Magic Polygons and Their Properties

Magic squares are arrangements of natural numbers into square arrays, where the sum of each row, each column, and both diagonals is the same. In this paper, the concept of a magic square with 3 rows and 3 columns is generalized to define magic polygons. Furthermore, this paper will examine the existence of magic polygons, along with several other properties inherent to magic polygons.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Examination of Acute Care Nurses Ability to Engage in Patient Education Related to Physical Activity as a Health Behavior

Physical activity is important for management and prevention of chronic disease. The current physical activity guidelines recommend engaging in physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day on at least 5 days a week. Acute care settings may present opportunities for patient education about physical activity. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of acute care nurses to engage in patient education regarding physical activity as a health behavior. Additionally, this study examined the influence of level of nurse training, age, personal physical activity and years of experience on these outcomes. METHODS: Nurses from an academic medical center (N=194) were surveyed. Knowledge of current physical activity guidelines, rank of importance of physical activity as a patient care activity and a healthy lifestyle behavior, and confidence to counsel patients about physical activity were queried. RESULTS: Of nurses queried, 32.5% reported days per week and 83% reported minutes per day to engage in physical activity consistent with current guidelines. Physical activity counseling was ranked least important of ten patient care activities and fifth as a healthy lifestyle behavior. The majority of nurses (51%) felt some degree of confidence to counsel patients regarding physical activity. Baccalaureate level nurses were more likely to be consistent with physical activity guidelines than master’s level nurses. Nurses <25 years of age were more current in knowledge of physical activity guidelines than nurses ≥41 years of age. Nurses who exercised were more likely to report knowing current physical activity guidelines. Reported time spent counseling patientsregarding physical activity averaged 6 minutes per patient per day. CONCLUSION: Acute care nurses are counseling patients regarding physical activity although it is ranked least important of ten patient care activities. Future research should include studying: a variety of patient populations; other hospital settings; objective measures of evaluation; and nurses’ training regarding physical activity

Magic Polygons and Their Properties

Magic squares are arrangements of natural numbers into square arrays, where the sum of each row, each column, and both diagonals is the same. In this paper, the concept of a magic square with 3 rows and 3 columns is generalized to define magic polygons. Furthermore, this paper will examine the existence of magic polygons, along with several other properties inherent to magic polygons

Association Between Weight Loss and Physical Activity On Change In Blood Pressure In Overweight Adults

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The Influence of Exercise Dose, Exercise Intensity, and Weight Loss and Change in C-Reactive Protein in Sedentary Overweight Women

Objective: To examine the effect physical activity included in a weight loss program has on high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in sedentary overweight women. Design, Setting, and Participants: This study examined the change in hs-CRP in overweight and obese women in response to a 6 month behavioral weight loss program. The parent study was a randomized trial involving 201 sedentary overweight women who participated in a weight control program, with data from 182 subjects available for this secondary analysis. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 exercise groups based on energy expenditure (1000kcal/week or 2000 kcal/week) and intensity (vigorous vs. moderate). Groups included: vigorous intensity/high dose; vigorous intensity/moderate dose; moderate intensity/moderate dose; and moderate intensity/high dose. Participants were prescribed an energy restricted diet consisting of 1200 kcal/day or 1500 kcal/day and daily dietary fat intake between 20%-30% of total energy intake. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between dose of exercise, moderate vs. high, (F=0.330, p=0.58) or level of intensity, moderate vs. vigorous (F=0.118, p=0.731) for change in hs-CRP. However, there was a significant decrease in hs-CRP from baseline to 6 months (F=25.553, p<0.0004); there was a significant 3 way interaction between energy expenditure, intensity, and Pre/Post differences (F=4.035, p=0.035), post hoc analysis revealed a significant decrease in hs-CRP in the moderate/high (p<0.0004) and vigorous/moderate groups (p=004). The results were unchanged after controlling for the change in body weight, body fatness, or body distribution. The change in hs-CRP was not significantly correlated with the change in body weight, percent body fat, waist circumference, or self-reported physical activity. hs-CRP at 6 months was correlated with 6 month measures of weight, BMI, percent body fat, and fat distribution (p<0.0004). Conclusions: hs-CRP was reduced in overweight and obese women in response to a 6 month weight loss intervention that included a prescribed reduction in energy intake and a prescribed increase in exercise with a significant reduction in the moderate intensity/high dose and vigorous intensity/moderate dose groups. Further research is needed to determine what effect exercise and or weight loss may have on markers of inflammation

