Association between walking speed and calcaneus stiffness index in older adults.

INTRODUCTION: The aim here is to examine the association between objectively measured usual walking speed (UWS) and bone status in community-dwelling older Chinese. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of a population of 1528 adults (817 females, mean age 68.5 ± 5.3; 711 males, mean age 69.1 ± 5.2) aged 60-79, living in communities in Shanghai. Walking speed was assessed using a 4-m walk test at a usual-pace walking speed a walking speed at which the subject felt relaxed-and bone status measured by quantitative ultrasound (QUS). The health-related characteristics of participants include family background, physical activity level, chronic disease, smoking and alcohol consumption, frequency of falls, vitamin intake, and hormone therapy. RESULTS: Multiple linear regression is used to analyses any association between UWS and bone status, adjusting for confounding factors showing a significant association between faster UWS and a higher calcaneal stiffness index (SI) (p < 0.01). Comparing the lowest quartile of the data set with the highest at UWS, a high SI is achieved with 5.34 (95% CI = 3.22, 7.46) (p < 0.01), after adjusting for confounders. An increase of 1 dm/s was associated with a 0.91 (95% CI = 0.53, 1.29) increase in SI. This relationship for most subgroups is consistent. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that UWS can be a sensitive indicator of calcaneal bone loss among an older population.

The association between the health-related physical fitness and inhibitory control in preschool children.

BACKGROUND: Inhibitory control develops rapidly during the preschool stage, and development of inhibitory control in this period is significant for the healthy growth of the future. However, most studies paid more attention to children and adolescents in recent years, but less focus on preschool children. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the association between the health-related physical fitness and inhibitory control in preschool children. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was based on a baseline data from randomized controlled trial by cluster sampling(including 128 preschoolers, 70 boys, 58girls).The health-related physical fitness T-score (HPFT) was obtained by adding standard scores of six indicators: body mass index, handgrip strength, standing long jump, one-leg balance, 2 × 10 m shuttle run test, and 20 m shuttle run test. Inhibitory control was assessed using the flanker task and reflected by reaction time and accuracy. RESULTS: A total of 120 preschoolers were included in the final statistical analysis. After adjusting the confounders, HPFT was associated with reaction time (ß=-2.49 ms, 95%CI: -4.22, -0.75). Similarly, a negative association was observed between one-leg balance and reaction time (ß=-12.04 ms, 95%CI: -18.94, -5.15), and between 20 m shuttle run test and reaction time (ß=-23.28 ms, 95%CI: -37.00, -9.56). Compared with the participants in the lowest tertile, HPFT (ß=-158.74, 95%CI: -309.63, -7.84), one-leg balance (ß=-267.25 ms, 95%CI: -420.71, -113.79) and 20 m shuttle run test (ß=-215.58 ms, 95%CI: -374.67, -56.49) were all negatively associated with reaction time of those in the highest tertile. CONCLUSIONS: Negative relationships between HPFT and RT of the inhibitory control were observed in preschoolers. To have better inhibitory control, it's suggested that HPFT of preschoolers should be at least 249. These findings are of great significance for the early improvement of HPFT and the development of inhibitory control in preschool children.

The role of cage height on the flexibility and load sharing of lumbar spine after lumbar interbody fusion with unilateral and bilateral instrumentation: a biomechanical study.

BACKGROUND: One- and two-level lumbar interbody fusion with unilateral instrumentation is as effective as that with bilateral instrumentation. The height of the interbody cage influences the operated segment stability and the fusion technique success. The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of the fusion cage height (i.e. long and short) on both the stability (based on flexibility measures) and load sharing of the unilateral and bilateral instrumented transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) technique. METHODS: The flexibility and load sharing tests were performed on seven human lumbar spines. Different configurations combining a long or short cage with a unilateral, bilateral, or no posterior fixation were used to stabilize the operated segment. Two sets of modular cages were designed for each type of test to simulate the long and short cages. During the flexibility test, a pure-moment load of 7.5 Nm was applied. The range of motion (ROM) was recorded for flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation. During the load sharing test, an axial-compression load of 400 N was applied. The load bearing of the cages was recorded using a cage-embedded load cell. RESULTS: When the fusion cage height decreased 2 mm, the segment flexibility with unilateral fixation showed a significant increase in the ROM for flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation of 74.9, 83.8, and 175.2% (P < 0.01), respectively. In contrast, for bilateral fixation, the height decrease resulted in no significant change in ROM for flexion-extension (P = 0.686), lateral bending (P = 0.698), and axial rotation (P = 0.133). Using a short fusion cage, the load bearing decreased in 17.1, 21.5, and 54.1% (P < 0.05) for the cage alone, unilateral, and bilateral fixation, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A cage longer than the intervertebral space should be chosen to increase the stability and intervertebral graft load borne when performing TLIF with unilateral instrumentation.

