Effect of school lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic on screen time among adolescents in Hungary: a longitudinal analysis

IntroductionStudies indicate that due to school lockdown during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, screen time increased more steeply than pre-pandemic years. The aim of our study was to examine changes in screen time and its components (screen time spent on videos, games, homework, and other activities) of adolescents affected by COVID-19 school closures compared to controls from pre-pandemic years and to assess the effect of family structure and family communication.MethodsTwo sets of ninth-grader boys and girls transitioning into 10th grade were included in the analysis. The ‘pre-COVID classes’ (controls) completed the baseline survey in February 2018 and the follow-up survey in March 2019. ‘COVID classes’ (cases) completed the baseline survey in February 2020 (1 month before the COVID-19-related school lockdowns) and the follow-up survey in March 2021. Linear mixed models stratified by sex were built to assess the change in screen time over one year adjusted for family structure and communication.ResultsOur study population consisted of 227 controls (128 girls, 99 boys) and 240 cases (118 girls, 122 boys). Without COVID-19, overall screen time did not change significantly for boys, but there was a decrease in screen time for gaming by 0.63 h, which was accompanied by an increase of 1.11 h in screen time for other activities (consisting mainly of social media and communication). Because of the pandemic, all components increased by 1.44–2.24 h in boys. Girls’ screen time and its components remained stable without school lockdown, while it increased for videos and homework by 1.66–2.10 h because of school lockdown. Living in a single-parent household was associated with higher, while better family communication resulted in lower screen time.DiscussionOur results indicate that COVID-19-related school lockdowns modified the age-specific increase in screen time for boys and girls as well. This trend, however, may be counterbalanced by improving communication between family members

Effect of school lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic on screen time among adolescents in Hungary: a longitudinal analysis

Introduction: Studies indicate that due to school lockdown during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, screen time increased more steeply than pre-pandemic years. The aim of our study was to examine changes in screen time and its components (screen time spent on videos, games, homework, and other activities) of adolescents affected by COVID-19 school closures compared to controls from pre-pandemic years and to assess the effect of family structure and family communication.// Methods: Two sets of ninth-grader boys and girls transitioning into 10th grade were included in the analysis. The ‘pre-COVID classes’ (controls) completed the baseline survey in February 2018 and the follow-up survey in March 2019. ‘COVID classes’ (cases) completed the baseline survey in February 2020 (1 month before the COVID-19-related school lockdowns) and the follow-up survey in March 2021. Linear mixed models stratified by sex were built to assess the change in screen time over one year adjusted for family structure and communication.// Results: Our study population consisted of 227 controls (128 girls, 99 boys) and 240 cases (118 girls, 122 boys). Without COVID-19, overall screen time did not change significantly for boys, but there was a decrease in screen time for gaming by 0.63 h, which was accompanied by an increase of 1.11 h in screen time for other activities (consisting mainly of social media and communication). Because of the pandemic, all components increased by 1.44–2.24 h in boys. Girls’ screen time and its components remained stable without school lockdown, while it increased for videos and homework by 1.66–2.10 h because of school lockdown. Living in a single-parent household was associated with higher, while better family communication resulted in lower screen time.// Discussion: Our results indicate that COVID-19-related school lockdowns modified the age-specific increase in screen time for boys and girls as well. This trend, however, may be counterbalanced by improving communication between family members

Influence of diabetes on ambulation and inflammation in men and women with symptomatic peripheral artery disease

