Efficiency of stress-adaptive traits chlorophyll fluorescence and membrane thermo- stability in wheat under high temperature

Despite developments in targeted gene sequencing and whole-genome analysis techniques, the robust detection of all genetic variation, including structural variants, in and around genes of interest and in an allele-specific manner remains a challenge. Here we present targeted locus amplification (TLA), a strategy to selectively amplify and sequence entire genes on the basis of the crosslinking of physically proximal sequences. We show that, unlike other targeted re-sequencing methods, TLA works without detailed prior locus information, as one or a few primer pairs are sufficient for sequencing tens to hundreds of kilobases of surrounding DNA. This enables robust detection of single nucleotide variants, structural variants and gene fusions in clinically relevant genes, including BRCA1 and BRCA2, and enables haplotyping. We show that TLA can also be used to uncover insertion sites and sequences of integrated transgenes and viruses. TLA therefore promises to be a useful method in genetic research and diagnostics when comprehensive or allele-specific genetic information is needed

4C technology: protocols and data analysis

Chromosome conformation capture (3C) technology and its genome-wide derivatives have revolutionized our knowledge on chromatin folding and nuclear organization. 4C-seq Technology combines 3C principles with high-throughput sequencing (4C-seq) to enable for unbiased genome-wide screens for DNA contacts made by single genomic sites of interest. Here, we discuss in detail the design, application, and data analysis of 4C-seq experiments. Based on many hundreds of different 4C-seq experiments, we define criteria to assess data quality and show how different restriction enzymes and cross-linking conditions affect results. We describe in detail the mapping strategy of 4C-seq reads and show advanced strategies for data analysis

The importance of experienced adverse outcomes on patients' future choice of a hospital for surgery

OBJECTIVE To assess whether patients who experience adverse outcomes during hospitalisation or after discharge differ in the information they would use for future choices of a hospital for surgery compared with patients without any adverse outcomes. DESIGN Cross-sectional questionnaire study, including questions on (1) adverse outcome occurrence during hospitalisation and after discharge, (2) information patients would use for future hospital choice and (3) priority of information. SETTING Three hospitals in the western part of The Netherlands. STUDY SAMPLE All 2122 patients who underwent elective aorta reconstruction (for treatment of aneurysm), cholecystectomy, colon resection, inguinal hernia repair, oesophageal resection or thyroid surgery in the period 2005-2006, of whom 1329 (62.6%) responded. RESULTS Patients who experienced postdischarge adverse outcomes intend to use more information items to choose a future hospital (on average 1.6 items more). They more often would use the item on information provision during hospitalisation (OR 2.35 (1.37 to 4.03)) and information on various quality-of-care measures, compared with patients without adverse outcomes. Patients who experienced in-hospital adverse outcomes would not use more information items but more often would use the item on mortality after surgery (OR 1.93 (1.27 to 2.94)) and extended hospital stay (OR 1.61 (1.10 to 2.36)). However, when asked for priority of information, previous treatment in that hospital is mentioned as the most important item by most patients (32%), regardless of adverse outcome occurrence, followed by hospital reputation and waiting time. CONCLUSIONS Adverse outcome experience may change the information patients use (on quality of care) to choose a future hospital

Choosing a Hospital for Surgery: The Importance of Information on Quality of Care

Objective. To assess whether patients use information on quality of care when choosing a hospital for surgery compared with more general hospital information. Methods. In this cross-sectional study in 3 Dutch hospitals, questionnaires were sent to 2122 patients who underwent 1 of 6 elective surgical procedures in 2005-2006 (aorta reconstruction [for treatment of aneurysm], cholecystectomy, colon resection, inguinal hernia repair, esophageal resection, thyroid surgery). Patients were asked which information they had used to choose this hospital and which information they intended to use if they would need similar surgical treatment in the future. Results. In total, 1329 questionnaires were available for analysis (response rate 62.6%). Most patients indicated having used the hospital's good reputation (69.1%) and friendly hospital atmosphere (63.3%) to choose a hospital. For future choices, most patients intended to use the fact that they were already treated in that hospital (79.3%) and the hospital's good reputation (74.1%). Regarding quality-of-care information, patients preferred a summary measure (% patients with ''textbook outcome'') over separate more detailed measures (52.1% v. 38.0%, chi 2 = 291, P < 0.01). For future choices, patients intend to use more information items than in 2005-2006, both in absolute terms (9 v. 4 items, t = 38.3, P < 0.01) as relative to the total number of available items (41.3% [40.1%-42.5%] v. 29.2% [28.1%-30.2%]). Conclusion. Patients intended to use more information for future choices than they used for past choices. For future choices, most patients prefer a summary measure on quality of care over more detailed measures but seem to value that they were already treated in that hospital or a hospital's good reputation even more.Analysis and support of clinical decision makin

The Relative Importance of Quality of Care Information When Choosing a Hospital for Surgical Treatment: A Hospital Choice Experiment

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of quality of care and other hospital information on patients' choices between hospitals. METHODS: 665 former surgical patients were invited to respond to an Internet-based questionnaire including a choice-based conjoint analysis. Each patient was presented with 12 different comparisons of 2 hospitals, with each hospital characterized by 6 attributes containing 2 levels. Hospital attributes were included if frequently reported by patients as most important for future hospital choices. These included both general hospital information (e.g., atmosphere), information on quality of care (e.g., percentage of patients with "textbook outcome"), and surgery-specific information (e.g., possibility for minimally invasive procedure). Hierarchial Bayes estimation was used to estimate the utilities for each attribute level for each patient. Based on the ranges of these utilities, the relative importance of each hospital attribute was determined for each participant as a measure of the impact on patients' choices. RESULTS: 308 (46.3%) questionnaires were available for analysis. Of the hospital attributes that patients considered, surgery-specific information on average had the highest relative importance (25.7 [23.9-27.5]), regardless of gender, age, and education. Waiting time and hospital atmosphere were considered least important. The attribute concerning the percentage of patients with "textbook outcomes" had the second greatest impact (18.3 [16.9-19.6]), which was similar for patients with different adverse outcome experience. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery-specific and quality of care information are more important than general information when patients choose between hospitals.Analysis and support of clinical decision makin

The relative importance of quality of care information when choosing a hospital for surgical treatment: a hospital choice experiment

OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of quality of care and other hospital information on patients' choices between hospitals. METHODS 665 former surgical patients were invited to respond to an Internet-based questionnaire including a choice-based conjoint analysis. Each patient was presented with 12 different comparisons of 2 hospitals, with each hospital characterized by 6 attributes containing 2 levels. Hospital attributes were included if frequently reported by patients as most important for future hospital choices. These included both general hospital information (e.g., atmosphere), information on quality of care (e.g., percentage of patients with "textbook outcome"), and surgery-specific information (e.g., possibility for minimally invasive procedure). Hierarchial Bayes estimation was used to estimate the utilities for each attribute level for each patient. Based on the ranges of these utilities, the relative importance of each hospital attribute was determined for each participant as a measure of the impact on patients' choices. RESULTS 308 (46.3%) questionnaires were available for analysis. Of the hospital attributes that patients considered, surgery-specific information on average had the highest relative importance (25.7 [23.9-27.5]), regardless of gender, age, and education. Waiting time and hospital atmosphere were considered least important. The attribute concerning the percentage of patients with "textbook outcomes" had the second greatest impact (18.3 [16.9-19.6]), which was similar for patients with different adverse outcome experience. CONCLUSIONS Surgery-specific and quality of care information are more important than general information when patients choose between hospitals.Medical Decision MakingAnalysis and support of clinical decision makin

Importance of patient reported outcome measures versus clinical outcomes for breast cancer patients evaluation on quality of care

Surgical oncolog

Cultuurberichtgeving in een tijdperk van globalisering

This article aims at charting and elucidating key developments and cross-national variations in the coverage given to foreign and indigenous cultural products (classical and popular music, dance, film, literature, theater, television fiction, and visual arts) in American, Dutch, French, and German newspapers between 1955 and 2005. Using content analysis, it is first explored to what extent the explosive growth of international cultural traffic in the second half of the twentieth century has been accompanied by increased newspaper coverage of foreign arts and culture in the four countries under study. Second, the article examines the assumption that the degree and direction of international orientation differs among countries according to their size, the centrality of their cultural production or their production in particular cultural fields, and their cultural policy framework. Third, the article qualifies the evolving patterns of dominance in the international orientation of arts journalism in each country, in terms of countries and regions represented in arts and culture coverage