Course Of Conversation Research Articles

Study of the Stability of the Gallium-Containing Catalyst in the course of Conversion of Gaseous C1-C6 Hydrocarbons into Aromatic Compounds

A study was made on the duration of the single-pass lifespan of the gallium-containing catalyst in the course of conversion of a model mixture of C1-C6 hydrocarbons into aromatic compounds. Using temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia, it has been found that some acid sites of the catalyst were irreversibly deactivated as a result of the reaction and oxidative regeneration. It has been shown that the gallium-containing catalyst characterized by high activity and stability in the course of aromatization of lower alkanes was able to withstand a certain number of reaction-regeneration cycles without reducing its activity.

Computer Vision Analysis of Reduced Interpersonal Affect Coordination in Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Atypical social-emotional reciprocity is a core feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but can be difficult to operationalize. One measurable manifestation of reciprocity may be interpersonal coordination, the tendency to align the form and timing of one's behaviors (including facial affect) with others. Interpersonal affect coordination facilitates sharing and understanding of emotional cues, and there is evidence that it is reduced in ASD. However, most research has not measured this process in true social contexts, due in part to a lack of tools for measuring dynamic facial expressions over the course of an interaction. Automated facial analysis via computer vision provides an efficient, granular, objective method for measuring naturally occurring facial affect and coordination. Youth with ASD and matched typically developing youth participated in cooperative conversations with their mothers and unfamiliar adults. Time-synchronized videos were analyzed with an open-source computer vision toolkit for automated facial analysis, for the presence and intensity of facial movements associated with positive affect. Both youth and adult conversation partners exhibited less positive affect during conversations when the youth partner had ASD. Youth with ASD also engaged in less affect coordination over the course of conversations. When considered dimensionally across youth with and without ASD, affect coordination significantly predicted scores on rating scales of autism-related social atypicality, adaptive social skills, and empathy. Findings suggest that affect coordination is an important interpersonal process with implications for broader social-emotional functioning. This preliminary study introduces a promising novel method for quantifying moment-to-moment facial expression and emotional reciprocity during natural interactions. LAY SUMMARY: This study introduces a novel, automated method for measuring social-emotional reciprocity during natural conversations, which may improve assessment of this core autism diagnostic behavior. We used computerized methods to measure facial affect and the degree of affect coordination between conversation partners. Youth with autism displayed reduced affect coordination, and reduced affect coordination predicted lower scores on measures of broader social-emotional skills.

Dialogue in Fiction: The Syntactic Level

The article explores the syntactic peculiarities of dialogue in fiction. We focus on three such features: structural types of sentences, communicative types of sentences, and syntactic stylistic devices. Simple sentences have a distinct advantage in the characters’ conversation due to the fact that they allow the speakers to express their thoughts concisely and clearly thus ensuring the effectiveness of interpersonal communication. The quantitative distribution of communicative types of sentences in the dialogue may be explained by the fact that in the course of conversation the speakers/characters try to learn something they are interested in (interrogative sentences) and to notify the addressee about something important (declarative sentences). The prevalent use of elliptical constructions and aposiopeses reflects the natural omissions that occur in colloquial speech. Thus, at syntactic level, the conversation in fiction bears resemblance to colloquial speech.

The Effectiveness of Integrating CLIL Principles in a Conversation Course at the University of Sulaimani

The Region’s extremely young and rapidly expanding population continues to push for further growth in the overall capacity of the sector and such developments also enabled the education system of Kurdistan Region of Iraq to require more teachers, students, and employees to improve communication abilities in English language conversation. This paper is about the effectiveness of selected contents and language integrated learning (CLIL) principles - ‘the 4Cs framework’ and ‘the language Triptych’ in teaching an English Conversation course at the Language and Culture Center, University of Sulaimani. The study hypothesizes that CLIL principles have positive effects on students’ speaking competence. As a result, this paper shows that learning a language through a content/theme-based is one of the best methods to get control of both knowledge and language together. Integrating the 4Cs’ elements content, cognition, culture, and communication helped the conversation course to sustain effectively by design suitable activities, and detailed lesson plan, which enhance content and language production. Moreover, the facets of the language Triptych: language OF learning and language FOR learning facilitated language THROUGH learning to project, and the participants started speaking spontaneously.

