Changes in perceived stress and lifestyle behaviors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in The Netherlands:An online longitudinal survey study

The COVID-19 pandemic has substantial implications for physical and mental wellbeing. This study investigated changes, over time, in lifestyle behaviors and perceived stress during the initial phase of the pandemic and associations with COVID-19 symptoms, in the Dutch general population. An online longitudinal survey study was performed with pre-lockdown measurements in February, and subsequently in April and June 2020 (n = 259, mean age 59 ± 14 years, 59% women). Self-report questionnaires were used to assess weight, diet quality, physical activity, alcohol intake, and smoking. Perceived stress was measured using the validated perceived stress scale (PSS-10). The presence of COVID-19 symptoms (yes/no) was defined as fever, or >3 of the following symptoms: weakness/tiredness, muscle ache, dry cough, loss of smell/taste, and breathing difficulties. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models, adjusted for age, sex, educational level, marital status and (change in) employment status. Minimal increases over time were observed in alcohol intake (0.6 ± 0.7 to 0.7 ± 1.1 glasses/day, p = 0.001) and smoking (9.5 ± 8.7 to 10.9 ± 9.4 cigarettes/day among 10% smokers, p = 0.03), but other lifestyle behaviors remained stable. In April 2020, 15% reported COVID-19-related symptoms, and in June 2020, this was 10%. The presence of COVID-19 symptoms was associated with increased perceived stress (p interaction = 0.003) and increased alcohol consumption (p interaction = 0.03) over time. In conclusion, in this prospective study, COVID-19 symptoms were associated with increases in perceived stress and alcohol consumption. Future research on biopsychosocial determinants and underlying mechanisms of lifestyle changes, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, is needed

International development of a patient-centered core outcome set for assessing health-related quality of life in metastatic breast cancer patients

Purpose For patients living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), achieving best possible health-related quality of life, along with maximizing survival, is vital. Yet, we have no systemic way to determine if we achieve these goals. A Core Outcome Set (COS) that allows standardized measurement of outcomes important to patients, but also promotes discussing these outcomes during clinical encounters, is long overdue. Methods An international expert group (EG) of patient advocates, researchers, medical specialists, nurse specialists, and pharmaceutical industry representatives (n = 17) reviewed a list of relevant outcomes retrieved from the literature. A broader group (n = 141: patients/patient advocates (n = 45), health care professionals/researchers (n = 64), pharmaceutical industry representatives (n = 28), and health authority representatives (n = 4)) participated in a modified Delphi procedure, scoring the relevance of outcomes in two survey rounds. The EG finalized the COS in a consensus meeting. Results The final MBC COS includes 101 variables about: (1) health-related quality of life (HRQoL, n = 26) and adverse events (n = 24); (2) baseline patient characteristics (n = 9); and (3) clinical variables (n = 42). Many outcome that cover aspects of HRQoL relevant to MBC patients are included, e.g. daily functioning (including ability to work), psychosocial/emotional functioning, sexual functioning, and relationship with the medical team. Conclusion The COS developed in this study contains important administrative data, clinical records, and clinician-reported measures that captures the impact of cancer. The COS is important for standardization of clinical research and implementation in daily practice and has received accreditation by the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM)

Alkylphosphonic Dichlorides, New Reagents for the Enantiomeric Excess Determination of Chiral Alcohols and Thiols by 31P NMR

The enantiomeric excess of chiral alcohols and thiols (1) is obtained by 31P NMR measurement of the ratios of diastereoisomeric (thio)phosphonates from 1 and methylphosphonic dichloride.

Enhanced Oxidation of the 9 % Cr Steel P91 in Water Vapour Containing Environments

The short term (similar to 100 h) oxidation behaviour of the 9%Cr steel P91 was studied at 650 degrees C in N-2-O-2-H2O gas mixtures containing a relatively low oxygen level of 1%. The oxidation kinetics were measured thermogravimetrically and the oxide scale growth mechanisms were studied using (H2O)-O-18-tracer with subsequent analyses of oxide scale composition and tracer distribution by MCs+-SIMS depth profiling. The corrosion products were additionally characterised by light optical microscopy, SEM-EDX and XRD. It was found that the transition from protective, Cr-rich oxide formation into non-protective mixed oxide scales is governed by the ratio H2O(g)/O-2 ratio rather than the absolute level of H2O(g). The results of the tracer studies in combination with the data obtained from experiments involving in situ gas changes clearly illustrated that under the prevailing conditions the penetration of water vapour molecules triggers the enhanced oxidation and sustains the high growth rates of the poorly protective Fe-rich oxide scale formed in atmospheres with high H2O(g)/O-2 ratios. The experimental observations can be explained if one assumes the scale growth to be governed by a competitive adsorption of oxygen and water vapour molecules on external and internal surfaces of the oxide scales in combination with the formation of a volatile Fe-hydroxide during transient oxidation. The formation of the non-protective Fe-rich oxide scales is suppressed in atmospheres with low H2O(g)/O-2-ratios, and the healing of any such scale is promoted. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved