Search

The article discusses various aspects of automated reasoning proof certificates, and it mentions the use of automated reasoning tools to find computer hardware and software-related bugs and security vulnerabilities. According to the article, formal proof certificates help improve trustworthiness. Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT), the efficient production of proofs, and SMT solvers are also assessed.

The study aims to describe midterm outcomes following treatment of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) with short necks by endosutured aneurysm repair using the Heli-FX EndoAnchor system.

The use of biological grafts provides acceptable mid- and long-term results in native or prosthetic vascular infections. Several reports describe the successful use of bovine pericardium in case of vascular infections, mainly as a large patch to be sutured as a tubular graft. Recently, a novel prefabricated bovine pericardium graft (Biointegral Surgical No-React® Inc, Mississauga, ON, Canada) has been introduced in clinical practice with promising results.

A multihospital study examined the impact of restricted clinical opportunities during COVID-19 on newly graduated nurses' experiences, self-reported competence, and self-reported errors upon entry into a nurse residency program and at 6 months. Newly graduated nurses' experiences (n= 2,005) were described using comparative data from cohorts before and during restricted experiences across 22 hospitals; minimal differences were observed. Nursing professional development specialists can utilize this information when creating and sustaining transition-to-practice programs.

Purpose: Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) represents an advanced radiation therapy capable of selectively killing tumor cells. It operates on a dual therapy approach, utilizing boronated agents that preferentially deliver boron-10 to tumors, followed by neutron irradiation. This leads to the emission of two ionizing particles. These particles expend all their energy over a distance comparable to the diameter of a cell and can cause irreparable damage to DNA when passing through the nucleus. Methods: This paper outlines the approach taken by the Italian National Cancer Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO) to achieve BNCT certification for clinical applications within the EU regulatory framework. Results: The existing literature reports excellent outcomes for many unresectable and recurrent tumors, especially in head and neck cancer (HNC). Conclusions: The paper seeks to clarify the rationale and methods for formulating a clinical trial design to meet these objectives.

We discuss single-shot decoding of quantum Calderbank-Shor-Steane codes with faulty syndrome measurements. We state the problem as a joint source-channel coding problem. By adding redundant rows to the code’s parity-check matrix, we obtain an additional syndrome error correcting code which addresses faulty syndrome measurements. Thereby, the redundant rows are chosen to obtain good syndrome error correction capabilities while keeping the stabilizer weights low. Optimal joint decoding rules are derived which, though too complex for general codes, can be evaluated for short quantum codes.

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text.

Aberrant subclavian artery (ASA) with or without Kommerell's diverticulum (KD) is a rare anatomic aortic arch anomaly that can cause dysphagia and/or life-threatening rupture. The objective of this study is to compare outcomes of ASA/KD repair in patients with a left versus right aortic arch.

Background. The Facial Disability Index (FDI) is widely used for self-assessment of functional impairment and quality of life in patients with facial palsy. Objective. The study aim was to complete the validation of the FDI by generating an Italian version (IT-FDI) and evaluating its clinimetric properties. Design. This was a longitudinal, observational measurement study. Methods. The questionnaire was translated, cross-culturally adapted, and administered to 100 consecutive participants (outpatients) with facial palsy. The clinical severity of facial palsy, impairments in physical and social function, and quality of life were evaluated with the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System, IT-FDI, and 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Results. The IT-FDI showed excellent test-retest reliability for every item and for total scores (intraclass correlation coefficients of .93 and .84 for physical function subscale and social/well-being function subscale, respectively). The IT-FDI confirmed the high internal consistency of the original version, with theta coefficients of .82 for the physical function subscale and .78 for the social/well-being function subscale. The physical function subscale correlated with the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System composite score (r=.44), and the social/well-being function subscale correlated with the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey mental component (r=.55). The IT-FDI confirmed the good responsiveness of the original version, as expressed by effect size, standardized response mean, and responsiveness ratio of, respectively, 1, 1.03, and 1.21 for the physical function subscale and 0.75, 0.83, and 1.15 for the social/well-being function subscale. Limitations. Responsiveness was evaluated with a limited number of participants. Conclusions. The results demonstrated the test-retest reliability for all items of the FDI and confirmed its internal consistency, construct validity, and responsiveness with an independent and larger clinical subset. This study completes the validation of the FDI and provides the first validated questionnaire in Italian for assessment of disability and quality of life specifically in patients with facial palsy., Facial palsy is the most frequent affliction of cranial nerves and may result in a wide range of functional limitations, such as difficulties in eating, drinking, speaking, and ocular problems. [...]

