Contribution of physical education to overall physical activity.

For many children, physical activity (PA) during physical education (PE) lessons provides an important opportunity for being physically active. Although PA during PE has been shown to be low, little is known about the contribution of PA during PE to overall PA. The aim was therefore to assess children's PA during PE and to determine the contribution of PE to overall PA with special focus on overweight children. Accelerometer measurements were done in 676 children (9.3 ± 2.1 years) over 4-7 days in 59 randomly selected classes. Moderate-and-vigorous PA (MVPA; ≥ 2000 counts/min) during PE (MVPA(PE) ), overall MVPA per day (MVPA(DAY) ), and a comparison of days with and without PE were calculated by a regression model with gender, grade, and weight status (normal vs overweight) as fixed factors and class as a random factor. Children spent 32.8 ± 15.1% of PE time in MVPA. Weight status was not associated to MVPA(PE) . MVPA(PE) accounted for 16.8 ± 8.5% of MVPA(DAY) , and 17.5 ± 8.2% in overweight children. All children were more active on days with PE than on days without PE (differences: 16.1 ± 29.0 min of MVPA(DAY) ; P ≤ 0.001; 13.7 ± 28.0 min for overweight children). Although MVPA(PE) was low, PE played a considerable role in providing PA and was not compensated by reducing extracurricular MVPA.

Physical activity, bodyweight, health and fear of negative evaluation in primary school children.

Fear of negative evaluation (FNE) is regarded as being the core feature of social anxiety. The present study examined how FNE is associated with physical activity (PA), body mass index (BMI) and perceived physical health (PPH) in children. Data were collected in a sample of 502 primary school children in first and fifth grades taking part in a randomized-controlled trial ("Kinder-Sportstudie KISS") aimed at increasing PA and health. PA was assessed by accelerometry over 7 days, PPH by the Child Health Questionnaire and FNE by the Social Anxiety Scale for Children--Revised. BMI z-scores were calculated based on Swiss norms. Cross-sectional analyses indicated that children high in FNE exercised less, reported lower levels of PPH and had higher BMI z-scores (P<0.01). Using mixed linear models, the school-based PA intervention did not manage to reduce FNE scores. Overweight children demonstrated a greater increase in FNE (P<0.05) indicating that enhanced weight may be a risk factor for FNE. In conclusion, the associations among high FNE, low PA and increased BMI should be considered when promoting an active lifestyle in children.

A comparative cross-sectional study on the prevalence and morbidity of schistosomiasis in a community in northeastern Brazil (1979-2010)

A cross-sectional study on the prevalence and morbidity of schistosomiasis was conducted in the main settlement of the municipality of Alhandra, in the southern coastal region of the state of Paraíba, in 2010. The results of this study were compared with the results of a previous study conducted in the same area in 1979. The systematic sampling per family conglomerate included approximately 10% of the resident population in the urban area of Alhandra. Faecal examinations were performed using the Kato-Katz method. The clinical forms of the disease were classified in accordance with FS Barbosa as Type I - intestinal form, Type II - hepatointestinal form and Type III - hepatosplenic form. The prevalence of the infection in 2010 was 10.05%, whereas in 1979 it was 46.6% among untreated patients. The percentages of the three clinical forms in 2010 were as follows: 95.3% Type I, 4.6% Type II and 0% Type III; in 1979, the percentages were 94.4%, 3% and 2.6% for Types I, II and III, respectively. In 1979, 6.07% of the Biomphalaria glabrata specimens (the intermediate host in this area) excreted cercariae, where in 2010 only 1.27% of the specimens caught excreted the parasite.

Molecular typing of mycobacteria isolated from extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients at Debre Birhan Referral Hospital, central Ethiopia.

