bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EDC IMPACT: Reduced sperm counts in rats exposed to human relevant mixtures of endocrine disrupters
Authors: Axelstad M , Hass U , Scholze M , Christiansen S , Kortenkamp A , Boberg J
Published: December 2017

Human semen quality is declining in many parts of the world, but the causes are ill defined. In rodents, impaired sperm production can be seen with early life exposure to certain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, but the effects of combined exposures are not properly investigated. In this study, we examined the effects of early exposure to the painkiller paracetamol and mixtures of human relevant endocrine-disrupting chemicals in rats. One mixture contained four estrogenic compounds; another contained eight anti-androgenic environmental chemicals and a third mixture contained estrogens, anti-androgens and paracetamol. All exposures were administered by oral gavage to time-mated Wistar dams rats (n = 16–20) throughout gestation and lactation. In the postnatal period, testicular histology was affected by the total mixture, and at the end of weaning, male testis weights were significantly increased by paracetamol and the high doses of the total and the anti-androgenic mixture, compared to controls. In all dose groups, epididymal sperm counts were reduced several months after end of exposure, i.e. at 10 months of age. Interestingly, the same pattern of effects was seen for paracetamol as for mixtures with diverse modes of action. Reduced sperm count was seen at a dose level reflecting human therapeutic exposure to paracetamol. Environmental chemical mixtures affected sperm count at the lowest mixture dose indicating an insufficient margin of safety for the most exposed humans. This causes concern for exposure of pregnant women to paracetamol as well as environmental endocrine disrupters.
Regulated Alternative Splicing of Drosophila Dscam2 Is Necessary for Attaining the Appropriate Number of Photoreceptor Synapses
Authors: Kerwin Sarah K , Li Joshua Shing Shun , Noakes Peter G , Shin Grace Ji-eun , Millard S Sean
Published: December 2017

How the brain makes trillions of synaptic connections using a genome of only 20,000 genes is a major question in modern neuroscience. Alternative splicing is one mechanism that can increase the number of proteins produced by each gene, but its role in regulating synapse formation is poorly understood. In Drosophila, photoreceptors form a synapse with multiple postsynaptic elements including lamina neurons L1 and L2. L1 and L2 express distinct isoforms of the homophilic repulsive protein Dscam2, and since these isoforms cannot bind to each other, cell-specific expression has been proposed to be necessary for preventing repulsive interactions that could disrupt the synapse. Here, we show that the number of synapses are reduced in flies that express only one isoform, and L1 and L2 dendritic morphology is perturbed. We propose that these defects result from inappropriate interactions between L1 and L2 dendrites. We conclude that regulated Dscam2 alternative splicing is necessary for the proper assembly of photoreceptor synapses.
СЕМАНТИКА ДИКОЙ ПРИРОДЫ В ТВОРЧЕСТВЕ Н. М. КАРАМЗИНА: БЫЛ ЛИ КАРАМЗИН РУССКИМ ГЕНРИ ТОРО
Authors: Снежко Юлия
Published: December 2017

В статье анализируется семантика дикой природы в творчестве Н. М. Карамзина. В работе выясняется и уточняется то, что понимал Карамзин под дикой природой – европейской и русской. В статье показывается, что отношение Карамзина к дикой природе было амбивалентным. Семантика дикости европейской и русской природы различна и обладает положительной или отрицательной валентностью. Различие объясняется особенностями эстетической оптики повествователя (эстетика живописного или возвышенного) и его повествовательной позиции (индивидуализированное отношение или государственная перспектива). Автор приходит к выводу, что отношение Карамзина к дикой природе в целом укладывается в рамки идеологии эпохи Просвещения.
ПАВЕЛ КУКОЛЬНИК И ВЛАДИМИР НАЗИМОВ
Authors: Лавринец Павел
Published: December 2017

В статье рассматривается десяток стихотворений П. В. Кукольника, посвященных членам семьи виленского генерал-губернатора в 1855–1863 гг. В. И. Назимову (включая воспитанницу и гувернанток), и обстоятельства их создания. Стихотворения, опубликованные в двух прижизненных сборниках стихов, и примыкающие к ним стихотворные и прозаические тексты в двуязычной газете «Виленский вестник = Kurjer Wileński» и другие материалы комментируются с привлечением свидетельств современников и мемуаристов. Политический и социокультурный контексты обнаруживают в адресованных генерал-губернатору и его окружению стихах не сервилистские дедикации, а свидетельства личной близости автора к семейству Назимовых и признаки сходства установок Кукольника и виленской культурной среды в отношении Назимова.
НЕЗАМЕЧЕННОСТЬ И ОБМАНУТОСТЬ: ДВЕ ГРАНИ ДРАМЫ МОЛОДОГО ПОКОЛЕНИЯ РЕВОЛЮЦИОННОЙ ЭПОХИ
Authors: Проскурина Елена
Published: December 2017

