Decrease In Stress Levels Research Articles

Effect of health education program on knowledge, stress, and satisfaction among infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization injection

Abstract Background Stress and dissatisfaction are common issues among patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). The process of IVF can be emotionally and psychologically challenging, leading to stress, anxiety, and depression in patients. This can be exacerbated by factors such as the length of infertility, the uncertainty of the outcome, and the financial burden of treatment. Additionally, the physical demands of the treatment, the side effects of medication, and the fear of failure can contribute to dissatisfaction and emotional strain in IVF patients. This pre-post intervention study design aimed to evaluate the effect of a health education program on knowledge, stress, and satisfaction among 100 infertile women undergoing IVF attending the Woman’s Health Hospital’s infertility outpatient clinic and IVF unit at Assiut University. Knowledge and stress were measured by women’s knowledge about IVF and the perceived stress scale, respectively. The satisfaction was measured using the Scale of Patient Satisfaction about IVF. Results There is a marked improvement in the knowledge of infertile women, with a significant reduction in their stress levels after the health education program. Furthermore, the satisfaction scores of the women who participated in the program improved significantly. Conclusion The health education program demonstrated a positive impact on knowledge, stress levels, and satisfaction among infertile women undergoing IVF. These findings highlight the positive impact of the program on the participants and emphasize the importance of continuous educational programs regarding IVF to improve knowledge, decrease stress levels, and increase their overall satisfaction with the treatment.

The Impact of Aromatherapy Gelatin Cold Compresses on the Concentration Level of Students in the Covid-19 Pandemic Online Class.

Stressful circumstances presented by the Covid-19 pandemic led to reduced levels of study concentration among students, and these conditions had been linked with dopamine levels. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of aromatherapy gelatin cold compress in increasing the study concentration of students by decreasing stress levels and elevating dopamine levels during the Covid-19 pandemic online class. The study participants consisted of 42 students, who were selected using the simple random sampling method. Subsequently, the participants were comparably divided into control and treatment groups. Compress intervention was given to the treatment group on the forehead for 10 min before studying online. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Stroop test were then used to determine stress and concentration levels of the students, respectively. The catecholamine fractionated urine was used to measure dopamine levels. Analysis was carried out using Paired T-test and Independent T-test with α = 0.05 and CI = 95%. The mean value of the VAS before and after treatment was 5.81 ± 2.48 and 5.28 ± 2.61 in the control (p = 0.205), as well as 6.28 ± 1.62 and 4.38 ± 1.89 in the treatment group (p = 0.000). The mean interference score of the Stroop test before and after treatment was 13.16 ± 1.05 and 13.22 ± 1.31 among the controls (p = 0.947), while 13.35 ± 6.94 and 8.92 ± 5.91 were recorded in the treatment group (p = 0.000). The average dopamine levels before and after the intervention were 145.50 ± 7.94 mg/mL and 146.65 ± 8.23 mg/mL creatinine among the controls (p = 0.542), while 145.35 ± 1.03 mg/mL and 265.18 ± 1.27 mg/mL creatinine were obtained in the treatment group (p = 0.01). Furthermore, the results showed that the creatinine levels were within the normal ranges. The Independent T-test of stress, concentration, and dopamine levels obtained p = 0.024, p = 0.010, and p = 0.090, respectively. Aromatherapy gelatin cold compress was effective in increasing study concentration by decreasing stress levels and increasing dopamine levels during the Covid-19 pandemic online class.

Exploring the sustained impact of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program: a thematic analysis.

This study aimed to explore the time-varying impact of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, specifically examining its effects on various variables 3 months, 1 year, and 3 years after program completion. Additionally, the study aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators in maintaining mindfulness practice over time and the preferred mindfulness practices among participants in three distinct time groups. The study utilized a qualitative research design, conducting semi-structured interviews with 45 participants who had completed the 8-week MBSR program at different time points. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the qualitative data obtained from the interviews, allowing for the identification of key themes and patterns. The findings revealed that the effectiveness of the MBSR program varied at different times and across different variables. Immediately after completing the program, participants experienced a significant decrease in stress levels and an increase in awareness. One year later, the program continued to have positive effects on inner calm, coping mechanisms, and relationships. Three years after completing the program, its long-term impact was observed in the adoption of a mindful lifestyle, increased compassion and kindness, and ongoing personal growth. The study highlights the transformative potential of the MBSR program beyond short-term symptom relief. The long-term effects observed in overall wellbeing emphasize the sustained efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions. The identified barriers and facilitators in maintaining mindfulness practice provide insights for program implementation and individual engagement. By understanding the long-term impact and preferences of participants, tailored interventions can be developed to maximize the benefits of the MBSR program for individuals over time.

