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Task design and rater effects in task-based language assessment
No full textTask-based language assessment represents a major component of task-based language teaching syllabi. Current perspectives emphasise the importance of tasks in the assessment process, suggesting that adherence to influential models of language production during task design yields predictable test outcomes. The current study contends that the significance of the rater has been overlooked, resulting in adverse consequences when employing current task-based frameworks. The article reviews literature on the rating process, with a focus on interactions between rater characteristics, rating scales, and rater effects. Drawing on the findings of the review, the author proposes a revised model of task-based language assessment that curbs the impact of task design on test scores. The revised model underscores the need to regard raters as active agents in the assessment process to enhance validity and fairness and makes recommendations about minimizing rater effects
Chilean dolphin <i>Cephalorhynchus eutropia</i> (Gray, 1846)
No full textChilean dolphins are endemic to the shallow, nearshore waters of south-central Chile. They are small bodied and robust delphinids with distinctly rounded dorsal fins and no distinct beak. Body coloration is composed of shades of gray with two white patches on the ventral side separated by a gray thoracic band. Genetic and morphological evidence suggests that Chilean dolphins along the northern open coast form a distinct population compared to those in Chilean Patagonia and the southern fjords. Chilean dolphins usually occur in small groups but can form larger aggregations, particularly along the open coast. Chilean dolphins are agile swimmers often found in the surf zone of the open coast from Valparaiso to Maudlin, and in tidal rips and channels in the southern fjords. They have a strong association with rivers mouths and estuaries, including entering rivers and glacial lagoons. Overall abundance is not known but only a few thousand dolphins are estimated to inhabit northern Patagonia spread across multiple small sub-populations numbering 40–100 individuals. Their nearshore habitat overlaps with human developments and nearshore gillnet fishing along the open coast, and with intensive aquaculture farming in the fjords. Although mortality in gillnets and antipredator nets of fishfarms currently constitutes the main threats, habitat degradation, climate change, infectious diseases and increasing vessel traffic are likely to add further pressures on small, and possibly fragmented sub-populations
Gerbils without borders:invasiveness, plague, and micro-global histories of science (1932-1939)
No full textIn the 1930s, a series of bubonic plague outbreaks among humans cropped up in several villages at the border of Angola and Namibia. These outbreaks provoked deep concern, laying bare social and political tensions amongst neighboring imperial powers and Indigenous people within the region. Despite the appearance of this disease in what was then considered a recondite place, its spread sparked debate in transnational forums, such as the League of Nations and the Office International d’Hygiène Publique. Drawing upon archival records in Namibia, South Africa, Portugal, the United States, and the United Kingdom, this article argues that concerns over the spread of plague across land borders led to the development of a nascent invasive species framework which indicted border-crossing “migrant” South African gerbils for the international spread of the disease. It follows the transnational political and scientific dynamics created by the plague “invasion” and discusses how these, like the gerbils, crossed numerous borders and scales. Ultimately, this article shows how localized inter-species and inter-imperial encounters can provide empirical insights into the feasibilities of a micro-global history of science in which more-than-human actors take on an important role
Patterns of paternity:insights into mating competition and gene flow in a recovering population of humpback whales
No full textVariation in reproductive success is a fundamental prerequisite for sexual selection to act upon a trait. Assessing such variation is crucial in understanding a species’ mating system and offers insights into population growth. Parentage analyses in cetaceans are rare, and the underlying forces of sexual selection acting on their mating behaviours remain poorly understood. Here, we combined 25 years of photo-identification and genetic data to assess patterns of male reproductive success and reproductive autonomy of the New Caledonian (Oceania, South Pacific) humpback whale breeding population. Paternity analysis of 177 mother–offspring pairs and 936 males revealed low variation in male reproductive success (average 1.17 offspring per father) relative to other polygynous species. The observed skew in success was higher than expected under random mating and skewed overall towards males (93%) without evidence of paternity over the study period. Finally, an updated male gametic mark-recapture abundance estimate of 2084 (95% confidence interval = 1761–2407, 1995–2019) fell between previous census estimates of the New Caledonian population and the wider Oceanian metapopulation. Our results provide critical insights into the mating competition of male humpback whales and population dynamics across Oceanian populations, two important factors affecting the slow recovery from whaling across the South Pacific region
Investigating the time to blood culture positivity:why does it take so long?
