Concept analysis of digital dementia
CAO Yanke, TAN Tongyu, XU Yuhan
et al.
ObjectiveTo analyze the concept of digital dementia,and to provide reference for related research and clinical practice.MethodsA systematic search and analysis of literature related to digital dementia in Chinese and English databases was conducted by using conceptual analysis.ResultsA total of 12 articles were included in the final literature review.The defining attributes of digital dementia were dependence,compensatory,non⁃pathological and reversible.Antecedents included boredom proneness,fear of missing out,and technological factors.Consequences included a decline in activity functioning,negative mood,sleep problems,and social isolation.There were no research assessment tools for digital dementia at home or abroad.Future research should focus on the development of localised assessment tools.ConclusionsClarifying the concept of digital dementia will help researchers to better understand and assess digital dementia and to construct effective intervention strategies for antecedent factors and other factors to prevent digital dementia.
Emerging Trends in Structural Mechanics Education: A Bibliometric Approach from the Perspective of Colombian Professors
Jesús D. Villalba-Morales, Sandra Jerez, Ricardo Parra
et al.
Recent developments in higher education have transformed teaching–learning processes across disciplines, including structural mechanics in civil engineering programs. However, reports on innovative teaching practices in structural engineering are scattered, hindering their application in other contexts. This study consolidates and analyzes global research trends in structural mechanics education (from 2014 to 2023), complemented by insights obtained from surveys applied to students, instructors, and senior structural engineers in Colombia. The sample literature comprises 150 Scopus-indexed English articles analyzed with Bibliometrix. Eight guiding questions serve to characterize the literature, identify predominant pedagogical strategies, and outline future research directions. Results reveal limited collaboration networks, inconsistent keyword usage, and a strong concentration of U.S.-based authors and institutions. Most papers appear in engineering education journals, and the recurrent topics (active learning strategies, digital and virtual resources, and assessment methods) confirm the prevalence of experiential, student-centered approaches. Based on the findings, eight emerging areas should guide future research: sustainability, educational research, non-disciplinary competencies, digital resources, artificial intelligence, innovation, disciplinary competencies, and digital competencies. Also, it is recommended that engineering faculties focus efforts on clarifying competency frameworks, strengthening pedagogical and faculty development, investing in educational technologies and laboratory infrastructure, fostering collaborative networks, and enhancing the visibility of structural mechanics education research.
Multi–Dimensional Data Analysis of Deep Language in J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Reveals Tight Mathematical Connections
Emilio Matricciani
Scholars of English Literature unanimously say that J.R.R. Tolkien influenced C.S. Lewis’s writings. For the first time, we have investigated this issue mathematically by using an original multi-dimensional analysis of linguistic parameters, based on surface deep language variables and linguistic channels. To set our investigation in the framework of English Literature, we have considered some novels written by earlier authors, such as C. Dickens, G. MacDonald and others. The deep language variables and the linguistic channels, discussed in the paper, are likely due to writers’ unconscious design and reveal connections between texts far beyond the writers’ awareness. In summary, the capacity of the extended short-term memory required to readers, the universal readability index of texts, the geometrical representation of texts and the fine tuning of linguistic channels within texts—all tools largely discussed in the paper—revealed strong connections between <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> (Tolkien), <i>The Chronicles of Narnia</i>, <i>The Space Trilogy</i> (Lewis) and novels by MacDonald, therefore agreeing with what the scholars of English Literature say.
PFAS in the GCC: Towards environmental sustainability and public health protection
Khaled Abass, Yusur Almusleh, Abdallah Shanableh
et al.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present a growing environmental and health concern globally. This study examines the state of PFAS research and management in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Sultanate of Oman. A comprehensive search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, including English-language literature without temporal constraints up until November 2023. The search specifically targeted primary research studies employing descriptive or observational methodologies that were published in peer-reviewed journals. The review focused on studies investigating PFAS in both human and environmental contexts within the GCC region. The NIH Quality Assessment Tools and PRISMA guidelines were employed to evaluate the quality of the included studies and report the results. Despite some progress in understanding PFAS, considerable knowledge gaps exist, particularly in wastewater treatment processes and environmental monitoring. The study underscores the need for enhanced research, monitoring, and regulatory strategies to address the environmental sustainability challenges posed by PFAS, ensuring the protection of public health and ecosystems in the GCC region.
