bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of vocabulary size in oral productions on the speaking proficiency of EFL learners
Authors: Kazemi Ehsan
Published: December 2018

This s tudy inves tiga tes the effect of using a bigger vocabulary size in oral class room presenta tions on the speaking profi ciency of students in English as a foreign language . The s tudy was conducted with 30 freshman s tudents doing their lis tening andspeaking course in Semnan Uni versi ty. For the enti re course of 12 weeks , the s tudents in the experimental group were asked to present their productions in terms of the vocabulary they employed, whi ch was also the focus of the teacher’s evalua tionin each session. At the end of the course , they were interviewed for their profi ciency in speaking. The descripti ve andinferential calculations were done based on a modi fied version of an oral profi ciency i nterview scale sugges ted by Penny Ur. The answers were recorded and their fluency and accuracy were graded. The resul ts sugges t tha t s tudents wi th a vocabularyrich producti on improved their speaking profi ciency in English more than other students did.Keywords: Vocabulary size , speaking profi ciency, production, fl uency, accuracy, interview.
Developing intonation skills in English: A systemic functional linguistics perspective
Authors: Cardinali Renata Fabiana , Barbeito Maria Celina
Published: December 2018

This paper expl ores whether the teaching of English intonati on wi thin the framework of sys temi c functional linguisti cs (SFL)contributes to the development of intona tion skills of Argentine Spanish speakers to become teachers of English as a Foreign Language . The findings of the study tha t focused on the oral produ ction of s tudents in the fi rs t course of phoneti cs in theprogramme offered a t the Na tional Uni versi ty of Rio Cuarto are presented. This paper reports the anal ysis of recordings of fi rs t-yea r s tudents reading an English text aloud and the resul ts obtained in the pre- and pos t-tes ts reveal tha t there wasimprovement in students ’ oral production such as in tone sys tem considering the three sys tems of intona tion i n SFL after aseries of training sessions. Hence , this approach seems promising for the developmen t of intona tion skills and oral skills in foreign language lea rners . These results favour for teacher trainers as well as for trainers
Keywords: EFL, intonation, sys temi c functional linguis tics , teacher training.
Message from Editor
Authors: Garcia Jesus Laborda
Published: December 2018

Dear Readers,It is a great honor for us to publish 8th volume, 3rd issue of Global Journal of Foreign Language Teaching (GJFLT).Global Journal of Foreign Language Teaching (GJFLT) welcomes original empirical investigations and comprehensive literature review articles focusing on foreign language teaching and topics related to linguistics. The journal is an international journal published quarterly and it is a platform for presenting and discussing the emerging developments in foreign language teaching in an international arena.A total number of eleven (13) manuscripts were submitted for this issue and each paper has been subjected to double-blind peer review process by the reviewers specialized in the related field. At the end of the review process, a total number of five (5) high quality research papers were selected and accepted for publication.
Words: Are we really teaching them? The case of two EFL teachers in Ethiopia
Authors: Lakew Anteneh Kebede
Published: December 2018

This paper discuses a short account of vocabulary instruction. It identifies some obstacles to the teaching and learning of English words and points out possible ways of addressing the obstacles. Moreover, actual classroom practices of two EFL teachers in Ethiopia were observed and examined with the state-of-the-art in vocabulary instruction worldwide. Finally, some implications were drawn out for EFL practitioners.
A review of research on the effect of the use of web-based tools on speaking motivation
Authors: Celik Ozgur
Published: December 2018

Speaking is one of the most problematic skills in which learners tend to be low in motivation. There are several factors that negatively and positively affect the motivation of learners regarding speaking. The purpose of this study is to present a review of research on the effect of the use of web-based tools on speaking motivation and making some conclusions and recommendations for further studies. Several studies investigating the effect of web-based tools on speaking motivation were analysed and some conclusions were drawn. In respect to the studies reviewed, it is concluded that web-based tools significantly improve speaking motivation. For further studies, it is recommended that creating a web-based environment before starting an experimental study will be vital in terms of the validity and reliability of the study.
Keywords: English as a foreign language, speaking, motivation, web-based tools
Effect of collocations on Iranian EFL learners’ writing: Attitude in focus
Authors: Mousavi Seyedeh Maryam , Heidari Darani Laya
Published: December 2018

This study aimed at investigating the effect of collocations as language chunks on Iranian female intermediate English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ writing skill. Moreover, the researchers intended to find out the attitude of learners towards writing skill after collocations were taught. Study sample comprises 30 female Iranian EFL learners, aged between 18 and 26 years old, who were studying English in a language institute in Isfahan. The instruments used for data collection included three tests (Oxford Placement Test, writing pretest and posttest) and an attitude questionnaire developed by Peter Elbow and Pat Belanoff. The results of the statistical analyses revealed that there was a significant effect of using collocations on the writing skill of Iranian female intermediate EFL learners. Furthermore, it can be claimed that the learners’ attitude boosted in the course of this experiment, indicating that using collocations had a significantly positive impact on the attitudes of Iranian EFL learners towards writing skill.
Keywords: Attitude, collocations, language chunks, writing skill
Message from Editor
Authors: Keser Prof. Dr. Hafize
Published: December 2018

