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The quality of interactions in the home science environment and associations with children's science learning
No full textFrom early on, families play a critical role in fostering their children's science development, particularly through shared interactions in the home science environment (HSE). The quality of these interactions is deemed pivotal for children's science learning. However, there is limited understanding regarding the quality of interactions between parents and children when exploring science together and how these interactions relate to children's science knowledge, motivation, and engagement. This study seeks to bridge these gaps by thoroughly investigating interaction quality in the context of shared book reading about an age-appropriate science topic among 61 parent-child pairs, taking a global perspective by focusing on three broader generic and domain-specific dimensions of interaction quality. The findings revealed that parents provided high-quality emotional-motivational but limited cognitive and science-specific support, varying greatly among families. Furthermore, parents' cognitive and science-specific support were associated with children's science knowledge. Emotional-motivational support was closely linked to children's engagement in science in the observed situation. However, relationships with children's science motivation exhibited mixed findings, with some positive associations observed with their enjoyment but no associations with their self-efficacy in science. These insights shed light on the role of interaction quality in the HSE, and which types of parental support are critical in shaping children's science learning. Future research could prioritize a more comprehensive investigation of interaction quality in the HSE to enhance the understanding of interaction quality and its impact on children's science development, potentially extending beyond the HSE to other pertinent contexts.PeerReviewe
Auswirkung des Biodiversitätsverlustes auf die Verbreitung von Infektionskrankheiten in der deutschen Bevölkerung am Beispiel der Covid-19-Pandemie
Get PDFHintergrund: Biodiversität und intakte Ökosysteme stellen eine wichtige Quelle für die menschliche Gesundheit dar. Durch das zunehmende Vordringen des Menschen in Ökosysteme erhöht sich die Anzahl der Kontakte zwischen Menschen, Nutztieren und Wildtieren, wodurch auch ein vermehrter Kontakt zu Krankheitserregern besteht. Somit ergibt sich die Forschungsfrage, welchen Einfluss der Biodiversitätsverlust auf die Verbreitung von Infektionskrankheiten am Beispiel von Covid-19 nimmt.
Methodik: Zur Beantwortung der Forschungsfrage wurde eine systematische Literaturrecherche in verschiedenen Datenbanken durchgeführt. Im Anschluss wurden leitfadengestützte Interviews mit Expert:innen geführt. Diese Interviews wurden anschließend mit der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse nach Mayring mithilfe der inhaltlichen Strukturierung ausgewertet.
Ergebnisse: Die Literaturrecherche und Ergebnisse der Interviews zeigen einen Zusammenhang zwischen Biodiversitätsverlust und dem vermehrten Auftreten von Infektionskrankheiten in Form von Zoonosen, welcher sich mit dem Dilutionseffekt erklären lässt. Covid-19 ist ein Beispiel für eine Zoonose, welche durch die Zerstörung von Lebensräumen und dem daraus resultierenden vermehrten Kontakt zu Wildtieren entstanden ist.
Diskussion: In der Literatur sind der Dilutionseffekt und verschiedene Modelle, die den Zusammenhang beschreiben, aufgeführt. Die Studienlage ist im Allgemeinen jedoch noch gering und es mangelt an Daten für einen gesicherten Nachweis. Zum Schutz der Biodiversität fehlen insbesondere gesetzliche Vorgaben und ein Bewusstsein für die Relevanz der Biodiversität
Aufwachsen von Kindern gestalten : eine Rahmung unter aktuellen gesellschaftlichen Entwicklungen
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Differenzierte Betrachtung der NOVA-Klassifikation für hochverarbeitete Lebensmittel (UPF)
Get PDFUltraverarbeitete Lebensmittel (englisch: Ultra-Processed Foods, UPFs) stehen zunehmend im Fokus der ernährungswissenschaftlichen Forschung und gesundheitspolitischen Diskussion. Die NOVAKlassifikation hat sich als zentrales Instrument etabliert, um Lebensmittel nach ihrem Verarbeitungsgrad einzuordnen. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, die wissenschaftliche Fundierung sowie die methodischen Grenzen der NOVA-Klassifikation zu analysieren und ihre Eignung für gesundheitspolitische Maßnahmen und Verbraucherinformation kritisch zu bewerten. Aufbauend auf einer qualitativen Literaturrecherche sowie einer exemplarischen Produktanalyse wurde untersucht, inwieweit die NOVA-Kategorisierung differenziert genug ist, um gesundheitlich relevante Unterschiede zwischen Lebensmitteln abzubilden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die NOVA-Klassifikation wertvolle Impulse zur Sensibilisierung für die potenziellen Risiken stark verarbeiteter Lebensmittel liefert, gleichzeitig jedoch erhebliche methodische Schwächen aufweist. Insbesondere die fehlende Berücksichtigung der ernährungsphysiologischen Qualität und der Lebensmittelmatrix führt dazu, dass gesundheitsförderliche Produkte – wie Vollkornbrot oder pflanzliche Milchalternativen – pauschal als kritisch eingestuft werden. Der Vergleich mit alternativen Systemen wie dem Nutri-Score oder dem SIGA-Modell zeigt, dass eine Kombination unterschiedlicher Bewertungskriterien sinnvoll wäre, um die Heterogenität der UPF-Kategorie besser abzubilden. Die Arbeit leistet damit einen Beitrag zur differenzierten Betrachtung bestehender Klassifikationssysteme und bietet Handlungsempfehlungen für eine fundierte Verbraucherinformation sowie zukünftige gesundheits- und forschungspolitische Ansätze.Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have become a focal point in both nutritional science and public health policy. The NOVA classification has established itself as a key tool for categorizing foods based on their degree of industrial processing. This thesis aims to analyse the scientific foundations and methodological limitations of the NOVA classification and to critically assess its suitability for health policy measures and consumer communication. Based on a qualitative literature review and an exemplary product analysis, the study examines whether the NOVA system provides sufficient differentiation to reflect the nutritional quality of foods. The findings reveal that while the NOVA classification contributes to raising awareness about the potential risks of highly processed foods, it also exhibits significant methodological shortcomings. In particular, the lack of consideration for nutritional composition and the structural integrity of food (food matrix) leads to the undifferentiated classification of nutritionally valuable products—such as whole grain bread or fortified plant-based milk alternatives—as unfavourable. The comparison with alternative models such as the Nutri-Score and the French SIGA system suggests that combining different evaluation criteria may allow for a more nuanced classification of the heterogeneous UPF category. This thesis contributes to a more differentiated perspective on existing classification systems and offers recommendations for improved consumer guidance as well as implications for future research and health policy
