Higher Number Of Hours Research Articles

Unpaid overtime and non-standard employment among young people in Europe: do national context and institutions matter?

ABSTRACT This article presents a multilevel analysis of unpaid overtime among young people (aged 15–34) across EU-28 member states. It finds that non-standard employment and the specific characteristics and institutions of Europe’s labour markets are related to unpaid overtime. Use has been made of the European Union Labour Force Survey database for 2019. The econometric analysis shows that a national level and a greater scope of collective bargaining agreements, a higher rate of involuntary part-time employment and lower levels of unemployment expenditure increase the probability of unpaid overtime among young people. Furthermore, our results reveal that how flexibility is boosted in European countries drives unpaid overtime. Temporary employment, working from home and a higher number of hours worked are positively related to unpaid overtime, while part-time employment and temporary work agencies are negatively related. Finally, the older and higher educated young workers have a greater propensity towards unpaid overtime, while there is a negative effect of shift work and no significant one in terms of gender and the degree of protection against dismissal. Policy implications for the implementation of flexibility policies and working time regulations are also discussed.

Social and economic variables explain COVID-19 diffusion in European regions

At the beginning of 2020, Italy was the country with the highest number of COVID-19 cases, not only in Europe, but also in the rest of the world, and Lombardy was the most heavily hit region of Italy. The objective of this research is to understand which variables have determined the prevalence of cases in Lombardy and in other highly-affected European regions. We consider the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, using a set of 22 variables related to economy, population, healthcare and education. Regions with a high prevalence of cases are extracted by means of binary classifiers, then the most relevant variables for the classification are determined, and the robustness of the analysis is assessed. Our results show that the most meaningful features to identify high-prevalence regions include high number of hours spent in work environments, high life expectancy, and low number of people leaving from education and neither employed nor educated or trained.

Linking Clusters of Micropollutants in Surface Water to Emission Sources, Environmental Conditions, and Substance Properties

Water quality monitoring programs yield a wealth of data. It is often unclear why a certain substance occurs in higher concentrations at a certain location or time. In this study, substances were considered in clusters with co-varying concentrations rather than in isolation. A total of 196 substance clusters at 19 monitoring sites in the rivers Rhine and Meuse were identified. A total of nine clusters were found repeatedly with a similar composition at different monitoring sites. Several environmental conditions and substance properties could be linked to clusters. In addition, overlap with reference substance lists was determined. These lists group multiple substances according to emission sources, substance types, or type of use. The reference substance lists revealed that Rhine and Meuse are similarly affected. The nine ‘repeating clusters’ were analyzed in more detail to identify drivers. For instance, a repeating cluster with herbicides was specifically linked to high temperatures and a high number of hours in the sun per day, e.g., summer conditions. A cluster containing polychlorinated biphenyls, identified as persistent and with a high tendency to bind organic matter, was linked to high river discharge and attributed to a potential release from sediment resuspension. Not all substances could be clustered, because their concentration did not structurally vary in the same way as other substances. The presented explorative cluster analyses, along with the obtained relations with substance properties, local environmental conditions, and reference substance lists, may facilitate the reconstruction of the processes that lead to the observed variation in concentrations. This knowledge can subsequently be used by water managers to improve water quality.

Influence of Sun Shading Devices on Energy Efficiency, Thermal Comfort and Lighting Comfort in a Warm Semi-Arid Dry Mediterranean Climate

The dry Mediterranean climate (BShs) is the European region with the highest number of hours of sunshine per year. The high annual solar radiation makes sun shading devices necessary to comply with current energy efficiency standards. However, these standards do not sufficiently consider their effect on the indoor lighting comfort of buildings. The objective is to qualitatively and quantitatively determine how movable sun shading devices jointly influence the energy efficiency, thermal comfort and lighting comfort of buildings in BShs climate. The scientific novelty of the work consists of demonstrating the limitations of the sun shading systems commonly used in southeastern Spain and determining the optimal technical solution in this climate to simultaneously improve thermal and lighting comfort. This research comparatively studies the influence of various movable sun shading systems on the daylighting and thermal performance of an educational building. This study conducted on-site measurements, user surveys and computer simulations to study how to improve the thermal and lighting performances of the building. This work demonstrates that interior solar shading provides little improvement in thermal comfort and reduces the cooling demand by only 25%. External movable sun shading improves thermal comfort and reduces the cooling demand by more than 60%, but only adjustable blinds or awnings achieve adequate and homogeneous illuminance values as they diffuse daylight. The paper concludes that energy efficiency standards should be modified to ensure adequate lighting comfort in buildings.

