Storing data on RFID tags: A standards-based approach

Online social networks are gaining increasing economic importance in light of the rising number of members. The numerous recent acquisitions priced at enormous amounts illustrate this development. Therefore, the growing relevance of online social networks in science as well as in practise revealed the need for adequate valuation models, which take into account the networks’ specific characteristics. Thus, this article develops an economic model for valuation of online social networks. The model allows the evaluation of whether the purchase prices on the market, which recently amounted to millions, are justifiable. Finally, the practical application of the model is illustrated by an example of the major European online social network XING.com

Non-utilisation of health care services during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of the CoMoLo study

Based on data from the CORONA-MONITORING lokal (CoMoLo) study conducted in four municipalities particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, this article investigates the non-utilisation of health care services in the population aged 18 years and older (n=9,002) in relation to the period after the introduction of the containment measures in March 2020. The results show that about one third of the respondents (35.5%) gave up at least one of the surveyed health care services. The most frequent cancellations were dental (15.2%) and specialist check-ups (11.8%), followed by postponement of physiotherapy, ergotherapy or speech therapy (6.1%), cancellation of general practitioner (GP) check-ups (5.8%), postponement of psychotherapy (2.0%), postponement of planned hospital treatment (1.8%) and not going to an emergency room (0.7%). Almost 10% of the respondents reported not visiting a physician despite health complaints. Compared to respondents without such a waiver, these respondents were more often female and younger than 35 years, less often rated their health as very good or good, more often had a diagnosis of depression and more often used telemedical contacts as an alternative to visiting the practice during the pandemic. Further analyses of trends in utilisation behaviour and changes in health status over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic are important

Excess mortality in adults with documented diabetes in Germany: routine data analysis of all insurance claims in Germany 2013–2014

Objectives: Little is known about the age-specific excess mortality pattern of people with diagnosed diabetes in Germany. Thus, our goal was to determine the excess mortality in diagnosed diabetes overall and stratified by age and sex based on claims data. Design: Routine data analysis using a claims dataset from all statutory health-insured persons in Germany in 2013, which accounts for about 90% of the population. Participants: We included persons who lived in Germany, were insured at least 360 days, were not self-paying any health services and were aged 30 years or older leading to a total number of 47.3 million insured persons for analyses. Exposure: Diabetes was determined by the International Classification of Diseases-10 codes E10–E14, which were documented in 2013 in at least two-quarters on an outpatient setting or at least once on an inpatient setting. Outcome measures: The vital status in the study population was drawn from the claims dataset for the year 2014. We derived the excess mortality estimated as an age-adjusted mortality rate ratio (MRR) by sex and for age groups using a Poisson model. Main results: We found age-adjusted MRRs (95% CI) for diabetes of 1.52 (1.51 to 1.52) for women and 1.56 (1.56 to 1.56) for men. These figures declined with increasing age and were highest for ages 30–34 years with 6.76 (4.99 to 9.15) for women and 6.87 (5.46 to 8.64) for men, and lowest for age 95 years and older with 1.13 (1.10 to 1.15) for women and 1.11 (1.05 to 1.17) for men. Conclusions: We derived deeply age-stratified figures on excess mortality in diabetes for Germany. Establishing a sustainable analysis of excess mortality is aimed at within the framework of diabetes surveillance.Peer Reviewe

Perceived Access to Health Care Services and Relevance of Telemedicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, non-pharmaceutical interventions were imposed to contain the spread of the virus. Based on cross-sectional waves in March, July and December 2020 of the COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring (COSMO), the present study investigated the impact of the introduced measures on the perceived access to health care. Additionally, for the wave in December, treatment occasion as well as utilization and satisfaction regarding telemedicine were analysed. For 18–74-year-old participants requiring medical care, descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed. During the less strict second lockdown in December, participants reported more frequently ensured access to health care (91.2%) compared to the first lockdown in March (86.8%), but less frequently compared to July (94.2%) during a period with only mild restrictions. In December, main treatment occasions of required medical appointments were check-up visits at the general practitioner (55.2%) and dentist (36.2%), followed by acute treatments at the general practitioner (25.6%) and dentist (19.0%), treatments at the physio-, ergo- or speech therapist (13.1%), psychotherapist (11.9%), and scheduled hospital admissions or surgeries (10.0%). Of the participants, 20.0% indicated utilization of telemedical (15.4% telephone, 7.6% video) consultations. Of them, 43.7% were satisfied with the service. In conclusion, for the majority of participants, access to medical care was ensured during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, access slightly decreased during phases of lockdown. Telemedicine complemented the access to medical appointments.Peer Reviewe

Gestational diabetes in Germany: Development of screening participation and prevalence

