46 research outputs found
An investigation into STEM students’ uses and perceptions of lexical repetition in their own writing
No full textThe repetition of words, lexical repetition, can be an important marker of cohesion in writing, especially in domains where precision and clarity are valued. Contemporary writing in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is a such a domain. Nevertheless, lexical repetition is sometimes instinctively misunderstood as a feature of an exaggerated style or simplistic language use.Using a classification system inspired by both previous research on lexical cohesion and the specific needs and characteristics of STEM writing, I analysed 15 project proposals written by STEM students and examined their ways of using and avoiding lexical repetition when referring to key concepts. I then reviewed each text with its author(s) in a semi-structured interview. My aim was to understand the students’ perceptions of lexical repetition as STEM writers and English users.Results of the text analysis show that the more experienced student writers frequently chose lexical repetition to refer to key concepts, and that the less experienced student writers tended to use more paraphrases and pronouns instead. This finding challenges the notion that lexical repetition is a feature of inappropriate or simplistic language use. Results of the interviews show that some students had previously been discouraged from repeating lexical items in writing. However, they mostly recognised the value of lexical repetition in STEM writing to avoid ambiguity and ensure inter-sentential cohesion. The majority of the students in this study used lexical repetition assuredly; they were confident in their English, their purpose, and their understanding of their readers’ needs.Keyword
An investigation into STEM students’ uses and perceptions of lexical repetition in their own writing : From early literacy learning to writing in professional life
No full textThe repetition of words, lexical repetition, can be an important marker of cohesion in writing, especially in domains where precision and clarity are valued. Contemporary writing in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is a such a domain. Nevertheless, lexical repetition is sometimes instinctively misunderstood as a feature of an exaggerated style or simplistic language use. Using a classification system inspired by both previous research on lexical cohesion and the specific needs and characteristics of STEM writing, I have analysed 15 project proposals written by STEM students at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. The sample is small but representative of KTH’s student population in terms of gender, linguacultural background, and years of academic experience. I examined the students’ ways of using and avoiding lexical repetition when referring to key concepts and also reviewed each text with its author(s) in a semi-structured interview. My aim was to understand the students’ perceptions of lexical repetition as STEM writers and English users. Results of the text analysis show that the more experienced student writers frequently chose lexical repetition to refer to key concepts, and that the less experienced student writers tended to use more paraphrases and pronouns instead. This finding challenges the notion that lexical repetition is a feature of inappropriate or simplistic language use. Results of the interviews show that some students were previously discouraged from repeating lexical items in writing. However, they mostly recognised the value of lexical repetition in STEM writing to avoid ambiguity and ensure inter-sentential cohesion. A second round of text collection and interviews will begin this summer with a focus on newly arrived international students. For the WRAB VI conference, I would like to compare the results of the two rounds of data collection and share some insights from the interviews.</p
MicroRNA-424/503 cluster involvement in regulation of bovine granulosa cell function and oocyte maturation
