Genetic risk factors for clozapine-induced neutropenia and agranulocytosis in a Dutch psychiatric population

Personalised Therapeutic

Integrating accessibility and functional requirements

Initial research on Web accessibility was focused on testing completed Web pages. More recently, the focus is moving to integrating accessibility features into coding tools such as Dreamweaver 8 and plugins notably LIFT. Thus accessibility is being considered slightly earlier in the development process. However, the state of Web accessibility is still disappointing even on websites that have followed the guidelines and or used evaluation and coding tools. We are proposing an approach to start considering accessibility much earlier. Our purpose is to address accessibility in the context of what is to be done and who will be participating. In this paper, we present views of Web developers about this approach. We then show (using a case study) how Web developers can elicit accessibility requirements alongside functional requirements and integrate the two to obtain conceptual models with explicit traces of accessibility requirements integrated with functional requirements. Finally we discuss lessons learnt from the case study and common benefits of the approach for Web accessibility and Web projects

A framework for filtering web accessibility guidelines

This paper first presents a framework for filtering the Web Accessibility Guidelines according to contexts of use. It then presents a prototype that implements the framework and explains an evaluation of the prototype

Types and Priorities of Multi-Agent System Interactions

Multi-Agent Systems may be classified as containing No Direct Interactions, Simple Interactions or Complex, Conditional Interactions between agents. This paper argues and illustrates that models with simple interactions, even though possibly less fascinating for the Multi-agent system theorists than complex interaction models are, deserve more attention in the Multi-agent system community. Simple interaction models may contain social learning and reciprocal relationships. Maybe most importantly, Simple interaction models enable cross-scale connections by linking local to global actors in their local and global ‘life worlds’

Comparison of the finite volume and discontinuous Galerkin schemes for the double vortex pairing problem using the SU2 software suite

A numerical investigation of finite volume (FV) and discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite element methods in the framework of the SU2 software is presented. The accuracy of different numerical variants is assessed with reference to the low Mach double vortex pairing flow problem, which has recently been proposed as a benchmark for studying the properties of structured and unstructured grid based methods with respect to turbulent-like vortices. The present study reveals that low-Mach corrections significantly improve the accuracy of second- and third-order, unstructured grid based schemes, at flow speeds in the incompressible limit. Furthermore, the 3rd-order DG method produces results similar to 11th-order accurate FV volume schemes

Medidas de fração de vazio em escoamentos bifásicos por transmissão e difusão de nêutrons

Foram obtidas curvas de calibração que fornecem valores médios de fração de vazio (a), para misturas bifásicas de agua-vapor, para os regimes de escoamento a bolhas, bolsões ("slug"), anular e anular inverso. As medidas foram realizadas em modelos simulados de lucite-ar, para escoamento estacionário, pelas técnicas da transmissão e difusão de nêutrons térrmicos. As curvas de calibração obtidas foram utilizadas para medidas de fração de vazio em um circuito contendo mistura bifásica de água-ar, em escoamento concorrente ascendente, para os regimes a bolsões (pmax =1,06 bar) e anular (Pmax =1.33 bar), pelas mesmas técnicas anteriores. Em ambos os sistemas, utilizou-se uma seção de testes constituída de tubulação de alumínio (99,9%), com diâmetro interno de 25,25 mm e 2,00 mm de espessura de parede. O feixe de nêutrons foi obtido de uma fonte isotópica do tipo Am-8e, de 5 Cl, termalizados em uma blindagem cilíndrica de parafina de 500 mm de diâmetro (com H/D=l), recoberta com folhas de cadmio de 2 mm, tendo em seu interior um paralelepípedo de polietileno de alta densidade com dimensões de 240 x 240 x 144mm. Os nêutrons escapavam através de um colimador quadrangular paralelo de 53,00 x 25,25 mm, com 273 mm de comprimento, cavado em uma peça de parafina borada (32X de H3BO3). As medidas experimentais apresentaram boa concordância com os modelos teóricos da literatura especializada

