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In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a scarcity of resources with various effects on the care of cancer patients. This paper provides an English summary of a German guideline on prioritization and resource allocation for colorectal and pancreatic cancer in the context of the pandemic. Based on a selective literature review as well as empirical and ethical analyses, the research team of the CancerCOVID Consortium drafted recommendations for prioritizing diagnostic and treatment measures for both entities. The final version of the guideline received consent from the executive boards of nine societies of the Association of Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF), 20 further professional organizations and 22 other experts from various disciplines as well as patient representatives. The guiding principle for the prioritization of decisions is the minimization of harm. Prioritization decisions to fulfill this overall goal should be guided by (1) the urgency relevant to avoid or reduce harm, (2) the likelihood of success of the diagnostic or therapeutic measure advised, and (3) the availability of alternative treatment options. In the event of a relevant risk of harm as a result of prioritization, these decisions should be made by means of a team approach. Gender, age, disability, ethnicity, origin, and other social characteristics, such as social or insurance status, as well as the vehemence of a patient's treatment request and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status should not be used as prioritization criteria. The guideline provides concrete recommendations for (1) diagnostic procedures, (2) surgical procedures for cancer, and (3) systemic treatment and radiotherapy in patients with colorectal or pancreatic cancer within the context of the German healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital communication is omnipresent. In everyday life, social messenger apps are very popular. Thus, for some patients1 it seems intuitive to use such media to correspond with their professional therapists as well. From a practical perspective, this seems to be advantageous for the therapists themselves. However, this should not lead us to overlook the problems of such platforms, especially issues with data protection. In spite of the legally binding rollout of a safe communication route for therapeutic and medical services in Germany (the so-called "Telematik-Infrastruktur"), so far, there is no unproblematic communication platform for therapists and their patients. Special messenger apps, which explicitly do not store metadata, seem to be the least problematic besides classic phone calls or letters. However, they are not yet widely used. This paper aims to sensitize psychotherapists for their responsibility and to demonstrate technical options, which need to be weighed carefully in order to maximize data protection of digital communication in therapeutic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Up to now, indices like the mean dmft/DMFT and the SiC (Significant Caries Index) have been used to depict caries experience in populations with high prevalence. With the caries decline, particularly for populations with low caries levels, these indices reach their statistical limits. This paper aims to introduce a specific term, the Specific affected Caries Index (SaC) for the risk groups in populations with low caries prevalence and to illustrate its use based on the consecutive German National Oral Health Survey (GNOHS) in children. In groups with a caries prevalence less than one-third of the population, many caries-free children (DMFT = 0) are included in the SiC (risk group), which calls for a new way of illustration. Mean caries experience (DMFT), caries prevalence, the SiC and SaC were portrayed for 12-year-olds in the GNOHS from 1994/95 to 2016. The SaC describes the mean caries experience (DMFT) in the group presenting caries experience (DMFT > 0). In 12-year-old 6th graders in Germany, the mean caries experience decreased from 2.4 (1994/95) to 0.4 DMFT (2016), with a recent prevalence of 21.2% (DMFT > 0, 2016). In 2016, the mean number of affected teeth in children with DMFT > 0 (SaC) was 2.1, while the SiC including 12% DMFT-free children in the risk group was 1.3. The SiC fails to reflect the caries severity in children in a population with low caries prevalence. Therefore, the newly introduced term Specific affected Caries Index (SaC) may be used to describe accurately caries experience in caries risk children in populations presenting low caries prevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based strategies for screening, diagnosing and treating alcohol use disorders (AUD) are instrumental in the early and better management of individuals at risk for or suffering from AUD. However, existing guidelines vary and may be biased by conflicts of interests. Unbiased recommendations can be achieved only if sufficient detail is provided on the composition and representativeness of author groups, methodological rigor, handling of potential conflicts of interest and financing. This paper presents the first evidence-based guidelines for AUD from German-speaking countries. These guidelines are based on the work of delegates from a representative sample of 46 scientific societies (mostly medical) from Austria, Germany and Switzerland dealing with AUD. It also included patients and relatives. Recommendations were derived from a standardised hierarchical process involving quality controls drawn from existing guidelines, de novo literature searches and/or expert experience. Potential conflicts of interest were assessed yearly and led to exclusion from voting in specific areas. An overall cost of more than 400,000€ (for alcohol and tobacco guidelines) were exclusively covered by the participating societies and academic institutions. More than 100 recommendations on screening, diagnostics and treatment of AUD are outlined in this paper, and their scientific background is given in the online supplementary material. Tables of aggregated study synopses (in English) and the full version of guidelines (in German) are available (see "Links"). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This paper examines the addictive potential of 8 different Internet applications, distinguishing male and female users. Moreover, differential correlates of problematic use are investigated in Internet gamers (IG) and generalized Internet users (GIU).Method: In a representative sample of 5,667 adolescents aged 12-19 years, use of Internet applications, problematic Internet use, psychopathologic symptoms (emotional problems, hyperactivity/inattention, and psychosomatic complaints), personality (conscientiousness and extraversion), psychosocial correlates (perceived stress and self-efficacy), and coping strategies were assessed. The addictive potential of Internet applications was examined in boys and girls using regression analysis. MANOVAs were conducted to examine differential correlates of problematic Internet use between IG and GIU.Results: Chatting and social networking most strongly predicted problematic Internet use in girls, while gaming was the strongest predictor in boys. Problematic IG exhibited multiple psychosocial problems compared to non-problematic IG. In problematic Internet users, GIU reported even higher psychosocial burden and displayed dysfunctional coping strategies more frequently than gamers.Conclusion: The results extend previous findings on the addictive potential of Internet applications and validate the proposed distinction between specific and generalized problematic Internet use. In addition to Internet gaming disorder, future studies should also focus on other highly addictive Internet applications, that is, chatting or social networking, regarding differential correlates of problematic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive alcohol consumption is one of the most important lifestyle factors affecting the disease burden in the Western world. The results of treatment in daily practice are modest at best. The aim of the RESCueH programme is to develop and evaluate methods, which are as practice-near as possible, and therefore can be implemented quickly and easily in everyday clinical practice. It is the first clinical alcohol programme to be transatlantic in scope, with implementation in treatment centers located in Denmark, Germany and the US. The RESCueH programme comprises 5 randomized controlled trials, and the studies can be expected to result in (1) more patients starting treatment in specialized outpatient clinics, (2) a greater number of elderly patients being treated, (3) increased patient motivation for treatment and thus improved adherence, (4) more patients with stable positive outcomes after treatment and (5) fewer patients relapsing into harmful drinking. The aim of this paper is to discuss the rationale for the RESCueH programme, to present the studies and expected results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SummaryThis paper outlines the results of a most recent model calculation regarding the structure and development of Germany’s population by 2060 with the aim to provide basic demographic data for the future provision of blood components to the population. Firstly, the paper describes the assumptions on fertility, life expectancy and Germany’s balance of immigration and emigration which formed the basis for the projection. The following part discusses the results, quantifies future changes in the size and age structure of Germany’s population, and illustrates the effects of demographic trends which can be identified from today’s point of view. The number of potential blood donors will decline in absolute and relative terms (related to the total population and the age group of ‘non-donors’) in the future. This holds true for both the age bracket of 18 to 68 years and the alternatively chosen age group of 17 to 70 years. Depending on the variant, the population of blood donation age will decrease by one quarter to one third until 2060.Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Fatigue has become a major issue of concern in the care of cancer patients, as it has been shown to compromise their quality of life in a significant and lasting way. However, there is a lack of economic and specific measures. The Fatigue Assessment Questionnaire (FAQ) has been developed based on thorough interviews and tested on a large mixed sample of cancer patients. The purposes of this paper are to test the psychometric properties of the FAQ and to provide norms for the German population. Methods: The FAQ was administered to a representative sample of the German population (1,340 female and 1,101 male participants) along with standardized scales of depression, mood and life satisfaction. Results: We could confirm that fatigue is multidimensional and can be measured by the scales of physical, affective and cognitive fatigue with good reliability and validity. The dependency of fatigue on sex and age makes it useful to have standard fatigue scores for oncological research as provided in this paper. Conclusion: The FAQ is a promising, differentiated, yet economic instrument for further use in oncological research. Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts from papers that were presented at the annual meeting of the German Society for Microcirculation and Vascular Biology on October 7-9, 2004 in Berlin, Germany. In session 1 of the meeting papers were presented on the mechanotransduction in the vascular wall. In session 2 of the meeting papers were presented on signaling by reactive oxygen/nitrogen species in the vascular wall. In session 3 of the meeting papers were presented on the platelet function in vascular disease.

