Healthy Young Adult Volunteers Research Articles

3D motion analysis dataset of healthy young adult volunteers walking and running on overground and treadmill

Used on clinical and sportive context, three-dimensional motion analysis is considered as the gold standard in the biomechanics field. The proposed dataset has been established on 30 asymptomatic young participants. Volunteers were asked to walk at slow, comfortable and fast speeds, and to run at comfortable and fast speeds on overground and treadmill using shoes. Three dimensional trajectories of 63 reflective markers, 3D ground reaction forces and moments were simultaneously recorded. A total of 4840 and 18159 gait cycles were measured for overground and treadmill walking, respectively. Additionally, 2931 and 18945 cycles were measured for overground and treadmill running, respectively. The dataset is presented in C3D and CSV files either in raw or pre-processed format. The aim of this dataset is to provide a complete set of data that will help for the gait characterization during clinical gait analysis and in a sportive context. This data could be used for the creation of a baseline database for clinical purposes to research activities exploring the gait and the run.

The effects of endurance physical exercise with fat-free milk intake as a therapy for metabolic syndrome and/or sarcopenia

Background: Nutrition and exercise are important factors for addressing metabolic syndrome and sarcopenia as they are related to insulin secretion. Proteins, particularly branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), have insulinotropic effects, while exercise reduces insulin secretion. It is thus important to investigate the effects of protein intake and exercise alone and in combination to determine suitable dietary and exercise therapies for treating metabolic syndrome and sarcopenia. Methods: Eight healthy young adult female volunteers participated in a crossover trial consisting of two 5-day experiments. Days 1 and 2 comprised a body-weight-maintained adjustment period during which the participants consumed control diets (energy, 2,010 kcal; protein, 51.9 g). Days 3 to 5 comprised the treatment period during which the participants consumed experimental diets (energy, 2,010 kcal; protein 82.3 g) containing 402 kcal of fat-free milk, and either performed only normal daily activities (non-Ex) or performed normal daily activities and exercised on a bicycle with an ergometer at a target intensity of about 50% of the maximal oxygen intake, expending 402 kcal of additional energy (Ex). Total urine samples were collected during the daytime (6:45 to 18:45) and nighttime (18:45 to 6:45 the next morning). Fasting blood samples were collected early in the morning before and after the treatment period. Results: Plasma valine, leucine, and BCAA levels were significantly elevated after both the non-Ex and Ex periods. Serum insulin levels were significantly elevated only after the non-Ex period. Urinary C-peptide immunoreactivity excretion levels increased significantly during the non-Ex period, but they decreased significantly during the Ex period. After the Ex period, the serum triglyceride and remnant lipoprotein-cholesterol (RLP-C) levels were significantly decreased. Homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and atherosclerosis index (AI) values were slightly, yet significantly, increased after the non-Ex period, but were unchanged after the Ex period. The degree of change (Δ) in the RLP-C level significantly and positively correlated with the Δ HOMA-IR and Δ AI.

Body weight reduction by exercise increases the urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion level with relatively positive nitrogen, sodium, and potassium balances when compared to dietary restriction

BackgroundRegarding changes in muscle mass, differences due to types of exercise and/or nutritional interventions, and associations with nutrient balances are still unclear. MethodsTo estimate changes in muscle mass during a body weight loss program using either a diet or exercise regimen, we investigated levels of muscle mass-related indices, and body contents of nitrogen, sodium, and potassium as measured by the balance method. Six healthy young adult male volunteers participated in two 10-day crossover experiments (20 days total). The first 5 days comprised an adjustment period (energy intake, 2656 ± 367 kcal/day (mean ± standard deviation)). During the second 5-day period, the participants either reduced their energy intake to 1770 ± 244 kcal/day (diet regimen) or exercised on a bicycle ergometer to expend 886 ± 122 kcal/day (exercise regimen). ResultsThe nitrogen, sodium, and potassium balances were significantly more positive during the exercise regimen than during the diet regimen. The urinary excretion levels of creatinine, 3-methylhistidine (3-MH), aldosterone, and catecholamines, and the 3-MH/creatinine ratio were significantly increased only during the exercise regimen. ConclusionsThe exercise regimen suppresses the decrease in muscle mass-related indices during body weight loss compared to the diet regimen with a relatively positive state of whole-body protein, sodium, and potassium balances, accompanied by an increase in sympathetic/adrenal cortical functions.