Abstract Background: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) constitutes about 10% to 20% of all cases of tuberculosis in immunocompetent patients and more than 50% of the cases in HIV-positive individuals worldwide. Little information is available on the clonal diversity of Mycobacterium species in Ethiopia from EPTB. Methods: This study was carried out on smear-negative EPTB patients to molecularly characterize Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains. A questionnaire, smear staining, culture, deletion typing, and spoligotyping were employed. Results: The proportional distribution of EPTB and isolates did not vary substantially (p > 0.05) amongst the socio-demographic parameters considered in the current investigation. Out of 98 fine needle aspirates processed for culture, 36.7% (36/98) were positive for mycobacterial growth. Further speciation of those culture-positive isolates showed that 88.9% were M. tuberculosis and the remaining could be non-tuberculous mycobacterial species. Spoligotyping revealed 16 clusters out of which 2 were new to the SITVIT database. The most dominant spoligotypes were SIT54, SIT53, and SIT149 in decreasing order. SIT54, SIT134, SIT173, SIT345, SIT357, SIT926, SIT91088, and SIT1580 were reported for the first time in Ethiopia. The family with the highest frequency identified was M. tuberculosis family T1, followed by family 33. Most of the strains belonged to Euro-American (61.4%) and Indo-Oceanic (36.3%) lineages. Conclusions: The present study shows the importance of M. tuberculosis as a major cause of EPTB in the study area. Moreover, the majority of isolates of M. tuberculosis were found in clusters, suggesting the possibility of the existence of recent transmission. This warrants strengthening of the control programs for EPTB in the study area.

The peri-urban interface and house infestation with Triatoma infestans in the Argentine Chaco: an underreported process?

Peri-urban infestations with triatomine bugs, their sources and their dynamics have rarely been investigated. Here, we corroborated the reported occurrence of Triatoma infestans in a peri-urban area and in neighbouring rural houses in Pampa del Indio, in the Argentine Chaco, and identified its putative sources using spatial analysis and demographic questionnaires. Peri-urban householders reported that 10% of their premises had triatomines, whereas T. infestans was collected by timed manual searches or community-based surveillance in only nine (3%) houses. Trypanosoma cruzi-infected T. infestans and Triatoma sordida were collected indoors only in peri-urban houses and were infected with TcV and TcI, respectively. The triatomines fed on chickens, cats and humans. Peri-urban infestations were most frequent in a squatter settlement and particularly within the recently built mud houses of rural immigrants, with large-sized households, more dogs and cats and more crowding. Several of the observed infestations were most likely associated with passive bug transport from other sources and with active bug dispersal from neighbouring foci. Thus, the households in the squatter settlement were at a greater risk of bug invasion and colonisation. In sum, the incipient process of domestic colonisation and transmission, along with persistent rural-to-urban migratory flows and unplanned urbanisation, indicate the need for active vector surveillance and control actions at the peri-urban interface of the Gran Chaco.

Detection of all four dengue serotypes in Aedes aegypti female mosquitoes collected in a rural area in Colombia

The Aedes aegypti vector for dengue virus (DENV) has been reported in urban and periurban areas. The information about DENV circulation in mosquitoes in Colombian rural areas is limited, so we aimed to evaluate the presence of DENV in Ae. aegypti females caught in rural locations of two Colombian municipalities, Anapoima and La Mesa. Mosquitoes from 497 rural households in 44 different rural settlements were collected. Pools of about 20 Ae. aegypti females were processed for DENV serotype detection. DENV in mosquitoes was detected in 74% of the analysed settlements with a pool positivity rate of 62%. The estimated individual mosquito infection rate was 4.12% and the minimum infection rate was 33.3/1,000 mosquitoes. All four serotypes were detected; the most frequent being DENV-2 (50%) and DENV-1 (35%). Two-three serotypes were detected simultaneously in separate pools. This is the first report on the co-occurrence of natural DENV infection of mosquitoes in Colombian rural areas. The findings are important for understanding dengue transmission and planning control strategies. A potential latent virus reservoir in rural areas could spill over to urban areas during population movements. Detecting DENV in wild-caught adult mosquitoes should be included in the development of dengue epidemic forecasting models.

Neurological and pulmonary adverse effects of subcutaneous methotrexate therapy.

We report the case of a patient receiving subcutaneous methotrexate (MTX) treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who developed a complex pattern of neurological and pulmonary symptoms. Fluctuant dysarthria, magnetic gait, weakness and dysmetria of the lower limbs, as well as symptoms and signs consistent with a diagnosis of pneumonitis started within 6 weeks of initiating MTX treatment and slowly resolved after its discontinuation. This case highlights the fact that even the relatively low doses of MTX in the therapy of RA can produce neurotoxicity, which can become manifest in a broad range of symptoms.

Isokinetic rotator muscles fatigue in glenohumeral joint instability before and after Latarjet surgery: a pilot prospective study.

