Evaluating IELTS Writing Test of Academic Module

As a large-scale standardized English proficiency test,IELTS attracts millions of test takers internationally.This essay,drawing on current theories in language testing and assessment,attempts to evaluate the writing test of the IELTS Academic Module.It is concluded that it is a generally valid and reliable test which generates overall beneficial effects,though several threats possibly undermine its test validity and reliability.Some suggestions on improvement are proposed at the end.

Relationships Between Chinese EFL Learners’IELTS Band Score and Motivated Strategies for Learning

EFL learners,who study English as a foreign language,often use different learning strategies in the learning process,with positive and negative results in their academic performance.Whether these learning strategies are effective or not are questions to be explored.So,the author examined the relationship between Chinese EFL learners’test results and the use of motivated strategies for learning in English learning.Participants are students who have taken a high-stake standardized English proficiency test:IELTS(International English Language Testing System)with band score obtained.The results show that students’performance on high-stakes assessment is significantly associated with the use of motivated learning strategies like internal value in sharp contrast to test anxiety,which bears no relevance.Interviews are then implemented to candidates with different levels of English proficiency to figure out other related factors contributing to the test results.

Predictive role of interleukin-6 and CAT score in mechanical ventilation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at the acute exacerbation stage in the emergency department

BACKGROUND:The study aimed to evaluate the predictive role of interleukin-6(IL-6)and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)assessment test(CAT)score in mechanical ventilation(MV)in COPD patients at the acute exacerbation stage in the emergency department(ED).METHODS:For a one-year period,among adult patients in the ED who met the criteria of acute exacerbation of COPD,158 who received MV within 48 hours after admission were compared to 294 who didn't require MV within the same period after admission.IL-6 level and CAT score were compared between the two groups.The predicted value of IL-6 and CAT score was assessed by logistic regression analysis and a receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.RESULTS:The IL-6 and CAT scores in the 158 MV patients were much higher than those without.IL-6 and CAT scores were independent predictors of MV within 48 hours using logistic regression analysis(IL-6:odds ratio[OR]1.053,95%confidence interval[CI]1.039–1.067,P<0.001;CAT score:OR 1.122,95%CI 1.086–1.159,P<0.001).The combination of IL-6 and CAT scores(area under ROC curve[AUC]0.826,95%CI 0.786–0.866,P<0.001)improved the accuracy of predicting MV within 48 hours when compared with IL-6(AUC 0.752,95%CI 0.703–0.800,P<0.001)and CAT scores alone(AUC 0.739,95%CI 0.692–0.786,P<0.001).The sensitivity and specificity were 69.6%,74.1%,75.32%and 63.6%,respectively.CONCLUSION:The combined of IL-6 and CAT scores is useful for evaluating the risk of COPD patients at acute exacerbation in ED,and can provide a predictive value for MV or not within 48 hours.

Preclinical animal studies in ischemic stroke:Challenges and some solutions

Despite the impressive efficacies demonstrated in preclinical research,hundreds of potentially neuroprotective drugs have failed to provide effective neuroprotec-tion for ischemic stroke in human clinical trials.Lack of a powerful animal model for human ischemic stroke could be a major reason for the failure to develop successful neuroprotective drugs for ischemic stroke.This review recapitulates the available cerebral ischemia animal models,provides an anatomical comparison of the circle of Willis of each species,and describes the functional assessment tests used in these ischemic stroke models.The distinct differences between human ischemic stroke and experimental stroke in available animal models is explored.Innovative animal models more closely resembling human strokes,better techniques in functional out-come assessment and better experimental designs generating clearer and stronger evidence may help realise the development of truly neuroprotective drugs that will benefit human ischemic stroke patients.This may involve use of newer molecules or revisiting earlier studies with new experimental designs.Translation of any resultant successes may then be tested in human clinical trials with greater confidence and optimism.

Research of Step-down Stress Accelerated Degradation Data Assessment Method of a Certain Type of Missile Tank

The performance degradation rates of the missile tank are generally time-varying functions uneasily evaluated by general classical evaluation methods. This paper develops a segmented nonlinear accelerated degradation model （SNADM） based on the equivalent method of accumulative damage theory, which tackles the problem that product life is difficult to be determined with degradation rate being a function of the variable of time. A segmented expression of the function of population accumulative degradation is derived. And combined with nonlinear function, an accelerated degradation function, i.e., SNADM is obtained. The parameters of the SNADM are identified by numerical iteration, and the statistical function of degradation track is extrapolated. The reliability function is determined through the type of random process of the degradation distribution. Then an evaluation of product storage life is undertaken by combining the statistical function of degradation track, reliability function and threshold. An example of a missile tank undergoes a step-down stress accelerated degradation test （SDSADT）, in which the results with the SNADM and the classical method are evaluated and compared. The technology introduced is validated with the resultant coincidence of both evaluated and field storage lives.

