The dynamic of Arabic academic writing in postgraduate program: linguistic corpus analysis

This descriptive library research describes the active research topics and methods most interested postgraduate students majoring in Arabic in master's and doctoral degrees. It explains the representation of research dynamic map in Arabic learning supported by corpus linguistic analysis. This research applied two research approaches; the quantitative approach was used to describe the frequency of words used by the postgrad students in their academic writings analyzed by Antconc software. A qualitative approach was used to explain the representation of corpus-based findings. The data are taken from abstracts of Arabic academic writings belonging to one of the Indonesian public universities’ digital libraries. The results showed that students' most popular research topics in the last five years are education topics, namely materials and textbooks development; second, linguistics topics such as naḥwu and tarkīb, and language skills is mahārah kalam. This study shows that students tend to research naḥwu and tarkīb based on speaking skills material. The most widely used students research method was Research and Development (R & R&D). Students tend to develop teaching materials with various perspectives, as R&D was a trend of research method. As a result, students are expected to gain an overview of the dynamic discourse map and research trends in Arabic learning as a foundation or preliminary research to select and determine research topics and methods for the final project. To avoid similarity, plagiarism, and saturation, one must choose variations in topics and types of research methods and follow existing trends

Risk factors for Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) death in a population cohort study from the Western Cape province, South Africa

Risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) death in sub-Saharan Africa and the effects of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis on COVID-19 outcomes are unknown. We conducted a population cohort study using linked data from adults attending public-sector health facilities in the Western Cape, South Africa. We used Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for age, sex, location, and comorbidities, to examine the associations between HIV, tuberculosis, and COVID-19 death from 1 March to 9 June 2020 among (1) public-sector “active patients” (≥1 visit in the 3 years before March 2020); (2) laboratory-diagnosed COVID-19 cases; and (3) hospitalized COVID-19 cases. We calculated the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for COVID-19, comparing adults living with and without HIV using modeled population estimates.Among 3 460 932 patients (16% living with HIV), 22 308 were diagnosed with COVID-19, of whom 625 died. COVID19 death was associated with male sex, increasing age, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. HIV was associated with COVID-19 mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.70–2.70), with similar risks across strata of viral loads and immunosuppression. Current and previous diagnoses of tuberculosis were associated with COVID-19 death (aHR, 2.70 [95% CI, 1.81–4.04] and 1.51 [95% CI, 1.18–1.93], respectively). The SMR for COVID-19 death associated with HIV was 2.39 (95% CI, 1.96–2.86); population attributable fraction 8.5% (95% CI, 6.1–11.1)

Corpus analysis of conjunctions: Arabic learners’ difficulties with collocations

This paper examines Arabic majorsuse of conjunctions in their essays both in the application (qualitative) and frequency of conjunctions used (quantitative). The essays serve as a corpus for this study where conjunctive use and misuse among learners of Arabic are described and how certain combinations of words are preferred. Sketch Engine was employed to track the frequency of conjunctions used and to identify the concordance lines of Arabic conjunctions and the collocates. A simple frequency counts reveals that out of more than 83 conjunctions available in Arabic, only 48 were used and the rest 35 were not employed at all by the students. However, the use was not necessarily correct. There seemed to be a confusion in the application of these conjunctions, particularly those which carry similar meanings with the ones in L1. Another problem with its usage lies in the use of collocations; where translation of L1 was applied to the Arabic conjunctions. Mother tongue interference could be the reason for the confusion since direct translation ofthe word can be used in the same context,but the contexts of their applications are different. This study highlights the need to focus on these errors when teaching Arabic to second or foreign language learners

