Context visuals in L2 listening tests: the effectiveness of photographs and video vs. audio-only format

Although visual support in the form of pictures and video has been widely used in language teaching, there appears to be a dearth of research on the role of visual aids in L2 listening tests (Buck, 2000; Ockey, 2007) and the absence of sound theoretical perspectives on this issue (Ginther, 2001; Gruba, 1999). The existing studies of the role of visual support in L2 listening tests yielded inconclusive results. While some studies showed that visuals can improve test-takers\u27 performance on L2 listening tests (e.g., Ginther, 2002), others revealed no facilitative effect of visuals on listening comprehension of test-takers (e.g., Coniam, 2001; Gruba, 1993; Ockey, 2007).;The given study, conducted at Iowa State University in Spring 2008, investigated the influence of context visuals, namely a single photograph and video, on test-takers performance on a computer-based Listening Test developed specifically for this study. The Listening Test, consisting of six listening passages and 30 multiple-choice questions, was administered to 34 international students from three English listening classes. In particular, the study examined whether test-takers perform differently on three types of listening passages: passages with a single photograph, video-mediated listening passages, and audio-only listening passages. In addition, participants\u27 responses on the Post-Test Questionnaire were analyzed to determine whether their preferences of visual stimuli in listening tests corresponded with their actual performance on different types of visuals.;The results indicated that while no difference was found between the scores for photo-mediated and audio-only listening passages, participants\u27 performance on video-mediated listening passages was significantly lower

Modeling of "groove" rolling defect on internal surface of pipes at lengthwise rolling

The research has been conducted in pipe forming at rolling off by lengthwise rolling mill with stub mandrel; the patterns of change in dimensionless parameters were determined, which characterize deformation in side angle depending on http://www.multitran.ru/c/m.exe?t=424995_2_1elongation ratio. The model of formation of lengthwise groove on internal surface of pipes has been proposed

Beam test results of 3D fine-grained scintillator detector prototype for a T2K ND280 neutrino active target

An upgrade of the long baseline neutrino experiment T2K near detector ND280 is currently being developed with the goal to reduce systematic uncertainties in the prediction of number of events at the far detector Super-Kamiokande. The upgrade program includes the design and construction of a new highly granular fully active scintillator detector with 3D WLS fiber readout as a neutrino target. The detector of about $200\times 180\times 60~cm^3$ in size and a mass of $\sim$2.2~tons will be assembled from about $2\times10^6$ plastic scintillator cubes of $1\times1\times1~cm^3$. Each cube is read out by three orthogonal Kuraray Y11 Wave Length Shifting (WLS) fibers threaded through the detector. A detector prototype made of 125 cubes was assembled and tested in a charged particle test beam at CERN in the fall of 2017. This paper presents the results obtained on the light yield and timing as well as on the optical cross-talk between the cubes.Comment: 5 pages, 8 figure

PMU-based informational support of power system control tasks

Up-to-date wide area measurement systems (WAMS) based on phasor measurement units (PMU) appeared at the very end of the 20th century. Under present-day conditions, WAMS serve as the basis for information-measuring systems, which significantly improve power system control and operation. In practice, WAMS are mostly used for power system stability control and transient monitoring and visualization. This paper discusses the new opportunities for power system control quality improvement, resulting from PMU application for power system steady-state parameters' assessment. Firstly, better control is provided by online equivalent circuit parameters' identification using PMU measurement data and taking into account FACTS and other shunt and series compensation equipment. Secondly, the paper addresses the problems of "nodal" identification, which have taken on great importance recently due to the intensive development of small-scaled distributed generation. Based on PMU measurements of nodal voltages and incident transmission lines' electric currents, one can obtain online steady-state load characteristics, which can be used for dispatch control applications. Moreover, PMUs provide superaccelerated power flow calculations, which are of crucial importance for emergency automation, adjusted for prior operation. Such principles of emergency automation consist of the quick determination of control actions, aimed at power system stability maintenance in cases of any programmed faults' occurrence. It is known that such control is carried out by means of power flow calculations based on remote metering data. The proposed application and allocation of PMUs in the power system by means of combinatorial matrix transformation to triangle form give the possibility to perform accelerated node-voltage analysis without equivalent circuit simplification. All the calculations are verified using IEEE test networks. © 2014 WIT Press.International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering;International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning;WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environmen

Application of Microsecond Voltage Pulses for Water Disinfection by Diaphragm Electric Discharge

The paper presents the dependence of copper and silver ions formation on the duration of voltage pulses of diaphragm electric discharge and on the pH of treated liquid medium. Knowing it allows one to create an automatic control system to control bactericidal agent's parameters obtained in diaphragm electric discharge reactor. The current-voltage characteristic of the reactor with a horizontal to the diaphragm membrane water flow powered from the author`s custom pulse voltage source is also presented. The results of studies of the power consumption of diaphragm electric discharge depending on temperature of the treated liquid medium are given

Preparation and properties of silicon- and titanium-containing hybrid nanocomposite films based on ethyl cellulose

