A protocol for multidimensional assessment in university online courses

This paper presents a protocol developed for multidimensional assessment for e-learning experiences based on socioconstructivist principles. First, we describe the structure of an e-learning course where the protocol as been developed and tested; second, we describe the protocol and how it has been used in that course. We believe this protocol is a useful tool for a twofold reason: on the one hand, it takes into account the complexity of the pedagogical architecture of socioconstructivist courses – where many teaching models and learning strategies are mixed, different individual and collaborative activities are proposed and students are asked to build a variety of final products. On the other hand, it promotes students’ assumption of responsibility and active role, with a particular reference to self-assessment competences. Instances of how we have applied the protocol will be described in the paper. The assessment protocol we present here is complex, nevertheless flexible. Therefore, although we have tested it in a specific course, it could also be used in similar or simpler course

Peer e-tutoring: effects on students' participation and interaction style in online courses

In this paper, we describe a procedure to promote active participation in online courses by supporting students in performing the role of an e-Tutor during group activities. A case study, conducted to explore the procedural effects both on students’ interactions and on their perceptions about the role, is discussed. Eighteen university students (67% female, mean Age = 23 years) took part in online collaborative learning activities as part of a 15-week blended learning course. Twelve participants took turns in covering the role of e-Tutor. Findings were based on a mixed methods analysis of 7105 contributions posted online by the 18 students. An analysis of e-Tutor self-assessment forms was also considered. Results indicated that utilising peer-based e-Tutors promoted substantial active participation in online discussions. Moreover, students performing the role of e-Tutor adopted a supportive, collaborative and educational style, which was maintained even after their turn as e-Tutor had ended

Targeting the CBM complex causes Treg cells to prime tumours for immune checkpoint therapy.

Solid tumours are infiltrated by effector T cells with the potential to control or reject them, as well as by regulatory T (Treg) cells that restrict the function of effector T cells and thereby promote tumour growth1. The anti-tumour activity of effector T cells can be therapeutically unleashed, and is now being exploited for the treatment of some forms of human cancer. However, weak tumour-associated inflammatory responses and the immune-suppressive function of Treg cells remain major hurdles to broader effectiveness of tumour immunotherapy2. Here we show that, after disruption of the CARMA1-BCL10-MALT1 (CBM) signalosome complex, most tumour-infiltrating Treg cells produce IFNγ, resulting in stunted tumour growth. Notably, genetic deletion of both or even just one allele of CARMA1 (also known as Card11) in only a fraction of Treg cells-which avoided systemic autoimmunity-was sufficient to produce this anti-tumour effect, showing that it is not the mere loss of suppressive function but the gain of effector activity by Treg cells that initiates tumour control. The production of IFNγ by Treg cells was accompanied by activation of macrophages and upregulation of class I molecules of the major histocompatibility complex on tumour cells. However, tumour cells also upregulated the expression of PD-L1, which indicates activation of adaptive immune resistance3. Consequently, blockade of PD-1 together with CARMA1 deletion caused rejection of tumours that otherwise do not respond to anti-PD-1 monotherapy. This effect was reproduced by pharmacological inhibition of the CBM protein MALT1. Our results demonstrate that partial disruption of the CBM complex and induction of IFNγ secretion in the preferentially self-reactive Treg cell pool does not cause systemic autoimmunity but is sufficient to prime the tumour environment for successful immune checkpoint therapy

Content analysis: What are they talking about?

Quantitative content analysis is increasingly used to surpass surface level analyses in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (e.g., counting messages), but critical reflection on accepted practice has generally not been reported. A review of CSCL conference proceedings revealed a general vagueness in definitions of units of analysis. In general, arguments for choosing a unit were lacking and decisions made while developing the content analysis procedures were not made explicit. In this article, it will be illustrated that the currently accepted practices concerning the ‘unit of meaning’ are not generally applicable to quantitative content analysis of electronic communication. Such analysis is affected by ‘unit boundary overlap’ and contextual constraints having to do with the technology used. The analysis of e-mail communication required a different unit of analysis and segmentation procedure. This procedure proved to be reliable, and the subsequent coding of these units for quantitative analysis yielded satisfactory reliabilities. These findings have implications and recommendations for current content analysis practice in CSCL research

