Differently designed playgrounds and preschooler’s physical activity play

New playground concepts – favouring natural play characteristics – emerge. The aim of our free play study is to explore the relation between newly established natural playgrounds and the widely spread contemporary ones in terms of physical activity levels. The playground features differ in vegetation, topography, size and play equipment. The children’s locomotive activity was measured with the StepWatch? Activity Monitor – a pedometer. Research with known groups of preschool children on urban playgrounds should serve a future transfer of results to institutional play areas. Within this pilot study, results indicate that there is no significant difference in mean locomotive activity during free play on diverse playgrounds. However, results show high variability of activity between the playgrounds in terms of active children and rather sedentary ones. In conclusion, kindergarten environments should be more diverse incorporating elements of nature and contemporary playgrounds to serve all levels of activity.     

Association between time spent outdoors and myopia among junior high school students: A 3-wave panel study in China

This study sought to investigate the recent incidence rate of myopia in Chinese junior high school students and analyze the effect of time spent outdoors on myopia, in addition to facilitating the prevention and control of myopia among students.This study was derived from a national panel study, the China Education Panel Survey. We conducted three rounds of follow-up visits among 10,279 seventh grade students from 112 middle schools in 20 provinces in 2013. In total, 3571 students were selected for the analysis in 2020 by excluding those lost to follow-up and students who were myopic in the first round. The primary outcomes were the prevalence of myopia and the effect of time outdoors on myopia. The baseline characteristics of the included students were described, and the correlation between time spent outdoors and myopia in the three rounds of data was analyzed by a correlation chi-square test. Then, the generalized estimation equation (GEE) was used to estimate the influence of time spent outdoors on myopia after follow-up.There were 3571 students with normal baseline vision, and 1508 (42.23%) students progressed from having a normal vision to myopia in the third round, of whom 706 (46.82%) were male and 802 (53.18%) were female. The results of the chi-square test showed that the time spent outdoors of all students and girls, specifically, was related to myopia (P < .05). Next, the GEE was used to analyze the influence of time spent outdoors on myopia after follow-up. After two model adjustments (individual and family-related characteristics of students), students with < 7 hours/week time spent outdoors retained a high myopia rate than ≥14 hours/week (OR = 1.250; 95% CI: 1.070–1.460). Among boys, there was no statistical correlation between time spent outdoors and myopia (P > .05). For girls, compared with students who spent ≥14 hours/week outdoors, students with <7 hours/week spent outdoors retained a higher myopia rate (OR = 1.355; 95%CI: 1.067–1.720).Increased time spent outdoors can delay the development of myopia. In terms of gender, girls should be targeted to more effectively prevent and control the development and progression of myopia.     

Influential factors affecting age-related self-overestimation of step-over ability: Focusing on frequency of going outdoors and executive function

ObjectiveSelf-overestimation of step-over ability among older adults may result in a potential fall risk. However, the behavioral causal factor(s) of older adults’ self-overestimation is unclear. We examined whether older adults’ overestimation of step-over ability was mediated by an inactive lifestyle and/or poor executive function.MethodsA sample of 194 community-dwelling older adults was assigned to either a high (HG, once a day or more) or low (LG, every 2–3 days or less) frequency of going outdoors group. Executive function was determined by the Trail-Making Test (TMT). Both the HG and LG participants performed Step-Over Tests (SOT) in two ways: self-estimation of step-over ability and the actual step-over task. During the self-estimation task, participants observed the horizontal bar at a distance of 7 m and predicted the self-estimated maximum height (EH) of successful SOT trials. The motor task was then performed, determining the actual maximum height (AH) of successful trials.ResultsA total of 36.1% of LG participants failed to successfully perform SOT trials at their EH (i.e., overestimation), whereas only 11.3% of HG participants failed. A multiple linear regression analysis showed that SOT overestimation was associated with an inactive lifestyle (low frequency of going outdoors) but not with executive function. Analyses of fall experience showed that both executive function and lifestyle significantly correlated with SOT overestimation among fallers, whereas only lifestyle was significantly correlated among non-fallers.ConclusionOur results suggest that an inactive lifestyle is a possible correlate of SOT overestimation among older adults, while executive function further influenced overestimation only among fallers.     

