An improved method for estimating the neutron background in measurements of neutron capture reactions

The relation between the neutron background in neutron capture measurements and the neutron sensitivity related to the experimental setup is examined. It is pointed out that a proper estimate of the neutron background may only be obtained by means of dedicated simulations taking into account the full framework of the neutron-induced reactions and their complete temporal evolution. No other presently available method seems to provide reliable results, in particular under the capture resonances. An improved neutron background estimation technique is proposed, the main improvement regarding the treatment of the neutron sensitivity, taking into account the temporal evolution of the neutron-induced reactions. The technique is complemented by an advanced data analysis procedure based on relativistic kinematics of neutron scattering. The analysis procedure allows for the calculation of the neutron background in capture measurements, without requiring the time-consuming simulations to be adapted to each particular sample. A suggestion is made on how to improve the neutron background estimates if neutron background simulations are not available.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figure

NASTAVNE METODE U STRANOM JEZIKU KOJE ODRASLI POLAZNICI NE VOLE

Adults are demanding foreign language learners. My sample in the questionnaire consisted of 20 adult learners of German language in the hotel and tourism industry - false beginners and intermediate level learners. The questionnaire they were asked to fill in consisted of twelve questions asking the learners to admit to the teaching methods they dislike in learning German or would like to eliminate from the process in general. First of all they expect their learning to be an almost stress-free activity. In order to achieve that, as much as possible should be learnt in the classroom because they have difficulties reconciling home study with other duties. In the textbooks they need some instruction and equivalents in their native language to feel secure. Roleplays and listening to native speakers talking rapidly stresses them most. On the contrary, videotapes make them relaxed. Certainly there are some other things adult learners might dislike and it is very useful for the teacher to ask them about these things. The more you know about learners’ likes and dislikes, the more fulfilling and successful the process of acquiring foreign language skills will be.Odrasli su zahtjevna skupina za učenje stranog jezika. Moj uzorak u upitniku je sačinjavalo 20 odraslih učenika njemačkog jezika u hotelijerstvu i turizmu - lažni početnici i učenici na srednjem stupnju. Upitnik koji su morali ispuniti sastojao se od dvanaest pitanja obzirom na metode podučavanja njemačkog jezika koje im se ne sviđaju ili koje bi najradije eliminirali iz procesa poučavanja. Oni prvenstveno očekuju da učenje bude aktivnost oslobođena stresa. Da bi se to postiglo, najveći dio materijala se mora savladati u razredu, jer im je teško uskladiti obaveze kod kuće s onima na poslu i s učenjem. U udžbenicima neke informacije ipak trebaju biti na materinjem jeziku što studentu daje izvjesni osjećaj sigurnosti. Igre po ulogama i ponavljanje materijala s audio kazete su za ovu skupinu učenika veoma stresni. Gledanje video kazeta ih, naprotiv, relaksira. Sigurno još ima i drugih stvari koje odrasli učenici ne vole i vrlo ih je korisno o tome pitati. Što više znamo o sklonostima i nesklonostima učenika, tim uspješniji će biti proces poučavanja i usvajanja vještina na stranom jeziku

Jezične ideologije u poučavanju engleskog jezika

Ideologies can be defined as systems of common-sensical ideas and beliefs. They become common sense by being reproduced by institutions. The aim of this study is to identify and examine language ideologies found in English classrooms in Croatia, focusing particularly on the influence teachers have had on their students’ later attitudes to the foreign language. The method that has been used to gain the data is the semi-structured interview. The participants’ responses show that they have encountered and adopted three major types of language ideologies. The first is the ideology of the standard language. The participants find the standard to be a more prestigious variety. The second ideology is the ideology of the native speaker, which is reflected in the participants’ view of the native speaker as an authority on language. The third group of ideologies on which the participants’ answers have been collected are different ideologies concerning code-switching. The participants mostly favour the ideologies of monoglossia and monolingualism, that is, the exclusive use of English in the classroom. Moreover, they believe that their former teachers’ attitudes, that is, displays of language ideologies, are pedagogically justified because they facilitate language progress

Process in contemporary visual art as a paradigm shift in the visual art education: perspective of creativity

The authors discuss contemporary visual art, its creation processes and their implementation in art education in primary and secondary/grammar school. Changing the paradigm of studying from “fine to visual arts” within art education is a process itself. Visual art, which involves a participatory and new media art, is also concerned with processes that establish unique relationships between subjects and their effect on the real life of the participants or audience. It is no longer enough to deal with aesthetic concepts, but it is necessary to use art forms to create everyday life, and deal with ethical concepts. Transferring these processes into education connects students’ creative activities and their everyday life context, so that they can learn how to create social and personal relationships by using images. Experimental research in grammar school affirms the importance of teaching topics as are socially and politically engaged art or artistic activism, mediated by new media. Action research in elementary school affirms proposed style of art education as an acceptable way of transferring the way of thinking from visual art, especially a participatory and new media art, to the process of education as a discovering problems in society and offering solutions represented by visual forms

Mehanizmi neuroplastičnosti u patofiziologiji kronične boli

Chronic pain is a widespread healthcare problem with great impact on mental health, professional and family life of the patient. It can be a consequence of many disorders; however, its pathogenesis has not yet been fully understood. Neuroplasticity is the ability of the nervous system to adapt to different changes and it is present throughout life, not only in prenatal period, infancy and childhood. However, in the pathophysiology of chronic pain, neuroplasticity shows its “dark side”. Due to the central sensitization process, noxious stimuli can produce chronic pain or misinterpretation of non-noxious stimuli (secondary hyperalgesia and allodynia). These changes occur at the level of brain cortex as well at peripheral nerves and receptors. This review summarizes a significant portion of literature dealing with neuroplasticity processes in well known chronic pain conditions such as migraine, chronic posttraumatic headache, low back pain, fibromyalgia, and others. The relevance of this topic lies in providing a new insight in the pathophysiology of chronic pain, while also offering a possibility of new therapeutic approaches including not only pharmacological agents.Kronična bol je rašireni zdravstveni problem s velikim utjecajem na mentalno zdravlje, profesionalni i obiteljski život bolesnika. Ona može biti posljedica mnogih bolesti, ali njezina patogeneza još nije u potpunosti razjašnjena. Neuroplastičnost je sposobnost živčanog sustava da se prilagodi različitim promjenama i prisutna je tijekom cijeloga života, a ne samo u prenatalnom i dojenačkom razdoblju i djetinjstvu. Međutim, u patofiziologiji kronične boli neuroplastičnost pokazuje svoju „tamnu stranu“. Uslijed procesa središnje senzitizacije štetni podražaji uzrokuju kroničnu bol, a neštetni podražaji se tumače kao bolni (sekundarna hiperalgezija i alodinija). Ove promjene mogu se događati na razini moždane kore, ali i na razini perifernih živaca i receptora. Ovaj pregledni članak obuhvaća značajan dio literature u kojoj su prikazana istraživanja koja su se bavila procesima neuroplastičnosti u čestim kroničnim bolnim stanjima poput migrene, kronične posttraumatske glavobolje, križobolje, fibromijalgije i drugima. Značenje ove tematike je u novom pristupu patofiziologiji kronične boli, odnosno u mogućnosti pronalaženja novih terapijskih opcija u liječenju kronične boli koje ne moraju sadržavati samo farmakološka sredstva