The impact of face systems on the pragmalinguistic features of academic e-mail requests

This study investigates the impact of power/distance (PD) variables operationalized as face systems on the pragmalinguistic features of academic e-mail requests. A corpus of 90 academic e-mails was classified into four face system groups: hierarchical (sender +P), hierarchical (recipient +P), deference, and solidarity. Request perspectives, strategies, and mitigating supportive moves were analyzed. The analysis revealed that the speaker and hearer dominance were the most frequent request perspectives in the hierarchical (recipient+P) and deference groups. The impersonal perspective was more common in the hierarchical (sender+P) group. The preparatory was the dominant request strategy in all groups, relatively more frequent in the hierarchical (recipient+P) and deference groups. The most common supportive move was the grounder, which occurred more frequently than other supportive moves. The findings of the study indicate that face systems influence the request patterns in academic e-mail communication. The study offers implications for future research on pragmatics of computermediated communication (CMC)

Enhancing L2 learners’ perception and production of the Arabic emphatic sounds

This study examined the Arabic L2 learners’ ability to perceive and produce the emphatic sounds /sˤ/, /ðˤ/, /dˤ/, and /tˤ/. Specifically, the study explored the effects of traditional-based and technology-based instruction in enhancing learners’ perception and production of these sounds. Data were collected from forced-choice identification tasks and audio recordings taken during pre- and post-test conditions. The results revealed that the emphatic sounds posed a considerable amount of perception and production difficulties to L2 learners of Arabic. Additionally, there were significant improvements among all participants after the traditional and technological training courses and that the difference in the outcome between the two teaching methods was not significant

Days of our ‘quarantined’ lives: multimodal humour in COVID-19 internet memes

During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, many users around the world exploited internet memes as a digital source of humour to cope with the negative psychological effects of quarantining. Drawing on multimodal discourse analysis, this study investigates a set of COVID-19 internet memes to explore the quarantine activities and routines to understand ordinary people’s mindsets, anxieties and emotional narratives surrounding self-isolation as well as the pragmatically generated humorous meanings relying on verbal and visual components of memes. The findings revealed that quarantine humour is centred around themes including quarantine day comparisons focusing on the perceived effects home quarantines on physical and mental wellbeing, quarantine routines, and physical appearance predictions at the end of quarantine. Intertextuality was a productive resource establishing connections between quarantine practices and popular texts. In addition, humorous meanings were created through anomalous juxtapositions of different texts and incongruity resolution is largely dependent on the combined meanings of verbal and visual components

“Cats be outside, how about meow”: multimodal humor and creativity in an internet meme

Adding to research on internet memes and humor, this study examines a set of image macros related to a specific viral media event (i.e., “cash me ousside”). This particular meme is linked to a popular catchphrase uttered by a young teenage girl, who appeared on a 2016 episode of the U.S. television talk show, Dr. Phil. We compiled a dataset of 220 image macros related to this media event from three online platforms. Our analysis focuses on various forms of linguistic humor, which most often rely on multimodal interactions between textual and visual elements. Our findings reveal multiple instances of wordplay involving paronymy as well as register-based humor and humor involving the voicing of recognizable figures. In addition, multimodal play often involves semiotic blends of this particular meme with other popular memes. Overall, our study illustrates unique combinations of unexpected elements and semiotic extensions of a non-standard catchphrase with other visual images, thereby establishing incongruity and generating humorous meanings

Anxiety vs. enjoyment in the Chinese EFL context: which predicts listening comprehension better?

While foreign language anxiety has received abundant empirical attention, its relationship with foreign language enjoyment and specific language skills is not clearly understood. The present study explores the relationships between Chinese EFL learners’ foreign language listening anxiety (FLLA), foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and listening achievement. Participants (n=255) were undergraduate students majoring in different subjects at two large local universities in China. The Chinese Version of Foreign Language Enjoyment Scale (CFLES) and the Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale (FLLAS) were used to measure FLE and FLLA, respectively. Correlation analyses performed on the questionnaire data revealed that while listening achievement negatively correlated with FLLA, it was positively correlated with FLE. A multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that, of the two variables, FLE was found to better predict listening achievement than FLLA. Additionally, listening comprehension was found to be significantly correlated with private enjoyment, but not with variables relating to learning atmosphere or teachers. These findings highlight the importance of positive emotions and experiences in the language learning process and have implications for classroom practice

Evaluation of corrosion resistance of Co-Cr alloys fabricated with different metal laser sintering systems

