Endoscope-assisted microvascular decompression in hemifacial spasm with a teflon bridge.

Background: Microvascular conflicts in hemifacial spasm typically occur at the facial nerve's root exit zone. While a pure microsurgical approach offers only limited orientation, added endoscopy enhances visibility of the relevant structures without the necessity of cerebellar retraction.

Methods: After a retrosigmoid craniotomy, a microsurgical decompression of the facial nerve is performed with a Teflon bridge.

A multicenter, matched case-control analysis comparing burden of illness among patients with tuberous sclerosis complex related epilepsy, generalized idiopathic epilepsy, and focal epilepsy in Germany.

Background: Depending on the underlying etiology and epilepsy type, the burden of disease for patients with seizures can vary significantly. This analysis aimed to compare direct and indirect costs and quality of life (QoL) among adults with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) related with epilepsy, idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), and focal epilepsy (FE) in Germany.

Methods: Questionnaire responses from 92 patients with TSC and epilepsy were matched by age and gender, with responses from 92 patients with IGE and 92 patients with FE collected in independent studies.

Plasma proteome association with coronary heart disease and carotid intima media thickness: results from the KORA F4 study.

Background And Aims: Atherosclerosis is the main cause of stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD), both leading mortality causes worldwide. Proteomics, as a high-throughput method, could provide helpful insights into the pathological mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis. In this study, we characterized the associations of plasma protein levels with CHD and with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), as a surrogate measure of atherosclerosis.

Staphylococcus aureus Serine protease-like protein A (SplA) induces IL-8 by keratinocytes and synergizes with IL-17A.

Background: Serine protease-like (Spl) proteins produced by Staphylococcus (S.) aureus have been associated with allergic inflammation. However, effects of Spls on the epidermal immune response have not been investigated.

Non-pharmacological interventions for improving language and communication in people with primary progressive aphasia.

Background: Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) accounts for approximately 43% of frontotemporal dementias and is mainly characterised by a progressive impairment of speech and communication abilities. Three clinical variants have been identified: (a) non-fluent/agrammatic, (b) semantic, and (c) logopenic/phonological PPA variants. There is currently no curative treatment for PPA, and the disease progresses inexorably over time, with devastating effects on speech and communication ability, functional status, and quality of life.

Non-cross-reactive epitopes dominate the humoral immune response to COVID-19 vaccination - kinetics of plasma antibodies, plasmablasts and memory B cells.

Introduction: COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in inducing protective immunity. While the serum antibody response to COVID-19 vaccination has been studied in depth, our knowledge of the underlying plasmablast and memory B cell (Bmem) responses is still incomplete. Here, we determined the antibody and B cell response to COVID-19 vaccination in a naïve population and contrasted it with the response to a single influenza vaccination in a primed cohort.

Altered cortical synaptic lipid signaling leads to intermediate phenotypes of mental disorders.

Excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance plays important roles in mental disorders. Bioactive phospholipids like lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) are synthesized by the enzyme autotaxin (ATX) at cortical synapses and modulate glutamatergic transmission, and eventually alter E/I balance of cortical networks. Here, we analyzed functional consequences of altered E/I balance in 25 human subjects induced by genetic disruption of the synaptic lipid signaling modifier PRG-1, which were compared to 25 age and sex matched control subjects.

New insights into the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis: a transcriptome- and proteome-wide association study.

Introduction: Thyroid hormones have systemic effects on the human body and play a key role in the development and function of virtually all tissues. They are regulated via the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis and have a heritable component. Using genetic information, we applied tissue-specific transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) and plasma proteome-wide association studies (PWAS) to elucidate gene products related to thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) levels.

Lack of evidence for predictive utility from resting state fMRI data for individual exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy outcomes: A machine learning study in two large multi-site samples in anxiety disorders.

Data-based predictions of individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) treatment response are a fundamental step towards precision medicine. Past studies demonstrated only moderate prediction accuracy (i.e.

P Score: A Reference Image-Based Clinical Grading Scale for Vascular Change in Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Purpose: The International Classification of Retinopathy of Prematurity, Third Edition (ICROP3), acknowledged that plus-like retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) vascular changes occurs along a spectrum. Historically, clinician-experts demonstrate variable agreement for plus diagnosis. We developed a 9-photograph reference image set for grading plus-like changes and compared intergrader agreement of the set with standard grading with no plus, preplus, and plus disease.

