Books on the topic 'Physical Activity Knowledge'

Regular physical activity and fitness are key contributors to children’s health. It is important to understand sources of variation in phenotypes seen among children and adolescents. It is important to calculate the relative importance of genetic and environmental factors to observed individual differences. Heritability estimates of physical activity vary, depending on sample size and measurement instrument, but the overall importance of environmental factors seems to decrease in adolescence, whereas genetic effects become more prominent. Twin and family studies show that individual differences in maximal oxygen uptake, muscle strength, flexibility, and balance are affected by genetic factors. Some evidence is found for specific genes coding for physical activity and fitness, but children and adolescent studies are limited. Future research should prioritize these target groups as knowledge of the source of individual differences in physical activity and fitness at different time points can optimize the choice and timing of exercise intervention.

Physical activity is consistently associated with favourable physical health1; however, the impact of physical activity on social, psychological, and emotional health is not consistent. Given the importance of these facets of health for children and adolescents, we reviewed the literature, identified important gaps in knowledge, and recommended future research. This review includes recent literature hereby updating the earlier version of this chapter.2

Despite the many health benefits of physical activity (PA), the majority of Latinos do not meet recommended levels of PA. This chapter provides an overview of research on acculturation and PA among adult Latinos in the United States. It identifies gaps in knowledge concerning the association between acculturation and different types of PA, the joint effects of socioeconomic position and acculturation on PA, and research on gender. It suggests several areas for further research related to acculturation and PA, including an exploration of norms, social networks, and broader social contexts. It concludes that although the bulk of evidence indicates that greater acculturation is associated with increased PA, more complex research designs and greater methodological and conceptual rigor are needed to move forward research in this area.

This chapter reviews the prevalence of some of the more common physical and mental impairments and addresses the particular challenges faced by individuals with disabilities who are participating in sports. Although the incidence of sport-significant abnormalities detected amoung able-bodied individuals on preparticipation screening is relatively low (1–3%), the rate may be as high as 40% in disabled populations.9 As such, the injuries that athletes with disabilities are predisposed to and general strategies for prevention are reviewed in this text. In addition, the multitude of benefits that are achieved through physical activity and sport participation are discussed. Some adaptations via adjustments in rules and use of prosthetic devices that allow participation in a more diverse range of athletic activity are also reviewed. Finally, some of the opportunities that exist for athletes with disabilities who wish to participate at high levels of competition such as the Paralympic Games and Special Olympics are highlighted. Given the utility of physical activity for all and the increasing number of athletes with disabilities, it is imperative that health professionals become familiar with the unique challenges faced by these athletes. Knowledge of injuries encountered in this population as well as disability-specific modes of injury prevention is imperative.10

The Physical Geography of South America, the eighth volume in the Oxford Regional Environments series, presents an enduring statement on the physical and biogeographic conditions of this remarkable continent and their relationships to human activity. It fills a void in recent environmental literature by assembling a team of specialists from within and beyond South America in order to provide an integrated, cross-disciplinary body of knowledge about this mostly tropical continent, together with its high mountains and temperate southern cone. The authors systematically cover the main components of the South American environment - tectonism, climate, glaciation, natural landscape changes, rivers, vegetation, animals, and soils. The book then presents more specific treatments of regions with special attributes from the tropical forests of the Amazon basin to the Atacama Desert and Patagonian steppe, and from the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Pacific coasts to the high Andes. Additionally, the continents environments are given a human face by evaluating the roles played by people over time, from pre-European and European colonial impacts to the effects of modern agriculture and urbanization, and from interactions with El Niño events to prognoses for the future environments of the continent.

Chapter 35 gives an understanding of the role of exercise in the functional assessment and clinical management of children with neuromuscular diseases, especially for children with CP and PMD. Current knowledge about exercise capacity and training possibilities with respect to the different fitness components (aerobic power, anaerobic power, muscular strength) will be described as well as the level of physical activity and training recommendations. Practical advice and suggestions are given on how to build up and execute an adapted programme for physical activity, sports, and exercise. Data will be summarized to recognize the possibilities as well as the limits of exercise, and also to permit a regular evaluation and a constant adaptation of a physical activity programme.

An in-depth, up-to-date scholarly reference text for the state of knowledge development in sport, exercise, and performance psychology. The text includes articles that address human performance in sport, performing arts, surgery, firefighting, law enforcement, military operations, and physical activity participation. Topics include an analysis of the factors that influence optimal performance as well as the adoption and maintenance of physical activity for mental and physical health. The breadth of focused scientific peer-reviewed articles provides a reliable source of specialized information to academicians, practitioners, advanced undergraduates and graduate students, and researchers in related fields.

