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Chorta (Wild Greens) in Central Crete: The Bio-Cultural Heritage of a Hidden and Resilient Ingredient of the Mediterranean Diet
Get PDFAn ethnobotanical field study focusing on traditional wild greens (WGs) was carried out in Central Crete, Greece. Through thirty-one semi-structured interviews, a total of fifty-five wild green plants and their culinary uses and linguistic labels were documented; they were mostly consumed boiled (vrasta) or fried (tsigariasta), as a filling for homemade pies. Comparison with some Greek historical data of the 19th and 20th centuries showed that WGs have remained resilient and are still present in the current Cretan diet. Cross-cultural comparison with the WGs gathered and consumed in other areas of the Central and Eastern Mediterranean demonstrated a remarkable diversity of Cretan WGs and important similarities with those consumed in Greek-speaking Cyprus, the Bodrum area of Turkey, coastal Syria, and Southern Italy. We discussed the cognitive categories linked to Chorta, as well as the possible origin of an original “bulk” of post-Neolithic food weeds that could have spread from the Fertile Crescent westwards across the Mediterranean basin over a few millennia. The current study represents a crucial effort to document and preserve the bio-cultural gastronomic heritage of Chorta and it is advisable that both biology and history scholars, as well as policy makers, pay needed attention to the WGs of the Cretan and Mediterranean diet
Scouting for Food Heritage for Achieving Sustainable Development: The Methodological Approach of the Atlas of the Ark of Taste
Get PDFOver the last two decades, scholars and organizations across the world have carried out research projects and promoted dissemination tools aimed at promoting food and food-related elements embedded in local and traditional foodways. In this regard, the documentation of food and biocultural heritage has been seen as the starting point of processes directed toward their safeguarding and promotion. Drawing from this premise, the paper presents an original methodological approach, designed within the framework of the Ark of Taste project, to map, inventory, and document food and food-related resources to produce a comprehensive dissemination tool for the promotion of local food and biocultural heritage. To this end, the paper discusses the case study of the Atlas of the Ark of Taste in Tanzania, looking at the approach used, and the challenges faced, in undertaking field and desk activities aimed at inventorying Tanzanian food products and in the creating of the gastronomic atlas of this country. Drawing from this experience, the paper highlights the potentially crucial role that food and gastronomic inventories may have in achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals from a grassroots perspective. Acknowledging the limitations and possible unintended effects of these initiatives on the protection of food and biocultural resources, the authors recognize the promising role that these tools could have in fostering the achievement of environmental (SDGs 13, 14, 15) and social sustainability (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 10) objectives
Exploring Kurdish EFL University Students’ Beliefs about Language Learning
Get PDFThis paper is an attempt to deal with language learners’ beliefs. Researchers used Elaine Kolker Horwitz’s model (1988), Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory, and they applied it to explore the views of Kurdish EFL university students concerning language learning. The study aims to investigate and expose their opinions regarding language learning generally, then English language more precisely. Its significance lies in exploring the beliefs of Kurdish EFL university students about language learning. It mainly answers the question, “what are the beliefs of Kurdish EFL university students about learning English?”. The researchers administered a Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) questionnaire to seven universities to achieve this aim. The questionnaire includes several viewpoints regarding the difficulty of language learning, foreign language aptitude, the nature of language learning, learning and communication strategies, and motivation and expectations. They collected and analyzed the questionnaire results and found out that the first category, the difficulty of language learning, has the lowest mean score among the five categories. In contrast, the fifth category, motivation and expectations, has the highest mean score. They ended the study with suitable beneficiary recommendations
Initial Impact of an Educational Program Programme for the Orphans in Erbil City
Get PDFPurpose: This study aimed to assess the state of the orphans’ oral health living in Erbil orphanage; their
oral health knowledge, attitude and practice; and the improvements in oral healthcare after the provision
of oral health education.
Materials and Methods: The study included orphans aged 6–15 years living in Erbil orphanage in Iraq.
As a baseline visit (A), the oral hygiene status of all participating orphans was evaluated using the oral
hygiene index–simplified (OHI-S). To evaluate the orphans’ oral health knowledge, attitude and practice,
the orphans completed an oral hygiene questionnaire. Dental caries prevalence was assessed using the
decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT and dmft index). An educational programme was provided which
included demonstrations and descriptions of dental health indications and how to carry out oral hygiene
procedures. After two months, follow-up visit (B) performed to assess the OHI-S, and the same oral
hygiene questionnaire that was used in the baseline visit was also completed by the orphans.
Results: Between visits A and B, no significant differences were found in oral health knowledge (visit A =
7.321 ± 2.204 and visit B = 7.714 ± 1.749) or attitude (4.357 ± 2.930 and 4.553 ± 2.992). A significant
difference was found in oral health practice (5.15 ± 1.89 and 6.3 ± 1.69). Dental caries prevalence was 65%
in the primary teeth and 73% in the permanent teeth.
