bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterizing preservice Teacherʼs responses to literacy: Read alouds a way to experience the joy for reading
Authors: Castellanos Judith
Published: August 2017

This article reports on a small-scale project which central purpose was to incorporate read-alouds in a pre-intermediate English as a foreign language class of preservice teachers during three weeks. Students responded orally and in a written way on their journals to these readings showing understanding of the texts, relating their personal experiences and / or making connections to them. The project involved students of the undergraduate program in English teaching at Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Bogotá. In all, 19 students were involved in the project. Data collection sources for this project include studentsʼ journals, after the fact notes on studentsʼ oral interactions and a group interview. Among the findings observed in this inquiry project include the intertextual connections (Short, 1993) students make across the texts read in class with their personal experiences. Most studentsʼ oral responses were characterized by code-switching; in general most students code switched depending on the difficulty of the answer. Students benefited from the reading-alouds in terms of opportunities to interact among themselves, practice their oral and written skills, and enjoy the pleasures of reading, thus building ground to a positive experience that may be emulated in their future teaching exercise. Finally, I discuss some implications of read-alouds with preservice teachers and teacher education programs in Colombia.
The Contributions of a Hispanic Immigrant Home Reading Practices to A Child’s Bilingual Reading Development
Authors: López-Velásquez Ángela María
Published: August 2017

The characteristics of the Spanish home reading practices of a US immigrant Hispanic household are studied highlighting the many connections existing between the reading practices at home and at school. This longitudinal study explores how the home and school L1 reading instruction contributed to a first-grader’s initial steps towards reading in English or biliteracy. Details of Natalia ́s reading in Spanish at home and at school are presented and the relationships between the reading practices in both contexts are documented.The findings in this study remind us of the importance of strong native language literacy foundations and of the role that both home and school play in fostering high literacy levels among children.
Collaborative action research: Building authentic literate practices into a foreign language program
Authors: Austin Theresa , Blum Mark
Published: August 2017

Two university professors collaborate to carry out an action research project on literacy in a world language program. This article reports on their negotiations to define literacy, how they adapt the use of texts to the cultural backgrounds and interests of their learners and integrate native speakers in a community that builds various understanding of texts through discussion. Our collaborative process provides one example of how action research can systematically inform teaching and learning to build authentic literacy practices in a second or foreign language program.
Testing: A Systemic Functional View of High Stakes Test Preparation Materials
Authors: Schulze Joshua
Published: August 2017

Educators of English language learners (ELLs) frequently use test preparation materials to help ELLs prepare for high stakes language exams. This study uses tools of systemic functional linguistics (SFL) to examine how academic language is used to construct meaning within these test preparation materials. While the test preparation materials and available test excerpts contain a range of genres, this study focuses particularly on informational texts with scientific topics, designed for upper elementary students. The results highlight  pedagogical advantages of using SFL to develop genre awareness in ELLs by attending to the linguistic features evident in the genre.
Inquiry as an opportunity to make things differently in the language classroom
Authors: Mendieta Aguilar Jenny Alexandra
Published: August 2017

This article presents a pedagogical experience in a female private school in Bogotá with a group of seventh graders, where the English classes became an excuse to start posing questions about issues that affect young girls and women around the world, as it is women discrimination. The study was developed as an innovative pedagogical proposal and used literature as a means to foster students’ inquiry process. This process was made evident through data collection sources such as students’ artifacts, field notes and video-taped sessions. The data analysis revealed that the target language is not a barrier but a resource for students to wonder about the reality that surrounds them.
A Perspective of the Implications of the Common European Framework Implementation in the Colombian Socio-cultural Context
Authors: Ayala Zárate Jair , Álvarez V. José Aldemar
Published: August 2017

English language teaching around the world is taking new routes at an accelerated rhythm. As part of a globalized world, Colombia has been trying to accommodate to the new dynamics. One way to do this is through the de-contextualized implementation of standards adapted and/or adopted from overseas. This article aims at promoting reflection and awareness on implications that might arise due to the implementation of the Common European Framework (CEF) in Colombia. This paper bases its discussion on relevant literature related to bilingualism, the CEF and the Colombian Ministry of Education. The conclusion states the need for the construction of standards regarding foreign language education based on our contextual features, not leaving aside the issue of being globally competent.
Conditions for monograph projectsʼ by preservice teachers: lessons from the long and winding route
Authors: Cárdenas Melba Libia , Nieto María Claudia , Milena Yudiht Martin
Published: August 2017

This paper is based on the analysis of the nature of monograph projects undertaken by pre-service teachers at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. It will examine the main factors that, according to the participants of a case-study, favour or limit the development of those projects. On the basis of our findings, we highlight the conditions associated with the successful fulfilment of what students are required to do in monograph projects.
Searching for coherence in language teaching: the issue of teaching competencies
Authors: Rico Troncoso Carlos
Published: August 2017

