THE ICEBERG METAPHOR OF EDUCATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS : HISTORY AND APPLICATION

ミシガン大学ICS(相互伝達・模擬実験)グループは1984年以来コンピューター媒介による模擬実験を行って来た。実験の成果の一つとして、アイスバーグ・メタファー(氷山隠喩)と呼ばれる教育的遠距離通信に関する概念的モデルを創り出したことがあげられる。このモデルは10年以上に渡り何千人もの学生によって現場でテストされ、その結果この隠喩の中心的主題は不変であり、その一方で広範囲におよぶ教育的模擬実験を促進する柔軟性を備えていることが分かった。このモデルは、K-12、遠距離教育、高等教育などへ応用するための教育技術導入の道を模索している教育者には有益となるはずである。当論文はアイスバーグ・メタファーの発展を述べると共に、それがサーバー側と教室内の双方に関するテレコミュニケーション(遠距離通信)研究にどのような影響を与え得るかについて考察するものである。The Interactive Communications & Simulations (ICS) group at the University of Michigan has operated computer-mediated simulations since 1984. One outcome of our experience was the development of a conceptual model for educational telecommunications called the Iceberg Metaphor. This model has been field-tested by thousands of students for over a decade, and the central themes of this metaphor have remained constant while retaining the flexibility to facilitate a wide range of educational simulations. This model should prove useful to educators who are exploring ways to use instructional technologies for K-12, distance, and higher education applications. This paper describes the development of the Iceberg Metaphor and examines how it influences telecommunications projects on both the server side and in the classroom

Paediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder and depressive symptoms: clinical correlates and CBT treatment outcomes.

Depression frequently co-occurs with paediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), yet the clinical correlates and impact of depression on CBT outcomes remain unclear. The prevalence and clinical correlates of depression were examined in a paediatric specialist OCD-clinic sample (N = 295; Mean = 15 [7 - 18] years, 42 % female), using both dimensional (Beck Depression Inventory-youth; n = 261) and diagnostic (Development and Wellbeing Assessment; n = 127) measures of depression. The impact of depressive symptoms and suspected disorders on post-treatment OCD severity was examined in a sub-sample who received CBT, with or without SSRI medication (N = 100). Fifty-one per-cent of patients reported moderately or extremely elevated depressive symptoms and 26 % (95 % CI: 18 - 34) met criteria for a suspected depressive disorder. Depressive symptoms and depressive disorders were associated with worse OCD symptom severity and global functioning prior to CBT. Individuals with depression were more likely to be female, have had a psychiatric inpatient admission and less likely to be attending school (ps < 0.01). OCD and depressive symptom severity significantly decreased after CBT. Depressive symptoms and depressive disorders predicted worse post-treatment OCD severity (βs = 0.19 and 0.26, ps < 0.05) but became non-significant when controlling for pre-treatment OCD severity (βs = 0.05 and 0.13, ns). Depression is common in paediatric OCD and is associated with more severe OCD and poorer functioning. However, depression severity decreases over the course of CBT for OCD and is not independently associated with worse outcomes, supporting the recommendation for treatment as usual in the presence of depressive symptoms

A comprehensive candidate gene approach identifies genetic variation associated with osteosarcoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Osteosarcoma (OS) is a bone malignancy which occurs primarily in adolescents. Since it occurs during a period of rapid growth, genes important in bone formation and growth are plausible modifiers of risk. Genes involved in DNA repair and ribosomal function may contribute to OS pathogenesis, because they maintain the integrity of critical cellular processes. We evaluated these hypotheses in an OS association study of genes from growth/hormone, bone formation, DNA repair, and ribosomal pathways.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We evaluated 4836 tag-SNPs across 255 candidate genes in 96 OS cases and 1426 controls. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Twelve SNPs in growth or DNA repair genes were significantly associated with OS after Bonferroni correction. Four SNPs in the DNA repair gene <it>FANCM </it>(ORs 1.9-2.0, <it>P </it>= 0.003-0.004) and 2 SNPs downstream of the growth hormone gene <it>GH1 </it>(OR 1.6, <it>P </it>= 0.002; OR 0.5, <it>P </it>= 0.0009) were significantly associated with OS. One SNP in the region of each of the following genes was significant: <it>MDM2</it>, <it>MPG</it>, <it>FGF2</it>, <it>FGFR3</it>, <it>GNRH2</it>, and <it>IGF1</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest that several SNPs in biologically plausible pathways are associated with OS. Larger studies are required to confirm our findings.</p

Honesty, Lemons, and Symbolic Signals

Under asymmetric information, dishonest sellers lead to market unraveling in the lemons model. An additional cost of dishonesty is that language becomes cheap talk. We develop instead a model where people derive utility from actions (what they say), as well as from outcomes, so talk is costly. We find that the existence of honest agents that mean what they say is not enough to make trade more likely, unless a traceability condition that prevents arbitrage is met. When we introduce a continuum of misrepresentation cost types and qualities, full market unraveling is not possible and babbling equilibria are eliminated. More generally, costly talk is a special kind of signal, a symbolic signal that presupposes linguistic conventions, otherwise truth and falsehood, as well as misrepresentation costs, are undefined