В статье обозначены подходы к осмыслению поколенческой драмы «молодых» авторов, чья юность выпала на революционную эпоху начала ХХ в. На основе анализа книги В. Варшавского «Незамеченное поколение», произведений Б. Поплавского, В. Итина, А. Платонова проводится положение о том, что два вектора судьбы революционного поколения: эмигрантский и внутрироссийский – сложились в единый поколенческий сюжет, в центре которого оказалась ситуация недовоплощенной, недожитой жизни. Но если драматическое разрешение судьбы молодого поколения первой эмиграции базируется на его «незамеченности», то драматизм судьбы молодых людей, принявших революцию и оставшихся на родине, определяется обманутостью их высоких надежд и стремлений. Сиитуация недовоплощенной судьбы молодого революционного поколения стала пророческой для судьбы самóй молодой советской страны, ради которой совершалась эта масштабная строительная жертва.
ЭЛЕМЕНТЫ БАРОККО В ПОЭТИКЕ ВИКТОРА ПЕЛЕВИНА
Authors: Ченис Томас
Published: December 2017

Статья является попыткой структурировать барочные элементы в творчестве Виктора Пелевина. В качестве рабочей гипотезы высказывается предположение, что Пелевин уходит от постулатов классического постмодернизма, пользуясь приемами и эстетикой барокко. На примере барочных элементов, фигурирующих в текстах автора, необарокко рассматривается в двух аспектах – как одна из составных частей постмодернизма, а также вне этого течения, когда некоторые элементы могут выходить за рамки постмодернизма как часть исторического барокко.
ОНТОЛОГИЧЕСКАЯ ПРОБЛЕМАТИКА ЦИКЛА МИНИАТЮР АРКАДИЯ БАБЧЕНКО «ДЕСЯТЬ СЕРИЙ О ВОЙНЕ»
Authors: Тетерина Елена
Published: December 2017

Статья посвящена рассмотрению онтологической проблематики как жанровой доминанты цикла миниатюр Аркадия Бабченко «Десять серий о войне». Его главным смыслообразующим фактором является мифологема дантова Чистилища, которая вводит произведение в область рефлексии мировой литературы о судьбе человека, его духовном состоянии и главных жизненных ценностях. В произведении Бабченко образ Чистилища имеет семантику катастрофического пространства, в котором, тем не менее,имеется шанс на духовное возрождение человека. Процесс созидания изуродованной войной души обозначен символикой Дома, Порога, Двери.
Probiotics for Diarrhea in Children
Authors: Mandal Anirban , Sahi Puneet Kaur
Published: December 2017

Diarrhea remains the second leading cause of death in children below 5 years of age; in addition it is also the reason for a considerable morbidity in children of all ages throughout the globe. Apart from oral rehydration solution, continued feeding, oral zinc and antibiotics for diarrhea of bacterial etiology, there have been no other proven measures for diarrheal illnesses in children. Probiotics are non-pathogenic live microorganisms. When ingested, probiotics can survive passage through the stomach and small bowel. Probiotics are supposed to have preventive as well as curative effects on several types of diarrhea of different etiologies.

Keywords: Gastroenteritis, Saccharomyces, Bifidobacterium, Functional food.
Henoch-Schonlein Purpura Successfully Treated with Dexamethasone: A Case Report of Six-Year-Old Female
Authors: Adhikari Purushottam
Published: December 2017

Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP) is one of the most common causes of small vessel vasculitis in children.  A six-year-old female presented with abdominal pain, swelling and rashes over both the legs associated with multiple episodes of vomiting for around ten days. Stool for the occult blood test was positive but there was an absence of hematuria and albuminuria. The case was diagnosed as HSP and treated with dexamethasone for ten days. The patient was finally discharged on the resolution of her symptoms.  Early diagnosis and treatment favor the better outcome in cases without any renal complications.

Keywords: Henoch-Schönlein Purpura, Vasculitis, Steroids, Dexamethasone.
Lebegtetett hordalékmérési módszerek összehasonlító vizsgálata balatoni részvízgyűjtőkön
Authors: Potyó I. , Kása I. , Farkas Cs. , Gelybó Gy. , Bakacsi Zs. , Dencső M. , Tóth E. , Horel Á.
Published: December 2017

The present study investigated the quantity of total suspended solids (TSS) in three small catchments and compared the data to turbidity measurements. The TSS data were based on filtration, drying and weight measurements, while the turbidity measurements were retrieved using a handheld device with a turbidity sensor. Water was collected daily at the catchment outlets from November 1, 2016 to May 31, 2017, representing the winter and spring seasons. The lowest quantity of TSS was detected at the catchment outlet of the Esztergályi Stream; however, there were two lakes close to the monitoring point where soil particles may have settled, possibly explaining the low TSS values. The Csorsza and Tetves streams had similar TSS values during winter, but in the spring samples the TSS values were approximately three times higher in the Csorsza Stream than in the Tetves Stream. The relationship between water discharge and TSS values was also investigated for the Tetves Stream, but no significant correlations were observed between them. The results suggested that the labour-intensive TSS measurements (e.g. filtration, soil weight measurements) could be replaced to a good approximation using the handheld device. The spatial heterogeneity within and between the catchments influences the amount of suspended sediment and hence the measurement accuracy. Therefore, the use of the handheld device should also be complemented with other methods, such as the filtration used in the present study, to attain more precise values.
A talaj kadmium szennyezettségének vizsgálata angolperje (Lolium perenne L.) bioteszttel
Authors: Mónok Dávid , Füleky György
Published: December 2017

Cadmium accumulation in soils causes ecological, biological and human health risks. Previous studies have shown that reductions in the shoot height and fresh biomass of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) are a sensitive indicator of the cadmium pollution level in soils.

