A Study of the Content Validity of Reading Comprehension Tests in NMET II

Zhen-Jie Liu,Ming-Hao Jin 대한언어학회 2018 언어학 Vol.26 No.4

Liu, Zhen-Jie & Jin, Ming-Hao. (2018). A study of the content validity of reading comprehension tests in NMET II. The Linguistic Association of Korea Journal, 26(4), 103-124. Based on Bachman and Palmer’s (1996) framework of task characteristics, this paper aims to compare the reading comprehension tests of the 2013-2017 National Matriculation English Test II (NMET II) with the requirements of the New Curriculum Standards and Testing Syllabus, in particular, concerning the content validity of the tests in terms of the characteristics of input and expected responses. The implications of this study are discussed for test designers, teachers, and students. The results show that reading comprehension tests from 2013 to 2017 basically meet the requirements of the New Curriculum Standard and Testing Syllabus and have a high content validity. In terms of the characteristics of input, the length, reading speed, and readability of comprehension passages are appropriate for students; however, the distribution of topics and genres in each year is uneven. In terms of the characteristics of expected responses, the wordings of questions and the design of question items are reasonable. However, the response type is mainly restricted to selected response questions (multiple-choice), and the measure of reading skills coverage is unbalanced.

ST6Gal-I Predicts Postoperative Clinical Outcome for Patients with Localized Clear-cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Liu, Hai-Ou,Wu, Qian,Liu, Wei-Si,Liu, Yi-Dong,Fu, Qiang,Zhang, Wei-Juan,Xu, Le,Xu, Jie-Jie Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.23

Hyperactivated ${\alpha}2$-6-sialylation on N-glycans due to overexpression of the Golgi enzyme ${\beta}$-galactoside: ${\alpha}2$-6-sialyltransferase (ST6Gal-I) often correlates with cancer progression, metastasis, and poor prognosis. This study was aimed to determine the association between ST6Gal-I expression and the risk of recurrence and survival of patients with localized clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) following surgery. We retrospectively enrolled 391 patients (265 in training cohort and 126 in validation cohort) with localized ccRCC underwent nephrectomy at a single center. Tissue microarrays were constructed for immunostaining of ST6Gal-I. Prognostic value and clinical outcomes were evaluated. High ST6Gal-I expression was associated with Fuhrman grade (p<0.001 and p=0.016, respectively) and the University of California Los-Angeles Integrated Staging System (UISS) score (p=0.004 and p=0.017, respectively) in both cohorts. Patients with high ST6Gal-I expression had significantly worse overall survival (OS) (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively) and recurrence free survival (RFS) (p<0.001 and p=0.002, respectively) than those with low expression in both cohorts. On multivariate analysis, ST6Gal-I expression remained associated with OS and RFS even after adjusting for the UISS score. Stratified analysis suggested that the association is more pronounced among patients with low and intermediate-risk disease defined by the UISS score. High ST6Gal-I expression is a potential independent adverse predictor of survival and recurrence in ccRCC patients, and the prognostic value is most prominent in those with low and intermediate-risk disease defined by the UISS score.

De novo assembly of the transcriptome for Greenbug (Schizaphis graminum Rondani) and analysis on insecticide resistance-related genes

Jun-Jie LIU,Liu-Yang LU,Hui-Hui LIU,Ya-She LI,Xu SU,Bai-Zhong ZHANG,Xi-Ling CHEN 한국곤충학회 2019 Entomological Research Vol.49 No.8

The greenbug, Schizaphis graminum Rondani is a major pest species of wheat crops. In this study, a transcriptome sequencing, and the expression of the 12 genes related to insecticide resistance were conducted in S. graminum. The sequencing and subsequent bioinformatics analysis outputed 46,593 unigenes, among which 28,289 unigenes were annotated to corresponding functions by blasting with high homologous genes in database, giving annotation rate of 60.72%. To gain insight into the mechanism of insecticide resistance, the expression of the 12 genes related to insecticide resistance for S. graminum was investigated. The expression level of aminopeptidase N (AN), cytochrome P450 (CYP), acetylcholinesterase 1 (AC), catalase (CAT), cytochrome c oxidas (CCC), GABA receptor (GABA), glutathione S-transferase (GST) were highest in the apterous nymphs among different developmental stages; The expression level of AN, CBL, CYP, CA, SD, and GST were relatively more abundant in the abdomen compared to head and throax. The results could give out the key information about the relationship between the expression of these genes in different developmental stages, tissues, treatments and metabolism of insecticides. These genes that were co-up-regulated significantly in third instar nymphs of S. graminum induced by imidacloprid, were consistent with their putative involvement in insecticide resistance. This provides most comprehensive transcriptome data for S. graminum to further study and managenment.

