Surgical wound infection: epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and management

Surgical wound infection remains a significant problem following an operation, although surveillance for such infections remains a challenge exacerbated by early discharge and outpatient surgery. The riskof such infections isdetermined by technical problems with the operation, particularly bleeding, the amount of devitalized tissue created, and the need for drains within the wound, as well as such metabolic factors as obesity and diabetes. Perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis can decrease the incidence of such infections further, but a technically perfect operation is even more important

Complementary authentication of Chinese herbal products to treat endometriosis using DNA metabarcoding and HPTLC shows a high level of variability

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is popular for the treatment of endometriosis, a complex gynecological disease that affects 10% of women globally. The growing market for TCMs has yielded a significant incentive for product adulteration, and although emerging technologies show promise to improve their quality control, many challenges remain. We tested the authenticity of two traditional Chinese herbal formulae used in women’s healthcare for the treatment of endometriosis, known as Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan (FL) and Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang (GX). Dual-locus DNA metabarcoding analysis coupled with high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) were used to authenticate 19 FL and six GX commercial herbal products, as well as three ad hoc prepared artificial mixtures. HPTLC was able to detect most of the expected ingredients via comparative component analysis. DNA metabarcoding was able to detect an unexpected species diversity in the products, including 38 unexpected taxa. Chromatography has a resolution for all species indirectly through the identification of marker compounds for the different species ingredients. Metabarcoding on the other hand yields an overview of species diversity in each sample, but interpretation of the results can be challenging. Detected species might not be present in quantities that matter, and without validated quantification, some detected species can be hard to interpret. Comparative analysis of the two analytical approaches also reveals that DNA for species might be absent or too fragmented to amplify as the relevant chemical marker compounds can be detected but no amplicons are assigned to the same species. Our study emphasizes that integrating DNA metabarcoding with phytochemical analysis brings valuable data for the comprehensive authentication of Traditional Chinese Medicines ensuring their quality and safe use

Biodiversity assessment of tropical shelf eukaryotic communities via pelagic eDNA metabarcoding

Our understanding of marine communities and their functions in an ecosystem relies on the ability to detect and monitor species distributions and abundances. Currently, the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is increasingly being applied for the rapid assessment and monitoring of aquatic species. Most eDNA metabarcoding studies have either focussed on the simultaneous identification of a few specific taxa/groups or have been limited in geographical scope. Here, we employed eDNA metabarcoding to compare beta diversity patterns of complex pelagic marine communities in tropical coastal shelf habitats spanning the whole Caribbean Sea. We screened 68 water samples using a universal eukaryotic COI barcode region and detected highly diverse communities, which varied significantly among locations, and proved good descriptors of habitat type and environmental conditions. Less than 15% of eukaryotic taxa were assigned to metazoans, most DNA sequences belonged to a variety of planktonic “protists,” with over 50% of taxa unassigned at the phylum level, suggesting that the sampled communities host an astonishing amount of micro‐eukaryotic diversity yet undescribed or absent from COI reference databases. Although such a predominance of micro‐eukaryotes severely reduces the efficiency of universal COI markers to investigate vertebrate and other metazoans from aqueous eDNA, the study contributes to the advancement of rapid biomonitoring methods and brings us closer to a full inventory of extant marine biodiversity

Environmental DNA reveals tropical shark diversity in contrasting levels of anthropogenic impact

Sharks are charismatic predators that play a key role in most marine food webs. Their demonstrated vulnerability to exploitation has recently turned them into flagship species in ocean conservation. Yet, the assessment and monitoring of the distribution and abundance of such mobile species in marine environments remain challenging, often invasive and resource-intensive. Here we pilot a novel, rapid and non-invasive environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding approach specifically targeted to infer shark presence, diversity and eDNA read abundance in tropical habitats. We identified at least 21 shark species, from both Caribbean and Pacific Coral Sea water samples, whose geographical patterns of diversity and read abundance coincide with geographical differences in levels of anthropogenic pressure and conservation effort. We demonstrate that eDNA metabarcoding can be effectively employed to study shark diversity. Further developments in this field have the potential to drastically enhance our ability to assess and monitor elusive oceanic predators, and lead to improved conservation strategies

Liver Resection for Primary Hepatic Neoplasms.

