Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2008. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2005. / Prepared for: Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology. Bibliography: leaves 75-83. Also available online.

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2006. / Advisor: Julie Stierwalt, Florida State University, College of Communication, Dept. of Communication Disorders. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 22, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 26 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- Virginia Commonwealth University, 2005. / Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Prepared for: Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology. Bibliography: leaves 75-83.

Mother tongue in preschool    This study seeks to create an understanding of how preschool educators can participate in promoting and encouraging children's mother tongue in their activities to strengthen the children's identity. It explores the ways in which educators actively promote the children's mother tongue in their work approach and how they perceive the importance of cooperation between preschool and home regarding the children's mother tongue. The study investigates using the case study method, specifically conducted through qualitative interviews and observations. Survey sampled was of two preschools where two educators of varying job positions and length of work experience which have been interviewed and observed. The study analyzes from a sociocultural perspective, which takes into account how learning takes place through interactions among individuals and the social and cultural factors surrounding them.  Based on the reported results of the interviews and observations, it appears that the educators are positively related to mother tongue in preschool and use mother tongue support in the activities in a deliberate way to promote the child's identity. There were spontaneous situations in which mother tongue was included in the activity, and there were situations where the educators deliberately used mother tongue to clarify concepts that the children do not understand in swedish. In instances where the identity expresses characteristics of children's mother tongue, the educators sees that these register on the child's posture and facial expressions. The educators note that children feel a sense of accomplishment and ownership when they claim competence to express “my language”, indicating self-awareness of their individuality and unique language. The educators use conversations and planned singing and reading lessons in different mother tongue as part of the daily activities and tools such as digital learning tablets, the computer and the smart board facilitate mother tongue support in preschool activities. Educators believe that, through the various available tools in preschool, cooperation with parents, and the educators’ multilingual abilities are contributory factors of great importance, that support mother tongue development and encourages a multilingual environment in preschool.

Orientador: Antonio Riul Júnior / Banca: Cleber Renato Mendonça / Banca: Nilson Cristino da Cruz / O Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia de Materiais, PosMat, tem caráter institucional e integra as atividades de pesquisa em materiais de diversos campi da Unesp / Resumo: Fabricamos neste trabalho microcanais em uma matriz de PDMS para otimização de uma configuração que permita, futuramente, a inserção de eletrodos interdigitados no interior dos mesmos para a integração da "língua eletrônica" que estamos trabalhando ao longo dos últimos anos com dispositivos "lab-on-a-chip". O objetivo final é a fabricação de um sensor "tongue-on-a-chip", não havendo nada similar na literatura até o presente momento, tendo-se em vista, principalmente, o potencial de aplicação de ambos dispositivos ("língua eletrônica" e "lab-on-a-chip"). Neste sentido, esta dissertação torna-se uma chave importante para o desenvolvimento de uma tecnologia nova e com forte apelo comercial. Como a fabricação dos microcanais envolve técnicas e equipamentos de litografia que não dispomos em nossos laboratórios, estendemos colaborações com o laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncroton (LNLS - através de um projeto específico nessa linha de atuação), onde fabricamos os microcanais e eletrodos interdigitados envolvidos neste trabalho. Como é a primeira vez que a microfluídica está sendo aplicada em dispositivos do tipo "língua eletrônica", tivemos um trabalho minucioso de verificação das melhores condições envolvidas na fabricação dos dispositivos. As medidas em fluxo no interior dos microcanais mostraram-se mais rápidas e eficientes que as estáticas utilizadas anteriormente, e, adicionalmente à redução no volume das amostras analisadas com os microcanais, necessitamos ainda de um refinamento para aplicações futuras (análises clínicas e biológicas, controle ambiental, análise de bebidas...), pois o maior empecilho encontrado até o momento tem sio a selagem do dispositivo devido à deposição de filmes ultrafinos sobre os eletrodos metálicos, que esperamos resolver em trabalhos futuros. / Abstract: In this work microchannels were fabricated in a PDMS matrix to optimize a configuration that allows, in future works, the insertion of interdigitated electrodes into the microchannel for the integration of the electronic tongue that we have being working in the last couple of years with lab-on-a-chip devices. The final goal is the fabrication of a tongue-on-a-chip sensor, having nothing similar in the literature up to date, bearing in mind the high potential of application of both devices (electronic tongue and lab-on-a-chip). In that sense, this Msc work becomes an important key to the development of a new technology with strong commercial appeal. As the microchannel fabrication needs equipments and techniques not available in our laboratory, we extend the collaboration with the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS - throughout a specific project in this area) where the microchannels and interdigitated electrodes were fabricated. As it is the first time microfluidic is applied in e-tongue sensors, we did a detailed work verifying the best conditions involved in the device fabrication. Flow measurements inside the microchannels shown to be faster and more efficient than the static ones previously made, and, besides the volume reduction of the samples analysed with the microchannels, we still need a refinement for future applications (clinical and biological analysis, environmental control, beverage analysis, ...), as the major problem has being the sealing of the device due to the deposition of ultra-thin films onto the interdigitated electrodes, which we hope to solve in future works. / Mestre

