Effectiveness of a healthy lifestyle program based on a mobile serious game for childhood cancer survivors: A quasi-randomized trial.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a healthy lifestyle program based on a mobile serious game (HLP-MSG) to enhance the lifestyles of childhood cancer survivors (CCSs). METHODS: This program proceeded in two stages: development and evaluation, using a non-synchronized design with a quasi-randomized trial. The participants were CCSs aged 6-13 years whose treatment was terminated at least 12 months prior. Data were collected at baseline, and post-intervention, with a follow-up after four weeks using the Child Healthy Lifestyle Profile (CHLP). The experimental (n = 26) and control groups (n = 25) were compared. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests, t-tests, and repeated-measures ANOVA. RESULTS: The HLP-MSG promoted a healthy lifestyle by solving 26 quests, including seven sub-elements (nutrition, exercise, hygiene, interpersonal relationships, stress management, meaning of life, and health responsibility). This study revealed significant differences in the interaction between measurement time and group assignment in the CHLP (p = .006) and physical activity (p = .013), one of the seven sub-dimensions. CONCLUSIONS: A healthy lifestyle program based on a mobile serious game is a feasible health education modality to enhance the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual health of CCSs. IMPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: The findings add to scientific evidence on a mobile serious game for health education among CCSs. The HLP-MSG provides an evolutionary educational modality that can be delivered non-face-to-face to promote CCSs' continuous healthy behavior maintenance. Moreover, the HLP-MSG is adolescent-friendly and can be utilized as a healthcare tool for parents and children to cooperate.

Predicting COVID-19 transmission in a student population in Seoul, South Korea, 2020-2021.

BACKGROUND: As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission depends on factors such as demography, comorbidity, and patterns of daily activity, a better understanding of the societal factors of the infection among students would be useful in planning prevention strategies. However, no studies to date have focused on societal factors associated with COVID-19 transmission among students. PURPOSE: This study aimed to characterize the factors of a student population associated with COVID-19 transmission in the metropolitan city of Seoul, South Korea. METHODS: We analyzed the epidemiological data for laboratory-confirmed (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) COVID-19 cases collected by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and Ministry of Education from January 2020 to October 2021. We calculated the global Moran's index, local Moran's index, and Getis-Ord's index. A spatial regression analysis was performed to identify sociodemographic predictors of COVID-19 at the district level. RESULTS: The global spatial correlation estimated by Moran's index was 0.082 for the community population and 0.064 for the student population. The attack rate of adults aged 30- 59 years (P=0.049) was associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 attack rates in students, whereas the number of students per primary- (P=0.003) and middle- (P=0.030) school class was inversely associated with risk of COVID-19 attack among students. CONCLUSION: We found that COVID-19 transmission was more attributable to the community-level burden in students than adults. We recommend that public health initiatives target initiatives that protect students from COVID-19 when the community carries a high burden of infection.

Reduced forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of vital capacity in children with allergic rhinitis without asthmatic symptoms.

INTRODUCTION: Allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma are closely associated in children. Reduced FEF25%-75% which reflects small airway airflow limitation is frequently observed in asthma. This study aimed to examine the proportion of small airway dysfunction in children with AR and to determine its associated factors.Methods: The medical records of 144 aged 6-18-year children with AR without overt asthmatic symptoms were retrospectively reviewed. Subjects were divided into 2 groups according to the FEF25%-75% values; normal FEF25%-75% group (n = 129) and reduced FEF25%-75% group (n = 15). Clinical data, allergen sensitization profile, exhaled nitric oxide, spirometry, and methacholine provocation test results were compared between the two groups.Results: The mean FEV1 and FEF25%-75% values in the reduced FEF25%-75% group (73.5 ± 9.4%pred and 56.0 ± 7.7%pred, respectively) were significantly lower than in the normal FEF25%-75% group (87.0 ± 12.5%pred and 99.1 ± 21.4%pred, respectively). The mean disease duration was significantly longer in the reduced FEF25%-75% group than in the normal FEF25%-75% group (5.39 ± 1.85 y vs 3.14 ± 1.80 y, p < 0.001). Subjects with positive bronchial hyperresponsiveness (MChPC20<16 mg/mL) were more frequently detected in the reduced FEF25%-75% group than in the normal FEF25%-75% group (26.7% vs 8.52%, p = 0.013). Long disease duration and severity of AR were significantly associated with impaired FEF25%-75% values.Conclusions: Subjects with AR alone may have impaired FEF25%-75% values which is considered as a marker of early bronchial involvement. Longer disease duration and severity of AR are important risk factors for progressive declines in small airway function. Physicians should be aware of need for the measurement of FEF25%-75% values for early detection of small airway dysfunction, particularly in children with severe long-lasting allergic rhinitis.

