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Physical activity is associated with many physical and mental health benefits. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a 24‐month after‐school physical activity intervention on body composition in normal‐weight children. Participating students (6–7 years of age at baseline) were divided by reason of their parental preference to intervention and control groups. Children in the intervention group (n = 20; 10 boys and 10 girls) followed an aerobic training program (two 60‐min sessions per week), whereas children in the control group (n = 20; 10 boys and 10 girls) participated in the usual practice. Body composition characteristics were repeatedly measured by means of bioelectrical impedance method. At 2 years, finally, intervention boys had a smaller rise in BMI (mean difference, MD: −0.97 kg/m2, p < 0.05), BMI z‐score (−0.44, p < 0.09), body fat % (BF%) (−6.47%, p < 0.01), and fat mass index (FMI) (−1.32 kg/m2, p < 0.001) than controls. In girls, however, the intervention program induced no significant differences (p > 0.9) in the measured variables compared to controls at the final follow‐up (MD: −0.04 kg/m2 for BMI and −0.01 for BMI z‐score). Changes in BF% and FMI in a positive direction occurred at 18 months (MD: −3.38%, p < 0.05 and −0.99 kg/m2, p < 0.01, respectively), but did not persist over time (p > 0.07). In addition, no significant changes (p > 0.07) in the fat‐free mass index were associated with the physical activity intervention in either boys or girls. In conclusion, compared to the controls, a long‐term physical activity intervention in boys was associated with a significantly smaller rise in BMI and improvement of body composition by reducing both BF % and FMI. In girls, however, this intervention did not result in any statistically significant changes in body composition variables. The study evaluated the long‐term effect of after‐school physical activity intervention on body composition in normal‐weight primary schoolchildren. Intervention boys showed a significantly smaller rise in BMI and lower values of body fat measures than controls. In girls, in contrast, enhanced physical activity had a marginally positive effect on BMI and body composition. Possible reasons for these gender‐specific differences are discussed.

Background More than 2 billion peripheral vascular cannulas are introduced globally each year. It is the most frequently performed invasive procedure in medicine worldwide. There is a group of patients with difficult intravenous access (DIVA). In experts’ hands, ultrasound-guided vascular access appears to be a significantly better method. Investigators hypothesize that UGVA is superior also in short-term patency of cannula and even for blood draw through cannula. Repeated cannula pricks in the operating room setting not only puts a lot of stress on the patient and medical staff, but they also waste OR time. Methods This investigator-initiated prospective randomized monocentric controlled trial is designed to randomly allocate 200 patients undergoing elective primary total joint arthroplasty of hip or knee to one of two groups as follows: Group C (control group) – peripheral venous cannula insertion by palpation or Group USG (intervention) – cannula insertion by ultrasound-guided vascular access. Our primary endpoint is to compare the number of attempts for ultrasound-guided insertion of the peripheral venous cannula with common palpation insertion of the peripheral venous cannula in overweight/obese patients (BMI ≥ 25). The secondary endpoint is a failure rate of the peripheral venous cannula to administer intravenous therapy up to 5 days postoperatively. Tertiary endpoints include a portion of long PVCs that are able to ensure blood draw up to 5 days postoperatively, time needed to insert PVC in each group, number of needle tip redirections in both groups, and reinsertion of PVC needed in both groups for any reason. Discussion This study is pragmatic and is looking for clinically relevant data. After completion, it will answer the question of whether it is clinically relevant to use ultrasound-guided vascular access in the context of not only short-term benefit of insertion, but also up to 5 days after insertion. Also, if this method can ensure blood draw through a peripheral vein cannula, it can save resources in the perioperative period — valuable especially considering the ongoing shortage of medical staff worldwide. If this hypothesis is confirmed, this finding could contribute to more widespread implementation of ultrasound-guided peripheral vascular access in the perioperative period. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05156008. Registered on 13.12.2021.