Kompetenzziele von primärqualifizierenden Pflegestudiengängen und intendierte Aufgabenprofile

IntroductionSince 2020, it has been possible in Germany to complete a primary qualifying degree in nursing in addition to vocational training in nursing. The study presented here investigates the extent to which the intended competence goals prepare students for the future fields of activity of university-qualified nurses. MethodsThe research question was answered (1) by means of a content analysis of module manuals for primary qualifying courses, specifically the information on the intended learning outcomes in the university part of the course, and (2) by evaluating the results of the analysis in focus groups with those responsible for the course. The areas of competence were used as evaluation criteria for the analysis of the module manuals. The text elements were coded using the analysis software MAXQDA. In the further course of the analysis, the competence areas were combined into three areas with a view to the task profiles (direct care, indirect care and competence area V/research competence) and the percentage weighting of the competence goals was calculated. Using study results from the project „Investigation of the implementation of the study programs within the framework of university nursing training according to the Nursing Professions Act“, the hours spent in these areas and the distribution of presence and self-learning time for direct nursing were determined. The results and the reasons for the curriculum design were then discussed in focus groups with those responsible for the degree program. ResultsThe module manuals reveal clear differences in formal design. The analysis of the learning outcomes specified in the module manuals according to the competence areas also shows considerable differences in the distribution of the percentages for the individual competence areas. In relation to direct care, the percentages range between 55% and 71%, the hours vary between 2,022 and 3,622 hours. With indirect care, the range is 246 to 520 hours. A comparatively high number of hours is planned for competence area V/research competence (869 to 1,426 hours). Also, the analysis leads to the conclusion that within the degree program with the lowest number of hours of face-to-face teaching only 690 hours of face-to-face teaching are spent on direct care, while the degree program with the highest number of hours provides 1,968 hours for face-to-face teaching.In the focus group discussions, the persons responsible for the degree program took a critical view of the hours spent on developing skills in indirect care in the primary qualifying degree programs. Those responsible for the degree programs also regard the very small number of face-to-face hours at some university locations as insufficient to develop direct care skills. DiscussionThe results suggest that the primary qualifying courses in some areas and at some study locations do not adequately prepare for the task profiles intended for HQP.

Killer whale acoustic patterns respond to prey abundance and environmental variability around the Prince Edward Islands, Southern Ocean.

Killer whales are apex predators with temporally and spatially varying distributions throughout the world's oceans. Their ecology and behaviour are poorly understood in most regions due to limited research, often because of logistical challenges. Here, we used a passive acoustic monitoring device to investigate the seasonal acoustic occurrence and diel vocalizing behaviour of killer whales around the remote sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands (PEIs), Southern Ocean. Killer whales showed diel vocalizing patterns that varied seasonally in relation to their prey abundance and social activities. Killer whale calls were intermittently detected year-round with a high number of hours containing calls in October to December, and a secondary peak in February to May, corresponding to seal prey abundance. Random forest modelling identified wind speed as the primary predictor of the occurrence of killer whale calls (with a negative correlation) while sea surface height, chlorophyll-a and sea surface temperature were moderately important. We provide the first acoustic evidence that killer whale occurrence around the PEIs might coincide with variability in environmental conditions and prey abundance. Our results provide the first indication of diel vocalizing pattern of killer whales in the Southern Ocean. This knowledge is important for understanding killer whale ecology and adaptation to the changing oceans.

Thermal risk analysis for winter-spring maize (Zea mays L.) in the Yaqui Valley Sonora, Mexico

The state of Sonora in Mexico contributed with 2.8 % of the maize national production (788,885.77 t) in 2021; however, its production has been affected by low temperatures. The objective was to analyze the effect of minimum (MINTT < 3 °C) and maximum temperature threshold levels (MAXTT > 33 °C) on maize production. Five commercial fields sown with hybrid Hipotótamo and five with DK-4050 were selected in the Yaqui Valley. Temperature data were obtained from the automated weather station network in the state from December 2021 to June 2022. The minimum temperatures recorded between March 8 and 10, 2022, covered about 35 % of the total area sown with maize in southern Sonora. Foliar damage as shown by necrosis between the 5th and 10th leaf oscillated from 3 to 12 %, and it was associated with a temperature range of 1.05 and 4.30 ºC. Frost severity was not significant, so the crop recovered by the production of new leaves. From April, different periods of days with different continuous hours with MAXTT were recorded by weather stations; the highest number of periods occurred in fields B-419 and B-1101 with six. The highest number of hours with MAXTT was recorded in B-1922 with 374, followed by B-419 with 288. Hipopótamo showed the highest grain yield in field B-1101 (16.62 t ha-1). Damage by MAXTT to maize production during 2021-2022 winter-spring season, caused a reduction of 1.53 t ha-1 in relation to the regional average in the previous season.

Impact of Material Solutions and a Passive Sports Hall’s Use on Thermal Comfort

High outdoor temperatures and thermal gains due to solar radiation, which penetrates the interior of buildings as the climate warms up, pose a major challenge to maintaining thermal comfort in passive sports facilities. Superbly insulated and airtight envelopes, specific microclimatic requirements and very high user activity can easily lead to overheating and thermal imbalance during summer. This paper focuses on the influence of the varying thermal capacity of external walls and night-time cooling on thermal comfort in a passive sports hall building. Based on experimental studies of the thermal conditions in the building, a model of it was created in Design Builder. Through simulation, the program initially analysed the thermal conditions that arise under different envelope assemblies. Two different ways of cooling the building at night were then analysed: mechanical and natural. The results presented showed that in a well-insulated sports hall with a large volume, the type of wall material alone had only a limited influence on thermal comfort in summer. In contrast, night-time cooling in integration with the accumulation of cold in the building’s structural components had a significant impact on protection against overheating during the summer. The type of envelope material is even more important when night-time air exchange is high. Intensive natural ventilation is associated with the highest number of hours in the comfort range—28.1–32.4% more hours in relation to the variant without night ventilation. The use of mechanical ventilation, operating at night at maximum capacity, will result in an increase in the number of hours with air temperatures in the −0.5 < PMV < +0.5 range by only 14.1–21.3%. The high thermal mass of the envelope, combined with adequate ventilation, reduces the occurrence of very high indoor air temperatures, thus alleviating the nuisance of overheating. The maximum internal air temperature during the day is lower by 2.4–3.3 K, compared to the case when no night ventilation is used. Mechanical ventilation operating at its maximum capacity can reduce the maximum internal temperature by 1.2–1.6 K.

Knowledge, attitude, and readiness of pharmacists toward medication therapy management for patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a cross-sectional quantitative study.

Medication Therapy Management (MTM) is a patient-centered service that optimizes drug therapy, improves clinical outcomes, and enhances quality of life. Pharmacists play a critical role in MTM services and provide comprehensive medication management for patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and readiness of Iraqi community pharmacists regarding MTM services for ADHD patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 480 Iraqi pharmacists working in community pharmacies in Baghdad. Data were collected using a pre-validated, self-administered questionnaire with 34 items. Results showed that only 127 (26.5%) pharmacists had good knowledge, 146 (30.4%) had good attitude, and 148 (30.8%) had high readiness regarding MTM services in ADHD patients. Multivariate analyses showed that a higher number of hours worked per week in the hospital was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of high attitude, whereas practicing MTM services, high knowledge, and high attitude were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of high readiness. The findings of this study indicate that knowledge, attitudes, and readiness for MTM services for ADHD patients are inadequate. Therefore, there is an urgent need for effective educational strategies to better prepare pharmacists for their potential role in the community, particularly for providing MTM services to ADHD patients.

