15 research outputs found
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Response to âThe Humble Heartâ
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive God to be, and whatever your labors and aspirrations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy.
âMax Ehrmann, Desiderata
In my introductory astronomy course for non-science majors, I always have students who take the course because itâs the least abhorrent science class they can find. These students have been convinced by their previous education that they "canât do" science and math. Though they are bright, articulate and accomplished and have earned their place in a selective liberal arts college, theyâre convinced that they lack some special neural connections or chemical transmitters to understand information and arguments that happen to fall under the broad umbrella of science. My course is designed for these students and all but a very few succeed. On the last day, after we have spent the semester working through calculations of the luminosities, temperatures and sizes of stars and the distances to galaxies, I give them Desiderata. I focus on the fact that they are children of the universe and they belong here. Humans are not something artificial plunked down on Earth. We are part of it. We are Earthâs mind and voice. I review how they have come to exist, from the earliest moments of the Big Bang creating the protons and neutrons in every atom in their bodies, through a couple generations of stars fusing primordial hydrogen and helium into the carbon, calcium, nitrogen and oxygen in their skin, bones and breath; the explosive deaths of giant stars creating the iron carrying oxygen to their brains, the iodine regulating their metabolisms and the gold and silver shining in their jewelry; half a billion years of biological evolution giving them arms, legs and brains and ten thousand years of cultural evolution giving them a university
Phenotypic Responses to a Lifestyle Intervention Do Not Account for Inter-Individual Variability in Glucose Tolerance for Individuals at High Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Background: Lifestyle interventions have been shown to delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes among high risk adults. A better understanding of the variability in physiological responses would support the matching of individuals with the best type of intervention in future prevention programmes, in order to optimize risk reduction. The purpose of this study was to determine if phenotypic characteristics at baseline or following a 12 weeks lifestyle intervention could explain the inter-individual variability in change in glucose tolerance in individuals with high risk for type 2 diabetes.Methods: In total, 285 subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT, FINDRISC score > 12), impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) were recruited for a 12 weeks lifestyle intervention. Glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, anthropometric characteristics and aerobic fitness were measured. Variability of responses was examined by grouping participants by baseline glycemic status, by cluster analysis based on the change in glucose tolerance and by Principal Component Analysis (PCA).Results: In agreement with other studies, the mean response to the 12 weeks intervention was positive for the majority of parameters. Overall, 89% improved BMI, 80% waist circumference, and 81% body fat while only 64% improved fasting plasma glucose and 60% 2 h glucose. The impact of the intervention by glycaemic group did not show any phenotypic differences in response between NGT, IFG, and IGT. A hierarchical cluster analysis of change in glucose tolerance identified four sub-groups of ârespondersâ (high and moderate) and ânon-respondersâ (no response or deteriorated) but there were few differences in baseline clincal and physiological parameters or in response to the intervention to explain the overall variance. A further PCA analysis of 19 clinical and physiological univariables could explain less than half (48%) of total variability.Conclusion: We found that phenotypic characteristics from standard clinical and physiological parameters were not sufficient to account for the inter-individual variability in glucose tolerance following a 12 weeks lifestyle intervention in inidivuals at high risk for type 2 diabetes. Further work is required to identify biomarkers that complement phenotypic traits and better predict the response to glucose tolerance
LisÀÀ ja enemmÀn! : Perheiden kokemuksia avoimesta varhaiskasvatustoiminnasta Limingassa
OpinnÀytetyön tavoitteena oli kartoittaa, minkÀlaisia kokemuksia asiakasperheillÀ on avoimen varhaiskasvatustoiminnan perheryhmistÀ ja lasten ryhmistÀ Limingan kunnassa. Tarkoituksena oli myös tutkia, minkÀlaisia kehittÀmisehdotuksia perheillÀ on toiminnalle. Limingan kunta sai tutkimuksen avulla tietoa siitÀ, onko avoimen varhaiskasvatustoiminnan jÀrjestÀminen vastannut sille asetettuihin tavoitteisiin.
Tutkimuksen aineisto koottiin lomakekyselyllÀ kaikilta avoimia varhaiskasvatuspalveluita kÀyttÀneiltÀ perheiltÀ. Aineisto analysoitiin sekÀ mÀÀrÀllisiÀ menetelmiÀ kÀyttÀen ettÀ luokittelemalla ja teemoittelemalla.
