Natural Decrease Research Articles

The Effect of the Music Tempo on the Recovery of Cardiopulmonary Function after Aerobic Exercise Based on Personal Health Record

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different types of music tempo (No Music, 70 BPM, 120 BPM, 180 BPM) on recovery of cardiopulmonary function after an aerobic exercise, identify the effective tempo (BPM) with the highest recovery rate, and propose an effective method for recovery after exercise. A total of ten (10) healthy recreational men participated in this crossover repeated study. Heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SPO₂), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), respiratory rate (RR), VO₂, and VCO₂ were measured at four (4) different time periods (immediately after exercise, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, and 6 minutes) for each of the four (4) types of music tempo on separate days. As a result, all the outcome variables showed significant differences for all types of music tempo over the time measured (p<.05) SPO₂ which did not show a significant difference (p>.05). The comparison between the four music tempos showed no significant difference of HR and SBP at 6 minutes after exercise, RR at 2 minutes, and 6 minutes after exercise (p<.05). However, no significant differences were observed in the other values (p>.05). No Music showed the fastest recovery rate of HR, SBP, DBP, and RR and 70BPM showed the fastest recovery rate of VO₂ and VCO₂. Therefore, for efficient cardiopulmonary function recovery after an aerobic exercise, listening to slow music at 70 bpm or taking a break without music can be suggested as an effective method for recovery.

China\u2019s fertility change: an analysis with multiple measures

BackgroundThe period fertility in China has declined to very low levels, and the completed cohort fertility rate (CFR) has also decreased significantly. However, the exact fertility rate remains controversial. While the tempo effect has played a significant role in China’s period fertility decline, child underreporting has to be taken into consideration in China’s fertility research.MethodsBy using the census data from 1982 to 2010, and the 1% population sample survey data from 1995 to 2015, we systematically analyzed China’s fertility and its trends since the 1980s using period fertility measures, adjusted period fertility measures, cohort fertility measures, and indirect estimation methods.ResultsThe results show that marriage postponement significantly affects the TFR decline. Even after eliminating the tempo and parity structure effect, the adjusted TFR has fallen below 1.5, and the first-order fertility rate dropped to 0.9 in 2015. The CFR for women aged 45–49 declined from 5.37 in 1982 to 1.62 in 2015 mainly because of a decrease in fourth and higher-order births from 1982 to 1990, a decrease in second and third births from 1990 to 2000, and a decrease in second births from 2000 to 2015. Indirect estimation methods yielded a TFR in the range of 1.5–1.6 for the period 2000–2010 and an average TFR of 1.49 for the period 2011–2020.ConclusionsThe traditional norm of universal marriage and childbearing for Chinese women is changing. China’s fertility has been steadily declining, as measured by both period and cohort indicators. Following the historical change, fertility may continue to decline even after introducing the universal three-child policy in China in 2021.

Does the Tempo of the Music Playing in Restaurants Affect the Eating Time

The effect of musical tempo on eating and drinking behavior is a controversial subject. In this study, the effects of musical tempo on eating time under different conditions (with no-music, fasttempo music, and slow-tempo music) have been studied. The same menu (including meat, rice, and garnish) has been served to 30 participants selected with the snowball sampling model, and their eating times have been measured under three different conditions. At the same time, their emotional engagement, memory, cognitive load, and attention levels have been measured with the data obtained from EEG and GSR devices. The results have shown that the musical tempo has no significant effect on the participants' eating time and neurometric parameters.

The Effect of Music Tempo on Fatigue Perception at Different Exercise Intensities.

