A framework of PBL strategy integrated in LMS and a ubiquitous learning environment

[[abstract]]This study describes the design of problem-based learning strategy (PBL) integrated into LMS with mobile tools in a ubiquitous learning environment, which is called uPBL system. This paper discusses the analysis and design of PBL instructional steps for building a LMS system to create a new learning environment. A trial case was designed and implemented with elementary school teachers to obtain feedback and suggestions on the design of uPBL system structure. In the trail PBL outdoor activities coped with PDA devices, students were interested in mobile learning devices and the developed system. Also, students felt comfortable to solve the real live problems and communicate with team members without the obstacles of time and space. It is expected that students will be enhanced their learning performance with a well-designed learning environment via held technology devices. Experimental studies of students learning performance are ongoing in the next research step.[[incitationindex]]EI[[conferencetype]]國際[[conferencedate]]20100816~20100818[[iscallforpapers]]Y[[conferencelocation]]Seoul, Kore

Poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel coatings with tunable surface exposure of hydroxyapatite.

International audienceInsufficient bone anchoring is a major limitation of artificial substitutes for connective osteoarticular tissues. The use of coatings containing osseoconductive ceramic particles is one of the actively explored strategies to improve osseointegration and strengthen the bone-implant interface for general tissue engineering. Our hypothesis is that hydroxyapatite (HA) particles can be coated robustly on specific assemblies of PVA hydrogel fibers for the potential anchoring of ligament replacements. A simple dip-coating method is described to produce composite coatings made of microscopic hydroxyapatite (HA) particles dispersed in a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix. The materials are compatible with the requirements for implant Good Manufacturing Practices. They are applied to coat bundles of PVA hydrogel fibers used for the development of ligament implants. By means of optical and electronic microscopy, we show that the coating thickness and surface state can be adjusted by varying the composition of the dipping solution. Quantitative analysis based on backscattered electron microscopy show that the exposure of HA at the coating surface can be tuned from 0 to over 55% by decreasing the weight ratio of PVA over HA from 0.4 to 0.1. Abrasion experiments simulating bone-implant contact illustrate how the coating cohesion and wear resistance increase by increasing the content of PVA relative to HA. Using pullout experiments, we find that these coatings adhere well to the fiber bundles and detach by propagation of a crack inside the coating. These results provide a guide to select coated implants for anchoring artificial ligaments

Non-Consequentialism Demystified

Morality seems important, in the sense that there are practical reasons — at least for most of us, most of the time — to be moral. A central theoretical motivation for consequentialism is that it appears clear that there are practical reasons to promote good outcomes, but mysterious why we should care about non-consequentialist moral considerations or how they could be genuine reasons to act. In this paper we argue that this theoretical motivation is mistaken, and that because many arguments for consequentialism rely upon it, the mistake substantially weakens the overall case for consequentialism. We argue that there is indeed a theoretical connection between good states and reasons to act, because good states are those it is fitting to desire and there is a conceptual connection between the fittingness of a motive and reasons to perform the acts it motivates. But while some of our motives are directed at states, others are directed at acts themselves. We contend that just as the fittingness of desires for states generates reasons to promote the good, the fittingness of these act-directed motives generates reasons to do other things. Moreover, we argue that an act’s moral status consists in the fittingness of act-directed feelings of obligation to perform or avoid performing it, so the connection between fitting motives and reasons to act explains reasons to be moral whether or not morality directs us to promote the good. This, we contend, de-mystifies how there could be non-consequentialist reasons that are both moral and practical

TCP Programmer for FPXs

Reconfigurable hardware platforms are the key to extensible high speed networks. They provide flexibility without hindering performance through the internet. Current development of the Field-programmable Port Extender (FPX), a reconfigurable hardware platform allows reconfiguration through an ATM network. However, majority of the internet today is based on the highly popular TCP/IP protocol. The contribution of this work will allow modular components to be reprogrammed via TCP/I

Immunologic Investigations of T-Cell Regulation of Human IgE Antibody Secretion and Allergic Responses

The pathophysiology of allergic disease is multifactorial, involving an intricate network of interactions among cells, mediators, and cytokines. Substantial progress has been made in defining the role of antigen-specific T cells and cytokines in the regulation of immunoglobulin E (IgE) synthesis and the atopic diseases. The development of antigen-specific T-cell lines and clones has facilitated efforts to characterize human T-cell subsets and their cytokine repertoires. Molecular methods currently available include techniques for the quantitative analysis of cytokine gene expression and secretion from activated T cells ex vivo as well as in tissues. The availability of these newly developed techniques has become essential to the investigation of the pharmacologic regulation of T cells and cytokines both in vitro and in vivo. Future investigations will contribute to our understanding of the differential regulation of T-cell subsets and their relationships to allergic diseases, ultimately leading to a better understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of allergic diseases and the design of more effective therapeutic interventions

Saving Money: The Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation Medicaid Benefit: A Policy Paper

In the United States, about 70% of smokers want to quit and 50% make a quit attempt each year. Unfortunately, only a small percent are successful, due in part to the lack of easy access to tobacco dependence treatments that have been proven effective. In light of the societal costs of tobacco-related illness, government must do everything it can to encourage and enable smokers to quit. The tobacco use landscape in this country has changed in recent years -- people with lower income and education levels have a much higher probability of smoking. For instance, the smoking rate for those with a college degree is under 10%, but for those insured by Medicaid it is over 35%. Unfortunately, Medicaid coverage for tobacco cessation treatment depends on the state in which you live. While federal health reform guarantees nationwide coverage for pregnant women, it does not for all other Medicaid beneficiaries. Some states have made this a public health priority, but others have not

The rise and rise of exome sequencing

Beginning in 2009, the advent of exome sequencing has contributed significantly towards new discoveries of heritable germline mutations and de novo mutations for rare Mendelian disorders with hitherto unknown genetic aetiologies. Exome sequencing is an efficient tool to identify disease mutations without the need of a multi-generational pedigree. Sequencing a single proband or multiple affected individuals has been shown to be successful in identifying disease mutations, but parents would be required in the case of de novo mutations. In addition to heritable germline and de novo mutations, exome sequencing has also succeeded in unravelling somatic driver mutations for a wide range of cancers through individual studies or international collaborative effort such as the Cancer Genome International Consortium. By contrast, the application of exome sequencing in complex diseases is relatively limited; probably it would be too expensive were it applied to thousands of samples to achieve the statistical power for rare or low frequency variants (<1%). On top of research discoveries, the application of exome sequencing as a diagnostic tool is also increasingly evident. In this article, we summarize and discuss the progress that has been made in these areas during almost a decade