Chronic urticaria and thyroid autoimmunity: a meta-analysis of case-control studies.

PURPOSE: Autoimmunity has been implicated in some patients with idiopathic chronic urticaria (CU). Because of the frequency of autoimmune thyroid diseases, their association with CU deserves special attention. We tested both the existence and the extent of an association between thyroid autoimmunity and CU. METHODS: A thorough search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases was performed. Studies reporting the positivity rate for anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOAbs) in people with (cases) and without CU (controls) were included. Quality of the studies was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed by Cochrane Q and I2 tests, and the odds ratio (OR) for TPOAbs positivity was combined using random-effects models. RESULTS: Nineteen studies provided information about TPOAbs positivity on 14,351 patients with CU and 12,404 controls. The pooled estimate indicated a more than fivefold increased risk of exhibiting TPOAbs positivity in the group with CU (pooled OR 5.18, 95% CI 3.27, 8.22; P < 0.00001). Correction for publication bias had a negligible effect on the overall estimate (pooled adjusted OR: 4.42, 95% CI 2.84, 6.87, P < 0.0001). Between­study heterogeneity was established (I2 = 62%, Pfor heterogeneity = 0.0002) and when, according to meta­regression models, a sensitivity analysis was restricted to the 16 studies with the highest quality scores, the OR for TPOAbs positivity rose to 6.72 (95% CI 4.56, 9.89; P < 0.00001) with no significant heterogeneity (I2 = 31%, Pfor heterogeneity = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CU have a five-to-nearly sevenfold higher risk of displaying TPOAbs positivity. All patients with CU may well be offered a screening for thyroid autoimmunity.

Genetic variation in the E6 and E7 genes of human papillomavirus type 16 in northeastern Argentina.

The province of Misiones is considered a region with a high mortality rate due to cervical cancer (CC). To gain insight into this problem, we explored the association between genetic variation in the E6 and E7 oncogenes of HPV16 and the risk of CC. We studied 160 women with cytological diagnoses of negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignity, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion/CC and a positive test for HPV16 infection. The genetic characterization of E6 and E7 genes was undertaken through PCR amplification and direct Sanger sequencing. Phylogenetic classification was conducted using Bayesian methods. To estimate the odds ratio (OR) for an association between genetic variants in the E6 and E7 genes and the risk of CC, we used ordinal logistic regression adjusted by age. The final data set comprised 112 samples. Diagnostic single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and phylogenetic trees confirmed the presence of Lineage A (95.5%) and D (4.5%) in the samples. For the E6 gene, we identified eleven different sequences, with the most common ones being Lineage A E6 350G (58.9%) and E6 350T (37.5%). The E6 350G was associated with progression to HSIL/CC, with an OR of 19.41 (4.95-76.10). The E7 gene was more conserved than E6, probably due to the functional constraints of this small protein. Our results confirmed the association of the E6 350G SNP with a higher risk of developing CC. These data will contribute to understanding the biological bases of CC incidence in this region.

Arterial spin labelling qualitative assessment in paediatric patients with MRI-negative epilepsy.

AIM: To evaluate the usefulness of arterial spin labelling (ASL) qualitative analysis for the localisation of seizure-related perfusion abnormalities in paediatric patients with negative brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) epilepsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-two patients with a diagnosis of MRI-negative focal or generalised epilepsy, who underwent electroencephalogram (EEG) and MRI with ASL in the interictal phase were included. Perfusion abnormalities were evaluated through a qualitative assessment and then compared to EEG seizure focus. RESULTS: Among the 42 patients, 26 had focal epilepsy and 16 had generalised epilepsy. Thirty-three patients (79%) showed a perfusion abnormality, mainly hypoperfusion (74.5% of all ASL alterations), whereas hyperperfused alterations were more represented in patients who experienced the last seizure either less than 48 hours prior to ASL acquisition or in the time interval from 1 week to 1 month prior to ASL acquisition (p=0.034). Concordance of ASL abnormality and EEG focus was found in 33 patients (78.5%), as complete in 17 (40.5%) and as partial in 16 (38%). A trend of higher concordance was found in focal epilepsies compared to generalised epilepsies (p=0.059). The concordance between ASL and EEG major alterations was higher for hyperperfused anomalies than for hypoperfused ones (p=0.009). Variables such as age, sedation, and time from last seizure were not significant contributors for concordance. CONCLUSIONS: The combined use of qualitative ASL and brain MRI and scalp EEG could be a potential tool in daily clinical practice.

