Average Walking Time Research Articles

The Effect of Distance to Health-Care Facilities on Childhood Mortality in Rural Burkina Faso

This study aims to investigate the relation between distance to health facilities, measured as continuous travel time, and mortality among infants and children younger than 5 years of age in rural Burkina Faso, an area with low health facility density. The study included 24,555 children born between 1993 and 2005 in the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance System. The average walking time from each village to the closest health facility was obtained for both the dry and the rainy season, and its effect on infant (<1 year), child (1-4 years), and under-5 mortality overall was analyzed by Cox regression. The authors observed 3,426 childhood deaths, corresponding to a 5-year survival of 85%. Walking distance was significantly related to both infant and child mortality, although the shape of this effect varied distinctly between the 2 age groups. Overall, under-5 mortality, adjusted for confounding, was more than 50% higher at a distance of 4 hours compared with having a health facility in the village (P < 0.0001, 2 sided). The region of residence was an additional determinant for under-5 mortality. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of geographic accessibility of health care for child survival in sub-Saharan Africa and demonstrate the need to improve health-care access to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

A case of dementia presenting remarkable improvement in activities of daily living through KAATSU training

The number of patients with dementia is increasing markedly, and effective treatment and methods for prevention are needed. Moderate exercise decreases the progression of dementia. We report a case of dementia presenting remarkable improvement in activities of daily living (ADL) through KAATSU training. The patient was a 78-year-old woman with brain atrophy detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the age of 73. She had a remarkable decrease in ADL and vitality at the age of 76 and was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) at the age of 77. In initial presentation, she had a humpback and Parkinsonian gait. Her muscle strength in the abdomen, lower back, and thighs was remarkably decreased, and her trunk rotation and sense of equilibrium were also reduced. At first, the training protocol was low-intensity resistance exercises using self-weight workouts and KAATSU-walk training. For upper extremities exercises, dynamic movement using the truncal muscle group was performed, and for lower extremities exercises, the sense of equilibrium was stimulated using standing exercises. The load and degree of difficulty were increased gradually. The average 10-meter walk time, the number of steps, and the average timed up and go test time were lower after 6 months than after 2 months. The average bilateral femoral circumference increased after 6 months compared with after 2 months. In conclusion, a patient with FTD performed KAATSU training for 6 months and had a remarkable improvement in motor function. Thus, KAATSU training may be effective in improving ADL in patients with dementia.

Walking for hypertension

Background Increased physical activity has been recommended as an important lifestyle modification for the prevention and control of hypertension. Walking is a low-cost form of physical activity and one which most people can do. Studies testing the effect of walking on blood pressure have revealed inconsistent findings. Objectives To determine the effect of walking as a physical activity intervention on blood pressure and heart rate. Search methods We searched the following databases up to March 2020: the Cochrane Hypertension Specialised Register, CENTRAL (2020, Issue 2), Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, PEDro, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and ClinicalTrials.gov. We also searched the following Chinese databases up to May 2020: Index to Taiwan Periodical Literature System; National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertation in Taiwan; China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) Journals, Theses & Dissertations; and Wanfang Medical Online. We contacted authors of relevant papers regarding further published and unpublished work. The searches had no language restrictions. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials of participants, aged 16 years and over, which evaluated the effects of a walking intervention compared to non-intervention control on blood pressure and heart rate were included. Data collection and analysis We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. Where data were not available in the published reports, we contacted authors. Pooled results for blood pressure and heart rate were presented as mean differences (MDs) between groups with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We undertook subgroup analyses for age and sex. We undertook sensitivity analyses to assess the effect of sample size on our findings. Main results A total of 73 trials met our inclusion criteria. These 73 trials included 5763 participants and were undertaken in 22 countries. Participants were aged from 16 to 84 years and there were approximately 1.5 times as many females as males. The characteristics of walking interventions in the included studies were as follows: the majority of walking interventions was at home/community (n = 50) but supervised (n = 36 out of 47 reported the information of supervision); the average intervention length was 15 weeks, average walking time per week was 153 minutes and the majority of walking intensity was moderate. Many studies were at risk of selection bias and performance bias. Primary outcome We found moderate-certainty evidence suggesting that walking reduces systolic blood pressure (SBP) (MD -4.11 mmHg, 95% CI -5.22 to -3.01; 73 studies, n = 5060). We found moderate-certainty evidence suggesting that walking reduces SBP in participants aged 40 years and under (MD -4.41 mmHg, 95% CI -6.17 to -2.65; 14 studies, n = 491), and low-certainty evidence that walking reduces SBP in participants aged 41 to 60 years (MD -3.79 mmHg, 95% CI -5.64 to -1.94, P Authors' conclusions Moderate-certainty evidence suggests that walking probably reduces SBP. Moderate- or low-certainty evidence suggests that walking may reduce SBP for all ages and both sexes. Low-certainty evidence suggests that walking may reduce DBP and heart rate. Moderate- and low-certainty evidence suggests walking may reduce DBP and heart rate for all ages and both sexes.

