Obesogenic Behaviors of Rural Children on School and Nonschool Days

Background: Children living in rural areas are at increased risk of overweight and obesity compared with their urban-dwelling counterparts. The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary evidence of rural children's obesogenic behaviors (e.g., activity, sedentary behaviors, sleep, and diet) during school days, nonschool weekdays, and weekend days. Methods: A repeated measures 14-day observational study was conducted early March 2020. Children (n = 54, 92% 6-11 years old; 66% female; 98% non-Hispanic white; 22% overweight or obese) wore accelerometers on the nondominant wrist for 24 hours/day for 14 consecutive days to capture moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sedentary time, and sleep. Parents completed diaries to report daily activities, diet, and screen time of their child each day. Mixed effect models compared behaviors between school days, nonschool weekdays, and weekend days. Results: Children accumulated +16 additional minutes/day of MVPA (95% confidence interval, CI: +10 to +23 minutes/day), reduced sedentary time (-68 minutes/day, 95% CI: -84 to -51 minutes/day), and reduced screen time (-99 minutes/day; 95% CI: -117 to -81 minutes/day) on school days vs. nonschool weekdays. Similar patterns were observed on school weekdays days vs. weekend days, and on nonschool days when children attended a structured program vs. days they did not attend. Minimal differences were observed in reported consumption of food groups across different days. Conclusions: Preliminary evidence suggests rural children display multiple unfavorable obesogenic behaviors on days when they do not attend school or other structured programs. Future interventions targeting obesogenic behaviors of rural children may want to target times when rural children are not engaged in school and "school-like" environments.

Preliminary Evidence of Children’s Weight Gain From 5 Months of Home Quarantine During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose. Preventive measures to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)—such as home quarantine, closure of schools/programs—are necessary, yet the impact of these restrictions on children’s weight status is unknown. The purpose of this case report was to investigate changes in children’s body mass index (BMI) and zBMI during COVID-19 quarantine. Methods. Children had their heights and weights recorded early March 2020 (pre-COVID-19) and 5 months later (early August 2020). Paired sample t tests examined changes in BMI and zBMI from baseline to follow-up. Results. Twenty-nine children (62% female; mean age 9.3 years; 27.5% with overweight or obesity) provided height and weight data at both time points. There was a significant difference in pre-COVID-19 BMI (mean [M] = 20.1, standard deviation [SD] = 6.0) and follow-up BMI (M = 20.7, SD = 6.4); t(57) = −3.8, P < .001, and pre-COVID-19 zBMI (M = 0.8, SD = 0.9) and follow-up zBMI (M = 0.9, SD = 0.9); t(57) = -3.1, P = .003. Five of the 29 children moved from normal weight to overweight (n = 4) or obese (n = 1) during 5 months of quarantine. Conclusions. Preliminary evidence shows most children increased their BMI and zBMI values from pre-COVID-19 assessment to the follow-up assessment, 5 months later. These initial findings identify potential incidental negative health consequences of children as a result of COVID-19 preventative measures such as home quarantine.

Deposition of metal films on an ionic liquid as a basis for a lunar telescope

An optical/infrared telescope of 20-100 m aperture located on the Moon would be able to observe objects 100 to 1,000 times fainter than the proposed next generation of space telescopes. The infrared region of the spectrum is particularly important for observations of objects at redshifts z > 7. The apparent simplicity and low mass of a liquid mirror telescope, compared with a traditional pointable glass mirror, suggest that the concept should be considered further. A previously proposed liquid mirror telescope, based upon a spinning liquid metallic alloy, is not appropriate for infrared applications, which will require a liquid below 130 K. Here we report the successful coating of an ionic liquid with silver. The surface is smooth and the silver coating is stable on a timescale of months. The underlying ionic liquid does not evaporate in a vacuum and remains liquid down to a temperature of 175 K. Given that there are approximately 10(6) simple and approximately 10(18) ternary ionic liquids, it should be possible to synthesize liquids with even lower melting temperatures.

A Behavioral Homeostasis Theory of Habituation and Sensitization: II. Further Developments and Predictions

Habituation may be viewed as a decremental behavioral change to iterative stimuli of little immediate relevance. It is observed from protozoa to humans, indicating its evolutionary significance. If habituation is interpreted as the process of filtering out unimportant repetitive stimuli, then how should sensitization be interpreted? The 'behavioral homeostasis theory' of these two behaviors is based on the notion that organisms at a high level of 'alertness' prior to experiencing a new iterative stimulus will show a large initial response followed by a decrement (habituation) if the stimulus is of little significance. Conversely, the same organism at a low level of 'alertness' will show a small initial response to the same stimulus followed by an increase in 'alertness' and a larger response to the next stimulus (sensitization) in order to receive enough information to assess its significance. Circadian rhythmicity is hypothesized to play a role in determining 'alertness' to a new iterative stimulus at any given time. The level of responsiveness in initial habituaters and sensitizers, as an asymptote is approached, is a balance between being too 'alert' to an unimportant stimulus and missing other significant stimuli, and being too 'un-alert' and missing a change in the relevance of the present iterative stimulus. The concept of 'behavioral homeostasis' includes behaviors beyond habituation and sensitization across phylogeny. It includes instinctive as well as learned, and group as well as individual behavior. Such behavioral homeostatic processes to optimize detection and assessment of constantly occurring external stimuli are critical for organism survival. Clinical implications of this theory are also examined.

