Intensity Physical Activity Research Articles

Effects of 90-Minute Football Match on Red Blood Indices in Sedentary Young Males

While exercise-induced haemorheological alterations are well-documented in various sports, the specific impact of a football match on red blood cell (RBC) parameters remains unknown. This study investigates the acute effects of a 90-minute football match on RBC indices in sedentary young males. After inclusion and exclusion criteria, twenty (20) moderately active, non-smoking male volunteers (mean age: 20.00 ± 0.4 years) participated in the study. Venous blood samples were collected pre- and post- football match to assess RBC count, haematocrit (HCT), and plasma volume (PV). Data generated were subjected to paired student's t-tests using SPSS, to compare values between pre- and post-match measurements. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered indicative of statistical significance. The results showed a statistically significant decrease in haematocrit (HCT) and red blood cell count (RBC) after the match (p < 0.05) when compared to pre-match values. This was accompanied by a significant increase in plasma volume (PV) (p < 0.05), which was higher than pre-match values. These changes suggest that the physiological demands of the football match influenced blood parameters, likely due to fluid shifts and haemodilution during intense physical activity. These findings suggest potential implications for exercise physiology, diagnosis, and therapy in sports medicine.

The Effects of the LiiNK Intervention on Physical Activity and Obesity Rates among Children

Background: Obesity and inactivity among children are at an all-time high and have been steadily increasing in prevalence over the last thirty years. The school environment provides the ideal setting for reaching a large number of children across diverse populations in order to reverse these trends. However, there are many inconsistent results yielded by school-based physical activity interventions due to implementation length, time for activities, and the use of structured physical activities. The LiiNK Project® is a whole-child intervention addressing these gaps by providing children 45–60 min of recess (unstructured, outdoor play) in their schools daily, while the control children are allowed to engage in recess for 30 min daily. The purpose of this study was to compare the physical activity intensity and obesity rates of third- and fourth-grade children participating in the LiiNK intervention, which provides 60 min of recess for third graders and 45 min for fourth graders, to those in a control group allowed 30 min of daily recess. Methods: The children were 8–10 years old (M = 9.2; 52% females and 48% males). The intervention children comprised 90 third graders and 100 fourth graders, and the control children comprised 101 third graders and 92 fourth graders. Physical activity levels were monitored using accelerometers to assess sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Obesity rates were evaluated using bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA), in which body fat percentage is calculated based on normative values using age and sex in the equation. Results: The third-grade intervention children engaged in 13 more MVPA minutes and took 900 more steps daily than their control counterparts, and also presented a greater proportion of overweight children transitioning to a healthy weight status from the fall to the spring semester. Conversely, the fourth-grade control children increased their activity by 500 steps and 15 more MVPA minutes daily. Despite this, the intervention children overall demonstrated a reduction in body fat percentage, while the control children demonstrated an increase in body fat percentage. Conclusions: Ultimately, 60 min of unstructured, outdoor play in schools provides children the best opportunity to engage in MVPA, which may positively impact body fat percentages, offering a potential strategy for combatting childhood obesity in school settings.

Age, activity, and native femoral offset are associated with articular noise in ceramic on ceramic total hip arthroplasty (THA) with custom stems.

