Weekend Days Research Articles

Contextual variation in language input to children: A naturalistic approach.

Children learn what words mean from hearing words used across a variety of contexts. Understanding how different contextual distributions relate to the words young children say is critical because context robustly affects basic learning and memory processes. This study examined children's everyday experiences using naturalistic video recordings to examine two contextual factors-where words are spoken and who speaks the words-through analyzing the nouns in language input and children's own language productions. The families in the study (n = 8) were two-parent, dual-income, middle-class families with a child between 1 year, 3 months to 4 years, 4 months (age M = 3 years, 5 months) and at least one additional sibling. The families were filmed as they interacted in their homes and communities over 2 weekdays and 2 weekend days. From these videos, we identified when the focal child was exposed to language input and randomly selected 9 hr of contiguous speech segments per family to obtain 6,129 noun types and 30,257 noun tokens in language input and 1,072 noun types and 5,360 noun tokens in children's speech. We examined whether the words that children heard in more variable spatial and speaker contexts were produced with greater frequency by children. The results suggest that both the number of places and the number of speakers that characterized a child's exposure to a noun were positively associated with the child's production of that noun, independent of how frequently the word was spoken. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Selected parameters characterizing physical activity behavior in pupils of the second grade of elementary school in the Ústí Region, Czech Republic

Background: By the application of pedometers and subjective evaluation techniques, one can obtain information about the importance of physical activities (PA) in the lifestyles of adolescents. The conduct of PA in the ÚstĂ­ Region, which is a structurally affected region within the Czech Republic, may be specifically impinged upon. Objective: The aim of this study is to establish indicators of adolescent participation in PA during school days and weekends and to evaluate them from the point of view of recommended criteria for health. We compare our findings with other studies and draw attention to the role of school movement programs. Methods: Physical activity was concurrently and objectively monitored by the Yamax SW-700 and SW-800 pedometer for a period of seven consecutive days. An identification and recording sheet were used for the registration of results. A total of 285 boys and 276 girls from elementary schools in the ÚstĂ­ Region participated in the survey. Pedometers were applied during normal school attendance. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used to assess differences between days of the week in boys and girls. A daily step count (SC) was compared with the recommended criteria for health. The daily recommendation amounted to ≥ 13,000/11,000 SC for 12-year-old children and ≥ 10,000 SC for 13-15-year-old adolescents. Results: The daily SC values for boys were 10,702 ± 4,474, and for girls the lower 9,841 ± 3,722 (p = .02, r = .10). Weekend days were accompanied by a decrease in values in boys compared to school days (p ˂ .001, r = .20) and girls (p ˂ .001, r = .17). 43.2% of boys and 35.9% of girls meet the recommended health criteria. PA participation time is higher in boys than in girls during school days (p ˂ .001, r = .25) compared to (p ˂ .001, r = .22). The importance of school movement programs becomes evident. Conclusions: Boys achieve higher daily values than girls in all monitored indicators. The lowest SC levels are those reached by the oldest group of adolescents during weekends.

Children's Daily Negative Affect Patterns and Food Consumption on Weekends: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

ObjectiveThis study evaluated the association between children's daily negative affect (NA) trajectories and unhealthy food consumption during weekends using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). DesignChildren answered mobile phone-based EMA surveys 7 times a day for 2 weekend days per wave, with each survey assessing current NA and past 2-hour consumption of fried foods (chips or fries), sweets (pastries or sweets), and sugary beverages (drank soda or energy drinks). SettingLos Angeles, California. ParticipantsThe sample consisted of 195 children (51% female; mean age, 9.65 years; SD, 0.93) from the Mothers and Their Children's Health cohort study. Main Outcomes MeasuresNegative affect trajectory (independent variable), unhealthy food consumption (dependent variable). AnalysisLatent growth mixture modeling classified NA trajectories across days and examined their association with unhealthy food consumption. ResultsThe latent growth mixture modeling identified 3 classes of daily NA trajectories: (1) stable low, (2) early increasing and late decreasing and (3) early decreasing and late increasing. Fried food consumption was higher on early increasing and late decreasing and early decreasing and late increasing NA trajectories than days with stable low NA. Conclusions and ImplicationsBy better understanding day-to-day variability in children's affect and eating, we can individually tailor obesity interventions to account for the emotional contexts in which unhealthy eating occurs.

