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Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 12-weeks concurrent aerobic plus resistance exercise training (CT) on short –term blood pressure variability (BPV) and BP values in hypertensive patients with non-dippper BP nocturnal pattern and underlying coronary artery disease. The study included 72 consecutive patients who were divided into two groups according to the nocturnal BP pattern: dipping pattern (33 pts) and non-dipping (39 pts). Before starting CT and at 12 weeks patients underwent six minute walk test, ergometric test, assessment of 1-repetiton mximun (1RM), and 24/h BP monitoring (24-h ABPM). After CT exercise capacity increased in both groups in a similar fashion. Twenty-four/h systolic BPV and daytime systolic BPV decreased significantly in the dipping group while they were unchanged in the nondipping group (between groups changes: -1.0 mmHg and -1.3 mmHg; p 0.02 and p 0.006 respectively). Twenty-four/h systolic BP and daytime systolic BP decreased significantly in the dipping group while were unchanged in the non-dipping group (between groups changes: -7.1 mmHg and -7.8 mmHg; p 0.004 and p 0.0002 respectively). Nighttime systolic BP and BPV was unchanged in both groups. Twenty-four/h diastolic BP presented small not significant changes in both groups. In conclusion: the effects of CT on BPV and BP were blunted in hypertensive subjects with non.dipping BP pattern

Background Heart Failure (HF) is a relevant issue for public health issue: it affects more than 64 million people worldwide1, and its burden is anticipated to increase as the population ages. Dapagliflozin is an inhibitor of the sodium–glucose cotransporter–2 (SGLT2i). In the DAPA–HF trial, dapagliflozin reduced the risk of hospitalisation for HF and death in patients with HFrEF (with or without Type 2 Diabetes) compared to placebo2,3,4. Currently, there is a lack of data on characteristics, treatment profiles, and patient reported outcomes (PROs) of patients initiated on dapagliflozin for HFrEF in clinical practice: the EVOLUTION–HF programme is aimed at answering those questions by collecting real–world data in 13 European Countries, including Italy. The primary objective is to characterise patients initiated on dapagliflozin for the treatment of HFrEF and to estimate occurrence of treatment discontinuations. Secondary objectives include an assessment of Health–related Quality of Life (HR–QoL) by means of the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ), patient–reported adherence to prescriptions of pharmacological treatments for HF (Medication Adherence Report Scale – 5 Item), performance on 6–Minutes Walking Test. Methods The study has an observational, longitudinal, descriptive design. To be enrolled, patients must be 18 years old or older and have initiated treatment with dapagliflozin according to the approved HFrEF label. Patients with a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes or previously treated with any SGLT2i are excluded from the study. Follow–up lasts one year from start of treatment. Sample size has been estimated in 250 patients, that will be enrolled in 11 centres. Results The study is currently ongoing, and it will generate evidences on the use and tolerability of dapagliflozin, as well as on treatment patterns of other pharmacological therapies for HF and diabetes. Also, the study will generate data from PROs regarding change of KCCQ across time, adherence to HF therapies in clinical practice, and 6–Minutes Walking Tesst. Multivariate analyses will evaluate association between patients’ characteristics and interruption of treatment, adherence and HR–QoL. The interim analysis will be available in the first months of 2023. Conclusions The EVOLUTION–HF Italy study Il programma di studio EVOLUTION–HF supporterà la pratica clinica con dati originali sull‘uso nel mondo reale delle nuove terapie farmacologiche per l‘HFrEF.