Participation in an indigenous Amazonian-led ayahuasca retreat associated with increases in nature relatedness – a pilot study

Indigenous Amazonian shamanic ayahuasca practice is embedded in a nature-based context and is employed as an ecological mediating agent and in collective environmental decision-making processes by some of the groups that use it. Phenomenologically, the ayahuasca experience is often rich in nature-based themes and content, and its usage has been associated with eliciting shifts in perspectives and attitudes towards nature. In this proof-of-concept study, participation in an ayahuasca retreat in a traditional Indigenous Amazonian context (with a mean of 6.31 ceremonies attended) was associated with significant increases in nature relatedness directly following ayahuasca retreats as assessed via the Short form Nature Relatedness Scale (NR-6) and The Extended Inclusion of Nature in Self scale (EINS), and improvements in depression and stress as assessed via the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were also found, but not on the anxiety subscale. Furthermore, a significant negative correlation with moderate effect size was found between changes in nature-relatedness and stress, suggesting that an increase in nature relatedness is associated with decreased stress levels after attending Amazonian ayahuasca retreats in our sample. It is currently unclear if the changes seen were due to consumption of the ayahuasca brew, participation in ceremony, or the retreat setting itself. Although this pilot study suggests a potential therapeutic role for Amazonian ayahuasca retreats as a multidimensional intervention, further work is required to assess the role of possible mediators underlying such shifts, while evaluating to what extent these are sustained for long term.

Therapeutic potential of Anacyclus pyrethrum aqueous extract in managing Clonazepam withdrawal in rats

The management of benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome is challenging, and there is currently no consensus on the optimal treatment approach. Our study aims to investigate the possible effect of the aqueous extract of Anacyclus pyrethrum (AEAP) on Clonazepam dependence in rats via the measurement of oxidative stress, behavioral and biochemical changes. Dependence was induced by chronic administration of Clonazepam for 30 days, then AEAP was administered orally to rats. Withdrawal syndrome was assessed employing the conditioned place preference test, behavioral tests, and biochemical assays. Oxidative stress was evaluated by measuring levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The percentage of open-arm entries, time spent in open arms decreased, and immobility time increased significantly among the Clonazepam-dependent group from the preconditioning to withdrawal phase (p < 0.001). The cortisol level was higher among Clonazepam group, the MDA increased, and CAT and SOD measurements demonstrated a notable decrease in the Clonazepam withdrawal group. AEAP administration at a dose of 200 mg/kg significantly alleviated anxiety and depression-like behaviors and led to a substantial decrease in oxidative stress levels during Clonazepam withdrawal, demonstrating the beneficial impact of AEAP. The use of Anacyclus pyrethrum may provide a novel therapeutic approach for managing the adverse effects of Clonazepam dependence by targeting oxidative stress.

Effects of Psychosocial Intervention on the Level of Stress: A Pre-ExperimentalResearchonSchoolChildrenWho Experienced Displacement in Marawi City, Philippines

