Cross-comparison of last glacial radiocarbon and OSL ages using periglacial fan deposits

Two cores from a Weichselian periglacial alluvial fan were dated using 14C and OSL, to verify the reliability of both methods and check the upper dating limit of the 14C method. Both dating methods yielded a similar chronology for core Eerbeek-I, with infinite 14C dates for the lower part where OSL dates indicated ages of over 45 ka. Finite 14C dates were obtained throughout the core for Eerbeek-II, despite stratigraphic and OSL evidence suggesting ages beyond 14C limits. Apparently, additional chemical pre-treatment to remove younger carbon fractions did not work adequately for samples from this core. We hypothesize that this may be related to a larger influence of younger-age humin fractions in the mainly sandy Eerbeek-II deposits compared to those buffered by a thick peat layer of Eerbeek-I. We suggest that (local) stratigraphy, percolation and humification processes may impact 14C ages of organic deposits more than commonly assumed, and should receive more attention. In addition, we introduce a new method to assess robustness and validity of OSL dates and demonstrate the applicability of OSL dating methods in this setting. Our results highlight that the 14C method requires additional verification methods, such as OSL, for deposits older than 30 ka

The dynamics of social activation and suspiciousness in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis

INTRODUCTION: Social functioning is often impaired during the ultra-high risk (UHR) phase for psychosis, but group-level studies regarding the role of social functioning in transition to psychosis are inconsistent. Exploring the inter-individual differences which underlie the association between social functioning and psychotic symptoms in this phase could yield new insights.OBJECTIVE: To examine the idiographic and dynamic association between social activation and suspiciousness in individuals at UHR for psychosis using time-series analysis.METHODS: Twenty individuals at UHR for psychosis completed a diary application every evening for 90 days. Two items on social activation (quantity: 'time spent alone' and quality: 'feeling supported') and two items on suspiciousness ('feeling suspicious' and 'feeling disliked') were used. Time series (T = 90) of each individual were analyzed using vector auto regression analysis (VAR), to estimate the lagged (over 1 day) effect of social activation on suspiciousness, and vice versa, as well as their contemporaneous associations.RESULTS: Heterogeneous person-specific associations between social activation and suspiciousness were found in terms of strength, direction and temporal aspects.CONCLUSIONS: The association between social activation and suspiciousness differs amongst individuals who are at UHR for psychosis. These findings underline the importance of tailoring psychosocial interventions to the individual. Future studies may examine whether using results of single-subject studies in clinical practice to personalize treatment goals leads to better treatment outcomes.</p

Characteristics and outcome in cardiogenic shock according to vascular access site for percutaneous coronary intervention

Aims The optimal vascular access site for percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) remains uncertain. While observational data favour transradial access (TRA) due to lower complication rates and mortality, transfemoral access (TFA) PCI offers advantages such as shorter access and procedure times, along with quicker escalation to mechanical circulatory support (MCS). In this study, we aimed to investigate factors associated with a transfemoral approach and compare mortality rates between TRA and TFA in AMI-CS patients undergoing PCI. Methods Data from a nationwide registry of AMI-CS patients undergoing PCI (2017–2021) were analysed. We compared patient and results demographics, procedural details, and outcomes between TRA and TFA groups. Logistic regression identified access site factors and radial-to-femoral crossover predictors. Propensity score–matched (PSM) analysis examined the impact of access site on mortality. Of the 1562 patients, 45% underwent TRA PCI, with an increasing trend over time. Transfemoral access patients were more often female, had a history of coronary artery bypass grafting, lower blood pressure, higher resuscitation and intubation rates, and elevated lactate levels. After PSM, 30-day mortality was lower in TRA (33% vs. 46%, P &lt; 0.001). Predictors for crossover included left coronary artery interventions, multivessel PCI, and MCS initiation. Conclusion Significant differences exist between TRA and TFA PCI in AMI-CS. Transfemoral access was more common in patients with worse haemodynamics and was associated with higher 30-day mortality compared with TRA. This mortality difference persisted in the PSM analysis.[Figure</p

Self-reported quantity and quality of sleep in children and adolescents with a chronic condition compared to healthy controls

To assess self-reported quantity and quality of sleep in Dutch children with a chronic condition compared to healthy controls and to the recommended hours of sleep for youth. Sleep quantity and quality were analyzed in children with a chronic condition (cystic fibrosis, chronic kidney disease, congenital heart disease, (auto-)immune disease, and medically unexplained symptoms (MUS); n = 291; 15 ± 3.1 years, 63% female. A subset of 171 children with a chronic condition were matched to healthy controls using Propensity Score matching, based on age and sex, ratio 1:4. Self-reported sleep quantity and quality were assessed with established questionnaires. Children with MUS were analyzed separately to distinguish between chronic conditions with and without an identified pathophysiological cause. Generally, children with a chronic condition met the recommended amount of sleep, however 22% reported poor sleep quality. No significant differences in sleep quantity and quality were found between the diagnosis groups. Children with a chronic condition and with MUS slept significantly more than healthy controls at ages 13, 15, and 16. Both at primary and secondary school, poor sleep quality was least frequent reported in children with a chronic condition and most often reported in children with MUS. Conclusion: Overall, children with chronic conditions, including MUS, met the recommended hours of sleep for youth, and slept more than healthy controls. However, it is important to obtain a better understanding of why a substantial subset of children with chronic conditions, mostly children with MUS, still perceived their sleep quality as poor.What is Known:• According to the Consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep medicine, typically developing children (6 to 12 years) should sleep 9 to 12 h per night, and adolescents (13 to 18 years) should sleep 8 to 10 h per night.• Literature on the optimal quantity and quality of sleep in children with a chronic condition is very limited.What is New:• In general, children with a chronic condition sleep according to the recommended hours of sleep.• A substantial subset of children with chronic conditions, perceived their sleep quality as poor. Although this was reported mostly by children with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), the found poor sleep quality was independent of specific diagnosis

