5,589 results match your criteria: "VU-University Amsterdam[Affiliation]"

Purpose: In March 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Previous virus outbreaks, such as the SARS outbreak in 2003, appeared to have a great impact on the mental health of healthcare workers. The aim of this study is to examine to what extent mental health of healthcare workers differed from non-healthcare workers during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease are often requested to engage in self-monitoring sodium (i.e. salt) intake, but it is currently unknown how self-monitoring would empower them.

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Are professionals better at assessing the evidential strength of different types of forensic conclusions compared to students? In an online questionnaire 96 crime investigation and law students, and 269 crime investigation and legal professionals assessed three fingerprint examination reports. All reports were similar, except for the conclusion part which was stated in a categorical (CAT), verbal likelihood ratio (VLR) or numerical likelihood ratio (NLR) conclusion with high or low evidential strength. The results showed no significant difference between the groups of students and professionals in their assessment of the conclusions.

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Background: Globally, cesarean birth rates are rising, and while it can be a lifesaving procedure, cesarean birth is also associated with increased maternal and perinatal risks. This study aims to describe changes over time about the mode of birth and perinatal outcomes in second-pregnancy women with one previous cesarean birth in the Netherlands over the past 20 years.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide, population-based study using the Dutch perinatal registry.

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Background: Unwarranted practice variation refers to regional differences in treatments that are not driven by patients' medical needs or preferences. Although it is the subject of numerous studies, most research focuses on variation at the end stage of treatment, i.e.

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Background: Several widely studied therapies have proven to be effective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, there is still room for improvement because not all patients benefit from trauma-focused treatments. Improvements in the treatment of PTSD can be achieved by investigating ways to enhance existing therapies, such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, as well as exploring novel treatments.

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The polygenic and reactive nature of observed parenting.

Genes Brain Behav

December 2023

Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

In Wertz et al. (2019), parents' polygenic scores of educational attainment (PGS-EA) predicted parental sensitive responses to the child's needs for support, as observed in a dyadic task (i.e.

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Microbial Ecosystems in Movile Cave: An Environment of Extreme Life.

Life (Basel)

October 2023

Molecular Cell Biology, A-LIFE, 01-E-57, Faculty of Science, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorstraat 3, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Movile Cave, situated in Romania close to the Black Sea, constitutes a distinct and challenging environment for life. Its partially submerged ecosystem depends on chemolithotrophic processes for its energetics, which are fed by a continuous hypogenic inflow of mesothermal waters rich in reduced chemicals such as hydrogen sulfide and methane. We sampled a variety of cave sublocations over the course of three years.

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The aim was to test if probiotics counteract oral dysbiosis during 14 days of sugar stress and subsequently help restore oral homeostasis. Eighty healthy individuals received either probiotics ( = 40) or placebo lozenges ( = 40) for 28 days and rinsed with a 10% sucrose solution 6-8 times during the initial 14 days of the trial. Saliva and supragingival samples were collected at baseline, day 14, and day 28.

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The present study aims to test whether probiotics protect against experimental gingivitis incited by 14 days of oral hygiene neglect and/or subsequently support the restoration of oral homeostasis. Eighty systemically and orally healthy participants refrained from oral hygiene procedures for 14 days, followed by 14 days with regular oral hygiene procedures. Additionally, participants consumed either probiotics ( = 40) or placebo ( = 40) throughout the trial.

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Background: Nonspecific low back pain (LBP) is a leading contributor to disability worldwide, and its socioeconomic burden is substantial. Self-management support is an important recommendation in clinical guidelines for the physiotherapy treatment of patients with LBP and may support cost-effective management. However, providing adequate individually tailored self-management support is difficult.

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Pharmacological Characterization of the Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Histamine H Receptor Reveals the Involvement of the Second Extracellular Loop in the Binding of Histamine.

Mol Pharmacol

January 2024

Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines, and Systems (AIMMS), Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (D.A.M.-F., A.J.K., R.L.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (Y.-C.C., P.P.); and Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Ciudad de México, México (J.-A.A.-M.)

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) histamine H receptor gene (zfHR) was cloned in 2007 and reported to be involved in fish locomotion. Yet, no detailed characterization of its pharmacology and signaling properties have so far been reported. In this study, we pharmacologically characterized the zfHR expressed in HEK-293T cells by means of [H]-mepyramine binding and G protein-signaling assays.

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Background: Assistive technology (AT) refers to assistive products (AP) and associated systems and services that are relevant for function, independence, well-being, and quality of life for individuals with disabilities. There is a high unmet need for AT for persons with disabilities and this is worse for persons with cognitive and mental or psychosocial disabilities (PDs). Further, information and knowledge on AT for PDs is limited.

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A flavor-tagged time-dependent angular analysis of the decay B_{s}^{0}→ϕϕ is performed using pp collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at the center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6  fb^{-1}. The CP-violating phase and direct CP-violation parameter are measured to be ϕ_{s}^{ss[over ¯]s}=-0.042±0.

