Rapport in distance education

Rapport has been recognized as important in learning in general but little is known about its importance in distance education (DE). The study we report on in this paper provides insights into the importance of rapport in DE as well as challenges to and indicators of rapport-building in DE. The study relied on interviews with 42 Canadian high-school DE teachers. Findings revealed that rapport is necessary in DE because of the absence of face-to-face communication. Challenges to building rapport relate to the geographic dispersion of students, the asynchronous nature of DE, teacher workload, limits of the software, teachers and students not seeing the need for rapport, and DE traditions. We identified six categories of rapport-building in DE as follows: Recognizing the person/individual; Supporting and monitoring; Availability, accessibility, and responsiveness; Non text-based interactions; Tone of interactions; Non-academic conversation/interactions. We break the categories into subcategories and provide indicators for each one. The indicators might also be used in contexts of DE teacher professional development as a springboard for discussion, or, more prescriptively, as guides to DE teacher behaviour. A follow-up study using a more fine-grained focus on specific indicators might provide insights into specific rapport-related behaviours

Asynchronous and Synchronous Teaching and Learning in High-School Distance Education

This paper presents the results of an inductive, interpretive analysis of the perspectives of 42 Canadian high school distance education (DE) teachers on asynchronous and synchronous online teaching. The paper includes a conceptual overview of the affordances and constraints of each form of teaching. Findings provided insight into the following aspects of asynchronous and synchronous online teaching: degree of use; the tools used; the contexts in which each occur; students’ preferences; and limitations. Pedagogy emerged as more important than media for both asynchronous and synchronous online teaching. Synchronous online teaching relied on teacher- rather than student-centred approaches. Asynchronous online teaching provided support for selfpaced, highly independent forms of secondary DE supplemented by synchronous online teaching for answering questions and troubleshooting

Model reconstruction from temporal data for coupled oscillator networks

In a complex system, the interactions between individual agents often lead to emergent collective behavior like spontaneous synchronization, swarming, and pattern formation. The topology of the network of interactions can have a dramatic influence over those dynamics. In many studies, researchers start with a specific model for both the intrinsic dynamics of each agent and the interaction network, and attempt to learn about the dynamics that can be observed in the model. Here we consider the inverse problem: given the dynamics of a system, can one learn about the underlying network? We investigate arbitrary networks of coupled phase-oscillators whose dynamics are characterized by synchronization. We demonstrate that, given sufficient observational data on the transient evolution of each oscillator, one can use machine learning methods to reconstruct the interaction network and simultaneously identify the parameters of a model for the intrinsic dynamics of the oscillators and their coupling.Comment: 27 pages, 7 figures, 16 table

Age-related differences in breast cancer mortality according to race/ethnicity, insurance, and socioeconomic status.

BackgroundWe assessed breast cancer mortality in older versus younger women according to race/ethnicity, neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES), and health insurance status.MethodsThe study included female breast cancer cases 18 years of age and older, diagnosed between 2005 and 2015 in the California Cancer Registry. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to generate hazard ratios (HR) of breast cancer specific deaths and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for older (60+ years) versus younger (< 60 years) patients separately by race/ethnicity, nSES, and health insurance status.ResultsRisk of dying from breast cancer was higher in older than younger patients after multivariable adjustment, which varied in magnitude by race/ethnicity (P-interaction< 0.0001). Comparing older to younger patients, higher mortality differences were shown for non-Hispanic White (HR = 1.43; 95% CI, 1.36-1.51) and Hispanic women (HR = 1.37; 95% CI, 1.26-1.50) and lower differences for non-Hispanic Blacks (HR = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04-1.31) and Asians/Pacific Islanders (HR = 1.15; 95% CI, 1.02-1.31). HRs comparing older to younger patients varied by insurance status (P-interaction< 0.0001), with largest mortality differences observed for privately insured women (HR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.43-1.59) and lowest in Medicaid/military/other public insurance (HR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.10-1.26). No age differences were shown for uninsured women. HRs comparing older to younger patients were similar across nSES strata.ConclusionOur results provide evidence for the continued disparity in Black-White breast cancer mortality, which is magnified in younger women. Moreover, insurance status continues to play a role in breast cancer mortality, with uninsured women having the highest risk for breast cancer death, regardless of age

Academic Mentoring of Social Work Faculty: A Group Experience With a Feminist Influence

Using theory and principles of group process, and influenced by feminist theory of co-mentoring, a group of social work educators met monthly in a telephone mediated support group. The purpose of the group was to offer support to faculty involved in the tenure process in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and service. This paper offers an analysis of this experience. Suggestions for improved mentoring of social work faculty will be explored and areas for further research will be identified

Isolation and Genetic Analysis of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus from Infected Cattle in Indiana

Species and biotype distribution was determined in 44 bovine viral diarrhea virus- (BVDV-) positive samples submitted to the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) in Indiana during 2006–2008. BVDV RNA was detected in the 5′-untranslated region and Npro region using reverse transcriptase PCR followed by sequencing analysis of the PCR product. Additionally, cases were classified into one of six categories according to history and/or lesions: acute symptomatic, hemorrhagic, respiratory distress, reproductive, persistent infection (PI), and mucosal disease (MD). Of 44 BVDV-positive samples, 33 were noncytopathic (ncp), 10 were cytopathic (cp), and one presented both ncp and cp biotypes. Sequencing analysis demonstrated that all samples belonged to BVDV-1a, BVDV-1b, or BVDV-2. The most common isolate was ncp BVDV-1b, (44%) followed by ncp BVDV-2a (24%). Among the six categories, respiratory clinical signs were the most common (36%) followed by PI (25%) and MD (16%)

