[Teaching health economics, health-care system and public health at German medical faculties].

Aim: On 1 October 2003 the 9th Medical Practice Act came into effect and implemented the teaching subjects "health economics, health-care system, public health" in the medical curriculum. The purpose of the study was to define the content of teaching.

Methods: Interviews were conducted with professors in charge of "health economics, health-care system, public health-at 36 German medical faculties.

Differentiation of cGMP-dependent and -independent nitric oxide effects on platelet apoptosis and reactive oxygen species production using platelets lacking soluble guanylyl cyclase.

Platelet activation is an irreversible process resulting in platelet apoptosis and necrosis, and circulating platelets contain many components of the apoptotic machinery. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) generated by nitric oxide (NO) activated soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) plays a crucial role in preventing platelet activation. However, in addition to activation of sGC, cGMP-independent NO effects in platelets have been described.

Transcranial sonographic localization of deep brain stimulation electrodes is safe, reliable and predicts clinical outcome.

In patients with deep brain stimulation (DBS), poor postoperative outcome or unexpected clinical change require brain imaging to check the lead location. Here, we studied safety, reliability and prognostic value of transcranial sonography (TCS) for DBS lead localization applying predefined TCS criteria. After measuring thermal effects of TCS and imaging artefact sizes of DBS lead using a skull phantom, we prospectively enrolled 34 patients with DBS of globus pallidus internus, ventro-intermediate thalamic or subthalamic nucleus.

Substantia nigra echogenicity in Parkinson's disease: relation to serum iron and C-reactive protein.

In Parkinson's disease (PD), substantia nigra hyperechogenicity (SN-h) has been related to both, local iron accumulation and microglia activation. We analysed its relationship in PD patients with serum iron (n = 31) and C-reactive protein (CRP; n = 193). SN-h correlated with lower CRP and iron levels.

Phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein prevents platelet-neutrophil complex formation and dampens myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Background: Recent work has suggested that the formation of platelet-neutrophil complexes (PNCs) aggravates the severity of inflammatory tissue injury. Given the importance of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) for platelet function, we pursued the role of VASP on the formation of PNCs and its impact on the extent of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury.

Methods And Results: In initial in vitro studies we found that neutrophils facilitated the movement of platelets across endothelial monolayers.

[Knowledge transfer methods in German disease prevention and health promotion. A survey of experts in the federal prevention research program].

Aim Of The Study: This expert survey analyzed the application and perceived usefulness of knowledge transfer methods for disease prevention and health promotion research.

Methods: 302 experts from 70 administratively distinct projects sponsored under the German federal prevention research program received a questionnaire on transfer methods used for preparation, dissemination and implementation of their project results and the perceived expediency of these methods. 130 experts (43%) from 59 projects (84.

Mirror movements in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive motor syndrome with clinical evidence of upper and lower motor neuron dysfunction. Mirror movements (MM) in ALS have been reported and attributed to a disturbed transcallosal inhibition (TI). Hence, occurrence of MM in ALS might be explained by involvement of transcallosal projecting fibre tracts into the degenerative process of the motor system.

Efficacy of intravenous lacosamide in refractory nonconvulsive status epilepticus and simple partial status epilepticus.

Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) and epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) are common epileptic conditions for which straightforward recommendations based on controlled randomized trials for treatment in therapy refractory courses are lacking. In a large retrospective study on drug efficacy in status epilepticus (SE) we identified the patients treated in our department by searching for the term "status epilepticus" in the electronic archive of medical reports of our clinic. Here we present the subset of data concerning the patients treated with lacosamide (LCM).

Best practices in wraparound: a multidimensional view of the evidence.

This article presents a systematic review of the effectiveness of wraparound, a value-guided, widely used service planning process and philosophy of care originally developed for children with serious emotional disturbance and their families. In contrast to conventional systematic reviews, which concentrate on the empirical literature, this article uses the multidimensional evidence-based practice approach, which adds professional knowledge and consumer perspectives to a value-critical analysis. The findings contextualize the limited empirical support for wraparound within a social work value frame, suggesting areas of improvement for the implementation of the wraparound model.

Comparison of tools for assessing the methodological quality of primary and secondary studies in health technology assessment reports in Germany.

Unlabelled: HEALTH CARE POLICY BACKGROUND: Findings from scientific studies form the basis for evidence-based health policy decisions.

Scientific Background: Quality assessments to evaluate the credibility of study results are an essential part of health technology assessment reports and systematic reviews. Quality assessment tools (QAT) for assessing the study quality examine to what extent study results are systematically distorted by confounding or bias (internal validity).

Identification of SPRED2 (sprouty-related protein with EVH1 domain 2) as a negative regulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Sprouty-related proteins with EVH1 (enabled/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein homology 1) domain (SPREDs) are inhibitors of MAPK signaling. To elucidate SPRED2 in vivo function, we characterized body homeostasis in SPRED2(-/-) mice. They showed a doubled daily water uptake, induced by elevated serum osmolality, originating from increased blood salt load.

