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Adviesrapport: Best practices voor leeftijdsdiverse sociale netwerken ter vermindering van eenzaamheid onder ouderen en jongeren
No full textPhoto-driven nanomedicines for combating bacterial biofilm infections
No full textPhoto-driven antibacterial therapies is a promising non-antibiotic approach to combat drug-resistant bacteria and biofilm-associated infections. However, the clinical translation of photo-driven therapies is constrained by several limitations, including insufficient reactive oxygen species generation and undesired inflammation caused by photothermal effects. In this thesis, hydrogen-loaded N-heterocyclic carbene-stabilized AuPd nanoparticles are developed as a multifunctional photothermal antibacterial platform. The electronic properties of the nitrogen atoms in the morpholine group of the N-heterocyclic carbene confer pH responsiveness, enabling pH-triggered activation at acidic bacterial infection sites. AuPd alloy nanoparticles provide strong photothermal effects for efficient bacterial eradication, while hydrogen stored in palladium eliminates inflammation induced by hyperthermia and bacterial infection. In addition, a bifunctional nanozyme based on single-atom Cu-anchored g-C₃N₄ nanosheets is constructed to enable cascade catalytic reactions that significantly enhance reactive oxygen species generation under light irradiation. This nanozyme exhibits highly antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative multidrug-resistant bacteria in planktonic and biofilm states. Finally, the nanozyme is introduced into polycaprolactone by electrospinning to obtain nanofibers, which have been used as a dressing for bacterially infected wounds. Overall, this thesis provides metal-based photo-responsive antibacterial platforms by integrating antimicrobial efficacy with anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective functions, thereby providing valuable insights into the design of safer and more effective photo-driven therapies for future clinical applications
Group singing in cognitive decline – what it is and how it is done. A systematic search and review
No full textGroup singing is an effective nonpharmacological approach used to support wellbeing and social connection for older adults living with cognitive decline. However, the precise designs of group singing research studies are subject to variation. Therefore, the central aim of this systematic search and review was to identify studies that applied group singing as a key element of their methodology, and compare the relevant details of its implementation. The 23 reviewed studies varied considerably in their implementation strategies and group sizes. However, some consensus emerged: most sessions, for instance, included singing familiar songs with participants well over 70 years of age who were predominantly female. Sessions typically took place once a week, lasted more than one hour, and were held over 2–3 months, leading to a mean of 14 sessions. This accumulated information could be used to guide the planning of future studies for people with cognitive decline.</p
Intraoperative Ultrasound-Assisted 3D-Electrocorticography for resection of type II focal cortical dysplasias
No full textObjective: Type II focal cortical dysplasias (FCDII) present a clear-cut anatomo-electro-clinical profile and are associated with optimal surgical outcome when completely resected. Alongside presurgical planning and neuroimaging, intraoperative electrocorticography (ECoG) can aid in delineating FCDII boundaries. We report outcomes from patients undergoing FCDII resection using 3D-ECoG with an intracerebral electrode guided by intraoperative ultrasound (ioUS).Methods: Patients with suspected FCDII underwent 3D-ECoG during surgery to record intracerebral interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) classified as: 1) rhythmic spikes (RS), and 2) periodic bursts of polyspikes (PBOP).Results: Ten patients (5 male, 5 female; median age 19.5 years, median epilepsy duration 16 years) were included. Bottom-of-sulcus dysplasia (BOSD) was found in 60 %. 3D-ECoG identified RS in 30 % and PBOP in 70 %. Total IED removal was achieved in 60 %. Histopathology revealed FCDII in 80 %, while 20 % had a diagnosis of “no definite FCD on histopathology”. After a median 24-month follow-up, 90 % achieved ILAE class 1 outcome (seizure free), 10 % had class 2 (only auras). No major complications occurred.Conclusions: IoUS-assisted 3D-ECoG is a safe procedure for intraoperative delineation of FCDII, supporting complete resection.Significance: Integrating IoUS with 3D-ECoG can offer substantial benefits for surgical management of FCDII-related epilepsy.</p
Making Sense of European Teacher Induction and Mentoring Practices.
No full textHow can we enable and encourage new teachers to realize their potential at the beginning of their professional careers?This book examines teacher induction practices across Europe and offers a new perspective on how new teachers learn, grow, and develop into autonomous professionals. This book challenges the traditional models of mentoring viewing new teachers as passive recipients of support and instead emphasizes their potential as reflective practitioners. Based on current and timely research, the book introduces the concept of "ecologies of practice," which refers to emerging, interdependent and diverse education ecosystems in which practices are intertwined and therefore need to be developed as a dynamic whole. This book is essential reading for anyone committed to nurturing the potential of the next generation of teachers to their full potential
Ecologies of Teacher Induction and Mentoring in Europe:Understanding the co-existence of diverse practices
No full textWith the aim of introducing the reader to teacher induction and mentoring in Europe, this chapter begins by distinguishing between induction practices and the induction phase. The chapter also rethinks the overarching purpose of teacher induction and, with inspiration from Gert Biesta, seeks to develop an educational sense of teacher induction. Furthermore, the chapter discusses whether a special tradition for teacher induction and mentoring prevails in European countries, concluding that induction and mentoring practices vary greatly depending on individual, regional, national and institutional contexts. Finally, the chapter argues for an understanding of induction and mentoring as ecologies of practices.<br/
To the Heart of the Mine:Pride, Shame, and the Identity of the Appalachians
No full textPolitieke duiding van populisme begint vaak in de mijnstreek, van Limburg tot in Kentucky. In het boek Gestolen trots onderzoekt Arlie Russell Hochschild hoe en waarom de mijnwerkers van de Appalachen hun hoop op Trump hebben gericht. Amerikanist Maarten Zwiers legt uit dat achter de stereotiepe beelden van de teleurgestelde en achtergestelde arbeiders in Trumpstaten een veel complexere en gelaagde werkelijkheid schuilgaat.Politieke duiding van populisme begint vaak in de mijnstreek, van Limburg tot in Kentucky. In het boek Gestolen trots onderzoekt Arlie Russell Hochschild hoe en waarom de mijnwerkers van de Appalachen hun hoop op Trump hebben gericht. Amerikanist Maarten Zwiers legt uit dat achter de stereotiepe beelden van de teleurgestelde en achtergestelde arbeiders in Trumpstaten een veel complexere en gelaagde werkelijkheid schuilgaat
Lossless compression of simulated radio interferometric visibilities
No full textContext. Processing radio interferometric data often requires storing forward-predicted model data. In direction-dependent calibration, these data may have a volume an order of magnitude larger than the original data. Existing lossy compression techniques work well for observed, noisy data, but cause issues in calibration when applied to forward-predicted model data. Aims. To reduce the volume of forward-predicted model data, we present a lossless compression method called Simulated Signal Compression (Sisco) for noiseless data that integrates seamlessly with existing workflows. We show that Sisco can be combined with baseline-dependent averaging for further size reduction. Methods. Sisco decomposes complex floating-point visibility values and uses polynomial extrapolation in time and frequency to predict values, groups bytes for efficient encoding, and compresses residuals using the DEFLATE algorithm. We evaluated Sisco on diverse LOFAR, MeerKAT, and MWA datasets with various extrapolation functions. Implemented as an open-source Casacore storage manager, it can directly be used by any observatory that makes use of this format. Results. We find that a combination of linear and quadratic prediction yields optimal compression, reducing noiseless forward-predicted model data to 24% of its original volume on average. Compression varies by dataset, ranging from 13% for smooth data to 38% for less predictable data. For pure noise data, compression achieves just a size of 84% due to the unpredictability of such data. With the current implementation, the achieved compression throughput is with 534 MB/s mostly dominated by I/O on our testing platform, but occupies the processor during compression or decompression. Finally, we discuss the extension to a lossy algorithm.</p
Evidence for pathogenicity of BRCA2 c.8351G>A p.(Arg2784Gln) and the challenges in classification of pathogenic variants with reduced penetrance
No full textBackground: The BRCA2 c.8351G>Ap.(Arg2784Gln) variant has long been classified as a variant of uncertain significance (VUS) due to conflicting evidence used in variant classification. This study aims to clarify its pathogenicity and associated risks for breast and ovarian cancer.Methods: This study was conducted by the international Evidence-based Network for the Interpretation of Germline Mutant Alleles consortium. We collected data from 29 informative families with this variant. Co-segregation likelihood ratios (LRs) were calculated using the full-likelihood method to assess pathogenicity, and cancer risks were estimated with modified segregation analysis.Results: Co-segregation analysis using a grid search across scaled penetrance levels for BRCA2 truncating variants yielded the strongest evidence in favour of pathogenicity, with LR maximised at approximately 20% of full penetrance (LR=11.026). Furthermore, estimated breast cancer risks were markedly higher for early onset breast cancer; women diagnosed at <50 years had a HR of 4.5, compared with a HR of 1.65 for women diagnosed at ≥50 years. The estimated lifetime risks were 25% for breast cancer and 6% for ovarian cancer. Evidence of pathogenicity was also supported by the presence of the variant allele in two patients with Fanconi anaemia.Conclusions: Our results indicate that BRCA2 c.8351G>Ap.(Arg2784Gln) has a disease-causing effect, with reduced penetrance, similar to other pathogenic variants in moderate risk breast cancer genes such as ATM and CHEK2. We also provide risk-adapted recommendations for clinical management. Importantly, one should be aware of a reduced penetrance as the underlying reason for conflicting results among pieces of evidence used for variant classification.</p