Robots are both anthropomorphized and dehumanized when harmed intentionally.

The harm-made mind phenomenon implies that witnessing intentional harm towards agents with ambiguous minds, such as robots, leads to augmented mind perception in these agents. We conducted two replications of previous work on this effect and extended it by testing if robots that detect and simulate emotions elicit a stronger harm-made mind effect than robots that do not. Additionally, we explored if someone is perceived as less prosocial when harming a robot compared to treating it kindly.

A simplified, amplicon-based method for whole genome sequencing of human respiratory syncytial viruses.

Background: Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections pose a significant risk to human health worldwide, especially for young children. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) provides a useful tool for global surveillance to better understand the evolution and epidemiology of RSV and provide essential information that may impact on antibody treatments, antiviral drug sensitivity and vaccine effectiveness.

Objectives: Here we report the development of a rapid and simplified amplicon-based one-step multiplex reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR) for WGS of both human RSV-A and RSV-B viruses.

Responsible data science is a responsibility for all.

In a collaboration between TU Delft and Utrecht University, the authors recently wrote a qualitative study on the gap between regulatory (ethical and legal) frameworks and the daily practices of data professionals. This People of Data highlights the importance of collaboration in the success of interdisciplinary research and the responsibility of data scientists in safeguarding the public and ethical values.

Paper vs. practice: How legal and ethical frameworks influence public sector data professionals in the Netherlands.

Recent years have seen a massive growth in ethical and legal frameworks to govern data science practices. Yet one of the core questions associated with ethical and legal frameworks is the extent to which they are implemented in practice. A particularly interesting case in this context comes to public officials, for whom higher standards typically exist.

Column Agglutination Assay Using Polystyrene Microbeads for Rapid Detection of Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.

Rapid serology platforms are essential in disease pandemics for a variety of applications, including epidemiological surveillance, contact tracing, vaccination monitoring, and primary diagnosis in resource-limited areas. Laboratory-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) platforms are inherently multistep processes that require trained personnel and are of relatively limited throughput. As an alternative, agglutination-based systems have been developed; however, they rely on donor red blood cells and are not yet available for high-throughput screening.

The Potential of MET Immunoreactivity for Prediction of Lymph Node Metastasis in Early Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Objective: MET positivity is independently associated with survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Since MET is a known orchestrator of invasive tumor growth, we investigated its association with LNM in early oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). As it is recommended by the NCCN to use tumor depth of invasion (DOI) in making decisions on elective neck dissection (END), the results obtained for MET positivity were aligned with those for DOI > 4 mm.

Physicians' clinical prediction of survival in head and neck cancer patients in the palliative phase.

Background: The prognosis of patients with incurable head and neck cancer (HNC) is a relevant topic. The mean survival of these patients is 5 months but may vary from weeks to more than 3 years. Discussing the prognosis early in the disease trajectory enables patients to make well-considered end-of-life choices, and contributes to a better quality of life and death.

Rapid Gel Card Agglutination Assays for Serological Analysis Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Humans.

High-throughput and rapid serology assays to detect the antibody response specific to severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in human blood samples are urgently required to improve our understanding of the effects of COVID-19 across the world. Short-term applications include rapid case identification and contact tracing to limit viral spread, while population screening to determine the extent of viral infection across communities is a longer-term need. Assays developed to address these needs should match the ASSURED criteria.

Seasonal fluctuation of nonstructural carbohydrates reveals the metabolic availability of stemwood reserves in temperate trees with contrasting wood anatomy.

Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) play a critical role in plant physiology and metabolism, yet we know little about their distribution within individual organs such as the stem. This leaves many open questions about whether reserves deep in the stem are metabolically active and available to support functional processes. To gain insight into the availability of reserves, we measured radial patterns of NSCs over the course of a year in the stemwood of temperate trees with contrasting wood anatomy (ring porous vs diffuse porous).

Does a change in quality control results influence the sensitivity of an anti-HCV test?

Background Laboratories use quality control (QC) testing to monitor the extent of normal variation. Assay lot number changes contribute the greatest amount of variation in infectious disease serology testing. An unexpected change in six lots of an anti-HCV assay allowed the determination of the effect these lot changes made to the assay's clinical sensitivity.

Observation of inverse Compton emission from a long γ-ray burst.

Long-duration γ-ray bursts (GRBs) originate from ultra-relativistic jets launched from the collapsing cores of dying massive stars. They are characterized by an initial phase of bright and highly variable radiation in the kiloelectronvolt-to-megaelectronvolt band, which is probably produced within the jet and lasts from milliseconds to minutes, known as the prompt emission. Subsequently, the interaction of the jet with the surrounding medium generates shock waves that are responsible for the afterglow emission, which lasts from days to months and occurs over a broad energy range from the radio to the gigaelectronvolt bands.

Survival of patients with head and neck cancer with metachronous multiple primary tumors is surprisingly favorable.

Background: The objectives of this study are to determine the incidence and survival rate of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with multiple primary tumors (MPT) in the HN-region, lung, or esophagus.

Methods: Patient and tumor specific data of 1372 patients with HNSCC were collected from both the national cancer registry and patient records to ensure high-quality double-checked data.