0328 Social Jetlag Decreases Across the Lifespan: A Longitudinal Big Data Analysis of Objective Sleep

Abstract Introduction Changes in social zeitgebers across the lifespan likely impact the interplay between biological and social clocks that fosters the circadian misalignment seen in social jetlag. Extant literature is limited to self-reported methods and cross-sectional designs and suggests older adulthood may be associated with a reduction in social jetlag given declining social obligations occurring after retirement. Using longitudinal ecologically-valid data, we examined the association between age as a continuous measure and social jetlag. We also examined whether work cessation is associated with a reduction in social jetlag. Methods Data from 2,446 users (mean age: 52.2 +/- 15.8, 51.8% female) across 473,113 nights were included in the analysis from the PSG-validated SleepScore Mobile Application, which uses a non-contact sonar-based method to objectively capture sleep-related metrics and self-reported lifestyle. Social jetlag (expressed in minutes) was defined as the difference between midsleep times on week and weekend days from a user’s total recording period. Linear regressions were used for the analysis. Age was examined as a both continuous variable, and as a dummy variable in a subsequent analyses in a subgroup of older adults, serving as a proxy for pre– (n = 604, age: 54-64, mean age: 60.5 +/- 2.8) and post-retirement (n = 428, age: 65-75, mean age: 69.9 +/- 2.8). Results Linear regressions revealed a significant negative association between overall age and social jetlag, whereby older age was associated with a reduction in social jetlag (ß=-0.64, SE=0.082, p<0.0001). In agreement with this finding, post-retirement age was associated with a significant reduction in social jetlag (ß=-15.31, SE=3.78, p<0.0001) as compared to pre-retirement. Conclusion The present analysis showed that social jetlag decreases across the lifespan, and its reduction appears to be amplified following retirement. Our findings are in-line with prior work demonstrating the reduction, but not extinction, of social jetlag in older adulthood. Support (If Any)

Relationship between parents' and children's objectively assessed movement behaviours prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SummaryBackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic could have provoked undesirable harmful effects on movement behaviours among children.ObjectiveTo compare levels of physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB), and sleep time in children prior to and during the COVID‐19 pandemic (after the lockdown) and to determine the association between changes in moderate‐to‐vigorous PA (MVPA), total PA (TPA), SB, and sleep time between mothers and fathers with their children.MethodsA total of 110 children (aged 4–7 years) and their parents (63 mothers and 52 fathers) wore GENEActiv accelerometers for 6 days (4 weekdays and 2 weekend days) prior to the pandemic and 1 year into the pandemic to assess SB, MVPA, TPA, and sleep time.ResultsChildren performed more MVPA on weekdays (p = 0.002), had higher SB (p = 0.001), and slept fewer hours during the pandemic than before (p < 0.001). Likewise, children performed more weekend day MVPA and TPA (p < 0.001) during the pandemic, and slept less than prior to the pandemic (p = 0.002). On weekdays, an increase in mother's MVPA and TPA (categorized as tertiles) was associated with higher increased on MVPA (p = 0.030) and TPA in their children (p = 0.023), respectively. On weekends, an increase in mother's MVPA was also associated with higher increases in MVPA (p = 0.011) in their children.ConclusionDuring the pandemic, children got more MVPA, more SB, and slept fewer hours than before. Changes in PA seem to be associated with mother's behaviours, especially during weekdays.

Impact of weekdays versus weekend days on accelerometer measured physical behavior among children and adolescents: results from the MoMo study