Promoting Active Lifestyles in Schools presents a holistic perspective on physical activity, exposing teachers to a broad spectrum of curricular and noncurricular opportunities to enhance their pupils’ engagement with physical activity, as well as the tools and resources to do it. Through its research-informed, evidence-based practices built on health-related studies from around the world, this book will help teachers broaden their physical activity promotion in school-based environments. Promoting Active Lifestyles in Schools offers the following: • Tried-and-true practical learning activities that help pupils of all ages lead healthy, active lifestyles • Clear explanations of the current thinking and evidence underpinning the practical ideas and activities, helping teachers fully grasp the content and depth of the material • Developmentally appropriate procedures to monitor children’s health, activity and fitness in school, both as individuals and within a cohort • Best practices, illustrated through a diverse range of case studies, to help teachers connect with the information and help their pupils apply it in real life The practical ideas and activities in Promoting Active Lifestyles in Schools will help teachers make a positive difference in the health, well-being and quality of life of their pupils by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, competence and confidence to engage in physically active lifestyles. Schools can use this book to incorporate this important element into the curriculum in a planned and progressive manner that is accessible to all pupils.

Modern lifestyles put a great burden on the human musculoskeletal system. Since 1980, the worldwide prevalence of obesity has tripled in many European countries. Obesity is known to affect both weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing joints due to a combination of mechanical overload and systemic inflammation. On the other hand, both to combat the obesity pandemic and to increase or maintain the quality of life, physical activity and sports are encouraged next to a healthy diet. Although both have a positive influence on cardiovascular risk factors, physical activity and especially sporting activities do lead to increased loading of the active joints and increased risk for joint injuries, which might lead to osteoarthritis development. This chapter provides an overview of the current knowledge on lifestyle risk factors for the development and progression of osteoarthritis as published in recent systematic reviews, complemented with several narrative reviews.

Two scientists and a philosopher aim to show how science both enriches and is enriched by Christian faith. The text is written around four themes: 1. God is a being to be known, not a hypothesis to be tested; 2. We set a high bar on what constitutes good argument; 3. Uncertainty is OK; 4. We are allowed to open up the window that the natural world offers us. This is not a work of apologetics. Rather, the text takes an overview of various themes and gives reactions and responses, intended to place science correctly as a valued component of the life of faith. The difference between philosophical analysis and theological reflection is expounded. Questions of human identity are addressed from philosophy, computer science, quantum physics, evolutionary biology and theological reflection. Contemporary physics reveals the subtle and open nature of physical existence, and offers lessons in how to learn and how to live with incomplete knowledge. The nature and role of miracles is considered. The ‘argument from design’ is critiqued, especially arguments from fine-tuning. Logical derivation from impersonal facts is not an appropriate route to a relationship of mutual trust. Mainstream evolutionary biology is assessed to be a valuable component of our understanding, but no exploratory process can itself fully account for the nature of what is discovered. To engage deeply in science is to seek truth and to seek a better future; it is also an activity of appreciation, as one may appreciate a work of art.

The topic of women’s competition has gained recent momentum, as evidenced by the proliferation of articles in the scientific literature. There has been a considerable body of new research highlighting competition in several domains, including access to and retention of mates, access to resources related to mothering, interaction with virtual media, issues faced in the workplace, and engagement with sport and physical activity. The chapters in this volume provide a definitive view on the contemporary state of knowledge regarding women’s competition. The majority of chapters rely on an evolutionary framework; other chapters argue that sociocultural sources shape women’s competition. While the book is primarily about women, some contributors focus on issues faced by adolescent girls, or mention developmental trajectories for young girls through adulthood. It is hoped that the information within this volume will serve as a source of inspiration to help guide future directions for research.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, with at least half a million women developing the disease each year. This chapter details the significance of infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) as the main risk factor, and summarizes current knowledge on additional risk factors of significance including tobacco use, oral contraceptives, parity, and other sexually transmitted infections such as HIV. For other factors such as diet, BMI, and physical activity, impact on risk appears limited. The chapter outlines both the importance of cervical cytological screening in reducing the incidence of this cancer form and the latest prevention opportunities for the disease that have emerged since the realization of its infectious cause, namely, HPV vaccination and HPV-based screening. It also describes that access to these cervical cancer prevention strategies is as yet unequally distributed across the world, especially in those regions that may be in largest need.

As the first chapter, Terán, Cisneros and Gutiérrez present Knowledge of health personnel about HPV screening tests: a systematic review, as second chapter, González, Meraz, Chávez and González will discuss Health Risk Behaviors and Emotional State of Medical Students as third chapter, Aguilar, Morado, Villada and Tovar present Early trauma as conditioning of psychopathology in adult women, as fourth chapter, Torre, Therio, Carrillo and Mendoza propose Growth and development of the craniofacial region and the stomatognathic apparatus, as the fifth chapter, Villarreal, Enriquez, Hernández and Medina, perform Assessment of physical activity, sedentary behaviors and physical fitness in perimenopausal women, as the sixth chapter, Díaz, González, Uvalle and Mederos develop Pro-Inflammatory cytokines: Leptin and visfatin associated to obesity in young university students, as seventh chapter, Enríquez, Vieyra, Ramos and Trujillo, will discuss Presence of neuroglobin in the substantia nigra in a murine model of parkinson's disease: an immunohistochemical study, in eighth chapter, Martínez, Tavizon, Carlos and Mauricio present Prevalence of ectopic eruption and intercanine distance in children aged 6 to 12 years. Cycle 2019-2020, as the ninth chapter, Caceres, Zárate, Flores and Bustillos, performed Anxiety in medical students, during a COVID-19 pandemic and as the last chapter, González, Hernández, Martínez and González, focus on Overwiev of general plant toxicology uses and adverse effects.

Given the low levels of physical activity (PA) among all people it is clear that many individuals are simply uninterested in PA or struggle unsuccessfully to overcome a host of barriers to engaging consistently in PA. People with disabilities face an even greater number of barriers to PA than those encountered by able-bodied individuals. The purpose of this chapter is to document the obstacles faced by people with impairments at an individual level. Often the disability itself can be a barrier. Many disabilities result in chronic pain and produce fatigue; both pain and fatigue can be barriers to PA. Secondary disabilities can also get in the way of PA. Fear of getting hurt, limited energy, lack of time, a limited budget for discretionary income, suboptimal self-efficacy, and a lack of knowledge of opportunities to engage in PA and of how to exercise are also individual-level barriers. In the real world, individual barriers can easily become additive and present a host of obstacles to PA.

The book is devoted to the intriguing post-war activity called—with different terms—futurism, futurology, future research, or futures studies. It seeks to understand how futurists and futurologists imagined the Cold War and post-Cold War world and how they used the tools and methods of future research to influence and change that world. Forms of future research emerged after 1945 and engaged with the future both as an object of science and as an object of the human imagination. The book carefully explains these different engagements with the future, and inscribes them in the intellectual history of the post-war period. Futurists were a motley crew of Cold War warriors, nuclear scientists, journalists, and peace activists. Futurism also drew on an eclectic range of repertoires, some of which were deduced from positivist social science, mathematics, and nuclear physics, and some of which came from new strands of critical theory in the margins of the social sciences or sprung from alternative forms of knowledge in science fiction, journalism, or religion. Different forms of prediction lay very different claims to how, and with what accuracy, futures could be known, and what kind of control could be exerted over coming and not yet existing developments. Not surprisingly, such different claims to predictability coincided with radically different notions of human agency, of morality and responsibility, indeed of politics.

Since the first successful lung transplant in 1981, tens of thousands of operations have been performed across the world. Yet despite significant technical advances, mortality is the highest of any solid organ transplant. Most patients will have a major complication within the first 5 years of the operation. These are best managed in transplant centres. However, a working knowledge of the presentation and initial management is essential for a respiratory physician. Although the rate of complications remains high, more than 80% of patients with surviving transplants report no limitation of activity at 1, 3, and 5 years. Developments in surgical technique have reduced immediate complications, and immunosuppressive regimens continue to improve. However, the incidence of obliterative bronchiolitis remains high and is responsible for the majority of graft failures.

This book presents investigative advances in psychology related to the lines of research of the Department of Psychology of the Catholic University of Colombia, whose central purpose is the generation of new knowledge with social repercussions. In this sense, the studies presented within the framework of the lines of Educational Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Health and Addictions, Psychobiological and Behavioral Processes, Legal Psychology and Criminology, Social, Political and Community Psychology, and Research Methods applied to the behavioral sciences, although oriented from different perspectives and methodologies, they unite in the same purpose: to strengthen their approach towards problems of social relevance without losing their contribution to psychological discipline. As a consequence, this book presents an enriched thematic variety directly related to the lines of research such as credibility of the testimony, adolescent domestic violence, cognitive training in older adults, family functioning and quality of life, emotional reparation in survivors of sexual violence in the middle of the Colombian armed conflict, dissatisfaction with body image, relational therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy in victims of the Colombian armed conflict, the relationship between physical activity and academic performance, and organizational change. The results of the studies can be problematized and vitalized in different application contexts.

