Scoring and Consequential Validity Evidence of Computer-and Paper-Based Writing Tests in Times of Change

Little is known about how the assessment modality,i.e.,computer-based(CB)and paper-based(PB)tests,affects language teachers’scorings,perceptions,and preferences and,therefore,the validity and fairness of classroom writing assessments.The present mixed-methods study used Shaw and Weir’s(2007)sociocognitive writing test validation framework to examine the scoring and consequential validity evidence of CB and PB writing tests in EFL classroom assessment in higher education.Original handwritten and word-processed texts of 38 EFL university students were transcribed to their opposite format and assessed by three language lecturers(N=456 texts,152 per teacher)to examine the scoring validity of CB and PB tests.The teachers’perceptions of text quality and preferences for assessment modality accounted for the consequential validity evidence of both tests.Findings revealed that the assessment modality impacted teachers’scorings,perceptions,and preferences.The teachers awarded higher scores to original and transcribed handwritten texts,particularly text organization and language use.The teachers’perceptions of text quality differed from their ratings,and physical,psychological,and experiential characteristics influenced their preferences for assessment modality.The results have implications for the validity and fairness of CB and PB writing tests and teachers’assessment practices.

Infrared microthermometry of fluid inclusion in sphalerite:A case study of the Xinqiao deposit in the Middle-Lower Yangtze metallogenic belt

Infrared microthermometry allows direct measurement of fluid inclusions hosted in opaque ore minerals and can provide direct constraints on the evolution of ore-forming fluids.This study presents infrared microthermometry of spherite-hosted fluid inclusions from the Xinqiao deposit in the Middle-Lower Yangtze Metallogenic Belt and sheds new light on the ore genesis of the deposit.Considering that infrared light may lead to non-negligible temperature deviations during microthermometry,some tests were first conducted to ensure the accuracy of the microthermometric measurements.The measurement results indicated that using the lowest light intensity of the microscope and inserting an optical filter were effective in minimizing the possible temperature deviations of infrared microthermometry.All sphalerite-hosted fluid inclusions from the Xinqiao deposit were aqueous.They show homogenization temperature ranging from~200 to 350℃,but have two separate salinity groups(1.0 wt%-10 wt%and 15.1 wt%-19.2 wt%NaCl equivalent).The low-salinity group represents sedimentary exhalative(SEDEX)-associated fluids,whereas the high-salinity group results from modification by later magmatic hydrothermal fluids.Combined with published fluid inclusion data,the four-stage fluid evolution of the Xinqiao deposit was depicted.Furthermore,our data suggest that the Xinqiao deposit was formed by twostage metallogenic events including SEDEX and magmatic-hydrothermal mineralization.

Discovery of a geomorphological analog to Martian araneiforms in the Qaidam Basin, Tibetan Plateau

Araneiforms are spider-like ground patterns that are widespread in the southern polar regions of Mars.A gas erosion process driven by the seasonal sublimation of CO_(2) ice was proposed as an explanation for their formation,which cannot occur on Earth due to the high climatic temperature.In this study,we propose an alternative mechanism that attrib-utes the araneiform formation to the erosion of upwelling salt water from the subsurface,relying on the identification of the first terrestrial analog found in a playa of the Qaidam Basin on the northern Tibetan Plateau.Morphological analysis indicates that the structures in the Qaidam Basin have fractal features comparable to araneiforms on Mars.A numerical model is developed to investigate the araneiform formation driven by the water-diffusion mechanism.The simulation res-ults indicate that the water-diffusion process,under varying ground conditions,may be responsible for the diverse aranei-form morphologies observed on both Earth and Mars.Our numerical simulations also demonstrate that the orientations of the saltwater diffusion networks are controlled by pre-existing polygonal cracks,which is consistent with observations of araneiforms on Mars and Earth.Our study thus suggests that a saltwater-related origin of the araneiform is possible and has significant implications for water searches on Mars.

