Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does High School Mathematics Improve Student Learning in Economics in the University

The primary objective of this paper is to identify the importance of prior skill and knowledge of mathematics in influencing performance of students in introductory first year level economics subjects using data from a regional university in Australia. The study results have identified positive and significant relationships between the two factors. Results of this study are similar to some others in the area. However, this study is based on a more appropriate and sophisticated analytical model (Ordered Probit Model) as compared to OLS model used in the other studies. Findings of this analysis also suggest that the level of mathematics taken prior to university have a strong predictive power on students’ performance. The findings have strong implications for learning and teaching practices in first year level subjects and on student retention rates for the Australian universities in general.
Uncertain fate of fair sampling in quantum annealing

Recently, it was demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally on the D-Wave quantum annealer that transverse-field quantum annealing does not find all ground states with equal probability. In particular, it was proposed that more complex driver Hamiltonians beyond transverse fields might mitigate this shortcoming. Here, we investigate the mechanisms of (un)fair sampling in quantum annealing. While higher-order terms can improve the sampling for selected small problems, we present multiple counterexamples where driver Hamiltonians that go beyond transverse fields do not remove the sampling bias. Using perturbation theory we explain why this is the case. In addition, we present large-scale quantum Monte Carlo simulations for spin glasses with known degeneracy in two space dimensions and demonstrate that the fair-sampling performance of quadratic driver terms is comparable to standard transverse-field drivers. Our results suggest that quantum annealing machines are not well suited for sampling applications, unless postprocessing techniques to improve the sampling are applied.
Water Quality of the Upper Susquehanna River , Summer 1994

The summer of 1994 marked the fourth year of an ongoing water quality monitoring program to characterize local reaches of the Susquehanna River. It is sponsored by the Village of Cooperstown with some funding from the OCCA: This study was developed in order to provide baseline information on the assimilative capacity of the river below the Villages' wastewater discharge and to detect point source pollution, if and when it may occur, so that mitigation procedures could be implemented.
The joint effect of typicality and novelty on aesthetic pleasure for product designs: Influences of safety and risk

While some studies have shown that people prefer typical product designs, others have shown that people also like product designs that are new. To reconcile these contradictory findings, the design principle, ‘Most Advanced, Yet Acceptable’ proposes that people prefer a balance of both typicality and novelty in product designs. As an explanation, we propose that typicality and novelty fulfil basic evolutionary needs for safety and exploration that still drive behaviour today, and that products are most preferred when they satisfy both of these needs simultaneously. We further propose that conditions of safety and risk will drive product preferences towards novelty and typicality, respectively. Overall, this research will provide insights into when and why aesthetic preferences for typicality or novelty occur.
The course of the MMA fights as a part of KSW federation - as the examples of the heavy weight "fight of the night"

Fights in mixed martial art (MMA) require from their participants using a wide range of techniques from different kinds of fight sports. Depending on the usage of acquired and mastered techniques and the determination to achieve the success by using them, we can divide the players into: punchers (who prefer using punches) and grapplers (who prefer using holds – throws levers and choke holds). There are also the players whose fight relies on putting the opponent on the ground and punching – ground and pound. The top MMA athletes are characterized by possessing both techniques from punchers category and grapplers derived from judo, jujitsu and wrestling. Their victory fights are based on the usage of their own mastered techniques and the ability to prevent opponent’s dangerous actions. It is also based on the thorough analysis of opponents fighting style and selection of own appropriate fighting style [1,2,3,4]. The detailed analysis of their own possibilities and ways of playing fighting course, has its historical and phenomenological prototypes [5] The ground and pound style, even though very attractive for the audience, is often associated with an ordinary fight, where no elements of any previously gained technique are needed or visible. However, it needs to be remembered that the fights in mixed martial art organized by KSW and advertised by TV channels, are the typical on profit marketing product and the so called ‘fights of the night’ are used to support that kind of image [6]. There are also additional actions taken by the training staff and advertising companies who are trying to prove their players masculinity, determination and no fear for the opponent and on the other hand trying to belittle the opponent [7]. Opinions of the scientists who are concerned about moral, spiritual, pedagogical and anti-violence values of the fights are, however, censorious [8,9,10]. The aim of the article’s au thors was to examine whether so called MMA ‘fights of the night’ organized by KSW are showing the best Polish martial art champions who possess a wide range of different techniques derived from different combat sports.
Evaluation of Nonlinear Cumulative Damage Models for Assessing HCF / LCF Interactions in Multiaxial Loadings

