Exploring the Causes of Foreign Language Anxiety in an EFL Classroom: A Study of Public Sector University, Sindh Pakistan

As the English language has got high prestige and has become the means of better employment. Therefore it has become dire need of career oriented youth to learn English. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of language learners on the causes of language learning anxiety in EFL classroom. Quantitative method was applied in this study. FLCAS scale with some modification was applied and data was collected from undergraduate engineering students. Data was run through SPSS software. The results reveal that test anxiety is the main cause followed by nervousness and fear of negative evaluation as other sources of anxiety. Results also show that motivational intensity of learners is high. Some suggestions and pedagogical implications have been given on the basis of results. Keywords: Anxiety, EFL learners, perception

Discourse and Corpus based Analysis of Doctor-Patient Conversation in the Context of Pakistani Hospitals

This study undertakes the analysis of the communicative patterns between doctors and patients by applying Sinclair and Coulthard’s (1975) IRF (Initiation, Response and Follow-up) Model. The focus of this study is to investigate the discourse features of the language used between the doctors and the patients in a hospital setting. It further explores how doctors and patients make sense of each other’s talk. The data was electronically recorded and then transcribed in terms of Dijk’s transcription key with the modification. IRF structural patterns of the original model were applied with modification due to change in the context in which the communication between the participants of the discourse took place. The discourse structure found in the data varied from that of the classroom discourse investigated by Sinclair and Coulthard. This study showed significant difference in the use of language in spoken and written form between the doctors and the patients. It also revealed that commonality, solidarity and familiarity in exchange structure was lacking in the communication between the doctors and patients which resulted in misunderstanding of the talk

Discourse and Corpus based Analysis of Doctor-Patient Conversation in the Context of Pakistani Hospitals

This study undertakes the analysis of the communicative patterns between doctors and patients by applying Sinclair and Coulthard’s (1975) IRF (Initiation, Response and Follow-up) Model. The focus of this study is to investigate the discourse features of the language used between the doctors and the patients in a hospital setting. It further explores how doctors and patients make sense of each other’s talk. The data was electronically recorded and then transcribed in terms of Dijk’s transcription key with the modification. IRF structural patterns of the original model were applied with modification due to change in the context in which the communication between the participants of the discourse took place. The discourse structure found in the data varied from that of the classroom discourse investigated by Sinclair and Coulthard. This study showed significant difference in the use of language in spoken and written form between the doctors and the patients. It also revealed that commonality, solidarity and familiarity in exchange structure was lacking in the communication between the doctors and patients which resulted in misunderstanding of the talk

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Breast conservative therapy in Pakistani women: Prognostic factors for locoregional recurrence and overall survival

Objectives: Breast conservative therapy (BCT) is an established method of treating early stage invasive breast cancer. Survival after BCT in Pakistani population has not been reported. This study was carried out to report locoregional control and overall survival (OS) after BCT for invasive breast cancer and analyze prognostic factors in Pakistani population. Materials and Methods: Patients who received BCT between 1997 and 2009 were included in the study. Patients′ follow-up, demographics, prognostic variables and treatment modalities were assessed. Data were analyzed for locoregional and distant relapse and estimated 10-year locoregional recurrence free survival (LRRFS) and OS was calculated using Kaplan Meier curves. To determine the significance of prognostic variables, univariate and multivariate analysis was performed. Results: A total of 902 patients underwent BCT. Median age was 42 (17-82) years and the median follow-up was 51 (1.4-187) months. There were 484 (53.6) poorly differentiated and 194 (21.5) triple negative tumors. T3/T4 tumors were found in 128 (14.1) patients and 441 (44.8) patients had nodal involvement. Among adverse events, 58 (6.3) locoregional failures, 152 (16.8) distant failures and 155 (17.1) deaths were observed. Estimated 10 years LRRFS- was 88% while OS was 70%. On multivariate analysis, tumor size and nodal involvement were independent predictors of locoregional recurrence-free and OS. In addition, hormonal therapy significantly affected OS. Conclusion: BCT has acceptable long-term results in Pakistani women. Tumor size and nodal involvement are independent predictors of survival

Conversion of Phaseolus vulgaris into chemically functionalized biocomposites for efficient methylene blue removal: kinetics, isothermal, and thermodynamics analysis