The Incidence of Micronutrient Intake on Cognitive Development in Children Under 5 Years of Age: A Cross-sectional Study for the Ecuadorian Case

Analyzing the relationship between micronutrient powder intake from 6 months of age and cognitive development in children contributes significantly to the literature since nutritional status is one of the determinants of health and cognitive and psychosocial development in early childhood. Malnutrition at these stages may cause imbalances between nutritional needs that could lead to malnutrition and influence cognitive development. We used a representative sample of 3877 children aged 3-5 years from the 2018 National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT). We used a linear regression and binary logistic regression model where we estimated the Odds Ratio (OR) and marginal impacts with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for each of the independent variables. Our results show that the odds ratio (OR) associated with the micronutrient intake variable is significant and greater than 1. This demonstrates that a child who consumes micronutrient powder between 6 months and 2 years of age is approximately 1.56 times more likely (CI=1.35- 1.85) to have high cognitive development. In addition, boys are more likely to have higher cognitive development, with an OR of 1.592 (CI=1.341- 1.978). Another important finding is that a greater number of siblings at home reduces 1.032 times the probability of having high cognitive development. Our data also reveal that the mother's age (very young) may decrease the risk of high cognitive development, while the number of hours of play causes an opposite effect, as the OR reveals that children with a higher number of hours of play are 1.68 times more likely to have high cognitive development. Based on our findings, we can determine that it is important to explore the neurodevelopmental processes that may be involved in malnutrition. Thus, in this article, we recommend the importance of micronutrient intake and a balanced diet as key factors for proper cognitive development.

Digital Survey Assessment of Individual and Occupational Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders among Indian Ophthalmologists.

To study the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) and the associated occupational risk factors among Indian ophthalmologists, including residents and fellows. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among ophthalmologists in India using a semi-structured questionnaire in a web-based survey. The questionnaire was prepared in English after extensive literature research and consulting with subject experts. It was pretested on ten ophthalmologists and after confirming that there were no ambiguities, the questionnaire was circulated. After providing informed consent online and ensuring the confidentiality of information, respondents could fill out the questionnaire containing questions to assess demographic details, risk factors, and musculoskeletal symptoms. We received 551 valid responses, out of which 74.77% reported musculoskeletal symptoms since starting practice in ophthalmology. We found a statistically significant association of work-related MSD with greater hours of practice, a higher number of hours of surgery, and a larger patient load. The self-reported symptoms were maximum in lower back (56.55%), followed by neck (49.03%), upper back (38.59%), and shoulder (23.79%). As a remedial measure, 58.98% resorted to rest while only 8.98% consulted orthopedist. Only 46% were aware of good ergonomic practices. Surgery (74.5%), indirect ophthalmoscopy (51.69%), and slit-lamp examination (50.73%) were reported as the major culprits. Respondents declared an interference with personal life (39.56%), with work (33.74%) as well as having caused psychological stress (43.2%) due to work-related MSD. A vast majority of our respondents reported work-related MSD. Major risk factors were hours of practice, hours of surgery, higher body mass index, sedentary lifestyle, and higher patient load. The awareness of ergonomic practices was low.

Association Between Pulmonary Hypertension and Its Effect on 30-Day Mortality, Readmission, and Cost After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Multicenter Study.

Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is commonly seen in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been shown to improve PH, however, its impact on clinical outcomes and cost remains unclear. Methods We did a multicenter, retrospective analysis of patients undergoing TAVR in our system between December 2012 to November 2020. The initial sample size was 1356. We excluded patients with prior history of heart failure, with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 40% or less, and patients who had active symptoms of heart failure within two weeks of the procedure. Patients were divided into four groups based on their pulmonary pressures, using right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) as a surrogate for PH. Groups included patients with normal pulmonary pressures (<35mmHg), mild (35-45mmHg) moderate (46-60mmHg), and severe PH (>60mmHg). Primary outcomes included 30-day mortality and readmission. Secondary outcomes included length of ICU stay and cost of admission. We used Chi-square and T-tests for demographic analysis of categorical continuous variables respectively. Adjusted regression was used for the reliability of correlation between variables. Multivariate analysis was used for final outcomes. Results Final sample size was 474. Average age was 78.9 years (SD: 8.2, 53% Male). Thirty-one percent (n=150) had normal pulmonary pressures, 33% (n=156) had mild PH, 25% (n=122) had moderate and 10% (n=46) had severe PH. Patients with history of hypertension (p-value<0.001), diabetes (p-value<0.001), chronic lung disease (p-value=0.006) and those on supplemental oxygen (p-value=0.046), had significantly higher proportion of patients with moderate and severe PH. We found significantly higher odds of 30-day mortality in patients with severe PH (OR: 6.77, CI: 1.09-41.98: p-value 0.04) compared with normal or mild PH. There was no significant difference in 30-day readmission (p-value=0.859) between the four groups. Cost did not change with severity of PH (Avg: $261,075: p-value=0.810). Patients with severe PH spent a significantly higher number of hours in ICU, compared with the other three groups (Mean: 18.2, p=value <0.001). Conclusions Severe pulmonary hypertension significantly increased the odds of 30-day mortality and ICU stay in TAVR patients. We did not see any significant difference in 30-day readmission and cost of admission, based on PH severity.

More Than Half of Family Medicine Clerkships Do Not Address Systemic Racism: A CERA Study.

The influence of racism in medicine is increasingly acknowledged, and the negative effect of systemic racism on individual and population health is well established. Yet, little is known about how or whether medical students are being educated on this topic. This study investigated the presence and features of curricula related to systemic racism in North American family medicine clerkships. We conducted a survey of North American family medicine clerkship directors as part of the 2021 Council of Academic Family Medicine's Educational Research Alliance (CERA) survey. The survey response rate was 49% (78/160). Almost all clerkship directors agreed (n=68; 97.1%) that teaching about racism at all levels of medical education was appropriate. Yet, 60% (n=42) of family medicine clerkship directors reported no formalized curriculum for teaching about racism or bias. Teaching about systemic racism was more likely to be present in the family medicine clerkship at institutions where clerkship directors reported that faculty receive 5 or more hours of training in racism and bias, as compared to institutions where faculty receive 4 or fewer hours of training in racism/bias (odds ratio 2.82, 95% CI 1.05-8.04, P=.045). Programs reported using racism in medicine curricula based in cultural competency (20%); structural competency (10%); both cultural and structural competency (31%); and neither or uncertain (40%). Clerkship directors reported high faculty, student, and institutional engagement in addressing systemic racism. We did not find an association between underrepresented in medicine director identity and racism curricula. In more than half of family medicine clerkships, systemic racism is not addressed, despite interest from students and institutional support. A higher number of hours of faculty training time on the topic of racism was associated with having a systemic racism module in the clerkship curriculum, but we lacked data to identify a causal relationship. Investments in faculty development to teach systemic racism, including discussion of structural competency, are needed.

Is Satisfaction with Online Learning Related to Depression, Anxiety, and Insomnia Symptoms? A Cross-Sectional Study on Medical Undergraduates in Romania.

The objective of this study was to investigate online learning satisfaction in a sample of university students and its relationship with depression, anxiety, insomnia, and the average number of hours spent online. A total of 463 medical students were recruited for an online survey conducted from February to March 2022 with the main objective of estimating online learning satisfaction, while secondary outcomes involved assessing the relationship between online learning and depression, anxiety, insomnia, and the average number of hours spent online. A total of 285 participants were female (71.4%) and the mean age was 20.2 years. The results revealed that depression, anxiety, and insomnia are negatively correlated with overall satisfaction with e-learning. The more time students spent online, the greater the overall satisfaction. There are significant differences regarding student perceptions of interactivity in online learning satisfaction outcomes (p < 0.05, η2 partial Eta Squared-0.284). The opportunity to learn via chat-box presented differences in overall satisfaction while pleasant aspects of online learning, such as "no travel" and "economy", were related to satisfaction. The students revealed that the higher the psychopathology scores, the less satisfied they were with online learning, while a higher number of hours spent online contributed positively to satisfaction.

