Interventions to increase physical activity in patients with COPD: A comprehensive review

It is unknown how interventions aimed at increasing physical activity (PA), other than traditional pulmonary rehabilitation, are structured and whether they are effective in increasing PA in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The primary aim of this review was to outline the typical components of PA interventions in patients with COPD. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines. A structured literature search of relevant electronic databases from inception to April 2014 was undertaken to outline typical components and examine outcome variables of PA interventions in patients with COPD. Over 12000 articles were screened and 20 relevant studies involving 31 PA interventions were included. Data extracted included patient demographics, components of the PA intervention, PA outcome measures and effects of the intervention. Quality was assessed using the PEDro and CASP scales. There were 13 randomised controlled trials and three randomised trials (PEDro score 5-7/10) and four cohort studies (CASP score 5/10). Interventions varied in duration, number of participant/researcher contacts and mode of delivery. The most common behaviour change techniques included information on when and where (n = 26/31) and how (n = 22/31) to perform PA behaviour and self-monitoring (n = 18/31). Significant between-group differences post-intervention in favour of the PA intervention, compared to a control group or to other PA interventions, in one or more PA assessments were found in 7/16 studies. All seven studies used walking as the main type of PA/exercise. In conclusion, although the components of PA interventions were variable, there is some evidence that PA interventions have the potential to increase PA in patients with COPD

Spectacle acceptance among secondary school students in rural China: the Xichang Pediatric Refractive Error Study (X-PRES)--report 5.

PURPOSE: To assess determinants of spectacle acceptance and use among rural Chinese children. METHODS: Children with uncorrected acuity < or = 6/12 in either eye and whose presenting vision could be improved > or = 2 lines with refraction were identified from a school-based sample of 1892 students. Information on obtaining glasses and the benefits of spectacles was provided to children, families, and teachers. Purchase of new spectacles and reasons for nonpurchase were assessed by direct inspection and interview 3 months later. RESULTS: Among 674 (35.6%) children requiring spectacles (mean age, 14.7 +/- 0.8 years), 597 (88.6%) were followed up. Among 339 children with no glasses at baseline, 30.7% purchased spectacles, whereas 43.2% of 258 children with inaccurate glasses replaced them. Most (70%) subjects paid US$13 to $26. Among children with bilateral vision < or = 6/18, 45.6% bought glasses. In multivariate models, presenting vision < 6/12 (P < 0.009), refractive error < -2.0 D (P < 0.001), and amount willing to pay for glasses (P = 0.01) were predictors of purchase. Reasons for nonpurchase included satisfaction with current vision (78% of those with glasses at baseline, 49% of those without), concerns over price or parental refusal (18%), and fear glasses would weaken the eyes (13%). Only 26% of children stated that they usually wore their new glasses. CONCLUSIONS: Many families in rural China will pay for glasses, though spectacle acceptance was < 50%, even among children with poor vision. Acceptance could be improved by price reduction, education showing that glasses will not harm the eyes, and parent-focused interventions.

Supporting an ethnic minority woman's choice for pain relief in labour: a reflection

Despite professional expectations for midwives to provide care to women that is founded in equality and recognises diversity (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2015), women from ethnic minority populations consistently suggest that they are not heard (Briscoe and Lavender, 2009; Tobin et al, 2014). This article reflects upon a situation where a Portuguese woman with limited English speaking ability was denied access to epidural anaesthesia as the midwife felt that she could not give valid consent to the procedure without the presence of an interpreter. The midwife’s role within this situation will be reflected upon and implications for midwifery practice identified.

Cartografia geoquímica da ilha de Santiago com uma densidade de amostragem média/baixa

