Corpus Linguistics based error analysis of first year Universiti Teknologi Malaysia students’ writing

The ability to write in English among Malaysian university students is generally not at the most satisfactory level although English is considered as a second language. There has been a growing research interest in the analysis of errors students make in their English writing. The purpose of this study is to identify the errors made by first year UTM students in their writing. Besides that, this study also seeks to find out how much students know about the errors that they produce in writing besides investigating how they react towards these errors. For this study, 66 questionnaires were distributed to first year UTM students from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Civil Engineering. Besides that, students’ samples of paragraph were also used to collect the intended data. Findings from the study show that from the 66 paragraph samples analyzed, a total of 1202 errors were found and then tagged according to the types of error. Besides that, findings from the questionnaire show that many of the students are not sure about their English proficiency level and most of them agreed that they would like to improve their English writing by addressing the errors that they make. The paper concludes with the overall summary of the study, limitations of the study as well as the pedagogical implications of the study

A volume of fluid method for simulating fluid/fluid interfaces in contact with solid boundaries

In this paper, we present a novel approach to model the fluid/solid interaction forces in a direct solver of the Navier-Stokes equations based on the volume of fluid interface tracking method. The key ingredient of the model is the explicit inclusion of the fluid/solid interaction forces into the governing equations. We show that the interaction forces lead to a partial wetting condition and in particular to a natural definition of the equilibrium contact angle. We present two numerical methods to discretize the interaction forces that enter the model; these two approaches differ in complexity and convergence. To validate the computational framework, we consider the application of these models to simulate two-dimensional drops at equilibrium, as well as drop spreading. We demonstrate that the model, by including the underlying physics, captures contact line dynamics for arbitrary contact angles. More generally, the approach permits novel means to study contact lines, as well as a diverse range of phenomena that previously could not be addressed in direct simulations

Comparison of Navier-Stokes simulations with long-wave theory: Study of wetting and dewetting

The classical long-wave theory (also known as lubrication approximation) applied to fluid spreading or retracting on a solid substrate is derived under a set of assumptions, typically including small slopes and negligible inertial effects. In this work, we compare the results obtained by using the long-wave model and by simulating directly the full two-phase Navier-Stokes equations employing a volume-of-fluid method. In order to isolate the influence of the small slope assumption inherent in the long-wave theory, we present a quantitative comparison between the two methods in the regime where inertial effects and the influence of gas phase are negligible. The flow geometries that we consider include wetting and dewetting drops within a broad range of equilibrium contact angles in planar and axisymmetric geometries, as well as liquid rings. For perfectly wetting spreading drops we find good quantitative agreement between the models, with both of them following rather closely Tanner's law. For partially wetting drops, while in general we find good agreement between the two models for small equilibrium contact angles, we also uncover differences which are particularly evident in the initial stages of evolution, for retracting drops, and when additional azimuthal curvature is considered. The contracting rings are also found to evolve differently for the two models, with the main difference being that the evolution occurs on the faster time scale when the long-wave model is considered, although the ring shapes are very similar between the two models.Fil: Mahady, K.. New Jersey Institute of Technology. Department of Mathematical Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Afkhami, S.. New Jersey Institute of Technology. Department of Mathematical Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Diez, Javier Alberto. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Fisica Arroyo Seco; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Kondic, L.. New Jersey Institute of Technology. Department of Mathematical Sciences; Estados Unido

Virtual learning intervention to reduce bullying victimization in Primary School: a controlled trial

Background: Anti-bullying interventions to date have shown limited success in reducing victimization and have rarely been evaluated using a controlled trial design. This study examined the effects of the FearNot anti-bullying virtual learning intervention on escaping, and reducing overall victimization rates among primary school students using a nonrandomized controlled trial design. The program was designed to enhance the coping skills of children who are known to be, or are likely to be, victimized. Methods: One thousand one hundred twenty-nine children (mean age, 8.9 years) in twentyseven primary schools across the UK and Germany were assigned to the FearNot intervention or the waiting control condition. The program consisted of three sessions each lasting approximately 30 minutes over a three-week period. The participants were assessed on selfreport measures of victimization before and one and four weeks after the intervention or the normal curriculum period. Results: In the combined sample, baseline victims in the intervention group were more likely to escape victimization at the first follow-up compared with baseline victims in the control group (adjusted RR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.02-1.81). A dose-response relationship between the amount of active interaction with the virtual victims and escaping victimization was found (adjusted OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.003-1.18). Subsample analyses found a significant effect on escaping victimization only to hold for UK children (adjusted RR, 1.90; CI, 1.23-2.57). UK children in the intervention group experienced decreased victimization rates at the first follow-up compared with controls, even after adjusting for baseline victimization, gender and age (adjusted RR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.36-0.93). Conclusions: A virtual learning intervention designed to help children experience effective strategies for dealing with bullying had a short-term effect on escaping victimization for a priori identified victims, and a short-term overall prevention effect for UK children. Keywords: anti-bullying intervention, victimization, virtual learning, controlled trial Abbreviation: FearNot: Fun with Empathic Agents to achieve Novel Outcomes in Teaching Trial Registration: Clinical Trials Registry, NCT0059733