This document is an attempt to show some theoretical issues teachers should take into account when adopting the commitment of teaching languages. Many things haven been said about teaching languages, but there has not been any systematic reflection about teaching a foreign language in our context. Our foreign language history has shown that Colombian teachers implement many things in their classrooms without realizing the impact of those implementations in the theoretical and practical field. Nowadays, some changes have been given to the New ICFES State Examination, and The Ministry of Education (MEN) has proposed in the curricula orientations the language competence education. Due to these new demands, it is necessary to revise the way how a foreign language is taught in our educational context. To this respect, the present paper will mention some of the most important aspects teachers should reflect upon when dealing with language teaching. The first thing to do is to define the approach or the method to be used (the nature of language and of language learning) second, it is necessary to define the design to be implemented according to the theory proposed. The design will deal with the teaching objectives, the type of syllabus adopted (content choice and organization), the types of learning and teaching activities, the learner and teachers roles, and the role of instructional materials.
In Consideration of Latino Children: a sociocultural perspective of literacy skills development using Literature Circles
Authors: Bryant, M.A. Stephanie A. Bryant, M.A. A.
Published: August 2017

This article, reflecting a sociocultural perspective and connections to current research, presents a discussion about the importance of engaging Latino children in literature circle discussions using culturally appropriate, meaningful, and relevant childrenʼs literature in classrooms in the United States. In addition, teachers are encouraged to be reflective practitioners and to consider a “funds of knowledge” perspective by taking time to understand the literacy practices of the families at home and how they may contribute to success in school for Latino children.
A Study of EFL Students’ Interpretations of Cultural Aspects in Foreign Language Learning
Authors: Hernández Castro Osiris , Samacá Bohórquez Yolanda
Published: August 2017

This article explores the relevance of implementing the cultural aspects of both foreign and own countries as a paramount issue in the teaching of a target language. This small scale research project was developed as a component of the seminar on Bilinguism offered by Universidad Distrital in Bogotá as part of its Master ́s program in Applied Linguistics to the Teaching of English. The authors of this research collected data to find out and compare how university students from Tunja and Bogotá –two major Colombian cities– assess the incorporation of cultural aspects of the foreign country into the teaching of the foreign language. Thus, the guiding question of this research is: How do EFL students interpret cultural aspects embedded in foreign language learning?
Student or Teacher: The Tensions Faced by a Spanish Language Student Teacher
Authors: Vélez Rendón Gloria
Published: August 2017

The contradictory realities of student teaching viewed through the student teachers’ eyes have been the focus of attention of some recent publications (Britzman, 1991; Knowles and Cole, 1994; Carel, S.; Stuckey, A.; Spalding, A.;Parish, D.; Vidaurri, L; Dahlstrom, K.; and  Rand, Ch., 1996; Weber  Mitchell, 1996). Student teachers are “marginally situated in two worlds” they are to educate others while being educated themselves (Britzman, 1991, p. 13). Playing the two roles simultaneously is highly difficult. The contradictions, dilemmas, and tensions inherent in such endeavor make the world of the student teacher increasingly problematic. This is further complicated by the power relationships that often permeate the student teacher cooperating teacher relationship. This paper describes salient aspects of the student teaching journey of Sue, a white twenty-two year old student teacher of Spanish. It uncovers the tensions and dilemmas experienced by the participant in her quest for professional identity. Data collection sources for this study included (a) two open-ended interviews, each lasting approximately forty-five minutes; (b) one school-day long observation; and (c) a copy of the communication journal between the participant and her cooperating teacher. The data revealed that soon upon entering the student teaching field experience, Sue found herself torn by the ambiguous role in which student teachers are positioned: she was neither a full-fledged teacher nor a student. In trying to negotiate a teaching role for herself, Sue was pulled in different directions. She soon became aware of the powerful position of the cooperating teacher and of her vulnerability within the mentoring relationship. The main tension was manifested in Sue’s struggle to develop her own teaching persona on the one hand, and the pressure to conform to her cooperating teachers’ expectations on the other hand. The implications of the study are discussed.
Developing Reflective and Investigative Skills in Teacher Preparation Programs: The design and implementation of the Classroom Research Component at the Foreign Language Program of Universidad del Valle
Authors: Cárdenas Ramos Rosalba , Faustino Carmen Cecilia
Published: August 2017

In this article we want to describe our process and experience in studying, designing, planning and implementing the Classroom Research Component in the first five semesters of the Licenciatura program at the School of Language Science, Universidad del Valle. We want to stress the role of Classroom Research in our students’ initial training and in our own professional development. We also want to show the  importance of preparing students and future teachers who possess not only linguistic competence in the foreign languages, but also competences that allow them to reflect, analyze and find ways of improving their professional practice.The description of this experience leads us to share our achievements, difficulties and plans for future development.
Tomorrow’s EFL teacher educators
Authors: González Moncada Adriana , Quinchía Ortiz Diana Isabel
Published: August 2017