PURPOSE. The aim of this study was to evaluate the corrosion resistance of the specimens produced by five different commercial metal laser sintering (MLS) systems with their recommended Co-Cr alloy powders. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The MLS machines and the alloy powders used were, ProX 100-ST2724G (St-Pro), Mysint 100-EOS SP2 (SP2-Mys), EOSINT 270-EOS SP2 (SP2-EOS), SLM 100-Starbond CoS (SB-SLM), and MLab Cusing-Remanium® Star (RS-MLab), respectively. Eight specimens from each group were prepared. Open circuit potential (Eocp) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements of polished surfaces of the specimens were conducted in a three-electrode cell using a potentiostat-galvanostat in Fusayama-Meyer artificial saliva (AS). Specimens from each group were immersed in AS and de-ionized water for seven days. Eocp, charge transfer resistance (Rct) values, and released ions (?g/cm2 x 7d) in different solutions were determined. The specimen surfaces were observed with SEM/EDS. Results were analyzed statistically. RESULTS. Eocp values have shifted to potentials that are more positive over time. Steady-state Eocp values were from high to low as follows, SB-SLM, SP2-Mys, SP2-EOS, RS-MLab, and ST-Pro, respectively. After 60 mins, RS-MLab specimens had the highest Rct value, followed by SP2-Mys, SB-SLM, SP2-EOS, and ST-Pro. In all groups, ion release was higher in AS than that in de-ionized water. CONCLUSION. There were small differences among the corrosion resistances of the Co-Cr alloy specimens produced with MLS systems; meanwhile, the corrosion resistances were quite high for all specimens. © 2020 The Korean Academy of Prosthodontics

A combined VBM and DTI study of schizophrenia: bilateral decreased insula volume and cerebral white matter disintegrity corresponding to subinsular white matter projections unlinked to clinical symptomatology

PURPOSE:Grey matter and white matter changes within the brain are well defined in schizophrenia. However, most studies focused on either grey matter changes or white matter integrity separately; only in limited number of studies these changes were interpreted in the same frame. In addition, the relationship of these findings with clinical variables is not clearly established. Here, we aimed to investigate the grey matter and white matter changes in schizophrenia patients and exhibit the relation of these imaging findings with clinical variables.METHODS:A total of 20 schizophrenia patients and 16 matched healthy controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the grey matter and white matter alterations that occur in schizophrenia patients using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and whole brain voxel-wise analysis of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters with SPM8, respectively. While the preprocessing steps of VBM were performed with the default parameters of VBM8 toolbox, the preprocessing steps of DTI were carried out using FSL. Additionally, VBM results were correlated with clinical variables.RESULTS:Bilateral insula showed decreased grey matter volume in schizophrenia patients compared with healthy controls (P < 0.01). The opposite contrast did not show a significant difference. Psychiatric scores, duration of illness, and age were not correlated with the decreased grey matter volume of insula in schizophrenia patients. DTI analysis revealed a significant increase in mean, radial, and axial diffusivity, mainly of the fibers of bilateral anterior thalamic radiation and superior longitudinal fasciculus with left predominance, which intersected with bilateral subinsular white matter (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:Our findings suggest that insula may be the main affected brain region in schizophrenia, which is also well supported by the literature. Our results were independent of disease duration and schizophrenia symptoms. White matter alterations were observed within bilateral anterior thalamic radiation and superior longitudinal fasciculus that intersects with subinsular white matter. Studies with larger sample sizes and more detailed clinical assessments are required to understand the function of insula in the neurobiology of schizophrenia

The interplay between learner beliefs and foreign language anxiety: insights from the Turkish EFL context

Foreign language learning in classroom settings has long been found to be associated with anxiety (Horwitz, 1986). Though it is known that sources of foreign language anxiety are varied (Young, 1991), whether anxiety is related to learners’ inherent beliefs about language learning is understudied. To this end, the present study examines the possible relationship between learner beliefs and language anxiety in the under-researched Turkish EFL context. A population of university-level Turkish EFL learners (n=153) completed the Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) and the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety scale (FLCAS). The underlying constructs in both instruments were explored using an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). A series of Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) tests were performed on the factor scores from both instruments. The findings revealed that fear of ambiguity was positively linked to classroom performance anxiety and negative feelings towards English. In addition, the more confident learners feel themselves using English, the more desire they seem to have to interact with native speakers. Overall, positive beliefs about language learning may be helpful in reducing anxiety and boosting confidence in language learning. These findings not only enhance our understanding of the complex psychology of language learning but also have important implications for instructed EFL/ESL settings

Prospective assessment of VI-RADS score in multiparametric MRI in bladder cancer: accuracy and the factors affecting the results

