Vigorous Activity Research Articles

VIGOROUS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, DEPRESSION, PRO-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINE AND RACIAL/ETHNIC VARIATIONS IN FALLS

Abstract Physical activity plays a key role in preventing falls among older adults as it supports muscle strength and improves balance and postural control. Recent studies have revealed that physical activity modulates Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and reduces the incidence of falls among older adults. This study describes the relationships between vigorous physical activity, IL-6 plasma levels, depression, and falls among older adults. We conducted a cross-sectional study on Health and Retirement Study participants aged 65 and above (n= 9,942) using datasets from the 2016 interviews. Of the sample, 37.7% reported falling in the last 24 months. Mean ages were: 77.4 (8.14) years in participants who had a fall and 75 (7.31) years in participants without a fall. Participants engaging in regular vigorous physical activity were 24% less likely to have a fall than those not engaging in vigorous activity. We quartiled the IL-6 levels and presented quartile-4 as the most elevated IL-6 levels. Compared to quartile-1 (lowest), participants in quartile-3 were 24%, and those in quartile-4 were 45% more likely to fall. The effect of IL-6 was insignificant in quartile-2. Having depression was also significantly associated with falls (OR=2.40). We observed a significant inverse relationship between ethnic/racial minorities and odds of falling: Hispanics were 16%, and African Americans were 36% less likely to fall than non-Hispanic whites. The likelihood of falling among people living in rural was significantly higher than among those living in urban (OR= 1.15). Interleukin-6 may be incorporated to fall prevention interventions as an indicator of fall risk.

FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY, HEALTH BEHAVIORS, AND MENTAL HEALTH OF FAMILY CAREGIVERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic greatly burdened family caregivers in the United States and across the globe as they and their family members often suffered from the COVID-19 virus and its societal implications, like social isolation and a shift to remote healthcare. This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on financial difficulty, health behavior, and mental health outcomes among family caregivers for older adults across the intersectionality of gender and race. Using the 2020 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) COVID-19 supplement for Family Members and Friends, our sample included adult family or friend caregivers of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 or older in the US (N = 2,062). We modeled the interrelationships between financial difficulty, health behaviors, and mental health outcomes using a structural equation model. The results indicate that within the intersectionality framework, during the pandemic, female caregivers reported less vigorous activity, more changes in walking and sleeping patterns, and more eating and watching TV than before the pandemic compared to male counterparts. Compared to white caregivers, during the pandemic, non-white caregivers showed less vigorous activity and more changes in walking, sleeping, I eating, and TV watching patterns than before the pandemic. Financial difficulty was significantly and positively associated with negative mental health. Active behavior was significantly and negatively associated with negative mental health. Health professionals should consider the interrelationships between sociodemographic factors, physical activity levels, and financial difficulties that have come to light during the pandemic when designing future programs and policies to improve family caregiver health.

A Stretchable and Strain‐Limiting, Bio‐Inspired Nanofiber‐Reinforced Microfiber for Wearable Electronics

AbstractWith existing fiber‐based approaches for wearable electronics, devices with limited stretchability are not fully protected against large stretching when the wearer is participating in vigorous activities. A network of elastin and collagen fibers makes biological tissues elastic at low strains and strain‐limiting at high strains, showing a J‐shaped stress‐strain behavior. Stretchable systems can replicate a “J‐shaped stress‐strain/strain‐limiting” mechanical behavior of biological tissues under deformations and provide mechanical compliance and comfort to wearers. For mimicking this mechanical behavior of biological tissues, he developed a combined microfiber and nanofiber (NF)‐based approach. The soft polyurethane (PU) microfiber mimicking elastin of biological tissue is wrapped with stiff poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF) NFs, mimicking collagen in tissue, and dip coated in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Confocal images during stretching confirmed that the PU microfiber maintained stretchability, while the stiff PVDF NFs played a role in the strain‐limiting characteristics. By tailoring a loading ratio of the PVDF NFs on the PU microfiber, the elastic modulus is matched well with those of biological tissues. The stretchable conducting coating and temperature sensor on the bio‐inspired microfiber showed a negligible difference in a current‐time (I‐T) response during static and dynamic stretching which indicated the efficient absorption of stress by the bio‐inspired microfiber.

GREATER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT OFFER PROTECTION AGAINST COGNITIVE DECLINE OVER TIME

Abstract Evidence suggests that physical activity and social engagement in later life are associated with a less pronounced and reduced risk of cognitive decline over time; however, findings are mixed and knowledge concerning the effect of these factors on cognitive functioning in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is underdeveloped. To enhance understanding, we extracted data from eight waves (2004-2018) of the Health and Retirement Study and used hierarchical linear mixed models to investigate the impact of physical activity and social engagement on cognitive functioning in Americans aged 60 years and older with MCI (n=1462). The average cognitive score (sum of immediate and delayed word recall, serial seven subtraction test, counting backwards, range: 0 to 27) at baseline was 9.6, which decreased by 0.14 points each year. Each unit increase in physical activity (weighted sum of light, moderate, vigorous activity; range: 9 to 45) and social engagement (measure capturing social visits, volunteerism, religious participation; range: 0 to 3) reduced the effect of time on cognitive functioning by 0.01 (β=0.007, p<.0001) and 0.04 (β=0.040, p<.0001) points, respectively, while simultaneously controlling for APOE genotype and other covariates. This means, for example, that the cognitive score of someone with a physical activity score of 40 was, on average, 3.1 points higher than someone with a physical activity score of 10 after 16 years of follow-up. Findings suggest that greater physical activity and social engagement offer protection against cognitive decline and could minimize MCI progression among older adults experiencing MCI.

FEASIBILITY OF USING SMARTPHONES AS A TOOL TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Smartphones have potential to allow asynchronous education, individualized feedback and coaching around physical activity (PA) though it’s unclear if older adults make use of these capabilities. We conducted anonymous, semi-structured interviews/surveys on current PA levels, and experience with mobile technology and PA programs with a convenience sample of older adults, and family members/caregivers receiving care at a large geriatrics academic practice over a 3-month period. Data included demographics, experience with smartphone and PA applications. Current levels of PA were measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Comparisons of PA levels based on mild vs moderate vs vigorous activity. 25 completed surveys, most of whom were female (67%) and identified as non-White (68%), with a mean age of 80.8 years, range 67-96. The majority (84%) reported owning smartphones, 8% reported using PA apps, and 8% used wearable activity trackers (WATs). 44% walked at least 10 minutes per day, but only 32% reported attaining moderate PA, and 12% vigorous PA. Average time/day walking 1.1-hour, average time/day moderate activity 0.74 hours. Both younger (age≤80 years) and older (age>80 years) adults were similar in owning Smartphones (85% vs. 83%) and using WATs (8% vs. 8%). Only the younger group used PA apps (15% vs. 0%). The ubiquity of Smartphones especially among such a demographically heterogeneous group suggests this may be a viable tool for increasing PA among a wide range of older adults. Next steps should address low rates of PA app use, intergenerational differences, and the possibility of incorporating socialization with technology.

ANXIETY AND MEMORY COMPLAINTS IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS: THE MODERATING ROLE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Abstract The relationship between anxiety and memory complaints is well established. Additionally, physical activity has been shown to improve anxiety symptoms and cognition. Little research, however, has examined if physical activity impacts associations between anxiety and memory complaints in cognitively healthy middle-aged and older adults. Given memory complaints are often the first indicator of subsequent cognitive decline, it is important to understand factors that impact complaints. The present study tested whether physical activity moderated associations between anxiety and memory complaints. Adults aged 50+ (N=271, Mage=64.5, SD=7.8, 124 women) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS), and the Cognitive Failures questionnaire (CFQ). Multiple linear regressions and simple slope analyses were conducted to examine if physical activity moderated associations between anxiety and memory complaints (CFQ-memory), covarying for age, sex, income, difficulty walking, number of medical conditions, number of medications, body mass index, and depressive symptoms (HADS-depression). Results revealed total physical activity (R2-change=.01, p=.04), vigorous activity (R2-change=.02, p=.02), and walking activity (R2-change=.01, p=.03) moderated associations between anxiety and memory complaints. Specifically, higher anxiety was associated with more memory complaints at all levels of physical activity, with the magnitude of the effect largest at highest levels of physical activity. The present findings suggest higher amounts of physical activity may exacerbate the relationship between anxiety and memory complaints. It is possible aging adults with greater perceived memory disruption experience more anxiety and engage in health enhancing behaviors, such as physical activity. Future studies should explore temporal patterns of this relationship.

