Linear Mixed-effects Model Analysis Research Articles

Simulated intervention and optimal timing for attenuating dyslipidaemia-related atherosclerotic progression in the young: a temporal inverse allocation analysis of the ALSPAC cohort

Abstract Background Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) progression strongly predicts cardiovascular events among adults. We recently reported that cumulative dyslipidaemia was longitudinally associated with cIMT progression among adolescents and young adults. It is of clinical and public health significance to identify the most sensitive or crucial timing for preventing cardiovascular diseases before mid-adulthood. One method for addressing these issues is to perform a temporal inverse allocation to simulate the effects of treatment for dyslipidaemia at specific life stages, in order to inform effective timing of treatment. The temporal inverse allocation is similar to the principle of isotemporal substitution, however, rather than eliminating variables of interest, participants' categories are reversed, i.e participants with dyslipidaemia at a specific time point are assigned normal lipid levels and vice versa, while variables at other time points are unchanged. Purpose To simulate a treatment intervention on the longitudinal associations of total cholesterol (TC), non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non–HDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with cIMT progression. Methods We studied 1779 British 15-year-olds (50% females) followed up for 9 years. TC, triglyceride, and HDL-C were measured in line with standard protocols at ages 15, 17, and 24 years, respectively. non-HDL-C and LDL-C were estimated. Lipid phenotypes were categorized based on the 2011 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute classification into normal (reference) and elevated/dyslipidaemia. cIMT of the right and left common carotid arteries were measured at 17 and 24 years with ultrasound. We conducted linear mixed-effect model analyses with temporal inverse allocation and adjusted for age, sex, cardiometabolic, and lifestyle factors. Results Normalized lipid at age 24 years, with elevated lipid and dyslipidaemia at 15 and 17 years did not alter the longitudinal associations of elevated/dyslipidaemia TC: effect estimate 0.028 mm [95% CI 0.007 to 0.049; p=0.010], non–HDL-C: 0.027 mm [0.006 to 0.049; p=0.013], and low HDL-C: −0.030 mm [−0.048 to −0.013; p=0.001] from 15 through 24 years with the 7-year cIMT progression. However, normalized lipid level at age 17 years with elevated lipid and dyslipidaemia at 15 and 24 years significantly attenuated the longitudinal associations of elevated/dyslipidaemia TC: effect estimate 0.005 mm [−0.015 to 0.025; p=0.627], non–HDL-C: 0.013 mm [−0.008 to 0.034; p=0.235], and low HDL-C: −0.016 mm [−0.031 to −0.0001; p=0.049] from 15 through 24 years with cIMT progression. Triglyceride and LDL-C were not associated with cIMT progression. Conclusion This simulated intervention suggests that lowering lipids during late adolescence may be effective in preventing and reversing cIMT progression, a marker of preclinical atherosclerosis, in the young. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Private grant(s) and/or Sponsorship. Main funding source(s): Finnish Cultural Foundation

Arterial Spin-Labeling Perfusion Metrics in Pediatric Posterior Fossa Tumor Surgery.

Pediatric posterior fossa tumors often present with hydrocephalus; postoperatively, up to 25% of patients develop cerebellar mutism syndrome. Arterial spin-labeling is a noninvasive means of quantifying CBF and bolus arrival time. The aim of this study was to investigate how changes in perfusion metrics in children with posterior fossa tumors are modulated by cerebellar mutism syndrome and hydrocephalus requiring pre-resection CSF diversion. Forty-four patients were prospectively scanned at 3 time points (preoperatively, postoperatively, and at 3-month follow-up) with single- and multi-inflow time arterial spin-labeling sequences. Regional analyses of CBF and bolus arrival time were conducted using coregistered anatomic parcellations. ANOVA and multivariable, linear mixed-effects modeling analysis approaches were used. The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03471026). CBF increased after tumor resection and at follow-up scanning (P = .045). Bolus arrival time decreased after tumor resection and at follow-up scanning (P = .018). Bolus arrival time was prolonged (P = .058) following the midline approach, compared with cerebellar hemispheric surgical approaches to posterior fossa tumors. Multivariable linear mixed-effects modeling showed that regional perfusion changes were more pronounced in the 6 children who presented with symptomatic obstructive hydrocephalus requiring pre-resection CSF diversion, with hydrocephalus lowering the baseline mean CBF by 20.5 (standard error, 6.27) mL/100g/min. Children diagnosed with cerebellar mutism syndrome (8/44, 18.2%) had significantly higher CBF at follow-up imaging than those who were not (P = .040), but no differences in pre- or postoperative perfusion parameters were seen. Multi-inflow time arterial spin-labeling shows promise as a noninvasive tool to evaluate cerebral perfusion in the setting of pediatric obstructive hydrocephalus and demonstrates increased CBF following resolution of cerebellar mutism syndrome.

