Attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language and their influence on achievement

Предмет спроведеног истраживања је испитивање ставова ученика и студената према учењу енглеског језика, и њихов утицај на постигнуће. У сврху пружања одговора на питање да ли став и у којој мери утиче на постигнуће две наведене старосне групе у енглеском језику, поставили смо следеће циљеве: (1) да утврдимо генерални став испитаника према енглеском и учењу енглеског језика; (2) да одредимо који фактори утичу на формирање става према наведеном објекту става; (3) да испитамо да ли је тако формиран став предиктор постигнућа. У складу са теоријским оквиром на коме се заснива рад, претпоставили смо да став није директан предиктор постигнућа, већ да став посредно, преко бихевиоралне намере, утиче на степен овладавања енглеског језика. У спроведеном истраживању учествовало је 223 испитаника, узраста од 16 до 24 год. (M=18,69; SD=2,0), оба пола (М=67; Ж=156), који припадају двема старосним групама: средњошколској (ученици филололошког и општег смера гимназије), и студентској (студенти Економског и Филолошког факултета). Према психолошкој теорији, на став утичу информације и знања о објекту става, други ставови, лични фактори и ставови средине. У складу са прва два циља истраживања, креирана је „Батерија тестова за утврђивање става према енглеском и учењу енглеског језика“ (историја учења језика, контекст учења језика, скала ставова, скала социјалне дистанце, скала аспирација, скала за утврђивање ваннаставног инпута). Такође je претпостављено да на став утиче и количина наставног инпута, која је утврђена квалитативно, коришћењем анализе садржаја. Креирана је и краћа батерија тестова за родитеље средњошколаца и/или студената (социодемографски упитник, скала самопроцене познавања језика, скала ставова према учењу енглеског језика). У складу са трећим циљем, прикупљене су све оцене испитаника, добијене до тренутка тестирања, а отприлике половина узорка је испитана и екстерним тестом (граматика...The subject of this study is the examination of secondary school and university students’ attitudes towards learning English, and their influence on achievement. For the purposes of providing an answer to the question whether, and to what extent, attitude influences achievement of the said age groups, we have set up the following aims: (1) to explore the participants’ general attitude towards English and learning English; (2) to determine the factors influencing the formation of attitude towards the said attitude object; (3) to examine whether attitude formed in such a way is a predictor of achievement. In accordance with the theoretical approach that the paper is based on, we have hypothesised that attitude is not an immediate predictor of achievement, but rather it influences the degree of language proficiency indirectly, through behavioural intention. 223 participants were recruited for the study, aged from 16 to 24 (M=18.69; SD=2.00), of both sexes (М=67; F=156), who belong to two age groups: secondary school students (Philological and General Grammar School Courses), and university students (the Faculty of Philology and Economics). According to the psychology literature, attitude is formed in line with information and knowledge about the attitude object, and by personality factors and attitudes of the individual’s social environment. In accordance with the first two stated aims, the Attitude to English and Learning English Battery was constructed (language learning history, language learning context, attitude scale, social distance scale, aspiration scale, extracurricular input scale). In addition, it was assumed that class input had an impact on attitude formation, which was determined qualitatively through content analysis. A short battery aimed at secondary school and university students’ parents was also created (socio-demographic questionnaire, self-reported language proficiency scale, attitudes towards English learning scale). In line with the third aim, we collected all the participants’ marks, received by the time of testing, and tested approximately half of the ..

Input i postignuće u usvajanju stranog jezika

A shared belief that input plays an important role in second language (L2) acquisition is widely held in both theory and practice. Despite prominent diver- gences in the importance it is assigned in different theoretical frameworks, scho- lars are in agreement on the fact that no language can be acquired without expo- sure to input. Accordingly, the objectives of this paper are: to point to some of the common problems researchers encounter as regards explorations into input and its influence on achievement, on the basis of relevant L2 acquisition literature; to propose directions of future research based on the conclusions drawn; and to underline possible implications for foreign language teaching and learning. We conclude that a paradigm shift towards more complex models of input is requi- red with regard to theory, that researchers should strive to apply more methodo- logically rigorous measurements of input and achievement, and that the results obtained in empirical research should be directly incorporated into textbooks and (pre- and in-service) teacher guides

Otpuštanje vode konvekcijskim sušenjem različitim temperaturama iz sjemenki uljane repice

