scholarly journals Light therapy with boxes or glasses to counteract effects of acute sleep deprivation

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Henri Comtet ◽  
Pierre A. Geoffroy ◽  
Mio Kobayashi Frisk ◽  
Jeffrey Hubbard ◽  
Ludivine Robin-Choteau ◽  
...  

AbstractSleep deprivation, in the context of shift work, is an increasing major public health issue. We aimed to determine whether early light administration can counteract sleep deprivation effects, and to compare LED-glasses with a traditional light therapy box. This cross-over design study included 18 individuals exposed to light therapy for 30 minutes at 5 am after one night of complete sleep deprivation, to mimic the night shift condition. Individuals were randomly exposed to 10,000 Lux light box, 2,000 Lux LED blue-enriched glasses, and control (ambient dim-light at 8 lux). Alertness, cognition and mood were assessed throughout the night and following morning. Five women and 13 men (mean 24.78 year old) presented with a progressive and increasing alteration of alertness, cognition, and mood during each sleep deprivation. A rebound was observed at 8 am resulting from the circadian drive overriding cumulative sleep homeostatic effects. Morning light significantly improved sleepiness and sustained attention from 5 to 7 am. These effects were comparable between devices and significantly different from control. Both devices were overall well and similarly tolerated. Early morning light therapy in the condition of sleep loss may have broad practical applications to improve sleepiness, sustained attention and subsequent risk of accidents.

2019 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catarina Soares Queirós ◽  
João Borges da Costa

The global burden of sexually transmitted infections remains high, with significant associated morbidity and mortality. Gonorrhea is the second most notified sexually transmitted infection in Europe, and its incidence has been increasing in the last years. Although traditionally considered a treatable infection, antimicrobial resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeaeincludes at present also macrolides, tetracyclines, sulfonamides and trimethoprim combinations, quinolones, and even cephalosporins. These high levels of gonococcal resistance to antimicrobials resulting in untreatable infections in the future may become one of the greatest challenges to the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections, which may be a significant major public health issue. Therefore, the development of novel antimicrobials and/or new dual antimicrobial therapy regimens is urgently needed. In this paper, evolution of antimicrobial resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is reviewed, along with new drugs currently under development for the treatment of this infection.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adi Aran ◽  
Netanel Wasserteil ◽  
Itai Gross ◽  
Joseph Mendlovic ◽  
Yehuda Pollak

Background. Despite a gradual reduction in the workload during residency, 24-hour calls are still an integral part of most training programs. While sleep deprivation increases the risk propensity, the impact on medical risk taking has not been studied. Objective. This study aimed to assess the clinical decision making and psychomotor performance of pediatric residents following a limited nap time during a 24-hour call. Methods. A neurocognitive battery (IntegNeuro) and a medical decision questionnaire were completed by 44 pediatric residents at 2 time points: after a 24-hour call and following 3 nights with no calls (sleep ≥5 hours). To monitor sleep, residents wore actigraphs and completed sleep logs. Results. Nap time during the shift was <1 hour in 14 cases (32%), 1 to 2 hours in 16 cases (35%), and 2 to 3 hours in 14 cases (32%). Residents who napped less than 1 hour chose the riskier medical option in 50% of cases compared with 36% when answering the same questionnaire after 3 nights with no calls ( P = 0.002). This effect was not found in residents who napped 1 to 2 hours (no change in risk taking) or 2 to 3 hours (4% decreased risk taking) (difference between groups, P = 0.001). Risk-taking tendency inversely correlated with sustained attention scores (Pearson = −0.433, P = 0.003). Sustained attention was the neurocognitive domain most affected by sleep deprivation (effect size = 0.29, P = 0.025). Conclusions. This study suggests that residents napping less than an hour during a night shift are prone to riskier clinical decisions. Hence, enabling residents to nap at least 1 hour during shifts is recommended.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-107
Author(s):  
Hindol Das ◽  
Shilpa Motghare

India is a global epicenter of oral cancer patients and the magnitude of the problem is ever increasing day by day. There is excess burden of oral malignancies all over the country and the risk factors associated with the disease are at its peak. Addressing the disease which is quite like an epidemic is a great challenge and major public health issue in India. This review paper discusses the burden of the disease, its top risk factors in India including the use of tobacco, alcohol, areca nut and HPV infections; and methods for prevention and control of oral cancer in India. Keywords: Oral cancer, Burden, Risk factors, Tobacco, Alcohol, Areca nut, HPV, Prevention.


Author(s):  
R. S. Oliveira ◽  
K. B. A. Pimentel ◽  
M. L. Moura ◽  
C. F. Aragão ◽  
A. S. Guimarães-e-Silva ◽  
...  

Abstract Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected tropical disease with a wide distribution in the Americas. Brazil is an endemic country and present cases in all states. This study aimed to describe the occurrence, the underlying clinical and epidemiological factors, and the correlation of climatic variables with the frequency of reported CL cases in the municipality of Caxias, state of Maranhão, Brazil. This is a retrospective and descriptive epidemiological study based on data extracted from the Brazilian Information System of Diseases Notification, from 2007 to 2017. Maximum and minimum temperature, precipitation, and relative air humidity data were provided by the Brazilian National Institute of Meteorology. A total of 201 reported autochthonous CL cases were analyzed. The predominance of cases was observed in males (70.1%). The age range between 31 and 60 years old was the most affected, with 96 cases (47.9%). Of the total number of registered cases, 38.8% of the affected individuals were engaged in agriculture-related activities. The georeferenced distribution revealed the heterogeneity of disease occurrence, with cases concentrated in the Western and Southern regions of the municipality. An association was detected between relative air humidity (monthly mean) and the number of CL cases per month (p = 0.04). CL continues to be a concerning public health issue in Caxias. In this context, there is a pressing need to strengthen measures of prevention and control of the disease through the network of health services of the municipality, considering local and regional particularities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1003
Author(s):  
Jacques Taillard ◽  
Claude Gronfier ◽  
Stéphanie Bioulac ◽  
Pierre Philip ◽  
Patricia Sagaspe

