Med Klin
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Antimicrobial peptides are naturally occurring antibiotics. As part of the innate immune system of vertebrates they have direct antimicrobial function. Further, they can act as mediators of inflammation. ⋯ Further, lung disease in cystic fibrosis may be linked to the dysfunction of antimicrobial peptides. Based on naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides, derivates of these molecules were developed as innovative antibiotic drugs. The present review focuses on the biology of antimicrobial peptides as well as their potential as drugs.
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Comparative Study
[Dementia screening in psychiatric consultation for elderly patients in a general hospital].
Elderly patients on medical-surgical wards in general hospitals often suffer from cognitive dysfunction that hampers medical treatment of somatic diseases. Symptoms of cognitive dysfunction may not be recognized adequately by non-psychiatric physicians. ⋯ A standardized assessment of the 15 items of the SMMS represents a practical, reliable and valid screening for relevant cognitive deficits, which may also serve as documentation of the time course especially in acute organic-psychiatric syndromes.
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With the growing financial restrictions, economic evaluations in public health are becoming increasingly relevant. The pressure on justifying increasing costs is considerable, particularly in the field of oncology, where highly acclaimed treatment methods exist and are newly developed. In order to determine the efficiency of a medical measure, different study types of varying complexity were designed and employed according to the conditions of the structure. The advantages and disadvantages of the different study forms are discussed on the basis of the folinic acid example.
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Renovascular hypertension as a secondary form of hypertension can be improved or cured in many cases by interventional radiology or vascular surgery. ⋯ Renovascular hypertension, if diagnosed early, can be improved or cured in many cases regarding hypertension and/or renal insufficiency.
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In these days, more than one clinical trial is mostly performed to evaluate a new treatment or therapeutic intervention. This necessitates a combined evaluation of their results. An integration of evidence from several trials is also helpful to determine the actual knowledge. ⋯ During the last years, the tool meta-analysis has been criticized. The criticism mainly results from poorly conducted meta-analyses which generated results without prespecifying hypotheses or which merely combined study results. Well-planned meta-analyses, on the contrary, have an increasing influence in clinical research.