Cost-effectiveness of single-dose methotrexate compared with laparoscopic treatment of ectopic pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of treatment with intramuscular (IM) methotrexate compared with fallopian tube-sparing laparoscopy for small unruptured ectopic pregnancy.

METHODS

A decision-analytic model accounting for varying resolution rates, complication rates, and cost estimates was built to compare the use of methotrexate with laparoscopy. Meta-analysis results of studies identified by a MEDLINE search for IM methotrexate resolution rates and tube-sparing laparoscopy resolution rates were used in model estimation. A similar process was used to generate model complication rates. Data on associated resource use were derived from established clinical guidelines. Estimates of 1998 costs incurred by provider organizations were calculated using data from a large managed care organization.

RESULTS

The average methotrexate resolution rate among the studies included was 87% (range 75-90%). The average laparoscopy resolution rate was 91% (range 72-100%). Complication rates for methotrexate ranged from 0% to 22%, with an average of 10% for minor complications, and from 0% to 11% for serious complications, with an average of 7%. Complication rates for laparoscopy ranged from 0% to 8% for intraoperative complications, with an average of 2%, and from 0% to 15% for postoperative complications, with an average of 9%. Baseline model estimates indicated an average cost saving of more than $3000 per resolved ectopic pregnancy with methotrexate treatment compared with laparoscopy. Results of extensive sensitivity analyses supported the finding of a cost saving with methotrexate treatment.

CONCLUSION

Single-dose methotrexate is a cost-saving, nonsurgical, fallopian tube-sparing treatment for ectopic pregnancy.

Habituation of the galvanic skin response to tone as a function of age

Habituation of the galvanic skin response (GSR) to tone in male college students varying in age from 18-39 years old was examined. Older subjects habituated more slowly to tone than did younger ones. This confirmed our past work on habituation of the GSR to electric shock. The GSR is shown to be a sensitive and reliable measure of small differences in age as it affects learning. The clinical usefulness of this quantitative and sensitive measure in detecting small and early changes in learning and memory deficits associated with age and dementia is discussed.

Initial habituation or sensitization of the GSR depends on magnitude of first response

Habituation and sensitization of the galvanic skin response (GSR) to shock were studied in college males. One would expect that at any given time individuals vary on a continuum in the degree of their initial GSR responsiveness to a stimulus. Here it is shown that those on the higher end of the continuum are more likely to show a response decrement between trials 1 and 2 when this stimulus is presented intermittently (i.e., habituate), while subjects at the lower end of the continuum are more likely to show a response increment between trials 1 and 2 (i.e., sensitize) to the same intermittent stimulus. Following these initial and opposite changes on the first two trials, which bring all subjects to approximately the same level of responsiveness, they all now behave similarly and continue to show habituation. Previous work on subhuman species showed that habituation and sensitization curves had certain characteristic similarities across species. The present work shows that some of these similarities also occur in humans. One may speculate, that as with other characteristics that are similar across species, they have survival value.

Habituation of the galvanic skin response in adult males as a function of age

Habituation of the galvanic skin response (GSR) to electric shock was studied in 28 male college students, 18-39 years old. A 60-Hz shock of 244.0-msec duration was presented every 1-3 min above the right ankle in a preprogrammed sequence. The GSR, measured as a change in palmar skin conductance to the shock, was examined over the first 17 shock trials. The habituation curve showed the typical large decrement over the first few trials followed by a smaller one over several more trials. The initial rate of habituation (percent decrement between shock trials 1 and 3) was shown to be age related even though none of the subjects would be considered old (18-39 years old). The younger the subject, the faster the initial habituation or, conversely, the older the subject the slower the rate (rs = -.50, N = 28, p less than 0.005). The asymptote did not vary with age. That such dramatic changes occur in the CNS of young males over a relatively few years is not unknown. PET studies of the caudate nucleus in normal males showed an exponential decrease in dopamine receptors with about half of the decrease occurring rapidly between the ages of 20 and 30 (Wagner, H.N., Jr. Diag. Imaging Nov.: 138-145; 1985). The usefulness of the GSR in detecting age effects in other kinds of learning, such as Pavlovian conditioning, is being explored, as well as its usefulness in detecting early learning/memory loss in aging and the dementias.

Anticonvulsant drug antagonism of delta9tetrahydrocannabinol-induced seizures in rabbits

A population of New Zealand White rabbits exhibit behavioral convulsions when given low doses of psychoactive cannabinoids of marijuana. Carbamazepine, diazepam and phenytoin were most effective in blocking these convulsions caused by delta9tetrahydrocannabinol (delta9THC). Phenobarbital and ethosuximide also blocked convulsions but only at toxic doses. Cannabidiol was effective in blocking convulsions when given concurrently with, but not prior to delta9THC.