Association of body composition, blood pressure, physical activity and fitness with cardiovascular and metabolic health in children

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has its origin early in life and is the number one cause of death worldwide. Obesity is a main predictor of the pathophysiological development of hypertension and cardiometabolic disease. Insufficient physical activity and fitness lead to overweight and obesity from childhood until adulthood. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulate in adults with micro- and macrovascular complications. Therefore, the association of cardiovascular risk factors such as childhood obesity, high blood pressure and physical inactivity with cardiometabolic health need to be investigated in a systems physiology approach. Aims:We aimed to investigate the association of obesity, high blood pressure, physical activity and fitness with micro- and macrovascular health in young children. Furthermore, we aimed to examine whether AGEs are related to cardiovascular risk factors early in life. Methods: First, we conducted a systematical review and meta-analysis in over 5000 children to investigate the association of body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and physical fitness with retinal vessel diameters. An electronic literature search was performed throughout the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid, Web of Science and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials. In a cross-sectional approach, over 1000 children (aged 7.2±0.4 years) were screened for BMI, blood pressure, retinal arteriolar (CRAE) and venular diameters (CRVE), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and subcutaneous AGEs. A shuttle run and a 20-m sprint test were performed to assess physical fitness parameters in children. Physical activity was reported by questionnaires. Based on data from the population-based German KiGGS Study and according to the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, blood pressure was categorised in children with normal, high-normal blood pressure and hypertension. Results: Our results showed that CRAE and PWV were associated with obesity and high blood pressure. Low physical fitness and physical inactivity (screen time) in childhood were determinants for unfavourable micro- and macrovascular health, but not independent of BMI and blood pressure. Moreover, physical fitness and screen time were independently associated with a higher accumulation of subcutaneous AGEs. Conclusions: Our study showed that obesity and high blood pressure are associated with vascular alterations already in young children. We found a beneficial association of physical fitness with vascular health and AGEs. Future primary prevention programs will have to address the improvement of physical activity and fitness to promote cardiometabolic health in children. Cardiovascular risk stratification using different vascular screening tools may be important to help recognize subclinical changes in children at risk. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to clarify whether early cardiovascular changes are predictive for the development of cardiometabolic disease later in life

Generation of the transport service offer with application to timetable planning considering constraints due to maintenance work

Line planning is an important step in strategic timetable planning in public transport. In this step the transport offer for the customer is generated by the public transport operator, whereby the resulting costs for the operator should be as deep as possible. Mathematical models for line planning allow to create optimized line plans quickly. Planners can use these models to rate and select different alternatives. This is particularly valuable under the aspect of increasing maintenance and construction tasks of the railway infrastructure. We show, that in this case, it is possible to create functional requirements for automated timetable creation from the result of line planning step. The practical use of the involved models is illustrated by a real application example

Biodiversität und soziale Vielfalt im Siedlungsraum gemeinsam fördern : mit einem partizipativen Prozess zu mehr Miteinander und Naturverständnis

Siedlungsräume, die nach ökologischen Grundsätzen aufgewertet werden, gibt es heute viele. Dass dabei aber gleichzeitig gezielt ein sozialer Prozess angestossen wird, um das Verständnis für Biodiversität sowie die nachbarschaftliche Nutzung und Aneignung von Wohnaussenräumen zu fördern, ist immer noch eher selten. Das Projekt «Aufwertungen im Wohnaussenraum der Siedlung Hirzenbach der Bau- und Holzarbeitergenossenschaft (BAHOGE)» der Forschungsgruppe Grün und Gesundheit zeigt die Umsetzung eines solchen Unterfangens zwischen 2020 und 2022 in einem offenen, partizipativen Prozess mit der Bewohnerschaft

