Duplex dPCR System for Rapid Identification of Gram-Negative Pathogens in the Blood of Patients with Bloodstream Infection: A Culture-Independent Approach.

Early and accurate detection of pathogens is important to improve clinical outcomes of bloodstream infections (BSI), especially in the case of drug-resistant pathogens. In this study, we aimed to develop a culture-independent digital PCR (dPCR) system for multiplex detection of major sepsiscausing gram-negative pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes using plasma DNA from BSI patients. Our duplex dPCR system successfully detected nine targets (five bacteria-specific targets and four antimicrobial resistance genes) through five reactions within 3 hours.

A Case of Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome Presenting with Recurrent Catamenial Pneumothorax.

BACKGROUND Catamenial pneumothorax (CP) is a spontaneous pneumothorax commonly associated with menstrual periods. Endometrial tissues most commonly involve the pelvic region. However, after the pelvis, the lungs are most frequently involved.

Invasive breast cancer treated with taxol and epirubicin neo-adjuvant chemotherapy: the role in the outcome of the "crosstalk" between Erb receptors and p53.

Purpose: To correlate p53 and ErbB receptors status with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in locally advanced breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: Sixty patients were included in a single-center, open-label, phase II trial (1998-2003). Analysis of Erb receptors and p53 status and estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor data were available for 33 patients.

Concomitant expression of the chemokines RANTES and MCP-1 in human breast cancer: a basis for tumor-promoting interactions.

The chemokines RANTES (CCL5) and MCP-1 (CCL2) were suggested to contribute, independently, to breast malignancy. In the present study, we asked if the two chemokines are jointly expressed in clinical samples of breast cancer patients, and do they interact in breast tumor cells. We found that RANTES and MCP-1 were expressed by breast tumor cells in primary tumors of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ and of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, but minimally in normal breast epithelial duct cells.