Age and other variables affecting rate of learning in adult foreign language

Màster de Lingüística Aplicada i Adquisició de Llengües en Contextos Multilingües, Departament de Filologia Anglesa i Alemanya, Universitat de Barcelona, Any: 2010, Supervisor: Dr. Carme Muñoz LahozThis study investigated the effects of age and other individual factors in the rate of learning of two groups of adult learners of English as a foreign language. Participants were 65 Catalan-Spanish bilinguals with L2 French, who started learning English as an L3 after 18 years old. One group (N=51) had 200 hours of instruction, and the other group (N=14) 416. Participants took four tests: a cloze, a dictation, a grammar multiple choice test and a listening comprehension test. In correlation analyses, no general relationship between age and test scores was observed. When data were disaggregated for Group A, a t-test comparing two sub-samples with a cut-off point set at 24 years old yielded moderately significant mean differences in the listening scores, favourable to the younger age group. Another three variables yielded moderately significant correlation coefficients for Group A. Stepwise regression analysis reinforced the role played by L1 literacy and proficiency in previous foreign language, while excluding motivation. For Group B, only motivation reached a strong positive correlation with dictation and listening scores. Results suggest that in formal L2 contexts, variables affecting the learning rate of adults may vary as the student progresses towards ultimate attainment. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research are discussed

Severe Atopic Dermatitis In Spain: A Real-Life Observational Study

Objective: To determine the epidemiology and characterize the treatment prescribed for severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in children/adults in usual clinical practice. Methods: Observational, retrospective study made through review of medical records of Spanish patients aged >= 6 years. Patients diagnosed with severe AD who required care between 2013 and 2017 were included. The study groups were: 6-12 years; 13-18 years; and > 18 years. Patients were followed for 5 years. The main measurements were the prevalence of AD, comorbidity and treatment duration. Statistical significance was established as p <0.05. Results: We included 2323 patients with severe AD. The overall prevalence was 0.10% (95% CI: 0.09-0.11%) and was 0.39%, 0.23% and 0.07% in the 6-12 years, 13-18 years and >18 years age groups, respectively (p <0.001), the percentage of males was 58%, 48.6% and 39%, respectively, and general comorbidity was 0.1, 0.2 and 0.9 points, respectively (p <0.001).The most frequent comorbidities were asthma in 49.0%, 44.9% and 20.8%, respectively (p <0.001), and anxiety in 79.7%, 65.8% and 67.3%, respectively (p <0.001). Oral corticosteroids were administered in 97.3%, 90.9% and 81.7%, respectively (concomitant-medication). Cyclosporine (45.3%), azathioprine (15.9%) and methotrexate (9.0%) were the most frequently prescribed drugs; biologic agents were administered in 5.8% of patients (for AD). Conclusion: In AD the presence of comorbidities was significant, especially in the psychological, immunoallergic and cardiovascular areas. Cyclosporine was the most widely used immunosuppressant. There was a degree of variability in the use and duration of the treatments prescribed

From the formal play to the functional diagram: Experiences in Soviet and North American skyscrapers

