Comparison of Exergaming and Adaptive Physical Education on Physical Activity, On-task Behavior, and Communication in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Cette étude a comparé une évaluation objective de l’activité physique (AP), des comportements sur la tâche et de la communication durant des sessions d’éducation physique adaptée (EPad) et de jeux vidéos actifs avec des enfants présentant des troubles autistiques (TA). Durant l’été 2016, cinq garçons diagnostiqués avec des TA aux États-Unis (tous africain-américain; M̅age=6.8±2.1 ans) ont participé à une étude observationnelle de trois semaines mobilisant des méthodes mixtes. Les observations ont été conduites durant une session d’EPad et une session de jeux vidéos actifs chaque semaine pendant trois semaines consécutives (c’est-à-dire au total trois sessions d’EPad et trois sessions de jeux vidéos actifs). L’AP a été mesurée par accélérométrie tandis que des observations directes ont évalué les comportements sur la tâche ainsi que la communication entre les enseignants/aides et les enfants. Les enseignants/aides ont complété des enquêtes à base de questions ouvertes au sujet des facilitateurs et des barrières à ces trois variables durant l’EPad et les jeux vidéos actifs. Comparé à l’EPad, les jeux vidéos actifs présentent un temps d’AP modéré à vigoureux plus long (16.9 contre 12.2 min respectivement) mais des temps plus faibles d’AP légère (10.8 contre 13.0 min respectivement) et de comportements sédentaires (22.3 contre 24.7 respectivement). De plus grands pourcentages de comportements sur la tâche et de communication ont été observés durant l’EPad (93.0% and 34.0% respectivement) en comparaison aux jeux vidéos actifs (67.0% and 16.1% respectivement). Les observations ont montré que l’EPad était supérieure pour promouvoir des comportements sur la tâche et de la communication en comparaison avec les jeux vidéos actifs. Dans la mesure où les comportements sur la tâche et la communication sont vitaux pour les enfants atteints de TA, les programmes de jeux vidéos actifs sont à prendre avec précaution avec cette population.This study compared objectively-assessed physical activity (PA), on-task behavior, and communication during adaptive physical education (AdPE) and exergaming sessions in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In Spring 2016, five boys with diagnosed ASD in the U.S. (all African American; M̅age=6.8±2.1 years) participated in a mixed methods 3-week observational study. Observations were conducted during one AdPE and one exergaming session each week for three consecutive weeks (six total). Accelerometry tracked PA while direct observation assessed on-task behavior and communication between teachers/aides and children. Teachers/aides completed open-ended surveys regarding the facilitators and barriers of our main outcomes during AdPE and exergaming. Compared to AdPE, exergaming had higher moderate-to-vigorous PA duration (16.9 vs. 12.2 min., respectively), but lower durations of light PA (10.8 vs. 13.0 min., respectively) and sedentary behavior (22.3 vs. 24.7 min., respectively). Greater percentages of on-task behavior and communication were seen during AdPE (93.0% and 34.0%, respectively) vs. Exergaming (67.0% and 16.1%, respectively). Space allocation/size were barriers during both PA sessions. Observations indicated that AdPE was superior in promoting on-task behavior/communication compared to exergaming. As on-task behavior/communication is vital to promote in children with ASD, exergaming programs in this population are cautioned

