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The interaction between teachers and students is vital for promoting teaching quality. Online learning spaces have various features that can support teacher-student interaction in online learning contexts. In this study, a preliminary model was developed by analyzing the principles underlying the interaction between teachers and students and the support features of online learning spaces. Then, the interaction model was refined and validated in three rounds of teaching practice involving 31 college students. A real-time dynamic artificial intelligence analysis system was used to analyze the teacher-student interaction during three rounds of design-based research. The results showed that the model significantly fostered students' engagement during the interaction. Moreover, students significantly improved their final exam scores and their innovative problem-solving ability after the intervention.

Simple Summary: Both the warming climate and ultraviolet-B radiation are notable environmental factors affecting tadpole development. However, the phenotypes of tadpoles living at high altitudes may be improved by moderately warming temperatures, reducing or eliminating the negative effects of oxidative damage caused by cool temperatures or strong ultraviolet-B radiation. To verify this hypothesis, Rana kukunoris tadpoles, which live at high altitudes, were exposed to ultraviolet-B radiation and ultraviolet-B radiation-free environments at 14 (cool temperature) and 22 °C (warm temperature), respectively. Ultraviolet-B radiation and a warm temperature had opposite influences on several traits of the tadpoles, and the moderate temperature could compensate for or override the negative effects of ultraviolet-B radiation by increasing the tadpoles' preferred body temperature and critical tolerance temperature, thus enhancing the locomotion ability and thermal sensitivity of their antioxidant systems. The dark skin coloration and aggregation behavior of R. kukunoris tadpoles may also be effective strategies for allowing them to resist ultraviolet-B radiation and helping them to better adapt to a warming environment with stronger ultraviolet-B radiation. Thus, a moderate degree of warming may increase the capacity of living organisms to adapt to environmental changes and thus have positive effects on the development of tadpoles living at high altitudes. Both the warming climate and ultraviolet-B radiation (UVBR) are considered to be notable environmental factors affecting amphibian population decline, with particular effects on tadpole development. However, the phenotypes of tadpoles living at high altitudes may be improved by moderately warming temperatures, reducing or eliminating the negative effects of oxidative damage caused by cool temperatures or strong UVBR at high altitudes. To verify this hypothesis, Rana kukunoris tadpoles, which live at high altitudes, were used to test the effect of the interaction of temperature and UVBR on their development and antioxidant systems in a fully factorial design. The tadpoles were exposed to UVBR and UVBR-free environments at 14 (cool temperature) and 22 °C (warm temperature), respectively. UVBR and a warm temperature had opposite influences on several traits of the tadpoles, including their survival, developmental rate, individual size, preferred body temperature, thermal tolerance temperature, oxidative damage, and enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant systems. The moderate temperature could compensate for or override the negative effects of UVBR by increasing the tadpoles' preferred body temperature and critical tolerance temperature, thus enhancing the locomotion ability and thermal sensitivity of their antioxidant systems. Furthermore, the dark skin coloration and aggregation behavior of R. kukunoris tadpoles may also be effective strategies for allowing them to resist UVBR and helping them to better adapt to a warming environment with stronger UVBR. Thus, it is possible that a moderate degree of warming may increase the capacity of living organisms to adapt to environmental changes and thus have positive effects on the development of tadpoles living at high altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through close studies of pro-Trump Chinese Christians' intellectual and popular writings, this paper presents a historical analysis that explains the popularity of Trump and the Christian Right agenda among Chinese American Christians. Chinese churches' habitual reluctance to discuss politics had created a vacuum of political reflection quickly filled with the political agenda of a few pro-Trump pastors. Most of these pastors are first generation immigrants who carried with them the historical memory of Chinese house churches persevering under persecution from a powerful secular state, and they often did not re-contextualize this inherited narrative to new situations in America. The mode of spirituality they aimed to cultivate in America thrived upon the self-perception of being a persecuted minority of truth holders against an ominous force, embodied once by the Communist Party (CCP) and now by what they perceive as the American liberal cultural establishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese Christians in the 1920s faced pressure from a new republic that demanded the loyalty of its citizens despite lacking a proper knowledge of the meaning of the term. Progressive Christians associated with the YMCA soon launched the Citizenship Education Movement in 1924 as they tried to combine Christian virtue with China's broader national demands. While their association of modern citizenship with virtue cultivation was not new, these Christians did attempt something unique, which was to define a good citizen as a world citizen, whose belief in God meant one is loyal ultimately to certain universal values instead of the nation-state. As the Movement continued, the relationship between one's devotion to these higher values and that to the Chinese nation-state remained a complex and often competitive one. Although the Movement ended largely with the end of its visionary, Yu Rizhang, its momentum was harnessed by the Nationalist Party in the New Life Movement. The latter, however, omitted the language of God and universal values at the same time as it injected the nation-state, and the Party in particular, as the