Phenol, a monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon with various commercial uses, is a major pollutant in industrial wastewater. Euglena gracilis is a unicellular freshwater flagellate possessing secondary chloroplasts of green algal origin. This protist has been widely used for monitoring the biological effect of various inorganic and organic environmental pollutants, including aromatic hydrocarbons. In this study, we evaluate the influence of different phenol concentrations (3.39 mM, 3.81 mM, 4.23 mM, 4.65 mM, 5.07 mM, 5.49 mM and 5.91 mM) on the growth, morphology and cell division of E. gracilis. The cell count continually decreases (p < 0.05–0.001) over time with increasing phenol concentration. While phenol treatment does not induce bleaching (permanent loss of photosynthesis), the morphological changes caused by phenol include the formation of spherical (p < 0.01–0.001), hypertrophied (p < 0.05) and monster cells (p < 0.01) and lipofuscin bodies. Phenol also induces an atypical form of cell division of E. gracilis, simultaneously producing more than 2 (3–12) viable cells from a single cell. Such atypically dividing cells have a symmetric “star”-like shape. The percentage of atypically dividing cells increases (p < 0.05) with increasing phenol concentration. Our findings suggest that E. gracilis can be used as bioindicator of phenol contamination in freshwater habitats and wastewater.

Background: Primary school plays a pivotal role in shaping children's motor skill competence. Recognising this critical developmental phase, our study aimed to assess the impact of a two-year after-school physical activity intervention on fundamental motor skills among young primary school children. Methods: A cohort of twenty healthy children (10 boys, 10 girls) aged 6-7 years formed a baseline engaged in IAAF Kids' Athletics training, comprising two weekly one-hour sessions. Concurrently, a control group of twenty peers (10 boys, 10 girls) adhered to conventional practices. The assessment involved measuring jumping with max-effort rotation, sit and reach test, standing long jump, ball throwing, 4 × 10 m shuttle run, and 20 m endurance running tasks at halfyear intervals throughout the two-year intervention period. Data analysis employed two-way ANOVA with repeated measurements. Results: At baseline, intervention students demonstrated superior performance tp < 0.01-0.001) in the standing long jump, ball throwing, and shuttle and endurance runs compared to control subjects. After the two-year intervention, girls in the physical activity group exhibited a positive impact (p < 0.05-0.001) on three out of six motor skills - specifically, the standing long jump, ball throwing, and endurance run - compared to their counterparts in the control group. Conversely, no statistically significant improvements were observed in any motor skills for boys in the intervention group. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that a sustained, long-term physical activity intervention can significantly enhance fundamental motor skills in girls, while no such conclusive improvements were observed in boys. Potential factors contributing to these genderrelated differences are discussed.

Phenol, a monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon with various commercial uses, is a major pollutant in industrial wastewater. Euglena gracilis is a unicellular freshwater flagellate possessing secondary chloroplasts of green algal origin. This protist has been widely used for monitoring the biological effect of various inorganic and organic environmental pollutants, including aromatic hydrocarbons. In this study, we evaluate the influence of different phenol concentrations (3.39 mM, 3.81 mM, 4.23 mM, 4.65 mM, 5.07 mM, 5.49 mM and 5.91 mM) on the growth, morphology and cell division of E. gracilis. The cell count continually decreases (p < 0.05–0.001) over time with increasing phenol concentration. While phenol treatment does not induce bleaching (permanent loss of photosynthesis), the morphological changes caused by phenol include the formation of spherical (p < 0.01–0.001), hypertrophied (p < 0.05) and monster cells (p < 0.01) and lipofuscin bodies. Phenol also induces an atypical form of cell division of E. gracilis, simultaneously producing more than 2 (3–12) viable cells from a single cell. Such atypically dividing cells have a symmetric “star”-like shape. The percentage of atypically dividing cells increases (p < 0.05) with increasing phenol concentration. Our findings suggest that E. gracilis can be used as bioindicator of phenol contamination in freshwater habitats and wastewater.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a major health problem and the leading cause of death and disability in Slovakia. This is the first study to describe the prevalence rate of conventional cardiovascular risk factors in patients hospitalized for ACS. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia and cigarette smoking were documented in 1,567 cases (mean age, SD: 66.1±12.0 years, 34.8% of females) enrolled in the SLOVAKS registry from August 2011 through September 2011. Overall, 83.5% (95% CI, 81.6-85.2%) of the patients with ACS had hypertension, 65.0% (62.5-67.2%) had a hyperlipidemic profile, 32.6% (30.3-34.9%) were diagnosed with diabetes, and 27.6% (25.1-29.8%) were smokers at the time of a heart-related event. Only 5% of patients with ACS lacked any of the 4 conventional risk factors. Higher prevalence rates of all major risk factors, except smoking, were detected in women than in men, in older (≥65 years of age) than younger patients, and in rural (<2,000 inhabitants) than in urban areas. Premature ACS (<45 years of age) was associated with smoking in men, and smoking and hypertension in women. Smoking, in all risk factor combinations, reduced the age at the time of a heart-related event, on average, by 10.0 years in men and by 12.4 years in women. The results of this study suggest an appreciable burden of major cardiovascular risk factors and also highlight differences that may aid the targeting of public health interventions.

