Physical Activity Levels and Domains Assessed by Accelerometry in German Adolescents from GINIplus and LISAplus

Background

Physical activity (PA) is a well-known and underused protective factor for numerous health outcomes, and interventions are hampered by lack of objective data. We combined accelerometers with diaries to estimate the contributions to total activity from different domains throughout the day and week in adolescents.

Methods

Accelerometric and diary data from 1403 adolescents (45% male, mean age 15.6 ± 0.5 years) were combined to evaluate daily levels and domains of sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA) during a typical week. Freedson’s cutoff points were applied to determine levels of activity. Total activity was broken down into school physical education (PE), school outside PE, transportation to school, sport, and other time.

Results

About 2/3 of adolescents’ time was spent sedentary, 1/3 in light activity, and about 5% in MVPA. Boys and girls averaged 46 (SD 22) and 38 (23) minutes MVPA per day. Adolescents were most active during leisure sport, spending about 30% of it in MVPA, followed by PE (about 20%) transport to school (14%) and either school class time or other time (3%). PE provided 5% of total MVPA, while leisure sport provided 16% and transportation to school 8%. School was the most sedentary part of the day with over 75% of time outside PE spent sedentary.

Conclusions

These German adolescents were typical of Europeans in showing low levels of physical activity, with significant contributions from leisure sport, transportation and school PE. Leisure sport was the most active part of the day, and participation did not vary significantly by sex, study center (region of Germany) or BMI. Transportation to school was frequent and thus accounted for a significant fraction of total MVPA. This indicates that even in a population with good access to dedicated sporting activities, frequent active transportation can add significantly to total MVPA.     

Disturbance of firefly luciferase-based bioassays by different aluminum species

Luciferase-dependent assays, important for biochemical analyses of cytotoxicity and reporter genes, may be perturbed by compounds interfering with the luciferase reaction. We analyzed the impact of different aluminum (Al) species on a luciferase-based assay for determination of cellular adenosine triphosphate. Al⁰ nanoparticles (Al⁰–NPs) but not Al₂O₃–NPs decreased luminescence, correlated to high absorbance of Al⁰–NPs. By contrast, Al ions increased the luminescent signal. Data demonstrate that luciferase-dependent assays can be reciprocally disturbed by Al–NPs or Al ions in a specific manner, depending on the particular Al species. Careful interpretation of data from such experiments is essential in order to obtain conclusive results.     

Habitat selection by adult Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos during the breeding season and implications for wind farm establishment

Capsule: Global Positioning System (GPS)-tagged adult Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos breeding in forests in northern Sweden selected clear-cuts, coniferous forests with lichens and steep slopes during the breeding season but avoided wetlands and mixed forest.

Aims: To investigate the habitat selection patterns of tree-nesting Golden Eagles, and identify how potential conflicts with wind farm development could be minimized.

Methods: The study is based on GPS tracking data from 22 adult eagles. We estimated home range sizes using a biased random bridge approach and habitat selection patterns using resource selection functions following a use-availability design.

Results: Core home range size among adults was variable during the breeding season (5–30?km²). Individual movement extents were variable, but sexes did not significantly differ in their scale of movement. At the landscape scale, individuals selected for clear-cuts and coniferous forest with ground lichens, whereas wetland, water bodies and mixed forest were avoided. Steeper and south facing slopes were selected for, whereas, north facing slopes were avoided.

Conclusions: Potential conflicts between eagles and wind energy establishment can be reduced if wind farms are placed away from steep slopes, minimizing areas that are clear-cut during construction, and locating turbines within dense, young and other less favoured forest habitats.     

The effect of seasonality upon the development of lotic biofilms and microbial biostabilisation

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