Respiratory Dysfunction and Abnormal Hypoxic Ventilatory Response in Mild to Moderate Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Respiratory dysfunction is an important contributor to morbidity and mortality in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), but it is unclear what parameters are sensitive to diagnose and monitor respiratory dysfunction across disease phases.

Objectives: We aimed to characterize respiratory dysfunction in mild to moderate PD.

Methods: In 20 individuals without cardiopulmonary comorbidity, pulmonary and inspiratory muscle function testing were performed ON-medication.

Continuous Monitoring by a Wearable Sensor Did Not Enhance Discharge Decision-Making in an Acute Admission Ward: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Adding continuous monitoring to usual care at an acute admission ward did not have an effect on the proportion of patients safely discharged. Implementation challenges of continuous monitoring may have contributed to the lack of effect observed.

Enhancing discharge decision-making through continuous monitoring in an acute admission ward: a randomized controlled trial.

In Acute Admission Wards, vital signs are commonly measured only intermittently. This may result in failure to detect early signs of patient deterioration and impede timely identification of patient stability, ultimately leading to prolonged stays and avoidable hospital admissions. Therefore, continuous vital sign monitoring may improve hospital efficacy.

Do Growers Using Solo Fungicides Affect the Durability of Disease Control of Growers Using Mixtures and Alternations? The Case of Spot-Form Net Blotch in Western Australia.

Growers often use alternations or mixtures of fungicides to slow down the development of resistance to fungicides. However, within a landscape, some growers will implement such resistance management methods, whereas others do not, and may even apply solo components of the resistance management program. We investigated whether growers using solo components of resistant management programs affect the durability of disease control in fields of those who implement fungicide resistance management.

[The assessment of volume status].

Accurately assessing volume status is crucial, as an incorrect evaluation can lead to inappropriate therapy. Evaluating volume status using medical history and physical examination can be challenging. Medical history and physical examination are readily available, cost-effective, and non-invasive, remaining the initial steps in assessing fluid status.

Continuous monitoring of patients in and after the acute admission ward to improve clinical pathways: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (Optimal-AAW).

Background: Because of high demand on hospital beds, hospitals seek to reduce patients' length of stay (LOS) while preserving the quality of care. In addition to usual intermittent vital sign monitoring, continuous monitoring might help to assess the patient's risk of deterioration, in order to improve the discharge process and reduce LOS. The primary aim of this monocenter randomized controlled trial is to assess the effect of continuous monitoring in an acute admission ward (AAW) on the percentage of patients who are discharged safely.

Feasibility of a standardized family participation programme in the intensive care unit: A pilot survey study.

Aim: To assess the feasibility and applicability of a standardized programme to facilitate family participation in essential care activities in the intensive care unit.

Design: Pilot study with a cross-sectional survey design.

Methods: A standardized programme to facilitate family participation in essential nursing care activities was implemented in intensive care units of three hospitals in the Netherlands from November 2018 until March 2019.

The value of volunteer surveillance for the early detection of biological invaders.

Early detection of invaders requires finding small numbers of individuals across large landscapes. It has been argued that the only feasible way to achieve the sampling effort needed for early detection of an invader is to involve volunteer groups (citizen scientists, passive surveyors, etc.).

POCUS in dyspnea, nontraumatic hypotension, and shock; a systematic review of existing evidence.

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has been adopted as a powerful tool in acute medicine. This systematic review aims to critically appraise the existing literature on point-of-care ultrasound in respiratory or circulatory deterioration.

Methods: Original studies on POCUS and dyspnea, nontraumatic hypotension, and shock from March 2002 until March 2022 were assessed in the PubMed and Embase Databases.

Epidemiologically-based strategies for the detection of emerging plant pathogens.

Emerging pests and pathogens of plants are a major threat to natural and managed ecosystems worldwide. Whilst it is well accepted that surveillance activities are key to both the early detection of new incursions and the ability to identify pest-free areas, the performance of these activities must be evaluated to ensure they are fit for purpose. This requires consideration of the number of potential hosts inspected or tested as well as the epidemiology of the pathogen and the detection method used.

Prognosis After Cardiac Arrest: The Additional Value of DWI and FLAIR to EEG.

Background: Despite application of the multimodal European Resuscitation Council and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine algorithm, neurological prognosis of patients who remain comatose after cardiac arrest remains uncertain in a large group of patients. In this study, we investigate the additional predictive value of visual and quantitative brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to electroencephalography (EEG) for outcome estimation of comatose patients after cardiac arrest.

Methods: We performed a prospective multicenter cohort study in patients after cardiac arrest submitted in a comatose state to the intensive care unit of two Dutch hospitals.

Comparing lung ultrasound: extensive versus short in COVID-19 (CLUES): a multicentre, observational study at the emergency department.

Background: Bedside lung ultrasound (LUS) is an affordable diagnostic tool that could contribute to identifying COVID-19 pneumonia. Different LUS protocols are currently used at the emergency department (ED) and there is a need to know their diagnostic accuracy.

Design: A multicentre, prospective, observational study, to compare the diagnostic accuracy of three commonly used LUS protocols in identifying COVID-19 pneumonia at the ED.

