A Mobile Early Stimulation Program to Support Children with Developmental Delays in Brazil.

PubMed

Dias, Raquel da Luz; Silva, Kátia Cristina Correa Guimarães; Lima, Marcela Raquel de Oliveira; Alves, João Guilherme Bezerra; Abidi, Syed Sibte Raza

2018-01-01

Developmental delay is a deviation development from the normative milestones during the childhood and it may be caused by neurological disorders. Early stimulation is a standardized and simple technique to treat developmental delays in children (aged 0-3 years), allowing them to reach the best development possible and to mitigate neuropsychomotor sequelae. However, the outcomes of the treatment depending on the involvement of the family, to continue the activities at home on a daily basis. To empower and educate parents of children with neurodevelopmental delays to administer standardized early stimulation programs at home, we developed a mobile early stimulation program that provides timely and evidence-based clinical decision support to health professionals and a personalized guidance to parents about how to administer early stimulation to their child at home.

Early Mobilization in Ischemic Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Trial of Safety and Feasibility in a Public Hospital in Brazil

PubMed Central

Poletto, Simone Rosa; Rebello, Letícia Costa; Valença, Maria Júlia Monteiro; Rossato, Daniele; Almeida, Andrea Garcia; Brondani, Rosane; Chaves, Márcia Lorena Fagundes; Nasi, Luiz Antônio; Martins, Sheila Cristina Ouriques

2015-01-01

Background The effect of early mobilization after acute stroke is still unclear, although some studies have suggested improvement in outcomes. We conducted a randomized, single-blind, controlled trial seeking to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and benefit of early mobilization for patients with acute ischemic stroke treated in a public teaching hospital in Southern Brazil. This report presents the feasibility and safety findings for the pilot phase of this trial. Methods The primary outcomes were time to first mobilization, total duration of mobilization, complications during early mobilization, falls within 3 months, mortality within 3 months, and medical complications of immobility. We included adult patients with CT- or MRI-confirmed ischemic stroke within 48 h of symptom onset who were admitted from March to November 2012 to the acute vascular unit or general emergency unit of a large urban emergency department (ED) at the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. The severity of the neurological deficit on admission was assessed by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). The NIHSS and modified Rankin Scale (mRS, functional outcome) scores were assessed on day 14 or at discharge as well as at 3 months. Activities of daily living (ADL) were measured with the modified Barthel Index (mBI) at 3 months. Results Thirty-seven patients (mean age 65 years, mean NIHSS score 11) were randomly allocated to an intervention group (IG) or a control group (CG). The IG received earlier (p = 0.001) and more frequent (p < 0.0001) mobilization than the CG. Of the 19 patients in the CG, only 5 (26%) underwent a physical therapy program during hospitalization. No complications (symptomatic hypotension or worsening of neurological symptoms) were observed in association with early mobilization. The rates of complications of immobility (pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thrombosis) and mortality were similar in the two groups. No statistically significant

Physical Activity Helps Seniors Stay Mobile

MedlinePlus

... Subscribe July 2014 Print this issue Health Capsule Physical Activity Helps Seniors Stay Mobile En español Send us your comments A carefully structured, moderate physical activity program helped vulnerable older people maintain their mobility. ...

Influence of muscle strength on early mobility in critically ill adult patients: Systematic literature review.

PubMed

Roberson, Audrey R; Starkweather, Angela; Grossman, Catherine; Acevedo, Edmund; Salyer, Jeanne

Muscle strength may be one indicator of readiness to mobilize that can be used to guide decisions regarding early mobility efforts and to progressively advance mobilization. To provide a synthesis of current measures of muscle strength in the assessment of early mobilization in critically ill adult patients who are receiving MV therapy. Research studies conducted between 2000-2015 were identified using PubMed, CINHAL, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews databases using the search terms "muscle strength", "intensive care", "mechanical ventilation" and "muscle weakness". Nine articles used manual muscle testing, the Medical Research Council scale and/or hand-held dynamometer to provide objective measures for assessing muscle strength in the critically ill adult patient population. Further research is needed to examine the application of standardized measures of muscle strength for guiding decisions regarding early and progressive advancement of mobility goals in adult ICU patients on MV. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early mobilization: Why, what for and how?

PubMed

Miranda Rocha, A R; Martinez, B P; Maldaner da Silva, V Z; Forgiarini Junior, L A

2017-10-01

Early mobilization strategies in the intensive care unit may result in the prevention and reduction of polyneuromyopathy in the critical patient, improved quality of life, shortened ICU and hospital stay, and lesser mortality during hospitalization. However, it is well known that factors such as the protocol used, the population included in the studies, the timing of the strategy, the severity of the patients and different barriers directly influence the outcomes. This study examines the main protocols described in the literature and their associated results. The main techniques used were kinesitherapy, transfer and locomotion training, as well as neuromuscular electrical stimulation and cycle ergometry. Although two trials and a meta-analysis found no positive results with mobilization, programs that focus on specific populations, such as patients with weakness due to immobility and with preserved neuromuscular excitability can derive more positive effects from such treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the Acceptability and Usability of EASEL: A Mobile Application That Supports Guided Reflection for Experiential Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schnepp, Jerry; Rogers, Christian

2017-01-01

Aim/Purpose: To examine the early perceptions (acceptability) and usability of EASEL (Education through Application-Supported Experiential Learning), a mobile platform that delivers reflection prompts and content before, during, and after an experiential learning activity. Background: Experiential learning is an active learning approach in which…

Modified Advanced Crew Escape Suit Intravehicular Activity Suit for Extravehicular Activity Mobility Evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Richard D.

2014-01-01

The use of an intravehicular activity (IVA) suit for a spacewalk or extravehicular activity (EVA) was evaluated for mobility and usability in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) environment at the Sonny Carter Training Facility near NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The Space Shuttle Advanced Crew Escape Suit was modified to integrate with the Orion spacecraft. The first several missions of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle will not have mass available to carry an EVA-specific suit; therefore, any EVA required will have to be performed by the Modified Advanced Crew Escape Suit (MACES). Since the MACES was not designed with EVA in mind, it was unknown what mobility the suit would be able to provide for an EVA or whether a person could perform useful tasks for an extended time inside the pressurized suit. The suit was evaluated in multiple NBL runs by a variety of subjects, including crewmembers with significant EVA experience. Various functional mobility tasks performed included: translation, body positioning, tool carrying, body stabilization, equipment handling, and tool usage. Hardware configurations included with and without Thermal Micrometeoroid Garment, suit with IVA gloves and suit with EVA gloves. Most tasks were completed on International Space Station mock-ups with existing EVA tools. Some limited tasks were completed with prototype tools on a simulated rocky surface. Major findings include: demonstrating the ability to weigh-out the suit, understanding the need to have subjects perform multiple runs prior to getting feedback, determining critical sizing factors, and need for adjusting suit work envelope. Early testing demonstrated the feasibility of EVA's limited duration and limited scope. Further testing is required with more flight-like tasking and constraints to validate these early results. If the suit is used for EVA, it will require mission-specific modifications for umbilical management or Primary Life Support System integration

Mobile Phone Chips Reduce Increases in EEG Brain Activity Induced by Mobile Phone-Emitted Electromagnetic Fields.

PubMed

Henz, Diana; Schöllhorn, Wolfgang I; Poeggeler, Burkhard

2018-01-01

Recent neurophysiological studies indicate that exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) generated by mobile phone radiation can exert effects on brain activity. One technical solution to reduce effects of EMFs in mobile phone use is provided in mobile phone chips that are applied to mobile phones or attached to their surfaces. To date, there are no systematical studies on the effects of mobile phone chip application on brain activity and the underlying neural mechanisms. The present study investigated whether mobile phone chips that are applied to mobile phones reduce effects of EMFs emitted by mobile phone radiation on electroencephalographic (EEG) brain activity in a laboratory study. Thirty participants volunteered in the present study. Experimental conditions (mobile phone chip, placebo chip, no chip) were set up in a randomized within-subjects design. Spontaneous EEG was recorded before and after mobile phone exposure for two 2-min sequences at resting conditions. During mobile phone exposure, spontaneous EEG was recorded for 30 min during resting conditions, and 5 min during performance of an attention test (d2-R). Results showed increased activity in the theta, alpha, beta and gamma bands during EMF exposure in the placebo and no chip conditions. Application of the mobile phone chip reduced effects of EMFs on EEG brain activity and attentional performance significantly. Attentional performance level was maintained regarding number of edited characters. Further, a dipole analysis revealed different underlying activation patterns in the chip condition compared to the placebo chip and no chip conditions. Finally, a correlational analysis for the EEG frequency bands and electromagnetic high-frequency (HF) emission showed significant correlations in the placebo chip and no chip condition for the theta, alpha, beta, and gamma bands. In the chip condition, a significant correlation of HF with the theta and alpha bands, but not with the beta and gamma bands was

Mobile Phone Chips Reduce Increases in EEG Brain Activity Induced by Mobile Phone-Emitted Electromagnetic Fields

PubMed Central

Henz, Diana; Schöllhorn, Wolfgang I.; Poeggeler, Burkhard

2018-01-01

Recent neurophysiological studies indicate that exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) generated by mobile phone radiation can exert effects on brain activity. One technical solution to reduce effects of EMFs in mobile phone use is provided in mobile phone chips that are applied to mobile phones or attached to their surfaces. To date, there are no systematical studies on the effects of mobile phone chip application on brain activity and the underlying neural mechanisms. The present study investigated whether mobile phone chips that are applied to mobile phones reduce effects of EMFs emitted by mobile phone radiation on electroencephalographic (EEG) brain activity in a laboratory study. Thirty participants volunteered in the present study. Experimental conditions (mobile phone chip, placebo chip, no chip) were set up in a randomized within-subjects design. Spontaneous EEG was recorded before and after mobile phone exposure for two 2-min sequences at resting conditions. During mobile phone exposure, spontaneous EEG was recorded for 30 min during resting conditions, and 5 min during performance of an attention test (d2-R). Results showed increased activity in the theta, alpha, beta and gamma bands during EMF exposure in the placebo and no chip conditions. Application of the mobile phone chip reduced effects of EMFs on EEG brain activity and attentional performance significantly. Attentional performance level was maintained regarding number of edited characters. Further, a dipole analysis revealed different underlying activation patterns in the chip condition compared to the placebo chip and no chip conditions. Finally, a correlational analysis for the EEG frequency bands and electromagnetic high-frequency (HF) emission showed significant correlations in the placebo chip and no chip condition for the theta, alpha, beta, and gamma bands. In the chip condition, a significant correlation of HF with the theta and alpha bands, but not with the beta and gamma bands was

Research on Mobile Learning Activities Applying Tablets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurilovas, Eugenijus; Juskeviciene, Anita; Bireniene, Virginija

2015-01-01

The paper aims to present current research on mobile learning activities in Lithuania while implementing flagship EU-funded CCL project on application of tablet computers in education. In the paper, the quality of modern mobile learning activities based on learning personalisation, problem solving, collaboration, and flipped class methods is…

Diet and mobility in Early Medieval Bavaria: a study of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes.

PubMed

Hakenbeck, Susanne; McManus, Ellen; Geisler, Hans; Grupe, Gisela; O'Connell, Tamsin

2010-10-01

This study investigates patterns of mobility in Early Medieval Bavaria through a combined study of diet and associated burial practice. Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were analyzed in human bone samples from the Late Roman cemetery of Klettham and from the Early Medieval cemeteries of Altenerding and Straubing-Bajuwarenstrasse. For dietary comparison, samples of faunal bone from one Late Roman and three Early Medieval settlement sites were also analyzed. The results indicate that the average diet was in keeping with a landlocked environment and fairly limited availability of freshwater or marine resources. The diet appears not to have changed significantly from the Late Roman to the Early Medieval period. However, in the population of Altenerding, there were significant differences in the diet of men and women, supporting a hypothesis of greater mobility among women. Furthermore, the isotopic evidence from dietary outliers is supported by "foreign" grave goods and practices, such as artificial skull modification. These results reveal the potential of carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis for questions regarding migration and mobility. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Mobile health: a synopsis and comment on "Increasing physical activity with mobile devices: a meta-analysis".

PubMed

Johnston, Winter; Hoffman, Sara; Thornton, Louise

2014-03-01

We offer a synopsis and commentary on J. Fanning and colleagues' article "Increasing Physical Activity with Mobile Devices: A Meta-Analysis" published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. Although regular physical activity has a range of benefits, very few adults in the USA meet recommended guidelines for daily physical activity. The meta-analysis of Fanning et al. (2012) aimed to synthesize the results of research using mobile devices to increase physical activity. Their review identified 11 studies that used mobile technologies, including short message service (SMS), apps, or personal digital assistant (PDA) to improve physical activity behaviors among participants. Fanning et al. conclude that while literature in this area is limited to date, there is initial support for the efficacy of mobile-based interventions for improving physical activity. Included studies varied greatly, and the majority used only SMS to influence physical behaviors, meaning generalization of results to other forms of mobile technologies may be premature. This review does, however, provide a foundation for understanding how mobile-based interventions may be used efficaciously for the development of future interventions to improve health behaviors.

Development of the multiple sclerosis (MS) early mobility impairment questionnaire (EMIQ).

PubMed

Ziemssen, Tjalf; Phillips, Glenn; Shah, Ruchit; Mathias, Adam; Foley, Catherine; Coon, Cheryl; Sen, Rohini; Lee, Andrew; Agarwal, Sonalee

2016-10-01

The Early Mobility Impairment Questionnaire (EMIQ) was developed to facilitate early identification of mobility impairments in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. We describe the initial development of the EMIQ with a focus on the psychometric evaluation of the questionnaire using classical and item response theory methods. The initial 20-item EMIQ was constructed by clinical specialists and qualitatively tested among people with MS and physicians via cognitive interviews. Data from an observational study was used to make additional updates to the instrument based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and item response theory (IRT) analysis, and psychometric analyses were performed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the final instrument's scores and screening properties (i.e., sensitivity and specificity). Based on qualitative interview analyses, a revised 15-item EMIQ was included in the observational study. EFA, IRT and item-to-item correlation analyses revealed redundant items which were removed leading to the final nine-item EMIQ. The nine-item EMIQ performed well with respect to: test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.858); internal consistency (α = 0.893); convergent validity; and known-groups methods for construct validity. A cut-point of 41 on the 0-to-100 scale resulted in sufficient sensitivity and specificity statistics for viably identifying patients with mobility impairment. The EMIQ is a content valid and psychometrically sound instrument for capturing MS patients' experience with mobility impairments in a clinical practice setting. Additional research is suggested to further confirm the EMIQ's screening properties over time.

Negative differential mobility and trapping in active matter systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichhardt, C.; Reichhardt, C. J. O.

2018-01-01

Using simulations, we examine the average velocity as a function of applied drift force for active matter particles moving through a random obstacle array. We find that for low drift force, there is an initial flow regime where the mobility increases linearly with drive, while for higher drift forces a regime of negative differential mobility appears in which the velocity decreases with increasing drive due to the trapping of active particles behind obstacles. A fully clogged regime exists at very high drift forces when all the particles are permanently trapped behind obstacles. We find for increasing activity that the overall mobility is nonmonotonic, with an enhancement of the mobility for small levels of activity and a decrease in mobility for large activity levels. We show how these effects evolve as a function of disk and obstacle density, active run length, drift force, and motor force.

Midlife Physical Activity and Mobility in Older Age

PubMed Central

Patel, Kushang V.; Coppin, Antonia K.; Manini, Todd M.; Lauretani, Fulvio; Bandinelli, Stefania; Ferrucci, Luigi; Guralnik, Jack M.

2009-01-01

Background Among older adults, loss of mobility represents a critical stage in the disablement process, whereby the risk for disability is significantly increased. Physical activity is a modifiable risk factor that is associated with reduced risk of losing mobility in older adulthood; however, few studies have examined physical activity performed earlier in life in relation to mobility later in life. Methods Data from a population-based study of 1155 adults aged 65 years and older living in the Chianti region of Italy in 1998–2000 were analyzed in 2005 and 2006. Participants retrospectively recalled their physical activity levels in midlife and underwent mobility testing and medical examination. Two objective mobility outcomes were examined as a function of past physical activity: the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and the ability to walk 400 meters. Results Older Italian adults (mean age 74.8, standard deviation 7.3) who engaged in higher levels of physical activity in midlife were significantly more likely to perform better on the SPPB than individuals who were less physically active in midlife. In addition, failure to complete the 400-meter walk test was significantly less likely among physically active men (Level II) (odds ratio [OR]=0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.15–0.93) and very active men (Level III) (OR=0.23, 95% CI=0.09–0.63) when compared to men who were less active (Level I) in the past (p for trend, 0.008). These associations remained after adjustment for demographic factors, medical conditions, and physiologic impairments. Conclusions Older adults who reported higher levels of physical activity in midlife had better mobility in old age than less physically active ones. PMID:16905032

Mobile Health Applications to Promote Active and Healthy Ageing.

PubMed

Helbostad, Jorunn L; Vereijken, Beatrix; Becker, Clemens; Todd, Chris; Taraldsen, Kristin; Pijnappels, Mirjam; Aminian, Kamiar; Mellone, Sabato

2017-03-18

The European population is ageing, and there is a need for health solutions that keep older adults independent longer. With increasing access to mobile technology, such as smartphones and smartwatches, the development and use of mobile health applications is rapidly growing. To meet the societal challenge of changing demography, mobile health solutions are warranted that support older adults to stay healthy and active and that can prevent or delay functional decline. This paper reviews the literature on mobile technology, in particular wearable technology, such as smartphones, smartwatches, and wristbands, presenting new ideas on how this technology can be used to encourage an active lifestyle, and discusses the way forward in order further to advance development and practice in the field of mobile technology for active, healthy ageing.

Structural and biomechanical characteristics after early mobilization in an Achilles tendon rupture model: operative versus nonoperative treatment.

PubMed

Krapf, Daniel; Kaipel, Martin; Majewski, Martin

2012-09-01

Acute Achilles tendon ruptures are common sports injuries; however, treatment remains a clinical challenge. Studies show a superior effect of early mobilization and full weight bearing on tendon healing and clinical outcome; however, few data exist on structural and biomechanical characteristics in the early healing phase. This study investigated the histological and biomechanical characteristics of early mobilization and full weight bearing in an Achilles tendon rupture model. Eighty rats underwent dissection of a hindpaw Achilles tendon; 40 rats were treated conservatively and 40 underwent open repair of the transected Achilles tendon by suturing. Early mobilization and full weight bearing were allowed in both groups. At 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after tenotomy, tensile strength, stiffness, thickness, tissue characteristics (histological analysis), and length were determined. Dissected Achilles tendons healed in all animals during full weight-bearing early mobilization. One and 2 weeks after tenotomy, rats in the operative group showed increased tensile strength and stiffness compared with the nonoperative group. Repair-site diameters were increased at 1, 2, and 8 weeks after tenotomy. Tendon length was decreased in the operative group throughout observation, whereas the nonoperative group showed increased structural characteristics on the cellular level and a more homogeneous collagen distribution. Surgical treatment of dissected rat Achilles tendons showed superior biomechanical characteristics within the first 2 weeks. Conservative treatment resulted in superior histological findings but significant lengthening of the tendon in the early healing phase (weeks 1-8). Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

The Impact of Early Powered Mobility on Parental Stress, Negative Emotions, and Family Social Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tefft, Donita; Guerette, Paula; Furumasu, Jan

2011-01-01

Powered mobility has been found to have positive effects on young children with severe physical disabilities, but the impact on the family has been less well documented. We evaluated the impact of early powered mobility on parental stress, negative emotions, perceived social interactions, and parental satisfaction with wheelchair characteristics…

Rich do not rise early: spatio-temporal patterns in the mobility networks of different socio-economic classes

PubMed Central

Hurtado, Rafael G.; Floría, Luis Mario

2016-01-01

We analyse the urban mobility in the cities of Medellín and Manizales (Colombia). Each city is represented by six mobility networks, each one encoding the origin-destination trips performed by a subset of the population corresponding to a particular socio-economic status. The nodes of each network are the different urban locations whereas links account for the existence of a trip between two different areas of the city. We study the main structural properties of these mobility networks by focusing on their spatio-temporal patterns. Our goal is to relate these patterns with the partition into six socio-economic compartments of these two societies. Our results show that spatial and temporal patterns vary across these socio-economic groups. In particular, the two datasets show that as wealth increases the early-morning activity is delayed, the midday peak becomes smoother and the spatial distribution of trips becomes more localized. PMID:27853531

Mobile Health Applications to Promote Active and Healthy Ageing

PubMed Central

Helbostad, Jorunn L.; Vereijken, Beatrix; Becker, Clemens; Todd, Chris; Taraldsen, Kristin; Pijnappels, Mirjam; Aminian, Kamiar; Mellone, Sabato

2017-01-01

The European population is ageing, and there is a need for health solutions that keep older adults independent longer. With increasing access to mobile technology, such as smartphones and smartwatches, the development and use of mobile health applications is rapidly growing. To meet the societal challenge of changing demography, mobile health solutions are warranted that support older adults to stay healthy and active and that can prevent or delay functional decline. This paper reviews the literature on mobile technology, in particular wearable technology, such as smartphones, smartwatches, and wristbands, presenting new ideas on how this technology can be used to encourage an active lifestyle, and discusses the way forward in order further to advance development and practice in the field of mobile technology for active, healthy ageing. PMID:28335475

GalileoMobile: Astronomical activities in schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dasi Espuig, Maria; Vasquez, Mayte; Kobel, Philippe

GalileoMobile is an itinerant science education initiative run on a voluntary basis by an international team of astronomers, educators, and science communicators. Our team's main goal is to make astronomy accessible to schools and communities around the globe that have little or no access to outreach actions. We do this by performing teacher workshops, activities with students, and donating educational material. Since the creation of GalileoMobile in 2008, we have travelled to Chile, Bolivia, Peru, India, and Uganda, and worked with 56 schools in total. Our activities are centred on the GalileoMobile Handbook of Activities that comprises around 20 astronomical activities which we adapted from many different sources, and translated into 4 languages. The experience we gained in Chile, Bolivia, Peru, India, and Uganda taught us that (1) bringing experts from other countries was very stimulating for children as they are naturally curious about other cultures and encourages a collaboration beyond borders; (2) high-school students who were already interested in science were always very eager to interact with real astronomers doing research to ask for career advice; (3) inquiry-based methods are important to make the learning process more effective and we have therefore, re-adapted the activities in our Handbook according to these; (4) local teachers and university students involved in our activities have the potential to carry out follow-up activities, and examples are those from Uganda and India.

Mobile Robotics Activities in DOE Laboratories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ron Lujan; Jerry Harbour; John T. Feddema

This paper will briefly outline major activities in Department of Energy (DOE) Laboratories focused on mobile platforms, both Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV’s) as well as Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV’s). The activities will be discussed in the context of the science and technology construct used by the DOE Technology Roadmap for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (RIM)1 published in 1998; namely, Perception, Reasoning, Action, and Integration. The activities to be discussed span from research and development to deployment in field operations. The activities support customers in other agencies. The discussion of "perception" will include hyperspectral sensors, complex patterns discrimination, multisensor fusion andmore » advances in LADAR technologies, including real-world perception. "Reasoning" activities to be covered include cooperative controls, distributed systems, ad-hoc networks, platform-centric intelligence, and adaptable communications. The paper will discuss "action" activities such as advanced mobility and various air and ground platforms. In the RIM construct, "integration" includes the Human-Machine Integration. Accordingly the paper will discuss adjustable autonomy and the collaboration of operator(s) with distributed UGV’s and UAV’s. Integration also refers to the applications of these technologies into systems to perform operations such as perimeter surveillance, large-area monitoring and reconnaissance. Unique facilities and test beds for advanced mobile systems will be described. Given that this paper is an overview, rather than delve into specific detail in these activities, other more exhaustive references and sources will be cited extensively.« less

Increasing physical activity with mobile devices: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Fanning, Jason; Mullen, Sean P; McAuley, Edward

2012-11-21

Regular physical activity has established physical and mental health benefits; however, merely one quarter of the U.S. adult population meets national physical activity recommendations. In an effort to engage individuals who do not meet these guidelines, researchers have utilized popular emerging technologies, including mobile devices (ie, personal digital assistants [PDAs], mobile phones). This study is the first to synthesize current research focused on the use of mobile devices for increasing physical activity. To conduct a meta-analysis of research utilizing mobile devices to influence physical activity behavior. The aims of this review were to: (1) examine the efficacy of mobile devices in the physical activity setting, (2) explore and discuss implementation of device features across studies, and (3) make recommendations for future intervention development. We searched electronic databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, SCOPUS) and identified publications through reference lists and requests to experts in the field of mobile health. Studies were included that provided original data and aimed to influence physical activity through dissemination or collection of intervention materials with a mobile device. Data were extracted to calculate effect sizes for individual studies, as were study descriptives. A random effects meta-analysis was conducted using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software suite. Study quality was assessed using the quality of execution portion of the Guide to Community Preventative Services data extraction form. Four studies were of "good" quality and seven of "fair" quality. In total, 1351 individuals participated in 11 unique studies from which 18 effects were extracted and synthesized, yielding an overall weight mean effect size of g = 0.54 (95% CI = 0.17 to 0.91, P = .01). Research utilizing mobile devices is gaining in popularity, and this study suggests that this platform is an effective means for influencing physical activity behavior. Our focus

Parental physical activity, safety perceptions and children’s independent mobility

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Parents are likely to be a basic influence on their children's behavior. There is an absence of information about the associations between parents' physical activity and perception of neighborhood environment with children’s independent mobility. The purpose of this study is to examine the contribution of parental physical activity and perception of neighborhood safety to children’s independent mobility. Methods In this cross-sectional study of 354 pupils and their parents, independent mobility, perceptions of neighborhood safety and physical activity were evaluated by questionnaire. Categorical principal components analyses were used to determine the underlying dimensions of both independent mobility and perceptions of neighborhood safety items. Results The strongest predictor of independent mobility was the parental perception of sidewalk and street safety (ß = 0.132). Parent’s physical activity was also a significant predictor. The final model accounted for 13.0% of the variance. Conclusions Parental perception of neighborhood safety and parents’ self reported physical activity might be associated with children’s independent mobility. Further research in this topic is needed to explore this possible association. PMID:23767778

Prediction limits of mobile phone activity modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondor, Dániel; Grauwin, Sebastian; Kallus, Zsófia; Gódor, István; Sobolevsky, Stanislav; Ratti, Carlo

2017-02-01

Thanks to their widespread usage, mobile devices have become one of the main sensors of human behaviour and digital traces left behind can be used as a proxy to study urban environments. Exploring the nature of the spatio-temporal patterns of mobile phone activity could thus be a crucial step towards understanding the full spectrum of human activities. Using 10 months of mobile phone records from Greater London resolved in both space and time, we investigate the regularity of human telecommunication activity on urban scales. We evaluate several options for decomposing activity timelines into typical and residual patterns, accounting for the strong periodic and seasonal components. We carry out our analysis on various spatial scales, showing that regularity increases as we look at aggregated activity in larger spatial units with more activity in them. We examine the statistical properties of the residuals and show that it can be explained by noise and specific outliers. Also, we look at sources of deviations from the general trends, which we find to be explainable based on knowledge of the city structure and places of attractions. We show examples how some of the outliers can be related to external factors such as specific social events.

Prediction limits of mobile phone activity modelling.

PubMed

Kondor, Dániel; Grauwin, Sebastian; Kallus, Zsófia; Gódor, István; Sobolevsky, Stanislav; Ratti, Carlo

2017-02-01

Thanks to their widespread usage, mobile devices have become one of the main sensors of human behaviour and digital traces left behind can be used as a proxy to study urban environments. Exploring the nature of the spatio-temporal patterns of mobile phone activity could thus be a crucial step towards understanding the full spectrum of human activities. Using 10 months of mobile phone records from Greater London resolved in both space and time, we investigate the regularity of human telecommunication activity on urban scales. We evaluate several options for decomposing activity timelines into typical and residual patterns, accounting for the strong periodic and seasonal components. We carry out our analysis on various spatial scales, showing that regularity increases as we look at aggregated activity in larger spatial units with more activity in them. We examine the statistical properties of the residuals and show that it can be explained by noise and specific outliers. Also, we look at sources of deviations from the general trends, which we find to be explainable based on knowledge of the city structure and places of attractions. We show examples how some of the outliers can be related to external factors such as specific social events.

Physiological Effects of Early Incremental Mobilization of a Patient with Acute Intracerebral and Intraventricular Hemorrhage Requiring Dual External Ventricular Drainage.

PubMed

Kumble, Sowmya; Zink, Elizabeth K; Burch, Mackenzie; Deluzio, Sandra; Stevens, Robert D; Bahouth, Mona N

2017-08-01

Recent trials have challenged the notion that very early mobility benefits patients with acute stroke. It is unclear how cerebral autoregulatory impairments, prevalent in this population, could be affected by mobilization. The safety of mobilizing patients who have external ventricular drainage (EVD) devices for cerebrospinal fluid diversion and intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is another concern due to risk of device dislodgment and potential elevation in ICP. We report hemodynamic and ICP responses during progressive, device-assisted mobility interventions performed in a critically ill patient with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) requiring two EVDs. A 55-year-old man was admitted to the Neuroscience Critical Care Unit with an acute thalamic ICH and complex intraventricular hemorrhage requiring placement of two EVDs. Progressive mobilization was achieved using mobility technology devices. Range of motion exercises were performed initially, progressing to supine cycle ergometry followed by incremental verticalization using a tilt table. Physiological parameters were recorded before and after the interventions. All mobility interventions were completed without any adverse event or clinically detectable change in the patient's neurological state. Physiological parameters including hemodynamic variables and ICP remained within prescribed goals throughout. Progressive, device-assisted early mobilization was feasible and safe in this critically ill patient with hemorrhagic stroke when titrated by an interdisciplinary team of skilled healthcare professionals. Studies are needed to gain insight into the hemodynamic and neurophysiological responses associated with early mobility in acute stroke to identify subsets of patients who are most likely to benefit from this intervention.

Early melanoma diagnosis with mobile imaging.

PubMed

Do, Thanh-Toan; Zhou, Yiren; Zheng, Haitian; Cheung, Ngai-Man; Koh, Dawn

2014-01-01

We research a mobile imaging system for early diagnosis of melanoma. Different from previous work, we focus on smartphone-captured images, and propose a detection system that runs entirely on the smartphone. Smartphone-captured images taken under loosely-controlled conditions introduce new challenges for melanoma detection, while processing performed on the smartphone is subject to computation and memory constraints. To address these challenges, we propose to localize the skin lesion by combining fast skin detection and fusion of two fast segmentation results. We propose new features to capture color variation and border irregularity which are useful for smartphone-captured images. We also propose a new feature selection criterion to select a small set of good features used in the final lightweight system. Our evaluation confirms the effectiveness of proposed algorithms and features. In addition, we present our system prototype which computes selected visual features from a user-captured skin lesion image, and analyzes them to estimate the likelihood of malignance, all on an off-the-shelf smartphone.

Influence of the vocal cord mobility in salvage surgery after radiotherapy for early-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx.

PubMed

Gorphe, Philippe; Blanchard, Pierre; Temam, Stephane; Janot, François

2015-10-01

Disease relapses occur in up to 40% of cases after radiotherapy (RT) for early-stage glottic laryngeal neoplasms, and the foremost remaining treatment option is salvage total laryngectomy (STL). Our objectives were to review the outcomes of patients treated with salvage surgery after RT for early-stage carcinoma of the glottic larynx and to assess prognostic factors. We retrospectively analyzed 43 patients who underwent surgery. Overall and disease-free survival rates among subgroups were calculated and compared, stratified by preoperative stage, vocal cord mobility and postoperative histopathologic data. Recurrences occurred 22.7 months after the end of RT. Surgery was STL in 33 cases (76.8%). The main prognostic factors associated with survival rates were initial vocal cord mobility, vocal cord mobility at the diagnosis of recurrence, and changes in mobility. Vocal cord mobility is an important clinical criterion in treatment decision making for early-stage glottis carcinoma and remains important during follow-up.

Early mobilization and recovery in mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU: a bi-national, multi-centre, prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Hodgson, Carol; Bellomo, Rinaldo; Berney, Susan; Bailey, Michael; Buhr, Heidi; Denehy, Linda; Harrold, Megan; Higgins, Alisa; Presneill, Jeff; Saxena, Manoj; Skinner, Elizabeth; Young, Paul; Webb, Steven

2015-02-26

The aim of this study was to investigate current mobilization practice, strength at ICU discharge and functional recovery at 6 months among mechanically ventilated ICU patients. This was a prospective, multi-centre, cohort study conducted in twelve ICUs in Australia and New Zealand. Patients were previously functionally independent and expected to be ventilated for >48 hours. We measured mobilization during invasive ventilation, sedation depth using the Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale (RASS), co-interventions, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU-acquired weakness (ICUAW) at ICU discharge, mortality at day 90, and 6-month functional recovery including return to work. We studied 192 patients (mean age 58.1 ± 15.8 years; mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) (IQR) II score, 18.0 (14 to 24)). Mortality at day 90 was 26.6% (51/192). Over 1,351 study days, we collected information during 1,288 planned early mobilization episodes in patients on mechanical ventilation for the first 14 days or until extubation (whichever occurred first). We recorded the highest level of early mobilization. Despite the presence of dedicated physical therapy staff, no mobilization occurred in 1,079 (84%) of these episodes. Where mobilization occurred, the maximum levels of mobilization were exercises in bed (N = 94, 7%), standing at the bed side (N = 11, 0.9%) or walking (N = 26, 2%). On day three, all patients who were mobilized were mechanically ventilated via an endotracheal tube (N = 10), whereas by day five 50% of the patients mobilized were mechanically ventilated via a tracheostomy tube (N = 18). Early mobilization of patients receiving mechanical ventilation was uncommon. More than 50% of patients discharged from the ICU had developed ICU-acquired weakness, which was associated with death between ICU discharge and day-90. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01674608. Registered 14 August 2012.

Earthquake Early Warning Beta Users: Java, Modeling, and Mobile Apps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strauss, J. A.; Vinci, M.; Steele, W. P.; Allen, R. M.; Hellweg, M.

2014-12-01

Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) is a system that can provide a few to tens of seconds warning prior to ground shaking at a user's location. The goal and purpose of such a system is to reduce, or minimize, the damage, costs, and casualties resulting from an earthquake. A demonstration earthquake early warning system (ShakeAlert) is undergoing testing in the United States by the UC Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, Caltech, ETH Zurich, University of Washington, the USGS, and beta users in California and the Pacific Northwest. The beta users receive earthquake information very rapidly in real-time and are providing feedback on their experiences of performance and potential uses within their organization. Beta user interactions allow the ShakeAlert team to discern: which alert delivery options are most effective, what changes would make the UserDisplay more useful in a pre-disaster situation, and most importantly, what actions users plan to take for various scenarios. Actions could include: personal safety approaches, such as drop cover, and hold on; automated processes and procedures, such as opening elevator or fire stations doors; or situational awareness. Users are beginning to determine which policy and technological changes may need to be enacted, and funding requirements to implement their automated controls. The use of models and mobile apps are beginning to augment the basic Java desktop applet. Modeling allows beta users to test their early warning responses against various scenarios without having to wait for a real event. Mobile apps are also changing the possible response landscape, providing other avenues for people to receive information. All of these combine to improve business continuity and resiliency.

Designed and User-Generated Activity in the Mobile Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kukulska-Hulme, Agnes; Traxler, John; Pettit, John

2007-01-01

The paper addresses the question of how to design for learning taking place on mobile and wireless devices. The authors argue that learning activity designers need to consider the characteristics of mobile learning; at the same time, it is vital to realise that learners are already creating mobile learning experiences for themselves. Profound…

a Multidisciplinary Analytical Framework for Studying Active Mobility Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orellana, D.; Hermida, C.; Osorio, P.

2016-06-01

Intermediate cities are urged to change and adapt their mobility systems from a high energy-demanding motorized model to a sustainable low-motorized model. In order to accomplish such a model, city administrations need to better understand active mobility patterns and their links to socio-demographic and cultural aspects of the population. During the last decade, researchers have demonstrated the potential of geo-location technologies and mobile devices to gather massive amounts of data for mobility studies. However, the analysis and interpretation of this data has been carried out by specialized research groups with relatively narrow approaches from different disciplines. Consequently, broader questions remain less explored, mainly those relating to spatial behaviour of individuals and populations with their geographic environment and the motivations and perceptions shaping such behaviour. Understanding sustainable mobility and exploring new research paths require an interdisciplinary approach given the complex nature of mobility systems and their social, economic and environmental impacts. Here, we introduce the elements for a multidisciplinary analytical framework for studying active mobility patterns comprised of three components: a) Methodological, b) Behavioural, and c) Perceptual. We demonstrate the applicability of the framework by analysing mobility patterns of cyclists and pedestrians in an intermediate city integrating a range of techniques, including: GPS tracking, spatial analysis, auto-ethnography, and perceptual mapping. The results demonstrated the existence of non-evident spatial behaviours and how perceptual features affect mobility. This knowledge is useful for developing policies and practices for sustainable mobility planning.

Mapping barriers and intervention activities to behaviour change theory for Mobilization of Vulnerable Elders in Ontario (MOVE ON), a multi-site implementation intervention in acute care hospitals.

PubMed

Moore, Julia E; Mascarenhas, Alekhya; Marquez, Christine; Almaawiy, Ummukulthum; Chan, Wai-Hin; D'Souza, Jennifer; Liu, Barbara; Straus, Sharon E

2014-10-30

As evidence-informed implementation interventions spread, they need to be tailored to address the unique needs of each setting, and this process should be well documented to facilitate replication. To facilitate the spread of the Mobilization of Vulnerable Elders in Ontario (MOVE ON) intervention, the aim of the current study is to develop a mapping guide that links identified barriers and intervention activities to behaviour change theory. Focus groups were conducted with front line health-care professionals to identify perceived barriers to implementation of an early mobilization intervention targeted to hospitalized older adults. Participating units then used or adapted intervention activities from an existing menu or developed new activities to facilitate early mobilization. A thematic analysis was performed on the focus group data, emphasizing concepts related to barriers to behaviour change. A behaviour change theory, the 'capability, opportunity, motivation-behaviour (COM-B) system', was used as a taxonomy to map the identified barriers to their root causes. We also mapped the behaviour constructs and intervention activities to overcome these. A total of 46 focus groups were conducted across 26 hospital inpatient units in Ontario, Canada, with 261 participants. The barriers were conceptualized at three levels: health-care provider (HCP), patient, and unit. Commonly mentioned barriers were time constraints and workload (HCP), patient clinical acuity and their perceived 'sick role' (patient), and lack of proper equipment and human resources (unit level). Thirty intervention activities to facilitate early mobilization of older adults were implemented across hospitals; examples of unit-developed intervention activities include the 'mobility clock' communication tool and the use of staff champions. A mapping guide was created with barriers and intervention activities matched though the lens of the COM-B system. We used a systematic approach to develop a guide

Evaluation of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization Rates with Early Plerixafor Administration for Adult Stem Cell Transplantation.

PubMed

Stover, Jessica T; Shaw, J Ryan; Kuchibhatla, Maragatha; Horwitz, Mitchell E; Engemann, Ashley M

2017-08-01

The addition of plerixafor to high-dose colony-stimulating growth factor has been shown to improve stem cell mobilization rates in autologous transplant patients with multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This study evaluates the change in administration time of plerixafor to determine if cell mobilization rates are similar between the US Food and Drug Administration-approved administration time of 11 hours before apheresis and an earlier administration time of 16 hours before apheresis. Medical records of patients age ≥ 18 years undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation requiring the use of plerixafor after at least 4 days of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy to complete stem cell mobilization from January 1, 2010 through September 30, 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. The primary outcome was CD34 + cell mobilization success rates when plerixafor was administered 11 ± 2 hours (standard administration group) compared with 16 ± 2 hours before cell apheresis (early administration group), as defined as collection of  ≥2 × 10 6 CD34 + cells/kg. Secondary outcomes included the number of plerixafor therapy days required to collect a total of ≥2 × 10 6 CD34 + cells/kg, the number of apheresis cycles required to achieve ≥2 × 10 6 CD34 + cells/kg, the median CD34 + cells/kg collected in each apheresis session, and the rates of reported adverse events that occurred in the standard administration time group compared with the early administration time group. Of the 197 patients included, 114 patients received plerixafor 11 ± 2 hours before apheresis and 83 patients received plerixafor 16 hours ± 2 hours before apheresis. Ninety-four percent of patients in the early administration group achieved successful stem cell mobilization compared with 81.6% in the standard administration group (P = .0111). The median number of plerixafor days to reach the collection goal of  ≥2 × 10 6 CD34 + cells/kg was 1 day for

Potential superiority of periarticular injection in analgesic effect and early mobilization ability over femoral nerve block following total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Fu, Huichao; Wang, Jiaxing; Zhang, Wen; Cheng, Tao; Zhang, Xianlong

2017-01-01

Pain management after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) should permit early knee mobilization with minimal pain. Periarticular injection (PAI) with local anaesthetics has been recently discussed as a protocol of pain control. The purpose of this review of the literature was to evaluate the efficacy of PAI in comparison with femoral nerve block (FNB). A literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, the OVID database and the Cochrane Library databases. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane collaboration tool. Outcomes of interest included narcotic consumption, pain score, early mobilization ability, length of stay and adverse effects or events. Research identified 918 articles, of which six with a total of 284 knees, met the inclusion criteria and were eligible for the current study. Conflicting evidence was found in terms of narcotic consumption on the postoperative day 1 and early mobilization ability. Total narcotic consumption, pain score in the first 2 days after surgery, length of stay and adverse effects or events showed no difference between two groups. Lower pain score on the day of surgery was detected after PAI. When compared to continuous FNB, patients in PAI group showed a tendency to achieving better ability of early mobilization. In consideration of its relatively simple practice and its potential in analgesic effects or early mobilization ability, PAI had superiority to FNB in the management of pain control after TKA. Before PAI could be widely used in clinical practice after TKAs, further investigations would be necessary to confirm or refute our observed results and to unify the protocol of PAI. I.

Effects of twenty-minute 3G mobile phone irradiation on event related potential components and early gamma synchronization in auditory oddball paradigm.

PubMed

Stefanics, G; Thuróczy, G; Kellényi, L; Hernádi, I

2008-11-19

We investigated the potential effects of 20 min irradiation from a new generation Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) 3G mobile phone on human event related potentials (ERPs) in an auditory oddball paradigm. In a double-blind task design, subjects were exposed to either genuine or sham irradiation in two separate sessions. Before and after irradiation subjects were presented with a random series of 50 ms tone burst (frequent standards: 1 kHz, P=0.8, rare deviants: 1.5 kHz, P=0.2) at a mean repetition rate of 1500 ms while electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. The subjects' task was to silently count the appearance of targets. The amplitude and latency of the N100, N200, P200 and P300 components for targets and standards were analyzed in 29 subjects. We found no significant effects of electromagnetic field (EMF) irradiation on the amplitude and latency of the above ERP components. In order to study possible effects of EMF on attentional processes, we applied a wavelet-based time-frequency method to analyze the early gamma component of brain responses to auditory stimuli. We found that the early evoked gamma activity was insensitive to UMTS RF exposition. Our results support the notion, that a single 20 min irradiation from new generation 3G mobile phones does not induce measurable changes in latency or amplitude of ERP components or in oscillatory gamma-band activity in an auditory oddball paradigm.

Increasing physical activity through mobile device interventions: A systematic review.

PubMed

Muntaner, Adrià; Vidal-Conti, Josep; Palou, Pere

2016-09-01

Physical inactivity is a health problem that affects people worldwide and has been identified as the fourth largest risk factor for overall mortality (contributing to 6% of deaths globally). Many researchers have tried to increase physical activity levels through traditional methods without much success. Thus, many researchers are turning to mobile technology as an emerging method for changing health behaviours. This systematic review sought to summarise and update the existing scientific literature on increasing physical activity through mobile device interventions, taking into account the methodological quality of the studies. The articles were identified by searching the PubMed, SCOPUS and SPORTDiscus databases for studies published between January 2003 and December 2013. Studies investigating efforts to increase physical activity through mobile phone or even personal digital assistant interventions were included. The search results allowed the inclusion of 11 studies that gave rise to 12 publications. Six of the articles included in this review reported significant increases in physical activity levels. The number of studies using mobile devices for interventions has increased exponentially in the last few years, but future investigations with better methodological quality are needed to draw stronger conclusions regarding how to increase physical activity through mobile device interventions. © The Author(s) 2015.

Long-term preservation of early formed mantle heterogeneity by mobile lid convection: Importance of grainsize evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foley, Bradford J.; Rizo, Hanika

2017-10-01

The style of tectonics on the Hadean and Archean Earth, particularly whether plate tectonics was in operation or not, is debated. One important, albeit indirect, constraint on early Earth tectonics comes from observations of early-formed geochemical heterogeneities: 142Nd and 182W anomalies recorded in Hadean to Phanerozoic rocks from different localities indicate that chemically heterogeneous reservoirs, formed during the first ∼500 Myrs of Earth's history, survived their remixing into the mantle for over 1 Gyrs. Such a long mixing time is difficult to explain because hotter mantle temperatures, expected for the early Earth, act to lower mantle viscosity and increase convective vigor. Previous studies found that mobile lid convection typically erases heterogeneity within ∼100 Myrs under such conditions, leading to the hypothesis that stagnant lid convection on the early Earth was responsible for the observed long mixing times. However, using two-dimensional Cartesian convection models that include grainsize evolution, we find that mobile lid convection can preserve heterogeneity at high mantle temperature conditions for much longer than previously thought, because higher mantle temperatures lead to larger grainsizes in the lithosphere. These larger grainsizes result in stronger plate boundaries that act to slow down surface and interior convective motions, in competition with the direct effect temperature has on mantle viscosity. Our models indicate that mobile lid convection can preserve heterogeneity for ≈0.4-1 Gyrs at early Earth mantle temperatures when the initial heterogeneity has the same viscosity as the background mantle, and ≈1-4 Gyrs when the heterogeneity is ten times more viscous than the background mantle. Thus, stagnant lid convection is not required to explain long-term survival of early formed geochemical heterogeneities, though these heterogeneities having an elevated viscosity compared to the surrounding mantle may be essential for their

Associations between children’s independent mobility and physical activity

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Independent mobility describes the freedom of children to travel and play in public spaces without adult supervision. The potential benefits for children are significant such as social interactions with peers, spatial and traffic safety skills and increased physical activity. Yet, the health benefits of independent mobility, particularly on physical activity accumulation, are largely unexplored. This study aimed to investigate associations of children’s independent mobility with light, moderate-to-vigorous, and total physical activity accumulation. Methods In 2011 - 2012, 375 Australian children aged 8-13 years (62% girls) were recruited into a cross-sectional study. Children’s independent mobility (i.e. independent travel to school and non-school destinations, independent outdoor play) and socio-demographics were assessed through child and parent surveys. Physical activity intensity was measured objectively through an Actiheart monitor worn on four consecutive days. Associations between independent mobility and physical activity variables were analysed using generalized linear models, accounting for clustered sampling, Actiheart wear time, socio-demographics, and assessing interactions by sex. Results Independent travel (walking, cycling, public transport) to school and non-school destinations were not associated with light, moderate-to-vigorous and total physical activity. However, sub-analyses revealed a positive association between independent walking and cycling (excluding public transport) to school and total physical but only in boys (b = 36.03, p < 0.05). Frequent independent outdoor play (three or more days per week) was positively associated with light and total physical activity (b = 29.76, p < 0.01 and b = 32.43, p = 0.03, respectively). No significant associations were found between independent outdoor play and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. When assessing differences by sex, the observed significant

On-line and Mobil Learning Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ackerman, S. A.; Whittaker, T. M.; Jasmin, T.; Mooney, M. E.

2012-12-01

Introductory college-level science courses for non-majors are critical gateways to imparting not only discipline-specific information, but also the basics of the scientific method and how science influences society. They are also indispensable for student success to degree. On-line, web-based homework (whether on computers or mobile devices) is a rapidly growing use of the Internet and is becoming a major component of instruction in science, replacing delayed feedback from a few major exams. Web delivery and grading of traditional textbook-type questions is equally effective as having students write them out for hand grading, as measured by student performance on conceptual and problem solving exams. During this presentation we will demonstrate some of the interactive on-line activities used to teach concepts and how scientists approach problem solving, and how these activities have impacted student learning. Evaluation of the activities, including formative and summative, will be discussed and provide evidence that these interactive activities significantly enhance understanding of introductory meteorological concepts in a college-level science course. More advanced interactive activities are also used in our courses for department majors, some of these will be discussed and demonstrated. Bring your mobile devices to play along! Here is an example on teaching contouring: http://profhorn.aos.wisc.edu/wxwise/contour/index.html

Late Holocene dune mobilizations in the northwestern Negev dunefield, Israel: A response to combined anthropogenic activity and short-term intensified windiness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roskin, Joel; Katra, Itzhak; Blumberg, Dan G.

2013-04-01

The study of the effects of past climates on ancient cultures is usually based on geologic records pertaining to rainfall and temperature fluctuations and shifts. This study proposes a paradigm of anthropogenic activity and windiness fluctuations to explain aeolian sedimentation and dune mobilization in the northwestern (NW) Negev Desert dunefield (Israel). The proposed paradigm contributes a different approach to estimating the effect of climate changes on the unprecedented agricultural and urban settlement expansion during the late Roman to Early Islamic period in the northern and central Negev Desert. This study builds upon the late Holocene cluster of luminescence ages of Roskin et al. (Age, origin and climatic controls on vegetated linear dunes in the northwestern Negev Desert (Israel), Quaternary Science Reviews 30 (2011), 1649-1674) coupled with analysis of archaeological finds and historical texts. We suggest that whereas the NW Negev dunefield was generally stable during the Holocene, intermittent dune mobilization during the late Holocene, at ~1.8 ka and mostly 1.4-1.1 ka (~600-900 CE), are linked to periods of human occupation. The idea that the last glacial dune encroachments alone that formed the NW Negev dunefield is connected to cold-event windy climates that may have intensified East Mediterranean cyclonic winter storms, cannot explain the late Holocene dune mobilizations. We conceptually model a connection between late Holocene dune mobilization, widespread anthropogenic occupation and activity, and windiness. We maintain that historic grazing and uprooting shrubs for fuel in the past by nomads and sedentary populations led to decimation of dune stabilizers, biogenic soil crusts and vegetation, causing dune erodibility and low-grade activity. Short-term events of amplified wind power in conjunction with periods of augmented anthropogenic activity that triggered major events of dune mobilization (elongation) and accretion have been preserved in the

A survey of online activity recognition using mobile phones.

PubMed

Shoaib, Muhammad; Bosch, Stephan; Incel, Ozlem Durmaz; Scholten, Hans; Havinga, Paul J M

2015-01-19

Physical activity recognition using embedded sensors has enabled many context-aware applications in different areas, such as healthcare. Initially, one or more dedicated wearable sensors were used for such applications. However, recently, many researchers started using mobile phones for this purpose, since these ubiquitous devices are equipped with various sensors, ranging from accelerometers to magnetic field sensors. In most of the current studies, sensor data collected for activity recognition are analyzed offline using machine learning tools. However, there is now a trend towards implementing activity recognition systems on these devices in an online manner, since modern mobile phones have become more powerful in terms of available resources, such as CPU, memory and battery. The research on offline activity recognition has been reviewed in several earlier studies in detail. However, work done on online activity recognition is still in its infancy and is yet to be reviewed. In this paper, we review the studies done so far that implement activity recognition systems on mobile phones and use only their on-board sensors. We discuss various aspects of these studies. Moreover, we discuss their limitations and present various recommendations for future research.

A Survey of Online Activity Recognition Using Mobile Phones

PubMed Central

Shoaib, Muhammad; Bosch, Stephan; Incel, Ozlem Durmaz; Scholten, Hans; Havinga, Paul J.M.

2015-01-01

Physical activity recognition using embedded sensors has enabled many context-aware applications in different areas, such as healthcare. Initially, one or more dedicated wearable sensors were used for such applications. However, recently, many researchers started using mobile phones for this purpose, since these ubiquitous devices are equipped with various sensors, ranging from accelerometers to magnetic field sensors. In most of the current studies, sensor data collected for activity recognition are analyzed offline using machine learning tools. However, there is now a trend towards implementing activity recognition systems on these devices in an online manner, since modern mobile phones have become more powerful in terms of available resources, such as CPU, memory and battery. The research on offline activity recognition has been reviewed in several earlier studies in detail. However, work done on online activity recognition is still in its infancy and is yet to be reviewed. In this paper, we review the studies done so far that implement activity recognition systems on mobile phones and use only their on-board sensors. We discuss various aspects of these studies. Moreover, we discuss their limitations and present various recommendations for future research. PMID:25608213

Emerging Vocabulary Learning: From a Perspective of Activities Facilitated by Mobile Devices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Zengning

2013-01-01

This paper examines the current mobile vocabulary learning practice to discover how far mobile devices are being used to support vocabulary learning. An activity-centered perspective is undertaken, with the consideration of new practice against existing theories of learning activities including behaviorist activities, constructivist activities,…

Providing Epistemic Support For Assessments Through Mobile-Supported Sharing Activities1

PubMed Central

Raclaw, Joshua; Robles, Jessica S.; DiDomenico, Stephen M.

