Public exhibit for demonstrating the quantum of electrical conductance

We present a new robust setup that explains and demonstrates the quantum of electrical conductance for a general audience and which is continuously available in a public space. The setup allows users to manually thin a gold wire of several atoms in diameter while monitoring its conductance in real time. During the experiment, a characteristic step-like conductance decrease due to rearrangements of atoms in the cross-section of the wire is observed. Just before the wire breaks, a contact consisting of a single atom with a characteristic conductance close to the quantum of conductance can be maintained up to several seconds. The setup is operated full-time, needs practically no maintenance and is used on different educational levels

A vulnerable age group:the impact of cancer on the psychosocial well-being of young adult childhood cancer survivors

PURPOSE: This study aimed to increase our understanding of the psychosocial well-being of young adult childhood cancer survivors (YACCS) as well as the positive and negative impacts of cancer. METHODS: YACCS (aged 18-30, diagnosed ≤ 18, time since diagnosis ≥ 5 years) cross-sectionally filled out the "Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Young Adults" (PedsQL-YA), "Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale" (HADS), and "Checklist Individual Strengths" (CIS-20R) to measure fatigue and survivor-specific "Impact of Cancer - Childhood Survivors" (IOC-CS), which measures the long-term impact of childhood cancer in several domains. Descriptive statistics (IOC-CS), logistic regression (HADS, CIS-20R), and ANOVA (PedsQL-YA, HADS, CIS-20R) were performed. Associations between positive and negative impacts of childhood cancer and psychosocial outcomes were examined with linear regression analyses. RESULTS: YACCS (N = 151, 61.6% female, mean age 24.1 ± 3.6, mean time since diagnosis 13.6 ± 3.8) reported lower HRQOL (- .4 ≤ d ≤ - .5, p ≤ .001) and more anxiety (d = .4, p ≤ .001), depression (d = .4, p ≤ .01), and fatigue (.3 ≤ d ≤ .5, p ≤ .001) than young adults from the general Dutch population. They were at an increased risk of experiencing (sub)clinical anxiety (OR = 1.8, p = .017). YACCS reported more impact on scales representing a positive rather than negative impact of CC. Various domains of impact of childhood cancer were related to psychosocial outcomes, especially "Life Challenges" (HRQOL β = - .18, anxiety β = .36, depression β = .29) and "Body & Health" (HRQOL β = .27, anxiety β = - .25, depression β = - .26, fatigue β = - .47). CONCLUSION: YACCS are vulnerable to psychosocial difficulties, but they also experience positive long-term impacts of childhood cancer. Positive and negative impacts of childhood cancer were associated with psychosocial outcomes in YACCS. Screening of psychosocial outcomes and offering targeted interventions are necessary to optimize psychosocial long-term follow-up care for YACCS

Support needs of Dutch young adult childhood cancer survivors

BACKGROUND: Studies about support needs of young adult childhood cancer survivors (YACCS) previously focused mainly on information needs. This study assessed support needs and associated factors (sociodemographic, medical, and psychosocial functioning) in Dutch YACCS. METHODS: YACCS (aged 18–30, diagnosed ≤ 18 years, time since diagnosis ≥ 5 years) cross-sectionally filled out a questionnaire regarding their need for various types of support (concrete information, personal counseling, and peer contact) in eight domains (physical consequences of childhood cancer, social-emotional consequences, relationships and sexuality, fertility, lifestyle, school and work, future perspective, insurance and mortgage), and questionnaires assessing health-related quality of life (PedsQL-YA), anxiety and depression (HADS), and fatigue (CIS-20R). Descriptive statistics were used to describe support needs. Linear regression was used to identify characteristics associated with support needs. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-one YACCS participated (response = 40%). Most YACCS reported a need for support in one or more domains (88.0%, N = 133). More than half of the participants reported a need for concrete information in the domains lifestyle, fertility, and physical consequences of childhood cancer and 25–50% in the domains insurance and mortgages, future perspective, and social-emotional consequences of childhood cancer. In the domains lifestyle and physical as well as emotional consequences of childhood cancer, 25–50% reported a need for counseling. Overall need for support was positively associated with middle (β = 0.26, p = 0.024) and high (β = 0.35, p = 0.014) compared to low educational attainment and (sub)clinical anxiety (β = 0.22, p = 0.017), and negatively associated with social functioning (β =  − 0.37, p = 0.002) in multivariate analyses. CONCLUSION: YACCS report the strongest need for support, for concrete information, in the domains lifestyle, fertility, and physical consequences of childhood cancer. Associated factors were mostly socioeconomic and psychosocial in nature. Psychosocial care should be an integral part of survivorship care for YACCS, with screening for psychosocial problems, information provision including associated emotional consequences and support if necessary (psycho-education) and tailored interventions, and adequate referrals to more specialized care if necessary

