Active Families in the Great Outdoors: A family-centered program to increase physical activity levels, perceptions, and behaviors

Physical activity levels of adults and children are low, and the amount of time children spend being active outdoors is decreasing. Parents play a critical role in developing health behaviors of children and ways to increase physical activity and encourage an active family culture are needed. Promotion of family outdoor physical activity, which includes at least one parent and one child from a home engaging in physical activity together, is understudied. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to 1) describe the type, frequency, and duration of family physical activity, 2) determine whether changes in the duration and number of family outdoor physical activity bouts (min; number of bouts/week‑1), and 3) determine whether changes in parent and child physical activity perceptions (value, self-efficacy, enjoyment) and parent behaviors (support) occur as a result of a four-week family outdoor physical activity program. The four-week program, Active Families in the Great Outdoors, was designed to educate parents on the benefits of family outdoor physical activity and provide tools necessary to incorporate activity into daily home life. Participants completed family activity logs each week to document their time spent being active together. Parents completed pre/post assessments of knowledge, value, self-efficacy, and support. Children completed pre/post assessments of enjoyment, support, and self-efficacy. During the program, families increased their time spent being active together by an average of 111 minutes/week-1 (baseline, 216.1 ± 127.3 minutes/week-1; week1, 316.1 ± 180.2 minutes/week-1; week2, 351.1 ± 209.1 minutes/week-1, week4, 317.5 ± 186.8 minutes/week-1, p-1). The number of bouts per week did not increase, but the average length of the bouts did increase above baseline (baseline, 60.2 ± 21.6 minutes/bout-1; week 1, 98.6 ± 57.7 minutes/bout-1; week 2, 114.6 ± 61.0 minutes/bout-1, week 3, 91.1 ± 44.1 minutes/bout-1; week 4, 101.2 ± 45.5 minutes/bout-1,

The Association of Genotype, and the Gene-Physical Activity Interaction Effect on Aerobic Fitness in Prepubertal, African American, Obese Children

Purpose: To determine the association of certain aerobic fitness and physical activity genotypes and the gene-physical activity interaction effect on aerobic fitness in pre-pubertal, African American, obese children. Methods: Subjects were 30 pre-pubertal, African American, obese children (9.5 ± 1.7 years) who were free of clinical disease. Height and weight were measured according to standard procedures. Body fat was assessed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, and DNA samples were collected using buccal swabs. Aerobic fitness was assessed using a cycle ergometer and the McMaster cycle protocol. ANOVAs were used to determine associations and interaction effects of the ACE, ADRB2, NOS3, IL6, IGF-1, and APO-E genes, physical activity and aerobic fitness. Results: Age, height, weight, body mass index, and waist circumference were significantly lower in girls compared to boys. Subjects averaged approximately 51 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity per day, and girls were significantly more active than boys. There were no significant associations between the candidate genes and aerobic fitness level. P \u3e 0.05). There were trends towards significance for the IL6 rs2069845 gene for absolute and relative VO2peak measures (P = 0.078, and P = 0.094, respectively). There was also a trend toward significance for the ADRβ2 rs1042717 gene for leanVO2peak (P = 0.092). Conclusions: In children, further research is needed that includes diverse populations and large sample sizes in order to more accurately assess the association and interaction effects of the candidate genes, physical activity and fitness

Children of female sex workers and injection drug users: a review of vulnerability, resilience, and family-centered models of care in low and middle-income countries

This item is archived in the repository for materials published for the USAID supported Orphans and Vulnerable Children Comprehensive Action Research Project (OVC-CARE) at the Boston University Center for Global Health and Development.Background: Injection drug users and female sex workers are often categorized as two of the populations most at risk for becoming infected with HIV in countries with concentrated epidemics. Many of the adults who fall into these categories in low and middle income contexts are also parents, but little is known about the vulnerabilities faced by their children, their sources of resilience, or programs providing services to these often fragile families. Methods: We reviewed the peer-reviewed and gray literature to synthesize current knowledge on the situation of these children and families, and interventions currently in place in low and middle income countries. Organizational websites and references of all relevant sources were manually searched, and key informants from service organizations were contacted by phone and email. Results: A large amount of literature assessing the vulnerability and resilience of children of drug users and alcoholics in developed countries was found. Their children can face unique risks, stigma, and discrimination, but child vulnerability and resilience are associated in the substance abuse literature with the physical and mental health of parents and family context. Research on the situation of the children of sex workers is extremely limited. Interventions have been implemented in low and middle-income contexts but they tend to be small, piecemeal, struggling to meet demand; and undocumented, and most have not been evaluated. We present preliminary descriptive data from an organization working with pregnant and new mothers who are drug users in Ukraine and an organization providing services to sex workers and their families in Zambia. Discussion: Because parents’ drug use, sex work, or same sex relationships are often illegal and hidden, identifying their children can be difficult and may increase their vulnerability and marginalization. Therefore, researchers and service providers must proceed with caution when attempting to reach this population. Promising components of family-centered care include: strengthening family caring capacity through home visitation and peer support, providing early childhood development programs and crèches or drop-in centers for children; economic strengthening and job skills training for parents. Integration of legal assistance with health and other social services is also gaining increased international attention.The USAID | Project SEARCH, Orphans and Vulnerable Children Comprehensive Action Research (OVC-CARE) Task Order, is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development under Contract No. GHH-I-00-07-00023-00, beginning August 1, 2008. OVC-CARE Task Order is implemented by Boston University. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agency

