Age-dependency of EHRA improvement based on quality of life at diagnosis of atrial fibrillation.

Background: In this study, the relationship between AF-related quality of life (AFEQT) at baseline in AF-patients and the improvement on perceived symptoms and general state of health (EHRA, European Heart Rhythm Association score) at 12 months was assessed across predefined age categories.

Methods: Between November 2014 and October 2019 patients diagnosed with AF de novo in four hospitals embedded within the Netherlands Heart Network were prospectively followed for 12 months. These AF-patients were categorized into quartiles based on their AFEQT score at diagnosis and EHRA score was measured at diagnosis and 12 months of follow-up.

Testing the effects of checklists on team behaviour during emergencies on general wards: An observational study using high-fidelity simulation.

Introduction: Clinical teams struggle on general wards with acute management of deteriorating patients. We hypothesized that the Crisis Checklist App, a mobile application containing checklists tailored to crisis-management, can improve teamwork and acute care management.

Methods: A before-and-after study was undertaken in high-fidelity simulation centres in the Netherlands, Denmark and United Kingdom.

Fragment Binding to β-Secretase 1 without Catalytic Aspartate Interactions Identified via Orthogonal Screening Approaches.

An approach to identify β-secretase 1 (BACE1) fragment binders that do not interact with the catalytic aspartate dyad is presented. A ThermoFluor (thermal shift) and a fluorescence resonance energy transfer enzymatic screen on the soluble domain of BACE1, together with a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) screen on the soluble domain of BACE1 and a mutant of one catalytic Asp (D32N), were run in parallel. Fragments that were active in at least two of these assays were further confirmed using one-dimensional NMR (WaterLOGSY) and SPR binding competition studies with peptidic inhibitor OM99-2.

Snβ-zeolite catalyzed oxido-reduction cascade chemistry with biomass-derived molecules.

High activity of post-synthetically synthesized Sn-beta, producing novel caprolactone polymer building blocks, is demonstrated in Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV), Oppenauer (OPO), Baeyer-Villiger (BV) and cascade reactions thereof with biomass-derived molecules.

Using Human iPSC-Derived Neurons to Model TAU Aggregation.

Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia are amongst the most common forms of dementia characterized by the formation and deposition of abnormal TAU in the brain. In order to develop a translational human TAU aggregation model suitable for screening, we transduced TAU harboring the pro-aggregating P301L mutation into control hiPSC-derived neural progenitor cells followed by differentiation into cortical neurons. TAU aggregation and phosphorylation was quantified using AlphaLISA technology.

Potential and challenges of zeolite chemistry in the catalytic conversion of biomass.

Increasing demand for sustainable chemicals and fuels has pushed academia and industry to search for alternative feedstocks replacing crude oil in traditional refineries. As a result, an immense academic attention has focused on the valorisation of biomass (components) and derived intermediates to generate valuable platform chemicals and fuels. Zeolite catalysis plays a distinct role in many of these biomass conversion routes.

Selective nickel-catalyzed conversion of model and lignin-derived phenolic compounds to cyclohexanone-based polymer building blocks.

Valorization of lignin is essential for the economics of future lignocellulosic biorefineries. Lignin is converted into novel polymer building blocks through four steps: catalytic hydroprocessing of softwood to form 4-alkylguaiacols, their conversion into 4-alkylcyclohexanols, followed by dehydrogenation to form cyclohexanones, and Baeyer-Villiger oxidation to give caprolactones. The formation of alkylated cyclohexanols is one of the most difficult steps in the series.

Fast and selective sugar conversion to alkyl lactate and lactic acid with bifunctional carbon-silica catalysts.

A novel catalyst design for the conversion of mono- and disaccharides to lactic acid and its alkyl esters was developed. The design uses a mesoporous silica, here represented by MCM-41, which is filled with a polyaromatic to graphite-like carbon network. The particular structure of the carbon-silica composite allows the accommodation of a broad variety of catalytically active functions, useful to attain cascade reactions, in a readily tunable pore texture.

Characterization of platelet-derived growth factor-C (PDGF-C): expression in normal and tumor cells, biological activity and chromosomal localization.

The predicted platelet-derived growth factor-C (PDGF-C) polypeptide contains an N-terminal CUB-like domain and a C-terminal domain with homology to members of the PDGF/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family. PDGF-C mRNA is widely expressed in normal tissues and does not appear to be up-regulated in the tumor cell lines tested. The PDGF-C gene was mapped to human chromosome 4q31-32.