An investigation of inter-relationships between personality, cognitive style and language learning strategies: with special reference to a group of adult overseas students using English in their specialist studies in the UK

In the first part of this inquiry, Chapters One to Four, the main thesis\ud and three broad research hypotheses are formulated. The thesis (see\ud Chapter One) is that detailed, multi-dimensional learner profiles can\ud fruitfully inform the design of training programmes for overseas\ud students in the United Kingdom. This proposition is first examined using a combination of quantitative and qualit ative methods. The main\ud thesis is re-examined in the light of evidence from the empirical study,\ud with conclusions drawn on the future training of students similar to the\ud participant group. Possible areas of further research are suggested \ud through the re-assessment of various relevant literatures, with a\ud particular focus on evidence that it is amenable to empirical\ud investigation. Chapter Two explores the perceived relationships of\ud cognitive/affective and social variables with target language learning\ud and use. Positive evidence of such relationships permits the\ud formulation of Research Hypothesis 1. In Chapter Three findings from\ud previous inquiries into overseas students in foreign cultures are used\ud to formulate Research Hypothesis 2, which proposes that learner profiles\ud drawn up early on in the period of residence overseas can predict\ud training outcomes. Chapter Four develops a framework for the elicitation\ud and evaluation of target language data. Research Hypothesis 3,\ud suggesting the importance of such data in the profiling of individual\ud learners, is formulated.\ud Chapters Five to Eight report on the two phases of an empirical study\ud collecting and analys ing longitudinal data on the participant group of\ud 27 Overseas Development Administration study fellows. Phase One of the\ud study focuses on their pre-sessional remedial English programme in the\ud UK. Phase Two follows them through their subsequent specialist training\ud periods at various receiving institutions. Specific hypotheses necessary\ud to the investigation of the three broader research hypotheses are tested using a combination of quantitative and qualit ative methods. The main\ud thesis is re-examined in the light of evidence from the empirical study,\ud with conclusions drawn on the future training of students similar to the\ud participant group. Possible areas of further research are suggested

Developing Correspondence Between the Verbal and Actual Behavior of Staff Members and Changing their Actual Behavior by Manipulating Their Verbal Behavior

23 leaves. Advisor: Margaret E. LloydThe problem. This study investigated chanqinq hospital staff's frequency of actual interactions with residents by manipulating the staff's planning estimate of interactions. Procedure. In a hospital for the developmentally handicapped, the interactions between two staff and four residents were coded by a supervisor as following appropriate, inappropriate, or neutral resident behavior. The staff gave the supervisor planning and reporting estimates of their interactions which followed appropriate resident behavior. After Baseline, the supervisor's approval was given at different times for high or low planninq or correspondence between hiqh planning and actual behavior. Findings. The data from this study indicated that a change in the frequency of actual interactions could be made by manipulatinq the planning estimate alone, but only after correspondence had been established between the frequencies of actual interactions and the planning estimates. Conclusions. After developing correspondence between verbal and actual behaviors, the staff's actual behavior can be changed by manipulating their verbal behavior. Recommendations. Supervisors in hospitals for the developmentally handicapped might establish procedures to develop correspondence between the staff's verbal and actual behaviors so that, after training, changes in actual behavior could be produced by altering planning behavior

Evolution of a clade of acinetobacter baumannii global clone 1, lineage 1 via acquisition of carbapenem- and aminoglycoside-resistance genes and dispersion of ISAba1

© 2019 The Authors. Resistance to carbapenem and aminoglycoside antibiotics is a critical problem in Acinetobacter baumannii, particularly when genes conferring resistance are acquired by multiply or extensively resistant members of successful globally distributed clonal complexes, such as global clone 1 (GC1). Here, we investigate the evolution of an expanding clade of lineage 1 of the GC1 complex via repeated acquisition of carbapenem-and aminoglycoside-resistance genes. Lineage 1 arose in the late 1970s and the Tn6168/OCL3 clade arose in the late 1990s from an ancestor that had already acquired resistance to third-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. Between 2000 and 2002, two distinct subclades have emerged, and they are distinguishable via the presence of an integrated phage genome in subclade 1 and AbaR4 (carrying the oxa23 carbapenem-resistance gene in Tn2006) at a specific chromosomal location in subclade 2. Part or all of the original resistance gene cluster in the chromosomally located AbaR3 has been lost from some isolates, but plasmids carrying alternate resistance genes have been gained. In one group in subclade 2, the chromosomally located AbGRI3, carrying the armA aminoglycoside-resistance gene, has been acquired from a GC2 isolate and incorporated via homologous recombination. ISAba1 entered the common ancestor of this clade as part of the cephalosporin-resistance transposon Tn6168 and has dispersed differently in each subclade. Members of subclade 1 share an ISAba1 in one specific position in the chromosome and in subclade 2 two different ISAba1 locations are shared. Further shared ISAba1 locations distinguish further divisions, potentially providing simple markers for epidemiological studies