No full textSeveral microRNA (miRNA) clusters are known to be differentially regulated during follicular development. Previously, it was reported that the miR-424/503 cluster was highly abundant in bovine granulosa cells (bGCs) of preovulatory dominant follicles compared to subordinate counterparts. However, the underlying mechanisms of this miRNA cluster in bGCs functions and oocyte maturation have not been investigated. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of miR-424/503 cluster in bGCs function and oocyte maturation. Target gene validation assay using luciferase reporter showed that SMAD7 and ACVR2A are the direct targets of the miR-424/503 cluster. In line with this, while overexpression of miR- 424/503 reduced, inhibition increased the expression of SMAD7 and ACVR2A genes. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis indicated that overexpression of miR-424/503 cluster enhanced bGCs proliferation by promoting G1 to S phase cell cycle transition. Moreover, knockdown of the miR-424/503 cluster target gene using small interfering RNA also revealed similar phenotypic and molecular alterations when miR-424/503 cluster was overexpressed. Further, increased cell proliferation and downregulation of both miR-424/503 and its target gene with activin A treatment, indicated the presence of negative feedback loop between activin A and the miR-424/503 cluster. Moreover, expression of miR-424/503 was significantly higher at mature cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) (MII) compared to immature COCs (GV) in both cumulus and oocytes. Additionally, overexpression of miR-424 enhanced the expression of genes associated with cumulus cell expansion such as EGFR, PTGS2, PTX3 and MAPK1 and also increased the expression of KIT ligand gene associated with oocyte growth. In conclusion, the miR-424/503 cluster regulates bovine granulosa cell proliferation by targeting SMAD7 via activin signalling pathway and enhances the candidate gene expression involved in cumulus cell expansion and oocyte maturation.Die Beteiligung des microRNA-424/503-Clusters an der Regulation der Rinder- Granulosazellenfunktion und der Oozytenreifung Es ist bekannt, dass mehrere microRNA (miRNA) Cluster während der follikulären Entwicklung unterschiedlich reguliert sind. In vorherigen Studien wurde bereits berichtet, dass die Expression des miR-424/503-Clusters in Rinder-Granulosazellen (bGCs) von präovulatorischen dominanten Follikeln im Vergleich zu subordinanten Follikeln verstärkt auftritt. Die zugrunde liegenden Mechanismen dieses miRNA-Clusters in bGCs-Funktionen und Oozytenreifung wurden jedoch noch nicht betrachtet. Daher wollten wir in dieser Studie die Funktion des miR-424/503-Clusters in bGCs und der Eizellreifung untersuchen. Ein Target-Gen-Validierungsassay unter Verwendung des Luciferase-Reporter Systems zeigte, dass SMAD7 und ACVR2A die direkten Zielgene des miR-424/503-Clusters sind. In Übereinstimmung damit, während die Überexpression von miR-424/503 reduziert wurde, erhöhte die Inhibierung die Expression der Gene SMAD7 und ACVR2A. Darüber hinaus zeigte die Durchflusszytometrieanalyse, dass die Überexpression des miR-424/503-Clusters die bGCs-Proliferation durch die Stimulierung des G1-zu-S-Phasen-Zellzyklusübergangs verstärkt. Weiterhin ergab die Ausschaltung des miR-424/503-Clusters Zielgene mit siRNA ähnliche phänotypische und molekulare Veränderungen, wie während einer Überexpression des miR-424/503-Clusters. Eine erhöhte Zellproliferation und eine Herunterregulation sowohl von miR-424/503 als auch seiner Zielgene nach Activin A-Behandlung impliziert das Vorhandensein einer negativen Rückkopplungsschleife zwischen Activin A und dem miR- 424/503-Cluster. Darüber hinaus war die Expression von miR-424/503 in reifen Kumulus- Oozyten-Komplexen (COCs) (MII) signifikant höher als in unreifen COCs (GV) sowohl in den Kumuluszellen als auch in den Oozyten. Zusätzlich verstärkte die Überexpression von miR-424 die Expression von Genen, die mit der Kumulus-Expansion assoziiert sind, wie z.B. EGFR, PTGS2, PTX3 und MAPK1 und erhöhte auch die Expression des KIT-Ligandengens, das mit dem Oozytenwachstum assoziiert ist. Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass der miR-424/503-Cluster die Rinder-Granulosazellproliferation reguliert, indem er SMAD7 über den Activin-Signalweg aktiviert und die Expression von Kandidatengenen für die Kumuluszell-Expansion und Oozytenreifung erhöht
Experimentelle Untersuchungen zur in-vitro-Fertilisation von Oozyten präpuberaler Rinder
No full textAfterword
No full textNews of Sharp’s death was wired to Edith Rinder in London, and she passed it to the newspapers with the information that Sharp was the author of the writings of Fiona Macleod. Six years before he died, Sharp wrote on small white cards a message confessing that he, and he alone, was “the author — in the literal and literary sense — of all written under the name of Fiona Macleod.” He identified individuals who were to receive the cards from Elizabeth after he died. She sent one to W. B. Yeats o..
