Global Proficiency Research Articles

Towards quality and order in human papillomavirus research

The International Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Reference Center supports quality and order in HPV research and diagnostics. Notably, the center assigns HPV type numbers to novel HPV types, maintains a reference clone repository, and issues international proficiency panels for HPV genotyping.The established HPV types, currently up to HPV225, belong to 5 different genera: alpha (65 types), beta (54 types), gamma (98 types), mu (3 types) and nu (1 type). Since 2014, 23 novel types have been established, 82.6% of which belong to the gamma genus. Reference clones have been provided to 44 different research laboratories and the global proficiency program for HPV genotyping has seen an increasing participation (currently 146 laboratories) and complete proficiency has increased over time (from 26% to 59% of datasets). In summary, an increasing complexity of the HPVs requires international efforts to support a recognized quality and order among HPV types.

Continuing global improvement in human papillomavirus DNA genotyping services: The 2013 and 2014 HPV LabNet international proficiency studies

BackgroundAccurate and internationally comparable human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA detection and typing services are essential for HPV vaccine research and surveillance. ObjectivesThis study assessed the proficiency of different HPV typing services offered routinely in laboratories worldwide. Study designThe HPV Laboratory Network (LabNet) has designed international proficiency panels that can be regularly issued. The HPV genotyping proficiency panels of 2013 and 2014 contained 43 and 41 coded samples, respectively, composed of purified plasmids of sixteen HPV types (HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68a and 68b) and 3 extraction controls. Proficient typing was defined as detection in both single and multiple infections of 50 International Units of HPV 16 and HPV 18 and 500 genome equivalents for the other 14 HPV types, with at least 97% specificity. ResultsNinety-six laboratories submitted 136 datasets in 2013 and 121 laboratories submitted 148 datasets in 2014. Thirty-four different HPV genotyping assays were used, notably Linear Array, HPV Direct Flow-chip, GenoFlow HPV array, Anyplex HPV 28, Inno-LiPa, and PGMY-CHUV assays. A trend towards increased sensitivity and specificity was observed. In 2013, 59 data sets (44%) were 100% proficient compared to 86 data sets (59%) in 2014. This is a definite improvement compared to the first proficiency panel, issued in 2008, when only 19 data sets (26%) were fully proficient. ConclusionThe regularly issued global proficiency program has documented an ongoing worldwide improvement in comparability and reliability of HPV genotyping services.

Redesign of a soft conductive rubber strip electrode for measurement of surface resistance according to IEC 60079-32-2 within the context of the PTB Ex Proficiency Testing Scheme

To ensure worldwide quality and homogeneity in the field of explosion protection, not only uniform rules in the form of IEC standards but also the active participation in interlaboratory comparisons are necessary. The “PTB Ex Proficiency Testing Scheme” is the first global proficiency testing program of its kind in the field of explosion protection. It serves as proof of competence and provides laboratories with a complete system for their own performance evaluation.In 2015, the program “Electrostatic Charge - Test Round 2015” was launched within the PTB Testing Scheme. The participants of the program performed surface resistance and transferred charge tests according to IEC 60079-0 and IEC 60079-32-2 on various types of test samples. The new standard IEC 60079-32-2 proposes different kinds of electrodes for the user, such as conductive silver paint electrodes, soft conductive rubber strip electrodes on spring-mounted metal tongues or conductive foam strips mounted on an insulating support, depending on the geometry of the sample. These different types of electrodes as well as the construction latitude for each electrode could lead to deviations between the results of different test laboratories due to better or worse electrode contact with the test sample.Therefore, the proficiency team and electrostatic experts at PTB decided to design an accurate and user-friendly electrode which meets the requirements of IEC 60079-32-2. This paper provides information about the electrodes' design as well as the results of comparable measurements.

Incidental Language Learning in Foreign Language Content Courses

This study examined the extent to which 40 students enrolled in upper level foreign language literary/cultural studies content courses showed evidence of incidental language learning over the course of a semester. Students completed a cloze passage and provided both writing and speaking samples at the beginning and end of the semester. In addition, they completed questionnaires related to their goals and perceived development, and instructors were interviewed and observed at various intervals throughout the semester. Instructors' focus was primarily on the content; focus on language was secondary and dealt with incidentally. Some positive evidence of language learning was found, but was mostly limited to students' writing. Speaking abilities, on the other hand, showed little evidence of significant improvement, and global proficiency, as measured by the cloze test, improved in some cases but not in others. Thus, there is some evidence for incidental language learning, but the question remains whether more could have been accomplished. It is suggested that an approach that more intentionally integrates content and language may meet the needs of a greater number of learners and maximize the potential for more language development.