Structured activities, in which children participate for example at school, are consistent and limited in scope. After-school or weekend activities, by contrast, involve a wider range of behaviors. Studies have shown that physical activity (PA), as measured by accelerometers, is lower on weekends compared to weekdays or school days, whereas PA does not differ between weekdays. In the present study, we examined accelerometer data of children and adolescents living in Germany for the different weekdays and weekend days. The current analysis used cross-sectional data of participants (n = 2743) aged 6–17 years collected between 2014 and 2017. The final valid sample consisted of 2278 children and adolescents divided into three age groups (6–10 years, n = 713; 11–13 years, n = 706; 14–17 years, n = 859) and two gender groups (1072 boys, 1206 girls). Physical behavior, including sedentary behavior, as well as light, moderate, vigorous PA, and wear time were analyzed. Absolute and percentage intensity distributions were evaluated daily. The average wear time was 807 min daily from Monday–Thursday with significant deviations from the mean on Friday (+38 min), Saturday (−76 min), and Sunday (−141 min). Absolute moderate to vigorous PA times were lower on weekends than during the week. However, the percentage intensity distribution remained constant over all days. Girls were less physically active and more sedentary than boys (F1,2272 = 38.3; p < 0.01) and adolescents were significantly less active than younger children (F2,2272 = 138.6; p < 0.01). Waking times increased with age (F2,2272 = 138.6; p < 0.01). Shorter awake periods limit possible active times on weekends, resulting in lower PA and sedentary behavior compared to weekdays. The percentage distributions of the different physical behavior intensity categories are similar over all weekdays and weekend days. We could not find a justification for specific weekend interventions. Instead, interventions should generally try to shift activity away from sedentary behavior towards a more active lifestyle.

Physical activity in early childhood: a five-year longitudinal analysis of patterns and correlates

BackgroundKnowledge on longitudinal patterns and related factors of young children’s physical activity (PA) is still scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine patterns and changes of accelerometer-measured PA over time in two to six-year-old children. Furthermore, the aim was to investigate if parental PA, socioeconomic status, sex, weight status, and motor skills are related to child PA over time, using prospective cohort data from a clustered randomized controlled trial.MethodsOne hundred and six children (52% girls) and their parents had PA measured yearly from age two to six with an Actigraph GT3X. The actigraph was worn on the non-dominant wrist for one week; anthropometric data and motor skills, as well as background information, was collected simultaneously. The outcome was counts per minute from the vector magnitude, and linear mixed-effect models were used to answer the research questions.ResultsAmong the children, accelerometer-measured PA increased on average by 11% per year from two years of age (mean 3170 cpm (3007-3334 95% CI)) onwards to six years of age (mean 4369 cpm (4207-4533 95% CI)). From three years of age, children were more active on weekdays than on weekend days. The rate of difference varied across low, medium, and highly active children (based on tertiles). No significant differences in weekdays/weekend PA among the lowest active children was found. Despite this, they were still significantly less active on weekend days than the most active children. Maternal, but not paternal PA was found to be significantly positively related to child PA over time, with a medium to large effect size. But no significant relationships were found between child PA and sex, weight status, or socioeconomic status.ConclusionsPA increased on average with 11% per year, similarly for boys and girls. From three years of age children were more active during weekdays than weekend days. These results indicate that child PA benefits from active stimulation by parents and care takers already from early ages. It is important to identify attributes of possible intervention designs for weekend days for families with young children as well as characterize the least active children.Trial registrationEarly STOPP was prospectively registered in the clinical trials registry: clinicaltrials.gov, ID NCT01198847

Reference Values for Wristband Accelerometry Data in Children Aged 6-11 Years of Age.

ObjectivesWristband activity trackers (accelerometers) could serve as a convenient monitoring tool to continuously quantify physical activity throughout the day. We aim to provide reference values for the use of these devices in healthy children.MethodsChildren were recruited at a local school and provided with activity trackers (Fitbit Charge 2). Pupils were instructed to wear devices during all normal daytime activities over a period of 11–15 days. Demographic data, total number of daily steps and heart rate were recorded. In addition, all children/parents were asked to complete a questionnaire providing information about daily physical routine (mode of transport to school, sporting activities as well as sport club memberships).ResultsThree hundred two children (54.6% boys; median age 8.7 years) participated in this prospective study. Median wearing time of the device was 12.1 h/day. Overall, the median daily total step count was 12,095. Median step counts/day were significantly higher in boys compared to girls (13,015 vs. 11,305 steps/day; p < 0.0001). In addition, step counts were significantly higher during the week, compared to weekend days. The effect of age on daily step count was found to be non-linear: the total daily step count increased from 6 to 8.5 years of age, while older children (aged >8.5 years) had lower step counts compared to the younger children. Significant predictors of the daily step count were male gender (+1,324.9 steps, p = 0.0008), mode of transportation to school (walking, bicycle, scooter: +865.5 steps p = 0.049), active membership in a sports club (+1,324.9 steps/day, p = 0.0008), and number of structured units of physical exercise performed (+336.5/per 45 min, p < 0.0001). Severe obesity was associated with a significant reduction in total daily step count (−3037.7 steps/day, p = 0.015).ConclusionOur prospective cohort study of healthy school children provides reference values for wristband accelerometers in normal individuals. In addition, it clarifies the effect of age, body weight and lifestyle on normal daily step counts in school children. This data should be helpful to judge the degree of physical limitation of patients compared to healthy peers.

