Perioperative Antibiotic Prophylaxis—Indications and Modalities for the Prevention of Postoperative Wound Infection.

Background: Postoperative surgical site infections (SSI) account for almost 25% of all nosocomial infections in Germany and are a source of increased morbidity and mortality.

Methods: This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective search in PubMed and on national and international guidelines.

Results: The individual risk factors for SSI must be assessed before any surgical procedure.

STIGMA: Single-cell tissue-specific gene prioritization using machine learning.

Clinical exome and genome sequencing have revolutionized the understanding of human disease genetics. Yet many genes remain functionally uncharacterized, complicating the establishment of causal disease links for genetic variants. While several scoring methods have been devised to prioritize these candidate genes, these methods fall short of capturing the expression heterogeneity across cell subpopulations within tissues.

Integrative genotyping of cancer and immune phenotypes by long-read sequencing.

Single-cell transcriptomics has become the definitive method for classifying cell types and states, and can be augmented with genotype information to improve cell lineage identification. Due to constraints of short-read sequencing, current methods to detect natural genetic barcodes often require cumbersome primer panels and early commitment to targets. Here we devise a flexible long-read sequencing workflow and analysis pipeline, termed nanoranger, that starts from intermediate single-cell cDNA libraries to detect cell lineage-defining features, including single-nucleotide variants, fusion genes, isoforms, sequences of chimeric antigen and TCRs.

Noninvasive evaluation of pulmonary artery stiffness in heart failure patients via cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Heart failure (HF) presents manifestations in both cardiac and vascular abnormalities. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is prevalent in up 50% of HF patients. While pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is closely associated with pulmonary artery (PA) stiffness, the association of HF caused, post-capillary PH and PA stiffness is unknown.

The effect of self-management techniques on relevant outcomes in chronic low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Objective: Among many treatment approaches for chronic low back pain (CLBP), self-management techniques are becoming increasingly important. The aim of this paper was to (a) provide an overview of existing digital self-help interventions for CLBP and (b) examine the effect of these interventions in reducing pain intensity, pain catastrophizing and pain disability.

Databases And Data Treatment: Following the PRISMA guideline, a systematic literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychInfo, CINAHL and Cochrane databases.

Feasibility of magnetic resonance elastography of mesenteric adipose tissue in Crohn's disease.

Background: Although there is growing evidence that functional involvement and structural changes of mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT) influence the course of Crohn's disease (CD), its viscoelastic properties remain elusive. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the viscoelastic properties of MAT in CD using magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), providing reference values for CD diagnosis.

Methods: In this prospective proof-of-concept study, 31 subjects (CD: n=11; healthy controls: n=20) were consecutively enrolled in a specialized care center for inflammatory bowel diseases (tertiary/quaternary care).

HOXD13-associated synpolydactyly: Extending and validating the genotypic and phenotypic spectrum with 38 new and 49 published families.

Purpose: HOXD13 is an important regulator of limb development. Pathogenic variants in HOXD13 cause synpolydactyly type 1 (SPD1). How different types and positions of HOXD13 variants contribute to genotype-phenotype correlations, penetrance, and expressivity of SPD1 remains elusive.

Comparison of anatomical-based vs. nTMS-based risk stratification model for predicting postoperative motor outcome and extent of resection in brain tumor surgery.

Background: Two statistical models have been established to evaluate characteristics associated with postoperative motor outcome in patients with glioma associated to the motor cortex (M1) or the corticospinal tract (CST). One model is based on a clinicoradiological prognostic sum score (PrS) while the other one relies on navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) and diffusion-tensor-imaging (DTI) tractography. The objective was to compare the models regarding their prognostic value for postoperative motor outcome and extent of resection (EOR) with the aim of developing a combined, improved model.

Surgical site infection surveillance in German hospitals: a national survey to determine the status quo of digitalization.

Background: Surveillance of surgical site infections (SSI) relies on access to data from various sources. Insights into the practices of German hospitals conducting SSI surveillance and their information technology (IT) infrastructures are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate current SSI surveillance practices in German hospitals with a focus on employed IT infrastructures.

magnetic resonance elastography of the small bowel in Crohn's disease.