Four soils with different types and properties were included in the experiment. In the first period of the biotest, 2 g cotton-wool pads moistened with distilled water were planted with 2 g of perennial ryegrass seeds and the seedlings were grown for 6 days. On the 7th day the cotton-wool pads containing the seedlings were placed on soils polluted with four levels of cadmium: 0, 1, 2 and 4 mg Cd kg−1 soil, added to the soil in the form of cadmium acetate. After a first nutrient-deficient period, the seedlings took up nutrients and toxic substances intensively from the soil samples. After a 14-day period of soil–plant contact the fresh biomass, dry biomass and Cd concentration of the shoots were measured, in addition to which the shoot height was measured every 2 days.

Cadmium treatment significantly reduced the shoot height and fresh weight of ryegrass in all the tested soils, and the damaging effect was proportional to the applied dose. A reduction of more than 10% in the shoot height and fresh weight were observed even at a Cd pollution level of 1 mg Cd kg−1 soil. At the highest Cd level the decrease in shoot height was more than 40% and the decrease in fresh weight more than 35% in all the soils.

The increasing level of Cd application significantly increased the Cd concentration of the shoots. More Cd was accumulated in ryegrass shoots on soils with low pH and low organic matter content.

The results indicate that the ryegrass biotest method is suitable for the characterization of Cd contamination in different soils.
Nitrogén, réz és molibdén kölcsönhatások repcére (Brassica napus L.)
Authors: Kádár Imre
Published: December 2017

Interactions between the elements N, Cu and Mo were studied on rape in 2000 in a field experiment set up on chernozem loam soil with lime deposits. The ploughed layer of the soil contained 3% humus, around 5% CaCO3 and around 20% clay. Soil analysis showed that the area was well supplied with Ca, Mg, K and Mn, had satisfactory Cu content, but was only poorly or moderately supplied with P and Zn. The groundwater depth was 13–15 m and the area was prone to drought. The experiment was originally set up in a split-plot design with 4N × 3Cu = 12 treatments in three replications, giving a total of 36 plots. The N rates, applied as calcium ammonium nitrate, were 0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha−1 and the Cu rates, in the form of CuSO4, were 0, 50 and 100 kg ha−1. In the 5th year of the experiment the 15 m long plots were halved and the two half-plots were separated by a 1 m path. The experiment thus became a strip-split-plot design, consisting of 4N×3Cu×2Mo = 24 treatments in three replications, giving a total of 72 plots. The 48 kg ha−1 Mo was applied in the form of (NH4)6Mo7O24·4H2O. The generative phases of flowering and ripening were characterized by drought and depression. The main results were as follows:

As a result of N fertilization, the seed yield fell from 2 t ha−1 to 0.8 t ha−1. However, the stem yield increased from 5 t ha−1 to 8 t ha−1 due to the more favourable N effects in the vegetative phase. As a result, the harvest index increased from 4.6 to 13.0.

Most of the element contents became concentrated and enriched in the plant parts. The concentrations of Na, Fe, Mn and Zn increased with the N supply, whereas that of Ba decreased in the straw at harvest. Both N and Cu addition stimulated the incorporation of Cu in the straw. The phenomenon of N×Mo synergy was observed. N and Mo became enriched in the stem in both the N and Mo treatments. This N×Mo interaction was also manifested in the seed.

Higher contents of N, P, Mg, Zn, Cu, Mo, Se and Co were recorded in the seed at harvest, exceeding the concentrations in the straw. A total of 206 kg N, 172 kg Ca, 142 kg K, 78 kg S, 39 kg P and 32 kg Mg was incorporated into the aboveground biomass of rapeseed, i.e. 10.4 t ha−1 air-dry matter. In the case of combine harvesting, if the by-products are ploughed into the soil, the quantity of nutrients leaving the field falls to a fraction.

Under the conditions of this experiment, 40 kg N, 5 kg Ca (7 kg CaO), 14 kg K (17 kg K2O), 10 kg S, 12 kg P (27 kg P2O5) and 5 kg Mg (8 kg MgO) was required for the production of 1 t rapeseed. These data could serve as a guideline for the extension service in establishing the nutritional needs of winter rapeseed.
Vermikomposztálás, mint a szennyvíziszap-komposztálás alternatív megoldása ─ Szemle ─
Authors: Draskovits Eszter , Németh-Borsányi Barbara , Rivier Pierre-Adrien , Szabó Anita
Published: December 2017

Agricultural utilisation is one of the most promising uses of sewage sludge in Hungary. Sewage sludge can be applied to agricultural fields in two ways: the injection of dewatered sewage sludge and the application of sewage sludge after composting. Vermicomposting is a special type of composting, where the organic residues are broken down by earthworms. The worms facilitate the decomposition process both by mixing the sludge and by physically degrading it. Earthworm species have various morphotypes requiring different habitats. Compost worms have great adaptability to extreme conditions and are capable of exploiting organic matter in a state of decomposition. Eisenia sp., Eudrilus eugeniae and Perionyx excavatus are important species for vermicomposting.

