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Objective: An eHealth survey was conducted in a major Bavarian region in order to evaluate health-related Internet use in Germany.Methods: A specific questionnaire was developed by the authors to collect sociodemographic data as well as data on general and health-related Internet use. This questionnaire was distributed to patients visiting medical practices in the above mentioned Bavarian region.Results: Whereas many Internet users look for health-related information and products on the Internet, more advanced web-based techniques such as chat rooms and electronic patient records are hardly used.Conclusions: Although modern information technologies have the potential to enable citizens to handle their own health-related information in a self-determined and informed manner, at present the general population in Germany is hardly taking this opportunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Two research projects were analyzed in order to identify key factors of success and/or failure in introducing patient card-based systems in clinical routine.Methods: In DIABCARD an evaluation study focussing on user friendliness and user acceptance was conducted. In ByMedCard-HCPP the project's system was validated and the timeliness of the project's work analyzed.Results: User friendliness and user acceptance of the DIABCARD system were fairly high. The ByMedCard-HCPP system was complete in its major components and functionalities; introducing the ByMedCard-HCPP system in clinical routine delayed the project.Conclusions: A multitude of key factors of success such as utilized technologies, user involvement, and commitment of partners seems to contribute to the success and/or failure of introducing patient card-based systems in healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LiF crystals with F[sub 2][sup -] centers contain a whole series of F-based colour centers with spectrally overlapping absorption spectra. On the short-wavelength side the absorption spectrum of the F[sub 2][sup -] centers is overlapping with the absorption spectra of other colour centers and is therefore not directly accessible by transmission measurements. Fluorescence excitation spectroscopy is employed here to gain information on the absorption spectrum of F[sub 2][sup -] centers in spectral regions where the absorption by other centers is present. The fluorescence signal emitted beyond 1200 nm is detected as a function of the excitation wavelength in the range from 350 nm to 1100 nm. The F[sub 2][sup -] center absorption cross-section spectrum in the wavelength range from 690 nm to 1100 nm and from 350 nm to 410 nm is determined from the fluorescence excitation quantum distribution and the transmission spectrum. Influences of fluorescence re-absorption and Förster-type energy transfer on the fluorescence excitation quantum distribution and the subsequent F[sub 2][sup -] center absorption cross-section determination are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrodiagnostic testing (electromyography, electroneuronography, and blink reflex) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination (cell count, immunoglobulins, and antigen-specific intrathecal immunoglobulin G synthesis against herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu latu) were performed in 56 patients with Bell's palsy. The CSF was normal in 45 patients and abnormal in 11 patients. Acute borreliosis was the most common specific pathological CSF finding (4 of 11). Electromyography revealed abolished volitional activity in 22% of patients with normal CSF and in 36% with pathological CSF. Electroneuronographic tests with an amplitude decrease of more than 90% on the affected side or abolished responses were found in 20% of patients with normal CSF and in 18% with pathological CSF. Abolished orbicularis oculi reflexes were seen in 67% of patients with normal CSF and in 82% with pathological CSF Concerning electrodiagnostic testing, no statistically significant difference between patients with normal and abnormal CSF was found, so we conclude that electrodiagnostic testing has no indicative value for abnormal CSF in Bell's palsy.

Plasma exchange (PE) and administration of intravenous immunoglobulin (i.v. IgG) are established treatments for Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Combination treatment with elimination of postulated pathogenetic factors by PE or selective adsorption (SA) treatment and subsequent immunomodulation by intravenous IgG may provide a more effective treatment. In a single-center randomized study, 45 patients with acute GBS were prospectively examined using a clinical score. We treated 11 patients by PE, 13 with SA using a tryptophan-linked polyvinyl alcohol gel adsorbent, and 21 with SA followed by intravenous IgG. The patients treated sequentially by selective adsorption and intravenous IgG improved significantly better than the patients who received plasma treatment only. The results suggest that combination treatment of GBS may be superior to plasma treatment alone.

This paper summarises the developmental activities for an electronic patient record system in diabetology based on GALEN technologies. It focusses on the modelling of primarily terminological medical knowledge of this subspecialty and describes its application for predictive data entry.