Substantia nigra hyperechogenicity is a risk marker of Parkinson's disease: no.

During the past two decades, transcranial sonography (TCS) has developed to an increasingly used brain imaging method that visualizes characteristic patterns of basal ganglia alterations in distinct movement disorders. Since the discovery of a characteristic abnormal hyperechogenic appearance of substantia nigra (SN) on TCS in Parkinson's disease (PD), which is stable during the course of the disease and probably present already in preclinical disease stages, the results of several studies have promoted the idea that this TCS finding in healthy subjects might be a risk marker of PD. The present view summarizes current scientific evidence favouring the idea that the TCS finding of SN hyperechogenicity alone may not be a (strong) risk marker of PD.

Deficiency of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) increases blood-brain-barrier damage and edema formation after ischemic stroke in mice.

Background: Stroke-induced brain edema formation is a frequent cause of secondary infarct growth and deterioration of neurological function. The molecular mechanisms underlying edema formation after stroke are largely unknown. Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) is an important regulator of actin dynamics and stabilizes endothelial barriers through interaction with cell-cell contacts and focal adhesion sites.

Recurrent aphasic status epilepticus after prolonged generalized tonic-clonic seizures versus a special feature of Todd's paralysis.

Postictal aphasia may be a feature of Todd's paralysis or the presentation of aphasic nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE). We describe a 74-year-old woman with three episodes of aphasic status epilepticus after prolonged generalized tonic-clonic seizures. In the first episode, the NCSE was not definitively diagnosed, but an increase in the epileptic medication led to resolution of the epileptic activity within 2 weeks.

Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein deficiency potentiates PAR-1-induced increase in endothelial permeability in mouse lungs.

Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) is implicated in the protection of the endothelial barrier in vitro and in vivo. The function of VASP in thrombin signaling in the endothelial cells (ECs) is not known. For the first time we studied the effects of VASP deficiency on EC permeability and pulmonary vascular permeability in response to thrombin receptor stimulation.

[Social medicine in medical faculties: realisation of the topic in the specialty "social medicine, occupational health"].

Purpose Of The Study: The 9 (th) Revision of German Medical Licensing Regulations for Physicians has come into effect on October 1 (st) 2003. Social medicine was separated into the fields ""occupational health, social medicine" and the various cross-sectional modules: epidemiology, biometry, medical computer science; health economics, health-care system, public health; prevention, health promotion; rehabilitation, physical medicine, naturopathic treatment. This paper studies the realisation of teaching in the field social medicine at German medical faculties.

The new INNOVANCE® PFA P2Y cartridge is sensitive to the detection of the P2Y₁₂ receptor inhibition.

Insufficient response on antiplatelet medication has become an intensively discussed issue because of the risk factor of recurrent adverse cardiovascular events. However, the monitoring of antiplatelet therapy requires appropriate, robust and reliable test methods. For the measurement of thienopyridine effects, the manufacturer of the PFA-100® System provides the INNOVANCE® PFA P2Y * cartridge.

Evidence for anti-angiogenic and pro-survival functions of the cerebral cavernous malformation protein 3.

Mutations in CCM1, CCM2, or CCM3 lead to cerebral cavernous malformations, one of the most common hereditary vascular diseases of the brain. Endothelial cells within these lesions are the main disease compartments. Here, we show that adenoviral CCM3 expression inhibits endothelial cell migration, proliferation, and tube formation while downregulation of endogenous CCM3 results in increased formation of tube-like structures.

Putting prevention into practice: qualitative study of factors that inhibit and promote preventive care by general practitioners, with a focus on elderly patients.

Background: General practitioners (GPs) have a key role in providing preventive care, particularly for elderly patients. However, various factors can inhibit or promote the implementation of preventive care. In the present study, we identified and examined factors that inhibit and promote preventive care by German GPs, particularly for elderly patients, and assessed changes in physicians' attitudes toward preventive care throughout their careers.

Sonographic basal ganglia alterations are related to non-motor symptoms in multiple sclerosis.

The anatomical basis of cognitive dysfunction and other non-motor symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS) is poorly understood. In MS patients, transcranial sonography (TCS) shows neurodegenerative disease-like lesions of the substantia nigra (SN) and basal ganglia, thought to reflect iron accumulation. The present study deals with the question of whether sonographic changes of SN, brainstem raphe, lenticular nucleus (LN) or caudate nucleus are related to non-motor symptoms of MS.

The opportunities for and obstacles against prevention: the example of Germany in the areas of tobacco and alcohol.

Background: Recent years have seen a growing research and policy interest in prevention in many developed countries. However, the actual efforts and resources devoted to prevention appear to have lagged well behind the lip service paid to the topic.

Discussion: We review the evidence on the considerable existing scope for health gains from prevention as well as for greater prevention policy efforts in Germany.