World Englishes and the Challenge of Teaching Phonetics and Phonology at Higher Education Levels

El crecimiento del uso del inglés en todo el mundo y su reconocimiento como lengua franca ha cuestionado la idoneidad de ciertos modelos de pronunciación instruccional. Como consecuencia, también se han discutido los objetivos de la enseñanza de la pronunciación. La creciente aceptación de muchas variedades de inglés y la diversidad de contextos en los que se utilizan como una herramienta de comunicación exitosa parece haber cambiado el enfoque de lograr una pronunciación similar a la nativa a dar prioridad a la inteligibilidad. La enseñanza de la fonética y la fonología en entornos de educación superior como parte de los programas de formación de profesores y traductores amplía las posibilidades de desarrollar la capacidad de los estudiantes para adaptarse a la realidad cambiante del uso global del inglés. Después de considerar los contenidos y objetivos actuales y buscados en la enseñanza de la fonética del inglés a futuros especialistas, este artículo tiene como objetivo compartir posibles actividades en un intento de concientizar a los estudiantes sobre la existencia de diversas pronunciaciones escuchadas en diferentes partes del mundo, erradicar la noción de la supremacía de un acento sobre otros, analizar las diferencias entre los tipos de inglés hablados por personas en los círculos externos, internos y en expansión, y ayudar a los estudiantes a desarrollar las habilidades de percibir peculiaridades y comprender el idioma a pesar de estas diferencias

Extraordinary tunability of high-frequency devices using Hf0.3Zr0.7O2 ferroelectric at very low applied voltages

This paper presents the applications of the Hf0.3Zr0.7O2 ferroelectric with a thickness of 10 nm for tuning high-frequency devices such as filters, phase shifters, and phased antenna arrays in the X band when the low bias voltages in the range −3 V–+3 V are applied. In this respect, we show that a bandpass filter shifts its central frequency located at 10 GHz with 3 GHz, a phase shifter produces a phase difference of about 60 degrees in the X band, while the antenna array formed by two patched antennas is steering its lobe with ±32° at 10 GHz. These results open the way for the tunability of high frequency devices for very low power applications, which represent one of the most challenging issues in applied physics

Changes in behavioural response of Mediterranean Seabass (Dicenthratus labrax L.) under different feeding distributions

Captive-induced behavioural deviations may involve many aspects of fish behaviour such as swimming activity and enhancement of individual aggressiveness. We studied seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) behaviour as a function of manual and automatic feeding distribution modes. Under manual mode, the food is distributed over an extended area for a longer period, and its precise location is not always predictable, while with pneumatic automatic feeders, fish receive the same amount of resource, which is concentrated in the same surface area over a shorter period. We compared seabass behaviour under automatic and manual conditions collecting video image recordings before, during, and after feeding distribution, in the morning and in afternoon, on two different days, and analysing data within independent sessions of measurements. Feeding modes significantly affected swimming behaviour: automatically- fed fish were characterised by vertical movements through the water column (towards the surface and bottom) and by horizontal swimming. Manually-fed fish were instead characterised by sharp direction changes during their swimming, mostly towards the surface. Feeding distribution induced changes in collision frequency and elicited aggressive behaviour. In particular, agonistic behaviour (i.e. a fish attacks another fish) was almost exclusively recorded during the feeding under automatic distribution, whereas it was constantly expressed during all the distribution phases under manual mod

Formal quality assessment of Crisis Maps produced during 2005-2010 - Preliminary results and a proposal for rapid and cost-effective quality assessment

In the last decade, crisis maps have become increasingly a common support in the disaster preparedness and response cycle. In this work, five years of crisis maps from five world leader service providers have been explored and a way to extensively and quickly verify their quality is proposed. A sample of 255 maps has been assessed according to a checklist designed. The clarity of the content, the readability and usability of the maps and the respect of main cartographic standards have been assessed. The first analysis presented in this document highlighted that the basic characteristics expected in good maps are not always respected. The aim of showing current shortcomings in the crisis maps to the scientific community is to foster the improvement of their quality in the future.JRC.DG.G.2-Global security and crisis managemen

The Relationship between Healthcare Providers and Preventive Practices: Narratives on Access to Cancer Screening

: Cancer screening programs are public health interventions beneficial to early diagnoses and timely treatments. Despite the investment of health policies in this area, many people in the recommended age groups do not participate. While the literature is mainly focused on obstacles and factors enabling access to health services, a gap from the point of view of the target population concerns healthcare providers. Within the "Miriade" research-action project, this study aims to explore the dimensions that mediate the relationship between healthcare providers and preventive practices through the narrations of 52 referents and healthcare providers involved in breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening. We conducted ad hoc narrative interviews and used theory-driven analysis based on Penchansky and Thomas' conceptualization and Saurman's integration of six dimensions of healthcare access: affordability, availability, accessibility, accommodation, acceptability and awareness. The results show that 21 thematic categories were representative of the access dimensions, and 5 thematic categories were not; thus, we have classified the latter as the dimension of affection. The results suggest trajectories through which psychological clinical intervention might be constructed concerning health, shared health decisions and access to cancer screening