Past research has shown there is a nonlinear interaction effect between LCF (high damage) and HCF (low damage) cycles in many engineering materials. This effect has been observed within uniaxial loadings, but is often more pronounced under multiaxial loadings, particularly when the loading is non-proportional. This is an area of concern in the development of fatigue damage assessment methods for turbine engine materials, as typical mission spectra contain combinations of LCF and HCF cycles. The nonlinear interaction effect precludes the use of the most common technique for damage accumulation, the Palmgren-Miner linear damage rule. A thorough review of nonlinear cumulative damage methodologies has been performed by the authors. These techniques have included simple extensions of the linear damage rule to include nonlinear terms, endurance-limit modification techniques, fracture-mechanics based approaches, and continuum damage approaches. While many methods have shown reasonable agreement with certain experimental results, none have previously been considered in conjunction with multiaxial data. In this paper, a brief review of some well-known, nonlinear cumulative damage approaches is presented. The basic methodologies are discussed and evaluated in terms of accuracy with experimental results, range of applicability, and ease of implementation, with a particular focus on the extension of the theories to multiaxial loadings. Specific model evaluations are presented for a limited number of theories in comparison to experimental results generated from multiaxial mission-history tests and multi-block proportional load tests on smooth specimens of Ti-6Al-4V. Finally, obstacles that must be overcome in the development of fatigue damage assessment models for multiaxial mission loadings is discussed.
ON THE FORMATION OF OZONE IN SOLAR SYSTEM OXYGEN ICES EXPOSED TO HEAVY IONS

Mimicking the bombardment of icy surfaces with heavy ions from solar system radiation fields, solid-phase molecular oxygen (32O2) and its isotope labeled analogue (36O2) were irradiated with monoenergetic carbon (C+), nitrogen (N+), and oxygen (O+) ions in laboratory experiments simulating the interaction of ions from the solar wind and those abundant in planetary magnetospheres. Online Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy of the irradiated oxygen ices (12 K) showed that the yields of molecular ozone monomer (O3 ∼ 2 × 10−3 molecules eV−1 in 32O2) were independent of the mass of the implanted C+, N+, and O+ ions (Φmax = 4.0 × 1014 ions cm−2). The production of oxygen atoms in the solid was observed in the mid-IR stabilized via the [O3…O] van der Waals complex. We expand on this inference by comparing the ozone yields induced by light particles (e−, H+, and He+) to the heavy ions (C+, N+, and O+) to provide compelling evidence that the abundance of radiolytic products in an oxygen-bearing solid is primarily dependent on electronic stopping regimes, which supersedes the contribution of nuclear stopping processes irrespective of the mass of the particle irradiation in the kinetic energy regime of solar wind and magnetospheric particles.
INSIGHTS ON THE FORMATION, EVOLUTION, AND ACTIVITY OF MASSIVE GALAXIES FROM ULTRACOMPACT AND DISKY GALAXIES AT z = 2–3

