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The concept of planetary well-being, which stresses the persistence of lineages in ecosystems, is intimately linked to species extinction risk. Avoiding extinctions is a moral issue, as wiping out the outcomes of eons of evolutionary history and their future potential is clearly unconscionable. The concept of planetary well-being is also systemic: It is understood that species, as integral parts of ecosystems, are vital for the well-being of all systems on Earth. Yet, despite international agreements to protect biodiversity, global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation has continued unimpeded over the past decades. We review the role of goals and targets in the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, stressing the importance of accountability. We suggest that extinction risk assessments of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, and associated country-level Red List Indices, provide valuable tools for guiding conservation action and for monitoring the state of planetary well-being. peerReviewed

Oxygen uptake (V˙O2) is an important metric in any exercise test including walking and running. It can be measured using portable spirometers or metabolic analyzers. Those devices are, however, not suitable for constant use by consumers due to their costs, difficulty of operation and their intervening in the physical integrity of their users. Therefore, it is important to develop approaches for the indirect estimation of V˙O2-based measurements of motion parameters, heart rate data and application-specific measurements from consumer-grade sensors. Typically, these approaches are based on linear regression models or neural networks. This study investigates how motion data contribute to V˙O2 estimation accuracy during unconstrained running and walking. The results suggest that a long short term memory (LSTM) neural network can predict oxygen consumption with an accuracy of 2.49 mL/min/kg (95% limits of agreement) based only on speed, speed change, cadence and vertical oscillation measurements from an inertial navigation system combined with a Global Positioning System (INS/GPS) device developed by our group, worn on the torso. Combining motion data and heart rate data can significantly improve the V˙O2 estimation resulting in approximately 1.7-1.9 times smaller prediction errors than using only motion or heart rate data. publishedVersion

Background Intrinsic capacity (IC) defined by the WHO refers to the composite of five domains of capacities. So far, developing and validating a standardized overall score of the concept have been challenging partly because its conceptual framework has been unclear. We consider that a person’s IC is determined by its domain-specific indicators suggesting a formative measurement model. Aims To develop an IC score applying a formative approach and assess its validity. Methods The study sample (n = 1908) consisted of 57–88-year-old participants from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA). We used logistic regression models to select the indicators to the IC score with 6-year functional decline as an outcome. An IC score (range 0–100) was constructed for each participant. We examined the known-groups’ validity of the IC score by comparing groups based on age and number of chronic diseases. The criterion validity of the IC score was assessed with 6-year functional decline and 10-year mortality as outcomes. Results The constructed IC score included seven indicators covering all five domains of the construct. The mean IC score was 66.7 (SD 10.3). The scores were higher among younger participants and those who had lower number of chronic diseases. After adjustment for sociodemographic indicators, chronic diseases, and BMI, a one-point higher IC score was associated with a 7% decreased risk for 6-year functional decline and a 2% decreased risk for 10-year mortality. Conclusions The developed IC score demonstrated discriminative ability according to age and health status and is associated with subsequent functional decline and mortality.

Emotional eating or the tendency to eat in response to emotional states can be assessed using self-report measures. The Emotional Eating Scale-II is a commonly used and reliable instrument that measures the desire to eat in response to a range of unpleasant and pleasant emotions. The current study aimed to corroborate the validity of the EES-II and expand its utility by investigating its dimensionality and testing its measurement invariance in samples from English-speaking and non-English-speaking countries. Convergent and predictive validity in respect of food craving, eating, and health indicators were also examined. This cross-national study included a total of 2485 adult participants recruited from Finland, North America, Philippines, United Kingdom, China, Italy, Spain, and South Korea, who completed the EES-II in six different languages. Factor analyses supported a four-factor structure including valence (pleasant, unpleasant) and activation (high, low) for a 12-item English version and slightly modified non-English adaptations. The model exhibited good fit in all samples, and convergent validity was demonstrated. Full invariance of factor loadings and partial invariance of factor loading, intercepts, and error variances was established across samples for the English-language version. Structural equation models revealed that high activation (pleasant and unpleasant) states predicted food cravings and reported eating. Overall findings across multiple samples and countries supported the factorial structure, reliability, invariance, and validity of the resulting Brief Emotional Eating Scale (BEES). peerReviewed

