Mastery-based language learning outside class: Learning support in flipped classrooms

In the last five years or so, research has extensively explored the benefits and problems of flipped classrooms in helping improve the student learning experience. However, little attention has been given to the kinds of support that students would need in the process of mastering learning outside class. To address this gap in research and practice, the current study proposes and evaluates a learning support framework for mastery-based learning outside class that aims to respond to students’ cognitive and affective needs and needs for developing appropriate learning strategies. The proposed framework was evaluated in a Chinese language course offered at an Australian university in Semester 1, 2016. This study focuses on the qualitative data collected through courses, such as screen captures of various learning support mechanisms, a student survey, and reflective journals from teachers. Our findings highlight the necessity, benefits, and challenges of offering learning support for mastery-based learning outside class in the flipped classroom context

CONODONTS FROM THE WA’ERGANG SECTION, CHINA, A POTENTIAL GSSP FOR THE UPPERMOST STAGE OF THE CAMBRIAN

Furongian (upper Cambrian) conodonts from the Shenjiawan Formation, Wa’ergang section, Taoyuan County, Hunan Province, South China are described. The Wa’ergang section has been proposed as a potential GSSP for the base of the uppermost stage of the Cambrian System, at the first appearance of the agnostoid trilobite Lotagnostus americanus. The Shenjiawan Formation consists of limestone with intercalations of marlstone and shale. The conodont yielding is low and the preservation is moderate. The conodont fauna includes proto-, para- and euconodonts. Conodont taxa characteristic of North China, South China and Korea occur together with cosmopolitan taxa. The biostratigraphic distribution of conodonts is directly correlated with the agnostoid trilobite biozones, with the base of the Proconodontus posterocostatus Zone very close to the base of the Lotagnostus americanus trilobite Zone

The Xiaoyangqiao section, Dayangcha, North China: the new global Auxiliary Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (ASSP) for the base of the Ordovician System

In 2019 the Sub-Commission on the Ordovician System approved the Xiaoyangqiao section, North China as a new ASSP section for the base of the Ordovician System. The sedimentary succession of the section is exposed in a natural outcrop near the Dayangcha Village at a position of 42°3'24''N, 126°42'21''E. It has a well-preserved, abundant and diverse fossil record across the boundary with key markers (conodonts and graptolites), which provide improved intercontinental correlation of the Cambrian– Ordovician boundary. The appearance of the first planktonic graptolites is immediately below the base of the Cordylodus lindstromi Conodont Zone. Other fossils, including acritarchs, brachiopods and trilobites are also present in the Xiaoyangqiao ASSP section. Non-biotic secondary global markers near the base of the Ordovician System include a positive carbon isotopic excursion with the maximum peak (named HSS) below the boundary, a prominent unnamed negative peak immediately below the boundary and a prominent carbon isotope excursion with positive peaks above the boundary. The latter excursion is associated with the appearance of the planktonic graptolites in the Ordovician. The strength of the Xiaoyangqiao ASSP section is the correlation between the conodonts and graptolites, correspondence of sea-level lowstands, and the matches of geochemical parameters

Elevated homocysteine levels, white matter abnormalities and cognitive impairment in patients with late-life depression

BackgroundCognitive impairment in late−life depression (LLD) is considered to be caused by neurodegenerative changes. Elevated homocysteine (Hcy) levels may be linked to cognitive abnormalities associated with LLD. The important role of white matter (WM) damage in cognitive impairment and pathogenesis in patients with LLD has been widely reported. However, no research has explored the interrelationships of these features in patients with LLD.ObjectiveThe goal of the study was to examine the interrelationship between Hcy levels, cognition, and variations in WM microstructure detected by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in patients with LLD.MethodsWe recruited 89 healthy controls (HCs) and 113 patients with LLD; then, we measured the plasma Hcy levels of participants in both groups. All individuals performed a battery of neuropsychological tests to measure cognitive ability. Seventy-four patients with LLD and 68 HCs experienced a DTI magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.ResultsPatients with LLD showed significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus than those of healthy participants. Only in LLD patients was Hcy concentration inversely associated to FA values in the forceps minor. Finally, multiple regression analyses showed that an interaction between Hcy levels and FA values in the right cingulum of the cingulate cortex and right inferior longitudinal fasciculus were independent contributors to the executive function of patients with LLD.ConclusionOur results highlight the complex interplay between elevated homocysteine levels and WM abnormalities in the pathophysiology of LLD-related cognitive impairment, consistent with the neurodegeneration hypothesis

The 11th annual meeting of China Earthquake Prediction Forum held on Aug. 15—19, 2023 in Kangding City, Sichuan Province

The 11th annual meeting of China Earthquake Prediction Forum (CEPF), which was co-sponsored by Prediction Committee of Seismological Society of China and Sichuan Earthquake Agency, was held on Aug. 15—19, 2023 in Kangding City，Sichuan Province. More than 100 persons from 8 universities, 4 institutes of Chinese Academy of Sciences and 23 Institutes and Provincial Earthquake Agencies of China Earthquake Administration attended this conference. 12 special topics had been set up for academic exchange. 96 conference articles were collected before the meeting, in which 87 articles had been passed pier reviewing and will be published by the joural of Seismological and Geomagnetic Observation and Research in Supplementary Issue of 2023. During the 2 days room meeting, there were 23 orals and 55 posters presented, where 6 invited key note speakers presented the research current advances of earthquake prediction practice in China, the designing of gravity instrument for continuous measurement aiming at earthquake prediction research, the application of machine learning to diagnose aftershock pattern, the progress of tsunami research in Southeast China. There were 6 young presenters got excellent poster awards who obtained the permission of oral presentation in the following annual meeting of China Earthquake Prediction Forum. A popular science lecture on Xianshuihe fault zone was organized for the one day field training course held in the southern segment of Xianshuihe fault after the room meeting of this conference. A short panel discussion on how to enhance the capability of hunting precursors and prediction efficiency in high risk area was conducted. All the attendees enjoyed the successful conference both in scientific exchange and in onsite training course of active fault