Results: The total incidence of MPTs in the HN-region, lung, and esophagus in patients with HNSCC was 11% (149/1372).

Elective neck treatment during salvage (pharyngo) laryngectomy.

Purpose: This study aimed at determining the importance of an elective neck dissection (END) in case of a cN0 laryngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma after (chemo) radiation.

Methods: Retrospective review was made of patients treated in a single tertiary center between 2002 and 2014. Influence of an END in case of a cN0 salvage laryngectomy on complications, recurrence-free survival and disease-specific survival was assessed.

Influence of anemia and BMI on prognosis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: Development of an updated prognostic model.

Objective: evaluating the impact of anemia and body mass index (BMI) on survival, and development of a prognostic model for overall survival for patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

Materials And Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed including all consecutive patients with LSCC diagnosed and treated at the Erasmus Medical Center between January 2006 and December 2013. Patient- and tumor-specific data were collected using data from the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization and supplemented with data from patient records available in the Erasmus MC.

Relativistic inverse Compton scattering of photons from the early universe.

Electrons at relativistic speeds, diffusing in magnetic fields, cause copious emission at radio frequencies in both clusters of galaxies and radio galaxies through non-thermal radiation emission called synchrotron. However, the total power radiated through this mechanism is ill constrained, as the lower limit of the electron energy distribution, or low-energy cutoffs, for radio emission in galaxy clusters and radio galaxies, have not yet been determined. This lower limit, parametrized by the lower limit of the electron momentum - p - is critical for estimating the total energetics of non-thermal electrons produced by cluster mergers or injected by radio galaxy jets, which impacts the formation of large-scale structure in the universe, as well as the evolution of local structures inside galaxy clusters.

Adjuvant radiotherapy in sinonasal mucosal melanoma: A retrospective analysis.

Objectives: Evaluation of outcome after curative treatment for sinonasal mucosal melanoma focused on the effect of adjuvant radiotherapy on recurrence and survival.

Design: Retrospective chart analysis.

Setting: Tertiary referral hospital.

Significant and variable linear polarization during the prompt optical flash of GRB 160625B.

Newly formed black holes of stellar mass launch collimated outflows (jets) of ionized matter that approach the speed of light. These outflows power prompt, brief and intense flashes of γ-rays known as γ-ray bursts (GRBs), followed by longer-lived afterglow radiation that is detected across the electromagnetic spectrum. Measuring the polarization of the observed GRB radiation provides a direct probe of the magnetic fields in the collimated jets.

Contributing Determinants to Hearing Loss in Elderly Men and Women: Results from the Population-Based Rotterdam Study.

To contribute to a better understanding of the etiology in age-related hearing loss, we carried out a cross-sectional study of 3,315 participants (aged 52-99 years) in the Rotterdam Study, to analyze both low- and high-frequency hearing loss in men and women. Hearing thresholds with pure-tone audiometry were obtained, and other detailed information on a large number of possible determinants was collected. Hearing loss was associated with age, education, systolic blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, body mass index, smoking and alcohol consumption (inverse correlation).

Postoperative value of serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen as a predictor of recurrence in sinonasal inverted papilloma.

Objectives: Sinonasal inverted papilloma (IP) has several unfavourable characteristics and therefore requires careful monitoring. The goal of this study was to identify whether serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCa) could predict IP recurrence.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Hearing Loss Progresses Faster in Patients With Growing Intracanalicular Vestibular Schwannomas.

Objective: To determine whether certain patient and tumor characteristics influence the progression of hearing loss in vestibular schwannoma (VS) patients.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Tertiary referral center, Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Preliminary longitudinal results of neuropsychological education as first and sole intervention for new tinnitus patients.

Introduction: Tinnitus is a potentially aggravating symptom without curative treatment. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been proved effective. It aims to learn to cope with tinnitus by reducing fearfull appraisal of tinnitus.

Prevalence of age-related hearing loss, including sex differences, in older adults in a large cohort study.

Objectives/hypothesis: To obtain actual status of age-related hearing loss in a general unscreened population of older Dutch adults and to investigate whether the prevalence or degree has changed over time.

Study Design: To investigate the prevalence and degree of hearing loss, we conducted a large prospective cohort study of older adults between February 2011 and July 2015.

Methods: Pure-tone air- and bone-conduction thresholds were measured for 4,743 participants.

Identifying at diagnosis the vestibular schwannomas at low risk of growth in a long-term retrospective cohort.

Objectives: Identification at time of diagnosis of those vestibular schwannomas that will not grow.

Design: Retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients diagnosed with a sporadic vestibular schwannoma that were entered in the wait-and-scan protocol.

Setting: Academic referral centre.

Zenker's diverticulum: Rotterdam experience.

Different surgical techniques exist for the treatment of Zenker's diverticulum (ZD), of which minimally invasive techniques have become the standard. We reviewed our experience with management and treatment of ZD and sought to determine what type of treatment is most effective and efficient. We selected patients who underwent treatment for ZD between January 2004 and January 2014 at our tertiary referral center.