Physical Activity and Social Network Use of Adolescents in Overweight and Obesity Treatment

Tackling obesity among adolescents requires the optimization of existing obesity treatment strategies. For this purpose, social and personal circumstances, individual needs and behavior of therapy participants need to be analyzed to tailor aims, content and methods of therapy interventions to the target groups. A total of 432 obesity therapy participants between 11 and 17 years completed a written survey in a national multi-center study conducted in 2015. The data collection on behavior, in terms of physical activity, media use and sociodemographic variables, was based on questionnaires from the KiGGS, HBSC and JIM studies. The results show that participants were found to be physically active together with friends (75.5%), alone (41.4%) and in sports clubs (34.9%). Girls (OR 1.55) were less likely to participate in sports clubs. Social networks, especially YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, were widely used. However, differences emerged among sociodemographic groups (e.g., boys vs. girls) regarding the use of social network features. A third of participants reported that smartphone apps regularly encouraged them to exercise. The findings imply that obesity therapy approaches need to be adapted and more differentiated according to the specific needs of the target groups

Two-Stage Differential Hydrocarbon Enrichment Mode of Maokou Formation in Southeastern Sichuan Basin, Southwestern China

AbstractSichuan Basin is one of the most potential areas for natural gas exploration and development in China. The Maokou Formation in the basin is one of the important gas-bearing layers in southeastern Sichuan. In recent years, several exploration wells have obtained industrial gas flow in the first member of the Middle Permian Maokou Formation (hereinafter referred to as the Permian Mao-1 member of Maokou Formation), revealing that it may become a new field of oil and gas exploration in Sichuan Basin. Drilling and field survey results show that the shale of Maokou Formation in southeastern Sichuan contains eyeball-shaped limestone. Early studies suggest that the Permian Mao-1 member of Maokou Formation in Sichuan Basin is a set of high-quality carbonate source rocks, but ignoring its oil and gas exploration potential as an unconventional shale reservoir similar to the shale. The enrichment regularity of unconventional natural gas has not been studied from the perspective of source-internal accumulation. And there is a lack of analysis of oil and gas enrichment mode. In this study, we took the Permian Mao-1 member of Maokou Formation in southeastern Sichuan as the target layer. Through macroscopic outcrop observation and geochemical analysis and based on unconventional oil and gas enrichment theory, we carried out a study on natural gas enrichment mode of eyeball-shaped limestone of the Permian Mao-1 member of Maokou Formation in Sichuan Basin. The results show that the hydrocarbon enrichment pattern of the Maokou Formation in southeastern Sichuan is different from the accumulation and occurrence process of common unconventional shale gas reservoirs and conventional carbonate reservoirs. It is a special new hydrocarbon accumulation mode between the above two. According to the difference in the charging time of the hydrocarbon, the background of the reservoiring dynamics, and the occurrence state of oil and gas, we divide the two-stage differential enrichment mode of oil and gas, that is, “early intralayer near-source enrichment” and “late interlayer pressure relief adjustment.

Ocular Reactivation of MCMV after Immunosuppression of Latently Infected BALB/c Mice

