DEVELOPING COLLOCATIONAL AND PHONOLOGICAL COMPETENCES OF EMERGING TEACHERS OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE THROUGH COGNITIVE APPROACH TO PROCESSING MULTI-WORD UNITS

This paper addresses unresolved issues in the acquisition, processing and use of multi-word units which account for the learner’s idiomatic, natural language. The aim of the study is to argue for an analytic instructional approach to developing the trainee teacher’s collocational and phonological competences through the medium of the native language employing a set of didactic and linguistic techniques like etymological, phonological, structural, lexical and semantic dissection of multi-word units. Research results imply that analytic processing of multi-word units relate moderately to the enhancement of the learner’s collocational and phonological competences though relations between formal instruction and the language proficiency level may be partly obscured by the probable exposure of the learner to multi-word units in informal settings

Maternal age-associated congenital anomalies among newborns : A retrospective study in Latvia

Background and Objective: In Latvia, the mean age of women giving birth increased from 27.3 in 2000 to 29.0 years in 2010 during the last 11 years. The aim of this study was to report on major congenital anomalies of newborns at birth by the maternal age and to compare the mean maternal age by different diagnosis subgroups and maternal and neonatal characteristics. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study with the data from the Medical Birth Register (2000-2010) was carried out. The live birth prevalence rate was calculated for the subgroups of major congenital anomalies per 10 000 live births by the maternal age. Results: The live birth prevalence rate of major congenital anomalies during the period 2000-2010 was 211.4 per 10 000 live births. The prevalence rate increased depending on the maternal age. Congenital heart defects, limb defects, and urinary system anomalies were the most common anomalies. The study results showed an age-related risk of abdominal wall defects, orofacial clefts, and chromosomal anomalies. There were significantly higher proportions of preterm births, newborns with low birth weight, and complications during pregnancy among mothers aged 35 years and more. Conclusions: The data on congenital anomalies from the Latvian Medical Birth Register can be used for the assessment of epidemiology of congenital anomalies. The results of this retrospective study showed a decrease in the live birth prevalence rate of major congenital anomalies despite an increase in the mean age of mothers in Latvia.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Comparison of antenatal care factors and pregnancy outcome in rural and urban context

publishersversionPeer reviewe

Laboratory Tests in Addition to the Alvarado Score in the Management of Acute Appendicitis in School-Age Children

Funding Information: The study was financially supported by a Grant No. 2010.10-4/VPP-4 of the framework of the Latvian National Programme and Grant No. 2009/0147/1DP/1.1.2.1.2/09/ IPIA/VIAA/009 from the project Support for Doctoral and Post-doctoral Investigations Rîga Stradiòð University fellowship. Publisher Copyright: © 2019 Astra Zviedre et al., published by Sciendo 2019.The aim of the study was to determine whether the Alvarado score (AS) together with laboratory tests could be used to distinguish patients with acute appendicitis (AA) from acute mesenteric lymphadenitis (AML). Fifty-seven patients (7-18 years) with suspected AA were included in the prospective study (October 2010 - October 2013). Thirty-one patients underwent surgery for AA and 26 were not treated surgically and were diagnosed AML on ultrasonography. AS, white blood cell count (WBC), C - reactive protein (CRP) and serum cytokines (EGF, IL-10, IL-12(p70), IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, MCP-1, TNF-α) were obtained on admission and were compared between groups. Mean age of the 57 patients was 12.9 (SD 3.2). Accuracy (AR) for AS ≥ 7 alone was 73.7% for AA. Modified AS with certain serum cytokines seemed to be a reliable tool for initial differential diagnosis between AA and AML in school-age children. Based on these results, AS ≥ 7, WBC ≥ 10.7 × 103/μL and serum IL-6 ≥ 4.3 pg/mL assessed altogether will yield more sensitivity for AA. Also for further advanced diagnostics, we propose to take into account the serum IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, CRP cut-off levels in the differential diagnosis between complicated and uncomplicated AA to decide whether the treatment should be conservative or surgical.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Baculovirus Surface Display Using Infuenza Neuraminidase (NA) Transmembrane Anchor