In chapter 6, Sarah E. Parkinson shares practical insights regarding research on and adjacent to violence, with an emphasis on both the planning and the improvisation it often requires as well as the ethical questions it raises and the emotional demands it presents. Drawing on nearly two years of immersive fieldwork in Lebanon, Parkinson examines the social knowledge, routines, and practices that people deploy when violence interrupts their everyday lives. Emphasizing the importance of understanding the role of bystanders, she develops two ethnographic interludes to highlight these phenomena. The first centers on a public argument that culminated in a stabbing and a stampede. The second focuses on a household’s approach to coping with an international armed dispute between Lebanon and Israel. In doing so, Parkinson examines how scale, physical distance, and social proximity to very different events activate different routines, notions of group belonging, and demands on the researcher.

This book argues that the rampant hate-filled attacks against women online are best understood as patterned resistance to women’s political voice and visibility. This abuse and harassment coalesces into an often-unrecognized form of gender inequality that constrains women’s use of digital public spaces, much as the pervasive threat of sexual intimidation and violence constrain women’s freedom and comfort in physical public spaces. What’s more, the abuse exacerbates inequality among women, those from racial, ethnic, religious, and/or other minority groups, are disproportionately targeted. Drawing on in-depth interviews with women who have been on the receiving end of digital hate, Credible Threat shows that the onslaught of epithets and stereotypes, rape threats, and unsolicited commentary about their physical appearance and sexual desirability come at great professional, personal, and psychological costs for the women targeted—and also with underexplored societal level costs that demand attention. When effective, identity-based attacks undermine women’s contributions to public discourse, create a climate of self-censorship, and at times, push women out of digital publics altogether. Given the uneven distribution of toxicity, those women whose voices are already most underrepresented (e.g., women in male-dominated fields, those from historically undervalued groups) are particularly at risk. In the end, identity-based attacks online erode civil liberties, diminish public discourse, limit the knowledge we have to inform policy and electoral decision making, and teach all women that activism and public service are unappealing, high-risk endeavors to be avoided.

Mitochondria are multifunctional organelles that actively participate in the immune-inflammatory response in various pathologies. This volume updates readers on knowledge about mitochondria function. The editors have compiled six chapters about inflammation in its broadest sense, with contributions from active groups of cell biologists, infectologists and pathologists. The chapters in this volume focus on research related to five notable diseases: (1) two diseases (one bacterial and one viral) in which the exacerbation of the inflammatory response can lead to neuropathies: leprosy (one of the oldest diseases in the world) and Zika fever (a disease relatively new in Brazil) (2) three diseases (two bacterial and one viral) in which the exacerbation of the inflammatory response can lead to irreversible lung damage that can cause rapid death: tuberculosis, pneumonia and the most recent global disease, COVID- 19. New information about mitochondrial biology is presented, such as the effect of aerobic physical exercise as a stimulator for mitochondria multiplication, and the role of mitochondrial damage in inducing immune-inflammatory responses to pathogens. The contents shed light on mitochondrial biochemical pathways that could serve as potential therapeutic targets. This is an important reference for scholars (cell biologists, microbiologists) in universities, hospitals and scientific research centers working on biological and biomedical problems, and for health professionals involved in infection control.

This is an advance summary of a forthcoming article in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Planetary Science. Please check back later for the full article.Mars, which has a tenth of the mass of Earth, has cooled as a single lithospheric plate. Current topography gravity maps and magnetic maps do not show signs of the plate tectonics processes that have shaped the Earth’s surface. Instead, Mars has been shaped by the effects of meteorite bombardment, igneous activity, and sedimentary—including aqueous—processes. Mars also contains enormous igneous centers—Tharsis and Elysium, with other shield volcanoes in the ancient highlands. In fact, the planet has been volcanically active for nearly all of its 4.5 Gyr history, and crater counts in the Northern Lowlands suggest that may have extended to within the last tens of millions of years. Our knowledge of the composition of the igneous rocks on Mars is informed by over 100 Martian meteorites and the results from landers and orbiters. These show dominantly tholeiitic basaltic compositions derived by melting of a relatively K, Fe-rich mantle compared to that of the Earth. However, recent meteorite and lander results reveal considerable diversity, including more silica-rich and alkaline igneous activity. These show the importance of a range of processes including crystal fractionation, partial melting, and possibly mantle metasomatism and crustal contamination of magmas. The figures and plots of compositional data from meteorites and landers show the range of compositions with comparisons to other planetary basalts (Earth, Moon, Venus). A notable feature of Martian igneous rocks is the apparent absence of amphibole. This is one of the clues that the Martian mantle had a very low water content when compared to that of Earth.The Martian crust, however, has undergone hydrothermal alteration, with impact as an important heat source. This is shown by SNC analyses of secondary minerals and Near Infra-Red analyses from orbit. The associated water may be endogenous.Our view of the Martian crust has changed since Viking landers touched down on the planet in 1976: from one almost entirely dominated by basaltic flows to one where much of the ancient highlands, particularly in ancient craters, is covered by km deep sedimentary deposits that record changing environmental conditions from ancient to recent Mars. The composition of these sediments—including, notably, the MSL Curiosity Rover results—reveal an ancient Mars where physical weathering of basaltic and fractionated igneous source material has dominated over extensive chemical weathering.

