The communicative needs of Bangladeshi economic migrants: The functional values of host country languages versus English as a lingua franca

This article investigates the language skills and the nature of language provision required by economic migrants from Bangladesh working in the Middle East. It focuses in particular on the perceived values of the host country language (Arabic) versus English as a language franca (ELF). While there have been a number of explorations of the value of learning the host country language for migrants in terms of both labour market outcomes and wellbeing, there is a paucity of, and pressing need for, studies investigating the value of ELF for economic migrants, particularly those from developing country contexts. This article presents the findings from an ethnographic study which explores the experiences, perceptions and specific language-related issues of a diverse cohort of returnee migrants from rural Bangladesh where, despite significant migration from the area, little is known about this population’s language use and communicative needs. Our findings suggest that both the host country language (Arabic) and ELF have important functional values, but that these vary depending on interlocutors, domains of work and contexts of situation, as well as on the relative statuses (within an ecology of global linguistic value) of the two languages in different contexts. The analysis thus provides fresh and significant evidence regarding the role of language in economic migration and development for low-skilled migrants, both to and from contexts in which English has no official status. The article concludes by considering the implications for the types of language education which might be most suitable for these and other economic migrants in comparable contexts

English for economic development: a case study of migrant workers from Bangladesh

This report investigates the relationship between English language learning and economic development among workers from rural Bangladesh who emigrated to the Middle East in search of employment. It provides first-hand accounts of language and other needs of those living and working in contexts of this sort, and provides valuable insights which can feed into the design and implementation of English language education policies and programmes

Analysing perceptions of English in rural Bangladesh

Drawing on research analysing perceptions of English in rural Bangladesh, the paper explores the ideological and practical issues involved in the promotion of English in this context, with respect to the language's former and current associations with colonial and imperialist agendas, and the politico-cultural situation of present-day Bangladeshi society. The analysis – which is underpinned by a blending of world Englishes and postcolonial theory – reveals how dominant discourses of English as a language of global opportunity persist in these rural communities, despite the limited opportunities for using the language or developing proficiency in it. By representing these ‘subaltern’ views on English in what is an under-researched context, the paper offers critical insights into the impact of English-language education on rural Bangladeshis’ social prospects, communities and cultural identities

Daratumumab and venetoclax in combination with chemotherapy provide sustained molecular remission in relapsed/refractory CD19, CD20, and CD22 negative acute B lymphoblastic leukemia with KMT2A-AFF1 transcript.

Relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) has a very poor prognosis with a median overall survival of four to nine months. Achieving a complete molecular response is most often required to obtain a sustained leukemia-free survival after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Immunotherapies targeting CD19, CD20, or CD22 are very efficient in achieving this goal. However, in the absence of the expression of these immunotherapeutic targets by lymphoblasts, treatment options are extremely scarce. We report the successful treatment of a 26-year-old man who suffered R/R, CD19, CD20, and CD22 negative B-ALL targeting Bcl-2 and CD38 by combining venetoclax and daratumumab with chemotherapy

Reviewing the Carbonation Resistance of Concrete

The paper reviews the studies on one of the important durability properties of concrete i.e. Carbonation. One of the main causes of deterioration of concrete is carbonation, which occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) penetrates the concrete’s porous system to create an environment with lower pH around the reinforcement in which corrosion can proceed. Carbonation is a major cause of degradation of concrete structures leading to expensive maintenance and conservation operations. Herein, the importance, process and effect of various parameters such as water/cement ratio, water/binder ratio, curing conditions, concrete cover, super plasticizers, type of aggregates, grade of concrete, porosity, contaminants, compaction, gas permeability, supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs)/ admixtures on the carbonation of concrete has been reviewed. Various methods for estimating the carbonation depth are also reported briefl

A Distinct Pathway Remodels Mitochondrial Cristae and Mobilizes Cytochrome c during Apoptosis

AbstractThe mechanism during apoptosis by which cytochrome c is rapidly and completely released in the absence of mitochondrial swelling is uncertain. Here, we show that two distinct pathways are involved. One mediates release of cytochrome c across the outer mitochondrial membrane, and another, characterized in this study, is responsible for the redistribution of cytochrome c stored in intramitochondrial cristae. We have found that the “BH3-only” molecule tBID induces a striking remodeling of mitochondrial structure with mobilization of the cytochrome c stores (∼85%) in cristae. This reorganization does not require tBID's BH3 domain and is independent of BAK, but is inhibited by CsA. During this process, individual cristae become fused and the junctions between the cristae and the intermembrane space are opened

Analysis of the NGXO Telescope X-Ray Hartmann Data

Next Generation X-Ray Optics (NGXO) team at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has been developing a new silicon-based grazing incidence mirror technology for future high resolution x-ray astronomical missions. Recently, the GSFC team completed the construction of first few mirror modules that contain one pair of mirrors. One of the mirror pairs was tested in GSFC 600-m long beamline facility and Panter (Neuried, Germay) 120-m long x-ray beamline facility. Both full aperture x-ray tests, Hartmann tests, and focal plane sweeps were completed. In this paper we present the data analysis process and compare the results from our models to measured x-ray centroid data, x-ray performance data, and out of focus images of the mirror pair

The regulation of miRNAs by reconstituted high-density lipoproteins in diabetes-impaired angiogenesis

Diabetic vascular complications are associated with impaired ischaemia-driven angiogenesis. We recently found that reconstituted high-density lipoproteins (rHDL) rescue diabetes-impaired angiogenesis. microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate angiogenesis and are transported within HDL to sites of injury/repair. The role of miRNAs in the rescue of diabetes-impaired angiogenesis by rHDL is unknown. Using a miRNA array, we found that rHDL inhibits hsa-miR-181c-5p expression in vitro and using a hsa-miR-181c-5p mimic and antimiR identify a novel anti-angiogenic role for miR-181c-5p. miRNA expression was tracked over time post-hindlimb ischaemic induction in diabetic mice. Early post-ischaemia when angiogenesis is important, rHDL suppressed hindlimb mmu-miR-181c-5p. mmu-miR-181c-5p was not detected in the plasma or within HDL, suggesting rHDL specifically targets mmu-miR-181c-5p at the ischaemic site. Three known angiogenic miRNAs (mmu-miR-223-3p, mmu-miR-27b-3p, mmu-miR-92a-3p) were elevated in the HDL fraction of diabetic rHDL-infused mice early post-ischaemia. This was accompanied by a decrease in plasma levels. Only mmu-miR-223-3p levels were elevated in the hindlimb 3 days post-ischaemia, indicating that rHDL regulates mmu-miR-223-3p in a time-dependent and site-specific manner. The early regulation of miRNAs, particularly miR-181c-5p, may underpin the rescue of diabetes-impaired angiogenesis by rHDL and has implications for the treatment of diabetes-related vascular complications

Warming and elevated CO2 promote rapid incorporation and degradation of plant-derived organic matter in an ombrotrophic peatland

Rising temperatures have the potential to directly affect carbon cycling in peatlands by enhancing organic matter (OM) decomposition, contributing to the release of CO2 and CH4 to the atmosphere. In turn, increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration may stimulate photosynthesis, potentially increasing plant litter inputs belowground and transferring carbon from the atmosphere into terrestrial ecosystems. Key questions remain about the magnitude and rate of these interacting and opposing environmental change drivers. Here, we assess the incorporation and degradation of plant- and microbe-derived OM in an ombrotrophic peatland after 4 years of whole-ecosystem warming (+0, +2.25, +4.5, +6.75 and +9°C) and two years of elevated CO2 manipulation (500 ppm above ambient). We show that OM molecular composition was substantially altered in the aerobic acrotelm, highlighting the sensitivity of acrotelm carbon to rising temperatures and atmospheric CO2 concentration. While warming accelerated OM decomposition under ambient CO2, new carbon incorporation into peat increased in warming × elevated CO2 treatments for both plant- and microbe-derived OM. Using the isotopic signature of the applied CO2 enrichment as a label for recently photosynthesized OM, our data demonstrate that new plant inputs have been rapidly incorporated into peat carbon. Our results suggest that under current hydrological conditions, rising temperatures and atmospheric CO2 levels will likely offset each other in boreal peatlands