Contextual Scaffolding in Secondary Geography Education: A Lesson Study of the Instruction of “The Middle East”

The utilization of instructional scaffolding is a crucial element in the process of imparting novel knowledge or skills to students. This approach involves the teacher providing and modifying support for students in order to optimize their classroom participation and academic outcomes. The present study offers an examination of a seventh-grade geography lesson focused on the Middle East. The lesson employs contextual scaffolding, supported by visual aids, throughout various teaching processes such as lesson introduction, classroom inquiry, review, and summary

Study on the mechanism of the overall evolution of Chinese students’ physical health testing system

Physical health test plays an important role in students’ physical health, since the reform and opening up, Chinese students’ physical health test has entered the track of benign development, experienced the reform in 1975, 2002, 2007, and the partial revision in 1982, 1990, 2014. With the continuous reform and revision of physical fi tness testing standards in the whole academic community, physical fi tness testing standards have become a research hotspot in recent years.This review will study the evolution of the history of physical fi tness testing system for Chinese students, infl uencing factors and existing problems

Identifying codes and locating–dominating sets on paths and cycles

AbstractLet G=(V,E) be a graph and let r≥1 be an integer. For a set D⊆V, define Nr[x]={y∈V:d(x,y)≤r} and Dr(x)=Nr[x]∩D, where d(x,y) denotes the number of edges in any shortest path between x and y. D is known as an r-identifying code (r-locating-dominating set, respectively), if for all vertices x∈V (x∈V∖D, respectively), Dr(x) are all nonempty and different. Roberts and Roberts [D.L. Roberts, F.S. Roberts, Locating sensors in paths and cycles: the case of 2-identifying codes, European Journal of Combinatorics 29 (2008) 72–82] provided complete results for the paths and cycles when r=2. In this paper, we provide results for a remaining open case in cycles and complete results in paths for r-identifying codes; we also give complete results for 2-locating-dominating sets in cycles, which completes the results of Bertrand et al. [N. Bertrand, I. Charon, O. Hudry, A. Lobstein, Identifying and locating–dominating codes on chains and cycles, European Journal of Combinatorics 25 (2004) 969–987]

Game-theoretical approach for task allocation problems with constraints

The distributed task allocation problem, as one of the most interesting distributed optimization challenges, has received considerable research attention recently. Previous works mainly focused on the task allocation problem in a population of individuals, where there are no constraints for affording task amounts. The latter condition, however, cannot always be hold. In this paper, we study the task allocation problem with constraints of task allocation in a game-theoretical framework. We assume that each individual can afford different amounts of task and the cost function is convex. To investigate the problem in the framework of population games, we construct a potential game and calculate the fitness function for each individual. We prove that when the Nash equilibrium point in the potential game is in the feasible solutions for the limited task allocation problem, the Nash equilibrium point is the unique globally optimal solution. Otherwise, we also derive analytically the unique globally optimal solution. In addition, in order to confirm our theoretical results, we consider the exponential and quadratic forms of cost function for each agent. Two algorithms with the mentioned representative cost functions are proposed to numerically seek the optimal solution to the limited task problems. We further perform Monte Carlo simulations which provide agreeing results with our analytical calculations

Alpha‐melanocyte stimulating hormone increases the activity of melanocortin‐3 receptor‐expressing neurons in the ventral tegmental area

The mesocorticolimbic dopamine system, the brain’s reward system, regulates multiple behaviours, including food intake and food reward. There is substantial evidence that the melanocortin system of the hypothalamus, an important neural circuit controlling feeding and body weight, interacts with the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system to affect feeding, food reward and body weight. For example, melanocortin‐3 receptors (MC3Rs) are expressed in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and our laboratory previously showed that intra‐VTA injection of the MC3R agonist, MTII, decreases home‐cage food intake and operant responding for sucrose pellets. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying the effects of intra‐VTA alpha‐melanocyte stimulating hormone (α‐MSH) on feeding and food reward are unknown. To determine how α‐MSH acts in the VTA to affect feeding, we performed electrophysiological recordings in acute brain slices from mice expressing enhanced yellow fluorescent protein in MC3R neurons to test how α‐MSH affects the activity of VTA MC3R neurons. α‐MSH significantly increased the firing rate of VTA MC3R neurons without altering the activity of non‐MC3R expressing VTA neurons. In addition, the α‐MSH‐induced increase in MC3R neuron activity was independent of fast synaptic transmission and intracellular Ca2+ levels. Finally, we show that the effect of α‐MSH on MC3R neuron firing rate is probably activity‐dependent. Overall, these studies provide an important advancement in the understanding of how α‐MSH acts in the VTA to affect feeding and food reward.Key pointsAlpha‐melanocyte stimulating hormone (α‐MSH) is an anorexigenic peptide. Injection of the α‐MSH analog MTII into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) decreases food and sucrose intake and food reward.Melanocortin‐3 receptors (MC3R) are highly expressed in the VTA, suggesting that the effects of intra‐VTA α‐MSH may be mediated by α‐MSH changing the activity of MC3R‐expressing VTA neurons.α‐MSH increased the firing rate of MC3R VTA neurons in acute brain slices from mice, although it did not affect the firing rate of non‐MC3R VTA neurons.The α‐MSH induced increase in MC3R neuron firing rate is probably activity‐dependent, and was independent of fast synaptic transmission and intracellular Ca2+ levels.These results help us to better understand how α‐MSH acts in the VTA to affect feeding and other dopamine‐dependent behaviours.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/149572/1/tjp13547.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/149572/2/tjp13547_am.pd

