This study explores how native English speakers (NESs) are affected by the backgrounds of non-native English speakers (NNESs) when it comes to being comfortable interacting with then in English. Speech samples of 12 NNESs were gathered from the Level Achievement Tests conducted at Brigham Young University's English Language Center. There were six speakers who spoke Spanish as their first language (L1) and six speakers who spoke Chinese as their L1. In each L1 group, there were two Low proficiency speakers, two Mid proficiency speakers, and two High proficiency speakers. The speech samples were included in a Qualtrics survey which was completed by 122 American NES participants. The NES participants listened to each speech sample and rated their comfort level interacting with each NNES speaker in six different communication situations categorized as either formal or casual. The results were statistically analyzed in order to determine the effect of proficiency level, L1, and communication situation on NES comfort levels in NNES interactions. High proficiency speakers were rated significantly higher than Mid proficiency speakers which were in turn rated higher than Low proficiency speakers. Spanish L1 speakers were rated higher than Chinese L1 speakers. The more casual communication situations were ranked higher than the more formal communication situations. A statistical analysis of the interaction between proficiency level and L1 revealed that Spanish L1 speakers were strongly preferred at higher proficiency levels but Chinese L1 speakers were preferred at lower proficiency levels. These results suggest that Spanish L1 speakers have a greater need to be higher than Low proficiency while Chinese L1 speakers have a greater need to achieve High proficiency. NNESs who anticipate being in formal situations should also aim for High proficiency.

Radiation and medical drugs are used to fight head and neck cancer, but unfortunately in some cases these treatments cause development of other diseases and injuries. Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) and medical-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) are dreaded late complications in jaws from radiation therapy and medical drugs and cause great suffering to those affected. The full extent of ORN and MRONJ may be difficult to diagnose due to visualizing problems in quantifying boundaries of osteonecrosis and healthy tissues. Maxillofacial surgeons now use radiology and clinical appearance to differ affected bone, which may result in unprecise estimation of the area that is affected. As a possible adjuvant diagnostic procedure, visualizing osteonecrosis by examining neutrophil elastase (NE) activity in jaws was tested in patients. A newly developed positron emission tomography (PET) tracer specific for NE was used for observation and measurement in PET/CT images. An image processing software was used for visualization, segmentation, and analysis. Areas with osteonecrosis were identified in the ORN patients, but not in their entirety and all activity could not be equated with osteonecrosis as undiagnosed areas as well absorbed the tracer. Visualization of MRONJ displayed unexpectedly low activity in the diagnosed area.    The conclusion drawn from the results and the analysis is that NE activity can be found in osteonecrosis patients, but the activity itself does not provide complete information to visualize and quantify the diseased area and it cannot be equated with osteonecrosis. To verify NE activity as osteonecrosis, tissue samples from the affected area need to be collected for histological examination

This study investigates the relationship between nonnative English speaker (NNES) proficiency level and native English speaker (NES) level of comfort interacting with NNES. The purpose of this study was to discover at what proficiency level NESs feel comfortable interacting with NNES. This study also looked at how communicative task and NES demographic variables affected the proficiency expectations NNESs have for NESs. Participants included 120 NESs and 7 NNESs. The NESs listened to sound clips from the 7 NNESs and rated how comfortable they would feel (on a scale of 0-10, 10 indicating very comfortable) interacting with the speaker in a variety of communication tasks. Listeners rated intermediate and advanced level speakers significantly higher than the novice speakers. Additionally, there was not a significant difference between mean ratings for the intermediate and advanced speakers. Communication task was revealed as having a significant main effect on task. Listeners rated that they would feel least comfortable communicating with the speakers over the phone while discussing a customer service issue. They also indicated that they would feel least comfortable interacting with the speakers if they were their boss. Listener demographic variables did not have a significant main effect on overall ratings, but were significant for some tasks when task was analyzed individually. Specifically, age and frequency of interaction with NNES had an effect on some tasks; however the reliability of this result is affected by sample size. These results suggest a threshold relationship between NES comfort ratings and speaker proficiency level. Additionally, the data suggests that task may be more important than proficiency level in some interactions. A larger sample is needed to better understand the role NES demographic variables may play in level of comfort during NES and NNES interaction.

