Analysing mobile learning designs: A framework for transforming learning post-COVID

Mobile learning is well established in literature and practice, but under-evolved from a rigorous learning design perspective. Activity theory presents a sophisticated way of mapping and understanding learning design, but for mobile learning this does not always translate into change in practice. The reported research addresses this by coupling a mobile learning specific approach to activity theory with a practice-based framework: the design for transformative mobile learning framework mapped to the pedagogy-andragogy-heutagogy continuum matrix (the DTML-PAH Matrix). Seven case studies are analysed using this approach and presented narratively along with framework informed analysis. Findings include that the DTML-PAH Matrix can be used to provide clearer implications and guidance for mobile learning practice, and that the DTML-PAH Matrix can also be guided by the practice over time. Implications for further research and practice are discussed. Implications for practice or policy: • Provide technological and pedagogical scaffolds to students. • Learning designs should focus upon enabling elements of learner agency and creativity. • To develop learning solutions to real world problems utilise a design-based research approach. • Create authentic collaborative learning activities and tasks. • Integrate mobile learning affordances in the design of the course and curriculum

Nurturing a networked academic community: #ASCILITEMLSIG mobile learning special interest group

This paper explores the development of a special interest group bound by common interests, experiences, and access to opportunities in mobile learning as a model of a networked academic development community. With core members spanning eleven educational institutes across three continents, the Mobile Learning Special Interest Group (MLSIG) was established to facilitate mobile learning praxis to enable authentic learning and learner agency through a networked community of academic practitioners and researchers. The paper identifies critical elements of the MLSIG networked community through an autoethnographic narrative from 14 self-nominated participants. These are woven into a proposed framework and model for nurturing networked academic development communities

Nanotechnology in peripheral nerve repair and reconstruction

The recent progress in biomaterials science and development of tubular conduits (TCs) still fails in solving the current challenges in the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs), in particular when disease-related and long-gap defects need to be addressed. Nanotechnology-based therapies that seemed unreachable in the past are now being considered for the repair and reconstruction of PNIs, having the power to deliver bioactive molecules in a controlled manner, to tune cellular behavior, and ultimately guide tissue regeneration in an effective manner. It also offers opportunities in the imaging field, with a degree of precision never achieved before, which is useful for diagnosis, surgery and in the patientâ s follow-up. Nanotechnology approaches applied in PNI regeneration and theranostics, emphasizing the ones that are moving from the lab bench to the clinics, are herein overviewed.The authors acknowledge the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for the financial support provided to Joaquim M. Oliveira (IF/01285/2015) and Joana Silva-Correia (IF/00115/2015) under the program “Investigador FCT”.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Gene expression and methylation pattern in HRK apoptotic gene in myelodysplastic syndrome

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) are a clonal bone marrow (BM) disease characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, dysplastic maturation and progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methylation silencing of HRK has been found in several human malignancies. In this study, we explored the association of HRK methylation status with its expression, clinical parameters and MDS subtypes in MDS patients. To study the methylation status of HRK gene, we applied Methylation Sensitive-High Resolution Melting Curve Analysis (MS-HRM) in MDS patients, as well as healthy controls and EpiTect®PCR Control DNA. Real time RT-PCR was used for gene expression analysis. Methylation frequency in promoter region of HRK in patient samples was 20.37. Methylation of HRK was significantly related to transcriptional downregulation (P = 0.023). The difference in frequency of hypermethylated HRK gene was significant between good (10) and poor (71.42) cytogenetic risk groups (P= 0.001), advanced stage MDS patients (66.66) in comparison with early stage MDS patients (2.56) (P = 0.00), higher- risk MDS group (61.53) and lower- risk MDS group (7.31) (P= 0.00). HRK hypermethylation was associated with advanced- stage MDS and downregulation of HRK gene may play a role in the progression of MDS

Large-Scale Grid Integration of Renewable Energy Resources with a Double Synchronous Controller

This paper provides virtual inertia and mechanical power-based double synchronous controller (DSC) for power converters based on the d- and q-components of the converter current to assure the stable operation of the grid with the penetration of large-scale renewable energy resources (RERs). The DSC is projected based on emulating both the inertia and mechanical power variables of the synchronous generators (SGs), and its performance is compared with a non-synchronous controller (NSC) that is without these emulations. The main contributions of the DSC are providing a large margin of stability for the power grid with a wide area of low and high values of virtual inertia, also improving significantly power grid stability (PGS) with changing properly the embedded virtual variables of inertia, mechanical power, and also mechanical power error. Also, decoupling features of the proposed DSC in which both d and q components are completely involved with the characteristics of SGs as well as the relationship between the interfaced converter and dynamic models of SGs are other important contributions of the DSC over the existing control methods. Embedding some coefficients for the proposed DSC to show its robustness against the unknown intrinsic property of parameters is another contribution in this paper. Moreover, several transfer functions are achieved and analyzed that confirm a more stable performance of the emulated controller in comparison with the NSC for power-sharing characteristics. Simulation results confirm the superiority of the proposed DSC in comparison with other existing control techniques, e.g., the NSC techniques.Peer reviewe

Virtual Inertia and Mechanical Power-Based Control Strategy to Provide Stable Grid Operation under High Renewables Penetration

This paper presents a virtual inertia and mechanical power-based control strategy to provide a stable operation of the power grid under high penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs). The proposed control technique is based on a new active and reactive power-based dynamic model with the permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) swing equation, in which all PMSG features i.e., inertia and mechanical power are embedded within the controller as the main contribution of this paper. To present an accurate analysis of the virtual PMSG-based parameters, the desired zero dynamics of the grid angular frequency are considered to evaluate the effects of virtual mechanical power (VMP) on the active and reactive power sharing, as well as the investigation of virtual inertia variations for the grid angular frequency responses. Moreover, by considering various active power errors and virtual inertia, the impacts of active power error on reactive power in the proposed control technique, are precisely assessed. Simulation results are employed in Matlab/Simulink software to verify the stabilizing abilities of the proposed control technique.Peer reviewe