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BARAM, KELEM, ISTEVATRM: THE ROLE OF PHONOLOGICAL REDUCTION IN FORMING IDEOLOGIES ABOUT WESTERN KAZAKH SPEECH
No full textPeople in Kazakhstan often perceive the speech of individuals from the Western regions of the country negatively. Reports from speakers of other regions claim that Western Kazakh (WK) speech is rude and understanding it is difficult. Hereby, my capstone examines that WK speakers tend to reduce phonologically the most frequently and due to it, the negative attitudes towards WK speech exist.
My studies reveal that WK speakers do employ phonological reduction more often. Specifically, Westerners phonologically reduce verbs 50% more than North-Eastern Kazakh speakers. The data was collected from MultiCorSKL recordings. I have analysed 5 minutes of each of the 8 speakers from both dialects. This finding suggests that phonological reduction may explain why WK speakers are perceived to be fast speakers. The most frequent examples were producing “деймін” as “дим” and “барамын” as “барам.”
To understand how the perception of this phonological feature is extended by listeners to moral assessment about WK speakers, I aimed to show the steps through which phonological reduction is iconized into evaluations of rudeness in the case of WK speakers. Iconization is a process through which language users infuse structural linguistic elements with symbolic significance, often reflecting cultural values or moral judgments (Irvine and Gal, 2000; Chen, 2018). To address this question, I conducted a matched-guise experiment. Participants from different regions of Kazakhstan listened to an 1-minute audio sample of spontaneous conversation, which was recorded by a WK speaker, without knowing the dialect and had to guess the dialect solely based on the audio. Half of participants successfully identified the dialect as WK, while the rest identified the dialect as Southern. This suggests that the dialect is not readily distinguishable to native speakers of Kazakh unless they are informed that the speaker is from the Western region, and consequently, speaks WK.
Subsequently, I analyze the responses of these participants to identify whether they perceive WK negatively and if so, the reasons behind such perceptions. People indicate that the negative perceptions may result from cultural beliefs associating the Kishi Juz, inhabitants of the Western region, with traits like cruelty and aggression due to being historically known for their warrior heritage. Moreover, every participant agrees that the frequent reduction of verbs in the speech affects their comprehension more, which makes them feel irritated. These results indicate that the negative attitudes towards the WK are primarily ideological constructs, which may not be negatively perceived in the absence of relevant information.
Taken together, these results suggest that the frequent phonological reduction of WK speakers may affect the negative attitudes about WK being shaped.
References
Chen, S. C. (2018). Visualizing language ideologies and verbalizing perceived linguistic boundaries: The case of Mandarin Chinese in contemporary Taiwan. Global Chinese, 4(1), 11-36.
Irvine, J. T., & Gal, S. (2000). Language Ideology and linguistic differentiation. In Paul Kroskrity (ed.), Regime of Language: Ideologies, Polities, and Identities, 35-83. Santa Fe, NM: School of American Research
ENHANCED OBJECT RECOGNITION IN HEMISPHERICAL IMAGES THROUGH DATA AUGMENTATION AND SYNTHETIC IMAGE INTEGRATION
No full textOne of the challenges facing the use of fisheye or hemispherical cameras in the task of
object recognition despite their wide field of view is the lack of a benchmark dataset
and the presence of distortions. Although there are a number of fisheye datasets avail able, they are usually focused on specific object recognition tasks. This is evident in
the case of KITTI-360 focused on autonomous driving and THEODORE which is fo cused on person recognition. In this work, Fisheye365, a dataset for generalized object
recognition is proposed. It contains 5.1 million images obtained by applying 8 differ ent transformations to the original Objects365 dataset. For testing purposes, COHI,
a benchmark fisheye testing dataset is modified to COHI-365. Data-centric methods
are applied to improve the performance of the YOLOv7 model on perspective and fish eye images. The YOLOv7 model trained on Fisheye365, YOLOv7-T2, outperforms
the YOLOv7 model trained only on Objects365, YOLOv7-0 by 4.8% when tested
on COHI-365. Finally, to further improve the performance of YOLOv7-T2, 16,000
synthetic images containing 13 iconic classes lying at the intersection of underrepre sented and underperforming classes of Objects365 were generated. YOLOv7-T2 was
finetuned on this synthetic dataset and had a least performance of 21% on 8 out of
the 13 classe
INDUSTRIAL IOT, FACTORY OF THINGS
No full textThis capstone project investigates the optimization
of the MCP2515 CAN bus module for intra-vehicle
communications in smart automotive systems.
