Получение полуизолирующего кремния для высоковольтных приборов

Исследовано влияние условий осаждения на структуру и электрофизические свойства пленок поликристаллического кремния, легированного кислородом. Результаты использованы при изготовлении изделий силовой электроники

Rare Variants in BNC2 Are Implicated in Autosomal-Dominant Congenital Lower Urinary-Tract Obstruction

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Uncontrolled maternal chronic respiratory diseases in pregnancy: A new potential risk factor suggested to be associated with anorectal malformations in offspring

Background: Chronic respiratory diseases and use of antiasthmatic medication during pregnancy may both play a role in the etiology of congenital anorectal malformations (ARM). However, it is unclear, whether the medication use or the underlying condition would be responsible. Therefore, our aim was to unravel the role of maternal chronic respiratory diseases from that of antiasthmatic medication in the etiology of ARM. Methods: We obtained 412 ARM patients and 2,137 population-based controls from the Dutch AGORA data- and biobank. We used maternal questionnaires and follow-up telephone interviews to obtain information on chronic respiratory diseases, antiasthmatic medication use, and potential confounders. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: We observed higher risk estimates among women with chronic respiratory diseases with and without medication use (1.4 [0.8–2.7] and 2.0 [0.8–5.0]), both in comparison to women without a chronic respiratory disease and without medication use. Furthermore, increased ORs of ARM were found for women using rescue medication (2.4 [0.8–7.3]) or a combination of maintenance and rescue medication (2.5 [0.9–6.7]). In addition, increased risk estimates were observed for women having nonallergic triggers (2.5 [1.0–6.3]) or experiencing exacerbations during the periconceptional period (3.5 [1.4–8.6]). CONCLUSIONS: Although the 95% CIs of most associations include the null value, the risk estimates all point towards an association between uncontrolled chronic respiratory disease, instead of antiasthmatic medication use, with ARM in offspring. Further in-depth studies towards mechanisms of this newly identified risk factor are warranted

Rare variants in BNC2 are implicated in autosomal-dominant congenital lower urinary-tract obstruction

Congenital lower urinary-tract obstruction (LUTO) is caused by anatomical blockage of the bladder outflow tract or by functional impairment of urinary voiding. About three out of 10,000 pregnancies are affected. Although several monogenic causes of functional obstruction have been defined, it is unknown whether congenital LUTO caused by anatomical blockage has a monogenic cause. Exome sequencing in a family with four affected individuals with anatomical blockage of the urethra identified a rare nonsense variant (c.2557C>T [p.Arg853(∗)]) in BNC2, encoding basonuclin 2, tracking with LUTO over three generations. Re-sequencing BNC2 in 697 individuals with LUTO revealed three further independent missense variants in three unrelated families. In human and mouse embryogenesis, basonuclin 2 was detected in lower urinary-tract rudiments. In zebrafish embryos, bnc2 was expressed in the pronephric duct and cloaca, analogs of the mammalian lower urinary tract. Experimental knockdown of Bnc2 in zebrafish caused pronephric-outlet obstruction and cloacal dilatation, phenocopying human congenital LUTO. Collectively, these results support the conclusion that variants in BNC2 are strongly implicated in LUTO etiology as a result of anatomical blockage

[Guidelines in Dutch mental health institutions for dealing with persons attempting suicide]

Contains fulltext : 53247.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Attempted suicide is a frequent occurrence, even in mental health institutions (mhis). The World Health Organization strongly supports the development and implementation of guidelines for dealing with cases of attempted suicide in mhis. aim To check on the existence, content and quality of guidelines for dealing with persons attempting suicide within mhis in the Netherlands and to compare these guidelines with those available in university and general hospitals. METHOD: A questionnaire was sent to all mhis. Criteria for assessing the content of existing guidelines were derived from the literature. The quality of the guidelines was then assessed on the basis of the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (agree), a tool developed to evaluate guideline quality. results Thirty-eight out of 48 (72.2%) psychiatric institutions responded, giving us access to 12 sets of guidelines. The content and quality of these guidelines were compared with the content and quality of the guidelines available in university and general hospitals; there were several differences, but on the whole the mhi-guidelines were better. CONCLUSION: Guidelines were only available in a limited number of mhis. Most of the guidelines were adequate with regard to content, but some of the mhi-guidelines lacked some important elements. The quality of the mhi-guidelines was rather low but nevertheless better that that of the hospital guidelines

[Complications due to the waiting period for dental treatment under general anaesthesia]