We investigated the association of parental physical activity (PA) trajectories with offspring's youth and adult PA. Self-reported PA data were extracted from the Young Finns Study with three follow-ups for parents between 1980 and 1986 and nine follow-ups for their offspring in youth between 1980 and 2011 (aged 9-39 years, n = 2402) and in adulthood in 2018. Accelerometer-derived PA was quantified in 2018-2020 (aged 43-58 years, n = 1134). Data were analyzed using mixture models and conducted in 2022. We identified three trajectories for fathers and mothers (high-stable activity, 20.2%/16.6%; moderate-stable activity, 50.5%/49.6%; and low-stable activity, 29.4%/33.7%) and four for youth male and female offspring (persistently active, 13.4%/5.1%; increasingly active, 32.1%/43.1%; decreasingly active, 14.4%/12.6%; and persistently low-active, 40.1%/39.1%). Compared to low-stable active parents, high-stable active fathers had a higher probability of having their sons and daughters classified as persistently active, increasingly active, and decreasingly active in youth (Brange = 0.50-1.79, all p

Despite intensive research on agency in education and work environments, the topic remains underexplored through the lens of emotions. This study conducted the development and validation of a quantitative measure to explore emotional agency in working life. Empirical data (N = 240) were collected via a web-based survey within the professional domains of healthcare and real estate services. The participants’ age, educational level, and gender corresponded to the domain-specific and general employee distribution in Finland. The questionnaire items were based on a theoretical construct of emotional agency at work. Exploratory factor analysis indicated that emotional agency includes two dimensions: Emotional Competence at Work and Influencing Emotions at Work. Exploratory structural equation modeling showed these dimensions to be equivalent across the studied professional domains. Furthermore, the convergent and discriminant validity of the measure was confirmed in relation to the emotional climate at work and work engagement. The study enriches the current theory of agency and emotions at work by exploring their connection. It also proposes a novel measure of emotional agency at work (the E-Ag measure), offered as a useful tool for researching and developing working life and organizational behavior. publishedVersion

This qualitative study investigated the various linguistic, contextual, and experiential equivalence issues embedded in a performance-based instrument aimed at assessing generic skills in higher education. A rigorous translation and adaptation process (American English to Finnish) was conducted on one instrument, namely Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA+) International. The data were obtained from cognitive laboratories (n = 13), with think-alouds and follow-up interviews conducted among Finnish undergraduate students. Content logs were created, and the data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that linguistic and contextual equivalence issues were more prominent than experiential ones. The findings underline how important – and potentially problematic – it is for a test to measure the same construct in a different language and culture. To achieve adequate measurement equivalence, a detailed qualitative analysis of linguistic, contextual, and experiential equivalence should be conducted as part of test adaptation.

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Objective: Adults with degenerative spinal deformity (ASD) have lower health-related quality of life (HRQL) compared to the general population. Applying Rasch Measurement Theory (RMT), this study tested the revised Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22r) HRQL instrument among symptomatic adult patients with degenerative spinal disorders and varying degrees of ASD. Methods: SRS-22r data from 637 outpatient spine clinic patients with degenerative spine conditions were investigated for unidimensionality, item/scale fit, differential item functioning (DIF), scale coverage/targeting, and person separation index (PSI) using RMT. Results: Unidimensionality of the SRS-22r was not supported for either the total score or for three of its five domains. Item fit was acceptable for 11/22 items. The individual domains showed good coverage despite the degree of structural disorders. Ordered thresholds were achieved by merging response categories in some of the items. DIF towards age or sex was found in 11/22 items and in some domain items. The PSI exceeded 0.7 for the SRS-22r total score. Conclusion: The individual domain scores of the SRS-22r perform better than the total score providing good coverage and targeting among patients with ASD. Refinements of items and domains may improve the structural validity of the instrument to meet the criteria for measuring ASD patients, even when multidimensionality persists. peerReviewed

Abstract. Health literacy can help explain health inequalities in childhood and adolescence. However, suitable instruments for assessing health literacy in this age group are rare, especially in the German-speaking countries. One economical measure is the 10-item Health Literacy in School-Aged Children (HLSAC) scale, developed and reviewed as part of the WHO Child and Adolescent Health Study (HBSC, Health Behavior in School-Aged Children). In the present study, we tested dimensionality, measurement invariance, and associations with health-related measures of the German version of the scale (HLSAC–German), using data from the 2018 national German HBSC study ( N = 4,347 students aged 11, 13, and 15 years). We also tested HLSAC–German with 11-year-olds, representing an expansion of the original scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses consistently demonstrated the unidimensionality of the scale (α = .88). Complete scalar measurement invariance was found for sex and partial scalar measurement invariance for age groups and school type, allowing for the comparison of means. Associations with indicators of health and health behavior further demonstrate the construct validity of the scale. The analyses show that the scale is suitable for the economic measurement of a general factor of health literacy in 11- as well as in 13- and 15-year-olds.

