Analysis of Mould Exposure of Immunosuppressed Patients at a German University Hospital.

Moulds are ubiquitous components of outdoor and indoor air and local conditions, temperature, humidity and season can influence their concentration in the air. The impact of these factors on mould exposure in hospitals and the resulting risk of infection for low to moderately immunocompromised patients is unclear. In the present retrospective analysis for the years 2018 to 2022, the monthly determined mould contamination of the outdoor and indoor air at the University Hospital Frankfurt am Main is compared with the average air temperature and the relative humidity.

Antimicrobial Activity of Ceftolozane-Tazobactam, Ceftazidime-Avibactam, and Cefiderocol against Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Recovered at a German University Hospital.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa increasingly causes health care-associated infections. In this study, we determined the activity of ceftolozane-tazobactam, ceftazidime-avibactam, and cefiderocol against 223 MDR P. aeruginosa clinical isolates recovered from 2013 to 2017 at the University Hospital Frankfurt by using MIC test strips.

The power of public-private partnership in medical technology innovation: Lessons from the development of FDA-cleared medical devices for assessment of concussion.

Given the convergence of the long and challenging development path for medical devices with the need for diagnostic capabilities for mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI/concussion), the effective role of public-private partnership (PPP) can be demonstrated to yield Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearances and innovative product introductions. An overview of the mTBI problem and landscape was performed. A detailed situation analysis of an example of a PPP yielding an innovative product was further demonstrated.

Improved Sobriety Rates After Brain-Computer Interface-Based Cognitive Remediation Training.

Up to 80% of individuals seeking treatment fail in their attempts at sobriety. This study investigated whether 1) a cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) program augmented with a brain-computer interface (BCI) to influence brain performance metrics would increase participants' self-agency by restoring cognitive control performance; and 2) that ability increase would produce increased sobriety rates, greater than published treatment rates. The study employed a retrospective chart review structured to replicate a switching replication methodology (i.

Brain Network Integrity Changes in Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Possible Physiological Biomarker of Dementia.

The current study seeks to illustrate potential early and objective neurophysiological biomarkers of neurodegenerative cognitive decline by evaluating features of brain network physiological performance and structure utilizing different modalities. This study included 17 clinically healthy individuals with self-reported cognitive decline (Subjective Cognitive Decline group, SCD, no objective finding of cognitive decline), 12 individuals diagnosed with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI), 11 individuals diagnosed with Dementia, and 15 healthy subjects. All subjects underwent computerized cognitive performance testing, MRI scans including T1 for gray matter (GM) volume quantification, DTI for quantification of white matter (WM) microstructure fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), and brain network function evaluation using DELPHI (TMS-EEG) measures of connectivity, excitability, and plasticity.

Improved Mild Closed Head Traumatic Brain Injury Outcomes With a Brain-Computer Interface Amplified Cognitive Remediation Training.

This study is a retrospective chart review of 200 clients who participated in a non-verbal restorative cognitive remediation training (rCRT) program between 2012 and 2020. Each client participated in the program for about 16 weeks, and the study as a whole occurred over a five-year period. The program was applied to effect proper neural functional remodeling needed to support resilient, flexible, and adaptable behaviors after encountering a mild closed head traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Phenotyping the Spectrum of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review and Pathway to Standardization.

It is widely appreciated that the spectrum of traumatic brain injury (TBI), mild through severe, contains distinct clinical presentations, variably referred to as subtypes, phenotypes, and/or clinical profiles. As part of the Brain Trauma Blueprint TBI State of the Science, we review the current literature on TBI phenotyping with an emphasis on unsupervised methodological approaches, and describe five phenotypes that appear similar across reports. However, we also find the literature contains divergent analysis strategies, inclusion criteria, findings, and use of terms.

Evaluation of White Matter Integrity Utilizing the DELPHI (TMS-EEG) System.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate brain white matter (WM) fibers connectivity damage in stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) subjects by direct electrophysiological imaging (DELPHI) that analyzes transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-evoked potentials (TEPs).

Methods: The study included 123 participants, out of which 53 subjects with WM-related pathologies (39 stroke, 14 TBI) and 70 healthy age-related controls. All subjects underwent DELPHI brain network evaluations of TMS-electroencephalogram (EEG)-evoked potentials and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scans for quantification of WM microstructure fractional anisotropy (FA).

Impact of surface disinfection with hydrogen peroxide on the prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in hospital wards.

Vancomycin-resistant (VRE) are of major concern in infection control. Although broad infection control actions to check VRE have been implemented, VRE remain part of daily infection prevention in clinical settings. Cleaning procedures in the inanimate ward environment might play a key role in controlling VRE.

[Development and implementation of an operational concept in a university eye hospital in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic].

