Physical Planning Research Articles

The Effects of Integrative Palliative Oncology on Health System Burden

Background: Early integration of palliative care in oncology has been shown to benefit patients on an individual level, especially regarding mood and quality of life. These patients both have a difficult disease course – where palliative care can help with interpersonal, spiritual, physical, and care planning concerns – and represent a substantial burden on inpatient facilities like intensive care units and emergency departments. This study explores relationships between early palliative oncology, patient healthcare experience, and broader burden on the health system. 
 Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed comparing oncology patients at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, IN. Cohort A (200 patients) received palliative care along with standard oncology care while cohort B (200 patients) received standard oncology care alone. Post-diagnosis emergency department visits, inpatient stays, and intensive care unit stays were compared. So were in-hospital deaths, referrals to hospice, and record of advance care planning documents. 
 Results: Two endpoints evaluated by Chi2 analysis were statistically significant (p values <0.01): Cohort A was more likely than cohort B to be referred to hospice (79.5% vs 31.5%) and more likely to have advance care planning documents on file (38.5% vs 21%). Additionally, a T-test showed statistically significant difference (p=.001) for inpatient stays post-palliative care encounter versus patients who had no palliative care (1.75 vs 2.41). 
 Conclusion: This study shows correlation between integrated oncology care with patients filing ACP documents and being referred to hospice. Additionally, it finds that cancer patients who visit the palliative care office have fewer inpatient stays after their visit than those who don’t visit at all. 
 Future Implications: Future studies in this area should explore the latter finding from new perspectives, perhaps focusing on the differences between palliative care visit promptly after diagnosis/staging and palliative care implemented long after diagnosis/staging or not administered at all.

Tripartite relationship of urban planning, city growth, and health for sustainable development in Akure, Nigeria

We live in an urban planet. As the world continues to urbanize, urban development that support the health and wellbeing of city dwellers is far more important than ever before to achieve sustainable development targets. This study explores the complex relationship among urban planning, city growth, and health as critical drivers of sustainable development in the rapidly growing nodal city of Akure, Nigeria. The study provides a four-decade spatio-temporal model of urban Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes in Akure between the years 1984 and 2023 from acquired Landsat satellite imageries. The result shows more than 20% net change increase in developed LULC classes between the study years. A strong positive correlation exists between the years covered in the analyses and urban development (r = 0.93, p = 0.002), and a strong negative relationship with the forest land use (r = −0.94, p = 0.002) with potential debilitating impacts on residents’ health, green infrastructures and the city’s sustainability in the future. Furthermore, results of key informant interviews (KIIs) of officials of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development (MPPUD) in Akure, Ondo State, unveil various views on the “place of health” in urban planning practices in Akure. A lack of synergy between urban planners and public health practitioners in the city and limiting scope of functions of urban planning on the impact of health in Akure were observed. Thus, we recommend the integration of a sustainable urban planning approach as a guide to manage the city.

Determinants of housing and environmental conditions in a medium-sized city in Osun State, Southwestern Nigeria

ABSTRACT The study examined the factors influencing housing and its environmental conditions as well as the relationships between residential building types and their environmental conditions in Inisa, Southwestern Nigeria. Data were obtained through a questionnaire survey of 800 (about 10%) respondents using a systematic random sampling technique. Results indicated that there is a significant variation between building types and housing conditions (χ2=81.834, df=2, p-value=0.000); and between environmental and housing conditions (χ2=73.776, df=1, p-value=0.000). The study also found that four variables (Number of Households in Building; House Ownership; Household Size; and Car Ownership) significantly contributed to the classification of respondents into membership groups of the ‘Poor Housing' group and ‘Good Housing’ group in the binary logistic regression. To improve the housing and environmental conditions of medium-sized cities in Nigeria, the study advocates the Physical Development Plan as a spatial base for urban economic revitalization and environmental regeneration strategies.

Physical Activity in the Classroom for Students with ADHD

To combat the ever-increasing number of symptoms of ADHD in the classroom, this article suggests a few strategies and a one-week physical activity plan for educators to adopt during the school day. These strategies are easily implemented, requiring no additional equipment, tools or extra time.

