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Wang W, Jiang J, Qi L, Zhao F, Wu J, Zhu X, Wang B, Hong X. Relationship between mental health, sleep status and screen time among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e073347. [PMID: 38070905 PMCID: PMC10729102 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE On 20 July 2021, after the outbreak of COVID-19 at Nanjing Lukou International Airport, several universities started closed management and online teaching. This had a large impact on students' daily life and study, which may lead to mental health problems. The purpose of this study is to study the effect of screen time on mental health status of university students and the possible mediating effect of sleep status. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study. A web-based questionnaire survey was employed that included demographic characteristics, sleep status and mental health status (depression, anxiety and loneliness). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scale was used to assess sleep status, while the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale, Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale and Emotional versus Social Loneliness Scale (ESLS) were used to assess depression, anxiety and loneliness, respectively. Linear and logistic regression models were developed and adjusted for confounding factors, and finally the mediating effects were tested using the Karlson-Holm-Breen method. RESULTS Finally, 1070 valid questionnaires were included. Among these, 604 (56.45%) indicated depressive symptoms (CES-D score ≥16) and 902 (84.30%) indicated anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 score ≥10). The mean ESLS score (for loneliness) was 26.51±6.64. The relationship between screen time and depressive symptoms (OR 1.118, 95% CI 1.072 to 1.166) and anxiety symptoms (OR 1.079, 95% CI 1.023 to 1.138) remained significant after adjusting for confounding factors. Meanwhile, sleep status plays an intermediary role in screen time and mental health status (depression and anxiety) and accounts for 13.73% and 19.68% of the total effects, respectively. We did not find a significant association between screen time and loneliness. CONCLUSION During the outbreak of COVID-19, screen time is inevitably prolonged among university students. There is a relationship between mental health and screen time, and sleep status plays a mediating role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingfeng Jiang
- Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lerong Qi
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fanqi Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingying Wu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoqi Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiang Hong
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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Golomb BA, Han JH. Adverse effect propensity: A new feature of Gulf War illness predicted by environmental exposures. iScience 2023; 26:107363. [PMID: 37554469 PMCID: PMC10405325 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A third of 1990-1 Gulf-deployed personnel developed drug/chemical-induced multisymptom illness, "Gulf War illness" (GWI). Veterans with GWI (VGWI) report increased drug/exposure adverse effects (AEs). Using previously collected data from a case-control study, we evaluated whether the fraction of exposures that engendered AEs ("AE Propensity") is increased in VGWI (it was); whether AE Propensity is related to self-rated "chemical sensitivity" (it did); and whether specific exposures "predicted" AE Propensity (they did). Pesticides and radiation exposure were significant predictors, with copper significantly "protective"-in the total sample (adjusted for GWI-status) and separately in VGWI and controls, on multivariable regression. Mitochondrial impairment and oxidative stress (OS) underlie AEs from many exposures irrespective of nominal specific mechanism. We hypothesize that mitochondrial toxicity and interrelated OS from pesticides and radiation position people on the steep part of the curve of mitochondrial impairment and OS versus symptom/biological disruption, amplifying impact of new exposures. Copper, meanwhile, is involved in critical OS detoxification processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice A. Golomb
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jun Hee Han
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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Begum R, Mamun-Or-Rashid ANM, Lucy TT, Pramanik MK, Sil BK, Mukerjee N, Tagde P, Yagi M, Yonei Y. Potential Therapeutic Approach of Melatonin against Omicron and Some Other Variants of SARS-CoV-2. Molecules 2022; 27:6934. [PMID: 36296527 PMCID: PMC9609612 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27206934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The Omicron variant (B.529) of COVID-19 caused disease outbreaks worldwide because of its contagious and diverse mutations. To reduce these outbreaks, therapeutic drugs and adjuvant vaccines have been applied for the treatment of the disease. However, these drugs have not shown high efficacy in reducing COVID-19 severity, and even antiviral drugs have not shown to be effective. Researchers thus continue to search for an effective adjuvant therapy with a combination of drugs or vaccines to treat COVID-19 disease. We were motivated to consider melatonin as a defensive agent against SARS-CoV-2 because of its various unique properties. Over 200 scientific publications have shown the significant effects of melatonin in treating diseases, with strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. Melatonin has a high safety profile, but it needs further clinical trials and experiments for use as a therapeutic agent against the Omicron variant of COVID-19. It might immediately be able to prevent the development of severe symptoms caused by the coronavirus and can reduce the severity of the infection by improving immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahima Begum