When examining the role and possibilities of vermicomposting, it is important to compare it with traditional composting methods.

The most important aspect of producing vermicompost is to ensure optimum environmental conditions for the earthworms, especially in terms of temperature, humidity and aeration, which requires constant attention.

An important feature of traditional composting is the thermophilic phase, during which the pathogenic organisms in sewage sludge are destroyed. The thermophilic phase is omitted during vermicomposting due to the thermal sensitivity of the earthworms, but the presence and activity of the earthworms results in similar sterility.

Regarding its nutrient content, vermicompost contains larger quantities of total and plant-available macroelements than conventional composts. A further advantage is the presence of the plant hormone agents excreted by earthworms.

From the environmental point of view, the ability of earthworms to accumulate heavy metals and the role of their special gut flora in the decomposition of organic pollutants could contribute to the wider use of vermicomposting to dispose of sewage sludge.

While vermicompost has many advantages, a number of obstacles need to be overcome before it can be routinely used in Hungary. Many landowners regard sewage sludge compost as hazardous waste that could contaminate their soil and crops rather than as a nutrient and soil amendment. Although numerous studies have been published on sewage sludge, the assessment of long-term effects, including the issues currently of most concern in Hungary, is still lacking.

Vermicomposting is therefore a promising, innovative technology for sewage sludge recycling. Sewage sludge and sewage sludge composts with pollutant contents greater than the limits laid down in Government Regulation 50/2001. (IV.3.) can be made suitable for agricultural use by vermicomposting.
Non-mainstream Languages and Speech Recognition
Authors: Precoda Kristen
Published: December 2017

Most languages of the world have not been the focus of a speech recognition development effort, and the choice of technical approaches best suited to a language can be substantially impacted by the cultural context surrounding it. As the technologist and the teacher of or expert in a non-mainstream language and its culture are typically not the same person, issues that are self-evident to one may come as a surprise to the other. The goal of this paper is to add one plank to the bridge between these two areas of expertise by highlighting some aspects of non-mainstream linguistic contexts that pose challenges to the usual model of speech recognition system development and by suggesting alternative ways to meet these challenges.
Distance Language Learning
Authors: Wang Yuping
Published: December 2017

This article provides a report on NetMeeting as an appropriate fourth-generation tool for interactive language learning in distance mode. It follows on earlier research by Wang and Sun (2000, 2001) on the most urgent problem facing distance language education--lack of provision of oral-visual interaction and the emergence of a fourth-generation distance language learning. The article proceeds through three cumulative parts. The first part is a definitional context of interaction and computer-mediated communication (CMC) as a framework for the article. The second part focuses on interaction as a core problem in the language learning literature and suggests a new taxonomy through CMC in terms of the potential for written, oral, and, more recently, oral-visual interaction. The third part, and the substance of the article, is an empirical investigation of Internet-based videoconferencing tools focusing on NetMeeting as the most appropriate one in terms of meeting criteria proposed for such tools.
Hebrewer
Authors: Foster James , Foster Harrell Lane , Raizen Esther
Published: December 2017

This paper reports on the grammatical and programmatical production aspects of the Hebrewer, a cross-platform web-based reference work in the form of a Hebrew inflection generator. The Hebrewer, a Java applet/servlet combination, is currently capable of generating 2,500 nouns in full declension and 500 verbs in full conjugation, displaying the results in vocalized Hebrew and allowing users to print the inflection charts.
Hebrew Online Module
Authors: Pintel Tomer , Raizen Esther , Shemer Yaron , Strassberg Efrat
Published: December 2017

The Hebrew Online Module is an authoring and evaluation tool designed for administrating online assignments in Hebrew and English. While similar commercial products are readily available, only a few accommodate right-to-left languages such as Hebrew or Arabic. The module, a standalone tool, complements the class environment by freeing class time and reducing investment in exercise/quiz preparation, grading, and score management. We outline here our considerations during the design and implementation phases; conceptual questions regarding the educational objectives of the module are beyond the scope of this paper.
Empirical Investigation of Whether Authentic Web Sites Facilitate Intermediate-level French Language Students' Ability To Learn Culture
Authors: Dubreil Sebastien , Herron Carol , Cole Steven
Published: December 2017

This investigation examined the effects of authentic Francophone web sites on cultural learning at the intermediate level. Fifty-four students "surfed" eight web sites. A pre-posttest design assessed long-term gains in culture and the learning of practices, products, and perspectives from exposure to a curriculum with Internet activities. Eight posttask tests measured the students' ability to retain information and to make inferences. A questionnaire assessed perceptions of learning. Results indicated a significant gain in cultural knowledge with posttest scores significantly higher than pretest scores. Students learned significantly more products than practices over the semester. On the short-answer and free-recall portions of the posttask tests, students' ability to make inferences or retain information did not improve significantly in either an advance organizer (AO) or a non-AO condition. The students believed that the web sites featured significantly more cultural products than practices. Results support using the Internet to teach culture and its potential to emphasize cultural products.
French in Cyberspace
Authors: Spodark Edwina
Published: December 2017

