A randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of pramipexole in addition to mood stabilisers for patients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression (the PAX-BD study).

Background: Options for 'treatment-resistant bipolar depression' (TRBD) are limited. Two small, short-term, trials of pramipexole suggest it might be an option.

Aims: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of pramipexole in the management of TRBD.

[Implementation of teledermatological consultations at Leipzig University Medical Center].

Background: Numerous patients admitted to a general hospital present skin changes as secondary findings. Approximately 800 dermatological consultations are performed annually at the Leipzig University Medical Center.

Objectives: The aim of this study was, after implementation of teledermatological consulting, the retrospective evaluation of that and the resulting satisfaction of the physicians involved.

[Cutaneous ulceration in dermatomyositis : Case reports with positive anti-NXP-2/anti-TIF1-gamma antibody status].

Painful ulcerations developed in a 33-year-old woman with anti-NXP-2-positive dermatomyositis in the facial and trunk areas and a 67-year-old woman with TIF1-gamma-positive dermatomyositis on the hands, while undergoing systemic therapy with azathioprine or low-dose methylprednisolone and cyclic administration of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG), respectively. In the laboratory workup, the anti-MDA‑5 antibody status remained negative and the creatine kinase (CK) normal in both patients, while histopathological examinations were nonspecific. Intensive topical class 4 corticosteroid therapy and continuation of the immunosuppressive or immunomodulating therapy led to healing of the ulcerative skin lesions.

Syntalos: a software for precise synchronization of simultaneous multi-modal data acquisition and closed-loop interventions.

Complex experimental protocols often require multi-modal data acquisition with precisely aligned timing, as well as state- and behavior-dependent interventions. Tailored solutions are mostly restricted to individual experimental setups and lack flexibility and interoperability. We present an open-source, Linux-based integrated software solution, called 'Syntalos', for simultaneous acquisition and synchronization of data from an arbitrary number of sources, including multi-channel electrophysiological recordings and different live imaging devices, as well as closed-loop, real-time interventions with different actuators.

Defining the Cost of Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Multicenter, Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing and Cost Optimization Investigation.

Background: Rotator cuff repair (RCR) is a frequently performed outpatient orthopaedic surgery, with substantial financial implications for health-care systems. Time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) is a method for nuanced cost analysis and is a valuable tool for strategic health-care decision-making. The aim of this study was to apply the TDABC methodology to RCR procedures to identify specific avenues to optimize cost-efficiency within the health-care system in 2 critical areas: (1) the reduction of variability in the episode duration, and (2) the standardization of suture anchor acquisition costs.