Automatisierte Linienplanung im öffentlichen Verkehr

Automatisierung und Digitalisierung sollen in der Bahnproduktion Kosten senken und die Kapazität der Infrastruktur erhöhen. Dazu müssen alle Planungsschritte in einem einheitlichen System abgebildet werden. Davon profitieren die Bahnkunden durch ein attraktiveres Angebot, höhere Pünktlichkeit und mehr Sicherheit. Die ZHAW beteiligt sich an dieser Entwicklung in Forschung und Lehre. Unter anderem wurde für den Schritt der Linienplanung eine Methode entworfen, die es erlaubt in kurzer Zeit kostenoptimale und kundenfreundliche Linienpläne zu erstellen

Der Atlas von Niederösterreich

No abstract available

Using standardized patients for undergraduate clinical skills training in an introductory course to psychiatry

Background The goal of this study was to assess the value and acceptance of Standardized or Simulated Patients (SPs) for training clinically inexperienced undergraduate medical students in psychiatric history taking, psychopathological assessment, and communication with psychiatric patients. Methods As part of a newly developed introductory course to psychiatry, pairs of 3rd year medical students conducted psychiatric assessments of SPs, including history and psychopathological state, under the supervision of a clinical lecturer. Prior to the assessment, students attended introductory lectures to communication in psychiatry and psychopathology but were clinically inexperienced. After the interview, the students’ summary of their findings was discussed with other students and the lecturer. Students, lecturers, and actors were invited to a survey after the course. Questions for the students included self-reports about perceived learning success and authenticity of the interviews. Results 41 students, 6 actors and 8 lecturers completed the survey (response rates of 48%, 50%, and 100%, respectively). The survey results indicated that, despite their lack of clinical experience, students learned how to conduct a psychiatric interview, communicate in a non-judgmental and empathetic manner, take a psychiatric history and perform a psychopathological examination. SPs were perceived as authentic. The survey results suggested that this setting allowed for an enjoyable, non-distressful and motivating learning experience within a restricted time frame of just two afternoons. Conclusion The results indicated that the SP approach presented is useful for teaching clinical skills in psychiatry to students with limited previous clinical experience and knowledge of psychiatry. We argue that SPs can be used to teach practical psychiatric skills already during an early phase of the curriculum. Limitations of our study include a limited sample size, a temporal gap between the course and the survey, reliance on self-reports, and lack of comparison to alternative interventions

Nachbarschaft leben, Biodiversität fördern

Mit einem partizipativen Prozess gemeinsam den Wohnaussenraum gestalten, dabei zu mehr Miteinander, gegenseitiger Unterstützung und Naturverständnis gelangen - das ist das Ziel eines Projektes der Forschungsgruppe Grün und Gesundheit der ZHAW in der Schweiz

Exercise and Arterial Modulation in Children: The EXAMIN YOUTH Study

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains to be one of the most frequent causes of death worldwide. Cardiovascular (CV) risk factors such as hypertension and obesity often manifest in childhood. The study examines the associations of blood pressure, body mass index and physical activity with cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and psychosocial health of children in a systems physiology approach.Methods/Design: This cross-sectional study will be performed in a cohort of 6 to 8 year old school children (n = 1000). As a measure of vascular health, retinal microvascular diameters and large artery pulse wave velocity will be examined. Anthropometric parameters, such as weight, height, body mass index, and blood pressure will be assessed according to standardized protocols for children. Physical fitness and activity will be measured by a 20 m shuttle run, a 20 m sprint and a proxy-reported questionnaire on lifestyle behavior. Spirometry, assessment of heart rate variability and skin advanced glycation end products as well as a flanker test will be performed to determine systemic end organ alterations.Discussion: The study offers a unique integrative primary prevention concept that aims to set the grounds for a healthy and active lifestyle approach during childhood. It will help optimize CV risk stratification to identify children at risk of disease progression later in life. The study will demonstrate the importance of specific CV screening programs in children to reduce the growing burden of CV disease in adulthood. Prospective follow-up studies will have to prove the efficacy of primary prevention programs in children to achieve healthier aging as a long-term goal