Teacher education programs are an important alternative to raise standards in the teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). However, there are few studies that have explored the roles of teacher educators in this setting. Three main research questions guided this study: What actions have teachers taken to attain their professional objectives as EFL teachers? What experience have they had in professional development programs? What are the characteristics of an ideal teacher education program? This paper reports the findings concentrating on the ideal characteristics of an EFL teacher educator analyzing the testimonies of teachers from public and private schools. The study used four focus groups sessions and a questionnaire as the main data collection techniques. The results suggest that issues such as knowledge of local realities, broad experience in teaching EFL, command of the language, and experience in research are identified as the most desirable characteristics of EFL teacher educators.
Connecting Knowledge for Text Construction through the Use of Graphic Organizers
Authors: Reyes Elsy Camila
Published: August 2017

This study analyzed how basic level students comprehend short descriptive texts and rewrite their texts through the use of graphic organizers (GOs). The research was built upon the qualitative research paradigm with the inclusion of descriptive and introspective approaches.The study was carried out at a prestigious private school in Bogotá, Colombia, with basic English level II sixth graders. Data was gathered through focus groups, GOs, and students’ documents. The results of the study demonstrated that students made connections with previous knowledge acquired at school as part of the curriculum or at home as part of their daily experiences. Participants organized the information in principal and supporting ideas in order to comprehend and rewrite their texts. According to the results, the study found that learners have previous ideas or knowledge that let them complement, organize, or re-direct a given topic.
Fostering Fifth Graders’ Reading Comprehension through the use of Intensive Reading in Physical Science
Authors: Bogoya González Alethia Paola
Published: August 2017

Reading comprehension in a content area needs to be seen from both the content and language perspectives. This paper examines the use of intensive reading, a strategy taken from the language teaching field, to help students improve their reading comprehension ability and develop understanding of science concepts. The study was carried out in a fifth grade class at a private bilingual institution of Bogotá. Reading was analyzed using a mixed-method approach that utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methods. The first method was done through students’ interviews, artefacts, and a teacher’s journal, and the second by means of two reading tests, Cloze and CARI, Content Area Reading Inventory Test. The statistical analysis shows that students improved their reading comprehension ability as their scores for the post-test were higher than those of the pre-test; this increment is statistically significant as p ≤ .05 when applying a t-test. The qualitative analysis shows that structured reading practices lead to the development of students’ cognitive processes. Overall, the results indicate that reading in sciences hould be seen as dynamic process that incorporates learners’ strategies in order to develop conceptual understanding.
Applications of Vygotskyan Concept of Mediation in SLA
Authors: Guerrero Nieto Carmen Helena
Published: August 2017

The application of Vygotskian ideas is not new to education, research studies abound reporting various ways in which they can be applied. But in the particular field of Second Language Acquisition a Vygotskian approach is rather new, with the first studies dating from about mid 1990s. In this article I discuss one Vygotskian concept, mediation, and report on some research studies that have been framed in this concept. I found that the studies surveyed could be grouped according to the type of mediation, therefore three categories emerged: Mediation by dialoguing with one self, Mediation by dialoguing with the other, and mediation through technology.
Virtual Forums: A Pedagogical Tool for Collaboration and Learning in Teacher Education
Authors: Espitia Martha Isabel , Clavijo Olarte Amaparo
Published: August 2017

Implementing technological tools in EFL classes has not been easy for language teachers, they often struggle to make class activitiesconsistent with the curriculum, policies, students’ needs and likes and lately, with computer and internet-based ICTs. The problem regularlyis that EFL teachers do not possess the pedagogical and technological knowledge to use technological tools to foster communication andinteraction among students to learn collaboratively. This study deals with a teacher education experience in which tools such as blogs, learningsoftware, e-mail, forums and internet-based tools were used to improve EFL learning and teaching. Data were gathered from the group ofEFL teachers in two phases: the first phase included participants’ planning, discussion, and implementation of a pedagogical project for youngEFL learners; the second phase consisted of the participants’ reporting and evaluating their performance using forums and blogs with theirstudents. The study demonstrated that teacher education experiences are crucial for teacher learning to integrate the use of forums and blogsin the EFL Curriculum. It also showed that the use of blogs and forums requires addressing language pedagogy from a perspective that valuescommunication, collaboration and participation as central elements of learning.
EFL Women-Learners Construction of the Discourse of Egalitarianism and Knowledge in Online-Talk-in-Interaction
Authors: Castañeda Adriana
Published: August 2017

This research project sets out a ‘synthetic approach’ (Wetherell, 1998) to discourse analysis by combining elements of conversationalanalysis and critical discourse analysis. I explain the construction of a discourse that emerged from seven EFL women-learners online chatdiscussions around literature and how this discourse informs language as a socialization process. The findings suggest that while talking online,the language learning experience of these women-learners is intersected by what I labeled as the discourse of egalitarian-knowledgeable learners.It appears that through the enactment of this discourse, the students identified each other as equal status partners through conversationalmoves of solidarity, solicited help and repairs in miscommunication. The construction of such discourse shows that the language socializationprocess worked as an apprenticeship model. This project suggests that the seven EFL women learners, who participated in this research,invested in their language learning process as a result of the co-management of their power relationships as I will portray along the documentby tracing the discourse and giving a polyphonic interpretation of the data.
Discourse: Space for the constitution of the subject
Authors: Méndez Rivera Pilar
Published: August 2017

