Insertion/deletion polymorphisms(InDels)have been treated as a prospective and helpful genetic marker in the fields of forensic human identification,anthropology and population genetics for the past few years.In this ...Insertion/deletion polymorphisms(InDels)have been treated as a prospective and helpful genetic marker in the fields of forensic human identification,anthropology and population genetics for the past few years.In this study,we developed a six-dye multiplex typing system consisting of 34 autosomal InDels and Amelogenin for forensic application.The contained InDels were specifically selected for Chinese population with the MAF≥0.25 in East Asia,which do not overlap with the markers of Investigator^(■)DIPplex kit.The typing system was named as GoldeneyeTM DNA ID System 35InDel Kit,and a series of developmental validation studies including repeatability/reproducibility,concordance,accuracy,sensitivity,stability,species specificity and population genetics were conducted on this kit.We confirmed that the 35InDel kit is precise,sensitive,species specific and robust for forensic practice.Moreover,the 35InDel kit is capable of typing DNA extracted from forensic routine case-type samples as well as degraded samples and mixture samples.All markers are proved to be highly polymorphic with an average observed heterozygosity(He)of 0.4582.The combined power of discrimination(CPD)is 0.999999999999978 and the combined power of exclusion in duos(CPE_(D))and trios(CPE_(T))are 0.978837 and 0.999573,respectively,which are higher than those of the Investigator^(■)DIPplex kit.Thus,the GoldeneyeTM DNA ID System 35InDel kit is suitable for forensic human identification and could serve as a supplementary typing system for paternity testing.展开更多
This study was designed to explore the possibility of using ascitic mouse sarcoma cell line (S180) to validate the mouse tumor cell attachment assay for developmental toxicants, and to test the inhibitory effects of v...This study was designed to explore the possibility of using ascitic mouse sarcoma cell line (S180) to validate the mouse tumor cell attachment assay for developmental toxicants, and to test the inhibitory effects of various developmental toxicants. The results showed that 2 of 3 developmental toxicants under consideration, sodium pentobarbital and ethanol, significantly inhibited S180cells attachment to Concanavalin A-coaed surfaces. Inhibition was dependent on concentration, and the IC50 (the concentration tha reduced attachment by 50% ), of these 2 chemicals was 1.2×10-3mol/L and 1 .0 mol/L, respectively. Anoher developmental toxiant, hydmiortisone, did not show inhibitory activity. Two non-developmental toxicants, sodium chloride and glycine were also tested and these did not decrease attachment rates. The main results reported here were generally sindlar to those obtained with ascitic mouse ovdrian tumor cells as a model. Therefore, this study added further evidence to the conclusion that cell specificity does not lindt attachment inhibition to Con A-coated surfaces, so S180 cell may serve as an altemative cell model, especially when other cell lines are unavailable. Furthermore, after optimal validation, it can be suggested that an S180 cell attachment assay may be a candidate for a series of assays to detect developmental toxicants.展开更多
While a plethora of studies has been conducted to explore demotivation and its impact on mental health in second language(L2)education,scanty research focuses on demotivation in L2 speaking learning.Particularly,littl...While a plethora of studies has been conducted to explore demotivation and its impact on mental health in second language(L2)education,scanty research focuses on demotivation in L2 speaking learning.Particularly,little research explores the measures to quantify L2 speaking demotivation.The present two-phase study attempts to develop and validate an English Speaking Demotivation Scale(ESDS).To this end,an independent sample of 207 Chinese tertiary learners of English as a Foreign Language(EFL)participated in the development phase,and another group of 188 Chinese EFL learners was recruited for the validation of the scale.Exploratory Factor Analysis(EFA)and Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA)were employed to determine the factor structure of the scale.The EFA results revealed a six-factor solution with Teacher-related Factors in Learning Spoken English(TFLSE),Interest and Valence in Learning Spoken English(IVLSE),Self-efficacy in Learning Spoken English(SELSE),Negative Peer Influence in Learning Spoken English(NPILSE),Undesirable Environment for Learning Spoken English(UELSE),and Negative Influence of Assessment and Learning Materials in speaking class(NIALM).In the validation phase,Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA)was performed to validate the internal structure of the scale.The CFA results showed that the model fits the data well.Overall,the ESDS is a robust and trustworthy psychometric tool that could be utilized to examine L2 speaking demotivation.Implications for diminishing EFL learners’demotivation,lessening their aversive emotions and promoting their mental health are also discussed.展开更多
