Early-career international academics’ learning and teaching experiences during COVID-19 in Australia: A collaborative autoethnography

Scholarly articles on international academics mainly focuses on personal and professional challenges endured by international academics’ during conventional times. This includes adjustments to new roles and living in a foreign country, pedagogical differences stemming from intercultural differences, language barriers and unequal access to resources (funding, exploitation). This paper explores experiences of two international early-career academics in Australia highlighting their teaching-related challenges, strategies and opportunities during COVID-19, using a collaborative autoethnography qualitative approach. At this Australian university, teaching was paused for a week in March 2020 to cope with the learning and teaching ‘shock’ – to reorientate teaching from face-to-face to completely offer courses remotely to ensure that students were not disadvantaged in their learning and provide space for academic staff to reorientate their learning and teaching materials to suit online delivery. Personalised reflections encapsulate some bizarre teaching related experiences of these international academics in the online learning and teaching space, underpinned by their cultural differences. There were four major challenges identified: transition to online learning and teaching, learning and teaching online practices, relationship issues between students and academic staff, and language-related issues. Specific strategies to overcome these challenges are also identified that led to overall teaching success endured by these international early-career academics in Australia

Portfolio rebalancing and the dynamics between equity flow, exchange rates and equity returns

In this paper we use simple panel regression augmented by a VAR framework and impulse response function to test the presence of portfolio rebalancing between US and 7 developed countries. We find that overall portfolio rebalancing does hold, however some countries in the sample, specifically Australia and Canada display information asymmetry whereby US investors are less informed than local investors, and chase the returns in foreign markets during bullish times. We hypothesize that this phenomena and the increasing supply elasticity of the FOREX markets interfere with the explanatory power of equity flow over the portfolio rebalancing channel in the long term. We find that the portfolio rebalancing channel itself generates a fleeting exchange rate change, however the effect persists through two distinct channels of magnification, with the causality running from exchange rates to equity flow which further appreciates the USD. We hold that US faces a tradeoff between current account and capital account inflows. We also hold that equity flow can be an effective measure to assess foreign exchange intervention in the US only with currencies belonging to countries it has no information frictions with, and countries that have minimal intervention in their FOREX markets

Exploring Academic Writing Proficiency of Tertiary EFL Learners of Bangladesh: A Pedagogical Implication

 It is essential that tertiary EFL students become proficient in all key aspects of writing, such as content, arrangement of ideas, usage of appropriate vocabulary, use of language and grammatical precision, and mechanics, in order to improve their formal writing skills. As a result, the current study\u27s objective is to assess the level of writing competency of tertiary EFL students in terms of the key writing components and to provide some recommendations for EFL teachers, syllabus writers, and material designers. This study is qualitative in nature that collected 49 narrative essays from 49 tertiary students. The participants comprised both English and non-English majors from seven private and public universities in Bangladesh. The data were generated from English writing tests where students wrote one narrative essay. The texts were then analyzed on the basis of the analytic writing rubrics proposed by Jacobs et al. (1981) to see students’ writing ability in general. The findings of the analysis indicate that Bangladeshi tertiary EFL learners’ proficiency in all the major components falls in the category of Fair to Poor. The findings also indicate that the most challenging writing skills for the learners are the use of language and the use of vocabulary. The study concludes with some pedagogical suggestions for tertiary EFL teachers, syllabus designers, and material designers. This study stands out as unique and important since little research has previously attempted to evaluate the writing proficiency levels of Bangladeshi tertiary students under the key writing components

High dose cotrimoxazole treatment in patients with severe COVID-19: A randomised controlled trial

Background: Cotrimoxazole for severe COVID-19 may have a better prognosis because of its antibacterial, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory activities. We examined the efficacy of high-dose cotrimoxazole therapy in terms of duration of hospital stays and reduction in mortality in severe COVID-19 infections. Methods: From May to November 2021, we conducted a double blind randomised controlled trial with two parallel groups in the COVID units of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Anwar Khan Modern Medical College Hospital, Dhaka. One group received standard therapy in addition to an oral dose of 960 mg of cotrimoxazole twice daily for 7 days (intervention group), while the other group received standard treatment and a placebo (standard group). Pre-protocol analysis was done. Results: A total of 188 patients were enrolled, but 166 completed the study. Of them, 93 were in the intervention group and 73 were in standard group. The mean ages of the groups were similar (intervention, 56.2 and standard, 59.2 years) (P=0.10). The mortality at 28 days between groups was also similar (11.8% in the intervention group and 15.0% in the standard group) (P=0.56). The hospital stay was 13.7 days for the intervention group and 13.5 days for the standard group (P=0.86). However, the reduction in C-reactive protein was statistically significant in the intervention group, with a mean decline of 23.6 mg/L (95% confidence interval, 0.5–46.7 mg/L). Conclusion: High-dose cotrimoxazole did not benefit in shortening in-hospital stay or reducing mortality at day 28 in patients with severe COVID-19. However, the decline in the C-reactive protein level was significant, necessitating further research.