Enhanced Property of Thin Cuprous Oxide Film Prepared through Green Synthetic Route

Thin cuprous oxide films have been prepared by chemical vapor deposition(pulsed spray evaporation-chemical vapor deposition)method without post-treatment.The synthesis of cuprous oxide was produced by applying a water strategy effect.Then,the effect of water on the morphology,topology,structure,optical properties and surface composition of the obtained films has been comprehensively investigated.The results reveal that a pure phase of Cu2O was obtained.The introduction of a small quantity of water in the liquid feedstock lowers the band gap energy from 2.16 eV to 2.04 eV.This finding was mainly related to the decrease of crystallite size due to the effect of water.The topology analyses,by using atomic force microscope,also revealed that surface roughness decreases with water addition,namely more uniform covered surface.Moreover,theoretical calculations based on density functional theory method were performed to understand the adsorption and reaction behaviors of water and ethanol on the Cu2O thin film surface.Formation mechanism of the Cu2O thin film was also suggested and discussed.

Early Bilingual Vocabulary Development Among Low-SES Ethnic Minority Learners in China:The Case of Uyghur and Kazak Children

Vocabulary knowledge is one of the most important aspects of language development. For bilingual students, early vocabulary development often predicts their future bilingual success. This paper examines early bilingual receptive vocabulary knowledge of ethnic minority children(N=135) from two large ethnic language communities(Uyghur and Kazak) in three national-level povertystricken counties in Xinjiang, China. The children’s bilingual vocabulary knowledge was assessed using translated versions of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-IV(PPTV-IV) in Putonghua(PTH) and their mother tongue(MT) Uyghur or Kazak. Data were analyzed through four General Linear Models(GLM). The analyses showed that both groups scored higher in MT vocabulary knowledge than that in their PTH, although the Kazak students’ MT vocabulary scores were lower than those of the Uyghurs. While gender, age, L1, or residence location were not significant factors in differences across the two groups in PTH, among the Kazak children, the main effect of age was significant in MT;and among Uyghur children, residence location had a significant effect. The two groups also differed in patterns of acquisition in different parts of speech(nouns, verbs, and attributes) with Uyghur children performing strongest in MT and PTH verbs. The findings have important implications for ensuring the quality of early bilingual education among impoverished Chinese minority communities.

Highly efficient mixed-metal spinel cobaltite electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction

Cation substitution in spinel cobaltites(e.g.,ACo2O4,in which A=Mn,Fe,Co,Ni,Cu,or Zn)is a promising strategy to precisely modulate their electronic structure/properties and thus improve the corresponding electrochemical performance for water splitting.However,the fundamental principles and mechanisms are not fully understood.This research aims to systematically investigate the effects of cation substitution in spinel cobaltites derived from mixed-metal-organic frameworks on the oxygen evolution reaction(OER).Among the obtained ACo2O4 catalysts,FeCo2O4 showed excellent OER performance with a current density of 10 mA·cm^-2 at an overpotential of 164 mV in alkaline media.Both theoretical calculations and experimental results demonstrate that the Fe substitution in the crystal lattice of ACo2O4 can significantly accelerate charge transfer,thereby achieving enhanced electrochemical properties.The crystal field of spinel ACo2O4,which determines the valence states of cations A,is identified as the key factor to dictate the OER performance of these spinel cobaltites.

Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Cu-0.36Be-0.46Co alloy fabricated by heating-cooling combined mold horizontal continuous casting during cold rolling

Cu-0.36 wt.%Be-0.46 wt.%Co alloy plate with 300 mm in width and 10 mm in thickness prepared by heating-cooling combined mold(HCCM) horizontal continuous casting was cold rolled. Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the alloy as well as its deformation mechanism were investigated. The results showed that the as-cast alloy plate had columnar grains along the length direction, good surface quality and elongation of 35%, which was directly large-reduction cold rolled without surface treatment, and the accumulative cold rolling reduction reached 98%. When the reduction was small(20%), numerous dislocations and dislocation cells formed, and the deformation mechanism was dislocation slip. When the reduction was 40%, deformation twins appeared, and interactions between twins and dislocation cells induced strip-like dislocation cells. When the reduction exceeded 60%, shear bands formed and apparent crystal rotation in the micro-region happened. Further increasing the reduction, the amount of the shear bands rose and they interacted with each other, which refined the grains apparently. The tensile strength and hardness increased from 353 MPa and HV 119 of the as-cast alloy to 625 MPa and HV 208 with 95% reduction, respectively, and the elongation reduced from 35% to 7.6%. A process of HCCM horizontal continuous casting-cold rolling can work as a novel compact method to fabricate Cu-Be alloy sheet.