Dear Readers,It is the great honor for us to publish 9th volume, 4th issue of International Journal of Learning and Teaching.International Journal of Learning and Teaching (IJLT) is an international and multi-disciplinary which aims to provide a platform for the publication of the most advanced scientific research in the areas of learning, development, instruction and teaching. The journal welcomes original empirical investigations. The papers may represent a variety of theoretical perspectives and different methodological approaches. They may refer to any age level, from infants to adults and to a diversity of learning and instructional settings, from laboratory experiments to field studies. The major criteria in the review and the selection process concern the significance of the contribution to the area of learning and teaching. IJLT covers all aspects of education; trends in education, the emerging and educational settings, instructional design, learning-teaching methods and applications, instructional multimedia, new education environments, theoretical principles, assessment and evaluation and related fields.
The effect of digital storytelling on EFL learners’ productivity motivation
Authors: Tavoosy Yoones
Published: December 2018

The current study was conducted to explore the effect of digital storytelling (DST) on EFL learners’ motivation. Based on the outcomes of an Oxford Placement Test, sixty pre-intermediate EFL learners were randomly divided into two separate groups each containing 30 participants (one control and one experimental). A motivation questionnaire was utilised to assess the participants’ motivation prior to and after the experiment. To analyse the data, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariate ANCOVA were run. In terms of motivation, the findings reveal that ST participants had performed better than the control group after the treatment. The findings also emphasised the need for instruction through the implementation of DST as a dynamic and essential component of language teaching that is advised to be given a high premium in EFL educational programmes.
 
Keywords: Computer-assisted language learning, productivity motivation, storytelling, EFL, male students.
The effect of using mobile applications on literal and contextual vocabulary instruction
Authors: Çelik Özgür , Yavuz Fatih
Published: December 2018

AbstractSmartphones have been an indispensable part of our lives and function in all fields of life effectively. Mobile applications, which are one of the core components of smartphones, are the main agent in integration of smartphones into education. After the mobile applications started to be used for educational purposes, a radical change took place in the nature of education. With the contribution of mobile applications, education has turned out to be more individualized, ubiquitous, learner-centred and, disquietly, uncontrolled. Language learning is highly affected by this prevalent impact of the mobile applications and vocabulary applications have taken the lead in number in application markets. This study aimed to find out the effectiveness of mobile applications on contextual and literal vocabulary instruction. 84 university freshman students were chosen as the participants of the study. The participants were divided into two groups as literal and contextual vocabulary instruction group, 42 in each. A four-week training session was administered to both groups using the particular vocabulary apps that comply with the necessity of the groups. The data obtained were analysed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15. Consequently, it was found out that both groups showed improvements in their post-test scores, but literal instruction group outperformed the contextual instruction group. Along with this finding, some recommendations were made for further studies.
Motivating Students in Electrical Circuit Course
Authors: Bhuyan Muhibul Haque , Khan Sher Shermin Azmiri
Published: December 2018

AbstractElectrical Circuit course is the elementary core course for the students of undergraduate program of electrical and electronic engineering. The course is taught in the very first semester of the freshmen. In undergraduate level, most of the engineering disciplines also require this course that is taught in the first to third semester or so. Since this course has many real life applications in many engineering tasks, it is therefore, required to teach efficiently so that students can apply the knowledge earned from this course in solving their practical problems. But it has been observed that many students drop out the program due to lack of motivation after studying this course. Motivation is the key to engaging students in meaningful and productive work. Identifying individual students' interests, providing choice (to promote a personal connection) and supporting competence (through the teaching of immediately useful strategies) result in motivation that deepens learning. Of course, motivating the students is one of the greatest challenges that teachers face all over the world while teaching in engineering courses. In this paper, the teaching method of "˜Electrical Circuit" course for undergraduate electrical and electronic engineering students through motivation has been described.
Investigation of students’ level of imagination and sport confidence studying at School of Physical Education and Sports
Authors: Alp Aysegul Funda , Oz Rasit , Horozoğlu Mehmet Ali
Published: December 2018