Proto-Indo-European 'turn' and 'snake'

Skr. naga'zmija' i pgerm. *snakk'zmija' porede se sa pie. *(s-)neh1'okretati (se); zmija' pod pretpostavkom da pie. *gC (= *ʔ gC), poput *dC, daje pie. *ʔC (= *h1C).Skt. naga'snake' and PGm. *snakk'snake' are compared to PIE *(s-)neh1'turn; snake' on the premise that PIE *gC (= *ʔ gC), like *dC, undergoes a development to PIE *ʔC (= *h1C)

Linear form of Friedmann's equations and quasi-classical probability

openWe formulate Friedmann’s equations as a pair of second-order linear differential equations. This is done using techniques related to the Schwarzian derivative and its symmetry under the projective special linear group. Therefore General Relativity hides an underlying linearity at a cosmological level. For a vanishing spatial curvature there exists an infinite number of pairs of equivalent linear form for Friedmann’s equations. For arbitrary curvature there exists a unique linear form which involves the conformal time. This linear form is a Klein-Gordon space-independent eigenvalues problem and the eigenvalue is the cosmological constant. A generic solution for this eigenvalues problem is analogous to WKB approximation in non-relativistic Quantum Mechanics if one refers to the relation that stands between the scale factor and the momentum of a free-falling particle in FLRW Universe. We will heuristically derive the equation which leads to this approximation, solve it for simple expression for the scale factor, finding a wave function ψ(t) and discuss how ψ(t)ψ(t)* can be related to Universe’s evolution. Although these simple expressions are not physically relevant, we will use them to find exact solutions and to show how it is possible to eliminate singularities in Universe’s evolution as given by ψ(t)ψ(t)*. Riformuliamo le equazioni di Friedmann come una coppia di equazioni differenziali lineari al second’ordine. Questo è fatto sfruttando tecniche associate alla derivata Schwarziana alla sua simmetria sotto il gruppo lineare speciale proiettivo. Pertanto la Relatività Generale nasconde una linearità sottostante in un contesto cosmologico. Per una curvatura spaziale nulla, esiste un infinito numero di coppie di forme equivalenti delle equazioni di Friedmann. Per una curvatura arbitraria esiste un’unica forma lineare che coinvolge il tempo conforme. Questa forma lineare è un problema agli autovalori di Klein-Gordon spazio-indipendente e l’autovalore è la costante cosmologica. Una soluzione generale per questo problema agli autovalori è analogo all’approssimazione WKB in meccanica quantistica non relativistica se uno fa riferimento alla relazione tra il fattore di scala e il momento di una particella non soggetta a forze nell’Universo di FLRW. Deriveremo euristicamente l’equazione da cui emerge tale approssimazione, risolvendola per alcune semplici espressioni del fattore di scala, trovando una funzione d’onda ψ(t) e discutendo come ψ(t)ψ(t)* possa essere associata all’evoluzione dell’Universo. Nonostante queste semplici espressioni non siano fisicamente rilevanti, le useremo per trovare soluzioni esatte e per mostrare come sia possibile eliminare le singolarità nell’evoluzione dell’Universo data da ψ(t)ψ(t)*

Homeric ^ toq

Hom. f|Top 'srce' i grč. f|Tpov 'trbuh' izvode se od ie. *hehtr'onaj koji jede; stomak, trbuh' pod pretpostavkom da *h1eh1-trpotiče od *heh-, tj. od alomorfa ie. *h]ed'jesti', i da je značenje 'srce' postalo naknadno, od prvobitnog značenja 'stomak, trbuh'.Homeric fTop 'heart' and Greek fTpov 'belly' are derived from Proto-Indo-European *h1eh1-tr'eater; stomach, belly' assuming that *heh-trstems from *h1eh1-, an allomorph of Proto-Indo-European *h1ed'to eat', and that the meaning 'heart' is secondary to the meaning 'stomach, belly' and due to a shift in the original semantics of the word