Mediating role of physical activity in the relationship between psychological distress and intimate relationships among stroke patients

BACKGROUND Stroke patients often experience psychological distress,which can impact their intimate relationships with spouses,subsequently influencing their treatment and recovery.Physical activity is considered a key rehabilitation method for stroke patients.This paper aims to analyze whether psychological distress affects intimate relationship between spouses through physical activity.AIM To explore the mediating effect of physical activity between psychological distress and intimate relationship in stroke patients.METHODS A total of 256 stroke patients who underwent treatment at the First People’s Hospital of Shangqiu between July 2021 and July 2022 were enrolled in this study.The participants completed questionnaires,including the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale(K10),the Quality of Relationship Index(QRI),International Physical Activity Questionnaire,and a general information questionnaire.Data analysis were performed using SPSS 23.0.The Harman test was employed to detect common method deviations,and Spearman correlation was used for correlation analysis.The mediating effect was assessed using Process 3.4.1,with significance testing of the regression coefficients conducted using the bias-corrected percentile Bootstrap method(5000 iterations,95%confidence interval).Statistical significance was set at P<0.05.RESULTS The results showed that patients scored an average of 21.61±6.44 points on the K10,32.40±6.19 points on the QRI;the median physical activity level according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was 1861(566,2846)MET·min/w.The level of physical activity(the physical activity intensity of the patients reflected by the Interna-tional Physical Activity Questionnaire-Long Form scale)negatively correlated with psychological distress and intimacy(P<0.05),and positively correlated with each other(P<0.05),with the correlation stronger at lower physical activity levels compared to higher ones.The mediating effect of physical activity between psychological distress and intimate relationship was calculated to be 40.23%.Bootstrap analysis further validated the results.The mediating effect of psychological distress on intimate relationships through physical activity level was-0.284,with a confidence interval of-0.409 to-0.163,excluding 0,confirming a significant mediating effect of psychological distress on intimate relationships.CONCLUSION Physical activity significantly affects relationship between psychological distress and intimate relationships among stroke patients.Addressing the role of physical activity may have implications for improving patient outcomes and rehabilitation strategies.

The relationship between physical activity in early pregnancy and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a cohort study in Chinese women

BACKGROUND:We aimed to examine prospective associations between diff erent intensities and diff erent types of physical activity(PA)in early pregnancy and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy(HDP)among Chinese women.METHODS:A total of 6,820 pregnant women from the Tongji-Shuangliu Birth Cohort were included in this study.The pregnancy physical activity questionnaire(PPAQ)was used to assess PA,including household/caregiving,occupational,sports/exercise,and transportation activities in the first trimester of pregnancy.The diagnosis of HDP was collected,including gestational hypertension(GH)and preeclampsia(PE).Data were analyzed by unconditional multivariate logistic regression,and the odds ratio(OR)and 95%confi dence interval(CI)were calculated.RESULTS:A total of 178(2.6%)of the 6,820 women were diagnosed with HDP,of which 126(1.8%)were GH and 52(0.8%)were PE.Overall,we found no association between PA in early pregnancy and PE.A trend toward lower risk was found only among women with GH and among those with higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity(MVPA)(adjusted OR 0.54,95%CI 0.31–0.96).No association was observed between PA and HDP in early pregnancy,regardless of diff erent intensities or types of PA.CONCLUSION:MVPA in the first trimester is an influencing factor of HDP.Encouraging pregnant women to engage in MVPA in the fi rst trimester may help to prevent GH.