Background: This study aimed to clarify the effect of music tempo on runners’ perception of fatigue at different exercise intensities and while listening to music of different tempos through running experiments. Methods: This study used a within-subject two-factor experimental design with music tempo (fast music, slow music, no music) and exercise intensity (high intensity, low intensity) as independent variables and the time to fatigue perception (TFP), the difference in heart rate (HR) and the difference in the median frequency (MF) of surface electromyography (sEMG) signals as observation indexes. Eighteen participants completed a total of 108 sets of running experiments. Results: (1) The main effect of music tempo on the TFP was significant (p < 0.001). (2) The main effect of exercise intensity on the TFP was significant (p < 0.001), and the main effect on the difference in HR was significant (p < 0.001). (3) The interaction effect of music tempo and exercise intensity on the TFP was significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Exercisers’ subjective perception of fatigue was affected by music tempo and the interaction between music tempo and exercise intensity, and exercisers’ objective fatigue perception was influenced mostly by exercise intensity. The findings of this study provide guidance for runners’ choice of music at different intensities of exercise. Whether it is low-intensity exercise or high-intensity exercise, listening to fast music while exercising can help runners perform better mentally and physically during their runs.

That sounds healthy! Audio and visual frequency differences in brand sound logos modify the perception of food healthfulness

Sonic brand logos, also termed “sogos”, are a marketing communication tool that brands use to signify brand or product benefits to consumers in catchy, non-visual ways. Given the considerable utility of brand lsogos, it is surprising that there has been scant research into the nature of the specific acoustic features that can be modulated to connote certain traits, such as the healthfulness of products within the food category. Our findings revealed that sogos created with higher (vs. lower) frequency were significantly matched with healthy food products (vs. less healthy), while the effect of tempo was neutral. This effect generalizes to high (vs. low) spatial frequency visual stimuli too. The current study contributes to the literature on the crossmodal correspondence between acoustic sound clips and expectations of healthfulness. It also advances the theoretical insights into business applications using optimal sogos congruent with visual cues on packaging to connote food healthfulness to consumers implicitly.

Supplementation of Mito TEMPO and acetovanillone in semen extender improves freezability of buffalo spermatozoa.

Oxidative stress is one of the leading factors responsible for poor post-thaw semen quality because of overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) over neutralizing antioxidants present in semen. Mainly two ROS generation sites are present in spermatozoa, that is, mitochondria and plasma membrane. Therefore, the idea of targeting these specific sites for minimization of ROS production with the compounds having known mechanism of actions was built up as a core for this research. Present study was done to investigate the effects of Mito TEMPO and acetovanillone individually and in combination on freezability of buffalo spermatozoa. For the experiment, semen extender was supplemented with Mito TEMPO (50 μM), acetovanillone (50 μM), and a combination of Mito TEMPO + acetovanillone (50 μM+ 50 μM), designated as Group II, Group III, and Group IV, respectively. Control group without any supplementation was designated as Group I. A total of 24 ejaculates with individual progressive motility (IPM) of ≥70% were selected for the study. After final dilution, filling-sealing of straws, equilibration, and freezing were done as per the standard procedure. Semen samples were evaluated for IPM, plasma membrane integrity, lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and cholesterol to phospholipids (C/P) ratio at both fresh and post-thaw stages. Evaluation of ROS, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), capacitation status (CTC assay), and in vitro fertility potential were conducted only on frozen-thawed samples. The addition of Mito TEMPO (50 μM) and acetovanillone (50 μM) individually and in combination significantly (p<0.05) improved post-thaw semen quality in terms of IPM, plasma membrane integrity, TAC, cholesterol content, C/P ratio, MMP, Chlortetracycline (CTC)-Full (F) pattern, and zona binding ability of buffalo spermatozoa, while significantly (p<0.05) reduced ROS production, lipid peroxidation, and capacitation like changes as compared to the control group. As Mito TEMPO acts as an SOD mimetic and also detoxifies ferrous iron at the mitochondria level, it aids in neutralization of excessive ROS production and minimizes oxidative stress-related damages that enhances the antioxidant potential of sperm mitochondria. Earlier studies also indicated improved post-thaw semen quality in 50 μM supplemented group. The improvement observed in acetovanillone (50 μM) group might be because of inhibition of Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase as this enzyme activation by various physical/chemical inducers during cryopreservation process leads to activation of CatSper channel resulting in calcium influx, premature capacitation, and acrosomal reaction like changes through activation of adenylate cyclase and cAMP/PKA-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of sperm proteins. Acetovanillone also prevents NADPH oxidase-mediated inhibition of glutathione reductase activity, which has a vital role in protecting the structural and functional integrity of sperm plasma membrane. Results indicated beneficial effects of supplementation of Mito TEMPO and acetovanillone on sperm freezability and individual supplementation was as efficient as the combination group for sustaining post-thaw semen quality.