34 Swine Breeding Herd Practicum Winternship

Abstract Approximately 70% of Animal Science students at Mizzou enroll without large animal experience, and commercial swine production exposure is very low (1-3%). As such, few consider careers in the swine industry. Winter break is 4 or 5 weeks long, allowing more than enough family time. An opportunity for full-time employment for students for 1-2 weeks over winter break on commercial sow units was arranged for 1 or 2 students each of 2 years. Host farms reported students were ‘shell shocked’ for the first 3 or 4 d, finding the scope of production overwhelming. A more formal program was designed to introduce students to modern swine breeding herd management, combining academic and field training over a period of several months. Eligible students have at least sophomore standing, can demonstrate a sincere interest in learning about careers in commercial pork production, and are able to commute to farms within 2 hr of campus. Cooperating farms provide hands-on experience on a modern commercial sow farm, help arrange housing, and pay students nominally during the winter break portion. Students are interviewed, and those selected to participate (n = up to 6) sign a code of conduct and participation agreement. In the fall semester they attend 8 hours of classroom instruction covering: gilt development; isolation/acclimation and biosecurity; reproductive anatomy/physiology; detection and synchronization of estrus; artificial insemination; pregnancy diagnosis; farrowing room preparation; induction of farrowing; obstetrical intervention; colostrum management; d 1 pig care; feeding and handling sows and piglets; careers. Interspersed on weekends during fall semester are 3 weekend days shadowing/working in pairs on commercial farms within 1.5 hours of campus. This training prepares them for ‘full time employment’ on a breeding farm, and students work for 1 or 2 weeks over the winter break on commercial sow units. Upon completion of the full-time employment phase, students prepare a written summary of their experience, upon which the majority of their grade rests.

Associations between motorized transport access, out-of-home activities, and life-space mobility in older adults in Japan

BackgroundMotorized transport access and out-of-home activities are two potential correlates of Life-space mobility (LSM), a common research topic in mobility studies of older adults. These correlates remain mostly unexplored in previous literature and relating them with LSM can reveal directions for improving the LSM of older adults.MethodsThe associations between motorized transport access, out-of-home activities, and LSM were examined using data from 1,333 older adults (mean age = 70.63) living in 15 cities and towns in Japan. LSM was assessed using composite life-space assessment (LSA) scores. Motorized transport access was measured using dummies showing whether a person had car access (divided into five levels) and used public transport (bus and railway), and out-of-home activities were measured using the number of various activities that were conducted during the most recent weekday and weekend day. Generalized linear models were used to assess the associations.ResultsThe sample was dominated by males (74.42%), with more than half of the sample had their own cars. On average, each respondent had four activities during two survey days, and shopping was the most common activity. The results showed that owning a car and using railway, as well as various activities were associated with increased composite LSA scores, whereas no cars or only shared cars in home were associated with decreased composite LSA scores. However, these associations differed between males and females.ConclusionsIn this study, different levels of motorized transport access and different types of out-of-home activities were found to associate differently with composite LSA scores. Based on these findings, we suggest that policymakers should provide more transport access, pay more attention to the LSM of older adults with high clinics/hospital activities, and trigger more shopping and daily leisure activities for older adults to improve the LSM of this population.

Are There Common Correlates of Adolescents’ Sport Participation and Screen Time?