Effects Of Acute Aerobic Exercise On Behavioral Pattern Separation Performance In Older Adults

PURPOSE: Ample evidence suggests moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is beneficial for hippocampal structure and function. Furthermore, recent studies in younger adults suggest a single session of aerobic exercise provides immediate benefits to behavioral pattern separation performance, a highly hippocampal-specific memory task. However, no work has explored how a single session of aerobic exercise might alter pattern separation performance in older adults, who generally exhibit deficits in pattern separation performance and hippocampal deterioration in relation to younger adults. METHODS: To address this question, we conducted a within-subject acute exercise study in 31 cognitively healthy and physically active older adults (70.1 (±6.1) years). Participants performed baseline testing and then completed two experimental day visits in counterbalanced order. On the experimental days, they performed different iterations of a behavioral pattern separation task on the computer before and after 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise on a cycle ergometer or 30 minutes of quiet seated rest. Linear mixed-effects model analysis was employed in which condition order was controlled for, time (pre vs. post) and condition (exercise vs. rest) were modeled as fixed effects, and subject was modeled as a random effect. RESULTS: No significant time by condition interaction effect was found for general object recognition (F(1,31) = 1.25, p = .267, η2 = .01) and a positive, but non-significant interaction effect was found for pattern separation performance following the exercise condition (F(1,31) = 3.56, p = .062, η2 = .04). Furthermore, a post-intervention only analysis indicated that there was no significant difference between the exercise and rest condition for general object recognition (F(1,31) = 1.46, p = .236, η2 = .05), but that participants performed significantly better on the pattern separation task (F(1,31) = 8.86, p = .006, η2 = .22) following the exercise condition. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a single session of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise may lead to reduced interference and better pattern separation performance in healthy older adults, suggesting immediate benefits for hippocampal-specific memory function.

The ratio of β-1,4-glucosidase activity to phosphomonoesterase activity remains low in phosphorus-fertilized tropical soils: A meta-analysis

The ratio of β-1,4-glucosidase (BG) activity to phosphomonoesterase (PME) activity (BG:PME) in soil is an indicator of microbial phosphorus (P) demand, with lower BG:PME ratios indicating greater P shortages. In this study, I performed a meta-analysis to investigate the impact of P fertilization on the BG:PME ratios of P-poor tropical soils. Linear mixed-effects model analysis demonstrated that the BG:PME ratio was lower in tropical soils than other soils, reflecting higher microbial P demand in P-poor tropical soils compared to those in other regions. P fertilization significantly elevated the BG:PME ratio, indicating microbial P requirement was satisfied to some extent. However, the BG:PME ratios of tropical soils never reached the global average, even under continuous, long-term fertilization, although P fertilization often substantially increased the available P content of tropical soils. This result may indicate that the usage of the BG:PME ratio as an indicator of microbial P demand could overestimate the P shortages in tropical soils. On the other hand, it is also possible that soil available P content, which is often used as an indicator of soil P richness, does not necessarily reflect available P for soil microorganisms. Validating the BG:PME ratio as an indicator of microbial P demand could improve our understanding of microbial P shortage in tropical ecosystems.

