Daily Duration Research Articles

α2-adrenoblockers modulatory effect on the noise-mediated several biochemical and morpho-immuno-histochemical changes in the rat's blood plasma and tissues.

Experimental studies of chronic noise exposure in modern urban life testified about oxidative stress due to the corresponding hormones effects leading to accumulation of reactive oxygen species and endothelial dysfunction. This study aims to evaluate the protective effect of α2-adrenoblockers to modulate oxidative stress and corticosterone levels due to chronic noise exposure. To achieve this, we examined the effects of beditin (2-aminothiozolyl-1,4-benzodioxane) and mesedin (2-(2-methyl-amino-thiozolyl)-1,4-benzodioxane hydrochloride), along with changes in corticosterone, Ca2 + content, and morphological alterations in various tissues under noise-induced stress. Beyond this, detection of immune-reactivity and proliferation of Galarmin-containing cells in adrenals, and isolation of the total fractions of superoxide-producing associate from the rat liver under noise exposure and the beditin and mesedin actions on them were pertinent. Experiments were provided on the albino female rats divided into four groups: (1) control, (2) noise-exposed, (3) noise-exposed and beditin-injected (2mg/kg, i.p.), and (4) noise-exposed and mesedin-injected (10mg/kg, i.p.) animals. The noise exposure was of 91 dBA noise on 60days with a daily duration of 8h. For the first time, the total fractions of superoxide-containing associates were separated from the cell membranes of the rat liver tissue under the chronic noise stress conditions and the regulative effects of the α2-adrenoblockers. Increased 45Ca2+ and decreased corticosterone levels in the mentioned tissues, as well as dystrophic changes, were observed under the chronic noise exposure. Prominently, α2-adrenoblockers showed antioxidant effects, modulating pathological shifts of the noise-induced stress.

Household waste-specific ambient air shows greater inhalable antimicrobial resistance risks in densely populated communities.

Household waste is a hotspot of antibiotic resistance, which can be readily emitted to the ambient airborne inhalable particulate matters (PM10) during the day-long storage in communities. Nevertheless, whether these waste-specific inhalable antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are associated with pathogenic bacteria or pose hazards to local residents have yet to be explored. By high-throughput metagenomic sequencing and culture-based antibiotic resistance validation, we analyzed 108 airborne PM10 and nearby environmental samples collected across different types of residential communities in Shanghai, the most populous city in China. Compared to the cold-dry period, the warm-humid season had significantly larger PM10-associated antibiotic resistomes in all types of residential communities (T-test, P < 0.001), most of airborne ARGs in which were estimatedly originated from disposed household waste (∼ 30%). In addition, the airborne bacteria were assembled in a deterministic approach (iCAMP, P<0.01), where the waste-specific bacteria taxa including Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, and Kocuria had the predominant niches in the airborne microbial assemblages. Notably, these waste-sourced bacteria were also identified as the primary airborne hosts of ARGs encoding the aminoglycoside resistances. Among them, some antibiotic resistant human pathogens, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, not only exhibited higher ARG horizontal gene transfer (HGT) potential across the microbial assemblages, but also imposed direct infection risks on the local residents by 2min inhalation exposure per day. When the daily exposure duration increased to 11min, the infection-induced illness burden became unignorably high, especially in densely populated urban communities, being twofold greater than rural areas.

