Politicisation of migrant leisure:a public and civil intervention involving organised sports

Using the perspective of governmentality this article aims to contribute to an understanding of the rationalities of specific political interventions, and the techniques used to monitor the leisure activities of particular target groups. This process of politicization is revealed here through a case study of an intervention that provides sporting activities in holiday periods for migrant children and adolescents living in so-called socially disadvantaged areas (DGI Playground). The analysis highlights the rationality that the leisure time of migrant youth is a potentially dangerous time slot and they must be engaged in organized sports; that is not only healthy but also civilizing and character forming leisure time activities. Techniques of monitoring the intervention are developed in a partnership between public institutions, regional umbrella organizations and local sports clubs leading to a need for employment of welfare professionals. Furthermore, the article illustrates that in the discursive construction of subject positions for the target group, migrant youth tend to become clients and recipients of public services rather than potential members of civil sports clubs. These findings are supported by ethnographic interviews with participants that show how youngsters who took part in DGI Playground were able to reflect the official aim of the programme and relate this to their desire to have fun and hang out with their friends. The article ends with a discussion of the further scope of applying critical theoretical perspectives to studies of migrants’ leisure and sports activities.</p

Strong spin-orbit splitting on Bi surfaces

Using first-principles calculations and angle-resolved photoemission, we show that the spin-orbit interaction leads to a strong splitting of the surface state bands on low-index surfaces of Bi. The dispersion of the states and the corresponding Fermi surfaces are profoundly modified in the whole surface Brillouin zone. We discuss the implications of these findings with respect to a proposed surface charge density wave on Bi(111) as well as to the surface screening, surface spin-density waves, electron (hole) dynamics in surface states, and to possible applications to the spintronics.Comment: 4 pages 2 figure

Draft Genome Sequence of <em>Parabacteroides goldsteinii</em> with Putative Novel Metallo-β-Lactamases Isolated from a Blood Culture from a Human Patient

Parabacteroides goldsteinii was isolated from a blood culture. Genomic DNA was sequenced using a MiSeq sequencer and assembled using the SPAdes genome assembler. The draft genome sequence was 6,851,868 bp, spanning 282 contigs of 5,253 coding sequences, 66 tRNAs, and 5 rRNAs. Several putative novel metallo-β-lactamases were discovered

New strategies to increase the dosing precision of tacrolimus and mycophenolate in kidney transplanted adults

