The Construction of a Learning-Oriented Speaking Assessment Model in College English Based on the Online Diagnostic Assessment

Since language is a tool for communication,proficiency in English communication is a fundamental necessity for talent in the 21st century.However,surveys reveal that most college students at private colleges possess inadequate oral English skills,and what some have learned is“mute English.”Therefore,developing their English-speaking skills is another challenge faced by students attending private schools.Online diagnostic assessment methods are growing globally with the use of technology.UDig diagnostic assessment system is one of the online English diagnostic assessment platforms currently being widely used in China.Therefore,the present work is conducted to investigate and conduct an oral English learning-oriented assessment model in college English using the online diagnostic assessment.With the research result,it is hoped that the study could provide useful information for improving UDig system and make a better use of it in college oral English learning and teaching.

The Tax Administration Diagnostic Assessment Tool: Overview and Insights To-date

Premised on international good practices,the Tax Administration Diagnostic Assessment Tool(TADAT)provides a standardized and objective framework for conducting an evidence-based and outcome-focused assessment of the key strengths and weaknesses of a country’s tax administration system.TADAT is a global tool that applies to any country’s system of tax administration.The results of a TADAT assessment provide country authorities,supported by their capacity development partners,with a baseline to strengthen or develop,and monitor tax administration reform strategies and work plans.

Application of Diagnostic and Formative Assessment in College English Teaching

This report attempts to look into assessment in higher education in the UK and in Chi- na.The focus of analysis is comparison of the current state of diagnostic and formative assess- ment in the UK and in China.Also the report discusses how diagnostic and formative assessment policy or practice in the UK can be applied to China in English teaching in higher education.Fi- nally,a plan of action for 12 months about the application of diagnostic and formative assessment in College English teaching is made.

Assessments and diagnoses of aquatic ecosystem integrity based on integrity requirements of ecosystem service targets

This paper critically reviews the progress in ecosystem integrity(health)assessment of inland waters and provides future directions for assessment.Current biotic integrity assessments mainly use multimetric indices and predictive models to evaluate overall health status;the criteria largely rely on pristine reference sites,but such an approach is not applicable to unique natural waters and irreversibly modified waters.Biotic diagnostic assessments are still in the exploratory stage and can only diagnose possible stressor types and wide-ranges of their intensities through empirical models linking stressors and species-trait-indices.Current chemical integrity assessments mainly use criteria determined by small-scale ecotoxicity tests,rather than quantitative relationships developed between chemical factors and biotic effects in real ecosystems,thus potentially under or overestimating pollutant toxicity.Current physical integrity assessments focus on overall habitat quality,rather than quantitative habitat requirements,and thus cannot provide quantitative support for ecological restoration and conservation.Current hydrological integrity(environment flow)assessments largely depend on quantitative relationships between hydrological regimes with a few species and single groups,rather than with whole communities,and fail to comprehensively diagnose hydrological causes of biotic resource decline.In the future,integrity assessments need to be based on ecosystem integrity requirements of ecosystem service targets:first,there is a need to build quantitative relationships between biotic integrity and ecosystem services,assess requirements of community structure and function for service goals,and establish biotic integrity assessment methods;second,we must build quantitative relationships between biotic integrity and abiotic integrity in real ecosystems,assess chemical,physical,and hydrological integrity requirements of biotic needs,and establish diagnostic assessment methods.

Cost-effectiveness of enhanced liver fibrosis test to assess liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C virus and alcoholic liver disease patients

AIM To assess liver fibrosis(LF) in hepatitis C virus(HCV) and alcoholic liver disease(ALD), estimate health outcomes and costs of new noninvasive testing strategies METHODS A Markov model was developed to simulate LF progression in HCV and ALD for a cohort of 40-yearold men with abnormal levels of transaminases. Three different testing alternatives were studied: a single liver biopsy; annual Enhanced liver fibrosis(ELF?) followed by liver stiffness measurement(LSM) imaging as a confirmation test if the ELF test is positive; and annual ELF test without LSM. The analysis was performed from the perspective of a university hospital in Spain.Clinical data were obtained from published literature. Costs were sourced from administrative databases of the hospital. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.RESULTS In HCV patients, annual sequential ELF test/LSM and annual ELF test alone prevented respectively 12.9 and 13.3 liver fibrosis-related deaths per 100 persons tested, compared to biopsy. The incremental costeffectiveness ratios(ICERs) were respectively €13400 and €11500 per quality-adjusted life year(QALY). In ALD, fibrosis-related deaths decreased by 11.7 and 22.1 per 100 persons tested respectively with sequential ELF test/LSM and annual ELF test alone. ICERs were €280 and €190 per QALY, respectively.CONCLUSION The use of the ELF test with or without a confirmation LSM are cost-effective options compared to a single liver biopsy for testing liver fibrosis in HCV and ALD patients in Spain.

A new tool for monitoring brain function: eye tracking goes beyond assessing attention to measuring central nervous system physiology

Concussion and other forms of brain injury are not always detectable with conventional means such as radiographic imaging.The lack of accurate diagnostics,biomarkers,and outcome measures has a devastating impact.Individual patients may suffer in obscurity,self-medicate into an addictive spiral,have impaired professional activity,and develop failed interpersonal relationships.

A pilot study of microRNAs as a new potential biomarkers for hypertension

Background Micro RNAs have recently been considered as biomarkers in several different cardiovascular diseases,however,so far there are no circulating miRNAs data about hypertension.Therefore,the aim of the present pilot study was to identify circulating miRNAs for hypertension biomarkers.Methods Using an Agilent microarray,plasma miRNAs were profiled from plasma samples of 10 patients with untreated essential hypertension and 10 healthy controls.Candidate biomarkers identified in the profiles were subjected to validation by using quantitative PCR in an independent sample set of 20 patients with untreated essential hypertension and 20 healthy controls.Then,we assessed the selected miRNAs for the detection and diagnosis of hypertension from plasma samples of 70 patients with untreated essential hypertension and 20 healthy controls.The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assessed the selected miRNAs correlations with blood pressure.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve（AUC） was used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy.Results The expressions of selected 8 miRNAs were investigated independently in plasma samples from 10 hypertension patients and 10 healthy subjects.The levels of circulating miR-30c-5p,miR-133 b,miR-29b-3p,miR-29a-3p,miR-29c-3p,miR-30a-3p,miR-let7b-3p expression were significantly down regulated in hypertension group compared with healthy group and the level of hsa-miR-92b-3p was significantly unregulated between the groups.We used q RT-PCR assay to confirm the expression of 8 candidate miRNAs,miR-30c-5p（P 〈 0.001）,miR-29b-3p（P 〈 0.001）,miR-29a-3p（P = 0.027）,miR-29c-3p（P 〈 0.001）,miR-92b-3p（P = 0.003）,miR-30a-3p（P = 0.704）,miR-133b（P =0.346）,andmiR-let7b（P = 0.161）.The diagnostic accuracy of miR-30c-5p,miR-29b-3p,miR-29a-3p,miR-29c-3p and miR-92b-3p,as measured by AUC,were 0.897,0.90,0.829,0.825 and 0.832,respectively,with all P 〈0.001.Conclusions The plasma levels of miR-30c-5p,miR-29b-3p,miR-29a-3p,miR-29c-3p and miR-92b-3p associated with hypertension which provide an impetus for future evaluations of hypertension development,progression,therapeutic efficacy and prognosis.