Building on each other’s work - Impact and inspiration of permafrost research from 1998 to 2017

Research on permafrost has intensified in recent years, due to enhanced warming in the Arctic and in alpine regions, and the direct feedbacks between thawing permafrost and climate. To explore how scientists build on existing knowledge on permafrost and identify which studies inspire more research, we analyzed scientific articles published over two decades, before (1998-2007) and after (2008-2017) the 4th International Polar Year (2007/2008). We compared this bibliometric data to results from an online survey in which respondents were asked to list the most influential and inspiring publications on permafrost in their view. While publications per year have more than doubled for multidisciplinary geosciences from 1998 to 2017, permafrost publications have increased more than six-fold for the same period, according to bibliometric data from Web of Science. Permafrost publications have increased the most in journals focusing on biogeosciences (e.g. Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences) but also in the broader geoscience and science journals (e.g. Geophysical Research Letters, Nature), reflecting a shift towards more carbon-cycle focused research in later years. From the survey, many listed books as the most influential publications and comments also revealed that conferences, photographs, movies and (non-science) books inspire permafrost researchers. Keeping track on how knowledge is collectively built within a scientific discipline and community, can help us to identify how to design impactful studies and how to coordinate research efforts in a time when high quality and impact research is badly needed

Survival trends for small intestinal cancer in England and Wales, 1971–1990: national population-based study

This population-based study examines prognostic factors and survival trends among adults (15–99 years) diagnosed with small intestinal cancer in England and Wales during 1971–1990 and followed up to 1995. During this period, the 1- and 5-year age-standardised relative survival rates for small intestinal cancers combined were 42% and 23%, respectively. Duodenal tumours, adenocarcinomas, men, patients with advanced age and the most deprived patients had the poorest prognosis. For all small bowel tumours combined, the excess risk of death fell significantly by 6–9% every 4 years over the 20-year period (adjusted excess hazard ratio (EHR) 0.91 at 1 year after diagnosis, 0.94 at 5 years). For duodenal tumours, the EHR fell by about 14% (95% CI 5–22%) every 4 years between 1979 and 1990, and a similar trend for jejunal tumours was of borderline significance. Further population-based investigations linking survival data to individual data on diagnostic methods and types of treatment are needed

Joint action modulates motor system involvement during action observation in 3-year-olds

When we are engaged in a joint action, we need to integrate our partner’s actions with our own actions. Previous research has shown that in adults the involvement of one’s own motor system is enhanced during observation of an action partner as compared to during observation of an individual actor. The aim of this study was to investigate whether similar motor system involvement is present at early stages of joint action development and whether it is related to joint action performance. In an EEG experiment with 3-year-old children, we assessed the children’s brain activity and performance during a joint game with an adult experimenter. We used a simple button-pressing game in which the two players acted in turns. Power in the mu- and beta-frequency bands was compared when children were not actively moving but observing the experimenter’s actions when (1) they were engaged in the joint action game and (2) when they were not engaged. Enhanced motor involvement during action observation as indicated by attenuated sensorimotor mu- and beta-power was found when the 3-year-olds were engaged in the joint action. This enhanced motor activation during action observation was associated with better joint action performance. The findings suggest that already in early childhood the motor system is differentially activated during action observation depending on the involvement in a joint action. This motor system involvement might play an important role for children’s joint action performance

Neural Basis of Self and Other Representation in Autism: An fMRI Study of Self-Face Recognition

Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by decreased interest and engagement in social interactions and by enhanced self-focus. While previous theoretical approaches to understanding autism have emphasized social impairments and altered interpersonal interactions, there is a recent shift towards understanding the nature of the representation of the self in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Still, the neural mechanisms subserving self-representations in ASD are relatively unexplored.We used event-related fMRI to investigate brain responsiveness to images of the subjects' own face and to faces of others. Children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children viewed randomly presented digital morphs between their own face and a gender-matched other face, and made "self/other" judgments. Both groups of children activated a right premotor/prefrontal system when identifying images containing a greater percentage of the self face. However, while TD children showed activation of this system during both self- and other-processing, children with ASD only recruited this system while viewing images containing mostly their own face.This functional dissociation between the representation of self versus others points to a potential neural substrate for the characteristic self-focus and decreased social understanding exhibited by these individuals, and suggests that individuals with ASD lack the shared neural representations for self and others that TD children and adults possess and may use to understand others

