Identifying opportunity, capability and motivation of Sri Lankan 5th grade schoolteachers to implement in-classroom physical activity breaks: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Classroom-based physical activity interventions have demonstrated positive effects in reducing sedentary behaviour among school children. However, this is an understudied area, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as Sri Lanka. This study aims to explore teachers' opportunity, capability and motivation relating to the implementation of an in-classroom physical activity breaks programme.

METHODS

Twenty-seven teachers were recruited through snowball sampling and participated in semi-structured telephone interviews from early-January to the mid-June 2022. The Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation Behaviour (COM-B) model was used to guide and deductively thematic analyse the interviews.

RESULTS

21 out of the recruited teachers responded to the full study. The mean age of respondents was 39.24 years old ranging from 27 years to 53 years. Teaching experience of the respondents ranged from three to 37 years, and 57% were female. Three teachers had a degree with a teacher training diploma, while others were having General Certificate of Education in Advanced Level with a teacher training diploma as the highest education qualification. Capability factors such as age, dress code, mask wearing, knowledge, skills and workload of the teachers were identified as important factors in implementing a physical activity breaks intervention in a Sri Lankan classroom setting. Classroom space, facilities, student backgrounds and safety were identified as opportunity factors. Obtaining policy level decisions to implement the activity breaks and managing the time of the activities to reduce time lost in education time were identified as motivational factors.

CONCLUSION

During the intervention development phase, implementation facilitators and barriers must be considered carefully. Behaviour change techniques can be utilised to address the identified COM-B factors to ensure a good implementation of the intervention.

Development and psychometric validation of the hospitalized patients' expectations for treatment scalepatient version

Objectives

A general expectation measurement of inpatients across wards is needed in the patient safety management systems of general hospitals. This study developed and psychometrically validated a new scale fulfilling the requirements above: the Hospitalized Patients' Expectations for Treatment Scale-Patient version (HOPE-P).

Methods

A total of 35 experts and ten inpatients were interviewed during the formulation of the HOPE-P scale, which was initially designed with three dimensions: doctor-patient communication expectations, treatment outcome expectations, and disease management expectancy. We recruited 210 inpatients from a general hospital in China and explored the reliability, validity, and psychometric characteristics of the questionnaire. Item analysis, construct validity, internal consistency and 7-day test-retest reliability analysis were applied.

Results

Exploratory and confirmatory analyses supported a 2-dimension (doctor-patient communication expectation and treatment outcome expectation) structure with satisfactory model fit parameters (root mean square residual (RMR) = 0.035, a root-mean-square-error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.072, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.984, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.970). Item analysis revealed an appropriate item design (r = 0.573-0.820). The scale exhibited good internal consistency, with Cronbach's α of 0.893, 0.761, and 0.919 for the overall scale, the doctor-patient communication expectation subscale, and the treatment outcome expectation subscale, respectively. The 7-day test-retest reliability was 0.782 (p < .001).

Conclusion

Our results indicated that the HOPE-P is a reliable and valid assessment tool to measure the expectations of general hospital inpatients, with a strong capacity to recognize patients' expectations regarding doctor-patient communication and treatment outcomes.

Modeling EDTA-facilitated cadmium migration in high- and low-permeability systems using MODFLOW and RT3D

Cadmium (Cd) has impacted groundwater resources and can pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. Its fate in groundwater is complex and challenging to predict, as it is affected by adsorption to sediments, complexation with aqueous phase ligands, and variations in hydraulic conductivity. In this study, a 2D reactive transport model based on MODFLOW and RT3D is used to simulate published experimental results of cadmium migration without and with EDTA present in a flow cell containing high- and low-permeability zones (i.e., HPZs and LPZs). The model is then extended to conceptual flow cells with more complex LPZ configurations. Simulation results generally match the experimental data well, and analysis of experimental and simulated Cd effluent concentration profiles shows that EDTA enhances Cd removal from LPZs relative to water alone. Simulation results indicate that faster Cd removal is due to EDTA complexation with adsorbed Cd in LPZs, which enhances its solubilization and subsequent back diffusion. Lastly, simulation results show that with increasing LPZ heterogeneity more Cd is retained in flow cells, and EDTA is more effective in enhancing Cd removal relative to water alone; these results are attributed to more LPZ-HPZ interfaces that enhance Cd mass transfer into LPZs during contamination, and enhance EDTA mass transfer into LPZs to promote cleanup. Overall, the results highlight the promise of using EDTA to remove Cd from heterogeneous sites, but caution is advised due to model simplicity and lack of consideration of changes in solution pH, redox potential, or competing cations.