Effect of weekly physical activity frequency on weight loss in healthy overweight and obese women attending a weight loss program: a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Background: The effect of intensity and duration of physical activity (PA) on weight loss has been well described. However, the effect of the frequency of weekly PA on weight loss is still unknown. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the frequency of weekly PA sessions while maintaining the same total activity time on weight loss during a 24-wk weight loss program. Design: Overweight and obese women [n = 75; body mass index(BMI; in kg/m2): 27–37; age: 18–40 y] who had a normally sedentary lifestyle were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 intervention groups: a high-frequency physical activity (HF) or a low-frequency physical activity (LF) group. The HF group included 50 min/d PA, 6 d/wk (300 min/wk). The LF group included 100 min/d PA, 3 d/wk (300 min/wk). Both groups were advised to follow the same dietary weight loss program. Results: Both groups showed a significant decrease in anthropometric measurements and significant improvements in cardiometabolic disease risk characteristics over the 24 wk of the study. Compared with the HF group, the LF group had a greater decrease in weight (mean 6 SD; LF: 9.58 6 3.77 kg; HF: 7.78 6 2.68 kg; P = 0.028), BMI (LF: 3.62 6 1.56; HF: 2.97 6 1.02; P = 0.029) and waist circumference (LF: 9.36 6 4.02 cm; HF: 7.86 6 2.41 cm; P = 0.031). However, there were no significant differences in carbohydrate metabolism characteristics or lipid profile after the 24 wk of intervention. Conclusion: Weekly PA undertaken over fewer sessions of longer duration during the week could be more effective for weight loss than when undertaken as more frequent shorter sessions in overweight and obese women on a weight loss program. This may be helpful for those who are neither willing nor able to schedule time for PA almost every day to achieve weight loss. This trial was registered at www.irct.ir as IRCT201402157754N4

Comparing Energy Expenditure During Land and Shallow Water Walking in Overweight and Obese Females

Introduction: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States has reached epidemic levels. Reduction in body weight is of great importance for overweight and obese individuals through the increase in physical activity. One particular mode of physical activity that is currently growing in popularity is shallow water walking, although little research has been done examining the energy cost of this activity in an overweight and obese population. Purpose: To compare the energy expenditure (kcal/min) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) of a bout shallow water walking at a self-selected pace to a bout of land walking at a matched heart rate response and to a bout of land walking at a self-selected pace in overweight and obese women. Methods: Nineteen participants completed three 10-minute experimental trials including a self-selected pace shallow water walking trial, a matched heart rate response land walking trial, and a self-selected pace land walking trial. Results: Significantly lower energy expenditure (p= 0.046) was observed for shallow water walking (6.46 ± 1.38 kcal/min) compared to the matched heart rate response land walking bout (7.26 ± 1.29 kcal/min), although no significant differences were detected for energy expenditure for shallow water walking and self-selected pace land walking (6.92 ± 1.61 kcal/min). No significant differences were detected for RPE across conditions (p=0.439). Exploratory analyses revealed correlations between measures of body composition (BMI and percent body fat) and the difference in energy expenditure between shallow water walking and matched heart rate response land walking. Conclusions: Findings from the current study suggest that although producing energy expenditure compared to heart rate matched land walking, shallow water walking is a viable alternative that can elicit and increase in energy expenditure performed at a moderate intensity, meeting ACSM criteria. Results of the exploratory analyses revealed an association between measures of body composition and differences in energy expenditure. Although only a limited number of participants of the present study had BMI’s above 35.0 kg/m2 (n=2), findings suggest that water exercise may be an alternative form of exercise and produce higher caloric expenditure at higher ranges of BMI and percent body fat