To report the prevalence of articular noise following total hip arthroplasty (THA) with custom stems and ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC) bearings, to determine the risk factors for articular noise, and the effect of articular noise on quality of life (QoL). A consecutive series of uncemented primary THAs using custom stems implanted between 01/02/ 2014-01/04/2017 were evaluated. The cohort comprised 479 patients (529 hips, 301 males and 228 females), aged 55.9 ± 11.6 with a BMI of 25.8 ± 4.3kg/m2. Postoperative assessment included Oxford hip score (OHS), forgotten joint score (FJS), and a dedicated questionnaire on articular noise. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. Regression analyses were performed to study factors associated with presence of noise. At a minimum follow-up of fiveyears, 431 patients (476 hips) were available for postoperative assessment. OHS was 45.3 ± 6.1, FJS was 83.6 ± 24.7, and 69 patients (71 hips, 15%) reported articular noise. The impact of noise on QoL was 1.4 ± 2.1. Multivariable analyses confirmed that the presence of articular noise was associated with younger age (OR,0.95; 95%CI,0.93-0.97; p < 0.001), smaller native femoral offset (OR, 0.95; 95%CI,0.90-1.00;p = 0.034), as well as intense (OR, 3.15; 95%CI, 1.15-9.79; p = 0.033) and very intense physical activity (OR, 4.71; 95%CI, 1.52-16.15; p = 0.009). The prevalence of articular noise following primary THA with custom stems and CoC bearings was 15%, butthe impact of noise on QoL was minimal for most patients. Younger, highly active patients should be advised of an increased likelihood of noise from CoC THA, particularly if they have low native femoral offset on preoperative imaging.

The effect of intensity of social media use and physical activity on adolescent mental health

The effect of intensity of social media use and physical activity on adolescent mental health

Associations of "Weekend Warrior" Physical Activity With Incident Disease and Cardiometabolic Health.

Achievement of guideline-recommended levels of physical activity (≥150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week) is associated with lower risk of adverse cardiovascular events and represents an important public health priority. Although physical activity commonly follows a "weekend warrior" pattern, in which most moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is concentrated in 1 or 2 days rather than spread more evenly across the week (regular), the effects of physical activity pattern across a range of incident diseases, including cardiometabolic conditions, are unknown. We tested associations between physical activity pattern and incidence of 678 conditions in 89 573 participants (62±8 years of age; 56% women) of the UK Biobank prospective cohort study who wore an accelerometer for 1 week between June 2013 and December 2015. Models were adjusted for multiple baseline clinical factors, and P value thresholds were corrected for multiplicity. When compared to inactive (<150 minutes moderate-to-vigorous physical activity/week), both weekend warrior (267 total associations; 264 [99%] with lower disease risk; hazard ratio [HR] range, 0.35-0.89) and regular activity (209 associations; 205 [98%] with lower disease risk; HR range, 0.41-0.88) were broadly associated with lower risk of incident disease. The strongest associations were observed for cardiometabolic conditions such as incident hypertension (weekend warrior: HR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.73-0.80]; P=1.2×10-27; regular: HR, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.68-0.77]; P=4.5×10-28), diabetes (weekend warrior: HR, 0.57 [95% CI, 0.51-0.62]; P=3.9×10-32; regular: HR, 0.54 [95% CI, 0.48-0.60]; P=8.7×10-26), obesity (weekend warrior: HR, 0.55 [95% CI, 0.50-0.60]; P=2.4×10-43, regular: HR, 0.44 [95% CI, 0.40-0.50]; P=9.6×10-47), and sleep apnea (weekend warrior: HR, 0.57 [95% CI, 0.48-0.69]; P=1.6×10-9; regular: HR, 0.49 [95% CI, 0.39-0.62]; P=7.4×10-10). When weekend warrior and regular activity were compared directly, there were no conditions for which effects differed significantly. Observations were similar when activity was thresholded at the sample median (≥230.4 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity/week). Achievement of measured physical activity volumes consistent with guideline recommendations is associated with lower risk for >200 diseases, with prominent effects on cardiometabolic conditions. Associations appear similar whether physical activity follows a weekend warrior pattern or is spread more evenly throughout the week.

The independent and joint association between physical activity, sleep duration and daily sitting time with bone mineral density: A real world study from NHANES 2007–2018.

