Developing ESP Learners’ Vocabulary Learning by Contextualization of the FonF Practice Model in CALL Context

The FonF practice model (focus on form) as a technology-oriented pedagogical model was contextualized to examine its efficacy on the second language (L2) learners’ intentional and incidental vocabulary learning in computer-assisted language learning (CALL)as an attempt to integrate the emerging educational technologies into L2 learning. To this end, a sample of 55 medical ESP learners participated in a mixed methods research study that administered the FonF practice model-based treatment as the educational intervention among the experimental group. The findings confirmed the efficacy of the FonF practice model in developing incidental and intentional vocabulary learning among the participants who used technology-based tools at form, meaning, and communication levels. Theoretically, the main implication is the need to address individual differences in general and nonlinearity and dynamicity of motivation in particular. Pedagogically, L2 teachers are suggested to benefit from reported CALL tools to boost incidental and intentional vocabulary learning for ESP purposes

Study of Long Term Effects of Laser Therapy Versus Local Corticosteroid Injection in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

INTRODUCTION: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the most common compressive neuropathy. Several surgical and nonsurgical treatments have been proposed for this syndrome, but there is no consensus regarding the prioritization of the suggested nonsurgical treatments. The goal of this study was to compare the long term effects of laser therapy versus local corticosteroid injection in the treatment of CTS.METHODS:During this single-blind randomized clinical trial, 65 hands with mild or moderate CTS were divided randomly into two groups. One group received local corticosteroid injection (Hydrocortisone 50 mg) and the other received low level laser therapy (20J/cm² in 11 seconds/session for each of 5 points, 775nm, 10 sessions and 3sessions/week). Furthermore, wrist splints with extension degree of 0° (neutral position) were prescribed simultaneously for 6 weeks in each group.Pain severity and electrodiagnostic measurements were compared from before to 10 months after completing each treatment. Data were analyzed with SPSS 11.5 software and parametric tests.RESULTS: Generally, the mean age of patients was 43.9 years, duration of pain was 7.4 months, male to female ratio was 1:3, pain severity using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was 6.1 cm, and functional status measure was 15.5. The severity of the disease based on electrodiagnostic studies was 43.2% mild (41.2% in injection group and 45.2% in laser therapy group) and 56.8% moderate. The electrodiagnostic characteristics of the median nerve prior to treatment were included mean sensory peak latency of 4.3ms, mean sensory amplitude of 23.5μv, mean motor onset latency of 4.3ms and mean motor amplitude of 4.6mv. There was no meaningful difference between two groups regarding the demographic characteristics and electrodiagnostic measures (p>0.05). Ten months after treatments, the mean of pain severity was decreased 1.9cm in injection group and 1.7cm in laser therapy group, the mean of median sensory peak latencies was decreased 0.4ms in injection group and 0.25ms in laser therapy group and the mean of motor onset latencies was decreased 0.15ms in both groups,with no significant difference between the observed treatments variables (P>0.05). The severity of disease based on electrodiagnostic studies became 32.4% normal,23.5% mild, 41.2% moderate and 2.9% severe in the injection group and 38.7% normal,22.6% mild, 35.5% moderate and 3.2% severe in the laser therapy group. There was no meaningful difference between two groups regarding the changes in the pain severity, functional status and electrodiagnostic measures.CONCLUSION: Low level laser therapy can be as effective as local injection in reducing pain and severity of disease (based on electrodiagnostic medicine classification) in patients with mild and moderate CTS even in long term (after 10 months)

Bilateral Ptosis as the First Presentation of Guillain-Barre Syndrome

How to Cite This Article: Talebian A, Soltani B, Talebian M. Bilateral Ptosis as the First Presentation of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Iran J Child Neurol. Winter 2016; 10(1):70-72.AbstractObjectiveGuillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is the most common cause of acute weakness in children. It has multiple variant forms with different presentations. A rare initial sign is ptosis. In this study, we present a 10-year-old girl with bilateral ptosis without opthalmoplegia followed by a weakness in extremities with a favourable response to intravenous immunoglobulin. Due to the patient’s initial eyelid levators, myasthenia gravis was ruled out by a Tensilon test and electrophysiological studies. Our report highlights the possibility of GBS as a cause of isolated ptosis, especially in cases without ophthalmoplegia