Diarylheptanoids with neuroprotective effects from Alpinia officinarum rhizomes.

Forty-three diarylheptanoids were isolated from Alpinia officinarum rhizomes among them eight ones (1-6) were undescribed compounds whose structures were identified by UV, IR, HRESIMS, and NMR. The neuroprotective effects of these diarylheptanoids were evaluated on H2O2-damaged SH-SY5Y cells. Compounds 7, 10, 12, 20, 22, 25, 28, 33, 35, 37, and 42 presented significant neuroprotective effects than that of the positive control (EGCG) at the concentrations of 5, 10 or 20 µM. Compounds 10, 22, 25, and 33 significantly reduced the ROS levels and inhibited the generations of MDA and NO in oxidative injured cells to display neuroprotective effects. This study lay the foundation for the application of Alpinia officinarum rhizomes.

Abietane diterpenoids with anti-neuroinflammation activity from Rosmarinus officinalis.

A total of 12 abietane diterpenoids were isolated and identified from Rosmarinus officinalis in which 6 ones were undescribed compounds. Their structures were illuminated by the HRESIMS, NMR, and ECD methods and named as rosmarinusin Q-V (1-6). It worthy mentioned that rosmarinusin Q was a novel abietane diterpenoid with 6/6/5 skeleton whose C ring was an α,ß-unsaturated five-element ketone. All the compounds and four compounds (13-16) reported in our previous paper were evaluated their anti-neuroinflammatory activities on the LPS-induced BV2 cells. Compounds 5, 8, 9, 11, and 15 displayed significant anti-neuroinflammatory activity at the concentration of 10, 20, and 40 µM respectively. These results confirmed that R. officinalis contained abundant abietane diterpenoids and these compounds showed potential values of anti-neuroinflammation which could be developed as neuroprotective agents for the treatment of nerve damage caused by inflammation.

Effects of weight-bearing dance aerobics on lower limb muscle morphology, strength and functional fitness in older women.

Objective: To investigate the effects of 12-week weight-bearing dance aerobics (WBDA) on muscle morphology, strength and functional fitness in older women. Methods: This controlled study recruited 37 female participants (66.31y ± 3.83) and divided them into intervention and control groups according to willingness. The intervention group received 90-min WBDA thrice a week for 12 weeks, while the control group maintained normal activities. The groups were then compared by measuring muscle thickness, fiber length and pennation angle by ultrasound, muscle strength using an isokinetic multi-joint module and functional fitness, such as 2-min step test, 30-s chair stand, chair sit-and-reach, TUG and single-legged closed-eyed standing test. The morphology, strength, and functional fitness were compared using ANCOVA or Mann-Whitney U test to study the effects of 12 weeks WBDA. Results: Among all recruited participants, 33 completed all tests. After 12 weeks, the thickness of the vastus intermedius (F = 17.85, P < 0.01) and quadriceps (F = 15.62, P < 0.01) was significantly increased in the intervention group compared to the control group, along with a significant increase in the torque/weight of the knee flexor muscles (F = 4.47, P = 0.04). Similarly, the intervention group revealed a significant improvement in the single-legged closed-eyed standing test (z = -2.16, P = 0.03) compared to the control group. Conclusion: The study concluded that compared to the non-exercising control group, 12-week WBDA was shown to thicken vastus intermedius, increase muscle strength, and improve physical function in older women. In addition, this study provides a reference exercise program for older women.