Origins Space Telescope: baseline mission concept

The Origins Space Telescope will trace the history of our origins from the time dust and heavy elements permanently altered the cosmic landscape to present-day life. How did galaxies evolve from the earliest galactic systems to those found in the Universe today? How do habitable planets form? How common are life-bearing worlds? To answer these alluring questions, Origins will operate at mid- and far-infrared (IR) wavelengths and offer powerful spectroscopic instruments and sensitivity three orders of magnitude better than that of the Herschel Space Observatory, the largest telescope flown in space to date. We describe the baseline concept for Origins recommended to the 2020 US Decadal Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics. The baseline design includes a 5.9-m diameter telescope cryocooled to 4.5 K and equipped with three scientific instruments. A mid-infrared instrument (Mid-Infrared Spectrometer and Camera Transit spectrometer) will measure the spectra of transiting exoplanets in the 2.8 to 20  μm wavelength range and offer unprecedented spectrophotometric precision, enabling definitive exoplanet biosignature detections. The far-IR imager polarimeter will be able to survey thousands of square degrees with broadband imaging at 50 and 250  μm. The Origins Survey Spectrometer will cover wavelengths from 25 to 588  μm, making wide-area and deep spectroscopic surveys with spectral resolving power R  ∼  300, and pointed observations at R  ∼  40,000 and 300,000 with selectable instrument modes. Origins was designed to minimize complexity. The architecture is similar to that of the Spitzer Space Telescope and requires very few deployments after launch, while the cryothermal system design leverages James Webb Space Telescope technology and experience. A combination of current-state-of-the-art cryocoolers and next-generation detector technology will enable Origins’ natural background-limited sensitivity

31st Annual Meeting and Associated Programs of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC 2016) : part two

Background The immunological escape of tumors represents one of the main ob- stacles to the treatment of malignancies. The blockade of PD-1 or CTLA-4 receptors represented a milestone in the history of immunotherapy. However, immune checkpoint inhibitors seem to be effective in specific cohorts of patients. It has been proposed that their efficacy relies on the presence of an immunological response. Thus, we hypothesized that disruption of the PD-L1/PD-1 axis would synergize with our oncolytic vaccine platform PeptiCRAd. Methods We used murine B16OVA in vivo tumor models and flow cytometry analysis to investigate the immunological background. Results First, we found that high-burden B16OVA tumors were refractory to combination immunotherapy. However, with a more aggressive schedule, tumors with a lower burden were more susceptible to the combination of PeptiCRAd and PD-L1 blockade. The therapy signifi- cantly increased the median survival of mice (Fig. 7). Interestingly, the reduced growth of contralaterally injected B16F10 cells sug- gested the presence of a long lasting immunological memory also against non-targeted antigens. Concerning the functional state of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), we found that all the immune therapies would enhance the percentage of activated (PD-1pos TIM- 3neg) T lymphocytes and reduce the amount of exhausted (PD-1pos TIM-3pos) cells compared to placebo. As expected, we found that PeptiCRAd monotherapy could increase the number of antigen spe- cific CD8+ T cells compared to other treatments. However, only the combination with PD-L1 blockade could significantly increase the ra- tio between activated and exhausted pentamer positive cells (p= 0.0058), suggesting that by disrupting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis we could decrease the amount of dysfunctional antigen specific T cells. We ob- served that the anatomical location deeply influenced the state of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. In fact, TIM-3 expression was in- creased by 2 fold on TILs compared to splenic and lymphoid T cells. In the CD8+ compartment, the expression of PD-1 on the surface seemed to be restricted to the tumor micro-environment, while CD4 + T cells had a high expression of PD-1 also in lymphoid organs. Interestingly, we found that the levels of PD-1 were significantly higher on CD8+ T cells than on CD4+ T cells into the tumor micro- environment (p < 0.0001). Conclusions In conclusion, we demonstrated that the efficacy of immune check- point inhibitors might be strongly enhanced by their combination with cancer vaccines. PeptiCRAd was able to increase the number of antigen-specific T cells and PD-L1 blockade prevented their exhaus- tion, resulting in long-lasting immunological memory and increased median survival

Effectiveness of Combined Smartwatch and Social Media Intervention on Breast Cancer Survivor Health Outcomes: A 10-Week Pilot Randomized Trial

