The Efficacy of Affective Behavioral Strategies for Increasing Physical Activity: Implications for Harnessing the Dual-Mode Model

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. June 2017. Major: Kinesiology. Advisor: Beth Lewis. 1 computer file (PDF); vii, 150 pages.Approximately 20.8% of U.S. adults participate in the recommended levels of physical activity (PA) despite the health benefits. Researchers have begun to examine the importance of affect for adopting and maintaining PA. However, few studies have examined how strategies aimed at facilitating positive PA-related affect can influence PA adherence. The current prospective, randomized controlled intervention trial examined the efficacy of a 12-week affective intervention focused on enhancing PA-related affect relative to a behavioral comparison. Participants included healthy low-active adults (n = 40). PA, PA-related affect, and several psychosocial variables were assessed at baseline, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks. Participants in the affective intervention demonstrated increases in objectively measured PA at 12 weeks relative to the behavioral comparison after controlling for baseline ƒ(1,28)=14.764, p < .005. However, there were no between group differences on self-reported PA at 12 or 16 weeks. After controlling for baseline, participants in the affective intervention reported increases in positive Pre-PA affect ƒ(1,26)=5.485, p < .05, and reported marginal increases in affect during PA ƒ(1,26)=3.037, p = .094, relative to the behavioral comparison. Additionally, participants in the affective intervention reported marginal increases in PA enjoyment relative to the behavioral comparison at 16 weeks ƒ(1,32)=3.68, p = .064. These findings provide initial evidence that teaching low-active individuals strategies to increase positive PA-related affect before and during PA is efficacious for increasing PA. Future studies with larger samples, and real-time assessment strategies are needed to further understand the efficacy of PA-related affect interventions

Pre-performance routines among club volleyball players: the relationship between routines and Accuracy in serving

University of Minnesota M.S. thesis. May 2014. Major: Kinesiology. Advisor: Dr. Beth Lewis. 1 computer file (PDF); vi, 68 pages, appendices A-F.Pre-performance routines (PPR) have been shown to enhance athletes' abilities to concentrate on the skill at hand, control arousal levels, and improve performance. Current research on PPRs has examined a small variety of sports, most notably basketball and golf, in the context of closed skill execution. Furthermore, a majority of studies have examined PPRs at practice or scrimmage situations. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between PPRs and the closed skill of serving in volleyball during competition. Gender differences and the relationship between PPRs and competitive anxiety (CA) was also explored. Participants were recruited from two club volleyball organizations at an NCAA Division I university in the Midwestern United States. Video recording were taken of each participant's behaviors prior to completing a serve at regional intercollegiate tournaments to assess PPRs. Additionally, two versions of the Competitive State Anxiety Scale II- directional (CSAI-2(d)) were administered to evaluate the relationship between PPRs and CA. Results indicated that there was no effect of PPRs on serving accuracy. In regard to CA, there was no relationship between CA and PPR maintenance. Women demonstrated a higher maintenance of behavioral serve PPRs, though their serving percentage was not statistically different from the men. These findings indicate that the use of strict PPRs, though effective in some sports, may not have the same effectiveness across sports. Additional research is needed to assess the effectiveness of PPRs on closed skill accuracy for other sports

Genomic investigations of unexplained acute hepatitis in children

Since its first identification in Scotland, over 1,000 cases of unexplained paediatric hepatitis in children have been reported worldwide, including 278 cases in the UK1. Here we report an investigation of 38 cases, 66 age-matched immunocompetent controls and 21 immunocompromised comparator participants, using a combination of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and immunohistochemical methods. We detected high levels of adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) DNA in the liver, blood, plasma or stool from 27 of 28 cases. We found low levels of adenovirus (HAdV) and human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) in 23 of 31 and 16 of 23, respectively, of the cases tested. By contrast, AAV2 was infrequently detected and at low titre in the blood or the liver from control children with HAdV, even when profoundly immunosuppressed. AAV2, HAdV and HHV-6 phylogeny excluded the emergence of novel strains in cases. Histological analyses of explanted livers showed enrichment for T cells and B lineage cells. Proteomic comparison of liver tissue from cases and healthy controls identified increased expression of HLA class 2, immunoglobulin variable regions and complement proteins. HAdV and AAV2 proteins were not detected in the livers. Instead, we identified AAV2 DNA complexes reflecting both HAdV-mediated and HHV-6B-mediated replication. We hypothesize that high levels of abnormal AAV2 replication products aided by HAdV and, in severe cases, HHV-6B may have triggered immune-mediated hepatic disease in genetically and immunologically predisposed children

Comparison of Influenza and Coronavirus Disease 2019-Associated Hospitalizations Among Children Younger Than 18 Years Old in the United States: FluSurv-NET (October-April 2017-2021) and COVID-NET (October 2020-September 2021).