Low health literacy (HL) is associated with adverse health behaviors and poor health, and brief, high-quality instruments for measuring HL in children are scarce. The Health Literacy for School-Aged Children (HLSAC) instrument is a 10-item theory-based and internationally validated tool for measuring HL. The purpose of this study was to translate and validate the HLSAC instrument among Danish school-aged children. The instrument was translated into Danish by a standardized forward-backward translation process, and then pre-tested for face validity with 61 pupils from four schools. Thereafter, the instrument was tested among 805 pupils in grades 6 to 7 (age 11–14 years) from 15 schools. When HL was modeled as one latent factor with all 10 items loading on this factor, the confirmative factor analysis showed standardized factor loadings from 0.52 to 0.75 ( p < .001) and an excellent model fit. The association between HL and food intake as a health behavior example ( p < .001, r 2 = .027) indicates the predictive validity of the instrument. The internal consistency was high (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86). Thus, a valid and reliable version of the HLSAC instrument is available in Danish for future surveys to monitor HL and guide health promotion targeting children and adolescents. [ HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice . 2022;6(1):e25–e29.]

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors A B S T R A C T Background: The Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) is one of the most frequently used patient reported outcome measures for foot and ankle conditions. The aim is to test the structural validity of the Finnish version of the FAOS using Rasch Measurement Theory. Methods: FAOS scores were obtained from 218 consecutive patients who received operative treatment for foot and ankle conditions. The FAOS data were fitted into the Rasch model and person separation index (PSI) calculated. Results: All the five subscales provided good coverage and targeting. Three subscales presented unidimensional structure. Thirty-eight of the 42 items had ordered response category thresholds. Three of the 42 items had differential item functioning towards gender. All subscales showed sufficient fit to the Rasch model. PSI ranged from 0.73 to 0.94 for the subscales. Conclusions: The Finnish version of the FAOS shows acceptable structural validity for assessing complaints in orthopaedic foot and ankle patients. (c) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of European Foot and Ankle Society. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Procurement is a key part of almost every manufacturing business. Successful supply chain management ensures that the required products or services arrive at the right time. To manage procurement effectively it requires implementing and following corporate strategies and procedures. Effective procurement performance measurement is needed to implement and monitor corporate strategies and targets. The thesis studies procurement performance measurement in a project business environment. The objective of the thesis is to develop a harmonized and coherent performance measurement system for one of the case company’s business lines. Additionally, the objective is to align operational and strategical procurement targets and activities. The research strategy for the thesis was the case study. With the case study approach, research can focus in-depth on the case and maintain a holistic and real-life viewpoint. Data for the research was gathered from qualitative and quantitative sources. Thus, the mixed method was chosen as a methodological choice. Qualitative data was gathered from semi-structured interviews and workshops. Quantitative data was gathered from the company’s data cube. Induction was chosen as an approach for theory development. At first, the thesis analyzed the current state of the case company’s procurement performance measurement. The needs of the procurement stakeholders were gathered via interviews, workshops, and by examining previous performance measures. Draft dashboards were created based on the feedback from the interviews, corporate material, and literature. Created performance metrics were based on corporate strategies and objectives. The thesis uses a modified performance measurement system design process framework and implementation process framework in the implementation process. Visualization framework was used to determine the right visualization. These frameworks were used to create the dashboards. The draft dashboards were presented in several workshops, where stakeholders had an opportunity to propose changes and ask questions about the logic behind the measures. The current status of the company’s procurement performance measurement was overall in a good shape based on procurement coverage. Based on feedback from the interviews, the coverage of current measures was good. Only a few additional measures were requested. The major problems that occurred were, that a lot of manual work was required to obtain the measures. The second concern was the lack of harmonization between performance measurement systems between business units. The lack of harmonization restricted the cross-referencing and generated misunderstandings to the measuring logic between business units. After the workshops, the draft dashboards were developed according to the requests given in the workshops. Several propositions were presented, which were evaluated according to the modified performance measurement system design framework. Finally, a total of three harmonized dashboards were created for the business unit management, category management, and team management. Transparency and harmonization were ensured by using the same dataset that was used for the organizational level. Literature frameworks conveyed the same message that was observed during the development process. The organization's strategy, objectives, and activities should be derived into the performance measurement. Thus, it can be used to monitor the strategy implementation, challenge the corporate strategy, and redirect focus on the critical areas. Hankinta on keskeinen osa jokaista yritystä, joka toimii valmistavassa teollisuudessa. Onnistunut toimitusketjun hallinta varmistaa, että tarvittavat tuotteet ja palvelut saapuvat oikeaan aikaan. Hankintojen tehokas hallinta edellyttää yrityksen strategioiden ja menettelytapojen toteuttamista ja noudattamista. Yrityksen strategian ja tavoitteen toteutumisen seurantaan tarvitaan toimivaa hankinnan suorituskyvyn mittaamista. Diplomityössä tutkitaan hankinnan suorituskyvyn mittaamista projektiliiketoimintaympäristössä. Diplomityön ensimmäisenä tavoitteena on kehittää yhtenäinen ja harmoninen suorituskyvyn mittausjärjestelmä kohdeyrityksen liiketoimintalinjalle. Toinen tavoite on yhtenäistää operatiivisen ja strategisen hankinnan tavoitteet ja toiminnot. Diplomityön tutkimusstrategiana oli tapaustutkimus. Tapaustutkimuslähestymistavan avulla tutkimus voi keskittyä tapaukseen syvällisesti ja silti säilyttää kokonaisvaltaisen ja tosielämän lähestymistavan. Tutkimusaineistot kerättiin laadullisista ja kvantitatiivisista lähteistä. Siksi sekamenetelmä valittiin metodologiaksi. Laadullista dataa kerättiin puolistrukturoiduista haastatteluista sekä työpajoista. Määrällinen data kerättiin yrityksen datakuutiosta. Opinnäytetyössä käytettiin pragmatismifilosofiaa. Induktiivinen päättely valittiin lähestymistavaksi teorian kehittämiseen. Aluksi diplomityössä analysoitiin kohdeyrityksen hankinnan suorituskyvyn mittaamisen nykytilaa. Hankinnan sidosryhmien tarpeet kerättiin haastatteluiden, työpajojen ja kohde yrityksen aikaisempia suorituskyvyn mittareita analysoimalla. Haastatteluiden, työpajojen, yrityksen materiaalien ja kirjallisuuden pohjalta luotiin luonnosmittaristot. Luodut suorituskyvyn mittarit perustuivat yritykseen strategiaan ja objektiiveihin. Viitekehyksinä diplomityössä käytettiin muokattuja suorituskyvyn mittaamisen suunnitteluprosessin viitekehystä ja implementointi prosessin viitekehystä. Visuaalista viitekehitystä käytettiin visualisuuden tarkastelemiseen. Kyseisiä viitekehyksiä käytettiin mittaristojen tekemiseen sekä niiden kehittämiseen. Luonnosmittaristot esiteltiin useissa työpajoissa, joissa sidosryhmillä oli mahdollisuus ehdottaa muutoksia ja esittää kysymyksiä mittarien taustalla toimivasta logiikasta. Yhtiön hankinnan suorituskyvyn mittaamisen nykytila oli kattavuuden osalta hyvässä kunnossa. Haastatteluiden perusteella nykyiset mittarit kattoivat hyvin hankinnan tarpeet. Haastateltavat pyysivät vain muutamia lisämittareita olemassa olevien lisäksi. Haastatteluiden ja työpajojen pohjalta suurimmat ongelmat olivat, että mittaustiedon kerääminen vaati paljon manuaalista työtä. Toinen ongelma oli suorituskykymittauksen harmonisoinnin puute liiketoimintayksiköiden välillä. Harmonisoinnin puute rajoitti yksiköiden vertailua ja aiheutti väärinkäsityksiä oikeasta mittauslogiikasta eri liiketoimintayksiköissä. Työpajojen jälkeen luonnosmittaristoja kehitettiin työpajoissa esitettyjen toiveiden mukaisesti. Esitettyjä ehdotuksia arvioitiin muokatun suorituskyvyn mittaamisen suunnitteluprosessin viitekehyksen pohjalta. Lopulta yhteensä kolme harmonisoitua mittaristoa luotiin liiketoimintayksiköiden johtamiseen, kategorian hallintaan ja tiiminhallintaan. Läpinäkyvyys ja harmonisointi varmistettiin käyttämällä samaa tietolähdettä, jota käytettiin myös organisaatiotasolla. Kirjallisuuden viitekehykset olivat linjassa tutkimuksen käytännön havaintojen kanssa. Organisaation strategia, tavoitteet ja toiminnot tulee johtaa suorituksen mittaamiseen. Siten voidaan seurata strategian toteutusta, haastaa yrityksen strategiaa ja ohjata huomiota kriittisille alueille.

