Search

This study delves into the intricate dynamics of controversial issues in environmental education, challenging conventional notions. It explores the relationship between "controversy" and the field of environmental education, elucidating its multifaceted dimensions in and ambitions of teaching practice. In dialogue with previous research and based on our empirical study, we contend that controversy's existence transcends the mere content of education and extends to its perceived fundamental core and normative underpinnings. We argue that controversy, including controversial sustainability issues (CSIs), is not confined to educational content alone but encompasses the purposes of education. We propose that controversy in educational encounters cannot be neatly categorized as a fixed, predictable social product and is not solely dependent on student interaction. This challenges earlier research positions that linked controversy to the presence of debate or dissensus in a subject area. Our study challenges the traditional understanding of controversy, highlighting its partial spontaneity and unpredictability in teaching. This contrasts previous positions that emphasized the epistemic dimension of controversy. Instead, our findings suggest that controversy plays an active role in the process of self-formation or subjectification in relation to any content.

Knowledge about sustainability problems as it is typically taught does not "per se" lead to action for tackling these problems. Environmental and sustainability education researchers have argued for teaching more action-oriented knowledge. This article addresses the 'didactical work' required for teachers to do so, both in preparing and implementing lessons. The authors employ transactional didactic theory and the analytical method Practical Epistemology Analysis to open-up the black box of teaching and learning action-oriented knowledge on sustainability issues. The methodology, that has a strong focus on classroom observations, allows to empirically investigate the influence of teachers' actions on students' learning. It is here applied to a case study in higher education where it is engineering teachers' explicit ambition for their students to explore and develop a wider area of knowledge about sustainability issues. Our findings shed light on what this requires in terms of the 'scripting', 'staging', and 'performance' of lessons.

This paper addresses the discussion on the Anthropocene in environmental education research. It aims to enrich and widen the debate about the appropriateness of humanist approaches to environmental education and sustainability. In response to criticism about anthropocentric responses to human-made environmental destruction, the authors introduce a version of Eastern humanism: Tu Weiming's 'Anthropocosmism'. This idea of a non-anthropocentric humanism embedded in the cosmic order is strikingly different from the anthropocentric separatism typical of Western humanism. Moving beyond a blanket condemnation of humanism, this paper explores what a specific, non-Western form of humanism may have to offer in response to anthropogenic ecological crises. The argument is developed that Anthropocosmism can help us fully recognize humans' exceptional ethical responsibility in light of these crises without falling into the mistake of Western humanism's dominant discourse that connects this exceptionalism to forms of human superiority over and domination of other-than-human nature.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a heterogeneous cell population recognized as a key component of the tumour microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts are known to play an important role in maintaining and remodelling the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the tumour stroma, supporting cancer progression and inhibiting the immune system’s response against cancer cells. This review aims to summarize the immunomodulatory roles of CAFs, particularly focussing on their T-cell suppressive effects.Cancer-associated fibroblasts have several ways by which they can affect the tumour’s immune microenvironment (TIME). For example, their interactions with macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) create an immunosuppressive milieu that can indirectly affect T-cell anticancer immunity and enable immune evasion. In addition, a number of recent studies have confirmed CAF-mediated direct suppressive effects on T-cell anticancer capacity through ECM remodelling, promoting the expression of immune checkpoints, cytokine secretion and the release of extracellular vesicles. The consequential impact of CAFs on T-cell function is then reflected in affecting T-cell proliferation and apoptosis, migration and infiltration, differentiation and exhaustion. Emerging evidence highlights the existence of specific CAF subsets with distinct capabilities to modulate the immune landscape of TME in various cancers, suggesting the possibility of their exploitation as possible prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Iron ore pellet production processes produce large amounts of CO2 emissions when burning fossil fuels. One example is the grate-kiln process, where normally a coal flame is used to indurate pellets. To mitigate the emissions, coal used in rotary kilns can be replaced with for example hydrogen. However, the fuel is mixed with secondary process air, and replacing a solid fuel with a gaseous one changes the mixing characteristics. This demands different means of injecting the fuel. A coaxial jet can be used to control the mixing of fuel and secondary air, as well as the flow field. The aim is to control the mixing of hydrogen and secondary air to achieve a hydrogen flame that is similar to the reference coal flame. This study numerically investigates different coaxial jet configurations. Steady-state simulations of a simplified model of the real kiln are performed using a Reynolds Stress turbulence model. Results show that decreasing the momentum flow ratio between the outer and inner jet, [Formula: see text], to a certain value delays the spread of the hydrogen jet and thus gives a longer jet. Further decreasing this ratio gives an even longer jet, but has the side effect of producing recirculation of hydrogen.