Armed conflicts have a profound impact on the psychosocial well-being of children, particularly those belonging to the most vulnerable displaced groups. Understanding and addressing the psychosocial needs of these children is of paramount importance. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a psychosocial intervention in mitigating stress levels among school-aged children displaced from their homes within the conflict zone of Marawi City.Methods:Employing a pre-experimental design with a single group and utilizing a pre-post-test approach, 38 displaced children aged 7-12 were selected based on specified criteria. The participants underwent a 13-session psychosocial intervention guided by predetermined criteria. Data were collected using three questionnaires encompassing personal and socio-demographic details (part 1), an adapted children's stress symptom scale (part 2), and an assessment of children's emotions before and after the psychosocial interventions (part 3). Results:The results demonstrated a statistically significant difference between pre-test and post-test stress levels among the displaced children who participated in the psychosocial intervention. Conclusion:Participation in various psychosocial interventions was associated with a significant decrease in displacement-related stress levels among the children. This underscores the potential effectiveness of targeted psychosocial interventions in ameliorating the stress experienced by displaced children. Recommendation:Future research endeavors should focus on further enhancing therapeutic approaches tailored to the unique needs of displaced children, particularly those susceptible to the adverse effects of stress. Aconcerted effort is needed to develop and implement interventions that can comprehensively address the psychosocial well-being of children affected by armed conflicts and displacement.

Perceived Stress and Sources of Stress among University Academics During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Perceived stress is the feelings or thoughts that an individual has about how much stress they are under at a given point in time or over a given time period. Higher education is of paramount importance to the country as universities are the places where knowledge is created through research and invention. To preserve the continuous smooth flow of knowledge creation and dissemination, lecturers play a vital role in the system. Therefore, their mental condition becomes a crucial factor, as stress can lead to various negative consequences. Even though university academics are knowledgeable, many tend to express feelings of experiencing stress in day-to-day life. As there is limited research conducted on the perceived stress among university academics oftwo state universities, this research could bridge the knowledge gap that exists in this regard. The research aims to investigate the perceived stress levels of university academics. The main theoretical framework of this study consisted of the theory of stress and coping developed by Lazarus and Folkman. The study population was comprised of two reputed state universities in Sri Lanka. Of the population of 813 lecturers, a sample of 262 was selected. It was selected to have a confidence level of 95% that the real value is within ±5% of the measured/surveyed value. Seven faculties from each university were selected for this study, and 131 academics from each university were randomly selected to be participants. Although the questionnaire was sent to 262 participants, only 50 of them responded. Convenience sampling was used as the technique for sample selection. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is the most widely used psychological instrument for measuring the perception of stress, and it was used as the instrument in the study. The primary data were gathered through the distribution of questionnaires as Google forms, mainly due to the disturbances in the country. Secondary material was gathered through books and other published research articles. By analysing the gathered data through SPSS, the researcher identified that 96% of the participants suffer from moderate to high stress. This is concerning as they are required to be mentally and physically strong in order to maintain the smooth flow of knowledge creation and dissemination. Some of the participants are engaged in different activities as solutions to stress. However, only 7% of them are engaged in relaxation exercises as a way of coping with stress. This could be mainly due to a lack of awareness regarding the benefits of relaxation exercises. As a researcher, it is important to reiterate the importance of the awareness of perceived stress and the employment of different mechanisms for decreasing stress levels for the betterment of one’s well-being.

Examining the Factors Influencing the Stress Levels in Families of Children with Autism

This study examines the influence of coping strategies, social support systems and family resilience levels on the perceived stress levels of Turkish families of children with autism. The sample of this cross-sectional study consists of 213 mothers and 87 fathers of children diagnosed with autism. Perceived Stress Scale, Coping Styles Scale Short Form, Revised Parent Social Support Scale and Family Resilience Scale Turkish Forms were used. In the analysis of the data, the normal distribution was examined and used in multiple regression analysis techniques for predicting the dependent variable based on the independent variables to understand the relationship between dependent and independent variables. Regression analysis revealed that the number of children and diagnosis age of the child with autism positively affect the family stress level. All of these variables explained 14% of the total variance. One of the most important findings of this study is that the stress levels of mothers were found to be higher than fathers. Parents' age, education, income level, number in the birth order of child with autism, time of autism noticed, active and passive coping methods and family resiliency negatively affected family stress level. In addition, further study is needed to investigate psychosocial interventions that decrease stress levels and facilitate active coping strategies among families who have children with autism.

