Comparing the acute effects of shiftwork on mothers and fathers.

BACKGROUND: Shift work may impact women more negatively than men due to the increased burden of coping with demanding work schedules while also undertaking more of the domestic chores, including childcare. AIMS: To examine whether the combination of shift working and caring for children affects the sleep, fatigue and work-family conflict experienced by women more than it affects men. METHODS: Using data from a survey of the Swedish working population, mixed linear regression models examined work schedule (daywork, shift work with nights, shift work without nights), gender and presence of children <13 years at home as predictors of sleep insufficiency, sleep disturbance, fatigue and work-family conflict, over up to three successive measurement occasions. Adjustments were made for age, education, full/part-time working and baseline year. RESULTS: In fully adjusted models (N = 8938), shift work was associated with insufficient sleep (P < 0.01), disturbed sleep (P < 0.01), fatigue (P < 0.05) and work-family conflict (P < 0.001). Interactions in the analyses of sleep disturbance (P < 0.001) and work-family interference (P < 0.05) indicated that among participants with no children, females reported more disturbed sleep and more work-family conflict than their male counterparts, irrespective of schedule; while among participants with children, female dayworkers reported more disturbed sleep than their male counterparts, and females working shifts without nights reported more work-family interference. CONCLUSIONS: Having young children did not exacerbate negative effects of shift work, in either men or women. This may reflect high levels of gender equality and childcare provision in Sweden.

Assessing the effectiveness of a naturally occurring population-level physical activity intervention for children.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of a recreation access pass on grade 5 children's physical activity (PA) levels. STUDY DESIGN: This is a pre-post evaluation of a population-level community-based intervention. METHODS: All grade 5 students in (London, Ontario, Canada) were invited to participate in the [ACT-i-Pass] program (G5AP) in May 2014. A total of 643 children completed surveys, that included Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C), at baseline (October 2014) and 6-month follow-up (April 2015). Difference in the means t-test compared PAQ-C scores between baseline and follow-up for the sample and subgroups. Multiple regression analysis tested associations between change in PAQ-C scores and intrapersonal-, interpersonal-, and physical environment-level variables. RESULTS: PA increased significantly from baseline to 6-month follow-up. Girls, visible minorities, immigrants, and children with low parental support experienced significant increases in PA. Regression found girls benefitted from the G5AP significantly more than boys, and lower parental support is related to increases in PA. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that collaboratively developed, community-based interventions can significantly increase children's PA levels, particularly among subgroups with traditionally lower PA. The pre-post evaluation of this community-based intervention provides useful evidence for developing policies and programs aimed at making population-level improvements in children's PA levels.

The importance of open- and closed-skill agility for team selection of adult male basketball players.

AIM: Open-skill agility qualities have yet to be described in adult male basketball players. Further, the importance of open- and closed-skill agility for team selection remains unknown. Thus, this study aimed to: 1) describe the open- and closed-skill agility of adult male basketball players; and 2) compare these properties between starting and non-starting players. METHODS: A cross-sectional between-group design was used. Six starting (playing time: 30.1 ± 8.8 min; age: 30.5 ± 4.8 years; height: 192.1 ± 7.7 cm; body mass: 100.5 ± 15.0 kg; VO(2max): 48.4 ± 6.6 mL∙kg⁻¹âˆ™min⁻¹) and six non-starting (4.3 ± 3.6 min; 21.3 ± 5 years; 185.7 ± 7.4 cm; 94.4 ± 17.9 kg; 50.6 ± 3.9 mL∙kg⁻¹âˆ™min⁻¹) state-level basketball players completed multiple trials for the Change of Direction Speed Test (CODST) and Reactive Agility Test (RAT). RESULTS: No statistically significant between-group differences were evident for CODST movement time (starters: 1.652 ± 0.047 s; non-starters: 1.626 ± 0.040 s, P=0.68), RAT response time (starters: 307.5 ± 100.5 ms; non-starters: 426.5 ± 140.7 ms, P=0.12), and RAT decision-making time (starters: 110.7 ± 11.0 ms; non-starters: 147.3 ± 14.2 ms, P=0.08). However, starters (2.001 ± 0.051 s) possessed significantly (P=0.02) faster RAT total movement times than non-starters (2.182 ± 0.040 s). CONCLUSION: These data support the utility of perceptual and cognitive components of agility performance in distinguishing starting from non-starting players in basketball. Consequently, basketball coaching and conditioning staff should incorporate sport-specific reactive training drills for all players during the annual conditioning plan.

