Ukadike Ugbolue - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Ukadike Ugbolue

This study investigates the biomechanical properties of the transverse carpal ligament in relatio... more This study investigates the biomechanical properties of the transverse carpal ligament in relation to the carpal tunnel contents and overlying soft tissue layers.

PLOS ONE, May 17, 2021

Cardiac autonomic neuropathy is a common complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), that ca... more Cardiac autonomic neuropathy is a common complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), that can be measured through heart rate variability (HRV)-known to be decreased in T2DM. Physical exercise can improve HRV in healthy population, however results are under debate in T2DM. We conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of physical exercise on HRV in T2DM patients. PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and ScienceDirect databases were searched for all studies reporting HRV parameters in T2DM patients before and after exercise training, until September 20th 2020, without limitation to specific years. We conducted random-effects metaanalysis stratified by type of exercise for each of the HRV parameters: RR-intervals (or Normal to Normal intervals-NN), standard deviation of RR intervals (SDNN), percentage of adjacent NN intervals varying by more than 50 milliseconds (pNN50), root mean square of successive RR-intervals differences (RMSSD), total power, Low Frequency (LF), High Frequency (HF) and LF/HF ratio. Sensitivity analyses were computed on studies with the highest quality. We included 21 studies (9 were randomized) for a total of 523 T2DM patients: 472 had an exercise training and 151 were controls (no exercise). Intervention was endurance (14 studies), resistance (2 studies), endurance combined with resistance (4 studies), and high intensity interval training (HIIT) (4 studies). After exercise training, all HRV parameters improved

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Apr 27, 2021

1. Background: Scotland has one of the highest rates of obesity in the Western World, it is well ... more 1) Background: Scotland has one of the highest rates of obesity in the Western World, it is well established that poor weight profiles, and particularly abdominal obesity, is strongly associated with Type II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Whether these associations are apparent in ethnic population groups in Scotland is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between different measures of fatness with clustered cardio metabolic risk factors between Scottish South Asian adolescents and Scottish Caucasian adolescents; (2) Methods: A sample of 208 Caucasian adolescents and 52 South Asian adolescents participated in this study. Stature, waist circumference, body mass index, blood pressure, physical activity, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk were measured; (3) Results: Significant, partial correlations in the South Asian cohort between body mass index (BMI) and individual risk factors were generally moderate. However, correlations between Waist circumference (WC) and individual risk factors were significant and strong. In the Caucasian cohort, a significant yet weak correlation between WC and total cholesterol (TG) was noted although no other associations were evident for either WC or BMI. Multiple regression analysis revealed that both BMI and WC were positively associated with CCR (p < 0.01) in the South Asian group and with the additional adjustment of either WC or BMI, the independent associations with clustered cardiometabolic risk (CCR) remained significant (p < 0.005); (4) Conclusions: No positive relationships were found between BMI, WC, and CCR in the Caucasian group. Strong and significant associations between measures of fatness and metabolic risk were evident in Scottish South Asian adolescents.

Biomedicines, Aug 16, 2022

The reversibility of HRV abnormalities in hyperthyroidism remains contradictory. The design of th... more The reversibility of HRV abnormalities in hyperthyroidism remains contradictory. The design of this study involves conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of antithyroid treatments on HRV in hyperthyroidism. PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched until 4 April 2022. Multiple reviewers selected articles reporting HRV parameters in treated and untreated hyperthyroidism. Independent data extraction by multiple observers was stratified by degree of hyperthyroidism for each HRV parameter: RR intervals, SDNN (standard deviation of RR intervals), RMSSD (square root of the mean difference of successive RR intervals), pNN50 (percentage of RR intervals with >50 ms of variation), total power (TP), LFnu (low-frequency normalized unit) and HFnu (high-frequency), VLF (very low-frequency), and LF/HF ratio. We included 11 studies for a total of 471 treated hyperthyroid patients, 495 untreated hyperthyroid patients, and 781 healthy controls. After treatment, there was an increase in RR, SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, TP, HFnu, and VLF and a decrease in LFnu and LF/HF ratio (p < 0.01). Overt hyperthyroidism showed similar results, in contrast to subclinical hyperthyroidism. Compared with controls, some HRV parameter abnormalities persist in treated hyperthyroid patients (p < 0.05) with lower SDNN, LFnu, and higher HFnu, without significant difference in other parameters. We showed a partial reversibility of HRV abnormalities following treatment of overt hyperthyroidism. The improvement in HRV may translate the clinical cardiovascular benefits of treatments in hyperthyroidism and may help to follow the evolution of the cardiovascular morbidity.

Frontiers in Physiology, Feb 3, 2022

The dynamic balance between oxidation and anti-oxidation in the body's internal environment has a... more The dynamic balance between oxidation and anti-oxidation in the body's internal environment has a significant meaning for human health. Physical exercise and antioxidative supplementation could affect the balance of oxidation and antioxidation systems. The evidence on the effects of physical exercise and antioxidative supplementation is mixed. Aims: To identify the effects of physical exercise, antioxidative supplementation, and their combination on the dynamic balance between oxidation and anti-oxidation in different subgroups of healthy adults. Methods: All studies which reported randomized controlled trials with healthy participants were screened and included from the databases of PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Ovid. All participants were reclassified according to their different daily life activities. All physical exercise interventions were reclassified according to the intensity. The effect size would be calculated in percent or factor units from the mean level change with its associated random-effect variance. Result: There were 27 studies included in this review. The agreement between authors by using The Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Assessment Tool reached a kappavalue of 0.72. Maintaining a regular physical exercise routine in an appropriate intensity would be beneficial to the body's anti-oxidative potential. Anti-oxidative supplementation could have some positive but limited effects on the body's anti-oxidative status and complex interaction with physical exercise. Keeping a regular physical exercise routine and gradually increasing its intensity according to the individual's daily life activity might be a better choice to

