Shattering or Supporting Stereotypes? Examining Gender In/equality in English Language Textbooks in Brunei

This paper examines the representation of gender relations in textbooks used to teach the English language in public secondary schools in Brunei. The country is currently ranked 95th in the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s 2020 Global Gender Gap Index among 153 countries analysed. This fact seems to suggest that there is a significant gender gap existing in the country. As textbooks used in schools are considered among the most potent tools for promoting gender in/equality, they deserve to be examined in detail. Using Content Analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as methods of analysis, this paper seeks to address the following questions: (i) in what ways and to what extent, is gender inequality manifested in textbooks used to teach the English language in Brunei and (ii) what are the implications and pedagogical measures which may be taken to address the persistence of gender inequality? The findings of the study show that the portrayal of gender relations in the textbook is fairly balanced, which is rather surprising considering the pervasive perception of conservatism and patriarchy in many Muslim societies, including Brunei. This suggests the need for a nuanced discussion of the nation’s social, cultural, economic, and political milieu in order to obtain a true picture of gender relations in the country

A mixed finite element method for the generalized Stokes problem

[Abstract] We present and analyse a new mixed finite element method for the generalized Stokes problem. The approach, which is a natural extension of a previous procedure applied to quasi-Newtonian Stokes flows, is based on the introduction of the flux and the tensor gradient of the velocity as further unknowns. This yields a two-fold saddle point operator equation as the resulting variational formulation. Then, applying a slight generalization of the well known Babuška–Brezzi theory, we prove that the continuous and discrete formulations are well posed, and derive the associated a priori error analysis. In particular, the finite element subspaces providing stability coincide with those employed for the usual Stokes flows except for one of them that needs to be suitably enriched. We also develop an a posteriori error estimate (based on local problems) and propose the associated adaptive algorithm to compute the finite element solutions. Several numerical results illustrate the performance of the method and its capability to localize boundary layers, inner layers, and singularities

Characterization of pharyngeal hypocontractility patterns during deglutition: High Resolution Impedance Manometry findings

Introduction High resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) provides an objective measure of pharyngeal pressurization and bolus flow and can be analysed using pressure flow analysis (PFA). The aim of the study is to investigate different types of pharyngeal hypocontractility and their distribution in patients with pharyngeal dysphagia. Material and Methods A cohort study was conducted on patients with dysphagia referred for HRIM. Inclusion criteria were abnormal (<5th percentile) pharyngeal contractile integral (PhCI) or abnormal regional contractile integrals (velo- or meso- or hypo-pharyngeal integrals). PFA was performed on 10ml liquid swallows using the Swallow GatewayTM open access analysis portal. Patients were classified based on a proposed HRIM scheme. The distribution of PFA metrics was compared between patients with normal and abnormal PhCI using the chi-squared test. Results In total 38 patients were studied and 137 swallows were analysed. Absent pharyngeal contractility was found in 5.3% (2/38) of the patients, ineffective pharyngeal contractility in 68.4% (26/38), and fragmented pharyngeal contractility in 26.3% (10/38). Regional weakness was mainly observed in the mesopharynx (94.7% of the patients), followed by the hypopharynx (50%) and the velopharynx (15.8%). A combined disorder of pharyngeal propulsion and UES restriction was seen in 44.7% (17/38) of the patients. Patients with a normal PhCI (fragmented pharyngeal contractility) were more likely to present an abnormal integrated relaxation pressure at the level of the upper esophageal sphincter (\u3c72=14.56, p=0.001) Conclusion Based on the pharyngeal contractile integrals, two main types of pharyngeal hypocontractility are present in the clinical population of patients: ineffective and fragmented pharyngeal contractility. Totally absent peristalsis in uncommon. In almost half of the patients, pharyngeal propulsion disorders are combined to disorders of UES restriction

Characterization of esophageal motility and esophagogastric junction in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Background: To characterize esophageal motility and function of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Methods: High-resolution manometry with impedance was used to investigate esophageal motility and EGJ function in 28 tube-fed preterm infants with BPD. Patients with BPD were studied at term age during oral feeding. Thirteen healthy term-aged infants were included as controls. Esophageal analysis derived objective measures to evaluate esophageal contractile vigor, bolus distension pressure, EGJ relaxation, and EGJ barrier function (in rest and during respiration). In addition, we investigated the effect of BPD severity on these measures. Key results: A total of 140 nutritive swallows were analyzed (BPD, n = 92; controls, n = 48). Normal esophageal peristaltic wave patterns were observed in all infants. BPD patients had higher distal contractile esophageal strength compared with controls (Kruskal-Wallis (KW) P =.048), and their deglutitive EGJ relaxation was comparable to controls. Severe BPD patients showed higher bolus distension pressures, higher EGJ resting pressures, and increased EGJ contractile integrals compared with mild BPD patients (Mann-Whitney U P =.009, KW P =.012 and KW P =.028, respectively). Conclusions and Inferences: Preterm infants with BPD consistently present with normal peristaltic esophageal patterns following nutritive liquid swallows. The EGJ barrier tone and relaxation pressure appeared normal. In general, infants with BPD do not have altered esophageal motor function. There is however evidence for increased flow resistance at the EGJ in severe BPD patients possibly related to an increased contractility of the diaphragm

Adsorption Capacity and Phosphate Removal Efficiency of Oyster Shells and its Implications to Chemistry Learning

The aquaculture sector of the Philippines which includes fish pond culture systems faces many challenges and issues such as high concentration of phosphate which does not only affect water parameters but also triggers the occurrence of Harmful Algal Blooms. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate the adsorption capacity and phosphate removal efficiency of oyster shell powder (OSP) using brackishwater under laboratory conditions as learning resources of chemistry learning. This quantitative research study used Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three treatments: T1 (Control/Commercial) – 1.5g Calcium carbonate (CaCO3); T2 – 1.5g Oyster Shell Powder (OSP); T3 – 2.5g Oyster Shell Powder (OSP). Results revealed that in terms of surface morphology, the photographs showed irregularity of shapes and different sizes, implying heterogeneity of OSP while, in terms of elemental composition, Calcium and Oxygen are the major elemental composition of the OSP. Further, in terms of Phosphate Adsorption Capacity, One Way ANOVA revealed significant differences (p-value &lt;0.01) among treatments. Further analysis using LSD revealed that commercial calcium carbonate has significantly higher adsorption capacity than oyster shell powder, however, 1.5 g OSP has higher adsorption capacity than 2.5g OSP. Furthermore, in terms of phosphate removal efficiency, One Way ANOVA revealed no significant differences (p-value &lt;0.05). This means that the phosphate removal efficiency of OSP is comparable to commercial calcium carbonate (CaCO3).Moreover, the study's findings act as an educational resource, facilitating a profound comprehension of the practical applications of chemistry principles. It encourages chemistry learners to engage in critical evaluation and practical application of their knowledge, particularly in addressing pressing environmental challenges.</p

Electron drift-mobility measurements in polycrystalline CuIn1-xGaxSe2 solar cells

We report photocarrier time-of-flight measurements of electron drift mobilities for the p-type CuIn1-xGaxSe2 films incorporated in solar cells. The electron mobilities range from 0.02 to 0.05 cm^2/Vs and are weakly temperature-dependent from 100–300 K. These values are lower than the range of electron Hall mobilities (2-1100 cm2/Vs) reported for n-type polycrystalline thin films and single crystals. We propose that the electron drift mobilities are properties of disorder-induced mobility edges and discuss how this disorder could increase cell efficiencies

Association of preterm birth with ADHD-like cognitive impairments and additional subtle impairments in attention and arousal malleability

BACKGROUND: Whilst preterm-born individuals have an increased risk of developing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and are reported to have ADHD-like attention and arousal impairments, direct group comparisons are scarce. METHODS: We directly compared preterm-born adolescents (n = 186) to term-born adolescents with ADHD (n = 69), and term-born controls (n = 135), aged 11-23, on cognitive-performance, event-related potential and skin conductance level (SCL) measures associated with attention and arousal. The measures are from baseline and fast-incentive conditions of a four-choice reaction time task, previously shown to discriminate between the individuals with ADHD and controls. We aimed to establish whether preterm-born adolescents show: (a) identical cognitive-neurophysiological impairments to term-born adolescents with ADHD (b) possible additional impairments, and whether (c) the observed impairments correlate with ADHD symptom scores. RESULTS: The preterm group, like the term-born ADHD group, showed increased mean reaction time (MRT) and reaction time variability (RTV) in the baseline condition, and attenuated contingent negative variation (CNV) amplitude (response preparation) in the fast-incentive condition. The preterm group, only, did not show significant within-group adjustments in P3 amplitude (attention allocation) and SCL (peripheral arousal). Dimensional analyses showed that ADHD symptoms scores correlated significantly with MRT, RTV and CNV amplitude only. CONCLUSIONS: We find impairments in cognition and brain function in preterm-born adolescents that are linked to increased ADHD symptoms, as well as further impairments, in lack of malleability in neurophysiological processes. Our findings indicate that such impairments extend at least to adolescence. Future studies should extend these investigations into adulthood

Impairments in error processing and their association with ADHD symptoms in individuals born preterm

<p>(<b>A</b>) Grand average response-locked event-related potentials (ERPs) of the error-related positivity (Pe) at the Cz electrode between 150 and 450 ms for the preterm group (represented by dotted lines), the ADHD group (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder represented by dashed lines) and the control group (shown in solid lines), and (<b>B</b>) topographic maps for each group.</p

Is association of preterm birth with cognitive-neurophysiological impairments and ADHD symptoms consistent with a causal inference or due to familial confounds?

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth is associated with an increased risk for cognitive-neurophysiological impairments and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Whether the associations are due to the preterm birth insult per se, or due to other risk factors that characterise families with preterm-born children, is largely unknown. METHODS: We employed a within-sibling comparison design, using cognitive-performance and event-related potential (ERP) measures from 104 preterm-born adolescents and 104 of their term-born siblings. Analyses focused on ADHD symptoms and cognitive and ERP measures from a cued continuous performance test, an arrow flanker task and a reaction time task. RESULTS: Within-sibling analyses showed that preterm birth was significantly associated with increased ADHD symptoms (β = 0.32, p = 0.01, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.58) and specific cognitive-ERP impairments, such as IQ (β = -0.20, p = 0.02, 95% CI -0.40 to -0.01), preparation-vigilance measures and measures of error processing (ranging from β = 0.71, -0.35). There was a negligible within-sibling association between preterm birth with executive control measures of inhibition (NoGo-P3, β = -0.07, p = 0.45, 95% CI -0.33 to 0.15) or verbal working memory (digit span backward, β = -0.05, p = 0.63, 95% CI -0.30 to 0.18). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the relationship between preterm birth with ADHD symptoms and specific cognitive-neurophysiological impairments (IQ, preparation-vigilance and error processing) is independent of family-level risk and consistent with a causal inference. In contrast, our results suggest that previously observed associations between preterm birth with executive control processes of inhibition and working memory are instead linked to background characteristics of families with a preterm-born child rather than preterm birth insult per se. These findings suggest that interventions need to target both preterm-birth specific and family-level risk factors

Evaluating retinal and choroidal perfusion changes after isometric and dynamic activity using optical coherence tomography angiography

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a non-invasive tool for imaging and quantifying the retinal and choroidal perfusion state in vivo. This study aimed to evaluate the acute effects of isometric and dynamic exercise on retinal and choroidal sublayer perfusion using OCTA. A pilot study was conducted on young, healthy participants, each of whom performed a specific isometric exercise on the first day and a dynamic exercise the day after. At baseline and immediately after the exercise, heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), superficial capillary plexus perfusion (SCPP), deep capillary plexus perfusion (DCPP), choriocapillaris perfusion (CCP), Sattlers’s layer perfusion (SLP), and Haller’s layer perfusion (HLP) were recorded. A total of 34 eyes of 34 subjects with a mean age of 32.35 ± 7.87 years were included. HR as well as MAP increased significantly after both types of exercise. Both SCPP and DCPP did not show any significant alteration due to isometric or dynamic exercise. After performing dynamic exercise, CCP, SLP, as well as HLP significantly increased. Changes in MAP correlated significantly with changes in HLP after the dynamic activity. OCTA-based analysis in healthy adults following physical activity demonstrated a constant retinal perfusion, supporting the theory of autoregulatory mechanisms. Dynamic exercise, as opposed to isometric activity, significantly changed choroidal perfusion. OCTA imaging may represent a novel and sensitive tool to expand the diagnostic spectrum in the field of sports medicine