An Approach to Gain Score Dependability & Validity for Criterion-Referenced Language Tests

Much of the recent work on criterion-referenced language testing addresses the issues of item writing and cut score dependability. Cdterion-referenced item writing is centrally concemed with determining the content congruence and leamability of each item's content. Cut score dependability focuses on the consistency of decisions in repeated testing or the assessment of language leamer performances. A more general issue related to language program development also involves empirical rationalization of cut score decisions. In this case the issue is of determining the optimal index of gain score dependability in the pre-instruction and post-instruction approach to assessing the language learning gains. The present paper examines a commonly used approach to assessing gain score dependability. Thc optimal index of gain score dependability is derived from examining the cut score dependability of the pre-instructional administration of the criterion-referenced test as well as the postinstructional criterion-referenced test, in relation to differences in the ratio of pre and post instruction variances. The database for the present paper comes from a preinstruction administration of an academic Iistening test followed by a counterbalanced post-instruction administration of an altemate form of the same test after one semester of instruction. The subjects were 213 advanced ESL learners at a large American university English language institute

Chinese users’ preference for web browser icons

This paper compares the perspicacity, appropriateness and preference of web browser icons from leading software providers with those of a culture-specific design. The history and future direction of web browsers is outlined, together with the implications for the future growth of Chinese internet users. China, with its rapidly expanding young netizens has now overtaken the USA in terms of the number of internet users (253 million) and we predict it will reach saturation (?70% internet penetration rate) by 2012. If correct, this will have a dramatic effect on the use of English as the ‘Lingua Franca’ of the Internet. This online study was conducted in Taiwan and involved 103 participants (mean age 21 years), who were given three sets of web browser icons to review, namely Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0, Macintosh Safari 3.0, and culturally specific icons created using the Culture-Centred Design methodology. The findings of the study show that all three sets have generally high recognition rates, but that some icon functions (e.g. Go/Visit and Favourite) in all three sets have poor recognition rates and are considered inappropriate. Furthermore, some significant differences were found when we analysed the level of user experience amongst several icon

Interface dynamics of table tennis

The purpose of this study was to discussed the Interface Dynamics of Table Tennis. The experiment was conducted based on the imaging principle of hot air flowing. We adopted the imaging principle of hot air flowing through rotating ball to simulate the flow phenomenon generated by air flowing through table tennis after striking by different rackets. The conclusion and suggestion after analyzing and discussing are described below: (1) The rotation of table tennis ball and flow field will change based on the roughness of rackets, which making its own contribution to the existence of changes in the rotation of table tennis ball. (2) It can learn that angle should forward 30 degrees with flat strike, 25 degrees with short particles and 20 degrees with long particles at the rotational speed of 7500 rpm. All flow fields of different rackets are similar

Über Long-Tails, Mikroarrays, und Markersets: Integrative wissenschaftliche Ansätze in funktioneller Genomik, Populationsgenetik und genetischer Epidemiologie

The work in the three presented articles provides several demonstrations of how an integrative approach to scientific research has led to a better understand of biological phenomena. The first article incorporates research from the overlapping fields of biotechnology, functional genomics, and bioinformatics. The study's objective is to describe the nature of the distribution of gene expression levels measured with microarrays with the aim of developing an inter-array normalization method. The normalization method is compared to other existing normalization methods and is found to be especially suited to so-called boutique microarrays. The second article uses genotyping data generated by microarrays with the goal of examining the population genetic structure of the European human population. This study combines aspects of the fields of biotechnology, bioinformatics, and population genetics and sheds light on the genetic differences between Europeans by characterizing a strong correlation between geographic and genetic distance. In the final article, focus switches from genetic differences to genetic similarities in the same European individuals by examining the relationship structure of genetic nearest neighbors. Observations about these relationships lead to the proposal of a genetic matched-pair study design that contributes a methodological improvement to the field of genetic epidemiology. The proposed study design has the potential to increase the power of analysis of genome-wide association studies which are used to discover disease-causing genes. A presentation of previously unpublished research which was generated during the course of the work is also included. Finally, a discussion of long-tail data distributions initially observed in the first article leads to conclusions on the fundamental properties of the informational content of genetic marker sets ascertained in the last two articles.Die Arbeiten, die in den drei vorliegenden Artikeln präsentiert werden, zeigen, wie ein integrativer wissenschaftlicher Ansatz zu einem besseren Verständnis biologischer Phänomene führt. Der erste Artikel verknüpft Forschung aus den sich überlappenden Fachgebieten Biotechnologie, funktionelle Genomik und Bioinformatik. Das Ziel der Studie war es, mittels Mikroarrays die Verteilungsform der Genexpressionsniveaus zu bestimmen, um eine Normalisierungsmethode zu entwickeln. Diese Normalisierungsmethode wurde mit anderen bereits bekannten Normalisierungsmethoden verglichen und sie erwies sich als besonders geeignet für sogenannte Boutique-Mikroarrays. Der zweite Artikel verfolgt das Ziel, mit Hilfe von humanen Genotypisierungsdaten aus Mikroarrays die populationsgenetische Struktur der europäischen Population zu charakterisieren. Diese Studie verbindet Aspekte der Forschungsgebiete Biotechnologie, Bioinformatik und Populationsgenetik und gibt damit Aufschluss über die Muster genetischer Unterschiede zwischen Europäern: Es konnte eine hohe Korrelation zwischen geographischen und genetischen Distanzen gezeigt werden. Der letzte Artikel richtet den Blick auf die genetischen Gemeinsamkeiten der selben europäischen Individuen, indem er die Verwandtschaftsstruktur mittels eines genetischen "nearest neighbors"-Algorithmus untersucht. Die beobachteten Verwandtschaftsstrukturen führen zum Vorschlag eines genetischen Matched-Pair-Studiendesigns, das auf dem Gebiet der genetischen Epidemiologie eine erhebliche methodische Verbesserung darstellt. Das vorgeschlagene Studiendesign kann die Aussagekraft der statistischen Analysen bei Genom-weiten Assoziationsstudien erhöhen, also bei Studien, die durchgeführt werden, um krankheitsverursachende Gene zu identifizieren. Darüber hinaus werden bisher unveröffentlichte Forschungsergebnisse vorgestellt, die im Zusammenhang mit den obigen Studien gewonnen wurden. Eine abschließende Diskussion der Long-Tailed-Verteilung der Daten, die zunächst in der ersten Studie beobachtet wurde, führt zu Schlussfolgerungen über die grundlegenden Eigenschaften des Informationsgehaltes genetischer Markersets, welche nachfolgend in den letzten beiden Studien bestätigt wurden

