Image Slicer Performances from a Demonstrator for the SNAP/JDEM Mission - Part I: Wavelength Accuracy

A well-adapted visible and infrared spectrograph has been developed for the SNAP (SuperNova/Acceleration Probe) experiment proposed for JDEM. The instrument should have a high sensitivity to see faint supernovae but also a good redshift determination better than 0.003(1+z) and a precise spectrophotometry (2%). An instrument based on an integral field method with the powerful concept of imager slicing has been designed. A large prototyping effort has been performed in France which validates the concept. In particular a demonstrator reproducing the full optical configuration has been built and tested to prove the optical performances both in the visible and in the near infrared range. This paper is the first of two papers. The present paper focus on the wavelength measurement while the second one will present the spectrophotometric performances. We adress here the spectral accuracy expected both in the visible and in the near infrared range in such configuration and we demonstrate, in particular, that the image slicer enhances the instrumental performances in the spectral measurement precision by removing the slit effect. This work is supported in France by CNRS/INSU/IN2P3 and by the French spatial agency (CNES) and in US by the University of California.Comment: Submitted to PAS

Increasing trust through the design of algorithm-based lesion segmentation support systems

The adoption rate of algorithm-based lesion segmentation support systems in clinical practice is very low. This is partly due to low trust levels radiologists have in such systems. To increase the trust, the design and validation of the support tools must comply with the needs and expectations of radiologists. We interviewed four clinicians who work with brain images on a daily basis to understand the needs, current methods and practices of image interpretation, and their opinion of automatic brain lesion segmentation tools. In the interviews, we identified the necessity to state the error of the automated decision support tool and its clinical relevance in a given context

SITUATIONAL FACTORS: BASES FOR IMPROVING THE ATTITUDE AND MOTIVATION OF ESL LEARNERS’ SPEAKING SKILLS IN THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND LETTERS

This paper highlights the importance of enhancing the speaking skills among ESL freshmen in the College of Arts and Letters of Bulacan State University. The respondents in this study were Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication Major in Broadcasting Sections A to D. Although this course requires oral communication proficiency for global competitiveness, only a few students participate actively in classroom discussions. Many of them lag behind in terms of speaking skills. The ability to speak English has become the norm in the country and around the world. Graduates who possess such a skill can have better opportunities locally or internationally compared with those who cannot speak fluently. Hence, the researchers looked into the role of attitude and motivation in enhancing speaking skills among the respondents in terms of the following: demographics, the attitude of students toward English, situational factors affecting the attitude of students toward English, the motivation of students in learning English, and students’ beliefs about learning English. The research instrument was administered to the respondents via Google Forms. The 32-item questionnaire was designed to determine the attitudes and motivation of ESL students toward learning English. Each of the respondents was scored from 1-5 on a Likert Scale. Through the use of the Pearson Correlation Coefficient, Fisher Z-test, and P-Value in testing the hypotheses, data were analyzed and interpreted. The Likert Scales show the participants had an incredibly positive attitude and behavior toward English in general. Among all motivation items, the top factors affecting students to learn more in English are the Student’s Practical Purpose, Correction of the Teacher during Class, Communication Focused Class Activities, and Positive Atmosphere during class. Based on the findings of the study, language teachers should take advantage of motivation to foster a positive attitude among the students when it comes to speaking skills through the use of authentic materials such as audio, video, printed, and softcopies. Factors such as activities, environment, and teachers’ attitudes should be the point of reference in determining which learning materials work best in enhancing the speaking skills of the students.  Article visualizations

Spin-to-Orbital Angular Momentum Conversion in Semiconductor Microcavities

We experimentally demonstrate a technique for the generation of optical beams carrying orbital angular momentum using a planar semiconductor microcavity. Despite being isotropic systems, the transverse electric - transverse magnetic (TE-TM) polarization splitting featured by semiconductor microcavities allows for the conversion of the circular polarization of an incoming laser beam into the orbital angular momentum of the transmitted light field. The process implies the formation of topological entities, a pair of optical half-vortices, in the intracavity field

How and why pet cats are fed the way they are:a self-reported owner survey

OBJECTIVES: This study used an owner-directed online questionnaire to collect data regarding their food and water provision for their pet cats. The survey was conducted in 2019.METHODS: The anonymous online 30-question survey was available via vetprofessionals.com.RESULTS: A total of 1172 cat owners fully completed the questionnaire. The respondents each owned a median of two cats (range 1-6). They reported being most strongly motivated to feed a particular ration because of palatability, observed and/or expected health benefits, or that the diet was/is perceived as 'natural'. The majority of owners (n = 946, 80.7%) fed their cats exclusively a commercially purchased complete wet food, dry kibble diet or mixture of both. Compared with a previous (unpublished) survey conducted by the same authors in 2013,1 there were substantial increases in the number of owners feeding therapeutic diets (26.6% vs 0.7%) and the inclusion of raw meat in cats' rations (15.6% vs 3.7%). The proportion of respondents providing at least one feeding station per cat was 83.1%, with significant use of enrichment feeding methods (29.1%).CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Veterinarians need to be aware of changing trends in cat feeding to provide owners with appropriate support. Veterinary advice was frequently sought by owners and can be used as an opportunity to improve cat health and welfare, particularly in multi-cat households, but was not often influential to client decision making.</p

Bonding mechanism and magnetic ordering in Laves phase λ1−MgCo2 intermetallic compound from theoretical and experimental studies

publishedVersio

Factors affecting farmers’ adoption of natural farming technologies in New Albay, Maragusan, Compostela Valley, Philippines

In the Philippines, the sustainability of natural resources and the profitability of farming has become a major concern for smallholder farmers. To address these concerns, government agencies and the private sector are delivering workshops on natural farming technologies to farmers. Training includes the preparation of different concoctions such as indigenous micro-organisms (IMO), fermented fruit juice (FFJ) and fermented plant juice (FPJ), fish amino acid (FAA), oriental herbal juice (OHN) and calcium phosphate (Caphos). Other natural farm technologies include vermiculture. The products from the training are applied to the farmer’s own farms with any surplus products sold to other farmers. In Maragusan, Compostela Valley, Philippines, a group of smallholder farmers have successfully produced organic fertilizers as a result of the training provided to them. Initially, while training was provided to the group to facilitate the marketing of the fresh vegetable crops they produced, the skills learnt were readily transferable. This study discusses the development of the New Albay cluster and factors leading to its decline as a marketing cluster. This study will also explore the costs and returns associated with the application of organic fertilizer to vegetable crops in comparison to conventional farming practices. Results show that the cost of production arising from the use of natural farming technologies is lower than conventional farming