The atherosclerosis index during body weight reduction is improved with exercise

IntroductionBody weight reduction is often used for addressing lifestyle-related diseases, and for slimming down or improving the competitiveness of athletes. It is known that high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels can be increased by habitual exercise, while low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels may not always be decreased by dietary restriction or exercise. We hypothesized that the levels of not only HDL-C, but also LDL-C improve more with body weight reduction by a combined diet-and-exercise regimen than that by a diet-only regimen. Summary of facts and resultsSix healthy young adult male volunteers participated in two 10-day crossover experiments (20 days total). The first 5 days comprised an adjustment period (energy intake, 2521±304kcal/day (mean±standard deviation)). During the second 5-day period, participants either reduced their energy intake to 1261±152kcal/day, or reduced their energy intake to 1891±228kcal/day and exercised on a bicycle ergometer to consume 630±76kcal/day. Decreases in the serum total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, and apolipoprotein (apo) B levels were significantly larger, and decreases in the HDL-C and apo A1 levels were significantly smaller with the diet-and-exercise regimen than with the diet-only regimen. Consequently, the atherosclerosis index (AI: (TC–HDL-C)/HDL-C ratio) was significantly lower, and the degree of its reduction was significantly larger, after the diet-and-exercise regimen than after the diet-only regimen. ConclusionThese results suggest that reducing the body weight by a combination of diet and exercise has more beneficial effects on cholesterol metabolism, including changes in apo levels, than diet alone in healthy young adults.

Imaging evaluation of physical activity effect on knee articular cartilage

IntroductionHyaline cartilage is a complex tissue with great load absorbing-function. Studies showed that moderate exercise can have a positive effect on chondral matrix composition but excessive can be harmful to cartilage. ObjectivesEvaluate knee cartilage thickness before and after physical activity (running) in healthy young individuals. MethodsTen healthy young adult male volunteers aged between 18 and 21 years old were selected to undergo magnetic resonance imaging examination of the right knee to measure the cartilage thickness of the anterior, medial, and lateral compartments before and after 1 hour of continuous running. Cartilage thickness measurements were performed by a radiologist who did not know the identity of the volunteers or the moment of the evaluation (before or after the exercise). ResultsThe subjects' mean age, height, and weight were 19.5 years, 1.80 m, and 75.2 kg, respectively, with a mean body mass index of 23.14. There was a decrease in chondral thickness after running on all surfaces evaluated. The changes that were relevant (P < .05) were all the medial femoral condyle, the anterior portion of the lateral femoral condyle, the anterior portion of the lateral plateau, the entire surface of the patella and trochlea. The greatest difference in thickness between before and after exercise was observed in the lateral facet of the patella (−0.224 mm) followed by the anterior surface of the medial femoral condyle (−0.186 mm). In proportional values, the highest decrease occurred in the anterior portion of the medial femoral condyle (−11.42%). ConclusionThere was a decrease in knee chondral thickness after 60 minutes of running, being statistically significant in the medial femoral condyle, anterior surface of the lateral femoral condyle, and lateral plateau and patellofemoral joint (patella and trochlea). Level of evidenceIV (Case Series).