青海省环境中氡及其子体浓度所致居民内照射剂量

本文对青藏高嫌北部的青海省室内外氡-222及其子体进行了测量。采用闪烁法测氡浓度, 托马斯三段法测氡子体α潜能浓度。测量了162个居室和161个室外的氡及其子体浓度。全省室内外氡的平均浓度分别为：20.94Bq·m^-3和8.01mq·m^-3。     

湖北地区室内外空气中氡及氡衰变子体浓度的调查

用抓样调查法,在全省83个调查点,随机测定了380间房屋内的²²²Rn和1920间房屋内的²²²Rn子体潜能浓度。结果表明,它们的浓度频率分布近似对数正态分布；全省室内²²²Rn的几何均值为17.5Bq·m^-3222Rn子体潜能为2.1mWL; 90%以上被调查房间内的平衡等效²²²Rn浓度在16Bq·m^-3以下,超过46Bq·m^-3以上的房间只占1%,约半数房闻内的浓度在7.4mt·mq^-3以下。此外还测定了部分房屋内、外的。加的²²⁰Rn子俸潜能浓度。全省成人居民受室内、外²²²Rn和²²⁰Rn子体照射的人均年有效剂量当量为0.82mSv,集体年有效剂量当量约为4×10⁴人·Sv.     

People with dementia attending farm‐based day care in Norway – Individual and farm characteristics associated with participants’ quality of life

Farm‐based day care for people with dementia is supposed to improve the participants quality of life by using activities and resources of the farm environment to promote mental and physical health. In this paper, we describe the characteristics of those attending farm‐based day care services in Norway and explore the association between individual and farm characteristics and the quality of life. A sample of 94 people with dementia who attended farm‐based day care was recruited from 25 farms between January 2017 and January 2018. The data collection was performed using standardized instruments. Information about the farms was retrieved from a former study. The association between the participants’ quality of life and their individual and/or farm characteristics was examined with a linear multilevel regression model. The participants had a mean age of 76 years, 62% were men, and 68% had additional education after primary school. Most of them had mild (54.3%) or questionable dementia (18.3%). A few participants used antipsychotics (3.7%), tranquilizers (9.9%) and painkillers (13.6%), while a higher number used antidepressants (30.9%). Quality of life was associated with the experience of having social support (p = .023), a low score on depressive symptoms (p < .001), and spending time outdoors at the farm (p < .001). The variation between the farm‐based day care services in the participants’ reported quality of life was related to time spent outdoors at the farm. In light of the present study, it seems as farm‐based day care is addressing people with dementia in an early stage, dominated by men, with quite good physical and medical condition. The strong association between quality of life and spending time outdoors underscores that facilitation for outdoor activity should be prioritized in all types of dementia care.     

基于民用通讯的野外远程医疗支援系统

借助现有的民用通讯网络。通过开发相应的软件系统，实现了野外医疗分队与医院的信息传输。探讨了旨在建立平、战时医疗小分队依托现有的民用通讯系统与医院进行医疗信息交换和获得远程医疗技术支援的方法，提高了野外医疗小分队的救治能力。同时，借助这个系统还可以实现更多的其他辅助功能。     

山西省空气中氡及其子体浓度与所致居民剂量的估算

本文报道了山西省63个调查点室内、外²²²Rn及其子体浓度,它们的浓度频率分布服从对数正态分布.室内²²²Rn浓度几何均值为:17.4Bq·m^-3、²²²Rn子体潜能值为18.8×10^-4WL,室外²²²Rn浓度几何均值为7.0Bq·m^-3,²²²Rn子体潜能值为13.4×10^-4wL.地下设施,窑洞内²²²Rn浓度最高,其几何均值分别为61.6和30.7Bq·m^-3.全省居民受室内、外²²²Rn及其子体照射的人均年有效剂量当量为1.58mSv.