scholarly journals Relationships between Socioeconomic Indicators and Motor Performance of Schoolchildren in Slovakia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (24) ◽  
pp. 13153
Author(s):  
Tomas Peric ◽  
Pavel Ruzbarsky ◽  
James J. Tufano
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
First Graders ◽  
Body Height ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Socioeconomic Indicators ◽  
Intangible Resources ◽  
Slovak Population ◽  
Active Population ◽  
The Many

Physical inactivity is currently a significant problem in Western societies. Among the many factors that affect the amount of physical activity in children, socioeconomic status, the type of school, and the area where they live can play a major role in physical development. A total of 31,620 children (6.3 ± 0.53 years; 15,726 boys; 15,893 girls), representing 55.6 % of the entire Slovak population of first graders, participated in eight motor performance (MP) tests, the results of which were correlated with somatic parameters (body height, body weight, and body mass index (BMI)) and socioeconomic indicators (SEIs) within the children’s respective territorial regions. The largest correlations were observed between MP and unemployment rate (r = −0.802) and between MP and economically active population with primary education (r = −0.807). Other correlations between MP and SEIs were also found at the level of self-governing regions (r = 0.995) and districts (r = 0.551). SEIs and MP were strongly correlated, indicating that children who grow up in better socioeconomic environments display greater MP. Therefore, national and local governments should provide tangible and intangible resources to enable the proper development of children’s MP {XE “Rodina”}.

scholarly journals Cultural bias in motor function patterns: Potential relevance for predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Otte ◽  
Tobias Ellermeyer ◽  
Masahide Suzuki ◽  
Hanna M. Röhling ◽  
Ryota Kuroiwa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personalized Medicine ◽  
Motor Function ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Body Height ◽  
Healthy Adults ◽  
Cultural Bias ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Japanese Adults ◽  
Body Stature ◽  
Motion Assessment

Abstract Background Quantification of motor performance has a promising role in personalized medicine by diagnosing and monitoring, e.g. neurodegenerative diseases or health problems related to aging. New motion assessment technologies can evolve into patient-centered eHealth applications on a global scale to support personalized healthcare as well as treatment of disease. However, uncertainty remains on the limits of generalizability of such data, which is relevant specifically for preventive or predictive applications, using normative datasets to screen for incipient disease manifestations or indicators of individual risks. Objective This study explored differences between healthy German and Japanese adults in the performance of a short set of six motor tests. Methods Six motor tasks related to gait and balance were recorded with a validated 3D camera system. Twenty-five healthy adults from Chiba, Japan, participated in this study and were matched for age, sex, and BMI to a sample of 25 healthy adults from Berlin, Germany. Recordings used the same technical setup and standard instructions and were supervised by the same experienced operator. Differences in motor performance were analyzed using multiple linear regressions models, adjusted for differences in body stature. Results From 23 presented parameters, five showed group-related differences after adjustment for height and weight (R2 between .19 and .46, p<.05). Japanese adults transitioned faster between sitting and standing and used a smaller range of hand motion. In stepping-in-place, cadence was similar in both groups, but Japanese adults showed higher knee movement amplitudes. Body height was identified as relevant confounder (standardized beta >.5) for performance of short comfortable and maximum speed walks. For results of posturography, regression models did not reveal effects of group or body stature. Conclusions Our results support the existence of a population-specific bias in motor function patterns in young healthy adults. This needs to be considered when motor function is assessed and used for clinical decisions, especially for personalized predictive and preventive medical purposes. The bias affected only the performance of specific items and parameters and is not fully explained by population-specific ethnic differences in body stature. It may be partially explained as cultural bias related to motor habits. Observed effects were small but are expected to be larger in a non-controlled cross-cultural application of motion assessment technologies with relevance for related algorithms that are being developed and used for data processing. In sum, the interpretation of individual data should be related to appropriate population-specific or even better personalized normative values to yield its full potential and avoid misinterpretation.

The Politics of The Grain Trade in Iraq c. 1840-1917

1991 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 151-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hala Fattah
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Grain Trade ◽  
The Many ◽  
Difficult Terrain ◽  
The Military

Anyone who watched the televison coverage of, or read about the African famine some years ago could not help but be appalled by the many obstacles erected to impede the progress of getting food to the starving millions in Ethiopia, Somalia and the Sudan. While it is true that the difficult terrain, an inhospitable climate and the lack of rain were partly responsible for the large-scale spread of famine and dearth in the African sub-continent, it is also true that local governments were responsible for creating impediments to the alleviation of mass hunger and starvation. Governments waging war against secessionist regimes and rebel armies used political means—primarily blockades of grain and other foodstuffs—to starve the enemy forces, creating misery among the military as well as civilian populations in the rebel areas.

scholarly journals Between Party, People, and Profession: The Many Faces of the ‘Doctor’ during the Cultural Revolution

