Non-standard Forms Research Articles

The Impact of Social Networks on Language Learning: A Comprehensive Analysis

The ever-increasing pervasiveness of social networks has radically changed how language learning is conceptualized and practically experienced. This paper explores the role that popular social networking platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, and some language-specific applications such as HelloTalk and Tandem, play in language acquisition. A comprehensive analysis has been done of the existing literature and is supplemented with empirical data gathered through surveys and interviews conducted with language learners themselves. Thus, the investigation aims at pointing out the opportunities created by social networks in respect of vocabulary and grammar acquisition and of intercultural understanding, as well as the critical challenges that come along with the observation of non-standard language forms and the tendency toward digital distractions. Conclusions are drawn that even though social networks offer deeply authentic input and social interaction contributing to the development of linguistic and cultural competence, they need to be carefully embedded within a structured language education in order to optimize the learning effect. Furthermore, the paper discusses implications for educators and recommendations for good practice in using social networks as supplementary language learning tools.

Sequence-to-Sequence Models and Their Evaluation for Spoken Language Normalization of Slovenian

Sequence-to-sequence models have been applied to many challenging problems, including those in text and speech technologies. Normalization is one of them. It refers to transforming non-standard language forms into their standard counterparts. Non-standard language forms come from different written and spoken sources. This paper deals with one such source, namely speech from the less-resourced highly inflected Slovenian language. The paper explores speech corpora recently collected in public and private environments. We analyze the efficiencies of three sequence-to-sequence models for automatic normalization from literal transcriptions to standard forms. Experiments were performed using words, subwords, and characters as basic units for normalization. In the article, we demonstrate that the superiority of the approach is linked to the choice of the basic modeling unit. Statistical models prefer words, while neural network-based models prefer characters. The experimental results show that the best results are obtained with neural architectures based on characters. Long short-term memory and transformer architectures gave comparable results. We also present a novel analysis tool, which we use for in-depth error analysis of results obtained by character-based models. This analysis showed that systems with similar overall results can differ in the performance for different types of errors. Errors obtained with the transformer architecture are easier to correct in the post-editing process. This is an important insight, as creating speech corpora is a time-consuming and costly process. The analysis tool also incorporates two statistical significance tests: approximate randomization and bootstrap resampling. Both statistical tests confirm the improved results of neural network-based models compared to statistical ones.

MONITORING THE SAUSAGE PRODUCT USING LANEY DEMERIT CHART BASED ANALYTICAL HIERARCHY PROCESS

Ready-to-eat sausage is a food product that has a limited shelf life. Therefore, regularly monitoring the quality of packaged ready-to-eat sausage products is important to ensure that the products meet the established quality standards. Twelve types of product defects need to be observed in the final checking process to meet the quality standards, namely Wrinkle, Dots, Leaking, Product Stain, Non-standard Form, Poor Print Quality, Vacuum Leaks, Weak Ties, Body Defects, Uneven Length, Broken Node, and Small Stain. This study aims to apply the Laney Demerit Control Chart (LDCC) and Analytical Hierarchy Process-Integrated Statistical Process Control (AHP-ISPC) methods to monitor the quality of packaged ready-to-eat sausage production at XYZ Inc. The data is from the quality testing of ready-to-eat sausage products taken from XYZ Inc. for six months from April 1, 2023, until September 30, 2023. The findings reveal that conventional control charts (u control chart, demerit control chart, and AHP-based demerit control chart) exhibited oversensitivity because it is attributed to the large number of samples produced by the company, prompting the need for a more balanced approach. Implementing the Laney u control chart, Laney demerit control chart, and the AHP-based Laney demerit control charts successfully achieved statistical control in phase I. In contrast, phase II still demonstrated challenges, particularly with the AHP-based Laney Demerit Control Chart detecting the highest number of out-of-control points. This suggests that phase II remains statistically out of control, necessitating further analysis or corrective measures to enhance process stability. Additionally, the process capability analysis indicated that the production process during the specified period lacked capability, as evidenced by a capability index value below one (0.883).

