A Preliminary Study of Correlates of Premature Birth and Their Influence on Cortisol Levels in Young Children.

Objective: The HPA-axis is programmed during early infancy, but a lot is unknown about the programming of the HPA-axis in prematurely born or small for gestational age (SGA) children. Therefore, the aim of this preliminary study was to investigate the influence of prematurity and variables associated with birth on cortisol levels in young children.

Methods: Cortisol was measured in a cross-sectional design in 38 premature born participants (<37 weeks of gestation), aged between 3 - 9 years old.

Follow-up care and support to parents of premature children: Multidisciplinary versus regular follow-up care.

Background: Preterm care involves clinical measures almost exclusively aimed at keeping the preterm alive and ready for discharge from hospital. Children are then enrolled in clinical follow-up care after this stressful period, but mental or specialised care for parents and child is often not embedded in the routine of a neonatal hospital ward and the family is then dependent on institutions for mental health or child health clinics, that is, regular care that is regionally scattered. This study aimed to investigate experiences of parents with regular care and compare them with parents visiting a fixed, specialised, multidisciplinary institute, outside the hospital walls, for preterm follow-up care.

Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Use Patterns and Steroid Use Disorders in a Sample of Male Gym Visitors.

Introduction: The use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) and other image- and performance-enhancing drugs is a growing public health concern. AAS use is associated with various physical and mental harms, including cardiovascular risks, cognitive deficiencies, and dependence. The aim of this study was to determine whether patterns of AAS use and other variables are associated with the presence of an AAS use disorder (AASUD).

Slamsex in The Netherlands among men who have sex with men (MSM): use patterns, motives, and adverse effects.

Background: This paper describes an online survey of men who have sex with men (MSM) and use drugs before or during sex ('chemsex') via injection ('slamming' or 'practising slamsex'). Approximately 15-30% of the MSM population in The Netherlands have practiced chemsex at some point, and 0.5-3.

Online test purchased new psychoactive substances in 5 different European countries: A snapshot study of chemical composition and price.

Background: New psychoactive substances (NPS) are on offer worldwide online, in order to shed light on the purity and price of these substances in the European Union, a research collaboration was set up involving France, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Poland.

Methods: Per country, around 10 different NPS were test purchased from different webshops. Then, chemical analysis of NPS was done with according reference standards to identify and quantify the contents.

Adverse effects of levamisole in cocaine users: a review and risk assessment.

The immunomodulatory adjuvant and antihelminth levamisole is increasingly used as an adulterant in cocaine worldwide. An accumulating body of clinical and toxicological literature has appeared since 2010 describing neutropenia, agranulocytosis, leukoencephalopathy and vasculitis in cases associated with levamisole-adulterated cocaine. Mostly, neutropenia and agranulocytosis were reported, characterized by a decimation of neutrophils.