The "Flying Intervention Team": A Novel Stroke Care Concept for Rural Areas.

Background: Endovascular treatment of large vessel occlusion in acute ischemic stroke patients is difficult to establish in remote areas, and time dependency of treatment effect increases the urge to develop health care concepts for this population.

Summary: Current strategies include direct transportation of patients to a comprehensive stroke center (CSC) ("mothership model") or transportation to the nearest primary stroke center (PSC) and secondary transfer to the CSC ("drip-and-ship model"). Both have disadvantages.

Decline and Recurrence of Stroke Consultations during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown Parallels Population Activity Levels.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown (CPL) lead to a significant decrease in emergency admissions worldwide. We performed a timely analysis of ischemic stroke (IS) and related consultations using the telestroke TEMPiS "working diagnosis" database prior (PL), within (WL), and after easing (EL) of CPL.

Methods: Twelve hospitals were selected and data analyzed regarding IS (including intravenous thrombolysis [intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen; IV rtPA] and endovascular thrombectomy [EVT]) and related events from February 1 to June 15 during 2017-2020.

Variability of forced vital capacity in progressive interstitial lung disease: a prospective observational study.

Background: Fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD) is often associated with poor outcomes, but has few predictors of progression. Daily home spirometry has been proposed to provide important information about the clinical course of idiopathic pulmonary disease (IPF). However, experience is limited, and home spirometry is not a routine component of patient care in ILD.

Low stroke incidence in the TEMPiS telestroke network during COVID-19 pandemic: Effect of lockdown on thrombolysis and thrombectomy.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic emergency departments have noted a significant decrease in stroke patients. We performed a timely analysis of the Bavarian telestroke TEMPiS "working diagnosis" database.

Methods: Twelve hospitals from the TEMPiS network were selected.

Characterization of human telomerase reverse transcriptase immortalized anterior cruciate ligament cell lines.

Background: The anterior-cruciate-ligament (ACL) contains mesenchymal stem cells (ACL-MSCs), suggesting the feasibility of regenerative treatments of this tissue. The immortalization of isolated cells results in cell-lines applicable to develop cell-based therapies. Immortal cell lines eliminate the need for frequent cell isolation from donor tissues.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Isolated from the Anterior Cruciate Ligament: Characterization and Comparison of Cells from Young and Old Donors.

Purpose: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) share multiple characteristics of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), allowing their use for regenerative therapies. Injuries to the ACL can affect people of all ages. This study assesses whether the regenerative potential of ACL-derived MSCs (ACL-MSCs) from old donors is as high as the potential of ACL-MSCs from young donors.

Ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation for monitoring of bleeding tendency in CLL treated with ibrutinib.

Bleeding because of impaired platelet function is a major side effect of the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib. We quantitatively assessed ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation (RIPA) in 64 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) under ibrutinib at 287 time points. Eighty-seven bleeding episodes in 39 patients were registered (85 Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC) grade 1 or 2, 2 CTC grade 3) during a median observation period of 10.

Severe motor aphasia after reinfusion of cryopreserved autologous stem cells after myeloablative conditioning.

Background: Autologous peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) are usually cryopreserved before high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). The freezing process requires the addition of cryoprotectants such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which is vital for cell viability in frozen aliquots. DMSO has a number of well-described side effects.

Therapy of HIV-associated lymphoma-recommendations of the oncology working group of the German Study Group of Physicians in Private Practice Treating HIV-Infected Patients (DAGNÄ), in cooperation with the German AIDS Society (DAIG).

AIDS-related aggressive B cell lymphoma (HIV-NHL) is the second most common HIV-associated malignancy. In contrast, Hodgkin-lymphoma (HL) is one of the most common non-AIDS-defining malignancies. Current evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of HIV-associated lymphoma (HIV-lymphoma) are not available.

Negative predictive value of normal adenosine-stress cardiac MRI in the assessment of coronary artery disease and correlation with semiquantitative perfusion analysis.

Purpose: To prospectively determine the negative predictive value of normal adenosine stress cardiac MR (CMR) in routine patients referred for evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD), predominantly with intermediate to high pretest risk.

Materials And Methods: Consecutive patients referred for coronary angiography were examined in a 1.5 Tesla whole-body scanner before catheterization.