Influence of free water on compressive fatigue properties of ECC

Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) with strain hardening characteristics have potential applications in hydraulic structures subjected to repeated or fatigue loads. In order to clarify the effect of free water on the compressive fatigue performance of ECC, the compressive fatigue tests of dry, saturated and water-submerged ECC under different stress levels were carried out. The failure mode and S-N curve of ECC were determined, and the fatigue life of ECC decreased in turn under dry, saturated, and water-submerged conditions. The strain rate of the second stage of ECC compression fatigue increases with the increase of water content and stress level. The failure strain of ECC fatigue increases with the decrease of stress level, and the fatigue failure strain of saturated and immersed specimens is larger than that of dry specimens at the same stress level. In addition, the stress level-fatigue failure strain (P-S-ε) equation considering the failure probability is established. To improve the credibility of this equation, the confidence γ is considered, and the γ-P-S-ε curves of all samples are obtained, which can predict the fatigue failure strain of ECC at a specific stress level.

Effect of Arginine and Citrulline Supplements on Cardiovascular Health and Sports Activities: A Narrative Review on Indian Perspective

The use of nutritional supplements (NS) for improving sports performance and health has become popular, and Citrulline and Arginine are the most frequently used supplements in these fields. The global market for dietary supplements has had consistent growth in sales in the last decades. More than half of the individuals use dietary supplement extensively. Present systematic review aims to understand the role of dietary arginine and Citrulline supplements for cardiovascular health and sports performance. The complicated connection between the control of hemodynamic and overall homeostasis and Citrulline and Arginine have been established. Citrulline and Arginine play important role in protecting skeletal as well as health of cardiac muscles and structural integrity and also are involved in many metabolic processes. Arginine has successfully mediated the release of the synthesis of creatinine growth hormone, which significantly increases strength and muscle mass. Also, Arginine is necessary to produce nitric oxide, which promotes skeletal muscle growth and also enhances vascular function. Overall, arginine supplements have a reasonable positive effect on the health of the heart, muscles and bones, as well as on maintaining and escalate exercise capacity. On the other hand, Citrulline can possibly converted into Arginine in many cell types and can effectively make up shortages of Arginine and nitric oxide in various pathological and physiological circumstances. Moreover, Citrulline helps to detoxify ammonia while decreasing stress levels and fatigue and promoting performance of exercise. In order to increase and enhance human athletic activities, both arginine and Citrulline are required

Influence of the load frequency and moisture content on fatigue deterioration of high‐strength concrete

AbstractWith the expansion of offshore wind energy systems, the number of fatigue‐loaded concrete structures exposed to high moisture contents has significantly increased in the last decades. Investigations in the literature show a strong reduction of fatigue resistance with increasing moisture content of the concrete. However, a detailed quantified understanding of the influence of the moisture content and the underlying damage mechanisms is still lacking. In a conjoint project as part of the priority program SPP 2020 funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), the water‐induced fatigue damage are investigated. In this paper, the results of compressive fatigue testes on high‐strength specimens with different moisture contents are presented. The cyclical loading was carried out at three different load frequencies and maximum stress levels, respectively. The results show that the damaging effect due to fatigue loading at high moisture content is more pronounced with decreasing stress levels and decreasing frequencies. Considering the strain development and acoustic emissions the results indicate that different damage mechanisms are acting with increasing moisture content of concrete. These mechanisms are elaborated in this paper.

Senam Pagi Sebagai Upaya Meningkatkan Kebugaran dan Interaksi Sosial Masyarakat Desa Asrikaton Kabupaten Malang

Morning exercise is a physical activity that has long been known to have positive benefits for individual health. This study aims to investigate the effects of a morning exercise program on the fitness and social interaction of the community in Asrikaton Village, Malang Regency, Indonesia. The study actively involved the participation of villagers of various age groups. The morning exercise program was conducted regularly every day and assisted by experienced instructors in the field. During the research period, health and familial data were collected through surveys, observations, and interviews with morning exercise participants. Observations by the KKM group from UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang showed that the majority of morning exercise participants were aged 25-39 years, and most residents of Asrikaton Village exercised only once a week. The morning exercise program had a significant positive impact on the physical and mental health of the Asrikaton Village community. There was a notable increase in physical fitness, a decrease in stress levels, and an improvement in the sense of togetherness, social interaction, and family relationships. Participation in morning exercise also contributed to raising awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, morning exercise serves not only as an effort to improve public health but also helps strengthen family ties through social interaction within the Asrikaton Village community. This research provides a strong foundation to support and encourage morning exercise activities in rural communities as part of broader health and community-building efforts.,

