Virtual reality hypnosis for needle-related procedural pain and fear management in children: a non-inferiority randomized trial.

Unlabelled: Needle-related procedures can cause pain and fear in children and may lead to avoidance of future medical care. The aim of this study is to investigate whether virtual reality hypnosis (VRH) is non-inferior to medical hypnosis (MH) by a trained healthcare provider in reducing pain in children. This non-inferiority randomized trial was conducted at a teaching hospital in the Netherlands.

Environmental factors and mobility predict COVID-19 seasonality in the Netherlands.

Background: We recently showed that seasonal patterns of COVID-19 incidence and Influenza-Like Illnesses incidence are highly similar, in a country in the temperate climate zone, such as the Netherlands. We hypothesize that in The Netherlands the same environmental factors and mobility trends that are associated with the seasonality of flu-like illnesses are predictors of COVID-19 seasonality as well.

Methods: We used meteorological, pollen/hay fever and mobility data from the Netherlands.

The updated national research agenda 2021-2026 for prehospital emergency medical services in the Netherlands: a Delphi study.

Background: In 2015, a national research agenda was established for Dutch prehospital EMS to underpin the evidence base of care delivery and inform policymakers and funders. The continuously increasing demand for ambulance care and the reorientation towards the role of EMS in recent years may have changed research priorities. Therefore, this study aimed to update the Dutch national EMS research agenda.

Comparable seasonal pattern for COVID-19 and flu-like illnesses.

Background: During the first wave of COVID-19 it was hypothesized that COVID-19 is subject to multi-wave seasonality, similar to Influenza-Like Illnesses since time immemorial. One year into the pandemic, we aimed to test the seasonality hypothesis for COVID-19.

Methods: We calculated the average annual time-series for Influenza-Like Illnesses based on incidence data from 2016 till 2019 in the Netherlands, and compared these with two COVID-19 time-series during 2020/2021 for the Netherlands.

Can pollen explain the seasonality of flu-like illnesses in the Netherlands?

Current models for flu-like epidemics insufficiently explain multi-cycle seasonality. Meteorological factors alone, including the associated behavior, do not predict seasonality, given substantial climate differences between countries that are subject to flu-like epidemics or COVID-19. Pollen is documented to be allergenic, it plays a role in immuno-activation and defense against respiratory viruses, and seems to create a bio-aerosol that lowers the reproduction number of flu-like viruses.

Pollen likely seasonal factor in inhibiting flu-like epidemics. A Dutch study into the inverse relation between pollen counts, hay fever and flu-like incidence 2016-2019.

There is uncertainty if current models for the Covid-19 pandemic should already take into account seasonality. That is because current environmental factors do not provide a powerful explanation of such seasonality, especially given climate differences between countries with moderate climates. It is hypothesized that one major factor is overlooked: pollen count.

Increased performance of DNA metabarcoding of macroinvertebrates by taxonomic sorting.

DNA-based identification through the use of metabarcoding has been proposed as the next step in the monitoring of biological communities, such as those assessed under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Advances have been made in the field of metabarcoding, but challenges remain when using complex samples. Uneven biomass distributions, preferential amplification and reference database deficiencies can all lead to discrepancies between morphological and DNA-based taxa lists.

The effects of spatial and temporal replicate sampling on eDNA metabarcoding.

Background: The heterogeneous nature of environmental DNA (eDNA) and its effects on species detection and community composition estimates has been highlighted in several studies in the past decades. Mostly in the context of spatial distribution over large areas, in fewer occasions looking at spatial distribution within a single body of water. Temporal variation of eDNA, similarly, has mostly been studied as seasonality, observing changes over large periods of time, and often only for small groups of organisms such as fish and amphibians.

A patient-safety and professional perspective on non-conveyance in ambulance care: a systematic review.

Background: This systematic review aimed to describe non-conveyance in ambulance care from patient-safety and ambulance professional perspectives. The review specifically focussed at describing (1) ambulance non-conveyance rates, (2) characteristics of non-conveyed patients, (3) follow-up care after non-conveyance, (4) existing guidelines or protocols, and (5) influencing factors during the non-conveyance decision making process.

Methods: We systematically searched MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and reference lists of included articles, in June 2016.

A national research agenda for pre-hospital emergency medical services in the Netherlands: a Delphi-study.

Background: In pre-hospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) more research is needed to direct and underpin care delivery and inform policy. To target future research efforts, this study aimed to determine future research priorities with representatives of the EMS field.