Emotional distress and burnout at a fever clinic in China: Comparison between different periods of COVID-19

Background

Frontline healthcare workers (FHWs) experienced psychological stress and heavy workload during COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined the psychological symptoms and occupational burnout of FHWs in a fever clinic during different periods of the pandemic.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey of FHWs in the fever clinic of a tertiary hospital was carried out during both the outbreak period and regular period of COVID-19. Psychological measurement instruments including Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item, the 9-Question Patient Health Questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey, and the General Self-Efficacy Scale were used to evaluate anxiety, depression, burnout, and self-efficacy, respectively. The correlation between clinical variables was explored.

Results

A total of 162 participants were involved in this study, including 118 FHWs during the outbreak period (Group 1) and 44 FHWs during the regular period (Group 2). Anxiety symptoms were more prevalent in Group 2 (x2 = 27.477) while depressive symptoms were significantly more prevalent in Group 1 (x2 = 69.538). Burnout rate was higher in Group 2 (x2 = 29.526). Self-efficacy was higher in Group 1 (t = 3.194). Burnout was positively correlated with anxiety symptoms (r2 = 0.424) and negatively correlated with self-efficacy (r2 = −0.312).

Conclusion

Anxiety, depressive symptoms and burnout were prevalent in FHWs during different periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a tendency to be less depressed, but more anxious and burned out over time, although the severity of the pandemic is decreasing. Self-efficacy may be an important factor in protecting FHWs from occupational burnout. Support and intervention plans for FHWs should be made at the institutional level.

Synthesis and Surface Properties of Photoresponsive Gemini Surfactants: Implication for Remediating PAHs-Contaminated Groundwater

The efficient utility of surfactants remains a daunting task for groundwater remediation. In this study, we have synthesized a conventional photoresponsive surfactant 4-[4-[(4-butylphenyl)azo]phenoxy]butyldimethylethylammonium bromide (AzoPB) and a gemini photoresponsive surfactant N¹,N²-bis[4-[4-[(4-butylphenyl)azo]phenoxy]butyl]-N¹,N²-tetramethylethane-1,2-diammonium bromide (AzoPBT) for solubilizing PAHs in groundwater. The two surfactants' photosensitivity, surface properties, and solubilization/release ability for phenanthrene (Phe) and acenaphthylene (Ace) were studied in detail. Under UV-light irradiation for 15-20 s, the two surfactants can be converted from trans to cis, while cis-to-trans isomerization can be achieved under visible-light irradiation for 1 min. Compared to AzoPB, AzoPBT exhibited strong surface properties such as lower critical micelle concentration (0.52 mM), surface tension (γ, 28.94 mN·m^-1), minimum area (A_min, 1.72 × 10^-8 nm²), and higher maximum adsorption (Γ_max, 96.55 mol·m^-2). The solubility of Phe and Ace in the AzoPBT aqueous solution (12.84 and 14.27 mg/L) was much higher than that in the AzoPB aqueous solution (7.51 and 8.77 mg/L) and gradually increased as the surfactant concentration increased in both aqueous solutions. Compared to AzoPB, gemini surfactant AzoPBT exhibited stronger solubilization ability. After four cycles of cis-trans isomerization conversion, AzoPBT could still reduce the hydrophobicity of Phe in natural groundwater, although the solubility of Phe decreased slightly. Additionally, the release capacity of AzoPBT was significantly higher than that of AzoPB during the cyclic solubilization-release process. The results indicated that gemini photoresponsive surfactants should be preferable to conventional photoresponsive surfactants for groundwater remediation due to their higher solubilization and release efficiency for Phe in the cyclic solubilization and release process, which can improve repair efficiency, minimize secondary pollution, and reduce remediation costs.

A school-family blended multi-component physical activity program for Fundamental Motor Skills Promotion Program for Obese Children (FMSPPOC): protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Fundamental motor skills (FMSs) are crucial for children's health and comprehensive development. Obese children often encounter a considerable challenge in the development of FMSs. School-family blended PA programs are considered a potentially effective approach to improve FMSs and health-related outcomes among obese children, however, empirical evidence is still limited. Therefore, this paper aims to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a 24-week school-family blended multi-component PA intervention program for promoting FMSs and health among Chinese obese children, namely the Fundamental Motor Skills Promotion Program for Obese Children (FMSPPOC) employing behavioral change techniques (BCTs) and building on the Multi-Process Action Control (M-PAC) framework as well as using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework for improving and evaluating the program.