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Aug 10, 2021

Background: Exercise therapy is recommended to treat non-specific low back pain (LBP). Home-based... more Background: Exercise therapy is recommended to treat non-specific low back pain (LBP). Home-based exercises are promising way to mitigate the lack of availability of exercise centers. In this paper, we conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis on the effects of home-based exercise on pain and functional limitation in LBP. Method: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and ScienceDirect were searched until April 20th, 2021. In order to be selected, studies needed to report the pain and functional limitation of patients before and after home-based exercise or after exercise both in a center and at-home. Random-effect meta-analyses and meta-regressions were conducted. Results: We included 33 studies and 9588 patients. We found that pain intensity decreased in the exclusive home exercise group (Effect size = -0.89. 95% CI -0.99 to -0.80) and in the group which conducted exercise both at-home and at another setting (-0.73. -0.86 to -0.59). Similarly, functional limitation also decreased in both groups (-0.75. -0.91 to -0.60, and -0.70, -0.92 to -0.48, respectively). Relaxation and postural exercise seemed to be ineffective in decreasing pain intensity, whereas trunk, pelvic or leg stretching decreased pain intensity. Yoga improved functional limitation. Supervised training was the most effective method to improve pain intensity. Insufficient data precluded robust conclusions around the duration and frequency of the sessions and program. Conclusion: Home-based exercise training improved pain intensity and functional limitation parameters in LBP.

The transverse carpal ligament (TCL) is important in the stability of the carpus. Studies have sh... more The transverse carpal ligament (TCL) is important in the stability of the carpus. Studies have shown the TCL plays a biomechanical role in promoting grip and pinch strength during the performance of hand functional activities of daily living. Previous studies have investigated the biomechanical properties of the TCL intact using indentation methods as well as manipulation and load bearing techniques . Despite the valuable contribution these investigations have provided, the literature still lacks an efficient method designed to specifically evaluate the tensile properties of the intact TCL. Due to the complexity of the hand and wrist, the need has arisen to develop a sophisticated method to determine the tensile properties of the intact TCL.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Jan 3, 2023

Background: Myopia is a global public health problem affecting quality of life and work productiv... more Background: Myopia is a global public health problem affecting quality of life and work productivity. Data is scarce regarding the effects of near work on myopia. Providing a larger metaanalysis with life-long perspective, including adults and occupational exposure seemed needed. Methods: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Science Direct for studies reporting myopia prevalence in near work. Myopia was defined as a mean spherical equivalent ≤ -0.50 diopter. We performed a meta-analysis using random-effects model on myopia prevalence, myopia progression per year, and odds ratio (OR) of myopia in near work, completed by subgroup analyses and meta-regressions on patients' characteristics, type of work in adults, geographic zones, time and characteristics of near work. Results: We included 78 studies, representing a total of 254,037 participants, aged from 6 to 39 years. The global prevalence of myopia in near work was 35% (95% CI: 30 to 41%), with a prevalence of 31% (95% CI: 26 to 37%) in children and 46% (95% CI: 30 to 62%) in adults. Myopia progression was -0.39 diopters per year (-0.53 to -0.24 D/year), ranging from -0.44 (-0.57 to -0.31) in children to -0.25 D/year (-0.56 to 0.06) in adults. The odds of myopia in workers exposed vs. non-exposed to near work were increased by 26% (18 to 34%), by 31% (21 to 42%) in children and 21% (6 to 35%) in adults. Prevalence of myopia was higher in adults compared to children (Coefficient 0.15, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.27). Conclusions: Near work conditions, including occupational exposure in adults, could be associated with myopia. Targeted prevention should be implemented in the workplace.

British Journal of Sports Medicine, Sep 1, 2014

The transverse carpal ligament (TCL) is important in the stability of the carpus. Studies have sh... more The transverse carpal ligament (TCL) is important in the stability of the carpus. Studies have shown the TCL plays a biomechanical role in promoting grip and pinch strength during the performance of hand functional activities of daily living. Previous studies have investigated the biomechanical properties of the TCL intact using indentation methods as well as manipulation and load bearing techniques . Despite the valuable contribution these investigations have provided, the literature still lacks an efficient method designed to specifically evaluate the tensile properties of the intact TCL. Due to the complexity of the hand and wrist, the need has arisen to develop a sophisticated method to determine the tensile properties of the intact TCL.

The biomechanical characteristics of a feline distal forelimb: A finite element analysis study

Computers in Biology and Medicine, Feb 1, 2021

As a typical digitigrade mammal, the uniquely designed small distal limbs of the feline support t... more As a typical digitigrade mammal, the uniquely designed small distal limbs of the feline support two to three times of its body weight during daily movements. To understand how force transmission occurs in relation to the distal joint in a feline limb, which transfers bodyweight to the ground, it is necessary to examine the internal stress distribution of the distal joint limb in detail. Therefore, finite element models (FEM) of a healthy feline were established to predict the internal stress distribution of the distal limb. The FEM model included 23 bony components, various cartilaginous ligaments, as well as the encapsulated soft tissue of the paw. The FEM model was validated by comparison of paw pressure distribution, obtained from an experiment for balance standing. The results demonstrated a good agreement between the experimentally measured and numerically predicted pressure distribution in the feline paw. Additionally, higher stress levels were noted in the metacarpal segment, with smaller stresses observed in the phalanges portion including the proximal, middle, and distal segments. The raised metacarpal segment plays an important role in creating a stiff junction between the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and wrist joint, stabilizing the distal limb. The paw pads help to optimize stress distribution in phalanx region. Findings from this study contribute to our understanding of feline distal forelimb biomechanical behavior. This information can be applied to bionic design of footwear since an optimal stiff junction and pressure distribution can be adapted to enhance injury relief and sports activities. Further developments may include progress, evaluation, and treatment of metatarsophalangeal joint injuries in human populations.

