Characterizing movement and searching behavior of humpback whales at the North-Norwegian coast

Studying movement patterns of individual animals over time can give insight into how they interact with the environment and optimize their foraging strategies. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) undertake long seasonal migrations between feeding areas in polar regions during summer/early winter and breeding areas in more tropical areas during late winter/spring. The Norwegian Sea is a part of the humpback whale migration route between the Barents Sea and their southern breeding grounds, and during the last decade several individuals have had up to a three month stop-over period around some specific fjord areas in Northern Norway. Here they feed on Norwegian spring-spawning (NSS-) herring (Culpea harengus L.) to seemingly re-fuel before continuing their southwards breeding migration. Their smaller scale movement and individual variation in behavioral patterns during this stop-over period are not well understood, including why some whales have been observed to leave the fjords and then later return within the same season. Therefore, this study used data from 12 satellite tagged humpback whales and for the first time segmented their tracks into five distinct movement modes; ranging, encamped, nomadic, roundtrip and semi-roundtrip. This was done by using a behavioral change point analysis (BCPA) to pick out homogeneous segments based on persistence velocity at relatively small scales, and then modeled the net squared displacement (NSD) over time to differentiate movement modes. This study also visually identified longer roundtrips away from the fjords that lasted several days and examined movement modes within these. The most common movement mode was ranging behavior (54%), particularly seen during the start of their southwards migration and in areas outside the fjord systems in late winter, indicating when the whales moved over larger distances in the offshore habitat. Inside the fjord systems, encamped, nomadic, round and semi-roundtrip modes were more prevalent in December-January, suggesting the whales are mainly foraging on overwintering NSS-herring in this area. Half of the whales left the fjords and came back again during the same winter seasons, and these trips lasted from 4-22 days and were conducted in late December or January. During these trips, 60% of their behavior consisted of ranging behavior, sometimes split by shorter periods of encamped, roundtrips or nomadic behavior. We hypothesize that these trips may serve as “searching trips” where the whales search for better feeding opportunities outside the fjord systems, and if better foraging conditions are not found, they return to the fjords to continue their feeding. This study serves as a baseline for future studies investigating both this theory and humpback whale behavior in general, and confirms that the method is useful to analyze smaller scale movement patterns of satellite tagged whales

Kindergartens: inclusive spaces for all children?

Norwegian Kindergartens are seen as one of the most important social infrastructures for all children below five years. Kindergarten attendance is a legal right for children from the age of one year in Norway, and consequently 97 per cent of children aged four to five years attend these institutions. However, we still have little knowledge to what extent children regardless of abilities can develop social capital and experience inclusion in Kindergarten. Our point of departure is a human rights perspective on children and a relational perspective on disability and materiality. Through a cross sectional multi-method study design, based on qualitative methods, we, in collaboration with children with and without disabilities identified which places indoors and outdoors these children defined to be comfortable and inclusive spaces, and what characterise them. All children preferred stable organisational structure, physically small places equipped with different types of construction materials and available and reliable staff. Children showed that (dis)abilities are a spatial phenomenon and thereby guide inclusive pedagogy closer to the dynamic between children, place, and space. Children’s preferences and meaning-making contrasts the pedagogical epistemology which manifests itself as fluid and flexible organisation, based on children’s ‘free choice’.publishedVersio

«If you give them your little finger, they’ll tear off your entire arm» : losing trust in biobank research

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Feeling Valued and Adding Value : A Participatory Action Research Project on Co-creating Practices of Social Inclusion in Kindergartens and Communities