METHODS

Using a cluster randomized controlled trial (CRCT), 168 Chinese obese children (8-12 years) from 24 classes of six primary schools will be recruited and randomly assigned to one of two groups by a cluster randomization, including a 24-week FMSPPOC intervention group and a non-treatment waiting-list control group. The FMSPPOC program includes a 12-week initiation phase and a 12-week maintenance phase. School-based PA training sessions (2 sessions/week, 90 min each session) and family-based PA assignments (at least three times per week, 30 min each time) will be implemented in the initiation phase (semester time), while three 60-min offline workshops and three 60-min online webinars will be conducted in the maintenance phase (summer holiday). The implementation evaluation will be undertaken according to the RE-AIM framework. For intervention effectiveness evaluation, primary outcome (FMSs: gross motor skills, manual dexterity and balance) and secondary outcomes (health behaviors, physical fitness, perceived motor competence, perceived well-being, M-PAC components, anthropometric and body composition measures) will be collected at four time-points: at baseline, 12-week mid-intervention, 24-week post-intervention, and 6-month follow-up occasions.

DISCUSSION

The FMSPPOC program will provide new insights into the design, implementation, and evaluation of FMSs promotion among obese children. The research findings will also supplement empirical evidence, understanding of potential mechanisms, and practical experience for future research, health services, and policymaking.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry; ChiCTR2200066143; 25 Nov 2022.

Effects of Face-to-Face and eHealth Blended Interventions on Physical Activity, Diet, and Weight-Related Outcomes among Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

An increasing number of studies are blending face-to-face interventions and electronic health (eHealth) interventions to jointly promote physical activity (PA) and diet among people. However, a comprehensive summary of these studies is lacking. This study aimed to synthesize the characteristics of blended interventions and meta-analyze the effectiveness of blended interventions in promoting PA, diet, and weight-related outcomes among adults. Following the PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, Embase, and Web of Science were systematically searched to identify eligible articles according to a series of inclusion criteria. The search was limited to English language literature and publication dates between January 2002 and July 2022. Effect sizes were calculated as standardized mean difference (SMD) for three intervention outcomes (physical activity, healthy diet, and weight-related). Random effect models were used to calculate the effect sizes. A sensitivity analysis and publication bias tests were conducted. Of the 1561 identified studies, 17 were eligible for the systematic review. Studies varied in participants, intervention characteristics, and outcome measures. A total of 14 studies were included in the meta-analyses. There was evidence of no significant publication bias. The meta-analyses indicated that the blended intervention could lead to a significant increase in walking steps (p < 0.001), total PA level (p = 0.01), and diet quality (p = 0.044), a significant decrease in energy intake (p = 0.004), weight (p < 0.001), BMI (p < 0.001), and waist circumferences (p = 0.008), but had no influence on more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) or fruit and vegetable intake among adults, compared with a control group. The study findings showed that blended interventions achieve preliminary success in promoting PA, diet, and weight-related outcomes among adults. Future studies could improve the blended intervention design to achieve better intervention effectiveness.

Plant-Based Diet and Risk of Frailty in Older Chinese Adults

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the relationship between the consumption of plant-based diet and frailty in older Chinese adults.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Community-based setting in 22 provinces of China.

PARTICIPANTS

The final sample included data from 3990 older adults from 2011-2014 from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey.

MEASUREMENTS

A plant-based diet index (PDI) was calculated based on a qualitative food frequency questionnaire. Frailty was defined using modified Fried criteria. A Generalized Estimating Equation was used to estimate risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for frailty. We further performed subgroup analyses stratified by sex and lifestyle factors.

RESULTS

557 cases of frailty were observed. After adjustment for covariates, the RR for frailty of a high PDI was 0.792 (95% CI: 0.644-0.973), relative to a low PDI. During follow-up, compared with respondents with a continually low PDI, the respondents with a continually high PDI had a significantly reduced risk of frailty (RR = 0.683, 95% CI: 0.514-0.908). In further subgroup analysis, a consistently high PDI over time resulted in a significantly reduced risk of frailty for male (RR = 0.591, 95% CI: 0.391-0.893); for never smokers (RR = 0.670, 95% CI: 0.458-0.979); for people who did never consume alcohol (RR = 0.654, 95% CI: 0.454-0.941); and for people with current or former exercise habits (RR = 0.488, 95% CI: 0.313-0.762).