DEVELOP AND EXTERNALLY VALIDATE A RISK PREDICTION MODEL FOR SCREENING COGNITIVE FRAILTY IN OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Cognitive frailty, the combination of physical frailty and mild cognitive impairment, is a growing public health concern in aging populations. We aimed to develop and validate a risk prediction model for screening cognitive frailty in community-dwelling older adults without probable dementia (aged ≥ 65 years). We used Year 2011 data from National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), with participants randomly divided into the training set (N=4,222) and internal validation set (N=2,111). We used Year 2015 data of NHATS as the external validation set (N=3,380). Cognitive frailty was assessed with the Fried phenotypic criteria and cognitive performance in three domains (memory, orientation and executive function). Independent risk factors were screened by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Model performance was assessed by discrimination (area under the curve [AUC]) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test). The final model included 13 key predictors (age, gender, education, smoke, walking for exercise, vigorous activity, self-rated health, depressive symptoms, balance impairments, arthritis, hospitalization, activities of daily living, and instrumental activities of daily living score). The model showed good discrimination with an AUC of 0.92 (95% CI: 0.90-0.93) for the training set, 0.92 (95% CI: 0.89-0.95) for the internal validation set, and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.85-0.91) for the external validation set. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test yielded P values of 0.10, 0.92, and 0.85 for the three sets, respectively, suggesting good calibration. Our risk prediction model has the potential to screen older adults at risk for cognitive frailty, enabling early interventions to prevent or delay cognitive decline and physical disability.

Epidemiology of engagement in physical activity behaviors in people with epilepsy from National Health Interview Survey 2017

ObjectivePhysical activity (PA) participation may be beneficial for people with epilepsy (PWE) but has been discouraged due to a fear that it may induce seizures. Using data from the 2017 National Health Interview Survey, we aimed to describe current rates of PA sufficient to meet US PA Aerobic and Strength Training Guidelines (Aim #1), compare the average time PWE spend on aerobic activity and strength training activity (Aim #2), and compare rates of engagement with various types of PA (e.g., moderate, vigorous, strength training, and mind–body activities) among PWE to the general population (Aim #3). MethodsCross-sectional data (n = 26,728) were analyzed via logistic and zero-inflated Poisson regression models. PA participation was analyzed based on the US PA Guidelines (neither, strength training [≥2 times/wk], moderate to vigorous physical activity [MVPA; ≥ 150 min/wk], or both; Aim #1), time spent on activity/week (Aim #2), and activity participation (yes/no; Aim #3). Epilepsy status was coded as active epilepsy (doctor-diagnosed and either taking antiepileptic medication or had at least one seizure in 12 months; n = 335), inactive epilepsy (doctor-diagnosed, not taking antiepileptic medication nor had a seizure in 12 months; n = 213), and no history of epilepsy (n = 26,180). ResultsPeople with active epilepsy were more likely to report meeting neither (68 %, 95 % CI = 63–74 %) of the PA Guidelines compared to people with no history of epilepsy (59 %, 58–60 %). The mean duration of time reported on vigorous activity for people with inactive epilepsy was significantly higher than people with no history of epilepsy (p = 0.01). People with active epilepsy were 32–39 % less likely to report participating in any moderate or vigorous activity compared to people with no history of epilepsy. SignificanceThis study highlights activity disparities among PWE and the general population, indicating substantially lower activity and higher likelihood of inactivity in PWE, particularly active epilepsy.

An Examination of Physical Activity, Non-Communicable Diseases, and Health Screening among People Living with HIV in Zamfara State, Nigeria

Aim: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of physical activity levels, non-communicable disease prevalence, and health screening practices of people living with HIV in Zamfara State, Nigeria.
 Methodology: This study is a cross-sectional study involving a total of 424 individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in Zamfara State, Nigeria.
 Results: The socio-demographic analysis reveals that the study participants were predominantly within the age group of 30-39 (38.7%) and were mainly female (70.3%). In terms of ethnicity, Hausa was the most common (75.7%), followed by Yoruba (9.7%) and Igbo (4.7%). The participants were largely married (57.8%) and had no formal schooling (45.8%). Physical activity levels were evaluated based on the time spent on different domains of activity in a typical week. The mean time spent on vigorous intensity activity was 28.6 minutes per week, while moderate-intensity activity and walking/cycling were higher at 69.9 minutes and 205.1 minutes per day, respectively. However, 47.2% of participants overall did not meet WHO recommendations on physical activity for health, with females demonstrating a higher rate of non-compliance (50.7%) compared to males (38.9%). A notable aspect of the study is the examination of the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among the participants. Overall, the highest prevalence was seen for raised blood pressure (10.4%), followed by cardiovascular diseases (7.3%) and raised blood sugar (4.0%), while raised cholesterol levels were minimal (0.2%). Females presented a higher prevalence of raised blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases. The study also scrutinized health screening practices, revealing that the screening for cervical cancer among female respondents was worryingly low at 2.3%. The mean weight and height for both sexes were 63.8 Kg and 1.6 meters, respectively. The mean Body Mass Index (BMI) was found to be 23.5 for males and 25.5 for females. Concerningly, 37.5% of the population had a BMI greater than 25, indicating overweight or obesity, with a higher prevalence among females (31.8%) than males (7.6%).
 Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into physical activity trends, non-communicable disease prevalence, and health screening practices among PLWH in Zamfara State, Nigeria. The findings underline the importance of tailored interventions to promote physical activity, manage non-communicable diseases, and encourage routine health screenings in this demographic.

