Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Daily Eating Habits and Physical Activity on Anthropometric Parameters in Elementary School Children in Latvia : Pach Study

Funding Information: This paper describes the baseline characteristics of pupils enrolled in the Physical Activity and Children Overall Health (PACH) study and presents data related to this cross-sectional quantitative research design. The study involved 1788 8–10-year-old pupils from the second (n = 1119) and third class (n = 669) of which 53.5% (n = 957) were boys and 46.5% (n = 831) were girls who joined the Latvian Olympic Committee project “Sport for All Classes” (SFAC) in the school year 2019/2020. Project SFAC is supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia and ensures 5 vs 2 school-based PE lessons per week, promoting structured physical activities in schools. To participate in SFAC, school authorities (principals, form teachers, and physical education teachers) had to submit an official application with the list of pupils and corresponding signatures of their parents. Funding Information: Acknowledgments: The authors are grateful to Latvian Olympic Committee, Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia and University of Latvia for the financial support. Thankful to all schools for participation in the project SFAC and this research, furthermore for the support during researcher visits. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Growing incidence of obesity and related diseases in children poses new challenges and calls for a review of lifestyle habits. This study aimed to assess daily eating habits (EH) and physical activity (PA) levels and identify their association with obesity in 8–10-year-old children. Children’s EH and time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical intensity (MVPA) was estimated from questionnaires (N = 1788). Weight, height, and waist circumference (WC) were collected, and body mass index (BMI) calculated. Girls consumed more fruits and vegetables, drank more water, and ate smaller portions of carbohydrate and protein rich foods but spent less time in MVPA compared to boys (p < 0.05). Obese children skipped breakfast more often and consumed less fruits and vegetables. Children who chose to eat in front of the screen had higher WC (62.88 ± 8.70 vs 60.59 ± 7.40 cm, p < 0.001) and higher BMI, and chose smaller vegetable portions and more calorie dense snacks (p < 0.001). 15.4% of pupils covered weekly MVPA recommendations with structured PA on weekdays. Increasing MVPA was related to a smaller number of unhealthy EH (p < 0.001). In conclusion, EH and PA levels differ between sexes and obese children have unhealthier EH. Higher levels of MVPA are related to healthier food choices, while pupils having meals in front of the screen have unhealthier EH and anthropometric measures. The majority of pupils did not reach the WHO recommendations of MVPA through structured PA on weekdays. Association between factors (EH and time spent in PA) and BMI was not found in this study.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Frailty is associated with objectively assessed sedentary behaviour patterns in older adults: Evidence from the Toledo Study for Healthy Aging (TSHA)

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the association of sedentary behaviour patterns with frailty in older people. Setting: Clinical setting. Design: Cross-sectional, observational study. Participants and measurements: A triaxial accelerometer was used in a subsample from the Toledo Study for Healthy Aging (519 participants, 67–97 years) to assess several sedentary behaviour patterns including sedentary time per day, the number and duration (min) of breaks in sedentary time per day, and the proportion of the day spent in sedentary bouts of 10 minutes or more. Frailty was assessed using the Frailty Trait Scale (FTS). Regression analysis was used to ascertain the associations between sedentary behaviour patterns and frailty. Results: Sedentary time per day and the proportion of the day spent in sedentary bouts of 10 minutes or more, were positively associated with frailty in the study sample. Conversely, the time spent in breaks in sedentary time was negatively associated with frailty. Conclusion: In summary, breaking up sedentary time and time spent in sedentary behaviour are associated with frailty in older people

Erythropoietin Treatment Enhances Muscle Mitochondrial Capacity in Humans

Erythropoietin (Epo) treatment has been shown to induce mitochondrial biogenesis in cardiac muscle along with enhanced mitochondrial capacity in mice. We hypothesized that recombinant human Epo (rhEpo) treatment enhances skeletal muscle mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) capacity in humans. In six healthy volunteers rhEpo was administered by sub-cutaneous injection over 8 weeks with oral iron (100 mg) supplementation taken daily. Mitochondrial OXPHOS was quantified by high-resolution respirometry in saponin-permeabilized muscle fibers obtained from biopsies of the vastus lateralis before and after rhEpo treatment. OXPHOS was determined with the mitochondrial complex I substrates malate, glutamate, pyruvate, and complex II substrate succinate in the presence of saturating ADP concentrations, while maximal electron transport capacity (ETS) was assessed by addition of an uncoupler. rhEpo treatment increased OXPHOS (from 92 ± 5 to 113 ± 7 pmol·s−1·mg−1) and ETS (107 ± 4 to 143 ± 14 pmol·s−1·mg−1, p < 0.05), demonstrating that Epo treatment induces an upregulation of OXPHOS and ETS in human skeletal muscle

Greater basal skeletal muscle AMPKalpha phosphorylation in men than in women: associations with anaerobic performance

This study was designed to investigate the association of gender, fibre type composition, and anaerobic performance with the basal skeletal muscle signalling cascades regulating muscle phenotype

A comparative analisys of i*-based agent-oriented modeling languages

Agent-oriented models are frequently used in disciplines such as requirements engineering and organizational process modelling. i* is currently one of the most widespread notations used for this purpose. Due to its strategic nature, instead of a single definition, there exist several versions and variants, often not totally defined and even contradictory. In this paper we present a comparative study of the three most widespread i* variants: Eric Yu’s seminal proposal, the Goal-oriented Requirement Language (GRL) and the language used in the TROPOS method. Next, we propose a generic conceptual model to be used as reference framework of these three variants and we show its use for generating specific models for the three mentioned variants, as well as for other existing proposals.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author’s final draft

Androgen receptor gene polymorphism influence fat accumulation: a longitudinal study from adolescence to adult age.

