159 research outputs found
Pedagogical discourse styles of native and non-native language teachers
This study seeks to uncover the characteristics of foreign language instructorsâ discourse styles implemented in the classroom when teaching students the target language. Foreign language classrooms are unique to academia because the teachers of the language, depending on whether they are native or non-native speakers of the target language, learned it in different environments and for distinct purposes. Many of the previous studies examining the effect a teacherâs ability in the target language will have on his/her instruction have focused on native and non-native speakersâ teaching styles and/or methodologies. Rather than the effect on the teacherâs style, the central question in this dissertation is how an instructorâs native or non-native ability will affect his/her pedagogical discourse when presenting the target language to students. Through the analysis of data collected from university classrooms with native and non-native instructors, three salient variances in the instructorsâ teaching discourse are revealed: the effect the L1 of the students has in presenting the L2, the pronouns used to address students and refer to speakers of the target language and the studentsâ native language, and the positioning and quantity of code-switching implemented in the classes. Due to the non-native instructors sharing the same L1 as their students, they have an advantage of identifying the learning process of their students. Furthermore, non-native instructors build solidarity with their students by consistently using the first person plural pronoun when comparing the forms and cultures of their and the studentsâ L1 to the forms and cultures of the target language. Code-switching in the classroom room is unique and different from that which is heard in speech communities. Contributing to previous literature on classroom code-switching, the present study reveals two significant motivations behind the instructorsâ code-switching: a pedagogical tool and topic expansion. From the results revealed in this study, the non-native speakers are more pedagogically prepared to recognize their studentsâ progress in the acquisition of the target language and to answer questions their students have about the target language. These results further aid in the preparation of language teachers in order to improve the overall outcome of future language students
Mitigating NPD And R&D Risks Via A Portfolio Effect In Country Choice
New Product Development as well as Research and Development projects tend to be inherently risky investments. Most MNC’s today have great latitude in choosing site and country locations to build or contract Research or Development projects. MNC R&D risks, corporate wide, can be moderated via a diversification of NPD/R&D projects across multiple cultures and countries. In fact there is some evidence that R&D global diversification can generate synergies. (Fast track projects that work around the clock via work being done in three locations each 8 hours off from the other.) Foreign R&D facilities can help serve as outposts to facilitate the entrance into strategic foreign markets. This paper attempts to develop decision methodologies for allocating NPD/R&D globally with the goal of both reducing risks and increasing global competitiveness
Suzaku Observations of Local Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies
We report the results from our analysis of {\it Suzaku} XIS (0.5-10 keV) and
HXD/PIN (15-40 keV) observations of five well-known local ULIRGs: {\em IRAS}
F05189-2524, {\em IRAS} F08572+3915, Mrk 273, PKS 1345+12, and Arp 220. The XIS
observations of F05189-2524 and Mrk 273 reveal strong iron lines consistent
with Fe K and changes in spectral shapes with respect to previous {\it
Chandra} and {\it XMM-Newton} observations. Mrk 273 is also detected by the
HXD/PIN at 1.8-. For F05189-2524, modeling of the data from the
different epochs suggests that the change in spectral shape is likely due to
the central source switching off, leaving behind a residual reflection
spectrum, or an increase in the absorbing column. An increase in the covering
fraction of the absorber can describe the spectral variations seen in Mrk 273,
although a reduction in the intrinsic AGN luminosity cannot be formally ruled
out. The {\it Suzaku} spectra of Mrk 273 are well fit by a ~94% covering
fraction model with a column density of cm. The
absorption-corrected log[ / ] ratio is consistent
with those found in PG Quasars. The 0.5-10 keV spectrum of PKS 1345+12 and Arp
220 seem unchanged from previous observations and their hard X-ray emission is
not convincingly detected by the HXD/PIN. The large column density derived from
CO observations and the large equivalent width of an ionized Fe line in Arp 220
can be reconciled by an ionized reflection model. F08572+3915 is undetected in
both the XIS and HXD/PIN, but the analysis of unpublished {\em Chandra} data
provides a new measurement at low energies.Comment: 37 pages including 4 tables and 10 figures. Accepted for publication
in ApJ. It is tentatively scheduled to appear in the January 20, 2009 issue
of Ap
INTEGRAL and Swift/XRT observations of the source PKS 0208-512
The active galaxy PKS 0208-512, detected at lower energies by COMPTEL, has
been claimed to be a MeV blazar from EGRET. We report on the most recent
INTEGRAL observations of the blazar PKS 0208-512, which are supplemented by
Swift ToO observations. The high energy X-ray and gamma-ray emission of PKS
0208-512 during August - December 2008 has been studied using 682 ks of
INTEGRAL guest observer time and ~ 56 ks of Swift/XRT observations. These data
were collected during the decay of a gamma-ray flare observed by Fermi/LAT. At
X-ray energies (0.2 - 10 keV) PKS 0208-512 is significantly detected by
Swift/XRT, showing a power-law spectrum with a photon index of ~ 1.64. Its
X-ray luminosity varied by roughly 30% during one month. At hard X-/soft
gamma-ray energies PKS 0208-512 shows a marginally significant (~ 3.2 sigma)
emission in the 0.5-1 MeV band when combining all INTEGRAL/SPI data.