PurposeTo assess the independent and joint effect of physical activity, sleep duration, and daily sitting time on bone mineral density (BMD), based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2018. DesignCross-sectional design. MethodsThe primary outcome was risk of low BMD. All associations between lifestyle factors and the prevalence of low BMD were based on logistic regression, and dose-response relationships were further explored by restricted cubic spline (RCS). Finally, multiplicative and additive interaction was examined by P interaction and relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). Results10,346 individuals (N normal BMD = 6353; N Low BMD = 3993) were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression indicated low intensity physical activity (odds ratio [OR] 0.84; 95 % confidence interval [95%CI] 0.78–0.90) and high intensity physical activity (0.67, 0.56–0.78) had protective impact on risk of low BMD, whereas short sleep (1.41, 1.20–1.64), long sleep (1.36, 1.03–1.79) and prolonged daily sitting (1.58, 1.32–1.88) had harmful effect. RCS revealed dose-response associations between physical activity (J-shaped), sleep duration (U-shaped), daily sitting time (positive-associated) and risk of low BMD. Multiplicative interaction between sleep duration and physical activity was observed (P interaction = 0.003), while not between daily sitting time and physical activity (P interaction = 0.600). Notably, negative additive interactions indicated that physical activity mitigated the increased risk of low BMD associated with irregular sleep patterns and prolonged sedentary behavior. ConclusionIncreasing physical activity was presented as a modulating factor, potentially altering the relationship between independent variables that have deleterious effects on BMD like sleep duration and sedentary behavior. The study underscores the importance of lifestyle modifications in the prevention of early onset low BMD.

Quantifying Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Adults with Intellectual Disability: A Scoping Review of Assessment Methodologies.

Background/Objectives: Methodologies for assessing behavior form the foundation of health promotion and disease prevention. Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) assessment methodologies have predominantly been developed for adults without an intellectual disability (ID), raising credibility concerns for adults with ID. The purpose was to synthesize the current state of assessment methodologies for quantifying PA and SB volume in the free-living setting for adults with an ID. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, eleven databases were searched through December 2023, yielding 8174 records. Data were extracted in Covidence (v.2.0), obtaining quantified PA and SB volume and assessment methodology characteristics across data collection and analysis, including tool(s) and technique(s) used, preparatory actions taken, instructions provided, and behavioral strategies employed during data collection. Results: Of the 8174 articles screened, 91 met the inclusion criteria. Common metrics included minutes/hours per day/week and steps per day/week. Despite 80% of the studies using objective techniques, substantial variation existed across studies regarding wearable models, sampling frequency and epoch length settings, calibration protocols, wearable placements, and data processing techniques. Limited studies provided instructions that did not exclusively rely on spoken language. Behavioral strategies varied, including self-monitoring, providing assistance or supervision, administering questionnaires verbally, issuing reminders, and offering monetary incentives. Conclusions: This review underscores the need for greater consistency and accessibility in PA and SB assessment methodology for adults with ID. Tailored preparation, instruction, and behavioral strategies may enhance assessment viability and suitability for adults with ID, with or without caregiver or researcher involvement in the free-living setting.

Comparison of a guided assessment and an app-based assessment of physical activity using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ)

