The Effect of Collaborative Writing on EFL Learners Writing Ability at Elementary Level

The feed value of sesame meal, a main agricultural by-product from the northern area of Gyeongsangbuk-do province, was assessed in Hanwoo steers. A total of twelve Hanwoo steers (average BW = 412.08 kg) were allocated into a Control (fed no sesame meal) or Treatment (fed sesame meal from 14.6 months of age) group, considering BW and ages, and the animals were fed for a total of 480 days. The final BW, total gain and ADG for the Control and Treatment groups were 741.17 kg and 762.67 kg, 331.84 kg and 347.84 kg, and 0.69 kg and 0.72 kg, respectively, showing better performances in sesame meal-fed animals. Feed requirements during the whole experimental period improved by feeding sesame meal (15.31 and 14.87 for Control and Treatment group, respectively). Hanwoo steers fed sesame meal also showed a 22.83 kg heavier cold carcass weight (424.17 kg and 447.00 kg in the Control and Treatment group, respectively), and 2.41% improved dressing percentages (58.60% and 57.22% for the Control and Treatment group, respectively). The area of the M. longissimus dorsi was 91.83 cm 2 and 88.33 cm 2 in the Control and Treatment group, respectively. The final yield of A and B grade meat were 50 : 50% and 33.3 : 66.7% from the Control and Treatment group, respectively. The average marbling score was 4.83 and 5.50, and the numeric values for quality grade was 2.17 and 2.67 for the Control and Treatment group, respectively, showing better beef quality in sesame meal-fed Hanwoo steers. In fact, there were two animals with beef quality 1 ++ in the sesame meal-fed group. The melting point of lipid extracted from the M. longissimus dorsi of Hanwoo steers was significantly (p<0.05) lower in the Treatment group (28.28℃) compared to the Control group (30.65℃). The composition of saturated fatty acids, C14:0 (myristic acid) and C16:0 (palmitic acid), were significantly lower in sesame meal-fed animals, 4.70% and 2.20% for myristic acid, and 30.55% and 27.12% for palmitic acid, in the Control and Treatment group, respectively. In contrast, there were no significant differences in C18:0 (stearic acid) composition between the groups. The composition of a representative unsaturated fatty acid, C18:1 (oleic acid), was significantly higher in Treatment animals (49.89%) than Control animals (44.29%) (p<0.05). The ratio of total monounsaturated fatty acids / saturated fatty acids; M/S) was 1.10 and 1.36 for the Control and Treatment groups, respectively, showing remarkably higher ratios in sesame meal-fed group. The content of glutamic acid, related to beef flavor, was significantly higher in the Treatment group (3.35 mg/100 g) compared to the Control group (1.88 mg/100g) (p<0.05). The tenderness score, evaluated by an eight-point scale in the panel test, and overall palatability (based on juiciness, flavor, oiliness, and umami) were significantly higher in the Treatment group (5.67 and 5.23, respectively) than the Control group (3.83 and 4.60, respectively) (p<0.05). In conclusion, the current results imply that sesame meal could serve as a good supplement for Hanwoo steers for producing high quality beef.

Obstructive jaundice is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Major complications such as pulmonary dysfunction, renal failure and sepsis are frequently encountered. Recent studies and observations suggest that the free oxygen radicals (FORs) produced in obstructive jaundice may play a significant role in the etiopathogenesis of acute renal failure (ARF). Thirty rats were divided into three groups, as sham, control and treatment groups containing 10 rats each. Laparatomy was performed on each animal in the control and treatment groups and common bile ducts were ligated. Common bile duct was observed but was not ligated for the rats in the sham group. Saline solution injection was begun on the first day of surgical procedure and repeated once a day during the following 5 days. The same procedure was performed with oxygen radical scavenger dimethyl sulfoxide (1.5 mg/kg/day i.p.) instead of saline in the treatment group. The rats were sacrificed on the 7th postoperative day. On the 7th postoperative day, the bilirubin, urea and creatinine levels of the control and treatment groups were significantly higher in comparison with the sham group (p < 0.01). Although there was no statistically significant difference between the bilirubin levels of the control and treatment groups (p > 0.05), the urea and creatinine levels in the treatment group were significantly lower (p < 0.01). On the 7th postoperative day, the erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels of the control and treatment groups were significantly lower than those of the sham group (p < 0.01), whereas renal and erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly higher (p < 0.01). Although SOD and GSH-Px levels did not differ significantly between the treatment and control groups (p > 0.05), renal and erythrocyte MDA levels of the treatment group were significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.01). The histopathological scores were significantly higher in the control and treatment groups (p < 0.01); there was no significant difference between the control and treatment groups (p > 0.05). FORs seem to play a significant role in the etiopathogenesis of renal failure in obstructive jaundice. Antioxidant treatment may decrease oxidative damage due to FORs and may prevent renal failure.

