Assessment Of Activity Levels Research Articles

Tryptophan and Its Derived Metabolites as Biomarkers for Tuberculosis Disease: A Systematic Review.

Feasible diagnostic assays are required to detect new TB cases and monitor treatment. This study aimed to evaluate evidence on Trp and its metabolites as proposed biomarkers for TB. Through specific keyword searches, we identified 170 relevant literature sources and included seven publications (from 2013 to 2023). The biomarker used in these studies were IDO activity, IDO-1 gene expression, and plasma IDO protein, measured using ELISA, LC-MS, UPLC, and transcriptional profiling. The studies encompassed a pediatric case-control and six studies involving adults, pregnant women with TB-HIV, and individuals with MDR-TB, active TB, and latent TB. The assessment of IDO activity and IDO protein level demonstrated promising performance in distinguishing active TB from controls and in evaluating treatment failure and recurrent cases to controls. Trp and its metabolites fulfilled nearly all of TPP criteria for detecting active TB. This study highlights the potential of utilizing host Trp and its metabolites as non-sputum-based biomarker for TB infection.

Examining the Role of Oxytocinergic Signaling and Neuroinflammatory Markers in the Therapeutic Effects of MDMA in a Rat Model for PTSD.

MDMA-assisted psychotherapy has shown potential as an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Preclinical studies involving rodents have demonstrated that MDMA can facilitate the extinction of fear memories. It has been noted that MDMA impacts oxytocin neurons and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the role of oxytocinergic signaling and neuroinflammatory markers in the therapeutic effects of MDMA. To achieve this, male rats were subjected to a model of PTSD involving exposure to shock and situational reminders. MDMA was microinjected into the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) before extinction training, followed by behavioral tests assessing activity levels, anxiety, and social function. Our findings indicate that MDMA treatment facilitated fear extinction and mitigated the shock-induced increase in freezing, as well as deficits in social behavior. Shock exposure led to altered expression of the gene coding for OXT-R and neuroinflammation in the mPFC and basolateral amygdala (BLA), which were restored by MDMA treatment. Importantly, the OXT-R antagonist L-368,899 prevented MDMA's therapeutic effects on extinction and freezing behavior. In conclusion, MDMA's therapeutic effects in the PTSD model are associated with alterations in OXT-R expression and neuroinflammation, and MDMA's effects on extinction and anxiety may be mediated by oxytocinergic signaling.

Physical Activity and Dietary Habits in Young Females with Varying Levels of Body Fat and Fat Distribution

Abstract Introduction. Physical activity and good diet are the primary determinants of body weight. The aim of the study was to compare physical activity and eating behaviours of overweight and obese females (taking into consideration their body fat distribution) with individuals with normal levels of body fat. Material and methods. The study included females aged 20-35. The study group consisted of 449 subjects, who were categorised into groups based on their body fat percentage: underweight, normal body fat, overweight and obese. The WHR index was computed in individuals who were overweight or obese. The assessment of physical activity levels was conducted using data obtained from the IPAQ, while eating behaviours were examined using the Dietary Habits And Nutrition Beliefs Questionnaire developed by the Polish Academy of Sciences. Results. Females who were overweight or obese exhibited greater values of the examined physical characteristics in comparison to individuals with normal levels of body fat. Subjects with fat tissue in the abdomen area had higher values of somatic characteristics. There were no statistically significant differences in physical activity levels between individuals with normal body fat and overweight or obese females. However, when the second group was divided into those with abdominal fatness and those with peripheral fatness, it was observed that individuals with abdominal fatness had lower levels of physical activity, including both total activity as well as vigorous and moderate activity. There were no significant differences in eating behaviours found between the groups. Conclusions. The amount and placement of fat tissue in young females is more closely linked to their levels of physical activity rather than their eating habits and knowledge about food and nutrition.

