Antimicrobial Use in Pediatric Oncology and Hematology: Protocol for a Multicenter Point-Prevalence Study With Qualitative Expert Panel Assessment.

Background: Because infections are a major driver of morbidity and mortality in children with hematologic or oncologic diseases, antimicrobials are frequently prescribed in pediatric oncology practice. However, excess or inappropriate use of antimicrobials is directly linked to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Although point-prevalence studies have examined the extent of antimicrobial use, a comprehensive qualitative evaluation of individual antimicrobial prescriptions remains lacking.

Evaluation of overall gait quality in Perthes disease. Are global gait indices of value for a local musculoskeletal disorder?

Background: Until now follow-up- and outcome evaluations in Perthes disease are analysing predominantly subjective results and clinical/radiological parameters. To enlarge the assessment by quantitative, functional aspects a summary measure for overall gait quality would be helpful. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate whether commonly used global gait indices are sensitive to detect gait deviations during the early stages of the Perthes disease.

Granule cell dispersion in two mouse models of temporal lobe epilepsy and reeler mice is associated with changes in dendritic orientation and spine distribution.

Temporal lobe epilepsy is characterized by hippocampal neuronal death in CA1 and hilus. Dentate gyrus granule cells survive but show dispersion of the compact granule cell layer. This is associated with decrease of the glycoprotein Reelin, which regulates neuron migration and dendrite outgrow.

More than random responding: Empirical evidence for the validity of the (Extended) Crosswise Model.

The Randomized Response Technique (Warner, Journal of the American Statistical Association, 60, 63-69, 1965) has been developed to control for socially desirable responses in surveys on sensitive attributes. The Crosswise Model (CWM; Yu et al., Metrika, 67, 251-263, 2008) and its extension, the Extended Crosswise Model (ECWM; Heck et al.

Retinal vascular occlusion in pregnancy: three case reports and a review of the literature.

Background: Retinal arterial occlusive events in young patients are rare. However, because of physiological multifactorial adaptations during pregnancy, retinal vascular occlusive disease may occur spontaneously. In addition, a patent foramen ovale is a risk factor for an ischemic thromboembolic event.

Burden of CIN2+ diagnoses and conizations in women aged 18-45 years-a retrospective secondary data analysis of German statutory health insurance claims data.

Purpose: High grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+) may progress to cervical cancer. They may be detected by screening and are usually treated by conization. This study aimed at assessing annual proportions of screening, prevalent and incident CIN2+ diagnoses, as well as proportions of (re-)conizations during 24 months follow-up after conization in Germany.

Minimally invasive retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for men with testis cancer: a retrospective cohort study of safety and feasibility.

Purpose: To describe the perioperative safety, functional and immediate post-operative oncological outcomes of minimally invasive RPLND (miRPLND) for testis cancer.

Methods: We performed a retrospective multi-centre cohort study on testis cancer patients treated with miRPLND from 16 institutions in eight countries. We measured clinician-reported outcomes stratified by indication.

Robotic-assisted Versus Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy: 12-month Outcomes of the Multicentre Randomised Controlled LAP-01 Trial.

Background: Recently, our LAP-01 trial demonstrated superiority of robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) over conventional laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) with respect to continence at 3 mo.

Objective: To compare the continence, potency, and oncological outcomes between RARP and LRP in the 12-mo follow-up.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this multicentre, randomised, patient-blinded controlled trial, patients referred for radical prostatectomy to four hospitals in Germany were randomly assigned (3:1) to undergo either RARP or LRP.

Procedure using CAD/CAM-manufactured insertion guides for purely mini-implant-borne rapid maxillary expanders.

With traditional rapid palatal expansion (RPE), orthopaedic forces are transmitted to the skeletal structures via the anchor teeth potentially leading to several unwanted dental side effects. To prevent these issues, tooth-bone-borne or purely bone-borne expanders were introduced using mini-implants in the palate. In this paper, the digitally planned Quadexpander is described which permits palatal expansion with only skeletal anchorage.

A randomized, open-label, multicenter study of switching to brolucizumab with or without a loading dose for patients with suboptimal anatomically controlled neovascular age-related macular degeneration-the FALCON study.

Background: Treatment initiation with brolucizumab, a new potent anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agent, is typically performed with three monthly injections (loading dose) and has been well studied in treatment-naïve patients. However, no clinical data are available yet on whether or not anti-VEGF pretreated patients also benefit from a loading dose. In the clinical setting, different heterogeneous treatment patterns are used as no clinical trial has addressed this so far in a head-to-head comparison.

No Higher Risk-Seeking Tendencies or Altered Self-Estimation in a Social Decision-Making Task in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) has been associated with a tendency towards more risky decisions. However, the commonly used paradigms typically neglect the social context.

