Changing the English Classroom: When Large-scale ‘Common’ Testing Meets Secondary Curriculum and Instruction in the United States

This article explores the intersection of new, large-scale standards-based testing, teacher accountability policy, and secondary curriculum and instruction in the United States. Two federally funded consortia – the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and the Partnership for Readiness of College and Careers – prove focal to this paper, as these two organisations are creating new tests that will assess 42–49% of the K–12 student population in the United States in 2014–2015. Because greater teacher accountability for student performance will be given for these tests, there is more reason to pay attention to what these tests measure and what they do not. Our analysis suggests that these new tests will hold secondary English teachers accountable for literacy and disciplinary knowledge outside the field of English and thus raise important questions about what English teachers should, can and will do, especially when their jobs are on the line.     

Delineation of the Structural Elements of Oriental Liver Fluke PLA2 Isoforms for Potent Drug Designing

Clonorchis sinensis or the Chinese liver fluke is one of the most prevalent parasites affecting a major population in the oriental countries. The parasite lacks lipid generating mechanisms but is exposed to fatty acid rich bile in the liver. A secretory phospholipase A₂, an enzyme that breaks down complex lipids, is important for the growth of the parasite. The enzyme is also implicated in the pathogenesis leading up to the hepatic fibrosis and its complications including cancer. The five isoforms of this particular enzyme from the parasite therefore qualify as potential drug targets. In this study, a detailed structural and ligand binding analysis of the isoforms has been done by modeling. The overall three dimensional structures of the isoforms are well conserved with three helices and a β-wing stabilized by four disulfide bonds. There are characteristic differences at the calcium binding loop, hydrophobic channel and the C-terminal domain that can potentially be exploited for drug binding. But the most significant feature pertains to the catalytic site where the isoforms exhibit three variations of either a histidine-aspartate-tyrosine or histidine-glutamate-tyrosine or histidine-aspartate-phenylalanine. Molecular docking studies show that isoform specific residues and their conformations in the substrate binding hydrophobic channel make unique interactions with certain inhibitor molecules resulting in a perfect tight fit. The proposed ligand molecules have a predicted affinity in micro-molar to nano-molar range. Interestingly, few of the ligand binding interaction patterns is in accordance to the phylogenetic studies to thereby establish the usefulness of evolutionary mechanisms in aiding ligand design. The molecular diversity of the parasitic PLA₂ described in this study provides a platform for personalized medicine in the therapeutics of clonorchiasis.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12291-013-0377-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

某任务管理计算机航电系统测试与研究

为了解决某机载任务管理计算机航电系统测试设备对故障的快速定位及故障诊断、隔离问题,对机载计算机航电测试设备的系统结构、硬件、软件进行了分析,阐述了系统测试设备的设计思想及实现方法,最后通过对机载任务管理计算机各模块故障模拟、数据分析,对测试系统设备进行了评价,验证了某机载任务管理计算机测试设备设计的合理性和可靠性,为机载计算机测试系统设计、研发、故障隔离诊断提供借鉴和参考。     

False negativity to carbohydrate-deficient transferrin and drugs: a clinical case

Introduction:

In this work we report on the possible effect of the medical therapy on CDT concentration in a chronic alcohol abuser, with known medical history (July 2007 – April 2012) and alcohol abuse confirmed by relatives.

Case history:

At the end of 2007, patient displayed the following laboratory results: AST 137 U/L, ALT 120 U/L, GGT 434 U/L, MCV 101 fL and CDT 3.3%. On December 2007, after double coronary artery bypass surgery, he began a pharmacological treatment with amlodipine, perindopril, atorvastatin, isosorbide mononitrate, carvedilol, ticlopidine and pantoprazole. In the next months, until may 2011, the patient resumed alcohol abuse, as confirmed by relatives; however, CDT values were repeatedly found negative (0.8% and 1.1%) despite elevated transaminases and GGT, concurrent elevated ethyl glucuronide concentration (> 50 mg/L) and blood alcohol concentration (> 1 g/L). Alcohol consumption still continued despite increasing disulfiram doses ordered by an Alcohol Rehab Center. On May 2011, the patient was transferred to a private medical center where he currently lives.