CONCLUSION

Plant-based diet was associated with low risk of frailty in men and in older adults with healthy lifestyle. These findings stress that plant-based diet should be recommended as a dietary strategy to prevent and reduce frailty in older adults; in addition, more dietary interventions along with lifestyle modification should be adopted to promote successful ageing, especially for women.

The Chinese version of patient-doctor-relationship questionnaire (PDRQ-9): Factor structure, validation, and IRT psychometric analysis

OBJECTIVE

The patient-doctor relationship has been considered as a crucial concept in primary healthcare, while the medical reform launched by the Chinese government in 2009 has brought significant changes to the healthcare system, which made it urgent to introduce reliable measurement instruments for assessing today's doctor-patient relationship in China. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Patient-Doctor-Relationship Questionnaire-9 item (PDRQ-9) scale among general hospital inpatients in China.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 203 participants responded to the survey, of which 39 completed retest after 7 days. Factor analyses were used to test the construct validity of the scale. Convergent validity was evaluated by the correlation between PDRQ-9 and depressive symptoms measured using PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale-9 item). Both multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) and unidimensional item response theory (IRT) framework were used to estimate the parameters of each item.

RESULTS

The two-factor model of relationship quality and treatment quality was supported (χ²/df = 1.494, GFI = 0.925, RMSEA = 0.071, RMR = 0.008, CFI = 0.985, NFI = 0.958, NNFI = 0.980, TLI = 0.980, IFI = 0.986). The PDRQ-9 and both subscales showed significant correlation with PHQ-9 (r = -0.196∼-0.309) and good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.865∼0.933). ANCOVA analysis adjusted with age revealed significant difference in PDRQ-9 ratings between patients with or without significant depressive symptoms (P = 0.019). The 7-day test-retest reliability of the scale was 0.730. The MIRT model of full scale and IRT models of both subscales showed high discrimination of all items (a = 2.46∼38.46), and the test information within the range of low-quality relationship was relatively high.

CONCLUSION

The Chinese version of PDRQ-9 is a valid and reliable rating scale, which can measure the doctor-patient relationship among Chinese patients.

Oxidation of sulfamethazine by peracetic acid activated with biochar: Reactive oxygen species contribution and toxicity change

Peracetic acid (PAA) as an emerging oxidative has been concerned increasingly due to its high oxidation capacity and low byproducts formation potential. This study was to investigate the oxidation of sulfamethazine (SMZ) by PAA activated with activated biochar (ABC) after thermal modification. The results demonstrated that PAA could be effectively activated by ABC to degrade SMZ in a wide pH range (3-9), which followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics (R² > 0.99). Both non-radicals (singlet oxygen) and free radicals (alkoxy radicals, hydroxyl radicals) existed in the ABC/PAA system, and the degradation of SMZ was dominated by singlet oxygen. Humic acid (HA), SO₄^2- and HCO₃^- slightly inhibited the degradation of SMZ in the ABC/PAA process, while Cl^- and Br^- promoted the degradation of SMZ. The cleavage of S-N, S-C bond, and SO₂ extraction reaction rearrangement was the main oxidation process of SMZ. Meanwhile, the results of the ECOSAR program showed that the acute toxicity of most by-products was significantly reduced compared to SMZ, which revealed the potential applicability of the ABC/PAA process in the treatment of antibiotics pollution and their detoxification.

Simulation and risk assessment of typical antibiotics in the multi-media environment of the Yangtze River Estuary under tidal effect

Frequent human activities in estuary areas lead to the release of a large number of antibiotics, which poses a great threat to human health. However, there are very limited studies about the influence of the special natural phenomena on the occurrence and migration of antibiotics in the environment. In this study, we simulated the migration and transformation of six typical antibiotics, including oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TC), norfloxacin (NOR), ofloxacin (OFX), erythromycin (ETM), and amoxicillin (AMOX), in the environmental media from 2011 to 2019 in the Yangtze River Estuary, by using the level III multi-media fugacity model combined with the factor of tides. The simulation results showed that the most antibiotics mainly existed in soil and sediment while erythromycin were found mainly in water. The concentrations of antibiotics in air, freshwater, seawater, groundwater, sediment, and soil were 10^-23-10^-25, 0.1-12 ng/L, 0.02-7 ng/L, 0.02-16 ng/L, 0.1-13 ng/g, and 0.1-15 ng/g respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that the degradation rate (K_m) and the soil-to-water runoff coefficient (K_l) were important model parameters, indicating that hydrodynamic conditions had a significant impact on the migration of antibiotics in various environmental phases in estuarine areas. Tide can enhance the exchange between water bodies and cause the transformation of the antibiotics from freshwater to seawater and groundwater, which improved the accuracy of the model, especially the seawater and soil phase. Risk assessments showed that amoxicillin, erythromycin, ofloxacin, and norfloxacin posed a threat to the estuarine environment, but the current source of drinking water did not affect human health. Our findings suggested that, when one would like to exam the occurrence and migration of antibiotics in environment, more consideration should be given to the natural phenomena, in addition to human activities and the nature of antibiotics.