ABSTRACTLarge gaps exist in the literature on COVID-19 pandemic-related mental health outcomes and after-effects specific to adolescents and young adults. The aim was to explore adolescents’ and young adults’ experiences of well-being, health and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative exploratory design with qualitative content analysis was used. Twenty-three participants (aged 19–27; four men and 19 women) were interviewed in Finland in 2021. Four main categories emerged: Changed social networks – fewer and closer contacts, Changed mental and physical health, Increased isolation and social loneliness, and Well-being, internal growth and need for support. Adolescents’ and young adults’ experiences of well-being, health and loneliness are subtle and complex. Participants experienced changed social networks, mental and physical health, and well-being. Internal growth, need for support and increased loneliness were also seen. Clear information on how to seek help and support from professionals should be made available.

Objective: To assess pain outcomes, stress levels and body awareness among patients with chronic pain and explore potential associations between these variables. Design: An explorative study. Methods: Patients with chronic pain in primary and specialist care were assessed regarding pain intensity using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS; 0–10 point scale) and stress levels using the Stress and Crisis Inventory (SCI-93; 0–140). To assess body awareness, multidimensional assessment of interoceptive awareness (MAIA; 0–5), a widely used self-report measure of interoceptive bodily awareness was used. Results: Participants (n = 42) reported an average NRS of 4.4, elevated stress levels and low body awareness. Stress levels were moderately correlated with pain intensity (r = 0.53; p

Imaging Mass Cytometry (IMC) is a novel, and formidable high multiplexing imaging method emerging as a promising tool for in-depth studying of tissue architecture and intercellular communications. Several studies have reported various IMC antibody panels mainly focused on studying the immunological landscape of the tumor microenvironment (TME). With this paper, we wanted to address cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a component of the TME very often underrepresented and not emphasized enough in present IMC studies. Therefore, we focused on the development of a comprehensive IMC panel that can be used for a thorough description of the CAF composition of breast cancer TME and for an in-depth study of different CAF niches in relation to both immune and breast cancer cell communication. We established and validated a 42 marker panel using a variety of control tissues and rigorous quantification methods. The final panel contained 6 CAF-associated markers (aSMA, FAP, PDGFRa, PDGFRb, YAP1, pSMAD2). Breast cancer tissues (4 cases of luminal, 5 cases of triple negative breast cancer) and a modified CELESTA pipeline were used to demonstrate the utility of our IMC panel for detailed profiling of different CAF, immune and cancer cell phenotypes.

Abstract The Light Dark Matter eXperiment (LDMX) is an electron-beam fixed-target experiment designed to achieve comprehensive model independent sensitivity to dark matter particles in the sub-GeV mass region. An upgrade to the LCLS-II accelerator will increase the beam energy available to LDMX from 4 to 8 GeV. Using detailed GEANT4-based simulations, we investigate the effect of the increased beam energy on the capabilities to separate signal and background, and demonstrate that the veto methodology developed for 4 GeV successfully rejects photon-induced backgrounds for at least 2 × 1014 electrons on target at 8 GeV.

Abstract Background A major challenge for primary care is to set priorities and balance demands with available resources. The registered nurses in this study are practice nurses working in primary care offices, playing a large role in initial assessments. The overall objective of this research is to investigate practices of communication and decision-making during nurses’ initial assessment of patients’ health problems in primary care, examine working mechanisms in good practices and develop feasible solutions. Methods Project PINPOINT aims for a prospective multicenter study using various methods for data collection and analysis. A purposive sample of 150 patient‒nurse consultations, including 30 nurses and 150 patients, will be recruited at primary care centers in three different geographic areas of southwest Sweden. The study will report on outcomes of communication practices in relation to patient-reported expectations and experiences, communication processes and patient involvement, assessment and decision-making, related priorities and value conflicts with data from patient questionnaires, audio-recorded real-time communication, and reflective interviews with nurses. Discussion This research will contribute to the knowledge needed for the guidance of first-line decision-making processes to best meet patient and public health needs. This knowledge is necessary for the development of assessments and decisions to be better aligned to patients and to set priorities. Insights from this research can empower patients and service providers and help understand and enhance feasible person-centered communication strategies tailored to patients’ level of health literacy. More specifically, this research will contribute to knowledge that can strengthen nurses’ communication, assessments, and clinical decision-making in primary care. In the long term, this will contribute to how the competencies of practice nurses and other professionals are organized and carried out to make the best use of the resources within primary care. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06067672.

Purpose: To present a survival analysis of 133 consecutively placed moderately rough implants, all with a total follow-up of 20 years. Materials and Methods: A total of 133 implants of the same brand placed in 46 patients at the same county clinic in Sweden were followed up prospectively over 20 years and analyzed for survival and bone height, the latter evaluated in periapical radiographs. Results: A total of 7 implants failed, 4 of which were in the same patient. Implant failure was associated with a combination of smoking and bruxism in 5 of the 7 failed cases. A 20-year survival rate of 94.7% was observed. Average marginal bone loss (MBL) at 20 years of follow-up was 0.543 ± 1.193 mm, with 9 implants having more than 2 mm of MBL. A total of 20 patients with 25 implants dropped out of the study; however, if death of the patient is excluded as a dropout reason, only 3 implants in 3 patients were unaccounted for. Conclusions: Good clinical results in the 95% survival range were observed with moderately rough implants over a 20-year follow-up period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThis paper describes the process of implementing a family focused model, The Family Model, in child and adolescent and adult mental health services in Sweden. Additionally, it describes a service development project carried out in both services within a defined geographical area of Region Stockholm. The Family Model is a communication tool designed to assist clinicians in both services to have family focused conversations with their patients and relatives. Internationally, the needs of individuals experiencing mental health challenges (parents, children and young people) and their close relatives are now well recognized, but barriers to family focused practice nevertheless persist. The aim of this study was to better understand clinicians` experiences in implementing The Family Model in both services.MethodsThree preplanned focus group interviews were carried out with 14 clinicians and managers across both services and the data were analyzed in accordance with methods of Naturalistic inquiry.ResultFindings suggest that The Family Model has utility in both services. The Naturalistic inquiry analyses revealed three main themes: individual, relational and organizational aspects with a total of 10 sub-themes of how the models influence the participants. Furthermore, analyses on a meta understanding level explored that participants underwent a developmental journey in learning about and using The Family Model in practice which was expressed through three themes: “Useful for burdened families”, “Influencing prevention”, and “To integrate this would be fantastic”.ConclusionsThe Family Model, when adapted for the Swedish context, is a useful tool for assisting experienced clinicians to engage in family focused practice in both child and adolescent and adult mental health services. The Family Model highlights different aspects in everyday clinical services that were of special interest for clinicians, families, and the system. Future research could explore families’ perspectives of the utility of the model.

