Self-reported summarizing and paraphrasing difficulties in L2 writing contexts: Some pedagogical interventions

The utility of paraphrasing and summarizing is key to effective academic writing. Both require that students have a good grasp of the source material not only in terms of understanding, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating the information found in the sources, but also in terms of selecting information, organizing, drafting, and revising their papers. Although several studies have identified L2 students’ difficulties when utilizing paraphrasing and summarizing, this paper examines the cognitive and metacognitive aspects of these complex activities from the students’ eyes. With essays from 120 freshman undergraduate students from a private university in Manila, this study qualitatively determined their reported difficulties when paraphrasing and summarizing, and the areas of improvements in these skills. Participant students identified four major areas of concern: 1) lack of proficiency in English, 2) poor reading comprehension skills, 3) lack of vocabulary and 4) lack of or poor documentation skills.  Findings of this study provide grounds for presentation of pedagogical interventions/classroom instructions to address these students’ reported difficulties

O Leopardo, Panthera pardus (L., 1758), do Algar da Manga Larga (Planalto de Santo António, Porto de Mós)

Durante uma acção de reconhecimento, promovida pela Associação de Estudos Subterrâneos e Defesa do Ambiente (AESDA), no Algar da Manga Larga, foi realizado um levantamento fotográfico sumário da cavidade, que inclu iu imagens de um conj unto de restos osteológicos, jacentes a cerca de 95 m de profundidade em relação à entrada do AIgar. A análise posterior das características morfológicas do crânio, possibilitada pelo registo fotográfico obtido, levou á conclusão de que se trataria de um exemplar de grande felídeo, presumivelmente um leopardo, Panthera pardus (L., 1758). Em visita ulterionnente realizada, procedeu-se à recolha das peças ósseas. O respectivo estudo biométrico, com base em diversas comparações com exemplares actuais e do Plistocénico europeu, permitiu evidenciar, neste exemplar, algumas características particulares, especialmente no respeitante à região craniana. Estes aspectos são de tal modo marcantes que obrigaram à comparação com outras duas espécies menos prováveis de grandes felideos, Uncia uncia, cuja presença na Europa ocidental não foi confinnada (TESTU, 2006: 205), e Puma pardoides, espécie identificada no Plistocénico inferior europeu. Discutem -se também alguns aspectos tafonómicos que determinaram o posicionamento destes restos numa zona profunda da cavidade e de dificil acesso.During a speleological survey promoted by the Associação de Estudos Subterrâneos e Defesa do Ambienle (AESDA) at Manga Larga cave, a pholographic record of the cavity was perfomed. Some of the photographs show a bone assemblage laying nearly 95 meters below the entrance of the cave. The later analysis of lhe cranial features, through the observation of lhe photographs, allowed the identification of a large felid, probably a leopard. Panthera pardus (L., 1758). The collection of the bone remnants was carried out in a subsequent visit at the site. The biometric study, based on comparisons with modem and european Pleistocene specimens, showed some uncommon traits, particularly in the cranium. These features are so striking that compel to the comparison with two other less probable species of large felids, namely Uncia uncia whose presence in occidental Europe was not confimed (TESTU, 2006: 205), and Puma pardoides, identified in the European Lower Pleistocene. Some taphonomic processes concerning the location of these remains in a profound and hard reaching area of the cave are also discussed

Palaeontological remains from the Manga Larga Cave

O Algar da Manga Larga tem-se revelado uma das mais importantes cavidades verticais em Portugal e, apesar de ser já conhecido pelos espeleólogos desde há mais de trinta anos, continua a fornecer dados com relevante significado científico. No decurso de uma acção de pesquisa espeleológica promovida pela AESDA no referido Algar foi fotografado um conjunto de ossos de carnívoro, jacentes numa galeria a cerca de 95 metros abaixo da entrada da cavidade. As respectivas características morfológicas e biométricas indicavam tratar-se de um grande felídeo, remetendo para espécie actualmente extinta na Europa, nomeadamente o leopardo, Panthera pardus (L., 1758). A evidente importância paleontológica dos testemunhos ósseos levou a que se desencadeasse um conjunto de procedimentos com o objectivo de os salvaguardar adequadamente e de promover o seu estudo. Para esse efeito, realizaram-se os contactos necessários e procedeu-se ao registo e à recolha das peças em apreço atribuindo especial atenção à sua integridade e conservação. Seguiram-se as tarefas ligadas ao estudo biométrico comparativo dos restos osteológicos. A presença deste e outros vestígios faunísticos, nomeadamente de gato-bravo, em zonas profundas e de difícil acesso desta gruta, indiciam a existência de condutas que estão ou estiveram em contacto com o meio exterior, as quais não foram ainda referenciadas. Deste modo, para além do evidente interesse paleontológico da descoberta, é possível serem extrapoladas interpretações com aplicação no âmbito da exegese da própria cavidade, situação que levou já à descoberta de uma galeria não registada. Este trabalho tem vindo a ser amplamente divulgado junto da comunidade espeleológica nacional e internacional, inclusivamente no 14º Congresso Internacional de Espeleologia que se realizou em 2005 na Grécia. O estudo paleontológico está concluído e a aguardar publicação em revista da especialidade (CARDOSO & REGALA, no prelo)

Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis due to Salmonella Enteritidis in a Child with Influenza A (H1N1)v

A colecistite aguda acalculosa é uma entidade pouco frequente na idade pediátrica e uma complicação rara da enterocolite por salmonelas não tifóides. A co-infecçãocom o virus influenza A (H1N1)v nunca foi previamente descrita. Caso Clinico: Rapaz de 10 anos de idade, previamente saudável, com febre elevada, cefaleias , mialgias, vómitos e diarreia. a RT-PCR para virus influenza A, subtipo H1N1v foi postiva no exsudado nasofaríngeo mas não foi prescrito oseltamivir. Ao quinto dia da doença por persistência do quadro clinico com agravamento da sintomatologia gastrointestinal recorreu à urgência. Foi internado com sinais de desidratação grave, insuficiência pré-renal aguda e oligúria, tendo-se procedido a analgesia , antipiréticos e hidratação endovenosa. Foi isolada Salmonella Enteriditis nas coproculturas. Ao 9º dia de doença houve agravamento da dor abdominal associando-se sinal de Murphy. A ecografia abdominal revelou sinais de colecistite aguda e adenopatia a comprimir infundíbulo da vesicula biliar tendo-se iniciado antibioterapia. Os sintomas persisitiram durante cinco dias, verificando-se posterior evolução clinica favorável. Discussão: A etiologia da colecistite acalculosa foi provavelmente multifatorial para a qual contribuíram a febre, a desidratação, os analgésicos, o jejum prolongado e a infecção por salmonela, cujo ciclo envolve a via biliar. A compressão pelos gânglios hipertrofiados na sequência da infecção H1N1v foi provavelmente um fator adicional, sendo questionável se a terapêutica prévia com oseltamivir teria modificado o prognóstico

Changes in benthic community structure due to clam dredging on the Algarve coast and the importance of seasonal analysis

Patterns in community structure of meiofauna and macrofauna in relation to Portuguese clam dredging were compared during a 2-y-period o¡ Lagos and Vilamoura, south Portugal. SCUBA divers randomly sampled corer and quadrat samples before and immediately after simulating commercial dredge ¢shery. Univariate measures (abundance, number of taxa, evenness, diversity and biomass) and multivariate analyses (Cluster, MDS and SIMPER) revealed changes in the meio- and macro-benthic community structure caused by dredge disturbance (short-term e¡ects), with a general decrease in all measures.Macrofauna were found to be more sensitive to dredge disturbance, and aggressive predatory behaviour was observed after disturbance in the continuously dredged area. Nevertheless, higher signi¢cant natural changes were found between seasonal periods, indicating that dredging may only cause a small-scale and short-term impact

Common Factors Related to Illicit Substance Use Among Nurses in North America

The prevalence of illicit substance use among registered nurses, though not widely studied or addressed, is understood to be an essential issue facing healthcare professionals. An impaired nurse is defined as someone who has impaired functioning as a result of substance abuse and it interferes with their professional judgment and ability to deliver safe, high quality care. Registered nurses have access to many high-controlled prescription medications, with little oversight, and the opportunity for substance abuse is significant. In our research, we studied the risk factors, the prevalence, and the preventative measures involved in addressing illicit substance use among nurses.https://scholar.dominican.edu/ug-student-posters/1069/thumbnail.jp

Outcomes of lenvatinib therapy in poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma

Funding Information: Ricardo Rodrigues was granted with a PhD scholarship by iNOVA4Health Research Unit (UIDP/04462/2020; UI/BD/154256/2022). The remaining authors did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or non-for-profit sectors. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 the author(s) Published by Bioscientifica Ltd.Background and objective: Lenvatinib showed promising results in a subgroup of patients with poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) in the SELECT trial. Our aim was to report the effectiveness and tolerability of lenvatinib in our series of PDTC patients. Methods: Medical records of eight consecutive patients with PDTC treated with lenvatinib in a single center between January 2019 and October 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria were PDTC diagnosis based on Turin criteria and evidence of disease progression in the previous 6 months. Results: Eight PDTC patients received an average dose of lenvatinib of 18.1 mg for a median duration of treatment of 10.3 months. The baseline Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was ≥2 in 50% of patients. Two patients had unresectable primary tumor. Seven patients showed extrathyroidal disease, particularly mediastinal lymph nodes (85.7%), lung (71.4%), and bone (71.4%). The disease control rate was 100%, with partial response and stable disease in 12.5 and 87.5%, respectively. The median time to best overall response was 3 months, and the median duration of response was 7.5 months. Median progression-free survival was 12 months and median overall survival was not reached. At 6, 12, and 18 months, overall survival was 87.5, 71.4, and 57.1%, respectively. All patients experienced drug-related adverse effects (AEs). Four (50%) had dose reductions and two (25%) had temporary treatment interruptions. Lenvatinib was stopped in two patients due to grade ≥3 AEs. Conclusion: Lenvatinib is an effective treatment for real-world PDTC patients. Adequate management of comorbidities and AEs increases treatment tolerability and minimizes dose reductions.publishersversionpublishe