Vocabulary intervention for adolescents with language disorder: a systematic review

Background: Language disorder and associated vocabulary difficulties can persist into adolescence, and can impact on long-term life outcomes. Previous reviews have shown that a variety of intervention techniques can successfully enhance students’ vocabulary skills; however, none has investigated vocabulary intervention specifically for adolescents with language disorder. Aims: To carry out a systematic review of the literature on vocabulary interventions for adolescents with language disorder. Methods & Procedures: A systematic search of 14 databases and other sources yielded 1320 studies, of which 13 met inclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria were: intervention effectiveness studies with a focus on enhancing oral receptive and/or expressive vocabulary skills in the study's aims; participants in the age range 11;0–16;11 with receptive and/or expressive language difficulties of any aetiology. Main Contribution: There was a high degree of diversity between studies. Types of intervention included: semantic intervention (four studies); comparison of phonological versus semantic intervention (two); and combined phonological–semantic intervention (seven). The strongest evidence for effectiveness was found with a combined phonological–semantic approach. The evidence suggested a potential for all models of delivery to be helpful (individual, small group and whole class). Conclusions & Implications: Tentative evidence is emerging for the effectiveness of a phonological–semantic approach in enhancing the vocabulary skills of adolescents who have language disorder. Future research needs to refine and develop the methodologies used in this diverse group of studies in order to replicate their findings and to build consensus

Hinterland and foreland structures of the eastern Maghreb Tell and Atlas thrust belts: tectonic controlling factors, pending questions, and oil/gas exploration potential of the Pre-Triassic traps

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Geology of North Africa and Mediterranean regionsThis special issue of the AJGS entitled Geology of North Africa and Mediterranean regions is a follow-up of the AGIC (Atlas Georesources International conferences) organized in 2017 by the Georesources Laboratory and CERTE, Tunis, University of Carthage. This event was a major occasion for geoscientists from Arabian, Maghrebian, and European countries to present their recent findings and research results in the characterization of different georesources in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and surrounding areas, thus also including the Arabian plate. This thematic issue is composed of 33 papers covering a wide spectrum of topics and fields, from architecture and thermicity of sedimentary basins to structural evolution, oil/ gas exploration, fractured reservoirs, water resources, aquifer characterization, and applied geophysics.Peer reviewe

Structural styles of the Tellian fold-and-thrust belt of Tunisia based on structural transects: Insights on the subsurface oil and gas pre-salt plays

We present several structural transects throughout the internal part of the Tunisian Tell focusing on some representative structures and domains. We used also an interpreted seismic cross-section and a 3-D structural view to highlight the styles within the Tellian units in the Fernana-Adissa allochthon domain. The structural style is mainly represented by active roof-thrust and duplex structures affecting the Mesozoic-Cenozoic sequences belonging respectively to the infra-Kasseb and Kasseb units. The main decollement thrusting layer is located in the Triassic evaporites, while the roof thrust corresponds to the Upper Cretaceous or to the Paleocene shaly levels. The structural transects allow viewing that the Numidian Flysch unit presents different structural configurations and relationships with its subsurface supporting units; (1) it rests on an apparent stratigraphic contact above the underlying Kasseb nappe or even over pre-existing Triassic salt structures while elsewhere (2) it is detached above these infra-Numidian units reworking an originally downlap contact. The area is also characterized by important halokinetic movements controlling the overall architecture of the Tell fold-and-thrust belt that allows the thrusting of the whole Tellian wedge. In addition, originally apical parts of former diapiric structures were remobilized subsequently as sole thrust allowing the displacement of the Numidian Flysch. The Upper Miocene syn-folding sequences sourced by the erosion of the precedent uplifted reliefs are folded and tectonically transported along some active thrusts by the Tell tectonic units suggesting a recent reactivation and rejuvenation of thrust during the Upper Miocene to Quaternary Alpine events. Since the Late Miocene, shortening is still active today, allowing the refolding of older nappes contacts as well as rejuvenation of inherited faults. © 2021, Saudi Society for GeosciencesPeer reviewe

Mesozoic and Cenozoic vertical movements in the Atlas system (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia): An overview