Pharmacokinetic Comparison of Ferulic Acid in Normal and Blood Deficiency Rats after Oral Administration of Angelica sinensis, Ligusticum chuanxiong and Their Combination

Radix Angelica Sinensis (RAS) and Rhizome Ligusticum (RLC) combination is a popular herb pair commonly used in clinics for treatment of blood deficiency syndrome in China. The aim of this study is to compare the pharmacokinetic properties of ferulic acid (FA), a main bioactive constituent in both RAS and RLC, between normal and blood deficiency syndrome animals, and to investigate the influence of compatibility of RAS and RLC on the pharmacokinetic of FA. The blood deficiency rats were induced by injecting 2% Acetyl phenylhydrazine (APH) on the first day, every other day, to a total of five times, at the dosage of 100, 50, 50, 30, 30 mg/kg body mass, respectively. Quantification of FA in rat plasma was achieved by using a simple and rapid HPLC method. Plasma samples were collected at different time points to construct pharmacokinetic profiles by plotting drug concentration versus time, and estimate pharmacokinetic parameters. Between normal and blood deficiency model groups, both AUC(0–t) and Cmax of FA in blood deficiency rats after RAS-RLC extract administration increased significantly (P < 0.05), while clearance (CL) decreased significantly. Among three blood deficiency model groups, t1/2α, Vd, AUC(0–t) and AUC(0–∞) all increased significantly in the RAS-RLC extract group compared with the RAS group. The results indicated that FA was absorbed better and eliminated slower in blood deficiency rats; RLC could significantly prolong the half-life of distribution, increase the volume of distribution and the absorption amount of FA of RAS in blood deficiency rats, which may be due to the synergic action when RAS and RLC were used together to treat blood deficiency syndrome

Diabetic Kidney Disease in FVB/NJ Akita Mice: Temporal Pattern of Kidney Injury and Urinary Nephrin Excretion

Akita mice are a genetic model of type 1 diabetes. In the present studies, we investigated the phenotype of Akita mice on the FVB/NJ background and examined urinary nephrin excretion as a marker of kidney injury. Male Akita mice were compared with non-diabetic controls for functional and structural characteristics of renal and cardiac disease. Podocyte number and apoptosis as well as urinary nephrin excretion were determined in both groups. Male FVB/NJ Akita mice developed sustained hyperglycemia and albuminuria by 4 and 8 weeks of age, respectively. These abnormalities were accompanied by a significant increase in systolic blood pressure in 10-week old Akita mice, which was associated with functional, structural and molecular characteristics of cardiac hypertrophy. By 20 weeks of age, Akita mice developed a 10-fold increase in albuminuria, renal and glomerular hypertrophy and a decrease in the number of podocytes. Mild-to-moderate glomerular mesangial expansion was observed in Akita mice at 30 weeks of age. In 4-week old Akita mice, the onset of hyperglycemia was accompanied by increased podocyte apoptosis and enhanced excretion of nephrin in urine before the development of albuminuria. Urinary nephrin excretion was also significantly increased in albuminuric Akita mice at 16 and 20 weeks of age and correlated with the albumin excretion rate. These data suggest that: 1. FVB/NJ Akita mice have phenotypic characteristics that may be useful for studying the mechanisms of kidney and cardiac injury in diabetes, and 2. Enhanced urinary nephrin excretion is associated with kidney injury in FVB/NJ Akita mice and is detectable early in the disease process

ZEB2 Mediates Multiple Pathways Regulating Cell Proliferation, Migration, Invasion, and Apoptosis in Glioma

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to analyze the expression of Zinc finger E-box Binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) in glioma and to explore the molecular mechanisms of ZEB2 that regulate cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Expression of ZEB2 in 90 clinicopathologically characterized glioma patients was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, siRNA targeting ZEB2 was transfected into U251 and U87 glioma cell lines in vitro and proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were examined separately by MTT assay, Transwell chamber assay, flow cytometry, and western blot. RESULTS: The expression level of ZEB2 protein was significantly increased in glioma tissues compared to normal brain tissues (P<0.001). In addition, high levels of ZEB2 protein were positively correlated with pathology grade classification (P = 0.024) of glioma patients. Knockdown of ZEB2 by siRNA suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion, as well as induced cell apoptosis in glioma cells. Furthermore, ZEB2 downregulation was accompanied by decreased expression of CDK4/6, Cyclin D1, Cyclin E, E2F1, and c-myc, while p15 and p21 were upregulated. Lowered expression of ZEB2 enhanced E-cadherin levels but also inhibited β-Catenin, Vimentin, N-cadherin, and Snail expression. Several apoptosis-related regulators such as Caspase-3, Caspase-6, Caspase-9, and Cleaved-PARP were activated while PARP was inhibited after ZEB2 siRNA treatment. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of ZEB2 is an unfavorable factor that may facilitate glioma progression. Knockdown ZEB2 expression by siRNA suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion and promoted cell apoptosis in glioma cells