Structural and Dynamical Properties of Nucleic Acid Hairpins Implicated in Trinucleotide Repeat Expansion Diseases.

Dynamic mutations in some human genes containing trinucleotide repeats are associated with severe neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorders-known as Trinucleotide (or Triplet) Repeat Expansion Diseases (TREDs)-which arise when the repeat number of triplets expands beyond a critical threshold. While the mechanisms causing the DNA triplet expansion are complex and remain largely unknown, it is now recognized that the expandable repeats lead to the formation of nucleotide configurations with atypical structural characteristics that play a crucial role in TREDs. These nonstandard nucleic acid forms include single-stranded hairpins, Z-DNA, triplex structures, G-quartets and slipped-stranded duplexes. Of these, hairpin structures are the most prolific and are associated with the largest number of TREDs and have therefore been the focus of recent single-molecule FRET experiments and molecular dynamics investigations. Here, we review the structural and dynamical properties of nucleic acid hairpins that have emerged from these studies and the implications for repeat expansion mechanisms. The focus will be on CAG, GAC, CTG and GTC hairpins and their stems, their atomistic structures, their stability, and the important role played by structural interrupts.

Employment quality in the new socio-economic reality: theoretical and methodological foundations

The article contains scientific arguments for aggravating social and labor problems, especially employment in its various manifestations. It substantiates the need to update the theoretical and methodological foundations of employment in general and its quality in particular. A modern view of the employment institute is presented. The author's concept of employment quality has been revealed. The proposed conceptology of employment quality is based on the latest theoretical and methodological foundations and opens new horizons for further scientific and applied research. First of all, it concerns development of theoretical, methodological and applied principles of employment quality assessment. It is proven that the newest trend of the current digital age is the emergence and intensive reproduction of gaps in the quality of jointly distributed labor as part of various types of both standard and especially non-standard forms of employment. The article's key quintessence is the authors' vision of employment quality as a prerequisite for sustainable people-dimensional development and justification of the need to move the institute of employment quality to the epicenter of theoretical and applied research, which should become a platform for scientific support of formation and implementation of a new social and labor policy. Further research in the field of scientific support for social and labor development has received scientific interpretation.

Results of Mathematics Examinations Before, During, and After the Covid-19 Related Restrictions

The article deals with the results of mathematics examinations at the University of Finance and Administration in Prague before, during, and immediately after the Covid-19 pandemic-related restrictions. The first objective is to evaluate whether the non-standard forms of testing (correspondence and online), used on an emergency basis during the pandemic, were adequate compared to the standard form (face-to-face) applied before the pandemic. The second objective is to assess whether and to what extent the results of the examinations have changed after the return of teaching and testing methods to normal. It turns out that the use of non-standard forms, although more challenging for teachers to control, did not lead to better results – the results in the correspondence form were similar to the standard form and even worse in the online form. The results of examinations administered in the standard form after the return to normal teaching were significantly better than in any of the periods studied, including the standard form of examination before the pandemic. Possible reasons for the results are analysed in the paper.

Деформації інституту соціального діалогу в Україні як чинник суспільної десолідаризації

