Does the chronotype distribution vary between different level football leagues? Insights gained from Czech elite football players.

Chronotype refer to individuals' time-of-day preferences for activities, which can be classified as "morning types = (M-types)", "evening types = (E-types)", and "neither types (N-types)". The primary aim of this study was to compare the chronotype distribution of Czech First League (1L) and Czech National Football League (2L) male elite football players, which was divided into two secondary aims: (i) statistically identify and compare the number (presence) of particular chronotypes in 1L, and (ii) statistically identify and compare the number (presence) of particular chronotypes in 2L. The present cross-sectional study employed a self-reported standardized questionnaire, the Composite Scale of Morningness, to study the chronotype distribution among the male elite football players. The chronotype distribution of 139 (85 from 1L with mean age ± S.D. = 25.5 ± 3.7 years and 54 from 2L age = 24.4 ± 4.5 years) players was assessed. Overall, 61 (71.8%) of the participants from 1L were mainly N-types, followed by M- and E-types. Similarly, 40 (74.1%) participants from 2L were mainly N-types, followed by M- and E-types. The statistical analysis of the 1L players showed a significantly higher presence of N-types compared to M- and E-types (χ2(2) = 57.62, p < .05, V = .58). The same results were detected in 2L, where the N-type was identified in the majority of football players (χ2(2) = 57.62, p < .05, V = .58). The statistical comparison of the number of presented chronotypes did not show a significant difference (F = 3.29, p > .05, V = .16) between players of the 1L and 2L. Thus, N-types are dominant among Czech elite football players, and the chronotype distribution of male elite football players from the Czech First League and the Czech National Football League does not vary.

Evaluation of the performance of clinical predictors in estimating the probability of pulmonary tuberculosis among smear-negative cases in Northern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the performance of the predictors in estimating the probability of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) when all versus only significant variables are combined into a decision model (1) among all clinical suspects and (2) among smear-negative cases based on the results of culture tests. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Two public referral hospitals in Tigray, Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 426 consecutive adult patients admitted to the hospitals with clinical suspicion of PTB were screened by sputum smear microscopy and chest radiograph (chest X-ray (CXR)) in accordance with the Ethiopian guidelines of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Program. Discontinuation of antituberculosis therapy in the past 3 months, unproductive cough, HIV positivity and unwillingness to give written informed consent were the basis of exclusion from the study. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: A total of 354 patients were included in the final analysis, while 72 patients were excluded because culture tests were not done. RESULTS: The strongest predictive variables of culture-positive PTB among patients with clinical suspicion were a positive smear test (OR 172; 95% CI 23.23 to 1273.54) and having CXR lesions compatible with PTB (OR 10.401; 95% CI 5.862 to 18.454). The regression model had a good predictive performance for identifying culture-positive PTB among patients with clinical suspicion (area under the curve (AUC) 0.84), but it was rather poor in patients with a negative smear result (AUC 0.64). Combining all the predictors in the model compared with only the independent significant variables did not really improve its performance to identify culture-positive (AUC 0.84-0.87) and culture-negative (AUC 0.64-0.69) PTB. CONCLUSIONS: Our finding suggests that predictive models based on clinical variables will not be useful to discriminate patients with culture-negative PTB from patients with culture-positive PTB among patients with smear-negative cases.

Relationship between chronotype preference and choice of sport participation and time of day of training: insights gained from the ninth all African university game players.

The purpose of this study was to assess the chronotype orientations of the ninth all African university game players hosted by Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia, 2-6 July 2018. The present cross-sectional study employed a self-reported demographic, training time, and Horne and Ostberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaires (MEQ). Training time and chronotype orientations of 174 (126 males and 48 females) participants, mean age 21.65 ± 2.05 y were assessed. Some 72% (126) of the African University game players were males. Overall, 92 (53%) of the male and female participants' were I-type and, 82 (47%) of them were M-type; none were E-type. Chronotype preferences did not vary by sex (p = .962). However, a significant difference in chronotype was observed between those experts in skill, concentration, and mixed sports events (p < .001). Players who participated in mixed sports, like football and athletics, were more likely to be M-type. Surprisingly, the habitual training time was misaligned with chronotype orientation in all sports events with the exception of athletics in mixed groups.

Effects of altitude on chronotype orientations in relation to cardiorespiratory and hematological quantities of college students in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: The mechanism by which Ethiopians adapt to altitude is quite unique compared to other Highlanders with respect to increased oxygen saturation of hemoglobin. Although the effects of altitude on cardiorespiratory and hematological quantities on athletics performances are well known, but there is little information about its underlying effect on chronotype orientations. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study 60 male college students with mean age 20±1.3 years from high and low altitude regions living in a tropical setting in Ethiopia were included. The participants' chronotype was determined using the self-administered Horne and Ostberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaires (MEQ). Measurements and estimations of hematological and cardiorespiratory parameters were performed from 7:00-9:00 AM, East African time zone, in order to minimize any variations that might occur in the course of the day. A multivariate binary logistic regression model was fitted to analyze the underlying chronotype predictors. RESULTS: 28 (93.9%) of participants from high altitude were mainly intermediate type (I-type) dominant with (MEQ = 42-58). While, 16 (55.2%) of participants from low altitudes were morning type (M-type) dominant chronotype with (MEQ = 59-69). Our main finding confirmed that altitude is an independent predictor of chronotype orientations of the participants (p<0.015). Thus, the results of the multivariate analysis seem to indicate that, participants from low and high altitudes may be uniquely oriented towards either M-type or I-type chronotype respectively (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 4.772, 95% CI = 3.748-4618458). However, no significant difference on cardiorespiratory and hematological quantities between I-type and M-type chronotype of students from low altitude living in the same setting was reported (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our finding, reported for the first time that, the human chronotype varies according to the altitude, with no underlying effect of cardiorespiratory and hematological quantities.

Chronotype preferences of college students from varied altitude backgrounds in Ethiopia.

The purpose of this study was to compare chronotype preferences of college students from high- and low-altitude backgrounds living in a tropical setting of Ethiopia. Chronotype (morningness-eveningness) is a preference for a given time of day for physical or mental activities. The present cross-sectional study employed Horne and Osteberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaires to evaluate chronotype preferences. The chronotype preference of 264 male college students from varied altitude backgrounds indicated significant differences (p < 0.001). Our findings confirm our hypothesis, of the prevalence of M-types dominant chronotype among college students at low than high altitude. However, we did not confirm our second hypothesis, since students from high-altitude backgrounds were generally I-type dominant chronotype. Similarly, students' academic performances from low- compared to high-altitudes backgrounds also indicated significant differences (p < 0.003). Better academic performances were seen in students with I-type chronotype orientations from high altitudes.