Acute rotenone poisoning: A scoping review
John Tat, Karen Heskett, Gerry R. Boss
Context: Rotenone is a toxic chemical found in various plants, including some used as food. Rotenone poisoning can be fatal and there is no antidote. Mechanistically, rotenone inhibits mitochondrial complex I, leading to reduced ATP production, compensatory glycolytic upregulation and secondary lactate production, and oxidative stress. Our literature review examined acute rotenone poisoning in humans, including exposure scenarios, clinical presentations, and treatments. Methods: We searched five databases for relevant literature from database inception through the search date: July 12, 2022, pairing controlled vocabulary and keywords for “rotenone” with terms relating to human exposures and outcomes, such as “ingestion,” “exposure,” and “poisoning.” We included all peer-reviewed reports found using the search terms where the full English text was available. Data abstracted included the number, age, weight, and sex of the exposed person(s), country where exposure happened, exposure scenario, ingestion context, estimated dose, clinical features, whether hospitalization occurred, treatments, and outcomes. Results: After removing non-qualifying sources from 2,631 publications, we identified 11 case reports describing 18 victims, 15 of whom were hospitalized and five died. Most cases occurred in private quarters where victims unknowingly consumed rotenone-containing plants. Vomiting and metabolic acidosis occurred most commonly. Some patients exhibited impaired cardiopulmonary function. Supportive treatment addressed symptoms and included gastric lavage and/or activated charcoal to remove rotenone from the stomach, vasopressors for hypotension, mechanical ventilation for respiratory insufficiency, and sodium bicarbonate for acidosis. Some patients received N-acetylcysteine to counter oxidative stress. Conclusions: Rotenone poisoning, though rare, can be fatal. Exposure prevention is impractical since rotenone is found in some plants used as food or pesticides. Cases may be under-diagnosed because symptoms are non-specific and under-reported in English-language journals since most cases occurred in non-English speaking countries. Treatments are supportive. Exploring antioxidant therapy in animal models of rotenone poisoning may be indicated considering rotenone's mechanism of toxicity.
Science (General), Social sciences (General)
Visualization Analysis of Research Hotspots of Breast Cancer Microenvironment Based on CiteSpace and VOSviewer
Yuhang FANG, Yi XIE, Shuhan YANG
et al.
ObjectiveTo explore the status of knowledge graph-based research into breast cancer microenvironment and to predict future research hotspots. MethodsThe literature related to breast cancer microenvironment in recent 20 years was retrieved from CNKI and Web of Science Core Collection database and analyzed with CiteSpace and VOSviewer. ResultsA total of 825 Chinese articles and 16,221 English articles were retrieved. Visual analysis showed that research focus has gradually shifted from cellular research to molecular research and drug innovation. Cancer stem cells, PD-1, PD-L1, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and nanoparticles are the main subjects of interest in research on breast cancer microenvironment, and the United States has the largest number of studies on breast cancer microenvironment, followed by China and Italy. ConclusionCurrent research mainly focuses on tumor stemness, immunotherapy, and nanodelivery. Owing to deepening research in this field, the targeting of the breast cancer microenvironment for the prevention of tumor development and metastasis and improvement of tumor prognosis has emerged as a new research direction.
Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens
Book Review: Sylvia Townsend Warner, English Climate: Wartime stories (London: Persephone Books, 2020; ISBN: 978-1-91026-327-3), with a preface by Lydia Fellgett
Understanding Abstract Concepts across Modes in Multimodal Discourse A Cognitive Linguistic Approach. Elżbieta Górska.
Elena Mattei
Review of Understanding Abstract Concepts across Modes in Multimodal Discourse. A Cognitive Linguistic Approach, by Elżbieta Górska.
American literature, English literature
SWEARING AND ITS MOTIVES IN THE ANTOLOGI RASA NOVEL
Adityo Prawinanto, Hardi Prasetyo, Barli Bram
This paper investigated English swear words used in a novel. This study was urgent to conduct because using swear words is a natural behavior in communication which is indicated by the employment of certain swear words to express emotion, to reduce frustrated feeling, and to show solidarity to others. Two research points to resolve were as follows: what types of swearing which the main character used and what motives for swearing in the novel. Data, consisting of 46 swear words, were collected from the Antologi Rasa novel written by Ika Natassa, and were investigated using a content analysis. Findings showed the following: 26 (56.5%) occurrences of auxiliary swearing, 12 (26.1%) of expletives swearing, 4 (8.7%) of abusive swearing, and 4 (8.7 %) of humorous swearing. Three motives for the main character to swear were as follows: psychological motives (23 occurrences or 50.0 %), social motives (19 or 41.30%), and linguistic motives (4 or 8.70%).
