Background/ObjectiveAdolescents’ physical fitness levels are an important indicator of their lifestyle and seem to have positive consequences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL).The purpose of this study is to analyse the combined associations of cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular fitness with HRQoL and to assess the differences between HRQoL scores across groups of cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular fitness in Portuguese adolescents.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional analysis with 567 Portuguese adolescents aged 12-18 years-old. HRQoL was measured using the Kidscreen-10 questionnaire. Cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated with the 20-m shuttle-run test. Muscular fitness was evaluated using the handgrip and the standing long jump tests and a muscular fitness index was computed by means of standardized measures of both tests. Socioeconomic status was assessed using the Family Affluence Scale. Body composition (body mass and height) was measured according to standard protocols. Accelerometers were used to obtain objective physical activity time. Pubertal stage was assessed using Tanner stages. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed using the KIDMED index. Participants were divided into four groups based on low or high values of both cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness. Regression analysis, mediation analysis and ANCOVA were performed.ResultsHRQoL was positively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness (B = 0.112; p < 0.05) and muscular fitness score (B = 0.328 p < 0.05), after controlling for potential confounders. However, when both fitness variables were entered in the same model only cardiorespiratory fitness remained significantly associated with HRQoL (B = 0.093 p < 0.05). Cardiorespiratory fitness acted as a full mediator variable on the relationship between muscular fitness and HRQoL in adolescents (p < 0.05). ANCOVA showed that adolescents with high cardiorespiratory fitness/high muscular fitness exhibit better HRQoL scores when compared to those with low muscular fitness/low cardiorespiratory fitness and with those with low muscular fitness/high cardiorespiratory fitness (p < 0.05).ConclusionsIn adolescents, the combination of high cardiorespiratory fitness and high muscular fitness was positively associated with a better HRQoL.

The combination of high PF levels and optimal adherence to Mediterranean diet is positively associated with HRQoL.

This study aimed to evaluate the associations between muscular fitness and inflammatory biomarkers and to investigate the relationship between muscular fitness and selected clustered inflammatory biomarkers in adolescents. This is a cross-sectional analysis with 529 adolescents (267 girls) aged 12-18 years. Handgrip strength and standing long jump tests assessed MF. Continuous scores of clustered inflammatory biomarkers (sum of Z-scores of C-reactive protein [CRP], C3, C4, fibrinogen, and leptin); metabolic risk factor (MRF) score (sum of Z-scores of SBP, triglycerides, ratio total cholesterol [TC]/HDL, HOMA-IR, and waist circumference [WC]) were computed. Regression analyses showed an inverse association between muscular fitness score (β=-.204; P<.021) and clustered score of inflammatory biomarkers, adjusted for age, sex, pubertal stage, socioeconomic status, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), MRF score, and body fat. Analysis of covariance showed that adolescents with an adverse inflammatory profile with low levels of muscular fitness exhibit the poorest MRF score (F =6.461; P<.001), adjusted for age, sex, pubertal stage, socioeconomic status, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, CRF, and body fatness. The inflammatory state seems to explain a significant part of the highest MRF score and in adolescents with high inflammatory status and low muscular strength.

An appropriated level of motor competence is essential for children´s healthy growth and development and a key factor in the promotion of lifelong active lifestyles and health. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between motor competence and different physical activity intensities (light, moderate, moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous physical activity), as well as total physical activity, over a two-year period, in adolescents. The sample comprised of 103 adolescents (13.49 ± 0.87 years, 53 girls), from the north of Portugal. Motor competence was evaluated with the body coordination test, Körperkoordination-Test-für-Kinder. Physical activity was objectively assessed with GT1M accelerometers (ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL, USA). Physical activity variables were expressed as proportions of accelerometer wear time. Regression analyses showed positive longitudinal associations between motor competence at baseline and moderate physical activity (B = 0.0033, p = 0.018), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (B = 0.0052, p = 0.024) and total physical activity (B = 0.067, p = 0.040) at follow up, after adjustments for age, sex, the corresponding physical activity intensity at baseline, body mass index, pubertal stage and socioeconomic status. Our findings highlight the importance of motor competence development to promote moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during adolescence.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a sample of adolescents, and to determine whether changes in cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with HRQoL over a 2-year follow-up. Methods: This is a longitudinal analysis with 571 Portuguese adolescents (274 boys and 297 girls) aged 12-18 years. HRQoL was measured with the Kidscreen-10 questionnaire; the 20 m shuttle-run was used to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness; socioeconomic status was assessed with the Family Affluence Scale; and pubertal stage was assessed with Tanner stages. Linear regression and analysis of covariance (ANCOVAs) were used to examine the associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and HRQoL. Results: HRQoL decreased over a 2-year period both in boys and girls (P < .05).Moreover, girls at baseline and at follow-up reported significantly lower HRQoL values than boys (between subjects P < .001). After adjustments for potential confounders, regression analyses showed significant cross-sectional associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and HRQoL both at baseline (B = 0.095; P = .023) and at follow-up (B = 0.090; P = .012). ANCOVA showed that adolescents whose cardiorespiratory fitness decreased over time exhibited lower scores of HRQoL at follow-up, compared to those with persistent high cardiorespiratory fitness; this held after adjustments for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and pubertal stage. Conclusions: Changes in cardiorespiratory fitness during adolescence were associated with HRQoL over a 2-year period. This study suggests that improving cardiorespiratory fitness could be an important strategy in improving the HRQoL of adolescents.