Ultimate attainment in late second language acquisition: Phonetic and grammatical challenges in advanced Dutch–English bilingualism

The present article provides an exploration of ultimate attainment in second language (L2) and its limitations. It is argued that the question of maturational constraints can best be investigated when the reference population is bilingual and exposed on a regular basis to varieties of their first language (L1) that show cross-linguistic influence. To this end, 20 advanced Dutch–English bilinguals are compared to 9 English native speakers immersed in a Dutch environment. All participants are teachers or students of English at a Dutch institution of higher education. The populations are shown to be at similar global proficiency levels. Two phonetic variables (voice onset time or VOT and vowel discrimination) and one grammatical variable (verb phrase ellipsis), which are assumed to present particular challenges to Dutch learners of English, are explored, and speakers are furthermore rated for their global nativeness. The findings show no differences between populations on VOT but some variance on the production of a vowel that has no correlate in Dutch (the English trap vowel). However, all but one of the L2ers are rated outside the range of the natives on perceived foreign accent. There are also differences between groups where acceptance of different sentence types with verb phrase ellipsis are concerned. We interpret these findings to indicate that there are areas of L2 knowledge and production that are persistently difficult to acquire even under circumstances that are highly favourable for L2 acquisition.

Attitudes towards code-switching among adult mono- and multilingual language users

The present study investigates inter-individual variation (linked to personality traits, multilingualism and sociobiographical variables) in attitudes towards code-switching (CS) among 2070 multilinguals. Data were collected through an online questionnaire. We found that high levels of Tolerance of Ambiguity (TA) and Cognitive Empathy (CE), and low levels of Neuroticism are linked with significantly more positive attitudes towards CS. Knowing many languages had a marginally positive effect. A more fine-grained analysis revealed that participants with mid-range global proficiency values were less positive towards CS than those at the lower and higher end of the scale. Participants who grew up in a bilingual family and in an ethnically diverse environment, and currently worked in an ethnically diverse environment had significantly more positive attitudes towards CS. Female participants and those with the lowest and highest levels of education appreciated CS most, and participants in their teens and twenties appreciated CS less than older participants. The findings thus show that the attitudes towards CS are linked to personality, language learning history and current linguistic practices, as well as some sociobiographical variables.

Global Improvement in Genotyping of Human Papillomavirus DNA: the 2011 HPV LabNet International Proficiency Study

Accurate and internationally comparable human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA genotyping is essential for HPV vaccine research and for HPV surveillance. The HPV Laboratory Network (LabNet) has designed international proficiency studies that can be issued regularly and in a reproducible manner. The 2011 HPV genotyping proficiency panel contained 43 coded samples composed of purified plasmids of 16 HPV types (HPV6, -11, -16, -18, -31, -33, -35, -39, -45, -51, -52, -56, -58, -59, -66, -68a, and -68b) and 3 extraction controls. Tests that detected 50 IU of HPV16 and HPV18 and 500 genome equivalents for the other 14 HPV types in both single and multiple infections were considered proficient. Ninety-six laboratories worldwide submitted 134 data sets. Twenty-five different HPV genotyping assay methods were used, including the Linear Array, line blot/INNO-LiPA, PapilloCheck, and PCR Luminex assays. The major oncogenic HPV types, HPV16 and HPV18, were proficiently detected in 97.0% (113/116) and 87.0% (103/118) of the data sets, respectively. In 2011, 51 data sets (39%) were 100% proficient for the detection of at least one HPV type, and 37 data sets (28%) were proficient for all 16 HPV types; this was an improvement over the panel results from the 2008 and 2010 studies, when <25 data sets (23% and 19% for 2008 and 2010, respectively) were fully proficient. The improvement was also evident for the 54 laboratories that had also participated in the previous proficiency studies. In conclusion, a continuing global proficiency program has documented worldwide improvement in the comparability and reliability of HPV genotyping assay performances.

Transnational Teacher Education: Towards Theory and Practice

Transnational students experience living and schooling in two countries that are closely tied economically and politically. As the number of U.S.-Mexico transnational students increase, so does the need for teachers who can respond to their academic needs. This study explicates a theoretical stance towards teacher education called Transnational Teacher Education, and examines how a Transnational Teacher Education program (TTE) contributed to the development of bilingual teacher candidates. Using data from two cohorts of teacher candidates who studied in Mexico and Guatemala for part of their bilingual teacher preparation program, the authors analyzed the responses to a questionnaire regarding the candidates’ personal and professional growth as bilingual teachers. Results showed that the most prevalent growth areas were Critical Global Interconnectedness and Cultural Proficiency. Though none of the protocol prompts directly addressed these areas, teacher candidates independently generated them as important understandings stemming from their TTE program.