Luminescence and photocatalytic degradation of indigo carmine in the presence of Sm3+doped ZnS nanoparticles

Industrial wastewater discharge is well acknowledged to constitute a significant environmental and public health risk. In addition, synthetic dyes used in the textile sector are major culprits in water pollution. The amount of water polluted by these dyes is simply staggering. We urgently address this issue to protect our planet and health. The degradation of indigo carmine dye in the presence of Sm3+-doped ZnS nanoparticles is reported in this study and characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, TEM, BET, PL, UV, etc. The particle size calculated from the Scherrer equation was 3–12 nm. When excited at 395 nm, Sm3+ undergoes f–f transitions, which are visible as prominent peaks in the photoluminescence spectrum at 559, 595, and 642 nm wavelengths. The catalyst showed vigorous catalytic activity for dye degradation, with a 93% degradation rate when used at 15 mg/L catalyst within 210 min. The reaction was found to have pseudo-first-order kinetics. After applying the Freundlich and Langmuir data, the Langmuir isotherm offered the best fit. The findings indicate that the Sm3+-doped ZnS catalyst might be successfully used in the degradation of dyes present in the environment. Doping with Sm3+ ions can significantly change the photocatalytic breakdown of indigo carmine and the luminescence characteristics of ZnS.

The Association among Physical Activity, Sociodemographic, Trunk Muscles Thickness and Low Back Pain-Related Disability in Amateur Soccer Players: An Observational Study

Abstract Objective Although low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders, there is limited evidence assessing which factors contribute LBP severity in amateur athletes. We aimed to analyze relationships between sociodemographic, clinical, lifestyle and lumbar multifidus (LM) at L4 and L5 levels, rectus abdominis (RA), external and internal obliques (EO and IO) and transversus abdominis (TrA) muscles thickness assessed with ultrasound imaging (US) variables with lumbar disability in amateur athletes with LBP and lumbar disc herniation. Methods Eighty-two male amateur soccer athletes were analyzed. Demographic data, internal hip rotation, finger-floor distance, pain intensity, number of LBP episodes within the last year, metabolic equivalent of tasks for physical activity, sitting time, muscle thickness and disability caused by LBP were collected. Results Pain intensity showed significant associations with LBP recurrence, disability, sedentarism, trunk and hip flexibility, vigorous physical activity and TrA, EO and RA muscles thickness (p<0.05). Similarly, disability was associated with number of LBP episodes, vigorous activity, sitting time, finger floor distance, and RA, EO and IO muscles thickness (p<0.05). TrA thickness and internal hip rotation were not associated with lumbar disability (p>0.05). Conclusion LBP intensity and pain-related disability were significantly associated with LBP episodes, vigorous activity, sitting time, finger floor distance, and thickness of abdominal muscles were associated with pain intensity and disability. However, lumbar multifidus thickness at rest, ankle dorsiflexion and walking time were not associated with clinical severity.

Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity Protects Deep Learning Derived Brain Volumes in 9637 Individuals