Discourse has been pointed as a site of struggle for power. However, when analyzing the teachers’ discourse of resistance to educationalreforms has been privileged an orientation that prescribes discourse-power relations to mere relations of protest and opposition. This paperexplores the relationship between subject, discourse and power in the Foucaultian perspective to make clear a relationdiscourse-power that enables the teacher to constitute himself as subject for practices of self-knowledge. As a context for theanalysis of these relationships is used the speeches of teachers organized in the FECODE against educational reformaround evaluation of learning and students promotion in Colombia, Decree 1290 of 2009, to identify ways of subjectconstitution, forms of resistance and delegitimation, revealing relationships between the state’s reform discourse andthe collective subject teacher’s anti discourse. In this setting is important to note how discourses become spaces for theconstruction of subjectivities. Particularly, I am interested in analyzing the speeches of FECODE to analyze knowledgepower-resistance as a way teachers think of themselves collective subject of actions and knowledge to fight for their field ofknowledge: evaluation of learning.
“Lo agarraron y lo echaron pa’tras”: Discussing Critical Social Issues with Young Latinas
Authors: Lopez-Robertson Julia
Published: August 2017

The avenue for enacting a critical literacy curriculum in this primary bilingual classroom was through literature discussions about critical social issues that impacted the children’s lives. These discussions provided the children the space to discuss and question social issues that were significant to them and with which they identified. The analysis explored the responses of two young Latinas and demonstrated that these young Latinas did indeed think seriously about the critical social issues raised in the books discussed. They connected the books to their lives through the stories they told and shared their experiences as they sought to make meaning from the books and the issues raised. Children like the young Latinas in this study need a critical literacy curriculum that helps them contest social inequities in which they may be living and challenges them to think beyond the book and make connections to their lived experiences.
The Use of L1 in the Foreign Language Classroom
Authors: Pan Yi-chun , Pan Yi-ching
Published: August 2017

L1 use is a common occurrence in foreign language teaching contexts despite the fact that it often receives criticism for its interference with target language (TL) acquisition. While foreign language teachers should maximize their use of the TL, there is indeed a place for the teacher to use the students’ L1 in their pedagogy. In this paper, an argument derived from theoretical perspectives and empirical research within existing literature supporting the appropriate use of L1 in foreign language classrooms is presented. The argument addresses three key issues—rationales for L1 use, positive effects L1 has on both foreign language learning and instruction, and ways that L1 assists instructors on foreign languages.
Research tendencies in the teaching of English as a foreign language
Authors: Clavijo-Olarte Amparo
Published: August 2017

An analysis of the thematic tendencies in the 41 research articles published in the issues of the Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal during the last three years, 2013-2015, indicates that authors have focused their attention primarily on five topics. These themes can be grouped as a) Trends and Approaches to teaching English as a foreign language, with the highest number of articles, followed by b) language learners´ processes and outcomes, c) teacher education for both preservice and inservice teachers, d) critical literacy and literacy involving social development, and d) uses of Spanish as expression of popular culture and English as a sociolinguistic phenomenon in San Andres. The variety of research reflected in these five thematic groups certainly contributes to addressing the two target disciplines our journal is interested in: Applied Linguistics and English Language Education in the context of Colombia and Latin America.
Using metacognitive processes to improve students’ writing quality
Authors: Camelo González Martha Judith
Published: August 2017

This research study shows how writing as a school practice can be improved through metacognition using a pedagogical approach to meet students’ interests and promote interaction and team work through pedagogical projects. Written language is approached via real situations of students’ everyday life through the “classroom project” where every activity undertaken has relevance and meaning. It required from the writers the use and management of particular cognitive and metacognitive skills to appropriate the characteristics of each of the texts written. Consequently, the quality of writing increased significantly due to a reflective process about the importance of gradually improving drafts by taking into account guidance from the teacher and contributions of the students. Through this exercise, students identified the narrative, expository, argumentative texts and their characteristics through knowledge gained by reading, analyzing and writing texts within those categories.
How Do Specialized Personal Incentives Enhance Sales Performance? The Benefits of Steady Sales Growth
Authors: Patil Ashutosh , Syam Niladri
Published: August 2017

The authors study specialized personal incentives (SPIs), which are cash rewards granted to salespeople for meeting interim performance goals within the regular sales quota period (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Because firms often institute multiple SPIs, the authors are able to investigate whether different sales achievement trajectories have differential impacts on salespeople's period-end sales performance. The authors find that a steadily growing sales trajectory in a sales period is more strongly associated with period-end success than a sales trajectory that is relatively flat early but has a sharp spike later in the period. Furthermore, although salespeople who had high performance in the prior month (i.e., high-performance state) may be able to draw on superior selling strategies (compared with other salespeople), they too experience a boost in sales performance in the current month by earning SPIs. Notably, the authors also find that although earning SPIs benefits all salespeople, there is a U-shaped relationship between a salesperson's performance state and his or her month-end sales performance. For any specific number of SPIs earned, the probability of meeting and exceeding month-end quotas is boosted more for salespeople with low- and high-performance states than for salespeople with a medium-performance state.
A fractional Kirchhoff problem involving a singular term and a critical nonlinearity
Authors: Fiscella Alessio
Published: August 2017

