Experience of International Education of East Asian Students in English-speaking Countries: A four-dimensional approach

Global participation in international education in the last two decades has increased exponentially. International students face difficulties in adjusting to the culture of their host country due to their unique needs (Bertram, Poulakis, Elsasser & Kumar, 2014). This article presents themes comprising the international education phenomenon involving the experiences of East Asian international students in English-speaking countries. The literature reviewed for this article pertains to many aspects of international education, covering the factors that influence the decision to embark on the international education journey to the adjustment experienced by students to the host culture. The authors suggest that the international education experience is comprised of four dimensions: structural, linguistic, internal, and external. We also posit that Confucianism, which many East Asian students follow, influences not only the psycho-social dimension of the international education experience but also their instructional preferences within the structural dimension. We further contend that students’ actual and perceived proficiency (or the lack thereof) in the host country’s language greatly shapes all aspects of the student’s international education experience, which then determines the degree of acculturative stress involved and plays a key role in each of the three dimensions.Because of the anticipated continued growth in the number of international students from East Asia attending higher education institutions in English-speaking countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada, and parts of Africa, it is important to examine how each of the dimensions proposed impact each other. Approaching the study of the international education experience one dimension at a time, as many scholars have done, does not completely address all of the unique needs of international students. We suggest that research in this area be conducted holistically by exploring the ecology surrounding the international student. Taking this ecological approach will help clearly define the role that home and host countries and host higher education institutions must take in serving the international students well

Image Management in a Touristic Destination: A Qualitative Approach Analysis of the Border City of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

This paper summarizes an academic experience. It has been made by the contributions of a group of experts from a Mexican university participating in a discussion panel called "Image of a Touristic Destination". This was done within the framework of the activities carried out during the 8va. Catedra Patrimonial "Sergio Molina" on October 19-21, 2016. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the process of image management of a border touristic destination through the experience of Ciudad Juárez, in order to obtain an improvement in it. The concept of image is analyzed from its components of responsibility and participation in management between Government (message), Society (context), and Universities (management). The methodological approach selected was exploratory. The grounded theory method was selected and thematic analysis with the support of the Atlas-ti software was made. Suggestions are offered for actions which seek to highlight the positive aspects of the city as a touristic destination. The importance of generating responsibility and participation within a social network was highlighted. It was recommended to take advantage of the economic and intellectual resources in education of the Juarez society so that they can know their culture and history

Deactivation and regeneration of activated carbon-supported Rh and Ru catalysts in the hydrodechlorination of chloromethanes into light olefins

This work analyses the deactivation of activated carbon-supported Rh and Ru (both at 1 wt%) catalysts (Rh/C and Ru/C) in the hydrodechlorination (HDC) of dichloromethane (DCM) and chloroform (TCM). The deactivation can be mainly attributed to the coverage of active metal centres by organometallic species resulting from the chemisorption of reaction products, such as olefins, at the electro-deficient metal sites. With DCM, the activity of Ru/C decreased by more than 80% after 90 h on stream at 250 °C and with a space time of 1.7 kg h mol−1. Under the same conditions, with TCM, the Rh/C and Ru/C catalysts lost 75% of activity after 84 and 54 h on stream, respectively. A regeneration treatment with air at 250 °C allowed complete recovery of the catalytic activity. After each deactivation-regeneration cycle, the selectivity to olefins increased. Therefore, HDC with the catalysts tested provides a promising way for the upgrading of chloromethanes from waste gas streams into light olefinshe authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from FEDER/ Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades-Agencia Estatal de Investigación/CTM2017-85498-R. M. Martín Martínez acknowledges a postdoctoral grant, 2017-T2/AMB-5668, from the Comunidad de Madrid “Atracción de talento investigador” programm

Different Impacts of Cardiovascular Risk Factors on Oxidative Stress

The objective of the study was to evaluate oxidative stress (OS) status in subjects with different cardiovascular risk factors. With this in mind, we have studied three models of high cardiovascular risk: hypertension (HT) with and without metabolic syndrome, familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCH) with and without insulin resistance. Oxidative stress markers (oxidized/reduced glutathione ratio, 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine and malondialdehide) together with the activity of antioxidant enzyme triad (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) and activation of both pro-oxidant enzyme (NAPDH oxidase components) and AGTR1 genes, as well as antioxidant enzyme genes (CuZn-SOD, CAT, GPX1, GSR, GSS and TXN) were measured in mononuclear cells of controls (n = 20) and patients (n = 90) by assessing mRNA levels. Activity of some of these antioxidant enzymes was also tested. An increase in OS and pro-oxidant gene mRNA values was observed in patients compared to controls. The hypertensive group showed not only the highest OS values, but also the highest pro-oxidant activation compared to those observed in the other groups. In addition, in HT a significantly reduced antioxidant activity and mRNA induction of antioxidant genes were found when compared to controls and the other groups. In FH and FCH, the activation of pro-oxidant enzymes was also higher and antioxidant ones lower than in the control group, although it did not reach the values obtained in hypertensives. The thioredoxin system was more activated in patients as compared to controls, and the highest levels were in hypertensives. The increased oxidative status in the presence of cardiovascular risk factors is a consequence of both the activation of pro-oxidant mechanisms and the reduction of the antioxidant ones. The altered response of the main cytoplasmic antioxidant systems largely contributes to OS despite the apparent attempt of the thioredoxin system to control it