An analysis of physical planning perspective of the implications of traffic congestion in the central area of Osogbo

This study analyzes the physical planning perspective of the implication of traffic congestion in the central area of Osogbo to investigate the socio-economic lifestyle of commuters and Identify the implication of traffic congestion within the study area. The study annexed both primary and secondary sources for data collection. The study adopts a 3% sampling study out of the total traffic count of 19745 respondents that ply the road; this therefore amounted to 364 respondents from the 7 selected junctions in the area. The results of the finding show that the population growth, lack of road infrastructure and parking facilities are physical planning perspectives on the implication of traffic congestion in the study area. The result also shows that the socio-economic status of respondents influences the condition of traffic congestion. The study concludes and makes recommendations such as the need for public enlightenment / regular education of road users in the study area on the need to use traffic control devices, the need to decongest activities in the central area of Osogbo to reduce the number of travel to the area, construction of proper and consistent bus terminals which are not too far apart within the city, enforcing the use of alternate routes to minimize the number of traffic within the city centre during the peak hour of the day. The study recommends the provision of a parking plaza strategically within the area to curb the problem of on-street parking. Keywords: Central area, congestion, implication, physical planning and perceptive.

Incorporating landscape ecological approach in machine learning classification for agricultural land-use mapping based on a single date imagery

Land-use maps containing crop rotational information are very important in land management and physical planning. Such maps are usually generated using multitemporal data. Although recent technology allows analysts to process multitemporal information effectively, the use of single date imagery for such purpose is more efficient. This study aimed to map detailed agricultural land-use with crop rotational information based on a single date Landsat 8 imagery and SRTM-derived terrain attributes. A landscape ecological approach assuming the influence of terrain characteristics on the existence of crop and land-use types was implemented in multisource classification using random decision forest (RDF) machine learning algorithm. The use of seven optical bands and five terrain attributes could provide a land-use map at 88.03% accuracy, compared to seven optical bands only that generate 82.45% accuracy. These results are also better than those of maximum likelihood. The most influential variables in the achieved accuracy are elevation and thermal band.

Directions of change in the spatial policies of Polish border municipalities during the first year of war in Ukraine, 2022

Local-level spatial policies in Poland are determined by diverse social, economic, political and environmental factors. On the one hand, they result from the specific characteristics of individual areas. On the other, however, supra-local factors are found to be playing an increasingly important role. These can include trends related to the Europeanisation of spatial planning and the associated promoted institutional changes and changes in planning practices. However, from February 2022 onwards, certain European countries in particular have seen another important factor has come into play, i.e. the war in Ukraine. It thus seems legitimate to verify how the fundamental change in the geopolitical situation, i.e. the location in the immediate vicinity of a victim state (Ukraine), an aggressor state (Russia) and an aggressor-friendly state (Belarus), along with a number of related consequences (including a change in the nature of border capacity, a sense of insecurity, potential changes in investment policy, etc.) determine the directions local spatial policies have been taking. The main purpose of the article is to diagnose the current planning situation of units of local-government administration along Poland’s eastern border by reference to two groups of issues: (1) concerning the state of progress of planning work, as well as (2) the impact of the outbreak of war in Ukraine on changes in spatial policy (perforce ancillary, given the small number of responses received). The source of the data were annual surveys of the Ministry of Development and Technology and Statistics Poland regarding the advancement of planning work at the level of the Polish gmina, as well and a survey addressed to all 77 such units of local administration located by the border. Particular reference was made to the application of spatial-planning instruments at the local level (studies of spatial planning conditions and directions, local spatial development plans and decisions on development conditions – with the analyses concerning the period before the major July 2023 amendment of spatial planning law). Particular attention was paid to the frequency of enactment of individual acts, with this being related to both earlier periods and trends in Poland as a whole. The research finds that the relatively high level of activity shown by some of the surveyed gminas in amending/updating spatial planning studies and spatial / physical development plans may not be related to the outbreak of war in Ukraine. The Polish spatial-planning system in fact lacks instruments by which to react flexibly and ensure the integration of development policies (as is particularly necessary when a crisis erupts).