Irregular sleep/wake patterns in student-athletes exposed to early morning training

ABSTRACT This study aimed to examine the sleep parameters and sleep/wake regularity of a cohort of student-athletes who start training between 06:30 and 07:00. Twenty-one male Rugby Union players, aged 21 ± 2 years and competing at a national level, were assessed using actigraphy over two weeks, and the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ). Sleep/wake regularity was calculated using the Sleep Regularity Index (SRI). Wilcoxon signed-rank tests showed that nocturnal sleep preceding morning training had a significantly shorter sleep duration (1.8 hr, r = .67), and advanced sleep onset (0.9 hr, r = .50) and sleep offset times (3.2 hr, r = .85) compared to nocturnal sleep preceding free days. The variability of training demands resulted in an inconsistent sleep pattern between consecutive days, resulting in a median SRI score of 67.0 (interquartile range: 17.0). Pearson correlations revealed that lower SRI was significantly associated with a higher daily sleep duration including naps (r = -.62), delayed sleep onset (r = -.50) and sleep offset (r = -.60), and a later chronotype assessed using the ASSQ (r = .52). These findings indicate that early morning training is a factor contributing to irregular sleep/wake patterns in student-athletes, and where feasible should be scheduled at an alternative time.

Transients by Black Hole Formation from Red Supergiants: Impact of Dense Circumstellar Matter

Abstract Failed supernovae (SNe), which are likely the main channel for forming stellar-mass black holes, are predicted to accompany mass ejections much weaker than typical core-collapse SNe. We conduct a grid of one-dimensional radiation hydrodynamical simulations to explore the emission of failed SNe from red supergiant progenitors, leveraging recent understanding of the weak explosion and the dense circumstellar matter (CSM) surrounding these stars. We find from these simulations and semianalytical modeling that diffusion in the CSM prolongs the early emission powered by shock breakout/cooling. The early emission has peak luminosities of ~107–108 L ⊙ in optical and UV and durations of days to weeks. The presence of dense CSM aids in the detection of the early bright peak from these events via near-future wide-field surveys such as Rubin Observatory, ULTRASAT, and UVEX.

Optimal outpatient training for resident physicians’ general medicine in-training examination score: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundOutpatient training for resident physicians has been attracting attention in recent years. However, to our knowledge, there have only been a few surveys on outpatient training, particularly in Japan. This study evaluates outpatient care among Japanese resident physicians by determining how the volume of outpatient encounters and length of outpatient training correlate with residents’ clinical competence.MethodsThis study utilised the results of the General Medicine In-Training Examination (GM-ITE; resident clinical competency assessment) for 2,554 post-graduate year 2 (PGY 2) resident physicians in Japan, as well as a self-reported questionnaire regarding their educational training environments conducted after the examination. We investigated whether GM-ITE scores correlated with daily outpatient volume and duration of outpatient training.ResultsRegarding outpatient volume, having 1–5 new patient encounters per day was significantly associated with higher GM-ITE scores by multilevel analysis [0 patients: average score 43.7, 1–5 patients: adjusted estimated coefficient (aEC) 1.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.44 to 3.55, P = 0.01]. Regarding the duration of outpatient training, residents trained for one month had the highest GM-ITE scores (one month: average score 46.9; two months: aEC -1.44, 95% CI -2.29 to -0.60, P < 0.001; three months: aEC -1.44, 95% CI -2.22 to -0.65, P < 0.001).ConclusionMinimal daily new outpatient visits and one month of outpatient training effectively correlated with residents’ basic clinical competence.Trial registrationThis study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Japan Institute for Advancement of Medical Education Program (JAMEP; No. 22–30) and retrospectively registered.

Preexisting opioid daily MME and use duration within a national cohort of lumbar spine surgery patients on quality outcomes.