Baculovirus surface display has been employed as an excellent tools for presentation of foreign peptides and proteins on virus surface with native conformation, functions and immunogenicity. A baculovirus major envelope protein, gp64, or a capsid protein, vp39 are generally used as fusion partners for displaying of polypeptides on the surface of virions. Alternatively, a membrane anchoring domain of vesicular stomatitis virus G protein (VSV-G) can also be used. In this study, an influenza neuraminidase (NA) was proposed as a new membrane anchor for the display of Angiotensin II (AngII), DRVYIHPFHL, peptides. The AngII peptides were inserted into NA by replacing NA amino acid number 60-67 with AngII, and then integrated into a baculovirus genome. A recombinant baculovirus expressing the NA fusion-AngII peptides was generated from infected insect cells. Those peptides were found to express and translocated on the membrane of the baculovirus infected insect cell (Sf9 cell) as detected by immunocytochemistry using anti-AngII monoclonal antibody. Upon budding of the recombinant baculovirus progenies through the insect cells membrane, the recombinant NA-AngII peptides was acquired to envelopes of the new baculovirus progenies. The conformation of NA on baculovirus surface was not affected by the deletion, as the 55 kDa band of NA can be detected from Western Blotting analysis by specific anti-NA monoclonal antibody. In addition, the same protein was also found by anti-AngII antibody indicating that the AngII peptides had been successfully fused with the recombinant NA. Interestingly, electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that not only the recombinant baculovirus displaying AngII peptides were generated by infected insect cells, but also the NA virus-like-particle displaying AngII peptides

Fighting Terrorism is A Community Devotion of College in Accordance with Its Tri Dharma Mandates

Indonesia legislative assembly has legalized the Law Number 5 of 2018 concerning the Stipulation of Government Regulation instead of the Law Number I of 2002 concerning the Eradication of Terrorism Crimes into Law. Even so, the practice of which has experienced many obstacles that it has not so far been effective in countering terrorism in Indonesia. Counter terrorism efforts cannot be viewed, conceptualized and carried out in a sector manner by legal institutions only. A National Terrorism Eradication Institution called BNPT is already built by the government to practice this law but seeing the obstacles of the practice faced, it still needs to be systemically strengthened, empowered and better-coordinated by the Coordinating Ministry of Politics, Law and Security. While its efforts in eradicating terrorism need to be systematically designed as a single entity, integrated and interacted with those of various other related institutions, periodically measured and sustained until the strategic objectives are achieved optimally. College as a public institution, in accordance with its Tri Dharma mandates, as education, research and community service development, is obliged to initiate and play a more active and creative role as one of the supporting elements of the National Terrorism Eradication Institution in a Total System Approach. While legal institutions shall remain as the leading sector since all counter terrorism efforts are dominantly parts of law enforcement efforts.  This study uses the normative-empirical method with the Total System concept approach and statue approach. The purpose of this study is to analyze counter-terrorism efforts in a preventive sociological and repressive manner

Different Cytokine Profiles in Children with Acute Appendicitis and Acute Mesenteric Lymphadenitis

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of serum cytokines in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis (AA) and acute mesenteric lymphadenitis (AML). Data were collected prospectively on 7 to 18 year old children (October 2010 - October 2013): 31 patients with AA, 26 patients with AML, and 17 patients with elective non-inflammatory surgical disease were selected as controls. Serum levels of IL-10, IL-12(p70), IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, MCP-1, EGF, TNF-α were measured. Patients with AA had significantly increased serum levels of IL-6(1) (z = -3.72; p = 0.0002) and IL-10(1) (z = -2.81; p = 0.005) compared to AML before any treatment. The consecutive measurements of MCP-1 in serum demonstrated a significant difference within 72 hours in the AA group (Wilks' Lambda test 0.80; F(2;29) = 3.5; p = 0.04) and also in the AML group (Wilks' Lambda test 0.70; F(2;24) = 5.0; p = 0.01). The increased values of IL-6 and IL-10 were the most reliable cytokines one hour before surgical intervention for patients with AA. MCP-1 values changed significantly within 72 hours after patient hospitalisation but did not differ between the groups, and could not be a helpful serum biomarker in distinguishing patients with AA and AML.Peer reviewe

Does family history of cancer influence undergoing screening and gastrointestinal investigations?

