'Why Should I Study English If I'm Never Going To Leave This Town?' Developing Alternative Orientations To Culture in the EFL Classroom Through CAR

This article describes the progress and findings of a collaborative action research project on the cultural dimension in primary levels of EFL education in Valencia (Spain). Its aim was to explore whether the EFL subject tended to ignore the students¿ native cultural background, and if so, whether this omission brought negative pedagogical consequences. It involved ten student-teachers who were carrying out their practicum placements at schools in the region, ten EFL school teachers, and a university researcher. Collective meetings were held to critically analyze the school experiences, and design experimental interventions to give a different orientation to culture in the EFL class. By the end of the CAR, the STs had become better teachers and researchers: they were more aware of the need for the learners¿ cultural background to become integrated into the communicative aims of the EFL subject, and more prepared to improve their theoretical and practical understanding of this dimension through research on their own teaching

CVD diamond coated silicon nitride self-mated systems : tribological behaviour under high loads

Friction and wear behaviour of self-mated chemical vapour deposited (CVD) diamond films coating silicon nitride ceramics (Si3N4) were investigated in ambient atmosphere. The tribological tests were conducted in a reciprocal motion ball-on-flat type tribometer under applied normal loads up to 80 N (~10 GPa). Several characterisation techniques - including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and micro-Raman studies - were used in order to assess the quality, stress state and wear resistance of the coatings. In addition, a novel method is presented to estimate the wear coefficient of the diamond coated flat specimens from AFM and optical microscopy (OM) observations of the wear tracks

Novel therapies in genitourinary cancer: an update

In recent years, new treatment for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been a spotlight in the field of cancer therapeutics. With several emerging agents branded as 'targeted therapy' now available, both medical oncologists and urologists are progressively more hopeful for better outcomes. The new remedies may provide patients with improved survival and at the same time less toxicity when compared to traditional cytotoxic agents. This article will center on current and emerging treatment strategies for advanced RCC and other GU malignancies with updates from 2008 annual ASCO meeting

Molecular beam mass spectrometry and modelling of CH4–CO2 plasmas in relation with polycrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond deposition

International audienc

Emission spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and kinetics in CH4-CO2 plasmas used for diamond deposition

International audienceDiamond deposition in microwave CH4–CO2 plasmas depends on various parameters that change the nature and the concentration of the various species in the plasma. In this work emphasis was put on the effect exerted by changes in the power density njected in the plasma. These changes were obtained by varying both the microwave power and the pressure. The ro-vibrational temperature and then the kinetic temperature of the heavy species were determined by emission spectroscopy. Variations induced in the nature and the concentration of both stable species H2, CH4 , CO, CO2, . . . and radicals H, OH, CH3, C3H3, C3H5, ... were derived from analyses performed with a mass spectrometer associated to a molecular beam sampling technique. Modeling based on various reactor configurations showed that the kinetics in the plasma is principally controlled by the gas temperature at the highest power density, whereas reactions with electrons are needed to initiate the mechanism at low power densities. The comparison of computed and experimental concentration profiles also shows that the influence of the residence time is of capital importance when CH4/CO2 plasmas are used for diamond deposition. This parameter allows explaining the correlation between the experimental conditions and the etching/deposition domains

Study protocol: follow-up home visits with nutrition: a randomised controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Geriatric patients are at high risk of re-admission after discharge. Pre-existing nutritional risk amongst these patients is of primary concern, with former nutritional intervention studies being largely ineffective. None of these studies has included individual dietary counselling by a registered dietician or has considered competing medical conditions in the participants. A former randomised study has shown that comprehensive discharge follow-up in geriatric patients homes by general practitioners and district nurses was effective in reducing the re-admission risk in the intervention group compared to the control group. That study did not include a nutritional intervention. The purpose of this study is to assess the combined benefits of an intervention consisting of discharge follow-up in geriatric patients' home by a general practitioner and a registered dietician.</p> <p>Methods/design</p> <p>This single-blind randomised controlled study, will recruit 160 hospitalised geriatric medical patients (65+ y) at nutritional risk. Participants will be randomly allocated to receive in their homes, either 12 weeks individualised nutritional counselling by a registered dietician complemented with follow-up by general practitioners or a 12 weeks follow-up by general practitioners alone.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This trial is the first of its kind to provide individual nutritional intervention combined with follow-up by general practitioner as an intervention to reduce risk of re-admission after discharge among geriatric medical patients. The results will hopefully help to guide the development of more effective rehabilitation programs following hospital admissions, which may ultimately lead to reduced health care costs, and improvement in mobility, independence and quality of life for geriatric patients at nutritional risk.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov 2010 <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01249716">NCT01249716</a></p