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to identify the site(s) of MCMV latency and reactivation in the eye. METHODS. Three months after supraciliary inoculation of 5 ϫ 10 2 PFU of MCMV, BALB/c mice underwent immunosuppression with methylprednisolone and antibodies specific for CD4 T cells, CD8 T cells, and NK cells or with methylprednisolone alone. Control mice were infected but did not receive the immunosuppressants. After 2 or 3 weeks of immunosuppression, the mice were killed. Replicating virus and viral antigen were detected in the injected eyes, peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs), and extraocular tissues by plaque assay and by staining for early antigen (EA) and ␤-galactosidase (␤-gal), respectively. RESULTS. In latently infected, nonimmunosuppressed control mice, replicating-virus-and viral-antigen-positive cells were not detected in the injected eyes or extraocular tissues. After immunosuppression with methylprednisolone and antibodies, EA and ␤-gal were detected, and replicating virus was recovered from the injected eye and from several extraocular sites, including liver, lungs, salivary glands, and kidneys. No virus was recovered from PBLs. ␤-Gal-or EA-positive cells were observed in the RPE of most mice, and a few virus-infected cells were also observed in the nuclear layers and ganglion cells. Microscopic changes, including retinal folding and detachment, photoreceptor atrophy, macrophage infiltration, and a few EA-positive cytomegalic cells, were observed in the injected eye of immunosuppressed mice. CONCLUSIONS. After immunosuppression, MCMV reactivates in the injected eye and extraocular tissues, and RPE cells are the initial site of MCMV ocular reactivation in the eye. The timing of virus recovery from all sites suggests that MCMV observed in the injected eye is from in situ reactivation of virus and not from spread of virus from extraocular sites via infected PBLs. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2005;46:252-258) DOI:10.1167/ iovs.04-0537 H uman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous herpesvirus that generally causes asymptomatic infection, but it may also cause pneumonitis, hepatitis, gastroenteritis, myocarditis, and retinitis. 1 Persons who are immunologically immature (neonates) or undergo immunosuppression (patients with AIDS or recipients of organ allografts) are at risk of contracting CMV-related diseases. The host specificity of HCMV has prevented development of HCMV-infected animals as models to study the pathogenic processes whereby HCMV infects human cells, replicates within them, enters latency, and reactivates. 2 Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) is a mouse-specific CMV that causes pneumonitis, hepatitis, and retinitis in immunosuppressed mice. 1-4 Like HCMV, MCMV becomes latent after acute infection of immunocompetent mice. 2, 5-10 Because of similarities between HCMV and MCMV, MCMV-infected mice have been used to study the pathogenesis of cytomegalovirus infection and reactivation. The eye is among the organs susceptible to CMV infection. Before the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), CMV retinitis was the most common ocular opportunistic infection in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. In the pre-HAART era, although the percentage of patients with CMV retinitis varied depending on the study, up to 46% of patients with AIDS could be expected to have HCMV retinitis at some point during the course of the disease. 11-13 The eye is also a target of congenital or neonatal CMV infection because of an immature blood-retinal barrier. 12,14 A mouse model of acute MCMV retinitis that shares some features with HCMV retinitis has been used to study the pathogenesis of CMV retinitis in immunosuppressed mice. 3,4 Studies of latent and reactivated MCMV infection, in which viral DNA was detected in some inoculated eyes and extraocular tissues several months after clearance of infectious virus from the eye and from all extraocular sites, indicate that the virus becomes latent in the injected eye and in some extraocular sites (such as the salivary gland, kidney, spleen, liver, and lung) after initial ocular infection with MCMV. 16 -20 It has also been shown that immunosuppression induces reactivation of MCMV in the injected eye and in some extraocular sites, as detected by recovery of replicating virus 20 and the presence of mRNA for gH, a late protein. 6 However, the site(s) of latency and reactivation of MCMV in the eye of the mouse have not been defined. It is also not known whether virus detected in the eye of immunosuppressed mice results from virus reactivation in situ in the eye or whether virus detected in the eye results from the spread of replicating virus from nonocular sites. MATERIALS AND METHODS Virus and Cells Two strains of MCMV (RM461 and K181) were used in these experiments. These viruses were kindly provided by Edward S. Mocarski and Cheryl Stoddart (Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA). RM461 was derived by insertion of a modified Escherichia coli LacZ gene (under the control of the HCMV major immediate-early promoter/enhancer) into the wild-type MCMV K181 genome at the HindIII L/J site, just downstream of immediate-early gene 2 (ie2). RM461 expresses the E. coli lacZ gene product ␤-galactosidase (␤-gal) as an immediate-early viral gene product during the viral replication cycle

High psychological stress levels related to delivery can increase the occurrence of postpartum mental disorders

ObjectiveThe study sought to explore the relationship between high psychological stress levels related to delivery and postpartum mental disorders.MethodsA total of 284 parturients were included in the study from July 2021 to January 2022. The stress level at 1 month postpartum was assessed by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Parturients with an IES-R score ≤ 9 were included in the low psychological stress level group, and those with an IES-R score > 9 were included in the high psychological stress level group. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Union Physio-Psycho-Social Assessment Questionnaire (UPPSAQ-70), Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) were conducted at 42 ± 7 days postpartum to assess the mental health of parturients.The parturients’ mental health after birth was assessed by the EPDS, UPPSAQ-70, and SCL-90. Semi-structured diagnostic interviews were conducted at 42 ± 7 days postpartum by using the M.I.N.I.ResultsThe incidence rate of postpartum mental disorders was 20.42% (58/284), the incidence rates of postpartum depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder were 17.96% (51/284), 11.97% (34/284), 4.58% (13/284) and 1.41% (4/284), respectively, and the comorbidity rate was 58.62% (34/58). A history of mental disorders and pregnancy complications were risk factors for postpartum depression (p = 0.028, p = 0.040, respectively); a history of mental disorders, a lack of physical exercise, partner violence and pregnancy complications were risk factors for postpartum anxiety disorders (p = 0.003, p = 0.007, p = 0.031, p = 0.048, respectively); and the delivery of female infants was a risk factor for postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder (p = 0.022).The risk of postpartum depression, anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder was 9.125 times (95% CI = 3.900 ~ 21.349, p < 0.01), 7.310 times (95% CI = 2.588 ~ 20.649, p < 0.01) and 6.259 times (95% CI = 1.347 ~ 29.093, p < 0.01) higher in postpartum women with high psychological stress levels related to delivery than in those with low psychological stress levels, respectively.ConclusionThe incidence of postpartum mental disorders is high and has a positive correlation with the level of psychological stress. This may lead to a new perspective of the effect of psychological stress on postpartum mental disorders and attract more attention to other mental disorders in addition to postpartum depression