Conclusion: The orphans and caregivers need training in how to maintain oral hygiene. Dental health
professionals should provide oral health education and regular screening camps for these children
Minimization of the Impact of Globalization on Petroleum Politics: Nigeria as a Case Study
Get PDFThe paper examined the impact of globalization of petroleum politics on the oil sector of Nigeria and Nigeria. The paper employed the qualitative research framework, where document analysis was used method in obtaining relevant secondary data, and thematic analysis was adopted in analyzing the data. It is found that the globalization of petroleum politics has been having both negative and to a level, positive effects on Nigeria, particularly on the political, economic, and social fronts. The negative effects include weakened Nigeria’s capacity to withstand global oil shocks, heightened porosity of Nigeria’s borders and international waterways, and increased loss of oil revenue. Some of the positive effects are increased awareness on the part of Nigeria to do the needful by diversifying its economy from oil to other viable and less volatile sectors, such as agriculture, solid minerals, aviation, manufacturing, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The paper recommends that the recently enacted Petroleum Industry Act should be fully implemented, given the derivable benefits for the oil sector, Nigerian state, and economy
The Perceptions and Practices of Learner Autonomy among Undergraduate English as a Foreign Language Students in Private Universities (A Case of Erbil/Iraq)
Get PDFLearner autonomy is indisputably one of the most essential concerns in higher education, as it allows students
to take charge of their own learning and accomplishing the tasks provided by their lecturers outside the walls.
Therefore, this study was initiated to reveal the perceptions and practices of learner autonomy among English
as a foreign language undergraduate students in private universities in Erbil. The quantitative research
method was utilized through a questionnaire. The research sample consists of 156 undergraduate EFL
students from three private universities in Erbil. The collected data were analyzed through SPSS 25 data
editor. The results have indicated that even though the students are motivated to learn English, they do not
have necessary autonomy level to take responsibility over their learning. This research will shed light on the
perceptions and practices of learner autonomy among English as a foreign language undergraduate students
in private universities in Erbil, and will guide English language lecturers, curriculum developers, education
coordinators and undergraduate foreign language students to implement autonomous learning skills in
teaching and learnin
The Attitudes of EFL Students towards Extensive Reading Program in Digital Library in Private Primary School (A Case of Erbil)
Get PDFExtensive Reading (ER) is described as an individual’s voluntary and unrestricted reading of huge amounts of material or long texts for the sake of general comprehension and pleasure from the content. Digital libraries offer rich content and ample digital aids that student may get benefit while reading independently. These aids can help, encourage, and motivate children because of the digital additions that traditional books lack. They may be able to make reading books more entertaining for children by using bright animations and introducing them to print and pictures in an enjoyable way. Accordingly, the present research aims to examine the attitudes of private primary schools’ students towards an extensive reading program in digital library. A qualitative research methodology was selected to reveal the perceptions and preferences of the students. The collected data analysed through thematic analysis. The research participants are 10 students from grade 5 and 6 in a private primary school. This study might be useful for instructors to see how students react extensive reading program in digital library and technological features embedded to it, as well as curriculum designers to think about the impact of digital libraries on students’ reading habit development
Materialistic Interest in The Bedbug by Vladimir Mayakovsky
Get PDFThe play entitled The Bedbug is one of the most imaginative political satires on the Soviet Union in the twentieth century which was written by one of the greatest Russian poets, Vladimir Mayakovsky in 1929. The primary purpose of this study is to analyze the play in terms of Marxism’s Materialistic Aspects. This article intends to show the economic positions and influence of materialistic interests of the characters in general, and the protagonist of the play, Prisypkin, in particular. It shows how Prisypkin behaves like the upper classes, and it also explains the reasons behind the character’s change. Moreover, the paper demonstrates the reasons why Mayakovsky portrayed him like that. In conclusion, Mayakovsky criticizes all the self-interest proletariat class through Prisypkin, he also indirectly criticizes the Soviet Union leaders
The Effect of Language Learning Anxiety on English Oral Performance
Get PDFEnglish is one of the most spoken languages in all over the world. Not in every country, English is used or spoken as a native language and in countries where English is not commonly used, people of it when get to foreign countries for academic purposes or other purposes, face difficulties. One major problem they go through is anxiety which is known as language learning anxiety. All individuals go through language learning anxiety at some point of their language learning careers. It is actually the feeling of tension, nervousness and fear while speaking English language which ultimately affects their oral performances. English oral performance is directly linked to the ability and skills of a person speaking that language. Three types of language learning anxiety which include trait anxiety, state anxiety and situation-specific anxiety is discussed in the paper. Effective oral performance is very important for the successful delivery of English language which could be impacted by any of the types of anxiety. In classrooms also, students who suffer from anxiety in many cases are reluctant to perform oral communication activities because of the perception they have in their mind about the poor delivery of performance. Anxiety in language learning is not just about having feared of speaking in public but it is supposed to be the one most significant element which affects learner’s English language learning in other aspects too
Non-Linear Analysis of Structures Utilizing Load-Discretization of Stiffness Matrix Method with Coordinate Update
Get PDFThis paper proposes a stiffness method based structural analysis algorithm for geometrically non-linear structures. In this study, the applied load on the joints has been discretized to a sequence of a few loadings applied. Each loading step produces incremental external nodal displacements, which are added to the corresponding coordinates to get a new geometrical shape of the structure. This process is iteratively repeated until the sum of the loading of all iterations matches the total initial applied loading. The size of the increments affects the technique’s accuracy, subsequently affecting the number of iterations. The configuration of non-linear geometrical structures is vital in the work; a slight change of the coordinates makes a considerable variation of nodal displacements. In this paper, three pin-jointed assemblies and a cantilever beam have been examined using the proposed technique; significantly reasonable outcomes emerged, compared to the non-linear approaches, such as Dynamic Relaxation Method (DRM) and Non-linear approach by Kwan. In a numerical sense, the dissimilarity between the results of the conventional Stiffness Matrix (SM) method and the non-linear method is about 228%, while the maximum discrepancy between the proposed approach and the non-linear methods is just above 15%