Objective：The aim of this study was to develop a frailty scale for the elderly in China and to examine its reliability and validity.Methods：The method of convenient sampling was used to select 375 elderly individual...Objective：The aim of this study was to develop a frailty scale for the elderly in China and to examine its reliability and validity.Methods：The method of convenient sampling was used to select 375 elderly individuals in different communities of Tianjin,China.EuroQpl-5D was used to evaluate the criterion validity.Cronbach＇s αcoefficients,correlation analysis,exploratory factor analysis,criterion-related validity,and internal consistency were used to evaluate the reliability and validity of the scale.To evaluate the test—retest reliability,30 old people were re-evaluated after 2 weeks.Results：The final version of the frailty scale（FI-35） consisted of 35 items.Eleven factors were extracted by a principal factor analysis and varimax rotation,with a cumulative contribution of 86.00%.Eleven dimensions were positively correlated（r = 0.130-0.541,P 〈 0.01）.Cronbach＇s α coefficient was 0.952,and the alpha coefficients of 11 dimensions ranged from 0.730 to 0.992.The test-retest reliability was0.874 for the total scale.The split-half reliability of the scale was 0.808.Structural equation modeling was used to perform a confirmatory factor analysis,and various parameters were all acceptable.Conclusions：FI-35 met the requirement of scale development and showed good reliability and validity;thus,it can be used as an efficient frailty measurement tool for Chinese elderly.展开更多
To develop the cost climate survey scale( CCSS) used in construction enterprises,the design concepts,principles and the process diagrams of CCSS are proposed.Through questionnaire investigation and expert interviews,3...To develop the cost climate survey scale( CCSS) used in construction enterprises,the design concepts,principles and the process diagrams of CCSS are proposed.Through questionnaire investigation and expert interviews,314 projects are established and the CCSS that is made up of 7 dimensions framework and 30 levels is preliminarily determined.After categorized merger,pre-test analysis and multiple items refining,16 projects of CCSS are eventually compiled.In order to verify the credibility and validity of the CCSS,200 employees in Qinhuangdao construction company as the samples are tested.SPSS 21.0 is used to analyze the reliability,validity and rationality of level divisions,and Amos 22.0 is for analyzing the degree of model adaptation in this survey.Finally,the current cost climate situation of the construction site in the company is evaluated,the deficiencies of the cost culture of the construction site are pointed out.This study shows that strengthening the cost knowledge training has a significant positive effect on the cost climate cognition of the employees.Nevertheless,accumulation of work experience has a dual impact on that.The CCSS is not only an important foundation for the cost climate research and its theoretical development,but also the premise of the cost climate quantitative research.An appropriate CCSS,to some extent,can reflect the cognitive level of all kinds of employees in one enterprise and cost savings degree of the enterprise in a certain time.The development of CCSS reflects the originality and interactivity,and fills a blank of the CCSS in construction,which is considered to be an effective tool for cost climate research in construction.展开更多
With the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,the research team jointly led by Porf.Liu Zaiyi(刘再毅)at Guangdong General Hospital and Prof.Tian Jie(田捷)at the Key Laboratory of Molecular Imagi...With the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,the research team jointly led by Porf.Liu Zaiyi(刘再毅)at Guangdong General Hospital and Prof.Tian Jie(田捷)at the Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging,Chinese Academy of Sciences,developed a CT-based radiomics prediction model to preoperatively predict the lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer(CRC),which was published展开更多