- Department of Microbiology, Gono Bishwabidyalay, Dhaka 1344, Bangladesh
| | - A. N. M. Mamun-Or-Rashid
- Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University 1-3 TataraMiyakodani, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
- Glycative Stress Research Center, Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University 1-3 Tatara Miyakodani, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 130 De Soto Str., Pittsburgh, PA 15231, USA
| | - Tanzima Tarannum Lucy
- Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University 1-3 TataraMiyakodani, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
- Glycative Stress Research Center, Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University 1-3 Tatara Miyakodani, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
| | - Md. Kamruzzaman Pramanik
- Microbiology and Industrial Irradiation Division, Institute of Food and Radiation Biology, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Savar 1349, Bangladesh
| | - Bijon Kumar Sil
- Department of Microbiology, Gono Bishwabidyalay, Dhaka 1344, Bangladesh
| | - Nobendu Mukerjee
- Department of Microbiology, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, Kolkata 700118, India
- Department of Health Sciences, Novel Global Community Educational Foundation, Sydney 37729, Australia
| | - Priti Tagde
- Patel College of Pharmacy, Madhyanchal Professional University, Bhopal 462044, India
| | - Masayuki Yagi
- Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University 1-3 TataraMiyakodani, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
- Glycative Stress Research Center, Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University 1-3 Tatara Miyakodani, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Yonei
- Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University 1-3 TataraMiyakodani, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
- Glycative Stress Research Center, Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University 1-3 Tatara Miyakodani, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
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Tracy SM, Vieira CLZ, Garshick E, Wang VA, Alahmad B, Eid R, Schwartz J, Schiff JE, Vokonas P, Koutrakis P. Associations between solar and geomagnetic activity and peripheral white blood cells in the Normative Aging Study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 204:112066. [PMID: 34537201 PMCID: PMC8678289 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that solar and geomagnetic activity can affect the function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and melatonin secretion, both of which may influence immune response. We investigated the association between solar geomagnetic activity and white blood cell counts in the Normative Aging Study (NAS) Cohort between 2000 and 2013. Linear mixed effects models with moving day averages ranging from 0 to 28 days were used to evaluate the effects of solar activity measures, interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and sunspot number (SSN), and a measure of geomagnetic activity, K Index (K), on total white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, monocytes, lymphocyte, eosinophil, and basophil concentrations. After adjusting for demographic and health-related factors, there were consistently significant associations between IMF, SSN, and Kp index, with reductions in total WBC, neutrophils, and basophil counts. These associations were stronger with longer moving averages. The associations were similar after adjusting for ambient air particulate pollution and particle radioactivity. Our findings suggest that periods of increased solar and geomagnetic activity result in lower WBC, neutrophil, and basophil counts that may contribute to mil mild immune suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Tracy
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Heath, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - Carolina L Z Vieira
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Heath, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Eric Garshick
- Pulmonary, Allergy, Sleep, and Critical Care Medicine Section, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Veronica A Wang
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Heath, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Barrak Alahmad
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Heath, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ryan Eid
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Heath, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jessica E Schiff