Rapeseed is one of the most important oil plants in the world. The objective of this research was to analyse the influence of thermal treatment temperature on rapeseed quality, i.e. to investigate the content of oil and free fatty acids in chosen rapeseed hybrids: Turan, Traviata, NK Toccata, NK Petrol, PR 46 W 14 and PR 46 W 15. By their characteristics, these varieties are early, medium-early and medium-late hybrids. The initial moisture content of the investigated hybrids ranged from 11.28% to 11.69%. The hybrids were subjected to thermal process of thin-layer convective drying, at temperatures of 40°, 60° and 80°C and air velocity of 1.0 m/s. During the investigation, decomposition of oil due to drying at 80°C and increase of free fatty acids concentration above permitted 2% were observed. Furthermore, based on the obtained results, velocity of water release from seed have been determined, and the drying process was mathematically modelled, whereby determination coefficient (R2) and activation energy were also determined.Uljana repica pripada najznačajnijim svjetskim uljaricama. Cilj istraživanja bio je istražiti utjecaj termičke dorade na kvalitetu uljane repice, odnosno analizirati sadržaj ulja i slobodnih masnih kiselina u izabranim hibridima uljane repice: Turan, Traviata, NK Toccata, NK Petrol, PR 46 W 14 i PR 46 W 15. Po svojim karakteristikama, nabrojeni su hibridi rani, srednje rani i srednje kasni hibridi. Početna vlaga istraživanih hibrida kretala se od 11,28 do 11,69%. Hibridi su podvrgnuti termičkoj doradi konvekcijskim sušenjem u tankome sloju, pri temperaturama 40, 60 i 80°C i brzini strujanja zraka 1,0 m/s. Tijekom istraživanja, uočeno je raspadanje ulja tijekom sušenja na 80°C te povećanje slobodnih masnih kiselina preko dopuštenih 2%. Nadalje, temeljem dobivenih rezultata, određena je brzina otpuštanja vode te je postupak sušenja matematički modeliran, gdje su određeni koeficijent determinacije (R2) i energija aktivacije vode

The Use of Intelligent Packaging in Supply Chain of Food Products

The research aims to identify the limitations and expectations of producers, transport companies, distributors and retailers in introducing intelligent packaging into supply chains of food products on the market of the Western Balkans. The limitations and benefits from the use of intelligent packaging have been identified in transportation, storage, operations of physical handling and display of food products at the place of their final purchase. The results have shown that there are significant differences in terms of limitations affecting the implementation of intelligent packaging into business operations of supply chains, bearing in mind the business type, number of employees, available capital and integrated standards into business operations. In contrast to this, the results point that there are no significant differences in terms of benefits that the analysed entities expect from introducing intelligent packaging into their systems. A set of measures and incentives have been defined for the competent institutions and food supply chain management to take, in order to minimize the restrictions and advance the implementation of intelligent packaging. The proposals and suggestions for further research are stated in the paper.</p

Diapause induces remodelling of the fatty acid composition of membrane and storage lipids in overwintering larvae of Ostrinia nubilalis, Hubn. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Seasonal changes in the FA composition of triacylglycerols and phospholipids prepared from the whole body of non-diapausing and diapausing fifth instar larvae of Ostrinia nubilalis, Hubn. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) were determined to evaluate the role of these lipids in diapause. Substantial changes in the FA composition of triacylglycerols and phospholipids were triggered by diapause development. This led to a significant increase in the overall FA unsaturation (UFAs/SFAs ratio), attributable to an increase in the relative proportion of MUFAs and the concomitant decrease in PUFAs and SFAs. In triacylglycerols, the significant changes in FAs composition is the result of an increase in the relative proportions of MUFAs, palmitoleic acid (16:1n-7) and oleic acid (18:1n-9), and a concomitant reduction in composition of SFAs and PUFAs, mainly palmitic acid (16:0) and linoleic acid (18:2n-6), respectively. Changes in the composition of phospholipids were more subtle with FAs contributing to the overall increase of FA unsaturation. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis revealed that the melt transition temperatures of total lipids prepared from whole larvae, primarily attributable to the triacylglycerol component, were significantly lower during the time course of diapause compared with non-diapause. These observations were correlated to the FA composition of triacylglycerols, most likely enabling them to remain functional during colder winter conditions. We conclude that O. nubilalis undergoes remodelling of FA profiles of both energy storage triacylglycerols and membrane phospholipids as an element of its overwintering physiology which may improve the ability to cold harden during diapause

