Dtsch Arztebl Int
-
Resilience is the ability to maintain or rapidly regain mental health during or after stressful life experiences. Cancer is a major risk factor for stress- associated mental illness. In this review, we attempt to identify effective resilience- promoting interventions in adults with cancer. ⋯ Interventions that promote resilience should be made available to inter- ested and motivated cancer patients. These interventions should be provided, in as soon as the diagnosis is made and should ex- tend over more than 12 sessions whenever possible.
-
Persons whose identifying DNA profile (STR profile) is not yet known to the ingvestigating authorities cannot be identified by standard forensic DNA analysis (STR profiling) as it is now practiced. In view of the current public debate, particularly in Germany, on the legalization of so-called forensic DNA phenotyping, we present its scientific basis, societal aspects, and forensic applications and describe the analytic techniques that are now available. ⋯ All three methods of forensic DNA phenotyping-the predition of exter- nally visible characteristics, biogeographic ancestry, and the estimation of age from crime scene DNA-require a proper regulatory framework and should be used in conjunction with each other. Before forensic DNA phenotyping can be implemented in forensic practice, steps must be taken to minimize the risks of violation of privacy scrimination and to ensure that these methods are used transpar- ently and proportionately.
-
Systemic treatment is standard for most types of cancer with disseminated metastases. The role of local treatment (LT) of individual tumor foci in patients with oligometastatic disease is unclear and the object of current scientific studies. ⋯ Although local treatment already has a place in many guidelines on the basis of the findings of a small number of prospective and retrospective studies, a option of local treatment should be considered by an interdisciplinary tumor board individually for suitable patients.
-
The preterm birth rate in Germany has remained unchanged at 8-9% since 2009. Preterm birth is the most common cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. In the absence of a causal treatment, it is important to lower the risk of preterm birth by preventive measures in prenatal outpatient care. ⋯ The meticulous assessment and elimination of treatable risk factors at the outset of ambulatory prenatal care can help lower the preterm birth rate. Further velopment of causally directed treat- ments (e.g., changes of relevant environmental and epigenetic factors).
-
Nearly 1000 permanent ventricular assist devices (VADs) are implanted in patients with severe congestive heart failure in Germany each year. VADs are miniaturized centrifugal pumps that generate continuous blood flow; they are powered and controlled through a cable that passes through the skin. Para- corporeal systems are only rarely implanted, usually in children. ⋯ A VAD system can be implanted as an alternative to cardiac transplan- tation or as a bridging treatment until the patient can be listed for transplantation and receive the transplant. Because of the organ s , only a minority of VAD patients ever receive a transplant.