Can a Home-based Cardiac Physical Activity Program Improve the Physical Function Quality of Life in Children with Fontan Circulation?

Objective Patients after Fontan operation for complex congenital heart disease (CHD) have decreased exercise capacity and report reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Studies suggest hospital-based cardiac physical activity programs can improve HRQOL and exercise capacity in patients with CHD; however, these programs have variable adherence rates. The impact of a home-based cardiac physical activity program in Fontan survivors is unclear. This pilot study evaluated the safety, feasibility, and benefits of an innovative home-based physical activity program on HRQOL in Fontan patients. Methods A total of 14 children, 8–12 years, with Fontan circulation enrolled in a 12-week moderate/high intensity home-based cardiac physical activity program, which included a home exercise routine and 3 formalized in-person exercise sessions at 0, 6, and 12 weeks. Subjects and parents completed validated questionnaires to assess HRQOL. The Shuttle Test Run was used to measure exercise capacity. A Fitbit Flex Activity Monitor was used to assess adherence to the home activity program. Results Of the 14 patients, 57% were male and 36% had a dominant left ventricle. Overall, 93% completed the program. There were no adverse events. Parents reported significant improvement in their child\u27s overall HRQOL (P \u3c .01), physical function (P \u3c .01), school function (P = .01), and psychosocial function (P  \u3c .01). Patients reported no improvement in HRQOL. Exercise capacity, measured by total shuttles and exercise time in the Shuttle Test Run and calculated VO2max, improved progressively from baseline to the 6 and 12 week follow up sessions. Monthly Fitbit data suggested adherence to the program. Conclusion This 12-week home-based cardiac physical activity program is safe and feasible in preteen Fontan patients. Parent proxy-reported HRQOL and objective measures of exercise capacity significantly improved. A 6-month follow up session is scheduled to assess sustainability. A larger study is needed to determine the applicability and reproducibility of these findings in other age groups and forms of complex CHD

Developing Interventions for Children's Exercise (DICE): a pilot evaluation of school-based exercise interventions for primary school children aged 7 to 8 years.

BACKGROUND: Developing Interventions for Children's Exercise (DICE) is an initiative aimed at determining effective school-based exercise programs. To assess feasibility, we conducted a pilot study of exercise sessions which varied in duration and frequency. METHODS: Exercise interventions were delivered to Year 3 pupils (age 7-8 years; n = 73) in primary schools within Yorkshire, UK. Evaluations were conducted using focus group sessions, questionnaires and observations. RESULTS: The study revealed positive aspects of all interventions, including favorable effects on children's concentration during lessons and identified the value of incorporation of the DICE concept into curriculum lessons. Children appeared enthused and reported well-being and enjoyment. Areas requiring attention were the need for appropriate timetabling of sessions and ensuring the availability of space. CONCLUSION: The concept and sessions were well-accepted by teachers who confirmed their full support of any future implementation There appears to be potential for the encouragement and empowerment of teachers to support physical activity and healthy school environments, and to take an interest in the health of their pupils. Ultimately, these findings should assist in the design of successful exercise interventions in the school setting

Evidence on the Efficacy of School-Based Incentives for Healthy Living

We analyze the effects of a school-based incentive program on children's exercise habits. The program offers children an opportunity to win prizes if they walk or bike to school during prize periods. We use daily child-level data and individual fixed effects models to measure the impact of the prizes by comparing behavior during prize periods with behavior during non-prize periods. Variation in the timing of prize periods across different schools allows us to estimate models with calendardate fixed effects to control for day-specific attributes, such as weather and proximity to holidays. On average, we find that being in a prize period increases riding behavior by sixteen percent, a large impact given that the prize value is just six cents per participating student. We also find that winning a prize lottery has a positive impact on ridership over subsequent weeks; consider heterogeneity across prize type, gender, age, and calendar month; and explore differential effects on the intensive versus extensive margins.health; exercise; children; school; incentives; active commuting

Petroleum exploration exercise using computerized interpretation of industry 3D seismic data

This project is to develop web-based software, giving classes of up to 30 Level H and M students doing the Petroleum Exploration Geology module experience in the management, analysis and interpretation of a modern petroleum industry dataset. A WebCT-based undergraduate practical exercise was developed using one of the School’s industry 3D seismic datasets to evaluate the petroleum geology of a prospective basin. Instruction in modern interpretation and visualization methods gives students hands-on experience of the unique and exciting views of the subsurface afforded by 3D seismic data. To date, a comparable exercise has employed paper copies of 2D seismic data. The recent introduction of a network licence server by SMT, the US company who donate their seismic software to the School, makes possible for the first time a whole-class exercise using 3D seismic data. The software runs on any PC which can connect to WebCT, assuming it has sufficient graphics capability

The Evaluation Of Writing Exercises Of Flying Start Textbook Based On School Level-Based Curriculum