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to identify intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental correlates of leisure-time participation in sports and examine whether they are also associated with screen-time among adolescents. Methods: Adolescents from eight schools in Victoria, Australia were recruited for this study. Participants (n = 400) comprised of an even distribution of boys (51%) and girls (49%) aged 12–16 years. Their engagement in leisure-time activities (including sports and screen-time) and 13 potential correlates were self-reported. Multinomial logistic regression analyses examined correlates of sports and screen-time participation categories, accounting for clustering by school and adjusting for significant sociodemographic characteristics. Results: The majority (76%) participated in leisure-time sports and exceeded screen-time recommendations (<2 h/day) on both weekdays (69%) and weekend days (85%). Greater internal motivation for sports was positively associated with sports participation and inversely associated with screen-time on weekend days, respectively. Fewer barriers, positive family and coach support and more neighborhood sporting opportunities were significantly associated with greater sports participation. Neighborhood social norms were inversely associated with sports participation. Preference for sports was associated with less weekday and weekend screen-time. Friend support for sports was inversely associated with weekday screen-time. Access to sports facilities in the local neighborhood was associated with more weekday and weekend screen-time. Conclusion: Internal motivation for sports was associated with both sports participation and less screen-time. Preference for leisure-time sports and friend support for sports were associated with less screen-time. Future research should continue to explore common correlates of multiple leisure-time behaviors to inform the development of effective intervention strategies.

Device-measured sedentary time in Norwegian children and adolescents in the era of ubiquitous internet access: secular changes between 2005, 2011 and 2018.

BackgroundAccess to screen-based media has been revolutionized during the past two decades. How this has affected sedentary time (ST) accumulation in children is poorly understood.MethodsThis study, based on the Physical Activity among Norwegian Children Study (PANCS), uses accelerometer data from population-based samples of 9- and 15‐year-olds, collected in 2005 (n = 1722), 2011 (n = 1587) and 2018 (n = 1859). Secular changes between surveys were analysed using random-effects linear regression models adjusted for survey-specific factors. Data on ST were collected using hip-worn ActiGraphs and ST was defined using a threshold equivalent to <100 counts/min. Sedentary bouts were grouped by duration: <1, 1–5, 5–15, 15–30 and ≥30 min.ResultsBetween 2005 and 2018, ST increased by 29 min/day in 9-year-old boys (95% CI: 19, 39; P <0.001), by 21 min/day in 15-year-old boys (95% CI: 8, 34; P = 0.002) and by 22 min/day in 15-year-old girls (95% CI: 10, 35; P <0.001), but not in 9-year-old girls at 6 min/day (95% CI: -3, 16; P = 0.191). All age-sex groups accumulated less ST in bouts lasting <5 min and more ST in longer bouts, particularly in 5–15-min bouts. Adolescent girls also increased ST accumulation in 15–30-min and ≥30-min bouts. Changes were largely mirrored before, during and after school on weekdays and during weekend days.ConclusionsCoinciding with the introduction of smartphones, tablets and near-universal internet access, total daily ST and ST accumulated in prolonged sedentary bouts increased between 2005 and 2018 in children and adolescents.

Yearly Variations of Equivalent Black Carbon Concentrations Observed in Krakow, Poland

The evaluation of the equivalent black carbon (eBC) concentration is very important, especially in environmental sciences. Light absorbing carbon (LAC), also presented as equivalent black carbon (eBC), is generated from the partial combustion of fossil fuels and biomass. The scientific interest in eBC is large because its contribution to the PM2.5 fraction is high, especially in urban areas. This study presents yearly variations in eBC concentrations observed in Krakow, Poland. The transmissions of light at different wavelengths were measured by a multi-wavelength absorption black carbon instrument (MABI). Absorption coefficients and concentrations of eBC were calculated. Samples of the PM2.5 fraction were collected from 1 February 2020 to 27 March 2021 every third day in Krakow, Poland. The concentrations of eBC from fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning were in the range of 0.82–11.64 μg m−3 and 0.007–0.84 μg m−3, respectively. At the same time, PM2.5 concentrations varied from 3.14 to 55.24 μg m−3. The eBC contribution was a significant part of PM2.5 mass and we observed a seasonal variation in eBC concentrations during the year, with the peak in winter (5.3 ± 1.8 µg m−3). The contribution of BC from biomass burning to PM2.5 mass was in the range of 4%–5% with the highest value for winter. The eBC concentration during workdays was 21% higher than during weekend days.