Methods for the direct simulation of nanoscale film breakup and contact angles

This thesis investigates direct simulation of fluids with free surfaces and contact lines, with a focus on capturing nanoscale physics in a continuum based computational framework. Free surfaces and contact lines have long presented some of the most challenging problems in computational fluid dynamics. Extensive progress has been made in recent years, and a wide variety of different methods are currently employed for direct simulation in these contexts. The complexity of the full governing equations for such flows poses significant challenges in terms of analytical techniques, and leads to lengthy computational times for direct simulations. For these reasons, reduced models are preferable in many contexts, even when it is not clear that such reduced models strictly apply. Recent advances in nanotechnology motivate the comparison between direct simulations and reduced models by presenting situations in which each possesses advantages; these experiments involve the deposition of nanoscale flat metallic structures onto a surface with unprecedented precision, the almost instantaneous liquefaction of which leads to new initial liquid configurations which have been previously impossible to achieve in an experimental setup. The mechanisms that lead to the instability of these structures are a combination of classical liquid instability (such as Rayleigh-Plateau), novel capillary instabilities driven by the initial geometry, and nanoscale physics. This study begins by examining the differences in qualitative behavior between direct numerical simulation of the full equations and a particular reduced model in the context of wetting and dewetting of drops. Afterwards, a specific initial liquid geometry is presented, the breakup of which requires direct numerical simulation in order to explain the experimental behavior. A parameter study of this geometry demonstrates that it offers a rich variety of dynamics; the breakup of the geometry is found to result in nanoparticle arrangements previously unobtainable using similar techniques, and through careful tuning of the parameters the end state of the breakup can be various combinations of metallic filaments and nanoparticles. While such instabilities are driven by surface tension, an important class of thin film instability is driven by intermolecular fluid/solid interactions. A numerical method is developed which, for the first time, permits the explicit inclusion of this fluid/solid interaction in the context of direct numerical simulations. This method not only allows for modeling and simulating film breakup, but additionally yields a numerical method for the simulation of contact angles as well

An Investigation of How High School Teachers Can Positively Influence the Mental Health of High School Students

The purpose of this study was to better understand student mental health needs to advocate for intentional change within the school district where the study occurred. A critical case study approach was taken to learn about student and teacher needs, within a bounded location and time, to invoke intentional change for students in the school district. The study elicited responses from a student focus group of seven students, where they addressed the current mental health needs of students in the district. Responses from the focus group were used to inform the questions in the six semi-structured interviews conducted with high school teachers in the district. These interviews were designed to understand what high school teachers need to positively influence the mental health needs of the students. All of the participants are students or teachers in the school district where the case study was conducted. The findings from this study showed that students described student mental health as easily influenced, hard to consistently identify, and difficult to improve. Teachers can positively influence the mental health of students by demonstrating personal and academic understanding and empathy, and becoming more educated on the topic. Finally, teachers need better learning opportunities, a reprioritization of work expectations, and improved mental health support for students. This data can be used to inform the district to provide higher quality professional development, hire more mental health professionals, and investigate potential changes to the school schedule to better support student mental health

The Influence of Edaphic Factors on the Growth and Competitiveness of Loosestrife (Lythrum spp.)

Wetlands are important areas in the landscape, providing important ecosystem services. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), native to Europe and Asia, invades wetlands in North America, outcompeting native wetland plants and disrupting ecosystem services. While purple loosestrife is invasive in North America, it is not in its native range. Winged loosestrife (Lythrum alatum), a North American native congener, is not invasive in North America. Purple loosestrife from Sussex County, N.J. U.S.A. and purple loosestrife from the United Kingdom, and winged loosestrife were compared in this study. Their response to soil edaphic factors, such as seed vernalization, soil nutrients, soil pH, water, and salinity, as well as seed germination, and soil microorganisms were compared in order to determine their comparative degree of invasiveness. Purple loosestrife from North America responded essentially the same way as purple loosestrife from the United Kingdom showing that purple loosestrife has not become more invasive since arriving in North America, but already had this potential when first arriving from the United Kingdom. In addition, purple loosestrife from both populations showed a greater response to soil nutrients and soil water conditions than winged loosestrife, which contributes to the greater competitiveness of purple loosestrife