Washback to Classroom Climate: The Case of an IELTS Speaking Preparation Course

In applied linguistics, washback, or backwash, refers to the influence of tests on teaching and learning. Though there is now a large body of research investigating the impact of tests on educational processes and outcomes, the possible effect of language tests on the psychological environment of language classrooms remains underexplored. This study examined the effect of IELTS on the classroom climate of IELTS speaking preparation courses. To isolate the washback of IELTS, the classroom climate of an IELTS speaking preparation course was compared with that of a general conversation course, both taught by the same teacher. Data were collected using classroom observations and a questionnaire. Sixty-seven participants responded to a measure of classroom climate and 4 sessions of each of the noted courses were observed. Data were analyzed, using parametric and nonparametric statistics. It was revealed that IELTS exerted some negative influence on 3 dimensions of classroom climate: student involvement, teacher support, and investigation. In contrast, the washback of IELTS on class cohesiveness, teacher support, investigation, task orientation, as well as on cooperation and equity appeared to be positive. Findings carry implications for language teaching, test preparation, and language classroom management.

Wrestling with Angels

Wrestling with Angels

Dual origins of photocatalysis: Light-induced band-gap excitation of zirconium oxide and ambient heat activation of gold to enable 13CO2 photoreduction/conversion

Photoconversion of CO2 into fuels completes the carbon neutral cycle in a sustainable society. To exclude the contribution of adventitious carbon, monitoring the time course of 13CO2 conversion into 13C-fuel is essential, but has been rarely reported. In the present work, a composite of Au nanoparticles with ZrO2 was found to be effective in converting 13CO2 into 13CO at a rate of 0.17 μmol h−1 gcat−1 in the presence of H2 and UV–vis light. The detected 12CO as a minor byproduct (11.9 %) was identified as due to adsorbed 12CO2 from the air. The 12C ratio in the total amount of CO2 was evaluated based on a 13CO2 photoexchange reaction (8.7 %). The discrepancy between these values suggested a slower exchange reaction step between the chemisorption site for CO2 reduction and the physisorption site for CO2 compared to the reduction step to CO. Furthermore, based on in-profile kinetic studies using sharp-cut filters and control reactions in the dark, the contribution ratio for CO2 conversion was determined to be via charge separation at the band-gap of ZrO2 (λ < 320 nm): 69 % and via ambient heat (12kT): 31 %. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption of Au and infrared absorption in the range of λ > 320 nm did not promote catalysis. The LSPR absorption was further investigated by Au L3-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis. Ambient heat on the Au nanoparticles should have promoted H2 activation enough, supplying protons to the CO2 reduction sites over ZrO2; however, a temperature increase of 26 K on the Au surface was marginal for further H2 activation. CO2 photoconversion with added moisture was also attempted; the CO formation rate using ZrO2 under these conditions was 0.15 μmol h−1 gcat−1. However, 47 % was characterized as 12CO originating from chemisorbed 12CO2, and H2 was also formed at a comparable rate of 0.14 μmol h−1 gcat−1 from a competing reaction. The addition of Au to ZrO2 was found to suppress CO formation and promote H2 formation, and Mg2+ addition to Au–ZrO2 effectively suppressed H2 formation directing to the CO formation.

Study on the synthesis and properties of hierarchically structured electrospun/vapour-grown carbon nanofibres nanocomposites

Herein, we present an extensive analysis of the effect of the initial concentration of iron acetylacetonate(III) (Fe(Acac)3), serving as the catalyst for the growth of carbon nanostructures from the gas phase, on the properties and processes occurring during the synthesis of hierarchically structured electrospun/vapour-grown carbon nanofibres nanocomposites. The examined materials contained from 0 to 4.5% of Fe(Acac)3 and were analysed at various stages of the synthesis. The conducted study revealed empirical formulas correlating the Fe(Acac)3 content with the viscosity of the precursor solutions and the resulting diameters of electrospun carbon nanofibres (eCNF). The concentration of the catalyst exerted a strong impact on the morphology and density of nanoprotrusions on the surface of eCNF. The presence of the grown nanostructures caused an increase in the degree of structural ordering of the nanocomposites. Obtained results suggest also the catalytic effect of Fe(Acac)3 on the cyclisation/oxidation of polyacrylonitrile and proved the hypothesis that the presence of this compound significantly affects the course of the thermal conversion of polyacrylonitrile into the carbon. Evaluation of the wettability revealed the superhydrophobic-superoleophilic character of the nanocomposites and showed that contact angles can be easily controlled by the appropriate selection of initial concentration of Fe(Acac)3.

