Understanding Presence, Affordance and the Time/Space Dimensions for Language Learning in Virtual Worlds

Notwithstanding their potential for novel approaches to language teaching and learning, Virtual Worlds (VWs) present numerous technological and pedagogical challenges that require new paradigms if the language learning experience and outcomes are to be successful. In this presentation, we argue that the notions of presence and affordance, together with the time/space dimensions of interactions in virtual worlds (e.g. Bakhtin’s (1981) chronotope, Foucault’s (1984) heteropia, and Lemke’s (2000) heterochrony), provide new insights into language learners’ trajectories as they attempt to carry out tasks that are designed to make use of virtual worlds’ characteristics and potentialities. We explore and analyse a critical incident that occurred during the realisation of a language learning task by university learners of Italian in Second Life©. Recordings of the session, teacher observations, learner reflections and interviews have provided large amounts of data highlighting a number of critical incidents that emerged during their execution. Analysing these critical incidents through the lenses of presence, affordance, and time/space inseparability allows us to highlight the non-linearity of temporal and spatial aspects of interactions in virtual worlds, and to reveal the emergence of affordances and learning chronotopes linked to such interactions. In turn, the analysis of these emerging learning chronotopes helps us refine the design and implementation of language learning tasks in virtual worlds

A prospective study of the evolution of lamivudine resistance mutations in patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with lamivudine

International audienceBackground/Aims. Lamivudine resistance has been described in subjects with chronic hepatitis B infections, associated with mutations in the viral polymerase gene. The objective of this study was to estimate the emergence rate of lamivudine-resistant viral strains and their consequences over a two-year period. Methods. We evaluated 283 lamivudine-naive subjects with chronic hepatitis B. Clinical and virological features were assessed at inclusion and every six months thereafter. Viral DNA was characterised using PCR-based sequencing. Potential risk factors for the emergence of lamivudine resistance mutations were assessed using logistic regression analysis. Results. The annualised incidence rate for viral polymerase mutations was 22%. The only independent risk factor identified was high viral load at inclusion. Detectable viral DNA and elevated transaminases were more frequent in subjects harbouring mutant viral strains, and these underwent a lower rate of HBe seroconversion. All subjects responded favourably to treatment, with no difference in symptoms between the two groups. Conclusions. This prospective cohort study identified lamivudine resistant mutations emerging in 22% of subjects yearly, which were apparently not associated with clinical aggravation over the study period

Architecture et bibliothèque : Rénover, réaménager : repenser les espaces pour de nouveaux usages

La bibliothèque municipale de Lyon et l’enssib organisaient le 3 décembre 2013 une journée d’étude sur le thème « Rénover, réaménager : repenser les espaces pour de nouveaux usages ». Cette journée s’inscrivait dans la prolongation des journées « l’Avenir des bibliothèques publiques » de décembre 2012 et « Architecture et bibliothèque » de mai 2013. Suite à la vague de constructions de bibliothèque des années 70 et 80, les chantiers de rénovation vont se multiplier en France dans les années à venir. Pour les bibliothécaires, il s’agit d’une part de rendre en compte les contraintes juridiques et de bâti spécifiques à ce contexte de maîtrise d’ouvrage, et d’autre part d’intégrer les nouveaux usages dans la réorganisation des espaces. La première partie de la journée donnera un éclairage juridique et un regard l’architecte sur la manière d’aborder une rénovation. Une rapide introduction au nouveau rapport de l’IFLA sur les tendances mondiales des bibliothèques permettra de situer les enjeux au niveau international. Les interventions suivantes présenteront des cas concrets de rénovation et de réaménagement de bibliothèques publiques et universitaires en France et à Cologne en Allemagne

Identification of genetic variants associated with Huntington's disease progression: a genome-wide association study

Background Huntington's disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, HTT. Age at onset has been used as a quantitative phenotype in genetic analysis looking for Huntington's disease modifiers, but is hard to define and not always available. Therefore, we aimed to generate a novel measure of disease progression and to identify genetic markers associated with this progression measure. Methods We generated a progression score on the basis of principal component analysis of prospectively acquired longitudinal changes in motor, cognitive, and imaging measures in the 218 indivduals in the TRACK-HD cohort of Huntington's disease gene mutation carriers (data collected 2008–11). We generated a parallel progression score using data from 1773 previously genotyped participants from the European Huntington's Disease Network REGISTRY study of Huntington's disease mutation carriers (data collected 2003–13). We did a genome-wide association analyses in terms of progression for 216 TRACK-HD participants and 1773 REGISTRY participants, then a meta-analysis of these results was undertaken. Findings Longitudinal motor, cognitive, and imaging scores were correlated with each other in TRACK-HD participants, justifying use of a single, cross-domain measure of disease progression in both studies. The TRACK-HD and REGISTRY progression measures were correlated with each other (r=0·674), and with age at onset (TRACK-HD, r=0·315; REGISTRY, r=0·234). The meta-analysis of progression in TRACK-HD and REGISTRY gave a genome-wide significant signal (p=1·12 × 10−10) on chromosome 5 spanning three genes: MSH3, DHFR, and MTRNR2L2. The genes in this locus were associated with progression in TRACK-HD (MSH3 p=2·94 × 10−8 DHFR p=8·37 × 10−7 MTRNR2L2 p=2·15 × 10−9) and to a lesser extent in REGISTRY (MSH3 p=9·36 × 10−4 DHFR p=8·45 × 10−4 MTRNR2L2 p=1·20 × 10−3). The lead single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in TRACK-HD (rs557874766) was genome-wide significant in the meta-analysis (p=1·58 × 10−8), and encodes an aminoacid change (Pro67Ala) in MSH3. In TRACK-HD, each copy of the minor allele at this SNP was associated with a 0·4 units per year (95% CI 0·16–0·66) reduction in the rate of change of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) Total Motor Score, and a reduction of 0·12 units per year (95% CI 0·06–0·18) in the rate of change of UHDRS Total Functional Capacity score. These associations remained significant after adjusting for age of onset. Interpretation The multidomain progression measure in TRACK-HD was associated with a functional variant that was genome-wide significant in our meta-analysis. The association in only 216 participants implies that the progression measure is a sensitive reflection of disease burden, that the effect size at this locus is large, or both. Knockout of Msh3 reduces somatic expansion in Huntington's disease mouse models, suggesting this mechanism as an area for future therapeutic investigation

Les enjeux d'une formation autonomisante de l'apprenant en environnement multimédia

L'intégration de l'ALAO dans une formation autonomisante soulève un certain nombre de questions théoriques et méthodologiques. Après une brève description de dispositifs d'apprentissage multimédia, nous explorerons en détail les concepts d'autonomie et d'autonomisation de l'apprenant. Dans une deuxième partie, nous tenterons de conceptualiser les enjeux inhérents à l'intégration de l'ALAO dans une formation autonomisante, à savoir la mise en place d'une structure sociale favorisant l'autonomisation et l'adoption du concept "ordinateur-outil". La troisième partie décrira alors l'évolution d'un dispositif de formation autonomisante et présentera les résultats préliminaires d'une étude de la relation entre autonomisation de l'apprenant en langue étrangère et utilisation de l'outil informatique