Preparation and spectroscopic, and thermal decomposition kinetic studies of europium(Ⅲ) complex [Eu(HNBD)_3] (HNBD: 1-(6-hydroxy-1-naphthyl)-1,3-butanedione)

The complex of Eu（IH） with 1-（6-hydroxy- 1-naphthyl）- 1,3-butanedione （HNBD） was prepared for the first time and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV, fluorescence spectrum, and DTA-TG-DTG techniques. The IR and UV-visible spectra showed that Eu（Ⅲ） ion was coordinated to the HNBD ligand. The fluorescence spectrum showed the presence of Eu^3＋ characteristic emission. The TG-DTA-DTG curves showed that the thermal decomposition of the anhydrous complex was a two-stage process and the final residue was Eu2O3. The thermal decomposition kinetic parameters of the complex were evaluated from TG-DTG data by using three kinds of integral methods （Coat-Redfem equation, Horowitz and Metzger equation, Madhusudanan-Krishnan-Ninan equation）. The kinetic parameters of the first stage are E^＊ = 164.02 kJ.moll, A = 1.31 × 10^15 s^-l, AS^＊= 42.27 J·K^-l·mol^-l, △H^＊ = 159.51 kJ·mol^-l, △G^＊= 136.54 kJ·mol^-l, and n = 3.1, those of the second stage are E^＊= 128.52 kJ·mol^-l, A = 1.44× 106 s^-1, △S^＊= - 136.89 J·K^-l·mol^-l, △H^＊ = 120.41 kJ·mol^-l, △G^＊= 283.85 kJ·mol^-l, and n = 1.1.

Sensitivity of seismic attenuation and dispersion to dynamic elastic interactions of connected fractures: Quasi-static finite element modeling study

Prediction of seismic attenuation and dispersion that are inherently sensitive to hydraulic and elastic properties of the medium of interest in the presence of mesoscopic fractures and pores,is of great interest in the characterization of fractured formations.This has been very difficult,however,considering that stress interactions between fractures and pores,related to their spatial distributions,tend to play a crucial role on affecting overall dynamic elastic properties that are largely unexplored.We thus choose to quantitatively investigate frequency-dependent P-wave characteristics in fractured porous rocks at the scale of a representative sample using a numerical scale-up procedure via performing finite element modelling.Based on 2-D numerical quasi-static experiments,effects of fracture and fluid properties on energy dissipation in response to wave-induced fluid flow at the mesoscopic scale are quantified via solving Biot's equations of consolidation.We show that numerical results are sensitive to some key characteristics of probed synthetic rocks containing unconnected and connected fractures,demonstrating that connectivity,aperture and inclination of fractures as well as fracture infills exhibit strong impacts on the two manifestations of WIFF mechanisms in the connected scenario,and on resulting total wave attenuation and phase velocity.This,in turn,illustrates the importance of these two WIFF mechanisms in fractured rocks and thus,a deeper understanding of them may eventually allow for a better characterization of fracture systems using seismic methods.Moreover,this presented work combines rock physics predictions with seismic numerical simulations in frequency domain to illustrate the sensitivity of seismic signatures on the monitoring of an idealized geologic CO_(2) sequestration in fractured reservoirs.The simulation demonstrates that these two WIFF mechanisms can strongly modify seismic records and hence,indicating that incorporating the two energy dissipation mechanisms in the geophysical interpretation can potentially improving the monitoring and surveying of fluid variations in fractured formations.

A comparison of Kneipp hydrotherapy with conventional physiotherapy in the treatment of osteoarthritis: a pilot trial

BACKGROUND： An increasingly aging population implies an increasing prevalence of osteoarthritis （OA） of hip or knee. It has been ascertained that unspecific hydrotherapy of OA according to Sebastian Kneipp not only improves the range of mobility but also reduces pain significantly and increases the quality of life of the patients affected. OBJECTIVE： The main aim of this pilot study was to determine the effects of hydrotherapy in comparison to conventional physiotherapy, and to analyze the feasibility of the study design under clinical circumstances. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS： The study design is a prospective randomized controlled three-arm clinical pilot trial, carried out at a specialist clinic for integrative medicine. Thirty patients diagnosed with symptomatic OA of hip or knee and radiologic findings were randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups and a control group： hydrotherapy （group 1）, physiotherapy （group 2）, and both physiotherapy and hydrotherapy （group 3, control group） of the affected joint. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Primary outcome： pain intensity of the affected joint in the course of inpatient treatment; secondary outcome： health-related quality of life, joint-specific pain and mobility in the course of the study. RESULTS： Concerning the main outcome, intervention group 1 showed most beneficial effects in the course of inpatient treatment, followed by groups 3 and 2, and also the indirect flexion ability of hip or knee together with the general patient mobility through the ＂timed up and go＂ test were mainly improved within group 1 followed by groups 3 and 2. CONCLUSION： The results of this pilot study demonstrate beneficial effects of hydrotherapy. The study design is feasible. For statistically significant evidence and a robust conclusion of efficacy of Kneipp＇s hydrotherapy, a larger sample size is necessary. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER： NCT 00950326.