Burney and Empire
Tara Ghoshal Wallace
Music and the Condition of Being Alive: The Example of Sylvia Townsend Warner
Teaching And Learning Writing Using Teacher’s Written Feedback And Conference
Iisrohli Irawati
The objective of this study is to find out whether there is a significant difference in terms of writing skills improvements between the 8th grade students of SMP N 1 Prambanan Sleman who are given teacher’s written feedback and conference and those who are not in the academic year of 2011/2012. This study involved 71 students from two groups, Class VIII B (35 students) as the experimental group and Class VIII A (36 students) as the control group. The experimental group was given teacher’s written feedback and conference in the writing learning process, whereas the control group was given peer’s feedback. The data were obtained by using two essay writing tests. They were administered to the two groups as the pre-test and post-test. The pre-test was given to both groups before the treatment was given and the post-test was given after the treatment finished. The data of the pre-test and post-test of both groups were analyzed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics. After the data were tested and found to be homogeneous and normal, the hypothesis was tested using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results show that there is a significant difference in the writing ability between the students who are given teacher’s written feedback and conference and those who were not. It can be seen in the result of the hypothesis testing using ANCOVA. The significant value of 0.001 is less than the significance level of 0.05 (0.001 < 0.05), which means that the data of this study are considered to have a significant difference. Therefore, the hypothesis of this study is accepted. It means that the technique of giving teacher’s written feedback and conference significantly improves the students’ writing ability in the English teaching and learning process in SMP N 1 Prambanan Sleman.
English language, Language. Linguistic theory. Comparative grammar
Primary hydatid cyst in the soft tissue of the face: An exceptional occurrence
Cherry Bansal, Nirupma Lal, R C Jain
et al.
To emphasize that solitary hydatid cyst can be localized in the soft tissue and present as a soft tissue mass even in an unusual site like face, we report the case of a 42-year-old male patient presenting with a slowly growing mass in right temporal region. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed an encapsulated mass with multiple cysts. Histopathological examination revealed the characteristic findings, which were consistent with soft-tissue hydatid disease. In the absence of visceral organ involvement, this is the first reported case of a primary subcutaneous hydatid cyst in the skin of face in India. In the English literature, only one case of this kind has been reported till date. When imaging methods confirm cystic nature of a swelling, even in unusual sites, one should always keep a possibility of hydatid cyst and manage accordingly during surgery to avoid precipitation of acute anaphylaxis.
Snippings from Unpublished Novels Snippings from Unpublished Novels
Leonilda C. Kretzer
Language and Literature, English literature
Introduction semantics: lexicon, grammar and use Introduction semantics: lexicon, grammar and use
Roberta Pires de Oliveira, Apóstolo Nicolacópulos
Language and Literature, English literature
Development of the conceptual framework for the Eye-Drop Satisfaction Questionnaire (EDSQ<sup>©</sup>) in glaucoma using a qualitative study
Trudeau Elyse, Vigneux Marc, Denis Philippe
et al.
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Compliance is a major issue in glaucoma care. It is usually poor in glaucomatous patients, and may ultimately result in an acceleration of the disease progression and a risk of blindness. Reasons for this poor compliance are complex and multifactorial, amongst which patient satisfaction can be counted. The objective of this study was to develop a questionnaire to assess patient satisfaction and compliance with eye-drop treatment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A qualitative study was carried out to develop the questionnaire. An interview guide was developed based on a literature review. Structured interviews of fifteen French and English patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or intraocular hypertension were conducted by trained interviewers of the native language of the interviewees. General concepts and subconcepts were identified from the transcripts. The questionnaire was developed using the patient verbatim, and submitted to six patients (French and English) for cognitive debriefing. Following patients' comments, items were modified and restructured, and a pilot questionnaire was designed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Analysis of data from the interviews with patients and clinicians resulted in the elicitation of concepts related to patient satisfaction and compliance with glaucomatous treatment. These were further refined and used to generate a test questionnaire, which consisted of 46 items grouped into 6 domains: patient characteristics, treatment characteristics, patient-clinician relationship, patient experience with the disease and the treatment, interaction between the patient and the treatment, and patient knowledge of the disease and the treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The Eye-Drop Satisfaction Questionnaire (EDSQ) conceptual framework and items were developed simultaneously in French and in English. This questionnaire could be used to evaluate patient satisfaction and compliance with eye-drop treatment and would facilitate the identification of patients at risk of being non-compliant prior to clinical trials or innovative device tests. A psychometric study is under way to validate the questionnaire.</p>
Public aspects of medicine
Littlemore, J. & Low, G. (2006). Figurative Thinking and Foreign Language Learning
Ricardo Luiz Teixeira de Almeida
Figurative Thinking and Foreign Language Learning, written by professors Jeannette Littlemore and Graham Low, addresses the issues of figurative language and the challenges it poses for foreign language learners. The perspective taken in the book aims at combining the achievements of researches that investigate figurative language in use, exploring its linguistic aspects, with those coming from a more cognitive approach, associated with the theory of conceptual metaphor, introduced by Lakoff and Johnson (1980).