Depuis leur d��couverte dans les ann��es 90, les mol��cules-aimants constituent une classe de mat��riaux magn��tiques qui a attir�� l'attention du fait de leur bistabilit�� magn��tique. Ces syst��mes donnent l'espoir formidable de pouvoir stocker un bit d'information �� l'��chelle mol��culaire. Ainsi, leur organisation dans des r��seaux est devenue un enjeu essentiel en vue de leur int��gration dans des dispositifs. Lors de cette th��se, l'organisation contr��l��e de ces mol��cules par chimie de coordination en utilisant diff��rents connecteurs s'est r��v��l��e ��tre une strat��gie de choix. Le chapitre I pr��sente une approche th��orique de ce projet de recherche. Dans ce chapitre, les propri��t��s de mol��cules-aimants, cha��nes-aimants, conversion de spin et transfert d'��lectron sont d��crits et discut��s. Le chapitre II contient la bibliographie pertinente sur les r��seaux de coordination �� base de mol��cules-aimants et les syst��mes photoactifs bim��talliques cont��nant des groupements cyanures. Le chapitre III pr��sente l'organisation de mol��culesaimants [Mn4] en r��seaux 1D et 2D par des liens diamagn��tiques (ions chlorures) ou des liens paramagn��tiques contenant des ions m��talliques (NiII, MnII et CuII). Les ��tudes physiques (cristallographie par rayons X, mesures magn��tiques et de chaleurs sp��cifiques) et des analyses th��oriques sur ces nouveaux r��seaux ont montr�� des propri��t��s magn��tiques am��lior��es par rapport �� la mol��cule-aimant [Mn4] isol��e. Dans le chapitre IV, nous avons pr��par�� de nouveaux connecteurs commutables pour in fine concevoir des r��seaux de mol��cules-aimants photomagn��tiques. Une approche " building-block " a ��t�� utilis��e pour obtenir un compos�� binucl��aire de Fe et Co. Des ��tudes spectroscopiques, ��lectrochimiques et magn��tiques ont ��t�� effectu��es et ont r��v��l�� sans ambigu��t�� une conversion de spin thermo-induite �� l'��tat solide, et un transfert d'��lectron intramol��culaire assist�� par protonation contr��l��e en solution, accompagn��s de changements optiques et magn��tiques. Pour la premi��re fois, ce nouveau complexe montre deux processus de commutation distincts selon son ��tat physique et le stimulus externe utilis��.

Darbe nagrinėjamos postmodernizmo teorijos atsiradimo ištakos ir termino vartojimo istorija. Pateikiami autorių svarstymai apie postmodernizmo sampratos susiformavimą. Aptariamos naujosios muzeologijos šalininkų išskirtos naujo postmodernaus muziejaus veiklos kryptys: komunikacija, edukacija bei rinkodara. Atlikus tyrimą, darbe pateikiamos 9 Lietuvos muziejininkų nuomonės apie muziejų (apie lankytojus, jų istorinės savimonės bei kūrybiškumo ugdymo būdus, dabartinio muziejaus trūkumus, modernaus muziejaus viziją ir kt.). 2007 m. patvirtinta „Muziejų modernizavimo programa“, truksianti iki 2015 m. Šioje programoje numatytus tikslus ir uždavinius galima skirti į dvi dalis – materialųjį muziejų modernizavimą ir nematerialųjį muziejų modernizavimą. Į materialiojo muziejaus modernizavimo sąvoką įeina pastatų renovavimas, ekspozicijų atnaujinimas bei naujų eksponatų įsigijimas. Tuo tarpu nematerialusis muziejų modernizavimas apima muziejininkų gebėjimų tobulinimą bei Lietuvos integralios muziejų informacinės sistemos kūrimą. Atlikus tyrimą darbe pateikiami 5 muziejaus darbuotojų požiūriai į muziejų modernizavimo procesą Lietuvoje. / The present Paper deals with the beginning of Postmodernism theory and history of usage of the aforementioned term. Contemplations of different authors regarding formation of Postmodernism conception are provided.Trends of a new postmodern museum activities distinguished by supporters of the new museology are discussed. Three major activities, i.e. communication, education, and marketing, are distinguished. Opinions of 9 Lithuanian museologists on museum (on visitors, methods for development of their historical self-consciousness and creativity, drawbacks of a contemporary museum, vision of a modern museum, etc.) are provided in the Paper upon completion of a research. “Programme for Modernisation of Museums” which shall be implemented by 2015 was approved in 2007. Aims and tasks specified in the aforementioned Programme may be divided into two parts: material modernisation of museums and immaterial modernisation of museums. The conception of material modernisation of museums includes renovation of buildings, renewal of expositions and acquisitions of new exhibits. Meanwhile, immaterial modernisation of museums includes improvement of museologists’ skills and creation of an integral Lithuanian museum information system. 5 attitudes of museum employees towards the process of museum modernisation in Lithuania are provided in the Paper upon completion of the research.

Among the different rights that workers are entitled to, the right to vacations has currently become one of the most relevant. However, many questions could be made regarding thesaid  entitlement:  What do we mean when we refer to vacations? Which are its mainelements? What is its purpose?In the present article, the author answers those questions in the light of several doctrinal studies, international legislation and constitutional jurisprudence. He also stresses the role the International Labor Organization Convention 132 plays on the matter, as well as the importance of the respect of freedom of association. / Entre los distintos derechos que el Derecho del Trabajo reconoce al trabajador, el derecho de vacaciones se ha constituido en uno de losmás relevantes actualmente. Ahora bien, al respecto pueden surgir ciertas interrogantes: ¿A qué nos referimos cuando hablamos de vacaciones?; ¿Cuáles son los elementos que la componen?; ¿Cuál es su finalidad?En el presente artículo, el autor responde estas y otras preguntas, a la luz de diversos estudios doctrinarios, legislación internacional y jurisprudencia constitucional. Destaca, asimismo, el papel que cumple el Convenio 132 de la Organización Internacional del Trabajo y la importancia del respeto de la libertad sindical.