2017-01-01

This paper examines how participants in face-to-face conversation employ mobile phones as a resource for social action. We focus on what we call mobile-supported sharing activities, in which participants use a mobile phone to share text or images with others by voicing text aloud from their mobile or providing others with visual access to the device’s display screen. Drawing from naturalistic video recordings, we focus on how mobile-supported sharing activities invite assessments by providing access to an object that is not locally accessible to the participants. Such practices make relevant co-participants’ assessment of these objects and allow for different forms of co-participation across sequence types. We additionally examine how the organization of assessments during these sharing activities displays sensitivity to preference structure. The analysis illustrates the relevance of embodiment, local objects, and new communicative technologies to the production of action in co-present interaction. Data are in American English. PMID:28936031

Effects of Intradistrict School Mobility and High Student Turnover Rates on Early Reading Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeBoeuf, Whitney A.; Fantuzzo, John W.

2018-01-01

The primary aim of this study was to assess the relations between concurrent, cumulative, and contextual intradistrict school mobility and early reading achievement. Longitudinal administrative school records were used for an entire cohort of students in a large urban district from first through third grade. Findings indicated that students with a…

GalileoMobile: Interactive astronomy activities in schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasquez, M.; Dasi Espuig, M.

2014-04-01

GalileoMobile is an itinerant science education initiative run on a voluntary basis by an international team of astronomers, educators, and science communicators. Our team's main goal is to make astronomy accessible to schools and communities around the globe that have little or no access to outreach actions. We do this by performing teacher workshops, activities with students, and donating educational material. Since the creation of GalileoMobile in 2008, we have travelled to Chile, Bolivia, Peru, India, and Uganda, and worked with 56 schools in total.

Functional weight-bearing mobilization after Achilles tendon rupture enhances early healing response: a single-blinded randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Valkering, Kars P; Aufwerber, Susanna; Ranuccio, Francesco; Lunini, Enricomaria; Edman, Gunnar; Ackermann, Paul W

2017-06-01

Functional weight-bearing mobilization may improve repair of Achilles tendon rupture (ATR), but the underlying mechanisms and outcome were unknown. We hypothesized that functional weight-bearing mobilization by means of increased metabolism could improve both early and long-term healing. In this prospective randomized controlled trial, patients with acute ATR were randomized to either direct post-operative functional weight-bearing mobilization (n = 27) in an orthosis or to non-weight-bearing (n = 29) plaster cast immobilization. During the first two post-operative weeks, 15°-30° of plantar flexion was allowed and encouraged in the functional weight-bearing mobilization group. At 2 weeks, patients in the non-weight-bearing cast immobilization group received a stiff orthosis, while the functional weight-bearing mobilization group continued with increased range of motion. At 6 weeks, all patients discontinued immobilization. At 2 weeks, healing metabolites and markers of procollagen type I (PINP) and III (PIIINP) were examined using microdialysis. At 6 and 12 months, functional outcome using heel-rise test was assessed. Healing tendons of both groups exhibited increased levels of metabolites glutamate, lactate, pyruvate, and of PIIINP (all p < 0.05). Patients in functional weight-bearing mobilization group demonstrated significantly higher concentrations of glutamate compared to the non-weight-bearing cast immobilization group (p = 0.045).The upregulated glutamate levels were significantly correlated with the concentrations of PINP (r = 0.5, p = 0.002) as well as with improved functional outcome at 6 months (r = 0.4; p = 0.014). Heel-rise tests at 6 and 12 months did not display any differences between the two groups. Functional weight-bearing mobilization enhanced the early healing response of ATR. In addition, early ankle range of motion was improved without the risk of Achilles tendon elongation and without altering long-term functional

Final Rule for Control of Hazardous Air Pollutants From Mobile Sources: Early Credit Technology Requirement Revision

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is taking final action to revise the February 26, 2007 mobile source air toxics rule’s requirements that specify which benzene control technologies a refiner may utilize to qualify to generate early benzene credits.

Effect of affordable technology on physical activity levels and mobility outcomes in rehabilitation: a protocol for the Activity and MObility UsiNg Technology (AMOUNT) rehabilitation trial

PubMed Central

Hassett, Leanne; van den Berg, Maayken; Lindley, Richard I; Crotty, Maria; McCluskey, Annie; van der Ploeg, Hidde P; Smith, Stuart T; Schurr, Karl; Killington, Maggie; Bongers, Bert; Howard, Kirsten; Heritier, Stephane; Togher, Leanne; Hackett, Maree; Treacy, Daniel; Dorsch, Simone; Wong, Siobhan; Scrivener, Katharine; Chagpar, Sakina; Weber, Heather; Pearson, Ross; Sherrington, Catherine

2016-01-01

Introduction People with mobility limitations can benefit from rehabilitation programmes that provide a high dose of exercise. However, since providing a high dose of exercise is logistically challenging and resource-intensive, people in rehabilitation spend most of the day inactive. This trial aims to evaluate the effect of the addition of affordable technology to usual care on physical activity and mobility in people with mobility limitations admitted to inpatient aged and neurological rehabilitation units compared to usual care alone. Methods and analysis A pragmatic, assessor blinded, parallel-group randomised trial recruiting 300 consenting rehabilitation patients with reduced mobility will be conducted. Participants will be individually randomised to intervention or control groups. The intervention group will receive technology-based exercise to target mobility and physical activity problems for 6 months. The technology will include the use of video and computer games/exercises and tablet applications as well as activity monitors. The control group will not receive any additional intervention and both groups will receive usual inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation care over the 6-month study period. The coprimary outcomes will be objectively assessed physical activity (proportion of the day spent upright) and mobility (Short Physical Performance Battery) at 6 months after randomisation. Secondary outcomes will include: self-reported and objectively assessed physical activity, mobility, cognition, activity performance and participation, utility-based quality of life, balance confidence, technology self-efficacy, falls and service utilisation. Linear models will assess the effect of group allocation for each continuously scored outcome measure with baseline scores entered as a covariate. Fall rates between groups will be compared using negative binomial regression. Primary analyses will be preplanned, conducted while masked to group allocation and use an

Effect of affordable technology on physical activity levels and mobility outcomes in rehabilitation: a protocol for the Activity and MObility UsiNg Technology (AMOUNT) rehabilitation trial.

PubMed

Hassett, Leanne; van den Berg, Maayken; Lindley, Richard I; Crotty, Maria; McCluskey, Annie; van der Ploeg, Hidde P; Smith, Stuart T; Schurr, Karl; Killington, Maggie; Bongers, Bert; Howard, Kirsten; Heritier, Stephane; Togher, Leanne; Hackett, Maree; Treacy, Daniel; Dorsch, Simone; Wong, Siobhan; Scrivener, Katharine; Chagpar, Sakina; Weber, Heather; Pearson, Ross; Sherrington, Catherine

2016-06-06

People with mobility limitations can benefit from rehabilitation programmes that provide a high dose of exercise. However, since providing a high dose of exercise is logistically challenging and resource-intensive, people in rehabilitation spend most of the day inactive. This trial aims to evaluate the effect of the addition of affordable technology to usual care on physical activity and mobility in people with mobility limitations admitted to inpatient aged and neurological rehabilitation units compared to usual care alone. A pragmatic, assessor blinded, parallel-group randomised trial recruiting 300 consenting rehabilitation patients with reduced mobility will be conducted. Participants will be individually randomised to intervention or control groups. The intervention group will receive technology-based exercise to target mobility and physical activity problems for 6 months. The technology will include the use of video and computer games/exercises and tablet applications as well as activity monitors. The control group will not receive any additional intervention and both groups will receive usual inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation care over the 6-month study period. The coprimary outcomes will be objectively assessed physical activity (proportion of the day spent upright) and mobility (Short Physical Performance Battery) at 6 months after randomisation. Secondary outcomes will include: self-reported and objectively assessed physical activity, mobility, cognition, activity performance and participation, utility-based quality of life, balance confidence, technology self-efficacy, falls and service utilisation. Linear models will assess the effect of group allocation for each continuously scored outcome measure with baseline scores entered as a covariate. Fall rates between groups will be compared using negative binomial regression. Primary analyses will be preplanned, conducted while masked to group allocation and use an intention-to-treat approach. The

Assessment of a Mobile Game ("MobileKids Monster Manor") to Promote Physical Activity Among Children.

PubMed

Garde, Ainara; Umedaly, Aryannah; Abulnaga, S Mazdak; Robertson, Leah; Junker, Anne; Chanoine, Jean Pierre; Ansermino, J Mark; Dumont, Guy A

2015-04-01

The majority of children in North America are not meeting current physical activity guidelines. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a mobile phone game ("MobileKids Monster Manor") as a tool to promote voluntary physical activity among children. The game integrates data from an accelerometer-based activity monitor (Tractivity(®); Kineteks Corp., Vancouver, BC, Canada) wirelessly connected to a phone and was developed with the involvement of a team of young advisors (KidsCan Initiative: Involving Youth as Ambassadors for Research). Fifty-four children 8-13 years old completed a week of baseline data collection by wearing an accelerometer but receiving no feedback about their activity levels. The 54 children were then sequentially assigned to two groups: One group played "MobileKids Monster Manor," and the other received daily activity feedback (steps and active minutes) via an online program. The physical activity (baseline and intervention weeks) was measured using the activity monitor and compared using two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (intervention×time). Forty-seven children with a body mass index (BMI) z-score of 0.35±1.18 successfully completed the study. Significant (P=0.01) increases in physical activity were observed during the intervention week in both the game and feedback groups (1191 and 796 steps/day, respectively). In the game group, greater physical activity was demonstrated in children with higher BMI z-score, showing 964 steps/day more per BMI z-score unit (P=0.03; 95 percent confidence interval of 98 to 1829). Further investigation is required to confirm that our game design promotes physical activity.

The Effectiveness of WhatsApp Mobile Learning Activities Guided by Activity Theory on Students' Knowledge Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barhoumi, Chokri

2015-01-01

This research paper explores the effectiveness of using mobile technologies to support a blended learning course titled Scientific Research Methods in Information Science. Specifically, it discusses the effects of WhatsApp mobile learning activities guided by activity theory on students' knowledge Management (KM). During the 2014 academic year,…

The Positive Effects of Early Powered Mobility on Children's Psychosocial and Play Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerette, Paula; Furumasu, Jan; Tefft, Donita

2013-01-01

Powered mobility can have an important cognitive and psychosocial impact on young children who are unable to move independently. Twenty-three children with physical disabilities between the ages of 18 months and 6 years participated in this study. Data evaluating social skills, frequency of mobility play activities, frequency of interaction with…

Early mobilization of acute whiplash injuries.

PubMed Central

Mealy, K; Brennan, H; Fenelon, G C

1986-01-01

Acute whiplash injuries are a common cause of soft tissue trauma for which the standard treatment is rest and initial immobilisation with a soft cervical collar. Because the efficacy of this treatment is unknown a randomised study in 61 patients was carried out comparing the standard treatment with an alternative regimen of early active mobilisation. Results showed that eight weeks after the accident the degree of improvement seen in the actively treated group compared with the group given standard treatment was significantly greater for both cervical movement (p less than 0.05) and intensity of pain (p less than 0.0125). PMID:3081211

Reduced AgRP activation in the hypothalamus of cows with high extent of fat mobilization after parturition.

PubMed

Börner, Sabina; Albrecht, Elke; Schäff, Christine; Hacke, Sandra; Kautzsch, Ulrike; Derno, Michael; Hammon, Harald M; Röntgen, Monika; Sauerwein, Helga; Kuhla, Björn

2013-11-01

Agouti-related protein (AgRP), produced by neurons located in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus stimulates feed intake. During early lactation dairy cows increase their feed intake and additionally mobilize their fat reserves leading to increased plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations. Since cows with a higher extent of fat mobilization exhibit the lower feed intake, it seems that high NEFA concentrations confine hyperphagia. To test the involvement of AgRP neurons, we investigated 18 cows from parturition until day 40 postpartum (pp) and assigned the cows according to their NEFA concentration on day 40pp to either group H (high NEFA) or L (low NEFA). Both groups had comparable feed intake, body weight, milk yield, energy balance, plasma amino acids and leptin concentrations. Studies in respiratory chambers revealed the higher oxygen consumption and the lower respiratory quotient (RQ) in H compared to L cows. mRNA abundance of neuropeptide Y, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma, AMP-activated protein kinase, and leptin receptor in the arcuate nucleus were comparable between groups. Immunohistochemical studies revealed the same number of AgRP neurons in H and L cows. AgRP neurons were co-localized with phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated kinase without any differences between groups. The percentage of cFOS-activated AgRP neurons per total AgRP cells was lower in H cows and correlated negatively with oxygen consumption and NEFA, positively with RQ, but not with feed intake. We conclude that AgRP activation plays a pivotal role in the regulation of substrate utilization and metabolic rate in high NEFA dairy cows during early lactation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Authoring and Enactment of Mobile Pyramid-Based Collaborative Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manathunga, Kalpani; Hernández-Leo, Davinia

2018-01-01

Collaborative learning flow patterns (CLFPs) formulate best practices for the orchestration of activity sequences and collaboration mechanisms that can elicit fruitful social interactions. Mobile technology features offer opportunities to support interaction mediation and content accessibility. However, existing mobile collaborative learning…

Physical Activity Recognition with Mobile Phones: Challenges, Methods, and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jun; Lu, Hong; Liu, Zhigang; Boda, Péter Pál

In this book chapter, we present a novel system that recognizes and records the physical activity of a person using a mobile phone. The sensor data is collected by built-in accelerometer sensor that measures the motion intensity of the device. The system recognizes five everyday activities in real-time, i.e., stationary, walking, running, bicycling, and in vehicle. We first introduce the sensor's data format, sensor calibration, signal projection, feature extraction, and selection methods. Then we have a detailed discussion and comparison of different choices of feature sets and classifiers. The design and implementation of one prototype system is presented along with resource and performance benchmark on Nokia N95 platform. Results show high recognition accuracies for distinguishing the five activities. The last part of the chapter introduces one demo application built on top of our system, physical activity diary, and a selection of potential applications in mobile wellness, mobile social sharing and contextual user interface domains.

Surrogate mobility and orientation affect the early neurobehavioral development of infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

PubMed

Dettmer, Amanda M; Ruggiero, Angela M; Novak, Melinda A; Meyer, Jerrold S; Suomi, Stephen J

2008-05-01

A biological mother's movement appears necessary for optimal development in infant monkeys. However, nursery-reared monkeys are typically provided with inanimate surrogate mothers that move very little. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a novel, highly mobile surrogate mother on motor development, exploration, and reactions to novelty. Six infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) were reared on mobile hanging surrogates (MS) and compared to six infants reared on standard stationary rocking surrogates (RS) and to 9-15 infants reared with their biological mothers (MR) for early developmental outcome. We predicted that MS infants would develop more similarly to MR infants than RS infants. In neonatal assessments conducted at Day 30, both MS and MR infants showed more highly developed motor activity than RS infants on measures of grasping (p = .009), coordination (p = .038), spontaneous crawl (p = .009), and balance (p = .003). At 2-3 months of age, both MS and MR infants displayed higher levels of exploration in the home cage than RS infants (p = .016). In a novel situation in which only MS and RS infants were tested, MS infants spent less time near their surrogates in the first five minutes of the test session than RS infants (p = .05), indicating a higher level of comfort. Collectively, these results suggest that when nursery-rearing of infant monkeys is necessary, a mobile hanging surrogate may encourage more normative development of gross motor skills and exploratory behavior and may serve as a useful alternative to stationary or rocking surrogates.

Classes of Trajectory in Mobile Phone Dependency and the Effects of Negative Parenting on Them during Early Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seo, Mijung; Choi, Eunsil

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify the classes of trajectory in mobile phone dependency using growth mixture modeling among Korean early adolescents from elementary school to the middle school transition. The effects of negative parenting on determining the classes were also examined. The participants were 2,378 early adolescents in the Korean…

Supporting Mobile Collaborative Activities through Scaffolded Flexible Grouping

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boticki, Ivica; Looi, Chee-Kit; Wong, Lung-Hsiang

2011-01-01

Within the field of Mobile Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (mCSCL), we are interested in exploring the space of collaborative activities that enable students to practice communication, negotiation and decision-making skills. Collaboration is via learning activities that circumvent the constraints of fixed seating or locations of…

Early mobilization after stroke: an example of an individual patient data meta-analysis of a complex intervention.

PubMed

Craig, Louise E; Bernhardt, Julie; Langhorne, Peter; Wu, Olivia

2010-11-01

Very early mobilization (VEM) is a distinctive characteristic of care in some stroke units; however, evidence of the effectiveness of this approach is limited. To date, only 2 phase II trials have compared VEM with standard care: A Very Early Rehabilitation Trial (AVERT) in Australia and the recently completed Very Early Rehabilitation or Intensive Telemetry after Stroke trial in the United Kingdom. The Very Early Rehabilitation or Intensive Telemetry after Stroke protocol was designed to complement that of AVERT in a number of key areas. The aim of this analysis was to investigate the impact of VEM on independence by pooling data from these 2 comparable trials. Individual data from the 2 trials were pooled. Overall, patients were between 27 and 97 years old, had first or recurring stroke, and were treated within 36 hours after stroke onset. The primary outcome was independence, defined as modified Rankin scale score of 0 to 2 at 3 months. The secondary outcomes included complications of immobility and activities of daily living. Logistic regression was used to assess the effect of VEM on outcome, adjusting for known confounders including age, baseline stroke severity, and premorbid modified Rankin scale score. Findings-All patients in AVERT and Very Early Rehabilitation or Intensive Telemetry after Stroke were included, resulting in 54 patients in the VEM group and 49 patients in the standard care group. The baseline characteristics of VEM patients were largely comparable with standard care patients. Time to first mobilization from symptom onset was significantly shorter among VEM patients (median, 21 hours; interquartile range, 15.8-27.8 hours) compared with standard care patients (median, 31 hours; interquartile range, 23.0-41.2 hours). VEM patients had significantly greater odds of independence compared with standard care patients (adjusted odds ratio, 3.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-9.33). Planned collaborations between stroke researchers to conduct trials

Determinants of performance of supplemental immunization activities for polio eradication in Uttar Pradesh, India: social mobilization activities of the Social mobilization Network (SM Net) and Core Group Polio Project (CGPP)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The primary strategy to interrupt transmission of wild poliovirus in India is to improve supplemental immunization activities (SIAs) and routine immunization coverage in priority districts. The CORE Group, part of the Social Mobilization Network (SM Net), has been successful in improving SIA coverage in high-risk areas of Uttar Pradesh (UP). The SM Net works through community level mobilisers (from the CORE Group and UNICEF) and covers more than 2 million children under the age of five. In this paper, we examine the reasons the CORE Group had been successful through exploration of which social mobilization activities of the CORE Group predicted better performance of SIAs. Methods We carried out a secondary data analysis of routine monitoring information collected by the CORE Group and the Government of India for SIAs. These data included information about vaccination outcomes of SIAs in CORE Group areas and non-CORE Group areas within the districts where the CORE Group operates, along with information about the number of various social mobilization activities carried out for each SIA. We employed Generalized Linear Latent and Mixed Model (GLLAMM) statistical analysis methods to identify which social mobilization activities predicted SIA performance, and to account for the intra-class correlation (ICC) between multiple observations within the same geographic areas over time. Results The number of mosque announcements carried out was the most consistent determinant of improved SIA performance across various performance measures. The number of Bullawa Tollies carried out also appeared to be an important determinant of improved SIA performance. The number of times other social mobilization activities were carried out did not appear to determine better SIA performance. Conclusions Social mobilization activities can improve the performance of mass vaccination campaigns. In the CORE Group areas, the number of mosque announcements and Bullawa Tollies carried out

Physical Activity Among Persons Aging with Mobility Disabilities: Shaping a Research Agenda

PubMed Central

Rosenberg, Dori E.; Bombardier, Charles H.; Hoffman, Jeanne M.; Belza, Basia

2011-01-01

With the aging of the baby boomer population and their accompanying burden of disease, future disability rates are expected to increase. This paper summarizes the state of the evidence regarding physical activity and aging for individuals with mobility disability and proposes a healthy aging research agenda for this population. Using a previously published framework, we present evidence in order to compile research recommendations in four areas focusing on older adults with mobility disability: (1) prevalence of physical activity, (2) health benefits of physical activity, (3) correlates of physical activity participation, and, (4) promising physical activity intervention strategies. Overall, findings show a dearth of research examining physical activity health benefits, correlates (demographic, psychological, social, and built environment), and interventions among persons aging with mobility disability. Further research is warranted. PMID:21748010

Early mobilization of patients who have had a hip or knee joint replacement reduces length of stay in hospital: a systematic review.

PubMed

Guerra, Mark L; Singh, Parminder J; Taylor, Nicholas F

2015-09-01

To systematically review the effect of early mobilization after hip or knee joint replacement surgery on length of stay in an acute hospital. Randomized controlled trials were selected from electronic databases based on inclusion criterion requiring an experimental group mobilizing (sitting out of bed/walking) earlier than a comparison group post joint replacement surgery of the hip or knee in an acute hospital. Clinically homogeneous data were analyzed with meta-analysis. Five randomized controlled trials (totaling 622 participants) were included for review. A meta-analysis of 5 trials found a reduced length of stay of 1.8 days (95% confidence interval 1.1 to 2.6) in favor of the experimental group. In 4 of the 5 trials the experimental group first sat out of bed within 24 hours post operatively. In 4 of the 5 trials the experimental group first walked within 48 hours post operatively. Individual trials reported benefits in range of motion, muscle strength and health-related quality of life in favor of the experimental group. There were no differences in discharge destinations, incidence of negative outcomes or adverse events attributable to early mobilization when compared to the comparison groups. Early mobilization post hip or knee joint replacement surgery can result in a reduced length of stay of about 1.8 days. Trials that reported these positive results showed that early mobilization can be achieved within 24 hours of operation. This positive gain was achieved without an increase in negative outcomes. © The Author(s) 2014.

Embodied Computation: An Active-Learning Approach to Mobile Robotics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riek, L. D.

2013-01-01

This paper describes a newly designed upper-level undergraduate and graduate course, Autonomous Mobile Robots. The course employs active, cooperative, problem-based learning and is grounded in the fundamental computational problems in mobile robotics defined by Dudek and Jenkin. Students receive a broad survey of robotics through lectures, weekly…

Accelerometry in persons with multiple sclerosis: measurement of physical activity or walking mobility?

PubMed

Weikert, Madeline; Motl, Robert W; Suh, Yoojin; McAuley, Edward; Wynn, Daniel

2010-03-15

Motion sensors such as accelerometers have been recognized as an ideal measure of physical activity in persons with MS. This study examined the hypothesis that accelerometer movement counts represent a measure of both physical activity and walking mobility in individuals with MS. The sample included 269 individuals with a definite diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS who completed the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12), Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS), and then wore an ActiGraph accelerometer for 7days. The data were analyzed using bivariate correlation and confirmatory factor analysis. The results indicated that (a) the GLTEQ and IPAQ scores were strongly correlated and loaded significantly on a physical activity latent variable, (b) the MSWS-12 and PDDS scores strongly correlated and loaded significantly on a walking mobility latent variable, and (c) the accelerometer movement counts correlated similarly with the scores from the four self-report questionnaires and cross-loaded on both physical activity and walking mobility latent variables. Our data suggest that accelerometers are measuring both physical activity and walking mobility in persons with MS, whereas self-report instruments are measuring either physical activity or walking mobility in this population.

Surrogate Mobility and Orientation Affect the Early Neurobehavioral Development of Infant Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta)

PubMed Central

Dettmer, Amanda M.; Ruggerio, Angela M.; Novak, Melinda A.; Meyer, Jerrold S.; Suomi, Stephen J.

2008-01-01

A biological mother’s movement appears necessary for optimal development in infant monkeys. However, nursery-reared monkeys are typically provided with inanimate surrogate mothers that move very little. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a novel, highly mobile surrogate mother on motor development, exploration, and reactions to novelty. Six infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) were reared on mobile hanging surrogates (MS) and compared to six infants reared on standard stationary rocking surrogates (RS) and to 9-15 infants reared with their biological mothers (MR) for early developmental outcome. We predicted that MS infants would develop more similarly to MR infants than RS infants. In neonatal assessments conducted at day 30, both MS and MR infants showed more highly developed motor activity than RS infants on measures of grasping (p=.009), coordination (p=.038), spontaneous crawl (p=.009), and balance (p=.003). At 2-3 months of age, both MS and MR infants displayed higher levels of exploration in the home cage than RS infants (p=.016). In a novel situation in which only MS and RS infants were tested, MS infants showed less of a stress response, spending less time near their surrogates in the first five minutes of the test session than RS infants (p=.05) and exhibiting a significantly lower rise in salivary cortisol after the test than RS infants (p=.018). Collectively, these results suggest that when nursery-rearing of infant monkeys is necessary, a mobile hanging surrogate may encourage more normative development of gross motor skills and exploratory behavior and may serve as a useful alternative to stationary or rocking surrogates. PMID:19810188

A Motivational Physical Activity Intervention for Improving Mobility in Older Korean Americans.

PubMed

Yeom, Hye-A; Fleury, Julie

2014-07-01

There has been limited empirical support for interventions designed to promote physical activity targeting mobility in racially diverse older adults. This study aims to examine the effects of a Motivational Physical Activity Intervention (MPAI) on social resource, behavioral change process, physical activity, and mobility variables in sedentary older Korean Americans. A quasi-experimental, repeated-measure, pre- and post-tests design was used. Sixty-four community-dwelling, sedentary older Korean Americans (n = 33 for MPAI group, n = 31 for Attention Control group) participated in the study. There were significant improvements in social resources, including social support from family and friends; behavioral change process variables, including self-efficacy; motivational appraisal; and self-regulation for physical activity. There were significant intervention effects on physical activity, walking endurance, and flexibility. The MPAI is supported as improving mobility and physical activity, as well as increasing motivation for physical activity in older Korean Americans. © The Author(s) 2013.

Early Reading Skills and Academic Achievement Trajectories of Students Facing Poverty, Homelessness, and High Residential Mobility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herbers, Janette E.; Cutuli, J. J.; Supkoff, Laura M.; Heistad, David; Chan, Chi-Keung; Hinz, Elizabeth; Masten, Ann S.

2012-01-01

This investigation tested the importance of early academic achievement for later achievement trajectories among 18,011 students grouped by level of socioeconomic risk. Students considered to be at highest risk were those who experienced homelessness or high residential mobility (HHM). HHM students were compared with students eligible for free…

Persuasive Technology in Mobile Applications Promoting Physical Activity: a Systematic Review.

PubMed

Matthews, John; Win, Khin Than; Oinas-Kukkonen, Harri; Freeman, Mark

2016-03-01

Persuasive technology in mobile applications can be used to influence the behaviour of users. A framework known as the Persuasive Systems Design model has been developed for designing and evaluating systems that influence the attitudes or behaviours of users. This paper reviews the current state of mobile applications for health behavioural change with an emphasis on applications that promote physical activity. The inbuilt persuasive features of mobile applications were evaluated using the Persuasive Systems Design model. A database search was conducted to identify relevant articles. Articles were then reviewed using the Persuasive Systems Design model as a framework for analysis. Primary task support, dialogue support, and social support were found to be moderately represented in the selected articles. However, system credibility support was found to have only low levels of representation as a persuasive systems design feature in mobile applications for supporting physical activity. To ensure that available mobile technology resources are best used to improve the wellbeing of people, it is important that the design principles that influence the effectiveness of persuasive technology be understood.

The association between objectively measured physical activity and life-space mobility among older people.

PubMed

Tsai, L-T; Portegijs, E; Rantakokko, M; Viljanen, A; Saajanaho, M; Eronen, J; Rantanen, T

2015-08-01

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between objectively measured physical activity and life-space mobility in community-dwelling older people. Life-space refers to the spatial area a person purposefully moves through in daily life (bedroom, home, yard, neighborhood, town, and beyond) and life-space mobility to the frequency of travel and the help needed when moving through different life-space areas. The study population comprised community-living 75- to 90-year-old people {n = 174; median age 79.7 [interquartile range (IQR) 7.1]}, participating in the accelerometer substudy of Life-Space Mobility in Old Age (LISPE) project. Step counts and activity time were measured by an accelerometer (Hookie "AM20 Activity Meter") for 7 days. Life-space mobility was assessed with Life-Space Assessment (LSA) questionnaire. Altogether, 16% had a life-space area restricted to the neighborhood when moving independently. Participants with a restricted life space were less physically active and about 70% of them had exceptionally low values in daily step counts (≤ 615 steps) and moderate activity time (≤ 6.8 min). Higher step counts and activity time correlated positively with life-space mobility. Prospective studies are needed to clarify the temporal order of low physical activity level and restriction in life-space mobility. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Analysis of electromyographic activity in spastic biceps brachii muscle following neural mobilization.

PubMed

Castilho, Jéssica; Ferreira, Luiz Alfredo Braun; Pereira, Wagner Menna; Neto, Hugo Pasini; Morelli, José Geraldo da Silva; Brandalize, Danielle; Kerppers, Ivo Ilvan; Oliveira, Claudia Santos

2012-07-01

Hypertonia is prevalent in anti-gravity muscles, such as the biceps brachii. Neural mobilization is one of the techniques currently used to reduce spasticity. The aim of the present study was to assess electromyographic (EMG) activity in spastic biceps brachii muscles before and after neural mobilization of the upper limb contralateral to the hemiplegia. Repeated pre-test and post-test EMG measurements were performed on six stroke victims with grade 1 or 2 spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale). The Upper Limb Neurodynamic Test (ULNT1) was the mobilization technique employed. After neural mobilization contralateral to the lesion, electromyographic activity in the biceps brachii decreased by 17% and 11% for 90° flexion and complete extension of the elbow, respectively. However, the results were not statistically significant (p gt; 0.05). When performed using contralateral techniques, neural mobilization alters the electrical signal of spastic muscles. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early Experiences with Mobile Electronic Health Records Application in a Tertiary Hospital in Korea

PubMed Central

Park, Minah; Hong, Eunseok; Kim, Sunhyu; Ahn, Ryeok; Hong, Jungseok; Song, Seungyeol; Kim, Tak; Kim, Jeongkeun; Yeo, Seongwoon

2015-01-01

Objectives Recent advances in mobile technology have opened up possibilities to provide strongly integrated mobile-based services in healthcare and telemedicine. Although the number of mobile Electronic Health Record (EHR) applications is large and growing, there is a paucity of evidence demonstrating the usage patterns of these mobile applications by healthcare providers. This study aimed to illustrate the deployment process for an integrated mobile EHR application and to analyze usage patterns after provision of the mobile EHR service. Methods We developed an integrated mobile application that aimed to enhance the mobility of healthcare providers by improving access to patient- and hospital-related information during their daily medical activities. The study included mobile EHR users who accessed patient healthcare records between May 2013 and May 2014. We performed a data analysis using a web server log file analyzer from the integrated EHR system. Cluster analysis was applied to longitudinal user data based on their application usage pattern. Results The mobile EHR service named M-UMIS has been in service since May 2013. Every healthcare provider in the hospital could access the mobile EHR service and view the medical charts of their patients. The frequency of using services and network packet transmission on the M-UMIS increased gradually during the study period. The most frequently accessed service in the menu was the patient list. Conclusions A better understanding regarding the adoption of mobile EHR applications by healthcare providers in patient-centered care provides useful information to guide the design and implementation of future applications. PMID:26618036

Use of a Mobile Device Simulation as a Preclass Active Learning Exercise.

PubMed

Keegan, Robert D; Oliver, M Cecile; Stanfill, Teresa J; Stevens, Kevin V; Brown, Gary R; Ebinger, Michael; Gay, John M

2016-01-01

Research shows that preclass activities introducing new material can increase student performance. In an effort to engage students in an active learning, preclass activity, the authors developed a mobile application. Eighty-four nursing students were assigned a preclass reading exercise, whereas 32 students completed the preclass simulation scenario on their mobile device. All students completed the same electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) quiz 1 week following the lecture. The effects of reading or simulation on student quiz performance was evaluated with a student's paired t test, using an alpha of .05. Students completing the preclass simulation scored higher on the EFM quiz, compared with students assigned the preclass reading (85% versus 70% correct answers, p = .01). Student survey data indicated that the mobile device simulation was perceived as an engaging and desirable instructional tool. Nursing students completing the mobile device EFM preclass simulation outperformed the students who were given the traditional reading assignment. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Mobile-Assisted Seamless Learning Activities in Higher Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amhag, Lisbeth

2017-01-01

Among online learning factors stated in the research literature, it is argued that online activities is the strongest factor which contributes to online learning. This article illuminates mobile-assisted seamless learning activities by using laptops, tablets, or smart phones. Two conditions are compared, a) face-to-face (F2F) online webinars…

Mobile Health Advances in Physical Activity, Fitness, and Atrial Fibrillation: Moving Hearts.

PubMed

McConnell, Michael V; Turakhia, Mintu P; Harrington, Robert A; King, Abby C; Ashley, Euan A

2018-06-12

The growing recognition that "health" takes place outside of the hospital and clinic, plus recent advances in mobile and wearable devices, have propelled the field of mobile health (mHealth). Cardiovascular disease and prevention are major opportunities for mHealth, as mobile devices can monitor key physiological signals (e.g., physical activity, heart rate and rhythm) for promoting healthy behaviors, detecting disease, and aid in ongoing care. In this review, the authors provide an update on cardiovascular mHealth by highlighting recent progress and challenges with mobile and wearable devices for assessing and promoting physical activity and fitness, and for monitoring heart rate and rhythm for the detection and management of atrial fibrillation. Copyright © 2018 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Worldwide Survey of the "Assessing Pain, Both Spontaneous Awakening and Breathing Trials, Choice of Drugs, Delirium Monitoring/Management, Early Exercise/Mobility, and Family Empowerment" (ABCDEF) Bundle.

PubMed

Morandi, Alessandro; Piva, Simone; Ely, E Wesley; Myatra, Sheila Nainan; Salluh, Jorge I F; Amare, Dawit; Azoulay, Elie; Bellelli, Giuseppe; Csomos, Akos; Fan, Eddy; Fagoni, Nazzareno; Girard, Timothy D; Heras La Calle, Gabriel; Inoue, Shigeaki; Lim, Chae-Man; Kaps, Rafael; Kotfis, Katarzyna; Koh, Younsuck; Misango, David; Pandharipande, Pratik P; Permpikul, Chairat; Cheng Tan, Cheng; Wang, Dong-Xin; Sharshar, Tarek; Shehabi, Yahya; Skrobik, Yoanna; Singh, Jeffrey M; Slooter, Arjen; Smith, Martin; Tsuruta, Ryosuke; Latronico, Nicola

2017-11-01

To assess the knowledge and use of the Assessment, prevention, and management of pain; spontaneous awakening and breathing trials; Choice of analgesia and sedation; Delirium assessment; Early mobility and exercise; and Family engagement and empowerment (ABCDEF) bundle to implement the Pain, Agitation, Delirium guidelines. Worldwide online survey. Intensive care. A cross-sectional online survey using the Delphi method was administered to intensivists worldwide, to assess the knowledge and use of all aspects of the ABCDEF bundle. There were 1,521 respondents from 47 countries, 57% had implemented the ABCDEF bundle, with varying degrees of compliance across continents. Most of the respondents (83%) used a scale to evaluate pain. Spontaneous awakening trials and spontaneous breathing trials are performed in 66% and 67% of the responder ICUs, respectively. Sedation scale was used in 89% of ICUs. Delirium monitoring was implemented in 70% of ICUs, but only 42% used a validated delirium tool. Likewise, early mobilization was "prescribed" by most, but 69% had no mobility team and 79% used no formal mobility scale. Only 36% of the respondents assessed ICU-acquired weakness. Family members were actively involved in 67% of ICUs; however, only 33% used dedicated staff to support families and only 35% reported that their unit was open 24 hr/d for family visits. The current implementation of the ABCDEF bundle varies across individual components and regions. We identified specific targets for quality improvement and adoption of the ABCDEF bundle. Our data reflect a significant but incomplete shift toward patient- and family-centered ICU care in accordance with the Pain, Agitation, Delirium guidelines.

Associations of children's independent mobility and active travel with physical activity, sedentary behaviour and weight status: a systematic review.

PubMed

Schoeppe, Stephanie; Duncan, Mitch J; Badland, Hannah; Oliver, Melody; Curtis, Carey

2013-07-01

Health benefits from children's independent mobility and active travel beyond school travel are largely unexplored. This review synthesized the evidence for associations of independent mobility and active travel to various destinations with physical activity, sedentary behaviour and weight status. Systematic review. A systematic search in six databases (PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, SportDiscus, PsychInfo, TRIS) for papers published between January 1990 and March 2012 was undertaken, focussing on children aged 3-18 years. Study inclusion and methodological quality were independently assessed by two reviewers. 52 studies were included. Most studies focussed solely on active travel to and/or from school, and showed significant positive associations with physical activity. The same relationship was detected for active travel to leisure-related places and independent mobility with physical activity. An inverse relationship between active travel to school and weight status was evident but findings were inconsistent. Few studies examined correlations between active travel to school and self-reported screen-time or objectively measured sedentary behaviour, and findings were unclear. Studies on independent mobility suggested that children who have the freedom to play outdoors and travel actively without adult supervision accumulate more physical activity than those who do not. Further investigation of children's active travel to leisure-related destinations, measurement of diverse sedentary behaviour beyond simply screen-based activities, and consistent thresholds for objectively measured sedentary behaviour in children will clarify the inconsistent evidence base on associations of active travel with sedentary behaviour and weight status. Copyright © 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Active case-finding for tuberculosis by mobile teams in Myanmar: yield and treatment outcomes.

PubMed

Myint, Ohnmar; Saw, Saw; Isaakidis, Petros; Khogali, Mohammed; Reid, Anthony; Hoa, Nguyen Binh; Kyaw, Thi Thi; Zaw, Ko Ko; Khaing, Tin Mi Mi; Aung, Si Thu

2017-06-02

Since 2005, the Myanmar National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) has been implementing active case finding (ACF) activities involving mobile teams in hard-to-reach areas. This study revealed the contribution of mobile team activities to total tuberculosis (TB) case detection, characteristics of TB patients detected by mobile teams and their treatment outcomes. This was a descriptive study using routine programme data between October 2014 and December 2014. Mobile team activities were a one-stop service and included portable digital chest radiography (CXR) and microscopy of two sputum samples. The algorithm of the case detection included screening patients by symptoms, then by CXR followed by sputum microscopy for confirmation. Diagnosed patients were started on treatment and followed until a final outcome was ascertained. A total of 9 349 people with symptoms suggestive of TB were screened by CXR, with an uptake of 96.6%. Of those who were meant to undergo sputum smear microscopy, 51.4% had sputum examinations. Finally, 504 TB patients were identified by the mobile teams and the overall contribution to total TB case detection in the respective townships was 25.3%. Among total cases examined by microscopy, 6.4% were sputum smear positive TB. Treatment success rate was high as 91.8% in study townships compared to national rate 85% (2014 cohort). This study confirmed the feasibility and acceptability of ACF by mobile teams in hard-to-reach contexts, especially when equipped with portable, digital CXR machines that provided immediate results. However, the follow-up process of sputum examination created a significant barrier to confirmation of the diagnosis. In order to optimize the ACF through mobile team activity, future ACF activities were needed to be strengthened one stop service including molecular diagnostics or provision of sputum cups to all presumptive TB cases prior to CXR and testing if CXR suggestive of TB.

Mobile learning in medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serkan Güllüoüǧlu, Sabri

2013-03-01

This paper outlines the main infrastructure for implicating mobile learning in medicine and present a sample mobile learning application for medical learning within the framework of mobile learning systems. Mobile technology is developing nowadays. In this case it will be useful to develop different learning environments using these innovations in internet based distance education. M-learning makes the most of being on location, providing immediate access, being connected, and acknowledges learning that occurs beyond formal learning settings, in places such as the workplace, home, and outdoors. Central to m-learning is the principle that it is the learner who is mobile rather than the device used to deliver m learning. The integration of mobile technologies into training has made learning more accessible and portable. Mobile technologies make it possible for a learner to have access to a computer and subsequently learning material and activities; at any time and in any place. Mobile devices can include: mobile phone, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal digital media players (eg iPods, MP3 players), portable digital media players, portable digital multimedia players. Mobile learning (m-learning) is particularly important in medical education, and the major users of mobile devices are in the field of medicine. The contexts and environment in which learning occurs necessitates m-learning. Medical students are placed in hospital/clinical settings very early in training and require access to course information and to record and reflect on their experiences while on the move. As a result of this paper, this paper strives to compare and contrast mobile learning with normal learning in medicine from various perspectives and give insights and advises into the essential characteristics of both for sustaining medical education.

Active Early: one-year policy intervention to increase physical activity among early care and education programs in Wisconsin.

PubMed

LaRowe, Tara L; Tomayko, Emily J; Meinen, Amy M; Hoiting, Jill; Saxler, Courtney; Cullen, Bridget

2016-07-20

Early childcare and education (ECE) is a prime setting for obesity prevention and the establishment of healthy behaviors. The objective of this quasi-experimental study was to examine the efficacy of the Active Early guide, which includes evidenced-based approaches, provider resources, and training, to improve physical activity opportunities through structured (i.e. teacher-led) activity and environmental changes thereby increasing physical activity among children, ages 2-5 years, in the ECE setting. Twenty ECE programs in Wisconsin, 7 family and 13 group, were included. An 80-page guide, Active Early, was developed by experts and statewide partners in the fields of ECE, public health, and physical activity and was revised by ECE providers prior to implementation. Over 12 months, ECE programs received on-site training and technical assistance to implement the strategies and resources provided in the Active Early guide. Main outcome measures included observed minutes of teacher-led physical activity, physical activity environment measured by the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) instrument, and child physical activity levels via accelerometry. All measures were collected at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months and were analyzed for changes over time. Observed teacher-led physical activity significantly increased from 30.9 ± 22.7 min at baseline to 82.3 ± 41.3 min at 12 months. The change in percent time children spent in sedentary activity decreased significantly after 12 months (-4.4 ± 14.2 % time, -29.2 ± 2.6 min, p < 0.02). Additionally, as teacher led-activity increased, percent time children were sedentary decreased (r = -0.37, p < 0.05) and percent time spent in light physical activity increased (r = 0.35, p < 0.05). Among all ECE programs, the physical activity environment improved significantly as indicated by multiple sub-scales of the EPAO; scores showing the greatest increases were the

Accelerometry is associated with walking mobility, not physical activity, in persons with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Weikert, Madeline; Suh, Yoojin; Lane, Abbi; Sandroff, Brian; Dlugonski, Deirdre; Fernhall, Bo; Motl, Robert W

2012-06-01

Accelerometers are seemingly a criterion standard of real-life walking mobility and this is supported by assumptions and empirical data. This application would be strengthened by including objective measures of walking mobility along with a matched control sample for verifying specificity versus generality in accelerometer output. We compared associations among accelerometer output, walking mobility, and physical activity between persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and controls without a neurological disorder. Sixty-six persons (33 MS, 33 matched controls) completed a battery of questionnaires, performed the six-minute walk (6MW) and timed-up-and-go (TUG), and wore an accelerometer for a 7-day period. After this period, participants completed the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Accelerometer output was significantly correlated with only mobility measures (6MW, ρ=.78; TUG, ρ=-.68) in MS, whereas it correlated with both mobility (6MW, ρ=.58; TUG, ρ=-.49) and physical activity (GLTEQ, ρ=.56; IPAQ, ρ=.53) measures in controls. Regression analysis indicated that only 6MW explained variance in accelerometer output in MS (β=.65, R(2)=.43). These findings support the possibility that accelerometers primarily and specifically measure real-life walking mobility, not physical activity, in persons with MS. Copyright © 2011 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hepatic gene expression involved in glucose and lipid metabolism in transition cows: effects of fat mobilization during early lactation in relation to milk performance and metabolic changes.

PubMed

Weber, C; Hametner, C; Tuchscherer, A; Losand, B; Kanitz, E; Otten, W; Sauerwein, H; Bruckmaier, R M; Becker, F; Kanitz, W; Hammon, H M

2013-09-01

Insufficient feed intake during early lactation results in elevated body fat mobilization to meet energy demands for milk production. Hepatic energy metabolism is involved by increasing endogenous glucose production and hepatic glucose output for milk synthesis and by adaptation of postcalving fuel oxidation. Given that cows differ in their degree of fat mobilization around parturition, indicated by variable total liver fat concentration (LFC), the study investigated the influence of peripartum fat mobilization on hepatic gene expression involved in gluconeogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, ketogenesis, and cholesterol synthesis, as well as transcriptional factors referring to energy metabolism. German Holstein cows were grouped according to mean total LFC on d 1, 14, and 28 after parturition as low [<200mg of total fat/g of dry matter (DM); n=10], medium (200-300 mg of total fat/g of DM; n=10), and high (>300 mg of total fat/g of DM; n=7), indicating fat mobilization during early lactation. Cows were fed total mixed rations ad libitum and held under equal conditions. Liver biopsies were taken at d 56 and 15 before and d 1, 14, 28, and 49 after parturition to measure mRNA abundances of pyruvate carboxylase (PC); phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase; glucose-6-phosphatase; propionyl-coenzyme A (CoA) carboxylase α; carnitine palmitoyl-transferase 1A (CPT1A); acyl-CoA synthetase, long chain 1 (ASCL1); acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, very long chain; 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 1 and 2; sterol regulatory element-binding factor 1; and peroxisome proliferator-activated factor α. Total LFC postpartum differed greatly among cows, and the mRNA abundance of most enzymes and transcription factors changed with time during the experimental period. Abundance of PC mRNA increased at parturition to a greater extent in high- and medium-LFC groups than in the low-LFC group. Significant LFC × time interactions for ACSL1 and CPT1A during the experimental period indicated variable

Can passive mobilization provide clinically-relevant brain stimulation? A pilot EEG and NIRS study on healthy subjects.

PubMed

Pittaccio, Simone; Garavaglia, Lorenzo; Molteni, Erika; Guanziroli, Eleonora; Zappasodi, Filippo; Beretta, Elena; Strazzer, Sandra; Molteni, Franco; Villa, Elena; Passaretti, Francesca

2013-01-01

Lower limb rehabilitation is a fundamental part of post-acute care in neurological disease. Early commencement of active workout is often prevented by paresis, thus physical treatment may be delayed until patients regain some voluntary command of their muscles. Passive mobilization of the affected joints is mostly delivered in order to safeguard tissue properties and shun circulatory problems. The present paper investigates the potential role of early passive motion in stimulating cortical areas of the brain devoted to the control of the lower limb. An electro-mechanical mobilizer for the ankle joint (Toe-Up!) was implemented utilizing specially-designed shape-memory-alloy-based actuators. This device was constructed to be usable by bedridden subjects. Besides, the slowness and gentleness of the imparted motion, make it suitable for patients in a very early stage of their recovery. The mobilizer underwent technical checks to confirm reliability and passed the required safety tests for electric biomedical devices. Four healthy volunteers took part in the pre-clinical phase of the study. The protocol consisted in measuring of brain activity by EEG and NIRS in four different conditions: rest, active dorsiflexion of the ankle, passive mobilization of the ankle, and assisted motion of the same joint. The acquired data were processed to obtain maps of cortical activation, which were then compared. The measurements collected so far show that there is a similar pattern of activity between active and passive/assisted particularly in the contralateral premotor areas. This result, albeit based on very few observations, might suggest that passive motion provides somatosensory afferences that are processed in a similar manner as for voluntary control. Should this evidence be confirmed by further trials on healthy individuals and neurological patients, it could form a basis for a clinical use of early passive exercise in supporting central functional recovery.

Early agriculture and crop transmission among Bronze Age mobile pastoralists of Central Eurasia.

PubMed

Spengler, Robert; Frachetti, Michael; Doumani, Paula; Rouse, Lynne; Cerasetti, Barbara; Bullion, Elissa; Mar'yashev, Alexei

2014-05-22

Archaeological research in Central Eurasia is exposing unprecedented scales of trans-regional interaction and technology transfer between East Asia and southwest Asia deep into the prehistoric past. This article presents a new archaeobotanical analysis from pastoralist campsites in the mountain and desert regions of Central Eurasia that documents the oldest known evidence for domesticated grains and farming among seasonally mobile herders. Carbonized grains from the sites of Tasbas and Begash illustrate the first transmission of southwest Asian and East Asian domesticated grains into the mountains of Inner Asia in the early third millennium BC. By the middle second millennium BC, seasonal camps in the mountains and deserts illustrate that Eurasian herders incorporated the cultivation of millet, wheat, barley and legumes into their subsistence strategy. These findings push back the chronology for domesticated plant use among Central Eurasian pastoralists by approximately 2000 years. Given the geography, chronology and seed morphology of these data, we argue that mobile pastoralists were key agents in the spread of crop repertoires and the transformation of agricultural economies across Asia from the third to the second millennium BC.

The impact of utilizing mobile phones to promote physical activity among post-secondary students: a scoping review

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

A commitment to regular physical activity may reduce the risks of chronic diseases for young adults. Internationally, the majority of post-secondary students are insufficiently active for health benefits. Novel health strategies and interventions utilizing mobiles phones could increase post-secondary students’ physical activity levels. However, there is contradictory evidence to support the use of mobile phones to promote physical activity, and a scoping review could provide further insights into this topic. The purpose of this study was to conduct a scoping review to explore the existing literature and investigate what is currently known about the use of mobile phones to enhance physical activity levels among post-secondary students. A total of 84 articles were identified from the literature search, and six studies were selected for data analysis. Two major themes were supported by the evidence, which included: (I) the relationship between mobile phones and physical activity levels; and (II) students’ perceptions of mobile phones. Goal setting principles combined with text message interventions were reported to have significant influences on students’ physical activity levels. Students expressed mixed feelings about coaching elements of apps and posting personal results on social networking websites. No studies reported the use of objective physical activity measurements. In conclusion, mobile phone technologies such as text message reminders could be included in health interventions to enhance post-secondary students’ physical activity levels. There is limited evidence available on this topic and additional research is warranted to establish a clearer understanding of the relationship between mobile phones and post-secondary students’ physical activity. PMID:28293617

The impact of utilizing mobile phones to promote physical activity among post-secondary students: a scoping review.

PubMed

Ly, Hieu

2016-01-01

A commitment to regular physical activity may reduce the risks of chronic diseases for young adults. Internationally, the majority of post-secondary students are insufficiently active for health benefits. Novel health strategies and interventions utilizing mobiles phones could increase post-secondary students' physical activity levels. However, there is contradictory evidence to support the use of mobile phones to promote physical activity, and a scoping review could provide further insights into this topic. The purpose of this study was to conduct a scoping review to explore the existing literature and investigate what is currently known about the use of mobile phones to enhance physical activity levels among post-secondary students. A total of 84 articles were identified from the literature search, and six studies were selected for data analysis. Two major themes were supported by the evidence, which included: (I) the relationship between mobile phones and physical activity levels; and (II) students' perceptions of mobile phones. Goal setting principles combined with text message interventions were reported to have significant influences on students' physical activity levels. Students expressed mixed feelings about coaching elements of apps and posting personal results on social networking websites. No studies reported the use of objective physical activity measurements. In conclusion, mobile phone technologies such as text message reminders could be included in health interventions to enhance post-secondary students' physical activity levels. There is limited evidence available on this topic and additional research is warranted to establish a clearer understanding of the relationship between mobile phones and post-secondary students' physical activity.

Application of the remote microphone method to active noise control in a mobile phone.

PubMed

Cheer, Jordan; Elliott, Stephen J; Oh, Eunmi; Jeong, Jonghoon

2018-04-01

Mobile phones are used in a variety of situations where environmental noise may interfere with the ability of the near-end user to communicate with the far-end user. To overcome this problem, it might be possible to use active noise control technology to reduce the noise experienced by the near-end user. This paper initially demonstrates that when an active noise control system is used in a practical mobile phone configuration to minimise the noise measured by an error microphone mounted on the mobile phone, the attenuation achieved at the user's ear depends strongly on the position of the source generating the acoustic interference. To help overcome this problem, a remote microphone processing strategy is investigated that estimates the pressure at the user's ear from the pressure measured by the microphone on the mobile phone. Through an experimental implementation, it is demonstrated that this arrangement achieves a significant improvement in the attenuation measured at the ear of the user, compared to the standard active control strategy. The robustness of the active control system to changes in both the interfering sound field and the position of the mobile device relative to the ear of the user is also investigated experimentally.

Mobile phone base stations and early childhood cancers: case-control study.

PubMed

Elliott, Paul; Toledano, Mireille B; Bennett, J; Beale, L; de Hoogh, K; Best, N; Briggs, D J

2010-06-22

To investigate the risk of early childhood cancers associated with the mother's exposure to radiofrequency from and proximity to macrocell mobile phone base stations (masts) during pregnancy. Case-control study. Cancer registry and national birth register data in Great Britain. 1397 cases of cancer in children aged 0-4 from national cancer registry 1999-2001 and 5588 birth controls from national birth register, individually matched by sex and date of birth (four controls per case). Incidence of cancers of the brain and central nervous system, leukaemia, and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, and all cancers combined, adjusted for small area measures of education level, socioeconomic deprivation, population density, and population mixing. Mean distance of registered address at birth from a macrocell base station, based on a national database of 76,890 base station antennas in 1996-2001, was similar for cases and controls (1107 (SD 1131) m v 1073 (SD 1130) m, P=0.31), as was total power output of base stations within 700 m of the address (2.89 (SD 5.9) kW v 3.00 (SD 6.0) kW, P=0.54) and modelled power density (-30.3 (SD 21.7) dBm v -29.7 (SD 21.5) dBm, P=0.41). For modelled power density at the address at birth, compared with the lowest exposure category the adjusted odds ratios were 1.01 (95% confidence interval 0.87 to 1.18) in the intermediate and 1.02 (0.88 to 1.20) in the highest exposure category for all cancers (P=0.79 for trend), 0.97 (0.69 to 1.37) and 0.76 (0.51 to 1.12), respectively, for brain and central nervous system cancers (P=0.33 for trend), and 1.16 (0.90 to 1.48) and 1.03 (0.79 to 1.34) for leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (P=0.51 for trend). There is no association between risk of early childhood cancers and estimates of the mother's exposure to mobile phone base stations during pregnancy.

Early clinical results of a high-flexion, posterior-stabilized, mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty: a US investigational device exemption trial.

PubMed

Scuderi, Giles R; Hedden, David R; Maltry, John A; Traina, Steven M; Sheinkop, Mitchell B; Hartzband, Mark A

2012-03-01

Between May 2001 and June 2004, 388 total knee arthroplasty cases were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, multicenter investigational device exemption trial. Patients received either the investigational high-flexion mobile-bearing knee or a fixed-bearing control. At 2 to 4 years of follow-up, results in 293 patients with degenerative joint disease were compared using Knee Society Assessment and Function scores, radiographic results, complications analysis, and survival estimates. The mobile-bearing and fixed-bearing groups demonstrated similar, significant improvement over preoperative assessments in Knee Scores, maximum flexion, and range of motion. One mobile-bearing arthroplasty required revision. Radiographic results were unremarkable, and implant-related complications were rare in both groups. At this early follow-up, the investigational high-flexion mobile-bearing knee and its fixed-bearing counterpart demonstrated comparable, effective performance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Usability of Mobile Phones in Physical Activity-Rrelated Research: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monroe, Courtney M.; Thompson, Dixie L.; Bassett, David R., Jr.; Fitzhugh, Eugene C.; Raynor, Hollie A.

2015-01-01

Background: The use of mobile phones for physical activity (PA) promotion and assessment represents an attractive research area because this technology is characterized by a widespread reach and dynamic features. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of mobile phone-based approaches for encouraging and assessing PA.…

Mobility disability and the pattern of accelerometer-derived sedentary and physical activity behaviors in people with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Ezeugwu, Victor; Klaren, Rachel E; A Hubbard, Elizabeth; Manns, Patricia Trish; Motl, Robert W

2015-01-01

Low physical activity and high sedentary behavior levels are major concerns in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and these differ depending on the level of mobility disability. However, the manner in which daily activity is accumulated is currently unknown in this population. A secondary analysis was performed on a combined data set of persons with MS from two previous investigations of physical activity and symptomatic or quality of life outcomes in the United States over a two year period (2007-2009). Mobility disability status was determined using the Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) while activity behavior was objectively monitored using an ActiGraph accelerometer for 7 days. Persons with MS who have mobility disability were involved in sedentary behavior, light and moderate intensity activity for 65%, 34% and 1% of the day, respectively compared to 60%, 37%, and 3%, respectively in those without mobility disability (p < 0.05). Breaks in sedentary time did not differ by mobility disability status. Compared to those without mobility disability, the average number of sedentary bouts longer than 30 min was greater in those with mobility disability (p = 0.016). Persons with MS with mobility disability are less active, engage in more sedentary behavior and accumulate prolonged sedentary bouts.

The mPED randomized controlled clinical trial: applying mobile persuasive technologies to increase physical activity in sedentary women protocol.

PubMed

Fukuoka, Yoshimi; Komatsu, Judith; Suarez, Larry; Vittinghoff, Eric; Haskell, William; Noorishad, Tina; Pham, Kristin

2011-12-14

Despite the significant health benefits of regular physical activity, approximately half of American adults, particularly women and minorities, do not meet the current physical activity recommendations. Mobile phone technologies are readily available, easily accessible and may provide a potentially powerful tool for delivering physical activity interventions. However, we need to understand how to effectively apply these mobile technologies to increase and maintain physical activity in physically inactive women. The purpose of this paper is to describe the study design and protocol of the mPED (mobile phone based physical activity education) randomized controlled clinical trial that examines the efficacy of a 3-month mobile phone and pedometer based physical activity intervention and compares two different 6-month maintenance interventions. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with three arms; 1) PLUS (3-month mobile phone and pedometer based physical activity intervention and 6-month mobile phone diary maintenance intervention), 2) REGULAR (3-month mobile phone and pedometer based physical activity intervention and 6-month pedometer maintenance intervention), and 3) CONTROL (pedometer only, but no intervention will be conducted). A total of 192 physically inactive women who meet all inclusion criteria and successfully complete a 3-week run-in will be randomized into one of the three groups. The mobile phone serves as a means of delivering the physical activity intervention, setting individualized weekly physical activity goals, and providing self-monitoring (activity diary), immediate feedback and social support. The mobile phone also functions as a tool for communication and real-time data capture. The primary outcome is objectively measured physical activity. If efficacy of the intervention with a mobile phone is demonstrated, the results of this RCT will be able to provide new insights for current behavioral sciences and mHealth. ClinicalTrials.gov#:NCTO1280812.

The mPED randomized controlled clinical trial: applying mobile persuasive technologies to increase physical activity in sedentary women protocol

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Despite the significant health benefits of regular physical activity, approximately half of American adults, particularly women and minorities, do not meet the current physical activity recommendations. Mobile phone technologies are readily available, easily accessible and may provide a potentially powerful tool for delivering physical activity interventions. However, we need to understand how to effectively apply these mobile technologies to increase and maintain physical activity in physically inactive women. The purpose of this paper is to describe the study design and protocol of the mPED (mobile phone based physical activity education) randomized controlled clinical trial that examines the efficacy of a 3-month mobile phone and pedometer based physical activity intervention and compares two different 6-month maintenance interventions. Methods A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with three arms; 1) PLUS (3-month mobile phone and pedometer based physical activity intervention and 6-month mobile phone diary maintenance intervention), 2) REGULAR (3-month mobile phone and pedometer based physical activity intervention and 6-month pedometer maintenance intervention), and 3) CONTROL (pedometer only, but no intervention will be conducted). A total of 192 physically inactive women who meet all inclusion criteria and successfully complete a 3-week run-in will be randomized into one of the three groups. The mobile phone serves as a means of delivering the physical activity intervention, setting individualized weekly physical activity goals, and providing self-monitoring (activity diary), immediate feedback and social support. The mobile phone also functions as a tool for communication and real-time data capture. The primary outcome is objectively measured physical activity. Discussion If efficacy of the intervention with a mobile phone is demonstrated, the results of this RCT will be able to provide new insights for current behavioral sciences and m

Mobile work: Ergonomics in a rapidly changing work environment.

PubMed

Honan, Meg

2015-01-01

Places of work have been completely transformed by innovations in mobile work tools and ever-present access to internet data. This article characterizes use patterns and provides preliminary considerations for productive and comfortable use of common mobile devices. Two surveys described trends in mobile work. In the first, ergonomics professionals who oversee programs reported common mobile devices, their users and what data is accessed. The second, an end user survey, explored common activities performed on mobile devices, duration of use and locations where mobile work is common. The survey results provide a baseline data point for the status of mobile work in early 2014. Research indicates that additional risks have been introduced to the neck, thumbs and hands when using mobile devices. Possible trends regarding device use and work locations emerge. Intervention studies provide some direction for the practitioner. Practical strategies are outlined to reduce exposure intensity and duration. Contemporary mobile work presents tremendous change and opportunity for ergonomists and researchers to keep pace with fitting the changing models of work to the person. Continued research is needed on current mobile device use patterns to better understand ergonomic risk exposure in this rapidly changing realm.

Human movement activity classification approaches that use wearable sensors and mobile devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaghyan, Sahak; Sarukhanyan, Hakob; Akopian, David

2013-03-01

Cell phones and other mobile devices become part of human culture and change activity and lifestyle patterns. Mobile phone technology continuously evolves and incorporates more and more sensors for enabling advanced applications. Latest generations of smart phones incorporate GPS and WLAN location finding modules, vision cameras, microphones, accelerometers, temperature sensors etc. The availability of these sensors in mass-market communication devices creates exciting new opportunities for data mining applications. Particularly healthcare applications exploiting build-in sensors are very promising. This paper reviews different approaches of human activity recognition.

Mobility disability and the pattern of accelerometer-derived sedentary and physical activity behaviors in people with multiple sclerosis

PubMed Central

Ezeugwu, Victor; Klaren, Rachel E.; A. Hubbard, Elizabeth; Manns, Patricia (Trish); Motl, Robert W.

2015-01-01

Objective Low physical activity and high sedentary behavior levels are major concerns in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and these differ depending on the level of mobility disability. However, the manner in which daily activity is accumulated is currently unknown in this population. Methods A secondary analysis was performed on a combined data set of persons with MS from two previous investigations of physical activity and symptomatic or quality of life outcomes in the United States over a two year period (2007–2009). Mobility disability status was determined using the Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) while activity behavior was objectively monitored using an ActiGraph accelerometer for 7 days. Results Persons with MS who have mobility disability were involved in sedentary behavior, light and moderate intensity activity for 65%, 34% and 1% of the day, respectively compared to 60%, 37%, and 3%, respectively in those without mobility disability (p < 0.05). Breaks in sedentary time did not differ by mobility disability status. Compared to those without mobility disability, the average number of sedentary bouts longer than 30 min was greater in those with mobility disability (p = 0.016). Conclusion Persons with MS with mobility disability are less active, engage in more sedentary behavior and accumulate prolonged sedentary bouts. PMID:26844077

Implementing a Mobility Program to Minimize Post-Intensive Care Syndrome.

PubMed

Hopkins, Ramona O; Mitchell, Lorie; Thomsen, George E; Schafer, Michele; Link, Maggie; Brown, Samuel M

2016-01-01

Immobility in the intensive care unit (ICU) is associated with neuromuscular weakness, post-intensive care syndrome, functional limitations, and high costs. Early mobility-based rehabilitation in the ICU is feasible and safe. Mobility-based rehabilitation varied widely across 5 ICUs in 1 health care system, suggesting a need for continuous training and evaluation to maintain a strong mobility-based rehabilitation program. Early mobility-based rehabilitation shortens ICU and hospital stays, reduces delirium, and increases muscle strength and the ability to ambulate. Long-term effects include increased ability for self-care, faster return to independent functioning, improved physical function, and reduced hospital readmission and death. Factors that influence early mobility-based rehabilitation include having an interdisciplinary team; strong unit leadership; access to physical, occupational, and respiratory therapists; a culture focused on patient safety and quality improvement; a champion of early mobility; and a focus on measuring performance and outcomes.

Neighbourhoods for Active Kids: study protocol for a cross-sectional examination of neighbourhood features and children's physical activity, active travel, independent mobility and body size

PubMed Central

Oliver, Melody; McPhee, Julia; Carroll, Penelope; Ikeda, Erika; Mavoa, Suzanne; Mackay, Lisa; Kearns, Robin A; Kyttä, Marketta; Asiasiga, Lanuola; Garrett, Nicholas; Lin, Judy; Mackett, Roger; Zinn, Caryn; Moewaka Barnes, Helen; Egli, Victoria; Prendergast, Kate; Witten, Karen

2016-01-01

Introduction New Zealand children's physical activity, including independent mobility and active travel, has declined markedly over recent decades. The Neighbourhoods for Active Kids (NfAK) study examines how neighbourhood built environments are associated with the independent mobility, active travel, physical activity and neighbourhood experiences of children aged 9–12 years in primary and intermediate schools across Auckland, New Zealand's largest city. Methods and analysis Child-specific indices of walkability, destination accessibility and traffic exposure will be constructed to measure the built environment in 8 neighbourhoods in Auckland. Interactive online-mapping software will be used to measure children's independent mobility and transport mode to destinations and to derive measures of neighbourhood use and perceptions. Physical activity will be measured using 7-day accelerometry. Height, weight and waist circumference will be objectively measured. Parent telephone interviews will collect sociodemographic information and parent neighbourhood perceptions. Interviews with school representative will capture supports and barriers for healthy activity and nutrition behaviours at the school level. Multilevel modelling approaches will be used to understand how differing built environment variables are associated with activity, neighbourhood experiences and health outcomes. Discussion We anticipate that children who reside in neighbourhoods considered highly walkable will be more physically active, accumulate more independent mobility and active travel, and be more likely to have a healthy body size. This research is timely as cities throughout New Zealand develop and implement plans to improve the liveability of intensifying urban neighbourhoods. Results will be disseminated to participants, local government agencies and through conventional academic avenues. PMID:27531740

Sympathetic activation during early pregnancy in humans

PubMed Central

Jarvis, Sara S; Shibata, Shigeki; Bivens, Tiffany B; Okada, Yoshiyuki; Casey, Brian M; Levine, Benjamin D; Fu, Qi

2012-01-01

Sympathetic activity has been reported to increase in normotensive pregnant women, and to be even greater in women with gestational hypertension and preeclampsia at term. Whether sympathetic overactivity develops early during pregnancy, remaining high throughout gestation, or whether it only occurs at term providing the substrate for hypertensive disorders is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that sympathetic activation occurs early during pregnancy in humans. Eleven healthy women (29 ± 3 (SD) years) without prior hypertensive pregnancies were tested during the mid-luteal phase (PRE) and early pregnancy (EARLY; 6.2 ± 1.2 weeks of gestation). Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and haemodynamics were measured supine, at 30 deg and 60 deg upright tilt for 5 min each. Blood samples were drawn for catecholamines, direct renin, and aldosterone. MSNA was significantly greater during EARLY than PRE (supine: 25 ± 8 vs. 14 ± 8 bursts min−1, 60 deg tilt: 49 ± 14 vs. 40 ± 10 bursts min−1; main effect, P < 0.05). Resting diastolic pressure trended lower (P = 0.09), heart rate was similar, total peripheral resistance decreased (2172 ± 364 vs. 2543 ± 352 dyne s cm−5; P < 0.05), sympathetic vascular transduction was blunted (0.10 ± 0.05 vs. 0.36 ± 0.47 units a.u.−1 min−1; P < 0.01), and both renin (supine: 27.9 ± 6.2 vs. 14.2 ± 8.7 pg ml−1, P < 0.01) and aldosterone (supine: 16.7 ± 14.1 vs. 7.7 ± 6.8 ng ml−1, P = 0.05) were higher during EARLY than PRE. These results suggest that sympathetic activation is a common characteristic of early pregnancy in humans despite reduced diastolic pressure and total peripheral resistance. These observations challenge conventional thinking about blood pressure regulation during pregnancy, showing marked sympathetic activation occurring within the first few weeks of conception, and may provide the substrate for pregnancy induced cardiovascular complications. PMID:22687610

Early agriculture and crop transmission among Bronze Age mobile pastoralists of Central Eurasia

PubMed Central

Spengler, Robert; Frachetti, Michael; Doumani, Paula; Rouse, Lynne; Cerasetti, Barbara; Bullion, Elissa; Mar'yashev, Alexei

2014-01-01

Archaeological research in Central Eurasia is exposing unprecedented scales of trans-regional interaction and technology transfer between East Asia and southwest Asia deep into the prehistoric past. This article presents a new archaeobotanical analysis from pastoralist campsites in the mountain and desert regions of Central Eurasia that documents the oldest known evidence for domesticated grains and farming among seasonally mobile herders. Carbonized grains from the sites of Tasbas and Begash illustrate the first transmission of southwest Asian and East Asian domesticated grains into the mountains of Inner Asia in the early third millennium BC. By the middle second millennium BC, seasonal camps in the mountains and deserts illustrate that Eurasian herders incorporated the cultivation of millet, wheat, barley and legumes into their subsistence strategy. These findings push back the chronology for domesticated plant use among Central Eurasian pastoralists by approximately 2000 years. Given the geography, chronology and seed morphology of these data, we argue that mobile pastoralists were key agents in the spread of crop repertoires and the transformation of agricultural economies across Asia from the third to the second millennium BC. PMID:24695428

Mobile Response System: A Novel Approach to Interactive and Hands-On Activity in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuad, Muztaba; Deb, Debzani; Etim, James; Gloster, Clay

2018-01-01

Mobile devices are being used profusely in the classrooms to improve passive learning environments and to enhance student comprehension. However, with respect to students' active involvement in problem solving activities, the typical usage of the mobile devices in answering multiple choice and true/false questions is not adequate and the use of…

A mobile loop near the active site acts as a switch between the dual activities of a viral protease/deubiquitinase

PubMed Central

Ayach, Maya; Fieulaine, Sonia

2017-01-01

The positive-strand RNA virus Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) encodes an ovarian tumor (OTU)-like protease/deubiquitinase (PRO/DUB) protein domain involved both in proteolytic processing of the viral polyprotein through its PRO activity, and in removal of ubiquitin chains from ubiquitylated substrates through its DUB activity. Here, the crystal structures of TYMV PRO/DUB mutants and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that an idiosyncratic mobile loop participates in reversibly constricting its unusual catalytic site by adopting "open", "intermediate" or "closed" conformations. The two cis-prolines of the loop form a rigid flap that in the most closed conformation zips up against the other side of the catalytic cleft. The intermediate and closed conformations also correlate with a reordering of the TYMV PRO/DUB catalytic dyad, that then assumes a classical, yet still unusually mobile, OTU DUB alignment. Further structure-based mutants designed to interfere with the loop's mobility were assessed for enzymatic activity in vitro and in vivo, and were shown to display reduced DUB activity while retaining PRO activity. This indicates that control of the switching between the dual PRO/DUB activities resides prominently within this loop next to the active site. Introduction of mutations into the viral genome revealed that the DUB activity contributes to the extent of viral RNA accumulation both in single cells and in whole plants. In addition, the conformation of the mobile flap was also found to influence symptoms severity in planta. Such mutants now provide powerful tools with which to study the specific roles of reversible ubiquitylation in viral infection. PMID:29117247

Choctaw Culture Early Education Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brescia, William, Ed.; Reeves, Carolyn, Ed.; Skinner, Linda, Ed.

An effort to better prepare Choctaw youngsters for kindergarten, the Choctaw Culture Early Education Program developed a resource of 58 activities adapted to meet the needs of Choctaw 3- and 4-year olds. The activities are divided into four sections pertaining to getting started, relating to five project publications (How the Flowers Came to Be,…

Mobility and reliability performance measurement.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

This project grew out of the fact that mobility was identified early on as one of the key performance focus areas of NCDOTs : strategic transformation effort. The Transformation Management Team (TMT) established a TMT Mobility Workstream Team : in...

Does power mobility training impact a child's mastery motivation and spectrum of EEG activity? An exploratory project.

PubMed

Kenyon, Lisa K; Farris, John P; Aldrich, Naomi J; Rhodes, Samhita

2017-08-30

The purposes of this exploratory project were: (1) to evaluate the impact of power mobility training with a child who has multiple, severe impairments and (2) to determine if the child's spectrum of electroencephalography (EEG) activity changed during power mobility training. A single-subject A-B-A-B research design was conducted with a four-week duration for each phase. Two target behaviours were explored: (1) mastery motivation assessed via the dimensions of mastery questionnaire (DMQ) and (2) EEG data collected under various conditions. Power mobility skills were also assessed. The participant was a three-year, two-month-old girl with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, gross motor function classification system level V. Each target behaviour was measured weekly. During intervention phases, power mobility training was provided. Improvements were noted in subscale scores of the DMQ. Short-term and long-term EEG changes were also noted. Improvements were noted in power mobility skills. The participant in this exploratory project demonstrated improvements in power mobility skill and function. EEG data collection procedures and variability in an individual's EEG activity make it difficult to determine if the participant's spectrum of EEG activity actually changed in response to power mobility training. Additional studies are needed to investigate the impact of power mobility training on the spectrum of EEG activity in children who have multiple, severe impairments. Implications for Rehabilitation Power mobility training appeared to be beneficial for a child with multiple, severe impairments though the child may never become an independent, community-based power wheelchair user. Electroencephalography may be a valuable addition to the study of power mobility use in children with multiple, severe impairments. Power mobility training appeared to impact mastery motivation (the internal drive to solve complex problems and master new skills) in a child who has multiple

The Mobile story: data-driven community efforts to raise graduation rates.

PubMed

Newell, Jeremiah; Akers, Carolyn

2010-01-01

Through sustained community organizing and strategic partnerships, the Mobile (Alabama) County Public School System is improving achievement and creating beat-the-odds schools that set and achieve high academic expectations despite the challenges of poverty and racial disparity. The authors chart how Mobile's Research Alliance for Multiple Pathways, funded through the U.S. Department of Labor's Multiple Pathways Blueprint Initiative, is identifying gaps in services throughout the community, analyzing the data about dropouts, benchmarking other communities, studying best practices, and mobilizing the community to expect and demand higher graduation rates. These activities are resulting in early identification of off-track students and coordination of school- and community-based reforms.

Impaired voluntary neuromuscular activation limits muscle power in mobility-limited older adults

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background. Age-related alterations of neuromuscular activation may contribute to deficits in muscle power and mobility function. This study assesses whether impaired activation of the agonist quadriceps and antagonist hamstrings, including amplitude- and velocity-dependent characteristics of activa...

Mobile and Wearable Device Features that Matter in Promoting Physical Activity.

PubMed

Wang, Julie B; Cataldo, Janine K; Ayala, Guadalupe X; Natarajan, Loki; Cadmus-Bertram, Lisa A; White, Martha M; Madanat, Hala; Nichols, Jeanne F; Pierce, John P

2016-07-01

As wearable sensors/devices become increasingly popular to promote physical activity (PA), research is needed to examine how and which components of these devices people use to increase their PA levels. (1) To assess usability and level of engagement with the Fitbit One and daily SMS-based prompts in a 6-week PA intervention, and (2) to examine whether use/ level of engagement with specific intervention components were associated with PA change. Data were analyzed from a randomized controlled trial that compared (1) a wearable sensor/ device (Fitbit One) plus SMS-based PA prompts, and (2) Fitbit One only, among overweight/ obese adults (N = 67). We calculated average scores from Likert-type response items that assessed usability and level of engagement with device features (e.g., tracker, website, mobile app, and SMS-based prompts), and assessed whether such factors were associated with change in steps/day (using Actigraph GT3X+). Participants reported the Fitbit One was easy to use and the tracker helped to be more active. Those who used the Fitbit mobile app (36%) vs. those who did not (64%) had an increase in steps at 6-week follow-up, even after adjusting for previous web/app use: +545 steps/ day ( SE = 265) vs. -28 steps/ day ( SE = 242) ( p = .04). Level of engagement with the Fitbit One, particularly the mobile app, was associated with increased steps. Mobile apps can instantly display summaries of PA performance and could optimize self-regulation to activate change. More research is needed to determine whether such modalities might be cost-effective in future intervention research and practice.

Neighbourhoods for Active Kids: study protocol for a cross-sectional examination of neighbourhood features and children's physical activity, active travel, independent mobility and body size.

PubMed

Oliver, Melody; McPhee, Julia; Carroll, Penelope; Ikeda, Erika; Mavoa, Suzanne; Mackay, Lisa; Kearns, Robin A; Kyttä, Marketta; Asiasiga, Lanuola; Garrett, Nicholas; Lin, Judy; Mackett, Roger; Zinn, Caryn; Moewaka Barnes, Helen; Egli, Victoria; Prendergast, Kate; Witten, Karen

2016-08-16

New Zealand children's physical activity, including independent mobility and active travel, has declined markedly over recent decades. The Neighbourhoods for Active Kids (NfAK) study examines how neighbourhood built environments are associated with the independent mobility, active travel, physical activity and neighbourhood experiences of children aged 9-12 years in primary and intermediate schools across Auckland, New Zealand's largest city. Child-specific indices of walkability, destination accessibility and traffic exposure will be constructed to measure the built environment in 8 neighbourhoods in Auckland. Interactive online-mapping software will be used to measure children's independent mobility and transport mode to destinations and to derive measures of neighbourhood use and perceptions. Physical activity will be measured using 7-day accelerometry. Height, weight and waist circumference will be objectively measured. Parent telephone interviews will collect sociodemographic information and parent neighbourhood perceptions. Interviews with school representative will capture supports and barriers for healthy activity and nutrition behaviours at the school level. Multilevel modelling approaches will be used to understand how differing built environment variables are associated with activity, neighbourhood experiences and health outcomes. We anticipate that children who reside in neighbourhoods considered highly walkable will be more physically active, accumulate more independent mobility and active travel, and be more likely to have a healthy body size. This research is timely as cities throughout New Zealand develop and implement plans to improve the liveability of intensifying urban neighbourhoods. Results will be disseminated to participants, local government agencies and through conventional academic avenues. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Age-Related Change in Mobility: Perspectives From Life Course Epidemiology and Geroscience

PubMed Central

Cooper, Rachel; Shardell, Michelle; Simonsick, Eleanor M.; Schrack, Jennifer A.; Kuh, Diana

2016-01-01

Mobility is the most studied and most relevant physical ability affecting quality of life with strong prognostic value for disability and survival. Natural selection has built the “engine” of mobility with great robustness, redundancy, and functional reserve. Efficient patterns of mobility can be acquired during development even by children affected by severe impairments. Analogously, age-associated impairments in mobility-related physiological systems are compensated and overt limitations of mobility only occur when the severity can no longer be compensated. Mobility loss in older persons usually results from multiple impairments in the central nervous system, muscles, joints, and energetic and sensory physiological systems. Early preclinical changes in these physiological systems that precede mobility loss have been poorly studied. Peak performance, rate of decline, compensatory behaviors, or subclinical deterioration of physiological resources may cumulatively influence both timing of mobility loss and chances of recovery, but their role as risk factors has not been adequately characterized. Understanding the natural history of these early changes and intervening on them would likely be the most effective strategy to reduce the burden of disability in the population. For example, young women with low bone peak mass could be counseled to start strength resistance exercise to reduce their high risk of developing osteoporosis and fracture later in life. Expanding this approach to other physiological domains requires collecting and interpreting data from life course epidemiological studies, establishing normative measures of mobility, physical function, and physical activity, and connecting them with life course trajectories of the mobility-relevant physiological domains. PMID:26975983

Mobile phone base stations and early childhood cancers: case-control study

PubMed Central

Toledano, Mireille B; Bennett, J; Beale, L; de Hoogh, K; Best, N; Briggs, D J

2010-01-01

Objective To investigate the risk of early childhood cancers associated with the mother’s exposure to radiofrequency from and proximity to macrocell mobile phone base stations (masts) during pregnancy. Design Case-control study. Setting Cancer registry and national birth register data in Great Britain. Participants 1397 cases of cancer in children aged 0-4 from national cancer registry 1999-2001 and 5588 birth controls from national birth register, individually matched by sex and date of birth (four controls per case). Main outcome measures Incidence of cancers of the brain and central nervous system, leukaemia, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, and all cancers combined, adjusted for small area measures of education level, socioeconomic deprivation, population density, and population mixing. Results Mean distance of registered address at birth from a macrocell base station, based on a national database of 76 890 base station antennas in 1996-2001, was similar for cases and controls (1107 (SD 1131) m v 1073 (SD 1130) m, P=0.31), as was total power output of base stations within 700 m of the address (2.89 (SD 5.9) kW v 3.00 (SD 6.0) kW, P=0.54) and modelled power density (−30.3 (SD 21.7) dBm v −29.7 (SD 21.5) dBm, P=0.41). For modelled power density at the address at birth, compared with the lowest exposure category the adjusted odds ratios were 1.01 (95% confidence interval 0.87 to 1.18) in the intermediate and 1.02 (0.88 to 1.20) in the highest exposure category for all cancers (P=0.79 for trend), 0.97 (0.69 to 1.37) and 0.76 (0.51 to 1.12), respectively, for brain and central nervous system cancers (P=0.33 for trend), and 1.16 (0.90 to 1.48) and 1.03 (0.79 to 1.34) for leukaemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (P=0.51 for trend). Conclusions There is no association between risk of early childhood cancers and estimates of the mother’s exposure to mobile phone base stations during pregnancy. PMID:20570865

Mechanism of short-term ERK activation by electromagnetic fields at mobile phone frequencies

PubMed Central

Friedman, Joseph; Kraus, Sarah; Hauptman, Yirmi; Schiff, Yoni; Seger, Rony

2007-01-01

The exposure to non-thermal microwave electromagnetic fields generated by mobile phones affects the expression of many proteins. This effect on transcription and protein stability can be mediated by the MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) cascades, which serve as central signalling pathways and govern essentially all stimulated cellular processes. Indeed, long-term exposure of cells to mobile phone irradiation results in the activation of p38 as well as the ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) MAPKs. In the present study, we have studied the immediate effect of irradiation on the MAPK cascades, and found that ERKs, but not stress-related MAPKs, are rapidly activated in response to various frequencies and intensities. Using signalling inhibitors, we delineated the mechanism that is involved in this activation. We found that the first step is mediated in the plasma membrane by NADH oxidase, which rapidly generates ROS (reactive oxygen species). These ROS then directly stimulate MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases) and allow them to cleave and release Hb-EGF [heparin-binding EGF (epidermal growth factor)]. This secreted factor activates the EGF receptor, which in turn further activates the ERK cascade. Thus this study demonstrates for the first time a detailed molecular mechanism by which electromagnetic irradiation from mobile phones induces the activation of the ERK cascade and thereby induces transcription and other cellular processes. PMID:17456048

Mechanism of short-term ERK activation by electromagnetic fields at mobile phone frequencies.

PubMed

Friedman, Joseph; Kraus, Sarah; Hauptman, Yirmi; Schiff, Yoni; Seger, Rony

2007-08-01

The exposure to non-thermal microwave electromagnetic fields generated by mobile phones affects the expression of many proteins. This effect on transcription and protein stability can be mediated by the MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) cascades, which serve as central signalling pathways and govern essentially all stimulated cellular processes. Indeed, long-term exposure of cells to mobile phone irradiation results in the activation of p38 as well as the ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) MAPKs. In the present study, we have studied the immediate effect of irradiation on the MAPK cascades, and found that ERKs, but not stress-related MAPKs, are rapidly activated in response to various frequencies and intensities. Using signalling inhibitors, we delineated the mechanism that is involved in this activation. We found that the first step is mediated in the plasma membrane by NADH oxidase, which rapidly generates ROS (reactive oxygen species). These ROS then directly stimulate MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases) and allow them to cleave and release Hb-EGF [heparin-binding EGF (epidermal growth factor)]. This secreted factor activates the EGF receptor, which in turn further activates the ERK cascade. Thus this study demonstrates for the first time a detailed molecular mechanism by which electromagnetic irradiation from mobile phones induces the activation of the ERK cascade and thereby induces transcription and other cellular processes.

Keep on Movin'? Research Mobility's Meanings for Italian Early-Stage Researchers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrozza, Chiara; Minucci, Sara

2014-01-01

Research mobility is a core notion for the European Research Area (ERA), and a wide body of literature has focused on the factors facilitating and hindering researchers' mobility. The European discourse tends to promote mobility as a value, but to what extent is it perceived as such by researchers? What role does mobility play in career…

Infliximab in active early rheumatoid arthritis

PubMed Central

Breedveld, F; Emery, P; Keystone, E; Patel, K; Furst, D; Kalden, J; St, C; Weisman, M; Smolen, J; Lipsky, P; Maini, R

2004-01-01

Objective: To examine the impact of the combination of infliximab plus methotrexate (MTX) on the progression of structural damage in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Subanalyses were carried out on data for patients with early RA in the Anti-TNF Therapy in RA with Concomitant Therapy (ATTRACT) study, in which 428 patients with active RA despite MTX therapy received placebo with MTX (MTX-only) or infliximab 3 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg every (q) 4 or 8 weeks with MTX (infliximab plus MTX) for 102 weeks. Early RA was defined as disease duration of 3 years or less; 82 of the 428 patients (19%) met this definition. Structural damage was assessed with the modified van der Heijde-Sharp score. The changes from baseline to week 102 in total modified van der Heijde-Sharp score were compared between the infliximab plus MTX groups and the MTX-only group. Results: The erosion and joint space narrowing scores from baseline to week 102 in the cohort of patients with early RA decreased significantly in each infliximab dose regimen compared with the MTX-only regimen. Consistent benefit was seen in the joints of both hands and feet. Conclusions: Infliximab combined with MTX inhibited the progression of structural damage in patients with early RA during the 2 year period of treatment. Early intervention with infliximab in patients with active RA despite MTX therapy may provide long term benefits by preventing radiographic progression and preserving joint integrity. PMID:14722203

Activation Mobilizes the Cholesterol in the Late Endosomes-Lysosomes of Niemann Pick Type C Cells

PubMed Central

Lange, Yvonne; Ye, Jin; Steck, Theodore L.

2012-01-01

A variety of intercalating amphipaths increase the chemical activity of plasma membrane cholesterol. To test whether intracellular cholesterol can be similarly activated, we examined NPC1 and NPC2 fibroblasts, since they accumulate large amounts of cholesterol in their late endosomes and lysosomes (LE/L). We gauged the mobility of intracellular sterol from its appearance at the surface of the intact cells, as determined by its susceptibility to cholesterol oxidase and its isotope exchange with extracellular 2-(hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin-cholesterol. The entire cytoplasmic cholesterol pool in these cells was mobile, exchanging with the plasma membrane with an apparent half-time of ∼3–4 hours, ∼4–5 times slower than that for wild type human fibroblasts (half-time ∼0.75 hours). The mobility of the intracellular cholesterol was increased by the membrane-intercalating amphipaths chlorpromazine and 1-octanol. Chlorpromazine also promoted the net transfer of LE/L cholesterol to serum and cyclodextrin. Surprisingly, the mobility of LE/L cholesterol was greatly stimulated by treating intact NPC cells with glutaraldehyde or formaldehyde. Similar effects were seen with wild type fibroblasts in which the LE/L cholesterol pool had been expanded using U18666A. We also showed that the cholesterol in the intracellular membranes of fixed wild-type fibroblasts was mobile; it was rapidly oxidized by cholesterol oxidase and was rapidly replenished by exogenous sterol. We conclude that a) the cholesterol in NPC cells can exit the LE/L (and the extensive membranous inclusions therein) over a few hours; b) this mobility is stimulated by the activation of the cholesterol with intercalating amphipaths; c) intracellular cholesterol is even more mobile in fixed cells; and d) amphipaths that activate cholesterol might be useful in treating NPC disease. PMID:22276143

Development of a Weight Loss Mobile App Linked With an Accelerometer for Use in the Clinic: Usability, Acceptability, and Early Testing of its Impact on the Patient-Doctor Relationship.

PubMed

Choo, Seryung; Kim, Ju Young; Jung, Se Young; Kim, Sarah; Kim, Jeong Eun; Han, Jong Soo; Kim, Sohye; Kim, Jeong Hyun; Kim, Jeehye; Kim, Yongseok; Kim, Dongouk; Steinhubl, Steve

2016-03-31

Although complications of obesity are well acknowledged and managed by clinicians, management of obesity itself is often difficult, which leads to its underdiagnosis and undertreatment in hospital settings. However, tools that could improve the management of obesity, including self-monitoring, engagement with a social network, and open channels of communication between the patient and doctor, are limited in a clinic-based setting. The objective of our study was to evaluate the usability and acceptability of a newly developed mobile app linked with an accelerometer and its early effects on patient-doctor relationships. From September 2013 to February 2014, we developed a mobile app linked with an accelerometer as a supportive tool for a clinic-based weight loss program. The app used information from electronic health records and delivered tailored educational material. Personal goal setting, as well as monitoring of weight changes and physical activity combined with feedback, are key features of the app. We also incorporated an interactive message board for patients and doctors. During the period of March 2014 to May 2014, we tested our mobile app for 1 month in participants in a hospital clinic setting. We assessed the app's usability and acceptability, as well as the patient-doctor relationship, via questionnaires and analysis of app usage data. We recruited 30 individuals (18 male and 12 female) for the study. The median number of log-ins per day was 1.21, with the most frequently requested item being setting goals, followed by track physical activities and view personal health status. Scales of the depth of the patient-doctor relationship decreased from 27.6 (SD 4.8) to 25.1 (SD 4.5) by a Wilcoxon signed rank test (P=.02). A mobile phone app linked with an accelerometer for a clinic-based weight loss program is useful and acceptable for weight management but exhibited less favorable early effects on patient-doctor relationships.

Development of a Weight Loss Mobile App Linked With an Accelerometer for Use in the Clinic: Usability, Acceptability, and Early Testing of its Impact on the Patient-Doctor Relationship

PubMed Central

Choo, Seryung; Jung, Se Young; Kim, Sarah; Kim, Jeong Eun; Han, Jong Soo; Kim, Sohye; Kim, Jeong Hyun; Kim, Jeehye; Kim, Yongseok; Kim, Dongouk; Steinhubl, Steve

2016-01-01

Background Although complications of obesity are well acknowledged and managed by clinicians, management of obesity itself is often difficult, which leads to its underdiagnosis and undertreatment in hospital settings. However, tools that could improve the management of obesity, including self-monitoring, engagement with a social network, and open channels of communication between the patient and doctor, are limited in a clinic-based setting. Objective The objective of our study was to evaluate the usability and acceptability of a newly developed mobile app linked with an accelerometer and its early effects on patient-doctor relationships. Methods From September 2013 to February 2014, we developed a mobile app linked with an accelerometer as a supportive tool for a clinic-based weight loss program. The app used information from electronic health records and delivered tailored educational material. Personal goal setting, as well as monitoring of weight changes and physical activity combined with feedback, are key features of the app. We also incorporated an interactive message board for patients and doctors. During the period of March 2014 to May 2014, we tested our mobile app for 1 month in participants in a hospital clinic setting. We assessed the app’s usability and acceptability, as well as the patient-doctor relationship, via questionnaires and analysis of app usage data. Results We recruited 30 individuals (18 male and 12 female) for the study. The median number of log-ins per day was 1.21, with the most frequently requested item being setting goals, followed by track physical activities and view personal health status. Scales of the depth of the patient-doctor relationship decreased from 27.6 (SD 4.8) to 25.1 (SD 4.5) by a Wilcoxon signed rank test (P=.02). Conclusions A mobile phone app linked with an accelerometer for a clinic-based weight loss program is useful and acceptable for weight management but exhibited less favorable early effects on patient

The Opening of Borders and Scientific Mobility: The Impact of EU Enlargement on the Movement of Early Career Scientists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guth, Jessica

2008-01-01

This paper, based on extensive empirical work with Polish and Bulgarian scientists in Germany and the UK, examines the impact of the EU enlargement including the free movement of persons provisions on the mobility of scientists from Eastern to Western Europe. It focuses on early career researchers and particularly PhD candidates and begins by…

Thermal-inertial ratchet effects: negative mobility, resonant activation, noise-enhanced stability, and noise-weakened stability.

PubMed

Li, Jing-hui; Łuczka, Jerzy

2010-10-01

Transport properties of a Brownian particle in thermal-inertial ratchets subject to an external time-oscillatory drive and a constant bias force are investigated. Since the phenomena of negative mobility, resonant activation and noise-enhance stability were reported before, in the present paper, we report some additional aspects of negative mobility, resonant activation and noise-enhance stability, such as the ingredients for the appearances of these phenomena, multiple resonant activation peaks, current reversals, noise-weakened stability, and so on.

Changes in the physical activity of acute stroke survivors between inpatient and community living with early supported discharge: an observational cohort study.

PubMed

Kerr, A; Rowe, P; Esson, D; Barber, M

2016-12-01

To describe and compare patterns of physical activity among stroke survivors during their hospital stay and community living with early supported discharge. Observational cohort study of physical activity before and after early supported discharge. UK National Health Service stroke units and participants' homes. Forty-one stroke survivors with a mean age of 69 (standard deviation 11) years, and a median Modified Rivermead Mobility Index of 33.5 [interquartile range (IQR) 25.8 to 35.3]. The primary outcome measures were time spent in sitting/standing/walking and number of steps taken, as recorded by a physical activity monitor. There were statistical differences (P<0.001) for all categories of physical activity. After early supported discharge to the community, participants took more than twice the number of steps {median 474 (IQR 189 to 773) vs. 1193 (IQR 512 to 2856), median difference 636 [95% confidence interval (CI) 262 to 931]} and spent more than double the time in standing [median 51 (IQR 22 to 128) minutes vs. 100 (IQR 51 to 178) minutes, median difference 28 (95% CI 11 to 68)] compared with their hospital stay. Community living with early supported discharge promoted higher levels of physical activity in medically stable stroke survivors. The near-doubling of activity may serve as a guideline for what is achievable during stroke rehabilitation. Number UKCRN 15472. Copyright © 2015 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Generating GPS activity spaces that shed light upon the mobility habits of older adults: a descriptive analysis.

PubMed

Hirsch, Jana A; Winters, Meghan; Clarke, Philippa; McKay, Heather

2014-12-12

Measuring mobility is critical for understanding neighborhood influences on older adults' health and functioning. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) may represent an important opportunity to measure, describe, and compare mobility patterns in older adults. We generated three types of activity spaces (Standard Deviation Ellipse, Minimum Convex Polygon, Daily Path Area) using GPS data from 95 older adults in Vancouver, Canada. Calculated activity space areas and compactness were compared across sociodemographic and resource characteristics. Area measures derived from the three different approaches to developing activity spaces were highly correlated. Participants who were younger, lived in less walkable neighborhoods, had a valid driver's license, had access to a vehicle, or had physical support to go outside of their homes had larger activity spaces. Mobility space compactness measures also differed by sociodemographic and resource characteristics. This research extends the literature by demonstrating that GPS tracking can be used as a valuable tool to better understand the geographic mobility patterns of older adults. This study informs potential ways to maintain older adult independence by identifying factors that influence geographic mobility.

Middle-aged women's preferred theory-based features in mobile physical activity applications.

PubMed

Ehlers, Diane K; Huberty, Jennifer L

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study was to describe which theory-based behavioral and technological features middle-aged women prefer to be included in a mobile application designed to help them adopt and maintain regular physical activity (PA). Women aged 30 to 64 years (N = 120) completed an online survey measuring their demographics and mobile PA application preferences. The survey was developed upon behavioral principles of Social Cognitive Theory, recent mobile app research, and technology adoption principles of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Frequencies were calculated and content analyses conducted to identify which features women most preferred. Behavioral features that help women self-regulate their PA (PA tracking, goal-setting, progress monitoring) were most preferred. Technological features that enhance perceived effort expectancy and playfulness were most preferred. Many women reported the desire to interact and compete with others through the application. Theory-based PA self-regulation features and theory-based design features that improve perceived effort expectancy and playfulness may be most beneficial in a mobile PA application for middle-aged women. Opportunities to interact with other people and the employment of social, game-like activities may also be attractive. Interdisciplinary engagement of experts in PA behavior change, technology adoption, and software development is needed.

Developing a Mobile Learning Management System for Outdoors Nature Science Activities Based on 5E Learning Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Ah-Fur; Lai, Horng-Yih; Chuang, Wei-Hsiang; Wu, Zih-Heng

2015-01-01

Traditional outdoor learning activities such as inquiry-based learning in nature science encounter many dilemmas. Due to prompt development of mobile computing and widespread of mobile devices, mobile learning becomes a big trend on education. The main purpose of this study is to develop a mobile-learning management system for overcoming the…

Active Mobility and Environment: A Pilot Qualitative Study for the Design of a New Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Salze, Paul; Weber, Christiane; Feuillet, Thierry; Charreire, Hélène; Menai, Mehdi; Perchoux, Camille; Nazare, Julie-Anne; Simon, Chantal; Oppert, Jean-Michel

2017-01-01

It is generally accepted that active mobility, mainly walking and cycling, contributes to people’s physical and mental health. One of the current challenges is to improve our understanding of this type of behaviour. This study aims to identify factors from the daily-life environment that may be related to active mobility behaviours, in order to design a new questionnaire for a quantitative study of a large adult population. The new questionnaire obtained through this pilot study combines information from interviews with existing questionnaires materials in order to introduce new factors while retaining the factors already assessed. This approach comprises three stages. The first was a content analysis (Reinert method) of interviews with a sample of participants about daily living activities as well as mobility. This stage led to a typology of factors suggested by interviews. The second was a scoping review of the literature in order to identify the active mobility questionnaires currently used in international literature. The last stage was a cross-tabulation of the factors resulting from the written interviews and the questionnaires. A table of the inter-relationships between the interview-based typology and the questionnaires shows discrepancies between factors considered by the existing questionnaires, and factors coming from individual interviews. Independent factors which were ignored in or absent from the questionnaires are the housing situation within the urban structure, overall consideration of the activity space beyond the limits of the residential neighbourhood, the perception of all the transportation modes, and the time scheduling impacting the modes actually used. Our new questionnaire integrates both the usual factors and the new factors that may be related to active mobility behaviours. PMID:28052086

Active Mobility and Environment: A Pilot Qualitative Study for the Design of a New Questionnaire.

PubMed

Hess, Franck; Salze, Paul; Weber, Christiane; Feuillet, Thierry; Charreire, Hélène; Menai, Mehdi; Perchoux, Camille; Nazare, Julie-Anne; Simon, Chantal; Oppert, Jean-Michel; Enaux, Christophe

2017-01-01

It is generally accepted that active mobility, mainly walking and cycling, contributes to people's physical and mental health. One of the current challenges is to improve our understanding of this type of behaviour. This study aims to identify factors from the daily-life environment that may be related to active mobility behaviours, in order to design a new questionnaire for a quantitative study of a large adult population. The new questionnaire obtained through this pilot study combines information from interviews with existing questionnaires materials in order to introduce new factors while retaining the factors already assessed. This approach comprises three stages. The first was a content analysis (Reinert method) of interviews with a sample of participants about daily living activities as well as mobility. This stage led to a typology of factors suggested by interviews. The second was a scoping review of the literature in order to identify the active mobility questionnaires currently used in international literature. The last stage was a cross-tabulation of the factors resulting from the written interviews and the questionnaires. A table of the inter-relationships between the interview-based typology and the questionnaires shows discrepancies between factors considered by the existing questionnaires, and factors coming from individual interviews. Independent factors which were ignored in or absent from the questionnaires are the housing situation within the urban structure, overall consideration of the activity space beyond the limits of the residential neighbourhood, the perception of all the transportation modes, and the time scheduling impacting the modes actually used. Our new questionnaire integrates both the usual factors and the new factors that may be related to active mobility behaviours.

An Active K-Band Receive Slot Array for Mobile Satellite Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tulintseff, A. N.; Lee, K. A.; Sukamto, L. M.; Chew, W.

1994-01-01

An active receive slot array has been developed for operation in the downlink frequency band, 19.914-20.064 GHz, of NASA's Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) for the ACTS Mobile Terminal (AMT) project.

Mobile phone electromagnetic radiation activates MAPK signaling and regulates viability in Drosophila.

PubMed

Lee, Kyu-Sun; Choi, Jong-Soon; Hong, Sae-Yong; Son, Tae-Ho; Yu, Kweon

2008-07-01

Mobile phones are widely used in the modern world. However, biological effects of electromagnetic radiation produced by mobile phones are largely unknown. In this report, we show biological effects of the mobile phone 835 MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) in the Drosophila model system. When flies were exposed to the specific absorption rate (SAR) 1.6 W/kg, which is the proposed exposure limit by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), more than 90% of the flies were viable even after the 30 h exposure. However, in the SAR 4.0 W/kg strong EMF exposure, viability dropped from the 12 h exposure. These EMF exposures triggered stress response and increased the production of reactive oxygen species. The EMF exposures also activated extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling, but not p38 kinase signaling. Interestingly, SAR 1.6 W/kg activated mainly ERK signaling and expression of an anti-apoptotic gene, whereas SAR 4.0 W/kg strongly activated JNK signaling and expression of apoptotic genes. In addition, SAR 4.0 W/kg amplified the number of apoptotic cells in the fly brain. These findings demonstrate that the exposure limit on electromagnetic radiation proposed by ANSI triggered ERK-survival signaling but the strong electromagnetic radiation activated JNK-apoptotic signaling in Drosophila.

Experiences of four parents with physical therapy and early mobility of their children in a pediatric critical care unit: A case series.

PubMed

Parisien, Rachel B; Gillanders, Kirstie; Hennessy, Erin K; Herterich, Lisa; Saunders, Kendra; Lati, Jamil; Dos Santos, Stephanie; Hassall, Alison; O'Brien, Kelly K

2016-05-31

The aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation into parents' experiences of physical therapy and early mobility (EM) for their children in a pediatric critical care unit (PCCU). We conducted a series of four qualitative case studies using in-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews. We recruited parents of children who had undergone surgery and received at least one EM physical therapy intervention while intubated. We conducted a thematic analysis of transcribed interviews to illuminate the factors that influenced EM experiences. Four parents participated in the study. We developed an overview of Parental Experiences with Physical Therapy and Early Mobility in a PCCU, which includes four themes that parents believed influenced their experiences: (1) environmental factors; (2) awareness of physical therapist and health care professional (HCP) roles; (3) communication among parents and HCPs; and (4) parental participation in their child's EM, within the overarching parental experiences in the PCCU. This study affords a preliminary understanding of parents' experiences with physical therapy and EM in a PCCU setting. Results provide an important foundation for future research on mobility in the context of pediatric critical care research and practice.

Potential of mobile intraoperative radiotherapy technology.

PubMed

Goer, Donald A; Musslewhite, Chapple W; Jablons, David M

2003-10-01

Mobile IORT units have the potential to change the way patients who have cancer are treated. The integration of IORT into cancer treatment programs, made possible by the new technologies of mobile linear accelerators that can be used in unshielded operating rooms, makes IORT significantly less time-consuming, less costly, and less risky to administer. It is now practical for IORT to be used in early-stage disease, in addition to advanced disease, and in sites for which patient transportation in the middle of surgery is considered too risky. Preliminary results of trials for early-stage breast and rectal cancer indicate benefits of IORT. Pediatric patients and patients who have lung cancer, previously underserved by IORT therapies, can be offered potential gains when patient transport issues do not limit IORT. Furthermore, because many of these mobile systems require no shielding, it is now practical for mobile units to be shared between hospitals, making this new mobile technology much more widely available.

Inferring Human Activity in Mobile Devices by Computing Multiple Contexts.

PubMed

Chen, Ruizhi; Chu, Tianxing; Liu, Keqiang; Liu, Jingbin; Chen, Yuwei

2015-08-28

This paper introduces a framework for inferring human activities in mobile devices by computing spatial contexts, temporal contexts, spatiotemporal contexts, and user contexts. A spatial context is a significant location that is defined as a geofence, which can be a node associated with a circle, or a polygon; a temporal context contains time-related information that can be e.g., a local time tag, a time difference between geographical locations, or a timespan; a spatiotemporal context is defined as a dwelling length at a particular spatial context; and a user context includes user-related information that can be the user's mobility contexts, environmental contexts, psychological contexts or social contexts. Using the measurements of the built-in sensors and radio signals in mobile devices, we can snapshot a contextual tuple for every second including aforementioned contexts. Giving a contextual tuple, the framework evaluates the posteriori probability of each candidate activity in real-time using a Naïve Bayes classifier. A large dataset containing 710,436 contextual tuples has been recorded for one week from an experiment carried out at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi with three participants. The test results demonstrate that the multi-context solution significantly outperforms the spatial-context-only solution. A classification accuracy of 61.7% is achieved for the spatial-context-only solution, while 88.8% is achieved for the multi-context solution.

Men's mobility into management from blue collar and white collar jobs: race differences across the early work-career.

PubMed

Wilson, George; Maume, David

2014-07-01

Within the context of the "particularistic mobility thesis" we examine racial differences in the incidence, and determinants of, as well as timing to, mobility into management across the critical early career years at a refined level, namely, when groups share similar white collar and blue collar jobs. Findings from a Panel Study of Income Dynamics sample of men support theory and indicate that from both job levels a racial hierarchy exists: African Americans have the lowest rate of mobility, reach management through a route that is relatively formal and structured by a traditional range of stratification-based causal factors and take longest to reach management. Whites, in contrast, have the highest mobility rate, reach management through a relatively informal path that is less structured by traditional stratification-based factors, and reach management the quickest, and, across all three issues Latinos occupy an intermediate ground between African Americans and Latinos. Further, as predicted by theory, racial differences, particularly, relative to whites, are greater among those tracked from blue collar jobs than white collar jobs. Discussed are implications of the findings for understanding racial disadvantage in the American labor market across the work-career and on an inter-generational basis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A mobile device system for early warning of ECG anomalies.

PubMed

Szczepański, Adam; Saeed, Khalid

2014-06-20

With the rapid increase in computational power of mobile devices the amount of ambient intelligence-based smart environment systems has increased greatly in recent years. A proposition of such a solution is described in this paper, namely real time monitoring of an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal during everyday activities for identification of life threatening situations. The paper, being both research and review, describes previous work of the authors, current state of the art in the context of the authors' work and the proposed aforementioned system. Although parts of the solution were described in earlier publications of the authors, the whole concept is presented completely for the first time along with the prototype implementation on mobile device-a Windows 8 tablet with Modern UI. The system has three main purposes. The first goal is the detection of sudden rapid cardiac malfunctions and informing the people in the patient's surroundings, family and friends and the nearest emergency station about the deteriorating health of the monitored person. The second goal is a monitoring of ECG signals under non-clinical conditions to detect anomalies that are typically not found during diagnostic tests. The third goal is to register and analyze repeatable, long-term disturbances in the regular signal and finding their patterns.