To determine the influence of androgen receptor CAG and GGN repeat polymorphisms on fat mass and maximal fat oxidation (MFO), CAG and GGN repeat lengths were measured in 128 young boys, from which longitudinal data were obtained in 45 of them [mean?±?SD: 12.8?±?3.6 years old at recruitment, and 27.0?±?4.8 years old at adult age]. Subjects were grouped as CAG short (CAGS ) if harboring repeat lengths ?21, the rest as CAG long (CAGL ); and GGN short (GGNS ) if GGN repeat lengths ?23, or long if >?23 (GGNL ). CAGS and GGNS were associated with lower adiposity than CAGL or GGNL (P?<?0.05). There was an association between the logarithm of CAG repeats polymorphism and the changes of body mass (r?=?0.34, P?=?0.03). At adult age, CAGS men showed lower accumulation of total body and trunk fat mass, and lower resting metabolic rate (RMR) and MFO per kg of total lean mass compared with CAGL (P?<?0.05). GGNS men also showed lower percentage of body fat (P?<?0.05). In summary, androgen receptor CAG and GGN repeat polymorphisms are associated with RMR, MFO, fat mass, and its regional distribution in healthy male adolescents, influencing fat accumulation from adolescence to adult age

Bone Mass and the CAG and GGN Androgen Receptor Polymorphisms in Young Men

BACKGROUND: To determine whether androgen receptor (AR) CAG (polyglutamine) and GGN (polyglycine) polymorphisms influence bone mineral density (BMD), osteocalcin and free serum testosterone concentration in young men. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Whole body, lumbar spine and femoral bone mineral content (BMC) and BMD, Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA), AR repeat polymorphisms (PCR), osteocalcin and free testosterone (ELISA) were determined in 282 healthy men (28.6+/-7.6 years). Individuals were grouped as CAG short (CAG(S)) if harboring repeat lengths of < or = 21 or CAG long (CAG(L)) if CAG > 21, and GGN was considered short (GGN(S)) or long (GGN(L)) if GGN < or = 23 or > 23. There was an inverse association between logarithm of CAG and GGN length and Ward's Triangle BMC (r = -0.15 and -0.15, P<0.05, age and height adjusted). No associations between CAG or GGN repeat length and regional BMC or BMD were observed after adjusting for age. Whole body and regional BMC and BMD values were similar in men harboring CAG(S), CAG(L), GGN(S) or GGN(L) AR repeat polymorphisms. Men harboring the combination CAG(L)+GGN(L) had 6.3 and 4.4% higher lumbar spine BMC and BMD than men with the haplotype CAG(S)+GGN(S) (both P<0.05). Femoral neck BMD was 4.8% higher in the CAG(S)+GGN(S) compared with the CAG(L)+GGN(S) men (P<0.05). CAG(S), CAG(L), GGN(S), GGN(L) men had similar osteocalcin concentration as well as the four CAG-GGN haplotypes studied. CONCLUSION: AR polymorphisms have an influence on BMC and BMD in healthy adult humans, which cannot be explained through effects in osteoblastic activity

IBERTIC: una iniciativa de autoevaluación de proyectos de incorporación de tic

El artículo que nos ocupa presenta una iniciativa que busca facilitar la autoevaluación y el monitoreo de los proyectos de incorporación de tic en educación por parte de los propios responsables de su diseño (docentes, directores, supervisores). A tal fin, fue diseñado un sitio web en el cual se ponen a disposición los siguientes materiales: a) una selección de documentos y bibliografía vinculados a la evaluación de proyectos tic; b) guías y orientaciones metodológicas, y c) instrumentos para la autoevaluación de los proyectos tic (encuestas, pautas para entrevistas y pautas para grupos focales, entre otros). A su vez, el desarrollo contempla un diagnóstico que cada institución puede realizar inicialmente y recuperar con posterioridad para reflexionar acerca del grado de avance alcanzado

Health-Related Factors in Rural and Urban Mexican Adolescents from the State of Jalisco: The HELENA-MEX Study

Mexico shows a high prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents. Geographical location and cultural environment could play a role in the promotion of healthy lifestyles in terms of physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB) and nutrition. The purpose of this study was to assess rural and urban differences in body composition (BC), physical fitness (PF), PA and nutritional status of adolescents from the state of Jalisco (Mexico). The study involved 469 students aged 13–17 years (55.0% girls) from eight high schools. BC was analyzed by bioimpedance and PF by standardized field tests. Objective measurements of PA and SB were taken in a subsample (n = 240). Energy intake (EI) was calculated from two 24h recalls. Rural residents presented a higher prevalence of overweight, waist circumference, trunk fat mass, regional fat free mass and muscle handgrip strength (all p < 0.05, η2p < 0.06). Cardiorespiratory fitness was similar among participants, whereas urban adolescents showed higher muscle power, speed-agility and flexibility scores (all p < 0.05, η2p < 0.07). Overall lifestyle behavior in urban adolescents was more sedentary (p < 0.05, η2p = 0.11). EI was similar in both locations. In conclusion, rural Mexican adolescents presented a generally lower sedentary behavior and a lower fitness and fatness profile than their urban peers