Enhanced stability of highly-dispersed copper catalyst supported by hierarchically porous carbon for long term selective hydrogenation

Copper based catalysts have high potential for the substituent of noble-metal based catalysts as their high selectivity and moderate activity for selective hydrogenation reaction;however,achieving further high catalytic stability is very difficult.In this work,the carbonization process of Cu-based organic frameworks was explored for the synthesis of highly-dispersed Cu supported by hierarchically porous carbon with high catalytic performance for selective hydrogenation of 1,3-butadiene.The porous hierarchy of carbon support and the dispersion of copper nanoparticles can be precisely tuned by controlling the carbonization process.The resultant catalyst carbonized at 600°C exhibits a rather low reaction temperature at 75°C for 100%butadiene conversion with 100%selectivity to butenes,due to its reasonable porous hierarchy and highly-dispersed copper sites.More importantly,unprecedentedly stability of the corresponding Cu catalyst was firstly observed for selective 1,3-butadiene hydrogenation,with both 100%butadiene conversion and 100%butenes selectivity over 120 h of reaction at 75°C.This study verifies that a simply control the carbonization process of metal organic frameworks can be an effective way to obtain Cu-based catalysts with superior catalytic performance for selective hydrogenation reaction.

Acoustic reflection well logging modeling using the frequency-domain finite-element method with a hybrid PML

In this paper, we propose a hybrid PML （H-PML） combining the normal absorption factor of convolutional PML （C-PML） with tangential absorption factor of Mutiaxial PML （M-PML）. The H-PML boundary conditions can better suppress the numerical instability in some extreme models, and the computational speed of finite-element method and the dynamic range are greatly increased using this HPML. We use the finite-element method with a hybrid PML to model the acoustic reflection of the interface when wireline and well logging while drilling （LWD）, in a formation with a reflector outside the borehole. The simulation results suggests that the PS- and SP- reflected waves arrive at the same time when the inclination between the well and the outer interface is zero, and the difference in arrival times increases with increasing dip angle. When there are fractures outside the well, the reflection signal is clearer in the subsequent reflection waves and may be used to identify the fractured zone. The difference between the dominant wavelength and the model scale shows that LWD reflection logging data are of higher resolution and quality than wireline acoustic reflection logging.

Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution from water at low overpotentials with cobalt complexes supported by redox-active bipyridyl-NHC donors

Three cobalt complexes bearing tunable,redox-active bipyridyl N-heterocyclic carbene(NHC)-based ligands have been studied for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution from aqueous solutions.The effect of structural modifications to the ligand framework is investigated across the catalyst series,which includes a non-macrocyclic derivative(1-Co)and 16-(2-Co)and 15-(3-Co)membered macrocycles.A structure-activity relationship is demonstrated,in which the macrocyclic complexes have greater activity compared to their non-macrocyclic counterpart with the most rigid catalyst,supported by the 15-membered macrocycle,performing best overall.Indeed,3-Co catalyzes H2 evolution from aqueous pH 4 acetate buffer with a Faradaic efficiency of 97%at a low overpotential of 330 mV.Mechanistic studies are consistent with formation of a cobalt-hydride species that is subsequently protonated to evolve H2 via a heterolytic pathway.

