High-Intensity Interval Training Interventions in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

BackgroundWhilst there is increasing interest in the efficacy of high-intensity interval training in children and adolescents as a time-effective method of eliciting health benefits, there remains little consensus within the literature regarding the most effective means for delivering a high-intensity interval training intervention. Given the global health issues surrounding childhood obesity and associated health implications, the identification of effective intervention strategies is imperative.ObjectivesThe aim of this review was to examine high-intensity interval training as a means of influencing key health parameters and to elucidate the most effective high-intensity interval training protocol.MethodsStudies were included if they: (1) studied healthy children and/or adolescents (aged 5–18 years); (2) prescribed an intervention that was deemed high intensity; and (3) reported health-related outcome measures.ResultsA total of 2092 studies were initially retrieved from four databases. Studies that were deemed to meet the criteria were downloaded in their entirety and independently assessed for relevance by two authors using the pre-determined criteria. From this, 13 studies were deemed suitable. This review found that high-intensity interval training in children and adolescents is a time-effective method of improving cardiovascular disease biomarkers, but evidence regarding other health-related measures is more equivocal. Running-based sessions, at an intensity of >90% heart rate maximum/100–130% maximal aerobic velocity, two to three times a week and with a minimum intervention duration of 7 weeks, elicit the greatest improvements in participant health.ConclusionWhile high-intensity interval training improves cardiovascular disease biomarkers, and the evidence supports the effectiveness of running-based sessions, as outlined above, further recommendations as to optimal exercise duration and rest intervals remain ambiguous owing to the paucity of literature and the methodological limitations of studies presently available

A comparative analysis of body psychotherapy and dance movement psychotherapy from a European perspective

The role of embodiment within contemporary psychotherapy practice and its discussion are gathering momentum, and are part of a paradigm shift in psychotherapy in which theory and practice are being reformulated. Body psychotherapy (BP) and dance movement psychotherapy (DMP) are playing a leading role in these deliberations. Although these two professions have separate professional bodies, distinct theoretical grounding and clinical methodology, they both place enormous value on the central role of the body and its movement as indicators of relational problems, and as agents of therapeutic change. There are few authors comparing and contrasting BP and DMP although they have much in common as they are both embodied, enactive psychotherapies. However, neither their overlaps in theory, methodology and some of their clinical practice nor their distinct character has been sufficiently delineated. This article elucidates some similarities and differences in fundamental assumptions, compares and contrasts definitions and terms and considers common and contrasting theoretical perspectives, techniques and methods. It is expected that this will contribute to the ongoing discussion of the articulation of core characteristics in both professions and will facilitate a better understanding and collaboration between them

Reperfusion therapy for ST elevation acute myocardial infarction 2010/2011: current status in 37 ESC countries

Aims Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is the preferred reperfusion therapy in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We conducted this study to evaluate the contemporary status on the use and type of reperfusion therapy in patients admitted with STEMI in the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) member countries. Methods and results A cross-sectional descriptive study based on aggregated country-level data on the use of reperfusion therapy in patients admitted with STEMI during 2010 or 2011. Thirty-seven ESC countries were able to provide data from existing national or regional registries. In countries where no such registries exist, data were based on best expert estimates. Data were collected on the use of STEMI reperfusion treatment and mortality, the numbers of cardiologists, and the availability of PPCI facilities in each country. Our survey provides a brief data summary of the degree of variation in reperfusion therapy across Europe. The number of PPCI procedures varied between countries, ranging from 23 to 884 per million inhabitants. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention and thrombolysis were the dominant reperfusion strategy in 33 and 4 countries, respectively. The mean population served by a single PPCI centre with a 24-h service 7 days a week ranged from 31 300 inhabitants per centre to 6 533 000 inhabitants per centre. Twenty-seven of the total 37 countries participated in a former survey from 2007, and major increases in PPCI utilization were observed in 13 of these countries. Conclusion Large variations in reperfusion treatment are still present across Europe. Countries in Eastern and Southern Europe reported that a substantial number of STEMI patients are not receiving any reperfusion therapy. Implementation of the best reperfusion therapy as recommended in the guidelines should be encourage

