The Danish Folk High Schools as the Schools for Life – the history, the present and the future

This article was prepared by a team of authors from the Den Frie Lærerskole (English name: The Independent Academy for Free School Teaching) in Ollerup – Danish independent institution of higher education that prepares teaching staff for free schools for children and youth and non-formal adult education, including Folk High Schools. The Academy cooperates with Kashubian Folk High School in Wieżyca for many years, therefore in the bibliography the reader will find not only the Danish and English but also Polish literature on Folk High Schools. The authors presented the main directions of the changes that have occurred in the role of the Danish Folk High Schools since the World War II to the present day, and pointed to the prospects for further development of these institutions in Denmark and around the world because of the universality of educational ideas derived from the Grundtvigian concept of School for Life.Duńskie uniwersytety ludowe jako szkoły dla życia – historia, czasy wspołczesne i przyszłośćArtykuł został przygotowany przez zespół autorów z Den Frie Lærerskole w Ollerup – niezależnej duńskiej instytucji szkolnictwa wyższego przygotowującej kadry pedagogiczne dla potrzeb tamtejszych wolnych szkół dla dzieci i młodzieży oraz nieformalnej edukacji dorosłych, w tym uniwersytetów ludowych, która na gruncie polskim od wielu lat współpracuje z Kaszubskim Uniwersytetem Ludowym w Wieżycy (stąd w artykule wykorzystano także wydane w Polsce pozycje literatury przedmiotu). Autorzy zaprezentowali główne kierunki przemian, jakie zaszły w roli duńskich uniwersytetów ludowych od czasów II wojny światowej do współczesności, oraz wskazali na perspektywy dalszego rozwoju tych instytucji w Danii i na świecie ze względu na uniwersalizm idei edukacyjnych wyprowadzonych z grundtvigiańskiej koncepcji szkoły dla życia

An azumamide C analogue without the zinc-binding functionality

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have attracted considerable attention due to their promise as therapeutic agents.</p

Perspectives on Participation in a Feasibility Study on Exercise-Based Cardiac Telerehabilitation After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation:Qualitative Interview Study Among Patients and Health Professionals

BACKGROUND: Aortic valve stenosis affects approximately half of people aged ≥85 years, and the recommended surgical treatment for older patients is transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Despite strong evidence for its advantages, low attendance rate in cardiac rehabilitation is observed among patients after TAVI. Cardiac telerehabilitation (CTR) has proven comparable with center-based rehabilitation; however, no study has investigated CTR targeting patients after TAVI. On the basis of participatory design, an exercise-based CTR program (TeleTAVI) was developed, which included a web-based session with a cardiac nurse, a tablet containing an informative website, an activity tracker, and supervised home-based exercise sessions that follow the national recommendations for cardiac rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore patients’ and health professionals’ experiences with using health technologies and participating in the exercise-based CTR program, TeleTAVI. METHODS: This study is a part of a feasibility study and will only report patients’ and health professionals’ experiences of being a part of TeleTAVI. A total of 11 qualitative interviews were conducted using a semistructured interview guide (n=7, 64% patients and n=4, 36% health professionals). Patient interviews were conducted after 8 weeks of participation in TeleTAVI, and interviews with health professionals were conducted after the end of the program. The analysis was conducted as inductive content analysis to create a condensed meaning presented as themes. RESULTS: Reticence toward using the website was evident with reduced curiosity to explore it, and reduced benefit from using the activity tracker was observed, as the patients’ technical competencies were challenged. This was also found when using the tablet for web-based training sessions, leading to patients feeling worried before the training, as they anticipated technical problems. Disadvantages of the TeleTAVI program were technical problems and inability to use hands-on guidance with the patients. However, both physiotherapists and patients reported a feeling of improvement in patients’ physical fitness. The home training created a feeling of safety, supported adherence, and made individualization possible, which the patients valued. A good relationship and continuity in the contact with health professionals seemed very important for the patients and affected their positive attitude toward the program. CONCLUSIONS: The home-based nature of the TeleTAVI program seems to provide the opportunity to support individualization, autonomy, independence, and adherence to physical training in addition to improvement in physical capability in older patients. Despite technological challenges, basing the relationship between the health professionals and patients on continuity may be beneficial for patients. Prehabilitation may also be considered, as it may create familiarity toward technology and adherence to the training