Background: Sleep plays a key role in our overall function, and sleep insufficiency has been highlighted as a major health issue. ‘Bedtime procrastination’—i.e., needlessly delaying the time one goes to bed without external reasons—is one reason for sleep insufficiency. The present research aims to explore the interrelationships among Bedtime Procrastination, other domains of Procrastination, and routine-related variables. Methods: The mediating effects of Wake-up Time and Dinner Time on the relationship between Bedtime Procrastination and General Procrastination, Academic Procrastination, and Perceived Importance of Sleep were tested. Self-reported questionnaires were used, and the sample comprised of 446 university students. Results: A partial mediation model was found. General Procrastination, Academic Procrastination, and Perceived Importance of Sleep showed direct effects on Bedtime Procrastination. Moreover, Academic and General Procrastination were positively associated with Bedtime Procrastination, whereas Perceived Importance of Sleep was negatively associated with Bedtime Procrastination. Indirect effects of the Perceived Importance of Sleep and General Procrastination, as mediated by Wake-up Time and Dinner Time, on Bedtime Procrastination were also found. Conclusions: Personal routines (Wake-up Time and Dinner Time) along with individual characteristics (General and Academic Procrastination) and beliefs (perceived importance of sleep) may affect Bedtime Procrastination. Present results highlight the complexity of Bedtime Procrastination.

Virtualization technology allows the coexistence and execution of multiple operating systems on top of the same hardware platform. In the embedded systems domain, virtualization has been focused on the isolation of critical requirements like real-time, security and safety from non-critical characteristics. The strict confinement of guest partitions typically provided by virtualization does not suit the modular and inter-cooperative nature of embedded systems. The need for inter-partition communication has been addressed by multiple virtualization solutions, either to enable guest-level device para-virtualization or to ensure increased flexibility regarding cooperative partitions. However, the majority of existing approaches follow an ad hoc approach with limited to none applicability outside their solution's scope.This paper presents TZ-VirtIO, an asynchronous standardized inter-partition communication (IPC) mechanism on top of a TrustZone-assisted dual-OS hypervisor (LTZVisor). The implemented IPC uses the standard VirtIO transport layer. The experiments conducted on a physical platform show a scalable, high-bandwidth and low-overhead solution for both single-core and multi-core architectures.

Background The environmental correlates have been extensively studied in the last years, but most associations with physical fitness (PF) and body composition have been cross-sectional in nature. Objective This study aimed to determine if adolescents' environmental perceptions associated with PF and body composition in a 2-year follow-up. Subjects Participants were 583 adolescents aged 12-18 years (299 girls) from the LabMed Physical Activity Study. Methods PF and body composition were assessed with the protocols of the ALPHA health-related fitness battery and environmental perceptions with the ALPHA environmental questionnaire. Linear regression models were used to determine the associations between environmental perceptions at baseline and PF and anthropometric measures at follow-up. Results Results showed that perceptions of distant facilities at baseline were associated with lower fitness at follow-up in boys. Also, boys' lower study environment perceptions at baseline were associated with higher body composition at follow-up. Positive perceptions of a pleasant environment at baseline were associated with better fitness at follow-up in boys. Additionally, girls' positive bike lanes availability and esthetics perceptions at baseline were associated with better body composition at follow-up. Conclusion Positive environmental perceptions at baseline are associated with better PF and body composition at follow-up.