Q2Background and Aims: Although a family history of cancer (FHC) can modify the lifestyle and attitudes towards participation in cancer screening programs, studies on this relationship show mixed results and vary across populations. The objectives of the study were to compare sociodemographic characteristics, history of gastrointestinal (GI) investigations and Helicobacter pylori eradication, and modifiable cancer risk factors between those with FHC and those with no FHC (NFHC), and to investigate the association between FHC and a history of GI investigations. Methods: A total of 3,455 questionnaires from the pilot study of the “Helicobacter pylori eradication and pepsinogen testing for prevention of gastric cancer mortality (GISTAR study)” in Latvia were analysed. We compared sociodemographic characteristics and history of GI investigations between participants with self- reported FHC and NFHC. Binary logistic regression models adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics and modifiable cancer risk factors were built for a FHC and each GI investigation. Results: Participants with a FHC were more likely to be women, have a higher education and less likely to have harmful habits (smoking, alcohol consumption) than those with NFHC. Participants with a FHC were approximately twice as likely to report recent colorectal investigations specifically for screening, than those with NFHC. In fully adjusted logistic regression models, FHC was significantly associated with a recent history of faecal occult blood tests (FOBTs), colonoscopies, and colorectal investigations (FOBT or colonoscopy) specifically for screening as part of the national organized screening programme. Conclusion. Our results indicate that those with a FHC have different patterns of health-related behaviour than those with NFHC.https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7187-9946Revista Internacional - Indexad

Good Clinical Response to Erlotinib in a Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient Harboring Multiple Brain Metastases and a Double Active Somatic Epidermal Growth Factor Gene Mutation

Recently, 2 small molecule kinase inhibitors (TKIs), targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), have proven effective in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. However, it is unknown whether the EGFR double activating mutation of L858R in exon 21 and the in-frame deletion in exon 19 is a predictor of the effectiveness of EGFR-TKIs. We report for the first time a case of non-small cell lung cancer with central nervous system metastases harboring a rare EGFR double activating mutation who showed a good clinical response to erlotinib, regardless of his poor performance status, as swallowing is not possible. Therefore, we suggest that erlotinib may become a therapeutic choice in cases of central nervous system metastases even with poor performance status

Outcome of Surgical Treatment for Metastatic Vertebra Bone Tumor in Advanced Lung Cancer

Background: Spinal metastases of patients with advanced stage lung cancer are an important target for palliative therapy, because their incidence is high, and they often cause severe symptoms and worsen the quality of life. Surgery is one of the most effective treatment options, but the indication of surgery is unclear as the procedure is invasive and patients with spinal metastasis have a rather short life expectancy. Furthermore, there have been few studies that have focused on lung cancer with poor prognosis. Methods: We reviewed all of the cases of lung cancer from January 1999 to July 2007 in the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Japan. Thirteen patients with metastatic spinal tumor of lung cancer underwent surgery, and all of them had a poor performance status score (3 or 4). Results: Neurological improvement by at least 1 Frankel grade was seen in 10 of 14 cases (71%). Improvement of the movement capacity was noted in 9 of 14 cases (64%), and pain improvement was noted in 12 of 14 (86%). Median postoperative survival was 5 months (1–25 months). In particular, the group with a good postoperative performance status score (0–2) was shown to have a better median postoperative survival of 13 months. Conclusions: Surgical treatment for symptomatic metastatic spinal tumor of lung cancer can improve quality of life in a substantially high percentage of patients. Surgery should be considered even if preoperative performance status is poor