Development and Pilot Testing of Active Kids: A Park-Based Afterschool Physical Activity Program for Hispanic Youth

Purpose: Physical activity (PA) in children is associated with decreased obesity and risk for preventable diseases. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of a twice weekly, 15-week gamesbased afterschool PA intervention at a local park for Hispanic youth. Methods: Pedometers and heart rate (HR) monitors were used to assess PA duration and intensity. Pre- and posttest measures of body mass, waist circumference, skinfolds, cardiovascular fitness, and blood pressure were compared on 18 participants (11 girls, 7 boys, ages 8-11, 45% overweight) who attended the program at least 65% of the sessions. Results: The program provided a mean of 29 minutes of PA of moderate to vigorous intensity (HR > 130 beats/min) each session, averaging 2,043 - 3,370 steps per session. Participants displayed significantly improved cardiovascular fitness pretest to posttest. Over time, body mass index and body mass increased significantly; however, the proportion of overweight youth did not change. There were no significant changes in skinfold thickness, waist circumference, or blood pressure. Conclusion: A community PA intervention with a games-based curriculum meeting twice weekly has the potential to improve cardiovascular fitness, providing benefits of PA consistent with public health recommendations

The Relationship between Postural Control and Motor Proficiency in Children with Prader-Willi Syndrome and with Obesity

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a rare neurodevelopmental genetic disorder that can lead to obesity. Children with PWS exhibit poor motor skills and poor postural control. Postural control is defined as the ability to regulate sensory information to maintain a controlled, upright posture. Underdeveloped vestibular and proprioceptive systems, shown in PWS, may interfere with maintaining posture and performing fundamental skills that require effective sensorimotor integration. Obesity (OB) can also be negative to postural control and motor skill development. PURPOSE: This study determined the relationship between postural control and motor proficiency in children with PWS and those with OB but without PWS. METHODS: Participants were 18 children with PWS (male=10, female=8; 9.9 ± 1.1 years old) and 51 children with OB (male= 25, female= 26; 9.11 ± 1.13 years old). Postural control was determined through the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) and motor proficiency was determined using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Second Edition (BOT2). Three subtests from the BOT2 were used for the analysis (bilateral coordination, balance and running speed & agility) as it was speculated performance in these skills is related to postural control. Independent T-tests were used to compare postural control and motor proficiency between the groups. Pearson product correlations evaluated the associations between postural control and motor proficiency skills with a pRESULTS: Children with PWS showed lower postural control, bilateral coordination, static balance and running speed & agility than those with OB (p\u3c .001 for all). In children with PWS postural control was positively associated with bilateral coordination (r=.704), static balance (r=.665), and running speed and agility (r=.633). In those with OB postural control was associated only with running speed & agility (r=.305). CONCLUSION: In PWS postural control was positively associated with better performance in motor skills requiring static and or dynamic balance. In children with OB but without diagnosed neurodevelopmental issues only a weak association was shown. In PWS, targeting sensory motor integration skills affecting postural control may improve overall motor proficiency in this population

Physical Activity in Children with Prader-Willi Syndrome: A Parents’ Perspective

Background. Physical activity (PA) is vital for the management of weight among those with Prader Willi Syndrome (PWS). However, little is known about characteristics of PA in individuals with PWS. Objective/Hypothesis. To assess from the parent’s perspective, PA levels among individuals with PWS, their preferences for specific activities, and perceived benefits, barriers, and resources needed to participate in PA. Methods. Participants were 90 parents and caregivers of a child with PWS, predominantly in California. Survey questions included their child’s participation in different PAs, perceived benefits and barriers to enrolling their child in a PA program, and perceived needs to facilitate their child being physically active. Results. Walking was the predominant PA, representing 66% of the activity time across all age groups. Children 10-17 years old engaged in more moderate intensity PA per week than children 5-10 years old. Children 5-10 years old engaged in more vigorous PA than those 18+ years old. Parents reported that they would be encouraged to enroll their child in a PA program if it would improve their children’s motor skills and balance (78.2%) as well as stamina and strength (74.4%). Time commitment and travel were most common barriers. Less financial constraints (70.1%) and having more time (54.7%) were listed as needs. Conclusions. Similar to individuals without PWS, vigorous PA declines with age. It is recommended that caregivers and health care providers emphasize the role of vigorous and bone-strengthening PA as children with PWS approach adolescence