[Digitization and Virtual Healthcare in a teaching hospital (Pisa, Italy) during COVID-19 emergency]. / Digitalizzazione e Virtual Healthcare nell'Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana (AOUP) ai tempi dell'emergenza COVID-19.

The initial phases of COVID-19 emergency in Italy highlighted the technical delay that the national health system has accumulated in health services digitalization. Italian hospitals rapidly applied a demand systems for virtual health services based on tele-triage, tele-consultation and tele-visits procedures. This led, in the following months, the integration of virtual healthcare services applicable to the Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisa (AOUP). In particular, BCure system represents an important technological investment for the remote management of care protocols and the analysis of the complete use of health services. This is a unique system for sharing information between specialists, general practitioners and patients.

[Skills tracing and activation of multi-professional teams in response to COVID-19 pandemic]. / Mappatura delle competenze ed attivazione di equipe multi professionali in risposta ad emergenza pandemica COVID-19.

The rapid spread of Covid-19 epidemic led to a change in the organizational strategies of all Italian healthcare facilities. From January 31, 2020 (starting date of the state of national health emergency) Asst Valle Olona has prepared a reorganization of the supply units passing from a traditional division system to a structure that foresees the presence of traditional wards and a set of areas dedicated exclusively to the of Covid 19 treatments.The study aims to represent the method used for the redistribution of human capital in the new areas for identified, mapped, evaluated and reordered skills. The method may guarantee assistance to Covid-19 patients with the greatest number of human resources available and adequately trained.

Clinical and seminal parameters associated with testicular microlithiasis and its severity in males from infertile couples.

STUDY QUESTION: Is there an association of testicular microlithiasis (TM) and its severity with testicular dysfunction in men from infertile couples? SUMMARY ANSWER: The presence of ≥5 testis microcalcifications per sonogram at the scrotal ultrasonography (US) of infertile males was associated with a more severe testicular dysfunction as compared to males with limited, or without, TM. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: TM, representing an incidental finding in the scrotal US, is associated with male infertility and a higher risk for testicular cancer as compared to that in infertile males without TM. Still, there are unresolved questions on the relation between TM severity and testicular dysfunction in infertile men, as well as on the identification of risk factors for TM. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This study was an observational, retrospective, case-control investigation involving males who underwent clinical evaluation, measurement of reproductive hormones, seminal analysis and scrotal US as part of diagnostic work-up for couple infertility at an andrology clinic, between January 2004 and December 2018. One hundred patients, out of the 2112 scored men, were found to have TM during the US evaluation. One hundred male partners from 100 infertile couples without TM, comprising the control group, were selected through a matched analysis by age and date of evaluation to reduce the confounding effect of both age and technique variability all along the long period of observation. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: TM was defined as limited TM (LTM) or classical TM (CTM), when the maximum number of hyperecogenic spots per sonogram was <5 or ≥5, respectively. CTM, LTM and control groups were compared for clinical variables, serum levels of FSH, LH, and total testosterone, as well for semen parameters and scrotal US features. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: After the exclusion of cases with testicular nodules to eliminate the possible confounding effect of testis cancer on testicular dysfunction, cases with CTM showed a lower mean testis volume (P = 0.03) and a lower sperm concentration (P = 0.03) as compared to the other two groups. A higher FSH level was observed in the CTM group compared to the LTM group (P = 0.02) and in controls (P = 0.009). The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only a smaller testicle volume exhibited an independent significant association with a higher odds of detecting CTM (odds ratio = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.75-0.94; P = 0.02). No significant differences were observed between groups in the prevalence of risk factors for testicular cancer, or in the prevalence of conditions associated with TM. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The retrospective design of the study did not allow conclusions to be drawn about the possible underlying links in the associations of TM with defective spermatogenesis. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Males from infertile couples who exhibit a reduced testicular volume should undergo scrotal US, independent of sperm parameters, to exclude CTM and, eventually, testis cancer, although the association of CTM and current or future testis cancer risk is not yet clear. Evidence is provided here demonstrating that the presence of LTM has no clinical relevance in males from infertile couples. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): Investigation was funded by Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca, PRIN 2018, Italy. The authors have not declared any competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Relationship of Vitamin D status with testosterone levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Despite a biological plausibility of a direct link between low vitamin D and androgen deficiency, the association remains inconclusive in epidemiological studies. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies aim to assess whether and in what populations such an association can be demonstrated. METHODS: A systematic search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of science, Science Direct, and CINAHL. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in total testosterone (TT) levels between men with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) <20 and ≥20 ng/mL were combined using random-effects models. Funnel plot and trim-and-fill analysis were used to assess publication bias. Heterogeneity source was explored by a sub-group analysis according to health-related characteristics of the study populations. RESULTS: Eighteen included studies collectively gave information on 9892 men with vitamin D deficiency and 10,675 controls. The pooled SMD revealed a slight, albeit just significant, positive association between 25(OH)D and TT (pooled SMD: -0.23, 95% CI: -0.45 to -0.01; P = 0.04) with a large between-study heterogeneity (I2 = 98%, Pfor heterogeneity < 0.00001). At the sub-group analysis, a significant positive association, along with noticeable decrease in heterogeneity, could only be demonstrated in studies of patients with frailty states (pooled SMD: -0.19; 95% CI: -0.27, -0.10, P < 0.0001; I2 = 51%, Pfor heterogeneity = 0.06). A sensitivity analysis revealed a high stability of the result and the trim-and-fill adjustment for publication bias did not affect pooled estimate. CONCLUSIONS: Both hypovitaminosis D and androgen deficiency should be regarded as markers of a poor health status, sharing common underlying aetiologies and risk factors.