Properties and anti-inflammatory effects of Sargassum muticum enzymatic extracts decomposed using crude enzyme from Shewanella oneidensis PKA1008.

This study was conducted to investigate the general properties of an enzymatic extract of Sargassum muticum (SM) produced using a crude enzyme from Shewanella oneidensis PKA 1008 and their anti-inflammatory activities. The SM was mixed with crude enzymes from S. oneidensis PKA 1008 (1:1 (v/v)) and incubated at 30 °C for 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 60 h. S. oneidensis PKA 1008 crude enzyme showed the highest SM enzymatic extracts degradation ability when reacted with SM for 48 h. These evaluations demonstrated a 134.25% increase in reducing sugar content and a 14.90% reduction in viscosity at 48 h. The pH, lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) of the SM enzymatic extracts decreased significantly with increasing reaction time. Moreover, the SM enzymatic extracts demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity. These results indicate that the crude enzyme from S. oneidensis PKA 1008 can be used to enhance the polysaccharide degradation of SM, and the resultant oligosaccharides may have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Inhibition of Urease Activity and Fishy Smell in Mackerel (Scomber japonicus) during Refrigerated Storage.

In this study, gamma-irradiated mackerel (Scomber japonicus) meat was stored in a refrigerator for 20 days to examine the physicochemical changes related to fishy smell. The effect of gamma irradiation on the inhibition of the activity of crude urease extracted from Vibrio parahaemolyticus was also evaluated. Increased levels of trimethylamine (TMA) and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) content, which are the main components causing fishy smell, were significantly reduced by day 20 of storage after gamma irradiation, indicating that freshness was maintained during storage. The ammonia nitrogen contents of 3, 7, 10, and 20 kGy gamma-irradiated groups were significantly decreased by 6.5, 15.2, 17.4, and 23.9%, respectively, compared to non-irradiated groups on day 20 of storage. In addition, urease activity decreased in a gamma irradiation intensity-dependent manner. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured during the storage of gamma-irradiated mackerel meat. The contents of ethanol, 2-butanone, 3-methylbutanal, and trans-2-pentenal, which are known to cause off-flavors due to spoilage of fish, were significantly reduced by day 20 of storage. Therefore, gamma irradiation can be considered useful for inhibiting urease activity and reducing fishy smell during fish storage.

Effect of High Hydrostatic Pressure Treatment on Urease Activity and Inhibition of Fishy Smell in Mackerel (Scomber japonicus) during Storage.

In this study, the physicochemical changes related to fishy smell were determined by storing high hydrostatic pressure (HHP)-treated mackerel (Scomber japonicus) meat in a refrigerator for 20 days. The inhibition of crude urease activity from Vibrio parahaemolyticus using HHP treatment was also investigated. The mackerel meat storage experiment demonstrated that production of trimethylamine (TMA) and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), the main components of fishy smell, was significantly reduced on the 20th day of storage after the HHP treatment compared to the untreated mackerels. The results demonstrated that the increased ammonia nitrogen rates in the 2000, 3000, and 4000 bar, HHP-treated groups decreased by 23.8%, 23.8%, and 31.0%, respectively, compared to the untreated groups. The enzyme activity of crude urease was significantly reduced in the HHP-treated group compared to that in the untreated group. Measurement of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in mackerel meat during storage indicated that the content of ethanol, 2-butanone, 3-methylbutanal, and trans-2-pentenal, which are known to cause off-flavor due to spoilage, were significantly reduced by HHP treatment. Collectively, our results suggested that HHP treatment would be useful for inhibiting the activity of urease, thereby reducing the fishy smells from fish and shellfish.