The purpose of this thesis is to document research conducted at The Hague University of Applied Sciences on the topic of European and Latin American Integration, more precisely the UNASUR. The central question to this research was: Is further integration of the UNASUR possible when applying the three …

Many intensive care unit (ICU) patients do not achieve target protein intakes particularly in the early days following admittance. This period of iatrogenic protein undernutrition contributes to a rapid loss of lean, in particular muscle, mass in the ICU. The loss of muscle in older (aged >60 years) …

Rationale: Predictive equations for resting energy expenditure (REE) are used in the treatment of overweight and obesity, but the validity of these equations in overweight older adults is unknown. This study evaluates which predictive REE equation is the best alternative to indirect calorimetry in overweight …

Although lifetime employment was once commonplace, the situation has changed dramatically over the last century. The group of precarious workers has increased, and with it, the size of the precariat. Although there is a body of research on how precarious workers perceive the effect of their precarity …

Rationale: A higher protein intake is suggested to preserve muscle mass during aging, and may therefore reduce the risk for sarcopenia. We explored whether the amount, type (animal/vegetable) and essential amino acid (EAA) composition of protein intake were associated with 5-year change in mid-thigh …

Rationale: The number of obese older adults with diabetes type 2 is increasing worldwide. Weight loss treatment in this group seems beneficial for cardio-metabolic and other health outcomes, but it might reduce muscle mass and bone mineral density (BMD). The association between obesity and BMD is controversial, …

BACKGROUND: Intentional weight loss in obese older adults is a risk factor for accelerated muscle mass loss. We investigated whether a high protein diet and/or resistance exercise preserves fat free mass (FFM) during weight loss in overweight and obese older adults. METHODS: We included 100 overweight …

Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality technologies are embraced by designers, scholars and charities alike, some primarily for their entertaining properties, others also for the opportunities in education, motivation or persuasion. Applications with the latter objective, that of persuasion, are designed …

Objective In order to deliver good healthcare quality, it should explicitly be taken into account what patients value in healthcare. This study reviews qualitative studies in which patients express what they value. Based on this body of literature a preliminary taxonomy is designed. Methods A systematic …

Introduction: Uveal melanoma (UM) is a common tumor in the eye. The uvea is with 82% the most frequent site of origin of ocular melanomas in the western world and has an incidence of 4 to 5 per million in the Netherlands. Uveal melanoma arises from melanocytes located in the uveal tract of the eye. …