RPS urges new approach for training pharmacists, following reports of pharmacist-to-doctor conversion courses

RPS urges new approach for training pharmacists, following reports of pharmacist-to-doctor conversion courses

Expression Orale: Amérique Du Nord by Michèle Barféty et al.

Reviewed by: Expression Orale: Amérique Du Nord by Michèle Barféty et al. Shannon Becker Barféty, Michèle, Patricia Beaujoin, Fabien Olivry, et Denis Liakin. Expression orale: Amérique du Nord. CLE International, 2019. ISBN 978-2-09-035176-7. Pp. 128. Part of the Compétences series, Expression orale is intended for students at the B1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which corresponds to approximately the Intermediate Mid to Advanced Low level in ACTFL standards. It is important to note that this book is intended for learners who will be communicating with speakers of Québécois French. The book is divided into five units, each containing three lessons and followed by a quiz called a "bilan." The lessons are divided into sections called "imiter," "interpréter," and "s'exprimer," a thoughtful strategy that allows the learner to progress from exercises centered on identification and repetition, to answering open-ended questions based on written and oral prompts, and finally to text-based discussions leading to a debate. Importantly, Expression orale maintains a focus on communication throughout, only addressing grammar in boxes of "outils" that provide students with important sentences and phrases that they can incorporate into their production. Among other tasks, learners are asked to verify oral comprehension, to repeat dialogues, to use clues to guess the context of dialogues, to exchange information, and to role play based on visual and audio prompts. This culminates in reading a text, answering discussion questions, and preparing a debate with classmates. After each unit, learners complete the bilan, a brief quiz worth 25 points containing only two exercises: one that requires them to fill in the blanks of a written dialogue using the various outils, or grammatical structures, from the preceding lesson, and one that asks them to fill in the blanks of a short text using words from a provided list of vocabulary. A particularly interesting activity, which appears only in the first bilan and is thereafter replaced by the text completion task, asks learners to read a sentence and decide which of three sentences below it is the best reformulation, i.e., containing the same information and synonyms of key words. Native speaker dialogues are used throughout the book, with audio files available online and transcripts in the back of the book. The quality of the dialogue recordings is high, and the speakers articulate clearly and at an appropriate speed for this level of learner. It is easy to imagine using elements of this book even beyond a conversation course, for example in a survey course to introduce learners to Québécois French. Visually, the format of the chapters is easy to follow, with clearly delineated sections and "outils" boxes that stand out from the text, and numerous pictures throughout. [End Page 201] Shannon Becker Northern Illinois University Copyright © 2020 American Association of Teachers of French

TINDAK TUTUR ILOKUSI PENGAJAR PADA PROSES PEMBELAJARAN BAHASA MANDARIN

Speech acts are divided into three types, namely locus speech acts, illocutionary speech acts, and perlocution speech acts. Illocutionary speech acts consist of assertive, declarative, commissive, expressive, and directive. Illocutionary can be defined as speech acts that often occur in daily interactions, one of these interactions covers the interaction between teachers and learners in educational activities in the classroom. In this activity, the teacher gives command to the students to follow the instructions. This study aims to determine the illocutionary speech acts contained in the interaction between teacher and students in using Mandarin in the classroom of D3 program of Mandarin Language, General Soedirman University, Purwokerto. This research belongs to a descriptive qualitative research. The data of this research are served in the form of speech between teacher and students during the learning of Mandarin Intermediate Conversation courses of D3 Mandarin Language Study Program UNSOED Purwokerto. The data analysis used theory of illocutionary speech acts by Austin and Searle. The data are presented in an informal form in which the data presentation and writing rules used words not numbers. The results showed that the interaction between teachers and learners in the D3 Mandarin Study Program of UNSOED Purwokerto cover assertive, declarative, commissive, expressive, and directive speech acts.