Conclusions:

This study suggests the possibility that a medical therapy including different drugs may hamper the identification of chronic alcohol abusers by CDT.     

Comparison of digoxin concentration in plastic serum tubes with clot activator and heparinized plasma tubes

Introduction:

Sample type recommended by the manufacturer for the digoxin Abbott assay is either serum collected in glass tubes or plasma (sodium heparin, lithium heparin, citrate, EDTA or oxalate as anticoagulant) collected in plastic tubes. In our hospital samples are collected in plastic tubes. Our hypothesis was that the serum sample collected in plastic serum tube can be used interchangeably with plasma sample for measurement of digoxin concentration. Our aim was verification of plastic serum tubes for determination of digoxin concentration.

Materials and methods:

Concentration of digoxin was determined simultaneously in 26 venous blood plasma (plastic Vacuette, LH Lithium heparin) and serum (plastic Vacuette, Z Serum Clot activator; both Greiner Bio-One GmbH, Kremsmünster, Austria) samples, on Abbott AxSYM analyzer using the original Abbott Digoxin III assay (Abbott, Wiesbaden, Germany). Tube comparability was assessed using the Passing Bablok regression and Bland-Altman plot.

Results:

Serum and plasma digoxin concentrations are comparable. Passing Bablok intercept (0.08 [95% CI = −0.10 to 0.20]) and slope (0.99 [95% CI = 0.92 to 1.11]) showed there is no constant or proportional error.

Conclusion:

Blood samples drawn in plastic serum tubes and plastic plasma tubes can be interchangeably used for determination of digoxin concentration.     

改革开放以来外资检验检测认证机构在华发展历程研究

为系统深入研究改革开放以来外资检验检测认证机构(TIC)在华发展状况,以14家典型外资TIC机构为研究对象,将外资TIC机构在华发展历程分为探索、培育、快速发展、高质量发展4个阶段。研究发现,不同阶段外商投资政策与行业监管政策的调整直接影响到外资TIC机构在华发展战略、经营策略、业务方向、成长速度等;外资TIC机构在华发展的主要经验包括全国布局分支机构、多元业务统筹经营、开展并购抢占市场、紧贴中国市场需求、积极进军新兴领域、参与社会公益事业。基于研究发现,提出继续深化改革、强化科学监管和扶持民营机构等启示对策,以期为推进国有与民营TIC机构做大做强做优以及中国外资TIC机构监管体制机制改革提供参考借鉴。     

语言测试公平性研究回顾及其思考

近几年来语言测试公平性问题吸引了越来越多测试专家的关注。值得注意的是,当人们谈到语言测试公平性问题的时候,首先想到的就是公平性的定义,以及如何进行公平性的检验。然而,对公平性研究进行回顾是更好地了解公平性定义以及更好地制定出适用于公平性检验的指导性原则的前提。通过相关文献的查阅,文章总结出了迄今为止公平性问题研究所经历的三个阶段,并对语言测试公平性的相关问题进行思考与展望。     

预测2015年高考数列考点

高考一直是大家关注的焦点,而数列也是高考的必考的重要知识点。2014年的高考已过,2015年高考成为着重点。本论文主要以以往各届高考真题为依据,探讨预测2015年数列知识点的试卷分布和试题特点。     

意象对话技术治疗强制隔离戒毒人员抑郁症个案报告

本文是用意象对话技术对一名企图自杀的抑郁症强制隔离戒毒人员进行心理治疗的个案研究。通过积极干预、意象呈现、修改意象、改变或重构意象等技术,鼓励来访者勇敢地面对问题,消除不合理的期望,最终实现生活态度的转变和自我人格的积极成长。     

工科非电专业电工学教考模式的几点思考

电工学是工科院校非常重要的一门技术基础课,本文基于不同专业对电工学教学的要求,从内容设置、教学模式及考核模式几个方面进行了一些思考,并针对不同专业提出了案例教学的实例,以期能够把基础课的教学与专业方向紧密联系起来,用生动的教学方式激发学生学习这门课程的积极性。