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Vocabulary learning is important to learners of a second language (L2). Nonetheless, organizing young children to practice L2 words in a classroom setting might cause many challenges to educators and practitioners. New technologies such as Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) may be utilized to solve the issue. In this study, we present a pedagogical innovation of using an ASR-based translator to assist young children to practice L2 words in a personalized and engaging way. ASR-based translators, in general, are easy to access in various smart devices such as smart phones, tablets, intelligent personal assistants and social robots. Although they are not designed to be educational tools, they might be adapted creatively into pedagogical practices. In the current study, we evaluate the effectiveness of word training with an ASR-based translator. Twenty-four Australian young children with an average age of 8.21 years old were assigned into two conditions: (1) the experimental condition used the ASR-based translator (group E); and (2) the comparison condition adopted a traditional teacher-led way of training (group C). Both quantitative data and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. It was discovered that group E significantly outperformed group C in the immediate post-tests, while the superiority became less obvious in the delayed post-tests. In addition, the young children in group E enjoyed training with the ASR-based translator. Implications for future practice and future research are discussed.

The development of floral organs, crucial for the establishment of floral symmetry and morphology in higher plants, is regulated by MADS-box genes. In sunflower, the capitulum is comprised of ray and disc florets with various floral organs. In the sunflower long petal mutant (lpm), the abnormal disc (ray-like) floret possesses prolongated petals and degenerated stamens, resulting in a transformation from zygomorphic to actinomorphic symmetry. In this study, we investigated the effect of MADS-box genes on floral organs, particularly on petals, using WT and lpm plants as materials. Based on our RNA-seq data, 29 MADS-box candidate genes were identified, and their roles on floral organ development, especially in petals, were explored, by analyzing the expression levels in various tissues in WT and lpm plants through RNA-sequencing and qPCR. The results suggested that HaMADS3, HaMADS7, and HaMADS8 could regulate petal development in sunflower. High levels of HaMADS3 that relieved the inhibition of cell proliferation, together with low levels of HaMADS7 and HaMADS8, promoted petal prolongation and maintained the morphology of ray florets. In contrast, low levels of HaMADS3 and high levels of HaMADS7 and HaMADS8 repressed petal extension and maintained the morphology of disc florets. Their coordination may contribute to the differentiation of disc and ray florets in sunflower and maintain the balance between attracting pollinators and producing offspring. Meanwhile, Pearson correlation analysis between petal length and expression levels of MADS-box genes further indicated their involvement in petal prolongation. Additionally, the analysis of cis-acting elements indicated that these three MADS-box genes may regulate petal development and floral symmetry establishment by regulating the expression activity of HaCYC2c. Our findings can provide some new understanding of the molecular regulatory network of petal development and floral morphology formation, as well as the differentiation of disc and ray florets in sunflower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stems of male and female strains of Bison grass (Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.) were taken as explants, and 1 / 2MS and MS medium were used, and different concentrations of NAA, KT and 6-BA were added to study the rapid propagation technology of ferison grass. Results indicated that 75% alcohol was treated for 30s with another 0.1 g ꞏL-1The disinfection effect of mercury solution for 12 min; The MS + 1.5 mg ꞏL-1 NAA + 0.4 mg ꞏL-1 KT female strain showed the best induction effect, The MS + 1.5 mg ꞏL-1 NAA + 0.6 mg ꞏL-1 KT male strain had the best induction effect; 1 / 2 MS + 2 mg + L-1 NAA + 1.5 mg ꞏL-1 6-BA the female and male strains had the best proliferation effect; The highest number of roots and root root rate of 1 / 2 MS + 1.5 mg ꞏL-1 female and male NAA strains were combined.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of tripterygium glycosides (TGs) on regulating abnormal lipid deposition in nephrotic syndrome (NS) rats. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were injected with 6 mg/kg doxorubicin to construct nephrotic syndrome models (n = 6 per group), and then administered with TGs (10 mg/kg·d−1), prednisone (6.3 mg/kg·d−1), or pure water for 5 weeks. Biomedical indexes, such as urine protein/creatinine ratio (PCR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), serum albumin (SA), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC)were investigated to evaluate the renal injury of rats. H&E staining experiment was used to assess the pathological alterations. Oil Red O staining was used to assess the level of renal lipid deposition. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) were measured to assess the extent of oxidative damage to the kidney. TUNEL staining was used to assess the status of apoptosis in the kidney. Western blot analysis was performed to examine the levels of relevant intracellular signaling molecules. After treatment with TGs, those tested biomedical indexes were significantly improved, and the extent of kidney tissue pathological changes and lipid deposition in the kidney was diminished. Treatment with TGs decreased renal oxidative damage and apoptosis. Regarding the molecular mechanism, TGs significantly increased the protein expression levels of Bcl-2 but decreased the levels of CD36, ADFP, Bax, and Cleaved caspase-3. TGs alleviates renal injury and lipid deposition induced by doxorubicin, suggesting that it may be a new strategy for reducing renal lipotoxicity in NS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]