Factors associated with academic performance in adolescents from La Rioja (Spain): lifestyle habits, health indicators, and sociodemographic factors

Introduction: academic performance is influenced by numerous factors, some personal and others contextual in nature, which also have a close relationship with the health of students. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the relationship and influence of lifestyle habits, various physical and psychosocial health indicators, and sociodemographic variables on academic performance. Method: the study was carried out on a sample of 761 students (14.51 ± 1.63 years old) from 25 educational centers in a region of northern Spain. Academic performance was assessed, as well as health-related quality of life, self-esteem, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, hours of nocturnal sleep, level of physical activity, environment for the practice of physical activity, participation in extra-curricular sports activities, maximum oxygen consumption, body mass index, and various sociodemographic factors. Results: being male, having immigrant origins, as well as having a low/medium socioeconomic level, a cardiorespiratory capacity in the risk zone, lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and lower health-related quality of life indices were associated with lower academic performance, explaining up to 14 % of its variance according to the regression analysis. Likewise, adolescents with higher self-esteem, lower body mass index, females, those who lived in a favorable environment for physical activity practice, engaged in extra-curricular physical activity, and had a higher number of hours of nocturnal sleep showed higher levels of academic performance. Conclusions: interventions aimed at combating academic failure should take into account the aforementioned associated factors, with special emphasis on the most vulnerable groups such as males, those with lower socioeconomic status, and those who follow unhealthy lifestyle habits.

The accuracy and reliability of three instruments used to assign school furniture

BACKGROUND: Students spend a high number of hours being seated while at school. In order to find the correct adjustment between school furniture and the anthropometric characteristics, specific knowledge and tools are necessary. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the measurers with different instruments, as well as contrast the differences between the values that were obtained by the different examiners. METHODS: Measurements were taken independently by one expert examiner and two inexperienced teachers from the school. They used a measuring tape, a segmometer and an anthropometer for the anthropometric measurements. The statistical tests conducted: Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient, Bland and Altman method, Standard Error of Measurement, Technical Error of Measurement and relative TEM with a level of significance of ρ ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 108 students (8.87±1.67 years; 40.7% girls) participated in the study. The non-expert measurers had good accuracy and reliability, but they far exceeded the error percentages of the expert, obtaining the worst results in the shoulder measurement. The instrument with the lowest affinity between the inexperienced measurers was the anthropometer. CONCLUSIONS: In order to assign furniture in the schools, the experts should continue using the anthropometer. The inexperienced measurers can use more accessible instruments in the school environment such as a measuring tape and segmometer.

Heat pump integration in a real poly-generative energy district: A techno-economic analysis

• A time-dependent thermo-economic approach for energy districts analysis was used. • TES already proved their effectiveness as optimal storage asset of energy districts. • Integration of HP in a poly-generative district is simulated. • Compared to actual configuration, energy performance increases. • Power-to-heat systems based on HP + TES are valuable for energy districts management. This paper presents a techno-economic feasibility analysis related to a heat pump installation in a poly-generative energy district to convert the overproduction of electricity into thermal power, easy to be stored in thermal storage tanks. The heat pump technology is already used for thermal/cooling energy production in different areas although application in energy districts in a power-to-heat modality to improve management of electrical/thermal energy demands is still limited. In this research, the installation of a heat pump in the poly-generative smart grid located at the University of Genoa Campus is presented. A time dependent one-year techno-economic analysis of the energy district is performed, throughout a model built with a software developed by the authors. The integration of the heat pump in the energy district is analysed, comparing the energetic, environmental and economic performance to the present configuration of the poly-generative energy district. The results show that the heat pump introduction grants several advantages, such as a reduction in gas consumption (24 ton/year, −15%) and an increase in the annual energy efficiency of cogenerative prime movers which can work for a higher number of hours (+23%) close to the design point.

