Intra- and inter-laboratory validation of an innovative huFcεRIα-RBL-2H3 degranulation assay for in vitro allergenicity assessment of whey hydrolysates.

Cow's milk-derived whey hydrolysates are milk substitutes for cow's milk allergic infants. Safety assessment of these hydrolysates is crucial. Currently, huFcεRIα-RBL-2H3 cells, sensitized with serum IgE from cow's milk allergic patients, are used to assess in vitro residual allergenicity.

A Mobile Phone App to Stimulate Daily Physical Activity in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Development, Feasibility, and Pilot Studies.

Background: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) demonstrate reduced levels of daily physical activity (DPA) compared to healthy controls. This results in a higher risk of hospital admission and shorter survival. Performing regular DPA reduces these risks.

Effect of weight loss, with or without exercise, on body composition and sex hormones in postmenopausal women: the SHAPE-2 trial.

Introduction: Physical inactivity and overweight are risk factors for postmenopausal breast cancer. The effect of physical activity may be partially mediated by concordant weight loss. We studied the effect on serum sex hormones, which are known to be associated with postmenopausal breast cancer risk, that is attributable to exercise by comparing randomly obtained equivalent weight loss by following a hypocaloric diet only or mainly by exercise.

Finite Verb Morphology in the Spontaneous Speech of Dutch-Speaking Children With Hearing Loss.

Objective: In this study, the acquisition of Dutch finite verb morphology is investigated in children with cochlear implants (CIs) with profound hearing loss and in children with hearing aids (HAs) with moderate to severe hearing loss. Comparing these two groups of children increases our insight into how hearing experience and audibility affect the acquisition of morphosyntax.

Design: Spontaneous speech samples were analyzed of 48 children with CIs and 29 children with HAs, ages 4 to 7 years.

The influence of dry eye and office environment on visual functioning.

Environmental factors, such as high airflow and low relative humidity, are known to promote dry eye symptoms during reading tasks in office workers. These symptoms are associated with an adverse impact on daily activities at work. This study reports on the relationship between eye symptoms and environmental factors in 294 employees at one office location.

Development of the Environmental Observation scale for the Visual Impaired.

In order to raise awareness of professional care, an Environmental Observation scale for the Visual Impaired (EOVI) was developed. It is the purpose of this tool that professional caregivers learn to observe the nursing home environment and consequently propose and discuss potential changes in the short and long term. The mean time of filling out the EOVI in eight wards of a nursing home by two student researchers was 17 minutes (min mean 12, max mean 22,5).

Measurements of speech intelligibility in common rooms for older adults as a first step towards acoustical guidelines.

Adapting the built environment to the needs of nursing- or care-home residents has become common practice. Even though hearing loss due to ageing is a normal occurring biological process, little research has been performed on the effects of room acoustic parameters on the speech intelligibility for older adults. This article presents the results of room acoustic measurements in common rooms for older adults and the effect on speech intelligibility.

Creating healthy nursing home environment via lighting interventions: a theoretical approach.

In the Netherlands long-term care facilities made investments in order to improve the well-being of their residents and to support healthcare professionals in their daily task. Light is one of the technical solutions that might be contribute to support the well-being of older residents in long-term care facilities. This study investigates which possibilities are available to enrich the current situation to support the well-being, activities of daily living, and quality of life of older residents from lighting perspective.

Visual functioning of aging care professionals and the influence of light, a brief literature study.

Ageing is an important factor that affects visual functioning. In the Netherlands the average age in healthcare facilities is on increase. The current study is a preliminary literature review regarding the influence of light on the visual functioning of the aging workforce and their related tasks.

Identifying the Optimal Role for Pharmacists in Care Transitions: A Systematic Review.

Background: A transition from one health care setting to another increases the risk of medication errors. Several strategies have been applied to improve care transitions and reduce adverse clinical outcomes. Pharmacist intervention during and after hospitalization has been frequently studied and show a variable effect on these outcomes.

Assessing peak aerobic capacity in Dutch law enforcement officers.

Objectives: To cross-validate the existing peak rate of oxygen consumption (VO2peak) prediction equations in Dutch law enforcement officers and to determine whether these prediction equations can be used to predict VO2peak for groups and in a single individual. A further objective was to report normative absolute and relative VO2peak values of a sample of law enforcement officers in the Netherlands.

Material And Methods: The peak rate of oxygen consumption (ml×kg-1×min-1) was measured using a maximal incremental bicycle test in 1530 subjects, including 1068 male and 461 female police officers.

Quality of Life after Diet or Exercise-Induced Weight Loss in Overweight to Obese Postmenopausal Women: The SHAPE-2 Randomised Controlled Trial.

Introduction: This study investigates the effect of a modest weight loss either by a calorie restricted diet or mainly by increased physical exercise on health related quality of life (HRQoL) in overweight-to-obese and inactive postmenopausal women. We hypothesize that HRQoL improves with weight loss, and that exercise-induced weight loss is more effective for this than diet-induced weight loss.