Perceived schedule flexibility in the context of telework and its impact on stress and satisfaction with family life: the mediation effect of the family-work conflict

PurposeThe experience of working from home, which people had to deal with in the aftermath of the global pandemic crisis, was a test of resilience and does not necessarily have to be analysed in a negative light. In this sense, this study aims to analyse the impact of the perceived schedule flexibility, in the context of telework, on stress and satisfaction with family life among academic staff. To this end, a model was implemented to analyse the mediation role of family–work conflict.Design/methodology/approachData was collected from 248 questionnaires presented to educators and office staff at universities when teleworking was initiated due to the pandemic confinement. Structural equation analysis was designed to test the study hypotheses.FindingsBy applying a model which uses the effect of mediation of the family–work conflict, the results revealed that the perception of flexibility resulting from telework influences stress at work, as well as satisfaction with family life among academic staff.Originality/valueThere is a need to study the conditions required in the implementation of telework. This study is specifically intended to deepen some of the findings of previous studies in this area and to provide a greater understanding of how perceived flexibility can contribute to a decrease in stress and higher levels of satisfaction by reducing family interference with work.

Impact of Physical Activity Programs on Job-Related Stress among Healthcare Personnel

Introduction: Stress is a prevalent issue among healthcare workers, impacting their mental health, job satisfaction, and the quality of care provided to patients. Physical activity is recognized as a potential intervention for reducing stress, but its effectiveness specifically within healthcare settings remains underexplored. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the impact of physical activity programs on job-related stress among healthcare workers, synthesizing the latest evidence to guide clinical practice and policy. Methods: A comprehensive search of electronic databases, including PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science, was conducted for studies published up to 2022. The review focused on interventional studies and clinical trials that assessed the effectiveness of physical activity interventions in reducing occupational stress among healthcare workers. Only articles published in English were considered. Inclusion criteria targeted randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, and controlled before-and after studies that reported quantitative outcomes on stress levels. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed, and data extraction focused on intervention details, sample sizes, and stress outcome measures. Results: Twelve studies were included, with sample sizes ranging from 20 to 200 participants. Interventions varied from structured exercise programs and aerobic exercises to yoga and mindfulness-based physical activities. The review found significant reductions in occupational stress, with risk ratios of interventions indicating a 10% to 30% decrease in stress levels. Aerobic and mindfulness-based activities were particularly effective, demonstrating a notable impact on reducing stress among healthcare workers. Conclusions: The systematic review provides strong evidence that physical activity interventions can significantly reduce occupational stress among healthcare workers. Given the variability in intervention effectiveness, healthcare institutions should consider implementing tailored physical activity programs as part of their employee wellness strategies.

Impact of an After-School Club on Elementary Students’ and Staff Members’ Physical Activity Levels, Mood Levels, and Stress Levels

Guided by the conceptual framework of the Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP), the purpose of this study was to determine if a walking club after school for teachers and students increased physical activity levels, reduced stress, and improved mood. The participants were 51 (67% male, 33% female) fourth- to eighth-grade students and eight staff members at a charter school in the Southwest United States, along with nine comparison teachers. They participated in an 8-week after-school walking/running club twice a week for 45 min. Participants wore a pedometer and completed validated instruments to assess stress levels and mood. Descriptive statistics were performed. Group differences were explored with t tests. Overall, the average number of steps during the 13 school days for students was 7,657 (SD = 2,661). The after-school program added an additional 2,585 (SD = 699) steps to their day. Staff members were less active at school with 5,896.33 (SD = 2,617) steps, but equally or more active in the after-school program with 3,063 (SD = 331) steps. The t-test results were significant, showing students and teachers reported less stress at the end of the program. Only staff members completed the mood instrument, and there were significantly more positive mood indicators and fewer negative mood indicators at the posttest. Comparison teachers had similar steps at school. Because the intervention group of teachers reported more stress at pretest, their decreased stress values were similar to the comparison teachers at posttest. Participating in an after-school walking/running club can increase daily physical activity, decrease stress levels, and improve overall mood, specifically, if teachers want to feel more interested and inspired and less distressed, irritable, and nervous.