We present our results on the structure and activity of massive galaxies at z = 1–3 using one of the largest (166 with M⋆ ⩾ 5 × 1010 M☉) and most diverse samples of massive galaxies derived from the GOODS-NICMOS survey: (1) Sérsic fits to deep NIC3 F160W images indicate that the rest-frame optical structures of massive galaxies are very different at z = 2–3 compared to z ∼ 0. Approximately 40% of massive galaxies are ultracompact (re ⩽ 2 kpc), compared to less than 1% at z ∼ 0. Furthermore, most (∼65%) systems at z = 2–3 have a low Sérsic index n ⩽ 2, compared to ∼13% at z ∼ 0. We present evidence that the n ⩽ 2 systems at z = 2–3 likely contain prominent disks, unlike most massive z ∼ 0 systems. (2) There is a correlation between structure and star formation rates (SFRs). The majority (∼85%) of non-active galactic nucleus (AGN) massive galaxies at z = 2–3, with SFR high enough to yield a 5σ (30 μJy) 24 μm Spitzer detection, have low n ⩽ 2. Such n ⩽ 2 systems host the highest SFR. (3) The frequency of AGNs is ∼40% at z = 2–3. Most (∼65%) AGN hosts have disky (n ⩽ 2) morphologies. Ultracompact galaxies appear quiescent in terms of both AGN activity and star formation. (4) Large stellar surface densities imply massive galaxies at z = 2–3 formed via rapid, highly dissipative events at z > 2. The large fraction of n ⩽ 2 disky systems suggests cold mode accretion complements gas-rich major mergers at z > 2. In order for massive galaxies at z = 2–3 to evolve into present-day massive E/S0s, they need to significantly increase (n, re). Dry minor and major mergers may play an important role in this process.
Investigating Prospective Middle-School Teachers’ Perspectives of Mathematical Modelling Problems

The purpose of this study was to investigate prospective middle school mathematics teachers’ perspectives about mathematical modeling tasks. Specifically, prospective teachers’ views about how modeling tasks are differ from textbook problems was examined. Furthermore, what prospective teachers think about how modeling tasks would reflect classroom learning environment and whether or not they could be used in mathematics teaching were examined. A basic qualitative approach was utilized in the study. Data were gathered through open-ended questionnaires at the end of the semester from 40 prospective middle school mathematics teachers who enrolled an elective modeling course. Data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings of the study showed that prospective teachers initially did not consider modeling tasks as mathematics problems. As compared to textbook problems, prospective teachers indicated that mathematical modeling problems have many differences in terms problem structure and problem solving process. Prospective teachers stated that role of a teacher and students should be changed and formative assessment and evaluation methods should be utilized in a modeling-problem based environment. While majority of prospective teachers considered that modeling-based instruction was hard to implement because of time and classroom management, if it is accomplished it may well support many mathematical thinking skills. It is proposed that mathematical modeling problems should be integrated into formal mathematics lessons or elective courses.
TIDALLY MODULATED ERUPTIONS ON ENCELADUS: CASSINI ISS OBSERVATIONS AND MODELS

We use images acquired by the Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) to investigate the temporal variation of the brightness and height of the south polar plume of Enceladus. The plume's brightness peaks around the moon's apoapse, but with no systematic variation in scale height with either plume brightness or Enceladus' orbital position. We compare our results, both alone and supplemented with Cassini near-infrared observations, with predictions obtained from models in which tidal stresses are the principal control of the eruptive behavior. There are three main ways of explaining the observations: (1) the activity is controlled by right-lateral strike slip motion; (2) the activity is driven by eccentricity tides with an apparent time delay of about 5 hr; (3) the activity is driven by eccentricity tides plus a 1:1 physical libration with an amplitude of about 0. °8 (3.5 km). The second hypothesis might imply either a delayed eruptive response, or a dissipative, viscoelastic interior. The third hypothesis requires a libration amplitude an order of magnitude larger than predicted for a solid Enceladus. While we cannot currently exclude any of these hypotheses, the third, which is plausible for an Enceladus with a subsurface ocean, is testable by using repeat imaging of the moon's surface. A dissipative interior suggests that a regional background heat source should be detectable. The lack of a systematic variation in plume scale height, despite the large variations in plume brightness, is plausibly the result of supersonic flow; the details of the eruption process are yet to be understood.
A neutron-diffraction study of hemimorphite