For the Community, By the Community: Working with Youth to Understand the Physical Activity-Environment Relationship in First Nations Communities

Introduction: Physical activity participation benefits First Nations youth. Environmental factors like land-use mix influence physical activity opportunities available to youth. While the physical activity-environment link in urban centres is well understood, there has never been an exploration of the unique relationship First Nations youth have with their environment and how it might influence physical activity. The purpose of this study was to explore the physical activity-environment relationship with First Nations youth and develop a conceptual model of this relationship in First Nations communities. Methods: Using the principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR) and Two-Eyed Seeing, First Nations youth (n=14) were trained in the art of Photovoice to take photos of the physical activity environment. Next, the youth took part in a talking circle to share their experience of physical activity opportunities in their community. Talking circles were analysed for themes using NVivo 10. Results: Youth co-researchers indicated that the First Nations community environment influences their physical activity through: 1) Policy, 2) Community and Cultural Events, 3) Infrastructure, 4) the Natural Environment, 5) the Social Environment, 6) Transportation, 7) Physical Activity Programs, 8) Relations and 9) Personal Attributes. Informed by the socio-ecological model, a conceptual model demonstrating how youth physical activity is influenced by the environment was created. Conclusions: This study was the first to explore the physical activity-environment link in First Nations communities from a First Nations youth perspective. Using Indigenous and participatory methodologies helped engage youth in understanding and expressing how their physical activity is impacted by their environment

Hot trends and impact in permafrost science

An increased interest in Arctic environments, mainly due to climate change, has changed the conditions for permafrost research in recent years. This change has been accompanied by a global increase in scientific publications, as well as a trend towards open access publications. We have analyzed abstracts, titles and keywords for publications on permafrost from 1998 to 2017 to identify developments (topics, impact and collaboration) in the field of permafrost research in light of these changes. Furthermore, to understand how scientists build on and are inspired by each other's work, we have (a) developed citation networks from scientific publications on permafrost and (b) conducted an online survey on inspiration in permafrost science. Our results show an almost 400% increase in publications containing the word permafrost in the title, keywords or abstract over the study period, and a strong increase in climate‐change‐related research in terms of publications and citations. Survey respondents (n = 122) find inspiration not only in scientific journal publications, but to a large extent in books and public outreach materials. We argue that this increase in global‐scope issues (i.e., climate change) complementing core permafrost research has provided new incentives for international collaborations and wider communication efforts

Permafrost Comics: Bridging the gap between science and society

Here we present the first results of an entertaining and easily understandable scientific-based comic on the impacts of climate change in permafrost areas. Education and outreach is a fundamental component of scientific research activities. Especially for Arctic science, the involvement of local communities and the diffusion of scientific knowledge in schools is now an essential task on every researcher’s to-do list. The International Permafrost Association (IPA) Action Groups “A Frozen-Ground Cartoon” and “Permafrost and Culture” aim at filling the gap between indigenous knowledge, complex scientific results and outreach to the general public. It is possible to change global thinking, especially in relation to environmental friendly policy and industry, but only if awareness to the sensitive Arctic regions can be brought to the general public and to political decision makers. This can be hard to achieve, as scientific publications and knowledge are difficult to access for the general public. Permafrost comics explain the impact of climate change in permafrost areas, its effects on local communities, 172 ASM2016 Conference Program Oral Presentation and Poster Abstracts wildlife and changing landscape. We provide handouts with simple scientific background information that can be used by school teachers as educational material. The comics are part of a larger outreach and education project including posters and a short Frostbyte video. Everything will be freely available on the IPA website for download. For more information: https://www. researchgate.net/project/A-Frozen-Ground-CartoonExplaining-international-permafrost-research-usingcomic-strips http://ipa.arcticportal.org/activities/actiongroup

BALTA Newsletter - Spring 2010

This is the newsletter of the of the BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA). It contains news about BALTA and social economy developments in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada.BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) ; Funding provided by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC