128 research outputs found
âItâs not just old jokes that get recycled.â:science communication and entertainment in the cartoon Introduction to climate change
Abstract. Educational and informational comics have many advantages to other learning tools, especially traditional textbooks, and not the least of them is making learning engaging and enjoyable. For this reason, the objective of this research is to discover which are the specific ways in which science comics communicate scientific facts and theories and entertain their readers. The following questions are answered: 1) How is science content presented in and adapted into comic form? 2) How has the comic book The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change been designed to make learning and reading entertaining? More specifically, what are the ways through which the comic entertains the reader?
To answer these research questions, a triangulation of methods and data was used. The methods used in this research are content analysis and multimodal analysis, and they will be used to examine the multimodality of the science comic book The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change. Moreover, the study contains an ethnographic and autoethnographic approach: an interview with a science comic creator was conducted and the answers are used to consolidate the findings from the analysis of The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change; also, the writerâs own knowledge of comics as an avid comic reader and creator is employed. Furthermore, the results of the interview and analysis were compared to previous research on science comics, science communication, autonomous learning, and entertainment. The results indicate that in her working process, the science comic creatorâs approach to science communication concurs with modern approaches to autonomous learning and science communication. Similarities between the interview results and the analysis of The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change were identified. In The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change, both the individual modes (visual and verbal) and the interplay of modes provide plenty of opportunities to make learning enjoyable and gratifying and to adapt science content into the comic form. The elements of the comic book in question (speech bubbles, drawings, and textboxes), narration, characters, and the fundamental ability of comics to both visually show and verbally tell about events, processes, phenomena, and abstract concepts that are outside the readerâs reach are used to communicate and teach science effectively. Moreover, the target audience of The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change has been taken carefully into account. These matters make the learning experience different from learning from other educational tools, allegedly benefitting many students.TiivistelmĂ€. Sarjakuvat ovat monin tavoin hyödyllisempiĂ€ opetusvĂ€lineitĂ€ verrattuna muihin vĂ€lineisiin, erityisesti perinteisiin tekstipainotteisiin oppikirjoihin, ja etenkin kun oppimisesta halutaan tehdĂ€ mukaansatempaavaa ja nautittavaa. NĂ€istĂ€ syistĂ€ tutkin tĂ€ssĂ€ pro gradussa tiedesarjakuvien keinoja opettaa ja viihdyttÀÀ lukijaansa. Pyrin vastaamaan seuraaviin kysymyksiin: 1) Miten tiedesisĂ€ltö on esitetty The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change -sarjakuvassa ja miten se on sovitettu sarjakuvamuotoon? 2) Miten sarjakuvan on tarkoitus tehdĂ€ lukemisesta ja oppimisesta viihdyttĂ€vÀÀ? MillĂ€ keinoin sarjakuva pyrkii viihdyttĂ€mÀÀn lukijaansa?
LÀhestyn tutkimuskysymyksiÀ useasta lÀhtökohdasta. KÀytÀn tutkimusmetodeina sisÀllönanalyysia ja multimodaalista analyysia tarkastellessani multimodaalisuutta The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change -sarjakuvassa. LisÀksi tutkimukseen liittyvÀt etnografinen ja autoetnografinen menettelytapa: vahvistan analyysin pÀÀtelmiÀ tiedesarjakuvien tekijÀn haastattelun avulla ja kÀyttÀmÀllÀ omaa kokemuksen kautta kertynyttÀ sarjakuvatietouttani. Vertaan tuloksia myös tiedesarjakuvista, tiedeviestinnÀstÀ, itsenÀisestÀ oppimisesta sekÀ viihteestÀ aiemmin tehtyihin tutkimuksiin. Haastattelun tulokset viittaavat siihen, ettÀ tiedesarjakuvien tekijÀn lÀhestymistavat tiedesarjakuvien tekemiseen ovat yhtenevÀisiÀ modernien tiedeviestinnÀn ja itsenÀisen oppimisen teorioiden kanssa. The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change -sarjakuvassa on hyödynnetty sekÀ yksittÀisten moodien (sanallinen ja kuvallinen) ilmaisuvoimaa erikseen ettÀ niiden yhdistelmÀÀ sarjakuvana, jotta oppimisesta tulisi viihdyttÀvÀÀ ja tyydyttÀvÀÀ; lisÀksi tiedesisÀltöÀ voidaan moodien avulla muuntaa sarjakuvamuotoon monin eri tavoin. TiedeviestinnÀssÀ ja tiedesisÀllön opettamisessa hyödynnetÀÀn sarjakuvan elementtejÀ (puhekuplat, piirrokset ja tekstilaatikot), kerrontaa, hahmoja sekÀ sarjakuville ominaista kykyÀ nÀyttÀÀ lukijan kokemusmaailman ulkopuolisia tapahtumia, prosesseja, ilmiöitÀ sekÀ abstrakteja kÀsitteitÀ visuaalisesti sekÀ kertoa niistÀ sanallisesti. Kohdeyleisö on myös otettu tarkasti huomioon sarjakuvan suunnittelussa. NÀiden tekijöiden avulla oppimiskokemuksesta saadaan erilainen kuin muunlaisista oppimateriaaleista opiskellessa, mikÀ hyödyttÀÀ monia opiskelijoita
Imetyksen vaikutus purennan kehitykseen
TiivistelmÀ. Tutkielmassa kÀsitellÀÀn imetyksen vaikutuksia purennan kehitykseen laajan kirjallisuuskatsauksen avulla. Aineistona toimivat kansainvÀliset tutkimukset, joissa kÀsitellÀÀn imetyksen, pulloruokinnan ja ei-ruokinnallisen imemisen vaikutuksia ja niiden vaikutusten eroavaisuuksia purennan kehityksen kannalta. Mukana on yhteensÀ 18 tieteellistÀ tutkimusta, joiden otoskoko vaihteli 60 ja 1451 vÀlillÀ. MerkittÀvÀ osa tutkimuksista oli brasilialaisia, mutta osa oli tehty Euroopassa, Aasiassa ja LÀhi-IdÀssÀ. Tutkimustiedon kerÀÀmiseen kÀytettiin enimmÀkseen Pubmedia, Duodecimin terveyskirjastoa, Terveyden- ja hyvinvoinninlaitoksen tekstejÀ ja suosituksia.