Background: Contemporary public health problems connect to the social determinants of health, with a growing recognition of social inclusion as imperative to sustainable development. In this quest for social inclusion, early childhood and families are of particular interest. Although co-creation is suggested as viable path to support well-being, less is known how social inclusion might be co-created in practice. The aim of this study was to explore how Participatory Action Research (PAR) can be a tool for transformative practices in a local community, pointing to kindergartens as meeting places for recognizing social inclusion as a common value in early childhood. Methods: A qualitative PAR study was embedded in a Norwegian municipality as an integrated part of their local public health work. The study involved a wide range of participants and stakeholders in three kindergartens and the wider community. Together, we explored potentials for co-creating social inclusion to achieve well-being through cycles of transformative actions and reflections. Reflexive thematic analysis was applied to generate patterns and themes in the data. Results: The participants formulated and took on ownership to an inclusive agenda through the PAR-process. Acts of inclusion was framed by an intersection between political aims of achieving health and well-being for all and public value co-creation unfolding at the level of the place, in the context of the Norwegian welfare regime. To feel valued and adding value was seen as important aspects for social inclusion. Four themes were generated from analysis; (1) Co-creating a shared vision of inclusive communities, (2) Becoming aware and empowered through caring, sharing and collaboration, (3) Places and spaces of inclusiveness in kindergartens and beyond, and (4) Valuing and practicing inclusion, and signs of transformative change. Conclusions: Through the PAR process, parents, kindergartens employees, community members and policy makers appear to have opened a creative toolbox for inclusive and transformational change through formulating and co-creating inclusion and well-being as public values. The results suggest that local actors might support adaptive social systems to taking on relational responsibility for inclusive processes and outcomes in the pursuit of well-being for all.publishedVersio

Researching the lives of disabled children and young people

Why a Special Issue of Children & Society dedicated to disabled children and young people? The simple answer to that question is ‘because disabled children are children first and foremost’. The vast majority of disabled children and young people in the western world live at home with their families, most attending mainstream schools, and disabled children and young people worldwide have rights to inclusion and equal treatment enshrined in national legislation and international conventions. Yet they often remain left out – from generic children’s research, from policy-making about children’s services and, in their everyday lives, from inclusion in friendship groups and social and sporting activities

MODIFIKASI PERMAINAN UNO SEBAGAI ALTERNATIF BAHAN PEMBELAJARAN PENJUMLAHAN DAN PENGURANGAN BAGI SISWA KELAS I SEKOLAH DASAR

Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh 3 hal, yaitu pentingnya ilmu matematika dalam kehidupan, pandangan siswa mengenai pelajaran matematika yang sulit dan tidak disukai, dan adanya keinginan peneliti untuk mengahsilkan bahan pembelajaran yang menarik. Tak dapat dipungkiri bahwa dunia anak tak bisa dipisahkan dari permainan. Permainan uno merupakan permainan kartu yang sering dijumpai di kalangan pelajar ataupun mahasiswa. Permainan cocok dijadikan sumber belajar bagi siswa. Pemilihan dan pengadaan bahan ajar sangat perlu dilakukan oleh seorang pendidik agar proses belajar mengajar dapat berjalan dengan baik. Bahan ajar berfungsi sebagai alat dan sarana dalam penyampaian materi ajar, sehingga bahan ajar merupakan faktor penting dalam keberhasilan pencapaian indikator pada proses pembelajaran. Permainan uno dapat dijadikan sebagai alternatif bahan pembelajaran penjumlahan dan pengurangan pada siswa kelas 1 Sekolah Dasar. Permainan kartu uno tersebut dimodifikasi sesuai dengan standar kompetensi, kompetensi dasar, dan tujuan pembelajaran. Permainan ini bernama “Uno Math”. Uno Math dapat melatih siswa dalam melakukan penjumlahan dan pengurangan, namun sebelumnya guru harus memberikan pemahaman konsep mengenai penjumlahan dan pengurangan terlebih dahulu. Pemahaman konsep dapat diberikan dengan benda-benda konkret, seperti kartu kancing, pensil, lidi, atau kelereng

Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer: Long-term Incidence Trends and Prognostic Differences

