128 research outputs found
Before and After the Commentators: An Essay in Periodization.
No full textL'articolo considera il significato storico e filosofico dei commentatori neoplatonici di Aristotele. Gli autori situano il recente Sourcebook sui commentatori edito da Richard Sorbji in un contesto più ampio, che include il contributo dei commentatori nella formazione della filosofia tardo-antica e la loro posterità nella tradizione filosofica islamica. Dopo una sezione introduttiva (1) sullo stato attuale della ricerca in questo ambito, gli autori affrontano i temi seguenti: (2) Plotino, i commentatori e lo sviluppo del pensiero tardo antico; (3) il Sourcebook e la filosofia islamica. Riccardo Chiaradonna è co-autore della sezione (1) e autore della sezione (2), dove la ricezione dei trattati di scuola aristotelici è presentata come una caratteristica fondamentale nella transizione dalla filosofia post-ellenistica a quella tardo-antica. Plotino ha un ruolo cruciale in questo processo e l'assimilazione neoplatonica dei trattati di Aristotele non avrebbe avuto luoro senza il suo contributo.This article considers the historical and philosophical significance of the Neoplatonic commentators on Aristotle. The authors set Richard Sorabji's recent Sourcebook on the commentators within a wider backgroung, which covers the commentators' contribution in the shaping of late antique philosophy and their posterity in the Islamic philosophical tradition. After an introductory section (1) regarding the current status of research in this area, the authors tackle the following issues: (2) Plotinus, the commentators and the development of late antique thought; (3) the Sourcebook and Islamic Philosophy. Riccardo Chiaradonna is co-author of section (1) and author of section (2), where the reception of Aristotle's school treatises is set out as a key feature in the transition from Post Hellenistic to Late Antique philosophy. Plotinus has a pivotal position in this process and the Neoplatonic incorporation of Aristotle's treatises would have not taken place without Plotinus' contribution
A Case Study of International ESL Learners' Perceptions of Technology Use in English Language Learning
No full textResearch in English as a Second Language (ESL) learners' perceptions of integrating technology in language learning is still relatively new. Most studies focused on the integration of one technology application in language instruction. In this study, the author examines the perceptions of six ESL international students in the English Language Center at UMBC about their experience in computer-assisted language learning (CALL). The study implements a variety of technology applications. A case study research methodology was used. Individual case studies and cross-case study techniques were employed. Data collection involved a survey, initial and final interviews, observation, and researcher's reflective journal. The analysis of the findings was organized in four major categories: learners' statements about their perceptions, learners' behaviors while interacting with technology tools, and learners' concerns about limitations of technology integration, and researcher's perceptions of the limitations. The findings revealed learners' positive perceptions of technology applications as language learning tools, with a deep concern for the communicative, collaborative and interactive nature of the applications. The use of technology in language learning was always supported by the presence of the language instructor as a coordinator and facilitator of the learning experience. Trust in the instructor's ability to connect the technology learning tools with the learning goals was deeply valued. Through this experience, the researcher, who was also the instructor for the course, learned the importance of class instruction and technical support for technology use in the language classroom
Chamomile essential oil improves the growth, immunity, and antioxidant status of Nile tilapia exposed to nanosized alumina
No full textDue to their peculiar physicochemical properties, nanoparticles (NPs) have the potential to have a detrimental impact on molecular (proteins and nucleic acids), subcellular, cellular, tissue, and organism levels. However, available works on the harmful effects of the water-borne ionizable NPs, such as aluminum oxide nanoparticles (ALNPs) on fish are scarce. Therefore, the toxic impacts of ALNPs on hematological, biochemical, and immunological responses in Nile Tilapia fish were investigated in this work. Additionally, the possible benefits of the promising chamomile essential oil (CEO) as dietary supplement in alleviating such impacts were also targeted. For this, four fish groups were used. The control group received only the basic diet, CEO group (basic diet + 2 mg CEO/kg diet), ALNP group (basic diet with exposure to5.08 mg ALNPs/L water, and ALNPs/CEO group (basal diet + 2 mg CEO/kg diet + 5.08 mg ALNPs/L). Fish exposed to ALNPs showed declines in the growth performance and fish survivability in addition to changes seen in the hematological and protein profiles and stress variables. Along with decreased resistance to the Aeromonas hydrophila challenge, there were also substantial decreases in all humoral immune indicators. In addition to increased mRNA expressions of immune genes in the hepatic tissues. CEO significantly modulated the toxic effects of ALNPs suggesting its utilization as a valuable dietary supplement for fish
