Conceptualising Intergenerational Lived Experience: Integrating Art–Moving–Well-Being across Disciplines,Communities and Cultures

Art and movement are motivating forces in, through, and beyond education. As populations age, there is an increasing need to support physical and social well-being. Yet, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a reported exponential increase in feelings of loneliness across generations. Complex challenges require trans-disciplinary solutions, and this paper represents a joint effort within and across disciplines, communities and cultures to find ways to ameliorate this silent epidemic. In this paper, we propose a cross-disciplinary conceptual framework where Aboriginal Artists and Knowledge Holders, Teacher Educators, and Physical and Occupational Therapists come together to explore theoretical and pedagogical insights that encompass intergenerational art–moving–well-being practices, reducing feelings of loneliness and improving social connections across generations. There are two main aims of this paper; first, to better understand current studies that report on integrating art–moving–well-being practices, and the effect this has on health and well-being of intergenerational participants (under 10-year-olds, 20+ year olds and 50+ year olds). Second, based on community needs, the long-term aim is to propose a flexible art–moving–well-being conceptual model that is scalable, sustainable and based on social and relational support systems. We propose a model that is flexible and adaptable within and across our local community and beyond. We argue that feelings of loneliness are unique to each individual, and there is a need to connect specific intergenerational programmes with art–moving–well-being practices that readily engage and integrate varied communities and cultures in sustainable ways and thus, contribute to thriving communities.     

Unraveling the relationships between smartphone use,exposure to heterogeneity,political efficacy,and political participation: a mediation model approach

This paper assesses how use of smartphones relates to exposure to heterogeneity, political efficacy, and political engagement and suggests a new mediation model that can be applied to mobile communication. Drawing on online survey data collected during the 2012 presidential election in South Korea, this study finds that exposure to heterogeneity and political efficacy jointly mediate the impact of informational uses of smartphones on political participation. The current study also shows that informational uses of smartphones are significantly related to encounters with heterogeneity, political efficacy, and participatory behaviors. Additionally, recreational uses of smartphones were found to have a positive association with exposure to heterogeneity. However, relational uses of smartphones were not associated with democratic outcomes. The findings suggest that smartphones, by increasing the possibility of encountering diversity and subsequently enhancing political efficacy, create an additional pathway to citizen engagement in democratic processes.     

How to protect the chromosomal ends? Telomerase, chromosome stability and aging

The 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was jointly awarded to three scientists — Elizabeth H Blackburn, Carol W Greider and Jack W Szostak — for their work during early 1980s and 1990s which helped unravel the molecular mechanisms of protection of chromosomal ends by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase. Their discovery has had major implications in the fields of ageing and cancer research. Blackburn and Greider are the ninth and tenth women scientist, to get this award in physiology or medicine and this is the first time that two women scientists have shared the prize.     

Effects of threatening visuals and announcer differences on responses to televised alcohol warnings

This study examined threatening background visuals and voice-over differences in televised alcohol warnings. Participants ( N v = v 401) viewed four television adwarning pairs embedded in sports programming. Between-subjects conditions included a threatening visual behind the warning, a non-threatening visual, a plain background, and a no-warning control. Use of a male or female announcer, each using a relatively warm or imperative voice quality, were manipulated within-subject factors. Outcomes included knowledge, cognitive responses regarding warning content and presentation, and perceptions of the risk of the product (beer) shown in the ad. All warnings increased post-test knowledge of alcohol risks relative to control; the largest increase resulted when warnings were accompanied by the threatening visual. Threatening visuals also increased positive thought elaborations about the warning message content and presentation. However, the threatening visuals did not reliably impact perceived risk of beer use, suggesting that threatening visuals influenced responses and knowledge by increasing attention to the warning rather than by increasing perceived threat. These findings are consistent with the EPPM's proposed initial threat appraisal mechanism (Witte, 1992), and further suggest that threatening visuals serve as a heuristic cue motivating increased processing of message content (see Eagly & Chaiken, 1993), rather than an influence via a peripheral route as suggested by the ELM (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986). Interactions between drinking level and announcer gender and vocal quality variables were also found, but contributed only trivially to explained variance.     