Over the past few years, the world’s attention has been focused on gaming systems and their application in education through gamification, incorporating game features into learning tools. Against this backdrop, this study aims to investigate the motivation of EFL learners in a Gamified Formative Assessment (GFA). Theoretical insights from self-determination theory (SDT) are synthesized in the context of motivation analysis and internalization. Data from interviews and questionnaires are collected, and pair-t-tests and basic linear regression, CiteSpace, are utilized for data evaluation and literature review. Paired t-tests for the control group (CG) and the experimental group (EG) in the first and second stages, as well as the EG’s first and second stages, show a strong positive correlation between CG’s scores in stages one and two and EG’s scores in both stages (r1 = 0.930, r2 = 0.851, r3 = 0.953, p < 0.001). It is found that Quizizz, as an example of GFA, can enhance EFL learners’ internalization at a higher level during their learning process. Furthermore, our findings also suggest that gamification enables most EFL learners to recognize the value and benefits of assessment as motivation for identified regulation. Additionally, the overall accuracy of the students in the EG, which is 89.05%, is higher compared to the CG’s accuracy of 74.01%. It is interesting to note that their motivation level correlates with their performance and engagement. With these findings, we contribute to the literature by validating that gamified formative assessment fosters the internalization of EFL at the elementary level, thereby enhancing students’ engagement and language proficiency. Therefore, as one of the studies on gamification and motivation, this research holds unique value in analyzing EFL instruction at the primary school level.

The effects of probiotic administration were studied in an experiment, using 120 newborn calves. Calves were randomly assigned to two experimental groups (sixty calves for each group) and probiotic (0.25 g h(-1) day(-1)) was added in their daily milk intake until 90 days of age. After the first week, all calves (including control group) received starter ration containing 21.0% crude protein and 3.0% crude fat. Body weight gain, body height and general health condition of all calves were observed at day 30, 60 and 90. Also condition of feces was examined daily and the occurrence of diarrhea was recorded throughout the experiment. Mean values of weight gain during three successive months for treatment and control groups were 57.52 and 50.58 kg, respectively. Body weight gained was not significantly different for first and second mo between treatment and control groups (16.9 and 33.87 vs. 14.49 and 33.07 for fist and second months in treatment and control groups, respectively). However, these values were significantly different (p < 0.001) between treatment (57.52) and control (50.58) groups third months of age. Diarrhea was observed in 35 calves of control group, which was higher than 11 cases in calves treated with probiotic (p < 0.001). The body height values of control and treatment groups in three successive months were 5.49, 10.82 and 15.00 cm for control and 5.44, 9.25 and 15.75 cm for treatment groups in first, second and third mo, respectively, which showed no significant difference between two groups during this study. The results of this study indicated that present probiotic compound have beneficial effects, especially on the third month of age in rearing calves.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Fuzheng Xiaoji granule in patients with stage IIIC colorectal cancer. Methods A total of 150 patients with stage IIIC colorectal cancer treated in Shanghai Ruijin Hospital from January 2019 to January 2022 were selected. They were divided into treatment and control groups according to a 2 : 1 random number table. There were 100 cases in the treatment group and 50 cases in the control group. The treatment group was administered Fuzheng Xiaoji (FZXJ) granule, and the control group was administered the placebo orally. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS). In addition, after 6 months, the changes in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) symptom score (fatigue, emotional depression, chest tightness, insomnia, anorexia, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, soreness and weakness in the waist and legs, chills, and dysphoria in the chest, palm, and soles) were compared. Results The DFS was 34.37 ± 2.91 months in the control group and 37.0 ± 1.08 months in the treatment group (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the treatment group showed less fatigue, abdominal distension, and soreness and weakness in the waist and legs (p < 0.05), significantly. The scores of emotional depression and anorexia decreased obviously, with a significant difference between the control and treatment groups (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences between the control and treatment groups in the incidence of chest tightness, insomnia, abdominal pain, chills, and dysphoria in the chest, palm, and soles (p > 0.05). Conclusion Fuzheng Xiaoji granule can improve patients' symptoms and prolong the DFS.

To find out the effect of heat stress alleviation on physiological response, metabolic hormone profiles, milk production and composition in lactating buffaloes during hot-dry (HD) and hot-humid (HH) seasons, 42 lactating Nili-Ravi buffaloes were uniformly divided into 2 groups of 21 each. The treatment (T1) group was supplemented with niacin, yeast, edible oil and provided with curtains, additional ceiling fans and mist fans in the shed. The feeding time, frequency and method for providing concentrate were altered. The control (T0) group buffaloes were kept in separate shed without any nutrient supplementation, modification in microclimate and management. The rectal temperatures, recorded at 10 AM and 3 PM, were significantly lower in treatment group buffaloes than control group under both seasons. Similar trends in pulse rate and respiration rate were recorded among treatment and control group buffaloes in both seasons. Plasma cortisol, T3 and T4 values were almost similar in both control and treatment groups. The average daily milk production was significantly higher in treatment group than control group from starting to the end of the experiment. The average total fat and SNF production in treatment group were significantly higher compared to control group. The overall fat per cent in milk of control group buffaloes was recorded to be 7.71% which was significantly higher than treatment group. It was concluded that nutrient supplementations, microclimate modifications and management alterations together in the form of one package help reducing heat stress.It has beneficial effect on physiological responses, total milk production and composition in lactating buffaloes during hot dry and hot humid summer without affecting cortisol, T3 and T4 profile.

Writing is a visual depiction of thoughts, feelings, and ideas using the written language for communication purposes or conveying certain messages. Having the ability to write, of course, allows humans to communicate ideas, appreciation, and experiences to others. Writing skill is possessed through intensive training and guidance which must be trained continuously to gain excellent writing skill. This study explores EFL learners’ writing ability in actualizing their skill in writing a descriptive paragraph. The study revealed that EFL learners’ writing ability is under expected skill. Therefore, this study implies that intensive improvement programs should be conducted by the educational institution to maximize learners’ writing skills

