5,697 research outputs found
Google Translate as a Resource for Writing
This action research was prompted by the question âDoes using Google Translate improve studentsâ writing?â When implemented according to guidelines from previous research, students produced writing with fewer syntactic and semantic errors. Data was collected through student work samples, classroom observations, and a questionnaire. Three themes arose through data analysis: that students found value in Google Translate, that one instance of instruction was not sufficient for all students to acquire necessary strategies, and that studentsâ lack of familiarity with both Google Translate and the Spanish language hampered their success. These findings demonstrate the importance of providing teachers and students with instruction on Google Translate, as well as the need for further research on the effects of translators on vocabulary acquisition
Opportunistic rain rate estimation from measurements of satellite downlink attenuation: A survey
Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in techniques and systems for rainfall surveillance on regional scale, with increasingly stringent requirements in terms of the following: (i) accuracy of rainfall rate measurements, (ii) adequate density of sensors over the territory, (iii) spaceâtime continuity and completeness of data and (iv) capability to elaborate rainfall maps in near real time. The devices deployed to monitor the precipitation fields are traditionally networks of rain gauges distributed throughout the territory, along with weather radars and satellite remote sensors operating in the optical or infrared band, none of which, however, are suitable for full compliance to all of the requirements cited above. More recently, a different approach to rain rate estimation techniques has been proposed and investigated, based on the measurement of the attenuation induced by rain on signals of preâexisting radio networks either in terrestrial links, e.g., the backhaul connections in cellular networks, or in satelliteâtoâearth links and, among the latter, notably those between geostationary broadcast satellites and domestic subscriber terminals in the Ku and Ka bands. Knowledge of the above rainâinduced attenuation permits the retrieval of the corresponding rain intensity provided that a number of meteorological and geometric parameters are known and ultimately permits estimating the rain rate locally at the receiver site. In this survey paper, we specifically focus on such a type of âopportunisticâ systems for rain field monitoring, which appear very promising in view of the wide diffusion over the territory of lowâcost domestic terminals for the reception of satellite signals, prospectively allowing for a considerable geographical capillarity in the distribution of sensors, at least in more densely populated areas. The purpose of the paper is to present a broad albeit synthetic overview of the numerous issues inherent in the above rain monitoring approach, along with a number of solutions and algorithms proposed in the literature in recent years, and ultimately to provide an exhaustive account of the current state of the art. Initially, the main relevant aspects of the satellite link are reviewed, including those related to satellite dynamics, frequency bands, signal formats, propagation channel and radio link geometry, all of which have a role in rainfall rate estimation algorithms. We discuss the impact of all these factors on rain estimation accuracy while also highlighting the substantial differences inherent in this approach in comparison with traditional rain monitoring techniques. We also review the basic formulas relating rain rate intensity to a variation of the received signal level or of the signalâto-noise ratio. Furthermore, we present a comprehensive literature survey of the main research issues for the aforementioned scenario and provide a brief outline of the algorithms proposed for their solution, highlighting their points of strength and weakness. The paper includes an extensive list of bibliographic references from which the material presented herein was taken
Combined Orthodontic and Restorative Minimally Invasive Approach to Diastema and Morphology Management in the Esthetic Area. Clinical Multidisciplinary Case Report with 3-Year Follow-Up
Ceramic laminates are restorations that are bonded using adhesive techniques, which provide for the treatment of the prepared dental elements according to well-defined steps. Adhesive cementation guarantees high predictability and esthetics. Orthodontic treatment is the first choice in patients with a dental misalignment. Patients who have dental element color and shape issues will undergo restorative treatment following orthodontics. Case Report. This clinical report describes a case treated with an interdisciplinary approach (orthodontic and prosthetic) of a patient who presented with diastemas, inversion of dental axes, small clinical crowns, and chromatic imperfections in the anterior maxillary teeth. The esthetic expectations of the patient for the anterior portion of the maxillary anterior teeth have been successfully achieved through orthodontic treatment and the realization of ceramic veneers. An accurate interdisciplinary evaluation of the treatment was necessary for a satisfactory result in the anterior maxillary teeth esthetically compromised in several