MEDICINAL FORMULATIONS OF A KANDA TRIBAL HEALER – A TRIBE ON THE VERGE OF DISAPPEARANCE IN BANGLADESH

The Kanda tribe is one of the lesser known small tribes of Bangladesh with an estimated population of about 1700 people (according to them), and on the verge of extinction as a separate entity. To some extent, they have assimilated with the surrounding mainstream Bengali-speaking population, but they still maintain their cultural practices including traditional medicinal practices, for which they have their own tribal healers. Nothing at all has been documented thus far about their traditional medicinal practices and formulations, which are on the verge of disappearance. The Kanda tribe can be found only in scattered tea gardens of Sreemangal in Sylhet district of Bangladesh; dispersion of the tribe into small separated communities is also contributing to the fast losing of traditional medicinal practices. The objective of the present study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey among the traditional healers of the Kanda tribe (in fact, only one such healer was found after extensive searches). Information was collected from the healer with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method. A total of 24 formulations were obtained from the healer containing 34 plants including two plants, which could not be identified. Besides medicinal plants, the Kanda healer also used the body hairs of the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) and bats (Pteropus giganteus giganteus) in one of his formulation for treatment of fever with shivering. The ailments treated by the Kanda healer were fairly common ailments like cuts and wounds, skin diseases, helminthiasis, fever, respiratory problems (coughs, asthma), gastrointestinal disorders (stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea), burning sensations during urination, various types of pain (headache, body ache, toothache, ear ache), conjunctivitis, poisonous snake, insect or reptile bites, jaundice, and bone fractures. A number of important drugs in allopathic medicine like quinine, artemisinin, and morphine (to name only a few) have been discovered from observing indigenous medicinal practices. From that view point, the formulations used by the Kanda healer merit scientific studies for their potential in the discovery of cheap and effective new drugs. Scientific validation of the medicinal formulations of the Kanda healer can also be effective for treatment of ailments among this tribe, which does not have or does not want to have any contact with modern medicine

Systematic evaluation and external validation of 22 prognostic models among hospitalised adults with COVID-19: an observational cohort study.

The number of proposed prognostic models for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is growing rapidly, but it is unknown whether any are suitable for widespread clinical implementation.We independently externally validated the performance of candidate prognostic models, identified through a living systematic review, among consecutive adults admitted to hospital with a final diagnosis of COVID-19. We reconstructed candidate models as per original descriptions and evaluated performance for their original intended outcomes using predictors measured at the time of admission. We assessed discrimination, calibration and net benefit, compared to the default strategies of treating all and no patients, and against the most discriminating predictors in univariable analyses.We tested 22 candidate prognostic models among 411 participants with COVID-19, of whom 180 (43.8%) and 115 (28.0%) met the endpoints of clinical deterioration and mortality, respectively. Highest areas under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves were achieved by the NEWS2 score for prediction of deterioration over 24 h (0.78, 95% CI 0.73-0.83), and a novel model for prediction of deterioration <14 days from admission (0.78, 95% CI 0.74-0.82). The most discriminating univariable predictors were admission oxygen saturation on room air for in-hospital deterioration (AUROC 0.76, 95% CI 0.71-0.81), and age for in-hospital mortality (AUROC 0.76, 95% CI 0.71-0.81). No prognostic model demonstrated consistently higher net benefit than these univariable predictors, across a range of threshold probabilities.Admission oxygen saturation on room air and patient age are strong predictors of deterioration and mortality among hospitalised adults with COVID-19, respectively. None of the prognostic models evaluated here offered incremental value for patient stratification to these univariable predictors

Systematic evaluation and external validation of 22 prognostic models among hospitalised adults with COVID-19: An observational cohort study

