bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
SEX‐RELATED PERFORMANCE DIFFERENCES ON CONSTRUCTED‐RESPONSE AND MULTIPLE‐CHOICE SECTIONS OF ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATIONS
Authors: Mazzeo John , Schmitt Alicia P. , Bleistein Carole A. 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTA number of studies in which scores on multiple‐choice and constructed‐response tests have been analyzed in terms of the sex of the test takers have indicated that the test performance of females relative to that of males was better on constructed‐response tests than on multiple‐choice tests. This report describes three exploratory studies of the performance of males and females on the multiple‐choice and constructed‐response sections of four Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations: United States History, Biology, Chemistry, and English Language and Composition. The studies were intended to evaluate some possible reasons for the apparent relationship between test format and the magnitude of sex‐related differences in performance.For the first study, analyses were carried out to evaluate the extent to which such differences could be attributed to differences in the score reliabilities associated with these two modes of assessment. For the second study, analyses of the multiple‐choice sections and follow‐up descriptive analyses were conducted to assess the extent to which sex‐related differences in multiple‐choice scores could be attributed to the presence of differentially functioning items favoring males. For the third study, a set of exploratory analyses was undertaken to determine whether patterns of sex‐related differences could be observed for different types of constructed‐response questions.The results of the first study provided little support for the “different‐reliabilities” hypothesis. Across all exams and all ethnic groups, there were substantial differences between the scores of males and females even after taking into account differences in the reliabilities of the two sections. The results of the second study indicated that fairly small numbers of items exhibited substantial amounts of sex‐related differential item functioning (DIF), and removing these items resulted in almost no reduction in the magnitude of sex‐related differences on the multiple‐choice sections. The results of the third study identified some consistent patterns across ethnic and racial groups regarding which questions females will perform best on, relative to males. However, taken as a whole, the results of the third study suggest that topic variability may have a greater effect than the variability associated with particular question types or broadly defined content areas.
TOPIC AND TOPIC TYPE COMPARABILITY ON THE TEST OF WRITTEN ENGLISH
Authors: Golub‐Smith Marna , Reese Clyde , Steinhaus Karin 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTThe Test of Written English (TWE), administered with certain designated TOEFL® examinations, consists of a single essay prompt to which examinees have 30 minutes to respond. It was introduced in 1986 to provide TOEFL score users with a direct measure of examinees' writing ability. Preliminary studies had indicated that the two different kinds of prompts: prose compare, contrast, and take a position, and describe or interpret a chart or graph, elicited comparable writing performance. However, questions were subsequently raised with respect to continued comparability of different TWE® prompts administered under operational conditions.The present study was designed to elicit essays for prompts that differed in both subject matter (Topic) and in the level of explicitness with which the essay task was presented (Topic Type). Eight different prompts were spiraled worldwide at the October 1989 TOEFL administration, with each prompt eliciting approximately 10,000 essays.The results of the analyses indicated that there were small differences among the prompts. The most notable differences were obtained among the scores for topics using the explicit comparison. Across all the prompts, the chart‐graph with the explicit comparison statement produced the highest mean scores.Because it was the first study of its kind to focus on the comparability of prompts in a major testing program, the authors had difficulty making definitive statements regarding the meaningfulness of the obtained differences. While many of the differences in means observed in this study were so small as to be of no practical significance, differences observed across prompts in the numbers of examinees at each score level were not. Such differences may warrant further consideration by the TOEFL program.
