Enseñanza del lenguaje a través de la literatura: un estudio basado en ELT

The present study aims to: firstly, highlight the effectiveness of using literature in ELT classes in an interesting and innovative manner in Pakistan; secondly, to help language teachers develop a thoughtful and principled approach to using literature in the language classroom; thirdly, to provide teachers with the tools for developing their own classroom materials and for using these materials in a way that is relevant to their learners’ needs. This paper explores the text of ‘Good Bye Mr. Chips’, a famous novel by James Hilton (1934) for teaching at the Intermediate level. For the analysis of data, insights are taken from the works of Dubin & Olshtain (1977), Collie & Slater (1987) and Robinette. B. W (1978). It was found that activities like role plays and a lot of pair work and group work not only caused reduction in anxiety level of students but also increased their level of interest and enthusiasm. It also concluded that for facilitating language teaching and learning, the formation of a variety of activities based on learners’ needs from carefully and properly selected texts is unavoidable. Future researchers can exploit similar literary texts following the same frameworks for language teaching purposes.El presente estudio tiene como objetivo: en primer lugar, destacar la eficacia del uso de la literatura en las clases de ELT de una manera interesante e innovadora en Pakistán; en segundo lugar, ayudar a los profesores de idiomas a desarrollar un enfoque reflexivo y basado en principios para utilizar la literatura en el aula de idiomas; tercero, proporcionar a los maestros las herramientas para desarrollar sus propios materiales de clase y para usar estos materiales de una manera que sea relevante para las necesidades de sus alumnos. Este artículo explora el texto de “Good Bye Mr. Chips”, una famosa novela de James Hilton (1934) para la enseñanza a nivel intermedio. Para el análisis de los datos, se toman ideas de los trabajos de Dubin y Olshtain (1977), Collie y Slater (1987) y Robinette. B. W (1978). Se descubrió que actividades como juegos de roles y mucho trabajo en pareja y en grupo no solo redujeron el nivel de ansiedad de los estudiantes sino que también aumentaron su nivel de interés y entusiasmo. También concluyó que para facilitar la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de idiomas, es inevitable la formación de una variedad de actividades basadas en las necesidades de los alumnos a partir de textos cuidadosamente seleccionados. Los futuros investigadores pueden explotar textos literarios similares siguiendo los mismos marcos para la enseñanza de idiomas

Pengendalian Banjir Sungai Wulan, Demak, Jawa Tengah

Kabupaten Demak merupakan salah satu daerah yang terletak di daerah pesisir pantai Pulau Jawa. Demak merupakan salah satu daerah yang rawan terjadi banjir yang dipengaruhi oleh sungai Wulan. Sungai Wulan merupakan percabangan dari Sungai Lusi dan Sungai Serang dimana kedua aliran sungai ini di tampung ke Bendung Klambu, Kab. Grobogan, Jawa Tengah. Setelah itu mengalir ke pintu air Wilalung, pintu ini memiliki Sembilan pintu air yang dibangun pada saat zaman kolonial Belanda yang berlokasi di Dukuh Babalan, Desa Kalirejo, Kecamatan Undaan, Kabupaten Kudus, Jawa Tengah. Masalah utama yang dihadapi di Demak yaitu masalah banjir dengan genangan yang cukup lama. Perbaikan penampang pada daerah aliran sungai Wulan dapat menjadi alternatif penanganan masalah yang tepat untuk wilayah tersebut, muka air laut yang tinggi dan mengalami penurunan tanah. Perbaikan penampang aliran sungai Wulan ini meliputi perencanaan pengerukan dasar sungai dan tanggul sungai. Perhitungan debit banjir rencana 50 tahun menggunakan pemodelan HEC-HMS 4.0. Debit banjir rencana untuk perencanaan ini adalah 1754,9 m3/detik. Perencanaan perbaikan sungai menggunakan model HEC-RAS dengan debit rencana hasil dari program HEC-HMS 4.0. Penampang direncanakan berbentuk trapesium dengan lebar bawah 70 m dan kemiringan 1 : 3. Ada beberapa tanah hasil galian yang digunakan untuk penimbunan tanggul sungai agar tidak semua tanah dibuang, sehingga tidak memerlukan adanya biaya tambahan untuk membeli tanah urugan. Proyek ini menelan biaya sebesar Rp. 1.533.642.964.000,00

Zebrafish Models in NeuroPsychopharmacology and CNS Drug Discovery

Despite the high prevalence of neuropsychiatric disorders, their aetiology and molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is increasingly utilized as a powerful animal model in neuropharmacology research and in vivo drug screening. Collectively, this makes zebrafish a useful tool for drug discovery and the identification of disordered molecular pathways. Here, we discuss zebrafish models of selected human neuropsychiatric disorders and drug-induced phenotypes. As well as covering a broad range of brain disorders (from anxiety and psychoses to neurodegeneration), we also summarize recent developments in zebrafish genetics and small molecule screening, which markedly enhance the disease modelling and the discovery of novel drug targets

Reflexive governance architectures: considering the ethical implications of autonomous technology adoption in food supply chains