A single-agent fusion of human IL-2 and anti-IL-2 antibody that selectively expands regulatory T cells.

The occurrence of many autoimmune diseases takes root on the disrupted balance among Treg cells, Teff cells, etc. Low-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) cytokine demonstrates promising clinical efficacy in the expansion of Treg cells and the treatment of autoimmune diseases. However, its clinical application is hindered by the small therapeutic index and short half-life. Previous studies have shown that non-covalent complex of human IL-2 and anti-IL-2 antibody biases cytokine activity towards Treg cells and extends IL-2's half-life. The clinical translation of such complex is non-trivial. In this study, we discover an anti-human IL-2 antibody and engineer a covalently-linked single-agent fusion of human IL-2 and its antibody that selectively expands Treg cells and exhibits superior disease control activity in animal models of ulcerative colitis and systemic lupus erythematosus, with proper safety profile and good developability. These studies pave the road for its clinical development in diverse autoimmune diseases.

Effects of 12-week aerobic exercise with different frequencies on executive function in preschool children: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of a 12-week aerobic exercise program with different frequencies on executive functions (EFs) in preschool children. METHOD: Four kindergartens, comprising 126 preschool children in Shanghai, were enrolled in this 12-week cluster randomized controlled trial with a 12-week follow-up period. Kindergartens were allocated to high-frequency (three times a week) or low-frequency (once a week) exercise groups using stratified block randomization. Three core sub-EFs, including inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and the 12-week follow-up. RESULTS: Compared to baseline, both groups showed significant improvements in inhibition and working memory after the intervention and at the 12-week follow-up. However, only the high-frequency exercise group demonstrated a significant improvement in cognitive flexibility after the follow-up period. Nonetheless, there were no significant differences in the core sub-functions of EFs between the two groups at the end of the intervention or the follow-up periods. CONCLUSION: A 12-week aerobic exercise of three times a week was insufficient to significantly improve EFs in preschool children compared to once a week. Future studies are needed to examine the dose-response relationship of aerobic exercise on EFs and to verify the effects of different exercise modalities on EFs in preschool children.

Relationship Between Gross Motor Skills and Inhibitory Control in Preschool Children: A Pilot Study.

Purpose: Gross motor skills (GMS) and inhibitory control (IC) which are both development in preschool stage is significant for preschooler to healthy growth. However, the evidence of relationship between them in preschoolers are still insufficient, most of studies only focus on youth. Thus, the aim of this research is to examine the association between GMS and IC in preschool children. Methods: This cross-sectional study used baseline data from a previous intervention study of preschoolers conducted in 2018. GMS were assessed by using the Test for Gross Motor Development (2nd edition) in preschoolers, which includes two subtests of locomotor and object control skills. Total GMS is calculated from the sum of these two subtests. The Fish Flanker task was used to evaluate both accuracy and reaction time of IC. Multivariate linear regression models were established to analyze the relationships between GMS and IC. Results: A total of 123 preschool-age children (55 girls, 68 boys) were included in the final analysis. After adjusting for confounders, GMS (ß = -8.27 ms, 95%CI: -14.2, -2.34), locomotor (ß = -11.2 ms, 95%CI: -21.43, -0.97), and object control skills (ß = -12.15 ms, 95%CI: -22.07, -2.23) were all negatively related with reaction time of IC. Conclusion: There was a significant negative correlation between gross motor skills and the reaction time of inhibitory control in preschool children. Further research is needed to verify this finding in prospective and experimental studies.

Effects of interrupting prolonged sitting on postprandial glycemia and insulin responses: A network meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of physical activity (PA) interrupting prolonged sitting (PS) on postprandial glycemia and insulin responses among adults. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched through September 30, 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the effect of all forms of PA interrupting PS on postprandial glycemia and/or insulin responses among adults without chronic diseases were included in this study. The risk of bias of included studies was evaluated based on the Cochrane tool. A network meta-analysis was performed to estimate the summary standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) with random effects. RESULTS: Thirty crossover RCTs were included in our review. These RCTs included 9 types of interventions that interrupted PS. When compared to PS by itself, light-intensity PA intermittent interrupting (LPA-INT) PS and moderate-intensity PA intermittent interrupting (MPA-INT) PS significantly lowered postprandial glycemia (SMD = -0.46, 95%CI: -0.70 to -0.21; SMD = -0.69, 95%CI: -1.00 to -0.37, respectively) and significantly reduced postprandial insulin response (SMD = -0.46, 95%CI: -0.66 to -0.26; SMD = -0.47, 95%CI: -0.77 to -0.17, respectively). Results of the clustered ranking plot indicated that MPA-INT was the most effective intervention in lowering postprandial glycemia and insulin responses. CONCLUSION: Replacing PS with MPA-INT or LPA-INT has a positive effect in reducing postprandial glycemia and insulin responses, with MPA-INT being the optimal intervention strategy.

The Association of Different Sedentary Patterns and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Pre-schoolers.

Background: The results of sedentary time (ST) and health-related physical fitness (HPF) are not completely consistent and the studies concentrated on pre-schoolers are very limited. Methods: We measured ST and ST patterns (ST Bouts time, ST Breaks times) by accelerometer. The health-related physical fitness T-score (HPFT) was calculated by five indexes: height-weight standard score, 20 m shuttle-run test, grip strength, standing long jump and 2 × 10 m shuttle-run test. Results: We included 375 pre-schoolers (211 boys, 164 girls) in the final analysis. The total ST and ST Bouts times negatively correlated with HPFT in pre-schoolers. HPFT reduced by 1.69 and 0.70 points per 10 min increased in total ST and ST Bouts times, respectively. HPFT of the highest quartile group reduced by 9.85 points in total ST, and 10.54 points in ST Bouts time compared with the lowest quartile group. However, the HPFT increased by 0.09 points per 10 times increased in ST Breaks times; the HPFT increased by 16.21 and 15.59 points when moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) replaced total ST and ST Bouts time. Conclusions: HPF negatively correlated with the Total ST and ST Bouts times, but positively correlated with ST Breaks times; and HPF significantly improved when MVPA replaced ST in pre-schoolers.

Distribution, diagnosis, and analysis of related risk factors of multidrug-resistant organism in patients with malignant neoplasms.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we sought to investigate the distribution characteristics, early diagnosis, and related risk factors of multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) in patients with malignant tumors. METHODS: A total of 278 patients with malignant tumors and infections were selected in the Department of Oncology for retrospective study, including 128 MDRO patients and 150 non-MDRO patients. The markers of bacterial culture were detected, and the serum procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and serum amyloid A (SAA) levels were measured in patients' blood samples. The diagnostic value of PCT, CRP, and SAA for MDRO was evaluated, the distribution of MDRO in different years and different infection sites was analyzed, and the related risk factors of MDRO infection were studied. RESULTS: The PCT, CRP, and SAA in the MDRO group were significantly higher than those of the non-MDRO group (all P<0.001). The area under the curve of receiver operating characteristics for the diagnosis of MDRO by PCT, CRP, and SAA. The combination of the three was 0.792, 0.811, 0.755, and 0.842, respectively. The distribution of MDRO strains in different years was statistically different (P<0.05), as well as the distribution of MDRO in different infection sites (P<0.05). Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that invasive operation, excessive bed rest, hypoproteinemia, PCT, and SAA were independent risk factors for MDRO infection in patients with malignant tumors (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The combination of CRP, PCT, and SAA displays a value for early diagnosis of MDRO infection. MDRO infections in malignant tumors mainly include carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli. There are differences in terms of MDRO strains in different years and different infection sites, and there are many risk factors regarding MDRO infection in patients with malignant tumors. Intervention should be taken in order to reduce the rate of MDRO infection.

