Integrating research evidence and physical activity policy making-REPOPA project

Evidence shows that regular physical activity is enhanced by supporting environment. Studies are needed to integrate research evidence into health enhancing, cross-sector physical activity (HEPA) policy making. This article presents the rationale, study design, measurement procedures and the initial results of the first phase of six European countries in a five-year research project (2011–2016), REsearch into POlicy to enhance Physical Activity (REPOPA). REPOPA is programmatic research; it consists of linked studies; the first phase studied the use of evidence in 21 policies in implementation to learn more in depth from the policy making process and carried out 86 qualitative stakeholder interviews. The second, ongoing phase builds on the central findings of the first phase in each country; it consists of two sets of interventions: game simulations to study cross-sector collaboration and organizational change processes in the use of evidence and locally tailored interventions to increase knowledge integration. The results of the first two study phases will be tested and validated among policy makers and other stakeholders in the third phase using a Delphi process. Initial results from the first project phase showed the lack of explicit evidence use in HEPA policy making. Facilitators and barriers of the evidence use were the availability of institutional resources and support but also networking between researchers and policy makers. REPOPA will increase understanding use of research evidence in different contexts; develop guidance and tools and establish sustainable structures such as networks and platforms between academics and policy makers across relevant sectors

Developing a policy game intervention to enhance collaboration in public health policymaking in three European countries

Background: One of the key elements to enhance the uptake of evidence in public health policies is stimulating cross-sector collaboration. An intervention stimulating collaboration is a policy game. The aim of this study was to describe the design and methods of the development process of the policy game 'In2Action' within a real-life setting of public health policymaking networks in the Netherlands, Denmark and Romania.Methods: The development of the policy game intervention consisted of three phases, pre intervention, designing the game intervention and tailoring the intervention.Results: In2Action was developed as a role-play game of one day, with main focus to develop in collaboration a cross-sector implementation plan based on the approved strategic local public health policy.Conclusions: This study introduced an innovative intervention for public health policymaking. It described the design and development of the generic frame of the In2Action game focusing on enhancing collaboration in local public health policymaking networks. By keeping the game generic, it became suitable for each of the three country cases with only minor changes. The generic frame of the game is expected to be generalizable for other European countries to stimulate interaction and collaboration in the policy process

Optimization of the current density distribution in electrochemical cells based on the level set method and genetic algorithm

This paper proposes a general applicable algorithm for the optimization of the current density distribution in the electrochemical cells using the insulating shields during the electroplating process. The innovative aspect is that the position of the insulating shield is displaced over a number of predefined time steps convecting its surface proportional with and in the direction of a well chosen rate provided by a genetic algorithm. The aim of this method is to develop a systematic modification of the insulating shield position in order to get a more uniform distribution of the current density, hence a more uniform deposited layer at the cathode. As the displacement of the insulating shield is performed with the Level Set Method, the re-meshing of the computational domain with finite elements is not required anymore. Finally an example related to the optimization of the current density distribution in the vicinity of a singularity (incident angle between the electrode and insulator = 180°), using an insulating shield, will be presented

Simulation of the electrode shape change in electrochemical machining based on the level set method

This paper proposes a generally applicable numerical algorithm for the simulation of two dimensional electrode shape changes during electrochemical machining processes. The computational model consists of two coupled problems: an electrode shape change rate analysis and a moving boundary problem. The innovative aspect is that the workpiece shape is computed over a number of predefined time steps by convection of its surface with a velocity proportional and in the direction of the local electrode shape change rate. An example related to the electrochemical machining of a slot in a stainless steel plate is presented here to demonstrate the strong features of the proposed method