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Heath, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Pantel Vokonas
- VA Normative Aging Study, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System and the Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Heath, Boston, MA, United States
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Radiation Exposure Predicts Reported Vaccine Adverse Effects in Veterans with Gulf War Illness. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17197136. [PMID: 33003502 PMCID: PMC7579364 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17197136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Most people have no problems when administered vaccines; however, as with all drugs, reported adverse effects (rAEs) do occur. There is a need to better understand the potential predictors of reported vaccine AEs (rVaxAEs), including modifiable (environmental) predictors. Gulf War Veterans (GWV) who have Gulf War illness (GWI) report increased experiences of drug and chemical rAEs, extending to rVaxAEs. GWV provide an opportunity to examine the relationship between their reported exposures and rAEs. Forty one GWV with GWI and 40 healthy controls reported exposure and rAEs to exposure, including for 14 vaccines. Individual and summed vaccine exposures, rVaxAEs, and reported Vaccine AE Propensity (summed rVaxAEs/summed vaccines exposures) were compared in cases vs. controls. Exposure-outcome assessments focused on GWV, using a multivariable regression with robust standard error. More designated vaccines were reported in cases than in controls: 9.0 (2.3) vs. 3.8 (2.3), p < 0.0001. The fraction of vaccines received that led to rAEs was ten-fold higher in cases: 0.24 (0.21), vs. 0.023 (0.081), p < 0.0001. Multivariable assessment confirmed that radiation and pesticides remained significant statistical predictors of reported Vaccine AE Propensity. Exposure tied to excess rVaxAEs in GWV may contribute to, or underlie, the reported link between rVaxAEs in GWV and later ill health.
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Halgamuge MN, Skafidas E, Davis D. A meta-analysis of in vitro exposures to weak radiofrequency radiation exposure from mobile phones (1990-2015). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 184:109227. [PMID: 32199316 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
To function, mobile phone systems require transmitters that emit and receive radiofrequency signals over an extended geographical area exposing humans in all stages of development ranging from in-utero, early childhood, adolescents and adults. This study evaluates the question of the impact of radiofrequency radiation on living organisms in vitro studies. In this study, we abstract data from 300 peer-reviewed scientific publications (1990-2015) describing 1127 experimental observations in cell-based in vitro models. Our first analysis of these data found that out of 746 human cell experiments, 45.3% indicated cell changes, whereas 54.7% indicated no changes (p = 0.001). Realizing that there are profound distinctions between cell types in terms of age, rate of proliferation and apoptosis, and other characteristics and that RF signals can be characterized in terms of polarity, information content, frequency, Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) and power, we further refined our analysis to determine if there were some distinct properties of negative and positive findings associated with these specific characteristics. We further analyzed the data taking into account the cumulative effect (SAR × exposure time) to acquire the cumulative energy absorption of experiments due to radiofrequency exposure, which we believe, has not been fully considered previously. When the frequency of signals, length and type of exposure, and maturity, rate of growth (doubling time), apoptosis and other properties of individual cell types are considered, our results identify a number of potential non-thermal effects of radiofrequency fields that are restricted to a subset of specific faster-growing less differentiated cell types such as human spermatozoa (based on 19 reported experiments, p-value = 0.002) and human epithelial cells (based on 89 reported experiments, p-value < 0.0001). In contrast, for mature, differentiated adult cells of Glia (p = 0.001) and Glioblastoma (p < 0.0001) and adult human blood lymphocytes (p < 0.0001) there are no statistically significant differences for these more slowly reproducing cell lines. Thus, we show that RF induces significant changes in human cells (45.3%), and in faster-growing rat/mouse cell dataset (47.3%). In parallel with this finding, further analysis of faster-growing cells from other species (chicken, rabbit, pig, frog, snail) indicates that most undergo significant changes (74.4%) when exposed to RF. This study confirms observations from the REFLEX project, Belyaev and others that cellular response varies with signal properties. We concur that differentiation of cell type thus constitutes a critical piece of information and should be useful as a reference for many researchers planning additional studies. Sponsorship bias is also a factor that we did not take into account in this analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malka N Halgamuge
- Department Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