A SIMULATION STUDY OF METHODS FOR ASSESSING DIFFERENTIAL ITEM FUNCTIONING IN COMPUTER‐ADAPTIVE TESTS
Authors: Zwick Rebecca , Thayer Dorothy T. , Wingersky Marilyn 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTSimulated data were used to investigate the performance of modified versions of the Mantel‐Haenszel and standardization methods of differential item functioning (DIF) analysis in computer‐adaptive tests (CATs). Each “examinee” received 25 items out of a 75‐item pool. A three‐parameter logistic item response model was assumed, and examinees were matched on expected true scores based on their CAT responses and on estimated item parameters. Both DIF methods performed well. The CAT‐based DIF statistics were highly correlated with DIF statistics based on nonadaptive administration of all 75 pool items and with the true magnitudes of DIF in the simulation. DIF methods were also investigated for “pretest items,” for which item parameter estimates were assumed to be unavailable. The pretest DIF statistics were generally well‐behaved and also had high correlations with the true DIF. The pretest DIF measures, however, tended to be slightly smaller in magnitude than their CAT‐based counterparts. Also, in the case of the Mantel‐Haenszel approach, the pretest DIF statistics tended to have somewhat larger standard errors than the CAT DIF statistics.
A COMPLEXITY ANALYSIS OF ITEMS FROM A SURVEY OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN THE LIFE SCIENCES.
Authors: Enright Mary K. , Allen Nancy , Kim Myung‐In 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTThe difficulty of 44 items from the life sciences subscale of the NAEP 1985–86 science assessment was analyzed in terms of item attributes and science educators' judgments of difficulty. The attributes included ratings of various characteristics of the items' text and option set, the items' cognitive demand, and the level of knowledge required by items. Science educators' mean judgment of item difficulty, which accounted for 52% of the variance, was the best single predictor of item difficulty. Combining item attribute information with educators' judgments of item difficulty improved the prediction of item difficulty on the order of 7% to 15% of the variance. When item difficulty was modeled in terms of discrete item attributes (global judgments of item difficulty not included in the model), the level of knowledge required was an important determinant of difficulty, while cognitive demand was not. The implications of these results for construct validation and for test design are discussed.
TOWARD A COGNITIVE BASIS FOR QUANTITATIVE ABILITY MEASURES
Authors: Sebrechts Marc M. , Enright Mary , Bennett Randy Elliot , Martin Kathleen 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTThe construct validity of algebra word problems for measuring quantitative reasoning was examined from two perspectives, one focusing on an analysis of problem attributes and the other on the analysis of constructed‐response solutions. Twenty problems that had appeared on the Graduate Record Examinations General Test were investigated. Constructed‐response solutions to these problems were collected from 51 undergraduates. Regression analyses of problem attributes indicated that models including factors such as the need to apply algebraic concepts, problem complexity, and problem content could account for 37% to 62% of the variance in problem difficulty. With respect to constructed‐response solutions, four classes of strategies were identified: equation formulation, ratio setup, simulation, and other (unsystematic) approaches. Higher achieving students used equation strategies more and unsystematic approaches less than lower achieving examinees. Examinees' errors were classified into eight principal categories. Problem conception errors were the best predictor of performance on the constructed‐response problems and on SAT‐M. In contrast, procedural errors contributed to the prediction of performance on the constructed‐response problems but not to standing on SAT‐M. Overall, these results provide support for the construct validity of GRE algebra word problems and of SAT‐M as measures of quantitative reasoning. A preliminary theoretical framework for describing performance on algebra word problems is proposed and its usefulness for more systematic design of tests is discussed.
LOGICAL CONSISTENCY OF THE ANGOFF METHOD OF STANDARD SETTING
Authors: DeMauro Gerald E. , Powers Donald E. 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTStandard setting on licensure and certification tests is difficult both to execute and to defend. There may, however, be certain minimum standards for standard setting on which most everyone may be able to agree. One such standard is logical consistency.Kane (1984, 1986) has suggested an approach to evaluating the logical consistency of one widely used method to set passing scores–the Angoff procedure (Angoff, 1971). This approach is applied here to the standard setting data obtained in a study of the NTE Specialty Area Test for School Psychology.
