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This study examines the interplay between academic anxiety, emotional intelligence management, and academic resilience in Chinese international postgraduate students in Thailand. Using a correlational design and a sample of 353 valid participants, the study employed the Weighted Emotional Intelligence Scale (WEIS), Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS), and Academic Resilience Scale-30 (ARS). Contrary to expectations, the analysis revealed no significant differences in academic anxiety, emotional intelligence management, or academic resilience across demographic cohorts (gender, academic major, and occupation). Weak and non-significant correlations were also observed between academic anxiety, emotional intelligence management, and academic resilience. These findings challenge assumptions about demographic influences on these constructs and suggest a broader challenge for international students. Despite the prevalence of academic anxiety and deficiencies in emotional intelligence management and resilience, these constructs were not influenced by demographic factors. The study highlights the importance of holistic educational approaches that prioritize cultural and contextual factors and underscores the need for further research to unravel the complex dynamics of academic anxiety, emotional intelligence, and resilience.

The perennial challenge of reading fluency, notably profound among Asian EFL learners, stems largely from linguistic disparities, conventional teaching paradigms, and ingrained cognitive practices. This study critically investigates the challenges Chinese undergraduates face with English reading fluency, notably due to linguistic disparities and historically rooted teaching methodologies. Leveraging the Read-Aloud Instructional Strategy (RAIS), this quasi-experimental study sampled 73 students from a private university in Thailand. Baseline assessments depicted similar fluency levels across groups. Post-intervention, the instructor-centered approach demonstrated profound efficacy, with the mean fluency score soaring to 4.35, compared to the student-centered mean of 2.69 and the near-static comparison group at 2.04. Additionally, confidence metrics evinced a remarkable ascent to 3.46 for the instructor-led group, a notable rise to 2.19 for the student-centered cohort, juxtaposed against the comparison group's minimal shift to 1.71. Furthermore, the instructor-centered method substantially ameliorated reading anxiety (d=1.378) and showcased stronger, albeit weak to moderate, post-intervention correlations between fluency, confidence, and anxiety. This comprehensive study underscores the transformative potential of RAIS, particularly the instructor-centered paradigm, in concurrently augmenting reading fluency, confidence, and reducing anxiety among Chinese EFL undergraduates. The implications herein suggest the exigency of reassessing prevalent pedagogical methodologies in Asian EFL environments.

Within the sphere of educational psychology, the impact of perfectionism on academic anxiety and flexibility has been closely examined, especially in the context of Chinese postgraduates. The current study analyzed these phenomena within a cohort of 218 postgraduates from a private international Chinese college in Thailand, reflecting an amalgam of Eastern academic culture and postgraduate educational expectations. Results indicated a notable degree of academic anxiety (X=3.70, SD=0.75), alongside moderate levels of flexibility (X=2.94, SD=0.84) and perfectionist behavior (X=3.23, SD=1.01). Disaggregating data by educational level, Masters students presented with moderate anxiety (X=3.38, SD=0.87), low flexibility (X=2.53, SD=0.74), and low perfectionism (X=2.74, SD=0.66), whereas Ph.D. students exhibited significantly higher anxiety and perfectionism (X=4.51 and X=4.48, SD=0.84 respectively), yet demonstrated greater flexibility (X=3.99, SD=0.71). Gender and profession proved to be insubstantial factors in influencing these constructs. Contrastingly, educational level was a potent differentiator, with significant disparities evident. The interrelations highlighted a negative correlation between academic anxiety and flexibility (r=-0.121), but a positive correlation between academic anxiety and perfectionist tendencies (r=0.424). Flexibility and perfectionist behavior were also positively correlated (r=0.153). To mitigate the adverse impacts of perfectionism, the study advocates for cognitive-behavioral interventions to reshape perfectionist thought patterns and bolster adaptive coping strategies. It encourages cultivating an educational ethos that emphasizes learning and psychological welfare over impeccable achievement and suggests normalizing mental health discourse within academic environments to alleviate the stigma surrounding perfectionism and anxiety.