The role of science and technology parks in meeting the sustainable development goals (importance of sustainability for the STPS)
No full textSustainability is pivotal for the strategic success of Science and Technology Parks (STPs), as it integrates innovation with global goals for sustainable development. This study explores the role of STPs in advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly focusing on their contributions to bridging technological gaps between developed and developing regions. Using a global survey of 35 parks, this research provides insights into their level of engagement with the SDGs, revealing areas of excellence and opportunities for improvement. A key contribution of this paper is its detailed analysis of the SDGs most emphasized by STPs and its classification of parks based on their strategic orientation towards sustainability. The findings advance knowledge on how STPs act as innovation intermediaries, enhancing regional development and fostering sustainability. These results offer actionable strategies for aligning STPs’ operations with the 2030 Agenda, contributing to the global discourse on sustainable organizational practices and innovation systems.PeerReviewe
Comparison of industrial controllers : disturbance rejection in an up-and-running industrial flotation process
No full textLinear quadratic (LQ) control optimizes a quadratic cost function while following a linear model. It is commercially available in the process industry but often not labeled as such and infrequently used. Froth flotation is a process in the minerals industry that extracts precious metals from a slurry of finely ground rock in consecutive tanks called cells. Flotation cells are often arranged in two parallel streams and the main control task is to regulate the cell levels. In this work, a commercial solution is used to assess the performance of LQ control and compare it to existing PI/PID controllers. Comparing control solutions in the process industry in general and the minerals industry in particular is fraught with difficulty because operating conditions change frequently, especially when studying the capability to reject disturbances. In the flotation process studied here, the disturbances act on two parallel lines, one controlled by an LQ algorithm and the other with the existing PI/PID controllers. This work develops data assessment strategies to isolate events of interest and analyses them both with classical metrics such as integrated absolute error, and with metrics relevant for the operators, such as maximum level deviations. Both these metrics clearly show that the LQ controller performs significantly and consistently better than the PI/PID controllers.PeerReviewe
Working with the gaps in understanding : revisiting an approach to affective computing research in the EmotionBike project
No full textThe purpose of this paper is to address the issue of the borrowing of scientific knowledge from different academic disciplines into computer science, a process known as "conceptual borrowing"[13]. This issue will be discussed using the example of emotion recognition and companion systems, as well as affective computing in general. Conceptual borrowing is a common phenomenon in scientific work, but it should be ensured, especially in sensitive research areas such as 'affective computing', that knowledge from other disciplines is adequately adopted and that this is reflected through regular feedback with the respective discipline from which knowledge originates. A central question addressed is what kind of scientific knowledge about emotions is required to develop systems that interact with individuals as if they possess the capacity to recognize, interpret, and respond appropriately to emotions. In addition, a research prototype from the domain of affective computing is presented and evaluated with respect to its development methodology.PeerReviewe
Evaluating and processing the data from a charge point management system for the development of standard profiles of different charge point operator types
No full textThe electrification of vehicles in Germany and the planned restriction on new registrations of internal combustion engines by 2035 are increasing the pressure on the electricity grid. Accurate estimation of the current and future grid load as well as the storage potential of electric vehicles is crucial for grid planning. The development of standard profiles for different charge point operators is necessary to model charging behaviour and assess the impact on the grid. While established profiles exist for public and private charging infrastructure, profiles for corporate fleets are still sparse. However, company fleets have significant potential to contribute to grid services. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the capability of data from a charge point management system to develop standard profiles for different company fleets. Key considerations include the periodicity of the charging behaviour and the heterogeneity of a company's charging infrastructure. Employing an analytical approach, the paper determines the requirements for the data of a specific company that must be fulfilled to develop standard profiles.PeerReviewe
Comprehensive signal modeling for talkative power conversion
No full textTalkative power conversion (TPC) is a switching ripple communication technique that integrates data modulation into a switched-mode power electronics converter, enabling simultaneous information transmission and power conversion. Despite numerous research papers published over the last decade on various theoretical and practical aspects of this emerging topic, thorough signal modeling suitable for analysis, computer simulations, and the development of suitable receiver architectures is still lacking. In this article, we derive the continuous-time output voltage of a DC/DC switched-mode power electronics converter for a broad range of pulsed-based modulation schemes. We also develop corresponding discrete-time signal models and assess their accuracies. Finally, we devise a generic end-to-end signal model for arbitrary modulation signals, discuss implications of continuous-time and discrete-time signal modeling on equalization, and consider generalizations to include parasitic effects as well as the influence of general impedance loads. This is the first time that comprehensive continuous- and discrete-time signal models are presented for TPC, including also general settings. In particular, the signal models take the initial values of all relevant variables into account and are therefore able to fully capture transient start-up behavior. Our signal modeling approach therefore provides a common framework for the fields of power electronics and communications engineering and can serve as a basis for system modeling regarding TPC system design, circuit design, evaluations, and optimizations.PeerReviewe