Comparing the Effects of L1 and L2 Definition on Incidental Vocabulary Learning through Listening to Stories

Vocabulary is an essential component of language proficiency which provides the basis for learners’ performance in other skills. This study investigated the effect of three kinds of definition conditions, that is L1, L2, and L1+L2 on incidental vocabulary knowledge of EFL learners. To this aim, three experimental and one control groups took part in the current study so as to examine the effectiveness of definitions with 96 target words through listening. The participants were 74 fourth-grade high school students. Eight stories with each with 12 target words (total 96 words) were given to the learners. Participants in each group listened to eight short stories under one of the three mentioned conditions for experimental groups, with no definition offered for control group. They all answered vocabulary list, eight immediate post-tests and eight delayed posttests of vocabulary. The data were analyzed using t-tests and one-way ANOVA for both immediate and delayed post-tests. The results indicated that definition groups significantly outperformed the other group in terms of vocabulary acquisition on both immediate and delayed retention of target words. However, the findings showed a significant loss from the immediate to the delayed post-tests. These findings are discussed and implications are offered for foreign language syllabus designers and instructors

Biofilm formation in clinical isolates of nosocomial Acinetobacter baumannii and its relationship with multidrug resistance

AbstractObjectiveTo check biofilm formation by Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) clinical isolates and show their susceptibility to different antibiotics and investigate a possible link between establishment of biofilm and multidrug resistance.MethodsThis study was performed on clinical samples collected from patients with nosocomial infections in three hospitals of Tehran. Samples were initially screened by culture and biochemical tests for the presence of different species of Acinetobacter. Identifications were further confirmed by PCR assays. Their susceptibilities to 11 antibiotics of different classes were determined by disc diffusion method according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. The ability to produce biofilm was investigated using methods: culture on Congo red agar, microtiter plate, and test tube method.ResultsFrom the overall clinical samples, 156 specimens were confirmed to contain A. baumannii. The bacteria were highly resistant to most antibiotics except polymyxin B. Of these isolates, 10.26% were able to produce biofilms as shown on Congo red agar. However, the percentage of bacteria with positive biofilm in test tube, standard microtiter plate, and modified microtiter plate assays were 48.72%, 66.66%, and 73.72%, respectively. At least 92% of the biofilm forming isolates were multidrug resistant.ConclusionsSince most of the multidrug resistant strains produce biofilm, it seems necessary to provide continuous monitoring and determination of antibiotic susceptibility of clinical A. baumannii. This would help to select the most appropriate antibiotic for treatment

Association of Diabetic Retinopathy and Sleep Quality

Sleep disorders are more common in diabetes mellitus (DM) cases rather than normal ones. In addition, this condition could be associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR) development with more inflammatory indices in circulation. In the present study, we have evaluated the association between DR and sleep quality. This cross-sectional study is a part of the second phase of the study of the elderly cohort of Amirkola City, which was conducted in 2015-2016 on all people aged 60 and higher. Of all diabetic cases, 44 cases had retinopathy and were selected as the case group. To compare two control groups, 135 diabetic patients without retinopathy and 135 people without diabetes were randomly selected. The presence and type of retinopathy were determined based on an eye physical examination by an ophthalmologist. In addition, sleep quality was evaluated based on the Pittsburgh Questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed by ANOVA, t-test, and linear regression tests. In the present study, there was a significant difference in the score of the Pittsburgh questionnaire between people with DR (45.5±68.2) compared to diabetic people without retinopathy (76.5±48.2) and people without diabetes (95.4±36.2) (P=0.470), but diabetic people without retinopathy had significantly worse sleep quality than people without diabetes (P=0.019). Also, sleep quality in women with DR was worse than in men (P=014). In the linear regression analysis, it was observed that age, gender, diabetes, and history of depression significantly affect the sleep quality of the evaluated cases (P<0.05 for all). According to the results of the present study, DR does not negatively influence the quality of sleep, and DR is not related to sleep disorders

Age-Specific Distribution of Intraocular Pressure in Elderly Iranian Population and Its Associated Factors