Impacts of Climate Change on theWater Resources of the Kunduz River Basin, Afghanistan

The Kunduz River is one of the main tributaries of the Amu Darya Basin in North Afghanistan. Many communities live in the Kunduz River Basin (KRB), and its water resources have been the basis of their livelihoods for many generations. This study investigates climate change impacts on the KRB catchment. Rare station data are, for the first time, used to analyze systematic trends in temperature, precipitation, and river discharge over the past few decades, while using Mann-Kendall and Theil-Sen trend statistics. The trends show that the hydrology of the basin changed significantly over the last decades. A comparison of landcover data of the river basin from 1992 and 2019 shows significant changes that have additional impact on the basin hydrology, which are used to interpret the trend analysis. There is considerable uncertainty due to the data scarcity and gaps in the data, but all results indicate a strong tendency towards drier conditions. An extreme warming trend, partly above 2 °C since the 1960s in combination with a dramatic precipitation decrease by more than -30% lead to a strong decrease in river discharge. The increasing glacier melt compensates the decreases and leads to an increase in runoff only in the highland parts of the upper catchment. The reduction of water availability and the additional stress on the land leads to a strong increase of barren land and a reduction of vegetation cover. The detected trends and changes in the basin hydrology demand an active management of the already scarce water resources in order to sustain water supply for agriculture and ecosystems in the KRB. © 2020 by the authors

On a Linear Functional Mixed Effect Model for Spatial Data

This paper introduces a functional mixed effect random model to model spatial data. In this model, the spatial locations form the index set, while the contributing effects to the response variable are set as a linear mixture of fixed and random effects. These fixed and random effects are linear combinations of L2 functions and random elements, respectively. However, the corresponding linear factors depend on the spatial location variable. Therefore, we develop estimation procedures to estimate the fixed and random coefficients, using spatial functional principal component analysis. Then, we perform prediction by adapting the functional universal kriging method to our model

Causes and Associated Factors of Headaches among 5 to 15-year-old Children Referred to a Neurology Clinic in Kashan, Iran

How to Cite This Article: Talebian A, Soltani B, Haji Rezaei M. Causes and Associated Factors of Headaches among 5 to 15-year-old ChildrenReferred to a Neurology Clinic in Kashan, Iran. Iran J Child Neurol. 2015 Winter;9(1):71-75.AbstractObjectiveHeadaches are common neurologic problems for children and adolescents. They are divided into two types: primary and secondary. Primary headaches include migraines and tension-type as well as comprise the majority of headaches. We detect the causes of headaches and their associations with demographic variables among children and adolescents.Materials & MethodsThis cross-sectional study was performed on 5–15 year-old children with headaches from March 2010 to April 2012 who presented at a pediatric neurology clinic in Kashan, Iran. Diagnosis of headaches was done in accordance with the International Classification of Headache Disorders. Data regarding the type of headache, age, gender, pain severity, aura, family history, and sleep disorder were collected.ResultsOne hundred fourteen children (44 male and 70 female) with headaches were enrolled in the study. The types of headaches were comprised as follows: 67 cases of migraines, 38 cases of tension-type headaches, 2 cases of cluster headaches, and 7 cases of secondary headaches. Pulsating headaches, family history of headaches, insomnia, and pain severity had higher prevalence in migrainous patients.ConclusionPhysicians should extend their information gathering about primary and secondary headaches. Sleep disturbances and a family history of headaches were the most important factors associated with migraine headaches.ReferencesCuvellier JC, Donnet A, Guegan-Massardier E, Nachit-Ouinekh F, Parain D, Vallee L. Treatment of primary headache in children: a multicenter hospital-based study in France. J Headache Pain 2009; 10: 447-53.Lateef TM, Merikangas KR, He J, Kalaydjian A, Khoromi S, Knight E, et al. Headache in a national sample of American children: prevalence and comorbidity. J Child Neurol 2009; 24: 536-43.Zwart JA, Dyb G, Holmen TL, Stovner LJ, Sand T. The prevalence of migraine and tension-type headaches among adolescents in Norway. The Nord-Trondelag Health Study (Head-HUNT-Youth), a large populationbased epidemiological study. Cephalalgia 2004; 24: 373- 9.Isik U, Topuzoglu A, Ay P, Ersu RH, Arman AR, Onsuz MF, et al. The prevalence of headache and its association with socioeconomic status among schoolchildren in istanbul, Turkey. Headache 2009; 49: 697-703.Abu-Arafeh I, Macleod S. Serious neurological disorders in children with chronic headache. Arch Dis Child 2005; 90: 937-40.Lewis DW. Headaches in children and adolescents. Am Fam Physician 2002; 65: 625-32.The International Classification of Headache Disorders: 2nd edition. Cephalalgia 2004; 24 Suppl 1: 9-160.Tavasoli A, Aghamohammadpoor M, Taghibeigi M. Migraine and Tension-Type Headache in Children and Adolescents Presenting to Neurology Clinics. Iran J Pediatr 2013; 23: 536-540.Bruni O, Fabrizi P, Ottaviano S, Cortesi F, Giannotti F, Guidetti V. Prevalence of sleep disorders in childhood and adolescence with headache: a case-control study. Cephalalgia 1997; 17: 492-8.Isik U, Ersu RH, Ay P, Save D, Arman AR, Karakoc F, et al. Prevalence of headache and its association with sleep disorders in children. Pediatr Neurol 2007; 36: 146-51.Miller VA, Palermo TM, Powers SW, Scher MS, Hershey AD. Migraine headaches and sleep disturbances in children. Headache 2003; 43: 362-8.Lewis DW, Ashwal S, Dahl G, Dorbad D, Hirtz D, Prensky A, et al. Practice parameter: evaluation of children and adolescents with recurrent headaches: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society. Neurology 2002; 59: 490-8.Lewis DW,Koch T. Headache evaluation in children and adolescents: when to worry? When to scan? Pediatr Ann 2010; 39: 399-406.Hershey AD, Powers SW, Bentti AL, Degrauw TJ. Effectiveness of amitriptyline in the prophylactic management of childhood headaches. Headache 2000; 40: 539-49.Donald W. Headache in children and adolescent. Am Fam Physician 2002; 65: 625-33.Kroner-Herwig B, Gassmann J. Headache disorders in children and adolescents: their association with psychological, behavioral, and socio-environmental factors. Headache 2012; 52: 1387-401.Wober-Bingol C, Wober C, Wagner-Ennsgraber C, Zebenholzer K, Vesely C, Geldner J, et al. IHS criteria and gender: a study on migraine and tension-type headache in children and adolescents. Cephalalgia 1996; 16: 107-12.Abu-Arafeh I,Russel G. Prevalence of headache and migraine in schoolchildren. British medical journal 1994; 308: 765-9.Ayatollahi SM,Khosravi A. Prevalence of migraine and tension-type headache in primary-school children in Shiraz. East Mediterr Health J 2006; 12: 809-17.Fallahzadeh H,Alihaydari M. Prevalence of migraine and tension-type headache among school children in Yazd,Iran. J Pediatr Neurosci 2011; 6: 106-9.Russell MB, Iselius L, Ostergaard S, Olesen J. Inheritance of chronic tension-type headache investigated by complex segregation analysis. Hum Genet 1998; 102: 138-40.Stewart WF, Linet MS, Celentano DD, Van Natta M, Ziegler D. Age and sex specific incidence rates of migraine with and without visual aura. Am J Epidemiol 1991; 134: 1111-20

