146 research outputs found
Policy assessment and policy development for physical activity promotion: results of an exploratory intervention study in 15 European Nations
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Purpose of the study was to test a theoretical model to assess and develop policies for the promotion of physical activity among older people as part of an international intervention study.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>248 semi-standardized interviews with policy-makers were conducted in 15 European nations. The questionnaire assessed policy-makers' perceptions of organizational goals, resources, obligations, as well as organizational, political and public opportunities in the area of physical activity promotion among older people. In order to develop policies, workshops with policy-makers were conducted. Workshop outputs and outcomes were assessed for four nations nine months after the workshops.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Policy assessment: Results of the policy assessment were diverse across nations and policy sectors. For example, organizational goals regarding actions for physical activity promotion were perceived as being most favorably by the sports sector. Organizational obligations for the development of such policies were perceived as being most favorably by the health sector.</p> <p>Policy development: The workshops resulted in different outputs: a national intersectoral action plan (United Kingdom), a national alliance (Sweden), an integrated policy (the Netherlands), and a continuing dialogue (Germany).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Theory-driven policy assessment and policy-maker workshops might be an important means of scientific engagement in policy development for health promotion.</p
CIX - A Detector for Spectral Enhanced X-ray Imaging by Simultaneous Counting and Integrating
A hybrid pixel detector based on the concept of simultaneous charge
integration and photon counting will be presented. The second generation of a
counting and integrating X-ray prototype CMOS chip (CIX) has been operated with
different direct converting sensor materials (CdZnTe and CdTe) bump bonded to
its 8x8 pixel matrix. Photon counting devices give excellent results for low to
medium X-ray fluxes but saturate at high rates while charge integration allows
the detection of very high fluxes but is limited at low rates by the finite
signal to noise ratio. The combination of both signal processing concepts
therefore extends the resolvable dynamic range of the X-ray detector. In
addition, for a large region of the dynamic range, where counter and integrator
operate simultaneously, the mean energy of the detected X-ray spectrum can be
calculated. This spectral information can be used to enhance the contrast of
the X-ray image. The advantages of the counting and integrating signal
processing concept and the performance of the imaging system will be reviewed.
The properties of the system with respect to dynamic range and sensor response
will be discussed and examples of imaging with additional spectral information
will be presented.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures, SPIE Medical Imaging Conference, San Diego,
200
Impact of employee motivation on passenger satisfaction levels – A case study in the state of Karnataka (India)
Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies. Faculty of Economics and Business. The University of Sydne
Italian network for obesity and cardiovascular disease surveillance: A pilot project
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Also in Mediterranean countries, which are considered a low risk population for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the increase in body mass index (BMI) has become a public health priority. To evaluate the feasibility of a CVD and obesity surveillance network, forty General Practitioners (GPs) were engaged to perform a screening to assess obesity, cardiovascular risk, lifestyle habits and medication use.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 1,046 women and 1,044 men aged 35–74 years were randomly selected from GPs' lists stratifying by age decade and gender. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were performed by GPs using standardized methodologies. BMI was computed and categorized in normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m<sup>2</sup>), overweight (BMI 25.0–29.9 kg/m<sup>2</sup>) and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m<sup>2</sup>). Food frequency (per day: fruits and vegetables; per week: meat, cheese, fish, pulses, chocolate, fried food, sweet, wholemeal food, rotisserie food and sugar drink) and physical activity (at work and during leisure time) were investigated through a questionnaire. CVD risk was assessed using the Italian CUORE Project risk function.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The percentage of missing values was very low. Prevalence of overweight was 34% in women and 50% in men; prevalence of obesity was 23% in both men and women. Level of physical activity was mostly low or very low. BMI was inversely associated with consumption of pulses, rotisserie food, chocolate, sweets and physical activity during leisure time and directly associated with consumption of meat. Mean value of total cardiovascular risk was 4% in women and 11% in men. One percent of women and 16% of men were at high cardiovascular risk (≥ 20% in 10 years). Normal weight persons were four times more likely to be at low risk than obese persons.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study demonstrated the feasibility of a surveillance network of GPs in Italy focusing on obesity and other CVD risk factors. It also provided information on lifestyle habits, such as diet and physical activity.</p
Physical activity as a possible mechanism behind the relationship between green space and health: A multilevel analysis
Background: The aim of this study was to investigate whether physical activity (in general, and
more specifically, walking and cycling during leisure time and for commuting purposes, sports and
gardening) is an underlying mechanism in the relationship between the amount of green space in
people's direct living environment and self-perceived health. To study this, we first investigated
whether the amount of green space in the living environment is related to the level of physical
activity. When an association between green space and physical activity was found, we analysed
whether this could explain the relationship between green space and health.
Methods: The study includes 4.899 Dutch people who were interviewed about physical activity,
self-perceived health and demographic and socioeconomic background. The amount of green space
within a one-kilometre and a three-kilometre radius around the postal code coordinates was
calculated for each individual. Multivariate multilevel analyses and multilevel logistic regression
analyses were performed at two levels and with controls for socio-demographic characteristics and
urbanicity.
Results: No relationship was found between the amount of green space in the living environment
and whether or not people meet the Dutch public health recommendations for physical activity,
sports and walking for commuting purposes. People with more green space in their living
environment walked and cycled less often and fewer minutes during leisure time; people with more
green space garden more often and spend more time on gardening. Furthermore, if people cycle
for commuting purposes they spend more time on this if they live in a greener living environment.
Whether or not people garden, the time spent on gardening and time spent on cycling for
commuting purposes did not explain the relationship between green space and health.
Conclusion: Our study indicates that the amount of green space in the living environment is
scarcely related to the level of physical activity. Furthermore, the amount of physical activity
undertaken in greener living environments does not explain the relationship between green space
and health.
The CARTS study: Chemoradiation therapy for rectal cancer in the distal rectum followed by organ-sparing transanal endoscopic microsurgery
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