EXPRESS: Vocal and musical emotion perception, voice cue discrimination, and quality of life in cochlear implant users with and without acoustic hearing.

This study aims to provide a comprehensive picture of auditory emotion perception in cochlear implant (CI) users by (1) investigating emotion categorization in both vocal (pseud-ospeech) and musical domains, and (2) how individual differences in residual acoustic hearing, sensitivity to voice cues (voice pitch, vocal tract length), and quality of life (QoL) might be associated with vocal emotion perception, and, going a step further, also with musical emotion perception. In 28 adult CI users, with or without self-reported acoustic hearing, we showed that sensitivity (d') scores for emotion categorization varied largely across the participants, in line with previous research. However, within participants, the d' scores for vocal and musical emotion categorization were significantly correlated, indicating similar processing of auditory emotional cues across the pseudo-speech and music domains and robustness of the tests.

Patient Perspectives on a Digital Assistant for Medication Reconciliation: An Interview Study Comparing Socioeconomic Groups.

Medication reconciliation, the process of documenting a patient's medication, is currently a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. To make medication reconciliation more efficient, digital assistants (DAs) offer a promising solution. Especially since human-like digital interfaces tend to be appreciated by more vulnerable populations such as patients in a low socioeconomic position (SEP).

Optimising primary molecular profiling in non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: Molecular profiling of NSCLC is essential for optimising treatment decisions, but often incomplete. We assessed the efficacy of protocolised molecular profiling in the current standard-of-care (SoC) in a prospective observational study in the Netherlands and measured the effect of providing standardised diagnostic procedures. We also explored the potential of plasma-based molecular profiling in the primary diagnostic setting.

Otoacoustic emissions in African mole-rats.

African mole-rats display highly derived hearing that is characterized by low sensitivity and a narrow auditory range restricted to low frequencies < 10 kHz. Recently, it has been suggested that two species of these rodents do not exhibit distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE), which was interpreted as evidence for a lack of cochlear amplification. If true, this would make them unique among mammals.

Smaller nadroparin dose reductions required for patients with renal impairment: A multicenter cohort study.

Background: Guidelines advise 50 % and 25 % dose reduction of the therapeutic nadroparin dose (86 IU/kg) in patients with eGFR 15-29 and 30-60 ml/min respectively. For monitoring, peak anti-Xa levels are suggested. Data lack whether this results in therapeutic anti-Xa levels or in anti-Xa levels that are comparable to those of patients without renal impairment.

Musical Emotion Categorization with Vocoders of Varying Temporal and Spectral Content.

While previous research investigating music emotion perception of cochlear implant (CI) users observed that temporal cues informing tempo largely convey emotional arousal (relaxing/stimulating), it remains unclear how other properties of the temporal content may contribute to the transmission of arousal features. Moreover, while detailed spectral information related to pitch and harmony in music - often not well perceived by CI users- reportedly conveys emotional valence (positive, negative), it remains unclear how the quality of spectral content contributes to valence perception. Therefore, the current study used vocoders to vary temporal and spectral content of music and tested music emotion categorization (joy, fear, serenity, sadness) in 23 normal-hearing participants.

Patients Managing Their Medical Data in Personal Electronic Health Records: Scoping Review.

Background: Personal electronic health records (PEHRs) allow patients to view, generate, and manage their personal and medical data that are relevant across illness episodes, such as their medications, allergies, immunizations, and their medical, social, and family health history. Thus, patients can actively participate in the management of their health care by ensuring that their health care providers have an updated and accurate overview of the patients' medical records. However, the uptake of PEHRs remains low, especially in terms of patients entering and managing their personal and medical data in their PEHR.

The Effect of Self-Administration of Medication During Hospitalization on Patient's Self-Efficacy and Medication Adherence After Discharge.

Purpose: The effect of self-administration of medication (SAM), in which capable hospitalized patients administer medication themselves on medication self-efficacy is inconclusive. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of SAM on medication self-efficacy, adherence and patient satisfaction.

Patients And Methods: A prospective pre-post intervention study on the orthopedic ward of the Sint Maartenskliniek (Nijmegen) was conducted from January 2020 to July 2021.

Optimising the Nadroparin Dose for Thromboprophylaxis During Hemodialysis by Developing a Population Pharmacodynamic Model Using Anti-Xa Levels.

Introduction: The optimal nadroparin dose in patients undergoing hemodialysis is difficult to determine in clinical practice. Anti-Xa levels ≥ 0.4 IU/mL and < 2.

Patients' views on Self-administration of Medication during hospitalisation: a mixed-methods study.

Background: Inpatient Self-administration of Medication (SAM) increases patient involvement in medication management and may increase medication safety. Its implementation is impeded. Successful and sustainable implementation of SAM strongly depends on patients' willingness to participate.

Prolonged oxycodone use and potential risk factors in postoperative patients: a case control study.

Background: Prolonged exposure to opioids has a negative influence on the physical and mental health of a person. Currently, little is known about the risk of prolonging opioids after first postoperative use.

Aim: A study was conducted to define the proportion of postoperative patients that use oxycodone longer than prescribed to determine risk factors of prolonged use.

Therapeutically dosed low molecular weight heparins in renal impairment: a nationwide survey.