AbstractObjectiveTo determine whether diabetes and sex were factors associated with ambulatory function, endothelial cell inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, and with circulating biomarkers of inflammation and antioxidant capacity in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and claudication.Materials/MethodsAmbulatory function of 180 symptomatic men and women with PAD was assessed during a graded maximal treadmill test, 6-minute walk test, and 4-meter walk test. Patients were further characterized on endothelial effects of circulating factors present in the sera using a cell culture-based bioassay on primary human arterial endothelial cells, and on circulating inflammatory and vascular biomarkers.ResultsMen and women with diabetes had greater prevalence (p = 0.007 and p = 0.015, respectively) of coronary artery disease (CAD) than patients without diabetes. To assure that this difference did not influence planned comparisons, the data set was stratified on CAD. Diabetic men with CAD had a lower peak walking time (PWT) during the treadmill test and a slower 4-meter gait speed compared to non-diabetic men with CAD (p < 0.05). Diabetic women with CAD had a lower PWT compared to their non-diabetic counterparts (p < 0.01). Additionally, diabetic men with CAD had higher pigment epithelium-derived factor (p < 0.05) than their non-diabetic counterparts, and diabetic women with CAD had higher leptin (p < 0.01) and interleukin-8 levels (p < 0.05).ConclusionsIn patients with PAD, diabetic men and women with CAD had more severe claudication than their non-diabetic counterparts, as measured by shorter PWT, and the men had further ambulatory impairment manifested by slower 4-meter gait speed. Furthermore, the diabetic patients with CAD had elevations in interleukin-8, leptin, and PEDF

SRT1720 improves survival and healthspan of obese mice

Sirt1 is an NAD+-dependent deacetylase that extends lifespan in lower organisms and improves metabolism and delays the onset of age-related diseases in mammals. Here we show that SRT1720, a synthetic compound that was identified for its ability to activate Sirt1 in vitro, extends both mean and maximum lifespan of adult mice fed a high-fat diet. This lifespan extension is accompanied by health benefits including reduced liver steatosis, increased insulin sensitivity, enhanced locomotor activity and normalization of gene expression profiles and markers of inflammation and apoptosis, all in the absence of any observable toxicity. Using a conditional SIRT1 knockout mouse and specific gene knockdowns we show SRT1720 affects mitochondrial respiration in a Sirt1- and PGC-1α-dependent manner. These findings indicate that SRT1720 has long-term benefits and demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of designing novel molecules that are safe and effective in promoting longevity and preventing multiple age-related diseases in mammals

SRT1720 improves survival and healthspan of obese mice

Sirt1 is an NAD1-dependent deacetylase that extends lifespan in lower organisms and improves metabolism and delays the onset of age-related diseases in mammals. Here we show that SRT1720, a synthetic compound that was identified for its ability to activate Sirt1 in vitro, extends both mean and maximum lifespan of adult mice fed a high-fat diet. This lifespan extension is accompanied by health benefits including reduced liver steatosis, increased insulin sensitivity, enhanced locomotor activity and normalization of gene expression profiles and markers of inflammation and apoptosis, all in the absence of any observable toxicity. Using a conditional SIRT1 knockout mouse and specific gene knockdowns we show SRT1720 affects mitochondrial respiration in a Sirt1- and PGC-1a-dependent manner. These findings indicate that SRT1720 has long-term benefits and demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of designing novel molecules that are safe and effective in promoting longevity and preventing multiple age-related diseases in mammals

Greater Endothelial Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease

We compared apoptosis, cellular oxidative stress, and inflammation of cultured endothelial cells treated with sera from 156 subjects with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and 16 healthy control subjects. Furthermore, we compared circulating inflammatory, antioxidant capacity, and vascular biomarkers between the two groups. The PAD group had a 164% higher value for endothelial cell apoptosis (P<0.001) and a 62% higher value for endothelial cellular reactive oxygen species production (P<0.001) than the control group. Furthermore, the PAD group had lower systemic antioxidant capacity measured by hydroxyl radical antioxidant capacity activity (P<0.001), higher inflammatory and vascular measures of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (P<0.001), interleukin-8 (P<0.001), serum amyloid A (P<0.001), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (P<0.001), adiponectin (P<0.001), apolipoprotein B (P=0.013), apolipoprotein CIII (P=0.035), lower vascular endothelial growth factor-A (P<0.001), and hepatocyte growth factor (P<0.001) than the control group. Subjects with PAD have greater endothelial apoptosis and oxidative stress than control subjects with low burden of comorbid conditions and cardiovascular risk factors. Furthermore, subjects with PAD have lower systemic antioxidant capacity and angiogenic measures and higher circulating inflammatory parameters