Nanobacteria: Fact or Fiction? Characteristics, Detection and Medical Importance of Novel Self-Replicating, Calcifying Nanoparticles

There is some debate in microbiology as to whether Nanobacteria (NB) are alive. This paper reviews some aspects of NB. In summary, Nanobacteria is a perfect model for studying biogenic mineralization/calcification because NB a) are self-replicating particles and have less complicated metabolic pathways b) accumulate calcium and phosphate under physiological conditions, c)produce a calcium phosphate mineral similar to bone, d) exist in physical conditions (pH, gravity, temperature, etc) that are easy to manipulate, and which can be replicated for the physiological model

Cold bath and its sites for social relations, recreation and everyday structure

Den pågående pandemin under 2020–2021, då denna studie har tagit fram, har utökat svenskars användning av natur- och rekreationsområden. Ett förändrat friluftsliv kan ge upphov till nya aktiviteter. En aktivitet som under den senaste tiden, och särskilt under pandemin, har fått ett uppsving är kallbad. Hur kan en plats utvecklas med stöd i kunskap om aktiviteter som bedrivs där vintertid? I denna kvalitativa studie har olika metoder använts för att studera aktiviteten kallbad utifrån kallbadares perspektiv. Deltagande observation och gåturer har varit de två huvudsakliga metoderna. Studien har utgått från en badplats i Göteborg som enskilt undersökningsområde. I resultatet presenteras två huvudteman med totalt åtta subteman, vilka har analyserats och diskuterats i stöd av relevant litteratur. Resultatet visar hur ett gott bad ger upphov till lugn och avslappning, men också kan ge energi. Resultatet visar att en god plats för ett gott bad ska vara tillgänglig i fråga om vart den är belägen i förhållande till besökare. Den ska innefatta aspekter som förenklar möjligheten för bad och social samvaro. Platsens utformning ska ge möjlighet för användning vid nederbörd och vind. I en avslutande del testas konklusionerna av resultatet genom ett konceptuellt gestaltningsförslag av undersökningsområdet.The ongoing pandemic during 2020-2021, when this study has been done, have had an impact in people’s use of nature- and recreation areas. A differentiated outdoor life can generate in new activities. One activity thar recently have gained an increased interest is cold bathing. In what way can the development of an outdoor area be designed when based on winter activities? In this qualitative study, different methods have been used to investigate the activity cold bathing based on the user’s perspective. Participation observations and walking tours have been the two major methods, and they have been conducted on a bathing spot in Gothenburg. In the result two major themes and eight subthemes are presented, analyzed and further on discussed in the context of relevant literature. The result shows that cold bathing’s can have impact on a feeling of calm, and also be a source for energy. The result shows that a good site for winter bathing favorably is accessible regarding the sites location in the city and that the design of the site making the activity easier. Social spots and the possibility to use the site when raining or snowing are also important aspects. In final, the conclusions of the result are tested as a backdrop in a conceptual redesign of the chosen bathing spot

Research of reading practices and "the digital"

Peer reviewe

Alien Registration- Kajander, Minnie (Warren, Knox County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/13430/thumbnail.jp

Elementary Mathematics Teacher Preparation in an Era of Reform: The Development and Assessment of Mathematics for Teaching

Teachers’ understanding of the elementary school mathematics curriculum forms part, but not all, of the newly emerged field of mathematics for teaching, a term that describes the specialised mathematics knowledge of teachers. Pre‐service teachers from a one‐year teacher preparation program were studied in each of three years, using a pre‐test/post‐test survey of procedural and conceptual knowledge of mathem‐ atics required by elemtary teachers . Beliefs about mathematics were also examined through post‐test interviews of 22 of the participants from one of the cohorts. Each cohort of teacher‐candidates was consistently found to be initially weak in conceptual understanding of basic mathematics concepts as needed for teaching. The pre‐service methods course, which included a strong focus on specialised mathematical concepts, significantly improved pre‐service teachers’ understandings, but only to a minimally acceptable level. Program changes, such as extra optional course in mathematics for teaching, together with a mandatory high‐stakes examination in mathematics for teaching at the end of the methods course, have been subsequently implemented and show some promise. Keywords: mathematics teacher education, pre‐service teacher education, teacher mathematics knowledge, conceptual knowledge, teacher preparation, mathematics for teachingLa compréhension qu’ont les enseignants du curriculum de mathématiques au pri‐ maire fait partie d’un nouveau domaine de recherche – les mathématiques en prati‐ que d’enseignement – axé sur les notions mathématiques spécialisées dont les ensei‐ gnants ont besoin. Des étudiants en pédagogie inscrits dans un programme de forma‐ tion à l’enseignement d’un an pour le primaire ont fait l’objet d’une étude sur trois ans à l’aide d’une enquête pré‐test et post‐test portant sur leurs connaissances des méthodes et concepts liés aux mathématiques au primaire. Les croyances d’une ving‐ taine des participants au sujet des mathématiques ont également été analysées à l’aide d’entrevues post‐test. L’auteure a constaté qu’au départ la compréhension des concepts mathématiques pour enseigner au primaire était faible dans chaque cohorte enseignant‐étudiants. Le cours de méthodologie, fortement axé sur des notions ma‐ thématiques spécialisées, a amélioré nettement la compréhension des étudiants, mais seulement à un niveau tout juste acceptable. Des changements ont été par la suite apportés au programme, comme un choix plus vaste de cours optionnels de mathé‐ matiques en pratique d’enseignement et l’ajout d’un examen de mathématiques en pratique d’enseignement obligatoire et à enjeux élevés à la fin du cours de méthodo‐ logie. Ces changements semblent prometteurs. Mots clés: formation à l’enseignement des mathématiques, formation à l’enseignement, connaissances mathématiques de l’enseignant, connaissance concep‐ tuelle, mathématiques en pratique d’enseignement

