Exploring college students’ motivational beliefs in ability-grouped English classes in Taiwan

According to research on social-cognitive theory, motivation can be defined as a way of belief in one’s own competence, to value the task and further to achieve the set goals. Researchers have suggested a direct link between motivation beliefs and student achievement. In order to understand whether the motivation beliefs of students would be different in an EFL ability grouping context, this study examined an integrated motivation model including instrumentality, achievement goal, self-efficacy, expectancy-value, attribution, and self-regulation amongst three different ability groups at one university in Taiwan. Participants were grouped in three different level based on their pre-test scores: advanced level group, higher-intermediate level group and intermediate level group. Their academic achievements were demonstrated comparing their attitude towards ability grouping with their perception of the motivation variables. The purpose of this research is to discover whether ability grouping setting is beneficial for both student motivation and performance in EFL classes. In a survey study, 681 college students in a first-year undergraduate English course completed a motivation questionnaire. The results of this study revealed that student instrumentality, achievement goal, expectancy-value, self-efficacy and self-regulation are significantly positively correlated with their attitudes in an ability grouping context. Linear regression analyses demonstrate that expectancy-value was the strongest predictor of students’ post-test scores, and there are other predictors such as student level and their perception of attributions. However, self-efficacy, performance goals, and self-regulation were not significant predictors to student academic performance in the integrated model. In addition, the study revealed a preference of mastery goals for students in higher ability groups and a preference of attributions for lower-achieving group. However, there were no differences in instrumentality, performance goals, and self-regulation amongst the three ability groups, suggesting that students at ability grouping classes are no difference in the motivational belief of instrumental goal, performance goals and self-regulation. By contrast, there were differences in student motivation in attitudes, instrumentality, expectancy-value, mastery goal, self-efficacy and mastery goals in an ability grouping class. Consequently, the findings suggest teachers should be encouraged to create an environment where developing student motivation is encouraged in order to develop further the achievement rate within the confines of an EFL ability grouping class

COMPARISON OF METHODS INCORPORATING COVARIATES INTO AFFECTED SIB PAIR LINKAGE ANALYSIS

Complex diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and psychiatric disorders have been major public health problems in US. In order to increase the power in the linkage analysis of complex traits, genetic heterogeneity has to be taken into account. During the past few years, several methods have been proposed for dealing with this issue by incorporating covariate information into the affected sib pair (ASP) analysis. However, it is still not clear how these approaches perform under different gene-environment (G x E) interactions. The covariate statistics evaluated in this study are: (1) mixture model; (2) general conditional-logistic model (LODPAL); (3) multinomial logistic regression models (MLRM under no dominance, no additive and min-max restriction); (4) extension of the maximum-likelihood-binomial approach (MLB); (5) ordered-subset analysis (OSA with three different rank orders: high-to-low, low-to-high and optimal-slice); (6) logistic regression modeling (COVLINK). Based on the chromosome-based approach, we have written simulation programs to generate data under various G x E models and disease models. We first define the empirical statistical significance thresholds using C2, the environmental risk factor, under the null hypothesis. We then evaluate the power of the covariate statistics when different covariates are used. We also compare the performance of the covariate statistics with the model-free methods (Sall and Spair). In all three G x E interaction models, most covariate methods perform better when using C1, the covariate with G x E interaction effect, than when using C2 or the random noise covariate C3, except for MLB and the low-to-high OSA method. Comparing with the model-free methods (using Sall as the baseline), mixture model and the high-to-low OSA method perform the best of the covariate statistics when using C1. However, when using C2 or C3, most covariate statistics provide less power than Sall. Only MLB has comparable power to Sall across all genetic models. According to our results, in different G x E interactions, one should apply the appropriate covariate statistic and include the suitable type of covariates carefully

Creative industries policy in Taiwan: the effects of neoliberal reform

Since 2002 Taiwan has transformed its cultural policy, following the lead of the UK's creative industry discourse in particular and neoliberal policy regimes in general. This thesis investigates the processes through which neoliberal thinking shaped changing cultural policy and the impact this has had on cultural workers and practices in Taiwan s cultural landscape. I examined policy making documents and interviewed a range of involved actors, including government officials and cultural workers to learn more about the policy process and its impact. The research argues that the creative economy has heavily influenced the development of cultural policy discourse and generally failed to promote the public interest in Taiwan. The results of neoliberalisation have been embodied in several salient characteristics such as the privatisation of public space, marketisation of public subsidy and investment, commercialisation of higher education, and flexibilisation of cultural labour market. I argue that cultural policy needs to be reshaped to represent the public interests and diversity of our cultural landscape

Analysis of alcohol dependence phenotype in the COGA families using covariates to detect linkage

Linkage analysis methods that incorporate etiological heterogeneity of complex diseases are likely to demonstrate greater power than traditional linkage analysis methods. Several such methods use covariates to discriminate between linked and unlinked pedigrees with respect to a certain disease locus. Here we apply several such methods including two mixture models, ordered subset analysis, and a conditional logistic model to genome scan data on the DSM-IV alcohol dependence phenotype on the Collaborative Studies on Genetics of Alcoholism families, and compare the results to traditional nonparametric linkage analysis. In general, there was little agreement among the various covariate-based linkage statistics. Linkage signals with empirical p-values less than 0.001 were detected on chromosomes 3, 4, 7, 10, and 12, with the highest peak occurring at the GABRB1 gene using the ecb21 covariate