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background. Concurrent aerobic plus resistance exercise (RAE) and high intensive interval exercise (HIIE) are both effective on inducing post-exercise hypotension (PEH) in patients with hypertension. However central hemodynamic changes asssociated to PEH in hypertensive subjects with underlying ischemic heart disease (IHD) have been poorly investigated. Aim: to compare the acute effects produced by these two exercise modalities on left ventricular diastolic function and left atrial function . Methods. Twenty untrained male patients with history of hypertension and IHD under stable pharmacological therapy were enrolled. Each patient underwent 3 exercise sessions: RAE, HIIE and a control session without exercise each lasting 45 minutes. Echocardiography examination was performed before and between 30 minutes and 40 minutes from the end of the exercise sessions. Results. In the first hour post exercise BP values decreased in a similar way in RAE and HIIE and were unchanged after control. Compared to pre-session, E/E1 ratio increased after HIIE and remained unchanged after both RAE snd control sessions (between-sessions p 0.002). PALS increased sligthly after RAE (+1.4 ± 1.1%), decreased after HIIE (-4.6 ± 2.4%) . and was unchanged after control. (between-sessions p 0.03). PACS was mildly increased after RAE, was reduced after HIIE. and was unchanged after control. Atrial volume was unchanged after both sessions. Left ventricular and left atrial stiffness increased significantly after HIEE while remained unchanged after RAE and control. Stroke volume and cardiac output increased after RAE, decreased after HIIE, anùd were unchanged after control. Conclusion. Single sessions of RAE and HIIE determined similar PEHs in hypertensive subjects with IHD, while they evoked different central hemodinamyc adjustements. Given its neutral effects of on diastolic and atrial functions, RAE seems more suitable for reducing blood pressure in hypertensive patients with IHD .

Five arsenic-resistant bacterial strains designated MT1, MT2, MT3, V1 and V2 were isolated from sediments of the Oliveri-Tindari Lagoon (Italy), which comprises six small lakes whose sediments contain low arsenic concentrations. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences assigned them to the genus Bacillus. Bacillus sp. strain MT3 showed higher tolerance to As(III) and As(V), as indicated by minimum inhibitory concentrations of 14 and 135 mmol−1, respectively. Bacillus sp. strain V1 showed growth inhibition at 14 mmol−1 in the presence of As(III) and at 68 mmol−1 in the presence of As(V), whereas the arsenic resistance of Bacillus sp. strain MT1 was 10 and 27 mmol−1 for As(III) and As(V), respectively. The strains Bacillus spp. MT2 and V2 showed low levels of As(III) and As(V) resistance, as it was unable to grow at concentrations>7 and 14 mmol−1, respectively. The isolated arsenic-resistant Bacillus spp. strains were able to reduce As(V) to As(III), especially Bacillus spp. strain MT3. This stu...

Two bacterial strains were isolated in the presence of naphthalene as the sole carbon and energy source from sediments of the Orbetello Lagoon, Italy, which is highly contaminated with both organic compounds and metals. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of the two isolates assigned the strains to the genera Paenibacillus and Pseudomonas. The effect of different contaminants on the growth behaviors of the two strains was investigated. Pseudomonas sp. ORNaP2 showed a higher tolerance to benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene than Paenibacillus sp. ORNaP1. In addition, the toxicity of heavy metals potentially present as co-pollutants in the investigated site was tested. Here, strain Paenibacillus sp. ORNaP1 showed a higher tolerance towards arsenic, cadmium, and lead, whereas it was far more sensitive towards mercury than strain Pseudomonas sp. ORNaP2. These differences between the Gram-negative Pseudomonas and the Gram-positive Paenibacillus strain can be explained by different general adaptive response systems present in the two bacteria.

Bacteria are able to adapt to heavy metals in contaminated environments, by developing specific mechanisms of resistance. A mercury (Hg)-resistant bacterial community was isolated from polluted sediments of the Orbetello Lagoon, Italy. The members of the Hg-resistant bacterial community showed high levels of resistance both to the inorganic and to the organic forms of Hg. 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed the presence of different genera, and a bacterial strain resistant to Hg belonging to the genus Luteimonas was evidenced for the first time. The merA gene coding for mercury-reductase conferring resistance to inorganic Hg, and the merB gene coding for mercury-lyase enzymes, for resistance to the organic forms of Hg, were detected in the tested bacterial strains. The community showed the presence of bacteria belonging to the genera Pseudomonas and Psychrobacter that highlighted the capability to reduce Hg2+ to the volatile form of Hg0 . Experiments carried out with immobilized cells of the Hg-resistant strains removed 96% of Hg in sediments leachates in a bioremediation laboratory scale pilot plant. A methylating activity of the sulphate-reducing bacteria of the same polluted sediments was moreover evidenced. These results evidenced the presence of microbial communities highly adapted to the presence of Hg into the sediments of the lagoon. The use of the isolated autochthonous bacterial strains for bioremediation of the native sediments contaminated by Hg is suggested.

