Background: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers were already reporting a low quality of life (QoL) perception, with a significant impact on mental and physical health due to various stress factors associated with work overload. The objective of this study was to evaluate the QoL impact on Chilean teachers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis was performed following a longitudinal design on a sample of 63 Chilean teachers in pre-pandemic and COVID-19 pandemic timeframes. QoL perception, along with teachers’ sociodemographic data, was evaluated via the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. Sociodemographic variables presented no significant variations in pre-pandemic and pandemic comparisons. QoL, however, showed a significant decrease during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic measurement (p < 0.01). In each gender, there were significant differences between pre-pandemic and pandemic timeframes, with a greater impact among women in the mental and physical component summary variables and seven of the eight QoL scales (p < 0.01). Between age categories, people under 45 presented significant differences (p < 0.05) between pre-pandemic and pandemic timeframes in all summary dimensions and measurements. In conclusion, Chilean teachers’ QoL perception has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings could be related to work overload due to teleworking or feelings of uncertainty, loneliness, and fear that the pandemic and its associated confinements will worsen.

Background: Teachers worldwide had to reinvent their work routine according to teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic, a work format that negatively impacts individuals’ physical and mental health. This study evaluates the association between work hours, work–family balance and quality of life (QoL) among teachers during the Chilean health emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers from across Chile were contacted via email and social media to answer an online survey. QoL was evaluated via the SF-36 questionnaire, work hours and work–family balance in the pandemic. A total of 336 teachers from across Chile participated in this study. Teachers had a low QoL score, associated with age (p < 0.05). Teachers who were ≤44 showed lower deterioration risks in the Physical Component Summary (OR: 0.54) than the ≥45-year-old age group; simultaneously, the younger group (≤44 years) had a greater risk (OR: 2.46) of deterioration in the Mental Component Summary than teachers over 45 years. A total of 78.7% of teachers reported having increased their work hours during the COVID-19 pandemic due to teleworking and 86% indicated negative effects on their work–family balance. Pandemic work hours and negative work–family balance increase the risk of reducing the Mental Component Summary (OR: 1.902; OR: 3.996, respectively). Teachers presented low median QoL scores, especially in the Mental Component Summary, suggesting that it would be beneficial to promote a better workload distribution for teachers in emergency contexts, considering the adverse effects of teleworking.

Background/Objectives: Movement- and arts-based experiences are frequently promoted as developmentally appropriate contexts for supporting cognition in early childhood, but effects may differ across executive-function domains, pedagogical formats and study contexts. Methods: This PRISMA 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261363924). PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, PSICODOC, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus were searched from inception through April 2026. One immediate-post effect per Study ID and core domain was retained. Random-effects models used restricted maximum likelihood with Hartung–Knapp adjustment. Study-level risk of bias was assessed with RoB 2 or ROBINS-I, missing-evidence risk with ROB-ME and certainty with GRADE. Intervention content, pedagogical format and embedded cognitive demands were also coded descriptively. Results: The review included 130 reports representing 125 unique studies. Fifteen Study IDs contributed 29 core effects: 10 for inhibition (n = 675), 10 for working memory (n = 697) and nine for cognitive flexibility (n = 642). Twelve core programmes were primarily structured, and three used guided-play/structured-hybrid formats; no free/unstructured-play intervention entered the meta-analysis. Mean effects favoured the intervention for inhibition (Hedges’ g = 0.52, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.90), working memory (g = 0.42, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.75) and cognitive flexibility (g = 0.60, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.98). Heterogeneity was substantial, and all 95% prediction intervals crossed the null. Estimates remained favourable after excluding Serious risk-of-bias judgments. Age-exclusion and ICC-sensitivity analyses retained positive effects; a worst-case exclusion of unadjusted class- or cluster-assigned studies reduced precision for inhibition and working memory. SMD-specific modified-precision regressions did not indicate small-study associations for inhibition (p = 0.529) or working memory (p = 0.619); cognitive flexibility was not formally tested because k = 9. ROB-ME indicated some concerns, and GRADE certainty was low for all three domains. Conclusions: Favourable average effects should not be attributed to movement or arts participation per se. Pedagogical structure and embedded cognitive demands may influence outcomes, but substantial inconsistency, unit-of-analysis uncertainty and low certainty preclude identification of a superior model. Funding: There was no external funding.