We aimed to analyze the changes in isokinetic internal (IR) and external (ER) rotator muscles fatigue (a) in patients with non-operated recurrent anterior instability, and (b) before and after shoulder surgical stabilization with the Bristow-Latarjet procedure. Thirty-seven patients with non-operated unilateral recurrent anterior post-traumatic instability (NG) were compared with 12 healthy subjects [control group (CG)]. Twenty patients with operated recurrent anterior instability group (OG) underwent isokinetic evaluation before and 3, 6, and 21 months after Bristow-Latarjet surgery. IR and ER muscles strength was evaluated with Con-Trex® dynamometer, with subjects seated and at a 45° shoulder abduction angle in scapular plane. IR and ER muscle fatigue was determined after 10 concentric repetitions at 180° · s(-1) through the fatigue index, the percent decrease in performance (DP), and the slope of peak torque decrease. There were no differences in rotator muscles fatigue between NG and CG. In OG, 3 months post-surgery, IR DP of operated shoulder was significantly (P < 0.001) higher than presurgery and 6 and 21 months post-surgery. Rotator muscles fatigability was not associated with recurrent anterior instability. After surgical stabilization, there was a significantly higher IR fatigability in the operated shoulder 3 months post-surgery, followed by recovery evidenced 6 months post-surgery and long-term maintenance over 21 months.

Immigració, cohesió social i convivéncia al espai públic

L'assentament de població immigrada ha repercutit en el paisatge social de les ciutats que s'ha diversificat i s’ha tornat més complex, la qual cosa ha originat profunds canvis demogràfics i socioeconòmics. L'objectiu principal de aquesta investigació és analitzar la convivència a l'espai públic entre població autòctona i migrant, i elaborar possibles propostes d'actuació. L'espai públic és un espai fonamental per la socialització i la convivència entre diferents grups de població, però també és un espai de conflicte. Per analitzar aquesta relació entre convivència i espai públic s'ha estudiat la quotidianitat de la població immigrada als espais públics i la interacció a l'espai físic entre població autòctona i immigrada a través del treball de camp a tres barris de tres municipis de la província de Barcelona. La metodologia de la recerca s'ha concretat a través de l'estudi de casos, utilitzant en cadascun d'ells diferents tècniques que pertanyen a metodologies qualitatives i quantitatives. A través del treball de camp s'ha determinat que els usos que fa la població immigrant de l'espai públic són molt variats: socialització, feina, cura, oci, pràctica d'esports, celebracions i, en alguns casos, dormir, entre d’altres. També s'ha pogut establir una relació entre la intensitat i el tipus d'ús que es fa de l'espai públic i diferents variables com gènere, origen o tipus de projecte migratori. El projecte ha permès identificar elements que poden millorar la convivència en l'espai públic i a partir d'aquí s'han generat algunes línies d'actuació.

Physical activity is inversely associated with high blood pressure independently of overweight in Brazilian adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between blood pressure (BP) levels and physical activity (PA) domains accounting for overweight/obesity. Adolescents aged 10 to 17 years old were recruited (n = 1021). International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria were used to define overweight and obesity. High BP was defined using the Center of Disease Control and Prevention criteria. Different domains of PA (school activities, sport out of school, and leisure time PA) were assessed using a validated questionnaire. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 21.9% for boys and 14.8% for girls. Some 13.4% of boys and 10.2% of girls, respectively, had high blood pressure (HBP). A strong and positive association was found between overweight and HBP. After adjustment for body mass index (BMI), total PA was inversely associated with BP. When all PA domains were entered simultaneously in a regression model, and after adjustment for BMI, only sport out of school was significantly and inversely associated with systolic BP [β: -0.82 (-1.50; -0.13)]. These findings open avenue for the early prevention of HBP by the prevention of obesity and promotion of PA.

Content-specific gender differences in emotion ratings from early to late adulthood.

The investigation of gender differences in emotion has attracted much attention given the potential ramifications on our understanding of sexual differences in disorders involving emotion dysregulation. Yet, research on content-specific gender differences across adulthood in emotional responding is lacking. The aims of the present study were twofold. First, we sought to investigate to what extent gender differences in the self-reported emotional experience are content specific. Second, we sought to determine whether gender differences are stable across the adult lifespan. We assessed valence and arousal ratings of 14 picture series, each of a different content, in 94 men and 118 women aged 20 to 81. Compared to women, men reacted more positively to erotic images, whereas women rated low-arousing pleasant family scenes and landscapes as particularly positive. Women displayed a disposition to respond with greater defensive activation (i.e., more negative valence and higher arousal), in particular to the most arousing unpleasant contents. Importantly, significant interactions between gender and age were not found for any single content. This study makes a novel contribution by showing that gender differences in the affective experiences in response to different contents persist across the adult lifespan. These findings support the "stability hypothesis" of gender differences across age.

