Objective Measures Research Articles

The Gray Nine and Parallel Personality Patterns: Big Five, Dark Tetrad, and a "Well-Rounded Personality".

The vast literature on personality psychology generally focuses on neutral or socially beneficial personality traits such as the Five-Factor model (e.g., agreeableness, conscientiousness) or "dark" traits such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and everyday sadism. However, the current synthesis of the literature indicates that the distinction between benign, malign, and neutral personality traits and facets is partly misguided. In fact, there are many objective and subjective measures that indicate that high agreeableness is not beneficial, while moderate grandiose narcissism is. Many, if not all of the traits are rather gray and socially and personally desired outcomes indicate that people who aim for a well-rounded personality should typically be clustered in the middle of the various personality spectrums. In addition, many of the personality traits are characterized by parallel patterns of good/bad relations to social and personal outcomes.

Daily links between objective smartphone use and sleep among adolescents.

Concerns abound on how digital technology such as smartphone use may impair adolescent sleep. Although these linkages are supported in cross-sectional studies, research involving intensive longitudinal assessments and objective measures has called into question the robustness of associations. In this study, a sample of ethnically diverse U.S. adolescents (N = 71; Mage = 16.49; 56% girls) wore Fitbit devices and submitted screenshots of their smartphone screen time, pickups, and notifications over a 14-day period in 2021. The Fitbits recorded nightly sleep quality and sleep onset. Adolescents also completed daily diaries reporting the previous night's sleep onset time and sleep quality. On days when adolescents engaged in greater nighttime screen time and, to some extent, pickups relative to their own average, they also had poorer sleep outcomes that night. Greater screen time was associated with later self-reported and Fitbit-recorded sleep onset and poorer self-reported sleep quality. Greater pickups was associated with later self-reported and Fitbit-recorded sleep onset. Smartphone use during the day did not relate to sleep outcomes, indicating the importance of distinguishing nighttime from daytime use. Parents and clinicians should help adolescents develop healthy digital skills to avoid exacerbating sleep problems that are known to occur during this developmental period.

The effects of neck exercise in comparison to passive or no intervention on quantitative sensory testing measurements in adults with chronic neck pain: A systematic review.

Previous systematic reviews have identified the benefits of exercise for chronic neck pain on subjective reports of pain, but not with objective measures such as quantitative sensory testing (QST). A systematic review was conducted to identify the effects of neck specific exercise on QST measures in adults with chronic neck pain to synthesise existing literature and provide clinical recommendations. The study protocol was registered prospectively with PROSPERO (PROSPERO CRD42021297383). For both randomised and non-randomised trials, the following databases and trial registries were searched: AMED, CINAHL, Embase, Google Scholar, Medline, PEDro, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Science Citation Index and Social Science Citation Index from Web of Science Core Collection, clinicaltrials.gov, GreyOpen, and ISRCTN registry. These searches were conducted from inception to February 2022 and were updated until September 2023. Reference lists of eligible studies were screened. Study selection was performed independently by two reviewers, with data extraction and quality appraisal completed by one reviewer and independently ratified by a second reviewer. Due to high heterogeneity, narrative synthesis was performed with results grouped by exercise type. Three trials were included. Risk of bias was rated as moderate and the certainty of evidence as low or moderate for all studies. All exercise groups demonstrated statistically significant improvement at an intermediate-term follow-up, with progressive resistance training combined with graded physical training demonstrating the highest certainty of evidence. Fixed resistance training demonstrated statistically significant improvement in QST measures at a short-term assessment. Fixed resistance training is effective for short-term changes in pain sensitivity based on low-quality evidence, whilst moderate-quality evidence supports progressive resistance training combined with graded physical training for intermediate-term changes in pain sensitivity.

Visual social attention in SYNGAP1-related intellectual disability.

