Compromised Neurotrophic and Angiogenic Regenerative Capability during Tendon Healing in a Rat Model of Type-II Diabetes.

Metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus type-II (DM-II) may increase the risk of suffering painful connective tissue disorders and tendon ruptures. The pathomechanisms, however, by which diabetes adversely affects connective tissue matrix metabolism and regeneration, still need better definition. Our aim was to study the effect of DM-II on expressional changes of neuro- and angiotrophic mediators and receptors in intact and healing Achilles tendon.

Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Using Forward Laser Light Scatter Technology.

The delayed reporting of antimicrobial susceptibility testing remains a limiting factor in clinical decision-making in the treatment of bacterial infection. This study evaluates the use of forward laser light scatter (FLLS) to measure bacterial growth for the early determination of antimicrobial susceptibility. Three isolates each (two clinical isolates and one reference strain) of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were tested in triplicate using two commercial antimicrobial testing systems, the Vitek2 and the MicroScan MIC panel, to challenge the BacterioScan FLLS.

Expressional changes in growth and inflammatory mediators during Achilles tendon repair in diabetic rats: new insights into a possible basis for compromised healing.

Dysregulation of growth and inflammatory mediators might contribute to defective tissue homeostasis and healing, as commonly observed in sedentary lifestyles and in conditions such as diabetes mellitus type-2. The present study aims to assess expression changes in growth and inflammatory mediators in the intact and healing Achilles tendon of type-2 diabetic rats. The study utilized 11 male diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) and 10 age- and sex-matched Wistar control rats.

Type 2 diabetes impairs tendon repair after injury in a rat model.

Type 2 diabetes adversely affects the properties of native connective tissue. The underlying mechanisms, however, by which diabetes alters connective tissue metabolism, especially tendon, are poorly defined. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of type 2 diabetes on the mechanical, histological, and molecular properties of the intact and healing Achilles tendon.

Diagnostic accuracy of the Cepheid GeneXpert vanA/vanB assay ver. 1.0 to detect the vanA and vanB vancomycin resistance genes in Enterococcus from perianal specimens.

Rapid detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) carriers could be useful to health care facilities to minimize transmission. To that end, we compared the performance of the Cepheid GeneXpert vanA/vanB assay with that of direct and broth-enriched culture methods for detection of VRE from perianal swabs. Enterococci were cultivated on Enterococcosel™ agar with 8 μg/mL vancomycin, Bile Esculin Azide Agar with 6 μg/mL vancomycin, and Bile Esculin Azide Enterococcosel Broth.

Filtration-based culture methods improve recovery of fungal pathogens in respiratory specimens.

We describe a filtration-based culture method to enhance sensitivity of routine culture for recovery of fungi from respiratory specimens. The new method resulted in an 8.3% (P = 0.