Background: Older adults and immunocompromised individulas are often excluded from vaccine trials. Aim: We hypothesised that during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the proportion of trials excluding these patients decreased. Methods: Using the US Food and Drug Administration and and European Medicines Agency search engines, we identified all vaccines approved against pneumococcal disease, influenza (quadrivalent vaccines), and COVID-19 from 2011 to 2021. Study protocols were screened for direct and indirect age exclusion criteria and exclusion of immunocompromised individuals. In addition, we reviewed the studies with no explicit exclusion criteria and investigated the actual inclusion of those individuals. Results: We identified 2024 trial records; 1702 were excluded (e.g., use of other vaccine or risk group); and 322 studies were eligible for our review. Among the pneumococcal and influenza vaccine trials (n= 193), 81 (42%) had an explicit direct age exclusion, and 150 (78%) had an indirect age-related exclusion. In total, 163 trials (84%) trials were likely to exclude older adults. Among the COVID-19 vaccine trials (n= 129), 33 (26%) had direct age exclusion and 82 (64%) had indirect age exclusion; in total, 85 (66%) trials were likely to exclude older adults. Therefore was a 18% decrease in the proportion of trials with age-related exclusion between 2011 and 2021 (only influenza and pneumococcal vaccine trials) and 2020–2021 (only COVID-19 vaccine trials) (p= 0.014). In a sub-analysis assessing observational and randomised trials, the decrease was 25% and 9%, respectively. Immunocompromised individuals were included in 87 (45%) of the pneumococcal and influenza vaccine trials compared with 54 (42%) of the COVID-19 vaccine trials (p = 0.058). Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, we found a decrease in the exclusion of older adults from vaccine trials but no significant change in the inclusion of immunocompromised individulas.

AbstractBackgroundCerebellar hemorrhage (CBH) represents the main form of direct cerebellar injury in preterm infants. Most CBHs occur bilaterally, while isolated unilateral hemorrhages are less frequent and often associated with focal atrophy. Limited and heterogeneous data exist on preterm birth, unilateral CBH and consequent long-term neurodevelopmental and non-motor outcomes.Case reportThis is the case of a six-year-old child, born preterm, diagnosed with a complete atrophy of the right cerebellar hemisphere through brain MRI and presenting mild social atypies, visuo-perceptive and pragmatic language impairment, but only minor neurological signs.DiscussionDespite the large extension of the patient’s CBH neurological sequelae were mild, likely due to cerebellar plasticity, and only specific deficits in non-motor, behavioral and social skills were shown. Evidence exists on cerebellar contribution to dynamic visual information processing and to perceptual signals detection and prediction, that might explain the presence of non-motor signs.

Background: Sunitinib is still a recommended treatment option for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients; lack of cross-resistance to sequential antiangiogenic drugs has been postulated.Objective: The possibility of a successful rechallenge with sunitinib was tested in this prospective phase II trial.Methods: Main inclusion criteria were: histologically proven RCC with clear cell component, previous first-line sunitinib with a Disease Control Rate lasting ⩾10 months, and second-line everolimus. The primary end-point was 6-months progression-free survival (PFS). A Simon’s 2-stage design was used; after testing sunitinib on 12 patients, the trial would have been terminated if ⩽5 had a PFS <6 months. Otherwise, the trial would have proceeded enrolling a total of 38 patients. If the total number of patients free of progression at 6 months would have been ⩽18, sunitinib would have been rejected.Results: A total of 39 patients (30 males, 9 females) were enrolled. The study reached the second stage, and ultimately succeeded; indeed, 6-months PFS was 64.1%, median PFS being 14.9 months (95% confidence interval: 9.06–20.91). Treatment-related grade 3–4 adverse events observed in ⩾5% of the patients were: hand-foot skin reaction, fatigue, nausea, hypertriglyceridemia, hypophosphatemia, hypocalcemia, hyperglycemia, and neutropenia. One case each of myocardial infarction, atrial flutter, and spontaneous pneumothorax, were also reported.Conclusions: Despite an ineluctable time-lead-bias, median PFS on sunitinib rechallenge was high, clearly showing that many patients may become sensitive again to antiangiogenic treatment. In countries where treatment options are still limited, sunitinib rechallenge could represent an option. EudraCT number: 2012-000473-23.