This article discusses the development of an online French language skills course, "French in Cyberspace," for undergraduates at Hollins University. It reviews the desirability and feasibility of conducting an online foreign language course for resident undergraduates as well as advocates a special niche in the instructional cycle that such a course might optimally occupy. The author also considers the "no significant difference" research that suggests that distance learning courses are equivalent to traditional face-to-face classes and concludes that the technoconstructivist advantages offered by an online French language skills course represent unique, important, and meaningful benefits for students seeking to improve their language skills. The course itself is described in detail and provides a potential blueprint for constructing and conducting an online French language skills course. The author furnishes a step-by-step account of all aspects of the online learning experience including student orientation to distance learning, suggested web resources that accommodate the various learning styles of the students, online activities that promote language skill development, and an evaluation rubric for the course.
Contextualized Computer-based L2 Prosody Training
Authors: Hardison Debra
Published: December 2017

Two types of contextualized input in prosody training were investigated for 28 advanced L2 speakers of English (L1 Chinese). Their oral presentations provided training materials. Native-speakers (NSs) of English provided global prosody ratings, and participants completed questionnaires on perceived training effectiveness. Two groups received training input using Anvil, a web-based annotation tool integrating the video of a speech event with visual displays of the pitch contour, and practiced with Real-Time Pitch (RTP) in Computerized Speech Lab including feedback from a NS. Two groups used only RTP to view their pitch contours and practiced with the same feedback. Within these pairs, one group received discourse-level input and the other individual sentences. Each group served as its own control in a time-series design. All had comparable levels of performance prior to training. Results indicated that although all groups improved as a result of training, discourse-level input produced better transfer to novel natural discourse. The presence of video was more helpful with discourse-level input than with individual sentences. Speech samples collected 1 week after training revealed sustained improvement. Questionnaire results support the use of computer-based tools and authentic speech samples. Findings strongly suggest that meaningful contextualized input is valuable in prosody training when the measurement is at the level of extended connected speech typical of natural discourse.
Connecting CALL Theory and Practice in Preservice Teacher Education and Beyond
Authors: Rilling Sarah , Dahlman Anne , Dodson Sarah , Boyles Claire , Pazvant Ozlem
Published: December 2017

This paper integrates the theory and practice of computer pedagogies in a variety of language courses, all stemming from participation in a graduate level course on computers in language teaching. First, the graduate level preservice CALL course is described, focusing on how connections between theory and practice were developed. Descriptions of how four participants from the course continued to apply theory in their practice of computer integration in four language courses follows. Each of these four courses demonstrates how computers can be integrated into language teaching to meet course and program goals. Drawing on task and computer pedagogy theories, the first two projects make use of the Internet to provide adult foreign language learners with authentic language input and interaction opportunities, one in a distance learning course in Finland and the other in a French as a foreign language course in the US. The final two projects ground practice on theories of English for specific purposes and computer pedagogies in adult courses in the US, the first a business English course integrating a computer simulation and the second a graduate electrical engineering writing course with materials developed using concordancing software and a specifically designed corpus of engineering texts.
Using German Web Sites to Teach Culture in German Courses
Authors: Hager Michael
Published: December 2017

Using the World Wide Web to teach foreign languages is ever increasing. In addition, the teaching of culture in foreign language instruction has become a standard element in most language classes. The combination of these two aspects leads to a dynamic approach for preparing students to compete in the global job market by making them more culturally competent. Moreover, this teaching technique provides students the opportunity to foster their skills at developing cultural hypotheses and at the same time confirming their validity through the use of web sites.
Introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: Thorne Steven , Payne J.
Published: December 2017

Inroduction to the special issue.
Synchronous CMC and Pragmatic Development
Authors: Sykes Julie
Published: December 2017

This study systematically examines the strength of the connection between synchronous CMC and pragmatic instruction by measuring the effects of three types of synchronous group discussion (written chat [WC], oral chat [OC], and traditional face-to-face [FF] discussion) on the acquisition of the speech act (refusals of an invitation) in the target language. Zhao (2003) notes that CMC research is limited in terms of investigating the effects these types of discussions have on other features of language development. Even so, the existing research indicates a positive connection between the use of written chat and oral production (e.g., Healy-Beauvois, 1997; Payne & Whitney, 2002). However, no other investigations specifically address the effects of CMC (written or oral) on pragmatic acquisition. In this study, two classes of third-semester Spanish students (N = 27) participated in small group discussions as well as pre and post role-play tasks that elicited the invitation refusal. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of these role plays illustrate that synchronous discussion type does have an effect on pragmatic development. The WC groups outperformed the others in terms of both complexity and variety of strategies used. A discussion of the results and implications for future research and pedagogy is included.
Using Computer-mediated Communication to Establish Social and Supportive Environments in Teacher Education
Authors: Arnold Nike , Ducate Lara , Lomicka Lara , Lord Gillian
Published: December 2017