| | - Efstratios Skafidas
- Department Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Devra Davis
- Environmental Health Trust, Teton Village, WY, 83025, USA
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Bouché NF, McConway K. Melatonin Levels and Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields in Humans and Rats: New Insights From a Bayesian Logistic Regression. Bioelectromagnetics 2019; 40:539-552. [PMID: 31564068 DOI: 10.1002/bem.22218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The present analysis revisits the impact of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) on melatonin (MLT) levels in human and rat subjects using both a parametric and non-parametric approach. In this analysis, we use 62 studies from review articles. The parametric approach consists of a Bayesian logistic regression (LR) analysis and the non-parametric approach consists of a Support Vector analysis, both of which are robust against spurious/false results. Both approaches reveal a unique well-ordered pattern, and show that human and rat studies are consistent with each other once the MF strength is restricted to cover the same range (with B ≲ 50 μT). In addition, the data reveal that chronic exposure (longer than ∼22 days) to ELF-MF appears to decrease MLT levels only when the MF strength is below a threshold of ~30 μT ( log B thr [ μ T ] = 1 . 4 - 0 . 4 + 0 . 7 ), i.e., when the man-made ELF-MF intensity is below that of the static geomagnetic field. Studies reporting an association between ELF-MF and changes to MLT levels and the opposite (no association with ELF-MF) can be reconciled under a single framework. Bioelectromagnetics. 2019;40:539-552. © 2019 Bioelectromagnetics Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas F Bouché
- Univ Lyon, Univ Lyon1, ENS de Lyon, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Astrophysique de Lyon UMR5574, Saint-Genis-Laval, France
| | - Kevin McConway
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The Open University, Milton Keys, UK
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Pritchard C, Silk A, Hansen L. Are rises in Electro-Magnetic Field in the human environment, interacting with multiple environmental pollutions, the tripping point for increases in neurological deaths in the Western World? Med Hypotheses 2019; 127:76-83. [PMID: 31088653 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2019.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Whilst humans evolved in the earth's Electro-Magnetic-Field (EMF) and sun-light, both being essential to life but too much sun and we burn. What happens if background EMF rise to critical levels, coinciding with increasing environmental pollutants? Two of the authors can look back over 50 clinical years and appreciate the profound changes in human morbidity across a range of disparate conditions - autoimmune diseases, asthma, earlier cancer incidence and reduced male sperm counts. In particular have been increased autism, dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and neurological diseases, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Early Onset Dementia, Multiple System Atrophy and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. What might have caused these changes-whilst genetic factors are taken as given, multiple environmental pollutants are associated with neurological disease although the mechanisms are unclear. The pace of increased neurological deaths far exceeds any Gompertzian explanation - that because people are living longer they are more likely to develop more age-related problems such as neurological disease. Using WHO global mortality categories of Neurological Disease Deaths (NDD) and Alzheimer's and Dementia deaths (Alz), updated June 2018, together they constitute Total Neurological Mortality (TNM), to calculate mortality rates per million for people aged 55-74 and for the over-75's in twenty-one Western countries. Recent increases in American people aged over-75's rose 49% from 1989 to 2015 but US neurological deaths increased five-fold. In 1989 based on Age-Standardised-Deaths-Rates America USA was 17th at 324 pm but rising to 539 pm became second highest. Different environmental/occupational factors have been found to be associated with neuro-degenerative diseases, including background EMF. We briefly explore how levels of EMF interact upon the human body, which can be described as a natural antennae and provide new evidence that builds upon earlier research to propose the following hypothesis. Based upon recent and new evidence we hypothesise that a major contribution for the relative sudden upsurge in neurological morbidity in the Western world (1989-2015), is because of increased background EMF that has become the tipping point-impacting upon any genetic predisposition, increasing multiple-interactive pollutants, such as rises in petro-chemicals, hormone disrupting chemicals, industrial, agricultural and domestic chemicals. The unprecedented neurological death rates, all within just twenty-five years, demand a re-examination of long-term EMF safety related to the increasing background EMF on human health. We do not wish to 'stop the modern world', only make it safer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Pritchard
- Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, United Kingdom.
