What Influences a Plastic Surgery Resident to Pursue an Academic Career?

Background: A previous study demonstrated that independent model plastic surgery residents are less likely to pursue a career in academic surgery than those graduating from other surgical fellowships. This study was designed to evaluate whether a significant curriculum change emphasizing academic plastic surgery skills would be significant in influencing a plastic surgery resident's decision to pursue a career in academic plastic surgery.

Methods: A survey was sent to 30 consecutive graduates of a university plastic surgery residency program.

Improving diagnosis and case management of patients with tuberculosis: A review of gaps, needs and potential solutions in accessing laboratory diagnostics.

Tuberculosis (TB) recently surpassed HIV/AIDS as the deadliest infectious disease. Despite some advancements in technologies and programs, TB remains a global health epidemic that, without significant gains in better diagnostic and management, will not abate. This review describes the molecular diagnostic gaps, needs, and potential solutions for improving access to diagnosis and management of patients with drug susceptible and drug resistant TB.

Surgical Education Module Improves Operative Proficiency in Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release: A Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial of Trainees.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether an interactive endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) surgical education module can improve knowledge of surgical indications and improve procedural competency.

Design: An ECTR education module was developed and trainees at various level of training were enrolled and randomized to surgical module and nonmodule (control) groups. Subjects were instructed that they would be the primary surgeon performing an ECTR.

Antiviral vaccines license T cell responses by suppressing granzyme B levels in human plasmacytoid dendritic cells.

Human plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are important modulators of adaptive T cell responses during viral infections. Recently, we found that human pDC produce the serine protease granzyme B (GrB), thereby regulating T cell proliferation in a GrB-dependent manner. In this study, we demonstrate that intrinsic GrB production by pDC is significantly inhibited in vitro and in vivo by clinically used vaccines against viral infections such as tick-borne encephalitis.