Motorische Leistungsfähigkeit von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Deutschland

Motor performance is an important health resource. Review articles revealed a decline of motor performance of approximately 10?% between 1975 and 2006. In the past most of the data available for such comparisons came from ad hoc studies with non-standardized methods. Within the framework of the ”Motorik-Modul“ (MoMo) study as part of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS), it is possible for the first time to directly compare two cohorts in the ages of 4–17 years in a nationally representative database for Germany. The aim of this article is to report changes in motor performance of children and adolescents in the time period 2003–2006 (cohort baseline n = 4528) compared to 2009–2012 (cohort wave 1, n = 2820). Overall, it is clearly shown that the motor performance of children and adolescents in Germany did not decrease within the observational period of 6 years. The comparison of mean values of the baseline cohort compared to those of wave 1 showed that 28 out of 52 mean values of the two cohorts with a high probability did not differ based on 95?% confidence intervals (CI). In 24 out of the 52 mean values positive changes could be noted based on the individual 95?% CI values. There were more positive changes in primary school aged children than in other age groups. Within these positive changes, most effect sizes were small to medium. The results indicate that recent activities aiming at elevating motor performance levels may have started to make an impact and should be expanded, also in secondary schools. The comparative cohort study presented in this article is currently being checked by the ongoing MoMo wave 2 survey of 2014–2017.     

Surviving reengineering: coping in today's health care environment

Stress reactions during times of organizational change are only to be expected. In the volatile world of health care there are no exceptions. It has been said that the only constant is change. As a result, it is imperative that we develop effective methods to deal with the ever-changing world. The unspoken life-long employment contract no longer exists. Given that change is a constant--and that all change, even good change causes stress--how do we survive? Can we do better than survive? What about "surthriving"? It is possible to actually grow and develop during stressful times of change.     

National service: A form of societal cost recovery for higher education?

The paper considers the case for making use of a broader form of cost recovery for higher education than is current in practice, in the literature or in policy debate: repayment in kind through service to the community. The focus of the paper is on developing country experience. While shemes of national and community service for students or graduates are in place in many developing countries, they are concerned for the most part with the personal development of the individual rather than with the potential contribution to society. The paper analyses the aims and content of a broad sample of existing service schemes and considers how they may be refocussed to constitute a from of cost recovery. A final section discusses implementation issues.     

Effect of Overload Warm-up on the Velocity and Accuracy of Throwing

Abstract

Kindergarten boys (N = 12) played in three pieces of nonmoving equipment: wooden pilings, horizontal bars, and a geodesic dome. Movement was measured by use of the spatial dimensions of range, direction, and level and by bases of support as the body factor to determine which piece produced the greatest variety in each dimension and in bases of support. Photographic slides of the 12 subjects, in groups of four, were taken simultaneously by four Nikon motorized F-36 cameras at 5-sec intervals while they moved on the equipment. A flatbed coordinate digitizer plotted the movements of the body parts from raw images into an accurate two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. Computer programs transformed data into a three-dimensional system from which measurements were taken. Data was analyzed by using a three-factor repeated measure ANOVA, binomial proportions tests, Scheffes' tests, Kendall correlation, Wilcoxin T, and chi square. Results were significant at the .05 level and above. The bars elicited the greatest amount of range of movement. The pilings stimulated the most right, left, up, and down directional moves. The dome promoted more movement at a high level. Bases of support utilized were independent of the pieces of equipment used. This study provided evidence that a framework for analyzing movement utilizing Laban's spatial dimensions and the body factor of bases of support is appropriate. It also provided a photographic technique and computer programs to analyze movement in three dimensions.     

Modell, Architektur und Plattform für Informationssysteme mit Kontextbezug

Zusammenfassung. In mobilen Systemen findet Kontext zunehmend Berücksichtigung, um Komponenten mit Informationen zur umgebenden Situation auszustatten. Dieser Beitrag führt ein neues semantisches Modell und eine Architektur für die Nutzung von Kontext in verteilten Systemen ein. Ausgangspunkt ist die Analyse grundlegender Eigenschaften von Kontext, zu denen vor allem orts- und zeitbezogene Relevanz z?hlt. Kontext wird entsprechend als allgemeine Datenstruktur modelliert, in der beliebige Kontextinformation mit Ursprungsort und –zeit sowie r?umlich-zeitlicher Ausbreitungscharakteristik beschrieben wird. Zur Modellierung der Ausbreitung und Verteilung von Kontext im Zeit-Raum-Kontinuum wird das Prinzip der unscharfen Mengen (Fuzzy Logic) herangezogen. Darauf aufbauend wird ein FuzzySpace als Kommunikationsplattform eingeführt, der auf einem Tupelraum aufbaut, für Elemente aber zus?tzlich eine r?umlich-zeitlich definierte Relevanz einführt. über diese Plattform k?nnen Kontextlieferanten, -konsumenten undabstraktoren Kontextinformationen austauschen. Die Verteilung von Kontext im FuzzySpace bleibt für diese Komponenten transparent, was zur Vereinfachung der Anwendungsentwicklung beitr?gt. Eingegangen am 14. Februar 2001 / Angenommen am 22. August 2001     

Methodological issues associated with longitudinal research: Findings from the Leuven Longitudinal Study on Lifestyle,Fitness and Health (1969 – 2004)

Abstract

Longitudinal studies provide unique opportunities but are also faced with several limitations. The purpose of this study was to document three of these issues (“imperfect” design, evolution of data collection methods, representativeness) by means of the Leuven Longitudinal Study on Lifestyle, Fitness and Health (LLSLFH). The LLSLFH (1969 – 2004) comprises observations on males between 12 and 18 years and at 30, 35, 40, and 47 years, and on females at 16 and 40 years. In the most recent phase of the study, spouses and offspring were also included. The different phases and evolving research questions throughout the LLSLFH required an appropriate adaptation of the research design. The associated evolution of data collection methods largely reflects the changing ideas about physical fitness, body composition, and physical activity, the continuing search for new and better measurement techniques, and the need for adaptations with age. Ongoing study participants are representative in terms of body composition and, except for adolescence in males, also physical activity. No straightforward answer can be given concerning physical fitness. In both sexes, socio-economic status is above average. When informed about the possible “pitfalls” of longitudinal research in advance, several measures could be taken to prevent or limit them as much as possible.