Stem cells: A dormant volcano within our body?

Stem cells constitute an important class of cells in the body that have the ability to perpetuate themselves and remain in an uncommitted state by a process of self-renewal as well as to specialize into new cell types. Their ability to differentiate into multiple cell types marks the tremendous potential of stem cells for tissue repair and organ regeneration. Realization of this potential is rapidly opening up unexplored avenues for curing several ailments including diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. However, very little is understood about the basic biology of stem cells. For example, what are the biochemical tags that allow us to identify stem cell? Which are the signaling pathways that regulate their function? How does the environment (niche) influence major decisions made by stem cell? Is stem cell therapy the end to all woes, or is there a flip side to the story? This article aims to give an overview of the current status of stem cell research and raises some alarming issues related to stem cell-based therapies.     

Liquid dielectrophoresis and surface microfluidics

Liquid dielectrophoresis (L-DEP), when deployed at microscopic scales on top of hydrophobic surfaces, offers novel ways of rapid and automated manipulation of very small amounts of polar aqueous samples for microfluidic applications and development of laboratory-on-a-chip devices. In this article we highlight some of the more recent developments and applications of L-DEP in handling and processing of various types of aqueous samples and reagents of biological relevance including emulsions using such microchip based surface microfluidic (SMF) devices. We highlighted the utility of these devices for on-chip bioassays including nucleic acid analysis. Furthermore, the parallel sample processing capabilities of these SMF devices together with suitable on- or off-chip detection capabilities suggest numerous applications and utility in conducting automated multiplexed assays, a capability much sought after in the high throughput diagnostic and screening assays.     

Scaled telerobotic control of a manipulator in real time with laser assistance for ADL tasks

In this paper we present a novel concept of shared autonomous and teleoperation control of a remote manipulator with a laser-based assistance in a hard real-time environment for people with disabilities to perform activities of daily living (ADL). The laser pointer enables the user to make high-level decisions, such as target object selection, and it enables the system to generate a trajectories and virtual constraints to be used for autonomous motion or scaled teleoperation. Autonomous, position-teleoperation and velocity-teleoperation control methods have been implemented in the control code. Scaling and virtual fixtures have been used in the teleoperation based control depending on the user preference.A real-time QNX operating system has been used to control a PUMA 560 robotic arm using a Phantom Omni master through a TCP/IP port. A SICK laser range finder was used to for the telerobotic control. The system was implemented with different control modes, and three healthy human subjects were trained to use the system for a pick-and-place task. Data were collected and presented for different control modes, and a comparison between these modes based on the time to complete the task was presented.     

Online Digital Media: The Uptake of YouTube-based Digital Clinical Education (DCE)

There has been considerable growth in the uptake of digital clinical education (DCE) over the last few years. This growth has coincided with similar growth in social media platforms available to both educators and learners. In this article, we describe a novel, innovative video-based medical education project using YouTube for teaching, training, and learning. We created a series of short ‘System based’ clinical scenario videos and uploaded it to YouTube. Using the analytics function provided by Google and YouTube, end-user data including viewer engagement, uptake, and comments were then analyzed. To date, the channel has garnered more than 5.5 million views over five years between July 2012-July 2017.

With the increase in the use of video-based learning and the popularity of social media platforms, the uptake of DCE is set to increase. YouTube offers a novel approach to streaming medical education for training purposes. A quality assessed, structured and sustainable educational online platform is likely to meet the future requirements of a new generation of learners.     

Satellite radio

Satellites have been a highly effective platform for multi-form broadcasts. This has led to a revival of the radio era. The satellite radio is a natural choice to bridge the digital gap. It has several novel features like selective addressing and error control. The value-added services from such systems are of particular interest.