Context-Based Online Diagnostic Test of Spanish

Among the areas of emphasis in the language-teaching profession today we find considerable emphasis on (a) evaluation, (b) contextualization, and (c) technology. Although the greater emphasis in language assessment has been on global proficiency, there is also a need to examine specific points of students' language competence in order to help them improve the correctness of their communication. Considering these areas of emphasis, we undertook an effort to create a contextualized, online, diagnostic test of Spanish. This article explains the rationale behind the project and the procedures for accomplishing the task. We also describe a study conducted to determine the validity and practicality of the contextualized test. Results of the study indicate there appears to be little, if any, measurement advantage in using a contextualized test over a more traditional discrete-point test.

44. Detection of the human papillomavirus infection (HPV) on the internationally used environmental surfaces: ready for a ‘take-off

Background Incidence rates continue to increase for HPV-associated anal cancer in both women and men. HPV is the most common viral STI but the transmission of the virus via environmental surfaces has been neither confirmed nor disproved. Studies of HPV DNA on environmental surfaces could provide insights of the magnitude of this problem. In the modern era, international travel has become a routine. We investigated the HPV contamination of the surfaces that frequently contact anogenital skin, specifically toilet seats in airport rest rooms. Methods: Within a pilot study started in St Petersburg, samples from apparently clean areas of (fe)male toilet seats at the departure zones of 36 airports in 22 countries were collected with the same cytobrush sampling procedure as typically used in HPV epidemiological studies, routinely β-globin RT-PCR tested for human DNA and HPV genotyped by the proficient in the WHO HPV LabNet global proficiency panel Luminex assay for 13 oncogenic and 23 non-oncogenic HPV types. Results: Comparable to the reports from high sexual risk-taking groups in humans, HPV DNA was found in 22.1% of the 172 samples, high-risk HPVs in 16.3%, HPV-16 in 14.5% and multiple HPV types in 1.7%. Conclusions: Caution is required when interpreting the presence of HPV DNA as an ‘infection’: the presence of HPV DNA does not necessarily indicate the presence of infectious virus and this study therefore does not provide any evidence regarding routes of HPV transmission. Data on incidence, prevalence and clearance of HPV infection in men are essential for the development of models estimating the effect of male HPV vaccination.

43. Anal human papillomavirus prevalence in HIV-negative and HIV-infected Russian men who have sex with women

Background HPV has been found in the anal canal of heterosexual men (MSWs) but knowledge on anal HPV epidemiology among MSWs is still limited. So far, there are no such data from Russia. Methods: In total, 350 β-globin-positive anal samples from Russian MSWs (age 18–58 years; sex debut 9–23 years; 1–700 life-time sex partners) attending a urology unit of an STI clinic and HIV+ patients from a city infection hospital were collected in St Petersburg. PCR using HPV general primers with genotyping using Luminex with probes for 13 oncogenic, high-risk HPV types (16, 18, 31, 33, 35 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, and 68, including variants) and 23 non-oncogenic types (6, 11, 26, 30, 40, 42, 43, 53, 54, 61, 66, 67, 70, 73, 74, 81, 82, 83, 86, 87, 89, 90, and 91) was used with 11 negative controls (water) and 8 positive controls (HPV plasmid pools) run in each assay. The method was proficient in the WHO HPV LabNet global proficiency panel. Results: Overall, HPV prevalence (including oncogenic and non-oncogenic types) was 17.1%, with 15.2% in HIV– compared with 40.7% in HIV+ Russian MSW (P = 0.0022). The most commonly detected was HPV-16 (5.4%) followed by HPV-51 (2.0%), HPV-45, (1.7%) and HPV-87 (1.7%). Interestingly, neither age, nor number of sexual partners, nor age at sexual debut were associated with HPV infection. Conclusions: HPV infection is common in anal canal samples of Russian MSWs. HPV prevalence is higher among men who were HIV positive.

Is multilingualism linked to a higher tolerance of ambiguity?

The present study investigates the link between multilingualism and the personality trait Tolerance of Ambiguity (TA) among 2158 mono-, bi- and multilinguals. Monolinguals and bilinguals scored significantly lower on TA compared to multilinguals. A high level of global proficiency of various languages was linked to higher TA scores. A stay abroad of more than three months was also linked to higher TA although the effect levelled off after one year. Growing up in a multilingual family had no effect on TA. These findings show that a high level of multilingualism makes individuals more at ease in dealing with ambiguity, but we acknowledge that a higher level of TA can also strengthen an individual's inclination to become multilingual.