Otimização do sistema automático de picking SDA

A precisão e o rigor são dois fatores com alta importância na distribuição farmacêutica e, neste sentido, os sistemas automáticos são utilizados frequentemente para a preparação de pedidos e para a redução de custos de movimentação de mercadoria e pessoas. Um sistema de dispensação automático (SDA), também denominado de A-frame, é uma tecnologia de preparação de pedidos num nível altamente automatizado, que atende satisfatoriamente às restrições de armazenamento e produção. No entanto, a sua capacidade é finita e a especificação de quais os itens que vão ser afetados, tornam a tarefa de gestão diária um processo complexo. Nesta dissertação é proposto um sistema de apoio à decisão de afetação e posterior alocação de SKUs ao SDA baseado em programação matemática e implementado na plataforma MS-Excel. Dados representativos de um centro de distribuição farmacêutica são utilizados para ilustrar esta abordagem.Precision and accuracy are two factors with high importance in pharmaceutical distribution and, in this sense, automatic systems are often used for order preparation and to reduce the costs of moving goods and people. An automatic dispensing system (SDA), also called A-frame, is a highly automated order preparation technology that satisfies storage and production constraints. However, its capacity is finite and the specification of which items will be allocated makes the task of managing the tariff a complex process. This dissertation proposes a support system for SKU selection and allocation decisions based on mathematical programming and implemented on the MS-Excel platform. Representative data from a pharmaceutical distribution center are used to illustrate this approach

ICT aided steps in the learning of segmental phonetics

The different perspectives that aim at explaining how pronunciation in a foreign language is acquired are key to developing activities that foster effective learning. In an attempt to explain the struggles faced by students when it comes to pronunciation in a foreign language, special attention has been given to the first language and the way it might interfere with the acquisition of L2/FL sounds. Polivanov (1931, 1964) and Trubetzkoy (1939, 1969) focused on the effect of speech perception on phonology arguing that sounds in a second language are perceived through the phonological system of the first language and failing to articulate a certain sound was the result of perceiving it erroneously. In this way the authors pointed out that inexact L2 production is the result of erroneous perception, suggesting that L1 operates as a phonological filter through which the L2 sounds are processed. In the same line, Dupoux (2002, p. 172) described the “phonological deafness” that learners suffer from as they strive to discriminate sounds in a foreign language using a “processing apparatus specifically tuned to their maternal language” bringing about a lot of difficulty “in dealing with sound structures that are alien to the language they heard as infants”. Flege (2003) proposes the speech learning model (SLM) which posits that the L1 and L2 phonetic subsystems influence each other as a result of coexisting in a common phonological space leading to L1 and L2 sounds either merging into category assimilation or shifting away from each other (category dissimilation). The need to lay particular emphasis on learners’ perception becomes evident from the previously mentioned theories. It is interesting to note that L2 learners might be able to discriminate the acoustic difference between phones used to realize two categories on an auditory basis but may fail to do so phonetically. Therefore, perceptual awareness of categorical distinctions would seem to take place before the ability to implement such distinctions, with time and practice as key to establishing “the motor control patterns needed for producing new phones in an L2” (Flege, 1987, p. 290). This explains the practice stage that should follow the work on perception. In connection to the motor control referred above, the concept of proprioception –internal kinesthetic awareness of the position and movement of our muscles and parts of the body– takes on paramount importance. Listen and repeat exercises on their own fail to help students develop “proprioceptive or kinesthetic intelligence that can gradually liberate the learner from the oral and aural grip of their mother tongue pronunciation habits” (Underhill, 2012). Pronunciation, being a physical and muscular activity –a motor skill–, should not be taught on a purely cognitive basis. The research done on the acquisition of L2/EF pronunciation serves as framework for the design of a set of stages and activities that can help learners advance from controlled to automatic processing (Celce-Murcia, Brinton & Goodwin, 2006). The advance of technology provides learners with an array of tools that can not only aid but also accompany learners in such process.Trabajo publicado en Caldiz, A. y Rafaelli, V. (coords.) (2020). Exploraciones fonolingüísticas. V Jornadas Internacionales de Fonética y Fonología y I Jornadas Nacionales de Fonética y Discurso.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Validation Protocol for Emergency Response Geo-information Products

Europe is making a significant effort to develop (geo)information services for crisis management as part of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security GMES) programme. Recognising the importance of coordinated European response to crises and the potential contribution of GMES, the Commission launched a number of preparatory activities in coordination with relevant stakeholders for the establishment of an Emergency Response GMES Core Service (ERCS). GMES Emergency Response Services will rely on information provided by advanced technical and operational capabilities making full use of space earth observation and supporting their integration with other sources of data and information. Data and information generated by these services can be used to enhance emergency preparedness and early reaction to foreseeable or imminent crises and disasters. From a technical point of view, the use of geo-information for emergency response poses significant challenges for spatial data collection, data management, information extraction and communication. The need for an independent formal assessment of crisis products to provide operational services with homogeneous and reliable standards has recently become recognized as an integral component of service development. Validation is intended to help end-users decide how much to trust geo-information products (maps, spatial dataset). The focus, in this document, is on geo-information products, in particular those derived from Earth Observation data. Validation principles have been implemented into a protocol, as a tool to check whether the products meet standards and user needs. The validation principles, methods, rules and guidelines provided in this document aim to give a structure that guarantees an overall documented and continuous quality of ERCS products.JRC.DG.G.2-Global security and crisis managemen

Modelling short-term precipitation extremes with the blended generalised extreme value distribution

The yearly maxima of short-term precipitation are modelled to produce improved spatial maps of return levels over the south of Norway. The newly proposed blended generalised extreme value (bGEV) distribution is used as a substitute for the more standard generalised extreme value (GEV) distribution in order to simplify inference. Yearly precipitation maxima are modelled using a Bayesian hierarchical model with a latent Gaussian field. Fast inference is performed using the framework of integrated nested Laplace approximations (INLA). Inference is made less wasteful with a two-step procedure that performs separate modelling of the scale parameter of the bGEV distribution using peaks over threshold data. Our model provides good estimates for large return levels of short-term precipitation, and it outperforms standard block maxima models.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures; reference adde