3layman'sabstracts.pmd Layman’s Abstracts 1 SCIENCE DILIMAN (JANUARY-JUNE 2017) 29:1, 1-3 LAYMAN’S ABSTRACTS Experiments and Pilot Study Evaluating the Performance of Read ing Miscue Detector and Automated Read ing Tutor for Fil ipino: A Children’s Speech Technology for Improving Literacy Ronald M. Pascual and Rowena Cristina L. Guevara ISSN 0115-7809 Print / ISSN 2012-0818 Online Thi s wo rk i s abo u t the performance evaluation of a children’s speech technology which is known in the literature as automated reading tutors (ART ). The ART is a computer-assisted learning system that provides oral r e a d i n g f l u e n cy i n s t r u c t i o n , i n o r d e r to i m p r ove t h e l e a r n e r ’s r e a d i n g literacy. However, the design of an ART system is language-specif ic, thus requiring the authors to specif ically develop a system for the Filipino language. In the f irst par t of the paper, the authors present the results of the experiments that evaluate the performance of the core technology of the ART called the reading miscue detector (RMD) which automatically spots reading errors. In the second part of the paper, the authors present the design and results of the pilot study that evaluates the effectiveness of the ART in improving the learner’s oral reading fluency. Experimental results show that the RMD’s performance is at par with those from state- o f - t h e - a r t R M D s r e p o r t e d i n l i t e r a t u r e . T h e r e s u l t s o f t h e p i l o t s t u d y d e m o n s t r a te s t h a t t h e s t u d e n t s w h o u s ed t h e A RT fo r a m o n t h h a ve g e n e r a l l y i m p r o v e d i n t h e i r o r a l r e a d i n g f l u e n c y a n d c o m p r e h e n s i o n by more than four times compared to the period when they were not using the ART yet . A square matrix is said to be strictly k-zero if A k = 0 for some positive i n t e g e r k a n d A m ≠ 0 f o r a l l p o s i t i v e i n t e g e r s m w i t h m < k . W e characterize square matrices which can be expressed as a sum of strictly k -zero matrices. On the Sum of Strictly k-zero Matrices Little Hermie B. Monterde and Agnes T. Paras k Layman’s Abstracts 2 Effect of Spin Dimensional ity in the Fidel ity of Spin Chain Ar t Graeson B. Dumigpe and Eric A. Galapon We consider a linear chain of three spins (two qubits at the ends with o n e a r b i t r a r y s p i n b e t w e e n t h e m ) , w h e r e i n w e t r a n s f e r a n u n k n o w n q u a n t u m s t a te f r o m o n e e n d to a n o t h e r. We l o o k a t t h e e f fec t of t h e spin quantum number of the arbitrary spin in the probability that the state transfer is successful. We also study the phenomenon in which we open the system to an environment/noise. Geometric Study on Sil icon Nanowires Fabricated via Silver-assisted Electroless Etching Neil Irvin F. Cabello, Eloise P. Anguluan, Joseph Christopher R. Ragasa, Phil ippe Mar tin B. T ingzon, Kerr A. Cervantes, Arvin Jay S. Escolano, Arnel Salvador and Armando S. Somintac N a n o s t r u c t u r e d d e v i c e s a r e h i g h l y p r o m i s i n g d u e t o t h e i r n o v e l applications. Nanowires (NWs) are among the possible building blocks o f f u t u r e n a n o s t r u c t u r e d d e v i ce s . To m a s s - p r o d u c e t h e s e N Ws , t h e process to synthesize them should be simple, convenient, and economical. In this work, we study the geometry of the nanowires produced using a process called metal-assisted chemical etching. It involves immersing a crystalline silicon wafer (Si) in several solutions, which can either be a one-step or a two-step process. The one-step process involves immersion in a solution containing hydrofluoric acid (HF) and silver nitrate, while t h e t w o - s t e p p r o c e s s i n v o l v e s a n a d d i t i o n a l i m m e r s i o n i n t o a n o t h e r s o l u t i o n c o n t a i n i n g H F a n d h y d r o g e n p e r o x i d e . A s s u c h , t h i s p r o c e s s m e e t s t h e a f o r e m e n t i o n e d r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r t h e m a s s p r o d u c t i o n o f SiNWs, with the added benef it of Si being nontoxic. The effect of varying the synthesis parameters on the lengths, diameters, crystallinities, and N W d e n s i t i e s o f t h e p r o d u c e d S i N W s w e r e e x a m i n e d . T h e o p t i c a l p r o p e r t i e s o f t h e S i N W s w e r e c h e c k e d a n d v e r i f i e d f o r o p t i c a l o r optoelectronic applications. The differences between the one-step and two-step processes were also noted. SiNWs produced from the one-step process may be more suited to cer tain applications over the other. Layman’s Abstracts 3 Q u o r u m s e n s i n g ( Q S ) i s a p r o c e s s o f b a c t e r i a l c o m m u n i c a t i o n w h i c h s e n s e s s i g n a l m o l e c u l e s t h a t i n d u c e t h e f o r m a t i o n o f m a t r i c e s ( o r biof ilms) that facilitate growth and contribute to virulence. The disruption o f b i o f i l m f o r m a t i o n m a y p r o v i d e a n a l t e r n a t i v e p a t h w a y f o r t h e p r e v e n t i o n o f d i s e a s e s a n d a d v e r s e e n v i r o n m e n t a l p r o b l e m s o f t e n attri bu te d to bi o f i l ms and biofouling. In this study, we determine the presence of QS inhibitors in Philippine seaweeds and surface-associated microorganisms. A screening method utilizing a bacterial strain whose purple-colored pigmentation is inhibited in the presence of QS inhibitors was used. Agar well diffusion and liquid broth assays were conducted to test for the presence of QS inhibition in crude seaweed extracts, as w e l l a s s u r f a c e - a s s o c i a t e d m i c r o o r g a n i s m s . T h e d e c r e a s e i n p i g m e n t a t i o n i n t h e b a c t e r i a l s t r a i n w i t h a r e l a t i v e l y c o n s t a n t c e l l density indicates that QS is disrupted without cell death. Over 7% of the seaweed fragments and 5% of microbial isolates tested positive in the preliminary screening, while almost 50% of the crude extracts were positive for QS inhibition. These f indings provide relevant information for fur ther isolation, purif ication, and characterization of QS inhibitory c o m p o u n d s f r o m P h i l i p p i n e m a r i n e s e a w e e d s a n d s u r f a c e - a s s o c i a t e d microorganisms with potential anti-biof ilm/biofouling applications. High-throughput Screening for Quorum Sensing-inhibitory Compounds from Selected Phil ippine Marine Algae and Surface-associated Marine Microorganisms for Potential Anti-biofilm/biofoul ing Appl ications Aira Sacha Nadine S. Ferrer, Aljon Francis Koji P. Elegado, Mel iton R. Chiong III, Laude Karina G. Alcober, Dang Marviluz L. Espita, Marco Nemesio E. Montaño