In the urban and suburban areas of Lanzhou, a petrochemical industry city located in northwest China, 99 Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) excluding aldehydes and ketones were measured using both PAMS and TO-15 methods between 2021 and 2022. The analysis of the collected data aimed to explore the seasonal trends in air pollution and its correlation with respiratory diseases in Lanzhou. The average annual concentrations of VOCs were found to be 121 ppbv for urban living areas, 165 ppbv for industrial areas, and 114 ppbv for background areas, with industrial areas exhibiting the highest concentration. These VOCs consist of various organic compounds, including alkanes, olefins, halogenated hydrocarbons, and aromatic hydrocarbons, which act as organic tracers of specific marker molecules or their sources. By employing principal component analysis and grouping the species using the maximum variance method, the VOC concentration levels were assessed across different regions. Subsequently, the associated changes were calculated based on the number of reported respiratory morbidity cases from public health hospitals in each region. The results suggest a correlation between VOC concentration levels and the onset of respiratory illnesses during the fall and winter seasons. Therefore, reducing VOC emissions during these months can effectively mitigate the public health risks associated with respiratory illnesses.

Objective: The present study analyzes and compares sexting latent classes researched in 2015 and 2019. \nMethods: In 2015, the research sample consisted of 1,619 Slovak adolescents aged 11 – 18. Then in 2019, 777 Slovak adolescents aged 12 – 18 participated in the research again. \nThe studies were based on the Cyberbullying and Online Aggression questionnaire (Patchin J.W., Hinduja S.). This research instrument examined respondents’ involvement in sexting. Finally, different groups of sexting agents were determined through the Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and the subsequent regression model. \nResults: In 2015, the LCA defined four existing groups of sexting agents – non sexters, receivers, senders and two way sexters. In 2019, on the other hand, the LCA confirmed only three groups of sexting agents – non sexters, receivers and two way sexters. We can also state that sexting activities depend on age. As the adolescents grow older, their involvement in sexting is higher. While boys tend to engage in both – sext receiving and two way sexting, girls are mostly the receivers.

We evaluated the characteristics of three species of enterococci causing invasive infections, namely endocarditis and sepsis. Only the cases of invasive infections caused by enterococci isolated in repeated blood samples, and confirmed by clinical diagnoses of sepsis or endocarditis, were included in this study. Isolates included fourteen Enterococcus faecalis, two Enterococcus faecium and one Enterococcus durans. Overall mortality rate was 35%. All strains were vancomycin-sensitive. None of investigated pathogenicity factor genes (esp, ace, asa 1, gel E, hyl, cyl A and cyl B, efaAFs, efaAFm) could be ascribed to a specific disease. All E. faecalis were biofilm producers, as well as one isolate each of E. faecium and E. durans. Cases of endocarditis (n=7) were caused by 3 species of enterococci and all of them were biofilm producers. Neither gelE, esp, nor any other gene could be connected significantly to biofilm formation (p>0.05). Capability of biofilm production in causative agents of endocarditis confirms the importance of these properties in pathogenesis of this infection. It is likely that various virulence determinants of E. faecalis played redundant roles in biofilm formation, or that other factors influence that process in E. durans.

This study attempts to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among Korean hospital workers and to analyze the relationship of MSD symptoms and workload perceived by workers. This study designed a survey based on Nordic questionnaire to obtain MSD symptoms and the degree of four perceived workloads: work repetition, urgency, physical exertion and satisfaction. In this survey, more than 1,800 workers in a hospital participated. The prevalence of MSD was analyzed for each body part, and MSD cases, which were predetermined in this study, were identified. The relationship between the MSD cases and each perceived workload was analyzed using chi-square test. The pain in the shoulder was the most prevalent among the workers as 52%, and the low back (37%) and leg discomfort (36%) followed. The MSD cases of this study were also the most prevalent in the shoulder (13%). Female workers had higher rate of MSD cases than the males. Among the four workload variables, the physical exertion was the statistically related to MSD cases for all the body parts. In addition, the others also had significant relation to MSD cases except one or two body parts. This study found that Korean hospital workers had MSD symptoms mainly in the shoulder, low back and legs in order, which was different from those in North America or Europe. This study provides another evidence that subjective physical exertion perceived by workers is an important factor to explain MSD cases as same as the objective one.

