Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pronunciation Teaching Practices in Canada

We surveyed 67 ESL programs in Canada to determine to what extent pronun­ ciation is taught and which resources are most often used. The survey also requested demographic information about the respondents and their ESL pro­ grams, classes and students, methods ofteaching, and participants' attitudes. The respondents from approximately half the programs offer stand-alone pronuncia­ tion courses, and the balance reported that they integrate pronunciation teaching in their general ESL classes. The majority ofrespondents said that it was impor­ tant to teach pronunciation at all levels, although few teachers have special training in this area. Resources preferred by the participants are discussed with regard to their emphases on segmental and suprasegmentalaspects ofpronuncia­ tion. Par Ie biais d'un sondage, les auteurs ont etudie 67 programmes d'ALS au Canada dans Ie but d'evaluer dans quelle mesure on y enseigne la prononciation et de determiner aquelles ressources on a Ie plus souvent recours. De plus, Ie sondage a permis de recueillir des donnees demographiques ainsi que de ['information sur les programmes d'ALS (cours, etudiants, methodes d'enseignementet attitudes des participants). Les reponses indiquent qu'environ la moitie des programmes offrent des cours integraux (autonomes) de prononcia­ tion; ['autre part consiste en des programmes dans lesquelles la prononciationest integree aux cours generaux de ALS. La majorite des repondants ont indique qu'il etait important d'enseigner la prononciationit tous les niveaux, meme si peu d'enseignants avaient la formation necessaire pour Ie fa ire. L'article inclut une discussion des ressources que preftrent les participants par rapport a ! 'importance qu'elles accordent aux aspects segmentaux et suprasegmentaux de la prononciation.
Detection and Resolution of Rumours in Social Media

Despite the increasing use of social media platforms for information and news gathering, its unmoderated nature often leads to the emergence and spread of rumours, i.e., items of information that are unverified at the time of posting. At the same time, the openness of social media platforms provides opportunities to study how users share and discuss rumours, and to explore how to automatically assess their veracity, using natural language processing and data mining techniques. In this article, we introduce and discuss two types of rumours that circulate on social media: long-standing rumours that circulate for long periods of time, and newly emerging rumours spawned during fast-paced events such as breaking news, where reports are released piecemeal and often with an unverified status in their early stages. We provide an overview of research into social media rumours with the ultimate goal of developing a rumour classification system that consists of four components: rumour detection, rumour tracking, rumour stance classification, and rumour veracity classification. We delve into the approaches presented in the scientific literature for the development of each of these four components. We summarise the efforts and achievements so far toward the development of rumour classification systems and conclude with suggestions for avenues for future research in social media mining for the detection and resolution of rumours.
The Impact of Brand Personality and Students’ Self-Concept on Brand Engagement

The objective of this study is to investigate how brand personality and customers’ ‘self’ affects brand engagement. This has become necessary because the focus of most research into brands has often neglected how brand personality and customers’ ‘self’ can be harnessed to achieve brand engagement. This study used Aaker’s brand personality, Keller’s brand engagement, and Sprott et. al. self-concept measurement scales. The research methodology includes the following steps: adaptation of the measurement scales to suit the research context, assessment of reliability and validity of dimensions, and test of goodness-of-fit of model. In all 252 valid responses out of 302 questionnaires distributed were used for the study. The research found that brand personality and customers’ ‘self-concept’ have positive effect on brand engagement. Sincerity has negative relationship with brand engagement and self-concept whiles hedonism has negative relationship with self-concept only. Competence, sophistication and excitement dimensions have significant effects on customers’ self-concept and brand engagement. Sincerity and hedonism also have negative effects on self-concept and brand engagement. Competence, sophistication and excitement can be used as differentiate strategy by Private Universities to deal with the growing competition in Ghana. The findings suggest that Private Universities can differentiate themselves by developing brand personality that is competent and exciting, whereby they can successfully engaged their customers. The authors’ investigations also suggest that self-concept can be measured by splitting Sprott et al measurement scale into two (self-congruence and value-congruence). In the same way, brand engagement can be measured by splitting Keller’s measurement scale into two (identification and ambassador dimensions) for theoretical insight. In addition, hedonism has been identified as a useful measure of brand personality but not clear with faith-based Private Universities’ brand personality. Private Universities’ differentiation strategy should be based on competence, sophistication and excitement.
Gender pay differentials in the low-paid labour market (I)