This article examines social presence in virtual asynchronous learning communities among foreign language teachers. We present the findings of two studies investigating cross-institutional asynchronous forums created to engage participants in online dialogues regarding their foreign language teacher preparation experiences in and out of the classroom. Both studies took place during Fall 2003 and were conducted between first-time teacher/graduate students in four methodology courses at three large state universities. In the first study, students participated in weekly online exchanges in the form of dialogue journals for reflective teaching. In the second study, students were provided with specific topics to address using a discussion board, related both to theoretical language learning issues as well as pedagogical classroom-related concerns. The data analyzed here consist of the contributions and responses submitted by all participants on their respective online forums. We analyze these data qualitatively using Rourke, Anderson, Garrison, and Archer's (2001) framework in order to gain a better understanding of the element of social presence--specifically affective, interactive, and cohesive indicators as they occur during asynchronous online discussion. This study marks an important contribution to the literature as it examines how virtual discussion takes shape, how the notion of social presence is defined in these foreign language teacher communities, as well as the implications for language teacher education in computer-mediated communication.
Coconstructing Learning
Authors: Van Deusen-Scholl Nelleka , Frei Christina , Dixon Edward
Published: December 2017

Recent innovations in technology allow foreign language learners and their instructors to interact both inside and beyond the classroom using a variety of communicative tools. As a consequence, the classroom has been transformed into an extended learning environment which has had a profound effect on both student and teacher roles. However, the theoretical and pedagogical issues emerging from these new practices have not yet been thoroughly investigated. In an on-going collaborative research project, we seek to gain greater insights into the benefits of specific computer-mediated communication (CMC) activities and to examine the relationship between in-class, online, and out-of-class learning. In this paper, we propose the concept of spiraled interaction--the dynamic interplay of in-class activities that in part focus on meaning and focus on form and online collaborations that have as their primary goal student-constructed representations of knowledge. Our investigation initiates a general framework that combines technology-mediated pedagogy with different learning objectives at various levels of competency.
CMC Technologies for Teaching Foreign Languages
Authors: Lafford Peter , Lafford Barbara
Published: December 2017

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) technologies have begun to play an increasingly important role in the teaching of foreign/second (L2) languages. Its use in this context is supported by a growing body of CMC research that highlights the importance of the negotiation of meaning and computer-based interaction in the process of second language acquisition (SLA) (Chapelle, 1998; Payne & Whitney, 2002). Recent research has also pointed out the importance of situated cognition (Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989) and the use of task-based activities (Doughty & Long, 2003) to allow students to acquire language in meaningful contexts for specific purposes. In this paper, various CMC technologies will be described and critically evaluated for their possible applications in task-based foreign language learning activities. First, general issues of connectivity will be defined and discussed (e.g., wired, wireless, and infrared technologies; dial-up vs. broadband, etc.). Then various asynchronous and synchronous CMC technologies will be described and evaluated, pointing out their strengths and drawbacks for use in a L2 learning environment. The authors then compare and contrast the use of a task-based language-learning activity within wired versus wireless environments. The paper concludes with an overall discussion that focuses on the challenges facing the implementation of these technologies (e.g., accessibility, compatibility, financial considerations), some possible solutions to those problems, and some speculation about future uses of these technologies to enhance the L2 learning experience.
Submarines in the Silent World
Authors: Arnshav Mirja , McWilliams Anna
Published: December 2017

The wrecks of two Soviet submarines, the S7 and the SC-305, were discovered by private wreck-searching teams in 1998 and 2007 respectively. For more than half a century the whereabouts of the wrecks had remained a mystery. Drawing from the case of the two sunken Second World War submarines, this paper addresses the archaeological significance of moving-image documentation produced in non-archaeological contexts as a tool for interpreting the sites. What kind of research can archaeologists, denied direct access to a site, conduct through the use of film documentation gathered by nonarchaeologists? Is it possible to use films produced by divers or marine survey teams (non-archaeologists) to interpret underwater sites? Can film be considered an archaeological documentation method, and how can data gathered in this way be handled and interpreted? Moreover, how does the distance created though lack of physical contact with sites and the non-professional gathering of data affect the research and analysis? Our work indicates that using already existing film and photographic material, created for purposes other than archaeological documentation, can be a valuable source material for understanding past events as well as how archaeological sites are experienced today. We found that working with material created by non archaeologists had limitations, but it also opened up a whole new set of opportunities of viewing and understanding the sites.
Material Life Histories of the Missile Crisis (1962)
Authors: Gustafsson Anders , Iglesias Camargo Javier , Karlsson Håkan , Miranda González Gloria M.
Published: December 2017

