The Political Network

Wie nutzen Parteien und Politiker Facebook? Um dieser Frage auf den Grund zu gehen, wurden Facebook-Präsenzen von Parteien und Bundestagsabgeordneten über mehrere Monate beobachtet. In Interviews wurden Abgeordnete und Mitarbeiter der Parteien nach ihrer Einschätzung der Funktion von Facebook-Kommunikation und ihrem Nutzerverhalten befragt. In einer quantitativen Studie wurde das Nutzerverhalten von Bundestagsabgeordneten im Rahmen einer Vollerhebung und einer Umfrage (N=100) ausgewertet. Im Folgenden werden wir die Ergebnisse der Teilstudien darstellen und dabei methodische Herausforderungen diskutieren, die bei der Forschung im Bereich Social Media auftreten. Internetkommunikation – und besonders jene auf Social Network Sites (SNS) – fordert empirische Forschung schon durch die schiere Menge an möglichem Material heraus. Zudem scheint die politische Kommunikation auf Facebook eine eigene Qualität zu besitzen, die auf eine Dezentralisierung und Ausdifferenzierung politischer Publika und auf ein Spannungsverhältnis zwischen der potentiellen Konservierung aller Mitteilungen bei gleichzeitiger Präferenz für Aktualität verweist. Uns beschäftigt daher auch die Frage, inwiefern das Medium und seine technischen Voraussetzungen die Kommunikation formen und welche Konsequenzen dies für Untersuchungen von Social Media und eine Interpretation der erhobenen Daten mit sich bringt. Die vorliegende Studie versucht einen Brückenschlag zwischen der konkreten Frage nach der Nutzung der Social Network Site Facebook durch Parteien und Abgeordnete und einer grundsätzlicheren Reflexion der Veränderungen, denen die politische Kommunikation auf den Nutzeroberflächen des digitalen Mediums unterworfen ist

Gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in academia: successes and failures of the initiatives promoted by the European Union

The article summarises the scientific debate on the strengths and weaknesses of the strategies adopted by the European Union to promote gender equality in academia and the adoption of a gender perspective in research. The article focuses on introducing gender mainstreaming, promoting gender equality and structural change in research performing and financing organisations, and adopting gender action/equality plans. The discussion is structured around textual analysis of relevant EU acts, scientific literature, reports of EU funded research projects, communication and support actions. The authors discuss the critics of the various initiative and advance some considerations about what could support individuals and groups interested in promoting positive changes towards gender equality, diversity and inclusion in the academic field. The article relevance is linked to the innovation promoted by Horizon Europe, that requires all public institutions applying for Eu funding to have a Gender equality plan, and the risks that previous mistakes can be repeated hindering the process towards gender equality as in the recent past

Acceso y permanencia en la Universidad: una investigación en la Universidad Nacional de Caaguazú

El éxito de la transición de la secundaria a la universidad juega un papel determinante sobre la permanencia y el rendimiento académico. Este trabajo, parte de un programa de investigación longitudinal, estudia las causas que influyen negativamente sobre esta transición en la Carrera de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional de Caaguazú, en donde se ha registrado un alto porcentaje (28%) de estudiantes a riesgo de deserción ya en el primer año de estudio. Se ha realizado una investigación cuali-cuantitativa por medio de cuestionarios dirigidos a estudiantes del Curso Preparatorio de Ingreso (CPI) y del Primer Año de Medicina y a Profesores de la Secundaria y del CPI. El 83% de los estudiantes del CPI ha declarado dificultad en el pasaje secundaria-universidad por: preparación de base insuficiente (32%), horarios de las actividades universitarias (25%), cambio del tipo de didáctica (24%). Los profesores señalan, entre las principales causas de dificultad en la transición, la preparación de base insuficiente, la “permisividad” del sistema de evaluación y la organización curricular en los colegios. Todos los docentes consideran esencial la creación de una conexión eficaz entre secundaria y universidad. Se destaca la importancia del monitoreo y evaluación de los procesos educativos en las Instituciones Universitarias