Multicentered masked placebo-controlled phase 2 clinical study of an extended duration transdermal buprenorphine solution for postoperative pain in cats.

A prospective, double-masked, placebo-controlled, multicentered phase 2 clinical study was conducted to select the transdermal buprenorphine solution (TBS) dosage for the control of postoperative pain in cats. One-hundred fifteen (115) cats were randomized to a single topical dose of placebo solution, low-TBS dosage (1.91-2.07 mg/kg) or high-TBS dosage (4.27-4.88 mg/kg) prior to surgical reproductive sterilization in conjunction with forelimb onychectomy. The low- and high-TBS doses were applied 2-4 and 1-2 hours prior to surgery. Interactive pain assessments and physiological variables were quantified through 96hours post-anesthetic recovery and rescue analgesia was administered any time that analgesia was considered inadequate. Cats requiring rescue analgesia were considered treatment failures. The estimated overall treatment success rates from generalized linear mixed effects model analysis were 0.10 (95% CI: [0.02-0.36]), 0.56 (95% CI: [0.25-0.83]), 0.71 (95% CI: [0.38-0.91]) in the placebo-, low-, and high-TBS dose groups, respectively. Success rates for both TBS treatment groups were superior to placebo. Adverse events were infrequent in all treatment groups although the postoperative body temperatures over the duration of the study were on average 0.31 (95% CI: [0.08-0.55]) and 0.30 (95% CI: [0.05-0.53]) °C higher in low- and high-TBS dose cats, respectively, compared to placebo. It is concluded that both the low- and high-TBS dosages were safe and effective. The high-TBS dosage resulted in a greater proportion of treatment successes over 96h, had a more acceptable preoperative application time of 1-2 h prior to surgery, and was therefore selected for further study.

Exposure to Depression Memes on Social Media Increases Depressive Mood and It Is Moderated by Self-Regulation: Evidence From Self-Report and Resting EEG Assessments.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of depression memes, spread mainly on social media, on depressive mood, and the moderating role of self-regulation based on self-report and electrophysiological (resting EEG frontal alpha asymmetry) assessments. We conducted a semi-online crossover study; first, we collected brain activity data from healthy young adults (n = 32) who were subsequently provided a link to the online experiment. Each participant participated in both the neutral and meme conditions. We also evaluated their level of depressive mood immediately before and after exposure to the stimuli. We further conducted a series of linear mixed effects model analyses and found that depression memes contributed to an increase in depressive symptoms. Specifically, lack of emotional clarity, difficulties in goal-directed behaviors in emotional distress, and impulse control difficulties were linked to greater depressive mood in the case of exposure to depression memes compared with neutral images. However, time interactions were insignificant. These results mainly indicate the centrality of behavioral problems during times of emotional distress caused by depression memes. Lastly, although frontal alpha asymmetry did not predict a change in depressive mood or significantly differ across conditions, lower inhibitory control may result in increased processing of depression memes as negative stimuli. This result is consistent with our self-report results (e.g., impulsivity) as well as other related studies in the literature. However, further research is needed to verify these frontal alpha asymmetry results.

Physical activity during recess in elementary schoolchildren in Belgium and Ecuador: The role of the physical environment at school

ABSTRACT To increase physical activity levels in children, knowledge on how school playgrounds can be optimally designed is important. Until now, the contribution of playground variety and greening to children’s physical activity level during recess remains unclear. This study examined the associations of school playground variety and greening with energy expenditure (EE) in elementary school children in Ecuador and Belgium. Additionally, moderating effects of study site and gender were studied. Observational data were collected using SOPLAY in ten schools in East Flanders (Belgium) and Cuenca (Ecuador). Data were analysed with linear mixed-effects model analyses. Results showed that independent of study site, EE was higher in playground areas with less green elements, and a higher level of total variety. Primary surface was only associated with EE in boys, they were more active when an artificial surface was present. Implementation of loose equipment was somewhat more strongly positively associated with EE in Ecuadorian than in Belgian children. Because of the well-known restorative effects of green elements, we do not wish to suggest that less greening should be implemented at schools. However, ideally green spaces should be designed in a way that active play is stimulated by combining green elements with other improvements.

