159 research outputs found
FIB/SEM and SEM/EDS microstructural analysis of metal-ceramic and zirconia-ceramic interfaces
Recently introduced FIB/SEM analysis in microscopy seems to provide a high-resolution characterization of the samples by 3D (FIB) cross-sectioning and (SEM) high resolution imaging. The aim of this study was to apply the FIB/SEM and SEM/EDS analysis to the interfaces of a metal-ceramic vs. two zirconiaceramic systems. Plate samples of three different prosthetic systems were prepared in the dental lab following the manufacturersβ instructions, where metal-ceramic was the result of a ceramic veneering (porcelain-fused-tometal) and the two zirconia- ceramic systems were produced by the dedicated CAD-CAM procedures of the zirconia cores (both with final sintering) and then veneered by layered or heat pressed ceramics. In a FIB/SEM equipment (also called DualBeam), a thin layer of platinum (1ΞΌm) was deposited on samples surface crossing the interfaces, in order to protect them during milling. Then, increasingly deeper trenches were milled by a focused ion beam, first using a relatively higher and later using a lower ion current (from 9 nA to 0.28 nA, 30KV). Finally, FEG-SEM (5KV) micrographs (1000β50,000X) were acquired. In a SEM the analysis of the morphology and internal microstructure was performed by 13KV secondary and backscattered electrons signals (in all the samples). The compositional maps were then performed by EDS probe only in the metal-ceramic system (20kV). Despite the presence of many voids in all the ceramic layers, it was possible to identify: (1) the grain structures of the metallic and zirconia substrates, (2) the thin oxide layer at the metalceramic interface and its interactions with the first ceramic layer (wash technique), (3) the roughness of the two different zirconia cores and their interactions with the ceramic interface, where the presence of zirconia grains in the ceramic layer was reported in two system possibly due to sandblasting before ceramic firing
Tyrosinase-catalyzed oxidation of fluorophenols
The activity of the type 3 copper enzyme tyrosinase toward 2-, 3-, and 4-fluorophenol was studied by kinetic methods and H-1 and F-19 NMR spectroscopy. Whereas 3- and 4-fluorophenol react with tyrosinase to give products that undergo a rapid polymerization process, 2-fluorophenol is not reactive and actually acts as a competitive inhibitor in the enzymatic oxidation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa). The tyrosinase-mediated polymerization of 3- and 4-fluorophenols has been studied in detail. It proceeds through a phenolic coupling pathway in which the common reactive fluoro-quinone, produced stereospecifically by tyrosinase, eliminates an inorganic fluorine ion. The enzymatic reaction studied as a function of substrate concentration shows a prominent lag that is completely depleted in the presence Of L-dopa. The kinetic parameters of the reactions can be correlated to the electronic and steric effects of the fluorine substituent position. Whereas the fluorine electron withdrawing effect appears to control the binding of the substrates (K-m for 3- and 4-fluorophenols and K-1 for 2-fluorophenol), the k(cat) parameters do not follow the expected trend, indicating that in the transition state some additional steric effect rules the reactivity.Macromolecular Biochemistr
