Safety of polymyxin-B-based hemoperfusion in kidney and liver transplant recipients.

Abstract Infection represents one of the primary barriers to successful organ transplantation. Our principal end point was to use a new assay, Entotoxin Activity Assay (EAA), which was developed to rapidly detect endotoxin activity (EA) for an early diagnosis of this complication. We also sought to prove the validity and safety of endotoxin removal using polymyxin-B–based hemoperfusion (PMX-DHP). The criterion for inclusion in the study was suspected infection when a patient experienced at least 2 of the 4 criteria of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. EAA was performed on 71 patients: 29 liver transplantations and 42 kidney transplantations. Twenty-eight patients (39.5%) with EA >0.60 underwent PMX-DHP treatment to remove endotoxins. Each treatment was performed for 2 hours with a blood flow of 100 mL/min. All of the patients were treated with PMX-DHP until achieving an E

Evaluation of educational processes for developing management skills in sport.

This research aims to evaluate processes and outcomes of 5 editions of the II Level Master \u2018\u2018Sport and Psychosocial Management: Promoting Cooperation, Mediating Conflict\u2019\u2019 (a training-research project promoted by the Postgraduate School of Psychology \u2018\u2018Gemelli\u2019\u2019, Catholic University, Milan). Focus is on job skills developed (planning and coping with complex initiatives, managing problems related to the new context\u2019s complexity, developing specific relational competences)through this pilot experience in the Italian Academy context. The research analyzes evaluation questionnaires, narrative notes and board diaries of 90 postgraduate students and 8 interviews to the Master trainers. Analysis is conducted through two specific softwares: Atlas.ti and Spss. Data analysis and results are still ongoing and in progress (end of 5th edition: February 2008)