High-power, high-brightness laser lighting promotes new requirements for light-conversion materials, such as high thermal conductivity, high saturation threshold and compact encapsulation. In this paper, we designed and fabricated a novel composite structure ceramic including a 1.0×1.0 mm2 Al₂O₃-YAG:Ce ceramic and a φ=16.0 mm transparent YAG ceramic for the transmissive configuration in laser lighting. When pumped by blue laser from 0~60 W mm2, all the samples exhibited no luminous saturation phenomenon, and the 10.0 wt.%Al₂O₃-YAG:Ce/YAG composite...

Abstract Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) in the treatment of initially unresectable hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to preliminarily explore the mechanism of rapid growth of the future liver remnant (FLR). Methods Twenty-four patients with HBV-associated HCC who underwent ALPPS in our hospital from August 2014 to January 2021 were retrospectively studied. Propensity score matching was used to...

Background:Patients receiving palliative care value attention given to their spiritual needs. However, these needs often remain unexplored as healthcare professionals lack the skills to identify and explore them and to integrate this information into care plans.Aim:To evaluate the effects of an interactive communication training intervention for palliative care teams in order to identify and explore the spiritual dimension and integrate it in patients’ care plans.Design:A mixed methods pre-post study, including self-assessment questionnaires, evaluation of videos...

Abstract Objective To compare colorectal cancer (CRC) incidences in carriers of pathogenic variants of the MMR genes in the PLSD and IMRC cohorts, of which only the former included mandatory colonoscopy surveillance for all participants. Methods CRC incidences were calculated in an intervention group comprising a cohort of confirmed carriers of pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in mismatch repair genes (path_MMR) followed prospectively by the Prospective Lynch Syndrome Database (PLSD). All had colonoscopy surveillance, with...

Background:Tofacitinib is a Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitor used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), dosed as 5 mg twice daily (BID). It is primarily metabolized by the cytochrome P-3A (CYP3A) enzyme, and therefore, the manufacturer recommends to halve the dose when using CYP3A-inhibiting co-medication. Combining half-dose tofacitinib with a registered CYP3A inhibitor (cobicistat) could reduce costs and improve patient experience.Objectives:Primary: bioequivalence of tofacitinib 5 mg combined with cobicistat once daily...

Abstract Background Some older adults with a persistent death wish without being severely ill report having had a death wish their whole lives (lifelong persistent death wish; L-PDW). Differentiating them from older adults without severe illness who developed a death wish later in life (persistent death wish, not lifelong; NL-PDW) can be relevant for the provision of adequate help and support. This study aims to gain insight into the characteristics, experiences, and needs of older...

Abstract Background Difficulties in social communication are a defining clinical feature of autism. However, the underlying neurobiological heterogeneity has impeded targeted therapies and requires new approaches to identifying clinically relevant bio-behavioural subgroups. In the largest autism cohort to date, we comprehensively examined difficulties in facial expression recognition, a key process in social communication, as a bio-behavioural stratification biomarker, and validated them against clinical features and neurofunctional responses. Methods Between 255 and 488 participants aged 6–30...

In our connected era, we spend significant time and effort satisfying our curiosity. Often, we choose which information we seek, but sometimes the selection is made for us. We hypothesized that humans exhibit enhanced curiosity in the context of choice. We designed a task in which healthy participants saw two lotteries on each trial. On some trials, participants chose which lottery to play. On other trials, the lottery was selected for them. Participants then indicated...

Abstract Background Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common glial primary brain tumour, is without exception lethal. Every year approximately 600 patients are diagnosed with this heterogeneous disease in The Netherlands. Despite neurosurgery, chemo -and radiation therapy, these tumours inevitably recur. Currently, there is no gold standard at time of recurrence and treatment options are limited. Unfortunately, the results of dedicated trials with new drugs have been very disappointing. The goal of the project is to obtain...

Abstract Background Our understanding of the influence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on bacterial colonization in the children’s upper nasopharyngeal tract during the coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) pandemic is limited. This study aimed to determine whether there were any differences in bacterial colonization between asymptomatic children with or without a positive SARS-CoV-2 quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) results in the community setting. Methods A cross-sectional community-based exploratory study was conducted...

Abstract Background Renal replacement therapy (RRT) remains the key rescue therapy for critically ill patients with severe acute kidney injury (AKI). However, there are currently no tools available to predict successful liberation from RRT. Biomarkers may allow for risk stratification and individualization of treatment strategies. Proenkephalin A 119–159 (penKid) has been suggested as a promising marker of kidney function in the context of AKI, but has not yet been evaluated for RRT liberation in critically...

Background:Patients receiving palliative care value attention given to their spiritual needs. However, these needs often remain unexplored as healthcare professionals lack the skills to identify and explore them and to integrate this information into care plans.Aim:To evaluate the effects of an interactive communication training intervention for palliative care teams in order to identify and explore the spiritual dimension and integrate it in patients’ care plans.Design:A mixed methods pre-post study, including self-assessment questionnaires, evaluation of videos...

