Search results for "Exercise."

Factors behind Leisure-Time Physical Activity Behavior Based on Finnish Twin Studies : The Role of Genetic and Environmental Influences and the Role …

2014

Different approaches are being taken to clarify the role of various factors in the development of physical activity behaviors. Genetic studies are a new area of physical activity research and also the motives for physical activity have been widely studied. The purpose of this paper is to review the findings emerging from the longitudinal genetic studies on leisure-time physical activity and to evaluate the associations between motivational factors and leisure-time physical activity. The focus is to review recent findings of longitudinal Finnish twin studies. The results of the latest longitudinal Finnish twin studies point to the existence of age-specific genetic and environmental influence…

Finnish Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of Perceived Competence in Early Childhood Physical Education

2021

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) teachers have a central role in supporting young children’s physical activity (PA) and overall development in the early years. However, the value of early childhood education teacher training (ECETT) programmes is not widely understood. This study aimed to investigate pre-service teachers’ perceptions of perceived competence when (1) supporting a child’s PA, (2) teaching PE, and (3) observing and assessing a child’s motor skills and PA. These self-evaluations were compared with a range of individual, educational, and behavioural characteristics. Final-year Bachelor degree pre-service teachers (n = 274

Gut Microbiota, Microbial Metabolites and Human Physical Performance

2021

Trillions of microbes inhabiting the gut modulate the metabolism of the host. Cross-sectional studies have reported associations between physical performance and the gut microbiota (GM). Physical activity seems to increase GM diversity and the abundance of certain health-beneficial microbes. We reviewed the evidence from longitudinal studies on the connection between physically active lifestyle or long-term exercise interventions and the GM. We made literature searches using databases of Web of Science and PubMed Medline to collect human studies showing or not the associations between the GM and exercise. Many controversies exist in the studies. However, the longitudinal studies show that f…

Protecting against sedentary lifestyle, left atrial enlargement and atrial fibrillation.

2022

Global sensitivity analysis of a filtration model for submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR)

2014

The results of a global sensitivity analysis of a filtration model for submerged anaerobic MBRs (AnMBRs) are assessed in this paper. This study aimed to (1) identify the less- (or non-) influential factors of the model in order to facilitate model calibration and (2) validate the modelling approach (i.e. to determine the need for each of the proposed factors to be included in the model). The sensitivity analysis was conducted using a revised version of the Morris screening method. The dynamic simulations were conducted using long-term data obtained from an AnMBR plant fitted with industrial-scale hollow-fibre membranes. Of the 14 factors in the model, six were identified as influential, i.e…

HybridPLAY: A New Technology to Foster Outdoors Physical Activity, Verbal Communication and Teamwork

2015

This paper presents HybridPLAY, a novel technology composed of a sensor and mobile-based video games that transforms urban playgrounds into game scenarios. With this technology we aim to stimulate physical activity and playful learning by creating an entertaining environment in which users can actively participate and collaborate. HybridPLAY is different from other existing technologies that enhance playgrounds, as it is not integrated in them but can be attached to the different elements of the playgrounds, making its use more ubiquitous (i.e., not restricted to the playgrounds). HybridPLAY was born in 2007 as an artistic concept, and evolved after different phases of research and testing …

A fuzzy-logic-based controller for methane production in anaerobic fixed-film reactors

2017

The main objective of this work was to develop a controller for biogas production in continuous anaerobic fixed-bed reactors, which used effluent total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration as control input in order to prevent process acidification at closed loop. To this aim, a fuzzy-logic-based control system was developed, tuned and validated in an anaerobic fixed-bed reactor at pilot scale that treated industrial winery wastewater. The proposed controller varied the flow rate of wastewater entering the system as a function of the gaseous outflow rate of methane and VFA concentration. Simulation results show that the proposed controller is capable to achieve great process stability ev…

Modelling the metabolic shift of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms

2014

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) is one of the most important methods of phosphorus removal in municipal wastewater treatment plants, having been described by different modelling approaches. In this process, the PAOs (polyphosphate accumulating organisms) and GAOs (glycogen accumulating organisms) compete for volatile fatty acids uptake under anaerobic conditions. Recent studies have revealed that the metabolic pathways used by PAOs in order to obtain the energy and the reducing power needed for polyhydroxyalkanoates synthesis could change depending on the amount of polyphosphate stored in the cells. The model presented in this paper extends beyond previously developed metaboli…

Dewaterability of CAS and MBR Sludge: Effect of Biological Stability and EPS Composition

2018

The dewaterability of sludge from two conventional activated sludge (CAS) and three membrane bioreactor (MBR)-based wastewater treatment plants is investigated prior to and after anaerobic digestion. The concentration and composition of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) mostly affect the dewaterability of all raw sludge samples. Better sludge dewaterability is observed when the concentration of proteins, carbohydrates, uronic acids, and humic acids is below approximately 400, 250, 200, and 40 mg/L, respectively. In contrast, the specific resistance to filtration (SRF) increases in the sludge samples with a higher EPS concentration. The MBR results in a lower EPS production and a uron…

Fate of endocrine disruptor compounds in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) coupled to an activated sludge reactor

2018

[EN] The occurrence and fate of three groups of micropollutants - alkylphenols, pentachlorophenol and hormones - were studied in a pilot plant consisting of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) coupled to an activated sludge reactor (University of Cape Town configuration - UCT). Under anaerobic conditions, the octylphenol and technical-nonylphenol soluble concentrations increased producing negative degradation ratios (i.e., -175 and -118%, respectively). However, high 4-n-nonylphenol and bisphenol-A degradation ratios (92 and 59% for 4-n-nonylphenol and bisphenol-A, respectively) as well as complete pentachlorophenol, estrone, 17 beta-estradiol and 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol removal were…