The Idiosyncrasy of Involuntary Musical Imagery Repetition (IMIR) Experiences

Involuntary musical imagery repetition (IMIR), colloquially known as “earworms,” is a form of musical imagery that arises involuntarily and repeatedly in the mind. A growing number of studies, based on retrospective reports, suggest that IMIR experiences are associated with certain musical features, such as fast tempo and the presence of lyrics, and with individual differences in music training and engagement. However, research to date has not directly assessed the effect of such musical features on IMIR and findings about individual differences in music training and engagement are mixed. Using a cross-sectional design (Study 1, n = 263), we examined IMIR content in terms of tempo (fast, slow) and presence of lyrics (instrumental, vocal), and IMIR characteristics (frequency, duration of episode and section) in relation to 1) the musical content (tempo and lyrics) individuals most commonly expose themselves to (music-listening habits), and 2) music training and engagement. We also used an experimental design (Study 2, n = 80) to test the effects of tempo (fast or slow) and the presence of lyrics (instrumental or vocal) on IMIR retrieval and duration. Results from Study 1 showed that the content of music that individuals are typically exposed to with regard to tempo and lyrics predicted and resembled their IMIR content, and that music engagement, but not music training, predicted IMIR frequency. Music training was, however, shown to predict the duration of IMIR episodes. In the experiment (Study 2), tempo did not predict IMIR retrieval, but the presence of lyrics influenced IMIR duration. Taken together, our findings suggest that IMIR is an idiosyncratic experience primed by the music-listening habits and music engagement of the individual.

Impact of movement tempo on bar velocity and time under tension in resistance exercises with different external loads.

The goal of the study was to determine the differences between volitional and maximal movement tempo during resistance exercise. Ten healthy men volunteered for the study (age = 26.4 ± 4.8 years; body mass = 93.8 ± 9.6 kg; barbell squat one-repetition maximum (1RM) = 175 ± 16.7 kg; bench press 1RM = 140.5 ± 26.8 kg). In a randomized order, the participants performed six sets of the barbell squat and the bench press exercise at progressive loads from 40% to 90%1RM (step by 10%) under two testing conditions: with volitional movement tempo or with maximal movement tempo. The three-way repeated measures ANOVA showed a statistically significant multi-interaction effect for time under tension (p < 0.001), peak bar velocity (p = 0.04) and for mean bar velocity (p < 0.001). There was also a statistically significant main effect of movement tempo for time under tension (p < 0.001), peak bar velocity (p < 0.001) and for mean bar velocity (p < 0.001). The post hoc analysis for main effect of tempo revealed that time under tension was significantly longer for volitional compared to maximal tempo (0.84 vs 0.67 s, respectively), peak bar velocity was significantly higher for maximal compared to volitional tempo (1.24 m/s vs 0.90 m/s, respectively), and mean bar velocity was significant higher for maximal compared to volitional tempo (0.84 m/s vs 0.67 m/s, respectively). The presented results indicate that there were significant differences between volitional and maximal movement tempos in time under tension and bar velocity (peak and mean), as well as significant differences in those variables between the two exercises. Therefore, the velocity of movement and time under tension is related to movement tempo, external load and type of exercise used.

Supplemental Material for Tiny Dancers: Effects of Musical Familiarity and Tempo on Children’s Free Dancing

Supplemental Material for Tiny Dancers: Effects of Musical Familiarity and Tempo on Children’s Free Dancing

Reductive Radical Annulation Strategy toward Bicyclo[3.2.1]octanes: Synthesis of ent-Kaurane and Beyerane Diterpenoids.

