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Objectives: Elective electrical cardioversion (ECV) is frequently used for supraventricular tachycardia therapy. However, the success rate of this approach varies, and ventricular arrhythmias may develop as a consequence. We aimed to determine whether the timing of pre-ECV potassium serum testing affects patient outcomes. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed 65 patients who underwent elective ECV in 2023. Patients were divided into two groups (short-interval vs long-interval) based on the median time (in days) between the potassium test and ECV. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias, whereas the secondary outcome measure was immediate restoration of sinus rhythm. Results: The median time between the potassium test and ECV was 57 (interquartile range 135) days. No ventricular arrhythmias were observed. There was no statistically significant difference in success rates between the two groups (84.8% versus 84.4%; p=0.958; χ2 test). Predetermined risk factors for potassium disturbances did not influence success rates. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the timing of potassium serum testing does not influence the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias following elective ECV. In addition, the timing of serum potassium testing did not influence the success rate. Therefore, potassium testing shortly before cardioversion may not be necessary.

Most existing studies on excellence programmes focus primarily on the characteristics of students and/or programmes. However, little is known about the effects of participation in excellence programmes on cognitive and non-cognitive outcome measures. This study uses longitudinal data on over 1,000 students from five higher education institutions in the Netherlands to examine the added value of the excellence programmes relative to the regular education programmes. This study contributes to the current literature on the effects of participation in excellence programmes in three ways: the use of a representative control group; investigating multiple cognitive and non-cognitive outcome measures; and longitudinal assessments over a period of two years with pre- and post-test measurements (i.e. at the start and the end of the excellence programme). Our findings suggest that students who participated in excellence programmes have developed positively on both cognitive and non-cognitive skills, but that their development was not substantially different compared to students who did not participate in excellence programmes. The results underline that the students who participated in excellence programmes already performed better on most cognitive and non-cognitive skill measures at the start of the programme compared to students who did not participate in excellence programmes.

Recent landmark trials showed that colchicine provides a substantial benefit in reducing major cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease. Yet, its exact mechanism of action is still poorly understood. This study aimed to unravel the effect of colchicine on monocyte and neutrophil phenotype and function. A randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled cross‐over intervention study was executed in patients with a history of myocardial infarction. In neutrophils, colchicine treatment decreased CD62L expression and NGAL release upon ex vivo stimulation and increased PMA‐induced ROS production. The effects of colchicine on monocytes were limited to a decrease in HLA‐DR expression in the intermediate and nonclassical monocytes. Also, on the level of RNA expression, colchicine did not affect monocyte phenotype, while affecting various immunomodulating genes in neutrophils. Overall, our study suggests that treatment with colchicine affects neutrophil function, particularly by reducing neutrophil recruitment, lowering concentrations of NGAL, and changing the expression of various genes with immunomodulatory potential, whereas the effect on monocytes is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Shared decision‐making (SDM) is crucial in pancreatic cancer treatment due to its choice‐sensitive nature and limited prognosis. Treatment of pancreatic cancer is organized in a network approach. Several obstacles exist on different levels—patient, healthcare professional, organizational, societal—that impede integration of SDM. This study aims to identify barriers and facilitators to SDM implementation within a comprehensive cancer network. Methods: A qualitative research design was applied, involving interviews and focus groups on barriers and facilitators with healthcare professionals involved in the implementation of SDM. In one comprehensive cancer network in the Netherlands, including seven hospitals, a project was initiated with the goal of empowering patients and healthcare professionals in SDM throughout primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare settings. A total of 17 participants were assessed. Directed qualitative content analysis was performed by two researchers. Results: Main findings revealed barriers such as time constraints, lack of priority of physicians, little involvement of general practitioners, and insufficient social context of patients in referrals, alongside facilitators including learning communities with practical SDM examples, metro mapping, involvement of case manager in implementation and patient empowerment strategies. Conclusion: Addressing cultural, systemic barriers and developing innovative strategies are of importance to enhance SDM in pancreatic cancer treatment in a network approach. This study provides understanding of SDM implementation in complex healthcare settings and offers valuable guidance for future interventions seeking to improve decision‐making processes in pancreatic cancer treatment and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many popular pedagogical approaches instruct children to construct their ideas into tangible and physical products. With the prospect of implementation, do children decide to go for the most creative ideas or do they shift towards ideas that are perhaps less creative but easier to construct? We conducted a field experiment to test whether expected construction affects children’s creative idea selection. In this experiment, 403 children were asked to select the most original ideas to make a toy elephant more fun to play with. We randomly assigned them to a treatment condition—in which they were informed they had to construct one of the original ideas that they selected—and a control group—in which children were informed that, after idea selection, they had to perform another task. Children who were instructed to construct the selected idea into a tangible product turned a blind eye to original ideas and preferred the more feasible ideas. Thus, pedagogical approaches that aim to stimulate creativity by instructing children to construct original ideas into tangible and physical products may unintentionally change children’s choices for creative ideas. This finding highlights the importance for educators of guiding children’s decision-making process in creative problem solving, and to be aware of children’s bias against original ideas when designing creative assignments for them.

