Onset and phoneme awareness and its relationship to letter knowledge in German-speaking preschool children

This is the authors' post-print version of an article published in Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica© 2014. The definitive version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000368228Objectives: The aim was to explore whether word initial onset awareness is acquired before phoneme awareness and whether onset complexity influences performance on identification tasks. In addition, the relationship between onset and phoneme awareness and letter knowledge was investigated. Method: In this study 22 monolingual German-speaking preschool children aged 5;00 – 5;11 were tested. Onset, phoneme identification, and letter knowledge tasks were administered. The children were presented with pictures of word pairs. Both words in each pair shared a single consonant onset, a two consonant onset cluster or the first consonant of a consonant cluster. The children were asked to pronounce the shared sound(s). Additionally, they were asked to name all 26 upper-case letters. Results: Onset awareness tasks were significantly easier to complete than phoneme awareness tasks. However, no influence of onset complexity on onset awareness performance was found. Moreover, letter knowledge correlated with all phonological awareness tasks. Conclusions: The results corroborate that phoneme awareness develops already at preschool age irrespective of explicit literacy tuition. Nevertheless, letter knowledge is closely related and should be linked to onset/phoneme awareness tasks

Literatur in Comic-Adaptionen : ein aktueller Überblick

Diese Arbeit befasst sich mit der Umsetzung von geschriebener in graphische Literatur. Für die Analyse wurden 15 Comics ausgewählt. Kriterien zur Auswahl waren die Aktualität und ein möglichst breites Spektrum an Stilen und Sparten. In dem Kapitel „Literaturadaptionen“ geht es um die Schwierigkeiten und Möglichkeiten von Comics ein Buch zu adaptieren. Im Schlusswort dagegen, wird ein Fazit gezogen. Vor der eigentlichen Untersuchung der Werke werden die Schriftsteller, die Comic-Artisten und die literarische Vorlage vorgestellt. Einige Kriterien für die Analyse sind der Comicsprache entnommen. Hierzu zählen unter anderen das Lettering, Lautmalerei oder die Seitenaufteilung. Zusätzlich wurden Attribute aus dem Medium „Film“ gewählt, z.B. Perspektive, Einstellung oder Tiefensprung. Weitere Anhaltspunkte bietet die „Kunst“, um die verschiedenen Stile und deren Kennzeichen beschreiben zu können

The Small Heat Shock Protein Hsp27 Affects Assembly Dynamics and Structure of Keratin Intermediate Filament Networks

AbstractThe mechanical properties of living cells are essential for many processes. They are defined by the cytoskeleton, a composite network of protein fibers. Thus, the precise control of its architecture is of paramount importance. Our knowledge about the molecular and physical mechanisms defining the network structure remains scarce, especially for the intermediate filament cytoskeleton. Here, we investigate the effect of small heat shock proteins on the keratin 8/18 intermediate filament cytoskeleton using a well-controlled model system of reconstituted keratin networks. We demonstrate that Hsp27 severely alters the structure of such networks by changing their assembly dynamics. Furthermore, the C-terminal tail domain of keratin 8 is shown to be essential for this effect. Combining results from fluorescence and electron microscopy with data from analytical ultracentrifugation reveals the crucial role of kinetic trapping in keratin network formation

Immunohistochemical characterization of bipolar cells in four distantly related avian species

Visual (and probably also magnetic) signal processing starts at the first synapse, at which photoreceptors contact different types of bipolar cells, thereby feeding information into different processing channels. In the chicken retina, 15 and 22 different bipolar cell types have been identified based on serial electron microscopy and single‐cell transcriptomics, respectively. However, immunohistochemical markers for avian bipolar cells were only anecdotally described so far. Here, we systematically tested 12 antibodies for their ability to label individual bipolar cells in the bird retina and compared the eight most suitable antibodies across distantly related species, namely domestic chicken, domestic pigeon, common buzzard, and European robin, and across retinal regions. While two markers (GNB3 and EGFR) labeled specifically ON bipolar cells, most markers labeled in addition to bipolar cells also other cell types in the avian retina. Staining pattern of four markers (CD15, PKCα, PKCβ, secretagogin) was species‐specific. Two markers (calbindin and secretagogin) showed a different expression pattern in central and peripheral retina. For the chicken and European robin, we found slightly more ON bipolar cell somata in the inner nuclear layer than OFF bipolar cell somata. In contrast, OFF bipolar cells made more ribbon synapses than ON bipolar cells in the inner plexiform layer of these species. Finally, we also analyzed the photoreceptor connectivity of selected bipolar cell types in the European robin retina. In summary, we provide a catalog of bipolar cell markers for different bird species, which will greatly facilitate analyzing the retinal circuitry of birds on a larger scale

