The Emotion Authenticity Recognition (EAR) test: normative data of an innovative test using dynamic emotional stimuli to evaluate the ability to recognize the authenticity of emotions expressed by faces.

Despite research has massively focused on how emotions conveyed by faces are perceived, the perception of emotions' authenticity is a topic that has been surprisingly overlooked. Here, we present the Emotion Authenticity Recognition (EAR) test, a test specifically developed using dynamic stimuli depicting authentic and posed emotions to evaluate the ability of individuals to correctly identify an emotion (emotion recognition index, ER Index) and classify its authenticity (authenticity recognition index (EA Index). The EAR test has been validated on 522 healthy participants and normative values are provided. Correlations with demographic characteristics, empathy and general cognitive status have been obtained revealing that both indices are negatively correlated with age, and positively with education, cognitive status and different facets of empathy. The EAR test offers a new ecological test to assess the ability to detect emotion authenticity that allow to explore the eventual social cognitive deficit even in patients otherwise cognitively intact.

Normative values and the influence of sex, hand dominance, and direction of movement on active wrist joint position sense in young healthy adults.

BACKGROUND: Active wrist joint position sense (JPS) is a feasible method for determining wrist proprioception. However, the normative values and factors affecting wrist JPS are not known. OBJECTIVES: To identify normative values of active wrist JPS in young healthy adults and explore the influence of sex, hand dominance and direction of wrist movement. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHOD: JPS of 100 individuals aged 18-40 years, (male: female = 51:49) were measured at two wrist positions (20° flexion/extension) using the active wrist JPS test. Absolute error (in degrees) was calculated and summarized using descriptive measures. Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance was performed to determine the differences in JPS error based on sex, dominance and direction of wrist movement. RESULTS: Mean absolute JPS flexion error on the dominant side was 3.47°(SD = 3.91°), and non-dominant side was 3.26°(SD = 3.23°). Mean absolute JPS extension error on the dominant side was 3.35°(SD = 3.43°), and non-dominant side was 4.59°(SD = 4.82°). Compared to males, females had more absolute error for flexion and extension on the dominant side. No significant difference was found in the absolute error between the dominant and non-dominant sides or between flexion and extension. CONCLUSION: These normative values of active JPS in young healthy adults can help clinicians while assessing proprioceptive impairments of the wrist. Differences in JPS errors due to sex were found, but not due to dominance or direction of movement. These findings can guide future research on mechanisms involved in wrist JPS.

Reference values and associated factors of controlled attenuation parameter and liver stiffness in adults: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The utilization of non-invasive techniques for liver fibrosis and steatosis assessment has gained acceptance as a viable substitute for liver biopsy in clinical practice. This study aimed to establish normative data for the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by age and gender, as well as to explore the relationship between anthropometric measures, clinical status, and biochemical profile according to the 90th percentile cut-off values for CAP/LSM in a U.S. adult population. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this cross-sectional analysis, 7.522 US adults aged 20-80 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2017-2020) were included. CAP and LSM were quantified using the FibroScan® 502-v2 device. A comprehensive range of data was collected, including sociodemographic, anthropometric, biochemical, lifestyle, and clinical conditions. Participants were segmented by sex and age. The median ± standard deviation (SD) for CAP was significantly lower in women (258.27 ± 61.02 dB/m) than in men (273.43 ± 63.56 dB/m), as was the median ± SD for LSM (women: 5.50 ± 4.12 kPa, men: 6.36 ± 5.63 kPa). Although median CAP and LSM values displayed an upward trend with age, statistical significance was not achieved. Notably, higher liver CAP values (above the 90th percentile) correlated with more pronounced clinical and biochemical profile differences compared to lower CAP values (below the 90th percentile) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides age- and sex-stratified standard values for CAP and LSM in a sizeable, nationally representative cohort of adults. The evidence of sex-specific variations in TE test results from our study sets the stage for future research to further corroborate these findings.

General population normative values for the EORTC QLQ-C30 by age, sex, and health condition for the French general population.

