Introduction of surgical site surveillance post transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided prostate biopsy and the impact on infection rates.

Background: Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy is associated with infection rates between 0.3 % and 3.2%.

Irritable bowel syndrome: the role of food in pathogenesis and management.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder that affects approximately 10% to 20% of the general adult population in Europe and the Americas and is characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits in the absence of reliable biomarkers. The pathophysiology of IBS is poorly understood and is currently thought to represent a complex interplay among the gut microbiota, low-grade inflammation, impaired mucosal barrier function, visceral hypersensitivity, gut motility, and alterations in the gut-brain axis. In any individual patient, 1 or more of these factors may interact to generate symptoms.

Techniques used to characterize the gut microbiota: a guide for the clinician.

The gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem that has a symbiotic relationship with its host. An association between the gut microbiota and disease was first postulated in the early 20(th) century. However, until the 1990s, knowledge of the gut microbiota was limited because bacteriological culture was the only technique available to characterize its composition.