How fresh is maple syrup? Sugar maple trees mobilize carbon stored several years previously during early springtime sap-ascent.

PubMed

Muhr, Jan; Messier, Christian; Delagrange, Sylvain; Trumbore, Susan; Xu, Xiaomei; Hartmann, Henrik

2016-03-01

While trees store substantial amounts of nonstructural carbon (NSC) for later use, storage regulation and mobilization of stored NSC in long-lived organisms like trees are still not well understood. At two different sites with sugar maple (Acer saccharum), we investigated ascending sap (sugar concentration, δ(13) C, Δ(14) C) as the mobilized component of stored stem NSC during early springtime. Using the bomb-spike radiocarbon approach we were able to estimate the average time elapsed since the mobilized carbon (C) was originally fixed from the atmosphere and to infer the turnover time of stem storage. Sites differed in concentration dynamics and overall δ(13) C, indicating different growing conditions. The absence of temporal trends for δ(13) C and Δ(14) C indicated sugar mobilization from a well-mixed pool with average Δ(14) C consistent with a mean turnover time (TT) of three to five years for this pool, with only minor differences between the sites. Sugar maple trees hence appear well buffered against single or even several years of negative plant C balance from environmental stress such as drought or repeated defoliation by insects. Manipulative investigations (e.g. starvation via girdling) combined with Δ(14) C measurements of this mobilized storage pool will provide further new insights into tree storage regulation and functioning. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Effectiveness and Safety of the Awakening and Breathing Coordination, Delirium Monitoring/Management, and Early Exercise/Mobility (ABCDE) Bundle

PubMed Central

Balas, Michele C.; Vasilevskis, Eduard E.; Olsen, Keith M.; Schmid, Kendra K.; Shostrom, Valerie; Cohen, Marlene Z.; Peitz, Gregory; Gannon, David E.; Sisson, Joseph; Sullivan, James; Stothert, Joseph C.; Lazure, Julie; Nuss, Suzanne L.; Jawa, Randeep S.; Freihaut, Frank; Ely, E. Wesley; Burke, William J.

2014-01-01

Objective The debilitating and persistent effects of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired delirium and weakness warrant testing of prevention strategies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of implementing the Awakening and Breathing Coordination, Delirium monitoring/management, and Early exercise/mobility (ABCDE) bundle into everyday practice. Design Eighteen-month, prospective, cohort, before-after study conducted between November 2010 and May 2012. Setting Five adult ICUs, one step-down unit, and one oncology/hematology special care unit located in a 624-bed tertiary medical center. Patients Two hundred ninety-six patients (146 pre- and 150 post-bundle implementation), age ≥ 19 years, managed by the institutions’ medical or surgical critical care service. Interventions ABCDE bundle. Measurements For mechanically ventilated patients (n = 187), we examined the association between bundle implementation and ventilator-free days. For all patients, we used regression models to quantify the relationship between ABCDE bundle implementation and the prevalence/duration of delirium and coma, early mobilization, mortality, time to discharge, and change in residence. Safety outcomes and bundle adherence were monitored. Main Results Patients in the post-implementation period spent three more days breathing without mechanical assistance than did those in the pre-implementation period (median [IQR], 24 [7 to 26] vs. 21 [0 to 25]; p = 0.04). After adjusting for age, sex, severity of illness, comorbidity, and mechanical ventilation status, patients managed with the ABCDE bundle experienced a near halving of the odds of delirium (odds ratio [OR], 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.33–0.93; p = 0.03) and increased odds of mobilizing out of bed at least once during an ICU stay (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.29–3.45; p = 0.003). No significant differences were noted in self-extubation or reintubation rates. Conclusions Critically ill patients managed

Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture: Clinical Evaluation, Conservative Management, and Early Active Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Kauwe, Merrell

2017-04-01

The Achilles tendon (AT) is the strongest, largest, and most commonly ruptured tendon in the human body. Physical examination provides high sensitivity and specificity. Imaging studies are not recommended unless there are equivocal findings in the physical examination. Recent studies have shown that the risk of re-rupture is negated with implementation of functional rehabilitation protocols. Heterogeneity in study design makes conclusions on the specifics of functional rehabilitation protocols difficult; however, it is clear that early weight bearing and early controlled mobilization lead to better patient outcome and satisfaction in both surgically and conservatively treated populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells with highest self-renewal by G-CSF precedes clonogenic cell mobilization peak.

PubMed

Winkler, Ingrid G; Wiercinska, Eliza; Barbier, Valerie; Nowlan, Bianca; Bonig, Halvard; Levesque, Jean-Pierre

2016-04-01

Harvest of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) begins at day 5 of G-CSF administration, when most donors have achieved maximal mobilization. This is based on surrogate markers for HSC mobilization, such as CD34(+) cells and colony-forming activity in blood. However, CD34(+) cells or colony-forming units in culture (CFU-C) are heterogeneous cell populations with hugely divergent long-term repopulation potential on transplantation. HSC behavior is influenced by the vascular bed in the vicinity of which they reside. We hypothesized that G-CSF may mobilize sequentially cells proximal and more distal to bone marrow venous sinuses where HSCs enter the blood. We addressed this question with functional serial transplantation assays using blood and bone marrow after specific time points of G-CSF treatment in mice. We found that in mice, blood collected after only 48 hours of G-CSF administration was as enriched in serially reconstituting HSCs as blood collected at 5 days of G-CSF treatment. Similarly, mobilized Lin(-)CD34(+) cells were relatively enriched in more primitive Lin(-)CD34(+)CD38(-) cells at day 2 of G-CSF treatment compared with later points in half of human donors tested (n = 6). This suggests that in both humans and mice, hematopoietic progenitor and stem cells do not mobilize uniformly according to their maturation stage, with most potent HSCs mobilizing as early as day 2 of G-CSF. Copyright © 2016 ISEH - International Society for Experimental Hematology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Flexible Coordination of Stationary and Mobile Conversations with Gaze: Resource Allocation among Multiple Joint Activities

PubMed Central

Mayor, Eric; Bangerter, Adrian

2016-01-01

Gaze is instrumental in coordinating face-to-face social interactions. But little is known about gaze use when social interactions co-occur with other joint activities. We investigated the case of walking while talking. We assessed how gaze gets allocated among various targets in mobile conversations, whether allocation of gaze to other targets affects conversational coordination, and whether reduced availability of gaze for conversational coordination affects conversational performance and content. In an experimental study, pairs were videotaped in four conditions of mobility (standing still, talking while walking along a straight-line itinerary, talking while walking along a complex itinerary, or walking along a complex itinerary with no conversational task). Gaze to partners was substantially reduced in mobile conversations, but gaze was still used to coordinate conversation via displays of mutual orientation, and conversational performance and content was not different between stationary and mobile conditions. Results expand the phenomena of multitasking to joint activities. PMID:27822189

Calcium mobilization and Rac1 activation are required for VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) stimulation of NADPH oxidase activity.

PubMed Central

Cook-Mills, Joan M; Johnson, Jacob D; Deem, Tracy L; Ochi, Atsuo; Wang, Lei; Zheng, Yi

2004-01-01

VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) plays an important role in the regulation of inflammation in atherosclerosis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease and transplantation. VCAM-1 activates endothelial cell NADPH oxidase, and this oxidase activity is required for VCAM-1-dependent lymphocyte migration. We reported previously that a mouse microvascular endothelial cell line promotes lymphocyte migration that is dependent on VCAM-1, but not on other known adhesion molecules. Here we have investigated the signalling mechanisms underlying VCAM-1 function. Lymphocyte binding to VCAM-1 on the endothelial cell surface activated an endothelial cell calcium flux that could be inhibited with anti-alpha4-integrin and mimicked by anti-VCAM-1-coated beads. VCAM-1 stimulation of calcium responses could be blocked by an inhibitor of intracellular calcium mobilization, a calcium channel inhibitor or a calcium chelator, resulting in the inhibition of NADPH oxidase activity. Addition of ionomycin overcame the calcium channel blocker suppression of VCAM-1-stimulated NADPH oxidase activity, but could not reverse the inhibitory effect imposed by intracellular calcium blockage, indicating that both intracellular and extracellular calcium mobilization are required for VCAM-1-mediated activation of NADPH oxidase. Furthermore, VCAM-1 specifically activated the Rho-family GTPase Rac1, and VCAM-1 activation of NADPH oxidase was blocked by a dominant negative Rac1. Thus VCAM-1 stimulates the mobilization of intracellular and extracellular calcium and Rac1 activity that are required for the activation of NADPH oxidase. PMID:14594451

Virtual reality for mobility devices: training applications and clinical results: a review.

PubMed

Erren-Wolters, Catelijne Victorien; van Dijk, Henk; de Kort, Alexander C; Ijzerman, Maarten J; Jannink, Michiel J

2007-06-01

Virtual reality technology is an emerging technology that possibly can address the problems encountered in training (elderly) people to handle a mobility device. The objective of this review was to study different virtual reality training applications as well as their clinical implication for patients with mobility problems. Computerized literature searches were performed using the MEDLINE, Cochrane, CIRRIE and REHABDATA databases. This resulted in eight peer reviewed journal articles. The included studies could be divided into three categories, on the basis of their study objective. Five studies were related to training driving skills, two to physical exercise training and one to leisure activity. This review suggests that virtual reality is a potentially useful means to improve the use of a mobility device, in training one's driving skills, for keeping up the physical condition and also in a way of leisure time activity. Although this field of research appears to be in its early stages, the included studies pointed out a promising transfer of training in a virtual environment to the real-life use of mobility devices.

[PROtocol-based MObilizaTION on intensive care units : Design of a cluster randomized pilot study].

PubMed

Nydahl, P; Diers, A; Günther, U; Haastert, B; Hesse, S; Kerschensteiner, C; Klarmann, S; Köpke, S

2017-10-12

Despite convincing evidence for early mobilization of patients on intensive care units (ICU), implementation in practice is limited. Protocols for early mobilization, including in- and exclusion criteria, assessments, safety criteria, and step schemes may increase the rate of implementation and mobilization. Patients (population) on ICUs with a protocol for early mobilization (intervention), compared to patients on ICUs without protocol (control), will be more frequently mobilized (outcome). A multicenter, stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized pilot study is presented. Five ICUs will receive an adapted, interprofessional protocol for early mobilization in randomized order. Before and after implementation, mobilization of ICU patients will be evaluated by randomized monthly one-day point prevalence surveys. Primary outcome is the percentage of patients mobilized out of bed, operationalized as a score of ≥3 on the ICU Mobility Scale. Secondary outcome parameters will be presence and/or length of mechanical ventilation, delirium, stay on ICU and in hospital, barriers to early mobilization, adverse events, and process parameters as identified barriers, used strategies, and adaptions to local conditions. Exploratory evaluation of study feasibility and estimation of effect sizes as the basis for a future explanatory study.

A Systematic and Integrated Review of Mobile-Based Technology to Promote Active Lifestyles in People With Type 2 Diabetes.

PubMed

McMillan, Kathryn Anne; Kirk, Alison; Hewitt, Allan; MacRury, Sandra

2017-03-01

The aim was to review studies examining the effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of mobile-based technology for promoting active lifestyles in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Benefits of leading an active lifestyle following a diagnosis of T2D, including improved glycemic control, have been reported. Studies examining the specific use of mobile-based technologies to promote an active lifestyle in T2D have not previously been reviewed. Research studies examining effectiveness, feasibility or acceptability of mobile-based technology for active lifestyle promotion for T2D management were included (n = 9). The databases searched included PubMed, Medline, ScienceDirect, and ACM Digital Library (January 2005 to October 2015). Studies were categorized as (1) informing, (2) monitoring, (3) provoking, or (4) sustaining behavior change. Technologies used included smartphone or tablet apps, diabetes personal digital assistant, continuous glucose monitor and accelerometer, pedometer, and a website delivered by a smartphone. No articles examined the effectiveness of mobile-based technology in monitoring health behaviors and behavior change. Four of the studies found mobile-based technology to be motivational and supportive for behavior change. The visual reinforcement was identified as motivational. The feasibility and acceptability of using mobile-based technology to provide sustained lifestyle change and the effectiveness of mobile-based technology in monitoring health behaviors and behavior change have not been investigated. No studies examined all 3 of the outcomes or focused decreasing the participants' sedentary behavior. Limited research has examined the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of mobile-based technology to promote active lifestyles and subsequently good diabetes management in people with T2D.

Mobile Creches: Pioneering Early Childhood Care and Development in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young Children, 2007

2007-01-01

Mobile Creche ("creche" means "day nursery") was founded on one woman's determination to change life for India's most vulnerable children. Within its first decade, Mobile Creches' network of child care centers spread from construction sites to urban slums and from the capital city of Delhi to the commercial and cultural centers…

Need for early diagnosis of mental and mobility changes in Wernicke encephalopathy.

PubMed

Wijnia, Jan W; Oudman, Erik; Bresser, Esmay L; Gerridzen, Ineke J; van de Wiel, Albert; Beuman, Carla; Mulder, Cornelis L

2014-12-01

Korsakoff syndrome is a chronic form of amnesia resulting from thiamine deficiency. The syndrome can develop from unrecognized or undertreated Wernicke encephalopathy. The intra-individual course of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome has not been studied extensively, nor has the temporal progression of gait disturbances and other symptoms of Wernicke encephalopathy. Here we present the detailed history of a patient whose acute symptoms of Wernicke encephalopathy were far from stable. We follow his mobility changes and the shifts in his mental status from global confusion and impaired consciousness to more selective cognitive deficits. His Wernicke encephalopathy was missed and left untreated, being labeled as "probable" Korsakoff syndrome. Patients with a history of self-neglect and alcohol abuse, at risk of or suffering with Wernicke encephalopathy, should receive immediate and adequate vitamin replacement. Self-neglecting alcoholics who are bedridden may have severe illness and probably active Wernicke encephalopathy. In these patients, mobility changes, delirium, or impaired consciousness can be an expression of Wernicke encephalopathy, and should be treated to prevent further damage from the neurologic complications of thiamine deficiency.

Investigating children's physical activity and sedentary behavior using ecological momentary assessment with mobile phones.

PubMed

Dunton, Genevieve F; Liao, Yue; Intille, Stephen S; Spruijt-Metz, Donna; Pentz, Maryann

2011-06-01

The risk of obesity during childhood can be significantly reduced through increased physical activity and decreased sedentary behavior. Recent technological advances have created opportunities for the real-time measurement of these behaviors. Mobile phones are ubiquitous and easy to use, and thus have the capacity to collect data from large numbers of people. The present study tested the feasibility, acceptability, and validity of an electronic ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol using electronic surveys administered on the display screen of mobile phones to assess children's physical activity and sedentary behaviors. A total of 121 children (ages 9-13, 51% male, 38% at risk for overweight/overweight) participated in EMA monitoring from Friday afternoon to Monday evening during children's nonschool time, with 3-7 surveys/day. Items assessed current activity (e.g., watching TV/movies, playing video games, active play/sports/exercising). Children simultaneously wore an Actigraph GT2M accelerometer. EMA survey responses were time-matched to total step counts and minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) occurring in the 30 min before each EMA survey prompt. No significant differences between answered and unanswered EMA surveys were found for total steps or MVPA. Step counts and the likelihood of 5+ min of MVPA were significantly higher during EMA-reported physical activity (active play/sports/exercising) vs. sedentary behaviors (reading/computer/homework, watching TV/movies, playing video games, riding in a car) (P < 0.001). Findings generally support the acceptability and validity of a 4-day EMA protocol using mobile phones to measure physical activity and sedentary behavior in children during leisure time.

The impact of childhood residential mobility on mental health outcomes in adolescence and early adulthood: a record linkage study.

PubMed

Tseliou, Foteini; Maguire, Aideen; Donnelly, Michael; O'Reilly, Dermot

2016-03-01

Understanding the causes of poor mental health in early childhood and adolescence is important as this can be a significant determinant of mental well-being in later years. One potential and relatively unexplored factor is residential mobility in formative years. Previous studies have been relatively small and potentially limited due to methodological issues. The main aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between early residential instability and poor mental health among adolescents and young adults in Northern Ireland. A Census-based record linkage study of 28% of children aged 0-8 years in 2001 in Northern Ireland (n=49,762) was conducted, with six monthly address change assessments from health registration data and self-reported mental health status from the 2011 Census. Logistic regression models were built adjusting for socioeconomic status (SES), household composition and marital dissolution. There was a graded relationship between the number of address changes and mental ill-health (adjusted OR 3.67, 95% CIs 2.11 to 6.39 for 5 or more moves). This relationship was not modified by SES or household composition. Marital dissolution was associated with poor mental health but did not modify the relationship between address change and mental health (p=0.206). There was some indication that movement after the age of five was associated with an increased likelihood of poor mental health. This large study clearly confirms the close relationship between address change in early years and later poor mental health. Residential mobility may be a useful marker for children at risk of poorer mental health in adolescence and early adulthood. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Parental perceived neighborhood attributes: associations with active transport and physical activity among 10-12 year old children and the mediating role of independent mobility.

PubMed

De Meester, Femke; Van Dyck, Delfien; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Cardon, Greet

2014-06-20

During the last decades, the use of active travel modes declined in all age groups. Childhood is a critical time to establish lifelong healthy patterns. To develop effective interventions in this age group, insight in the correlates of health behaviors and the possible mediating factors is necessary. Among children, the role of parents may not be overlooked. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the associations of parental perceptions of neighborhood environmental attributes with active transport and total physical activity in 10-12 year old Belgian boys and girls. Furthermore, this study examined the potential mediating effect of independent mobility on these associations. In the present study, 736 10-12 year old children and their parents from 44 elementary schools in Flanders, Belgium, participated. The children were asked to wear an activity monitor and to fill in a survey questioning demographic factors and the Flemish Physical Activity Questionnaire. The parents filled in a survey concerning demographic factors, the child's level of independent mobility and environmental perceptions (Neighborhood Environmental Walkability Scale). Overall, boys reported more active transport when parents perceived more land use mix diversity, shorter distances to school, good land use mix access, higher residential density and less pleasing neighborhood aesthetics. Higher total physical activity levels were reported when parents perceived shorter distances to school and availability of walking/cycling infrastructure. None of the associations was mediated by independent mobility in boys. Girls reported more active transport when parents perceived higher residential density, more land use mix diversity, shorter distances to school, good land use mix access, available walking/cycling infrastructure and convenient recreational facilities. Girls reported higher total physical activity levels when parents perceived high residential density, good land use mix access, well

Dietary starch breakdown product sensing mobilizes and apically activates α-glucosidases in small intestinal enterocytes.

PubMed

Chegeni, Mohammad; Amiri, Mahdi; Nichols, Buford L; Naim, Hassan Y; Hamaker, Bruce R

2018-02-20

Dietary starch is finally converted to glucose for absorption by the small intestine mucosal α-glucosidases (sucrase-isomaltase [SI] and maltase-glucoamylase), and control of this process has health implications. Here, the molecular mechanisms were analyzed associated with starch-triggered maturation and transport of SI. Biosynthetic pulse-chase in Caco-2 cells revealed that the high MW SI species (265 kDa) induced by maltose (an α-amylase starch digestion product) had a higher rate of early trafficking and maturation compared with a glucose-induced SI (245 kDa). The maltose-induced SI was found to have higher affinity to lipid rafts, which are associated with enhanced targeting to the apical membrane and higher activity. Accordingly, in situ maltose-hydrolyzing action was enhanced in the maltose-treated cells. Thus, starch digestion products at the luminal surface of small intestinal enterocytes are sensed and accelerate the intracellular processing of SI to enhance starch digestion capacity in the intestinal lumen.-Chegeni, M., Amiri, M., Nichols, B. L., Naim, H. Y., Hamaker, B. R. Dietary starch breakdown product sensing mobilizes and apically activates α-glucosidases in small intestinal enterocytes.

Mobile robotics application in the nuclear industry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, S.L.; White, J.R.

1995-03-01

Mobile robots have been developed to perform hazardous operations in place of human workers. Applications include nuclear plant inspection/maintenance, decontamination and decommissioning police/military explosive ordinance disposal (EOD), hostage/terrorist negotiations and fire fighting. Nuclear facilities have proven that robotic applications can be cost-effective solutions to reducing personnel exposure and plant downtime. The first applications of mobile robots in the nuclear industry began in the early 1980`s, with the first vehicles being one of a kind machines or adaptations of commercial EOD robots. These activities included efforts by numerous commercial companies, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, EPRI, and several national laboratories. Somemore » of these efforts were driven by the recovery and cleanup activities at TMI which demonstrated the potential and need for a remote means of performing surveillance and maintenance tasks in nuclear plants. The use of these machines is now becoming commonplace in nuclear facilities throughout the world. The hardware maturity and the confidence of the users has progressed to the point where the applications of mobile robots is not longer considered a novelty. These machines are being used in applications where the result is to help achieve more aggressive goals for personnel radiation exposure and plant availability, perform tasks more efficiently, and allow plant operators to retrieve information from areas previously considered inaccessible. Typical examples include surveillance in high radiation areas (during operation and outage activities), radiation surveys, waste handling, and decontamination evolutions. This paper will discuss this evolution including specific applications experiences, examples of currently available technology, and the benefits derived from the use of mobile robotic vehicles in commercial nuclear power facilities.« less

Fatigue and pain limit independent mobility and physiotherapy after hip fracture surgery.

PubMed

Münter, Kristine H; Clemmesen, Christopher G; Foss, Nicolai B; Palm, Henrik; Kristensen, Morten T

2018-07-01

The patient's ability to complete their planned physiotherapy session after hip fracture surgery has been proposed as an independent predictor for achieving basic mobility independency upon hospital discharge. However, knowledge of factors limiting mobility is sparse. We therefore examined patient reported factors limiting ability to complete planned physiotherapy sessions as well as limitations for not achieving independency in basic mobility early after hip fracture surgery. A total of 204 consecutive patients with a hip fracture (mean (SD) age of 80 (9.9) years, 47 patients were admitted from a nursing home) were treated in accordance with a multimodal program. The Cumulated Ambulation Score was used to evaluate the patient's independency in three basic mobility activities: getting in and out of bed, sit-to-stand-to-sit from a chair and indoor walking. Pre-defined limitations; pain, motor blockade, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, acute cognitive dysfunction and "other limitations", for not achieving a full Cumulated Ambulation Score or inability to complete planned physiotherapy sessions were noted by the physiotherapist on each of the three first postoperative days. This period was chosen, because of its importance on how well the patients had regained their pre-fracture functional level. Fatigue and hip fracture-related pain were the most frequent reasons for patients not achieving an independent basic mobility level (> 85%) or not fully completing their planned physiotherapy (> 42%) on all three days. At hospital discharge (median day 10), only 54% of the patients had regained their pre-fracture basic mobility level. Based on the patient's perception, fatigue and pain are the most frequent limitations in not achieving independent basic mobility and not completing physiotherapy after hip fracture surgery. This raises questions whether multimodal peri-operative programs can be further optimized to enhance the early recovery of these frail patients. Implications

Middle School Student Perceptions and Actual Use of Mobile Devices: Highlighting Disconnects in Student Planned and Actual Usage of Mobile Devices in Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartholomew, Scott R.; Reeve, Edward

2018-01-01

Discussion surrounding the inclusion of mobile devices in K-12 classrooms has escalated since the early 2000s, and the literature base dedicated to mobile devices, mobile-learning, and e-learning has likewise grown. The majority of the research related to mobile devices and their inclusion in educational settings has largely revolved around…

The Social Mobility Index: Further Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutton Trust, 2015

2015-01-01

The "Social Mobility Index" ranks all 533 parliamentary constituencies in England according to five measures of social mobility through education: (1) Performance of disadvantaged pupils in early years test; (2) Performance of disadvantaged pupils in Key Stage 2 tests; (3) Performance of disadvantaged pupils at GCSE; (4) Progress of…

The impact of early powered mobility on parental stress, negative emotions, and family social interactions.

PubMed

Tefft, Donita; Guerette, Paula; Furumasu, Jan

2011-02-01

Powered mobility has been found to have positive effects on young children with severe physical disabilities, but the impact on the family has been less well documented. We evaluated the impact of early powered mobility on parental stress, negative emotions, perceived social interactions, and parental satisfaction with wheelchair characteristics such as size and durability. The participants were parents of 23 children with disabilities-10 with orthopedic disabilities (average age 30.1 months) and 13 with cerebral palsy (average age 47.0 months). Pretest assessments were completed two times: at initial wheelchair evaluation and at wheelchair delivery. A posttest assessment was completed after each child had used the wheelchair for 4-6 months. Parents reported a lower perceived level of stress at the time of wheelchair delivery, although the magnitude of this effect was fairly small, standardized mean difference (δ) = .27. They also reported an increased satisfaction with their child's social and play skills (δ = .38), ability to go where desired (δ = .86), sleep/wake pattern (δ = .61), and belief that the general public accepts their child (δ = .39) after several months using the wheelchair. Parents reported an increase in interactions within the family at the time of wheelchair delivery (δ = .66). There was no decrease in negative emotions. Parents were satisfied with most factors relating to the wheelchair itself, with areas of concern being wheelchair size and difficulty adjusting the wheelchair. The findings suggest that self-initiated powered mobility for a young child had a positive impact on the family.

Early warning of active fire hotspots through NASA FIRMS fire information system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilavajhala, S.; Davies, D.; Schmaltz, J. E.; Murphy, K. J.

2014-12-01

Forest fires and wildfires can threaten ecosystems, wildlife, property, and often, large swaths of populations. Early warning of active fire hotspots plays a crucial role in planning, managing, and mitigating the damaging effects of wildfires. The NASA Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) has been providing active fire location information to users in easy-to-use formats for the better part of last decade, with a view to improving the alerting mechanisms and response times to fight forest and wildfires. FIRMS utilizes fires flagged as hotspots by the MODIS instrument flying aboard the Aqua and Terra satellites and sends early warning of detected hotspots via email in near real-time or as daily and weekly summaries. The email alerts can also be customized to send alerts for a particular region of interest, a country, or a specific protected area or park. In addition, a web mapping component, named "Web Fire Mapper" helps query and visualize hotspots. A newer version of Web Fire Mapper is being developed to enhance the existing visualization and alerting capabilities. Plans include supporting near real-time imagery from Aqua and Terra satellites to provide a more helpful context while viewing fires. Plans are also underway to upgrade the email alerts system to provide mobile-formatted messages and short text messages (SMS). The newer version of FIRMS will also allow users to obtain geo-located image snapshots, which can be imported into local GIS software by stakeholders to help further analyses. This talk will discuss the FIRMS system, its enhancements and its role in helping map, alert, and monitor fire hotspots by providing quick data visualization, querying, and download capabilities.

Mobile satellite business networks: A part of the European mobile system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

deMateo, M. L.; Jongejans, A.; Loisy, C.; VanHimbeeck, C.; Marchal, J. P.; Borella, A.; Sartori, M.

1995-01-01

The European Space Agency (ESA) is presently procuring an L-band payload EMS, to be embarked on the ITALSAT-2 satellite due for launch in early 1996, in order to promote a regional European mobile system. One of the Land Mobile Communication systems supported by EMS is the MSBN (Mobile Satellite Business Network) voice and data system which will offer the services of a business network on a seamless European coverage. This paper will first recall the characteristics of the MSBN system, which is based on quasi-synchronized CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) techniques in both directions, and then describe the CDMA receivers implementation. Main validation test results will also be reported confirming predicted performances.

A Physical Activity Program to Mobilize Older People: A Practical and Sustainable Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jancey, Jonine M.; Clarke, Ann; Howat, Peter A.; Lee, Andy H.; Shilton, Trevor; Fisher, John

2008-01-01

Purpose: Despite the documented benefits of physical activity, it remains difficult to motivate older adults to start and maintain regular physical activity. This study tested an innovative intervention for mobilizing older adults into a neighborhood-based walking program. Design and Methods: Researchers recruited a total of 260 healthy but…

Leisure Engagement: Medical Conditions, Mobility Difficulties, and Activity Limitations—A Later Life Perspective

PubMed Central

Nilsson, Ingeborg; Nyqvist, Fredrica; Gustafson, Yngve; Nygård, Mikael

2015-01-01

Objectives. This study aims to investigate the impact of medical conditions, mobility difficulties, and activity limitations on older people's engagement in leisure activities. Methods. The analyses are based on a cross regional survey carried out in 2010 in the Bothnia region (Northern Sweden and Western Finland). A posted questionnaire, which included questions on different aspects of leisure engagement, medical history, and health, was sent out to older persons in the region. The final sample consisted of 5435 persons aged 65, 70, 75, and 80 years. The data was analyzed by using ordinary least squares (OLS) multivariate regression. Results. The most important predictor of leisure engagement abstention among older people is the prevalence of activity limitations, whereas mobility difficulties and medical conditions play less important roles. The strong negative association between activity limitations and leisure engagement remains significant even after we control for individual, sociodemographic characteristics, and country. Discussion. This study provides a window into leisure engagement in later life and factors influencing the magnitude of engagement in leisure activities. PMID:26346706

Mobility and Active Ageing in Suburban Environments: Findings from In-Depth Interviews and Person-Based GPS Tracking

PubMed Central

Zeitler, Elisabeth; Buys, Laurie; Aird, Rosemary; Miller, Evonne

2012-01-01

Background. Governments face a significant challenge to ensure that community environments meet the mobility needs of an ageing population. Therefore, it is critical to investigate the effect of suburban environments on the choice of transportation and its relation to participation and active ageing. Objective. This research explores if and how suburban environments impact older people's mobility and their use of different modes of transport. Methods. Data derived from GPS tracking, travel diaries, brief questionnaires, and semistructured interviews were gathered from thirteen people aged from 56 to 87 years, living in low-density suburban environments in Brisbane, Australia. Results. The suburban environment influenced the choice of transportation and out-of-home mobility. Both walkability and public transportation (access and usability) impact older people's transportation choices. Impracticality of active and public transportation within suburban environments creates car dependency in older age. Conclusion. Suburban environments often create barriers to mobility, which impedes older people's engagement in their wider community and ability to actively age in place. Further research is needed to develop approaches towards age-friendly suburban environments which will encourage older people to remain active and engaged in older age. PMID:23346108

Exploration of Tensions in a Mobile-Technology Supported Fieldtrip: An Activity Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Chih-Hung; Chen, Fei-Ching; Yang, Jie-Chi

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze how mobile technologies were incorporated and implemented in an outdoor learning activity. Two classes of primary school students participated in the experiment. Using activity theory as an analytical framework, it is found that underlying tensions provided rich insights into system dynamics and that…

Active colloids with collective mobility status and research opportunities.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Luijten, Erik; Grzybowski, Bartosz A; Granick, Steve

2017-09-18

The collective mobility of active matter (self-propelled objects that transduce energy into mechanical work to drive their motion, most commonly through fluids) constitutes a new frontier in science and achievable technology. This review surveys the current status of the research field, what kinds of new scientific problems can be tackled in the short term, and what long-term directions are envisioned. We focus on: (1) attempts to formulate design principles to tailor active particles; (2) attempts to design principles according to which active particles interact under circumstances where particle-particle interactions of traditional colloid science are augmented by a family of nonequilibrium effects discussed here; (3) attempts to design intended patterns of collective behavior and dynamic assembly; (4) speculative links to equilibrium thermodynamics. In each aspect, we assess achievements, limitations, and research opportunities.

A physical activity program to mobilize older people: a practical and sustainable approach.

PubMed

Jancey, Jonine M; Clarke, Ann; Howat, Peter A; Lee, Andy H; Shilton, Trevor; Fisher, John

2008-04-01

Despite the documented benefits of physical activity, it remains difficult to motivate older adults to start and maintain regular physical activity. This study tested an innovative intervention for mobilizing older adults into a neighborhood-based walking program. Researchers recruited a total of 260 healthy but insufficiently active adults aged 65 to 74 years and randomly selected from the Australian electoral roll from 30 Perth metropolitan neighborhoods. Social cognitive theory guided the design of the program. Researchers collected both qualitative and quantitative data to inform the development, together with ongoing process evaluation. A total of 65% of participants completed the program. Their mean weekly walking time for recreation increased by about 100 min, and 80% of participants reported that they would continue to walk twice per week upon program completion. This practical program is potentially effective and sustainable with respect to mobilizing physically inactive older people.

Balance and mobility dysfunction and falls risk in older people with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Suttanon, Plaiwan; Hill, Keith D; Said, Catherine M; Logiudice, Dina; Lautenschlager, Nicola T; Dodd, Karen J

2012-01-01

This study aimed to identify the magnitude and type of balance and mobility impairments in people with Alzheimer disease by comparing their performance with that of older people without cognitive impairment. Twenty-five community-dwelling people with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease and a comparison group of 25 cognitively intact age- and sex-matched people completed a comprehensive balance and mobility assessment. This included computerized posturography measures of static and dynamic balance under various conditions, clinical balance, and mobility measures, and measures of falls and falls risk. The level of falls risk was higher in people with Alzheimer disease. Standing balance in people with Alzheimer disease was significantly impaired across a range of static and dynamic balance conditions. Activity level, gait, and mobility measures were also impaired, particularly turning and dual tasks. The findings of the study highlight the value of including balance screening as a routine component of early dementia assessment. This would allow for the early detection of balance dysfunction and the introduction of balance retraining before impairments progress to more advanced levels.

Activities for Career Development in Early Childhood Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yawkey, Thomas Daniels; Aronin, Eugene L.

The book presents career education activities and approaches for use by teachers, administrators, counselors, and students involved in early childhood education (ages three through eight). Part One stresses the importance of and rationale for career development in the early childhood curriculum. Research support for the approach to career…

Identifying Mobility Types in Cognitively Heterogeneous Older Adults Based on GPS-Tracking: What Discriminates Best?

PubMed

Wettstein, Markus; Wahl, Hans-Werner; Shoval, Noam; Auslander, Gail; Oswald, Frank; Heinik, Jeremia

2015-12-01

Heterogeneity in older adults' mobility and its correlates have rarely been investigated based on objective mobility data and in samples including cognitively impaired individuals. We analyzed mobility profiles within a cognitively heterogeneous sample of N = 257 older adults from Israel and Germany based on GPS tracking technology. Participants were aged between 59 and 91 years (M = 72.9; SD = 6.4) and were either cognitively healthy (CH, n = 146), mildly cognitively impaired (MCI, n = 76), or diagnosed with an early-stage dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT, n = 35). Based on cluster analysis, we identified three mobility types ("Mobility restricted," "Outdoor oriented," "Walkers"), which could be predicted based on socio-demographic indicators, activity, health, and cognitive impairment status using discriminant analysis. Particularly demented individuals and persons with worse health exhibited restrictions in mobility. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of heterogeneity in mobility in old age. © The Author(s) 2013.

Poor Mobilization in T-Cell-Deficient Nude Mice is Explained by Defective Activation of Granulocytes and Monocytes

PubMed Central

Wysoczynski, Marcin; Adamiak, Mateusz; Suszynska, Malwina; Abdel-Latif, Ahmed; Ratajczak, Janina; Ratajczak, Mariusz Z.

2017-01-01

It has been reported that both SCID mice and SCID patients poorly mobilize hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) in response to granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). This defect has been proposed to result from a lack of naturally occurring IgM immunoglobulins to trigger activation of the complement cascade (ComC) and release of C5 cleavage fragments crucial in the mobilization process. However, SCID individuals also have T-cell deficiency, and T cells have been shown to modulate trafficking of HSPCs. To learn more about the role of T lymphocytes, we performed mobilization studies in T-lymphocyte-deficient nude mice and found that these mice respond poorly to G-CSF and zymosan but are normal mobilizers in response to AMD3100. Since nude mice have normal levels of IgM immunoglobulins in peripheral blood and may activate the ComC, we focused on the potential involvement of Gr1+ granulocytes and monocytes, which show defective maturation in these animals. Using a nude mouse mobilization model, we found further support for the proposition that proper function of Gr1+ cells is crucial for optimal mobilization of HSPCs. PMID:27436627

Poor Mobilization in T-Cell-Deficient Nude Mice Is Explained by Defective Activation of Granulocytes and Monocytes.

PubMed

Wysoczynski, Marcin; Adamiak, Mateusz; Suszynska, Malwina; Abdel-Latif, Ahmed; Ratajczak, Janina; Ratajczak, Mariusz Z

2017-01-24

It has been reported that both SCID mice and SCID patients poorly mobilize hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) in response to granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). This defect has been proposed to result from a lack of naturally occurring IgM immunoglobulins to trigger activation of the complement cascade (ComC) and release of C5 cleavage fragments crucial in the mobilization process. However, SCID individuals also have T-cell deficiency, and T cells have been shown to modulate trafficking of HSPCs. To learn more about the role of T lymphocytes, we performed mobilization studies in T-lymphocyte-deficient nude mice and found that these mice respond poorly to G-CSF and zymosan but are normal mobilizers in response to AMD3100. Since nude mice have normal levels of IgM immunoglobulins in peripheral blood and may activate the ComC, we focused on the potential involvement of Gr1+ granulocytes and monocytes, which show defective maturation in these animals. Using a nude mouse mobilization model, we found further support for the proposition that proper function of Gr1+ cells is crucial for optimal mobilization of HSPCs.

Improving activity recognition using a wearable barometric pressure sensor in mobility-impaired stroke patients.

PubMed

Massé, Fabien; Gonzenbach, Roman R; Arami, Arash; Paraschiv-Ionescu, Anisoara; Luft, Andreas R; Aminian, Kamiar

2015-08-25

Stroke survivors often suffer from mobility deficits. Current clinical evaluation methods, including questionnaires and motor function tests, cannot provide an objective measure of the patients' mobility in daily life. Physical activity performance in daily-life can be assessed using unobtrusive monitoring, for example with a single sensor module fixed on the trunk. Existing approaches based on inertial sensors have limited performance, particularly in detecting transitions between different activities and postures, due to the inherent inter-patient variability of kinematic patterns. To overcome these limitations, one possibility is to use additional information from a barometric pressure (BP) sensor. Our study aims at integrating BP and inertial sensor data into an activity classifier in order to improve the activity (sitting, standing, walking, lying) recognition and the corresponding body elevation (during climbing stairs or when taking an elevator). Taking into account the trunk elevation changes during postural transitions (sit-to-stand, stand-to-sit), we devised an event-driven activity classifier based on fuzzy-logic. Data were acquired from 12 stroke patients with impaired mobility, using a trunk-worn inertial and BP sensor. Events, including walking and lying periods and potential postural transitions, were first extracted. These events were then fed into a double-stage hierarchical Fuzzy Inference System (H-FIS). The first stage processed the events to infer activities and the second stage improved activity recognition by applying behavioral constraints. Finally, the body elevation was estimated using a pattern-enhancing algorithm applied on BP. The patients were videotaped for reference. The performance of the algorithm was estimated using the Correct Classification Rate (CCR) and F-score. The BP-based classification approach was benchmarked against a previously-published fuzzy-logic classifier (FIS-IMU) and a conventional epoch-based classifier (EPOCH

Characterizing Early Adolescent Plate Waste Using the Mobile Food Record.

PubMed

Panizza, Chloe E; Boushey, Carol J; Delp, Edward J; Kerr, Deborah A; Lim, Eunjung; Gandhi, Krupa; Banna, Jinan C

2017-01-26

This study aimed to assess the amount of plate waste and how plate waste was disposed by early adolescent girls using a mobile food record (mFR). Participants were girls nine to thirteen years residing in O'ahu, Hawai'i ( n = 93). Foods selected and leftover were estimated using a three day mFR. Each leftover food was then classified as thrown into the trash, fed to a pet, eaten later, or other (e.g., composted). Repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted and Tukey's post-hoc test were used to adjust for multiple comparisons between times (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack) on leftover food and leftover food thrown into the trash. The percentage of food leftover and thrown into the trash was highest at lunch. The percentage of protein, grain, vegetables, fruit, and dairy leftover at lunch were unexpectedly low compared to previous studies. The median for percentage of food thrown into the trash at lunch was <5% for all food groups, and was consistently low across the day (<10%). Average energy intake was 436 kcal (±216) at lunch, and 80% of caregivers reported total household income as ≥$70,000. Studies in real-time using technology over full days may better quantify plate waste among adolescents.

Characterizing Early Adolescent Plate Waste Using the Mobile Food Record

PubMed Central

Panizza, Chloe E.; Boushey, Carol J.; Delp, Edward J.; Kerr, Deborah A.; Lim, Eunjung; Gandhi, Krupa; Banna, Jinan C.

2017-01-01

This study aimed to assess the amount of plate waste and how plate waste was disposed by early adolescent girls using a mobile food record (mFR). Participants were girls nine to thirteen years residing in O’ahu, Hawai’i (n = 93). Foods selected and leftover were estimated using a three day mFR. Each leftover food was then classified as thrown into the trash, fed to a pet, eaten later, or other (e.g., composted). Repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted and Tukey’s post-hoc test were used to adjust for multiple comparisons between times (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack) on leftover food and leftover food thrown into the trash. The percentage of food leftover and thrown into the trash was highest at lunch. The percentage of protein, grain, vegetables, fruit, and dairy leftover at lunch were unexpectedly low compared to previous studies. The median for percentage of food thrown into the trash at lunch was <5% for all food groups, and was consistently low across the day (<10%). Average energy intake was 436 kcal (±216) at lunch, and 80% of caregivers reported total household income as ≥$70,000. Studies in real-time using technology over full days may better quantify plate waste among adolescents. PMID:28134757

Evidence of active dune sand on the Great Plains in the 19th century from accounts of early explorers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhs, D.R.; Holliday, V.T.

1995-01-01

Dune fields are found in several areas of the Great Plains, and though mostly stabilised today, the accounts of early explorers show that they were more mobile in the last century. Using an index of dune mobility and tree ring data, it is found that these periods of mobility were related to temperature-induced drought, the high temperatures increasing evapotranspiration. Explorers also record that rivers upwind of these dune fields had shallow braided channels in the 19th century, and these would have supplied further aeolian sand. It is concluded that these dunes are extremely susceptible to climate change and that it may not need global warming to increase their mobility again. -K.Clayton

Analysing human mobility patterns of hiking activities through complex network theory.

PubMed

Lera, Isaac; Pérez, Toni; Guerrero, Carlos; Eguíluz, Víctor M; Juiz, Carlos

2017-01-01

The exploitation of high volume of geolocalized data from social sport tracking applications of outdoor activities can be useful for natural resource planning and to understand the human mobility patterns during leisure activities. This geolocalized data represents the selection of hike activities according to subjective and objective factors such as personal goals, personal abilities, trail conditions or weather conditions. In our approach, human mobility patterns are analysed from trajectories which are generated by hikers. We propose the generation of the trail network identifying special points in the overlap of trajectories. Trail crossings and trailheads define our network and shape topological features. We analyse the trail network of Balearic Islands, as a case of study, using complex weighted network theory. The analysis is divided into the four seasons of the year to observe the impact of weather conditions on the network topology. The number of visited places does not decrease despite the large difference in the number of samples of the two seasons with larger and lower activity. It is in summer season where it is produced the most significant variation in the frequency and localization of activities from inland regions to coastal areas. Finally, we compare our model with other related studies where the network possesses a different purpose. One finding of our approach is the detection of regions with relevant importance where landscape interventions can be applied in function of the communities.

Analysing human mobility patterns of hiking activities through complex network theory

PubMed Central

Pérez, Toni; Guerrero, Carlos; Eguíluz, Víctor M.; Juiz, Carlos

2017-01-01

The exploitation of high volume of geolocalized data from social sport tracking applications of outdoor activities can be useful for natural resource planning and to understand the human mobility patterns during leisure activities. This geolocalized data represents the selection of hike activities according to subjective and objective factors such as personal goals, personal abilities, trail conditions or weather conditions. In our approach, human mobility patterns are analysed from trajectories which are generated by hikers. We propose the generation of the trail network identifying special points in the overlap of trajectories. Trail crossings and trailheads define our network and shape topological features. We analyse the trail network of Balearic Islands, as a case of study, using complex weighted network theory. The analysis is divided into the four seasons of the year to observe the impact of weather conditions on the network topology. The number of visited places does not decrease despite the large difference in the number of samples of the two seasons with larger and lower activity. It is in summer season where it is produced the most significant variation in the frequency and localization of activities from inland regions to coastal areas. Finally, we compare our model with other related studies where the network possesses a different purpose. One finding of our approach is the detection of regions with relevant importance where landscape interventions can be applied in function of the communities. PMID:28542280

Volume 4 - Mobile Sources

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Mobile source reference material for activity data collection from the Emissions Inventory Improvement Program (EIIP). Provides complete methods for collecting key inputs to onroad mobile and nonroad mobile emissions models.

Safety and Feasibility of a Neuroscience Critical Care Program to Mobilize Patients With Primary Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

PubMed

Bahouth, Mona N; Power, Melinda C; Zink, Elizabeth K; Kozeniewski, Kate; Kumble, Sowmya; Deluzio, Sandra; Urrutia, Victor C; Stevens, Robert D

2018-06-01

To measure the impact of a progressive mobility program on patients admitted to a neurocritical critical care unit (NCCU) with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The early mobilization of critically ill patients with spontaneous ICH is a challenge owing to the potential for neurologic deterioration and hemodynamic lability in the acute phase of injury. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit have been excluded from randomized trials of early mobilization after stroke. An interdisciplinary working group developed a formalized NCCU Mobility Algorithm that allocates patients to incremental passive or active mobilization pathways on the basis of level of consciousness and motor function. In a quasi-experimental consecutive group comparison, patients with ICH admitted to the NCCU were analyzed in two 6-month epochs, before and after rollout of the algorithm. Mobilization and safety endpoints were compared between epochs. NCCU in an urban, academic hospital. Adult patients admitted to the NCCU with primary intracerebral hemorrhage. Progressive mobilization after stroke using a formalized mobility algorithm. Time to first mobilization. The 2 groups of patients with ICH (pre-algorithm rolllout, n=28; post-algorithm rollout, n=29) were similar on baseline characteristics. Patients in the postintervention group were significantly more likely to undergo mobilization within the first 7 days after admission (odds ratio 8.7, 95% confidence interval 2.1, 36.6; P=.003). No neurologic deterioration, hypotension, falls, or line dislodgments were reported in association with mobilization. A nonsignificant difference in mortality was noted before and after rollout of the algorithm (4% vs 24%, respectively, P=.12). The implementation of a progressive mobility algorithm was safe and associated with a higher likelihood of mobilization in the first week after spontaneous ICH. Research is needed to investigate methods and the timing for the first mobilization in critically ill stroke

Technique, muscle activity and kinematic differences in young adults texting on mobile phones.

PubMed

Gustafsson, Ewa; Johnson, Peter W; Lindegård, Agneta; Hagberg, Mats

2011-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether there are differences in technique between young adults with and without musculoskeletal symptoms when using a mobile phone for texting and whether there are differences in muscle activity and kinematics between different texting techniques. A total of 56 young adults performed a standardised texting task on a mobile phone. Their texting techniques were registered using an observation protocol. The muscular activity in six muscles in the right forearm/hand and both shoulders were registered by surface electromyography and the thumb abduction/adduction and flexion/extension were registered using a biaxial electrogoniometer. Differences in texting techniques were found between the symptomatic and the asymptomatic group, with a higher proportion of sitting with back support and forearm support and with a neutral head position in the asymptomatic group. Differences in muscle activity and kinematics were also found between different texting techniques. The differences in texting technique between symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects cannot be explained by them having symptoms but may be a possible contribution to their symptoms. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: There has been a dramatically increased use of mobile phones for texting especially among young people during the last years. A better understanding of the physical exposure associated with the intensive use is important in order to prevent the development of musculoskeletal disorders and decreased work ability related to this use.

Self-monitoring Using Mobile Phones in the Early Stages of Adolescent Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Reid, Sophie Caroline; Crooke, Alexander Hew Dale; Khor, Angela; Hearps, Stephen John Charles; Jorm, Anthony Francis; Sanci, Lena; Patton, George

2012-01-01

Background The stepped-care approach, where people with early symptoms of depression are stepped up from low-intensity interventions to higher-level interventions as needed, has the potential to assist many people with mild depressive symptoms. Self-monitoring techniques assist people to understand their mental health symptoms by increasing their emotional self-awareness (ESA) and can be easily distributed on mobile phones at low cost. Increasing ESA is an important first step in psychotherapy and has the potential to intervene before mild depressive symptoms progress to major depressive disorder. In this secondary analysis we examined a mobile phone self-monitoring tool used by young people experiencing mild or more depressive symptoms to investigate the relationships between self-monitoring, ESA, and depression. Objectives We tested two main hypotheses: (1) people who monitored their mood, stress, and coping strategies would have increased ESA from pretest to 6-week follow-up compared with an attention comparison group, and (2) an increase in ESA would predict a decrease in depressive symptoms. Methods We recruited patients aged 14 to 24 years from rural and metropolitan general practices. Eligible participants were identified as having mild or more mental health concerns by their general practitioner. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (where mood, stress, and daily activities were monitored) or the attention comparison group (where only daily activities were monitored), and both groups self-monitored for 2 to 4 weeks. Randomization was carried out electronically via random seed generation, by an in-house computer programmer; therefore, general practitioners, participants, and researchers were blinded to group allocation at randomization. Participants completed pretest, posttest, and 6-week follow-up measures of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and the ESA Scale. We estimated a parallel process latent growth curve model (LGCM

Mobility of an elastic glove for extravehicular activity without prebreathing.

PubMed

Tanaka, Kunihiko; Ikeda, Mizuki; Mochizuki, Yosuke; Katafuchi, Tetsuro

2011-09-01

The current U.S. extravehicular activity (EVA) suit is pressurized at 0.29 atm, which is much lower than the pressures of sea level and inside a space station. Higher pressure can reduce the risk of decompression sickness (DCS), but mobility would be sacrificed. We have demonstrated that a glove and sleeve made of elastic material increased mobility when compared with those made of nonelastic material, such as that found in the current suit. We hypothesized that an elastic glove of 0.65 atm that has no risk of DCS also has greater mobility compared with a non-elastic glove of 0.29 atm. The right hands of 10 healthy volunteers were studied in a chamber with their bare hands at normal ambient pressure, after donning a non-elastic glove with a pressure differential of 0.29 atm, and after donning an elastic glove with a pressure differential of 0.29 and 0.65 atm. Range of motion (ROM) of the index finger and surface electromyography (EMG) amplitudes during finger flexion were measured. ROM with gloves was significantly smaller than that of bare hands, but was similar between conditions of gloves regardless of elasticity and pressure differentials. However, EMG amplitudes with the elastic glove of 0.29 and 0.65 atm were significantly smaller than those with the non-elastic glove of 0.29 atm. The results suggest that mobility of the elastic glove of 0.65 atm may be better than that of the non-elastic glove of 0.29 atm, similar to that used in the current EVA suit.

Activity and Ca2+ regulate the mobility of TRPV1 channels in the plasma membrane of sensory neurons

PubMed Central

Senning, Eric N; Gordon, Sharona E

2015-01-01

TRPV1 channels are gated by a variety of thermal, chemical, and mechanical stimuli. We used optical recording of Ca2+ influx through TRPV1 to measure activity and mobility of single TRPV1 molecules in isolated dorsal root ganglion neurons and cell lines. The opening of single TRPV1 channels produced sparklets, representing localized regions of elevated Ca2+. Unlike sparklets reported for L-type Ca2+ channels, TRPV4 channels, and AchR channels, TRPV1 channels diffused laterally in the plasma membrane as they gated. Mobility was highly variable from channel-to-channel and, to a smaller extent, from cell to cell. Most surprisingly, we found that mobility decreased upon channel activation by capsaicin, but only in the presence of extracellular Ca2+. We propose that decreased mobility of open TRPV1 could act as a diffusion trap to concentrate channels in cell regions with high activity. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03819.001 PMID:25569155

Physical Activity and Falls in Older Men: The Critical Role of Mobility Limitations

PubMed Central

JEFFERIS, BARBARA J.; MEROM, DAFNA; SARTINI, CLAUDIO; WANNAMETHEE, S. GOYA; ASH, SARAH; LENNON, LUCY T.; ILIFFE, STEVE; KENDRICK, DENISE; WHINCUP, PETER H.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Background Physical activity (PA) has many health benefits but may increase falls risk among older adults. We study how objectively measured habitual daily PA is related to falls by exploring the modifying effect of mobility limitations and the mediating roles of fitness and lower-limb strength. Methods One thousand six hundred fifty-five (53%) of 3137 surviving participants (men age 71–91 yr) in an ongoing UK-population-based cohort study wore an ActiGraph GT3x accelerometer over the hip for 1 wk in 2010–2012 to measure PA (exposure) and reported demographic and health status, including mobility limitations. One year later, 825 men reported falls history (outcome). Results Seven hundred of 825 men had ≥600 min·d−1 of accelerometer wear for ≥3 d. Nineteen percent (n = 128) reported falls 1 yr later. Associations between PA and falls differed by presence of mobility limitations. Among 66% (n = 471) of men without mobility limitations, number of falls increased incrementally (for every 30 min of moderate to vigorous PA [MVPA]: incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10–2.03, adjusted for falls risk factors). Step count was not related to number of falls below 9000 steps per day but was related to number of falls ≥9000 steps per day (for every additional 1000 steps per day: IRR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.16–2.18). Among 33% (n = 229) of men with mobility limitations, falls risk declined with increasing activity (for every 1000 steps per day: IRR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.70–0.91; for every 30 min of MVPA: IRR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.42–0.89; for every additional 30 min of sedentary behavior ≥600 min·d−1: IRR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.07–1.40). Conclusions Interventions to promote MVPA in older men should incorporate falls prevention strategies. Among adults with mobility limitations, trials should investigate whether increasing MVPA levels can reduce falls risk. PMID:25668406

Modeling neck mobility in fossil turtles.

