Adrenal tumors:optimization of diagnostic strategies and patient management

The data in this thesis help to improve our understanding of adrenal tumors with a focus on diagnostic strategies and patient management. Ongoing efforts to enhance the discrimination between clinically relevant adrenal tumors and those without clinical consequences are supported by the development of an alternative diagnostic strategy. In addition, the findings described in this thesis should further optimize perioperative management of patients with pheochromocytoma or sympathetic paraganglioma, and may help to pave the way for a more comprehensive assessment of hemodynamic instability

Soil water retention curves for the major soil types of the Kruger National Park

Soil water potential is crucial to plant transpiration and thus to carbon cycling and biosphere–atmosphere interactions, yet it is difficult to measure in the field. Volumetric and gravimetric water contents are easy and cheap to measure in the field, but can be a poor proxy of plant-available water. Soil water content can be transformed to water potential using soil moisture retention curves. We provide empirically derived soil moisture retention curves for seven soil types in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Site-specific curves produced excellent estimates of soil water potential from soil water content values. Curves from soils derived from the same geological substrate were similar, potentially allowing for the use of one curve for basalt soils and another for granite soils. It is anticipated that this dataset will help hydrologists and ecophysiologists understand water dynamics, carbon cycling and biosphere–atmosphere interactions under current and changing climatic conditions in the region

A real-time PCR assay with improved specificity for detection and discrimination of all clinically relevant Bordetella species by the presence and distribution of three Insertion Sequence elements

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In Dutch laboratories molecular detection of <it>B. pertussis </it>and <it>B. parapertussis </it>is commonly based on insertion sequences <it>IS</it>481 and <it>IS</it>1001, respectively. Both IS elements are more widely spread among <it>Bordetella </it>species. Both <it>Bordetella </it><it>holmesii</it>, and <it>B. bronchiseptica </it>can harbour <it>IS</it>481. Also, <it>IS</it>1001 is found among <it>B. bronchiseptica</it>. <it>IS</it>481, and <it>IS</it>1001 based PCR thus lacks specificity when used for detection of specific <it>Bordetella spp</it>.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>We designed a PCR based on <it>IS</it>1002, another IS element that is present among <it>Bordetella </it>species, and exploited it as a template in combination with PCR for <it>IS</it>481, and <it>IS</it>1001. In combining the PCRs for <it>IS</it>481, <it>IS</it>1001, and <it>IS</it>1002, and including an inhibition control, we were able to detect and discriminate all clinically relevant <it>Bordetella </it>species.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We developed an improved PCR method for specific detection of <it>B. pertussis</it>, <it>B. parapertussis, B. holmesii, and B. bronchiseptica.</it></p

Corneal herpes simplex virus type 1 superinfection in patients with recrudescent herpetic keratitis

PURPOSE: Herpetic keratitis is a common sequel of a corneal infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1. Recrudescent herpetic keratitis (RHK) may result in irreversible damage to the cornea. Recurrences may be caused by reactivation of endogenous HSV-1 or reinfection with exogenous HSV-1. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and risk factors involved of HSV-1 superinfection in patients with RHK. METHODS: From 30 patients with RHK, sequential corneal HSV-1 isolates were genotyped by PCR amplification of the hypervariable regions located within the HSV-1 genes US1, US10/11, and US12. The clinical data from the patients obtained retrospectively were: ophthalmologic history, clinical picture during recurrences, number and time points of penetrating keratoplasty (PKP), and steroid or acyclovir treatment. RESULTS: Whereas the sequential corneal HSV-1 isolates of 19 (63%) of 30 patients had the same genotype (designated as group 1), the sequential isolates of 11 patients (37%) were genetically different (designated as group 2). Among the clinical data analyzed, only the time point of PKP was significantly different between the patient groups. A

God van vooruitgang : de popularisering van het modern-theologische gedachtegoed in Nederland (1857-1880)

De negentiende eeuw was de eeuw van de vooruitgang. Vertegenwoordigers van het Nederlandse modernisme, een vrijzinnig-protestantse stroming, kozen ervoor het christelijk geloof aan de natuur- en bijbelwetenschappelijke ontwikkelingen aan te passen. Ze vreesden dat het christendom anders voor veel mensen snel een gepasseerd station zou worden. God van vooruitgang laat zien hoe de modernen geloof en wetenschap met elkaar verenigden door bijvoorbeeld een __evolutietheologie__ te ontwerpen. Ook worden hun standpunten in maatschappelijke kwesties geanalyseerd. Daarbij staat het materiaal centraal dat zij voor een breed publiek gemaakt hebben, zoals romans, gedichten, prekenbundels en almanakken. Ook de problemen waarmee de modernen te kampen kregen worden besproken: de tegenstand van rechtzinnigen en vrijdenkers, het vertrek van vooraanstaande predikanten als Conrad Busken Huet en Allard Pierson en de praktische invulling van het moderne geloof.UBL - phd migration 201

Rapid reshaping: The evolution of morphological changes in an introduced beach daisy

Thousands of species have been introduced to new ranges worldwide. These introductions provide opportunities for researchers to study evolutionary changes in form and function in response to new environmental conditions. However, almost all previous studies of morphological change in introduced species have compared introduced populations to populations from across the species' native range, so variation within native ranges probably confounds estimates of evolutionary change. In this study, we used micro-satellites to locate the source population for the beach daisy Arctotheca populifolia that had been introduced to eastern Australia. We then compared four introduced populations from Australia with their original South African source population in a common-environment experiment. Despite being separated for less than 100 years, source and introduced populations of A. populifolia display substantial heritable morphological differences. Contrary to the evolution of increased competitive ability hypothesis, introduced plants were shorter than source plants, and introduced and source plants did not differ in total biomass. Contrary to predictions based on higher rainfall in the introduced range, introduced plants had smaller, thicker leaves than source plants. Finally, while source plants develop lobed adult leaves, introduced plants retain their spathulate juvenile leaf shape into adulthood. These changes indicate that rapid evolution in introduced species happens, but not always in the direction predicted by theory