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Abstract The objectives of this review were to explain the neurologic processes that control the human sleep–wake cycle as well as the pathophysiology of the human circadian clock. Non-rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement sleep are the two main phases of sleep. When triggered by circadian input from the anterior hypothalamus and sleep–wake homeostatic information from endogenous chemical signals (example, adenosine), the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus initiates the onset of sleep. Arousal in which there is a conscious monitoring of the surroundings and the ability to respond to external stimuli is known as wakefulness. It contrasts the state of sleep, in which receptivity to external stimuli is reduced. The higher the synchronous firing rates of cerebral cortex neurons, the longer the brain has been awake. Sleep–wake disturbances induced by endogenous circadian system disruptions or desynchronization between internal and external sleep–wake cycles are known as circadian rhythm sleep–wake disorder (CRSWD). Patients with CRSWD usually report chronic daytime drowsiness and/or insomnia, which interferes with their activities. CRSWD is diagnosed based on the results of some functional evaluations, which include measuring the circadian phase using core body temperature, melatonin secretion timing, sleep diaries, actigraphy, and subjective experiences (example, using the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire). CRSWD is classified as a dyssomnia in the second edition of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, with six subtypes: advanced sleep phase, delayed sleep phase, irregular sleep–wake, free running, jet lag, and shift work types. CRSWD can be temporary (due to jet lag, shift work, or illness) or chronic (due to delayed sleep–wake phase disorder, advanced sleep–wake phase disorder, non-24-h sleep–wake disorder, or irregular sleep–wake rhythm disorder). The inability to fall asleep and wake up at the desired time is a common symptom of all CRSWDs.

There is a lack of detailed information on the epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of gambling disorder (GD) in Nigeria, a country that has the second-largest online sports gaming market in Africa. The objective of this review article was to emphasize the need for a nationwide epidemiological study on the GD caused by compulsive sports betting in Nigeria. The literature searches were carried out using the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science electronic databases regarding articles concerning sports betting, problem gambling, GD, and mental health in Nigeria using the following medical subject headings: Pathological Gambling AND Gamblings AND Federal Republic of Nigeria AND Social Epidemiology. A nationwide surveillance is necessary to determine the epidemiology, risk factors, and prevention and treatment measures for GD in Nigeria. To prevent negative public health consequences, sports gambling activities in Nigeria should be restricted and controlled. There is a need to set aside strict measures to control both legal and illegal online and offline sports betting activities in Nigeria. Moreover, the implementation of an effective mental health-care delivery policy to tackle gambling addiction and associated psychiatric comorbidities in Nigeria will enable efficient diagnosis and treatment of individuals with GD and improve relapse prevention. A well-funded and functional mental health-care system and research framework will facilitate effective mental health-care delivery among individuals at risk of GD and patients with GD in Nigeria. Expanding access to and use of mental health treatment services could substantially reduce the prevalence of GD and associated comorbidities in Nigeria.

Background: Venomous arthropods are arthropod species that use toxins for defense and offense. The objective of this study was to assess the biodiversity and abundance of venomous arthropods on the premises of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Pitfall traps, sticky, and bait traps, beating and knockdown, and active search and handpicking with forceps were the methods used to collect various arthropods on the university campus. The data collected during this study were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences version 23.0. Results: A total of 1,070 venomous arthropods were collected from the study areas, and they belong to four classes, six orders, fourteen families, and twenty-two species of the phylum Arthropoda. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that venomous arthropods are widespread on the NAU, Awka campus. Regular fumigation of the university premises is important in preventing human injuries, and infectious diseases carried by some arthropods.