SYNGAP1-ID is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a mutation of the SYNGAP1 gene. Characterized by moderate to severe developmental delay, it is associated with several physical and behavioral issues as well as additional diagnoses, including autism. However, it is not known whether social cognitive differences seen in SYNGAP1-ID are similar to those previously identified in idiopathic or other forms of autism. This study therefore investigated visual social attention in SYNGAP1-ID. Eye movements were recorded across three passive viewing tasks (face scanning, pop-out, and social preference) of differing social complexity in 24 individuals with SYNGAP1-ID and 12 typically developing controls. We found that SYNGAP1-ID participants looked at faces less than the controls, and when they did look at faces, they had less time looking at and fewer fixations to the eyes. For the pop-out task, where social and nonsocial objects (Phone, car, face, bird, and face-noise) were presented in an array, those with SYNGAP1-ID spent significantly less time looking at the phone stimulus as well as fewer fixations to the face compared with the typically developing controls. When looking at two naturalistic scenes side by side, one social in nature (e.g., with children present) and the other not, there were no differences between the SYNGAP1-ID group and typically developing controls on any of the examined eye tracking measures. This study provides novel findings on the social attention of those with SYNGAP1-ID and helps to provide further evidence for using eye tracking as an objective measure of the social phenotype in this population in future clinical trials.

An influence of menopausal symptoms on mental health, emotion perception, and quality of life: a multi-faceted approach.

The menopausal transition brings with it many physical, cognitive, and affective changes in a woman's life, impacting quality of life. Whereas prior work has examined impact on general mental health and cognitive function, research on basic affective processing during menopause remains scarce. Using a median-split procedure, this pre-registered study examined the impact of stronger (N = 46 women) vs. milder (N = 47 women) menopausal symptoms using a behavioural task of subjective emotion perception (embody) and a passive eye tracking viewing task of emotional faces in addition to self-report questionnaires. After 3 months, participants completed the questionnaires again to examine whether objective measures of emotion perception (eye tracking) might predict mental health at follow-up. As anticipated, women with stronger vs. milder menopausal symptoms reported increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress, emotion regulation difficulties, and lower quality of life during both time points. While no evidence was found in the behavioural task, eye tracking data indicated blunted emotion perception in women with high menopausal symptoms, while women with low symptoms spent more time looking at happy faces relative to fearful or surprised faces. Although eye tracking or hormonal data did not predict mental health at follow-up, a higher estradiol/FSH ratio indicated a higher quality of life. This study documented an impact of the menopausal transition and strength of menopausal symptoms in particular on objective emotion perception as well as mental health and quality of life in women suffering from stronger vs. milder menopausal symptoms. Clinical implications are discussed.

Abstract PO5-11-11: Risk Assessment, Prevention and Early Detection of Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema – Objective Measurements and Patient Reported Outcomes

Abstract Background Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) affects the quality of life, but there is no consensus regarding early detection and monitoring. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are important in assessing cancer survivor outcomes, and different questionnaires have been developed. LYMPHA (Lymphatic Microsurgical Preventive Healing Approach) and S-LYMPHA (Simplified LYMPHA) have reduced BCRL rates. This study aims to identify the most reliable PRO in a South Florida multi-ethnic population and to study correlations between PROs and objective measurements in the first 6 months after axillary surgery. Methods Patients undergoing axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) or axillary radiation were included. L-Dex score (Bioimpedance Spectroscopy) and three validated questionnaires (LyQLI, Lymphedema Quality of Life Inventory; LyQOL, Lymphedema Quality of Life and FACT-B4+ Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Lymphedema) were recorded at baseline, and 6 months post-surgery to assess the agreement between patient-reported symptoms and BCRL. L-Dex score outside the normal range or a 10 unit increase above baseline was considered lymphedema. Additional variables such as demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment modalities were recorded. Results Out of 40 recruited patients, 39 were analyzed (excluding one deceased patient). Patient and treatment characteristics are described in Table 1. Patients were divided into three cohorts (Figure 1) for analysis: ALND with no axillary radiation (7.69%; n=33), Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB) with axillary radiation (7.69 %; n=3), and ALND with axillary radiation (85%; n=3). In the first cohort, LYMPHA or S-LYMPHA were associated with lower rates of lymphedema (19% vs, 50%) (p=0.116). No patients in the second or third cohort developed lymphedema. There were 4 out of 20 (20%) patients with lymphedema with scores above the median for FACT B4+ (p= 0.480) and a lower score (higher quality of life) correlated with lower L-Dex (p=0.76). The higher value in the physical domain of LyQLI showed higher L-Dex (p=0.826). There was a significant inter-domain correlation in LyQLI and LyQOL (p= < 0.001). Conclusion These results validate the use of PROs alongside objective measurements to assess BCRL. In addition, LYMPHA and S-LYMPHA significantly reduce lymphedema rates. Larger numbers will be necessary to reach statistical significance and to identify the best PRO. Figure 1 Division of patient population into three cohorts Table 1 Demographic and Treatment Summary Citation Format: Anshumi Desai, Orli-Friedman Eldar, Gili Halfteck, Mecker Moller, Susan Kesmodel, Dido Franceschi, Neha Goel, Jessica Crystal, Laura Huang, Jennifer Hu, Koru-Sengal Tulay, Wei Zhao, Alexis Narvaez-Rojas, Eli Avisar. Risk Assessment, Prevention and Early Detection of Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema – Objective Measurements and Patient Reported Outcomes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-11-11.

