The Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Health-Psychological Health, Physical Activity, and Overall Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Emotional Regulation.

Background: Highly infectious respiratory disease COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China, and spread worldwide. Different measures have been adopted worldwide to contain the COVID-19, and these measures have various impacts on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (CP) and lockdown policy on physical health (PH)-psychological health (PsH), physical activity (PA), and overall well-being (OW) in the context of HRQoL, exploring the mediating role of emotional regulation (ER). Method: The current study was conducted in two provincial cities of China. An online survey was conducted in both the cities to collect the data. After quantifying the data, a total of 2,200 respondents data were analyzed through appropriate statistical techniques. Results: The study results indicate that CP was found significantly and negatively related to PH (ß = -0.157, t = 9.444, p < 0.001). A significant relationship was found between CP and PsH (ß = 0.779, t = 45.013, p < 0.001). The third prediction revealed a significant negative relationship between the CP and OW (ß = -0.080, t = 5.261, p < 0.001). The CP and PA had a significant negative relationship (ß = -0.047, t = 3.351, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The PH, PsH, and OW of the Chinese people were affected due to the CP and lockdown measures. It is suggested that ER intervention reduces the negative psychological impacts for improving quality of life. ER can function one's sentiments in their social environment effectively for quality of life.

Physical Inactivity, Non-Communicable Diseases and National Fitness Plan of China for Physical Activity.

BACKGROUND: China has the world's largest population, going under health transition due to industrialization, urbanization, and a sedentary lifestyle. About 82% of China's disease burden is due to the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Physical activity (active travel) is the best preventive measure against NCDs. The Chinese government has introduced several steps to improve national fitness and overcome NCDs among the aging population. Exercise and sports play a vital role in promoting physical activity and helpful in accomplishing the national fitness level for Healthy China under the national fitness plan (NFP). OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to explore the role of national fitness plan (NFP) in promoting physical activity and health well-being preventing NCDs under built environment intervention. METHODS: The study was exploratory, and the mixed-method approach was used to analyze the primary and secondary data. Quantitative content analysis was used to analyze the collected data. A purposive sampling technique was used to collect the primary data from those individuals rich in knowledge about the National Fitness Plan (NFP) of China and its role in promoting physical activity for physical fitness. RESULTS: The majority of the participants (32.0%) said that the national fitness plan helps promote sports environment and health. About 28.0% reported that NFP helps promote cycling and walk environments for physical activity and health promotion and preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). CONCLUSION: Participation in physical exercise and sports is the preferred approach to prevent different diseases. In the context of rising active living among the Chinese people, the facilities such as built environment and green parks under the national fitness plan (NFP) for sports play a crucial role in the mitigation of NCDs.

Anionic azo dyes removal from water using amine-functionalized cobalt-iron oxide nanoparticles: a comparative time-dependent study and structural optimization towards the removal mechanism.