Hexaminolevulinate-induced fluorescence colonoscopy versus white light endoscopy for diagnosis of neoplastic lesions in the colon.

Background And Study Aims: To compare the rate of detection of colorectal neoplastic lesions using the selective photosensitizer precursor hexaminolevulinate (HAL) combined with a new fluorescence video endoscope system against that of standard white light endoscopy, and secondarily, to evaluate the safety profile of HAL-induced fluorescence colonoscopy.

Patients And Methods: This prospective phase II clinical pilot study from two hospital study centers included 25 patients with known or highly suspected colorectal neoplasia. They underwent sensitization with locally applied 500 ml HAL enemas at a concentration of 1.

Prognostic value of normal adenosine-stress cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

We investigated the prognostic value of normal adenosine stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Prospectively enrolled in the study were 218 patients with suspected CAD, no stress hypoperfusion, and no delayed enhancement in CMR, and consecutively deferred coronary angiography. The primary end point was a 12-month rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE; cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, revascularization, hospitalization due to cardiovascular event).

Clinical implication of adenosine-stress cardiac magnetic resonance imaging as potential gatekeeper prior to invasive examination in patients with AHA/ACC class II indication for coronary angiography.

Background: Real world cardiology is faced with a low diagnostic yield of coronary angiography (CXA) in patients presenting with ACC/AHA class II CXA indication. Our aim was to analyze the clinical implication of a Cardiac MR (CMR) protocol including adenosine stress perfusion in this patient population. We examined whether CMR could enhance appropriate CXA indication and thus reduce the rate of pure diagnostic CXA.

Smoking cessation in long-term survivors of germ cell tumour.

Purpose: Long-term survivors of germ cell tumours (GCT) are at increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity. We investigated the use of tobacco in patients after therapy for GCT.

Methods: Four hundred and seventy-four patients treated between 1979 and 2000 at the University of Munich were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire on psychosocial dimensions which included items on tobacco smoking before and after treatment of GCT.

Prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in isolates of the Enterobacter cloacae complex from German hospitals.

In 2002, 119 isolates of the Enterobacter cloacae complex were collected randomly from 11 German laboratories nationwide. Antibiotic susceptibilities were tested by disk-diffusion tests according to CLSI guidelines, and MICs were determined using Etests. PCRs were performed to amplify all TEM and SHV, and most CTX-M and OXA beta-lactamase genes.

Additional diagnostic and clinical value of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies compared with rheumatoid factor isotypes in rheumatoid arthritis.

In the past decade significant advantages have been made in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and therapeutic strategies have changed a lot. These days, highly effective disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs enable intervention early in the disease process, in order to prevent major joint damage. For years, serological support in the diagnosis of RA has been limited to the presence of rheumatoid factors, although not very specific for RA.

Enterobacter hormaechei subsp. oharae subsp. nov., E. hormaechei subsp. hormaechei comb. nov., and E. hormaechei subsp. steigerwaltii subsp. nov., three new subspecies of clinical importance.

Six species and six additional genovars are combined within the so-called Enterobacter cloacae complex, with one of them being the species Enterobacter hormaechei. In a recent population genetic study, two genetic clusters were found in close phylogenetic proximity to the genetic cluster of E. hormaechei.

Diagnostic and clinical value of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies compared with rheumatoid factor isotypes in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To assess the additional diagnostic and clinical value of the second test generation of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (CCP2) compared with rheumatoid factor isotypes (IgG-RF, IgA-RF, IgM-RF) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: This was a prospective study on 715 patients: rheumatoid arthritis (n = 295), degenerative or other inflammatory joint disease (n = 163), connective tissue disease or vasculitis (n = 103), and healthy controls (n = 154). Sera from each subject were tested for CCP2 and RF isotypes by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

In vivo temperature measurement during transcatheter endomyocardial Nd-YAG laser irradiation in dogs.

Intramural temperatures were monitored during catheter-directed endomyocardial non-contact laser irradiation by means of an array of thermocouples inserted epicardially. Via a novel electrode-laser catheter, a total of 30 Nd-YAG laser pulses, 1064 nm, 25 W/15 s, 20 W/30 s, 15 W/45 s,n = 10 each, were aimed at various endocardial sites in the ventricles of four dogs. Temperatures increased gradually after the onset of the laser pulses.