Language and Literature, English literature
The Language Question in Cameroon
Echu, George
In multilingual Cameroon, 247 indigenous languages live side by side with English and French (the two official languages) and Cameroon Pidgin English (the main lingua franca). While the two official languages of colonial heritage dominate public life in the areas of education, administration, politics, mass media, publicity and literature, both the indigenous languages and Cameroon Pidgin English are relegated to the background. This paper is a critique of language policy in Cameroon revealing that mother tongue education in the early years of primary education remains a distant cry, as the possible introduction of an indigenous language in the school system is not only considered unwanted by educational authorities but equally combated against by parents who believe that the future of their children lies in the mastery of the official languages. This persistent disregard of indigenous languages does not only alienate the Cameroonian child culturally, but further alienates the vast majority of Cameroonians who are illiterate (in English and French) since important State business is carried out in the official languages. As regards the implementation of the policy of official language bilingualism, there is clear imbalance in the use of the two official languages as French continues to be the dominant official language while English is relegated to a second place within the State. The frustration that ensues within the Anglophone community has led in recent years to the birth of Anglophone nationalism, a situation that seems to be widening the rift between the two main components of the society (Anglophones and Francophones), thereby compromising national unity. The paper is divided into five major parts. After a brief presentation of the country, the author dwells on multilingualism and language policy since the colonial period. The third, fourth and last parts of the paper focus on the critique of language policy in Cameroon with emphasis first on the policy of official language bilingualism and bilingual education, then on the place of indigenous languages, and finally on the national language debate.
Computational linguistics. Natural language processing, Language. Linguistic theory. Comparative grammar
Compreensão de Leitura: Adequação do Exame de Proficiência a realidade dos Programas de Pós-graduação
Maria Helena Curcio Celia
O objetivo deste trabalho é propor um formato alternativo
para uma prova de proficiência em inglês, que tradicionalmente avaliava a compreensão da leitura através da tradução. A população desta pesquisa constitui-se dos alunos de pós-graduação da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul(UNCE) que prestam exame de proficiência em leitura em língua inglesa. são aproximadamente 400 alunos que se apresentam anualmente para fazer o teste, que acontece no final de cada semestre. Sua idade média é 27 anos. A maioria é falante nativo de português, mas
alguns tem o espanhol como língua materna. Todos tem curso de graduação completo e estão matriculados num dos 29 programas de pós-graduação da UFRGS. A amostra é formada pelos candidatos que realizaram as provas de 27 de novembro de 1982, 25 de junho de 1983, 26 de novembro de 1983'e 22 de setembro de 1984, aos quais foram aplicados, respectivamente, o teste-piloto e o formato alternativo
(19 e 29 versies e 39 versa°, revisada). Não foram controladas as variáveis sexo e nivel sócio-econômico.
Este trabalho esta organizado em 4 partes. Na 1ª, estabelece-
se o construto teórico adotado, tendo em vista leitura
testes de compreensão da leitura. Na 2ª, trata-se do teste-piloto, explicando-se sua construção e aplicação, bem como analisando-se os resultados obtidos. A análise de necessidades e da situação alvo é o assunto da 3ª parte. O item 4 apresenta o formato alternativo e comenta os resultados da aplicaão de suas duas primeiras versões. Além disso, justifica-se a criação de sua 3ª versão (revisada) e analisam-se seus resultados.
Language and Literature, English literature
Our glands and talents
Eliseu Diógenes Martins
Language and Literature, English literature