The National Institute of Labour Studies, Flinders University, were commissioned by the Australian Fair Pay Commission Secretariat to investigate the size, trends in, and determinants of, the difference between male and female pay in Australia focusing on occupations and industries with a high density of Pay-Scale reliant workers. The authors compare the wages of women with the wages of like men – who have the same observable attributes that might affect productivity/pay – to see if there is a systematic difference. This paper was presented to the Minimum Wage Research Forum held by the Australian Fair Pay Commission in October 2008 and complements another commissioned piece of research undertaken by Women in Social & Economic Research (WiSER). While these reports differ in their data sources and methodologies, both confirm that while gender pay differentials are lowest within the lower paid sectors of the labour market, a gender pay gap persists, even after controlling for a variety of employee characteristics.
ProgesteroneWithdrawal-Evoked Plasticity of Neural Function in the Female Periaqueductal

Cyclical changes in production of neuroactive steroids during the oestrous cycle induce significant changes in GABAA receptor expression in female rats. In the periaqueductal grey (PAG) matter, upregulation of α4β1δ GABAA receptors occurs as progesterone levels fall during late dioestrus (LD) or during withdrawal from an exogenous progesterone dosing regime. The new receptors are likely to be extrasynaptically located on the GABAergic interneurone population and to mediate tonic currents. Electrophysiological studies showed that when α4β1δ GABAA receptor expression was increased, the excitability of the output neurones in the PAG increased, due to a decrease in the level of ongoing inhibitory tone from the GABAergic interneurones. The functional consequences in terms of nociceptive processing were investigated in conscious rats. Baseline tail flick latencies were similar in all rats. However, acute exposure to mild vibration stress evoked hyperalgesia in rats in LD and after progesterone withdrawal, in line with the upregulation of α4β1δ GABAA receptor expression.
An investigation into the adequacy of Cinque’s functional theory as a framework for the analysis of adverbs in Afrikaans

This study provides a description of Afrikaans adverbs within the framework of proposals set out by Cinque (1999). Previous analyses of adverbs in Afrikaans have generally been done within a non-generative framework (e.g. Oosthuizen 1964, Theron 1964). The aim of the study is to determine whether Cinque’s functional head-based theory provides an adequate framework for the analysis of adverbs in Afrikaans. The main focus is therefore on the functional aspect of adverbs. However, alternative theoretical frameworks, namely those of Ernst (2002), Tenny (2000), and Holmer (2012), are also briefly described. The study is presented with the broad theoretical framework of Minimalist Syntax. Cinque’s research procedure is outlined, starting with his analysis of adverbs in Romance languages and then as it is extended crosslinguistically. Here the focus is especially on the conclusions that Cinque draws with regard to the relative order of adverb types, and that of clausal functional heads. Adverbs in Afrikaans are subsequently analysed in the light of Cinque’s findings. The main question addressed in this study, namely whether Cinque’s hierarchies of adverb and funcional category orders can be successfully applied to Afrikaans, is answered in the affirmative. Despite limitations in the diagnostic procedure, Afrikaans adverb and functional head orders seem to comply with Cinque’s proposed hierarchies. That the facts of Afrikaans adverbs seem to comply with Cinque’s functional theory regarding adverbs, provides support for his proposed framework and also provides further credence to his claims about a universal, cross-linguistic hierarchy of adverbfunctional head order. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
Assessment of Stress in General Dentists in Tehran City

district of Tehran city in 2014 to find out the stressors and suggest strategies to overcome them. Methods: This descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted on 130 general dentists from the 2 nd district of Tehran city selected via weighted randomization. Level of stress was assessed using Coudron stress questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 and Spearman’s correlation coefficient, Chi square test and ordinal logistic regression tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: All types of stress (occupational, life health, personal life and personality) were significantly correlated. Normal life health stress (compared to high stress) decreased occupational stress to approximately one third. Level of occupational stress was 2.5 times lower in subjects with normal level of stress in their personal life and 2 times lower in subjects with normal personality stress. Most dentists, irrespective of gender and marital status had high levels of occupational stress. Only 11.27% of those with a work experience of less than 10 years had normal life health stress. Personal life stress was significantly correlated with age, work place, and work experience (P<0.05). Conclusion: Most dentists, irrespective of gender (male: 67.3%, female: 73%) and marital status (married: 66.3%, single: 74.2%) had high levels of occupational stress. The effects of age, gender, marital status, work place and work experience were variable on occupational, life health, personal life and personality stresses and depended on the type of stress assessed.
One Method of Image Processing and its Numerical Analysis

