Why Are Certain Items More Difficult than Others in a Competency Test for Music-Related Argumentation?

This paper examines why certain items in a competency test for music-related argumentation are more difficult than others. Based on previous studies on school-related achievement tests, the authors assume that differences in item difficulty are related to different item characteristics or combinations of characteristics. In this study, the item characteristics of a test for music-related argumentation were first identified and coded. Three domains were identified as contributing to item difficulty: cognitive requirements, knowledge, and formal item features. Second, multiple linear regression analyses were conducted with the item characteristics as predictors of item difficulty, which had been estimated in a prior study (Ehninger et al., 2021). A comparison of three regression models confirmed that the model holding four predictors of the domain “cognitive requirements” best fit the study data 〖R_adj〗^2= .71). The strongest predictor in the final model was “reference to musical attributes” (β=0.46,β=0.51), followed by “cross-sentence argumentation” (β=0.37) and “dialogical argumentation” (β=0.20). These results indicate that the difficulty of an item increased most when participants had to refer to musical attributes to solve the task. The items that required the participants to provide cross-sentence or dialogical argumentation were more challenging as well. The findings regarding the relations between item characteristics and item difficulty contribute to a better understanding of music-related argumentative competence, with important implications for the music classroom.Why Are Certain Items More Difficult than Others in a Competency Test for Music-Related Argumentation?publishedVersio

Neuronal glucose transporter isoform 3 deficient mice demonstrate features of autism spectrum disorders.

Neuronal glucose transporter (GLUT) isoform 3 deficiency in null heterozygous mice led to abnormal spatial learning and working memory but normal acquisition and retrieval during contextual conditioning, abnormal cognitive flexibility with intact gross motor ability, electroencephalographic seizures, perturbed social behavior with reduced vocalization and stereotypies at low frequency. This phenotypic expression is unique as it combines the neurobehavioral with the epileptiform characteristics of autism spectrum disorders. This clinical presentation occurred despite metabolic adaptations consisting of an increase in microvascular/glial GLUT1, neuronal GLUT8 and monocarboxylate transporter isoform 2 concentrations, with minimal to no change in brain glucose uptake but an increase in lactate uptake. Neuron-specific glucose deficiency has a negative impact on neurodevelopment interfering with functional competence. This is the first description of GLUT3 deficiency that forms a possible novel genetic mechanism for pervasive developmental disorders, such as the neuropsychiatric autism spectrum disorders, requiring further investigation in humans

A New Measurement Instrument for Music-Related Argumentative Competence : The MARKO Competency Test and Competency Model

In this paper, we introduce the MARKO competency test and competency model, a new measurement instrument for music-related argumentative competence (MARKO: Musikbezogene ARgumentationsKOmpetenz; German for music-related argumentative competence). This competence, which plays an essential role in school curricula, refers to the ability to justify and defend judgments about music. The two main goals of this study were (1) to design an assessment test for music-related argumentation that fulfills psychometric criteria and (2) to derive competency levels based on empirical data to describe the cognitive dispositions that are necessary when engaging in argumentation about music. Based on a theoretical framework, we developed a competency test to assess music-related argumentative competence. After two pretests (N = 391), we collected data from 440 students from Grade nine to the university level. The final test consisted exclusively of open-ended items, which were rated with coding schemes that had been designed for each item. After ensuring inter-rater reliability, we composed an item pool that met psychometric criteria (e.g., local stochastic independence and item homogeneity) and represented content-related aspects in a meaningful way. Based on this item pool, we estimated a one-dimensional partial credit model. Following a standard-setting approach, four competency levels were derived from the empirical data. While individuals on the lowest competency level expressed their own opinions about the music by referring to salient musical attributes, participants on the highest level discussed different opinions on the music and considered the social and cultural context of the music. The proficiency scores significantly varied between grades. Our findings empirically support some theoretical assumptions about music-related argumentation and challenge others.publishedVersio