0492 Variability in High Altitude Sleep Disordered Breathing and Impact of Acclimatization

Abstract Introduction Individuals who travel to high altitude experience variable levels of poor sleep quality and sleep disordered breathing, which can have neurocognitive and other systemic impacts. Past studies by our group and others have shown that the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) increases, and nocturnal oxygen saturation decreases at higher altitude. This may change over time with acclimatization to environmental hypoxemia. The aim of this study was to examine the trajectory and variability in high altitude sleep disordered breathing effects in healthy young adult volunteers. Methods Twenty healthy volunteers were recruited from a local university (35% women), mean age 23.5(20.0, 32.2) years and BMI of 30.0(28.0, 35.9) kg/m2. Peripheral Arterial tonometry based home sleep apnea tests (HSAT; WatchPat One) was performed on all subjects at sea level up to three days prior to transportation via car to high altitude (3800m White Mountain Research Center - Barcroft Station, CA). Participants continued HSAT testing for three consecutive nights at high altitude sleeping in any position, without oxygen, acetazolamide, or use of any other medications impacting sleep or breathing. Mixed effects modeling was used to compare sleep parameters across nights. Results Subjects' characteristics: median (IQR)[range] age 23(20,32)[19,39] years, BMI 30(28, 36)[23,48] kg/m2, 35% women. AHI at altitude night 1 (67±4 events/hour) was significantly higher than sea level (7±4 events/hour; P&amp;lt; 0.001). Mean sleep SpO2 at altitude night 1 (79±1%) was significantly lower than sea level (95±1%; P&amp;lt; 0.0001). There was no statistically significant change in AHI or mean sleep SpO2 on nights 1-3; however substantial variability was noted between individual trajectories. Conclusion Healthy young adults exhibit severe Sleep Disordered Breathing when traveling to high altitude. Despite acclimatization, the severity of Sleep Disordered Breathing remained relatively unchanged overall. However substantial differences in individual trajectories were apparent. Larger studies are needed to understand how differences in genetics, sex, and other factors might impact Sleep Disordered Breathing at altitude. In addition, the impacts of (or tolerances to) altitude are likely to be broadly informative towards Sleep Disordered Breathing, hypoxemia, and other areas. Support (if any) N/A

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of changes in the angle between the tracheal and laryngeal axes in the sniffing, neutral and extended head and neck positions

Background; Although the sniffing position has historically been used for conventional laryngoscopy, the ideal position for videolaryngoscopy is yet to be elucidated. When a hyperangulated blade is utilised in videolaryngoscopy, despite improved glottic visualisation, the acute angle between the laryngeal and tracheal axes results in the inability to advance the tube into the trachea. We hypothesise that the position that produces the smallest angle between the laryngeal and tracheal axes would most likely facilitate passage of a tube into the trachea during videolaryngoscopy using a hyperangulated blade. Methods20 healthy young adult volunteers underwent magnetic resonance imaging scanning in three anatomic positions: head in the neutral position, in the sniffing position and in the extended position. In total 60 T2-weighted sagittal magnetic resonance images were obtained and the following measurements were made: angle A (the angle between the laryngeal and tracheal axes), angle B (the angle between the laryngeal and pharyngeal axes), angle C (the angle between the pharyngeal and oral axes), angle D (the angle between the laryngeal axis and line of vision) and angle E (the angle between the line of vision and pharyngeal axis). ResultsMean (SD) angle A (in ◦) in neutral, sniffing and extended positions were 20.7 (6.8), 10.8 (6.9) and 30.5 (5.2) with p < 0.001. Angle A and C were significantly reduced when the head position was shifted from neutral to sniffing position. Angle D was smallest in the extended position. The difference in all five angles in three positions was statistically significant (p < 0.001). ConclusionAngle A was smallest in the sniffing position, therefore this position is most likely produce a better alignment between laryngeal and tracheal axes.

The Self-Rated Effects of Alcohol Are Related to Presystemic Metabolism of Alcohol.

A high number of alcohol units required to feel a subjective effect of alcohol predicts future alcohol use disorders (AUDs). The subjective response to alcohol can be measured using the validated retrospective self-rated effects of alcohol (SRE) questionnaire. Few studies have investigated the specific relationship between SRE and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in an experimental setting. Twenty healthy young adult male volunteers who had experience with binge drinking, but did not have AUD, filled out the SRE-questionnaire and were served with a fixed amount of alcohol per body weight. BACs were measured throughout a 12-hour period, reaching a maximum BAC of ~0.13%. Median split of SRE-scores was utilized to compare BACs among participants with relatively high effects (low SRE) and relatively low effects (high SRE) of alcohol. Participants reporting a relatively low SRE-score had a statistically significant higher measured BAC at all time points until alcohol was eliminated. This was especially pronounced during the first 2 hours after alcohol (P = 0.015) without a significant difference in the alcohol elimination rate being detected. The study indicates that a self-ated SRE-score is related to BACs after the ingestion of a standardized amount of alcohol per body weight. Reporting a higher number of alcohol units before feeling an effect was related to a lower BAC. As the differences in BAC between relatively high and low self-rated effects appeared rapidly after intake, this could be interpreted as an effect of presystemic metabolism of alcohol.