aspects. Discussion. The modern materials used with the strict protocol of the adhesive procedures allow a minimally invasive, highly esthetic approach with an excellent long-term prognosis. The restorations must reproduce the physiological characteristics of the natural teeth aiming at an excellent biological, biomechanical, functional, and esthetic integration. Many adult patients come to visit with a combination of problems; the esthetic rehabilitation of these cases requires the evaluation of the quantity of gingival exposure, of the gingival architecture, of the size of the clinical crowns, and of the dental position. The ideal treatment of these cases involves an interdisciplinary approach. Prosthodontists, periodontists, orthodontists, and dental technicians must work together because the understanding of the various phases of treatment is fundamental to achieve the desired clinical result
Fast deuterium fractionation in magnetized and turbulent filaments
Deuterium fractionation is considered as an important process to infer the
chemical ages of prestellar cores in filaments. We present here the first
magneto-hydrodynamical simulations including a chemical network to study
deuterium fractionation in magnetized and turbulent filaments and their
substructures. The filaments typically show widespread deuterium fractionation
with average values . For individual cores of similar age, we
observe the deuteration fraction to increase with time, but also to be
independent of their average properties such as density, virial or
mass-to-magnetic flux ratio. We further find a correlation of the deuteration
fraction with core mass, average H density and virial parameter only at
late evolutionary stages of the filament and attribute this to the lifetime of
the individual cores. Specifically, chemically old cores reveal higher
deuteration fractions. Within the radial profiles of selected cores, we notice
differences in the structure of the deuteration fraction or surface density,
which we can attribute to their different turbulent properties. High
deuteration fractions of the order may be reached within
approximately ~kyrs, corresponding to two free-fall times, as defined for
cylindrical systems, of the filamentsComment: submitted to MNRAS. Comments welcom
Physical properties of high-mass clumps in different stages of evolution
(Abridged) Aims. To investigate the first stages of the process of high-mass
star formation, we selected a sample of massive clumps previously observed with
the SEST at 1.2 mm and with the ATNF ATCA at 1.3 cm. We want to characterize
the physical conditions in such sources, and test whether their properties
depend on the evolutionary stage of the clump.
Methods. With ATCA we observed the selected sources in the NH3(1,1) and (2,2)
transitions and in the 22 GHz H2O maser line. Ammonia lines are a good
temperature probe that allow us to accurately determine the mass and the
column-, volume-, and surface densities of the clumps. We also collected all
data available to construct the spectral energy distribution of the individual
clumps and to determine if star formation is already occurring, through
observations of its most common signposts, thus putting constraints on the
evolutionary stage of the source. We fitted the spectral energy distribution
between 1.2 mm and 70 microns with a modified black body to derive the dust
temperature and independently determine the mass.
Results. The clumps are cold (T~10-30 K), massive (M~10^2-10^3 Mo), and dense
(n(H2)>~10^5 cm^-3) and they have high column densities (N(H2)~10^23 cm^-2).
All clumps appear to be potentially able to form high-mass stars. The most
massive clumps appear to be gravitationally unstable, if the only sources of
support against collapse are turbulence and thermal pressure, which possibly
indicates that the magnetic field is important in stabilizing them.
Conclusions. After investigating how the average properties depend on the
evolutionary phase of the source, we find that the temperature and central
density progressively increase with time. Sources likely hosting a ZAMS star
show a steeper radial dependence of the volume density and tend to be more
compact than starless clumps.Comment: Published in A&A, Vol. 556, A1
A timeline for massive star-forming regions via combined observation of o-HD and ND
Context: In cold and dense gas prior to the formation of young stellar
objects, heavy molecular species (including CO) are accreted onto dust grains.
Under these conditions H and its deuterated isotopologues become more
abundant, enhancing the deuterium fraction of molecules such as NH that
are formed via ion-neutral reactions. Because this process is extremely
temperature sensitive, the abundance of these species is likely linked to the
evolutionary stage of the source.
Aims: We investigate how the abundances of o-HD and ND vary
with evolution in high-mass clumps.
Methods: We observed with APEX the ground-state transitions of o-HD
near 372 GHz, and ND(3-2) near 231 GHz for three massive clumps in
different evolutionary stages. The sources were selected within the
G351.77-0.51 complex to minimise the variation of initial chemical conditions,
and to remove distance effects. We modelled their dust continuum emission to
estimate their physical properties, and also modelled their spectra under the
assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium to calculate beam-averaged
abundances.