Assessing the reproducibility and predictive value of objective cough measurement for successful withdrawal of invasive ventilatory support in adult patients

BackgroundUtilizing clinical tests, such as objective cough measurement, can assist in predicting the success of the weaning process in critically ill patients.MethodsA multicenter observational analytical study was conducted within a prospective cohort of patients recruited to participate in COBRE-US. We assessed the capability of objective cough measurement to predict the success of the spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) and extubation. Intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of the cough test and was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cohen’s weighted kappa. We used receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC-curve) to evaluate the predictive ability of objective cough measurement.ResultsWe recruited 367 subjects who were receiving invasive mechanical ventilation. A total of 451 objective cough measurements and 456 SBTs were conducted. A significant association was found between objective cough measurement and successful SBT (OR: 1.68; 95% CI 1.48–1.90; p = 0.001). The predictive capability of the objective cough test for SBT success had a ROC-curve of 0.58 (95% CI: 0.56–0.61). Objective cough measurement to predict successful extubation had a ROC-curve of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.56–0.66). The intraobserver reproducibility exhibited an ICC of 0.94 (95% CI: 0.89–0.96; p < 0.001), while the interobserver reproducibility demonstrated an ICC of 0.72 (95% CI: 0.51–0.85; p < 0.001). The intraobserver agreement, assessed using Cohen’s weighted kappa was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.93–0.99; p < 0.001), whereas the interobserver agreement was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.67 − 0.10; p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe objective measurement of cough using the method employed in our study demonstrates nearly perfect intra-observer reproducibility and agreement. However, its ability to predict success or failure in the weaning process is limited.

Abstract PO2-19-12: Enhancing skin appearance and quality of life in breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitor therapy

Abstract Background: Post-menopausal women with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer (BC) are typically prescribed endocrine therapy with an aromatase inhibitor (AI) for 5-10 years following BC diagnosis. AIs have multiple established side effects related to estrogen deprivation including vasomotor symptoms, vaginal dryness, and accelerated bone thinning. Many patients also complain about the impact of AIs on skin quality; however, limited data currently exists, particularly with objective measurements of skin quality. Canfield Sciences VISIA-CA is a device that can be used to objectively measure skin changes using patented comparison to norms analysis with a skin feature database to grade the skin relative to others in the same age and skin type. Herein, we aim to evaluate changes in skin quality with the Canfield Sciences VISIA-CA Device after initiation of AI therapy and investigate potential benefits of skincare intervention. Trial Design: This is a pilot study aiming to describe changes in skin quality after initiation of AI therapy in BC survivors through use of VISIA-CA technology and patient reported outcome measures. This study will allow us to collect data and identify the trend (if any) for a future larger study. Patients who consent for participation are given a baseline survey to assess self-reported quality of life, perception of skin quality, and self-image prior to initiation of AI. Patients also receive baseline skin measurement with the VISIA-CA device and facial skin photography. Baseline skincare regimen is documented. Any patients on prescription tretinoin products at time of baseline assessment are excluded from the study. Patients return 6 months after initiation of AI for follow-up surveys, updated VISIA-CA measurement, and facial skin photography. Patients then meet with a Mayo Clinic Cosmetic Center aesthetician for skincare intervention with recommended topical treatments including daily facial cleanser, exfoliator, toner, hydrating crème, and retinol-based product. Patients return for additional visits with updated survey, VISIA-CA measurement, and facial skin photography at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after skincare intervention. Patients are asked to complete skincare compliance diary to document adherence on a weekly basis. Eligibility Criteria: Post-menopausal patients with newly diagnosed ER-positive BC at Mayo Clinic Florida are identified for participation in the study prior to beginning AI therapy. Specific Aims: 1.) Evaluate the incidence and severity of skin changes after initiation of AI therapy in BC survivors through use of Canfield Sciences VISIA-CA technology, facial skin photography, and validated patient reported outcome measures. 2.) Assess for objective improvements in skin quality measurements after skincare intervention including a retinol-based product Statistical Methods: Continuous variables will be summarized as mean (standard deviation) or median (range) and categorical variables will be reported as frequency (percentage). The changes of skin measurement and patient reported outcome measurements will be calculated and summarized for the following time frames: 1) from initiation of AI therapy to 26 weeks after 2) from the initiation of skincare intervention and 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 26 weeks after. Appropriate statistical plots will be used to illustrate the change. Target Accrual: 50 patients. Schedule of Events Citation Format: Lauren Cornell, Leila Tolaymat, Pooja Advani, Saranya Chumsri, Pincelli Thais. Enhancing skin appearance and quality of life in breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitor therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-19-12.