Methods: A four-round online Delphi survey was used to discuss different viewpoints and reach consensus on research priorities.

Efficacy of a hypofractionated schedule in electron beam radiotherapy for epithelial skin cancer: Analysis of 434 cases.

Background And Purpose: Efficacy of radiotherapy for epithelial skin cancer was evaluated and treatment outcomes of two electron beam fractionation schedules were compared.

Materials And Methods: Outcome data of 434 epithelial skin cancers in 333 patients were analysed; 332 were basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and 102 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Patients were treated with electron beam, and received either 54 Gy in 18 fractions (n = 159) or 44 Gy in 10 fractions (n = 275).

[Nocardiosis, an important opportunistic infection].

In three patients, a 69-year-old woman, a 52-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man, nocardiosis was diagnosed. The first woman had chronic B-cell leukaemia and mucosal pemphigoid; she was on immunosuppressive medication, and had fever and a suppurative arthritis of the knee. The second woman was on immunosuppressive medication following a kidney transplantation and had fever and a pulmonary infiltrate.

Improved method for the isolation of RNA from (standing liquid cultures of) Streptomycetes.

Streptomycetes are complex soil bacteria capable of producing aerial reproductive mycelium and secondary metabolites. We observed novel phenomena such as an extended life cycle including flotation and anaerobiosis using standing liquid cultures. This paper describes an improved method for isolating good quality RNA from standing liquid cultures of S.

Endometriosis of the rectovaginal septum: endovaginal US and MRI findings in two cases.

We report two patients with endometriosis of the rectovaginal septum in whom endovaginal ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) played crucial roles in the diagnosis, staging, and follow-up of the disease. The specific features of endometriosis of the rectovaginal septum on MRI and transvaginal US enable a noninvasive diagnosis, thereby reducing diagnostic delay and avoiding unnecessary invasive procedures.

A new method to determine the feto-placental volume based on dilution of fetal haemoglobin and an estimation of plasma fluid loss after intrauterine intravascular transfusion.

Objectives: (1) To calculate the feto-placental volume (FPV), using the haematocrit (Ht) values and the percentages of fetal haemoglobin (HbF), before and after red blood cell transfusion. (2) To estimate the transfusion-induced loss of plasma fluid.

Design: Retrospective analysis of data of 42 anaemic fetuses at the first transfusion [gestational age (GA) 19-36 weeks].

Rhinovirus infection in nonasthmatic subjects: effects on intrapulmonary airways.

The common cold is a highly prevalent, uncomplicated upper airway disease. However, rhinovirus (RV) infection can lead to exacerbation of asthma, with worsening in airway hyperresponsiveness and bronchial inflammation. The current authors questioned whether such involvement of the intrapulmonary airways is disease specific.

Energy effects associated with e-commerce: a case-study concerning online sales of personal computers in The Netherlands.

The introduction of e-commerce is changing purchase and distribution patterns dramatically. One of the observed effects is that logistics become more efficient as products are directly shipped from a manufacturer or wholesaler to an end-user. Another effect is that market transparency increases, which has a downward pressure on prices of many products sold via the Internet.

Visualization of vaginal flora in cervical smears using a modified microwave silver-staining method.

The advantage of studying the vaginal flora to determine the bacteria and fungi present in cervical smears (as opposed to cultivation of these micro-organisms) is that the micro-organisms can be observed in their natural habitat. However, they are only faintly stained by the conventional Papanicolaou method. Accordingly, contrast is weak and visualization poor.

Sporicidal activity of chemical and physical tissue fixation methods.

Aims: The effects of alcohol based fixation and microwave stimulated alcohol fixation were investigated on spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus subtilis (var. niger).

Methods: Spores were exposed to 10% formalin, or different concentrations of various alcohol containing fixatives (Kryofix/Spuitfix).

Upgrading unsatisfactory cervical smears with the MiB-1 method.

When an unsatisfactory smear (thick inflammatory infiltrate or blood influencing the staining characteristics of the epithelial cells) is restained for MiB-1, the diagnostic proliferating cells are visualized, and the MiB-1-positive smears can be thus upgraded as borderline, grade I, II, and III, corresponding with the cytologic diagnoses of, respectively, ASCUS, CIN I, II, and > or = III. In a period of 18 months, 2,068 unsatisfactory smears out of a material of 84,817 smears were restained for MiB-1. In the unsatisfactory group, significantly more abnormal smears were detected than in the satisfactory group.