Quantitative Assessment of Volcanic Thermal Activity from Space Using an Isolation Forest Machine Learning Algorithm

Understanding the dynamics of volcanic activity is crucial for volcano observatories in their efforts to forecast volcanic hazards. Satellite imager data hold promise in offering crucial insights into the thermal behavior of active volcanoes worldwide, facilitating the assessment of volcanic activity levels and identifying significant changes during periods of volcano unrest. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor, aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites, provides invaluable data with high temporal and spectral resolution, enabling comprehensive thermal monitoring of eruptive activity. The accuracy of volcanic activity characterization depends on the quality of models used to relate the relationship between volcanic phenomena and target variables such as temperature. Under these circumstances, machine learning (ML) techniques such as decision trees can be employed to develop reliable models without necessarily offering any particular or explicit insights. Here, we present a ML approach for quantifying volcanic thermal activity levels in near real time using thermal infrared satellite data. We develop an unsupervised Isolation Forest machine learning algorithm, fully implemented in Google Colab using Google Earth Engine (GEE) which utilizes MODIS Land Surface Temperature (LST) data to automatically retrieve information on the thermal state of volcanoes. We evaluate the algorithm on various volcanoes worldwide characterized by different levels of volcanic activity.

The Influence of Early Menopause on Baroreflex Sensitivity in Healthy Females

Introduction: The risks of hypertension (HTN) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) rise dramatically in females around the typical age of menopause (TM; menopause age ≥46yr). Early menopause (EM; menopause age <46yr) may substantially increase this risk. Attenuated baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) can be indicative of autonomic dysfunction and has been shown to be a marker of CVD risk. Thus, we aimed to investigate how EM would influence BRS. We hypothesized that females who experienced EM would exhibit attenuated BRS compared to females who experienced TM. Methods: 32 females completed two visits: Visit 1: informed consent, medical and health questionnaires to confirm eligibility, including the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire to assess activity levels. Visit 2: Participants rested in a supine position for 10 min. Non-invasive beat-to-beat blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) were recorded. Blood was drawn to measure sex steroid levels. Cardiovagal (cBRS) and sympathetic (sBRS) BRS were calculated using the sequence method and Ensemble software, respectively. Both parametric and non-parametric methods were used for the statistical analysis. Results: Results are presented as mean ± SD. Participants in the TM (n=16; age: 63±3yrs, body-mass index (BMI): 25±4kg/m2) and EM (n=16; age: 62±4yrs, BMI: 26±4kg/m2) groups were matched for age and BMI. TM and EM had similar levels of estradiol (TM: 3.9±2; EM: 4.4±4pg/mL) and activity levels (TM: 299±177; EM: 208±147kcal/day), but significantly different menopause ages (TM: 51±3; EM: 43±2yrs; p<0.001). TM and EM had similar resting systolic BP (TM: 129±13; EM: 128±20mmHg), diastolic BP (TM: 79±10; EM: 82±14mmHg), HR (TM: 59±7bpm; EM: 62±9bpm), and MSNA (TM: 51±16; EM: 45±11bursts/100heartbeats), p>0.05 for all. Further, cBRS and sBRS were similar between TM (cBRSup: 9.7±3; cBRSdown: 12.3±7; cBRStotal: 12.3±7ms/mmHg; sBRS: -2.7±1bursts/100Hb/mmHg) and EM (cBRSup: 8.7±4; cBRSdown: 11±5; cBRStotal: 10.4±4ms/mmHg; sBRS: -2±1bursts/100Hb/mmHg; p>0.05 for all). Conclusion: Contrary to our hypothesis, these findings suggest that EM may not influence BRS. These findings indicate that completing menopause early may not disrupt autonomic baroreflex function, suggesting that other mechanisms need to be explored to better understand the increased CVD risk in postmenopausal females who complete menopause prematurely or early. This study was supported by a NIH 1 K01 AG064038-01A1 (MLKR), UMN Grant-in-Aid (MLKR), F32HL160012 (EL), and NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences grant UL1TR002494. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Face reality - consider face touching behaviour on subsequent DNA analysis

ABSTRACT Face touching is a common habit that can have implications on the outcome of criminal investigations. When conducting activity level assessments, it is important to be aware of any factors that may impact the type of profile obtained from the sample of interest. This may include the number, duration, location, and manner of contacts that a person makes with themselves. In this study we have recorded the contacts made by different individuals, of their hands with their face, over a 1 hr period, while working within an office. All participants were observed to regularly touch their face. Swabs of the face of some participants were subsequently collected for DNA profiling. The individuals sampled were found to be the sole or majority contributor to the profiles generated.