AbstractBackgroundRegular physical activity has been linked to a reduced risk of dementia, while loss of brain volume as measured by MRI is a marker of neurodegeneration. However, it remains unclear whether engaging in moderate or vigorous physical activity has any positive impact on brain structure and potential neuroprotective effects.MethodA total of 9637 healthy participants were scanned across four 1.5T MRI machines with a whole‐body MR imaging protocol. Brain sequences included isotropic MP‐RAGE. An ensemble of three Deep learning models corresponding to each axial, sagittal, and coronal views with FastSurfer architecture was trained on 134 participants aged 27‐66 segmented 96 brain regions. Partial correlations modeled moderate to vigorous physical activity, defined as sports, fitness and recreational activities that increased respiration and pulse rate for at least 10 continuous minutes, with brain volumes. Analyses controlled for age, sex, and total intracranial volume. Benjamini‐Hochberg False Discovery Rate of 5% accounted for multiple comparisons.ResultAverage age was 52.98 ± 13.06 years ranging from 11‐97 years with 52.5% biologically male. Overall, 7215 individuals (74.8%) reported moderate or vigorous physical activity on average 4.03 ± 3.48 days per week. Persons with vigorous activity were slightly older (mean age 54.3 versus 52.5 years) for non‐vigorous physical activity (p < .00001) and 54.8% men versus 45.2% women undertook moderate to vigorous physical activity compared to 45.4% men and 54.6% women. Fewer women engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity compared to men (p = 9.92e‐16). Accounting for age, sex, and intracranial volume co‐variates and multiple comparisons, moderate to vigorous physical activity predicted larger volumes in multiple regions including: total gray matter volume (Partial R = 0.09, p = 2.59e‐18), total white matter volume (Partial R = 0.09, p = 4.21e‐19), hippocampus (Partial R = .098, p = 1.4e‐21), frontal cortex (Partial R = 0.08, p = 1.06e‐15), parietal lobes (Partial R = 0.055, p = 9.01e‐8), occipital lobe (Partial R = 0.071, p = 5.27e‐12). Whole brain volumes of gray matter and white matter were also larger with an increasing number of days engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (Partial R = 0.105, p = 6.31e‐25).ConclusionEngagement in moderate to vigorous physical activity was found to be associated with increased brain volumes, a metric of neural health.

Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity Protects Deep Learning Derived Brain Volumes in 9637 Individuals

AbstractBackgroundRegular physical activity has been linked to a reduced risk of dementia, while loss of brain volume as measured by MRI is a marker of neurodegeneration. However, it remains unclear whether engaging in moderate or vigorous physical activity has any positive impact on brain structure and potential neuroprotective effects.MethodA total of 9637 healthy participants were scanned across four 1.5T MRI machines with a whole‐body MR imaging protocol. Brain sequences included isotropic MP‐RAGE. An ensemble of three Deep learning models corresponding to each axial, sagittal, and coronal views with FastSurfer architecture was trained on 134 participants aged 27‐66 segmented 96 brain regions. Partial correlations modeled moderate to vigorous physical activity, defined as sports, fitness and recreational activities that increased respiration and pulse rate for at least 10 continuous minutes, with brain volumes. Analyses controlled for age, sex, and total intracranial volume. Benjamini‐Hochberg False Discovery Rate of 5% accounted for multiple comparisons.ResultAverage age was 52.98 ± 13.06 years ranging from 11‐97 years with 52.5% biologically male. Overall, 7215 individuals (74.8%) reported moderate or vigorous physical activity on average 4.03 ± 3.48 days per week. Persons with vigorous activity were slightly older (mean age 54.3 versus 52.5 years) for non‐vigorous physical activity (p < .00001) and 54.8% men versus 45.2% women undertook moderate to vigorous physical activity compared to 45.4% men and 54.6% women. Fewer women engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity compared to men (p = 9.92e‐16). Accounting for age, sex, and intracranial volume co‐variates and multiple comparisons, moderate to vigorous physical activity predicted larger volumes in multiple regions including: total gray matter volume (Partial R = 0.09, p = 2.59e‐18), total white matter volume (Partial R = 0.09, p = 4.21e‐19), hippocampus (Partial R = .098, p = 1.4e‐21), frontal cortex (Partial R = 0.08, p = 1.06e‐15), parietal lobes (Partial R = 0.055, p = 9.01e‐8), occipital lobe (Partial R = 0.071, p = 5.27e‐12). Whole brain volumes of gray matter and white matter were also larger with an increasing number of days engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (Partial R = 0.105, p = 6.31e‐25).ConclusionEngagement in moderate to vigorous physical activity was found to be associated with increased brain volumes, a metric of neural health.

