For Your Eyes Only? The Use of Surgical Videos in Urological Residency Training: A European-wide Survey.

Background And Objective: Video-based learning may be beneficial in surgical education, both in the preparation for surgery and to evaluate surgical performance. The use of a video is not yet anchored in European urology residency programs, and it is unclear how frequently residents use videos. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether and how urology residents utilize videos to prepare for surgical procedures and evaluate their surgical performance.

The Utrecht University Honours Program review project: example based scientific publishing training aimed at bachelor medical students.

Introduction: Medical undergraduate students receive limited education on scholarly publishing. However, publishing experiences during this phase are known to influence study and career paths. The medical bachelor Honours Program (HP) at Utrecht University initiated a hands-on writing and publishing course, which resulted in nine reviews published in internationally peer reviewed academic journals.

Quality of life, psychosocial characteristics, and study skills affecting recruits' intention to quit Basic Military Training.

Quitting Basic Military Training (BMT) is a problem in the Dutch Armed Forces. Previous research focused on physical factors. Yet, contemporary research focuses on psychosocial characteristics, study skills, and quality of life factors associated with recruits' intention to quit BMT.

Wearable-Measured Sleep and Resting Heart Rate Variability as an Outcome of and Predictor for Subjective Stress Measures: A Multiple N-of-1 Observational Study.

The effects of stress may be alleviated when its impact or a decreased stress-resilience are detected early. This study explores whether wearable-measured sleep and resting HRV in police officers can be predicted by stress-related Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) measures in preceding days and predict stress-related EMA outcomes in subsequent days. Eight police officers used an Oura ring to collect daily Total Sleep Time (TST) and resting Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and an EMA app for measuring demands, stress, mental exhaustion, and vigor during 15-55 weeks.

Multidimensional outcome assessment of pulmonary rehabilitation in traits-based clusters of COPD patients.

Background: Clusters of COPD patients have been reported in order to individualize the treatment program. Neither co-morbidity clusters, nor integrated respiratory physiomics clusters contributed to a better prediction of outcomes. Based on a thoroughly assessed set of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary traits at the start of a pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program, we recently described seven clusters of COPD patients.

Underestimation of self-tilt increases in reduced gravity conditions.

Background: During large angles of self-tilt in the roll plane on Earth, measurements of the subjective visual vertical (SVV) in the dark show a bias towards the longitudinal body axis, reflecting a systematic underestimation of self-tilt.

Objective: This study tested the hypothesis that self-tilt is underestimated in partial gravity conditions, and more so at lower gravity levels.

Methods: The SVV was measured in parabolic flight at three partial gravity levels: 0.

Spatial Disorientation Survey Among Military Pilots.

: Spatial disorientation (SD) remains a significant cause of accidents and near accidents. A variety of training methods have been used to assist pilots to anticipate the SD problem. The value of such training in the prevention of disorientation has been difficult to assess.

Regression Models for Cylindrical Data in Psychology.

Cylindrical data are multivariate data which consist of a directional, in this paper circular, and a linear component. Examples of cylindrical data in psychology include human navigation (direction and distance of movement), eye-tracking research (direction and length of saccades) and data from an interpersonal circumplex (location and intensity on the IPC). In this paper we adapt four models for cylindrical data to include a regression of the circular and linear component onto a set of covariates.

Circular Modelling of Circumplex Measurements for Interpersonal Behavior.

This article describes a new way to analyze data from the interpersonal circumplex (IPC) for interpersonal behavior. Instead of analyzing Agency and Communion separately or analyzing the IPC's octants, we propose using a circular regression model that allows us to investigate effects on a blend of Agency and Communion. The proposed circular model is called a projected normal (PN) model.

Cluster-randomised trial of a nurse-led advance care planning session in patients with COPD and their loved ones.

Rationale: Advance care planning (ACP) is uncommon in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Objectives: To assess whether a nurse-led ACP-intervention can improve quality of patient-physician end-of-life care communication in patients with COPD. Furthermore, the influence of an ACP-intervention on symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients and loved ones was studied.

Effectiveness of Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease With Different Degrees of Static Lung Hyperinflation.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on exercise performance and quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with different degrees of static lung hyperinflation (LH).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: PR network.

The moderating role of absorptive capacity and the differential effects of acquisitions and alliances on Big Pharma firms' innovation performance.

In the context of increased pharmaceutical innovation deficits and Big Pharma blockbusters' patent expirations, this paper examines the moderating role of firms' absorptive capacity in external innovation activities of Big Pharma firms. The study indicates a rising interest of Big Pharma in acquisitions of and alliances with biotechnology companies. Unfortunately, this increased interest is not reflected in the number of new drugs generated by Big Pharma.

