Factors associated with out-of-school physical activity among Chinese children and adolescents: A stratified cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: This observational study examined the factors associated with the physical activity (PA) of children and adolescents outside of school within the framework of Problem Behavior Theory (PBT). METHODS: This cross-sectional study obtained data from 6528 children and adolescents aged 6-16 years recruited from ten schools in Shanghai, China. The questionnaire measured out-of-school PA and PBT-based correlates. A series of multiple linear regressions were used to explore the factors influencing children and adolescents' out-of-school PA separately. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to explore the association between the three systems of PBT and out-of-school PA. RESULTS: Higher intrinsic motivation is positively associated with increased PA for children (b = 1.038, 95%CI: 0.897-1.180) and adolescents (b = 1.207, 95%CI: 0.890-1.524). Greater frequency of parental involvement in PA correlates with elevated PA for both children (b = 2.859, 95%CI: 2.147-3.572) and adolescents (b = 2.147, 95%CI: 0.311-3.983). In children, increased use of community exercise areas or facilities (b = 1.705, 95%CI: 0.234-3.176) and higher recreational screen time (b = 9.732, 95%CI: 5.614-13.850) are associated with higher PA. The SEM showed that factors of the personality system had a significant direct effect on out-of-school PA among children and adolescents, and factors of the behavior system also had a significant effect on children. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the personality system, particularly intrinsic motivation, is important in promoting out-of-school PA in children and adolescents. For children, modifiable health behaviors in the behavior system can similarly influence PA.

Challenges and support needs in psychological and physical health among pilots: a qualitative study.

Introduction: Physical and mental health problems among pilots affect their working state and impact flight safety. Although pilots' physical and mental health problems have become increasingly prominent, their health has not been taken seriously. This study aimed to clarify challenges and support needs related to psychological and physical health among pilots to inform development of a more scientific and comprehensive physical and mental health system for civil aviation pilots. Methods: This qualitative study recruited pilots from nine civil aviation companies. Focus group interviews via an online conference platform were conducted in August 2022. Colaizzi analysis was used to derive themes from the data and explore pilots' experiences, challenges, and support needs. Results: The main sub-themes capturing pilots' psychological and physical health challenges were: (1) imbalance between family life and work; (2) pressure from assessment and physical examination eligibility requirements; (3) pressure from worries about being infected with COVID-19; (4) nutrition deficiency during working hours; (5) changes in eating habits because of the COVID-19 pandemic; (6) sleep deprivation; (7) occupational diseases; (8) lack of support from the company in coping with stress; (9) pilots' yearly examination standards; (10) support with sports equipment; (11) respecting planned rest time; and (12) isolation periods. Discussion: The interviewed pilots experienced major psychological pressure from various sources, and their physical health condition was concerning. We offer several suggestions that could be addressed to improve pilots' physical and mental health. However, more research is needed to compare standard health measures for pilots around the world in order to improve their physical and mental health and contribute to overall aviation safety.

Prevalence and network analysis of internet addiction, depression and their associations with sleep quality among commercial airline pilots: A national survey in China.

OBJECTIVE: Airline pilots are members of a unique occupational group that is often confronted with sleep routine disruptions, yet relatively few studies have examined their mental health status. This study assessed the prevalence and network structure of internet addiction, depression and sleep quality problems in commercial airline pilots. METHOD: A total of 7055 airline pilots were included in analyses. Internet addiction and depression were measured with the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), respectively. Sleep quality was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The network model was constructed based on an Ising model and its association with sleep quality was evaluated using a flow procedure. RESULTS: Internet addiction, depression and sleep quality were common among airline pilots. The prevalence of internet addiction was 8.0 % (95 % CI: 7.3-8.6 %), while the rates of depression and poor sleep quality were 23.3 % (95 % CI: 22.3-24.2 %) and 33.0 % (95 % CI: 31.9-34.1 %), respectively. In the depression and internet addiction network model, "Fatigue" (PHQ4; Expected Influence (EI): 2.04) and "Depressed/moody/nervous only while being offline" (IAT20; EI: 1.76) were most central symptoms while "Fatigue" (PHQ4; Bridge EI: 1.30) was also the most important bridge symptom. The flow network model of sleep quality with internet addiction and depression showed that "Appetite" (PHQ5) had the strongest positive association with poor sleep quality. CONCLUSION: Internet addiction, depression and sleep quality were common among airline pilots and warrant regular screening and timely treatment. Strategies to improve sleep hygiene may be useful in preventing onsets or exacerbations in depression and internet addiction among airline pilots.

Associations between joint lifestyle behaviors and depression among children and adolescents: A large cross-sectional study in China.