OpinnÀytetyön tulosten mukaan avoin varhaiskasvatustoiminta on vastannut hyvin sille asetettuihin tavoitteisiin. Vanhemmat arvostavat kovasti omia ja lastensa sosiaalisia suhteita ja ne ovatkin suurin yksittÀinen syy avoimeen varhaiskasvatustoimintaan osallistumiselle Limingassa. VertaisryhmÀ koetaan tÀrkeÀksi sekÀ perheryhmÀssÀ ettÀ lasten leikkitoiminnan ryhmissÀ. Tutkimustulosten mukaan ryhmÀssÀ toimimisen taidot ja kaveritaidot ovat niitÀ asioita, joiden oppimisen vuoksi liminkalaiset vanhemmat haluavat lastensa osallistuvan avoimeen varhaiskasvatustoimintaan ja nÀihin taitoihin liittyviin toimintoihin oltiin hyvin tyytyvÀisiÀ.
Vastaajat olivat tyytyvĂ€isiĂ€ toimintaan tĂ€llaisenaan. Avointa varhaiskasvatustoimintaa toivottiin kuitenkin lisÀÀ. Vanhemmat toivovat myös kasvatuskeskusteluja lastentarhanopettajan kanssa sekĂ€ kasvatusaiheisia luentoja.The aim of the thesis was to identify what kind of experiences families had of open early childhood education activities for both family groups and childrenâs groups in the municipality of Liminka. The aim was also to examine what kind of development proposals the families had for the service. With the help of the study the municipality of Liminka received information on how the open early childhood education activities had reached the goals set for them.
The research data was collected by using a questionnaire addressed to all the families that had used the open early childhood education services. The data was analysed by using quantitative methods as well as classification and themes.
According to the results of the thesis, the open early childhood education services had reached the set targets quite well. The parents highly appreciated their own and their children's social relationships, and this was the biggest single reason for participating in the open early childhood education activities in Liminka. A peer group was considered important both in family groups and in the children's play groups. According to the results, it was because of learning group work and friendship skills that the parents wanted their children to participate in the open early childhood education activities. Moreover, the parents were satisfied with the activities related to these skills.
The respondents were satisfied with the services as they were. However, they also wanted more open early childhood education services. The parents also wanted educational discussions with the kindergarten teachers as well as educational lectures
Additional file 2: of An evaluation of the DEXLIFE âself-selectedâ lifestyle intervention aimed at improving insulin sensitivity in people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Participant flow through the recruitment process. (PDF 170 kb
Socio-economic determinants of physical activity across the life course: a "dEterminantsof dIet and physical aCtivity" (DEDIPAC) umbrella literature review
Background
To date, the scientific literature on socioeconomic correlates and determinants of physical
activity behaviours has been dispersed throughout a number of systematic reviews, often
focusing on one factor (e.g. education or parental income) in one specific age group (e.g.
pre-school children or adults). The aim of this umbrella review is to provide a comprehensive and systematic overview of the scientific literature from previously conducted research by summarising and synthesising the importance and strength of the evidence related to socioeconomic correlates and determinants of PA behaviours across the life course.
Methods
Medline, Embase, ISI Web of Science, Scopus and SPORTDiscus were searched for systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies investigating the
association between socioeconomic determinants of PA and PA itself (from January 2004
to September 2017). Data extraction evaluated the importance of determinants, strength of evidence, and methodological quality of the selected papers. The full protocol is available from PROSPERO (PROSPERO2014:CRD42015010616).
Results
Nineteen reviews were included. Moderate methodological quality emerged. For adults,
convincing evidence supports a relationship between PA and socioeconomic status (SES),
especially in relation to leisure time (positive relationship) and occupational PA (negative
relationship). Conversely, no association between PA and SES or parental SES was found
for pre-school, school-aged children and adolescents.
Conclusions
Available evidence on the socioeconomic determinants of PA behaviour across the life
course is probable (shows fairly consistent associations) at best. While some evidence is
available for adults, less was available for youth. This is mainly due to a limited quantity of
primary studies, weak research designs and lack of accuracy in the PA and SES assessment methods employed. Further PA domain specific studies using longitudinal design and clear measures of SES and PA assessment are required
Characteristics of the included reviews (n = 20).
<p>Characteristics of the included reviews (n = 20).</p
Quality assessment of the included reviews using the AMSTAR checklist.
<p>Quality assessment of the included reviews using the AMSTAR checklist.</p
Search strategy: Key words used for the literature research.
<p>Search strategy: Key words used for the literature research.</p