Abstract PO5-11-12: The use of wearable sensors and patient-reported outcomes in breast cancer research: A literature survey

Abstract Background: Clinical outcome assessments (COAs) related to physical activity, sleep, and functional mobility (gait and balance) are common in breast cancer research as they provide insight into treatment effects and overall quality of life. Wearable sensors offer utility in supplementing traditional COAs by providing objective data by passive, continuous measurement, thereby gaining unique insight on functioning while reducing patient burden. However, a comprehensive understanding of how wearables are being used in breast cancer research and how they correlate with subjective measurement of functioning is lacking. Our aim was to identify how wearable sensors and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are being utilized in breast cancer research, the common areas of overlap, as well as areas in which expanded use of wearable sensors may be beneficial in clinical breast cancer research. Methods: We conducted a non-systematic survey of breast cancer literature using electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Elsevier and Clinicaltrials.gov) to identify oncology trials using both wearable sensors and PROs. Details such as PROs used, types of sensors used, and the data collected from these were extracted and summarized. There were no restrictions placed on the date and year of publication. Results: A total of 15 breast cancer studies, which used both wearable sensors and PROs to measure patient outcomes, were included in analysis. Accelerometers were implemented most frequently in the studies analyzed (73%) followed by pedometers (40%). The most common outcomes measured using wearable sensors were physical activity (47%) and sleep (47%), with only 1 study (7%) measuring functional mobility(gait and balance). The most common outcomes measured using PROs were sleep (47%), followed by quality of life (40%), physical activity (33%), and “other” parameters (40%; e.g., mood, fatigue, pain). Correlation between PRO and sensor metrics were sparce (20%), yet sensor measures of physical activity, sleep, and gait/balance correlated respectively with PROs of activity, sleep, and quality of life. Conclusions: Sleep, quality of life, and physical activity were the most common outcomes measured by PROs, while physical activity and sleep were the most common outcomes captured using wearable sensors. These results suggest there is alignment in outcomes gathered from wearable sensors and PROs, however additional insight may be gained by incorporating wearable sensors for assessment of functional mobility (e.g. walk or balance tests) as these areas are known to impact quality of life in cancer patients and cancer survivors. Further, few studies analyzed correlations between the two measurement systems, suggesting a greater need in understanding how objective measures via wearable sensors and subjective measurements relate. Citation Format: Kelly Dumais, Adam Jagodinsky, Saima Khakwani, Rebecca Bonaker, Bryan McDowell, Kristen Sowalsky. The use of wearable sensors and patient-reported outcomes in breast cancer research: A literature survey [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-11-12.