Throughout the history of English Language teaching, the pendulum of L1 use has shifted drastically depending on the method that had gained prominence during a particular period of time. Today, that pendulum has yet to settle and the use of a learner's first language during instruction in a second language classroom continues to be an issue of serious debate. This study aimed to examine the effect of L1 use in instruction on the performance of low proficiency level learners on a grammar task of the present and progressives tenses in an ESL/IEP environment. To determine its effect, the 24 Arabic speaking English learners participating in the study were divided into two groups, an English-Only instruction group and an English & Arabic instruction group and an instrument with three item types (items with adverbials, non-action verbs and context clues that determined tense use) was created. The participants were given the instrument as a pre-and post-test before and after instruction on present and progressive tense use in either English only or English and Arabic according to the group. After the post-test, the students took a survey intended to ascertain their perceptions of the instruction they received. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent and dependent t-tests to draw comparisons between the means of the performance scores of both groups and within each group over the pre- and post-tests. Additionally, the quantitative data from the survey underwent content analysis to discover themes for student preference for instructional language use in the classroom. The resultant findings showed that the participants in the English & Arabic Group performed better on the grammar task and had greater percent increases from the pre-test to the post-test than the English-Only Group. The means of the total performance score and of the question types exhibited these same increases. The surveys indicated that the participants in the English & Arabic Group understood their instruction better and a majority of the participants preferred the use of both English and Arabic during grammar instruction irrespective of language instructional group during the treatment. This study showed that the use of L1 in the classroom has measureable positive effects on the learning of the students. Moreover, it has contributed to the growing body of research in favor of L1 use in the classroom and has considerable implications for the field of second language teaching.

Throughout the history of language teaching and its pedagogy, many researchers have turned a blind eye to the pedagogical role of the first language (L1) in the second language (L2) classroom. However, the pendulum has recently swung the other way to indicate possible and effective integration of the (L1) in (L2) classrooms. This study sets out to explore the effect of the L1 and L2 on the recall of ESL vocabulary among low-advanced Saudi learners of English in the U.S. For the purpose of the study, 30 Saudi ESL students were recruited and divided into two groups (L1 translation group and L2 definition group). The L1 translation group received a list of English words translated into Arabic whereas the L2 definition group were given the same list of English words but with English definitions. Participants in both groups were asked to study and memorize the target words along with the meaning of each word. Afterwards, an immediate fill-in-the-blank post-test was given to examine whether L1 translation helps participants recall the given L2 vocabulary. Prior to the post-test, participants were given a questionnaire to indicate the most frequently used strategy when learning L2 vocabulary. After the data were analyzed quantitatively employing an independent t-test, the resultant findings showed that L1 translation indeed promotes the immediate recall of L2 vocabulary among Saudi ESL learners. The data elicited from the questionnaire also provided enough evidence that Saudi ESL learners frequently use Arabic more than other strategies to access and understand English. This study showed that L1 translation has a great positive effect on the learning of L2 vocabulary among low-advanced Saudi ESL learners.

