Estimating the magnitude of clinical benefit of local therapy in patients with DCIS.

DCIS represents a heterogeneous disease with a wide range of outcomes according to biology. Without treatment, it is estimated that only 20-30% of DCIS will progress to invasive cancer. Long-term outcomes following treatment are at least as favorable as those for some other early stage cancer types such as prostate cancer, for which active surveillance is routinely offered as a standard of care option.

Analysis of the challenges in implementing guidelines to prevent the spread of multidrug-resistant gram-negatives in Europe.

Objective: The main objective of the study was to investigate major differences among European countries in implementing infection prevention and control (IPC) measures and reasons for reduced compliance.

Design: An online survey including experts in IPC and a gap analysis were conducted to identify major limitations in implementing IPC guidelines.

Setting: Europe.

Treating urinary tract infections due to MDR E. coli with Isothiocyanates - a phytotherapeutic alternative to antibiotics?

Background: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are increasingly causing urinary tract infections (UTI), which has been linked to frequent use of antibiotics. Alternative treatment regimens are urgently needed and natural isothiocyanates (ITC) may represent one. ITCs are natural plant products found in nasturtium (Tropaeoli majoris herba) and horseradish (Armoraciae rusticanae radix).

Split Tolerance in a Murine Model of Heterotopic En Bloc Chest Wall Transplantation.

Background: Congenital and acquired chest wall deformities represent a significant challenge to functional reconstruction and may impact feasibility of heart transplantation for patients with end-stage organ failure. In the recent past, the concept of replacing like-with-like tissue by using vascularized composite allografts (VCA) has been enthusiastically employed for reconstruction of complex tissue defects.

Methods: In this study, we introduce a novel murine model for en bloc chest wall, heart, and thymus transplantation and thereby the use of complex tissue allografts for reconstruction of both chest wall defects and also end-stage organ failure.

Outcomes after hand and upper extremity transplantation.

Hand and upper extremity transplantation (HUET) has emerged as the most frequently performed reconstructive procedure in the burgeoning field of vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA). VCA refers to a form of transplant with multiple tissue types that represents a viable treatment option for devastating injuries where conventional reconstruction would be unable to restore form and function. As hand transplantation becomes increasingly more common, discussions on advantages and disadvantages of the procedure seem to intensify.

Comparison of livestock-associated and health care-associated MRSA-genes, virulence, and resistance.

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) may colonize and infect humans with close contact to pigs. We compared phenotypic and genotypic differences in resistance and virulence of LA-MRSA isolates from farms and farmers with hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (HA-MRSA) and assessed carriage rates.