Bis-Thiourea Quaternary Ammonium Salts as Potential Agents against Bacterial Strains from Food and Environmental Matrices

In recent years, the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance in hospitals, communities and the environment has increasingly grown, so antibiotic resistance has become an urgent problem that requires a decisive and global intervention. Incorrect/unnecessary use of antibiotics contributes to increase the ability of microorganisms to develop resistance faster and faster. Research efforts must, therefore, be made to ensure a future in which antibiotic drugs will still be useful in combating infectious diseases. The search for new antibacterial compounds is fundamental. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of the compounds was evaluated against selected bacterial strains from food and environmental matrices by using the Agar Well Diffusion Assay. A total of thirty-six Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were employed to determine the action spectrum and the antimicrobial effectiveness of a small series of thiourea derivatives. Results showed that the highest activities were found for compounds 1 and 4. The important role of the alkyl chain length and/or guanidine moiety in the width of action spectrum was evidenced. Further studies will allow evaluating the efficacy of the inhibiting action and the molecular mechanisms underlying this activity in order to identify compounds capable of counteracting the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance and to identify possible future applications of these newly synthesized compounds that have shown a high bactericidal action potential

Dupilumab in HIV-positive patients with atopic dermatitis: a long-term follow-up patient and a literature review

Dupilumab is an IgG4 human monoclonal antibody licensed for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Despite evidence suggesting that T helper type two cytokines can modulate HIV-1 replication and anti-HIV-specific immune responses, impacting on viral reservoirs, HIV-positive patients under immunomodulating therapy have been excluded from clinical trials. We report a 47-year-old HIV-positive man with late-onset severe atopic dermatitis, treated with dupilumab and followed up for 27 months. Improvements in skin lesions and quality of life were observed after four months. Blood tests showed normalization of IgE levels, with the clinical condition remaining stable at a 27- month follow-up. We gathered 16 other cases reported in the literature of HIV-positive patients treated with dupilumab, with no, or few adverse reactions, for which it is unclear if dupilumab should be held accountable. With our case and literature review, we aim to shed light on dupilumab efficacy, safety, and tolerability among HIV-positive patients suffering from atopic dermatitis. In this regard, future research should focus on the effective role, underlying mechanisms, and efficacy of dupilumab in HIV-positive patients and HIV-positivity could be questioned as a valid exclusion criterion for clinical trials

Long-term proactive management of psoriasis with calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate foam: an Italian consensus through a combined nominal group technique and Delphi approach