Distinct coordination patterns integrate exploratory head movements with whole-body movement patterns during walking

Visual guidance of gait is an important skill for everyday mobility. While this has often been studied using eye-tracking techniques, recent studies have shown that visual exploration involves more than just the eye; head movement and potentially the whole body is involved for successful visual exploration. This study aimed to assess coordinative patterns associated with head movement and it was hypothesized that these patterns would span across the body, rather than being localized. Twenty-one (after exclusions) healthy young adult volunteers followed a treadmill walking protocol designed to elicit different types of head movements (no stimuli compared to stimuli requiring horizontal, vertical, and mixed gaze shifts). Principal Component Analysis was used to establish whole-body correlated patterns of marker movement (Principal Movements; PMs) related to the activity of the head. In total 37 higher order PMs were found to be associated with head movement, two of these showed significant differences between trials associated with strong head rotations in the horizontal and sagittal plane. Both of these were associated with a whole-body pattern of activity. An analysis of the higher order components revealed that exploratory head movements are associated with distinct movement patterns, which span across the body. This shows that visual exploration can produce whole-body movement patterns that have a potentially destabilizing influence. These findings shed new light on established results in visual search research and hold relevance for fall and injury prevention.

Effects of Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia at Different Aerobic Exercise Intensities in Healthy Young Adults.

Exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) is a reduction in pain sensitivity that occurs following a single bout of exercise. However, little research has compared the EIH effects of exercise at different intensities, including low intensity, in the same participant. It is unclear as to which exercise intensities demonstrate EIH more effectively. The aim of this study was to examine and compare the effect of different intensities of exercise on pain sensitivity in the same participant. We included 73 healthy young adult volunteers (35 female and 38 male) in this experimental cross-over study. Each participant completed four experimental sessions of 30 min, consisting of aerobic exercise at 30% heart rate reserve (HRR), aerobic exercise at 50% HRR, aerobic exercise at 70% HRR, and quiet rest. EIH was assessed using the pressure pain threshold (PPT) and temporal summation of pain (TSP) in the quadriceps, biceps, and trapezius. Low- and moderate-intensity exercise increased the multisegmental PPT and reduced TSP (all P < 0.05). High-intensity exercise increased the multisegmental PPT (all P < 0.05), but decreased TSP in only the quadriceps and biceps (P < 0.05), not the trapezius (P = 0.13). We found no difference in relative PPT and TSP changes between exercise intensities (P > 0.05) except for relative PPT change at the quadriceps (P < 0.05). Our results show that not only moderate- and high-intensity exercise, but also low-intensity exercise can produce a hypoalgesic response.

Reduced Heart Rate Variability as A Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease in Young Healthy Adults with Low and High Body Mass Indexes – A Descriptive Study

Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) is a used to assess autonomic nervous system input to the heart. Studies on the impact of HRV on underweight are limited. Aims/Objectives: To evaluate HRV in age matched young adults of different BMI category. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was done among healthy young adult volunteers between 18 and 25 years of age. Anthropometric variables were measured. ECG was recorded in lead II configuration for 5 minutes. Heart rate variability was analysed with Kubios HRV analyzer. Results: HRV indices were reduced in underweight (UW), overweight (OW) and obese group compared to normal weight (NW) BMI group. Second order polynomial regression between BMI and HF log power in both genders shows an inverted U-shaped relationship with BMI. The association between BMI, waist circumference and body fat (percentage) with HRV indices shows a significant relation to heart rate variability among which waist circumference (WC) shows a greater association with HRV indices than BMI. Comparison of HRV parameters among men and women of different BMI group shows female had greater heart rate variability compared to males across BMI Conclusions: underweight individual also have increased cardiovascular risk like obese group and abdominal obesity is better indicator of cardiovascular risk than BMI.

Normalization technique to build patient specific muscle model in finite element head neck spine.