Resorption thermal transformer generator design

This work takes an empirical and evidence-based approach in the development of a resorption thermal transformer. It presents the initial modelling conducted to understand key performance parameters (coefficient of performance and specific mean power) before discussing a preliminary design. Experimental results from large temperature jump and isosteric heating tests have identified the importance of heat transfer in ammonia-salt systems. Both the heat transfer resistance between the salt composite adsorbent and the tube side wall, and the heat transfer from the heat transfer fluid to the tube side wall are key to realising resorption systems. The successful performance of a laboratory-scale prototype will depend on the reduction in these heat transfer resistances, and improvements may be key in future prototype machines. A sorption reactor is sized and presented, which can be scaled for length depending on the desired power output. The reactor design presented was derived using data on reaction kinetics constants and heat of reaction for calcium chloride reacting with ammonia that were obtained experimentally. The data enabled accurate modelling to realise an optimised design of a reactor, focusing on key performance indicators such as the coefficient of performance (COP) and the system power density. This design presents a basis for a demonstrator that can be used to collect and publish dynamic data and to calculate a real COP for resorption system

The Dutch LATER physical outcomes set for self-reported data in survivors of childhood cancer

Purposes: Studies investigating self-reported long-term morbidity in childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are using heterogeneous outcome definitions, which compromises comparability and include (un)treated asymptomatic and symptomatic outcomes. We generated a Dutch LATER core set of clinically relevant physical outcomes, based on self-reported data. Clinically relevant outcomes were defined as outcomes associated with clinical symptoms or requiring medical treatment. Methods: First, we generated a draft outcome set based on existing questionnaires embedded in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, British Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, and Dutch LATER study. We added specific outcomes reported by survivors in the Dutch LATER questionnaire. Second, we selected a list of clinical relevant outcomes by agreement among a Dutch LATER experts team. Third, we compared the proposed clinically relevant outcomes to the severity grading of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). Results: A core set of 74 self-reported long-term clinically relevant physical morbidity outcomes was established. Comparison to the CTCAE showed that 36% of these clinically relevant outcomes were missing in the CTCAE. Implications for Cancer Survivors: This proposed core outcome set of clinical relevant outcomes for self-reported data will be used to investigate the self-reported morbidity in the Dutch LATER study. Furthermore, this Dutch LATER outcome set can be used as a starting point for international harmonization for long-term outcomes in survivors of childhood cancer

Health-related quality of life in Dutch adult survivors of childhood cancer:A nation-wide cohort study

Aim: To investigate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of Dutch adult childhood cancer survivors (CCS) and to identify risk factors of impaired HRQOL. Methods: Adult CCS (age >18, diagnosed <18, ≥5 years since diagnosis) from the Dutch LATER registry completed the Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) to measure HRQOL and provided sociodemographic characteristics. Age-adjusted mean SF-36 scale scores of CCS were compared to the Dutch general population for men and women separately using t-tests, with effect size d. Multivariate logistic regression models were built to identify sociodemographic and cancer-related risk factors for impaired physical and mental HRQOL. Results: Both male and female CCS (N = 2301, mean age = 35.4 years, 49.6% female) reported significantly (p ≤ .005) worse HRQOL than the general population on almost all scales of the SF-36 (−.11 ≤ d ≤ −.56). Largest differences were found on vitality and general health perceptions. Significant risk factors (p ≤ .05) for impaired physical HRQOL were female sex, older age at diagnosis, not having a partner, low educational attainment, disease recurrence and exposure to radiotherapy, specifically to lower extremity radiation. Odds ratios (ORs) ranged from 1.6 to 3.7. Significant risk factors for impaired mental HRQOL were age 26–35 years, male sex, not having a partner and low educational attainment. ORs ranged from 1.3 to 2.0. Conclusion: Adult CCS had worse HRQOL than the general population. CCS most at risk were those with low educational attainment and without a partner. Adult CCS could benefit from routine surveillance of their HRQOL. Special attention for CCS’ vitality and health perceptions and beliefs is warranted

Clinical characteristics and survival patterns of subsequent sarcoma, breast cancer, and melanoma after childhood cancer in the DCOG-LATER cohort

