2,194 research outputs found
Knowledge of and preferred sources of assistance for physical activity in a sample of urban Indigenous Australians
Background: To examine urban Indigenous Australians' knowledge of the current Physical Activity Guidelines (PAG) and identify their preferred sources of assistance or advice regarding physical activity.----- Method: Self-completed questionnaire data were collected from 194 participants; the questionnaires sought information on standard demographics including an assessment of their perceived physical activity level relative to peers. Outcome measures were agreement with five statements from the current PAG and indicators of preferred sources of assistance or advice regarding physical activity.----- Results: Most participants demonstrated excellent knowledge of the current PAG, with 92% to 88% of participants agreeing with the statements. Significantly more older participants (> 44 years) identified that 'blocks of 10 minutes of activity are OK' compared to younger participants (aged 18–44 years: 60%; X2 = 6.23; p = .04). Significantly more higher educated participants agreed (96%) that 'brisk walking for half an hour most days was good for health' compared to the less educated participants (85%; X2 = 8.08; p = .02). The most preferred source of physical activity advice identified by men was the GP/health professional (62% vs. 53%; men and women respectively, NS), while for women it was a group to be active with (60% vs. 42%; women and men respectively; X2 = 6.09; p = .01).----- Conclusion: Urban Indigenous Australians have similar levels of knowledge regarding the PAG to non-Indigenous Australians. However, the option of accumulating 10-minute activity bouts needs to be better communicated to younger Indigenous people. Most participants expressed a preference for advice about physical activity to be delivered via health professionals, and groups to be active with. Indigenous and age-specific resources that promote the unique aspects of the current PAG (e.g., that vigorous exercise is not essential for health and blocks of 10 minutes of activity are OK) should be developed and disseminated
Pilot Study of an Individualised Early Postpartum Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Women with Previous Gestational Diabetes
Optimal strategies to prevent progression towards overt diabetes in women with recent gestational diabetes remain ill defined. We report a pilot study of a convenient, home based exercise program with telephone support, suited to the early post-partum period. Twenty eight women with recent gestational diabetes were enrolled at six weeks post-partum into a 12 week randomised controlled trial of Usual Care (n = 13) versus Supported Care (individualised exercise program with regular telephone support; n = 15). Baseline characteristics (Mean ± SD) were: Age  33 ± 4  years; Weight 80 ± 20 kg and Body Mass Index (BMI) 30.0 ± 9.7 kg/m2. The primary outcome, planned physical activity {Median (Range)}, increased by 60 (0–540) mins/week in the SC group versus 0 (0–580) mins/week in the UC group (P = 0.234). Walking was the predominant physical activity. Body weight, BMI, waist circumference, % body fat, fasting glucose and insulin did not change significantly over time in either group. This intervention designed to increase physical activity in post-partum women with previous gestational diabetes proved feasible. However, no measurable improvement in metabolic or biometric parameters was observed over a three month period
Systematic review of barriers to, and facilitators of, the provision of high-quality midwifery services in India
NH3 in the Central 10 pc of the Galaxy I: General Morphology and Kinematic Connections Between the CND and GMCs
New VLA images of NH3 (1,1), (2,2), and (3,3) emission in the central 10
parsecs of the Galaxy trace filamentary streams of gas, several of which appear
to feed the circumnuclear disk (CND). The NH3 images have a spatial resolution
of 16.5''x14.5'' and have better spatial sampling than previous NH3
observations. The images show the ``southern streamer,'' ``50 km/s cloud,'' and
new features including a ``western streamer'', 6 parsecs in length, and a
``northern ridge'' which connects to the CND. NH3(3,3) emission is very similar
to 1.2 mm dust emission indicating that NH3 traces column density well. Ratios
of the NH3(2,2) to (1,1) line intensities give an estimate of the temperature
of the gas and indicate high temperatures close to the nucleus and CND. The new
data cover a velocity range of 270 km/s, including all velocities observed in
the CND, with a resolution of 9.8 km/s. Previous NH3 observations with higher
resolution did not cover the entire range of velocities seen in the CND. The
large-scale kinematics of the CND do not resemble a coherent ring or disk. We
see evidence for a high velocity cloud within a projected distance of 50'' (2
pc) which is only seen in NH3(3,3) and is likely to be hot. Comparison to 6 cm
continuum emission reveals that much of the NH3 emission traces the outer edges
of Sgr A East and was probably pushed outward by this expanding shell. The
connection between the northern ridge (which appears to be swept up by Sgr A
East) and the CND indicates that Sgr A East and the CND are in close proximity
to each other. Kinematic evidence for these connections is presented in this
paper, while the full kinematic analysis of the central 10 pc will be presented
in Paper II.Comment: 16 pages (containing 6 figures), 8 additional JPEG figures. Accepted
for publication in ApJ. For full resolution images, see
http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/~rmcgary/SGRA/nh3_figures.htm
Stakeholder and parent co-production within an NHS-tailored evidence synthesis of breastfeeding support in the UK:the Action4Breastfeeding project