Polymer multimode waveguide optical and electronic PCB manufacturing
No full textThe paper describes the research in the £1.3 million IeMRC Integrated Optical and Electronic Interconnect PCB Manufacturing (OPCB) Flagship Project in which 8 companies and 3 universities carry out collaborative research and which was formed and is technically led by the author. The consortium’s research is aimed at investigating a range of fabrication techniques, some established and some novel, for fabricating polymer multimode waveguides from several polymers, some formulations of which are being developed within the project. The challenge is to develop low cost waveguide manufacturing techniques compatible with commercial PCB manufacturing and to reduce their alignment cost. The project aims to take the first steps in making this hybrid optical waveguide and electrical copper track printed circuit board disruptive technology widely available by establishing and incorporating waveguide design rules into commercial PCB layout software and transferring the technology for fabricating such boards to a commercial PCB manufacturer. To focus the research the project is designing an optical waveguide backplane to tight realistic constraints, using commercial layout software with the new optical design rules, for a demonstrator into which 4 daughter cards are plugged, each carrying an aggregate of 80 Gb/s data so that each waveguide carries 10 Gb/s
INVESTIGATING THE FACTORS INFLUENCING ESL TEACHER PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A MIXED METHODS STUDY
No full textThis study examined the relationship between factors influencing the professional identity of teachers of English as a second language (ESL). The sample consisted of 480 ESL teachers in English language programs in universities and four-year colleges in the United States. Four contextual factors were identified from the literature: self-efficacy, job satisfaction, motivation, and commitment. An online survey was compiled from previously validated subscales to measure ESL teacher professional identity and the four contextual factors. The survey included both open- and close-ended questions. The study followed a convergent parallel mixed methods design, a triangulation design in which the quantitative and qualitative data are collected and analyzed at the same time and synthesized for interpretation (Creswell, 2014). Qualitative data from the open-ended questions were analyzed in NVivo following the typological development strategy (Plano Clark & Creswell, 2008). Quantitative data were used to test eight hypothesized structures to model ESL teacher professional identity. Structural Equation Modeling (maximum likelihood estimator with robust SE) was used to compute all fit indices and model parameters. These analyses resulted in four key findings. (1) ESL Teacher Professional Identity is the sum of multiple interactions between contextual factors in the workplace resulting in three professional identity profiles. (2) ESL teachers' linguistic diversity and cultural sensitivity and experiences influence their professional identity. (3) Commitment is a defining characteristic of ESL teacher professional identity. (4) The native and non-native English speaking status of ESL teachers does not have a strong influence on the factors or ESL teacher professional identity. These findings indicate that, in the ESL teaching context in higher education, contextual factors interact with each other and with teacher professional identity, resulting in three emerging professional identity profiles that characterize this interaction. A clear understanding of ESL teacher professional identity should take into consideration the impact of the work environment as well as the constant influence of teachers' professional identity on such environment
The European REFORM Project for Hydromorphological Quality in River Basin Management