[Resumen] El artículo narra el origen de una de las estrategias de proyecto que aportó la modernidad: el diagrama de funciones. Para ello se analiza el momento en que los pioneros viraron desde sus primeros experimentos formales abstractos hacia posiciones mucho más funcionalistas y objetivas basadas en el programa y en la construcción, no ya en la forma. En concreto, el discurso profundiza en el desarrollo del tipo arquitectónico del rascacielos por ser un claro ejemplo de aquellas experiencias. De hecho, el tipo del rascacielos y la estrategia del diagrama comparten una trayectoria histórica y cultural similar: ambos fueron inventados en Estados Unidos, reformulados por las vanguardias soviéticas y europeas en los años veinte, y exportados de nuevo a América en los treinta. De estas vicisitudes se hace eco el artículo, que termina explicando la torre PSFS como colofón: diseñado por un arquitecto americano y un arquitecto europeo, este es el primer rascacielos de la segunda generación edificado en Norteamérica y supone uno de los primeros ejemplos donde se utilizó el diagrama como estrategia[Abstract] The article narrates the origin of one of the project strategies that modernity brought: the functional diagram. For this, it examines the moment in which the pioneers veered from their early abstract formal experiments towards more functionalist and objective positions based on the program and the construction, not in the form. Specifi cally, the discourse explores the development of the architectural type of the skyscraper because it is a clear example of those experiences. In fact, the skyscraper -as a type- and the diagram -as a strategy-, share a similar historical and cultural trajectory: both were invented in the U.S., then they were reformulated by the soviet and European avant-garde in the twenties, and fi nally they were exported back to America in the thirties. Th e article eches these vicissitudes, and fi nishes with an explanation of the PSFS tower as a climax: designed by an American architect and an European architect, this building is the fi rst skyscraper of the second generation built in America and represents one of the fi rst clear examples in which was used the diagram as a formal strategy

Defensive architecture of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries in the Crown of Aragon. Between the crossbow and the gunpowder

[EN] An in-depth study of the Gothic architectural expressions in the territories of the Crown of Aragon, whether in Spain, southern France, Sardinia, Sicily or Naples and voluntarily away from a take based on current national borders, allows for the discovery of the existence of a number of aesthetic, typological and constructive characteristics. In short, a common essence to all of them, which transcends the local differences and particularities, called Mediterranean Gothic. Beyond the common presence, in all the variants of the Gothic style, of formal and decorative features, Mediterranean Gothic has a personality of its own that extends throughout the Mediterranean areas of present Spain, France and Italy. These territories share climatic and topographic conditions and maintained a close political, economic and cultural relationship for centuries within the Crown of Aragon. These relationships are embodied by architectural typologies, whether religious, civil or military, that extend throughout the territory of the Crown and provide a unitary artistic and constructive sense to the Mediterranean architecture of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.[ES] Un estudio profundo de las expresiones arquitectónicas del gótico en los territorios de la Corona de Aragón, tanto españoles como del sur de Francia, sardos, sicilianos o napolitanos, y que voluntariamente se aleje de una lectura basada en los límites nacionales actuales permite descubrir la existencia de unas características estéticas, tipológicas y constructivas, en definitiva, una esencia común a todas ellas que trasciende las diferencias y particularidades locales y que denominamos gótico mediterráneo; más allá de la presencia común en todas las variantes del gótico de unos estilemas formales y decorativos, el gótico mediterráneo tiene una personalidad propia que se extiende, en las zonas mediterráneas de las actuales España, Francia e Italia, unos territorios con unas condiciones climáticas y físicas con grandes similitudes que mantuvieron una estrecha relación política, económica y cultural durante siglos dentro de la estructura de la Corona de Aragón.Estas relaciones se plasman en unas tipologías arquitectónicas, ya sean religiosas, civiles o militares, que se extienden por todo el territorio de la Corona y dotan de un sentido artístico y constructivo unitario a la arquitectura mediterránea de los siglos XIV y XV.Cabodevilla-Artieda, I. (2018). La arquitectura defensiva de la Corona de Aragón en los siglos XIV y XV. Entre la ballesta y la pólvora. EGA. Revista de Expresión Gráfica Arquitectónica. 23(33):103-117. doi:10.4995/ega.2018.10393SWORD1031172333Cooper, Edward. 2014. La fortificación de España en los siglos xiii y xiv. Madrid: Ministerio de Defensa. Secretaría General Técnica. Marcial Pons Historia.De Divitiis, Bianca. 2013. "Castel Nuovo and Castel Capuano in Naples: the transformation of two medieval castles into 'all'antica' residences for the Aragonese royals". Zeitschrift fur Kunstgeschichte 76 (4): 441-74.Domengei Mesquida, Joan. 2007. "Guillem Sagrera". In Gli ultimi indipendenti. Architetti del gotico nel Mediterraneo tra xv e xvi secolo, edited by Emanuela Garofalo and Marco Rosario Nobile, 58-93. Palermo: Edizioni Caracol.Galati, Virgilio Carmine. 2016. "Il Torrione quattrocentesco di Bitonto: dalla committenza di Giovanni Ventimiglia e Marino Curiale alle proposte di Francesco di Giorgio Martini (1450-1495)". In Defensive Architecture of the Mediterranean. xv to xviii centuries. Vol. III, edited by Giorgio Verdiani, 95-102. Firenze: DIDAPRESS, Dipartimento di Architettura, Università degli Studi di Firenze.Gudelj, Jasenka. 2014. "The King of Naples emulates Salvia Postuma? The arch of Castel Nuovo in Naples and its antique model". In Dalmatia and the Mediterranean: Portable Archaeology and the Poetics of Influence, edited Alina Payne, 426-56. Brill. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004263918.Iorio, Guido. 2007. Il Giglio e la Spada. Istituzioni e strutture militari nel meridione angioino. Rimini: il Cerchio Iniziative Editoriali.Manote Clivilles, Rosa María. 1993. "Pere Joan i la catedral de Barcelona". D' Art Revista del Departament d'Historia de l'Art, n.o 19: 97-105.Natividad Vivó, Pau, Calvo López, José, Muñoz Cosme, Gaspar. 2012. "The ribless lierne vault at the gates of Quart in Valencia". Revista EGA expresión gráfica arquitectónica, n.o 19: 190-99. https://doi.org/10.4995/ega.2012.1370Rescio, Pierfrancesco. 1998. Archeologia e Storia dei Castelli di Basilicata e Puglia. Potenza: Consiglio Regionale di Basilicata.Vasar i, Giorgio. s. f. Le vite de' piú eccelenti pittori, scultori ed architetti. Edited Luciano Bellosi y Aldo Rossi. Torino: Letteratura italiana Einaudi.Zaragozá Catalán, Arturo, Gómez -Ferrer , Mercedes. 2007. "Francesc Baldomar". En Gli ultimi indipendenti. Architetti del gotico nel Mediterraneo tra xv e xvi secolo, editado por Emanuela Garofalo y Marco Rosario Nobile, 115- 28. Palermo: Edizioni Caracol

Deep learning for speaker characterization

La caracterización de un locutor es una de las tareas más relevantes en muchas aplicaciones de inteligencia artificial. Del mismo modo que estas tecnologías mejoran y se aumenta la cantidad de datos disponibles, es también importante adaptarlas a distintos idiomas y contextos. En este proyecto, se propone una red neuronal para clasificar el género, edad y acento de un locutor en catalán. Distintas variaciones serán exploradas, incluyendo algunas t´ecnicas punteras como el mecanismo de pooling basado en Double Multi-Head Attention. Por otro lado, se llevará a cabo análisis de datos con tal de obtener los mejores resultados posibles, incluyendo la aplicación de técnicas nivel estado del arte de aumento de datos. Algunos de los resultados son prometedores, al demostrar una considerable mejora respecto otras técnicas clásicas no basadas en aprendizaje automático.La caracterització d'un locutor és una de les tasques més rellevants en moltes aplicacions d'intel·ligència artificial. Tan bon punt s'afinen aquestes tecnologies i augmenta la quantitat de dades disponibles, és important adaptar-les a diferents idiomes i contexts. En aquest projecte, es proposa una xarxa neuronal per classificar el gènere, l'edat i l'accent d'un parlant de català. Vàries variacions dels blocs més convencionals seran explorades, incloent algunes tècniques punteres com un mecanisme de pooling basat en Double Multi- Head Attention. Per altra banda, es durà a terme anàlisis de dades per tal de millorar els resultats obtinguts, incloent l'aplicació de tècniques estat de l'art d'augment de dades. Alguns dels resultats són força prometedors, al demostrar una considerable millora respecte altres tècniques clàssiques no basades en l'aprenentatge automàtic.Speech characterization is one of the most relevant tasks in a lot of voice-related artificial intelligence applications. As these technologies thrive and the amount of data available increases, it is also salient their adaptation to different languages and contexts. In this project, a network to classify the gender, age and accent of a Catalan speaker through their voice is proposed. Different variations of the main models blocks are going to be explored, including some innovative techniques as the Double Multi-Head Attention pooling mechanism. In addition, some data analysis- including the application of some state-of-art voice data augmentation techniques- will be done aiming for better results. Some results show strong promise, as they indicate improvement in comparison to some classical methods not based on machine learning