Effectiveness of Träbert current in a physiotherapy program for the management of musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionTräbert current (TC) is a physical therapy resource described for the management of musculoskeletal pain (MSP). It combines the effects of galvanism and sensory stimulation, offering various analgesic applications, although it seems that the studies that support its effectiveness are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of TC in a physical therapy plan for the management of MSP.MethodsElectronic databases reviewed included Medline (via PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, Science Direct, and PEDro (last updated January 12, 2024). Randomised clinical trials (RCTs) comparing TC with other physical therapy interventions were included. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria and were analysed qualitatively, while five contributed to the meta-analysis. The clinical conditions treated included knee osteoarthritis, low back pain (LBP), and epicondylalgia. The risk of bias and internal validity was evaluated using the Rob2 tool (Cochrane) and the PEDro scale.ResultsRCTs were rated as having favourable internal validity (PEDro), despite a lack of concealed allocation and blinding, resulting in an unclear risk of bias on D2 and D5 (Rob2). The studies reported a decrease in pain and disability for the experimental groups (p < 0.05), although the meta-analysis revealed a non-significant pooled effect for the standardised mean difference (SMD = 0.2–0.5, p > 0.05) in favour of the controls and with heterogeneity between the studies (I2 = 50–75%).ConclusionsTC seems to be effective for the management of MSP, although it is necessary to improve the quality of the clinical trials to conduct a conclusive quantitative analysis. Key words: systematic review, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, electrical stimulation therapy, Träbert current, musculoskeletal pain, musculoskeletal diseases

Successful Routine Cervical Cancer Screening Facilitated by Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy for a Woman With Developmental Disability and a History of Trauma: Case Report

Background: Women with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are not getting routine cervical cancer screens at the recommended frequency, limiting opportunities for early detection and treatment of cervical cancer. Pelvic floor physical therapy plans of care can be used to successfully address this health care disparity. Case Description: This is the case of a patient who had diagnoses of developmental delay, oppositional defiant disorder, attention-deficit disorder, unilateral hearing loss, and a history of trauma. The patient was referred by her primary care physician after a halted first pelvic examination due to tension of the patient's pelvic floor and her overall discomfort and dissociation from the session. Clinical findings revealed pelvic floor tension. Interventions were employed over the course of 18 sessions. Outcomes: Sessions focused on education, positioning, relaxation, and graded vaginal dilator insertion while keeping the patient engaged to prevent dissociation. The patient showed minimal clinically important differences on the Patient-Specific Functional Scale, met the short- and long-term goals including undergoing a pain-free pelvic examination, and had a significantly decreased pelvic floor resting tone. Discussion: For patients with I/DD, pelvic floor physical therapy can be a valuable tool to help them undergo a successful and pain-free routine cervical cancer screen. It may take longer than typical plans of care, but the outcomes justify the length of the intervention. Practices that promote self-determination are a key to success. Informed consent was obtained and signed by the patient's medical guardian. Video Abstract: Supplemental Digital Content available at: http://links.lww.com/JWHPT/A128

Breast cancer screening outcomes and risk assessment among women of Abha city, Saudi Arabia

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women and the leadingcause of death related to cancers. This study focuses on the screening of breast cancer for earlydetection of breast cancer and identification of risk factors for the development of breast cancer. This cross-sectional study was conducted among the female participants who were registered for the breast cancer screening program conducted by King Khalid University, Abha under the supervision of Family and Community Medicine, Department of College of Medicine. Convenience sampling was done and a total of 331 patients were selected for the study. The collected data were coded and entered into an Excel software (Microsoft Office Excel 2010) database. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 16 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Out of 331 individuals only 3 (0.9%) were diagnosed with breast cancer. Three cases ofinvasive ductal carcinoma were identified among individuals with breast cancer. While 4 (1.2%) individuals had benign findings, such as fibroadenoma, ductal ectasia, sclerosing adenosis, andtissue fibrosis. Past surgical history, past radiotherapy/chemotherapy, and maternal problemsduring pregnancy were significantly associated with varying levels of breast cancer risk. Breastcomplaints show a significant association with breast cancer indicating the need for furtherinvestigation. Findings from physical examinations, mammography reports, breast ultrasound, biopsy referrals, biopsy results, and management plans all show significant relationships withbreast cancer risk. Our study findings indicate the need for health education for the prevention of breastcancer risk factors and the implementation of regular screening programs for the early detectionof the disease in the community.

