60 research outputs found
Maximizing Science Outreach on Facebook: An Analysis of Scientistsâ Communication Strategies in Taiwan
The internet, and especially social media platforms, offer scientists new opportunities to connect with a broader public. While many studies have focused on science communication on Twitter, surprisingly few have analyzed how scientists use Facebook, even though it is an essential platform for the general public in many countries. A possible explanation for this lack of research is that scientists keep their Facebook profiles separate from their work life and are more active on Twitter in their professional roles. Our study challenges this assumption by focusing on Taiwan as a peculiar case. Due to the local culture, Twitter is less popular there, and scientists are more active on Facebook, even in their professional roles. In our study, we analyzed 35 public pages of scientists on Facebook and assessed the factors explaining the reach of their communication using content analysis in combination with a multilevel model that allowed us to test predictors on the page level, such as the number of fans, in combination with predictors on the post level, such as the complexity of the language used. Our study shows that Facebook can play an influential role in science outreach. To effectively communicate with the audience on Facebook, it is best to use strategies that appeal to new and existing followers. Posts that address current issues and include opinions are likely to be shared widely, while humor or personal self-disclosure is likely to engage the existing audience. Our study contributes to the current debate about alternatives to Twitter in science communication
Otorhinolaryngological Advancements in Phoniatrics
The production of voice is a powerful tool not only for communication, but also for artistic performances [...
Mentalizing in a movie for the assessment of social cognition (MASC): the validation in a taiwanese sample
Abstract Background The present study evaluated the psychometrics properties of a sensitive video-based test used in the evaluation of mentalizing skills, that is, the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition-Taiwanese version (MASC-TW). Methods We recruited two independent samples of nonclinical participants (Nâ=â167) and adult patients with schizophrenia (Nâ=â41). The MASC-TW and two other social cognition measures, namely the Chinese version of Theory of Mind task (ToM) and the Taiwanese version of the Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy-2 (DANAV-TW-2), and an executive function measure of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), were administered to both groups. Results The MASC proved to be a reliable measure of mentalizing capacity, high Cronbachâs α value of 0.87. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the MASC-TW total correct scores was 0.85 across three waves of data collection. Across the entire sample, the scores on the MASC-TW were significantly correlated with verbal and nonverbal scores for the ToM task and recognition of facial and prosodic emotion on the DANAV-TW-2. Both executive function and emotion recognition emerged as noteworthy predictors of mentalizing, indicating that these two variables might play crucial roles in the development of mentalizing capacities. Finally, a receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that in patients with schizophrenia, the MASC was the most accurate discriminator of diagnostic groups, highlighting the validity of the MASC. Conclusions Overall, the MASC-TW is an ecologically valid and useful tool for assessing mentalizing abilities in a Taiwanese population
Spatial Clustering and Local Risk Factors of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality has been steadily increasing in Taiwan since 2009. In order to understand where the hotspot areas are and what the local risk factors are, we integrated an ecological and a case-control study. We used a two-stage approach to identify hotspots and explore the possible risk factors for developing COPD. The first stage used the annual township COPD mortality from 2000 to 2012 and applied the retrospective space-time scan statistic to calculate the local relative risks in each township. In the second stage, we conducted a case-control study, recruiting 200 patients from one local hospital within the one identified hotspot area located in southern Taiwan. Logistic regression was applied for analyzing the personal risk factors of COPD. The univariate analyses showed that higher percentages of aborigines, patients with tuberculosis (TB) history, and those with smoking history had COPD (p < 0.05). After controlling for demographic variables, aboriginal status (adjusted odds ratios (AORs): 3.01, 95% CI: 1.52â5.93) and smoking history (AORs: 2.64, 95% CI: 1.46â4.76) were still the two significant risk factors. This two-stage approach might be beneficial to examine and cross-validate the findings from an aggregate to an individual scale, and can be easily extended to other chronic diseases
Enhanced Photocatalytic Water Splitting by Plasmonic TiO<sub>2</sub>âFe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Cocatalyst under Visible Light Irradiation
In
this study, we introduce a plasmonic TiO<sub>2</sub>âFe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> cocatalyst photoelectrode to improve the water-splitting
process. The absorption of incident photons and the separation rate
of photogenerated electronâhole pairs are enhanced due to the
broadband absorption and strong electric field of the composite formed
from these two metal oxide semiconductors and plasmonic silver nanoparticles
(Ag NPs). Plasmonic TiO<sub>2</sub>âFe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> cocatalyst photoelectrodes were fabricated using a precipitation
and solution processing method. Under visible light irradiation, a
photocurrent that is 20 times higher than that of pure Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> was observed using an optimized ratio of the plasmonic
TiO<sub>2</sub>âFe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Ag cocatalyst.
The mechanism for this enhancement in the plasmonic cocatalyst system
was investigated using different structural configurations of the
photoelectrode. Both the crystallinity and absorption band edge of
the TiO<sub>2</sub>âFe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> cocatalyst
were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ultravioletâvisible
absorption spectroscopy (UVâvis). Furthermore, the spatial
distribution of the photocurrent was investigated using this plasmonic
cocatalyst system
The single nucleotide variant at c.662A>G in human RRM2B is a lossâofâfunction mutation
Abstract Background Mitochondrial DNA maintenance defects (MDMDs) is one of the critical pediatric dysfunction. One of the recent report indicated that a severe patient of MDMDs carries the NP_056528.2:p.Asn221Ser (N221S) variation in the RRM2B gene (NM_015713.5). However, there is no direct evidence demonstrating the nature of the N221S variation. Materials and Methods This study aimed to utilize zebrafish and morpholino oligomer (MO) knockdown technique to provide direct evidence for the nature of the N221S variation in the RRM2B. Results The results showed that two distinct MOs were both able to perturb the expression of rrm2b in zebrafish and doseâdependently induced morphological defects. Furthermore, coâinjection of human wildâtype RRM2B mRNA with MOâe4i4 successfully rescued the developmental defects, whereas coâinjection of RRM2B/N221S mRNA with MOâe4i4 did not rescue the developmental defects. Conclusion In conclusion, the functional assay in this study provided the direct evidence proving that the N221S variation is a lossâofâfunction mutation and plausibly related to the pathogenic developmental defects found in the infants of previous clinical reports
Pre-bout standing body sway differs between adult boxers who do and do not report post-bout motion sickness.
BACKGROUND: Motion sickness is characterized by subjective symptoms that include dizziness and nausea. Studies have shown that subjective symptoms of motion sickness are preceded by differences in standing body sway between those who experience the symptoms and those who are not. Boxers often report dizziness and nausea immediately after bouts. We predicted that pre-bout standing body sway would differ between boxers who experienced post-bout motion sickness and those who did not. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We collected data on standing body sway before bouts. During measurement of body sway participants performed two visual tasks. In addition, we varied stance width (the distance between the heels). Postural testing was conducted separately before and after participants' regular warm-up routines. After bouts, we collected self-reports of motion sickness incidence and symptoms. Results revealed that standing body sway was greater after warm-up than before warm-up, and that wider stance width was associated with reduced sway. Eight of 15 amateur boxers reported motion sickness after a bout. Two statistically significant interactions revealed that standing body sway before bouts differed between participants who reported post-bout motion sickness and those who did not. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The results suggest that susceptibility to motion sickness in boxers may be manifested in characteristic patterns of body sway. It may be possible to use pre-bout data on postural sway to predict susceptibility to post-bout motion sickness
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