Influence of real-world characteristics on outcomes for patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcal skin and soft tissue infections: a multi-country medical chart review in Europe.

Background: Patient-related (demographic/disease) and treatment-related (drug/clinician/hospital) characteristics were evaluated as potential predictors of healthcare resource use and opportunities for early switch (ES) from intravenous (IV)-to-oral methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-active antibiotic therapy and early hospital discharge (ED).

Methods: This retrospective observational medical chart study analyzed patients (across 12 European countries) with microbiologically confirmed MRSA complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTI), ≥3 days of IV anti-MRSA antibiotics during hospitalization (July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011), and discharged alive by July 31, 2011. Logistic/linear regression models evaluated characteristics potentially associated with actual resource use (length of IV therapy, length of hospital stay [LOS], IV-to-oral antibiotic switch), and ES and ED (using literature-based and expert-verified criteria) outcomes.

Antibiotic treatment patterns across Europe in patients with complicated skin and soft-tissue infections due to meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a plea for implementation of early switch and early discharge criteria.

This retrospective observational medical chart review aimed to describe country-specific variations across Europe in real-world meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) complicated skin and soft-tissue infection (cSSTI) treatment patterns, antibiotic stewardship activity, and potential opportunities for early switch (ES) from intravenous (i.v.) to oral formulations and early discharge (ED) from hospital using standardised data collection and criteria and economic implications of these opportunities.

Sensory connection, interest/attention and gamma synchrony in autism or autism, brain connections and preoccupation.

Does motivational interest increase gamma synchrony across neuronal networking to enable computation of related sensory inputs that might lead to greater social understanding in autism spectrum conditions (ASC)? Meaning, is it possible/likely that in autism because individuals process one aspect of sensory input at any one time (therefore missing the wider picture in general) when they are motivated/interested or attending to particular stimuli their attention window is widened due to increased gamma synchrony and they might be enabled to connect in ways that do not occur when they are not motivated? This is my current research question. If gamma synchrony is helping with the binding of information from collective sensory inputs, in ASC, when and only if the individual is motivated, then this has huge potential for how learning might be encouraged for individuals with an ASC.

Origin of leaf rust adult plant resistance gene Rph20 in barley.

Rph20 is the only reported, simply inherited gene conferring moderate to high levels of adult plant resistance (APR) to leaf rust (Puccinia hordei Otth) in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Key parental genotypes were examined to determine the origin of Rph20 in two-rowed barley.

Sonographic features in hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies.

Introduction: Diagnostic nerve ultrasound is becoming more commonly used by both radiologists and clinicians. The features of different neuromuscular conditions must be described to broaden our understanding and ability to interpret findings.

Methods: Our study examines the sonographic features of 7 subjects with hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) in comparison to 32 controls by measuring the nerve cross-sectional area (CSA) of the median, ulnar and tibial nerves.

Tendon and nerve excursion in the carpal tunnel in healthy and CTD wrists.

Background: During hand and finger motions, friction between flexor digitorum superficialis tendon and the median nerve is thought to play a role in the development of cumulative trauma disorders. This study investigated three methods to determine excursions of the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon and median nerve using several motions.

Methods: Twenty-five participants (mean age 37.

Antimicrobial stewardship: an evidence-based, antimicrobial self-assessment toolkit (ASAT) for acute hospitals.

Objectives: To describe the methodology in developing an antimicrobial self-assessment toolkit (ASAT).

Methods: The ASAT was developed through a National Pharmacy Reference Group using an evidence-based approach of published information and national reports to identify criteria for inclusion. These were subdivided into domains that addressed: 1) Antimicrobial management within the Trust-structures and lines of responsibility and accountability-high-level notification to the Board.

Antimicrobial stewardship programs: interventions and associated outcomes.

Guidelines regarding antimicrobial stewardship programs recommend an infectious diseases-trained physician and an infectious diseases-trained pharmacist as core members. Inclusion of clinical microbiologists, infection-control practitioners, information systems experts and hospital epidemiologists is considered optimal. Recommended stewardship interventions include prospective audit and intervention, formulary restriction, education, guideline development, clinical pathway development, antimicrobial order forms and the de-escalation of therapy.

Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria for autism.

The authors conclude from a range of literature relevant to the autistic condition that atypical strategies for the allocation of attention are central to the condition. This assertion is examined in the context of recent research, the diagnostic criteria for autism in DSM-IV and ICD-10, and the personal experiences of individuals with autism including one of the authors of the article. The first two diagnostic criteria are shown to follow from the 'restricted range of interests' referred to in the third criterion.