Purpose: This article reports the results of a randomized field experiment that tested the effects of a new business intervention among managers of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in England. Design/methodology/approach: Individual managers (learners) were randomly assigned in clusters (companies) to either an intervention group (265 learners; 40 SMEs) receiving a novel virtual, blended training program designed to stimulate a change in management behavior or a no-intervention group (118 learners; 22 SMEs). Findings: The results show that the primary objective of changing management behavior to use more of an Operational Coaching™ style of management has been achieved (to a statistically significant level), and this is against the backdrop of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. Positive trends in SME productivity metrics were also observed in the intervention group companies. Originality/value: These important results could be indicative of the economic and productivity impact that a change in management behavior could have, and they warrant serious further investigation.

NATURAL INSTINCTS Dress with belt and shoes, Stella McCartney; cuff, Sequin, $48; ring, Gara Danielle, $185 BLOWN AWAY Dress, Pattinson J. Kincaid, $138; vest, American Eagle Outfitters, S49.50; sandals, ZiGi, [...]

JUST BREATHE Dress, Bebe, $129; shoes, Dolce & Gabbana; necklace, Isaac Manevitz for Ben-Amun, $205 ALL DECKED OUT Dress, 3.1 Phillip Lim, $350; sandals, $155, and bag, $190, Mystique; scarf, [...]

Letting go is a breeze when you're wearing leather-light fabrics in shades so soft, they look faded by the sun. The only thing sexier? Your skin, just barely visible underneath [...]

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the perfusion density (PD) of macular superficial (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), the size of foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and central macular thickness (CMT) in healthy children using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A).Patients and methods: About 206 eyes of 111 children were analyzed. The correlation of gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), age, sex, refractive errors, and visual acuity (VA) with OCT-A parameters were investigated.Results: The mean PD of the fovea and the mean FAZ area of SCP were 17.1% (DS: 4.26) and 234.47 (DS: 106.39) µm2. The mean PD of the fovea and the mean FAZ area of DCP were 13.5% (DS: 5.23) and 298.32 (DS: 112.37) µm2. Superficial and deep FAZ areas were not correlated with sex, age, BW, refractive errors, or VA. FAZ area of SCP was correlated with foveal PD (r= −0.76) and with CMT (r= −0.68). FAZ area of DCP was correlated with foveal’s PD (r= −0.61). There was no correlation between CMT and refractive errors.Conclusion: OCT-A may provide a non-invasive and reliable approach to evaluate macular perfusion in children. As the FAZ area, PD, and CMT change during the growth period, we performed established a reference range for different ages.

Purpose: To evaluate morphological differences in retinal nerve fibers layers (RNFL), optic nerve head (ONH), ganglion cell complex (GCC), and macular thickness between amblyopic and normal eyes from spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).Methods: Of 234 eyes of 117 children, four groups emerged: group A (162 eyes of 81 non-amblyopic subjects); group B (32 fellow eyes of 32 subjects with monolateral amblyopia); group C (32 amblyopic eyes of 32 subjects affected by monolateral amblyopia); group D (8 amblyopic eyes of 4 subjects with bilateral amblyopia). Patients underwent SD-OCT for ONH parameters, RNFL, GCC and macular thickness, retina map, and ONH scan quality index (SQI). Two-sided pvalues <0.05 were taken as statistically significant. (Analysis: STATA v.13).Results: Parameters with a significant difference between groups (p< 0.005) with their Standard Deviation (SD) are presented: rim area, 2.08 (0.49) mm2in group A and 1.76 (0.68) mm2in group C; disk area, 2.43 (0.45) mm2in group A and 2.02 (0.71) mm2in group C; central macular thickness, 250.99 (19.74) µm in group A and 267.16 (23.52) µm in group C; nerve fiber ONH SQI, 62.82 (13.15) in group A, 51.26 (15.55) in group C, 48.29 (14.37) in group D; retina map SQI, 63.34 (10.34) in group A and 57.34 (9.84) in group C. For other parameters no significant difference was observed (p> 0.005).Conclusions: Amblyopia may influence optic nerve morphology, central macular thickness, and OCT scan quality. RNFL and GCC are not affected by monolateral amblyopia.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2007.11.011 Byline: Rocco Trisolini (a), Carmine Tinelli (d), Alessandra Cancellieri (b), Daniela Paioli (a), Marco Alifano (c)(e), Maurizio Boaron (c), Marco Patelli (a) Abbreviations: CT, computed tomography; ROSE, rapid on-site cytopathologic examination; TBLB, transbronchial lung biopsy; TBNA, transbronchial needle aspiration Abstract: Transbronchial needle aspiration is a useful diagnostic procedure in sarcoidosis, but widely variable yields are reported. This study determined the diagnostic contribution of standard transbronchial needle aspiration in a large series of patients with sarcoidosis and evaluated predictor variables that might influence its results. Author Affiliation: (a) Unit of Thoracic Endoscopy and Pulmonology, Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, Italy (b) Unit of Pathology, Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, Italy (c) Unit of Thoracic Surgery, Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, Italy (d) Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry Service, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy (e) Thoracic Surgery Unit, HA[acute accent]tel-Dieu Hospital, AP-AH, Paris, France Article History: Received 28 July 2007; Revised 29 October 2007; Accepted 13 November 2007

