Can majority support save an endangered language? A case study of language attitudes in Guernsey

Many studies of minority language revitalisation focus on the attitudes and perceptions of minorities, but not on those of majority group members. This paper discusses the implications of these issues, and presents research into majority andf minority attitudes towards the endangered indigenous vernacular of Guernsey, Channel Islands. The research used a multi-method approach (questionnaire and interview) to obtain attitudinal data from a representative sample of the population that included politicians and civil servants (209 participants). The findings suggested a shift in language ideology away from the post-second world war ‘culture of modernisation’ and monolingual ideal, towards recognition of the value of a bi/trilingual linguistic heritage. Public opinion in Guernsey now seems to support the maintenance of the indigenous language variety, which has led to a degree of official support. The paper then discusses to what extent this ‘attitude shift’ is reflected in linguistic behaviour and in concrete language planning measures

Gradient-adaptive Nonlinear Sharpening for Dental Radiographs

Unsharp Masking is a popular image processing technique used for improving the sharpness of structures on dental radiographs. However, it produces overshoot artefact and intolerably amplifies noise. On radiographs, the overshoot artefact often resembles the indications of prosthesis misfit, pathosis, and pathological features associated with restorations. A noise- robust alternative to the Unsharp Masking algorithm, termed Gradient-adaptive Nonlinear Sharpening (GNS) which is free from overshoot and discontinuity artefacts, is proposed in this paper. In GNS, the product of the arbitrary scalar termed as ‘scale’ and the difference between the output of the Adaptive Edge Smoothing Filter (AESF) and the input image, weighted by the normalized gradient magnitude is added to the input image. AESF is a locally-adaptive 2D Gaussian smoothing kernel whose variance is directly proportional to the local value of the gradient magnitude. The dataset employed in this paper is downloaded from the Mendeley data repository having annotated panoramic dental radiographs of 116 patients. On 116 dental radiographs, the values of Saturation Evaluation Index (SEI), Sharpness of Ridges (SOR), Edge Model Based Contrast Metric (EMBCM), and Visual Information Fidelity (VIF) exhibited by the Unsharp Masking are 0.0048 ± 0.0021, 4.4 × 1013 ± 3.8 × 1013, 0.2634 ± 0.2732 and 0.9898 ± 0.0122. The values of these quality metrics corresponding to the GNS are 0.0042 ± 0.0017, 2.2 × 1013 ± 1.8 × 1013, 0.5224 ± 0.1825, and 1.0094 ± 0.0094. GNS exhibited lower values of SEI and SOR and higher values of EMBCM and VIF, compared to the Unsharp Masking. Lower values of SEI and SOR, respectively indicate that GNS is free from overshoot artefact and saturation and the quality of edges in the output images of GNS is less affected by noise. Higher values of EMBCM and VIF, respectively confirm that GNS is free from haloes as it produces thin and sharp edges and the sharpened images are of good information fidelity

Promoting Heritage Language: A Phenomenological Study on the Approaches Used by Cordilleran Students

Heritage languages are crucial to identity and community cohesion, but they face a threat from dominant global languages in education, media, and mobility. This threatens their transmission between generations and risks their survival and evolution. This phenomenological study aimed to investigate the approaches utilised by university students in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) in one of the universities in Northern Philippines to promote their heritage languages. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 purposively sampled participants who met specified inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis uncovered four main strategies students employ: intergenerational family transmission, interpersonal sharing and storytelling, informal peer teaching and exchange, and online dissemination. Findings reveal the vital role of families in developing heritage language proficiency through exclusive daily use and active transmission across generations. Students leverage interpersonal interactions and storytelling to affirm cultural identities and foster belonging. Peer teaching enables organic exchange and retention through translation, lessons, and collaborative projects. Interactive online platforms provide expanded reach for promoting heritage beyond local communities. Overall, promotion occurs through interconnected familial, social, educational, and virtual modes that empower students as change agents counteracting assimilation pressures. This contributes to identity formation, pluralism, and sustaining marginalised traditions often excluded from formal domains. Recommendations include an integrated approach reinforcing students' informal efforts through heritage programmes, intergenerational activities, media guidance, policy support, and community collaboration. Formal initiatives should strategically nurture familial foundations and amplify student-driven promotion spanning diverse spheres. DOI: http://doi.org/10.31357/fhss/vjhss.v09i02.0

Time series analysis of age related cataract hospitalizations and phacoemulsification

BACKGROUND: Cataract surgery remains a commonly performed elective surgical procedure in the aging and the elderly. The purpose of this study was to utilize time series methodology to determine the temporal and seasonal variations and the strength of the seasonality in age-related (senile) cataract hospitalizations and phacoemulsification surgeries. METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional time series analysis was used to assess the presence and strength of seasonal and temporal patterns of age-related cataract hospitalizations and phacoemulsification surgeries from April 1, 1991 to March 31, 2002. Hospital admission rates for senile cataract (n = 70,281) and phacoemulsification (n = 556,431) were examined to determine monthly rates of hospitalization per 100,000 population. Time series methodology was then applied to the monthly aggregates. RESULTS: During the study period, age-related cataract hospitalizations in Ontario have declined from approximately 40 per 100,000 to only one per 100,000. Meanwhile, the use of phacoemulsification procedures has risen dramatically. The study found evidence of biannual peaks in both procedures during the spring and autumn months, and summer and winter troughs. Statistical analysis revealed significant overall seasonal patterns for both age-related cataract hospitalizations and phacoemulsifications (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the decline in age-related cataract hospitalizations in Ontario resulting from the shift to outpatient phacoemulsification surgery, and demonstrates the presence of biannual peaks (a characteristic indicative of seasonality), in hospitalization and phacoemulsification during the spring and autumn throughout the study period

Nanoparticles for Applications in Cellular Imaging

In the following review we discuss several types of nanoparticles (such as TiO2, quantum dots, and gold nanoparticles) and their impact on the ability to image biological components in fixed cells. The review also discusses factors influencing nanoparticle imaging and uptake in live cells in vitro. Due to their unique size-dependent properties nanoparticles offer numerous advantages over traditional dyes and proteins. For example, the photostability, narrow emission peak, and ability to rationally modify both the size and surface chemistry of Quantum Dots allow for simultaneous analyses of multiple targets within the same cell. On the other hand, the surface characteristics of nanometer sized TiO2allow efficient conjugation to nucleic acids which enables their retention in specific subcellular compartments. We discuss cellular uptake mechanisms for the internalization of nanoparticles and studies showing the influence of nanoparticle size and charge and the cell type targeted on nanoparticle uptake. The predominant nanoparticle uptake mechanisms include clathrin-dependent mechanisms, macropinocytosis, and phagocytosis