In this paper, we consider the following critical nonlocal problem:

\left\{\begin{aligned} &\displaystyle M\bigg{(}\iint_{\mathbb{R}^{2N}}\frac{% \lvert u(x)-u(y)\rvert^{2}}{\lvert x-y\rvert^{N+2s}}\,dx\,dy\biggr{)}(-\Delta)% ^{s}u=\frac{\lambda}{u^{\gamma}}+u^{2^{*}_{s}-1}&&\displaystyle\phantom{}\text% {in }\Omega,\\ \displaystyle u&\displaystyle>0&&\displaystyle\phantom{}\text{in }\Omega,\\ \displaystyle u&\displaystyle=0&&\displaystyle\phantom{}\text{in }\mathbb{R}^{% N}\setminus\Omega,\end{aligned}\right.

where Ω is an open bounded subset of{\mathbb{R}^{N}}with continuous boundary, dimension{N>2s}with parameter{s\in(0,1)},{2^{*}_{s}=2N/(N-2s)}is the fractional critical Sobolev exponent,{\lambda>0}is a real parameter,{\gamma\in(0,1)}andMmodels a Kirchhoff-type coefficient, while{(-\Delta)^{s}}is the fractional Laplace operator. In particular, we cover the delicate degenerate case, that is, when the Kirchhoff functionMis zero at zero. By combining variational methods with an appropriate truncation argument, we provide the existence of two solutions.
Existence and Asymptotic Behavior of Positive Solutions for a Class of Quasilinear Schrödinger Equations
Authors: Wang Youjun , Shen Yaotian
Published: August 2017

In this paper, we study the quasilinear Schrödinger equation

-

Δ
⁢
u

+

V
⁢

(
x
)

⁢
u

-

γ
2

⁢

(

Δ
⁢

u
2

)

⁢
u

=

|
u
|

p
-
2

⁢
u

{-\Delta u+V(x)u-\frac{\gamma}{2}(\Delta u^{2})u=|u|^{p-2}u}

,

x
∈

ℝ
N

{x\in\mathbb{R}^{N}}

, where

V
⁢

(
x
)

:

ℝ
N

→
ℝ

{V(x):\mathbb{R}^{N}\to\mathbb{R}}

is a given potential,

γ
>
0

{\gamma>0}

, and either

p
∈

(
2
,

2
*

)

{p\in(2,2^{*})}

,

2
*

=

2
⁢
N

N
-
2

{2^{*}=\frac{2N}{N-2}}

for

N
≥
4

{N\geq 4}

or

p
∈

(
2
,
4
)

{p\in(2,4)}

for

N
=
3

{N=3}

. If

γ
∈

(
0
,

γ
0

)

{\gamma\in(0,\gamma_{0})}

for some

γ
0

>
0

{\gamma_{0}>0}

, we establish the existence of a positive solution

u
γ

{u_{\gamma}}

satisfying

max

x
∈

ℝ
N

⁡

|

γ
μ

⁢

u
γ

⁢

(
x
)

|

→
0

{\max_{x\in\mathbb{R}^{N}}|\gamma^{\mu}u_{\gamma}(x)|\to 0}

as

γ
→

0
+

{\gamma\to 0^{+}}

for any

μ
>

1
2

{\mu>\frac{1}{2}}

. Particularly, if

V
⁢

(
x
)

=
λ
>
0

{V(x)=\lambda>0}

, we prove the existence of a positive classical radial solution

u
γ

{u_{\gamma}}

and up to a subsequence,

u
γ

→

u
0

{u_{\gamma}\to u_{0}}

in

H
2

⁢

(

ℝ
N

)

∩

C
2

⁢

(

ℝ
N

)

{H^{2}(\mathbb{R}^{N})\cap C^{2}(\mathbb{R}^{N})}

as

γ
→

0
+

{\gamma\to 0^{+}}

, where

u
0

{u_{0}}

is the ground state of the problem

-

Δ
⁢
u

+

λ
⁢
u

=

|
u
|

p
-
2

⁢
u

{-\Delta u+\lambda u=|u|^{p-2}u}

,

x
∈

ℝ
N

{x\in\mathbb{R}^{N}}

.
A method to predict fatigue crack initiation in metals using dislocation dynamics
Authors: Heinrich Christian , Sundararaghavan Veera
Published: August 2017

A theory is proposed to predict the initiation of fatigue cracks using cyclic dislocation dynamics (DD) simulations. The evolution of dislocation networks in a grain is simulated over several cycles. It is shown that the dislocation density and the energy stored in the dislocation networks increase with the number of cycles. The results of the DD simulations are used to construct an energy balance expression for crack initiation. A hypothetical crack is inserted into the grain, and the Gibbs energy consisting of the energy of the dislocation structure, the surface energy of the hypothetical crack, and the reduction in continuum energy is evaluated. Once the Gibbs energy attains a maximum, the dislocation structure becomes unstable, and it becomes energetically more favorable to form a real crack. The proposed method is applied to oxygen-free high conductivity copper, and the results are compared against experiments. Finally, it is shown how the method can be amended to account for environmental effects.
The effect of tunable morphology on the potential application of p(acrylic acid-co-2-ethylhexyl acrylate)/silica nanohybrids
Authors: Nazarabady Maryam Mohammadpour , Farzi Gholamali
Published: August 2017

The present study deals with the one-pot synthesis of acrylate copolymers/silica latexes through the use of simultaneous radical polymerization of acrylic monomers and a silica sol-gel precursor. In presence of 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ-MPS) and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS), compatibility of acrylate chains to the silica species was improved by the chemical bonds as revealed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrated the successful formation of p(acrylic acid-co-2-ethylhexyl acrylate)/silica nanohybrids with core-shell morphology. The nanohybrids have been used to modify a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectra were utilized to investigate the properties of the modified electrode in a 1.0mKCl solution that contained 1.0 mmK4[Fe(CN)6]/K3[Fe(CN)6], and the interface properties of electrode surfaces. The result showed a dramatic decrease in redox activity as compared to the bare GCE electrode. This revealed a slight increase in electron transfer resistance and the conductivity of the copolymer oligomers and silica species in the hybrid nanostructure. All the electrochemical results illustrated that the p(acrylic acid-co- 2-ethylhexyl acrylate)/silica nanohybrids could immobilize the selective analytes on the electrodes, which had electrochemical catalytic activity. The barrier properties of the hybrid films were also examined via ultraviolet (UV) absorption capacity of the films. It could be concluded that the adsorption capacity was a function of the silica content and uniform dispersion of the nanoparticles in the resultant films.
Zur politischen Funktion der Volksversammlung in Sparta
Authors: Grote Oliver
Published: August 2017

Untersuchungen der überlieferten Entscheidungen und Debatten in der spartanischen Volksversammlung ergeben, dass diese den politischen Eliten dazu diente, Konsensaussichten für vorgelegte Beschlussanträge abschätzen zu können. Auf diesem Wege und in Verbindung mit der Möglichkeit, es durch rechtzeitige Auflösung der Versammlung gar nicht erst zur Abstimmung kommen zu lassen, wurden die politischen Eliten in die Lage versetzt, unliebsame oder konfliktträchtige Entscheidungen zu verhindern. Wurde eine Abstimmung in der Volksversammlung aber einmal auf den Weg gebracht, so übernahm der Damos die Rolle der ‚Dritten Instanz‘ im Sinne Georg Simmels: Durch die in der Versammlung angenommenen und durch das kratos des Volkes legitimierten Beschlüsse konnte der für Spartas Gesellschaft konstitutive und daher stets vorausgesetzte Konsens angemessen dargestellt werden. Hierin ähnelt das spartanische System dem der römischen Republik: Beide Systeme vermieden die Herstellung politischer Gleichheit ihrer Bürger und ergebnisoffene Verfahren, waren in hohem Maße konsensorientiert und daher auf Regulative des öffentlichen Diskurses angewiesen, um den Konsens beziehungsweise dessen Fiktion aufrechtzuerhalten.
Händler als Helden. Funktionen des Unternehmertums in der Neuzeit
Authors: Eckert Georg
Published: August 2017

Die heutige Omnipräsenz des Unternehmertums resultiert nicht allein aus dessen wandelhaften ökonomischen Funktionen. Als Quellenbegriff erst seit dem 19. Jahrhundert umfassend belegt, ist Unternehmertum in der Neuzeit vielmehr zu einem integrativen gesellschaftlichen Ideal erwachsen. Der Unternehmer geriet zum Archetyp der westlichen Moderne, die ihm attestierten Eigenschaften erhielten geradezu den Status anthropologischer Zuschreibungen. Diese Entwicklung lässt sich seit dem 17. Jahrhundert nachvollziehen, in dem sich einzelne Händler als Helden zu profilieren wussten – indes so unternehmerisch-risikofreudig bisweilen gar nicht agierten, wie sie vorgaben, während Adelige sich vielfach unternehmerischer Praktiken bedienten, ohne sie so zu benennen. Das 18. Jahrhundert wertete Wissenschaft höher als Mut und pries den sorgfältigen Buchhalter als Inbegriff eines Unternehmertums, das im 19. Jahrhundert als Prinzip Hoffnung nunmehr auch begabten Arbeitern die materielle wie ideelle Selbstverwirklichung verhieß. Die enorme mediale Präsenz des Unternehmers im 20. Jahrhundert schließlich war eng an die Erwartung gebunden, er habe sich als Tatmensch zu beweisen: integrativer Gestus durch Mitarbeiterführung überstrahlte hier das konkrete Geschäftsmodell. Gerade als Fiktion hat das Unternehmertum die moderne Welt mitgeformt; ein ursprüngliches Minderheiten-Konzept konnte für die Mehrheit verbindlich werden, weil es keine Verlierer mehr kannte. Weil die vielleicht wichtigste Funktion des Unternehmers in dessen jeweiliger Inszenierung bestand, wirft dieser Beitrag insbesondere Schlaglichter auf unternehmerische Selbstzuschreibungen, auf publizistische und belletristische Fremdzuschreibungen sowie auf die wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Theoriebildung.
Frequency and risk factors of depression in type 1 diabetes in a developing country
Authors: Khater Doaa , Omar Magdy
Published: August 2017

Background:

Living with type 1 diabetes, especially in developing countries, can feel overwhelming for parents and children because constant vigilance is required for proper care with an inadequacy of resources. Our aim was to investigate the frequency and risk factors of depressive symptoms in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Methods:

The study was conducted using epidemiologic studies Depression Scale Questionnaire for Children (CES-DC) on 86 patients with type 1 diabetes from the Diabetes Clinic in Alexandria University Children’s Hospital, Egypt. Logistic regression models were used to detect the predictors of depression.