Abstract PO5-23-11: Elevated linoleic acid levels in red blood cells membrane predicts response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients

Abstract Introduction: Fatty acids (FA) consumed in the diet have been implicated in increasing the risk of breast cancer (BC). Humans have a wide variety of FAs, including saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), and polyunsaturated (PUFA) FAs. PUFAs can be further classified into omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) PUFAs. While n-3 has been associated with reducing inflammation and promoting apoptosis in BC cells, n-6 has been linked to increased inflammation, oxidative stress, and the promotion of BC cell proliferation and treatment resistance. In healthy women, the n-3 content in mammary tissue correlates with n-3 content in red blood cells (RBCs). The FA profile of the RBC membrane provides an unbiased option to assess lipid intake and composition, reflecting long-term FA intake and providing an objective and sensitive measure of lipid intake and body fat deposits. Notably, BC patients have been found to display a high n-6:n-3 ratio in RBCs, which is associated with inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers. The neoadjuvant chemotherapy treatment (NACT) model presents a unique opportunity to study resistance mechanisms in non-metastatic BC patients. In this approach, the absence of tumor (pathologic complete response: pCR, or Residual Cancer Burden (RCB) = 0) after NACT indicates treatment sensitivity and better overall survival (OS). Objective: The objective of this study is to determine whether differences in FA profiles determined in the RBC membrane and plasma are associated with the response to NACT in non-metastatic BC patients. Methods: A prospective study was conducted, including non-metastatic BC patients scheduled to receive NACT. Blood samples were collected before the first cycle of NACT to measure plasma and RBC FA derivatives, SFAs, MUFAs, and PUFAs. The pathological complete response (pCR) and residual cancer burden (RCB) were assessed. Results: A total of twenty-eight BC patients were included in the study. When comparing pCR vs. no-pCR using total SFA, MUFA, and PUFA plasma samples, no significant differences were observed. However, in RBC, an increase in PUFA was associated with a higher rate of no-pCR (**p&amp;lt; 0.01). Furthermore, comparing omega-6 and omega-3 (both PUFA) levels, an increase in omega-6 was associated with no-pCR (**p&amp;lt; 0.01), while no significant differences were observed with omega-3. No differences were obtained in plasma samples for either omega-6 and omega-3. To determine which specific omega-6 PUFAs were responsible for the association with no-pCR, elevated levels of linoleic acid (LA) in RBC were found to be associated with no-pCR (**p&amp;lt; 0.01). Other omega-6 PUFAs, including gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), eicosadienoic acid (EDA), dihomo-gamma linolenic acid (DGLA), and arachidonic acid (ARA), showed no significant associations. Multivariate and regression analysis confirmed LA (C18:2 n-6, LA) as the most relevant FA when assessing RCB (0-1 vs. 2-3) in RBC membranes, but not in plasma. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyzing LA levels in RBC showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.855 for RCB (sensitivity: 76.9%, specificity: 92.3%). Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating a clear connection between RBC membrane FA composition, specifically LA concentration, and the pathological response in BC patients after NACT. The measurements taken in plasma did not show significant associations, suggesting that RBC membrane FA profile of could serve as a relevant prognostic biomarker for studying resistance mechanisms to NACT in early BC patients Table. Measured FAs in RBC membrane and plasma by pathologic complete response *Indicates p&amp;lt;0.05; abbreviations: pCR: pathological complete response; SD: standard deviation; yr: years; BMI: body mass index; HR: hormone receptor; HER2: human epidermal growth factor receptor type-2; NLR: neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio; HG: histological grade; RCB: residual cancer burden; NA: not applicable Citation Format: Benjamin Walbaum, César Sánchez, Francisco Acevedo. Elevated linoleic acid levels in red blood cells membrane predicts response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-23-11.