Influence of Platform Walking on BRT Station Bus Dwell Time Estimation: Australian Analysis

The common approach to estimate bus dwell time at a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) station platform is to apply the traditional dwell-time methodology derived for suburban bus stops. Current dwell-time models are sensitive toward bus type and fare collection policy along with the number of boarding and alighting passengers. However, they fall short in accounting for the effects of passengers walking on a relatively longer BRT station platform. Analysis presented in this paper shows that the average walking time of a passenger at a BRT platform is 10 times more than that of a bus stop. The requirement of walking to the bus entry door at the BRT station platform may lead to the bus experiencing a higher dwell time. This paper presents a theory for a BRT network that explains the loss of station capacity during peak period operation. It also highlights shortcomings of present available bus dwell-time models suggested for the analysis of BRT operation.

Effects of Medication on Turning Deficits in Individuals with Parkinson's Disease

People with Parkinson's disease often have difficulty executing turns. To date, most studies of turning have examined subjects ON their anti-Parkinson medications. No studies have examined what specific aspects of turning are modified or remain unchanged when medication is administered. The purpose of this study was to determine how anti-Parkinson medications affect temporal and spatial features of turning performance in individuals with Parkinson's disease. We examined turning kinematics in 10 people with Parkinson's disease who were assessed both OFF and ON medication. For both conditions, participants were evaluated with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor subscale, rated how well their medication was working on a visual analog scale, and performed straight-line walking and 180-degree in-place turns. We determined the average walking velocity, time and number of steps to execute turns, sequence of yaw rotation onsets of the head, trunk, and pelvis during turns, and amplitudes of yaw rotation of the head, trunk, and pelvis during turns. Medication significantly improved the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores (P = 0.02), visual analog scale ratings (P = 0.03), and walking velocity (P = 0.02). Although improvements in turning were not statistically significant, medication did reduce the time and number of steps required to turn, slightly increased the amplitudes of yaw rotation of the various segments, and increased the rotation of the head relative to the other segments. Medication did not improve the timing of segment rotations, which showed en bloc turn initiation in both the OFF and ON medication conditions. These results suggest that only certain aspects of turning may be responsive to anti-Parkinson medications. As such, additional rehabilitative approaches to address turning are needed because turning may not be effectively addressed by pharmacologic approaches. These results should be interpreted cautiously given the small sample size.

Daily walking performance as an independent predictor of advanced heart failure: Prediction of exercise capacity in chronic heart failure

The purpose of this study was to use an accelerometer to measure daily walking performance in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) to investigate if this parameter is a determinant of New York Heart Association class and indicative of maximal and functional exercise capacity. Fifty patients with CHF were instructed to wear an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days while going about their daily business. Maximal and functional exercise capacity was assessed by cardiopulmonary (VO(2peak)) and 6-minute walk testing, respectively. Patients in New York Heart Association I, II, and III reached an average total walking time (TWT) of 160.6 +/- 35.8 minutes, 133.9 +/- 59.0 minutes, and 76.1 +/- 22.5 minutes per day of which 19%, 19%, and 9% where spent in the fast walking mode (>83 m/minute), respectively. The TWT correlated strongly with VO(2peak) (r = 0.72; P <.001) and 6-minute walk testing distance (r = 0.68; P <.001). The TWT and time spent in fast walking mode were the strongest determinants in discriminating moderate CHF. Daily walking performance is a clear determinant of maximal and functional exercise capacities in patients with CHF. Walking intensity in particular is an independent predictor in discriminating patients with advanced heart failure. Monitoring of daily walking performance might aid in detecting disease progression and improve clinical outcome.