Study objectives: Transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) during flexible bronehoscopy (FB) is the recommended procedure for diagnosing sarcoidosis in most cases, although its yield in stage I disease is reported to [...]

Study objectives: To evaluate early and late lung function abnormalities and their predictors in a large sample of children who underwent bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for leukemias in the 1990s, [...]

An in-depth guide to sweating is presented. Advice is offered on how to use natural odours to your advantage.

A photo-shoot of summer fashion is presented. Designs featured are minimalist and playful.

Purpose: The management of tandem extracranial internal carotid artery and intracranial large vessel occlusion during endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has been under-investigated. We sought to investigate outcomes of AIS patients with tandem occlusion (TO) treated with carotid artery stenting (CAS) compared to those not treated with CAS (no-CAS) during EVT. Methods: We performed a cohort study using data from AIS patients enrolled in the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke. Outcomes were 3 months’ mortality, functional outcome, complete and successful recanalization, any intracranial hemorrhage, parenchymal hematoma and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. Results: Among 466 AIS patients with TO, CAS patients were 122 and no-CAS patients were 226 (118 excluded). After adjustment for unbalanced variables, CAS was associated with a lower rate of 3 months’ mortality (OR 0.407, 95% CI 0.171–0.969, p= 0.042). After adjustment for pre-defined variables, CAS was associated with a lower rate of 3 months’ mortality (aOR 0.430, 95% CI 0.187–0.989, p= 0.047) and a higher rate of complete recanalization (aOR 1.986, 95% CI 1.121–3.518, p= 0.019), successful recanalization (aOR 2.433, 95% CI 1.263–4.686, p= 0.008) and parenchymal hematoma (aOR 2.876, 95% CI 1.173–7.050, p= 0.021). CAS was associated with lower 3 months mortality (OR 0.373, 95% CI 0.141–0.982, p= 0.046) and higher rates of successful recanalization (OR 2.082, 95% CI 1.099–3.942, p= 0.024) after adjustment for variables associated with 3 months’ mortality and successful recanalization, respectively. Conclusions: Among AIS patients with TO, CAS during EVT was associated with a higher rate of successful reperfusion and a lower rate of 3 months’ mortality.

In 243 of 945 patients having lung percutaneous needle biopsy, we retrospectively evaluated 10 independent variables that potentially influence the incidence of pneumothorax (PNX): age, sex, lesion size, number of [...]

Among asymptomatic patients with severe carotid artery stenosis but no recent stroke or transient cerebral ischaemia, either carotid artery stenting (CAS) or carotid endarterectomy (CEA) can restore patency and reduce long-term stroke risks. However, from recent national registry data, each option causes about 1% procedural risk of disabling stroke or death. Comparison of their long-term protective effects requires large-scale randomised evidence.

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates. The impact of thrombotic complications has been increasingly recognized as an important component of this disease.