Tutkimusmateriaalin avulla havaitaan, ettÀ imetyksellÀ on erilaisilta purentaongelmilta ja ei-ruokinnallisilta imemistottumuksilta (tutti/peukalo) suojaava vaikutus. Useissa tutkimuksissa on todettu imetyksen pitkÀkestoisuuden ehkÀisevÀn sivualueen ristipurentaa ja avopurentaa, vaikkakin myös poikkeavia tuloksia oli havaittavissa. Sivualueen ristipurennan riskin on todettu kasvavan, kun imetys kestÀÀ alle kuusi kuukautta. Myös alle yhdeksÀn kuukautta kestÀvÀ imetys on riskitekijÀ sivualueen ristipurennalle. Imetyksen vaikutusta avopurennan kehitykseen on tutkittu enemmÀn kuin imetystÀ ja sivualueen ristipurentaa. Tulokset aiheesta olivat kaikki samansuuntaisia ja niissÀ todettiin, ettÀ imetyksen keston lisÀÀntyessÀ avopurennan riski laski. Suurimmat erot olivat havaittavissa tÀysin imettÀmÀttömien ja yli 12 kuukautta imetystÀ saaneiden lasten riskeissÀ saada avopurenta. Riski avopurennan saamiselle oli erÀÀssÀ tutkimuksessa noin yhdeksÀn kertaa suurempi imettÀmÀttömillÀ lapsilla kuin yli 12 kuukautta imetetyillÀ (Romero ym. 2011). Kobayashin ym. (2010) tutkimuksessa vastaava riski oli noin 20-kertainen.
Ei-ruokinnallisten imemistottumusten esiintyvyyden on todettu laskevan imetyksen keston kasvaessa. Kahdessa laajassa tutkimuksessa mÀÀritettiin kuusi kuukautta imetyksen rajapyykiksi ei-ruokinnallisten imemistottumusten kehitykselle. Alle kuusi kuukautta kestÀvÀ imetys lisÀÀ riskiÀ haitallisten imemistottumusten kehitykselle, kun taas yli kuusi kuukautta kestÀvÀ tÀysimetys toimii ei-ruokinnallisilta imemistottumuksilta suojaavana tekijÀnÀ. Imetyksen keston vaikutuksesta ei-ruokinnallisen imemistottumuksen kehitykseen on hieman ristiriitaista nÀyttöÀ, mutta lukuisissa laajaotantaisissa tutkimuksissa kyseinen yhteys on todettu. Ei-ruokinnallisilla imemistottumuksilla on epÀedullisia vaikutuksia purennan kehitykseen. Ne lisÀÀvÀt avopurennan, sivualueen ristipurennan ja Angle II -luokan purentasuhteiden riskiÀ
Prospecting environmental mycobacteria: combined molecular approaches reveal unprecedented diversity
Background: Environmental mycobacteria (EM) include species commonly found in various terrestrial and aquatic environments, encompassing animal and human pathogens in addition to saprophytes. Approximately 150 EM species can be separated into fast and slow growers based on sequence and copy number differences of their 16S rRNA genes. Cultivation methods are not appropriate for diversity studies; few studies have investigated EM diversity in soil despite their importance as potential reservoirs of pathogens and their hypothesized role in masking or blocking M. bovis BCG vaccine.