| | - Anne Silk
- Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, United Kingdom
| | - Lars Hansen
- Southern Health, Dept of Psychiatry, University of Southampton, United Kingdom
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Tan X, van Egmond L, Partinen M, Lange T, Benedict C. Response to comment on "A narrative review of interventions for improving sleep and reducing circadian disruption in medical inpatients". Sleep Med 2018; 59:53. [PMID: 30553689 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Tan
- Department of Neuroscience, Sleep Research Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Lieve van Egmond
- Department of Neuroscience, Sleep Research Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Markku Partinen
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; VitalMed Research Center, Helsinki Sleep Clinic, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tanja Lange
- Department of Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Christian Benedict
- Department of Neuroscience, Sleep Research Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Lissak G. Adverse physiological and psychological effects of screen time on children and adolescents: Literature review and case study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 164:149-157. [PMID: 29499467 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 316] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED A growing body of literature is associating excessive and addictive use of digital media with physical, psychological, social and neurological adverse consequences. Research is focusing more on mobile devices use, and studies suggest that duration, content, after-dark-use, media type and the number of devices are key components determining screen time effects. Physical health effects: excessive screen time is associated with poor sleep and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, obesity, low HDL cholesterol, poor stress regulation (high sympathetic arousal and cortisol dysregulation), and Insulin Resistance. Other physical health consequences include impaired vision and reduced bone density. Psychological effects: internalizing and externalizing behavior is related to poor sleep. Depressive symptoms and suicidal are associated to screen time induced poor sleep, digital device night use, and mobile phone dependency. ADHD-related behavior was linked to sleep problems, overall screen time, and violent and fast-paced content which activates dopamine and the reward pathways. Early and prolonged exposure to violent content is also linked to risk for antisocial behavior and decreased prosocial behavior. Psychoneurological effects: addictive screen time use decreases social coping and involves craving behavior which resembles substance dependence behavior. Brain structural changes related to cognitive control and emotional regulation are associated with digital media addictive behavior. A case study of a treatment of an ADHD diagnosed 9-year-old boy suggests screen time induced ADHD-related behavior could be inaccurately diagnosed as ADHD. Screen time reduction is effective in decreasing ADHD-related behavior. CONCLUSIONS Components crucial for psychophysiological resilience are none-wandering mind (typical of ADHD-related behavior), good social coping and attachment, and good physical health. Excessive digital media use by children and adolescents appears as a major factor which may hamper the formation of sound psychophysiological resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gadi Lissak
- Meuhedet Health Services, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Sleep patterns in villagers and urban African volunteers in a humid tropical climate: Influence of accessibility to electric light? J Neurol Sci 2017; 376:44-48. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2017.02.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Halgamuge MN. Review: Weak radiofrequency radiation exposure from mobile phone radiation on plants. Electromagn Biol Med 2016; 36:213-235. [PMID: 27650031 DOI: 10.1080/15368378.2016.1220389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AIM The aim of this article was to explore the hypothesis that non-thermal, weak, radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) have an effect on living plants. SUBJECT AND METHODS In this study, we performed an analysis of the data extracted from the 45 peer-reviewed scientific publications (1996-2016) describing 169 experimental observations to detect the physiological and morphological changes in plants due to the non-thermal RF-EMF effects from mobile phone radiation. Twenty-nine different species of plants were considered in this work. RESULTS Our analysis demonstrates that the data from a substantial amount of the studies on RF-EMFs from mobile phones show physiological and/or morphological effects (89.9%, p < 0.001). Additionally, our analysis of the results from these reported studies demonstrates that the maize, roselle, pea, fenugreek, duckweeds, tomato, onions and mungbean plants seem to be very sensitive to RF-EMFs. Our findings also suggest that plants seem to be more responsive to certain frequencies, especially the frequencies between (i) 800 and 1500 MHz (p < 0.0001), (ii) 1500 and 2400 MHz (p < 0.0001) and (iii) 3500 and 8000 MHz (p = 0.0161). CONCLUSION The available literature on the effect of RF-EMFs on plants to date observed the significant trend of radiofrequency radiation influence on