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Neuropsychological developmental screening (NES) is a German tool (published in 2005) for assessing eight fields of development of children aged 3 to 24 months. It is designed for pediatritians, early intervention specialists and psychologists. This thesis builds on A. Klapetek's thesis and aims to verify and check accurancy of Czech translation of the tool by administring the test to a group of Czech children. A. Klapetek conducted a pilot study of the tool. 50 children (10 for every age group) were administred the translation which was being refined during the field research. She also planned further steps to applying NES. Literature review of the thesis deals with developmental characteristics of infants and toddlers. Psychological assessment of young children and its uses and risks are described. The thesis also persues developmental scales, their history and present state. Theoretical concept of the Neuropsychological developmental screening (NES) is introduced. During the field research a group of 50 children was assessed by Czech translation of the tool, and the same group was tested by Developmental screening (Kovařík). Results of the testing were used to discuss existing norms of the tool, to identify problematic exercises (both too difficult and too easy) and to statistically analyse...

Auxiliary absorbers provide an effective means to attenuate the vibrations of a structural or mechanical system (the "primary structure"). The simplest auxiliary absorber, a tuned mass damper (TMD), provides reliable narrow-band attenuation but is not robust to the effects of detuning. Strongly nonlinear tuned mass dampers (NTMDs) are capable of wide-band, irreversible energy transfer known as "energy pumping" but can also exhibit high amplitude solutions which significantly amplify the response of the primary structure. Semi-active tuned mass dampers (STMDs) incorporate an actuating element in order to achieve real-time tuning adjustment capability. This thesis presents a global dynamic analysis of the response of a primary structure with an NTMD and then explores the performance of a novel absorber configuration consisting of an NTMD and STMD attached to the primary structure in series. The global dynamic analysis is conducted using a new cell mapping method developed by the author and introduced within the thesis: the parallelized multi-degrees-of-freedom cell mapping (PMDCM) method. The benefits of the additional STMD component are explored for two distinct applications: (1) restoring the performance of a linear TMD which develops a weak nonlinearity due to operation outside of the intended range or other means, and (2) acting as a safety device to eliminate or minimize convergence to the detached high-amplitude response. In the weakly nonlinear case, the STMD is shown to reduce the effects of the nonlinearity and improve attenuation capability by constraining the motion of the NTMD. In the strongly nonlinear case, the STMD effectively eliminates the complex response behavior and high amplitude solutions which were present in the original system, resulting in a single low amplitude response. Experimental tests using an adjustable-length pendulum STMD verify the numerical results.

Les travaux présentés dans cette thèse s’intéressent au contrôle passif des systèmes soumis à une excitation harmonique à l’aide d’absorbeurs non-linéaires de type Nonlinear Energy Sink (NES). Plusieurs voies de recherches ont été dégagées visant : l’étude expérimentale du pompage énergétique, l’étude d’un type de NES alternatif puis la proposition d’une application pour le contrôle passif de l’instabilité de broutement en usinage.L’étude théorique d’un oscillateur linéaire couplé à un NES à raideur purement cubique permet de mettre en évidence les régimes de relaxation. Une procédure de dimensionnement est développée et appliquée à la réalisation d’un dispositif expérimental.La partie suivante est consacrée à l’étude d’un NES à vibro-impact (NES-VI). L’analyse théorique permet de révéler une stratégie de contrôle analogue aux cycles de relaxation observés dans le cas du NES à raideur cubique. Un dispositif expérimental est ensuite élaboré et permet de retrouver ces cycles de relaxation.La dernière partie est dédiée au contrôle passif de l’instabilité de broutement en tournage. La faisabilité à l’aide d’un NES à raideur cubique et d’un NES-VI est établie par l’étude théorique. Le contrôle passif à l’aide d’un NES-VI est réalisé expérimentalement / The work presented in this thesis deal with the passive control of dynamic systems subjected to an harmonic forcing using a Nonlinear Energy Sink (NES). Several research ways have been identified : the experimental study of an harmonic oscillator with an embedded NES, the study of an alternative type of NES and an application for the passive control of chatter instability during machining operations.The theoretical analysis of an harmonically oscillator with an embedded NES with cubic stiffness coupling allow us to reveal the relaxation cycles. A design procedure is presented and applied to the realization of an experimental setup.The next section is devoted to the study of a vibro-impact NES (VI-NES). The theoretical analysis gives an insight on analog relaxation cycle similar to those observed with a NES with cubic stiffness. An experimental setup is presented and these relaxation cycles are observed.In the last section, the idea of passively controling the chatter instability during turning operation using a NES is studied. This possibility is demonstrated theoretically as well for a classic cubic NES as for a VI-NES. This passive control is performed experimentally and a reduction of the vibration amplitude is observed