The Impact of Altruistic Teaching on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Learners' Emotion Regulation: An Intervention Study.

The second language acquisition (SLA) field has recently seen heightened interest in the study and application of positive psychology (PP). Emotion regulation is one of the concepts that has been stressed in PP. Several studies in PP have delved into how controlling one's emotions improves second language learning/teaching. One of the concepts that has slipped the minds of researchers in the field is altruistic teaching. Unlike egocentric acts, altruistic teaching acts are performed to improve others' well-being. Despite their importance in causing positive emotional effects, no study has investigated the impact of altruistic teaching acts on learners' emotion regulation. To bridge this gap, the present study sought to investigate the effect of learners' altruistic teaching on their emotion regulation. The study followed a sequential explanatory comparison group pre-test-post-test design. One hundred forty-one English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners were recruited for this intervention study and were divided into experimental and control groups. Learners in the experimental group performed altruistic teaching by teaching their peers how to write essays in English, whereas learners in the control group did group work tasks on English essay writing. The results of independent-sample t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA showed that altruistic teaching significantly impacts EFL learners' emotion regulation. The results of qualitative data pointed to five themes, including enjoyment, self-esteem, bonding, devotion, and progress. Overall, the results suggested that altruistic teaching impacts learners' emotion regulation by enhancing their enjoyment, self-esteem, bonding, devotion, and progress. The paper has theoretical and pedagogical implications for SLA research and practice.

Lexical Bundles in Chemistry Research Articles.

The purpose of this corpus-based study was to investigate whether different sections in chemistry research articles, i.e., abstract, introduction, and results and discussion, rely on different sets of lexical bundles. Lexical bundles, associated with the above sections, were extracted from a corpus of 4 million words, comprising 1,185 chemistry research articles, using WordSmith Tools 5.0, and were categorized according to their functions. Altogether, 197 key bundles were identified in the three sections of chemistry research articles, 15 in the abstract, 99 in the introduction, and 83 in the results and discussion section. Two functions also emerged for lexical bundles in chemistry research articles, including purpose-oriented bundles, which refer to the aim/aims of the study; and literature-oriented bundles, which are used to refer to the literature. Altogether, the results showed that various sections in chemistry RAs are associated with specific sets of lexical bundles and, as such, deal with different rhetorical functions.

Classroom Concordancing and Second Language Motivational Self-System: A Data-Driven Learning Approach.

Research shows that exploring language corpora through data-driven learning (DDL) plays a significant role in language learning. Nevertheless, it is not clear if using concordancing as an application of DDL affects the learners' second language motivation. To address this gap, the current study adopted a triangulation design, validating quantitative data model, and a quasi-experimental (comparison group, pretest-posttest) design. Ninety English-major university students with an intermediate level of English language proficiency, divided into control and experimental groups, took part in the study. Drawing on a second language motivational self-system questionnaire, the findings of the study did not result in any statistically significant differences between the students in their second language motivational self-system. Altogether, the students found learning English through a DDL approach with concordancing less motivating than receiving explicit instruction. The study has implications for language teaching and learning.

Arteriovenous Malformation Underlying a Plexiform Neurofibroma: An Unusual Presentation.

Vascular abnormalities associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 are well described in the literature, however, arteriovenous malformation is a very rare finding in neurofibromatosis type 1. We report the case of an 11-year-old girl who presented with a soft mass on the right flank. Provisional diagnosis of plexiform neurofibroma was made on the basis of clinical and histological observations. Because the lesion was warm on palpation, imaging studies were performed to evaluate further and arteriovenous malformation was detected underlying the plexiform neurofibroma. This report emphasizes the importance of careful examination and proper investigations of the plexiform neurofibroma prior to treatment strategies to avoid future complications. The rarity of plexiform neurofibroma in association with arteriovenous malformation at the same site was also highlighted in this report.

Elevated serum levels of Vitamin D in infants with urolithiasis.

INTRODUCTION: The pathophysiology of urolithiasis in infancy is not well known. The aim of this study was to investigate whether infants with urolithiasis have higher serum levels of vitamin D, as a possible risk factor for urolithiasis, compared to infants without urinary calculi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this case-control study, 36 infants with urolithiasis (age range, 2.5 to 24 months) were enrolled as well as 36 age- and sex-matched infants without urolithiasis. Random urine samples were tested for calcium, phosphorous, oxalate, citrate, uric acid, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and creatinine levels, and also nitroprusside test was done on the samples. Serum levels of potassium, urea nitrogen, creatinine, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphorous, and uric acid were measured in all of the infants with urolithiasis. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 were also measured in the control group. RESULTS: Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 were significantly higher in the infants with urolithiasis than in the controls (33.85 ± 14.78 ng/mL versus 18.26 ± 7.43 ng/mL, P < .001). Nine infants in the urolithiasis group (25%) were found to have hypercalcemia; 3 of these cases also had hypervitaminosis D. Hypercalciuria was detected in 10 infants with urolithiasis (27.8%), hypocitraturia in 6 (16.7%), hypomagnesiuria in 3 (8.3%), and hyperoxaluria in 1 (2.8%). Nineteen infants with urolithiasis had at least one metabolic disorder. CONCLUSIONS: High serum levels of vitamin D may play an important role in the pathogenesis of urolithiasis in infants with hypercalcemia. We recommend evaluation of vitamin D levels in these infants.