The Washback of the Reformed College English Test in China: Focusing on Learner and Teacher Perceptions

( Hua Song ),( Mun Hong Choe ) 한국현대영어영문학회 2014 현대영어영문학 Vol.58 No.1

This study is a preliminary attempt to estimate the effects of the reformed College English Test (CET) Band 4 on English education in China. Three research questions were addressed: (1) Does the reformed test format yield more beneficial effects on students` development of reading ability than the previous CET? (2) Do students and teachers perceive the washback of the reformed CET on college English education to be positive, negative, or insignificant? (3) What factors of teaching and learning process are directly affected by the test? Two groups of intermediate-level Chinese learners of English ( n = 188) had been instructed for eight weeks either with reading tasks similar in type to the ones in the reformed CET or with tasks similar to the ones in the traditional CET. A post-test revealed that the reformed CET group gained more in reading comprehension ability than did the traditional group. Data concerning student and teacher perceptions of the new CET were collected using a questionnaire based on Alderson and Wall`s (1993) Washback Hypotheses. It was found that their perceived washback varied in extent across a range of factors involved in teaching and learning practices, which was far greater on learners than on teachers. The positive and negative aspects of the washback are discussed with respect to each factor and suggestions are made for future directions. (Yanbian University, Chonnam National University)

Wireless Three-Pad ECG System: Challenges, Design, and Evaluations

Huasong Cao,Haoming Li,Victor C.M. Leung 한국통신학회 2011 Journal of communications and networks Vol.13 No.2

Electrocardiography (ECG) is a widely accepted approach for monitoring of cardiac activity and clinical diagnosis of heart diseases. Since cardiologists have been well-trained to accept 12-lead ECG information, a huge number of ECG systems are using such number of electrodes and placement configuration to facilitate fast interpretation. Our goal is to design a wireless ECG system which renders conventional 12-lead ECG information.We propose the three-pad ECG system (W3ECG). W3ECG furthers the pad design idea of the single-pad approach. Signals obtained from these three pads, plus their placement information, make it possible to synthesize conventional 12-lead ECG signals.We provide one example of pad placement and evaluate its performance by examining ECG data of four patients available from online database. Feasibility test of our selected pad placement positions show comparable results with respect to the EASI lead system. Experimental results also exhibit high correlations between synthesized and directly observed 12-lead signals (9 out of 12 cross-correlation coefficients higher than 0.75).

Wireless Three-Pad ECG System: Challenges, Design, and Evaluations

Cao, Huasong,Li, Haoming,Stocco, Leo,Leung, Victor C.M. The Korea Institute of Information and Commucation 2011 Journal of communications and networks Vol.13 No.2

Electrocardiography (ECG) is a widely accepted approach for monitoring of cardiac activity and clinical diagnosis of heart diseases. Since cardiologists have been well-trained to accept 12-lead ECG information, a huge number of ECG systems are using such number of electrodes and placement configuration to facilitate fast interpretation. Our goal is to design a wireless ECG system which renders conventional 12-lead ECG information.We propose the three-pad ECG system (W3ECG). W3ECG furthers the pad design idea of the single-pad approach. Signals obtained from these three pads, plus their placement information, make it possible to synthesize conventional 12-lead ECG signals.We provide one example of pad placement and evaluate its performance by examining ECG data of four patients available from online database. Feasibility test of our selected pad placement positions show comparable results with respect to the EASI lead system. Experimental results also exhibit high correlations between synthesized and directly observed 12-lead signals (9 out of 12 cross-correlation coefficients higher than 0.75).