Self-reported quantity and quality of sleep in children and adolescents with a chronic condition compared to healthy controls

To assess self-reported quantity and quality of sleep in Dutch children with a chronic condition compared to healthy controls and to the recommended hours of sleep for youth. Sleep quantity and quality were analyzed in children with a chronic condition (cystic fibrosis, chronic kidney disease, congenital heart disease, (auto-)immune disease, and medically unexplained symptoms (MUS); n = 291; 15 ± 3.1 years, 63% female. A subset of 171 children with a chronic condition were matched to healthy controls using Propensity Score matching, based on age and sex, ratio 1:4. Self-reported sleep quantity and quality were assessed with established questionnaires. Children with MUS were analyzed separately to distinguish between chronic conditions with and without an identified pathophysiological cause. Generally, children with a chronic condition met the recommended amount of sleep, however 22% reported poor sleep quality. No significant differences in sleep quantity and quality were found between the diagnosis groups. Children with a chronic condition and with MUS slept significantly more than healthy controls at ages 13, 15, and 16. Both at primary and secondary school, poor sleep quality was least frequent reported in children with a chronic condition and most often reported in children with MUS. Conclusion: Overall, children with chronic conditions, including MUS, met the recommended hours of sleep for youth, and slept more than healthy controls. However, it is important to obtain a better understanding of why a substantial subset of children with chronic conditions, mostly children with MUS, still perceived their sleep quality as poor.What is Known:• According to the Consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep medicine, typically developing children (6 to 12 years) should sleep 9 to 12 h per night, and adolescents (13 to 18 years) should sleep 8 to 10 h per night.• Literature on the optimal quantity and quality of sleep in children with a chronic condition is very limited.What is New:• In general, children with a chronic condition sleep according to the recommended hours of sleep.• A substantial subset of children with chronic conditions, perceived their sleep quality as poor. Although this was reported mostly by children with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), the found poor sleep quality was independent of specific diagnosis

Moderators of the effect of psychosocial interventions on fatigue in women with breast cancer and men with prostate cancer:Individual patient data meta-analyses

Objective Psychosocial interventions can reduce cancer-related fatigue effectively. However, it is still unclear if intervention effects differ across subgroups of patients. These meta-analyses aimed at evaluating moderator effects of (a) sociodemographic characteristics, (b) clinical characteristics, (c) baseline levels of fatigue and other symptoms, and (d) intervention-related characteristics on the effect of psychosocial interventions on cancer-related fatigue in patients with non-metastatic breast and prostate cancer. Methods Data were retrieved from the Predicting OptimaL cAncer RehabIlitation and Supportive care (POLARIS) consortium. Potential moderators were studied with meta-analyses of pooled individual patient data from 14 randomized controlled trials through linear mixed-effects models with interaction tests. The analyses were conducted separately in patients with breast (n = 1091) and prostate cancer (n = 1008). Results Statistically significant, small overall effects of psychosocial interventions on fatigue were found (breast cancer: beta = -0.19 [95% confidence interval (95%CI) = -0.30; -0.08]; prostate cancer: beta = -0.11 [95%CI = -0.21; -0.00]). In both patient groups, intervention effects did not differ significantly by sociodemographic or clinical characteristics, nor by baseline levels of fatigue or pain. For intervention-related moderators (only tested among women with breast cancer), statistically significant larger effects were found for cognitive behavioral therapy as intervention strategy (beta = -0.27 [95%CI = -0.40; -0.15]), fatigue-specific interventions (beta = -0.48 [95%CI = -0.79; -0.18]), and interventions that only targeted patients with clinically relevant fatigue (beta = -0.85 [95%CI = -1.40; -0.30]). Conclusions Our findings did not provide evidence that any selected demographic or clinical characteristic, or baseline levels of fatigue or pain, moderated effects of psychosocial interventions on fatigue. A specific focus on decreasing fatigue seems beneficial for patients with breast cancer with clinically relevant fatigue

A cross-sectional study on gaming intensity and social vulnerability in adolescents that have a chronic condition