Introduction &amp; Purpose The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ; Armstrong &amp; Bull, 2006) is commonly used to assess frequency, duration and intensity of physical activity (PA) in three domains: work, travel and recreation. It is frequently used as a self-administered questionnaire; however, the execution was originally designed for an interviewer. With the continuous development of app-based technology, the evaluation of PA online-assessment is relevant (Mosa et al., 2012). The objective of the study was to compare an online self-administered version of the GPAQ with the original version administered by an interviewer. Methods The physical activity behaviour of 533 participants (70% female, average age 44, ± 13.9) from the LIFE-Tirol Study (Lasting Health through Intermittent Fasting, Emotional Firmness and Exercise) was assessed by an interviewer using the GPAQ. The interviewer used generic show cards for explaining different levels of exercise intensities as recommended in the analysis guidelines (Armstrong &amp; Bull, 2006). After two months, participants were asked to fill in the GPAQ via online app without show cards. Participant were advised not to change their usual physical activity levels during the two months. The movement domains and intensities of the two versions were compared with Jamovi v2.3 using a series of Wilcoxon W-tests and a series of 2 × 2 mixed ANOVAs to analyse gender- and age-specific aspects. Results Total metabolic equivalent task (MET) minutes were significantly different between interview and self-assessed online version (1,971 ± 2,590 vs. 4,143 ± 4,370 MET minutes; p &lt; .001, d = 0.670). Significantly more MET minutes were reported in the online version compared to the interview version across all three PA-domains and both vigorous and moderate intensities (F(1, 552) = 167, p &lt; .001, ƞ² = .232). This difference was not influenced by gender. 18–34-year-old participants reported significantly less MET minutes during recreational PA than participants older than 55 years in both versions (F(1, 551) = 113, p &lt; .001, ƞ²= .170). No further gender/age × assessment interaction effects were found. Male participants tend to report higher intensity minutes more likely than females in both assessment versions (F(1, 551) = 4.43, p = 0.360, ƞ²= .008). Discussion The amount of PA as well as its intensities seem to differ between the self-assessed online version compared to the interview assessment of the GPAQ, although the interview was conducted as the first measurement and PA as well as intensities were explained in detail to participants using generic show cards. It was previously reported that show cards have no significant impact on the results of the self-administered version of the GPAQ (Rudolf et al., 2020). Therefore, the authors suggest that the main differences between both assessments were caused by the presence of the interviewer independent of age or gender. Conclusion Regardless of the use of show cards and detailed explanations of PA, the main difference between guided and self-administered PA-assessments may result from the presence or absence of an interviewer. Therefore, it is important to interpret self-administered app-based GPAQ evaluations with caution. Future studies should validate app-based GPAQ data by using objective PA measurements, such as accelerometers.

WHO-recommended levels of physical activity in relation to mammographic breast density, mammographic tumor appearance, and mode of detection of breast cancer

BackgroundDespite known benefits of physical activity in reducing breast cancer risk, its impact on mammographic characteristics remain unclear and understudied. This study aimed to investigate associations between pre-diagnostic physical activity and mammographic features at breast cancer diagnosis, specifically mammographic breast density (MBD) and mammographic tumor appearance (MA), as well as mode of cancer detection (MoD).MethodsPhysical activity levels from study baseline (1991–1996) and mammographic information from the time of invasive breast cancer diagnosis (1991–2014) of 1116 women enrolled in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study cohort were used. Duration and intensity of physical activity were assessed according to metabolic equivalent of task hours (MET-h) per week, or World Health Organization (WHO) guideline recommendations. MBD was dichotomized into low-moderate or high, MA into spiculated or non-spiculated tumors, and MoD into clinical or screening detection. Associations were investigated through logistic regression analyses providing odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) in crude and multivariable-adjusted models.ResultsIn total, 32% of participants had high MBD at diagnosis, 37% had non-spiculated MA and 50% had clinical MoD. Overall, no association between physical activity and MBD was found with increasing MET-h/week or when comparing women who exceeded WHO guidelines to those subceeding recommendations (ORadj 1.24, 95% CI 0.78–1.98). Likewise, no differences in MA or MoD were observed across categories of physical activity.ConclusionsNo associations were observed between pre-diagnostic physical activity and MBD, MA, or MoD at breast cancer diagnosis. While physical activity is an established breast cancer prevention strategy, it does not appear to modify mammographic characteristics or screening detection.