Joint associations of leisure-time physical activity and sitting time with emotional wellbeing, physical functioning and work ability: an occupational study among young and early midlife Finnish municipal employees

BackgroundPhysical inactivity and sedentary behaviour are major public health problems. We examined the individual and joint associations of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and total sitting time with emotional wellbeing, physical functioning and work ability in young and early midlife employees.MethodsCross-sectional questionnaire survey data were collected in 2017 among 19–39-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki (response rate 51.5%). LTPA (including commuting PA) was converted into a metabolic equivalent (MET) index. We classified the participants into four groups according to PA recommendations and participation in vigorous intensity activities. Total sitting time was classified into three groups using tertile cut-points (5.5 and 8.5 h/day). For joint analyses, we truncated LTPA into three groups and sitting time into two groups yielding a six-category variable. Emotional wellbeing and physical functioning were measured using the RAND-36 questionnaire and work ability with a scale ranging from 0 to 100. Linear regression analysis was used to estimate adjusted means and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The analytical sample included 4544 participants (80% females).ResultsAdjusting for age and sex, high sitting time (> 8.5 h/day) was associated only with poorer emotional wellbeing. LTPA, especially vigorous activity, showed clear positive associations with emotional wellbeing, physical functioning and work ability. For emotional wellbeing, the low activity groups with low (70.51, 95% CI 69.1–71.9) and high (67.5, 65.5–69.5) sitting time and the moderate activity groups with low (72.5, 71.3–73.7) and high (70.4, 68.6–72.1) sitting time had statistically significantly lower mean scores than the corresponding vigorous activity groups with low (74.9, 74.2–75.7) and high (72.7, 71.6–73.9) sitting time. For physical functioning, the vigorous activity groups with low (96.3, 95.8–96.7) and high (96.2, 95.5–96.9) sitting time had significantly higher scores than the other groups. For work ability, the vigorous activity groups with low (82.0, 81.3–82.6) and high (80.8, 79.8–81.8) sitting time had significantly higher scores than the other groups. Adjusting for covariates only slightly attenuated these associations.ConclusionsPromoting PA among employees can contribute to better physical and mental health as well as better work ability.

Abstract B066: Neighborhood-level factors and breast cancer survival in U.S. Black women

Abstract Background: Black women living in the United States (U.S.) are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than White women. There are multiple contributors to this disparity. One factor that warrants further research is the neighborhood environment. The legacy of structural racism, including redlining mortgage practices, has resulted in Black Americans being more likely to live in disadvantaged and economically deprived neighborhoods, regardless of their own individual socioeconomic (SES) status. We investigated the interplay of neighborhood-level and individual-level factors with breast cancer mortality in a cohort of breast cancer cases from the prospective Black Women’s Health Study. Methods: Included were 1,781 Black women with invasive breast cancer diagnosed at stages I-III. Data on individual-level factors were obtained by questionnaire and death data were obtained from the National Death Index. Participant addresses, updated every two years, were geocoded and linked with U.S. census data and American Community Survey data to create three neighborhood variables. Neighborhood SES and Neighborhood Disadvantage were based on factor analysis of items related to income, wealth, employment, etc., and provided a numerical score at the block group level, which was then analyzed as quartiles. The Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) grouped locations into three income-based groups representing concentrated privilege, middle, and concentrated deprivation in each census tract. Participants were followed to time of breast cancer death, death from any other cause, or end of follow-up. Time to breast cancer death was calculated in months. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). All analyses were adjusted for age at diagnosis and stage at diagnosis. Results: During follow-up from 1997-2019, there were 464 deaths, of which 286 deaths were from breast cancer. The HR for living in the most disadvantaged neighborhood relative to the least disadvantaged was 1.71 (95% CI: 1.21, 2.42), and the HR for lowest quartile of neighborhood SES relative to highest was 1.44 (95% CI: 1.01, 2.06). Lastly, for women living in concentrated deprivation as compared to women living in concentrated privilege, the HR for breast cancer mortality was 1.64 (95% CI: 1.22, 2.20). Further control for body mass index, vigorous activity, smoking, alcohol intake, and initial treatments did not reduce the magnitude of the associations. In addition, the observed associations were similar for women with estrogen receptor positive and estrogen receptor negative breast cancer. Conclusion: In this study of U.S. Black women, those who lived in disadvantaged neighborhoods were more likely to die from their breast cancer, even after accounting for stage at diagnosis and lifestyle factors. The findings suggest that other attributes of the neighborhood environment, including chronic stress (e.g., from noise, violence, lack of green space) and distance to treatment facilities likely play a role. Citation Format: Etienne X. Holder, Nuo N. Xu, Julie R. Palmer. Neighborhood-level factors and breast cancer survival in U.S. Black women [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B066.