Non-detections at energies below and above this band by INTEGRAL/SPI may
indicate intrinsic excess emission. If this possible excess is produced by the
blazar, one possible explanation could be that its jet consists of an abundant
electron-positron plasma, which may lead to the emission of an annihilation
radiation feature. Assuming this scenario, we estimate physical parameters of
the jet of PKS 0208-512.Comment: accepted for publication in A&
Sweetened Drink and Snacking Cues in Adolescents. A Study Using Ecological Momentary Assessment
The objective of this study was to identify physical, social, and intrapersonal cues that were associated with the consumption of sweetened beverages and sweet and salty snacks among adolescents from lower SES neighborhoods. Students were recruited from high schools with a minimum level of 25% free or reduced cost lunches. Using ecological momentary assessment, participants (N=158) were trained to answer brief questionnaires on handheld PDA devices: (a) each time they ate or drank, (b) when prompted randomly, and (c) once each evening. Data were collected over 7days for each participant. Participants reported their location (e.g., school grounds, home), mood, social environment, activities (e.g., watching TV, texting), cravings, food cues (e.g., saw a snack), and food choices. Results showed that having unhealthy snacks or sweet drinks among adolescents was associated with being at school, being with friends, feeling lonely or bored, craving a drink or snack, and being exposed to food cues. Surprisingly, sweet drink consumption was associated with exercising. Watching TV was associated with consuming sweet snacks but not with salty snacks or sweet drinks. These findings identify important environmental and intrapersonal cues to poor snacking choices that may be applied to interventions designed to disrupt these food-related, cue-behavior linked habits
Fermi/LAT Observations of Swift/BAT Seyferts: on the Contribution of Radio-quiet AGN to the Extragalactic Gamma-ray Background
We present the analysis of 2.1 years of Fermi/LAT data on 491 Seyfert
galaxies detected by the Swift/BAT survey. Only the two nearest objects, NGC
1068 and NGC 4945, which were identified in the Fermi First-year Catalog, are
detected. Using the Swift/BAT and radio 20 cm fluxes, we define a new
radio-loudness parameter where radio loud objects have . Based on this parameter, only radio loud sources are detected by
Fermi/LAT. An upper limit to the flux of the undetected sources is derived to
be photons cm s, approximately seven
times lower than the observed flux of NGC 1068. Assuming a median redshift of
0.031, this implies an upper limit to the -ray (1--100 GeV) luminosity
of erg s. In addition, we identified 120 new
Fermi/LAT sources near the Swift/BAT Seyferts with significant Fermi/LAT
detections. A majority of these objects do not have \bat counterparts, but
their possible optical counterparts include blazars, FSRQs, and quasars.Comment: 19 pages preprint style, including 2 tables and 4 figures. Accepted
for publication by the Astrophysical Journa
Improving colon cancer screening in community clinics: CRC Screening and Community Clinics
We evaluated the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of two interventions designed to promote colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in safety-net settings
Structure of 3-ketoacyl-(acyl-carrier-protein) reductase from Rickettsia prowazekii at 2.25â Ă resolution
The R. prowazekii 3-ketoacyl-(acyl-carrier-protein) reductase is similar to those from other prokaryotic pathogens but differs significantly from the mammalian orthologue, strengthening its case as a potential drug target
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