The benefits of being bilingual: Working memory in bilingual Turkish–Dutch children

AbstractWhether bilingual children outperform monolingual children on visuospatial and verbal working memory tests was investigated. In addition, relations among bilingual proficiency, language use at home, and working memory were explored. The bilingual Turkish–Dutch children (n=68) in this study were raised in families with lower socioeconomic status (SES) and had smaller Dutch vocabularies than Dutch monolingual controls (n=52). Having these characteristics, they are part of an under-researched bilingual population. It was found that the bilingual Turkish–Dutch children showed cognitive gains in visuospatial and verbal working memory tests when SES and vocabulary were controlled, in particular on tests that require processing and not merely storage. These findings converge with recent studies that have revealed bilingual cognitive advantages beyond inhibition, and they support the hypothesis that experience with dual language management influences the central executive control system that regulates processing across a wide range of task demands. Furthermore, the results show that bilingual cognitive advantages are found in socioeconomically disadvantaged bilingual populations and suggest that benefits to executive control are moderated by bilingual proficiency

Demonstration of acoustic waveguiding and tight bending in phononic crystals

Citation: Baboly, M. G., Raza, A., Brady, J., Reinke, C. M., Leseman, Z. C., & El-Kady, I. (2016). Demonstration of acoustic waveguiding and tight bending in phononic crystals. Applied Physics Letters, 109(18), 4. doi:10.1063/1.4966463The systematic design, fabrication, and characterization of an isolated, single-mode, 90 degrees bend phononic crystal (PnC) waveguide are presented. A PnC consisting of a 2D square array of circular air holes in an aluminum substrate is used, and waveguides are created by introducing a line defect in the PnC lattice. A high transmission coefficient is observed (-1 dB) for the straight sections of the waveguide, and an overall 2.3 dB transmission loss is observed (a transmission coefficient of 76%) for the 90 degrees bend. Further optimization of the structure may yield higher transmission efficiencies. This manuscript shows the complete design process for an engineered 90 degrees bend PnC waveguide from inception to experimental demonstration. Published by AIP Publishing

Early interventions tackling inequalities experienced by immigrant, low-income, and Roma children in 8 European countries: a critical overview

We analysed effective and promising interventions, within the classroom and school microsystems, aiming to promote equality and belongingness for immigrant, Roma, and low-income children attending early childhood education and care (ECEC) and primary education in eight European countries. Over 500 interventions were identified, and 78 interventions were analysed. We found that while 79% of the interventions provided some type of language support, only 32% considered children’s heritage language. Importantly, around 22% of the interventions targeted ECEC settings specifically, with most ECEC interventions implemented at the national level, taking place in the classroom and implemented by classroom teachers, and involving language support and family involvement activities. Language support seems to be widespread, recognising the foundational nature of language for learning, communication, and belongingness. However, comprehensive intercultural policies that explicitly support culture maintenance, communication, and positive contact may be valuable in guiding future developments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

IMECE2010 -39005 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF A PHONONIC CRYSTAL AT GIGAHERTZ FREQUENCIES

ABSTRACT In this paper, the vibrational behavior of a phononic crystal is studied at gigahertz frequencies. The phononic crystal is comprised of a silicon slab with tungsten inclusions filtering out waves within the frequency range of 0.7 GHz to 1.1 GHz. Two-dimensional harmonic finite element analysis (FEA) is employed to model the transmission of stresswaves launched from a transmitter and passing through the crystal. The numerical results are compared with another prevalent numerical method, finite difference time domain (FDTD), as well as with experimental results. Comparisons made between the numerical approaches and experimental approach, show that the harmonic finite element analysis agrees well with experiment and potentially can explain the experimental results more precisely than FDTD. This more favorable comparison is attributed to a resonance that occurs between the transmitter and the phononic crystal. INTRODUCTION Phononic Crystals (PnCs) are novel materials comprised of a periodic structure of inclusions in a matrix. This periodic arrangement creates bandgaps in the elastic wave response of the PnC [1 -3]. During the last decade, PnCs have attracted much attention due to their promising applications in filtering elastic waves and as waveguides [4 -8]. To understand the nature of PnCs, many researchers have studied the band gap and its dependence on different parameters such as arrangement of inclusions and their dimension

