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Proceedings of the Technology-Enhanced Learning in Laboratories workshop (TELL 2023), April 27, 2023, Online
Get PDFMicroscopy has become an irreplaceable tool for visualizing, analyzing and quantifying life in several research fields, such as cell biology and tissue diagnostics. However, to acquire optimal imaging of a sample, the microscope needs to be correctly operated. While microscopes are available in many research institutions and laboratories, they often lack proper user and calibration instructions. Online training materials have become important, but their content is usually generic, microscope-specific information is unavailable, and they cannot help users onsite. Therefore, specific microscopy skills are normally transferred from person to person, which in turn leaves space for subjective errors that can accumulate over time. To meet these challenges, we developed a mobile application, Ocul-AR, for microscopy teaching and support. Ocul-AR was designed by a multidisciplinary team to guide microscopy students and users to learn about microscopy, optimize light paths and operate light microscopes independently. To investigate the usability and relevance of the application in higher education, a voluntary test group was collected from a university introductory-level microscopy course, and the Ocul-AR application was tested in separate sessions during and after the guided hands-on training of the course. Volunteers were surveyed about their experiences before, during and after the handson training. All respondents (n=11) reported that Ocul-AR helped them to learn hands-on microscopy (64% replied that the application helped definitely, 36% that it helped somewhat), as well as helped them to recall microscopy skills (90% definitely, 10% somewhat). Students who used Ocul-AR during the course felt they gained confidence to operate the microscope during the hands-on session (82% definitely, 18% somewhat) and that it lowered their threshold for using the microscope independently (70% definitely, 30% somewhat). Overall, in this article, we show that the Ocul-AR application offers useful solutions to challenges in microscopy teaching and guidance, as well as promotes learning microscopy in a higher education context.</p
Role of Gut Microbiota in Statin-Associated New-Onset Diabetes—a Cross-Sectional and Prospective Analysis of the FINRISK 2002 Cohort
Get PDFBackground:Dyslipidemia is treated effectively with statins, but treatment has the potential to induce new-onset type-2 diabetes. Gut microbiota may contribute to this outcome variability. We assessed the associations of gut microbiota diversity and composition with statins. Bacterial associations with statin-associated new-onset type-2 diabetes (T2D) risk were also prospectively evaluated.Methods:We examined shallow-shotgun-sequenced fecal samples from 5755 individuals in the FINRISK-2002 population cohort with a 17+-year-long register-based follow-up. Alpha-diversity was quantified using Shannon index and beta-diversity with Aitchison distance. Species-specific differential abundances were analyzed using general multivariate regression. Prospective associations were assessed with Cox regression. Applicable results were validated using gradient boosting.Results:Statin use associated with differing taxonomic composition (R2, 0.02%; q=0.02) and 13 differentially abundant species in fully adjusted models (MaAsLin; qClostridium sartagoforme (β=0.37; SE=0.13; q=0.02) and the strongest negative association with Bacteroides cellulosilyticus (β=−0.31; SE=0.11; q=0.02). Twenty-five microbial features had significant associations with incident T2D in statin users, of which only Bacteroides vulgatus (HR, 1.286 [1.136–1.457]; q=0.03) was consistent regardless of model adjustment. Finally, higher statin-associated T2D risk was seen with [Ruminococcus] torques (ΔHRstatins, +0.11; q=0.03), Blautia obeum (ΔHRstatins, +0.06; q=0.01), Blautia sp. KLE 1732 (ΔHRstatins, +0.05; q=0.01), and beta-diversity principal component 1 (ΔHRstatin, +0.07; q=0.03) but only when adjusting for demographic covariates.Conclusions:Statin users have compositionally differing microbiotas from nonusers. The human gut microbiota is associated with incident T2D risk in statin users and possibly has additive effects on statin-associated new-onset T2D risk.</p
Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Planetary Well-Being
Get PDFCulture covers myriad aspects of human life. Most often it is understood as intellectual or artistic practices, but in a broader view, culture covers the habits, lifestyles, traditions, beliefs, values, and worldviews that shape human lives and societies. Culture also undergoes continuous change and is affected by human actions. Current ecological and well-being crises caused by destructive cultural practices and actions pose an existential risk to both humans and nonhumans. This chapter argues that when challenging, preventing, and changing such destructive human practices and actions, the role of culture is indispensable. Building on and rethinking cultural sustainability, the chapter outlines how culture could be transformed into and regarded as planetary well-being—a process in which culture shifts towards more sustainable practices and actions that enable well-being for humans and nonhumans alike. The chapter focuses on the potential of contemporary art in fostering this kind of transformation.</p
Time Trends in Adolescent School Absences and Associated Bullying Involvement Between 2000 and 2019: A Nationwide Study
Get PDFEducation is a central determinant of adolescent health. School absences and bullying involvement jeopardize wellbeing, mental health, and educational attainment. We analyzed time trends in school absenteeism over two decades and examined the association of absenteeism with bullying involvement.We analyzed data from the nationwide School Health Promotion study, with self-reported data from Finnish middle school students in grades 8 and 9 (ages 14-17, N = 1 000 970). Questionnaires assessed frequency of illness absences (IA), truancy, frequency of bullying victimization, bullying perpetration, and involvement in both bullying perpetration and victimization. Frequent school absences were defined as occurring on more than 3 days during the prior month (2000-2015), or at least weekly (2017-2019).Frequent IA increased from 12% to 2000 to 22% in 2015. In 2017-2019, frequent IA was reported by 3.5%. Frequent truancy declined from 9% to 2000 to 4% in 2015, and remained at 4% during 2017-2019. Bully victimization was reported at least weekly by 6.9%, perpetration by 5.4% and victimization-perpetration by 1.9% of participants in total. In a logistic regression model, every type of bullying involvement increased odds for both IA and truancy.Since bullying involvement was associated with both IA and truancy, particular concern should be raised for adolescents involved in bullying, and for their social and educational functioning. The concurrent increase in IA and decrease in truancy may reflect destigmatization of mental health problems or other changes in reporting absenteeism