First Principles Study of Atomic Adsorption on (111) and (100) Surfaces of Iridium

We have investigated the adsorption of nine different adatoms on the(111)and(100)surfaces of Iridium(Ir)using first principles density functional theory.The study explores surface functionalization of Ir which would provide important information for further study of its functionality in catalysis and other surface applications.The adsorption energy,stable geometry,density of states and magnetic moment are some of the physical quantities of our interest.The study reveals that the three-/four-fold hollow site is energetically the most favorable adsorption site on the(111)/(100)surface of Ir.The investigation on a wide range of coverages(from 0.04 to 1 monolayer)reveals the strong coverage dependence of adsorption energy of the adsorbate atoms.The adsorption energy is found to increase as the coverage increases,implying a repulsive interaction between the adsorbates.Strong hybridization between the adsorbates and the substrate electronic states is revealed to impact the adsorption,while the magnetic moment of the adsorbates is found to be suppressed.The Bader analysis reveals significant amount of charge transfers between the adsorbate atoms and the substrate.The binding of adsorbate atoms on the(100)surface is observed to be moderately stronger as compared to that on the(111)surface.

Spin regulation on(Co,Ni)Se_(2)/C@FeOOH hollow nanocage accelerates water oxidation

Spin engineering is recognized as a promising strategy that modulates the association between d‐orbital electrons and the oxygenated species,and enhances the catalytic kinetics.However,few efforts have been made to clarify whether spin engineering could make a considerable enhancement for electrocatalytic water oxidation.Herein,we report the spin engineering of a nanocage‐structured(Co,Ni)Se_(2)/C@FeOOH,that showed significant oxygen evolution reaction(OER)activity.Magnetization measurement presented that the(Co,Ni)Se_(2)/C@FeOOH sample possesses higher polarization spin number(μb=6.966μB/f.u.)compared with that of the(Co,Ni)Se_(2)/C sample(μb=6.398μB/f.u.),for which the enlarged spin polarization number favors the adsorption and desorption energy of the intermediate oxygenated species,as confirmed by surface valance band spectra.Consequently,the(Co,Ni)Se_(2)/C@FeOOH affords remarkable OER product with a low overpotential of 241 mV at a current of 10 mA cm^(-2) and small Tafel slope of 44 mV dec^(-1) in 1.0 mol/L KOH alkaline solution,significantly surpassing the parent(Co,Ni)Se_(2)/C catalyst.This work will trigger a solid step for the design of highly‐efficient OER electrocatalysts.

Influence of Thermal Radiation on Hot Cluster Decay Rates and Abundances

The influence of radiative cooling on the unimolecular decay rates of free, hot clusters and molecules with unspecified excitation energies is quantified. Two different regimes, dedined by the magnitude of the energy of the photons emitted, are identified and the boundary between them is given. The boundary is determined in terms of the photon emission rate constants and thermal properties of the particles. Also the abundance spectra are calculated for the continuous cooling case, corresponding to small photon energies. The two regimes correspond to continuous cooling and single photon quenching of the unimolecular decay. The radiative effect can be parametrized by a redefinition of the time each individual cluster has available to undergo evaporation, expressed by an effective radiative time constant.

Development and evaluation of Panax notoginseng saponins contained in an in situ pHtriggered gelling system for sustained ocular posterior segment drug delivery

Objective:This study aimed to lay the foundation for the research on Panax notoginseng saponins(PNS)in pH-sensitive in situ gel and the development and improvement of related preparations.Methods:We used Carbopol■940,a commonly used pH-sensitive polymer,and the thickener hydroxypropyl methylcellulose(HPMC E4M)as an ophthalmic gel matrix to prepare an ophthalmic in situ gel of PNS.In addition,formula optimization was performed by assessing gelling capability with the results of in vitro release studies.In vitro(corneal permeation,rheological,and stability)and in vivo(ocular irritation and preliminary pharmacokinetics in the vitreous)studies were also performed.Results:The results demonstrated that the in situ gelling systems containing PNS showed a sustained release of the drug,making it an ideal ocular delivery system for improving posterior ocular bioavailability.Conclusions:This study lays the foundation for the research of PNS contained in an in situ pH-triggered gel as well as the development and improvement of related preparations.It concurrently traditional Chinese medicine with a contemporary in situ gelling approach to provide new directions for the treatment of posterior ocular diseases such as diabetic retinopathy.