It is shown that the effect of solidarity significantly enhances the mobilization potential of society, being applied at all levels of social organization, including the family, territorial community, and the business environment. The authors emphasize that the new social reality in Ukraine, which is being formed in the context of a full-scale Russian invasion, as well as the risk of loss of state integrity and statehood as such, determines the need to lay the basic principles of solidarity based on the coherence of actions of all subjects of social organization in the basis of the ideology of national state-building. The authors reveal the social phenomenon of solidarization as a result of reaching joint agreements and making consolidated decisions on the formation and implementation of the State socio-economic policy, which allowed establishing its close connection with the process of social dialogue. The relevance of the societal dimension of the functioning of the national system of tripartite social partnership in the context of military shocks is substantiated. Within the framework of institutional and comparative methodology, the modern role of tripartite social partnership and the impact of the institution of social dialogue in Ukraine on the processes of its social solidarity in the (pre)war period are revealed. It is proved that social dialogue plays a leading role in addressing issues related to achieving the criteria of decent work, ensuring social guarantees, promoting international labour standards, regulating non-standard forms of employment, ensuring equality in the field of labour, as well as digital and "green" transitions. It is established that the imbalance of interests of the parties to social dialogue in Ukraine is characterized by insufficient protection and lack of guarantees of decent work for employees, on the one hand, and the unmet needs of Ukrainian business for qualified and highly productive labour, on the other. It is emphasized that one of the consequences of this imbalance is the desolidating phenomenon of labour poverty. The authors identify and statistically substantiate the main deformations of the institution of social dialogue in Ukraine, which were formed in the pre-war period. On the basis of specific examples from the period of martial law in Ukraine, the contribution to social solidarity of domestic employers' associations and trade unions is shown. Considering social dialogue as an institutional component of the social contract, the article establishes that the deformed system of social dialogue in Ukraine causes the erosion of its social contract – the framework for solidarity of citizens. It is shown that maintaining a high level of solidarity among the population of Ukraine is important in the context of its official status as an EU candidate country in June 2022. The article summarizes recommendations for solving the problems of social dialogue in Ukraine in the post-war period of reconstructive recovery of the Ukrainian economy, based on modern international approaches and practices. The authors propose relevant directions for the development of tripartite social partnership, taking into account current trends in the digitalization of the economy and society, as well as the spread of new non-standard forms of employment, including platform employment.

Approaches to inclusive foreign language instruction in higher education

Introduction: The rapid development trend in innovative technological solutions significantly impacts societal activities, stimulating global digital transformation processes in the educational environment. Objectives: The article analyses innovative tools within the concept of inclusive technologies for teaching foreign languages in higher education in the digital age. Methods: Several general scientific research methods were used to achieve the research objectives, including abstraction, analysis, synthesis, induction, and deduction. Results: Attention is focused on exploring the potential of audio-lingual and audiovisual methods, didactic game solutions, case methods, reproductive methods, thematic studies, linguistic and sociocultural, and project methodologies. It has been proven that using digital educational platforms in educational programmes allows teaching foreign languages to be carried out at a high professional level, stimulating aspects of motivation and effectiveness. The study identifies that implementing innovative approaches in inclusive strategies for teaching foreign languages enables students to gain practical skills through active interaction with various non-standard methods and forms of work. Such methods include brainstorming, project work, role-playing, group work, and several others. It has been found that specific innovative approaches, such as random and cross-learning, learning through argumentation, or embodied learning, form a solid practical basis for the successful future application of acquired knowledge. Conclusions: The article proves that innovative methods of teaching foreign languages within the framework of inclusive educational technology programmes have the potential to create an effective learning environment, ensuring a significant improvement in the quality of higher education

Road traffic crash data in Southwestern Nigeria: a qualitative analysis of sources, contents and management methods

Objective This study qualitatively examined road traffic crash (RTC) data collection and management in southwest Nigeria, with the goal of addressing the tenets of the UN Decade of Action Plan on Road Safety’s call for an effective data system. Methods Data on RTCs data collection in the study area was obtained through key informant interviews with five hospital accident emergency unit directors, three Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Sector commanders, and three Nigeria Police Force (NPF) commissioners. Datasets were transcribed, categorized, and interpreted using content analysis, descriptive statistics, and WHO recommended minimal crash data element requirements. Results The study found disparate systems, a lack of synergy, and discrepancy in the various data sources in the country when compared with WHO recommendations on road traffic data collection systems, with 55% of agencies using non-standardized paper forms. The study also reveals that the minimum crash data elements recommended by WHO are not consistently captured in the NPF, FRSC, and hospital traffic crash data sources. Conclusions The study suggested the use of an upgraded National Road Traffic Crash Data Management System (NRTCDMS) Data Template to unify data gathering and linkage issues, but recommends a digital version of the template.