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The first observation and study of two new baryonic structures in the final state Ξ_{b}^{0}π^{+}π^{-} and the confirmation of the Ξ_{b}(6100)^{-} state in the Ξ_{b}^{-}π^{+}π^{-} decay mode are reported using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. In addition, the properties of the known Ξ_{b}^{*0}, Ξ_{b}^{'-} and Ξ_{b}^{*-} resonances are measured with improved precision. The new decay mode of the Ξ_{b}^{0} baryon to the Ξ_{c}^{+} π^{-} π^{+} π^{-} final state is observed and exploited for the first time in these measurements.

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Evolving views on the first two ligands of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor. From putative antagonists to potential agonists?

Eur J Pharmacol

December 2023

Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9747 AG, Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address:

The renin-angiotensin system is one of the most complex regulatory systems that controls multiple organ functions. One of its key components, angiotensin II (Ang II), stimulates two G-protein coupled class A receptors: the Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptor and the Ang II type 2 (AT2) receptor. While stimulation of the AT1 receptor causes G-protein-dependent signaling and arrestin recruitment, the AT2 receptor seems to have a constitutively active-like conformation and appears to act via G-protein-dependent and -independent pathways.

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Minding menopause in patients with cognitive impairment: a patient's perspective and reflections on clinical practice.

BMC Womens Health

November 2023

Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics Section, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Science, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Many women experience impairment in cognitive function during perimenopause. These symptoms are often not attributed to perimenopause by women themselves, by family and friends, or by healthcare professionals. In this article, we present a case in which perimenopausal complaints were attributed to early dementia and discuss mechanisms contributing to the low level of awareness of perimenopausal symptoms amongst patients and clinicians.

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The impact of saliva collection methods on measured salivary biomarker levels.

Clin Chim Acta

January 2024

Dept of Oral Biochemistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Saliva diagnostics have become increasingly popular due to their non-invasive nature and patient-friendly collection process. Various collection methods are available, yet these are not always well standardized for either quantitative or qualitative analysis. In line, the objective of this study was to evaluate if measured levels of various biomarkers in the saliva of healthy individuals were affected by three distinct saliva collection methods: 1) unstimulated saliva, 2) chew stimulated saliva, and 3) oral rinse.

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Multi-professional teams care for sick newborns, but nurses are the primary caregivers, making nursing care documentation essential for delivering high-quality care, fostering teamwork, and improving patient outcomes. We report on an evaluation of vital signs documentation following implementation of the comprehensive newborn monitoring chart using interrupted time series analysis and a review of filled charts. We collected post-admission vital signs (Temperature (T), Pulse (P), Respiratory Rate (R) and Oxygen Saturation (S)) documentation frequencies of 43,719 newborns with a length of stay > 48 hours from 19 public hospitals in Kenya between September 2019 and October 2021.

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Introduction: Educators need design strategies to support medical students' motivation in online environments. Prompting students to frame a learning activity as preparing them to attain their life goals (e.g.

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Introduction: Thermal injury often leads to prolonged and excessive inflammation, which hinders the recovery of patients. There is a notable absence of suitable animal-free models for investigating the inflammatory processes following burn injuries, thereby impeding the development of more effective therapies to improve burn wound healing in patients.

Methods: In this study, we established a human full skin equivalent (FSE) burn wound model and incorporated human peripheral blood-derived monocytes and T cells.

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Background: The concept of "positive health" emerged from the need for a holistic and more dynamic perspective on health, emphasising the ability of individuals to adapt and self-manage. The positive health conversation tool helps understand how people score on six positive health dimensions. However, skills within these dimensions to maintain or improve health have not yet been described.

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The branching fraction of the rare decay Λ_{b}^{0}→Λ(1520)μ^{+}μ^{-} is measured for the first time, in the squared dimuon mass intervals q^{2}, excluding the J/ψ and ψ(2S) regions. The data sample analyzed was collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. The result in the highest q^{2} interval, q^{2}>15.

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Effects of LPS Structure on Antibacterial and Anti-Endotoxin Activities of Host Defense Peptides.

Pharmaceuticals (Basel)

October 2023

Section of Immunology, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.

The binding of Host Defense Peptides (HDPs) to the endotoxin of Gram-negative bacteria has important unsolved aspects. For most HDPs, it is unclear if binding is part of the antibacterial mechanism or whether LPS actually provides a protective layer against HDP killing. In addition, HDP binding to LPS can block the subsequent TLR4-mediated activation of the immune system.

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Current and Potential Applications of Monoterpenes and Their Derivatives in Oral Health Care.

Molecules

October 2023

Department of Periodontology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Plant products have been employed in medicine for centuries. As the world becomes more health-conscious, there is a growing interest in natural and minimally processed products for oral health care. This has led to an increase in research into the bioactive compounds found in plant products, particularly monoterpenes.

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