Chewing gum modifies state-anxiety and alertness under conditions of social stress

Objectives: The finding that chewing gum can moderate state-anxiety under conditions of acute stress¹ has proved difficult to replicate.2,4 The present study examines the extent to which chewing gum can moderate state-anxiety under conditions of acute social stress. Method: In a between-participants design, 36 participants completed a task comprising a mock job interview (a variation on the Trier Social Stress Task3, which included a mental arithmetic component) whilst either chewing gum or without gum. Self-rated measures of mood and anxiety were taken at baseline, after a 10-minute presentation preparation stage, after the 10-minute presentation, and following a 5-minute recovery stage. Results: Post-presentation measures reflected increased state-anxiety and decrease self-rated calmness and contentedness. Chewing gum attenuated the rise in state-anxiety whilst increasing self-rated alertness. Chewing gum did not affect contentedness or calmness. Conclusions: The findings indicate that chewing gum can act to reduce anxiety under conditions of acute social stress: a finding consistent with Scholey et al.1 Furthermore, the data add to the growing body of literature demonstrating that chewing gum can increase alertness.1,2,4,

Genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance studies in top- cross and three-way cross maize (Zea mays L) hybrids

Understanding the genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance of traits in any plant population is an im- portant pre-requisite for selection program. This study was designed to assess the magnitude of genetic variabili- ty, heritability and genetic advance of traits in top-cross and three-way cross maize (Zea mays L) hybrids evaluated at three locations in South-Western Nigeria. The trial consisted of ten genotypes each of top-cross and three-way cross hybrids arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications. Data on grain yield and other desirable traits across the three locations were used to estimate the genetic variability parameters, heritability and genetic advance (GA). Highly significant (P ≤ 0.01) differences were detected within each hybrid class for all the traits. Traits evaluated in this study exhibited different levels of variability, heritability and genetic advance between the two hybrid classes. Low to moderate phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) were recorded. Also, low to very high heritability and low to high GA values were recorded for all the traits measured in the top-cross hybrids, whereas the three-way cross hybrids exhibited low to moderately high heritability estimates and low to moderate GA values. Grain yield and field weight showed moderate GCV, moderately high heritability and high GA values in top-cross hybrids. These characters exhibited moderate GCV but low heritability and GA values in three-way hybrids. More characters in top-cross hybrids revealed sufficient amount of variability than in three-way cross hybrids, thus offer scope for genetic improvement through selection

Chewing gum benefits sustained attention in the absence of task degradation.

OBJECTIVES: The present study examined the effect of chewing gum on sustained attention and associated changes in subjective alertness. METHODS: In a within-participants design, 20 participants completed an extended version of the sustained attention response task (SART: Robertson et al., 1997), both with and without chewing gum. Self-rated measures of alertness, contentedness, and calmness were taken before and after the SART. RESULTS: Chewing gum was associated with improved attentional task performance. This finding was not contingent upon a general decrease in attentional performance and was apparent at all stages of the task. Subjective measures of alertness, contentedness, and calmness were higher following the chewing of gum. Changes in sustained attention co-varied with subjective alertness. DISCUSSION: The effects of chewing gum on attention and alertness are consistent with past literature and were not contingent on declines in attention. Additionally, we found evidence that gum-induced changes in self-rated alertness and attention are related. We found no support for the proposition that chewing gum can impair attention due to the division of resources

Effect of sildenafil on erectile dysfunction in spinal Cord injured patients

Background: Erectile dysfunction is a preoccupying issue, just like motor and bladder disability, in spinal cord injured (SCI) patients. This is particularly so because of the increasing prevalence of paraplegic and tetraplegic subjects and the fact that these patients areyounger, and sexually active. Objective: To determine the effects of Sildenafil (Viagra ®) on erectile dysfunction in SCI patients.Methods: After medical ethics committee approval and informed patient consent, we conducted a prospective inquiry between January and March 2007 in 16 SCI patients who were under Sildenafil treatment forerectile dysfunction. An abridged version of the InternationalIndex of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire was completed the patients. Results: The mean age (range) of the patients was32.75 yrs (21-53 yrs). The mean duration of their disability was 47.75 months (4 yr). Trauma was the etiology in 87.5% of the cases (44% were road accidents). 12/16 patients were paraplegics (10 above T10) and 4 were tetraplegics (1 above C4 and 3 below C5). Themean duration of sildenafil treatment was 18.75 months (17 days-7 yr). 70% of the patients were satisfied with their erection after treatment. However, 10/16 patients had concomitant treatment with alprostadil.Conclusion: Sildenafil is a vasoactive drug which can be used as a simple, discrete and effective treatment for erectile dysfunction in SCI patients. This approach is compatible with the efforts to improve the quality of life and rehabilitation of these patients

Chewing gum and impasse-induced self-reported stress

An insoluble anagram task (Zellner et al., 2006) was used to investigate the proposition that chewing gum reduces self-rated stress (Scholey et al., 2009). Using a between-participants design, forty participants performed an insoluble anagram task followed by a soluble anagram task. These tasks were performed with or without chewing gum. Self-rated measures were taken at baseline, post-stressor, and post-recovery task. The insoluble anagram task was found to amplify stress in terms of increases in self-rated stress and reductions in both self-rated calmness and contentedness. However, chewing gum was found not to mediate the level of stress experienced. Furthermore, chewing gum did not result in superior performance on the soluble anagram task. The present study fails to generalise the findings of Scholey et al. to an impasse induced stress that has social components. The explanation for the discrepancy with Scholey et al. is unclear; however, it is suggested that the impossibility of the insoluble anagram task may negate any secondary stress reducing benefits arising from chewing gum-induced task improvement

Establishing an antimicrobial stewardship program in Sierra Leone: a report of the experience of a low-income country in West Africa