The paper discusses application of linear regression models to image transformation and pattern recognition, oriented towards creation of technology for fast processing of digital images. Theoretical and heuristic expectations are confronted with results of numerical analysis. Digital images are considered to be sets of samples taken from the surface of brightness levels. Adequate regression models, i.e. analytic expressions of functions for representation of these surfaces are sought. Images are represented by vectors of coefficients of the model calculated using the least squares method. Classification of images further is based on classification results of coefficient vectors of linear regression models.
Effect of Inorganic and Organic Amendments on Yield of Cocoyam ( Colocasia esculenta ), and on Soil Properties

The response of cocoyam (Colocasia esuclenta (L.) Schott) to various treatments(Twenty combinations of Treatments) of inorganic and organic amendments were studied under field conditions in 2011 and 2012 growing seasons at farm of the Regional Centre of Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, (CTCRI), Bhubaneswar. Odisha, India. Various enzymatic activities were studied for optimization cornel production. The physio chemical properties of soil quality with effect of integrated use of lime, biological, inorganic and organics on soil micro-flora were statistically analyzed for cocoyam production in lowland of Eastern India.
Trade Openness and the Cost of Sudden Stops: The Role of Financial Friction

This paper studies the long-run welfare effect of the extra volatility of country spread due to the possibility of sudden stops. Both analytical and numerical results show that sudden stops have weaker output impact when the small open economy is more open to trade. However, welfare consequences and policy implication of sudden stops depend on the financial friction faced by the small open economy. When it is free to adjust foreign debt, the cost of sudden stops is decreasing in trade openness, which implies the optimality of open trade policy. In this case, external shocks may be welfare improving. In addition, the economy will gain from counter-cyclical tariff rate policies. On the other hand, when it is costly to adjust foreign debt, the cost of sudden stops may be increasing in trade openness, which implies the optimality of a closed trade policy. In this case, the nature of the policy and how the government implements the policy matter. The results hold in economies with and without the working capital constraint, and in economies with GHH preferences and Cobb-Douglas preferences.
A sample of 1959 massive galaxy clusters at high redshifts

We identify a sample of 1959 massive clusters of galaxies in the redshift range of 0.7 0.75. By comparing them with clusters at lower redshifts, we confirm that richer clusters host more luminous brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) also at high redshifts, and that the fraction of blue galaxies is larger in clusters at higher redshifts. A small fraction of BCGs show ongoing star formation or active nuclei. The number density profile of member galaxies in stacked samples of clusters shows no significant redshift evolution.
Financial Sector Development & Firm Growth in BRICS Countries

The development of an economy’s financial sector facilitates improved access to capital. This study focuses on firm growth in terms of how much assets it controls and BRICS is chosen as the empirical medium of investigation. The impact financial sector development on firm growth amongst 3353 listed firms in BRICS countries is investigated using a GMM estimation technique. Firm’s investment in assets increases the organizational resources and productive capacity needed to achieve growth in the market. Financial sector development improves access to capital and firms with higher access to external finance pursue growth opportunities using debt. Financial sector development helps firms to adjust their capital structures quickly thereby minimizing the costs of staying off target. The speed of adjustment of firms towards their target capital structure facilitates financing of firm growth. The study found that listed firms in Brazil, Russia India, China and South Africa have a target total liabilities-to-total assets ratio and financial sector development helps firms to partially adjust towards target levels and pursue growth opportunities.
A dynamic bronchial airway gene expression signature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung function impairment.

RATIONALE Molecular phenotyping of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been impeded in part by the difficulty in obtaining lung tissue samples from individuals with impaired lung function. OBJECTIVES We sought to determine whether COPD-associated processes are reflected in gene expression profiles of bronchial airway epithelial cells obtained by bronchoscopy. METHODS Gene expression profiling of bronchial brushings obtained from 238 current and former smokers with and without COPD was performed using Affymetrix Human Gene 1.0 ST Arrays. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS We identified 98 genes whose expression levels were associated with COPD status, FEV1% predicted, and FEV1/FVC. In silico analysis identified activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) as a potential transcriptional regulator of genes with COPD-associated airway expression, and ATF4 overexpression in airway epithelial cells in vitro recapitulates COPD-associated gene expression changes. Genes with COPD-associated expression in the bronchial airway epithelium had similarly altered expression profiles in prior studies performed on small-airway epithelium and lung parenchyma, suggesting that transcriptomic alterations in the bronchial airway epithelium reflect molecular events found at more distal sites of disease activity. Many of the airway COPD-associated gene expression changes revert toward baseline after therapy with the inhaled corticosteroid fluticasone in independent cohorts. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate a molecular field of injury throughout the bronchial airway of active and former smokers with COPD that may be driven in part by ATF4 and is modifiable with therapy. Bronchial airway epithelium may ultimately serve as a relatively accessible tissue in which to measure biomarkers of disease activity for guiding clinical management of COPD.
Differences between Subjective and Predicted Survival Probabilities and Their Relation to Preventive Care Use