Pain management surrounding lumbar spine surgery is a complex topic. Though some authors suggest that preoperative opioid use is a negative prognostic factor, its association with patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction after surgery remains controversial. We aimed to uncover the effect of preoperative opioid use on long-term outcomes using a national sample. Using deidentified data from the lumbar spine surgery Quality Outcomes Database, we compared functional outcomes and satisfaction in 34,934 patients based on presence of preoperative opioid use. Outcomes included Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and satisfaction indices. Regression subanalysis illustrated the effect of preoperative opioid duration and daily MME. 44.1 % used opioids preoperatively. A greater percentage of patients using opioids underwent surgery with instrumentation (p < .005). They exhibited clinically comparable improvement in VAS, ODI, and satisfaction at 3- (p = .069, p < .005, p < .005, respectively) and 12-months (p < .05). Return to work was lower at 3- (74.32 % vs. 80.82 %, p < .005) and 12-months (48.99 % vs. 62.95 %, p < .005). They maintained low postoperative use although greater than opioid naïve patients at 3- (3.1 % vs. 1.2 %, p < .005) and 12-months (3.6 % vs. 0.8 %, p < .005). Preoperative daily MME had no significant effect on outcomes, although increasing duration negatively impacted VAS and ODI scores. Preoperative opioid use by itself should not be used in surgical decision making but rather an individual risk assessment according to chronicity of opioid burden. Longer duration of use appears to impair postoperative improvement but not satisfaction with little influence by daily MME; however, larger, granular analyses remain necessary.

Sleep variability and time to achieving pregnancy: findings from a pilot cohort study of women desiring pregnancy.

To determine whether chronodisruption is associated with achieving pregnancy. Pilot prospective cohort study. One hundred eighty-three women desiring pregnancy were recruited from the local community of an academic medical center located in the Midwest and provided sleep information between February 1, 2015, and November 30, 2017. Sleep and activity data were obtained via actigraphy watches worn continuously for two weeks to assess measures of chronodisruption, including sleep period onset, offset, mid-time, and duration; as well as variability in each of these measures. Time to becoming pregnant over one-year of follow-up. Of the 183 eligible women, 82 became pregnant over a median of 2.8 months of follow-up. Greater inter-daily variability in time of sleep onset and variability in sleep duration were associated with a longer time to achieving pregnancy after adjusting for age, body mass index, race, education, income, and smoking status (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.60, 95% CI 0.36 - 0.999 comparing participants with a standard deviation of >1.8 hours to <1.8 hours in daily time of sleep onset; and aHR 0.58, 95% CI 0.36-0.98 comparing participants with a standard deviation of > 2.3 hours to <2.3 hours in daily sleep duration). In adjusted analyses, no statistically significant associations were observed for average time of sleep onset and offset, mid-sleep time, and sleep duration; or for variability in time of sleep offset and mid-time. Higher day-to-day variability in time of sleep onset and sleep duration - two measures of chronodisruption - were associated with a longer time to achieving pregnancy over one year of follow-up in women desiring pregnancy. If replicated in additional studies, these findings could point to lifestyle interventions to help women achieve a desired pregnancy.

Effects of innovative modular prone positioning tools in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome due to COVID-19 during awake prone position: a prospective randomized controlled trial

ObjectivesOur aim is to investigate the effects of a innovative modular prone positioning tools on patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19 during awake prone positioning (AW-PP).MethodsThis prospective randomized controlled study initially enrolled 168 patients with COVID-19 due to ARDS. However, 92 were subsequently disqualified, leaving 76 patients who were randomly assigned to either the observation group (n = 38) or the control group (n = 38). The observation group utilized innovative modular prone positioning tools for non-invasive respiratory support (NIRS), while the control group used soft pillows for the same treatment. Data were collected on comfort levels, adverse events, and efficacy indicators. Additionally, the comfort, incidence of adverse events, and treatment efficacy in both groups were evaluated.ResultsThe observation group had shorter the daily duration spent on executing the AW-PP (2.74 ± 0.86 min vs. 4.64 ± 1.02 min, P < 0.001), longer the daily total AW-PP (8.52 ± 1.01 h vs. 6.03 ± 0.66 h, P < 0.001), longer the daily duration until the first position adjustment (59.89 ± 12.73 min vs. 36.57 ± 8.69 min, P < 0.001), and lower the daily frequency of position adjustments during the AW-PP (11.03 ± 2.67 vs. 17.95 ± 2.58, P < 0.001) in comparison with the control group. No significant differences were observed in intubation rates, mortality, the daily number of hours under HFNO and NIV, escalated to NIV from HFNO, and hospital length of stay between the groups (P > 0.05). However, the observation group experienced significantly fewer adverse events, including kinking NIRS circuit, pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, and pressure ulcers (P < 0.05).ConclusionInnovative modular prone positioning tools improved efficiency, comfort, and reduced adverse events during AW-PP but did not affect intubation rates or mortality.