Relationship between natural and intrauterine insemination-assisted live births and the degree of sperm autoimmunisation.

STUDY QUESTION: What is the relationship between the degree of sperm autoimmunisation, as assessed by IgG-mixed antiglobulin reaction (MAR) test, and natural and intrauterine insemination (IUI)-assisted live births? SUMMARY ANSWER: Compared with a lower degree of positivity (50-99%), a 100%-positive MAR test was associated with a much lower occurrence of natural live births in infertile couples, who could be successfully treated with IUI, as first-line treatment. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended screening for antisperm antibodies, through either the IgG-MAR test or an immunobead-binding test, as an integral part of semen analysis, with 50% antibody-coated motile spermatozoa considered to be the clinically relevant threshold. However, the predictive value of the degree of positivity of the MAR test above such a cut-off on the occurrence of natural pregnancies remains largely undetermined. Furthermore, the effectiveness of IUI in cases of strong sperm autoimmunisation is not yet well-established. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This was a retrospective cohort study on 108 men with a ≥50%-positive MAR test, where the couple had attended a university/hospital andrology/infertility clinic for the management of infertility from March 1994 to September 2017. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: The IgG-MAR test was carried out as an integral part of semen analysis. The patients were divided into two groups: 100% and 50%-99%-positive MAR test. The post-coital test (PCT) was performed in all the couples, and IUI was offered as the first-line treatment. Laboratory and other clinical data were retrieved from a computerised database. Data on subsequent pregnancies were obtained by contacting patients over the telephone. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANGE: A total of 84 men (77.8%) were successfully contacted by telephone, and they agreed to participate. Of these, 44 men belonged to the group with a 100%-positive MAR test, while 40 showed lower MAR test positivity. The couples with a 100%-positive MAR test showed a natural live birth rate per couple (LBR) that was considerably lower than that observed with a lower degree of positivity (4.5% vs. 30.0%; P = 0.00001). Among the clinical variables, a significant difference between the two groups was observed only for the PCT outcome, which was poor in the 100%-positive MAR test group. Better PCT outcomes (categorised as negative, subnormal and good) were positively associated with the occurrence of natural live births (6.3, 21.7 and 46.2%, respectively; P = 0.0005 for trend), for which the sole independent negative predictor was the degree of sperm autoimmunisation. IUI was performed as the first-line treatment in 38 out of 44 couples with a 100%-positive MAR test, yielding 14 live births (36.8%). In couples with lower MAR test positivity, the LBR after IUI (26.9%) was similar to the natural LBR in this group (30.0%). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Given the retrospective nature of the study, we cannot exclude uncontrolled variables that may have affected natural pregnancies during the follow up or a selection bias from the comparison of natural live births with those after IUI. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The routine use of the IgG-MAR test in the basic fertility workup is justified as it influences decision making. A 100%-positive IgG-MAR test can represent the sole cause of a couple's infertility, which could be successfully treated with IUI. On the other hand, a lower degree of positivity may only represent a contributing factor to a couple's infertility, and so the decision to treat or wait also depends on the evaluation of conventional prognostic factors including the PCT outcome. STUDY FUNDING, COMPETING INTEREST(S): This study was supported by PRIN 2017, Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca Scientifica (MIUR), Italy. On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Testosterone, level of the lesion and age are independently associated with prostate volume in men with chronic spinal cord injury.