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution of intraocular pressure (IOP) and assess its association with age, sex, systemic blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, body mass index (BMI) and tobacco smoking in Iranian elderly population. Methods: This cohort-based, cross-sectional study assessed elderly individuals aged 60-90 years in Amirkola, northern Iran, in 2016-2017. Past medical history, blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, BMI and tobacco smoking were recorded through an interview and physical examination. IOP was assessed using non-contact tonometry. Results: Total of 1377 individuals participated in this study, out of which 1346 IOP measurements were included for the final analysis. The mean age of participants was 69.4 &#177; 7.1 years and mean IOP was determined to be 16.7 &#177; 3.2 mmHg. Majority of the participants were males (56.1 vs 43.1), 73.8 of participants were overweight or obese, 6.1 smoked tobacco, 28.9 had diabetes mellitus and 84.9 had higher than normal blood pressure. Through multiple regression analysis, it was determined that age (&#946;=-0.132, p&#60;0.001) was negatively associated with IOP, and the presence of diabetes mellitus (&#946;=0.118, p&#60;0.001), systolic blood pressure (&#946;=0.101, p&#60;0.001), and BMI (&#946;=0.020, P=0.020) were positively associated with IOP. Conclusion: Mean IOP of individuals in this study was higher than average based on other studies. Age, was negatively and systemic blood pressure, BMI and presence of diabetes mellitus were positively associated with mean IOP of elderly Iranian population. Sex and tobacco smoking were not correlated with IOP. &#160

The unfinished agenda of communicable diseases among children and adolescents before the COVID-19 pandemic, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

BACKGROUND: Communicable disease control has long been a focus of global health policy. There have been substantial reductions in the burden and mortality of communicable diseases among children younger than 5 years, but we know less about this burden in older children and adolescents, and it is unclear whether current programmes and policies remain aligned with targets for intervention. This knowledge is especially important for policy and programmes in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to use the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019 to systematically characterise the burden of communicable diseases across childhood and adolescence. METHODS: In this systematic analysis of the GBD study from 1990 to 2019, all communicable diseases and their manifestations as modelled within GBD 2019 were included, categorised as 16 subgroups of common diseases or presentations. Data were reported for absolute count, prevalence, and incidence across measures of cause-specific mortality (deaths and years of life lost), disability (years lived with disability [YLDs]), and disease burden (disability-adjusted life-years [DALYs]) for children and adolescents aged 0-24 years. Data were reported across the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and across time (1990-2019), and for 204 countries and territories. For HIV, we reported the mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR) as a measure of health system performance. FINDINGS: In 2019, there were 3·0 million deaths and 30·0 million years of healthy life lost to disability (as measured by YLDs), corresponding to 288·4 million DALYs from communicable diseases among children and adolescents globally (57·3% of total communicable disease burden across all ages). Over time, there has been a shift in communicable disease burden from young children to older children and adolescents (largely driven by the considerable reductions in children younger than 5 years and slower progress elsewhere), although children younger than 5 years still accounted for most of the communicable disease burden in 2019. Disease burden and mortality were predominantly in low-SDI settings, with high and high-middle SDI settings also having an appreciable burden of communicable disease morbidity (4·0 million YLDs in 2019 alone). Three cause groups (enteric infections, lower-respiratory-tract infections, and malaria) accounted for 59·8% of the global communicable disease burden in children and adolescents, with tuberculosis and HIV both emerging as important causes during adolescence. HIV was the only cause for which disease burden increased over time, particularly in children and adolescents older than 5 years, and especially in females. Excess MIRs for HIV were observed for males aged 15-19 years in low-SDI settings. INTERPRETATION: Our analysis supports continued policy focus on enteric infections and lower-respiratory-tract infections, with orientation to children younger than 5 years in settings of low socioeconomic development. However, efforts should also be targeted to other conditions, particularly HIV, given its increased burden in older children and adolescents. Older children and adolescents also experience a large burden of communicable disease, further highlighting the need for efforts to extend beyond the first 5 years of life. Our analysis also identified substantial morbidity caused by communicable diseases affecting child and adolescent health across the world. FUNDING: The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Centre for Research Excellence for Driving Investment in Global Adolescent Health and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4.45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4.01-4.94) deaths and 105 million (95.0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44.4% (41.3-48.4) of all cancer deaths and 42.0% (39.1-45.6) of all DALYs. There were 2.88 million (2.60-3.18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50.6% [47.8-54.1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1.58 million (1.36-1.84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36.3% [32.5-41.3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20.4% (12.6-28.4) and DALYs by 16.8% (8.8-25.0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34.7% [27.9-42.8] and 33.3% [25.8-42.0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Peer reviewe