The Q-Tc interval duration on the electrocardiogram is recognized to differ between the sexes. In vitro data and data from humans before and after puberty and menopause suggest that sex hormones play a role in the longer Q-Tc intervals in women, or conversely, the shorter Q-Tc intervals in men. Direct investigations of sex hormone effects on the Q-Tc interval in humans, however, are limited and reach conflicting conclusions. Our objective was to determine effects of testosterone on ECG Q-T intervals of older men and older women. ECG's from 84 older men and older women in double-blind placebo-controlled investigations of testosterone supplementation for the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) were analysed. Thirty men received 1000mg intramuscular long-acting testosterone undecanoate and 28 men received saline at 0, 6 and 12weeks. ECG's were recorded at baseline and 12weeks. Sixteen women received transdermal testosterone (33μg) and 10 women received matching placebo twice weekly for 24 weeks with ECG's at baseline and after 24weeks. Testosterone, but not placebo, shortened Q-T and Q-Tc intervals without heart rate changes. Q-T intervals decreased from 385±28 (mean±SD) to 382±28 ms (p0.002) and Q-Tc intervals decreased from 398±26 to 392±27 (p0.006) in men on testosterone. In women, Q-T intervals decreased from 400±25 to 397±23ms (p=0.06) and Q-Tc intervals from 415±26 to 409±27ms (p=0.3) on testosterone. Q-T intervals were longer in women compared with men under all conditions (p0.03). The data support a direct effect of testosterone to shorten Q-T intervals in older men and older women in the absence of HR changes or hypogonadal status. Mean decreases are small and unlikely to affect risks of arrhythmic events in patients receiving Q-T prolonging medications.

This study was aimed to isolate Hg-resistant bacteria from contaminated sediments of the Orbetello Lagoon in Italy and to assess their possible use as biofilms in bioremediation processes. Enrichment cultures prepared from contaminated sediments in the presence of 0.05 mM of mercury and under aerobic conditions allowed the isolation of five heterotrophic bacterial strains. 16S rDNA gene sequencing assigned the isolated strains to the genera Pseudomonas and Psychrobacter. For the first time mercury-resistant bacterial strains belonging to the genus Psychrobacter were evidenced. Minimum inhibitory concentrations in the presence of HgCl2 and of CH3HgCl showed high levels of resistance. EC50 values for the isolated bacterial strains in the presence of HgCl2 and of CH3HgCl confirmed the adaptation to the metal. Hg-resistant strains ORHg1, ORHg4 and ORHg5 showed the capacity to volatilize inorganic and organic mercury to elemental mercury, and formed biofilms on pumice particles, and were shown to play a role in the removal of mercury from sediment leachates. This study reports isolation and characterization of new Hg-resistant bacterial strains and provides novel insight into their possible use in bioremediation processes of mercury polluted sediments.