Abstract I analyse how differences between subjective and predicted survival probabilities are related to preventive healthcare use. Based on the Health and Retirement Study, I find that private information inherent in subjective survival probability affects the decisions on preventive care use: positive and negative deviations between the subjective and predicted survival probabilities both imply lower likelihood of use, the relations with negative deviations being stronger. These results are driven by perceptions verified by later survival and health outcomes. A theoretical model provides explanation for the empirical results, in which preventive care increases the chances of survival, but the benefits of preventive care also vary with the survival probability.
Horizontal ridge augmentation in conjunction with or prior to implant placement in the anterior maxilla: a systematic review.

PURPOSE To systematically review clinical studies examining the survival and success rates of implants in horizontal ridge augmentation, either prior to or in conjunction with implant placement in the anterior maxilla. MATERIALS AND METHODS A literature search was undertaken up to September 2012 including clinical studies in English with ≥ 10 consecutively treated patients and a mean follow-up of at least 12 months. Two reviewers screened the pertinent articles and extracted the data. Key words focused on the outcome parameters (implant success, implant survival, horizontal bone gain, and intra- and postoperative complications) in studies utilizing either a simultaneous approach (ridge augmentation performed at the time of implant placement) or a staged approach (ridge augmentation performed prior to implant placement) were analyzed. RESULTS A total of 13 studies met the inclusion criteria, with 2 studies in the simultaneous group and 11 studies in the staged group. In the simultaneous group, survival rates of implants were 100% in both studies, with one study also reporting a 100% implant success rate. No data on horizontal bone gain were available. In the staged group, success rates of implants placed in horizontally augmented ridges ranged from 96.8% to 100% (two studies), and survival rates ranged from 93.5% to 100% (five studies). However, follow-up periods differed widely (up to 4.1 years). Mean horizontal bone gain determined at reentry (implant placement) ranged from 3.4 to 5.0 mm with large overall variations (0 to 9.8 mm, five studies). Intraoperative complications were not reported. Postsurgical complications included mainly mucosal dehiscences (five studies), and, occasionally, complete failures of block grafts were described in one study. CONCLUSIONS Staged and simultaneous augmentation procedures in the anterior maxilla are both associated with high implant success and survival rates. The level of evidence, however, is better for the staged approach than for the simultaneous one.
Speech intelligibility in various spatial configurations of backgroundnoise

This study is concerned with the influence of spatial separation of disturbing sources of noise on the speech intelligibility. Spatial separation of speech and disturbing sources without changing their acoustic power may contribute to the significant improvement in the speech intelligibility. This problem has been recently analysed in many papers [1-5]. These works have confirmed an important role of the spatial configuration of sources. However, there have been no work investigating this problem for nonsense words (logatoms) that may provide more rigorous tests of this phenomenon. Moreover, this problem has not been analysed for Polish speech. It is important to emphasize that the acoustic and phonetic properties of Polish speech are somewhat different from those of English one. Therefore, the attempt to investigate the influence of the spatial separation of sound sources was made in this study. In the situation with more than one spatially separated disturbances, there may occur a so-called spatial suppression phenomenon, that is ``mutual suppression'' of disturbing sounds in the auditory system that brings about an increase in the speech intelligibility. This phenomenon is also called the spatial unmasking of speech [5, 6]. The research consist in determination of the speech intelligibility in the presence of one or two statistically independent speech-shaped noise sources varying in configuration. Only two pairs of the spatial configurations were investigated. Character of the dependences obtained in the study implies that the spatial suppression occurs in certain configurations of sources only. This effect brings about an increase in the speech intelligibility and can be explained on the basis of the binaural masking level difference (BMLD). It seems then that the BMLD may be a more general phenomenon and includes not only difference in the detection threshold of a pure tone masked by noise but also the improvement in the speech intelligibility, while speech is presented at the background of disturbing signals. Key words: speech intelligibility, speech perception, spatial separation, spatial suppression.