ΠΠΎΠ»Π³ΠΎΡΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΎΠ΅ ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²ΠΎ ΠΆΠΈΠ·Π½ΠΈ ΠΏΠΎΡΠ»Π΅ Π»Π΅ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ Π² ΠΎΡΠ΄Π΅Π»Π΅Π½ΠΈΠΈ ΡΠ΅Π°Π½ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΡΠΈΠΈ ΠΈ ΠΈΠ½ΡΠ΅Π½ΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ΅ΡΠ°ΠΏΠΈΠΈ (ΠΎΠ΄Π½ΠΎΡΠ΅Π½ΡΡΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠ΅ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ΅ΡΠ²Π°ΡΠΈΠΎΠ½Π½ΠΎΠ΅ ΠΈΡΡΠ»Π΅Π΄ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠ΅)
Patients may experience long-term physical, psychological and cognitive impairment after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge, a condition commonly described as post-intensive care syndrome. The relative contribution of each of these components to long-term quality of life was never investigated.The aim of this study is to identify the type and severity of disability and QoL at the discharge from ICU and up to following 6 months.Material and Methods. All patients (n=218) discharged from a university hospital ICU between April 2016 and July 2017 were eligible. Exclusion criteria included: age <18 years, brain or spinal injury, life expectancy <90 days, and ICU stay <12 hours. The Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and 5-level EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaires were administered at ICU discharge, and at 30-, 90- and 180-days. We compared patients requiring short-term ICU monitoring (IM, Intensive Monitoring, n=109) or patients requiring ICU treatment (IT, Intensive Treatment, n=109).Results. All dimensions of SF-36 and EQ-5D-5L parameters increased from ICU discharge to 180-days, except for the SF-36 Synthetic index linked to mental health (P=0.08). All EQ-5D-5L parameters improved significantly in the IT group, while only Visual Analog Scale Health Perception improved in the IM group.Conclusion. ICU survivors suffer long-term physical and psychological sequelae. The perception of Quality of Life is reduced after ICU discharge. The psychological and cognitive dimensions were more compromised than physical ones. Patients discharged from the ICU may benefit from specific intensive care follow-up clinics addressing their needs in term of psychological and cognitive support.ΠΠΎΡΠ»Π΅ Π²ΡΠΏΠΈΡΠΊΠΈ ΠΈΠ· ΠΎΡΠ΄Π΅Π»Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ ΠΈΠ½ΡΠ΅Π½ΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ΅ΡΠ°ΠΏΠΈΠΈ Ρ ΠΏΠ°ΡΠΈΠ΅Π½ΡΠΎΠ² ΠΌΠΎΠΆΠ΅Ρ ΡΠ°Π·Π²ΠΈΠ²Π°ΡΡΡΡ Β«ΡΠΈΠ½Π΄ΡΠΎΠΌ ΠΏΠΎΡΠ»Π΅Π΄ΡΡΠ²ΠΈΠΉ ΠΈΠ½ΡΠ΅Π½ΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ΅ΡΠ°ΠΏΠΈΠΈΒ», Π²ΠΊΠ»ΡΡΠ°ΡΡΠΈΠΉ Π΄ΠΎΠ»Π³ΠΎΠ²ΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π½ΡΠ΅ ΡΠΎΠΌΠ°ΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠ΅, ΠΏΡΠΈΡ
ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ³ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠ΅ ΠΈ ΠΊΠΎΠ³Π½ΠΈΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΡΠ΅ Π½Π°ΡΡΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ. ΠΡΠ½ΠΎΡΠΈΡΠ΅Π»ΡΠ½ΡΠΉ Π²ΠΊΠ»Π°Π΄ Π΄Π°Π½Π½ΡΡ
Π½Π°ΡΡΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠΉ Π² Π΄ΠΎΠ»Π³ΠΎΡΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΎΠ΅ ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²ΠΎ ΠΆΠΈΠ·Π½ΠΈ ΠΏΠ°ΡΠΈΠ΅Π½ΡΠΎΠ² ΠΏΡΠ°ΠΊΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈ Π½Π΅ ΠΈΠ·ΡΡΠ΅Π½.Π¦Π΅Π»Ρ ΠΈΡΡΠ»Π΅Π΄ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΡ β ΠΎΠΏΡΠ΅Π΄Π΅Π»ΠΈΡΡ ΡΠΈΠΏ ΠΈ ΡΡΠ΅ΠΏΠ΅Π½Ρ ΡΡΠΆΠ΅ΡΡΠΈ ΡΡΠ½ΠΊΡΠΈΠΎΠ½Π°Π»ΡΠ½ΡΡ
ΡΠ°ΡΡΡΡΠΎΠΉΡΡΠ² ΠΈ Π½Π°ΡΡΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²Π° ΠΆΠΈΠ·Π½ΠΈ ΠΏΡΠΈ Π²ΡΠΏΠΈΡΠΊΠ΅ ΠΈΠ· ΠΎΡΠ΄Π΅Π»Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ ΡΠ΅Π°Π½ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΡΠΈΠΈ ΠΈ ΠΈΠ½ΡΠ΅Π½ΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ΅ΡΠ°ΠΏΠΈΠΈ (ΠΠ ΠΠ’) ΠΈ Π½Π° ΠΏΡΠΎΡΡΠΆΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠΈ ΠΏΠΎΡΠ»Π΅Π΄ΡΡΡΠΈΡ
6 ΠΌΠ΅ΡΡΡΠ΅Π².ΠΠ°ΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΠ°Π» ΠΈ ΠΌΠ΅ΡΠΎΠ΄Ρ. Π ΠΈΡΡΠ»Π΅Π΄ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Π²ΠΊΠ»ΡΡΠΈΠ»ΠΈ 218 ΠΏΠ°ΡΠΈΠ΅Π½ΡΠΎΠ², Π²ΡΠΏΠΈΡΠ°Π½Π½ΡΡ
ΠΈΠ· ΠΠ ΠΠ’ ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ²Π΅ΡΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΡΠΊΠΎΠΉ Π±ΠΎΠ»ΡΠ½ΠΈΡΡ Π² ΠΏΠ΅ΡΠΈΠΎΠ΄ ΠΌΠ΅ΠΆΠ΄Ρ Π°ΠΏΡΠ΅Π»Π΅ΠΌ 2016 ΠΈ ΠΈΡΠ»Π΅ΠΌ 2017 Π³Π³. ΠΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΠΈ ΠΈΡΠΊΠ»ΡΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ: Π²ΠΎΠ·ΡΠ°ΡΡ ΠΌΠ»Π°Π΄ΡΠ΅ 18 Π»Π΅Ρ, ΠΏΠΎΠ²ΡΠ΅ΠΆΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Π³ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ²Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΈΠ»ΠΈ ΡΠΏΠΈΠ½Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΌΠΎΠ·Π³Π°, ΠΎΠΆΠΈΠ΄Π°Π΅ΠΌΠ°Ρ ΠΏΡΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠ»ΠΆΠΈΡΠ΅Π»ΡΠ½ΠΎΡΡΡ ΠΆΠΈΠ·Π½ΠΈ ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π΅Π΅ 90 Π΄Π½Π΅ΠΉ, ΠΏΠ΅ΡΠΈΠΎΠ΄ ΠΏΡΠ΅Π±ΡΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΡ Π² ΠΠ ΠΠ’ ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π΅Π΅ 12 ΡΠ°ΡΠΎΠ². ΠΡΠΏΠΎΠ»ΡΠ·ΠΎΠ²Π°Π»ΠΈ ΠΎΠΏΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΈΠΊΠΈ SF-36 (ΠΊΡΠ°ΡΠΊΠ°Ρ ΡΠΎΡΠΌΠ° ΠΎΡΠ΅Π½ΠΊΠΈ Π·Π΄ΠΎΡΠΎΠ²ΡΡ) ΠΈ 5-ΡΡΠΎΠ²Π½Π΅Π²ΡΠΉ EQ-5D-5L (ΠΠ²ΡΠΎΠΏΠ΅ΠΉΡΠΊΠΈΠΉ ΠΎΠΏΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΈΠΊ ΠΎΡΠ΅Π½ΠΊΠΈ ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²Π° Π² 5 ΠΎΠ±Π»Π°ΡΡΡΡ
), ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΠ΅ ΠΏΠ°ΡΠΈΠ΅Π½ΡΡ Π·Π°ΠΏΠΎΠ»Π½ΡΠ»ΠΈ ΠΏΡΠΈ Π²ΡΠΏΠΈΡΠΊΠ΅ ΠΈ ΡΠ΅ΡΠ΅Π· 30, 90 ΠΈ 180 Π΄Π½Π΅ΠΉ ΠΏΠΎΡΠ»Π΅ Π½Π΅Π΅. ΠΡΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠ»ΠΈ ΡΡΠ°Π²Π½Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ ΠΏΠ°ΡΠΈΠ΅Π½ΡΠΎΠ², ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΠΌ ΡΡΠ΅Π±ΠΎΠ²Π°Π»ΠΎΡΡ ΠΊΡΠ°ΡΠΊΠΎΠ²ΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π½ΠΎΠ΅ ΠΏΡΠ΅Π±ΡΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Π² ΠΠ ΠΠ’ (Π³ΡΡΠΏΠΏΠ° ΠΈΠ½ΡΠ΅Π½ΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ Π½Π°Π±Π»ΡΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ, n=109), ΠΈ ΡΠ΅Ρ
, ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΠ΅ ΠΏΡΠΎΡΠ»ΠΈ ΠΊΡΡΡ Π»Π΅ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ Π² ΠΠ ΠΠ’ (Π³ΡΡΠΏΠΏΠ° ΠΈΠ½ΡΠ΅Π½ΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ΅ΡΠ°ΠΏΠΈΠΈ, n=109).Π Π΅Π·ΡΠ»ΡΡΠ°ΡΡ. Π§Π΅ΡΠ΅Π· 180 Π΄Π½Π΅ΠΉ Π²ΡΠ΅ ΠΏΠΎΠΊΠ°Π·Π°ΡΠ΅Π»ΠΈ ΠΎΠΏΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ² SF-36 ΠΈ EQ-5D-5L ΠΏΠΎΠ²ΡΡΠΈΠ»ΠΈΡΡ ΠΏΠΎ ΡΡΠ°Π²Π½Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ Ρ ΠΌΠΎΠΌΠ΅Π½ΡΠΎΠΌ Π²ΡΠΏΠΈΡΠΊΠΈ, Π·Π° ΠΈΡΠΊΠ»ΡΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ΠΌ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ΅Π³ΠΎ ΠΏΠΎΠΊΠ°Π·Π°ΡΠ΅Π»Ρ ΠΏΡΠΈΡ
ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΎΠ³ΠΎ Π·Π΄ΠΎΡΠΎΠ²ΡΡ SF-36 (p=0,08). Π Π³ΡΡΠΏΠΏΠ΅ ΠΈΠ½ΡΠ΅Π½ΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ΅ΡΠ°ΠΏΠΈΠΈ Π·Π½Π°ΡΠΈΡΠ΅Π»ΡΠ½ΠΎ ΡΠ»ΡΡΡΠΈΠ»ΠΈΡΡ Π²ΡΠ΅ ΠΏΠΎΠΊΠ°Π·Π°ΡΠ΅Π»ΠΈ EQ-5D-5L, Π² ΡΠΎ Π²ΡΠ΅ΠΌΡ ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ Π² Π³ΡΡΠΏΠΏΠ΅ ΠΈΠ½ΡΠ΅Π½ΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ Π½Π°Π±Π»ΡΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ ΡΠ»ΡΡΡΠΈΠ»ΠΈΡΡ ΡΠΎΠ»ΡΠΊΠΎ ΠΏΠΎΠΊΠ°Π·Π°ΡΠ΅Π»ΠΈ Π²ΠΈΠ·ΡΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΠΎ-Π°Π½Π°Π»ΠΎΠ³ΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠΊΠ°Π»Ρ ΠΎΡΠ΅Π½ΠΊΠΈ Π·Π΄ΠΎΡΠΎΠ²ΡΡ Π΄Π°Π½Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΎΠΏΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΈΠΊΠ°.ΠΠ°ΠΊΠ»ΡΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅. Π£ ΠΏΠ°ΡΠΈΠ΅Π½ΡΠΎΠ², Π²ΡΠΏΠΈΡΠ°Π½Π½ΡΡ
ΠΈΠ· ΠΠ ΠΠ’, Π½Π°Π±Π»ΡΠ΄Π°Π»ΠΈ Π΄Π»ΠΈΡΠ΅Π»ΡΠ½ΡΠ΅ ΡΠΎΠΌΠ°ΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠ΅ ΠΈ ΠΏΡΠΈΡ
ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ³ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠ΅ Π½Π΅Π±Π»Π°Π³ΠΎΠΏΡΠΈΡΡΠ½ΡΠ΅ ΠΏΠΎΡΠ»Π΅Π΄ΡΡΠ²ΠΈΡ. ΠΠΎΡΠ»Π΅ Π²ΡΠΏΠΈΡΠΊΠΈ ΠΈΠ· ΠΠ ΠΠ’ ΡΠ½ΠΈΠΆΠ°Π΅ΡΡΡ ΠΎΡΠ΅Π½ΠΊΠ° ΡΠΎΠ±ΡΡΠ²Π΅Π½Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²Π° ΠΆΠΈΠ·Π½ΠΈ. ΠΠ°ΡΡΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ ΠΏΠΎΠΊΠ°Π·Π°ΡΠ΅Π»Π΅ΠΉ, Ρ
Π°ΡΠ°ΠΊΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΠ·ΡΡΡΠΈΡ
ΠΏΡΠΈΡ
ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ³ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΡΡ ΠΈ ΠΊΠΎΠ³Π½ΠΈΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΡΡ ΡΡΠ΅ΡΡ, Π±ΡΠ»ΠΈ Π±ΠΎΠ»Π΅Π΅ Π²ΡΡΠ°ΠΆΠ΅Π½Π½ΡΠΌ, ΡΠ΅ΠΌ Ρ ΠΏΠ°ΡΠ°ΠΌΠ΅ΡΡΠΎΠ² ΡΠΎΠΌΠ°ΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΡΠΎΡΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΈΡ ΠΏΠ°ΡΠΈΠ΅Π½ΡΠΎΠ². Π‘ΠΈΡΡΠ°ΡΠΈΡ ΠΏΠΎΠΌΠΎΠΆΠ΅Ρ ΠΈΡΠΏΡΠ°Π²ΠΈΡΡ Π½Π°Π±Π»ΡΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ ΠΈ Π»Π΅ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ ΠΏΠ°ΡΠΈΠ΅Π½ΡΠΎΠ², Π²ΡΠΏΠΈΡΠ°Π½Π½ΡΡ
ΠΈΠ· ΠΠ ΠΠ’, Π² ΡΠΏΠ΅ΡΠΈΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΡΡ
ΠΏΠΎΡΡΡΠ΅Π°Π½ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΡΠΈΠΎΠ½Π½ΡΡ
