PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Adequate sleep significantly reduces the risk of hypertension in adolescents, according to new study

2024-11-11
(Press-News.org) Adolescents who meet the recommended guidelines of nine to 11 hours of sleep per day were shown to have a significantly lower risk of hypertension, according to a new study from UTHealth Houston.  

Recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the research revealed that adolescents had a 37% lower risk of developing incidents of high blood pressure by meeting healthy sleep patterns, and underscoring the importance of adequate sleep behavior. The research further explored the impact of environmental factors potentially impacting sleep.  

"Disrupted sleep can lead to changes in the body's stress response, including elevated levels of stress hormones like cortisol, which in turn can increase blood pressure," said first author Augusto César Ferreira De Moraes, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. 

Utilizing the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, which tracks adolescents' biological and behavioral development, De Moraes and his team analyzed data from 3,320 adolescents across the U.S. to investigate incidents of high blood pressure during nighttime sleep cycles. Scientists identified a rise in hypertension incidents over two data periods, 2018-2020 and 2020-2022, showing an increase from 1.7% to 2.9%. The data included blood pressure readings and Fitbit assessments, which measured total sleep time and REM sleep duration at night. The study’s design analyzed covariates such as Fitbit-tracked sleep, blood pressure, and neighborhood noise by residential geocodes, allowing for a thorough examination of environmental noise exposure for each participant. 

Scientists investigated the impact of neighborhood/community noise but did not find a significant association with the incidence of hypertension. Environmental factors, such as neighborhood noise, point to the need for longer-term studies to investigate the relationship between sleep health and hypertension, particularly in relation to socioeconomic status, stress levels, and genetic predispositions. 

The study emphasizes the importance of improved sleep behaviors and meeting recommendations. "Consistent sleep schedules, minimizing screen time before bed, and creating a calm, quiet sleep environment can all contribute to better sleep quality,"Martin Ma, MPH, second author of the study and recent graduate of the school. "Although environmental noise didn't directly affect hypertension in this study, maintaining a quiet and restful sleep environment is still important for overall well-being." 

Additional authors included Marcus Vinicius Nascimento-Ferreira, PhD, with the Universidade Federal do Tocantins; and School of Public Health faculty Ethan Hunt, PhD, assistant professor in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences; and Deanna Hoelscher, PhD, RDN, LD, regional dean in Austin and professor in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences.  

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Research spotlight: Uncovering the mechanisms behind T cell differentiation

2024-11-11
How would you summarize your study for a lay audience?  T helper (TH) cells are essential immune cells that help other immune cells function effectively. When activated in response to environmental stimuli, these cells can differentiate into either TH1 cells, which fight against viruses and intracellular pathogens, or TH2 cells, which fight against extracellular pathogens like bacteria and parasites. However, scientists haven’t fully understood whether infected tissue itself has any role in directing the optimal T cell differentiation in response ...

Study reveals best timing for getting the RSV vaccine during pregnancy to protect newborns

2024-11-11
Current guidelines recommend that pregnant people receive a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)—which typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms in most adults but can be deadly for infants—during weeks 32–36 of pregnancy. New research led by investigators at Mass General Brigham suggests that vaccination earlier in that timeframe, closer to 32 weeks, could provide the best protection for newborns against RSV. The findings are published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. “Receiving ...

Could lights stop shark attacks

Could lights stop shark attacks
2024-11-11
Surfers could be protected from future shark attacks following new discoveries about how to trick sharks’ visual systems made by Professor Nathan Hart, head of Macquarie University’s Neurobiology Lab, Dr Laura Ryan and colleagues. Hart, Ryan and their co-authors of a new paper in Current Biology titled Counterillumination reduces bites by Great White Sharks say their work “may form the basis of new non-invasive shark deterrent technology to protect human life”. These researchers previously discovered that great whites place a high reliance ...

Alarming increase in alcohol use during pandemic persists

2024-11-11
Embargoed for release until 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday 11 November 2024     @Annalsofim          Below please find summaries of new articles that will be published in the next issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. The summaries are not intended to substitute for the full articles as a source of information. This information is under strict embargo and by taking it into possession, media representatives are committing to the terms of the embargo not only on ...

Pandemic-era increase in alcohol use persists

Pandemic-era increase in alcohol use persists
2024-11-11
LOS ANGELES — Alcohol use increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and remained elevated even after the pandemic ended, according to a large nationally representative Keck Medicine of USC study published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine.   From pre-pandemic (2018) to the height of the pandemic (2020), heavy alcohol use among Americans rose by 20%, and any alcohol use rose by 4%. In 2022, the increases were sustained.   The rise in drinking was seen across all age groups, genders, race, ethnicities and regions of the country, except for Native Americans and Asian Americans. Adults ...

