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This article explores the value of dynamic assessment (DA) for college English writing (CEW), a required course for millions of students in China that typically enrolls 50 students in each class. An interventionist approach to DA, in which mediation and administration are standardized, was selected and supplemented with a construct-descriptor-based rating checklist as a writing assessment before and after an eight-week instruction phase. The DA group received graduated mediation that focused on the constructs and descriptors from the scale, while a control group received holistic corrections. Data were processed through ANOVA and MANCOVA revealing variable development concerning specific constructs but overall significantly greater improvement by the DA group. The results are interpreted according to the degree of change as indicative of the zone of proximal development. The value of the construct-driven scale and associated descriptors through the mediational process are also discussed. It is argued that interventionist DA is equipped to identify the components and processes within a construct, and in so doing offers the possibility of fine-tuning teachers' and learners' understanding of problem areas for individuals.

[Objective] Rare earth elements (REE) in crude oil contain valuable geochemical information and are widely used in oil-oil (source) comparisons and sedimentary environment reconstructions. However, the effect of biodegradation on REE concentrations and patterns remains unclear. [Methods] Crude oil in the Miaoxi Sag of the Bozhong Depression in the Bohai Bay Basin has been subjected to varying degrees of biodegradation. In this study, 14 crude oil samples from the area were tested for molecular markers and inorganic elements, using Gas chronmato-graphy-Mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Inductively coupled plasma-Mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) . The degree of biodegradation in the crude oil was recognized by n-alkane intactness and 25-norbornane content. [Results] It was found that the crude oil samples in the study area were distributed from PM0 to PM7, with a high biodegradation gradient. Large gammacerane content and high levels of C35 hopanes were detected in the high-sulfur oil, which suggests they were derived from the contribution of more reducing and high salinity Es4 source rocks. The low-sulfur oil contained low levels of gammacerane and C35 hopanes, high C27 disteranes and high 4-methyl steranes, mainly derived from Es3 source rocks. [Conclusions] Comparison revealed that lacustrine crude oils generally have higher REE concentrations than marine crude oils. The REE concentrations and distribution patterns are useful for distinguishing lacustrine oils from marine oils. Sedimentary environment and maturity have limited influence on the REE concentration and distribution pattern in crude oil, whereas biodegradation has a large influence on these factors. The REE concentration in crude oil increases during the biodegradation process, and the REE patterns and some indicators (e.g., LaN/YbN, δEu, δCe) also change regularly with the degree of biodegradation. In summary, REE concentrations are useful markers for evaluating the extent of biodegradation over a slight to extreme range and in various petroleum systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the value of dynamic assessment (DA) for college English writing (CEW), a required course for millions of students in China that typically enrolls 50 students in each class. An interventionist approach to DA, in which mediation and administration are standardized, was selected and supplemented with a construct-descriptor-based rating checklist as a writing assessment before and after an eight-week instruction phase. The DA group received graduated mediation that focused on the constructs and descriptors from the scale, while a control group received holistic corrections. Data were processed through ANOVA and MANCOVA revealing variable development concerning specific constructs but overall significantly greater improvement by the DA group. The results are interpreted according to the degree of change as indicative of the zone of proximal development. The value of the construct-driven scale and associated descriptors through the mediational process are also discussed. It is argued that interventionist DA is equipped to identify the components and processes within a construct, and in so doing offers the possibility of fine-tuning teachers' and learners' understanding of problem areas for individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root pruning can impact the physiological functions of various plants, which influence phytoremediation. A series of root pruning treatments with different combinations of direction (two-side pruning and four-side pruning) and intensity (10, 25, and 33% pruning) were performed on Celosia argentea L. All two-side pruning treatments, regardless of intensity, decreased the dry biomass of the C. argentea roots at the end of the experiment relative to that of the control. However, the two-side-10% and two-side-25% pruning treatments stimulated the growth rate of the plant leaves significantly by 58.6 and 41.4%, respectively, relative to that of the control, and even offset the weight loss of the plant roots. Contrastingly, the two-side-33% pruning treatment reduced the biomass yield of leaves by 24.1%. For the four-side pruning treatments, the low intensity increased the dry weight of both the plant roots and leaves, while both decreased under high-intensity root pruning. The dry weight, Cd content, pigment level, and photosynthetic efficiency in the four-side-10% treatment were higher than those in the other treatments during the experiment. This study indicates that root pruning with a suitable combination of direction and intensity can positively influence the Cd removal ability of C. argentea. Our study suggests that a suitable root pruning pattern can significantly increase the phytoremediation effect of Celosia argentea L. Compared with chemical and biological regulation including plant hormone application, chemical reagent spraying, and endophytes inoculation which might introduce unpredictable risks into the ecological system, root pruning can be considered as an environmentally friendly physical trigger to modulate physiological features and to induce advantages in plants. This finding can be extrapolated into the real-world easily since root pruning is an established, convenient, and feasible method. We believe readers would be interested in this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]