The role of procalcitonin outside of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU): a multidisciplinary approach.

OBJECTIVE: Biochemical markers are commonly used in medicine to guide diagnostic investigation or therapy duration and/or monitor treatment efficacy. Due to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, markers able to prompt a more rational use of antimicrobial therapy are regarded with the greatest attention. Procalcitonin (PCT) certainly stands out among others, yet its role must be better established especially outside of the critical care area. Data about PCT utilization in non-critical patients, optimal negativity cut-offs as well as a protocol for measurement timing are all lacking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To address these issues, a focus group was set up to propose and endorse shared statements regarding the most beneficial use of PCT in real life as infection marker for non-critical patients, based on the authors' experience and a review of recent literature. RESULTS: A group of nine experts in the fields of Infectious Diseases, Internal Medicine, Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry, Surgery and Medical Economics participated in the discussion of nine pre-specified statements. CONCLUSIONS: The potential role for PCT in differentiating infectious and non-infectious clinical syndromes and guiding antimicrobial therapy discontinuation was acknowledged. Moreover, a shared measurement protocol and desirable cut-offs for the non-critical area were proposed. Finally, observations were made about a reasonable selection of the patient population to be tested.

Thermotropic phase transitions at retinal rod outer segments membrane level.

Thermotropic phase transitions (i.e. phase changes induced by heat) were studied at frog ROS membrane level, with the aid of birefringence (phase difference, T) determination. In both dark and light adapted states, an early phase transition was observed (transition temperature, Tt, from +42 divided by 46 degree C). Apparently this change in the physiological state of the membrane precedes the disorientation of the pigment molecules. Following a period of birefringence stabilization a further decrease in birefringence takes place (from +52 divided by 53 degrees C onwards). During the last part of this phase Rho molecules appear to be completely disoriented, as though in solution. The physical changes underlying the transition phenomena seem related to the unbleached and bleached conditions of the ROS; with rising temperatures, the Tt point does not differ significantly in both conditions.

New measurement of the antiproton-to-proton flux ratio up to 100 GeV in the cosmic radiation.

A new measurement of the cosmic-ray antiproton-to-proton flux ratio between 1 and 100 GeV is presented. The results were obtained with the PAMELA experiment, which was launched into low-Earth orbit on-board the Resurs-DK1 satellite on June 15th 2006. During 500 days of data collection a total of about 1000 antiprotons have been identified, including 100 above an energy of 20 GeV. The high-energy results are a tenfold improvement in statistics with respect to all previously published data. The data follow the trend expected from secondary production calculations and significantly constrain contributions from exotic sources, e.g., dark matter particle annihilations.

Effects of Smilax macrophylla Vers. in normal or hyperuricemic and hyperuricosuric rats.

Smilax macrophylla Vers., administered per os at the doses of 1 or 2 g/kg in normal rats or in rats made hyperuricemic and hyperuricosuric by potassium oxonate (250 mg/Kg p.o.) or fructose (4 g/Kg p.o.) does not modify diuresis, but increases the excretion of uric acid and allantoin in normal rats and in those pretreated with fructose, whereas it is inactive in oxonate pretreated rats. Allantoinemia is not modified by fructose or oxonate, whereas uricemia is modified.

Effect of 4-aminopyridine on gastric secretion in rats.

A study was performed in order to examine the effect of 4-Aminopyridine on gastric secretion of the rat. Acid secretion was evaluated in the stomach perfused rat preparation in anaesthetized animals. Systemic administration of the drug dose depently stimulated gastric secretion and the threshold dose was not dissimilar to that of Histamine. Atropine sulphate was able to antagonize the stimulating effect of the drug.

[Compounds with psychotropic activity. VIII. Synthesis and sedative activity of various 9-substituted derivatives of 5-phenylpyrrolo[2,1-d][1,5] benzothiazepine and cis-4,5-dihydro-4-hydroxy-5-phenylpyrrolo[2,1-d][1,5]benzothiazepine]. / Ricerche su composti ad attività psicotropa. Nota VIII - Sintesi ed attività sedativa di alcuni derivati 9-sostituiti della 5-fenilpirrolo [2,1-d] [1,5]benzotiazepina e della cis-4,5-diidro-4-idrossi-5-fenilpirrolo [2,1-d] [1,5]benzotiazepina.

Syntheses of 9-chloro-, 9-trifluoromethyl- and 9-methoxy-5- phenylpyrrolo [2,1-d] [1,5] benzothiazepine [II a-c] and of cis-9-chloro- and cis-9-trifluoromethyl-4,5-dihydro-4-hydroxy-5- phenylpyrrolo [2,1-d] [1,5] benzothiazepine with the respective acetyl derivatives (III a-d), according to previously restated routes, are described. The sedative activity was tested against the anti-amphetamine activity in the rat. The 1-[5-trifluoromethyl-2-(alpha- hydroxycarbonylbenzyl ) thiophenyl + ++]-pyrrole ( NF34 ) and the pyrrolo [2,1-d] [1,5] benzothiazepine -5-carboxamide ( NF44 ) showed sedative activity similar to that of diazepam.