A comparative study of the variables used to measure syntactic complexity and accuracy in task-based research

The constructs of complexity, accuracy and fluency (CAF) have been used extensively to investigate learner performance on second language tasks. However, a serious concern is that the variables used to measure these constructs are sometimes used conventionally without any empirical justification. It is crucial for researchers to understand how results might be different depending on which measurements are used, and accordingly, choose the most appropriate variables for their research aims. The first strand of this article examines the variables conventionally used to measure syntactic complexity in order to identify which may be the best indicators of different proficiency levels, following suggestions by Norris and Ortega. The second strand compares the three variables used to measure accuracy in order to identify which one is most valid. The data analysed were spoken performances by 64 Japanese EFL students on two picture-based narrative tasks, which were rated at Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) A2 to B2 according to Rasch-adjusted ratings by seven human judges. The tasks performed were very similar, but had different degrees of what Loschky and Bley-Vroman term ‘task-essentialness’ for subordinate clauses. It was found that the variables used to measure syntactic complexity yielded results that were not consistent with suggestions by Norris and Ortega. The variable found to be the most valid for measuring accuracy was errors per 100 words. Analysis of transcripts revealed that results were strongly influenced by the differing degrees of task-essentialness for subordination between the two tasks, as well as the spread of errors across different units of analysis. This implies that the characteristics of test tasks need to be carefully scrutinised, followed by careful piloting, in order to ensure greater validity and reliability in task-based research

Selective Reagent Ion Mass Spectrometric Investigations of the Nitroanilines

This paper presents an investigation of proton and charge transfer reactions to 2-, 3- and 4-nitroanilines (C6H6N2O2) involving the reagent ions H3O+·(H2O)n (n=0, 1 and 2) and O2+, respectively, as a function of reduced electric field (60-240 Td), using Selective Reagent Ion-Time-of-Flight-Mass Spectrometry (SRI-ToF-MS). To aid in the interpretation of the H3O+·(H2O)n experimental data, the proton affinities and gas-phase basicities for the three nitroaniline isomers have been determined using density functional theory. These calculations show that proton transfer from both the H3O+ and H3O+·H2O reagent ions to the nitroanilines will be exoergic and hence efficient, with the reactions proceeding at the collisional rate. For proton transfer from H3O+ to the NO2 sites, the exoergicities are 171 kJ mol-1 (1.8 eV), 147 kJ mol-1 (1.5 eV) and 194 kJ mol-1 (2.0 eV) for 2-, 3- and 4-nitroanilines, respectively. Electron transfer from all three of the nitroanilines is also significantly exothermic by approximately 4 eV. Although a substantial transfer of energy occurs during the ion/molecule reactions, the processes are found to predominantly proceed via non-dissociative pathways over a large reduced electric field range. Only at relatively high reduced electric fields (>180 Td) is dissociative proton and charge transfer observed. Differences in fragment product ions and their intensities provide a means to distinguish the isomers, with proton transfer distinguishing 2-nitroaniline (2-NA) from 3- and 4-NA, and charge transfer distinguishing 4-NA from 2- and 3-NA, thereby providing a means to enhance selectivity using SRI-ToF-MS.(VLID)4826158Version of recor

Identification of gas-phase pyrolysis products in a prescribed fire: first detections using infrared spectroscopy for naphthalene, methyl nitrite, allene, acrolein and acetaldehyde

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted from many sources, including wildland fire. VOCs have received heightened emphasis due to such gases' influential role in the atmosphere, as well as possible health effects. We have used extractive infrared (IR) spectroscopy on recent prescribed burns in longleaf pine stands and herein report the first detection of five compounds using this technique. The newly reported IR detections include naphthalene, methyl nitrite, allene, acrolein and acetaldehyde. We discuss the approaches used for detection, particularly the software methods needed to fit the analyte and multiple (interfering) spectral components within the selected spectral micro-window(s). We also discuss the method's detection limits and related parameters such as spectral resolution.</p

Vacuum-Ultraviolet Photoionization and Mass Spectrometric Characterization of Lignin Monomers Coniferyl and Sinapyl Alcohols

The fragmentation mechanisms of monolignols under various energetic processes are studied with jet-cooled thermal desorption molecular beam (TDMB) mass spectrometry (MS), 25 keV Bi3+ secondary ion MS (SIMS), synchrotron vacuum-ultraviolet secondary neutral MS (VUV-SNMS) and theoretical methods. Experimental and calculated appearance energies of fragments observed in TDMB MS indicate that the coniferyl alcohol photoionization mass spectra contain the molecular parent and several dissociative photoionization products. Similar results obtained for sinapyl alcohol are also discussed briefly. Ionization energies of 7.60 eV ? 0.05 eV for coniferyl alcohol and<7.4 eV for both sinapyl and dihydrosinapyl alcohols are determined. The positive ion SIMS spectrum of coniferyl alcohol shares few characteristic peaks (m/z = 137 and 151) with the TDMB mass spectra, shows extensive fragmentation, and does not exhibit clear molecular parent signals. VUV-SNMS spectra, on the other hand, are dominated by the parent ion and main fragments also present in the TDMB spectra. Molecular fragmentation in VUV-SNMS spectra can be reduced by increasing the extraction delay time. Some features resembling the SIMS spectra are also observed in the desorbed neutral products. The monolignol VUV-SNMS peaks shared with the TDMB mass spectra suggest that dissociative photoionization of ion-sputtered neutral molecules predominate in the VUV-SNMS mass spectra, despite the extra internal energy imparted in the initial ion impact. The potential applications of these results to imaging mass spectrometry of bio-molecules are discussed

