Ethnicity and health-related quality of life in the post stroke population: a systematic review.

Background/objective: A systematic review was conducted on the association between ethnicity and health-related quality of life in post-stroke populations.

Methods: In February 2024, a comprehensive search was conducted across several databases. Studies were included when they had at least 2 distinct ethnic post-stroke groups for comparison, along with the utilization of validated questionnaires to measure health-related quality of life.

Prevalence and determinants of metabolic syndrome in 2338 childhood cancer survivors: A Dutch Childhood Cancer Survivor LATER 2 study.

Background: Because the occurrence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) might contribute to childhood cancer survivor's excess risk of cardiovascular disease, the authors assessed the prevalence and determinants of MetS in the Dutch Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (DCCSS-LATER2) cohort.

Methods: In total, 2338 adult childhood cancer survivors (CCS) were cross-sectionally assessed for the prevalence of MetS, using the Lifelines cohort (N = 132,226 adults without a history of cancer) as references. The prevalence of MetS was clinically assessed using existing classifications, as well as an alternative method using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry fat% instead of waist circumference to define abdominal adiposity.

Recording practices of body mass index, overweight and obesity by Dutch general practitioners: an observational study.

Background: Routine body mass index (BMI) recording in electronic health records (EHR) could support general practitioners (GPs) in managing patients with obesity. This study aimed to evaluate recording practices of BMI, overweight, and obesity in adults including subgroup analysis of age, sex, and comorbidities in primary care in the Netherlands.

Methods: An observational study of individuals aged ≥ 18 years and registered between 2007 and 2023, using routine healthcare data from the Extramural LUMC Academic Network (ELAN) in the Netherlands.

European consensus on endoscopic surgery for bilateral vocal fold immobility: classification and nomenclature.

Introduction: There are inconsistencies in how different endoscopic procedures to manage Bilateral Vocal Fold Immobility (BVFI) have been described in the literature. This limits our ability to compare functional outcomes. There is no unifying international terminology available that precisely describes the anatomical boundaries and extent of the different types of treatment.

TILTomorrow today: dynamic factors predicting changes in intracranial pressure treatment intensity after traumatic brain injury.

Practices for controlling intracranial pressure (ICP) in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) vary considerably between centres. To help understand the rational basis for such variance in care, this study aims to identify the patient-level predictors of changes in ICP management. We extracted all heterogeneous data (2008 pre-ICU and ICU variables) collected from a prospective cohort (n = 844, 51 ICUs) of ICP-monitored TBI patients in the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in TBI study.

Acquisition of Fc-afucosylation of PfEMP1-specific IgG is age-dependent and associated with clinical protection against malaria.

Protective immunity to malaria depends on acquisition of parasite-specific antibodies, with Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) being one of the most important target antigens. The effector functions of PfEMP1-specific IgG include inhibition of infected erythrocyte (IE) sequestration and opsonization of IEs for cell-mediated destruction. IgG glycosylation modulates antibody functionality, with increased affinity to FcγRIIIa for IgG lacking fucose in the Fc region (Fc-afucosylation).

Multi-tiered proteome analysis displays the hyper-permeability of the rheumatoid synovial compartment for plasma proteins.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by synovial hyperplasia and cartilage/bone destruction. RA affects the synovial joints, the synovial lining and the permeability of the synovium. As the latter is of central relevance for the distribution of systemically delivered therapeutics into synovial fluid (SF), we here assessed the protein composition of paired plasma and SF of patients diagnosed with RA at three distinct levels of depth using mass spectrometric approaches: the "total" proteome, the "total" IgG1 antibody repertoire and the RA-specific ACPA IgG1 autoantibody repertoire.

The role of the axonal guidance cue Semaphorin3A in innervation of the postnatal heart in health and disease.

During cardiac development the heart is innervated by the autonomous nervous system. After development, neurons of the autonomic nervous system have limited capacity for growth and regeneration. However, in the past decades, it has become clear that cardiac nerves can regenerate after cardiac damage.

Paired Single-Cell Transcriptome and DNA Barcode Detection in Zebrafish Using ScarTrace.

ScarTrace is a CRISPR/Cas9-based genetic lineage tracing method that allows for uniquely barcoding the DNA of single cells at a target GFP sequence during developing zebrafish embryos. Single cells from barcoded adult zebrafish can be isolated from various tissues (e.g.