79 The Effects of Mobile Based Resonant Frequency Breathing on Cognitive Performance in Healthy Young Adults with Elevated Stress

Objective:Finding effective, innovative, and accessible methods of coping with and mitigating stress has been increasingly relevant in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. To do so, it is important to understand the impact of acute stress responses on cognition, behavior, and emotional functioning. The young adult population in particular has been known to show higher levels of stress. Studies have shown that deep breathing interventions are associated with improved affect, decreased stress levels, and improved cognitive functioning. The autonomic nervous system, particularly the functioning of the vagus nerve, has been thought to be a key mechanism in the effect of breathing on stress and mood. Most studies to date investigating the efficacy of breathing practices in stress reduction and mood improvement have lacked appropriate methodology, including adequate control groups, randomization, and cross-sectional designs. This single-blind, randomized, waitlist-controlled study investigated the feasibility of using a mobile application to train in resonance frequency breathing and its efficacy in reducing stress and improving cognitive functioning in a non-clinical sample of young adults with elevated stress.Participants and Methods:80 healthy young adults with elevated stress levels were recruited from the NY/NJ community and the Queens College undergraduate research subject pool. Inclusion criteria: ages 18-29, Perceived Stress Scale score >13. Exclusion criteria: regular (at least 3 times per week) practice of any form of meditation, yoga, or breathing exercise; severe medical or psychiatric disorder; active suicidal ideation; drug or alcohol abuse within the past year; use of medication with a known negative impact on cognition or autonomic nervous system (ANS) arousal. Participants were randomized to a waitlist control group or breathing group. Participants in the breathing group were instructed to complete 10-minute breathing sessions using the free mobile application “The Breathing App” twice a day for five days per week for four weeks. Cognitive assessments were administered over the phone (pre and post-treatment) and self-report measures were completed online due to quarantine restrictions.Results:There were no significant main effects of group across any of the neuropsychological variables, including verbal memory, letter fluency, category fluency, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, basic attention span, and working memory. This indicated that breathing training did not significantly impact neuropsychological performance. Mediation analysis also demonstrated that breathing training did not indirectly lead to improvement in basic attention, processing speed, working memory, set-shifting, verbal fluency, category fluency, or cognitive flexibility, through its effects on stress reduction.Conclusions:These results do not support literature suggesting that breathing at resonance frequency is associated with improved cognitive functioning such as greater cognitive flexibility, improved decision-making, stronger response inhibition, faster processing speed, and increased working memory. Future study designs should consider implementing active control groups (e.g., mindfulness meditation) and differential dosages of the breathing treatment.

Open source automated insulin delivery systems: experience of russian patients

Open source closed loop automated insulin delivery (CL-AID) systems are increasingly used in the treatment of diabetes. Not being officially approved, such systems are used by patients on their own initiative. Accordingly, the medical community has very little information about the treatment satisfaction and needs of patients that use these systems. We conducted an anonymous internet survey of Russian users of open source CL-AID systems. Ninety-five respondents reported using AndroidAPS (60%), FreeAPS X (16.6%), Loop (10.5%), FreeAPS (5.3%), OpenAPS (3.2%), and Omnia (2.1%). The duration of use of the systems ranged from 0.1 to 6 years (median 2.1 years). The mean HbA1c in users was 6.1% v.s. 7.3% on previous therapy. Most respondents reported an increase in Time in Range (88%), a decrease in the number of hypoglycemic episodes (73%), an improvement in the sleep quality (76%), general well-being (73%), social adaptation (56%) and self-confidence (69%), as well as a decrease in stress levels (56%) after switching to the systems. Ninety (94%) survey participants reported increase in the treatment satisfaction. The majority of respondents (68%) consider themselves advanced gadget users. However, 79% of them had technical difficulties when setting up the system for the first time, 46% had difficulty understanding the settings of the algorithm / program, and 35% spent a lot of effort studying the system. Support from the attending physician was reported by 27% of respondents, 35% noted the neutral attitude to the use of the system, and in 18% of cases the doctor was not aware of its use. All respondents, with the exception of two who found it difficult to answer, plan to continue using the system. Thus, from the patient's point of view, open source CL-AID systems have a positive effect on glycemic control and quality of life. The medical community should pay more attention to the needs of patients using these systems in treatment.