In 2003–2006, the distribution of macronutrients and pollutants of environmental interest was investigated in surficial sediments collected from 10 southern Italy harbors selected in four different regions. About 167 stations were sampled to determine levels of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorous, trace elements (Al, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, Zn, Hg, As), short- and long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons ( Hy C > 12 and Hy C

Background: Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) show muscle mass wasting and decreased exercise capacity. Testosterone supplementation improves several clinical and metabolic parameters in male CHF subjects. No studies have evaluated the effects of long-term testosterone administration on female patients with CHF. Aim: To assess the effect of a 6 months testosterone administration on exercise capacity, muscle strength, and insulin resistance in female patients with advanced CHF. Methods: Thirty-two elderly female patients (pts) with stable CHF, mean age 68,6 ± 7, ejection fraction 32,9 ± 6, NYHA class III, were enrolled. Of these, 20 were randomized to receive testosterone therapy (T) (through transdermal patch) and 12 to receive placebo (P), both on top of maximal medical therapy. At baseline, at three and after 6 months patients underwent echocardiogram, cardiopulmonary test, 6-minute walking test (6MWT), quadriceps maximal isometric voluntary contraction(MVC) and peaktorque (PT) and HOMA index assesment. Results: VO2 and distance walked at 6MWT significantly improved in T group from baseline both at three (+20%; +36% respectively) and six months (+28%; 41% respectively) while were unchanged in the P group. At six months Patients of T group had a significantly higher increase of both MVC and PT than P group. HOMA-R was significantly reduced (− 15% vs +5%; p < 0.05) and HDL-cholesterol levels were increased (+22% vs p < 0.05).in T group respect to P. NYHA class improved (from III to II) in 7/20 pts of T group and 2/12 of P group. Increase in free testosterone levels were significantly related to improvement in VO2 peak (r 0,42; p 0.032). No significant echocardiographic changes were observed in both groups. No side effects were observed. Two patients of both group were hospitalizes for HF recurrence. Conclusion: Testosterone supplementation improves exercise tolerance, muscle strength, and insulin resistance in women with advanced CHF. Testosterone seem to be an effective and safe therapy for CHF elderly female subjects.

The aim of this study was to isolate arsenic-resistant bacteria from contaminated sediment of the Orbetello Lagoon, Italy, to characterize isolates for As(III), As(V), heavy metals resistance, and from the phylogenetic point of view.Enrichment cultures were carried out in the presence of 6.75 mmol l(-1) of As(III), allowing isolation of ten bacterial strains. Four isolates, ORAs1, ORAs2, ORAs5 and ORAs6, showed minimum inhibitory concentration values equal or superior to 16.68 mmol l(-1) and 133.47 mmol l(-1) in the presence of As(III) and As(V), respectively. Isolate ORAs2 showed values of 1.8 mmol l(-1) in the presence of Cd(II) and 7.7 mmol l(-1) of Zn(II), and isolate ORAs1 pointed out a value of 8.0 mmol l(-1) in the presence of Cu(II). Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that they can be grouped in the three genera Aeromonas, Bacillus and Pseudomonas. Phylogenetic analysis of the four more arsenic-resistant strains was also performed.Isolates are highly resistant to both As(III) and As(V) and they could represent good candidates for bioremediation processes of native polluted sediments.This study provides original results on levels of resistance to arsenic and to assigning genera of bacterial strains isolated from arsenic-polluted sediments.

Bacillus sp. ORAs2 and Pseudomonas sp. ORAs5, two arsenic-resistant bacterial strains previously isolated from sediments of the Orbetello Lagoon, Italy, were tested for their adaptation to mixed contaminants on the level of membrane fatty acid composition. The two bacterial strains were characterized by high levels of arsenic resistance, and Pseudomonas sp. ORAs5 was also shown to be solvent-tolerant. The bacterial strains were exposed to mixtures of two toxic compounds: arsenic at fixed concentrations and toluene in variable amounts or, alternatively, toluene at constant values along with arsenic added at variable concentrations. Both strains react to the contaminants by changing the composition of their membrane fatty acids. Bacillus sp. strain ORAs2 showed a correlation between growth rate decreases and fatty acids degree of saturation increases in both cases, although pointedly in the presence of 1, 2, and 3 mM of toluene and different additions of arsenic, counteracting membranes fluidity induced by toxic compounds. In Pseudomonas sp. ORAs5, adaptive changes in membrane composition was observed both in terms of increases in the degree of saturation and in the trans/cis ratio of unsaturated fatty acids in the presence of varying toluene and constant arsenic concentrations, whereas only minor changes occurred with increasing arsenic and constant toluene concentrations. Thus, on the level of membrane composition, Bacillus sp. ORAs2 showed a higher potential for adaptation to the presence of mixed pollutants, suggesting its probable suitability for bioremediation purposes.

