The perspectives of students, rich and varied, emerge from their lived experiences, as demonstrated by our findings in physics classrooms. see more Our findings, moreover, support the idea that reflective journaling can be effectively utilized as an asset-based teaching method. Recognizing student assets through reflective journaling in physics classrooms empowers physics educators to draw from students' personal experiences, aspirations, and values, resulting in a more meaningful and engaging physics learning experience for students.
The ongoing decline in Arctic sea ice cover suggests a seasonally navigable Arctic by mid-century or earlier, which will likely encourage the expansion of polar maritime and coastal development. Focusing on daily changes, we comprehensively explore the possibilities for opening trans-Arctic sea routes across various emission futures and multiple model results. see more In addition to the established central Arctic corridor traversing the North Pole, a new Transpolar Sea Route will be navigable for open-water vessels commencing in 2045, extending into the western Arctic. This new route is anticipated to match the frequency of the central route by the 2070s, even in a worst-case scenario. This new western route's emergence holds the potential to significantly impact operational and strategic outcomes. Redirecting transits away from the Russian-administered Northern Sea Route, the route redistributes them, lessening the obstacles related to navigation, finance, and regulation. Narrow straits, which are often icy and act as choke points, generate navigational risks. Interannual variations in sea ice, coupled with the inherent uncertainty, lead to financial risks. The Polar Code and Article 234 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea are sources of regulatory friction for Russian imposed requirements. see more Open water transits, enabled by shipping route regimes completely outside Russian territorial waters, dramatically lessen these imposts. The accuracy of these regimes is precisely determined by employing daily ice information. The potential for reevaluating, revising, and acting upon maritime policies arises during the near-term navigability transition period (2025-2045). In pursuit of a resilient, sustainable, and adaptable Arctic future, our user-informed evaluation facilitates operational, economic, and geopolitical progress.
At 101007/s10584-023-03505-4, one can find the supplementary material accompanying the online version.
Supplementary materials related to the online version are found at the following web address: 101007/s10584-023-03505-4.
For individuals with genetic frontotemporal dementia, there is an immediate need for biomarkers that can accurately forecast disease progression. Within the GENetic Frontotemporal dementia Initiative, the research aimed to determine the relationship between presymptomatic mutation carriers' initial MRI-derived grey and white matter abnormalities and different clinical progression trajectories. Included in the study were 387 individuals identified as mutation carriers, segmented as 160 with GRN mutations, 160 with C9orf72 mutations, and 67 with MAPT mutations. In addition, 240 cognitively normal individuals without these mutations served as controls. Using volumetric 3T T1-weighted MRI scans, automated parcellation techniques generated estimates of cortical and subcortical grey matter volumes; diffusion tensor imaging then provided a complementary assessment of white matter properties. Mutation carriers were divided into two disease phases, based upon their global CDR+NACC-FTLD score. The first, presymptomatic, encompassed scores of 0 or 0.5, while scores of 1 or higher fell under the fully symptomatic category. W-scores were determined for each presymptomatic carrier's grey matter volumes and white matter diffusion measures to quantify the deviation from control values, accounting for individual variations in age, sex, total intracranial volume, and scanner type. Subjects with pre-symptomatic conditions were classified as 'normal' or 'abnormal', predicated on whether their grey matter volume and white matter diffusion measures, calculated as z-scores, were higher or lower than the 10th percentile in the control group. Employing the CDR+NACC-FTLD sum-of-boxes score and the revised Cambridge Behavioural Inventory total score, we examined the variation in disease severity between baseline and one year later in both the 'normal' and 'abnormal' groups, stratified by genetic subtype. Clinically, individuals who were presymptomatic and had normal regional w-scores at the outset exhibited less advancement of the condition compared to those with abnormal scores. Baseline grey or white matter anomalies were statistically associated with enhanced CDR+NACC-FTLD scores, escalating to 4 points in C9orf72 expansion carriers and 5 points in GRN subjects. A comparable increase in the revised Cambridge Behavioural Inventory was also seen, with a top score rise of 11 points for MAPT, 10 points for GRN, and 8 points for C9orf72 carriers. Varied clinical progression patterns in presymptomatic mutation carriers are associated with baseline regional brain abnormalities, detectable on MRI scans. For the purpose of stratifying participants in future trials, these results are advantageous.