sole receiver of loyalty and granter of privilege. Thus the decade-long history of the YMCA's Citizenship Education Movement testifies to the association between one's religious devotion and an internationalist understanding of citizenship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phrynocephalus erythrurus (Lacertilia: Agamidae) is considered to be the highest living reptile in the world (about 4500-5000 m above sea level), whereas Phrynocephalus przewalskii inhabits low altitudes (about 1000-1500 m above sea level). Here, we report the differences in hematological traits between these two different Phrynocephalus species. Compared with P. przewalskii, the results indicated that P. erythrurus own higher oxygen carrying capacity by increasing red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) and hematocrit (Hct) and these elevations could promote oxygen carrying capacity without disadvantage of high viscosity. The lower partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2) of P. erythrurus did not cause the secondary alkalosis, which may be attributed to an efficient pulmonary system for oxygen (O2) loading. The elevated blood-O2 affinity in P. erythrurus may be achieved by increasing intrinsic O2 affinity of isoHbs and balancing the independent effects of potential heterotropic ligands. We detected one α-globin gene and three β-globin genes with 1 and 33 amino acid substitutions between these two species, respectively. Molecular dynamics simulation results showed that amino acids substitutions in β-globin chains could lead to the elimination of hydrogen bonds in T-state Hb models of P. erythrurus. Based on the present data, we suggest that P. erythrurus have evolved an efficient oxygen transport system under the unremitting hypobaric hypoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Nitric oxide (NO), produced by nitric oxide synthases (NOS) from L-arginine, plays important roles in a wide range of physiological processes. However, little is known about ectothermic species. To investigate the response of NO/NOS system in adaptation to different altitudes in Phrynocephalus genus, the red tail toad-headed lizard Phrynocephalus erythrurus that live at 4500–5300 m on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and another low altitude living lizard Phrynocephalus przewalskii were selected in the present study. The results of mRNA expression and activity of NOSs, as well as NO metabolite levels in different tissues of the two lizards indicate that nNOS mRNA levels in cardiac and skeletal muscle were notably elevated in P. erythrurus , and iNOS expression was also increased markedly (up to 4-fold) in cardiac muscle. There was no significant difference in eNOS mRNA level in tested tissues between two species. However, the total NOS activity in skeletal muscle of P. erythrurus was slightly lower than that of P. przewalskii (p <.05) while no difference in other tissues. Similarly, lower iNOS activity (p <.01) was found in cardiac and skeletal muscle in P. erythrurus compared to P. przewalskii. In addition, the NO metabolite levels were dramatically lower in P. erythrurus in all tested tissues. We propose that higher nNOS and iNOS mRNA expression, lower iNOS activity and NO metabolite levels may represent physiological characteristics in nitric oxide system, which may contribute to high-altitude adaptation in P. erythrurus. Highlights • The red tail toad-headed lizard Phrynocephalus erythrurus has known to be the highest living lizard in the world. • We examined the NOSs mRNA expression, NOSs activity and NO metabolite levels between high and low altitudes living lizard. • These changes may represent physiological characteristics of adaptation to the extreme environment in P. erythrurus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal acclimatization is important for animals to live optimally in the varying environment. Phrynocephalus vlangalii , a species of lizard endemic in China, distributes on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau ranging from 2000 to 4600 m above sea level. To dissect how this lizard mediate metabolism to adapt various season, the preferred body temperature (Tb), standard metabolic rate (SMR), mitochondrial respiration rates and activities of four metabolic enzymes in this species were tested in different seasons (spring, summer, and autumn). The results showed that the preferred Tb was the lowest in spring and the highest in summer. SMR, maximal mitochondrial respiration rates in liver and skeletal muscle were the highest in spring. Similarly, higher activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), citrate synthase (CS) and cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) activities of liver and skeletal muscle were observed in spring. However, β-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase (HOAD) activities of liver and skeletal muscle were higher in autumn. On the whole, seasonal variation of metabolism is the highest in spring and the lowest in summer. Seasonal variation of metabolism is the opposite of preferred body temperature, this may be one of the mechanisms to adapt to the environment in P. vlangalii . Our results suggested that P. vlangalii at high altitude has certain adaptive characteristics on metabolism in different seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress is a major challenge for the survival of animals living on plateaus; however, lifelong exposure to high altitudes could generate certain adaptabilities which make them more tolerant to these environments. The aim of the present study was to compare the oxidative stress and antioxidant status between low altitude (LA, 2900 m) and high altitude (HA, 4200 m) populations of Phrynocephalus vlangalii . The results showed that malondialdehyde levels in the HA populations decreased significantly in the brain, but markedly increased in the muscle and had no significant difference in the liver compared to LA populations. The activity of catalase in the brain was much higher in HA than LA. Except for total antioxidant capacity and glutathione reductase, other antioxidants were similar between the two populations in livers. By contrast, the levels of most antioxidants in muscle decreased markedly with elevation. We also explored the effects of hypoxia on oxidative damage and antioxidant defenses in P. vlangalii. The lizards were acclimated in a simulated