Supply base management has become increasingly more interesting subject in supply chain research lately. Both theory and practice have identified that efficient management of the supplier base incorporates a lot of potential for cost savings. Consolidated order vol-umes, supplier development and supplier consolidation are ways to achieve strategic objec-tives which aim for cost efficiency. By measuring suppliers and analyzing the measurement data, we can compare suppliers’ performance against each other. The goal of this study is to identify relevant supplier characteristics that purchasing com-pany could use to measure, analyze and develop its suppliers. As a concrete solution, a supplier scorecard is developed in this study. As a part of this study, a literature review was conducted. Focus was on supplier portfolio management and representing industrial spare part business dimensions. It became obvi-ous, that there is clear lack of studies that would thoroughly focus on companies providing spare parts and on supplier management in those companies. As a result from the review, a list of relevant supplier characteristics was obtained, and they were divided according to dif-ferent features of the spare part business. Results highlighted the strong role of communi-cation in easing the uncertainty, importance of commitment in understanding the logic of spare part business and making the traditional measurement systems more versatile to lessen the role of cost. In the empirical part, ten people were interviewed to collect the empirical data. Interview themes were connected to supplier characteristics and metrics. Interviews were discussive and the subject was lead with open-ended questions, case examples and pair-wise comparison. Answers highlighted the importance of delivery performance and problems caused by it. Also, the role of communication in dealing with everyday issues and in enabling more strategic development projects was stressed out. Elements that were connected to price and delivery performance turned out to be the most important metrics. From the empirical data, supplier characteristics were combined with suitable metrics and support for develop-ing the metrics was sought from theory findings as well. Result of the study indicated that the supplier characteristics in spare part business have a dominating emphasis on communication. Due to large amount of uncertainty, communicative actions were seen to have the greatest impact on maintaining good levels of delivery performance, informing the supplier about the features of the spare part business and enabling supplier flexibility. Still, traditional characteristics, cost and delivery performance, were heavily stressed in metrics and different dimensions of those two were majorly measured and analyzed. Through this emphasis, a supplier scorecard was built. The scorecard was built from the metrics defined in the empirical study and yet again supported by a rating system that was weighted according to the findings and managerial preferences.

Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) can be monitored with wearable devices throughout the day. Resting HRV in particular, reflecting cardiac parasympathetic activity, has been proposed to be a useful marker in the monitoring of health and recovery from training. This study examined the validity of the wrist-based photoplethysmography (PPG) method to measure HR and HRV at rest. Recreationally endurance-trained participants recorded pulse-to-pulse (PP) and RR intervals simultaneously with a PPG-based watch and reference heart rate sensor (HRS) at a laboratory in a supine position (n = 39; 5-min recording) and at home during sleep (n = 29; 4-h recording). In addition, analyses were performed from pooled laboratory data (n = 11344 PP and RR intervals). Differences and correlations were analyzed between the HRS- and PPG-derived HR and LnRMSSD (the natural logarithm of the root mean square of successive differences). A very good agreement was found between pooled PP and RR intervals with a mean bias of 0.17 ms and a correlation coefficient of 0.993 (p < 0.001). In the laboratory, HR did not differ between the devices (mean bias 0.0 bpm), but PPG slightly underestimated the nocturnal recordings (mean bias −0.7 bpm, p < 0.001). PPG overestimated LnRMSSD both in the laboratory (mean bias 0.20 ms, p < 0.001) and nocturnal recordings (mean bias 0.17 ms, p < 0.001). However, very strong intraclass correlations in the nocturnal recordings were found between the devices (HR: 0.998, p < 0.001; LnRMSSD: 0.931, p < 0.001). In conclusion, PPG was able to measure HR and HRV with adequate accuracy in recreational athletes. However, when strict absolute values are of importance, systematic overestimation, which seemed to especially concern participants with low LnRMSSD, should be acknowledged.

Dog owners’ understanding of the daily behaviour of their dogs may be enhanced by movement measurements that can detect repeatable dog behaviour, such as levels of daily activity and rest as well as their changes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of supervised machine learning methods utilising accelerometer and gyroscope data provided by wearable movement sensors in classification of seven typical dog activities in a semi-controlled test situation. Forty-five middle to large sized dogs participated in the study. Two sensor devices were attached to each dog, one on the back of the dog in a harness and one on the neck collar. Altogether 54 features were extracted from the acceleration and gyroscope signals divided in two-second segments. The performance of four classifiers were compared using features derived from both sensor modalities. and from the acceleration data only. The results were promising; the movement sensor at the back yielded up to 91 % accuracy in classifying the dog activities and the sensor placed at the collar yielded 75 % accuracy at best. Including the gyroscope features improved the classification accuracy by 0.7–2.6 %, depending on the classifier and the sensor location. The most distinct activity was sniffing, whereas the static postures (lying on chest, sitting and standing) were the most challenging behaviours to classify, especially from the data of the neck collar sensor. The data used in this article as well as the signal processing scripts are openly available in Mendeley Data, https://doi.org/10.17632/vxhx934tbn.1. publishedVersion

