Mastering the metaphor: empowering the young child for independent computer use

This paper explores the potential for using metaphors to enable two and three year old children to interact independently with a computer earlier than is traditionally accepted. They need appropriate cognitive skills, the development of which is dependent on the provision of suitable activities; they need adequately developed physical skills to interact with the hardware and necessary knowledge of expected behaviours for interaction. The authors argue that such expectations can be conveyed via the use of metaphors and will employ a purpose-built multimedia product Television Metaphor (TVM) as an example in order to support their discussion. As the TVM software has hitherto demonstrated, age appropriate metaphors using source domains familiar to young children can guide children in the requisite interactions for independent computer use. TVM was created to contextualise theoretical discussions into interface design and to synthesise the ensuing analysis into an applied form.

(W)reading, wrangling and the rhythm of the text: enhancing the education of young boys with game-based learning

W)reading, wrangling and the rhythm of the text: enhancing the education of young boys with game-based learning Connecting curriculum content to young people's engagement with texts outside of the classroom is increasingly recognised as a method of providing challenging learning environments (Beavis 1999). The introduction of games-based learning in areas such as literacy provides young people with a structural and conceptual framework with which many, particularly young males, may be familiar...

Piazza Vittorio : la transformazione urbanistica : quale identità per i nuovi cittadini? Identity and meaningful place making

Il caso della riqualificazione di Piazza Vittorio, ormai divenuta luogo storico dell'immigrazione a Roma, è un esempio delle sfide che si pongono oggi alle metropoli multietniche ed un'ottima occasione per riflettere sul significato che questo tipo di interventi assume per l'identità culturale della città e dei suoi abitanti, vecchi e nuovi. Lo studio proposto in questo volume chiama in causa la nozione di cultural built heritage, cioè il retaggio culturale di cui è testimone l'architettura, per mostrare quanto e come l'ambiente costruito dagli interventi architettonici ed urbanistici contribuisca a rappresentare, dunque a raccontare ed organizzare, sia lo spazio, sia gli scambi che in esso hanno luogo, sia le identità di coloro che lo abitano. È il primo volume della collana "Squarci. Mobilità dell'uomo, del suo pensiero e delle sue opere", presentata dal curatore Claudio Rossi in un'ampia introduzione. All'interno di "Squarci" si vuole proporre un percorso di studi e ricerche corredati da un dvd. L'occhio della telecamera - attraverso interviste o la realizzazione di docu-film - arricchisce la ricerca con nuove dimensioni d'analisi, che aggiungono elementi di comprensione e talvolta spingono a riconsiderare i risultati stessi delle indagini svolte. È quanto accade per "Mostafa, il mercato trasferito ed altre storie. La trasformazione di Piazza Vittorio a Roma", scritto e diretto da Emanuele Svezia

Costs of raising equity capital by renounceable rights issues in Australia

Rights issues remain a common method for raising equity capital in Australia for companies listed on me Australian Stock Exchange. This study investigates the capital raising costs of Anstralian renounceable equity rights issues from 2001 to 2006. Both direct and indirect costs are investigated and the explanatory power of potential influencing factors is analyzed. The total direct costs averaged nearly 4% of gross proceeds raised and the mean offer price was discounted around 17% from the current market price. Issue size, percentage underwritten, concentration of ownership and issuer risk significantly influence the percentage direct costs of the rights issue. The age of the issuer, the average historical volume of shares traded and the offer price appear to influence the percentage discount.