Physical activity (PA) among breast cancer survivors (BCS) can improve this population&rsquo;s health and quality of life (QoL). This study evaluated the effectiveness of a combined smartwatch- and social media-based health education intervention on BCS&rsquo;s health outcomes. Thirty BCS ( X &macr; age = 52.6 &plusmn; 9.3 years; X &macr; Wt = 80.2 &plusmn; 19.6 kg) participated in this 10-week, 2-arm randomized trial, with BCS randomized into: (1) experimental group (n = 16): received Polar M400 smartwatches for daily PA tracking and joined a Facebook group wherein Social Cognitive Theory-related PA tips were provided twice weekly; and (2) comparison group (n = 14): only joined separate, but content-identical Facebook group. Outcomes included PA, physiological, psychosocial, and QoL variables. Specifically, PA and energy expenditure (EE) was assessed by ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers while physiological, psychosocial, and QoL were examined via validated instruments at baseline and post-intervention. No baseline group differences were observed for any variable. Ten BCS dropped out of the study (experimental: 4; comparison: 6). Compared to completers, dropouts differed significantly on several outcomes. Thus, a per-protocol analysis was performed, revealing significant group differences for changes in social support (t = &minus;2.1, p = 0.05) and barriers (t = &minus;2.2, p = 0.04). Interestingly, the comparison group demonstrated improvements for both variables while the intervention group demonstrated slightly decreased social support and no change in barriers. Notably, both groups demonstrated similarly increased daily light PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA, EE, and steps of 7.7 min, 5.1 min, 25.1 kcals, and 339 steps, respectively, over time. Despite extensive user training, several experimental BCS found the Polar M400 use difficult&mdash;possibly decreasing intervention adherence. Future interventions should utilize simpler smartwatches to promote PA among middle-aged clinical/non-clinical populations

How Prepared are College Freshmen Athletes for the Rigors of College Strength and Conditioning? A Survey of College Strength and Conditioning Coaches

Training programs for high school athletes have changed over the last 20 years. High school physical education classes have transformed into sport-specific conditioning classes with intensities matching college or professional athlete programming. In addition, involvement in private, sport-specific, training increased; but despite these advanced training methods, are high school athletes prepared for collegiate sport competition? An anonymous survey was sent to 195 Division I strength and conditioning coaches (SCC) to discern incoming college freshman athletes’ physical and psychological preparedness for the rigors of collegiate training and sport competition. Fifty-seven (29%) responses were received. Strength and conditioning coaches stated that incoming college freshman athletes lack lower extremity strength, overall flexibility, and core strength as well as proper Olympic lifting technique. Strength and conditioning coaches also stated that athletes lacked the mental toughness to endure collegiate sport training in addition to claiming incoming athletes lacked knowledge of correct nutrition and recovery principles. These results suggest a lack of collegiate training/sport preparedness of high school athletes. High school strength and conditioning specialist’s goal is to produce better athletes and doing so requires the strength and conditioning coach/trainer to have knowledge of how to train high school athletes. One way to assure adequate knowledge of strength and conditioning training principles is for high school coaches/trainers to be certified in the field. Strength and conditioning certifications among high school strength and conditioning coaches/trainers would encourage developmentally appropriate training and would provide universities with athletes who are prepared for the rigors of collegiate sport training/competition

Effects of exergaming on motor skill competence, perceived competence, and physical activity in preschool children

