Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Students' pre-knowledge as a guideline in the teaching of introductory thermal physics at university

This study concentrates on analysing university students' pre-knowledge of thermal physics. The students' understanding of the basic concepts and of the adiabatic compression of an ideal gas was studied at the start of an introductory level course. A total of 48 students participated in a paper-and-pencil test, and analysis of the responses revealed that they had several kinds of problems. They did not differentiate between concepts, confusing in particular the concepts of temperature, internal energy and heat. The students also seemed to have serious problems in applying the first law of thermodynamics: they were frequently more likely to use the ideal gas law rather than the first law, e.g., in the case of adiabatic compression, even though it cannot provide a proper explanation of the phenomenon. More detailed analysis revealed that the underlying reasons for many of the problems detected were based on an inadequate understanding of micro-level models of substance. At the upper secondary level, students have acquired an impression of how particles move, vibrate and interact, but they have not learnt how to apply the ideas and concepts of the micro-models in a scientific manner. All of this means that university teachers need to exercise great care in designing their teaching. Explicit recommendations for teachers to take into account both the findings of this research project and also students' pre-knowledge are presented in the discussion section at the end of this paper.
Extending the flash method to measure the thermal diffusivity of semitransparent solids

In this work, we extend the classical flash method to retrieve simultaneously the thermal diffusivity and the optical absorption coefficient of semitransparent plates. A complete theoretical model that allows calculating the rear surface temperature rise of the sample has been developed. It takes into consideration additional effects such as multiple reflections of the heating light beam inside the sample, heat losses by convection and radiation, transparency of the sample to infrared wavelengths and finite duration of the heating pulse. Measurements performed on calibrated solids, covering a wide range of absorption coefficients from transparent to opaque, validate the proposed method.
Magnetic Field Splitting of the Quasiparticle States in Superconducting Aluminum Films

Magnetic field splitting of the quasiparticle energy states in superconducting aluminum films has been observed in a tunneling experiment. The magnitude of the splitting was found to be $2\ensuremath{\mu}H$, and is attributed to the magnetic moment of the quasiparticles. The observed tunneling conductance is in qualitative agreement with theory.
Force acting on a square cylinder fixed in a free-surface channel flow

Abstract We describe an experimental study of the forces acting on a square cylinder (of width $\def \xmlpi #1{}\def \mathsfbi #1{\boldsymbol {\mathsf {#1}}}\let \le =\leqslant \let \leq =\leqslant \let \ge =\geqslant \let \geq =\geqslant \def \Pr {\mathit {Pr}}\def \Fr {\mathit {Fr}}\def \Rey {\mathit {Re}}b$ ) which occupies 10–40 % of a channel (of width $w$ ), fixed in a free-surface channel flow. The force experienced by the obstacle depends critically on the Froude number upstream of the obstacle, ${\mathit{Fr}}_1$ (depth $h_1$ ), which sets the downstream Froude number, ${\mathit{Fr}}_2$ (depth $h_2$ ). When ${\mathit{Fr}}_1<{\mathit{Fr}}_{1c}$ , where ${\mathit{Fr}}_{1c}$ is a critical Froude number, the flow is subcritical upstream and downstream of the obstacle. The drag effect tends to decrease or increase the water depth downstream or upstream of the obstacle, respectively. The force is form drag caused by an attached wake and scales as $\overline{F_{D}}\simeq C_D \rho b u_1^2 h_1/2$ , where $C_D$ is a drag coefficient and $u_1$ is the upstream flow speed. The empirically determined drag coefficient is strongly influenced by blocking, and its variation follows the trend $C_D=C_{D0}(1+C_{D0}b/2w)^2$ , where $C_{D0}=1.9$ corresponds to the drag coefficient of a square cylinder in an unblocked turbulent flow. The r.m.s. lift force is approximately 10–40 % of the mean drag force and is generated by vortex shedding from the obstacle. When ${\mathit{Fr}}_1={\mathit{Fr}}_{1c}\, (<1)$ , the flow is choked and adjusts by generating a hydraulic jump downstream of the obstacle. The drag force scales as $\overline{F}_D\simeq C_K \rho b g (h_1^2-h_2^2)/2$ , where experimentally we find $C_K\simeq 1$ . The r.m.s. lift force is significantly smaller than the mean drag force. A consistent model is developed to explain the transitional behaviour by using a semi-empirical form of the drag force that combines form and hydrostatic components. The mean drag force scales as $\overline{F_{D}}\simeq \lambda \rho b g^{1/3} u_1^{4/3} h_1^{4/3}$ , where $\lambda $ is a function of $b/w$ and ${\mathit{Fr}}_1$ . For a choked flow, $\lambda =\lambda _c$ is a function of blocking ( $b/w$ ). For small blocking fractions, $\lambda _c= C_{D0}/2$ . In the choked flow regime, the largest contribution to the total drag force comes from the form-drag component.
On the organized motion of a turbulent plane jet