The current study is aimed at synthesizing and characterizing magnetic cobalt-iron oxide nanoparticles (CoFeNPs) functionalized with two different amino reagents, hydrazine and dodecylamine, resulting in CoFeNPs1 and CoFeNPs2, respectively. Both types of cobalt-ferrite nanoparticles were investigated for the removal of six different negatively charged azoic dyes (Amaranth, Acid Orange 7, Naphthol Blue Black, Reactive Orange 16, Acid Orange 52 and Reactive Red-P2B) from water, and their removal efficiency was compared as a function of different factors such as time, type of anchored amine, size of CoFeNPs and structure of the dye. CoFeNPs were successfully characterized by FT-IR spectra, AFM, SEM-EDS, surface charge (ζ-potential) and thermal analysis. CoFeNPs1 revealed 44.5-82.1% dye removal at equilibrium (attained within 28-115 min) with an adsorptive capacity (q e) of 5.4-13.5 mg g-1 observed under unoptimized conditions (temp. 30 °C, adsorbent dose 0.67 g L-1, pH 6, dye concentration 20 µmol L-1). Use of CoFeNPs2 significantly enhanced the removal of each dye (percent dye removal 68.0-98.9%, q e 6.6-23.5 mg g-1) compared to CoFeNPs1 under similar conditions. From a comparative structural study, a larger size, more complex structure, hydrophobic character and greater number of phenyl SO3 - groups among the tested dyes facilitated their removal by CoFeNPs2, while all of these structural factors were negatively related to dye removal by CoFeNPs1. CoFeNPs2 showed some dye aggregation along with adsorption, while in the case of CoFeNPs1, only adsorption was observed as confirmed by FT-IR and UV-visible spectral studies. Dye removal data in all cases was in best compliance with pseudo-second order kinetics in comparison to pseudo-first order or the Elovich model, where film diffusion was a dominant phenomenon compared to intra-particle diffusion. Adsorption isotherms, thermodynamics and reusability of the CoFeNPs were studied selecting Reactive Orange 16. Adsorption equilibrium was best fitted to the Langmuir isotherm. ΔG° and ΔH° indicated spontaneous and exothermic adsorption. Amine-functionalized CoFeNPs are recommended as potential cost-effective adsorbents with excellent reusability that could be applied efficiently for rapid and selective dye removal from textile effluents considering the size, structure, charge and number of S atoms in the target azo dyes.

The Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 Home Confinement and Physical Activity: A Structural Equation Model Analysis.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 break out has created panic and fear in society. A strict kind of lockdown was imposed in Wuhan, Hubei province of China. During home confinement due to lockdown, people face multidimensional issues. The present study explored the psychological impacts of COVID-19 home confinement during the lockdown period and Wuhan's residents' attitude toward physical activity. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted to collect the primary data according to the study objectives. The population was Wuhan residents (+ 18 years) who were in home confinement. A total of 2280 participant's reply to the online questionnaire survey and collected data after quantifying the data, about 2200 (96.49%); about (49.8%) female, about (49.4%) male, others about (0.2%), and about (0.6%) were not disclosed their gender participants responses were used for analysis. The collected data were analyzed through appropriate statistical techniques. RESULTS: According to results, H1 is supported with ß = -40.793, t = 57.835, p = 0.000, which claimed a negative association between COVID-19 lockdown policy and behavior and attitude. Results for H2 reveals that the COVID-19 lockdown policy have negative influence on emotional control with ß = -0.769, t = 46.766, p = 0.000 and it is supported. H3 documented a significant positive relationship between COVID-19 lockdown policy and lockdown period psychological impact, which means lockdown policy, is the main reason to increase the lockdown psychological impact. Further, COVID-19 lockdown policy have negative influence on physical activity (H4) and self-belief (H5) with ß = -0.657, t = 32.766, p = 0.000 and ß = -0.620, t = -6.766, p = 0.000 respectively. H6 stated that there is a positive impact of behavior and attitude toward physical activity. The results for H6, behavior, and attitude affecting the physical activity with ß = 0.401, t = 10, p = 0.000, which is supported. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 home confinement created various psychological impacts, negatively affecting the emotional state due to depression and anxiety. Physical activity is the best strategy to manage human nature's psychological issues, and people's attitudes were positive toward physical activity during home confinement. However, the lockdown policy also affects physical activity participation negatively, and a sedentary lifestyle prevailed during home confinement.

Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Acts as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Parental Marital Conflict and Adolescents' Internalizing Problems.