The SARS-CoV‑2 pandemic poses major challenges for the entire medical care system. Especially in maximum care clinical facilities, a higher exposure to potentially infectious patients or positively tested COVID-19 patients is to be expected. A hospital facility concept was developed in the Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany with the aim of achieving maximum patient safety with maximum employee protection.

[SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19: systematic review of requirements for personal protective equipment in primary patient contact and organization of the operating area].

Background: The SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic necessitates a rapid reorganization of the hospital procedures. The establishment of centers dedicated to COVID-19 treatment and care also necessitates preparation of the surgical departments for the forthcoming emergency interventions for infected patients and patients with an unclear infection status. This article summarizes the evidence on standards for personal protective equipment for personnel in the central emergency admission department and in the operations area as well as restructuring measures for the procedures in the operations area in a COVID-plus area.

Comprehensive Blood Coagulation Profiling in Patients Using iCoagLab: Comparison Against Thromboelastography.

Delayed identification of coagulopathy and bleeding increases the risk of organ failure and death in hospitalized patients. Timely and accurate identification of impaired coagulation at the point-of-care can proactively identify bleeding risk and guide resuscitation, resulting in improved outcomes for patients. We test the accuracy of a novel optical coagulation sensing approach, termed iCoagLab, for comprehensive whole blood coagulation profiling and investigate its diagnostic accuracy in identifying patients at elevated bleeding risk.

Anamnestic risk factor evaluation of patients carrying carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and/or Acinetobacter baumannii - impact on infection control management at a German University Hospital.

Carbapenem-resistant and are of major concern in terms of infection prevention and control. This study evaluated factors that may increase the frequency of and with carbapenem resistance (CR) in patients admitted to a German University Hospital for implementation of optimized infection control management. A five-year-retrospective epidemiological cohort analysis was conducted on anamnestic risk factors for carrying and/or with CR in patients who were first tested positive for these species at University Hospital Frankfurt (UHF) between January 2013 and June 2018.

[Implementation of an operational concept in an ENT clinic in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic].

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses major challenges for the entire medical care system. Especially in university institutions as maximum care providers, a higher exposure to potentially infectious patients or actual COVID-19 patients is to be expected. In a short period of time, an operational concept had to be developed regarding the current hygiene recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the leading medical societies and the internal hospital hygiene plan.

Effect of immunosuppressive treatment on biomarkers in adult atopic dermatitis patients.

Background: Biomarkers to objectively measure disease severity and predict therapeutic responses are needed in atopic dermatitis (AD).

Objective: Primary aim: To identify biomarkers reflecting therapeutic response in patients with AD treated systemically. Secondary aims: (i) To identify a biomarker pattern predicting responsiveness to systemic treatment.

The modern landscape of sport-related concussion research: key achievements and future directions.

The study of contact and collision sport athletes at risk for concussion began approximately three decades ago. Since then, sport-related concussion (SRC) research across several medical specialties has helped to develop consensus guidelines for clinical management through interdisciplinary efforts. The modern landscape of SRC research includes large-scale investigations to define the natural history of concussion and identify factors that should guide prevention, diagnosis, and treatment specific to the individual patient.

Serum GFAP and UCH-L1 for prediction of absence of intracranial injuries on head CT (ALERT-TBI): a multicentre observational study.

Background: More than 50 million people worldwide sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) annually. Detection of intracranial injuries relies on head CT, which is overused and resource intensive. Blood-based brain biomarkers hold the potential to predict absence of intracranial injury and thus reduce unnecessary head CT scanning.

A minimally invasive tool to study immune response and skin barrier in children with atopic dermatitis.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) affects children of all skin types. Most research has focused on light skin types. Studies investigating biomarkers in people with AD with dark skin types are lacking.

Implementation of the 2017 Berlin Concussion in Sport Group Consensus Statement in contact and collision sports: a joint position statement from 11 national and international sports organisations.

The 2017 Berlin Concussion in Sport Group Consensus Statement provides a global summary of best practice in concussion prevention, diagnosis and management, underpinned by systematic reviews and expert consensus. Due to their different settings and rules, individual sports need to adapt concussion guidelines according to their specific regulatory environment. At the same time, consistent application of the Berlin Consensus Statement's themes across sporting codes is likely to facilitate superior and uniform diagnosis and management, improve concussion education and highlight collaborative research opportunities.

Development of an enantioselective amine-silver co-catalyzed Conia-ene reaction.

The development of a novel cooperative catalytic system for an amine-silver co-catalyzed Conia-ene reaction of alkyne-tethered C-H-acidic compounds is reported. By using a cost-effective silver salt and a small diamine for the 5-exo-dig-cyclization the cyclopentane products are obtained in very good yields. The enantioselectivity of the reaction could be controlled by exchanging the diamine co-catalyst with a cinchona-derived primary amine.