[Communication about in hospital resuscitation orders].

Background: The decision to attempt or refrain from resuscitation is preferably based on prognostic factors for outcome and subsequently communicated with patients. Both patients and physicians consider good communication important, however little is known about patient involvement in and understanding of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) directives.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)-orders, to describe recollection of CPR-directive conversations and factors associated with patient recollection and understanding.

Modelling cassava production and pest management under biotic and abiotic constraints.

We summarise modelling studies of the most economically important cassava diseases and arthropods, highlighting research gaps where modelling can contribute to the better management of these in the areas of surveillance, control, and host-pest dynamics understanding the effects of climate change and future challenges in modelling. For over 30 years, experimental and theoretical studies have sought to better understand the epidemiology of cassava diseases and arthropods that affect production and lead to considerable yield loss, to detect and control them more effectively. In this review, we consider the contribution of modelling studies to that understanding.

Assessing COVID-19 pneumonia-Clinical extension and risk with point-of-care ultrasound: A multicenter, prospective, observational study.

Background: Assessing the extent of lung involvement is important for the triage and care of COVID-19 pneumonia. We sought to determine the utility of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for characterizing lung involvement and, thereby, clinical risk determination in COVID-19 pneumonia.

Methods: This multicenter, prospective, observational study included patients with COVID-19 who received 12-zone lung ultrasound and chest computed tomography (CT) scanning in the emergency department (ED).

[Lung ultrasound in patients with symptoms of covid-19].

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic presents a challenge for healthcare worldwide. In this context, rapid, correct diagnosis and early isolation of infected persons is of great importance. Pneumonia as an expression of COVID-19 is responsible for the most part of morbidity and mortality.

Smallholder Cassava Planting Material Movement and Grower Behavior in Zambia: Implications for the Management of Cassava Virus Diseases.

Cassava () is an important food crop across sub-Saharan Africa, where production is severely inhibited by two viral diseases, cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava brown streak disease (CBSD), both propagated by a whitefly vector and via human-mediated movement of infected cassava stems. There is limited information on growers' behavior related to movement of planting material, as well as growers' perception and awareness of cassava diseases, despite the importance of these factors for disease control. This study surveyed a total of 96 cassava subsistence growers and their fields across five provinces in Zambia between 2015 and 2017 to address these knowledge gaps.

Life-sustaining treatment preferences in older patients when referred to the emergency department for acute geriatric assessment: a descriptive study in a Dutch hospital.

Background: In many cases, life-sustaining treatment preferences are not timely discussed with older patients. Advance care planning (ACP) offers medical professionals an opportunity to discuss patients' preferences. We assessed how often these preferences were known when older patients were referred to the emergency department (ED) for an acute geriatric assessment.

Diagnosing COVID-19 pneumonia in a pandemic setting: Lung Ultrasound CT (LUVCT) - a multicentre, prospective, observational study.

Background: In this coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, fast and accurate testing is needed to profile patients at the emergency department (ED) and efficiently allocate resources. Chest imaging has been considered in COVID-19 workup, but evidence on lung ultrasound (LUS) is sparse. We therefore aimed to assess and compare the diagnostic accuracy of LUS and computed tomography (CT) in suspected COVID-19 patients.

Effect of a Lower vs Higher Positive End-Expiratory Pressure Strategy on Ventilator-Free Days in ICU Patients Without ARDS: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: It is uncertain whether invasive ventilation can use lower positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) in critically ill patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Objective: To determine whether a lower PEEP strategy is noninferior to a higher PEEP strategy regarding duration of mechanical ventilation at 28 days.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Noninferiority randomized clinical trial conducted from October 26, 2017, through December 17, 2019, in 8 intensive care units (ICUs) in the Netherlands among 980 patients without ARDS expected not to be extubated within 24 hours after start of ventilation.

Optimising risk-based surveillance for early detection of invasive plant pathogens.

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) of plants continue to devastate ecosystems and livelihoods worldwide. Effective management requires surveillance to detect epidemics at an early stage. However, despite the increasing use of risk-based surveillance programs in plant health, it remains unclear how best to target surveillance resources to achieve this.

The effect of competition on the control of invading plant pathogens.

New invading pathogen strains must compete with endemic pathogen strains to emerge and spread. As disease control measures are often non-specific, that is, they do not distinguish between strains, applying control not only affects the invading pathogen strain but the endemic as well. We hypothesize that the control of the invasive strain could be compromised due to the non-specific nature of the control.

Determinants of optimal insecticide resistance management strategies.

The use of insecticides to control agricultural pests has resulted in resistance developing to most known insecticidal modes of action. Strategies by which resistance can be slowed are necessary to prolong the effectiveness of the remaining modes of action. Here we use a flexible mathematical model of resistance evolution to compare four insecticide application strategies: (i) applying one insecticide until failure, then switching to a second insecticide (sequential application), (ii) mixing two insecticides at their full label doses, (iii) rotating (alternating) two insecticides at full label dose, or (iv) mixing two insecticides at a reduced dose (with each mixture component at half the full label dose).