none85Background: Although long-term management of psoriasis is paramount, this approach is challenging in clinical practice. In the recent PSO-LONG trial, a fixed-dose combination of betamethasone dipropionate (BD) and calcipotriol (Cal) foam applied twice a week on non-consecutive days for 52 weeks (proactive treatment) reduced the risk of relapse. However, the role of Cal/BD foam in the long-term management of psoriasis needs further clarifications. The ProActive Management (PAM) program, a nationwide Italian project, aims at reaching a consensus on the role of proactive management of psoriasis. Methods: A steering committee generated some statements through the nominal group technique (NGT). The statements were voted by an expert panel in an adapted Delphi voting process. Results: Eighteen statements were proposed, and the majority of them (14/18) reached a consensus during the Delphi voting. The need to provide long-term proactive topical treatment to reduce the risk of relapse for the treatment of challenging diseases sites or in patients where phototherapy or systemic therapies are contraindicated/ineffective was widely recognized. A consensus was reached about the possibility to associate the proactive treatment with systemic and biological therapies, without the need for dose intensification, thus favoring a prolonged remission. Moreover, the proactive treatment was recognized as more effective than weekend therapy in increasing time free from relapses. Approaches to improve adherence, on the other hand, need further investigation. Conclusions: The inclusion in guidelines of a proactive strategy among the effective treatment options will be a fundamental step in the evolution of a mild-moderate psoriasis therapeutic approach.noneDe Simone, Clara; Dapavo, Paolo; Malagoli, Piergiorgio; Martella, Alessandro; Campanati, Anna; Campione, Elena; Errichetti, Enzo; Franchi, Chiara; Gambardella, Alessio; Megna, Matteo; Osti, Federica; Ribero, Simone; Zagni, Giovanni; Calzavara-Pinton, Piergiacomo; Fabbrocini, Gabriella; Amoruso, Giuseppe Fabrizio; Baglieri, Francesco; Biamonte, Anna Silvia; Bianchelli, Tommaso; Bigi, Laura; Bortoli, Jarno; Brunetti, Bruno; Buligan, Cinzia; Cagni, Elisabetta; Calderoni, Ombretta; Calzavara-Pinton, Piergiacomo; Campanati, Anna; Caputo, Alighiero; Carrera, Carlo Giovanni; Carugno, Andrea; Chersi, Karin; Cicchelli, Stefano; De Natale, Flora; De Simone, Clara; Dapavo, Paolo; Di Maria, Domenico; Errichetti, Enzo; Fabbrocini, Gabriella; Ferrari, Angelo Salvatore; Fogli, Emanuela; Forconi, Riccardo; Franchi, Chiara; Galeazzi, Augusto; Gambardella, Alessio; Giovannini, Andrea; Giura, Maria Teresa; Iuculano, Massimo; Lazzaretti, Giuseppe; Leporati, Claudia; Magnanini, Massimiliano; Malagoli, Piergiorgio; Marconi, Barbara; Martella, Alessandro; Maruccia, Adriana; Megna, Matteo; Miglietta, Roberta; Minuti, Anna; Mocci, Luigi; Modica, Sonia; Narcisi, Alessandra; Odorici, Giulia; Osti, Federica; Pazzaglia, Massimiliano; Peila, Rossana; Pertusi, Ginevra; Pezza, Michele; Pezzullo, Elio; Puccia, Nunzio; Raulo, Umberto; Ribero, Simone; Rossi, Mariateresa; Rusignuolo, Sergio; Sapienza, Giada; Savarese, Catello; Scalisi, Mariaelena; Strippoli, Davide; Stroppiana, Elena; Tiberio, Rossana; Trischitta, Antonino; Tucci, Maria Giovanna; Vaira, Fabrizio; Verrone, Anna; Villa, Lucia; Zagni, Fabio; Zoccali, AndreaDe Simone, Clara; Dapavo, Paolo; Malagoli, Piergiorgio; Martella, Alessandro; Campanati, Anna; Campione, Elena; Errichetti, Enzo; Franchi, Chiara; Gambardella, Alessio; Megna, Matteo; Osti, Federica; Ribero, Simone; Zagni, Giovanni; Calzavara-Pinton, Piergiacomo; Fabbrocini, Gabriella; Amoruso, Giuseppe Fabrizio; Baglieri, Francesco; Biamonte, Anna Silvia; Bianchelli, Tommaso; Bigi, Laura; Bortoli, Jarno; Brunetti, Bruno; Buligan, Cinzia; Cagni, Elisabetta; Calderoni, Ombretta; Calzavara-Pinton, Piergiacomo; Campanati, Anna; Caputo, Alighiero; Carrera, Carlo Giovanni; Carugno, Andrea; Chersi, Karin; Cicchelli, Stefano; De Natale, Flora; De Simone, Clara; Dapavo, Paolo; Di Maria, Domenico; Errichetti, Enzo; Fabbrocini, Gabriella; Ferrari, Angelo Salvatore; Fogli, Emanuela; Forconi, Riccardo; Franchi, Chiara; Galeazzi, Augusto; Gambardella, Alessio; Giovannini, Andrea; Giura, Maria Teresa; Iuculano, Massimo; Lazzaretti, Giuseppe; Leporati, Claudia; Magnanini, Massimiliano; Malagoli, Piergiorgio; Marconi, Barbara; Martella, Alessandro; Maruccia, Adriana; Megna, Matteo; Miglietta, Roberta; Minuti, Anna; Mocci, Luigi; Modica, Sonia; Narcisi, Alessandra; Odorici, Giulia; Osti, Federica; Pazzaglia, Massimiliano; Peila, Rossana; Pertusi, Ginevra; Pezza, Michele; Pezzullo, Elio; Puccia, Nunzio; Raulo, Umberto; Ribero, Simone; Rossi, Mariateresa; Rusignuolo, Sergio; Sapienza, Giada; Savarese, Catello; Scalisi, Mariaelena; Strippoli, Davide; Stroppiana, Elena; Tiberio, Rossana; Trischitta, Antonino; Tucci, Maria Giovanna; Vaira, Fabrizio; Verrone, Anna; Villa, Lucia; Zagni, Fabio; Zoccali, Andre

Augmented reality (AR) in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) training: where are we now in Italy? The Italian Society of Endoscopic Surgery (SICE) ARMIS survey

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is a widespread approach in general surgery. Computer guiding software, such as the augmented reality (AR), the virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR), has been proposed to help surgeons during MIS. This study aims to report these technologies' current knowledge and diffusion during surgical training in Italy. A web-based survey was developed under the aegis of the Italian Society of Endoscopic Surgery (SICE). Two hundred and seventeen medical doctors' answers were analyzed. Participants were surgeons (138, 63.6%) and residents in surgery (79, 36.4%). The mean knowledge of the role of the VR, AR and MR in surgery was 4.9 ± 2.4 (range 1-10). Most of the participants (122, 56.2%) did not have experience with any proposed technologies. However, although the lack of experience in this field, the answers about the functioning of the technologies were correct in most cases. Most of the participants answered that VR, AR and MR should be used more frequently for the teaching and training and during the clinical activity (170, 80.3%) and that such technologies would make a significant contribution, especially in training (183, 84.3%) and didactic (156, 71.9%). Finally, the main limitations to the diffusion of these technologies were the insufficient knowledge (182, 83.9%) and costs (175, 80.6%). Based on the present study, in Italy, the knowledge and dissemination of these technologies are still limited. Further studies are required to establish the usefulness of AR, VR and MR in surgical training