Background: The application of autonomous technology in food supply chains gives rise to a number of ethical considerations associated with the interaction between human and technology, human-technology-plant and human-technology-animal. These considerations and their implications influence technology design, the ways in which technology is applied, how the technology changes food supply chain practices, decision-making and the associated ethical aspects and outcomes. Scope and approach: Using the concept of reflexive governance, this paper has critiqued existing reflective food-related ethical assessment tools and proposed the structural elements required for reflexive governance architectures which address both the sharing of data, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in food supply chains. Key findings and conclusions: Considering the ethical implications of using autonomous technology in real life contexts is challenging. The current approach, focusing on discrete ethical elements in isolation e.g., ethical aspects or outcomes, normative standards or ethically orientated compliance-based business strategies is not sufficient in itself. Alternatively, the application of more holistic, reflexive governance architectures can inform consideration of ethical aspects, potential ethical outcomes, in particular how they are interlinked and/or interdependent, and the need for mitigation at all lifecycle stages of technology and food product conceptualisation, design, realisation and adoption in the food supply chain. This research is of interest to those who are undertaking ethical deliberation on data sharing, and the use of AI and machine learning in food supply chains

A Push-Pull System to Reduce House Entry of Malaria Mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes are the dominant vectors of pathogens that cause infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever and filariasis. Current vector control strategies often rely on the use of pyrethroids against which mosquitoes are increasingly developing resistance. Here, a push-pull system is presented, that operates by the simultaneous use of repellent and attractive volatile odorants. Experiments were carried out in a semi-field set-up: a traditional house which was constructed inside a screenhouse. The release of different repellent compounds, para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), catnip oil e.o. and delta-undecalactone, from the four corners of the house resulted in significant reductions of 45% to 81.5% in house entry of host-seeking malaria mosquitoes. The highest reductions in house entry (up to 95.5%), were achieved by simultaneously repelling mosquitoes from the house (push) and removing them from the experimental set-up using attractant-baited traps (pull). The outcome of this study suggests that a push-pull system based on attractive and repellent volatiles may successfully be employed to target mosquito vectors of human disease. Reductions in house entry of malaria vectors, of the magnitude that was achieved in these experiments, would likely affect malaria transmission. The repellents used are non-toxic and can be used safely in a human environment. Delta-undecalactone is a novel repellent that showed higher effectiveness than the established repellent PMD. These results encourage further development of the system for practical implementation in the field

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

Étude par spectrométrie infrarouge des effets du butylhydroxytoluène (BHT) sur la transition de phase principale des systèmes multilamellaires phosphatidylcholine/eau pleinement hydratés : influence de la durée de recuit

L'étude par spectrométrie infrarouge de l'incorporation de la molécule de butylhydroxytoluène (BHT), dans les multilamelles de phosphatidylcholine/eau, montre des perturbations importantes des paramètres cinétiques de la transition de phase principale (température de transition, unité de coopérativité et énergie d'activation) et met en évidence l'influence d'un paramètre expérimental rarement utilisé, qu'est la durée de recuit des échantillons. L'addition de BHT dans les multilamelles entraîne d'abord une légère diminution de la température de transition, qui augmente ensuite avec la durée de recuit, permettant aux molécules de pénétrer plus profondément. L'unité de coopérativité décroît fortement avec la concentration de BHT, alors que les énergies d'activation, après avoir augmentée jusqu'à 1 % de BHT, diminuent ensuite jusqu'à 10 % de BHT. Pour des concentrations égales ou supérieures à 10 % de BHT, l'étude vibrationnelle met en évidence la formation de domaines de BHT pur dans la matrice de phospholipides/eau. Les sites d'accrochage localisés à l'interface tête polaire/eau et vers les groupes esters des lipides, produisent un réseau de liaisons hydrogènes qui augmente la rigidité du système. La température de transition de phase, qui était de 41,5 °C pour les lamelles sans BHT, passe alors à 62,4 °C avec 1 % de BHT. En tous cas, ce renforcement structural pourrait être relié aux propriétés antioxydantes bien connues de cette substance

Étude par spectrométrie infrarouge de la transition de phase gel-cristal liquide de multilamelles de phosphatidyléthanolamines/eau. Détermination de l’unité de coopérativité et des énergies d’activation

La transition de phase gel-cristal liquide d'échantillons mullilamellaires de phosphalidy- léthanolamines (DLPE, DMPE, DPPE) pleinement hydratés (c = 40 % en eau), a été étudiée par spectrométrie infrarouge. La variation de la transmission des bandes δοΗ et δCH2 a permis de déterminer la température de transition, l'unité de coopérativité, ainsi que les énergies d'activation. La transition, qui s'effectue en deux étapes, démarrerait dans la zone polaire de l'interface lipide- eau et aux défauts de structure, pour s'étendre ensuite vers les régions mieux organisées des lamelles. L'énergie d’activation de la première étape est comprise entre 14 kJ/mole et 18 kJ/mole, tandis que celle de la deuxième étape est de l'ordre de 1 à 3 kJ/moIe. L'unité de coopérativité diminue avec la longueur des chaînes hvdrocarbonées. Les différences entre ces résultata et ceux obtenus précédemment avec les phosphatidylcholines, sont interprétées en fonction des interactions moléculaires se produisant à l'interface phospholipide/eau, en particulier des propriétés d'hydratation des têtes polaires