Developing an Alternative Math Assessment Tool Using Speech Recognition

The world today is now in the era of Information Technology. The development of ICT-based processes specifically in the area of assessment in school is now visible. Project LISTEN (Literacy Innovation that Speech Technology ENables) is an inter-disciplinary research project at Carnegie Mellon University to develop a novel tool to improve literacy – an automated Reading Tutor that displays stories on a computer screen, and listens to children read aloud. This study does not provide right or wrong answers for they let the user evaluate the answer. The main objective of this study is to develop an Alternative Math Assessment Tool for Preschoolers using Speech Recognition. These software aims to assist teachers in the review of Math lessons for preschooler using speech recognition. The development of the system utilizes the System Development Cycle approach that includes data gathering to identify system’s expected functionalities, designing the system using Use-Case Diagram, integration of JSAPI for Voice Recognition, using Synthesizer software for reading the questions out loud, a graphical display of teacher representation and a graphical display for every questions in the review. Along in the development of this assessment tool is the implementation of the system. The system was developed using Java Programming language. It also uses MySql database to store data for preschooler, review questions and text answers. In the conduct of the review digital microphone and a speaker is needed. The developed system is capable of creating questions for a particular review, activating a review for the preschooler to take, and record the preschooler’s scores at every end of the review. The system also includes graphical display of questions. In the conduct of the review, the system was able to read out loud the questions, and a 5-second time span for the pupil to answer the review questions. The system will listen and the feedback from the study will display the correctly uttered answer. User testing results indicates an 83% correct response of system against the correct uttered answer of the preschooler.

Exploring the Prophylactic Role of Dietary Beetroot Supplementation in Delaying Hepatic and Renal Stress

Diet based regimen is considered as an imperative approach to mitigate physiological dysfunctions. In this regard, red beetroot (Beta vulgaris) possesses significant antioxidant activity attributed to its biologically active betalains for the management of lifestyle related disorders. Purposely, present research was planned to assess the prophylactic potential of dietary beetroot supplementation in delaying hepatic and renal stress. In this respect, red beetroot was evaluated for proximate composition followed by extraction of bioactive moieties using solvents; ethanol, water and ethanol:water (1:1) at different time intervals i.e. 20, 40 and 60 min. Resultantly, extracts obtained at 40 min using ethanol:water depicted highest total phenolics (182.98±3.47 mg GAE/g), flavonoids (51.84±1.22 mg CE/g), betacyanins (69.69±2.36 mg/g), betaxanthins (35.41±2.25 mg/g) and total betalains (105.10±4.61 mg/g). Likewise, highest antioxidant activities were also exhibited by ethanol:water based extracts recovered at 40 min as evident from 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (78.12±1.03%), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) (1.93±0.05 mM Fe2+/g) and 2,2''-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) (5.08±0.46 mM TE/g) assays. Hence, this extract was further used to prepare nutraceutical beetroot drink. In product development, three beetroot beverages namely beetroot juice (T1), functional beetroot drink (T2) and nutraceutical beetroot drink (T3) were prepared and assessed during storage. Amongst, T3 and T1 represented better physicochemical, antioxidant and sensory attributes during storage. Accounting this, beetroot juice (BJ) and nutraceutical beetroot drink (BND) were subjected to bioevaluation trial for assessing their prophylactic role against hepatic and renal stress. In bioefficacy, three studies comprising of normal (study I), hepatotoxic (study II) and renotoxic (study III) rats were reared in three groups in each study serving as control, BJ and BND treated animals, respectively. The biochemical markers exhibited non-momentous variations amongst the groups in study I whereas, momentous differences in biochemical markers of rats in study II and III. The provision of BJ & BND showed marked reduction in lipid peroxidation status of hepatic (32.51 & 27.22%; study II) and renal (19.23 & 23.09%; study III) tissues, respectively compared to respective control. Similarly, lowered nitric oxide levels were noted in BJ and BND treated rats (study III) as 11.32 and 8.56%, respectively. Considerably higher superoxide dismutase (28.12 & 25.33%) and catalase (21.43 & 24.21%) activities were noticed in hepatic tissues of rats in study II on pretreatment with BJ & BND, relatively. Likewise, renal tissues of BJ & BND treated rats demonstrated elevated superoxide dismutase (18.92 & 21.45%) and catalase (11.98 & 15.21%) activities, correspondingly with respect to renotoxic control. Amongst serum hepatic health biomarkers, BND treatment showed 25.39, 22.05, 26.02 & 24.07% whilst, BJ indicated 21.45, 19.23, 23.52 & 22.41% lower levels of ALT, AST, ALP & bilirubin, respectively than control (study II). Besides, reduced serum urea (19.47 & 23.19%) and creatinine (16.30 & 21.74%) values were expressed by BJ & BND treated renotoxic rats (study III). In contrary, total proteins, albumins and globulins were higher by 8.79, 8.64 and 8.96%, respectively in BJ whilst, 11.21, 10.96 and 11.47% in BND treated renotoxic rats compared to positive control. Histological assessment of liver and kidney tissues also indicated prophylactic role of beetroot based beverages in preserving cellular portfolio. Conclusively, dietary supplementation of red beetroot has shown effectual therapeutic control of oxidative stress mediated hepatic and renal dysfunctions. Hence, red beetroot based products should be encouraged in routine diet to alleviate lifestyle related disorders with special reference to liver and kidney health.