ΠΊΠ»ΠΈΠ½ΠΈΠΊΠ°Ρ
Ρ ΡΠΏΠΎΡΠΎΠΌ Π½Π° Π½Π΅ΠΎΠ±Ρ
ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠΌΠΎΡΡΡ ΠΏΡΠΈΡ
ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ³ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΎΠΉ ΠΈ ΠΊΠΎΠ³Π½ΠΈΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Π΄Π΅ΡΠΆΠΊΠΈ Π±ΠΎΠ»ΡΠ½ΡΡ
Long-term Quality of Life After Intensive Care Unit Admission (a Single-Center Observational Study)
Patients may experience long-term physical, psychological and cognitive impairment after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge, a condition commonly described as post-intensive care syndrome. The relative contribution of each of these components to long-term quality of life was never investigated.The aim of this study is to identify the type and severity of disability and QoL at the discharge from ICU and up to following 6 months.Material and Methods. All patients (n=218) discharged from a university hospital ICU between April 2016 and July 2017 were eligible. Exclusion criteria included: age <18 years, brain or spinal injury, life expectancy <90 days, and ICU stay <12 hours. The Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and 5-level EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaires were administered at ICU discharge, and at 30-, 90- and 180-days. We compared patients requiring short-term ICU monitoring (IM, Intensive Monitoring, n=109) or patients requiring ICU treatment (IT, Intensive Treatment, n=109).Results. All dimensions of SF-36 and EQ-5D-5L parameters increased from ICU discharge to 180-days, except for the SF-36 Synthetic index linked to mental health (P=0.08). All EQ-5D-5L parameters improved significantly in the IT group, while only Visual Analog Scale Health Perception improved in the IM group.Conclusion. ICU survivors suffer long-term physical and psychological sequelae. The perception of Quality of Life is reduced after ICU discharge. The psychological and cognitive dimensions were more compromised than physical ones. Patients discharged from the ICU may benefit from specific intensive care follow-up clinics addressing their needs in term of psychological and cognitive support
Waiting times for diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents referred to Italian ADHD centers must be reduced
BACKGROUND: To investigate timely access to and the time needed to complete the diagnostic path of children and adolescents with suspected attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the 18 Italian Lombardy Region ADHD reference centers. METHODS: Data of children and adolescents enrolled in the Regional ADHD disease-oriented Registry for suspected ADHD who requested their first visit in 2013-2017 were analyzed. RESULTS: The sample comprised 2262 children and adolescents aged 5-17\u2009years who accessed the ADHD centers for diagnostic classification and management. The median waiting time was of 177\u2009days (range 66-375) from the request for the initial appointment to the completion of the diagnostic path, with a three - fold difference between centers. In addition to the center, the