September the 11th 2001 and Security Dilemma

Security and insecurity are complex concepts that states have problem in defining them in different conditions. Complexity of the concepts comes out of security dilemma which states face when they seek to recognize enemy and scale of threat that the enemy may cause. Events of September the 11th formed a new condition in which United States faced the security dilemma that had not risen from a specific country but the enemy that was not recognizable and did not behave like states. United States attempted to solve the mentioned security dilemma by defining enemy, its threats and the new condition after events of September the 11th. This article, in order to explain the security dilemma of the United States after events of the September the 11th, is written in two parts; the first part is to explain security dilemma and the approaches that have been given to solve it and the second part tends to explain the security dilemma that United States faced after terrorist attacks of September the 11th 2001. Keywords: Security dilemma; Terrorism; United States; September the 11thRésumé: La sécurité et l'insécurité sont des concepts complexes et les Etats ont des difficultés à les définir dans des conditions différentes. La complexité des concepts vient du dilemme de sécurité auquel les Etats font face quand ils cherchent à reconnaître l'ennemi et l'ampleur de la menace que l'ennemi peut causer. Les événements du 11 septembre a formé une nouvelle condition, dans laquelle les États-Unis ont fait face à un dilemme de sécurité qui ne venait pas d'un pays spécifique, mais d'un ennemi non reconnaissable qui ne se comportait pas comme des États. Les États-Unis ont tenté de résoudre ce dilemme de sécurité par la définition de l'ennemi, de ses menaces et de la nouvelle condition après les événements du 11 septembre. Cet article, afin d'expliquer le dilemme de la sécurité des États-Unis après les événements du 11 septembre, est composé en deux parties: la première partie est d'expliquer le dilemme de sécurité et les approches qui ont été utilisées pour le résoudre et la deuxième partie tend à expliquer le dilemme de sécurité auquel les États-Unis font face après les attentats terroristes du 11 septembre 2001.Mots-clés: dilemme de sécurité; terrorisme; États-Unis; 11 septembr

September the 11th 2001 and Security Dilemma

Security and insecurity are complex concepts that states have problem in defining them in different conditions. Complexity of the concepts comes out of security dilemma which states face when they seek to recognize enemy and scale of threat that the enemy may cause. Events of September the 11th formed a new condition in which United States faced the security dilemma that had not risen from a specific country but the enemy that was not recognizable and did not behave like states. United States attempted to solve the mentioned security dilemma by defining enemy, its threats and the new condition after events of September the 11th. This article, in order to explain the security dilemma of the United States after events of the September the 11th, is written in two parts; the first part is to explain security dilemma and the approaches that have been given to solve it and the second part tends to explain the security dilemma that United States faced after terrorist attacks of September the 11th 2001. Keywords: Security dilemma; Terrorism; United States; September the 11thRésumé: La sécurité et l'insécurité sont des concepts complexes et les Etats ont des difficultés à les définir dans des conditions différentes. La complexité des concepts vient du dilemme de sécurité auquel les Etats font face quand ils cherchent à reconnaître l'ennemi et l'ampleur de la menace que l'ennemi peut causer. Les événements du 11 septembre a formé une nouvelle condition, dans laquelle les États-Unis ont fait face à un dilemme de sécurité qui ne venait pas d'un pays spécifique, mais d'un ennemi non reconnaissable qui ne se comportait pas comme des États. Les États-Unis ont tenté de résoudre ce dilemme de sécurité par la définition de l'ennemi, de ses menaces et de la nouvelle condition après les événements du 11 septembre. Cet article, afin d'expliquer le dilemme de la sécurité des États-Unis après les événements du 11 septembre, est composé en deux parties: la première partie est d'expliquer le dilemme de sécurité et les approches qui ont été utilisées pour le résoudre et la deuxième partie tend à expliquer le dilemme de sécurité auquel les États-Unis font face après les attentats terroristes du 11 septembre 2001.Mots-clés: dilemme de sécurité; terrorisme; États-Unis; 11 septembr

