Six Months of Balloon Treatment does Not Predict the Success of Gastric Banding

BACKGROUND: We studied whether weight loss by intragastric balloon would predict the outcome of subsequent gastric banding with regard to weight loss and BMI reduction. METHODS: A prospective cohort of patients with a body mass index (BMI)>40 kg/m(2) received an intragastric balloon for 6 months followed by laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). Successful balloon-induced weight loss was defined as > or =10% weight loss after 6 months. Successful surgical weight loss was defined as an additional 15% weight loss in the following 12 months. Patients were divided in group A, losing > or =10% of their initial weight with 6 months' balloon treatment, and group B, losing <10% of their initial weight. RESULTS: In 40 patients (32 female, 8 male; age 36.6 yr, range 26-54), the mean BMI decreased from 46.5 to 40.5 kg/m(2) (P <0.001) after 6 months of balloon treatment and to 35.2 kg/m(2) (P <0.001) 12 months after LAGB. Group A (25 patients) and group B (15 patients) had a significant difference in BMI decrease, 12.4 vs 9.0 kg/m(2) (P <0.05), after the total study duration of 18 months. However, there was no difference in BMI reduction (4.7 kg/m(2) vs 5.8 kg/m(2)) in the 12 months after LAGB. 6 patients in group A lost > or =10% of their starting weight during 6 months balloon treatment as well as > or =15% 12 months following LAGB. 6 patients in group B lost <10% of their starting weight after 6 months of BIB, but also lost > or =15% 12 months following LAGB. CONCLUSION: Intragastric balloon did not predict the success of subsequent LAG

Dialoogkaarten Junior Leraar

Kaartenset ten behoeve van de begeleiding van startende leraren en leraren in opleiding. Zowel beschikbaar als fysieke box, als pdf en als (IPhone en Android) app. -- De kaarten zijn ook als pdf beschikbaar. Er zijn twee kaartensets: • Een kaartenset voor de bekwaamheden op het niveau startbekwaam leraarschap (voor gebruik tijdens de opleiding en in het eerste jaar na de opleiding) • Een kaartenset voor de bekwaamheden op het niveau bekwaam leraarschap (voor gebruik in de eerste drie jaar van het leraarschap

Digitale zelfscan

De digitale zelfscan geeft zicht op de ontwikkelingen van de bekwaamheden van de startende leraar, ten aanzien van pedagogisch handelen, didactisch handelen en collegiale samenwerking. Dit kan zowel op het niveau Startbekwaam als Bekwaam. De digitale scan is online in te vullen op verschillende momenten in de inductiefase. In totaal zijn er 12 scans beschikbaar over een periode van 3 jaar. De starter kiest eerst welke competenties hij op welk niveau wil bevragen. De starter vult de scan in en nodigt zijn coach en eventueel een derde collega uit om deze scan ook voor hem in te vullen. Het resultaat van de scan laat zien op welk niveau de starter en de andere invullers de bekwaamheid van de starter inschatten. De ingevulde scan biedt een handvat voor het kiezen van een aantal bekwaamheden die de starter in de komende tijd verder wil ontwikkelen. Door de scan op meerdere momenten in te vullen, ontstaat een beeld van de ontwikkeling die de startende docent doormaakt. Aan het gebruik van de scan zijn kosten verbonden. Daarvoor moet een account aangemaakt worden en online betaald worden. Kosten voor het gebruik van 12 scans zijn 30 Euro

Deep Learning-Based Data-Point Precise R-Peak Detection in Single-Lead Electrocardiograms

Low-cost wearables with capability to record electrocardiograms (ECG) are becoming increasingly available. These wearables typically acquire single-lead ECGs that are mainly used for screening of cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. Most arrhythmias are characteruzed by changes in the RR-interval, hence automatic methods to diagnose arrythmia may utilize R-peak detection. Existing R-peak detection methods are fairly accurate but have limited precision. To enable data-point precise detection of R-peaks, we propose a method that uses a fully convolutional dilated neural network. The network is trained and evaluated with manually annotated R-peaks in a heterogeneous set of ECGs that contain a wide range of cardiac rhythms and acquisition noise. 700 randomly chosen ECGs from the PhysioNet/CinC challenge 2017 were used for training (n=500), validation (n=100) and testing (n=100). The network achieves a precision of 0.910, recall of 0.926, and an F1-score of 0.918 on the test set. Our data-point precise R-peak detector may be important step towards fully automatic cardiac arrhythmia detection.Clinical relevance- This method enables data-point precise detection of R-peaks that provides a basis for detection and characterization of arrhythmias

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in sera from colectomised ulcerative colitis patients and its relation to the presence of pouchitis.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have evaluated the influence of colectomy on antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) positivity in ulcerative colitis (UC). In small series of patients it has been suggested that ANCA positivity in UC might be predictive for development of pouchitis after colectomy. AIMS: To assess the prevalence of ANCA in UC patients treated by colectomy and a Brooke's ileostomy (UC-BI) or ileal pouch anal anastomosis (UC-IPAA), and the relation between the presence of ANCA, the type of surgery, and the presence of pouchitis. SUBJECTS: 63 UC patients treated by colectomy (32 with UC-BI and 31 with UC-IPAA), 54 UC, and 24 controls. METHODS: Samples were obtained at least two years after colectomy. ANCA were detected by indirect immunofluorescent assay. RESULTS: There were no differences between patients with (36.3%) or without pouchitis (35.0%) and between patients with UC (55%), UC-BI (40.6%), and UC-IPAA (35.4%). However, ANCA prevalence significantly decreases in the whole group of operated patients (38.0%) compared with non-operated UC (p = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of ANCA in operated patients was significantly lower than in non-operated UC, suggesting that it might be related either to the presence of inflamed or diseased tissue. ANCA persistence is not related to the surgical procedure and it should not be used as a marker for predicting the development of pouchitis

Effect of short-term use of omega-3-type polyunsaturated fatty acids in subjects with hypertriglyceridemia

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on lipid profile in hypertriglyceridaemic patients.SETTING: General practice.DESIGN: Prospective, double blind study of 12 weeks' duration.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eight patients received fish oil (1800 mg C20: 5 omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 1200 mg C22:6 omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Nine patients received corn oil (3000 mg C18: 2 omega-6 linoleic acid daily).RESULTS: Lipid profile analysis showed a decrease in triglyceride levels after fish oil supplementation. An unexpected and unexplained finding was the rise in total cholesterol and LDH cholesterol with corn oil supplementation.CONCLUSION: Fish oil causes a decrease in triglyceride levels in hypertriglyceridaemic patients.</p