We make this path by walking: The practices and principles of the First International Working-Class Academics Conference

The values of an academic conference might best be defined by the themes of that conference, the disciplines covered and the intended level of delegation. In almost every case we had experienced as a working-class academics organizing group, these were only surface changes, and the entire conference process remained the same across disciplines. Such academic process and practice appear rooted in an archaic series of expectations and conventions that insist on a certain way of being in the Academy. To create an inclusive space in practice and process that goes beyond inclusion as merely themes, but exclusion as actual practice, took reimagining. This article outlines the ways in which we attempted to shift beyond the conventional to create an alternative conference approach that challenged exclusion, actively sought meaningful inclusion and disrupted a culture of conformity. Our focus was on working class academics, as a body of people huge in number, diverse in background but continually obscured in language, policy and practice.

The Effect of Extrinsic Factors on the Mechanical Behavior and Structure of Elastic Dental Ligatures and Chains

Force provided by elastomers used in orthodontics can be affected by several factors present in the oral cavity. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of mouthwashes, toothbrushing, and smoking in the force decay of such elastomers. Tensile strength, changes in the force continuously exerted, and force decay of elastic chains (Ortho Organizer and Masel Short Power Chain) and elastic ligatures (Dentaurum and Masel) by two separate manufacturers were measured. Measurements were initially made on untreated elastics, followed by exposure to different environmental factors including cigarette smoke, toothbrushing (mechanical plaque control), and two different mouthwashes (chemical plaque control). Changes on the surface of the elastics were studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Untreated Masel elastic ligature showed lower tensile strength than Dentaurum elastic ligature (2339 cN vs. 3660 cN), while significantly higher tensile strength was measured for Ortho Organizer elastic chains than Masel chains (2639 cN vs. 1324 cN). The decrease in the elastic force of Masel ligature was greater in response to all external factors compared to Dentaurum. Although brushing with toothpaste and toothbrush impacted the force of both Masel and Ortho organizer ligatures negatively, force degradation was more apparent in the case of the Ortho organizer. Surface changes were more visible when applying Curasept mouthrinse, however force decay was higher in the Corsodyl group. Mechanical and chemical plaque control can influence the tensile strength and force decay of orthodontic elastomers, which should be considered by selecting the elastomers or determining their changing interval for the practice.

Effects of Diode, CO2, Er : YAG, and Er and Cr : YSGG on Titanium Implant Surfaces by Scanning Electron Microscopy

This study aimed to determine the effects of various lasers on dental implants’ surface characteristics. Nine explanted dental implants were included. Two implants were randomly allocated to four intervention groups, namely, diode (2 W, 810 nm, 10 s), CO2 (2 W, 10600 nm, 10 s), Er : YAG (200 mJ/20 Hz, 2940 nm, 10 s), and Er, Cr : YSGG (200 mJ/20 Hz, 2780 nm, 10 s) groups and one control group. After laser irradiation, all implants were imaged with scanning electron microscopy. Qualitative changes on the surface of implants were evaluated. Quantitative surface changes at the threads and between the threads were assessed by software using depression and prominence plots. The paired t-test was used for statistical analysis. Diode laser irradiation showed the least surface changes while the Er : YAG group showed the greatest surface changes. Furthermore, CO2 and Er : YAG laser irradiation significantly altered the mean profile area at the threads ( p < 0.05 ), while CO2 and Er, Cr : YSGG laser irradiation significantly altered the mean profile area between the threads ( p < 0.05 ). Diode laser irradiation does not alter the implant surface characteristics. However, the use of CO2, Er : YAG, and Er, Cr : YSGG lasers on titanium implant surfaces is discouraged as they damage the titanium implant surfaces.

Surface analysis of latex and silicone pacifier nipples after exposure to acidic artificial saliva: a pilot study

Objective: To measure surface changes of pacifier nipples after immersion in acidic artificial saliva. Methods: Two types of pacifier nipples (latex and silicone) were selected. Five copies of each type were used. The protocol consisted of immersion in acidic artificial saliva (pH = 5.97) for 16 days. The nipples of the pacifier remained in direct contact with saliva in an individualized, opaque and closed container in a bacteriological incubator at 37ºC. The samples were examined before and after exposure to saliva through qualitative (based on images obtained in a 100 mm macro lens and three-dimensional images with 10% amplification obtained in the profilometry) and quantitative (roughness data obtained in non-contact 3D optical profilometry). Data were obtained in duplicate and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings were tested for normality (Shapiro-Wilk). Paired t-test or Wilcoxon was used to compare before and after roughness data. Results: In the image analysis, it was observed that only the surface of the latex pacifier's nipples showed an irregular appearance after exposure to saliva. In the quantitative evaluation, no differences were found between the roughness values before and after (p>0.05). Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrated qualitative changes in the surface of latex pacifiers. However, it was not able to demonstrate statistically significant differences for the roughness parameters before and after exposure to acidic artificial saliva in the nipples of latex and silicone pacifiers.

Forced alignment for Nordic languages: Rapidly constructing a high-quality prototype

We propose a rapid adaptation of FAVE-Align to the Nordic languages, and we offer our own adaptation to Swedish as a template. This study is motivated by the fact that researchers of lesser-studied languages often neither have sufficient speech material nor sufficient time to train a forced aligner. Faced with a similar problem, we made a limited number of surface changes to FAVE-Align so that it – along with its original hidden Markov models for English – could be used on Stockholm Swedish. We tested the performance of this prototype on the three main sociolects of Stockholm Swedish and found that read-aloud alignments met all of the minimal benchmarks set by the literature. Spontaneous-speech alignments met three of the four minimal benchmarks. We conclude that an adaptation such as ours would especially suit laboratory experiments in Nordic phonetics that rely on elicited speech.

Dietary excess regulates absorption and surface of gut epithelium through intestinal PPARα

Intestinal surface changes in size and function, but what propels these alterations and what are their metabolic consequences is unknown. Here we report that the food amount is a positive determinant of the gut surface area contributing to an increased absorptive function, reversible by reducing daily food. While several upregulated intestinal energetic pathways are dispensable, the intestinal PPARα is instead necessary for the genetic and environment overeating–induced increase of the gut absorptive capacity. In presence of dietary lipids, intestinal PPARα knock-out or its pharmacological antagonism suppress intestinal crypt expansion and shorten villi in mice and in human intestinal biopsies, diminishing the postprandial triglyceride transport and nutrient uptake. Intestinal PPARα ablation limits systemic lipid absorption and restricts lipid droplet expansion and PLIN2 levels, critical for droplet formation. This improves the lipid metabolism, and reduces body adiposity and liver steatosis, suggesting an alternative target for treating obesity.

THE EFFECTS OF TYPES OF FEEDBACK ON STUDENTS' REVIEWING PROCESS IN AN ONLINE SCAFFOLDED PROCESS WRITING CLASSROOM

There has been growing evidence that the lack of academic writing skills among university students who learn English as a Second Language (ESL) affects their overall academic performance. Higher education ESL students often find writing academic essays a complex process and hence struggle with academic writing convention issues. However, in order to encourage these students’ to be autonomous in their English academic writing, explicit and supportive instruction is necessary on the teacher’s part. This study aims to investigate thirty Foundation students’ revision activities pre- and post-intervention and whether there are any changes in their reviewing activities after being exposed to the intervention for twelve weeks. The reviewing activities were categories and analysed for inter-correlations. It is found that the students’ revision activities at first seem to concentrate mostly on Surface Changes-Meaning Preserving Changes activities. However, this changes in the second half of the intervention period where they seem to perform more Meaning Changes-Microstructure Changes and the least is Surface Changes-Formal Changes.