Constraining Coronal Heating: Employing Bayesian Analysis Techniques to Improve the Determination of Solar Atmospheric Plasma Parameters

One way of revealing the nature of the coronal heating mechanism is by comparing simple theoretical one dimensional hydrostatic loop models with observations at the temperature and/or density structure along these features. The most well-known method for dealing with comparisons like that is the $\chi^2$ approach. In this paper we consider the restrictions imposed by this approach and present an alternative way for making model comparisons using Bayesian statistics. In order to quantify our beliefs we use Bayes factors and information criteria such as AIC and BIC. Three simulated datasets are analyzed in order to validate the procedure and assess the effects of varying error bar size. Another two datasets (Ugarte-Urra et al., 2005; Priest et al., 2000) are re-analyzed using the method described above. In one of these two datasets (Ugarte-Urra et al., 2005), due to the error estimates in the observed temperature values, it is not posible to distinguish between the different heating mechanisms. For this we suggest that both Classical and Bayesian statistics should be applied in order to make safe assumptions about the nature of the coronal heating mechanisms

Resurgence of Physical Education and physical activity in the COVID-19 era: Policy inconsistencies, implications and future considerations

COVID-19 has already changed the world, not only because of the disease itself, but because of the long-term effects of the world's reaction to the pandemic. Many countries worldwide have imposed large-scale or national closures of schools and sports facilities, and the practice of outdoor physical activity in public parks and playgrounds was not allowed, and these policy responses to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission have a direct impact on children and adolescents. Due to these measures, overall children's physical activity has been reduced and sedentary behaviour has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. This policy brief aims to discuss policy inconsistencies during lockdown and physical distancing measures imposed on children and adolescents [i.e., school closures, screen-based (in)activity, curricular Physical Education, hygiene measures, active school travel, sport facilities and physical activity], in relation to current recommendations for exercise during the pandemic, and Physical Education school re-entry considerations

An opinion regarding equivalence testing for evaluating measurement agreement

The novel statistical approach ‘equivalence testing’ has been proposed in order to statistically examine agreement between different physical activity measures. By using this method, researchers argued that it is possible to determine whether a method is significantly equivalent to another method. Recently, equivalence testing was supported with the use of 90% confidence interval, obtained from a mixed ANOVA, which I believe is a more robust approach. This paper further discusses the use of this method in comparison to a more well-established statistical analysis (i.e. mixed design ANOVA), as well as various limitations and arbitrary assumptions in order to perform this analysis. The paper concludes with some remarks and considerations for future use in similar approaches

«Χορεύοντας» με τον Νίτσε: Η συμβολή του στον επαναπροσδιορισμό της αξίας της σωματικής διάστασης του ατόμου

Friedrich W. Nietzsche is one of the few important philosophers that often mention the art of dance in his works, especially in the Birth of Tragedy and Thus Spoke Zarathustra. The purpose of this study is to analyze Nietzsche's contribution to the philosophical foundation of dance. In addition, it will be attempted to present, through dance's approach, the primary role the philosopher assigns to the human physical dimension, in contrary to the intellectual one. Through petitions in the Athenian tragedy and especially through the relation between the Dionysian and Apollonian element, he approaches dance, which represents the absolute and collective affirmation of life. Furthermore, the "dancing" Zarathustra consents in secular life and creates new values through the dancing experience. He treats the body as equal, or even superior, to the soul, which is a simple component of the physical self. In conclusion, Nietzsche exalts dance and considers it an integral part of human development.Ο Φρίντριχ Νίτσε είναι ένας από τους λίγους σημαντικούς φιλοσόφους που συχνά αναφέρει στα έργα του την τέχνη του χορού, ειδικά στην Γέννηση της Τραγωδίας και στο Τάδε έφη Ζαρατούστρα. Σκοπός του παρόντος ερευνητικού πονήματος είναι η ανάλυση της νιτσεϊκής συμβολής στη φιλοσοφική θεμελίωση του χορού. Επιπλέον θα παρουσιαστεί, μέσω της φιλοσοφικής προσέγγισης του χορού, ο πρωτεύον ρόλος που ο φιλόσοφος αποδίδει στην ενσώματη διάσταση του ατόμου, σε αντιδιαστολή με τη διανοητική. Με τη βοήθεια αναφορών στην αθηναϊκή τραγωδία, και ιδιαίτερα μέσω της σχέσης διονυσιακού και απολλώνιου στοιχείου, αναδεικνύεται ο τρόπος με τον οποίο ο Νίτσε προσεγγίζει τον χορό, ο οποίος αντιπροσωπεύει για αυτόν την απόλυτη και συλλογική κατάφαση για ζωή, επίσης, ο «χορεύον» Ζαρατούστρας συναινεί στην κοσμική ζωή και δημιουργεί νέες αξίες μέσω της χορευτικής εμπειρίας. Ο ίδιος αντιμετωπίζει το σώμα ως ίσο, ή ακόμα και ανώτερο, από την ψυχή, την οποία θεωρεί μία απλή συνιστώσα του φυσιολογικού εαυτού. Εν κατακλείδι, ο Νίτσε εξυψώνει τον χορό και τον θεωρεί αναπόσπαστο τμήμα της ανθρώπινης ανάπτυξης

Physical activity, sleep and weight management in the COVID-19 era: a case report

