The effect of weather on walking behavior in older adults

In this article, the authors examine how temperature and precipitation affect the probability that a retired American between the ages of 65 and 90 walks at least 2.5 hr/wk, using longitudinal data on walking frequency from the Consumption and Activities Mail Survey, a subpanel in the Health and Retirement Survey. Walking behavior is linked with monthly temperature and precipitation data from weather-station reports. The authors found that higher temperatures were associated with a higher probability of walking at least 2.5 hr/wk for women. In contrast, higher temperatures are associated with a lower probability of walking at least 2.5 hr/wk among men. Precipitation is not significantly associated with walking behavior for either gender.     

Oxygen consumption, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, and systolic blood pressure with water treadmill walking

The purpose of this study was to examine the cardiovascular responses to water treadmill walking at 2.0 mph (3.2 km/hr), 2.5 mph (4.0 km/hr), and 3.0 mph (4.8 km/hr) in older adults. Responses to water treadmill walking in 92 degrees F (33 degrees C) water were compared with responses to land treadmill walking at 70 degrees F (21 degrees C) ambient temperature. After an accommodation period, participants performed 5-min bouts of walking at each speed on 2 occasions. Oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were significantly higher during therapeutic water treadmill walking than during land treadmill walking. Furthermore, VO2, HR, and RPE measures significantly increased with each speed increase during both land and water treadmill walking. SBP significantly increased with each speed during water treadmill walking but not land treadmill walking. Thus, it is imperative to monitor HR and blood pressure for safety during this mode of activity for older adults.     

An assessment of self-echoic behavior in young children

In the behavioral literature, self-echoic behavior has been hypothesized to play an important role in, for example, emergent conditional discriminations (e.g., Lowenkron, 1991), emergent verbal operants (Horne & Lowe, 1996), and problem solving (Skinner, 1957). Although early behavioral intervention programs for children with autism emphasize the establishment of accurate echoic repertoires, the type of stimulus control that defines a self-echoic response is typically not addressed. We report the development of a self-echoic assessment procedure that was administered to children with and without autism spectrum disorders. Preliminary results indicated that a discrepancy between echoic and self-echoic repertoires was more likely to be present among participants with autism than among typically developing participants. Future research should evaluate the extent to which interventions to establish self-echoic responding might produce other collateral benefits.     

Kinect-based choice reaching and stepping reaction time tests for clinical and in-home assessment of fall risk in older people: a prospective study

Background

Quick protective reactions such as reaching or stepping are important to avoid a fall or minimize injuries. We developed Kinect-based choice reaching and stepping reaction time tests (Kinect-based CRTs) and evaluated their ability to differentiate between older fallers and non-fallers and the feasibility of administering them at home.

Methods

A total of 94 community-dwelling older people were assessed on the Kinect-based CRTs in the laboratory and were followed-up for falls for 6 months. Additionally, a subgroup (n?=?20) conducted the Kinect-based CRTs at home. Signal processing algorithms were developed to extract features for reaction, movement and the total time from the Kinect skeleton data.

Results

Nineteen participants (20.2 %) reported a fall in the 6 months following the assessment. The reaction time (fallers: 797?±?136 ms, non-fallers: 714?±?89 ms), movement time (fallers: 392?±?50 ms, non-fallers: 358?±?51 ms) and total time (fallers: 1189?±?170 ms, non-fallers: 1072?±?109 ms) of the reaching reaction time test differentiated well between the fallers and non-fallers. The stepping reaction time test did not significantly discriminate between the two groups in the prospective study. The correlations between the laboratory and in-home assessments were 0.689 for the reaching reaction time and 0.860 for stepping reaction time.

Conclusion

The study findings indicate that the Kinect-based CRT tests are feasible to administer in clinical and in-home settings, and thus represents an important step towards the development of sensor-based fall risk self-assessments. With further validation, the assessments may prove useful as a fall risk screen and home-based assessment measures for monitoring changes over time and effects of fall prevention interventions.

     

Low-floor bus design preferences of walking aid users during simulated boarding and alighting

Low-floor buses represent a significant improvement in accessible public transit for passengers with limited mobility. However, there is still a need for research on the inclusive design of transit buses to identify specific low-floor bus design conditions that are either particularly accommodating or challenging for passengers with functional and mobility impairments. These include doorway locations, seating configuration and the large front wheel-well covers that collectively impact boarding, alighting and interior movement of passengers. Findings from a laboratory study using a static full-scale simulation of a lowfloor bus to evaluate the impact of seating configuration and crowding on interior movement and accessibility for individuals with and without walking aids are presented (n=41). Simulated bus journeys that included boarding, fare payment, seating, and alighting were performed. Results from video observations and subjective assessments showed differences in boarding and alighting performance and users' perceptions of task difficulty. The need for assistive design features (e.g. handholds, stanchions), legroom and stowage space for walking aids was evident. These results demonstrate that specific design conditions in low-floor buses can significantly impact design preference among those who use walking aids. Consideration of ergonomics and inclusive design can therefore be used to improve the design of low-floor buses.     