Value of screening and follow-up brain MRI scans in patients with metastatic melanoma

BACKGROUND: Novel treatments make long‐term survival possible for subsets of patients with melanoma brain metastases. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may aid in early detection of brain metastases and inform treatment decisions. This study aimed to determine the impact of screening MRI scans in patients with metastatic melanoma and follow‐up MRI scans in patients with melanoma brain metastases. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma or melanoma brain metastases between June 2015 and January 2018. The impact of screening MRI scans was evaluated in the first 2 years after metastatic melanoma diagnosis. The impact of follow‐up MRI scans was examined in the first year after brain metastases diagnosis. The number of MRI scans, scan indications, scan outcomes, and changes in treatment strategy were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 116 patients had no brain metastases at the time of the metastatic melanoma diagnosis. Twenty‐eight of these patients (24%) were subsequently diagnosed with brain metastases. Screening MRI scans detected the brain metastases in 11/28 patients (39%), of which 8 were asymptomatic at diagnosis. In the 96 patients with melanoma brain metastases, treatment strategy changed after 75/168 follow‐up MRI scans (45%). In patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, the number of treatment changes after follow‐up MRI scans was lower when patients had been treated longer. CONCLUSION(S): Screening MRI scans aid in early detection of melanoma brain metastases, and follow‐up MRI scans inform treatment strategy. In patients with brain metastases responding to immune checkpoint inhibitors, treatment changes were less frequently observed after follow‐up MRI scans. These results can inform the development of brain imaging protocols for patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor sensitive tumors

Effecten van garnalenvisserij in Natura 2000 gebieden

De garnalenvisserij is economisch en in aantallen schepen één van de belangrijkste visserijen in Nederland en opereert vooral binnen Natura 2000 gebieden. Voor zowel de Noordzeekustzone als de Waddenzee is er binnen de Natura 2000 wetgeving een verbeterdoelstelling geformuleerd voor Habitattype 1110 (permanent overstroomde zandbanken). Het effect van het garnalentuig op het ecosysteem is echter niet goed bekend. Om in dit kennishiaat te voorzien, is er in de periode 2012-2014 onderzoek uitgevoerd naar een aantal aspecten van de mogelijke effecten van de garnalenvisserij. Enerzijds is de bijvangst in kaart gebracht, anderzijds is experimenteel onderzoek verricht naar de korte termijneffecten van het garnalentuig op de bodemfauna

Rare central nervous system tumors in adults:a population-based study of ependymomas, pilocytic astrocytomas, medulloblastomas, and intracranial germ cell tumors

BACKGROUND: Ependymomas, pilocytic astrocytomas, medulloblastomas, and intracranial germ cell tumors occur relative frequently in children, but are rare central nervous system (CNS) tumors in adults. In this population-based survey, we established incidence, treatment, and survival patterns for these tumors diagnosed in adult patients (≥18 years) over a 30-year period (1989-2018). METHODS: Data on 1384 ependymomas, 454 pilocytic astrocytomas, 205 medulloblastomas, and 112 intracranial germ cell tumors were obtained from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR) on the basis of a histopathological diagnosis. For each tumor type, age-standardized incidence rates and estimated annual percentage change were calculated. Trends in incidence and main treatment modalities were reported per 5-year periods. Overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and relative survival rates were estimated using the Pohar-Perme estimator. RESULTS: Incidence and survival rates remained generally stable for pilocytic astrocytomas, medulloblastomas, and germ cell tumors. Increasing incidence was observed for spinal ependymomas, mostly for myxopapillary ependymomas, and survival improved over time for grade II ependymomas (P < .01). Treatment patterns varied over time with shifting roles for surgery in ependymomas and for chemotherapy and radiation in medulloblastomas and germinomas. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides baseline information for highly needed national and international standard treatment protocols, and thus for further improving patient outcomes in these rare CNS tumors