Comprehensive assessment of memory function, inhibitory control, neural activity, and cortisol levels in late pregnancy.

A considerable proportion of women subjectively perceive a detriment to their cognitive capacity during pregnancy, with decreased memory functions being the most frequently self-reported concerns. However, objective investigation of these perceived cognitive deficits has yielded inconsistent results. This study focused on memory functions during late pregnancy using multiple tasks designed to assess various memory indices, for example, working memory, learning rate, immediate recall, proactive and retroactive interference, delayed recall, retrieval efficiency, visuospatial constructional ability, recognition, and executive function. Additionally, sustained attention and inhibitory control were examined using a combined recognition stop-signal task. Electrophysiological brain activity during this task was recorded using a 128-channel electroencephalographic-event-related potential system. Salivary cortisol levels were assessed both prior to and following the experimental session. In contrast to the widely held belief, results demonstrated that women in late pregnancy did not exhibit a decline in their performance across the various memory tests. In terms of accuracy, there was not a single task in which poorer performance was found for pregnant women. The quality of memory performance was comparable, and in some cases even superior, among women in the pregnancy group. On the stop-signal task, pregnant women exhibited significantly better performance, and their electrophysiological data revealed greater centrally distributed P300 amplitude to "stop" signs, which may signify an enhanced neural efficiency in the domains of inhibitory executive control. Endocrine results revealed that pregnant women exhibited significantly lower levels of salivary cortisol, suggesting an attenuation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis activity, which may contribute to the optimization of fetal development and growth.

Experience of pediatric palliative care among children with cancer in a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh

Background: Palliative care is a holistic approach which can improve patients and their family’s quality of life through the prevention and relief of physical symptoms as well as support for emotional, social and spiritual suffering. Despite the substantial need for palliative care there is very limited access in Bangladesh, with only a few palliative care services focused on children including several hospital-based services as well as home and hospice-based services, within the capital city of Dhaka. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of pediatric palliative care on quality of life in children with cancer. Methods: This was an institutional based descriptive study conducted in the department of pediatric hematology and oncology and pediatric palliative care unit, Dhaka medical college hospital, Dhaka, from May to August 2023. A total of thirty child and parent pairs were taken as the study population according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Outcome was evaluated by the CPOS-2 questionnaires for symptom and Lanskys performance status scale for assessment of activity level. Results: The median age of the children were 5.7 years where 70.0% were male. The duration of disease of the patients was up to 6 months in 63.3% cases. One third of the patients had ALL, 13.3% had NHL, and 10.0% had Ewing sarcoma while another 10.0% having neuroblastoma. Conclusions: There is significant improvement in the quality of life of pediatric cancer patients and their parents, as well as the enhanced performance status of patients with cancer after receiving pediatric palliative care.

Stroke related sarcopenia in individuals with different physical activity levels: A cross-sectional study.

Individuals after stroke are likely to deal with the possible development of sarcopenia and reduced physical activity levels. The purpose of this study was to compare sarcopenia of individuals with chronic stroke who were stratified according to their physical activity levels, and to evaluate the relationship between sarcopenia and physical activity levels. This cross-sectional study was conducted with individuals after chronic stroke recruited from the general community. Individuals were submitted to sarcopenia screening (SARC-F questionnaire) and assessment of physical activity levels (Human Activity Profile questionnaire) to classify the individuals as impaired, moderately active, and active according to their AdjustedActivity Status (AAS). ANOVA was used to investigate the sarcopenia between groups and Pearson's coefficient to investigate the association among variables. Fifty-four individuals with a mean age of 56±17.4years were included. Twenty-one percent of the individuals were screened for sarcopenia. Inactive individuals had higher mean scores in the SARC-F (3.6±2.1 points), whereas moderately active and active individuals presented lower mean scores in the same questionnaire, being 1.2±1.1 points and 0.5±0.7 points, respectively. A statistically significant inverse and high association was found between sarcopenia and physical activity levels (r=-0.716; p<0.01). Sarcopenia was found to be higher in individuals after chronic stroke with lower physical activity levels considered inactive when compared to individuals with higher physical activity levels. Furthermore, there was an inverse relationship between sarcopenia and physical activity level in stroke survivors.

The major mechanisms of disruption of the arginine/citrulline cycle in the pathogenesis of cytostatic-induced intestinal injury in patients with chronic lymphoproliferative diseases and methods of their correction

Objective — on the basis of investigation of the role of oxidative stress in disruption of arginine/citrulline cycle with the use of citrulline as a marker of intestinal functional capacity, to provide ground for administration of S‑ademetionine (S‑AMe) in combination with Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 (B. infantis 35624) in patients with chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (CLPD) for prophylaxis of cytostatic‑induced mucositis during chemotherapy (CT). Materials and methods. Examinations involved 38 patients with CLPD, including 8 (21%) females and 30 (79%) males aged 30—76 years. Patients with CLPD and registered diarrheal syndrome against the background of CLPD progression have been enrolled in the study. All patients received CT according to the current guidelines. Depending on the type of concomitant therapy, patients were divided into three groups: group І (n=13) included patients with CLPD, who underwent CT only; patients of group ІI (n=12) received CT and S‑Ame in a dose of 1000 mg/day intravenously for 10 days and then in a dose of 500 mg twice a day for 20 days; patients of group ІII (n=13) during CT received S‑AMe, in a dose of 1000 mg/day intravenously for 10 days, then in a dose of 500 mg twice a day for 20 days with concomitant B. infantis 35624 1 capsule/day for 30 days. Control group consisted of 20 practically healthy subjects (9 (45%) females and 11 (55%) males, aged 22 to 26 years. The examinations were conducted twice: before CT and after the three courses of CT. Blood serum examinations included levels of substances that form a trimethine complex (TBARS) with 2‑thiobarbituric acid, assessment of catalase activity, arginine and citrulline levels and arginase activity. Results. At baseline examinations of patients of groups I, II and III, levels of TBARS in blood serum exceeded the norm in 1.4 (p=0.0479), 1.3 (p=0.0122) and 1.4 times (р=0.026), respectively. Blood serum citrulline level in the group I was in 1.2 times (p=0.0171) lower than in controls. The negative correlation was determined between serum citrulline levels and TBARS levels in the group I (r=–0.52; p=0.02). After the 3rd course of CT in patients of I group, the concentration of TBARS was in 1.3 times (p=0.0002) higher vs baseline values, and in 1.8 times (p=0.0012) higher than in controls. In patients of the II and III groups, serum TBARS levels were in 1.39 (p=0.0005) and 1.46 times (p=0.0002) lower compared to the group I of patients. The application of S‑Ame and B. infantis 35624 combination in group III patients allowed an increase serum citrulline levels in 1.4 times (p=0.0002) compared to group І and in 1.1 times (p=0.001) compared to group ІІ. Conclusions. The conduction of chemotherapy in patients with chronic lymphoproliferative disorders is associated with an increased risk of cytostatic‑induced mucositis, oxidative stress plays a crucial role in its pathogenesis. The application of S‑ademetionine in combination with Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 allows to prevent intestinal injury during chemotherapy.

Assessment of physical activity levels and back pain among poles and Portuguese in the further year of the COVID-19 pandemic - a pilot study

BackgroundThe vast majority of people have experienced the problem of back pain at least once in their lives for a variety of reasons. It is well known that regular physical activity at a moderate level has a number of health benefits regardless of age or gender with positive effects on the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory or nervous systems improving fitness levels. During the pandemic, Poland experienced one of the longest periods of school lockdown in Europe. In Portugal, this period was considerably shorter. The aim of this study was to determine the level of physical activity and back pain as well as relationship between physical activity and back pain in a group of Polish and Portuguese students in the following year the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThe study was conducted via the Internet among students from Poland and Portugal (398 respondents − 229 from Poland and 169 from Portugal) in October 2022. In the pilot study, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and The Oswestry Disability Index and Neck Disability Index questionnaires were used to assess the level of back pain.ResultsThere are no statistically significant differences in the level of physical activity and pain complaints of respondents from the two countries. At least half of the students do not report any pain complaints (median in some groups being 0). In the Portuguese men, there is a correlation between the level of physical activity and the Neck Disability Index score (p = 0.0304).ConclusionsThe following year, after the pandemic COVID-19 was declared, the prevalence of back pain among students in Poland and Portugal is still significant.