En empirisk analyse af danske kommuners make-or-buy beslutninger

Hvorfor vælger nogle danske kommuner at producere offentlig service internt, mens andre anvender eksterne leverandører? Hvilken betydning har disse valg for kommunernes tilfredshed med den leverede service? Forskellige teoretiske perspektiver bliver i denne artikel anvendt til at besvare disse spørgsmål. Baseret på en spørgeskemaundersøgelse vises det, at specielt ressourcebaserede og neoklassiske økonomiske variable kan forklare graden af intern og ekstern produktion, men også lokale institutionelle kræfter kan trække i retning af større anvendelse af eksterne leverandører. Desuden er flere variable udledt af transaktionsomkostningsteorien signifikant knyttet til kommunernes oplevede tilfredshed med valget af leverandør. Resultaterne indikerer, at lokale kommunale forhold, hvad end det drejer sig om markedsforhold, ekspertise eller kommunalpolitisk pres, både forklarer, hvorfor kommunerne vælger de løsninger, de gør, samt hvor godt de fungerer. Dermed tyder resultaterne på, at der er behov for nuancerede analyser, hvor de enkelte kommuners specifikke forhold i højere grad spiller en rolle. Samlet peger artiklen på, at et vigtigt område for fremtidig forskning og debat om kommunal udlicitering må være et øget fokus på, hvordan de enkelte kommuner bliver i stand til at træffe bedre og mere kvalificerede beslutninger ud fra en kortlægning af såvel deres egne kompetencer og viden som de lokale markedsforhold.Why do some Danish municipalities choose to produce service internally, while others use external suppliers? And how do these choices influence their degree of satisfaction with the service delivered? The article discusses various theoretical perspectives to answer those questions. A questionnaire survey shows that particularly resource-based and neoclassical economic variables may be used to explain the degree of internal and external production; however, local institutional forces may also pull in the direction of wider use of external suppliers. In addition, several variables inferred from transaction cost theory have significant impact on the satisfaction experienced by local authorities with choice of supplier. The findings indicate that local municipal conditions, such as market situation, expertise or municipal pressure explain both why the municipalities choose the solutions they do, and how well they work. This seems to indicate a need for varied analyses of the specific situation of the individual local authority. The overall conclusion is that an important field for future research and debate on municipal outsourcing should include increased focus on how the individual local authority can enhance its ability to make more qualified decisions on the basis of a mapping of own competences and knowledge, and local market conditions

The altered serum lipidome and its diagnostic potential for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver (NAFL)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

[Background] Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is affecting more people globally. Indeed, NAFLD is a spectrum of metabolic dysfunctions that can progress to hepatocellular carcinoma (NAFLD-HCC). This development can occur in a non-cirrhotic liver and thus, often lack clinical surveillance. The aim of this study was to develop non-invasive surveillance method for NAFLD-HCC.[Methods] Using comprehensive ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry, we investigated 1,295 metabolites in serum from 249 patients. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated for all detected metabolites and used to establish their diagnostic potential. Logistic regression analysis was used to establish the diagnostic score.[Findings] We show that NAFLD-HCC is characterised by a complete rearrangement of the serum lipidome, which distinguishes NAFLD-HCC from non-cancerous individuals and other HCC patients. We used machine learning to build a diagnostic model for NAFLD-HCC. We quantified predictive metabolites and developed the NAFLD-HCC Diagnostic Score (NHDS), presenting superior diagnostic potential compared to alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Patients’ metabolic landscapes show a progressive depletion in unsaturated fatty acids and acylcarnitines during transformation. Upregulation of fatty acid transporters in NAFLD-HCC tumours contribute to fatty acid depletion in the serum.[Interpretation] NAFLD-HCC patients can be efficiently distinguished by serum metabolic alterations from the healthy population and from HCC patients related to other aetiologies (alcohol and viral hepatitis). Our model can be used for non-invasive surveillance of individuals with metabolic syndrome(s), allowing for early detection of NAFLD-HCC. Therefore, serum metabolomics may provide valuable insight to monitor patients at risk, including morbidly obese, diabetics, and NAFLD patients.We thank all funding sources: The laboratory of JBA is supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation (14040, 0058419), Danish Cancer Society (R98-A6446, R167-A10784, R278-A16638), and the Danish Medical Research Council (4183-00118A, 1030-00070B). Data used for validation in this study provided by JMB was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and ’Instituto de Salud Carlos III’ grants (PI18/01075, Miguel Servet Programme CON14/00129 and CPII19/00008) co-financed by ’Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional’ (FEDER); CIBERehd, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque foundation for Science, Spain; BIOEF (Basque Foundation for Innovation and Health Research: EiTB Maratoia BIO15/CA/016/BD); Department of Health of the Basque Country (2017111010), Euskadi RIS3 (2019222054, 2020333010); Department of Industry of the Basque Country (Elkartek: KK-2020/00008), AECC Scientific Foundation and European Commission Horizon 2020 program (ESCALON project no.: 825510). Similarly, MAJ was funded by grants from the Fondo Nacional De Ciencia y Tecnología de Chile (FONDECYT #1191145 to M.A.) and the Comisión Nacional de Investigación, Ciencia y Tecnología (CONICYT, AFB170005, CARE Chile UC).Peer reviewe

A proposal for a study on treatment selection and lifestyle recommendations in chronic inflammatory diseases:A danish multidisciplinary collaboration on prognostic factors and personalised medicine

Chronic inflammatory diseases (CIDs), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (inflammatory bowel diseases, IBD), rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthritides, hidradenitis suppurativa, and immune-mediated uveitis, are treated with biologics targeting the pro-inflammatory molecule tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF) (i.e., TNF inhibitors). Approximately one-third of the patients do not respond to the treatment. Genetics and lifestyle may affect the treatment results. The aims of this multidisciplinary collaboration are to identify (1) molecular signatures of prognostic value to help tailor treatment decisions to an individual likely to initiate TNF inhibitor therapy, followed by (2) lifestyle factors that support achievement of optimised treatment outcome. This report describes the establishment of a cohort that aims to obtain this information. Clinical data including lifestyle and treatment response and biological specimens (blood, faeces, urine, and, in IBD patients, intestinal biopsies) are sampled prior to and while on TNF inhibitor therapy. Both hypothesis-driven and data-driven analyses will be performed according to pre-specified protocols including pathway analyses resulting from candidate gene expression analyses and global approaches (e.g., metabolomics, metagenomics, proteomics). The final purpose is to improve the lives of patients suffering from CIDs, by providing tools facilitating treatment selection and dietary recommendations likely to improve the clinical outcome