The aim of the study is to investigate students’ level of imagination and their athletic confidence The research group was made up of 62 female and 135 male, 197 in total, studying at the School of Physical Education and Sports, Karamanoglu Mehmetbey University. To achieve the purpose of the research, ‘A Scale of Achievement Imagery Questionnaire in Sports’ and ‘Confidence Questionnaire in Sports’ (Trait Sport Confidence-SSGO) were applied to the students who participated in the research. In the analysis and assessment of the data, Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Kruskal Wallis H test and Mann–Whitney U test were used and significance was taken as P < 0.05 and in the evaluation of the data and for the determination of the calculated values, Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used. According to the results of the study, there is a significant difference in sub-dimension of athletic confidence according to the department and class variable.
Keywords: Imagination, sport confidence, student.
Measuring grade 10 students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes of sustainable development
Authors: Mekhael Elie , Karameh Jinan
Published: December 2018

In Lebanon, since 1990, successive Governments have stressed the priority of education and the development of its potentials to enable it to contribute to sustainable human development. However, these approaches were never evaluated by standardised measures that might monitor evidence of changes in the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours among students concerning sustainable development (SD). This study has two main objectives: (a) to establish a baseline on the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of Lebanese tenth grade students towards SD, b) to assess the impact of type of school, gender, presence of environmental club in school and being a member in the environmental club in school on the levels of knowledge, attitudes and skills of SD. The study was conducted in 20 schools in administrative Beirut region (12 private and eight public). The sample consisted of 437 students who completed a developed questionnaire that included items involving all SD pillars: social, environmental and economic. Results showed that students’ SD knowledge, attitudes and skills were relatively high where the average mean of students’ answers on items concerning social pillar was greater than that of the environmental pillar which in turn was greater than that of the economic pillar. Environmental club membership manifestly promoted SD knowledge, skills and attitudes. Gender influence was conspicuous in the results of SD attitudes and skills where female students excelled over male students. The Lebanese government should affirm its commitment by: adopting policies and strategies on SD to put more focus on the role of Education for sustainable development, ensuring efficient integration of SD into the curriculum, establishing SD clubs and encouraging students’ enrolment into it.
Keywords: Sustainability, education for sustainable development, knowledge, attitude, skills, environmental club.
Teaching strategies by gender, grade level and teacher’s self-concept in Mexico
Authors: Sanchez-Escobedo Pedro , Linley Jodi L , Rivera Morales Alicia
Published: December 2018

This study examines teaching strategies of Mexican teachers by gender, grade level and self-concept as an instructor. A conventional sample of 573 teachers from diverse school settings in the state of Yucatan in Mexico responded to a paper and pencil questionnaire. Results indicated, in general, that teachers prioritise classroom management and independent learning over strategies emphasised by policies and training programmes in the country, such as cooperative learning, differentiation or promoting critical thinking. Statistical analyses showed some differences in this diverse group of teachers by gender, grade level and self-concept. Female teachers promote more independent activities than males, and as expected, primary school teachers are more concerned with differentiation. Teachers with high self-concept tended to do more class management activities and promote more independent learning and critical thinking than low self-concept teachers.
 
Keywords: Mexican teachers, teaching strategies
Message from Editor
Authors: Keser Prof. Dr. Hafize
Published: December 2018

Dear Readers,It is the great honor for us to publish 9th volume, 4th issue of International Journal of Learning and Teaching.

International Journal of Learning and Teaching (IJLT) is an international and multi-disciplinary which aims to provide a platform for the publication of the most advanced scientific research in the areas of learning, development, instruction and teaching. The journal welcomes original empirical investigations. The papers may represent a variety of theoretical perspectives and different methodological approaches. They may refer to any age level, from infants to adults and to a diversity of learning and instructional settings, from laboratory experiments to field studies. The major criteria in the review and the selection process concern the significance of the contribution to the area of learning and teaching. IJLT covers all aspects of education; trends in education, the emerging and educational settings, instructional design, learning-teaching methods and applications, instructional multimedia, new education environments, theoretical principles, assessment and evaluation and related fields.
Increasing effective students’ engagement in study
Authors: Kelemen Gabriela
Published: December 2018

The study stresses out the interest that pedagogy specialist’s show towards education and mostly tries to find proper methods to improve pre-service teacher training. A career in teaching and education has become unattractive for new generations of graduates and we will point out the reasons that led to a low interest for this career: the low social value of teaching profession, low income and lack of students’ interest for learning. More and more specialists draw attention to the fact that education and educational institutions are in a serious crisis. It is a warning for both theoreticians and practitioners. We believe that education is more than a science; it also contains elements of art because it involves judgements, feelings and values. It is necessary for the future teachers to be aware of the role and importance of metacognitive self-training in becoming good professionals.
Keywords: Didactic carrier, formation, study, improving formation, metacognition, empiric research.
PowerFee—Training and testing students in power engineering web application
Authors: Simo Attila , Kilyeni Stefan , Pascu Liviu , Farcas Paul Lucian , Barbulescu Constantin
Published: December 2018