The Effects of Pain Neuroscience Education with Conventional Physical Therapy on Chronic Plantar Fasciitis: A Case Study

Background and Purpose: Plantar Fasciitis (PF) is a condition that affects the foot and causes complaints such as pain and stiffness. The most common symptom of this condition is pain. There are many treatment options to deal with this condition, such as conservative therapy, medications, and surgical interventions in rare cases. This case study aims to investigate the potential impact of pain neuroscience education (PNE), combined with a conventional Physical Therapy (PT) program on a 37-year-old-patient with chronic plantar fasciitis. Case description: A 37-year-old male health care professional presented to an outpatient physical therapy clinic with a diagnosis of chronic PF for around two years. The participant had tried several treatment options with no improvement of his symptoms. After undergoing a physical therapy evaluation, he was given a plan of care for twelve sessions by a skilled physical therapist for a six-week period, with each session consisting of 30 minutes of conventional PT, followed by 5 to 15 minutes of PNE. Results: After completing the prescribed plan of care, the patient reported a reduction in subjective symptoms via the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). He also reported improvement with symptoms and functional independence via the Foot Function Index (FFI). The patient reported no change in the quality of sleep via Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Lastly, he demonstrated no objective improvement in foot pressure with the Navicular Drop Test. Discussion: This case report indicates that PNE, combined with conventional PT for PF can have a positive impact on subjective pain and foot function. PNE should involve many topics about the physiology of pain and the nervous system and should be administered by a certified therapeutic pain specialist. Further studies are recommended to investigate the impact of this intervention in combination with traditional PT for PF in larger populations.

A Case-Control Study on Leisure Time Physical Activity (LTPA) during the Last Three Months of Pregnancy and Foetal Outcomes in Italy

The association between Leisure Time Physical Activity (LTPA) during pregnancy and foetal outcomes has been extensively investigated. However, epidemiological studies specifically referred to LPTA in the last months of pregnancy are scarce. We evaluated the association between LPTA and the risk of both preterm delivery and small for gestational age (SGA) during the last three months of pregnancy in Italy. A nationwide case-control study was performed in nine Italian cities. A total of 299 preterm delivery, 364 SGA and 855 controls were enrolled in the study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess socio-demographic variables, medical and reproductive history, life-style habits and LTPA referred to the last three months of pregnancy. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed in order to estimate Odds ratios and 95% CI. LTPA during the last three months of pregnancy decreases the risk of preterm delivery (adjusted OR = 0.56;95% CI 0.39 - 0.79). Among the different types of physical activity, walking, the most frequently referred activity, appears significantly protective against preterm delivery (adjusted OR = 0.53;95% CI 0.36 - 0.81). Moreover, a small protective effect of walking was evidenced against SGA (adjusted OR = 0.72;95% CI 0.51 - 1.00). In conclusion, a mild physical activity such as walking in the last three months of pregnancy seems to reduce the risk of preterm delivery and, at a lesser extent, of SGA, confirming the beneficial effects of physical activity along the whole pregnancy.

Survivors of COVID-19 exhibit altered amplitudes of low frequency fluctuation in the brain: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study at 1-year follow-up

