An Online Learning Platform for English as a second language for young deaf Indian Sign Language users: usage patterns and user engagement

This study examines the learning of written English as a second language by young deaf Indian adults on an English Learning Platform. The overriding concern in deaf education has always, of necessity, been basic literacy (Carlson, 1996; Wilbur, 2000). In this study, deaf students in India have been taught by a classroom teacher and use an online learning environment for further instruction and reinforcement. The advent of computer-mediated learning in the last ten years has led to the central function and role of computers as learning aids and this type of learning has garnered a substantial amount of interest. This research investigates the use of an English Learning Platform (ELP3) as a provision that facilitates and enhances learning for sign language users learning English as a second language (L2) through the signed and the written mediums (Pandian, 2006). Use of an ELP3 environment is complicated by the fact that sign languages rely on faceto-face communication (Johnson & Johnson, 1986), so it is necessary to ascertain whether the lack of face-to-face visual attention and cues in the ELP3 affects learning abilities. Studies of L2 classroom interaction suggest that co-operative and comprehensible interactions facilitate L2 learning (Kitade, 2000). A statistical study of event log data drawn from the ELP3 and a questionnaire is used here to generate an understanding of how the online platform is used by a group of deaf learners and indicates that they generally like the ELP3 with some preference for certain features. Results of the study demonstrate that the frequency of access to the platform decreased through the duration of the research and the findings indicate a clear preference for signed explanations of topics. In addition, focus group interviews serve to determine deaf students‟ views of using the ELP3 and suggest that the group consider the ELP3 to be a favourable route to learning English alongside classroom tuition in a blended learning approach. The ELP3 offers potential benefits for L2 learning because it provides a broad range of interactions, involving different levels of proficiency, and these and other issues are considered at length in this thesis

Book review: The thrips of Central and South America: an introduction (Insecta: Thysanoptera) (Laurence A. Mound and Rita Marullo)

Mound and Marullo's aim in producing this book initially was to be an introduction to the Thysanoptera of Costa Rica. The extensive distribution of these small insects caused the authors to extend the geographical area covered and review the Neotropical thrips fauna at family and genus level as there are no available comprehensive publications. The family classification for the suborder Terebrantia is that adapted by Mound, Heming and Palmer (1980). The suborder Tubulifera is exceptionally difficult, and all authors are not in agreement in their respective classifications. Gauld and Mound (1982), Crespi (1993), and Mound and Cresi (1994) are followed here. All areas reported on are not equally known, and faunal comparisons are not given. Some of the more serious pests are listed, and flight, dispersal, and seasonal wind systems are discussed. Sex ratios and polymorphism, life cycles, body structures, phylogeny, family classification, habitat association, and collecting, as well as microscope slide preparation, are included in the introduction

Phytoseiid mites of Colombia (Acarina: Phytoseiidae).

This is the second report of the phytoseiids of Colombia. A new genus and species, Quadromalus colombiensis and Euseius ricinus n.sp. are described, bringing the total to 17 species of phytoseiids for Colombia

The physicochemical characterisation of pepsin degraded pig gastric mucin

Mucins are the main macromolecular components of the mucus secretions that cover the oral cavity, gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts of animals. The properties of the mucus secretions are therefore directly correlated with the physicochemical properties of mucin glycoproteins. In this study, mucins were obtained from pig gastric mucous after digestion with pepsin at 37 ⁰C for 4 hours, these mucins were characterised in terms of compositional and hydrodynamic properties. Compositional analysis showed that this mucin contains protein (15%), carbohydrates (55%) of which the constituents are: fucose (4%), galactose (9%), glucosamine (55%), glucosamine (33%) and sialic acid (2%). The latter component gives the mucin polymer a pH-dependant negative charge, with a -potential of -3 mV at pH 1.2 up to -11 mV at pH 7.4. The weight average molar mass was ~1 x 106 g/mol and intrinsic viscosity was ~0.42 dL/g although there was a small pH dependency due to the polyelectrolyte behaviour of the polymer. The measurements of viscosity versus shear rate showed shear thinning behaviour and the critical overlap concentration was determined to be 10-11% w/v indicating a compact structure. Knowledge of these properties is fundamental to the understanding interactions of mucins, with for example, novel drug delivery systems

Narrative skills in deaf children who use spoken English: Dissociations between macro and microstructural devices

Previous research has highlighted that deaf children acquiring spoken English have difficulties in narrative development relative to their hearing peers both in terms of macro-structure and with micro-structural devices. The majority of previous research focused on narrative tasks designed for hearing children that depend on good receptive language skills. The current study compared narratives of 6 to 11-year-old deaf children who use spoken English (N = 59) with matched for age and non-verbal intelligence hearing peers. To examine the role of general language abilities, single word vocabulary was also assessed. Narratives were elicited by the retelling of a story presented non-verbally in video format. Results showed that deaf and hearing children had equivalent macro-structure skills, but the deaf group showed poorer performance on micro-structural components. Furthermore, the deaf group gave less detailed responses to inferencing probe questions indicating poorer understanding of the story’s underlying message. For deaf children, micro-level devices most strongly correlated with the vocabulary measure. These findings suggest that deaf children, despite spoken language delays, are able to convey the main elements of content and structure in narrative but have greater difficulty in using grammatical devices more dependent on finer linguistic and pragmatic skills

A new liver perfusion and preservation system for transplantation Research in large animals

A kidney perfusion machine, model MOX-100 (Waters Instruments, Ltd, Rochester, MN) was modified to allow continuous perfusion of the portal vein and pulsatile perfusion of the hepatic artery of the liver. Additional apparatus consists of a cooling system, a membrane oxygenator, a filter for foreign bodies, and bubble traps. This system not only allows hypothermic perfusion preservation of the liver graft, but furthermore enables investigation of ex vivo simulation of various circulatory circumstances in which physiological perfusion of the liver is studied. We have used this system to evaluate the viability of liver allografts preserved by cold storage. The liver was placed on the perfusion system and perfused with blood with a hematocrit of approximately 20% and maintained at 37°C for 3 h. The flows of the hepatic artery and portal vein were adjusted to 0.33 mL and 0.67 mL/g of liver tissue, respectively. Parameters of viability consisted of hourly bile output, oxygen consumption, liver enzymes, electrolytes, vascular resistance, and liver histology. This method of liver assessment in large animals will allow the objective evaluation of organ viability for transplantation and thereby improve the outcome of organ transplantation. Furthermore, this pump enables investigation into the pathophysiology of liver ischemia and preservation. © 1990 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted

New biphenyl iminium salt catalysts for highly enantioselective asymmetric epoxidation: role of additional substitution and dihedral angle

New biaryl iminium salt catalysts for enantioselective alkene epoxidation containing additional substitution in the heterocyclic ring are reported. The effects upon conformation and enantioselectivity of this additional substitution, and the influence of dihedral angle in these systems, has been investigated using a synthetic approach supported by density functional theory. Enantioselectivities of up to 97% ee were observed