Background: Neighborhood characteristics are important determinants of individual health and well-being. For example, characteristics such as noise and pollution affect health directly, while other characteristics affect health and well-being by either providing resources (e.g. social capital in the neighborhood), which individuals can use to cope with health problems, or limiting the use thereof (e.g. crime). This also suggests that there might be age differentials in the impact of these characteristics, since individuals at different stages of life might need different resources. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence on age differentials in associations between well-being, health, and neighborhood characteristics.Objective: This paper studies associations between a wide range of neighborhood characteristics with the health and well-being of residents of the greater Berlin area. In particular, we focus on differences in the effects between younger (aged 20-35) and older (aged 60+) residents.Methods: We used data from the Berlin Aging Study II (312 younger and 993 older residents of the Berlin metropolitan area in Germany). We used survey data on health and well-being, combined these with subjective perceptions of the neighborhood, and geo-referenced indicators on the neighborhood, e.g. amenities (public transport, physicians, and hospitals).Results: The results show that access to public transportation is associated with better outcomes on all measures of health and well-being, and social support is associated with higher life satisfaction and better mental health. There are considerable differences between both age groups: while the associations between access to public transport and health and well-being are similar for both age groups, neighborhood social capital shows stronger associations for older residents. However, the difference is not always statistically significant.Conclusion: Having access to services is associated with better health and well-being regardless of age. Local policy makers should focus on lowering barriers to mobility in order to improve the health and well-being of the population. Since the social capital of a neighborhood is associated with better health and well-being among older residents, investments that increase social capital (e.g. community centers) might be warranted in neighborhoods with higher shares of older residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: A minority of German medical students believe they know how to support smokers willing to quit. This paper examined whether the same would be true for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD), and individual factors associated with incorrect beliefs about the effectiveness of methods to treat AUD. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 19,526 undergraduate students from 27 German medical schools completed a survey addressing beliefs about the effectiveness of different methods of overcoming AUD. Beliefs about AUD treatment effectiveness were compared across the 5 years of undergraduate education and predictors identified by means of multiple linear regression. Results: Even in the fifth year, 28.1% (95% CI: 26.5-29.7) of students believed that willpower alone was more effective for overcoming AUD than a comprehensive treatment program. The only significant predictor of this belief was a similar belief for stopping smoking. Conclusion: Our results indicate that a considerable proportion of German medical students overestimate the effectiveness of willpower to treat smoking and AUD. The addictive nature of these disorders needs to be stressed during undergraduate medical education to ensure that future physicians will be able and motivated to support patients in their quit attempts. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been proposed in the treatment of laryngopharyngeal dysfunctions (dysphonia, dyspnoea, dysphagia) for more than 40 years. Several studies have investigated possible therapeutic effects. Some researchers described favourable results, whereas others did not find relevant benefits. This article aims to review available studies to give an overview regarding the current state of knowledge. Methods: We conducted a selective literature search using PubMed. Results: In total, 356 papers were identified: 6 case reports, 11 reviews, 43 prospective clinical trials and 3 retrospective trials were found. Conclusion: Due to different stimulation protocols, electrode positioning and various underlying pathological conditions, summarizing the present studies appears to be difficult. However, there is evidence that NMES is a valuable adjunct in patients with dysphagia and in patients with vocal fold paresis. Nevertheless, more empirical data is needed to fully understand the benefits provided by NMES. Further research suggestions are put forward. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of papers presented during the 7th Annual Conference of the European Nutraceutical Association (ENA) held in Munich, Germany, including one on the impact of supplementation with nutraceuticals on skin health, another on the use of nutraceuticals during pregnancy and lactation, and another on iron deficiency and iron substitution being experienced by women during their reproductive age.