Frontiers in Psychiatry

BackgroundEmergency healthcare workers (eHCWs) are particularly at risk of stress, but data using... more BackgroundEmergency healthcare workers (eHCWs) are particularly at risk of stress, but data using the gold standard questionnaire of Karasek are scarce. We assessed the level of stress of eHCWs and aimed to compare it with the general population.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional nationwide study in French Emergency Departments (EDs), using the job-content questionnaire of Karasek, compared with the 25,000 answers in the French general population (controls from the SUMER study). The descriptions of job demand, job control, and social support were described as well as the prevalence of job strain and isostrain. Putative factors were searched using mixed-method analysis.ResultsA total of 166 eHCWs (37.9 ± 10.5 years old, 42% men) from five French EDs were included: 53 emergency physicians and 104 emergency paramedics, compared to 25,000 workers with other occupations. Job demand was highest for physicians (28.3 ± 3.3) and paramedics (25.9 ± 3.8), compared to controls (36.0 ± 7.2; p <...

PLOS ONE

Background Despite the potential detrimental consequences for individuals’ health and discriminat... more Background Despite the potential detrimental consequences for individuals’ health and discrimination from covid-19 symptoms, the outcomes have received little attention. This study examines the relationships between having personally experienced discrimination based on the symptoms of covid-19 (during the first wave of the pandemic), mental health, and emotional responses (anger and sadness). It was predicted that covid-19 discrimination would be positively related to poor mental health and that this relationship would be mediated by the emotions of anger and sadness. Methods The study was conducted using an online questionnaire from January to June 2020 (the Covistress network; including 44 countries). Participants were extracted from the COVISTRESS database (Ntotal = 280) with about a half declaring having been discriminated due to covid-19 symptoms (N = 135). Discriminated participants were compared to non-discriminated participants using ANOVA. A mediation analysis was conducted...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

1. Background: Scotland has one of the highest rates of obesity in the Western World, it is well ... more 1) Background: Scotland has one of the highest rates of obesity in the Western World, it is well established that poor weight profiles, and particularly abdominal obesity, is strongly associated with Type II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Whether these associations are apparent in ethnic population groups in Scotland is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between different measures of fatness with clustered cardio metabolic risk factors between Scottish South Asian adolescents and Scottish Caucasian adolescents; (2) Methods: A sample of 208 Caucasian adolescents and 52 South Asian adolescents participated in this study. Stature, waist circumference, body mass index, blood pressure, physical activity, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk were measured; (3) Results: Significant, partial correlations in the South Asian cohort between body mass index (BMI) and individual risk factors were generally moderate. However, correlations between Waist circumference (WC) and individual risk factors were significant and strong. In the Caucasian cohort, a significant yet weak correlation between WC and total cholesterol (TG) was noted although no other associations were evident for either WC or BMI. Multiple regression analysis revealed that both BMI and WC were positively associated with CCR (p < 0.01) in the South Asian group and with the additional adjustment of either WC or BMI, the independent associations with clustered cardiometabolic risk (CCR) remained significant (p < 0.005); (4) Conclusions: No positive relationships were found between BMI, WC, and CCR in the Caucasian group. Strong and significant associations between measures of fatness and metabolic risk were evident in Scottish South Asian adolescents.

Nutrients

Despite the available literature on the consequences of night shiftwork on stress and food intake... more Despite the available literature on the consequences of night shiftwork on stress and food intake, its impact on leptin and ghrelin has never been studied. We previously demonstrated that leptin and ghrelin were biomarkers related to stress, and acute stress-induced a decrease in leptin levels and an increase in ghrelin levels. We performed a prospective observational study to assess the influence of night work, nutrition, and stress on the levels of ghrelin and leptin among emergency healthcare workers (HCWs). We took salivary samples at the beginning of a day shift and/or at the end of a night shift. We also monitored stress using the job demand-control-support model of Karasek. We recorded 24-h food intake during the day shift and the consecutive night shift and during night work and the day before. We included 161 emergency HCWs. Emergency HCWs had a tendency for decreased levels of leptin following the night shift compared to before the dayshift (p = 0.067). Furthermore, the ma...

Nutrients

Despite the consequences of night-shift work, the diet of night-shift workers has not been widely... more Despite the consequences of night-shift work, the diet of night-shift workers has not been widely studied. To date, there are no studies related to food intake among emergency healthcare workers (HCWs). We performed a prospective observational study to assess the influence of night work on the diet of emergency HCWs. We monitored 24-h food intake during a day shift and the consecutive night, and during night work and the daytime beforehand. We analyzed 184 emergency HCWs’ food intakes. Emergency HCWs had 14.7% lower (−206 kcal) of their 24-h energy intake during night shifts compared to their day-shift colleagues (1606.7 ± 748.2 vs. 1400.4 ± 708.3 kcal, p = 0.049) and a 16.7% decrease in water consumption (1451.4 ± 496.8 vs. 1208.3 ± 513.9 mL/day, p = 0.010). Compared to day shifts, night-shift had 8.7% lower carbohydrates, 17.6% proteins, and 18.7% lipids. During the night shift the proportion of emergency HCWs who did not drink for 4 h, 8 h and 12 h increased by 20.5%, 17.5%, and ...

