Enhancing Speaking Fluency Trough Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL): A Case Study of High School Students in Kerman Province

This study examines the impact of content and language integrated learning CLIL a popular method for teaching English on the development of speaking skills among high school students Speaking skills are emphasized as crucial among the four language skills due to their effectiveness in communication The paper discusses the techniques employed by teachers in teaching speaking focusing on a sample of 100 intermediate students from a high school in the Yazd province To gather research data an Oxford Placement Test OPT was initially conducted to ensure homogeneity among the students followed by an IELTS test as a posttest for both groups to assess the influence of CLIL on speaking fluency Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS-26 software package The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of CLIL in enhancing learners speaking skills with a T-test used as the statistical test to answer the research questio

Paleo-ice sheet reconstructions constrained by GIA and geological data for use in climate models

Paleo-ice sheet reconstructions are complicated by large uncertainties, particularly since it is usually only possible to infer thickness from indirect means such as the response of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). GIA itself has large uncertainties with respect to the rheological structure of the Earth, and it is possible to get multiple possible best fitting ice sheet configurations using different Earth models. Usually the best geological constraints for paleo-ice sheets are ice margin location, via dating methods and geomorphological features. Using the program ICESHEET (Gowan et al 2016), it is possible to exploit this knowledge and create glaciologically consistent ice sheet reconstructions for use in GIA modeling. We demonstrate this by applying them to the North American Laurentide and Innuitian ice sheets, and show that it is possible to have an ice sheet that has a much lower profile than other GIA constrained reconstructions such as ICE-6G, GLAC-1 and ANU. A lower profile ice sheet has profound implications for past climate reconstructions, including radically different atmospheric and Atlantic Ocean circulation at the Last Glacial Maximum. Such a reconstruction is better able to fit geological constraints in the near field, but are at odds with global sea level reconstructions that require much larger ice volume. We discuss possible solutions to this issue. Another benefit of ICESHEET is that it does not require climatic information, since the ice thickness is adjusted by changing a spatially and temporarily variable basal shear stress parameter. Using these reconstructions in climate models do not face the circularity of dynamic ice sheet models that require a climatic input that was often derived from a-priori ice sheet reconstructions

Utilization of membrane systems in beer processing

Beer is the most consumed beverage after tea, carbonates, milk and coffee in the world and it continues to be a popular drink. One of the important reason for its popularity is that beer is a drink with a pleasant flavor, an attractive color and also because of its clarity. So, Membrane separation technology has become widely used in the food processing industryto attain these characteristics.As advantages of membrane filtration are included maintainingdissolved macromolecules that give the beer its flavor and functional properties while causes removal of yeast cells and turbidity colloids and also, reducing the components that cause turbidity of the bottled beer.Because of the potential of cross-flow microfiltration as a separation method for brewery, it has been investigated in the many of recent studies. Clarification of rough beer (RB) and pasteurization of clarified beer (CB) are as an application of cross-flow microfiltration (CFMF) in brewery. An important limitation in the performance of membrane processes is the fouling mechanism and the general effect of these phenomena, known as concentration polarization have described briefly in this review article. Moreover, the influence of important parameters in the filtration process such as temperature, pressure,type of membrane, pore size and the use of stamped membrane have been discussed.

Effect of dietary approaches to stop hypertension, and standard diets with and without curcumin on interleukin-1 alpha, 5-alpha reductase gene expressions, and androgenic and glycemic profile in polycystic ovary syndrome women undergoing IVF

Full Title: Effect of dietary approaches to stop hypertension, and standard diets with and without curcumin on interleukin-1 alpha, 5-alpha reductase gene expressions, and androgenic and glycemic profile in polycystic ovary syndrome women undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment: A study protocol Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine diseases with major reproductive and metabolic complications with an impact on public health. Hyperandrogenism and chronic inflammation have been suggested as the leading cause of pathophysiology and clinical manifestations associated with PCOS. It seems that the altered expression of genes involved in the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokine and androgens contribute to the promotion of PCOS. Objective: This trial aims to determine the effects of dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) and standard diets with and without curcumin supplementation on the gene expression of interleukin (IL)-1α alpha, IL-5α reductase and androgenic and glycemic profile among PCOS patients, who are candidates for in vitro fertilization. Materials and Methods: 96 infertile women with PCOS, aged 18-40 yr, will participate in this randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Based on treatment conditions and body mass index, the participants will be randomly divided into 4 equal groups using a randomized block design. They will receive a DASH or standard diet containing 52% carbohydrate, 18% protein, and 30% total fat, with the same prescribed sodium, plus 500 mg twice daily curcumin or placebo for 12 wk. The mRNA expression of IL-1α, 5α reductase, and androgenic and glycemic profiles will be measured at baseline and at the end of the study. Conclusion: Concomitant administration of DASH diet and curcumin supplementation may reduce IL-1α, 5α reductase gene expressions, and improve glycemic and androgenic profiles. Key words: Polycystic ovary syndrome, Dietary approaches to stop hypertension, Curcumin, Fertilization in vitro, Gene expression