Outstanding Seizure Characteristics With Etomidate and Ketofol

IntroductionElectroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is administered following general anaesthetic induction with methohexital, thiopental, etomidate, alfentanil, remifentanil, propofol or ketamine. One approach for idealizing the induction anaesthesia for ECT is combining two agents (e.g. ketamine-propofol) with synergistic anaesthetic properties and non-additive anticonvulsive and hyperdynamic effects.ObjectivesTo establish any superiority between ketamine-propofol (ketofol) combination and etomidate in terms of seizure characteristics and hemodynamic measures.MethodsWe have combined our previous case series (etomidate vs thiopental) with new data regarding propofol and ketofol. ECT stimulus duration, stimulus frequency, the stimulus charge applied, duration of central seizure time, number of stimulation trials, plus anaesthetic used in the individual sessions were retrieved. A total number of 1092 sessions (239 sessions with etomidate, 233 with thiopental, 275 with propofol, and 345 with ketofol induction) were included in the linear mixed-effects model analysis.ResultsEtomidate was superior in terms of seizure duration compared with thiopental. There was no significant difference in seizure durations between ketofol, propofol and thiopental, however, number of failed stimulation trials within a session increased significantly with propofol use compared with etomidate and ketofol. The required amount of charge (stimulation dosage) was significantly lower when ketofol was used, compared with thiopental. Additionally, within the ketofol sessions only the propofol dose significantly increased the amount of required dose.ConclusionsEtomidate and ketofol displayed certain superiorities in terms of seizure characteristics when used as induction anaesthetics for ECT. Therefore, both etomidate and ketamine used in combination with propofol may be considered to be the gold standards of ECT anaesthesia.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Maximal Sensitivity to Child Maltreatment at the Ages of 6 and 11 Years is Associated with the Risk of Bipolar Disorder.

Adverse childhood experiences, including child maltreatment (CM), are relevant environmental risk factors for bipolar disorder (BD). However, little is known about the interaction of the type, duration and frequency of abuse with the timing of abuse in BD. The aim of this study was to investigate the different patterns of childhood trauma (frequency, type and chronology) between BD patients and healthy controls (HCs) and to identify BD-sensitive periods of exposure to CM that could influence functioning outcomes. The Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology Exposure (MACE) scale was used to evaluate the importance of the type and timing of maltreatment in a sample of 60 patients diagnosed with euthymic BD. Additionally, 76 HCs were recruited for comparison. All participants were of European-Caucasian origin and were assessed in the 2016-2019 period. To identify the variables that maximally differentiated the type and timing of exposure to CM between the BD and HC groups, a linear mixed effects model and random forest (RF) analyses were applied. We showed that multiplicity and severity, nonverbal emotional abuse, witnessing interparental violence and emotional neglect were the main factors associated with BD. In addition, regarding the occurrence of maltreatment in BD patients, we identified two sensitive periods with a principal peak at the age of 6 and a secondary peak at the age of 11. Functionality at the assessment time was associated with CM in adolescence for both HC and BD participants. Although the sample size and retrospective nature of the MACE instrument were the main limitations of our study, we were unable to explore the role of variables such as sex or socioeconomic status. We concluded that the multiplicity and sensitivity of CM exposure, mainly of the emotional type, during middle childhood are important risk factors for BD, at least in the European-Caucasian cultural setting.

COVID-19 disease in professional football players: symptoms and impact on pulmonary function and metabolic power during matches.

