Introduction. Excessive body mass in turn may contribute to the development of many health disorders including disorders of musculoskeletal system, which still develops intensively at that time. Aim. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between children's body mass composition and body posture. The relationship between physical activity level of children and the parameters characterizing their posture was also evaluated. Material and Methods. 120 school age children between 11 and 13 years were enrolled in the study, including 61 girls and 59 boys. Each study participant had the posture evaluated with the photogrammetric method using the projection moiré phenomenon. Moreover, body mass composition and the level of physical activity were evaluated. Results. Children with the lowest content of muscle tissue showed the highest difference in the height of the inferior angles of the scapulas in the coronal plane. Children with excessive body fat had less slope of the thoracic-lumbar spine, greater difference in the depth of the inferior angles of the scapula, and greater angle of the shoulder line. The individuals with higher level of physical activity have a smaller angle of body inclination. Conclusion. The content of muscle tissue, adipose tissue, and physical activity level determines the variability of the parameter characterizing the body posture.

Aim Emotional expressions are one of the most widely studied topics in neuroscience, from both clinical and non‐clinical perspectives. Atypical emotional expressions are seen in various psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia, depression, and autism spectrum conditions. Understanding the basics of emotional expressions and recognition can be crucial for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Emotions can be expressed in the face, gesture, posture, voice, and behavior and affect physiological parameters, such as the heart rate or body temperature. With modern technology, clinicians can use a variety of tools ranging from sophisticated laboratory equipment to smartphones and web cameras. The aim of this paper is to review the currently used tools using modern technology and discuss their usefulness as well as possible future directions in emotional expression research and treatment strategies. Methods The authors conducted a literature review in the PubMed, EBSCO, and SCOPUS databases, using the following key words: ‘emotions,’ ‘emotional expression,’ ‘affective computing,’ and ‘autism.’ The most relevant and up‐to‐date publications were identified and discussed. Search results were supplemented by the authors’ own research in the field of emotional expression. Results We present a critical review of the currently available technical diagnostic and therapeutic methods. The most important studies are summarized in a table. Conclusion Most of the currently available methods have not been adequately validated in clinical settings. They may be a great help in everyday practice; however, they need further testing. Future directions in this field include more virtual‐reality‐based and interactive interventions, as well as development and improvement of humanoid robots.

Microcephaly and macrocephaly can be considered both cranial growth defects and clinical symptoms. There are two assessment criteria: one applied in dysmorphology and another conventionally used in clinical practice. The determination of which definition or under which paradigm the terminology should be applied can vary on a daily basis and from case to case as necessity dictates, as can defining the relationship between microcephaly or macrocephaly and syndromes or diseases associated with neurodysfunction. Thus, there is a need for standardization of the definition of microcephaly and macrocephaly. This study was designed to investigate associations between abnormal cranial development (head size) and diseases or syndromes linked to neurodysfunction based on essential data collected upon admission of patients to the Neurological Rehabilitation Ward for Children and Adolescents in Poland. The retrospective analysis involved 327 children and adolescents with medical conditions associated with neurodysfunction. Two assessment criteria were applied to identify subgroups of patients with microcephaly, normal head size, and macrocephaly: one system commonly used in clinical practice and another applied in dysmorphology. Based on the results, children and adolescents with syndromes or diseases associated with neurodysfunction present abnormal cranial development (head size), and microcephaly rarely co-occurs with neuromuscular disease. Macrocephaly frequently co-occurs with neural tube defects or neuromuscular diseases and rarely with cerebral palsy (p < 0.05); microcephaly frequently co-occurs with epilepsy and hypothyroidism (p < 0.001). Traditional classification facilitates the identification of a greater number of relationships and is therefore recommended for use in daily practice. There is a need to standardize the definition of microcephaly and macrocephaly and to include them in ‘Human Phenotype Ontology’ terms.

BackgroundInvolutional changes to the body in elderly patients affect the shape of the spine and the activity of postural muscles. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of age-related changes in spinal curvature on postural balance in elderly women.MethodsThe study population consisted of 90 women, with a mean age of 70 ± 8.01 years. Static balance assessments were conducted on a tensometric platform, and posturographic assessments of body posture were performed using a photogrammetric method based on the Projection Moiré method.ResultsThe results obtained were analysed using the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient test. We found a statistically significant correlation between body posture and the quality of the balance system response based on the corrective function of the visual system. The shape of the spinal curvature influenced postural stability, as measured by static posturography. Improvement in the quality of the balance system response depended on corrective information from the visual system and proprioceptive information from the paraspinal muscles.ConclusionsThe sensitivity of the balance system to the change of centre of pressure location was influenced by the direction of the change in rotation of the shoulder girdle and spine. Development of spinal curvature in the sagittal plane and maintenance of symmetry in the coronal and transverse planes are essential for correct balance control, which in turn is essential for the development of a properly proportioned locomotor system.

Introduction Children and adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) have significantly lower levels of physical activity compared to their peers without ID. Association between the level of physical activity and screen time with hypertension (HPT) in children and adolescents with ID has not been reported yet. Aim To assess the relationship between the level of physical activity and screen time with the prevalence of HPT in students with ID. Material and Methods The study group consisted of 568 children with ID aged 7 to 18. The control group matched for age and gender consisted of 568 students without ID. Blood pressure (BP), body mass and height, level of physical activity, and screen time were assessed. Results The level of physical activity in the study group was significantly lower than in the control group (score 1.99 versus 3.02, resp., in Physical Activity Questionnaire). The risk of HPT in the students with ID with low levels of physical activity was more than 4 times higher (OR = 4.40) and more than 2 times higher when screen time was ≥2 h/day. Conclusion Low level of physical activity and long screen time were associated with significantly higher HPT risk among children and adolescents with ID.