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Background: Early-onset sepsis (EOS) is responsible for an important fraction of neonatal morbidity and mortality all over the world. The aim of this study was to assess whether presepsin (P-SEP) can be a more accurate biomarker of EOS compared with pro-calcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Study design: Consecutive preterm neonates (<34 wk gestational age, admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit by 6 h of age and undergoing sepsis evaluation) were recruited as part of a case-matched control study. We determined CRP, PCT and P-SEP at admission, and then at 12, 24, and 48 h of age. Neonates recruited into the study were divided into the EOS group ( n = 32) and the uninfected group ( n =38) according to their infection screening. Results: P-SEP values were significantly higher in the EOS group than in the uninfected group at different time intervals. The highest accuracy was achieved by P-SEP at 24 h after birth. The AUC for P-SEP was 0.97. In our sample, P-SEP achieved the best accuracy for prediction of EOS at the cut-off of 788 ng/l with 93% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Conclusions: This study shows that P-SEP is significantly higher in preterm infants with EOS compared with uninfected infants.

Abstract Rationale Early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations using telemonitoring of physiological variables might reduce the frequency of hospitalization. Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of home monitoring of lung mechanics by the forced oscillation technique and cardiac parameters in older patients with COPD and comorbidities. Methods This multicenter, randomized clinical trial recruited 312 patients with Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease grades II to IV COPD (median age, 71 yr [interquartile range, 66–76 yr]; 49.6% grade II, 50.4% grades III–IV), with a history of exacerbation in the previous year and at least one nonpulmonary comorbidity. Patients were randomized to usual care (n = 158) or telemonitoring (n = 154) and followed for 9 months. All telemonitoring patients self-assessed lung mechanics daily, and in a subgroup with congestive heart failure (n = 37) cardiac parameters were also monitored. An algorithm identified deterioration, triggering a telephone contact to determine appropriate interventions. Measurements and Main Results Primary outcomes were time to first hospitalization (TTFH) and change in the EuroQoL EQ-5D utility index score. Secondary outcomes included: rate of antibiotic/corticosteroid prescription; hospitalization; the COPD Assessment Tool, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire scores; quality-adjusted life years; and healthcare costs. Telemonitoring did not affect TTFH, EQ-5D utility index score, antibiotic prescriptions, hospitalization rate, or questionnaire scores. In an exploratory analysis, telemedicine was associated with fewer repeat hospitalizations (−54%; P = 0.017). Conclusions In older patients with COPD and comorbidities, remote monitoring of lung function by forced oscillation technique and cardiac parameters did not change TTFH and EQ-5D. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 01960907).

Calcifications of muscular origin are rare findings in dental panoramic radiographs and can pose diagnostic challenges if not properly identified. This case report describes the incidental discovery of bilateral calcifications within the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle on a routine dental panoramic radiograph. A comprehensive differential diagnosis was considered, including trauma, inflammation, metabolic disorders, and idiopathic conditions. The absence of systemic disorders or recent trauma supported a diagnosis of dystrophic calcifications of the SCM muscle. This case underscores the importance of evaluating anatomical structures beyond the dental and bony regions in panoramic radiography to avoid misdiagnosis.

Background. Falling is a major clinical problem in elderly people, demanding effective solutions. At present, the only effective intervention is motor training of balance and strength. Executive function-based training (EFt) might be effective at preventing falls according to evidence showing a relationship between executive functions and gait abnormalities. The aim was to assess the effectiveness of a motor and a cognitive treatment developed within the EU co-funded project I-DONT-FALL. Methods. In a sample of 481 elderly people at risk of falls recruited in this multicenter randomised controlled trial, the effectiveness of a motor treatment (pure motor or mixed with EFt) of 24 one-hour sessions delivered through an i-Walker with a non-motor treatment (pure EFt or control condition) was evaluated. Similarly, a 24 one-hour session cognitive treatment (pure EFt or mixed with motor training), delivered through a touch-screen computer was compared with a non-cognitive treatment (pure motor or control condition). Results. Motor treatment, particularly when mixed with EFt, reduced significantly fear of falling (F(1,478) = 6.786, p = 0.009) although to a limited extent (ES −0.25) restricted to the period after intervention. Conclusions. This study suggests the effectiveness of motor treatment empowered by EFt in reducing fear of falling.

