Iranian Efl Learners’ Listening Comprehension Of Texts Read By Instructors, Peers And Native Speakers

This study is an attempt to gauge Iranian EFL learners’ listening comprehension of different texts read by Persian and non-Persian speaking EFL learners, Persian speaking English instructors and native English speakers. The globalization of English has witnessed an increase in the number of non-native English speakers born in different countries and those learning English in EFL contexts. These learners often learn English as a foreign language and they will never leave their countries and encounter neither other non-native English speakers nor native ones. This fact highlights the EFL learners’ problem of intelligibility and comprehensibility in other contexts. This study attempts to answer to two questions: (i) While listening to oral readings, do Iranian advanced learners perceive the English of their peers with similar L1 background or/and age to be better than that of their instructors or native English speakers?, and (ii) While listening to oral readings, do Iranian intermediate learners perceive the English of their peers with similar L1 background or/and age to be better than that of their instructors or native English speakers? The data was collected using a quantitative research method with a descriptive design and cross-sectional method. The subject of the study is a group of 64 female Iranian EFL learners (aged 18-24). They are divided into two groups of advanced and intermediate based on a placement test, and then subdivided into four subgroups based on the Latin Square. Two sets of semi direct CD mediated comprehension texts followed by multiple-choice questions were administrated. The data is analyzed using ANOVA. The findings show that for the advanced groups, the difference between aural perceptions is significant and the similarities of L1 and/or age background cause a better result in their listening comprehension tests. On the other hand, although the difference in the scores from the listening comprehension tests is significant for the intermediate groups, the similarities of L1 and/or age background did not cause a better comprehension. The advanced groups perceived their Persian-speaking peers the best, followed by their instructors, non-Persian speaking peers and finally native English speakers. The intermediate group, however, perceived native English speakers the best, followed by their instructors, their Persian-speaking peers and finally non-Persian speaking peers

Relationship among Iranian EFL students’ foreign language anxiety, foreign language listening anxiety and their listening comprehension.

Anxiety is an influential factor in a foreign language learning domain and plays a crucial role in language learners’ performance. The following study was conducted to explore the possible impact of Foreign Language Anxiety and Foreign Language Listening Anxiety on language learners’ listening skill. The researcher was interested to know the correlation that could exist among the three variables: Listening Comprehension, Foreign Language Anxiety and Foreign Language Listening Anxiety. The participants of the study were 210 Iranian EFL students in Iran. The study revealed that there was -.414 correlations between FLLA and listening comprehension and -.214 correlations between FLA and listening comprehension whereas FLA and FLLA enjoyed a .513 correlation. It can be concluded that the relationship between Foreign Language Anxiety and Foreign Language Listening Anxiety of the participants are in accordance with each other. Furthermore the result shows that the impact of FLLA on Iranian students’ listening comprehension skill is significantly more problematic. Therefore it is recommended that FL teachers and learners should be more aware of the hindering effect of FLA and FLLA in particular on the process of teaching and learning the listening comprehension

Conservation agriculture in the dry Mediterranean climate

The objective of this article is to review: (a) the concepts and principles that underpin Conservation Agriculture (CA) ecologically and operationally; (b) the potential benefits that can be harnessed through CA systems in the dry Mediterranean climates; (c) current status of adoption and spread of CA in the dry Mediterranean climate countries; and (d) opportunities for CA in the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region. CA, comprising minimum mechanical soil disturbance and no-tillage seeding, organic mulch cover, and crop diversification is now practised on some 125 million ha, corresponding to about 9% of the global arable cropped land. Globally, the area under CA is spread across all continents and all agro-ecologies, including the dryland climates in the Mediterranean basin region as well as in the Mediterranean climates elsewhere in the world. Worldwide empirical and scientific evidence is available to show that significant productivity, economic, social and environmental benefits exist that can be harnessed through the adoption of CA principles for sustainable production intensification in the dry Mediterranean climates, including those in the CWANA region. The benefits include: fundamental change for the better in the sustainability of production systems and ecosystem services; higher stable yields and incomes; climate change adaptation and reduced vulnerability to the highly erratic rainfall distribution; and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. CA has taken off globally and is now spreading in several Mediterranean climates outside the Mediterranean basin particularly in South America, South Africa and Australia. In the dry Mediterranean climates in the CWANA region, CA is perceived to be a powerful tool of land management but CA has not yet taken off. Research on CA in the CWANA region has shown that there are opportunities for CA adoption in rainfed and irrigated farming systems involving arable and perennial crops as well as livestock

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation : prospects for enhanced application in tropical agriculture

In addition to their Nitrogen (N2)-fixing capacity legumes are extremely important in human and animal diets, significantly improving household health standards. This book is based on the proceedings of the workshop (“International Workshop on Biological Nitrogen Fixation for Increased Crop Productivity, Enhanced Human Health and Sustained Soil Fertility,” 2002, at ENSAM-INRA, Montpellier, France), takes a holistic approach to harnessing legume Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) technologies, starting from a socioeconomic perspective, and progressing to agronomic and genetic options, bringing together innovative aspects and participatory research strategies