Nyretransplanterede patienter behandles med immundæmpende lægemidler i hele det transplanterede organs levetid for at forhindre organafstødning. Behandlingen består oftest af tacrolimus og mycofenolat mofetil (MMF). Det er en udfordring at finde den optimale dosis af begge lægemidler. Den nuværende løsning er, at tacrolimus fuldblodskoncentrationer monitoreres med styret terapi (therapeutic drug monitoring, TDM), men der er plads til forbedringer. Det debatteres, om TDM også er brugbar til monitorering af lægemiddelkoncentrationer af mycofenolsyre (MPA), som er den aktive metabolit af MMF. Nye metoder til at forbedre brugen af den nuværende immundæmpende behandling omfatter måling af lægemiddelkoncentration i andre matricer end fuldblod (f.eks. ved virkningsstedet), dosering baseret på monitorering af biomarkører og dosering baseret på information fra matematiske modeller (model-informed precision dosing, dvs. baseret på population pharmacokinetic modelling og limited sampling strategier).Det overordnede formål med denne tese var at udforske nye metoder til at forbedre doseringen af tacrolimus og MMF, så nyretransplanterede patienter kan få en bedre og mere sikker behandling med færre bivirkninger. Vores formål var at udforske nye metoder til at overvåge den immundæmpende behandling. Vi gennemførte en prospektiv klinisk undersøgelse af nyretransplanterede patienter inkluderet i Odense, Esbjerg og Kolding. Vi rekrutterede 63 patienter og indsamlede farmakokinetiske profiler (hyppige blodprøver (n=18), få blodprøver (n=45)) på én forsøgsdag. Perifere mononukleære celler (peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC’er)) blev isoleret fra fuldblod, og lægemiddelkoncentrationer blev analyseret i fuldblod og PBMC’er (tacrolimus), samt i plasma (MPA). Vi analyserede patienternes genotype (i gener, der koder for lægemiddelmetaboliserende enzymer og -transportører) og viralt load af biomarkøren torque teno virus (TTV), og vi indsamlede patientdemografi fra lægejournaler. På baggrund af data fra det kliniske studie gennemførte vi tre delstudier.Formålet med Artikel 1 var at udvikle en population pharmacokinetic model til at karakterisere sammenhængen mellem tacrolimus-koncentrationen målt i henholdsvis fuldblod og iPBMC’er og at undersøge, hvilke patientkarakteristika der påvirker denne sammenhæng. Vi antog, at det ville være muligt at forudsige tacrolimus-koncentrationen tæt på lægemidlets virkningssted, i PBMC’er, baseret på tacrolimus-koncentrationer i fuldblod. Vi fandt, attacrolimus fordelte sig hurtigt til PBMC’erne, og desuden fandt vi to genetiske varianter (CYP3A5*1 og NR1I2 -25385C&gt;T), der påvirkede fordelingen til PBMC’erne. TacrolimusPBMC-koncentrationer kunne ikke forudsiges udelukkende baseret på fuldblodskoncentrationer og patientkarakteristika på grund af en betydelig inter-individuel variabilitet i fordelingen af tacrolimus til PBMC’erne.Det primære formål i Artikel 2 var at udvikle en limited sampling strategi, der kan estimereden totale eksponering af MPA og tacrolimus ud fra et begrænset antal blodprøver. Denne metode er ny i en steroidfri population, og metoden er nyttig for fremtidig forskning i patientgruppen, fordi vi fremover kan reducere byrden for patienterne, som er associeret med hyppig blodprøvetagning. Lægemiddeleksponeringen (areal under lægemiddelkoncentrations-tids-kurven, AUC0-12t) blev estimeret som empiriske Bayes-estimater fra vores populationsmodel (tacrolimus) eller ved hjælp af non-kompartment analyse (MPA). Sammenhængen mellem lægemiddelkoncentrationer og -eksponering blev undersøgt med multipelstepwise lineær regressionsanalyse. Vi fandt, at limited sampling strategier, som inkorporereredeC0- og C1,5-koncentrationsmålinger eller C0-, C0,5- og C1,5-koncentrationsmålinger, kunne forudsige MPA- og tacrolimus-eksponeringen med lav bias og upræcished.Formålet med Artikel 3 var at undersøge, om tacrolimus-eksponeringen i PBMC’er var associeret med viralt load af den ikke-patogene virus, TTV, som en biomarkør for effektiviteten af tacrolimus-behandlingen. Vi estimerede tacrolimus-eksponeringen i fuldblod og iPBMC’er som empiriske Bayes-estimater fra vores populationsmodel. TTV kunne kun påvises i omkring 60% af vores population, og TTV viralt load faldt med stigende tid efter transplantation. En højere tacrolimus-eksponering i PBMC’ere og i fuldblod var ikke forbundet med et højere TTV viralt load.Vi fandt, at tacrolimus-koncentrationen ved virkningsstedet, i PBMC’er, ikke kunne forudsiges udelukkende baseret på fuldblodskoncentrationer på grund af en stor inter-individuel variabilitet i fordelingen af tacrolimus til PBMC’erne. Tacrolimus-eksponeringen iPBMC’erne var ikke associeret med viralt TTV load. Det er muligt at estimere både MMF og tacrolimus-eksponering baseret på to eller tre blodprøver, og disse limited sampling strategier kan bruges til fremtidig farmakokinetisk forskning i populationer som vores. Vores limited sampling strategier gør det muligt at undersøge, om TDM af MPA-eksponering bør implementeres på vores center. Hvis vi ønsker at kunne forudsige tacrolimus PBMC-koncentrationer baseret på fuldblodskoncentrationer, har vi brug for 1) bedre bevis for, at PBMC-koncentrationerne er associeret med effektivitet/sikkerhed af tacrolimus, 2) at udforske interoccasion variabilitet i fordelingen til PBMC’erne, 3) at identificere flere patientkarakteristika, der påvirker fordelingen til PBMC’erne, og 4) at reducere variabiliteten forbundet metoden til isolation af PBMC’er. Kidney transplanted patients are treated with immunosuppressive drugs, often tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), to prevent graft rejection throughout the lifespan of the transplanted organ. It is a challenge to find the optimal dose of each drug. Tacrolimus whole blood drug concentrations are monitored using therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM),but there is still room for improvement. It is debated whether TDM of mycophenolate acid(MPA) concentrations, the active moiety of MMF, is useful. New approaches for improving the outcomes of immunosuppression using these drugs include measuring drug concentrations in different matrices (e.g. at the site of action), biomarker-guided dosing, and model-informed precision dosing (i.e. based on population pharmacokinetic models or limited sampling strategies).The overall aim of this thesis was to explore new methods to improve how tacrolimus and MMF are dosed, so kidney transplanted patients can obtain better and safer treatment with fewer adverse drug reactions. We aimed to explore new methods to monitor the immunosuppressive treatment. We conducted a prospective clinical study of kidney transplanted patients enrolled from Odense, Esbjerg, and Kolding. We recruited 63 patients and collected pharmacokinetic profiles (dense (n=18)/ sparse (n=45)) on one occasion. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated and drug concentrations were analyzed in whole blood and PBMCs (tacrolimus), and in plasma (MPA). We analyzed patient genotype(genes encoding drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters) and load of the biomarker torque teno virus (TTV), and we collected patient demographics from medical charts. Based on the data generated from the clinical study, we conducted three sub-studies.The objective of Paper 1 was to characterize the relationship between tacrolimus concentration in whole blood and PBMCs and to investigate the influence of patient characteristics on this relationship by developing a population pharmacokinetic model. We hypothesized that it was possible to predict the tacrolimus concentration close to the drug’s site of action, in PBMCs, based on whole blood concentrations. We found a fast distribution of tacrolimus into PBMCs and two genetic variants (CYP3A5*1 and NR1I2 -25385C&gt;T) that influenced this distribution. Tacrolimus PBMC concentrations could not be predicted solely from whole blood concentrations and covariates because of substantial inter-individual variability in the distribution of tacrolimus into PBMCs.The primary objective of Paper 2 was to develop a limiting sampling strategy that can estimate the exposure of MPA and tacrolimus from a reduced number of samples. This method is novel in a steroid-free population and useful for future research in our population because it alleviates the inconvenience and burden of dense sampling. Exposure (area under the concentration-time curve, AUC0-12h) was estimated as empirical Bayes estimates from our population model (tacrolimus) or using non-compartment analysis (MPA), and the correlations between concentrations and exposure was assessed using multiple stepwise linear regression analysis. We found that limited sampling strategies incorporating measurements at C0 and C1.5, or at C0, C0.5 and C1.5 could predict MPA and tacrolimus exposure with low bias and imprecision.The objective of the Paper 3 was to investigate if tacrolimus exposure in PBMCs were associated with viral load of the non-pathogenic virus, TTV, a biomarker of tacrolimus efficacy. We estimated the tacrolimus exposure in whole blood and PBMCs as empirical Bayes estimates from our population model. TTV was detectable in only around 60% of our population, and TTV load decreased with increasing time after transplantation. A higher tacrolimus exposure in PMBCs and in whole blood was not associated with an increase in TTV load.We found that tacrolimus concentration at the site of action in PBMCs could not be predicted solely from whole blood concentrations because of a large inter-individual variability in the tacrolimus distribution into the PBMC. Tacrolimus exposure in PBMCs did not correlate with TTV load. It is possible to estimate both MMF and tacrolimus exposure based on two or three blood samples, and these limited sampling strategies can be used for future pharmacokinetic studies in populations like ours. Our limited sampling strategy makes it possible to explore if TDM of MPA exposure should be implemented at our center. If we want to predict tacrolimus concentrations in PBMCs based on whole blood concentrations, we need 1) stronger proof that PBMC concentrations are associated with efficacy/safety, 2)to explore inter-occasion variability on the distribution to PBMC, 3) to identify more patient characteristics that influences this distribution, and 4) to decrease the variability on the PBMC isolation process.

Rethinking the Vulnerability of Groups Targeted in Health-Promoting Sports and Physical Activity Programs

Vulnerability and related terms are increasingly used to describe the target groups of health-promoting programs involving sports and physical activity. Yet, such terms are often left undefined, creating an image of vulnerability that reinforces the health inequities the programs seek to counter. This article aims to reconceptualize vulnerability to help researchers and program personnel describe and support individuals and groups in vulnerable positions. To do so, we conceptualize vulnerability as a contentious phenomenon, emphasizing the spectrum between individual and community perspectives on vulnerability, along with between experts’ evaluation of (health) risks and lived vulnerability. We illustrate the utility of this elaborate conceptualization of vulnerability through a single case study of a walking program organized by a health promotion unit in a so-called deprived area in Denmark. Interviewing the health professionals, it was not surprising to identify that experts’ evaluations of risks are key to the program. However, employing the conceptual framework in its entirety, we also find indications of lived vulnerability and resistance towards their conditions among the program participants. We conclude that it is relevant for both researchers and program employees to consider the complete spectrum of risks and lived vulnerabilities, along with providing support not only to individuals in need but also to their communities

Player migration and talent development in elite sports teams: a comparative analysis of inbound and outbound career trajectories in Danish and Norwegian women’s handball

© Sine Agergaard, Lars Tore Ronglan 2015The conditions for national sport systems and talent development efforts are changing with the globalisation of sports. In the present study we explored the relationship between domestic talent development and the immigration of players from abroad through a comparative multiple-case study of Danish and Norwegian women’s handball. Quantitative data demonstrated how there has been a remarkable increase in not only the number, but also the performance level of immigrant players arriving into Danish women’s handball, in particular, in the first decade of the 2000s. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 experienced coaches and sport directors who have in-depth knowledge of group dynamics in elite handball. Using Lave and Wenger’s theory of situated learning in communities of practice the analysis demonstrated the ambiguous consequences of considerable immigration on the position and learning situation of domestic talent. Inbound trajectories of domestic talent may be supported by apprenticeship from many skilled role models (e.g. immigrant players), while an outbound trajectory may also appear, specifically if the young domestic players are continually hampered from participation in matches. It seems that it is not the high number of players from abroad, per se, that may block the development of local young talent, but first and foremost the structuring of training and match practices in the clubs and national leagues.Seksjon for coaching og psyhologi / Department of Coaching and Psycholog