Emerging Adults’ Text Message Use and Sleep Characteristics: A Multimethod,Naturalistic Study

Emerging adults use text messaging as a principal form of social communication, day and night, and this may compromise their sleep. In this study, a hypothetical model was tested linking daytime and nighttime text message use with multiple sleep characteristics. Subjective and objective measures of texting and sleep were utilized to assess 83 college students over a seven-day period during an academic term. Greater number of daily texts, awareness of nighttime cell phone notifications, and compulsion to check nighttime notifications were significantly associated with poorer subjective sleep quality. Awareness of nighttime notifications was significantly associated with higher self-reported global sleep problems and more sleep disruptions. Results suggest potential benefits of targeting nighttime texting habits in health promotion efforts for emerging adults.     

From the Cover: Loss of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase 2α activity causes late onset degeneration of spinal cord axons

Phosphoinositide (PI) lipids are intracellular membrane signaling intermediates and effectors produced by localized PI kinase and phosphatase activities. Although many signaling roles of PI kinases have been identified in cultured cell lines, transgenic animal studies have produced unexpected insight into the in vivo functions of specific PI 3- and 5-kinases, but no mammalian PI 4-kinase (PI4K) knockout has previously been reported. Prior studies using cultured cells implicated the PI4K2α isozyme in diverse functions, including receptor signaling, ion channel regulation, endosomal trafficking, and regulated secretion. We now show that despite these important functions, mice lacking PI4K2α kinase activity initially appear normal. However, adult Pi4k2a^GT/GT animals develop a progressive neurological disease characterized by tremor, limb weakness, urinary incontinence, and premature mortality. Histological analysis of aged Pi4k2a^GT/GT animals revealed lipofuscin-like deposition and gliosis in the cerebellum, and loss of Purkinje cells. Peripheral nerves are essentially normal, but massive axonal degeneration was found in the spinal cord in both ascending and descending tracts. These results reveal a previously undescribed role for aberrant PI signaling in neurological disease that resembles autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia.     

Biomarkers of liver fibrosis: prospective comparison of multimodal magnetic resonance,serum algorithms and transient elastography

Abstract

Background and aims

Accurate biomarkers for quantifying liver fibrosis are important for clinical practice and trial end-points. We compared the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including gadoxetate-enhanced MRI and ³¹P-MR spectroscopy, with fibrosis stage and serum fibrosis algorithms in a clinical setting. Also, in a subset of patients, MR- and transient elastography (MRE and TE) was evaluated when available.     

Functional and Physiologic Assessment of the Colonic Reservoir or Side-to-End Anastomosis After Low Anterior Resection for Rectal Cancer: A Two-Year Follow-Up

PURPOSE Functional disturbances are common after anterior resection for rectal cancer. This study was designed to compare functional and physiologic outcome after low anterior resection and total mesorectal excision with a colonic J-pouch or a side-to-end anastomosis.METHODS Functional and physiologic variables were analyzed in patients randomized to a J-pouch (n = 36) or side-to-end anastomosis (n = 35). Postoperative functional outcome was investigated with questionnaires. Anorectal manometry was performed preoperatively and at six months, one year, and two years postoperatively.RESULTS There was no statistical difference in functional outcome between groups at two years. Maximum neorectal volume increased in both groups but was approximately 40 percent greater at two years in pouches compared with the side-to-end anastomosis. Anal sphincter pressures volumes were halved postoperatively and did not recover during follow-up of two years. Male gender, low anastomotic level, pelvic sepsis, and the postoperative decrease of sphincter pressures were independent factors for more incontinence symptoms.CONCLUSIONS Colonic J-pouch and side-to-end anastomosis gives comparable functional results two years after low anterior resection. Neorectal volume had no detectable influence on function. There was a pronounced and sustained postoperative decrease in sphincter pressures.Supported by the Stockholm County Council, Public Health and Medical Services Committee and the Swedish Research Council, grant #09101.Reprints are not available.