Tai Chi is a slow-moving exercise that incorporates deep and steady breathing. Qigong is a self-guided workout that involves breathing exercises and meditation. Tai Chi, as it is practiced today, incorporates Qigong. The objective of this review was to evaluate the efficacy of Tai Chi and Qigong in improving the quality of life and reducing fatigue among patients with breast cancer. Three electronic medical databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched from their inception up to July 2021. Nine systematic reviews and meta-analyses were included in this narrative review. Quality assessment was independently conducted by the first two authors (SG and CEO) using a measurement tool to assess systematic reviews. Three systematic reviews and meta-analyses reported the effects of Tai Chi and Qigong on cancer-related fatigue and four reported their effects on the quality of life of patients with breast cancer. Tai Chi and Qigong are beneficial, safe, low-impact, and low-intensity therapeutic exercises for patients with breast cancer that can improve their quality of life and psychological health and can be utilized as adjunctive therapies for the management of fatigue, if appropriately recommended. The evidence that Tai Chi and Qigong reduce fatigue and improve health-related quality of life among patients with breast cancer is moderate.

Exercise has been linked to a significant decrease in cancer pathogenesis. Irisin is an exercise-induced myokine that is released from the skeletal muscle upon cleavage of the membrane of fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5. Exercise has been revealed to raise irisin concentration in the blood and muscle cells via the upregulation of peroxisome proliferator receptor γ coactivator-1α expression. Exercise-induced irisin reduces the risk of numerous cancers by burning excess body fat. We hypothesized that exercise-induced irisin may mitigate tumor proliferation by inducing apoptosis and improving cancer treatment outcomes via modulating several signaling and metabolic pathways, mainly by increasing the phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA-carboxylase, via deactivating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B Snail signaling pathway, by upregulating the apoptosis pathway through the inhibition of epithelial–mesenchymal transition and via stimulating caspase activity.

A glioma is a kind of tumor that initiates in the glial cells of the brain or the spinal cord. High rates of complications and mortality are leading features of gliomas, a glioma can be treated through a surgical procedure, radiation, and chemotherapy. This short communication aimed to analyze the crucial role of epigenetic alterations in the pathogenesis of gliomas and the possible treatment of gliomas by manipulating epigenetic mechanisms. The pathogenesis of glioma is associated with key epigenetic mechanisms, which are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation, abnormal microribonucleic acid (RNA), chromatin remodeling, and histone modifications. Alterations and mutations in genes are often seen in gliomas. Alterations and mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) are commonly found in gliomas; mutant IDH1 facilitates the maintenance of genomic stability in tumors by increasing the DNA damage reaction. Moreover, therapeutic modification of epigenetic alterations connected with the development of gliomas is of utmost clinical significance; comprehensive knowledge of epigenetic aberrations that lead to the formation of glioma will help in the design and development of epigenetic drugs for the treatment of gliomas. Some medications that target epigenetic alterations such as inhibitors of mutant IDH, bromodomain and extraterminal motif inhibitors, histone deacetylase inhibitor, DNA methylation inhibitors, and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 inhibitors are presently used to tackle glioma.

Gambling disorder (GD) is characterized by a pattern of continual or persistent gambling behavior, which may be online or offline, demonstrated by impaired control over gambling (e.g., inception, rate, passion, duration, cessation, and perspective). GD entails growing precedence given to gambling activities to the point that gambling takes priority over other daily activities and continuation and intensification of gambling despite the rate of negative consequences. The pattern of gambling behavior may be constant or episodic and recurrent. With regard to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, gambling behavior and associated characteristics are usually apparent over at least 12 months for a diagnosis to be assigned, although the required period may be reduced if all the diagnostic criteria are met and the symptoms are severe.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has a significant negative impact on emotions and feelings of loneliness in terms of lack of companionship, social isolation, and connections in older adults. Compulsive loneliness can negatively alter cognition, mental, and physical health and lifespan in the elderly. Isolation and restricted social interaction in the time of COVID-19 pandemic was clearly connected with the symptoms of mood and behavioral disorders in older adults. The aim of this narrative review was to evaluate the impact of loneliness caused by the public health social isolation measures aimed to curtail the prevalence of COVID-19 on the physical and mental health in older adults. Articles regarding the effect of loneliness caused by the public health social isolation measures aimed to curtail the prevalence of COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of older adults were searched on PubMed electronic database. Relevant articles were selected; full-text articles were assessed; and significant evidence were extracted. To avoid the negative impact of social isolation on older adults during the era of COVID-19, it is essential to involve older adults in the activities such as physical activity, playing games with their peers, and sightseeing.