The impact of work time control on physicians' sleep and well-being.

Physicians' work schedules are an important determinant of their own wellbeing and that of their patients. This study considers whether allowing physicians control over their work hours ameliorates the effects of demanding work schedules. A questionnaire was completed by hospital physicians regarding their work hours (exposure to long shifts, short inter-shift intervals, weekend duties, night duties, unpaid overtime; and work time control), sleep (quantity and disturbance) and wellbeing (burnout, stress and fatigue). Work time control moderated the negative impact that frequent night working had upon sleep quantity and sleep disturbance. For participants who never worked long shifts, work time control was associated with fewer short sleeps, but this was not the case for those who did work long shifts. Optimizing the balance between schedule flexibility and patient needs could enhance physicians' sleep when working the night shift, thereby reducing their levels of fatigue and enhancing patient care.

The impact of shift patterns on junior doctors' perceptions of fatigue, training, work/life balance and the role of social support.

BACKGROUND: The organisation of junior doctors' work hours has been radically altered following the partial implementation of the European Working Time Directive. Poorly designed shift schedules cause excessive disruption to shift workers' circadian rhythms. METHOD: Interviews and focus groups were used to explore perceptions among junior doctors and hospital managers regarding the impact of the European Working Time Directive on patient care and doctors' well-being. RESULTS: Four main themes were identified. Under "Doctors shift rotas", doctors deliberated the merits and demerits of working seven nights in row. They also discussed the impact on fatigue of long sequences of day shifts. "Education and training" focused on concerns about reduced on-the-job learning opportunities under the new working time arrangements and also about the difficulties of finding time and energy to study. "Work/life balance" reflected the conflict between the positive aspects of working on-call or at night and the impact on life outside work. "Social support structures" focused on the role of morale and team spirit. Good support structures in the work place counteracted and compensated for the effects of negative role stressors, and arduous and unsocial work schedules. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of junior doctors' work schedules is influenced by the nature of specific shift sequences, educational considerations, issues of work/life balance and by social support systems. Poorly designed shift rotas can have negative impacts on junior doctors' professional performance and educational training, with implications for clinical practice, patient care and the welfare of junior doctors.

Patterns of differential introgression in a salamander hybrid zone: inferences from genetic data and ecological niche modelling.

Hybrid zones have yielded considerable insight into many evolutionary processes, including speciation and the maintenance of species boundaries. Presented here are analyses from a hybrid zone that occurs among three salamanders -Plethodon jordani, Plethodon metcalfi and Plethodon teyahalee- from the southern Appalachian Mountains. Using a novel statistical approach for analysis of non-clinal, multispecies hybrid zones, we examined spatial patterns of variation at four markers: single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the mtDNA ND2 gene and the nuclear DNA ILF3 gene, and the morphological markers of red cheek pigmentation and white flecks. Concordance of the ILF3 marker and both morphological markers across four transects is observed. In three of the four transects, however, the pattern of mtDNA is discordant from all other markers, with a higher representation of P. metcalfi mtDNA in the northern and lower elevation localities than is expected given the ILF3 marker and morphology. To explore whether climate plays a role in the position of the hybrid zone, we created ecological niche models for P. jordani and P. metcalfi. Modelling results suggest that hybrid zone position is not determined by steep gradients in climatic suitability for either species. Instead, the hybrid zone lies in a climatically homogenous region that is broadly suitable for both P. jordani and P. metcalfi. We discuss various selective (natural selection associated with climate) and behavioural processes (sex-biased dispersal, asymmetric reproductive isolation) that might explain the discordance in the extent to which mtDNA and nuclear DNA and colour-pattern traits have moved across this hybrid zone.

Genomics and structure/function studies of Rhabdoviridae proteins involved in replication and transcription.