Walking Habits in Elderly Widows

Walking habits were studied in 3 groups of elderly widows. The average walking time per week was calculated from interviews or questionnaires. There was in a small studied group a tendency for walking time to be lower at 3 and 12 months after loss than at 4 or 5 years. An increased odds ratio was demonstrated in larger groups of widows for walking less than 120 minutes per week in those who "did not feel healthy," or who had "musculoskeletal health problems," or "cardiovascular health problems." Widows from a population-based study also showed increased odds ratio for not walking as long with "lack of friends" and "not being active in associations." This was not found in married women from the population study. Our results indicate that newly bereaved women may reduce their physical activity, and that the change in exercise habits may be associated with reduced perception of being healthy and a decreased social network.

An analysis of the accessibility of video lottery terminals: the case of Montréal

BackgroundResearchers and public health officials in Canada, the United States and Australia have for some time noted broader geographic accessibility to gambling establishments, above all in socioeconomically underprivileged communities. This increase in availability could lead to more and more gambling problems. This article focuses, in an ecological perspective, in particular on a spatial analysis of the geographic accessibility of sites possessing a VLT permit in the Montréal area, i.e. Montréal Island, the South Shore and Laval, from the standpoint of the development of an indicator of the vulnerability (socioeconomic components and demographic components) to gambling of populations at the level of certain neighbourhood units (dissemination areas). With the recent development of geographic information systems (GIS), it is now possible to ascertain accessibility to services much more accurately, for example by taking into account the configuration of the road network.ResultsThe findings of our analysis reveal widespread geographic accessibility to sites possessing a VLT permit in the downtown area and in pericentral districts. In some neighbourhood units, a site possessing a VLT permit may be within a three-minute walk. In the region studied overall, average walking time to a VLT site is nine minutes. Access to this type of service on foot is usually limited in the outskirts. However, a number of groups of sites possessing VLT permits are found along certain axial highways. According to local spatial self-correlation analyses, the findings suggest a significant link between walking accessibility to sites possessing VLT permits and the vulnerability of the communities. In a number of neighbourhood units with ready access to VLT's the populations display high vulnerability.ConclusionThese findings reveal that accessibility to sites possessing a VLT permit is often linked to the vulnerability (socioeconomic and demographic components) of communities. Reliance in our analyses on neighbourhood units with fairly small areas enabled us to emphasize the rectilinear dimension of the spatial distribution of sites possessing VLT permits. This is a significant link that public health officials must consider when elaborating programs to combat pathological gambling.

Accurate nerve orientation before microendoscopic discectomy for lumber disc prolapse

To assess the safety and efficiency of using computerized tomography myelography (CTM) and computerized tomography discography (CTD) to accurately orientate the nerve before micro endoscopic discectomy (MED). Eighty-seven patients with lumber disc prolapse, 54 males and 33 females, aged 35.6 +/- 3.0, underwent MED. Before operation, 85 patients underwent CTM, 11 patients underwent CTD, and 2 were treated with nerve root opacification and blockade. The effects, including the rate of improved JOA score (RIS), numerical analogous pain score (NAPS) of low back, Odom's standard, blood loss during operation, start walking time, etc. were observed. The JOA score was 18.2 +/- 3.3 before operation, and increased to 23.8 +/- 4.6 during the follow-up, with a JOA improvement rate of 58.7% +/- 4.2%. According to the Odom's standard, the outcome was excellent in 59 cases, good in 26 cases, OK in 3 cases, and poor in 1 case, with an excellence rate of 95.5%. The value of NAPS was 1.8 +/- 0.4 before operation, not significantly different from that during follow-up (1.7 +/- 0.3, P = 0.607). The average start walking time after operation was (2.38 +/- 0.21) days, the average recovery time was (12.1 +/- 2.2) days, the incision size was (1.86 +/- 0.04) cm, the surgical time was (72.2 +/- 12.4) min, and the average blood loss during operation was (47.5 +/- 4.6) ml. Using CTM and CTD to accurately orientate the diseased disc and nerve root before MED decreases the possibility of nerve damage, operation time and blood loss during operation, and improves the outcomes, so it is recommendable.

