Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Sleep Duration of Children Aged 6-9 Years in 25 Countries: An Analysis within the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) 2015-2017

Background: Children are becoming less physically active as opportunities for safe active play, recreational activities, and active transport decrease. At the same time, sedentary screen-based activities both during school and leisure time are increasing. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate physical activity (PA), screen time, and sleep duration of girls and boys aged 6–9 years in Europe using data from the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). Method: The fourth COSI data collection round was conducted in 2015–2017, using a standardized protocol that included a family form completed by parents with specific questions about their children’s PA, screen time, and sleep duration. Results: Nationally representative data from 25 countries was included and information on the PA behaviour, screen time, and sleep duration of 150,651 children was analysed. Pooled analysis showed that: 79.4% were actively playing for >1 h each day, 53.9% were not members of a sport or dancing club, 50.0% walked or cycled to school each day, 60.2% engaged in screen time for 1 h/day, 8.2–85.6% were not members of a sport or dancing club, 17.7–94.0% walked or cycled to school each day, 32.3–80.0% engaged in screen time for <2 h/day, and 50.0–95.8% slept for 9–11 h/night. Conclusions: The prevalence of engagement in PA and the achievement of healthy screen time and sleep duration are heterogenous across the region. Policymakers and other stakeholders, including school administrators and parents, should increase opportunities for young people to participate in daily PA as well as explore solutions to address excessive screen time and short sleep duration to improve the overall physical and mental health and well-being of children.The authors gratefully acknowledge support from a grant from the Russian Government in the context of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. Data collection in the following countries was made possible through funding. Albania: WHO through the Joint Programme on Children, Food Security and Nutrition “Reducing Malnutrition in Children” (the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund) and the Institute of Public Health; Bulgaria: Ministry of Health, National Centre of Public Health and Analyses, WHO Regional Office for Europe; Croatia: Ministry of Health, Croatian Institute of Public Health and WHO Regional Office for Europe; Czechia: grants AZV MZČR 17–31670 A and MZČR – RVO EÚ 00023761; Denmark: Danish Ministry of Health; Estonia: Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Education and Research (IUT 42–2), WHO Country Office, and National Institute for Health Development; France: Sante Publique France, the French Agency for Public Health; Georgia: WHO; Ireland: Health Service Executive; Italy: Ministry of Health and Italian National Institute of Health; Kazakhstan: Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan and WHO Country Office; Kyrgyzstan: WHO; Latvia: Ministry of Health, Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; Lithuania: Science Foundation of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Lithuanian Science Council and WHO; Malta: Ministry of Health; Montenegro: WHO and Institute of Public Health of Montenegro; Poland: National Health Programme, Ministry of Health; Portugal: Ministry of Health Institutions, the National Institute of Health, Directorate General of Health, Regional Health Directorates and the kind technical support from the Center for Studies and Research on Social Dynamics and Health (CEIDSS); Romania: Ministry of Health; San Marino: Health Ministry, Educational Ministry, Social Security Institute and Health Authority; Spain: Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN); Turkmenistan: WHO Country Office in Turkmenistan and Ministry of Health; Turkey: Turkish Ministry of Health and the World Bank

Direct Electrochemical Degradation of Carbamate Pesticide Methomyl Using IrOX Anode

The study's primary goal is to determine carbamate pesticide methomyl's kinetic parameters and degradation efficiency from water solution by direct electrochemical oxidation using IrOX anode. Also, define the dependence of the efficiency of methomyl decomposition by direct electrochemical oxidation on the initial concentration of pesticide and electrolyte, applied current, and pH value. The results of methomyl degradation by direct electrochemical oxidation obey the pseudo-first kinetic order. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy followed the methomyl concentration during the study. The degradation products were studied using the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Also, this study determines the energy consumption and optimal initial conditions. The phytotoxicity of pesticide and degradation products was studied using mung beans

Pulverized river shellfish shells as a cheap adsorbent for removing of malathion from water: Examination of the isotherms, kinetics, thermodynamics and optimization of the experimental conditions by the response surface method