The present study examined the potential moderating role respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) plays in the relationship between parental marital conflict and adolescents' internalizing problems. To examine this issue, data were collected from 330 adolescents (13-14 years, 182 boys). The Chinese version of the Achenbach Youth Self-Report-2001 and the Chinese version of the Children's Perception of Interparental Conflict were used to assess the adolescents' internalizing problems and their perceptions of parental marital conflict. To obtain RSA data, electrocardiogram monitoring was performed on the adolescents at baseline and during a series of stress tasks (watching a film clip depicting marital conflict, a mental arithmetic task, and a speech task). The results indicated that baseline RSA and RSA reactivity to the film clip moderated the relationship between parental marital conflict and internalizing problems in early adolescents. The moderating effect of baseline RSA supported the BSCT hypothesis. Specifically, adolescents with low baseline RSA have both the highest and lowest levels of internalizing problems, depending on the level of marital conflict. In contrast, adolescents with high levels of baseline RSA have moderate levels in internalizing problems, regardless of the level of marital conflict they experience. Similarly, high marital conflict was related to internalizing problems for adolescents with less RSA suppression or RSA augmentation but not for those with greater RSA suppression. This effect was specific to stress related to marital conflict, as RSA reactivity to the mental arithmetic task and speech task did not moderate the relationship between marital conflict and internalizing problems. These findings suggest that certain profile of parasympathetic nervous activity is a risk factor for internalizing problems particularly for those who experience high-conflict environments.

Convenient pH-responsive removal of Acid Black 1 by green l-histidine/iron oxide magnetic nanoadsorbent from water: performance and mechanistic studies.

This study was aimed at developing green histidine-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles (His-MNPs) for the adsorptive removal of Acid Black 1 (AB1) from aqueous solution. The His-MNPs were characterized by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, infra-red spectra and thermogravimetry. These MNPs were spherical (average diameter 11-28 nm) with polydispersity index of 1.40 and about 13% mass coating of histidine. To optimize AB1 adsorption on His-MNPs and understand its mechanism, the influences of different operational variables (pH, adsorbent amount, temperature, initial AB1 concentration, contact time, ionic strength, etc.) on adsorption were examined with adsorption isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamic studies. The AB1 adsorption from water was fast with equilibrium time ≤ 45 min. The adsorption equilibrium was best fitted to the Langmuir isotherm model (q max = 166.7 mg g-1 at the adsorbent dose of 0.2 g L-1, temperature 30 °C and pH 4). The linearity order for other isotherms was as follows: Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) < Temkin < Freundlich. The kinetics of the AB1 adsorption demonstrated the best compliance with the pseudo-second-order model, predominantly controlled by film diffusion as compared to intraparticle diffusion. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔH° and ΔG°) reflected the exothermic and spontaneous adsorption process. The values of ΔG°, ΔH°, activation energy and D-R free adsorption energy were all consistent with the physisorptive removal of AB1. The spectral (electronic and IR) and pH studies further corroborated the mechanism of AB1 removal by His-MNPs. The His-MNPs showed efficient adsorption, easy regeneration and excellent reusability, assisted by their pH-responsive properties. The prepared adsorbent can provide a safe, effective and economical alternative strategy for removing azo dyes from wastewater.

Factors Associated with Stress Among Parents of Children with Autism.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors associated with stress among parents of children with autism. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional field survey study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Psychology, GC University, Lahore, from September 2012 to November 2013. METHODOLOGY: The sample consisted of 100 parents (50 mothers and 50 fathers) of children with autism. Measures of childhood autism rating, sense of coherence, parenting self-efficacy, parenting stress, and demographic data sheet were completed by the parents in outdoor units of children hospital, institutes, and at their homes. RESULTS: Significant correlations were found between severity of impairment and parenting stress (r = .53, p < .01), between parenting self-efficacy and parenting stress (r = -.35, p < .01, and between sense of coherence and parenting stress (r = -.26, p < .05). No significant gender difference emerged in terms of parenting self-efficacy, sense of coherence, and parenting stress. Results of stepwise regression partially supported our hypothesized model, as severity of child impairment, and parenting self-efficacy appeared as significant predictors of parenting stress (R(2) = .35). However, there was no evidence of role of demographic variables in the parenting stress. CONCLUSION: The severity of child's impairment emerged as the most salient risk factor for parenting stress; however, it was concluded that parents' ability and confidence in their competence of parenting a child in challenging situations may reduce their stress.