Annales D Endocrinologie, Oct 1, 2022

Objective: Cardiovascular effects of thyroid hormones may be measured through heart rate variabil... more Objective: Cardiovascular effects of thyroid hormones may be measured through heart rate variability (HRV). We sought to determine the impact of hyperthyroidism on HRV. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis on the impact of hyperthyroidism on HRV. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and Google Scholar were searched until 20 August 2021 for articles reporting HRV parameters in untreated hyperthyroidism and healthy controls. Random-effects meta-analysis was stratified by degree of hyperthyroidism for each HRV parameter: RR intervals (or Normal-to-Normal intervals-NN), SDNN (standard deviation of RR intervals), RMSSD (square root of the mean difference of successive RR intervals), pNN50 (percentage of RR intervals with >50 ms of variation), total power (TP), LFnu (low-frequency normalized unit) and HFnu (high-frequency), VLF (very low-frequency), and LF/HF ratio. Results: We included 22 studies with 10,811 patients: 1002 with hyperthyroidism and 9809 healthy controls. There was a decrease in RR (effect size = -4.63, 95% CI -5.7 to -3.56), SDNN (-6.07, -7.42 to -4.71), RMSSD (-1.52, -2.18 to -0.87), pNN50 (-1.36, -1.83 to -0.88), TP (-2.05, -2.87 to -1.24), HFnu (-3.51, -4.76 to -2.26), and VLF power (-2.65, -3.74 to -1.55), and an increase in LFnu (2.66, 1.55 to 3.78) and LF/HF ratio (1.75, 1.02 to 2.48) (p < 0.01). Most parameters had ES that was twice as high in overt compared to subclinical hyperthyroidism. Increased peripheral thyroid hormones and decreased TSH levels were associated with lower RR intervals. Conclusions: Hyperthyroidism is associated with a decreased HRV, which may be explained by the deleterious effect of thyroid hormones and TSH. The increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity may have clinical implications.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Objectives: To estimate the evolution of compressible absenteeism in a hospital center and identi... more Objectives: To estimate the evolution of compressible absenteeism in a hospital center and identify the professional and sociodemographic factors that influence absenteeism. Method: All hospital center employees have been included over a period of twelve consecutive years (2007 to 2019). Compressible absences and occupational and sociodemographic factors were analyzed using Occupational Health data. Since the distribution of the data did not follow a normal distribution, the number of days of absence was presented as a median (interquartile range (IQR): 1st quartile–3rd quartile), and comparisons were made using non-parametric tests followed by a negative binomial model with zero inflation (ZINB). Results: A total of 16,413 employees were included, for a total of 2,828,599 days of absence, of which 2,081,553 were compressible absences (73.6% of total absences). Overall, 42% of employees have at least one absence per year. Absent employees had a median of 15 (IQR 5–53) days of absenc...

Biomedicines

The reversibility of HRV abnormalities in hyperthyroidism remains contradictory. The design of th... more The reversibility of HRV abnormalities in hyperthyroidism remains contradictory. The design of this study involves conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of antithyroid treatments on HRV in hyperthyroidism. PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched until 4 April 2022. Multiple reviewers selected articles reporting HRV parameters in treated and untreated hyperthyroidism. Independent data extraction by multiple observers was stratified by degree of hyperthyroidism for each HRV parameter: RR intervals, SDNN (standard deviation of RR intervals), RMSSD (square root of the mean difference of successive RR intervals), pNN50 (percentage of RR intervals with >50 ms of variation), total power (TP), LFnu (low-frequency normalized unit) and HFnu (high-frequency), VLF (very low-frequency), and LF/HF ratio. We included 11 studies for a total of 471 treated hyperthyroid patients, 495 untreated hyperthyroid patients, and 781 healthy controls. After treatm...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022

Objective: Cardiovascular effects of thyroid hormones may be measured through heart rate variabil... more Objective: Cardiovascular effects of thyroid hormones may be measured through heart rate variability (HRV). We sought to determine the impact of hyperthyroidism on HRV. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis on the impact of hyperthyroidism on HRV. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and Google Scholar were searched until 20 August 2021 for articles reporting HRV parameters in untreated hyperthyroidism and healthy controls. Random-effects meta-analysis was stratified by degree of hyperthyroidism for each HRV parameter: RR intervals (or Normal-to-Normal intervals—NN), SDNN (standard deviation of RR intervals), RMSSD (square root of the mean difference of successive RR intervals), pNN50 (percentage of RR intervals with >50 ms of variation), total power (TP), LFnu (low-frequency normalized unit) and HFnu (high-frequency), VLF (very low-frequency), and LF/HF ratio. Results: We included 22 studies with 10,811 patients: 1002 with hyperthyroidism and 9809 healthy controls. There wa...

Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2021

Introduction: COVID-19 lockdown measures have been sources of both potential stress and possible ... more Introduction: COVID-19 lockdown measures have been sources of both potential stress and possible psychological and addiction complications. A lack of activity and isolation during lockdown are among the factors thought to be behind the growth in the use of psychoactive substances and worsening addictive behaviors. Previous studies on the pandemic have attested to an increase in alcohol consumption during lockdowns. Likewise, data suggest there has also been a rise in the use of cannabis, although it is unclear how this is affected by external factors. Our study used quantitative data collected from an international population to evaluate changes in cannabis consumption during the lockdown period between March and October, 2020. We also compared users and non-users of the drug in relation to: (1) socio-demographic differences, (2) emotional experiences, and (3) the information available and the degree of approval of lockdown measures.Methods: An online self-report questionnaire conce...