Objective Measurements of Nasal Obstruction and Eustachian Tube Function in Pregnant Women

Background: Hormonal changes during pregnancy have a substantial effect on the swelling of the mucous membrane in the nasal cavity, resulting in rhinitis and Eustachian tube dysfunction. The aim of the study was to assess subjective and objective changes in nasal cavity and Eustachian tube patency in the third trimester of pregnancy. Materials and Methods: The study group included fifty 18–41 year-old women in the third trimester of pregnancy. The control group consisted of 25 females aged 25 to 31 who were not pregnant. The Eustachian tube and nasal cavity patency examination was carried out using a rhinomanometer, a tympanometer and a SNOT-22 Questionnaire. Results: The SNOT-22 showed that subjective nasal obstruction was assessed as strong or worse by 42% of the study group, which was significantly higher than in the control group and confirmed with rhinomanometry. A total of 68% of the study group reported a subjective ear fullness which correlated with the week of pregnancy. The tympanometry showed that all pregnant women exhibited a type A tympanogram, but tympanometry values decreased at higher weeks of pregnancy, and statistical analysis confirmed a significant difference between the study group and the control group in tympanometry for both ears. Conclusions: The results highlight the substantial impact on both subjective and objective measurements of nasal and Eustachian tube patency. Almost every woman in the third trimester of pregnancy experiences nasal obstruction, and nearly 70% struggle with ear fullness. Recognizing and addressing these challenges are pivotal for ensuring the well-being of pregnant individuals and enhancing the quality of antenatal care.

Patterns of prospective memory errors differ in persons with multiple sclerosis

ABSTRACT Introduction Prospective memory (PM) deficits have been documented in multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aimed to explore the specific types of errors made by persons with MS (PwMS), including differences between PwMS and healthy controls (HC) and PwMS who do and do not have impairments in processing speed and/or verbal learning and memory. Method PwMS (n = 111) and HC (n = 75) completed the Memory for Intentions Test (MIST), an objective measure of PM that has five types of errors that can be coded (PM failure, task substitution, loss of content, loss of time, and random errors). The number and types of PM errors were calculated for the overall MIST and six subscales, which break down performance by types of delay (2-Minute and 15-Minute), cue (Time and Event), and response (Verbal and Action). Impairment was defined as performing < 1.5 SD on either the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) or Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Bivariate analyses were used to examine group differences, with post-hoc pairwise comparisons with Bonferroni corrections. Results Nearly 93% of PwMS made at least one PM error, compared to 76% of HC (V = .24, p = .001). The most commonly made PM error by PwMS was loss of content errors (45.0%). PwMS made significantly more task substitution errors (26.4% vs. 7.6%, p < .001) and fewer loss of time errors (9.5% vs. 21.2%, p < .001) than HC. Impaired PwMS made more errors than non-impaired PwMS, specifically PM failures on time-based tasks. Conclusions PM errors are common in PwMS, particularly when there are longer delays and time-based cues. Not only do PwMS make more errors than demographically similar HC, but they exhibit different cognitive process failures.

Lung function trajectories from school age to adulthood and their relationship with markers of cardiovascular disease risk

RationaleLung function in early adulthood is associated with subsequent adverse health outcomes.ObjectivesTo ascertain whether stable and reproducible lung function trajectories can be derived in different populations and investigate their association...

The Impact of Physical Education on Mental Health

By combining quantitative rigor with the qualitative depth, this study’s holistic review of how structured physical education affects mental health issues offers unique and valuable insights appreciated both by researchers, practitioners as well policymakers. The research covers a wide range of participants, including students from different levels in education structures, adults as well as individuals with various social backgrounds. With a view to having equal representation across age groups, genders and social statuses the stratified method of sampling was used to generate this report. The inclusion criteria refer to those individuals who participate in regular physical education activities. The MHI, using batteries of age-appropriate standardized tests to measure physical fitness. The meta-analysis of quantitative and qualitative data reveals the major positive effects that both mental health and physical fitness areas have shown in participants after a structured PE course. The holistic approach, which takes into account both objective measures and subjective experiences in this study reveals the positive effect of physical education on mental health. These results imply that high-quality physical education program has the possibility to contribute an increase in general wellbeing, which might be helpful for better mental health indicators. 

Development of Malaysian-MIND diet scores for prediction of mild cognitive impairment among older adults in Malaysia.