This article presents new findings from a contemporary archaeology project that has been exploring the Missile Crisis (1962) and its material and immaterial remains in Cuba since 2005. The project is a cooperation between Swedish archaeologists and Cuban archaeologists, anthropologists and historians, and its primary aim is to complement the dominant narrative of the crisis with material and immaterial remains and memories in a way that approaches and explains the event “from below”. The current text focuses on the life histories of a Soviet nuclear missile hangar located at El Cacho, one of the former Soviet nuclear missile sites located in Los Palacios, and of the US Marston mats that can be found at a number of locations in farmsteads and villages surrounding the former missile sites in the Los Palacios and San Cristóbal areas. The life histories of these objects in western Cuba present the reader with new insights concerning the crisis that until now have been more or less concealed and unknown, contributing new complementary dimensions to the understanding of the Missile Crisis while also challenging the stereotypes constructing the dominant narrative.
Wonder of the Ruin
Authors: Cvijović Peter
Published: December 2017

The aesthetics of the abandoned synagogues are dynamic and interactive, being inextricably attached to how we encounter and sense their reality and materiality. This kind of affective and mercurial aesthetic experience of Poland’s deserted synagogues is being formed and transformed during our immediate encounters with material spaces and things. I argue that a re-enchantment of the synagogue takes place in the ruin, wherein non-human actors and activities (plants, animals, the weather, and so on) generate its wonderment, strangeness, and revived sacrality. I call this new form of the derelict synagogue a ruin temple – a space whose deeply flowing past and dynamism of decay and life create a present that allures and enchants, affording a mystical and sensuous immersion in its solitary realm of awe and wonder.
32 Eyes
Authors: Beck Anna S. , Sørensen Tim Flohr
Published: December 2017

The two photo essays that follow and the complementary 14 photographic narratives in the online gallery (available at https://www.equinoxpub.com/home/jca-4-1-online-gallery/) are compiled with the aim of reflecting on the various gazes that are part of the archaeology of the contemporary. The photo essays are based on different premises: while Anna Beck grounds her reflections on repeated explorations of Holmegaard Glassworks in the Summer and Autumn of 2016, Tim Sørensen's contribution is based on two strategically superficial visits to the locale. The 14 photographic narratives in the online gallery derive from a two-hour visit to Holmegaard in the beginning of November 2016.
INFLUENCE OF STRUCTURAL PARAMETERS OF LOW-CARBON STEEL ON ELECTRIC ARC BURNING
Authors: I. O. Vakulenko  , S. O. Plitchenko  , N. G. Murashova
Published: December 2017

Purpose. The article is aimed to evaluate the influence of structural parameters of low-carbon steel on arcing process. Methodology. The values of the micro- and substructure characteristics of the electrode wire metal were changed by varying the parameters of heat treatment and cold deformation by drawing. The degree of plastic deformation was obtained by drawing blanks from different initial diameter to final dimension of 1 mm. The thermal treatment was carried out in electric chamber furnace of the SNOL-1,6.2,5.1/11-IZ type. The temperature was measured by chromel-alumel thermocouple and the electromotive force was determined using the DC potentiometer. In order to obtain the substructure of different dispersion degree the steel (after quenching from temperatures and tempering at 650°C for 1 hour) was subjected to cold drawing to reduction 17 – 80%. To form structure with different ferrite grain size the steel after drawing was annealed at 680°C for 1 hour. The microstructure was examined under a light and electron transmission microscope UEMV-100K at the accelerating voltage 100 kV. The grain and subgrain sizes were evaluated using the methodologies of quantitative metallography. A welding converter of the PSG-500 type was used to study the arc welding process of direct and reverse polarities. Findings. The experimentally detected value of the welding current, which depends on the degree of deformation during wire drawing, under conditions of stable arc burning of direct polarity is about an order of magnitude lower than the calculated value. Similar difference was found for the arc of reverse polarity: the experimental value of the welding current is 5...6 times less than the calculated value. Dependence analysis shows that, regardless of the polarity of the welding arc, a good enough agreement between the calculated and experimental values of the welding current is limited to deformations of 60%. For deformation degrees of more than 60%, the differences are explained by qualitative changes in the dislocation cell structure. Originality. In the conditions of stable arcing of different polarity for the electrode of low-carbon steel, an extreme dependence of welding current on the degree of cold plastic deformation was observed. Practical value. Influence of ferrite grain size of electrode wire on the value of welding current is much greater than that from substructure presence.
ENHANCING THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF DIRECT CURRENT DRIVE BASED ON USE OF SUPERCONDENSER POWER STORAGE UNITS
Authors: А. M. Mukha  , М. О. Kostin  , О. Y. Kurylenko  , H. V. Tsyplia
Published: December 2017