Mood, Activity Participation, and Leisure Engagement Satisfaction (MAPLES): results from a randomised controlled pilot feasibility trial for low mood in acquired brain injury

BackgroundAcquired brain injury (ABI) is linked to increased depression risk. Existing therapies for depression in ABI (e.g., cognitive behavioural therapy) have mixed efficacy. Behavioural activation (BA), an intervention that encourages engaging in positively reinforcing activities, shows promise. The primary aims were to assess feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of two 8-week BA groups.MethodsAdults (≥ 18 years) recruited from local ABI services, charities, and self-referral via social media were randomised to condition. The Activity Planning group (AP; “traditional” BA) trained participants to plan reinforcing activities over 8 weeks. The Activity Engagement group (AE; “experiential” BA) encouraged engagement in positive activities within session only. Both BA groups were compared to an 8-week Waitlist group (WL). The primary outcomes, feasibility and acceptability, were assessed via recruitment, retention, attendance, and qualitative feedback on groups. The secondary outcome, potential efficacy, was assessed via blinded assessments of self-reported activity levels, depression, and anxiety (at pre- and post-intervention and 1 month follow-up) and were compared across trial arms. Data were collected in-person and remotely due to COVID-19.ResultsN = 60 participants were randomised to AP (randomised n = 22; total n = 29), AE (randomised n = 22; total n = 28), or re-randomised following WL (total n = 16). Whether in-person or remote, AP and AE were rated as similarly enjoyable and helpful. In exploring efficacy, 58.33% of AP members had clinically meaningful activity level improvements, relative to 50% AE and 38.5% WL. Both AP and AE groups had depression reductions relative to WL, but only AP participants demonstrated anxiety reductions relative to AE and WL. AP participants noted benefits of learning strategies to increase activities and learning from other group members. AE participants valued social discussion and choice in selecting in-session activities.ConclusionsBoth in-person and remote group BA were feasible and acceptable in ABI. Though both traditional and experiential BA may be effective, these may have different mechanisms.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, NCT03874650. Protocol version 2.3, May 26 2020.

Assessment of radionuclides activity and radiation level in banana samples collected from Kerala and Delhi NCR

Assessment of radionuclides activity and radiation level in banana samples collected from Kerala and Delhi NCR

Reported barriers to physical activity and the role of built environment among overweight and obese youth attending a Canadian pediatric weight management clinic

ObjectiveTo assess activity levels and role of the built environment among overweight and obese youth referred to a pediatric weight management clinic. DesignA cross-sectional study using a caregiver-administered survey was completed from October 2017 to February 2018. ResultsThe study analyzed 210 surveys. Participants were 52 % male and average age was 11.6 years (3–18 years). Of those surveyed, 73 % of respondents reported ≥ 2 h of average daily screen time in the past 3 months, and 74 % of children partook in < 60 min of daily physical activity of any intensity. The most common location for physical activity was a recreational facility. The least common was nearby green spaces. Moreover, 77 % of caregivers felt that their child did not engage in enough physical activity, and the most common cited barrier was motivation. The built environment, however, was not cited as a barrier to active living as 90 % of caregivers reported their community was safe, and greater than 80 % of caregivers agreed their community was aesthetically beautiful, well connected with good infrastructure. The majority of commonly used spaces were located within 2 km of their home, however, it was uncommon for children to walk or bike to them. ConclusionOverweight and obese children referred to our clinic are not meeting national recommendations for physical activity and screen time. The built environment does not appear to be a large contributing factor to decreased physical activity in this population and the most common reason cited for lack of physical activity was motivation.

Quantification of radiological hazards associated with natural radionuclides in soil, granite and charnockite rocks at selected fields in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Assessment of activity levels of radionuclides that exist in soil, granite, and charnockite rock samples is very crucial because it exhibits an enhanced elemental concentration of uranium (U) and thorium (Th) contributing higher natural background activity than usual in the environment and it may cause health risk to human health through the external and internal exposure. This study determined the radioactivity levels of 238U, 232Th, and 40K radionuclides in soil, granite, and charnockite rock samples collected from selected fields in Ekiti State, Nigeria using Caesium iodide CsI(Tl) scintillation gamma spectrometer. It also evaluated indices of the radiological parameters consisting of radium equivalent activity (Raeq), absorbed dose rate (DR), annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), internal hazard index (Hin), and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR). The calculated average activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and 40K are 30.40 ± 0.71 Bq kg−1, 3.31 ± 0.05 Bq kg−1, and 222.25 ± 14.72 Bq kg−1, respectively, which were lower than their respective world average values. Comparatively, potassium concentrations in these collected samples have a higher value than concentrations of uranium and thorium (40K > 238U > 232Th). All the evaluated values of the radiological parameters (except DR) of the appraised radionuclides were below the global permissible limits. The granite rocks, charnockite rocks, and soils from Ekiti State in Nigeria do not pose any hazardous risk to humans, but continued monitoring is necessary when these materials are used as building materials, which cause long-term radiation exposure.

Assessment of dyspnoea and physical activity levels among Poles living in Poland and the United Kingdom in the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic – a pilot study

Objectives. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of dyspnoea and the relationship between dyspnoea and physical activity among Poles living in Poland and the United Kingdom (UK) in the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. The pilot study was conducted in January 2023. The study authors received 200 questionnaires from respondents aged 18-69 years (104 from Poland and 96 from the UK). The level of dyspnoea was assessed using the Medical Research Council Dyspnoea Scale (MRC) questionnaire. Level of physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Results. In the majority of cases, dyspnoea occurred only during heavy physical exertion and increased with age and more cases of COVID-19. A trend towards increasing dyspnoea with decreasing MET scores for moderate physical activity was observed. Respondents’ country of residence was not correlated with dyspnoea level. Conclusions. The introduction of regular physical activity may have an impact on reducing dyspnoea. Dyspnoea is a factor that influences the reduction of physical activity and leads to a change to a sedentary lifestyle.

An Evaluation of Zebrafish, an Emerging Model Analyzing the Effects of Toxicants on Cognitive and Neuromuscular Function.

An emerging alternative to conventional animal models in toxicology research is the zebrafish. Their accelerated development, regenerative capacity, transparent physical appearance, ability to be genetically manipulated, and ease of housing and care make them feasible and efficient experimental models. Nonetheless, their most esteemed asset is their 70% (+) genetic similarity with the human genome, which allows the model to be used in a variety of clinically relevant studies. With these attributes, we propose the zebrafish is an excellent model for analyzing cognitive and neuromuscular responses when exposed to toxicants. Neurocognition can be readily analyzed using visual discrimination, memory and learning, and social behavior testing. Neuromuscular function can be analyzed using techniques such as the startle response, assessment of activity level, and evaluation of critical swimming speed. Furthermore, selectively mutated zebrafish is another novel application of this species in behavioral and pharmacological studies, which can be exploited in toxicological studies. There is a critical need in biomedical research to discover ethical and cost-effective methods to develop new products, including drugs. Through mutagenesis, zebrafish models have become key in meeting this need by advancing the field in numerous areas of biomedical research.

Assessment of Dyspnoea, Physical Activity, and Back Pain Levels in Students at Medical Universities after the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland.