Risk-taking behavior in gamblers and non-gamblers during prolonged exposure

Most comparisons between personality traits of gamblers and non-gamblers have yielded no significant differences (Kusyszyn & Rutter, 1985). But from a behavioral standpoint, gamblers have consistently placed heavier monetary bets than non-gamblers. Furthermore, past researchers have clearly shown that the level of risk-taking behavior increased as a function of the number of trials (Ladouceur, Tourigny, & Mayrand, in press). The present research compared the level of risk-taking behavior of gamblers and non-gamblers during prolonged exposure to American roulette (four sessions of 50 trials each). Subjects of each group (N=8) were matched on sex, age and academic level. Risk behavior was operationally defined as 1. Total amount of money bet at each trial; 2. types of bets; and 3. monetary risk coefficient. The statistical analysis of the results showed that the monetary risk coefficient was greater for the gamblers than the non-gamblers. Furthermore, for the three dependent variables, risk level increased as a function of the number of sessions and of trials. The overall results confirmed that exposure to gambling activities increased the level of monetary risk-taking behavior in gamblers and non-gamblers.Part of this paper was presented at the Sixth National Conference on Gambling and Risk-Taking, Atlantic City, 1984. This research was supported by a grant from the Gouvernement du Québec (FCAR).     

Changes in negative attributions during couple therapy for abusive behavior: relations to changes in satisfaction and behavior

This study examined effects of cognitive-behavioral couple therapy (n = 25 couples) and a variety of systems-oriented couple therapy models (n = 30 couples) in reducing negative attributions and degrees to which decreases in negative attributions were associated with improvements in other aspects of relationship functioning. Couples seeking treatment at a university clinic and experiencing psychological and/or mild-to-moderate physical abuse completed 10 weekly sessions. Attributions, relationship satisfaction, psychological abuse, communication, and negotiation were assessed before and after treatment. Women and men in both treatments exhibited decreased negative attributions, which moderated increases in satisfaction and decreases in negative communication, as well as increases in positive communication for men. The findings reinforce the importance of modifying negative attributions when intervening to reduce abuse.     

Validity of heart-rate based measurements of oxygen consumption during work with light and moderate physical activity

For ergonomic purposes it is useful to quantify the energy expenditure and the level of physical activity imposed on workers. Oxygen consumption (VO?) is often used to calculate energy expenditure and can be used as an indication of physical activity. Twenty-five subjects participated in the study. Oxygen consumption (VO?) in L O?/min and heart-rate (HR) in beats per minute (bpm) were simultaneously measured during different work tasks at each individual's workplace. Ninety-one different work tasks with light or moderate physical activity were included (physical activity was classified by the VO? measurements). Estimated oxygen consumption (L O?/min) was then calculated by using the HR measurements in bpm combined with individual HR-VO? equations established in a laboratory. Although heart-rate based estimations of individual oxygen consumption showed relatively low precision, heart-rate measurements in combination with individual exponential HR-VO? equations can be used to discriminate between work involving light physical activity and work involving moderate physical activity.     

Prospective analysis of time out-of-home and objectively measured walking duration during a week in a large cohort of older adults

Background

Physical activity is considered an effective measure to promote health in older people. There is evidence that the number of outdoor trips increases physical activity by increasing walking duration. The objective of this study was to analyse the relationship between daily time out-of-home and walking duration. Furthermore, predictors for walking duration and time out-of-home were evaluated.

Methods

Walking duration was measured prospectively over a 1 week period by a body-fixed sensor and the time out-of-home was assessed by a questionnaire at the same days. Seven thousand, two hundred and forty-three days from 1289 older people (mean age 75.4 years) with both sensor-based measures and completed questionnaires were included in the analyses. To account for several observation days per participant multilevel regression analyses were applied. Analyses were stratified according to the time out-of-home (more or less than 100 min/day).

Results

In the group with less than 100 min out-of-home, each additional minute out-of-home added 20 s to overall walking duration. If the time exceeded 100 min the additional increase of walking duration was only moderate or weak. Leaving the home once added 40 min of walking, the following trips 15 to 20 min. Increasing age, lower gait speed, comorbidities, low temperature, rain and specific week days (Sunday) decreased both the time out-of-home and walking duration. Other variables like gender (female), isolation or living with a spouse reduced the time out-of-home without affecting walking duration.

Conclusions

Being out-of-home increases daily walking duration. The association is strongest if the time out-of-home is 100 min or less.

     

Moving images: the mobility and immobility of 'kids standing still'

Mobility is a frequently recurring theme in recent debates around the emergence of new technologies. However, with this increasing attention paid to mobility, how does ‘immobility’ become notable as an absence of mobility? How are such perceptions of immobility used to occasion assessments of motive, intent and moral standing? This paper features a sociological interrogation of examples of immobility made notable through expectations of mobility. It utilises a study of CCTV as its principle example of the constitution and assessment of mobility and immobility. The paper explores theoretical strategies available for interrogating these issues. It concludes through an engagement with the boundaries constituted around mobility and immobility. The ways in which forms of assessment operate through, and further maintain, these boundaries are considered.     

