The ‘spirit of the times’: Fast policy for educational reform in Finland

This article examines the nature of neoliberal influences upon educational policy making in the Finnish education system in recent times. The article draws upon key policy documents, government reports, journal articles and media articles about reforms in the early childhood, basic/compulsory school and vocational education and training sectors to evidence these processes. Analytically, these reforms are understood as instances of what has been referred to as ‘fast policy’. Methodologically, we draw upon principles of zeitgeist analysis to reveal the features and effects of these fast policy influences as they relate to educational provision in Finland. These features and effects include i…

Assessment of muscle strength and muscle function in fibromyalgia

Does adding a 12-month exercise programme to usual care after a rotator cuff repair effect disability and quality of life at 12 months? A randomized controlled trial

Objective: To compare a 12-month home-based exercise programme with usual care for disability and health-related quality of life after rotator cuff repair. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Outpatient physical and rehabilitation medicine clinic. Subjects: Consecutive patients ( n = 67, mean age 54 years) who underwent rotator cuff repairs were randomized into an experimental group (EG) or a usual care group (UCG). Interventions: The UCG received ordinary postoperative instructions, while the EG were given advice and instructions on a shoulder muscle strengthening programme to be undertaken at home. Main measures: Disability was assessed with the American Shoulder and Elbow Surge…

Slow Science: Research and Teaching for Sustainable Praxis

Our purpose in this essay is to examine the nature and significance of what can be called the slow science movement within the contemporary discussion about higher education and scientific research. In broad strokes, slow science can be considered a humble, global and mainly virtual academic underground movement. peerReviewed

Vapaan sivistystyön oppilaitosrakenne ja palvelukyky

Efficacy of a 12-month, monitored home exercise programme compared with normal care commencing 2 months after total knee arthroplasty: A randomized controlled trial

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a delayed home exercise programme compared with normal care after primary total knee arthroplasty. Design: Single-blind, prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Participants: A total of 108 participants (61% females, mean age 69 years [standard deviation 8.7]), were randomized to a home-based exercise group (EG, n=53) or to a control group (CG, n=55). Methods: Two months post-operatively, the EG received a home exercise programme, while the CG received no additional guidance. The outcome measurements were: pain and disability, measured using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC); healthrelated quality of life (HR…

Effects of long-term home-based exercise on health-related quality of life in patients with chronic neck pain: A randomized study with a 1-year follow-up.

To evaluate whether long-term neck and upper body exercises conducted in economical community-based outpatient clinic and home-based settings could improve health-related quality of life (HRQoL)for individuals affected by chronic neck pain. The effect of baseline HRQoL and neck pain values on training adherence was also studied.Subjects (n = 101, 91 women/10 men, mean age 41.0 ± 9.5 years) with chronic non-specific neck pain were randomized to a combined strength-training and stretching-exercise group (CSSG, n = 49) or to a stretching exercise group (SG, n = 52). HRQoL was assessed at baseline and after 12 months using the RAND-36 questionnaire. Comparisons between groups were performed usi…

Effect of neck strength training on health-related quality of life in females with chronic neck pain: a randomized controlled 1-year follow-up study

Abstract Background Chronic neck pain is a common condition associated not only with a decrease in neck muscle strength, but also with decrease in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). While neck strength training has been shown to be effective in improving neck muscle strength and reducing neck pain, HRQoL among patients with neck pain has been reported as an outcome in only two short-term exercise intervention studies. Thus, reports on the influence of a long-term neck strength training intervention on HRQoL among patients with chronic neck pain have been lacking. This study reports the effect of one-year neck strength training on HRQoL in females with chronic neck pain. Methods One hun…

Isometric endurance test of the cervical flexor muscles - Reliability and normative reference values.

Abstract Objective To obtain reference values for the isometric endurance test (IET) of the cervical flexor muscles, investigate its reproducibility, and compare the results with the maximal isometric strength test (MIST) of the cervical flexor muscles. Design Cross-sectional non-comparative study with single group repeated measurements. Methods Altogether 219 healthy females aged 20–59 years volunteered to participate in the study. The IET was performed in the supine position and MIST seated. The reproducibility was evaluated by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and an analysis described by Bland and Altman. The relationship between the two measuring methods was evaluated by Pea…

Vapaan sivistystyön vaikuttavuus ja suuntaviivaopinnot

Adatom Island Diffusion on Metal Fcc(100) Surfaces

We study the energetics and atomic mechanisms of diffusion of adatom islands on fcc(100) metal surfaces. For small islands, we perform detailed microscopic calculations using semi-empirical embedded-atom model and glue potentials in the case of Cu and Al, respectively. Combining systematic saddle-point search methods and molecular statics simulations allows us to find all the relevant transition paths for island motion. In particular, we demonstrate that there are novel many-body mechanisms such as internal row shearing which can, in some cases, control the island dynamics. Next, we show how using the master equation formalism, diffusion coefficients for small islands up to about five atoms…

Assessing physical capacity, disability, and health-related quality of life in neck pain