Finite element models of the head and neck are widely used in automotive and clinical fields to understand spinal biomechanics. These models are developed based on CT and MRI scans of the subjects, but historically the muscle data are obtained from cadaveric specimen. The cadaver data is often obtained from older specimens which commonly have undergone degenerative changes resulting in reduction in muscle cross section area. The objective of the current study is to compare the muscle cross-section area used by various finite element models of neck muscles used in the literature and to develop a normalization technique to scale the MRI muscle cross-section area with those available in the literature. Four male and seven female healthy asymptomatic young adult volunteers enrolled in the study after obtaining necessary approval from Institutional Review Board. T1 and T2 weighted magnetic resonance imaging was performed in neutral upright sitting position wearing military helmet. Muscle cross sectional area was obtained for multifidus muscles from the MRI images. Data was compared with those in the literature. Based on the literature review of prior studies, the cross-sectional area of cadaver specimens was smaller than the MRI obtained muscle area. Multifidus muscle scaling factor was obtained by ratio of sum of MRI cross section area with that of cadaver data. Based on the analysis, the scaling factor for male data is 1.6 and for female data is 1.3. the cadaver data can be multiplied by the scaling factor to obtain the MRI specific cross-sectional area. A Normalization technique was developed for scaling MRI data into finite element model. This technique can be used in developing subject specific finite element model of spine which has applications in clinical, automotive, and military environment.

Obtaining Linear Regression Formulas Depending on Upper Arm Lenght for Estimating Stature

Objective: In our study, it was aimed to obtain linear regression formulas for estimating stature from upper arm length values of young adult female and male individuals and to examine the effect of right-left side asymmetry on regression formulas. Materials &amp;amp; Methods: The study was carried out on 70 healthy young adult volunteers (35 males, 35 females) aged 18-36 years. Upper arm length was obtained by measuring the distance from the acromion to the olecranon. Asymmetry and gender differences analyzed. For the estimation of stature, regression formulas were created by simple linear regression analysis separately according to the genders.Results: The linear regression formulas required for the stature calculation were obtained. Among the linear regression formulas based on upper arm length, the Standard Error of the Estimate (SEE) value was the lowest in the female upper right arm. SEE values for women were 5.22882 for the right upper arm and 5.4979 for the left upper arm; in men it was 6.62943 for the right upper arm and 6.60019 for the left upper arm. A moderately positive correlation was found between arm length and stature in both genders.Conclusion: In the formulas obtained for the estimation of arm length in men, the SEE value was found to be higher than in women. According to the regression analysis, arm length values in women give a better estimation of stature compared to men. In women, asymmetry was detected between the right and left upper arm lengths. The regression equation of the right side was found to be more reliable.

Schema and emotion in memory retrieval following video-based learning: An artificial intelligence study

Adapting innovative educational technologies to bolster students’ academic learning is increasing rapidly. This study explored schema congruent and incongruent participants behaviour when experiencing video-based materials as the medium of learning within the frame of a flipped learning environment. The participants watched an educational learning video on a given topic and completed memory retention tests in different time variations: immediate and delayed. Additionally, an artificial intelligence-based emotion analysis examined the emotional valency of participants during two phases: study phase and test phase. The experiment comprised 16 healthy young adult volunteers (8 schema congruent, 8 schema incongruent; 9 males [56.25%], 7 females [43.75%]; age range 20–34 years, mean age 27.31 years, SD = 2.87 years). A combination of statistics-based and AI-based analysis evaluated the effectiveness of video-based learning in terms of retrieval accuracy, response time and emotional valence. The findings indicate that retrieval accuracy for the schema incongruent group was better than schema congruent. Response time for schema congruent group was quicker than schema incongruent. Both groups exhibited more negative emotions during the study phase but more positive emotions during the test phase. Implications for practice or policy: Acceptance testing of video-based learning in tertiary education for different schema groups of students by assessing their emotional state helps educators to enhance pedagogy. Nourishing positive learning experiences from videos and questionnaires should be the goal, considered at the design stage for courses that rely on video-based materials. Adaptation of video-based learning strategy is more instructionally efficient and scalable for academic institutions and educators during a pandemic situation.

Temporal synchronization for in-phase and antiphase movements during bilateral finger- and foot-tapping tasks.