Using Wearable Cameras to Categorize the Type and Context of Screen-Based Behaviors Among Adolescents: Observational Study.

BackgroundAutomated wearable cameras present a new opportunity to accurately assess human behavior. However, this technology is seldom used in the study of adolescent’s screen exposure, and the field is reliant on poor-quality self-report data.ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine adolescents’ screen exposure by categorizing the type and context of behaviors using automated wearable cameras.MethodsAdolescents (mean age 15.4 years, SD 1.6 years; n=10) wore a camera for 3 school evenings and 1 weekend day. The camera captured an image every 10 seconds. Fieldwork was completed between February and March 2020, and data were analyzed in August 2020. Images were date and time stamped, and coded for screen type, content, and context.ResultsData representing 71,396 images were analyzed. Overall, 74.0% (52,842/71,396) of images contained screens and 16.8% (11,976/71,396) of images contained multiple screens. Most screen exposures involved television sets (25,950/71,396, 36.3%), smartphones (20,851/71,396, 29.2%), and laptop computers (15,309/71,396, 21.4%). The context of screen use differed by device type, although most screen exposures occurred at home (62,455/64,856, 96.3%) and with solitary engagement (54,430/64,856, 83.9%). The immediate after-school period saw high laptop computer use (4785/15,950, 30.0%), while smartphone use (2059/5320, 38.7%) peaked during prebedtime hours. Weekend screen exposure was high, with smartphone use (1070/1927, 55.5%) peaking in the early morning period and fluctuating throughout the day.ConclusionsThere was evidence for high screen use during the after-school and weekend period, mostly through solitary engagement, and within the home environment. The findings may inform the basis of larger studies aimed at examining screen exposure in free-living conditions.

Dog walk frequency and duration: Analysis of a cohort of dogs up to 15 months of age

Regular exercise for dogs has health and welfare benefits. This study sought to address a gap in existing research regarding what constitutes ‘common’ age-specific walking practices by owners of young dogs, and how these practices change as the dogs reach adulthood. Dog owners living in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland participating in a longitudinal study reported the frequency and duration of their average weekday and average weekend walks when their dogs were aged 16 weeks (n = 2225), 9 months (n = 1200) and 15 months (n = 808). Owners also reported the amount of time their dogs spent on lead during these walks. For the statistical analysis, a subpopulation of dogs with data regarding walking practices at all three timepoints were used (n = 609). At all three timepoints dogs were most commonly walked twice a day. Commonly, 16-week-old puppies were walked for a total of 30 min on weekdays and weekend days, whereas dogs aged 9 and 15 months were walked for a total of 1 h on weekdays and 2 h on weekend days. Commonly, 16-week-old puppies spent ≥75% of total walk time on lead, whereas the older dogs mostly spent < 25% of total walk time on lead on weekdays and weekend days. Most owners reported using a short lead rather than a long lead (for example, a flexi-lead, training line, long line). For the subpopulation of dogs for which data were available at all three timepoints, the total duration of walks on both an average weekday and average weekend day increased significantly as the dogs aged. The proportion of total walk time spent on lead on both an average weekday and average weekend day significantly decreased as the dogs aged. This study can provide veterinarians and dog behaviourists with an insight into the common walking practices of owners with puppies and young dogs, which potentially could help them advise their clients on appropriate practices for the health and wellbeing of their dogs. Additionally, this study can potentially be used as a baseline for comparison for other populations of dogs at these age points, as the practices described by owners within this large sample offer an indication of the walking practices by owners of young dogs. Future research within this longitudinal study will explore how walk frequency and duration are associated with dog behaviour, welfare indicators and health outcomes, and what factors are associated with walk frequency and duration.