The Gene Ontology resource: enriching a GOld mine

The Gene Ontology Consortium (GOC) provides the most comprehensive resource currently available for computable knowledge regarding the functions of genes and gene products. Here, we report the advances of the consortium over the past two years. The new GO-CAM annotation framework was notably improved, and we formalized the model with a computational schema to check and validate the rapidly increasing repository of 2838 GO-CAMs. In addition, we describe the impacts of several collaborations to refine GO and report a 10% increase in the number of GO annotations, a 25% increase in annotated gene products, and over 9,400 new scientific articles annotated. As the project matures, we continue our efforts to review older annotations in light of newer findings, and, to maintain consistency with other ontologies. As a result, 20 000 annotations derived from experimental data were reviewed, corresponding to 2.5% of experimental GO annotations. The website (http://geneontology.org) was redesigned for quick access to documentation, downloads and tools. To maintain an accurate resource and support traceability and reproducibility, we have made available a historical archive covering the past 15 years of GO data with a consistent format and file structure for both the ontology and annotations

General anaesthetic and airway management practice for obstetric surgery in England: a prospective, multi-centre observational study

There are no current descriptions of general anaesthesia characteristics for obstetric surgery, despite recent changes to patient baseline characteristics and airway management guidelines. This analysis of data from the direct reporting of awareness in maternity patients' (DREAMY) study of accidental awareness during obstetric anaesthesia aimed to describe practice for obstetric general anaesthesia in England and compare with earlier surveys and best-practice recommendations. Consenting patients who received general anaesthesia for obstetric surgery in 72 hospitals from May 2017 to August 2018 were included. Baseline characteristics, airway management, anaesthetic techniques and major complications were collected. Descriptive analysis, binary logistic regression modelling and comparisons with earlier data were conducted. Data were collected from 3117 procedures, including 2554 (81.9%) caesarean deliveries. Thiopental was the induction drug in 1649 (52.9%) patients, compared with propofol in 1419 (45.5%). Suxamethonium was the neuromuscular blocking drug for tracheal intubation in 2631 (86.1%), compared with rocuronium in 367 (11.8%). Difficult tracheal intubation was reported in 1 in 19 (95%CI 1 in 16-22) and failed intubation in 1 in 312 (95%CI 1 in 169-667). Obese patients were over-represented compared with national baselines and associated with difficult, but not failed intubation. There was more evidence of change in practice for induction drugs (increased use of propofol) than neuromuscular blocking drugs (suxamethonium remains the most popular). There was evidence of improvement in practice, with increased monitoring and reversal of neuromuscular blockade (although this remains suboptimal). Despite a high risk of difficult intubation in this population, videolaryngoscopy was rarely used (1.9%)

Winter variation in physiological status of cold stored and freshly lifted semi-evergreen Quercus nigra seedlings

• Water oak (Quercus nigra L.) is a tardily deciduous species commonly planted in afforestation projects in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, USA. Field performance is often marked by low survival rates and top dieback, which may be associated with poor physiological quality of planting stock. • We investigated physiological status of cold stored (2–4 °C; CS) and freshly lifted (FL) seedlings during the period between lifting and planting (December – February). In mid-February, seedlings were transplanted into a controlled greenhouse environment for 90 d to evaluate post-transplant growth performance. • Net photosynthetic rates were positive until late January (generally greater in CS seedlings) and became negative thereafter. FL seedlings generally had lower LT$_{50}$ values from freeze-induced electrolyte leakage (FIEL), reflecting greater cold hardiness. FIEL of foliage provided the best indicator of physiological status, though terminal buds may serve as a suitable substitute. All seedlings experienced top dieback following transplant; CS seedlings had less relative root-collar diameter, height, and root volume increments. • Cold storing seedlings did not appear to prolong dormancy, increase stress resistance, or hold promise as a means to improve outplanting success. Regardless of storage regime, seedlings appeared to be most cold hardy and perhaps stress resistant until late January.Variation hivernale de l'état physiologique de plants semi décidus de Quercus nigra stockés au froid et récemment arrachés. • Quercus nigra L. est une espèce semi décidue, plantée dans les projets de reboisement dans la Basse vallée alluviale du fleuve Mississippi aux Etats-Unis. Les performances en plantation sont souvent marquées par un faible taux de survie et un dépérissement de la flèche du plant, ce qui peut être associé à leur mauvaise qualité physiologique. • Nous avons étudié l'état physiologique de jeunes plants stockés au froid (2–4 °C ; CS) et récemment arrachés (FL), au cours de la période entre l'arrachage et la plantation (Décembre - Février). À la mi-février, les plants ont été transplantés pour 90 jours dans une serre climatiquement contrôlée, pour évaluer les performances concernant la croissance après transplantation. • Les taux de photosynthèse nette ont été positifs jusqu'à la fin janvier (généralement plus élevés pour les jeunes plants CS) et sont devenus négatifs par la suite. Les plants FL ont eu généralement des valeurs LT50 inférieures de perte d'électrolyte induit par le gel (FIEL), reflétant une plus grande tolérance au froid. Le FIEL du feuillage fourni le meilleur indicateur de l'état physiologique, même si les bourgeons terminaux peuvent servir comme un substitut approprié. Tous les plants on présenté une perte des feuilles de la flèche à la suite de la transplantation; les plants CS avaient un rapport relatif racine-diamètre du collet, une hauteur, et des accroissements du volume de racines, moindres. • Le stockage au froid des plants ne semble pas prolonger la dormance, ni accroître la résistance au stress de transplantation, ou tenir la promesse d'un moyen d'amélioration de la réussite du reboisement. Indépendamment du régime de stockage, les plants semblent être plus tolérants au froid et peut-être plus résistants au stress jusqu'à la fin janvier