The hydrogen atoms in hemimorphite, Zn4Si207(OH)2' H20, have been located and its crystal structure refined using 415 three-dimensional singlecrystal neutron-diffraction data. The mineral is orthorhombic, space group Imm2, with a = 8.367(5), b = 10.730(6), c = 5.115(3) A, and Z = 2. The structure consists of three-membered rings of corner-sharing Zn(OH)Oa (X 2) and Si04 tetrahedra arranged in compact sheets parallel to (010). Three oxygen atoms in each tetrahedron are bonded to two zinc atoms and one silicon atom, while a fourth oxygen atom forms a bridging bond to an equivalent cation in an adjacent sheet. The water molecules are oriented parallel to (010) inside large cavities between the tetrahedral sheets and are held in place by hydrogen bonds to and from the hydroxyl groups of the Zn - OH - Zn bridging linkages. Mul. liken population analyses calculated using constant bond lengths and the ob. served angles within and between the tetrahedra allow a rationalization of the bond-length variations in the Si04 group, but are less successful in the case of Zn(OH)Oa. Detailed analysis of observed bond length and calculated overlappopulation variations in a variety of tetrahedral oxyanions suggests that the poorer agreement in the case of the Zn tetrahedron is more a function of the larger overall size of the group than of the relative ionic character of the bonds.
What is the Problem of Measurement

UANTUM MECHANICS, TOGETHER WITH RELATIVITY, are the basis of most of what we know of the very large, the very small, and the very fast. And in all of these areas our knowledge is extensive. It would be hard to say how good these theories are; Q arithmetic, one might say, is good mathematics. For all that, there is a problem, a strange and amorphous difficulty: it is the problem of measurement. This problem has become much more interesting, and much more pressing, as a result of some recent developments. Hitherto the difficulty has been so peculiar, and so formless, that physicists have on the whole thought it a matter of philosophy. But that is not quite right (or that is what I shall argue). It is certainly philosophical, but it is also a matter of methodology, a question of what physics is to do; and now the matter has come to seem quite pressing. In this sense the measurement problem has become a problem for physics. But what is the problem of measurement? As a first stab, we can say this: on the basis of quantum mechanics, there is a difficulty in accounting for the
Bird distribution dynamics 4 - Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland

Overall, the conclusion has to be that the Glossy Ibis certainly seems to have increased in both range and abundance over the Western Cape in the two-decade period between SABAP1 and SABAP2. Its fortunes appear to be mixed over the remainder of South Africa, with some clear regions of increase and some clear regions of decrease. The atlas database does not provide reasons for the changes, it only highlights the patterns, which then need further and more detailed investigation. This is clearly an interesting and enigmatic species. Yet, there seems to be no full-length paper devoted to any aspect of the biology of the Glossy Ibis in southern Africa. Genetic analyses would probably reveal whether the species did indeed only start breeding in South Africa in the middle of the 20th century. We still do not know if any of the Glossy Ibises occurring in South Africa are migrants from Eurasia.
Transpersonal Psychology: The Role of the Afrocentric Paradigm

Conspicuously absent in the literature of transpersonal psy chology in its search for a paradigm is an exploration of traditional African culture and world view. Such a legacy of omission from philosophical and psychological endeavors is common. This is due to the fact that until recently African culture has been so badly misunderstood because of the imposition of alien world view in its analysis. The unity and integration of knowledge that we seek in a transpersonal paradigm has its framework already existent in the African world view and is identified in Afrocentric psychological theory.
The indices of the physiological norm for women of the reproductive age living in Penza city

