1988 DWC Membership and Mailing Lists

Membership list of DWC members, 198

Table_1_Mobile-assisted vocabulary learning through the Shanbay App outside the classroom: Effects of self-regulation and peer scaffolding.DOCX

Recent decades have witnessed an increasing academic interest in mobile-assisted vocabulary learning. To explore the possible influencing factors on learning outcomes, this study aimed at examining the effects of self-regulation and peer scaffolding on mobile-assisted vocabulary learning among undergraduate students using Shanbay App beyond the classroom. To this end, altogether 71 intermediate-level English learners aged 17–19 years were chosen as participants, with 37 in the experimental group (with peer scaffolding) and 34 in the control group (without peer scaffolding). Data were collected through the Shanbay App regarding participants’ vocabulary learning performance, a self-regulation questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The results of factorial ANOVA revealed that peer scaffolding significantly affected mobile vocabulary learning in terms of the days spent in vocabulary learning and the sum of words participants have learned; a main effect of self-regulation and an interaction effect of self-regulation and peer scaffolding were also observed on the sum of learned words. The research is innovative in providing a motivational peer scaffolding framework in mobile vocabulary learning settings, and may provide pedagogical implications for vocabulary teaching in EFL context in higher education.</p

Data_Sheet_1_Using model texts as a type of feedback in EFL writing.DOCX

Recent work has established that model texts could be employed as a useful feedback technique. However, few studies have employed argumentative writing tasks and analyzed draft quality, and little is known about the role played by the language analytic ability in using model texts. The current study aimed to investigate what Chinese EFL learners (n = 60) noticed at the composition and comparison (comparing their texts with model texts) processes in a four-stage argumentative writing task and explore to what degree model texts can enhance the learners’ subsequent writing. The four stages were: (1) writing (pre-test); (2) comparing (treatment); (3) rewriting (immediate post-test); (4) delayed writing (delayed post-test). The findings showed that learners primarily noticed lexical features in the composition and comparison stages. Higher language analytic ability (LAA) learners and guided noticing learners could notice and elicit more information from the model texts. Overall, the use of model texts was effective in improving learners’ writing by providing alternative elements associated with lexis, grammar, content, and organization. In addition, the beneficial effect of model texts on writing could be maintained after 1 week. Some pedagogical implications are put forward to help teachers make better use of model texts to improve learners’ writing. This study also provides new insights into how language analytic ability affects the effectiveness of using models and provides more information on the type of learner most likely to benefit from model texts.</p

Number of true (a,c) and false (b,d) positives as functions of effect size (SIMU1).

<p>Total number of genes is . Total number of truly differentially expressed genes is , where and are the numbers of up- and down-regulated genes, respectively. The sample size is . <i>t</i>-test and Bonferroni procedure are applied. Adjusted -value threshold: 0.05.</p

Number of detected DEGs as a function of sample size.

<p>(a): <b>TALL</b> versus <b>TEL</b>; (b) <b>HYPERDIP</b> versus <b>TEL</b>. Total number of genes is . <i>t</i>-test and Bonferroni procedure are applied. Adjusted -value threshold: 0.05.</p

Image_1_Comparison of the Intestinal Microbiota During the Different Growth Stages of Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii).jpg

This study aimed to determine the effect of the growth stage of Procambarus clarkii on their intestinal microbiota. Intestinal samples of five different growth stages of P. clarkii (first instar, second instar, third instar, juvenile, and adult) from laboratory culture were analyzed through the Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing platform to determine the intestinal microbiome of crayfish. The alpha diversity decreased along with the growth of the crayfish, with the relative abundance of the microbiota changing among stages; crayfish at closer development stages had a more comparable intestinal microbiota composition. A comparative analysis by principal component analysis and principal coordinate analysis showed that there were significant differences in the intestinal microbiota of crayfish among the different growth stages, except for the first two stages of larval crayfish, and the intestinal microbiota showed a consistent progression pattern from the larval stage to the juvenile stage. Some microbiota showed stage specificity, which might be the characteristic microbiota of different stages of growth. According to FAPROTAX functional clustering analysis, the three stages of larvae were clustered together, while the juvenile and adult stages were clustered separately according to the growth stage, indicating that, in the early stages of larval development, the function of the intestinal flora was similar; as the body grew and developed, the composition and function of the intestinal microbiota also changed.</p

