Different types of screen-based sedentary time and anxiety in adolescents:Video games may be more important

AIM: Evidence demonstrates the negative impact of excessive screen-based sedentary time (screen-based sedentary behavior; SSB) on mental health in adolescents. However, little is known regarding the associations between different types of SSBs and anxiety symptoms in adolescents. Thus, this study sought to explore the associations between different types of SSBs and anxiety symptoms in a sample of Chinese adolescents. METHODS: A web-based questionnaire survey was used to collect data. In total, 1,998 study participants conveniently recruited in Guangdong Province completed the questionnaire. Of them, 1,331 study participants provided valid data for variables of interest. SSB was categorized into television/movie time, video game time, and internet-surfing time. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, a validated assessment in Chinese youth populations. Generalized linear models were used to explore the associations between different types of SSBs and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: In adolescents, video game time of 6 or more h was positively and significantly associated with anxiety symptoms (odds ratio = 5.25, 95% CI: 1.86–14.84, p < 0.01). This association was also observed specifically in boys (odds ratio = 5.12, 95% CI: 1.56–17.44, p < 0.05); however, in girls, there were no associations between different types of SSBs and anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSION: Interventions aiming at reducing video games in adolescents, especially in boys, should be designed to prevent anxiety symptoms. This kind of intervention should also take sex differences into consideration. Future studies are encouraged to confirm the veracity of the findings in this study

The Temporal and Spatial Evolution of Marathons in China from 2010 to 2018

The purpose of this study is to explore the spatial distribution pattern and influencing factors of the Chinese marathon. Geographic Information System (GIS) related spatial analysis tools were used to calculate the following: averaged nearest neighbor index, nuclear density analysis, and hot spot analysis amongst others. The spatial distribution evolution characteristics & influencing factors of 18 Chinese marathon events in year 2010, 129 in year 2015 and 342 in year 2018 were analyzed. The results show that: (a) In year 2010 Nearest neighbor ratio was 1.164714, Moran’s I was −0.010165 (type: Random), year 2015 was 0.502146, Moran’s I was 0.066267 (type: Clustered), and year 2018 was 0.531149, Moran’s I was 0.083485 (type: Clustered) ; (b) In year 2010 there was a 333.6 km search radius, The core circle of the Yangtze River Delta was adopted. In 2015 and 2018, the search radius of 556 km was adopted, which was respectively obtained from the core circle of the Yangtze River Delta, the core circle of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and the core circle of East China; (c) According to the Z value data, East China and North China in 2015 passed 95% of the confidence in 5 provinces and municipal hot spots, passed 90% of the confidence in 3 hot spots, and passed 95% of the confidence in Chongqing Cold Point. In 2018, East China, North China, Central Region and other eight provinces and cities hot spots passed 95% of the confidence, 4 hot spots passed 90% of the confidence, Tibet Autonomous Region cold spot passed 90% of the confidence. Conclusion: The overall distribution of marathon events is greater in the eastern region than the western region, greater in the southern region than the northern region, and greater in coastal regions than the inland regions; the nuclear density distribution has spread from the Yangtze River Delta mononuclear circle in 2010 to the core circle of the entire East China region. Moreover, it spread to North China, Central China, and South China; the distribution of hot spots spread from Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang to the entire North China and East China regions. During the past 38 years of development of the Chinese marathon, it has been divided into three stages due to different political, economic and social environments

The natural environmental factors influencing the spatial distribution of marathon event: A case study from China

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of natural environmental factors on the spatial distribution of marathon events in China, and to identify the suitable natural environmental factors for the marathon events. Methods: Geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis tools were used to perform coupling analysis, e.g. overlap, neighborhood, intersection and buffer for terrain, climate, air quality, mountains and water resources with 342 marathon events held in China in 2018. Results: The results indicate that the spatial distribution of marathon events in China is negatively correlated with the elevation of the terrain (plain \u3e hill \u3e plateau \u3e mountain \u3e basin); climate (subtropical monsoon climate \u3e temperate monsoon climate \u3e temperate continental climate \u3e tropical monsoon climate \u3e plateau alpine climate), air quality (level 3 \u3e level 2 \u3e level 4 \u3e level 1). Results indicate that buffer zones can protect water resources: there are 24 items in the buffer zone of river 0.5 km and lake 1 km, 131 items in the buffer zone of river 3 km and lake 5 km, 191 items in the buffer zone of river 5 km and lake 10 km, 298 items in the buffer zone of river 10 km and lake 20 km. Results indicate for mountain range buffer: 13 items in the 20 km buffer and 39 items in the 50 km buffer. Conclusions: Marathon events are more likely to be held on the third rung of China’s topography where a city has a typical landform (plains, basins, hills, or mountain) with good climate and air quality. Meanwhile a city with water and mountain resources for recreational events such as cross-country or obstacle course are essential. The contribution of this study is to systematically and intuitively reflect the influence of natural environment factors on the distribution of marathon events in China, and to provide evidence for the medium and long-term planning of marathon events in China, the selection of venues for different types of marathon events and how to attract participants