A Machine Learning Approach to Evaluate Variables of Math Anxiety in STEM Students

The relationships between math anxiety and other variables such as students’ motivation and confidence have been extensively studied. The main purpose of the present study was to employ a machine learning approach to provide a deeper understanding of variables associated with math anxiety. Specifically, we applied classification and regression tree models to weekly survey data of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students enrolled in calculus. The tree models accurately identified that the level of confidence is the primary predictor of math anxiety. Students with low levels of confidence expressed high levels of math anxiety. The academic level of students and the number of weekly hours studied were the next two predictors of math anxiety. The junior and senior students had lower math anxiety. Also, those with a higher number of hours studied were generally less anxious. Weekly tree diagrams provided a detailed analysis of the interrelations between math anxiety and variables including academic level, number of hours studied, gender, motivation, and confidence. We noticed that the nature of such interrelations can change during the semester. For instance, in the first week of the semester, confidence was the primary factor, followed by academic level and then motivation. However, in the third week, the order of the interrelation changed to confidence, academic level, and course level, respectively. In summary, decision tree models can be used to predict math anxiety and to provide a more detailed analysis of data associated with math anxiety.

Association of Physical Fitness, Screen Time, and Sleep Hygiene According to the Waist-to-Height Ratio in Children and Adolescents from the Extreme South of Chile.

Objective: To analyze the perception of physical fitness, screen time, and self-reported sleep hygiene in children and adolescents (CA) from the extreme south of Chile and its associations with waist-to-height ratio (WtHr). Material and methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 594 schoolchildren from 5th to 8th grade of primary education, belonging to municipal educational establishments in the Magallanes region, Chile. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed through the 20-m shuttle run test, muscle strength through handgrip and the standing broad jump test, physical fitness perception through the International Fitness Scale, and central obesity through the waist-to-height index. In addition, sleep hygiene and screen time were measured. Results: More than 92% of CA spent more than two hours a day watching or using screens. In addition, CA with excess central adiposity had a lower perception of physical fitness, and lower muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness compared to CA with normal values of adiposity. Conclusions: CA of the present study spent a high number of hours watching or using screens and had poor sleep quality. In addition, excessive central adiposity was associated with lower physical fitness.

Injury Rates, Patterns, Mechanisms, and Risk Factors Among Competitive Youth Climbers in the United States.

Competitive rock climbing is a fast-growing sport. Despite comprehensive reviews on adult climbing-related injuries, few pediatric-specific reviews exist, and studies exclusively on competitive youth climbers are needed. Objectives of this study include 1) estimating the injury rate (IR); 2)describing injury patterns and mechanisms; and 3) identifying injury risk factors in competitive youth climbers. The study design was cross-sectional. Competitive youth climbers were included. Participants completed an anonymous questionnaire to document climbing injuries over the preceding 12 mo. Demographic data and data regarding injuries were collected. The IR was calculated. Analyses were performed to assess association between injury and multiple variables. Multivariate logistic regression was completed for significant variables to control for exposure time. The IR was 2.7 injuries per 1000 climbing hours. Hand/Finger injuries were most frequent; chronic overuse was the most common etiology. Injury severity was low overall. Risk factors significantly associated with climbing injury were climbing discipline (bouldering > sport/lead climbing), return to climbing while still in pain, finger taping, higher number of hours climbed per session and per year, climbing at higher bouldering difficulties, and unsupervised climbing. The IR in competitive youth climbers was found to be lower than previously reported but higher than suggested by adult studies or those that exclude chronic injuries. Findings are consistent with types, severity, and mechanisms reported in other studies. Modifiable risk factors, especially return to climbing while still injured, warrant further prospective investigation.