ObjectiveThis study examined the relationship between sleep duration, sleep quality and food consumption among adolescents.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingData from the 2014 and 2015 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey were used.ParticipantsParticipants aged 12–18 years (n=118 462 (59 431 males and 59 031 females)) were selected.Primary and secondary outcome measuresSleep duration, sleep quality and the frequencies of fruits, soda, soft drinks, fast food, instant noodle, confectionaries, vegetables and milk consumption.ResultsShort sleep durations (<6 hours) were associated with higher soft drinks and confectionaries intake than longer sleep durations (9+ hours) (adjusted ORs (AORs) (95% CIs) for ≥5 times a week for soft drinks: 1.73 (1.57 to 1.91) and confectionaries: 1.32 (1.20 to 1.46); p<0.001). Poor sleep quality, with 7–8 hours of sleep, was associated with a lower intake of fruits, vegetables and milk (AORs (95% CIs) for ≥5 times a week for fruits: 0.71 (0.65 to 0.77); vegetables: 0.66 (0.58 to 0.75); and milk: 0.80 (0.74 to 0.86); each p<0.001), and higher intake of soda, soft drinks, fast food, instant noodle and confectionaries (AORs (95% CIs) for ≥5 times a week for soda: 1.55 (1.40 to 1.70); soft drinks: 1.58 (1.43 to 1.73); fast food: 1.97 (1.65 to 2.35); instant noodle: 1.55 (1.37 to 1.76); and confectionaries: 1.30 (1.18 to 1.43); each p<0.001) than good sleep quality of the same duration.ConclusionShort sleep durations and poor sleep quality might be associated with higher consumption of unhealthier foods, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, fast food, instant noodle and confectionaries, and associated with lower consumption of fruits, vegetables and milk.
Silicone elastomer and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composites, applicable as actuators and controllable dampers, were studied. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) were used to investigate the mechanical and magnetic properties of silicone elastomers and MWCNTs composites. Also, measurement of their dielectric property was conducted. The addition of MWCNT was able to tailor the damping and dielectric properties of the silicone elastomer. In this study, a 0.7 wt% of MWCNT composite demonstrated an attractive condition for the damping and the dielectric property. Exceedingly, the modulus increased with the application of a magnetic field. The good filler effect with the small addition of the MWCNTs content is caused by their unique structure, catalytic effect, and magnetic property.
Objective: Although the literature includes many reports of the causes, pathogenesis, diagnostic criteria, treatment, and prognostic factors of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), few studies have examined recurrent SSNHL. This prompted us to investigate recurrent SSNHL. Study Design: Retrospective study of the hearing results of patients with recurrent SSNHL. Methodology: We reviewed retrospectively the medical charts of 809 patients with SSNHL examined between January 2000 and June 2011 for information on their history, audiometric results, and magnetic resonance imaging findings. Results: Eleven of the 809 patients had recurrent idiopathic SSNHL. In these 11 patients, the more than partial recovery of hearing after the second attack was poorer than after the first attack, and the second attack of SSNHL was ipsilateral in 10 of the 11 patients. Conclusion: The hearing outcome was poorer after a recurrent episode than after the first episode, and SSNHL almost always recurs in the same ear.
This article introduces and considers the fundamental understanding of ionic polymer–metal composites (IPMCs) functioning as electroactive actuators and sensors. IPMCs consist of ion-exchange polymers acting as base materials and metal layers functioning as electrodes. The actuation and sensing abilities of IPMCs are dependent upon the components of ion-exchange polymers (ionic groups and cations) and electrode materials. In order to improve the bending and sensing performance of the IPMCs, an integral, two-step electroplating technique and a requisite dispersion agent are used during fabrication. Electroding materials also play a key role in determining the properties of IPMCs, and numerous methods in electroding have been tried, making use of various metals, carbon nanotubes, and composites. So far, IPMCs have been adapted as robotic actuators, artificial muscles, and electrical sensors. In the future, it is expected that IPMCs will broadly spread their roles from small-sized biomedical devices to large-scale actuators for aerospace as well as many industrial applications.
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