Estudos publicados recentemente têm sugerido uma possível associação entre câncer e doença periodontal. A avaliação do impacto da doença periodontal sobre a patogênese de câncer de língua não foi estudada até o presente momento. Para tanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar o efeito da presença de doença periodontal induzida por ligadura e o desenvolvimento experimental de câncer de língua pelo carcinógeno 4-nitroquinolina 1-óxido (4NQO) em ratos Wistar. Foram utilizados 72 ratos machos Wistar com 60 dias de idade distribuídos em três grupos experimentais: Grupo 4NQO, no qual os animais foram expostos ao uma solução de 50 ppm do carcinógeno por 140 dias; Grupo Ligadura+4NQO, no qual foi induzida a doença periodontal por meio de ligadura no segundo molar superior direito por 14 dias e, após, exposição ao 4NQO por mais 140 dias; Grupo 4NQO+Ligadura, no qual os animais foram expostos ao 4NQO por 140 dias, após os quais doença periodontal foi induzida por ligadura durante 14 dias. O peso dos animais foi monitorado ao longo do estudo. Os animais foram mortos ao final do experimento e as peças maxilares e línguas foram analisadas em relação a perda óssea alveolar e lesões histopatológicas. Cinquenta e seis animais completaram o estudo. Não houve diferenças estatisticamente significativas na perda óssea alveolar no lado que não recebeu colocação de ligaduras; no lado com ligaduras houve uma maior perda óssea nos grupos a elas expostos. Observou-se uma menor ocorrência de carcinoma bem diferenciado nos animais que apresentavam, desde o início da exposição ao carcinógeno, a presença de inflamação periodontal (p<0,05). Conclui-se que a presença de inflamação periodontal parece ter potencial de modular o processo de carcinogênese. / Recent studies have suggested a possible association between cancer and periodontal disease. The evaluation of the impact of periodontal disease on the pathogenesis of tongue cancer has not been studied up to the present moment. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the effect of the presence of ligature induced periodontal disease on the experimental development of tongue cancer by the carcinogen 4-Nitroquinoline 1-Oxide (4NQO) in Wistar rats. Seventy-two 60-day-old male Wistar rats were distributed in three experimental groups: Group 4NQO, in which animals were exposed to a 50 ppm solution of the carcinogen for 140 days; Group Ligature+4NQO, in which the periodontal disease was induced by ligature in the second upper molar for 14 days and, after, the exposition to 4NQO for more 140 days; Group 4NQO+Ligature, in which the animals were exposed to 4NQO for 140 days, and, after, periodontal disease was induced for 14 days. Weight of the animals was monitored during the whole study. Animals were sacrificed at the end of the experiment and the maxillary specimens and the tongues were analyzed in relation to alveolar bone loss and histopathological alterations. Fifty-six animals completed the study. No statistically significant difference was observed in the sides without ligatures; a higher degree of bone loss was observed in the side that received ligature. There was a lower occurrence of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma in the animals that presented, from the beginning of the exposition to the carcinogen, the presence of periodontal inflammation (p<0,05). It may be concluded that the presence of periodontal inflammation seems to be a potential modulator of the carcinogenic process.

Introduction: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal and progressive disease characterized by the deterioration of motor neurons within the body. This degeneration leads to bulbar dysfunction in the form of an impaired ability to communicate and swallow. Currently, bulbar dysfunction is treated via compensatory methods aimed at maximizing comfort and safety that include environmental adaptations, augmentative and assistive communication and gastrostomy tube placement to replace speech and oral feeding. The role of active intervention is controversial in this patient population and no investigations have examined the potential role lingual exercise might play in ALS bulbar management. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of an eight week lingual resistance training program on lingual strength and lingual endurance, speech, swallowing, global disease progression and patient-reported outcomes in two individuals with ALS. Methods: Two individuals with ALS (El Escorial criteria) were enrolled across three different time points, each separated by eight weeks (Baseline 1, Baseline 2, Post-Treatment) with a delayed intervention design utilized to benchmark bulbar disease progression. At each evaluation, tongue strength, endurance, swallowing, speech and patient-reported outcomes were collected. Following Baseline 2, participants completed lingual resistance training five days a week for eight weeks (40 sessions). Outcome measures included maximum anterior isometric tongue pressure (MIP), maximum endurance hold time MHT), speech intelligibility, airway safety and patient-reported outcomes. Results: On average, MIPs decreased by 2% during the lead in period and increased by 13% across both participants. On average, MHT declined by 25% between baseline 1 and 2 and increased by 144% following lingual resistance training. No improvements were noted for speech intelligibility or airway safety during swallowing. Patient-perceptions of communicative effectiveness, swallowing impairment and quality of life remained relatively stable over the four-month period. Conclusion: Although no improvements were noted in lingual strength, improvements in lingual endurance hold times were noted in both participants. Further investigation is warranted to validate these preliminary findings in two cases of ALS.