BACKGROUND: General population normative values for the widely used health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measure EORTC QLQ-C30 support the interpretation of trial results and HRQoL of patients in clinical practice. Here, we provide sex-, age- and health condition-specific normative values for the EORTC QLQ-C30 in the French general population. METHODS: French general population data was collected in an international EORTC project. Online panels with quota samples were used to recruit sex and age groups. Number and type of comorbidities were assessed. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate general population values for each QLQ-C30 scale, separately for sex, age, and presence of one- and more chronic health conditions. A multivariate linear regression model has been developed to allow estimating the effect of sex, age, and the presence for one- and more chronic health conditions on EORTC QLQ-C30 scores. Data was weighted according to United Nation statistics adjusting for the proportion of sex and age groups. RESULTS: In total, 1001 French respondents were included in our analyses. The weighted mean age was 47.9 years, 514 (51.3%) participants were women, and 497 (52.2%) participants reported at least one health condition. Men reported statistically significant better scores for Emotional Functioning (+9.6 points, p = 0.006) and Fatigue (-7.8 point; p = 0.04); women reported better profiles for Role Functioning (+8.7 points; p = 0.008) and Financial Difficulty (-7.8 points, p = 0.011). According to the regression model, the sex effect was statistically significant in eight scales; the effect of increasing age had a statistically significant effect on seven of the 15 EORTC QLQ-C30 scales. The sex- and age effect varied in its direction across the various scales. The presence of health conditions showed a strong negative effect on all scales. CONCLUSION: This is the first publication of detailed French normative values for the EORTC QLQ-C30. It aims to support the interpretation of HRQoL profiles in French cancer populations. The strong impact of health conditions on QLQ-C30 scores highlights the importance of considering the impact of comorbidities in cancer patients when interpreting HRQoL data.

Balance measures of mini and brief balance evaluation system tests for Iranian population.

Introduction: Falling is a serious problem for all ages. There are several tests to assess balance. Mini-BESTest and brief-BESTest are balance tests for which there are no normative values for Iranian people. We aimed to provide the normative values of mini-BESTest and brief-BESTest among healthy Iranian adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed. Three hundred healthy adults (150 males and 150 females) in six age groups (18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, +70 years) completed the tests using Persian mini-BESTest and brief-BESTest. Normative values were calculated for age groups. Results: Normative values of mini-BESTest and brief- BESTest decreased significantly with age (from 27 to 21.9 for mini-BESTest and from 22.9 to 15.4 for brief BESTest). There were no significant differences between genders except for females in 30-39 and 40-49 years age groups which scored better on brief-BESTest and mini-BESTest, respectively. Males had significantly scored better in brief- BESTest in 60-69 and ≥ 70 age groups. Conclusions: The normative values of the mini-BESTest and brief-BESTest provided for healthy Iranian adults can help clinicians when assessing subjects with balance dysfunction.

Normative Computed Tomography Angiography Values of the Aortic Root, Aorta and Aortic arch in Children.

Purpose: Normative values for intracardiac and extracardiac vascular structures help in understanding normal growth and changes over time in children; this normative data are not currently available for ECG-gated Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA). We sought to establish ECG-gated CTA derived normative values for the aortic root, aorta and aortic arch in children. Methods and Results: Aortic root, ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending aorta were measured in systole and diastole in 100 subjects who had ECG-gated CTA at our center between January 2015 through December 2020 and met our inclusion criteria. The allometric exponent (AE) for each parameter was derived, and the parameter/body surface areaAE (BSAAE) was established using the previously described methods. Using this data, normalized mean, cross-sectional area, and standard deviation were calculated. Z-score curves were plotted in relation to the BSA for all measurements. Conclusion: Our study reports systolic and diastolic ECG-gated CTA Z-scores along with normative curves in relation to BSA for the aortic root, aorta and aortic arch in children.

Normative values for tests of central auditory processing disorder in children aged from 6 to 12 years old.