Metabolic and non metabolic cardiovascular risk factors tend to cluster in the same individual. The association of the cardiovascular risk factors is referred as metabolic syndrome (MS). This syndrome is associated with an increased risk of accelerated atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. The cluster of cardiovascular risk factors of the MS includes: insulin resistance with or without glucose intolerance or diabetes, abdominal obesity, atherogenic dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure, a proinflammatory and prothrombotic state. MS is one of the major issues in the management of cardiovascular disease because of its epidemic proportion and its impact on increasing risk of developing both cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The main therapeutic goal in the management of patients with the MS is to reduce risk for clinical cardiovascular events and to prevent type 2 diabetes. In particular, for individuals with established diabetes, risk factors management must be intensified to reduce their higher cardiovascular risk. Lifestyle changes have a critical role in the clinical management of the risk factors predisposing to MS, such as overweight/obesity, physical inactivity. A large body of evidence suggests the use of Metformin and Acarbose for the treatment of the syndrome as these drugs have consistently shown to reduce cardiovascular events and mortality. Most anti-hypertensive drugs have unfavorable metabolic profile while b-blockers, centrally acting agents and drugs targeting the renin angiotensin system should always be considered for the treatment of hypertension in patients with MS.

Rising health care costs resulted in increasing pressure on the health care system and stimulated new strategies for improving the efficiency of care. A telecardiology service provides a useful support to general practitioners in the management of cardiac patients and contributes to the optimization of health care costs in terms of appropriateness of hospital admission and diagnostic testing. The aim of our study was to evaluate the reduction in the number of referrals to the Emergency Department and to cardiological evaluation resulting from the employment of a telecardiology service by general practitioners.Eight hundred and ninety-one consecutive calls arrived to the receiving station of the telecardiology service were analyzed. One hundred and fifty general practitioners received a portable electrocardiographer (Card-Guard 7100, Rehovot, Israel) transferring, by a mobile or fixed telephone, a 12-lead ECG to a receiving station, where a cardiologist was available for reporting and for interactive teleconsultation. At the onset of the phone call, a question was asked to the general practitioner: "What would you have done without the telecardiology service?". The possible answers were: "No actions"; "Referral to the Emergency Department"; "Cardiological consultancy"; "Further investigations". Then we collected the history, risk factors, symptoms and therapy of the patients; the general practitioner sent the ECG tracing by phone.Eight hundred and ninety-one patients were enrolled (402 males, 489 females, mean age 59 +/- 19 years); 465 (52%) patients were symptomatic; 36.4% had no evidence of previous cardiac disease, 35.1% had systemic hypertension, 10.6% had ischemic cardiac disease, 3.7% had atrial fibrillation, and 11.9% other diseases. ECG was normal in 55%. The general practitioners would have sent to the Emergency Department 106 patients (11.9%), and requested further investigations in 717 patients (80.5%). The cardiologist of the telecardiology service solved the problems of the general practitioners in 657 cases (73.7%), sent 56 patients (6.3%) to the Emergency Department, and asked for further investigations in 178 patients (20%), with a reduction of 47% of Emergency Department admission (p0.001) and of 95% of further investigations (p0.0001) respectively. The cost analysis showed a reduction, between the two modalities, varying from Itl 22,760,000 and Itl 140,060,000 for 891 calls.Telemedicine is a useful tool for the support of general practitioners' daily activity, with a possible cost reduction due to increased appropriateness of hospital admission and of diagnostic testing.