Retrospective Conversion of Bibliographic Records in Nigerian Academic Libraries: An Empirical Study of Libraries using KOHA ILS

Retrospective conversion of bibliographic records is not a recent practice among Nigerian academic libraries. However, the end product of this process, which is a functional Online Pubic Access Catalog (OPAC) has been underwhelming. This is due to various challenges that have hindered the libraries from achieving a successful retrospective conversion. Some of these challenges include unreliable software, lack of a union catalog, and sheer absence of exchange of information among the libraries. This study therefore measures the practices and experiences of twenty Nigerian University Libraries in the course of carrying out retrospective conversion of their resources using the KOHA library software. The study adopted a survey method of research with a self-developed questionnaire as the instrument of data collection. Data analysis was with the aid of the SPSS software and the presentation was done using simple frequency and percentage. Findings show that erratic power supply and low Internet bandwidth are the major challenges facing Nigerian libraries in the course of retrospective conversion.

Non-law graduates: an uncommon route to qualification?

ABSTRACT This article considers the future of the conversion course (Common Professional Examination/Graduate Diploma in Law) taken by non-law graduates (NLGs) seeking to qualify as solicitors and barristers in England and Wales. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and Bar Standards Board (BSB) are changing the paths to qualification, which for NLGs commences currently with this course. University law schools are particularly unsettled by (i) the impact of the SRA’s move to a centralised exam; (ii) the deregulation of courses including the conversion course; and (iii) the divergence in professional requirements. This article analyses the changes and the likely responses to them taking account of the factors which have influenced the development of the conversion course as it is today. These have been, and, it is argued, will increasingly be, market-influenced decisions to ensure a supply of “good” graduates. The analysis is juxtaposed with the agenda for diversity, this being a key driver of regulatory changes. It is argued that a free market of course providers points to new and varied courses, but there is no logic or factors on which it can be confidently suggested that the reforms will lead to greater diversity in the profession.

Relationships among students’ perceptions of native and non-native EFL teachers’ immediacy behaviours and credibility and students’ willingness to communicate in class

ABSTRACTThe present study examined students’ perceptions of immediacy behaviours and credibility of their teachers as well as their willingness to communicate in class, in the South Korean context, with undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Participants were 252 undergraduate Korean students enrolled in a mandatory English conversation course, and they were exposed to either native or non-native English-speaking instructors. The two groups exposed to different types of teachers were asked to complete a questionnaire on teacher immediacy, credibility, student willingness to communicate in English, and self-rated English-speaking ability around the end of the semester. Results indicated that sub-components of teacher immediacy and credibility were positively and significantly correlated with each other in both groups. Further, for the participants who had native and non-native English-speaking teachers, different sub-components of teacher immediacy and credibility were found to be related to the participants’ willingness to communicate in English during class.

Effect of the nature of silicon source on physicochemical properties of high-silica zeolites and the activity of Zn-pentasils prepared on their basis in the course of aromatization of lower alkanes

The effect of the nature of the silicon source on the physicochemical properties of synthesized zeolites and the activity of Zn-containing catalysts prepared on their basis in the course of conversion of the propane-butane fraction into aromatic hydrocarbons is studied. It is shown that the silicon source plays an important role in the hydrothermal synthesis of zeolite. It has an effect on the duration of synthesis but its effect on the physicochemical characteristics of the resulting product is minor. It is established that the activity and selectivity of Zn-containing catalysts for the aromatization of lower alkanes are practically independent on the nature of the silicon source used in the synthesis of the high-silica zeolite, which is an acid carrier of these catalysts.