Worldwide, fish oil is an important and rich source of the health-beneficial omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA). It is, however, troubled by its high susceptibility towards lipid oxidation. This can be prevented by the addition of (preferably natural) antioxidants. The current research investigates the potential of Phaeodactylum carotenoids in this regard. The oxidative stability of fish oil and fish oil with Phaeodactylum addition is evaluated by analyzing both primary (PV) and secondary (volatiles) oxidation products in an accelerated storage experiment (37 °C). A first experimental set-up shows that the addition of 2.5% (w/w) Phaeodactylum biomass is not capable of inhibiting oxidation. Although carotenoids from the Phaeodactylum biomass are measured in the fish oil phase, their presence does not suffice. In a second, more elucidating experimental set-up, fish oil is mixed in different proportions with a Phaeodactylum total lipid extract, and oxidative stability is again evaluated. It was shown that the amount of carotenoids relative to the n-3 LC-PUFA content determined oxidative stability. Systems with a fucoxanthin/n-3 LC-PUFA ratio ≥ 0.101 shows extreme oxidative stability, while systems with a fucoxanthin/n-3 LC-PUFA ratio ≤ 0.0078 are extremely oxidatively unstable. This explains why the Phaeodactylum biomass addition did not induce oxidative stability.

ObjectivesThe prevalence of maternal stress in early years of parenting can negatively impact child development. Therefore, there is a need for an early intervention that is easily accessible and low in costs. The current study examined the effectiveness of an 8-session online mindful parenting training for mothers with elevated levels of parental stress.MethodsA total of 76 mothers were randomized into an intervention (n = 43) or a waitlist control group (n = 33). The intervention group completed pretest assessment prior to the online intervention. Participants completed a post intervention assessment after the 10 weeks intervention and a follow-up assessment 10 weeks later. The waitlist group completed waitlist assessment, followed by a 10-week waitlist period. After these 10 weeks, a pretest assessment took place, after which the waitlist group participants also started the intervention, followed by the posttest assessment. Participating mothers completed questionnaires on parental stress (parent-child interaction problems, parenting problems, parental role restriction) and other maternal (over-reactive parenting discipline, self-compassion, symptoms of depression and anxiety) and child outcomes (aggressive behavior and emotional reactivity) while the non-participating parents (father or another mother) were asked to also report on child outcomes.ResultsThe online mindful parenting intervention was shown to be significantly more effective at a 95% level than a waitlist period with regard to over-reactive parenting discipline and symptoms of depression and anxiety (small and medium effect sizes), and significantly more effective at a 90% level with regard to self-compassion, and mother-rated child aggressive behavior and child emotional reactivity (small effect sizes). The primary outcome, parental stress, was found to have a 95% significant within-group effect only for the subscale parental role restriction (delayed small effect size improvement at follow-up). No significant improvements on child outcomes were found for the non-participating parent.ConclusionTo conclude, the results provide first evidence that an online mindful parenting training may be an easily accessible and valuable intervention for mothers with elevated levels of parental stress.

The incidence of heart valve hemangioma is very low and is mostly observed in the mitral and tricuspid valve. In 2006, two cases of aortic valve hemangioma were reported for the first time, including one with calcifying aortic valve stenosis. We now present a case of aortic valve hemangioma in a patient suffering from aortic valve insufficiency combined with atherosclerotic thickening.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144601.].