Proficiency Testing Programs for Alzheimer’s Disease Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are increasingly used for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in research, clinical trials and clinical settings. As for other biochemical measurements, variability between laboratories for these biomarkers may be monitored by proficiency testing programs, where participating laboratories use their local routine methods to analyze test samples shipped from a central laboratory. In this review, we summarize the results from the last years' pilot proficiency programs and describe the ongoing standardization efforts in this area. Global proficiency testing for CSF biomarkers is now fully established. It will continue to play an important part in the standardization of measurements that is a prerequisite for the broad-scale future implementation of CSF biomarkers.

PT community meet in Istanbul: proficiency testing workshop

The historic city of Istanbul, known for where the East meets the West, became the meeting place for the global proficiency testing (PT) and external quality assurance (EQA) community for 4 days in October 2011. This was the 7th international PT workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine organized by the EURACHEM Proficiency Testing Working Group in association with EQALM and CITAC. The workshop was supported locally by several Turkish organizations including the Middle East Technical University (METU), the Petroleum Research Center, EURACHEM-Turkiye, TUBITAK UME and TURKAK. The wonderful setting on the coast of the Sea of Marmara provided the perfect location for this successful workshop which once again provided an excellent opportunity for providers, users and regulators of PT/EQA to come together to discuss a wide range of key issues across the three disciplines of analytical chemistry, microbiology and laboratory medicine. The 233 delegates attending from 54 different counties ensured a truly global perspective. Since the last (6th) PT workshop held in Rome during October 2008, there have been a number of developments in the field of proficiency testing, one of the most notable being the publication of ISO/IEC 17043, the new international standard for the competence of PT/EQA providers, addressing the requirements for the development and operation of PT/EQA schemes. This new standard has been adopted by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) as the requirements against which PT/ EQA providers should be accredited. With the publication and its subsequent adoption by ILAC, this has led to an increase in the number of PT/EQA providers being accredited around the world. This workshop, therefore, specifically addressed the experiences of implementing ISO/IEC 17043 both from the views of the PT/EQA providers and the accreditation bodies. In addition to addressing the implementation of ISO/IEC 17043, this workshop focused on further developments in performance assessment in microbiology and qualitative schemes, the status and needs of PT/EQA in developing areas of the world and advancements in preand postanalytical PT/EQA. These important topics addressed at this workshop were explored and discussed through a series of lectures and working group discussions. The diverse range of international delegates attending from different sectors provided a beneficial environment for the cross-fertilization of ideas. The workshop was enriched further with 52 poster contributions covering a wide range of topics and experiences concerned with PT/EQA. In conjunction with the workshop, training sessions on ‘‘Establishing Traceability and Uncertainty of Assigned Values’’ and ‘‘Assisting Participants to Assess/Estimate Their Measurement Uncertainty Using PT Results’’ were provided. This latest workshop once again proved a great success thanks to the hard work of the local organizers, the quality of the presentations and posters and just as importantly the active participation of all the delegates leading to lively debate and fruitful discussions. We are pleased to provide the papers on many of the presentations, posters and working group discussions in this Topical Focus on PT/ EQA issue of the Journal. B. Brookman (&) LGC Standards Proficiency Testing, Bury, UK e-mail: Brian.Brookman@lgcpt.com

The 2010 Global Proficiency Study of Human Papillomavirus Genotyping in Vaccinology

Accurate and internationally comparable human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA genotyping is essential both for evaluation of HPV vaccines and for effective monitoring and implementation of vaccination programs. The World Health Organization (WHO) HPV Laboratory Network (LabNet) regularly issues international proficiency studies. The 2010 HPV genotyping proficiency panel for HPV vaccinology contained 43 coded samples composed of purified plasmids of 16 HPV types (HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, and 68a and 68b) and 3 coded extraction controls. Proficient typing was defined as detection in both single and multiple infections of 50 international units (IU) of HPV type 16 (HPV-16) and HPV-18 DNA and 500 genome equivalents (GE) for the other 14 HPV types. Ninety-eight laboratories worldwide submitted a total of 132 data sets. Twenty-four different HPV genotyping assay methods were used, with Linear Array being the most commonly used. Other major assays used were a line blot assay (Inno-LiPa), CLART, type-specific real-time PCR, PCR Luminex, and different microarray assays. Altogether, 72 data sets were proficient for detection of more than 1 type, and only 26 data sets proficiently detected all 16 HPV types. The major oncogenic HPV types, 16 and 18, were proficiently detected in 95.0% (114/120) and 87.0% (94/108) of data sets, respectively. Forty-six data sets reported multiple false-positive results and were considered nonproficient. A trend toward increased sensitivity of assays was seen for the 41 laboratories that participated in both 2008 and 2010. In conclusion, continued global proficiency studies will be required for establishing comparable and reliable HPV genotyping services for vaccinology worldwide.