The objective of the study was to determine some Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) risk factors in relation to cigarette smoking in 174 Roma children and adolescents (88 males and 86 females) and 131 non-Roma probands (males and females) aged 7-18 in central Slovakia. In this biethnic study, 26.4% of the Roma children and adolescents (more than twice contrary to the control group) were smokers. Among the studied ethnicities, the majority of smokers was Roma (79.3%, 46 subjects). Smoking Roma have higher means of TG, Lp(a) and WHR compared with non-smoking non-Roma. The most frequent CVD risk predictors of smoking Roma probands was low serum levels HDL-C, apo A (the Fisher test confirmed a significant relationship between cigarette smoking and HDL-C, apo A; p < 0.01). The results of the research should help to develop an effective preventative health education programs focused on Roma education (who live in a higher-risk environment compared to the majority population) in order to stem the spread of CVD as well as morbidity and mortality in this ethnic group living in Slovakia.

The objective of the study was to determine some Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) risk factors in 174 Roma children and adolescents (88 males and 86 females) aged 7-18 in 3 Central Slovakian cities (44 from Zilina, 39 from Bansk, Bystrica and 91 from Rimavská Sobota). Venous blood samples were drawn in the morning, after a 12 hour overnight fast for biochemical analysis. Total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) were determined enzymatically. HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) after selective precipitation lipoproteins containing apolipoprotein B and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) was calculated by the Friedewald Formula. Serum levels of apolipoproteins (apo A, apo B) were analyzed immunochemically. Concentration of lipoprotein a [Lp(a)] was analyzed by immunonephelometric method (Beckman-Coulter System). Anthropometric measurements, including weight, height, waist and hip circumference were used to calculate the sum of the body mass index (BMI) and waist to hip ratio (WHR). Measured blood pressure (BP) was used to classify for hypertension. Significant differences were determined in serum levels of LDL-C (p < 0.05; by Tukey HSD test multiple comparison more significant difference was determined between Zilina and Rimavská Sobota p < 0.046), TG (p = 0.008), apo A (p < 0.001), Lp(a) (p = 0.042), WHR (p < 0.001), BMI (p < 0.001), sBP (p < 0.001) and dBP (p = 0.012) in Roma individuals of all locality groups. The Roma population from Rimavsk, Sobota had (in comparison to the examined populations) statistically higher values of TC, TG, LDL-C, lower HDL-C. The population showed significant relation of TG and stress at home (p = 0.03) and at school (p = 0.01), HDL-C and cigarette smoking (p = 0.004), apo A and cigarette smoking (p = 0.02) and socioeconomic status (p = 0.006), WHR and cigarette smoking (p = 0.02). Risk values of WHR, apo B and Lp(a) were mostly determined in Zilina's population (WHR significantly connected with family history CVD p = 0.03, cigarette smoking p = 0.02 and leisure time physical activity p < 0.001) and BMI, apo A and BP in Banská Bystrica. WHR was positively correlated to BP and negatively to HDL-C and TG only in Roma participants from Rimavská Sobota. BMI was positively correlated to systolic BP in populations from Banská Bystrica and Rimavská Sobota. The results of the study should improve the paediatric health treatment and prevention of CVD risk predictors for Roma from different cities.