Reducing the Number of Sensors in a Linear Antenna Array by ℓp Norm Minimization Algorithm

Jinli Chen,Huasong Cao,Jiaqiang Li,Junxiang Ge 보안공학연구지원센터 2016 International Journal of Signal Processing, Image Vol.9 No.9

The excitations and locations of sensors in the non-uniformly spaced array affect the array performance such as sidelobe level and spatial resolution. Consequently, finding the optimal excitation coefficients and sensor positions of the array to produce a desired beam pattern with the smallest number of sensors is of great importance in practice. With the aim of reducing the number of the sensors in a linear antenna array, a novel method based on ℓp (0<p<1) norm minimization for optimizing both excitation coefficients and sensor locations of the array is proposed. Compared with the reweighted ℓ1 norm minimization (IRWL1) method, the proposed method can reduce more array sensors by optimizing the objective functions that include the measurements of peak sidelobe level (PSL) and array sparsity denoted by the ℓp norm of excitations. Numerical experiments have proved the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method in the reduction of the number of the sensors of the linear antenna array.

The Square Root Cubature Kalman Filter-Markov Ahead Estimation Based Tracking Maneuvering Photoelectric Target Systems

Tao Zuo,Huasong Min,Yunhan Lin,Shaowei Wang 대한전기학회 2019 Journal of Electrical Engineering & Technology Vol.14 No.4

A new method of ahead estimated tracking maneuvering targets is proposed to overcome the inherent measurement delay and control hysteresis. Square Root Cubature Kalman Filter-Markov (SRCKF-Markov) ahead estimation is used to predict the maneuvering target states at the next sampling time in advance. The “current” statistical models of maneuvering targets are set up, and the maneuvering states at the next sampling time are one-step ahead estimated by SRCKF. Then, the Markov matrixes of transition probability are set up with the errors between the prior estimates by SRCKF and the measured values. The next error between the prior estimate by SRCKF and the measured value is one-step ahead predicted by the matrixes of transition probability. The estimates of maneuvering target states with SRCKF are revised by the estimates of next errors. Meanwhile, a self-correcting predictive controller is used in the control system to overcome the control hysteresis. Simulations and experiment results show that the proposed estimation and control method can improve the accuracy of ahead estimated tracking greatly.

Targeting phospholipase D1 attenuates intestinal tumorigenesis by controlling β-catenin signaling in cancer-initiating cells

Kang, Dong Woo,Choi, Chi Yeol,Cho, Yong-Hee,Tian, Huasong,Di Paolo, Gilbert,Choi, Kang-Yell,Min, Do Sik The Rockefeller University Press 2015 The Journal of experimental medicine Vol.212 No.8

<▼1><P>Kang et al. show that genetic or pharmacological inactivation of the enzyme phospholipase D1 (PLD1) disrupts colitis-associated intestinal tumorigenesis by suppressing the self-renewal capacity of colon cancer stem cells.</P></▼1><▼2><P>Expression of the Wnt target gene phospholipase D1 (PLD1) is up-regulated in various carcinomas, including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the mechanistic significance of its elevated expression in intestinal tumorigenesis remains unknown. In this study, we show that genetic and pharmacological targeting of PLD1 disrupts spontaneous and colitis-associated intestinal tumorigenesis in <I>Apc<SUP>Min/+</SUP></I> and azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate mice models. Intestinal epithelial cell–specific PLD1 overexpression in <I>Apc<SUP>Min/+</SUP></I> mice accelerated tumorigenesis with increased proliferation and nuclear β-catenin levels compared with <I>Apc<SUP>Min/+</SUP></I> mice. Moreover, PLD1 inactivation suppressed the self-renewal capacity of colon cancer–initiating cells (CC-ICs) by decreasing expression of β-catenin via E2F1-induced microRNA (miR)-4496 up-regulation. Ultimately, low expression of PLD1 coupled with a low level of CC-IC markers was predictive of a good prognosis in CRC patients, suggesting in vivo relevance. Collectively, our data reveal that PLD1 has a crucial role in intestinal tumorigenesis via its modulation of the E2F1–miR-4496–β-catenin signaling pathway. Modulation of PLD1 expression and activity represents a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of intestinal tumorigenesis.</P></▼2>

The Endo-β-1,4-Glucanase of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Is Required for Optimum Endophytic Colonization of Plants

( Xiaojing Fan ),( Ruixian Yang ),( Sixin Qiu ),( Xueqing Cai ),( Huasong Zou ),( Fangping Hu ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2016 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.26 No.5