plants. Hence, this study provides new evidence supporting our hypothesis. Nonetheless, this endorses the need for more experiments to observe the effects of RF-EMFs, especially for the longer exposure durations, using the whole organisms. The above observation agrees with our earlier study, in that it supported that it is not a well-grounded method to characterize biological effects without considering the exposure duration. Nevertheless, none of these findings can be directly associated with human; however, on the other hand, this cannot be excluded, as it can impact the human welfare and health, either directly or indirectly, due to their complexity and varied effects (calcium metabolism, stress proteins, etc.). This study should be useful as a reference for researchers conducting epidemiological studies and the long-term experiments, using whole organisms, to observe the effects of RF-EMFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malka N Halgamuge
- a Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering , The University of Melbourne , Parkville , Victoria , Australia
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Keshet-Sitton A, Or-Chen K, Yitzhak S, Tzabary I, Haim A. Light and the City: Breast Cancer Risk Factors Differ Between Urban and Rural Women in Israel. Integr Cancer Ther 2016; 16:176-187. [PMID: 27440788 PMCID: PMC5739126 DOI: 10.1177/1534735416660194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Women are exposed to indoor and outdoor artificial light at night (ALAN) in urban and rural environments. Excessive exposure to hazardous ALAN containing short wavelength light may suppress pineal melatonin production and lead to an increased breast cancer (BC) risk. Our objective was to address the differences in BC risks related to light exposure in urban and rural communities. We examined indoor and outdoor light habits of BC patients and controls that had lived in urban and rural areas in a 5-year period, 10 to 15 years before the time of the study. Individual data, night time sleeping habits and individual exposure to ALAN habits were collected using a questionnaire. A total of 252 women (110 BC patients and 142 controls) participated in this study. The sample was divided to subgroups according to dwelling area and disease status. Age matching was completed between all subgroups. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for urban and rural women separately, using binary logistic regression. OR results of urban population (92 BC patients and 72 control) revealed that BC risk increases with daily use of cellphone (OR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.01-4.49, P < .05) and residence near strong ALAN sources (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 0.99-2.30, P < .06). Nevertheless, BC risk decreases if a woman was born in Israel (OR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.21-0.93, P < .03), longer sleep duration (OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.53-1.05, P < .1), and reading with bed light illumination before retiring to sleep (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.61-0.96, P < .02). Furthermore, in the rural population (18 BC patients and 66 control) BC risk increases with the number of years past since the last menstruation (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.03-1.22, P < .01). However, BC risk decreases with longer sleep duration (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.24-1.14, P < .1), reading with room light illumination before retiring to sleep (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.29-1.06, P < .07), and sleeping with closed shutters during the night (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.41-1.04, P < .08). These data support the idea that indoor and outdoor nighttime light exposures differ between urban and rural women. Therefore, we suggest that women can influence BC risk and incidence by applying protective personal lighting habits. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to strengthen the results.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ilana Tzabary
- 3 Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Abraham Haim
- 1 University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel
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Halgamuge MN. Radio Hazard Safety Assessment for Marine Ship Transmitters: Measurements Using a New Data Collection Method and Comparison with ICNIRP and ARPANSA Limits. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 12:5338-54. [PMID: 25996887 PMCID: PMC4454971 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph120505338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Revised: 05/04/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the levels of radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMFs) emitted from marine ship transmitters. In this study, we recorded the radio frequency (RF) electric field (EF) levels emitted from transmitters from a marine vessel focusing on the areas normally occupied by crew members and passengers. Previous studies considered radiation hazard safety assessment for marine vessels with a limited number of transmitters, such as very high-frequency (VHF) transceivers, radar and communication transmitters. In our investigation, EF levels from seven radio transmitters were measured, including: VHF, medium frequency/high frequency (MF/HF), satellite communication (Sat-Com C), AISnavigation, radar X-band and