[Clinical and StAR genetic characteristics of 33 children with congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia]

Objective: To analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics of 33 children with congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (CLAH) caused by StAR gene defects. Methods: The clinical, biochemical, genetic, and follow-up (until December 2021) data of 33 children diagnosed with CLAH from 2006 to 2021 were retrospectively analyzed in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Results: Of the 33 children with CLAH, 17 had a karyotype of 46, XX and 16 had a karyotype of 46, XY; 31 were female and 2 were male by social gender. Classic type and non-classic type were found in 30 and 3 children respectively. The age at diagnosis was 9.0 (3.0, 34.5) months. All the 30 cases with classic CLAH presented within the first year of life with skin hyperpigmentation (28 cases, 93%), vomiting and(or) diarrhea (19 cases, 63%), no increase in body weight (8 cases, 27%), elevated adrenocorticotropic hormone levels (21cases (70%)>275 pmol/L), decreased cortisol levels (47 (31,126) nmol/L), hyponatremia ((126±13) mmol/L), hyperkalemia ((5.7±1.1) mmol/L), and normal 17α-hydroxyprogesterone levels (30 cases, 100%). All these with classic CLAH exhibited female external genitalia. Three children with non-classic CLAH (including 2 cases of 46, XY and 1 case of 46, XX) also showed signs and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency, but 2 of them had an age of onset later than 1 year of age, including 1 case of 46, XY with male external genitalia and 1 case of 46, XX with female external genitalia. The other 46, XY patient with non-classic CLAH presented with adrenal insufficiency at 2 months of age, showing micropenis and hypospadias. In the 17 females with 46, XX, 4 older than 10 years of age showed spontaneous pubertal development. A total of 25 StAR gene pathogenic variants were identified in 33 patients, with p.Q258* (18/66, 27%), p.K236Tfs*47 (8/66, 12%) and p.Q77* (6/66, 9%) being the common variantion. Six novel variants were found, including c.358T>G, c.713_714del, c.125del, c.745-1G>A, c.179-2A>C, and exon 1 deletion. Conclusions: Patients with classic CLAH typically present with signs and symptoms of primary adrenal insufficiency in the early infancy period and female external genitalia. p.Q258*, p.K236Tfs*47 and p.Q77* are common variants in CLAH patients.

Further Examination of the Psychometric Properties of the Multicomponent Mental Health Literacy Scale: Evidence from Chinese Elite Athletes

This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Multicomponent Mental Health Literacy Scale (MMHLS) among Chinese elite athletes. Particularly, the factorial validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, concurrent validity, internal-consistency reliability, and test-retest reliability of the MMHLS were examined. A total of 320 participants were recruited from the Guangdong provincial sports training center in China. Data collection was conducted between 30 June and 31 July 2020 using electronic questionnaires. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), Rasch analysis, correlation analysis and independent-sample t-tests were conducted using Mplus 8.3 and ConQuest 2.0. The CFA results supported the factorial validity of the three-dimensional MMHLS, consisting of knowledge-oriented MHL, beliefs-oriented MHL, and resource-oriented MHL. Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability coefficients supported the internal-consistency reliability of the MMHLS. Moreover, the convergent and discriminant validities were supported for the subdimension of MHL-Knowledge, MHL-Beliefs, and MHL-Resources. Concurrent validity was demonstrated through correlations between MMHLS, help-seeking attitudes, and stigma. Rasch analysis provided further evidence of the psychometric quality of the instrument in terms of its dimensionality, item fit statistics, and rating scale effectiveness. Finally, test-retest reliability was 0.66 after one month. In conclusion, the 24-item three-dimensional MMHLS was verified to be a reliable and valid measurement of mental health literacy in Chinese elite athletes.