strongest significant predictors of long waiting times were age comorbidities, the severity of the disorder, and having already completed some diagnostic procedures provided by the common standard path. CONCLUSIONS: To guarantee an equal standard of care in ADHD centers for all children and adolescents there is a pressing need to reduce the times to complete the diagnostic path. It is the task of both policymakers and each center to optimize the quality of the service and of the care delivered
Failure to reduce C-reactive protein levels more than 25% in the last 24 hours before intensive care unit discharge predicts higher in-hospital mortality: A cohort study
Purpose: To discharge a patient from the intensive care unit (ICU) is a complex decision-making process because in-hospital mortality after critical illness may be as high as up to 27%. Static C-reactive protein (CRP) values have been previously evaluated as a predictor of post-ICU mortality with conflicting results. Therefore, we evaluated the CRP ratio in the last 24 hours before ICU discharge as a predictor of in-hospital outcomes. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed in 409 patients from a 6-bed ICU of a university hospital. Data were prospectively collected during a 4-year period. Only patients discharged alive from the ICU with at least 72 hours of ICU length of stay were evaluated. Results: In-hospital mortality was 18.3% (75/409). Patients with reduction less than 25% in CRP concentrations at 24 hours as compared with 48 hours before ICU discharge had a worse prognosis, with increased mortality (23% vs 11%, P = .002) and post-ICU length of stay (26 [7-43] vs 11 [5-27] days, P = .036). Moreover, among hospital survivors (n = 334), patients with CRP reduction less than 25% were discharged later (hazard ratio, 0.750; 95% confidence interval, 0.602-0.935; P = .011). Conclusions: In this large cohort of critically ill patients, failure to reduce CRP values more than 25% in the last 24 hours of ICU stay is a strong predictor of worse in-hospital outcomes. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Inhibition of the catecholase activity of biomimetic dinuclear copper complexes by kojic acid
The inhibition of the catechol oxidase activity exhibited by three dinuclear copper(II) complexes, derived from different diaminotetrabenzimidazole ligands. by kojic acid [5-hydroxy-2-(hydroliymethyl)-gamma-pyrone] has been studied. The catalytic mechanism of the catecholase reaction proceeds in two steps and for both of these inhibition by kojic acid is of competitive type. The inhibitor binds strongly to the dicopper(II) complex in the first step and to the dicopper-dioxygen adduct in the second step, preventing in both cases the binding of the catechol substrate. Binding studies of kojic acid to the dinuclear copper(II) complexes and a series of mononuclear analogs, carried out spectrophotometrically and by NMR, enable us to propose that the inhibitor acts as a bridging Ligand between the metal centers in the dicopper(II) catalysts
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