Physical Activity and Survival After Prostate Cancer

AbstractBackgroundDespite the high global prevalence of prostate cancer (PCa), few epidemiologic studies have assessed physical activity in relation to PCa survival.ObjectiveTo evaluate different types, intensities, and timing of physical activity relative to PCa survival.Design, setting, and participantsA prospective study was conducted in Alberta, Canada, in a cohort of 830 stage II–IV incident PCa cases diagnosed between 1997 and 2000 with follow-up to 2014 (up to 17 yr). Prediagnosis lifetime activity was self-reported at diagnosis. Postdiagnosis activity was self-reported up to three times during follow-up.Outcome measurements and statistical analysisCox proportional hazards models related physical activity to all-cause and PCa-specific deaths and to first recurrence/progression of PCa.Results and limitationsA total of 458 deaths, 170 PCa-specific deaths, and, after first follow-up, 239 first recurrences/progressions occurred. Postdiagnosis total activity (>119 vs ≤42 metabolic equivalent [MET]-hours/week per year) was associated with a significantly lower all-cause mortality risk (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42–0.79; p value for trend <0.01). Postdiagnosis recreational activity (>26 vs ≤4 MET-hours/week per year) was associated with a significantly lower PCa-specific mortality risk (HR: 0.56; 95% CI, 0.35–0.90; p value for trend = 0.01). Sustained recreational activity before and after diagnosis (>18–20 vs <7–8 MET-hours/week per year) was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 0.66; 95% CI, 0.49–0.88). Limitations included generalisability to healthier cases and an observational study design.ConclusionsThese findings support emerging recommendations to increase physical activity after the diagnosis of PCa and would inform a future exercise intervention trial examining PCa outcomes.Patient summaryIn a 17-yr prostate cancer (PCa) survival study, men who survived at least 2 yr who were more physically active postdiagnosis or performed more recreational physical activity before and after diagnosis survived longer. Recreational physical activity after diagnosis was associated with a lower risk of PCa death

Student-Athletes’ First-Year College Transitions at a Mid-American Conference University: Investigating Stressors in Different Identities and COVID-19

According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), roughly 180,000 studentathletes are making the transition from high school to college in order to have the opportunity to compete in collegiate athletics ( NCAA recruiting fact, 2020). First-year student-athletes face the same transitions that non-student-athletes go through regarding social and academic identity, however, student-athletes have the additional stressor of having an athletic identity (Freeman, 2015; McFarlane, 2014; New, 2015; Skinner, 2004; Smith & Hardin, 2020). An additional transition came in the spring of 2020 with COVID-19 (Bullard, 2020; Roetert et. al., 2020). The purpose of this study was to investigate how the first-year transition process affected Division I student-athletes from the Mid-American Conference. The participants answered questions about transitioning to their university, rating their level of support across different areas, and transitioning unexpectedly due to COVID-19. Positives aspects of the transition included having a helpful coaching staff, supportive family and friends, approachable academic staff, and relief COVID-19 brought in providing a break. Negatives aspects of the transition that were mentioned included: adjusting to a new environment, struggling to balance being a Division I athlete, poor relationship either with academic or athletic staff, and readjusting to life back home during COVID-19

An examination of sense of story in proficient bilingual, partial bilingual, and monolingual children as evidenced in stories told in English

The purpose of the study was to determine what differences, if any, existed among monolingual (English) children, partial bilingual (English-Spanish) children, and proficient bilingual (English-Spanish) children in the level of sophistication of their sense of story. Sense of story was defined as the degree to which one has internalized the features, conventions, and structures of the story genre. Sense of story was analyzed in three areas: structural complexity (number of words, number of T-units, mean length of T-units, number of characters, number of incidents), story convention usage (use of past tense, formal beginning, formal ending, use of quoted and described dialogue), and story scheme analysis (the degree to which the subjects manifested knowledge of the parts or categories of story and the relationship of said categories). Ninety subjects from grades four, five, and six participated in the study. They were grouped into three linguistic categories, Monolingual, Partial Bilingual, and Proficient Bilingual. Subjects were asked to tell a story in English. It was predicted that the Proficient Bilinguals would outperform the other linguistic groups on all variables. Small hut significant associations were found on two of the criteria. Proficient Bilinguals were found to use past tense to a slightly greater degree than the other two groups, and Partial Bilinguals were seen to fall behind the other two groups in the use of quoted dialogue. No significant differences or associations were revealed in any other criteria