Associations between Daily Step Counts and Physical Fitness in Preschool Children.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationships between daily step counts and physical fitness in preschool children. METHODS: Preschoolers' step counts were assessed by ActiGraph accelerometers consecutively for seven days. Physical fitness was assessed by a 20 m shuttle run test (cardiorespiratory fitness), the handgrip and standing long jump tests (musculoskeletal fitness), and the 2 × 10 m shuttle run test (speed/agility). A composite score was created from the mean of the standardized values of all physical fitness tests. RESULTS: A total of 301 preschoolers (134 girls, mean age 57.40 ± 5.47 months; 167 boys, mean age 58.10 ± 5.34 months) were included in the final analysis. Compared with the lowest tertile, boys and girls in the highest tertile of step counts achieved high physical fitness with odds ratio (OR) being 5.39 (95% CI = 1.65-17.59) and 4.42 (95% CI = 1.30-14.99), respectively, after adjusting for confounders. Meanwhile, a relationship was observed for each 1000 steps/day increment being associated with 43% (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.10-1.85) and 62% (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.20-2.19) increment for high physical fitness in boys and girls, respectively. In addition, significant non-linear relationship was observed between daily steps and physical fitness in boys, which indicated that accumulated 8000 steps/day was associated with the highest ratio to achieve high physical fitness. CONCLUSIONS: Positive relationships between step counts and physical fitness were observed in preschool children, and the relationships were strongest for those who accumulated 8000 steps/day in boys. To confirm the findings in this study, well-designed and large-scale longitudinal studies are needed in the future.

The effects of chronic physical activity interventions on executive functions in children aged 3-7 years: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To use a quantitative approach to examine the effects of chronic physical activity (PA) interventions on executive functions (EFs) in children aged 3-7 years. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched from their inception to December 2019. Intervention studies with a control group that examined the effects of chronic PA interventions on EFs among children aged 3-7 years were included in this meta-analysis. Lastly, subgroup analyses were conducted to examine the potential modifying effects of chronic PA intervention's characteristics and study quality. RESULTS: A total of 10 studies were included in this meta-analysis with a total of 716 participants. The fixed-effects model was used to estimate the pooled effect sizes since heterogeneity across included studies was not significant. The summary effects revealed that chronic PA interventions have a small but positive effects on participants' overall EFs [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.20-0.50] as well as inhibition (SMD = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.12-0.62) and working memory (SMD = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.02-0.46) domains and a moderate effect on the cognitive flexibility domain (SMD = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.28-1.05). Lastly, the pooled effect was not significantly modified by intervention duration, session length, or frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic PA interventions, especially PA plus cognitive challenges interventions, may be a promising way to promote the development of multiple aspects of EFs in children aged 3-7 years.

Are preschool children active enough in Shanghai: an accelerometer-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Engaging in physical activity (PA) plays an important role in promoting physical and mental health, but the PA data for Chinese preschool children are lacking. This study aims to objectively assess the PA levels of preschool children in Shanghai, China and to evaluate their PA levels relative to age-specific recommendations. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among preschool children in Shanghai, city of China. There were a total of 303 preschool children (boys, 174; girls, 129) recruited from eight kindergarten classes in the Yangpu and Baoshan Districts of Shanghai. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Daily PA was assessed using ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers for seven consecutive days. Children were required to have data from at least 2 weekdays and 1 weekend day, with a minimum daily wear time of 480 min to be included in the analysis. RESULTS: Preschool children in Shanghai accumulated, on average, 70.9 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and 168.0 min of total PA (TPA) per day (d). Boys engaged in more MVPA and TPA than girls (72.8 min/day vs 68.3 min/day and 171.9 min/day vs 162.9 min/day, respectively). Overall, 72.9% of the participants met the age-specific recommendations of MVPA, while 35.3% met TPA recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this study warn of the insufficiency of PA in Shanghai preschool children, suggesting there is substantial room to improve their PA. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR-OOC-15007439; Results.