The electronic training manual "Examination of temporary disability in the practice of a dentist" was developed on the basis of qualification requirements for the specialty "Organization of health care and public health", the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard of Higher Education, taking into account the professional standards "Specialist in the organization of health care and public health" and "Physician dentist. "The manual consists of 5 modules containing up-to-date information on the organizational and legal issues examination of temporary disability (ETD), the legislative framework, the principles of examination of temporary disability, modern regulatory requirements for the issuance of certificates of incapacity for work, including the procedure for the formation of certificates of incapacity for work in the form of an electronic document in case of illness, during care for a sick family member The issues of the activity of the medical commission of a medical organization concerning the conduct of ETD, the analysis of morbidity with temporary disability and the control of the Social insurance fund of the Russian Federation over the organization of ETD were considered and reasonably by issuing certificates of incapacity for work in medical organizations. The materials of the manual are illustrated, which allows you to visually present the questions being studied, contain test tasks and situational tasks for self-control. Supplementing theoretical information with methodological materials for conducting practical exercises allows you to master the material qualitatively and contributes to the preservation of the acquired knowledge and competencies.State Educational Standard of Higher Education, taking into account the professional standards "Specialist in the organization of health care and public health" and "Physician-competence required for the examination of temporary disability (ETD) and work as part of the medical commission carrying out ETD, the ability to determine the signs of TD and signs of persistent dysfunction caused by the disease, the consequence of injuries or defects. The manual consists of 7 modules containing up-to-date information on the organizational and legal issues of ETD, the legislative framework, modern regulatory requirements for the issuance of certificates of incapacity for work, including the procedure for the formation of certificates of incapacity for work in the form of an electronic document. The issues of the activity of the medical commission of a medical organization concerning the conduct of ETD, the analysis of morbidity with temporary disability and the control of the Social insurance fund of the Russian Federation over the organization of ETD and the validity of issuing certificates of incapacity for work in medical organizations. The materials of the manual are illustrated, which allows you to visually present the questions being studied, contain test tasks and situational tasks for self-control. Supplementing theoretical information with methodological materials for conducting practical exercises allows you to master the material qualitatively and contributes to the preservation of the acquired knowledge and competencies.

Positive body image entails appreciating, loving, respecting, nurturing, protecting, and seeing beauty in the body regardless of its consistency with media appearance ideals. Embodiment reflects a connection between the mind and the body, which have a continual dialectical relationship with the world, and includes positive body connection, body agency and functionality, attuned self-care, positive experiences with body desires, and living in the body as a subjective rather than objectified site. This 38-chapter handbook reviews current knowledge of positive body image and embodiment, as well as future directions for work in these areas, which will be useful for mental health researchers, practitioners, advocates, and activists. Nine chapters review constructs that represent the positive ways we live in our bodies: experiences of embodiment, body appreciation, body functionality, body image flexibility, broad conceptualization of beauty, mindful attunement, intuitive eating, attunement with exercise, and attuned sexuality. Fifteen chapters speak to how we can cultivate positive body image and embodiment by expanding physical freedom (mindful movement, personal safety, connection to agency and desire); mental freedom (resisting objectification, stigma, media images, and gender-related molds); and social power (within families, peers, support systems, and online contexts). Last, 14 chapters address novel ways we can enhance positive body image and embodiment through individual and social interventions that focus on compassion, acceptance, emotional regulation, mindfulness, social justice, movement (yoga), cognitive dissonance, media literacy, and public health and policy initiatives.

The electronic training manual "Organization and procedure for the examination of temporary disability" was developed on the basis of qualification requirements for the specialty "Organization of health care and public health", the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard of Higher Education, taking into account the professional standards "Specialist in the organization of health care and public health" and "Physician-competence required for the examination of temporary disability (ETD) and work as part of the medical commission carrying out ETD, the ability to determine the signs of TD and signs of persistent dysfunction caused by the disease, the consequence of injuries or defects. The manual consists of 7 modules containing up-to-date information on the organizational and legal issues of ETD, the legislative framework, modern regulatory requirements for the issuance of certificates of incapacity for work, including the procedure for the formation of certificates of incapacity for work in the form of an electronic document. The issues of the activity of the medical commission of a medical organization concerning the conduct of ETD, the analysis of morbidity with temporary disability and the control of the Social insurance fund of the Russian Federation over the organization of ETD and the validity of issuing certificates of incapacity for work in medical organizations. The materials of the manual are illustrated, which allows you to visually present the questions being studied, contain test tasks and situational tasks for self-control. Supplementing theoretical information with methodological materials for conducting practical exercises allows you to master the material qualitatively and contributes to the preservation of the acquired knowledge and competencies.