This study investigates the biomechanical properties of the transverse carpal ligament in relatio... more This study investigates the biomechanical properties of the transverse carpal ligament in relation to the carpal tunnel contents and overlying soft tissue layers.

PLOS ONE, May 17, 2021

Cardiac autonomic neuropathy is a common complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), that ca... more Cardiac autonomic neuropathy is a common complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), that can be measured through heart rate variability (HRV)-known to be decreased in T2DM. Physical exercise can improve HRV in healthy population, however results are under debate in T2DM. We conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of physical exercise on HRV in T2DM patients. PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and ScienceDirect databases were searched for all studies reporting HRV parameters in T2DM patients before and after exercise training, until September 20th 2020, without limitation to specific years. We conducted random-effects metaanalysis stratified by type of exercise for each of the HRV parameters: RR-intervals (or Normal to Normal intervals-NN), standard deviation of RR intervals (SDNN), percentage of adjacent NN intervals varying by more than 50 milliseconds (pNN50), root mean square of successive RR-intervals differences (RMSSD), total power, Low Frequency (LF), High Frequency (HF) and LF/HF ratio. Sensitivity analyses were computed on studies with the highest quality. We included 21 studies (9 were randomized) for a total of 523 T2DM patients: 472 had an exercise training and 151 were controls (no exercise). Intervention was endurance (14 studies), resistance (2 studies), endurance combined with resistance (4 studies), and high intensity interval training (HIIT) (4 studies). After exercise training, all HRV parameters improved

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Apr 27, 2021

1. Background: Scotland has one of the highest rates of obesity in the Western World, it is well ... more 1) Background: Scotland has one of the highest rates of obesity in the Western World, it is well established that poor weight profiles, and particularly abdominal obesity, is strongly associated with Type II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Whether these associations are apparent in ethnic population groups in Scotland is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between different measures of fatness with clustered cardio metabolic risk factors between Scottish South Asian adolescents and Scottish Caucasian adolescents; (2) Methods: A sample of 208 Caucasian adolescents and 52 South Asian adolescents participated in this study. Stature, waist circumference, body mass index, blood pressure, physical activity, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk were measured; (3) Results: Significant, partial correlations in the South Asian cohort between body mass index (BMI) and individual risk factors were generally moderate. However, correlations between Waist circumference (WC) and individual risk factors were significant and strong. In the Caucasian cohort, a significant yet weak correlation between WC and total cholesterol (TG) was noted although no other associations were evident for either WC or BMI. Multiple regression analysis revealed that both BMI and WC were positively associated with CCR (p < 0.01) in the South Asian group and with the additional adjustment of either WC or BMI, the independent associations with clustered cardiometabolic risk (CCR) remained significant (p < 0.005); (4) Conclusions: No positive relationships were found between BMI, WC, and CCR in the Caucasian group. Strong and significant associations between measures of fatness and metabolic risk were evident in Scottish South Asian adolescents.

Biomedicines, Aug 16, 2022

The reversibility of HRV abnormalities in hyperthyroidism remains contradictory. The design of th... more The reversibility of HRV abnormalities in hyperthyroidism remains contradictory. The design of this study involves conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of antithyroid treatments on HRV in hyperthyroidism. PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched until 4 April 2022. Multiple reviewers selected articles reporting HRV parameters in treated and untreated hyperthyroidism. Independent data extraction by multiple observers was stratified by degree of hyperthyroidism for each HRV parameter: RR intervals, SDNN (standard deviation of RR intervals), RMSSD (square root of the mean difference of successive RR intervals), pNN50 (percentage of RR intervals with >50 ms of variation), total power (TP), LFnu (low-frequency normalized unit) and HFnu (high-frequency), VLF (very low-frequency), and LF/HF ratio. We included 11 studies for a total of 471 treated hyperthyroid patients, 495 untreated hyperthyroid patients, and 781 healthy controls. After treatment, there was an increase in RR, SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, TP, HFnu, and VLF and a decrease in LFnu and LF/HF ratio (p < 0.01). Overt hyperthyroidism showed similar results, in contrast to subclinical hyperthyroidism. Compared with controls, some HRV parameter abnormalities persist in treated hyperthyroid patients (p < 0.05) with lower SDNN, LFnu, and higher HFnu, without significant difference in other parameters. We showed a partial reversibility of HRV abnormalities following treatment of overt hyperthyroidism. The improvement in HRV may translate the clinical cardiovascular benefits of treatments in hyperthyroidism and may help to follow the evolution of the cardiovascular morbidity.

Frontiers in Physiology, Feb 3, 2022

The dynamic balance between oxidation and anti-oxidation in the body's internal environment has a... more The dynamic balance between oxidation and anti-oxidation in the body's internal environment has a significant meaning for human health. Physical exercise and antioxidative supplementation could affect the balance of oxidation and antioxidation systems. The evidence on the effects of physical exercise and antioxidative supplementation is mixed. Aims: To identify the effects of physical exercise, antioxidative supplementation, and their combination on the dynamic balance between oxidation and anti-oxidation in different subgroups of healthy adults. Methods: All studies which reported randomized controlled trials with healthy participants were screened and included from the databases of PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Ovid. All participants were reclassified according to their different daily life activities. All physical exercise interventions were reclassified according to the intensity. The effect size would be calculated in percent or factor units from the mean level change with its associated random-effect variance. Result: There were 27 studies included in this review. The agreement between authors by using The Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Assessment Tool reached a kappavalue of 0.72. Maintaining a regular physical exercise routine in an appropriate intensity would be beneficial to the body's anti-oxidative potential. Anti-oxidative supplementation could have some positive but limited effects on the body's anti-oxidative status and complex interaction with physical exercise. Keeping a regular physical exercise routine and gradually increasing its intensity according to the individual's daily life activity might be a better choice to