The scale, scope and impact of alternative care for OVC in developing countries

This item is archived in the repository for materials published for the USAID supported Orphans and Vulnerable Children Comprehensive Action Research Project (OVC-CARE) at the Boston University Center for Global Health and Development.Over 145 million children worldwide have lost one or both parents due to various causes, 15 million of these are due to AIDS (1,2); and many more have been made vulnerable due to other causes. The global community has responded by putting in place various care arrangements for these children. However, the scale, scope and impact of these alternative care approaches have not been well summarized. The aim of this literature review is to synthesize and analyze available data on alternative care approaches and the impact of these placements on the lives of orphans and other vulnerable children. Both the short-term and long term wellbeing of a child depends a lot on where they live and the care they receive in those settings.The USAID | Project SEARCH, Orphans and Vulnerable Children Comprehensive Action Research (OVC-CARE) Task Order, is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development under Contract No. GHH-I-00-07-00023-00, beginning August 1, 2008. OVC-CARE Task Order is implemented by Boston University. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agency

Crossing international boundaries through doctoral partnerships: Learnings from a Chinese-Australian forum

International forums for doctoral students offer a fertile context for developing strategic partnerships between higher education institutions, as well as for building the intercultural capacity of early career academics. However, there is limited research investigating the benefits of international doctoral forum partnerships. This paper presents learnings from a recent international doctoral forum held in Beijing, China and attended by doctoral students and academics from Beijing Normal University (China) and Queensland University of Technology (Australia). Drawing on qualitative case study method and a model of boundary crossing mechanisms, we identify the beneficial outcomes of the forum. We describe how the forum arose from a strong ongoing partnership between the Education Faculties of Beijing Normal University and Queensland University of Technology. We then identify how, at the institutional and individual level, international doctoral forum participants can be challenged and benefit in four areas: collaboration, intercultural capacity, academic enhancement and program development. Implications for engaging successfully in international doctoral forum partnerships are also discussed

Videogame Walkthroughs in Educational Settings: Challenges, Successes, and Suggestions for Future Use

In this paper we describe the use of videogame walkthroughs implemented in three different educational contexts: 1) an informal learning environment where 11-12 year-olds used text and video walkthroughs to supplement their Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker play during an optional, lunch-time video game club in their school library; 2) a formal learning environment where grade six (11-12 year-old) students used a written walkthrough for Lost Winds 2: Winter of the Melodias played as part of their Language Arts classroom; and 3) the use of a written walkthroughs by Grade 7 and 8 teachers as part of their preparations to teach a game-based learning unit in their Geography classrooms. Taken together, we argue that while walkthroughs can be useful pedagogical tools when using videogames in classroom settings, the social and cultural contexts in which they are introduced must be carefully considered in order for their effectiveness to be fully realized

Predictors of continuation with olanzapine during the 1-year naturalistic treatment of patients with schizophrenia in Japan