PubMed

Werneburg, Ingmar; Hinz, Juliane K; Gumpenberger, Michaela; Volpato, Virginie; Natchev, Nikolay; Joyce, Walter G

2015-05-01

Turtles have the unparalleled ability to retract their heads and necks within their shell but little is known about the evolution of this trait. Extensive analysis of neck mobility in turtles using radiographs, CT scans, and morphometry reveals that basal turtles possessed less mobility in the neck relative to their extant relatives, although the anatomical prerequisites for modern mobility were already established. Many extant turtles are able to achieve hypermobility by dislocating the central articulations, which raises cautions about reconstructing the mobility of fossil vertebrates. A 3D-model of the Late Triassic turtle Proganochelys quenstedti reveals that this early stem turtle was able to retract its head by tucking it sideways below the shell. The simple ventrolateral bend seen in this stem turtle, however, contrasts with the complex double-bend of extant turtles. The initial evolution of neck retraction therefore occurred in a near-synchrony with the origin of the turtle shell as a place to hide the unprotected neck. In this early, simplified retraction mode, the conical osteoderms on the neck provided further protection. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Multiple behavior changes in diet and activity: a randomized controlled trial using mobile technology.

PubMed

Spring, Bonnie; Schneider, Kristin; McFadden, H Gene; Vaughn, Jocelyn; Kozak, Andrea T; Smith, Malaina; Moller, Arlen C; Epstein, Leonard H; Demott, Andrew; Hedeker, Donald; Siddique, Juned; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M

2012-05-28

Many patients exhibit multiple chronic disease risk behaviors. Research provides little information about advice that can maximize simultaneous health behavior changes. To test which combination of diet and activity advice maximizes healthy change, we randomized 204 adults with elevated saturated fat and low fruit and vegetable intake, high sedentary leisure time, and low physical activity to 1 of 4 treatments: increase fruit/vegetable intake and physical activity, decrease fat and sedentary leisure, decrease fat and increase physical activity, and increase fruit/vegetable intake and decrease sedentary leisure. Treatments provided 3 weeks of remote coaching supported by mobile decision support technology and financial incentives. During treatment, incentives were contingent on using the mobile device to self-monitor and attain behavioral targets; during follow-up, incentives were contingent only on recording. The outcome was standardized, composite improvement on the 4 diet and activity behaviors at the end of treatment and at 5-month follow-up. Of the 204 individuals randomized, 200 (98.0%) completed follow-up. The increase fruits/vegetables and decrease sedentary leisure treatments improved more than the other 3 treatments (P < .001). Specifically, daily fruit/vegetable intake increased from 1.2 servings to 5.5 servings, sedentary leisure decreased from 219.2 minutes to 89.3 minutes, and saturated fat decreased from 12.0% to 9.5% of calories consumed. Differences between treatment groups were maintained through follow-up. Traditional dieting (decrease fat and increase physical activity) improved less than the other 3 treatments (P < .001). Remote coaching supported by mobile technology and financial incentives holds promise to improve diet and activity. Targeting fruits/vegetables and sedentary leisure together maximizes overall adoption and maintenance of multiple healthy behavior changes.

Multiple Behavior Change in Diet and Activity: A Randomized Controlled Trial Using Mobile Technology

PubMed Central

Spring, Bonnie; Schneider, Kristin; McFadden, H.G.; Vaughn, Jocelyn; Kozak, Andrea T.; Smith, Malaina; Moller, Arlen C.; Epstein, Leonard H.; DeMott, Andrew; Hedeker, Donald; Siddique, Juned; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M.

2012-01-01

Background Many patients exhibit multiple chronic disease risk behaviors. Research provides little information about advice that can maximize simultaneous health behavior changes. Methods To test which combination of diet and activity advice maximizes healthy change, we randomized 204 adults with elevated saturated fat and low fruit/vegetable intakes, high sedentary leisure time and low physical activity to one of four treatments: increase fruit/vegetable and physical activity; decrease fat and sedentary leisure; decrease fat and increase physical activity; increase fruit/vegetable and decrease sedentary leisure. Treatments provided three weeks of remote coaching supported by mobile decision support technology and financial incentives. During treatment, incentives were contingent on using the mobile device to self-monitor and attain behavioral targets; during follow-up they were contingent only on recording. The outcome was standardized, composite improvement on the four diet and activity behaviors at end of treatment and five month follow-up. Results Of those randomized, 200 (98%) completed follow-up. The increase fruit/vegetable and decrease sedentary leisure treatment improved more than the other 3 treatments (p<.001). Specifically, fruit/vegetables increased from 1.2 servings/day to 5.5; sedentary leisure decreased from 219.2 minutes/day to 89.3; saturated fat decreased from 12.0% of calories consumed to 9.5%. Differences between treatment groups were maintained through follow-up. Traditional dieting (decrease fat and increase physical activity) improved less than the other 3 treatments (p<.001). Conclusions Remote coaching supported by mobile technology and financial incentives holds promise to improve diet and activity. Targeting fruits/vegetables and sedentary leisure together maximizes overall adoption and maintenance of multiple healthy behavior changes. PMID:22636824

Modified ride-on toy cars for early power mobility: a technical report.

PubMed

Huang, Hsiang-Han; Galloway, James C

2012-01-01

Children with significantly decreased mobility have limited opportunities to explore their physical and social environment. A variety of assistive technologies are available to increase mobility; however, no single device provides the level of functional mobility that children developing typically enjoy. The purpose of this technical report is to formally introduce a new power mobility option--the modified ride-on toy car. This report will provide (a) an overview of toy car features, (b) examples of basic electrical and mechanical modifications, and (c) a brief clinical case. With creative use and customized modifications, toy cars can function as a "general learning environment" for use in the clinic, home, and school. As such, we anticipate that these cars will become a multiuse clinical tool to address not only mobility goals but also goals involving body function and structure such as posture and movement impairments.

Construct validity and inter-rater reliability of the Dutch activity measure for post-acute care "6-clicks" basic mobility form to assess the mobility of hospitalized patients.

PubMed

Geelen, Sven Jacobus Gertruda; Valkenet, Karin; Veenhof, Cindy

2018-05-12

To evaluate the construct validity and the inter-rater reliability of the Dutch Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care "6-clicks" Basic Mobility short form measuring the patient's mobility in Dutch hospital care. First, the "6-clicks" was translated by using a forward-backward translation protocol. Next, 64 patients were assessed by the physiotherapist to determine the validity while being admitted to the Internal Medicine wards of a university medical center. Six hypotheses were tested regarding the construct "mobility" which showed that: Better "6-clicks" scores were related to less restrictive pre-admission living situations (p = 0.011), less restrictive discharge locations (p = 0.001), more independence in activities of daily living (p = 0.001) and less physiotherapy visits (p < 0.001). A correlation was found between the "6-clicks" and length of stay (r= -0.408, p = 0.001), but not between the "6-clicks" and age (r= -0.180, p = 0.528). To determine the inter-rater reliability, an additional 50 patients were assessed by pairs of physiotherapists who independently scored the patients. Intraclass Correlation Coefficients of 0.920 (95%CI: 0.828-0.964) were found. The Kappa Coefficients for the individual items ranged from 0.649 (walking stairs) to 0.841 (sit-to-stand). The Dutch "6-clicks" shows a good construct validity and moderate-to-excellent inter-rater reliability when used to assess the mobility of hospitalized patients. Implications for Rehabilitation Even though various measurement tools have been developed, it appears the majority of physiotherapists working in a hospital currently do not use these tools as a standard part of their care. The Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care "6-clicks" Basic Mobility is the only tool which is designed to be short, easy to use within usual care and has been validated in the entire hospital population. This study shows that the Dutch version of the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care "6-clicks

An active K/Ka-band antenna array for the NASA ACTS mobile terminal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tulintseff, A.; Crist, R.; Densmore, Art; Sukamto, L.

1993-01-01

An active K/Ka-band antenna array is currently under development for NASA's ACTS Mobile Terminal (AMT). The AMT task will demonstrate voice, data, and video communications to and from the AMT vehicle in Los Angeles, California, and a base station in Cleveland, Ohio, via the ACTS satellite at 30 and 20 GHz. Satellite tracking for the land-mobile vehicular antenna system involves 'mechanical dithering' of the antenna, where the antenna radiates a fixed beam 46 deg. above the horizon. The antenna is to transmit horizontal polarization and receive vertical polarization at 29.634 plus or minus 0.15 GHz and 19.914 plus or minus 0.15 GHz, respectively. The active array will provide a minimum of 22 dBW EIRP transmit power density and a -8 dB/K deg. receive sensitivity.

Feasibility of Focused Stepping Practice During Inpatient Rehabilitation Poststroke and Potential Contributions to Mobility Outcomes.

PubMed

Hornby, T George; Holleran, Carey L; Leddy, Abigail L; Hennessy, Patrick; Leech, Kristan A; Connolly, Mark; Moore, Jennifer L; Straube, Donald; Lovell, Linda; Roth, Elliot

2015-01-01

Optimal physical therapy strategies to maximize locomotor function in patients early poststroke are not well established. Emerging data indicate that substantial amounts of task-specific stepping practice may improve locomotor function, although stepping practice provided during inpatient rehabilitation is limited (<300 steps/session). The purpose of this investigation was to determine the feasibility of providing focused stepping training to patients early poststroke and its potential association with walking and other mobility outcomes. Daily stepping was recorded on 201 patients <6 months poststroke (80% < 1 month) during inpatient rehabilitation following implementation of a focused training program to maximize stepping practice during clinical physical therapy sessions. Primary outcomes included distance and physical assistance required during a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and balance using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Retrospective data analysis included multiple regression techniques to evaluate the contributions of demographics, training activities, and baseline motor function to primary outcomes at discharge. Median stepping activity recorded from patients was 1516 steps/d, which is 5 to 6 times greater than that typically observed. The number of steps per day was positively correlated with both discharge 6MWT and BBS and improvements from baseline (changes; r = 0.40-0.87), independently contributing 10% to 31% of the total variance. Stepping activity also predicted level of assistance at discharge and discharge location (home vs other facility). Providing focused, repeated stepping training was feasible early poststroke during inpatient rehabilitation and was related to mobility outcomes. Further research is required to evaluate the effectiveness of these training strategies on short- or long-term mobility outcomes as compared with conventional interventions. © The Author(s) 2015.

Background and Employability of Mobile vs. Non-Mobile Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiers-Jenssen, Jannecke

2011-01-01

In this paper, a comparison is made of the background and the early career of graduates with higher education from abroad to graduates with all domestic degrees, based on a survey among Norwegian graduates. Results show that those who have studied abroad constitute a selected group regarding social origin and mobility capital (exposure to…

Advanced Networks in Motion Mobile Sensorweb

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ivancic, William D.; Stewart, David H.

2011-01-01

Advanced mobile networking technology applicable to mobile sensor platforms was developed, deployed and demonstrated. A two-tier sensorweb design was developed. The first tier utilized mobile network technology to provide mobility. The second tier, which sits above the first tier, utilizes 6LowPAN (Internet Protocol version 6 Low Power Wireless Personal Area Networks) sensors. The entire network was IPv6 enabled. Successful mobile sensorweb system field tests took place in late August and early September of 2009. The entire network utilized IPv6 and was monitored and controlled using a remote Web browser via IPv6 technology. This paper describes the mobile networking and 6LowPAN sensorweb design, implementation, deployment and testing as well as wireless systems and network monitoring software developed to support testing and validation.

Commercializing light-duty plug-in/plug-out hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicles: "Mobile electricity" technologies, early California household markets, and innovation management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Brett David

Starting from the premise that new consumer value must drive hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle (H2FCV) commercialization, a group of opportunities collectively called "Mobile Electricity" (Me-) is characterized. Me- redefines H2 FCVs as innovative products able to provide home recharging and mobile power, for example for tools, mobile activities, emergencies, and electric-grid-support services. To characterize such opportunities, this study first integrates and extends previous analyses of H2FCVs, plug-in hybrids, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) power. It uses a new model to estimate zero-emission-power vs. zero-emission-driving tradeoffs, costs, and grid-support revenues for various electric-drive vehicle types and levels of infrastructure service. Next, the initial market potential for Me- enabled vehicles, such as H2FCVs and plug-in hybrids, is estimated by eliminating unlikely households from consideration for early adoption. 5.2 million of 33.9 million Californians in the 2000 Census live in households pre-adapted to Me-, 3.9 million if natural gas is required for home refueling. The possible sales base represented by this population is discussed. Several differences in demographic and other characteristics between the target market and the population as a whole are highlighted, and two issues related to the design of H2FCVs and their supporting infrastructure are discussed: vehicle range and home hydrogen refueling. These findings argue for continued investigation of this and similar target segments-which represent more efficient research populations for subsequent study by product designers and other decision-makers wishing to understand the early market dynamics facing Me- innovations. Next, Me-H2FCV commercialization issues are raised from the perspectives of innovation, product development, and strategic marketing. Starting with today's internalcombustion hybrids, this discussion suggests a way to move beyond the battery vs. fuel-cell zero-sum game and towards the

Premature remodeling of fat body and fat mobilization triggered by platelet-derived growth factor/VEGF receptor in Drosophila.

PubMed

Zheng, Huimei; Wang, Xuexiang; Guo, Pengfei; Ge, Wanzhong; Yan, Qinfeng; Gao, Weiqiang; Xi, Yongmei; Yang, Xiaohang

2017-05-01

In Drosophila, fat-body remodeling accompanied with fat mobilization is an ecdysone-induced dynamic process that only occurs during metamorphosis. Here, we show that the activated Drosophila platelet-derived growth factor/VEGF receptor (PVR) is sufficient to induce shape changes in the fat body, from thin layers of tightly conjugated polygonal cells to clusters of disaggregated round-shaped cells. These morphologic changes are reminiscent of those seen during early pupation upon initiation of fat-body remodeling. Activation of PVR also triggers an early onset of lipolysis and mobilization of internal storage, as revealed by the appearance of small lipid droplets and up-regulated lipolysis-related genes. We found that PVR displays a dynamic expression pattern in the fat body and peaks at the larval-prepupal transition under the control of ecdysone signaling. Removal of PVR, although it does not prevent ecdysone-induced fat-body remodeling, causes ecdysone signaling to be up-regulated. Our data reveal that PVR is active in a dual-secured mechanism that involves an ecdysone-induced fat-body remodeling pathway and a reinforced PVR pathway for effective lipid mobilization. Ectopic expression of activated c-kit-the mouse homolog of PVR in the Drosophila fat body-also results in a similar phenotype. This may suggest a novel function of c-kit as it relates to lipid metabolism in mammals.-Zheng, H., Wang, X., Guo, P., Ge, W., Yan, Q., Gao, W., Xi, Y., Yang, X. Premature remodeling of fat body and fat mobilization triggered by platelet-derived growth factor/VEGF receptor in Drosophila . © FASEB.

Digital natives come of age: the reality of today's early career teachers using mobile devices to teach mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlando, Joanne; Attard, Catherine

2016-03-01

Digital natives are now of age and comprise the new generation of early career teachers (ECTs). This is an important change in teacher demographics given that new technologies have been introduced into classrooms with expectations that teachers embed them effectively into the teaching of mathematics. This paper draws on the data of three separate studies and reanalyses it to explore how a small group of four early career primary school teachers use information and communication technologies (ICT) in their teaching of mathematics. Two of the ECTs were observed using interactive whiteboards in their mathematics teaching, and two were observed predominantly using tablets. Two important variables developed from the research presented in this paper suggest that ECT's uses of technology to teach mathematics may not be without complications. First, the teachers appeared to experience "device conflict", in that the type of device and its particular affordances and limitations were the primary factors that influenced their mathematics. This was particularly evident in the uses of fixed and mobile devices. The interactive whiteboard (IWB) did not pose pedagogical challenges to the ECTs as their stable location facilitated the opportunity to still use these devices in traditional teaching ways. However, tablets did pose a problem because of their mobility and the need to reconfigure the organisation and to some extent the roles of teacher and student. The second finding was that the teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching appeared to be directly related to the ways they used their technology.

Use MACES IVA Suit for EVA Mobility Evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Richard D.

2014-01-01

The use of an Intra-Vehicular Activity (IVA) suit for a spacewalk or Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) was evaluated for mobility and usability in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) environment. The Space Shuttle Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES) has been modified (MACES) to integrate with the Orion spacecraft. The first several missions of the Orion MPCV spacecraft will not have mass available to carry an EVA specific suit so any EVA required will have to be performed by the MACES. Since the MACES was not designed with EVA in mind, it was unknown what mobility the suit would be able to provide for an EVA or if a person could perform useful tasks for an extended time inside the pressurized suit. The suit was evaluated in multiple NBL runs by a variety of subjects including crewmembers with significant EVA experience. Various functional mobility tasks performed included: translation, body positioning, carrying tools, body stabilization, equipment handling, and use of tools. Hardware configurations included with and without TMG, suit with IVA gloves and suit with EVA gloves. Most tasks were completed on ISS mockups with existing EVA tools. Some limited tasks were completed with prototype tools on a simulated rocky surface. Major findings include: demonstration of the ability to weigh-out the suit, understanding the need to have subjects perform multiple runs prior to getting feedback, determination of critical sizing factors, and need for adjustment of suit work envelop. The early testing has demonstrated the feasibility of EVA's limited duration and limited scope. Further testing is required with more flight like tasking and constraints to validate these early results. If the suit is used for EVA, it will require mission specific modifications for umbilical management or PLSS integration, safety tether attachment, and tool interfaces. These evaluations are continuing through calendar year 2014.

Multi-carrier mobile TDMA system with active array antenna

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suzuki, Ryutaro; Matsumoto, Yasushi; Hamamoto, Naokazu

1990-01-01

A multi-carrier time division multiple access (TDMA) is proposed for the future mobile satellite communications systems that include a multi-satellite system. This TDMA system employs the active array antenna in which the digital beam forming technique is adopted to control the antenna beam direction. The antenna beam forming is carried out at the base band frequency by using the digital signal processing technique. The time division duplex technique is applied for the TDM/TDMA burst format, in order not to overlap transmit and receive timing.

Domestic mobile satellite systems in North America

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wachira, Muya

1990-01-01

Telest Mobile Inc. (TMI) and the American Mobile Satellite Corporation (AMSC) are authorized to provide mobile satellite services (MSS) in Canada and the United States respectively. They are developing compatible systems and are undertaking joint specification and procurement of spacecraft and ground segment with the aim of operational systems by late 1993. Early entry (phase 1) mobile data services are offered in 1990 using space segment capacity leased from Inmarsat. Here, an overview is given of these domestic MSS with an emphasis on the TMI component of the MSAT systen.

Effect of structured physical activity on respiratory outcomes in sedentary elderly adults with mobility limitations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of structured physical activity on respiratory outcomes in community dwelling elderly adults with mobility limitations. DESIGN: Multicenter, randomized trial of physical activity vs health education, with respiratory variables prespecified as tertiary outcomes over...

Modified Ride-on Toy Cars for Early Power Mobility: A Technical Report

PubMed Central

Huang, Hsiang-han; Galloway, James C

2012-01-01

Background and Purpose Children with significantly decreased mobility have limited opportunities to explore their physical and social environment. A variety of assistive technologies are available to increase mobility, however no single device provides the level of functional mobility that typically developing children enjoy. The purpose of this technical report is to formally introduce a new power mobility option - the modified ride-on toy car. Key Points This report will provide a) an overview of toy car features, b) examples of basic electrical and mechanical modifications and c) a brief clinical case. Clinical Implications With creative use and customized modifications, toy cars function as a “general learning environment” for use in the clinic, home and school. As such, we anticipate that these cars will become a multi-use clinical tool to address not only mobility goals but also goals involving body function and structure such as posture and movement impairments. PMID:22466382

InterACTIVE Interpreted Interviews (I3): A multi-lingual, mobile method to examine the neighbourhood environment with older adults.

PubMed

Tong, Catherine; Sims-Gould, Joanie; McKay, Heather

2016-11-01

The global population is aging and older adults overwhelmingly wish to age in place. A positive neighbourhood context is crucial for the wellbeing of older adults. The ability to age in place is predicated on mobility; mobility is the capacity to move oneself around the home and community using a variety of modes. Segments of the population have been entirely overlooked within the mobility and built environment literature; we know surprisingly little about foreign-born older adults (FBOAs). We sought to understand the impact of the neighbourhood environment on the mobility and physical activity of FBOAs. To do so we endeavoured to develop an interview tool that would allow us to interact with the environment alongside, or through the eyes of, our participants. This article outlines lessons learned following design and implementation of an interview approach that we conducted with FBOAs -- "InterACTIVE Interpreted Interviews (I 3 )". We used the interACTIVE interview approach in a large mixed-method study on FBOA mobility in Vancouver, Canada. All aspects of the study were offered in Hindi, Punjabi, Cantonese, Mandarin and English, with the aid of professional interpreters. Twenty FBOAs completed in-depth qualitative interviews. Of these, thirteen completed the mobile, interACTIVE interview. The interACTIVE interview consisted of a neighbourhood walk, guided by the participant. Our approach integrated elements of participant observation, researcher participation, and unstructured interviewing to enrich discussions with participants. The interACTIVE approach deepened our understanding of neighbourhood context and allowed researchers and participants to overcome issues inherent in language interpretation. We were able to overcome concerns of privacy, safety and comfort to successfully implement this observational tool and recommend it as an attractive, alternative approach for those conducting studies with FBOAs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of structured physical activity on prevention of major mobility disability in older adults: the LIFE study randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Pahor, Marco; Guralnik, Jack M; Ambrosius, Walter T; Blair, Steven; Bonds, Denise E; Church, Timothy S; Espeland, Mark A; Fielding, Roger A; Gill, Thomas M; Groessl, Erik J; King, Abby C; Kritchevsky, Stephen B; Manini, Todd M; McDermott, Mary M; Miller, Michael E; Newman, Anne B; Rejeski, W Jack; Sink, Kaycee M; Williamson, Jeff D

2014-06-18

In older adults reduced mobility is common and is an independent risk factor for morbidity, hospitalization, disability, and mortality. Limited evidence suggests that physical activity may help prevent mobility disability; however, there are no definitive clinical trials examining whether physical activity prevents or delays mobility disability. To test the hypothesis that a long-term structured physical activity program is more effective than a health education program (also referred to as a successful aging program) in reducing the risk of major mobility disability. The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) study was a multicenter, randomized trial that enrolled participants between February 2010 and December 2011, who participated for an average of 2.6 years. Follow-up ended in December 2013. Outcome assessors were blinded to the intervention assignment. Participants were recruited from urban, suburban, and rural communities at 8 centers throughout the United States. We randomized a volunteer sample of 1635 sedentary men and women aged 70 to 89 years who had physical limitations, defined as a score on the Short Physical Performance Battery of 9 or below, but were able to walk 400 m. Participants were randomized to a structured, moderate-intensity physical activity program (n = 818) conducted in a center (twice/wk) and at home (3-4 times/wk) that included aerobic, resistance, and flexibility training activities or to a health education program (n = 817) consisting of workshops on topics relevant to older adults and upper extremity stretching exercises. The primary outcome was major mobility disability objectively defined by loss of ability to walk 400 m. Incident major mobility disability occurred in 30.1% (246 participants) of the physical activity group and 35.5% (290 participants) of the health education group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.82 [95% CI, 0.69-0.98], P = .03).Persistent mobility disability was experienced by 120

Early development of synchrony in cortical activations in the human.

PubMed

Koolen, N; Dereymaeker, A; Räsänen, O; Jansen, K; Vervisch, J; Matic, V; Naulaers, G; De Vos, M; Van Huffel, S; Vanhatalo, S

2016-05-13

Early intermittent cortical activity is thought to play a crucial role in the growth of neuronal network development, and large scale brain networks are known to provide the basis for higher brain functions. Yet, the early development of the large scale synchrony in cortical activations is unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the early intermittent cortical activations seen in the human scalp EEG show a clear developmental course during the last trimester of pregnancy, the period of intensive growth of cortico-cortical connections. We recorded scalp EEG from altogether 22 premature infants at post-menstrual age between 30 and 44 weeks, and the early cortical synchrony was quantified using recently introduced activation synchrony index (ASI). The developmental correlations of ASI were computed for individual EEG signals as well as anatomically and mathematically defined spatial subgroups. We report two main findings. First, we observed a robust and statistically significant increase in ASI in all cortical areas. Second, there were significant spatial gradients in the synchrony in fronto-occipital and left-to-right directions. These findings provide evidence that early cortical activity is increasingly synchronized across the neocortex. The ASI-based metrics introduced in our work allow direct translational comparison to in vivo animal models, as well as hold promise for implementation as a functional developmental biomarker in future research on human neonates. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Promoting Daily Physical Activity by Means of Mobile Gaming: A Review of the State of the Art.

PubMed

Tabak, Monique; Dekker-van Weering, Marit; van Dijk, Hylke; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam

2015-12-01

To review mobile games and gaming applications that claim to improve physical activity behavior in daily life. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and the ACM Digital Library and performed a manual search of relevant journals and reference lists. Studies that reported on a mobile game that requires players to perform physical activity in daily life and where the game has specific goals, rules, and feedback mechanisms were included. This excludes non-mobile exergames. Theoretical foundations, game characteristics, and evaluation methodologies were assessed. In total, 797 articles were identified through the search, of which 11 articles were included. The reviewed studies show that there is limited theoretical foundation for the game development, and most studies used goal setting as a motivation strategy to engage people in playing the game. There was a large variety in game characteristics found, although the majority of the studies used metaphors or avatars to visualize activity, whereas feedback was mostly provided in relation to the goal. Rewards and competition were the most commonly incorporated game elements. The evaluations were focused on feasibility, and clinical evidence is lacking with only two randomized controlled studies found. This review provides a first overview of mobile gaming applications to promote daily life physical activity and shows this as a new research area with demonstration of its acceptability and feasibility among the users. Clinical effectiveness and the added value of gaming in changing daily activity behavior have by far not yet been established.

Device-Measured Physical Activity As a Predictor of Disability in Mobility-Limited Older Adults.

PubMed

Mankowski, Robert T; Anton, Stephen D; Axtell, Robert; Chen, Shyh-Huei; Fielding, Roger A; Glynn, Nancy W; Hsu, Fang-Chi; King, Abby C; Layne, Andrew S; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan; Manini, Todd M; Marsh, Anthony P; Pahor, Marco; Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Conroy, David E; Buford, Thomas W

2017-10-01

To examine associations between objectively measured physical activity (PA) and incidence of major mobility disability (MMD) and persistent MMD (PMMD) in older adults in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) Study. Prospective cohort of individuals aged 65 and older undergoing structured PA intervention or health education. The LIFE Study was a multicenter (eight sites) randomized controlled trial designed to compare the efficacy of a long-term structured PA intervention with that of a health education (HE) program in reducing the incidence of MMD in mobility-limited older adults. LIFE Study participants (n = 1,590) had a mean age±standard deviation of 78.9 ± 5.2, low levels of PA, and measured mobility-relevant functional impairment at baseline. Activity data were collected using hip-worn 7-day accelerometers at baseline and 6, 12, and 24 months after randomization to test for associations with incident MMD and PMMD (≥2 consecutive instances of MMD). At baseline, every 30 minutes spent being sedentary (<100 accelerometry counts per minute) was associated with higher rate of subsequent MMD (10%) and PMMD (11%) events. Every 500 steps taken was associated with lower rate of MMD (15%) and PMMD (18%). Similar associations were observed when fitting accelerometry-based PA as a time-dependent variable. Accelerometry-based PA levels were strongly associated with MMD and PMMD events in older adults with limited mobility. These results support the importance of daily PA and lower amounts of sedentary time levels in this population and suggest that accelerometry may be a useful tool for assessing risk of mobility disability. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

Integrated Solution for Physical Activity Monitoring Based on Mobile Phone and PC.

PubMed

Lee, Mi Hee; Kim, Jungchae; Jee, Sun Ha; Yoo, Sun Kook

2011-03-01

This study is part of the ongoing development of treatment methods for metabolic syndrome (MS) project, which involves monitoring daily physical activity. In this study, we have focused on detecting walking activity from subjects which includes many other physical activities such as standing, sitting, lying, walking, running, and falling. Specially, we implemented an integrated solution for various physical activities monitoring using a mobile phone and PC. We put the iPod touch has built in a tri-axial accelerometer on the waist of the subjects, and measured change in acceleration signal according to change in ambulatory movement and physical activities. First, we developed of programs that are aware of step counts, velocity of walking, energy consumptions, and metabolic equivalents based on iPod. Second, we have developed the activity recognition program based on PC. iPod synchronization with PC to transmit measured data using iPhoneBrowser program. Using the implemented system, we analyzed change in acceleration signal according to the change of six activity patterns. We compared results of the step counting algorithm with different positions. The mean accuracy across these tests was 99.6 ± 0.61%, 99.1 ± 0.87% (right waist location, right pants pocket). Moreover, six activities recognition was performed using Fuzzy c means classification algorithm recognized over 98% accuracy. In addition we developed of programs that synchronization of data between PC and iPod for long-term physical activity monitoring. This study will provide evidence on using mobile phone and PC for monitoring various activities in everyday life. The next step in our system will be addition of a standard value of various physical activities in everyday life such as household duties and a health guideline how to select and plan exercise considering one's physical characteristics and condition.

Does small-bodied salmon spawning activity enhance streambed mobility?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Marwan A.; Tonina, Daniele; Buxton, Todd H.

2015-09-01

Female salmonids bury and lay their eggs in streambeds by digging a pit, which is then covered with sediment from a second pit that is dug immediately upstream. The spawning process alters streambed topography, winnows fine sediment, and mixes sediment in the active layer. The resulting egg nests (redds) contain coarser and looser sediments than those of unspawned streambed areas, and display a dune-like shape with an amplitude and length that vary with fish size, substrate conditions, and flow conditions. Redds increase local bed surface roughness (<10-1 channel width, W), but may reduce the size of macro bedforms by eroding reach-scale topography (100-101W). Research has suggested that spawning may increase flow resistance due to redd form drag, resulting in lower grain shear stress and less particle mobility. Spawning, also prevents streambed armoring by mixing surface and subsurface material, potentially increasing particle mobility. Here we use two-dimensional hydraulic modeling with detailed prespawning and postspawning bathymetries and field observations to test the effect of spawning by small-bodied salmonids on sediment transport. Our results show that topographical roughness from small salmon redds has negligible effects on shear stress at the reach-unit scale, and limited effects at the local scale. Conversely, results indicate sediment mixing reduces armoring and enhances sediment mobility, which increases potential bed load transport by subsequent floods. River restoration in fish-bearing streams should take into consideration the effects of redd excavation on channel stability. This is particularly important for streams that historically supported salmonids and are the focus of habitat restoration actions.

[Influence of early kinesitherapy on rehabilitation postoperative recovery in case of low extremity operations].

PubMed

Tanović, Edina

2009-01-01

Arteriosclerosis is a disease effecting large elastic, elastic muscular and large muscular arteries. The primary pathological changes are found inside the arteries. Salient feature is atherosclerotic plaque. The main purpose of this paper is to determine whether early kinesitherapy with verticalization and mobilization can give better rehabilitation results with patients after lower extremities operation, in comparison to patients which were not mobilized early in this stage. In this paper we have analyzed two groups of 40 patients that were operatively treated for circulation obstruction to lower extremities. The first, tested group was treated with early kinesiotherapy with early verticalization and mobilization. The second, controlled group was treated with kinesitherapy in bed. All the patients were analyzed according to their gender, age, primary diagnosis, postoperative complications, as well as capabilities for everyday activities. For the evaluation of the everyday life activities we used the Barthel index at hospital admission and discharge. Both groups of patients were equable in gender and age. The most common age group within the tested groups was between 61-70 for males and 51-60 for woman.The most common type of obstruction in both groups was occlusion of femoral artery. The complications which occurred among the tested patients were thrombosis, ileus and contracture in 7.5% of cases, while 85% of patients did not have any complications. Within the controlled group, decubitus occurred in 7.5% of cases, as well as gangrene and ileus. Ulcus occurred in 5% of patients, thrombosis in 10%, and contracture in 4% of cases. 40% of patients in this group were without complications. Based on the results stated above we can conclude that early kinesitherapy with verticalization and mobilization of patients in postoperative phase after the treatment of lower extremities obstruction, have shown much better results in comparison to the patients which were only

Interworking evolution of mobile satellite and terrestrial networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matyas, R.; Kelleher, P.; Moller, P.; Jones, T.

1993-01-01

There is considerable interest among mobile satellite service providers in interworking with terrestrial networks to provide a universal global network. With such interworking, subscribers may be provided a common set of services such as those planned for the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and future Intelligent Networks (IN's). This paper first reviews issues in satellite interworking. Next the status and interworking plans of terrestrial mobile communications service providers are examined with early examples of mobile satellite interworking including a discussion of the anticipated evolution towards full interworking between mobile satellite and both fixed and mobile terrestrial networks.

Factors related to performance-based mobility and self-reported physical activity in individuals 1-3 years after stroke: a cross-sectional cohort study.

PubMed

Vahlberg, Birgit; Cederholm, Tommy; Lindmark, Birgitta; Zetterberg, Lena; Hellström, Karin

2013-11-01

Low mobility and low level of physical activity is common after stroke. The objective of this study was to relate these outcomes to physical, psychological, and demographic determinants. In this cross-sectional cohort study, a consecutive sample of 195 community-living individuals, 65-85 years of age (74±5 years, 71% men) with a previous stroke was included. Exclusion criteria were severe aphasia and severe cognitive dysfunction. Mobility status was measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB, 0-12 points), and physical activity was measured using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE). Mobility (SPPB, median 9 points) and level of physical activity were low (mean PASE 97±66 points), and walking speed was slow (1.10±.86 m/s), in relation to a healthy population-based sample. In multiple regression analyses, age (P=.001), physical activity (P<.001), fall-related self-efficacy (P=.001), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (P=.02) were associated with mobility (SPPB). Mobility (P<.001), HRQoL (P=.014), and fall-related self-efficacy (P=.031) were likewise associated with self-reported physical activity as the dependent variable. The regression models described 42% and 31% of the variance in mobility and physical activity, respectively. Individuals perceived disabilities that are partly potentially modifiable 1-3 years after stroke. Future poststroke rehabilitation studies need to evaluate if actions to improve fall-related self-efficacy and mobility could promote the physical activity level in this patient population. Copyright © 2013 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Built environment attributes related to GPS measured active trips in mid-life and older adults with mobility disabilities.

PubMed

Gell, Nancy M; Rosenberg, Dori E; Carlson, Jordan; Kerr, Jacqueline; Belza, Basia

2015-04-01

Understanding factors which may promote walking in mid-life and older adults with mobility impairments is key given the association between physical activity and positive health outcomes. To examine the relationship between active trips and objective measures of the home neighborhood built environment. Global positioning systems (GPS) data collected on 28 adults age 50+ with mobility disabilities were analyzed for active trips from home. Objective and geographic information systems (GIS) derived measures included Walk Score, population density, street connectivity, crime rates, and slope within the home neighborhood. For this cross-sectional observational study, we conducted mean comparisons between participants who took active trips from home and those who did not for the objective measures. Effect sizes were calculated to assess the magnitude of group differences. Nine participants (32%) took active trips from home. Walking in the home neighborhood was significantly associated with GIS derived measures (Walk Score, population density, and street density; effect sizes 0.9-1.2). Participants who used the home neighborhood for active trips had less slope within 1 km of home but the difference was not significant (73.5 m ± 22 vs. 100.8 m ± 38.1, p = 0.06, d = 0.8). There were no statistically significant differences in mean scores for crime rates between those with active trips from home and those without. The findings provide preliminary evidence that more walkable environments promote active mobility among mid-life and older adults with mobility disabilities. The data suggest that this population can and does use active transportation modes when the built environment is supportive. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Curcumin Suppresses T Cell Activation by Blocking Ca2+ Mobilization and Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells (NFAT) Activation

PubMed Central

Kliem, Christian; Merling, Anette; Giaisi, Marco; Köhler, Rebecca; Krammer, Peter H.; Li-Weber, Min

2012-01-01

Curcumin is the active ingredient of the spice turmeric and has been shown to have a number of pharmacologic and therapeutic activities including antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties. The anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin have primarily been attributed to its inhibitory effect on NF-κB activity due to redox regulation. In this study, we show that curcumin is an immunosuppressive phytochemical that blocks T cell-activation-induced Ca2+ mobilization with IC50 = ∼12.5 μm and thereby prevents NFAT activation and NFAT-regulated cytokine expression. This finding provides a new mechanism for curcumin-mediated anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive function. We also show that curcumin can synergize with CsA to enhance immunosuppressive activity because of different inhibitory mechanisms. Furthermore, because Ca2+ is also the secondary messenger crucial for the TCR-induced NF-κB signaling pathway, our finding also provides another mechanism by which curcumin suppresses NF-κB activation. PMID:22303019

Use of mobile phones and text messaging to decrease the turnaround time for early infant HIV diagnosis and notification in rural Zambia: an observational study.

PubMed

Sutcliffe, Catherine G; Thuma, Philip E; van Dijk, Janneke H; Sinywimaanzi, Kathy; Mweetwa, Sydney; Hamahuwa, Mutinta; Moss, William J

2017-03-08

Early infant diagnosis of HIV infection is challenging in rural sub-Saharan Africa as blood samples are sent to central laboratories for HIV DNA testing, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment initiation. Simple technologies to rapidly deliver results to clinics and notify mothers of test results would decrease many of these delays. The feasibility of using mobile phones to contact mothers was evaluated. In addition, the first two years of implementation of a national short message service (SMS) reporting system to deliver test results from the laboratory to the clinic were evaluated. The study was conducted in Macha, Zambia from 2013 to 2015 among mothers of HIV-exposed infants. Mothers were interviewed about mobile phone use and willingness to be contacted directly or through their rural health center. Mothers were contacted according to their preferred method of communication when test results were available. Mothers of positive infants were asked to return to the clinic as soon as possible. Dates of sample collection, delivery of test results to the clinic and notification of mothers were documented in addition to test results. Four hundred nineteen mothers and infants were enrolled. Only 30% of mothers had ever used a mobile phone. 96% of mobile phone owners were reached by study staff and 98% of mothers without mobile phones were contacted through their rural health center. Turnaround times for mothers of positive infants were approximately 2 weeks shorter than for mothers of negative infants. Delivery of test results by the national SMS system improved from 2013 to 2014, with increases in the availability of texted results (38 vs. 91%) and arrival of the texted result prior to the hardcopy report (27 vs. 83%). Texted results arriving at the clinic before the hardcopy were received a median of 19 days earlier. Four discrepancies between texted and hardcopy results were identified out of 340 tests. Mobile phone and text messaging technology has the

Progress toward a full scale mobile satellite system for Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roscoe, Orest S.

The MSAT satellite, planned for launch in early 1994, will provide full scale, satellite based, mobile voice and data communication services to Canada. The MSAT system will provide mobile telephone, mobile radio and mobile data services to customers on the move in any part of North America. The Telesat Mobile Inc. (TMI) satellite will be backed up by a similar satellite to be operated by the American Mobile Satellite Corporation (AMSC) in the United States. An early entry mobile data service was inaugurated in the second quarter of 1990 using channels leased from INMARSAT on Marisat or Marecs-B. The baseline TMI system is described, beginning with the MSAT satellite under contract. The network architecture and the control system that are under development to support the mobile services are discussed. Since it is clearly desirable to have a North American system, such that customers may buy a mobile earth terminal (MET) from a number of qualified suppliers and be able to use it either in Canada or the U.S., TMI and AMSC are cooperating closely in the development of the space and ground segments of the system. The time scale for the procurement of all the elements of the systems is discussed.

Implications of Mobility Impairment on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Park, Elyse R.; Kilbridge, Kerry L.

2011-01-01

Abstract Background Among women with chronic, preexisting mobility impairments, we sought to explore how their mobility difficulties affected the diagnosis and treatment of early-stage breast cancer Methods This is a qualitative analysis of transcripts from in-depth in-person or telephone interviews with 20 English-speaking women who had early-stage breast cancer, were <60 years of age, and had chronic difficulty walking or used wheeled mobility aids at the time of their breast cancer diagnoses Results Nine women were disabled by polio as children or had postpolio syndrome, 3 had cerebral palsy, 3 had spinal cord injury, and 5 had other conditions. Most women reported difficulty obtaining mammograms, primarily because of inaccessible equipment, positioning problems, and difficulties with uncontrollable movements. Many women made decisions about surgical approach and chemotherapy by explicitly considering how various therapies would affect their arms, which are essential to their mobility (they use ambulation aids, self-propel manual wheelchairs, or otherwise rely on their arms for mobility or safety). Managing at home after surgery posed major mobility challenges, especially for women who lived alone. Several women reported feeling they suffered more chemotherapy side effects than do women without mobility problems. Weight gains with endocrine therapy compromised the mobility of several women. Conclusions Increasing numbers of American women are living with mobility disabilities and entering age ranges with increased risks of breast cancer. Mobility impairments can affect women at every point during early-stage breast cancer diagnosis, therapy, and recovery. Clinicians must consider women's mobility functioning in making therapeutic recommendations to women with impaired mobility who develop breast cancer. PMID:21034276

Rethinking the Impact of Activity Design on a Mobile Learning Trail: The Missing Dimension of the Physical Affordances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Esther; So, Hyo-Jeong

2015-01-01

This paper investigates the relationship between activity design and discourse on a mobile learning trail, considering the physical affordances of the real world platform in designing contextual learning experiences. We adopted a "context-oriented" and "process-oriented" pedagogical approach in designing the mobile learning…

An upward compatible spectrum sharing architecture for existing, actively planned and emerging mobile satellite systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Azarbar, Bahman

1990-01-01

Existing and actively planned mobile satellite systems are competing for a viable share of the spectrum allocated by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to the satellite based mobile services in the 1.5/1.6 GHz range. The limited amount of spectrum available worldwide and the sheer number of existing and planned mobile satellite systems dictate the adoption of an architecture which will maximize sharing possibilities. A viable sharing architecture must recognize the operational needs and limitations of the existing systems. Furthermore, recognizing the right of access of the future systems as they will emerge in time, the adopted architecture must allow for additional growth and be amenable to orderly introduction of future systems. An attempt to devise such a sharing architecture is described. A specific example of the application of the basic concept to the existing and planned mobile satellite systems is also discussed.

Pedagogical Values of Mobile-Assisted Task-Based Activities to Enhance Speaking Skill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohammadi, Mojtaba; Safdari, Nastaran

2015-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of online mobile-assisted task-based activities on improving Iranian intermediate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' speaking skills. To achieve the purpose of the study, 90 intermediate language learners were selected ranging between 13 to 16 years old and divided into three…

Early mobilization reduces the atelectasis and pleural effusion in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery: A randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Moradian, Seyed Tayeb; Najafloo, Mohammad; Mahmoudi, Hosein; Ghiasi, Mohammad Saeid

2017-09-01

Atelectasis and pleural effusion are common after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). Longer stay in the bed is one of the most important contributing factors in pulmonary complications. Some studies confirm the benefits of early mobilization (EM) in critically ill patients, but the efficacy of EM on pulmonary complications after CABG is not clear. This study was designed to examine the effect of EM on the incidence of atelectasis and pleural effusion in patients undergoing CABG. In a single-blinded randomized clinical trial, 100 patients who were undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery were randomly assigned into two groups each consisted of 50 patients. Patients in the experimental group were enrolled in a mobilization protocol consisting of the mobilization from the bed in the first 3 days after surgery in the morning and evening. Patients in the control group were mobilized from bed in third postoperation day, according to the hospital routine. Arterial blood gases, pleural effusion, and atelectasis were compared between groups. Atelectasis and pleural effusion was reduced in experimental group. The partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood in third postoperative day and the percentage of arterial oxygen saturation in the fourth postoperative day were higher in the intervention group (P value < .05). EM from bed could be an effective intervention in reducing atelectasis and pleural effusion in patients undergoing CABG. Copyright © 2017 Society for Vascular Nursing, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mobile-based patient-provider communication in cancer survivors: The roles of health literacy and patient activation.

PubMed

Jiang, Shaohai; Hong, Y Alicia

2018-03-01

Thanks to rapid penetration of mobile tools, more and more cancer survivors have adopted mobile-based patient-provider communication (MBPPC). The relationship between MBPPC and patients' health outcomes, however, remains unclear; how health literacy and patient activation interact with such relationship is unexplored. Data were drawn from National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey 4 Cycle 3. A sample of 459 cancer survivors were included in the analysis. Based on the 3-stage model of health promotion using interactive media, this study empirically tested a moderated mediation model. MBPPC (eg, patient use of email, text message, mobile app, and social media to communicate with providers) had no direct effect on cancer survivors' emotional health. Instead, health literacy completely mediated this path. Patient activation positively moderated the effect of health literacy on emotional health and further increased the indirect effect of MBPPC on emotional health. MBPPC alone does not directly result in better emotional health outcomes; health literacy is the key to realize its health benefits; patient activation significantly strengthens the effects of MBPPC. As we embrace the mHealth movement, innovative programs are needed to promote MBPPC, and improve health literacy and activation of cancer survivors, particularly in underserved communities, to reduce health disparities. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Progressive mobility program and technology to increase the level of physical activity and its benefits in respiratory, muscular system, and functionality of ICU patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Schujmann, Debora Stripari; Lunardi, Adriana Claudia; Fu, Carolina

2018-05-10

Enhanced mobility in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) could minimize the negative effects of critical illness, such as declines in cognitive, muscular, respiratory, and functional capacity. We aim to compare the functional status at ICU discharge of patients who underwent a progressive mobilization protocol versus patients who received conventional physiotherapy. We also examine the level of physical activity in the ICU, the degree of pulmonary and muscle function, and the length of stay to analyze correlations between these variables. This is a protocol for a randomized controlled trial with blind evaluation. Ninety-six ICU patients will be recruited from a single center and randomly assigned to a control group or an intervention group. To determine the level of protocol activity the patient will receive, the patients' ability to participate actively and their muscle strength will be considered. The protocol consists of five phases, ranging from passive therapies to walking and climbing stairs. The primary outcome will be the functional status at ICU discharge, measured with the Barthel Index and the ICU Mobility Scale (IMS). Measured secondary outcomes will include the level of physical activity, maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, maximum voluntary ventilation, handgrip strength, surface electromyography of the lower limb muscles, and results of the Timed Up and Go and 2-Minute Walk tests. Evaluations will be made within 2 days of ICU discharge except for the level of activity, which will be evaluated daily. Physiological variables and activity level will be analyzed by chi-square and t tests, according to the intention-to-treat paradigm. Mobility and exercise in the ICU should be undertaken with intensity, quantity, duration, and frequency adjusted according to the patients' status. The results of this study may contribute to new knowledge of early mobility in the ICU, activity level, and varying benefits in critical

Technology-Based Early Warning Systems for Bipolar Disorder: A Conceptual Framework

PubMed Central

Torous, John; Thompson, Wesley

2016-01-01

Recognition and timely action around “warning signs” of illness exacerbation is central to the self-management of bipolar disorder. Due to its heterogeneity and fluctuating course, passive and active mobile technologies have been increasingly evaluated as adjunctive or standalone tools to predict and prevent risk of worsening of course in bipolar disorder. As predictive analytics approaches to big data from mobile health (mHealth) applications and ancillary sensors advance, it is likely that early warning systems will increasingly become available to patients. Such systems could reduce the amount of time spent experiencing symptoms and diminish the immense disability experienced by people with bipolar disorder. However, in addition to the challenges in validating such systems, we argue that early warning systems may not be without harms. Probabilistic warnings may be delivered to individuals who may not be able to interpret the warning, have limited information about what behaviors to change, or are unprepared to or cannot feasibly act due to time or logistic constraints. We propose five essential elements for early warning systems and provide a conceptual framework for designing, incorporating stakeholder input, and validating early warning systems for bipolar disorder with a focus on pragmatic considerations. PMID:27604265

Mobile Phone Apps to Promote Weight Loss and Increase Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Ferré-Grau, Carme; Montaña-Carreras, Xavier

2015-01-01

Background To our knowledge, no meta-analysis to date has assessed the efficacy of mobile phone apps to promote weight loss and increase physical activity. Objective To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies to compare the efficacy of mobile phone apps compared with other approaches to promote weight loss and increase physical activity. Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant studies identified by a search of PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Scopus from their inception through to August 2015. Two members of the study team (EG-F, GF-M) independently screened studies for inclusion criteria and extracted data. We included all controlled studies that assessed a mobile phone app intervention with weight-related health measures (ie, body weight, body mass index, or waist circumference) or physical activity outcomes. Net change estimates comparing the intervention group with the control group were pooled across studies using random-effects models. Results We included 12 articles in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Compared with the control group, use of a mobile phone app was associated with significant changes in body weight (kg) and body mass index (kg/m2) of -1.04 kg (95% CI -1.75 to -0.34; I2 = 41%) and -0.43 kg/m2 (95% CI -0.74 to -0.13; I2 = 50%), respectively. Moreover, a nonsignificant difference in physical activity was observed between the two groups (standardized mean difference 0.40, 95% CI -0.07 to 0.87; I2 = 93%). These findings were remarkably robust in the sensitivity analysis. No publication bias was shown. Conclusions Evidence from this study shows that mobile phone app-based interventions may be useful tools for weight loss. PMID:26554314

Mobile Phone Apps to Promote Weight Loss and Increase Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Flores Mateo, Gemma; Granado-Font, Esther; Ferré-Grau, Carme; Montaña-Carreras, Xavier

2015-11-10

To our knowledge, no meta-analysis to date has assessed the efficacy of mobile phone apps to promote weight loss and increase physical activity. To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies to compare the efficacy of mobile phone apps compared with other approaches to promote weight loss and increase physical activity. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant studies identified by a search of PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Scopus from their inception through to August 2015. Two members of the study team (EG-F, GF-M) independently screened studies for inclusion criteria and extracted data. We included all controlled studies that assessed a mobile phone app intervention with weight-related health measures (ie, body weight, body mass index, or waist circumference) or physical activity outcomes. Net change estimates comparing the intervention group with the control group were pooled across studies using random-effects models. We included 12 articles in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Compared with the control group, use of a mobile phone app was associated with significant changes in body weight (kg) and body mass index (kg/m(2)) of -1.04 kg (95% CI -1.75 to -0.34; I2 = 41%) and -0.43 kg/m(2) (95% CI -0.74 to -0.13; I2 = 50%), respectively. Moreover, a nonsignificant difference in physical activity was observed between the two groups (standardized mean difference 0.40, 95% CI -0.07 to 0.87; I2 = 93%). These findings were remarkably robust in the sensitivity analysis. No publication bias was shown. Evidence from this study shows that mobile phone app-based interventions may be useful tools for weight loss.

Workjobs: Activity-Centered Learning for Early Childhood Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorton, Mary Baratta

Based on the idea that through active involvement with the materials the child would draw out the generalizations within the material, a teacher's method of activity-centered learning for early childhood education is presented. The first section of the book deals with the development of language through workjobs, emphasizing perception, matching,…

Using internet and mobile phone technology to deliver an automated physical activity program: randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Hurling, Robert; Catt, Michael; Boni, Marco De; Fairley, Bruce William; Hurst, Tina; Murray, Peter; Richardson, Alannah; Sodhi, Jaspreet Singh

2007-04-27

The Internet has potential as a medium for health behavior change programs, but no controlled studies have yet evaluated the impact of a fully automated physical activity intervention over several months with real-time objective feedback from a monitor. The aim was to evaluate the impact of a physical activity program based on the Internet and mobile phone technology provided to individuals for 9 weeks. A single-center, randomized, stratified controlled trial was conducted from September to December 2005 in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, with 77 healthy adults whose mean age was 40.4 years (SD = 7.6) and mean body mass index was 26.3 (SD = 3.4). Participants were randomized to a test group that had access to an Internet and mobile phone-based physical activity program (n = 47) or to a control group (n = 30) that received no support. The test group received tailored solutions for perceived barriers, a schedule to plan weekly exercise sessions with mobile phone and email reminders, a message board to share their experiences with others, and feedback on their level of physical activity. Both groups were issued a wrist-worn accelerometer to monitor their level of physical activity; only the test group received real-time feedback via the Internet. The main outcome measures were accelerometer data and self-report of physical activity. At the end of the study period, the test group reported a significantly greater increase over baseline than did the control group for perceived control (P < .001) and intention/expectation to exercise (P < .001). Intent-to-treat analyses of both the accelerometer data (P = .02) and leisure time self-report data (P = .03) found a higher level of moderate physical activity in the test group. The average increase (over the control group) in accelerometer-measured moderate physical activity was 2 h 18 min per week. The test group also lost more percent body fat than the control group (test group: -2.18, SD = 0.59; control group: -0.17, SD = 0

Brief Report: Valued Life Activities and Readiness to Quit Smoking among Mobility Impaired Smokers

PubMed Central

Busch, Andrew M.; Borrelli, Belinda

2011-01-01

Objective People with physical disabilities smoke at a higher rate than their non-disabled peers, with rates as high as 28–40% among non-elderly adults with functional impairments. One possible explanation for these findings is that restriction of valued life activities (social, professional, pleasurable or otherwise meaningful) due to mobility impairment interferes with smoking cessation. Methods Forty-seven smokers (48.9% female; Mage = 48.91) with chronic mobility impairments (i.e., regularly use equipment to ambulate) were interviewed over the telephone. We assessed demographics, self-efficacy to quit smoking, stage of change, current engagement in valued activities, current restriction of valued activities due to physical limitations, and efforts to replace restricted valued activities in a cross sectional design. Results Bivariate results indicate that 74% of those in the preparation stage had satisfactory replacements for their most valued restricted activity, while only 27% in the contemplation stage and 17% in the pre-contemplation stage had such satisfactory replacements. Multinomial ordinal regression analyses revealed that (a) having satisfactory replacements for activities restricted due to physical disability was significantly associated with higher stage of change and (b) more current valued activities and, to a lesser extent, fewer restricted activities were significantly associated with higher levels of self-efficacy to quit smoking. Conclusions These results support the need for the development of treatments for smoking cessation that aim to increase engagement in valued activities, such as Behavioral Activation. PMID:21875204

The Effect of the Presence of an Internet-Connected Mobile Tablet Computer on Physical Activity Behavior in Children.