Introduction/purpose: In this study, we investigated the possibility of removing the organophosphorus pesticide malathion from water using a new adsorbent based on the biowaste of river shell shards from the Anodonta Sinadonta woodiane family, a material that accumulates in large quantities as waste on the banks of large rivers. Two adsorbents were tested - mechanically comminuted river shells (MRM) and mechanosynthetic hydroxyapatite from comminuted river shells (RMHAp). Methods: The obtained adsorbents were characterized and tested for the removal of the organophosphorus pesticide malathion from water. In order to predict the optimal adsorption conditions using the Response Surface Method (RSM), the authors investigated the influence of variable factors (adsorption conditions), pH values, adsorbent doses, contact times, and temperatures on the adsorbent capacity. Results: The best adsorption of malathion was achieved at mean pH values between 6.0 and 7.0. The adsorption data for malathion at 25, 35, and 45 °C were compared using the Langmuir, Freundlich, DubininRadushkevich (DR), and Temkin isothermal models, as well as pseudofirst order, pseudo-second order and Elovic kinetic models for modeling adsorption kinetics. The maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity for MRM and RMHAp at 25 °C was 46,462 mg g-1 and 78,311 mg g-1 , respectively. Conclusion: The results have showed that malathion adsorption on both adsorbents follows the pseudo-second kinetic model and the Freundlich isothermal model. The thermodynamic parameters indicate the endothermic, feasible, and spontaneous nature of the adsorption process

Outcome of older patients with b-large cell lymphoma (b-lcl) – an observational study of KroHem, the Croatian cooperative group for hematologic diseases

Background: Approximately half of the patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are older than 60 years and their outcome is inferior in comparison to younger patients. Aims: We aimed to assess the impact of age, risk factors and the type of treatment on event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). Methods: In this retrospective study, 304 patients with DLBCL older than 60 years or equal were included. A total of 218 patients were included in an observational study of patients treated with rituximab conducted at 15 general and university hospitals in 2007 and 2008. Additional patients were recruited from two clinical centers. Results: The median age was 73 years (range 60-90), 144 were men and 160 women. 205 patients were treated with R-CHOP, 27 with R-CVP, 24 with RCNOP (mitoxantrone instead of doxorubicin), 20 with R-DA-EPOCH, 9 with RCEOP (etoposide instead of doxorubicin), and 19 patients received other regimens or no chemotherapy. After a median follow up of 52 months for survivors, the estimated 5-year EFS and 5-year OS were 43% and 47%, respectively. Half of the patients are alive at the time of last follow up. Lymphoma, infections, and cardiac events were the leading causes of death. A total of 52% patients died during first-line treatment, 24% died in remission, and 24% died in relapse. There were 16 secondary malignancies reported. The aaIPI significantly correlated with EFS (p=0.002) and OS (p=0.001). Gender, bulky disease (>5cm), and extranodal involvement were not associated with survival, whereas B symptoms were significantly predictive of EFS (p=0.002) and OS (p<0.001). Age had a negative impact on survival: patients between 60 and 65 years fared well (5- year OS 65%), patients from 66 to 75 years of age worse (5-year OS 46%), and those older than 75 years the worst (5-year OS 38%); p=0.004 (Figure 1A). Treatment choice also influenced EFS and OS: R-CVP and R-CNOP had worst outcomes worst, whereas those of R-CEOP and R-DA-EPOCH were at least comparable to R-CHOP; p=0.025 for EFS, p=0.009 for OS (Figure 1B). Summary/Conclusions: R-CHOP remains the standard of care in elderly patients with B-LCL. The aaIPI and presence of B symptoms influence prognosis. Survival decreases with age; cut-offs at 65 and 75 years are discriminative. R-CNOP has only modest efficacy, similar to R-CVP. Etoposide may serve as an alternative to anthracyclines for patients with cardiac comorbidities, and R-DA-EPOCH may represent a good option for high-risk patients