The main milestones of the formation and development of astronomical science in Kharkiv during 1883–1945 are reconstructed on the example of the activities of the astronomical observatory of Kharkiv University. During this period, the outstanding worldview science in Kharkiv has achieved significant success: the works of Kharkiv astronomers have received world recognition; a well-known scientific planetary school has been established at the Observatory; the scientific community highly appreciated the research on the physics and chemistry of the Moon, the giant and small planets of the Solar System. The primary goal of the research is to inscribe the history of the university Observatory into the European and world context. Its purpose is to summarize the results of a comprehensive historical ad scientific study of the development of astronomical research in Kharkiv at the end of the 19th century – the first half of the 20th century and identification of ways of further scientific research. The completed research, which continues the problems of works devoted to the study of the history of astronomical science in Ukraine, focuses on expanding the well-known source base by attracting new retro-information resources. In particular, the monograph used a significant array of archival primary sources from almost twenty archival and library institutions of different countries. Most of them were introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, which allowed to determine and specify the sequence of stages of development of astronomical science in Kharkiv during the research period, to clarify and identify the little-known circumstances of the observatory life. The methodological basis of the study is the principles of historism, objectivity and a systematic approach to studying the problem. To solve specific problematic tasks in the monograph, general scientific and specially historical methods were used which allowed to study, analyze and summarize the presented factual material in a complex manner. The main sections of the monograph represent the dynamics of replenishment of the instrumental base of the university observatory, the chronology of the construction of the observatory complex of buildings at the location of the modern Scientific Research Institute of Astronomy of the V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. According to the author’s periodization, the stages of formation of subjects and directions of scientific work of university astronomers have been analyzed, including: seismic observations with the help of horizontal Rebeur-Paschwitz pendulums, research of the activity of the Sun, astrometric observations on the Repsold meridian circle of for the purpose of compiling a catalog of zodiac stars, studying lunar eclipses and meteor showers. The participation of university astronomers in the creation of the plan of the city of Kharkiv and its connection with the general network of precise geometric leveling of the Military Topographic Department of the General Staff; the organization of observations by an expedition of Kharkiv astronomers of the total Solar eclipse of 1914 in Henichesk; the creation of the School-workshop of precision mechanics at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Kharkiv University were considered; information on the participation of Kharkiv astronomers in the events of the civil war during the Ukrainian Revolution was documented. The scientific research activity of Kharkiv astronomers during 1920-1930-s which was devoted to carrying out important astrometric works on meridian observations of star declinations by absolute methods and observations of Kopf-Rentz stars according to the programs of the International Astronomical Union; the initiation of the creation of the Catalog of faint stars; research in astrophysics aimed at studying the physical conditions on the Moon and the Sun, planets and the interstellar environment; performing long series of spectrophotometric observations of the Moon, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn under different conditions of observation; study of the kinematics of stellar systems of different order, the physical parameters and evolution of stars, the morphology of the Galaxy, the nature of the stellar subsurfaces and atmospheres, dust and gas nebulae, new stars and the variability of stars have been considered; the directions of solid works carried out in the field of celestial mechanics, devoted to the dynamics of the minor planets of the Jupiter group, the definition and improvement of the orbits of minor planets have been clarified. The development of amateur astronomy in Kharkiv, in particular, the functioning of circles and societies that directed their activities to the dissemination of astronomical knowledge, was highlighted; the participation of their representatives in astronomical observations at the Kharkiv Astronomical Observatory was emphasized. Reconstructed the development of historical events in the 1930s related to the involvement of Soviet and Western astronomers in the processes of political confrontation between the USSR and the Western world; investigated the course of circumstances that prevented the implementation of the project of creating a new modern astronomical center of national importance – the central Ukrainian observatory in Kharkiv; the participation of an expedition of Kharkiv astronomers in the observation of the «great Soviet eclipse» – the total solar eclipse of 1936 – in the North Caucasus is highlighted; established the facts of political «purges» and repressions by the People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs ( the NKVD) in the Kharkiv Astronomical Observatory. The activity of the Kharkiv Astronomical Observatory has been documented and authentic biographical information about its representatives during the Nazi occupation of 1941–1943, the period of the German-Soviet war, has been presented; the unpopular facts of the forced collaboration of some scientists are highlighted; the process of recovery and reconstruction of the Kharkiv Astronomical Observatory after the liberation of the city is characterized. With the aim of researching the personal history of Kharkiv astronomy of the studied period, the monograph presents the results of a historical and biographical study of facts of life and scientific heritage of scientists who fully devoted themselves to Science, laid the foundations for the future development of many directions of modern astronomical research, made a significant contribution to the treasury of the national and European astronomical science, whose activities were connected with the Kharkiv Astronomical Observatory, in particular: Grigory Levytsky, Ludwig Struve, Mykola Evdokymov, Otto Struve, Mykola Barabashov, Boris Gerasimovich, Vasil Fesenkov, Oleksiy Razdolsky, Boris Ostashchenko-Kudryavtsev, Nicholas Bobrovnikov, Paraskovia Parkhomenko, Mstislav Savron, Boris Semeykin, Kostyantyn Savchenko and others (25 biographical essays are presented). A significant part of the mentioned factual material was also introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. A separate section of the monograph provides chronologically structured information that reflects the sequence of research work of the Kharkiv Astronomical Observatory employees during the period under study: from astrometric observations of stars and seismic research to spectrohelioscopic and spectroheliographic observations of the Sun and the initiation of the Kharkiv school of planetary science. It is assumed that the materials of the monograph will be used in research work devoted to the study of the process of institutionalization of astronomical research in Kharkiv at the end of the 19th century – the first half of the 20th century.