Autonomic dysfunction seems to be involved in the progression and prognosis of congestive heart failure. Measurement of heart rate variability (HRV) provides a noninvasive method to obtain reliable and reproducible information on autonomic modulation of heart rate, but there is a difficulty in using HRV as a quantitative estimate of autonomic dysfunction in heart failure. This study was aimed at testing the hypothesis that abnormal modulation of heart rate assessed by power spectrum analysis may be present also in asymptomatic patients with left ventricular dysfunction and progress in patients with overt symptoms of congestive heart failure. HRV was measured in three groups of subjects: Group 1: 30 patients with chronic heart failure; Group 2: 21 patients with asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction; and Group 3: 25 healthy volunteers as control group. HRV was evaluated by autoregressive spectral analysis with 600-beat ECG samples, while subjects were quietly recumbent (BSI), in conditions of controlled breathing (15 acts/min) (RSC) and passive orthostatism after tilting (80 degrees) (TLT). Patients in group 1 showed a reduction in the standard deviation of the R-R intervals (SDRR) (p0.0003) and in the low frequency component (LF) (p0.0001) compared to normal subjects. Low frequency component was not detectable in 11 patients of group I (p0.0008). On RSC and TLT, group 1 failed to show any modification in the low frequency and high frequency components (HF) under any stimulation. Group 2 showed no modification at baseline evaluation, no increase in the high frequency component on RSC and in LF during TLT compared to controls (p0.01 and p0.0001 respectively). At baseline, group 1 had a lower SDRR (p0.03) and LF (p0.0001) vs. group 2, whereas during stimulation the two groups exhibited the same behaviour. In conclusion, reduced heart rate variability is specific for both asymptomatic and symptomatic post-ischemic left ventricular dysfunction. Our results suggest that frequency domain analysis of heart rate variability during a stimulation test allows a more accurate definition of the degree of autonomic control of heart rate.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with right heart failure and salt and water retention. The possible roles of haemodynamically active hormones in the early stages of COPD have not previously been described. Adrenaline, noradrenaline, renin activity, aldosterone, vasopressin, cortisol, growth hormone, prolactin and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were measured during right heart catheterization in mixed venous blood and in a peripheral artery, in the supine and standing position, in two groups of patients with COPD: Group A with arterial oxygen tension (Pa,O2)8.0 kPa (60 mmHg) and Group B with Pa,O28.0 kPa (60 mmHg). A group of 15 control subjects was studied to obtain control hormonal measurements with a venous blood sample only. Haemodynamic and blood gas values and hormone levels were measured in the supine and standing positions to record changes in the various parameters in COPD patients, and the relationship between pulmonary haemodynamics and hormone levels. No differences were found in hormonal samples between peripheral artery and mixed venous blood. In comparison with the control group, both groups of COPD patients showed a significant reduction in cortisol (p0.0001) and in vasopressin (p0.005), and an increase in ANP (p0.05) and growth hormone (p0.05). A marked, but not significant, increase in renin activity, and aldosterone was also found. After standing the increment of adrenaline was significantly higher in COPD patients (p0.02). A significant inverse relationship was recorded between forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and noradrenaline (p0.02). There is a complex hormonal response even in the early phase of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. An increase of plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide appears to be the earliest neuroendocrine response in these patients.

Noninvasive measurement of the systolic time intervals is a routine procedure for the determination of myocardial performance, even in subjects without clinical or electrocardiographic signs of cardiopathy. Statistically significant differences in pre-ejection period (PEP) and PEP/left ventricular ejection time (LVET) between days and between observations were demonstrated by Levi et al. A high correlation between systolic time intervals and catecholamines was recorded. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the spontaneous modifications in pulmonary and cardiac parameters during a stressful situation, such as right heart catheterization. Seventeen patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) underwent right heart catheterization. Heart rate (HR), systemic artery pressure (SAP), pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), cardiac output (Q'c), cardiac index (CI), systolic stroke volume (SV), respiratory rate (RR), minute ventilation (V'E), oxygen consumption (V'O2), carbon dioxide production (V'CO2), their ratio (RQ), arterial and venous O2 and CO2, systolic time intervals (total electromechanical interval (QS2), LVET, PEP, PEP/LVET), total pulmonary resistance (TPR), adrenaline (A), and noradrenaline (NA) were recorded at the beginning of the test and 20, 40, 60 and 80 min thereafter. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences between the observations for systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP), Q'c, V'O2, V'CO2, V'E, PEP/LVET, and NA. In conclusion, it is necessary to take into account spontaneous modifications in pulmonary haemodynamic parameters following a stressful situation, such as a catheterization, when studying the effects of drugs such as vasodilators and vasoactive agents.

