The Cholecystectomy As A Day Case (CAAD) Score: A Validated Score of Preoperative Predictors of Successful Day-Case Cholecystectomy Using the CholeS Data Set

Background Day-case surgery is associated with significant patient and cost benefits. However, only 43% of cholecystectomy patients are discharged home the same day. One hypothesis is day-case cholecystectomy rates, defined as patients discharged the same day as their operation, may be improved by better assessment of patients using standard preoperative variables. Methods Data were extracted from a prospectively collected data set of cholecystectomy patients from 166 UK and Irish hospitals (CholeS). Cholecystectomies performed as elective procedures were divided into main (75%) and validation (25%) data sets. Preoperative predictors were identified, and a risk score of failed day case was devised using multivariate logistic regression. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to validate the score in the validation data set. Results Of the 7426 elective cholecystectomies performed, 49% of these were discharged home the same day. Same-day discharge following cholecystectomy was less likely with older patients (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), higher ASA scores (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), complicated cholelithiasis (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.48), male gender (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.58–0.74), previous acute gallstone-related admissions (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.48–0.60) and preoperative endoscopic intervention (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.34–0.47). The CAAD score was developed using these variables. When applied to the validation subgroup, a CAAD score of ≤5 was associated with 80.8% successful day-case cholecystectomy compared with 19.2% associated with a CAAD score >5 (p < 0.001). Conclusions The CAAD score which utilises data readily available from clinic letters and electronic sources can predict same-day discharges following cholecystectomy

The fungal problem in buildings in the humid tropics

International Biodeterioration251-327-3

Interface tissue engineering: Next phase in musculoskeletal tissue repair

Annals of the Academy of Medicine Singapore405246-251AAMS

Impedimetric microbial sensor for real-time monitoring of phage infection of Escherichia coli

We describe an impedimetric microbial sensor for real-time monitoring of the non-lytic M13 bacteriophage infection of Escherichia coli cells using a gold electrode covalently grafted with a monolayer of lipopolysaccharide specific antibody. After infection, damage to the lipopolysaccharide layer on the outer membrane of E. coli causes changes to its surface charge and morphology, resulting in the aggregation of redox probe, Fe(CN)63−/4− at the electrode surface and thereby increases its electron-transfer rate. This consequent decrease of electron-transfer resistance in the presence of bacteriophage can be easily monitored using Faradaic impedance spectroscopy. Non-lytic bacterium–phage interaction which is hardly observable using conventional microscopic methods is detected within 3 h using this impedimetric microbial sensor which demonstrates its excellent performance in terms of analysis time, ease and reduced reliance on labeling steps during in-situ monitoring of the phage infection process.ASTAR (Agency for Sci., Tech. and Research, S’pore

Realization of silicon-germanium-tin (SiGeSn) source/ drain stressors by Sn implant and solid phase epitaxy for strain engineering in SiGe channel P-MOSFETs

10.1109/VTSA.2008.4530830International Symposium on VLSI Technology, Systems, and Applications, Proceedings128-12

Strained SiGeSn formed by Sn implant into SiGe and pulsed laser annealing

10.1063/1.2803853Applied Physics Letters9120-APPL

Silicon-germanium-tin (SiGeSn) source and drain stressors formed by Sn implant and laser annealing for strained silicon-germanium channel P-MOSFETs

10.1109/IEDM.2007.4418882Technical Digest - International Electron Devices Meeting, IEDM131-134TDIM