BackgroundThis study was designed to investigate the validity of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) estimation through the Firstbeat fitness test (FFT) method when using submaximal rowing and running programs for well-trained athletes.MethodsWell-trained flatwater rowers (n = 45, 19.8 ± 3.0 years, 184 ± 8.7 cm, 76 ± 12.9 kg, and 58.7 ± 6.0 mL⋅kg–1⋅min–1) and paddlers (n = 45, 19.0 ± 2.5 years, 180 ± 7.7 cm, 74 ± 9.4 kg, and 59.9 ± 4.8 mL⋅kg–1⋅min–1) completed the FFT and maximal graded exercise test (GXT) programs of rowing and running, respectively. The estimated VO2max was calculated using the FFT system, and the measured VO2max was obtained from the GXT programs. Differences between the estimated and measured VO2max values were analyzed to assess the accuracy and agreement of the predictions. Equations from the previous study were also used to predict the VO2max in the submaximal programs to compare the accuracy of prediction with the FFT method.ResultsThe FFT method was in good agreement with the measured VO2max in both groups based on the intraclass correlation coefficients (>0.8). Additionally, the FFT method had considerable accuracy in VO2max estimation as the mean absolute percentage error (≤5.0%) and mean absolute error (–1⋅min–1) were fairly low. Furthermore, the FFT method seemed more accurate in the estimation of VO2max than previously reported equations, especially in the rowing test program.ConclusionThis study revealed that the FFT method provides a considerably accurate estimation of VO2max in well-trained athletes.

Importance Personal activity intelligence (PAI) is a novel activity metric that can be integrated into self-assessment heart rate devices, and translates heart rate variations during exercise into a weekly score. Previous studies relating to PAI have been conducted in the same populations from Norway where the PAI metric has been derived, limiting generalizability of the results. Objective To test whether PAI is associated with total and cause-specific mortality in a large cohort from the United States. Design Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (ACLS) - a prospective cohort between January 1974 and December 2002 with a mean follow-up of 14.5 years. Setting Population-based. Participants 56,175 relatively healthy participants (26.5% women) who underwent extensive preventive medical examinations at Cooper Clinic (Dallas, TX). Exposure Personal activity intelligence (PAI) score per week was estimated and divided into 4 groups (PAI scores of 0, ≤50, 51-99, and ≥100). Main outcomes and measures Total and cause-specific mortality. Results During a median follow-up time of 14.9 (interquartile range, 6.7-21.4) years, there were 3434 total deaths including 1258 cardiovascular (CVD) deaths. Compared with the inactive (0 PAI) group, participants with a baseline weekly ≥100 PAI had lower risk of mortality: adjusted hazard ratio (AHR), 0.79: 95% CI, 0.71-0.87 for all-cause mortality, and AHR, 0.72: 95% CI, 0.60-0.87 for CVD mortality among men; AHR, 0.85: 95% CI, 0.64-1.12 for all-cause mortality, and AHR, 0.48: 95% CI, 0.26-0.91 for CVD mortality among women. For deaths from ischemic heart disease (IHD), PAI score ≥100 was associated with lower risk in both men and women (AHR, 0.70: 95% CI, 0.55-0.88). Obtaining ≥100 weekly PAI was also associated with significantly lower risk of CVD mortality in pre-specified age groups, and in participants with known CVD risk factors. Participants with ≥100 weekly PAI gained 4.2 (95% CI, 3.5-4.6) years of life when compared with those who were inactive at baseline. Conclusions and relevance PAI is associated with long-term all-cause, CVD, and IHD, mortality. Clinicians and the general population can incorporate PAI recommendations and thresholds in their physical activity prescriptions and weekly physical activity assessments, respectively, to maximize health outcomes. Key points Question: What is the association between personal activity intelligence (PAI), a novel activity metric, and mortality in a large cohort from the United States? Findings In this prospective study of 56,175 healthy participants at baseline, followed-up for a mean of 14.5 years, ≥100 PAI score/week was associated with significant 21% lower risk of all-cause and 30% lower risk of CVD mortality in comparison with inactive people. Participants with ≥100 PAI/week lived on average 4.2 years longer compared with inactive. Meaning: PAI is associated with long-term all-cause and CVD mortality. Clinicians and general population may incorporate PAI recommendations into weekly physical activity assessments to maximize CVD prevention.

Strength training exercises are essential for rehabilitation, improving our health as well as in sports. For optimal and safe training, educators and trainers in the industry should comprehend exercise form or technique. Currently, there is a lack of tools measuring in-depth skills of strength training experts. In this study, we investigate how data mining methods can be used to identify novel and useful skill patterns from a binary multiple choice questionnaire test designed to measure the knowledge level of strength training experts. A skill test assessing exercise technique expertise and comprehension was answered by 507 fitness professionals with varying backgrounds. A triangulated approach of clustering and non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) was used to discover skill patterns among participants and patterns in test questions. Four distinct participant subgroups were identified in data with clustering and further question patterns with NMF. The results can be used to, for example, identify missing skills and knowledge in participants and subgroups of participants and form general and personalized or background specific guidelines for future education. In addition, the test can be optimized based on, for example, if some questions can be answered correct even without the required skill or if they seem to be measuring overlapping skills. Finally, this approach can be utilized with other multiple choice test data in future educational research. peerReviewed