Creatine supplementation and physical training in patients with COPD: A double blind, placebo-controlled study

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have low exercise capacity and low content of high energetic phosphates in their skeletal muscles. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether creatine supplementation together with exercise training may increase physical performance compared with exercise training in patients with COPD. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 23 patients with COPD (forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1] < 70% of predicted) were randomized to oral creatine (n = 13) or placebo (n = 10) supplementation during an 8-week rehabilitation programme including exercise training. Physical performance was assessed by Endurance Shuttle Walking Test (ESWT), dyspnea and leg fatigue with Borg CR- 10, quality of life with St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). In addition, lung function test, artery blood gases, grip strength test, muscle strength and fatigue in knee extensors were measured. COPD patients receiving creatine supplementation increased their average walking time by 61% (ESWT) (p < 0.05) after the training period compared with 48% (p = 0.07) in the placebo group. Rated dyspnea directly after the ESWT decreased significantly from 7 to 5 (p < 0.05) in the creatine group. However, the difference between the groups was not statistically significant neither in walking time nor in rated dyspnea. Creatine supplementation did not increase the health related quality of life, lung function, artery blood gases, grip strength and knee extensor strength/fatigue. Oral creatine supplementation in combination with exercise training showed no significant improvement in physical performance, measured as ESWT, in patients with COPD compared with exercise training alone.

Estimation of shape factors in fractured reservoirs

This paper describes a procedure for calculating the matrix–fracture transfer shape factor for dual porosity models for fractured reservoirs. The procedure is implemented in 3D and uses the Continuous Time Random Walk (CTRW) method. In previous works the method has been implemented only in 2D and has required a mesh produced by triangulation of the 2D fracture network. The CTRW method used here is extended to 3D in a simpler implementation with rectangular grid cells, which significantly reduces computation effort, but otherwise relies on the same principles. The method is based on modelling of random walk of particles through the matrix media. For each particle the random walk is terminated when the particle encounters a fracture and the random walk time is recorded. The average random walk time for many particles is used for calculating the shape factor for the investigated volume. The calculated shape factor with this new method is compared with analytical estimates for idealized regular networks of fractures, and with flow simulation-derived shape factors for more realistic fracture networks. The results demonstrate that the new method reproduces analytical and numerical results in simple fracture models from other studies and, furthermore, is capable of analysing very complex 3D fracture models and their properties. The method has potential in traditional dual porosity simulation in oil and gas studies, and also in transport modelling where diffusion processes are the driving force in exchange between matrix and fractures. The method also has potential as a general characterization tool in fractured rock systems, where the shape factor and its distribution can be used as a qualitative descriptor of the rock matrix block-geometry and as an indicator of the behaviour of matrix–fracture exchange processes.