Results: We find an anticorrelation between the abundance of o-HD and
that of ND, with the former decreasing and the latter increasing with
evolution. With the new observations we are also able to provide a qualitative
upper limit to the age of the youngest clump of about 10 yr, comparable to
its current free-fall time.
Conclusions: We can explain the evolution of the two tracers with simple
considerations on the chemical formation paths, depletion of heavy elements,
and evaporation from the grains. We therefore propose that the joint
observation and the relative abundance of o-HD and ND can act
as an efficient tracer of the evolutionary stages of the star-formation
process
Management accounting change as a learning process: a longitudinal analysis
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how a substantial organization gradually builds a management accounting system from scratch, changing its accounting routines by learning processes. The paper uses the experiential learning theory and the concept of learning style to investigate the learning process during management accounting change. The study aims to expand the domain of management accounting change theory to emphasize the learning-related aspects that can constitute it. Design/methodology/approach The paper provides an interpretation of management accounting change based on the model of problem management proposed by Kolb (1983) and the theory of experiential learning (Kolb, 1976, 1984). The study is based on a 14-year longitudinal case study (1994-2007). The case examined can be considered a theory illustration case. Data were obtained from a broad variety of sources including interviews, document analysis and adopting an interventionist approach during the redesign of the costing system. Findings The paper contributes to two important aspects of management accounting change. First, it becomes apparent that the costing information change was not a discrete event but a process of experience and learning conducted through several iterations of trial-and-error loops that extended over the years. Second, the findings reveal that the learning process can alter management accounting system design in a radical or incremental way according to the learning style of the people involved in the process of change. Research limitations/implications Because of the adopted research approach, results could be extended only to other organizations presenting similar characteristics. Several further areas of research are suggested by the findings of this paper. In particular, it would be of interest to investigate the links between learning styles and communication and its effect on management accounting change. Practical implications The paper includes implications for the management of learning during management accounting change, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of this process. Originality/value This paper is one response to the call for an interdisciplinary research approach to the management accounting change phenomena using a "method theory" taken from the discipline of management to provide an explanation of the change in management accounting. In respect of the previous literature, it provides two main contributions, namely, the proposal of a model useful both to interpret and manage learning processes; the effect of learning style on management accounting routines change
ATLASGAL-selected massive clumps in the inner Galaxy: I. CO depletion and isotopic ratios
In the low-mass regime, it is found that the gas-phase abundances of
C-bearing molecules in cold starless cores rapidly decrease with increasing
density, as the molecules form mantles on dust grains. We study CO depletion in
102 massive clumps selected from the ATLASGAL 870 micron survey, and
investigate its correlation with evolutionary stage and with the physical
parameters of the sources. Moreover, we study the gradients in [12C]/[13C] and
[18O]/[17O] isotopic ratios across the inner Galaxy, and the virial stability
of the clumps. We use low-J emission lines of CO isotopologues and the dust
continuum emission to infer the depletion factor fD. RATRAN one-dimensional
models were also used to determine fD and to investigate the presence of
depletion above a density threshold. The isotopic ratios and optical depth were
derived with a Bayesian approach. We find a significant number of clumps with a
large fD, up to ~20. Larger values are found for colder clumps, thus for
earlier evolutionary phases. For massive clumps in the earliest stages of
evolution we estimate the radius of the region where CO depletion is important
to be a few tenths of a pc. Clumps are found with total masses derived from
dust continuum emission up to ~20 times higher than the virial mass, especially
among the less evolved sources. These large values may in part be explained by
the presence of depletion: if the CO emission comes mainly from the low-density
outer layers, the molecules may be subthermally excited, leading to an
overestimate of the dust masses. CO depletion in high-mass clumps seems to
behave as in the low-mass regime, with less evolved clumps showing larger
values for the depletion than their more evolved counterparts, and increasing
for denser sources. The C and O isotopic ratios are consistent with previous
determinations, and show a large intrinsic scatter.Comment: 20 pages, 17 figures, 38 pages of online material (tables and
figures
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