The main aim was to assess the performance and cutoff value for the detection of liver steatosis (grade S > 0) with the Attenuation Imaging–Penetration (ATI‐Pen) algorithm available on the Aplio i‐series ultrasound systems (Canon Medical Systems, Otawara, Japan). The magnetic resonance imaging–derived proton density fat fraction (MRI‐PDFF) was used as the reference standard. Secondary aims were to compare the results to those obtained with the previous ATI algorithm (Attenuation Imaging–General [ATI‐Gen]) and with the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and to generate a regression equation between ATI‐Pen and ATI‐Gen values. Consecutive adult patients potentially at risk of liver steatosis were prospectively enrolled. Each patient underwent ultrasound quantification of liver steatosis with ATI‐Pen and ATI‐Gen and a CAP assessment with the FibroScan system (Echosens, Paris, France). The MRI‐PDFF evaluation was performed within a week. The correlations between ATI‐Pen, ATI‐Gen, the CAP, and the MRI‐PDFF were analyzed with the Pearson rank correlation coefficient. The diagnostic performance of ATI‐Pen, ATI‐Gen, and the CAP was assessed with receiver operating characteristic curves and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analysis. Seventy‐two individuals (31 male and 41 female) were enrolled. Correlation coefficients of ATI‐Pen, ATI‐Gen, and the CAP with the MRI‐PDFF were 0.78, 0.83, and 0.58, respectively. The AUROCs of ATI‐Pen, ATI‐Gen, and the CAP for detecting steatosis (S > 0) were 0.90 (95% confidence interval, 0.81–0.96), 0.92 (0.82–0.98), and 0.85 (0.74–0.92), and the cutoffs were greater than 0.69 dB/cm/MHz, greater than 0.62 dB/cm/MHz, and greater than 273 dB/m. The regression equation between ATI‐Pen and ATI‐Gen was ATI‐Pen = 0.88 ATI‐Gen + 0.13. Attenuation Imaging is a reliable tool for detecting liver steatosis, showing an excellent correlation with the MRI‐PDFF and high performance with AUROCs of 0.90 or higher. Access the CME test hereand search by article title.

Background:Axillary artery aneurysms are rare conditions, and their causes are various. They can determine severe complications, so the treatment is extremely important.

BackgroundInpatients experiencing homelessness are often discharged to unstable accommodation or the street, which may increase the risk of readmission.MethodsWe conducted a cohort study of 2772 homeless patients discharged after an emergency admission at 78 hospitals across England between November 2013 and November 2016. For each individual, we selected a housed patient who lived in a socioeconomically deprived area, matched on age, sex, hospital, and year of discharge. Counts of emergency readmissions, planned readmissions, and Accident and Emergency (A&E) visits post-discharge were derived from national hospital databases, with a median of 2.8 years of follow-up. We estimated the cumulative incidence of readmission over 12 months, and used negative binomial regression to estimate rate ratios.ResultsAfter adjusting for health measured at the index admission, homeless patients had 2.49 (95% CI 2.29 to 2.70) times the rate of emergency readmission, 0.60 (95% CI 0.53 to 0.68) times the rate of planned readmission and 2.57 (95% CI 2.41 to 2.73) times the rate of A&E visits compared with housed patients. The 12-month risk of emergency readmission was higher for homeless patients (61%, 95% CI 59% to 64%) than housed patients (33%, 95% CI 30% to 36%); and the risk of planned readmission was lower for homeless patients (17%, 95% CI 14% to 19%) than for housed patients (30%, 95% CI 28% to 32%). While the risk of emergency readmission varied with the reason for admission for housed patients, for example being higher for admissions due to cancers than for those due to accidents, the risk was high across all causes for homeless patients.ConclusionsHospital patients experiencing homelessness have high rates of emergency readmission that are not explained by health. This highlights the need for discharge arrangements that address their health, housing and social care needs.

ABSTRACTAquaculture is a key component of the animal food industry, but intensive farming conditions increase the incidence of infectious diseases. Oxytetracycline (OTC) plays a major role for infectious diseases in fishes. Its MRLs include their 4-epimers, so in this trial, the depletion of residues of OTC and 4-epioxytetracycline in muscle and liver have been evaluated in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) after oral administration. Hepatotoxicity has been investigated with histopathological effects on target tissues. A validated DAD-HPLC with SPE extraction has been applied. Residual levels in muscle and liver depleted with a similar kel, but mean retention time and t½ßresulted longer in muscle than in liver because of different vascularization. The OTC concentrations were below the LMR at 48 h after dosing. No analytical peaks ascribable to 4-epi-OTC or other derivatives were detected, while histopathology of liver showed degenerated parenchymal hepatocytes, nuclear pyknosis, focal necrosis and inflammatory leucocytes infiltration. It can be concluded that the assessment of pharmacokinetic and residual depletion of antibiotics result fundamental to determine the most suitable therapeutic regime and to minimize the toxic effects in fish species.