Differential response to pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD: multidimensional profiling.

The aim of the present study was to profile a multidimensional response to pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Dyspnoea, exercise performance, health status, mood status and problematic activities of daily life were assessed before and after a 40-session pulmonary rehabilitation programme in 2068 patients with COPD (mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s of 49% predicted). Patients were ordered by their overall similarity concerning their multidimensional response profile, which comprises the overall response on MRC dyspnoea grade, 6MWD, cycle endurance time, Canadian Occupational Performance Measure performance and satisfaction scores, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety and depression, and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire total score, using a novel non-parametric regression technique.

Six-minute walk distance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Which reference equations should we use?

The use of different 6-min walk distance (6MWD) reference equations probably results in different predicted 6MWD reference values. We wished to investigate the impact of several 6MWD reference equations for adults in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and factors accountable for different 6MWD% predicted values. Twenty-two 6MWD reference equations were applied to a data set of 2757 patients with COPD.

The effect of a multispecies probiotic on the composition of the faecal microbiota and bowel habits in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients treated with antibiotics.

Short-term antibiotic treatment profoundly affects the intestinal microbiota, which may lead to sustained changes in microbiota composition. Probiotics may restore such a disturbance. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of a multispecies probiotic on the faecal microbiota during and after antibiotic intake in patients with a history of frequent antibiotic use.

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1-inhibiting flavonoids attenuate cytokine release in blood from male patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or type 2 diabetes.

Recently, we identified several flavonoids as inhibitors of the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-1 in vitro and in vivo. PARP-1 is recognized as coactivator of nuclear factor-kappaB and plays a role in the pathophysiology of diseases with low-grade systemic inflammation, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, we assessed the antiinflammatory effects of flavonoids with varying PARP-1-inhibiting effects in whole blood from male patients with COPD or T2D and healthy men.

Effect of infliximab on local and systemic inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a pilot study.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with cachexia is characterized by inflammation reflected by increased levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).

Objectives: In this study, infliximab, an anti-TNF-alpha antibody, was evaluated for its effects on systemic (plasma) and local (exhaled breath condensate, EBC) inflammation in cachectic patients with COPD. Also, baseline levels of new inflammatory markers were compared to control subjects.

Extra-pulmonary features in COPD patients entering rehabilitation after stratification for MRC dyspnea grade.

Experts have stated that referral for rehabilitation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) becomes appropriate when these patients become aware of their disability (e.g. usually grade 3 to 5 on the Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea scale).

Increased granzyme A expression in type II pneumocytes of patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Rationale: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with increased numbers of CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in the lung, but the functional activity of CTLs remains unknown. Granzyme A (GrA) and B (GrB) are serine proteases considered to be important effector molecules of CTLs and natural killer cells.

Objective: To investigate protein and mRNA expression of GrA and GrB in peripheral lung tissue from patients with COPD and control subjects with normal lung function.

Fruit-specific RNAi-mediated suppression of DET1 enhances carotenoid and flavonoid content in tomatoes.

Tomatoes are a principal dietary source of carotenoids and flavonoids, both of which are highly beneficial for human health. Overexpression of genes encoding biosynthetic enzymes or transcription factors have resulted in tomatoes with improved carotenoid or flavonoid content, but never with both. We attempted to increase tomato fruit nutritional value by suppressing an endogenous photomorphogenesis regulatory gene, DET1, using fruit-specific promoters combined with RNA interference (RNAi) technology.

Manipulation of DET1 expression in tomato results in photomorphogenic phenotypes caused by post-transcriptional gene silencing.

The tomato HIGH PIGMENT-2 gene encodes an orthologue of the Arabidopsis nuclear protein DE-ETIOLATED 1 (DET1). From genetic analyses it has been proposed that DET1 is a negative regulator of light signal transduction, and recent results indicate that it may control light-regulated gene expression at the level of chromatin remodelling. To gain further understanding about the function of DET1 during plant development, we generated a range of overexpression constructs and introduced them into tomato.

Childhood asthma: exhaled markers of airway inflammation, asthma control score, and lung function tests.

Exhaled markers of airway inflammation become increasingly important in the management of childhood asthma. The aims of the present study are: 1) to compare exhaled markers of inflammation (nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and acidity of breath condensate) with conventional asthma measures (lung function tests and asthma control score) in childhood asthma; and 2) to investigate the detectability of albumin, CRP, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, sICAM-1, and sTNF-R75 in the exhaled breath condensate (EBC) of asthmatic children. Thirty-two children with mild to moderate persistent asthma and healthy controls aged 6-12 years were studied.

Systemic poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 activation, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress in COPD patients.

Oxidative stress and systemic inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) strongly suggest a role for the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1, E.C.2.