The strongest Indian summer monsoon (ISM) on the planet features prolonged clustered spells of wet and dry conditions often lasting for two to three weeks, known as active and break monsoons. The active and break monsoons are attributed to a quasi-periodic intraseasonal oscillation (ISO), which is an extremely important form of the ISM variability bridging weather and climate variation. The ISO over India is part of the ISO in global tropics. The latter is one of the most important meteorological phenomena discovered during the 20th century (Madden & Julian, 1971, 1972). The extreme dry and wet events are regulated by the boreal summer ISO (BSISO). The BSISO over Indian monsoon region consists of northward propagating 30–60 day and westward propagating 10–20 day modes. The “clustering” of synoptic activity was separately modulated by both the 30–60 day and 10–20 day BSISO modes in approximately equal amounts. The clustering is particularly strong when the enhancement effect from both modes acts in concert. The northward propagation of BSISO is primarily originated from the easterly vertical shear (increasing easterly winds with height) of the monsoon flows, which by interacting with the BSISO convective system can generate boundary layer convergence to the north of the convective system that promotes its northward movement. The BSISO-ocean interaction through wind-evaporation feedback and cloud-radiation feedback can also contribute to the northward propagation of BSISO from the equator. The 10–20 day oscillation is primarily produced by convectively coupled Rossby waves modified by the monsoon mean flows. Using coupled general circulation models (GCMs) for ISO prediction is an important advance in subseasonal forecasts. The major modes of ISO over Indian monsoon region are potentially predictable up to 40–45 days as estimated by multiple GCM ensemble hindcast experiments. The current dynamical models’ prediction skills for the large initial amplitude cases are approximately 20–25 days, but the prediction of developing BSISO disturbance is much more difficult than the prediction of the mature BSISO disturbances. This article provides a synthesis of our current knowledge on the observed spatial and temporal structure of the ISO over India and the important physical processes through which the BSISO regulates the ISM active-break cycles and severe weather events. Our present capability and shortcomings in simulating and predicting the monsoon ISO and outstanding issues are also discussed.

In the UK, the four commonest cancers—lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer—result in around 62 000 deaths every year. Although deaths from cancer have fallen in the UK over the last 20 years, the UK still suffers from higher cancer death rates than many other countries in Western Europe. In 1999, the UK government produced a White Paper called Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation that outlined a national target to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 20% in people under 75 by 2010. The subsequent NHS Cancer Plan of 2000 designed a framework by which to achieve this target through effective prevention, screening, and treatment programmes as well as restructuring and developing new diagnostic and treatment facilities. But do we know enough about the biology of the development of cancer for government health policies alone to force dramatic changes in survival? The science behind the causes of cancer tells us that its origin lies in acquired or inherited genetic abnormalities. Inherited gene mutation syndromes and exposure to environmental mutagens cause cancer, largely through abnormalities in DNA repair mechanisms, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation. Although screening those thought to be at highest risk, and regulating exposure to environmental carcinogens such as tobacco or ionizing radiation, have reduced, and will continue to reduce, cancer deaths, there are many other environmental factors that have been shown to increase the population risk of cancer. These will be outlined in this chapter. However, the available evidence is largely from retrospective and cross-sectional population-based studies and therefore limits the ability to apply this knowledge to the risk of the individual patient who may been seen in clinic. Although we may be able to put him or her into a high-, intermediate-, or low-risk category, the question ‘will I get cancer, doc?’ is one that we cannot answer with certainty. The NHS Cancer Plan of 2000, designed to reduce cancer deaths in this country and to bring UK treatment results in line with those other countries in Europe, focuses on preventing malignancy as part of its comprehensive cancer management strategy. It highlights that the rich are less likely to develop cancer, and will survive longer if they are diagnosed than those who live in poverty. This may reflect available treatment options, but is more likely to be related to the lifestyle of those with regular work, as they may be more health aware. The Cancer Plan, however, suggests that relieving poverty may be more labour intensive and less rewarding than encouraging positive risk-reducing behaviour in all members of the population. Eating well can reduce the risk of developing many cancers, particularly of the stomach and bowel. The Cancer Plan outlines the ‘Five-a-Day’ programme which was rolled out in 2002 and encouraged people to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Obese people are also at higher risk of cancers, in particular endometrial cancer. A good diet and regular exercise not only reduce obesity but are also independent risk-reducing factors. Alcohol misuse is thought to be a major risk factor in around 3% of all cancers, with the highest risk for cancers of the mouth and throat. As part of the Cancer Plan, the Department of Health promotes physical activity and general health programmes, as well as alcohol and smoking programmes, particularly in deprived areas. Focusing on these healthy lifestyle points can potentially reduce an individual lifetime risk of all cancers. However, our knowledge of the biology of four cancers in particular has led to the development of specific life-saving interventions. Outlined in this chapter are details regarding ongoing prevention strategies for carcinomas of the lung, the breast, the bowel, and the cervix.