This study aimed at: (1) Reporting COVID‐19 symptoms and duration in professional football players; (2) comparing players’ pulmonary function before and after COVID‐19; (3) comparing players’ metabolic power (Pmet) before and after COVID‐19. Thirteen male players (Age: 23.9 ± 4.0 years, V̇O2peak: 49.7 ± 4.0 mL/kg/min) underwent a medical screening and performed a running incremental step test and a spirometry test after COVID‐19. Spirometric data were compared with the ones collected at the beginning of the same season. Players’ mean Pmet of the 10 matches played before COVID‐19 was compared with mean Pmet of the 10 matches played after COVID‐19. Players completed a questionnaire on COVID‐19 symptoms and duration 6 months following the disease. COVID‐19 positivity lasted on average 15 ± 5 days. “General fatigue” and “muscle fatigue” symptoms were reported by all players during COVID‐19 and persisted for 77% (general fatigue) and 54% (muscle fatigue) of the players for 37 ± 28 and 38 ± 29 days after the disease, respectively. No significant changes in spirometric measurements were found after COVID‐19, even though some impairments at the individual level were observed. Conversely, a linear mixed‐effects model analysis showed a significant reduction of Pmet (−4.1 ± 3.5%) following COVID‐19 (t = −2.686, p < 0.05). “General fatigue” and “muscle fatigue” symptoms may persist for several weeks following COVID‐19 in professional football players and should be considered for a safer return to sport. Players’ capacity to compete at high intensities might be compromised after COVID‐19.

Blood glucose responses are associated with prolonged sitting-induced changes in arterial stiffness: a randomized crossover trial.

To determine whether the vascular dysfunction response to prolonged sitting combined with hyperglycemia can be mitigated with simple and feasible sitting interruption exercises. Twenty healthy young adults [50% women, 21 (2) years, BMI of 21.5 (1.6) kg/m 2 ; (SD)] were enrolled in this study. This study included two 3-h prolonged sitting conditions: uninterrupted sitting (CON) and interruptions with 1-min light half-squat exercises every 20 min (EX). In both conditions, participants ingested 75-g glucose before sitting. The primary outcome was brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Linear mixed-effects model analysis revealed a significant interaction effect for baPWV, with a 25% (4.7 m/s) increase for CON and a 1.3% (0.22 m/s) increase for EX. There was also an interaction effect for glucose, with a 60% (57 mg/dl) for CON and a 41% (39 mg/dl) increase for EX. Repeated measures correlation revealed a negligible association between glucose and baPWV for CON ( r = -0.04) and a small association for EX ( r = 0.32). Vascular dysfunction occurred for the control but not the exercise condition, suggesting interrupting prolonged sitting with regular, short bouts of exercise may be an effective strategy to protect vascular health.

0232 An Intraindividual Variability of Sleep Health and Perceived Stress in College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract Introduction Pandemic-related societal response and uncertainty have generated marked changes in sleep-wake patterns and psycho-social well-being especially among first year college students. The current study sough to describe the changes in the sleep health domains determined from Actigraph and self-report, and examine the associations between the repeated-measure and intraindividual variability (IIV) of these domains and perceived stress in young college students over the course of a semester in the midst of an on-going COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., Fall, 2020). Methods A repeated measure design at 1-month interval across a 3-month period was conducted among a group of diverse racial and ethnic groups of college students (N=23, 78.3% female, age range 17-18). Participants completed a 7-days of wrist Actigraph, daily sleep diaries, and other surveys at each interval. A multidimensional sleep health was determined using Actigraph and daily sleep diary measures of sleep duration, efficiency, timing and regularity, and self-reported surveys of sleep satisfaction and alertness during daytime. Participants also completed the Perceived Stress Scale. Non-parametric tests were used to assess the changes in sleep health across 3 intervals, and a series of linear mixed effects model and regression analysis were conducted to assess associations between stress and subjective sleep health, adjusting for sex. Results Actigraph-determined sleep timing and regularity, and sleep diary-determined sleep timing and alertness during daytime demonstrated statistically significant changes between given timepoints. Among the sleep diary-determined sleep health domains, greater perceived stress was associated with more irregular (B=2.25 [.87–3.62], p&amp;lt;.001), more dissatisfied (B=.04 [.02–.19], p&amp;lt;.01), and sleepier during daytime (B=.18 [.05–.31], p&amp;lt;.001), across 3 timepoints. Moreover, greater perceived stress was associated with greater IIV (i.e., fluctuations) in sleep satisfaction, but no significance was found among IIV of other domains. Conclusion This study aids understanding of the relationship between stress and sleep health in this population, and offers insight to future research questions that can facilitate intervention development to promote both mental and sleep health among young college students. Support (If Any)