The European New Car Assessment Programme： A historical review

Established in 1997, the European New Car Assessment Programme （Euro NCAP） provides consumers with a safety performance assessment for the majority of the most popular cars in Europe. Thanks to its rigorous crash tests, Euro NCAP has rapidly become an important driver safety improvement to new cars. After ten years of rating vehicles, Euro NCAP felt that a change was necessary to stay in tune with rapidly emerging driver assistance and crash avoidance systems and to respond to shifting priorities in road safety. A new overall rating system was introduced that combines the most important aspects of vehicle safety under a single star rating. The overall rating system has allowed Euro NCAP to continue to push for better fitment and higher performance for vehicles sold on the European market. In the coming years, the safety rating is expected to play an important role in the support of the roll-out of highly automated vehicles.

Testing and assessing the performance of a new warm mix asphalt with SMC

Warm mix asphalt （WMA} is a new technology which asphalt mix is produced and placed at normal temperature. It has advantages including low cost, environmentally friendly, haul-convenience, and so on. WMA has been widely tested and applied in the USA in the last decade, but it has just started in China. Recently, a new WMA using a new plastic- macromolecule-normal temperature additive, which was called ＂SMC＂ by the production company, was introduced as asphalt modifier. Based on discussing the strength forming process of this new WMA with SMC, a series of laboratory tests, including Marshall stability test （MST）, boiling test （BT）, modified immersion Marshall test （MIMT）, freeze-thaw split- ring test （FTST）, rutting test （RT）, low-temperature bending test （LTBT）, and abrasion loss test （ALT）, were conducted in this study to assess the performance of this WMA and the capability of applying it on low volume roads in China. SMC modified asphalt mixed under normal temperature is used in testing samples. It was found that this WMA product exhibited merits on its strength, which was about 6.7 kN bigger than the requirement of 5.0 kN in the JTG F40-2004, on high-temperature stability, which is about 1100 times/ram greater than the requirement of 600-1000 times/mm in the ）TG F40-2004, and on its storage stability. Based on these indicators, it is recommended that this product could be used for low volume low class roads construction. However, due to the relatively lower water resistance and low-temperature cracking resistance, this product is suggested to be applied first in the areas with warm weather and little rainfall. In order to improve the perfor- mance of this WMA with SMC, further research on this SMC asphalt modifier should be continued.

New disease severity classification of patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Shanghai

Background The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease （GOLD） presented a new ABCD group classification of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）.We aimed to examine the association of spirometric classification and the new GOLD classification with exacerbations,and to compare symptoms in different ways.Methods We investigated 848 patients with stable COPD from 24 hospitals.The annual frequencies of acute exacerbation and hospitalization were compared between the old and new classification.The symptom level was assessed using COPD assessment test （CAT） and modified British Medical Research Council （mMRC） questionnaire.Results A total of 848 patients were included in this study.According to spirometric classification,there were 32 patients of grade Ⅰ （3.8％）,315 of grade Ⅱ （37.1％）,366 of grade Ⅲ （43.2％）,and 135 of grade Ⅳ （15.9％）.According to GOLD 2011 classification,there were 59 patients of group A （7.0％）,172 of group B （20.3％）,55 of group C （6.5％）,and 562 of group D （66.3％）.In spirometric classification,the annual frequencies of acute exacerbation and associated hospitalization were respectively 1 （0-3） and 0 （0-2） for grade Ⅰ; 1 （0-5） and 0 （0-2） for grade Ⅱ; 2 （0-6） and 1 （0-3） for grade Ⅲ,and 3 （0-6） and 2 （0-3） for grade Ⅳ.In GOLD 2011,respectively 0 （0-3） and 0 （0-1） （group A）,1 （0-4） and 0 （0-3） （group B）,1 （0-5） and 0 （0-3） （group C）,and 3 （0-6） and 1 （0-3） （group D）.There were no significant difference between group B and C （Z=-1.347,P=0.178; Z=-0.772,P=0.440,respectively）.The coincidence rate using mMRC=1 and CAT=10 as cutoff points was 86.6％ （734/848,x=0.706）,compared with 77.9％ （661/848,K=0.60） using mMRC=2 and CAT=10.Conclusions Lung function test may be a better predictor of acute exacerbation and associated hospitalization of COPD.It is more appropriate to use mMRC=1 as cutoff point for assessing COPD symptoms.