Validity of a wrist-worn consumer-grade wearable for estimating energy expenditure, sedentary behaviour, and physical activity in manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury

Purpose To evaluate the validity of a consumer-grade wearable for estimating energy expenditure, sedentary behaviour, and physical activity in manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI). Materials and methods Fifteen manual wheelchair users with SCI (C5-L1, four female) completed activities of daily living and wheelchair propulsion (2–8 km·h−1). Wrist-worn accelerometry data were collected using consumer-grade (z-Track) and research-grade (ActiGraph GT9X) devices. Energy expenditure was measured via indirect calorimetry. Linear regression was used to evaluate the prediction of criterion metabolic equivalent of task (MET) by each accelerometer’s vector magnitude (VM). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) evaluated the accuracy of VM for discriminating between physical activity intensities and for identifying accelerometer cut-points. Results Standardised β-coefficients for the association between z-Track and ActiGraph VM for criterion MET were 0.791 (p < 0.001) and 0.774 (p < 0.001), respectively. The z-Track had excellent accuracy for classifying time in sedentary behaviour (ROC-AUC = 0.95) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (ROC-AUC = 0.93); similar values to the ActiGraph (ROC-AUC = 0.96 and 0.88, respectively). Cut-points for the z-Track were ≤37 g·min−1 for sedentary behaviour and ≥222 g·min−1 for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Conclusions This study supports the validity of a consumer-grade wearable to measure sedentary time and physical activity in manual wheelchair users with SCI.

Lifestyle intervention improves cognition and quality of life in persons with early Multiple Sclerosis

BackgroundLifestyle changes have been demonstrated to impact pathophysiology in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Various diet and exercise protocols have been reported to improve symptoms and function in persons with MS. Evidence is accumulating that interventions as early as possible in the disease course are warranted. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a remotely delivered lifestyle program focusing on specific diet and exercise recommendations in persons with early MS. MethodsMS patients, with disease diagnosis no more than 2 years prior, were recruited from the patient population of the MS clinic of the Pacific Neuroscience Institute. Participants followed recommendations for diet and exercise delivered via remote heath coaching. Each participant received 6 sessions with a health coach over a 12-week period. They were given parameters of a Mediterranean-type diet to follow, and specific and individualized recommendations about duration, intensity and type of exercise and physical activity. Outcome measures included Quality of Life (QOL), cognition (Symbol Digit Modalities Test, SDMT), fatigue (Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue Impact Scale, MFIS), fitness (estimated with Metabolic equivalents, METS) and other objective and patient reported outcomes (PRO). Changes in outcomes were analyzed using mixed effects general linear models and standardized pre-post differences.(Cohen's d) ResultsFifteen persons with early (≤ 2 years) MS enrolled in the study, 14 of whom completed the study. We observed significant improvements in QOL (p = 0.02), SDMT (p = 0.006), fatigue(p = 0.005), fitness (p = 0.04), and other PRO and objective metrics at the end of the protocol compared to baseline. Adherence and patient satisfaction measures were high. ConclusionsSpecific and individualized lifestyle recommendations can be effectively delivered remotely, and may produce improvement in symptoms and function in persons with early MS. Larger controlled trials of these interventions are warranted.

Sensor-Based Real-Time Monitoring Approach for Multi-Participant Workout Intensity Management

One of the significant advantages of technological evolution is the greater ease of collecting and analyzing data. Miniaturization, wireless communication protocols and IoT allow the use of sensors to collect data, with all the potential to support decision making in real time. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of a digital solution to guide the intensity of training or physical activity, based on heart rate wearable sensors applied to participants in group sessions. Our system, featuring a unified engine that simplifies sensor management and minimizes user disruption, has been proven effective for real-time monitoring. It includes custom alerts during variable-intensity workouts, and ensures data preservation for subsequent analysis by physiologists or clinicians. This solution has been used in sessions of up to six participants and sensors up to 12 m away from the gateway device. We describe some challenges and constraints we face in collecting data from multiple and possibly different sensors simultaneously via Bluetooth Low Energy, and the approaches we follow to overcome them. We conduct an in-depth questionnaire to identify potential obstacles and drivers for system acceptance. We also discuss some possibilities for extension and improvement of our system.