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Gross
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Revolution ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Medical Knowledge ◽  
Medical Model ◽  
Rural People ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
The Many ◽  
Levelling Effect ◽  
The Cultural Revolution

During the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966–76), Chairman Mao fundamentally reformed medicine so that rural people received medical care. His new medical model has been variously characterised as: revolutionary Maoist medicine, a revitalised form of Chinese medicine; and the final conquest by Western medicine. This paper finds that instead of Mao’s vision of a new ‘revolutionary medicine’, there was a new medical synthesis that drew from the Maoist ideal and Western and Chinese traditions, but fundamentally differed from all of them. Maoist medicine’s ultimate aim was doctors as peasant carers. However, rural people and local governments valued treatment expertise, causing divergence from this ideal. As a result, Western and elite Chinese medical doctors sent to the countryside for rehabilitation were preferable to barefoot doctors and received rural support. Initially Western-trained physicians belittled elite Chinese doctors, and both looked down on barefoot doctors and indigenous herbalists and acupuncturists. However, the levelling effect of terrible rural conditions made these diverse conceptions of the doctor closer during the Cultural Revolution. Thus, urban doctors and rural medical practitioners developed a symbiotic relationship: barefoot doctors provided political protection and local knowledge for urban doctors; urban doctors’ provided expertise and a medical apprenticeship for barefoot doctors; and both counted on the local medical knowledge of indigenous healers. This fragile conceptual nexus had fallen apart by the end of the Maoist era (1976), but the evidence of new medical syntheses shows the diverse range of alliances that become possible under the rubric of ‘revolutionary medicine’.

The ICT and the Legislation on Transparency and Freedom of Information

2015 ◽  
pp. 347-365
Author(s):  
Alejandro Sáez-Martín ◽  
Arturo Haro-de-Rosario ◽  
Manuela García-Tabuyo ◽  
María Del Carmen Caba-Pérez
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Public Information ◽  
Freedom Of Information ◽  
The Public ◽  
Electoral Turnout ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Many ◽  
Economic Capacity

The many cases of corruption that have come to light, among other scandals, have led the public to lose faith in the management of public institutions. In order to regain confidence, the government needs to inform its citizens of all its actions. Public information should be accessible and controlled by means of a regulatory framework. The aim of this chapter is to analyze the transparency achieved and the progress still needed to be made by Dominican Republic municipalities with regards to complying with the requirements of the law on public information management. The chapter discusses the voluntary transparency achieved and factors that affect the implementation of information policies. The results highlight deficiencies in certain areas of online public information disclosure. The population size, economic capacity and electoral turnout are all factors that affect the online dissemination of public information by local governments in the Dominican Republic.

scholarly journals HORTICULTURE EDUCATION AT THE 1ST GRADE LEVEL

HortScience ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 273A-273
Author(s):  
E.W. Bush ◽  
A.W. Fennel ◽  
W.A. Young ◽  
T.J. Raiford
Keyword(s):  
First Graders ◽  
First Grade ◽  
State University ◽  
Horticultural Crops ◽  
Louisiana State University ◽  
Positive Perspective ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
The Many ◽  
University Laboratory School ◽  
The University

To promote both learning and horticulture, a 5 year pilot program was implemented with a collaborative effort between the Louisiana State University Horticulture Department and the University Laboratory School. The objective of this program was to develop a hands-on approach to learning which fostered self-discovery and a positive perception of horticulture. First graders were able to experiment in both the greenhouse and in the field with instruction in the classroom. Among the many concepts that the children were Introduced to, they benefitted most from being able to participate and observe the process from seeding to harvesting enabling them to work with the different types of seeds, media, and fertilizers. In the classroom, horticulture was Integrated in every subject of the first grade class. For example, the students learned math by measuring and counting the produce then making charts to report their findings. The result of the program was that the children did in fact obtain a positive perspective of horticulture while developing an awareness of the process of growth and development of horticultural crops. The first grade class received a national award for donating their produce to the local food bank in Baton Rouge.

scholarly journals Recycling of municipal waste in Slovak cities

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (53) ◽  
pp. 43-54
Author(s):  
Lucia Škamlová ◽  
Michal Klobučník
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Gradual Transition ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Starting Position ◽  
Management Indicators ◽  
Waste Management Policy ◽  
The Many ◽  
Specific Contribution

Abstract Among the most urgent topics within waste management policy is the gradual transition of the economy from a linear model towards a circular economy with a more sustainable way of using resources. The European Union has responded to these changes by passing new legislation and ambitious targets so that all member states can quickly work towards achieving a greener and more sustainable Europe. However, the starting position for achieving the desired goals differs significantly from one country to another. In this paper, we therefore looked at the position of Slovakia in relation to selected waste management indicators, and at the measures taken so far. Moreover, since waste management falls under one of the many public benefit services provided under the remit of local governments, we also monitored the specific contribution of Slovak cities to the newly established trend of waste management in the country.