INTRODUCTION: Central auditory processing disorders (CAPD) can significantly affect the daily functioning of a child, and the first step in determining whether rehabilitation procedures are required is a proper diagnosis. Different guidelines for making diagnoses have been published in the literature, and in various centers normative values for psychoacoustic tests of CAPD have been used internally. The material presented in this paper is based on more than 1000 children and is the largest collection so far published. The aim of this study is to present normative values for tests assessing CAPD in children aged 6 to 12 years, divided by age at last birthday. METHOD: We tested 1037 children aged 6 to 12 years who were attending primary schools and kindergartens. The criteria for inclusion were a normal audiogram, intellectually normal, no developmental problems, and no difficulties in auditory processing. To evaluate auditory processing all children were given three tests on the Senses Examination Platform: the Frequency Pattern Test (FPT), Duration Pattern Test (DPT), and Dichotic Digit Test (DDT). RESULTS: The results from 1,037 children allowed us to determine normative values for FPT, DPT, and DDT in seven different age groups (6 through to 12 years). We developed a newapproach, based on quantile-based norms, to determine normative values in each group. Three categories - average, below-average, and above-average - allow for a broader but more realistic interpretation than those used previously. We compare our results with published standards. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the largest normative database published to date for CAPD testing, setting a standard for each child by age in years. We used the Senses Examination Platform, a universal tool, to unify standards for the classification of CAPD. Our study can serve as a basis for the development of a Polish model for the diagnosis of CAPD.

Computed Tomography-Derived Normative Values of Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Structures in the Pediatric Population.

Recent advances in available percutaneous device technology require accurate measurements and quantification of relationships between right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) structures in children with and without congenital heart disease to determine device suitability. To date, no population study has described normal reference ranges of these measurements by computed tomography (CT). We aimed to establish normative values for four CT-derived measurements between RVOT structures from a heterogeneous population without heart disease and develop z scores useful for clinical practice. Patients without heart disease who underwent cardiac CT between April 2014 and February 2021 at Children's Hospital Colorado were included. Distance between the right ventricular (RV) apex to pulmonary valve (PV), PV to pulmonary trunk bifurcation, and bifurcation to the right and left pulmonary artery was measured. Previously validated models were used to normalize the measurements and calculate Z scores. Each measurement was plotted against BSA and Z scores distributions were used as reference lines. Three-hundred and sixty-four healthy patients with a mean age of 8.8 years (range 1-21), 58% male, and BSA of 1 m2 (range 0.4-2.1) were analyzed. The Haycock formula was used to present data as predicted values for a given BSA and within equations relating each measurement to BSA. Predicted values and Z-score boundaries for all measurements are presented.We report CT-derived normative data for four measurements between RVOT structures from a heterogeneous cohort of healthy children. Knowledge of this normative data will be useful in both determining device fit and customizing future devices to accommodate the diverse pediatric size range.

Reliability of the EasyAngle® for Assessing Hip Range of Motion in Healthy Children.

Background: The use of digital goniometry has emerged as a viable alternative to universal goniometry for assessing hip range of motion (ROM). However, few studies have assessed the use of digital goniometry in pediatric populations and there are a limited number of studies that investigate any one device. The EasyAngle® is a digital goniometer that may be beneficial for use in pediatric settings as it requires only one hand to operate the device. Purpose: The purposes of this study were 1) to establish the intrarater and interrater reliability of the EasyAngle® digital goniometer in measuring hip joint ROM in healthy elementary school-aged children, and 2) to establish preliminary normative reference values for each year of age using the EasyAngle® for hip joint ROM in healthy elementary school-aged children. Study Design: Descriptive Laboratory Study. Methods: Passive hip ROM (flexion, abduction, extension, internal rotation, external rotation) was measured on each leg of healthy participants using the EasyAngle®. A total of 40 hip joints were measured. Two blinded raters conducted three trials of each hip motion on both legs. Intrarater and interrater reliability of the recorded hip range of motion were calculated using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) (3,1). Results: Twenty healthy children were measured (age 5-10, mean = 7.40 years old, SD = 1.37, 9 males, 11 females). Mean hip ROM was reported by age. Intrarater and interrater reliability were good to excellent for all hip ROM measurements (0.81-0.97 intra rater; 0.77- 0.91 interrater). Hip flexion had the strongest intrarater (0.96, 0.97) and interrater reliability (0.91). Intrarater reliability was lowest for hip abduction for Rater 1 and hip extension for Rater 2. Interrater reliability was lowest for hip external rotation (0.78). Conclusion: The EasyAngle® is a reliable tool for assessing hip range of motion in healthy children ages 5-10. Normative hip ROM values using the EasyAngle® are available to clinicians. Level of Evidence: Level 3- Reliability study.