The aims of the present study were to investigate the effect of altrenogest treatment from 109 to 112 days of gestation in combination with double intramuscularly�of PGF2alpha administrations�at 113 days of gestation on the variation of farrowing in sows and its side effects on the sow colostrum yield, colostrum IgG, newborn piglet characteristics and piglet survival rate until seven days of postnatal life. In total, 193�sows were randomly allocated according to parity number into two groups, i.e. control (n = 95) and treatment (n = 98). The control sows were allowed to farrow naturally. The treatment sows were orally administered 20 mg per day of altrenogest for 4 days from 109 to 112 days of gestation and were administered PGF2alpha twice on day 113 of gestation. Individual body weight at birth and at 24 h after birth of piglets in all the litters were determined in both control (n = 1,609) and treatment (n = 1,707) groups. Colostrum consumption of all the piglets and colostrum yield of sows were estimated. Colostrum IgG at 0, 6 and 24 h postpartum and serum progesterone before and after farrowing were determined. Piglet survival rate until 3 days and 7 days of postnatal life were evaluated. On average, total number of piglets born and number of piglets born alive per litter were 17.0 ? 3.1 and 15.4 ? 3.0, respectively. The proportion of sows farrowed before 114 days of gestation in control was higher than treatment groups (8.4% and 2.0%, respectively, P = 0.05) and 92.8% of sows in the treatment group farrow on day 114 of gestation. The proportion of sows farrowed during working hours in control was lower than treatment groups (50.5% and 65.3%, respectively, P = 0.038). The percentage of stillborn piglets per litter did not differ significantly between in control and treatment groups (4.5% and 4.6%, respectively). Colostrum yield of sows did not differ between treatment and control group (5.28 ? 0.12 kg�and 5.52 ? 0.13 kg, respectively, P = 0.174). However, colostrum intake of piglets in the treatment was lower than control groups (357.0�? 6.6 g and 381.2 ? 7.0 g, respectively, P = 0.012). Colostrum IgG in the control was higher than treatment groups (41.2 ? 1.1 and 37.3 ? 1.0 mg per ml, respectively, P = 0.013). In conclusion, altrenogest treatment from 109 to 112 days and double PGF2alpha administrations on day 113 of gestation can reduce early parturition and can control gestation length in sows. No deleterious effect of this protocol on either the incidence of stillbirths or sow colostrum yield were detected. However, the piglet colostrum intake and colostrum IgG in the treatment groups were lower than control. Thus, intensive care of newborn piglets in the treatment group should be considered.

Laparoscopy approach to cholecystectomy has shortened the recovery period, reducing discharge times from 1 to 3 days to same-day discharge. We hypothesize that the use of more than one modality to prevent postoperative pain may be more efficacious than single modality. Patients were randomized to a treatment (n = 24) or control (n = 25) group and studied using a prospective, double-blind design. Preoperatively, at 45 min before induction of anesthesia, the treatment group received an intramuscular (IM) bolus injection of meperidine 0.6 mg/kg and ketorolac 0.5 mg/kg. The control group received two bolus IM injections of placebo (normal saline). Ten minutes before incision, local anesthesia (treatment group) or saline (control group) was infiltrated into the skin of each patient. Anesthetic management, postoperative pain, and nausea treatment were standardized. Pain and nausea assessment were done 1 h preoperatively, 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 h postoperatively, at discharge, and 10, 24, and 48 h postoperatively. Patients were discharged by scoring criteria. Postoperatively, significantly more patients in the treatment group were without pain on arrival in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), 12/21 (57.1%) vs 1/24 (4.2%) in the control group (P < 0.001). Similarly, the severity of pain was sixfold less in the treatment group than in the control group. The incidence of nausea in the PACU was significantly less in the treatment group; 4.7% vs 29.5% in the control group (P < 0.05). Patients from the treatment group satisfied Postanesthesia Discharge Score significantly earlier than those in the control group (281 +/- 12 min vs 375 +/- 19 min; P < 005). The concomitant use of local anesthetic and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory and opioid drugs proved to be highly effective in our patients, resulting in faster recovery and discharge. (Anesth Analg 1996;82:44-51)