Subtotal hepatic resection was performed in 356 patients; 87 had primary hepatic malignancies, 108 had metastatic tumors, and 161 had benign lesions including 8 traumatic injuries. The global mortality was 4.2%. The experience has elucidated the role of subtotal hepatic resection both for benign and malignant neoplasms

Cytoplasmic chromatin triggers inflammation in senescence and cancer

Chromatin is traditionally viewed as a nuclear entity that regulates gene expression and silencing. However, we recently discovered the presence of cytoplasmic chromatin fragments that pinch off from intact nuclei of primary cells during senescence, a form of terminal cell-cycle arrest associated with pro-inflammatory responses. The functional significance of chromatin in the cytoplasm is unclear. Here we show that cytoplasmic chromatin activates the innate immunity cytosolic DNA-sensing cGAS-STING (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase linked to stimulator of interferon genes) pathway, leading both to short-term inflammation to restrain activated oncogenes and to chronic inflammation that associates with tissue destruction and cancer. The cytoplasmic chromatin-cGAS-STING pathway promotes the senescence-associated secretory phenotype in primary human cells and in mice. Mice deficient in STING show impaired immuno-surveillance of oncogenic RAS and reduced tissue inflammation upon ionizing radiation. Furthermore, this pathway is activated in cancer cells, and correlates with pro-inflammatory gene expression in human cancers. Overall, our findings indicate that genomic DNA serves as a reservoir to initiate a pro-inflammatory pathway in the cytoplasm in senescence and cancer. Targeting the cytoplasmic chromatin-mediated pathway may hold promise in treating inflammation-related disorders

Metabarcoding of shrimp stomach content: harnessing a natural sampler for fish biodiversity monitoring

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Siegenthaler, A., Wangensteen Fuentes, O.S., Soto, A.Z., Benvenuto, C., Corrigan, L, & Mariani, S. (2018). Metabarcoding of shrimp stomach content: harnessing a natural sampler for fish biodiversity monitoring. Molecular Ecology Resources. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12956, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12956. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.Given their positioning and biological productivity, estuaries have long represented key providers of ecosystem services, and consequently remain under remarkable pressure from numerous forms of anthropogenic impact. The monitoring of fish communities in space and time are one of the most widespread and established approaches to assess the ecological status of estuaries and other coastal habitats, but traditional fish surveys are invasive, costly, labour intensive and highly selective. Recently, the application of metabarcoding techniques, on either sediment or aqueous environmental DNA, has rapidly gained popularity. Here, we evaluate the application of a novel, high through‐put DNA‐based monitoring tool to assess fish diversity, based on the analysis of the gut contents of a generalist predator/scavenger, the European brown shrimp, Crangon crangon. Sediment and shrimp samples were collected from eight European estuaries and DNA metabarcoding (using both 12S and COI markers) was carried out to infer fish assemblage composition. We detected 32 teleost species (16 and 20, for 12S and COI respectively). Twice as many species were recovered using metabarcoding than by traditional net surveys. By comparing and interweaving trophic, environmental DNA and traditional survey‐based techniques, we show that the DNA‐assisted gut content analysis of a ubiquitous, easily accessible, generalist species may serve as a powerful, rapid and cost‐effective tool for large scale, routine estuarine biodiversity monitoring

Sphincter saving anorectoplasty (SSARP) for the reconstruction of Anorectal malformations

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This report describes a new technique of sphincter saving anorectoplasty (SSARP) for the repair of anorectal malformations (ARM).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty six males with high ARM were treated with SSARP. Preoperative localization of the center of the muscle complex is facilitated using real time sonography and computed tomography. A soft guide wire is inserted under image control which serves as the route for final pull through of bowel. The operative technique consists of a subcoccygeal approach to dissect the blind rectal pouch. The separation of the rectum from the fistulous communication followed by pull through of the bowel is performed through the same incision. The skin or the levators in the midline posteriorly are not divided. Postoperative anorectal function as assessed by clinical Wingspread scoring was judged as excellent, good, fair and poor. Older patients were examined for sensations of touch, pain, heat and cold in the circumanal skin and the perineum. Electromyography (EMG) was done to assess preoperative and postoperative integrity of external anal sphincter (EAS).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The patients were separated in 2 groups. The first group, Group I (n = 10), were newborns in whom SSARP was performed as a primary procedure. The second group, Group II (n = 16), were children who underwent an initial colostomy followed by delayed SSARP. There were no operative complications. The follow up ranged from 4 months to 18 months. Group I patients have symmetric anal contraction to stimulation and strong squeeze on digital rectal examination with an average number of bowel movements per day was 3–5. In group II the rate of excellent and good scores was 81% (13/16). All patients have an appropriate size anus and regular bowel actions. There has been no rectal prolapse, or anal stricture. EAS activity and perineal proprioception were preserved postoperatively. Follow up computed tomogram showed central placement the pull through bowel in between the muscle complex.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The technique of SSARP allows safe and anatomical reconstruction in a significant proportion of patients with ARM's without the need to divide the levator plate and muscle complex. It preserves all the components contributing to superior faecal continence, and avoids the potential complications associated with the open posterior sagittal approach.</p