Construct Equivalence on Translated Achievement Tests

To permit valid group comparisons on translated tests, the construct measured by these tests must be equivalent across language groups. The purpose of this study was to empirically assess the construct equivalence of translated achievement tests in mathematics and social studies. These tests were administered to three groups of Grade 6 examinees in Canada: English, French Immersion, and Francophone students. Results from a principal components and confirmatory factor analysis supported the assumption that the constructs are unidimensional. However, results from the multi-sample analysis indicated that the factor structure and error vari- ances are not equivalent across content areas. L’étude avait pour but de vérifier empiriquement l’équivalence linguistique du construit de tests de connaissances en mathématiques et en sciences humaines. Ces tests ont été administrés à trois groupes d’élèves de sixième année au Canada : anglophones, en immersion française et francophones. Les résultats d’une analyse des composantes principales et des facteurs de confirmation soutiennent l’hypo- thèse selon laquelle les construits sont unidimensionnels. Toutefois, les résultats de cette analyse à échantillons multiples ont indiqué que la structure factorielle et les variances des écarts ne sont pas équivalentes selon la matière envisagée.

Grapevine trunk disease in German viticulture II. Associated fungi occurring on non-Vitis hosts, and first report of Phaeoacremonium angustius

Fifteen species of wood colonizing fungi are presented that have been collected from various non-Vitis hosts in the vicinity of vineyards located in southern Palatinate, Germany. Information is provided on their geographic distribution, epidemiology, host range, life strategy, symptoms and diagnosis. Their role as possible pathogens within the complex of grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) is discussed. The following species are reported for the first time in Germany: Botryosphaeria sarmentorum, Cadophora malorum, Cadophora novi-eboraci, Collophora africana, Collophora hispanica, Cytospora chrysosperma, Diaporthe foeniculina, Dothiorella iberica, and Phaeoacremonium angustius. Diplodia seriata, Diplodia mutila, Dothiorella iberica, Cytospora chrysosperma, and Dothiorella iberica were proven by airborne inoculum, and could be demonstrated throughout the duration of our study, i.e. from March through September. The study points to a possible significance of non-Vitis hosts as additional inoculum source in GTDs. Also, the existence of airborne spores early in the year might be relevant with regard to the pruning period of vines

Impact of Fe2+^{2+} and Shear Stress on the Development and Mesoscopic Structure of Biofilms—A Bacillus subtilis Case Study

Bivalent cations are known to affect the structural and mechanical properties of biofilms. In order to reveal the impact of Fe2+ ions within the cultivation medium on biofilm development, structure and stability, Bacillus subtilis biofilms were cultivated in mini-fluidic flow cells. Two different Fe2+ inflow concentrations (0.25 and 2.5 mg/L, respectively) and wall shear stress levels (0.05 and 0.27 Pa, respectively) were tested. Mesoscopic biofilm structure was determined daily in situ and non-invasively by means of optical coherence tomography. A set of ten structural parameters was used to quantify biofilm structure, its development and change. The study focused on characterizing biofilm structure and development at the mesoscale (mm-range). Therefore, biofilm replicates (n = 10) were cultivated and analyzed. Three hypotheses were defined in order to estimate the effect of Fe2+ inflow concentration and/or wall shear stress on biofilm development and structure, respectively. It was not the intention to investigate and describe the underlying mechanisms of iron incorporation as this would require a different set of tools applied at microscopic levels as well as the use of, i.e., omic approaches. Fe2+ addition influenced biofilm development (e.g., biofilm accumulation) and structure markedly. Experiments revealed the accumulation of FeO(OH) within the biofilm matrix and a positive correlation of Fe2+ inflow concentration and biofilm accumulation. In more detail, independent of the wall shear stress applied during cultivation, biofilms grew approximately four times thicker at 2.5 mg Fe2+/L (44.8 µmol/L; high inflow concentration) compared to the low Fe2+ inflow concentration of 0.25 mg Fe2+/L (4.48 µmol/L). This finding was statistically verified (Scheirer–Ray–Hare test, ANOVA) and hints at a higher stability of Bacillus subtilis biofilms (e.g., elevated cohesive and adhesive strength) when grown at elevated Fe2+ inflow concentrations