The current status of singing in kindergartens in Norway – An exploratory study

This study investigates the current situation regarding singing in Norwegian kindergartens. More specifically, how often kindergartens offer singing possibilities to children, in what situations singing is embedded, how valued singing is in such institutions, what singing methods and repertoires the teachers use, and whether teachers have certain underlying goals and beliefs connected to their use of singing. Furthermore, we are interested in whether there are contextual factors that influence the singing practice of a kindergarten/teacher. This exploratory cross-sectional study uses a webbased questionnaire, and the sample consists of 660 Norwegian kindergarten teachers. The statistical analyses cover standard descriptive and inferential statistics. The study’s main findings are as follows: (1) singing is highly valued in most kindergartens; (2) singing is done “very often” in most kindergartens, and the majority of teachers report that they sing with the children daily in a large variety of situations and using mainly Norwegian songs – however, the actual frequency and amount of singing depends on various factors; (3) one of the most important factors regarding singing praxis is musical expertise of teachers, regarding which most teachers rate themselves as below the population average; (4) the teachers mainly sing unaccompanied with the children; (5) they learn new songs mainly through streaming services; and (6) the teachers assume that singing leads to especially positive psychological, social, and cognitive effects on children.publishedVersio

Economic microbiology: exploring microbes as agents in economic systems

Microbial communities exhibit striking parallels with economic markets, resembling intricate ecosystems where microorganisms engage in resource exchange akin to human market transactions. This dynamic network of resource swapping mirrors economic trade in human markets, with microbes specializing in metabolic functions much like businesses specializing in goods and services. Cooperation and competition are central dynamics in microbial communities, with alliances forming for mutual benefit and species vying for dominance, similar to businesses seeking market share. The human microbiome, comprising trillions of microorganisms within and on our bodies, is not only a marker of socioeconomic status but also a critical factor contributing to persistent health inequalities. Social and economic factors shape the composition of the gut microbiota, impacting healthcare access and quality of life. Moreover, these microbes exert indirect influence over human decisions by affecting neurotransmitter production, influencing mood, behavior, and choices related to diet and emotions. Human activities significantly impact microbial communities, from dietary choices and antibiotic use to environmental changes, disrupting these ecosystems. Beyond their natural roles, humans harness microbial communities for various applications, manipulating their interactions and resource exchanges to achieve specific goals in fields like medicine, agriculture, and environmental science. In conclusion, the concept of microbial communities as biological markets offers valuable insights into their intricate functioning and adaptability. It underscores the profound interplay between microbial ecosystems and human health and behavior, with far-reaching implications for multiple disciplines. To paraphrase Alfred Marshall, “the Mecca of the economist lies in economic microbiology.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – A MOOC for Academic Purposes

Since its fifth framework programme (1998–2002), the European Union has promoted gender equality and equal opportunities in the higher education sector and science and technological development. In its current framework programme for research and innovation, Horizon Europe (2021–2027), the EU requires scientists to systematically integrate the concepts of sex, gender and intersectionality into their research paths and to promote equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in their working environments. However, for historical reasons, following the EU requirements is challenging, particularly for scientists in STEM disciplines. The University of Genoa is planning a MOOC suited to a large research institution audience to address this problem. The MOOC’s targets are researchers, scholars, administrative personnel and students interested in advancing EDI practices in the scientific fields. It enables them to understand the basic principles underlying the gender mainstreaming adopted by the EU and integrate methods and strategies related to sex, gender and intersectionality to progress towards an EDI-sensitive institution. Supported by a learner-centred instructional strategy, this chapter explores the choices related to EDI-sensitive methods and strategies adopted to develop and implement an online education path. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed

The Political Network: Parteien und politische Kommunikation auf Facebook

"Wie nutzen Parteien und Politiker Facebook? Um dieser Frage auf den Grund zu gehen, wurden Facebook-Präsenzen von Parteien und Bundestagsabgeordneten über mehrere Monate beobachtet. In Interviews wurden Abgeordnete und Mitarbeiter der Parteien nach ihrer Einschätzung der Funktion von Facebook-Kommunikation und ihrem Nutzerverhalten befragt. In einer quantitativen Studie wurde das Nutzerverhalten von Bundestagsabgeordneten im Rahmen einer Vollerhebung und einer Umfrage (N=100) ausgewertet. Im Folgenden werden wir die Ergebnisse der Teilstudien darstellen und dabei methodische Herausforderungen diskutieren, die bei der Forschung im Bereich Social Media auftreten. Internetkommunikation - und besonders jene auf Social Network Sites (SNS) - fordert empirische Forschung schon durch die schiere Menge an möglichem Material heraus. Zudem scheint die politische Kommunikation auf Facebook eine eigene Qualität zu besitzen, die auf eine Dezentralisierung und Ausdifferenzierung politischer Publika und auf ein Spannungsverhältnis zwischen der potentiellen Konservierung aller Mitteilungen bei gleichzeitiger Präferenz für Aktualität verweist. Uns beschäftigt daher auch die Frage, inwiefern das Medium und seine technischen Voraussetzungen die Kommunikation formen und welche Konsequenzen dies für Untersuchungen von Social Media und eine Interpretation der erhobenen Daten mit sich bringt. Die vorliegende Studie versucht einen Brückenschlag zwischen der konkreten Frage nach der Nutzung der Social Network Site Facebook durch Parteien und Abgeordnete und einer grundsätzlicheren Reflexion der Veränderungen, denen die politische Kommunikation auf den Nutzeroberflächen des digitalen Mediums unterworfen ist." (Autorenreferat

Probing the genomic landscape of human sexuality: a critical systematic review of the literature

Whether human sexuality is the result of nature or nurture (or their complex interplay) represents a hot, often ideologically driven, and highly polarized debate with political and social ramifications, and with varying, conflicting findings reported in the literature. A number of heritability and behavioral genetics studies, including pedigree-based investigations, have hypothesized inheritance patterns of human sexual behaviors. On the other hand, in most twin, adoption, and nuclear family studies, it was not possible to disentangle between underlying genetic and shared environmental sources. Furthermore, these studies were not able to estimate the precise extent of genetic loading and to shed light both on the number and nature of the putative inherited factors, which remained largely unknown. Molecular genetic studies offer an unprecedented opportunity to overcome these drawbacks, by dissecting the molecular basis of human sexuality and allowing a better understanding of its biological roots if any. However, there exists no systematic review of the molecular genetics of human sexuality. Therefore, we undertook this critical systematic review and appraisal of the literature, with the ambitious aims of filling in these gaps of knowledge, especially from the methodological standpoint, and providing guidance to future studies. Sixteen studies were finally retained and overviewed in the present systematic review study. Seven studies were linkage studies, four studies utilized the candidate gene approach, and five studies were GWAS investigations. Limitations of these studies and implications for further research are discussed

Flowering Times of Wild Arabidopsis Accessions From Across Norway Correlate With Expression Levels of FT, CO, and FLC Genes

Temperate species often require or flower most rapidly in the long daylengths, or photoperiods, experienced in summer or after prolonged periods of cold temperatures, referred to as vernalization. Yet, even within species, plants vary in the degree of responsiveness to these cues. In Arabidopsis thaliana, CONSTANS (CO) and FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) genes are key to photoperiod and vernalization perception and antagonistically regulate FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) to influence the flowering time of the plants. However, it is still an open question as to how these genes vary in their interactions among wild accessions with different flowering behaviors and adapted to different microclimates, yet this knowledge could improve our ability to predict plant responses in variable natural conditions. To assess the relationships among these genes and to flowering time, we exposed 10 winter-annual Arabidopsis accessions from throughout Norway, ranging from early to late flowering, along with two summer-annual accessions to 14 weeks of vernalization and either 8- or 19-h photoperiods to mimic Norwegian climate conditions, then assessed gene expression levels 3-, 5-, and 8-days post vernalization. CO and FLC explained both FT levels and flowering time (days) but not rosette leaf number at flowering. The correlation between FT and flowering time increased over time. Although vernalization suppresses FLC, FLC was high in the late-flowering accessions. Across accessions, FT was expressed only at low FLC levels and did not respond to CO in the late-flowering accessions. We proposed that FT may only be expressed below a threshold value of FLC and demonstrated that these three genes correlated to flowering times across genetically distinct accessions of Arabidopsis