The world of education is continuously changing. New information and communication technologies have appeared as an important component of the actual teaching/learning strategies. We arrived into a new era called e-Learning period. Nowadays, e-Learning has become a viable alternative to traditional methods, adopted by many educational institutions, especially because of the advantages offered by the possibility of continuous training. In Romania, these teaching/learning strategies face rapid development. This paper presents a software-tool developed in Delphi environment—PowerFee—used for periodical training and testing students via Internet. According to intern rules of the department, all students must accomplish a given number of training-tests every semester to ensure the proper assimilation of the new information. To optimise this process, the program can be reached via local network using a user name and password. A comparison between results obtained by classical teaching/learning methods and ones achieved by modern e-Learning techniques is presented.
Keywords: E-Learning, chi-square test, teaching, training
Grades as valid evaluation tool of academic formation
Authors: Vuc Gheorghe , Jigoria-Oprea Dan , Baloi Felicia
Published: December 2018

Before you see the faculty graduate formation, you can see its grades. Since grades are used for selection, they are very important instruments and can have serious consequences for students. Consequently, the validity of grades is an important aspect to consider, and questions concerning the functions of grades can certainly be viewed from a validity perspective. Therefore, arises a question of whether the grades indeed reflect graduated student training and especially its ability to succeed against technical problems that will be posed in front of by his professional life. Analyses carried out in several brainstorming and brainwriting sessions with students belonging to the first percentiles of their series showed that they realise the inefficiency of grades they receive. The main recommendation is to make the grading in relation to an absolutebenchmark (obviously regularly adapted to technological and society developments) in the view of a correct formation for students.

Keywords: Academic grading, questionnaire, job interview
Students’ interest and performance analysis in power system numerical methods: General function calculation
Authors: Pop Oana , Barbulescu Constantin , Turi Gabriel , Deacu Antheia
Published: December 2018

Nonlinear equations are the most frequent numerical computation application occurring in scientific investigation or design activity specifically to different branches of power engineering. The objective of this study consisted of the analysis of the interest degree of students towards a specialised subject and the analysis of performance and concentration degree of students in case of solving a laboratory work during the laboratory sessions. Computer program used during laboratory sessions, ECUATIE, contains recent improvements. The first analysis presents the overall situation of student’s presences and absences during the laboratory and courses sessions. The second analysis presents the situation of marks obtained following the settlement of laboratory session. Participants are students of Politehnica University Timisoara, Romania. Participants are asked to solve an algebraic or transcendent equation, using different methods. The research found the high degree of student’s interest and also the high interest degree of students even if the calculation volume is relatively high.
Keywords: Nonlinear equations, numerical coefficients, Newton–Raphson method, false position (chord) method.
Effectiveness of the improvised logic gates simulator in basic digital electronics instruction
Authors: Arante Ramil B.
Published: December 2018

This study was conducted at Caraga State University—Cabadbaran Campus, particularly in the College of Industrial Technology and Teacher Education, Electronics Technology Area. It aimed at determining the effectiveness of the improvised logic gates simulator as an instructional device in basic digital electronics instruction to enhance the teaching-learning process. Effectiveness of the simulator was evaluated using the experimental method of research through the administration of pre-test and post-test to both the controlled group and experimental groups. Fourteen students were utilised as the experimental group and 14 were used as the controlled group. The experimental group was taught with the aid of the simulator, while the controlled group was taught using the traditional method of teaching. T-test result shows that there is a significant mean difference between the performance test results of the experimental and controlled groups. The findings proved that the improvised logic gates simulator is an effective instructional device to simulate logic operations
Keywords: Digital electronics, effectiveness, experimental method, improvised instructional device, logic gates, improved performance, simulator
A pathological analysis of barriers to vocabulary learning and teaching
Authors: Farjami Fahimeh
Published: December 2018

Learning a foreign or second language at different levels of proficiency involves the acquisition of a great number of words. Language learners look for effective ways to increase opportunities for retaining new words in long-term memory, but forgetting is a common problem. Language learners often complain that they forget new words soon after learning them. The importance of vocabulary learning also poses some challenges for teachers. They like to know in what ways instructional programs might foster the acquisition of so many words. Students face some obstacles when they try to assign the vocabularies to their long term memories. They also confront insumountable hurdles in the cognitive process of retrieval and recall. In this discussion, learners' problems in vocabulary leaning are elaborated on and some guidelines are offered to ameliorate or even to remove them. It introduces language learning strategies that make vocabulary learning interesting and easy for learners. It also familiarizes teachers with useful techniques and activities for presentation. Ideas and viewpoints put forward by distinguished scholars such as Baker, Nation, Ausuble, Uberman, Thompson, Carter, Moras, Schmitt, Richards, Celce-Murcia, Chastain are utilized to substantiate the arguments. The purpose of this study is to present practical vocabulary learning strategies that can help learners and to offer influential teaching techniques and activities, which are of help to the teachers. A misconception analysis of teachers' and students' attitudes to vocabulary learning is carried out in terms of learning strategies, dictionary use, input, intake, output, affective variables, mnemonic devices, declarative and procedural memories. The relevant instructional points will be given to EFL teachers to enormously increase the efficiency of their teaching techniques and strategies in terms of students' vocabulary learning and vocabulary expansion.

