Knowledge convergence in collaborative learning

In collaborative learning the question has been raised as to how learners in small groups influence one another and converge or diverge with respect to knowledge. Knowledge convergence can be conceptualised as knowledge equivalence and as shared knowledge prior to, during, and subsequent to collaborative learning. Knowledge equivalence refers to learners becoming more similar to their learning partners with regard to the extent of their individual knowledge. Shared knowledge means that learners have knowledge on the very same concepts as their learning partners. In this article, we provide measures for assessing both, knowledge equivalence and shared knowledge

Methodological challenges for collaborative learning research

Research on collaborative learning, both face-to-face and computer-supported, has thrived in the past 10 years. The studies range from outcome-oriented (individual and group learning) to process-oriented (impact of interaction on learning processes, motivation and organisation of collaboration) to mixed studies. Collaborative learning research is multi-disciplinary. This introduces a multitude of theoretical accounts for collaborative learning, accompanied by a broad spectrum of methods to study processes and outcomes of collaboration. This special issue will provide an overview of methods that are at the core of current research effort, but also identifies opportunities and problems to sensibly combine methods into mixed method approaches

Equipamiento para la Diversidad Cultural. Base para la Regeneración Urbana del Rimac

Se plantea el proyecto urbano-arquitectónico “Equipamiento para la Diversidad Cultural” como un proyecto catalizador de la regeneración urbana del Rímac, que comprende un equipamiento cultural y de esparcimiento a escala metropolitana en la zona de Cantagallo, un terreno del estado de diez hectáreas que está ante el río Rímac, en el corazón del centro, que actualmente se encuentra desperdiciado y subutilizado y cuyo potencial es indiscutible por su extensión y por su posición central estratégica dentro de la ciudad. Se plantea un nuevo gran espacio público de carácter central para la ciudad, distintivo, representativo y con identidad que tiene como protagonista al río y a la sociedad multicultural de hoy. Un espacio que muestra la diversidad cultural limeña como tema central a través de un programa atractivo de uso variado que busca suplir en parte carencias particulares de la población limeña en general y de la población residente, flotante y turística del Centro Histórico de Lima. Un espacio de encuentro con extensas áreas verdes y espacios de aprendizaje, cultura, recreación y socialización, donde se fomenta la integración, aceptación y tolerancia de grupos con identidades culturales plurales y variadas en busca de afianzar nuestra cultura y fortalecer la identidad y autoestima de los residentes de nuestra ciudad. Así mismo se plantean propuestas urbanísticas para el entorno urbano inmediato del proyecto, para colaborar con la regeneración de esta zona y su reincorporación al tejido urbano productivo del centro.Tesi

Remote Sensing of Chiral Signatures on Mars

We describe circular polarization as a remote sensing diagnostic of chiral signatures which may be applied to Mars. The remarkable phenomenon of homochirality provides a unique biosignature which can be amenable to remote sensing through circular polarization spectroscopy. The natural tendency of microbes to congregate in close knit communities would be beneficial for such a survey. Observations of selected areas of the Mars surface could reveal chiral signatures and hence explore the possibility of extant or preserved biological material. We describe a new instrumental technique that may enable observations of this form.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures; to be published in Planetary and Space Scienc

Worker heterogeneity, new monopsony, and training

A worker's output depends not only on his/her own ability but also on that of colleagues, who can facilitate the performance of tasks that each individual cannot accomplish on his/her own. We show that this common-sense observation generates monopsony power and is sufficient to explain why employers might expend resources on training employees even when the training is of use to other firms. We show that training will take place in better-than-average or ‘good’ firms enjoying greater monopsony power, whereas ‘bad’ firms will have low-ability workers unlikely to receive much training

Low-Silica and High-Calcium Stone in the Newman Limestone (Mississippian) on Pine Mountain, Letcher County, Southeastern Kentucky

The coal industry of Kentucky is an important market for limestone. Coal producers use limestone as rock dust for explosion abatement in underground coal mines and as a neutralizing agent in surface-mine reclamation and acid-drainage control. Haulage-road construction and maintenance require crushed stone. Coal-bearing rocks of Pennsylvanian age in the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field generally do not contain limestones that are sufficiently thick to quarry or mine economically, but in the southeastern part of the coal field, fault movement has brought the Newman Limestone to the surface along Pine Mountain. The Newman was sampled at three sites in Letcher County to determine its chemical quality and potential for industrial use, particularly as a source of low-silica rock dust. Analysis of the foot-by-foot samples shows that the Newman contains several zones of low-silica stone, 10 to 39 feet thick. A few intervals of high-calcium limestone, 12 to 24 feet thick, coincide with or occur in the low-silica zones. The deposits of low-silica and high-calcium stone are thickest in the southwestern part of Letcher County and commonly thin northeastward. The thicker deposits of chemically pure limestone and dolomite may be an economically exploitable source of rock dust for underground coal mines, and a source of stone for surface-mine reclamation and acid-drainage control. Production from deposits in the Newman, however, will be complicated by the steep southeastward to southward dip (20 to 42°) of the beds, possible displacement along small faults, and fracturing of the limestone

Clinical efficacy and safety of lamotrigine monotherapy in newly diagnosed pediatric patients with epilepsy