Health Status Stability of Patients in a Medical Rehabilitation Program: What Are the Roles of Time, Physical Fitness Level, and Self-efficacy?

BACKGROUND

Individuals' physical and mental health, as well as their chances of returning to work after their ability to work is damaged, can be addressed by medical rehabilitation.

AIM

This study investigated the developmental trends of mental and physical health among patients in medical rehabilitation and the roles of self-efficacy and physical fitness in the development of mental and physical health.

DESIGN

A longitudinal design that included four time-point measurements across 15 months.

SETTING

A medical rehabilitation center in Germany.

POPULATION

Participants included 201 patients who were recruited from a medical rehabilitation center.

METHODS

To objectively measure physical fitness (lung functioning), oxygen reabsorption at anaerobic threshold (VO2AT) was used, along with several self-report scales.

RESULTS

We found a nonlinear change in mental health among medical rehabilitation patients. The results underscored the importance of medical rehabilitation for patients' mental health over time. In addition, patients' physical health was stable over time. The initial level of physical fitness (VO2AT) positively predicted their mental health and kept the trend more stable. Self-efficacy appeared to have a positive relationship with mental health after rehabilitation treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed a nonlinear change in mental health among medical rehabilitation patients. Self-efficacy was positively related to mental health, and the initial level of physical fitness positively predicted the level of mental health after rehabilitation treatment.

CLINICAL REHABILITATION

More attention could be given to physical capacity and self-efficacy for improving and maintaining rehabilitants' mental health.

Psychosocial Determinants of Hand Hygiene, Facemask Wearing, and Physical Distancing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Hand hygiene, facemask wearing, and physical distancing play a crucial role in the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic. Identifying the key psychosocial determinants of these precautionary behaviors contributes to effective intervention and policymaking for COVID-19 and future pandemics.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze available evidence on psychosocial determinants of the general population's practice of three precautionary behaviors, based on the Risk, Attitudes, Norms, Abilities, and Self-regulation (RANAS) framework.

METHODS

Literature was identified by searching seven databases and relevant review papers. Observational and experimental studies targeting the general population (≥18 years) published between January 2020 to September 2021 were included. Pooled effect sizes were calculated with the inverse-variance method using random-effects models.

RESULTS

A total of 51 studies (64 samples) were included in the qualitative synthesis, of which 30 studies (42 samples) were included in the meta-analysis. RANAS-based constructs including knowledge, pros attitudes, and perceived norms were identified as significant determinants of all three behaviors in the meta-analysis. Perceived susceptibility and cons attitudes showed no significant associations with any behaviors. Perceived severity, perceived control, self-efficacy, and behavioral intention were significantly associated with one or two behaviors. Country (western vs. eastern hemispheres) significantly moderated the effects of certain risk and ability factors.

CONCLUSIONS

More research is needed with respect to the intention-behavior relationship, self-regulatory and reflexive factors of precautionary behaviors, as well as the exploration of the potential moderating effect of sociodemographic factors.

Effects of In-Classroom Physical Activity Breaks on Children's Academic Performance, Cognition, Health Behaviours and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

In-Classroom physical activity breaks (IcPAB) are a promising way to promote children’s health behaviors, while contributing to the development of their academic and cognitive ability and health outcomes. Yet the effect of the activity breaks, which are exclusive to classroom settings, are still mixed and unclear. Hence, this review was conducted to identify the characteristics and the effects of IcPAB among primary school children. The review protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021234192). Following the Cochrane guidelines, PubMed, PsycINFO (ProQuest), MEDLINE (EBSCOhost), Embase/Ovid, SportDISCUS (EBSCOhost), Web of Science, Scopus and Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost) databases were searched to collect data on randomised control trials without a time restriction. The final database search was conducted on the 8 November 2021. Random effects models were used to calculate the effect sizes. The systematic review identified ten eligible studies, nine of which were also included in the meta-analysis. Few studies used the theoretical frameworks and process evaluations. IcPAB showed mixed effectiveness on academic outcomes: i.e., IcPAB had effects on spelling performance (p < 0.05) and foreign language learning (p < 0.01) but not on mathematics and reading performance. Health behaviors such as moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels were improved (p < 0.01), but IcPAB did not have an impact on cognition outcomes and health outcomes. Given these mixed results, further research is needed underpinned by strong methodological quality, theoretical underpinnings and reliable process evaluation methods.

