Cultural Bias in Assessment: Can Creativity Assessment Help?

Culture and background cause the results of standardized assessments to be inaccurate. These tests intend to measure intelligence and general knowledge. However, standardized tests are normed based on the knowledge and values of the majority, which can create bias against minority groups. Creativity is as important as intelligence and creativity assessment measures are normed on individual cultures.  To reduce bias, it is suggested that creativity assessment be added to traditional standardized testing. 

Two-dimensional heterogeneous photonic bandedge laser

We proposed and realized a two-dimensional (2D) photonic bandedge laser surrounded by the photonic bandgap. The heterogeneous photonic crystal structure consists of two triangular lattices of the same lattice constant with different air hole radii. The photonic crystal laser was realized by room-temperature optical pumping of air-bridge slabs of InGaAsP quantum wells emitting at 1.55 micrometer. The lasing mode was identified from its spectral positions and polarization directions. A low threshold incident pump power of 0.24mW was achieved. The measured characteristics of the photonic crystal lasers closely agree with the results of real space and Fourier space calculations based on the finite-difference time-domain method.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

One-pot Enzymatic Synthesis of Deoxy-thymidine-diphosphate (TDP)-2-deoxy-∝-d-glucose Using Phosphomannomutase

Production of deoxy-thymidine-diphosphate (TDP)-sugars as substrates of glycosyltransferases, has been one of main hurdles for combinatorial antibiotic biosynthesis, which combines sugar moiety with aglycon of various antibiotics. Here, we report the one-pot enzymatic synthesis of TDP-2-deoxy-glucose employing high efficient TMP kinase (TMK; E.C. 2.7.2.12), acetate kinase (ACK; E.C. 2.7.1.21), and TDP-glucose synthase (TGS; E.C. 2.7.7.24) with phosphomannomutase (PMM; E.C. 5.4.2.8). In this study, replacing phosphoglucomutase (PGM; E.C. 5.4.2) by PMM from Escherichia coli gave four times higher specific activity on 2-deoxy-6-phosphate glucose, suggesting that the activity on 2-deoxy-glucose-6-phosphate was mainly affected by PMM activity, not PGM activity. Using an in vitro system starting from TMP and 2-deoxy-glucose-6-phosphate glucose, TDP-2-deoxy-glucose (63% yield) was successfully synthesized. Considering low productivity of NDP-sugars from cheap starting materials, this paper showed how production of NDP-sugars could be enhanced by controlling mutase activity

Clustering of Nodes in Layered-Tree Topology for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor network is composed of a large number of sensor nodes of limited energy resource. The node clustering approach can improve the scalability and lifetime of wireless sensor network. In this paper we propose a novel node clustering protocol based on layered-tree topology for self-organizing distributed wireless sensor networks. It decides optimal number of clusters by employing a new approach for setting threshold value, including the probability of optimum number of cluster-heads and residual energy of the nodes. We also introduce a new scheme for layered-tree construction in each cluster. As a result, the proposed scheme can significantly improve the energy efficiency of the network and increase its lifetime. Computer simulation shows that the proposed scheme effectively reduces and balances the energy consumption of the nodes, and thus significantly extends the network lifetime compared to the existing schemes

Elucidating functions of Tyrosine 705 and Serine 727 residues of Stat3 in vivo

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) gene mediates vital processes such as involution, maintenance of pluripotent stem cells, and inflammation. Stat3 is activated by phosphorylation at Tyr705(Y705) and Ser727(S727) residues, that has independent and overlapping functions when studied in overexpressing cells in vitro. In this study, we sought to characterize the roles of Y705 and S727 residues in vivo, using transgenic mice which harbor the inactivating mutants Stat3-Y705F (tyrosine to phenylalanine), Stat3-S727A (serine to alanine) and activation mutant Stat3-S727E (serine to glutamic acid). The Stat3-S727E mimics constitutively phosphorylated Stat3 at S727, while the other two mutants cannot be phosphorylated. We, for the first time, have generated transgenic mice with the Knock-In (KI) mutants of Stat3 at Y705 and S727, alone or in combination. Because previous studies have shown that Stat3 knockout mice are embryonic lethal, we determined the independent roles of the two phosphorylation sites, and their interactions during embryonic development of KI-mice. We have further analyzed if stability of the Stat3 protein is affected by these mutations to support our key observations. Our studies show that Y705F homozygous mutation is embryonic lethal at weaning, only wildtype and heterozygous Stat3Y705F-KI mice survived. Similar observation was made with Stat3Y705F/S727E –KI mice (Stat3Y-SE), where homozygous mutation was also embryonic lethal. However, the KI-mice with Stat3S727E homozygous mutation were viable suggesting that constitutive phosphorylation of 727 had no detrimental effect on embryonic development, but could not rescue the loss of Stat3 function due to Y705F mutation in the double mutant. We analyzed stability of Stat3 protein in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) isolated from KI-mice. Stat3Y-SE/- had a significantly decreased level of Stat3 mRNA. Stat3 protein was undetectable in Stat3Y705F/- and Stat3Y-SE/- MEFs, suggesting that phosphorylation at Y705 is critical for stability of Stat3 protein and that phosphomimetic at S727 could not rescue Stat3 from degradation. It is also apparent that Stat3Y705F/- and Stat3Y-SE/- KI-mice phenocopies Stat3-/- mice as both are embryonic lethal. Studies are underway to characterize the Stat3S727A and Stat3Y705F/S727A (Stat3Y-SA) KI-mice and the mutant proteins. Our characterization of Y705 and S727 will result in better understanding of their key roles in activation of Stat3 in a physiological context.Ohio State University Second Year Transformative Experience ProgramMayers Undergraduate Research FellowshipArts and Sciences Undergraduate Research ScholarshipA five-year embargo was granted for this item.Academic Major: Molecular Genetic

a case of Korean market

Thesis(Master) --KDI School:Master of Business Administration,2009Outstandingmasterpublishedby Kyung-Hee Kim