Life-Space Mobility: Normative Values From a National Cohort of U.S. Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Life-space mobility, which measures the distance, frequency, and independence achieved as individuals move through their community, is one of the most important contributors to healthy aging. The University of Alabama at Birmingham Life-Space Assessment (LSA) is the most commonly used measure of life-space mobility in older adults, yet U.S. national norms for LSA have not previously been reported. This study reports such norms based on age and sex among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis using data from the national REasons for Geographic and Racial Disparities in Stroke cohort study. LSA data were available for 10 118 Black and White participants over age 50, which were grouped by age (in 5-year increments) and sex, weighted for the U.S. national population. Correlations were calculated between LSA and measures of functional and cognitive impairment and physical performance. RESULTS: The weighted mean LSA ranged from 102.9 for 50-54-year-old males to 69.5 for males aged 85 and older, and from 102.1 for 50-54-year-old females to 60.1 for females aged 85 and older. LSA was strongly correlated with measures of timed walking, activities of daily living, cognition, depressive symptoms, and quality of life (all p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: We report U.S. national norms for LSA among community-dwelling Black and White older adults. These norms can serve as a reference tool for determining if clinical and research samples have greater or lesser life-space mobility than typical older adults in the United States for their age and sex.

Normative computed tomography angiography values of the main and branch pulmonary arteries in children.

Non-invasive cardiac imaging like echocardiogram, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), and computed tomography angiography (CTA) play a key role in the diagnosis, aid in management and follow-up of congenital heart disease patients. Normative data for intracardiac and extracardiac vascular structures in children are currently available for echocardiogram, CMR, and non-gated CTA. We sought to establish systolic and diastolic normative data for main and branch pulmonary arteries in children using electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated CTA. Diameters and cross-sectional areas of the main and branch pulmonary arteries were measured in systole and diastole based on the aortic valve position (open versus closed) in 100 subjects who had ECG-gated cardiac CTA at our center between January 2015 through December 2020 and met our inclusion criteria. The allometric exponent (AE) for each parameter was derived, and the parameter/body surface area (BSAAE) was established using the previously described methods. A total of 100 children aged 0-18 years were analyzed; mean age was 5.3 years (SD, 6.1 years). Z-score curves were plotted in relation to the BSA for the mean, maximum, and minimum diameters and cross-sectional area of the main and branch pulmonary arteries for systole and diastole.   Conclusion: We report systolic and diastolic mean, maximum, and minimum diameters and cross-sectional areas along with Z-scores and normative curves for the main and branch pulmonary arteries in children derived using ECG-gated cardiac CTA. We believe our results can help identify abnormally sized main and branch pulmonary arteries. What is Known: • Normative data for intracardiac and extracardiac vascular structures in the pediatric population are available for echocardiography, cardiac MRI and non-ECG gated CTA. • Z-scores with standard deviations are commonly used in children, but SDs are not constant across body sizes due to heteroscedasticity. What is New: • Allometric exponent was derived for each parameter and the parameter/body surface area (BSA) was established. • This is the first ECG-gated CTA study to provide normative en face systolic, diastolic diameters and cross-sectional areas along with Z-scores and normative curves for the main and branch pulmonary arteries in children.

Evaluation of vestibulo-ocular reflex with functional head impulse test in healthy individuals: normative values.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the normative values of the functional head impulse test (fHIT) test in healthy young adults. Materials and methods: The study included 100 individuals, 58 females and 42 males, aged 20-25 years. Beon Solution Zero Branco (TV) fHIT test was applied to all participants. FHIT results were analyzed in terms of lateral-posterior-anterior semicircular canals (SSCs), gender, and right-left ear. Results: In the fHIT test, for the lateral SSC the mean percent correct answer (%CA) values for 4,000-6,000°/s2 and 1,000-7,000°/s2 were 88.52 ± 9.04 and 89.91 ± 6.95, respectively; for the posterior SSC, the mean %CA values for SSC 3000-6,000°/s2 and 1,000-7,000°/s2 were 90.63 ± 8.69 and 91.16 ± 7.42, respectively; for the anterior SSC, the mean %CA values for 3,000-6,000°/s2 and 1,000-7,000°/s2 were 91.21 ± 7.96 and 91.49 ± 7.13, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the right and left ear in %CA values at all accelerations in all SSCs (p > 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference between genders in the mean %CA values for 6,000-7,000°/s2, 4,000-6,000°/s2, and 1,000-7,000°/s2 in the lateral SSC and 3,000-6,000°/s2 in the anterior SSC (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The FHIT is a noninvasive test battery that functionally evaluates the VOR of the six semicircular canals. In clinical use, the determination of normative values at all accelerations (1,000-7,000 degrees/s2) constitutes an important database for future studies to distinguish pathologic results.