Corpus analysis of conjunctions: Arabic learners' difficulties with collocations

This paper examines Arabic majors use of conjunctions in their essays both in the application (qualitative) and frequency of conjunctions used (quantitative). The essays serve as a corpus for this study where conjunctive use and misuse among learners of Arabic are described and how certain combinations of words are preferred. Sketch Engine was employed to track the frequency of conjunctions used and to identify the concordance lines of Arabic conjunctions and the collocates. A simple frequency counts reveals that out of more than 83 conjunctions available in Arabic, only 48 were used and the rest 35 were not employed at all by the students. However, the use was not necessarily correct. There seemed to be a confusion in the application of these conjunctions, particularly those which carry similar meanings with the ones in L1. Another problem with its usage lies in the use of collocations; where translation of L1 was applied to the Arabic conjunctions. Mother tongue interference could be the reason for the confusion since direct translation of the word can be used in the same context, but the contexts of their applications are different. This study highlights the need to focus on these errors when teaching Arabic to second or foreign language learner

An in vitro study to compare the influence of newer luting cements on retention of cement-retained implant-supported prosthesis

Purpose: The study was conducted to evaluate the retentiveness of specifically formulated implant cements and compare its retentiveness with a commonly used noneugenol zinc oxide luting cement and also to assess the influence of abutment height on the retentiveness of these cements. Materials and Methods: A master stainless steel mold was used to mount snappy abutment-implant analog complex in acrylic resin. A total of six snappy abutments (Nobel Biocare®) of 4 mm and 5.5 mm height with their analogs were used. A total of 66 ceramill® Sintron metal copings fabricated using computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing system and divided into six groups (n = 11) according to the height (three 4 mm abutment and three 5.5 mm abutment). The cements that were compared were a Noneugenol zinc oxide provisional cement (Temp-BondTM NE), a Noneugenol temporary resin cement (Premier® Implant Cement) and a resin based acrylic urethane cement (Implalute® Implant Cement). After cementation samples were immersed in artificial saliva for 7 days and subjected to a pull-out test using a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. The load required to de-cement each coping was recorded and analyzed using one-way ANOVA, post hoc multiple comparison, and independent t-test. Results: Noneugenol temporary resin cement had the highest tensile strength followed by noneugenol zinc oxide cement and the least retentive strength was observed in resin-based acrylic urethane cement. Conclusion: The results suggest that noneugenol temporary resin cement may be considered as a better choice for cementation of implant prosthesis, as it has shown to have better mechanical properties

Moving Into Age of Pandemics Due to Climate Change

The early effects of the global climate change have been extensively studied but future effects on ecological health, human, domestic animal, and wildlife health, however, are significantly less well understood. Due to climate change, ancient bacteria and viruses that have laid asleep for thousands of years are reawakening as permafrost soils that have frozen for several thousands of years, melt. 218 of the 375 infectious diseases that humanity has faced over the planet have at some point been made worse by climatic dangers. Empirical cases showed 1,006 distinct ways that climatic risks, through various modes of transmission, led to deadly diseases. For complete societal adaptations to be effective there are too many human pathogenic diseases and modes of transmission that are exacerbated by climate hazards. This underscores the urgent need to address the root cause of the issue, which is reducing Green House Gas emissions. In addition to releasing these toxic chemicals, thawing permafrost also poses a health risk because it could release a variety of hibernating diseases, including novel and previously unidentified antibiotic-resistant bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Our immune system is underdeveloped and will need to undergo major adaptation, known as allostasis, which is also referred to as permafrost immunity.  Climate change, for instance, may result in a wide range of microbiological, vector, and host reactions, while not all organisms may react in the same way or over the same amount of time. Unfortunately, our scientific community has a fairly limited grasp of the current effectors and balances for many creatures and ecosystems, making it difficult to characterize the current condition, let alone to verify predictions for the future. It is clear that improved basic systematic surveillance and research programs are required, but implementing such programs is challenging and what is done during the coming years could be crucial

The Impact of Cash Flow Management Practices on Financial Performance of Cement Manufacturing Firms: A Comparative Study of Pakistan and India

Purpose: The study examined the impact of cash flow management practices on Pakistani cement firm’s financial performance with comparison of Indian cement sector’s selected firms. Methodology: The Pooled OLS Regression is applied with the Help of EViews software. The data collection is from official websites of the concerned companies from 2009 to 2018 with help of secondary source. The multiple regressions, Random Effect Model and Fixed effect models are used for the analysis of data and confirmed with Husman test. Findings: The finding of this study for both selected countries indicated the influence of cash flow management practices wherein both countries cement producing companies shows significant impact on firm’s performance but in terms of Pakistan Return on Assets have no impact on firm’s Profitability. Implications: Therefore, after a careful analysis study recommended that cement manufacturing companies must reevaluate their practices of managing cash flows in order to generate more profitability and generate enough cash to meet their obligations