Mild Cognitive impairment (MCI) is a pre-demented state in the elderly populace. The Mediterranean & Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet has shown promise in reducing the risk of MCI and Alzheimer's disease in older people. Notably, the existing MIND diet is not adapted to the specific needs of older adults in Malaysia, considering distinct food cultures and availability. Consequently, this study aimed to develop the Malaysian version of the MIND diet (MY-MINDD) scores and investigate their association with MCI in the older adult populace of Malaysia. A comprehensive pooled data analysis was conducted on combined data from 810 participants sourced from the longitudinal Long-Term Research Grant Scheme-Towards Useful Aging (LRGS-TUA) and Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) studies. The MY-MINDD scores were developed by incorporating existing MIND diet food groups, their corresponding scoring mechanisms, and consideration of common Malaysian foods which are proven to be beneficial and detrimental to cognitive function. To substantiate the MY-MINDD scoring system, its association with MCI was evaluated using a series of validated neuropsychological test batteries. MY-MINDD consists of seven food groups promote brain health and four food groups exert negative cognitive outcomes. The study participants had an average age of 67.9 ± 4.7 years. The collective MY-MINDD score for all participants was 6.4 ± 0.1 (out of a maximum 11 points), revealing a lower score in individuals with MCI at 6.0 ± 1.7 compared to those without MCI at 6.6 ± 1.6 (p < 0.001). According to hierarchical multivariate binary logistic regression analysis, being in the highest tertile of MY-MINDD score was linked to reduced odds of MCI (odds ratio (OR) = 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.26-0.72, p < 0.001) in the fully adjusted model in comparison to the lowest tertile. The development of the MY-MINDD scores for Malaysian older population revealed that a stronger adherence to this diet is linked to a reduced risk of MCI. Further substantiation of the MY-MINDD scores using more objective measures, such as neuroimaging approaches and other neuropsychological batteries, is necessary.

Heart rate variability as an indicator of fatigue: A structural equation model approach

Driver fatigue significantly impairs performance and is a major risk factor for road crashes. However, fatigue is difficult to objectively measure and quantify. This study aimed to elucidate associations between heart rate variability (HRV) metrics and multidimensional fatigue construct—encompassing objective and subjective measures—in young drivers with self-reported short sleep. Eighty-four young adults underwent assessments during simulated driving. HRV indices RMSSD and LF/HF ratio were derived from an electrocardiogram, while relative theta power, oculography drowsiness, lane position variability, and Karolinska Sleepiness Score measured fatigue. RMSSD negatively correlated with theta power, and LF/HF ratio positively correlated with position variability. Exploratory factor analysis extracted three factors, with RMSSD and LF/HF loading onto one. Structural equation modelling tested the prediction of a latent fatigue construct from HRV. Two models demonstrated an acceptable fit. RMSSD negatively predicted fatigue, explaining 6.4% of the variance, while the LF/HF ratio positively predicted fatigue, accounting for 3.7% of the variance. In summary, HRV, particularly RMSSD, showed significant relationships with multidimensional fatigue. Lower RMSSD and higher LF/HF ratio are associated with greater fatigue levels. This study demonstrates that HRV indices exhibit significant relationships within a multidimensional model of fatigue incorporating objective performance, ocular, and subjective measures. The findings provide initial evidence towards using HRV for monitoring complex manifestations of fatigue, rather than single dimensions. Further applied research should investigate translating these findings to naturalistic settings and validating HRV thresholds predictive of on-road impairment.

Self-reported and accelerometry measures of sleep components in adolescents living in Pacific Island countries and territories: Exploring the role of sociocultural background.

The objective of this study is to assess the concordance and its association with sociocultural background of a four-question survey with accelerometry in a multiethnic adolescent population, regarding sleep components. Based on questions from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and adapted to a school context, the questionnaire focussed on estimating sleep onset time, wake-up time and sleep duration on both weekdays and weekends. This subjective survey was compared with accelerometry data while also considering the influence of sociocultural factors (sex, place of living, ethnic community and socio-economic status). Adolescents aged 10.5-16 years (n = 182) in New Caledonia completed the survey and wore an accelerometer for seven consecutive days. Accelerometry was used to determine sleep onset and wake-up time using validated algorithms. Based on response comparison, Bland-Altman plots provided agreement between subjective answers and objective measures. We categorized participants' answers to the survey into underestimated, aligned and overestimated categories based on time discrepancies with accelerometry data. Multinomial regressions highlighted the sociocultural factors associated with discrepancies. Concordance between the accelerometer and self-reported assessments was low particularly during weekends (18%, 26% and 19% aligned for onset sleep time, wake-up time and sleep duration respectively) compared with weekdays (36%, 53% and 31% aligned, respectively). This means that the overall concordance was less than 30%. When considering the sociocultural factors, only place of living was associated with discrepancies in onset sleep time and wake-up time primarily on weekdays. Rural adolescents were more likely to overestimate both onset sleep time (B = -1.97, p < 0.001) and wake-up time (B = -1.69, p = 0.003). The study found low concordance between self-assessment and accelerometry outputs for sleep components. This was particularly low for weekend days and for participants living in rural areas. While the adapted four-item questionnaire was useful and easy to complete, caution should be taken when making conclusions about sleep habits based solely on this measurement.