Purpose.The scientific work is intended to analyse the expansion of the load range and the implementation of regeneration braking (RB) of the direct current drive by using the supercondenser power storage units. Methodology.To solve the problem, we use the methods of the electric drive theory, impulse electronics and the method of calculation of transient electromagnetic processes in linear electric circuits in the presence of super-condensers therein.  Findings.The stiffness of the mechanical and electromechanical characteristics of a series motor is significantly increased, which makes it possible to use a DC drive under load, much smaller than 15…20% of the nominal one. Numerical calculations of the operation process of the supercondenser power storage unit were fulfilled with a sharp decrease in the load of a traction electric motor of a direct current electric locomotive. The possibility of RB of the direct current drive with the series motor is substantiated. The equations of the process of charging and discharging of super-condenser storage unit in RB mode are solved. The authors examined the effect of capacitance on the nature of maintaining the excitation current of an electric motor in the mode of small loads.Originality.The paper developed theoretical approaches for the transformation of soft (mechanical and electromechanical) characteristics into hard ones of DC series motors. For the first time a new, combined method of the series motor RB is proposed and substantiated. Further development obtained the methods for evaluating the storage unit parameters, taking into account the criteria for reliable parallel operation of super-condensers with an electric motor field. Practical value.The proposed and substantiated transformation of soft characteristics into stiff ones allows us to use general-purpose electric drives with series motors and at low loads, and in traction electric drives - to reduce the intensity of electric stockwheel slipping. Thedevelopedmethodofsolvingtransitionalequationsmakesitpossibletotakeintoaccounttherandomnatureofthevoltagechangeonthemotorinsuper-condenserdrivechargeanddischargemodes. The proposed combined method makes it possible to carry out RB at low speeds of the motor armature as well, and thus to increase energy efficiency of operation of electric drives of this type.
Implementation of Leader-Follower Formation Control of a Team of Nonholonomic Mobile Robots
Authors: Widyotriatmo Augie , Joelianto Endra , Prasdianto Agung , Bahtiar Hafidz , Nazaruddin Yul Yunazwin
Published: December 2017

A control method for a team of multiple mobile robots performing leader-follower formation by implementing computing, communication, and control technol-ogy is considered. The strategy expands the role of global coordinator system andcontrollers of multiple robots system. The global coordinator system creates no-collision trajectories of the virtual leader which is the virtual leader for all vehicles,sub-virtual leaders which are the virtual leader for pertinent followers, and virtualfollowers. The global coordinator system also implements role assignment algorithmto allocate the role of mobile robots in the formation. The controllers of the individualmobile robots have a task to track the assigned trajectories and also to avoid collisionamong the mobile robots using the artificial potential field algorithm. The proposedmethod is tested by experiments of three mobile robots performing leader-followerformation with the shape of a triangle. The experimental results show the robustnessof formation of mobile robots even if the leader is manually moved to the arbitrarylocation, and so that the role of a leader is taken by the nearest mobile robot to thevirtual leader.
Interval Certitude Rule Base Inference Method using the Evidential Reasoning
Authors: Jin Liuqian , Fang Xin
Published: December 2017

Development of rule-based systems is an important research area for artificialintelligence and decision making, as rule base is one of the most general purposeforms for expressing human knowledge. In this paper, a new rule-based representationand its inference method based on evidential reasoning are presented based on operationalresearch and fuzzy set theory. In this rule base, the uncertainties of humanknowledge and human judgment are designed with interval certitude degrees whichare embedded in the antecedent terms and consequent terms. The knowledge representationand inference framework offer an improvement of the recently developed rulebase inference method, and the evidential reasoning approach is still applied to therule fusion. It is noteworthy that the uncertainties will be defined and modeled usinginterval certitude degrees. In the end, an illustrative example is provided to illustratethe proposed knowledge representation and inference method as well as demonstrateits effectiveness by comparing with some existing approaches.
Using Blockchain to Protect Personal Privacy in the Scenario of Online Taxi-hailing
Authors: Zhang Ning , Zhong Shan , Tian Li
Published: December 2017

Personal privacy protection issues has gradually caused widespread concernin society which will lead to economic and reputation losses, hinder networkand E-commerce innovation or some other consequences if not handled properly. Inthis paper, we make use of the de-centralization, permanent and audibility of theblockchain to propose a blockchain-based personal privacy protection mechanism,which uses Online taxi-hailing as the application scenario. We not only provide thedetails of the blockchain custom transaction domain used by the scene, but alsoexpound the information exchanging and blockchain auditing between passengers,Online taxi-hailing platform and drivers in Online taxi-hailing scene, providing acase model for the blockchain solution to personal privacy protection and a technicalmechanism solution for further study of personal privacy protection issues.
SHRP - Secure Hybrid Routing Protocol over Hierarchical Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Muthusenthil Balaubramanian , Kim Hyunsung
Published: December 2017

A data collection via secure routing in wireless sensor networks (WSNs)has given attention to one of security issues. WSNs pose unique security challengesdue to their inherent limitations in communication and computing, which makes vulnerableto various attacks. Thus, how to gather data securely and efficiently based onrouting protocol is an important issue of WSNs. In this paper, we propose a securehybrid routing protocol, denoted by SHRP, which combines the geographic basedscheme and hierarchical scheme. First of all, SHRP differentiates sensor nodes intotwo categories, nodes with GPS (NG) and nodes with antennas (NA), to put differentroles. After proposing a new clustering scheme, which uses a new weight factor toselect cluster head efficiently by using energy level, center weight and mobility afterforming cluster, we propose routing scheme based on greedy forwarding. The packetsin SHRP are protected based on symmetric and asymmetric cryptosystem, which providesconfidentiality, integrity and authenticity. The performance analyses are doneby using NS2 and show that SHRP could get better results of packet loss rate, deliveryratio, end to end delay and network lifetime compared to the well known previousschemes.