International audienceThe E­W trending Atlas System of Maghreb consists of weakly shortened, intra-continental fold belts associated with plateau areas ("Mesetas"), extending between the south-westernmost branch of the Mediterranean Alpine Belt (Rif-Tell) and the Sahara Platform. Although the Atlas system has been erected contemporaneously from Morocco to Algeria and Tunisia during the Middle Eocene to Recent, it displays a conspicuous longitudinal asymmetry, with i) Paleozoic outcrops restricted to its western part; ii) highest elevation occurring in the west, both in the Atlas System and its foreland (Anti-Atlas); iii) low elevation corridors (e.g. Hodna) and depressed foreland (Tunisian Chotts and Sahel area) in the east. We analyse the origin of these striking contrasts in relation with i) the Variscan heritage; ii) crustal vertical movements during the Mesozoic; iii) crustal shortening during the Cenozoic and finally, iv) the occurrence of a Miocene­Quaternary hot mantle anomaly in the west. The Maghreb lithosphere was affected by the Variscan orogeny, and thus thickened only in its western part. During the Late Permian­Triassic, a paleo-high formed in the west between the Central Atlantic and Alpine Tethys rift systems, giving birth to the emergent/poorly subsident West Moroccan Arch. During the late Middle Jurassic­Early Cretaceous, Morocco and western Algeria were dominantly emergent whereas rifting lasted on in eastern Algeria and Tunisia. We ascribe the uplift of the western regions to thermal doming, consistent with the Late Jurassic and Barremian gabbroic magmatism observed there. After the widespread transgression of the high stand Cenomanian­Turonian seas, the inversion of the Atlas System began during the Senonian as a consequence of the Africa­Eurasia convergence. Erosion affected three ENE-trending uplifted areas of NW Africa, which we consider as lithospheric anticlines related to the incipient Africa­Europe convergence. In contrast, in eastern Algeria and Tunisia a NW-trending rift system developed contemporaneously (Sirt rifting), normal to the general trend of the Atlas System. The general inversion and orogenesis of the Atlas System occurred during two distinct episodes, Middle­Late Eocene­Oligocene and Late Miocene­Pliocene, respectively, whereas during the intervening period, the Africa­Europe convergence was mainly accommodated in the Rif-Tell system. Inversion tectonics and crustal thickening may account for the moderate uplift of the eastern Atlas System, not for the high elevation of the western mountain ranges (Middle Atlas, High Atlas, Anti-Atlas). In line with previous authors, we ascribe part of the recent uplift of the latter regions to the occurrence of a NE-trending, high-temperature mantle anomaly, here labelled the Moroccan Hot Line (MHL), which is also marked by a strip of late Miocene­Quaternary alkaline magmatism and significant seismicity

Mesozoïc and Cenozoïc vertical movements in the Atlas system (Algeria, Morroco, Tunisia) : an overview.

International audienc

Impact of adjuvant radiotherapy on biological and clinical parameters in right-sided breast cancer.

PURPOSE In patients with right-sided breast cancer (BC) the liver might be partially irradiated during adjuvant radiotherapy (RT). Thus, we performed a prospective observational study to evaluate the dose delivered to the liver, and its potential biological impact. PATIENTS AND METHODS We enrolled 34 patients with right-sided BC treated with adjuvant RT. The RT schedules were either the Canadian (42.5Gy in 16 fx) or standard fractionated (50Gy in 25 fx) regimen respectively with 9 (26.5%) and 25 (73.5%) patients each, ± a boost of 10-16Gy. Each patient had a complete blood count and liver enzymes analysis, before starting and during the last week of treatment. RESULTS A significant decrease in white blood cells and thrombocytes counts was observed during RT. We observed a significant correlation between certain hepatic parameters and the volume of the irradiated liver and/or the mean liver dose. A significant correlation between the volume of the right lung and the liver mean dose was found (P=0.008). In the bivariate analysis, a significant correlation between fatigue and the white blood cell count's evolution was observed (P<0.025). CONCLUSION With the standard RT technique, incidental irradiation of the liver was documented in a large number of patients, and some significant hepatic parameters alterations were observed, without an apparent clinical impact, but this study cannot exclude them. The liver mean dose was correlated with the right lung volume suggesting that deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) techniques may represent a way to decrease the liver dose. These findings need to be evaluated in further larger studies