Hip-Spine Syndrome

The influence of the pathologic state of the hip joint on the total sagittal alignment of the spine was investigated in patients with congenital hip dislocation retrospectively The purpose of this study was to analyze the total sagittal alignment of the spine and the clinical symptoms in patients with bilateral congenital hip dislocation. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND OF DATA: Abnormality in the hip joint causes abnormal curvature of the sagittal alignment of the spine and induces lumbago or lower leg pain. However, there have been no reports on the influence of bilateral congenital hip dislocation on the sagittal alignment of the spine. A total of 9 patients (8 females and 1 male) were analyzed. Their average age was 57 years (range, 46-68 years). We measured the thoracic kyphosis (T1-T12), the lumbar lordosis (L1-S), the sacral inclination (SI), the femoral flexion angle (FFA), pelvic angulation (PA), and the distances from the pelvic hip axis (HA) to the C7 plumb line and from the promontorium to the C7 plumb line. To evaluate clinical symptoms, we used the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score of low back pain (full score is 29 points) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for lower back pain and lower leg pain, and the possible time of walking without rest. The average thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, SI, and PA were 42 degrees , -78 degrees , 68 degrees , and 27 degrees , respectively. The FFA averaged 10 degrees , leading to a duck-like posture. The distances from HA and, promontorium to the C7 plumb line averaged -2 cm and 4 cm, respectively. A posterior shift of the gravity line with respects to the hips was compensated for by lumbar hyperlordosis, which led to a posterior shift of the center of the spine. Regarding the clinical symptoms, the JOA score averaged 20 points and the VAS for lower back pain (lumbago) and lower leg pain averaged 6.4 and 3.1, respectively. The average possible walking time without rest was 20 minutes. The total sagittal alignment of the spine in patients with bilateral hip dislocation was compensated for by anterior angulation of the pelvis and by lumbar hyperlordosis. The main clinical symptoms were lower back pain, and not lower leg pain.

Value of accessibility to Bogotá's bus rapid transit system

With several successful cases world‐wide, bus rapid transit (BRT) has reemerged as a cost‐effective transportation alternative for urban mobility. Despite the resurgence of BRT, there is a world‐wide paucity of research examining its ability to spur and development. By estimating spatial hedonic price functions, the paper determines the extent to which access to BRT stations in Bogotá, Colombia, currently are capitalized into land values. Results suggest that for every 5 min of additional walking time to a BRT station, the rental price of a property decreases by between 6.8 and 9.3%, after controlling for structural characteristics, neighbourhood attributes and proximity to the BRT corridor. Evaluated at the average walking time to a BRT station, this effect translates into an elasticity of between − 0.16 and − 0.22. Although these estimates cannot be attributable directly to the presence of the BRT system because a cross‐sectional design is used, they suggest that the land market in Bogotá values access to BRT station locations.

Effects of Pacing vs. Nonpacing on a One-Mile Walk Test in Adults with Mental Retardation

The purpose was to compare heart rates and completion times of adults with MR after performing a 1-mi walk test with and without a pacer. Fifteen participants (8 males, 7 females) with mild or moderate mental retardation (M age = 38.8 years ± 10.2) performed the test a minimum of two times with a pacer and two times without a pacer. Analysis of variance revealed no significant difference between genders; thus data were combined for further analysis. Intraclass reliability coefficients (R) for walk time with a pacer, walk time without a pacer, heart rate with a pacer, and heart rate without a pacer were .99, .99, .91, and .95, respectively. Results indicated that the average walk times for the pacer and no pacer conditions were significantly different, t (14) = 3.11, p = .008. The pacer condition resulted in a faster average walk time by approximately 1 min; however, there was no significant difference between conditions on heart rate. Therefore, it is recommended that, when having adults with MR perform a walk test, a pacer should be used to assure maximum performance.

Performance of the timed token scheme in MAP

Two new analytic approximations are given for the mean delay in the timed token bus network specified in MAP (manufacturing automation protocol). Each station on the network has two kinds of timer for controlling the maximum amount of time for data transfer before giving up the token. High-priority stations would set large values in the token holding timer (THT) and transmit until the timer expires. Low-priority stations compare the elapsed time since the last token arrival (measured cycle time) to the token rotation timer (TRT) setting, and transmit only for the time left in the timer. The first approximation, based on Fuhrmann's bound for the limited-k service discipline, is for the symmetric case where all the stations have the same traffic load and the identical THT or TRT settings. The approximation has been compared to simulation results, and found to be quite accurate for a representation factory network, with THT or TRT set at two and five times the average total walk time. The second approximation is for the asymmetric case where there is one saturated low-priority (limited-TRT) station, and the rest of the stations in the network have high priority with limited-THT service. These two formulas will be useful in the planning and operation of MAP networks by providing guidance in the choice of timer settings for meeting different priority service requirements. >