388 research outputs found

    Nieuw kalibemestingsadvies voor grasland

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    De Commissie Bemesting Grasland en Voedergewassen heeft in 2000 het kalibemestingsadvies voor grasland op een aantal punten gewijzigd

    Exposure to television and support for restrictive immigration policies in the midst of the immigration crisis: A cross-national comparison

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    Contains fulltext : 240016.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)Objective: This study explored associations between television exposure and public support for restrictive immigration policies in Europe, distinguishing general television exposure from exposure to television news. We explored explanations of generalized social distrust and perceived ethnic threat and, moreover, acknowledged cross-national variation in asylum applicants. Methods: We applied multi-level regression analyses using the European Social Survey (2014-2015), covering 19 countries (n = 29.161). Results: General television exposure and support for restrictive immigration policies related positively, whereas exposure to television news related negatively to these policy preferences. Furthermore, both generalized social distrust and perceived ethnic threat mediated the links between both forms of exposure and these preferences. An increase in the number of asylum applicants strengthened the positive relationship between general television exposure and these policy preferences. Conclusions: This study provides new insights into the role of individual and national factors for support for restrictive immigration policies from a contemporary and cross-national perspective.16 p

    Assignment of the evidential value of a fingermark general pattern using a Bayesian network

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    Abstract: When visible on a fingermark, the general pattern maintains its importance in the fingerprint examination procedure, since the difference between the general pattern of a fingermark and a fingerprint is sufficient for exclusion. In the current work, the importance of the general pattern is extended by evaluating the strength of evidence of a match given corresponding general pattern. In current practice (due to the lack of statistical support for the general pattern evidence) the fingerprint examiners assign personal probabilities to the general pattern evidence based on their knowledge and experience, while in this work the probabilities are calculated using a Bayesian Network which is fed by empirical data. 1

    Food addiction and lifetime alcohol and illicit drugs use in specific eating disorders

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    Background and aims: Food addiction (FA) and substance use (SU) have frequently been reported in patients with eating disorders (EDs). Our study aimed to assess the prevalence rates of FA and/or lifetime problematic alcohol and illicit drug use among patients with specific ED, such as: bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), and other specified feeding and eating disorder (OSFED). We sought to identify clinical, psychopathological, and personality profiles involved in these addictive behavior-based phenotypes. Methods: The total sample was 527 patients (176 BN, 115 BED, and 236 OSFED). FA was assessed through the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0. To determine lifetime SU, a semi structured clinical interview was carried out. Results: Patients with BN had the highest rates of FA both with and without SU. No gender differences were obtained for the prevalence of current FA and/or lifetime SU. Patients reporting at least one addictive-related behavior exhibited increased clinical severity compared to those who reported none. Increased impulsivity (such as high lack of premeditation, sensation seeking, and positive urgency) and low self-directedness were differentiating factors for presenting one or two addictive behaviors. Discussion and Conclusions: Overall, patients presenting with at least one addictive-like behavior reported a poorer clinical status than those without. Also, patients with FA and SU exhibited a more dysfunctional profile characterized by high impulsivity and low selfdirectedness. These findings would support the need for targeted treatments to reduce impulsivity and increase self-directedness, especially in patients with any addictive-related behavior, as a step towards improving their treatment outcome

    Fluorescence-guided detection of pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (PitNET) tissue during endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery available agents, their potential, and technical aspects

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    Differentiation of pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (PitNET) tissue from surrounding normal tissue during surgery is challenging. A number of fluorescent agents is available for visualization of tissue discrepancy, with the potential of improving total tumor resection. This review evaluates the availability, clinical and technical applicability of the various fluorescent agents within the field of pituitary surgery. According to PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was performed to identify reports describing results of in vivo application of fluorescent agents. In this review, 15 publications were included. Sodium Fluorescein (FNa) was considered in two studies. The first study reported noticeable fluorescence in adenoma tissue, the second demonstrated the strongest fluorescence in non-functioning pituitary adenomas. 5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) was investigated in three studies. One study compared laser-based optical biopsy system (OBS) with photo-diagnostic filter (PD) and found that the OBS was able to detect all microadenomas, even when MRI was negative. The second study retrospectively analyzed twelve pituitary adenomas and found only one positive for fluorescence. The third investigated fifteen pituitary adenomas of which one displayed vague fluorescence. Indocyanine green (ICG) was researched in four studies with variable results. Second-Window ICG yielded no significant difference between functioning and non-functioning adenomas in one study, while a second study displayed 4 times higher fluorescence in tumor tissue than in normal tissue. In three studies, OTL38 showed potential in non-functioning pituitary adenomas. At present, evidence for fluorescent agents to benefit total resection of PitNETs is lacking. OTL38 can potentially serve as a selective fluorescent agent in non-functioning pituitary adenomas in the near future

