Developing and validating an implantable suture tension sensor.

Introduction: Suture tension has a direct influence on the sutured tissue. For abdominal wall closure, suture tension should be optimal without causing tissue necrosis, which can result in surgical site infection or incisional hernia. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate a device that can measure suture tension in-situ and in real-time.

Toward Verification of DAG-Based Distributed Ledger Technologies through Discrete-Event Simulation.

As the potential of directed acyclic graph (DAG)-based distributed ledgers in IoT systems unfolds, a need arises to understand their intricate dynamics in real-world scenarios. It is well known that discrete event simulations can provide high-fidelity evaluations of protocols. However, there is a lack of public discrete event simulators capable of assessing DAG-based distributed ledgers.

Relationship between in feed drugs, antibiotics and organic enrichment in marine sediments at Canadian Atlantic salmon aquaculture sites.

The presence of in-feed anti-sea lice drugs and their relationship with organic enrichment is poorly understood in sediment surrounding salmon farms. Using data from an aquaculture monitoring program (2018-2020), we describe this relationship at ten sites in four Canadian provinces. Three anti-sea lice pesticides (lufenuron, teflubenzuron, emamectin benzoate and metabolite desmethyl emamectin benzoate), and one antibiotic (oxytetracycline) were detected.

Favorable Outcomes After Retro-Rectus (Rives-Stoppa) Mesh Repair as Treatment for Noncomplex Ventral Abdominal Wall Hernia, a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: To assess prevalence of hernia recurrence, surgical site infection (SSI), seroma, serious complications, and mortality after retro-rectus repair.

Summary Background Data: Ventral abdominal wall hernia is a common problem, tied to increasing frailty and obesity of patients undergoing surgery. For noncomplex ventral hernia, retro-rectus (Rives-Stoppa) repair is considered the gold standard treatment.

Outcomes of Incisional Hernia Repair Surgery After Multiple Re-recurrences: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis.

Background: Patients with a re-recurrent hernia may account for up to 20% of all incisional hernia (IH) patients. IH repair in this population may be complex due to an altered anatomical and biological situation as a result of previous procedures and outcomes of IH repair in this population have not been thoroughly assessed. This study aims to assess outcomes of IH repair by dedicated hernia surgeons in patients who have already had two or more re-recurrences.

Differences in biomechanics of abdominal wall closure with and without mesh reinforcement: A study in post mortem human specimens.

Introduction: Small bites for the closure of the abdominal wall after midline laparotomy result in significantly less incisional hernias in comparison with large bites. However, fundamental knowledge of underlying biomechanical phenomena remains sparse. The objective of this study was to develop a digital image correlation-based method to compare different suturing techniques in terms of strain pattern after closure of a midline laparotomy in a passive model just after the time of surgery.

Mesh Exposure After Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Pelvic Floor Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Study Objective: To prospectively evaluate the mesh exposure rate after robot-assisted laparoscopic pelvic floor surgery for the treatment of female pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in a large cohort.

Design: Prospective observational cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting: Two large teaching hospitals with a tertiary referral function for pelvic floor disorders.

The value of the participatory network mapping tool to facilitate and evaluate coordinated action in health promotion networks: two Dutch case studies.

Introduction: Facilitating processes for coordinated action in the field of health promotion is a challenge. Poorthuis and Bijl's (2006) Participatory Network Mapping Tool (PNMT) uses visualization and discussion to map the positions and roles of network actors, stimulate learning processes, and elicit actionable knowledge. This article describes the results from the application of the PNMT in networks of two Dutch health promotion programmes (Health Race and BeweegKuur) with the aim of determining the value of the PNMT to partners in health promotions networks.

Perioperative surgical outcome of conventional and robot-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Background: To evaluate surgical outcome in a consecutive series of patients with conventional and robot assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed among patients with benign and malignant indications for a laparoscopic hysterectomy. Main surgical outcomes were operation room time and skin to skin operating time, complications, conversions, rehospitalisation and reoperation, estimated blood loss and length of hospital stay.

The Impact of Midurethral Sling Surgery on Sexual Activity and Function in Women With Stress Urinary Incontinence.

Introduction: Stress urinary incontinence has a negative impact on sexual function.

Aim: To assess the effect of midurethral sling surgery on sexual activity and function in women with stress urinary incontinence.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the Value of Urodynamics Prior to Stress Incontinence Surgery (VUSIS-II) study, which assessed the value of urodynamics in women with (predominantly) stress urinary incontinence.

Value of urodynamics before stress urinary incontinence surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To estimate whether a strategy of immediate surgery was noninferior to a strategy based on discordant urodynamic findings followed by individually tailored therapy in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Methods: A multicenter diagnostic cohort study with an embedded noninferiority randomized controlled trial was conducted in six academic and 24 nonacademic Dutch hospitals. Women with predominant SUI eligible for surgical treatment based on clinical assessment were included between January 2009 and November 2010.

Galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase deficiency is not associated with Müllerian aplasia in Dutch patients.

Study Objective: To study whether a deficiency in galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase (GALT) activity of mothers was an explanation for the occurrence of Müllerian aplasia of their daughters.

Design: A case control study.

Setting: The patients were selected from the outpatient clinic of the University Medical Center Nijmegen, and compared with the general population in The Netherlands.

Locating liquid and gas interfaces behind a steel hull: a neutron backscatter tool in action.

Monte Carlo simulations were performed to prove that a neutron backscatter tool can detect liquid (hydrocarbon or water) and gas levels behind steel casings, even when used under water. Consequently such a tool can be applied to the detection of fluid levels in wrecked vessels, which is important for environmentally safe retrieval of oil in these vessels. These simulations enable the efficient optimisation of the experimental conditions, without having to resort to expensive mock-ups.

Patient satisfaction with occupational health physicians, development of a questionnaire.

Aims: To develop a questionnaire that measures specific aspects of patient satisfaction with occupational health physicians.

Methods: General patient satisfaction questionnaires, a literature survey, and interviews with patients were used. An initial questionnaire was distributed among sick listed patients (n = 432) of occupational physicians (n = 90) from different occupational health services.

Differential induction of systemic resistance in Arabidopsis by biocontrol bacteria.

Selected nonpathogenic, root-colonizing bacteria are able to elicit induced systemic resistance (ISR) in plants. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying this type of systemic resistance, an Arabidopsis-based model system was developed in which Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and Fusarium oxysporum f.