Reference Values for 3-Meter Backward Walk Test among Apparently Healthy Adults.

OBJECTIVE: The 3-meter backward walk (3MBW) test is an outcome performance measure to assess backward walking mobility, balance, and risk of fall. However, the lack of baseline values is a potential limitation for its use as a rehabilitation target value or predictor of outcomes. This study aimed at ascertaining a gender- and age-reference value of 3MBW and determining its correlation with sociodemographic and anthropometric variables. METHODS: A total of 1,601 Nigerian healthy adults participated in this cross-sectional study. 3MBW was measured following standardized procedure on a marked 3-m floor. Anthropometric and sociodemographic parameters were taken. Data were summarized using the descriptive statistics of mean, standard deviation, and percentile (less than the 25th, between the 25th and 75th, and above the 75th percentiles were regarded as low, average, and high 3MBW, respectively). RESULTS: From this study, less than 2.23 s and 2.60 s were regarded as low risk of fall for males and females, respectively; 2.23-3.00 s and 2.60-3.50 s were regarded as average risk of fall for males and females, respectively, while greater than 3.00-3.9 s and 3.50-3.90 s were regarded as high risk of fall for males and females, respectively. 3MBWT was significantly associated with age (r = 0.51, p = 0.001), sex (r = 0.315, p = 0.001), weight (r = 0.14, p = 0.001), BMI (r = 0.28, p = 0.001), but not height (r = -0.03; p = 0.250). CONCLUSION: This study provided a reference set of values according to age and gender for 3MBW in healthy individuals. Males have shorter 3MBW than females, and the time taken to accomplish 3MBW increases with age.

Evaluation of Spleen Stiffness in Young Healthy Volunteers Using Magnetic Resonance Elastography.

PURPOSE: Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) has been established as the most accurate noninvasive technique for diagnosing liver fibrosis. Recent publications have suggested that the measurement of splenic stiffness is useful in setting where portal hypertension may be present. The goal of the current study was to compile normative data for MRE-assessed stiffness measurements of the spleen in young adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 healthy young Caucasian volunteers (65 females and 35 males) in the age range of 20 to 32 years were enrolled in this study. The participants reported no history of chronic spleen and liver disease, normal alcohol consumption, and a normal diet. The MRE data were acquired by using a 1.5 T whole-body scanner and a 2D GRE pulse sequence with 60 Hz excitation. Spleen stiffness was calculated as a weighted mean of stiffness values in the regions of interest manually drawn by the radiologist on three to five spleen slices. RESULTS: Mean spleen stiffness was 5.09 ± 0.65 kPa for the whole group. Male volunteers had slightly higher splenic stiffness compared to females: 5.28 ± 0.78 vs. 4.98 ± 0.51 kPa, however, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.12). Spleen stiffness did not correlate with spleen fat content and liver stiffness but a statistically significant correlation with spleen volume was found. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study provide normative values for 2D MRE-based measurement of spleen stiffness in young adults, a basis for assessing the value of this biomarker in young patients with portal system pathologies.

Normative range of various serum hormonal parameters among Indian women of reproductive age: ICMR-PCOS task force study outcome.