scholarly journals Integrating the Built and Social Environment into Health Assessments for Maternal and Child Health: Creating a Planning-Friendly Index

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (24) ◽  
pp. 9224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Wang ◽  
Jennifer Whittaker ◽  
Katherine Kellom ◽  
Stephanie Garcia ◽  
Deanna Marshall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Maternal And Child Health ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Community Context ◽  
Socioeconomic Indicators ◽  
Needs Assessments ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
And Child Health

Environmental and community context earliest in the life course have a profound effect on life-long health outcomes. Yet, standard needs assessments for maternal and child health (MCH) programs often overlook the full range of influences affecting health in-utero and early childhood. To address this, we developed a methodology for assessing community risk in MCH based on six domains integrating 66 indicators across community, environment, socioeconomic indicators, and MCH outcomes. We pilot this methodology in Pennsylvania, and share examples of how local governments, planners, and public health officials across the geographic spectrum can integrate this data into community planning for improved maternal and child health.

Inexpensive Integrated GIS for Local Government to Implement Emergency Response and Management Effectively

2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Go Urakawa ◽  
◽  
Haruo Hayashi ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Response ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Research Team ◽  
Terrorist Attacks ◽  
Affected Area ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Noto Hanto Earthquake ◽  
2007 Noto Hanto Earthquake ◽  
The Many ◽  
Post Disaster

We are exposed to various kinds of Multi-hazards due to natural disasters, terrorist attacks and epidemic’s outbreak. In any of these crises, national and local governments must take in managing emergency responses effectively. Though one of the many measures is to build information systems against disaster, these systems are tools for estimating post disaster damage. This effort is not, however, implemented either well or effectively in most cases. Our research team had supported local governments using GIS in cases such as the 2004 Niigata-ken Chuetsu Earthquake, the 2007 Noto Hanto Earthquake, and the 2007 Niigataken Chuetsuoki Earthquake. Through these experiences, we reconfirmed the positive effects of location information and GIS. We also reconfirmed the need for both implementation speed and flexible use in their implementation. This paper describes how we built inexpensive integrated GIS for local governments to implement in emergency response andmanagement from experiences and knowledge on disaster affected area.

scholarly journals Beyond BMI: waist circumference and social environment is associated with motor performance ability in kindergartners

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sascha W. Hoffmann ◽  
Matthias Dreher ◽  
Michael S. Urschitz ◽  
Perikles Simon
Keyword(s):  
Waist Circumference ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Body Height ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Health Determinants ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
The Social ◽  
Performance Ability

Abstract Background The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between anthropometric characteristics (i.e. body height, body weight, body mass index [BMI] and waist circumference [WC]) with motor performance ability [MPA], social environmental factors of the district (i.e. employment status/working life, education, social situation/heterogeneity and home environment), where the respective kindergarten was located, as well as other potential health determinants in a representative sample of kindergartners. Methods We analyzed data of 434 children aged 3 to 6 years which were obtained from a community-based cross-sectional health study conducted in the city of Mainz, Germany. Body height and weight, BMI and WC standard deviation scores [SDS] were calculated relative to the international proposed cut-offs of the IOTF. MPA was collected with multiple test items to determine coordination, speed strength, muscular endurance and speed. The life situation index [LSI] was used to assess the social environment of the district of the kindergarten. Adjusted for covariates, correlation and logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the effect of WC on MPA. Results Below-average MPA was found in 46% of the sample. While there was no relationship to BMI (odds ratio [OR]: 1.09, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.83–1.44; p = 0.538), WC SDS was positively associated with below-average MPA (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.01–1.95; p = 0.041). Further results show that the social environment of the district of the kindergarten was independently related to below-average MPA (OR: 2.72, 95% CI: 1.29–5.75; p = 0.009). Conclusion The findings suggest that WC rather than BMI is linked to measurements of MPA already in kindergartners and furthermore, there seems to be an independent association between MPA and the social environment of the district of the respective kindergarten.

Central City Size, Metropolitan Institutions and Political Participation

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine A. Kelleher ◽  
David Lowery
Keyword(s):  
Political Participation ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Political Action ◽  
Central City ◽  
City Size ◽  
Causal Processes ◽  
Institutional Contexts ◽  
Competing Hypotheses ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Relationship

Despite decades of research, our understanding of how institutional contexts influence urban political participation remains muddled. It is argued here that this confusion arises from the diversity of competing hypotheses, failures to conceptualize the causal processes underlying these hypotheses thoroughly, and the use of inadequate controls for rival hypotheses. A more comprehensive specification of the relationship between metropolitan jurisdictional contexts and two modes of participation is provided. After a presentation of a theoretical framework organizing the many extant hypotheses, these are tested, using survey data collected by the Knight Foundation from 2002 in twenty-five urban counties. Contrary to prior work, it is found that the size of local governments is positively associated with participation, while governmental fragmentation diminishes the propensity for political action.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document