No effect of n - 3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (EPA and DHA) supplementation on depressed mood and cognitive function : a randomised controlled trial

Low dietary intakes of the n-3 long-chain PUFA (LCPUFA) EPA and DHA are thought to be associated with increased risk for a variety of adverse  outcomes, including some psychiatric disorders. Evidence from  observational and intervention studies for a role of n-3 LCPUFA in depression is mixed, with some support for a benefit of EPA and/or DHA in major depressive illness. The present study was a double-blind randomised controlled trial that evaluated the effects of EPA+DHA supplementation (1.5 g/d) on mood and cognitive function in mild to moderately depressed  individuals. Of 218 participants who entered the trial, 190 completed the planned 12 weeks intervention. Compliance, confirmed by plasma fatty acid concentrations, was good, but there was no evidence of a difference between supplemented and placebo groups in the primary outcome - namely, the depression subscale of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales at 12 weeks. Mean depression score was 8.4 for the EPA+DHA group and 9.6 for the placebo group, with an adjusted difference of - 1.0 (95 % CI - 2.8, 0.8; P = 0.27). Other measures of mood, mental health and cognitive function, including Beck Depression Inventory score and attentional bias toward threat words, were similarly little affected by the intervention. In conclusion, substantially increasing EPA+DHA intake for 3 months was found not to have beneficial or harmful effects on mood in mild to moderate depression. Adding the present result to a meta-analysis of previous relevant randomised controlled trial results confirmed an overall negligible benefit of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation for depressed mood.

Newbs vs. geeks : encouraging creativity in an online learning community

This article explores the development and creative practices of an online  community within an Australian university. The authors argue that creativity can be enhanced and supported by the development and implementation of purpose-specific learning environments, such as an online learning community. Within such a community the participants are exposed to a number of requisite elements designed to support the exploration of their own learning process and the development of creativity. The following study discusses the establishment of such a community and the social, cultural and learning practices of the student participants.

Pollutants increase song complexity and the volume of the brain area HVC in a songbird

Environmental pollutants which alter endocrine function are now known to decrease vertebrate reproductive success. There is considerable evidence for endocrine disruption from aquatic ecosystems, but knowledge is lacking with regard to the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Here, we show for the first time that birds foraging on invertebrates contaminated with environmental pollutants, show marked changes in both brain and behaviour. We found that male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) exposed to environmentally relevant levels of synthetic and natural estrogen mimics developed longer and more complex songs compared to control males, a sexually selected trait important in attracting females for reproduction. Moreover, females preferred the song of males which had higher pollutant exposure, despite the fact that experimentally dosed males showed reduced immune function. We also show that the key brain area controlling male song complexity (HVC) is significantly enlarged in the contaminated birds. This is the first evidence that environmental pollutants not only affect, but paradoxically enhance a signal of male quality such as song. Our data suggest that female starlings would bias their choice towards exposed males, with possible consequences at the population level. As the starling is a migratory species, our results suggest that transglobal effects of pollutants on terrestrial vertebrate physiology and reproduction could occur in birds.

Effects of testosterone and corticosterone on immunocompetence in the zebra finch

The original immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH) suggested that testosterone has a handicapping effect in males by both promoting the development of sexual signals and suppressing immune function. A modified version, the stress-linked ICHH, has recently proposed that testosterone is immunosuppressive indirectly by increasing production of corticosterone. To test both the original and stress-mediated versions of the ICHH, we implanted male zebra finches taken from lines selected for divergent maximum stress-induced levels of corticosterone (high, low and control) with either empty or testosterone-filled implants. Their humoral and cell-mediated immune responses were then assessed by challenge with diphtheria:tetanus vaccine and phytohemagglutinin respectively. We found no effect of the hormone manipulations on either PHA or tetanus antibody responses, but found a significant interaction between titers of both testosterone and corticosterone on diphtheria secondary antibody response; antibody response was greatest in individuals with high levels of both hormones. There was also a significant interactive effect between testosterone treatment group and corticosterone titer on body mass; the body mass of males in the elevated testosterone treatment group decreased with increasing corticosterone titer. These results suggest that, contrary to the assumption of the stress-mediated version of the ICHH, high plasma levels of corticosterone are not immunosuppressive, but are in fact immuno-enhancing in the presence of high levels of plasma testosterone. Equally, the central assumption of the ICHH that testosterone is obligately immunosuppressive is also not supported. The same individuals with the highest levels of both hormones and consequently the most robust antibody response also possessed the lowest body mass.