Quantification of the variability in response to propofol administration in children

Closed-loop control of anesthesia is expected to decrease drug dosage and wake up time while increasing patient safety and decreasing the work load of the anesthesiologist. The potential of closed-loop control in anesthesia has been demon- strated in several clinical studies. One of the challenges in the development of a closed-loop system that can be widely accepted by clinicians and regulatory authorities is the effect of inter- patient variability in drug sensitivity. This system uncertainty may lead to unacceptable performance, or even instability of the closed-loop system for some individuals. The development of reliable models of the effect of anesthetic drugs and charac- terization of the uncertainty is therefore an important step in the development of a closed-loop system. Model identification from clinical data is challenging due to limited excitation and the lack of validation data. In this paper, approximate models are therefore validated for controller design by evaluating the predictive accuracy of the closed-loop behavior. A set of 47 validated models that describe the inter-patient variability in the response to propofol in children is presented. This model set can be used for robust linear controller design provided that the experimental conditions are similar to the conditions during data collection

Paleo-ice sheet reconstructions constrained by glacial isostatic adjustment and geological data

Paleo-ice sheet reconstructions are complicated by large uncertainties, particularly since it is usually only possible to infer thickness from indirect means such as the response of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). Recently, there has been increased attention to refining the chronology of ice sheet margins of paleo-ice sheets, and changes in relative sea level in formerly glaciated regions. Using this information, it is possible to infer the configuration of the ice sheets through time. Using the program ICESHEET (Gowan et al 2016), we reconstruct past ice sheets using a simple, though glaciologically plausible ice sheet model. The ice sheet volume is reconstructed by adjusting the basal shear stress at discrete time intervals in the region of interest until the modelled sea level is consistent with the sea level indicators. We demonstrate this technique by applying it to the Innuitian Ice Sheet. We also show the utility of the models for use in paleo-geographic reconstructions, as well as usage in paleo-climate simulations

Wearable sensors for learning enhancement in higher education

Wearable sensors have traditionally been used to measure and monitor vital human signs for well-being and healthcare applications. However, there is a growing interest in using and deploying these technologies to facilitate teaching and learning, particularly in a higher education environment. The aim of this paper is therefore to systematically review the range of wearable devices that have been used for enhancing the teaching and delivery of engineering curricula in higher education. Moreover, we compare the advantages and disadvantages of these devices according to the location in which they are worn on the human body. According to our survey, wearable devices for enhanced learning have mainly been worn on the head (e.g., eyeglasses), wrist (e.g., watches) and chest (e.g., electrocardiogram patch). In fact, among those locations, head-worn devices enable better student engagement with the learning materials, improved student attention as well as higher spatial and visual awareness. We identify the research questions and discuss the research inclusion and exclusion criteria to present the challenges faced by researchers in implementing learning technologies for enhanced engineering education. Furthermore, we provide recommendations on using wearable devices to improve the teaching and learning of engineering courses in higher education

Neuromodulation in the Age of Modern Neuroimaging Technologies

Most commonly used for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD), the deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a new neurosurgical method whose other applications are still under development. Neuroimaging has a variety of main roles in DBS including evaluating the final electrode contact position, localizing the target nucleus, and detecting complications. Despite being a neurosurgical method, successful DBS intervention is highly dependent on an appropriate neuroimaging technique. For achieving satisfying clinical results, DBS needs the presence of neuroradiologists. In this chapter, we have reviewed the role of neuroimaging in all stages of deep brain stimulation as well as the underlying mechanism in this domain