Precision medicine intends to tailor medical practice with a focus on the individual, built on the utilization of genetic tests, the identification of biomarkers, and the development of targeted medicines, and this can be achieved by having a complex knowledge of epigenetic mechanisms. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an age-linked neurodegenerative disease that affects majorly individuals above 65; there is a growing indication that epigenetic disruption and dysregulation in the expression of micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) arise in PD. Genome-wide association studies discovered a straightforward consequence of the methylation status of α-synuclein in the pathogenesis of PD. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a form of neurodegenerative disease, epitomized by memory loss. The dysregulation of non-coding RNAs and epigenetic aberrations have been identified in AD. This narrative review aimed to elaborate on the potential epigenomic treatments for PD and AD. About 199 scientific articles written in English, which reported on novel epigenomic-based treatment for PD and AD, were selected for this review from the PubMed database. Full articles and relevant data were extracted. Treatments targeting DNA methylation or miRNAs appear to show promising outcomes for PD and AD. Moreover, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and associated protein 9 is a potential genome editing tool for deciphering and manipulating the epigenome for the treatment of PD and AD.

There is a need to broaden the knowledge of oncology nurses about exercise prescription and recommendations for the improvement of quality of life and physical and mental health of patients with cancer and survivors. In addition, oncology nurses need to have comprehensive knowledge regarding the physiological mechanisms underlying these improvements. Through this mini review, we aimed to describe the level of expertise of nurses in the field of exercise oncology and identify appropriate solutions to improve this knowledge. Articles concerning exercise and oncology nursing practices published between January 1996 and September 2020 were searched in the PubMed electronic database; relevant articles were selected, full-text articles were assessed, and important information was extracted. A standard exercise oncology curriculum needs to be developed and implemented for oncology nursing practitioners and those training in oncology nursing. Oncology nurses should be trained in exercise oncology, rehabilitation, and exercise prescription and follow-up. This could boost the rate of adherence to self-managed/home-based exercise routine among cancer survivors.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is an effective method for the assessment of cardiopulmonary and neuromuscular reaction to physical stress. It offers an independent assessment of cardiopulmonary fitness and functional capacity in patients undergoing lung cancer surgery. The 6-min walk test (6MWT) can be used for the assessment of functional capacity when CPET is unavailable. Through this review, we aim to emphasize the importance of utilizing both CPET and 6MWT in the assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness/functional capacity in patients with lung cancer undergoing major thoracic oncological resections. We searched the PubMed electronic database using the MeSH system for articles reporting the use of CPET and 6MWT in cardiopulmonary fitness/functional capacity evaluation during cancer treatment. The full-text articles were assessed, and significant evidence was extracted. Only the articles written in the English language were selected. Using a combination of CPET and 6MWT for the assessment of cardiopulmonary fitness/functional capacity in patients with lung cancer undergoing complex oncological resections, could give a definite prediction of the possibility of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in these patients.

The human body is a permissible medium, and radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) waves pass through this medium. The effects exerted by RF-EMF devices such as mobile phones on brain tissues are categorised into thermal and non-thermal effects. The aim of this review was to analyse the interactions and interface between RF-EMF exposure and the nervous system, to ascertain any negative impact on the nervous system at both cellular, molecular and systems level. Original studies that reported on the effects of RF-EMF exposure on the brain function and nervous system from inception to 20 August 2019 were searched online. The PubMed database was utilised. The MeSH system was used to excerpt relevant research studies from PubMed using the following keywords: electromagnetic field, radiofrequency, mobile phone, brain, central nervous system, radiation and neurophysiology. All selected articles were published in the English. Full articles were assessed, and relevant information was extracted. RF-EMF exposure significantly altered several neurophysiological mechanisms based on electroencephalogram studies and molecular and biochemical analysis. However, there was no substantial evidence linking RF-EMF exposure to the pathogenesis of brain tumour.