Background: Conventional magnetic resonance enterography is limited in differentiating active inflammation and fibrosis in lesions of Crohn's disease (CD), thus providing a restricted basis for therapeutic decision making. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is an emerging imaging tool that differentiates soft tissues on the basis of their viscoelastic properties. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of MRE in assessing the viscoelastic properties of small bowel samples and quantifying differences in viscoelastic properties between healthy ileum and ileum affected by CD.

Epidemiology and treatment of myasthenia gravis: a retrospective study using a large insurance claims dataset in Germany.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare, chronic autoimmune disease with symptoms of fluctuating muscular weakness and fatigability. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to estimate the prevalence and incidence of MG in Germany, and to understand the burden of disease and treatment patterns, based on anonymized German claims data. Two patient samples were identified: (1) incident MG patients with newly onset disease between 2015 and 2019, and (2) prevalent MG patients in 2019.

Age as a risk factor for surgical site infections: German surveillance data on total hip replacement and total knee replacement procedures 2009 to 2018.

BackgroundOlder age is frequently cited as a risk factor for healthcare-associated infections in general, and surgical site infections (SSIs) specifically.AimWe aimed to investigate the correlation between age and SSI occurrence.MethodsData on total hip replacement (THR) and total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries and resulting SSIs documented in the German national surveillance network from a 10-year period from 2009 to 2018 were selected for analysis.

CMR detects decreased myocardial deformation in asymptomatic patients at risk for heart failure.

Aims: The main management strategy of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is prevention since HFpEF is associated with many cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, especially since HFpEF is linked to a high risk for both mortality and recurrent heart failure (HF) hospitalizations. Therefore, there is a need for new tools to identify patients with a high risk profile early. Regional strain assessment by CMR seems to be superior in describing deformation impairment in HF.

Tabletop MR elastography for investigating effects of the freeze-thaw cycle on the mechanical properties of biological tissues.

Purpose: We aimed at characterizing the effects of the freeze-thaw cycle (FTC) on ex vivo specimens of porcine muscle, liver, kidney, and brain using tabletop magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) combined with rheological modeling. While frozen tissue banks potentially facilitate access to large amounts of well-preserved biospecimens, the impact of the FTC on their viscoelastic properties remains elusive.

Methods: In this proof-of-concept study, fresh specimens from porcine lumbar muscle (n = 6), liver (n = 6), kidney (n = 6), and brain (n = 6) were examined before and after the FTC using 0.

MRI-Based Risk Assessment for Incomplete Resection of Brain Metastases.

Object: Recent studies demonstrated that gross total resection of brain metastases cannot always be achieved. Subtotal resection (STR) can result in an early recurrence and might affect patient survival. We initiated a prospective observational study to establish a MRI-based risk assessment for incomplete resection of brain metastases.

Risk factors for nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infections in patients: results from a retrospective matched case-control study in a tertiary care university center.

Background: Factors contributing to the spread of SARS-CoV-2 outside the acute care hospital setting have been described in detail. However, data concerning risk factors for nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infections in hospitalized patients remain scarce. To close this research gap and inform targeted measures for the prevention of nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infections, we analyzed nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 cases in our hospital during a defined time period.

Automated surveillance systems for healthcare-associated infections: results from a European survey and experiences from real-life utilization.

Background: As most automated surveillance (AS) methods to detect healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) have been developed and implemented in research settings, information about the feasibility of large-scale implementation is scarce.

Aim: To describe key aspects of the design of AS systems and implementation in European institutions and hospitals.

Methods: An online survey was distributed via e-mail in February/March 2019 among (i) PRAISE (Providing a Roadmap for Automated Infection Surveillance in Europe) network members; (ii) corresponding authors of peer-reviewed European publications on existing AS systems; and (iii) the mailing list of national infection prevention and control focal points of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Hepatic artery reconstruction using an operating microscope in pediatric liver transplantation-Is it worth the effort?

Introduction: In pediatric liver transplantation (pLT), hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) is associated with inferior transplant outcome. Hepatic artery reconstruction (HAR) using an operating microscope (OM) is considered to reduce the incidence of HAT.

Methods: HAR using an OM was compared to a historic cohort using surgical loupes (SL) in pLT performed between 2009 and 2020.

Liver Transplantation Is Highly Effective in Children with Irresectable Hepatoblastoma.

: In children, hepatoblastoma preferentially is managed by liver resection (LR). However, in irresectable cases, liver transplantation (LT) is required. The aim of our study was to compare short- and long-term results after LR and LT for the curative treatment of hepatoblastoma.