The drawings of Tiburzio Spannocchi for the fortifications of the Pyrenees. Analysis and design

The introduction of the use of gunpowder and the development of artillery as fundamental elements of the war changed it completely, leading to the development of new types of fortresses. These were generally designated as “de traza italiana”, being their main features the creation of triangular or pentagonal bastions, a lower rise of the walls to hinder the action of the enemy artillery, caponiers and batteries of cannons. Tiburzio Spannocchi exemplifies the constant exchange of engineers between Italy and Spain throughout the 16th century, as he was commissioned by Philip II in 1592 to develop a defensive system for the central Pyrenees, from the Arán valley to the town of Berdún. To carry out the task he took a trip throughout the whole mountain range in which he analysed topographic, climatic, hydrological and even demographic characteristics, informing in numerous letters and final report kept in the Archivo General de Simancas. In these documents, we can find texts with minute descriptions of the conservation of the existing elements as well as graphical information that we can divide into three groups: geographical information, analysis of the surroundings, and design for construction or repair of the fortresses. The analysis of these drawings is a way to understand the approach of Tiburzio Spannocchi to the design of fortresses, the elements that focus his attention on the study of the environment and existing elements, as well as the use of the various codes and representation systems aimed to facilitate the transmission of the project, both from a constructive and functional point of view

Jazz Combos and Jazz Guitar Ensemble

KSU School of Music presents Jazz Combos and Jazz Guitar Ensemble.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1228/thumbnail.jp

Proyectos y prácticas sobre la educación de los indígenas. El caso de la misión franciscana de Laishí frente al juicio del Inspector José Elías Niklison (1901-1916)

Durante la ocupación de los Territorios Nacionales de Chaco y Formosa (finales del siglo XIX y comienzos del XX) las órdenes religiosas cumplieron un papel preponderante por medio del ejercicio de formas pacíficas que vinculaban evangelización - educación- trabajo. Combinadas con las formas violentas contribuyeron a amalgamar las soluciones para el problema indígena. En esta presentación abordamos el sistema reduccional para los qom en Misión Laishí, Formosa. Los franciscanos la presentaban como modelo de su plan civilizatorio y evangelizador. Al mismo tiempo, el Inspector del Departamento Nacional del Trabajo José Elías Niklison (1875 - 1920) puso en cuestión su funcionamiento en la visita que efectuara en 1914. Las diferencias entre los religiosos y este funcionario nos permiten acercarnos a los debates respecto de la educación como vía de integración de los indígenas, en el período en estudio. Debates atravesados por el aumento del control estatal sobre las misiones franciscanas, y las concepciones de los reformistas liberales y los religiosos. Circunscribimos el estudio al período comprendido entre la fundación de la misión en 1901 y la publicación del Informe del citado Inspector en 1916.Fil: Liva, Yamila. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Humanidades; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Artieda, Teresa Laura. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Humanidades; Argentin

Individual differences in adult learners of English as a foreign language at two level of proficiency

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN ADULT LEARNERS OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AT TWO LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY GEMMA ARTIEDA I GUTIÉRRE