Differences in the Symptoms of Complex PTSD and PTSD in North Korean Defectors by Trauma Type

The purpose of this research was to explore the varying levels of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (Complex PTSD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and depression in North Korean defectors according to the type of trauma. The study was conducted on 531 North Korean defectors (170 males and 361 females) in Hanawon(resettlement center for North Korean defectors). 432 (81.4%) of the subject population experienced ≥1 traumatic events. Those with ≥4 traumatic experiences scored higher on complex PTSD and PTSD symptoms, and they had higher levels of depression compared to those who had or had not experienced 1~3 traumatic events. Analysis of different types of traumatic events found that the survivors of interpersonal trauma or serious illness had higher levels of complex PTSD, PTSD symptoms and depression than others. No significant difference was found across all symptoms between those who had and had not experienced noninterpersonal trauma. Among the trauma survivors, 11.3% were diagnosed with complex PTSD, 14.6% with PTSD, and 26.2% with both. The rate of dual diagnosis was high among those with interpersonal trauma or serious illness. The dual diagnosis group exhibited significantly higher levels of depression than the complex PTSD or PTSD group. Logistic regression analysis found that those with interpersonal trauma were 2.11 times more likely to receive a diagnosis of complex PTSD than non-diagnosed group. Those with interpersonal trauma or serious illness were 2.39 times and 2.85 times more likely to receive a dual diagnosis than non-diagnosed group, respectively. There was no particular trauma type that discriminated between the PTSD group and the non-diagnosed group. This study suggests that it is the type of traumatic event rather than the frequency or amount that is more important in the diagnosis of complex PTSD and PTSD in North Korean defectors. This paper discussed the implications of the research findings for the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD in North Korean defectors and proposed directions for future research

Travailler l'oral à travers l'utilisation d'un téléphone portable et d’Internet

This research is in the field of foreign language didactics. It is particularly about learning spoken French via mobile technology. We carried out a research action while we elaborated a training device which would allow Korean learners of French to practice oral speech. As Korean culture is influenced by Confucian philosophy, teaching-learning foreign languages is characterized by a hierarchical relationship between the "master" and his "disciple" and is often focused on writing. Our didactic scenario included language learning tasks outside of formal learning and supported by distance tutoring. A couple of experiments were conducted in 2008 and 2010 with two Korean sets of French language learners living in Korea who were asked to perform language tasks using video recording. The learners were asked to perform oral productions in response to videos recorded by a native French speaker living in France. Through a mobile phone connected to the Internet and an Korean online social network (Cyworld), learners could exchange with the French native asynchronically. This allowed them to record themselves several times and practice speaking skills by the way, benefiting from advice given by a tutor. We analyzed discourse, video-implemented strategies and semi-directed interviews conducted upstream and downstream with the learners. This brought us to find out to which extent online tutoring, communicative tasks performed with a mobile device, and asynchronous communication via an online social network may influence oral production and autonomy of Korean learners of French.Cette recherche s'inscrit dans le domaine de la didactique des langues étrangères et porte sur l'apprentissage du français oral soutenu par la technologie mobile. En nous appuyant sur la recherche-action, nous avons créé un dispositif de formation destiné à des apprenants coréens de FLE leur permettant de s'entraîner à prendre la parole librement. La culture coréenne étant influencée par la philosophie confucéenne, l'enseignement-apprentissage des langues est caractérisé par une relation hiérarchique entre le « maître savant » et « son disciple » et souvent centré sur l'écrit. Notre scénario didactique prévoyait un travail de la langue en dehors d'un cours formel et soutenu par un tuteur à distance. Deux expériences ont été menées en 2008 et 2010 avec deux groupes d'apprenants coréens de FLE résidants en Corée auxquels nous avons demandé de réaliser des tâches langagières par enregistrement vidéo. Les apprenants ont été amenés à réaliser leurs productions orales en réponse à une vidéo enregistrée par un locuteur natif vivant en France. Grâce au recours à la téléphonie mobile intégrant l'accès à Internet et l'utilisation d'un réseau social en ligne coréen (Cyworld), les apprenants pouvaient échanger avec l'interlocuteur en temps différé leur permettant de s'enregistrer à plusieurs reprises et ainsi s'entraîner à la prise de parole tout en étant accompagnés par un tuteur. L'analyse des discours et des stratégies de réalisation des vidéos ainsi que les résultats des entretiens semi-directifs menés en amont et en aval avec les apprenants-participants, nous ont permis de répondre à nos questions de recherche, à savoir de quelle manière le tutorat en ligne, les tâches communicatives réalisées avec un outil mobile et la communication asynchrone sur un réseau social en ligne influent sur la production orale et l'autonomisation des apprenants coréens de FLE