Study of drug resistance and ompA gene existence in clinical Acinetobacter baumannii isolates

Background and Aim: Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most important multi drug-resistant species associated with nosocomial infections. Several factors involve in resistance to drug and its pathogenicity. Of these factors, OmpA protein plays a crucial role. Therefore, the aim of current research was to assess resistance to drug and also ompA gene existence in A. baumannii isolated from clinical sources. Materials and Methods: Firstly, clinical samples were collected from Imam Khomeini, Milad and Motahari Hospitals during 2015-2016 years and the final confirmation were done by using biochemical methods. Afterwards, susceptibilities to antibiotics of different classes were determined by disc diffusion method and presence of ompA gene was checked by using PCR method and verified by sequencing. Results: The results show that of 650 clinical samples, 156 (24%) of isolates were formed of A. baumannii and mostly showed resistance to different classes of antibiotics. 92.95% of isolates were multi drug resistance (MDR) and finally 86.53% were extremely drug resistance (XDR). All of them contained ompA gene. Conclusions: Existence of multi drug resistance in most isolates as well as presence of ompA in all samples can cause bacterial virulence and drug resistance. It seems essential to provide continuous monitoring and determination of antibiotic susceptibility of clinical A. baumannii, decrease the moral and material damage caused by the bacteria

The Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Body Image Attitudes in Women

Objective: Sociocultural emphasis and increased interest in physical attractiveness and current attitudes body structure have increased body image dissatisfaction among women. The prevalence of body image dissatisfaction is linked with various psychological disorders and disturbances such as low self-esteem, depression and other disorders. The present study investigated the short program aerobic exercise effects on body image among women. Materials & Methods: In this interventional and quasi experimental study, 82 females among 150 women (18-45 years old) referred to Enghelab and Gol sports clubs in Tehran were selected by convenient and simple sampling based on inclusive and exclusive criteria and randomly divided into two intervention and control groups. They did not participate in any exercise in last 3 months and also they did not have any physical disease and meet criteria for deficit of body image attitudes. Data collection was done by using demographic and Multidimensional Body Self-Relation Questionnaire. The intervention group participated in aerobic exercise program. These sessions lasted 3 hours per week for 4 weeks. Data were analyzed by Chi–Square, Paired T and Independent T tests. Results: There were significant differences between two groups after intervention in sub items of body image including: self-appearance evaluation (P<0.001), self-appearance orientation (P<0.001), health orientation (P=0.003), illness orientation (P=0.002), but their fitness evaluation (P=0.141), self-fitness orientation (P=0.888), health evaluation (P=0.072), self-body satisfaction (P=0.082), overweight preoccupations (P=0.167) and self-assesed weight (P=0.156) did not change clearly. Conclusion: Short periods of aerobic exercise can effectively promote body image attitudes among women, and exercise can be used as a method of treatment in occupational therapy of the disorder

The burden of metabolic risk factors in North Africa and the Middle East, 1990–2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease StudyResearch in context