Under any pathological process there begin the regulation disorder of the activity and functioning of structures where it occurred. However, these disfunctions are transient, and they disappear together with or after the elimination of the pathological process and they do not represent disregulatory pathology in its full sense of this notion. For the estimation of pathological condition it is necessary to take into consideration the physiological norm, therefore, for the disregulatory abnormalities examining we have made a note of the applicability of normal dimension of organism homeostasis distinction. In our scientific work we have held the examining of the group of female donors in the reproductive age who live in Penza. Analyzing the results of the data in the investigated group, we may point out that the indices of the examined women do not differ from the values established in the medical resources for the healthy people. [Vinogradova O.P., Biriuchkova O.A. The indices of the physiological norm for women of the reproductive age living in Penza city. Life Sci J 2014;11(11s):540-543] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite. com. 123
FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE OBSERVATION OF A GAMMA-RAY SOURCE AT THE POSITION OF ETA CARINAE

The Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope detected a γ-ray source that is spatially consistent with the location of Eta Carinae. This source has been persistently bright since the beginning of the LAT survey observations (from 2008 August to 2009 July, the time interval considered here). The γ-ray signal is detected significantly throughout the LAT energy band (i.e., up to ∼100 GeV). The 0.1–100 GeV energy spectrum is well represented by a combination of a cutoff power-law model (<10 GeV) and a hard power-law component (>10 GeV). The total flux (>100 MeV) is 3.7+0.3−0.1 × 10−7 photons s−1 cm−2, with additional systematic uncertainties of 10%, and consistent with the average flux measured by AGILE. The light curve obtained by Fermi is consistent with steady emission. Our observations do not confirm the presence of a γ-ray flare in 2008 October, as reported by Tavani et al., although we cannot exclude that a flare lasting only a few hours escaped detection by the Fermi LAT. We also do not find any evidence for γ-ray variability that correlates with the large X-ray variability of Eta Carinae observed during 2008 December and 2009 January. We are thus not able to establish an unambiguous identification of the LAT source with Eta Carinae.
Results of the Fourth NAEP Assessment of Mathematics: Trends and Conclusions.

This article is the third one to appear in the Arithmetic Teacher reporting the results of the fourth mathematics assessment of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The first two articles reported achievement of thirdand seventh-grade students in specific content areas (Kouba et al. 1988a, 1988b). This article discusses general achievement trends and changes in performance over time. A parallel article on trends in performance of older students appears in this month's Mathematics Teacher (Silver et al. 1988).
Evaluation of cashew ( Anacardium occidentale L . ) hybrids for vegetative parameters and nut yield

The field experiment was carried out under All India Coordinated Research Project on Cashew of OUAT, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India during 2011 and 2012 in ten years old cashew plantations to evaluate the cashew hybrids on the basis of vegetative growth and nut yield. The experiment was laid out by adopting Augmented Statistical Design with 60 hybrids, 8 parents and 3 check varieties. The analysis of results based on adjusted mean and values on vegetative growth parameters and nut yield showed significant variations. Considering the overall vegetative growth parameters as well as nut yield the present study concluded that the hybrids such as A-71, B-27, D-19, G-8 and H-6 may be promising for commercial cultivation. The study also revealed that both KBN and VTH-711/4 were identified as better male parent for hybridization programme in cashew.
The Impact of Introducing an Interest Barrier: Evidence from the German Corporation Tax Reform 2008

In this study we investigate the impact of the thin capitalization rule (TCR), introduced in Germany in 2008, on firms' capital structure, investment and profitability. The identification of the causal effects is based on the escape clauses in the regulation using a difference-in-difference approach. Our results present evidence that firms strongly react in order to avoid the limited deductibility of interest expenses: They either decrease their debt ratio or split their assets to use the exemption limit. The latter is especially used by firms with an interest result around the exemption limit of the interest barrier. In case the debt ratio is reduced, our results present evidence for a proportional increase of firms' tax base. In general, in the short term, no negative investment effects are caused by the TCR. This suggests that a part of the firms is able to substitute equity for debt at low costs or expects to be able to circumvent the regulation. However, investment might also be fixed in the short-run for example due to long-lasting contracts.