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Aug 10, 2021

Background: Exercise therapy is recommended to treat non-specific low back pain (LBP). Home-based... more Background: Exercise therapy is recommended to treat non-specific low back pain (LBP). Home-based exercises are promising way to mitigate the lack of availability of exercise centers. In this paper, we conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis on the effects of home-based exercise on pain and functional limitation in LBP. Method: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and ScienceDirect were searched until April 20th, 2021. In order to be selected, studies needed to report the pain and functional limitation of patients before and after home-based exercise or after exercise both in a center and at-home. Random-effect meta-analyses and meta-regressions were conducted. Results: We included 33 studies and 9588 patients. We found that pain intensity decreased in the exclusive home exercise group (Effect size = -0.89. 95% CI -0.99 to -0.80) and in the group which conducted exercise both at-home and at another setting (-0.73. -0.86 to -0.59). Similarly, functional limitation also decreased in both groups (-0.75. -0.91 to -0.60, and -0.70, -0.92 to -0.48, respectively). Relaxation and postural exercise seemed to be ineffective in decreasing pain intensity, whereas trunk, pelvic or leg stretching decreased pain intensity. Yoga improved functional limitation. Supervised training was the most effective method to improve pain intensity. Insufficient data precluded robust conclusions around the duration and frequency of the sessions and program. Conclusion: Home-based exercise training improved pain intensity and functional limitation parameters in LBP.

The transverse carpal ligament (TCL) is important in the stability of the carpus. Studies have sh... more The transverse carpal ligament (TCL) is important in the stability of the carpus. Studies have shown the TCL plays a biomechanical role in promoting grip and pinch strength during the performance of hand functional activities of daily living. Previous studies have investigated the biomechanical properties of the TCL intact using indentation methods as well as manipulation and load bearing techniques . Despite the valuable contribution these investigations have provided, the literature still lacks an efficient method designed to specifically evaluate the tensile properties of the intact TCL. Due to the complexity of the hand and wrist, the need has arisen to develop a sophisticated method to determine the tensile properties of the intact TCL.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Jan 3, 2023

Background: Myopia is a global public health problem affecting quality of life and work productiv... more Background: Myopia is a global public health problem affecting quality of life and work productivity. Data is scarce regarding the effects of near work on myopia. Providing a larger metaanalysis with life-long perspective, including adults and occupational exposure seemed needed. Methods: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Science Direct for studies reporting myopia prevalence in near work. Myopia was defined as a mean spherical equivalent ≤ -0.50 diopter. We performed a meta-analysis using random-effects model on myopia prevalence, myopia progression per year, and odds ratio (OR) of myopia in near work, completed by subgroup analyses and meta-regressions on patients' characteristics, type of work in adults, geographic zones, time and characteristics of near work. Results: We included 78 studies, representing a total of 254,037 participants, aged from 6 to 39 years. The global prevalence of myopia in near work was 35% (95% CI: 30 to 41%), with a prevalence of 31% (95% CI: 26 to 37%) in children and 46% (95% CI: 30 to 62%) in adults. Myopia progression was -0.39 diopters per year (-0.53 to -0.24 D/year), ranging from -0.44 (-0.57 to -0.31) in children to -0.25 D/year (-0.56 to 0.06) in adults. The odds of myopia in workers exposed vs. non-exposed to near work were increased by 26% (18 to 34%), by 31% (21 to 42%) in children and 21% (6 to 35%) in adults. Prevalence of myopia was higher in adults compared to children (Coefficient 0.15, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.27). Conclusions: Near work conditions, including occupational exposure in adults, could be associated with myopia. Targeted prevention should be implemented in the workplace.

British Journal of Sports Medicine, Sep 1, 2014

The transverse carpal ligament (TCL) is important in the stability of the carpus. Studies have sh... more The transverse carpal ligament (TCL) is important in the stability of the carpus. Studies have shown the TCL plays a biomechanical role in promoting grip and pinch strength during the performance of hand functional activities of daily living. Previous studies have investigated the biomechanical properties of the TCL intact using indentation methods as well as manipulation and load bearing techniques . Despite the valuable contribution these investigations have provided, the literature still lacks an efficient method designed to specifically evaluate the tensile properties of the intact TCL. Due to the complexity of the hand and wrist, the need has arisen to develop a sophisticated method to determine the tensile properties of the intact TCL.

The biomechanical characteristics of a feline distal forelimb: A finite element analysis study

Computers in Biology and Medicine, Feb 1, 2021

As a typical digitigrade mammal, the uniquely designed small distal limbs of the feline support t... more As a typical digitigrade mammal, the uniquely designed small distal limbs of the feline support two to three times of its body weight during daily movements. To understand how force transmission occurs in relation to the distal joint in a feline limb, which transfers bodyweight to the ground, it is necessary to examine the internal stress distribution of the distal joint limb in detail. Therefore, finite element models (FEM) of a healthy feline were established to predict the internal stress distribution of the distal limb. The FEM model included 23 bony components, various cartilaginous ligaments, as well as the encapsulated soft tissue of the paw. The FEM model was validated by comparison of paw pressure distribution, obtained from an experiment for balance standing. The results demonstrated a good agreement between the experimentally measured and numerically predicted pressure distribution in the feline paw. Additionally, higher stress levels were noted in the metacarpal segment, with smaller stresses observed in the phalanges portion including the proximal, middle, and distal segments. The raised metacarpal segment plays an important role in creating a stiff junction between the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and wrist joint, stabilizing the distal limb. The paw pads help to optimize stress distribution in phalanx region. Findings from this study contribute to our understanding of feline distal forelimb biomechanical behavior. This information can be applied to bionic design of footwear since an optimal stiff junction and pressure distribution can be adapted to enhance injury relief and sports activities. Further developments may include progress, evaluation, and treatment of metatarsophalangeal joint injuries in human populations.