Employing Arduino-based prototypes, the study
explores the impact of varying SPI clock speeds
and transmission delays on the system's efficiency
and reliability. Through experimental trials, the
research evaluates how different settings influence
the throughput and channel utilization of the CAN
network, focusing on clock speeds of 5MHz and
2.5MHz. Results indicate that specific
configurations significantly enhance
communication effectiveness, showcasing an
optimal balance of speed and stability. This study
not only provides a detailed understanding of the
CAN bus capabilities but also offers valuable
insights for automotive engineers seeking to
improve the safety and functionality of modern
vehicles through advanced communication
technologies
“WE STUDY AT THE SAME UNIVERSITY”: SIBLINGSHIP AND ITS ROLE IN EXCHANGE OF SOCIO-CULTURAL CAPITAL AMONG KAZAKHSTANI YOUTH.
No full textIntroduction: Well-known assumption that children in the family have little power to influence each other as much or more than their parents seems to be taken for granted, consequently creating a blind point in the examination of interfamilial connections and research of family dynamics. Thus, the current study examines how important siblingship is in connection to changes in individuals’ social and cultural capital in Kazakhstan. Precisely this research gives more perspective on how siblingship can be influential in reality and what patterns and shapes it takes in affecting lives in the context of socio-cultural capital. Therefore, the study will try to explore and answer the following research question: How kinship ties influence development and exchange of social and cultural capital among siblings?
Results: After conduction nine semi-structured in-depth interviews, findings show that siblings are able to produce own socio-cultural capital and share it with other children but the process is highly dependent on many factors such as siblings’ age gap, geographical proximity among them, gender dynamic imposed by family and outside communities, and presence in certain life stages – all affecting each other from childhood to adulthood.
Conclusion: In order to explore exchange and production of capital among children, it is
crucial to look at sibship dynamics and factors that influence their nature, which gives more understanding on why and how capital is created and shared between siblings. Although findings showcase crucial importance of socio-cultural capital production by siblings, relatively homogenous sampling can overlook increasing importance of capital in siblings with lower socio-economic background
USING SYNGAS FOR PRODUCTION OF METHANOL WITH ENERGY INTEGRATION
No full textThe purpose of this capstone project was to design a commercial methanol production plant in Kazakhstan, utilizing syngas as the raw material. The project began with a thorough literature review to compare various commercial methanol production methods. It also included a comprehensive analysis of the economic data and toxicity-based health and safety assessments of the chemicals involved. The research identified the Atyrau region as the optimal location for the plant due to its advantageous position within a tax-free Special Economic Zone, availability of raw materials, and access to transportation networks. The final design incorporated a Process Flow Diagram (PFD) featuring five major pieces of equipment: a reactor, a heat exchanger, and three distillation columns. This setup ensures the production of high-purity methanol while minimizing waste. The project also focused on optimizing the distillation column arrangement to reduce methanol loss in waste streams, thus enhancing overall efficiency. Key findings highlighted the successful selection of production rates, catalyst composition, and safety measures. The final design met all purity and water content requirements, confirming the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methanol plant. The successful completion of this project provides a robust framework for future investments in methanol production in Kazakhstan, aligning with global trends in the energy and chemical sectors. This study not only demonstrates the technical viability of the plant but also its economic and strategic importance in the context of Kazakhstan’s evolving methanol market
ARSENIC TRIOXIDE AND D-VITAMIN C DRUG COMBINATION INDUCES OXIDATIVE STRESS AND ALTERS ELECTRON TRANSPORT CHAIN ACTIVITY OF KRAS-MUTANT CANCER CELLS
No full textMutation in Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) protooncogene is implicated in about 25-30% of all human cancers. It is usually associated with aggressive tumor progression and poor prognosis. Until now targeting KRAS-mutant cancer remains quite challenging even though several approaches were applied. However, all such strategies led to drug resistance which makes it even more challenging to specifically target KRAS-mutant cancer.