PubMed

Kobak, Mallory S; Lepp, Andrew; Rebold, Michael J; Faulkner, Hannah; Martin, Shannon; Barkley, Jacob E

2018-02-01

Mobile Internet-connected electronic devices provide access to activities that have traditionally been associated with sedentary behavior. Because they are portable, these devices can be utilized in any environment. Therefore, providing children with access to these devices in environments that typically promote physical activity may result in a reduction in physical activity behavior. To assess children's physical and sedentary (ie, sitting) activity with and without the presence of a mobile Internet-connected tablet computer. A total of 20 children [6.7 (1.9) y old] participated in 2 simulated recess conditions in a gymnasium on separate days. During each condition, children had free-choice access physical activity options and a table of sedentary activities for 40 minutes. During 1 session, the iPad was present, and in the other session, it was not. Physical activity was monitored via an accelerometer, and sedentary time was monitored via a stopwatch. Children significantly (P ≤ .03) reduced average physical activity intensity and increased their sedentary behavior with the iPad present [4.4 (4.0) metabolic equivalents/min and 20.9 (12.4) min sitting] versus the condition without the iPad present [5.3 (4.0) metabolic equivalents/min and 13.6 (13.2) min sitting]. Introducing an mobile Internet-connected tablet computer into a gymnasium reduced children's physical activity intensity by 17% and increased sedentary behavior by 54%.

Going mobile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brus, Eric

1987-12-01

By 1990, all metropolitan areas in the U.S. and rural areas close to major cities or towns are expected to have cellular telephone service; 22 Canadian cities also feature cellular service. To supply mobile telecommunication services to sparsely-populated rural areas, a mobile satellite service (MSS) is now being developed. In this paper the projected possibilities of the MSS system are discussed, including a possibility that a piggyback-MSS payload be added to the GSTAR-4 satellite which is scheduled for a launch in 1988 or 1989; one in which some of the hardware from aborted direct-broadcast satellites would be used; and the possibility of building a new MSS satellite with large servicing capacity. Canada is planning to launch its own mobile satellite, MSAT, in the early 1990s. The MSS is expected to be 'generic', serving not only people on land but maritime and aeronautical users as well. It will also offer major benefits to truck and automobile drivers, making it possible for them to conduct business or to call for assistance from locations beyond the range of cellular systems.

Activated ovarian endothelial cells promote early follicular development and survival.

PubMed

Kedem, Alon; Aelion-Brauer, Anate; Guo, Peipei; Wen, Duancheng; Ding, Bi-Sen; Lis, Raphael; Cheng, Du; Sandler, Vladislav M; Rafii, Shahin; Rosenwaks, Zev

2017-09-19

New data suggests that endothelial cells (ECs) elaborate essential "angiocrine factors". The aim of this study is to investigate the role of activated ovarian endothelial cells in early in-vitro follicular development. Mouse ovarian ECs were isolated using magnetic cell sorting or by FACS and cultured in serum free media. After a constitutive activation of the Akt pathway was initiated, early follicles (50-150 um) were mechanically isolated from 8-day-old mice and co-cultured with these activated ovarian endothelial cells (AOEC) (n = 32), gel (n = 24) or within matrigel (n = 27) in serum free media for 14 days. Follicular growth, survival and function were assessed. After 6 passages, flow cytometry showed 93% of cells grown in serum-free culture were VE-cadherin positive, CD-31 positive and CD 45 negative, matching the known EC profile. Beginning on day 4 of culture, we observed significantly higher follicular and oocyte growth rates in follicles co-cultured with AOECs compared with follicles on gel or matrigel. After 14 days of culture, 73% of primary follicles and 83% of secondary follicles co-cultured with AOEC survived, whereas the majority of follicles cultured on gel or matrigel underwent atresia. This is the first report of successful isolation and culture of ovarian ECs. We suggest that co-culture with activated ovarian ECs promotes early follicular development and survival. This model is a novel platform for the in vitro maturation of early follicles and for the future exploration of endothelial-follicular communication. In vitro development of early follicles necessitates a complex interplay of growth factors and signals required for development. Endothelial cells (ECs) may elaborate essential "angiocrine factors" involved in organ regeneration. We demonstrate that co-culture with ovarian ECs enables culture of primary and early secondary mouse ovarian follicles.

Experiments for Ka-band mobile applications: The ACTS mobile terminal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estabrook, Polly; Dessouky, Khaled; Jedrey, Thomas

1990-01-01

To explore the potential of Ka-band to support mobile satellite services, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has initiated the design and development of a Ka-band land-mobile terminal to be used with the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS). The planned experimental setup with ACTS is described. Brief functional descriptions of the mobile and fixed terminals are provided. The inputs required from the propagation community to support the design activities and the planned experiments are also discussed.

Effects of robot-guided passive stretching and active movement training of ankle and mobility impairments in stroke.

PubMed

Waldman, Genna; Yang, Chung-Yong; Ren, Yupeng; Liu, Lin; Guo, Xin; Harvey, Richard L; Roth, Elliot J; Zhang, Li-Qun

2013-01-01

To investigate the effects of controlled passive stretching and active movement training using a portable rehabilitation robot on stroke survivors with ankle and mobility impairment. Twenty-four patients at least 3 months post stroke were assigned to receive 6 week training using the portable robot in a research laboratory (robot group) or an instructed exercise program at home (control group). All patients underwent clinical and biomechanical evaluations in the laboratory at pre-evaluation, post-evaluation, and 6-week follow-up. Subjects in the robot group improved significantly more than that in the control group in reduction in spasticity measured by modified Ashworth scale, mobility by Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (STREAM), the balance by Berg balance score, dorsiflexion passive range of motion, dorsiflexion strength, and load bearing on the affected limb during gait after 6-week training. Both groups improved in the STREAM, dorsiflexion active range of motion and dorsiflexor strength after the training, which were retained in the follow-up evaluation. Robot-assisted passive stretching and active movement training is effective in improving motor function and mobility post stroke.

Early outcome of TKA with a medial pivot fixed-bearing prosthesis is worse than with a PFC mobile-bearing prosthesis.

PubMed

Kim, Young-Hoo; Yoon, Sung-Hwan; Kim, Jun-Shik

2009-02-01

Although the design features of the Medial Pivot fixed-bearing prosthesis reportedly improve kinematics compared with TKAs using fixed-bearings, clinical improvements have not been reported. We asked whether the clinical and radiographic outcomes, ranges of motion of the knee, patient satisfaction, and complication rates would be better in knees with a Medial Pivot fixed-bearing prosthesis than in those with a PFC Sigma mobile-bearing prosthesis. We compared the results of 92 patients who had a Medial Pivot fixed-bearing prosthesis implanted in one knee and a PFC Sigma mobile-bearing prosthesis implanted in the other. There were 85 women and seven men with a mean age of 69.5 years (range, 55-81 years). The minimum followup was 2 years (mean, 2.6 years; range, 2-3 years). The patients were assessed clinically and radiographically using the rating systems of the Hospital for Special Surgery and the Knee Society at 3 months, 1 year, and annually thereafter. Contrary to expectations, we found worse early clinical outcomes, smaller ranges of knee motion, less patient satisfaction, and a higher complication rate for the Medial Pivot fixed-bearing prosthesis than for the PFC Sigma mobile-bearing prosthesis. Level I, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The Relationship between School Mobility and the Acquisition of Early Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franco, Amy C.

2013-01-01

The relationship between frequent mobility and student achievement is complex. While studies have shown that frequent mobility may have a detrimental effect on student achievement, the suggestion that poverty is an underlying cause for poor academic progress has been proposed (Buerkle & Christenson, 1999; United States GAO Report, 2010). The…

Tracking urban human activity from mobile phone calling patterns

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Asim; Bhattacharya, Kunal; Dunbar, Robin I. M.; Kaski, Kimmo

2017-01-01

Timings of human activities are marked by circadian clocks which in turn are entrained to different environmental signals. In an urban environment the presence of artificial lighting and various social cues tend to disrupt the natural entrainment with the sunlight. However, it is not completely understood to what extent this is the case. Here we exploit the large-scale data analysis techniques to study the mobile phone calling activity of people in large cities to infer the dynamics of urban daily rhythms. From the calling patterns of about 1,000,000 users spread over different cities but lying inside the same time-zone, we show that the onset and termination of the calling activity synchronizes with the east-west progression of the sun. We also find that the onset and termination of the calling activity of users follows a yearly dynamics, varying across seasons, and that its timings are entrained to solar midnight. Furthermore, we show that the average mid-sleep time of people living in urban areas depends on the age and gender of each cohort as a result of biological and social factors. PMID:29161270

Tracking urban human activity from mobile phone calling patterns.

PubMed

Monsivais, Daniel; Ghosh, Asim; Bhattacharya, Kunal; Dunbar, Robin I M; Kaski, Kimmo

2017-11-01

Timings of human activities are marked by circadian clocks which in turn are entrained to different environmental signals. In an urban environment the presence of artificial lighting and various social cues tend to disrupt the natural entrainment with the sunlight. However, it is not completely understood to what extent this is the case. Here we exploit the large-scale data analysis techniques to study the mobile phone calling activity of people in large cities to infer the dynamics of urban daily rhythms. From the calling patterns of about 1,000,000 users spread over different cities but lying inside the same time-zone, we show that the onset and termination of the calling activity synchronizes with the east-west progression of the sun. We also find that the onset and termination of the calling activity of users follows a yearly dynamics, varying across seasons, and that its timings are entrained to solar midnight. Furthermore, we show that the average mid-sleep time of people living in urban areas depends on the age and gender of each cohort as a result of biological and social factors.

Changes in spontaneous brain activity in early Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Yang, Hong; Zhou, Xiaohong Joe; Zhang, Min-Ming; Zheng, Xu-Ning; Zhao, Yi-Lei; Wang, Jue

2013-08-09

Resting state brain activity can provide valuable insights into the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). The purpose of the present study was (a) to investigate abnormal spontaneous neuronal activity in early PD patients using resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) with a regional homogeneity (ReHo) method and (b) to demonstrate the potential of using changes in abnormal spontaneous neuronal activity for monitoring the progression of PD during its early stages. Seventeen early PD patients were assessed with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the Hoehn and Yahr disability scale and the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) were compared with seventeen gender- and age-matched healthy controls. All subjects underwent MRI scans using a 1.5T General Electric Signa Excite II scanner. The MRI scan protocol included whole-brain volumetric imaging using a 3D inversion recovery prepared (IR-Prep) fast spoiled gradient-echo pulse sequence and 2D multi-slice (22 axial slices covering the whole brain) resting-state fMRI using an echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence. Images were analyzed in SPM5 together with a ReHo algorithm using the in-house software program REST. A corrected threshold of p<0.05 was determined by AlphaSim and used in statistical analysis. Compared with the healthy controls, the early PD group showed significantly increased ReHo in a number of brain regions, including the left cerebellum, left parietal lobe, right middle temporal lobe, right sub-thalamic nucleus areas, right superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus (MFG), right inferior parietal lobe (IPL), right precuneus lobe, left MFG and left IPL. Additionally, significantly reduced ReHo was also observed in the early PD patients in the following brain regions: the left putamen, left inferior frontal gyrus, right hippocampus, right anterior cingulum, and bilateral lingual gyrus. Moreover, in PD patients, ReHo in the left putamen was negatively correlated with the UPDRS scores (r=-0

Evidence of Active Dune Sand on the Great Plains in the 19th Century from Accounts of Early Explorers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muhs, Daniel R.; Holliday, Vance T.

1995-03-01

Eolian sand is extensive over the Great Plains of North America, but is at present mostly stabilized by vegetation. Accounts published by early explorers, however, indicate that at least parts of dune fields in Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, and Texas were active in the 19th century. Based on an index of dune mobility and a regional tree-ring record, the probable causes for these periods of greater eolian activity are droughts, accompanied by higher temperatures, which greatly lowered the precipitation-to-evapotranspiration ratio and diminished the cover of stabilizing vegetation. In addition, observations by several explorers, and previous historical studies, indicate that rivers upwind of Great Plains dune fields had shallow, braided, sandy channels, as well as intermittent flow in the 19th century. Wide, braided, sandy rivers that were frequently dry would have increased sand supplies to active dune fields. We conclude that dune fields in the Great Plains are extremely sensitive to climate change and that the potential for reactivation of stabilized dunes in the future is high, with or without greenhouse warming.

Mobile Phone Use and its Association With Sitting Time and Meeting Physical Activity Recommendations in a Mexican American Cohort.

PubMed

Chrisman, Matthew; Chow, Wong-Ho; Daniel, Carrie R; Wu, Xifeng; Zhao, Hua

2016-06-16

The benefits of physical activity (PA) are well-documented. Mobile phones influence PA by promoting screen-based sedentary time, providing prompts or reminders to be active, aiding in tracking and monitoring PA, or providing entertainment during PA. It is not known how mobile phone use is associated with PA and sitting time in Mexican Americans, and how mobile phone users may differ from nonusers. To determine the associations between mobile phone use, PA, and sitting time and how these behaviors differ from mobile phone nonusers in a sample of 2982 Mexican-American adults from the Mano a Mano cohort. Differences in meeting PA recommendations and sitting time between mobile phone users and nonusers were examined using chi-square and analysis of variance tests. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between mobile phone use, PA, and sitting. Mobile phone users were more likely to be obese by body mass index criteria (≥30 kg/m(2)), younger, born in the United States and lived there longer, more educated, and sit more hours per day but more likely to meet PA recommendations than nonusers. Males (odds ratio [OR] 1.42, 95% CI 1.16-1.74), use of text messaging (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.03-1.56), and having a higher acculturation score (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.07-1.52) were associated with higher odds of meeting PA recommendations. Sitting more hours per day was associated with being male, obese, born in the United States, a former alcohol drinker, and having at least a high school education. Among nonusers, being born in the United States was associated with higher odds of more sitting time, and being married was associated with higher odds of meeting PA recommendations. Mobile phone interventions using text messages could be tailored to promote PA in less acculturated and female Mexican American mobile phone users.

Implementing the awakening and breathing coordination, delirium monitoring/management, and early exercise/mobility bundle into everyday care: opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned for implementing the ICU Pain, Agitation, and Delirium Guidelines.

PubMed

Balas, Michele C; Burke, William J; Gannon, David; Cohen, Marlene Z; Colburn, Lois; Bevil, Catherine; Franz, Doug; Olsen, Keith M; Ely, E Wesley; Vasilevskis, Eduard E

2013-09-01

The awakening and breathing coordination, delirium monitoring/management, and early exercise/mobility bundle is an evidence-based interprofessional multicomponent strategy for minimizing sedative exposure, reducing duration of mechanical ventilation, and managing ICU-acquired delirium and weakness. The purpose of this study was to identify facilitators and barriers to awakening and breathing coordination, delirium monitoring/management, and early exercise/mobility bundle adoption and to evaluate the extent to which bundle implementation was effective, sustainable, and conducive to dissemination. Prospective, before-after, mixed-methods study. Five adult ICUs, one step-down unit, and a special care unit located in a 624-bed academic medical center : Interprofessional ICU team members at participating institution. In collaboration with the participating institution, we developed, implemented, and refined an awakening and breathing coordination, delirium monitoring/management, and early exercise/mobility bundle policy. Over the course of an 18-month period, all ICU team members were offered the opportunity to participate in numerous multimodal educational efforts. Three focus group sessions, three online surveys, and one educational evaluation were administered in an attempt to identify facilitators and barriers to bundle adoption. Factors believed to facilitate bundle implementation included: 1) the performance of daily, interdisciplinary, rounds; 2) engagement of key implementation leaders; 3) sustained and diverse educational efforts; and 4) the bundle's quality and strength. Barriers identified included: 1) intervention-related issues (e.g., timing of trials, fear of adverse events), 2) communication and care coordination challenges, 3) knowledge deficits, 4) workload concerns, and 5) documentation burden. Despite these challenges, participants believed implementation ultimately benefited patients, improved interdisciplinary communication, and empowered nurses and

Preoperative Gabapentin Decreases Anxiety and Improves Early Functional Recovery From Knee Surgery

PubMed Central

Ménigaux, Christophe; Adam, Frédéric; Guignard, Bruno; Sessler, Daniel I.; Chauvin, Marcel

2005-01-01

Gabapentin has antihyperalgesic and anxiolytic properties. We thus tested the hypothesis that premedication with gabapentin would decrease preoperative anxiety and improve postoperative analgesia and early postoperative knee mobilization in patients undergoing arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament repair under general anesthesia. Forty patients were randomly assigned to receive 1200 mg oral gabapentin or placebo 1-2 h before surgery; anesthesia was standardized. Patients received morphine, 0.1 mg/kg, 30 min before the end of surgery and postoperatively via a patient-controlled pump. Pain scores and morphine consumption were recorded over 48 hours. Degrees of active and passive knee flexion and extension were recorded during physiotherapy on days 1 and 2. Preoperative anxiety scores were less in the Gabapentin than Control group (visual analog [VAS] score of 28 ± 16 mm versus 66 ± 15 mm; P < 0.001). The Gabapentin group required less morphine than the Control group (29 ± 22 mg versus 69 ± 40 mg; P < 0.001). VAS pain scores at rest and after mobilization were significantly reduced in the Gabapentin group. First and maximal passive and active knee flexions at 24 and 48 hours were significantly more extensive in the Gabapentin than in the Control group. In conclusion, premedication with 1200 mg gabapentin improved preoperative anxiolysis, postoperative analgesia, and early knee mobilization after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament repair. PMID:15845693

Intra-Urban Human Mobility and Activity Transition: Evidence from Social Media Check-In Data

PubMed Central

Wu, Lun; Zhi, Ye; Sui, Zhengwei; Liu, Yu

2014-01-01

Most existing human mobility literature focuses on exterior characteristics of movements but neglects activities, the driving force that underlies human movements. In this research, we combine activity-based analysis with a movement-based approach to model the intra-urban human mobility observed from about 15 million check-in records during a yearlong period in Shanghai, China. The proposed model is activity-based and includes two parts: the transition of travel demands during a specific time period and the movement between locations. For the first part, we find the transition probability between activities varies over time, and then we construct a temporal transition probability matrix to represent the transition probability of travel demands during a time interval. For the second part, we suggest that the travel demands can be divided into two classes, locationally mandatory activity (LMA) and locationally stochastic activity (LSA), according to whether the demand is associated with fixed location or not. By judging the combination of predecessor activity type and successor activity type we determine three trip patterns, each associated with a different decay parameter. To validate the model, we adopt the mechanism of an agent-based model and compare the simulated results with the observed pattern from the displacement distance distribution, the spatio-temporal distribution of activities, and the temporal distribution of travel demand transitions. The results show that the simulated patterns fit the observed data well, indicating that these findings open new directions for combining activity-based analysis with a movement-based approach using social media check-in data. PMID:24824892

Association of objectively measured physical activity with cardiovascular risk in mobility-limited older adults

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Data are sparse regarding the impacts of habitual physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior on cardiovascular (CV) risk in older adults with mobility limitations. Methods and Results: This study examined the baseline, cross-sectional association between CV risk and objectively measur...

Early-Life Effects on Adult Physical Activity: Concepts, Relevance, and Experimental Approaches.

PubMed

Garland, Theodore; Cadney, Marcell D; Waterland, Robert A

Locomotion is a defining characteristic of animal life and plays a crucial role in most behaviors. Locomotion involves physical activity, which can have far-reaching effects on physiology and neurobiology, both acutely and chronically. In human populations and in laboratory rodents, higher levels of physical activity are generally associated with positive health outcomes, although excessive exercise can have adverse consequences. Whether and how such relationships occur in wild animals is unknown. Behavioral variation among individuals arises from genetic and environmental factors and their interactions as well as from developmental programming (persistent effects of early-life environment). Although tremendous progress has been made in identifying genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in behavior, early-life effects are not well understood. Early-life effects can in some cases persist across multiple generations following a single exposure and, in principle, may constrain or facilitate the rate of evolution at multiple levels of biological organization. Understanding the mechanisms of such transgenerational effects (e.g., exposure to stress hormones in utero, inherited epigenetic alterations) may prove crucial to explaining unexpected and/or sex-specific responses to selection as well as limits to adaptation. One area receiving increased attention is early-life effects on adult physical activity. Correlational data from epidemiological studies suggest that early-life nutritional stress can (adversely) affect adult human activity levels and associated physiological traits (e.g., body composition, metabolic health). The few existing studies of laboratory rodents demonstrate that both maternal and early-life exercise can affect adult levels of physical activity and related phenotypes. Going forward, rodents offer many opportunities for experimental studies of (multigenerational) early-life effects, including studies that use maternal

Off-the-shelf mobile handset environments for deploying accelerometer based gait and activity analysis algorithms.

PubMed

Hynes, Martin; Wang, Han; Kilmartin, Liam

2009-01-01

Over the last decade, there has been substantial research interest in the application of accelerometry data for many forms of automated gait and activity analysis algorithms. This paper introduces a summary of new "of-the-shelf" mobile phone handset platforms containing embedded accelerometers which support the development of custom software to implement real time analysis of the accelerometer data. An overview of the main software programming environments which support the development of such software, including Java ME based JSR 256 API, C++ based Motion Sensor API and the Python based "aXYZ" module, is provided. Finally, a sample application is introduced and its performance evaluated in order to illustrate how a standard mobile phone can be used to detect gait activity using such a non-intrusive and easily accepted sensing platform.

Trans-synaptic zinc mobilization improves social interaction in two mouse models of autism through NMDAR activation.

PubMed

Lee, Eun-Jae; Lee, Hyejin; Huang, Tzyy-Nan; Chung, Changuk; Shin, Wangyong; Kim, Kyungdeok; Koh, Jae-Young; Hsueh, Yi-Ping; Kim, Eunjoon

2015-05-18

Genetic aspects of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have recently been extensively explored, but environmental influences that affect ASDs have received considerably less attention. Zinc (Zn) is a nutritional factor implicated in ASDs, but evidence for a strong association and linking mechanism is largely lacking. Here we report that trans-synaptic Zn mobilization rapidly rescues social interaction in two independent mouse models of ASD. In mice lacking Shank2, an excitatory postsynaptic scaffolding protein, postsynaptic Zn elevation induced by clioquinol (a Zn chelator and ionophore) improves social interaction. Postsynaptic Zn is mainly derived from presynaptic pools and activates NMDA receptors (NMDARs) through postsynaptic activation of the tyrosine kinase Src. Clioquinol also improves social interaction in mice haploinsufficient for the transcription factor Tbr1, which accompanies NMDAR activation in the amygdala. These results suggest that trans-synaptic Zn mobilization induced by clioquinol rescues social deficits in mouse models of ASD through postsynaptic Src and NMDAR activation.

Mobility one week after a hip fracture - can it be predicted?

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Michelle; Blake, Catherine; Askin, David; Quinlan, John; Coughlan, Tara; Cunningham, Caitriona

2018-05-01

Better patient outcomes and more efficient healthcare could be achieved by predicting post hip fracture function at an early stage. This study aimed to identify independent predictors of mobility outcome one week post hip fracture surgery. All hip fracture inpatients (n=77) were included in this 6 month prospective observational cohort study. Predictor variables were obtained on the first postoperative day and included premorbid function using the New Mobility Score (NMS). Mobility outcome measures one week postoperatively included the Cumulated Ambulatory Score (CAS). Data were analysed with SPSS using binary multiple logistic regression analysis RESULTS: Patients who fell outdoors (OR 3.848; 95% CI, 1.053-14.061), had no delay to surgery (OR 5.472; 95% CI, 1.073-27.907) and had high pre-fracture function (OR3.366; 95% CI, 1.042-10.879) were predicted to achieve independent mobility (CAS = 6) one week postoperatively. Fall location, time to surgery and baseline function predict independent mobility one week after hip fracture, and can be used for early rehabilitation stratification. The NMS and CAS are recommended as standardised hip fracture clinical measures. Orthogeriatric and physiotherapy service initiatives may improve early functional outcome. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Mobile Marine Museum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauer, R. D.; Schaadt, M. S.

1984-01-01

Calfiornia State University (Long Beach) purchased a motor home and converted it into a mobile marine science display unit, outfitting it with built-in display racks inside and an awning to provide shelter displays suited to outdoor use. School activities and programs using the mobile museum are described. (JN)

Dependence of Mobility on Density of Gap States in Organics by GAMEaS - Gate Modulated Activation Energy Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

So, Woo-Young; Lang, David; Ramirez, Arthur

2008-03-01

We develop a spectroscopic method for determining the density of states (DOS) in the energy gap - GAte Modulated activation Energy Spectroscopy (GAMEaS), We also report the relationship of these gap states to the mobility of organic field-effect-transistors (FETs). We find that the field-effect mobility is parameterized by two factors: (1) the free-carrier mobility and (2) the ratio of the free carrier density to the total carrier density induced by the gate bias. We show that the highest mobility FETs have shallow exponential band tails of localized states with characteristic slope of 1/kT at 300K. Most remarkably, state-of-the-art crystalline FETs fabricated from rubrene, pentacene, and tetracene all have a very high free-carrier mobility, up to 200cm2/Vsec at 300K, with the somewhat lower effective mobilities dominated by localized gap states. This strongly suggests that further improvements in device performance could be possible with enhanced material quality.

Conservation Seeds Activities Book. An Early Childhood Conservation Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Sherri

This activities book is used with an early childhood conservation education program. The activities are presented in four color-coded sections, each section representing one of the four seasons. Each activity includes a statement of purpose, list of materials needed, instructional strategies, and a list of supplementary activities. In addition to…

The urban brain: analysing outdoor physical activity with mobile EEG.

PubMed

Aspinall, Peter; Mavros, Panagiotis; Coyne, Richard; Roe, Jenny

2015-02-01

Researchers in environmental psychology, health studies and urban design are interested in the relationship between the environment, behaviour settings and emotions. In particular, happiness, or the presence of positive emotional mindsets, broadens an individual's thought-action repertoire with positive benefits to physical and intellectual activities, and to social and psychological resources. This occurs through play, exploration or similar activities. In addition, a body of restorative literature focuses on the potential benefits to emotional recovery from stress offered by green space and 'soft fascination'. However, access to the cortical correlates of emotional states of a person actively engaged within an environment has not been possible until recently. This study investigates the use of mobile electroencephalography (EEG) as a method to record and analyse the emotional experience of a group of walkers in three types of urban environment including a green space setting. Using Emotiv EPOC, a low-cost mobile EEG recorder, participants took part in a 25 min walk through three different areas of Edinburgh. The areas (of approximately equal length) were labelled zone 1 (urban shopping street), zone 2 (path through green space) and zone 3 (street in a busy commercial district). The equipment provided continuous recordings from five channels, labelled excitement (short-term), frustration, engagement, long-term excitement (or arousal) and meditation. A new form of high-dimensional correlated component logistic regression analysis showed evidence of lower frustration, engagement and arousal, and higher meditation when moving into the green space zone; and higher engagement when moving out of it. Systematic differences in EEG recordings were found between three urban areas in line with restoration theory. This has implications for promoting urban green space as a mood-enhancing environment for walking or for other forms of physical or reflective activity. Published

Physical Activity Opportunities Within the Schedule of Early Care and Education Centers.

PubMed

Mazzucca, Stephanie; Hales, Derek; Evenson, Kelly R; Ammerman, Alice; Tate, Deborah F; Berry, Diane C; Ward, Dianne S

2018-02-01

Physical activity has many benefits for young children's health and overall development, but few studies have investigated how early care and education centers allot time for physical activity, along with measured individual physical activity levels for indoor/outdoor activities during a typical day. Fifty early care and education centers in central North Carolina participated in 4 full-day observations, and 559 children aged 3-5 years within centers wore accelerometers assessing physical activity during observation days. Observation and physical activity data were linked and analyzed for associations between child activity and type of classroom activity. Children averaged 51 (13) minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity and 99 (18) minutes per day of light physical activity while in child care. Children averaged 6 (10) and 10 (13) minutes per day of observed outdoor and indoor daily teacher-led physical activity, respectively. Outdoor time averaged 67 (49) minutes per day, and physical activity levels were higher during outdoor time than during common indoor activities (center time, circle time, and TV time). Physical activity levels varied between indoor and outdoor class activities. Policy and program-related efforts to increase physical activity in preschoolers should consider these patterns to leverage opportunities to optimize physical activity within early care and education centers.

ECG by mobile technologies.

PubMed

Guzik, Przemyslaw; Malik, Marek

Mobile electrocardiographs consist of three components: a mobile device (e.g. a smartphone), an electrocardiographic device or accessory, and a mobile application. Mobile platforms are small computers with sufficient computational power, good quality display, suitable data storage, and several possibilities of data transmission. Electrocardiographic electrodes and sensors for mobile use utilize unconventional materials, e.g. rubber, e-textile, and inkjet-printed nanoparticle electrodes. Mobile devices can be handheld, worn as vests or T-shirts, or attached to patient's skin as biopatches. Mobile electrocardiographic devices and accessories may additionally record other signals including respiratory rate, activity level, and geolocation. Large-scale clinical studies that utilize electrocardiography are easier to conduct using mobile technologies and the collected data are suitable for "big data" processing. This is expected to reveal phenomena so far inaccessible by standard electrocardiographic techniques. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interoceptive threat leads to defensive mobilization in highly anxiety sensitive persons.

PubMed

Melzig, Christiane A; Holtz, Katharina; Michalowski, Jaroslaw M; Hamm, Alfons O

2011-06-01

To study defensive mobilization elicited by the exposure to interoceptive arousal sensations, we exposed highly anxiety sensitive students to a symptom provocation task. Symptom reports, autonomic arousal, and the startle eyeblink response were monitored during guided hyperventilation and a recovery period in 26 highly anxiety sensitive persons and 22 controls. Normoventilation was used as a non-provocative comparison condition. Hyperventilation led to autonomic arousal and a marked increase in somatic symptoms. While high and low anxiety sensitive persons did not differ in their defensive activation during hyperventilation, group differences were detected during early recovery. Highly anxiety sensitive students exhibited a potentiation of startle response magnitudes and increased autonomic arousal after hyper- as compared to after normoventilation, indicating defensive mobilization evoked by the prolonged presence of feared somatic sensations. Copyright © 2010 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Early Precambrian crustal evolution of south India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivasan, R.

1986-01-01

The Early Precambrian sequence in Karnataka, South India provides evidences for a distinct trend of evolution which differs from trends exhibited in many other Early Precambrian regions of the world. The supracrustal rock associations preserved in greenstone belts and as inclusions in gneisses and granulites suggest the evolution of the terrain from a stable to a mobile regime. The stable regime is represented by (1) layered ultramafic-mafic complexes, (2) orthoquartzite-basalt-rhyodacite-iron formation, and (30 ortho-quartzite-carbonate-Mn-Fe formation. The mobile regime, which can be shown on sedimentological grounds to have succeeded the stable regime, witnessed the accumulation of a greywacke-pillow basalt-dacite-rhyolite-iron formation association. Detrital sediments of the stable zone accumulated dominantly in fluvial environment and the associated volcanics are ubaerial. The volcanics of the stable regime are tholeiites derived from a zirconium and LREE-enriched sources. The greywackes of the mobile regime are turbidities, and the volcanic rocks possess continental margin (island-arc or back-arc) affinity; they show a LREE depleted to slightly LREE-enriched pattern. The evolution from a stable to a mobile regime is in contrast to the trend seen in most other regions of the world, where an early dominantly volcanic association of a mobile regime gives way upward in the sequence to sediments characteristic of a stable regime.

Innovation to motivation--pilot study of a mobile phone intervention to increase physical activity among sedentary women.

PubMed

Fukuoka, Yoshimi; Vittinghoff, Eric; Jong, So Son; Haskell, William

2010-01-01

This uncontrolled pilot study assessed changes in pedometer-measured step counts and self-reported physical activity during a 3-week mobile phone-based intervention. We also explored whether age, BMI, and psychosocial factors were associated with changes in step counts. Forty-one sedentary adult women in San Francisco, California were asked to report their pedometer steps using a study-supplied mobile phone from June to September 2008. In the second and third weeks, daily prompts delivered by the mobile phone encouraged participants to increase steps by 20% from the previous week. Mean age was 48 years. Average daily total steps increased by approximately 800 or 15% over three weeks (p<0.001). Lower BMI, no antidepressant use, and lower self-reported health status were associated with higher step counts at baseline. Improvements in self-reported will-power were associated with increases in step counts (p<0.001). Neither age (p=0.55) nor BMI (p=0.13) was significantly associated with changes in activity over the 3 weeks. The intervention appeared to motivate sedentary women to increase their physical activity. A randomized controlled clinical trial is warranted and feasible. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mobile Life - Innovation in the Wild

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Höök, Kristina

After a decade of work in our research labs on mobile and ubiquitous technology, often formed by the early visions of ubiquitous computing, with the urge to move interaction from the desktop out into the wild, these technologies have now moved out into the world - into the wild. We are in the middle of a second IT-revolution, caused by the spread of mobile and ubiquitous services, in combination with a broad consumer-oriented market pull. The first ITrevolution, the introduction and deployment of Internet and the World Wide Web during the 1990’s, had a major impact on all parts of our society. As mobile, ubiquitous technology now becomes wide-spread, the design and evaluation of mobile services - i.e. information technology that can be accessed and used in virtually any setting - represents an important business arena for the IT- and telecom industry. Together we have to look for a sustainable web of work, leisure and ubiquitous technology we can call the mobile life.

The Relationship between External Job Mobility and Salary Attainment across Career Stages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Simon S. K.; Ng, Thomas W. H.; Feldman, Daniel C.

2012-01-01

The current study examines the relationship between external job mobility and salary for employees in different career stages. Based on career stage and career timetable theories, we predict that external job mobility would generate the greatest salary benefits for early-career employees whereas external job mobility would generate fewer salary…

Peripheral blood stem cell mobilization: the CXCR2 ligand GRObeta rapidly mobilizes hematopoietic stem cells with enhanced engraftment properties.

PubMed

Pelus, Louis M; Fukuda, Seiji

2006-08-01

Chemokines direct the movement of leukocytes, including hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, and can mobilize hematopoietic cells from marrow to peripheral blood where they can be used for transplantation. In this review, we will discuss the stem cell mobilizing activities and mechanisms of action of GRObeta, a CXC chemokine ligand for the CXCR2 receptor. GRObeta rapidly mobilizes short- and long-term repopulating cells in mice and/or monkeys and synergistically enhances mobilization responses when combined with the widely used clinical mobilizer, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). The hematopoietic graft mobilized by GRObeta contains significantly more CD34(neg), Sca-1+, c-kit+, lineage(neg) (SKL) cells than the graft mobilized by G-CSF. In mice, stem cells mobilized by GRObeta demonstrate a competitive advantage upon long-term repopulation analysis and restore neutrophil and platelet counts significantly faster than cells mobilized by G-CSF. Even greater advantage in repopulation and restoration of hematopoiesis are observed with stem cells mobilized by the combination of GRObeta and G-CSF. GRObeta-mobilized SKL cells demonstrate enhanced adherence to vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and VCAM(pos) endothelial cells and home more efficiently to bone marrow in vivo. The marrow homing ability of GRObeta-mobilized cells is less dependent on the CXCR4/SDF-1 axis than cells mobilized by G-CSF. The mechanism of mobilization by GRObeta requires active matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), which results from release of pro-MMP-9 from peripheral blood, and marrow neutrophils, which alters the stoichiometry between pro-MMP-9 and its inhibitor tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, resulting in MMP-9 activation. The efficacy and rapid action of GRObeta and lack of proinflammatory activity make it an attractive agent to supplement mobilization by G-CSF. In addition, GRObeta may also have clinical mobilizing efficacy on its own, reducing the overall time and

The versatility of a truss mounted mobile transporter for in-space construction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bush, Harold G.; Lake, Mark S.; Watson, Judith J.; Heard, Walter L., Jr.

1988-01-01

The Mobile Transporter (MT) evolution from early erectable structures assembly activities is detailed. The MT operational features which are required to support astronauts performing on-orbit structure construction or spacecraft assembly functions are presented and discussed. Use of the MT to perform a variety of assembly functions is presented. Estimated EVA assembly times for a precision segmented reflector approximately 20 m in diameter are presented. The EVA/MT technique under study for construction of the reflector (and the entire spacecraft) is illustrated. Finally, the current status of development activities and test results involving the MT and Space Station structural assembly are presented.

Demonstration of skull bones mobility using optical methods: practical importance in medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharov, Alexander V.; Okushko, Vladimir R.; Vturin, Sergey A.; Moseychuk, Vladimir V.; Petrov, Aleksey A.; Suetenkov, Dmitry E.

2014-01-01

Unprompted skull bones mobility not related to breathing, heart beating and other physiological reactions, using installation of original construction with control of physiological parameters by biofeedback hardware-software complex BOS-lab and BOS-pulse appliance (COMSIB, Novosibirsk, Russia) has been confirmed. Teeth eruption occurs through odontiasis canals, emerging from the funiculus. The main driving force for promoting a tooth into odontiasis canal during eruption is the unprompted skull bones mobility. A simple optical installation was made for the visualization of skull bones mobility during the investigation of the median palatine and incisors sutures. Early detection of failures of unprompted skull bones mobility and its normalization can lead to prevention of impact teeth, malocclusion, extrudocclusion and other anomalies and deformations of teeth, teeth rows, TMJ and skull. The skull bones mobility should be considered during the early preventive treatment and therapy of the consequences of injuries and malfunction of the maxillofacial area.

Increasing Physical Activity in Mothers Using Video Exercise Groups and Exercise Mobile Apps: Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Chan, June Maylin; Vittinghoff, Eric; Van Blarigan, Erin Lynn; Hecht, Frederick

2018-01-01

Background Women significantly decrease their activity levels in the transition to motherhood. Digital health technologies are low cost, scalable, and can provide an effective delivery mechanism for behavior change. This is the first study that examines the use of videoconferencing and mobile apps to create exercise groups for mothers. Objective The aim of the study was to test the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of an individually adaptive and socially supportive physical activity intervention incorporating videoconferencing and mobile apps for mothers. Methods The Moms Online Video Exercise Study was an 8-week, 2-armed, Web-based randomized trial comparing the effectiveness of a group exercise intervention with a waitlist control. Healthy mothers with at least 1 child under the age of 12 years were recruited through Facebook and email listservs. Intervention participants joined exercise groups using videoconferencing (Google Hangouts) every morning on weekdays and exercised together in real time, guided by exercise mobile apps (eg, Nike+, Sworkit) of their choice. Waitlist control participants had access to recommended mobile apps and an invitation to join an exercise group after the 8-week study period. Main outcomes assessed included changes in self-reported moderate, vigorous, and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) minutes per week in aggregate and stratified by whether women met Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for sufficient aerobic activity at baseline. Outcomes were measured through self-assessed Web-based questionnaires at baseline and 8 weeks. Results The intervention was effective at increasing exercise for inactive women and proved to be feasible and acceptable to all participants. A total of 64 women were randomized, 30 to intervention and 34 to control. Women attended 2.8 sessions per week. There was a strong, but not statistically significant, trend toward increasing moderate, vigorous, and MVPA minutes

Increasing the Lifetime of Mobile WSNs via Dynamic Optimization of Sensor Node Communication Activity

PubMed Central

Guimarães, Dayan Adionel; Sakai, Lucas Jun; Alberti, Antonio Marcos; de Souza, Rausley Adriano Amaral

2016-01-01

In this paper, a simple and flexible method for increasing the lifetime of fixed or mobile wireless sensor networks is proposed. Based on past residual energy information reported by the sensor nodes, the sink node or another central node dynamically optimizes the communication activity levels of the sensor nodes to save energy without sacrificing the data throughput. The activity levels are defined to represent portions of time or time-frequency slots in a frame, during which the sensor nodes are scheduled to communicate with the sink node to report sensory measurements. Besides node mobility, it is considered that sensors’ batteries may be recharged via a wireless power transmission or equivalent energy harvesting scheme, bringing to the optimization problem an even more dynamic character. We report large increased lifetimes over the non-optimized network and comparable or even larger lifetime improvements with respect to an idealized greedy algorithm that uses both the real-time channel state and the residual energy information. PMID:27657075

Increasing the Lifetime of Mobile WSNs via Dynamic Optimization of Sensor Node Communication Activity.

PubMed

Guimarães, Dayan Adionel; Sakai, Lucas Jun; Alberti, Antonio Marcos; de Souza, Rausley Adriano Amaral

2016-09-20

In this paper, a simple and flexible method for increasing the lifetime of fixed or mobile wireless sensor networks is proposed. Based on past residual energy information reported by the sensor nodes, the sink node or another central node dynamically optimizes the communication activity levels of the sensor nodes to save energy without sacrificing the data throughput. The activity levels are defined to represent portions of time or time-frequency slots in a frame, during which the sensor nodes are scheduled to communicate with the sink node to report sensory measurements. Besides node mobility, it is considered that sensors' batteries may be recharged via a wireless power transmission or equivalent energy harvesting scheme, bringing to the optimization problem an even more dynamic character. We report large increased lifetimes over the non-optimized network and comparable or even larger lifetime improvements with respect to an idealized greedy algorithm that uses both the real-time channel state and the residual energy information.

Active ambulatory care management supported by short message services and mobile phone technology in patients with arterial hypertension.

PubMed

Kiselev, Anton R; Gridnev, Vladimir I; Shvartz, Vladimir A; Posnenkova, Olga M; Dovgalevsky, Pavel Ya

2012-01-01

The use of short message services and mobile phone technology for ambulatory care management is the most accessible and most inexpensive way to transition from traditional ambulatory care management to active ambulatory care management in patients with arterial hypertension (AH). The aim of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of active ambulatory care management supported by short message services and mobile phone technology with traditional ambulatory care management in AH patients. The study included 97 hypertensive patients under active ambulatory care management and 102 patients under traditional ambulatory care management. Blood pressure levels, body mass, and smoking history of patients were analyzed in the study. The duration of study was 1 year. In the active ambulatory care management group, 36% of patients were withdrawn from the study within a year. At the end of the year, 77% of patients from the active care management group had achieved the goal blood pressure level. That was more than 5 times higher than that in the traditional ambulatory care management group (P < .001). The risk ratio of achieving and maintaining the goal blood pressure in patients of active care management group was 5.44, CI (3.2-9.9; P = .005). Implementation of active ambulatory care management supported by short message services and mobile phone improves the quality of ambulatory care of hypertensive patients. Copyright © 2012 American Society of Hypertension. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The dimensions of mobilities: the spatial relationships between corporeal and digital mobilities.

PubMed

Taipale, Sakari

2014-01-01

The aim of this article is to study how the corporeal and digital mobilities are spatially organised in relation to each other in everyday life. The dimensions of mobilities are modelled by using survey data (N=612) collected from Finland in 2011, Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) and Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA). The results show that the combined use of corporeal and digital means of mobility affect the spatial organisation of mobilities only little. The results indicate that young people and students are more likely to benefit from their mobility in networking activities as they are equipped with a larger variety of mobility means than older people and pensioners. Lastly, women and people living in essentially urban areas are more likely to augment their physical travelling practices by using small-sized digital mobilities than men and people living in rural locations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mobile Phone Use and its Association With Sitting Time and Meeting Physical Activity Recommendations in a Mexican American Cohort

PubMed Central

Chow, Wong-Ho; Daniel, Carrie R; Wu, Xifeng; Zhao, Hua

2016-01-01

Background The benefits of physical activity (PA) are well-documented. Mobile phones influence PA by promoting screen-based sedentary time, providing prompts or reminders to be active, aiding in tracking and monitoring PA, or providing entertainment during PA. It is not known how mobile phone use is associated with PA and sitting time in Mexican Americans, and how mobile phone users may differ from nonusers. Objective To determine the associations between mobile phone use, PA, and sitting time and how these behaviors differ from mobile phone nonusers in a sample of 2982 Mexican-American adults from the Mano a Mano cohort. Methods Differences in meeting PA recommendations and sitting time between mobile phone users and nonusers were examined using chi-square and analysis of variance tests. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between mobile phone use, PA, and sitting. Results Mobile phone users were more likely to be obese by body mass index criteria (≥30 kg/m2), younger, born in the United States and lived there longer, more educated, and sit more hours per day but more likely to meet PA recommendations than nonusers. Males (odds ratio [OR] 1.42, 95% CI 1.16-1.74), use of text messaging (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.03-1.56), and having a higher acculturation score (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.07-1.52) were associated with higher odds of meeting PA recommendations. Sitting more hours per day was associated with being male, obese, born in the United States, a former alcohol drinker, and having at least a high school education. Among nonusers, being born in the United States was associated with higher odds of more sitting time, and being married was associated with higher odds of meeting PA recommendations. Conclusions Mobile phone interventions using text messages could be tailored to promote PA in less acculturated and female Mexican American mobile phone users. PMID:27311831

An aeronautical mobile satellite experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jedrey, T. C.; Dessouky, K. I.; Lay, N. E.

1990-01-01

The various activities and findings of a NASA/FAA/COMSAT/INMARSAT collaborative aeronautical mobile satellite experiment are detailed. The primary objective of the experiment was to demonstrate and evaluate an advanced digital mobile satellite terminal developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory under the NASA Mobile Satellite Program. The experiment was a significant milestone for NASA/JPL, since it was the first test of the mobile terminal in a true mobile satellite environment. The results were also of interest to the general mobile satellite community because of the advanced nature of the technologies employed in the terminal.

Active and reactive behaviour in human mobility: the influence of attraction points on pedestrians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutiérrez-Roig, M.; Sagarra, O.; Oltra, A.; Palmer, J. R. B.; Bartumeus, F.; Díaz-Guilera, A.; Perelló, J.

2016-07-01

Human mobility is becoming an accessible field of study, thanks to the progress and availability of tracking technologies as a common feature of smart phones. We describe an example of a scalable experiment exploiting these circumstances at a public, outdoor fair in Barcelona (Spain). Participants were tracked while wandering through an open space with activity stands attracting their attention. We develop a general modelling framework based on Langevin dynamics, which allows us to test the influence of two distinct types of ingredients on mobility: reactive or context-dependent factors, modelled by means of a force field generated by attraction points in a given spatial configuration and active or inherent factors, modelled from intrinsic movement patterns of the subjects. The additive and constructive framework model accounts for some observed features. Starting with the simplest model (purely random walkers) as a reference, we progressively introduce different ingredients such as persistence, memory and perceptual landscape, aiming to untangle active and reactive contributions and quantify their respective relevance. The proposed approach may help in anticipating the spatial distribution of citizens in alternative scenarios and in improving the design of public events based on a facts-based approach.

Active and reactive behaviour in human mobility: the influence of attraction points on pedestrians

PubMed Central

Sagarra, O.; Oltra, A.; Palmer, J. R. B.; Bartumeus, F.; Díaz-Guilera, A.; Perelló, J.

2016-01-01

Human mobility is becoming an accessible field of study, thanks to the progress and availability of tracking technologies as a common feature of smart phones. We describe an example of a scalable experiment exploiting these circumstances at a public, outdoor fair in Barcelona (Spain). Participants were tracked while wandering through an open space with activity stands attracting their attention. We develop a general modelling framework based on Langevin dynamics, which allows us to test the influence of two distinct types of ingredients on mobility: reactive or context-dependent factors, modelled by means of a force field generated by attraction points in a given spatial configuration and active or inherent factors, modelled from intrinsic movement patterns of the subjects. The additive and constructive framework model accounts for some observed features. Starting with the simplest model (purely random walkers) as a reference, we progressively introduce different ingredients such as persistence, memory and perceptual landscape, aiming to untangle active and reactive contributions and quantify their respective relevance. The proposed approach may help in anticipating the spatial distribution of citizens in alternative scenarios and in improving the design of public events based on a facts-based approach. PMID:27493774

Smartphone-based multispectral imaging: system development and potential for mobile skin diagnosis

PubMed Central

Kim, Sewoong; Cho, Dongrae; Kim, Jihun; Kim, Manjae; Youn, Sangyeon; Jang, Jae Eun; Je, Minkyu; Lee, Dong Hun; Lee, Boreom; Farkas, Daniel L.; Hwang, Jae Youn

2016-01-01

We investigate the potential of mobile smartphone-based multispectral imaging for the quantitative diagnosis and management of skin lesions. Recently, various mobile devices such as a smartphone have emerged as healthcare tools. They have been applied for the early diagnosis of nonmalignant and malignant skin diseases. Particularly, when they are combined with an advanced optical imaging technique such as multispectral imaging and analysis, it would be beneficial for the early diagnosis of such skin diseases and for further quantitative prognosis monitoring after treatment at home. Thus, we demonstrate here the development of a smartphone-based multispectral imaging system with high portability and its potential for mobile skin diagnosis. The results suggest that smartphone-based multispectral imaging and analysis has great potential as a healthcare tool for quantitative mobile skin diagnosis. PMID:28018743

Smartphone-based multispectral imaging: system development and potential for mobile skin diagnosis.

PubMed

Kim, Sewoong; Cho, Dongrae; Kim, Jihun; Kim, Manjae; Youn, Sangyeon; Jang, Jae Eun; Je, Minkyu; Lee, Dong Hun; Lee, Boreom; Farkas, Daniel L; Hwang, Jae Youn

2016-12-01

We investigate the potential of mobile smartphone-based multispectral imaging for the quantitative diagnosis and management of skin lesions. Recently, various mobile devices such as a smartphone have emerged as healthcare tools. They have been applied for the early diagnosis of nonmalignant and malignant skin diseases. Particularly, when they are combined with an advanced optical imaging technique such as multispectral imaging and analysis, it would be beneficial for the early diagnosis of such skin diseases and for further quantitative prognosis monitoring after treatment at home. Thus, we demonstrate here the development of a smartphone-based multispectral imaging system with high portability and its potential for mobile skin diagnosis. The results suggest that smartphone-based multispectral imaging and analysis has great potential as a healthcare tool for quantitative mobile skin diagnosis.

Effects of socioeconomic position and social mobility on linear growth from early childhood until adolescence.

PubMed

Muraro, Ana Paula; Souza, Rita Adriana Gomes de; Rodrigues, Paulo Rogério Melo; Ferreira, Márcia Gonçalves; Sichieri, Rosely

2017-01-01

To assess the effect of socioeconomic position (SEP) in childhood and social mobility on linear growth through adolescence in a population-based cohort. Children born in Cuiabá-MT, central-western Brazil, were evaluated during 1994 - 1999. They were first assessed during 1999 - 2000 (0 - 5 years) and again during 2009 - 2011 (10 - 17 years), and their height-for-age was evaluated during these two periods.Awealth index was used to classify the SEP of each child's family as low, medium, or high. Social mobility was categorized as upward mobility or no upward mobility. Linear mixed models were used. We evaluated 1,716 children (71.4% of baseline) after 10 years, and 60.6% of the families showed upward mobility, with a higher percentage among the lowest economic classes. A higher height-for-age was also observed among those from families with a high SEP both in childhood (low SEP= -0.35 z-score; high SEP= 0.15 z-score, p < 0.01) and adolescence (low SEP= -0.01 z-score; high SEP= 0.45 z-score, p < 0.01), whereas upward mobility did not affect their linear growth. Expressive social mobility was observed, but SEP in childhood and social mobility did not greatly influence linear growth through childhood in this central-western Brazilian cohort.

Mobile mental health interventions following war and disaster

PubMed Central

Kuhn, Eric; Jaworski, Beth K.; Owen, Jason E.; Ramsey, Kelly M.

2016-01-01

Mobile technologies offer potentially critical ways of delivering mental health support to those experiencing war, ethnic conflict, and human-caused and natural disasters. Research on Internet interventions suggests that effective mobile mental health technologies can be developed, and there are early indications that they will be acceptable to war and disaster survivors, and prove capable of greatly increasing the reach of mental health services. Promising mhealth interventions include video teleconferencing, text messaging, and smartphone-based applications. In addition, a variety of social media platforms has been used during and immediately after disasters to increase agility in responding, and strengthen community and individual resilience. Globally, PTSD Coach has been downloaded over 243,000 times in 96 countries, and together with large-scale use of social media for communication during disasters, suggests the potential for reach of app technology. In addition to enabling improved self-management of post-trauma problems, mobile phone interventions can also enhance delivery of face-to-face care by mental health providers and increase the effectiveness of peer helpers and mutual aid organizations. More research is needed to establish the efficacy of mhealth interventions for those affected by war and disaster. Research should also focus on the identification of active elements and core processes of change, determination of effective ways of increasing adoption and engagement, and explore ways of combining the various capabilities of mobile technologies to maximize their impact. PMID:28293610

Mobile mental health interventions following war and disaster.