Prolonged fecal shedding of replication-competent virus, lasting immune activation, and intestinal inflammation in a rhesus macaque after experimental SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Infection of an adult rhesus macaque with SARS-CoV-2 led to viral RNAemia in nose, throat, and lungs. The animal also presented extended fecal shedding of viral genomic and subgenomic messenger RNA and replication-competent virus for more than 3 weeks after infection. Positron emission tomography revealed increased intestinal glucose metabolism which was histologically related to inflammation of the ileum.

Internal medicine clerks' motivation in an online course: a mixed-methods study.

Purpose: At LUMC, a Small Private Online Course (SPOC) was developed complementary to the clinical learning environment of the internal medicine clerkship. The developers used the self-determination theory in the design of the SPOC's assignments aiming to improve learners' intrinsic motivation. This study investigates the impact of the SPOC and its specific assignments on student motivation.

Critical procedural steps in intrauterine transfusion: Delphi survey of international experts.

Objective: To determine consensus, using Delphi methodology, on the critical procedural steps for intravascular intrauterine transfusion (IUT) for the treatment of fetal anemia.

Methods: We conducted a two-part Delphi survey of international experts in fetal intervention. The first round of the survey proposed 32 potentially critical steps for the IUT procedure.

Cardiac inotropy and cardiac calcium sensitization of PanLN800(-Forte), a cationic heptamethine indocyanine fluorescent contrast agent for intraoperative pan lymph node imaging.

Introduction: Accurate staging of malignancies often requires comprehensive evaluation of lymph nodes. However, finding these lymph nodes during oncological surgery is a daunting and time-consuming task, which increases the risk of missed lymph nodes and complications. Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging with the experimental fluorescent contrast agent PanLN800(-Forte) could provide real-time identification of lymph nodes and may solve this longstanding problem.

Enhancing complement activation by therapeutic anti-tumor antibodies: Mechanisms, strategies, and engineering approaches.

The complement system plays an integral role in both innate and adaptive immune responses. Beyond its protective function against infections, complement is also known to influence tumor immunity, where its activation can either promote tumor progression or mediate tumor cell destruction, depending on the context. One such context can be provided by antibodies, with their inherent capacity to activate the classical complement pathway.

Determinants of increased muscle insulin sensitivity of exercise-trained versus sedentary normal weight and overweight individuals.

The athlete's paradox states that intramyocellular triglyceride accumulation associates with insulin resistance in sedentary but not in endurance-trained humans. Underlying mechanisms and the role of muscle lipid distribution and composition on glucose metabolism remain unclear. We compared highly trained athletes (ATHL) with sedentary normal weight (LEAN) and overweight-to-obese (OVWE) male and female individuals.

Incidence and Outcomes of Patients With Mismatch Repair Deficient Rectal Cancer Operated in 2016: A Nationwide Cohort From The Netherlands.

Introduction: Data regarding the incidence and outcomes of mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) rectal cancer is limited. This study characterizes dMMR rectal cancer patients, comparing response after neoadjuvant radiotherapy and oncological outcomes to mismatch repair proficient (pMMR) rectal cancer patients.

Method: A retrospective cross-sectional cohort study was conducted in 67 Dutch centers.

Synovitis scoring in hand osteoarthritis with ultrasonography: the performance of the Global OMERACT/EULAR Ultrasound Synovitis Score (GLOESS) is comparable to synovial thickening alone.

Background: Inflammation is increasingly recognised as a treatment target in hand osteoarthritis, and therefore correct measurement of local inflammation is essential. This study aimed to assess ultrasound scoring of synovitis and the additional value of the Global OMERACT/EULAR Ultrasound Synovitis Score (GLOESS) in hand osteoarthritis.

Methods: Data from the randomised, double-blinded Hand Osteoarthritis Prednisolone Efficacy (HOPE) trial were used.

Clonazepam repurposing in patients through conventional RCT and N-of-1 trials: an experimental strategy for orphan disease development.

Background: Clinical trials for rare disorders have unique challenges due to low prevalence, patient phenotype variability and high expectations. These challenges are highlighted by our study on clonazepam in patients, a common cause of intellectual disability. Previous studies on Arid1b-haploinsufficient mice showed positive effects of clonazepam on various cognitive aspects.

Investigating skeletal muscle micro-trauma with time-dependent diffusion and the random permeable barrier model.

Repeated muscle micro-trauma may cause severe muscle damage. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) exhibits sensitivity to microstructural changes in skeletal muscle. We hypothesize that longer diffusion times enhance sensitivity to micro-trauma and that membrane permeability increases with micro-trauma.