Background: Secular trends in incidence and prognosis of molecular breast cancer subtypes are poorly described. We studied long-term trends in a population of Norwegian women born 1886–1977. Methods: A total of 52,949 women were followed for breast cancer incidence, and 1,423 tumors were reclassified into molecular subtypes using IHC and in situ hybridization. We compared incidence rates among women born 1886–1928 and 1929–1977, estimated age-specific incidence rate ratios (IRR), and performed multiple imputations to account for unknown subtype. Prognosis was compared for women diagnosed before 1995 and in 1995 or later, estimating cumulative risk of death and HRs. Results: Between 50 and 69 years of age, incidence rates of Luminal A and Luminal B (HER2−) were higher among women born in 1929 or later, compared with before 1929 [IRRs 50–54 years; after imputations: 3.5; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.8–6.9 and 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2–5.2, respectively], with no clear differences for other subtypes. Rates of death were lower in women diagnosed in 1995 or later, compared to before 1995, for Luminal A (HR 0.4; 95% CI, 0.3–0.5), Luminal B (HER2−; HR 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3–0.7), and Basal phenotype (HR 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2–0.9). Conclusions: We found a strong secular incidence increase restricted to Luminal A and Luminal B (HER2−) subtypes, combined with a markedly improved prognosis for these subtypes and for the Basal phenotype.acceptedVersio

Overexpression of c-erbB2 is a negative prognostic factor in anaplastic astrocytomas

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family, consisting of four tyrosine kinase receptors, c-erbB1-4, seems to be influential in gliomagenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate EGFR gene amplification and expression of c-erbB1-4 receptor proteins in human anaplastic astrocytomas. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded sections from 31 cases were investigated by standard immunohistochemical procedures for expression of c-erbB1-4 receptor proteins using commercial antibodies. EGFR gene amplification was studied by fluorescence in situ hybridization using paraffin-embedded tissues. Two monoclonal antibodies, NCL-EGFR-384 and NCL-EGFR, were used for EGFR detection and they displayed positive immunoreactivity in 97% and 71%, respectively. For c-erbB2 detection three monoclonal antibodies, CB11, 3B5, and 5A2, were applied and they displayed positive immunoreactivity in 45%, 100%, and 52%, respectively. Positive immunostaining for c-erbB3 and c-erbB4 was encountered in 97% and 74%, respectively. The EGFR gene was amplified in 9 out of 31 tumors (29%). After adjusting for age, Karnofsky performance status, and extent of surgical resection, Cox multiple regression analysis with overall survival as the dependent variable revealed that c-erbB2 overexpression detected by the monoclonal antibody clone CB11 was a statistically significant poor prognostic factor (P = 0.004). This study shows the convenience and feasibility of immunohistochemistry when determining the expression of receptor proteins in tissue sections of human astrocytomas. The synchronous overexpression of c-erbB1-4 proteins in anaplastic astrocytomas supports their role in the pathogenesis of these tumors. Further, c-erbB2 overexpression seems to predict aggressive behaviour

Autistic Development, Trauma and Personhood: Beyond the Frame of the Neoliberal Individual

This chapter critically explores notions of childhood development, particularly in regard to autism, reactions to traumatic events and the meaning of ‘personhood’. The construction of the neoliberal individual is contrasted with that of personhood as experienced by an autistic person. Person-centred methods of engagement as outlined in this chapter can give opportunities for opening up a respectful discursive space where autistic development is not framed from the outset as ‘disordered’

Development and change in disabled children's social participation assessed by parents in Norwegian daycare centres: 1999 - 2009

The aim of the article was to explore if htere was any alteration in social participation with peers assessed by parents amongst children with disabilities from 1999 - 2009 and discuss the results in light of the education/welfare policies during the last decades, and internal developments in education/welfare policies regarding children under compulsory school age. The main finding is that disabled children have increased their social participation with peers in the period from 1999 - 2009. Gender, age and being in a segregated daycare setting, all had significant impact on participation with peers in 1999, but had lost their significance in 2009. The current study found that Norwegian daycare centres still have to be considered as social integrating institutions, even though in the period from 1999 to 2009, they have changed from being a care- and familily-supportive service to become a pedagogical service preparing children for school.submittedVersio