Item does not contain fulltextThe capacity for dental treatment under general anaesthesia is limited. Clearly, the demand for treatment exceeds the supply. A written questionnaire completed by all 403 patients who were treated in 2003 in a centre for special dentistry under general anaesthesia, or their parents or carers, revealed that the median time between referral and the first consultation was 8 weeks.The median time between the first consultation and treatment was also 8 weeks. The waiting period for children was longer than that for adults, with that for 4- and 5-year-olds the longest of all. During the waiting period, 43% of the patients developed complications, such as oral pain and problems with eating and sleeping. Children developed complications more often than adults. With every week of waiting, the likelihood of children developing complications increased by 6.7%

Complications after Hypospadias Correction: Prognostic Factors and Impact on Final Clinical Outcome

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of patient and treatment characteristics on the occurrence of complications after hypospadias correction and the impact of complications on final clinical outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study cohort consisted of 205 hypospadias patients who had surgery in the Medical Centre Leeuwarden (1996-2011). Patient and treatment characteristics were hypospadias severity (preoperative meatal location and chordee), number of planned surgeries, reconstruction technique, operation year, and patient's age at the time of surgery. The final clinical outcome was measured with the Hypospadias Objective Scoring Evaluation (HOSE) (maximum score = 16) and compared between patients with and without complications. RESULTS: Sixty-four patients (31%) had complications, most of which were fistulas (n = 40). An increased complication risk was seen in patients with severe hypospadias (preoperative proximal meatus or chordee), multistage reconstruction, reconstruction techniques other than Mathieu, and surgeries performed before 2005. Uncomplicated treatment resulted only in a marginally higher HOSE (15.7) compared with complicated treatment (15.4). Fistulas and multiple complications reduced clinical outcome more (15.3 and 14.9, respectively), while urinary tract infections, wound dehiscence, or prepuce related complications did not (16.0, 16.0, and 15.8, respectively). CONCLUSION: The complication risk after hypospadias correction is influenced by hypospadias severity and type and year of reconstruction. Certain, but not all complications diminish final clinical outcome

Patient Satisfaction with Surgical Outcome after Hypospadias Correction

Item does not contain fulltextBackground: Hypospadias is a congenital malformation in which surgical correction is indicated in most cases. Postoperative patient satisfaction is important because of its influence on the child's psychological development. Objective: To evaluate patient satisfaction with surgical outcome after hypospadias correction, comparison with physician satisfaction, and the influence of patient and treatment characteristics on satisfaction. Design, setting, and participants: Seventy-four patients who had hypospadias surgery between 1996 and 2010 in Medical Centre Leeuwarden participated in the study. Measurements: Patient/parent and physician satisfaction scores were measured using a standardised hypospadias satisfaction questionnaire (maximum score 32), and clinical outcome using the Hypospadias Objective Scoring Evaluation (HOSE; maximum score 16). Patient and treatment characteristics recorded were: preoperative meatal location, preoperative chordee, number of planned surgeries, reconstructive type and timing, patient age during the study, complications, and repeat operations. Results and limitations: Patients (mean age 10.5 yr) had a lower overall satisfaction score (27.1) than the physicians (30.6). Patients were least satisfied with overall genital appearance (3.1), penile length (3.3), and scars (3.3), whereas physician satisfaction was lowest for scars (3.5). The mean HOSE was 15.4 (standard deviation 0.9). Patients with acceptable HOSE (85%) had higher patient and physician satisfaction compared to patients with unacceptable HOSE. Patient satisfaction was lower among patients with a preoperative proximal meatal location or chordee, and with correction techniques other than the Mathieu approach. Physician satisfaction decreased with increasing patient age and was lower for patients with preoperative chordee, postoperative complications, or repeat operations. Conclusions: Overall patient and physician satisfaction and clinical outcome scores were relatively high. Patient satisfaction was lower and based on different factors compared to physician satisfaction. Patient satisfaction seems more influenced by aesthetic appearance, but both patients and physicians appear to incorporate clinical characteristics and outcome in their opinion on satisfaction. Patient summary: Different factors seem to influence patient and physician satisfaction with hypospadias correction, and there is only low correlation between the two. Therefore, patient satisfaction should be evaluated properly instead of making assumptions based on physician satisfaction or clinical outcome only. (C) 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Research in Action: Students' Perspectives on the Integration of Research Activities in Undergraduate Biomedical Curricula

Contains fulltext : 232188.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)We describe and evaluate our practice-based learning approach for research in undergraduate students studying Biomedical Sciences at Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands. First-year students who started their study between 2015 and 2018 actively participated in data collection and measurements, including anthropometry, electrocardiogram findings, genetic variants, and lifestyle habits. All data were entered into one anonymous database, which was used by students to analyze their research questions. In 2019, 44 of the 87 students (50%) valued active measurements better than questionnaires. Most students (strongly) agreed that they have learned about data collection and were inspired to learn more about biomedical research