RELATIONSHIP OF EARPHONE USAGE WITH THE EMERGENCE OF HEARING LOSS AND HEALTH PROBLEMS IN MEDICAL STUDENTS OF SOUTH PUNJAB

Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a rising concern, particularly in the young adult population who frequently use personal listening devices (PLDs) such as earphones. Medical students are at risk of having hearing related problems due to the high usage of PLDs for both academic and recreational purposes. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of hearing loss, symptoms associated with earphone use, and the relationship between earphone usage patterns and hearing thresholds among medical students in South Punjab, Pakistan. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of hearing loss and associated symptoms (headache, tinnitus, otalgia, fatigue) about earphone usage habits, including daily duration, volume, and frequency of use, among undergraduate medical students. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at Nishtar Medical University and CMH Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS), Multan from October 2023 to August 2024. A total of 267 medical students aged 18 26 years participated in this study. Participants were categorized into two groups: mild users (≤1 hour/day) and Intense users (&gt;1 hour/day) of PLDs. Data were collected using a self administered questionnaire on demographics, earphone usage patterns, and associated symptoms. Audiometric testing was performed using Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA) to assess hearing thresholds at 250 Hz to 8000 Hz. Descriptive statistics, t tests, chi square tests, and Pearson correlation were used to analyze the data. Results: The majority of participants (55.4%) were aged 21 23 years, with a balanced gender distribution (52.4% male, 47.6% female). Intense users (53.2%) had significantly higher hearing thresholds at all frequencies compared to mild users, particularly at higher frequencies (4000 Hz and 8000 Hz). In the right ear, the prevalence of hearing loss is 3.2% for mild users and 13.3% for intense users whereas in the left ear, it is 4.8% and 12.7% for mild and intense users respectively. The most common form of hearing loss was mild sensorineural hearing loss at 4000Hz. Intense users reported higher rates of symptoms, including headache (35.9% vs. 16%), fatigue (47.2% vs. 17.6%), otalgia (46.5% vs. 22.4%), and tinnitus (34.5% vs. 17.6%), with statistically significant associations between symptom prevalence and usage duration and volume. Conclusion: Prolonged earphone usage is significantly associated with the emergence of hearing loss and increased prevalence of auditory symptoms among medical students. Despite being aware of the risks, many students do not follow safe listening practices, underscoring the need for educational initiatives. Promoting the "Rule of 60" and encouraging regular breaks during usage are essential steps to mitigate the risk of NIHL.

Associations of sleep duration and weekend catch up sleep with cancer risk among US adults in the Cancer Prevention Study-3 cohort.

Our objective was to investigate the associations of sleep duration and weekend catch-up sleep with cancer risk among US adults in the Cancer Prevention Study-3. Cancer Prevention Study-3 is a prospective cohort of approximately 250,000 US adults aged 30-65years. At baseline (2006-2013), participants were asked to report their average daily sleep duration over the past year for weekdays and weekends separately. Using the midpoint of each sleep duration category, a 5:2 weekday:weekend weighted average was created. Weekend catch-up sleep was calculated using the difference of weekend and weekday sleep duration category midpoints and categorized as -4 or -2, 0, 2, and 4hours. Cancer incidence (overall and female breast) was determined via linkage to state registries; follow-up time ended at the time of cancer diagnosis, time of death, or end of follow-up (12/31/2018). We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the associations of sleep duration and weekend catch-up sleep with cancer risk adjusted for sociodemographics, socioeconomic status, comorbidities, and lifestyle behaviors. A total of 10,256 incident cancer cases were reported among the 248,086 participants included in the study. We found no statistically significant associations between the examined sleep characteristics with overall or breast cancer-specific risk. Our research strengthens the existing null findings of the association between sleep duration and cancer risk. This was the first study to investigate the relationship of weekend catch-up sleep with cancer risk and more research is necessary to further elucidate this relationship.