BACKGROUND: Influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 are significant causes of respiratory illness in children. METHODS: Influenza- and COVID-19-associated hospitalizations among children &lt;18 years old were analyzed from FluSurv-NET and COVID-NET, 2 population-based surveillance systems with similar catchment areas and methodology. The annual COVID-19-associated hospitalization rate per 100 000 during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (1 October 2020-30 September 2021) was compared with influenza-associated hospitalization rates during the 2017-2018 through 2019-2020 influenza seasons. In-hospital outcomes, including intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death, were compared. RESULTS: Among children &lt;18 years, the COVID-19-associated hospitalization rate (48.2) was higher than influenza-associated hospitalization rates: 2017-2018 (33.5), 2018-2019 (33.8), and 2019-2020 (41.7). The COVID-19-associated hospitalization rate was higher among adolescents 12-17 years old (COVID-19: 59.9; influenza range: 12.2-14.1), but similar or lower among children 5-11 (COVID-19: 25.0; influenza range: 24.3-31.7) and 0-4 (COVID-19: 66.8; influenza range: 70.9-91.5) years old. Among children &lt;18 years, a higher proportion with COVID-19 required ICU admission compared with influenza (26.4% vs 21.6%; P &lt; .01). Pediatric deaths were uncommon during both COVID-19- and influenza-associated hospitalizations (0.7% vs 0.5%; P = .28). CONCLUSIONS: In the setting of extensive mitigation measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual COVID-19-associated hospitalization rate during 2020-2021 was higher among adolescents and similar or lower among children &lt;12 years compared with influenza during the 3 seasons before the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 adds substantially to the existing burden of pediatric hospitalizations and severe outcomes caused by influenza and other respiratory viruses

Hospitalizations Associated with COVID-19 Among Children and Adolescents - COVID-NET, 14 States, March 1, 2020-August 14, 2021.

Although COVID-19-associated hospitalizations and deaths have occurred more frequently in adults,† COVID-19 can also lead to severe outcomes in children and adolescents (1,2). Schools are opening for in-person learning, and many prekindergarten children are returning to early care and education programs during a time when the number of COVID-19 cases caused by the highly transmissible B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is increasing.§ Therefore, it is important to monitor indicators of severe COVID-19 among children and adolescents. This analysis uses Coronavirus Disease 2019-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET)¶ data to describe COVID-19-associated hospitalizations among U.S. children and adolescents aged 0-17 years. During March 1, 2020-August 14, 2021, the cumulative incidence of COVID-19-associated hospitalizations was 49.7 per 100,000 children and adolescents. The weekly COVID-19-associated hospitalization rate per 100,000 children and adolescents during the week ending August 14, 2021 (1.4) was nearly five times the rate during the week ending June 26, 2021 (0.3); among children aged 0-4 years, the weekly hospitalization rate during the week ending August 14, 2021, was nearly 10 times that during the week ending June 26, 2021.** During June 20-July 31, 2021, the hospitalization rate among unvaccinated adolescents (aged 12-17 years) was 10.1 times higher than that among fully vaccinated adolescents. Among all hospitalized children and adolescents with COVID-19, the proportions with indicators of severe disease (such as intensive care unit [ICU] admission) after the Delta variant became predominant (June 20-July 31, 2021) were similar to those earlier in the pandemic (March 1, 2020-June 19, 2021). Implementation of preventive measures to reduce transmission and severe outcomes in children is critical, including vaccination of eligible persons, universal mask wearing in schools, recommended mask wearing by persons aged ≥2 years in other indoor public spaces and child care centers,†† and quarantining as recommended after exposure to persons with COVID-19.§§