This study reports the development and validation of an instrument,“Undergraduate STEM Educational Process Questionnaire”(USEPQ)to assess the learning experiences of STEM(science,technology,engineering and mathemati...This study reports the development and validation of an instrument,“Undergraduate STEM Educational Process Questionnaire”(USEPQ)to assess the learning experiences of STEM(science,technology,engineering and mathematics)-major undergraduates from the perspective of a conceptualized comprehensive STEM educational process framework that consists of key essentials such as course learning and instruction,educational environment,assessment methods,and unique STEM attributes.Exploration Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis performed on independent samples indicate that the finalized 9-factor,41-item USEPQ possesses a stable factor structure and sound psychometric properties.The factors of the validated scale are Classroom Instruction of Courses,Support from Faculty Members,Alternative Assessment Methods,Cooperative Learning,Resources and Service,Academic Competition,Cross-discipline Features of Program Courses,Connectedness of Program Courses,and Examination Difficulty.展开更多
This study aims to create a simple and effective way to measure how shadowing exercises using MALL help students learn English as a foreign language.Shadowing,the act of vocalizing speech simultaneously as it is heard...This study aims to create a simple and effective way to measure how shadowing exercises using MALL help students learn English as a foreign language.Shadowing,the act of vocalizing speech simultaneously as it is heard,is recognized for enhancing various language skills.The research aimed to develop and validate such an instrument grounded in standardized surveys.Methods employed included the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin(KMO)Measure of Sampling Adequacy(.875)and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity(χ²=659.572,df=55,p<.000)to assess data suitability for factor analysis.The survey instrument comprised 11 items assessing various aspects of shadowing exercises through MALL software.Factor analysis revealed a single dominant component explaining 75.929%of the total variance,indicating the construct's unidimensionality.Items related to challenges,benefits,and intended integration of MALL-based shadowing exercises into daily learning routines exhibited higher loadings,aligning strongly with the latent construct.Results underscore the potential of MALL-facilitated shadowing exercises as an effective tool to enhance EFL learners’overall language proficiency and motivate their learning journey.This study contributes to the growing body of research on the integration of MALL in shadowing exercises,offering a reliable and streamlined means to measure the impact of such interventions.展开更多
基金This study was supported by grants from the National Youth Top-Notch Talent of Ten Thousand Program[grant number WRQB2019]the Youth Science and Technology Innovation Leader of Ten Thousand Program[grant number 2018RA2102],China.
文摘Insertion/deletion polymorphisms(InDels)have been treated as a prospective and helpful genetic marker in the fields of forensic human identification,anthropology and population genetics for the past few years.In this study,we developed a six-dye multiplex typing system consisting of 34 autosomal InDels and Amelogenin for forensic application.The contained InDels were specifically selected for Chinese population with the MAF≥0.25 in East Asia,which do not overlap with the markers of Investigator^(■)DIPplex kit.The typing system was named as GoldeneyeTM DNA ID System 35InDel Kit,and a series of developmental validation studies including repeatability/reproducibility,concordance,accuracy,sensitivity,stability,species specificity and population genetics were conducted on this kit.We confirmed that the 35InDel kit is precise,sensitive,species specific and robust for forensic practice.Moreover,the 35InDel kit is capable of typing DNA extracted from forensic routine case-type samples as well as degraded samples and mixture samples.All markers are proved to be highly polymorphic with an average observed heterozygosity(He)of 0.4582.The combined power of discrimination(CPD)is 0.999999999999978 and the combined power of exclusion in duos(CPE_(D))and trios(CPE_(T))are 0.978837 and 0.999573,respectively,which are higher than those of the Investigator^(■)DIPplex kit.Thus,the GoldeneyeTM DNA ID System 35InDel kit is suitable for forensic human identification and could serve as a supplementary typing system for paternity testing.