Herein, green beans “Phaseolus vulgaris” have been successfully converted into polypyrrole-modified and polyethylene glycol-based magnetic nanocomposites for efficient removal of methylene blue (MB) dye removal from wastewater. The physicochemical properties including morphologies and functionalities were also examined. Comparative analysis of all designed nanocomposites toward MB dye removal demonstrated that under optimized batch adsorption experimental conditions (pH 9, dosage 0.05 g, contact time 90 min, and initial MB concentration 50 mg L−1 at 28 °C) the Ppy/BB magnetic nanocomposites exhibited excellent removal efficacy with values of 47.09 mg g−1 and 97.96%. Isothermal and kinetic dynamic analysis revealed that the best-fit models were the Freundlich isothermal model and the Pseudo-2nd-order model with R2 > 0.991 and R2 > 0.999, respectively. The synthesized nanocomposites demonstrated a high affinity for the adsorption of dyes in the context of the present analysis, and this innovative class of biomass-derived materials can be employed for the eco-friendly remediation of polluted water containing MB toxic dye. © 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry.FALS

Mangifera indica stone-assisted layered double hydroxide biocomposites: efficient contenders for reactive dye adsorption from aqueous sources

Herein, magnesium-aluminum layered double hydroxides (Mg-Al-LDH) were synthesized by an environmentally friendly and economically promising hydrothermal technique for the adsorption of the dye reactive green 5 (RG5). To further enhance the RG5 dye adsorption capability of Mg-Al-LDH, their composites were designed by using low-cost Mangifera indica stone biomass (MISB). From their physiochemical properties evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, they were found to display an irregular morphology along with the existence of various functional groups (including OH, C 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 11111111 00000000 11111111 00000000 00000000 00000000 O, and C-H) on surfaces, enabling prepared biosorbents to be excellent candidates for adsorption. Batch adsorption trials were conducted to determine the comparative RG5 dye adsorption efficiencies of MISB, Mg-Al-LDH and the Mg-Al-LDH@MISB composite in an aqueous medium. The highest RG5 dye adsorption capacities recorded under optimized conditions (contact time: 90 min, pH: 3, adsorbent dosage: 0.05 g, initial RG5 dye concentration: 80 mg L−1 and temperature: 30 °C) for MISB, Mg-Al-LDH and the Mg-Al-LDH@MISB composite were 55.9 mg g−1, 68.4 mg g−1 and 73.5 mg g−1, respectively. The kinetic and isothermal study showed the best fit of the pseudo 2nd order and Freundlich models. Thermodynamic parameters illustrated the spontaneity of the process. In addition, the adsorbents as designed also possessed regeneration capability as evidenced by their RG5 dye desorption potential. Therefore, this research opens up new doors for the development of environmentally friendly Mg-Al-LDH by developing composites with economically feasible biomass for industrial wastewater treatment. © 2024 The Royal Society of ChemistryFALS

Polypyrrole/Magnetic/Tea Waste Composites for PO43− Ions Removal: Adsorption-Desorption, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics Studies

The polypyrrole (PPY/TW) and magnetic (MG/TW) composite with tea waste (TW) was prepared and used as an adsorbent for PO43− ions removal from aqueous media. The composite were characterized with SEM and FTIR techniques. Batch study was conducted to investigate the effect of different reaction parameters on the adsorption of PO43− ions. The native TW, PPY/TW, and MG/TW showed the PO43− ions removal of 7.2, 7.3, and 7.9 (mg/g), respectively, using 0.05 g adsorbent dose and 10 mg/L initial concentration of PO43− ions at pH of 6, 10, and 3, respectively, and equilibrium was reached in 90 min. Kinetics and isotherm models were employed on the PO43− ions adsorption data and PO43− ions adsorption followed the pseudo-second order kinetics, intraparticle diffusion, and Langmuir isotherm models. Thermodynamics analysis reveals an exothermic process and spontaneous adsorption of PO43− ions on the composites. Results revealed that the magnetic and polypyrrole composites with tea waste have auspicious potential as an adsorbent and this class of the composites can be utilized for the removal of PO43− ions from the effluents