Background/Objectives: Short-term bed rest may reduce cardiorespiratory capacity for mobility and rehabilitation, but gas-exchange-assessed fitness has not been synthesised in older adults. We characterised immediate ${\stackrel{.}{\mathrm{V}}\mathrm{O}}_2$peak/${\stackrel{.}{\mathrm{V}}\mathrm{O}}_2$max change, recovery, and countermeasures. Methods: This PROSPERO-registered review (CRD420261431685) searched seven databases and two trial registries through 24 May 2026, with Embase and SPORTDiscus through 26 May. Eligible studies imposed 5–14 days of horizontal bed rest (HBR) or 6° head-down tilt bed rest (HDBR) in cohorts with mean age ≥ 60 years or ageing-focused programmes enrolling adults aged 55–65 years. Reports sharing participants and protocol formed one cohort/protocol unit. Body-mass-normalised ${\stackrel{.}{\mathrm{V}}\mathrm{O}}_2$ was primary; absolute ${\stackrel{.}{\mathrm{V}}\mathrm{O}}_2$ was separate. Risk of bias was assessed with RoB 2 or the revised JBI tool, and certainty with GRADE. Meta-analysis was not undertaken because three independent, comparable effects were unavailable. Results: Of 1964 records, 15 reports formed six units representing four to six independent participant groups. Across four HBR units (n = 9–19), ${\stackrel{.}{\mathrm{V}}\mathrm{O}}_2$peak/${\stackrel{.}{\mathrm{V}}\mathrm{O}}_2$max declined by 4.9–15.3%; two percentages were directly reported, one was calculated from a reported change, and one from unit-adjudicated means (low certainty for direction; very low for magnitude). In one HDBR trial, changes were −13.4% ± 12.5% SD in controls (n = 9) and −3.5% ± 5.2% SD with multimodal exercise (n = 10). Single leucine, approximately 2000 steps/day, and whey comparisons provided insufficient evidence of ${\stackrel{.}{\mathrm{V}}\mathrm{O}}_2$ preservation. Recovery evidence from three programmes was heterogeneous and very uncertain; only one small HDBR cohort had approximately four-week follow-up. Conclusions: ${\stackrel{.}{\mathrm{V}}\mathrm{O}}_2$peak/${\stackrel{.}{\mathrm{V}}\mathrm{O}}_2$max consistently declined after short-term HBR, but a precise decline, duration–response relationship, specific countermeasure prescription, and universal recovery time are not established. Minimising avoidable immobility is a plausible clinical implication, not a directly tested intervention. No external funding.

Background/Objectives: The descending genicular artery (DGA) is relevant to genicular artery embolization (GAE), medial femoral condyle and perforator flaps, recipient-vessel selection, and vascular complications around the knee. This review integrated cadaveric, imaging, procedural, reconstructive, and safety evidence and examined whether bilateral cadaveric sampling affected pooled estimates. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science/SCIE, CENTRAL/Ovid, and LILACS/BVS were searched through 10 June 2026, followed by a targeted update on 18 August 2026. Evidence was stratified by design; anatomical prevalence was not pooled with in vivo visualization. Anatomical studies were appraised using an AQUA-adapted framework, imaging studies using the JBI analytical cross-sectional checklist, reconstructive series using the JBI case-series checklist, and case reports using the JBI case-report checklist. Compatible outcomes were synthesized with REML random-effects models and Knapp–Hartung confidence intervals. Results: Sixty-five primary studies were included, and 22 contributed to at least one quantitative synthesis. Strict cadaveric DGA presence was 91.6% (95% CI 86.6–94.8; I² = 30.3%); a worst-case cluster-adjusted sensitivity estimate accounting for bilateral specimens was 89.7% (84.7–93.2%). Femoral/superficial femoral origin was 92.4% (89.2–94.7), popliteal origin 3.2% (2.2–4.6), and an articular/osteoarticular branch 90.3% (84.1–94.2). In vivo DGA visualization during GAE-related imaging was 95.9% (93.1–97.6) and was interpreted separately from anatomical prevalence. Reconstructive and safety evidence was predominantly derived from small series and case reports. Conclusions: The DGA is usually identifiable and generally arises from the femoral arterial system, but branch-level variability remains clinically important. Cadaveric anatomy and procedural imaging are complementary. The anatomical findings may inform GAE and reconstructive planning, whereas clinical safety and reconstructive conclusions require confirmation in larger cohorts.