Geschwister krebskranker Kinder und die Beziehung zu ihren Eltern

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird die Situation von Familien krebskranker Kinder näher beleuchtet. Insbesondere wird, in einem Theorieteil sowie in der empirischen Erhebung, auf die gesunden Geschwisterkinder und die Beziehung zu ihren Eltern eingegangen. Der Theorieteil setzt sich zum einen mit Familien, Eltern-Kind-Beziehungen sowie –Bindungen im Allgemeinen und zum anderen mit Krebserkrankungen im Kindes- und Jugendalter, den Familien krebskranker Kinder, kindlichen Vorstellungen von Krankheit und Tod sowie mit den Tabuthemen ‚Tod‘ und ‚Krankheit‘ auseinander. Die daran anknüpfende empirische Erhebung orientiert sich an der Hauptfragestellung ‚Inwieweit kann sich die Krebserkrankung eines Kindes auf die Beziehung eines gesunden Geschwisterkindes mit seiner Mutter bzw. seinem Vater auswirken?‘. In der eigenen Studie wurden Väter und Mütter vierer Familien sowie jeweils ein gesundes Geschwisterkind im Alter von zwölf bis fünfzehn Jahren interviewt. Ergänzend wurde ein Experteninterview herangeführt. Die problemzentrierten Interviews wurden mittels zusammenfassender qualitativer Inhaltsanalyse nach Mayring ausgewertet. Die Ergebnisse weisen auf, dass sich die Krebserfahrung eines Kindes auf die Beziehung zwischen seinem gesunden Geschwisterkind und seiner Mutter bzw. seinem Vater auswirkt. Aufmerksamkeit und Fürsorge der Eltern konzentrieren sich auf das kranke Kind und gewohnte Routinen im Alltag können nicht fortgesetzt werden. Häufig ziehen sich die Familienmitglieder zurück. Erwartungen, sowohl der Geschwister als auch der Eltern, können aufgrund der emotionalen und zeitlichen Belastung oft nicht erfüllt werden. Zudem werden die Situation der Eltern und Geschwisterkinder sowie deren Beziehung zueinander durch drei Komponenten beeinflusst: Die Geschwisterbeziehung zwischen krankem und gesundem Kind, die soziale Unterstützung der Beteiligten durch Personen außerhalb des engen Familienkreises sowie sich neben der Krankheitssituation zusätzlich stellende Anforderungen. Die Geschwister krebskranker Kinder reagierten mit emotionalem und sozialem Rückzug, Gefühlsausbrüchen, erhöhter Sensibilität und körperlichen Symptomen auf die Krankheit. Zum Themenbereich dieser Erhebung liegen nur wenige Studien vor. Aus diesem Grund konnte nur bedingt an den Forschungsstand angeknüpft werden. Ein weiterer Ausbau der wissenschaftlichen Auseinandersetzung mit der Situation von Geschwistern krebskranker Kinder wird vor dem Hintergrund der Erkenntnisse dieser Diplomarbeit als notwendig erachtet.This thesis deals with the situation of families of children with cancer. The theoretical as well as the empiric part of this work are focusing on the healthy siblings and their relationship to their parents. The theory part deals on the one hand with families, parent-child relationships and bonds in general and on the other hand with childhood cancer, the families of children with cancer, a child’s conception of disease and death as well as the tabooing of the topics ‚death‘ and ‚illness ‘. The following empiric survey is focusing on the main question ‚To which extend does the cancer experience of one child affect the relationship of its healthy sibling with his/her mother or father?‘. This self-conducted study includes interviews with the fathers and mothers and healthy siblings aged 12 to 15 years of four different families. Additionally, an expert interview is referred to. The problem-centered interviews were analyzed using Mayring’s qualitative content analysis. The results indicate that the cancer of a child affects the relationship of healthy siblings with their parents. Attention and care are focused on the sick child and the daily routine is interrupted. In many cases, family members isolate themselves. The expectations of siblings as well as of their parents cannot be fulfilled due to the emotional burden and temporal constraints. Moreover, the relationship between the sick and the healthy sibling, the social support of all involved and the elevated demands all have an impact on the situation of parents and children and their relationships among each other. The siblings of children with cancer respond with emotional and social isolation, emotional outburst, increased sensitivity and physical symptoms on the disease. Only a small number of studies have been conducted dealing with the present topic. Therefore, possibilities were limited to refer to the current state of research. A more profound scientific analysis of the situation of siblings of children with cancer is strongly encouraged based on the results of this thesis

Interactions between the NR2B receptor and CaMKII modulate synaptic plasticity and spatial learning.

The NR2B subunit of the NMDA receptor interacts with several prominent proteins in the postsynaptic density, including calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). To determine the function of these interactions, we derived transgenic mice expressing a ligand-activated carboxy-terminal NR2B fragment (cNR2B) by fusing this fragment to a tamoxifen (TAM)-dependent mutant of the estrogen receptor ligand-binding domain LBD(G521R). Here, we show that induction by TAM allows the transgenic cNR2B fragment to bind to endogenous CaMKII in neurons. Activation of the LBD(G521R)-cNR2B transgenic protein in mice leads to the disruption of CaMKII/NR2B interactions at synapses. The disruption decreases Thr286 phosphorylation of alphaCaMKII, lowers phosphorylation of a key CaMKII substrate in the postsynaptic membrane (AMPA receptor subunit glutamate receptor 1), and produces deficits in hippocampal long-term potentiation and spatial learning. Together our results demonstrate the importance of interactions between CaMKII and NR2B for CaMKII activity, synaptic plasticity, and learning

Environmental stimuli shape microglial plasticity in glioma

In glioma, microglia and infiltrating macrophages are exposed to factors that force them to produce cytokines and chemokines, contributing to tumor growth and maintaining a pro-tumorigenic, immunosuppressed microenvironment. We demonstrate that housing glioma-bearing mice in enriched environment (EE) reverts the immunosuppressive phenotype of infiltrating myeloid cells, by modulating inflammatory gene expression. Under these conditions, branching and patrolling activity of myeloid cells is increased, and their phagocytic activity is promoted. Modulation of gene expression depends on interferon-(IFN) g produced by natural killer (NK) cells, disappearing in mice depleted of NK cells or lacking IFN-g, and was mimicked by exogenous interleukin-15 (IL-15). Further, we describe a key role for BDNF produced in the brain of mice housed in EE in mediating the expression of IL-15 in CD11b+ cells. These data define novel mechanisms linking environmental cues to the acquisition of a pro-inflammatory, anti-tumor microenvironment in mouse brain