Using Connectionist Models to Evaluate Examinees’ Response Patterns to Achievement Tests

The attribute hierarchy method (AHM) applied to assessment engineering is described. It is a psychometric method for classifying examinees’ test item responses into a set of attribute mastery patterns associated with different components in a cognitive model of task performance. Attribute probabilities, computed using a neural network, can be estimated for each examinee thereby providing specific information about the examinee’s attribute-mastery level. The pattern recognition approach described in this study relies on an explicit cognitive model to produce the expected response patterns. The expected response patterns serve as the input to the neural network. The model also yields the cognitive test specifications. These specifications identify the examinees’ attribute patterns which are used as output for the neural network. The purpose of the statistical pattern recognition analysis is to estimate the probability that an examinee possess specific attribute combinations based on their observed item response patterns. Two examples using student response data from a sample of algebra items on the SAT illustrate our pattern recognition approach

Three Applications of Automated Test Assembly within a User-Friendly Modeling Environment

While linear programming is a common tool in business and industry, there have not been many applications in educational assessment and only a handful of individuals have been actively involved in conducting psychometric research in this area. Perhaps this is due, at least in part, to the complexity of existing software packages. This article presents three applications of linear programming to automate test assembly using an add-in to Microsoft Excel 2007. These increasingly complex examples permit the reader to readily see and manipulate the programming objectives and constraints within a familiar modeling environment. A spreadsheet used in this demonstration is available for downloading. Accessed 12,243 times on https://pareonline.net from June 21, 2009 to December 31, 2019. For downloads from January 1, 2020 forward, please click on the PlumX Metrics link to the right

Using Statistical and Judgmental Reviews to Identify and Interpret Translation Differential Item Functioning

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the equivalence of two translated tests using statistical and judgmental methods. Performance differences for a large random sample of English- and French-speaking examinees were compared on a grade 6 mathematics and social studies provincial achievement test. Items displaying differential item functioning (DIF) were flagged using three popular statistical methods—ManteTHaenszel, Simultaneous Item Bias Test, and logistic regression—and the substantive meaning of these items was studied by comparing the back-translated form with the original English version. The items flagged by the three statistical procedures were relatively consistent, but not identical across the two tests. The correlation between the DIF effect size measures were also strong, but far from perfect, suggesting that two procedures should be used to screen items for translation DIF. To identify the DIF items with translation differences, the French items were back-translated into English and compared with the original English items by three reviewers. Two of seven and six of 26 DIF items in mathematics and social studies respectively were judged to be nonequivalent across language forms due to differences introduced in the translation process. There were no apparent translation differences for the remaining items, revealing the necessity for further research on the sources of translation differential item functioning. Results from this study provide researchers and practitioners with a better understanding of how three popular DIF statistical methods compare and contrast. The results also demonstrate how statistical methods inform substantive reviews intended to identify items with translation differences.Le but de cette étude était d'évaluer l'équivalence de deux examens traduits avec des méthodes basées sur les statistiques et d'autres reposant sur le jugement. On a comparé les différences dans la performance d'un grand échantillon aléatoire de sujets anglophones et francophones qui avaient complété des examen provinciaux de sixième année en mathématiques et en études sociales. Les items démontrant une divergence par rapport aux autres (differential item functioning - DIF) ont été marqués d'un indicateur dans le contexte de trois méthodes statistiques bien connues - Mantel-Haenszel, Simultaneous Item Bias Test et la régression logistique. La signification de fond de ces items a été étudiée en comparant la version traduite de l'examen avec l'original en anglais. Les items marqués par les trois procédures statistiques étaient relativement constants mais pas identiques d'une version à l'autre. Alors que la corrélation entre les mesures de l'effet DIF étaient aussi forte, elle était loin d'être parfaite, ce qui suggère que l'on devrait avoir recours à deux procédures dans le dépistage du DIF en traduction. Pour identifier les items DIF présentant des différences en traduction, trois réviseurs ont comparé les items français retraduits en anglais avec les originaux en anglais. Ceux-ci ont jugé que deux sur sept items en mathématiques et six sur vingt-six items en études sociales n'étaient pas équivalents d'une langue à l'autre à cause des différences introduites par le processus de traduction. Les autres items ne présentaient pas de différences apparentes de traduction, ce qui révèle le besoin de poursuivre la recherche sur les sources du DIF en traduction. Les résultats de cette étude aideront les chercheurs et les praticiens à mieux comprendre les similarités et les différences entres trois méthodes statistiques DIF souvent employées. De plus, ils démontrent comment les méthodes statistiques contribuent aux études de signification dont le but est l'identification des items présentant des différences de traduction

