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Intercultural communication research has highlighted the significance of intercultural communication apprehension/anxiety measurement and instrument development in diverse sociocultural contexts. This study embarked on developing and validating a scale, the Perceived Intercultural Communication Anxiety/Apprehension Scale (PICAS) in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context. By drawing upon the review of the literature and expert judgment, a Likert scale with 52 items was developed for assessing the construct of intercultural communication anxiety/apprehension, which was subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with 760 Iranian EFL learners. The ultimate results of exploratory factor analysis evidenced 17 items with a stable five-factor solution, comprising L2 proficiency, prejudice and stereotypes, significant others' attitudes, status, and context familiarity factors. The subsequent CFA confirmed the five-factor model. The five-factor PICAS was found to be psychometrically reliable and valid. Potential applications, future directions, and limitations are finally addressed.

This study investigates the effect of interactive games on improving reading comprehension skills and attitudes toward games among Iranian learners of English as a foreign language. In this quantitative study, the participants in the control group received reading comprehension instruction through traditional models of teaching reading while the participants in the experimental group developed their reading skills through participating in interactive games. A reading comprehension test was administered as a posttest. The mean performance of the two groups was compared by performing an independent-samples t-test and a paired-samples t-test. The analysis revealed that participants in the experimental group (N = 30, M = 26.33, SD = 2.80) significantly outperformed those in the control group (N = 30, M = 16.80, SD = 3.71) in the posttest. Moreover, an examination of the participants' perceptions showed they have a positive attitude toward games. The findings of this study suggest that interactive games are powerful tools for improving student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes in the classroom. The study also provides some practical suggestions for further research.

Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus, particularly Type 2 diabetes (T2D), represents a significant global health challenge, with its prevalence steadily rising over the past few decades. This study was conducted with the aim of estimating the economic burden of T2D in Iran. Methods This study employed a prevalence-based approach to estimate the economic burden of T2D and its attributable complications in adults above 20 years old in Iran for 2022. Both direct medical costs and indirect costs were considered in our analysis. Direct medical costs included inpatient and outpatient costs attributable to T2D and its complications, while indirect costs encompassed absenteeism, presenteeism, inability to work, and premature mortality costs due to the disease. Results The findings showed that a total of 5,702,547 people, equivalent to 14.2% of Iranian adults, had T2D. The estimated total direct medical cost of T2D and its attributable complications in Iran in 2022 was 1,879.2 million US dollars (US$-PPP 6,676.9 million). Chronic kidney disease accounted for the largest proportion, followed by ischemic heart disease (IHD), and T2D itself. The total economic burden of T2D and its attributable complications in Iran in 2022, was estimated to be $2,905.7 million US dollars (US$-PPP 10,324.2 million). The direct medical cost constituted the majority of the economic burden (64.7%), while the inability to work due to these health conditions also contributes significantly (28.6%). Absenteeism (2.9%), presenteeism (1.7%), and premature mortality (2.2%) make up smaller proportions of the overall economic impact of T2D and its complications in Iran during that year. Conclusion Our study highlights the significant and diverse economic impact of T2D and its complications in Iran. This burden encompasses not only healthcare-related expenses but also negative impacts on society and productivity, as well as the occurrence of early death. To successfully address this burden, a comprehensive strategy is needed, which includes programs to prevent diabetes, better access to healthcare services, and increased social support for individuals with this long-term condition.

This paper pilots a method of testing the learning effects of a role-playing simulation of negotiations over the Nile basin. Players negotiate how to apply general principles from international law, such as sharing water equitably and avoiding significant harm, to specific circumstances of the river basin. Students are presented with a set of factual statements about the basin and surveyed before and after play as to which facts will be (were) most important in negotiations. Surveys of 75 participating graduate students show interesting patterns: (1) a shift from emphasis on managing risks to exploiting cooperative opportunities; (2) change in the value orientation of the statements students consider most important, with development-oriented values increasing and environment-oriented values decreasing; and (3) change in the dimensions of power students consider most salient, including an increased appreciation for the institutional and knowledge-related elements of power and a de-emphasis on the structural aspects of power. Before-and-after surveying offers an alternative to the more common methods of learning assessment, based on knowledge acquisition or student satisfaction, while discussion of the survey results with students allows for a richer, more reflective learning experience.