The number of proposed prognostic models for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is growing rapidly, but it is unknown whether any are suitable for widespread clinical implementation. We independently externally validated the performance of candidate prognostic models, identified through a living systematic review, among consecutive adults admitted to hospital with a final diagnosis of COVID-19. We reconstructed candidate models as per original descriptions and evaluated performance for their original intended outcomes using predictors measured at the time of admission. We assessed discrimination, calibration and net benefit, compared to the default strategies of treating all and no patients, and against the most discriminating predictors in univariable analyses. We tested 22 candidate prognostic models among 411 participants with COVID-19, of whom 180 (43.8%) and 115 (28.0%) met the endpoints of clinical deterioration and mortality, respectively. Highest areas under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves were achieved by the NEWS2 score for prediction of deterioration over 24 h (0.78, 95% CI 0.73-0.83), and a novel model for prediction of deterioration <14 days from admission (0.78, 95% CI 0.74-0.82). The most discriminating univariable predictors were admission oxygen saturation on room air for in-hospital deterioration (AUROC 0.76, 95% CI 0.71-0.81), and age for in-hospital mortality (AUROC 0.76, 95% CI 0.71-0.81). No prognostic model demonstrated consistently higher net benefit than these univariable predictors, across a range of threshold probabilities. Admission oxygen saturation on room air and patient age are strong predictors of deterioration and mortality among hospitalised adults with COVID-19, respectively. None of the prognostic models evaluated here offered incremental value for patient stratification to these univariable predictors

Portfolio rebalancing and the dynamics between equity flow, exchange rates and equity returns

In this paper we use simple panel regression augmented by a VAR framework and impulse response function to test the presence of portfolio rebalancing between US and 7 developed countries. We find that overall portfolio rebalancing does hold, however some countries in the sample, specifically Australia and Canada display information asymmetry whereby US investors are less informed than local investors, and chase the returns in foreign markets during bullish times. We hypothesize that this phenomena and the increasing supply elasticity of the FOREX markets interfere with the explanatory power of equity flow over the portfolio rebalancing channel in the long term. We find that the portfolio rebalancing channel itself generates a fleeting exchange rate change, however the effect persists through two distinct channels of magnification, with the causality running from exchange rates to equity flow which further appreciates the USD. We hold that US faces a tradeoff between current account and capital account inflows. We also hold that equity flow can be an effective measure to assess foreign exchange intervention in the US only with currencies belonging to countries it has no information frictions with, and countries that have minimal intervention in their FOREX markets

Impact of Seminal Plasma Zinc and Serum Zinc Level on Semen Parameter of Fertile and Infertile Males

Background: Despite Zinc (Zn) deficiency being prevalent in humans, less emphasis has been given on the understanding of its impact on male reproduction. Spermatogenesis has a strict requirement for zinc. The relationship of seminal plasma zinc level and semen parameter until now is controversial.Objective : The study was done to find out the impact of seminal plasma zinc and serum zinc level on semen parameter of fertile and infertile males.Subjects and methods: The study was done in Center for Assisted Reproduction, a tertiary Infertility center in Dhaka and in the Biochemistry Department of Bangabandhu Sheik Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka. Sixteen fertile males were taken as control and sixty nine infertile males were taken as cases. Semen analysis was done according to WHO criteria (2004). Serum zinc and seminal plasma zinc levels were measured in the Biochemistry Department of BSMMU by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer.Result: Seminal parameters between fertile and infertile men showed significantly high sperm count, sperm motility, rapid linear motility, and morphology in fertile group. In fertile men, serum zinc level was lower than the infertile group, whereas the seminal plasma zinc level was higher in the fertile than the infertile group which was not statistically significant. In fertile men except for serum zinc, all parameters showed positive relationship; and in infertile men, except sperm morphology, all other parameters showed negative relationship. Seminal plasma zinc shows positive correlation with all semen parameters in fertile group and negative correlation in infertile group except for sperm morphology. There is negative correlation of serum zinc and seminal zinc-in both groups. Regarding other parameters, semen zinc shows positive correlation with all parameter except sperm morphology in fertile men and negative correlation with all parameter except sperm count in infertile men.Conclusion: Seminal zinc levels in fertile men are higher than those in the infertile patients although the serum zinc level is lower. Zinc levels in seminal plasma has a direct relationship with semen parameters. Zinc deficiency may be an important risk factor for low semen parameters and idiopathic male infertility.J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2017; 35(1): 15-19</jats:p