High resolution studies of atoms and small molecules

High resolution, continuous wave lasers have been utilized successfully in studies of small molecules. Examples of two-photon excitation schemes and of multiple resonance excitation sequences will be discussed within the framework of the spectroscopy and dynamics of selected Rydberg states of nitric oxide. Initial results on the circular dichroism of angular distributions in photoelectron spectra of individual hyperfine states of cesium will also be discussed, but no data given

High resolution studies of atoms and small molecules

High resolution, continuous wave lasers have been utilized successfully in studies of small molecules. Examples of two-photon excitation schemes and of multiple resonance excitation sequences will be discussed within the framework of the spectroscopy and dynamics of selected Rydberg states of nitric oxide. Initial results on the circular dichroism of angular distributions in photoelectron spectra of individual hyperfine states of cesium will also be discussed, but no data given

Insect-Mediated Dispersal of the Rhizobacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis

The southern corn rootworm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata subsp. howardi, a common and mobile insect pest, was shown to transmit the rhizobacte-rium Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain L11 between corn plants. Strain L11 has been genetically modified to contain the lacZY genes from Escherichia coli. It can reach high densities on roots and invade the roots and move into the foliage. D. undecimpunctata subsp. howardi became infested with L11 as larvae while feeding on roots of seed-inoculated corn and retained the bacteria through pupation, molting to the adult stage, and emergence from the soil. Bacterial densities on or in the insects increased 100-fold after they fed again as adults on L11-infested foliage. Adults retained the bacteria for at least 2 weeks after last exposure and could transmit L11 to new plants. The likelihood of transmission decreased with time since last exposure to L11, but increased with time spent on the new plants. This research demonstrates that rhizobacteria can escape the rhizosphere by moving in or onto foliage, where they can then be acquired and transmitted by insects. This transmission route may be common among naturally occurring rhizobacteria and facilitate the dispersal of both beneficial and harmful soilborne microorganisms

Electron-stimulated desorption of iodine atoms from KI(100): an energy and temperature-dependent study

We have studied the electron-stimulated desorption (ESD) of neutral atomic iodine from single crystals of KI(100) using time-of-flight laser-resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization spectroscopy and quadrupole mass spectrometry. The measured iodine velocity distributions have thermal and non-thermal components. The yield of the thermal component increases with increasing substrate temperature, whereas the yield of the non-thermal component decreases slightly with temperature. The ESD rate for the thermal component decreases with increasing pulse width, unlike the rate for the non-thermal component, which is independent of pulse width. Measurements of ESD yields versus incident electron energy indicate a threshold of similar to 5.5 eV. The data collectively indicate that ESD of KI involves exciton decay at the surface. The temperature and pulse-width dependencies of the thermal component are consistent with decay of bulk self-trapped excitons, thermally assisted H-center diffusion and trapping at metastable defects

SELECTIVE REDUCTION OF NOX IN OXYGEN RICH ENVIRONMENTS WITH PLASMA-ASSISTED CATALYSIS: CATALYST DEVELOPMENT AND MECHANISTIC STUDIES

The control of NOx (NO and NO2) emissions from so-called ''lean-burn'' vehicle engines remains a challenge. In recent years, there have been a number of reports that show that a plasma device combined with a catalyst can reduce as high as 90% or more of NOx in simulated diesel and other ''lean-burn'' exhaust. In the case of propylene containing simulated diesel exhaust, the beneficial role of a plasma treatment is now thought to be due to oxidation of NO to NO2, and the formation of partially oxidized hydrocarbons that are more active for the catalytic reduction of NO2 than propylene. Thus, the overall system can be most usefully described as hydrocarbon selective catalytic reduction (SCR) enhanced by 'reforming' the exhaust with a non-thermal plasma (NTP) device. For plasma-enhanced catalysis, both zeolite- and alumina-based materials have shown high activity, albeit in somewhat different temperature ranges, when preceded by an NTP reactor. This paper will briefly describe our research efforts aimed at optimizing the catalyst materials for NTP-catalysis devices based, in part, on our continuing studies of the NTP- and catalytic-reaction mechanisms. Various alkali- and alkaline earth-cation-exchanged Y zeolites have been prepared, their material properties characterized, and they have been tested as catalytic materials for NOx reduction in laboratory NTP-catalysis reactors. Interestingly, NO2 formed in the plasma and not subsequently removed over these catalysts, will back-convert to NO, albeit to varying extents depending upon the nature of the cation. Besides this comparative reactivity, we will also discuss selected synthesis strategies for enhancing the performance of these zeolite-based catalyst materials. A particularly important result from our mechanistic studies is the observation that aldehydes, formed during the plasma treatment of simulated diesel exhaust, are the important species for the reduction of NOx to N2. Indeed, acetaldehyde has been found to be especially effective in the thermal reduction of both NO and NO2 over Ba- and Na-Y zeolite catalysts