Wenyu Ye1, Haya Ascher-Svanum2, Yuka Tanji3, Jennifer A Flynn3, Michihiro Takahashi3,41Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA; 3Lilly Research Laboratories Japan, Eli Lilly Japan KK, Kobe, 4Terauchi-Takahashi Psychiatric Clinic, Ashiya, JapanPurpose: Treatment continuation is considered an important measure of antipsychotic effectiveness in schizophrenia, reflecting the medication’s efficacy, safety, and tolerability from both patients’ and clinicians’ perspectives. This study identified characteristics of patients with schizophrenia who continue olanzapine therapy for a 1-year period in Japan.Methods: In a large (N = 1850), prospective, observational study, Japanese patients with schizophrenia who initiated treatment with olanzapine were followed for 1 year. Baseline characteristics were compared using t-tests and chi-square tests. Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify independent baseline predictors of treatment continuation.Results: Most patients (68.2%) continued with olanzapine therapy for the full 1-year study period, with an average duration of 265.5 ± 119.4 days. At baseline, patients who continued were significantly more likely to be male, older, and inpatients; have longer illness duration, higher negative and cognitive symptoms, better health-related quality of life, and prior anticholinergic use. Continuers were significantly less likely to engage in social activities, live independently, work for pay, or have prior antidepressant use. Continuers showed significantly greater early (3-month) improvement in global symptom severity. Logistic regression found that continuation was significantly predicted by longer illness duration, lower positive symptoms, higher negative symptoms, and better health-related quality of life.Conclusions: In this large naturalistic study in Japan, most patients with schizophrenia stayed on olanzapine therapy for the full 1-year study period. Treatment completion with olanzapine was independently predicted by longer illness duration, lower positive symptoms, higher negative symptoms, and better health-related quality of life.Keywords: schizophrenia, atypical, antipsychotics, discontinuatio

Evaluation of topical cysteamine therapy in the CTNS−/− knockout mouse using in vivo confocal microscopy

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to assess the ability of quantitative in vivo confocal microscopy (CM) to detect changes in cystine crystal volume in the cystinosisn (Ctns−/−)mouse cornea following topical cysteamine therapy.MethodsFifteen Ctns−/− mice were sequentially followed using in vivo CM from 3 to 10 months of age. In a second experiment, five mice receiving topical cysteamine eyedrops (0.55%) for 4 weeks were compared to five untreated mice. The volume of corneal cystine crystals was determined by thresholding and counting high intensity pixels in the in vivo CM scans and dividing by the stromal volume to calculate a crystal volume index (CVI).ResultsCorneal crystals progressively increased in density with age, reaching a peak density at 6–8 months and showing a 70 fold increase in CVI. Eyes treated with cysteamine drops showed significantly less crystal accumulation compared to control eyes (p<0.001) with only a 15% increase in treated eyes (p=ns) compared to 173% increase (p<0.04) for untreated eyes.ConclusionsMeasurement of CVI shows that there is a progressive increase in cystine crystal volume up to 8 months of age and that cysteamine eyedrops significantly inhibits progression in the Ctns−/− mouse. These findings are similar to those seen clinically in patients with cystinosis, and suggest that measurement of CVI in the Ctns−/− mouse may be used as a model to develop novel therapeutic strategies for treating corneal cystinosis

Predictors of antipsychotic monotherapy with olanzapine during a 1-year naturalistic study of schizophrenia patients in Japan

Wenyu Ye1, Haya Ascher-Svanum2, Jennifer A Flynn3, Yuka Tanji3, Michihiro Takahashi3,41Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; 2Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA; 3Lilly Research Laboratories Japan, Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Kobe, 4Terauchi-Takahashi Psychiatric Clinic, Ashiya, JapanPurpose: Although expert guidelines for the treatment of schizophrenia recommend antipsychotic monotherapy, the use of antipsychotic polypharmacy is common. This study identified characteristics that differentiate patients with schizophrenia who are treated with olanzapine monotherapy versus polypharmacy in usual care in Japan.Patients and methods: In a large (N = 1850) prospective, observational study, Japanese patients with schizophrenia who initiated treatment with olanzapine were followed for 1 year. Consistent with past research, antipsychotic polypharmacy was defined as the concurrent use of olanzapine and another antipsychotic for at least 60 days. Switching was defined as discontinuing a prior antipsychotic therapy rather than augmenting the medication regimen. Predictors of antipsychotic monotherapy were based on information available at the time of olanzapine initiation. Baseline characteristics were compared using t-tests and Χ2 tests. Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of monotherapy.Results: Patients treated with olanzapine monotherapy (43.2%) differed from those treated with antipsychotic polypharmacy (56.8%) on demographics, treatment history, baseline symptom levels, functional levels, and treatment-emergent adverse events. Stepwise logistic regression identified multiple variables that significantly predicted monotherapy: older age, shorter duration of schizophrenia, outpatient status, comorbid medical conditions, lower body mass index, no prior anticholinergic use, no prior mood stabilizer use, and switching from a previous antipsychotic (typical or atypical).Conclusion: Consistent with prior research in Japan, antipsychotic polypharmacy appears to be common in the treatment of schizophrenia. Patients treated with monotherapy could be differentiated from those treated with antipsychotic polypharmacy based on a specific set of demographic and baseline clinical characteristics.Keywords: olanzapine, schizophrenia, polypharmacy, quality improvemen