In 4 consecutive patients admitted for multiple pulmonary embolism 2-dimensional echocardiography showed large right atrial migrant thromboemboli in transit, floating and prolapsing into the right ventricle in diastole. This pattern was always associated with the echocardiographic signs of pulmonary hypertension. All the patients were treated with intravenous infusion of 100 mg of rt-PA in 3 hours. rt-PA determined the dissolution and disappearance of the right atrial thromboemboli (it took 4 hours in 2 patients and 5 hours in the remaining 2), and the concomitant disappearance of the echocardiographic signs of pulmonary hypertension. During and after the rt-PA therapy there was no evidence of further pulmonary embolism. The fibrinolytic treatment for right atrial thromboemboli during multiple pulmonary embolism is a promising alternative to right atrial thrombectomy: our results indicate that rt-PA acts rapidly and is effective and safe; if these results will be confirmed in a larger group of patients, rt-PA could become the first-choice therapy of right atrial thromboembolus.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to isolate arsenic-resistant bacteria from contaminated sediment of the Orbetello Lagoon, Italy, to characterize isolates for As(III), As(V), heavy metals resistance, and from the phylogenetic point of view. METHODS AND RESULTS: Enrichment cultures were carried out in the presence of 6.75 mmol l(-1) of As(III), allowing isolation of ten bacterial strains. Four isolates, ORAs1, ORAs2, ORAs5 and ORAs6, showed minimum inhibitory concentration values equal or superior to 16.68 mmol l(-1) and 133.47 mmol l(-1) in the presence of As(III) and As(V), respectively. Isolate ORAs2 showed values of 1.8 mmol l(-1) in the presence of Cd(II) and 7.7 mmol l(-1) of Zn(II), and isolate ORAs1 pointed out a value of 8.0 mmol l(-1) in the presence of Cu(II). Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that they can be grouped in the three genera Aeromonas, Bacillus and Pseudomonas. Phylogenetic analysis of the four more arsenic-resistant strains was also performed. CONCLUSION: Isolates are highly resistant to both As(III) and As(V) and they could represent good candidates for bioremediation processes of native polluted sediments. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study provides original results on levels of resistance to arsenic and to assigning genera of bacterial strains isolated from arsenic-polluted sediments.

On soccer grounds, grass cover is often reduced and the ground surface becomes uneven. Therefore, in order to assess the effects of climatic conditions, construction types and maintenance of the Italian soccer pitches, a detailed study was carried out. During 2000-2001, 61 soccer grounds were analysed, from continental to Mediterranean environments. First and second division Italian League grounds were about 30%, 40% were semi-professional and 30% were public grounds. Several parameters such as overseeding, fertilization, aeration, weed control, mowing and irrigation were collected in winter and at the end of the playing season, in order to evaluate soil profiles, grass mixtures and composition, and maintenance practices. Only 20% of the professional and semi-professional pitches had an all sand profile, while most of the remaining had a sand-soil mixture as topsoil. Drainage systems were commonly used, except from 13% of the non-professional pitches. Hydraulic conductivity was often reduced since in the all-sand profile it ranged from 118 (corner) to 30 (penalty area) mm h-1, while on natural soil or sand-soil mictures, it ranged from 20 to 18 mm h-1 respectively. Lolium perenne and Poa pratensis were the most widespread species in all seasons and environments. Ground cover was reduced in winter with the reduction being more dependent on shade rather than wear.