Bone mineral density and its relationship with ground reaction force characteristics during gait in young adults with Prader-Willi Syndrome

Introduction The incidence of osteopenia and osteoporosis is of concern in adults with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). Walking generates reaction forces that could stimulate bone mineralization and is popular in people with PWS. This study compared bone parameters and ground reaction forces (GRF) during gait between young adults with PWS and without PWS and explored associations between bone and GRFs during gait. Methods 10 adults with PWS, 10 controls with obesity (OB) and 10 with normal weight (NW) matched on sex participated. Segmental and full body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans provided femoral neck, spine, total body minus the head bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC). Vertical GRF, vertical impulse, posterior force and negative impulse were measured during 5 walking trials at a self-selected speed along a 10 m runway. Results Multivariate analyses of variance showed that adults with PWS (n = 7–8) had hip and body BMD and BMC comparable (p \u3e .050) to NW and lower (p \u3c .050) than OB. Adults with PWS showed slower speed than NW (p \u3c .050) but similar to OB (p \u3e .050). Adults with PWS presented lower absolute vertical GRF, vertical impulse and negative impulse than OB (p \u3c .050). Pearson r correlations (p \u3c .050) in those with PWS (n = 7–8) indicated that femoral neck BMC was associated with vertical GRF (r = 0.716), vertical impulse (r = 0.780), posterior force (r = −0.805), and negative impulse (r = −0.748). Spine BMC was associated with speed (r = 0.829) and body BMD was associated with speed (r = 0.893), and posterior force (r = −0.780). Conclusions Increased BMC in the femoral neck and body were associated with larger breaking forces during walking, a phenomenon normally observed at greater gait speeds. Faster walking speed was associated with greater BMC in the spine and body. Our preliminary results suggest that young adults with PWS could potentially benefit from faster walking for bone health; however, larger prospective studies are needed to confirm this

Contributing factors to postural stability in Prader-Willi syndrome

Background Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder affecting multiple functional parameters. This study examined postural stability and associated gait and neuromuscular factors in young adults with PWS. Methods Participants included 10 adults with PWS [7 M/3F; Body Fat % 40.61 ± 7.79]; ten normal weight (NW) adults [7 M/3F; Body Fat % 23.42 ± 7.0]; ten obese (OB) adults [7 M/3F; Body Fat % 42.40 ± 5.62]. Participants completed the Sensory Organization Test (SOT)®. Condition (C) specific and a composite equilibrium score (CES) were calculated (maximum = 100). Quadriceps strength was assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer. Three-dimensional gait analyses were completed along a 10 m walkway using a motion capture system and two force plates. A gait stability ratio (GSR) was computed from gait speed and step length (steps/m). Results The PWS group had lower scores for C1, C3, C4 and CES compared to the NW (p \u3c .039 for all) and lower scores for C4 and CES than the OB (p \u3c .019 for both) groups, respectively. In C5 (eyes closed, sway-referenced support) and C6 (sway-referenced vision and support), 33.3% of participants with PWS fell during the first trial in both conditions (X2 [2] 7.436, p = .024) and (X2 [2] 7.436, p = .024) but no participant in the other groups fell. Those with PWS showed higher GSR than participants with NW (p = .005) and those with obesity (p = .045). Conclusion Individuals with PWS had more difficulty maintaining standing balance when relying on information from the somatosensory (C3), visual-vestibular (C4) and vestibular systems (C5, C6). A more stable walk was related to shorter steps, slower velocity and reduced peak quadriceps torque. Participation in multisensory activities that require appropriate prioritization of sensory system(s) input for controlling balance in altered sensory environments should be routinely included. In addition, exercises targeting muscular force and power should be included as part of exercise programming in PWS

Relationship between Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Adipokines in Adolescents

This study evaluated the associations of adipokines with cardiovascular risk factors

The association between insulin resistance and cytokines in adolescents: the role of weight status and exercise