Electrocatalytic ammonia synthesis catalyzed by mesoporous nickel oxide nanosheets loaded with Pt nanoparticles

Owing to its cost‐effectiveness and adjustable eight‐electron distribution in the 3d orbital,nickel oxide(NiO)is considered an effective electrocatalyst for an ambient electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction(NRR).However,because of the low conductivity of the transition metal oxide electrocatalyst,its application in this field is limited.In this study,we found that the doping of NiO nanosheets with a small amount(3–10 nm)of Pt nanoparticles(Pt/NiO‐NSs)leads to considerable improvements in the Faradaic efficiency(FE)and NH_(3) yield compared with those obtained using pure NiO,breaking the common perception that commercial Pt‐based electrocatalysts demonstrate little potential for NRR due to their high hydrogen evolution tendency.In a 0.1 mol/L Na_(2)SO_(4) solution at−0.2 V vs.RHE,a typical Pt/NiO‐2 sample exhibits an optimum electrochemical NH_(3) yield of 20.59μg h^(–1)mg^(–1)cat.and an FE of 15.56%,which are approximately 5 and 3 times greater,respectively,than those of pure NiO nanosheets at the same applied potential.X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed that Pt in Pt/NiO‐NSs exist as Pt0,Pt^(2+),and Pt^(4+)and that high‐valence Pt ions are more electropositive,thereby favoring chemisorption and the activation of N2 molecules.Density function theory calculations showed that the d‐band of Pt nanoparticles supported on NiO is significantly tuned compared to that of pure Pt,affording a more favorable electronic structure for NRR.The results of this study show that Pt can be an effective NRR electrochemical catalyst when loaded on an appropriate substrate.Most importantly,it provides a new synthetic avenue for the fabrication of highly active Pt‐based NRR electrocatalysts.

Patterns,Causes and Perceptions of Human-Large Carnivore Conflict in the Chitwan National Park,Nepal

One of the major management problems in and around protected areas is the intensifying conflict between local people and wildlife,especially large carnivores.Livestock depredation and human fatalities caused by attacks of carnivores are found to be serious obstacles in conflict management.This study aims to explore the patterns,costs,causes and perceptions of human large carnivore conflict in the Nawalpur area of Chitwan National Park.The patterns of livestock loss and human casualties due to large carnivores(Panthera tigris and Panthera pardus)were analysed using the secondary data reported to Chitwan National Park from 2001 to 2019.To understand the people’s perception towards carnivores and wildlife conservation,150 victim respondents were asked,with one household selected from each grid.During 19-year study period,a total of 521 incidents caused by large carnivores were reported,which included 33 human casualties and 488 livestock depredations.Tiger was responsible for the maximum conflict incidents in Nawalpur.The total relief provided for human deaths and injuries was US$17524.41,whereas US$13702.18 was used to compensate for livestock depredation in the Nawalpur area by authorities of the Chitwan National Park.More than 64%of the respondents liked the presence of carnivores in their area and had a positive attitude toward the conservation of large carnivores,even though the carnivores were responsible for livestock depredation and human injury and death.People’s satisfaction with the relief scheme provided by the government depended on ethnicity,gender,age class,occupation,education,insurance,and livestock ownership,but they believed the scheme was not effective.Hence,an effective relief scheme and awareness about the process of relief funding should be conducted in conflict areas.Conducting awareness programs for local communities about large carnivores,their behavior,and preparing predator-proof corrals would be helpful in minimizing conflict in the study area.

Research on the Mechanism of Multi-Sensor Fusion Configuration Based on the Optimal Principle of the Vehicle

In order to address the issue of sensor configuration redundancy in intelligent driving,this paper constructs a multi-objective optimization model that considers cost,coverage ability,and perception performance.And then,combining a specific set of parameters,the NSGA-II algorithm is used to solve the multi-objective model established in this paper,and a Pareto front containing 24 typical configuration schemes is extracted after considering empirical constraints.Finally,using the decision preference method proposed in this paper that combines subjective and objective factors,decision scores are calculated and ranked for various configuration schemes from both cost and performance preferences.The research results indicate that the multi-objective optimization model established in this paper can screen and optimize various configuration schemes from the optimal principle of the vehicle,and the optimized configuration schemes can be quantitatively ranked to obtain the decision results for the vehicle under different preference tendencies.