To Enhance the Fire Resistance Performance of High-Speed Steel Roller Door with Water Film System

The structure of high-speed roller door with water film has improved in this study. The flameproof water film system is equipped with a water circulating device to reduce the water consumption of water film system. The water film is generated at the roller box of the high-speed roller door in this study. The heating test is done with the full-scale heating furnace. Both cases of the water film on unexposed surface and water film on exposed surface passed the fire resistance test based on ISO 834, proving that the high-speed roller door with water film system has 120A fire resistance period. The main findings indicate that the water film on exposed surface shows that as the amount of water film evaporated by high temperature inside the furnace must be greater than the evaporation capacity of water film on unexposed surface, the required water supply is 660 L more than the water film on unexposed surface

catena-Poly[[bis­(nitrato-κO)copper(II)]-μ-1,4-bis­(4,5-dihydro-1,3-oxazol-2-yl)­benzene-κ2 N:N′]

In the title coordination polymer, [Cu(NO3)2(C12H12N2O2)]n, the CuII ion, situated on an inversion center, is coordinated by two O atoms from two nitrate anions and two N atoms from two 1,4-bis­(4,5-dihydro-1,3-oxazol-2-yl)benzene (L) ligands in a distorted square-planar geometry. Each L ligand also lies across an inversion center and bridges two CuII ions, forming a polymeric chain running along the [101] direction. The three O atoms of the nitrate group are disordered over two positions in a 3:2 ratio

Using exergame-based exercise to prevent and postpone the loss of muscle mass, muscle strength, cognition, and functional performance among elders in rural long-term care facilities: A protocol for a randomized controlled trial

ObjectiveElderly individuals in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) have a higher prevalence of sarcopenia than those in the community. Exercise is the gold standard for preventing and treating sarcopenia. Regarding exercise, multicomponent exercises, including progressive resistance training (PRT), are beneficial. However, developing routine, structured exercise programs for the elderly in LTCFs is difficult because of a shortage of healthcare providers, particularly in rural regions. Exergame-based exercises can increase a player’s motivation and reduce staff time for an intervention. Nintendo Switch RingFit Adventure (RFA) is a novel exergame that combines resistance, aerobic, and balance exercises. In this study, we aim to investigate the clinical effectiveness of RFA on muscle and functional performance parameters among the elderly in LTCFs.MethodsThe EXPPLORE (using EXergame to Prevent and Postpone the LOss of muscle mass, muscle strength, and functional performance in Rural Elders) trial is a single-center randomized controlled trial involving elderly individuals (≥60 years) living in LTCFs in rural southern Taiwan. The participants will be equally randomized to the intervention group (exergame-based exercise plus standard care) or the control group (standard care alone). Both groups will receive standard care except that the intervention group will receive exergame-based exercises at the time previously scheduled for sedentary activities in the LTCFs. The exergame-based exercise will be performed using RFA in the sitting position with a specialized design, including arm fit skills and knee assist mode. Each session of the exercise lasts 30 mins and will be performed two times per week for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes will be the osteoporotic fracture index, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index, dominant handgrip strength, and gait speed. Meanwhile, the secondary outcomes will be the dexterity and agility, muscle strength and thickness, range of motion of the joints of the dominant upper extremity, Kihon checklist, Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, and Brain Health Test.DiscussionThis trial will provide valuable knowledge on whether exergames using RFA can counteract physical decline and improve quality of life and cognition among the elderly in LTCFs.Clinical trial registration[www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT05360667]

Changes in corneal curvature after wearing the orthokeratology lens

AbstractIntroductionThe orthokeratology lens (OK lens) is designed to reshape the cornea and correct refraction error. Owing to the convenience of ceasing the use of glasses during the day, the use of the OK lens is increasing in myopic children. In this study, changes in corneal curvature and astigmatism after wearing the OK lens were analyzed.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included 65 children (130 eyes) who underwent full and regular examinations. None of the participants had any ocular disease other than myopia and astigmatism. The OK lenses used in this study were four-zone, reverse-geometry lenses. The corneal curvature of each patient was checked annually after the patients discontinued daily wearing of the OK lens for 10 days. Student t test and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) analyses were performed to compare the results.ResultsThe radius of corneal curvature showed a progressive annual increase with significant differences, both in the steepest and flattest radius of the corneal curvature (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). The mean radius of the steepest and flattest corneal curvature increased significantly from baseline to the following years consecutively (all p < 0.001). Nevertheless, astigmatism did not change significantly in any of the tests.ConclusionCorneal curvature changed as the patients grew older. There was a statistically significant increase in the radius of the corneal curvature in the myopic children studied. For correct fit of OK lenses, the radius of the corneal curvature should be regularly checked prior to dispensing a new set of lenses