Unlike English literature, the taxonomy of the romantic heroine in the Braj literature is extended and elaborate. The nomenclature employed for each kind is descriptive, and far beyond the regular, hackneyed girlfriend, lover, beloved, sweetheart and darling type. The English expressions only tell us about romantic or sexual relationship between two lovers-married or unmarried, whereas the courtly Braj poets coined different words for heroine to express their psychological states of mind as well. Since this extended taxonomy follows a pattern that was well-established in the Bhagavata and Gita Govinda, and further mastered and reached to its perfection in the hands of Keshavdas and others, the Braj expressions are not only psychological in nature but they also reflect the religious overtone in its backdrop. The Hindu god and goddess, i.e. Krishna, Radha and Gopis are actually metaphors for lovers and beloved. This paper focuses on the taxonomy of heroine, and analyzes her moods, manipulation, persona and psyche enveloped in the poetry, while employing the textual analysis as a tool for research.

Abstract\n Objective: The present study aimed to examine the process of teaching English as a foreign language to students with special needs (hearing impairment, visual impairment, autism spectrum, intellectual disabilities, specific learning disorder, speech and language impairment, emotional and behavioral disorders, physical and mobility impairment, and multiple disabilities). \nMethod: The present descriptive-analytical study retrieved relevant studies dating from 1964 to 2017 available on Google Scholar, Scientific Information Database, and the Comprehensive Portal of Humanities using the secondary research method. Afterwards, the selected studies were reviewed, analyzed, and categorized. \nResults & Conclusion: There are specific strategies and methods of teaching English as a foreign language to each group of students with special needs. These include the application of the visual approach for teaching vocabulary (for students with hearing impairment); use of print or English Braille (for those with visual impairment); repetition of activities (for those with autism spectrum); application of the communicative approach, lexical approach, and total physical response (for those with intellectual disabilities); use of multisensory and phonics approaches (for those with specific learning disorder); incorporation of speech-language therapy techniques and adaptation of educational content (for those with language and communication difficulties); application of behavioral interventions in the classroom (for those with emotional and behavioral disorders); facilitation of access to educational equipment (for those with physical and mobility impairment); and focus on general communication and adaptive abilities (for those with multiple disabilities). The English teaching program in Iran should be compatible with the abilities of students with special needs. Therefore, it is necessary to modify and localize teaching materials and provide educational supports.

Educators have been always interested in establishment of environments which motivate and stimulate students to engage in their learning process in an active and dynamic manner. Mind mapping is among the teaching and learning strategies emerged in this regard. This study aimed at determining the effects mind mapping technique has on the development of intermediate Iranian EFL learners’ writing organization and style. Accordingly, thirty female intermediate English language learners were selected from a well-known institute in a small city as the participants of the study. They were randomly allocated to a control as well as an experimental group consisting of 15 subjects. The control group was provided with the usual training, while the experimental group was presented with the intervention twice a week during summer of 2018. Pretest and posttest were applied for both groups in this experimental study and the results were then compared. Based on the research findings application of mind mapping in teaching writing could improve the learners’ writing organization. However, it didn’t show any significant effects on their writing style. As the results of the statistical analyses indicated, application of mind mapping in writing classes would help the learners to organize their writings in more effective ways.

The objective of the study is to examine trade unions’ reactions to the non-implementation ofcollective bargaining agreements in the Lagos State public sector.The non-implementation of collective agreements between employers and employees represented by trade unions has been the source of strikes and all forms of industrial conflict in the work place. The study employed the quantitative research method and the survey research design. The reliability of the research instrument using the Cronbach’s Alpha is 0.796. The outcome of the current study revealed that the non-implementation of collective bargaining agreements has implications for trade unions’ reactions. The results of the descriptive data analyses and inferential test using a simple regression analysis revealed that the implementation of collective agreement is not effective in the Lagos State public sector because government reserved the right to amend or jettison collective agreements reached with trade unions. This practice generates dissatisfactions and negative reactions from trade unions in the public sector. In the public sector most wage related conflicts occur because of government’s failure to honour collective agreement. In conclusion, most of the respondents were of the view that government is not always sincere in the implementation of the collective agreements jointly signed or entered into with labour unions. Arising from the findings of the study, it is hereby recommended that to foster cordial labour- management relationship and to promote industrial harmony, governments at all levels should not ignore collective agreements freely entered into with labour unions and should uphold the sanctity of collective agreements if the country is to realise its developmental objectives and to attract foreign direct investments.