Implementation of an electronic patient portal in routine mental health care of hospitals in Germany - evaluation of attitudes of healthcare providers.

Background: The use of digital tools such as electronic patient portals in different health care disciplines and settings has been increasing, but the rate of implementation in clinical practice still lags behind expectations. While studies have linked the use of electronic patient portals to positive health outcomes for patients, studies addressing the viewpoints of healthcare providers are rare.

Methods: We performed an online survey of attitudes of healthcare providers towards an electronic patient portal for mental health hospitals.

Migrants With Schizophrenia in Forensic Psychiatric Hospitals Benefit From High-Intensity Second Language Programs.

As a result of migration, an increasing number of patients in forensic psychiatric hospitals show poor skills in the national language, which can affect their treatment. Improving the second language (L2) of inpatients with schizophrenia may help to enable effective psychotherapy and thus reduce the risk of criminal recidivism and facilitate reintegration into society, for example because of a language-related higher degree of social functioning. For this purpose, a Hessian forensic psychiatric hospital established a ward specialized in L2 acquisition.

Induction of penicillin tolerance during pregnancy: Allergological opinion on the recommendation of the current AWMF Guidelines on Diagnosis and Treatment of Syphilis (AWMF Registry No. 059-002).

Not available.

Comparison of aspirating pipettes and hysteroscopy with curettage.

Purpose: In this prospective study, endometrial biopsy by pipette was compared with hysteroscopy with curettage in patients with an abnormal uterine bleeding (ABU) (hypermenorrhea, intermediate bleeding, continuous bleeding, postmenopausal bleeding) and patients with a sonographically abnormal endometrium.

Methods: 176 patients were included. The pipette samples were taken during the usual planned procedure under general anaesthesia.

Statistical learning of mobility patterns from long-term monitoring of locomotor behaviour with body-worn sensors.

Long term monitoring of locomotor behaviour in humans using body-worn sensors can provide insight into the dynamical structure of locomotion, which can be used for quantitative, predictive and classification analyses in a biomedical context. A frequently used approach to study daily life locomotor behaviour in different population groups involves categorisation of locomotion into various states as a basis for subsequent analyses of differences in locomotor behaviour. In this work, we use such a categorisation to develop two feature sets, namely state probability and transition rates between states, and use supervised classification techniques to demonstrate differences in locomotor behaviour.

Structured physical exercise improves neuropsychiatric symptoms in acute dementia care: a hospital-based RCT.

Background: The primary objective of this trial is to investigate the effects of a short-term exercise program on neuropsychiatric signs and symptoms in acute hospital dementia care.

Methods: Within a hospital-based randomized controlled trial, the intervention group conducted a 2-week exercise program with four 20-min exercise sessions on 3 days per week. The control group conducted a social stimulation program.

Effects of Short-Term Exercise Interventions on Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Patients with Dementia: A Systematic Review.

Observational and interventional studies indicate a direct link between the patients' physical activity and the extent of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). At present, there are no evidence-based recommendations for physical exercise in the acute dementia care settings. Hence, this systematic review investigates the effects of short-term exercise trials on BPSD.

Value of clinical and laboratory inflammation factors in the postoperative period after laparoscopic urogynecological surgery.

Background/aims: Leukocytes and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are often used to detect infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic and screening validity of leukocytes and CRP levels as well as body temperature >38° C to predict infections after laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy.

Methods: The study included 287 patients suffering from genital prolapse higher than POP-Q I.

Reference Dosimetry according to the New German Protocol DIN 6800-2 and Comparison with IAEA TRS 398 and AAPM TG 51.

The preceding DIN 6800-2 (1997) protocol has been revised by a German task group and its latest version was published in March 2008 as the national standard dosimetry protocol DIN 6800-2 (2008 March). Since then, in Germany the determination of absorbed dose to water for high-energy photon and electron beams has to be performed according to this new German dosimetry protocol. The IAEA Code of Practice TRS 398 (2000) and the AAPM TG-51 are the two main protocols applied internationally.

Peri-operative and complication management for adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus and oesophagigastric junction.

Surgical resection of oesophageal cancer still offers the only chance of cure for this disease. Nevertheless, oesophageal surgery may be accompanied by relevant mortality and morbidity, the causes of which can be both directly related to surgical technique as well as a large spectrum of non-surgical complications. In the last few years, improvements in patient selection and technical advances, as well as elaborated peri- and post-operative management, have helped to reduce these threats.

Secondary endovascular and conversion procedures for failed endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: can we still be optimistic?

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence, etiology, and outcome of secondary endovascular and "open" conversion procedures after failed endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). From January 1997 until December 2005, 625 patients with an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm were treated by elective EVAR, with 98.7% (n = 617) primary EVAR success.

Endovascular treatment of iatrogenic and traumatic carotid artery dissection.

This paper reports on the early and midterm results of endovascular treatment of acute carotid artery dissections, its specific problems, and its limitations. We encountered seven patients with symptomatic extracranial carotid artery dissection, three cases of which occurred after carotid endarterectomy, two after carotid angioplasty and stenting, and two after trauma. Balloon-expandable and self-expanding stents were placed using a transfemoral approach.

Combined endovascular stent-graft repair and adjunctive visceral vessel reconstruction for complex thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.

Aim: This study demonstrates the therapeutic value of the hybrid open and endovascular procedure in anatomically challenging thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) in high-risk patients.

Methods: Between January 2000 and February 2006, 8 patients were treated with open visceral vessel revascularization and endovascular repair for TAAAs. Patient data were available from medical records.

Determination of absorbed dose to water for high-energy photon and electron beams-comparison of the standards DIN 6800-2 (1997), IAEA TRS 398 (2000) and DIN 6800-2 (2006).

For the determination of the absorbed dose to water for high-energy photon and electron beams the IAEA code of practice TRS-398 (2000) is applied internationally. In Germany, the German dosimetry protocol DIN 6800-2 (1997) is used. Recently, the DIN standard has been revised and published as Draft National Standard DIN 6800-2 (2006).

The role of epidural spinal cord stimulation in the treatment of Buerger's disease.

Purpose: This clinical, retrospective study is evaluated the effect of epidural spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in the treatment of Buerger's disease.

Methods: The clinical criteria of Shionoya were used to diagnose 29 patients (22 men, 7 women; mean age 33.7 years) with Buerger's disease.