Fear of missing out and smartphone addiction mediates the relationship between positive and negative affect and sleep quality among Chinese university students

Background and aims: The widespread use of social media on smartphones has lead to the fear of missing out (FoMO) and smartphone addiction among a minority of adolescents and adults. However, few studies have investigated the impact of trait affect on sleep quality via FoMO and smartphone addiction. The present study examined whether FoMO (trait-FoMO and state-FoMO) and smartphone addiction mediated the relationship between positive affect (PA)/negative affect (NA) and sleep quality, and the prevalence of sleep disturbance among Chinese university students. Methods: The sample comprised 1,164 university students and they completed a survey which included the Chinese Trait-State Fear of Missing Out Scale (T-SFoMOS-C), Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI), International Positive and Negative Affect Scale Short-Form (I-PANAS-SF), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results: The prevalence of sleep disturbance was found to be 15.98% among Chinese university students. The serial multiple mediation effects indicated that PA directly impacted on sleep quality, but the mediation effects of trait-FoMO and state-FoMO were not found. NA impacted on sleep quality via the mediation effects of trait-FoMO/state-FoMO and smartphone addiction. Conclusion: Negative affect was positively associated with poor sleep quality, which was partially mediated by FoMO and smartphone addiction among Chinese university students. Individuals with high negative affect were more likely to have high levels of FoMO and were more prone to smartphone addiction as well as experiencing poor sleep quality. These findings provide an evidence base for emotion management, prevention of smartphone addiction, and sleep improvement

Depression, anxiety, and smartphone addiction in university students- A cross sectional study

<div><p>Objectives</p><p>The study aims to assess prevalence of smartphone addiction symptoms, and to ascertain whether depression or anxiety, independently, contributes to smartphone addiction level among a sample of Lebanese university students, while adjusting simultaneously for important sociodemographic, academic, lifestyle, personality trait, and smartphone-related variables.</p><p>Methods</p><p>A random sample of 688 undergraduate university students (mean age = 20.64 ±1.88 years; 53% men) completed a survey composed of a) questions about socio-demographics, academics, lifestyle behaviors, personality type, and smartphone use-related variables; b) 26-item Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI) Scale; and c) brief screeners of depression and anxiety (PHQ-2 and GAD-2), which constitute the two core DSM-IV items for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, respectively.</p><p>Results</p><p>Prevalence rates of smartphone-related compulsive behavior, functional impairment, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms were substantial. 35.9% felt tired during daytime due to late-night smartphone use, 38.1% acknowledged decreased sleep quality, and 35.8% slept less than four hours due to smartphone use more than once. Whereas gender, residence, work hours per week, faculty, academic performance (GPA), lifestyle habits (smoking and alcohol drinking), and religious practice did not associate with smartphone addiction score; personality type A, class (year 2 vs. year 3), younger age at first smartphone use, excessive use during a weekday, using it for entertainment and not using it to call family members, and having depression or anxiety, showed statistically significant associations with smartphone addiction. Depression and anxiety scores emerged as independent positive predictors of smartphone addiction, after adjustment for confounders.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Several independent positive predictors of smartphone addiction emerged including depression and anxiety. It could be that young adults with personality type A experiencing high stress level and low mood may lack positive stress coping mechanisms and mood management techniques and are thus highly susceptible to smartphone addiction.</p></div

Association between total SPAI score and anxiety score, as assessed by multiple linear regression^*.

<p>Association between total SPAI score and anxiety score, as assessed by multiple linear regression^{<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0182239#t005fn001" target="_blank">*</a>}.</p

Prevalence of smartphone addiction (SPAI) symptoms among study participants (n = 688).

<p>Prevalence of smartphone addiction (SPAI) symptoms among study participants (n = 688).</p

Associations between smartphone addiction level (total SPAI score) and participants' characteristics.

<p>Associations between smartphone addiction level (total SPAI score) and participants' characteristics.</p

Characteristics of study participants (n = 688).

<p>Characteristics of study participants (n = 688).</p

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Anti-Diabetic Activities of Scorzonera phaeopappa Boiss

International audienceWild edible plants have attracted increasing interest from researchers because of their richness in biologically active phytochemicals. These are found to be a potential remedy for oxidative-stress-mediated diseases such as diabetes mellitus. In this study, total phenol, total terpene, and total flavonoid content as well as antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of Scorzonera phaeopappa Boiss from Lebanon were determined. Using dichloromethane, dichloromethane ammonia, methanol, acetone, and ethanol, extracts were prepared from the edible leaves. The antioxidant activity and the antidiabetic activity were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging, Fe2+-chelating and α-amylase/α-glucosidase inhibitory assays, respectively. Dichloromethane ammonia was found to have the highest extraction capacity on phenols (2.73 mg GAE /100 mg extract) and terpenes (232.42 mg LE/100 mg extract). Methanol was found to have the highest extraction capacity on total flavonoids (63.05 mg QE/100 mg extract). The methanol extract exhibited the highest DPPH scavenging activity (IC50 0.07 mg/mL) and the highest chelating activity as compared to other extracts (0.08 mg/mL, chelating activity 50%). The acetone extract was two times more active than acarbose against α-amylase enzyme and was the most active against α-glucosidase (6.3 mg/mL). Significant positive correlations were observed between total phenol content and α-glucosidase inhibitory assay and total terpene content and α-glucosidase inhibitory assay

Antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities in commercial and homemade pomegranate molasses in Lebanon

International audiencePomegranate fruit and its derived products are rich sources of bioactive compounds. They have many biological activities. Pomegranate molasses (PM) is a thick, traditional Middle Eastern syrup used in many recipes for Lebanese and international cuisines. It is a highly nutritious product which makes it of great interest. The purpose of this study was to assess the phytochemical composition, antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties of homemade and commercial PM consumed in Lebanon using samples collected from households in rural areas (n = 4) and the market (n = 28). The objectives of this study were to determine their total phenolic content using the Follin-Ciocalteu method, their total flavonoid content using aluminum chloride method, their antioxidant activity using DPPH radical scavenging as well as ferrous ion chelating assays and their anti-diabetic activity using α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities with acarbose, a known anti-diabetic drug, used as the standard reference. Homemade PM samples exhibited a higher antioxidant activity than commercial samples, with the most active homemade PM sample having IC50 values of 0.09 mg/mL (DPPH radical scavenging assay) and 46.78% ferrous ion chelating assay). Homemade PM samples also showed higher anti-diabetic activity than commercial samples, with the most active homemade PM sample having an IC50 of 0.63 mg/mL (α-amylase inhibitory activity) and of 0.41 mg/mL (α-glucosidase inhibitory activity) and being almost as active as acarbose with both enzymes (1.5 times).Significant inverse strong/moderate correlations were observed between total phenolic content/total flavonoid content and the IC50 value of DPPH radical scavenging assay, indicating positive associations between total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity. In addition, significant negative moderate correlations were observed between total phenolic/flavonoid contents and α-amylase inhibitory activity, indicating positive associations between total phenolic and flavonoid contents and anti-diabetic activity

Identification and dietary exposure assessment of tetracycline and penicillin residues in fluid milk, yogurt, and labneh: A cross-sectional study in Lebanon

Background and Aim: The safety and quality of dairy products are considered to be of significant importance to human health. Although antimicrobial drugs are essential for disease treatment in modern medicine, the use of these drugs can have undesired consequences for human and animal health. This study aimed to investigate the presence of tetracycline and penicillin residues in raw, pasteurized, and UHT cow's milk of different fat contents, as well as in the dairy products yogurt and labneh, a traditional Lebanese product. Materials and Methods: A total of 44 samples, 4 raw, 9 UHT, 9 pasteurized milk, 10 yogurt, and 12 labneh samples from common local brands available in the Lebanese market were collected from Keserwan regions in May 2016. Tetracycline and penicillin residues were determined using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Results: The mean values for tetracycline and penicillin were all below the limit of detection (LOD) of the ELISA kit of a maximum standard concentration of 1.80 μg/kg and 4.00 μg/kg, respectively. All samples tested positive for antibiotic residues. The detection rate for tetracycline in milk (n=22) samples was 86.4% with a mean residues value of 1.16±0.70 μg/kg. The detection rate of tetracycline in labneh (n=12) and yogurt (n=10) samples was 50% for each with a mean value of 1.76±0.40 μg/kg and 0.63±0.12 μg/kg, respectively. As for penicillin residues, 90.9% of the milk (n=22) samples tested positive with a mean value of 0.52±0.25 μg/kg. The detection rate in labneh (n=12) and yogurt (n=10) samples was 0% for penicillin residues, where mean values were all below the LOD (<1.25 μg/kg) for these dairy products. None of the samples exceeded the maximum residue levels. The estimated dietary intake (EDI) for tetracycline and penicillin residues for all dairy products is 2.09 ng/kg body weight (BW)/day resulting in 0.007% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) and 1.83 ng/kg BW/day resulting in 0.006% of the ADI, respectively. Conclusion: All EDI values were below the ADI set for each antibiotic residue and do not exceed relevant toxicological reference values. However, concerns might still be present from consumption of other animal food products containing residues. Moreover, the long-term exposure to such residues is still unknown as a result of bioaccumulation; it is a challenging process to determine the actual dietary consumption of foods containing antibiotic residues; hence, the human health risk cannot be easily predicted

Phytochemical composition, biological activities and antioxidant potential of pomegranate fruit, juice and molasses: A review

International audiencePomegranate fruit and its derived products (seeds, juice and mollassess) have been traditionally used in the prevention and treatment of chronic conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's and arthritis. It has also been widely used in folk medicine as a remedy for conditions of the digestive tract, including parasitic worm infections, ulcers, diarrhea and aphthae. The pomegranate health benefits have been attributed to its bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids and tannins. These bioactive compounds were shown to have antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-microbial, anti-diarrheal and neuro-protective properties. These pomegranate products are nowadays considered superfood and commonly used in many recipes in international cuisines. They are highly nutritious products rich in secondary metabolites with potent biological activities, which makes their study of great interest to researchers. The current review aimed to provide an up-to-date summary of findings of studies done to investigate the phytochemical composition biological activities, particularly antioxidant property of pomegranate and its products most importantly pomegranate molasses. In conclusion, this review shed the light on the rich phytochemical composition and many potent biological activities especially the antioxidant potential of pomegranate and its products