Background: Few school settings offer opportunities for preschool children to engage in structured physical activity, and only a few studies have been conducted examining exergaming's effectiveness on health outcomes in this age group. This study's purpose, therefore, was to examine a school-based exergaming intervention's effect on preschool children's perceived competence (PC), motor skill competence (MSC), and physical activity versus usual care (recess), as well as to examine gender differences for these outcomes. Methods: A total of 65 preschool children from 2 underserved urban schools were assigned to 1 of 2 conditions, with the school as the experimental unit: (1) usual care recess group (8 weeks of 100min of recess/week (5 days × 20 min)) and (2) exergaming intervention group (8 weeks of 100min of exergaming/week (5 days × 20 min) at school). All children underwent identical assessments of PC, MSC, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at baseline and at the end of the 8th week. Results: A significant Group × Time effect was observed for MVPA, F(1, 52) = 4.37, p = 0.04, ηp2 = 0.04, but not for PC, F(1, 52) = 0.83, p = 0.37, ηp2 = 0.02, or MSC, F(1, 52) = 0.02, p = 0.88, ηp2 = 0.00. Specifically, the intervention children displayed significantly greater increased MVPA after 8weeks than the comparison children. Additionally, there was a significant time effect for MSC, F(1, 52) = 15.61, p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.23, and gender effect for MVPA, F(1, 52) = 5.06, p = 0.02, ηp2 = 0.09. Although all preschoolers’ MSC improved across time, boys demonstrated greater MVPA than girls at both time points. Conclusion: Exergaming showed a positive effect in promoting preschool children's MVPA at school and has the potential to enhance PC and MSC. More research with larger sample sizes and longer study durations are warranted. Keywords: Active video games, Childhood obesity, Gender differences, Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, Reces

Effects of Pipe Wall Offsets on Differential Pressure Meter Accuracy

Accurate flow measurement is essential for the management of any type of fluid system. This research investigated the effect on accuracy that five types of 12-in. differential-pressure flow meters have as a result of being installed in pipelines of differing inside diameter. The types of meters chosen for this research were the classical Venturi meter, Halmi Venturi Tube, wedge meter, V-cone meter, and the X-meter. Each meter was tested for accuracy with 10 pipe wall offsets varying from a 0.125-in. sudden contraction to a 0.937-in. sudden expansion of the pipe radius. The meters\u27 reading during each test series was compared with the meters\u27 reading with no pipe wall offset at the same Reynolds number. This research demonstrated that for accurate flow measurement, most flow meters require that the inside diameter of the piping be the same as the inside diameter of the meter

Differential Pressure Meter Accuracy

Accurate flow measurement is essential for the management of any type of fluid system. This research investigated the effect on accuracy that five types of 12-in. differential-pressure flow meters have as a result of being installed in pipelines of differing inside diameter. The types of meters chosen for this research were the classical Venturi meter, Halmi Venturi Tube, wedge meter, V-cone meter, and the X-meter. Each meter was tested for accuracy with 10 pipe wall offsets varying from a 0.125-in. sudden contraction to a 0.937-in. sudden expansion of the pipe radius. The meters\u27 reading during each test series was compared with the meters\u27 reading with no pipe wall offset at the same Reynolds number. This research demonstrated that for accurate flow measurement, most flow meters require that the inside diameter of the piping be the same as the inside diameter of the meter

Effect of Children’s Weight Status on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior during Physical Education, Recess, and After School

Children&rsquo;s body mass index may affect physical activity (PA) participation. Therefore, this study examined the effect of children&rsquo;s weight status on underserved elementary school children&rsquo;s PA and sedentary behavior (SB) throughout the segmented day. Participants were 138 children (X&macr;age = 8.14 years). Children&rsquo;s height and weight were measured with subsequent classification of children as healthy weight or overweight/obese. Durations of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), light PA (LPA), and SB during physical education (PE), morning recess, lunch recess, after school, and overall were assessed via accelerometry over three days. Independent t-tests evaluated differences in children&rsquo;s MVPA, LPA, and SB during each daily segment by weight status. Significantly higher MVPA was observed for children of healthy weight status versus children with overweight/obesity during morning recess, t(136) = 2.15, p = 0.03, after school, t(136) = 2.68, p &lt; 0.01, and overall, t(136) = 2.65, p &lt; 0.01. Interestingly, comparisons of children of healthy weight status and children with overweight/obesity&rsquo;s LPA and SB during the after-school segment revealed a trend wherein children with overweight/obesity participated in slightly greater LPA/less SB than children of healthy weight status. Higher MVPA was observed among children of healthy weight versus children with overweight/obesity during most daily segments. Concerted efforts should focus on increasing MVPA among children with overweight/obesity