A blended face-to-face and eHealth lifestyle intervention on physical activity, diet, and health outcomes in Hong Kong community-dwelling older adults: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAging individuals are vulnerable to various Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs). Different behaviors are closely related to a decreased risk of suffering from NCDs: sufficient Physical Activity (PA) (e.g., at least 150 mins Moderate-to-vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) per week) and a healthy daily diet (e.g., at least five portions of Fruit and Vegetable Intake (FVI), 5–6 taels (189.0–226.8 g) Meat, Fish, Egg and Alternatives (MFEA)). Traditional face-to-face interventions were effective in behavior change. However, it was revealed to be resource-intensive and limited transfer due to poor self-regulation skills outside of face-to-face sessions. Thus, eHealth could be a supplement for older adults outside traditional face-to-face settings. The blended approach combining these two interventions might optimize the intervention effects on lifestyle behavior initiation and maintenance, but little research can be found among Hong Kong older adults. Therefore, the study aims to test a blended intervention to promote PA, diet, and health outcomes among Hong Kong community-dwelling older adults.MethodsThis study will adopt a 10-week three-arm randomized controlled trial. The blended group will receive weekly (1) two 60-min face-to-face sessions with one for PA and one for diet, and (2) two web-based sessions with one for PA and one for diet. The face-to-face group will receive the same intervention content as the face-to-face sessions in the blended group. The control condition will receive a biweekly telephone call. The outcomes will include MVPA (minutes/week), FVI (portions/day), MFEA consumption (taels/day), social-cognitive factors (self-efficacy, planning, social support, action control), physical health outcomes (clinical indicators, senior physical fitness), mental health outcomes (depression, loneliness) and health-related quality of life. Data collection will be implemented at the pre-test, post-test, and 3-month follow-up test.DiscussionThis is the first study evaluating a blended intervention promoting multiple health behaviors among Hong Kong community-dwelling older adults. If the effect of the blended intervention is superior to the traditional face-to-face group and the control group, it will enrich lifestyle intervention approaches and can be applied to older adults, helping them obtain health benefits. Furthermore, a better understanding of mechanisms will also have implications for theory-building.Clinical trial registrationhttps://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN32329348, ISRCTN32329348

Superconducting Zirconium Polyhydrides at Moderate Pressures.

Highly compressed hydrides have been at the forefront of the search for high-Tc superconductivity. The recent discovery of record-high Tc's in H3S and LaH10±x under high pressure fuels the enthusiasm for finding good superconductors in similar hydride groups. Guided by first-principles structure prediction, we successfully synthesized ZrH3 and Zr4H15 at modest pressures (30-50 GPa) in diamond anvil cells by two different reaction routes: ZrH2 + H2 at room temperature and Zr + H2 at ∼1500 K by laser heating. From the synchrotron X-ray diffraction patterns, ZrH3 is found to have a Pm3̅n structure corresponding to the familiar A15 structure, and Zr4H15 has an I4̅3d structure isostructural to Th4H15. Electrical resistance measurement and the dependence of Tc on the applied magnetic field of the sample showed the emergence of two superconducting transitions at 6.4 and 4.0 K at 40 GPa, which correspond to the two Tc's for ZrH3 and Zr4H15.This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2018YFA0305900), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51632002, 11674122, 51572108, and 11504127), Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (No. IRT_15R23), the 111 Project (No. B12011), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). C.J.P. acknowledges financial support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Grant EP/P022596/1) and a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit award

Polyhydride CeH9 with an atomic-like hydrogen clathrate structure.

Compression of hydrogen-rich hydrides has been proposed as an alternative way to attain the atomic metallic hydrogen state or high-temperature superconductors. However, it remains a challenge to get access to these states by synthesizing novel polyhydrides with unusually high hydrogen-to-metal ratios. Here we synthesize a series of cerium (Ce) polyhydrides by a direct reaction of Ce and H2 at high pressures. We discover that cerium polyhydride CeH9, formed above 100 GPa, presents a three-dimensional hydrogen network composed of clathrate H29 cages. The electron localization function together with band structure calculations elucidate the weak electron localization between H-H atoms and confirm its metallic character. By means of Ce atom doping, metallic hydrogen structure can be realized via the existence of CeH9. Particularly, Ce atoms play a positive role to stabilize the sublattice of hydrogen cages similar to the recently discovered near-room-temperature lanthanum hydride superconductors