Sustainable Urban Planning and Development: A Systematic Review of Policies and Practices in Nigeria

This study provides a systematic review of sustainable urban planning and development policies and practices in Nigeria, analyzing their effectiveness, challenges, and successes. The Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act and the National Physical Development Plan form the core of the country's urban planning framework, aimed at promoting balanced regional growth and environmental sustainability. Through an in-depth analysis, the study reveals significant regional disparities, with major cities like Lagos and Abuja leading in infrastructure development and housing availability but falling short in environmental sustainability. Key barriers to effective implementation include inadequate funding, weak institutional capacity, and corruption. Despite these challenges, successful initiatives such as the Eko Atlantic City project and the Abuja Mass Transit Project demonstrate the potential for sustainable urban development through comprehensive planning, stakeholder collaboration, and local adaptation. The study underscores the importance of integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations into urban planning and offers practical recommendations for policymakers and practitioners. By comparing Nigerian practices with global examples, the study identifies valuable lessons and provides a foundation for future research and innovation in sustainable urban development.

MODERN TRENDS IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SPECIALIST TRAINING IN UKRAINE

The article defines the goal, which is the systematization of modern trends in occupational therapy specialist training (physical rehabilitation, physical therapy combined with human health, etc.), who can independently and consciously choose priority areas of activity, realize professional responsibility for the organization and results of their work, approach creatively to predict work results and plan strategies and technologies for their achievement, acquire and consolidate skills and abilities; develop and implement an individual rehabilitation plan in cooperation with other specialists in the multidisciplinary team and the patient; describe violations of the functioning of organs and systems of the human body; independently and creatively apply acquired knowledge, and carry out scientific, administrative and advisory activities.
 These trends include: the usage of the latest technologies, such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, TV-rehabilitation, and others, to improve rehabilitation processes and ensure more effective and individualized treatment methods (technology integration); attention to the development of individualized rehabilitation programs that take into account the unique needs and characteristics of each preson (individualization of activities); establishment of cooperation of specialists in various fields (physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers, etc.) to create comprehensive rehabilitation programs (multidisciplinarity); focus on the development of effective methods of rehabilitation and optimization of resource costs to increase the availability of services (resource matching); providing specialists with modern knowledge and skills necessary for using the latest methods and technologies (pedagogical culture in general); growing attention to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in various spheres of social life, including education, work, and entertainment (strategies of inclusion); creation of programs and initiatives aimed at prevention and early detection of problems to avoid further complications (prevention and early intervention).
 Modern specialists in human health, physical therapy, and occupational therapy are obliged to formulate modern ideas about a person as a bioenergetic being and the relationship of his health with nature and society by assimilating the worldview and methodological foundations of philosophical knowledge, based on knowledge of anatomy, physiology, valeology, using methods of vale-diagnostics and monitoring of physical development, plan professional and educational activities aimed at ensuring the physical development of the individual.

RelJoin: Relative-cost-based selection of distributed join methods for query plan optimization

Selecting appropriate distributed join methods for logical join operations in a query plan is crucial for the performance of data-intensive scalable computing (DISC). Different network communication patterns in the data exchange phase generate varying network communication workloads and significantly affect the distributed join performance. However, most cost-based query optimizers focus on the local computing cost and do not precisely model the network communication cost. We propose a cost model for various distributed join methods to optimize join queries in DISC platforms. Our method precisely measures the network and local computing workloads in different execution phases, using information on the size and cardinality statistics of datasets and cluster join parallelism. Our cost model reveals the importance of the relative size of the joining datasets. We implement an efficient distributed join selection strategy, known as RelJoin in SparkSQL, which is an industry-prevalent distributed data processing framework. RelJoin uses runtime adaptive statistics for accurate cost estimation and selects optimal distributed join methods for logical joins to optimize the physical query plan. The evaluation results on the TPC-DS benchmark show that RelJoin performs best in 62 of the 97 queries and can reduce the average query time by 21% compared with other strategies.1

Tourism, sustainability and environment: a sociological approach to the tourism management of the geographical space and the territory in Spain.

