Understanding public support for COVID-19 pandemic mitigation measures over time:Does it wear out?

Background: COVID-19 mitigation measures intend to protect public health, but their adverse psychological, social, and economic effects weaken public support. Less favorable trade-offs may especially weaken support for more restrictive measures. Support for mitigation measures may also differ between population subgroups who experience different benefits and costs, and decrease over time, a phenomenon termed “pandemic fatigue.” Methods: We examined self-reported support for COVID-19 mitigation measures in the Netherlands over 12 consecutives waves of data collection between April 2020 and May 2021 in an open population cohort study. Participants were recruited through community panels of the 25 regional public health services, and through links to the online surveys advertised on social media. The 54,010 unique participants in the cohort study on average participated in 4 waves of data collection. Most participants were female (65%), middle-aged [57% (40–69 years)], highly educated (57%), not living alone (84%), residing in an urban area (60%), and born in the Netherlands (95%). Results: COVID-19 mitigation measures implemented in the Netherlands remained generally well-supported over time [all scores >3 on 5-point scale ranging 1 (low)−5 (high)]. During the whole period studied, support was highest for personal hygiene measures, quarantine and wearing face masks, high but somewhat lower for not shaking hands, testing and self-isolation, and restricting social contacts, and lowest for limiting visitors at home, and not traveling abroad. Women and higher educated people were more supportive of some mitigation measures than men and lower educated people. Older people were more supportive of more restrictive measures than younger people, and support for more socially restrictive measures decreased most over time in higher educated people or in younger people. Conclusions: This study found no support for pandemic fatigue in terms of a gradual decline in support for all mitigation measures in the first year of the pandemic. Rather, findings suggest that support for mitigation measures reflects a balancing of benefits and cost, which may change over time, and differ between measures and population subgroups

Sea cucumbers (Echinodermata, Holothuroidea) from the JR275 expedition to the Eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica.

Thirty-seven holothuroid species, including six potentially new, are reported from the eastern Weddell Sea in Antarctica. Information regarding sea cucumbers in this dataset is based on Agassiz Trawl (AGT) samples collected during the British Antarctic Survey cruise JR275 on the RRS James Clark Ross in the austral summer of 2012. Species presence by site and an appendix of holothuroid identifications with registrations are included as supplementary material. Species occurrence in the Weddell Sea is updated to include new holothuroids from this expedition

Maternal risk associated with the VACTERL association:A case-control study

Background The VACTERL association (VACTERL) includes at least three of these congenital anomalies: vertebral, anal, cardiac, trachea-esophageal, renal, and limb anomalies. Assisted reproductive techniques (ART), pregestational diabetes mellitus, and chronic lower obstructive pulmonary disorders (CLOPD) have been associated with VACTERL. We aimed to replicate these findings and were interested in additional maternal risk factors. Methods A case-control study using self-administered questionnaires was performed including 142 VACTERL cases and 2,135 population-based healthy controls. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate confounder adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Results Parents who used invasive ART had an increased risk of VACTERL in offspring (aOR 4.4 [95%CI 2.1-8.8]), whereas the increased risk for mothers with CLOPD could not be replicated. None of the case mothers had pregestational diabetes mellitus. Primiparity (1.5 [1.1-2.1]) and maternal pregestational overweight and obesity (1.8 [1.2-2.8] and 1.8 [1.0-3.4]) were associated with VACTERL. Consistent folic acid supplement use during the advised periconceptional period may reduce the risk of VACTERL (0.5 [0.3-1.0]). Maternal smoking resulted in an almost twofold increased risk of VACTERL. Conclusion We identified invasive ART, primiparity, pregestational overweight and obesity, lack of folic acid supplement use, and smoking as risk factors for VACTERL

Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic fatigue among adolescents with a chronic medical condition: a single case study

BACKGROUND: Severe fatigue is a prominent symptom among adolescents with a chronic medical condition, with major impact on their well-being and daily functioning. Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (I-CBT) is a promising treatment for severe fatigue among adolescents with a chronic medical condition, but its effectiveness has not been studied. AIMS: We developed an I-CBT intervention for disabling fatigue in a chronic medical condition and tested its feasibility and effectiveness in an adolescent with an immune dysregulation disorder (IDD), namely juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). METHOD: The application of I-CBT is illustrated through a clinical case study of a 15-year-old girl with JIA and chronic severe fatigue. An A-B single case experimental design was used with randomization of the waiting period prior to start of the intervention. Outcomes were weekly measures of fatigue severity, physical functioning, school absence and pain severity. RESULTS: Fatigue severity significantly decreased following I-CBT. Improvements were observed towards increased school attendance and improved physical functioning following the intervention, but these effects were too small to become significant. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides preliminary support for the feasibility and effectiveness of the application of I-CBT for severe fatigue in adolescents with a long-term medical condition