A ilha de Santiago é a maior do arquipélago de Cabo Verde, apresenta uma área de 991 km2, com um comprimento e largura máximos de 54,9 km e 29 km, respectivamente, e 1392 m de maior altitude. As condições climáticas e a erosão são alguns dos problemas naturais do arquipélago de Cabo Verde. Além disso, a intervenção humana no ambiente superficial revela-se muitas vezes inadequada e com forte impacto. A construção em solos com aptidão agrícola ou florestal, as actividades industriais, a deposição de materiais sólidos ou líquidos de forma inadequada, as práticas agrícolas incorrectas e intensivas, o uso abusivo de pesticidas e fertilizantes, a rega com água contaminada, a sobreexploração de aquíferos que levam muitas vezes à salinização, etc. têm enorme impacto em termos de contaminação de solos, águas superficiais e subterrâneas nas áreas envolventes. Por conseguinte, o conhecimento da variabilidade geoquímica natural é fundamental para a resolução de questões de índole económica, ambiental e de ordenamento do território, médica, e jurídica. A necessidade de construir uma base de dados de geoquímica georeferenciada que caracterize o ambiente superficial da ilha de Santiago foi a principal motivação para a realização deste estudo. Realizou-se um levantamento geoquímico de 337 amostras de sedimentos de corrente e 249 amostras de solos na ilha de Santiago, tendo sido seguidas as recomendações do Projecto Internacional IGCP 259 não só na fase de amostragem, mas também nas fases seguintes de preparação, análise, tratamento dos dados e elaboração de mapas. Determinaram-se os teores, na fracção < 2 mm, para 36 elementos – 9 elementos maiores (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Ti) e 27 elementos vestigiais (Ag, As, Au, B, Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ga, Hg, La, Mo, Ni, Pb, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Sr, Th, Tl, U, V, W, Zn). Efectuou-se ainda a análise textural e estudou-se a composição mineralógica de cerca de 25% das amostras. Analisaram-se, também, 103 amostras de rochas, colhidas nas várias formações da ilha de Santiago, tendo sido determinados os teores de K2O, Na2O, Fe2O3(T), MnO, Sc, Cr, Co, Zn, Ga, As, Br, Rb, Zr, Sb, Cs, Ba, Hf, Ta, W, Th e U e REE, a fim de se fazer uma comparação com os teores destes elementos encontrados nos solos e sedimentos de corrente, averiguando se a sua variação é ou não essencialmente condicionada pela geoquímica da rocha-mãe. Os padrões geoquímicos obtidos através dos mapas de distribuição espacial foram correlacionados com a natureza da rocha mãe, o tipo de solo, e ainda com algumas fontes de contaminação. A interpretação dos resultados foi realizada não só pela observação dos mapas geoquímicos, mas também após análise estatística dos conjuntos de dados obtidos, e apoiada em informação diversa disponível. A utilização da Análise de Componentes Principais permitiu distinguir associações entre elementos químicos, quer de origem geogénica quer antropogénica. Foram ainda elaborados mapas de distribuição espacial de vários índices multielementares de importância ambiental, como o Índice de Acidificação Al/(Ca+Mg+K), Índice de Combi, Índice de Avaliação de Risco Ambiental e Índices de Enriquecimento/Contaminação para vários grupos de elementos considerados como “primary pollutant metals”.

Chiapas a través de los viajeros del siglo XVII: aspectos narrativos e historia descriptiva en Thomas Gage y Antonio Vázquez de Espinosa

Chiapas representó en el siglo XVII una región donde confluían los mitos, temores y fascinaciones de colonos y europeos. Al ser visitada por Thomas Gage en su travesía hacia Guatemala, es descrita en su Nuevo reconocimiento de las Indias Occidentales de modo muy distinto cuando el narrador, como es este caso, registra sus vivencias personales e, incluso, pasionales. Sólo la historiografía moderna podría explicarnos particulares pasajes en que el viajero es abordado súbitamente por una realidad que pasa desapercibida a otros viajeros con un programa muy claro de supervisión y registro de datos, como es el caso de Antonio Vázquez de Espinosa en su Descripción de la Nueva España. Si el historiógrafo describe puntualmente flora, fauna y geografía, el narrador huele, paladea y recorre con nosotros el laberinto de la tierra chiapaneca. El paisaje a través de la persona, con todos los cabos sueltos y apariciones inexplicables para quien se interna en lo desconocido, cobran, a la luz de investigaciones recientes acerca del contexto sociohistórico de Chiapas, un sentido cabal que no sólo nos ilustra, sino que nos interna y se nos interna.