The Association of Contemporary Screen Behaviours with Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Sleep in Adolescents: a Cross-sectional Analysis of the Millennium Cohort Study

BackgroundScreen behaviours are highly prevalent in adolescents and may be adversely associated with physical and mental health. Understanding how screen behaviours inter-relate with physical activity and sleep may help to clarify pathways through which they impact health and potential routes to behaviour change. This cross-sectional study examines the association of contemporary screen behaviours with physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep in adolescents.MethodData are from sweep 6 (2015/2016) of the Millennium Cohort Study, conducted when participants were aged 14 years. Outcome variables were accelerometer-assessed overall physical activity and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), self-reported sedentary behaviour and sleep duration. Screen behaviours were assessed using a 24-h time-use diary. Multivariable regression was used to examine the association between screen behaviours and each outcome variable separately for weekdays and weekend days.ResultsThe use of social network sites was associated with (beta coefficient, 95% confidence interval (CI); minutes/day) less time in MVPA (weekdays: − 5.2 (− 10.3, − 0.04); weekend: − 10.0 (− 15.5, − 4.5)), and sedentary behaviours (weekdays: − 19.8 (− 31.0, − 8.6); weekend: − 17.5 (− 30.9, − 4.1)). All screen behaviours were associated with shorter sleep duration on weekdays, whereas only the use of email/texts and social network sites was associated with shorter sleep duration on weekend days. The association of using social network sites with overall physical activity was stronger in girls than in boys; the association of internet browsing with sedentary behaviour was stronger in boys than in girls.ConclusionIntervention strategies to enhance MVPA and sleep duration by limiting screen-based activities may be warranted.

Behavioural risk patterns in adolescents with excess weight participating in the PRALIMAP-INÈS trial.

To investigate clustering of risk behaviours in adolescents with excess weight. Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the PRALIMAP-INÈS trial. Information on food frequency consumption (fruit, vegetables, sugary products and beverages), physical activity, sedentary behaviour (week and weekend days), smoking and alcohol consumption (current frequency and intoxication episodes) and socio-demographic data was collected using self-reported questionnaires. Behavioural risk factors were entered as categorical variables in a two-step clustering procedure: multiple correspondence analysis followed by hierarchical clustering. Associations between cluster membership and socio-demographic variables were investigated using multivariable multinomial logistic regression. French PRALIMAP-INÈS trial. Adolescents with excess weight. A total of 1391 participants (13-18 years old, 58·2 % female) were included in the analysis, which resulted in the identification of four groups of participants, including, respectively, 543 (39·0 %), 373 (26·8 %), 246 (17·7 %) and 229 (16·5 %) participants. Clusters 1 and 4 showed associations of rather healthy behaviours (high physical activity and low consumption of sugary products; high consumption of fruit and vegetables, respectively), while clusters 2 and 3 showed associations of rather unhealthy behaviours (high sedentary behaviour and low consumption of fruit and vegetables; smoking and alcohol consumption, respectively). Both social status and family structure were associated with cluster membership. Risk behaviour patterns in adolescents with excess weight were clustered in both healthier and less healthy ways, with a complex interplay with socio-demographic factors.

Analysis of a Remote Monitoring Program for Symptoms Among Adults With Cancer Receiving Antineoplastic Therapy

Electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) may have the potential to improve cancer care delivery by enhancing patient quality of life, reducing acute care visits, and extending overall survival. However, the optimal cadence of ePRO assessments is unknown. To determine patient response preferences and the clinical value associated with a daily cadence for ePROs for patients receiving antineoplastic treatment. This quality improvement study of adult patients undergoing antineoplastic treatment assessed a remote monitoring program using ePROs that was developed to manage cancer therapy-related symptoms. ePRO data submitted between October 16, 2018 to February 29, 2020, from a single regional site within the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center network were included. Data were analyzed from April 2020 to January 2022. While undergoing active treatment, patients received a daily ePRO assessment that, based on patient responses, generated yellow (moderate) or red (severe) symptom alerts that were sent to clinicians. The main outcomes assessed included patient response rate, symptom alert frequency, and an analysis of the clinical value of daily ePROs. A total of 217 patients (median [range] age, 66 [31-92] years; 103 [47.5%] women and 114 [52.5%] men) initiating antineoplastic therapy at high risk for symptoms were monitored for a median (range) of 91 (2-369) days. Most patients had thoracic (59 patients [27.2%]), head and neck (48 patients [22.1%]), or gastrointestinal (43 patients [19.8%]) malignant neoplasms. Of 14 603 unique symptom assessments completed, 7349 (50.3%) generated red or yellow symptom alerts. Symptoms commonly generating alerts included pain (665 assessments [23.0%]) and functional status (465 assessments [16.1%]). Most assessments (8438 assessments [57.8%]) were completed at home during regular clinic hours (ie, 9 am-5 pm), with higher response rates on weekdays (58.4%; 95% CI, 57.5%-59.5%) than on weekend days (51.3%; 95% CI, 49.5%-53.1%). Importantly, 284 of 630 unique red alerts (45.1%) surfaced without a prior yellow alert for the same symptom within the prior 7 days; symptom severity fluctuated over the course of a week, and symptom assessments generating a red alert were followed by an acute care visit within 7 days 8.7% of the time compared with 2.9% for assessments without a red alert. These findings suggest that daily ePRO assessments were associated with increased insight into symptom management in patients undergoing antineoplastic treatment and symptom alerts were associated with risk of acute care.