Vertical body position during front crawl increases linearly with swimming velocity and the rate of its increase depends on individual swimmers

ABSTRACT Vertical body position during swimming is assumed to closely affect drag. It is consequently associated with swimming velocity; however, the association between swimming velocity and vertical body position has not yet been sufficiently established. Here, we aimed to clarify how vertical body position increases with front crawl velocity and whether there are inter-individual differences in velocity effect. Eleven college-level male swimmers performed a 15 m front crawl with sustained forced maximal inspiration at various swimming velocities. The body’s centre of mass (CoM) was estimated from individual digital human models with inertial parameters using inverse kinematics. The horizontal CoM velocity and vertical CoM position from the water surface were averaged for one stroke cycle as respective indexes of swimming velocity and vertical body position. Linear mixed-effects model analysis revealed that there is a positive trend between swimming velocity and vertical CoM position during front crawl across the participants. These results indicate that swimming velocity is associated with vertical body position during front crawl. Additionally, the linear mixed-effects model with random intercepts and slopes was a better fit than that with only random intercepts, indicating that there are inter-individual differences in the rate of increase in vertical body position against swimming velocity.

Hand Use and Grasp Sensor System in Monitoring Infant Fine Motor Development

ObjectiveTo assess the feasibility of a hand use and grasp sensor system in collecting and quantifying fine motor development longitudinally in an infant's home environment. DesignCohort study. Researchers made home visits monthly to participating families to collect grasp data from infants using a hand use and grasp sensor. SettingData collection were conducted in each participant's home. ParticipantsA convenience sample of 14 typical developmental infants were enrolled from 3 months to 9 months of age. Two infants dropped out. A total of 62 testing sessions involving 12 infants were available for analysis (N=12). InterventionsAt each session, the infant was seated in a standardized infant seat. Each instrumented toy was hung on the hand use and grasp sensor structure, presented for 6 minutes in 3 feedback modes: visual, auditory, and vibratory. Main Outcome MeasuresInfant grasp frequency and duration, peak grasping force, average grasping force, force coefficient of variation, and proportion of bimanual grasps. ResultsA total of 2832 recorded grasp events from 12 infants were analyzed. In linear mixed-effects model analysis, when interacting with each toy, infants’ peak grasp force, average grasp force, and accumulated grasp time all increased significantly with age (all P<.001). Bimanual grasps also occupied an increasingly greater percentage of infants’ total grasps as they grew older (bar toy P<.001, candy toy P=.021). ConclusionsWe observed significant changes in hand use and grasp sensor outcome measures with age that are consistent with maturation of grasp skills. We envision the evolution of hand use and grasp sensor technology into an inexpensive and convenient tool to track infant grasp development for early detection of possible developmental delay and/or cerebral palsy as a supplement to clinical evaluations.

Evaluating the Shark Deterrent Effects of the Novel Exclusion Barrier in Comparison to the Rigorously Tested Sharksafe Barrier Technology

Although exceedingly rare, shark attacks have a disproportionately large impact on human behavior, often resulting in shark culls. Due to the invasive nature of shark culls, innovating and testing non-invasive deterrent technologies that may minimize the potential for a rare negative shark encounter has become a conservation priority. One such mitigation approach is barriers, such as exclusion nets and the Sharksafe barrier. With both technologies exhibiting limitations and/or ineffectiveness (e.g., Sharksafe barrier), the development of a more effective technology was warranted. Therefore, this study had two key objectives: (1) to determine if DC 12 Volts 180 Newtons electromagnets can produce deterrent responses in the bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) and (2) to determine if a newly designed and eco-friendly Exclusion barrier exhibits enhanced C. leucas deterrent capabilities when directly compared to the Sharksafe barrier. Based on 100 baited apparatus trials, electromagnetically treated baits resulted in significantly greater avoidance and reduced feeding frequencies. Furthermore, Poisson generalized linear mixed effect model analyses based on 27, 1-h trials illustrated that the Exclusion barrier region resulted in the greatest avoidance and lowest entrance and exit frequencies when compared to the control and Sharksafe barrier regions. Although the Exclusion barrier did not exclude all interacting sharks, the technology provided superior deterrent efficacy in relation to the Sharksafe barrier. Therefore, with many shark populations exhibiting precipitous declines, continued research on this novel technology on potentially dangerous shark species (e.g., white sharks—Carcharodon carcharias) and in varying ecological conditions (e.g., a high energy coastline) is warranted.