The Clinical Observation of Inflammation Theory for Depression: The Initiative of the Formosa Long COVID Multicenter Study (FOCuS)

Shu-Tsen Liu(Shu-Tsen Liu),Sheng-Che Lin(Sheng-Che Lin),Jane Pei-Chen Chang(Jane Pei-Chen Chang),Kai-Jie Yang(Kai-Jie Yang),Che-Sheng Chu(Che-Sheng Chu),Chia-Chun Yang(Chia-Chun Yang),Chih-Sung Liang( 대한정신약물학회 2023 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.21 No.1

There is growing evidence that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with increased risks of psychiatric sequelae. Depression, anxiety, cognitive impairments, sleep disturbance, and fatigue during and after the acute phase of COVID-19 are prevalent, long-lasting, and exerting negative consequences on well-being and imposing a huge burden on healthcare systems and society. This current review presented timely updates of clinical research findings, particularly focusing on the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the neuropsychiatric sequelae, and identified potential key targets for developing effective treatment strategies for long COVID. In addition, we introduced the Formosa Long COVID Multicenter Study (FOCuS), which aims to apply the inflammation theory to the pathogenesis and the psychosocial and nutrition treatments of post-COVID depression and anxiety.

A novel strategy for response and force reconstruction under impact excitation

Jie Liu,Bing Li 대한기계학회 2018 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.32 No.8

Force and response amplitude are vital to mechanical product life-time. However, these data are always difficult, even impossible, to measure directly. Therefore, we propose a reconstruction strategy based on the subspace identification (SI) algorithm and fast iterative shrinkage-thresholding (FIST) algorithm to reconstruct impact-force and response at desired location. For the reconstruction strategy, reconstruction equations are built by a state-space model, and SI algorithm is utilized to estimate coefficient matrices of the state-space model to form transfer matrices. And then, considering ill-condition of transfer matrix and sparsity of impact-force, FIST algorithm is employed to solve sparse regularization model by minimizing the l 1 -norm. Numerical and experimental studies indicate that the proposed reconstruction strategy can be used to accurately reconstruct force and response under impact excitation, and compared with typical l 2 -norm regularization methods, FIST algorithm is more efficient and accurate in both single-time impact and consecutive impact cases.

Acupuncture reduces nicotine-induced norepinephrine release in the hypothalamus via the solitary NMDA receptor/NOS pathway

Liu, Hong Feng,Zhao, ZhengLin,Zhang, Jie,Wu, Yi Yan,Jiao, Yu,Wu, Tong,Kim, Sang Chan,Lee, Bong Hyo,Fan, Yu,Lee, Chul Won,Kim, Young Woo,Yang, Chae Ha,Zhu, Xiao Dong,Zhao, Rong Jie Elsevier 2019 Neuroscience Letters Vol.705 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Noradrenergic projections from the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) to the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) are involved in nicotine (Nic) dependence. Nic induces hypothalamic norepinephrine (NE) release through <I>N</I>-methyl-<SMALL>D</SMALL>-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) and nitric oxide in the NTS. However, acupuncture attenuates Nic withdrawal-induced anxiety. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of acupuncture on Nic-induced hypothalamic NE release. Rats received an intravenous infusion of Nic (90 μg/kg, over 60 s) and extracellular NE levels in the PVN were determined by in vivo microdialysis. Immediately after Nic administration, the rats were bilaterally treated with acupuncture at acupoint HT7 (Shen-Men) or PC6 (Nei-Guan), or a non-acupoint (tail) for 60 s. Acupuncture at HT7, but not at PC6 or the tail, significantly reduced Nic-induced NE release. However, this was abolished by a post-acupuncture infusion of either NMDA or sodium nitroprusside into the NTS. Additionally, acupuncture at HT7, but not the control points, prevented Nic-induced plasma corticosterone secretion and inhibited Nic-induced increases in the phosphorylation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and endothelial NOS in the NTS. These findings suggest that acupuncture at HT7 reduces Nic-induced NE release in the PVN via inhibition of the solitary NMDAR/NOS pathway.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Acupuncture inhibited nicotine-induced hypothalamic norepinephrine release. </LI> <LI> Acupuncture diminished nicotine-induced plasma corticosterone secretion. </LI> <LI> Acupuncture reversed nicotine-induced phosphorylation of solitary nNOS and eNOS. </LI> <LI> NMDA abolished acupunctural effects on nicotine-induced norepinephrine release. </LI> <LI> NO abolished acupunctural effects on nicotine-induced norepinephrine release. </LI> </UL> </P>