CT and PET/CT Hybrid Imaging of Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a chronic process that evolves over decades and may culminate in myocardial infarction (MI). While invasive coronary angiography (ICA) is still considered the gold standard of imaging CAD, non-invasive assessment of both the vascular anatomy and myocardial perfusion has become an intriguing alternative. In particular, computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) form an attractive combination for such studies. Increased radiation dose is, however, a concern. Our aim in the current thesis was to test novel CT and PET techniques alone and in hybrid setting in the detection and assessment of CAD in clinical patients. Along with diagnostic accuracy, methods for the reduction of the radiation dose was an important target. The study investigating the coronary arteries of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) showed that CAD may be an important etiology of AF because a high prevalence of CAD was demonstrated within AF patients. In patients with suspected CAD, we demonstrated that a sequential, prospectively ECG-triggered CT technique was applicable to nearly 9/10 clinical patients and the radiation dose was over 60% lower than with spiral CT. To detect the functional significance of obstructive CAD, a novel software for perfusion quantification, CarimasTM, showed high reproducibility with 15O-labelled water in PET, supporting feasibility and good clinical accuracy. In a larger cohort of 107 patients with moderate 30-70% pre-test probability of CAD, hybrid PET/CT was shown to be a powerful diagnostic method in the assessment of CAD with diagnostic accuracy comparable to that of invasive angiography and fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurements. A hybrid study may be performed with a reasonable radiation dose in a vast majority of the cases, improving the performance of stand-alone PET and CT angiography, particularly when the absolute quantification of the perfusion is employed. These results can be applied into clinical practice and will be useful for daily clinical diagnosis of CAD.Siirretty Doriast

Association between Randall's Plaque and Calcifying Nanoparticles

Randall's plaques, first described by Alexander Randall in the 1930s, are small subepithelial calcifications in the renal papillae (RP) that also extend deeply into the renal medulla. Despite the strong correlation between the presence of these plaques and the formation of renal stones, the precise origin and pathogenesis of Randall s plaque formation remain elusive. The discovery of calcifying nanoparticles (CNP) and their detection in many calcifying processes of human tissues has raised hypotheses about their possible involvement in renal stone formation. We collected RP and blood samples from 17 human patients who had undergone laparoscopic nephrectomy due to neoplasia. Homogenized RP tissues and serum samples were cultured for CNP. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis were performed on fixed RP samples. Immunohistochemical staining (IHS) was applied on the tissue samples using CNP-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb). Randall s plaques were visible on gross inspection in 11 out of 17 collected samples. Cultures of all serum samples and 13 tissue homogenates had CNP growth within 4 weeks. SEM revealed spherical apatite formations in 14 samples, with calcium and phosphate peaks detected by EDS analysis. IHS was positive in 9 out of 17 samples. A strong link was found between the presence of Randall s plaques and the detection of CNP, also referred to as nanobacteria. These results suggest new insights into the etiology of Randall's plaque formation, and will help us understand the pathogenesis of stone formation. Further studies on this topic may lead us to new approaches on early diagnosis and novel medical therapies of kidney stone formation

Studying E-books and Reading Experiences in Ethnology

E-books and new reading practices have recently been scrutinised from several new perspectives, which are also interesting from the standpoint of ethnological research. In particular, studies that focus on readers and their everyday reading habits come close to traditional ethnological interests. Scholars have viewed reading as a corporeal experience and also as a social and interactive activity. Virtual communication is now being combined with private reading, and literary experiences are being shared now more than ever before. New digital technologies are at the core of these changes. This article introduces ideas and viewpoints that are the basis for my ongoing doctoral project, in which I study digitally-related changes in book culture as experienced by readers themselves. The research material consists of reminiscences in written form that were collected in 2014 by the Finnish Literature Society for the project ‘Elämää lukijana’ [Life as a Reader]. By using this particular material, which deals with reading experiences at different stages of life, I will study how the informants viewed books, reading and the recent changes at the time of writing and reveal the meanings attached to them. This article discusses previous studies that deal with important aspects of my research as well as the place of ethnology in the research field of e-books and new reading habits

Alien Registration- Kajander, Johan A. (Warren, Knox County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/13396/thumbnail.jp