Abstract Background Monte Carlo simulation is considered as the most accurate method for dose calculation in radiotherapy. PRIMO is a Monte-Carlo program with a user-friendly graphical interface. Material and method A VitalBeam with 6MV and 6MV flattening filter free (FFF), equipped with the 120 Millennium multileaf collimator was simulated by PRIMO. We adjusted initial energy, energy full width at half maximum (FWHM), focal spot FWHM, and beam divergence to match the measurements. The water tank...

Abstract Background People post-stroke are at risk of not being able to participate in valued activities. It is important that rehabilitation professionals prepare people post-stroke for the transition home and provide needed support when they live at home. Several authors have suggested that members of the broad social network should play an active role in rehabilitation. This includes informing them about the importance of activity (re)engagement post-stroke and learning strategies to provide support. It is...

Abstract Background Recently, with the rapid progress of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), inconsistency between mNGS results and clinical diagnoses has become more common. There is currently no reasonable explanation for this, and the interpretation of mNGS reports still needs to be standardised. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 47 inpatients with suspected central nervous system (CNS) infections, and clinical data were recorded. The final diagnosis was determined by an expert group based on the...

Abstract Background Neutrophil infiltration accelerates the inflammatory response and is highly correlated to the development of acute lung injury (ALI). Budesonide (BUD) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) both inhibit the inflammatory response to alleviate ALI, so we further investigated whether their combination is better for ALI. Methods In this study, we investigated the effect and mechanism of Combined BUD and NAC therapy on LPS-induced ALI. Rat ALI model and neutrophil abnormal activation model were established by lipopolysaccharide...

Background: The occurrence of radiation pneumonia not only affects the efficacy of radiotherapy, but also seriously threatens the health of patients undergoing radiotherapy for lung cancer. Studies have suggested that a feining granule is a potentially effective drug for the treatment of radiation pneumonitis, but its mechanism and main components are still unclear. Our study used bioinformatics methods to analyze the main drug Aster tataricus L. f. in feining granules and aims to gain the...

Abstract Background Empirical evidence for effective patient-researcher collaboration in basic research is lacking. This study aims to explore good working models and impact of patient involvement in basic rheumatology research and to identify barriers and facilitators. Method A responsive evaluation of a three years’ participatory research project in a basic and translational laboratory research setting. Several working models for patient involvement were piloted and adapted if considered necessary. The study comprised surveys, interviews, training days,...

Abstract Background Empirical evidence for effective patient-researcher collaboration in basic research is lacking. This study aims to explore good working models and impact of patient involvement in basic rheumatology research and to identify barriers and facilitators. Method A responsive evaluation of a three years’ participatory research project in a basic and translational laboratory research setting. Several working models for patient involvement were piloted and adapted if considered necessary. The study comprised surveys, interviews, training days,...

Abstract Background Recently, with the rapid progress of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), inconsistency between mNGS results and clinical diagnoses has become more common. There is currently no reasonable explanation for this, and the interpretation of mNGS reports still needs to be standardised. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 47 inpatients with suspected central nervous system (CNS) infections, and clinical data were recorded. The final diagnosis was determined by an expert group based on the...

Introduction:We aimed to investigate the prevalence of cognitive impairment in the subacute phase after transient ischemic attack (TIA) and ischemic stroke (IS), factors associated with a vascular cognitive disorder, and the prevalence of subjective cognitive complaints and their relation with objective cognitive performance.Patients and methods:In this multicenter prospective cohort study, we recruited patients with first-ever TIA and IS, aged 18–49 years, between 2013 and 2021 for cognitive assessment up to 6 months after index event....

Abstract Context The COVID-19 pandemic created a worldwide public health emergency, in which hospitals created new COVID departments and doctors from different disciplines had to work together. In the Netherlands, a large proportion of doctors in these departments were residents. With knowledge of the disease developing only gradually, the influx of COVID-19 patients called for adaptability, innovative work behavior, and intraprofessional collaboration (intraPC) between residents and between residents and medical specialists. Research goal This study...

Abstract Background Vector control interventions in sub-Saharan Africa rely on insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying. Insecticide resistance, poor coverage of interventions, poor quality nets and changes in vector behavior threaten the effectiveness of these interventions and, consequently, alternative tools are needed. Mosquitoes die after feeding on humans or animals treated with ivermectin (IVM). Mass drug administration (MDA) with IVM could reduce vector survival and decrease malaria transmission. The entomological impact of MDA of combined...

Abstract Background Terminal cleaning and disinfection of hospital patient rooms must be performed after discharge of a patient with a multidrug resistant micro-organism to eliminate pathogens from the environment. Terminal disinfection is often performed manually, which is prone to human errors and therefore poses an increased infection risk for the next patients. Automated whole room disinfection (WRD) replaces or adds on to the manual process of disinfection and can contribute to the quality of terminal...

Abstract Background Contact tracing (CT) is an important, but resource-intensive tool to control outbreaks of communicable diseases. Under pandemic circumstances, public health services may not have sufficient resources at their disposal to effectively facilitate CT. This may be addressed by giving cases and their contact persons more autonomy and responsibility in the execution of CT by public health professionals, through digital contact tracing support tools (DCTS-tools). However, the application of this approach has not yet...