Background: The hormonal profile varies considerably with age, gender, ethnicity, diet or physiological state of an individual. Limited population-specific studies have studied the variations in hormonal parameters among apparently healthy women. We aimed to analyse the biological reference interval for various hormonal parameters in the reproductive-aged healthy Indian women. Methods: Out of 3877 participants that were clinically evaluated, 1441 subjects were subjected to laboratory investigations. All participants underwent a detailed clinical, biochemical and hormonal profiling. The hormone analysis was carried out at a single centre using a uniform methodology. Among the participants evaluated for biochemical and hormonal parameters, subjects that presented any abnormal profile or had incomplete investigations (n = 593) were excluded for further analysis. Findings: The mean age (±SD) of the subjects retained in the final analysis (n = 848) was 29.9 (±6.3) years. In the present study, the biological reference interval (2.5th-97.5th centile) observed were: serum T4: µg/dL (5.23-12.31), TSH: µg/mL (0.52-4.16) and serum prolactin: ng/mL (5.13-37.35), LH: mIU/mL (2.75-20.68), FSH: mIU/mL 2.59-15.12), serum total testosterone: ng/mL (0.06-0.68), fasting insulin: mIU/mL (1.92-39.72), morning cortisol: µg/dL (4.71-19.64), DHEAS:µg/dL (50.61-342.6) and SHBG: nmol/L (21.37-117.54). Unlike T4, TSH, LH, and E2, the biological reference interval for prolactin, FSH, testosterone, C-peptide insulin and DHEAS varied when the subjects were stratified by age (p < 0.05). The comparative analysis showed marginal differences in the normative ranges for the hormones analysed among different populations. Interpretation: Our first large composite data on hormonal measures will benefit future endeavours to define biological reference intervals in reproductive-aged Indian women. Funding: The study was financially supported by the grant-in-aid from ICMR vide file No:5/7/13337/2015-RBMH.

The use of tensiomyography in older adults: a systematic review.

Introduction: Aging of skeletal muscles results in a cascade of events negatively affecting muscle mass, strength, and function, leading to reduced mobility, increased risk of falls, disability, and loss of independence. To date, different methods are used to assess muscle mechanical function, tensiomyography (TMG) being one of them. The aim of this review was twofold: to summarize the evidence-based usefulness of tensiomyography in older adults and to establish reference values for the main tensiomyography parameters in older adults. Methods: The PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and tensiomyography databases were searched from inception until 25 December 2022. Studies investigating older adults (aged 60+ years) that reported tensiomyography-derived parameters such as contraction time (Tc) and/or maximal displacement (Dm) were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Results: In total, eight studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. Tensiomyography has been used on different groups of older adults, including asymptomatic, master athletes, patients with peripheral arterial disease, and patients with end-stage knee osteoarthritis with a mean age of 71.5 ± 5.38 (55.7% male subjects). The most evaluated were leg muscles such as vastus lateralis (VL), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), and biceps femoris (BF). The present review demonstrates that tensiomyography is used to assess neuromuscular function in asymptomatic and diseased older adults. When compared to asymptomatic individuals, power master athletes, knee osteoarthritis patients, and patients diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease have the shortest Tc in BF, VL, and GM muscles, respectively. On the other hand, endurance master athletes showed the longest Tc in all three evaluated muscles. Less mobile, nursing-home residents showed higher Dm in VL and BF, while lower Dm in GM than the asymptomatic group. The knee osteoarthritis group showed the largest Dm in BF and VL while having the smallest Dm in GM. Conclusion: Tensiomyography can serve as a valuable tool for assessing neuromuscular function in older adults. The method is sensitive to muscle composition, architecture, and (pre) atrophic changes of the skeletal muscles and might be responsive to muscle quality changes in aging and diseased populations. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=402345, identifier CRD42023402345.

Normal multiple sleep latency test values in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sleep latency is a measure of time it takes to enter sleep. Very short sleep latencies are indicative of excessive daytime sleepiness and pathological sleep conditions such as narcolepsy. The normal range of mean sleep latency calculated from the multiple sleep latency test in healthy adults is not well-established. We provide a review of normative mean sleep latency values on the multiple sleep latency test by synthesizing data from 110 healthy adult cohorts. We also examine the impact of demographic variables such as age, sex, body mass index, sleep architecture and sleep-disordered breathing as well as methodological variables such as sleep onset definitions and multiple sleep latency test protocols. The average mean sleep latency was 11.7 min (95% CI: 10.8-12.6; 95% PI: 5.2-18.2) for cohorts evaluated using the earlier definition of sleep onset and 11.8 min (95% CI: 10.7-12.8; 95% PI: 7.2-16.3) for those evaluated using the later definition. There were no significant associations between mean sleep latency and demographic or methodological variables. A negative association of -0.29 per one unit increase (95% CI: -0.55 to -0.04) was found between mean sleep latency and apnea-hypopnea index on prior night polysomnography. Establishing updated ranges for mean sleep latency among healthy adults may guide clinical decision-making surrounding sleep pathologies and inform future research into the associations between patient variables, daytime sleepiness, and sleep pathologies.