Applying Coaching Strategies to Support Youth- and Family-Focused Extension Programming

In this article, we describe how a peer-coaching model has been applied to support community-based Extension programming through the Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) initiative. We describe the general approaches to coaching that have been used to help with CYFAR program implementation, evaluation, and sustainability efforts; we discuss strategies coaches use to maintain effective relationships with CYFAR stakeholders; and we review common characteristics of effective coaches. Finally, we discuss implications that coaching strategies might have for Extension programming in general and present future directions for research and practice related to peer coaching

A Formative Evaluation of the Children, Youth, and Families at Risk Coaching Model

In this article, we describe the results of a formative evaluation of a coaching model designed to support recipients of funding through the Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) initiative. Results indicate that CYFAR coaches draw from a variety of types of coaching and that CYFAR principle investigators (PIs) are generally satisfied with the coaches\u27 methods. Areas in which PIs would like to see changes to the coaching model include amount of technical coaching and amount of help with specific CYFAR funding requirements. We review strategies for incorporating this feedback into practice and discuss implications for CYFAR and for Extension in general

Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 40 mg/day of atorvastatin in reducing the severity of sepsis in ward patients (ASEPSIS Trial)

Introduction: Several observational studies suggest that statins modulate the pathophysiology of sepsis and may prevent its progression. The aim of this study was to determine if the acute administration of atorvastatin reduces sepsis progression in statin naïve patients hospitalized with sepsis. Methods: A single centre phase II randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Patients with sepsis were randomized to atorvastatin 40 mg daily or placebo for the duration of their hospital stay up to a maximum of 28-days. The primary end-point was the rate of sepsis progressing to severe sepsis during hospitalization. Results: 100 patients were randomized, 49 to the treatment with atorvastatin and 51 to placebo. Patients in the atorvastatin group had a significantly lower conversion rate to severe sepsis compared to placebo (4% vs. 24% p = 0.007.), with a number needed to treat of 5. No significant difference in length of hospital stay, critical care unit admissions, 28-day and 12-month readmissions or mortality was observed. Plasma cholesterol and albumin creatinine ratios were significantly lower at day 4 in the atorvastatin group (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.049 respectively). No difference in adverse events between the two groups was observed (p = 0.238). Conclusions: Acute administration of atorvastatin in patients with sepsis may prevent sepsis progression. Further multi-centre trials are required to verify these findings. Trial Registration: International Standard Randomized Control Trial Registry ISRCTN64637517

Magnetic translator bearings

A magnetic bearing system for enabling translational motion includes a carriage and a shaft for movably supporting the carriage; a first magnetic bearing fixed to one of the carriage and shaft and slidably received in a first channel of the other of the carriage and shaft. The first channel is generally U shaped with two side walls and a back wall. The magnetic bearing includes a pair of spaced magnetic pole pieces, each pole piece having a pair of electromagnetic coils mounted on poles on opposite ends of the pole piece proximate the side walls, and a third electromagnetic coil mounted on a pole of the pole piece proximate the backwall; a motion sensor for sensing translational motion along two axes and rotationally about three axes of the carriage and shaft relative to each other; and a correction circuit responsive to the sensor for generating a correction signal to drive the coils to compensate for any misalignment sensed between the carriage and the shaft

Unequal relationships in high and low power distance societies: a comparative study of tutor - student role relations in Britain and China

This study investigated people's conceptions of an unequal role relationship in two different types of society: a high power distance society and a low power distance society. The study focuses on the role relationship of tutor and student. British and Chinese tutors and postgraduate students completed a questionnaire that probed their conceptions of degrees of power differential and social distance/closeness in this role relationship. ANOVA results yielded a significant nationality effect for both aspects. Chinese respondents judged the relationship to be closer and to have a greater power differential than did British respondents. Written comments on the questionnaire and interviews with 9 Chinese academics who had experienced both British and Chinese academic environments supported the statistical findings and indicated that there are fundamental ideological differences associated with the differing conceptions. The results are discussed in relation to Western and Asian concepts of leadership and differing perspectives on the compatibility/incompatibility of power and distance/closeness