Was bringt Stationenlernen im RW - Unterricht? Eine experimentelle Studie zu Lernmotivation und Lernerfolg

Der Gegenstand Rechnungswesen bereitet vielen Lernenden Schwierigkeiten. Gleichzeitig wird der Rechnungswesenunterricht häufig als eintönig und langweilig empfunden, nicht zuletzt auch deshalb, weil lehrendenzentrierte Unterrichtsformen dominieren. In diesem Beitrag wird daher der Frage nachgegangen, inwiefern Lernmotivation und Lernerfolg in Rechnungswesen durch den Einsatz von Stationenlernen verbessert werden können. Diese im Bereich der Volksschule und Sekundarstufe I verbreitete Unterrichtsmethode wird in der Sekundarstufe II und im Tertiären Bereich nur selten einge-setzt und ist kaum erforscht. Vor diesem Hintergrund haben die Autor/inn/en im Wintersemester 2017/18 im Rahmen einer Lehrveranstaltung im ersten Semester des Masterprogramms für Wirtschaftspädagogik an der WU Wien ein Unterrichtsexperiment zum Vergleich von traditionellem Frontalunterricht und Stationenlernen durchgeführt. Zwei der drei parallel laufenden Lehrveranstal-tungsgruppen wurden als Experimentalgruppe und eine als Kontrollgruppe geführt. Unterrichtet wur-den vier Themen aus dem Bereich der Doppelten Buchhaltung. In allen Gruppen wurden die Motivation im Zeitablauf und der Lernzuwachs durch einen Pre- und Posttest gemessen. Jeweils am Ende der Lehrveranstaltung wurde ein Fragebogen zur Evaluation der Unterrichtsmethode eingesetzt. Zudem wurden die Aktivitäten der Lehrenden und der Lernenden beobachtet. Insgesamt zeigten sich weder hinsichtlich Lernmotivation noch hinsichtlich Lernerfolg signifikante Unterschiede. Detailliertere quantitative und qualitative Analysen geben jedoch Hinweise für einen effizienten Einsatz von Statio-nenlernen im Rechnungswesenunterricht

Effects of Stochastic Resonance Whole-Body Vibration in Individuals with Unilateral Brain Lesion: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial: Whole-Body Vibration and Neuromuscular Function

Introduction. Stochastic resonance whole-body vibration (SR-WBV) devices are promising sensorimotor interventions to address muscle weakness and to improve balance and mobility particularly in the elderly. However, it remains inconclusive whether individuals with stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI) can profit from this method. The aim of this prospective single-blind randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effects of SR-WBV on muscle strength as well as gait and balance performance in this population. Methods. Forty-eight individuals with stroke or TBI were randomly allocated to an experimental and a sham group. Participants were exposed daily to 5 consecutives 1-minute SR-WBV sessions, whereas the experimental group trained in a standing position with 5 Hz and the sham group in a seated position with 1 Hz. Isometric muscle strength properties of the paretic knee extensor muscles as well as balance and gait performance were measured at baseline, after the first session and after two weeks of SR-WBV. Results. Both groups showed short- and long-term effects in gait performance. However, no between-group effects could be found at the three measurement points. Discussion. Complementary SR-WBV showed no beneficial effects immediately after the intervention and after two weeks of conventional rehabilitation therapy. Future research is needed to identify the potential efficacy of SR-WBV in individuals with stroke and TBI using shorter and less exhausting test procedures and a generally prolonged intervention time

Complete Response on Larotrectinib in NTRK2 Fusion-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

In patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring a fusion of the neurotrophic receptor kinase (NTRK) gene 1 or 3, treatment with tropomyosin kinase (TRK) inhibitors have shown promising results, however so far no data on efficacy of these agents in patients with NSCLC and NTRK2 fusion are available. We present a case of a female patient with NTRK2-positive NSCLC with a complete ongoing response on therapy with larotrectinib, suggesting efficacy of first-generation TRK inhibitors also in NTRK2-positive NSCLC

Extracting Handwritten Annotations from Printed Documents Via Infrared Scanning

Despite ever improving digital ink and paper solutions, many people still prefer printing out documents for close reading, proofreading, or filling out forms. However, in order to incorporate paper-based annotations into digital workflows, handwritten text and markings need to be extracted. Common computer-vision and machine-learning approaches require extensive sets of training data or a clean digital version of the document. We propose a simple method for extracting handwritten annotations from laser-printed documents using multispectral imaging. While black toner absorbs infrared light, most inks are invisible in the infrared spectrum. We modified an off-the-shelf flatbed scanner by adding a switchable infrared LED to its light guide. By subtracting an infrared scan from a color scan, handwritten text and highlighting can be extracted and added to a PDF version. Initial experiments show accurate results with high quality on a test data set of 93 annotated pages. Thus, infrared scanning seems like a promising building block for integrating paper-based and digital annotation practices

Aspects of Isometric Contractions and Static Balance in Women with Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Joint Hypermobility