Although some short-term follow-up studies have found that individuals recovering from coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)exhibit anxiety,depression,and altered brain microstructure,their long-term physical problems,neuropsychiatric sequelae,and changes in brain function remain unknown.This observational cohort study collected 1-year follow-up data from 22 patients who had been hospitalized with COVID-19(8 males and 11 females,aged 54.2±8.7 years).Fatigue and myalgia were persistent symptoms at the 1-year follow-up.The resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging revealed that compared with 29 healthy controls(7 males and 18 females,aged 50.5±11.6 years),COVID-19 survivors had greatly increased amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(ALFF)values in the left precentral gyrus,middle frontal gyrus,inferior frontal gyrus of operculum,inferior frontal gyrus of triangle,insula,hippocampus,parahippocampal gyrus,fusiform gyrus,postcentral gyrus,inferior parietal angular gyrus,supramarginal gyrus,angular gyrus,thalamus,middle temporal gyrus,inferior temporal gyrus,caudate,and putamen.ALFF values in the left caudate of the COVID-19 survivors were positively correlated with their Athens Insomnia Scale scores,and those in the left precentral gyrus were positively correlated with neutrophil count during hospitalization.The long-term follow-up results suggest that the ALFF in brain regions related to mood and sleep regulation were altered in COVID-19 survivors.This can help us understand the neurobiological mechanisms of COVID-19-related neuropsychiatric sequelae.This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University(approval No.2020 S004)on March 19,2020.

Philosophy Smiles under the Veil of Culture—the Swerve of Body Philosophy

It is obvious that body becomes one of the focuses of modern cultural studies. However, philosophy is the root of cultural tree. To penetrate the cultural phenomenon, philosophy provides an insight. Within the western traditional dualism of body and spirit, body goes through ups and downs. Understanding this philosophical swerve of body leads us to catch on those cultural changes.

DRIFT SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY OF THE MECHANISM OF SELECTIVE SHEAR-FLOCCULATION OF HEMATITE FROM KAOLINITE

The mechanism of separating hematite from kaolinite by shear-flocculation and the reason responsible for the selectivity of shear-flocculation was studied by using diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spec-troscopy, which was found to be effective for analysing adsorbed oleate species on the highly absorbing mineral hematite. The spectra suggest that chemisorption of oleate on hematite took place under shear-flocculation condition and that the chemisorbed species was bridged bidentate, corresponding to a peak at 1580 cm-1. Dimers of oleic acid, corresponding to a peak at 1710 cm-1, adsorbed via hydrocarbon chain association with the chemisorbed oleate. The coexistance of physically adsorbed oleic acid dimers and chemisorbed oleate ions made the surface of hematite hydrophobic, which would remain under the shear field. Under the same condition , the surface of kaolinite did not adsorb oleic acid or oleate and remained hydrophilic. The shear field of sufficient magnitude made the hydrophobic ultrafine particles of hematite to aggregate, whereas the hydrophilic ultrafine particles of kaolinite remained suspended in solution. This explains the mechanism of selective shear-flocculation of hematite from kaolinite.

A Longitudinal Analysis of Environment and Risk of Obesity in the US

Obesity is a fast-growing global health crisis and the epidemic is about to get worse. Environment has been shown to influence physical activity and people’s body weight. Utilizing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2004-2010 waves of the continuous obesity data, this study conducted longitudinal analyses to examine neighborhood built environment and obesity risk controlling for the effects of socio-demographic characteristics. This study presents a comprehensive effort to understand the relationship between the environment and physical inactivity and obesity across the entire contiguous US. When constructing measures of the built environment, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to calculate street connectivity, walk score and food environment. In addition to the built environment, the natural environment, which was represented by the annual number of extreme weather events from 2004-2010, was taken into account in explaining variation of physical inactivity and obesity across the contiguous US. Results show that higher street connectivity and walk score are related to lower physical inactivity and obesity rates, while the ratio of fast-food restaurants and number of extreme weather events are positively related to physical inactivity and obesity. The results are believed to provide policy-makers and planners with useful insights into the dynamics between the environment and obesity epidemic. Further, the significant effects of extreme weather invite more studies to investigate the relationship between the natural environment and obesity.