Creativity outcomes of physical activity interventions for children and adolescents: A systematic review

The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence on Physical Activity (PA) interventions to foster thinking domain of creativity in children and adolescents, and to investigate the acute and chronic PA interventions variables that moderate creativity outcomes. This review was conducted using the PRISMA framework. A total of 14 studies were identified using WOS and SCOPUS (12 chronic PA and two acute PA intervention), which matched the following criteria: (i) peer-reviewed, longitudinal experimental studies; (ii) studies that included a sample of children or adolescents aged 3–18 years of age; incorporated a PA intervention as the independent variable; (iii) studies with at least one measure of creativity. The total number of participants in the included studies combined was 1539. The results of this review indicate that chronic PA can enhance creativity in school children and adolescents, but the effects varied considerably depending on the qualitative characteristics of the PA and the characteristics of participants. The results of this review suggest that the type of PA, the volume and the intensity of PA may be crucial factors for improving creativity. Regarding the type of PA, games, motor skills, sports and drama activities seem to be the most appropriate, while balancing and walking do not report positive effects. An important finding to emerge from the synthesis was that volume is a key factor, while how they achieve that volume does not have critical implications, as various frequencies of PA were associated with improved creativity. Furthermore, this review identified various moderator variables such as the age of the participants, their creativity level at baseline and whether they were active or inactive.

Hybrid Fixation for Large Unstable Juvenile Osteochondritis Dissecans Lesions: Midterm Results in Adolescent Patients With Completely or Partially Salvageable Progeny Fragment.

This study aimed to describe the midterm clinical and radiographic outcomes of a hybrid fixation technique (HFT) combining interfragmentary compression with screws and biological support provided by the osteochondral autograft transplantation system (OATS) for treating large unstable juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (JOCD) lesions involving the knee in patients aged ≤18 years. Thirteen patients (15 knees, 9 males) with unstable JOCD lesions in the knee underwent treatment. HFT was indicated for lesions that had a completely salvageable (N=10) or partially salvageable progeny fragment (N=5). Patients were evaluated at a minimum follow-up of 1 year. The mean age of the patients was 15.3 years (range, 11 to 18y), with 10 lesions involving the medial femoral condyle and 5 involving the lateral femoral condyle. The mean lesion area were 397.7mm2. The outcome measures included the Pedi-IKDC and Tegner activity scales. Radiographic evaluation consisted of assessing osteochondral graft integration using the MOCART score on MRI and determining the degree of osteoarthritis using the Kellgren-Lawrence system (KL). At a mean follow-up of 51 months (range, 12 to 143mo), the mean Pedi-IKDC and Tegner activity scale were 90.1±7.2 and 94.7±6.7 points, respectively. Patients with unilateral lesions resumed sports activities on average after 7.7 months (range, 6 to 12mo). All patients exhibited progeny fragment integration on MRI, with a mean MOCART score of 85±6.5 (range, 75 to 95). Radiographs indicated grade 1 KL joint space in 13 knees and grade 2 in 2 knees. At the last follow-up, 12 patients were asymptomatic, whereas 1 patient experienced occasional mild discomfort during intense physical activity. Six patients required additional surgery for hardware removal, and 1 patient underwent intra-articular loose body removal. The hybrid fixation technique showed promising outcomes in terms of fragment healing and midterm results for unstable JOCD lesions. These findings suggest that HFT can be considered a valid treatment option for large unstable lesions involving the femoral condyles of the knee in adolescents. Therapeutic study (level of evidence IV).

Analysis of Physical Activity on Mental Hyperactivity, Sleep Quality, and Bodily Pain in Higher Education Students-A Structural Equation Model.