Integrating IoMT and AI for Proactive Healthcare: Predictive Models and Emotion Detection in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, present considerable challenges in their early detection, monitoring, and management. The paper presents NeuroPredict, a healthcare platform that integrates a series of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) devices and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to address these challenges and proactively improve the lives of patients with or at risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Sensor data and data obtained through standardized and non-standardized forms are used to construct detailed models of monitored patients’ lifestyles and mental and physical health status. The platform offers personalized healthcare management by integrating AI-driven predictive models that detect early symptoms and track disease progression. The paper focuses on the NeuroPredict platform and the integrated emotion detection algorithm based on voice features. The rationale for integrating emotion detection is based on two fundamental observations: (a) there is a strong correlation between physical and mental health, and (b) frequent negative mental states affect quality of life and signal potential future health declines, necessitating timely interventions. Voice was selected as the primary signal for mood detection due to its ease of acquisition without requiring complex or dedicated hardware. Additionally, voice features have proven valuable in further mental health assessments, including the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Peculiarities of working conditions for employees with a remote form of employment

Today, the problem of improving working conditions and improving their organization is quite urgent, in particular, the issue of working conditions for workers with non-standard forms of employment, in particular remote employment, which is gaining importance today, needs to be resolved. The purpose of the article is to study the peculiarities of working conditions for employees with remote employment, to identify problems and to propose ways to eliminate them. It is noted that with the appearance of non-typical (non-traditional) forms of employment on the domestic labor market, both practitioners and scientists are increasingly questioning the employer’s ability to fulfill the duty assigned to him to guarantee employees whose work does not fit into the traditional framework of labor relations, safe and healthy working conditions. Therefore, the employer using this type of employment should also take care of additional protection of employees, in particular, in matters of occupational health and safety, especially today, when the danger is different, external, military. At the same time, analyzing the current labor legislation, it was established that the employer is responsible only for “the safety and proper technical condition of the equipment and means of production, which are transferred to the employee to perform remote work”, and he does not have the obligation to ensure safe and harmless working conditions for the employee. Therefore, supporting other researchers of this issue, it is suggested that among the special conditions of the labor contract on remote work, there should also be a condition on ensuring labor safety, in order to oblige the employer to ensure the safety of the work of employees of the remote form of employment, in particular, to make sure that the assigned work can be performed safely at home by such an employee, has appropriate equipment and tools for safe work at home, received appropriate information, instructions and training (including in the event of an emergency), and also took measures to ensure the physical and psychological well-being of employees. Since remote work should not entail any restrictions on the scope of labor rights of employees, that is, a remote worker should have the same rights and obligations as other employees.

How vernacular languages create humour on China’s social media: a linguistic and multimodal analysis

ABSTRACT With the growth of China’s online platforms, increasing attention has been paid to new, online discursive styles and modalities. Such discourses are created using a range of modalities, including text, mixed languages, images, video, memes, and new symbolic forms. Yet what is understudied is the use of vernacular and nonstandard forms of Chinese (including dialects or fangyan); these can be used as a semiotic resource in interaction, such as creating playful content. By conducting a close, linguistic and multimodal analysis of three humorous videos that use a nonstandard vernacular (Yunnan, Changsha, and Dongbei), and the user-generated messages shared on these platforms, this study examines Chinese humour. It finds a universally recognisable script of incongruity and locally situated forms that map onto social and familial themes. Finally, by showing how Chinese people create and enjoy humorous content, this study refutes previous claims that they are not as humorous as non-Chinese people.

Hyperon semileptonic decays in QCD sum rules

We investigate the hyperon semileptonic decays within the framework of QCD sum rules. The flavor SU(3) symmetry breaking effects are analyzed via the relevant form factors and corresponding branching fractions. Employing the z-series parameterization to capture the q2 dependence of form factors, we calculate the hyperon semileptonic decay rates and confront them with the recent experimental measurements. Moreover, we calculate as well the non-standard tensor form factors, which involve certain new physics beyond the standard model.

