Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The Circular vs. Extraction Dilemma: Impacts of EU Critical Raw Materials Strategy on Poverty and Income Inequality – Evidence from Nickel in Finland, Greece, Poland, and Spain

Abstract The European Union (EU) stresses the importance of open strategic autonomy, when it comes to sourcing of critical raw materials, which are essential for green transition. At the same time, the EU highlights that no one should be left behind, fostering just transition. Co...

Exploring European forest management futures: a stakeholder-informed spatial scenario modeling approach

European forests are under increasing pressure from climate change and societal demands for ecosystem services, which are progressively formalized through European policy frameworks. Addressing these pressures requires adapting forest management to balance societal demands and po...

Case-based pharmacotherapeutic learning structured around the prescribing optimization method and the WHO 6-step model: Medical students’ views from an exploratory questionnaire study

Abstract Purpose Pharmacotherapy is a core competence for physicians and case-based learning is a valuable teaching method for developing this competence. This study explored medical students’ views on structuring pharmacotherapeutic education around either the Prescribing Optimi...

Collaborative play in a mentalisation-based serious game for adults with intellectual disabilities

BACKGROUND: People with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities often struggle with mentalising and stress regulation because of developmental delays. Mentalisation-based serious games offer an accessible, engaging way to support them. Adding collaborative play may further e...

Introducing shrubs enhances the representation of high-latitude vegetation and carbon cycling in the ORCHIDEE land surface model

Arctic–Boreal terrestrial ecosystems are rapidly changing under amplified high-latitude warming, including widespread expansion of shrubs, with consequences for regional carbon and energy balances. Yet, high-latitude vegetation diversity and vegetation–climate interactions remain...

A systematic scoping review identifying effective virtual reality stress tasks inducing physiological reactivity for future wearables validation

Abstract Efficient and ecologically sound validation of wearables remains a major challenge in stress research. Virtual reality (VR) could support this by providing standardized, immersive stress induction, but the field lacks a comprehensive and exhaustive overview of which VR t...

Mental disorders, service use, and perceived treatment need among college students after the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of social connection: an epidemiological study

Abstract Background College students affected by mental disorders can be very impaired; yet, treatment rates remain low. The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtably posed strain on students, limiting their social life, which is an important determinant of health. However, recent estimates...

Practice variation in hospital care for pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence: an analysis of specialists’ expectations, cross-sectional claims data, and the role of clinical guidelines

Abstract Background Pelvic floor disorders, specifically pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence, are highly prevalent conditions that exhibit substantial practice variation. This study aims to examine the relationship between clinical practice guidelines and practice vari...

The role of selective attention in value-modulated attentional capture

Abstract Stimuli that reliably predict reward can increase their capacity to capture attention. This value-modulated attentional capture (VMAC) is typically viewed as independent of task goals or physical salience, arising from associative learning. However, recent evidence sugge...

The effect of a Dutch early language intervention on children's oral language skills: a cluster randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Early oral language skills are crucial for children's later academic and social development, yet systematic support for oral language development remains limited in Dutch primary education. The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) has proven effective in improv...

Associations of frailty and COVID-19 severity with long-term health outcomes of COVID-19 among older people

To investigate whether frailty and COVID-19 severity are associated with long-term health outcomes of COVID-19 in older people. In this cohort study, older people aged ≥ 70 years with COVID-19 between January 2020 and December 2021 were invited for follow-up. Participants were re...

Astrocytic Resource Diffusion Stabilizes Persistent Activity in Neural Fields

Abstract. Persistent neural activity underlying working memory requires sustained synaptic transmission, yet the metabolic and neurotransmitter support provided by astrocyte networks is largely absent from spatially extended neural circuit models. We introduce a coupled astrocyte...

Low Postoperative Cholesterol Level Is Associated with Adverse Outcomes After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Low cholesterol levels have been linked to severe illness, including sepsis. This study evaluated whether early postoperative cholesterol levels are associated with adverse outcomes in patients after elective Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting with extracorporeal circulation. This r...

The Role and Assessment of Lipid Profile in Patients With a Chronic Total Coronary Occlusion

ABSTRACT Adequate lipid management is a crucial component in the treatment of chronic coronary syndromes, a group of conditions that also encompasses patients with chronic total coronary occlusions (CTOs). Importantly, atherosclerotic progression may be especially rapid in patien...

Artificial Intelligence–Based Detection of ARIA on MRI During Alzheimer Disease Therapy: Expert Opinion on Responsible Clinical Integration

Amyloid-targeted monoclonal antibody therapies have introduced a new era in the treatment of early Alzheimer disease. However, their use has increased the importance of detecting and monitoring amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) on MRI, as such findings may influence tr...

Desire for group supremacy: the role of social dominance orientation for social policy attitudes

Abstract A key concern in the social policy literature is to understand the causes of support for – but also opposition to – egalitarian and inclusive policies and for political parties that champion such policies. While objective socio-economic factors such as class and gender h...

The Transition of Youth With Diabetes From Pediatric to Adult Diabetes Care Services: A Consensus Report of the Joint Working Group of the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD), the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), and the American Diabetes Association (ADA)

Young adulthood is a period of significant and unique physiological, psychological, sexual, and social upheaval. Related challenges can have an impact on effective diabetes self-management, with high rates of unplanned health care use recorded for many, and consequent increases i...

Annual Research Review: Sex differences in conduct disorder – revisiting existing evidence and exploring future directions

Conduct disorder (CD) is a common psychiatric disorder in youth, characterized by severe and recurrent aggressive and antisocial behaviors and associated with substantial healthcare and societal costs. Rates of CD increase during adolescence in both sexes, with the male‐to‐female...

3D ultrasonography reveals a twisted proximal aponeurosis within the biceps femoris long head

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to characterize three-dimensional course and orientation of the proximal aponeurosis of the biceps femoris long head (BFlh) and examine whether local aponeurosis orientations vary with knee-joint angle and relate to fascicle architecture under pa...

Participation builds trust, not framing: insights from a national energy-transition experiment

Institutional trust is a critical determinant of public cooperation in the energy transition, yet little is known about how different framings of government communication influence trust in practice. This study reports results from a large-scale national experiment (N ≈ 3000) emb...