Numerical earthquake models of the 2013 Nantou, Taiwan, earthquake series: Characteristics of source rupture processes, strong ground motions and their tectonic implication

On 27 March and 2 June 2013, two large earthquakes with magnitudes of ML 6.2 and ML 6.5, named the Nantou earthquake series, struck central Taiwan. These two events were located at depths of 15–20 km, which implied that the mid-crust of central Taiwan is an active seismogenic area even though the subsurface structures have not been well established. To determine the origins of the Nantou earthquake series, we investigated both the rupture processes and seismic wave propagations by employing inverse and forward numerical simulation techniques. Source inversion results indicated that one event ruptured from middle to shallow crust in the northwest direction, while the other ruptured towards the southwest. Simulations of 3-D wave propagation showed that the rupture characteristics of the two events result in distinct directivity effects with different amplified shaking patterns. From the results of numerical earthquake modeling, we deduced that the occurrence of the Nantou earthquake series may be related to stress release from the easternmost edge of a preexistent strong basement in central Taiwan

A Study on Promotion Mechanisms and the Future of Government-led Urban Renewal Projects from the Perspective of Land Ethics

Urban renewal is one of the important government policies to improve the urban environment and economic growth. To further utilize public land, the Construction and Planning Agency, Ministry of Interior (CPAMI) coordinated with the related public offices to release government-owned land that contains large under-developed areas with the most business incentives for urban renewal. The policy still follows an "urban redevelopment" approach, in this case emphasizing environment improvement and construction, such as building reconstruction. The participation of communities and the ecological integrity of the natural systems in the process of urban renewal is still insufficient. The purpose of this study was to explore Taiwan\u27s urban renewal policy development process and mechanisms of the CPAMI-led urban renewal projects. In addition, this study references Aldo Leopold\u27s land ethic theory, using this theory to explore the power dynamics and land health problems. Understanding the government-led urban renewal policies is needed to improve the social, economic and ecological issues. By "regenerating" the dilapidated region, the urban area is expected to regain its energy and sustainability

A Study of Disaster Risk Communication and Adaptive Behaviour based on Rail Station Protection

Critical infrastructure is an essential element of the operation of the city, such as for rapid transit, high-speed railway, local railways and other mass transit systems that must not only provide adequate service, but focus also on service quality improvement. These transportation station nodes have a single function or multi-target use, offering facilities for accessing transport, waiting, consumption, disaster prevention and other functions. When the city is an important node in disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, fire disasters, terrorist attacks and other disasters, it could seriously affect the city\u27s security, especially through economic losses. In particular, emergency response and disaster recovery require the need to invest a lot in resources and adaptation. Therefore, urban facilities as nodes, space security, risk assessment and adaptation strategies are becoming important issues. This research regards the rail station as critical infrastructure and chooses stations, including railroads, high-speed railroads, and MRT, as nodes and explores the protective measures of stations facing natural disasters or manmade disasters. By collecting domestic and foreign hazard protection literature, this study has established public transport nodes’ risk communication and an adaptive behaviour framework. Based on empirical results, the study finds that the station management department in Taipei uses a systematic approach to prevent and respond to disasters, and may not provide information effectively to help passengers to take appropriate autonomous response measures. The study recommends different contingency measures at stations and public-private adaptation strategies. Commercial enterprises do not have business continuity planning for disasters, they still rely on the government and transport management department for information and emergency guidance. Through this research, some principles and strategies for future disaster planning and urban node management policies are provided

Interface dynamics of table tennis

The purpose of this study was to discussed the Interface Dynamics of Table Tennis. The experiment was conducted based on the imaging principle of hot air flowing. We adopted the imaging principle of hot air flowing through rotating ball to simulate the flow phenomenon generated by air flowing through table tennis after striking by different rackets. The conclusion and suggestion after analyzing and discussing are described below: (1) The rotation of table tennis ball and flow field will change based on the roughness of rackets, which making its own contribution to the existence of changes in the rotation of table tennis ball. (2) It can learn that angle should forward 30 degrees with flat strike, 25 degrees with short particles and 20 degrees with long particles at the rotational speed of 7500 rpm. All flow fields of different rackets are similar