Treatment of Cystic Craniopharyngioma with Intracystic Stereotactic Instillation of Phosphorus 32

How to Cite This Article: Shahzadi S, Soltani A, Shahzadi A, Parsa Kh. Treatment of Cystic Craniopharyngioma with Intracystic Stereotactic Instillation of Phosphorus 32. Iran J Child Neurol. Summer 2017; 11(3):31-36.AbstractObjectiveCystic craniopharyngiomas are considered the most common intracranial nonglial tumor in children with the tendency for cyst formations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of intracystic phosphorus 32 (P32) therapies on controlling the growth of the cystic component of craniopharyngioma.Materials & MethodsThis clinical study was conducted on 47 patients with cystic craniopharyngioma from March 1998 to June 2012 at Shohada Tajrish Hospital, Tehran, Iran.Patients were treated with stereotactic intracystic P32. The mean cyst volume was 23.5 ml, and the dose of radiation to the inner cyst wall was 250 Gy.ResultsThe overall response rate was 78.1% and the mean survival was 113.1±11months.The survival rate at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years after p32 therapy was 91%, 77%, 73%, and 52%, respectively. There was no mortality related to the procedure and no visual or endocrinal deterioration. Visual improvement occurred in 88% of patients presented with recent deterioration due to the cyst enlargement.ConclusionIntracystic p32 therapy was an effective and almost safe procedure for the treatment of cystic component of craniopharyngioma. References1. Shahzadi S, Sharifi G, Andalibi R, Zali A, Ali-Asgari A. Management of cystic craniopharyngiomas with intracavitary irradiation with P32. Arch Iran Med 2008;11(1):30-4.2. Komotar RJ, Roguski M, Bruce JN. Surgical management of craniopharyngiomas. J Neurooncol 2009;92(3):283- 96.3. Garnett MR, Puget S, Grill J, Sainte-Rose C. Craniopharyngioma. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2007;2:18.4. Dekkers OM, Biermasz NR, Smit JW, et al. Quality of life in treated adult craniopharyngioma patients. Eur J Endocrinol 2006;154(3):483-9.5. Bartels U, Laperriere N, Bouffet E, Drake J. Intracystic therapies for cystic craniopharyngioma in childhood. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2012;3:39.6. Basso A, Socolovsky M, Goland J. Actualization of treatment options in Craniopharyngioma: a comparative analysis of different therapeutic modalities. The World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS): Available From: http://www.wfns.org/pages/read_the_reviews/97. php?rid=4 7. Leng LZ, Greenfield JP, Souweidane MM, Anand VK, Schwartz TH. Endoscopic, endonasal resection of craniopharyngiomas: analysis of outcome including extent of resection, cerebrospinal fluid leak, return to preoperative productivity, and body mass index. Neurosurgery 2012;70(1):110-23.8. Zhao R, Deng J, Liang X, Zeng J, Chen X, Wang J. Treatment of cystic craniopharyngioma with phosphorus-32 intracavitary irradiation. Childs Nerv Syst 2010;26(5):669-74.9. Kobayashi T, Kageyama N, Ohara K. Internal irradiation for cystic craniopharyngioma. J Neurosurg 1981;55(6):896-903.10. Trippel M, Nikkhah G. Stereotactic neurosurgical treatment options for craniopharyngioma. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2012;3:63.11. Fahlbusch R, Honegger J, Paulus W, et al. Surgical treatment of craniopharyngiomas: experience with 168patients. J Neurosurg 1999;90(2):237-50.12. Elliott RE, Hsieh K, Hochm T, et al. Efficacy and safety of radical resection of primary and recurrentcraniopharyngiomas in 86 children. J Neurosurg Pediatr 2010;5(1):30-48.13. Müller HL, Gebhardt U, Teske C, et al. Post-operative hypothalamic lesions and obesity in childhood craniopharyngioma: results of the multinational prospective trial KRANIOPHARYNGEOM 2000 after 3-year follow-up. Eur J Endocrinol 2001;165(1):17-24.14. Clark AJ, Cage TA, Aranda D, et al. Treatmentrelated morbidity and the management of pediatric craniopharyngioma: a systematic review. J Neurosurg Pediatr 2012;10(4):293-301.15. Schoenfeld A, Pekmezci M, Barnes MJ, et al. The superiority of conservative resection and adjuvant radiation for craniopharyngiomas J Neurooncol 2012;108(1):133-9.16. Jang WY, Lee KS, Son BC, et al. Repeat operations in pediatric patients with recurrent craniopharyngiomas. Pediatr Neurosurg 2009;45(6):451-5.17. Barriger RB, Chang A, Lo SS, Timmerman RD, Des Rosiers C, Boaz JC, et al. Phosphorus-32 therapy for cystic craniopharyngiomas. Radiother Oncol 2011;98(2):207-12.18. Tian ZM. Stereotactic intracavitary irradiation of huge cystic craniopharyngiomas. Zhonghua Wai Ke Za Zhi 1992;30(2):102-3.19. Pollock BE, Lunsford LD, Kondziolka D, ad et al. Phosphorus-32 intracavitary irradiation of cystic craniopharyngiomas: current technique and long-term results. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1995 ;33(2):437-46.20. Voges J, Sturm V, Lehrke R, et al. Cystic craniopharyngioma: long-term results after intracavitary irradiation with stereotactically applied colloidal beta-emitting radioactive sources. Neurosurgery 1997;40(2):263-9.21. Julow J, Backlund EO, Lányi F, et al. Long-term results and late complications after intracavitary yttrium-90 colloid irradiation of recurrent cystic craniopharyngiomas. Neurosurgery 2007;61(2):288-95.22. Hasegawa T, Kondziolka D, Hadjipanayis CG, Lunsford LD. Management of cystic craniopharyngiomas with phosphorus-32 intracavitary irradiation. Neurosurgery 2004;54(4):813-20.23. Anderson DR, Trobe JD, Taren JA, Gebarski SS. Visual outcome in cystic craniopharyngiomas treated with intracavitary phosphorus-32. Ophthalmology 1989;96(12):1786-92.24. Kodama T, Matsukado Y, Uemura S. Intracapsular irradiation therapy of craniopharyngiomas with radioactive gold: indication and follow-up results. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 1981;21(1):49-58.25. Backlund EO, Axelsson B, Bergstrand CG, et al. Treatment of craniopharyngiomas--the stereotactic approach in a ten to twenty-three years’ perspective. I. Surgical, radiological and ophthalmological aspects. Acta Neurochir (Wien 1989;99(1-2):11-9.26. Van den Berge JH, Blaauw G, Breeman WA, et al. Intracavitary brachytherapy of cystic craniopharyngiomas. J Neurosurg 1992;77(4):545-50.

Optimization of Micro Multi-Carrier Energy Hub Operation Under Uncertain Predictions

Finding an optimal schedule(s) for the buildings’energy equipment cluster is vital to realize sustainabledevelopment and energy-saving goals. However, high-impactuncertainties pose critical challenges in this regard. To relaxthese challenges, this paper develops an optimization model foroperating the buildings’ energy equipment cluster underuncertain predictions whose principal elements are the energyhub (EH) concept and the two-point estimate (TPE) method.The EH concept is used to find levels of the degree of freedomfor optimization by modeling efficiently how multi-carrierenergy resources and demands can be connected through thiscluster of converters, conditioners, storage, and others. The TPEmethod is, however, used to improve the reliability androbustness of the model’s predictions, leading to better decisionmakingunder uncertainty. The TPE method integrates highimpactuncertainties related to multi-carrier energy prices anddemands and the production capacity of renewable energyresources in optimization. The proposed optimization model hasbeen applied to an industrial building, and its sufficiency andprofitableness are examined in different scenarios