Untersuchungen zum Einfluss von Eisen auf die Struktur und mechanischen Eigenschaften von Bacillus subtilis Biofilmen

Biofilme sind Aggregationen von Mikroorganismen, die in einer Matrix aus extrazellulären polymeren Substanzen (EPS) eingebettet sind und hauptsächlich an Grenzflächen in wässrigen Umgebungen auftreten. Die Biofilmforschung ist von großem Interesse, um operative Parameter in Tröpfchen-Bewässerungssystemen, Kläranlagen, Trinkwasseraufbereitungssystemen oder auch in Reaktorsystemen zur Produktion von Chemikalien bestimmen zu können. In der vorliegenden Dissertation wurde deshalb auf die Biofilmentwicklung sowie auf die Interaktion des Biofilms mit seiner Umgebung (Fluid-Struktur-Dynamik) unter dem Einfluss verschiedener Eisenkonzentrationen (β = 0,25 und 2,5 mg/L Fe2+) sowie Volumenströmen (Q = 1 und 5 mL/min) näher eingegangen. Dabei fanden Wachstumsexperimente im Hinblick auf strukturelle Biofilmeigenschaften sowie Deformationsstudien unter dem Aspekt der Analyse mechanischer Biofilmeigenschaften in Fließzellen statt. Weiterhin wurde die Automatisierung von Laborabläufen sowie die Automatisierung der Versuchsauswertung näher betrachtet. Die Untersuchungen erfolgten dabei mittels optischer Kohärenztomographie (OCT). Die OCT ist ein Verfahren, welches die Biofilmstruktur in situ, nicht-invasiv und hochauflösend abbildet. Die Integration der OCT in ein neues und automatisiertes Kultivierungs- und Monitoringsystem zeigte hier die Notwendigkeit einer Mindestanzahl von statistisch relevanten Biofilmreplikaten und die Möglichkeit diese mit dem System simultan abzubilden. Eine Differenzierung der Biofilmentwicklung bzw. -stabilität unter verschiedenen Wachstumsbedingungen konnte unter Anwendung des Kultivierung- und Monitoringsystems beurteilt werden. Die vorliegende Arbeit zeigt dabei, dass eine Zugabe von Fe2+ zum Kultivierungsmedium die Differenzierung zu voll entwickelten Biofilmen maßgeblich beeinflusst. Es wurde nachgewiesen, dass erhöhte Mengen an Fe2+ (2,5 mg/L) das Biofilmwachstum bezogen auf die Biofilmdicke, Fließkanalbedeckung sowie weitere Strukturparameter förderte. Es konnte demonstriert werden, dass das Fe2+ sich in die Biofilmmatrix einlagert und in Form von Eisenoxidhydroxiden (x-FeO(OH)) vorliegt. Innerhalb der Deformationsstudien wurde weiterhin illustriert, dass auch nach hohen Wandschubspannungen τ_W noch Biofilmmasse in den Fließzellen vorhanden war, was vor allem für Aufreinigungsprozesse in Trinkwassersystemen von Bedeutung ist. Weiterhin zeigten die Versuche, dass ein erhöhtes Vorkommen von Fe2+ im Nährmedium zu einer erhöhten Kompressibilität der Biofilme führt. Die Dissertation begründet die Notwendigkeit der Durchführung von Replikaten in der Biofilmforschung. Weiterhin zeigt sie auch die Notwendigkeit der Nutzung einer Vielzahl von Strukturparametern zur vollständigen Analyse der Fluid-Biofilm-Interaktion und der Biofilmentwicklung. Auch demonstriert sie, dass eine Automatisierung der Analyse mechanischer Biofilmeigenschaften sinnvoll ist. Da die physikalische Struktur eines Biofilms die Interaktion mit seiner Umgebung determiniert, sind die hier dargestellten Ergebnisse von immenser Bedeutung für den Forschungsbereich Biofilmkontrolle