Runners with better cardiorespiratory fitness had higher prefrontal cortex activity during both single and exercise-executive function dual tasks: an fNIRS study

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between executive function and prefrontal cortex oxygenation during exercise in young adults with different Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels.Methods: A total of 28 amateur runners (n = 14) and sedentary college students (n = 14) were recruited. The maximum oxygen uptake estimated for the sub-maximal intensity run (4.97 miles/h) was used to indicate the different CRF levels. After 1 week, participants must complete the Stroop and 2-Back tasks in silence while performing moderate-intensity exercise. Using 19-channel functional near-infrared spectroscopic (fNIRS) to examine changes in prefrontal cortex oxyhemoglobin.Results: There was no significant difference in the correctness of the Stroop and 2-Back tasks between the two groups during exercise, but the amateur runner group showed an acceleration in reaction time. fNIRS results showed that during the exercise 2-Back task, the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex oxyhemoglobin was higher in the amateur runner group than in the sedentary group.Conclusion: Executive function during exercise was similarly improved in participants with better fitness, suggesting that CRF provides an excellent metabolic reserve and directed allocation for cognitive tasks during exercise

The Natural Environmental Factors Influencing the Spatial Distribution of Marathon Events：A Case Study from China

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of natural environmental factors on the spatial distribution of marathon events in China, and to identify the suitable natural environmental factors for the marathon events. Methods: Geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis tools were used to perform coupling analysis, e.g. overlap, neighborhood, intersection and buffer for terrain, climate, air quality, mountains and water resources with 342 marathon events held in China in 2018. Results: The results indicate that the spatial distribution of marathon events in China is negatively correlated with the elevation of the terrain (plain > hill > plateau > mountain > basin); climate (subtropical monsoon climate > temperate monsoon climate > temperate continental climate > tropical monsoon climate > plateau alpine climate), air quality (level 3 > level 2 > level 4 > level 1). Results indicate that buffer zones can protect water resources: there are 24 items in the buffer zone of river 0.5 km and lake 1 km, 131 items in the buffer zone of river 3 km and lake 5 km, 191 items in the buffer zone of river 5 km and lake 10 km, 298 items in the buffer zone of river 10 km and lake 20 km. Results indicate for mountain range buffer: 13 items in the 20 km buffer and 39 items in the 50 km buffer. Conclusions: Marathon events are more likely to be held on the third rung of China’s topography where a city has a typical landform (plains, basins, hills, or mountain) with good climate and air quality. Meanwhile a city with water and mountain resources for recreational events such as cross-country or obstacle course are essential. The contribution of this study is to systematically and intuitively reflect the influence of natural environment factors on the distribution of marathon events in China, and to provide evidence for the medium and long-term planning of marathon events in China, the selection of venues for different types of marathon events and how to attract participants

Effects of single session transcranial direct current stimulation on aerobic performance and one arm pull-down explosive force of professional rock climbers

Objective: To explore the effects of single-session transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on aerobic performance and explosive force in the one-arm pull-down of long-term trained rock climbers.Method: Twenty athletes (twelve male and eight female) from the Rock Climbing Team of Hunan province (Hunan, China) were selected for a randomized double-blind crossover study. After baseline tests, All subjects visited laboratories twice to randomly receive either sham or a-tDCS at a current intensity of 2 mA for 20 min. The two visits were more than 72 h apart. Immediately after each stimulation, subjects completed a 9-min 3-level-load aerobic test and a one-arm pull-down test.Results: Differences in the heart rate immediately after 9-min incremental aerobic exercises revealed no statistical significance between each group (p &gt; 0.05). However, the decrease in heart rate per unit time after exercise after real stimulation was significantly better than before stimulation (p &lt; 0.05), and no statistical significance was observed between after sham stimulation and before stimulation (p &gt; 0.05). One-arm pull-down explosive force on both sides after real stimulation was improved by a-tDCS compared with before stimulation, but with no significant difference (p &gt; 0.05). Real stimulation was significantly improved, compared with sham stimulation on the right side (p &lt; 0.05).Conclusion: Single-session tDCS could potentially benefit sports performance in professional athletes