Structural Basis for Self-Renewal of Neural Progenitors in Cortical Neurogenesis

In mammalian brain development, neuroepithelial cells act as progenitors that produce self-renewing and differentiating cells. Recent technical advances in live imaging and gene manipulation now enable us to investigate how neural progenitors generate the 2 different types of cells with unprecedented accuracy and resolution, shedding new light on the roles of epithelial structure in cell fate decisions and also on the plasticity of neurogenesis

NF-κB/Rel-Mediated Regulation of the Neural Fate in Drosophila

Two distinct roles are described for Dorsal, Dif and Relish, the three NF-κB/Rel proteins of Drosophila, in the development of the peripheral nervous system. First, these factors regulate transcription of scute during the singling out of sensory organ precursors from clusters of cells expressing the proneural genes achaete and scute. This effect is possibly mediated through binding sites for NF-κB/Rel proteins in a regulatory module of the scute gene required for maintenance of scute expression in precursors as well as repression in cells surrounding precursors. Second, genetic evidence suggests that the receptor Toll-8, Relish, Dif and Dorsal, and the caspase Dredd pathway are active over the entire imaginal disc epithelium, but Toll-8 expression is excluded from sensory organ precursors. Relish promotes rapid turnover of transcripts of the target genes scute and asense through an indirect, post-transcriptional mechanism. We propose that this buffering of gene expression levels serves to keep the neuro-epithelium constantly poised for neurogenesis

The MYST-Containing Protein Chameau Is Required for Proper Sensory Organ Specification during Drosophila Thorax Morphogenesis

The adult thorax of Drosophila melanogaster is covered by a stereotyped pattern of mechanosensory bristles called macrochaetes. Here, we report that the MYST containing protein Chameau (Chm) contributes to the establishment of this pattern in the most dorsal part of the thorax. Chm mutant pupae present extra-dorsocentral (DC) and scutellar (SC) macrochaetes, but a normal number of the other macrochaetes. We provide evidences that chm restricts the singling out of sensory organ precursors from proneural clusters and genetically interacts with transcriptional regulators involved in the regulation of achaete and scute in the DC and SC proneural cluster. This function of chm likely relies on chromatin structure regulation since a protein with a mutation in the conserved catalytic site fails to rescue the formation of supernumerary DC and SC bristles in chm mutant flies. This is further supported by the finding that mutations in genes encoding chromatin modifiers and remodeling factors, including Polycomb group (PcG) and Trithorax group (TrxG) members, dominantly modulate the penetrance of chm extra bristle phenotype. These data support a critical role for chromatin structure modulation in the establishment of the stereotyped sensory bristle pattern in the fly thorax

On Robustness Computation and Optimization in BIOCHAM-4

Long version with appendicesInternational audienceBIOCHAM-4 is a tool for modeling, analyzing and synthesizing biochemical reaction networks with respect to some formal, yet possibly imprecise, specification of their behavior. We focus here on one new capability of this tool to optimize the robustness of a parametric model with respect to a specification of its dynamics in quantitative temporal logic. More precisely, we present two complementary notions of robustness: the statistical notion of model robustness to parameter perturbations, defined as its mean functionality, and a metric notion of formula satisfaction robustness, defined as the penetration depth in the validity domain of the temporal logic constraints. We show how the formula robustness can be used in BIOCHAM-4 with no extra cost as an objective function in the parameter optimization procedure, to actually improve the model robustness. We illustrate these unique features with a classical example of the hybrid systems community and provide some performance figures on a model of MAPK signalling with 37 parameters

Socio-economic inequalities in physical activity practice among Italian children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether socio-economic inequalities in the practice of physical activity existed among children and adolescents, using different indicators of socio-economic status (SES). Subjects and methods: Data were derived from the Italian National Health Interview Survey carried out in 2004–2005, which examined a large random sample of the Italian population using both an interviewer-administered and a self-compiled questionnaire. This study was based on a sample of 15,216 individuals aged 6–17 years. The practice of physical activity was measured on the basis of questions regarding frequency and intensity of activity during leisure time over the past 12 months. Parents’ educational and occupational level, as well as family’s availability of material resource, were used as indicators of SES. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the contribution of each SES indicator to the practice of physical activity, adjusting for potential confounding factors. The results of the regression models are expressed as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: About 64% of children and adolescents in the sample declared that they participated in moderate or vigorous physical activity at least once a week. After adjustment for gender, age, parental attitudes towards physical activity and geographical area, the practice of physical activity increased with higher parental educational and occupational level and greater availability of material resources. Children and adolescents whose parents held a middle or high educational title were 80% more likely to practice moderate or vigorous physical activity than subjects whose parents had a lower level of education (OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.40–2.33), while subjects with unemployed parents had an odds of practicing moderate or vigorous physical activity 0.43 times that of those children whose parents belonged to the top job occupation category (administrative/professionals). Socio-economic differences were about the same when the practice of vigorous physical activity only was considered instead of that of moderate or vigorous physical activity. Conclusion: Interventions that promote the practice of physical activity, and especially those aimed at the wider physical and social environment, are strongly needed to contrast socio-economic differences in physical activity among children and adolescents

Summer effects on body mass index (BMI) gain and growth patterns of American Indian children from kindergarten to first grade: a prospective study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent among American Indian children, especially those living on reservations. There is little scientific evidence about the effects of summer vacation on obesity development in children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of summer vacation between kindergarten and first grade on growth in height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) for a sample of American Indian children.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Children had their height and weight measured in four rounds of data collection (yielded three intervals: kindergarten, summer vacation, and first grade) as part of a school-based obesity prevention trial (Bright Start) in a Northern Plains Indian Reservation. Demographic variables were collected at baseline from parent surveys. Growth velocities (Z-score units/year) for BMI, weight, and height were estimated and compared for each interval using generalized linear mixed models.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The children were taller and heavier than median of same age counterparts. Height Z-scores were positively associated with increasing weight status category. The mean weight velocity during summer was significantly less than during the school year. More rapid growth velocity in height during summer than during school year was observed. Obese children gained less adjusted-BMI in the first grade after gaining more than their counterparts during the previous two intervals. No statistically significant interval effects were found for height and BMI velocities.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>There was no indication of a significant summer effect on children's BMI. Rather than seasonal or school-related patterns, the predominant pattern indicated by weight-Z and BMI-Z velocities might be related to age or maturation.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Bright Start: Obesity Prevention in American Indian Children Clinical Trial Govt ID# <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00123032">NCT00123032</a></p

Transcriptional Regulation by CHIP/LDB Complexes

It is increasingly clear that transcription factors play versatile roles in turning genes “on” or “off” depending on cellular context via the various transcription complexes they form. This poses a major challenge in unraveling combinatorial transcription complex codes. Here we use the powerful genetics of Drosophila combined with microarray and bioinformatics analyses to tackle this challenge. The nuclear adaptor CHIP/LDB is a major developmental regulator capable of forming tissue-specific transcription complexes with various types of transcription factors and cofactors, making it a valuable model to study the intricacies of gene regulation. To date only few CHIP/LDB complexes target genes have been identified, and possible tissue-dependent crosstalk between these complexes has not been rigorously explored. SSDP proteins protect CHIP/LDB complexes from proteasome dependent degradation and are rate-limiting cofactors for these complexes. By using mutations in SSDP, we identified 189 down-stream targets of CHIP/LDB and show that these genes are enriched for the binding sites of APTEROUS (AP) and PANNIER (PNR), two well studied transcription factors associated with CHIP/LDB complexes. We performed extensive genetic screens and identified target genes that genetically interact with components of CHIP/LDB complexes in directing the development of the wings (28 genes) and thoracic bristles (23 genes). Moreover, by in vivo RNAi silencing we uncovered novel roles for two of the target genes, xbp1 and Gs-alpha, in early development of these structures. Taken together, our results suggest that loss of SSDP disrupts the normal balance between the CHIP-AP and the CHIP-PNR transcription complexes, resulting in down-regulation of CHIP-AP target genes and the concomitant up-regulation of CHIP-PNR target genes. Understanding the combinatorial nature of transcription complexes as presented here is crucial to the study of transcription regulation of gene batteries required for development