An open-source robotic platform that enables automated monitoring of replicate biofilm cultivations using optical coherence tomography

The paper introduces a fully automated cultivation and monitoring tool to study biofilm development in replicate experiments operated in parallel. To gain a fundamental understanding of the relation between cultivation conditions and biofilm characteristics (e.g., structural, mechanical) a monitoring setup allowing for the standardization of methods is required. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging modality ideal for biofilms since it allows for the monitoring of structure in real time. By integrating an OCT device into the open-source robotic platform EvoBot, a fully automated monitoring platform for investigating biofilm development in several flow cells at once was realized. Different positioning scenarios were tested and revealed that the positioning accuracy is within the optical resolution of the OCT. On that account, a reliable and accurate monitoring of biofilm development by means of OCT has become possible. With this robotic platform, reproducible biofilm experiments including a statistical analysis are achievable with only a small investment of operator time. Furthermore, a number of structural parameters calculated within this study confirmed the necessity to perform replicate biofilm cultivations

Differential Validity and Utility of Successive and Simultaneous Approaches to the Development of Equivalent Achievement Tests in French and English

Described in this article are the first three activities of a research program designed to assess the differential validity and utility of successive and simultaneous approaches to the development of equivalent achievement tests in the French and English languages. Two teams of multilingual/multicultural French-English teachers used the simultaneous approach to develop 70 items respectively for mathematics and social studies at the grade 9 level. The evidence gained from the pilot study suggests that the issue of differential item performance attributable to translation differences appears to be confounded by the presence of socioeconomic differences between the two groups of students. Consequently, the next activities of this research will be directed toward disentangling these two issues to obtain a clearer view of the efficacy of the simultaneous method in reducing differential group performance and enhancing linguistic and cultural decentering

Freshwater gobies 30 million years ago: New insights into character evolution and phylogenetic relationships of dagger Pirskeniidae (Gobioidei, Teleostei)

The modern Gobioidei (Teleostei) comprise eight families, but the extinct dagger Pirskeniidae from the lower Oligocene of the Czech Republic indicate that further families may have existed in the past. However, the validity of the dagger Pirskeniidae has been questioned and its single genus dagger Pirskeniushas been assigned to the extant family Eleotridae in previous works. The objective of this study is to clarify the status of the dagger Pirskeniidae. Whether or not the dagger Pirskeniidae should be synonymised with the Eleotridae is also interesting from a biogeographical point of view as Eleotridae is not present in Europe or the Mediterranean Sea today. We present new specimens and re-examine the material on which the two known species of dagger Pirskeniusare based (dagger P.diatomaceusObrhelova, 1961;dagger P.radoniPrikryl, 2014). To provide a context for phylogenetically informative characters related to the palatine and the branchiostegal rays, three early-branching gobioids (Rhyacichthys,Protogobius,Perccottus), an eleotrid (Eleotris) and a gobiid (Gobius) were subjected to micro-CT analysis. The new data justify revalidation of the family dagger Pirskeniidae, and a revised diagnosis is presented for both dagger Pirskeniusand dagger Pirskeniidae. Moreover, we provide for the first time an attempt to relate a fossil gobioid to extant taxa based on phylogenetic analysis. The results indicate a sister-group relationship of dagger Pirskeniidae to the Thalasseleotrididae + Gobiidae + Oxudercidae clade. Considering the fossil record, the arrival of gobioids in freshwater habitats in the early Oligocene apparently had generated new lineages that finally were not successful and became extinct shortly after they had diverged. There is currently no evidence that the Eleotridae was present in the European ichthyofauna in the past