The Effect of Serum Origin on Tissue Engineered Skeletal Muscle Function
Authors: Khodabukus Alastair , Baar Keith 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTSkeletal muscle phenotype is regulated by a complex interaction between genetic, hormonal, and electrical inputs. However, because of the interrelatedness of these factors in vivo it is difficult to determine the importance of one over the other. Over the last 5 years, we have engineered skeletal muscles in the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) using the same clone of C2C12 cells. Strikingly, the dynamics of contraction of the muscles was dramatically different. Therefore, in this study we sought to determine whether the hormonal milieu (source of fetal bovine serum (FBS)) could alter engineered muscle phenotype. In muscles engineered in serum of US origin time‐to‐peak tension (2.2‐fold), half relaxation (2.6‐fold), and fatigue resistance (improved 25%) all showed indications of a shift towards a slower phenotype. Even though there was a dramatic shift in the rate of contraction, myosin heavy chain expression was the same. The contraction speed was instead related to a shift in calcium release/sensitivity proteins (DHPR = 3.1‐fold lower, slow CSQ = 3.4‐fold higher, and slow TnT = 2.4‐fold higher) and calcium uptake proteins (slow SERCA = 1.7‐fold higher and parvalbumin = 41‐fold lower). These shifts in calcium dynamics were accompanied by a partial shift in metabolic enzymes, but could not be explained by purported regulators of muscle phenotype. These data suggest that hormonal differences in serum of USDA and EU origin cause a shift in calcium handling resulting in a dramatic change in engineered muscle function. J. Cell. Biochem. 115: 2198–2207, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Proteomic Profiling of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) using Magnetic Beads‐based Serum Fractionation and MALDI‐TOF MS
Authors: Yang Juan , Zhu Jiang , He Kang , Zhao Ling‐Yu , Liu Li‐Ying , Song Tu‐Sheng , Huang Chen 
Published: August 2014

AimTo reveal the serum proteomic profiling of intraductal carcinoma (IDC) patients in China, establish a serum proteome fractionation technique for choosing magnetic beads for proteomic analysis in breast cancer research; and identify differentially expressed peptides (m/z; P < 0.0001) as potential biomarkers of early IDCs.MethodsWe used two different kinds of magnetic beads (magnetic bead‐based weak cation exchange chromatography (MB‐WCX) and immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (MB‐IMAC‐Cu)) to analyze 32 patients with early stage (stages I‐II) IDC and 32 healthy control serum samples for proteomic profiling by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) analysis. The mass spectra, analyzed using ClinProTools software, distinguished between IDC patients and healthy individuals based on k‐nearest neighbor genetic algorithm.ResultsThe serum samples purified in the MB‐WCX group provided better proteomic patterns than the MB‐IMAC‐Cu group. The samples purified by MB‐WCX had better average peak numbers, higher peak intensities, and better capturing ability of low abundance proteins or peptides in serum samples. In addition, the MB‐WCX and MB‐IMAC‐Cu purification methods, followed MALDI‐TOF MS identification and use of ClinProTools software accurately distinguished patients with early stage IDC from healthy individuals.ConclusionSerum proteomic profiling by MALDI‐TOF MS is a novel potential tool for the clinical diagnosis of patients with IDC in China.
Comparison of iSED and Ves‐Matic Cube 200 Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Measurements With Westergren Method
Authors: Boğdaycioğlu Nihal , Yilmaz Fatma Meric , Sezer Sevilay , Oğuz Esra 
Published: August 2014

BackgroundThe erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test is performed widely in laboratories. Besides the traditional Westergren method, new methods have been developed for ESR measurements. We aimed to compare the instruments using new methods, iSED (Alcor Scientific) and Ves‐Matic Cube 200 (Diesse Diagnostica Senese, Italy) with the Westergren method.MethodsBlood samples from 136 patients were taken into EDTA tubes for automated analyzers and citrated tubes for Westergren method. Patients were divided into three groups— low, medium, and high—according to their sedimentation rates. Precision, stability, and interference studies of the methods were performed.ResultsThe iSED sedimentation method (n = 136) yielded a slope of (0.61–0.84), with an intercept of (−2.32 to 1.89), which resulted in a mean bias of 13; and the Ves‐Matic Cube 200 method (n = 136) yielded a slope of (0.85–1.00), with an intercept of (0.00–3.07), which resulted in a mean bias of 1.4 in Passing–Bablok regression analysis compared to the reference method.ConclusioniSED sedimentation showed a poor correlation and a high bias (>10%) with the Westergren method, and Ves‐Matic Cube 200 method showed a higher correlation and a lower bias than the iSED device when compared with Westergren reference method. These instruments should be carefully monitored.