Methods: We report here the development, optimization and validation of molecular assays targeting the 16S rRNA gene to assess diversity and prevalence of fast and slow growing EM in representative soils from semi tropical and temperate areas. New primer sets were designed also to target uniquely slow growing mycobacteria and used with PCR-DGGE, tag-encoded Titanium amplicon pyrosequencing and quantitative PCR.
Results: PCR-DGGE and pyrosequencing provided a consensus of EM diversity; for example, a high abundance of pyrosequencing reads and DGGE bands corresponded to M. moriokaense, M. colombiense and M. riyadhense. As expected pyrosequencing provided more comprehensive information; additional prevalent species included M. chlorophenolicum, M. neglectum, M. gordonae, M. aemonae. Prevalence of the total Mycobacterium genus in the soil samples ranged from 2.3Ă107 to 2.7Ă108 gene targets gâ1; slow growers prevalence from 2.9Ă105 to 1.2Ă107 cells gâ1.
Conclusions: This combined molecular approach enabled an unprecedented qualitative and quantitative assessment of EM across soil samples. Good concordance was found between methods and the bioinformatics analysis was validated by random resampling. Sequences from most pathogenic groups associated with slow growth were identified in extenso in all soils tested with a specific assay, allowing to unmask them from the Mycobacterium whole genus, in which, as minority members, they would have remained undetected
Climate challenges, vulnerabilities, and food security
This paper identifies rare climate challenges in the long-term history of seven areas, three in the subpolar North Atlantic Islands and four in the arid-to-semiarid deserts of the US Southwest. For each case, the vulnerability to food shortage before the climate challenge is quantified based on eight variables encompassing both environmental and social domains. These data are used to evaluate the relationship between the “weight” of vulnerability before a climate challenge and the nature of social change and food security following a challenge. The outcome of this work is directly applicable to debates about disaster management policy
Whole-body vibration training induces hypertrophy of the human patellar tendon
I Brage finner du siste tekst-versjon av artikkelen, og den kan inneholde ubetydelige forskjeller fra forlagets pdf-versjon. Forlagets pdf-versjon finner du pĂ„ onlinelibrary.wiley.com / In Brage you'll find the final text version of the article, and it may contain insignificant differences from the journal's pdf version. The definitive version is available at onlinelibrary.wiley.comAnimal studies suggest that regular exposure to whole-body vibration (WBV) induces an anabolic response in bone and tendon. However, the effects of this type of intervention on human tendon properties and its influence on the muscle-tendon unit function have never been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of WBV training on the patellar tendon mechanical, material and morphological properties, the quadriceps muscle architecture and the knee extension torqueâangle relationship. Fifty-five subjects were randomized into either a vibration, an active control, or an inactive control group. The active control subjects performed isometric squats on a vibration platform without vibration. Muscle and tendon properties were measured using ultrasonography and dynamometry. Vibration training induced an increase in proximal (6.3%) and mean (3.8%) tendon cross-sectional area, without any appreciable change in tendon stiffness and modulus or in muscle architectural parameters. Isometric torque at a knee angle of 90° increased in active controls (6.7%) only and the torqueâangle relation remained globally unchanged in all groups. The present protocol did not appreciably alter knee extension torque production or the musculo-tendinous parameters underpinning this function. Nonetheless, this study shows for the first time that WBV elicits tendon hypertrophy in humans.Seksjon for fysisk prestasjonsevne / Department of Physical Performanc
Mycobacterium lentiflavum in Drinking Water Supplies, Australia
Humans may acquire infection from potable water
A three month controlled intervention of intermittent whole body vibration designed to improve functional ability and attenuate bone loss in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition that results in pain and disability. Patients with RA have a decreased functional ability and are forced into a sedentary lifestyle and as such, these patients often become predisposed to poor bone health. Patients with RA may also experience a decreased health related quality of life (HRQoL) due to their disease. Whole body vibration (WBV) is a form of exercise that stimulates bone loading through forced oscillation. WBV has also been shown to decrease pain and fatigue in other rheumatic diseases, as well as to increase muscle strength. This paper reports on the development of a semi randomised controlled clinical trial to assess the impact of a WBV intervention aiming to improve functional ability, attenuate bone loss, and improve habitual physical activity levels in patients with RA. Methods/Design: This study is a semi randomised, controlled trial consisting of a cohort of patients with established RA assigned to either a WBV group or a CON (control) group. Patients in the WBV group will undergo three months of twice weekly intermittent WBV sessions, while the CON group will receive standard care and continue with normal daily activities. All patients will be assessed at baseline, following the three month intervention, and six months post intervention. Main outcomes will be an improvement in functional ability as assessed by the HAQ. Secondary outcomes are attenuation of loss of bone mineral density (BMD) at the hip and changes in RA disease activity, HRQoL, habitual physical activity levels and body composition. Discussion: This study will provide important information regarding the effects of WBV on functional ability and BMD in patients with RA, as well as novel data regarding the potential changes in objective habitual physical activity patterns that may occur following the intervention. The sustainability of the intervention will also be assessed
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