Computer Adaptive vs. Non-adaptive Medical Progress Testing: Feasibility, Test Performance, and Student Experiences.

Background: Computerized adaptive testing tailors test items to students' abilities by adapting difficulty level. This more efficient, and reliable assessment form may provide advantages over a conventional medical progress test (PT). Prior to our study, a direct comparison of students' performance on a computer adaptive progress test (CA-PT) and a conventional PT, which is crucial for nationwide implementation of the CA-PT, was missing.

Quality Control and Safety Assessment of Online-Purchased Food Supplements Containing Red Yeast Rice (RYR).

Dietary supplements containing red yeast rice (RYR), a fermentation product of the fungus grown on white rice, remain popular in Europe as proclaimed cholesterol-lowering aids. The cholesterol-lowering effects are due to the occurrence of monacolin K, which is often present as a mixture of monacolin K lactone (MK) and as monacolin K hydroxy acid (MKA). MK is structurally similar to the cholesterol-lowering medicine lovastatin.

Exploring the kynurenine pathway in mild traumatic brain injury: A longitudinal study.

A potential source of novel biomarkers for mTBI is the kynurenine pathway (KP), a metabolic pathway of tryptophan (Trp), that is up-regulated by neuroinflammation and stress. Considering that metabolites of the KP (kynurenines) are implicated in various neuropsychiatric diseases, exploration of this pathway could potentially bridge the gap between physiological and psychological factors in the recovery process after mTBI. This study, therefore, set out to characterize the KP after mTBI and to examine associations with long-term outcome.

Frequency and predictors of headache in the first 12 months after traumatic brain injury: results from CENTER-TBI.

Background: Headache is a prevalent and debilitating symptom following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Large-scale, prospective cohort studies are needed to establish long-term headache prevalence and associated factors after TBI. This study aimed to assess the frequency and severity of headache after TBI and determine whether sociodemographic factors, injury severity characteristics, and pre- and post-injury comorbidities predicted changes in headache frequency and severity during the first 12 months after injury.

Validation of a Targeted LC-MS/MS Method for Cereulide and Application in Food and Faeces.

Cereulide is an emetic toxin produced by some strains of . This bacterial toxin, a cyclic 1.2 kDa dodecadepsipeptide, is stable to heat and acids and causes nausea and vomiting when ingested via contaminated food.

Substandard and falsified ivermectin tablets obtained for self-medication during the COVID-19 pandemic as a source of potential harm.

In 2019, a global viral pandemic, due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, broke out. Soon after, the search for a vaccine and/or antiviral medicine began. One of the candidate antiviral medicines tested was ivermectin.

Retrospective surveillance of viable group contaminations in commercial food and feed vitamin B products sold on the Belgian market using whole-genome sequencing.

is a spore-forming bacterium that occurs as a contaminant in food and feed, occasionally resulting in food poisoning through the production of various toxins. In this study, we retrospectively characterized viable () isolates originating from commercial vitamin B feed and food additives collected between 2016 and 2022 by the Belgian Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain from products sold on the Belgian market. In total, 75 collected product samples were cultured on a general medium and, in case of bacterial growth, two isolates per product sample were collected and characterized using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and subsequently characterized in terms of sequence type (ST), virulence gene profile, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene profile, plasmid content, and phylogenomic relationships.

Dexamethasone versus Surgery for Chronic Subdural Hematoma.

Background: The role of glucocorticoids without surgical evacuation in the treatment of chronic subdural hematoma is unclear.

Methods: In this multicenter, open-label, controlled, noninferiority trial, we randomly assigned symptomatic patients with chronic subdural hematoma in a 1:1 ratio to a 19-day tapering course of dexamethasone or to burr-hole drainage. The primary end point was the functional outcome at 3 months after randomization, as assessed by the score on the modified Rankin scale (range, 0 [no symptoms] to 6 [death]).

Evaluation of Clinical Characteristics and CT Decision Rules in Elderly Patients with Minor Head Injury: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study.

Age is variably described as a minor or major risk factor for traumatic intracranial lesions after head injury. However, at present, no specific CT decision rule is available for elderly patients with minor head injury (MHI). The aims of this prospective multicenter cohort study were to assess the performance of existing CT decision rules for elderly MHI patients and to compare the clinical and CT characteristics of elderly patients with the younger MHI population.

The cognitive status of chronic subdural hematoma patients after treatment: an exploratory study.

Objective: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common neurological condition, often affecting the elderly. Cognitive impairment is frequently observed at presentation. However, the course and longer term aspects of the cognitive status of CSDH patients are unknown.

Mortality after chronic subdural hematoma is associated with frailty.

Purpose: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common neurological disease often affecting the elderly. Long-term excess mortality for patients after CSDH has been suggested but causes of death are unknown. We hypothesize that excess mortality of CSDH patients is related to frailty.

Highlights mild traumatic brain injury 2021.

Purpose: Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most common causes of morbidity worldwide. Patients at risk of unfavourable outcome may benefit from additional attention and help but identification of these patients necessitates the development of diagnostic methods to assess indices of brain injury at an early stage. The aim of this overview is to highlight studies that reflect the growing scientific attention to the early diagnosis and prognostication of mild TBI.

Update of the CHIP (CT in Head Injury Patients) decision rule for patients with minor head injury based on a multicenter consecutive case series.

Objective: To update the existing CHIP (CT in Head Injury Patients) decision rule for detection of (intra)cranial findings in adult patients following minor head injury (MHI).

Methods: The study is a prospective multicenter cohort study in the Netherlands. Consecutive MHI patients of 16 years and older were included.

Acute serum free thiols: a potentially modifiable biomarker of oxidative stress following traumatic brain injury.

Serum concentrations of free thiols (key components of the extracellular antioxidant machinery) reflect the overall redox status of the human body. The objective of this exploratory study was to determine the concentrations of serum free thiols in the acute phase after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their association with long-term outcome. In this observational cohort study, patients with TBI of various severity were included from a biobank of prospectively enrolled TBI patients.

Incomplete recovery in patients with minor head injury directly discharged home from the emergency department: a prospective cohort follow-up study.

Objectives: To determine the frequency of post-traumatic complaints and recovery rate of non-hospitalised patients with minor head injury (MHI) and their relationship with demographic and injury characteristics. We also evaluated the differences between patient groups in this least severe category of brain and head injury.

Design: Prospective cohort follow-up study.

Long-Term Stability of Blood Serum Biomarkers in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Feasibility Study.

Few studies on traumatic brain injury (TBI) have investigated the stability of blood serum biomarkers after long-term storage at low temperatures. In the current feasibility study we analyzed acute phase serum samples from patients with mild TBI as well as patients with moderate and severe TBI that were collected more than 10 years ago (). We were particularly interested in mild TBI, because injury effects are more subtle in this category as compared to moderate-severe TBI.

External validation of prognostic models predicting outcome after chronic subdural hematoma.

Background: Several prognostic models for outcomes after chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) treatment have been published in recent years. However, these models are not sufficiently validated for use in daily clinical practice. We aimed to assess the performance of existing prediction models for outcomes in patients diagnosed with CSDH.

Slow Channel Syndrome Revisited: 40 Years Clinical Follow-Up and Genetic Characterization of Two Cases.

Background: The slow channel syndrome is a rare hereditary disorder caused by a dominant gain-of-function variant in one of the subunits of the acetylcholine receptor at the neuromuscular junction. Patients typically experience axial, limb and particularly extensor finger muscle weakness.

Objective: Age at diagnosis is variable and although the long-term prognosis is important for newly diagnosed patients, extensive follow-up studies are rare.

An endemic species flock of Cypridopsinae (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from the ancient Lake Malawi (Africa), with the description of a new genus and three new species.

We describe Malawidopsis gen. nov., a new genus of Cypridopsinae Kaufmann, 1900 from the African ancient Lake Malawi.

Pathophysiology of transient neurological deficit in patients with chronic subdural hematoma: A systematic review.

Patients with chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) can have transient neurological deficits deficit (TND) mimicking transient ischemic attacks. The prevalence of TNDs in CSDH varies between 1%-24%, depending on TND definition. Despite this high prevalence the pathophysiology of TND in CSDH is not clear in many cases.

Surgery After Primary Dexamethasone Treatment for Patients with Chronic Subdural Hematoma-A Retrospective Study.

Background: We aimed to quantify the need for additional surgery in patients with chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) primarily treated with dexamethasone and to identify patient characteristics associated with additional surgery.

Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from 283 patients with CSDH, primarily treated with dexamethasone, in 3 hospitals from 2008 to 2018. Primary outcome was the need for additional surgery.

National survey on the current practice and attitudes toward the management of chronic subdural hematoma.

Background: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a frequent pathological entity in daily clinical practice. However, evidence-based CSDH-guidelines are lacking and level I evidence from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) is limited. In order to establish and subsequently implement a guideline, insight into current clinical practice and attitudes toward CSDH-treatment is required.