290 research outputs found

    Chinese International Students\u27 Informal Second Language (L2) Learning Through Technology for Enhancing Lived Experiences in Canada

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    An increasing amount of attention has been drawn to international students’ academic development in the context of studying abroad; however, few studies shed light on students’ studying and lived experiences outside of school. This thesis explores how technology can enhance Chinese international students’ informal acquisition of second language (L2) and their lived experiences in Canada. Through a qualitative case study, I describe what language difficulties newly arrived Chinese international students encounter, and how they cope with those language difficulties through technology-assisted informal L2 learning. Data sources include in-depth interviews and follow-up interviews, participants’ personal narratives, and researchers’ reflective journals. Theories of multiliteracies, basic interpersonal communicative skills and cognitive academic language proficiency distinction, as well as a communicative competence framework have been adopted as the theoretical frameworks for data analysis. The findings show that newly arrived Chinese international students’ major language difficulties includes lack of non-academic vocabulary, lack of understanding of sociocultural differences, and unfamiliarity with informal context embedded phrases. To overcome these language difficulties, they creatively design informal L2 learning experiences through the combinational use of technology tools. The results have significant implications for newly arrived Chinese international students’ informal L2 learning

    Quantitative Research on the Evolution Stages of We-media Network Public Opinion based on a Logistic Equation

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    We-media network public opinion is a new force in the current social public opinion field that has an important impact on the guidance of social public opinion and social stability. Studying the periodic law of we-media network public opinion dissemination and constructing a quantitative model of we-media network public opinion dissemination stages provide the basis for guiding social public opinion and governing we-media network public opinion dissemination. Based on this, this paper explores the life cycle of we-media network public opinion evolution, analyzes the characteristics and connotations of each evolution stage, and determines the dominant indicators of we-media network public opinion evolution stages; in addition, this paper constructs a logistic quantitative model and its stage refinement model for the evolution and development of we-media network public opinion and uses MATLAB software to simulate the event of the academic fraud of the Chinese actor Zhai. This paper studies the four key points on the logistic curve of we-media network public opinion evolution and the five key intervals, analyzes the connotation of the quantified stage of each interval, and puts forward the governance strategy of we-media network public opinion events, through the simulation of initial values, growth rates and upper limits

    Analysis of Multi-Element Blended Course Teaching and Learning Mode Based on Student-Centered Concept under the Perspective of “Internet+”

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    The integration of Internet and education has changed students’ learning environment and affected their learning behavior, which poses a greater challenge to the traditional teaching mode. Through the SWOT analysis of the “student centered” multi-element blended teaching mode in the era of “Internet + education”, it is concluded that the adaptability of learners themselves and the mismatch between teachers’ educational ideas and this teaching model delay the development of education to a certain extent. Some suggestions are put forward, such as strengthening the supervision and guidance, implementing the teaching and learning model scientifically, improving teachers’ ideology and comprehensive quality, and making full use of the characteristics of Internet opening, sharing and collaboration to construct the public service system and platform of national educational resources

    Combined Effect of Thermal Shock and Hot Corrosion on the Failure of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Thermal Barrier Coatings

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    The application of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) always undergo severe environment, concluding hot corrosion, high temperature oxidation and higher stress, which result in the failure of TBCs. The study of failure mechanisms of TBCs under various combined environmental factors, different with single factor, is more significant to further promote the applications of TBCs. In the present work, the combined effect of thermal shock and hot corrosion on the failure of TBCs was highlighted investigated. The 8wt.% yttria stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) thermal barrier coatings on a GH2132 alloy were deposited by air plasma spraying. The results showed that the transformation of ZrO2 from tetragonal phase to monoclinic phase induced internal stress in the topcoat, when combined with the thermal stress, the topcoat even the bondcoat were both cracked. The main failure of TBCs under the combined effect was in the form of penetrating crack to the bondcoat/substrate interface and oxidation at the penetrating crack front

    Diagnostic Evasion of Highly-Resistant Microorganisms:A Critical Factor in Nosocomial Outbreaks

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    Highly resistant microorganisms (HRMOs) may evade screening strategies used in routine diagnostics. Bacteria that have evolved to evade diagnostic tests may have a selective advantage in the nosocomial environment. Evasion of resistance detection can result from the following mechanisms: low-level expression of resistance genes not resulting in detectable resistance, slow growing variants, mimicry of wild-type-resistance, and resistance mechanisms that are only detected if induced by antibiotic pressure. We reviewed reports on hospital outbreaks in the Netherlands over the past 5 years. Remarkably, many outbreaks including major nation-wide outbreaks were caused by microorganisms able to evade resistance detection by diagnostic screening tests. We describe various examples of diagnostic evasion by several HRMOs and discuss this in a broad and international perspective. The epidemiology of hospital-associated bacteria may strongly be affected by diagnostic screening strategies. This may result in an increasing reservoir of resistance genes in hospital populations that is unnoticed. The resistance elements may horizontally transfer to hosts with systems for high-level expression, resulting in a clinically significant resistance problem. We advise to communicate the identification of HRMOs that evade diagnostics within national and regional networks. Such signaling networks may prevent inter-hospital outbreaks, and allow collaborative development of adapted diagnostic tests

    Enterococcus faecium:from microbiological insights to practical recommendations for infection control and diagnostics

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    Early in its evolution, Enterococcus faecium acquired traits that allowed it to become a successful nosocomial pathogen. E. faecium inherent tenacity to build resistance to antibiotics and environmental stressors that allows the species to thrive in hospital environments. The continual wide use of antibiotics in medicine has been an important driver in the evolution of E. faecium becoming a highly proficient hospital pathogen.For successful prevention and reduction of nosocomial infections with vancomycin resistant E. faecium (VREfm), it is essential to focus on reducing VREfm carriage and spread. The aim of this review is to incorporate microbiological insights of E. faecium into practical infection control recommendations, to reduce the spread of hospital-acquired VREfm (carriage and infections). The spread of VREfm can be controlled by intensified cleaning procedures, antibiotic stewardship, rapid screening of VREfm carriage focused on high-risk populations, and identification of transmission routes through accurate detection and typing methods in outbreak situations. Further, for successful management of E. faecium, continual innovation in the fields of diagnostics, treatment, and eradication is necessary

    Better antimicrobial resistance data analysis and reporting in less time

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    Objectives: Insights about local antimicrobial resistance (AMR) levels and epidemiology are essential to guide decision-making processes in antimicrobial use. However, dedicated tools for reliable and reproducible AMR data analysis and reporting are often lacking. We aimed to compare traditional data analysis and reporting versus a new approach for reliable and reproducible AMR data analysis in a clinical setting.Methods: Ten professionals who routinely work with AMR data were provided with blood culture test results including antimicrobial susceptibility results. Participants were asked to perform a detailed AMR data analysis in a two-round process: first using their software of choice and next using our newly developed software tool. Accuracy of the results and time spent were compared between both rounds. Finally, participants rated the usability using the System Usability Scale (SUS).Results: The mean time spent on creating the AMR report reduced from 93.7 to 22.4 min (P Conclusions: This study demonstrated the significant improvement in efficiency and accuracy in standard AMR data analysis and reporting workflows through open-source software. Integrating these tools in clinical settings can democratize the access to fast and reliable insights about local microbial epidemiology and associated AMR levels. Thereby, our approach can support evidence-based decision-making processes in the use of antimicrobials
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