This research paper aims at finding out whether the writing exercises found in the English textbook entitled Flying Start is appropriate or not with the writing exercises demanded by school level-based curriculum and communicative exercise. ln analyzing the textbook, the writer applies descriptive research and the data are writing exercises taken from Flying Start textbook. The writer collects the data by finding out the writing exercises provided in the textbook, giving code to the collected data, and classifuing the exercises containing writing exercises. The data were analyzed by these steps: (1) comparing writing exercises develop in the textbook with the writing exercises demanded by the school level-based curriculum and communicative exercise, (2) counting and adding the total of writing exercises develop in the textbook, (3) giving the percentage to the total of the writing exercises develop in the textbook, (4) describing whether the writing exercises develop in the textbooks is compatible or not with the writing exercises suggested by the school level-based curriculum and communicative exercise. The results of this study show that the percentage for the writing exercises developed in the textbook based on the schema of quality classification as proposed by Suharsimi (1993) is 53,33Yo.It means that the textbook is fair or less appropriate with the writing exercises in the school level-based curriculum. In other word, it can be said that the textbook is less good to improve students' competency in writing. Meanwhile, the percentage gained in developing the communicative exercises is 60oh. lt means that in developing writing exercises which are communicative is good or appropriate

Water self-sufficiency with separate treatment of household rainwater and greywater

This paper is based on an academic work conducted by a group of students of the Engineering Project course within the Chemical Engineering Degree at the Engineering School of Barcelona. The objective of the exercise was to design a rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling system for a detached house and calculate the number of people that could be self-sufficient. Local rainfall, roof area for collecting rainwater and daily water consumption per inhabitant were considered. The effective amount of rainwater and purified greywater was also obtained. In this design, the rainwater is filtered, stored and preserved in a tank, and disinfected with UV light. A small quantity can be made drinkable. The greywater is filtered, treated in a biological reactor, flocculated, sedimented and finally disinfected with UV light.Postprint (published version

Climate Change in the Supreme Court

In Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, the Supreme Court confronted the issue of climate change for the first time. The Court held that the Clean Air Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency the authority to regulate greenhouse gases and that the agency may not decline to exercise this authority based either on factors not present in the statute or inconclusive gestures toward uncertainty in the science of climate change. I had the privilege of serving as the lead author of the winning briefs in this case. This Article provides an insider\u27s perspective on the choices that went into bringing and briefing the case. This Article is an edited version of the 20th Annual Natural Resources Law Institute Distinguished Lecture, delivered in the fall of 2007 at Lewis & Clark Law School

Determinants associated with obesity and physical activity in the public and private schools of the city of palermo

Introduction: Obesity is a medical condition associated with premature death and it is a risk factor for many chronic diseases. In this context, performing a regular physical activity promotes a healthy lifestyle, with significant health benefits. The aim of the study was to investigate behaviors that increase the risk of obesity and the determinants that encourage physical activity among adolescents. Materials and methods: The HBSC (Health Behavior in School-aged Children) questionnaire was administered to students in Palermo's private and public schools. For the sampling of public schools the protocol of the HBSC Surveillance System was followed; for the private ones it was opportunistic. Results: Private school students are more likely to exercise more than 3 days per week (OR 1.58) and are more likely to exercise more than 2 times a week (OR 2.08). Obese students in private schools in Palermo are more likely to perform physical activity for less than 3 days a week (OR 3.52) and a higher risk of not having breakfast (OR 10.11) and a snack between main meals (OR 3.82) every day. For all the schools examined, it emerged that obese subjects are more likely not to consume fruit (OR 3.13), to stay more than 6 hours a day in front of PCs and video games (OR 3.24) and more than 2 hours a day in front of TV (OR 3.79). Male students are more likely to perform physical activity for more than 3 days per week (OR 1.48) and intense physical activity at least 2 times per week (OR 1.76) Conclusions: It is necessary to intervene early with training on school and family in order to promote correct and responsible food choices and increase the level of physical activity among students. Therefore prevention interventions must be an integral part of coherent strategies based on tests of agreed effectiveness in order to minimize the risk linked to the development of diseases

The Study of the Scale through Space. Teaching Innovation Experience among Architecture Schools: Malaga, Seville and Palermo

The educational innovation project object of this communication focuses on the scale problems that arise in the projects of territorial planning carried out in architecture schools, but also in the loss of the scale concept related to thought and drawing. The project involved collaboration among the Schools of Architecture of Malaga, Palermo and Seville with the aim of carrying out a practical exercise among the students of two subjects that, working on different scales, addressed similar concepts. In particular, following an PBL methodology based on collaborative projects, the planning of the N-340 road in the city of Nerja (Málaga) was carried out. Firstly, the territorial scale is addressed in the subject of Urbanism IV at the School of Architecture of Malaga, proposing the continuity of its development at the scale of landscape design in another place and with other designers of the course of Landscape Laboratory at the School of Architecture of Palermo. Besides, having verified that the academic results have been -in general terms- more satisfactory, the project has allowed consolidating the academic relationship between the three schools, which has translated into the development of complementary training actions