Results:

In the current study 45 children (52.3%) had scores ≥15 indicating a depressive state. Children who had depression were found to have a significantly longer duration of diabetes (5.84±2.53 year), a higher mean total daily insulin dose (1.36±0.45 unit/kg), HbA

Conclusions:

Children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes have high frequency of depressive symptoms in a developing country. Poor glycemic control is the most significant predictor for depression in these patients.
Carotid intima media thickness in a girl with sitosterolemia carrying a homozygous mutation in the ABCG5 gene
Authors: Yagasaki Hideaki , Nakane Takaya , Toda Takako , Kobayashi Kisho , Aoyama Kouki , Ichikawa Takeshi , Sugita Kanji
Published: August 2017

Background:

Sitosterolemia is a rare lipid metabolism disorder that involves storage of plant sterols. This disease is associated with atherosclerosis, but detailed vascular endothelial assessment is difficult.

Case presentation:

We report a 5-year-old girl with sitosterolemia who presented with xanthomas at 23 months of age. Her total cholesterol was 868 mg/dL, and her plasma sitosterol level was 9.48 mg/dL. Direct sequencing detected a homozygous mutation in gene

Conclusions:

Sitosterolemia is a unique disorder in which it is difficult to avoid premature atherosclerosis because of high sitosterol levels. cIMT measurement with arterial wall assessment may improve management.
Association between urinary phthalates and metabolic abnormalities in obese Thai children and adolescents
Authors: Saengkaew Tansit , Jantarat Chutima , Nosoognoen Wichit , Supornsilchai Vichit
Published: August 2017

Background:

Several endocrine disruptors (including phthalates) are considered to be a cause of obesity. However, the current evidence has not conclusively established an association between phthalates and metabolic abnormalities, especially in children. The objective of the study was to evaluate the association between urinary phthalate metabolites and metabolic abnormalities in obese Thai children and adolescents.

Methods:

This cross-sectional case-control study was conducted in participants aged 7–18 years and divided into two groups: normal weight and overweight/obesity. Spot urine concentrations of two phthalate metabolites (monomethyl phthalate [MMP] and mono-n-buthyl phthalate [MBP]) were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Anthropometric data, including weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHTR), were measured and calculated. Fasting plasma glucose, insulin, HbA

Results:

One hundred and fifty-five participants were included. The median MMP level in the normal weight and the overweight/obesity groups were 0 (0, 459.83) and 0 (0, 1623.50) μg/g Cr, respectively (p=0.933). The median MBP level in the normal weight and the overweight/obesity groups were 233.6 (118.1, 633.62) and 206.94 (7.4, 427.7) μg/g Cr, respectively (p=0.083). After adjusting for age, gender and puberty, there was no correlation between MBP and all anthropometric data and metabolic profiles. Participants with hypertriglyceridemia had lower MBP levels than those with normal TG level. MMP levels were not significantly different between the participants with normal and abnormal weight of all metabolic parameters.

Conclusions:

Participants with hypertriglyceridemia had lower MBP levels than those with normotriglyceridemia. However, it cannot show the correlation between phthalate and metabolic parameters.
Teaching from selfhood: A personal growth journey with unimaginable dividends
Authors: Tsikata Prosper Yao
Published: August 2017

In this essay, I reflexively narrate my personal travails as a Teaching Associate (TA) in a Midwestern US university and, later, an Assistant Professor in the Southern State of Georgia. I argue that, as a foreign-born TA and, later, an Assistant Professor, I carry extra layers of identity markers that distinguish me from the homegrown professor. Thus, the masked and the overt demands by the hegemonic institutional forces for conformity to the Anglo-American speech forms and narratives suppress those unique identity markers. So as not to create tension and friction in the classroom, it is challenging not to be seduced to veil those unique identity markers in the cross-cultural intersections of pedagogy. However, unlike the homegrown professor on familiar terrains, by concealing those unique identity markers about myself, my true self is veiled from students and I become a mystery to them in the ensuing pedagogical encounter. With this understanding, I have always positioned my true self as rhetorical act of anchoring that demystifies the strange and invites the native to the never-ending dialogue of discovery.
Isometric Midthigh Pull Performance Is Associated With Athletic Performance and Sprinting Kinetics in Division I Men and Women's Basketball Players
Authors: Townsend Jeremy R. , Bender David , Vantrease William C. , Hudy John , Huet Kevin , Williamson Cassie , Bechke Emily , Serafini Paul R. , Mangine Gerald T.
Published: August 2017