Andean Pedagogies Intersecting the Photovoice Process

For decades social researchers have explored indigenous knowledges and practices, yet decisive input by Quechuan peoples in the research process has remained minimal, nearly non-existent. This non-participatory approach to research about Quechuan peoples, cultures, and languages has reproduced asymmetric relationships between subject and expert, enabling a prescribed set of research which obscures Andean methodologies.  For informative results which truly represent Andean pedagogies, couple decolonial thinking with photovoice, a visual participatory methodology rooted in Freirean thought.  Participatory research prevents the disregard of cogent, pre-colonial ways of knowing. This paper conceptualizes Andean pedagogies, indigenous-mestizo practices that emerged during a photovoice study with Andean college students in Cusco, Peru.  Acting as collaborators as well as participants, these students helped determine the scope, goals, and actions of this work. Andean pedagogies such as muyu muyurispa, tinku, and kuka akulliy reconfigured this photovoice process and disrupted coloniality processes which obscure research with Andean peoples.  The practice of decolonial thinking during participatory research projects disrupts asymmetric, deliberate, or unintentional power relations between participants and investigators

Development and pilot evaluation of a personalized decision support intervention for low risk prostate cancer patients.

ObjectivesDevelopment and pilot evaluation of a personalized decision support intervention to help men with early-stage prostate cancer choose among active surveillance, surgery, and radiation.MethodsWe developed a decision aid featuring long-term survival and side effects data, based on focus group input and stakeholder endorsement. We trained premedical students to administer the intervention to newly diagnosed men with low-risk prostate cancer seen at the University of California, San Francisco. Before the intervention, and after the consultation with a urologist, we administered the Decision Quality Instrument for Prostate Cancer (DQI-PC). We hypothesized increases in two knowledge items from the DQI-PC: How many men diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer will eventually die of prostate cancer? How much would waiting 3&nbsp;months to make a treatment decision affect chances of survival? Correct answers were: "Most will die of something else" and "A little or not at all."ResultsThe development phase involved 6 patients, 1 family member, 2 physicians, and 5 other health care providers. In our pilot test, 57 men consented, and 44 received the decision support intervention and completed knowledge surveys at both timepoints. Regarding the two knowledge items of interest, before the intervention, 35/56 (63%) answered both correctly, compared to 36/44 (82%) after the medical consultation (P&nbsp;=&nbsp;.04 by chi-square test).ConclusionsThe intervention was associated with increased patient knowledge. Data from this pilot have guided the development of a larger scale randomized clinical trial to improve decision quality in men with prostate cancer being treated in community settings

The Effects of 'Crucial Conversations' Training on Roommate Satisfaction and Roommate Friendship

This study examined the impact of a communication skills workshop called 'Crucial Conversations' on the satisfaction and friendship levels of first-year roommate dyads. Roommate satisfaction and roommate friendship were measured for students who had attended the workshop with their roommates; for students who attended, but their roommate did not; for students who did not attend, but their roommate did; and for roommate pairs in which neither student attended. Overall, the students who attended this workshop with their roommates reported higher levels of roommate satisfaction and roommate friendship. Suggestions for further research were also offered

Design computing of complex-curved geometry using digital fabrication methods

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2006.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-65).The production of design information for digital fabrication is presented in this thesis. This thesis outlines the research of generating information for physical construction as architectural models of complex curved walls built from unique units. A series of computer programs and physical models as examples of orthogonal, non-orthogonal, and complex curved walls as designs were developed. The wall examples here are built of non-uniform, interlocking units using an integral connection approach. This is an exploration of design tools that construct complex curved structures in CAD for fabrication with a 3D printer. The thesis explores the evaluation processes used by architects when evaluating digitally fabricated desktop models. The research involved in this thesis takes the direction of investigating a new methodology for solving a modern and aesthetic approach to architecture. The research conducted investigates design as a way for synthesizing a grammatical (Stiny, 1977) approach as the systematic engine that is used to solve less systematic, curved, non-uniform form (Smithers, 1989).by Kenfield A. Griffith.S.M

Using information and communication technologies [ICT] in design for remote regions

Thesis (Ph. D. in Design and Computation)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2012.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 155-159 (i.e. [190]-[194])).Remote design comes with significant challenges. A major barrier to designing in remote regions is the lack of communication between designers and users. As a result, the lack of information flow leads to assumptions about the community's needs- an inherent weakness in the design process. This study examines the role that mobile phones play as a mode of communication between designers of products for communities in developing countries and the users within the communities themselves, in order to provide a better sense of context and environment. This study focused on the use of a communication software called mSurvey and its ability to create accessible feedback flows, that would otherwise be difficult to achieve within remote areas. The investigation uses three case studies as examples. These case studies differ in location, design team, and distance. The first case study took place in Trinidad and Tobago and had software engineers as the design team. The second case study, in Nairobi, Kenya, consisted of architects, engineers, and Masters of Business Administration (MBAs) as the design team. The third case study, in Tanzania, consisted of a company of over 160 employees, whose job titles ranged from designers and engineers, to supply chain strategists. The findings illustrate that, although each design task was different, there are similar challenges when designing for remote regions, specifically, developing countries. The solution to some of these challenges is the increased use of mobile technologies between designers and communities.by Kenfield Allistair Griffith.Ph.D.in Design and Computatio