Frontiers in Psychiatry

BackgroundEmergency healthcare workers (eHCWs) are particularly at risk of stress, but data using... more BackgroundEmergency healthcare workers (eHCWs) are particularly at risk of stress, but data using the gold standard questionnaire of Karasek are scarce. We assessed the level of stress of eHCWs and aimed to compare it with the general population.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional nationwide study in French Emergency Departments (EDs), using the job-content questionnaire of Karasek, compared with the 25,000 answers in the French general population (controls from the SUMER study). The descriptions of job demand, job control, and social support were described as well as the prevalence of job strain and isostrain. Putative factors were searched using mixed-method analysis.ResultsA total of 166 eHCWs (37.9 ± 10.5 years old, 42% men) from five French EDs were included: 53 emergency physicians and 104 emergency paramedics, compared to 25,000 workers with other occupations. Job demand was highest for physicians (28.3 ± 3.3) and paramedics (25.9 ± 3.8), compared to controls (36.0 ± 7.2; p <...

PLOS ONE

Background Despite the potential detrimental consequences for individuals’ health and discriminat... more Background Despite the potential detrimental consequences for individuals’ health and discrimination from covid-19 symptoms, the outcomes have received little attention. This study examines the relationships between having personally experienced discrimination based on the symptoms of covid-19 (during the first wave of the pandemic), mental health, and emotional responses (anger and sadness). It was predicted that covid-19 discrimination would be positively related to poor mental health and that this relationship would be mediated by the emotions of anger and sadness. Methods The study was conducted using an online questionnaire from January to June 2020 (the Covistress network; including 44 countries). Participants were extracted from the COVISTRESS database (Ntotal = 280) with about a half declaring having been discriminated due to covid-19 symptoms (N = 135). Discriminated participants were compared to non-discriminated participants using ANOVA. A mediation analysis was conducted...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

1. Background: Scotland has one of the highest rates of obesity in the Western World, it is well ... more 1) Background: Scotland has one of the highest rates of obesity in the Western World, it is well established that poor weight profiles, and particularly abdominal obesity, is strongly associated with Type II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Whether these associations are apparent in ethnic population groups in Scotland is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between different measures of fatness with clustered cardio metabolic risk factors between Scottish South Asian adolescents and Scottish Caucasian adolescents; (2) Methods: A sample of 208 Caucasian adolescents and 52 South Asian adolescents participated in this study. Stature, waist circumference, body mass index, blood pressure, physical activity, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk were measured; (3) Results: Significant, partial correlations in the South Asian cohort between body mass index (BMI) and individual risk factors were generally moderate. However, correlations between Waist circumference (WC) and individual risk factors were significant and strong. In the Caucasian cohort, a significant yet weak correlation between WC and total cholesterol (TG) was noted although no other associations were evident for either WC or BMI. Multiple regression analysis revealed that both BMI and WC were positively associated with CCR (p < 0.01) in the South Asian group and with the additional adjustment of either WC or BMI, the independent associations with clustered cardiometabolic risk (CCR) remained significant (p < 0.005); (4) Conclusions: No positive relationships were found between BMI, WC, and CCR in the Caucasian group. Strong and significant associations between measures of fatness and metabolic risk were evident in Scottish South Asian adolescents.

Nutrients

Despite the available literature on the consequences of night shiftwork on stress and food intake... more Despite the available literature on the consequences of night shiftwork on stress and food intake, its impact on leptin and ghrelin has never been studied. We previously demonstrated that leptin and ghrelin were biomarkers related to stress, and acute stress-induced a decrease in leptin levels and an increase in ghrelin levels. We performed a prospective observational study to assess the influence of night work, nutrition, and stress on the levels of ghrelin and leptin among emergency healthcare workers (HCWs). We took salivary samples at the beginning of a day shift and/or at the end of a night shift. We also monitored stress using the job demand-control-support model of Karasek. We recorded 24-h food intake during the day shift and the consecutive night shift and during night work and the day before. We included 161 emergency HCWs. Emergency HCWs had a tendency for decreased levels of leptin following the night shift compared to before the dayshift (p = 0.067). Furthermore, the ma...

Nutrients

Despite the consequences of night-shift work, the diet of night-shift workers has not been widely... more Despite the consequences of night-shift work, the diet of night-shift workers has not been widely studied. To date, there are no studies related to food intake among emergency healthcare workers (HCWs). We performed a prospective observational study to assess the influence of night work on the diet of emergency HCWs. We monitored 24-h food intake during a day shift and the consecutive night, and during night work and the daytime beforehand. We analyzed 184 emergency HCWs’ food intakes. Emergency HCWs had 14.7% lower (−206 kcal) of their 24-h energy intake during night shifts compared to their day-shift colleagues (1606.7 ± 748.2 vs. 1400.4 ± 708.3 kcal, p = 0.049) and a 16.7% decrease in water consumption (1451.4 ± 496.8 vs. 1208.3 ± 513.9 mL/day, p = 0.010). Compared to day shifts, night-shift had 8.7% lower carbohydrates, 17.6% proteins, and 18.7% lipids. During the night shift the proportion of emergency HCWs who did not drink for 4 h, 8 h and 12 h increased by 20.5%, 17.5%, and ...