文摘This study was designed to explore the possibility of using ascitic mouse sarcoma cell line (S180) to validate the mouse tumor cell attachment assay for developmental toxicants, and to test the inhibitory effects of various developmental toxicants. The results showed that 2 of 3 developmental toxicants under consideration, sodium pentobarbital and ethanol, significantly inhibited S180cells attachment to Concanavalin A-coaed surfaces. Inhibition was dependent on concentration, and the IC50 (the concentration tha reduced attachment by 50% ), of these 2 chemicals was 1.2×10-3mol/L and 1 .0 mol/L, respectively. Anoher developmental toxiant, hydmiortisone, did not show inhibitory activity. Two non-developmental toxicants, sodium chloride and glycine were also tested and these did not decrease attachment rates. The main results reported here were generally sindlar to those obtained with ascitic mouse ovdrian tumor cells as a model. Therefore, this study added further evidence to the conclusion that cell specificity does not lindt attachment inhibition to Con A-coated surfaces, so S180 cell may serve as an altemative cell model, especially when other cell lines are unavailable. Furthermore, after optimal validation, it can be suggested that an S180 cell attachment assay may be a candidate for a series of assays to detect developmental toxicants.
基金the Humanities and Social Sciences Project,China’s Ministry of Education(Grant Number:22YJA740016)the Key Project of Hubei Provincial Department of Education Philosophy and Social Science Research Fund(No.21ZD051)the Teaching and Research Fund of Hubei University of Technology(No.Xiao2022018).
文摘While a plethora of studies has been conducted to explore demotivation and its impact on mental health in second language(L2)education,scanty research focuses on demotivation in L2 speaking learning.Particularly,little research explores the measures to quantify L2 speaking demotivation.The present two-phase study attempts to develop and validate an English Speaking Demotivation Scale(ESDS).To this end,an independent sample of 207 Chinese tertiary learners of English as a Foreign Language(EFL)participated in the development phase,and another group of 188 Chinese EFL learners was recruited for the validation of the scale.Exploratory Factor Analysis(EFA)and Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA)were employed to determine the factor structure of the scale.The EFA results revealed a six-factor solution with Teacher-related Factors in Learning Spoken English(TFLSE),Interest and Valence in Learning Spoken English(IVLSE),Self-efficacy in Learning Spoken English(SELSE),Negative Peer Influence in Learning Spoken English(NPILSE),Undesirable Environment for Learning Spoken English(UELSE),and Negative Influence of Assessment and Learning Materials in speaking class(NIALM).In the validation phase,Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA)was performed to validate the internal structure of the scale.The CFA results showed that the model fits the data well.Overall,the ESDS is a robust and trustworthy psychometric tool that could be utilized to examine L2 speaking demotivation.Implications for diminishing EFL learners’demotivation,lessening their aversive emotions and promoting their mental health are also discussed.
基金supported by the National Social Science Foundation(No.14BSH124)
文摘Objective：The aim of this study was to develop a frailty scale for the elderly in China and to examine its reliability and validity.Methods：The method of convenient sampling was used to select 375 elderly individuals in different communities of Tianjin,China.EuroQpl-5D was used to evaluate the criterion validity.Cronbach＇s αcoefficients,correlation analysis,exploratory factor analysis,criterion-related validity,and internal consistency were used to evaluate the reliability and validity of the scale.To evaluate the test—retest reliability,30 old people were re-evaluated after 2 weeks.Results：The final version of the frailty scale（FI-35） consisted of 35 items.Eleven factors were extracted by a principal factor analysis and varimax rotation,with a cumulative contribution of 86.00%.Eleven dimensions were positively correlated（r = 0.130-0.541,P 〈 0.01）.Cronbach＇s α coefficient was 0.952,and the alpha coefficients of 11 dimensions ranged from 0.730 to 0.992.The test-retest reliability was0.874 for the total scale.The split-half reliability of the scale was 0.808.Structural equation modeling was used to perform a confirmatory factor analysis,and various parameters were all acceptable.Conclusions：FI-35 met the requirement of scale development and showed good reliability and validity;thus,it can be used as an efficient frailty measurement tool for Chinese elderly.