The increase in the aged population led to a global rise in the demand for elderly healthcare services, such as long-term care facilities (LTCFs), nursing homes, residential homes. Unfortunately, the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in these structures represent an urgent public health threat requiring immediate action. The aim of this review is to provide a practice guide for the prevention of infections in European LTCFs. A team of experts identify specific problems and proposed practical solutions for the management of colonized and infected patients residing in LTCFs. The heterogeneity of LTCF represents one of the main problems for the implementation of standardized surveillance and infection control programs. Crucial steps involved in the spread of infections among LTCF residents are represented by patient’s accommodation, MDRO screening on admission, management of patients with rectal colonization by MDROs, management of patients at high risk of MDRO infections, MDRO transmission by staff and implementation of antimicrobial stewardship. Efforts to implement specific actions in each of these fields are required to reduce the infections in this setting.

Green Green is grass, basil, and ... trees. Green sometimes makes me sneeze! Michael Tinelli Age 6 * [...]

Acute myeloid leukemia is characterized by the accumulation of clonal myeloid blast cells unable to differentiate into mature leukocytes. Chemotherapy induces remission in the majority of patients, but relapse rates are high and lead to poor clinical outcomes. Because this is primarily caused by chemotherapy-resistant leukemic stem cells (LSCs), it is essential to eradicate LSCs to improve patient survival. LSCs have predominantly been studied at the transcript level, thus information about posttranscriptionally regulated genes and associated networks is lacking. Here, we extend our previous report on LSC proteomes to healthy age-matched hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and correlate the proteomes to the corresponding transcriptomes. By comparing LSCs to leukemic blasts and healthy HSPCs, we validate candidate LSC markers and highlight novel and potentially targetable proteins that are absent or only lowly expressed in HSPCs. In addition, our data provide strong evidence that LSCs harbor a characteristic energy metabolism, adhesion molecule composition, as well as RNA-processing properties. Furthermore, correlating proteome and transcript data of the same individual samples highlights the strength of proteome analyses, which are particularly potent in detecting alterations in metabolic pathways. In summary, our study provides a comprehensive proteomic and transcriptomic characterization of functionally validated LSCs, blasts, and healthy HSPCs, representing a valuable resource helping to design LSC-directed therapies.

•Physiological changes that occur with ageing can affect antibiotic pharmacokinetics.•Renal clearance is the most important factor affecting antibiotic levels in the elderly.•Few studies on antibiotic pharmacokinetics are available in elderly patients.•Inadequate drug dosages may favour drug-related adverse events in the elderly.•Therapeutic drug monitoring can guide antibiotic therapy in elderly patients.

Introduction: To identify novel velocity waveform parameters of the ophthalmic artery and central retinal artery by computer-aided image processing of Doppler ultrasonography measurements, and to evaluate correlations between the waveform parameters and different demographics and disease severity of open-angle glaucoma patients.Methods: Thirty-six images of 36 open-angle glaucoma patients were considered. A semiautomated image processing code was used to detect the digitalized ophthalmic artery and central retinal artery velocity waveforms and to extract the waveform parameters. Concordance correlation coefficient, two-sample t-test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used to test for similarities, differences, and associations among variables.Results: Female glaucoma patients showed a statistically higher ophthalmic artery normalized distance between ascending and descending limb (p = 0.004), hypertensive glaucoma patients a statistically higher ophthalmic artery peak systolic velocity time (p = 0.025), glaucoma patients with hyperlipidemia a statistically higher ophthalmic artery resistivity index (p = 0.023) and a statistically higher ophthalmic artery peak systolic velocity acceleration (p = 0.025), glaucoma patients with cardiovascular diseases a statistically lower central retinal artery normalized distance between ascending and descending limb of the wave (p = 0.033) and a statistically higher central retinal artery period (p = 0.028), and patients with different body mass index a statistically different central retinal artery normalized distance between ascending and descending limb of the wave (p = 0.016). Groups with different disease severity, classified following the Brusini glaucoma staging system 2, showed statistically different central retinal artery normalized distance between ascending and descending limb of the wave (p < 0.001) and central retinal artery period (p = 0.016). No statistical differences were found in regard to race, diabetes status, glaucoma family history, and smoking.Discussion: Ophthalmic artery and central retinal artery computer-aided analysis of velocity waveforms could identify novel waveform parameters capable of differentiating among different demographics and disease severity of open-angle glaucoma patients.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.