MLPA Application in Clinical Diagnosis of DMD/BMD in Shanghai
Authors: Ji Xing , Zhang Jingmin , Xu Yan , Long Fei , Sun Wei , Liu Xiaoqin , Chen Yingwei , Jiang Wenting 
Published: August 2014

BackgroundDuchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) are X‐linked recessive disorders caused by mutation in dystrophin gene. We reported 3‐year clinic experience from a single hospital in Shanghai using multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification (MLPA) assay to detect DMD mutations.MethodsFour hundred and fifty‐one males and 184 females, who were clinically diagnosed as DMD/BMD patients or carriers at our hospital's outpatient clinic, were collected and performed with MLPA to detect DMD gene mutations.ResultsSeventeen novel mutation points not reported in the Leiden Muscular Dystrophy pages were identified in this study. We found that the most frequent deletion spots ranged from exon45 to exon52, and exon2, exon19 were the two most frequently detected duplication spots.ConclusionThe results of our study confirmed MLPA as an efficient clinical method for detecting DMD gene mutations in DMD/BMD patients. Single exon mutation detected by MLPA should be verified by other methods, and we should emphasize that only precise clinical molecular diagnosis can lead to the feasibility of prenatal diagnosis.
Effect of Lys656Asn Polymorphism of Leptin Receptor Gene on Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Serum Adipokine Levels after a High Polyunsaturated Fat Diet in Obese Patients
Authors: de Luis D. A. , Aller R. , Izaola O. , Gonzalez Sagrado M. , Conde R. , de la Fuente B. , Primo D. 
Published: August 2014

BackgroundHuman obesity is characterized by high levels of leptin, and leptin levels may change with weight loss and dietary restriction. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of Lys656Asn polymorphism in the leptin receptor gene on cardiovascular risk factors, weight loss, and serum leptin levels to a high polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) hypocaloric diet in obese patients.DesignA sample of 132 obese patients was analyzed in a prospective way with a dietary intervention. The enriched PUFAs hypocaloric intervention consisted in a diet of 1,459 kcal, 45.7% of carbohydrates, 34.4% of lipids, and 19.9% of proteins.ResultsIn wild‐type group, BMI (−1.9 ± 1.4 kg/m2), weight (−4.4 ± 3.2 kg), fat mass (−4.2 ± 3.8 kg), waist circumference (−4.1 ± 3.1 cm), systolic blood pressure (−7.0 ± 12.1 mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (−3.9 ± 6.8 mmHg), insulin (−1.8 ± 5.6 MUI/l) and HOMA‐IR (−0.5 ± 1.5 Units) decreased. In mutant genotype group, BMI (−2.0 ± 2.1 kg/m2), weight (−3.6 ± 4.1 kg), waist circumference (−3.1 ± 4.1 cm), total cholesterol (−25.2 ± 19.6 mg/dl), LDL cholesterol (−16.6 ± 25.6 mg/dl), and tryglicerides (−26.6 ± 39.1 mg/dl) decreased. Only leptin levels have a significant decrease in wild genotype group (−6.6 ± 10.2 ng/ml) (25.1%).ConclusionCarriers of ASn656 allele have a different response than wild‐type obese, with a lack of decrease in insulin levels, leptin levels, and HOMA‐IR. However, obese patients with this mutant allele have a better lipid profile after weight loss.