The purpose of this research was to assess the extent of dyspnoea, physical activity (PA), and back pain complaints and the association of dyspnoea, PA, and back pain complaints with PA in post-COVID-19 students at medical universities in Poland. An online survey was carried out among Polish medical students (213 women and 204 men) who had had a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 within the last year. The Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnoea scale was used to assess the degree of dyspnoea. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to determine the level of PA. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and the Neck Disability Index (NDI) were used to assess back discomfort. The study group had average levels of PA, with median total activity significantly lower in women (median total activity for women was 1189 and for men was 2044, while the standard deviation for women was 1419 and for men was 1450). More than 93% of the students reported no symptoms of dyspnoea. The following results were observed for ODI (median of 1.2 for women and 1.7 for men and standard deviation of 3.1 for women and 4.0 for men) and for NDI (median of 2.8 for women and 2.5 for men, standard deviation of 4.3 for women and 4.0 for men). Cervical spine pain was more frequent and severe. There are small, statistically significant correlations between the MRC and IPAQ measures and the ODI and NDI and IPAQ. In the study group of students of medicine, dyspnoea linked with a history of COVID-19 is not an issue. Post-pandemic PA levels should be increased in this group, with particular attention to female students. Urgent measures are also needed to prevent cervical pain in students at medical universities in Poland.

O.4.2-3 Physical activity participation among disabled people: secondary analysis of the 2018/19 Active Lives survey

Abstract Purpose Disabled people face significant barriers to being physically active and typically have low levels of activity. To enhance both access to and engagement in physical activity, it is valuable to understand the activity choices of disabled people. This study describes the types and duration of physical activity participation among disabled people and compares this to participation among non-disabled people. Methods This study used data from the 2018/19 sweep of Sport England’s Active Lives survey, a nationally representative assessment of activity levels in adults living in England. From a prespecified list of 212 activities, participants reported their participation in the previous 12 months (yes/no) and duration in the previous four weeks (min/week). For this study, activities were subsequently collapsed into 17 mutually exclusive groups, which included ‘leisure activities’ (for example, walking, and gardening) and ‘invasion games’ (for example, football and rugby). Participants also reported whether they had a long term (&amp;gt;12 months) health condition and whether this affected their normal daily activities; this informed the classification of participants into three groups: limiting disability, non-limiting disability, and no disability. Results Data were available for 171,121 participants, of whom 31,666 (18.5%) had a limiting disability, 34,955 (20.4%) a non-limiting disability, and 104,500 (61.1%) no disability. Leisure activity was the most common activity type and had the highest median mins/week of activity (median, 315 [IQR = 120-705] limiting disability; median, 390 [IQR = 180-750], non-limiting disability; median, 379 [IQR = 165-750] no disability). Across the three participant groups, walking, swimming, and gym-based activity were among the most common activities undertaken. Compared to participants with no disability, participants with a limiting disability reported lower engagement and durations for all activity types, except motorsports. Conclusions The types of activities undertaken by disabled people were largely similar to that of non-disabled people, but engagement and duration was typically lower. The necessary next step is understanding how to improve adoption of and adherence to different activity types among disabled people. Support/Funding Source This research was funded by a University of East Anglia Faculty of Medicine and Health Studentship.

Sleep Quality, Excessive Daytime Sleepiness, and Physical Activity Level in Health Professionals with and Without COVID-19: a Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective To compare the sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and physical activity level in health professionals infected and not infected with COVID-19. Methods Cross-sectional study based on online forms (Google Forms) filled out by health professionals who cared for COVID- 19 patients in hospitals in the Recife metropolitan area, Brazil, between October 2020 and May 2021. Anthropometric, sociodemographic, and occupational data were collected, along with the assessment of excessive daytime sleepiness (with Epworth Sleepiness Scale [ESE]), sleep quality (with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), and physical activity level (with International Physical Activity Questionnaire [IPAQ] - short version). Results A total of 96 participants were assessed (37 with COVID-19, 59 without COVID-19). There were no differences between the groups regarding physical activity levels classified as sedentary, moderately active, or highly active (p = 0.850), or the weekly energy expenditure (p = 0.522). Infected professionals had a greater workload than non-infected ones, besides poorer sleep quality (10.46 ± 3.75 vs. 7.88 ± 3.75; p = 0.001) and excessive daytime sleepiness (10.19 ± 3.05 vs. 8.44 ± 3.85; p = 0.016). Conclusion Based on the results, this study shows that professionals infected with COVID-19 have poorer sleep quality, associated with excessive daytime sleepiness, in contrast with non-infected professionals.