In the context of geriatric research, a growing body of evidence links normal age-related changes in sleep with many adverse health outcomes, especially a decline in cognition in older adults. The most important sleep alterations that continue to worsen after 60 years involve sleep timing, (especially early wake time, phase advance), sleep maintenance (continuity of sleep interrupted by numerous awakenings) and reduced amount of sigma activity (during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep) associated with modifications of sleep spindle characteristics (density, amplitude, frequency) and spindle–Slow Wave coupling. After 60 years, there is a very clear gender-dependent deterioration in sleep. Even if there are degradations of sleep after 60 years, daytime wake level and especially daytime sleepiness is not modified with age. On the other hand, under sleep deprivation condition, older adults show smaller cognitive impairments than younger adults, suggesting an age-related lower vulnerability to extended wakefulness. These sleep and cognitive age-related modifications would be due to a reduced homeostatic drive and consequently a reduced sleep need, an attenuation of circadian drive (reduction of sleep forbidden zone in late afternoon and wake forbidden zone in early morning), a modification of the interaction of the circadian and homeostatic processes and/or an alteration of subcortical structures involved in generation of circadian and homeostatic drive, or connections to the cerebral cortex with age. The modifications and interactions of these two processes with age are still uncertain, and still require further investigation. The understanding of the respective contribution of circadian and homeostatic processes in the regulation of neurobehavioral function with aging present a challenge for improving health, management of cognitive decline and potential early chronobiological or sleep-wake interventions.


1990 ◽  
Vol 18 (1_part_1) ◽  
pp. 41-50
Author(s):  
F. Barbara Orlans

Pain scales classify the severity of pain inflicted on laboratory animals from little or none up to severe. A pain scale as part of public policy serves beneficial purposes that promote animal welfare. It can be used to educate people about the two alternatives of refinement and replacement, and the need to reduce animal pain. Furthermore, a pain scale has practical applications: 1) in review procedures for animal welfare concerns; 2) in developing policies on the use of animals in education; and 3) as a basis for collecting national data on animal experimentation, so that meaningful data can be collected on trends in reduction and control in animal pain. So far, only a few countries (including Sweden, the Netherlands, Canada and New Zealand) have adopted pain scales as part of their public policy. Most countries, including the United States, have not yet done so. The history of the development and adoption of pain scales by various countries is described and the case is presented for wider adoption of a pain scale in countries not currently using one.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Castro ◽  
Hugo Perazzo ◽  
Beatriz Grinsztejn ◽  
Valdilea G. Veloso ◽  
Chris Hyde

Chronic hepatitis C remains one of the main causes of chronic liver disease worldwide and presents a variable natural history ranging from minimal changes to advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis and its complications, such as development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Approximately, 1.45 million people are estimated to be infected by HCV in Brazil representing a major public health issue. The aim of this paper was to review the epidemiology and management of chronic hepatitis C from a Brazilian perspective. The management of chronic hepatitis C has been challenged by the use of noninvasive methods to stage liver fibrosis as an alternative to liver biopsy and the high cost of new interferon-free antiviral treatments. Moreover, the need of cost-effectiveness analysis in hepatitis C and the recent changes in treatment protocols were discussed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha J. Williams ◽  
Chimene Castor ◽  
Azizi Seixas ◽  
Joseph Ravenell ◽  
Girardin Jean-Louis

<p class="Pa7"><strong>Introduction: </strong>Sleep disturbance is a major public health issue and is comorbid with the cluster of conditions associated with meta­bolic syndrome (MetS). Our study explored the presence of sleep disturbance, including daytime sleepiness, the risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and insomnia symp­toms, in a cohort of adult Black men and women with MetS.</p><p class="Pa7"><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients (n=1,013) from the Met­abolic Syndrome Outcome Study (MetSO), 2009-2012, met criteria for MetS based on guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program’s Adult Treatment Panel and provided sociodemographic data and the Apnea Risk Evaluation System (ARES) questionnaire to assess OSA risk, sleep char­acteristics, and physician-reported diagnosis of a sleep disorder.</p><p class="Pa7"><strong>Results: </strong>Prevalence of the components of MetS included: diabetes (60%); obesity (67%); hypertension (94%); and dyslip­idemia (74%). Based on the ARES, 49% were at risk for OSA. Of all study patients, slightly more than half (53%) reported feel­ing sleepy during the day, and 10% reported an insomnia diagnosis. The most common sleep disturbance reported by 46% of the patients was early morning awakenings (EMA). This was closely followed by 42% who reported difficulty staying asleep (DSA) and 38% reporting difficulty falling asleep (DFA). Seventy percent reported short sleep (≤ 6 hours), whereas a minority (19%) reported long sleep (≥ 9 hours). Only 12% used sleep aids. Women, compared with men, reported greater daytime sleepiness, greater DFA, and greater DSA (57% vs 45%; 41% vs 32.4%; 45% vs 37%), respectively.</p><p class="Default"><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Blacks with MetS reported insomnia symptoms and insomnia disor­der, use of sleep aids, feeling sleepy during the day, and inadequate sleep durations. The presence of these sleep characteristics suggests that patients with MetS should be referred for further sleep assessment. <em></em></p><p class="Default"><em>Ethn Dis. </em>2018;28(3):193-200; doi:10.18865/ ed.28.3.193</p>


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