Annales D Endocrinologie, Oct 1, 2022

Objective: Cardiovascular effects of thyroid hormones may be measured through heart rate variabil... more Objective: Cardiovascular effects of thyroid hormones may be measured through heart rate variability (HRV). We sought to determine the impact of hyperthyroidism on HRV. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis on the impact of hyperthyroidism on HRV. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and Google Scholar were searched until 20 August 2021 for articles reporting HRV parameters in untreated hyperthyroidism and healthy controls. Random-effects meta-analysis was stratified by degree of hyperthyroidism for each HRV parameter: RR intervals (or Normal-to-Normal intervals-NN), SDNN (standard deviation of RR intervals), RMSSD (square root of the mean difference of successive RR intervals), pNN50 (percentage of RR intervals with >50 ms of variation), total power (TP), LFnu (low-frequency normalized unit) and HFnu (high-frequency), VLF (very low-frequency), and LF/HF ratio. Results: We included 22 studies with 10,811 patients: 1002 with hyperthyroidism and 9809 healthy controls. There was a decrease in RR (effect size = -4.63, 95% CI -5.7 to -3.56), SDNN (-6.07, -7.42 to -4.71), RMSSD (-1.52, -2.18 to -0.87), pNN50 (-1.36, -1.83 to -0.88), TP (-2.05, -2.87 to -1.24), HFnu (-3.51, -4.76 to -2.26), and VLF power (-2.65, -3.74 to -1.55), and an increase in LFnu (2.66, 1.55 to 3.78) and LF/HF ratio (1.75, 1.02 to 2.48) (p < 0.01). Most parameters had ES that was twice as high in overt compared to subclinical hyperthyroidism. Increased peripheral thyroid hormones and decreased TSH levels were associated with lower RR intervals. Conclusions: Hyperthyroidism is associated with a decreased HRV, which may be explained by the deleterious effect of thyroid hormones and TSH. The increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity may have clinical implications.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Objectives: To estimate the evolution of compressible absenteeism in a hospital center and identi... more Objectives: To estimate the evolution of compressible absenteeism in a hospital center and identify the professional and sociodemographic factors that influence absenteeism. Method: All hospital center employees have been included over a period of twelve consecutive years (2007 to 2019). Compressible absences and occupational and sociodemographic factors were analyzed using Occupational Health data. Since the distribution of the data did not follow a normal distribution, the number of days of absence was presented as a median (interquartile range (IQR): 1st quartile–3rd quartile), and comparisons were made using non-parametric tests followed by a negative binomial model with zero inflation (ZINB). Results: A total of 16,413 employees were included, for a total of 2,828,599 days of absence, of which 2,081,553 were compressible absences (73.6% of total absences). Overall, 42% of employees have at least one absence per year. Absent employees had a median of 15 (IQR 5–53) days of absenc...

Biomedicines

The reversibility of HRV abnormalities in hyperthyroidism remains contradictory. The design of th... more The reversibility of HRV abnormalities in hyperthyroidism remains contradictory. The design of this study involves conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of antithyroid treatments on HRV in hyperthyroidism. PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched until 4 April 2022. Multiple reviewers selected articles reporting HRV parameters in treated and untreated hyperthyroidism. Independent data extraction by multiple observers was stratified by degree of hyperthyroidism for each HRV parameter: RR intervals, SDNN (standard deviation of RR intervals), RMSSD (square root of the mean difference of successive RR intervals), pNN50 (percentage of RR intervals with >50 ms of variation), total power (TP), LFnu (low-frequency normalized unit) and HFnu (high-frequency), VLF (very low-frequency), and LF/HF ratio. We included 11 studies for a total of 471 treated hyperthyroid patients, 495 untreated hyperthyroid patients, and 781 healthy controls. After treatm...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022

Objective: Cardiovascular effects of thyroid hormones may be measured through heart rate variabil... more Objective: Cardiovascular effects of thyroid hormones may be measured through heart rate variability (HRV). We sought to determine the impact of hyperthyroidism on HRV. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis on the impact of hyperthyroidism on HRV. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and Google Scholar were searched until 20 August 2021 for articles reporting HRV parameters in untreated hyperthyroidism and healthy controls. Random-effects meta-analysis was stratified by degree of hyperthyroidism for each HRV parameter: RR intervals (or Normal-to-Normal intervals—NN), SDNN (standard deviation of RR intervals), RMSSD (square root of the mean difference of successive RR intervals), pNN50 (percentage of RR intervals with >50 ms of variation), total power (TP), LFnu (low-frequency normalized unit) and HFnu (high-frequency), VLF (very low-frequency), and LF/HF ratio. Results: We included 22 studies with 10,811 patients: 1002 with hyperthyroidism and 9809 healthy controls. There wa...

Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2021

Introduction: COVID-19 lockdown measures have been sources of both potential stress and possible ... more Introduction: COVID-19 lockdown measures have been sources of both potential stress and possible psychological and addiction complications. A lack of activity and isolation during lockdown are among the factors thought to be behind the growth in the use of psychoactive substances and worsening addictive behaviors. Previous studies on the pandemic have attested to an increase in alcohol consumption during lockdowns. Likewise, data suggest there has also been a rise in the use of cannabis, although it is unclear how this is affected by external factors. Our study used quantitative data collected from an international population to evaluate changes in cannabis consumption during the lockdown period between March and October, 2020. We also compared users and non-users of the drug in relation to: (1) socio-demographic differences, (2) emotional experiences, and (3) the information available and the degree of approval of lockdown measures.Methods: An online self-report questionnaire conce...