Insulin-Related Skin Lipohypertrophy in Type Two Diabetes: A Clinical Study of a Case Series, with Ultrasonographic and Histopathologic Implications

Introduction: The most frequent local complication of insulin injection is the occurrence of subcutaneous nodules due to incorrect injection technique. Injection into nodules negatively impacts metabolic compensation and the requirement for greater insulin doses due to its partial and erratic absorption. Despite these concepts being accepted by the scientific community, it is not yet clear whether injection into nodules is causally related to worsening chronic diabetes (DM) complications and the morphological nature of such nodules. Aim: This multicenter study aimed to evaluate the associations between structural characteristics of skin nodules and chronic DM complications. A secondary endpoint was to evaluate the histological structure of those nodules, looking for differences between lipohypertrophies (LH) and amyloid nodules (LIDA). Methods: For this purpose, 816 DM patients with LH and 1033 without LH underwent a clinical and ultrasound study comparing metabolic data, injection habits, and frequency of complications. Excisional biopsies of the skin nodules were performed in a small series of eight subjects. Results: Data observed confirm a strong relationship between LH and diabetes chronic complications other than poor glycemic control. Histology of biopsies from the skin nodules showed mild foreign-body-like inflammation, prevailing mega-adipocytes (65%), apoptosis, and fibrosis but could not detect any amyloid fibrils. In four cases, intra-nodular fluid was present with an insulin concentration several times higher than in blood. Conclusions: We confirmed LHs to be significantly associated with insulin administration errors, duration of insulin therapy, greater daily doses and duration of insulin administration, and the presence of micro- and macro-vascular DM complications. LH nodules displayed no typical morphological features and were indistinguishable from LIDA nodules with which they shared several histologic similarities, albeit within the frame of a general picture of LIDA inhomogeneity. Further targeted studies are warranted to clarify the remaining doubts.

Diet, physical activity, and sleep in relation to postprandial glucose responses under free-living conditions: an intensive longitudinal observational study

BackgroundIt remains unclear what lifestyle behaviors are optimal for controlling postprandial glucose responses under real-world circumstances in persons without diabetes. We aimed to assess associations of diet, physical activity, and sleep with postprandial glucose responses in Asian adults without diabetes under free-living conditions.MethodsWe conducted an observational study collecting intensive longitudinal data using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessments, accelerometers, and continuous glucose monitors over nine free-living days in Singaporean men and women aged 21–69 years without diabetes. The outcome was the 2-h postprandial glucose incremental area under the curve (mmol/l*min). Associations were estimated using linear mixed-effect models.ResultsThe analyses included 11,333 meals in 789 participants. Greater variations in glucose and lifestyle measures were observed within individuals than between individuals. Higher consumption of carbohydrate-rich and deep-fried foods and lower consumption of protein-rich foods were significantly associated with higher postprandial glucose levels (incremental area under the curve). The strongest association was observed for including refined grains (46.2 [95% CI: 40.3, 52.1]) in meals. Longer postprandial light-intensity physical activity (-24.7 [(-39.5, -9.9] per h) and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (-58.0 [-73.8, -42.3]) were associated with substantially lower postprandial glucose levels. Longer daily light-intensity physical activity (-7.5 [-10.7, -4.2]) and sleep duration (-2.7 [-4.4, -1.0]) were also associated with lower postprandial glucose levels. Furthermore, postprandial glucose levels were the lowest in the morning and the highest in the afternoon. The results were largely consistent for males and females and for participants with and without prediabetes.ConclusionsConsuming less refined grains and more protein-rich foods, getting more physical activity (particularly during the postprandial period), and having a longer sleep duration were associated with lower postprandial glucose levels in Asian adults without diabetes. Our findings support multi-component lifestyle modifications for postprandial glucose control and highlight the importance of the timing of eating and physical activity.

Association of breast milk-derived arachidonic acid-induced infant gut dysbiosis with the onset of atopic dermatitis

ObjectiveThe specific breast milk-derived metabolites that mediate host–microbiota interactions and contribute to the onset of atopic dermatitis (AD) remain unknown and require further investigation.DesignWe enrolled 250 mother–infant pairs and collected...

The effect of heatwave and cold spell on cardiovascular disease mortality in central China, 2018-2022.

A time series study in Hunan province, central of China, from 2018 to 2022, was conducted to test the relationship between heatwave, cold spell and CVD mortality. According to different percentiles of daily mean temperatures and exposure duration, we built 9 kind of definitions for heatwave and cold spell. Distributed lag non-linear model was used to analyze the associations between heatwave, cold spell and CVD mortality, and the attributable fraction (AF) were estimated. The relative risks of CVD mortality associated with heatwave and cold spell varied depending on the definitions, ranging from 1.154 (95% CI: 1.148-1.160) to 1.229 (95% CI: 1.215-1.243) for heatwaves, and from 1.196 (95% CI: 1.192-1.201) to 1.290 (95% CI: 1.282-1.297) for cold spells. Under the definition of 95th percentile with ≥ 4-d duration (P95_4d), the total AF of CVD mortality attributable to heatwave was the largest at 8.43 (95% CI: 7.92-8.94). For the definition of 5th percentile with ≥ 3-d duration (P5_3d), the total AF attributable to cold spell was the largest at 12.96 (95% CI: 12.64-13.28). For heatwave and cold spell, higher CVD mortality risks were observed in females and the elderly over 75 years than males and young people. We found that both heatwave and cold spell could increase the mortality risk of CVD. The results highlight the importance of implementing warning systems for extreme temperature.

Use of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Among Healthcare Workers in Teaching Hospitals of Khorramabad, Iran

Background and Objective: In light of the pivotal role played by personal protective equipment (PPE) in mitigating the transmission of the novel coronavirus, this study aimed to investigate the utilization of personal protective equipment in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic among medical personnel and students affiliated with Lorestan University of Medical Sciences in the year 2019. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive research study collected essential data, encompassing personal characteristics and inquiries concerning the use of personal protective equipment, the extent of their utilization, training regarding proper equipment use, and adherence to health guidelines, including hand hygiene and disinfectant usage. Data were gathered through a questionnaire developed in accordance with international standards, specifically the PPE Safe Survey. The questionnaire was administered to medical staff, including physicians, nurses, and medical students, working in healthcare facilities that admitted COVID-19 patients within the Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, situated in Khorramabad. Results: Our investigation involved a total of 201 participants, comprising 82 (40.8%) males and 119 (59.2%) females. The average age of the participants was 32 years, with an average daily duration of personal protective equipment utilization amounting to 8.9 hours. Notably, 44 (21.9%) participants worked in emergency wards, 63 (31.3%) in general medical wards, 12 (6.0%) in administrative departments, 14 (7.0%) in surgical units, 11 (5.5%) in anesthesiology, 17 (8.5%) in intensive care units, and 40 (19.9%) in miscellaneous contexts. Conclusion: The study findings underscore the imperative need for healthcare professionals to consistently employ suitable personal protective equipment, encompassing face masks, eye protection, gowns, and eye shields. Furthermore, our study highlights the significance of appropriate training and rigorous adherence to equipment utilization protocols during healthcare tasks, coupled with consistent hand hygiene practices in healthcare facilities.