Increased adiposity is associated with insulin resistance (IR) and an inflammatory response in adults. We tested the hypotheses that cytokines associated with adiposity are also correlated with IR in early adolescents and that these relationships are moderated by weight status, levels of vigorous physical activity (VPA), or maximal aerobic power (pVO2max). Body mass, stature, and a fasting blood sample were obtained from 120 mid-pubertal adolescents (60 girls & 60 boys). Habitual VPA was obtained by a survey. Predicted VO2max was determined using a cycle-ergometer test. Weight status was based on body mass index percentiles (normal weight = BMI 95th %tile). Glucose, insulin, adiponectin, resistin, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 were measured, and IR index was based on the Homeostatic Model Assessment (HOMA). Adiponectin, resistin and TNF-α were associated with IR in all adolescents (R2=0.329, p0.050). Exercise did not moderate the association between these cytokines and IR. However, higher levels of VPA and/or pVO2max were associated with higher adiponectin, lower resistin and lower TNF- α in at least one of the genders. Our results indicate that the pathophysiology of obesity is already established in early adolescents. Increased adiposity, resulting in reduced adiponectin and increased resistin and TNF-α may link these cytokines with insulin resistance in adolescents

Optical design of the SOXS spectrograph for ESO NTT

An overview of the optical design for the SOXS spectrograph is presented. SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) is the new wideband, medium resolution (R>4500) spectrograph for the ESO 3.58m NTT telescope expected to start observations in 2021 at La Silla. The spectroscopic capabilities of SOXS are assured by two different arms. The UV-VIS (350-850 nm) arm is based on a novel concept that adopts the use of 4 ion-etched high efficiency transmission gratings. The NIR (800- 2000 nm) arm adopts the '4C' design (Collimator Correction of Camera Chromatism) successfully applied in X-Shooter. Other optical sub-systems are the imaging Acquisition Camera, the Calibration Unit and a pre-slit Common Path. We describe the optical design of the five sub-systems and report their performance in terms of spectral format, throughput and optical quality. This work is part of a series of contributions describing the SOXS design and properties as it is about to face the Final Design Review.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, published in SPIE Proceedings 1070

The Acquisition Camera System for SOXS at NTT

SOXS (Son of X-Shooter) will be the new medium resolution (R$\sim$4500 for a 1 arcsec slit), high-efficiency, wide band spectrograph for the ESO-NTT telescope on La Silla. It will be able to cover simultaneously optical and NIR bands (350-2000nm) using two different arms and a pre-slit Common Path feeding system. SOXS will provide an unique facility to follow up any kind of transient event with the best possible response time in addition to high efficiency and availability. Furthermore, a Calibration Unit and an Acquisition Camera System with all the necessary relay optics will be connected to the Common Path sub-system. The Acquisition Camera, working in optical regime, will be primarily focused on target acquisition and secondary guiding, but will also provide an imaging mode for scientific photometry. In this work we give an overview of the Acquisition Camera System for SOXS with all the different functionalities. The optical and mechanical design of the system are also presented together with the preliminary performances in terms of optical quality, throughput, magnitude limits and photometric properties.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, SPIE conferenc

Sodium/myo-Inositol Transporters: Substrate Transport Requirements and Regional Brain Expression in the TgCRND8 Mouse Model of Amyloid Pathology

Inositol stereoisomers, myo- and scyllo-inositol, are known to enter the brain and are significantly elevated following oral administration. Elevations in brain inositol levels occur across a concentration gradient as a result of active transport from the periphery. There are two sodium/myo-inositol transporters (SMIT1, SMIT2) that may be responsible for regulating brain inositol levels. The goals of this study were to determine the effects of aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like amyloid pathology on transporter expression, to compare regional expression and to analyze substrate requirements of the inositol transporters. QPCR was used to examine expression of the two transporters in the cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum of TgCRND8 mice, a mouse model of amyloid pathology, in comparison to non-transgenic littermates. In addition, we examined the structural features of inositol required for active transport, utilizing a cell-based competitive uptake assay. Disease pathology did not alter transporter expression in the cortex or hippocampus (p>0.005), with only minimal effects of aging observed in the cerebellum (SMIT1: F2,26 = 12.62; p = 0.0002; SMIT2: F2,26 = 8.71; p = 0.0015). Overall, brain SMIT1 levels were higher than SMIT2, however, regional differences were observed. For SMIT1, at 4 and 6 months cerebellar SMIT1 levels were significantly higher than cortical and hippocampal levels (p<0.05). For SMIT2, at all three ages both cortical and cerebellar SMIT2 levels were significantly higher than hippocampal levels (p<0.05) and at 4 and 6 months of age, cerebellar SMIT2 levels were also significantly higher than cortical levels (p<0.05). Inositol transporter levels are stably expressed as a function of age, and expression is unaltered with disease pathology in the TgCRND8 mouse. Given the fact that scyllo-inositol is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of AD, the stable expression of inositol transporters regardless of disease pathology is an important finding