The Status quaestionis of Whiteheadian Research in Brazil

This paper is a survey of papers,which constitutes a chronological mapping of Brazilian research in theses and dissertations about Whitehead or in dialogue with Process Thought,with an emphasis on works written in the Portuguese language since the 1980s.It is divided into three groups:(1)theses and dissertations restricted to Whitehead and Process Thought and(2)those studies done in dialogue with Alfred North Whitehead and Process Thought.(3)The third section introduces a non-exhaustive list regarding ongoing studies,which were begun prior to the 12th International Whitehead Conference that took place in Brazil in August of 2019.The digital databases consulted were:1)Lattes Platform-CNPQ^1;2)Sucupira Platform-CAPES/MEC2;3)Contemporary Ontology(research group on ANPOF3;4)Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations from IBICT4;5)Theses and Dissertations catalogue CAPES/MEC;6)Digital databases from specific universities.The researches listed are restricted to scholarly research done by Brazilian researchers inside the country or in foreign universities.The descriptive paragraphs were compiled from the abstracts written by their own authors.We did not use ellipses or quotation marks in these cases.

Studies of Atomic Structure and Physical Properties of Metal Clusters in MgO by HREM and Nano-probe Methods

Nanometer-sized metal clusters were prepared inside single crystalline MgO films by vacuum co-deposition of metals and MgO. The atomic structure was studied by high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) and nm-area electron diffraction. The size of the clusters is ranging from 1 nm to 3 nm without those larger than 5 nm, and most of them have definite epitaxial orientations with the MgO matrix films. The character of the composite films is very much useful for the studies of various kinds of physical properties with anisotroPy. The physical properties such as electric transport, magnetic, optical absorption, sintering and catalytic ones were thus measured on the same samples analyzed by HREM by using high sensitivity apparatus with interest of clarifying the retationship between the atomic structure and physical properties

THE STUDY OF CLOUD PHYSICS AND SEEDABILITY OF ARTIFICIAL PRECIPITATION WITH PARTICLE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

ＴＨＥＳＴＵＤＹＯＦＣＬＯＵＤＰＨＹＳＩＣＳＡＮＤＳＥＥＤＡＢＩＬＩＴＹＯＦＡＲＴＩＦＩＣＩＡＬＰＲＥＣＩＰＩＴＡＴＩＯＮＷＩＴＨＰＡＲＴＩＣＬＥＭＥＡＳＵＲＥＭＥＮＴＳＹＳＴＥＭＹｏｕＬａｉｇａｎｎｇ（游来光）ＷａｎｇＧｕａｎｇｈｅ（王广和）ａｎｄ...

A REVIEW OF THE STATUS OF THEORETICAL STUDY ON D-PHYSICS(I)

In this review, the theorelical study on D-physics is summarized including D-(?) mixing, D meson decays, diquark contributions to D-physics, 1/Nc expansion, final state interactions and some discussions about BEPC and BES.

Beneficial effects of moderate to vigorous physical activity on cardiovascular disease among Chinese adults

Background In China,lack of evidence remains a significant challenge for the national initiative to promote physical activity(PA).We aimed to quantify the beneficial effects of meeting or maintaining the recommended PA level[150 minutes per week(min/wk)of moderate PA or 75 min/wk of vigorous PA or an equivalent combination]on incident cardiovascular disease(CVD)among Chinese population.Methods We included 100,560 participants without history of CVD from three cohorts in the Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China(China-PAR)project.Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios(HRs)and 95%confidence intervals(CIs)for CVD events and its subtypes,including stroke,coronary heart disease,heart failure,and CVD death.Results During a median follow-up of 7.3 years(range:6–15 years),777,163 person-years and 4693 incident CVD events were observed.Compared with participants who were inactive at baseline,the multivariable adjusted HR(95%CI)of developing CVD was 0.74(0.69–0.79)for those who met recommended moderate to vigorous physical activity(MVPA)level at baseline.Furthermore,the risk of CVD incidence was reduced with increment of MVPA(Ptrend<0.001),and the HR(95%CI)of highly-active versus inactive category was 0.62(0.56–0.68).Compared with individuals who were inactive both at the baseline and follow-up,those keeping active over the period of follow-up had a substantial lower risk of incident CVD with the HR(95%CI)of 0.57(0.43–0.77).Conclusions The findings demonstrated that meeting and maintaining the recommended MVPA level could reduce the cardiovascular risk.Wider adoption of the PA recommendations would have considerable health impacts to the Chinese population.