PubMed

Ruzek, Josef I; Kuhn, Eric; Jaworski, Beth K; Owen, Jason E; Ramsey, Kelly M

2016-01-01

Mobile technologies offer potentially critical ways of delivering mental health support to those experiencing war, ethnic conflict, and human-caused and natural disasters. Research on Internet interventions suggests that effective mobile mental health technologies can be developed, and there are early indications that they will be acceptable to war and disaster survivors, and prove capable of greatly increasing the reach of mental health services. Promising mhealth interventions include video teleconferencing, text messaging, and smartphone-based applications. In addition, a variety of social media platforms has been used during and immediately after disasters to increase agility in responding, and strengthen community and individual resilience. Globally, PTSD Coach has been downloaded over 243,000 times in 96 countries, and together with large-scale use of social media for communication during disasters, suggests the potential for reach of app technology. In addition to enabling improved self-management of post-trauma problems, mobile phone interventions can also enhance delivery of face-to-face care by mental health providers and increase the effectiveness of peer helpers and mutual aid organizations. More research is needed to establish the efficacy of mhealth interventions for those affected by war and disaster. Research should also focus on the identification of active elements and core processes of change, determination of effective ways of increasing adoption and engagement, and explore ways of combining the various capabilities of mobile technologies to maximize their impact.

From Data Acquisition to Data Fusion: A Comprehensive Review and a Roadmap for the Identification of Activities of Daily Living Using Mobile Devices

PubMed Central

Pires, Ivan Miguel; Garcia, Nuno M.; Pombo, Nuno; Flórez-Revuelta, Francisco

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on the research on the state of the art for sensor fusion techniques, applied to the sensors embedded in mobile devices, as a means to help identify the mobile device user’s daily activities. Sensor data fusion techniques are used to consolidate the data collected from several sensors, increasing the reliability of the algorithms for the identification of the different activities. However, mobile devices have several constraints, e.g., low memory, low battery life and low processing power, and some data fusion techniques are not suited to this scenario. The main purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the state of the art to identify examples of sensor data fusion techniques that can be applied to the sensors available in mobile devices aiming to identify activities of daily living (ADLs). PMID:26848664

Prespecified dose-response analysis for A Very Early Rehabilitation Trial (AVERT).

PubMed

Bernhardt, Julie; Churilov, Leonid; Ellery, Fiona; Collier, Janice; Chamberlain, Jan; Langhorne, Peter; Lindley, Richard I; Moodie, Marj; Dewey, Helen; Thrift, Amanda G; Donnan, Geoff

2016-06-07

Our prespecified dose-response analyses of A Very Early Rehabilitation Trial (AVERT) aim to provide practical guidance for clinicians on the timing, frequency, and amount of mobilization following acute stroke. Eligible patients were aged ≥18 years, had confirmed first (or recurrent) stroke, and were admitted to a stroke unit within 24 hours of stroke onset. Patients were randomized to receive very early and frequent mobilization, commencing within 24 hours, or usual care. We used regression analyses and Classification and Regression Trees (CART) to investigate the effect of timing and dose of mobilization on efficacy and safety outcomes, irrespective of assigned treatment group. A total of 2,104 patients were enrolled, of whom 2,083 (99.0%) were followed up at 3 months. We found a consistent pattern of improved odds of favorable outcome in efficacy and safety outcomes with increased daily frequency of out-of-bed sessions (odds ratio [OR] 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09 to 1.18, p < 0.001), keeping time to first mobilization and mobilization amount constant. Increased amount (minutes per day) of mobilization reduced the odds of a good outcome (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.91 to 0.97, p < 0.001). Session frequency was the most important variable in the CART analysis, after prognostic variables age and baseline stroke severity. These data suggest that shorter, more frequent mobilization early after acute stroke is associated with greater odds of favorable outcome at 3 months when controlling for age and stroke severity. This study provides Class III evidence that shorter, more frequent early mobilization improves the chance of regaining independence after stroke. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Prespecified dose-response analysis for A Very Early Rehabilitation Trial (AVERT)

PubMed Central

Churilov, Leonid; Ellery, Fiona; Collier, Janice; Chamberlain, Jan; Langhorne, Peter; Lindley, Richard I.; Moodie, Marj; Dewey, Helen; Thrift, Amanda G.; Donnan, Geoff

2016-01-01

Objective: Our prespecified dose-response analyses of A Very Early Rehabilitation Trial (AVERT) aim to provide practical guidance for clinicians on the timing, frequency, and amount of mobilization following acute stroke. Methods: Eligible patients were aged ≥18 years, had confirmed first (or recurrent) stroke, and were admitted to a stroke unit within 24 hours of stroke onset. Patients were randomized to receive very early and frequent mobilization, commencing within 24 hours, or usual care. We used regression analyses and Classification and Regression Trees (CART) to investigate the effect of timing and dose of mobilization on efficacy and safety outcomes, irrespective of assigned treatment group. Results: A total of 2,104 patients were enrolled, of whom 2,083 (99.0%) were followed up at 3 months. We found a consistent pattern of improved odds of favorable outcome in efficacy and safety outcomes with increased daily frequency of out-of-bed sessions (odds ratio [OR] 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09 to 1.18, p < 0.001), keeping time to first mobilization and mobilization amount constant. Increased amount (minutes per day) of mobilization reduced the odds of a good outcome (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.91 to 0.97, p < 0.001). Session frequency was the most important variable in the CART analysis, after prognostic variables age and baseline stroke severity. Conclusion: These data suggest that shorter, more frequent mobilization early after acute stroke is associated with greater odds of favorable outcome at 3 months when controlling for age and stroke severity. Classification of evidence: This study provides Class III evidence that shorter, more frequent early mobilization improves the chance of regaining independence after stroke. PMID:26888985

Sports, Physical Activity and Recreation in Early American History.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballou, Ralph B.

Sports and physical recreation activities have been part of American life since the days of the early settlers. Although the settlers were faced with problems of survival, accounts of life in the colonies in the 1600's carry mention of bowling in the streets, play with bows and arrows, and ice skating. Other activities to gain popularity before…

Submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics, functional mobility, and physical activity in older adults with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction.

PubMed

Hummel, Scott L; Herald, John; Alpert, Craig; Gretebeck, Kimberlee A; Champoux, Wendy S; Dengel, Donald R; Vaitkevicius, Peter V; Alexander, Neil B

2016-07-01

Submaximal oxygen uptake measures are more feasible and may better predict clinical cardiac outcomes than maximal tests in older adults with heart failure (HF). We examined relationships between maximal oxygen uptake, submaximal oxygen kinetics, functional mobility, and physical activity in older adults with HF and reduced ejection fraction. Older adults with HF and reduced ejection fraction (n = 25, age 75 ± 7 years) were compared to 25 healthy age- and gender-matched controls. Assessments included a maximal treadmill test for peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), oxygen uptake kinetics at onset of and on recovery from a submaximal treadmill test, functional mobility testing [Get Up and Go (GUG), Comfortable Gait Speed (CGS), Unipedal Stance (US)], and self-reported physical activity (PA). Compared to controls, HF had worse performance on GUG, CGS, and US, greater delays in submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics, and lower PA. In controls, VO2peak was more strongly associated with functional mobility and PA than submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics. In HF patients, submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics were similarly associated with GUG and CGS as VO2peak, but weakly associated with PA. Based on their mobility performance, older HF patients with reduced ejection fraction are at risk for adverse functional outcomes. In this population, submaximal oxygen uptake measures may be equivalent to VO2 peak in predicting functional mobility, and in addition to being more feasible, may provide better insight into how aerobic function relates to mobility in older adults with HF.

PIT-tagged particle study of bed mobility in a Maine salmon river impacted by logging activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, D. M.; Fixler, S. A.; Roberts, K. E.; McKenna, M.; Marshall, A. E.; Koenig, S.

2017-12-01

Presenting an interim report on a study on the Narraguagus River in Maine, which utilizes laser total stations cross-sectional surveys and tracking of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags embedded in glass spheres to document changes in channel-bed characteristics associated with large wood (LW) additions and natural spawning activities. In 2016, work was initiated to monitor changes in bed elevation and sediment mobility with the addition of LW to the Narraguagus River as part of a restoration effort. Ten cross-sections, spaced 5-m apart, were established and surveyed with a laser total station in each of three different study reaches. The study sites include a control reach, a section with anticipated spawning activities and a site with ongoing LW placement. A grid of 200 glass spheres embedded with PIT tags, with twenty alternating 25-mm and 40-mm size particles equally spaced along each of the ten transects, were placed to serve as point sensors to detect sediment mobilization within each reach. In 2017, the site was revisited to determine if differences in PIT-tagged tracer particle mobilization reflect locations were LW was added and places where Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) construct spawning redds. The positions of PIT-tagged tracer particles was recorded, but particles were not disturbed or uncovered to permit study of potential reworking of buried tracer particles the following year. Full tracer particle recovery will be determined in 2018 to determine if depths of tracer burial and changes in bed elevation vary among places near redds, LW and main channel locations. The data will be used to determine if salmon redds are preferentially located in either places with greater evidence of sediment reworking or alternatively in stable areas? The study will help determine the degree of bed disruption associated with spawning activities and whether LW placement encourages similar sediment mobilization processes.

Early Hg mobility in cultivated tropical soils one year after slash-and-burn of the primary forest, in the Brazilian Amazon.

PubMed

Béliveau, Annie; Lucotte, Marc; Davidson, Robert; Lopes, Luis Otávio do Canto; Paquet, Serge

2009-07-15

In the Brazilian Amazon, forest conversion to agricultural lands (slash-and-burn cultivation) contributes to soil mercury (Hg) release and to aquatic ecosystem contamination. Recent studies have shown that soil Hg loss occurs rapidly after deforestation, suggesting that Hg mobility could be related to the massive cation input resulting from biomass burning. The objective of this research was to determine the effects of the first year of slash-and-burn agriculture on soil Hg levels at the regional scale of the Tapajós River, in the state of Pará, Brazilian Amazon. A total of 429 soil samples were collected in 26 farms of five riparian communities of the Tapajós basin. In September 2004, soil samples were collected from primary forest sites planned for slash-and-burn cultivation. In August 2005, one year after the initial burning, a second campaign was held and the exact same sites were re-sampled. Our results showed that total Hg levels in soils did not change significantly during the first year following slash-and-burn, suggesting no immediate release of soil Hg at that point in time. However, an early Hg mobility was detected near the surface (0-5 cm), reflected by a significant shift in Hg distribution in soil fractions. Indeed, a transfer of Hg from fine to coarser soil particles was observed, indicating that chemical bonds between Hg and fine particles could have been altered. A correspondence analysis (CA) showed that this process could be linked to a chemical competition caused by cation enrichment. The regional dimension of the study highlighted the prevailing importance of soil types in Hg dynamics, as shown by differentiated soil responses following deforestation according to soil texture. Confirming an early Hg mobility and indicating an eventual Hg release out of the soil, our results reinforce the call for the development of more sustainable agricultural practices in the Amazon.

Feasibility of Gamified Mobile Service Aimed at Physical Activation in Young Men: Population-Based Randomized Controlled Study (MOPO)

PubMed Central

Pyky, Riitta; Ahola, Riikka; Kangas, Maarit; Siirtola, Pekka; Luoto, Tim; Enwald, Heidi; Ikäheimo, Tiina M; Röning, Juha; Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi, Sirkka; Mäntysaari, Matti; Korpelainen, Raija; Jämsä, Timo

2017-01-01

Background The majority of young people do not meet the recommendations on physical activity for health. New innovative ways to motivate young people to adopt a physically active lifestyle are needed. Objective The study aimed to study the feasibility of an automated, gamified, tailored Web-based mobile service aimed at physical and social activation among young men. Methods A population-based sample of 496 young men (mean age 17.8 years [standard deviation 0.6]) participated in a 6-month randomized controlled trial (MOPO study). Participants were randomized to an intervention (n=250) and a control group (n=246). The intervention group was given a wrist-worn physical activity monitor (Polar Active) with physical activity feedback and access to a gamified Web-based mobile service, providing fitness guidelines, tailored health information, advice of youth services, social networking, and feedback on physical activity. Through the trial, the physical activity of the men in the control group was measured continuously with an otherwise similar monitor but providing only the time of day and no feedback. The primary outcome was the feasibility of the service based on log data and questionnaires. Among completers, we also analyzed the change in anthropometry and fitness between baseline and 6 months and the change over time in weekly time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity. Results Mobile service users considered the various functionalities related to physical activity important. However, compliance of the service was limited, with 161 (64.4%, 161/250) participants visiting the service, 118 (47.2%, 118/250) logging in more than once, and 41 (16.4%, 41/250) more than 5 times. Baseline sedentary time was higher in those who uploaded physical activity data until the end of the trial (P=.02). A total of 187 (74.8%, 187/250) participants in the intervention and 167 (67.9%, 167/246) in the control group participated in the final measurements. There were no

Unveiling the water-associated conformational mobility in the active site of ascorbate peroxidase.

PubMed

Chao, Wei-Chih; Lin, Li-Ju; Lu, Jyh-Feng; Wang, Jinn-Shyan; Lin, Tzu-Chieh; Chen, Yi-Han; Chen, Yi-Ting; Yang, Hsiao-Ching; Chou, Pi-Tai

2018-03-01

We carried out comprehensive spectroscopic studies of wild type and mutants of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) to gain understanding of the conformational mobility of the active site. In this approach, three unnatural tryptophans were applied to replace the distal tryptophan (W41) in an aim to probe polarity/water environment near the edge of the heme-containing active site. 7-azatryptophan ((7-aza)Trp) is sensitive to environment polarity, while 2,7-azatryptophan ((2,7-aza)Trp) and 2,6-diazatryptophan ((2,6-aza)Trp) undergo excited-state water-catalyzed double and triple proton transfer, respectively, and are sensitive to the water network. The combination of their absorption, emission bands and the associated relaxation dynamics of these fluorescence probes, together with the Soret-band difference absorption and resonance Raman spectroscopy, lead us to unveil the water associated conformational mobility in the active site of APX. The results are suggestive of the existence of equilibrium between two different environments surrounding W41 in APX, i.e., the water-rich and water-scant forms with distinct fluorescence relaxation. Our results thus demonstrate for the first time the power of integrating multiple sensors (7-aza)Trp, (2,7-aza)Trp and (2,6-aza)Trp in probing the water environment of a specifically targeted Trp in proteins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Training Learners to Use Quizlet Vocabulary Activities on Mobile Phones in Vietnam with Facebook

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tran, Phuong

2016-01-01

Mobile phone ownership among university students in Vietnam has reached almost 100%, exceeding that of Internet-capable desktop computers. This has made them increasingly popular to allow learners to carry out learning activities outside of the classroom, but some studies have suggested that learners are not always willing to engage in activities…

Increasing Physical Activity in Mothers Using Video Exercise Groups and Exercise Mobile Apps: Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Mascarenhas, Maya Nina; Chan, June Maylin; Vittinghoff, Eric; Van Blarigan, Erin Lynn; Hecht, Frederick

2018-05-18

Women significantly decrease their activity levels in the transition to motherhood. Digital health technologies are low cost, scalable, and can provide an effective delivery mechanism for behavior change. This is the first study that examines the use of videoconferencing and mobile apps to create exercise groups for mothers. The aim of the study was to test the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of an individually adaptive and socially supportive physical activity intervention incorporating videoconferencing and mobile apps for mothers. The Moms Online Video Exercise Study was an 8-week, 2-armed, Web-based randomized trial comparing the effectiveness of a group exercise intervention with a waitlist control. Healthy mothers with at least 1 child under the age of 12 years were recruited through Facebook and email listservs. Intervention participants joined exercise groups using videoconferencing (Google Hangouts) every morning on weekdays and exercised together in real time, guided by exercise mobile apps (eg, Nike+, Sworkit) of their choice. Waitlist control participants had access to recommended mobile apps and an invitation to join an exercise group after the 8-week study period. Main outcomes assessed included changes in self-reported moderate, vigorous, and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) minutes per week in aggregate and stratified by whether women met Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for sufficient aerobic activity at baseline. Outcomes were measured through self-assessed Web-based questionnaires at baseline and 8 weeks. The intervention was effective at increasing exercise for inactive women and proved to be feasible and acceptable to all participants. A total of 64 women were randomized, 30 to intervention and 34 to control. Women attended 2.8 sessions per week. There was a strong, but not statistically significant, trend toward increasing moderate, vigorous, and MVPA minutes for all women. As hypothesized, in

The application of machine learning in multi sensor data fusion for activity recognition in mobile device space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marhoubi, Asmaa H.; Saravi, Sara; Edirisinghe, Eran A.

2015-05-01

The present generation of mobile handheld devices comes equipped with a large number of sensors. The key sensors include the Ambient Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Gyroscope, Compass and the Accelerometer. Many mobile applications are driven based on the readings obtained from either one or two of these sensors. However the presence of multiple-sensors will enable the determination of more detailed activities that are carried out by the user of a mobile device, thus enabling smarter mobile applications to be developed that responds more appropriately to user behavior and device usage. In the proposed research we use recent advances in machine learning to fuse together the data obtained from all key sensors of a mobile device. We investigate the possible use of single and ensemble classifier based approaches to identify a mobile device's behavior in the space it is present. Feature selection algorithms are used to remove non-discriminant features that often lead to poor classifier performance. As the sensor readings are noisy and include a significant proportion of missing values and outliers, we use machine learning based approaches to clean the raw data obtained from the sensors, before use. Based on selected practical case studies, we demonstrate the ability to accurately recognize device behavior based on multi-sensor data fusion.

Accelerometer-Derived Pattern of Sedentary and Physical Activity Time in Persons with Mobility Disability: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003 to 2006.

PubMed

Manns, Patricia; Ezeugwu, Victor; Armijo-Olivo, Susan; Vallance, Jeff; Healy, Genevieve N

2015-07-01

To describe objectively determined sedentary and activity outcomes (volume and pattern) and their associations with cardiometabolic risk biomarkers in individuals with and without mobility disability. Cross-sectional. Population based. Community-dwelling older adults (≥60) living in the United States who were participants in the 2003 to 2004 or 2005 to 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were classified as with or without mobility disability according to responses to self-reported questions about ability to walk, climb stairs, and/or use of ambulatory aids. Accelerometer-derived sedentary and activity variables for volume (time in sedentary (<100 counts per minute (cpm)), very light- (100-759 cpm), light- (760-1,951 cpm), and moderate- to vigorous- (≥1,952 cpm) intensity activity and pattern (number of breaks from sedentary time, duration of sedentary bouts, duration of activity bouts). Survey-weighted regression models, adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, education, and smoking, were used to examine the associations between pattern of activity and cardiometabolic health risk factors (blood pressure, waist circumference, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Of the 2,017 participants, 547 were classified as having a mobility disability. Participants with mobility disability had more sedentary time and less active time than those without. Sedentary bouts were longer and active bouts shorter in those with disability. The total number of sedentary breaks (transitions from sedentary to nonsedentary) differed between groups after adjustment for total sedentary time. Fewer breaks, longer sedentary bouts, and shorter activity bouts were associated with higher average waist circumference regardless of disability status. This study provides rationale for the development and testing of interventions to change the pattern of activity (e.g., include more breaks and longer activity bout durations) in older adults with mobility disability. �

Active transportation and public transportation use to achieve physical activity recommendations? A combined GPS, accelerometer, and mobility survey study.

PubMed

Chaix, Basile; Kestens, Yan; Duncan, Scott; Merrien, Claire; Thierry, Benoît; Pannier, Bruno; Brondeel, Ruben; Lewin, Antoine; Karusisi, Noëlla; Perchoux, Camille; Thomas, Frédérique; Méline, Julie

2014-09-27

Accurate information is lacking on the extent of transportation as a source of physical activity, on the physical activity gains from public transportation use, and on the extent to which population shifts in the use of transportation modes could increase the percentage of people reaching official physical activity recommendations. In 2012-2013, 234 participants of the RECORD GPS Study (French Paris region, median age = 58) wore a portable GPS receiver and an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days and completed a 7-day GPS-based mobility survey (participation rate = 57.1%). Information on transportation modes and accelerometry data aggregated at the trip level [number of steps taken, energy expended, moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and sedentary time] were available for 7,644 trips. Associations between transportation modes and accelerometer-derived physical activity were estimated at the trip level with multilevel linear models. Participants spent a median of 1 h 58 min per day in transportation (8.2% of total time). Thirty-eight per-cent of steps taken, 31% of energy expended, and 33% of MVPA over 7 days were attributable to transportation. Walking and biking trips but also public transportation trips with all four transit modes examined were associated with greater steps, MVPA, and energy expenditure when compared to trips by personal motorized vehicle. Two simulated scenarios, implying a shift of approximately 14% and 33% of all motorized trips to public transportation or walking, were associated with a predicted 6 point and 13 point increase in the percentage of participants achieving the current physical activity recommendation. Collecting data with GPS receivers, accelerometers, and a GPS-based electronic mobility survey of activities and transportation modes allowed us to investigate relationships between transportation modes and physical activity at the trip level. Our findings suggest that an increase in active transportation

Early and current physical activity: relationship with intima-media thickness and metabolic variables in adulthood

PubMed Central

Lima, Manoel C. S.; Barbosa, Maurício F.; Diniz, Tiego A.; Codogno, Jamile S.; Freitas, Ismael F.; Fernandes, Rômulo A.

2014-01-01

Background: It is unclear whether early physical activity has a greater influence on intima-media thickness and metabolic variables than current physical activity. Objective: To analyze the relationship between current and early physical activity, metabolic variables, and intima-media thickness measures in adults. Method: The sample was composed of 55 healthy subjects of both sexes (33 men and 22 women). Total body fat and trunk fat were estimated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Carotid and femoral intima-media thickness were measured using a Doppler ultrasound device. A 12-hour fasting blood sample collection was taken (fasting glucose and lipid profile). Early physical activity was assessed through face-to-face interview, and the current physical activity was assessed by pedometer (Digi-Walker Yamax, SW200), which was used for a period of seven days. Results: Current physical activity was negatively related to total cholesterol (rho=-0.31), while early physical activity was negatively related to triglycerides (rho=-0.42), total cholesterol (rho=-0.28), very low density lipoprotein (rho=-0.44), and carotid intima-media thickness (rho=-0.50). In the multivariate model, subjects engaged in sports activities during early life had lower values of very low density lipoprotein (b=-8.74 [b=-16.1; -1.47]) and carotid intima-media thickness (b=-0.17 [95%CI: -0.28; -0.05]). Conclusion: Early 95%CI physical activity has a significant influence on carotid intima-media thickness, regardless of the current physical activity. PMID:25372009

Early and current physical activity: relationship with intima-media thickness and metabolic variables in adulthood.

PubMed

Lima, Manoel C S; Barbosa, Maurício F; Diniz, Tiego A; Codogno, Jamile S; Freitas Júnior, Ismael F; Fernandes, Rômulo A

2014-01-01

It is unclear whether early physical activity has a greater influence on intima-media thickness and metabolic variables than current physical activity. To analyze the relationship between current and early physical activity, metabolic variables, and intima-media thickness measures in adults. The sample was composed of 55 healthy subjects of both sexes (33 men and 22 women). Total body fat and trunk fat were estimated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Carotid and femoral intima-media thickness were measured using a Doppler ultrasound device. A 12-hour fasting blood sample collection was taken (fasting glucose and lipid profile). Early physical activity was assessed through face-to-face interview, and the current physical activity was assessed by pedometer (Digi-Walker Yamax, SW200), which was used for a period of seven days. Current physical activity was negatively related to total cholesterol (rho=-0.31), while early physical activity was negatively related to triglycerides (rho=-0.42), total cholesterol (rho=-0.28), very low density lipoprotein (rho=-0.44), and carotid intima-media thickness (rho=-0.50). In the multivariate model, subjects engaged in sports activities during early life had lower values of very low density lipoprotein (b=-8.74 [b95%CI=-16.1; -1.47]) and carotid intima-media thickness (b=-0.17 [95%CI: -0.28; -0.05]). Early 95%CI physical activity has a significant influence on carotid intima-media thickness, regardless of the current physical activity.

Correlations between human mobility and social interaction reveal general activity patterns.

PubMed

Mollgaard, Anders; Lehmann, Sune; Mathiesen, Joachim

2017-01-01

A day in the life of a person involves a broad range of activities which are common across many people. Going beyond diurnal cycles, a central question is: to what extent do individuals act according to patterns shared across an entire population? Here we investigate the interplay between different activity types, namely communication, motion, and physical proximity by analyzing data collected from smartphones distributed among 638 individuals. We explore two central questions: Which underlying principles govern the formation of the activity patterns? Are the patterns specific to each individual or shared across the entire population? We find that statistics of the entire population allows us to successfully predict 71% of the activity and 85% of the inactivity involved in communication, mobility, and physical proximity. Surprisingly, individual level statistics only result in marginally better predictions, indicating that a majority of activity patterns are shared across our sample population. Finally, we predict short-term activity patterns using a generalized linear model, which suggests that a simple linear description might be sufficient to explain a wide range of actions, whether they be of social or of physical character.

Development of the Barriers to Physical Activity Questionnaire for People with Mobility Impairments.

PubMed

Vasudevan, Vijay; Rimmer, James H; Kviz, Frederick

2015-10-01

Despite the widely known benefits of physical activity, people with disabilities are more likely to be inactive when compared to people without disabilities. Previous questionnaires that measure barriers physical activity for people with disabilities do not measure barriers from an ecological perspective. The purpose of this study was to develop the Barriers to Physical Activity Questionnaire for People with Mobility Impairments (BPAQ-MI) that measures barriers using an ecological framework. This study consisted of two phases. In Phase one, developed the content validity by (a) developing an item bank, (b) identifying missing items and combining items using a Delphi panel, and (c) refine item wording via cognitive interviews. In Phase two, people with mobility impairments took part in in-person interviews to establish test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity of the BPAQ-MI. Exploratory factor analysis revealed the BPAQ-MI was comprised of eight subscales or factors: health; beliefs and attitudes; family; friends; fitness center built environment; staff and policy; community built environment; and safety. The BPAQ-MI demonstrated very good test-retest reliability. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.792 to 0.935. The BPAQ-MI showed significant negative correlations with exercise (minutes/week) and significant positive correlations between BPAQ-MI subscales and inactivity (hours/day). The BPAQ-MI is the first questionnaire that places greater equity at measuring barriers to physical activity across the intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and community domains. The BPAQ-MI has the potential to assist researchers in understanding the complex relationship between barriers and ultimately develop physical activity interventions that address these barriers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

TechCare: mobile assessment and therapy for psychosis - an intervention for clients in the Early Intervention Service: A feasibility study protocol.

PubMed

Husain, Nusrat; Gire, Nadeem; Kelly, James; Duxbury, Joy; McKeown, Mick; Riley, Miv; Taylor, Christopher Dj; Taylor, Peter J; Emsley, Richard; Farooq, Saeed; Caton, Neil; Naeem, Farooq; Kingdon, David; Chaudhry, Imran

2016-01-01

Technological advances in healthcare have shown promise when delivering interventions for mental health problems such as psychosis. The aim of this project is to develop a mobile phone intervention for people with psychosis and to conduct a feasibility study of the TechCare App. The TechCare App will assess participant's symptoms and respond with a personalised guided self-help-based psychological intervention with the aim of exploring feasibility and acceptability. The project will recruit 16 service users and 8-10 health professionals from the Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust Early Intervention Service. In strand 1 of the study, we will invite people to discuss their experience of psychosis and give their opinions on the existing evidence-based treatment (cognitive behavioural therapy) and how the mobile app can be developed. In strand 2, we will complete a test run with a small number of participants (n = 4) to refine the mobile intervention (TechCare). Finally, in strand 3 of the study, the TechCare App will be examined in a feasibility study with 12 participants. It has been suggested that there is a need for a rapid increase in the efforts to develop the evidence base for the clinical effectiveness of digital technologies, considering mHealth research can potentially be helpful in addressing the demand on mental health services globally.

Effects of Carbon in Flooded Paddy Soils: Implications for Microbial Activity and Arsenic Mobilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avancha, S.; Boye, K.

2014-12-01

In the Mekong delta in Cambodia, naturally occurring arsenic (originating from erosion in the Himalaya Mountains) in paddy soils is mobilized during the seasonal flooding. As a consequence, rice grown on the flooded soils may take up arsenic and expose people eating the rice to this carcinogenic substance. Microbial activity will enhance or decrease the mobilization of arsenic depending on their metabolic pathways. Among the microbes naturally residing in the soil are denitrifying bacteria, sulfate reducers, metal reducers (Fe, Mn), arsenic reducers, methanogens, and fermenters, whose activity varies based on the presence of oxygen. The purpose of the experiment was to assess how different amendments affect the microbial activity and the arsenic mobilization during the transition from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism after flooding of naturally contaminated Cambodian soil. In a batch experiment, we investigated how the relative metabolic rate of naturally occurring microbes could vary with different types of organic carbon. The experiment was designed to measure the effects of various sources of carbon (dried rice straw, charred rice straw, manure, and glucose) on the microbial activity and arsenic release in an arsenic-contaminated paddy soil from Cambodia under flooded conditions. All amendments were added based on the carbon content in order to add 0.036 g of carbon per vial. The soil was flooded with a 10mM TRIS buffer solution at pH 7.04 in airtight 25mL serum vials and kept at 25 °C. We prepared 14 replicates per treatment to sample both gas and solution. On each sampling point, the solution replicates were sampled destructively. The gas replicates continued on and were sampled for both gas and solution on the final day of the experiment. We measured pH, total arsenic, methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide at 8 hours, 1.5 days, 3.33 days, and 6.33 days from the start of the experiment.

Anomalous mobility of a driven active particle in a steady laminar flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cecconi, F.; Puglisi, A.; Sarracino, A.; Vulpiani, A.

2018-07-01

We study, via extensive numerical simulations, the force–velocity curve of an active particle advected by a steady laminar flow, in the nonlinear response regime. Our model for an active particle relies on a colored noise term that mimics its persistent motion over a time scale . We find that the active particle dynamics shows non-trivial effects, such as negative differential and absolute mobility (NDM and ANM, respectively). We explore the space of the model parameters and compare the observed behaviors with those obtained for a passive particle () advected by the same laminar flow. Our results show that the phenomena of NDM and ANM are quite robust with respect to the details of the considered noise: in particular for finite a more complex force–velocity relation can be observed.

Early Sexual Intercourse: Prospective Associations with Adolescents Physical Activity and Screen Time

PubMed Central

Wijtzes, Anne; van de Bongardt, Daphne; van de Looij-Jansen, Petra; Bannink, Rienke; Raat, Hein

2016-01-01

Objectives To assess the prospective associations of physical activity behaviors and screen time with early sexual intercourse initiation (i.e., before 15 years) in a large sample of adolescents. Methods We used two waves of data from the Rotterdam Youth Monitor, a longitudinal study conducted in the Netherlands. The analysis sample consisted of 2,141 adolescents aged 12 to 14 years (mean age at baseline = 12.2 years, SD = 0.43). Physical activity (e.g., sports outside school), screen time (e.g., computer use), and early sexual intercourse initiation were assessed by means of self-report questionnaires. Logistic regression models were tested to assess the associations of physical activity behaviors and screen time (separately and simultaneously) with early sexual intercourse initiation, controlling for confounders (i.e., socio-demographics and substance use). Interaction effects with gender were tested to assess whether these associations differed significantly between boys and girls. Results The only physical activity behavior that was a significant predictor of early sexual intercourse initiation was sports club membership. Adolescent boys and girls who were members of a sports club) were more likely to have had early sex (OR = 2.17; 95% CI = 1.33, 3.56. Significant gender interaction effects indicated that boys who watched TV ≥2 hours/day (OR = 2.00; 95% CI = 1.08, 3.68) and girls who used the computer ≥2 hours/day (OR = 3.92; 95% CI = 1.76, 8.69) were also significantly more likely to have engaged in early sex. Conclusion These findings have implications for professionals in general pediatric healthcare, sexual health educators, policy makers, and parents, who should be aware of these possible prospective links between sports club membership, TV watching (for boys), and computer use (for girls), and early sexual intercourse initiation. However, continued research on determinants of adolescents’ early sexual initiation is needed to further contribute to

Affordances for Risk-Taking and Physical Activity in Australian Early Childhood Education Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Little, Helen; Sweller, Naomi

2015-01-01

Motor competence and physical activity (PA) patterns are established during the early childhood years. Early childhood education (ECE) settings are an important context for children's engagement in physically active play. This paper reports the findings from an online survey examining resources, spaces and affordances for PA and risk-taking in…

No difference between fixed- and mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty in activities of daily living and pain: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Amaro, Joicemar Tarouco; Arliani, Gustavo Gonçalves; Astur, Diego Costa; Debieux, Pedro; Kaleka, Camila Cohen; Cohen, Moises

2017-06-01

Until now, there are no definitive conclusions regarding functional differences related to middle- and long-term everyday activities and patient pain following implantation of mobile- and fixed-platform tibial prostheses. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are middle-term differences in knee function and pain in patients undergoing fixed- and mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Eligible patients were randomized into two groups: the first group received TKA implantation with a fixed tibial platform (group A); the second group received TKA with a mobile tibial platform (group B). Patients were followed up (2 years), and their symptoms and limitations in daily living activities were evaluated using the Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADLS), in addition to pain evaluation assessed using the pain visual analogue scale (VAS). There were no significant differences in function and symptoms in the ADLS and VAS between the study groups. The type of platform used in TKA (fixed vs. mobile) does not change the symptoms, function or pain of patients 2 years post-surgery. Although mobile TKAs may have better short-term results, at medium- and long-term follow-up they do not present important clinical differences compared with fixed-platform TKAs. This information is important so that surgeons can choose the most suitable implant for each patient. Randomized clinical trial, Level I.

Goal striving strategies and effort mobilization: When implementation intentions reduce effort-related cardiac activity during task performance.

PubMed

Freydefont, Laure; Gollwitzer, Peter M; Oettingen, Gabriele

2016-09-01

Two experiments investigate the influence of goal and implementation intentions on effort mobilization during task performance. Although numerous studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of setting goals and making plans on performance, the effects of goals and plans on effort-related cardiac activity and especially the cardiac preejection period (PEP) during goal striving have not yet been addressed. According to the Motivational Intensity Theory, participants should increase effort mobilization proportionally to task difficulty as long as success is possible and justified. Forming goals and making plans should allow for reduced effort mobilization when participants perform an easy task. However, when the task is difficult, goals and plans should differ in their effect on effort mobilization. Participants who set goals should disengage, whereas participants who made if-then plans should stay in the field showing high effort mobilization during task performance. As expected, using an easy task in Experiment 1, we observed a lower cardiac PEP in both the implementation intention and the goal intention condition than in the control condition. In Experiment 2, we varied task difficulty and demonstrated that while participants with a mere goal intention disengaged from difficult tasks, participants with an implementation intention increased effort mobilization proportionally with task difficulty. These findings demonstrate the influence of goal striving strategies (i.e., mere goals vs. if-then plans) on effort mobilization during task performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of customers' mobile experience and technical support on the intention to use mobile banking.

PubMed

Chung, Namho; Kwon, Soon Jae

2009-10-01

While mobile banking has become an integral part of banking activities, it has also caused systems-related stress and consequent distrust among mobile banking users. This study looks into the phenomenon of technology adoption for mobile banking users and identifies potential factors that nurture positive intentions toward mobile banking usage. It examines the effects of a customer's mobile experience and technical support on mobile banking acceptance and explains how some variables affect this intention. After a literature review, the method of empirical analysis using a structured questionnaire is developed. Hierarchical Moderated Regression Analyses (HMRA) is used to examine the model. We find that mobile experience and technical support tend to strengthen the relationship between technological characteristics and a customer's intention to use the mobile technology.

Mobile phones and sleep - A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Supe, Sanjay S.

2010-01-01

The increasing use of mobile phones has raised concerns regarding the potential health effects of exposure to the radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. An increasing amount research related to mobile phone use has focussed on the possible effects of mobile phone exposure on human brain activity and function. In particular, the use of sleep research has become a more widely used technique for assessing the possible effects of mobile phones on human health and wellbeing especially in the investigation of potential changes in sleep architecture resulting from mobile phone use. Acute exposure to a mobile phone prior to sleep significantly enhances electroencephalogram spectral power in the sleep spindle frequency range. This mobile phone-induced enhancement in spectral power is largely transitory and does not linger throughout the night. Furthermore, a reduction in rapid eye movement sleep latency following mobile phone exposure was also found, although interestingly, neither this change in rapid eye movement sleep latency or the enhancement in spectral power following mobile phone exposure, led to changes in the overall quality of sleep. In conclusion, a short exposure to the radiofrequency electromagnetic fields emitted by a mobile phone handset immediately prior to sleep is sufficient to induce changes in brain activity in the initial part of sleep. The consequences or functional significance of this effect are currently unknown and it would be premature to draw conclusions about possible health consequences.

Early experience with dual mobility acetabular systems featuring highly cross-linked polyethylene liners for primary hip arthroplasty in patients under fifty five years of age: an international multi-centre preliminary study.

PubMed

Epinette, Jean-Alain; Harwin, Steven F; Rowan, Fiachra E; Tracol, Philippe; Mont, Michael A; Chughtai, Morad; Westrich, Geoffrey H

2017-03-01

To evaluate early performance of contemporary dual mobility acetabular systems with second generation annealed highly cross-linked polyethylene for primary hip arthroplasty of patients under 55 years of age. A prospective observational five years study across five centers in Europe and the USA of 321 patients with a mean age of 48.1 years was performed. Patients were assessed for causes of revision, hip instability, intra-prosthetic dissociation, Harris hip score and radiological signs of osteolysis. There were no dislocations and no intra-prosthetic dissociations. Kaplan Meier analysis demonstrated 97.51% survivorship for all cause revision and 99.68% survivorship for acetabular component revision at five years. Mean Harris hip score was 93.6. Two acetabular shells were revised for neck-rim implant impingement without dislocation and ten femoral stems were revised for causes unrelated to dual mobility implants. Contemporary highly cross-linked polyethylene dual mobility systems demonstrate excellent early clinical, radiological, and survivorship results in a cohort of patients that demand high performance from their implants. It is envisaged that DM and second generation annealed HXLPE may reduce THA instability and wear, the two most common causes of THA revision in hip arthroplasty.

47 CFR 90.247 - Mobile repeater stations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... of the mobile unit and an automatic time-delay device that de-activates the transmitter after any... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Mobile repeater stations. 90.247 Section 90.247... MOBILE RADIO SERVICES Non-Voice and Other Specialized Operations § 90.247 Mobile repeater stations. A...

Submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics, functional mobility, and physical activity in older adults with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction

PubMed Central

Hummel, Scott L; Herald, John; Alpert, Craig; Gretebeck, Kimberlee A; Champoux, Wendy S; Dengel, Donald R; Vaitkevicius, Peter V; Alexander, Neil B

2016-01-01

Background Submaximal oxygen uptake measures are more feasible and may better predict clinical cardiac outcomes than maximal tests in older adults with heart failure (HF). We examined relationships between maximal oxygen uptake, submaximal oxygen kinetics, functional mobility, and physical activity in older adults with HF and reduced ejection fraction. Methods Older adults with HF and reduced ejection fraction (n = 25, age 75 ± 7 years) were compared to 25 healthy age- and gender-matched controls. Assessments included a maximal treadmill test for peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), oxygen uptake kinetics at onset of and on recovery from a submaximal treadmill test, functional mobility testing [Get Up and Go (GUG), Comfortable Gait Speed (CGS), Unipedal Stance (US)], and self-reported physical activity (PA). Results Compared to controls, HF had worse performance on GUG, CGS, and US, greater delays in submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics, and lower PA. In controls, VO2peak was more strongly associated with functional mobility and PA than submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics. In HF patients, submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics were similarly associated with GUG and CGS as VO2peak, but weakly associated with PA. Conclusions Based on their mobility performance, older HF patients with reduced ejection fraction are at risk for adverse functional outcomes. In this population, submaximal oxygen uptake measures may be equivalent to VO2 peak in predicting functional mobility, and in addition to being more feasible, may provide better insight into how aerobic function relates to mobility in older adults with HF. PMID:27594875

AMPK is activated early in cerebellar granule cells undergoing apoptosis and influences VADC1 phosphorylation status and activity.

PubMed

Bobba, A; Casalino, E; Amadoro, G; Petragallo, V A; Atlante, A

2017-09-01

The neurodegeneration of cerebellar granule cells, after low potassium induced apoptosis, is known to be temporally divided into an early and a late phase. Voltage-dependent anion channel-1 (VDAC1) protein, changing from the closed inactive state to the active open state, is central to the switch between the early and late phase. It is also known that: (i) VDAC1 can undergo phosphorylation events and (ii) AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), the sensor of cellular stress, may have a role in neuronal homeostasis. In the view of this, the involvement of AMPK activation and its correlation with VDAC1 status and activity has been investigated in the course of cerebellar granule cells apoptosis. The results reported in this study show that an increased level of the phosphorylated, active, isoform of AMPK occurs in the early phase, peaks at 3 h and guarantees an increase in the phosphorylation status of VDCA1, resulting in a reduced activity of this latter. However this situation is transient in nature, since, in the late phase, AMPK activation decreases as well as the level of phosphorylated VDAC1. In a less phosphorylated status, VDAC1 fully recovers its gating activity and drives cells along the death route.

Fall Activities for the Early Childhood and Special Education Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denton, Penny

Designed for teachers of early childhood or special education students, this guide contains instructions and illustrations for classroom activities for the months of September, October, and November. Most of the activities involve art projects and many incorporate teaching in other subject areas such as mathematics, language arts, science, and…

Weather effects on the patterns of people's everyday activities: a study using GPS traces of mobile phone users.

PubMed

Horanont, Teerayut; Phithakkitnukoon, Santi; Leong, Tuck W; Sekimoto, Yoshihide; Shibasaki, Ryosuke

2013-01-01

This study explores the effects that the weather has on people's everyday activity patterns. Temperature, rainfall, and wind speed were used as weather parameters. People's daily activity patterns were inferred, such as place visited, the time this took place, the duration of the visit, based on the GPS location traces of their mobile phones overlaid upon Yellow Pages information. Our analysis of 31,855 mobile phone users allowed us to infer that people were more likely to stay longer at eateries or food outlets, and (to a lesser degree) at retail or shopping areas when the weather is very cold or when conditions are calm (non-windy). When compared to people's regular activity patterns, certain weather conditions affected people's movements and activities noticeably at different times of the day. On cold days, people's activities were found to be more diverse especially after 10AM, showing greatest variations between 2PM and 6PM. A similar trend is observed between 10AM and midnight on rainy days, with people's activities found to be most diverse on days with heaviest rainfalls or on days when the wind speed was stronger than 4 km/h, especially between 10AM-1AM. Finally, we observed that different geographical areas of a large metropolis were impacted differently by the weather. Using data of urban infrastructure to characterize areas, we found strong correlations between weather conditions upon people's accessibility to trains. This study sheds new light on the influence of weather conditions on human behavior, in particular the choice of daily activities and how mobile phone data can be used to investigate the influence of environmental factors on urban dynamics.

Weather Effects on the Patterns of People's Everyday Activities: A Study Using GPS Traces of Mobile Phone Users

PubMed Central

Leong, Tuck W.; Sekimoto, Yoshihide; Shibasaki, Ryosuke

2013-01-01

This study explores the effects that the weather has on people's everyday activity patterns. Temperature, rainfall, and wind speed were used as weather parameters. People's daily activity patterns were inferred, such as place visited, the time this took place, the duration of the visit, based on the GPS location traces of their mobile phones overlaid upon Yellow Pages information. Our analysis of 31,855 mobile phone users allowed us to infer that people were more likely to stay longer at eateries or food outlets, and (to a lesser degree) at retail or shopping areas when the weather is very cold or when conditions are calm (non-windy). When compared to people's regular activity patterns, certain weather conditions affected people's movements and activities noticeably at different times of the day. On cold days, people's activities were found to be more diverse especially after 10AM, showing greatest variations between 2PM and 6PM. A similar trend is observed between 10AM and midnight on rainy days, with people's activities found to be most diverse on days with heaviest rainfalls or on days when the wind speed was stronger than 4 km/h, especially between 10AM–1AM. Finally, we observed that different geographical areas of a large metropolis were impacted differently by the weather. Using data of urban infrastructure to characterize areas, we found strong correlations between weather conditions upon people's accessibility to trains. This study sheds new light on the influence of weather conditions on human behavior, in particular the choice of daily activities and how mobile phone data can be used to investigate the influence of environmental factors on urban dynamics. PMID:24367481

Feasibility and inter-rater reliability of the ICU Mobility Scale.

PubMed

Hodgson, Carol; Needham, Dale; Haines, Kimberley; Bailey, Michael; Ward, Alison; Harrold, Megan; Young, Paul; Zanni, Jennifer; Buhr, Heidi; Higgins, Alisa; Presneill, Jeff; Berney, Sue

2014-01-01

The objectives of this study were to develop a scale for measuring the highest level of mobility in adult ICU patients and to assess its feasibility and inter-rater reliability. Growing evidence supports the feasibility, safety and efficacy of early mobilization in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, there are no adequately validated tools to quickly, easily, and reliably describe the mobility milestones of adult patients in ICU. Identifying or developing such a tool is a priority for evaluating mobility and rehabilitation activities for research and clinical care purposes. This study was performed at two ICUs in Australia. Thirty ICU nursing, and physiotherapy staff assessed the feasibility of the 'ICU Mobility Scale' (IMS) using a 10-item questionnaire. The inter-rater reliability of the IMS was assessed by 2 junior physical therapists, 2 senior physical therapists, and 16 nursing staff in 100 consecutive medical, surgical or trauma ICU patients. An 11 point IMS scale was developed based on multidisciplinary input. Participating clinicians reported that the scale was clear, with 95% of respondents reporting that it took <1 min to complete. The junior and senior physical therapists showed the highest inter-rater reliability with a weighted Kappa (95% confidence interval) of 0.83 (0.76-0.90), while the senior physical therapists and nurses and the junior physical therapists and nurses had a weighted Kappa of 0.72 (0.61-0.83) and 0.69 (0.56-0.81) respectively. The IMS is a feasible tool with strong inter-rater reliability for measuring the maximum level of mobility of adult patients in the ICU. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of Gamified Mobile Service Aimed at Physical Activation in Young Men: Population-Based Randomized Controlled Study (MOPO).

PubMed

Leinonen, Anna-Maiju; Pyky, Riitta; Ahola, Riikka; Kangas, Maarit; Siirtola, Pekka; Luoto, Tim; Enwald, Heidi; Ikäheimo, Tiina M; Röning, Juha; Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi, Sirkka; Mäntysaari, Matti; Korpelainen, Raija; Jämsä, Timo

2017-10-10

The majority of young people do not meet the recommendations on physical activity for health. New innovative ways to motivate young people to adopt a physically active lifestyle are needed. The study aimed to study the feasibility of an automated, gamified, tailored Web-based mobile service aimed at physical and social activation among young men. A population-based sample of 496 young men (mean age 17.8 years [standard deviation 0.6]) participated in a 6-month randomized controlled trial (MOPO study). Participants were randomized to an intervention (n=250) and a control group (n=246). The intervention group was given a wrist-worn physical activity monitor (Polar Active) with physical activity feedback and access to a gamified Web-based mobile service, providing fitness guidelines, tailored health information, advice of youth services, social networking, and feedback on physical activity. Through the trial, the physical activity of the men in the control group was measured continuously with an otherwise similar monitor but providing only the time of day and no feedback. The primary outcome was the feasibility of the service based on log data and questionnaires. Among completers, we also analyzed the change in anthropometry and fitness between baseline and 6 months and the change over time in weekly time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity. Mobile service users considered the various functionalities related to physical activity important. However, compliance of the service was limited, with 161 (64.4%, 161/250) participants visiting the service, 118 (47.2%, 118/250) logging in more than once, and 41 (16.4%, 41/250) more than 5 times. Baseline sedentary time was higher in those who uploaded physical activity data until the end of the trial (P=.02). A total of 187 (74.8%, 187/250) participants in the intervention and 167 (67.9%, 167/246) in the control group participated in the final measurements. There were no differences in the change in anthropometry and

The foot as a barrier in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis - an interview study among Swedish women and men.

PubMed

Björk, Mathilda; Thyberg, Ingrid; Valtersson, Eva; Östlund, Gunnel; Stenström, Birgitta; Sverker, Annette

2017-12-01

Foot impairments are related to reduced mobility and participation restrictions in daily activities in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The new biological medications are effective and reduce disease activity, but not disability to the same extent. Foot impairments are assumed to be related to participation restrictions also in patients with early RA, diagnosed after the introduction of biological medications. The knowledge of foot impairments needs to be more explored after the introduction of biological disease-modifying drugs (bDMARDs). The aim of this study was to explore the patients' perspective of foot impairments related to early RA. The sample included 59 patients (20-63 years) who were interviewed about participation dilemmas in daily life using the Critical Incident Technique. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data related to foot impairments were extracted and analyzed thematically. A research partner validated the analysis. The study was approved by the Regional Ethics Committee. Patients with early RA described a variety of participation restrictions related to foot impairments: 1) foot hindrances in domestic life, 2) foot impairments influencing work, 3) leisure activities restricted by one's feet 4) struggling to be mobile 5) foot impairments as an early sign of rheumatic disease. There is a need to focus on foot impairments related to early RA, and for health care professionals to understand these signs. A suggestion for future research is to conduct a longitudinal follow-up of foot impairment related to medication, disease activity and disability in patients diagnosed after the introduction of bDMARDs. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Differential sensitivity of oleosins to proteolysis during oil body mobilization in sunflower seedlings.

PubMed

Sadeghipour, Hamid Reza; Bhatla, Satish Chander

2002-10-01

Until now, there has been no conclusive demonstration of any in vivo oleosin degradation at the early stages of oil body mobilization. The present work on sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) has demonstrated limited oleosin degradation during seed germination. Seedling cotyledon homogenization in Tris-urea buffer, followed by SDS-PAGE, revealed three oleosins (16, 17.5 and 20 kDa). Incubation of oil bodies with total soluble protein from 4-day-old seedlings resulted in oleosin degradation. In vitro and in vivo degradation of the 17.5-kDa oleosin was faster than the other two, indicating its greater susceptibility to proteolysis. Oleosin degradation by the total soluble protein resulted in a transient 14.5-kDa polypeptide, followed by an 11-kDa protease-protected fragment, which appeared post-germinatively and accumulated corresponding to increased rate of lipid mobilization. A 65-kDa protease, active at pH 7.5-9.5, was zymographically detected in the total soluble protein. Its activity increased along with in vivo accumulation of the protease-protected fragment during seed germination and accompanying lipid mobilization. Protease-treated oil bodies were more susceptible to maize lipase action. Differential proteolytic sensitivity of different oleosins in the oil body membranes could be a determinant of oil body longevity during seed germination.

Hydralazine administration activates sympathetic preganglionic neurons whose activity mobilizes glucose and increases cardiovascular function.

PubMed

Parker, Lindsay M; Damanhuri, Hanafi A; Fletcher, Sophie P S; Goodchild, Ann K

2015-04-16

Hypotensive drugs have been used to identify central neurons that mediate compensatory baroreceptor reflex responses. Such drugs also increase blood glucose. Our aim was to identify the neurochemical phenotypes of sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPN) and adrenal chromaffin cells activated following hydralazine (HDZ; 10mg/kg) administration in rats, and utilize this and SPN target organ destination to ascribe their function as cardiovascular or glucose regulating. Blood glucose was measured and adrenal chromaffin cell activation was assessed using c-Fos immunoreactivity (-ir) and phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase, respectively. The activation and neurochemical phenotype of SPN innervating the adrenal glands and celiac ganglia were determined using the retrograde tracer cholera toxin B subunit, in combination with in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Blood glucose was elevated at multiple time points following HDZ administration but little evidence of chromaffin cell activation was seen suggesting non-adrenal mechanisms contribute to the sustained hyperglycemia. 16±0.1% of T4-T11 SPN contained c-Fos and of these: 24.3±1.4% projected to adrenal glands and 29±5.5% projected to celiac ganglia with the rest innervating other targets. 62.8±1.4% of SPN innervating adrenal glands were activated and 29.9±3.3% expressed PPE mRNA whereas 53.2±8.6% of SPN innervating celiac ganglia were activated and 31.2±8.8% expressed PPE mRNA. CART-ir SPN innervating each target were also activated and did not co-express PPE mRNA. Neurochemical coding reveals that HDZ administration activates both PPE+SPN, whose activity increase glucose mobilization causing hyperglycemia, as well as CART+SPN whose activity drive vasomotor responses mediated by baroreceptor unloading to raise vascular tone and heart rate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) study, randomized trial of physical activity: Effect on the prevention of major mobility disability

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In older adults reduced mobility is common and is an independent risk factor for morbidity, hospitalization, disability, and mortality. Limited evidence suggests that physical activity may help prevent mobility disability; however, there are no definitive clinical trials examining if physical activi...