Objective: Here, we investigated social decision-making and self-estimation in a competitive experimental task.

Microtubule and auditory function - an underestimated connection.

The organ of Corti, located in the cochlea within the inner ear is the receptor organ for hearing. It converts auditory signals into neuronal action potentials that are transmitted to the brain for further processing. The mature organ of Corti consists of a variety of highly differentiated sensory cells that fulfil unique tasks in the processing of auditory signals.

Age-stratified outcomes after radical prostatectomy in a randomized setting (LAP-01): do younger patients have more to lose?

Objective: Age is known to have an impact on outcomes after radical prostatectomy (RP). However, age differences can be investigated from a cross-sectional as well as from a longitudinal perspective. This study combines both perspectives.

Apolipoprotein E derived from CD11c cells ameliorates atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is studied in models with dysfunctional lipid homeostasis-predominantly the ApoE mouse. The role of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) for lipid homeostasis is not clear. Using a LacZ reporter mouse, we showed that CD11c cells were enriched in aortae of ApoE mice.

Subcortical Volumes as Early Predictors of Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis.

Objective: Fatigue is a frequent and severe symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS), but its pathophysiological origin remains incompletely understood. We aimed to examine the predictive value of subcortical gray matter volumes for fatigue severity at disease onset and after 4 years by applying structural equation modeling (SEM).

Methods: This multicenter cohort study included 601 treatment-naive patients with MS after the first demyelinating event.

Testing of Novel Total Elbow Prostheses Using Active Motion Experimental Setup.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to test a novel uncemented and unconstrained total elbow arthroplasty (Kaufmann total elbow) design that is stabilized through a ligament reconstruction.

Methods: We quantified the implant stability after 25,000 cycles, which represents the time between implantation and when ligament and bone healing has occurred. We used an active motion experimental setup that applies tendon loads via pneumatic cylinders and reproduces the forearm-originating dynamic stabilizers of the elbow.

Ketone bodies: from enemy to friend and guardian angel.

During starvation, fasting, or a diet containing little digestible carbohydrates, the circulating insulin levels are decreased. This promotes lipolysis, and the breakdown of fat becomes the major source of energy. The hepatic energy metabolism is regulated so that under these circumstances, ketone bodies are generated from β-oxidation of fatty acids and secreted as ancillary fuel, in addition to gluconeogenesis.

The WHO 2016 diagnostic criteria for Acute Myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia related changes (AML-MRC) produce a very heterogeneous entity: A retrospective analysis of the FAB subtype RAEB-T.

We studied 79 patients with AML-MRC or RAEB-T, who were later reclassified according to the WHO classification. Marrow slides were examined cytomorphologically with regard to dysplasia. Patients were followed up until March 2020.

Humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal coronaviruses in COVID-19 patients.

We used enzyme-linked immunoassay methods to measure the prevalence and the levels of antibody responses to the nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and four seasonal human coronaviruses (HCoV-OC43, HCoV-HKU1, HCoV 229E, and HCoV-NL63) in a cohort of 115 convalescent plasma donors infected with SARS-CoV-2 (1-61 days after symptom onset) compared to antibody levels in 114 individuals with no evidence of a recent infection with SARS-CoV-2. In the humoral response to the four seasonal coronaviruses, only HCoV-HKU1- and HCoV-229E-assays showed slightly elevated antibody levels in the COVID group compared to the control group. While in the COVID-group the levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies correlated significantly with disease severity, no association was found in the levels of antibodies against the seasonal coronaviruses.

Nothing but the truth? Effects of faking on the validity of the crosswise model.

In self-reports, socially desirable responding threatens the validity of prevalence estimates for sensitive personal attitudes and behaviors. Indirect questioning techniques such as the crosswise model attempt to control for the influence of social desirability bias. The crosswise model has repeatedly been found to provide more valid prevalence estimates than direct questions.

Postchemotherapy Residual Tumor Resection in Patients with Elevated Tumor Markers.

Purpose: The oncologic benefit of postchemotherapy (PC) residual tumor resection (RTR) in patients with germ cell tumors and elevated serum tumor markers (STMs) remains unclear. This analysis was performed to better define patients who benefit from surgery in this setting.

Materials And Methods: Of 575 PC-RTR procedures (July 2008-July 2019) 153 were performed in patients with elevated STMs (human chorionic gonadotropin [HCG] >2.

Management and outcomes in critically ill nonagenarian versus octogenarian patients.

Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients age 90 years or older represent a growing subgroup and place a huge financial burden on health care resources despite the benefit being unclear. This leads to ethical problems. The present investigation assessed the differences in outcome between nonagenarian and octogenarian ICU patients.