Twenty-year changes of adolescent mental health and substance use : a Finnish population-based time-trend study
Get PDFThis time-trend study assesses changes in mental health and substance use among Finnish adolescents from 1998 to 2018. Representative samples of adolescents (N = 6,600) aged 13-16 years participated in school-based, almost identical cross-sectional studies in 1998 (n = 1,446), 2008 (n = 2,009), 2014 (n = 1,800) and 2018 (n = 1,345), respectively. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used to assess mental health. When comparing mental health in the clinical range between 1998 and 2018, the main finding was the significant increase of emotional symptoms among females. The percentage of females in the clinical range increased from 17.5 to 30.1% during the twenty-year period. When psychopathology measures were analyzed as continuous variables, the finding of increased emotional problems was confirmed. The study clearly illustrates a linear trend, with a consistent increase in emotional problems among females and decrease in substance use among both genders. An alarming finding of steady increase of self-reported emotional problems indicates the importance of early detection and evidence-based interventions for adolescent with anxiety and depression to prevent adversities associated with these disorders
Effect of phosphatidylcholine regioisomerism on lateral segregation of milk sphingomyelin in bilayer membranes
Get PDFMilk fat globule membrane (MFGM) promotes the lateral phase separation of milk lipids and stabilizes the fat globules in milk. The composition and structures of lipids have a significant impact on physicochemical properties of MFGM, which in turn influences the digestion and absorption of milk lipids. Phospholipids (PL), sphingolipids, and cholesterol are the major lipid constituents of MFGM. While the effects of the head-group and structure of the fatty acids (FAs) on membrane properties are commonly studied, little is known on the impact of PL regioisomerism. The present study investigated the impact of phosphatidylcholine (PC) regioisomerism on lateral segregation of milk-sphingomyelin (milk-SM) as well as the influence on the interaction of milk-SM with ceramide and cholesterol in simulated membrane systems. The regioisomer pairs of four molecular species PC 16:0/18:1n-9, PC 16:0/18:2n-6, PC 16:0/18:3n-3, and PC 16:0/20:4n-6 were included in this study. The lateral segregation was determined using lifetime analysis of trans-parinaric acid (tPA) fluorescence. Thermostability of the domains was detected using steady-state anisotropy of tPA. Our results demonstrated a clear impact of PC regioisomerism on membrane properties. PC regioisomers having the unsaturated FAs at the sn-2 position enhanced the lateral segregation of milk-SM with and without the presence of ceramide and cholesterol compared to the regioiosmers having 16:0 at the sn-2 position. Furthermore, the characteristics i. e. the acyl chain length and degree of unsaturation of sn-2 FA of the PCs had a major impact on the milk-SM gel phase and the intermolecular forces between milk-SM and ceramide/cholesterol. This work is the first investigation showing the effect of PL regioisomerism on milk-SM domains, which might have significant influence on functional properties of MFGM
Johann Georg Zimmermann's internalised republicanism
Get PDFThis article draws attention to the transformation of the Swiss physician Johann Georg Zimmermann's (1728-1795) work on national pride. First published as Von dem Nationalstolze in 1758, this work attracted trans-European interest and consequently appeared in substantially revised editions in 1760 and 1768. One notable addition in the new editions was a chapter on national pride felt by the subjects of monarchies, which could be taken as indicating a monarchist turn in Zimmermann's thinking. However, as the article contends, Zimmermann's work can be read not only as a treatise making claims about the national pride of various countries but also as a text which, in so doing, attempted to encourage liberty and patriotic virtue in different societies. As such, it can be interpreted as representing a variation of republicanism that focussed solely on reforming the thinking of individuals. This argument is based on an analysis of the evolution of Zimmermann's work, his correspondence, contemporary reviews, and a set of unpublished draft prefaces. As this evidence indicates, Zimmermann aspired to promote a republican attitude wherever his readers were situated. However, appreciating this 'internalised republicanism' requires that his writing is examined as a process involving the reactions of his expanding audience.</p
The International Climate Psychology Collaboration: Climate change-related data collected from 63 countries
Get PDFClimate change is currently one of humanity's greatest threats. To help scholars understand the psychology of climate change, we conducted an online quasi-experimental survey on 59,508 participants from 63 countries (collected between July 2022 and July 2023). In a between-subjects design, we tested 11 interventions designed to promote climate change mitigation across four outcomes: climate change belief, support for climate policies, willingness to share information on social media, and performance on an effortful pro-environmental behavioural task. Participants also reported their demographic information (e.g., age, gender) and several other independent variables (e.g., political orientation, perceptions about the scientific consensus). In the no-intervention control group, we also measured important additional variables, such as environmentalist identity and trust in climate science. We report the collaboration procedure, study design, raw and cleaned data, all survey materials, relevant analysis scripts, and data visualisations. This dataset can be used to further the understanding of psychological, demographic, and national-level factors related to individual-level climate action and how these differ across countries. © 2024. The Author(s).</p
Alternative Approaches to Innovation Project Portfolio Governance
Get PDFThe governance of projects is often treated operationally, as project portfolio management. Project portfolio governance is more strategic and continuous than project portfolio management, but its various approaches are weakly understood. This study explores project portfolio governance in innovative companies. The resulting framework characterizes governance approaches in terms of the authority given to portfolio actors and the rhythm of using governance practices. Differences among the delegated, regulated, and consultative governance approaches appear to stem from the industry clock speed, innovation portfolio type, and organizational context. This study differentiates project portfolio governance approaches as part of organizational project management governance