radar S-band. Measurements were carried out in a 40 m-long, three-level ship (upper deck, bridge deck and bridge roof) at 12 different locations. We developed a new data-collection protocol and performed it under 11 different scenarios to observe and measure the radiation emissions from all of the transmitters. In total, 528 EF field measurements were collected and averaged over all three levels of the marine ship with RF transmitters: the measured electric fields were the lowest on the upper deck (0.82–0.86 V/m), the highest on the bridge roof (2.15–3.70 V/m) and in between on the bridge deck (0.47–1.15 V/m). The measured EF levels were then assessed for compliance with the occupational and general public reference levels of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) standards. The ICNIRP and the ARPANSA limits for the general public were exceeded on the bridge roof; nevertheless, the occupational limits were respected everywhere. The measured EF levels, hence, complied with the ICNIRP guidelines and the ARPANSA standards. In this paper, we provide a new data collection model for future surveys, which could be conducted with larger samples to verify our observations. Furthermore, this new method could be useful as a reference for researchers and industry professionals without direct access to the necessary equipment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malka N Halgamuge
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
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15
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Occupational electromagnetic field exposures associated with sleep quality: a cross-sectional study. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110825. [PMID: 25340654 PMCID: PMC4207748 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to electromagnetic field (EMF) emitted by mobile phone and other machineries concerns half the world's population and raises the problem of their impact on human health. The present study aims to explore the effects of electromagnetic field exposures on sleep quality and sleep duration among workers from electric power plant. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in an electric power plant of Zhejiang Province, China. A total of 854 participants were included in the final analysis. The detailed information of participants was obtained by trained investigators using a structured questionnaire, which including socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle variables, sleep variables and electromagnetic exposures. Physical examination and venous blood collection were also carried out for every study subject. RESULTS After grouping daily occupational electromagnetic exposure into three categories, subjects with long daily exposure time had a significantly higher risk of poor sleep quality in comparison to those with short daily exposure time. The adjusted odds ratios were 1.68 (95%CI: 1.18, 2.39) and 1.57 (95%CI: 1.10, 2.24) across tertiles. Additionally, among the subjects with long-term occupational exposure, the longer daily occupational exposure time apparently increased the risk of poor sleep quality (OR (95%CI): 2.12 (1.23∼3.66) in the second tertile; 1.83 (1.07∼3.15) in the third tertile). There was no significant association of long-term occupational exposure duration, monthly electric fee or years of mobile-phone use with sleep quality or sleep duration. CONCLUSIONS The findings showed that daily occupational EMF exposure was positively associated with poor sleep quality. It implies EMF exposure may damage human sleep quality rather than sleep duration.
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Gherardini L, Ciuti G, Tognarelli S, Cinti C. Searching for the perfect wave: the effect of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on cells. Int J Mol Sci 2014; 15:5366-87. [PMID: 24681584 PMCID: PMC4013569 DOI: 10.3390/ijms15045366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2013] [Revised: 01/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a growing concern in the population about the effects that environmental exposure to any source of “uncontrolled” radiation may have on public health. Anxiety arises from the controversial knowledge about the effect of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure to cells and organisms but most of all concerning the possible causal relation to human diseases. Here we reviewed those in vitro and in vivo and epidemiological works that gave a new insight about the effect of radio frequency (RF) exposure, relating to intracellular molecular pathways that lead to biological and functional outcomes. It appears that a thorough application of standardized protocols is the key to reliable data acquisition and interpretation that could contribute a clearer picture for scientists and lay public. Moreover, specific tuning of experimental and clinical RF exposure might lead to beneficial health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Gherardini
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Siena, Strada Petriccio e Belriguardo, Siena 53100, Italy.
| | - Gastone Ciuti
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pisa 56025, Italy.
| | - Selene Tognarelli
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pisa 56025, Italy.
| | - Caterina Cinti
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Siena, Strada Petriccio e Belriguardo, Siena 53100, Italy.
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