Time to Endoscopy or Colonoscopy among adults Younger Than 50 Years With Iron-Deficiency anemia and/or Hematochezia in the Vha

IMPORTANCE: to date, the diagnostic test completion rate and the time to diagnostic endoscopy or colonoscopy among adults with iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) and/or hematochezia have not been well characterized. OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the diagnostic test completion rate and the time to diagnostic testing among veterans younger than 50 years with IDA and/or hematochezia. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study was conducted within the Veterans Health Administration between October 1, 1999, and December 31, 2019, among US veterans aged 18 to 49 years from 2 separate cohorts: those with a diagnosis of IDA (n = 59 169) and those with a diagnosis of hematochezia (n = 189 185). Statistical analysis was conducted from August 2021 to August 2023. EXPOSURES: Diagnostic testing factors included age, sex, race and ethnicity, Veterans Health Administration geographic region, and hemoglobin test value (IDA cohort only). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Primary outcomes of diagnostic testing were (1) bidirectional endoscopy after diagnosis of IDA and (2) colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy after diagnosis of hematochezia. The association between diagnostic testing factors and diagnostic test completion was examined using Poisson models. RESULTS: There were 59 169 veterans with a diagnosis of IDA (mean [SD] age, 40.7 [7.1] years; 30 502 men [51.6%]), 189 185 veterans with a diagnosis of hematochezia (mean [SD] age, 39.4 [7.6] years; 163 690 men [86.5%]), and 2287 veterans with IDA and hematochezia (mean [SD] age, 41.6 [6.9] years; 1856 men [81.2%]). The cumulative 2-year diagnostic workup completion rate was 22% (95% CI, 22%-22%) among veterans with IDA and 40% (95% CI, 40%-40%) among veterans with hematochezia. Veterans with IDA were mostly aged 40 to 49 years (37 719 [63.7%]) and disproportionately Black (24 480 [41.4%]). Women with IDA (rate ratio [RR], 0.42; 95% CI, 0.40-0.43) had a lower likelihood of diagnostic test completion compared with men with IDA. Black (RR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.62-0.68) and Hispanic (RR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82-0.94) veterans with IDA were less likely to receive diagnostic testing compared with White veterans with IDA. Veterans with hematochezia were mostly White (105 341 [55.7%]). Among veterans with hematochezia, those aged 30 to 49 years were more likely to receive diagnostic testing than adults younger than 30 years of age (age 30-39 years: RR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.12-1.18; age 40-49 years: RR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.33-1.40). Hispanic veterans with hematochezia were less likely to receive diagnostic testing compared with White veterans with hematochezia (RR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93-0.98). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In the cohorts of veterans younger than 50 years with IDA and/or hematochezia, the diagnostic test completion rate was low. Follow-up was less likely among female, Black, and Hispanic veterans with IDA and Hispanic veterans with hematochezia. Optimizing timely follow-up across social and demographic groups may contribute to improving colorectal cancer outcomes and mitigate disparities

Gene Modification Strategies to Induce Tumor Immunity

The immune system provides an attractive option for use in cancer therapy. Our increasing understanding of the molecular events important in the generation of an effective immune response presents us with the opportunity to manipulate key genes to boost the immune response against cancer. Genetic modification is being employed to enhance a range of immune processes including antigen presentation, activation of specific T cells, and localization of immune effectors to tumors. In this review, we describe how many diverse cell types, including dendritic cells, T cells, and tumor cells, are being modified with a variety of genes, including those encoding antigens, cytokines, and chemokines, in order to enhance tumor immunity

Selective superoxide generation within mitochondria by the targeted redox cycler MitoParaquat

Superoxide is the proximal reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by the mitochondrial respiratory chain and plays a major role in pathological oxidative stress and redox signaling. While there are tools to detect or decrease mitochondrial superoxide, none can rapidly and specifically increase superoxide production within the mitochondrial matrix. This lack impedes progress, making it challenging to assess accurately the roles of mitochondrial superoxide in cells and in vivo. To address this unmet need, we synthesized and characterized a mitochondria-targeted redox cycler, MitoParaquat (MitoPQ) that comprises a triphenylphosphonium lipophilic cation conjugated to the redox cycler paraquat. MitoPQ accumulates selectively in the mitochondrial matrix driven by the membrane potential. Within the matrix, MitoPQ produces superoxide by redox cycling at the flavin site of complex I, selectively increasing superoxide production within mitochondria. MitoPQ increased mitochondrial superoxide in isolated mitochondria and cells in culture ~a thousand-fold more effectively than untargeted paraquat. MitoPQ was also more toxic than paraquat in the isolated perfused heart and in Drosophila in vivo. MitoPQ enables the selective generation of superoxide within mitochondria and is a useful tool to investigate the many roles of mitochondrial superoxide in pathology and redox signaling in cells and in vivo