Association of brain morphology and phenotypic profile in patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysm

IntroductionStudies have found a varying degree of cognitive, psychosocial, and functional impairments in patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs), whereas the neural correlates underlying these impairments remain unknown.MethodsTo examine the brain morphological alterations and white matter lesions in patients with UIA, we performed a range of structural analyses to examine the brain morphological alterations in patients with UIA compared with healthy controls (HCs). Twenty-one patients with UIA and 23 HCs were prospectively enrolled into this study. Study assessment consisted of a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan with high-resolution T1-weighted and T2-weighted imaging data, a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and laboratory tests including blood inflammatory markers and serum lipids. Brain MRI data were processed for cortical thickness, local gyrification index (LGI), volume and shape of subcortical nuclei, and white matter lesions.ResultsCompared to the HCs, patients with UIA showed no significant differences in cortical thickness but decreased LGI values in the right posterior cingulate cortex, retrosplenial cortex, cuneus, and lingual gyrus. In addition, decreased LGI values correlated with decreased MoCA score (r = 0.498, p = 0.021) and increased white matter lesion scores (r = −0.497, p = 0.022). The LGI values were correlated with laboratory values such as inflammatory markers and serum lipids. Patients with UIA also showed significant regional atrophy in bilateral thalami as compared to the HCs. Moreover, the LGI values were significantly correlated with thalamic volume in the HCs (r = 0.4728, p = 0.0227) but not in the patients with UIA (r = 0.11, p = 0.6350).DiscussionThe decreased cortical gyrification, increased white matter lesions, and regional thalamic atrophy in patients with UIA might be potential neural correlates of cognitive changes in UIA

The Effect of Virtual Reality Games on the Gross Motor Skills of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

This review aimed to systematically evaluate the rehabilitatitive effect of Virtual Reality Games (VRGs) for gross motor skills of children with cerebral palsy (CP), and to give scientific grounds for the formulation of rehabilitation therapy for these children. To this end, the literature in Chinese databases (CNKI and Wanfang Data) as well as the databases of other countries (Web of Science, PubMed, EBSCOhost, Informit, Scopus, Science Direct and ProQuest) from the establishment dates of these databases to June 3rd 2019 was retrieved in order to collect randomized controlled trials with regard to the intervention effect of VRGs and traditional therapy on gross motor skills of children with CP, and the literature was screened as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. The PEDro scale was then used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included literature, and the software Review Manager 5.3 was employed to analyze the combined effect size. As a result, 7 randomized controlled trials and 234 children with CP were included. Meta-analysis showed that VRGs could improve gross motor skills of children with CP. Combined effect size of gross motor skills SMD = 0.37 [95% CI = (0.06, 0.68), p = 0.02)]. In conclusion, the VRG intervention program can enhance gross motor skills of children with CP to some extent. In view of the limitations regarding methodologies and the quality and quantity of the literature in this research, more quality randomized controlled trials are needed so as to draw convincing conclusions of effect of VRG intervention on gross motor skill development of children with CP in future studies

The Rehabilitative Effects of Virtual Reality Games on Balance Performance among Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

This research aims to evaluate the effect of virtual reality (VR) games on balance recovery of children with cerebral palsy (CP) by quantitatively synthesizing the existing literature, and to further determine the impact of VR game intervention (the duration of each intervention, intervention frequency, intervention cycle, and total intervention time) on the balance recovery of children with CP. To this end, relevant literature up until 3 August 2019 was retrieved from Chinese databases (CNKI and Wanfang Data) and the databases in other languages (Web of Science, Pubmed, EBSCOhost, Informit, Scopus, Science Direct, and ProQuest), and bias analysis was conducted with the PEDro scale in this research. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected and underwent meta-analysis, and combined effect size was calculated with a random effects model. The results showed that VR games may improve the balance of children with CP (Hedge&rsquo;s g = 0.29; 95% CI 0.10&ndash;0.48), and no significant influence of the intervention on balance of children with CP was shown in the subgroup analysis. In conclusion, VR games played a positive role in the improvement of balance of children with CP, but these results should be viewed with caution owing to current methodological defects (difference in measurement, heterogeneity of control groups, intervention combined with other treatments, etc.)