Summary: Background: The objective of this study is to investigate the trends of exposure and burden attributable to the four main metabolic risk factors, including high systolic blood pressure (SBP), high fasting plasma glucose (FPG), high body-mass index (BMI), and high low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL) in North Africa and the Middle East from 1990 to 2019. Methods: The data were retrieved from Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Summary exposure value (SEV) was used for risk factor exposure. Burden attributable to each risk factor was incorporated in the population attributable fraction to estimate the total attributable deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). Findings: While age-standardized death rate (ASDR) attributable to high-LDL and high-SBP decreased by 26.5% (18.6–35.2) and 23.4% (15.9–31.5) over 1990–2019, respectively, high-BMI with 5.1% (−9.0–25.9) and high-FPG with 21.4% (7.0–37.4) change, grew in ASDR. Moreover, age-standardized DALY rate attributed to high-LDL and high-SBP declined by 30.2% (20.9–39.0) and 25.2% (16.8–33.9), respectively. The attributable age-standardized DALY rate of high-BMI with 8.3% (−6.5–28.8) and high-FPG with 27.0% (14.3–40.8) increase, had a growing trend. Age-standardized SEVs of high-FPG, high-BMI, high-SBP, and high-LDL increased by 92.4% (82.8–103.3), 76.0% (58.9–99.3), 10.4% (3.8–18.0), and 5.5% (4.3–7.1), respectively. Interpretation: The burden attributed to high-SBP and high-LDL decreased during the 1990–2019 period in the region, while the attributable burden of high-FPG and high-BMI increased. Alarmingly, exposure to all four risk factors increased in the past three decades. There has been significant heterogeneity among the countries in the region regarding the trends of exposure and attributable burden. Urgent action is required at the individual, community, and national levels in terms of introducing effective strategies for prevention and treatment that account for local and socioeconomic factors. Funding: Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation

Adolescent transport and unintentional injuries: a systematic analysis using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Globally, transport and unintentional injuries persist as leading preventable causes of mortality and morbidity for adolescents. We sought to report comprehensive trends in injury-related mortality and morbidity for adolescents aged 10-24 years during the past three decades. Methods Using the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2019 Study, we analysed mortality and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributed to transport and unintentional injuries for adolescents in 204 countries. Burden is reported in absolute numbers and age-standardised rates per 100 000 population by sex, age group (10-14, 15-19, and 20-24 years), and sociodemographic index (SDI) with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). We report percentage changes in deaths and DALYs between 1990 and 2019. Findings In 2019, 369 061 deaths (of which 214337 [58%] were transport related) and 31.1 million DALYs (of which 16.2 million [52%] were transport related) among adolescents aged 10-24 years were caused by transport and unintentional injuries combined. If compared with other causes, transport and unintentional injuries combined accounted for 25% of deaths and 14% of DALYs in 2019, and showed little improvement from 1990 when such injuries accounted for 26% of adolescent deaths and 17% of adolescent DALYs. Throughout adolescence, transport and unintentional injury fatality rates increased by age group. The unintentional injury burden was higher among males than females for all injury types, except for injuries related to fire, heat, and hot substances, or to adverse effects of medical treatment. From 1990 to 2019, global mortality rates declined by 34.4% (from 17.5 to 11.5 per 100 000) for transport injuries, and by 47.7% (from 15.9 to 8.3 per 100000) for unintentional injuries. However, in low-SDI nations the absolute number of deaths increased (by 80.5% to 42 774 for transport injuries and by 39.4% to 31 961 for unintentional injuries). In the high-SDI quintile in 2010-19, the rate per 100 000 of transport injury DALYs was reduced by 16.7%, from 838 in 2010 to 699 in 2019. This was a substantially slower pace of reduction compared with the 48.5% reduction between 1990 and 2010, from 1626 per 100 000 in 1990 to 838 per 100 000 in 2010. Between 2010 and 2019, the rate of unintentional injury DALYs per 100 000 also remained largely unchanged in high-SDI countries (555 in 2010 vs 554 in 2019; 0.2% reduction). The number and rate of adolescent deaths and DALYs owing to environmental heat and cold exposure increased for the high-SDI quintile during 2010-19. Interpretation As other causes of mortality are addressed, inadequate progress in reducing transport and unintentional injury mortality as a proportion of adolescent deaths becomes apparent. The relative shift in the burden of injury from high-SDI countries to low and low-middle-SDI countries necessitates focused action, including global donor, government, and industry investment in injury prevention. The persisting burden of DALYs related to transport and unintentional injuries indicates a need to prioritise innovative measures for the primary prevention of adolescent injury