An observational study in which vertebral centroid measurement of lumbar lordosis, developed in this study, was used to examine lumbar curvature. The intra- and interobserver reliability of the vertebral centroid measurement of lumbar lordosis and the Cobb technique were compared. To evaluate the reliability of a new method of measuring lumbar lordosis and to examine the changes in the lordotic curve from 0° to 90° flexion of the trunk. Several different methods are used to measure lumbar lordosis. The Cobb technique, based on measurement of vertebral endplates, is the method most frequently adopted for clinical diagnosis. However, because of the variations in the vertebral endplate architecture, the vertebral surface angle is difficult to identify. This reduces the reliability of the Cobb technique. Lateral radiographs of 16 study participants were taken from the upright position to a trunk flexion of 90° in 30° increments. The lumbar lordotic curve was measured by three observers individually using two applications of the traditional Cobb technique and the vertebral centroid measurement of lumbar lordosis. Correlation coefficients of lumbar lordosis between the two methods ranged from 0.589 to 0.772 with participants standing upright (all P < 0.05). Interobserver reliability coefficients were 0.903 for vertebral centroid measurement of lumbar lordosis, 0.826 for Cobb (L1–L5), and 0.784 for Cobb (L1–S1), although the three measurements all revealed an excellent intraobserver reproducibility (r greater than 0.9). The vertebral centroid measurement of lumbar lordosis showed the smallest mean absolute differences between any two observers’ measurements (< 1.7°). The findings from this study indicate that the vertebral centroid measurement of lumbar lordosis is more reliable than the Cobb method for assessing lumbar lordosis. The vertebral centroid measurement of lumbar lordosis also can be used to evaluate the actual lumbar curvature in outline at various angles of trunk flexion.

This preliminarily study was made to examine the differences in sweat excretions from human eccrine and apocrine sweat glands in dynamic exercise and heat conditions. Sweat samples were collected from six young males while they were either running on a treadmill or sitting in a sauna cabinet. Sweat samples of at least 5 mL from the eccrine (upper⁻back) and apocrine (armpit) sweat glands were collected during a 20⁻min running (or inactive overheating) period. The samples were then analyzed for urea, uric acid, and electrolyte (Na⁺, Cl⁻, and K⁺) excretions. The results from a two⁻way repeated⁻measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that the secretions of urea and K⁺ were significantly higher during running than during inactive overheating for both glands, as were Na⁺ secretions for the apocrine glands (all P < 0.05). Under the same sweating conditions, urea and K⁺ excretions from the apocrine glands were also higher than those from the eccrine glands (all P < 0.05). Significant differences were observed between the Na⁺ secretions of the apocrine and eccrine glands under the running condition. The effects of various sweating methods and sweat glands on Cl⁻ secretions were nonsignificant, and little uric acid was excreted. A higher urea excretion level during running rather than in hot conditions could be attributed to an elevated metabolic rate.

Creativity is so important for social and technological development that people are eager to find an easy way to enhance it. Previous studies have shown that mindfulness has significant effects on positive affect (PA), working memory capacity, cognitive flexibility and many other aspects, which are the key to promoting creativity. However, there are few studies on the relationship between mindfulness and creativity. The mechanism between mindfulness and creativity is still uncertain. Meditation is an important method of mindfulness training, but for most people who do not have the basic training, it’s difficult to master how to get into a state of mindfulness. Animation has been shown by many studies to help improve cognition and is often used as a guiding tool. Using animation as the guiding carrier of meditation is more convenient and easier to accept. Therefore, this study adopted the intervention method of animation-guided meditation, aiming to explore: (1) the effect of animation-guided meditation on enhancing creativity; (2) the role of flow and emotion in the influence of mindfulness on creativity. We advertised recruitment through the internal network of a creative industrial park, and the final 95 eligible participants were divided into two groups: animation (n = 48) and audio (n = 47) guided meditation. The animation group was given an animated meditation intervention, and the audio group was given an audio meditation intervention, both interventions were performed 3 times a week and last for 8 weeks. Results: (1) Animation-guided meditation significantly increased participants’ mindfulness and creativity levels; Significantly reduced their cognitive load compared to audio-guided meditation. (2) Mindfulness has a significant direct effect on creativity, and significant indirect effects on creativity; Flow and PA act as the mediating variable. Conclusion: (1) Mindfulness, flow, and PA all helped to improve the subjects’ work creativity. In addition to the direct positive impact of mindfulness on creativity, mindfulness can also have an indirect positive impact on creativity through flow and PA. (2) Compared with audio, animation can significantly reduce cognitive load and help improve users’ cognitive ability, which is more suitable for the guidance materials of mindfulness meditation to enhance the effect of meditation.

Data regarding the effects of backpack carriage on children’s body strains while walking are limited. This study measured the body posture, muscle activation, and subjective discomfort scores of 12 male schoolchildren (age: 12.3 (range 12.1–13.0) y, height: 151.3 (range 144.2–154.6) cm, weight: 46.6 (range 43.6–49.7) kg) carrying backpacks weighing 5%, 10%, and 15% of their respective body weights (BWs) and walking for 10 min on a treadmill. For each load, three positions along the spinal column (T7, T12, and L3) were examined. Participants carrying a backpack weighing 15% of BW exhibited higher head flexion, trunk flexion, and corresponding muscle activation, and a lower lumbosacral angle compared with those carrying loads of 5% and 10% of BW. The waist received the highest discomfort scores when the backpacks were carried at the L3 position. Conversely, the discomfort rating for the neck and shoulders where the highest when the backpack was at the T7 position; this high backpack position also caused more head flexion than the other two positions. For the musculoskeletal health of children, the findings suggest that carrying a school backpack weighing 15% of BW should be avoided, and carrying at the T12 position may be recommended for schoolboys.