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a growing global health challenge that threatens to undo gains in human and animal health. Prevention and control of AMR requires functional antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) program, which is complex and often difficult to implement in low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to describe the processes of establishing and implementing an AMS program at Connaught Hospital in Sierra Leone. The project involved the setting up of an AMS program, capacity building and performing a global point prevalence survey (GPPS) at Sierra Leone's national referral hospital. Connaught Hospital established a multidisciplinary AMS subcommittee in 2021 to provide AMS services such as awareness campaigns, education and training and review of guidelines. We performed a GPPS on 175 patients, of whom more than half (98, 56.0%) were prescribed an antibiotic: 63 (69.2%) in the surgical wards and 53 (51.2%) in the medical wards. Ceftriaxone (60, 34.3%) and metronidazole (53, 30.3%) were the most common antibiotics prescribed to patients. In conclusion, it is feasible to establish and implement an AMS program in low-income countries, where most hospitalized patients were prescribed an antibiotic

'Improving subnational disaster management in Sierra Leone': Evaluating Local Disaster Management in Sierra Leone (EVALDIS) Final Report 2023 No. 1

The EVALDIS Final Report No. 1 represents a comprehensive assessment of the challenges confronting provincial, district and local disaster management across the country and is designed to contribute valuable research based and evidenced recommendations that can help to shape the NDMA’s thinking and direction towards developing stronger regional capacities across the country in 2023. Research was conducted by a team from the internationally acclaimed Bournemouth University Disaster Management Centre (BUDMC), led by Professor Lee Miles, during 2022. EVALDIS constitutes one of the most extensive, contemporary studies undertaken in recent years. The Report draws on data collected from stakeholder interviews and Focus Groups as well as peer/participant observations in disaster management meetings at the national, provincial, district and local levels. At all stages, the research has involved cooperation with Sierra Leone’s disaster management institutions, the participation of local communities and incorporates peer- review feedback on the findings presented in the EVALDIS Final Report. Through the application of innovative Bournemouth University led research techniques, focusing primarily on identifying ‘resolvable single points of failure’ (SPOF), refined in conjunction with the NDMA, this Final Report highlights that: • There is an overwhelming consensus that the development of the NDMA’s provincial and district capacities, including the appointment of NDMA Provincial and District Officers, and the creation of NDMA Provincial and District Offices is a welcome development. • However, there remain 12 notable areas where SPOF exist that are likely to lead to the breakdown of part or all of this evolving subnational component of Sierra Leone’s disaster management system. This includes aspects of disaster risk reduction, response and recovery. • These 12 SPOF areas are clearly and commonly identifiable by all three participating constituencies of national stakeholders, representatives of local communities and provincial disaster management officers, and verified through participating interactions. Thus, there is a firm basis for concerted future subnational action and initiatives. There is a remarkably high level of consistency and consensus shared by all three participating constituencies that the top SPOF areas are resolvable and fixable over the short to medium terms (within 5 years), provided appropriate recommendations and immediate action points are implemented to address them. • There is resoundingly strong agreement that key initiatives such as the development of Facilitators Guides to increase the knowledge, skills and competencies of the NDMA Provincial and District Officers (and offices) represent important initiatives for the future. The EVALDIS Final Report calls for the NDMA to further develop an integrated NDMA regional strategy/document that can further underpin the development of the NDMA's provincial and district capacities during 2023-24. The Strategy would be wise to recognise and consider the 51 notable, resolvable SPOF identified in the EVALDIS Final Report, and implement most(if not all) of the 62 specific evidenced-based recommendations and immediate action points that are aimed at improving subnational disaster management in Sierra Leone now and in the future

Symptom- and Laboratory-Based Ebola Risk Scores to Differentiate Likely Ebola Infections.

Rapidly identifying likely Ebola patients is difficult because of a broad case definition, overlap of symptoms with common illnesses, and lack of rapid diagnostics. However, rapid identification is critical for care and containment of contagion. We analyzed retrospective data from 252 Ebola-positive and 172 Ebola-negative patients at a Sierra Leone Ebola treatment center to develop easy-to-use risk scores, based on symptoms and laboratory tests (if available), to stratify triaged patients by their likelihood of having Ebola infection. Headache, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, and conjunctivitis comprised the symptom-based score. The laboratory-based score also included creatinine, creatine kinase, alanine aminotransferase, and total bilirubin. This risk score correctly identified 92% of Ebola-positive patients as high risk for infection; both scores correctly classified >70% of Ebola-negative patients as low or medium risk. Clinicians can use these risk scores to gauge the likelihood of triaged patients having Ebola while awaiting laboratory confirmation

The effect of chewing gum on physiological and self-rated measures of alertness and daytime sleepiness

The proposition that chewing gum can improve alertness was investigated via both physiological and self-rated measures. The Pupillographic Sleepiness Test (PST) provided a measure of pupillary unrest (PUI); a physiological index of daytime sleepiness. Chewing gum reduced the extent of sleepiness as measured by both PUI and self-rated sleepiness. Specifically, in comparison with sham chewing and no chewing controls, the chewing gum condition significantly limited the increase in pupillary unrest following the 11-minute PST within a darkened laboratory: a finding indicating moderation of the daytime sleepiness increase for the chewing gum condition. In addition, there was some evidence that chewing gum (relative to the no-chewing condition only) moderated the increase in a self-rated measure of sleepiness (Stanford Sleepiness Scale). However, there was no evidence that chewing gum moderated the decrease in self-rated alertness (Bond-Lader Visual Analogue Mood Scale). Although the precise mechanism underpinning the effect of chewing gum is unclear, the reduction in daytime sleepiness may be underpinned via heightened cerebral activity following the chewing of gum or the arousing effects of mint flavour