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We study, from a quite general point of view, a CQ*-algebra (X, 𝖀0) possessing a sufficient family of bounded positive tracial sesquilinear forms. Non-commutative L 2-spaces are shown to constitute examples of a class of CQ*-algebras and any abstract CQ*-algebra (X, 𝖀0) possessing a sufficient family of bounded positive tracial sesquilinear forms can be represented as a direct sum of non-commutative L 2-spaces.

The family of all extensions of a nonclosable hermitian positive linear functional defined on a dense *-subalgebra $\Ao$ of a topological *-algebra $\A[\tau]$ is studied with the aim of finding extensions that behave regularly. Under suitable assumptions, special classes of extensions (positive, positively regular, absolutely convergent) are constructed. The obtained results are applied to the commutative integration theory to recover from the abstract setup the well-known extensions of Lebesgue integral and, in noncommutative integration theory, for introducing a generalized non absolutely convergent integral of operators measurable w. r. to a given trace $\sigma$.

The main aim of this paper is the investigation of conditions under which a locally convex quasi *-algebra (A[τ],A0) attains sufficiently many (τ,tw)-continuous *-representations in L†(D,H), to separate its points. Having achieved this, a usual notion of bounded elements on A[τ] rises. On the other hand, a natural order exists on (A[τ],A0) related to the topology τ, that also leads to a kind of bounded elements, which we call "order bounded". What is important is that under certain conditions the latter notion of boundedness coincides with the usual one. Several nice properties of order bounded elements are extracted that enrich the structure of locally convex quasi *-algebras. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.

Background The PERSEO study (psychiatric emergency study and epidemiology) is a naturalistic, observational clinical survey in Italian acute hospital psychiatric units, called SPDCs (Servizio Psichiatrico Diagnosi e Cura; in English, the psychiatric service for diagnosis and management). The aims of this paper are: (i) to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients, including sociodemographic features, risk factors, life habits and psychiatric diagnoses; and (ii) to assess the clinical management, subjective wellbeing and attitudes toward medications. Methods A total of 62 SPDCs distributed throughout Italy participated in the study and 2521 patients were enrolled over the 5-month study period. Results Almost half of patients (46%) showed an aggressive behaviour at admission to ward, but they engaged more commonly in verbal aggression (38%), than in aggression toward other people (20%). A total of 78% of patients had a psychiatric diagnosis at admission, most frequently schizophrenia (36%), followed by depression (16%) and personality disorders (14%), and no relevant changes in the diagnoses pattern were observed during hospital stay. Benzodiazepines were the most commonly prescribed drugs, regardless of diagnosis, at all time points. Overall, up to 83% of patients were treated with neuroleptic drugs and up to 27% received more than one neuroleptic either during hospital stay or at discharge. Atypical and conventional antipsychotics were equally prescribed for schizophrenia (59 vs 65% during stay and 59 vs 60% at discharge), while atypical drugs were preferred in schizoaffective psychoses (72 vs 49% during stay and 70 vs 46% at discharge) and depression (41 vs 32% during stay and 44 vs 25% at discharge). Atypical neuroleptics were slightly preferred to conventional ones at hospital discharge (52 vs 44%). Polypharmacy was in general widely used. Patient attitudes toward medications were on average positive and self-reported compliance increased during hospital stay. Conclusion Results confirm the widespread use of antipsychotics and the increasing trend in atypical drugs prescription, in both psychiatric in- and outpatients.

The clinical advantage of high-dose therapy (HDT) over standard treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) patients has been recently assessed. Which patient subgroups benefit most from this approach is unclear.To address this issue, the outcome of 54 patients under 55 years old treated with HDT was compared with that of 101 age-matched controls selected from 390 patients who received standard melphalan and prednisone (MP) chemotherapy in a national multi-center trial (M90 protocol).The complete response (CR) rate was 50% in the HDT group compared to 5% in the MP group. Event-free survival (EFS) was three times longer for the HDT patients (median 34.5 vs 12.2 months, p0. 0001), though the controls enjoyed a prolonged survival after relapse, and hence there was no statistically significant difference in OS. Overall survival (OS) was analyzed in relation to to two major prognostic factors: b(2)-microglobulin (b(2)-M) and bone marrow plasma cell labeling index (LI). HDT significantly improved OS in poor prognosis patients with a high LI (1.2%), (median 49.5 vs 32.5 months, p0.03), whereas it did not prolong OS in poor prognosis patients with high b(2 )-M (3 mg/L).In conclusion, HDT has a major impact on CR and EFS, and is the treatment of choice for patients with a high LI. Alternative strategies should be adopted in poor prognosis patients with high b(2 )-M.

Multiple myeloma (MM) typically afflicts elderly patients. High-dose therapy has recently been shown to lead to a better outcome than standard treatment, mainly in younger patients. The extent to which older subjects can benefit from intensified approaches without excessive toxicity is examined in this study.Between December 1994 and May 1997, 12 Italian Multiple Myeloma Study Group institutions entered 68 patients at diagnosis (median age 65) into an intensified chemotherapy regimen: cyclophosphamide (CY) 3 g/m(2) plus melphalan 60 mg/m(2) followed by peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) and G-CSF (CM regimen). CY (day 0) and G-CSF were used to mobilize PBPC harvested by a single leukapheresis on day 10. Melphalan was infused on day 11. PBPC were kept unprocessed at 4 degrees C for 48 hours and reinfused on day 12. Three CM regimens were delivered at 6-month intervals.Sufficient PBPC to support the first CM cycle were available (median CD34(+) harvest: 4.9x10(6)/kg), but dropped significantly after the second (median CD34(+) harvest: 2x10(6)/kg) and the third (median CD34(+) harvest: 0.9x10(6)/kg). The median durations of severe neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count500 microL) were 3, 4, and 3 days, and those of severe thrombocytopenia (platelets25,000/microL) were 2.5, 2, and 1 days, after the first, second and third courses, respectively. The frequency of extramedullary toxicities was low. Treatment-related mortality (TRM) was 3% after the first CM, only. Complete remission (CR) was 14% after the first, 16% after the second and 27% after the third CM. After a median follow-up of 34 months (range 19-49 months), median event-free survival was 35.6 months.These results indicate that dose-intensity of melphalan can be increased by reinfusing PBPC with acceptable low toxicity. The combination of CY and melphalan followed by PBPC is an effective chemotherapy for elderly myeloma patients. Repeated melphalan infusion hampered subsequent CD34(+) harvests.