Multifactor and multidimensional data quality analysis of judge scoring in diving competition

IntroductionIn sports competitions, judge scoring data serve as an objective measure of an athlete’s performance level. However, research has indicated the unreliability of objective measurements. Controversy often arises regarding the quality of judge scoring data, undermining fairness and justice in sports competitions.MethodThis paper proposes a method utilizing the Kendall covariance coefficient and the Kendall correlation coefficient for the thorough evaluation of judging data quality in diving events. The analysis is structured around four key elements: overall competition, individual divers, specific rounds, and distinct diving techniques. Each element is analyzed across three dimensions: the collective data quality from the judging panel, interjudge data quality comparisons, and the alignment of individual judges’ scores with the final tallied scores.ResultsTwo case studies serve to illustrate the application of this method. The Kendall covariance coefficient is employed to assess the data quality from the judges as a unified entity, whereas the Kendall correlation coefficient is utilized to evaluate the data quality from individual judges. Results show that the data quality of the judge group’s scoring is high, while the data quality of the judge group’s scoring for the 6th diver, the 5th round, Dive No. 5152B, Judge 5 and 6 in the Competition 1, and the 1st diver, the 3rd round, Dive No. 6245D, Judge 4 in the Competition 2 is inconsistent with the others.DiscussionThis approach uncovers disparities in data quality attributed to the judges’ panel across each diver, each round, and the various diving maneuvers. However, the Kendall correlation coefficient may not be suitable for evaluating data quality when both the data differences and the sample size are small.

82. Sex Differences in the Effects of Sensitive Period Exposure to Childhood Maltreatment on Objective Measures of Attention, Hyperactivity, and Impulsivity

82. Sex Differences in the Effects of Sensitive Period Exposure to Childhood Maltreatment on Objective Measures of Attention, Hyperactivity, and Impulsivity

Right prefrontal activation associated with deviations from expected lipstick texture assessed with functional near-infrared spectroscopy

IntroductionThere is a continuous consumer demand for ever superior cosmetic products. In marketing, various forms of sensory evaluation are used to measure the consumer experience and provide data with which to improve cosmetics. Nonetheless, potential downsides of existing approaches have led to the exploration of the use of neuroimaging methods, such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), to provide addition information about consumers' experiences with cosmetics. The aim of the present study was to investigate the feasibility of a real-time brain-based product evaluation method which detects the incongruency between a product, in this case lipstick, and a consumer's expectations.MethodThirty healthy, female, habitual lipstick users were asked to apply six different lipsticks varying in softness and to rate the softness of and their willingness to pay (WTP) for each lipstick. Cerebral hemodynamic responses in frontal areas were measured with fNIRS during lipstick application and analyzed using the general linear model (GLM). Incongruency scores between softness and expectation were calculated in order to understand how far removed each lipstick was from a participant's optimal softness preference. The correlation between brain activation (beta scores) during the application of each lipstick and the respective incongruency scores from each participant were acquired using semi-partial correlation analysis, controlling for the effects of WTP.ResultsWe revealed a significant intra-subject correlation between incongruency scores and activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). This confirms that as the texture incongruency scores increased for the lipstick samples, activation in each individual's right IFG also increased.ConclusionThe correlation observed between incongruency perceived by participants and activation of the right IFG not only suggests that the right IFG may play an important role in detecting incongruity when there is a discrepancy between the perceived texture and the consumer's expectations but also that measuring activity in the IFG may provide a new objective measurement of the consumer experience, thus contributing to the development of superior cosmetics.