A new milestone in the study of octopus arms

A new milestone in the study of octopus arms
2024-11-11
Mechanical engineering PhD candidate Arman Tekinalp, fellow graduate student Seung Hyun Kim, Professor Prashant Mehta, and Associate Professor Mattia Gazzola, all from the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS). Their interdisciplinary collaboration also included Assistant Professor Noel Naughton (formerly a Beckman fellow) from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech alongside researchers from the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology at Illinois ...

Fighting microplastics for a cleaner future

2024-11-11
Microplastics, plastics smaller than 5 millimeters, are littered across the world, contributing to global warming, disrupting food chains, and harming ecosystems with toxic chemicals. This is why Dr. Manish Shetty is working to break down plastics before they can get into the environment.   Creating sustainable chemicals and developing better waste management will contribute to better sustainability. This research is part of figuring out how to make green hydrogen available for waste management using catalysts. Shetty’s research uses solvents in low amounts that also act as hydrogen sources to break down a specific class of plastics called ...

Tumor suppressor forms gel-like assemblies to sacrifice cancer cells

Tumor suppressor forms gel-like assemblies to sacrifice cancer cells
2024-11-11
(MEMPHIS, Tenn. – November 11, 2024) There are processes in the human body that can suppress the growth and proliferation of cancer cells. These mechanisms, including those involving the tumor suppressor protein p53, are widely studied due to their critical role in disease. Through studies of proteins that regulate p53, scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have uncoupled a previously unrecognized tumor suppression mechanism. Usually found at low levels in cells, the p14 Alternative Reading Frame protein (p14ARF) is expressed at higher levels under oncogenic stress and activates ...

New research uncovers how Barred Owls interact with urban areas and why it matters

New research uncovers how Barred Owls interact with urban areas and why it matters
2024-11-11
Baton Rouge, November 4, 2024 – Novel research just published in the American Ornithological Society journal, Ornithological Applications, has revealed noteworthy insights into how Barred Owls (Strix varia) interact with urban environments, with implications for both wildlife conservation and urban planning. This study, conducted by a team of biologists from Louisiana State University and other institutions, highlights the connection between owl habitat selection and an urban landscape, underscoring the ...

50 years of survey data confirm African elephant decline

50 years of survey data confirm African elephant decline
2024-11-11
Habitat loss and poaching have driven dramatic declines in African elephants, but it is challenging to measure their numbers and monitor changes across the entire continent. A new study has analyzed 53 years of population survey data and found large-scale declines in most populations of both species of African elephants.  From 1964-2016, forest elephant populations decreased on average by 90%, and savanna elephant populations fell on average by 70%. In combination, populations declined by 77% on average. The study compiled survey data from 475 sites in 37 countries, making it the most comprehensive assessment of African elephants to date.  Declines ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New study reveals polymers with flawed fillers boost heat transfer in plastics

Signs identified that precede sudden arrhythmic death syndrome in young people

Discovery of bacteria's defence against viruses becomes a piece of the puzzle against resistance

Pre-eclampsia is associated with earlier onset and higher incidence of cardiovascular risk factors

Warwick astronomers discover doomed pair of spiralling stars on our cosmic doorstep

Soil conditions significantly increase rainfall in world’s megastorm hotspots

NK cells complexed with bispecific antibody yield high response rates in patients with lymphoma

Planetary health diet and mediterranean diet associated with similar survival and sustainability benefits

Singapore launches national standard to validate antimicrobial disinfectant products

Molecular stool test could improve detection of tuberculosis in adults with HIV

Suspected fibrocartilaginous embolus in Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus)

Enhancing heat transfer using the turbulent flow of viscoelastic fluids

Exercise as an anti-ageing intervention to avoid detrimental impact of mental fatigue

UMass Amherst Nursing Professor Emerita honored as ‘Living Legend’

New guidelines aim to improve cystic fibrosis screening

Picky eaters by day, buffet by night: Butterfly, moth diets sync to plant aromas

Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman honored with the E. V. McCollum Award from the American Society for Nutrition

CCNY physicists uncover electronic interactions mediated via spin waves

Researchers’ 3D-printing formula may transform future of foam

Nurture more important than nature for robotic hand

Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch

New study finds that over 95% of sponsored influencer posts on Twitter were not disclosed

New sea grant report helps great lakes fish farmers navigate aquaculture regulations

Strain “trick” improves perovskite solar cells’ efficiency

How GPS helps older drivers stay on the roads

Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the body to make opioids

Dancing with the cells – how acoustically levitating a diamond led to a breakthrough in biotech automation

Machine learning helps construct an evolutionary timeline of bacteria

Cellular regulator of mRNA vaccine revealed... offering new therapeutic options

Animal behavioral diversity at risk in the face of declining biodiversity

[Press-News.org] Adequate sleep significantly reduces the risk of hypertension in adolescents, according to new study