Antibiotic resistance of Helicobacter pylori: a cross-sectional study in consecutive patients, and relation to ethnicity

ObjectivesTo assess primary antibiotic resistance in a given population and relate the results to ethnicity.Materials and methodsConsecutive cultures were tested for antibiotic susceptibility with the Etest. Three populations were studied separately: ethnic Dutch people, patients of Turkish descent, and patients originating from Africa and the Middle East.ResultsOver a period of 5.5 years, 976 (32%) biopsy specimens from 3010 patients were positive for Helicobacter pylori. Metronidazole and clarithromycin resistance were present in 25.8% and 4.8% of the strains, respectively. The number of metronidazole-resistant strains showed a gradual decrease, while clarithromycin resistance showed a slight increase during the study period. Antimicrobial resistance in patients of Turkish descent and in those originating from Africa or the Middle East was significantly higher than in ethnic Dutch people, 35% and 9.1% versus 21% and 2.9%, respectively (P = 0.003 and P = 0.002).ConclusionIt is important to take ethnicity into account when studying antibiotic resistance. The numbers of metronidazole- and clarithromycin-resistant strains can vary considerably between people of different ethnic origin living in the same region

Framing the Windows of Prostitution:Unfolding Histories in Amsterdam’s Redesign of Its Famous Red-Light District

Introduction: This research is about the power of documents as recorders of history and preservers of institutional memory. Specifically, the study examines Project 1012, a municipal reform project in Amsterdam’s famous Red-Light District. Methods: We performed a critical discourse analysis on 10 policy briefs leading up to and following the implementation of Project 1012 between 2007 and 2020. Results: Our study reveals that the documents actively evoke certain narratives about sex work, its historical connections to the city, and its social problems to support the reduction of the industry. The documents omit other information about the history and origins of the problems experienced in Amsterdam’s Red-Light District, including policymakers’ own roles in the creation of these issues.Conclusions: The research concludes that policy documents have deontic powers and can be considered “folded objects” that consistently present certain narratives as truthful by omitting or downplaying the historical context of social issues. By folding these narratives in themselves, they have the power to shape the futures of the city and its citizens, executing a myriad of changes that have significantly impacted the lives and work conditions of local sex workers. Policy Implications: This research highlights the importance of being aware of the power and potential biases inherent in policy documents. Policymakers should strive to create policies that are based on accurate and comprehensive information and consider the voices of marginalized groups, such as sex workers, who are disproportionately affected by the policies.</p

Improving the burden of hereditary angioedema through targeted treatment

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare autosomal dominant disease, which so far cannot be cured. The aim of this thesis is to describe the full burden of this disease and to contribute to new therapeutic strategies to prevent the recurrence of angioedema attacks. Part A concerns the entire burden of HAE, predominantly focussing on patients in the Netherlands. This burden of HAE comprises of angioedema control, health-related quality of life, the burden of treatment, personal and societal costs, reproductive decisions, precautionary measures before partaking in activities which can trigger angioedema attacks, and the burden that comes with participating in clinical trials. In Part B the current landscape of prophylactic and acute treatment is described, where after the prospective targets of future therapies are discussed. Part B contains the description of the first two angioedema patients who received prekallikrein antisense oligonucleotides, as well as the phase 2 trial with this new treatment in HAE patients. This is followed by additional laboratory analyses of plasma collected in this phase 2 trial, elucidating whether prekallikrein inhibition causes increased thrombotic risk. Lastly, the phase 2 trial investigating activated factor XII inhibition in HAE patients is discussed

A single-molecule FRET sensor for monitoring DNA synthesis in real time

We developed a versatile DNA assay and framework for monitoring polymerization of DNA in real time and at the single-molecule level

Ecological intensification: bridging the gap between science and practice

There is worldwide concern about the environmental costs of conventional intensification of agriculture. Growing evidence suggests that ecological intensification of mainstream farming can safeguard food production, with accompanying environmental benefits; however, the approach is rarely adopted by farmers. Our review of the evidence for replacing external inputs with ecosystem services shows that scientists tend to focus on processes (e.g., pollination) rather than outcomes (e.g., profits), and express benefits at spatio-temporal scales that are not always relevant to farmers. This results in mismatches in perceived benefits of ecological intensification between scientists and farmers, which hinders its uptake. We provide recommendations for overcoming these mismatches and highlight important additional factors driving uptake of nature-based management practices, such as social acceptability of farming