The impact of heat waves and cold spells on mortality rates in the Dutch population.

We conducted the study described in this paper to investigate the impact of ambient temperature on mortality in the Netherlands during 1979-1997, the impact of heat waves and cold spells on mortality in particular, and the possibility of any heat wave- or cold spell-induced forward displacement of mortality. We found a V-like relationship between mortality and temperature, with an optimum temperature value (e.g., average temperature with lowest mortality rate) of 16.5 degrees C for total mortality, cardiovascular mortality, respiratory mortality, and mortality among those [Greater and equal to] 65 year of age. For mortality due to malignant neoplasms and mortality in the youngest age group, the optimum temperatures were 15.5 degrees C and 14.5 degrees C, respectively. For temperatures above the optimum, mortality increased by 0.47, 1.86, 12.82, and 2.72% for malignant neoplasms, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, and total mortality, respectively, for each degree Celsius increase above the optimum in the preceding month. For temperatures below the optimum, mortality increased 0.22, 1.69, 5.15, and 1.37%, respectively, for each degree Celsius decrease below the optimum in the preceding month. Mortality increased significantly during all of the heat waves studied, and the elderly were most effected by extreme heat. The heat waves led to increases in mortality due to all of the selected causes, especially respiratory mortality. Average total excess mortality during the heat waves studied was 12.1%, or 39.8 deaths/day. The average excess mortality during the cold spells was 12.8% or 46.6 deaths/day, which was mostly attributable to the increase in cardiovascular mortality and mortality among the elderly. The results concerning the forward displacement of deaths due to heat waves were not conclusive. We found no cold-induced forward displacement of deaths

a cross-sectional study in six European cities

Background: The relationship between socioeconomic position (SEP) and adolescent physical activity is uncertain, as most evidence is limited to specific settings and a restricted number of SEP indicators. This study aimed to assess the magnitude of socioeconomic differences in adolescent vigorous physical activity (VPA) across various European countries using a wide range of SEP indicators, including family-based (education, family affluence, perceived social standing, parents’ employment, housing tenure) and adolescent-based (academic performance and pocket money) ones. Methods: We used data from a survey among 10,510 students aged 14–17 from 50 schools in six European cities: Namur (BE), Tampere (FI), Hannover (DE), Latina (IT), Amersfoort (NL), Coimbra (PT). The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics and the amount of time spent in VPA. Results: The mean time spent practicing VPA was 60.4 min per day, with lower values for Namur (BE) and Latina (IT), and higher values for Amersfoort (NL). In the multivariable analysis, both categories of SEP indicators (family-based and adolescent based indicators) were independently associated with VPA. For each SEP indicator, lower levels of VPA were recorded in lower socioeconomic groups. In the total sample, each additional category of low SEP was associated with a decrease in mean VPA of about 4 min per day. Conclusions: This study showed that across European cities adolescent VPA is positively related to both family-based SEP and adolescents’ own SEP. When analysing socioeconomic differences in adolescent VPA, one should consider the use of multiple indicators of SEP.publishersversionpublishe

Educational level and alcohol use in adolescence and early adulthood-The role of social causation and health-related selection-The TRAILS Study

Both social causation and health-related selection may influence educational gradients in alcohol use in adolescence and young adulthood. The social causation theory implies that the social environment (e.g. at school) influences adolescents’ drinking behaviour. Conversely, the health-related selection hypothesis posits that alcohol use (along other health-related characteristics) predicts lower educational attainment. From past studies it is unclear which of these mechanisms predominates, as drinking may be both a cause and consequence of low educational attainment. Furthermore, educational gradients in alcohol use may reflect the impact of ‘third variables’ already present in childhood, such as parental socioeconomic status (SES), effortful control, and IQ. We investigated social causation and health-related selection in the development of educational gradients in alcohol use from adolescence to young adulthood in a selective educational system. We used data from a Dutch population-based cohort (TRAILS Study; n = 2,229), including measurements of educational level and drinking at ages around 14, 16, 19, 22, and 26 years (waves 2 to 6). First, we evaluated the directionality in longitudinal associations between education and drinking with cross-lagged panel models, with and without adjusting for pre-existing individual differences using fixed effects. Second, we assessed the role of childhood characteristics around age 11 (wave 1), i.e. IQ, effortful control, and parental SES, both as confounders in these associations, and as predictors of educational level and drinking around age 14 (wave 2). In fixed effects models, lower education around age 14 predicted increases in drinking around 16. From age 19 onward, we found a tendency towards opposite associations, with higher education predicting increases in alcohol use. Alcohol use was not associated with subsequent changes in education. Childhood characteristics strongly predicted education around age 14 and, to a lesser extent, early drinking. We mainly found evidence for the social causation theory in early adolescence, when lower education predicted increases in subsequent alcohol use. We found no evidence in support of the health-related selection hypothesis with respect to alcohol use. By determining initial educational level, childhood characteristics also predict subsequent trajectories in alcohol use

The association of adolescents' smoking with the physical activity levels of their friends

Funding Information: This study is part of the SILNE-R project (Enhancing the Effectiveness of Programs and Strategies to Prevent Smoking by Adolescents: A Realist Evaluation Comparing Seven European Countries), which is supported by the European Union‘s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, under grant agreement 635,056. The funder was not involved and did not have any input in the design, analysis and reporting of this study. Publisher Copyright: © 2023Background: Smoking is inversely related to people's Physical Activity Level (PAL). As the behavior of friends may affect the choices and behavior of adolescents, having friends with a high PAL may potentially protect against adolescent smoking. This study aims to assess whether adolescents' smoking is associated with the PAL of their friends. Methods: SILNE-R survey data of 11.918 adolescents from 55 different schools in 7 European cities was used to determine weekly smoking, individual PAL, PAL of friends, school PAL, and smoking of friends. Multilevel, multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to assess the association between the PAL of friends and weekly smoking. Several socio-demographic variables were included as covariates in the analysis. Results: Our results indicated that 10.8% of the respondents was smoking weekly. Weekly smoking was most common among adolescents whose friends had a PAL of 0–42.0 min per day (14.5%). Respondents were significantly more likely to be smoking weekly if their friends were on average 0–42 min vs. 80–180 min physically active (OR 1.27 [95% CI 1.04–1.55]). This association existed independently of the individual PAL of respondents. Stratification for smoking of friends yielded equal results, although the association appeared to be somewhat stronger for those with smoking friends (OR 1.38 [95% CI 1.06–1.82]). Conclusion: Adolescents are less likely to smoke weekly if they associate with friends who spend >80 min per day on physical activity. Initiatives aimed at the prevention of smoking among adolescents may benefit from organizing group-based physical activity programs.publishersversionpublishe

R705H mutation of MYH9 is associated with MYH9-related disease and not only with non-syndromic deafness DFNA17

MYH9-related disease (MYH9-RD) is a rare autosomal dominant disease caused by mutation of MYH9, the gene encoding for the heavy chain of non-muscle myosin IIA (NMMHC-IIA). MYH9-RD patients have macrothrombocytopenia and granulocyte inclusions (pathognomonic sign of the disease) containing wild-type and mutant NMMHC-IIA. During life they might develop sensorineural hearing loss, cataract, glomerulonephritis, and elevation of liver enzymes. One of the MYH9 mutations, p.R705H, was previously reported to be associated with DFNA17, an autosomal dominant non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss without any other features associated. We identified the same mutation in two unrelated families, whose four affected individuals had not only hearing impairment but also thrombocytopenia, giant platelets, leukocyte inclusions, as well as mild to moderate elevation of some liver enzymes. Our data suggest that DFNA17 should not be a separate genetic entity but part of the wide phenotypic spectrum of MYH9-RD characterized by congenital hematological manifestations and variable penetrance and expressivity of the extra-hematological features

How sports clubs decide to adopt an outdoor smoke-free policy:A qualitative study applying the Garbage Can Model

Background Outdoor smoke-free policies (SFPs) at sports clubs can contribute to protecting people from second-hand smoke (SHS). However, in absence of national legislation, it is uncertain whether and how sports clubs decide to adopt an SFP. The aim of this study was to explore the decision-making process at sports clubs in relation to the adoption of an outdoor SFP. Methods Semi-structured interviews were held with key stakeholders at 20 Dutch sports clubs (in field hockey, football, tennis, or korfball) with an outdoor SFP. Thematic analysis was applied, and themes were defined in line with the four streams of the Garbage Can Model (GCM). Results We identified four motivating factors for sports clubs to start the decision-making process: 1) SHS as a problem, 2) intolerance of smoking behavior, 3) advantages of an outdoor SFP, and 4) external pressure to become smoke-free. The decision-making process involved a variety of participants, but the board, influential club members, and smokers usually played major roles. Decisions were discussed during both formal and informal choice opportunities, but only made during formal choice opportunities. With regard to solutions, sports clubs adopted a partial or total outdoor SFP. In addition, sports clubs followed different strategies with regard to the decision-making process, which we classified along two dimensions: 1) autocratic vs. democratic and 2) fast vs. slow. Conclusion A number of factors motivated sports clubs to start the decision-making process. These factors were mainly linked to a strong non-smoking norm. Decision-making involved different participants, with a key role for the board, influential club members, and smokers. Governments and other external organizations may contribute to SFP adoption at sports clubs in several ways. They may advise clubs on strategies of decision-making and how to involve smokers in this process

A cellular-resolution atlas of the larval zebrafish brain

Understanding brain-wide neuronal dynamics requires a detailed map of the underlying circuit architecture. We built an interactive cellular-resolution atlas of the zebrafish brain at 6 days post-fertilization (dpf) based on the reconstructions of over 2,000 individually GFP-labeled neurons. We clustered our dataset in "morphotypes,'' establishing a unique database of quantitatively described neuronal morphologies together with their spatial coordinates in vivo. Over 100 transgene expression patterns were imaged separately and co-registered with the single-neuron atlas. By annotating 72 non-overlapping brain regions, we generated from our dataset an inter-areal wiring diagram of the larval brain, which serves as ground truth for synapse-scale, electron microscopic reconstructions. Interrogating our atlas by "virtual tract tracing'' has already revealed previously unknown wiring principles in the tectum and the cerebellum. In conclusion, we present here an evolving computational resource and visualization tool, which will be essential to map function to structure in a vertebrate brain

Rising Educational Levels Contribute to Compression of Morbidity. A Multi-State Life Table Analysis of the Netherlands 1995-2015

Objective: This paper assesses whether the future rise in educational levels of theelderly may not only increase life expectancy (LE) but also at the same timecontribute to a reduction in life expectancy with disability (LED).Methods: For each educational level, LE and LED were estimated from multi-statelife tables with a disabled and non-disabled state. Basic transition rates wereestimated from regression analysis of data of a Dutch longitudinal study. The resultsper educational level were aggregated to the total population for the years 1995,2005 and 2015.Results: In 1995, men in the highest educational level had a 0.9 years longerLE and a 5.4 years shorter LED than men in the lowest level. Differences amongwomen were larger (2.0 and 8.3 years). Due to rising educational levels between1995 and 2015, LE for the total male population would increase by 0.2 years whileLED would decrease by 0.5 years. A larger effect was observed for women(0.2 and 1.5 years).Conclusion: Rising educational levels of the elderly are likely to contribute to acompression of morbidity over the next decades, especially among women