Abstract The Arctic is warming at a rate four times the global average, while also being exposed to other global environmental changes, resulting in widespread vegetation and ecosystem change. Integrating functional trait-based approaches with multi-level vegetation, ecosystem, and landscape data enables a holistic understanding of the drivers and consequences of these changes. In two High Arctic study systems near Longyearbyen, Svalbard, a 20-year ITEX warming experiment and elevational gradients with and without nutrient input from nesting seabirds, we collected data on vegetation composition and structure, plant functional traits, ecosystem fluxes, multispectral remote sensing, and microclimate. The dataset contains 1,962 plant records and 16,160 trait measurements from 34 vascular plant taxa, for 9 of which these are the first published trait data. By integrating these comprehensive data, we bridge knowledge gaps and expand trait data coverage, including on intraspecific trait variation. These data can offer insights into ecosystem functioning and provide baselines to assess climate and environmental change impacts. Such knowledge is crucial for effective conservation and management in these vulnerable regions.

Abstract A perimetastatic capsule is a strong positive prognostic factor in liver metastases, but its origin remains unclear. Here, we systematically quantify the capsule’s extent and cellular composition in 263 patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases to investigate its clinical significance and origin. We show that survival improves proportionally with increasing encapsulation and decreasing tumor-hepatocyte contact. Immunostaining reveals the gradual zonation of the capsule, transitioning from benign-like NGFRhigh stroma at the liver edge to FAPhigh stroma towards the tumor. Encapsulation correlates with decreased tumor viability and preoperative chemotherapy. In mice, chemotherapy and tumor cell ablation induce capsule formation. Our results suggest that encapsulation develops where tumor invasion into the liver plates stalls, representing a reparative process rather than tumor-induced desmoplasia. We propose a model of metastases growth, where the efficient tumor colonization of the liver parenchyma and a reparative liver injury reaction are opposing determinants of metastasis aggressiveness.

Abstract Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common and fatal type of cancer in men. Metastatic PCa (mPCa) is a major factor contributing to its lethality, although the mechanisms remain poorly understood. PTEN is one of the most frequently deleted genes in mPCa. Here we show a frequent genomic co-deletion of PTEN and STAT3 in liquid biopsies of patients with mPCa. Loss of Stat3 in a Pten-null mouse prostate model leads to a reduction of LKB1/pAMPK with simultaneous activation of mTOR/CREB, resulting in metastatic disease. However, constitutive activation of Stat3 led to high LKB1/pAMPK levels and suppressed mTORC1/CREB pathway, preventing mPCa development. Metformin, one of the most widely prescribed therapeutics against type 2 diabetes, inhibits mTORC1 in liver and requires LKB1 to mediate glucose homeostasis. We find that metformin treatment of STAT3/AR-expressing PCa xenografts resulted in significantly reduced tumor growth accompanied by diminished mTORC1/CREB, AR and PSA levels. PCa xenografts with deletion of STAT3/AR nearly completely abrogated mTORC1/CREB inhibition mediated by metformin. Moreover, metformin treatment of PCa patients with high Gleason grade and type 2 diabetes resulted in undetectable mTORC1 levels and upregulated STAT3 expression. Furthermore, PCa patients with high CREB expression have worse clinical outcomes and a significantly increased risk of PCa relapse and metastatic recurrence. In summary, we have shown that STAT3 controls mPCa via LKB1/pAMPK/mTORC1/CREB signaling, which we have identified as a promising novel downstream target for the treatment of lethal mPCa.

Abstract Biological assay and imaging techniques have made visible a great deal of the machinery of mental illness. Over fifty years of investigation of mood disorders using these technologies has identified several biological regularities in these disorders. Here we present a narrative connecting genetic, cytokine, neurotransmitter, and neural-systems-level findings in major depressive disorder (MDD). Specifically, we connect recent genome-wide findings in MDD to metabolic and immunological disturbance in this disorder and then detail links between immunological abnormalities and dopaminergic signaling within cortico-striatal circuitry. Following this, we discuss implications of reduced dopaminergic tone for cortico-striatal signal conduction in MDD. Finally, we specify some of the flaws in the current model and propose ways forward for advancing multilevel formulations of MDD most efficiently.