Effective strategy groups used by readers of Chinese as a foreign language

Second language (L2) reading research suggests that successful reading comprehension usually involves a repertoire of strategies. Although Chinese is considered to be a challenging language for foreign language readers, thus far, few studies have investigated how strategies are orchestrated by readers of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) to enhance comprehension. This study investigated how L2 Chinese readers grouped multiple strategies to comprehend a Chinese text. Through think-aloud and recall protocols, observations, and interviews, it identified several strategy clusters and pairs that helped adult CFL readers to infer words, monitor comprehension, and segment words successfully. It also revealed interrelations between and among strategies within each cluster and pair. The results showed that successful use of strategies in CFL reading usually involves context and multiple linguistic cues. In addition, vocabulary and grammar knowledge play important roles in CFL readers’ use of reading strategies

A Novel Eigenvalue Algorithm for the Complex Band Structure and Eigenmodes of Plasmonic Crystals

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Study of individual erythrocyte deformability susceptibility to INFeD and ethanol using a microfluidic chip

Human red blood cells (RBCs) deformability in vitro was assessed during iron dextran (INFeD) loading and/or ethanol co-administration using microfluidic deformability screening. The results showed donor-specific variations in dose dependent deformability shift were revealed below 500 μg/mL iron dextran. Two out of nine blood samples exhibited significant cell stiffening at 500 μg/mL iron dextran loading concentration (p < 0.05, Tukey test). More interestingly, co-administration of moderate amount of ethanol was identified to have significant protective effects on RBC deformability. We also noted that ethanol can reverse the deformability of impaired RBCs. Meanwhile obvious donor dependent response to ethanol administration on RBC deformability was noted using our biomimetic microfluidic chip.Singapore-MIT Alliance in Research and Technology (SMART

On-site vibration test and dynamic response analysis of wind turbine of intertidal zone

In our study, the vibration signal of impulse response and attenuation response are extracted using the correlation function and power spectrum, and the natural frequency of wind turbine is determined. Compared with the rotation frequency of the blades of wind turbine which are 1p (one blade) and 3p (three blades), and wind vibration performance of the wind turbine is determined. The natural frequency of wind turbine is between the frequencies of one blade and three blades of wind turbine, which can avoid resonance phenomenon and meet the precision requirement for engineering application. The laws of acceleration and strain response along the wind turbine under ordinary wind load are obtained by installing acceleration sensor and strain gauge along the wind turbine. We found that the acceleration at the wind turbine top increases 10 times than that at the bottom. The acceleration influenced by tide is 1.14 times than that with no tide. The strain produced maximum value at the opening place of wind turbine and near the top, it should be paid attention in the engineering design