Here we report a general [3 + 2] radical annulation that allows the facile construction of bicyclo[3.2.1]octane motifs in ent-kaurane- and beyerane-type diterpenoids. This radical annulation is difficult to control but was realized by harnessing an unprecedented and counterintuitive effect of TEMPO. Eleven natural products with a wide array of oxidation states are easily prepared, demonstrating the powerful utility of this straightforward synthetic strategy.

Effect of Tempo on Temporal Expectation Driven by Rhythms in Dual-Task Performance.

Temporal expectation is the ability to focus attention at a particular moment in time to optimize performance, which has been shown to be driven by regular rhythms. However, whether the rhythm-based temporal expectations rely upon automatic processing or require the involvement of controlled processing has not been clearly established. Furthermore, whether the mechanism is affected by tempo remains unknown. To investigate this research question, the present study used a dual-task procedure. In a single task, the participants were instructed to respond to a visual target preceded by a regular or an irregular visual rhythm under a fast (500 ms) or slow (3,500 ms) tempo. The dual-task simultaneously combined a working memory (WM) task. The results showed temporal expectation effects in which the participants responded faster to the regular than to the irregular conditions in a single task. Moreover, this effect persisted under dual-task interference in the fast tempo condition but was impaired in the slow tempo condition. These results revealed that rhythmic temporal expectation induced by fast tempo was dependent on automatic processing. However, compared with the faster tempo, temporal expectation driven by a slower tempo might involve more controlled processing.

The predictive effect of problematic behaviours on cognitive tempo and attention level in 60–66 months old children

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the predictive effect of problematic behaviours on cognitive tempo and attention level of 60–66 months old children attending preschool education institutions. The research data were obtained from 155 children between 60 and 66 months old attending independent kindergartens affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in Malatya city centre in 2018–2019 academic year. Regression analysis was performed to examine the mediating role; Bootstrap analysis was used in order to determine direct and indirect path coefficients in regression models. As a result of the findings obtained from the study, while the cognitive tempo of the children included in the sample had a significant effect on attention, there was no significant effect of the cognitive effect on the mediating variables, and the mediating variables on the attention. Therefore, it is seen that behavioural problems do not have a significant role in the effect of cognitive tempo on attention.

Interactive effects of task load and music tempo on psychological, psychophysiological, and behavioural outcomes during simulated driving

We examined the interactive effects of task load and music tempo on cognition, affect, cardiac response, and safety-relevant behaviour during simulated driving. Using a counterbalanced, within-subjects design, participants (N = 46) were exposed to fast-, slow-, and no-music conditions at high and low loads in a high-grade simulator. Task load had the most salient effect across a broad swath of variables. For core affect, the Load × Music Condition interaction showed that, under high load, affective arousal scores were higher in the fast-tempo condition vs. slow. A main effect of tempo emerged for the HRV index of SDNN, with fast-tempo music eliciting lower scores than both slow- and no-music conditions. Behavioural data showed a main effect of tempo for risk ratings, with fast-tempo music eliciting the highest scores for a traffic-light trigger. Our findings indicate that drivers in high-load, urban environments should exercise caution in their use of fast-tempo music. Practitioner summary: We examined the interactive effects of task load and music tempo in simulated driving (urban and highway). Cognition, mood, cardiac response, and driving behaviour were assessed. Participants exhibited more risky behaviours in response to fast-tempo music. Drivers should exercise caution in their use of up-tempo music in urban settings.