Two Uses of Gender in Conversation: A Membership Categorization Analysis

&lt;em&gt;Discourse analysts have for a long time focused on the study of gender differences in language. Recent approaches, however, eschew that concern in favor of studying the performative aspects of gender. In line with this, Membership Categorization analysis offers the additional advantage of studying societal members’ gender categorization in conversation, the way it shapes the course of conversation, and its import, and consequences, for the conduct of participants in interaction. Membership Categorization Analysis is used here to spot some practical uses of gender by interactants in mundane talk among friends. More specifically, the article analyses two conversational instances where interactants deploy the categories ‘men’ and ‘manly practices’ to realize particular actions in conversation (suggestion and blame attribution). One finding is that gender categorization does pragmatic actions in interaction. In addition, the article argues that the relevance of gender, as one textual given among many, must be analytically demonstrated empirically in the conduct of interactants rather than invoked for the theoretical concerns of the discourse analyst.&lt;/em&gt;

Audience Response Systems in a Korean Cultural Context : Poll Everywhere’s Effects on Student Engagement in English Courses

This study sought to examine the use of Poll Everywhere as an Audience Response System (ARS) within the English conversation classroom at a Korean university. The findings of this study addressed student engagement in English conversation courses and the relationship it has with Poll Everywhere. Over the course of two semesters, students were exposed to instruction laced with an ARS in the form of Poll Everywhere to stimulate English conversation. The students were then asked to respond to how it affected their motivation and desire to speak English in class. Students overwhelmingly noted that the use of Poll Everywhere in the classroom enhanced their learning experience, allowed them to be more enthusiastic, interested, and motivated to respond in English, and generally increased their engagement in English instruction. Furthermore, it was noted by the students that factors such as anonymousness, novelty of teaching style, and the ability to aid in the expression of English allowed for them to engage more in English lessons as they produced English language in a classroom setting. The results of the study hypothesized that Korean university students respond positively to Poll Everywhere integration that allowed for enhanced engagement in English conversation classes.

Delaying moving away: Place, mobility, and the multimodal organization of activities

In mobile activities alternating between staying at a place and walking to the next place, such as guided visits, the initiation of walking awayis a powerful practice to achieve closing of conversational sequences and courses of action. This was demonstrated in a previous paper (Broth & Mondada, 2013): in this follow-up paper, we elaborate on the options that can be responsive to walking away, by focusing on actions that co-participants make in order to momentarily stopit, occasioning a delayed departure/closing. Delying walking awaymay be done, accountably, either as a continuation of the previous course of action, or as an initiation of a new course of action related to the present local position of the participants. The study is based on a large corpus of visits to different places and for diverse purposes, in French, Swedish and English. It also shows how trajectories of walking, their projections and their obstacles, are exemplary embodied practices revealing fundamental features of sequential organization – crucially related to the progressivity of talk, actions, and activities.

Nurturing academic writing for students in an enrolled to registered nurse conversion course at university

A growing number of diploma-qualified nurses from vocational programs are enrolling in university Bachelor of Nursing programs to upgrade their qualifications. Universities typically provide these students with credit so they enter the Bachelor of Nursing program in second year. Known as pathway students, these students tend to miss the orientating opportunities that other students experience in their first-year university enrolment. This lack of first-year opportunity can be challenging for many pathway students, notably in academic writing. This paper reports on a tailored and scaffolded academic-writing teaching strategy designed for pathway students in their initial semester of learning. Both the students themselves, and teachers report evidence of improvements in academic writing amongst the pathway students.

Chemical modulation of transcriptionally enriched signaling pathways to optimize the conversion of fibroblasts into neurons.

Direct conversion of human somatic fibroblasts into induced neurons (iNs) allows for the generation of functional neurons while bypassing any stem cell intermediary stages. Although iN technology has an enormous potential for modeling age-related diseases, as well as therapeutic approaches, the technology faces limitations due to variable conversion efficiencies and a lack of thorough understanding of the signaling pathways directing iN conversion. Here, we introduce a new all-in-one inducible lentiviral system that simplifies fibroblast transgenesis for the two pioneer transcription factors, Ngn2 and Ascl1, and markedly improves iN yields. Further, our timeline RNA-Seq data across the course of conversion has identified signaling pathways that become transcriptionally enriched during iN conversion. Small molecular modulators were identified for four signaling pathways that reliably increase the yield of iNs. Taken together, these advances provide an improved toolkit for iN technology and new insight into the mechanisms influencing direct iN conversion.