Atmospheric CO2 increase benefits symbiotic N2 fixation by legumes under drought

Leguminous plants are considered to have a competitive advantage under global climate change because of increased rates of symbiotic nitrogen (N2) fixation in response to increased atmospheric CO2. However, this hypothetical advantage may not be realized under actual climate change due to the associated increase in frequency and duration of drought, as N2 fixation in legume species such as soybean is sensitive to soil drying. Yet, it has been discovered that N2 fixation in soybean becomes drought-tolerant under increased CO2 concentration. The reduced susceptibility of N2 fixation to drought was associated with an increase in total nonstructural carbohydrates and a decrease in ureides in leaves. These results empirically indicate that legumes will have substantial comparative advantage over cereals under climate change

Concerted changes in N and C primary metabolism in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) under water restriction

Although the mechanisms of nodule N2 fixation in legumes are now well documented, some uncertainty remains on the metabolic consequences of water deficit. In most cases, little consideration is given to other organs and, therefore, the coordinated changes in metabolism in leaves, roots, and nodules are not well known. Here, the effect of water restriction on exclusively N2-fixing alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants was investigated, and proteomic, metabolomic, and physiological analyses were carried out. It is shown that the inhibition of nitrogenase activity caused by water restriction was accompanied by concerted alterations in metabolic pathways in nodules, leaves, and roots. The data suggest that nodule metabolism and metabolic exchange between plant organs nearly reached homeostasis in asparagine synthesis and partitioning, as well as the N demand from leaves. Typically, there was (i) a stimulation of the anaplerotic pathway to sustain the provision of C skeletons for amino acid (e.g. glutamate and proline) synthesis; (ii) re-allocation of glycolytic products to alanine and serine/glycine; and (iii) subtle changes in redox metabolites suggesting the implication of a slight oxidative stress. Furthermore, water restriction caused little change in both photosynthetic efficiency and respiratory cost of N2 fixation by nodules. In other words, the results suggest that under water stress, nodule metabolism follows a compromise between physiological imperatives (N demand, oxidative stress) and the lower input to sustain catabolism

Facteurs prédictifs en anténatal et en per-partum d’acidose néonatale sévère en cas de grossesse prolongée

Prolongation of pregnancy, even with low-risk patients, is an obstetric situation that presents a significant risk of morbidity and mortality, not only mother, but above all fetal and neonatal, especially in occurred case of severe acidosis. Objective: To identify ante and intrapartum risk factors that contribute to the onset of severe neonatal acidosis if pregnancies are at term. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study single centered case-control in a maternity type 3 (Port Royal) between January 2006 and October 2015 for patients who delivered at 41 weeks and beyond a newborn with pH arterial = 7 the cord (cases). RESULTS: advanced maternal age (> 35 years), a history of perinatal death, uterine scar, the occurrence of hypotension during labor, abnormal fetal heart tracing or meconium amniotic fluid during labor or expulsion, a pH value in low scalp, and finally delivery by caesarean or instrumental VB emergency, are risk factors associated with the occurrence of severe neonatal acidosis if prolonged pregnancies. Conclusion: The existence of these risk factors encourages attention during labor. The prevention of severe acidosis is based on better training in the interpretation of the RCF, the integration of the entire obstetrical context and assistance to decision making during labor.La prolongation de la grossesse, chez même des patientes à bas-risque, est une situation obstétricale qui présente un risque important de morbi-mortalité, non seulement maternelle, mais aussi et surtout fœtale et néonatale, notamment en cas de survenue d’acidose sévère. Objectif : identifier les facteurs de risque en ante et per-partum favorisant l’apparition de l’acidose néonatale sévère en cas de grossesses prolongées. Matériels et méthodes : nous avons réalisé une étude rétrospective monocentrique cas-témoins à une maternité type 3 (Port Royal) entre janvier 2006 et octobre 2015 chez les patientes qui ont accouché à 41 SA et au-delà, d’un nouveau-né avec pH artériel au cordon = 7 (cas). Résultats : Un âge maternel avancé (> 35 ans), un antécédent de décès périnatal, d’utérus cicatriciel, la survenue d’hypotension pendant le travail, de tracé cardiaque fœtal anormal ou de liquide amniotique méconial pendant le travail ou à l’expulsion, une valeur de pH au scalp basse, et enfin un accouchement par VB instrumentale ou par césarienne en urgence, sont des facteurs de risque associés à la survenue d’acidose néonatale sévère en cas de grossesses prolongée. Conclusion : L’existence de ces facteurs de risque incite à une attention particulière au cours du travail. La prévention des acidoses sévères se base sur une meilleure formation à l’interprétation du RCF, par l’intégration de l’ensemble du contexte obstétrical et par une aide à la prise de décisions au cours du travail

Primary Mediastinal Liposarcoma

Liposarcomas (LPS) are uncommon and present diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging allow for a diagnostic orientation, allowing differentiated from other more common tumors of the anterior mediastinum. Surgery is the treatment of choice and has the advantage of being curative. We report a case of well-differentiated liposarcoma of the anterior mediastinum.Key Words: Liposarcoma, Mediastinum, Surger

Pulmonary Lymphangiomyomatosis in Bourneville’s Tuberous Sclerosis: Case Report

Lymphangiomyomatosisis a rare disease characterized by a proliferation of abnormal smooth muscle cells responsible for infiltration with the destruction of tissue architecture and genesis of cystic lung and lymphatic lesions. In addition to lung damage, Bourneville’s tuberous sclerosis (BTS) also affects the skin, brain, retina, kidneys, and, less frequently, the heart and bone. We report the case of a young patient with bilateral pneumothorax revealing pulmonary lymphangiomyomatosis in the context of Bourneville’stuberoussclerosis BTS