Skeletal muscle relies on resident muscle stem cells (MuSCs) for growth and repair. Aging and muscle diseases impair MuSC function, leading to stem cell exhaustion and regenerative decline that contribute to the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. In the absence of clinically available nutritional solutions specifically targeting MuSCs, we used a human myogenic progenitor high-content imaging screen of natural molecules from food to identify nicotinamide (NAM) and pyridoxine (PN) as bioactive nutrients that stimulate MuSCs and have a history of safe human use. NAM and PN synergize via CK1-mediated cytoplasmic [beta]-catenin activation and AKT signaling to promote amplification and differentiation of MuSCs. Oral treatment with a combination of NAM and PN accelerated muscle regeneration in vivo by stimulating MuSCs, increased muscle strength during recovery, and overcame MuSC dysfunction and regenerative failure during aging. Levels of NAM and bioactive PN spontaneously declined during aging in model organisms and interindependently associated with muscle mass and walking speed in a cohort of 186 aged people. Collectively, our results establish the NAM/PN combination as a nutritional intervention that stimulates MuSCs, enhances muscle regeneration, and alleviates age-related muscle decline with a direct opportunity for clinical translation., Introduction Skeletal muscle is a remarkably plastic tissue that adapts structurally and functionally to lifestyle or external stimuli, such as exercise, disuse, or injury. Resident PAX7-expressing muscle stem cells (MuSCs), [...]

Species of the phylum Blastocladiomycota, early-diverging zoosporic (flagellated) lineages of fungi, are vastly understudied. This phylum includes the genus Coelomomyces, which consists of more than 80 fungal species that are obligate parasites of arthropods. Known Coelomomyces species lack a complete asexual life cycle, instead surviving through an obligate heterecious alternation of generations life cycle. Despite their global distribution and interesting life cycle, little is known about the genomics of any Coelomomyces species. To address this, we generated three draft-level genomes and annotations for C. lativittatus representing its haploid meiospore, orange gamete, and amber gamete life stages. These draft genome assemblies ranged in size from 5002 to 5799 contigs, with a total length of 19.8-22.8 Mb and a mean of 7416 protein-coding genes. We then demonstrated the utility of these genomes by combining the draft annotations as a reference for analysis of C. lativittatus transcriptomes. We analyzed transcriptomes from across host-associated life stages, including infected larvae and excised mature sporangia from the mosquito Anopheles quadrimaculatus. We identified differentially expressed genes and enriched GO terms both across and within life stages and used these to make hypotheses about C. lativittatus biology. Generally, we found the C. lativittatus transcriptome to be a complex and dynamic expression landscape; GO terms related to metabolism and transport processes were enriched during infection and terms related to dispersal were enriched during sporulation. We further identified five high mobility group (HMG)-box genes in C. lativittatus, three belonging to clades with mating type (MAT) loci from other fungi, as well as four ortholog expansions in C. lativittatus compared with other fungi. The C. lativittatus genomes and transcriptomes reported here are a valuable resource and may be leveraged toward furthering understanding of the biology of these and other early-diverging fungal lineages.

Pulmonary spindle cell carcinoma (PSCC) is a rare and highly aggressive form of nonsmall cell lung cancer with sarcomatoid differentiation. It poses significant diagnostic challenges due to its histological resemblance to other malignancies, including inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors. This case report details the clinical presentation, histopathological findings, and treatment of a patient with PSCC, to further elucidate the clinical features, diagnosis, and management of this rare tumor.