Purpose : To verify the efficacy and safety of lamotrigine (LTG) monotherapy in newly diagnosed children with epilepsy. Methods : We prospectively enrolled 148 children who had undergone LTG monotherapy at our institution between September 2002 and June 2009. Twenty-nine patients were excluded: 19 due to incomplete data and 10 were lost to follow up. The data of the remaining 119 patients was analyzed. Results : We enrolled 119 pediatric epilepsy patients (aged 2.8-19.3 years&#59; 66 males and 53 females) in this study. Out of 119 patients, 29 (25.2%) had generalized epilepsy and 90 (74.8%) had partial epilepsy. The responses of seizure reduction were as follows: Seizure freedom (no seizure attack for at least 6 months) in 87/111 (78.4%, n=111) patients&#59; partial response (reduced seizure frequency compared to baseline) in 13 (11.7%) patients&#59; and persistent seizure in 11 (9.9%) patients. The seizure freedom rate was in 81.6% in patients with partial seizure (75.9% for complex partial seizure and 90.9% for benign rolandic epilepsy) and 44.8% in patients with generalized epilepsy (30.0% for absence seizure, 35.7% for juvenile myoclonic epilepsy patients, and 100.0% for idiopathic generalized epilepsy patients). Adverse reactions were reported in 17 (14.3%) patients, and 8 patients (6.7%) discontinued LTG because of rash and tic. No patient experienced severe adverse reaction such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Conclusion : LTG showed excellent therapeutic response and had few significant adverse effects. Our findings report may contribute in promoting the use of LTG monotherapy in epileptic children

On climate response to changes in the cosmic ray flux and radiative budget

We examine the results linking cosmic ray flux (CRF) variations to global climate change. We then proceed to study various periods over which there are estimates for the radiative forcing, temperature change and CRF variations relative to today. These include the Phanerozoic as a whole, the Cretaceous, the Eocene, the Last Glacial Maximum, the 20th century, as well as the 11-yr solar cycle. This enables us to place quantitative limits on climate sensitivity to both changes in the CRF, Phi_CR, and the radiative budget, F, under equilibrium. Under the assumption that the CRF is indeed a climate driver, we find that the sensitivity to CRF variations is consistently fitted with mu := -Phi_0 (dT_global/ d Phi_CR) = 6.5 +/- 2.5 K (where Phi_0 is the CR energy flux today). Additionally, the sensitivity to radiative forcing changes is lambda := dT_global/ dF_0 = 0.35 +/- 0.09 K/(W/m^2), at the current temperature, while its temperature derivative is negligible with d lambda / dT_0 = 0.01 +/- 0.03 1/(W/m^2). If the observed CRF/climate link is ignored, the best sensitivity obtained is lambda = 0.54 +/- 0.12 K/(W/m^2) and d lambda / dT_0 = -0.02 +/- 0.05 1/(W/m^2). The CRF/climate link therefore implies that the increased solar luminosity and reduced CRF over the previous century should have contributed a warming of 0.37+/-0.13 K, while the rest should be mainly attributed to anthropogenic causes. Without any effect of cosmic rays, the increase in solar luminosity would correspond to an increased temperature of 0.16+/-0.04 K.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, submitted to JGR-Atmosphere

Specifying computer-supported collaboration scripts

Collaboration scripts are activity programs which aim to foster collaborative learning by structuring interaction between learners. Computer-supported collaboration scripts generally suffer from the problem of being restrained to a specific learning platform and learning context. A standardization of collaboration scripts first requires a specification of collaboration scripts that integrates multiple perspectives from computer science, education and psychology. So far, only few and limited attempts at such specifications have been made. This paper aims to consolidate and expand these approaches in light of recent findings and to propose a generic framework for the specification of collaboration scripts. The framework enables a description of collaboration scripts using a small number of components (participants, activities, roles, resources and groups) and mechanisms (task distribution, group formation and sequencing)

Influence of processing on the volatile profile of strawberry spreads made with isomaltulose

[EN] A new strawberry spread formulated with fructose and isomaltulose (replacing sucrose partially or totally) and a high percentage of fruit was developed in line with the new trend of healthier products. This work studies the influence of some process variables (percentage of sugar, pectin and citric acid, and time of thermal treatment) on the volatile profile of these spreads with different formulations. The ripeness of the raw strawberries influences the concentrations of some of the compounds in the spreads, such as isobutyl acetate, butyl butyrate, 3-hexen-1-yl acetate or propan-2-ol. The process conditions have an important effect on the volatile profiles. Most of the esters and alcohols decreased whereas 13 new compounds appear, mostly furans (furfural, 2-acetylfurane, 5-methyl furfural, mesifurane) and aldehydes (octanal, nonanal, decanal and benzaldeyhde). In general, the spreads formulated with sucrose-isomaltulose that contained higher levels of pectin and citric acid gave better results in the preservation of the original aromatic compounds in raw strawberries.Authors would like to thank Direccion General de Investigacion del Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia (AGL2008-01745/ALI) as well as the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for the financial support given to this investigation.Peinado Pardo, I.; Rosa Barbosa, EM.; Heredia Gutiérrez, AB.; Escriche Roberto, MI.; Andrés Grau, AM. (2013). Influence of processing on the volatile profile of strawberry spreads made with isomaltulose. Food Chemistry. 138(1):621-629. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.09.104S621629138