hypoxic chamber (15% O 2 and 8% O 2 ) for 6 weeks. The results showed that in the 8% O 2 group, the levels of malondialdehyde, catalase, glutathione and total antioxidant capacity in the brain, and malondialdehyde, catalase and superoxide dismutase in the liver were significantly higher than the 15% O 2 group. These findings indicate that in this species the oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity are subject to altitude and hypoxia and this lizard may have acquired some ability to deal with the oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has tremendous advantages for resolving the problem of male infertility. However, ICSI fertilization can fail in some patients because of various reasons, primarily because of the failure of oocyte activation. Oocytes have been activated using calcium ionophore (A23187) in previous clinical cases of ICSI fertilization failure. However, studies on the efficiency of calcium ionophore (A23187) activation, its effects on the developmental potential of embryos, and its effects on pregnancy outcomes after embryo transfer are relatively limited., Methods: In this study, we investigated the safety and long-term efficacy of calcium ionophore (A23187) by analyzing its effects on fertilization, embryonic development, aneuploidy, and pregnancy outcomes in patients undergoing preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) cycles., Results: Comparative analyses of the activation followed by PGT (A-PGT) and PGT groups revealed no significant differences between the oocyte cleavage rate and high-quality embryo rate (98.19% vs. 98.63% and 63.13% vs. 68.39%, respectively, p > 0.05). Although the blastocyst formation rate was significantly lower in the A-PGT group than that in the PGT group (52.22% vs. 59.90%, p < 0.05), no significant difference was observed in the blastocyst aneuploidy rates of the two groups (24.49% vs. 24.55%, p > 0.05). Furthermore, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of the live birth rate (43.75% vs. 52.99%), week of delivery, and birth weight of the infants after transfer of euploid blastocysts ( p > 0.05). Furthermore, the 2PN rate, oocyte cleavage rate, blastocyst formation rate, and live birth rate were found to be significantly lower in the A-ICSI group than those in the ICSI group ( p < 0.01), but there was no significant difference between the two groups in the week of delivery and birth weight of live births ( p > 0.05)., Discussion: These results suggest that the use of calcium ionophore (A23187) activation as an option in cases of ICSI fertilization failure does not affect the ploidy of developing blastocysts and has no significant effects on the week of delivery or birth weight after transfer. Thus, we provide a scientific basis for the clinical safety of oocyte activation using calcium ionophore (A23187)., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Zhang, Yao, Zhang, Hu, Yang, He, He, Fan, Bai and Sun.)

Although vanadium (V)-based sulfides have been investigated as cathodes for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), the performance improvement and the intrinsic zinc-ion (Zn 2+ ) storage mechanism revelation is still challenging. Here, VS 4 @rGO composite with optimized morphology is designed and exhibits ultrahigh specific capacity (450 mA h g -1 at 0.5 A g -1 ) and high-rate capability (313.8 mA h g -1 at 10 A g -1 ) when applied as cathode material for aqueous ZIBs. Furthermore, the VS 4 @rGO cathode presents long-life cycling stability with capacity retention of ∼82% after 3500 cycles at 10 A g -1 . The structural evolution, redox, and degradation mechanisms of VS 4 during (dis)charge processes are further probed by in situ XRD/Raman techniques and TEM analysis. Our results indicate that the main energy storage mechanism is derived from the intercalation/deintercalation reactions in the open channels of VS 4 . Notably, an irreversible phase transition of VS 4 into Zn 3 (OH) 2 V 2 O 7 ·2H 2 O (ZVO) during the charging process and the further transition from ZVO to ZnV 3 O 8 during long-term cycles are also observed, which might be the main reason leading to the capacity degradation of VS 4 @rGO. Our study further improves the electrochemical performance of VS 4 in aqueous ZIBs through morphology design and provides new insights into the energy storage and performance degradation mechanisms of Zn 2+ storage in VS 4 , and thus may endow the large-scale application of V-based sulfides for energy storage systems.

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 1 (ADAMTS1) is an extracellular matrix metalloproteinase that plays an important role in the process of ovulation. According to previous studies, the expression level of ADAMTS1 in the granulosa cells of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) patients and the mechanism for regulating oocyte quality and embryonic development potential are still unclear. Our research clarified that ADAMTS1 was significantly increased in granulosa cells of PCOS patients as compared to ovulatory controls. After silencing ADAMTS1 in granulosa cells, cell proliferation and E 2 secretion were significantly inhibited, which may be related to the down-regulation of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) family genes and key genes involved in E 2 synthesis. Through retrospective analysis of the clinical data, it was found that the expression level of ADAMTS1 was significantly positively correlated to the oocyte maturation rate and good-quality embryo rate in PCOS patients. The downregulation of ADAMTS1 in primary granulosa cells lead to the changes in the expression of marker genes for oocyte and embryonic quality. By using immunofluorescence staining, it was found ADAMTS1 was expressed in various stages of pre-implantation embryo but its expression level gradually decreases with the development of the embryo. In addition, the silence of ADAMTS1 in 3PN zygotes significantly prolonged the development time of the zygote to the morula stage. This is, to our knowledge, the first time to explored the mechanism by which ADAMST1 is involved in affecting the quality of oocytes and embryonic development potential, which will provide new evidence for further understanding of the follicular microenvironment and embryo development., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Yang, Yao, Xu, Fan, Liu, He, Kong, Kong, Bai, He, Zhang, Zhang and Sun.)