Формування комунікативної компетентності учнів початкових класів в умовах змішаного навчання

The article deals with a review of the peculiarities of the development of communicative competence of primary school children in the conditions of blended education. In particular, the methods and technologies of blended learning, non-standard forms of communication of the participants of the educational process, which contribute to the development of communicative competence of primary school children, are revealed. Features of the organization of blended learning, online classes, integration of educational platform tools into the process of distance learning are described. The models of blended learning are presented: the «Face-to-Face Driver» model, the rotational model, which can be used as a basis for the development of communicative competence of primary school children in the conditions of blended learning. Varieties of the rotation model are described in detail: classroom rotation, laboratory rotation, portioned learning, individual rotation (Flex model, Self-blend model, Enriched virtual learning model), as well as components of blended learning technologies in each model. It was found that one of the most important tasks of a teacher in the conditions of mixed education in primary school is to build the learning process in a new way, changing the role of the children in it. Prospective elements of the blended model of education in primary school are highlighted. Methods of organizing the work of primary school children in small groups for each class are presented (joint writing, paired reading, business conversations, group reading, group dictation, dramatization, collective reading). As a result of blended learning, pupils adapt to the communication process. Learning becomes individually oriented, each pupil is given the opportunity to do the task at his own pace, a choice of problem situations interesting to the pupil is offered, which significantly increases their motivation to study.

Deformation of Cylindrical Shell Made of 9X2 Steel Under Complex Loading

The development of the construction industry in terms of the design and manufacture of shell structures of non-standard architectural forms made of materials with complex mechanical properties requires using modern integrated computer-aided design systems with step-by-step modeling of deformation of structural elements under operating conditions, as well as taking into account their subsequent behavior after accumulation of residual strains during plastic deformation. The purpose of the study is to simulate the process of plastic deformation of a thin-walled cylindrical shell made of 9X2 GOST 5950-2000 (Interstate Standard) steel under compression and torsion with theoretical calculations based on the general theory of elastoplastic processes by A.A. Ilyushin. The constitutive equations of the theory of elastoplastic processes by A.A. Ilyushin for complex loading path and deformation of materials in the deviatoric strain space are presented. Based on the presented solutions, according to the strain path of the 9X2 steel shell implemented in the model, the graphs showing the relation of the vector and scalar properties of the material to the arc length of the strain path are constructed. A conclusion is made about the degree of hardening of the material in question and its dependence on the magnitude of the angle of convergence at the kink point of the complex path. The graphs of changes in the constitutive plasticity functions with respect to the increments of the arc length of the strain path are presented.

Ride-hailing drivers’ working conditions and social protection in China

ABSTRACT This article aims to examine ride-hailing drivers’ working conditions and social protection in China. Through interviews with 25 ride-hailing drivers in Beijing, we found that their working conditions are precarious, stressful, surveilled, and their social protection exhibits features of inadequacy and fragmentation. They are excluded from social insurance for urban employees due to the lack of a formal employment relationship. Instead, they largely participate in the medical insurance for residents, but its insurance benefits are much lower than those for urban employees. Furthermore, citizens’ participation in residents’ medical insurance is determined by their hukou (i.e. household registration) residency. Internal migrant drivers are only entitled to be insured at their origin where their hukou is located. Despite working in the same occupation and living in the same city, internal migrant drivers and Beijing-native drivers have distinct social insurance benefits. Thus, we propose the binary classification of de jure/de facto residency, which contributes to a deeper understanding of social protection for non-standard forms of employment.