No full textThe Water Framework Directive commits European Union member states to achieve good ecological and chemical status of all water bodies. As hydromorphology is a key factor for ecological status, a consortium of 26 partners from 15 countries studied the role of hydromorphological pressures and measures in the REFORM project. Its main objective was to answer the question: How to make river restoration successful? The project developed guidance for this by structuring the information along the different stages of restoration projects and river basin management plans, posing a logical sequence of questions: How does my river work? What’s wrong? How to improve? Things can be wrong for ecological status as a result of morphological alterations. These alterations form pressures that can be countered or mitigated by measures that improve sedimentological and morphological features. We present two specific results of REFORM that focus on river morphology. First, we provide an overview of methods to assess morphological quality and diagnose alteration. Second, we present systematic cause–effect relationships for restoration measures.Rivers, Ports, Waterways and Dredging Engineerin
Empédocle, fragment 32 Diels (Pseudo-Aristote, 'De lineis insecabilibus, 972 b 29-31)
No full textThe concluding lines of the pseudo-Aristotelian treatise On indivisible lines (972 b 25-33) contain a reference to Empedocles. The actual words attributed to Empedocles, as they stand in the manuscripts, no less than the purport of the argument in which they are embedded (972 b 29-31), are hopelessly obscure. We propose two very simple changes. The reference to Empedocles should be removed from the place it has in the manuscripts (972 b 29-30) to a position three lines earlier in the text (972 b 26). The final words of the argument (972 b 30-31) should be corrected from το ἐν τοῖς ἀκινήτοις to τὸ ἒν τῶν ἀκινήτων. The compendia for -ων and -οις (as in ἀκινήτων and ἀκινήτοις) are not always easily distinguishable and confusion is frequent in manuscripts of the Byzantine period. In this case, the genitive has been misread as a dative because the numeral (ἔν) has been misread as a preposition (ἐν). With these two changes, both the argument of the author and his reference to Empedocles acquire a meaning which is at once simple and obvious. Dare we hope that our emended text will bring to an end two hundred years of scholarly doubts and difficulties ?Les dernières lignes du traité pseudo-aristotélicien Des lignes insécables (972 b 25-33) contiennent une référence à Empédocle (fr. 32 Diels). Aussi bien l'argumentation du passage que la citation du poète sont incompréhensibles en l'état. On proposera ici deux corrections permettant d'en restituer la structure et le sens.O’Brien Denis, Rashed Marwan. Empédocle, fragment 32 Diels (Pseudo-Aristote, 'De lineis insecabilibus, 972 b 29-31). In: Revue des Études Grecques, tome 114, Juillet-décembre 2001. pp. 349-358
Real-world management, resource use, patient-reported outcomes and adherence in patients receiving direct oral anticoagulants for first stroke attributed to non-valvular atrial fibrillation in secondary care: A UK mixed-methods observational study.
No full textCopyright: © 2025 Uprichard et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.This real-world study investigated the patient-related factors, characteristics, and outcomes of adult patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) receiving a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) for secondary stroke prevention. This was a multi-centre, mixed-methods, non-interventional study conducted in 8 UK secondary care National Health Service centres. The study included adult patients who presented with first ischaemic stroke associated with NVAF without previous anticoagulants. Group 1 included all patients. Group 2 is comprised of prospectively enrolled patients who were initiated on apixaban (n = 49), edoxaban (n = 39) or rivaroxaban (n = 5) post-first stroke from Group 1. The primary objective (Group 1) was to describe patients' demographics, clinical characteristics, and medical history, stratified by the anticoagulant prescribed. The secondary objectives (Group 2) were to describe the patient management pathways, hospital resource use and clinical assessments associated with DOAC treatment, and the patient-reported satisfaction and experience of DOAC treatment. 234 patients were recruited from 8 centres (Group 1). Baseline CHA2DS2-VASc risk scores ranged from 2-7; 70% (157/224) had a score of ≥4. 86% (n = 202/234) of patients presented with stroke at accident and emergency. For Group 2, the median time from stroke to first DOAC dose was 6 (IQR, 2.0-10.2; n = 88) days; 50% patients had ≥ 1 outpatient visit recorded related to AF or DOACs. At 3 and 6 months, 73% (46/63) and 83% (43/52) had high (score of 8) Morisky Medication Adherence Scale score (MMAS-8), respectively. No patients reported being dissatisfied at 3 or 6 months post-DOAC initiation. The study findings demonstrate high levels of adherence, persistence, and treatment satisfaction in the 6 months post-initiation of DOAC after first stroke attributable to NVAF in patients. The presented results provide clinicians with valuable insights into the experience of post-stroke patients with NVAF receiving treatment with a DOAC for secondary prevention of stroke during the 6 months post-stroke
Transnational TESOL Practitioners’ Identity Tensions: A Collaborative Autoethnography
No full text571Nie dotycz
- …