BackgroundCo-production in research enhances the quality and relevance of research findings. Stakeholder engagement was integral to the Action4Breastfeeding project. Our approach to stakeholder and parent involvement was ‘active involvement’ (Pollock et al 2018) throughout the process of evidence synthesis including planning, production and dissemination.MethodsEngagement was achieved through a stakeholder working group and a parents’ panel, supplemented by focus group discussions with women from groups least likely to breastfeed. All four UK countries were represented. The stakeholder working group included members of third sector organisations, policymakers, NHS practitioners, and commissioners. The parents’ panel included women who had breastfed a child within the last three years and fathers. Focus group participants were recruited by a peer support organisation working with disadvantaged families. The three groups met separately four times during the study. Co-production activities included: a) discussing priorities for breastfeeding support, b) agreeing criteria to assess transferability of effective interventions from global evidence to the UK setting; c) identifying barriers to implementing breastfeeding support in NHS settings, and d) developing and prioritising strategies to overcome the identified barriers. The online meetings were supplemented with a modified Delphi survey. Focus groups were held online and in-person. Members of the stakeholder working group and parents panel attended in-person workshops held around the UK as the final stage of the project. A project extension for women with multiple long-term conditions mirrored this work.Results/findingsPractical elements of engaging stakeholders and parents in co-creation within an evidence synthesis will be presented, including achieving trust, confidentiality, and good working relations, valuing contributions and maintaining engagement. Examples of diversity and differing priorities within the various stages of the evidence synthesis will be provided. Ways of managing these to produce an NHS-tailored implementation and evaluation strategy framework will be discussed. We plan to continue engagement beyond the funded project to ensure effective knowledge mobilisation (Grindall et al 2022)ConclusionCo-creation was essential to this evidence synthesis and whilst not always easy to achieve, resulted in rich discussions and diverse priorities that will contribute to the development of cost-effective breastfeeding support interventions in the UK
Factors affecting the implementation of effective interventions to support women to breastfeed:a systematic review and mixed methods synthesis
Factors affecting the implementation of effective interventions to support women to breastfeed:a systematic review and mixed methods synthesis
Molecular Tracers of the Central 12 pc of the Galactic Center
We have used the BIMA array to image the Galactic Center with a 19-pointing
mosaic in HCN(1-0), HCO+(1-0), and H 42-alpha emission with 5 km/s velocity
resolution and 13'' x 4'' angular resolution. The 5' field includes the
circumnuclear ring (CND) and parts of the 20 and 50 km/s clouds. HCN(1-0) and
HCO+ trace the CND and nearby giant molecular clouds while the H 42-alpha
emission traces the ionized gas in Sgr A West. We find that the CND has a
definite outer edge in HCN and HCO+ emission at ~45'' radius and appears to be
composed of two or three distinct streams of molecular gas rotating around the
nucleus. Outside the CND, HCN and HCO+ trace dense clumps of high-velocity gas
in addition to optically thick emission from the 20 and 50 km/s clouds. A
molecular ridge of compressed gas and dust, traced in NH3 emission and
self-absorbed HCN and HCO+, wraps around the eastern edge of Sgr A East. Just
inside this ridge are several arcs of gas which have been accelerated by the
impact of Sgr A East with the 50 km/s cloud. HCN and HCO+ emission trace the
extension of the northern arm of Sgr A West which appears to be an independent
stream of neutral and ionized gas and dust originating outside the CND. Broad
line widths and OH maser emission mark the intersection of the northern arm and
the CND. Comparison to previous NH3 and 1.2mm dust observations shows that HCN
and HCO+ preferentially trace the CND and are weaker tracers of the GMCs than
NH3 and dust. We discuss possible scenarios for the emission mechanisms and
environment at the Galactic center which could explain the differences in these
images.Comment: 24 pages, including 17 figures; to appear in The Astrophysical
Journa
Infalling Gas Towards the Galactic Center
VLA maps of ammonia emission were made for the Galactic Center region. The
NH3(1,1) and NH3(2,2) transitions were observed in three 2' x 2' fields
covering Sgr A* and the region 3' immediately south of it. In the central 3
parsecs surrounding Sgr A* we find emission which appears to be associated with
the circumnuclear disk (CND), both morphologically and kinematically. This
central emission is connected to a long, narrow 2 pc x 10 pc streamer of clumpy
molecular gas located towards the south, which appears to be carrying gas from
the nearby 20 km/s giant molecular cloud (GMC) to the circumnuclear region. We
find a velocity gradient along the streamer, with progressively higher
velocities as the gas approaches Sgr A*. The streamer stops at the location of
the CND, where the line width of the NH3 emission increases dramatically. This
may be the kinematic signature of accretion onto the CND. The ratio of the
NH3(2,2)/NH3(1,1) emission indicates that the gas is heated at the northern tip
of the streamer, located inside the eastern edge of the CND. The morphology,
kinematics and temperature gradients of the gas all indicate that the southern
streamer is located at the Galactic Center and is interacting with the
circumnuclear region.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, accepted by The Astrophysical Journal (figure 1
contours have been corrected
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