The university population is at a vital stage of human development for acquiring an active lifestyle. Following this lifestyle will bring benefits in adulthood. This study seeks to analyse the relationship between physical activity and bodily pain, mental hyperactivity, and sleep quality as a function of the intensity of physical activity. A comparative, descriptive, and exploratory study is presented in a sample of 506 university students. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Chronic Pain Grade Questionnaire, the Mental Hyperactivity Questionnaire, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used. The proposed model analyses the relationships of physical activity to bodily pain, mental hyperactivity, sleep disturbances, and time to fall asleep. The fit of the different adjustment indices is satisfactory (X2 = 0.47, df = 1, pl = 0.48, IFI = 0.99, CFI = 0.97; NFI = 0.91; RMSEA = 0.01). The relational analysis shows a positive relationship of physical activity to bodily pain (r = 0.02; p < 0.01), mental hyperactivity (r = 0.054; p < 0.01), sleep disturbances (r = 0.029; p < 0.01), and time to fall asleep (r = 0.047; p < 0.01). Multi-group structural equation analysis indicates that there are differences in the causal relationships of physical activity to sleep quality, mental hyperactivity, and bodily pain as a function of exercise intensity. The conclusion is that the intensity at which physical activity is performed plays a key role in mental and physical health.

Breath of impact: Unveiling the dynamics of exhalation-driven deposition of polydisperse particles in lung across varied physical activities

Continuous deposition of workplace pollutant particles on lung airways during respiratory actions seriously threatens the lung health of persons performing tasks in polluted environments. This study aims to analyze the exhalation-driven deposition of fine and coarse occupational pollutant particles in polydisperse form. Computer simulations are conducted to study the patterns of deposition of grain dust, coal fly ash, and bituminous coal particles. Key findings include the observation of early emergence of secondary flows in the real model, a notable shift in deposition patterns towards the post-bifurcation zones, and influence of physical activity intensity on particle deposition. Additionally, deposition primarily occurs near cranial ridge during inhalation, while exhalation leads to deposition in pre- and post-bifurcation zones. PM2.5 deposition is minimal and random in idealized model but becomes more significant and consistent in real model. This research underscores the increased risk of lung diseases for workers in polluted environments during vigorous activity.

The functional state of athletes who have undergone coronavirus infection (COVID-19)

This study aimed to investigate the energy supply of athletes, who had a mild form of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) under cycling ergometric load (CEL) to substantiate the timing of recovery, as well as to determine the volume and intensity of physical activity. Eighty-seven athletes aged from 18 to 28 years old, involved in cyclic sports, were examined. Group I consisted of 52 athletes with COVID-19, and group II consisted of 37 healthy self-isolating athletes. In addition to the comprehensive examination, the tested athletes underwent special examinations: the study of diagnostic material using methods of nucleic acid amplification, spirography and spiroergometry, electrocardiography (ECG), and CEL. The results of athletes from both groups did not differ significantly (p ​> ​0.5) in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd examinations. The second examination revealed a discrepancy between functional reserves and the load performed, as evidenced by the difference in the recovery rate of most indicators, the results of the third examination in the long-term period (6 months) showed that the athletes of the first group did not have any violations of the parameters of the respiratory function (RF) and cardiovascular system at rest, after performing CEL, as well as in the recovery period. The results suggest that the full resumption of training loads and participation in competitions are possible only with the complete normalization of the functional state of the cardiorespiratory system. The most informative indicators are: minute ventilation (V˙E), heart rate (HR), oxygen pulse (OP), and coefficient of oxygen utilization (COU).

The concurrent validity of the physical activity vital sign and online physical activity logbook in adolescents with autism