ICT in Participatory Development of Teaching/Learning English as a Global Language in Nigeria: A Discourse

Information Communication Technology (ICT) has become a major issue in many language discourses today. English language is widely used in communication, education and diverse human endeavors. In Nigeria, it is the official language as well as the language of everyday use. Based on this, there is need to sustain and attain global proficiency and mastery. Being one of the parameters for measuring a nation's development, this paper emphasizes the need for the inclusion of ICT as a partner for national development. The researcher examines English as a global language, the place of ICT in Nigeria and the various technological applications and programs used in carrying out this growth, and development of English Language teaching/learning in Nigeria. The paper concludes by reaffirming the need for increased digital access and awareness in Nigeria

L1 attrition and L2 acquisition

L1 attrition is increasingly being studied as a feature of bilingualism, taking into account the parallel process of L2 language acquisition in a migrant situation. Such situations may foster L1 attrition as a result of insufficient L1 input and competition or interaction with the language of the host community. In a study of 27 German late bilinguals resident in Ireland, the question of a possible interaction between the two language systems (German and English) is addressed. This paper reports on the results of two of the elicitation instruments used – a C-test as a measure of global language proficiency, and a verbal fluency task as a measure of lexical retrieval and bilingual dominance. The former is an unspeeded integrative task, while the latter taps lexical access as a function of the relative activation levels of the languages. The analysis focuses on the proficiency profiles of the bilingual participants vis-à-vis a German and an Irish control group to establish the level of L1 attrition and L2 acquisition, and the degree with which L1 and L2 proficiency correlate.

De Invloed Van Taalstatus en Taaltypologie op T2-Vaardigheid, Attitudes en Motivatie

The relevance of L1 status and typology for L2 learning is often assumed. These concepts, however, are rarely the primary object of study in SLA research, in part because defining them is a complex matter. In an attempt to redress this imbalance, this explorative study investigates French L2 social-psychological dispositions and global French L2 proficiency in young learners in European schools in Brussels and Luxemburg (n=83; 585h of FSL on average). It was found that pupils with a lower status L1 (German as compared to English) display more positive L2 attitudes, higher L2 motivation and achieve higher levels of global L2 proficiency. A different trend was observed in pupils whose L1 is typologically similar to the L2 (Spanish as compared to German): few significant differences were found concerning social-psychological dispositions as well as global L2 proficiency.

Second Language Learning and the External Context

SLA is as much a product of learner-internal as of contextual, learner-external factors but the latter have been relatively underinvestigated in mainstream SLA research. This research focuses on German-speaking pupils learning English in four different educational contexts (n=4x26), representing four discrete points on the traditional foreign language - second language context continuum: a regular German school near Munich (Germany), the European School (ES) in Munich, the ES in Brussels (Belgium), and the ES in Culham (UK). Two dependent variables have been studied: global L2 proficiency and L2 social-psychological dispositions. The study reveals significant differences in global L2 proficiency amongst the four contexts. The results suggest that a high functional importance of the target language in the learning environment stimulates L2 proficiency development. In terms of social-psychological dispositions, no important differences were found amongst the four contexts; pupils in all four contexts demonstrate positive attitudes towards (learning) English and are highly motivated.

Analyses of the results of different test systems in the 2005 global proficiency testing schemes for infectious bursal disease virus and Newcastle disease virus antibody detection in chicken serum

The results of global proficiency testing schemes (PTS) for serological tests to detect antibodies against infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) in chicken serum, in which 125 and 120 laboratories, respectively, participated from Africa, Asia, Europe, Central and South America, were used to analyse the performances of different antibody test systems such as virus neutralization tests, haemagglutination inhibition tests, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and agar gel precipitation tests. All laboratories were asked to carry out their routine diagnostic tests for the detection of IBDV and NDV antibodies as usual. This global ring trial provided a large amount of data on variation within and between laboratories and test systems used worldwide. The data showed that the variation between the quantitative test results of different laboratories (R between) using the IBDV virus neutralization tests and the NDV haemagglutination inhibition test was higher (about double) compared with the variation within commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay systems. Although both tests are often referred to and used as the “gold standard” in experimental and scientific studies, official procedures and for the validation of tests, this study shows that there is an urgent need for a global implementation of recommended test procedures and/or the inclusion of international reference sera in these studies.