Appropriate motor performance, which must be precisely processed and timed to temporal and spatial requirements, can be studied using a synchronized tapping task. For gait rehabilitation, estimation of bilateral foot-tapping accuracy is important, as walking involves bilateral movements, usually antiphase, of the lower extremities. Rhythmic control of lower limb movements, such as gait, involves voluntary control and may also be automatically regulated by the central pattern generator. This study investigated the temporal synchronization of in-phase and antiphase movements using synchronized bilateral finger and foot-tapping tasks. Thirty healthy young adult volunteers were enrolled and instructed to tap the finger or foot button synchronously with the tones presented at fixed inter-stimulus intervals (ISIs). One of 10 different ISIs (250-4800ms) was selected for each block, in which 110 tones were presented. Taps were performed by either unilateral or bilateral fingers or feet, either in-phase (to move bilateral fingers or ankles simultaneously) or antiphase (to move bilateral fingers or ankles alternately). The synchronization error (SE) and coefficient of variation (CV) of the inter-tap interval (ITI) were evaluated. In all trials with short ISIs, SEs were narrowly distributed, either clustered around 0ms or with a slightly negative value. Although SE variability gradually increased with increasing ISI, the CV of ITI was significantly lower for antiphase movement than for unilateral or in-phase movement in the foot-tapping task, but not in the finger-tapping task. The preserved temporal synchronization for antiphase movement of the foot, but not finger tapping, may be due to the neural mechanisms underlying locomotion.

Vitamin D Status Assessment: Lack of Correlation between Serum and Hair 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol Levels in Healthy Young Adults.

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to numerous health problems, including those resulting from disturbed calcium-phosphorus homeostasis, and neuropsychiatric and autoimmune disorders. Nearly one-third of the global population has suboptimal levels of vitamin D, according to epidemiological data. Vitamin D status is usually determined by measuring serum 25(OH)D, but, for decades, serum 25(OH)D measurement has been hampered by a lack of standardization. There have been many recent initiatives to develop reference substances and methods for measuring vitamin D and its metabolites, and re-evaluating the optimal values. It was also suggested that alternative biological samples could also be used, such as hair, since it has been established that lipophilic substances, such as corticosteroids, can also be found in hair. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between 25(OH)D3 concentrations in serum and hair, and other demographic features in 26 healthy Caucasian young adult volunteers. The determination of 25(OH)D3 and cholecalciferol was carried out using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) from blood and hair samples taken at two timepoints separated by nine weeks. In the hair samples of 18 out of 26 subjects, 25(OH)D was detected at a mean (±SEM) concentration of 17.07 ± 5.375 pg/mg at the first sampling time, and 58.90 ± 25.97 pg/mg at the second sampling time. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed no effects of gender, body mass index, supplementation, or sun exposure on hair 25(OH)D3 concentrations, but supplementation and sun exposure significantly increased serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations. In addition, serum and hair 25(OH)D3 concentrations did not correlate; however, there was a strong correlation between the two sampling times for serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations. In conclusion, this study confirmed that 25(OH)D3 could be detected in human hair, but its use as a biomarker warrants further investigations since no link was found between serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations, supplementation, sun exposure, and hair 25(OH)D3 concentrations levels.

Association of Neck Circumference with Body Composition and Cardiovascular Parameters in Young Healthy Adult Males

Background and Aim: Increased Neck circumference is the marker of upper body obesity and identified as an indicator of future cardiovascular disease risk (CVD). Hence, in this study, we assessed the relationship of Neck circumference (NC) with basal cardiovascular and body composition (BC) parameter in young adult males. Methods: Sixty three healthy young adult male volunteers of age between 18 to 25 years were enrolled for this study and they were divided into two groups based on neck circumference (NC). Control group (n = 32) comprises of individuals with normal neck circumference of ≤ 35.5 cm and study group (n = 31) includes individuals with increased neck circumference of ≥ 35.5 cm. The, BC parameters was assessed by Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA) method using Quadscan 4000. And the basal cardiovascular parameters such as systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR) was measured by automated sphygmomanometer and the pulse pressure (PP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and the rate pressure product (RPP) were derived. Results: Data was expressed in Mean ± SD. The groups were compared using Independent Student’s t test. The association between NC and various study parameters were assessed by Pearson’s correlation analysis. Our study, revealed increased body fat and reduced muscle mass in individuals with increased NC. Further, we observed a positive correlation of NC with body fat (%) and negative correlation with Lean Body Mass. Cardiovascular parameters SBP, DBP, MAP and PP were elevated in subjects with increased NC. Further, positive correlation is seen with SBP, DBP, RPP and NC. Conclusion: Neck circumference is a readily measurable screening tool of upper-body adiposity and increased NC is associated with CVD risk.