Townsend, JR, Bender, D, Vantrease, WC, Hudy, J, Huet, K, Williamson, C, Bechke, E, Serafini, PR, and Mangine, GT. Isometric midthigh pull performance is associated with athletic performance and sprinting kinetics in Division I men and women's basketball players. J Strength Cond Res 33(10): 2665–2673, 2019— The relationships between isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) force, athletic performance measures, and sprint kinetics in Division I men's and women's basketball players were investigated. Twenty-three (male = 8, female = 15) Division 1 basketball players completed a maximal 20-m sprint trial while tethered to a device that provided kinetic feedback (peak and average sprinting power, velocity and force). Additionally, 1 repetition maximum (1RM) front squat, 1RM hang clean, vertical jump height, and agility (proagility and lane agility) tests were performed. Rate of force development (RFD) at 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 milliseconds of IMTP and peak force (PF) were also collected. Pearson’s product-moment correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between these measures. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) relationships were observed between IMTP PF and sprint time over all distances (5–20 m; r = −0.62 to 0.69), average sprint velocity (r = 0.50–0.70), peak sprint velocity (r = 0.50–0.54), average sprint force (r = 0.48–0.69), and average sprint power (r = 0.62–0.73). Sprinting kinetic measures (average force and power) over the first 5 m were also significantly (p ≤ 0.05) related to IMTP RFD (50–250 ms; r = 0.42–0.62). Results indicate that IMTP variables are significantly associated with 20-m sprint kinetics. Specifically, IMTP RFD appears to be related to the initial acceleration kinetics of a sprint. Strength and conditioning professionals can possibly implement the IMTP for improved assessment and monitoring of athletic performance and training.
Effects of an Experimental vs. Traditional Military Training Program on 2-Mile Run Performance During the Army Physical Fitness Test
Authors: Stone Brandon L. , Heishman Aaron D. , Campbell Jay A.
Published: August 2017

Stone, BL, Heishman, AD, and Campbell, JA. The effects of an experimental vs. traditional military training program on 2-mile run performance during the army physical fitness test. J Strength Cond Res 34(12): 3431–3438, 2020—The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of an experimental vs. traditional military run training on 2-mile run ability in the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadets. Fifty college-aged cadets were randomly placed into 2 groups and trained for 4 weeks with either an experimental running program (EXP, n = 22) comprised rating of perceived exertion (RPE) intensity-specific, energy system–based intervals or with traditional military running program (TRA, n = 28) using a crossover study design. A 2-mile run assessment was performed just before the start, at the end of the first 4 weeks, and again after the second 4 weeks of training after crossover. The EXP program significantly decreased 2-mile run times (961.3 ± 155.8 seconds to 943.4 ± 140.2 seconds, p = 0.012, baseline to post 1), whereas the TRA group experienced a significant increase in run times (901.0 ± 79.2 vs. 913.9 ± 82.9 seconds) over the same training period. There was a moderate effect size (d = 0.61, p = 0.07) for the experimental run program to “reverse” the adverse effects of the traditional program within the 4-week training period (post 1 to post 2) after treatment crossover. Thus, for short-term training of military personnel, RPE intensity-specific running program comprising aerobic and anaerobic system development can enhance 2-mile run performance superior to a traditional program while reducing training volume (60 minutes per session vs. 43.2 minutes per session, respectively). Future research should extend the training period to determine efficacy of this training approach for long-term improvement of aerobic capacity and possible reduction of musculoskeletal injury.
Formin 2 links neuropsychiatric phenotypes at young age to an increased risk for dementia
Authors: Agís‐Balboa Roberto Carlos , Pinheiro Paulo S , Rebola Nelson , Kerimoglu Cemil , Benito Eva , Gertig Michael , Bahari‐Javan Sanaz , Jain Gaurav , Burkhardt Susanne , Delalle Ivana , Jatzko Alexander , Dettenhofer Markus , Zunszain Patricia A , Schmitt Andrea , Falkai Peter , Pape Julius C , Binder Elisabeth B , Mulle Christophe , Fischer Andre , Sananbenesi Farahnaz
Published: August 2017

Age‐associated memory decline is due to variable combinations of genetic and environmental risk factors. How these risk factors interact to drive disease onset is currently unknown. Here we begin to elucidate the mechanisms by which post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at a young age contributes to an increased risk to develop dementia at old age. We show that the actin nucleator Formin 2 (Fmn2) is deregulated in PTSD and in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Young mice lacking the Fmn2 gene exhibit PTSD‐like phenotypes and corresponding impairments of synaptic plasticity, while the consolidation of new memories is unaffected. However, Fmn2 mutant mice develop accelerated age‐associated memory decline that is further increased in the presence of additional risk factors and is mechanistically linked to a loss of transcriptional homeostasis. In conclusion, our data present a new approach to explore the connection between AD risk factors across life span and provide mechanistic insight to the processes by which neuropsychiatric diseases at a young age affect the risk for developing dementia.