Background and aimsThere is an urgent need for valid assessment tools to assess physical activity (PA) levels in adolescents with autism. This study examines the concurrent validity of the Physical Activity Vital Sign (PAVS) and Online Physical Activity Logbook (OPAL) with accelerometry in adolescents with autism. A secondary aim was to explore the association and agreement between self-perceived and objectively measured PA intensity levels. MethodsForty-five adolescents with autism (71% males, Mdn = 14.0 (IQR = 13.0–15.5) years) completed the PAVS and OPAL and wore a wGT3X-BT ActiGraph accelerometer twice for seven consecutive days. Concurrent validity was assessed with Spearman correlations (ρ) and Wilcoxon Signed Rank/Paired Sample T-tests. ResultsA poor association was found between the PAVS and accelerometry (ρ = .37). The PAVS overestimated moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) levels [Mdn = 152.1 min (IQR = 76.8–283.9), p < .001]. Poor associations (ρ = −.06 up to −.45) were observed between the OPAL and accelerometry for time spent in sedentary behavior (SB), light PA (LPA), moderate PA (MPA), vigorous PA (VPA) and MVPA. No significant mean and median differences were found for SB and VPA between the two methods respectively. A moderate association was found between self-perceived (OPAL) and objectively measured (accelerometry) VPA (ρ = .60) and MVPA (ρ = .51), while those for LPA and MPA were poor (ρ < .50). No significant median differences were found between self-perceived and objectively measured VPA. ConclusionClinicians and researchers should be very cautious in using the PAVS to assess MVPA levels in adolescents with autism, while the utility of the OPAL, in its current form, is questionable. Adolescents with autism may estimate PA at a vigorous intensity accurately. Future research should further focus on examining the psychometric properties of self-report PA instruments, as well as the ability of adolescents with autism to accurately estimate the intensity of performed PA's.

Enhancing mental well-being of undergraduates: establishing cut-off values and analyzing substitutive effects of physical activity on depression regulation.

This study aimed to analyze the effects of physical activity (PA), sleep quality, and sedentary behavior on subthreshold depression (StD) among undergraduates. This study included 834 undergraduates and assessed the impact of PA time, sleep quality, and sedentary behavior on depression. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to determine cut-off values for StD risk, while the isochronous substitution analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of different activities on depression regulation. Gender, age, and academic grade had no significant influence on depression levels among undergraduates (p > 0.05). However, students engaging in sedentary behavior for more than 12.1 h per day or with a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score above 3.5 were at an increased risk of subclinical depression. Additionally, the isochronous substitution of light-intensity physical activity for other activities (sleep, sedentary behavior, moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity) showed statistically significant effects (p < 0.05) in both 5-min and 10-min substitution models, demonstrating a positive effect on alleviating depression. The findings indicate that specific lifestyle factors, particularly high levels of sedentary behavior and poor sleep quality, are crucial determinants of subclinical depression among undergraduates, independent of demographic variables such as gender, age, and academic grade. Notably, light-intensity PA plays a key role in StD regulation, as substituting it with more intense physical activities or improving sleep quality substantially reduces depression scores. Furthermore, the benefits such substitution became more pronounced with the increase in duration of the activity.

Isotemporal substitution analysis of time between sedentary behavior, and physical activity on sleep quality in younger adults: a multicenter study

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of replacing time spent in sedentary behavior (SB) with moderate to vigorous physical activity on sleep quality in young adults.MethodsMulticenter cross-sectional study, carried out with students enrolled in undergraduate courses at universities in Brazil. Sleep quality was assessed using a question of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-brief) and classified as good or poor sleep quality. SB was evaluated by self-reported total sitting time, and the level of leisure-time PA was classified according to the intensity of moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA) and vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA), which were assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. An isotemporal replacement logistic model was used to evaluate the effects of different SB, MPA, and VPA sessions on sleep quality.ResultsA total of 8,059 study participants were evaluated, the majority had poor sleep quality (64.79%), were physically inactive (48.28%, defined as practicing < 150 min of MPA or < 75 min of VPA per week), and spent ≥ 9 h/day in SB (55.08%). The multivariate model showed an association between non-adherence to wake-based movement guidelines and poor sleep quality, where those with one altered behavior were 43% more likely to have poor sleep quality (OR:1.43;95%CI:1.27 to 1.60), while individuals with two altered behaviors were 97% more likely (OR:1.97;95%CI:1.73 to 2.24). In the isotemporal analysis, replacing MPA and VPA with equivalent time in SB increased the odds of poor sleep at all times assessed, with peaks of 56% for MPA and 68% for VPA.ConclusionThe results of the present study indicate that replacing SB with the same amount of MPA or VPA may reduce poor sleep quality.