Purpose: International guidelines vary in their recommendations whether or not to reduce the therapeutic dose of low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) in renal impairment. The use of anti-Xa monitoring as a basis of dose adjustments is also a matter of debate. As this may lead to variations in treatment policies, we aimed to study the treatment policies of therapeutically dosed LMWHs in renal impairment in Dutch hospitals.

Inpatients Self-Administration of Medication: Stakeholders' views and prerequisites.

Aims And Objectives: To identify stakeholders' views on inpatient Self-Administration of Medication and corresponding prerequisites for successful implementation.

Background: Self-Administration of Medication allows capable patients to manage their medication regimen throughout hospitalisation. It is assumed to facilitate continuity of care, increase medication safety and patient empowerment.

Carbamazepine induces upward frequency shifts of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions.

In three subjects, we measured spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) when they were using carbamazepine (CBZ), and compared this to the SOAE measurement when they were not using CBZ. We observed 14 SOAEs showing a consistent upward shift of center frequency, related to CBZ intake. On average, the magnitude of the frequency shift increased with increasing frequency.

The effect of Patient's Own Medication use on patient's self-reported medication knowledge during hospitalisation: a pre-post intervention study.

Background: Improving patient's medication knowledge and consequently medication use is essential for optimal treatment outcomes. As patient knowledge about medication is currently suboptimal, interventions to optimise medication knowledge are necessary. Implementation of Patient's Own Medication (POM) in which patients bring their outpatient medication to the hospital, and nurses administer these during admission, may increase medication knowledge.

Self-reported music perception is related to quality of life and self-reported hearing abilities in cochlear implant users.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between self-reported music perception and appreciation and (1) quality of life (QoL), and (2) self-assessed hearing ability in 98 post-lingually deafened cochlear implant (CI) users with a wide age range.

Methods: Participants filled three questionnaires: (1) the Dutch Musical Background Questionnaire (DMBQ), which measures the music listening habits, the quality of the sound of music and the self-assessed perception of elements of music; (2) the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ), which measures health-related QoL; (3) the Speech, Spatial and Qualities (SSQ) of hearing scale, which measures self-assessed hearing ability. Additionally, speech perception was behaviorally measured with a phoneme-in-word identification.

What Matters to Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis When Facing Medical or Non-Medical Treatment Decisions?

Background: In rheumatoid arthritis care, patients and healthcare professionals regularly face health treatment decisions. Sorting out what matters to a patient as being relevant to a specific decision is therefore essential.

Methods: An explorative mixed-methods study was performed to investigate patients' values for health treatment decisions and their importance in order to develop a future decision aid on value clarification.

Interpretation of the four risk factors for postoperative nausea and vomiting in the Apfel simplified risk score: an analysis of published studies.

Purpose: The Apfel simplified risk score, developed in 1999, is the most widely used tool for risk stratification of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). It includes four risk factors: female sex, non-smoking status, history of PONV or motion sickness, and use of postoperative opioids. Nevertheless, there is considerable heterogeneity in the definition and application of these risk factors in PONV research.

A multifaceted clinical decision support intervention to improve adherence to thromboprophylaxis guidelines.

Background Venous thromboembolism is a potentially fatal complication of hospitalisation, affecting approximately 3% of non-surgical patients. Administration of low molecular weight heparins to the appropriate patients adequately decreases venous thromboembolism incidence, but guideline adherence is notoriously low. Objective To determine the effect of a multifaceted intervention on thromboprophylaxis guideline adherence.

Economic impact of Patient's Own Medication use during hospitalisation: a multicentre pre-post implementation study.

Background Medication is frequently thrown away after a patient's discharge from hospital, with undesirable economic and environmental consequences. Because of the rising costs of healthcare, interventions to reduce medication wastage (and associated costs) are warranted. Using Patient's Own Medication during hospitalisation might decrease medication wastage and associated costs.

An auditory brainstem implant for treatment of unilateral tinnitus: protocol for an interventional pilot study.

Introduction: Tinnitus may have a very severe impact on the quality of life. Unfortunately, for many patients, a satisfactory treatment modality is lacking. The auditory brainstem implant (ABI) was originally indicated for hearing restoration in patients with non-functional cochlear nerves, for example, in neurofibromatosis type II.

Initial validation and results of the Symptoms in Persons At Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis (SPARRA) questionnaire: a EULAR project.

Objectives: To describe the development and assess the psychometric properties of the novel 'Symptoms in Persons At Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis' (SPARRA) questionnaire in individuals at risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to quantify their symptoms.

Methods: The questionnaire items were derived from a qualitative study in patients with seropositive arthralgia. The questionnaire was administered to 219 individuals at risk of RA on the basis of symptoms or autoantibody positivity: 74% rheumatoid factor and/or anticitrullinated protein antibodies positive, 26% seronegative.

Comparison of Two Music Training Approaches on Music and Speech Perception in Cochlear Implant Users.

In normal-hearing (NH) adults, long-term music training may benefit music and speech perception, even when listening to spectro-temporally degraded signals as experienced by cochlear implant (CI) users. In this study, we compared two different music training approaches in CI users and their effects on speech and music perception, as it remains unclear which approach to music training might be best. The approaches differed in terms of music exercises and social interaction.