Previous studies have demonstrated that maturation of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific antibodies in solid organ transplant recipients is delayed after primary CMV infection. To investigate the clinical significance of this finding, the avidity indices of anti-CMV antibody were determined in parallel with other serologic and virologic parameters in serial serum samples from 24 solid organ transplant recipients who had primary CMV infection that began during the first 3 months after transplantation. The data obtained show that a delay in antibody maturation is significantly correlated with a long persistence of positive antigenemia.

Among the causes of in-hospital acute renal failure, contrast-induced nephropathy ranks third in prevalence. Although it represents a condition of renal impairment with spontaneous recovery, contrast nephropathy should always be considered, because it prolongs hospitalization and it may become a severe complication requiring dialysis. The purposes of this study are: (i) to determine if the application of the most effective contrast-induced nephropathy prevention strategies in the Cardiology Intensive Care Unit can prove to be successful in reducing nephropathy risk; and (ii) to identify which of the involved risk factors persist after the preventive treatment. We examined the patients who had a coronarography at the Bentivoglio hospital from April 2007 to April 2008 who required at least 3 days of permanence in hospital due to the presence of potential risk factors; 136 out of 784 patients were included. Among the selected patients, 21 (15.44%) developed a renal impairment compatible with contrast-induced nephropathy. The risk factors that seemed to display the best correlation with risk of contrast nephropathy were advanced age and an ventricular failure (ejection fraction <40%); however, the critical condition did not appear to be due to a single risk factor, but it resulted from the association of more contextual risk factors. Particularly, the concomitant presence of ventricular failure, anemia, diabetes, previous myocardial infarction and advanced age (>70 years) determined a threefold increased risk of contrast nephropathy. Our data suggest that the development of contrast nephropathy following coronarography is associated with worse renal function during hospitalization and at discharge.

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In this paper is analyzed a case study of an upgrade of an industry communication system developed by following 'Frascati' research guidelines. The goal of the proposed model is to enhance the industry knowledge Base-KB-by acting directly on information communication system improvements and data system integration, enabling automated process and data processing. The paper follow all the steps performed during the project development: the preliminary data infrastructure design, the information infrastructure improvements, and data processing. Data processing is performed by a calculus engine embedding data mining association rules and Artificial Neural Network-ANN-predictive algorithms thus improving the research. The calculus engine has been implemented by a multiple variables model where the contract data are preliminary processed in order to define functions classifying the operation processes and activating automatically the service process management. The business intelligence-BI-operations are performed mainly by the calculus engine optimizing industry performances. The goal of the paper is to show how research and development-R&D-can be applied by gaining and optimizing the knowledge and processes of an Italian industry working in car services. The project has been developed with the collaboration of the industry ACI Global working in roadside assistance services. By means of a research project resources, the information technology-IT-infrastructure has been improved by new solutions of the communication system and of the data transfer. The proposed case of study provides a model and a guideline to follow in order to apply research in industry acting directly on data and information network.