In the 1920s, the neurosciences in Germany were world-class. Then came Hitler’s regime, and with it 2 distinct changes happened to the research milieus in Berlin and elsewhere. First, the persecution of Jews and others deprived Germany of many of its most outstanding scientists. Second, numerous German and Austrian physicians became active in National Socialist (NS)-euthanasia programs. In recent years, the medical community has become more aware of the ethical burden associated with eponyms derived from scientists of the Third Reich. Yet a list of these eponyms with emphasis on clinical neurology is still missing. This paper therefore reviews 30 neurological eponyms derived from 29 physicians who lived in the Nazi era. Among them are victims who were forced out of the country or murdered in concentration camps, protestors who risked their academic careers and often their lives, beneficiaries who published on brains from ‘euthanized’ children, and collaborators who were directly involved in the planning and execution of NS-euthanasia programs. Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackground:This paper determines the co-occurrence and correlations of different problem behaviours in children and adolescents in German clinical and general population samples. Sampling and Methods:The 2 samples were matched by age and gender (each sample n = 1,760). Including both categorical and dimensional models, rates of co-occurrence, relative risks, odds ratios and Pearson correlations were calculated. Results:The bidirectional comorbidity rates ranged from 7.3 to 34.3 (epidemiological sample) and from 22.5 to 54.8 (clinical sample). Most correlations between syndrome scales show medium or large effects. Many can be identified as ‘epiphenomenal’; partial correlations from each pair, excluding influences of other syndromes, are much lower. Conclusions:This study shows the cross-cultural generalizability of comorbidity rates. The epiphenomenal nature of some comorbidities warrants future attention.Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn this paper, we present a multiaxial system for psychodynamic diagnosis, which has attained wide usage in Germany in the last 10 years. First we will discuss the 4 operationalized psychodynamic diagnostics (OPD) axes: illness experience and treatment assumptions, relationships, mental conflicts, and structure, then clinical applications will be outlined. Focus psychodynamic formulations can be employed both with inpatients and with outpatients. Studies show good reliability in a research context and acceptable reliability for clinical purposes. Validity will be separately summarized as content, criterion, and construct validity. Validity studies indicate good validity for the individual axes. Numerous studies on the OPD indicate areas of possible improvement, for example for clinical purposes the OPD should be more practically formulated.Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on the research papers presented at the annual meeting of the German Society for Microcirculation and Vascular Biology which was held from October 16 to 18, 2003 in Munich, Germany. "EDHF in the Microcirculation"; "EDHF: What, Where and What For?"; "Membrane Potential Dependent Inhibition of Platelet Adhesion to Endothelial Cells by Epoxyeicosatrienoic Acids."

Large scale dietary assessment instruments are usually based on the food frequency technique and have therefore to be tailored to the involved populations with respect to mode of application and inquired food items. In multicenter studies with different populations, the direct comparability of dietary data is therefore a challenge because each local dietary assessment tool might have its specific measurement error. Thus, for risk analysis the direct use of dietary measurements across centers requires a common reference. For example, in the European prospective cohort study EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) a 24-hour recall was chosen to serve as such a reference instrument which was based on a highly standardized computer-assisted interview (EPIC-SOFT). The 24-hour recall was applied to a representative subset of EPIC participants in all centers. The theoretical framework of combining multicenter dietary information was previously published in several papers and is called linear regression calibration. It is based on a linear regression of the food frequency questionnaire to the reference. The regression coefficients describe the absolute and proportional scaling bias of the questionnaire with the 24-hour recall taken as reference. This article describes the statistical basis of the calibration approach and presents first empirical results of its application to fruit, cereals and meat consumption in EPIC Germany represented by the two EPIC centers, Heidelberg and Potsdam. It was found that fruit could be measured well by the questionnaire in both centers (λcirc; = 0.98 (males) and λcirc; = 0.95 (females) in Heidelberg, and λcirc; = 0.86 (males) and λcirc; = 0.7 (females) in Potsdam), cereals less (λcirc; = 0.53 (males) and λcirc; = 0.4 (females) in Heidelberg, and λcirc; = 0.53 (males) and λcirc; = 0.44 (females) in Potsdam), and that the assessment of meat (λcirc; = 0.72 (males) and λcirc; = 0.65 (females) in Heidelberg, and λcirc; = 0.49 (males) and λcirc; = 0.42 (females) in Potsdam) has a center-specific bias. The application of the calibration approach to the questionnaire data will change the ranking of the two centers following the data of the reference instrument, and not well-measured food items will exhibit considerably less variation compared to the original data. We conclude that calibration is a necessary step in multicenter studies. However, this exercise shows that the current statistical framework is not yet sufficiently developed for a broad application.Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the baseline assessment of the two EPIC-Germany cohorts Heidelberg and Potsdam, dietary information was obtained with an identical food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The optically readable FFQ was designed to assess the usual food and nutrient intake of individuals during the past 12 months. The present analysis was based on dietary data from 25,212 participants in Heidelberg (11,776 men, 13,436 women) and 26,270 participants in Potsdam (10,249 men, 16,021 women). This paper presents the first results of a descriptive dietary analysis on a food group level based on 16 food groups and selected subgroups. Each of these food groups and subgroups was divided into quintiles, and the age-adjusted mean intake for each quintile was calculated. The comparison of dietary habits between the two cohorts, as well as the comparison between men and women within each cohort showed clear differences both in the quintiles of most food groups as well as in the range between the lowest and highest quintile. Except for the food groups non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, sugar and confectionery, sauces, and soups, men and women participating in Potsdam reported higher intakes of all the other food groups. The amount of food intake was generally lower in women than in men, with the exception of vegetables, fruit, dairy products, and non-alcoholic beverages. Further differences between the study centers were observed regarding the use of cooking fat for meat and vegetable preparation. In conclusion, the dietary variation, e.g. the exposure variation, was increased by recruiting two geographically distinct cohorts, instead of only one, in Germany.Copyright © 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With 475,000 participants throughout Europe, EPIC is one of the largest cohort studies investigating the association between diet and cancer and other chronic diseases. The German part of EPIC comprises about 53,000 participants in Potsdam (n = 27,616) and in Heidelberg (n = 25,546). In the German study centers, follow-up started in 1998 and will be continued in 2-year intervals over the next 10–15 years. To ensure high follow-up data quality at an European level, an international working group developed guidelines for endpoint data collection in every country. A follow-up phase in Germany comprises mailing of a questionnaire, tracing of individuals to whom mail could not be delivered, obtaining information on deceased participants including cause of death, and verifying self- reported diagnoses. Furthermore, activities aimed at motivating study participants are part of the follow-up. The first round of follow-up of those who entered the study in 1994 and 1995 included 8,706 participants in Potsdam and 6,289 in Heidelberg. Due to a comprehensive and intensive reminder and tracing system, vital status of the study subjects is known from almost 100% in Potsdam and 99% in Heidelberg. Two years after baseline examination, and with twice as many addresses in Potsdam as in Heidelberg, addresses had to be traced or checked via population registry (13 versus 6%). Tracing, the application of different mailing strategies, and intensive reminder activities resulted in a 95% return of the questionnaire in Potsdam and 90% in Heidelberg. The system of follow-up data entry and control, including completion of missing information via telephone, verification of self-reports and causes of death, has been set up for EPIC-Germany and works efficiently and successfully. The aim of this paper is to describe the follow-up procedures in EPIC-Germany with a focus on the generation of valid and complete outcome data.Copyright © 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First use and initiation of regular alcohol use has been frequently found to start in adolescence. However, only few studies have also investigated how many adolescents proceed during ages 14–24 to harmful drinking or even develop alcohol use disorders. This paper – using the EDSP baseline sample of 3,021 community respondents from the Munich area – examines the prevalence of use, abuse and dependence and investigates the dose/disorder relationship. Alcohol abuse was reported by 9.7% of respondents and alcohol dependence by 6.2%. Men were more likely to report an alcohol disorder than women, prevalence also increased in the older age cohorts. However, even among 14- to 17-year-olds a substantial proportion of respondents report high and regular consumption rates, the occurrence of abuse and dependence criteria and even a full dependence syndrome. There is however only a moderate association between average number of standard drinks consumed with the risk of developing abuse and dependence. In light of the substantial rates among adolescents and young adults the validity of DSM-IV alcohol disorder criteria is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights the Sixth International Congress of Neuroethology held on August 2001 in Bonn, Germany. Theme adopted for the event; Discussions on the potency of chemical modulators of behaviors; Presentation of papers on the second order modulation of the biogenic amines.

Information about several papers discussed at the 2011 European Stroke Organisation (ESO) Stroke summer school meeting held from July 24-30 in Heidelberg and Manheim, Germany is presented. Topics include stroke medicine, interdisciplinary treatment of acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, and stroke prevention. The meeting featured several lecturers including Werner Hacke, Michael Karenberg, and Ken Lees.