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The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a long-term community-based lifestyle intervention on the biochemical indicators and prevalence of metabolic syndrome among elderly adults. This was a randomized controlled trial in northern Taiwan from August 2013 to February 2015. Sixty-nine elderly adults participated in this study. There were three measurements. The experimental group participated in exercise and diet interventions. The control group participated in the exercise intervention. Repeated measurement and ANCOVA were performed to evaluate the effectiveness. After 18 months, body weight (1.06 kg), body mass index (1.21 kg/m2), waist circumference (3.32 cm), blood pressure, and prevalence (30.4%) of metabolic syndrome were significantly reduced in all subjects. There were significant differences in waist circumference and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol between the two groups. This intervention can lower the indicators and prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Exercise and diet interventions could promote further metabolic changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ternary chalcogenides, GeSb 2 Se 3 and Ge 3 Sb 4 Se 7 , were synthesized and characterized. These chalcogenides are the first ternary selenides in a ternary Ge-Sb-Se system that feature a layer structure related to black phosphorus and SnSe-type structures. Both compounds contain a ∞ 1 [Sb 2 Se 2 ] 2- unit with Sb + cations in a zigzag Sb-Sb chain structure, and Sb 3+ cations in a distorted NaCl 100 -type of ∞ 1 [Ge n -2 Sb 2 Se n ] 2+ unit ( n = 4, 5). These materials exhibit n-type semiconducting properties with thermal conductivity significantly lower than that of GeSe and Sb 2 Se 3 , which could be correlated to the 1D Sb + chain and disordered sites with different Ge/Sb compositions. It is anticipated that these newly discovered ternary chalcogenides may provide unique properties with enhanced thermoelectric properties.