The aim of this review was to explore the acceptability, opportunities, and challenges associated with wearable activity-monitoring technology to increase physical activity (PA) behavior in cancer survivors. A search of Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and SportDiscus was conducted from 1 January 2011 through 3 October 2022. The search was limited to English language, and peer-reviewed original research. Studies were included if they reported the use of an activity monitor in adults (+18 years) with a history of cancer with the intent to motivate PA behavior. Our search identified 1832 published articles, of which 28 met inclusion/exclusion criteria. Eighteen of these studies included post-treatment cancer survivors, eight were on active cancer treatment, and two were long-term cancer survivor studies. ActiGraph accelerometers were the primary technology used to monitor PA behaviors, with Fitbit as the most commonly utilized self-monitoring wearable technology. Overall, wearable activity monitors were found to be an acceptable and useful tool in improving self-awareness, motivating behavioral change, and increasing PA levels. Self-monitoring wearable activity devices have a positive impact on short-term PA behaviors in cancer survivors, but the increase in PA gradually attenuated through the maintenance phase. Further study is needed to evaluate and increase the sustainability of the use of wearable technologies to support PA in cancer survivors.

Noise pollution has been linked to impaired development in a variety of language-related skills in laboratory settings. While studies have focused on school environments, residential noise exposure's impact remains underexplored. We used multilevel regression models to examine the association between noise exposure measured using deterministic noise modelling and language development in kindergarten-aged children in Vancouver, Canada, between April 1, 2000 and December 31, 2005, measured through a questionnaire completed by kindergarten teachers (the Early Development Instrument). The models were adjusted for median income level and English as a Secondary Language (ESL) status, as well as random effects on teachers, and we explored the potential interaction effects of greenness, measured using satellite imagery. The study included 33,153 children for which there were data on noise exposure and indicators of language development. The mean noise level was 63.5 dB(A), and the mean percentage of greenness within a 250-meter radius buffer zone was 31.8 %. We found that an increase in residential exposure to noise independently increased the odds of not meeting developmental expectations in basic literacy (OR: 1.18, 95 % CI: 1.12-1.25), advanced literacy (OR: 1.11, 95 % CI: 1.07-1.16), and communication and general knowledge (OR: 1.10, 95 % CI: 1.06-1.14). Greenness was found to have interaction effects with basic and advanced literacy skills in noisy environment. This study found residential exposure to noise was associated with poorer language development outcomes, with interaction effects of greenness observed in literacy skills. Future studies should also examine the long-term effects of residential exposure to noise on language development.

Retraction for the article iNOS is associated with tumorigenicity as an independent prognosticator in human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Outdoor fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) concentrations during pregnancy are linked to reduced cognitive performance in children. We previously reported that portable HEPA filter air cleaners use during pregnancy improved children's mean full-scale IQ (FSIQ), but no previous studies have evaluated the relationship between indoor PM_2.5 during pregnancy and FSIQ in childhood. We conducted an observational analysis using data from the Ulaanbaatar Gestation and Air Pollution Research (UGAAR) randomized controlled trial. Using a previously developed model of weekly indoor PM_2.5 concentrations, we estimated the average concentrations in participants' homes over the full pregnancy and in each trimester. When the children were four years old, we measured FSIQ using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV). We used multiple linear regression to assess the adjusted relationships between interquartile range (IQR) contrasts in indoor PM_2.5 during pregnancy and FSIQ among 475 mother-child dyads. An 8.8 μg/m³ increase in indoor PM_2.5 concentration over the full pregnancy was associated with a reduction of 1.4 points (95% CI: -3.4, 0.6) in mean FSIQ. The strongest association between PM_2.5 concentrations and FSIQ was in the first trimester, when a 19.1 μg/m³ contrast was associated with a 2.8-point reduction (95% CI: -5.7, 0.2) in mean FSIQ. Indoor PM_2.5, particularly during early pregnancy, may impair brain development, leading to lower mean FSIQ scores in four-year old children. These results, combined with our previous analysis of HEPA filter air cleaners, indicate that reducing PM_2.5 exposure during pregnancy has beneficial effects on children's cognitive performance.