Bispectral analysis (BIS) of the electroencephalogram (EEG) has been shown in retrospective studies to predict whether patients will move in response to skin incision. This prospective multicenter study was designed to evaluate the real-time utility of BIS in predicting movement response to skin incision using a variety of general anesthetic techniques. Three hundred patients from seven study sites received an anesthetic regimen expected to give an approximately 50% movement response at skin incision. EEG was continuously recorded via an Aspect B-500 monitor and BIS was calculated in real time from bilateral frontocentral channels displayed on the monitor. Half of the patients were randomized to a treatment group in which anesthetic drug doses were increased to produce a lower BIS. In the control group, BIS was recorded, but no action taken on the data displayed. A determination of movement in response to skin incision was made in the 2 min succeeding incision. Retrospective pharmacodynamic modeling was performed using STANPUMP to estimate effect-site concentrations of intravenously administered anesthetics. BIS values were significantly higher in the control group (66 +/- 19) versus the BIS-guided group, in which additional anesthesia was administered to produce a lower BIS (51 +/- 19). The movement response rate was significantly higher in the control group at 43% compared with 13% in the BIS-guided group, but response rates were low at sites which used larger doses of opioids. Logistic regression analysis showed that BIS, estimated opioid effect-site concentrations, and heart rate (in that order) were the best predictors of movement at skin incision. This study demonstrates that dosing anesthetic drugs to lower BIS values achieves a lower probability of movement in response to surgical stimulation. BIS is a significant predictor of patient response to incision, but the utility of the BIS depends on the anesthetic technique being used. When drugs such as propofol or isoflurane are used as the primary anesthetic, changes in BIS correlate with the probability of response to skin incision. When opioid analgesics are used, the correlation to patient movement becomes much less significant, so that patients with apparently "light" EEG profiles may not move or otherwise respond to incision. Therefore, the adjunctive use of opioid analgesics confounds the use of BIS as a measure of anesthetic adequacy when movement response to skin incision is used as the primary end point.

This study investigates the impact of wiki-mediated collaborative writing (WMCW) on enhancing persuasive writing skills, 21st century skills, and writing self-efficacy of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) students, following the Vygotskian social-constructivist theory of learning. Two intact classes, comprising 79 ESP students, were randomly assigned to an experimental group ( n = 39) and a control group ( n = 40), respectively. Over a term of 12 two-hour sessions, the experimental group received wiki-mediated collaborative writing instruction, while the control group received non-wiki collaborative writing instruction. Data were collected through two timed persuasive writing tasks, a 21st century skills scale, a writing self-efficacy scale, and individual semi-structured interviews. The study employs a sequential exploratory mixed method, analyzing the quantitative data using paired samples and independent samples t- t ests, and applying language-related episodes and thematic analyses to analyze the qualitative data. The findings indicate that both wiki-mediated and individual writing groups (non-wiki collaborative writing) instructions improved ESP students’ performance in persuasive writing skills, 21st century skills, and writing self-efficacy. Furthermore, the ESP students in the wiki-mediated collaborative writing group outperformed those in the non-wiki collaborative writing group. The qualitative analysis reveals peer writing mediations in the wiki space that enhance the ESP students' writing content, organization, and language use. The pedagogical implications of the study are discussed.

English language teaching methods have been transforming to improve learners’ English language proficiency. Currently, effective teaching methods are essential for enhancing learners’ academic achievement. Despite the recognition of collaborative learning as a beneficial approach, research specifically investigating its effects on writing performance remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of collaborative writing on Ethiopian English as a Foreign Language students’ writing accuracy, fluency, and complexity performance; it is a crucial area in language pedagogy that has not been extensively examined. Employing a quasi-experimental design, the study selected a total of 86 students, with 43 participants from each of two grade 10 classes. One class was assigned to the experimental group, where students participated in collaborative writing activities. The other class served as the control group, receiving conventional writing instruction. The intervention was implemented over a 12-week period. Data were collected through pre- and post-writing tests, and the results of the pre and post writing performance tests were analyzed using descriptive statistics, an independent-samples t test, and ANCOVA. The results revealed a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in writing accuracy and fluency. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of writing complexity performance. The findings indicate some theoretical and pedagogical implications to enhance advancements in writing proficiency, and overall, the study concludes by offering suggestions for future research.