Bem-estar subjectivo e ajustamento académico em alunos do Ensino Superior

Dissertação de mest., Psicologia Clínica e da Saúde, Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais, Univ. do Algarve, 2011

Investitionsfinanzierung in der Herbarbeleg-Digitalisierung

Die Forschung am Herbarbeleg ist in der Botanik und der Taxonomie einem Wandel ausgesetzt. Zunehmend werden in Herbarien digitale Kopien verwendet, die neue Auswertungs- und Analysemethoden ermöglichen. Die Entwicklung technischer und wirtschaftlicher Verfahren zur Herbarbeleg-Digitalisierung ist Gegenstand des Forschungsschwerpunkts Herbar Digital der Hochschule Hannover. Das Ziel von Herbar Digital ist es, das System der Virtualisierung von Herbarbelegen und deren Verwaltung so zu automatisieren, dass die Kosten von 20 US-$ auf 2 US-$ reduziert werden. Betrachtet man die Herbarbeleg-Digitalisierung als ein zu planendes 5-Jahres-Investitionsprojekt, dann sind unterschiedliche Szenarien und deren wirtschaftlichen Auswirkungen denkbar. In dem vorliegenden Arbeitspapier werden drei Szenarien entwickelt und soweit operationalisiert, dass sowohl Aussagen einer technischen Investitionsplanung als auch einer wirtschaftlichen Investitionsplanung über den Planungshorizont von 5 Jahren abgeleitet werden. In technischer Hinsicht werden die Produktion, Logistik (inkl. IT) sowie das Personal geplant. Die wirtschaftlichen Aussagen beziehen sich auf Standort- und Betriebsmittelkosten, IT- und Logistikkosten, Personalkosten sowie sonstige Kosten. Um den Projekterfolg sicherzustellen, sind beide Planungsbereiche in einem Konzept für das Investitionscontrolling integriert. Als Ergebnis von Szenario 1 ergeben sich bei einer Produktionsmenge von 1 Mio. digitalen Belegen Ausgaben in Höhe von 2,05 € pro Digitalisat. Das Szenario 1 ist als generelles Forschungsergebnis von Herbar Digital zu verstehen und liefert entsprechend eine Referenzlösung für alle Objekte im Kontext einer musealen Herbarbeleg-Digitalisierung. Bei einer Produktion von 5 Mio. Digitalisaten in Szenario 2 wird von einer Kooperation der Herbarien in Berlin und einem ausländischen Partner mit halben Lohnniveau ausgegangen. Es reduzieren sich die zahlungswirksamen Kosten auf 1,21 € pro Digitalisat. Das Ergebnis aus Szenario 2 bleibt auch in Szenario 3 konstant, worin unter Einbezug eines weiteren inländischen Kooperationspartners 10 Mio. digitale Herbarbelege hergestellt werden. Vermutlich ergeben sich unter den technischen Bedingungen keine weiteren Kostendegressionseffekte.

Comparison of Two Pollen Counting Methods of Slides from a Hirst Type Volumetric Trap.

Two of the most frequently used methods of pollen counting on slides from Hirst type traps are evaluated in this paper: the transverse traverse method and the longitudinal traverse method. The study was carried out during June–July 1996 and 1997 on slides from a trap at Worcester, UK. Three pollen types were selected for this purpose: Poaceae, Urticaceae and Quercus. The statistical results show that the daily concentrations followed similar trends (p < 0.01, R-values between 0.78–0.96) with both methods during the two years, although the counts were slightly higher using the longitudinal traverses method. Significant differences were observed, however, when the distribution of the concentrations during 24 hour sampling periods was considered. For more detailed analysis, the daily counts obtained with both methods were correlated with the total number of pollen grains for the taxon over the whole slide, in two different situations: high and low concentrations of pollen in the atmosphere. In the case of high concentrations, the counts for all three taxa with both methods are significantly correlated with the total pollen count. In the samples with low concentrations, the Poaceae and Urticaceae counts with both methods are significantly correlated with the total counts, but none of Quercus counts are. Consideration of the results indicates that both methods give a reasonable approximation to the count derived from the slide as a whole. More studies need be done to explore the comparability of counting methods in order to work towards a Universal Methodology in Aeropalynology.

World Cultures in English(es) at the School of Arts and Humanities Library, University of Lisbon: the Communication Platform Architecture and Its Critical Analysis

We will consider the architecture of the communication platform prototype, "World Cultures in English(es)" (WCE), in relation to the interaction among different types of media and audiences. Such an architecture has emphasized the need for an interdisciplinary team of scholars, librarians, and Information Technology experts who have conceived the prototype. This prototype was developed using PHP and MySQL, and is based on the University of Lisbon server. The "World Cultures in English(es)" is an Open Access platform bringing together different types of documents—written, audio, visual, multimedia, and electronic—and aims at educational, cultural, social, and economic inclusiveness, namely in terms of users with special needs. The WCE platform strongly implies social commitment through reliable information and forms of communication adequate to different kinds of audiences. The "World Cultures in English(es)" prototype will be tested by different audiences from different schools and universities, leading to the necessary adjustments.