Microgravity facilities for cold atom experiments

Microgravity platforms enable cold atom research beyond experiments in typical laboratories by removing restrictions due to the gravitational acceleration or compensation techniques. While research in space allows for undisturbed experimentation, technological readiness, availability and accessibility present challenges for experimental operation. In this work we focus on the main capabilities and unique features of ground-based microgravity facilities for cold atom research. A selection of current and future scientific opportunities and their high demands on the microgravity environment are presented, and some relevant ground-based facilities are discussed and compared. Specifically, we point out the applicable free fall times, repetition rates, stability and payload capabilities, as well as programmatic and operational aspects of these facilities. These are contrasted with the requirements of various cold atom experiments. Besides being an accelerator for technology development, ground-based microgravity facilities allow fundamental and applied research with the additional benefit of enabling hands-on access to the experiment for modifications and adjustments

Development and body mass inversely affect children’s brain activation in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during food choice

Childhood obesity is a rising problem caused in part by unhealthy food choices. Food choices are based on a neural value signal encoded in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and self-control involves modulation of this signal by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). We determined the effects of development, body mass (BMI Cole score) and body mass history on the neural correlates of healthy food choice in children. 141 children (aged 10-17y) from Germany, Hungary and Sweden were scanned with fMRI while performing a food choice task. Afterwards health and taste ratings of the foods were collected. In the food choice task children were asked to consider the healthiness or tastiness of the food or to choose naturally. Overall, children made healthier choices when asked to consider healthiness. However, children who had a higher weight gain per year chose less healthy foods when considering healthiness but not when choosing naturally. Pubertal development stage correlated positively while current body mass correlated negatively with dlPFC activation when accepting foods. Pubertal development negatively and current body mass positively influenced the effect of considering healthiness on activation of brain areas involved in salience and motivation. In conclusion, children in earlier stages of pubertal development and children with a higher body weight exhibited less activation in the dlPFC, which has been implicated in self-control during food choice. Furthermore, pubertal development and body mass influenced neural responses to a health cue in areas involved in salience and motivation. Thus, these findings suggest that children in earlier stages of pubertal development, children with a higher body mass gain and children with overweight may possibly be less susceptible to healthy eating interventions that rely on self-control or that highlight health aspects of food.</p

TMPRSS2-mediated SARS-CoV-2 uptake boosts innate immune activation, enhances cytopathology, and drives convergent virus evolution.

The accessory protease transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) enhances severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) uptake into ACE2-expressing cells, although how increased entry impacts downstream viral and host processes remains unclear. To investigate this in more detail, we performed infection assays in engineered cells promoting ACE2-mediated entry with and without TMPRSS2 coexpression. Electron microscopy and inhibitor experiments indicated TMPRSS2-mediated cell entry was associated with increased virion internalization into endosomes, and partially dependent upon clathrin-mediated endocytosis. TMPRSS2 increased panvariant uptake efficiency and enhanced early rates of virus replication, transcription, and secretion, with variant-specific profiles observed. On the host side, transcriptional profiling confirmed the magnitude of infection-induced antiviral and proinflammatory responses were linked to uptake efficiency, with TMPRSS2-assisted entry boosting early antiviral responses. In addition, TMPRSS2-enhanced infections increased rates of cytopathology, apoptosis, and necrosis and modulated virus secretion kinetics in a variant-specific manner. On the virus side, convergent signatures of cell-uptake-dependent innate immune induction were recorded in viral genomes, manifesting as switches in dominant coupled Nsp3 residues whose frequencies were correlated to the magnitude of the cellular response to infection. Experimentally, we demonstrated that selected Nsp3 mutations conferred enhanced interferon antagonism. More broadly, we show that TMPRSS2 orthologues from evolutionarily diverse mammals facilitate panvariant enhancement of cell uptake. In summary, our study uncovers previously unreported associations, linking cell entry efficiency to innate immune activation kinetics, cell death rates, virus secretion dynamics, and convergent selection of viral mutations. These data expand our understanding of TMPRSS2's role in the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle and confirm its broader significance in zoonotic reservoirs and animal models

SKOLSKÖTERSKANS HÄLSOFRÄMJANDE OCH FÖREBYGGANDE ARBETE MED FOKUS PÅ NYANLÄNDA ELEVER

Haleemi H. och Herrmann M. Skolsköterskans hälsofrämjande och förebyggande arbete med fokus på nyanlända elever. En intervjustudie. Examensarbete i pediatrisk omvårdnad 15 högskolepoäng. Malmö universitet: Fakultet för hälsa och samhälle, institutionen för vårdvetenskap, 2020. Bakgrund: Antalet nyanlända elever i grundskolan har ökat under de senaste åren i Sverige. Detta har inneburit att skolsköterskor allt oftare träffar dessa barn vilka tillhör en riskgrupp då de oftare riskerar att drabbas av ohälsa jämfört med barn födda i Sverige. Syfte: Syftet var att belysa hur skolsköterskan upplever sitt hälsofrämjande och förebyggande arbete med fokus på nyanlända elever i åldern 6 - 16 år. Metod: Kvalitativ intervjustudie. Totalt 10 skolsköterskor intervjuades genom en semistrukturerad intervjuguide. Kvalitativ innehållsanalys utfördes enligt Graneheim och Lundmans analysmetod. Resultat: Fyra kategorier och sju subkategorier framkom; de fyra kategorierna var: Språkbarriär leder till kommunikationssvårigheter, Kulturmedvetenhet som grundförutsättning, Att känna sig värdefull som skolsköterska, Tidskrävande att stödja nyanlända elever. Slutsats: Kommunikationssvårigheter kan minskas med förbättrad tolkkvalitet. Även om skolsköterskorna känner sig värdefulla behövs mer tid, kulturkunskap och samarbete mellan olika kompetenser vilket kan gynna både skolsköterskor och de nyanlända eleverna och deras familjer.Haleemi H. and Herrmann M. The school nurse's health promotion and prevention work focusing on newly arrived students. An interview study. Degree project in pediatric nursing 15 higher education credits. Malmö University: Faculty of Health and Society, Department of Care Science, 2020. Background: The number of newly arrived elementary school students arriving from other countries has increased in recent years in Sweden. It is not uncommon that these students arrive suffering from health-related issues necessitating frequent meetings with school nurses. Aim: To illustrate how school nurses experience their health promotion and prevention work with a focus on newly arrived students aged 6 - 16 years. Methods: A qualitative interview study was conducted. A total of ten school nurses were interviewed with the help of a semi-structured interview guide. Analysis of interviews was performed using qualitative content analysis as described by Graneheim and Lundman. Results: The analysis led to four categories and seven subcategories; the four categories were: the language barrier leads to communication difficulties, to feel valued as a school nurse, Time-consuming to support newly arrived students, Cultural awareness as a prerequisite, and seven subcategories. Conclusions: Increased staffing, the collaboration between different skills and improved interpretation quality were identified as interventions that may benefit both school nurses and the newly arrived students and their families

SKOLSKÖTERSKANS HÄLSOFRÄMJANDE OCH FÖREBYGGANDE ARBETE MED FOKUS PÅ NYANLÄNDA ELEVER

Haleemi H. och Herrmann M. Skolsköterskans hälsofrämjande och förebyggande arbete med fokus på nyanlända elever. En intervjustudie. Examensarbete i pediatrisk omvårdnad 15 högskolepoäng. Malmö universitet: Fakultet för hälsa och samhälle, institutionen för vårdvetenskap, 2020.Bakgrund: Antalet nyanlända elever i grundskolan har ökat under de senaste åren i Sverige. Detta har inneburit att skolsköterskor allt oftare träffar dessa barn vilka tillhör en riskgrupp då de oftare riskerar att drabbas av ohälsa jämfört med barn födda i Sverige.Syfte: Syftet var att belysa hur skolsköterskan upplever sitt hälsofrämjande och förebyggande arbete med fokus på nyanlända elever i åldern 6 - 16 år.Metod: Kvalitativ intervjustudie. Totalt 10 skolsköterskor intervjuades genom en semistrukturerad intervjuguide. Kvalitativ innehållsanalys utfördes enligt Graneheim och Lundmans analysmetod. Resultat: Fyra kategorier och sju subkategorier framkom; de fyra kategorierna var: Språkbarriär leder till kommunikationssvårigheter, Kulturmedvetenhet som grundförutsättning, Att känna sig värdefull som skolsköterska, Tidskrävande att stödja nyanlända elever.Slutsats: Kommunikationssvårigheter kan minskas med förbättrad tolkkvalitet. Även om skolsköterskorna känner sig värdefulla behövs mer tid, kulturkunskap och samarbete mellan olika kompetenser vilket kan gynna både skolsköterskor och de nyanlända eleverna och deras familjer.Haleemi H. and Herrmann M. The school nurse's health promotion and prevention work focusing on newly arrived students. An interview study. Degree project in pediatric nursing 15 higher education credits. Malmö University: Faculty of Health and Society, Department of Care Science, 2020.Background: The number of newly arrived elementary school students arriving from other countries has increased in recent years in Sweden. It is not uncommon that these students arrive suffering from health-related issues necessitating frequent meetings with school nurses. Aim: To illustrate how school nurses experience their health promotion and prevention work with a focus on newly arrived students aged 6 - 16 years. Methods: A qualitative interview study was conducted. A total of ten school nurses were interviewed with the help of a semi-structured interview guide. Analysis of interviews was performed using qualitative content analysis as described by Graneheim and Lundman. Results: The analysis led to four categories and seven subcategories; the four categories were: the language barrier leads to communication difficulties, to feel valued as a school nurse, Time-consuming to support newly arrived students, Cultural awareness as a prerequisite, and seven subcategories.Conclusions: Increased staffing, the collaboration between different skills and improved interpretation quality were identified as interventions that may benefit both school nurses and the newly arrived students and their families