Objective: The aim of the current study was to identify the differences in strength, balance and muscle activity between women with normal mobility and those with generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) with and without symptoms. Methods: A total of 195 women, 67 normomobile (NM) and 128 hypermobile (HM), were included in this explorative cross-sectional study, whereby 56 were classified as symptomatically hypermobile (HM-s) and 47 as asymptomatically hypermobile (HM-as). Peak force (Fmax) and rate of force development (RFD) were measured during single-leg maximal voluntary isometric contractions of the knee extensor and flexor muscles in a sitting position. Balance was investigated on a force plate by calculating the anterior-posterior and medio-lateral sway while maintaining a single-leg stance for 15 seconds. During the sway measurements, muscle activity of six leg muscles was recorded using surface electromyography. The NM and HM groups were compared using independent samples t-tests, whereas the NM, HM-s and HM-as groups were compared using one-way ANOVAs with Tukey post-hoc tests (significance level p ≤ 0.05). Results: While no statistically significant differences were found for Fmax, RFD and postural sway between the three groups, semitendinosus muscle activity showed a difference between the NM and HM (p=0.019) as well as between the NM and HM-as groups (p=0.020). Conclusions: No clinically meaningful differences were found between the three groups. This might be possibly due to the fact that the performance measurements were not sensitive and the motor tasks not challenging enough to detect differences in neuromuscular behavior of the investigated groups

Impact of Genetic Background on Allele Selection in a Highly Mutable Candida albicans Gene, PNG2

In many microbes rapid mutation of highly mutable contingency genes continually replenishes a pool of variant alleles from which the most suitable are selected, assisting in rapid adaptation and evasion of the immune response. In some contingency genes mutability is achieved through DNA repeats within the coding region. The fungal human pathogen Candida albicans has 2600 repeat-containing ORFs. For those investigated (ALS genes, HYR1, HYR2, CEK1, RLM1) many protein variants with differing amino acid repeat regions exist, as expected for contingency genes. However, specific alleles dominate in different clades, which is unexpected if allele variation is used for short-term adaptation. Generation of new alleles of repeat-containing C. albicans ORFs has never been observed directly. Here we present evidence for restrictions on the emergence of new alleles in a highly mutable C. albicans repeat-containing ORF, PNG2, encoding a putative secreted or cell surface glycoamidase. In laboratory cultures new PNG2 alleles arose at a rate of 2.8×10−5 (confidence interval 3.3×10−6−9. 9×10−5) per cell per division, comparable to rates measured for contingency genes. Among 80 clinical isolates 17 alleles of different length and 23 allele combinations were distinguishable; sequence differences between repeat regions of identical size suggest the existence of 36 protein variants. Specific allele combinations predominated in different genetic backgrounds, as defined by DNA fingerprinting and multilocus sequence typing. Given the PNG2 mutation rate, this is unexpected, unless in different genetic backgrounds selection favors different alleles. Specific alleles or allele combinations were not preferentially associated with C. albicans isolates from particular body sites or geographical regions. Our results suggest that the mutability of PNG2 is not used for short-term adaptation or evasion of the immune system. Nevertheless the large number of alleles observed indicates that mutability of PNG2 may assist C. albicans strains from different genetic backgrounds optimize their interaction with the host in the long term

Effects of alpine hydropower operations on primary production in a downstream lake

Abstract.: During the past century, the construction of hydropower dams in the watershed of Lake Brienz has significantly altered the dynamics of turbidity, which has important implications for lake productivity. To assess these effects, we measured in situ carbon assimilation rates and ambient light intensities over 18months. Based on experimental data, a numerical model was developed to assess gross primary production under present light conditions and those under a hypothetical case without upstream dams. Light conditions for the hypothetical ‘no-dam' situation were estimated from pre-dam Secchi depths and simulated ‘no-dam' particle concentrations. Current gross primary production is low (~66 gC m−2 yr−1), and could increase ~44% if the lake was less turbid. Disregarding nutrient retention in reservoirs, we estimate gross primary production would be ~35% lower in summer and ~23% higher in winter in the absence of reservoirs. The annual primary production (~58 gC m−2 yr−1) would decrease ~12% compared to the current primary production with dams. According to model calculations, hydropower operations have significantly altered the seasonal dynamics, but have little effect on annual primary production in Lake Brien

Time Period From Onset of Pain to Hospital Admission and Patients' Awareness in Acute Pancreatitis

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the period between onset of pain and hospital-admission (pain-to-admission time) in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP), to investigate the prognostic value and associated factors of this time, and to ascertain the knowledge about the pancreas in these patients. Methods: An analysis of a prospective multicenter study was done, which included 188 patients with AP. Results: Median pain-to-admission time was 27 hours (interquartile range, 6.0-72.0). Median pain-to-admission time was significantly shorter in intensive care unit (ICU) patients (10 hours) compared to non-ICU patients (36 hours) (P = 0.045). Short pain-to-admission time was associated with high pain level. Median pain level (0, no pain; 10, maximal pain) was 8.0 (interquartile range, 7.0-10.0). Older age correlated with lower pain level (r = -0.26; P = 0.002). Multiple logistic regression analysis including the admission values for serum lipase and C-reactive protein and the corresponding interactions to the pain-to-admission time showed substantial discriminative ability regarding ICU admission (concordance index, 0.706; P = 0.006). 86% (112/130) knew that they have a pancreas, 72% (81/112) of these patients knew that AP exists, and 56% (45/81) recognized that AP is potentially fatal. Conclusions: Knowledge about AP in hospitalized AP patients is poor. Serum lipase and C-reactive protein in dependency of the pain-to-admission time might be a suitable predictor for severity of AP