Prognostic influence of PD-1/PD-L1 suppressors in combination with chemotherapeutic agents for non-small cell pulmonary carcinoma: system review and meta-analysis

BackgroundLung cancer is a common malignant tumor, which is seriously harmful to human life and health. Nowadays, it has gradually become one of the best treatments for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to combine immunotherapy and chemotherapy, and its clinical efficacy is preliminary. Nevertheless, substantial differences exist between various studies and various indicators. Despite their unconvincing results, high-quality research evidence is needed to support them. In this case, further correlative studies are necessary to investigate the prognostic outcomes of PD-1/PD-L1 suppressors in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs in NSCLC.MethodsThe online public databases were searchable for the clinical trials that consisted of NSCLC patients who had concluded their chemotherapy and who had accepted PD-1/PD-L1 suppressors. The time-span of the search spanned from the beginning to the end of the database. Two investigators retrieved the data independently. RevMan 5.3 statistical software was utilized for the assessment of bias risk. The software followed the Cochrane Handbook 5.3 guidelines.ResultsThere were seven clinically controlled studies with 2781 NSCLC samples finally included in this study. A meta-analysis of the post-treatment overall response rate (ORR) was undertaken. A remarkably higher ORR rate was observed in the study group (p<0.05). Study participants had a noticeably longer PFS (HR=0.61, 95% CI=0.54-0.70, P<0.00001). Study participants had markedly longer overall survival (OS) (HR=0.651, 95% CI=0.52-0.82, P<0.05). The incidence of adverse events (AEs) of Grade 3 or above was not clinically clearly different (P>0.05), as demonstrated by the incidence of AEs. The funnel plots were separately charted in accordance with ORR rate, PFE, OS, and Grade 3 AEs. The majority of the funnel plots were symmetrical and a minority of funnel plots were asymmetrical, indicating the heterogeneity of research and the limited evidence available may lead to some publication bias in the contained literature.ConclusionThe combined PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors with conventional chemotherapy can dramatically elevate the prognosis of NSCLC patients, obviously enhancing the ORR rate and prolonging their PFS and OS. Furthermore, it was found that adding PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors to conventional chemotherapy did not result in any additional adverse effects

Physical activity and school adaptation among Chinese junior high school students: chain mediation of resilience and coping styles

BackgroundAs a crucial juncture in students’ educational journey, junior high school presents challenges that profoundly influence well-being and academic performance. Physical activity emerges as a pivotal factor shaping the holistic development of junior high school students. Beyond its recognized impact on physical and mental health, engaging in regular physical activity proves effective in augmenting students’ adaptability to school life. Despite its importance, the mechanisms through which physical activity influences school adaptation in junior high school students remain understudied in academic research.ObjectiveIn exploring the potential mechanisms, this study aims to validate the mediating roles of resilience and coping styles by examining the association between physical activity and school adaptation among junior high school students.MethodsThis study employed cross-sectional survey approach among junior high school students in China. Through the convenience sampling, 1,488 participants aged from 12 to 16 years old (Average age = 13.59, SD = 1.017) from two Junior high schools in Changsha City, Hunan Province were recruited to complete the Physical Activity Scale, School Adaptation Questionnaire for Junior High School Students, Resilience Scale for Adolescents, and Simple Coping Styles Questionnaire. For data analysis, the SPSS 26.0 and Amos 26.0 were used for statistical processing.ResultsThe results showed that physical activity exhibited a significant correlation with school adaptation (r = 0.656, p < 0.001). Resilience, positive coping style and negative coping style played partial mediating roles between physical activity and school adaptation, with the effect size were 0.229, 0.170, 0.171. The chain mediation effect size of resilience and positive coping style was 0.042, while the chain mediation effect size of resilience and negative coping style was 0.050.ConclusionPhysical activity positively predicts Chinese junior high school students’ school adaptation through resilience and coping styles, suggesting that junior high school students should engage in regular physical activity, so as to improve their resilience and positive coping styles, mitigating negative coping styles, thus promoting their school adaptation