Estimation of Travel Climate Comfort Degree in the Cross-border Region between China and Russia based on GIS

The duration of travel climate comfort degree is an important factor that influences the length of the tourism season and the development of a tourism destination.In this study,we used the monthly average meteorological data for the last 10 years from 46 weather stations in Heilongjiang Province(China)and Primorsky Krai(Russia)to calculate the temperature-humidity index(THI)and wind chill index(WCI)based on ArcGIS software interpolation technology.We obtained the climate comfort charts of the study area with a grid size a 1 km2 grid size,and analyzed the spatial distribution of comfort for each month.The results show the following:1)The THI and WCI of the cross-border region gradually decrease from south to north and from low altitude to high altitude.The annual comfortable climate period is longer when analyzed in terms of the WCI rather\than the THI.2)The travel climate comfortable period of the study area shows significant regional difference and the length of the comfortable period in Heilongjiang Province is 4 to 5 months.Meanwhile,the period in Primorsky Krai decreases from south to north and the length of the comfortable period length in its southern region can reach 7 months.3)The predominant length of the climate comfortable period in the cross-border area is 5 months per year,and it covers 46.6%of the total area,while areas that have a climate comfortable period of 2 months are the most limited,covering less than 0.3%of the area.The results provide a scientific basis for the utilization and development of a meteorological tourism resources and touring arrangements for tourists in the cross-border region between China and Russia.

Soil Priming Effect Mediated by Nitrogen Fertilization Gradients in a Semi-arid Grassland, China

The priming effect is well acknowledged in soil systems but the effect of nitrogen(N)fertilization remains elusive.To explore how N modifies the priming effect in soil organic matter(SOM),one in situ experiment with 13C labeled glucose addition(0.4 mg C g^–1 soil,3.4 atom %^13C)was conducted on soil plots fertilized with three gradients of urea(0,4 and 16 g N m^–2 yr^–1).After glucose addition,the soil CO2 concentration and phospholipid fatty acid(PLFA)were measured on day 3,7,21 and 35.The study found that N fertilization decreased soil CO2,PLFA and the fungi to bacteria ratio.Glucose triggered the strongest positive priming in soil at 0 g N m^–2 yr^–2,meanwhile N fertilization decreased SOM-derived CO2.Soil at 4 g N m^–2 yr^–2 released the largest amount of glucose-derived carbon(C),likely due to favorable nutrient stoichiometry between C and N.Stable microbial community biomass and composition during early sampling suggests"apparent priming"in this grassland.This study concludes that N fertilization inhibited soil priming in semi-arid grassland,and shifted microbial utilization of C substrate from SOM to added labile C.Diverse microbial functions might be playing a crucial role in soil priming and requires attention in future N fertilization studies.

Soil Respiration Dynamics and Influencing Factors in Typical Steppe of Inner Mongolia under Long-term Nitrogen Addition

We investigated soil respiration(Rs)dynamics and influencing factors under different nitrogen(N)addition levels(0,2,4,8,16,32 g m^–2 yr^–1)on typical grassland plots in Inner Mongolia.We measured soil respiration,temperature,moisture and nutrients.We found that N addition did not change dynamic characteristics of Rs;daily and seasonal dynamics followed a single peak curve.N addition reduced Rs during the growing season.Rs under N2,N4,N8,N16 and N32 treatments decreased by 24.00%,21.93%,23.49%,30.78%and 28.20%in the growing season,respectively,compared to the N0 treatment.However,Rs in the non-growing season was not different across treatments.Rs was significantly positively correlated with soil temperature and moisture and these two factors accounted for 72%–97% and 74%–82% of variation in Rs,respectively.The soil respiration temperature sensitivity (Q10) was between 2.27 and 4.16 and N addition reduced Q10 except in the N8 treatment.