Pronatalist Policies and Fertility in Russia: Estimating Tempo and Quantum Effects

This paper examines the family policy reforms of 2007 in Russia that were aimed explicitly at encouraging second and higher-order births, and analyses their impact on fertility. The existing empirical findings about population policy interventions in transition economies are inconclusive, while the most common argument states that policies based on material incentives are insufficient to significantly raise the real fertility in a population. The study aims to offer a better insight to the following research question: was Russian demographic policy effective in terms of raising the fertility level in the country or did it merely change the timing of births? The objective of the paper is to measure two effects of the pronatalist policy in Russia: tempo effect and quantum effect. Using data from the Human Fertility Database, I employ the decomposition method to separate tempo and quantum effects in the observed total fertility rate, and I estimate their relative weight in observed fertility changes. The analysis of period fertility indicators confirmed the prevalence of a tempo effect in observed total fertility rate change, but also revealed a quantum effect of the policy measures, although this was much smaller. Policy impact varied by birth order. For second parity, the tempo effect played a more critical role, while for third parity the quantum effect was more important. Another decomposition approach employed to measure the contributions of various factors in the increase of the number of births during the post-reform period showed the quantum effect which was driven by second and third order births. The study provides empirical evidence of the impact of policies on fertility behaviour, expands the existing analysis of pronatalist measures taken in Russia, and contributes to our understanding of the role of tempo and quantum effects in the recent fertility change in Russia.

Recalling vowel sequences in completing backgrounds: Effects of rhythmic regularity and tempo

Previous studies have demonstrated that the rhythmic regularities embedded in naturally produced speech are essential for speech understanding in the presence of competing backgrounds. In the current study, the facilitative effect of rhythmic regularity was further investigated using a vowel-recall task. Listeners recalled the last three vowels from a sequence of 9 to 18 synthetic vowels presented at an average rate of 2 vowels/second along with a competing sequence of harmonic complexes. Through this task, the rhythmic regularity (isochronous or anisochronous) and tempo of the target and competitor sequences as well as the duration of exposure to target rhythmic context (i.e., the target sequence length) were independently manipulated without affecting the intelligibility of individual target vowels. Better recall performance was found for isochronous target sequences compared to anisochronous target sequences and with longer exposure to the rhythmic context prior to recall. The rhythmic regularity of the competing signal had no significant effect on recall performance; however, the tempo of the competing signal was significant with recall performance improving as the background tempo increased from 1 to 4 vowels/second. These effects of rhythm and tempo are consistent with theories of selective listening based on attentional entrainment.

Expertise- and Tempo-Related Performance Differences in Unimanual Drumming.

High-speed drumming requires precise control over the timing, velocity, and magnitude of striking movements. To examine effects of tempo and expertise on unaccented repetitive drumming performance using 3D motion capture. Expert and amateur drummers performed unimanual, unaccented, repetitive drum strikes, using their dominant right hand, at five different tempi. Performance was examined with regard to timing variability, striking velocity variability, the ability to match the prescribed tempo, and additional variables. Permutated multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) revealed significant main effects of tempo (p < .001) and expertise (p <.001) on timing variability and striking velocity variability; low timing variability and low striking velocity variability were associated with low/medium tempo as well as with increased expertise. Individually, improved precision appeared across an optimum tempo range. Precision was poorest at maximum tempo (400 hits per minute) for precision variables. Expert drummers demonstrated greater precision and consistency than amateurs. Findings indicate an optimum tempo range that extends with increased expertise.

Socio-economic and demographic determinants of fertility in six selected Pacific Island Countries: An empirical study.

In this study, we seek to perform macro analysis of fertility in a panel of 6 selected Pacific Island Countries (PICs, hereafter). The macro analysis with secondary data, mostly obtained from World Bank database, stretched over the period 1990-2019 was stacked randomly in a balanced panel set-up, within which the most preferred fixed effect model is used for multivariate analysis. Pooled OLS and Random effect estimation techniques were applied for comparing results. Categories such as women's empowerment, health, connectivity and cost of living were used to classify proxy variables as regressors for fertility determination. The results indicate variables such as contraceptive prevalence rate, female labour force participation rate and consumer price index (inflation) are negatively correlated with fertility at 1% level, while urbanisation is negatively correlated with fertility rate only at 10% significance level. Real GDP has negative relationship with fertility, however it is not statistically significant. Variables that are positively correlated with fertility but hold limited to no significance effects are female secondary enrolment, female population, mobile subscription and infant mortality rate. It is implied that those variables that are negatively associated with fertility, as well as Real GDP will be the major drivers for achieving replacement level fertility in the long run.