Peripheral pulse harmonic analysis and its clinical application: A systematic review

IntroductionPulse harmonic analysis is a quantitative and objective methodology within traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used to evaluate pulse characteristics. However, interpreting pulse wave data is challenging due to its inherent complexity. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review and comparison of existing human pulse wave harmonic analysis methods to elucidate their patterns and characteristics. MethodsA systematic review of clinical research reports published from 1990 to 2021 was conducted, focusing on variations in harmonic characteristics across different medical conditions and physiological states. Keyword searches included terms related to analysis methods (e.g., "Pulse Spectrum," "harmonic analysis," "harmonic index") and measured indicators (e.g., "vascular response," "PPG," "Photoplethysmography," "aortic," "arterial," "blood pressure"). Supplementary research using PubMed's Mesh terms specifically targeted "Pulse wave analysis" within the methods and statistical analysis domain. Articles were filtered based on predefined criteria, including human participants and research related to pulse pressure or vascular volume changes. Conference papers, animal studies, and irrelevant research were excluded, with literature evaluation scales selected based on the retrieved research reports. ResultsInitially, 6487 research reports were identified, and after screening, 50 reports were included in the review. The analysis revealed that low-frequency harmonics increase following vigorous activity or sympathetic excitation but decrease during rest or parasympathetic excitation. Cardiovascular patients exhibited elevated first harmonics associated with the liver meridian, while diabetes patients displayed weakened third harmonics related to the spleen meridian. Liver dysfunction was linked to changes in the first harmonic, and cancer patients showed signs of liver and kidney yin deficiency in the first and second harmonics. These findings underscore the potential of harmonic analysis for TCM disease diagnosis and organ assessment. Moreover, individuals with conditions such as liver dysfunction, cancer, and gynecological disorders displayed distinct intensity patterns across harmonics one through ten compared to healthy controls, albeit with some variations. Heterogeneity in these studies mainly stemmed from differences in measurement methods and study populations. Additionally, research suggested that factors like blood circulation and cognitive activity influenced harmonic intensity. ConclusionsIn summary, this report consolidates prior research on pulse wave harmonics analysis, revealing unique patterns associated with various physiological conditions. Despite limitations, such as limited sample sizes in previous studies, the observed associations between physiological states and harmonics hold promise for potential clinical applications. This study lays a solid foundation for future applications of arterial wave harmonics analysis, promoting wider adoption of this analytical approach.

Combined application of hot water treatment and eucalyptus leaf extract postpones seneṣcence in harvested green chilies by conserving their antioxidants: a sustainable approach

BackgroundGreen chili is the predominant vegetable in tropical and subtropical regions with high economic value. However, after harvest, it exhibits vigorous metabolic activities due to the high moisture level, leading to a reduction in bioactive compounds and hence reduced shelf life and nutritional quality. Low temperature storage results in the onset of chilling injury symptoms. Therefore, developing techniques to increase the shelf life of green chilies and safeguard their nutritional value has become a serious concern for researchers. In this regard, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of the alone or combined application of hot water treatment (HWT) (45 °C for 15 min) and eucalyptus leaf extract (ELE) (30%) on 'Golden Hot' chilies in comparison to the control. After treatment, chilies were stored at 20 ± 1.5 °C for 20 days.ResultsHWT + ELE-treated chilies had a significant reduction in fruit weight loss (14.6%), fungal decay index (35%), red chili percentage (41.2%), soluble solid content (42.9%), ripening index (48.9%), and reactive oxygen species production like H2O2 (55.1%) and O−2 (46.5%) during shelf in comparison to control, followed by the alone application of HWT and ELE. Furthermore, the combined use of HWT and ELE effectively improved the antioxidative properties of stored chilies including DPPH radical scavenging activities (54.6%), ascorbic acid content (28.4%), phenolic content (31.8%), as well as the enzyme activities of POD (103%), CAT (128%), SOD (26.5%), and APX (43.8%) in comparison to the control. Additionally, the green chilies underwent HWT + ELE treatment also exhibited higher chlorophyll levels (100%) and general appearance (79.6%) with reduced anthocyanin content (40.8%) and wrinkling (43%), leading to a higher marketable fruit (41.3%) than the control.ConclusionThe pre-storage application of HWT and ELE could be used as an antimicrobial, non-chemical, non-toxic, and eco-friendly treatment for preserving the postharvest quality of green chilies at ambient temperature (20 ± 1.5 °C).

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Exhibit Elevated Physical Activity and Reduced Sedentary Behavior.