基金Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province,China(No.E2016203147)Science and Technology Research and Development Plan of Qinhuangdao,China(No.201602A040)Construction Science and Technology Research Program of Hebei Province,China(No.2016-124)
文摘To develop the cost climate survey scale( CCSS) used in construction enterprises,the design concepts,principles and the process diagrams of CCSS are proposed.Through questionnaire investigation and expert interviews,314 projects are established and the CCSS that is made up of 7 dimensions framework and 30 levels is preliminarily determined.After categorized merger,pre-test analysis and multiple items refining,16 projects of CCSS are eventually compiled.In order to verify the credibility and validity of the CCSS,200 employees in Qinhuangdao construction company as the samples are tested.SPSS 21.0 is used to analyze the reliability,validity and rationality of level divisions,and Amos 22.0 is for analyzing the degree of model adaptation in this survey.Finally,the current cost climate situation of the construction site in the company is evaluated,the deficiencies of the cost culture of the construction site are pointed out.This study shows that strengthening the cost knowledge training has a significant positive effect on the cost climate cognition of the employees.Nevertheless,accumulation of work experience has a dual impact on that.The CCSS is not only an important foundation for the cost climate research and its theoretical development,but also the premise of the cost climate quantitative research.An appropriate CCSS,to some extent,can reflect the cognitive level of all kinds of employees in one enterprise and cost savings degree of the enterprise in a certain time.The development of CCSS reflects the originality and interactivity,and fills a blank of the CCSS in construction,which is considered to be an effective tool for cost climate research in construction.
文摘With the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,the research team jointly led by Porf.Liu Zaiyi(刘再毅)at Guangdong General Hospital and Prof.Tian Jie(田捷)at the Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging,Chinese Academy of Sciences,developed a CT-based radiomics prediction model to preoperatively predict the lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer(CRC),which was published
基金The fourth author of this paper Prof.Yipeng Tang thanks National Natural Science Foundation of China(NNSFC)for collaboratively funding the research(No.71704115).
文摘This study reports the development and validation of an instrument,“Undergraduate STEM Educational Process Questionnaire”(USEPQ)to assess the learning experiences of STEM(science,technology,engineering and mathematics)-major undergraduates from the perspective of a conceptualized comprehensive STEM educational process framework that consists of key essentials such as course learning and instruction,educational environment,assessment methods,and unique STEM attributes.Exploration Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis performed on independent samples indicate that the finalized 9-factor,41-item USEPQ possesses a stable factor structure and sound psychometric properties.The factors of the validated scale are Classroom Instruction of Courses,Support from Faculty Members,Alternative Assessment Methods,Cooperative Learning,Resources and Service,Academic Competition,Cross-discipline Features of Program Courses,Connectedness of Program Courses,and Examination Difficulty.
基金This paper is also a phased research result of the 2023 Philosophy and Social Sciences Project of Jiangsu Universities,“Research on the Application of Shadow Reading in English Teaching Based on Imitation Learning Theory”(No.2023SJYB1037).
文摘This study aims to create a simple and effective way to measure how shadowing exercises using MALL help students learn English as a foreign language.Shadowing,the act of vocalizing speech simultaneously as it is heard,is recognized for enhancing various language skills.The research aimed to develop and validate such an instrument grounded in standardized surveys.Methods employed included the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin(KMO)Measure of Sampling Adequacy(.875)and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity(χ²=659.572,df=55,p<.000)to assess data suitability for factor analysis.The survey instrument comprised 11 items assessing various aspects of shadowing exercises through MALL software.Factor analysis revealed a single dominant component explaining 75.929%of the total variance,indicating the construct's unidimensionality.Items related to challenges,benefits,and intended integration of MALL-based shadowing exercises into daily learning routines exhibited higher loadings,aligning strongly with the latent construct.Results underscore the potential of MALL-facilitated shadowing exercises as an effective tool to enhance EFL learners’overall language proficiency and motivate their learning journey.This study contributes to the growing body of research on the integration of MALL in shadowing exercises,offering a reliable and streamlined means to measure the impact of such interventions.
