370 research outputs found

    Pilot evaluation of a walking school bus program in a low-income, urban community

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To evaluate the impact of a walking school bus (WSB) program on student transport in a low-income, urban neighborhood.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The design was a controlled, quasi-experimental trial with consecutive cross-sectional assessments. The setting was three urban, socioeconomically disadvantaged, public elementary schools (1 intervention vs. 2 controls) in Seattle, Washington, USA. Participants were ethnically diverse students in kindergarten-5<sup>th </sup>grade (aged 5–11 years). The intervention was a WSB program consisting of a part-time WSB coordinator and parent volunteers. Students' method of transportation to school was assessed by a classroom survey at baseline and one-year follow-up. The Pearson Chi-squared test compared students transported to school at the intervention versus control schools at each time point. Due to multiple testing, we calculated adjusted p-values using the Ryan-Holm stepdown Bonferroni procedure. McNemar's test was used to examine the change from baseline to 12-month follow-up for walking versus all other forms of school transport at the intervention or control schools.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At baseline, the proportions of students (n = 653) walking to the intervention (20% +/- 2%) or control schools (15% +/- 2%) did not differ (<it>p </it>= 0.39). At 12-month follow up, higher proportions of students (n = 643, <it>p </it>= 0.001)) walked to the intervention (25% +/- 2%) versus the control schools (7% +/- 1%). No significant changes were noted in the proportion of students riding in a car or taking the school bus at baseline or 12-month follow up (all <it>p </it>> 0.05). Comparing baseline to 12-month follow up, the numbers of students who walked to the intervention school increased while the numbers of students who used the other forms of transport did not change (<it>p </it>< 0.0001). In contrast, the numbers of students who walked to the control schools decreased while the numbers of students who used the other forms of transport did not change (<it>p </it>< 0.0001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A WSB program is a promising intervention among urban, low-income elementary school students that may promote favorable changes toward active transport to school.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00402701</p

    Microvascular blood flow response in the intestinal wall and the omentum during negative wound pressure therapy of the open abdomen

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    PURPOSE: Higher closure rates of the open abdomen have been reported with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) compared with other wound therapy techniques. However, the method has occasionally been associated with increased development of intestinal fistulae. The present study measures microvascular blood flow in the intestinal wall and the omentum before and during NPWT. METHODS: Six pigs underwent midline incision and application of NPWT to the open abdomen. The microvascular blood flow in the underlying intestinal loop wall and the omentum was recorded before and after the application of NPWT of -50, -70, -100, -120, -150, and -170 mmHg respectively, using laser Doppler velocimetry. RESULTS: A significant decrease in microvascular blood flow was seen in the intestinal wall during application of all negative pressures levels. The blood flow was 2.7 (±0.2) Perfusion Units (PU) before and 2.0 (±0.2) PU (*p < 0.05) after application of -50 mmHg, and 3.6 (±0.6) PU before and 1.5 (±0.2) PU (**p < 0.01) after application of -170 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, we show that negative pressures between -50 and -170 mmHg induce a significant decrease in the microvascular blood flow in the intestinal wall. The decrease in blood flow increased with the amount of negative pressure applied. One can only speculate that a longstanding decreased blood flow in the intestinal wall may induce ischemia and secondary necrosis in the intestinal wall, which, theoretically, could promote the development of intestinal fistulae. We believe that NPWT of the open abdomen is a very effective treatment but could probably be improved
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