Starch synthase (SS) and branching enzyme (BE) establish the two glycosidic linkages existing in starch. Both enzymes exist as several isoforms. Enzymes derived from several species were studied extensively both in vivo and in vitro over the last years, however, analyses of a functional interaction of SS and BE isoforms are missing so far. Here, we present data from in vitro studies including b...

To analyze risk factors for the development of adult poststernotomy surgical site infections (SSIs), we performed a retrospective case-control study at a tertiary care hospital. Case patients with poststernotomy SSI between June 1999 and January 2001 were matched to control subjects without poststernotomy SSI according to date of procedure and age. Data were collected on known SSI risk factors....

OBJECTIVE Surgical site infections (SSIs) negatively affect patients and the health care system. National standards for SSI prevention do not exist in pediatric settings. We sought to reduce SSI-related harm by implementing a prevention bundle through the Solutions for Patient Safety (SPS) national hospital engagement network. METHODS Our study period was January 2011 to December 2013. We for...

BACKGROUND Postoperative infectious complications are associated with a poor long-term prognosis after resection of malignant tumors. We hypothesized that postoperative infectious complication such as surgical site infection (SSI) may have a negative impact on the outcome of elective hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), and that the Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), which ref...

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) statistics have been published in the Social Security Bulletin since the program began in 1974. For the most part, these statistics have been snapshots of current caseloads. Now, a new SSI longitudinal file permits a retrospective look at past program data. It also permits us to redefine key program indicators and to produce new distributions for these data. I...

The number of participants in the SSI program grew by 1.1 million from 1987 to 1993. This paper examines the role of Medicaid on the SSI participation decision. I use the rapid growth in average Medicaid expenditure as a proxy for its value. OLS estimates of Medicaid's effect may be biased because of omitted variables bias and measurement error. I therefore apply two-stage least squares to esti...

Surgical site infections (SSIs) account for 11% of nosocomial infections among older patients. This report reviews the available data and presents medical and surgical perspectives on the epidemiology, outcomes, and prevention of SSI in the elderly population. The risk for SSI does not seem to increase after the age of 65 years. Several risk factors for SSI are similar among elderly patients an...

BACKGROUND Delayed primary (DPC) and primary (PC) wound closures have been applied in ruptured appendicitis, but results were controversial. This study aims at comparing the rate of superficial surgical site infection (SSI) in ruptured appendicitis between DPC and PC. METHODS A retrospective cohort of ruptured appendicitis was conducted between October 2006 and November 2009. Demographic, ope...

PURPOSE Information regarding antimicrobial prophylaxis (AMP) for gastric cancer surgery is limited. The present study investigated the efficacy of single-dose AMP for the prevention of surgical site infection (SSI) in patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 2011 and 2013, 1,330 gastric carcinoma surgery patients were divided into two AMP administr...

Since the inception of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program in 1974, counts of the numbers of cases processed and individuals who were awarded SSI payments have been available. This study breaks new ground, however, by using administrative data to describe in greater detail the characteristics of persons who applied for SSI over a 1-year period. The information on allowance rates is u...