Correlation between lumbar intervertebral disc height and lumbar spine sagittal alignment among asymptomatic Asian young adults.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the distribution and characteristics of the lumbar intervertebral disc height (IDH) in asymptomatic Asian population and to determine whether the lumbar IDH is related to the lumbar spine sagittal alignment. METHODS: A cohort of 169 cases of asymptomatic volunteers was enrolled from January 2014 to July 2016. All participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine and panoramic radiography of the spine. Panoramic radiographs of the spine were taken to evaluate pelvic incidence (PI), sacral slope (SS), and pelvic tilt (PT) using Surgimap® software. Roussouly classification was utilized to categorize all subjects according to the four subtypes of sagittal alignment. The IDH was measured on the MRI mid-saggital section of the vertebral body. The relationships between lumbar IDH and spine-pelvic parameters were also assessed using the Spearman correlation analysis. RESULTS: The reference value ranges of IDH in asymptomatic Asian volunteers between L1/2, L2/3, L3/4, L4/5, and L5/S1 were (6.25, 10.99), (6.97, 12.08), (7.42, 13.3), (7.76, 14.57),and (7.11, 13.12) mm, respectively. Based on the above reference value, the high lumbar intervertebral space is defined as more than 14 mm. According to the Roussouly Classification, there are 33 cases in type I, 48 in type II, 66 in type III, and 22 in type IV. According to the definition of the high IDH, there are two cases in type I, three in type II, nine in type III, and eight in type IV. The results indicated that people in the Roussouly III and IV subtypes had greater values for IDH compared to those of Roussouly I and II subtypes, and the spinopelvic parameters were partly correlated with IDH in different subtypes. In addition, levels L4-L5 showed the highest IDH for all four groups followed by the L3-L4 and L5-S1 levels, and the value of L3-L4 is equivalent to that of L5-S1. All type groups showed moderate and positive correlations between the PI and IDH except the level of L1-L2 in type IV. CONCLUSIONS: The IDH may influence the lumbar spine sagittal alignment in asymptomatic Asian adults. Moreover, pre-operative evaluation of IDH is useful for selection of optimal cage size and reconstruction of spinal alignment.

"Living High-Training Low" improved weight loss and glucagon-like peptide-1 level in a 4-week weight loss program in adolescents with obesity: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: "Living High-Training Low" (LHTL) is effective for the improvement of athletic ability; however, little is known about the effect of LHTL on obese individuals. The present study determined whether LHTL would have favorable influence on body composition, rebalance the appetite hormones, and explore the underlying mechanism. METHODS: Adolescents with obesity [body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m] were randomly assigned to "Living Low-Training Low" (LLTL, n = 19) group that slept in a normobaric normoxia condition and the LHTL (n = 16) group slept in a normobaric hypoxia room (14.7% PO2 ∼2700 m). Both groups underwent the same aerobic exercise training program. Morphological, blood lipids, and appetite hormones were measured and assessed. RESULTS: After the intervention, the body composition improved in both groups, whereas reductions in body weight (BW), BMI, and lean body mass increased significantly in the LHTL group (all, P < .05). In the LLTL group, cholecystokinin (CCK) decreased remarkably (P < .05) and CCK changes were positively associated with changes in BW (r = 0.585, P = .011) and BMI (r = 0.587, P = .010). However, in the LHTL group, changes in plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, positively correlated with each other (r = 0.708, P = .015) but negatively with BW changes (r = -0.608, P = .027 and r = -0.518, P = .048, respectively). CONCLUSION: The results indicated that LHTL could induce more weight loss safely and efficiently as compared to LLTL and increase the plasma GLP-1 levels that may be mediated by IL-6 to rebalance the appetite. Thus, an efficient method to treat obesity and prevent weight regain by appetite rebalance in hypoxia condition was established.

Preschoolers' Technology-Assessed Physical Activity and Cognitive Function: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Early childhood is a critical period for development of cognitive function, but research on the association between physical activity and cognitive function in preschool children is limited and inconclusive. This study aimed to examine the association between technology-assessed physical activity and cognitive function in preschool children. A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Physical Activity and Cognitive Development Study was conducted in Shanghai, China. Physical activity was measured with accelerometers for 7 consecutive days, and cognitive functions were assessed using the Chinese version of Wechsler Young Children Scale of Intelligence (C-WYCSI). Linear regression analyses were used to assess the association between physical activity and cognitive function. A total of 260 preschool children (boys, 144; girls, 116; mean age: 57.2 ± 5.4 months) were included in analyses for this study. After adjusting for confounding factors, we found that Verbal Intelligence Quotient, Performance Intelligence Quotient, and Full Intelligence Quotient were significantly correlated with light physical activity, not moderate to vigorous physical activity, in boys. Standardized coefficients were 0.211, 0.218, and 0.242 (all p < 0.05) in three different models, respectively. However, the correlation between physical activity and cognitive functions were not significant in girls (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that cognitive function is apparently associated with light physical activity in boys. Further studies are required to clarify the sex-specific effect on physical activity and cognitive functions.