Some mammalian rhabdoviruses may infect humans, and also infect invertebrates, dogs, and bats, which may act as vectors transmitting viruses among different host species. The VIZIER programme, an EU-funded FP6 program, has characterized viruses that belong to the Vesiculovirus, Ephemerovirus and Lyssavirus genera of the Rhabdoviridae family to perform ground-breaking research on the identification of potential new drug targets against these RNA viruses through comprehensive structural characterization of the replicative machinery. The contribution of VIZIER programme was of several orders. First, it contributed substantially to research aimed at understanding the origin, evolution and diversity of rhabdoviruses. This diversity was then used to obtain further structural information on the proteins involved in replication. Two strategies were used to produce recombinant proteins by expression of both full length or domain constructs in either E. coli or insect cells, using the baculovirus system. In both cases, parallel cloning and expression screening at small-scale of multiple constructs based on different viruses including the addition of fusion tags, was key to the rapid generation of expression data. As a result, some progress has been made in the VIZIER programme towards dissecting the multi-functional L protein into components suitable for structural and functional studies. However, the phosphoprotein polymerase co-factor and the structural matrix protein, which play a number of roles during viral replication and drives viral assembly, have both proved much more amenable to structural biology. Applying the multi-construct/multi-virus approach central to protein production processes in VIZIER has yielded new structural information which may ultimately be exploitable in the derivation of novel ways of intervening in viral replication.

Decreasing disparity in cholesterol screening in minority communities--findings from the racial and ethnic approaches to community health 2010.

BACKGROUND: Highly controlled research projects demonstrated success in preventing and controlling cardiovascular diseases. Community-based programs have yet to demonstrate significant influence. Data on large-scale community-level interventions targeting minority communities are limited. The aim of this study is to measure the impact of the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH 2010) project, a community-based intervention to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities in blood cholesterol screening in minority communities. METHODS: Annual survey data from 2001 to 2006 were gathered in 22 communities. Trends in the prevalence of age-standardised blood cholesterol screening were examined for four racial/ethnic groups (black, Hispanic, Asian and American Indian/Alaska Native), stratified by education level, and compared with national data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. RESULTS: The prevalence of cholesterol screening increased among persons in black, Hispanic and Asian REACH communities (p<0.001), whereas prevalence decreased in the total US and Hispanic populations (p<0.001) and remained similar among blacks and Asians nationwide. The relative disparity between the total US population and most REACH communities decreased (p<0.05). Relative disparity in cholesterol screening related to education level decreased (p<0.05) within REACH communities, whereas relative disparity related to education level nationwide remained similar in blacks and increased (p<0.001) in Hispanics. CONCLUSION: The REACH project decreased racial and ethnic disparities in cholesterol screening between REACH communities and the total US population, as well as disparities related to education level within REACH communities.

Memory and attention problems in children with chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To understand more about the problems children with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or myalgic encephalopathy (ME) experience with memory and attention, and to test the feasibility of quantitative measurement of both memory and attention. DESIGN: Four-item semistructured questionnaire and neuropsychological test battery with 10 psychometric subtests. SETTING: Family home of the child taking part. PATIENTS: 20 children with a diagnosis of CFS/ME experiencing memory and/or concentration problems were recruited between April and October 2007 from a regional CFS/ME clinical service (female 13; average age 13.5 years; range 8-16). METHODS: Each child, parent and teacher was asked to describe the child's memory and attention problems. Responses were subject to thematic analysis by two independent researchers. In addition, each child completed a battery of 10 tests to measure: processing speed; attention; immediate and delayed memory; working memory; executive function. Raw scores were converted into age-scaled scores and the children's psychometric scores on the 10 tests taken were compared with normative data using t tests. RESULTS: Children with CFS/ME, their parents and teachers described problems with focussed attention, sustained attention, recall and stress. Scores for sustained attention (mean 8.1, 95% CI 6.3 to 9.9), switching attention (7.5, 5.5 to 9.4), divided attention (6.9, 5.5 to 8.2), auditory learning (8.2, 6.8 to 9.6) and immediate recall (8.7, 7.3 to 10.0) appeared lower than the normative mean of 10. CONCLUSIONS: Children with CFS/ME appear to experience problems with attention, which may have adverse implications for verbal memory. These cognitive problems may explain some of the educational difficulties associated with CFS.

Review of studies that have used the Standard Shiftwork Index: evidence for the underlying model of shiftwork and health.