The Barents Sea is a region of the Arctic Ocean named after one of its first known explorers (1594–1597), Willem Barentsz from the Netherlands, although there are accounts of earlier explorations: the Norwegian seafarer Ottar rounded the northern tip of Europe and explored the Barents and White Seas between 870 and 890 ce, a journey followed by a number of Norsemen; Pomors hunted seals and walruses in the region; and Novgorodian merchants engaged in the fur trade. These seafarers were probably the first to accumulate knowledge about the nature of sea ice in the Barents region; however, scientific expeditions and the exploration of the climate of the region had to wait until the invention and employment of scientific instruments such as the thermometer and barometer. Most of the early exploration involved mapping the land and the sea ice and making geographical observations. There were also many unsuccessful attempts to use the Northeast Passage to reach the Bering Strait. The first scientific expeditions involved F. P. Litke (1821±1824), P. K. Pakhtusov (1834±1835), A. K. Tsivol’ka (1837±1839), and Henrik Mohn (1876–1878), who recorded oceanographic, ice, and meteorological conditions.The scientific study of the Barents region and its climate has been spearheaded by a number of campaigns. There were four generations of the International Polar Year (IPY): 1882–1883, 1932–1933, 1957–1958, and 2007–2008. A British polar campaign was launched in July 1945 with Antarctic operations administered by the Colonial Office, renamed as the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS); it included a scientific bureau by 1950. It was rebranded as the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in 1962 (British Antarctic Survey History leaflet). While BAS had its initial emphasis on the Antarctic, it has also been involved in science projects in the Barents region. The most dedicated mission to the Arctic and the Barents region has been the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), which has commissioned a series of reports on the Arctic climate: the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) report, the Snow Water Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic (SWIPA) report, and the Adaptive Actions in a Changing Arctic (AACA) report.The climate of the Barents Sea is strongly influenced by the warm waters from the Norwegian current bringing heat from the subtropical North Atlantic. The region is 10°C–15°C warmer than the average temperature on the same latitude, and a large part of the Barents Sea is open water even in winter. It is roughly bounded by the Svalbard archipelago, northern Fennoscandia, the Kanin Peninsula, Kolguyev Island, Novaya Zemlya, and Franz Josef Land, and is a shallow ocean basin which constrains physical processes such as currents and convection. To the west, the Greenland Sea forms a buffer region with some of the strongest temperature gradients on earth between Iceland and Greenland. The combination of a strong temperature gradient and westerlies influences air pressure, wind patterns, and storm tracks. The strong temperature contrast between sea ice and open water in the northern part sets the stage for polar lows, as well as heat and moisture exchange between ocean and atmosphere. Glaciers on the Arctic islands generate icebergs, which may drift in the Barents Sea subject to wind and ocean currents.The land encircling the Barents Sea includes regions with permafrost and tundra. Precipitation comes mainly from synoptic storms and weather fronts; it falls as snow in the winter and rain in the summer. The land area is snow-covered in winter, and rivers in the region drain the rainwater and meltwater into the Barents Sea. Pronounced natural variations in the seasonal weather statistics can be linked to variations in the polar jet stream and Rossby waves, which result in a clustering of storm activity, blocking high-pressure systems. The Barents region is subject to rapid climate change due to a “polar amplification,” and observations from Svalbard suggest that the past warming trend ranks among the strongest recorded on earth. The regional change is reinforced by a number of feedback effects, such as receding sea-ice cover and influx of mild moist air from the south.