Acute effects of cocoa flavanols on visual working memory: maintenance and updating.

Consumption of cocoa flavanols may have acute physiological effects on the brain due to their ability to activate nitric oxide synthesis. Nitric oxide mediates vasodilation, which increases cerebral blood flow, and can also act as a neurotransmitter. This study aimed to examine whether cocoa flavanols have an acute influence on visual working memory (WM). Two separate randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced crossover experiments were conducted on normal healthy young adult volunteers (NExp1 = 48 and NExp2 = 32, gender-balanced). In these experiments, 415mg of cocoa flavanols were administered to test their acute effects on visual working memory. In the first experiment, memory recall precision was measured in a task that required only passive maintenance of grating orientations in WM. In the second experiment, recall was measured after active updating (mental rotation) of WM contents. Habitual daily flavanols intake, body mass index, and gender were also considered in the analysis. The results suggested that neither passive maintenance in visual WM nor active updating of WM were acutely enhanced by consumption of cocoa flavanols. Exploratory analyses with covariates (body mass index and daily flavanols intake), and the between-subjects factor of gender also showed no evidence for effects of cocoa flavanols, neither in terms of reaction time, nor accuracy. Overall, cocoa flavanols did not improve visual working memory recall performance during maintenance, nor did it improve recall accuracy after memory updating.

AI-based multidisciplinary framework to assess the impact of gamified video-based learning through schema and emotion analysis

As a natural and continual process, the initial learning stages encompass mastering and recalling basic facts. The process proves effective with the integration of new information with pre-existing knowledge characterised as schema to facilitate memory encoding. Additionally, emotions also have the ability to modulate human cognition in terms of learning and memory. The recent advent of gamification in e-learning, which has garnered much scholarly and industrial interest, necessitates a thorough examination between video-based learning and its subsequent implications on schema, emotions, and gamification. The current multidisciplinary research triangulated cognitive psychology, affective science, and education technology with artificial intelligence for evaluating digital learning pedagogy based on memory retrieval accuracy, response time, and emotional valence. This three-way (2 x 2 x 2) mixed factorial experiment design with repeated measures entailed 64 healthy young adult volunteers ( n = 64) with 32 in the schema congruent group and 32 in the schema incongruent group. Additionally, 27 (42%) of the volunteers were males, while 37 (58%) were females with an age range between 20 and 39 years old (mean age 27.78 years, SD = 4.77 years). The findings demonstrate that the schema congruent group attained a statistically significant and higher retrieval accuracy ( p < .001). The delayed recall response time was faster than its immediate recall counterpart ( p < .001). Overall, the gamified learning mode depicted more positive emotions compared to non-gamified learning, although both groups primarily portrayed more negative emotions ( p = .05). The synthesis of current research aimed to recommend an AI-based multidisciplinary framework to assess the impact on adult learners in terms of schema and evaluate their emotions in experiencing gamified or non-gamified video materials as a learning medium. The implications expedited from this research offer valuable insights for diverse stakeholders engaged in the video-based learning ecosystem.

Protocol of Action in Injuries of the Long Head of the Biceps Tendon. Joint Reference Values and Recommended Training Weight for the Recovery of Joint Range and Strength

Daily and sports activities can be affected by joint injury. The objectives of physical therapy are to help patients regain range of motion (ROM), mobility, strength, and function. The purpose of this study was to examine the optimal joint range of elbow flexion and recommended training weight for the recovery of biceps brachii muscle strength. It was a prospective study with a sample of 157 healthy young adult volunteers from two institutions. The Hawk goniometer was used for measurements. Participants performed a flexion-extension movement of the elbow in standing, in series, with progressive loads. The ROM in males was found to be higher than in females. Nevertheless, the joint values of the dominant and non-dominant arm indicate that there are differences between both arms, regardless of gender. In relation to the force used during the performance of the activity, the weight used by the women was lower than that of the men, whereas, during the execution, women showed greater stability throughout the test, compared to men. Normative values have been established for the ROM and weights to be used in the recovery process of injuries to the long tendon of the biceps brachii muscle.