PURPOSE: Although men with spinal cord injury (SCI) exhibit a prostate volume significantly smaller compared to age-matched able-bodied men, the independent association of lower prostate volume with its putative determinants has never been analyzed in this population. This study was designed to identify variables independently associated with prostate volume in men with chronic SCI. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, prostate volume of 138 men with chronic (> 1 years) SCI, aged 54.5 (25th-75th percentile: 36.0-66.0) years, was evaluated with trans-rectal ultrasonography. All patients underwent a complete neurological exam, as well as biochemical and hormonal assessment, including total testosterone (TT) levels. Free testosterone levels were calculated (cFT) by the Vermeulen formula. RESULTS: The median prostate volume was 23.4 mL. At the univariate analysis, a larger prostate volume was associated with higher TT (p = 0.00001) and cFT (p = 0.001), SCI level below T12 (p = 0.007), more advanced age (p = 0.04), lower body mass index (p = 0.04), higher functional independence score (p = 0.06), higher values of prostate-specific antigen (p = 0.12) and shorter duration of the injury (p = 0.21). However, at the multiple regression analyses, an independent and positive association only persisted between the prostate volume with either TT or cFT levels, and, to a lesser extent, with age and a level of spinal lesion below T12. A prostate volume below the median value was observed in 91.4% (32/35) of patients with both androgen deficiency (TT < 264 ng/dL) and spinal lesion level ≥ T12, but only in 16.5% (2/12) of patients with both normal androgen levels and spinal lesion level below T12 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that lower testosterone levels and, to a lesser extent, a younger age and a spinal lesion level ≥ T12 represent the only variables exhibiting an independent association with a smaller prostate volume in men with SCI.

Metabolic syndrome is the key determinant of impaired vaginal lubrication in women with chronic spinal cord injury.

PURPOSE: Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects sexual health of both male and female, but little attention has been given to sexuality of SCI women. Similar to penile erection, vaginal lubrication represents a neurovascular event and then both denervation and vascular damage might contribute to its impairment. Nevertheless, the relative weight of lesion location/degree and vascular risk factors in determining hypolubrication in women with SCI has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to recognize among putative determinants of poor sexual arousal in women with SCI, neurogenic and vascular/metabolic independent predictors of vaginal hypolubrication. METHODS: Twenty-eight consecutive female patients admitted to a rehabilitation program because of chronic SCI (≥ 1 year) underwent clinical and biochemical evaluations, including assessment of vaginal lubrication by the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). As, in people with SCI, waist circumference overestimates visceral fat mass due to abdominal muscle paralysis, metabolic syndrome (MetS) was defined according to specific criteria proposed for SCI population: BMI ≥ 22 kg/m2 and two or more of the following: triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dL (or actual treatment), HDL < 50 mg/dL, hypertension (or actual treatment), fasting glucose ≥ 100 mg/dL or diabetes mellitus type 2. RESULTS: A FSFI lubrication sub-score < 3.6, suggestive for impaired vaginal lubrication, was exhibited by 53.7% of the study population. When compared to the group with normal lubrication, a significantly higher proportion of these women had paraplegia (93.3% vs 38.5%, p = 0.003) and met the SCI-specific criteria for MetS (73.4% vs 7.6%, p = 0.0006), whereas, no significant differences were found between the two groups in the proportion of women exhibiting the single components of MetS. At the multiple logistic regression analysis, only the presence of MetS exhibited a significant independent association with impaired vaginal lubrication (OR = 3.1, 95% CI 1.2, 5.8, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In women with SCI, a clustering of modifiable vascular/metabolic risk factors, constituting the MetS, could contribute to sexual dysfunctions by affecting the vaginal lubrication, independently of the level of the spinal cord lesion.

Detection of viable but non-culturable legionella in hospital water network following monochloramine disinfection.

