Development of a proxy response instrument to measure the physical activity behaviours of adults with an intellectual disability

It is well understood that substantial health inequality exists for adults with an intellectual disability (AWID). In comparison to the general population AWID experience higher rates of morbidity and mortality associated with sedentary lifestyles, yet little is known about the role physical activity plays in preventing or mediating this outcome for this segment of society. Without appropriate instrumentation, it is not possible to address the inadequacies that currently exist in the area of physical activity and AWID. The primary aim of the series of studies in this thesis was to develop a psychometrically sound proxy-respondent measurement tool that could be used by researchers, epidemiologists and public health personnel to gather information on the physical activity behaviours of AWID. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) is an internationally published tool with good psychometric properties when used as a self-report tool with adults without a disability (AWOID), but no evidence exists as to the validity or reliability of this tool when used by proxy respondents to report on the physical activity behaviour of AWID. Given little is known about the energy expenditure characteristics of AWID, nor the accuracy of tools developed for AWOID when applied to AWID, two secondary aims of this thesis were to measure the energy expended by AWID and AWOID during seven common activities of daily living (ADL) and to assess the accuracy of an objective physical activity measurement tool (Caltrac® accelerometer) for use with AWID. Evidence gathered through the studies in this thesis found that as the energy demand of ADL increased there was an increase in the difference between energy expended by AWID and AWOID. Results indicated that AWID achieved moderate-intensity physical activity when walking at a pace of 3.0 km/hr or more. The proxy-respondent telephone questionnaire (IPAQ-ID) described in this thesis allows for universal assessment of the physical activity behaviours of AWID. The IPAQ-ID was found to have measurement properties equivalent to measurement tools used among AWOID. The IPAQ-ID was found to be suitable for use as a surveillance tool by researchers to collect comparable data on health-enhancing physical activity behaviours of AWID

A pilot survey of physical activity in men with an intellectual disability

People with intellectual disability are reported as a sedentary population with increased risks of poor health due to an inactive and sedentary lifestyle. As the benefits of physical activity are acknowledged, measuring physical activity accurately is important to help identify reasons for low and high physical activity in order to assist and maintain recommended levels for optimal health. This paper reports a pilot study undertaken to validate the use of a physical activity monitor (Sensewear Armband) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) as instruments for measuring and exploring physical activity of men with intellectual disability. The design was a one group descriptive study and data were collected over a 7 day period from 17 men. The Sensewear Armband enabled continuous and long-term measurement of 14 objective physical activity metrics. The IPAQ examined details of physical activity reported over the 7 days. Equivalent results were found in both instruments indicating a positive correlation between the Sensewear Armband and the IPAQ. The results show 50% have low activity levels and the national recommended physical activity levels been achieved at a very low active intensity. No sustainable high physical activity intensity levels were recorded. The results confirmed the Sensewear Armband and the IPAQ as a practical means of measuring and understanding physical activity levels of men with intellectual disability

Linking early-life NMDAR hypofunction and oxidative stress in schizophrenia pathogenesis.

Molecular, genetic and pathological evidence suggests that deficits in GABAergic parvalbumin-positive interneurons contribute to schizophrenia pathophysiology through alterations in the brain's excitation-inhibition balance that result in impaired behaviour and cognition. Although the factors that trigger these deficits are diverse, there is increasing evidence that they converge on a common pathological hub that involves NMDA receptor hypofunction and oxidative stress. These factors have been separately linked to schizophrenia pathogenesis, but evidence now suggests that they are mechanistically interdependent and contribute to a common schizophrenia-associated pathology

Charge identification of fragments with the emulsion spectrometer of the FOOT experiment

The FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) experiment is an international project designed to carry out the fragmentation cross-sectional measurements relevant for charged particle therapy (CPT), a technique based on the use of charged particle beams for the treatment of deep-seated tumors. The FOOT detector consists of an electronic setup for the identification of Z ≥ 3 fragments and an emulsion spectrometer for Z ≤ 3 fragments. The first data taking was performed in 2019 at the GSI facility (Darmstadt, Germany). In this study, the charge identification of fragments induced by exposing an emulsion detector, embedding a C2 H4 target, to an oxygen ion beam of 200 MeV/n is discussed. The charge identification is based on the controlled fading of nuclear emulsions in order to extend their dynamic range in the ionization response

Performance of the ToF detectors in the foot experiment

The FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) experiment aims to deter- mine the fragmentation cross-sections of nuclei of interest for particle therapy and radioprotection in space. The apparatus is composed of several detectors that allow fragment identification in terms of charge, mass, energy and direction. The frag- ment time of flight (ToF) along a lever arm of ∼2 m is used for particle ID, requiring a resolution below 100ps to achieve a sufficient resolution in the fragment atomic mass identification. The timing performance of the ToF system evaluated with 12C and 16O beams is reviewed in this contribution

Charge identification of fragments with the emulsion spectrometer of the FOOT experiment

The FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) experi- ment is an international project designed to carry out the fragmentation cross-sectional measurements relevant for charged particle therapy (CPT), a technique based on the use of charged particle beams for the treatment of deep-seated tumors. The FOOT detector consists of an electronic setup for the identification of Z >= 3 fragments and an emulsion spectrometer for Z <= 3 fragments. The first data taking was performed in 2019 at the GSI facility(Darmstadt, Germany). In this study, the charge identifi-cation of fragments induced by exposing an emulsion detector, embedding a C2H4 target, to an oxygen ion beam of 200 MeV/n is discussed. The charge identifica-tion is based on the controlled fading of nuclear emulsions in order to extend their dynamic range in the ionization response

Measuring the Impact of Nuclear Interaction in Particle Therapy and in Radio Protection in Space: the FOOT Experiment

In Charged Particle Therapy (PT) proton or 12C beams are used to treat deep-seated solid tumors exploiting the advantageous characteristics of charged particles energy deposition in matter. For such projectiles, the maximum of the dose is released at the end of the beam range, in the Bragg peak region, where the tumour is located. However, the nuclear interactions of the beam nuclei with the patient tissues can induce the fragmentation of projectiles and/or target nuclei and needs to be carefully taken into account when planning the treatment. In proton treatments, the target fragmentation produces low energy, short range fragments along all the beam path, that deposit a non-negligible dose especially in the first crossed tissues. On the other hand, in treatments performed using 12C, or other (4He or 16O) ions of interest, the main concern is related to the production of long range fragments that can release their dose in the healthy tissues beyond the Bragg peak. Understanding nuclear fragmentation processes is of interest also for radiation protection in human space flight applications, in view of deep space missions. In particular 4He and high-energy charged particles, mainly 12C, 16O, 28Si and 56Fe, provide the main source of absorbed dose in astronauts outside the atmosphere. The nuclear fragmentation properties of the materials used to build the spacecrafts need to be known with high accuracy in order to optimise the shielding against the space radiation. The study of the impact of these processes, which is of interest both for PT and space radioprotection applications, suffers at present from the limited experimental precision achieved on the relevant nuclear cross sections that compromise the reliability of the available computational models. The FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) collaboration, composed of researchers from France, Germany, Italy and Japan, designed an experiment to study these nuclear processes and measure the corresponding fragmentation cross sections. In this work we discuss the physics motivations of FOOT, describing in detail the present detector design and the expected performances, coming from the optimization studies based on accurate FLUKA MC simulations and preliminary beam test results. The measurements planned will be also presented

Energy expended by adults with and without intellectual disabilities during activities of daily living

The aims of this study were to (1) determine the energy expenditure of adults with and without intellectual disabilities during common activities of daily living (ADL), (2) use these values to evaluate the accuracy of equivalent activity values reported in the Compendium of Physical Activities (CPA), and (3) identify ADL that may confer a health benefit for adults with intellectual disabilities when undertaken regularly. Energy expenditure was measured for adults with intellectual disabilities (N = 31; 29.0 ± 8.6 yr) and adults without intellectual disabilities (N = 15; 30.4 ± 9.6 yr) while undertaking each of seven ADL: sitting quietly (SitQ); sitting watching television (SitTV); sitting and standing while completing an assembly task (SitAT, StaAT); and walking at a slow (WalkS, 3.0 km h−1), quick (WalkQ, 6.0 km h−1) and fast (WalkF, 9.0 km h−1) speed, under laboratory conditions. Adults with intellectual disabilities were found to expend significantly more energy than adults without intellectual disabilities for SitQ, WalkS, WalkQ and WalkF (p < 0.05). Energy expended by both populations was significantly more than CPA values for SitQ, SitTV, SitAT, WalkS, and WalkQ (p < 0.02) and significantly less for WalkF (p < 0.01). Walking at the speed of 3.0 km h−1 (50 m min−1) was found to be sufficient to achieve moderate-intensity energy expenditure, surpassing the intensity threshold for conferring a health benefit. Energy expenditure inaccuracies of the CPA have important consequences when estimating prevalence of engagement in health enhancing physical activities among population sub-groups. The identification of slow walking as a moderate-intensity physical activity offers significant health promotion opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities through active transport and leisure

Can the job demand-control-(support) model predict disability support worker burnout and work engagement?

Background: Research shows that up to 43% of disability support workers (DSWs) report poor psychosocial work outcomes (e.g., stress, job burnout, low job satisfaction). This study examined whether the job demand-control-(support) model offers a valid explanation of DSW burnout and work engagement. Method: 325 DSWs completed online measures of burnout, work engagement, workload, job control, and supervisor or colleague support. Results: Significant three-way interactions between workload, control and colleague support were found for emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment (burnout), and vigour (work engagement). High workload, low job control and low colleague support was related to higher burnout and lower work engagement, and high colleague support or job control reduced the impact of workload on these outcomes. Conclusions: Given the promising findings in relation to the job demand-control-(support) model, organisations looking to enhance DSW wellbeing in the workplace should address issues around job control, workload and support in combination as opposed to separately