Inhibition of the copper corrosion by means of indole-3-carboxylic acid (ICA), was studied in 0.5 M H2SO4 solutions in the temperature range from 25 deg C to 55 deg C using potentiodynamic ...polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The results obtained from the both measurement techniques revealed good inhibitor efficiency in the studied concentration range. Nyquist plots showed depressed semicircles with their centre below real axis. Moreover, the impedance spectra in the case of both non inhibited solutions and inhibited ones by means of lower inhibitor concentrations exhibited Warburg impedance. The adsorption behaviour of ICA followed Langmuir's isotherm.
To assess the predictive value of superficial ulcer swab culture to make a microbiological diagnosis of deep wound infections in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients with advanced-stage pressure ulcers.
...From July 2011 to February 2014, we performed a prospective, single-centre study on adult SCI patients undergoing scheduled surgical debridement and reconstruction for advanced-stage pressure ulcers, at Montecatone Rehabilitation Institute, a 150-bed hospital dedicated to SCI care. Three superficial ulcer swabs were preoperatively collected using the Levine technique, then sent for culture. In surgery, multiple bone and soft-tissue specimens were taken and sent for culture and histological examination. No antibiotics were administered before surgery. The results of swabs and intraoperative specimens were compared.
In all, 116 patients were included, median age 49 years; a majority were males with post-traumatic paraplegia. According to intraoperative specimen cultures, the most common micro-organisms were Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, found in 31, 27, and 16 cases, respectively. Concordance between superficial swabs and intraoperative specimen culture was found in only in 25 out of 116 cases (22%). The main reason for non-concordance was the yielding of different micro-organisms (41 out of 116); false negatives (swab negative/intraoperative positive) accounted for 31 out of 116 and false positives (swab positive/intraoperative negative) for 19 out of 116. When compared with intraoperative specimens, sensitivity and specificity of the swab culture were 80% and 54%, respectively.
Our results confirm that in patients with advanced-stage pressure ulcers, the cultures of a superficial ulcer swab are not useful in either the diagnosis of a superinfection or the prediction of the role of involved micro-organisms.
Aim
To date non‐invasive (NIV) mechanical ventilation use is not recommended in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) and pH < 7.30 outside a ...‘protected environment’. We assessed NIV efficacy and feasibility in improving arterial blood gases (ABG) and in‐hospital outcome in patients with ARF and severe respiratory acidosis (RA) admitted to an experienced rural medical ward.
Methods
This paper is a prospective pilot cohort study conducted in the General Medicine Ward of Budrio's District Hospital. Two hundred and seventy‐two patients with ARF were admitted to our Department, 112, meeting predefined inclusion criteria (pH < 7.35, PaCO2 > 45 mmHg). Patients were divided according to the severity of acidosis into: group A (pH < 7.26), group B (7.26 ≤ pH < 7.30) and group C (7.30 ≤ pH < 7.35). ABG were assessed at admission, at 2–6 h, 24 h, 48 h and at discharge.
Results
Group A included 55 patients (24 men, mean age: 80.8 ± 8.3 years), group B 31 (12 men, mean age: 80.3 ± 9.4 years) and group C 26 (15 men, mean age: 78.6 ± 9.9 years). ABG improved within the first hours in 92/112 (82%) patients, who were all successfully discharged. Eighteen per cent (20/112) of the patients died during the hospital stay, no significant difference emerged in mortality rate (MR) within the groups (23%, 16% and 8%, for groups A, B and C, respectively) and between patients with or without pneumonia: 8/29 (27%) versus 12/83 (14%). On multivariable analysis, only age and Glasgow Coma Scale had an impact on the clinical outcome.
Conclusion
In a non‐‘highly protected’ environment such as an experienced medical ward of a rural hospital, NIV is effective not only in patients with mild, but also with severe forms of RA. MR did not vary according to the level of initial pH.
Inhibition of the copper corrosion by means of indole-3-carboxylic acid (ICA), was studied in 0.5
M H
2SO
4 solutions in the temperature range from 25
°C to 55
°C using potentiodynamic polarization ...and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The results obtained from the both measurement techniques revealed good inhibitor efficiency in the studied concentration range. Nyquist plots showed depressed semicircles with their centre below real axis. Moreover, the impedance spectra in the case of both non inhibited solutions and inhibited ones by means of lower inhibitor concentrations exhibited Warburg impedance. The adsorption behaviour of ICA followed Langmuir’s isotherm.
Two years of prescriptions for all the drugs included in the Italian National Formulary by 3,866 general practitioners, in a region of Northern Italy of almost 4 million inhabitants, were analysed to ...determine the pattern of drug use. The data (official code and proprietary name of the drug, number of packages prescribed, price of the drug, dispensing pharmacy, and date of dispensing) were collected monthly by retail pharmacies and were recorded and organized in database files. Quantitative and qualitative profiles of prescription patterns were studied for all the major therapeutic areas. Overall drug prescriptions averaged 600 DDD/1,000 inhabitants/day. Comparison of 1988 and 1989 data showed only a slight increase in total drug prescriptions, but greater changes were detected in certain drug groups, especially those recently marketed. Overprescription of well-documented drugs, such as H2-antagonists, ACE-inhibitors, calcium antagonists and the HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors, in comparison to other countries was shown. There was frequent prescribing of drugs devoid of documentation of their clinical efficacy, which were mainly given for clinical conditions lacking a specific treatment, or as placebos for minor disorders. The data demonstrate the need for educational intervention to improve the quality of drug prescribing habits in primary health care in Italy.
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