No full textIntroduction. Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are one of the most serious infections investigated by microbiologists. However, the time to detect a BSI fails to meet the rapidity required to inform clinical decisions in real time. Gap Statement. Blood culture (BC) is considered the gold standard for diagnosing bloodstream infections. However, the time to blood culture positivity can be lengthy. Underpinning this is the reliance on bacteria replicating to a high concentration, which is necessary for the detection using routine blood culture systems. To improve the diagnosis and management of patients with BSIs, more sensitive detection methods are required. Aim. The study aimed to answer key questions addressing the delay in BSI detection and whether the time to BSI detection could be expedited using a Scattered Light Integrated Collection (SLIC) device. Methodology. A proof-of-concept study was conducted to compare the time to positivity (TTP) of Gram-negative BCs flagging positive on BacT/ALERT with an SLIC device. An SLIC device was utilized to compare the TTP of the most prevalent BSI pathogens derived from nutrient broth and BC, the influence of bacterial load on TTP and the TTP directly from whole blood. Additionally, the overall turnaround time (TAT) of SLIC was compared with that of a standard hospital workflow. Results. Most pathogens tested took significantly longer to replicate when derived from BC than from nutrient medium. The median TTP of Gram-negative BC on BacT/ALERT was 13.56 h with a median bacterial load of 6.4×109 c.f.u. ml−1. All pathogens (7/7) derived from BC at a concentration of 105 c.f.u. ml−1 were detectable in under 70 min on SLIC. Decreasing Escherichia coli BC concentration from 105 to 102 c.f.u. ml−1 increased the TTP of SLIC from 15 to 85 min. Direct BSI detection from whole blood on SLIC demonstrated a 76% reduction in TAT when compared with the standard hospital workflow. Conclusion. An SLIC device significantly reduced the TTP of common BSI pathogens. The application of this technology could have a major impact on the detection and management of BSI
Emulation of the subjective experience of visual dorsal stream dysfunction:a description of three in depth case studies
No full textThese case studies explore the subjective visual experiences of individuals with cerebral visual impairment (CVI), specifically dorsal stream dysfunction (DSD) characterized by simultanagnosia. Through three in-depth case studies, this work documents the challenges these individuals face when navigating cluttered environments. The individuals were asked to describe their visual experiences while watching videos of varying complexity, with the future aim of creating a simulation of simultanagnosia. This process revealed a dynamic constriction of their attentional visual fields as scene complexity increased, and vice versa. Notably, the volunteers experienced a phenomenon where their vision could “get stuck” on specific items, with an apparent concurrent reduction in their ability to perceive and describe visual information as visual clutter increased. These consistent observations indicate that the symptoms of simultanagnosia are not simply limited to perceiving one or two objects at a time but can vary dynamically in response to environmental complexity. They enhance our understanding of how DSD impacts visual search and perceptual experiences, prompting us to propose the term “simultanagnostic vision” to describe this more nuanced and dynamic manifestation of CVI. The results are critical for developing effective interventions and optimizing support strategies for individuals affected by DSD, particularly children at sensitive developmental stages. Furthermore, we recommend deeper investigation into how different visual processing streams in the brain interconnect and influence each other, which may open new avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions
Quotative <i>be like</i>
No full textThis paper examines a form of talking about speech acts, mental states, and other features so far unexplored in philosophy: quotative be like. Quotative be like is the use of like and to be that occurs in constructions such as “Ellen was like“I’m leaving!”” We argue that neglect of quotative be like represents a gap in our understanding of our ways of characterizing the minds and speech of ourselves and others. Further, we show that quotative be like is not reducible to more familiar forms of direct discourse or indirect discourse. Mapping out a number of different options for theorizing about quotative be like, we argue for an account on which the quoted material in quotative be like picks out properties
Formative, not extractive:how critically reflexive research can make a difference
No full textWhat if the most important route for scholarly impact was not what we write, but instead who we are and what we do? And what if our being and doing are both shaped by our learning and formation as researchers? In this article I explore how critical researchers, committed to reflexive practice in their work, can have significant scope for personal impact through three routes. The first route is through the work of education, which impacts directly on current and future practitioners. The second route goes by way a transformational approach to the work of reviewing and editing, which has widespread impact on the field. The third route is connected to taking on leadership roles, which allows reflexive researchers to show how their practice can inform and shape leader work in positive ways. Going further, I propose that personally relevant reflexive research provides the best formation for such routes to impact, and highlight potential directions for such projects
The coupled tearing-thermal instability in coronal current sheets from the linear to the non-linear stage
No full textIn the solar corona, magnetically sheared structures are unstable to both tearing and thermal instabilities in a coupled fashion. However, how the choice of linear perturbation modes influences the time-scale to achieve the thermal runaway in a coupled tearing–thermal coronal current sheet is not well understood to date. Here, we model a force-free Harris current sheet under solar coronal conditions to investigate this coupling in the linear and non-linear regimes. In the linear regime, we adopt the magnetohydrodynamic spectroscopy code legolas to compare the current sheet under thermal and thermoresistive conditions, after which we initialize non-linear simulations (with mpi-amrvac) with the unstable, linear tearing and thermal perturbations obtained with legolas. It is shown that part of the unstable thermal quasi-continuum adopts tearing properties in the linear stage, but that it is not until the non-linear stage is reached that a true thermal ‘runaway’ effect leads to condensations inside tearing-induced flux ropes. Hence, the linear stage is governed by the dominant tearing instability whilst condensations form due to tearing–thermal coupling in the non-linear stage. Our results imply that perturbing an equilibrium current sheet with the fastest growing linear mode skips the mode-mixing phase in which the dominant instability traditionally emerges, and significantly reduces the time-scale to enter into the non-linear stage and thermal runaway process from its equilibrium configuration
Divination and philosophy in the letters of Paul
No full textThis book analyses the apostle Paul’s claims to receive and interpret knowledge from divine sources within the context of divination in the Graeco-Roman world. Each chapter studies a particular aspect of divination in Paul’s letters in comparison with similar phenomena in the Graeco-Roman world, dealing in turn with the underlying logic of divination (in the context of ancient philosophical conversations), visionary experience, prophecy and divine speech, the divinatory use of texts and the interpretation of signs. As such, the book forms an in-depth study of divine communication in Paul’s letters, integrating this theme with the broader topics of cosmology, anthropology, eschatology and theology.While New Testament texts and early Christian figures have traditionally been studied from the vantage point of theological categories (such as ‘revelation’) that isolate early Christianity from its historical context in the Graeco-Roman world, this book re-reads Paul’s thought and practice concerning divine communication within, not against, the Graeco-Roman thought and practice of divination. In doing so it illuminates the coherence and connections both between Paul and his historical context and between diverse topics of Paul’s letters that have usually been studied in isolation from each other