An engineered 5-helix bundle derived from SARS-CoV-2 S2 pre-binds sarbecoviral spike at both serological- and endosomal-pH to inhibit virus entry

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and related sarbecoviruses enter host cells by receptor-recognition and membrane-fusion. An indispensable step in fusion is the formation of 6-helix bundle by viral spike heptad repeats 1 and 2 (HR1 and HR2). Here, we report the construction of 5-helix bundle (5HB) proteins for virus infection inhibition. The optimal construct inhibits SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus entry with sub-micromolar IC50. Unlike HR2-based peptides that cannot bind spike in the pre-fusion conformation, 5HB features with the capability of binding to pre-fusion spike. Furthermore, 5HB binds viral HR2 at both serological- and endosomal-pH, highlighting its entry-inhibition capacity when SARS-CoV-2 enters via either cell membrane fusion or endosomal route. Finally, we show that 5HB could neutralize S-mediated entry of the predominant SARS-CoV-2 variants and a wide spectrum of sarbecoviruses. These data provide proof-of-concept evidence that 5HB might be developed for the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging sarbecovirus infections.

Development and students' evaluation of a blended online and offline pedagogy for physical education theory curriculum in China during the COVID-19 pandemic

The outbreak and continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the implementation of physical education theory (PET) curriculums among global colleges and universities. This study aimed to describe the design and students' evaluation of a blended "Sports Multimedia Courseware Design" course among Chinese university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using information communication technologies, a 4-month blended course was developed, which consisted of 36 credits (18-credit online self-learning + 18-credit offline group-learning). A total of 1300 Chinese university students who majored in physical education, completed the blended course from Mar to Jun 2020, among which 238 (69.75% males; 21 ± 1.2 years) were randomly recruited to evaluate the course in terms of three aspects: (1) online self-learning, (2) offline group-learning, and (3) overall learning outcomes. A descriptive analysis was conducted using the IBM SPSS 27.0. Students' overall positive evaluation supported a successful development and implementation of the blended course. Over 90% of students fulfilled the learning tasks and satisfied with the online learning resources. About 83% of students indicated high levels of autonomous motivation and engagement in online self-learning. Approximately 88% of students showed positive attitudes to the offline group-learning content, while the participation rate (60%) was relatively lower than of the online self-learning. Over 50% of the students indicated self-improvements in diverse aspects after attending the blended course. Blended online and offline pedagogy shows apparent promise in delivering the PET course among Chinese university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further application and comprehensive evaluation are warranted in the future.

A systematic review and meta-analysis on the preventive behaviors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic among children and adolescents

Purpose

The purpose of this review was to synthesize the empirical evidence of relevant studies related to preventive behaviors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic among children and adolescents. Further to this, we aimed to identify the demographic, psychological, and social and environmental correlates of such behaviors.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, eligible literature was identified by searching seven databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PROSPERO registry platform, and ClinicalTrials.gov website) and reference list of included studies and relevant review papers from 1^st Jan 2020 to 28^th Feb 2021. The standardized mean difference and correlation coefficients r were extracted to estimate the effect sizes. Analyses were conducted using R software.

Results

Of the 35,271 original papers, 23 eligible studies were included in the qualitative synthesis and all these studies were of moderate-to-high quality, of which 17 studies were further included into the quantitative analysis. Children and adolescents (6–20 yrs.) showed a poorer practice of COVID-19 preventive behaviors compared to younger adults (21–59 yrs.) with a small-to-medium effect size (SMD = -.25, 95%CI = -.41 to -.09). For the demographic correlates, children and adolescents’ COVID-19 preventive practice was found to be significantly associated with gender (r = .14, 95%CI = .10 to .18), while not with age (r = -.02, 95%CI = -.14 to .10). Narratively, knowledge was found to be consistently and significantly correlated. For the psychological correlates, small-to-medium overall effects were identified for the association with attitudes (r = .26, 95%CI = .21 to .31) and perceived severity (r = .16, 95%CI = .01 to .30). For the family and social correlates, a non-significant association was identified between family economic status and COVID-19 preventive behaviors (r = .004, 95%CI = -.12 to .12).

Conclusions

Interventions and relevant policies of promoting children and adolescent’s preventive measures should be a priority. Further, empirical studies identifying the demographic, psychological, and family and social correlates of children and adolescents’ preventive behaviors are needed.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13585-z.