Background Personality reflects relatively stable and pervasive tendencies in feeling, thinking and behaving. While previous studies have found higher extraversion and lower neuroticism to be linked to higher self-reported physical activity levels, larger studies using accelerometer-measured physical activity are lacking. This study investigated the cross-sectional associations of extraversion and neuroticism with both accelerometer-measured and self-reported physical activity and the role of these personality traits in possible discrepancies between these two measures of physical activity among Finnish adults. Methods Two community-dwelling samples were used in this study: a) 47–55-yr-old women (n = 1098) and b) 70–85-yr-old women and men (n = 314). In both samples, extraversion and neuroticism were assessed by the 19-item short form of the Eysenck Personality Inventory. Physical activity was assessed with hip-worn tri-axial accelerometers and self-reported questions. Regression analyses were adjusted by age, BMI and education. Results In the middle-aged women, neuroticism was negatively associated with accelerometer-measured leisure time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (β = −.07, p = .036) and with self-reported physical activity (β = −.08, p = .021), while extraversion was positively associated with self-reported physical activity (β = .10, p = .005). No associations of extraversion or neuroticism with physical activity were found in the older men and women. Older adults who scored high in neuroticism reported less physical activity than what was measured by accelerometers (β = −.12, p = .039). Extraversion was not associated with discrepancy between self-reported and accelerometer-measured leisure time physical activity in either sample. Conclusions Neuroticism was associated with lower leisure-time physical activity levels and extraversion with higher self-reported physical activity among middle-aged women. Neuroticism and extraversion were unrelated to physical activity among older adults, but older adults with high neuroticism seemed to underreport their physical activity level. The role of personality in the discrepancy between self-reported and device-based physical activity warrants further research. peerReviewed

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Background: Health and social care education is highly important for preparing future professionals for their future roles in sustainable health and social care. However, previous studies have emphasized that health and social care educators’ competence is complex and poorly defined. Thus, there is a clear need for a psychometrically validated instrument to enable clarification and assessment of the required skills. Objective: To develop and psychometrically validate an instrument (the HeSoEduCo) for assessing health and social care educators’ competence in higher and professional education. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A HeSoEduCo instrument, with items inviting 1–4 Likert scale responses, was developed, based on one systematic review and one qualitative study, then validated in terms of face, content and construct validity and internal consistency (Cronbach′s alpha values). All health and social care educators based in all 21 universities of applied sciences in Finland and seven vocational colleges were subsequently invited to participate in a large-scale application of the instrument in fall 2018. In total, responses of 390 of these educators are analyzed here. Results: The face and content validity of 71 newly developed items were assessed by experts in two evaluation rounds. The final content validity showed high scores for the instrument’s relevance and clarity. Confirmatory factor analysis (to test construct validity) yielded eight factors (43-items remaining), defining the following competence areas of educators: evidence-based practice, digital collaborative learning, student-centered pedagogy, collaboration & societal, leadership & management, cultural & linguistic diversity, mentoring student into professional competence development and subject & curriculum. Cronbach’s alpha values for the factors ranged from 0.70 to 0.89. Conclusion: The instrument can be used to obtain self-evaluations of educators’ competence when assessing their general competence levels and help human resources departments and managers to identify suitable continuous education programs for their staff.

Metrics can be used by firms to make more objective decisions based on data. Software startups in particular are characterized by the uncertain or even chaotic nature of the contexts in which they operate. Using data in the form of metrics can help software startups to make the right decisions amid uncertainty and limited resources. However, whereas conventional business metrics and software metrics have been studied in the past, metrics in the specific context of software startups have not been studied. In this chapter, we present the results of a multivocal literature review to offer you 118 metrics practitioner experts think software startups should measure. These metrics can give you ideas for what your startup should measure. peerReviewed

The aim of the present study was to validate the Finnish version of the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA) using data from 1,688 Finnish parents (91\% mothers) living in Finland with at least one child living at home. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the theoretical four-factor structure of the PBA – emotional exhaustion in one’s parental role, contrast with previous parental self, feelings of being fed up with one’s parental role, and emotional distancing from one’s children. Internal consistency for the total scale was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha ≥ 0.90) and for the subscales from acceptable (alpha ≥ 0.70) to excellent. The results further demonstrated strict factorial invariance of PBA across genders and educational status groups. Finally, the PBA and its four subscales correlated as expected with the three criteria variables (depressive symptoms, sleep disruptions, and self-esteem), the latent factors of all three criteria variables being still clearly unique and separate constructions from parental burnout factors. peerReviewed