BACKGROUND: Prevention of legionellosis remains a critical issue in healthcare settings where monochloramine (MC) disinfection was recently introduced as an alternative to chlorine dioxide in controlling Legionella spp. contamination of the hospital water network. Continuous treatments with low MC doses in some instances have induced a viable but non-culturable state (VBNC) of Legionella spp. AIM: To investigate the occurrence of such dormant cells during a long period of continuous MC treatment. METHODS: Between November 2010 and April 2015, 162 water and biofilm samples were collected and Legionella spp. isolated in accordance with standard procedures. In sampling sites where MC was <1.5mg/L, VBNC cells were investigated by ethidium monoazide bromide (EMA)-real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and 'resuscitation' test into Acanthamoeba polyphaga CCAP 1501/18. According to the Health Protection Agency protocol, free-living protozoa were researched in 60 five-litre water samples. FINDINGS: In all, 136 out of 156 (87.2%) of the samples taken from sites previously positive for L. pneumophila ST269 were negative by culture, but only 47 (34.5%) negative by qPCR. Although no positive results were obtained by EMA-qPCR, four out of 22 samples associated with MC concentration of 1.3 ± 0.5mg/L showed VBNC legionella resuscitation. The presence of the amoeba A. polyphaga in the hospital water network was demonstrated. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first report evidencing the emergence of VNBC legionella during a long period of continuous MC treatment of a hospital water network, highlighting the importance of keeping an appropriate and uninterrupted MC dosage to ensure the control of legionella colonization in hospital water supplies.

Rate of Legionella pneumophila colonization in hospital hot water network after time flow taps installation.

In hospital water systems legionellae may be resistant to disinfectants in pipework, which is a problem particularly in areas where there is low flow or stagnation of water. We evaluated legionella colonization of a water network of an Italian hospital after time flow taps (TFTs) installation in proximity to dead legs. The water volume flushed was 64 L/day from May 2016, and 192 L/day from December 2016. Before TFTs installation, Legionella pneumophila sg2-14 was detected in all points (4 × 104 ± 3.1 × 104 cfu/L). All sites remained positive (2.9 × 104 ± 1.9 × 104 cfu/L) through November 2016. From December 2016 legionella persisted in one point only (2 × 102 to 6.8 × 103 cfu/L). TFTs with chemical disinfection may reduce legionella colonization associated with dead legs.

Survey on Energy Drinks consumption and related lifestyle among students of two Italian high schools.

BACKGROUND: The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has identified some risk factors for the occurrence of side effects linked to energy drinks (EDs) consumption by young people. EDs consumption has been evaluated in a sample of students in Italy together with some aspects of their lifestyle. METHODS: The survey was performed in two high schools from September 2016 to June 2017. 583 students between 14 to 18 years were recruited and a standard questionnaire (EFSA checklist) was used to collect information on responders characteristics, beverages consumption, EDs with alcohol, and EDs and sports. RESULTS: Despite 350 out of 583 responders (60%) consumed EDs, only 146 out of 583 (25%) were EDs-alcohol consumers. Moreover, 208 out of 379 (55%) of all physically active adolescents reported frequent EDs consumption before sport trainings. CONCLUSIONS: Study results highlight the need for primary prevention measures in communication campaigns and training delivered by school to limit potential health threats related to excess of EDs consumption.

Evaluation and control of microbial and chemical contamination in dialysis water plants of Italian nephrology wards.

BACKGROUND: Patients receiving haemodialysis are exposed to a large volume of dialysis fluid. The Italian Society of Nephrology (ISN) has published guidelines and microbial quality standards on dialysis water (DW) and solutions to ensure patient safety. AIM: To identify microbial and chemical hazards, and evaluate the quality of disinfection treatment in DW plants. METHODS: In 2015 and 2016, water networks and DW plants (closed loop and online monitors) of nine dialysis wards of Italian hospitals, hosting 162 dialysis beds overall, were sampled on a monthly basis to determine the parameters provided by ISN guidelines. Chlorinated drinking water was desalinated by reverse osmosis and distributed to the closed loop which feeds all online monitors. Disinfection with peracetic acid was performed in all DW plants on a monthly basis. FINDINGS: Over the 24-month study period, seven out of nine DW plants (78%) recorded negative results for all investigated parameters. Closed loop contamination with Burkholderia cepacia was detected in a DW plant from January 2015 to March 2015. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from March 2016 to May 2016 in the closed loop of another DW plant. These microbial contaminations were eradicated by shock disinfection with sodium hypochlorite and peracetic acid, followed by water flushing. CONCLUSION: These results highlight the importance of chemical and physical methods of DW disinfection. The maintenance of control measures in water plants hosted in dialysis wards ensures a microbial risk reduction for all dialysis patients.