The Standard Shiftwork Index (SSI) provides shiftwork researchers with a standardised battery for assessing the impact of shiftwork on psychological and physiological well-being. We review the published SSI literature and evaluate the extent to which the results of these publications support the model underpinning the SSI. A total of 70 SSI publications were identified, of which 41 were selected. The 41 studies were published between 1993 and 2006 and had a combined total of 21,420 respondents. The analysis indicated support for parts of the SSI model, particularly in relation to the impact of shift systems design on individual well-being, as well as the role of individual factors (e.g., personality, coping style). However, evidential support for the model as a whole is incomplete. The findings of the reviewed studies are summarised and methodological limitations are discussed.

The impact of free-time activities on sleep, recovery and well-being.

We compared the effects of different types of free-time activity on subjective and objective indices of sleep, recovery and well-being in an experimental field study. Twelve participants spent four consecutive evenings after work in each of three conditions: pursuing quiet leisure activities at home; undertaking active leisure pursuits; doing additional work. Ratings of rest and recuperation, and of satisfaction, were lowest in the additional work condition. There were few other differences between conditions. However, being satisfied with one's evening activities (regardless of which experimental condition was being undertaken) was associated with improved subsequent sleep (self-reported). Evening activities involving lower mental effort were also associated with better-rated sleep, as well as improved recuperation and fatigue the next day. It is concluded that the nature of activity per se may be less important than (1) whether the activity accords with individual preference and (2) the cumulative demands of daytime and evening activities.

Structural features of the single-stranded DNA-binding protein of Epstein-Barr virus.

We report the structural features of a C-terminal deletion construct of the Epstein-Barr virus single-stranded DNA-binding protein, Balf2 (Balf2DeltaC), which like the herpes simplex virus I encoded protein, infected cell protein 8 (ICP8), binds non-sequence specifically to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). ICP8, in the absence of ssDNA, assembles into long filamentous structures. Removal of the 60 C-terminal amino acids of ICP8 (ICP8DeltaC) prevents the formation of such filaments, whereas addition of circular ssDNA to ICP8DeltaC induces formation of "super helical" filaments. Balf2DeltaC, which we show is a zinc-binding protein, does not form these filaments under the same conditions but does bind ssDNA in a weakly cooperative manner. Further structural comparison of both proteins in solution by small-angle X-ray scattering shows proteins with similar molecular envelopes. One major difference is the tendency of Balf2DeltaC to dimerize on different surfaces to that used for oligomerization when binding to ssDNA, and this may have implications for the mechanism of replication initiation.

The VIZIER project: preparedness against pathogenic RNA viruses.

Life-threatening RNA viruses emerge regularly, and often in an unpredictable manner. Yet, the very few drugs available against known RNA viruses have sometimes required decades of research for development. Can we generate preparedness for outbreaks of the, as yet, unknown viruses? The VIZIER (VIral enZymes InvolvEd in Replication) (http://www.vizier-europe.org/) project has been set-up to develop the scientific foundations for countering this challenge to society. VIZIER studies the most conserved viral enzymes (that of the replication machinery, or replicases) that constitute attractive targets for drug-design. The aim of VIZIER is to determine as many replicase crystal structures as possible from a carefully selected list of viruses in order to comprehensively cover the diversity of the RNA virus universe, and generate critical knowledge that could be efficiently utilized to jump-start research on any emerging RNA virus. VIZIER is a multidisciplinary project involving (i) bioinformatics to define functional domains, (ii) viral genomics to increase the number of characterized viral genomes and prepare defined targets, (iii) proteomics to express, purify, and characterize targets, (iv) structural biology to solve their crystal structures, and (v) pre-lead discovery to propose active scaffolds of antiviral molecules.

The effect of season and weather on physical activity: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: This study reviewed previous studies to explore the effect of season, and consequently weather, on levels of physical activity. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty-seven primary studies (published 1980-2006) representing a total of 291883 participants (140482 male and 152085 female) from eight different countries are described, and the effect of season on moderate levels of physical activity is considered. RESULTS: Upon review of the evidence, it appears that levels of physical activity vary with seasonality, and the ensuing effect of poor or extreme weather has been identified as a barrier to participation in physical activity among various populations. Therefore, previous studies that did not recognize the effect of weather and season on physical activity may, in fact, be poor representations of this behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Future physical activity interventions should consider how weather promotes or hinders such behaviour. Providing indoor opportunities during the cold and wet months may foster regular physical activity behaviours year round.