According to previous research, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have lower levels of physical activity than their typically developed (TD) counterparts. There have been conflicting reports about physical activity (PA) levels in people with ASD. Given the conflicting evidence, further investigation is required. We believe that evaluating PA in individuals with ASD is critical in order to offer PA intervention plans aiming at increasing their health-related physical fitness on a daily, systematic, and individualized basis. In the current study, an ActiGraph monitor (GT3X+) was used to accurately measure PA and sedentary activity in 21 children with autism aged 6.43 ± 2.29 years and 30 TD children aged 7.2 ± 3.14 years. Our data indicated that while the light and moderate activity counts were not significantly different between the two groups, the vigorous activity was significantly higher in ASD compared to TD. This finding was attributed to ASD characteristic stereotypy and self-stimulating behaviors. The significantly higher vigorous PA is discussed in relation to altered neurochemistry, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation as etiological mechanisms in ASD. This research provides a better understanding of the status of PA participation in individuals with ASD.

Associations between occupational physical activity and left ventricular structure and function over 25 years in CARDIA.

Leisure time physical activity (LTPA) confers cardiovascular health benefits, while occupational physical activity (OPA) may have paradoxically negative health associations. This study tested the explanatory hypothesis that unfavourable cardiac remodelling may result from chronic OPA-induced cardiovascular strain. Longitudinal associations of OPA and left ventricular (LV) structure and function were examined in 1462 participants {50.0% female, 56.4% White, aged 30.4 ± 3.4 years at baseline [Year 5 exam (1990-91)]} from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study. Left ventricular structure and function were measured as LV mass (LVMi), end-diastolic volume (LVEDVi), end-systolic volume (LVESVi), ejection fraction (LVEF), stroke volume (LVSVi), and e/a-wave ratio (EA ratio) via echocardiography at baseline and 25 years later. Occupational physical activity was reported at seven exams during the study period as months/year with 'vigorous job activities such as lifting, carrying, or digging' for ≥5 h/week. The 25-year OPA patterns were categorized into three trajectories: no OPA (n = 770), medium OPA (n = 410), and high OPA (n = 282). Linear regression estimated associations between OPA trajectories and echocardiogram variables at follow-up after adjusting for baseline values, individual demographic/health characteristics, and LTPA. Twenty-five-year OPA exposure was not significantly associated with LVMi, LVEDVi, LVSVi, or EA ratio (P > 0.05). However, higher LVESVi (β = 1.84, P < 0.05) and lower LVEF (β = -1.94, P < 0.05) were observed at follow-up among those in the high- vs. no-OPA trajectories. The paradoxically adverse association of OPA with cardiovascular health was partially supported by null or adverse associations between high OPA and echocardiogram outcomes. Confirmation is needed using more precise OPA measures.

Utility of a polygenic risk score for incident CHD: interplay with lifestyle in a multi-ethnic cohort of more than 60,000 individuals

Abstract Background The degree to which benefits of healthy eating, physical activity and not smoking are protective for coronary heart disease (CHD) based on levels of polygenic risk remains an important question. We set out to investigate whether and to what degree a favorable lifestyle could reduce the effect of high genetic risk. Methods We utilized data from the Genetic Epidemiology Resource in Adult Health and Aging (GERA) Multi-Ethnic cohort of 60,682 (mean ± SD age = 59 ± 9 years; 67% female; 18% non-European ancestry) Kaiser Permanente of Northern California (KPNC) members. We characterized the cohort at baseline in 2003-2007 by smoking status (never, former or current smoker), Mediterranean-pattern diet (MedDiet) and meeting current AHA physical activity recommendations (PAR) of at least 150 min of moderate activity or 75 min of vigorous activity per week. We stratified the cohort into three groups of CHD genetic risk (low: quintile 1, intermediate: quintiles 2, 3 and 4 combined, and high: quintile 5) using a validated 12-SNP Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) for CHD (CARDIO inCode-Score, GENinCode Plc). Incident CHD consisted of primary in-patient codes for angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, revascularization procedures or CHD death (n=2,220) through 12/31/2014; mean follow-up was 9.5 years. Results Age-adjusted CHD rates per 10,000 person-years were estimated using Poisson regression (accounting for death and health plan disenrollment) by number of favorable lifestyle factors (LF) and, within each level, by genetic risk groups (see Figure below). Genetic background provided further CHD risk stratification within each lifestyle group. The most favorable lifestyle (never smoking, MedDiet, meeting PAR) reduced the effect of high genetic risk by 59% (age-adjusted rates per 10,000 person-years 40 vs. 99) and similar reductions were observed at intermediate or low genetic risk. Conclusions Our results are consistent with an additive model of genetic risk and lifestyle as determinants of CHD. These results underscore the importance of favorable lifestyle and the need to prioritize those individuals with the highest CHD risk (most unfavorable lifestyle and high genetic risk), who will benefit the most from lifestyle advice.