Predicting and Explaining Customer Response to Upselling in Telecommunications: A Malaysian Case Study

This research explores the predictive capabilities of XGBoost (XGB) and Random Forest (RF) models for customer upsell responses, emphasizing the use of Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) techniques to gain insights. Initially trained without hyperparameter tuning, both models were later optimized using 5-fold cross-validation. While RF consistently achieved high accuracy (0.99), XGB exhibited lower accuracy (0.85) yet demonstrated superior precision and recall. Post-tuning, XGB maintained its competitive edge despite a slight decrease in ROC-AUC scores (0.76 and 0.75 versus RF's 0.67 and 0.72), indicating proficiency in classifying positive cases. XAI techniques complemented XGB’s prediction, revealing significant predictors such as inactive duration in days, race (Chinese), total communication count, age, and active period in days. Lesser predictive value was attributed to factors such as race (Indian), gender (female), and region (northern). While the feature importance plot provided a broad overview, it did not detail specific attribute relationships to predictions. To address this, a summary violin plot was employed to illustrate how feature importance varies with actual values, enhancing the understanding of each feature's impact. Results indicated that longer inactivity periods negatively influenced predictions, while non-Chinese ethnicity, higher communication frequency, and younger age were associated with positive outcomes. Dependence plots further elucidated these relationships, highlighting how older non-Chinese customers and those with shorter inactive periods and frequent communication were more likely to accept offers. Local explanations using Shapley's force plot and LIME offered deeper insights into specific instances. Overall, the study underscores the complementary use of XAI techniques to understand a model’s predictions.

Impact of daily fasting duration on body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors during a time-restricted eating protocol: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundTime-restricted eating (TRE) is a dietary regimen that limits food intake for at least 12 h daily. Unlike other fasting protocols, TRE does not dictate what or how much to eat but rather focuses on the timing of meals. This approach has been previously demonstrated to improve body composition in individuals with obesity or metabolic impairments. However, its impact on body composition and cardiometabolic factors in healthy individuals remains unclear. Furthermore, the optimal fasting duration is still debated. Thus, we aimed to compare the effects of 8 weeks of different fasting durations on body composition and biochemical parameters in metabolically healthy, non-trained individuals using a parallel randomized controlled trial.MethodsForty-one volunteers were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental groups: TRE 16:8 (16 h of fasting,8 h of eating), TRE 14:10 (14 h of fasting,10 h of eating), TRE 12:12 (12 h of fasting,12 h of eating) or a normal diet group (ND; no dietary restriction). Participants underwent body composition measurements and blood tests for lipid profiles (i.e., total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides), fasting glucose, leptin, and anabolic hormones (i.e., insulin and testosterone) levels. Data were analyzed using both intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analysis to account for compliance. A two-way ANOVA for repeated measures was employed to assess interactions between time and group.ResultsIn the ITT analysis, TRE 16:8 reduced body mass (-2.46%, p = 0.003) and absolute fat mass (-8.65%, p = 0.001) with no changes in lean soft tissue and in calorie intake. These results were consistent with the PP analysis which included 8 participants in TRE 16:8, 5 in TRE 14:10, 9 in TRE 12:12, and the entire ND group. Participants in the TRE 16:8 group spontaneously reduced their total caloric intake, although this reduction was not statistically significant. None of the other measurements significantly changed after 8 weeks.ConclusionsOur results suggest that a 16-hour fasting window, even without caloric restriction, may be a viable strategy for improving body composition in healthy and non-trained individuals, whereas a shorter fasting period may be insufficient to produce significant changes in a healthy population.Trial registrationNCT, NCT04503005. Registered 4 August 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04503005.

