Associations Between Social Media and Well-Being and Sleep Quality in Medical and Health Professions

This study was conducted to assess associations between social media use and overall well-being and sleep quality in medical and health professions graduate students. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to examine demographic information, social media use, and health behaviors and outcomes. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between sleep quality and potential covariates and/or independent variables, while proportional odds regression was performed to analyze potential associations between emotional wellbeing and independent variables. Survey respondents were more likely to have a low or depressed mood if they used social media as a way to help them sleep [odds ratio=2.1, 95% confidence interval = (1.0, 4.2)]. Participants who used social media to help them sleep also had poorer sleep quality than those who did not use social media for that purpose [odds ratio=2.3, 95% confidence interval= (1.1, 4.7)]. In addition, individuals who used social media to obtain health-related advice or information were 2.8 times [95% confidence interval= (1.4, 5.8)] more likely to have poor sleep quality compared to those who did not use social media for health-related advice or information. These study results expound upon the relationship between social media use and health outcomes in medical and graduate students

Fetal ERAP2 variation is associated with preeclampsia in African Americans in a case-control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Preeclampsia affects 3-8% of pregnancies and is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. This complex disorder is characterized by alterations in the immune and vascular systems and involves multiple organs. There is strong evidence for a genetic contribution to preeclampsia. Two different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the <it>endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 2 (ERAP2) </it>gene were recently reported to be associated with increased risk for preeclampsia in two different populations. <it>ERAP2 </it>is expressed in placental tissue and it is involved in immune responses, inflammation, and blood pressure regulation; making it is an attractive preeclampsia candidate gene. Furthermore, <it>ERAP2 </it>expression is altered in first trimester placentas of women destined to develop preeclampsia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A case-control design was used to test for associations between two SNPs in <it>ERAP2</it>, rs2549782 and rs17408150, and preeclampsia status in 1103 Chilean maternal-fetal dyads and 1637 unpaired African American samples (836 maternal, 837 fetal).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that the fetal minor allele (G) of rs2549782 was associated with an increased risk for preeclampsia in the African American population (<it>P </it>= 0.009), but not in the Chilean population. We found no association between rs17408150 and risk for preeclampsia in the Chilean population. Association between rs17408150 and risk for preeclampsia was not tested in the African American population due to the absence of the minor allele in this population.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We report an association between fetal <it>ERAP2 </it>and preeclampsia in an African American population. In conjunction with previous studies, which have found maternal associations with this gene in an Australian/New Zealand population and a Norwegian population, <it>ERAP2 </it>has now been associated with preeclampsia in three populations. This provides strong evidence that <it>ERAP2 </it>plays a role in the development of preeclampsia.</p