Impact of regular cold exposure on electrical skin resistance in patients with joint degenerative diseases.

Common features in chronic inflammatory disease patients (CIDP) are inflammation, mental stress (MS), and autonomic nervous system imbalance. Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) exposure and regular physical exercise are known to regulate these features. In this study, we assessed the impact of regular physical exercise and the use of WBC exposure in CIDP on the level of electrical skin resistance (SR) to evaluate the skin sympathetic nervous activity and and estimate MS levels. SR was evaluated before and after a 10-day-period of daily physical exercise preceded or not by WBC (3 min at -110°C) in two groups of 134 CIDP (WBC vs. non-WBC groups). At baseline, the number of severe MS patients was similar in both groups. However, after the training period, the number of severe MS patients significantly decreased in the WBC group, only. An increase in SR (a decrease in stress level) was noted in the WBC group only, and such increase was higher in men than in women and in patients younger than 60 versus patients older than 60 years old. The use of daily WBC combined with physical exercise induced physiological adaptations and lowered the sympathetic nervous activity that may reflect a reduced level of MS in CIDP. These adaptations seem to depend on gender and age.

Impact of Variation in Commissural Angle between Fused Leaflets in the Functionally Bicuspid Aortic Valve on Hemodynamics and Tissue Biomechanics.

In subjects with functionally bicuspid aortic valves (BAVs) with fusion between the coronary leaflets, there is a natural variation of the commissural angle. What is not fully understood is how this variation influences the hemodynamics and tissue biomechanics. These variables may influence valvar durability and function, both in the native valve and following repair, and influence ongoing aortic dilation. A 3D aortic valvar model was reconstructed from a patient with a normal trileaflet aortic valve using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations were used to compare the effects of the varying commissural angles between the non-coronary with its adjacent coronary leaflet. The results showed that the BAV with very asymmetric commissures (120∘ degree commissural angle) reduces the aortic opening area during peak systole and with a jet that impacts on the right posterior wall proximally of the ascending aorta, giving rise to elevated wall shear stress. This manifests in a shear layer with a retrograde flow and strong swirling towards the fused leaflet side. In contrast, a more symmetrical commissural angle (180∘ degree commissural angle) reduces the jet impact on the posterior wall and leads to a linear decrease in stress and strain levels in the non-fused non-coronary leaflet. These findings highlight the importance of considering the commissural angle in the progression of aortic valvar stenosis, the regional distribution of stresses and strain levels experienced by the leaflets which may predispose to valvar deterioration, and progression in thoracic aortic dilation in patients with functionally bicuspid aortic valves. Understanding the hemodynamics and biomechanics of the functionally bicuspid aortic valve and its variation in structure may provide insight into predicting the risk of aortic valve dysfunction and thoracic aortic dilation, which could inform clinical decision making and potentially lead to improved aortic valvar surgical outcomes.

Effectiveness of Digital and Analog Stress Management Interventions within Occupational Health Management in the Public Sector

Stress increases among the working population in Germany. Workplace stress management interventions are therefore becoming increasingly important, especially in the public sector, which has a higher structural risk for work-related stress than other organizations. Currently, face-to-face formats dominate, but promising digital offerings are being developed. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a stress management intervention as a face-to-face and self-guided digital format, referring to the Job Demands-Resources Model. The preregistered study applied a randomized control group design in which N = 65 public service employees were assigned to face-to-face training, an online course, or waitlist control group. Participants completed online questionnaires before the intervention, shortly after the intervention, and six weeks later. Although trends for reductions in emotional exhaustion and perceived stress were evident among the intervention groups, mixed analyses of variance showed no interaction effects between the time and group on the outcomes. The main effects showed a significant decrease in stress levels regardless of the group and significant differences between intervention groups, with the online course reporting the lowest stress level. The results indicate that digital and analog stress management interventions can have desired effects within occupational health management. However, many unpredictable events (e.g., illness, vacation during the intervention) seem to influence the effectiveness in the workplace setting, and so further research is needed.