Motorcycle Injuries: Socio-demographic, Temporal and Injury Patterns at a Regional Hospital in Jamaica

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the demographic profile, temporal and injury patterns of persons treated at the St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital, Jamaica for injuries sustained following a motorcycle crash. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted over 28 months. Patients involved in motorcycle crashes who were managed in the emergency room, admitted directly to the surgical ward, or referred to the Orthopaedic Clinic, were included in the study. Patients were interviewed within 24 hours of presenting to the Orthopaedic service. Socio-demographic and injury-related data were collected. Results Of the 155 patients, 98.7% were males. Ages ranged from 14 to 64 years (median 28 years, IQR = 16.5); 47.1% were 20-29 years old and 20.3% were between 30-39 years old. Higher injury rates were observed for ‘holidays’ and ‘weekend days’ compared to ‘weekdays’: 53.8, 24.5, and 14.2 per 100-day type respectively. The most popularly reported contributory mechanism for injury were collision (47.4%, n=101), loss of control (38.0%, n= 81) and errant overtaking (14.6%, n=31). The commonest injured areas were the leg (18%), ankle (12%), forearm (12%) and thigh (11%). Conclusion Males less than 40 years accounted for most motorcycle injuries in the study. Motorcycle crashes occur substantially more during holidays and weekends, and affect mainly the legs. Mechanisms of injury suggest critical roles for preventative strategies in efforts to reduce morbidity and health system burdens from motorcycle crashes. Keywords: Motorcycle, Injury, St. Ann, Jamaica

Operational grid and environmental impacts for a V2G-enabled electric school bus fleet using DC fast chargers

As states replace diesel school buses with electric ones, utilities will want to control charging schedules to capture potential benefits on the grid and avoid all buses charging at the same time, adding a large electric load. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) services can provide more grid stability and reduced carbon dioxide emissions than simple controlled charging systems, yet the grid impacts of V2G school buses have not been modeled using realistic school bus schedules. This paper develops a methodology for simulating the effect of managed charging of electric school buses on peak shaving in the state of North Carolina using V2G interactions and DC fast chargers to determine potential emissions reductions by minimizing peak load periods. The V2G-Sim model is used to manage fleet-wide charging, while minimizing peak generation of electricity on the grid and flattening the load curve under different battery capacities, charger power ratings, and fleet sizes. Historic annual peak hours are examined to determine the feasibility of reducing generation capacity, and the daily peak hours are examined to determine the potential peak shaving and subsequent avoided emissions. The results demonstrate that at full electric school bus replacement, 14,000 V2G buses can aggregate and shift 2.6 GWh in North Carolina, avoiding up to 1,130 t of carbon dioxide emissions per day, assuming decreased dependence on natural gas peaker plants. An additional 1,500 t of CO2 can be avoided by replacing diesel-powered buses compared to the 320,000 t total daily CO2 emissions from all activities in North Carolina. Additional emissions are avoided by the replacement of diesel buses with electric buses. The largest greenhouse gas emission benefit is the replacement of diesel with electric school buses, and the ability to shave peak loads is maximized on weekend days in the winter. The model can be used by researchers, the utility, and states as these entities evaluate the environmental and operational grid benefits of a V2G school bus program.