Needs analysis guides course and curriculum design. In addition to mandatory courses, it is necessary for intensive language schools and institutes. Recent university graduates in China are increasingly enrolling in language training at public and private language schools to hone their communication abilities. On the other hand, English courses as the workplace prerequisites for Chinese university graduates have been scientifically researched and found to be exceedingly rare. The research's fundamental premise serves that there is a substantial link between the demands of Chinese recent graduates and university English course design. The aim of this research is to assess the goals, needs, and perceived utility of university English courses among recent on-the-job Chinese graduates over an eight-month period. After evaluating the questionnaire and interview replies, it was concluded that these Chinese young graduates in China had similar learning demands, with listening and speaking skills taking primacy. Additionally, various characteristics were discovered that show why an English course designed for future workplace purposes is advantageous to university students. The results are examined in terms of their pedagogical importance for curriculum creation and classroom practice in English courses at the university.

Objective. The rise of zoonotic diseases has become a global health issue around the world. The present study is aimed at assessing the global status and the trends in scrub typhus (ST) research. Methods. Publications related to ST studies from 1945 to 21st July 2020 were retrieved from the Scopus database. The search for the ST literature was conducted using the entry terms of the MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) database. Full research articles and reviews were included in the analysis, and no limitation to the language was specified. Key bibliometric indicator analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel, Bibliometrix (an R package), GraphPad Prism 5, and VOSviewer (version 1.6.6). Results. A total of 1567 publications were retrieved. The results revealed a significant increase in the number of ST publications over time. The documents received an average of 11.22 citations per document. Mahidol University in Thailand (258, 16.46%) was the most productive institution, while the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene published the most ST articles (88, 5.62%). Korea (195, 12.44%) was the most productive country, followed by India (178, 11.36%) and China (106, 6.76%). Richards AL was the most productive author with 36 articles. Conclusions. The study findings provide useful insights into the global efforts and works related to the progress of ST research, which can be used to identify future research areas, such as vaccine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Afatinib-an oral irreversible ErbB family blocker-improves progression-free survival compared with pemetrexed and cisplatin for first-line treatment of patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We compared afatinib with gemcitabine and cisplatin-a chemotherapy regimen widely used in Asia-for first-line treatment of Asian patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC., Methods: This open-label, randomised phase 3 trial was done at 36 centres in China, Thailand, and South Korea. After central testing for EGFR mutations, treatment-naive patients (stage IIIB or IV cancer [American Joint Committee on Cancer version 6], performance status 0-1) were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive either oral afatinib (40 mg per day) or intravenous gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) on day 1 and day 8 plus cisplatin 75 mg/m(2) on day 1 of a 3-week schedule for up to six cycles. Randomisation was done centrally with a random number-generating system and an interactive internet and voice-response system. Randomisation was stratified by EGFR mutation (Leu858Arg, exon 19 deletions, or other; block size three). Clinicians and patients were not masked to treatment assignment, but the independent central imaging review group were. Treatment continued until disease progression, intolerable toxic effects, or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival assessed by independent central review (intention-to-treat population). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01121393., Findings: 910 patients were screened and 364 were randomly assigned (242 to afatinib, 122 to gemcitabine and cisplatin). Median progression-free survival was significantly longer in the afatinib group (11·0 months, 95% CI 9·7-13·7) than in the gemcitabine and cisplatin group (5·6 months, 5·1-6·7; hazard ratio 0·28, 95% CI 0·20-0·39; p<0·0001). The most common treatment-related grade 3 or 4 adverse events in the afatinib group were rash or acne (35 [14·6%] of 239 patients), diarrhoea (13 [5·4%]), and stomatitis or mucositis (13 [5·4%]), compared with neutropenia (30 [26·5%] of 113 patients), vomiting (22 [19·5%]), and leucopenia (17 [15·0%]) in the gemcitabine and cisplatin group. Treatment-related serious adverse events occurred in 15 (6·3%) patients in the afatinib group and nine (8·0%) patients in the gemcitabine and cisplatin group., Interpretation: First-line afatinib significantly improves progression-free survival with a tolerable and manageable safety profile in Asian patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced lung NSCLC. Afatinib should be considered as a first-line treatment option for this patient population., Funding: Boehringer Ingelheim., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)