The compression of L5 nerve root, single or double sites?-radiographic graded signs, intra-operative detect technique and clinical outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The L5 nerve root could be compressed at both L4-5 and L5-S1 regions. If L5 nerve root has confirmed compression at L4-5 level and questionable compression at L5-S1 foramina, performing both surgeries at L4-5 and L5-S1 levels may induce unnecessary extra surgery on L5-S1; however, ignoring foraminal stenosis of L5/S1 may require re-exploration. METHODS: Two hundred seventeen patients with L5 nerve root compressed at L4-5 lateral access were performed with L4-5 decompression and interbody fusion. Lee et al. grade classification was used to assess the foraminal stenosis of L5-S1 preoperatively. Nerve root probe was designed and used to detect if there were foraminal stenosis at L5-S1 level that compressing the exiting L5 nerve root. Visual analog scale (VAS) of low back pain, leg pain and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were used to assess clinical outcomes. RESULTS: For all of 217 patients who underwent L4-5 surgery, L5-S1 foramina were preoperatively assessed as: grade 0: 125 cases, grade 1: 58 cases, grade 2: 23 cases, and grade 3: 11 cases. After intra-operative L5 nerve root detection, 11/11 patients with grade 3 radiographic foraminal stenosis, 6/23 (26.1%) with grade 2 and 2/58 (3.4%) who had grade 1 underwent L4-5 and L5-S1 transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), the others received only L4-5 TLIF. Compared to pre-operative baseline data, both L4-5 TLIF and L4-5 and L5-S1 TLIF groups had significant decreased VAS of low back pain and leg pain, and ODI at 3 and 24 months after operation. CONCLUSIONS: We suggested that our novel nerve root probe combined with pre-operative radiographic grade may be helpful to surgeons to identify the single or double compression of L5 nerve root and make a more precise surgical strategy to improve surgical outcome than the method depended on pre-operative radiographic grade alone.

The effect of magnesium supplementation on muscle fitness: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

Increasing evidence supports a role of magnesium (Mg) in skeletal muscle function. However, no systematic review or meta-analysis has summarized data on Mg supplementation in relation to muscle fitness in humans. Thus, this study aimed to quantitatively assess the effect of Mg supplementation on muscle fitness. A meta-analysis and systematic review. Medline database and other sources were searched for randomized clinical trials through July 2017. Studies that reported results regarding at least one of the following outcomes: leg strength, knee extension strength, peak torque, muscle power, muscle work, jump, handgrip, bench press weights, resistant exercise, lean mass, muscle mass, muscle strength, walking speed, Repeated Chair Stands, and TGUG were included. Measurements of the association were pooled using a fixed-effects model and expressed as weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Fourteen randomized clinical trials targeting 3 different populations were identified: athletes or physically active individuals (215 participants; mean age: 24.9 years), untrained healthy individuals (95 participants; mean age: 40.2 years), and elderly or alcoholics (232 participants; mean age: 62.7 years). The beneficial effects of Mg supplementation appeared to be more pronounced in the elderly and alcoholics, but were not apparent in athletes and physically active individuals. The results of the meta-analysis suggested that no significant improvements in the supplementation group were observed regarding isokinetic peak torque extension [WMD = 0.87; 95% CI = (-1.43, 3.18)], muscle strength [WMD = 0.87; 95% CI = (-0.12, 1.86)] or muscle power [WMD = 3.28; 95% CI = (-14.94, 21.50)]. Evidence does not support a beneficial effect of Mg supplementation on muscle fitness in most athletes and physically active individuals who have a relatively high Mg status. But Mg supplementation may benefit individuals with Mg deficiency, such as the elderly and alcoholics.