Control of wheeled mobile robot in restricted environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Mohammed A. H.; En, Chang Yong

2018-03-01

This paper presents a simulation and practical control system for wheeled mobile robot in restricted environment. A wheeled mobile robot with 3 wheels is fabricated and controlled by proportional derivative active force control (PD-AFC) to move in a pre-planned restricted environment to maintain the tracking errors at zero level. A control system with two loops, outer by PD controller and inner loop by Active Force Control, are designed to control the wheeled mobile robot. Fuzzy logic controller is implemented in the Active force Control to estimate the inertia matrix that will be used to calculate the actual torque applied on the wheeled mobile robot. The mobile robot is tested in two different trajectories, namely are circular and straight path. The actual path and desired path are compared.

Evaluation of a Home Biomonitoring Autonomous Mobile Robot.

PubMed

Dorronzoro Zubiete, Enrique; Nakahata, Keigo; Imamoglu, Nevrez; Sekine, Masashi; Sun, Guanghao; Gomez, Isabel; Yu, Wenwei

2016-01-01

Increasing population age demands more services in healthcare domain. It has been shown that mobile robots could be a potential solution to home biomonitoring for the elderly. Through our previous studies, a mobile robot system that is able to track a subject and identify his daily living activities has been developed. However, the system has not been tested in any home living scenarios. In this study we did a series of experiments to investigate the accuracy of activity recognition of the mobile robot in a home living scenario. The daily activities tested in the evaluation experiment include watching TV and sleeping. A dataset recorded by a distributed distance-measuring sensor network was used as a reference to the activity recognition results. It was shown that the accuracy is not consistent for all the activities; that is, mobile robot could achieve a high success rate in some activities but a poor success rate in others. It was found that the observation position of the mobile robot and subject surroundings have high impact on the accuracy of the activity recognition, due to the variability of the home living daily activities and their transitional process. The possibility of improvement of recognition accuracy has been shown too.

Social cognitive mediators of the effect of the MobileMums intervention on physical activity.

PubMed

Fjeldsoe, Brianna S; Miller, Yvette D; Marshall, Alison L

2013-07-01

To explore whether improvements in physical activity following the MobileMums intervention were mediated by changes in Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) constructs targeted in the intervention (barrier self efficacy, goal setting skills, outcome expectancy, social support, and perceived environmental opportunity for exercise). This paper also examined if the mediating constructs differed between initial (baseline to 6 weeks) and overall (baseline to 13 weeks) changes in physical activity. Secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial involving 88 postnatal women (<12 months postpartum). Participants were randomized to receive either the 12-week MobileMums intervention or a minimal-contact control condition. Physical activity and proposed mediators were assessed by self-report at baseline, 6 weeks, and 13 weeks. Walking for Exercise frequency was assessed using the Australian Women's Activity Survey and frequency of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was assessed using a single-item question. Initial improvements in goal-setting skills mediated the relationship between experimental condition and initial changes in MVPA, αβ (95% CI) = 0.23(0.01, 0.59), and Walking for Exercise, αβ (95% CI) = 0.34(0.06, 0.73). Initial improvements in barrier self efficacy mediated the relationship between experimental condition and initial change in MVPA, αβ (95% CI) = 0.36(0.12, 0.65), but not Walking for Exercise. None of the SCT outcomes significantly mediated the relationship between experimental condition and overall (baseline to 13 weeks) change in frequency of MVPA or Walking for Exercise. Future interventions with postnatal women using SCT should target barrier self-efficacy and goal setting skills in order to increase physical activity. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Participation survey/mobility: psychometric properties of a measure of participation for people with mobility impairments and limitations.

PubMed

Gray, David B; Hollingsworth, Holly H; Stark, Susan L; Morgan, Kerri A

2006-02-01

To describe the development and psychometric properties of a self-report survey of participation by people with mobility limitations, the Participation Survey/Mobility (PARTS/M). The information obtained during interviews and focus groups was used to develop items for the PARTS/M. Demographics and measures of disability, health, and functioning were collected. The PARTS/M was administered twice. Primarily in the midwestern United States. Purposeful sample of 604 people with mobility limitations having a diagnosis of spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, stroke, or postpoliomyelitis. Not applicable. PARTS/M is composed of 20 major life activities that are placed in 6 domains used in the activity/participation component of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: self-care; mobility; domestic life; interpersonal interactions and relationships; major life areas; and community, social, and civic life. For each activity, questions were asked about components of participation including frequency, health-related limitations, importance, choice, satisfaction, use of assistive technology, and use of personal assistance. PARTS/M domains and components of participation had good internal consistency and stability. Composite participation scores were developed for participation components and domains. PARTS/M is a reliable measure of some aspects of participation in major life activities for people with mobility impairments and limitations living in community settings.

Early self-managed focal sensorimotor rehabilitative training enhances functional mobility and sensorimotor function in patients following total knee replacement: a controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Moutzouri, Maria; Gleeson, Nigel; Coutts, Fiona; Tsepis, Elias; John, Gliatis

2018-02-01

To assess the effects of early self-managed focal sensorimotor training compared to functional exercise training after total knee replacement on functional mobility and sensorimotor function. A single-blind controlled clinical trial. University Hospital of Rion, Greece. A total of 52 participants following total knee replacement. The primary outcome was the Timed Up and Go Test and the secondary outcomes were balance, joint position error, the Knee Outcome Survey Activities of Daily Living Scale, and pain. Patients were assessed on three separate occasions (presurgery, 8 weeks post surgery, and 14 weeks post surgery). Participants were randomized to either focal sensorimotor exercise training (experimental group) or functional exercise training (control group). Both groups received a 12-week home-based programme prescribed for 3-5 sessions/week (35-45 minutes). Consistently greater improvements ( F 2,98  = 4.3 to 24.8; P < 0.05) in group mean scores favour the experimental group compared to the control group: Timed Up and Go (7.8 ± 2.9 seconds vs. 4.6 ± 2.6 seconds); balance (2.1 ± 0.9° vs. 0.7 ± 1.2°); joint position error (13.8 ± 7.3° vs. 6.2 ± 9.1°); Knee Outcome Survey Activities of Daily Living Scale (44.2 ± 11.3 vs. 26.1 ± 11.4); and pain (5.9 ± 1.3 cm vs. 4.6 ± 1.1 cm). Patterns of improvement for the experimental group over time were represented by a relative effect size range of 1.3-6.5. Overall, the magnitude of improvements in functional mobility and sensorimotor function endorses using focal sensorimotor training as an effective mode of rehabilitation following knee replacement.

Cross-modal activation of auditory regions during visuo-spatial working memory in early deafness.

PubMed

Ding, Hao; Qin, Wen; Liang, Meng; Ming, Dong; Wan, Baikun; Li, Qiang; Yu, Chunshui

2015-09-01

Early deafness can reshape deprived auditory regions to enable the processing of signals from the remaining intact sensory modalities. Cross-modal activation has been observed in auditory regions during non-auditory tasks in early deaf subjects. In hearing subjects, visual working memory can evoke activation of the visual cortex, which further contributes to behavioural performance. In early deaf subjects, however, whether and how auditory regions participate in visual working memory remains unclear. We hypothesized that auditory regions may be involved in visual working memory processing and activation of auditory regions may contribute to the superior behavioural performance of early deaf subjects. In this study, 41 early deaf subjects (22 females and 19 males, age range: 20-26 years, age of onset of deafness < 2 years) and 40 age- and gender-matched hearing controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during a visuo-spatial delayed recognition task that consisted of encoding, maintenance and recognition stages. The early deaf subjects exhibited faster reaction times on the spatial working memory task than did the hearing controls. Compared with hearing controls, deaf subjects exhibited increased activation in the superior temporal gyrus bilaterally during the recognition stage. This increased activation amplitude predicted faster and more accurate working memory performance in deaf subjects. Deaf subjects also had increased activation in the superior temporal gyrus bilaterally during the maintenance stage and in the right superior temporal gyrus during the encoding stage. These increased activation amplitude also predicted faster reaction times on the spatial working memory task in deaf subjects. These findings suggest that cross-modal plasticity occurs in auditory association areas in early deaf subjects. These areas are involved in visuo-spatial working memory. Furthermore, amplitudes of cross-modal activation during the maintenance stage were

Factors of adoption of mobile information technology by homecare nurses: a technology acceptance model 2 approach.

PubMed

Zhang, Huiying; Cocosila, Mihail; Archer, Norm

2010-01-01

Pervasive healthcare support through mobile information technology solutions is playing an increasing role in the attempt to improve healthcare and reduce costs. Despite the apparent attractiveness, many mobile applications have failed or have not been implemented as predicted. Among factors possibly leading to such outcomes, technology adoption is a key problem. This must be investigated early in the development process because healthcare is a particularly sensitive area with vital social implications. Moreover, it is important to investigate technology acceptance using the support of scientific tools validated for relevant information systems research. This article presents an empirical study based on the Technology Acceptance Model 2 in mobile homecare nursing. The study elicited the perceptions of 91 Canadian nurses who used personal digital assistants for 1 month in their daily activities. A partial least squares modeling data analysis revealed that nurse's perception of usefulness is the main factor in the adoption of mobile technology, having subjective norm and image within the organization as significant antecedents. Overall, this study was the first attempt at investigating scientifically, through a pertinent information systems research model, user adoption of mobile systems by homecare nursing personnel.

Mobilization of LINE-1 retrotransposons is restricted by Tex19.1 in mouse embryonic stem cells

PubMed Central

MacLennan, Marie; García-Cañadas, Marta; Reichmann, Judith; Khazina, Elena; Wagner, Gabriele; Playfoot, Christopher J; Salvador-Palomeque, Carmen; Mann, Abigail R; Peressini, Paula; Sanchez, Laura; Dobie, Karen; Read, David; Hung, Chao-Chun; Eskeland, Ragnhild; Meehan, Richard R; Weichenrieder, Oliver; García-Pérez, Jose Luis; Adams, Ian R

2017-01-01

Mobilization of retrotransposons to new genomic locations is a significant driver of mammalian genome evolution, but these mutagenic events can also cause genetic disorders. In humans, retrotransposon mobilization is mediated primarily by proteins encoded by LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposons, which mobilize in pluripotent cells early in development. Here we show that TEX19.1, which is induced by developmentally programmed DNA hypomethylation, can directly interact with the L1-encoded protein L1-ORF1p, stimulate its polyubiquitylation and degradation, and restrict L1 mobilization. We also show that TEX19.1 likely acts, at least in part, through promoting the activity of the E3 ubiquitin ligase UBR2 towards L1-ORF1p. Moreover, loss of Tex19.1 increases L1-ORF1p levels and L1 mobilization in pluripotent mouse embryonic stem cells, implying that Tex19.1 prevents de novo retrotransposition in the pluripotent phase of the germline cycle. These data show that post-translational regulation of L1 retrotransposons plays a key role in maintaining trans-generational genome stability in mammals. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.26152.001 PMID:28806172

Seed reserve composition and mobilization during germination and early seedling establishment of Cereus jamacaru D.C. ssp. jamacaru (Cactaceae).

PubMed

Alencar, Nara L M; Innecco, Renato; Gomes-Filho, Enéas; Gallão, Maria Izabel; Alvarez-Pizarro, Juan C; Prisco, José T; Oliveira, Alexandre B De

2012-09-01

Cereus jamacaru, a Cactaceae found throughout northeast Brazil, is widely used as cattle food and as an ornamental and medicinal plant. However, there has been little information about the physiological and biochemical aspects involved in its germination. The aim of this study was to investigate its reserve mobilization during germination and early seedling growth. For this, C. jamacaru seeds were germinated in a growth chamber and collected at 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 12 days after imbibition for morphological and biochemical analyses. Dry seeds had wrinkled seed coats and large, curved embryos. Lipids were the most abundant reserve, comprising approximately 55% and 65% of the dry mass for cotyledons and the hypocotylradicle axis, respectively. Soluble sugars and starch were the minor reserves, corresponding to approximately 2.2% of the cotyledons' dry mass, although their levels showed significant changes during germination. Soluble proteins corresponded to 40% of the cotyledons' dry mass, which was reduced by 81% at the final period of germination compared to dry seeds. C. jamacaru seed can be classified as an oil seed due to its high lipid content. Moreover, lipids were the main reserve mobilized during germination because their levels were strongly reduced after seed germination, while proteins were the second most utilized reserve in this process.

Dose of physical activity, physical functioning and disability risk in mobility-limited older adults: Results from the LIFE study randomized trial

PubMed Central

Guralnik, Jack M.; King, Abby C.; Pahor, Marco; McDermott, Mary M.; Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Manini, Todd M.; Glynn, Nancy W.; Marsh, Anthony P.; Axtell, Robert S.; Hsu, Fang-Chi; Rejeski, W. Jack

2017-01-01

Understanding the minimal dose of physical activity required to achieve improvement in physical functioning and reductions in disability risk is necessary to inform public health recommendations. To examine the effect of physical activity dose on changes in physical functioning and the onset of major mobility disability in The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) Study. We conducted a multicenter single masked randomized controlled trial that enrolled participants in 2010 and 2011 and followed them for an average of 2.6 years. 1,635 sedentary men and women aged 70–89 years who had functional limitations were randomized to a structured moderate intensity walking, resistance, and flexibility physical activity program or a health education program. Physical activity dose was assessed by 7-day accelerometry and self-report at baseline and 24 months. Outcomes included the 400 m walk gait speed, the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), assessed at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months, and onset of major mobility disability (objectively defined by loss of ability to walk 400 m in 15 min). When the physical activity arm or the entire sample were stratified by change in physical activity from baseline to 24 months, there was a dose-dependent increase in the change in gait speed and SPPB from baseline at 6, 12, and 24 months. In addition, the magnitude of change in physical activity over 24 months was related to the reduction in the onset of major mobility disability (overall P < 0.001) (highest versus the lowest quartile of physical activity change HR 0.23 ((95% CI:0.10–0.52) P = 0.001) in the physical activity arm. We observed a dose-dependent effect of objectively monitored physical activity on physical functioning and onset of major mobility disability. Relatively small increases (> 48 minutes per week) in regular physical activity participation had significant and clinically meaningful effects on these outcomes. Trial registration: Clinicals

Dose of physical activity, physical functioning and disability risk in mobility-limited older adults: Results from the LIFE study randomized trial.

PubMed

Fielding, Roger A; Guralnik, Jack M; King, Abby C; Pahor, Marco; McDermott, Mary M; Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Manini, Todd M; Glynn, Nancy W; Marsh, Anthony P; Axtell, Robert S; Hsu, Fang-Chi; Rejeski, W Jack

2017-01-01

Understanding the minimal dose of physical activity required to achieve improvement in physical functioning and reductions in disability risk is necessary to inform public health recommendations. To examine the effect of physical activity dose on changes in physical functioning and the onset of major mobility disability in The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) Study. We conducted a multicenter single masked randomized controlled trial that enrolled participants in 2010 and 2011 and followed them for an average of 2.6 years. 1,635 sedentary men and women aged 70-89 years who had functional limitations were randomized to a structured moderate intensity walking, resistance, and flexibility physical activity program or a health education program. Physical activity dose was assessed by 7-day accelerometry and self-report at baseline and 24 months. Outcomes included the 400 m walk gait speed, the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), assessed at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months, and onset of major mobility disability (objectively defined by loss of ability to walk 400 m in 15 min). When the physical activity arm or the entire sample were stratified by change in physical activity from baseline to 24 months, there was a dose-dependent increase in the change in gait speed and SPPB from baseline at 6, 12, and 24 months. In addition, the magnitude of change in physical activity over 24 months was related to the reduction in the onset of major mobility disability (overall P < 0.001) (highest versus the lowest quartile of physical activity change HR 0.23 ((95% CI:0.10-0.52) P = 0.001) in the physical activity arm. We observed a dose-dependent effect of objectively monitored physical activity on physical functioning and onset of major mobility disability. Relatively small increases (> 48 minutes per week) in regular physical activity participation had significant and clinically meaningful effects on these outcomes. ClinicalsTrials.gov NCT00116194.

Trajectories of risk for early sexual activity and early substance use in the Fast Track prevention program.

PubMed

2014-02-01

Children who exhibit early-starting conduct problems are more likely than their peers to initiate sexual activity and substance use at an early age, experience pregnancy, and contract a sexually-transmitted disease [STD], placing them at risk for HIV/AIDS. Hence, understanding the development of multi-problem profiles among youth with early-starting conduct problems may benefit the design of prevention programs. In this study, 1,199 kindergarten children (51% African American; 47% European American; 69% boys) over-sampled for high rates of aggressive-disruptive behavior problems were followed through age 18. Latent class analyses (LCA) were used to define developmental profiles associated with the timing of initiation of sexual activity, tobacco and alcohol/drug use and indicators of risky adolescent sex (e.g. pregnancy and STD). Half of the high-risk children were randomized to a multi-component preventive intervention (Fast Track). The intervention did not significantly reduce membership in the classes characterized by risky sex practices. However, additional analyses examined predictors of poor outcomes, which may inform future prevention efforts.

Effect of Physical Activity versus Health Education on Physical Function, Grip Strength and Mobility.

PubMed

Santanasto, Adam J; Glynn, Nancy W; Lovato, Laura C; Blair, Steven N; Fielding, Roger A; Gill, Thomas M; Guralnik, Jack M; Hsu, Fang-Chi; King, Abby C; Strotmeyer, Elsa S; Manini, Todd M; Marsh, Anthony P; McDermott, Mary M; Goodpaster, Bret H; Pahor, Marco; Newman, Anne B

2017-07-01

Physical activity (PA) reduces the rate of mobility disability, compared with health education (HE), in at risk older adults. It is important to understand aspects of performance contributing to this benefit. To evaluate intervention effects on tertiary physical performance outcomes. The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) was a multi-centered, single-blind randomized trial of older adults. Eight field centers throughout the United States. 1635 adults aged 78.9 ± 5.2 years, 67.2% women at risk for mobility disability (Short Physical Performance Battery [SPPB] <10). Moderate PA including walking, resistance and balance training compared with HE consisting of topics relevant to older adults. Grip strength, SPPB score and its components (balance, 4 m gait speed, and chair-stands), as well as 400 m walking speed. Total SPPB score was higher in PA versus HE across all follow-up times (overall P = .04) as was the chair-stand component (overall P < .001). No intervention effects were observed for balance (overall P = .12), 4 m gait speed (overall P = .78), or grip strength (overall P = .62). However, 400 m walking speed was faster in PA versus HE group (overall P =<.001). In separate models, 29% of the rate reduction of major mobility disability in the PA versus HE group was explained by change in SPPB score, while 39% was explained by change in the chair stand component. Lower extremity performance (SPPB) was significantly higher in the PA compared with HE group. Changes in chair-stand score explained a considerable portion of the effect of PA on the reduction of major mobility disability-consistent with the idea that preserving muscle strength/power may be important for the prevention of major mobility disability. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

Intentionally Mobile Pedagogy: The M-COPE Framework for Mobile Learning in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dennen, Vanessa P.; Hao, Shuang

2014-01-01

Increasingly, the education world finds itself working in an environment that is full of mobile devices and tools. Students are likely to own smartphones and tablets and instructors are faced with the challenge of integrating mobile devices into their course activities, whether as a full delivery medium, an enhancement or an optional tool. The…

Mobile Apps for Librarians

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Power, June L.

2013-01-01

In an increasing mobile environment, library and reading-related activities often take place on a phone or tablet device. Not only does this mean that library Web sites must keep mobile navigability in mind, but also develop and utilize apps that allow patrons to interact with information and with libraries. While apps do not serve every purpose,…

SnO2 promoted by alkali metal oxides for soot combustion: The effects of surface oxygen mobility and abundance on the activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, Cheng; Shen, Jiating; Wang, Fumin; Peng, Honggen; Xu, Xianglan; Zhan, Hangping; Fang, Xiuzhong; Liu, Jianjun; Liu, Wenming; Wang, Xiang

2018-03-01

In this study, SnO2-based catalysts promoted by different alkali metal oxides with a Sn/M (M = Li, Na, K, Cs) molar ratio of 9/1 have been prepared for soot combustion. In comparison with the un-modified SnO2 support, the activity of the modified catalysts has been evidently enhanced, following the sequence of CsSn1-9 > KSn1-9 > NaSn1-9 > LiSn1-9 > SnO2. As testified by Raman, H2-TPR, soot-TPR-MS, XPS and O2-TPD results, the incorporation of various alkali metal oxides can induce the formation of more abundant and mobile oxygen species on the surface of the catalysts. Moreover, quantified results have proved that the amount of the surface active oxygen species is nearly proportional to the activity of the catalysts. CsSn1-9, the catalyst promoted by cesium oxide, owns the largest amount of surface mobile oxygen species, thus having the highest activity among all the studied catalysts. It is concluded that the amount of surface active and mobile oxygen species is the major factor determining the activity of the catalysts for soot combustion.

[Implant with a mobile or a fixed bearing in unicompartmental knee joint replacemen].

PubMed

Matziolis, G; Tohtz, S; Gengenbach, B; Perka, C

2007-12-01

Although the goal of anatomical and functional joint reconstruction in unicompartmental knee replacement is well defined, no uniform implant design has become established. In particular, the differential indications for implantation of an implant with a mobile or a fixed bearing are still not clear. The long-term results of mobile and with fixed bearings are comparable, but there are significant differences in resulting knee joint kinematics, tribological properties and implant-associated complications. In unicompartmental knee replacement mobile bearings restore the physiological joint kinematics better than fixed implants, although the differences to total knee arthroplasty seem minor. The decoupling of mobile bearings from the tibia implant allows a high level of congruence with the femoral implant, resulting in larger contact areas than with fixed bearings. This fact in combination with the more physiological joint kinematics leads to less wear and a lower incidence of osteolyses with mobile bearings. Disadvantages of mobile bearings are the higher complication and early revision rates resulting from bearing dislocation and impingement syndromes caused by suboptimal implantation technique or instability. Especially in cases with ligamentous pathology fixed bearings involve a lower complication rate. It seems their use can also be beneficial in patients with a low level of activity, as problems related to wear are of minor importance for this subgroup. The data currently available allow differentiations between various indications for implants with mobile or fixed bearings, so that the implants can be matched to the patient and the joint pathology in unicompartmental knee joint replacement.

Use of an Early Labor Lounge to Promote Admission in Active Labor.

PubMed

Paul, Julie A; Yount, Susan M; Breman, Rachel Blankstein; LeClair, Melissa; Keiran, Diane M; Landry, Nannette; Dever, Kimberly

2017-03-01

Professional maternity care organizations within the United States are aligned in the goal to prevent the first cesarean birth in nulliparous women with a term, singleton, vertex fetus. Currently, one in 3 women are at risk for having a cesarean birth. The most common reason for cesarean in the United States is labor dystocia. The evidence supports delaying admission to the birthing unit until active labor is established, thereby minimizing the inadvertent diagnosis of labor dystocia. Providers are familiar with the rationale supporting delayed admission to the birthing unit until active labor is established; however, there is very little evidence on how to effectively promote this delay. Provider apprehension and the lack of early labor support are challenges to sending women home to await the onset of active labor. Maternal anxiety, fear, pain, and unpreparedness also play a part in this reluctance. To address these obstacles, South Shore Hospital created an early labor lounge with stations aimed at instilling confidence in the birth team, promoting teamwork, facilitating relaxation, and reducing anxiety for laboring women. A literature review focusing on women's perceptions of promoting admission in active labor, maternal anxiety, and nonpharmacologic strategies for managing early labor are discussed within the context of the creation, implementation, and evaluation of an early labor lounge. © 2017 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

A Community-Engaged Approach to Developing a Mobile Cancer Prevention App: The mCPA Study Protocol.

PubMed

Smith, Selina Ann; Whitehead, Mary Smith; Sheats, Joyce; Mastromonico, Jeff; Yoo, Wonsuk; Coughlin, Steven Scott

2016-03-02

Rapid growth of mobile technologies has resulted in a proliferation of lifestyle-oriented mobile phone apps. However, most do not have a theoretical framework and few have been developed using a community-based participatory research approach. A community academic team will develop a theory-based, culturally tailored, mobile-enabled, Web-based app-the Mobile Cancer Prevention App (mCPA)-to promote adherence to dietary and physical activity guidelines. The aim of this study is to develop mCPA content with input from breast cancer survivors. Members of SISTAAH (Survivors Involving Supporters to Take Action in Advancing Health) Talk (N=12), treated for Stages I-IIIc breast cancer for less than 1 year, 75 years of age or younger, and English-speaking and writing, will be recruited to participate in the study. To develop the app content, breast cancer survivors will engage with researchers in videotaped and audiotaped sessions, including (1) didactic instructions with goals for, benefits of, and strategies to enhance dietary intake and physical activity, (2) guided discussions for setting individualized goals, monitoring progress, and providing or receiving feedback, (3) experiential nutrition education through cooking demonstrations, and (4) interactive physical activity focused on walking, yoga, and strength training. Qualitative (focus group discussions and key informant interviews) and quantitative (sensory evaluation) methods will be used to evaluate the participatory process and outcomes. Investigators and participants anticipate development of an acceptable (frequency and duration of usage) feasible (structure, ease of use, features), and accessible mobile app available for intervention testing in early 2017. Depending on the availability of research funding, mCPA testing, which will be initiated in Miami, will be extended to Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles.

User experiences of mobile controlled games for activation, rehabilitation and recreation of elderly and physically impaired.

PubMed

Sirkka, Andrew; Merilampi, Sari; Koivisto, Antti; Leinonen, Markus; Leino, Mirka

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to study how aged people experience mobile controlled game as a method of rehabilitation and recreation. The target group contained persons 70+ years of age living in assisted living conditions (N=34). The average age of the participants was 85.9 years. Women (n=17) and men (n=17) were equally presented in the sample group. Only 12 % (n=4) of participants were involved in an active weekly-based rehabilitation, light physical sitting exercises 38% (n=13). Three (n=3) of the participants (9%) used computers (net banking), and 20 (59%) used mobile phones on daily basis. Social activities and physical activation seem to be rather inadequate and traditional in assisted living organizations. The overall experiences of mobile controlled game described in this paper appeared to be a successful experiment also proving that the elderly are not as reluctant to use technical devices or playing virtual games as often thought. The game was reckoned very motivating, interesting, and entertaining both by the aged and the staff. Activation, rehabilitation and recreation in the elderly homes or assisted living organizations could benefit from utilization of new technology providing new ways and solutions that motivate the users and offer also possibilities for measuring and follow-up of the physical impacts. The future goals to improve the game were set according to the feedback given in this survey: a) wider variety of controlling modes for the game, b) developing various difficulty levels, c) developing the game to support different kinds of body movements, d) easily modified according to the individual user's exercising or rehabilitation needs as well as e) emphasizing the social aspects of the game by producing multiplayer versions.

Geography of intergenerational mobility and child development

PubMed Central

Donnelly, Louis; Garfinkel, Irwin; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Wagner, Brandon G.; James, Sarah; McLanahan, Sara

2017-01-01

Recent research by Chetty and colleagues finds that children’s chances of upward mobility are affected by the communities in which they grow up [Chetty R, Hendren N (2016) Working paper 23002]. However, the developmental pathways through which communities of origin translate into future economic gain are not well understood. In this paper we examine the association between Chetty and Hendren’s county-level measure of intergenerational mobility and children’s cognitive and behavioral development. Focusing on children from low-income families, we find that growing up in a county with high upward mobility is associated with fewer externalizing behavioral problems by age 3 years and with substantial gains in cognitive test scores between ages 3 and 9 years. Growing up in a county with 1 SD better intergenerational mobility accounts for ∼20% of the gap in developmental outcomes between children from low- and high-income families. Collectively, our findings suggest that the developmental processes through which residential contexts promote upward mobility begin early in childhood and involve the enrichment of both cognitive and social-emotional development. PMID:28811379

Maximize the Mobile Learning Interaction through Project-Based Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sulisworo, Dwi; Santyasa, I. Wayan

2018-01-01

Mobile learning implementation at school is a must and meets what students currently need. To facilitate those conditions, teachers also need to have competencies in managing online learning. This research is a descriptive research to find out the experience of students who are prospective teachers when attending the mobile learning course…

Move to Learn, Learn to Move: Prioritizing Physical Activity in Early Childhood Education Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Chunlei; Montague, Brandi

2016-01-01

The global childhood trend towards obesity and unhealthy lifestyles is a growing concern. Childcare settings have been identified as the most influential factors for children's physical activity, and physical activity habits are better formed and maintained if started in early childhood. As a result, early childhood education environments are in…

Identifying seasonal mobility profiles from anonymized and aggregated mobile phone data. Application in food security.

PubMed

Zufiria, Pedro J; Pastor-Escuredo, David; Úbeda-Medina, Luis; Hernandez-Medina, Miguel A; Barriales-Valbuena, Iker; Morales, Alfredo J; Jacques, Damien C; Nkwambi, Wilfred; Diop, M Bamba; Quinn, John; Hidalgo-Sanchís, Paula; Luengo-Oroz, Miguel

2018-01-01

We propose a framework for the systematic analysis of mobile phone data to identify relevant mobility profiles in a population. The proposed framework allows finding distinct human mobility profiles based on the digital trace of mobile phone users characterized by a Matrix of Individual Trajectories (IT-Matrix). This matrix gathers a consistent and regularized description of individual trajectories that enables multi-scale representations along time and space, which can be used to extract aggregated indicators such as a dynamic multi-scale population count. Unsupervised clustering of individual trajectories generates mobility profiles (clusters of similar individual trajectories) which characterize relevant group behaviors preserving optimal aggregation levels for detailed and privacy-secured mobility characterization. The application of the proposed framework is illustrated by analyzing fully anonymized data on human mobility from mobile phones in Senegal at the arrondissement level over a calendar year. The analysis of monthly mobility patterns at the livelihood zone resolution resulted in the discovery and characterization of seasonal mobility profiles related with economic activities, agricultural calendars and rainfalls. The use of these mobility profiles could support the timely identification of mobility changes in vulnerable populations in response to external shocks (such as natural disasters, civil conflicts or sudden increases of food prices) to monitor food security.

The Conditions of Movement: A Discussion of Academic Mobility between Two Early Career Scholars

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gopaul, Bryan; Pifer, Meghan J.

2016-01-01

Academic mobility is an increasingly crucial topic to the current and future dynamics of doctoral study and the professoriate. Much of the research has focused on US, UK and European contexts. This research explores academic mobility and the manifold issues that arise between the jurisdictions of Canada and the US, in ways that parallel and…

Removal of restrictions following primary THA with posterolateral approach does not increase the risk of early dislocation.

PubMed

Gromov, Kirill; Troelsen, Anders; Otte, Kristian Stahl; Ørsnes, Thue; Ladelund, Steen; Husted, Henrik

2015-01-01

Patient education and mobilization restrictions are often used in an attempt to reduce the risk of dislocation following primary THA. To date, there have been no studies investigating the safety of removal of mobilization restrictions following THA performed using a posterolateral approach. In this retrospective non-inferiority study, we investigated the rate of early dislocation following primary THA in an unselected patient cohort before and after removal of postoperative mobilization restrictions. From the Danish National Health Registry, we identified patients with early dislocation in 2 consecutive and unselected cohorts of patients who received primary THA at our institution from 2004 through 2008 (n = 946) and from 2010 through 2014 (n = 1,329). Patients in the first cohort were mobilized with functional restrictions following primary THA whereas patients in the second cohort were allowed unrestricted mobilization. Risk of early dislocation (within 90 days) was compared in the 2 groups and odds ratio (OR)-adjusted for possible confounders-was calculated. Reasons for early dislocation in the 2 groups were identified. When we adjusted for potential confounders, we found no increased risk of early dislocation within 90 days in patients who were mobilized without restrictions. Risk of dislocation within 90 days was lower (3.4% vs 2.8%), risk of dislocation within 30 days was lower (2.1% vs 2.0%), and risk of multiple dislocations (1.8% vs 1.1%) was lower in patients who were mobilized without restrictions, but not statistically significantly so. Increasing age was an independent risk factor for dislocation. Removal of mobilization restrictions from the mobilization protocol following primary THA performed with a posterolateral approach did not lead to an increased risk of dislocation within 90 days.

12 CFR 408.4 - Early involvement in foreign activities for which Eximbank financing may be requested.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Early involvement in foreign activities for... Implementing Procedures § 408.4 Early involvement in foreign activities for which Eximbank financing may be requested. (a) Section 1501.2(d) of the NEPA Regulations requires agencies to provide for early involvement...

Family Adjustment to Geographic Mobility: Military Families on the Move

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-11

military are the related topics of father absence and transcultural experiences. MOBILITY AND ITS EFFECTS ON CHILDREN Children in military families...c-ild experi- ences added stress due to geographic mobility, transcultural experi- ences, transient father absences, and early retirement of the...family, and that short-term crisis therapy was the ideal psychotherapeutic modality for treatment of military children. CONCLUSION In summary, there are

Lateral unicompartmental knee replacement: fixed or mobile bearing?

PubMed

Forster, M C; Bauze, A J; Keene, G C R

2007-09-01

Between May 2001 and May 2003, 233 consecutive Preservation unicompartmental knee replacements (UKR) were performed. Of these, 30 were lateral UKRs (13%) performed in 12 men and 16 women (2 bilateral cases) with a mean age of 67 years (range 36-93 years). A metal-backed mobile bearing tibial component was used in 13 knees and an all-polyethylene fixed bearing tibial component in 17 knees. The patients were reviewed prospectively at 1 and 2 years. The 2 year results show no difference in range of motion or function between the mobile and fixed bearing versions of the Preservation knee when used on the lateral side. There were three early revisions, all in the mobile bearing group.

Mobility Status as a Predictor of Obesity, Physical Activity, and Screen Time Use among Children Aged 5-11 Years in the United States.

PubMed

Wilson, Patrick B; Haegele, Justin A; Zhu, Xihe

2016-09-01

To examine physical activity participation, screen time habits, and the prevalence of overweight/obesity among children in the general population with mobility limitations and those enrolled in special education services. An observational, cross-sectional analysis of the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a representative sample of the US population. Mobility limitations, special education services utilization, proxy-reported physical activity and screen time, and overweight/obesity status were assessed in children aged 5-11 years. Boys with mobility limitations were less likely to meet physical activity guidelines (≥60 minutes daily) compared with those with no limitations (58.1% vs 74.4%, adjusted F = 4.61, P = .04). In a logistic regression model, boys with mobility limitations had significantly lower odds (0.42, 95% CI 0.20-0.86) of meeting physical activity guidelines. The prevalence of children meeting screen time recommendations (≤2 hours daily) among those receiving special education services (42.4%) was lower than children not receiving services (53.2%; adjusted F = 8.87, P < .01). In a logistic regression model, children receiving special education services showed a trend toward significantly lower odds (0.74, 95% CI 0.54-1.03, P = .07) of meeting screen time recommendations. No statistically significant differences for overweight/obesity were found. Clear differences were present in physical activity between boys with and without mobility limitations. Furthermore, children receiving special education services demonstrated a lower likelihood of meeting screen time recommendations. Children with disabilities may benefit from targeted interventions aimed at increasing physical activity while decreasing screen time. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predictors of older adults' personal and community mobility: using a comprehensive theoretical mobility framework.

PubMed

Umstattd Meyer, M Renée; Janke, Megan C; Beaujean, A Alexander

2014-06-01

Forty-six percent of older adults report limitations in their mobility, and maintaining mobility is considered an important factor in keeping adults independent and active in later life. This study tests a comprehensive theoretical framework of mobility (Webber, S. C., Porter, M. M., & Menec, V. H. [2010]. Mobility in older adults: A comprehensive framework. The Gerontologist, 50[4], 443-450. doi:10.1093/geront/gnq013) identifying multiple determinants that additively influence mobility (financial, psychosocial, environmental, physical, and cognitive), as well as cross-cutting influences of gender, culture, and biography. Structural equation modeling was used to examine several models of mobility using data from 6,112 respondents in the Health and Retirement Study (mean age: 74.74, 85% white, 41% male, 57% married). The original measurement model fit the data well. When both personal and community mobility were simultaneously predicted, only the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and environmental determinants were retained in the independent models. Age and marital status also predicted personal and community mobility. Although most of these relationships were in the expected direction, interestingly when both forms of mobility were included in the model, poorer cognitive ability was associated with greater personal mobility in the final model. Results indicate the importance of accounting for and examining comprehensive models of mobility. The factors affecting older adults' mobility are complex, and these relationships need to be explored in more depth to ensure the maintenance of individuals' independence and quality of life.

What kinds of website and mobile phone-delivered physical activity and nutrition interventions do middle-aged men want?

PubMed

Vandelanotte, Corneel; Caperchione, Cristina M; Ellison, Marcus; George, Emma S; Maeder, Anthony; Kolt, Gregory S; Duncan, Mitch J; Karunanithi, Mohanraj; Noakes, Manny; Hooker, Cindy; Viljoen, Pierre; Mummery, W Kerry

2013-01-01

Within a health context, men in Western societies are a hard-to-reach population who experience higher rates of chronic disease compared with women. Innovative technology-based interventions that specifically target men are needed; however, little is known about how these should be developed for this group. This study aimed to examine opinions and perceptions regarding the use of Internet and mobile phones to improve physical activity and nutrition behaviors for middle-aged men. The authors conducted 6 focus groups (n = 30) in Queensland, Australia. Their analyses identified 6 themes: (a) Internet experience, (b) website characteristics, (c) Web 2.0 applications, (d) website features, (e) self-monitoring, and (f) mobile phones as delivery method. The outcomes indicate that men support the use of the Internet to improve and self-monitor physical activity and dietary behaviors on the condition that the website-delivered interventions are quick and easy to use, because commitment levels to engage in online tasks are low. Participants also indicated that they were reluctant to use normal mobile phones to change health behaviors, although smartphones were perceived to be more acceptable. This pilot study suggests that there are viable avenues to engage middle-aged men in Internet- or in mobile-delivered health interventions. This study also suggests that to be successful, these interventions need to be tailor-made especially for men, with an emphasis on usability and convenience. A wider quantitative study would bring further support to these findings.

Association between mobile phone use and depressed mood in Japanese adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ikeda, Kayoko; Nakamura, Kazutoshi

2014-05-01

Mobile phones are commonly used by adolescents. The aim of this study was to clarify associations between duration of mobile phone use and psychological mood in high school students. This cross-sectional study included 2,785 high school students in Niigata, Japan. A self-administered questionnaire was used to elicit information on sex, school year, hours of mobile phone use, psychological mood status, and possible confounders. Psychological mood outcomes were evaluated with the Mood Inventory, developed and validated in 1994, which includes five subcomponents with total scores ranging from 8 to 32 (higher score indicates stronger feeling): "Tension and excitement," "Refreshing mood," "Fatigue," "Depressed mood," and "Anxious mood." Analysis of covariance with Bonferroni's multiple comparison was used to compare mean values among quartiles of hours of mobile phone use. Among the respondents, mean mobile phone use per week was 24 (median 18) h. Long-duration mobile phone use was associated with female students, no participation in sports club activities, early mobile phone use, and fewer hours spent sleeping (all P < 0.001). Overall associations between hours of mobile phone use and total scores were significant for "Depressed mood" (P for trend = 0.005), "Tension and excitement" (P for trend <0.001), and "Fatigue" (P for trend < 0.001). Total scores for "Depressed mood," "Tension and excitement," and "Fatigue" of the fourth quartile (≥33 h/week) of mobile phone use were significantly higher than for other quartiles (all P < 0.05). Increased duration of mobile phone use is associated with unfavorable psychological mood, in particular, a depressed mood. Decreasing mobile phone use may help maintain appropriate mental health in very long-duration users.

Teachers' Perception of Mobile Edutainment for Special Needs Learners: The Malaysian Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohd Yusof, Anuar; Daniel, Esther Gnanamalar Sarojini; Low, Wah Yun; Ab. Aziz, Kamarulzaman

2014-01-01

Study of Malaysian adoption of mobile learning (m-learning) is still in the early stages. However, there are numerous researchers in the country exploring the potential and application of m-learning in the Malaysian education system, including special education. A key question is whether teachers are prepared to incorporate mobile technology as…

MobileSat (R): A characteristically Australian MSS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagg, Michael; Jansen, Michael

1995-01-01

Optus launched its mobile satellite telephone service MobileSat in August 1994. This provided Australia and its neighboring waters with nation-wide mobile telephone coverage and still is the world's only domestic mobile satellite telephone system. This paper provides details of Optus' experience in developing and launching the MobileSat service, including (1) a retrospective of the issues that have waxed and waned in importance during the development and implementation phases, and (2) the strategy for future activities based on the experience gained in the development phase.

Physical Activity, Self-Regulation, and Early Academic Achievement in Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Derek R.; McClelland, Megan M.; Loprinzi, Paul; Trost, Stewart G.

2014-01-01

Research Findings: The present study investigated whether active play during recess was associated with self-regulation and academic achievement in a prekindergarten sample. A total of 51 children in classes containing approximately half Head Start children were assessed on self-regulation, active play, and early academic achievement. Path…

A New Method of Viewing Attachment Document of eMail on Various Mobile Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Heeae; Seo, Changwoo; Lim, Yonghwan

As the computing power of the mobile devices is improving rapidly, many kinds of web services are also available in mobile devices just as Email service. Mobile Mail Service began early, but this service is mostly limited in some specified mobile devices such as Smart Phone. That is a limitation that users have to purchase specified phone to be benefited from Mobile Mail Service. In this paper, it uses DIDL (digital item declaration language) markup type defined in MPEG-21 and MobileGate Server, and solved this problem. DIDL could be converted to other markup types which are displayed by mobile devices. By transforming PC Web Mail contents including attachment document to DIDL markup through MobileGate Server, the Mobile Mail Service could be available for all kinds of mobile devices.

Extramedullary Myelopoiesis in Malaria Depends on Mobilization of Myeloid-Restricted Progenitors by IFN-γ Induced Chemokines

PubMed Central

Belyaev, Nikolai N.; Biró, Judit; Langhorne, Jean; Potocnik, Alexandre J.

2013-01-01

Resolution of a variety of acute bacterial and parasitic infections critically relies on the stimulation of myelopoiesis leading in cases to extramedullary hematopoiesis. Here, we report the isolation of the earliest myeloid-restricted progenitors in acute infection with the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium chabaudi. The rapid disappearance of these infection-induced myeloid progenitors from the bone marrow (BM) equated with contraction of the functional myeloid potential in that organ. The loss of BM myelopoiesis was not affected by the complete genetic inactivation of toll-like receptor signaling. De-activation of IFN-γ signaling completely abrogated the contraction of BM myeloid progenitors. Radiation chimeras of Ifngr1-null and control BM revealed that IFN-γ signaling in an irradiation-resistant stromal compartment was crucial for the loss of early myeloid progenitors. Systemic IFN-γ triggered the secretion of C-C motif ligand chemokines CCL2 and CCL7 leading to the egress of early, myeloid-committed progenitors from the bone marrow mediated by their common receptor CCR2. The mobilization of myeloid progenitors initiated extramedullary myelopoiesis in the spleen in a CCR2-dependent manner resulting in augmented myelopoiesis during acute malaria. Consistent with the lack of splenic myelopoiesis in the absence of CCR2 we observed a significant persistence of parasitemia in malaria infected CCR2-deficient hosts. Our findings reveal how the activated immune system mobilizes early myeloid progenitors out of the BM thereby transiently establishing myelopoiesis in the spleen in order to contain and resolve the infection locally. PMID:23762028

The potential of crowdsourcing and mobile technology to support flood disaster risk reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

See, Linda; McCallum, Ian; Liu, Wei; Mechler, Reinhard; Keating, Adriana; Hochrainer-Stigler, Stefan; Mochizuki, Junko; Fritz, Steffen; Dugar, Sumit; Arestegui, Michael; Szoenyi, Michael; Laso-Bayas, Juan-Carlos; Burek, Peter; French, Adam; Moorthy, Inian

2016-04-01

The last decade has seen a rise in citizen science and crowdsourcing for carrying out a variety of tasks across a number of different fields, most notably the collection of data such as the identification of species (e.g. eBird and iNaturalist) and the classification of images (e.g. Galaxy Zoo and Geo-Wiki). Combining human computing with the proliferation of mobile technology has resulted in vast amounts of geo-located data that have considerable value across multiple domains including flood disaster risk reduction. Crowdsourcing technologies, in the form of online mapping, are now being utilized to great effect in post-disaster mapping and relief efforts, e.g. the activities of Humanitarian OpenStreetMap, complementing official channels of relief (e.g. Haiti, Nepal and New York). Disaster event monitoring efforts have been further complemented with the use of social media (e.g. twitter for earthquakes, flood monitoring, and fire detection). Much of the activity in this area has focused on ex-post emergency management while there is considerable potential for utilizing crowdsourcing and mobile technology for vulnerability assessment, early warning and to bolster resilience to flood events. This paper examines the use of crowdsourcing and mobile technology for measuring and monitoring flood hazards, exposure to floods, and vulnerability, drawing upon examples from the literature and ongoing projects on flooding and food security at IIASA.

Reducing School Mobility: A Randomized Trial of a Relationship-Building Intervention

PubMed Central

Fiel, Jeremy E.; Haskins, Anna R.; López Turley, Ruth N.

2013-01-01

Student turnover has many negative consequences for students and schools, and the high mobility rates of disadvantaged students may exacerbate inequality. Scholars have advised schools to reduce mobility by building and improving relationships with and among families, but such efforts are rarely tested rigorously. A cluster-randomized field experiment in 52 predominantly Hispanic elementary schools in San Antonio, TX, and Phoenix, AZ, tested whether student mobility in early elementary school was reduced through Families and Schools Together (FAST), an intervention that builds social capital among families, children, and schools. FAST failed to reduce mobility overall but substantially reduced the mobility of Black students, who were especially likely to change schools. Improved relationships among families help explain this finding. PMID:25346541

Mobile Learning Using Mobile Phones

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vicente, Paula

2013-01-01

The participation in mobile learning programs is conditioned by having/using mobile communication technology. Those who do not have or use such technology cannot participate in mobile learning programs. This study evaluates who are the most likely participants of mobile learning programs by examining the demographic profile and mobile phone usage…

Communicating and Thinking through Drawing Activity in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papandreou, Maria

2014-01-01

This article considers drawing as a meaning-making activity that takes place in certain sociocultural contexts to find evidence for its communicative potentials as well as the relationship between thought and drawing in early childhood. The researcher challenges traditional views about young children's drawing that focus on the result of the…

Temporal variations of mobile carbohydrates in Abies fargesii at the upper tree limits.

PubMed

Dang, H S; Zhang, K R; Zhang, Q F; Xu, Y M

2015-01-01

Low temperatures are associated high-altitude treelines, but the functional mechanism of treeline formation remains controversial. The relative contributions of carbon limitation (source activity) and growth limitation (sink activity) require more tests across taxa and regions. We examined temporal variations of mobile carbon supply in different tissues of Abies fargesii across treeline ecotones on north- and south-facing slopes of the Qinling Mountains, China. Non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations in tissues along the altitudinal gradient on both slopes changed significantly in the early and late growing season, but not in the mid-growing season, indicating the season-dependent carbon supply status. Late in the growing season on both slopes, trees at the upper limits had the highest NSC concentrations and total soluble sugars and lowest starch concentrations compared to trees at the lower elevations. NSC concentrations tended to increase in needles and branches throughout the growing season with increasing elevation on both slopes, but declined in roots and stems. NSC concentrations across sampling dates also indicated increases in needles and branches, and decreases in roots and stem with increasing elevation. Overall altitudinal trends of NSC in A. fargesii revealed no depletion of mobile carbon reserves at upper elevation limits, suggesting limitation of sink activity dominates tree life across treeline ecotones in both north- and south-facing slopes. Carbon reserves in storage tissues (especially roots) in the late growing season might also play an important role in winter survival and early growth in spring at upper elevations on both slopes, which define the uppermost limit of A. fargesii. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Rainstorm Activities for Early Childhood Music Lessons Inspired by Teachable Moments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poole, Harrison Grant

2016-01-01

Activities that focus on already familiar concepts are good starting points when designing early childhood music lessons. The author uses teachable moments, a spider in the classroom and a rainstorm, to design interdisciplinary preschool group activities that teach music, math, and science concepts. Dynamics and tempo are the music concepts that…

Entropic measures of individual mobility patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallotti, Riccardo; Bazzani, Armando; Degli Esposti, Mirko; Rambaldi, Sandro

2013-10-01

Understanding human mobility from a microscopic point of view may represent a fundamental breakthrough for the development of a statistical physics for cognitive systems and it can shed light on the applicability of macroscopic statistical laws for social systems. Even if the complexity of individual behaviors prevents a true microscopic approach, the introduction of mesoscopic models allows the study of the dynamical properties for the non-stationary states of the considered system. We propose to compute various entropy measures of the individual mobility patterns obtained from GPS data that record the movements of private vehicles in the Florence district, in order to point out new features of human mobility related to the use of time and space and to define the dynamical properties of a stochastic model that could generate similar patterns. Moreover, we can relate the predictability properties of human mobility to the distribution of time passed between two successive trips. Our analysis suggests the existence of a hierarchical structure in the mobility patterns which divides the performed activities into three different categories, according to the time cost, with different information contents. We show that a Markov process defined by using the individual mobility network is not able to reproduce this hierarchy, which seems the consequence of different strategies in the activity choice. Our results could contribute to the development of governance policies for a sustainable mobility in modern cities.

A Community-Engaged Approach to Developing a Mobile Cancer Prevention App: The mCPA Study Protocol

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Rapid growth of mobile technologies has resulted in a proliferation of lifestyle-oriented mobile phone apps. However, most do not have a theoretical framework and few have been developed using a community-based participatory research approach. A community academic team will develop a theory-based, culturally tailored, mobile-enabled, Web-based app—the Mobile Cancer Prevention App (mCPA)—to promote adherence to dietary and physical activity guidelines. Objective The aim of this study is to develop mCPA content with input from breast cancer survivors. Methods Members of SISTAAH (Survivors Involving Supporters to Take Action in Advancing Health) Talk (N=12), treated for Stages I-IIIc breast cancer for less than 1 year, 75 years of age or younger, and English-speaking and writing, will be recruited to participate in the study. To develop the app content, breast cancer survivors will engage with researchers in videotaped and audiotaped sessions, including (1) didactic instructions with goals for, benefits of, and strategies to enhance dietary intake and physical activity, (2) guided discussions for setting individualized goals, monitoring progress, and providing or receiving feedback, (3) experiential nutrition education through cooking demonstrations, and (4) interactive physical activity focused on walking, yoga, and strength training. Qualitative (focus group discussions and key informant interviews) and quantitative (sensory evaluation) methods will be used to evaluate the participatory process and outcomes. Results Investigators and participants anticipate development of an acceptable (frequency and duration of usage) feasible (structure, ease of use, features), and accessible mobile app available for intervention testing in early 2017. Conclusions Depending on the availability of research funding, mCPA testing, which will be initiated in Miami, will be extended to Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. PMID:26935995

Mobility in Older Adults: A Comprehensive Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webber, Sandra C.; Porter, Michelle M.; Menec, Verena H.

2010-01-01

Mobility is fundamental to active aging and is intimately linked to health status and quality of life. Although there is widespread acceptance regarding the importance of mobility in older adults, there have been few attempts to comprehensively portray mobility, and research has to a large extent been discipline specific. In this article, a new…

Mobile health: assessing the barriers.

PubMed

Terry, Nicolas P

2015-05-01

Mobile health (mHealth) combines the decentralization of health care with patient centeredness. Mature mHealth applications (apps) and services could provide actionable information, coaching, or alerts at a fraction of the cost of conventional health care. Different categories of apps attract diverse safety and privacy regulation. It is too early to tell whether these apps can overcome questions about their use cases, business models, and regulation.

[Exploring nurse, usage effectiveness of mobile nursing station].

PubMed

Chang, Fang-Mei; Lee, Ting-Ting

2013-04-01

A mobile nursing station is an innovative cart that integrates a wireless network, information technology devices, and online charts. In addition to improving clinical work and workflow efficiencies, data is integrated among different information systems and hardware devices to promote patient safety. This study investigated the effectiveness of mobile nursing cart use. We compared different distributions of nursing activity working samples to evaluate the nursing information systems in terms of interface usability and usage outcomes. There were two parts of this study. Part one used work sampling to collect nursing activity data necessary to compare a unit that used a mobile nursing cart (mobile group, n = 18) with another that did not (traditional group, n = 14). Part two applied a nursing information system interface usability questionnaire to survey the mobile unit with nurses who had used a mobile nursing station (including those who had worked in this unit as floating nurses) (n = 30) in order to explore interface usability and effectiveness. We found that using the mobile nursing station information system increased time spent on direct patient care and decreased time spent on indirect patient care and documentation. Results further indicated that participants rated interface usability as high and evaluated usage effectiveness positively. Comments made in the open-ended question section raised several points of concern, including problems / inadequacies related to hardware devices, Internet speed, and printing. This study indicates that using mobile nursing station can improve nursing activity distributions and that nurses hold generally positive attitudes toward mobile nursing station interface usability and usage effectiveness. The authors thus encourage the continued implementation of mobile nursing stations and related studies to further enhance clinical nursing care.

Outdoor Built Environment Barriers and Facilitators to Activity among Midlife and Older Adults with Mobility Disabilities