Nanocomposite hybrid films containing silicon and titanium compounds in the polymer matrix are prepared through the sol-gel method via the hydrolytic polycondensation of Si and Ti alkoxides (tetraethoxysilane and titanium tetrabutoxide) in the THF solution of a hydrophobic polymer, ethyl cellulose. Their structure and properties are studied with the use of a complex of physicochemical methods. During the hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane and the subsequent polycondensation of the reaction products, silicon atoms are incorporated into the polymer and form -O-Si-O-bonds involving hydroxyl groups of ethyl cellulose. In the sol-gel method, titanium alkoxide yields nanosized particles of titanium dioxide that play the role of fillers in the polymer matrix. Titanium-containing films show solubility in THF and, after prolonged contact with the solvent, precipitate titanium dioxide from the solution. Hybrid films containing silicon are insoluble owing to the formation of a chemical network between polymer molecules and Si-OH groups of the products of hydrolysis of silicon alkoxide, as confirmed by the IR data. It is shown that the amounts and types of alkoxides and the diameters of the structures formed in the polymer matrix via the sol-gel procedure affect the hydrophilicity levels of ethyl cellulose hybrid films and their abilities to swell in water and aqueous solutions of organic dyes (brilliant blue and methylene blue). Ethyl cellulose hybrid films are hydrophilic, and they facilitate the removal of dye molecules from aqueous solutions. The best properties are featured by the films containing nanosized particles of titanium dioxide in the polymer matrix. © 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd

Crystal growth, characterization and electronic band structure of TiSeS

Layered semimetallic van der Waals materials TiSe2 has attracted a lot of attention because of interplay of a charge density wave (CDW) state and superconductivity. Its sister compound TiS2, being isovalent to TiSe2 and having the same crystal structure, shows a semiconducting behavior. The natural rises what happens at the transition point in TiSe2-xSx, which is expected for x close to 1. Here we report the growth and characterization of TiSeS single crystals and the study of the electronic structure using density functional theory (DFT) and angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES). We show that TiSeS single crystals have the same morphology as TiSe2. Transport measurements reveal a metallic state, no evidence of CDW was found. DFT calculations suggest that the electronic band structure in TiSeS is similar to that of TiSe2, but the electron and hole pockets in TiSeS are much smaller. The ARPES results are in good agreement with the calculations.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figure

Global Gene Expression Analysis in the Livers of Rat Offspring Perinatally Exposed to Low Doses of 2,2′,4,4′-Tetrabromodiphenyl Ether

BACKGROUND: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers are a group of flame-retardant chemicals appearing increasingly in the environment. Their health effects and mechanisms of toxicity are poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: We screened for the sensitive effects and mechanisms of toxicity of 2,2 ,4,4 -tetra-bromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) by analyzing the gene expression profile in rats exposed to doses comparable to human exposure. METHODS: Wistar dams were exposed to vehicle or BDE-47 (0.002 and 0.2 mg/kg body weight) every fifth day from gestation day 15 to postnatal day 20 by injections to caudal vein. Total RNA was extracted from the livers of pups and hybridized to the whole-genome RNA expression micro-arrays. The list of genes 2-fold differentially expressed was exported to PANTHER and Ingenuity Systems for analysis of enriched ontology groups and molecular pathways. RESULTS: Oxidoreductase and transferase protein families were enriched in exposed rats as were these biological process categories: carbohydrate metabolism; electron transport; and lipid, fatty acid, and steroid metabolism. Four signaling pathways (cascades of activation of drug-metabolizing enzymes) and 10 metabolic pathways were significantly enriched. Drug-metabolizing enzymes appear to be regulated by BDE-47 through an aryl hydrocarbon receptor-independent mechanism. Direct interaction with retinoid X receptor or its upstream cascade may be involved. The main metabolic effects consisted of activation of metabolic pathways: alpha- and omega-oxidation of fatty acids, glycolysis, and starch hydrolysis. CONCLUSIONS: Altered expression of genes involved in metabolic and signaling pathways and functions of the organism occurs after perinatal exposure of rat offspring to BDE-47 at doses relevant for the general population

Experimental characterization of anomalous strong scattering of mm-waves in TEXTOR plasmas with rotating islands

Anomalous scattering of high power millimetre waves from gyrotrons at 140 and 110 GHz is investigated for plasma with rotating islands at TEXTOR. The magnetic field and plasma density influence the spectral content of the scattered waves and their power levels significantly. Anomalous strong scattering occurs in two density regimes, one at low densities and one at high densities, that also depend on the magnetic field. The two regimes are separated by a quiescent regime without anomalous scattering. Investigations suggest that scattering in the high-density regime is generated at the low-field side intersection of the gyrotron beam and the island position. The transition from the quiescent regime to the high-density regime occurs when the gyrotron frequency is twice the upper hybrid frequency at this position. There is some evidence that the scattering in the low-density regime is generated near the plasma centre. Under this assumption all the observed scattering is generated when the gyrotron frequency is near or below twice the upper hybrid frequency

Solar neutrino detection in a large volume double-phase liquid argon experiment

Precision measurements of solar neutrinos emitted by specific nuclear reaction chains in the Sun are of great interest for developing an improved understanding of star formation and evolution. Given the expected neutrino fluxes and known detection reactions, such measurements require detectors capable of collecting neutrino-electron scattering data in exposures on the order of 1 ktonne yr, with good energy resolution and extremely low background. Two-phase liquid argon time projection chambers (LAr TPCs) are under development for direct Dark Matter WIMP searches, which possess very large sensitive mass, high scintillation light yield, good energy resolution, and good spatial resolution in all three cartesian directions. While enabling Dark Matter searches with sensitivity extending to the "neutrino floor" (given by the rate of nuclear recoil events from solar neutrino coherent scattering), such detectors could also enable precision measurements of solar neutrino fluxes using the neutrino-electron elastic scattering events. Modeling results are presented for the cosmogenic and radiogenic backgrounds affecting solar neutrino detection in a 300 tonne (100 tonne fiducial) LAr TPC operating at LNGS depth (3,800 meters of water equivalent). The results show that such a detector could measure the CNO neutrino rate with ~15% precision, and significantly improve the precision of the 7Be and pep neutrino rates compared to the currently available results from the Borexino organic liquid scintillator detector.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, 6 table