Preventing paediatric obesity; recommendations from a community-based qualitative investigation.

Childhood obesity is on the rise, and interventions targeted at pre-school-aged children are essential for the primary prevention of this disease. Physical activity programming and decreasing screen viewing may be advantageous ways to reduce the early onset of obesity. Parents' perceptions regarding effective tools and programmes to target obesity are needed to develop an efficacious programme. Ten semi-structured focus groups were conducted for this qualitative study. Two experienced moderators facilitated all focus groups which were conducted in local day cares, workplaces and play groups, frequented by parents. All focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Strategies to ensure trustworthiness of the data were employed. A heterogeneous sample of 71 parents were asked about their pre-schoolers' physical activity levels and screen viewing behaviours, in addition to their suggestions for programmes to facilitate the development of healthy habits. Parents agreed that physical activity programming was an ideal way to combat obesity in pre-schoolers. Programming suggestions included involving parents in the programme planning and operation, increasing accessibility to programmes, providing more facilities, better promotional strategies such as the use of a television commercial, and resources/ideas to engage children in the home. Parents' programming suggestions lacked discussion around addressing screen viewing as a viable way to attend to the current obesity epidemic. Parents must be made aware of programmes and resources currently available. Modifying current programmes' scheduling to include morning and afternoon sessions, and arranging for physicians to hand out resources with physical activity ideas, particularly during the winter months, is essential.

Randomized, crossover comparison study of the short-term effect of oral testosterone undecanoate and intramuscular testosterone depot on linear growth and serum bone alkaline phosphatase.

AIM: To compare the effects of oral testosterone undecanoate (TU) 40 mg daily and intramuscular depot sustanon 50 (SUS), 4 weekly, on short-term growth and bone turnover. METHOD: Prospective, randomised, cross-over study over 26 weeks with 4 weeks of run-in, 8 weeks of treatment I (TU/SUS), 4 weeks of wash-out, 8 weeks of treatment II (SUS/TU) and 4 weeks of final wash-out. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Weekly change in lower leg length (LLL) as measured by knemometry, i.e. LLL velocity (LLLV) and absolute bone alkaline phosphatase levels (bALP), as well as percentage change in bALP (%bALP). PATIENTS: Fourteen boys with delayed growth and puberty; two declined and one boy with sickle cell trait dropped out with priapism a week after SUS. The remainder had a median age of 14.3 years (range 12.5-17.4), testicular volume of 2 ml each (2-6), HtSDS of -2.1 (-3.3 to -1.0) and BA delay of 2.4 years (0.7-4.4). RESULTS: Median LLLV in the treatment blocks was 0.7 mm/wk (-0.27 to 2.2) and LLLV during the run-in and wash-out periods was 0.27 mm/wk (-0.3 to 0.6) (p <0.005). LLLV during treatment with TU and SUS was 0.51 mm/wk (-0.22 to 2.17) and 0.67 mm/wk (-0.27 to 2.2), respectively (NS). Median LLLV during the washout phases that followed the TU block and the SUS block was similar at 0.28 mm/wk (-0.1 to 0.6) and 0.3 mm/wk (-0.2 to 0.6), respectively. LLLV peaks and troughs that were related to the timing of the injection were more evident during SUS therapy. Median bALP during the run-in period was 94.2 U/l (16-282) and the median %bALP during this period was 1.2% (-57, 16). The main rise in bALP occurred during the treatment blocks with a %bALP of 19.3% (-28.8, 121.7) (p <0.005). Median bALP at the beginning and end of the SUS block was 99.7 U/l (51.7, 225) and 170 U/l (64.8, 273), respectively (p <0.05). Median bALP at the beginning and end of the TU block was 111 U/l (51, 287) and 127.6 U/l (66.4, 298) (NS). Median %bALP during SUS was higher than during TU at 28.1% (4.4, 121.7) and 11.8% (-28.8, 83.6) (p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: At the doses studied, testosterone undecanoate was as effective as sustanon at promoting short-term growth but changes in bone alkaline phosphatase were more marked during sustanon therapy.