The challenges and main recommendations to fight measles in India: A mini review

The measles virus is an RNA virus belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family. It leads to an acute communicable illness that primarily involves the respiratory tract. Vaccination has significantly reduced the overall incidence and mortality worldwide; however, outbreaks still occur globally each year due to several factors. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been a major hurdle since 2020. Despite the World Health Organization's goal to eradicate measles by 2023, there has been an increase in measles incidence in India, with 61,562 cases in 2022. Vaccination is a crucial preventive measure, and coverage needs to be increased through education, advocacy, and outreach to isolated communities

Re‐emergence of Lassa fever in Nigeria: A new challenge for public health authorities

Abstract The Lassa virus is an RNA virus belonging to the Arenaviridae family. It is responsible for Lassa fever, an acute viral zoonosis of the severe hemorrhagic fever type with manifestations of fever, muscle pain, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, and chest and abdominal pain. Lassa fever is endemic in West Africa, where the first case was reported in 1969 in Lassa, a town in Nigeria, more than 50 years ago, and it is estimated that nearly 5000 deaths occur in West Africa each year. Nigeria is one of the endemic hotspots and has experienced numerous recurrent outbreaks of Lassa fever due to the increased multiplication of the host reservoir, Mastomys natalensis. For the Lassa epidemics in 2022 and January 2023 alone, Nigeria accounts for a quarter of the annual deaths from this disease. Poor lifestyle and hygiene, difficulty in diagnosis due to nonspecific symptomatology, lack of effective treatment based on clinical evidence, an ineffective human immunization program combined with a health system that is not adapted or equipped to control and prevent recurrent deadly epidemics, and an outdated regional disease surveillance system in West Africa are some of the challenges that must be overcome to rapidly and effectively eradicate this disease, whose area of spread is constantly expanding as a result of the movement of populations in the context of economic and socio‐cultural activities

Cunninghamella blakesleeana -mediated biotransformation of a contraceptive drug, desogestrel, and anti-MDR- Staphylococcus aureus activity of its metabolites

International audienceStaphylococcus aureus is one of the most infectious agents among staphylococcal bacteria. Currently many strains of S. aureus have developed resistance against available antibiotics. Therefore, the treatment of infections caused by them is a major challenge. During current study, desogestrel (1), a contraceptive drug, was found to be a potent growth inhibitor of drug resistant strains of S. aureus. Therefore, in search of new and effective agents against multi-drug resistant S. aureus strains, whole-cell bio-catalytic conversion of desogestrel (1) by Cunninghamella blakesleeana ATCC 8688A at pH 7.0 and 25 °C was carried out, yielding three new metabolites, 13-ethyl-11-methylene-18,19-dinor-17α-pregn-4-en-20-yn-6β,15β,17β-triol (2), 13-ethyl-11-methylene-18,19-dinor-17α-pregn-4-en-20-yn-3β,6β,17β-triol (3), and 13-ethyl-11-methylene-18,19-dinor-17α-pregn-20-yn-3α,5α,6β,17β-tetraol (4), along with a known metabolite, 13-ethyl-11-methylene-18,19-dinor-17α-pregn-4-en-20-yn-6β,17β-dihydroxy-3-one (5). Among them, compounds 1–2 showed a potent activity against S. aureus EMRSA-17, S. aureus NCTC 13277 (MRSA-252), and S. aureus NCTC 13143, and clinically isolated Pakistani strain of S. aureus in an in vitro Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA). Vancomycin was used as the standard drug in this assay. In addition, compound 1 also showed a significant activity against vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) ATCC 700699. Compounds 1–5 were also evaluated against 3T3 normal cell line (mouse fibroblast) where they all were identified as non-cytotoxic. The present study thus provides new leads for the development of anti-bacterial drugs against MDR S. aureus