Surviving the cold: molecular analyses of insect cryoprotective dehydration in the Arctic springtail Megaphorura arctica (Tullberg)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Insects provide tractable models for enhancing our understanding of the physiological and cellular processes that enable survival at extreme low temperatures. They possess three main strategies to survive the cold: freeze tolerance, freeze avoidance or cryoprotective dehydration, of which the latter method is exploited by our model species, the Arctic springtail <it>Megaphorura arctica</it>, formerly <it>Onychiurus arcticus </it>(Tullberg 1876). The physiological mechanisms underlying cryoprotective dehydration have been well characterised in <it>M. arctica </it>and to date this process has been described in only a few other species: the Antarctic nematode <it>Panagrolaimus davidi</it>, an enchytraied worm, the larvae of the Antarctic midge <it>Belgica antarctica </it>and the cocoons of the earthworm <it>Dendrobaena octaedra</it>. There are no in-depth molecular studies on the underlying cold survival mechanisms in any species.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A cDNA microarray was generated using 6,912 <it>M. arctica </it>clones printed in duplicate. Analysis of clones up-regulated during dehydration procedures (using both cold- and salt-induced dehydration) has identified a number of significant cellular processes, namely the production and mobilisation of trehalose, protection of cellular systems via small heat shock proteins and tissue/cellular remodelling during the dehydration process. Energy production, initiation of protein translation and cell division, plus potential tissue repair processes dominate genes identified during recovery. Heat map analysis identified a duplication of the trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) gene in <it>M. arctica </it>and also 53 clones co-regulated with TPS, including a number of membrane associated and cell signalling proteins. Q-PCR on selected candidate genes has also contributed to our understanding with glutathione-S-transferase identified as the major antioxdidant enzyme protecting the cells during these stressful procedures, and a number of protein kinase signalling molecules involved in recovery.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Microarray analysis has proved to be a powerful technique for understanding the processes and genes involved in cryoprotective dehydration, beyond the few candidate genes identified in the current literature. Dehydration is associated with the mobilisation of trehalose, cell protection and tissue remodelling. Energy production, leading to protein production, and cell division characterise the recovery process. Novel membrane proteins, along with aquaporins and desaturases, have been identified as promising candidates for future functional analyses to better understand membrane remodelling during cellular dehydration.</p

Surviving extreme polar winters by desiccation: clues from Arctic springtail (Onychiurus arcticus) EST libraries

Background Ice, snow and temperatures of -14°C are conditions which most animals would find difficult, if not impossible, to survive in. However this exactly describes the Arctic winter, and the Arctic springtail Onychiurus arcticus regularly survives these extreme conditions and re-emerges in the spring. It is able to do this by reducing the amount of water in its body to almost zero: a process that is called "protective dehydration". The aim of this project was to generate clones and sequence data in the form of ESTs to provide a platform for the future molecular characterisation of the processes involved in protective dehydration. Results Five normalised libraries were produced from both desiccating and rehydrating populations of O. arcticus from stages that had previously been defined as potentially informative for molecular analyses. A total of 16,379 EST clones were generated and analysed using Blast and GO annotation. 40% of the clones produced significant matches against the Swissprot and trembl databases and these were further analysed using GO annotation. Extraction and analysis of GO annotations proved an extremely effective method for identifying generic processes associated with biochemical pathways, proving more efficient than solely analysing Blast data output. A number of genes were identified, which have previously been shown to be involved in water transport and desiccation such as members of the aquaporin family. Identification of these clones in specific libraries associated with desiccation validates the computational analysis by library rather than producing a global overview of all libraries combined. Conclusion This paper describes for the first time EST data from the arctic springtail (O. arcticus). This significantly enhances the number of Collembolan ESTs in the public databases, providing useful comparative data within this phylum. The use of GO annotation for analysis has facilitated the identification of a wide variety of ESTs associated with a number of different biochemical pathways involved in the dehydration and recovery process in O. arcticus

Efficient Signal Processing in OFDM-based Indoor Optical Wireless Links”, to be published in

Abstract — We propose a rate-adaptive optical wireless transmission system based on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing for indoor communications. The investigations rely on realistic parameters of the key system components and focus on throughput maximization. We will show that a dynamically adaptive system can greatly enhance performance when compared to static operation, and how a loading algorithm, which optimally performs in powerlimited systems, needs to be adjusted if the specific terms of the optical wireless channel are to be rigorously obeyed. Our investigations include scenarios in which the non-negativity constraint on the optical source driving signal is strictly met and in which a certain amount of symmetric clipping is tolerated. In the latter case, the system can be regarded as power-limited and conventional loading algorithms are hence the most suitable. We will show that the transmission rate can be significantly improved even further by accepting a minor increase in the error rate as a result of controlled clipping, and we will compare our results with the upper system capacity limit. Index Terms — optical wireless, OFDM, adaptive transmission, loading algorithm, clipping, channel capacit