    Carriers of Loss-of-Function Mutations in ABCA1 Display Pancreatic β-Cell Dysfunction

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    OBJECTIVE: Abnormal cellular cholesterol handling in islets may contribute to beta-cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes. beta-Cell deficiency for the ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), which mediates the efflux of cellular cholesterol, leads to altered intracellular cholesterol homeostasis and impaired insulin secretion in mice. We aimed to assess the impact of ABCA1 dysfunction on glucose homeostasis in humans. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In heterozygous carriers of disruptive mutations in ABCA1 and family-based noncarriers of similar age, sex, and BMI, we performed oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) (n = 15 vs. 14) and hyperglycemic clamps (n = 8 vs. 8). RESULTS: HDL cholesterol levels in carriers were less than half those in noncarriers, but LDL cholesterol levels did not differ. Although fasting plasma glucose was similar between groups, glucose curves after an OGTT were mildly higher in carriers than in noncarriers. During hyperglycemic clamps, carriers demonstrated lower first-phase insulin secretion than noncarriers but no difference in insulin sensitivity. The disposition index (a measure of beta-cell function adjusted for insulin sensitivity) of the carriers was significantly reduced in ABCA1 heterozygotes. CONCLUSIONS: Carriers of loss-of-function mutations in ABCA1 show impaired insulin secretion without insulin resistance. Our data provide evidence that ABCA1 is important for normal beta-cell function in human

    Comparison of Carboplatin With 5-Fluorouracil vs. Cisplatin as Concomitant Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

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    Background: Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) including three cycles of cisplatin is considered the standard of care for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC). However, around one-third of the patients cannot complete cisplatin because of toxicity. Carboplatin plus 5-fluorouracil (carbo-5FU) is another accepted treatment option with a different toxicity profile. We compared tolerability and efficacy of concomitant carbo-5FU and cisplatin. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of LA-HNSCC patients treated with CRT in two Dutch cancer centers between 2007 and 2016. All patients received intensity-modulated radiotherapy. One center routinely administered carboplatin 300–350 mg/m2 at day 1, 22, and 43 followed by 5FU 600 mg/m2/day for 96 h. The other center used cisplatin 100 mg/m2 at day 1, 22, and 43. The primary endpoint of this study was chemotherapy completion rate. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), locoregional control (LRC) and distant metastasis–free interval (DMFS), toxicity, and unplanned admissions. Results: In the carbo-5FU cohort (n = 211), 60.2% of the patients completed chemotherapy vs. 76.7% (p < 0.001) of the patients in the cisplatin cohort (n = 223). Univariate analysis showed a higher risk of death in the carbo-5FU cohort [hazard ratio (HR) 1.53, 95% CI, 1.09–2.14, p = 0.01] with a 3-year OS of 65.4 vs. 76.5% for cisplatin. OS was independently associated with T and N stage and p16 status, but not with chemotherapy regimen (HR 1.08, 95% CI, 0.76–1.55, p = 0.65). Three-year DFS was 70.0% for carbo-5FU vs. 78.6% for cisplatin (HR 1.37, 95% CI, 0.93–2.01, p = 0.05). A similar outcome was observed for both LRC (HR 1.27, 95% CI, 0.74–2.09, p = 0.4) and DMFS (HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.62–1.90, p = 0.77). The risk of discontinuation for chemotherapy-associated toxicity was higher in the carbo-5FU cohort than in the cisplatin cohort (relative risk = 1.69). Conclusion: LA-HNSCC patients treated with concomitant carbo-5FU completed chemotherapy less frequently than patients treated with cisplatin. Treatment regimen was not an independent prognostic factor for OS
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