Combined cognitive assessment and automated MRI volumetry improves the diagnostic accuracy of detecting MCI due to Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) confers a high annual risk of 10-15 % of conversion to Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia. MRI atrophy patterns derived from automated ROI analysis, particularly hippocampal subfield volumes, were reported to be useful in diagnosing early clinical stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to combine automated ROI MRI morphometry of hippocampal subfield volumes and cortical thickness estimates using FreeSurfer 6.

Lag-time effects of vaccination on SARS-CoV-2 dynamics in German hospitals and intensive-care units.

Background: The Efficacy and effectiveness of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 have clearly been shown by randomized trials and observational studies. Despite these successes on the individual level, vaccination of the population is essential to relieving hospitals and intensive care units. In this context, understanding the effects of vaccination and its lag-time on the population-level dynamics becomes necessary to adapt the vaccination campaigns and prepare for future pandemics.

Intensity and lag-time of non-pharmaceutical interventions on COVID-19 dynamics in German hospitals.

Introduction: Evaluating the potential effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions on COVID-19 dynamics is challenging and controversially discussed in the literature. The reasons are manifold, and some of them are as follows. First, interventions are strongly correlated, making a specific contribution difficult to disentangle; second, time trends (including SARS-CoV-2 variants, vaccination coverage and seasonality) influence the potential effects; third, interventions influence the different populations and dynamics with a time delay.

Significant pressure differences between solid-state and water-perfused systems in lower esophageal sphincter measurement.

Objective: High-resolution manometry of the esophagus has gained worldwide acceptance, using different solid-state catheters. Thus, normal values for lower esophageal sphincter (LES) resting pressure in suspected gastroesophageal reflux disease patients have been established using water-perfused manometry. These standard values are commonly applied using also solid-state techniques, although they have never been compared before.

Perforated Meckel's diverticulum presenting as a gastrointestinal stromal tumor: a case report.

Tumors and perforation of Meckel's diverticulum are rare manifestations. A gastrointestinal stromal tumor in a Meckel's diverticulum causing perforation and subsequent peritonitis in a 75-year-old man is presented. The literature on tumors in Meckel's diverticulum is extensively reviewed and discussed.

Long-term follow-up after robotic cholecystectomy.

Most surgeons gain their first clinical experience with surgical robots when performing cholecystectomies. Although this procedure is rather easily applicable for the da Vinci surgical system, the long-term outcome after this operation has not yet been clarified. This study follows up our institutional first series of robotic cholecystectomies (June to November 2001).

Nissen or partial posterior fundoplication: which antireflux procedure has a lower rate of side effects?

Introduction: In patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) it is still controversial as to which type of antireflux procedure-the Nissen or the partial posterior fundoplication-offers the lower rate of side effects in the long term.

Patients And Methods: In this follow-up study the Nissen fundoplication was performed only in GERD patients with normal oesophageal peristalsis. The partial posterior fundoplication was preserved for patients with weak peristalsis.

Comparison of methods for determining cricopharyngeal intrabolus pressure in normal patients as possible indicator for cricopharyngeal myotomy.

Objective: We sought to compare methods for determining intrabolus cricopharyngeal pressure as a possible indicator for cricopharyngeal myotomy.

Study Design: We determined multiple intrabolus pressures in the cricopharyngeal region of 20 normal volunteers, of whom 12 were 20 to 35 years old and 8 were older than 75 years. Data were collected using a commercially available manofluorography system and a 6-sensor unidirectional solid-state 2- x 4-mm catheter.