Role of Structure in the Ammonia Uptake of Porous Polyionic Liquids

In this work, tunable NH3 uptake of polyionic liquids (PILs) are reported through regulating the size of the cross-linking agent R, the metallic anion M­(II) (SCN)42–, where M are Co, Zn, and Cu, and the cationic polymer framework of PILs. Combined with NH3 uptake experiments, spectroscopic analysis, and DFT calculation, the NH3 uptake was proposed as the coordination with M­(II) to generate M­(NH3)n2+, where n = 6 when M = Co and n = 4 when M = Cu and Zn, which suggests that the NH3 capacity is dominated by the metal center for different coordinative numbers. The increase in the size of R benefits the high capacity of NH3 uptake for more metallic anions to be exchanged and promotes NH3 desorption for the enhancement of porosity of PILs; however, the oversize of R goes against porosity and NH3 desorption. There seems to be less effect of the cation on ammonia uptake, while the stable cationic polymer framework protects the PILs from collapse. Overall, the tunable porosity (surface area of 15.9–869.0 m2/g and total volume of pores of 0.011–0.695 cm3/g) and NH3 uptake properties (capacity of 11.6–20.1 mmol/g PIL) as well as feasible NH3 desorption of PILs are realized for the flexible structural design of PILs. Furthermore, the adsorbed H2O and SO2 on NH3 uptake of PVIm-R8-Co were investigated. The investigation in this work makes the role of the structure of PILs in ammonia uptake clearer and provides the designability of PILs for gas adsorption and other applications

Table_1_Diabetic retinopathy risk in patients with unhealthy lifestyle: A Mendelian randomization study.pdf

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the causal association between unhealthy lifestyle factors and diabetic retinopathy (DR) risk and to determine better interventions targeting these modifiable unhealthy factors.DesignTwo-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed in this study. The inverse variance-weighted method was used as the primary method.MethodOur study included 687 single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with unhealthy lifestyle factors as instrumental variables. Aggregated data on individual-level genetic information were obtained from the corresponding studies and consortia. A total of 292,622,3 cases and 739,241,18 variants from four large consortia (MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit [MRC-IEU], Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits [GIANT], GWAS & Sequencing Consortium of Alcohol and Nicotine Use [GSCAN], and Neale Lab) were included.ResultIn the MR analysis, a higher body mass index (BMI) (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.42, 1.30–1.54; P ConclusionOur findings suggest that higher BMI, WHR, and smoking are likely to be causal factors in the development of DR, whereas genetically higher HC is associated with a lower risk of DR, providing insights into a better understanding of the etiology and prevention of DR.</p

Image_1_Diabetic retinopathy risk in patients with unhealthy lifestyle: A Mendelian randomization study.pdf

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the causal association between unhealthy lifestyle factors and diabetic retinopathy (DR) risk and to determine better interventions targeting these modifiable unhealthy factors.DesignTwo-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed in this study. The inverse variance-weighted method was used as the primary method.MethodOur study included 687 single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with unhealthy lifestyle factors as instrumental variables. Aggregated data on individual-level genetic information were obtained from the corresponding studies and consortia. A total of 292,622,3 cases and 739,241,18 variants from four large consortia (MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit [MRC-IEU], Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits [GIANT], GWAS & Sequencing Consortium of Alcohol and Nicotine Use [GSCAN], and Neale Lab) were included.ResultIn the MR analysis, a higher body mass index (BMI) (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.42, 1.30–1.54; P ConclusionOur findings suggest that higher BMI, WHR, and smoking are likely to be causal factors in the development of DR, whereas genetically higher HC is associated with a lower risk of DR, providing insights into a better understanding of the etiology and prevention of DR.</p