Using signal detection test to assess the correlation between daily sleep duration, mental workload, and attention sensitivity in nurses

BackgroundIncreased attention among healthcare workers, particularly nurses, is crucial for preventing medical errors and patient harm. This study uses an objective approach that overcomes the limitations of the subjective self-report measures employed in prior research on nurses’ attention.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2023 among 108 nurses at Besat Hospital in Tehran, Iran. The data collected included demographic information, the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) for mental workload assessment, and the CogLab signal detection test for attention sensitivity measurement.ResultsThe participants exhibited a median mental workload of 68.5 (IQR = 14.9) and a median attention sensitivity of 52.5 (IQR = 39.2). Daily sleep duration was positively correlated with attention sensitivity (r = 0.644, p < 0.001), whereas mental workload was negatively correlated with attention sensitivity (r = -0.655, p < 0.001). Men demonstrated greater attention sensitivity (p = 0.040), and women reported greater mental workload (p = 0.043).ConclusionReducing daily sleep duration and increasing mental workload can diminish nurses’ attention sensitivity. Prioritizing adequate sleep and implementing strategies to reduce mental workload are crucial for enhancing nurse performance and patient safety.

The Impact of Social Media Use on Body Appreciation and Eating Behaviors in Youth

The aim of this study is to determine the impact of social media use on body appreciation and eating attitudes in youth. The research is of a descriptive nature. The sample of the study consists of 684 young participants attending university. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Social Media Use Integration Scale (SMIS), Attitude Scale for Healthy Nutrition (ASHN), and Body Appreciation Scale (BAS). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis, along with Student’s t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis to compare certain quantitative characteristics. The average age of the participants is 18.56 ± 4.40, with 61.7% being female. The participants' total score averages for SMIS, ASHN, and BAS are 48.52±10.64; 76.42±10.40; and 28.46±6.28, respectively. A strong positive correlation was found between social media use and attitudes towards healthy eating, and a strong negative correlation between social media use and body appreciation. It was determined that female participants were less satisfied with their bodies compared to males, and those who defined their income as 'high' used social media less and had higher healthy eating attitudes compared to those who defined their income as 'low.' Participants with daily social media usage duration of ≥ 7 hours were found have lower healthy eating attitudes, and be less satisfied with their bodies. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between participants' age and SMIS total score average, and a statistically significant positive correlation was found between ASHN and BAS score averages. Based on the data obtained, it was determined that participants had above-average levels of social media use, high levels of attitudes towards healthy eating, and below-average levels of body appreciation.

Optimal levels of sleep, sedentary behaviour, and physical activity needed to support cognitive function in children of the early years

BackgroundSleep, sedentary behaviour, physical activity, and the composition of these movement behaviours across the 24-h day are associated with cognitive function in early years children. This study used a Goldilocks day compositional data analysis approach to identify the optimal duration of sleep, sedentary behaviour, light physical activity, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity associated with desired cognitive function outcomes in early years children.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 858 children aged 2.8–5.5 years from the Sleep and Activity Database for the Early Years. 24-h movement behaviours (sleep, sedentary behaviour, light physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) were measured using ActiGraph accelerometers. Cognitive function was measured using three tasks from the Early Years Toolbox: visual-spatial working memory, response inhibition, and expressive vocabulary. A Goldilocks day compositional data analysis approach was used in R software to identify the optimal time-use compositions associated with the best 10% of the cognitive function scores.ResultsThe movement behaviour composition and the relative time spent in sleep and sedentary behaviour but not different intensities of physical activity were significantly associated with working memory (P ≤ 0.01). The movement behaviour composition and relative time spent in sleep, sedentary behaviour, and different intensities of physical activity were not significantly associated with response inhibition or expressive vocabulary (P > 0.2). Therefore, optimal time use was only determined for working memory. Optimal daily durations for working memory were observed with 11:00 (hr:min) of sleep, 5:42 of sedentary behaviour, 5:06 of light physical activity, and 2:12 of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.ConclusionWorking memory was the only cognitive function outcome related to the 24-h movement behaviour composition. Optimal sleep for working memory was consistent with current recommended durations, while optimal moderate-to-vigorous physical activity greatly exceeded minimal recommended levels. Optimal sedentary behaviour was longer and light physical activity was shorter than the sample average.