Oculomotor tasks offer a rich source of behavioral markers, potentially indicative of neurodegenerative diseases. The overlap in oculomotor circuitry and that compromised by the disease exposes the exact location and degree of disease through the assessment of saccade parameters obtained from eye movement tasks such as prosaccade and antisaccade. While past research often focuses on a limited number of saccade characteristics within specific neurological disorders, relying on various neuropsychological test scores to link eye movements to cognitive function, this method frequently yields inconsistent and non-transferable outcomes, overlooking the diverse cognitive profiles within these conditions. The precise identification of potential saccade biomarkers relies heavily on the use of comprehensive cognitive assessments and direct inter-disease comparisons. We tackle these issues through a large cross-sectional data set encompassing five disease cohorts (Alzheimer's disease/mild cognitive impairment, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson's disease, and cerebrovascular disease; n = 391, age 40-87) and healthy controls (n = 149, age 42-87). By characterizing 12 behavioral parameters derived from an interleaved prosaccade and antisaccade task, we reliably depict saccade behavior. These participants' duties additionally included the completion of an extensive neuropsychological test battery. Subsequent division of each cohort was based on diagnostic categories (Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, and frontotemporal dementia), or on the degree of cognitive impairment identified via neuropsychological assessment (all other cohorts). We undertook a study to explore the relationships between oculomotor parameters, their connections to dependable cognitive measures, and their transformations in disease processes. Interrelationships among 12 oculomotor parameters were examined using factor analysis, and the correlations between the four extracted factors and five neuropsychological cognitive domain scores were subsequently evaluated. We then undertook a comparison of behavior across the individual parameters, for the indicated disease subgroups and control groups. We posited that each underlying factor quantified the integrity of a distinct, task-related brain process. Factors 1 (task disengagements) and 3 (voluntary saccade generation) demonstrated a substantial correlation with scores related to attention/working memory and executive function. The scores for memory and visuospatial functions were observed to correlate with factor 3. Only attention and working memory scores were correlated with Factor 2, indicative of pre-emptive global inhibition, unlike Factor 4 (saccade metrics), which demonstrated no correlation with any cognitive domain. As cognitive impairment intensified across disease cohorts, the impairment on various individual parameters, primarily those related to antisaccades, also increased; conversely, only a small subset of subgroups displayed differences from controls concerning prosaccade parameters. The prosaccade and antisaccade task, interleaved, identifies cognitive impairment, and specific parameter subsets likely indicate distinct underlying processes in various cognitive domains. The task's implications point to a sensitive paradigm that can assess multiple clinically relevant cognitive constructs in both neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular diseases, and potentially translate into a screening tool applicable to a range of diagnoses.
High concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in blood platelets of humans and other primates are directly attributable to the presence of the BDNF gene in megakaryocytes. Unlike other species, mice, typically utilized for investigating the results of CNS impairments, possess no appreciable levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in platelets, and their megakaryocytes fail to transcribe substantial levels of the Bdnf gene. The potential impact of platelet brain-derived neurotrophic factor is investigated in 'humanized' mice expressing the Bdnf gene under a megakaryocyte-specific promoter, employing two established central nervous system lesion models. Mice retinal explants, enriched with brain-derived neurotrophic factor from platelets, were labeled using DiOlistics. Ganglion cell dendritic integrity was then assessed via Sholl analysis three days later. A comparative analysis of the results was undertaken against retinas from wild-type animals, and against wild-type explants augmented with saturating concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or the tropomyosin kinase B antibody agonist, ZEB85. Employing an optic nerve crush model, the study investigated retinal ganglion cell dendrite morphology 7 days post-injury, comparing the results in mice infused with brain-derived neurotrophic factor in their platelets versus their wild-type counterparts.