The purpose of this study is to approach the sociological implications of territorial planning in Spain, addressing its implications in the field of Tourism, from an environmental perspective - from the field of sustainability-. In this way, it is based on the knowledge of the essential precepts of Territorial Planning, conceived as a technique, a public-social policy, focused around the processes of physical planning, the organization of economic activities - specifically, in our work, focused on tourism-, and in the territorial development, in its triple dimension, of the set of agents, elements and factors that define the tourism system, in our case in Spain, from the different scalar levels, the basis for the implementation of tourist activities.

General anesthesia for cesarean section in a pregnant woman with systemic vascular malformation: a case report

BackgroundVascular malformations are composed of morphologically abnormal vascular tissue, and when located in the head and neck region, they can make it difficult to secure the airway during general anesthesia.Case presentationA 28-year-old pregnant woman with vascular malformations in the pharynx was scheduled to undergo a cesarean section, for which spinal anesthesia was initially chosen. However, after magnetic resonance imaging results revealed the presence of multiple vascular malformations in the lumbar multifidus muscles, spinal anesthesia was considered to be of high risk. Thus, the patient was subjected to general anesthesia tracheal intubation under sedation, and the course of the surgery was without complications.ConclusionsBecause the pathophysiology and clinical sequelae of vascular malformations may be involved in complications, thorough presurgical evaluation of the patient’s physical condition and careful anesthesia planning should be done.

Physical activity plan to lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients

Physical activity plan to lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients

Antagonistic Integration in the Private Sector-Driven Housing Developments in South Africa

Cities in apartheid South Africa did not exhibit inclusivity traits and city developments thereafter have not differed significantly. Neoliberal urbanism asserts that the city is envisaged as a playing field for the elites, and growing socio-economic inequalities are managed by creating privatised, customised, and networked spaces for consumption by the urban elites. This ideology seeks to enlarge the role of market forces in the housing sector, to increase the role of elites in shaping urban landscapes. This paper, anchored on the theory of neoliberal urbanism, showcases the difficulties of integration and inclusivity in a socio-economically mixed neighbourhoods in post-apartheid SA, using Shaka’s Head in the Ballito area of the KwaDukuza Municipality as the case study. The study engages literature on the production of space to demonstrate how the economically dominant urban classes have maintained hegemony over urban governance and suppressed the efforts of local governments to shape urban neighbourhoods and the interests of the previously disadvantaged groups. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews with role-players in physical planning and human settlements developments and supplemented with household interviews with residents of Shaka’s Head. Research results showed that the type of integration observed in the area can best be described as ‘antagonistic integration’. The paper recommends an increased role of the government in land ownership, physical development, and regulation of private developments. Keywords: Housing, Private developments, Urban communities, Integration, Antagonism

PHysical ACtivity and Aminoacids in MCI: their role in progression towards DEmentia. Study design for “PHACADE”: a monocentric, prospective, non‐pharmacologic interventional study