Keywords: vocabulary learning, forgetting, memory, mnemonic devices, input, intake, output
Perceptions of lecturers on grammar with regard to the four skills teaching
Authors: Yavuz Fatih , Sik Kubra
Published: December 2018

With the rise of communicative approaches in modern educational systems, grammar teaching has started to be a controversial issue among researchers. Whether formal instruction of grammar is essential for learners to attain high levels of accuracy in the language learning process still remains as a subject to debate. Therefore, this paper focuses on the perceptions of in-service lecturers about grammar teaching, specifically about the effectiveness of grammatical accuracy on writing and speaking activities. Data were collected using a questionnaire which is adapted from Jean and Simard [Foreign Language Annals, 44(3), 2011] targeted the lecturers' beliefs and perceptions about the effectiveness of formal grammar instruction. This study result reveals that for lecturers, formal instruction of grammar is inevitable to attain a high proficiency level in writing activities. For speaking activities, however, lecturers do not think that grammar is an essential part of the language learning process.
Keywords: Grammar teaching, writing, speaking, perceptions of lecturers.
Plan estratégico para el desarrollo de productos dirigidos a la estimulación temprana en niños de 0 a 2 años con parálisis cerebral nivel II
Authors: Gómez-Gómez Laura
Published: December 2018

El proyecto se enfocó en el desarrollo de un plan estratégico de productos dirigidos a la estimulación temprana en niños con parálisis cerebral nivel II. Al respecto, se realizó, a nivel nacional, una investigación a partir del análisis de la situación actual de los aspectos que influyen en el proyecto. Con base en la investigación, se planteó el concepto de diseño, el cual se centró en elaborar productos adaptables, personalizables, simples y configurables, estableciendo la oferta de valor, con la adaptabilidad para todos como punto de partida, ofreciendo, asimismo, una gama de productos para que los padres los puedan adquirir o confeccionar. Estos productos servirán de apoyo para trabajar las áreas más significativas, tales como desarrollo físico-motor, al igual que lo cognitivo y afectivo a una edad temprana de la población seleccionada, para potenciar al máximo su desarrollo cerebral, al permitir su plasticidad mediante nuevas experiencias, traducidas en nuevas conexiones.
Endomarketing: Satisfacción Laboral Desde La Perspectiva De Género Y Edad
Authors: Wong Adriana Méndez , Castro Didier Varela
Published: December 2018

This paper focuses on analyzing the influence of the age and genre in the labor satisfaction of the sales professionals in the Southeastern region of Coahuila. The study makes use of a descriptive and quantitative approach. A questionnaire of 9 items was applied with Likert scale of 10 alternative answers. The study sample shows that 399 individuals were randomly selected. The findings of this study suggest that labor satisfaction is related to the genre, which shows that the samples of the men are more satisfied than the women. The recompensed salary is also a decisive factor on the feminine genre when they express their dissatisfaction with their job. In regards to the age, there are no statistically significant differences between those interviewed. In conclusion, the labor satisfaction is independent from the seller’s age.
Caracterización De Los Consumidores De Ropa De Moda
Authors: Wong Adriana Méndez , Ruiz Edith Reyes , Siller Jesús Francisco Mellado , Ramirez Karina Lizbeth Rodriguez
Published: December 2018

This study is a Marketing work about the life style of the consumers related to their fashion clothing purchases. For that an instrument is applied using a scale proposed by Chegedzai, Manillall and Lawrence Mandhalazi (2014) who identified seven constructs for the typology: Fashion Aware, Hedonist, Brand Aware, Innovative, Quality Aware, Undecisive and Brand Loyalty. Its a transversal, quantitative, exploratory and descriptive investigation. The sample shows 1000 individuals from 21 to 80 years old, in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, validating a 4o items instrument acquiring an Alfa de Cronbach of 0.952. The questions were categorical and the answers were indicted on a Likert Scale from 1 to 5. The results on relation to the analyzed dimensions, point that the interviewed attempt to buy quality clothes and aknowledge that it is an effort to achieve it because their incomes are a limiting to their purchase of High End clothing brands. The genre affects on the purchase decision, concluding that there are meaningful differences between men and women: the women enjoy more buying clothes, they have more fun while they’re doing it and dedicate more time to the activity mentioned. It is a Project from the Red Nacional de Investigación “Gestion de la Mercadotecnia” del Consorcio de Universidades Mexicanas. (National Net of Investigation “Marketing management” of the Mexican Universities Consortium).
Average Monthly Wage Means Difference Between Administrative Sources Vs. Business Survey, Case in Albania
Authors: Dhuli Elsa
Published: December 2018

This paper examines the differences resulting from calculating the means of Pay Roll records and personal revenues used as secondary data with results from business survey in an empirical study taking a panel. The use of “secondary data” as primary source for producing the official indicators is a challenge worldwide. In the past decades has also been considered as the way forward for raising productivity and reducing burden on businesses. If the Short Term Survey is sample survey the Pay Roll records are administrative data. The purpose for what they are gathered is different. But both could be used for providing statistical indicators. In this paper the panel not weighted data are taken into consideration where the same business is analyzed from two related sources. The paired t-test is used to compare the values of means from two related sources. In those conditions the difference between the means of the two sources is unlikely to be equal to zero. In this study the hypothesis test is designed to answer the question "Is the observed difference sufficiently large enough to indicate that the alternative hypothesis is true?" What does it mean in our case study the answer which comes in the form of a probability - the p-value? The paper shows some interesting findings about the means difference between the two sources within a year. The differences resulting from the conducted analysis come as a result of the definition used in both sources for the same indicator, errors in reporting and treatment of non-response in the survey and administrative data source, coding errors.
Privatisation as a Tenet of Growth Employment and Redistribution Strategy and its Socio-Economic Impact on the Poor in Khayelitsha
Authors: Domingos Joao M , Fox William
Published: December 2018

This paper seeks to present the macro-economic impact of privatisation in the Western Cape as perceived by its proponents and detractors, nationally and internationally. It investigates the effects and factors which influence privatisation. The study was conducted in the township of Khayelitsha. The sites were randomly selected and included Site C, Site B, ElithaPark, Macassar and MandelaPark. An in-depth literature review was conducted to investigate the macro-economic policy of Growth Employment and Redistribution Strategy (GEAR) and its tenet, privatisation. The socio-economic impacts of privatisation on the Khayelitsha communities were investigated by posing four questions. The researcher employed qualitative and quantitative research methodology to establish the opinions of the participants. Two types of data analysis were used namely: structural and interpretational. These techniques were appropriate for the study because they explored the feelings of the recipients of government policies. The result of the study revealed that privatisation is not creating jobs as expected and that economic growth does not benefit the poor. The research revealed the financial inability of the people to afford basic services. The Khayelitsha community prefer services rendered by government instead of the private sector. The findings of the statistical analysis indicated the respondents’ dissatisfaction with government’s privatisation objectives. The researchers concludes that it is necessary to take into account that government in principle has the interests of the citizens at heart. However, its macro-economic policy is not having the desired results.
Conflits Fonciers Et Problématique De Développement Rural Dans La Sous-Préfecture De Mongo, Région Du Guéra (Tchad)
Authors: Alladjaba Moussa , Tchekote Hervé
Published: December 2018

Located in the Guéra region in central Chad, the Mongo Sub-Prefecture is the scene of recurring conflicts related to the occupation and exploitation of the land. While the phenomenon is neither new nor specific to this part of the country, the scale it has taken in recent years makes it a worrying subject. This land conflicts are driven by a multitude of actors with traditional authorities, agricultural producers and the urban elite at the center. They are fuelled by the fact that the legal land tenure system, set up first by the colonial authority and then renewed by the Chadian authorities, has never been a reality in rural areas. To conduct the study the questionnaire survey was conducted from a sample of 106 households. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews supplemented the information collected through the questionnaires. The results reveal not only a pluralism of norms whose contradiction in implementation is inevitably conflicting, but also and above all the actors' play around rural land, with a multitude of conflicts whose impact is strongly felt by populations, both in terms of agricultural or pastoral production, and in terms of trade and social cohesion. At the end of the study, it turns out that the population largely ignores the laws governing the land. The result is a pluralism of norms, but the customary rules are preponderant. This determines several modes of access and use of the land.
“Services Anthroposphere: Describing Services into Retailing with the Aid of Geosciences”
Authors: Kollias Odyssefs
Published: December 2018

The aim of this conceptual paper is to highlight the importance of senses, emotions and sentiments which create the climate at a commercial venue. Services Anthroposphere is a new interdisciplinary concept and terminology employed in the provision of services. The term “Anthroposphere” was adopted from Geosciences by combining its meanings with the vital role of atmospherics and that of human action. By broadening this term, new ideas that inspire people to follow are arising. Terminologies help in creating short path in understanding meanings in vocational training. Interdisciplinary terms provide a broader perspective of the concept. Result is the enrichment of communication.
Curriculum Effects On University Students’ English Language Achievement
Authors: Yadira Cardenas Moyano Maria , Carolina Campana Dias Diana , Carolina Campana Dias Diana , Oswaldo Guadalupe Bravo Luis , Oswaldo Guadalupe Bravo Luis , Antonio Bravo Montenegro Marco , Antonio Bravo Montenegro Marco
Published: December 2018