Changes in MRI Workflow of Multiple Sclerosis after Introduction of an AI-Software: A Qualitative Study.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of the integration of machine learning into daily radiological diagnostics, using the example of the machine learning software mdbrain (Mediaire GmbH, Germany) in the diagnostic MRI workflow of patients with multiple sclerosis at the University Medicine Greifswald. The data were assessed through expert interviews, a comparison of analysis times with and without the machine learning software, as well as a process analysis of MRI workflows. Our results indicate a reduction in the screen-reading workload, improved decision-making regarding contrast administration, an optimized workflow, reduced examination times, and facilitated report communication with colleagues and patients.

Development of a long noncoding RNA-based machine learning model to predict COVID-19 in-hospital mortality.

Tools for predicting COVID-19 outcomes enable personalized healthcare, potentially easing the disease burden. This collaborative study by 15 institutions across Europe aimed to develop a machine learning model for predicting the risk of in-hospital mortality post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. Blood samples and clinical data from 1286 COVID-19 patients collected from 2020 to 2023 across four cohorts in Europe and Canada were analyzed, with 2906 long non-coding RNAs profiled using targeted sequencing.

Informal Caregivers of People with Dementia in Germany: Psychosocial Characteristics and Unmet Needs.

Background: Caregivers of people with dementia living at home (CPwDh) are likely to be affected by a range of health problems. However, CPwDh are often regarded as accompanying persons and receive less attention in research and care. Little is known about this population and their needs in Germany.

Prediction of individual lifetime cardiovascular risk and potential treatment benefit: development and recalibration of the LIFE-CVD2 model to four European risk regions.

Aims: The 2021 European Society of Cardiology prevention guidelines recommend the use of (lifetime) risk prediction models to aid decisions regarding initiation of prevention. We aimed to update and systematically recalibrate the LIFEtime-perspective CardioVascular Disease (LIFE-CVD) model to four European risk regions for the estimation of lifetime CVD risk for apparently healthy individuals.

Methods And Results: The updated LIFE-CVD (i.

Exploring the perspective of adolescent childhood cancer survivors on follow-up care and their concerns regarding the transition process-A qualitative content analysis.

Purpose: In Germany, children diagnosed with cancer survive their initial disease in more than 80%, and the majority will become long-term survivors. Around the age of 18, survivors are transferred to adult healthcare. The transition can be a critical period in the process of care at which many childhood cancer survivors discontinue to participate in regular follow-up care.

Differential gene expression in B cells and T helper cells following high-dose glucocorticoid therapy for multiple sclerosis relapse.

Background: Despite remarkable advances in the therapy of multiple sclerosis (MS), patients with MS may still experience relapses. High-dose short-term methylprednisolone (MP) remains the standard treatment in the acute management of MS relapses due to its potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. However, there is a lack of studies on the cell type-specific transcriptome changes that are induced by this synthetic glucocorticoid (GC).

Patient experiences of interprofessional collaboration and intersectoral communication in rare disease healthcare in Germany - a mixed-methods study.

Background: Rare diseases are often complex, chronic and many of them life-shortening. In Germany, healthcare for rare diseases is organized in expert centers for rare diseases. Most patients additionally have regional general practicioners and specialists for basic medical care.

In-vitro biofilm removal from TiUnite® implant surface with an air polishing and two different plasma devices.

Background: We investigated the efficacy of two different cold atmospheric pressure jet plasma devices (CAP09 and CAPmed) and an air polishing device with glycine powder (AP) either applied as monotherapies or combined therapies (AP + CAP09; AP + CAPmed), in microbial biofilm removal from discs with anodised titanium surface.

Methods: Discs covered with 7-day-old microbial biofilm were treated either with CAP09, CAPmed, AP, AP + CAP09 or AP + CAPmed and compared with negative and positive controls. Biofilm removal was assessed with flourescence and electron microscopy immediately after treatment and after 5 days of reincubation of the treated discs.

Quality of life in a high-risk group of elderly primary care patients: characteristics and potential for improvement.

Purpose: Quality of Life (QoL) is associated with a bandwidth of lifestyle factors that can be subdivided into fixed and potentially modifiable ones. We know too little about the role of potentially modifiable factors in comparison to fixed ones. This study examines four aspects of QoL and its associations with 15 factors in a sample of elderly primary care patients with a high risk of dementia.