Carrying loads and postural sway in standing: the effect of load placement and magnitude

This study investigated the effect that load magnitude, load location, and the dimensions that the base of support have on postural sway in standing while wearing a backpack, single strapped bag, briefcase, or purse. Subjects were instructed to carry a load of 10% or 20% of their body weight with either their feet spaced shoulder width apart or together for a period of 45 seconds. Medial/lateral and anterior/posterior center of pressure (COP) displacement and COP velocity were calculated. Overall, it was found that an increase in load magnitude produced an increase in postural sway and velocity of COP. In addition, a large increase in the medial/lateral COP velocity was observed when subjects carried a briefcase, single strapped bag, or purse. Additionally, a larger COP sway was recorded in conditions of standing with decreased base of support (feet together). These findings suggest the importance of considering the way we carry loads in order not only to place less strain on the body and to minimize our efforts, but to optimize postural control as well.     

浅析世行移民监测评估机制及其对天津城市房屋拆迁移民工作的借鉴意义

近年来,天津经济迅速发展,城市化的进程也不断加速,这就对天津城市基础设施建设提出了更高的要求.天津改变了原来的单一的财政投入模式,扩大了融资渠道.     

Juvenile male sexual offenders: the quality of motivation system of assessment and treatment issues

A group of juvenile male sexual offenders (n=100) completed the Quality of Motivation Questionnaire (QMQ) upon entry into a residential treatment facility. The concepts of Quality of Motivation (QM) Theory are presented to explain the QMQ scores. The scores include Disclosure Level, Sources of Motivation, Life Style Characteristics and Power. The results indicate abnormal motivation scores in the area of Disclosure Resistance, Depression, Primary and Learned Sources of Motivation, and all of the Maladaptive Skills Scores. Recommendations of treatment issues for therapists are prioritized according to QM Theory and presented in a treatment plan format called the Personal Development Plan (PDP). Implications for further research with the QMQ include outcome measurement of changes and comparison with non-offender groups.     

Evidence of tactile arm stepping in newborns and its responsiveness to optic flows specifying self-translation

Although the arms participate in many forms of human locomotion, we know very little about when arm movements emerge during locomotor development. Here we investigated whether newborns would make tactile arm stepping movements when we supported them almost horizontally so their hands touched a surface and blocked their leg movements. Building off prior work showing that newborns make more crawling and air stepping leg movements when exposed to optic flows specifying forward and backward self-translation, we also examined whether newborns would make more tactile arm steps when exposed to forward and backward optic flows compared to a random optic flow that did not specify translation. We found that newborns can perform arm stepping and produce a significantly higher number of tactile arm steps in the optic flow condition specifying backward translation than in the random optic flow condition. Both translating optic flow conditions had significantly higher numbers of alternating arm steps than the random optic flow condition. These findings show that tactile arm stepping exists at birth and that optic flows can facilitate their production, similar to leg stepping. We argue that these results further support the idea that a quadrupedal organization underlies early upright stepping.     

A description of the verbal behavior of students during two reading instruction methods

The Analysis of Verbal Behavior - The responses of students during two reading methods, the language experience approach and two Mastery Learning programs, were analyzed using verbal operants. A...     

Assessing the Reliability and Validity of the Jump$tart Survey of Financial Literacy

Financial education represents an area of popular interest, owing largely to the Jump$tart surveys of financial literacy. However, while the surveys represent indicators of financial knowledge among high school seniors, these measures have not been statistically validated. This article describes an assessment of the surveys reliability (internal consistency), and validity. It reports a moderately high degree of consistency overall, however, discloses low to moderate internal consistencies among subscales. It also finds significant response differences to one quarter of comparable items between surveys. The researcher observes challenges to affirming the surveys validity and offers statistics suggesting social bias among survey items. He calls for further research into measures of financial literacy.The author appreciates the guidance and support of Dr. Duane Giannangelo, Dr. Jean Steiz, Dr. Lou Franceschini, and Dr. Steven Ross.     

A novel wearable measurement system for ambulatory assessment of joint loading in the occupational setting

It is know that biomechanical overexposure of the joints is an important cause of occupational injuries. This paper presents a novel wearable measurement system for automated assessment of joint loading in the occupational setting. The wearable measurement system consists of a full body inertial sensor motion capture system which can be worn under the clothes and shoes instrumented with 3D force sensors (ForceShoes). Promising results have been found for the performance of the inertial sensor system and the ForceShoe, separately. Validation experiments are in preparation in which the performance of the combined measurements system will be tested in the laboratory by comparing the assessed joint loading to the joint loading assessed by a conventional state-of-the-art lab-based method.