The eglS gene in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens encodes an endo-β-1,4-glucanase that belongs to glycosyl hydrolase family 5. In this study, a disruption mutant of gene eglS was constructed to examine its role in bacterial adaptation in plants. The mutant TB2k, eglS gene inactivated bacterial strain, was remarkably impaired in extracellular cellulase activity. When inoculated on Brassica campestris, the TB2k population was reduced by more than 60% compared with the wild-type strain in the root, stem, and leaf tissues. Overexpression of eglS in the wild-type strain increased the bacteria population in the plant tissues. Further studies revealed that the transcription level of eglS was correlated with bacterial population. These data demonstrate that endo-β-1,4-glucanase of B. amyloliquefaciens is required for its optimal endophytic colonization.

Study for Improvement of Laser Induced Damage of 1064 nm AR Coatings in Nanosecond Pulse

Hongfei Jiao,Xinbing Cheng,Jiangtao Lu,Ganghua Bao,Jinlong Zhang,Bin Ma,Huasong Liu,Zhanshan Wang 한국광학회 2013 Current Optics and Photonics Vol.17 No.1

For the conventionally polished fused silica substrate, an around 100 nm depth redeposition polishing layer was formed on the top of surface. Polishing compounds, densely embedded in the redeposition polishing layer were the dominant factor that limited the laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) of transmission elements in nanosecond laser systems. Chemical etching, super-precise polishing and ion beam etching were employed in different ways to eliminate these absorbers from the substrate. After that,Antireflection (AR) coatings were deposited on these substrates in the same batch and then tested by 1064nm nano-pulse laser. It was found that among these techniques only the ion beam etching method, which can effectively remove the polishing compound and did not induce extra absorbers during the disposal process, can successfully improve the LIDT of AR coatings.

MRI T2-Weighted Imaging and Fat-Suppressed T2-Weighted Imaging Image Fusion Technology Improves Image Discriminability for the Evaluation of Anal Fistulas

Shi-Ting Feng,Mengqi Huang,Zhi Dong,Ling Xu,Yin Li,Yingmei Jia,Huasong Cai,Bingqi Shen,Zi-Ping Li 대한영상의학회 2019 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.20 No.3

Objective: To explore whether MRI fusion technology (combined T2-weighted imaging [T2WI] and fat-suppressed T2WI [T2WI-FS]) improves signal differences between anal fistulas and surrounding structures. Materials and Methods: A total of 32 patients with confirmed diagnoses of anal fistula were retrospectively studied. All available T2WI and T2WI-FS images for each patient were used to generate fusion image (T2WI-Fusion) based on the addition of gray values obtained from each pixel via an MR post-processing work station. The discriminability of fistula, perianal sphincter, and perianal fat in T2WI, T2WI-FS, and T2WI-Fusion images was quantified with Fisher’s scoring algorithm. For subjective visual image assessment by researchers, five-point scale scores were determined using a modified double-stimulus continuous qualityscale test to evaluate T2WI-FS, T2WI, enhanced axial three-dimensional-volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (3D-VIBE), and T2WI-Fusion sequence images. The differences were subsequently compared. Results: Mean Fisher scores for fistulas vs. sphincters obtained from T2WI-Fusion (FFusion-fistula = 6.56) were significantly higher than those from T2WI (FT2WI-fistula = 3.35) (p = 0.001). Mean Fisher scores for sphincters vs. fat from T2WI-Fusion (FFusion-sphincter = 10.84) were significantly higher than those from T2WI-FS (FSFS-sphincter = 2.57) (p = 0.001). In human assessment, T2WI-Fusion showed the same fistula discriminability as T2WI-FS, and better sphincter discriminability than T2WI. Overall, T2WI-Fusion showed better discriminability than T2WI, T2WI-FS, and enhanced 3D-VIBE images. Conclusion: T2WI and T2WI-FS fusion technology improves signal differences between anal fistulas and surrounding structures, and may facilitate better evaluation of anal fistulas and sphincters.