Perception and Production of /v/ and /w/ in Hindi speakers

This dissertation examines the ability of Hindi speakers to identify, discriminate and produce two English phonemes /v/ and /w/ which are difficult for Hindi speakers to distinguish. In Hindi, /v/ and /w/ are used interchangeably. This pattern of use has transferred to Indian English, resulting in English /v/ and /w/ words showing variable pronunciations (e.g., “whale” or “vale” for the word “whale”). Hindi speakers were asked to identify, discriminate and produce tokens of /v/ and /w/. This study also examined whether experience with American English, related to the length of residence (LOR) in the US affects Hindi listeners’ perception and production of English /v/ and /w/. Two groups of Hindi speakers were included in this study; Hindi speakers who have been in the US for more than 5 years (Hindi US) and Hindi speakers who live in India and use English as their second language (Hindi Ind). The findings demonstrated that the English /v/-/w/ is a difficult contrast for Hindi speakers to perceive and produce. Hindi speakers (Hindi US and Hindi Ind groups) performed much less accurately than the English control group on the identification, discrimination and production tasks. The differences between the Hindi US group and the Hindi Ind group were very small and not significant. This indicates that the Hindi US groups’ experience with the AE and the /v/-/w/ contrast in the US was insufficient to allow for perceptual learning for the /v/-/w/ contrast

Graduate Student Retention of Prerequisite Course Content

Although most graduate schools for Speech-Language Pathology require the same core prerequisite classes, there is still variation in class requirements as well as variation in course content. Sixty-one instructors completed a survey regarding what they felt was essential course content from their prerequisite communication sciences and disorders (CSD) classes. This information was used to create a student survey that consisted of 55 multiple choice questions chosen to assess knowledge from eight typically required prerequisite courses. Students preparing to enter their first year of their master’s program were asked to take the survey. Instructors that reported teaching a course in audiology agreed the most on course content. Regarding the student survey, students performed best in the areas of audiology and anatomy and physiology. Students that had a more than two-year gap between undergraduate coursework and their graduate program start date performed significantly worse than those who had a less than two-year gap. The variables of undergraduate major, age, and type of university did not prove significant. Implications for instructors and course content are discussed

A Viewpoint on Accent Services: Framing and Terminology Matter

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to offer a contemporary viewpoint on accent services and contend that an equity-minded reframing of accent services in speech-language pathology is long overdue. Such reframing should address directly the use of nonpejorative terminology and the need for nurturing global linguistic diversity and practitioner diversity in speech-language pathology. The authors offer their perspective on affirmative and least-biased accent services, an in-depth scoping review of the literature on accent modification, and discuss using terms that communicate unconditional respect for speaker identity and an understanding of the impact of accent services on accented speakers. Conclusions: Given ongoing discussions about the urgent need to diversify the profession of speech-language pathology, critical attention is needed toward existing biases toward accented speakers and how such biases manifest in the way that accent services are provided as well as in how clinicians conceptualize their role in working with accented speakers. The authors conclude with discussing alternate terms and offer recommendations for accent services provided by speech-language pathologists

Non-extraction Orthodontic Treatment with Molar Distalization

A case report of 16 years female who reported to department with chief complaint of irregularly placed front teeth and an unpleasant smile. Patient was diagnosed with class II div 2malocclusion with arch length discrepancy of 8.5 mm in maxilla with buccally placed maxillary canines. Molar distalization technique was planned using pendulum appliance. Molars weredistalized by 5 mm in the right, 6 mm in left maxillary arch. Crowding was relieved effectively utilizing space created by molar distalization. Class I molar and canine relation wasachieved and maxillary arch was aligned in 7 months.&nbsp

Evaluation of Orthodontic Treatment Need and Its Correlation with the Perception, Awareness and Satisfaction of Personal Dental Appearance among Dental Students

Introduction: Facial esthetics as well as dental health improvements is the main concern of orthodontic treatment. Dentofacial appearance that deviates from normal may have anegative impact on social, physiological and psychological functions. But individual’s attitude to its malocclusion is an important factor in determining treatment need.Objectives: The study was conducted to assess the perception of malocclusion and need of orthodontic treatment among dental students using index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN). Also self-awareness and level of satisfaction of personal dental appearance were analyzed. Materials and methods: Sample of 300 dental students was selected, their alginate impressions were poured, and study casts were prepared. IOTN was used to find out the impact of malocclusion on individual’s dental health and psychological well being. A questionnaire was prepared consisting of part 1, self-awareness and part 2, satisfaction and attitudes. Each part consisted of series of questions with alternative answers. Eachselected subject was given this questionnaire for self-evaluation and self-perception of occlusion and facial appearance.  Results: Majority of dental students were observed in grades Iand II of IOTN indicating no or minimal treatment need. The students were aware that malocclusion, orthodontic treatment and facial esthetics are the important factors for self-image and self-esteem

Review of Solar Energy Measurement System

The aim of this proposed work is to measure solar cell parameters through multiple sensor data acquisition. In this project, a solar panel is used that keeps monitoring the sunlight. Here different parameters of the solar panel like light intensity, voltage, current and the temperature are monitored and are sent to a remote PC using a RF 2.4 GHz serial link. Microcontroller used here is from PIC16F8 family

Perception of American English Consonants /v/ and /w/ by Hindi Speakers of English

This study examined perception of the American English (AE) /v/-/w/ consonant contrast by Hindi speakers of English as a second language (L2). A second aim was to determine whether residence in the US modulated perception of this difficult contrast for proficient bilingual Hindi-English listeners. Two groups of Hindi-English bilinguals (the first resided in the US for more than five years, the second lived in India) and a group of AE-speaking listeners participated in the study. Listeners’ identification and discrimination of nonsense words (e.g., “vagag” vs. “wagag”) were examined. Hindi listeners performed significantly less accurately than AE controls. Accuracy by Hindi listeners was near chance for identification and higher-than-chance for discrimination. Exposure to AE in the US did not improve performance. These results are consistent with previous studies of late L2 learners and extend findings to a population that was proficient in an L2 before arriving in the L2 environment

Crime prediction and detection with data mining

Data mining technologies have been used by marketers to provide personalisation. In other words, the exact placement of the right offer to the right person at the right time. The police can apply this technique for providing the right inquiry to the right perpetrators at the right time, before or after person has committed a crime. The aim of this Thesis is to use data mining in operational policing for crime prediction and detection. Crime data contains rich information. However, it is inconsistent, incomplete and noisy thus making it difficult to get any useful information from it. The goal of this Thesis is to use data mining techniques on Police data, which could be used for analysis while making Police strategies to reduce the crime activities. Volume crimes (such as robbery) are difficult to analyse because of their high number and similarity between their Modus Operandi (MO). The methodological approach developed in this Thesis will help Police analysts to attribute undetected crimes to known offenders who may be responsible, with 72.9% to 93.57% accuracy, for committing the crime.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Fabrication and Applications of Fiber Bragg Grating-A Review

Abstract: In this paper, the brief introduction of Fiber Bragg Grating, its significant applications, sensing principles, properties, fabrication and the basic designing of FBG have been discussed. FBG's are relatively simple to manufacture, small in dimension, low cost and exhibits good immunity from the electromegnatic radiations. The former inceptions and the essential techniques of fiber Bragg grating fabrication are described. This paper presents a comprehensive and systematic overview of FBG technology