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This case explores the interplay between commerce and colonial expansion through the lens of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in the 17th century. Tasked with securing profit while navigating geopolitical rivalries, the VOC’s decision-makers faced dilemmas that blurred the lines between trade and conquest. This case places students in the role of the Heeren XVII, the governing board of the VOC,
BACKGROUND: Falls are common among older persons and can have a major impact on their lives. Wearable sensors used in free-living conditions (moving naturally in one's daily living environment) can be used to predict falls and fall risks. To understand if using the wearable sensors is an acceptable way for older persons to be screened for fall risks, it is important to have knowledge of older pers
Amyloid-β (Aβ) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are now established tools in the diagnostic workup of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and their use is anticipated to increase with the introduction of new disease-modifying therapies. Although these biomarkers are comparable alternatives in research settings to determine Aβ status, biomarker
In clinical trials, surrogate endpoints, that are more cost-effective, occur earlier, or are more frequently measured, are sometimes used to replace costly, late, or rare true endpoints. Regulatory authorities typically require thorough evaluation and validation to accept these surrogate endpoints as reliable substitutes. To this end, the meta-analytic framework is considered a very viable approac
Objectives: Staphylococcus saprophyticus (S. saprophyticus) is the second most common bacteria causing uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs). It is considered non-susceptible to mecillinam, with no defined breakpoint and only few available minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) observations. However, this consideration does not correlate with clinical outcome. With this study, we aimed to
Rationale: Patients with obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) have high risk of hospitalization, which might be decreased by home mechanical ventilation (HMV). Objectives: To evaluate annualized hospitalization rate (AHR) and changes in AHR in patients with OHS starting HMV and explore if there were any differences in AHR by starting HMV acutely or electively. Methods: This was a population-base
Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors and their relatives may face challenges following hospital discharge, relating to mood, cognition, and returning to normal day-to-day activities. Identified research gaps include a lack of knowledge around what type of intervention is needed to best navigate recovery. In this study, we investigate the feasibility and patient acceptabilityBackground: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors and their relatives may face challenges following hospital discharge, relating to mood, cognition, and returning to normal day-to-day activities. Identified research gaps include a lack of knowledge around what type of intervention is needed to best navigate recovery. In this study, we investigate the feasibility and patient acceptability
Background: There are currently no molecular tests to identify individual breast cancers where radiotherapy (RT) offers no benefit. Profile for the Omission of Local Adjuvant Radiotherapy (POLAR) is a 16-gene molecular signature developed to identify low-risk cancers where RT will not further reduce recurrence rates. Methods: An individual participant data meta-analysis was performed in 623 patien
Two different diets able to induce dietary hyperammonaemia (a methionine–choline-deficient (MCD) diet and a methionine-deficient diet enriched with ammonium acetate (MAD + 20% ammonium acetate)) were tested in a rat model. The diets were shown to have different modes of action, inducing significant hyperammonaemia (HA) and growth retardation in the rats, with different metabolic consequences. The
The molecular surface compositions of aerosols can differ considerably from their bulk counterparts, an aspect often overlooked in climate models. This oversight can potentially affect our understanding of the complex interplay between composition, optical characteristics, and their influence on cloud formation and properties. A substantial portion of aerosol mass often includes organic compounds,
Objectives: Adverse pregnancy outcomes are more common in women with SLE compared with healthy women, but we lack prognostic biomarkers. Plasma IFN-α protein levels are elevated in a subgroup of pregnant women with SLE, but whether this is associated with pregnancy outcomes is unknown. We investigated the relationship between IFN-α, adverse pregnancy outcomes and the presence of autoantibodies in
In this study, we investigated the impact of bariatric surgery on the adipose proteome to better understand the metabolic and cellular mechanisms underlying weight loss following the procedure. A total of 46 patients with severe obesity were included, with samples collected both before and after bariatric surgery. In addition, 15 healthy individuals without obesity who did not undergo surgery serv
Soils are among Earth’s most vital yet slowly renewable natural resources. Chernozem stands out as the most fertile soil globally, capable of yielding high agricultural productivity, and it continues to play a significant role in modern agriculture. The Vojvodina region of Serbia is renowned for its fertile soil, including Chernozem. This study aims to evaluate the current condition and geotourism
The ubiquitous use of plastics demands thoughtfulness about their fate in the environment. Biodegradability is, therefore, a prerequisite for the future use of plastics in many applications, including agriculture. Here, we bring forward stable isotope (resonance) Raman microspectroscopy at the single-cell level to broaden the mechanistic understanding of microbial degradation of (micro)plastics in
Background and purpose: The CardioSwitch-study demonstrated that patients with solid tumors who develop cardiotoxicity on capecitabine or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment can be safely switched to S-1, an alternative fluoropyrimidine (FP). In light of the European Medicines Agency approval of S-1 in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), this analysis provides more detailed safety and efficacy inform