Arsenic trioxide and D-Vitamin C (ATO/D-VC) is a novel approach to targeting KRAS-mutant cancer cells using vulnerabilities in their metabolism. These cells are highly sensitive to oxidative imbalance which makes them a perfect target for ATO/D-VC drug combination as it can trigger so-called suicidal reactive oxygen species production by mitochondria (SPRM). In the current study the molecular aspects of ATO/D-VC mechanism of action was explored. It was shown that downregulation of succinate dehydrogenase (complex II) of the electron transport chain might be the primary cause of SPRM triggered by the action of ATO/D-VC synergetic drug combination.
Understanding the mechanism behind SRPM is essential for comprehending the potent cytotoxicity against KRAS-mutant cancers.
ATO/D-VC oxidative drug combination showed effectiveness during Phase 1 and currently undergoes Phase 2 of clinical trials in Kazakhstan
HEATING ELEMENT FOR AN INTEGRATED MICROFLUIDIC PLATFORM
No full textThe primary objective of this project is to design, develop, and test a heating element for
an integrated microfluidic platform. The heating element will be built into the microfluidic
platform to enable precise temperature control and thermal cycling for various biological applications. The project will involve designing the heating element using computational modelling, followed by fabrication and implementation with the microfluidic platform. The heating element will be tested to ensure it provides accurate and stable temperature control, and its performance will be compared with existing heating methods.
The results of this project will contribute to the development of microfluidic devices that
can accurately and efficiently control temperature for various biological applications. The
integrated microfluidic platform with the heating element will be a valuable tool for researchers and clinicians in fields such as diagnostics, drug discovery, and point-of-care
testing. Overall, this project aims to advance the field of microfluidics and contribute to
the development of innovative technologies for biomedical applications
FACTORS INFLUENCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ENGLISH AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION (EMI) PRACTICE FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN KAZAKHSTAN
No full textNowadays, the presence of high-quality universities, particularly those with international recognition, determines a country's level of national growth, development, and status. Kazakhstan, like other post-Soviet countries, attempted to adopt Western educational practices in its higher education system (HES). As a result, HES in Kazakhstan is increasingly adopting English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI). However, some challenges make it hard to make EMI work well in Kazakhstan's higher education institutions. Furthermore, little research has explored the factors that influence the effectiveness of EMI practice in Kazakhstan. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine how various school-level and university-level factors influence the effectiveness of EMI practice for undergraduate students. This non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive quantitative study analyzed the data collected from 80 undergraduate students and examined the relationship between variables using chi-square analysis. This study revealed that the types of schools, ownership of the schools, socioeconomic status of students, types of universities, and use of student support centers all influence the effective use of EMI practice. Student support centers and high socioeconomic status have a positive effect on EMI usage. Other variables provide additional indicators of the effectiveness of EMI's development and implementation in Kazakhstan. These indicators highlighted certain areas that needed attention. This quantitative study enriched previous studies by analyzing the factors affecting EMI practice and demonstrating a better understanding of the Kazakhstani context. In addition, this study provided relevant information for stakeholders in higher education institutions by examining the quality of implementation development
OPENAI IN EDUCATION: STUDENT’S EXPERIENCES IN UTILIZING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES WITHIN ASTANA REGION
No full textThis study investigates the undergraduate student's experiences in utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for academic and daily purposes within the Astana region. The investigation employs the theoretical framework of cultural capital proposed by Pierre Bourdieu to analyze and understand complex dynamics. The research has a qualitative design, including eight individual interviews with undergraduate students from four different universities in Astana city. Data analysis is based on an inductive thematic approach to extract findings and patterns from the study. The results indicate that students' interactions with AI vary depending on individual cultural capital factors, such as the language of instruction at university, language proficiency, social network, nature of assignments, and presence of AI-detection software systems. Additionally, institutional policies also play a significant role in shaping students' experiences with AI within educational setting