Управління загрозами фінансовій безпеці підприємства

Розроблено блок-схему алгоритму управління загрозами фінансовій безпеці підприємства; виділено основні етапи здійснення цього процесу: оцінювання, аналіз та управління. Визначено сутність, зміст, переваги та недоліки застосування методів оцінювання загроз фінансовій безпеці в системі фінансового менеджменту підприємства. Ключові слова: підприємство, фінансова безпека, загрози, оцінювання, аналіз, управління.Составлена блок-схема алгоритма управления угрозами финансовой безопасности предприятия. Выделены основные этапы осуществления данного процесса: оценивание, анализ и управление. Определены сущность, содержание, преимущества и недостатки методов оценивания угроз финансовой безопасности в системе финансового менеджмента предприятия. Ключевые слова: предприятие, финансовая безопасность, угрозы, оценивание, анализ, управление.Enterprise financial security threats management main terms essence and contents were defined on the basis of financial and economic literature analysis and generalization: enterprise financial security threats management is a multistage process, which includes evaluation, management and analysis of enterprise financial security threats management; evaluation of enterprise financial security threats is a process of identification of threats influence on enterprise financial security; analysis of enterprise financial security threats is a process of threats identification, which influence on enterprise financial security. It is established that the majority of modern domestic and foreign scientists consider two groups of enterprise financial security threats estimation: qualitative or subjective (expert, probabilistic (concerning loss, favorable possibilities), consequences analysis) and quantitative or objective (statistical, analytical, rating, expense expediency, analogues, decision tree, normative). Comparative analysis of qualitative and quantitative enterprise financial security threats estimation enables to detect that use either of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some methods require using the considerable mass data and at the same time leave out of the account the time factor; others are insufficiently developed for using in the domestic economic conditions. Therefore the choice of the method is made only owing to the purpose of the enterprise financial security threats estimation. It is proved that the methods of the enterprise financial security threats management could be divided into three groups: reduction, maintenance and transmission. Reduction of enterprise financial security threats level provides preventive management and logistical measures implementation as to unfavorable events in financial and economic activities prevention or negative consequences liquidation. As measures, implemented for enterprise financial security threats level maintaining, could be referred the following: getting loans on compensation for losses, which enterprise got as a result of unforeseen, unfavorable events in its financial and economic activities, resumption of output production (goods, works, services) with the help of finance and credit establishments activities, government grants etc. Keywords: enterprise, financial security, threats, evaluation, analysis, management

Diesel Engine Exhaust Initiates a Sequence of Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Effects in Rats

This study was designed to determine the sequence of events leading to cardiopulmonary effects following acute inhalation of diesel engine exhaust in rats. Rats were exposed for 2 h to diesel engine exhaust (1.9 mg/m3), and biological parameters related to antioxidant defense, inflammation, and procoagulation were examined after 4, 18, 24, 48, and 72 h. This in vivo inhalation study showed a pulmonary anti-oxidant response (an increased activity of the anti-oxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and an increase in heme oxygenase-1 protein, heme oxygenase activity, and uric acid) which precedes the inflammatory response (an increase in IL-6 and TNF-α). In addition, increased plasma thrombogenicity and immediate anti-oxidant defense gene expression in aorta tissue shortly after the exposure might suggest direct translocation of diesel engine exhaust components to the vasculature but mediation by other pathways cannot be ruled out. This study therefore shows that different stages in oxidative stress are not only affected by dose increments but are also time dependent

In Vitro Toxicity of Industrially Relevant Engineered Nanoparticles in Human Alveolar Epithelial Cells: Air-Liquid Interface versus Submerged Cultures

This article belongs to the Special Issue Engineered Nanomaterials Exposure and Risk Assessment: Occupational Health and SafetyDiverse industries have already incorporated within their production processes engineered nanoparticles (ENP), increasing the potential risk of worker inhalation exposure. In vitro models have been widely used to investigate ENP toxicity. Air-liquid interface (ALI) cell cultures have been emerging as a valuable alternative to submerged cultures as they are more representative of the inhalation exposure to airborne nano-sized particles. We compared the in vitro toxicity of four ENP used as raw materials in the advanced ceramics sector in human alveolar epithelial-like cells cultured under submerged or ALI conditions. Submerged cultures were exposed to ENP liquid suspensions or to aerosolised ENP at ALI. Toxicity was assessed by determining LDH release, WST-1 metabolisation and DNA damage. Overall, cells were more sensitive to ENP cytotoxic effects when cultured and exposed under ALI. No significant cytotoxicity was observed after 24 h exposure to ENP liquid suspensions, although aerosolised ENP clearly affected cell viability and LDH release. In general, all ENP increased primary DNA damage regardless of the exposure mode, where an increase in DNA strand-breaks was only detected under submerged conditions. Our data show that at relevant occupational concentrations, the selected ENP exert mild toxicity to alveolar epithelial cells and exposure at ALI might be the most suitable choice when assessing ENP toxicity in respiratory models under realistic exposure conditions.This research was funded by CERASAFE (www.cerasafe.eu; accessed on 26 October 2021), with the support of ERA-NET SIINN (project id:16) and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT; SIINN/0004/2014). This work was also supported by the NanoBioBarriers project (PTDC/MED-TOX/31162/2017), co-financed by the Operational Program for Competitiveness and Internationalization (POCI) through European Regional Development Funds (FEDER/FNR) and FCT; Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (projects PCIN-2015-173-C02-01 and CEX2018-000794- S-Severo Ochoa), and by the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation (CCCDI-UEFISCDI, project number 29/2016 within PNCDI III). M.J. Bessa (SFRH/BD/120646/2016) and F. Brandão (SFRH/BD/101060/2014) are recipients of FCT PhD scholarships under the framework of Human Capital Operating Program (POCH) and European Union funding. The Doctoral Program in Biomedical Sciences, of the ICBAS—University of Porto, offered additional funds. S. Fraga thanks FCT for funding through program DL 57/2016–Norma transitória (Ref. DL-57/INSA-06/2018). Thanks are also due to FCT/MCTES for the financial support to EPIUnit (UIDB/04750/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio