Arab EFL Learners' Acquisition of Modals

This paper investigates Arab EFL learners' acquisition of modal verbs. The study used a questionnaire, which comprises two versions, testing students' mastery of modals at the levels of both recognition and production. The questionnaire was distributed to 50 English major university students who had studied English for 12-14 years and who had scored 500 or more on the TOEFL. The findings of the study show that the overall performance of the subjects in the study was quite low. The study established a hierarchy of difficulty and identified the major causes of difficulty in the use of modals

SAT-512 Severe Hypocalcemia Presenting as Status Epilepticus after Denosumab Use in Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Introduction: Denosumab decreases the incidence of skeletal-related events in patients with metastatic bone disease and is used routinely as part of the therapeutic strategy for various cancers. However, it is associated with a high risk of hypocalcemia with incidence of high-grade hypocalcemia (defined as total calcium < 7mg/dl) as high as 5.1% in patients with castrate-resistant prostate cancer. We present a case of severe hypocalcemia presenting with status epilepticus 32 days after administration of denosumab. Case: A 83 year old African American man presented to the emergency room with status epilepticus. Initial labs revealed a critically low calcium (Ca) of <5mg/dl (8.5-10.1) with albumin 2.2 g/dl (3.4-5.0), ionized calcium 1.09 mg/dl (4.6-5.1) and creatinine (Cr) 3.68 mg/dl (0.67-1.17). QTC was prolonged at 544ms (<400ms). He was intubated for airway protection and a continuous infusion of intravenous calcium gluconate was initiated. Three months prior, he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer with diffuse osteoblastic metastases to his ribs, cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral vertebrae, right humerus and bilateral iliac bones. He received a first dose of conventional chemotherapy and 120mg denosumab subcutaneously 32 days prior to hospital admission. Lab investigations then were pertinent for Ca of 9 mg/dl, Cr 1.46 mg/dl, and alkaline phosphatase 362 Units/L (25-125). A 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-D) was not checked. Further evaluation demonstrated intact parathyroid hormone 677.2 pg/ml (18.4-80.1), alkaline phosphatase 397 Units/L, phosphorus 3.6 mg/dl (2.5-4.9) and 25-D 18 ng/ml (30-100). He was also found to have metastatic obstruction of both ureters which had resulted in acute kidney injury. He was slowly weaned off the intravenous calcium and started on calcitriol 2mcg twice daily, 4 gram elemental calcium daily via feeding tube and cholecalciferol 6000 units daily. Calcium levels remained stable at 8.0-8.5mg/dl on this regimen. Given the extensive metastatic disease, the patient’s family elected to pursue hospice care, and he passed away 9 days later. Conclusion: Patients with osteoblastic metastases and renal impairment are at particularly increased risk of hypocalcemia after denosumab, which can be potentially life-threatening. Physicians caring for patients with metastatic prostate cancer should ensure that vitamin D levels are replete and calcium levels are normal prior to administration of denosumab, monitor calcium levels closely, and counsel them about the signs and symptoms of hypocalcemia to allow prompt diagnosis and treatment

Some pragmatic considerations in the choice between this or that in English narrative discourse

This study attempts to explore the principles that govern the choice of demonstratives (proximal vs. distal) in English narrative discourse and the pragmatic effects that such choices create in discourse. To do this, the author analyzed the occurrences of demonstratives in two highly dialogue- type novels. Findings of the analysis revealed two major principles that tend to determine the type of demonstrative to use in a certain context, namely the contextual environment in which the demonstrative occurs and the subjective attitude of the speaker/writer. The study highlights the communicative purposes that demonstratives can convey under each of these two major conditions

Arab EFL learners’ acquisition of verbs of senses

This study attempts to explore the difficulties that Arab EFL learners of English encounter in the use of five verbs of senses when used as copulas, main verbs, main verbs with a metaphorical use, and as parts of idioms. A questionnaire consisting of three parts was specially designed to elicit the necessary data for this study at the levels of recognition and production. The subjects of the study were 30 randomly selected senior English major university students. The results of the study show that the students encountered tangible difficulties in using the five target verbs. A hierarchy of difficulty was established and the main causes of the problem were identified

Some contextual considerations in the use of synonymous verbs: The case of steal, rob, and burglarize

This paper explores the use of the synonymous verbs burglarize, rob and steal in various authentic contexts in an attempt to identify the semantic and syntactic constraints that differentiate them from one another. The study, drawing data from newspaper articles, books, spontaneous speech as well as the BNC and concordance systems, shows that each of these words possesses semantic and syntactic features that distinguish it form the other two. The study also shows how contextual factors determine the choice of one verb rather than the other. After presenting many illustrative examples that reveal the peculiar nature of each verb, the paper attempts a componential analysis of these three synonymous items that further illustrates the uniqueness of each one of them

Contributions of al-Razi on alchemy in terms of metal and substance

Ancient Greek philosophers make a great contribution to the history of chemistry and the knowledge has been passed into the domain of the Islamic scholars. During that time, the Greeks did not yet make any distinction between alchemy and any ofthe other natural sciences, instead merging it together with their philosophical and religious beliefs. Nevertheless, the basic knowledge of chemistry which surface by Aristotle (the four elements theory) is preserved by the Islamic scholar and also added their own observation to it. The Islamic scholars optimistically refined Ancient Greek alchemy and the foundation of the first separation of chemistry as a separate disciple. Their alchemy is based on Aristotelian idea of four elements and endeavor to integrate them with their beliefs in Allah and their studies into psychology, medicine and physic

Modelling the Ghanaian Inflation Rates Using Interrupted Time Series Analysis Approach

The article considers the application of interrupted time series analysis to model yearly inflation rates in Ghana from 1996 to 2006. This article, therefore, explored the effectiveness of the economic policy intervention in the year 2001 on the inflation rate time series for the period 2001 to 2006 using the interrupted time series experiment. We also sort to use this model to make forecasts of future values. To achieve this objective, yearly inflation rates for the period were obtained from Bank of Ghana (BoG). The Box-Jenkins Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) method with interruption was employed in analyzing the data using Statistical Product for Service Solution (SPSS) version 20. It was found that the rate of inflation in Ghana can be fitted with an autoregressive model of order one, i.e. AR (1) model. From the results of the tests of the difference between the means before and after intervention, as well as the interrupted time series experiment, indicated that the intervention successfully reduced the rate of inflation in the Ghana’s economy. Keywords: Inflation, Interrupted Time Series, Box-Jenkins Method

Factors Affecting Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of COVID-19: A Study Among Undergraduate University Students in Bangladesh

The global expansion of the COVID-19 outbreak is one of the worst disasters the world has faced in recent decades. This study explored various factors of knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding COVID-19 among Bangladeshi undergraduate university students. In addition, we also look at how COVID-19 based knowledge, attitude, and practice influence each other. Using a random sampling technique and a self-administered structured questionnaire survey, this study collected data from 167 private university students in Bangladesh from 1st October to 30th October 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (including frequencies, percentages, and means), binary logistic regression, bivariate regression analysis, and factor analysis. The findings suggest that most of the students learned about COVID-19 from various sources, including news media (TV, radio, newspapers, etc.), international organizations (WHO, UN, etc.), various government programs, or from their friends, family members, or neighbors. Most of the students were concerned about becoming sick, keeping social distance, and family members’ job insecurity, followed by the university shutdown and the subsequent quarantine. Many students believe Bangladesh’s media, government, medical sector, and religious organizations played a significant role during COVID-19. Binary logistic regression demonstrates that students’ gender, department, and residency significantly explained their COVID-19 knowledge. In addition, students’ attitudes significantly vary with their religion and place of residence. Students’ departments and semesters found significant in explaining their practice regarding COVID-19. Moreover, factor analysis results also identified several crucial factors in explaining students’ overall knowledge, attitude, and practice of COVID-19. Finally, we found a statistically significant relationship between knowledge, attitude, and practice

The Dynamics of Fiscal Federalism in India and the Global Financial crises

India's fiscal federalism, though asymmetric in nature has so far worked well to keep the federation going. The asymmetry is both vertical as well as horizontal. Former is in terms of the disproportionate allocations of revenue sources and the responsibilities to be discharged to the Central and State governments and the latter, in terms of fiscal capacity of the States themselves. In order to make up for the inadequacy of revenue there is well elaborate mechanism of fiscal transfers from Centre to States. The channels of these transfers are statutory as well as non-statutory. This creates a problem that while States might be getting resources but are deprived of the fiscal instruments to pursue public policies. But the division of fiscal function is well in tune with the principles suggested by Musgrave in late fifties according to which 'economic stabilization' and 'distribution' to be assigned to Centre government while 'allocation' to the States. On and off there have been the conflicts but political economic factors always played a role in their resolutions. Problem gets compounded by the fact that since monetary initiatives are with the Centre it can - in fact it does - use them to counter balance any fiscal profligacy committed on account of political expediency (fiscal measures are politically more sensitive). There is empirical evidence that fiscal transfers could not succeed in bringing about revenue equalization or augmenting the fiscal capacity of States while there have been instances of Centre transgressing into the fiscal space of the States. Responding to the global financial crises and resultant economic slow down Centre came out with stimulus packages by putting a pause on the requirements of Fiscal Responsibility Act. While States were also permitted to defer the same to meet the challenges only a handful of States could come out with any package. Proposed study seeks to analyze the dynamics of federalism during the recent crises

Neoclassical Versus Keynesian Approach to Public Policy – The Need for Synthesis

The global economic recession following the financial crises once again revived the debate over the efficacy of Keynesian solution to deal with the crises. Most of the country went in to offer bailout packages from the public budget which could be the reminiscent of such policies adopted earlier – New Deal of President Roosevelt of US is case in point. Keynes was the first person to provide theoretical justification for the deficits in public budget to raise the aggregate spending level in the economy which, in turn, would raise the employment level. Keynesian advocacy would have remained unheeded had the crises of 1930s not occurred. The crises offered the opportunity to put the Keynesian solution to test. The approached worked. But by the end of the decade of 70s this approach was abandoned and neoclassicism not only resurfaced but became the bases for the policy not only for nations but for multilateral financial institutions as well. It was the crises again which brought back the Keynesian wisdom to relevance. The present paper assesses the two approaches in the historical context to find if synthesis between neoclassical and Keynesian approach is possible to make the public policy more effective