Abstract Increasing the penetration of renewables on the demand side causes operational challenges in distribution grids due to their variable and uncertain behaviour. These resources have increased distribution grid net load fluctuation during recent years, which needs to be covered by demand side flexibility (DSF). DSF should be quantified and measured by a suitable index to show the level of a system DSF in different situations. In this paper, the flexibility area index of distribution systems as a suitable metric for prosumers’ DSF evaluation, especially in the presence of renewable sources, is calculated. This index is defined first for one prosumer and then extended to a distribution system by a combination of prosumer indices. The mentioned index is decomposed into two components, one for ramp‐up (negative flexibility) and another for ramp‐down (positive flexibility). To calculate and manage prosumers’ flexibility, a novel flexibility‐oriented stochastic framework for prosumers is suggested. The amount of load shedding is under control by the risk‐management strategy in the proposed framework, which can facilitate distribution system operator operation. The results obtained from the implementation of the case study validate the major features of the proposed framework more efficiently.

Agenesis of the dorsal pancreas is a rare congenital anomaly that often remains asymptomatic and is requently discovered incidentally during imaging for other conditions. Its association with Müllerian anomalies, such as uterus didelphys, suggests that both conditions may stem from similar embryological disruptions during early fetal development. This report aims to raise awareness of Agenesis of the Dorsal Pancreas (ADP) and its potential associations with Müllerian anomalies. By presenting a detailed case study, we seek to address the diagnostic challenges faced by healthcare professionals and the implications for patient management, emphasizing the importance of early detection and appropriate intervention. We present a case involving a 24-year-old Iranian female who presented with a 10-day history of abdominal pain and vomiting. Initial ultrasound imaging revealed moderate hydroureteronephrosis in the right kidney, prompting further investigation. A contrast-enhanced CT scan was performed, which not only confirmed ureteropelvic junction obstruction but also unexpectedly revealed dorsal pancreatic agenesis. In addition to these findings, the patient was diagnosed with uterus didelphys, highlighting a significant developmental anomaly. This case underscores the necessity for increased awareness of ADP and its associations with Müllerian anomalies among healthcare providers. Early and accurate diagnosis through advanced imaging modalities significantly improves patient outcomes and facilitates better management strategies for associated complications.

The present study explores communication strategies used by Iranian advanced EFL learners to overcome communication problems. This study aims to explore EFL learners' awareness of communication strategies. To this end, 17 advanced EFL learners who were willing to participate in the study were selected through snowball sampling. Their awareness of communication strategies was then explored through open-ended interviews and analyzed in line with the coding schemes of grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1991). Iterative data collection and analysis yielded four main categories including explicit, reciprocal, implicit, and reduction strategies. Each of these strategies covers some subcategories. To visualize the findings and explore the degree to which the abstracted strategies reflect the participants' perspective, the transcribed data, along with the emerged strategies were fed to MAXQDA. This study can contribute to effective oral communication by elaborating on the notion of communication strategies and reaching communicative goals. The findings have implications for language learners, language teachers, and materials developers.

Online labor platforms (OLP) are transforming long-established employment relations, raising questions for researchers and policymakers alike as to the social justice implications of this increasingly pervasive, algorithmic, and platform-mediated form of work. In investigating this issue, this paper makes a case for complementing current category-based approaches to social justice, prevalent in literature and policy on OLPs, with a flow-oriented approach that recognizes the diversity of gig work trajectories when it comes to the situated enactment of social (in)justice. Inspired by the recent work of Tim Ingold and building upon seminal work on social justice by Rawls and Sen, we develop a synthetic framework for revealing the social justice implications of OLPs, in terms of the enactment of opportunities and/or barriers, from three perspectives: access to resources, capabilities to function, and correspondences with flows. The latter perspective temporally reinterprets the former two and offers a processual flow-oriented approach to social justice. We further substantiate and showcase the added value of our approach through an empirical investigation of different gig work stories on the Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) platform and discuss how our flow-oriented approach leads to revealing social justice implications not foregrounded through other approaches. Specifically, we develop three flow-oriented social justice tests that can be applied in various OLP contexts to assess their social justice implications. Finally, we derive remedial design and policy principles that can serve to reshape dialogue about social justice on OLPs, both theoretically and practically, in a manner that is more relevant and responsive to the fluid and evolving realities faced by gig workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]