Presently, there is a rise in the use of mobile phones, laptops, and wireless internet technologies such as Wi-Fi and 5G routers/modems across the globe; these devices emit a considerable amount of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) which could interact with the male reproductive system either by thermal or nonthermal mechanisms. The aim of this review was to examine the effects of mobile phone use on male fertility. Related studies that reported on the effects of EMR from mobile phones on male fertility from 2003 to 2020 were evaluated. PubMed database was used. The Medical Subject Heading system was used to extract relevant research studies from PubMed. Based on the outcomes of both human and animal studies analyzed in this review, animal and human spermatozoa exposed to EMR emitted by mobile phones had reduced motility, structural anomalies, and increased oxidative stress due to overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Scrotal hyperthermia and increased oxidative stress might be the key mechanisms through which EMR affects male fertility. However, these negative effects appear to be associated with the duration of mobile phone use.

Physical activity (PA) is associated with a clear decrease in blood pressure (BP) and cardiovascular mortality in both men and women. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of PA as an adjunct therapy in support of the prevention and pharmacological treatment of hypertension. Studies that reported on the correlation of PA and exercise on BP control among hypertensive patients from 1994 to 2019 were evaluated. PubMed electronic database was utilized. The MeSH system was used to extract relevant research studies from PubMed using the following keywords: “Exercise,” “training,” “hypertension,” “blood pressure,” “systematic review,” and “meta-analysis,” All selected articles were published in English. Sedentariness negatively affects cardiometabolic health, body composition, and BP among hypertensive patients, whereas PA significantly improves cardiometabolic parameters and body composition and leads to an overall improvement in cardiac parasympathetic system by increasing vagal tone, causing a reduction in resting heart rate, and systolic BP in hypertensive adults. Exercise should be tailored according to patient's clinical and functional status to avoid imposing variable internal training load on the patients. Moderate intensity aerobic, isometric and dynamic resistance exercise training alone, or a combination was equally effective in lowering BP among hypertensive adults.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess some parameters of cardiovascular health among male problem gamblers and the possible effect of long-term participation in aerobic exercise training on the parameters. Materials and Methods: Three hundred and sixty-eight male volunteers aged between 35 and 55 years, were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial, they were confirmed as problem gamblers from the results obtained from the analysis of the South Oaks Gambling Screen. After the exclusion of 168 participants, 200 participants were randomly assigned to the control group (n = 100) and treatment group (n = 100), respectively. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured. Participants in the treatment group participated in a supervised vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise training program; jogging for 30 min/day at an estimated intensity of 6.32 metabolic equivalents, three times/week, consistently for 1 year. Data were analyzed using the SPSS (version 20 Armonk, NY, USA), and significant difference was determined at the level of P < 0.05. Results: The findings from this study shows statistically significant improvements in BMI (control: 27.18 ± 0.52, treatment: 21.73 ± 0.30, P < 0.000), SBP (control: 134.35 ± 1.63, treatment: 110.69 ± 1.11, P < 0.000), DBP (control: 89.18 ± 1.16, treatment: 77.14 ± 0.52, P < 0.000), HR (control: 76.85 ± 0.70, treatment: 72.06 ± 0.25, P < 0.000), and WC (control: 91.14 ± 0.78, treatment: 86.26 ± 0.41, P < 0.000) among participants in the treatment group compared to the control group. Conclusion: Vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise training led to a statistically significant decrease in BMI, SBP, DBP, HR, and WC among male problem gamblers.