Methods: The SHAPE-2 trial was primarily designed to evaluate any additional effect of weight loss by exercise compared with a comparable amount of weight loss by diet on biomarkers relevant for breast cancer risk.

Patient-provider interaction during medication encounters: A study in outpatient pharmacies in the Netherlands.

Objective: To describe communication between pharmacy staff and patients at the counter in outpatient pharmacies. Both content and communication style were investigated.

Methods: Pharmaceutical encounters in three outpatient pharmacies in the Netherlands were video-recorded.

Bridging the gap between hospital and primary care: the pharmacist home visit.

Bridging the gap between hospital and primary care is important as transition from one healthcare setting to another increases the risk on drug-related problems and consequent readmissions. To reduce those risks, pharmacist interventions during and after hospitalization have been frequently studied, albeit with variable effects. Therefore, in this manuscript we propose a three phase approach to structurally address post-discharge drug-related problems.

Effect of arm swing strategy on local dynamic stability of human gait.

Introduction: Falling causes long term disability and can even lead to death. Most falls occur during gait. Therefore improving gait stability might be beneficial for people at risk of falling.

How strongly is aerobic capacity correlated with walking speed and distance after stroke? Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Restoration of walking capacity, as reflected by walking speed and walking distance, is a primary goal after stroke. Peak aerobic capacity (peak oxygen consumption [V̇o₂peak]) is suggested to be correlated with walking capacity after stroke. Although the strength of this correlation is unclear, physical therapy programs often target walking capacity by means of aerobic training.

The implementation of multiple lifestyle interventions in two organizations: a process evaluation.

Objective: To evaluate the implementation of a multicomponent lifestyle intervention at two different worksites.

Methods: Data on eight process components were collected by means of questionnaires and interviews. Data on the effectiveness were collected using questionnaires.

Clinimetric properties of a novel feedback device for assessing gait parameters in stroke survivors.

Introduction: Community-dwelling stroke survivors tend to become less physically active over time. There is no 'gold standard' to measure walking activity in this population. Assessment of walking activity generally involves subjective or observer-rated instruments.

Self-management and representation of reality in photo stories.

The aim of study was to investigate whether the process of making photo stories in health care (the photo instrument) matches with requirements of self-motivation in self-management programs. Although training and advice in self-management were absent, the photo instrument shared important elements with self-management: the call upon responsibility, the focus on concrete (visual) details of the life world, and the sharpened awareness of choices to make. Expressing one's views, prolonged reflection, a dialogue, and sharing of the photo stories are components that can be considered building stones for commitment to self-representation of an illness story and a life beyond illness.

Reproducibility of two functional field exercise tests for children with cerebral palsy who self-propel a manual wheelchair.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the test-retest reproducibility (reliability and agreement) of the 6-minute push test (6MPT) and the one-stroke push test (1SPT), and construct validity of the 6MPT in children with cerebral palsy (CP) who self-propel a manual wheelchair.

Method: Seventy-three children and adolescents with spastic CP (51 males, 22 females; mean age 11 y 9 mo, SD 3 y 7 mo, range 4-18 y; three unilateral, 70 bilateral) using a manual wheelchair for at least part of the day were recruited from and tested in different rehabilitation settings in the Netherlands and Brazil. Participants were classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level II (n=7), III (n=36), or IV (n=30).

Light therapy: methodological issues from an engineering perspective.

Light therapy is increasingly administered and studied as a non-pharmacologic treatment for a variety of health-related problems, including treatment of people with dementia. Light therapy comes in a variety of ways, ranging from being exposed to daylight, to being exposed to light emitted by light boxes and ambient bright light. Light therapy is an area in medicine where medical sciences meet the realms of physics, engineering and technology.

The treatment of 'difficult' patients in a secure unit of a specialized psychiatric hospital: the patient's perspective.

The aim of this study is to obtain insight, from a patient's perspective, into the results and essential components of treatment in specialist settings for so-called 'difficult' patients in mental health care. In cases where usual hospital treatment is not successful, a temporary transfer to another, specialist hospital may provide a solution. We investigated which aspects of specialist treatment available to 'difficult' patients are perceived as essential by the patients and what are the results of this treatment in their perception.

Level of daily physical activity in individuals with COPD compared with healthy controls.

Background: Persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), performing some level of regular physical activity, have a lower risk of both COPD-related hospital admissions and mortality. COPD patients of all stages seem to benefit from exercise training programs, thereby improving with respect to both exercise tolerance and symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue. Physical inactivity, which becomes more severe with increasing age, is a point of concern in healthy older adults.

The dangers of inactivity; exercise and inactivity physiology for the manual therapist.

Physiotherapists should take a primary role in relation to the prevention and management of all diseases that are associated with low levels of physical activity. The benefits of regular physical activity on health, longevity, and well being easily surpass the effectiveness of any drugs or other medical treatment. Physical activity has many beneficial effects on the body, helps prevent the development of many chronic diseases and is a useful complement to drug treatment in many diseases.