The objective of this research is to identify, analyze and determine the curricular effects in the linguistic achievement to implement a curricular redesign and improve the English language teaching-learning to students and teachers of the Escuela Superior Politécnica of Chimborazo Language Center. The research used the communicative method, using several comprehensive techniques based on language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. It was considered the critical-proactive paradigm to look for solutions in an environment of description and understanding of the educational, social and cultural process. Surveys were applied to measure the learning achievement of the language, as an independent variable, applied to one hundred and fifty students and the curricular effect as a dependent variable directed to fifty five teachers of the Language Center, as well as, interviews to four directors of the Language Center. At the level of the students, it was concluded that the level of English is still basic, therefore, a new instrument is needed that proposes: methodology, techniques and updated contents to reach a competitive level. Most teachers indicate that the curriculum established by the Center must be updated in order to make better teaching possible.
A Pre Study for Developing and Exploring An “Impulsive Buying Scale” for Turkish Population
Authors: Godelek Ertugrul , Akalın Fatih
Published: December 2018

Impulsive buying has 4.2 billion US $ trading volume a year in the USA. First researches about impulsive buying had been conducted between 1945 and 1965 as Unplanned Buying by DuPont Customer Buying Researches in the USA. In the researches conducted for over sixty years, many definitions of compulsive buying have been given. Verplanken and at all. (2011), Rook at all., (1995) defined impulsive buying as unneeded and unreflective buying which occurs under the impulse of the moment. The purpose of this research is twofold; one of which is to develop a valid and reliable “Impulsive Buying Scale”, and the second is to investigate the effect of demographic and socioeconomic variables on impulsive buying by using the aforementioned scale. For this reason, “Impulsive Buying Scale” was applied to 800 participants who live in Mersin. Construct Validity was used to evaluate the validity of scale; the Cronbach’s Alpha was used to evaluate the reliability of scale. According to the findings, a valid and reliable scale, which can be used to measure impulsive buying, was obtained. In addition to this finding, it was also found that some socio-economical and demographical variables affected impulsive buying.
Carta ao Editor: Acesso a Opioides, Um Desafio Mundial - Impressões do Cenário Brasileiro
Authors: Neiva Carolina
Published: December 2018

N/A.
O Papel da Testosterona na Melhoria do Desejo Sexual da Mulher Pós-Menopáusica: Uma Revisão Baseada na Evidência
Authors: Gouveia Maria , Sanches Raquel , Andrade Sara , Carmona Sara , Ferreira Carolina
Published: December 2018

Introdução: A disfunção sexual feminina é um problema comum que atinge mais de 1/3 das mulheres em alguma fase da vida. O objetivo deste trabalho é rever a evidência existente acerca da eficácia da testosterona na disfunção sexual, em particular na melhoria do desejo, em mulheres pós-menopáusicas.Material e Métodos: Pesquisa nas bases de dados National Guidelines Clearinghouse, Guidelines Finder, The Cochrane Library e MEDLINE/PubMed, de normas de orientação clínica, revisões sistemáticas, meta-análises e ensaios clínicos aleatorizados e controlados, publicados entre janeiro de 2005 e fevereiro de 2017, utilizando os termos MeSH ‘testosterone’, ‘androgens’, ‘libido’, ‘sexualdysfunctions’ e ‘menopause’.Resultados: Foram incluídos 11 artigos de uma pesquisa inicial de 506: três normas de orientação clínica, uma revisão sistemática com meta-análise e sete ensaios clínicos aleatorizados e controlados. Os artigos selecionados mostraram eficácia da terapêutica com testosterona, em monoterapia ou em associação com outras hormonas, na melhoria global da função sexual e na melhoria do desejo sexual em mulheres na pós-menopausa. Nenhum dos estudos evidenciou alterações das enzimas hepáticas ou efeitos adversos graves.Discussão: Os estudos incluídos tinham amostras de pequenas dimensões e período de follow-up curto, o que impossibilitou a avaliação dos efeitos a longo prazo do tratamento com testosterona.Conclusão: A terapêutica com testosterona tem benefício, a curto prazo, na melhoria das queixas de disfunção sexual em mulheres pós-menopáusicas, em particular na melhoria do desejo. Contudo, são necessários estudos com amostras de maior dimensão e período de follow-up mais longo, de modo a avaliar a sua efetividade e segurança a longo prazo.
Morbilidade na Prematuridade Associada a Restrição do Crescimento Fetal e nos Prematuros Leves para a Idade Gestacional: Experiência de um Centro de Referência
Authors: Silva Noémia Rosado da , Oliveira Joana , Berenguer Alberto , Graça André M. , Abrantes Margarida , Moniz Carlos
Published: December 2018