Collaboration Between Universities and Public Schools for Improved Student Achievement: A Report on the Progress of a Developing Partnership

This article reports the progress of one project aimed at bringing together professionals from post-secondary and K-12 environments. The project is being implemented at Richards Middle (RMS) in Columbus, Georgia and involves a collaborative partnership between several universities and RMS, resulting in a school-based evaluation initiative with direct implications for strengthening leadership, training, and instructional practices in schools. Faculty researchers from three universities from two states, Troy University, Columbus State University, and Auburn University are working collaboratively with faculty and staff of Richards Middle School on an inquiry with a three-fold purpose. The primary goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme in its first year of implementation in the sixth grade. A second goal of the investigation is to evaluate the effectiveness of the staff training and development process employed during the initial year in terms of effective professional learning practices. A third goal is to investigate the effectiveness of the collaborative process itself in terms of the implementation of the dialogic approach discussed in Clark, et al. (1996)

Ecosystem-bedrock interaction changes nutrient compartmentalization during early oxidative weathering

Ecosystem-bedrock interactions power the biogeochemical cycles of Earth's shallow crust, supporting life, stimulating substrate transformation, and spurring evolutionary innovation. While oxidative processes have dominated half of terrestrial history, the relative contribution of the biosphere and its chemical fingerprints on Earth's developing regolith are still poorly constrained. Here, we report results from a two-year incipient weathering experiment. We found that the mass release and compartmentalization of major elements during weathering of granite, rhyolite, schist and basalt was rock-specific and regulated by ecosystem components. A tight interplay between physiological needs of different biota, mineral dissolution rates, and substrate nutrient availability resulted in intricate elemental distribution patterns. Biota accelerated CO2 mineralization over abiotic controls as ecosystem complexity increased, and significantly modified stoichiometry of mobilized elements. Microbial and fungal components inhibited element leaching (23.4% and 7%), while plants increased leaching and biomass retention by 63.4%. All biota left comparable biosignatures in the dissolved weathering products. Nevertheless, the magnitude and allocation of weathered fractions under abiotic and biotic treatments provide quantitative evidence for the role of major biosphere components in the evolution of upper continental crust, presenting critical information for large-scale biogeochemical models and for the search for stable in situ biosignatures beyond Earth.Comment: 41 pages (MS, SI and Data), 16 figures (MS and SI), 6 tables (SI and Data). Journal article manuscrip

Caracterización hidrogeoquímica de los manantiales del área geotermal de Ixtapan de la Sal-Tonatico (México)

La composición química del agua subterránea es el resultado de continuos procesos de interacción entre el agua de precipitación, que se infiltra en el terreno, y los minerales presentes en las rocas por donde circula. Parte de las características químicas del agua son adquiridas en la zona no saturada y otras más a lo largo de su recorrido dentro de la zona saturada, hasta donde pueden ser captadas o bien emerger como agua de manantial. Estos últimos según sus características, puede ser empleados para consumo humano, como generadores de energía o bien para fines recreativos, como es el caso de los manantiales termales de Ixtapan de la Sal y Tonatico. Los estudios hidrogeoquímicos de manantiales termales han permitido ampliar el conocimiento del origen, edad, composición físico-química de las aguas, de las condiciones de recarga y posibles mezclas de agua, así como identificar los procesos que tienen lugar en el acuífero y que permiten obtener una visión más completa del comportamiento del acuífero. También permiten deducir las características de la roca, composición mineralógica, textura, porosidad, grado de alteración, fracturación y compactación, tiempo de residencia o de contacto, temperatura y presión..

A Novel Peptide for Simultaneously Enhanced Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer and Mitigation of Oral Mucositis

We have characterized a novel 21 amino acid-peptide derived from Antrum Mucosal Protein (AMP)-18 that mediates growth promotion of cultured normal epithelial cells and mitigates radiation-induced oral mucositis in animal models, while suppressing in vitro function of cancer cells. The objective of this study was to evaluate these dual potential therapeutic effects of AMP peptide in a clinically relevant animal model of head and neck cancer (HNC) by simultaneously assessing its effect on tumor growth and radiation-induced oral mucositis in an orthotopic model of HNC. Bioluminescent SCC-25 HNC cells were injected into the anterior tongue and tumors that formed were then subjected to focal radiation treatment. Tumor size was assessed using an in vivo imaging system, and the extent of oral mucositis was compared between animals treated with AMP peptide or vehicle (controls). Synergism between AMP peptide and radiation therapy was suggested by the finding that tumors in the AMP peptide/radiation therapy cohort demonstrated inhibited growth vs. radiation therapy-only treated tumors, while AMP peptide-treatment delayed the onset and reduced the severity of radiation therapy-induced oral mucositis. A differential effect on apoptosis appears to be one mechanism by which AMP-18 can stimulate growth and repair of injured mucosal epithelial cells while inhibiting proliferation of HNC cells. RNA microarray analysis identified pathways that are differentially targeted by AMP-18 in HNC vs. nontransformed cells. These observations confirm the notion that normal cells and tumor cells may respond differently to common biological stimuli, and that leveraging this finding in the case of AMP-18 may provide a clinically relevant opportunity