Physical fitness trends in a nationally representative sample of Portuguese youth: What has changed from 2008 to 2018?

This investigation aimed to describe the current physical fitness (PF) status of Portuguese youth, compare secular trends from 2008 and 2018, and establish updated age- and sex-specific percentile values for distinct PF tests. In 2008 and 2018, 22 048 and 8960 children and adolescents (10-18 years) were included in two national cross-sectional investigations. PF was evaluated using the FITESCOLA® battery tests and the handgrip strength test. Independent sample t-tests and chi-squared tests were used to model the results. Weight smoothed percentile values were calculated using Cole's Lambda-Mu-Sigma (LMS) method. All analyses were weighted according to age, sex, and geographic region. In 2018, boys surpassed girls in the 20-m shuttle run, curl-ups, push-ups, standing long, and vertical jump tests, while girls performed better in the sit-and-reach (p < 0.05). The percentage of boys and girls meeting the healthy zone in the 20-min shuttle run test did not differ between 2008 and 2018 (p ≥ 0.05). In boys, a higher percentage fell in the healthy zone for the curl-up and push-up tests in 2018 compared to 2008 (85.8% vs. 83.4%, and 57.8% vs. 53.8%; p < 0.05). Girls improved their flexibility component (sit-and-reach test), with a higher percentage meeting the healthy zone in 2018 (32.6% vs. 36.9%; p < 0.05); an opposite trend was seen for boys (65.5% vs. 50.1%; p < 0.05). The present investigation provides new and updated PF percentile curves for Portuguese youth, which can be used as a general overview of the current PF state among the Portuguese young population.

Establishing Reference Data for Fitness Assessment of Law Enforcement Officers Using a Qualitative Systematic Review.

Physical fitness tests are a standard means of evaluating the competence of police officers. This qualitative review aims (i) to document, compare, and examine the reference values available in the current literature regarding fitness tests for Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs), and (ii) to define reference values for the most used fitness tests to assess and predict police officer performance. A total of 1879 records were collected for review from two major literature databases, PubMed and ScienceDirect. After applying our exclusion criteria, a total of 19 studies were considered. All studies demonstrated acceptable methodological quality in fitness assessment, and the most used components were muscle strength, muscular endurance, muscle power, aerobic and anaerobic capacity, flexibility, and agility. This review provides (i) a methodological definition for the physical fitness assessment that helps select the most used fitness tests, (ii) a standardised methodology for establishing reference data for fitness tests appropriate for LEOs; and (iii) aggregate reference values for selected fitness tests. This may improve selection and retention procedures, considering that this group performs its duties in an environment and under conditions that differ from those of other occupational groups. Complementarily, this qualitative review also provides a foundation for developing effective interventions to improve each aspect of fitness testing for police officers.

The standardization of the Polish version of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale.

BACKGROUND: The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is a standardized tool for assessing gross motor development from birth through independent walking (0-18 months). The AIMS was developed, validated and standardized in the Canadian population. Results of previous studies on the standardization of the AIMS have discerned differences in some samples in comparison with Canadian norms. This study aimed to establish reference values of the AIMS for the Polish population and compare them to Canadian norms. METHODS: The research involved 431 infants (219 girls, 212 boys, aged 0-<19 months), divided into nineteen age groups. The translated into Polish and validated version of the AIMS was used. The mean AIMS total scores and percentiles for every age group were calculated and compared with the Canadian reference values. Raw total AIMS scores were converted to 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles. A one sample t-test was used to compare the AIMS total scores between Polish and Canadian infants (p-value < 0.05). A binomial test was performed to compare percentiles (p-value < 0.05). RESULTS: The mean AIMS total scores in the Polish population were significantly lower in the seven age groups: 0-<1, 1-<2, 4-<5, 5-<6, 6-<7, 13-<14, and 15-<16 months of age (with small to large effect size). A few significant differences were found in the comparison of percentile ranks, mostly in the 75th percentile. CONCLUSION: Our study provides the norms for the Polish AIMS version. According to differences in the mean AIMS total scores and percentiles, the original Canadian reference values are not congruent for Polish infants. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT05264064. URL https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05264064 . Date of registration: 03/03/2022.