Introdução: A prematuridade e o baixo peso ao nascer têm sido associados a maior morbilidade e mortalidade neonatais. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar possíveis fatores de risco para a prematuridade associada a restrição do crescimento fetal e a recém-nascidos leves para a idade gestacional e determinar a incidência da morbilidade nestes dois grupos de recém-nascidos.Material e Métodos: Estudo caso-controlo retrospetivo dos recém-nascidos com idade gestacional inferior a 32 semanas, com o diagnóstico obstétrico de restrição do crescimento fetal e com o diagnóstico clínico de leves para a idade gestacional, internados na Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatais de um hospital terciário, durante um período de seis anos.Resultados: Foram estudados 356 recém-nascidos, observando-se uma incidência de 11% de restrição do crescimento fetal e 18% de leves para a idade gestacional. A pré-eclâmpsia foi o fator de risco da gestação com maior significado estatístico (47% vs 16%, p < 0,001) nos recém-nascidos leves para a idade gestacional. Observou-se também, nestes recém-nascidos, maior incidência de displasia broncopulmonar ligeira (66% vs 38%, p = 0,005), de sépsis tardia (59% vs 37%, p = 0,003), de retinopatia da prematuridade (58% vs 26%, p = 0,003) e de enterocolite necrotizante (20% vs 9%, p = 0,005). A mortalidade foi idêntica nos três grupos.Discussão: Encontraram-se menos recém-nascidos do sexo masculino diagnosticados com restrição do crescimento fetal durante a gravidez comparativamente ao sexo feminino. Observaram-se diferenças significativas no grupo destes recém-nascidos, quanto à ocorrência de corioamnionite e de pré-eclâmpsia, face ao grupo controlo. Tanto os recém-nascidos com restrição do crescimento fetal como os leves para a idade gestacional apresentaram uma pontuação mais elevada nos índices de risco clínico comparativamente ao grupo controlo. De forma global, os recém-nascidos leves para a idade gestacional tiveram maior incidência de morbilidade que os recém-nascidos com restrição do crescimento fetal e que o grupo controlo.Conclusão: Os avanços nos cuidados intensivos neonatais diminuíram a mortalidade nos recém-nascidos prematuros. Contudo, observam-se ainda diferenças significativas na incidência da morbilidade nos recém-nascidos com compromisso do crescimento. A colaboração entre obstetras e neonatalogistas constitui a base para uma correta avaliação clínica, sinalização precoce e intervenção global sobre estes recém-nascidos, com impacto significativo no prognóstico a curto e longo prazo.
Molecular Staging of Patients with Colon Cancer. The C-Closer-II Study: A Multicentre Study in Portugal
Authors: Brito María José , Honavar Mrinalini , Cipriano Maria Augusta , Lopes Joanne , Coelho Helder , Silva António Rodrigues da , Silva Mário , Guimarães Susana , Frutuoso Amaro , Gomes Ana , Barbosa Elisabete , Carlos Sandra
Published: December 2018

Introduction: Approximately 20% - 30% of histological lymph node-negative patients with colorectal cancer relapse at five years after surgical treatment. This recurrence is likely due to occult nodal disease undetected by standard histopathological practice which has implications in terms of the clinical management of patients.Material and Methods: Lymph nodes were collected from colectomy specimens. A central section from each lymph node was histologically examined following haematoxylin-eosin staining and the remaining tissue was subjected to OSNA - one step nucleic acid amplification analysis.Results: A total of 1046 lymph nodes from 59 pN0 patients were assessed. Of these, 753 lymph nodes were examined by both methods. The median number of lymph nodes assessed with OSNA - one step nucleic acid amplification was 12 (IQR: 7;16). Among pN0 patients, 17 had OSNA - one step nucleic acid amplification-positive lymph nodes, resulting in a positive molecular staging rate of 28.8% (95% CI: 17.8 - 42.1). Among these patients, 12 (70.59%) were molecular-staged as pN1 and 5 (29.41%) were molecular staged as pN2. The tumour burden of lymph nodes assessed with OSNA - one step nucleic acid amplification ranged from 270 to 17 000 cytokeratin 19 mRNA copies/μL. Most of these patients (88.2%) were found to have lymph nodes with micrometastases only (250 - 4999 copies/μL).Discussion: We provide the results from the first study of the use of the OSNA - one step nucleic acid amplification assay in colorectal cancer patients in Portugal. Our results are in-line with other international studies, showing the improvement on patients’ staging by molecular examination of lymph nodes.Conclusion: In our study, 28.8% of patients with histologically negative lymph nodes were found to have metastatic lymph nodes using OSNA - one step nucleic acid molecular assessment. OSNA - one step nucleic acid assay allows a more accurate staging of patients with colorectal cancer and standardizes lymph node assessment.
African Kaposi’s Sarcoma
Authors: Pimenta Rita , Fonseca Inês , Borges-Costa João
Published: December 2018

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