Adventures in Learning: Creating Role Playing Video Games to Teach and Learn Economics

This article examines pedagogical lessons derived from the learning theory embodied in commercially successfully video games and their link to reported increases in 'fluid intelligence' of student populations. The scholarly literature in this area is reviewed in order to elicit practical principles by which to guide the development of instructional video game modules for the teaching of economics. The authors' experiences in developing and pilot testing such a module, and in subsequently guiding student research efforts to develop an additional module, are then reviewed. The paper concludes that harnessing the benefits of video game technologies in the service of teaching and learning economics is both pedagogically sound and feasible for individual instructors.

The Role of District Leaders in Improving Achievement and Equity: How Leaders Generate Will

Thesis advisor: Vincent ChoDistrict leaders are under tremendous pressure to narrow persisting achievement disparities with a dearth of guidance from existing literature. Rorrer, Skrla, and Scheurich (2008) proposed a theory that district leaders enact four essential roles when engaging in systemic reform that improves achievement and equity: (1) providing instructional leadership which consists of building capacity and generating will, (2) reorienting the organization, (3) establishing policy coherence, and (4) maintaining an equity focus. However, these roles are not well understood. Therefore, this qualitative case study contributed to research and practice by exploring how leaders in a Massachusetts public school district that made gains in improving achievement and equity attempted to generate will, defined as intrinsic motivation, when enacting the role of instructional leadership. Drawing upon semi-structured interviews and a review of documents, this study concluded that leaders enacted the role to varying degrees in ways that were consistent with Rorrer, et al. (2008). Data revealed that leaders attempted to act as transformational leaders and distribute leadership in a manner that connected with individual’s values, beliefs, and desires. Furthermore, when enacting these leadership constructs, leaders attempted to use extrinsic motivators, including recognition, data, and resources such as time for collaboration and professional learning, to promote autonomy and self- determination. Recommendations include how district leaders can enact this role in a more informed, proactive and deliberate manner.Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2016.Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education.Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education

Insights into the structure-function relationships of dimeric C3d fragments

Cleavage of C3 to C3a and C3b plays a central role in the generation of complement-mediated defences. Although the thioester-mediated surface deposition of C3b has been well-studied, fluid phase dimers of C3 fragments remain largely unexplored. Here we show C3 cleavage results in the spontaneous formation of C3b dimers and present the first X-ray crystal structure of a disulphide-linked human C3d dimer. Binding studies reveal these dimers are capable of crosslinking complement receptor 2 and preliminary cell-based analyses suggest they could modulate B cell activation to influence tolerogenic pathways. Altogether, insights into the physiologically-relevant functions of C3d(g) dimers gained from our findings will pave the way to enhancing our understanding surrounding the importance of complement in the fluid phase and could inform the design of novel therapies for immune system disorders in the future

Development and validation of a multivariable risk prediction model for serious infection in patients with psoriasis receiving systemic therapy

BACKGROUND: Patients with psoriasis are often concerned about the risk of serious infection associated with systemic psoriasis treatments. OBJECTIVES: To develop and externally validate a prediction model for serious infection in patients with psoriasis within 1 year of starting systemic therapies. METHODS: The risk prediction model was developed using the British Association of Dermatologists Biologic Interventions Register (BADBIR), and the German Psoriasis Registry PsoBest was used as the validation dataset. Model discrimination and calibration were assessed internally and externally using the C-statistic, the calibration slope and the calibration in the large. RESULTS: Overall 175 (1·7%) out of 10 033 participants from BADBIR and 41 (1·7%) out of 2423 participants from PsoBest developed a serious infection within 1 year of therapy initiation. Selected predictors in a multiple logistic regression model included nine baseline covariates, and starting infliximab was the strongest predictor. Evaluation of model performance showed a bootstrap optimism-corrected C-statistic of 0·64 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0·60-0·69], calibration in the large of 0·02 (95% CI -0·14 to 0·17) and a calibration slope of 0·88 (95% CI 0·70-1·07), while external validation performance was poor, with C-statistic 0·52 (95% CI 0·42-0·62), calibration in the large 0·06 (95% CI -0·25 to 0·37) and calibration slope 0·36 (95% CI -0·24 to 0·97). CONCLUSIONS: We present the first results of the development of a multivariable prediction model. This model may help patients and dermatologists in the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland to identify modifiable risk factors and inform therapy choice in a shared decision-making process

Initial assessment of well-being in South African armed services personnel

As professionals in law enforcement and defence (armed services) function under high pressure, the maintenance of overall health should be emphasized and closely monitored in training facilities. The aim of this research was to assess current health status and risk factors of the members of three armed service training facilities. This represents the first step in an integrated approach toward health maintenance in this important sector. The sample consisted of 323 members from three different armed service training facilities in South Africa. The subjects completed a questionnaire on health history and coping with stress. Heart health, body composition, general fitness and co-ordination were then examined. The mean age of the sample was 38.08 years (SD=8.81). The mean blood pressure readings were pre-hypertensive (Systolic 127.4mmHg, SD=16.67; Diastolic 82.74mmHg, SD=10.94) and the mean BMI was in the overweight category (27.97kg/m2, SD=8.81). The percentage (more than 40 %) of subjects that require physical fitness intervention reflects an urgent need for effective implementation of wellness programmes in this sector.http://www.ajol.info/journal_index.php?jid=153&ab=ajpher