is part of this line of research and aims to respond to the current demand for digital and sustainable innovation of production processes. It, therefore, aims at defining a framework for the management of an order that takes place in real time. In order to improve the quality of information and organizational processes of an order in a project-oriented logic, a framework has been created: Model Smart Management. The framework integrates project management techniques with digital innovation tools and includes a computerized procedure to monitor and control the operational management of the site: SmartApp. In order to allow the interoperability of information, the platform can be used entirely in the cloud. From the processing of data in the planning phase, ad hoc checklists are developed that include a series of activities closely related to each other to ensure a continuity step by step, allowing users to have an immediate control of the project and of the relevant key performance indicators thanks to an advanced and fully customizable reporting. SmartApp, integrated with a cloud compu-ting system, makes computerized and automated the operational control on site, creating a centralized archive of all company data, reducing time and costs for the management of documentation. Moreover, with the omnichannel system, paper documents are managed and archived through QR-code, optical character recognition on smart devices, so as to achieve a regime of maximum efficiency. This framework was then applied in a case study located in L'Aquila, Italy, repre-sented by a post 2009 earthquake demolition and reconstruction site

On the influence of environmental boundary conditions on surface thermal resistance of walls: Experimental evaluation through a Guarded Hot Box

In this work, a Guarded Hot Box (GHB) was employed to evaluate the effects of environmental boundary conditions on the internal surface thermal resistance of a wall. For this purpose, the study was carried out through an experimental setup to measure temperature - surface and ambient - in the two chambers of the GHB and air velocity near the specimen wall in the hot chamber. The experimental analysis together with the analysis of the dimensionless parameters allowed to determine the internal convective coefficient for different air speeds. To evaluate the results obtained with the proposed methodology, some existing correlations for the determination of the convective coefficient were used. Moreover, the measurement of the emissivity of sample surface and baffle, and the determination of the mean radiant absolute temperature allowed to calculate the radiative coefficient. Therefore, the internal surface thermal resistance with different air velocities, given by the combination of convective and radiative heat transfer, was determined, and compared with the value offered by the standard ISO 6946

Simultaneous determination of eight underivatized biogenic amines in fish by solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Biogenic amines on fish tissue are formed as a result of bacterial contamination and spoilage during storage. A new method based on liquid chromatography (LC) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) using a triple quadrupole (QqQ) analyser was developed for the analysis of eight biogenic amines (cadaverine, histamine, phenylethylamine, putrescine, spermine, spermidine, tyramine and tryptamine) in fish tissues. Sample preparation was performed by extraction with trichloroacetic acid 5% and solid phase extraction clean up with STRATA X cartridge. The MS/MS method was validated and compared with a method based on the analysis of dansyl derivatives by LC and fluorescence detector (FD). MS/MS achieved higher sensitivity (from 0.02 mg kg1 for spermidine and phenylethylamine to 0.2 mg kg1 for spermine) when compared to FD (from 1 mg kg1 for putrescine and tyramine to 4 mg kg1 for histamine); MS/MS method showed higher precision too, with intraday relative standard deviations (RSDs) from 1% to 4% with respect to those obtained with FD method (from 3% to 17%). Recovery study was conducted at two different fortification levels and the average ranged from 71% to 93% for all of the studied compounds with RSDs lower than 18%. Matrix-matched standards were used to counteract matrix effect observed in MS/MS determination. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by the analysis of biogenic amines in fish obtained from commercials of Valencia

Renovation wave: A bioeconomy panel produced with waste

Achieving the 2050 carbon neutrality targets calls for change, especially in what are identified as the most energy-intensive production sectors. Among these, the construction industry sector certainly requires special attention to promote sustainable and more circular actions. Moreover, the so-called green transition is considered the same as an additional European goal, namely that of the digital transition. The research presented in this article falls precisely within these two fields of study. It illustrates the process and methodological approach developed to produce a new panel for use in construction. This panel is made with Hemp-Pla, where hemp comes from the residues of threshing leaves, and is printed with additive technology. The achievement of the final result has required the elaboration of six prototypes, differentiated from each other according to the geometry of the section, the thickness, and the infill. The development of several prototypes made it possible to identify the main printing difficulties and the time and amount of material required. Based on the knowledge gained during the printing process of these prototypes and the analyses aimed at knowing their main thermal performance, it was possible to design and create a commercial-scale panel. Its energy performance values are comparable to panels already made from traditional materials. In addition, the Life Cycle Assessment showed that the results obtained are auspicious for bringing the printed panels made from Hemp-Pla to the construction industry market