Impact of Technological Advancements on Work and Employment Patterns

Purpose: This study sought to examine the impact of technological advancements on work and employment patterns. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the role of religion in shaping social attitudes towards LGBTQ+ rights. The study provided comprehensive insights into the transformative effects of technology on the labor market. Through an analysis of existing literature and empirical studies, the research highlighted the emergence of job polarization, non-standard forms of employment, and the growing importance of education and skills development in the digital economy. The findings emphasized the need for proactive policy responses to address the challenges posed by technological change while harnessing its benefits for inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Overall, the study contributed valuable knowledge to the understanding of how technological advancements shape work and employment patterns, guiding future efforts to navigate the complexities of the digital age. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Structural Transformation theory, Skill- Biased Technological Change theory and Institutional theory may be used to anchor future studies on technological advancements on work and employment patterns. The study provided recommendations that contributed to theory, practice, and policy. It called for further research to explore the mechanisms underlying the relationship between technology and employment. Additionally, the study emphasized the importance of investing in education and skills development to prepare the workforce for the challenges of the digital economy. From a policy perspective, proactive measures were recommended to promote inclusive and sustainable employment growth, including strategies to support workers through transitions and ensure equitable distribution of benefits. Collaboration between stakeholders and ongoing monitoring and evaluation of policy interventions were also highlighted as crucial for addressing the socio-economic implications of technological change.

Electrostatic supersolitary waves: A challenging paradigm in nonlinear plasma science and beyond – State of the art and overview of recent results

A comprehensive overview is presented of recent theoretical advancements and observational manifestations of a relatively new type of electrostatic solitary wave (ESW), known as supersoliton or supersolitary wave (SSW). These nonlinear structures are characterized by a distorted pulse-shaped electrostatic potential excitations, deviating from the standard (“sech2”-like) form generally expected from solitonic pulses. In Space plasmas, in particular, e.g. in magnetospheric observations, SSWs may be associated with a characteristic wiggly bipolar electric field waveform. It has been shown that a three-component configuration is essential, as a minimum requirement for SSWs to occur in a plasma.Various spacecraft missions have recorded evidence of “non-conventional” electrostatic solitary waves (pulses) such as wiggly bipolar pulses, offset bipolar pulses, and monopolar pairs. This review article aims to present the current state of the art in this fascinating new theme, first outlining the basic framework for the modeling of such “exotic” ESWs and then putting forward a correlation between SSW structures with certain non-standard bipolar electric field forms observed in planetary magnetospheres.

The preterite of Spanish andar: An “unbiased” history of non-standard vs. standard forms

Abstract Alongside the standard irregular preterite of Sp. andar (anduve ‘I walked’) there exist non-standard regular forms (andé ‘I walked’). Scholars have assumed that the non-standard regular forms have resulted from analogy with the preterite of regular -ar verbs, agree that the irregular preterite of andar was formed by analogy with the etymological irregular preterite of estar, and have assumed that the earliest forms were the irregular ones. But if the preterite of andar was formed by analogy with that of estar, what were the etymological forms of the preterite of andar inherited from Latin? This question has not been raised hitherto because of “standard language bias”, a phenomenon recently introduced by Maiden (2022). It will be revealed here that non-standard forms in and- appear by the early thirteenth century. Their early appearance, together with comparative Romance evidence, points to the likelihood that they were not formed by later processes of analogy and regularization, but that they were, and are, direct descendants of one of a number of possible Latin etyma. Finally, it will be explained why forms in anduv- eclipsed the original forms in and-, eventually becoming the standard, as well as why they have persisted as such to date.

Analysis of the Deviant Usage of Criticism in Discourse Innovations of Cancel Culture and Woke Culture

The research analyzed the deviant usage of critique in discourse innovations in the form of cancel culture and woke culture. These innovations represent modern ways of criticism, which rapid spread is due to network communication. The basis for classifying these types of criticism as deviant usage is the destruction of the locus of critical rationality. The problem is that the heuristic ideal of critique may be changed significantly due to the legitimation of non-standard forms of criticism. The authors identified several clusters of the normative ideal of critical activity in the form of negative assessment, logic, social constructivism, in which the category of rationality is considered. This category allows us to analyze the discourse practice of critique regarding the correspondence theory of truth using linguo-argumentative method of analysis. While using these strategies the authors came to the following conclusions. The verbalization of cancel culture represents a reactive action of critique that implements polemical negation. Criticism in woke culture reveals signs of descriptive negation. The deviant usage of critique as reasoning in the innovations under discussion is represented by errors in argumentation, factoid nature of discourse, and a mixture of stylistic modes belonging to discourses of varying degrees of institutionalization, which constitute aberrations of the rational standard of criticism.