Research and Application of Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor in Geological Disaster Automation Monitoring

Liu Yimin,Wang Jie,Ji Weifeng,Zhou Ce,Chen Wenjun 보안공학연구지원센터 2014 International Journal of Control and Automation Vol.7 No.10

In this paper, fiber grating technology is used for accurately measure stresses, temperature and displacement. The paper introduces the basic principles of FBG technology and the wavelength demodulation method of FBG sensors, and put fiber grating technology into practical engineering projects. The paper design a optical fiber grating real-time automation monitoring system to distributed measure stress, temperature and displacement in geological disaster body, to provide effective technical supports for geological disaster prevention and mitigation.

Numerical study of thermal characteristics of NCM811-21700 cylindrical lithium-Ion battery using electrochemical and thermal coupled model

Jie Liu(유걸),Santosh Chavan(산토시 차반),Sung Chul Kim(김성철) 한국자동차공학회 2023 한국자동차공학회 학술대회 및 전시회 Vol.2023 No.11

A new method for safety classifi cation of structures, systems and components by refl ecting nuclear reactor operating history into importance measures

Jie Cheng,Jie Liu,Shanqi Chen,Yazhou Li,Jin Wang,Fang Wang 한국원자력학회 2022 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.54 No.4

Risk-informed safety classification of structures, systems and components (SSCs) is very important forensuring the safety and economic efficiency of nuclear power plants (NPPs). However, previous methodsfor safety classification of SSCs do not take the plant operating modes or the operational process of SSCsinto consideration, thus cannot concentrate on the safety and economic efficiency accurately. In thiscontribution, a new method for safety classification of SSCs based on the categorization of plant operating modes is proposed, which considers the NPPs operating history to improve the economic efficiencies while maintaining the safety. According to the time duration of plant configurations in plantoperating modes, average importances of SSCs are accessed for an NPP considering the operationalprocess, and then safety classification of SSCs is performed for plant operating modes. The correctnessand effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by application in an NPP's safety classificationof SSCs

Novel NiCo2Se4/Mn0.5Cd0.5S photocatalyst for visible light-driven hydrogen evolution

Liu Chao,Zhang Feng-Jun,Wang Ying-Rui,Xie Wen-Jie,Ma Jie,Oh Won-Chun 한국세라믹학회 2023 한국세라믹학회지 Vol.60 No.4

The development of efficient and stable photocatalysts is one of the most important research directions to realize the practical application of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. A series of novel visible light responsive NiCo 2Se4/Mn0.5Cd0.5S composites with different NiCo 2Se4 contents were prepared by hydrothermal method. The composites were characterized using different characterization techniques such as XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, UV–Vis DRS, PL, and photoelectrochemistry. Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction was also performed using visible light (λ > 420 nm) in an aqueous solution containing Na 2S·9H2O and Na 2SO3 as sacrificial reagents. The 4% NiCo 2Se4/ Mn 0.5Cd0.5S composites exhibited the highest photocatalytic hydrogen evolution capacity, producing 20 mmol  h −1  g−1 of hydrogen, higher than pure Mn0.5Cd0.50.5S (12.2mmol h-1g-1). The tight bonding of the two materials in the NiCo 2Se4/Mn0.5Cd0.5S composites may enhance the photocatalytic activity to some extent. The possible mechanism was suggested by UV–Vis DRS and photoelectrochemical measurements. The obtained NiCo 2Se4/ Mn0.5Cd0.5S composites have excellent photocatalytic activity and good stability in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, and have potential applications in the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from water using solar energy.