BackgroundAdolescents growing up with a chronic condition might experience more social vulnerabilities compared to their healthy peers as an indirect result of their conditions. This can lead to a relatedness need frustration for these adolescents. Consequently, they might spend more time playing video games compared to their peers. Research shows that both social vulnerability and gaming intensity are predictors for problematic gaming. Therefore, we investigated if social vulnerability and gaming intensity are more pronounced in adolescents that have a chronic condition compared to the general population; and if these levels reflect the levels of a clinical group being treated for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD).MethodsData on peer problems and gaming intensity were compared from three separate samples: a national representative sample of adolescents, a clinical sample of adolescents that are undergoing treatment for IGD, and a sample of adolescents diagnosed with a chronic condition.ResultsNo differences were found on either peer problems or gaming intensity between the group of adolescents that have chronic conditions and the national representative group. The group with chronic conditions scored significantly lower on gaming intensity than the clinical group. No significant differences were found between these groups on peer problems. We repeated the analyses for boys only. Similar results were found for the group with chronic conditions compared to the national representative group. The group with chronic conditions now scored significantly lower on both peer problems and gaming intensity than the clinical group.ConclusionAdolescents growing up with a chronic condition appear similar in their gaming intensity and peer problems compared to their healthy peers

A cross-sectional study on gaming intensity and social vulnerability in adolescents that have a chronic condition

BACKGROUND: Adolescents growing up with a chronic condition might experience more social vulnerabilities compared to their healthy peers as an indirect result of their conditions. This can lead to a relatedness need frustration for these adolescents. Consequently, they might spend more time playing video games compared to their peers. Research shows that both social vulnerability and gaming intensity are predictors for problematic gaming. Therefore, we investigated if social vulnerability and gaming intensity are more pronounced in adolescents that have a chronic condition compared to the general population; and if these levels reflect the levels of a clinical group being treated for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). METHODS: Data on peer problems and gaming intensity were compared from three separate samples: a national representative sample of adolescents, a clinical sample of adolescents that are undergoing treatment for IGD, and a sample of adolescents diagnosed with a chronic condition. RESULTS: No differences were found on either peer problems or gaming intensity between the group of adolescents that have chronic conditions and the national representative group. The group with chronic conditions scored significantly lower on gaming intensity than the clinical group. No significant differences were found between these groups on peer problems. We repeated the analyses for boys only. Similar results were found for the group with chronic conditions compared to the national representative group. The group with chronic conditions now scored significantly lower on both peer problems and gaming intensity than the clinical group. CONCLUSION: Adolescents growing up with a chronic condition appear similar in their gaming intensity and peer problems compared to their healthy peers

A cross-sectional study on gaming intensity and social vulnerability in adolescents that have a chronic condition

BACKGROUND: Adolescents growing up with a chronic condition might experience more social vulnerabilities compared to their healthy peers as an indirect result of their conditions. This can lead to a relatedness need frustration for these adolescents. Consequently, they might spend more time playing video games compared to their peers. Research shows that both social vulnerability and gaming intensity are predictors for problematic gaming. Therefore, we investigated if social vulnerability and gaming intensity are more pronounced in adolescents that have a chronic condition compared to the general population; and if these levels reflect the levels of a clinical group being treated for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). METHODS: Data on peer problems and gaming intensity were compared from three separate samples: a national representative sample of adolescents, a clinical sample of adolescents that are undergoing treatment for IGD, and a sample of adolescents diagnosed with a chronic condition. RESULTS: No differences were found on either peer problems or gaming intensity between the group of adolescents that have chronic conditions and the national representative group. The group with chronic conditions scored significantly lower on gaming intensity than the clinical group. No significant differences were found between these groups on peer problems. We repeated the analyses for boys only. Similar results were found for the group with chronic conditions compared to the national representative group. The group with chronic conditions now scored significantly lower on both peer problems and gaming intensity than the clinical group. CONCLUSION: Adolescents growing up with a chronic condition appear similar in their gaming intensity and peer problems compared to their healthy peers

Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) Are Natural Hosts of Specific Staphylococcus aureus Lineages

Currently, there is no animal model known that mimics natural nasal colonization by Staphylococcus aureus in humans. We investigated whether rhesus macaques are natural nasal carriers of S. aureus. Nasal swabs were taken from 731 macaques. S. aureus isolates were typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), spa repeat sequencing and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), and compared with human strains. Furthermore, the isolates were characterized by several PCRs. Thirty-nine percent of 731 macaques were positive for S. aureus. In general, the macaque S. aureus isolates differed from human strains as they formed separate PFGE clusters, 50% of the isolates were untypeable by agr genotyping, 17 new spa types were identified, which all belonged to new sequence types (STs). Furthermore, 66% of macaque isolates were negative for all superantigen genes. To determine S. aureus nasal colonization, three nasal swabs from 48 duo-housed macaques were taken during a 5 month period. In addition, sera were analyzed for immunoglobulin G and A levels directed against 40 staphylococcal proteins using a bead-based flow cytometry technique. Nineteen percent of the animals were negative for S. aureus, and 17% were three times positive. S. aureus strains were easily exchanged between macaques. The antibody response was less pronounced in macaques compared to humans, and nasal carrier status was not associated with differences in serum anti-staphylococcal antibody levels. In conclusion, rhesus macaques are natural hosts of S. aureus, carrying host-specific lineages. Our data indicate that rhesus macaques are useful as an autologous model for studying S. aureus nasal colonization and infection prevention