PURPOSE: Childhood cancer survivors are at increased risk of developing subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNs). We compared survival and clinical characteristics of survivors with SMNs (sarcoma, breast cancer, or melanoma) and a population-based sample of similar first malignant neoplasm (FMN) patients.METHODS: We assembled three case series of solid SMNs observed in a cohort of 5-year Dutch childhood cancer survivors diagnosed 1963-2001 and followed until 2014: sarcoma (n = 45), female breast cancer (n = 41), and melanoma (n = 17). Each SMN patient was sex-, age-, and calendar year-matched to 10 FMN patients in the population-based Netherlands Cancer Registry. We compared clinical and histopathological characteristics by Fisher's exact tests and survival by multivariable Cox regression and competing risk regression analyses.RESULTS: Among sarcoma-SMN patients, overall survival [hazard ratio (HR) 1.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-2.87] and sarcoma-specific mortality (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.16-3.13) were significantly worse compared to sarcoma-FMN patients (foremost for soft-tissue sarcoma), with 15-year survival rates of 30.8% and 61.6%, respectively. Overall survival did not significantly differ for breast-SMN versus breast-FMN patients (HR 1.14, 95% CI 0.54-2.37), nor for melanoma-SMN versus melanoma-FMN patients (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.10-5.00). No significant differences in tumor characteristics were observed between breast-SMN and breast-FMN patients. Breast-SMN patients were treated more often with mastectomy without radiotherapy/chemotherapy compared to breast-FMN patients (17.1% vs. 5.6%).CONCLUSIONS: Survival of sarcoma-SMN patients is worse than sarcoma-FMN patients. Although survival and tumor characteristics appear similar for breast-SMN and breast-FMN patients, treatment differs; breast-SMN patients less often receive breast-conserving therapy. Larger studies are necessary to substantiate these exploratory findings.</p

Insomnia Symptoms and Daytime Fatigue Co-Occurrence in Adolescent and Young Adult Childhood Cancer Patients in Follow-Up after Treatment:Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors

Simple Summary Insomnia symptoms and daytime fatigue significantly impact physical and psychosocial health. While these are common symptoms in pediatric oncology, relationships between these symptoms remain unclear. This study evaluated the prevalence of insomnia only, daytime fatigue only, the co-occurrence of insomnia and daytime fatigue symptoms, and associated risk factors in adolescent/young adult childhood cancer patients in follow-up after treatment. Results showed that around forty percent had insomnia and daytime fatigue symptoms, which often co-occurred. Risk factors that emerged were: female sex and co-morbidities (all), shorter time after treatment and bedtime gaming (insomnia only), young adulthood (insomnia-fatigue and fatigue only), needing someone else to fall asleep and inconsistent wake times (both insomnia groups), and lower educational level and consistent bedtimes (insomnia-fatigue). Overall, insomnia symptoms and daytime fatigue were common and often co-occurred in this patient population. While current fatigue guidelines do not include insomnia symptoms, healthcare providers should inquire about insomnia as this potentially provides additional options for treatment and prevention. Insomnia symptoms and daytime fatigue commonly occur in pediatric oncology, which significantly impact physical and psychosocial health. This study evaluated the prevalence of insomnia only, daytime fatigue only, the co-occurrence of insomnia-daytime fatigue symptoms, and associated risk factors. Childhood cancer patients (n = 565, 12-26 years old, >= 6 months after treatment) participated in a national, cross-sectional questionnaire study, measuring insomnia symptoms (ISI; Insomnia Severity Index) and daytime fatigue (single item). Prevalence rates of insomnia and/or daytime fatigue subgroups and ISI severity ranges were calculated. Multinomial regression models were applied to assess risk factors. Most patients reported no insomnia symptoms or daytime fatigue (61.8%). In the 38.2% of patients who had symptoms, 48.1% reported insomnia and daytime fatigue, 34.7% insomnia only, and 17.1% daytime fatigue only. Insomnia scores were higher in patients with insomnia-daytime fatigue compared to insomnia only (p < 0.001). Risk factors that emerged were: female sex and co-morbidities (all), shorter time after treatment and bedtime gaming (insomnia only), young adulthood (insomnia-fatigue/fatigue only), needing someone else to fall asleep and inconsistent wake times (both insomnia groups), lower educational level and consistent bedtimes (insomnia-fatigue). Insomnia symptoms and daytime fatigue are common and often co-occur. While current fatigue guidelines do not include insomnia symptoms, healthcare providers should inquire about insomnia as this potentially provides additional options for treatment and prevention

A detailed insight in the high risks of hospitalizations in long-term childhood cancer survivors-A Dutch LATER linkage study

Background Insight in hospitalizations in long-term childhood cancer survivors (CCS) is useful to understand the impact of long-term morbidity. We aimed to investigate hospitalization rates and underlying types of diagnoses in CCS compared to matched controls, and to investigate the determinants. Me