The research issue underlying this article stems from the will to recover memory and visually restore, through the potential offered by virtual reconstruction techniques, the lost image of the rich decoration that adorned the ancient Salone Napoleonico, the lecture hall of the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, destroyed following the devastation of the Second World War. The perimeter walls withstood the impact of the bombings, while the barrel vault was completely compromised: during the post-war reconstruction, the rich pictorial decoration was deemed irrecoverable, and efforts were concentrated on faithfully restoring the hall in terms of volume. This premise allowed us to adopt the photogrammetric model of the existing structure as a solid base to ensure metric accuracy and correspondence to the original architectural layout. The 3D model was then mapped and assembled with decorative registers extracted from historical black-and-white photographs, subjected to a preliminary orthorectification process, adopting criteria aimed at recognizing hierarchies between portions with varying degrees of detail and reliability. To approximate the original visual and chromatic characteristics, a comparative analysis of contemporary monochrome decorations by the ornamental painter Gaetano Vaccani, preserved in the Palazzo di Brera, led to the formulation of color hypotheses through RGB sampling, achieving an informed chromatic and stylistic interpretation. The multidisciplinary framework, based on historical, archival, and bibliographic sources, integrated into the workflow, ensured the achievement of results that balanced methodological rigor with cultural and historical sensitivity, suitable for online publication and access to the scientific community and the wider public.

Serum biomarkers of myocardial damage are commonly used in babies after perinatal asphyxia. We present a case report of a persistently troponin I elevation without evidence of clinical or instrumental signs of myocardial ischaemia in a baby with perinatal asphyxia. When the blood was mixed with polyethylene glycol we found that the troponin I levels were falsely elevated due to interfering antibodies. This case shows that analytical errors may still occur despite modern immunoassay systems and underlines the need for further investigations to identify false-positive values in case of disagreement between clinical conditions and laboratory values.

The effectiveness of treatment depends on the patient’s ability to manage in the everyday life his/her chronic health status in accordance with the medical prescriptions outside the hospital settings. For this reason, the European Commission promotes research in tele-health applications, such as Chronious “An Open, Ubiquitous and Adaptive Chronic Disease Management Platform for COPD and Renal Insufficiency”. The aim is the improvement of healthcare service by offering an online health management solution that addresses the patient-professional interaction, personal data security, reduction of hospitalization and related costs. Chronious implements a modular hardware-software system that integrates existing healthcare legacy system, biomedical sensors, user interfaces and multi-parametric data processing with decision support system for patients and health professionals. Nowadays, very few of chronic disease management tools commercially available are accompanied with patient-professional interfaces for communication and education purposes. As added value, Chronious proposes lifestyle and mental support tools for the patients and ontological cross-lingual information retrieval system for clinicians for faster and easier queries to medical knowledge. The patient at home is equipped with a T-shirt able to record cardiac/respiratory/audio and activity signs, external devices (weight scale, glucometer, blood pressure monitoring device, spirometer, air quality sensor) and a touch-screen computer to send reminders on drugs intake and to collect information on dietary habits and mental status. All information are automatically transmitted via IP/GPRS to the Central System, that using a web-interface and ruled based algorithms allows clinicians to monitor patients status and give suggestions for acting in case of worsening trend or risk situation. As consequence, critical procedures that are quite complicated for the patient such as frequent/continuous monitoring, visits to hospitals, self-care are becoming straightforward and simpler. In addition, the information of the clinician is more direct, accurate and complete improving the prognosis for the chronic diseases and the selection of the most appropriate treatment planning. For validation purposes, Chronious is focused on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic kidney disease, being these widespread and highly expensive in terms of social and economic costs. The validation protocol considers also the most frequent related comorbidities, such as diabetes, involving the patients category which will take advantage of the highest foreseen benefits. This enables an open architecture for further applications. Project validation is divided in two progressive phases: the first one in hospital setting was aimed to verify on 50 patients if the delivered prototypes met the user requirements, the ergonomic and functional specifications. The second phase has observational features. The improved system is currently applied at home on 60 selected patients. Patients are instructed to use the system independently for an expected duration of 4 months each. In parallel, the patient is monitored with standard periodic outpatient checks. At the end, customer satisfaction and the predictive ability of the system in the evolution of the disease will be evaluated. First feedbacks are encouraging because Chronious monitoring provides friendly approaches to new technologies and reassures patients reducing the intervention time in critical situation.