AbstractBackgroundMild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition in which individuals shows overt cognitive impairment with minimal impairment of instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Individuals with MCI have a 10‐fold increased risk of developing dementia as compared to cognitively normal individuals. Several factors are involved into progression from MCI to dementia and sarcopenia is one of them. Hence, physical exertion is an appropriate treatment for people with MCI. But older adults should integrate physical activity with a nutritional programme. The aim of our project is to evaluate the effect of physical training alone and combined physical training and dietary intervention on MCI progression towards AD.Methodopen‐label single centre trial. It compares two cohorts of patient with MCI during a follow‐up period of 2 years: 200 participants are divided in two cohorts (50 intervention group, 150 control group, 1:3 ratio). Inclusion criteria are being > = 65 years old with a diagnosis of MCI made upt to 6 months before the enrolment. Exclusion criteria are Tinetti Scale score of > = 24, Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) < = 5 and concomitant psychiatric disorders or chronic alcoholism. For each participant in the control group, a twice a week plan of up to 40 minutes of aerobic exertion is conducted by a technician with a degree in sports science belonging to the UOC Medicina dello Sport of AUSL Modena Physical activity programme lasts two months and is scheduled at month 4, and then rescheduled at month 10, month 16 and month 21. In addition to the same twice‐a‐week physical activity exertion plan scheduled for the control group, a supplementation of essential amino acids pharmacological preparation, according to WHO daily ratio is furnished for participants in the intervention group. The main endpoint is to evaluate the efficacy, in terms of incidence rate ratio of developing an overt AD over a 24‐months period.Resultcurrently, the project has been approved by the ethic committe (AOU 0026789/22)) and the enrolment is ongoing.Conclusionthis study will provide more evidence about the efficacy and the feasibility of integrated physical exertion and nutrition programme in MCI population.

Addressing community readiness to promote physical activity in older adults in Germany.

Community-based approaches are promising to promote physical activity in old age. The community readiness (CR) model offers a structured approach to assess community capacities to address a certain health topic before and after implementing an intervention. The objective of this study is to assess whether community-based capacity building for physical activity among the elderly has a lasting effect on CR. Four communities (two sub-urban and two urban) in Northwestern Germany were randomly assigned to either intervention or control group. CR was assessed at three time points (2015, 2018 and 2020) by interviewing local key informants (n = 129). Community capacity building was carried out in the two intervention communities after baseline assessment and included the development and implementation of a local physical activity action plan for elderly. Overall CR scores were calculated and random effects regression analysis was performed to analyze group-by-time interaction. At baseline, the overall CR score was 4.62 (standard deviation (SD) = 0.51) indicating that communities were in the preplanning stage of CR. CR scores in the intervention communities did not significantly increase at follow-up assessments compared to control communities [2018: 4.82, coefficient -0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-0.80; 0.73); 2020: 4.54, coefficient 0.19, 95% CI: (-0.59; 0.97)]. The process evaluation indicated several factors facilitating a successful cooperation with community stakeholders. These included building on existing networks, using a structured approach for developing and implementing a local physical activity action plan for older adults, providing financial support for implementing activities and linking activities to existing community events.

Effectiveness of high-intensity laser therapy in the treatment of patients with frozen shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) in patients with frozen shoulder. PRISMA guidelines were adhered to, and a systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, Science Direct, and PEDro databases (last update: September 4, 2023; search period: December 2022-September 2023). The inclusion criteria encompassed RCTs comparing HILT with other physical therapy interventions in frozen patients with frozen shoulders, with or without sham HILT, assessing pain intensity, shoulder ROM, and disability outcomes. The quality of the RCTs was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, and evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. Five trials met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review and meta-analysis, which pooled results from the visual analog scale (VAS), goniometry, and the shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI). Mean differences (MDs) for pain intensity and disability show a pooled effect in favor of HILT both for VAS (MD = - 2.23cm, 95% CI: - 3.25, - 1.22) and SPADI (MD = - 10.1% (95% CI = - 16.5, - 3.7), changes that are statistical (p < 0.01) and clinical. The MD for flexion (MD = 9.0°; 95% CI: - 2.36°, 20.3°; p = 0.12), abduction (MD = 3.4°; 95% CI: - 6.9°, 13.7°; p = 0.51), and external rotation (MD = - 0.95°; 95% CI: - 5.36°, 3.5°; p = 0.67) does not show statistical and clinical differences between groups after treatment. PI and disability changes were graded as important due to their clinical and statistical results. HILT into a physical therapy plan reduce pain and disability, but it does not outperform conventional physical therapy in improving shoulder ROM. It is suggested that future RCTs compare the effects of HILT and LLLT to assess their possible differences in their analgesic effects.