Abomasal hypomotility and a decreased rate of abomasal emptying are believed to play important roles in the etiopathogenesis of abomasal disorders in ruminants. The abomasal emptying rate is potentially influenced by several factors. Effect of endotoxins on contractility of smooth-muscle preparations from the bovine abomasal antrum has been evaluated, and the results showed that endotoxemia has an inhibitory effect on contractility of abomasal smooth-muscle fibers. To evaluate the effect of the endotoxemia on the abomasal emptying rate in suckling lambs, this study was conducted. This study was done on five suckling lambs in two phases. In phase 1 (control group), the first blood sample was obtained in 7 a.m. (time zero). Then a mixture of milk, barium sulfate 70%, and acetaminophen was administered orally to each lamb. Afterwards, blood samples were obtained each 15 min up to 4 h later. Phase 2 (treatment group) was similar to phase 1, but after the first blood sampling in time zero in 7 a.m., endotoxemia was induced by administration of commercial lipopolysaccharide at dose rate of 2 μg/kg. The rest of the processes of phase 2 were similar to phase 1. Cmax, Tmax, and area under concentration curve (AUC) of acetaminophen were measured in the control and treatment groups. The abomasal emptying rate was assessed by comparing Cmax, Tmax, and AUC of acetaminophen between the control and treatment groups. The data from the control and treatment groups were analyzed statistically by SPSS program, using one-way ANOVA. Results indicated that Cmax, Tmax, and AUC in the endotoxemic (treatment) group were significantly different compared with those in the control group, which means endotoxemia decreased abomasal emptying rate. Results of present study indicated that endotoxemia profoundly decreases the abomasal emptying rate in suckling lambs. Thus, administration of drugs which attenuate endotoxemia could enhance the abomasal emptying rate in endotoxemic animals.

Objective The purposes of the present study are to investigate the effects and mechanisms of Bu Shen Ning Xin Yi Jing Pill on premature ovarian failure (POF) through a clinical study. Methods Sixty women with POF were administered and randomized into the treatment group and the control group. Every group had thirty cases. Patients in the treatment and control groups were requested to have the Bu Shen Ning Xin Yi Jing Pill and the Liu Wei Di Huang Pill, respectively. Six-month duration was considered as a therapeutic course. The serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) were determined by the chemistry luminescence method. Differences between the treatment and control groups were investigated.Results Improved menstruation were revealed in both groups and the treatment group showed significant improvement than the control group (P<0.01). In the treatment group, serum FSH levels sharply dropped after treatment, while the serum E2 levels significantly elevated compared with those of prior-treatment (P<0.01) . The total effective rate in the treatment group was 70% (21 cases), whereas 40% in the control group (12 cases). The difference had statistical significance (P<0.01) .Conclusion The BuShen NingXin YiJing Pill is effective in the treatment of premature ovarian failure via significant improvements in the clinical symptoms and balance of the endocrine hormones. Key words: Premature ovarian failure: Herbal medicine: BuShen NingXin YiJing Pill

To investigate the effect of peroxynitrite on the formation of diabetic cataract and its reversal by puerarin. in rat. Normal Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were equally divided into control group, streptozotocin group (STZ) and treatment group. STZ and treatment group were treated with STZ to establish animal model of diabetic rat cataract and in treatment group puerarin was given by peritoneal injection. General condition and lens shape of rats were examined at 20th, 40th, 60th day respectively. Lens epithelial cells (LEC) were observed with optical microscope. percentage of apoptotic cells, and fluorescent intensity of positive cells for nitrotyrosine (NT) which is the symbol of peroxynitrite were tested by flow cytometry. The expression of NT in the lens was analyzed by Western blot analysis. On 20th, 40th, 60th day of the experiment, clear, mild and severe lens opacity were found in control group, treatment group, and STZ group respectively and the lens opacity was gradually increased in all of rats included in the study. Under optical microscope, no changes were presented in control group, but mild changes were showed in treatment group and remarkable changes were found in STZ group. On all the specified days, distinguishable differences were found in the amount and percentage of apoptotic cells compared with that of control group in treatment group and STZ groups as well as between treatment and STZ groups (P < 0.05). There was significant increase in the fluorescent intensity and amount of NT in treatment and STZ groups compared with that of control group (P < 0.05), and the similar results were revealed between treatment group and STZ. The amount of expression of NT protein at different time points in different groups as described above was also significant difference (P < 0.001). Peroxynitrite plays an important role in the formation of diabetic rat cataract and is a participant in the pathogenesis of oxidative stress induced cataract. Puerarin is an effective antioxidative agent in the treatment of early diabetic rat cataract.