Development and validation of a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous detection and quantification of etilefrine and oxilofrine in equine blood plasma and urine
Authors: Kong Noel , Yi Rong , Zhao Sarah , Sandhu Jasmeet , Lam Geoffrey , Loganathan Devan , Morrissey Barbara 
Published: August 2014

A sensitive hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous detection and quantification of etilefrine and oxilofrine in equine blood plasma and urine. The method is highly sensitive and specific with good precision and accuracy. In plasma the limit of detection and limit of quantification are 0.03 and 0.1 ng/mL, respectively, for both analytes. In urine the limit of detection and limit of quantification are 0.3 and 1 ng/mL, respectively, for both analytes. The suitability of the method for doping control analysis in equine species is demonstrated by analyzing postadministration samples collected after a single intravenous administration of 50 mg etilefrine to a standardbred mare. Etilefrine was detected up to 120 h in urine and up to 48 h in plasma. Etilefrine is highly conjugated in equine urine whereas it exists in the free form in equine plasma. Therefore, enzyme hydrolysis prior to sample preparation is recommended for the detection and quantification of etilefrine and oxilofrine in equine urine.
Modeling Landscape‐scale Erosion Potential Related to Vehicle Disturbances Along the USA–Mexico Border
Authors: Villarreal Miguel L. , Webb Robert H. , Norman Laura M. , Psillas Jennifer L. , Rosenberg Abigail S. , Carmichael Shinji , Petrakis Roy E. , Sparks Philip E. 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTDecades of intensive off‐road vehicle use for border security, immigration, smuggling, recreation, and military training along the USA–Mexico border have prompted concerns about long‐term human impacts on sensitive desert ecosystems. To help managers identify areas susceptible to soil erosion from anthropogenic activities, we developed a series of erosion potential models based on factors from the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). To better express the vulnerability of soils to human disturbances, we refined two factors whose categorical and spatial representations limit the application of the USLE for non‐agricultural landscapes: the C‐factor (vegetation cover) and the P‐factor (support practice/management). A soil compaction index (P‐factor) was calculated as the difference in saturated hydrologic conductivity (Ks) between disturbed and undisturbed soils, which was then scaled up to maps of vehicle disturbances digitized from aerial photography. The C‐factor was improved using a satellite‐based vegetation index, which was better correlated with estimated ground cover (r2 = 0·77) than data derived from land cover (r2 = 0·06). We identified 9,780 km of unauthorized off‐road tracks in the 2,800‐km2 study area. Maps of these disturbances, when integrated with soil compaction data using the USLE, provided landscape‐scale information on areas vulnerable to erosion from both natural processes and human activities and are detailed enough for adaptive management and restoration planning. The models revealed erosion potential hotspots adjacent to the border and within areas managed as critical habitat for the threatened flat‐tailed horned lizard and endangered Sonoran pronghorn. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analytical model for Binding Refresh Request to reduce storage and communication overhead in MIPv6 network
Authors: A. Avelin Diana , K. Sundarakantham , S. Mercy Shalinie , L. Rajendran 
Published: August 2014

SUMMARYHome agent is a key component of MIPv6 functionality that comprises binding cache to hold the mobile nodes current point of attachment to the Internet. This paper is concerned with binding cache support for home agents within MIPv6 network. Existing binding cache of home agent supports weak cache consistency by using fixed contract length for Binding Refresh Request, which functions reasonably well in normal situations. However, maintaining a strong binding cache consistency in home agent as a crucial exceptional handling mechanism has become more demanding for the following objectives: (i) to adapt increasingly frequent change of care‐of address due to mobile nodes movement detection update; (ii) to provide fine‐grain controls to balance the binding cache load distributions for better delivery services; and (iii) to reduce the overhead allowances around the binding cache. In this paper, we have first verified the effectiveness of Binding Refresh Request contract length, and on the basis of that, two dynamic contract algorithms are suggested to reduce the storage and communication overhead allowances in binding cache. We have also compared our technique with the existing fixed Binding Refresh Request contract length, and our simulation results reveals that the proposed approach provides an effective performance to reduce overhead within the network. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.