Identifying the psychosocial predictors of ultraviolet exposure to the face in patients with xeroderma pigmentosum: a study of the behavioural factors affecting clinical outcomes in this genetic disease

BackgroundFor patients with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), the main means of preventing skin and eye cancers is extreme protection against ultraviolet radiation (UVR), particularly for the face. We have recently developed...

Promoting occupational health and teaching quality: The impact of a mindfulness intervention in teacher training

A mindfulness intervention was conducted during the critical and formative phase of teacher training in Germany. This study aims to investigate whether early career teachers benefit from this by better coping with occupational stress and improving their practical teaching skills. In a quasi-experimental design, 42 participants’ stress, mindfulness, and occupational coping were assessed via self-reports at three time points. Additionally, teaching quality was evaluated by their students. Linear mixed-effects model analyses revealed that mindfulness-trained teachers were less stressed, more satisfied with work and, in the long run, developed better classroom management than the control group.

Factors associated with swallowing dysfunction in patients with head and neck cancer.

The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate swallowing function in relation to personal and clinical factors among patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) from diagnosis up to 2years after treatment. The 100ml water swallow test was measured before treatment, and 3, 6, 12, and 24months after treatment. Linear mixed-effects model analysis was conducted to investigate changes over time and the association with personal (sex and age) and clinical (tumor site, tumor stage, and treatment modality) factors. Among 128 included patients, number of swallows increased from baseline to 3months after treatment and decreased to baseline again at 6months after treatment. The number of swallows was associated with age and treatment modality. In patients with HNC, swallowing (dys)function changes over time with the worst score 3months after treatment. A higher age and being treated with surgery are factors associated with swallowing dysfunction over time.

Effects of tall man lettering on the visual behaviour of critical care nurses while identifying syringe drug labels: a randomised in situ simulation

BackgroundPatients in intensive care units are prone to the occurrence of medication errors. Look-alike, sound-alike drugs with similar drug names can lead to medication errors and therefore endanger patient safety....

A panel study on the acute respiratory effects of ambient particles of different sizes on children in Shanghai

Objective: To explore the association between size-fractionated particle number concentrations (PNC) and respiratory health in children. Methods: From November 2018 to June 2019, there were 65 children aged 6-9 years from an elementary school in shanghai recruited in this panel study with three rounds of follow-up. The forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), and exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels were measured and buccal mucosa samples of children were collected at each follow-up visit. The level of PNC, temperature and humidity of the elementary school was monitored from 3 days before each physical examination to the end of the physical examination. The linear mixed effects model was used to analyze the association between PNC and indicators of respiratory health in children. Results: Linear mixed effects model analysis revealed that, at lag 2 day, an interquartile range increase in PNC for particles measuring 0.25-0.40 μm was associated with the absolute changes in FVC, FEV1 and abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE) about -60.15 ml (95%CI:-88.97 ml, -31.32 ml), -34.26 ml (95%CI:-63.22 ml, -5.31 ml), -6.00 (95%CI:-9.15, -2.84) and percentage change in FeNO about 12.10% (95%CI: 3.05%, 21.95%), respectively. These adverse health effects increased with the decrease of particle size. Conclusion: The short-term exposure to particulate matter is associated with reduced lung function, buccal microbe diversity and higher airway inflammation level among children. These adverse health effects may increase with the decrease of particle size.