Experimental comparison of point-of-use filters for drinking water ultrafiltration.

BACKGROUND: Waterborne pathogens such as Pseudomonas spp. and Legionella spp. may persist in hospital water networks despite chemical disinfection. Point-of-use filtration represents a physical control measure that can be applied in high-risk areas to contain the exposure to such pathogens. New technologies have enabled an extension of filters' lifetimes and have made available faucet hollow-fibre filters for water ultrafiltration. AIM: To compare point-of-use filters applied to cold water within their period of validity. METHODS: Faucet hollow-fibre filters (filter A), shower hollow-fibre filters (filter B) and faucet membrane filters (filter C) were contaminated in two different sets of tests with standard bacterial strains (Pseudomonas aeruginosa DSM 939 and Brevundimonas diminuta ATCC 19146) and installed at points-of-use. Every day, from each faucet, 100 L of water was flushed. Before and after flushing, 250 mL of water was collected and analysed for microbiology. FINDINGS: There was a high capacity of microbial retention from filter C; filter B released only low Brevundimonas spp. counts; filter A showed poor retention of both micro-organisms. CONCLUSION: Hollow-fibre filters did not show good micro-organism retention. All point-of-use filters require an appropriate maintenance of structural parameters to ensure their efficiency.

Evaluation of a modified cleaning procedure in the prevention of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clonal spread in a burn intensive care unit using a high-sensitivity luminometer.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced environmental cleaning practices are among the most accepted measures for controlling the spread of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CR-Ab). AIM: To evaluate the impact of heightened cleaning on an ongoing CR-Ab outbreak in a burn intensive care unit (BICU) of an Italian teaching hospital, where chlorhexidine-60% isopropyl alcohol was applied as a complementary disinfectant on high-touch surfaces. METHODS: Compliance with the microbial limit proposed for the BICU by AFNOR-NF-S90-351 (20 colony-forming units/100cm2) was assessed by plate count, and compared with the results obtained with intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) detection. Genotyping was performed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. FINDINGS: During the standard cleaning regimen, three out of 23 samples (13%) gave results over the AFNOR limit and five (21.7%) showed unacceptable ATP levels with 100 relative light units/100cm2 as the benchmark limit (sensibility 86.4%, specificity 92.2%). Following improvement of the cleaning procedure, only two samples out of 50 (4%) did not satisfy the microbiological criteria and seven (14%) exceeded the ATP limit. In a successive phase, eight of 30 samples collected showed unacceptable results (27%). CONCLUSIONS: Adding chlorhexidine-60% isopropyl alcohol as complementary disinfectant proved to be effective for reducing environmental microbial contamination, ATP levels and CR-Ab infection/colonization in patients admitted to the BICU. Real-time monitoring by ATP assay was useful for managing the cleaning schedule and reducing hospital infections, although the calculated values must be interpreted as cleanliness indicators rather than risk indicators.

A plant-inspired robot with soft differential bending capabilities.

We present the design and development of a plant-inspired robot, named Plantoid, with sensorized robotic roots. Natural roots have a multi-sensing capability and show a soft bending behaviour to follow or escape from various environmental parameters (i.e., tropisms). Analogously, we implement soft bending capabilities in our robotic roots by designing and integrating soft spring-based actuation (SSBA) systems using helical springs to transmit the motor power in a compliant manner. Each robotic tip integrates four different sensors, including customised flexible touch and innovative humidity sensors together with commercial gravity and temperature sensors. We show how the embedded sensing capabilities together with a root-inspired control algorithm lead to the implementation of tropic behaviours. Future applications for such plant-inspired technologies include soil monitoring and exploration, useful for agriculture and environmental fields.

Highly stretchable electroluminescent skin for optical signaling and tactile sensing.

Cephalopods such as octopuses have a combination of a stretchable skin and color-tuning organs to control both posture and color for visual communication and disguise. We present an electroluminescent material that is capable of large uniaxial stretching and surface area changes while actively emitting light. Layers of transparent hydrogel electrodes sandwich a ZnS phosphor-doped dielectric elastomer layer, creating thin rubber sheets that change illuminance and capacitance under deformation. Arrays of individually controllable pixels in thin rubber sheets were fabricated using replica molding and were subjected to stretching, folding, and rolling to demonstrate their use as stretchable displays. These sheets were then integrated into the skin of a soft robot, providing it with dynamic coloration and sensory feedback from external and internal stimuli.