PURPOSEWe aimed to investigate the accuracy of Vesical Imaging - Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) in the detection of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and to determine which factors affect the results of this scoring system.METHODSA prospective data analysis of 80 patients who were detected to have bladder tumor was performed between March 2019 and October 2020. VI-RADS scoring was used to determine the probability of muscle invasion. The scores were compared with pathological results to evaluate the accuracy of the VI-RADS scoring system. Interobserver agreement was assessed by VI-RADS scoring of 20 randomly chosen patients by a different experienced radiologist.RESULTSUsing the VI-RADS scoring system, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) were 87.5%, 87.5%, 63.6%, and 96.6%, respectively. The interobserver agreement expressed as the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.44-0.84, P < .001). In addition, the flat appearance of the tumor was an important factor affecting the accuracy of the VI-RADS score (odds ratio: 5.3 [95% CI: 1.1-27.0] and relative risk: 1.87 [95% CI: 1.24-2.82]).CONCLUSIONThe mpMRI, used in conjunction with VI-RADS, has proven to be an effective imaging method for detecting muscle invasion in cases of bladder cancer. VI-RADS scoring system can distinguish whether there is a muscle-invasive and non-muscle invasive bladder cancer with acceptable accuracy. In addition, the flat appearance of the tumor is an important entity that can affect the accuracy of the VI-RADS scoring system

Okul ve Sınıf Tabanlı Değerlendirmeye Dayalı Öğretmen Kapasitesinin Güçlendirilmesi: Fen Bilimleri Dersi Öğretmen Rehber Kitapçığı

Değerli fen bilimleri eğitimcileri, bildiğiniz üzere bilim ve teknolojideki gelişmeler ve toplumsal ihtiyaçlardaki değişimler ile eğitim alanında öğrenmeye yönelik kuram, öğretime ilişkin yaklaşım, model ve yöntem ile ilgili yenilikler öğretim programlarında yenileme çalışmaları yapılmasını zorunlu kılmaktadır. Yenilenen programların istenen düzeyde uygulanabilmesi için öğretmenlerin çeşitli çalışmalarla yeterliklerinin geliştirilmesi gerekmektedir. Yeterlik alanları içerisinde ölçme ve değerlendirme önemli bir yer tutmaktadır. Öğretmenlerimiz programda belirtilen sürelerinin üçte birinden fazlasını ölçme ve değerlendirme ile ilgili etkinliklere harcamaktadırlar. Ölçme ve değerlendirmede etkili ve verimli olabilmek için öğretmenlerin önemli değerlendirme becerilerine ihtiyacı vardır. Bu konularda çeşitli dönemlerde yapılan çalışmalar, sınıf içi değerlendirme konusunda öğretmenlerin kendilerini yeterli hissetmediklerini göstermektedir. Bu kapsamda, öğretmenlerin yeterliklerinin arttırılması için Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı Ölçme, Değerlendirme ve Sınav Hizmetleri Genel Müdürlüğü ve UNICEF Türkiye Temsilciliği arasında imzalanan bir protokol ile “Okul ve Sınıf Tabanlı Değerlendirmeye Dayalı Öğretmen Kapasitesinin Güçlendirilmesi” çalışması hayata geçirilmiştir. Bu çalışmanın temel amacı, öğretmenlerin mesleki gelişiminin desteklenmesi için alan bazlı ve etkinlik temelli uygulamalarla öğretmenlerimizin özellikle biçimlendirici değerlendirme kapasitelerini arttırmak ve dezavantajlı öğrenciler de dâhil olmak üzere bütün öğrencilerimizin gelişimlerine daha bütüncül destek olabilmektir. Bu amaç kapsamında, biçimlendirici değerlendirme konusunda öğretmenlerimize kılavuzluk/rehberlik edecek bir öğretmen rehber kitapçığı ortaya konulmuştur. Öğretmen rehber kitapçığı toplam dört ana bölümden oluşmaktadır. Birinci bölümde ölçme ve değerlendirmenin temel kavramlarına atıfta bulunulmaktadır. İkinci bölümde biçimlendirici değerlendirme amacıyla kullanılabilecek teknik ve araçlara yer verilmiştir. Üçüncü bölümde öğretim programıyla ilişkilendirilip tasarlanan etkinlik örnekleri yer almaktadır. Son bölümde ise biçimlendirici değerlendirme sürecinde paydaşlar ile etkileşimde dikkat edilmesi gereken hususlar açıklanmaktadır. Çocuklarımıza ve öğretmenlerimize faydalı olması dileğiyle..