Gènere i identitats en la construcció d'una comunitat colonial a Empúries (segles VI-V a.C.)

El projecte de recerca ha analitzat la complexitat ètnica, social i de gènere de l’assentament colonial d’Empúries a partir d’un exhaustiu estudi contextual dels materials ceràmics d’ús quotidià provinents de diferents sectors excavats als anys vuitanta a la Neàpolis empuritana (N-7000, N-5000 i N-1000). Aquests sectors datats els segles V i IV a.C., corresponen a un moment en el qual s’està construint una identitat colonial diferenciada en l’espai emporità. La comparació dels aixovars domèstics usats quotidianament pels habitants d’aquest tres sectors situats en punts distants de la Neàpolis mostra que estem davant d’un assentament colonial molt heterogeni, on conflueixen materialitats, tradicions tecnològiques i pràctiques quotidianes iberes, gregues i híbrides. Els estudis de materials confirmen que no va existir una segregació espacial entre poblacions d’origen grec i iber en aquest assentament i suggereixen la cohabitació de gent –tant d’homes com de dones- d’origen grec i iber a les diferents àrees estudiades d’aquest assentament portuari. En el registre material ceràmic de totes les zones estudiades s’observa un predomini dels productes ceràmics de tradició grega (colonials o àtics) en els serveis de taula, però no així en els estris utilitzats a la cuina, que són majoritàriament de tradició ibera. També els materials ceràmics relacionats amb l’emmagatzematge domèstic i amb el transport i el comerç (àmfores) són predominantment ibers. Aquest patró suggereix que els ibers que van cohabitar amb els grecs al port emporità no van assumir en tots els casos posicions subalternes, sinó que tingueren un rol rellevant en la gestió econòmica i comercial d’aquest espai portuari.

Dowel Bar Optimization: Phases I and II, October 2001

America’s roadways are in serious need of repair. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), one-third of the nation’s roads are in poor or mediocre condition. ASCE has estimated that under these circumstances American drivers will sacrifice $5.8 billion and as many as 13,800 fatalities a year from 1999 to 2001 ( 1). A large factor in the deterioration of these roads is a result of how well the steel reinforcement transfers loads across the concrete slabs. Fabricating this reinforcement using a shape conducive to transferring these loads will help to aid in minimizing roadway damage. Load transfer within a series of concrete slabs takes place across the joints. For a typical concrete paved road, these joints are approximately 1/8-inch gaps between two adjacent slabs. Dowel bars are located at these joints and used to transfer load from one slab to its adjacent slabs. As long as the dowel bar is completely surrounded by concrete no problems will occur. However, when the hole starts to oblong a void space is created and difficulties can arise. This void space is formed due to a stress concentration where the dowel contacts the concrete. Over time, the repeated process of traffic traveling over the joint crushes the concrete surrounding the dowel bar and causes a void in the concrete. This void inhibits the dowel’s ability to effectively transfer load across the joint. Furthermore, this void gives water and other particles a place to collect that will eventually corrode and potentially bind or lock the joint so that no thermal expansion is allowed. Once there is no longer load transferred across the joint, the load is transferred to the foundation and differential settlement of the adjacent slabs will occur.

Identification of the Best Practices for Design, Construction, and Repair of Bridge Approches, 2005

Bridge approach settlement and the formation of the bump is a common problem in Iowa that draws upon considerable resources for maintenance and creates a negative perception in the minds of transportation users. This research study was undertaken to investigate bridge approach problems and develop new concepts for design, construction, and maintenance that will reduce this costly problem. As a result of the research described in this report, the following changes are suggested for implementation on a pilot test basis: • Use porous backfill behind the abutment and/or geocomposite drainage systems to improve drainage capacity and reduce erosion around the abutment. • On a pilot basis, connect the approach slab to the bridge abutment. Change the expansion joint at the bridge to a construction joint of 2 inch. Use a more effective joint sealing system at the CF joint. Change the abutment wall rebar from #5 to #7 for non-integral abutments. • For bridges with soft foundation or embankment soils, implement practices of better compaction, preloading, ground improvement, soil removal and replacement, or soil reinforcement that reduce time-dependent post construction settlements.