The effect of Tempo and MitoTEMPO on oocyte maturation and subsequent embryo development in bovine model

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are one of the factors which reduces oocyte quality and viability of the in vitro produced embryos. Oocyte mitochondria are the major source of ROS production, hence, and the addition of mitochondrion-specific antioxidants could be suggested to minimize the damage caused by ROS during culture. MitoTEMPO, a targeted mitochondrial antioxidant, is formed by conjugating TEMPO to triphenylphosphonium and has an activity like that of superoxide dismutase. It can pass through lipid bilayers easily and accumulate selectively in mitochondria. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of MitoTEMPO and its non-targeted form, TEMPO, on the developmental competence of bovine oocytes. Accordingly, oocytes were cultured in maturation medium supplemented with either five mM TEMPO (T5) or one μM MitoTEMPO (M1), or T5 + M1 (MT15), or without the antioxidants (C). Nuclear maturation to metaphase II (MII) stage, intracellular glutathione (GSH) content and ROS levels in matured oocytes were analyzed. In addition, cleavage after in vitro fertilization, and blastocyst rates, total cell number in blastocysts as well as the relative abundance of apoptosis-related genes (BAX and BCL2) in blastocysts were determined. Results revealed that the proportion of oocytes at the MII stage, embryos at the blastocyst stage and total cell number in blastocysts increased significantly in the M1 group compared to the C and T5 groups. The levels of intracellular GSH and ROS in oocytes decreased in the M1 group than in the C group (P < 0.05). The expression level of the pro-apoptotic gene (BAX) reduced in blastocysts from the M1 group in comparison to the C and T5 groups (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the expression level of anti-apoptotic gene (BCL2) in obtained blastocysts was not affected by TEMPO and MitoTEMPO. However, the ratio of BAX/BCL2 in blastocysts from the M1 and MT15 groups decreased significantly compared to the C group. These findings suggest that MitoTEMPO can mitigate the adverse effects of oxidative stress on the developmental competence of bovine oocytes.

The gap between desired and expected fertility among women in Iran: A case study of Tehran city.

The 2016 Iranian Census reveals that 14 of the country's 31 provinces have sub-replacement fertility. The province of Tehran, where a woman on average gives birth to 1.5 children during her reproductive period, has the lowest fertility in Iran. However, the 'two-child' norm prevails in the country and even a woman of young reproductive age still values having at least two children on average. In other words, there exists a gap between a woman's actual and desired fertility. This paper examines the demographic and socio-economic factors influencing the gap between actual and desired fertility in Tehran city based on a sample survey of 400 married women aged 15-49 years, conducted in 2015. The findings of the study reveal that the women of Tehran would be able to meet their fertility desires of two or more children if they were able to achieve their intended number of children they stated in the survey. However, should these women face any socio-economic constraint, they would be very likely to restrain their fertility desires and have fewer additional children than they initially intended, and thus continue with the sub-replacement fertility as being observed in Iran today.

Background music tempo effects on food evaluations and purchase intentions

This article is a report of results of three studies investigating effects of fast versus slow background musical tempo on physiology, cognition, and emotions. Two pilot studies first measure consumer perceptions of tempo. In Studies 1 and 2, participants view a short video restaurant advertisement featuring fast or slow background music along with illustrations of food items. Results indicate that fast music is more effective than slow music for evoking positive taste expectations and purchase intentions. Study 3 shows that the effects observed in Studies 1 and 2 occur because fast music enhances self-reported arousal levels that then lead to enhanced moods, taste expectations, and purchase intentions. Theoretical implications regarding effects of music on emotional responses are discussed, as are practical managerial implications for using fast music as a persuasive technique.