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an important risk factor for pregnancy complications. Since 2012, the Federal Joint Committee’s maternity directive recommends a two-step screening for GDM with a pre-test and subsequent diagnostic test if the pre-test is positive. This study analyses the implementation and development over time of GDM screening participation and prevalence in Germany. The data basis is the external inpatient obstetrics quality assurance documentation, which covers all births in hospital. Women with diabetes before pregnancy were excluded. The study defined women as GDM cases if the condition was documented in maternity records or if the ICD-10 diagnosis O24.4 was coded for inpatients at discharge and figures were determined for the years 2013 to 2018. As the documentation of screening tests has only been included in the data set since 2016, screening participation for the years 2016 to 2018 were estimated and evaluated based on the pre-test and/or diagnostic tests documented in maternity records. In 2018, the majority of all women who gave birth in hospitals had had a pre-test conducted (65.0%) or a pre-test and diagnostic test (18.2%) in line with the two-step procedure. A further 6.7% received a diagnostic test alone. GDM screening participation increased over time from 83.4% in 2016 to 89.9% in 2018. The prevalence of a documented GDM increased from 4.6% to 6.8% between 2013 and 2018. In 2018, this equates to 51,318 women with GDM. Reliably assessing the extent and causes of this development will require continuous analyses of screening implementation, documentation and changes in maternal risk factors

The intensity of physical activity influences bone mineral accrual in childhood:the childhood health, activity and motor performance school (the CHAMPS) study, Denmark

BACKGROUND: Studies indicate genetic and lifestyle factors can contribute to optimal bone development. In particular, the intensity level of physical activity may have an impact on bone health. This study aims to assess the relationship between physical activity at different intensities and Bone Mineral Content (BMC), Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and Bone Area (BA) accretion. METHODS: This longitudinal study is a part of The CHAMPS study-DK. Whole-body DXA scans were performed at baseline and after two years follows up. BMC, BMD, and BA were measured. The total body less head (TBLH) values were used. Physical activity (PA) was recorded by accelerometers (ActiGraph, model GT3X). Percentages of different PA intensity levels were calculated and log odds of two intensity levels of activity relative to the third level were calculated. Multilevel regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between the categories of physical activity and bone traits. RESULTS: Of 800 invited children, 742 (93%) accepted to participate. Of these, 682/742 (92%) participated at follow up. Complete datasets were obtained in 602/742 (81%) children. Mean (range) of age was 11.5 years (9.7-13.9). PA at different intensity levels was for boys and girls respectively, sedentary 62% and 64%, low 29% for both genders and moderate to high 9% and 7% of the total time. Mean (range) BMC, BMD, and BA was 1179 g (563–2326), 0.84 g/cm(2) (0.64-1.15) and 1393 cm(2) (851–2164), respectively. Valid accelerometer data were obtained for a mean of 6.1 days, 13 hours per day. CONCLUSIONS: There 7was a positive relationship between the log odds of moderate to high-level PA versus low level activity and BMC, BMD and BA. Children with an increased proportion of time in moderate to high-level activity as opposed to sedentary and low-level activity achieved positive effects on BMC, BMD and BA

Conflicting results of prenatal FISH with different probes for Down's Syndrome critical regions associated with mosaicism for a de novo del(21)(q22) characterised by molecular karyotyping: Case report

For the rapid detection of common aneuploidies either PCR or Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) on uncultured amniotic fluid cells are widely used. There are different commercial suppliers providing FISH assays for the detection of trisomies affecting the Down's syndrome critical regions (DSCR) in 21q22. We present a case in which rapid FISH screening with different commercial probes for the DSCR yielded conflicting results. Chromosome analysis revealed a deletion of one chromosome 21 in q22 which explained the findings. Prenatally an additional small supernumerary marker chromosome (sSMC) was discovered as well, which could not be characterised. Postnatal chromosome analysis in lymphocytes of the infant revealed complex mosaicism with four cell lines. By arrayCGH the sSMC was provisionally described as derivative chromosome 21 which was confirmed by targeted FISH experiments

Nichtinanspruchnahme gesundheitlicher Versorgungsleistungen während der COVID-19-Pamdemie: Ergebnisse der CoMoLo-Studie

Der vorliegende Beitrag betrachtet auf Datenbasis der in vier besonders von der COVID-19-Pandemie betroffenen Orten durchgeführten Studie CORONA-MONITORING lokal (CoMoLo) die Nichtinanspruchnahme gesundheitlicher Versorgungsleistungen in der Bevölkerung ab 18 Jahren (n = 9.002) bezogen auf die Zeit nach Einführung der Eindämmungsmaßnahmen im März 2020. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass etwa ein Drittel der Befragten (35,5 %) auf mindestens eine der erfragten Versorgungsleistungen verzichtete. Am häufigsten wurde die Absage zahnärztlicher (15,2 %) und fachärztlicher Kontrolltermine (11,8 %) angegeben, gefolgt von der Verschiebung physio-, ergotherapeutischer oder logopädischer Behandlungen (6,1 %), der Absage hausärztlicher Kontrolltermine (5,8 %), der Verschiebung psychotherapeutischer Behandlungen (2,0 %) und geplanter Krankenhausbehandlungen (1,8 %) sowie dem Verzicht, eine Notaufnahme aufzusuchen (0,7 %). Fast 10 % der Befragten gaben den Verzicht auf einen Arztbesuch trotz Beschwerden an. Diese Befragten waren im Vergleich zu Befragten ohne einen solchen Verzicht häufiger weiblich und jünger als 35 Jahre, schätzten ihre Gesundheit seltener als sehr gut oder gut ein, hatten häufiger die Diagnosestellung Depression und nutzten alternativ zum Praxisbesuch in der Pandemie häufiger telemedizinische Kontakte. Weitere Analysen zu Entwicklungen des Inanspruchnahmeverhaltens und Veränderungen im Gesundheitszustand im Verlauf der COVID-19-Pandemie sind wichtig