Distribución y abundancia relativa de cetáceos en el mar peruana durante el crucero de evaluación del stock de Merluza, BIC Humboldt 9705-06

Durante el Crucero de Evaluación del Stock de Merluza BIC Humboldt 9705-06 realizado entre el 15 de mayo y el 8 de junio de 1997, se obtuvo un total de 54 avistamientos de cetáceos entre odontocetos (delfines) y misticetos (ballenas) en un recorrido de 842,6 mn. El área abarcada por este estudio se situó entre las latitudes 3°39 'S y 12°03 'S, correspondientes a los puertos costeros de Puerto Pizarro y Callao. Se identificaron tres especies de delfines: el bufeo Tursiops truncatus, el delfín común Delphinus sp. y el delfín común de hocico largo Delphinus capensis; siendo el bufeo la especie que presentó una mayor frecuencia de observación. Entre los balaenoptéridos se identificó a Balaenoptera sp. El rango de temperaturas superficiales del mar para el total de avistamientos estuvo comprendido entre 20,1 °C y 25,9 °C y se registraron a profundidades que variaron entre los 60 y 1550 m. Se concluye que las condiciones térmicas anormales causadas por el fenómeno El Niño han producido una ligera variación en la distribución de algunas especies de cetáceos menores en zonas abarcadas en el presente crucero. Para el caso de las grandes ballenas los avistamientos concuerdan con la ruta migratoria de la estación.

Ensis macha (Molina, 1782) en los principales bancos naturales de la Región Áncash, 2010

Se efectuó la evaluación de la navaja Ensis macha del 7 al 18 de setiembre 2010 en los principales bancos naturales del litoral de Áncash. La longitud valvar fluctuó entre 38 y 174 mm con estructura polimodal en todas las áreas evaluadas. En la mayor parte de los bancos evaluados la especie superó la talla mínima de extracción a excepción de Patillos (19,6%). En individuos mayores de 75 mm predominaron estadios madurantes y en recuperación. La especie se distribuyó formando parches, sus densidades medias estratificadas variaron entre 1,5 ind./m2 en Mar Brava y 17,4 ind./m2 en Patillos. La población y biomasa estimada fue 6,02 millones de individuos y 174 toneladas respectivamente. El 82,9% de la población correspondió a los bancos naturales de Playa Grande, Canaco y Patillos. En áreas costeras de Casma y Huarmey la temperatura superficial continuó con anomalías negativas, guardando relación con la presencia de procesos de afloramiento que influyeron en el oxígeno disuelto.

Vesien tila hyväksi yhdessä : Kokemäenjoen-Saaristomeren-Selkämeren vesienhoitoalueen vesienhoitosuunnitelma vuosiksi 2016–2021

Vesienhoitosuunnitelma on yleistasoinen suunnitteluasiakirja, johon on koottu ajantasaisin tieto Kokemäenjoen-Saaristomeren-Selkämeren vesienhoitoalueen pinta- ja pohjavesistä, niiden tilasta ja tilan parantamistarpeista. Vesienhoitosuunnitelmasta löytyvät muun muassa vesien tilan arvioinnin tulokset sekä pinta- ja pohjavesien seurantaohjelmat. Sen keskeinen osa on yhteenveto vesien tilan parantamiseksi suunnitelluista hoitotoimenpiteistä ja arvio niiden vaikuttavuudesta vesienhoitokautta 2016–2021 varten. Yhteenveto perustuu vesienhoitoalueen toimenpideohjelmiin, joista löytyvät vesistö- ja vesimuodostumakohtaiset sekä yksittäisiä pohjavesialueita koskevat tiedot. Toimenpideohjelmat ovatkin vesienhoitosuunnitelmaa käyttökelpoisempia asiakirjoja, mikäli tarvitsee tietoa rajatumman alueen vesistä ja niiden tilasta sekä toimenpiteiden tarpeesta ja vaikuttavuudesta. Toimenpideohjelmien toteuttamisen vaikutuksista laadittu ympäristöselostus muodostaa vesienhoitosuunnitelman luvun 14. Kokemäenjoen-Saaristomeren-Selkämeren vesienhoitoalueeseen kuuluvat Saaristomereen, Selkämereen, Merenkurkkuun ja eteläisen Perämereen laskevat vesistöt valuma-alueineen Kiskonjoelta-Pöntiönjoelle.