Background: The Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) and its shorter version, the Six-Item Carpal Tunnel Symptoms Scale (CTS-6), are widely used for assessing function and/or symptoms in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. This study examined the structural validity of the BCTQ and CTS-6 among patients who had undergone surgery for treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods: The data for this cross-sectional analysis were obtained from 217 adult patients who had undergone carpal tunnel release surgery one year earlier. All patients completed the CTS-6, Symptom Severity Scale (SSS) and Functional Status Scale (FSS) of the BCTQ at 12 months after surgery. The Rasch Measurement Theory (RMT) was applied to investigate the unidimensionality, residual correlation, differential item functioning, scale coverage/targeting, and person separation of the CTS-6, SSS and FSS of the BCTQ.Results: The FSS showed unidimensionality and good scale and item fit. All items showed ordered response category thresholds. Eight of the FSS items displayed differential item functioning favoring age or gender. The multidimensional structure of the CTS-6 was absorbed by creating a testlet for frequency of symptoms or testlets for pain and numbness. The testlets supported unidimensionality in the BCTQ SSS. One item in the CTS-6 and two items in the BCTQ SSS showed differential item functioning favoring age or gender. Four items in the BCTQ SSS and two items in the CTS-6 exhibited disordered response category thresholds. Merging of the relevant response categories led to ordered response category thresholds. The person separation indices were 0.73, 0.86 and 0.77 for the CTS-6, BCTQ SSS and FSS, respectively.Conclusions: Based on the RMT analysis, the CTS-6 has superior psychometric properties compared to the BCTQ SSS in surgically treated patients. The CTS-6 might be more accurate when separated into item sets measuring pain or numbness. The FSS of the BCTQ has acceptable construct validity, although gender differences at some ages were observed in responses.

Introduction: The construct validity of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH) has previously been questioned. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the measurement properties of the Finnish version of the DASH for assessing disability in patients with hand complaints using Rasch Measurement Theory. Methods: A cohort of 193 patients with typical hand and wrist complaints were recruited at a surgery outpatient clinic. The DASH scores were analysed using the Rasch model for differential item functioning, unidimensionality, fit statistics, item residual correlation, coverage/targeting and reliability. Results: In the original DASH questionnaire, the item response thresholds were disordered for 2 of 30 of the items. The item fit was poor for 9 of 30 of the items. Unidimensionality was not supported. There was substantial residual correlation between 87 pairs of items. Item reduction (chi square 95, degrees of freedom 50, p

A chemistry concept inventory (Chemical Concept Inventory 3.0/CCI 3.0), previously developed for use in Norwegian universities, was tested and evaluated for use in a Finnish university setting. The test, designed to evaluate student knowledge and learning of chemistry concepts, was administered as both pre- and posttest in first year general chemistry courses at the University of Jyväskylä. The results were evaluated using different statistical tests, focusing both on individual item analysis and the entire test. Some individual questions were found to be not discriminating or reliable enough or too difficult, yet the results, as a whole, indicate that the concept inventory is a reliable and discriminating tool that can be used in the Finnish university context.

A considerable amount of research has examined the extent to which members of dominant cultures perceive minority groups as threatening their way of life. While various instruments measure these perceptions of threat, few researchers have empirically analysed the statistical properties of these scales. Specifically, studies have not adequately explored social desirability of threat scales. The current study investigates the extent to which one set of threat scales is internally consistent or reliable (González et al., 2008), and explores social desirability within the González et al. (2008) integrated threat instruments by comparing self-reports to other reports (intimate other and friend reports). Results indicate the instruments are internally consistent and that self-reports and other reports of threat do not differ on most indices of threat. peerReviewed

Objectives: Resilience, the ability to bounce back after adverse events may be an important factor in active aging. The 10-item version of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC10) seems suitable for aging research owing to its low participant burden; however, its psychometric properties have not been comprehensively reported for older people. For example, no estimate exists of the test–retest reliability of the scale when used with older adults. Hence, this study evaluated the psychometric properties of the CD-RISC10 in a large population-based sample of community-dwelling older people. Method: The scale’s internal consistency, factor structure, construct validity, test-retest reliability, and user experience were analyzed among 1018 Finnish older adults (57% women) aged 75 (45%), 80 (33%) and 85 years (22%). Results: The internal consistency of the CD-RISC10 was good (Cronbach’s α = 0.85), test-retest reliability moderate (ICC = 0.61), and the scale was unidimensional. However, a two-factor solution was found among the 75-year-olds, where the ability to deal positively with change (e.g. using humor) explained an additional part of resilience. While no differences by gender, age, or education were observed in total scores, very good perceived financial situation was associated with higher resilience. The scale showed good construct validity, and user feedback indicated that administering the scale in research is quick and easy. Conclusion: In general, the CD-RISC10 is a valid method to study older adults’ psychological resilience. However, the present test–retest reliability values suggest caution in using the scale as an outcome measure in intervention studies. peerReviewed