BACKGROUND: Lifestyles in children and adolescents are associated with mental health, yet the combined effects of diet-related joint lifestyles on depression are unclear. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2020 in primary and secondary schools in Shanghai, China, with 6478 participants in the analysis. Lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, sleep duration, screen time, and diet quality) and depressive symptoms were measured using validated questionnaires. A series of multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine the associations between lifestyle behaviors and their combinations and depression. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms 12.2 % (n = 788). Compared to those considered physically active, physically inactive individuals showed higher odds of depression (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.206). Similarly, insufficient sleep duration (aOR = 1.449), long screen time (aOR = 1.457) and poor diet quality (aOR = 1.892) were all associated with higher odds of depression. Compared to participants with behaviors meeting all guidelines, the odds of depression increased as the number of behaviors not meeting guidelines increased in a dose-response relationship, with an average increase in depression odds of 49 % on average for each additional unhealthy behavior. Moreover, different combinations of behaviors not meeting guidelines showed varied odds of depression. CONCLUSIONS: Our research suggests that lifestyle behaviors not meeting guidelines in children and adolescents are associated with poorer mental health, and the risk varies with the number and specific combination of behaviors not meeting guidelines. Diet-related joint behaviors may be overlooked, and practical measures targeting joint lifestyles are needed to prevent and alleviate mental health problems among children and adolescents.

Physical activity, recreational screen time, and depressive symptoms among Chinese children and adolescents: a three-wave cross-lagged study during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Longitudinal evidence is lacking on the interplay between lifestyle behaviors and depressive symptoms, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the changes in physical activity and recreational screen time during the pandemic, along with their reciprocal associations with depressive symptoms among children and adolescents. METHODS: The public health emergency due to the pandemic started in January 2023 and lasted for two months in Shanghai, China. A three-wave longitudinal study was conducted among 1,666 children and adolescents (6-18 years) in January, March, and July 2023. Moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), recreational screen time, and depressive symptoms were measured using self-reported questionnaires. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were constructed to examine the bidirectional associations between physical activity and recreational screen time with depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Children and adolescents experienced a significant decrease in MVPA and a substantial increase in recreational screen time during the pandemic, which failed to return to pre-pandemic levels post-pandemic. Pre-pandemic MVPA was negatively associated with subsequent depressive symptoms (ß = -0.147). Conversely, pre-pandemic depressive symptoms were positively associated with subsequent recreational screen time (ß = 0.085), which in turn predicted heightened post-pandemic depressive symptoms (ß = 0.076). When stratified by age, significant associations were found in adolescents but not children. CONCLUSIONS: Sustained unhealthy changes in physical activity and recreational screen time were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic among children and adolescents. This study elucidates a potential reciprocal relationship between lifestyle behaviors and mental well-being. Effective interventions are emphasized to counter the negative impacts of insufficient physical activity and excessive screen use on the mental health of children and adolescents.

Physical activity maintenance and increase in Chinese children and adolescents: the role of intrinsic motivation and parental support.

Objective: This longitudinal study aimed to examine the association of intrinsic motivation, parental physical activity, and parental support with physical activity maintenance and increase among children and adolescents. Methods: A sample of 2,424 children and adolescents in Shanghai, China participated in the two-wave survey before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire measured children and adolescents' physical activity and intrinsic motivation, as well as their parental physical activity and support (concern for their child and co-activity with their child). Multivariable logistic regressions were performed by groups to examine the associations between these factors and physical activity change. Results: Most children and adolescents exhibited a decline in physical activity participation during the pandemic, as indicated by a mere 15.0 and 8.0% of individuals maintaining and increasing their pre-pandemic levels, respectively. Among the initially active participants, perceived self-choice [OR = 1.341 (95%CI: 1.173-1.533)] and parental concern [OR = 1.922 (95%CI: 1.204-3.068)] predicted maintained physical activity. Increased physical activity was predicted by perceived enjoyment [OR = 1.193 (95%CI: 1.046-1.362)] and parental co-activity (OR = 1.995 [95%CI: 1.095-3.633]). Conclusion: This study provides longitudinal evidence that intrinsic motivation and parental support can have a positive impact when physical activity levels change significantly. Effective interventions targeting multilevel factors are needed to maintain or increase children and adolescents' physical activity.

Association between Types of Screen Time and Weight Status during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study in Children and Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the changes in distinct types of screen time and explore their longitudinal association with children and adolescents' weight status. METHODS: A two-wave longitudinal study was conducted among 2228 children and adolescents (6-19 years) in Shanghai, China, before and during the pandemic. Recreational screen time (watching TV/videos, online gaming, using social media, and browsing webpages), educational screen time (online homework and online class), and BMI were measured using a self-reported questionnaire. Mixed-effects models were constructed to assess the associations between screen time and weight status. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 20.5% and 10.2% at baseline, respectively. Both recreational and educational screen time increased significantly over two months. While recreational screen time was found to be a risk factor for obesity, it was not the case for educational screen use. Specifically, adolescents who spent more time watching TV/videos had a higher obesity risk (OR = 1.576). No significant associations were found in children. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obesity were prevalent among children and adolescents in China. Reducing screen-based activities is a promising strategy to prevent unhealthy weight gain in Chinese children and adolescents, while it is necessary to consider the content and distinguish between educational and recreational screen use.

Formal social support and quality of life of caregivers with autistic children: a large-scale nationwide survey in China.

Introduction: Caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were reported poor quality of life (QOL). Formal social support might improve the QOL of caregivers, however, limited research to date has focused on this association in China and formal social support for this group is conspicuously lacking. The study was aim to understand the QOL in male and female caregivers with ASD children in China and to explore the relationship between QOL and formal social support for caregivers with children with ASD through a large-scale nationwide survey. Methods: An online questionnaire was used to conduct a cross-sectional study with a sample of 6,120 caregivers of children with ASD. Relationship between Quality of Life and several potential predictors is measured and analyzed. Quality of life were measured by Medical Study Short-Form Health Survey version 2 (Chinese version). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the factors affecting caregivers' QOL. Results: The results revealed that the QOL of caregivers of autistic children in China was poor especially male caregivers. Social support was a positive predictor. More importantly, formal social support from rehabilitation institutions can improve caregivers' physical QOL. Caregivers' satisfaction with the rehabilitation institutions affecting their physical and mental QOL. Conclusion: The formal social support provided by rehabilitation institutions plays a positive role in improving the quality of life of caregivers.

Complete Genome Sequence and Characterization of a Polyethylene Biodegradation Strain, Streptomyces Albogriseolus LBX-2.

A bacterial strain, Streptomyces albogriseolus LBX-2, was isolated from a soil sample in Chengdu, China. S. albogriseolus LBX-2 is an aerobic and Gram-positive microorganism that is capable of using the polyethylene as the sole carbon source. Results of scanning electron microscopy and tensile tests indicated that S. albogriseolus LBX-2 could cause the damages to polyethylene (PE). Suspension culture of LBX-2 resulted in the weight loss in the PE powder over a 15-day period. The bacterial growth curve assay clearly demonstrated the utilization of n-hexadecane and n-octadecane for the strain LBX-2. Phylogenetic analysis showed that it was grouped in the same clade as S. albogriseolus belonging to Streptomyces. The complete genome of strain LBX-2 consists of a chromosome of 7,210,477 bp and a linear plasmid of 336,677 bp. Compared with other strains of Streptomyces, the genome size of S. albogriseolus LBX-2 was smaller than the average but its guanine and cytosine content (72.47%) was higher than the others. The Non-Redundant Protein Database (NR), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), SwissProt, Gene Ontology (GO) and Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) annotations provided information on the specific functions of encoded proteins. A total of 21 monooxygenase and 22 dioxygenase genes were found in its genome. Synteny comparison with the genome of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) revealed a low overall genetic diversity between them. This study provides valuable information to reveal the underlying mechanisms on PE degradation by S. albogriseolus LBX-2.

Bayesian space-frequency separation of wide-band sound sources by a hierarchical approach.

This paper proposes an efficient solution to the separation of uncorrelated wide-band sound sources which overlap each other in both space and frequency domains. The space-frequency separation is solved in a hierarchical way by (1) expanding the sound sources onto a set of spatial basis functions whose coefficients become the unknowns of the problem (backpropagation step) and (2) blindly demixing the coefficients of the spatial basis into uncorrelated components relating to sources of distinct physical origins (separation step). The backpropagation and separation steps are both investigated from a Bayesian perspective. In particular, Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling is advocated to obtain Bayesian estimates of the separated sources. Separation is guaranteed for sound sources having different power spectra and sufficiently smooth spatial modes with respect to frequency. The validity and efficiency of the proposed separation procedure are demonstrated on laboratory experiments.

Acoustical and mechanical characterization of poroelastic materials using a Bayesian approach.

A characterization method of poroelastic materials saturated by air is described. This inverse method enables the evaluation of all the parameters with a simple measurement in a standing wave tube. Moreover, a Bayesian approach is used to return probabilistic data such as the maximum a posteriori and the confidence interval of each parameter. To get these data, it is necessary to define prior probability distributions on the parameters characterizing the studied material. This last point is very important to regularize the inverse problem of identification. In a first step, the direct problem formulation is presented. Then, the inverse characterization is developed and applied to simulated and experimental data.