The evolving COVID-19 pandemic has caused community-wide lockdowns, resulting in social isolation. Currently the routine physical activities (PA) of millions of people worldwide has been disrupted, while there is strong recommendation for individuals to remain physically active by taking short active breaks. The case study reported aims at providing detailed information of a male individual who was physically active before the community-wide lockdown and attempted to remain physically active during the COVID-19 pandemic. It presents data, over eight weeks in total (4 x 2-week periods), of daily PA (steps and outdoor workout sessions), sleep monitoring (total and deep sleep time), and body weight and composition, as well as a structured exercise programme developed and implemented during the quarantine period. PA and sleep data were objectively measured with the use of a wearable PA monitor (i.e. Garmin Vivofit 4). The daily 30-min training programme included High Intensity Circuit Training (HICT) with the use of the 7 Minute Workout ® app for Android, as well as body weight training (e.g. push-ups, squats). Results showed that PA based on step count has plummeted during self-isolation measures, however a home-based, individualized, app-driven HICT and body weight training programme, under the continuous monitoring of an exercise expert, has the potential to outweigh the detrimental effects of lack of movement. In order to increase daily PA up to the level before the lockdown, active commuting is an indispensable factor. Lastly, insufficient sleep quality and duration may undermine weight maintenance success and exercise performance. Implications related to these themes are further discussed

Physical Education students’ beliefs in four important curricular outcomes: results from three Greek Faculties

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate Physical Education (PE) students’ belief systems toward the four important curricula outcomes goals (physical activity and fitness, self-actualization, motor skill development and social development) and to compare these beliefs according to gender and undergraduate Faculty program attended. Method: 690 Students from the three major PE Faculties in Greece were enrolled (465 males, 225 females). They completed a previously validated four-factor belief systems instrument. Results: Internal consistency reliability for the instrument was .915. A confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good fit of the current sample to the hypothesized four-factor outcomes model. The students did not view the outcome goals as equally important. The prevailing goal was physical activity and fitness, followed by self-actualization. Multivariate analysis of variance results for comparisons between sub-groups revealed significant differences between genders and undergraduate programs attended. Discussion/Conclusion: The findings, coupled with those of previous researches, imply that PE students form their beliefs mostly based on their previous experiences. These beliefs appear to be very solid and thus, undergraduate studies seem to have a small effect on their formation and modification

Criterion validity of iOS and android applications to measure steps and distance in adults

The growing popularity of physical activity (PA) applications (apps) in recent years and the vast amounts of data that they generate present attractive possibilities for surveillance. However, measurement accuracy is indispensable when tracking PA variables to provide meaningful measures of PA. The purpose of this study was to examine the steps and distance criterion validity of freeware accelerometer-based PA smartphone apps, during incremental-intensity treadmill walking and jogging. Thirty healthy adults (25.9 ± 5.7 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. They were fitted with two smartphones (one with Android and one with iOS operating systems), each one simultaneously running four different apps (i.e., Runtastic Pedometer, Accupedo, Pacer, and Argus). They walked and jogged for 5 min at each of the predefined speeds of 4.8, 6.0, and 8.4 km/h on a treadmill, and two researchers counted every step taken during trials with a digital tally counter. Validity was evaluated by comparing each app with the criterion measure using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), mean absolute percentage errors (MAPEs), and Bland–Altman plots. For step count, Android apps performed slightly more accurately that iOS apps; nevertheless, MAPEs were generally low for all apps (10%). The findings suggest that accelerometer-based apps are accurate tools for counting steps during treadmill walking and jogging and could be considered suitable for use as an outcome measure within a clinical trial. However, none of the examined apps was suitable for measuring distance

Physical activity in the era of mHealth big data: considerations on accuracy and bias

Recently smartphones have been considered a powerful tool with which to study large-scale population health on a global scale. Landmark Nature publications highlight the global uptake of mobile technology and the staggering potential for big data to promote large observational studies with big datasets from electronic health records. However, these data have to be generated through unbiased, accurate and validated measurement techniques. This paper discusses in detail some of the inconsistencies in smartphone health apps’ data collection and the issues arising from the increasing availability of low-quality health data. These threats to valid inference from observational studies using big data remain a great challenge to overcome and future research should focus on the development and validation of more accurate algorithms for health-related smartphone apps

Promoting physical activity for mental health in a refugee camp: the Skaramagas project

Service spotlightMany refugee and migrant children and adolescents are in urgent need of shelter, care and protection. Greece has been a major entry point in Europe, receiving over a million refugees and migrants (37% children) since the beginning of 2015. These children and their families face a range of risks, such as violence, exploitation and abuse in their country of origin, during their journey, and on arrival. It is estimated that 22% of individuals living in displacement experience a mental disorder such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.Promising examples of community-based initiatives, which use culturally sensitive learning materials, to encourage participation in physical activity for the purpose of promoting mental health are emerging. This Service Spotlight focuses on one such initiative: the Skaramagas project

A scoping review of children and adolescents’ active travel in Ireland

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).There appears to be a lack of existing data that comprehensively summarizes the evidence of children and adolescents’ active travel in the Republic of Ireland. In lieu of this, a scoping review was conducted to map the existing literature (2000–2020) on children and adolescents’ active travel in the Republic of Ireland. A scoping review design extracted a total of 19 publications, which show a consistent focus on the identified population’s active travel patterns, mainly to and from school, mostly self-report and cross-sectional research study designs; however, there are few longitudinal data, intervention and participatory studies. Key issues from these identified scoping review studies are discussed with the potential to better inform policy makers, practitioners and researchers to delineate programmes and strategies for promoting active travel among children and adolescents in the Republic of Ireland.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio