A Macroscopic and Microscopic Study of Liver in Female Iraqi Green Freshwater Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Linnaeus,1758 during the Active Period

The study aims to provide anatomical and histological information about the liver in female Iraqi green freshwater turtles. Ten female green freshwater turtles (Chelonia mydas) were collected from Shatt Al-Hilla and used in this study. They were anesthetized by chloroform in closed chambers. The anatomical information was recorded and the histological sections of the liver were stained by using hematoxylin and Eosin stains. The result showed that the liver of a female green freshwater turtle (Chelonia mydas) is a large elongated organ. The mean weight of turtles is 735±0.04 gm, and the mean weight of the liver is 28±0.02 gm. The ratio between the weight of the liver to the weight of the body was 3.809 %. The liver of (Chelonia mydas) is formed from three lobes right, left and middle (central) lobes. The right lobe is the large one with an average weight of 13 ±0.022 gm.  It looks like a square and has two surfaces ventral and dorsal (visceral) surface. The left lobe is smaller than the right with an average weight of 9±0.05gm, and its shape is rectangular. The middle lobe is rounded and small. Its mean weight is 7±0.01gm. Histologically, the liver is covered by mesothelium under its connective tissue layer as a hepatic capsule which divided the liver into lobules in the shape of hexagons with portal spaces, from the central to the walls of the hepatocyte

Challenges and practices of academic English communication among Libyan international students in five selected universities in Malaysia

Malaysian universities’ use of English in instruction provides Libyan international students, reportedly the seventh largest ethnic group enrolled in Malaysian universities, opportunities to study in various academic fields. However, Libyan students encounter communicative challenges in Malaysian ESL learning environments stemming from insufficient prior EFL learning experience and resultant deficiencies in communicative competence, contributing to communicative language anxiety. Consequently, the students develop mediating learning strategies. Therefore, this study investigated EFL Libyan students’ academic listening and speaking challenges, their mediating learning strategies, and the effects of prior learning experiences and communication language anxiety on their academic communication challenges and strategies. The investigation adopted an explanatory mixed-mode research design with the assistance of Libyan Embassy employing an online questionnaire survey with 223 respondents. Interviews and a focus group discussion were conducted with 20 survey respondents selected through purposive snowball sampling. Field notes and member checks were used for data triangulation and validation. Correlational procedures and structural equation modelling using bootstrapping resampling analyses with SPSS and AMOS were conducted to investigate the cause-and-effect relationships between variables, determine the validity of study models, and test the research hypotheses. NVivo analysis was performed for the interviews and focus group discussion for coding and generating themes from transcript data supported with field notes. The results showed that Libyan students experienced listening comprehension challenges in understanding accents, academic content, and cultural differences. The qualitative results revealed the participants’ listening comprehension in active communication was negatively affected by insufficient prior knowledge of academic terminology and anxiety.The students speaking challenges in academic discourse were due to their inadequate communicative competence and resultant cognitive inhibition. Qualitative analyses revealed students’ reluctance to participate in academic discourse resulted from insufficient academic speaking practice which increased their anxiety, blocking comprehensible input. Thus, the students implemented strategies to improve their academic communication skills. The listening strategies, in ranked order, were metacognitive, cognitive, compensatory, affective, memory-related, and social strategies. The students’ preference for metacognitive and cognitive listening strategies over social strategies was attributed to their negative learning experiences combined with consequential communication anxiety, which discouraged social interaction. Thus, metacognitive and cognitive listening strategies promoted the students’ self-reliance and self-motivation to improve listening comprehension through repetitive listening with reduced anxiety, supporting the storage and retrieval of information between short- and long-term memory. The speaking strategies, in ranked order, were memory-related, metacognitive, affective, compensatory, cognitive, and social strategies. Qualitative results revealed the Libyan students preferred memorisation and self-practice over social strategies. Their reluctance to employ social speaking strategies was because their insufficient prior learning experience resulted in poor communicative competence contributing to communication language anxiety. Memorisation facilitated the students’ mental language modelling, enabling internalisation of their communicative environment. Quantitative analyses revealed the Libyan’s prior learning experiences and communication language anxiety were significantly correlated with their listening and speaking challenges and strategies. It was further found that prior learning experiences and communication language anxiety had mediating effects on the listening and speaking challenges and strategies. Therefore, stakeholders should consider Libyan academic communication challenges resulting from inadequate prior English learning experience affecting their learning success in international higher education through developing and improving English language practice through educational materials and resources that improve English learners’ academic success. Additionally, pre-sessional English programs at Malaysian universities should be aligned with students’ fields of study, emphasising academic terminology enhancing their communicative academic discourse. As the main theoretical components addressed in this research are Piaget’s (1936) cognitive theory, and Krashen’s (1982) affective filter Hypothesis. Therefore, additionally, emphasising the importance of communication theories towards understanding internationals academic communication skills from EFL context by investigating the psychological factors influencing learners’ engagement and cognitive communicative competence enabling internationals to communicate and critically participate and corresponding progression in their learning

Challenges in academic speaking for non-native speakers: the case of Libyan students studying in Malaysia

Malaysian universities’ adoption of English as a medium of instruction provides Libyan international students, who have been reported as the seventh largest ethnic group enrolled in those institutions, with opportunities to pursue various fields of study. However, Libyan students struggle with academic speaking resulting from inadequate prior EFL learning experience characterised by a lack of speaking practice. Consequently, causing communicative incompetency that contributes to language anxiety. Therefore, this study investigates the academic speaking challenges of Libyan students in Malaysian academic settings using an explanatory mixed-mode research design. Data were collected through an online questionnaire, interviews, and a focus group discussion. The research found that Libyan international students faced challenges in academic speaking due to insufficient linguistic knowledge and a lack of prior academic speaking practice. The study further found that the Libyan students’ speaking challenges in the academic setting were affected by cognitive inhibition resulting from communicative incompetency. The qualitative phase of the study revealed that the students were reluctant to engage in academic discourse because of their incompetency in academic speaking skills, which caused anxiety and embarrassment. The study results could inform stakeholders such as the Libyan Ministry of Education about the academic speaking challenges of Libyan students studying abroad. Furthermore, it could lead to improvements in preparatory programs, English teaching practices and materials, and exposure to academic settings in foreign universities to prepare students to further their studies abroad and achieve international academic success

The Canadian Society for Bioengineering La Société Canadienne de Génie Agroalimentaire et de Bioingénierie Texture profile analysis (TPA) of Omani halwa while replacing ghee with vegetable oils

ABSTRACT Omani halwa is a popular confection in domestic and other gulf countries. Around 10 to 15% (by weight) ghee, clarified butter is added in Omani halwa to obtain desired texture and taste. Ghee contains higher amount of saturated fats (60 to 65%). Health organizations around the world have been insisting to lower the intake of saturated fatty acids as a mean of preventing cardiovascular and other associated diseases. In Oman, the halwa consumption per person could reach even 500 g per day during special occasions. Under these circumstances, the saturated fat intake from just one serving of halwa exceeds the maximum recommended daily limit for saturated fat. Therefore availability of halwa with healthy vegetable oils and acceptable taste would be highly beneficial for the consumers. The objective of this study was to determine the textural qualities of Omani halwa while replacing ghee with healthy vegetable oils. Two vegetable oils (olive and sunflower) halwa (100% replacement for ghee) and ghee halwa (control) were produced at the commercial production facility of Barka Factory for Omani Sweets. The texture parameters of the prepared halwa were analyzed using a texture analyzer. There were no significant differences in cohesiveness, springiness, chewiness and gumminess between olive oil, sunflower oil and ghee halwa samples. The hardness of olive oil halwa was the highest and sunflower oil halwa was the lowest among three tested samples. The adhesiveness of the olive oil halwa was the lowest whereas no significant difference was observed between sunflower oil and ghee halwa samples

Global variation in postoperative mortality and complications after cancer surgery: a multicentre, prospective cohort study in 82 countries

© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licenseBackground: 80% of individuals with cancer will require a surgical procedure, yet little comparative data exist on early outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared postoperative outcomes in breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer surgery in hospitals worldwide, focusing on the effect of disease stage and complications on postoperative mortality. Methods: This was a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for primary breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer requiring a skin incision done under general or neuraxial anaesthesia. The primary outcome was death or major complication within 30 days of surgery. Multilevel logistic regression determined relationships within three-level nested models of patients within hospitals and countries. Hospital-level infrastructure effects were explored with three-way mediation analyses. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03471494. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and Jan 31, 2019, we enrolled 15 958 patients from 428 hospitals in 82 countries (high income 9106 patients, 31 countries; upper-middle income 2721 patients, 23 countries; or lower-middle income 4131 patients, 28 countries). Patients in LMICs presented with more advanced disease compared with patients in high-income countries. 30-day mortality was higher for gastric cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (adjusted odds ratio 3·72, 95% CI 1·70–8·16) and for colorectal cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (4·59, 2·39–8·80) and upper-middle-income countries (2·06, 1·11–3·83). No difference in 30-day mortality was seen in breast cancer. The proportion of patients who died after a major complication was greatest in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (6·15, 3·26–11·59) and upper-middle-income countries (3·89, 2·08–7·29). Postoperative death after complications was partly explained by patient factors (60%) and partly by hospital or country (40%). The absence of consistently available postoperative care facilities was associated with seven to 10 more deaths per 100 major complications in LMICs. Cancer stage alone explained little of the early variation in mortality or postoperative complications. Interpretation: Higher levels of mortality after cancer surgery in LMICs was not fully explained by later presentation of disease. The capacity to rescue patients from surgical complications is a tangible opportunity for meaningful intervention. Early death after cancer surgery might be reduced by policies focusing on strengthening perioperative care systems to detect and intervene in common complications. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licenseBackground: Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide. Methods: A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study—a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3·85 [95% CI 2·58–5·75]; p<0·0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63·0% vs 82·7%; OR 0·35 [0·23–0·53]; p<0·0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer. Interpretation: Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised. Funding: National Institute for Health and Care Research