Measurements of space–time correlations of longitudinal and normal velocity fluctuations and of temperature fluctuations support the existence of counter-rotating spanwise structures appearing alternately on opposite sides of the jet centreline in the self-preserving region of the flow. The frequency of these structures closely satisfies self-preservation. The asymmetric arrangement of the structures is first observed downstream of the position where the jet mixing layers nominally merge but upstream of the onset of self-preservation. Closer to the jet exit, the space–time correlations indicate the existence of spanwise structures that are symmetrical about the centreline.
The Schur and (weak) Dunford-Pettis properties in Banach lattices

Abstract We study the Schur and (weak) Dunford-Pettis properties in Banach lattices. We show that l1, c0 and l∞ are the only Banach symmetric sequence spaces with the weak Dunford-Pettis property. We also characterize a large class of Banach lattices without the (weak) Dunford-Pettis property. In MusielakOrlicz sequence spaces we give some necessary and sufficient conditions for the Schur property, extending the Yamamuro result. We also present a number of results on the Schur property in weighted Orlicz sequence spaces, and, in particular, we find a complete characterization of this property for weights belonging to class ∧. We also present examples of weighted Orlicz spaces with the Schur property which are not L1-spaces. Finally, as an application of the results in sequence spaces, we provide a description of the weak Dunford-Pettis and the positive Schur properties in Orlicz spaces over an infinite non-atomic measure space.
Transactions of the American Mathematical Society Chaos, Periodicity, and Snakelike Continua

The results of this paper relate the dynamics of a continuous map/of the interval and the topology of the inverse limit space with bonding map /. These inverse limit spaces have been studied by many authors, and are examples of what Bing has called "snakelike continua". Roughly speaking, we show that when the dynamics of / are complicated, the inverse limit space contains indecomposable subcontinua. We also establish a partial converse. Introduction. Let / be a closed interval, and let /: /-» / be a continuous function. Associated with / is the inverse limit space (/, /) = {(x0, xx,. .)|/(* " +i) = xn}. With a natural topology, (/, /) is a compact, connected, metric space, and is an example of what Bing [Bi] has called a snakelike continuum. In this paper we will investigate the relationship between behavior of the orbits {f(x)\n ^ 0} of points of / under/, and the topological properties of the space (/,/). These examples suggest some of the ideas which we will explore.
Effects of Technology-Integrated Formative Assessment on Students' Retention of Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge in Chemical Equilibrium Concepts

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of technology-integrated formative assessment strategies on students’ retention of conceptual and procedural knowledge in chemical equilibrium concepts. A quasi-experimental control group interrupted time series design was employed. Data was collected from 132 students, who were selected using a random sampling technique from three governmental secondary schools. Two experimental groups and one comparison group were involved in the study. A series of chemical equilibrium conceptual and procedural tests were used to collect data. A mixed model ANOVA was used to analyze the test scores. The three groups had varied mean gain scores in conceptual and procedural exam scores as repeated measurements of time, as can be observed from the descriptive statistics. The two-way mixed ANOVA findings revealed that there was a significant main effect between groups on conceptual test scores. Furthermore, on conceptual knowledge test scores, there was a significant interaction between time point and intervention groups. On procedural exam scores, there was also a significant difference between the three time points and intervention groups. A significant interaction between time points and groups was also observed. Given that there was a significant difference between the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up post-test scores in the experimental group, with the difference favoring the post-test scores, it can be concluded that the technology-integrated formative assessment strategy is successful in raising secondary school students' conceptual and procedural test scores.
Tropical Transition of the 2001 Australian Duck

Abstract In March 2001, a hybrid low pressure system, unofficially referred to as Donald (or the Duck), developed in the Tasman Sea under tropical–extratropical influence, making landfall on the southeastern Australian coast. Here, it is shown that atmospheric blocking in the Tasman Sea produced a split in the subtropical jet, allowing persistent weak vertical wind shear to manifest in the vicinity of the developing low. It is hypothesized that this occurred through sustained injections of potential vorticity originating from higher latitudes. Hours before landfall near Byron Bay, the system developed an eye with a short-lived warm core at 500 hPa. Cyclone tracking revealed an erratic track before the system decayed and produced heavy rains and flash flooding. A three-dimensional air parcel backward-trajectory scheme showed that the air parcels arriving in the vicinity of the mature cyclone originated from tropical sources at lower levels and from the far extratropics at higher levels, confirming the hybr.
Impact of Intermittent Pneumatic Compression on Cortical Reorganization and Functional Outcome in Patients with Stroke

Background: The main feature of the cerebrovascular condition known as stroke is blood vessel obstruction. The third most common cause of disability worldwide is stroke. Lowering one’s quality of life and adding to the burden that stroke survivors bear is upper limb motor dysfunction. Recovery of arm and hand function is a primary objective of rehabilitation programs since it is crucial to achieving independence in daily life. The goal of neurological treatment plans adopting inflatable pressure sleeves is to decrease spasticity and to enable normal movement and sensory input on the hemiplegic part. By attaching these inflatable splints to an intermittent pressure pump, the goal was to further increase sensory input. Aim: The current study aims to determine and trace how intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) affects the functional outcome of the upper extremity after a stroke and the occurring cerebral reorganization. Methods and participants: In this study, 40 instances of left strokes and limb disability from both sexes were randomly split into two major domains. Interventions: For 60 minutes, the study group received an upper extremity physical therapy plan along with intermittent pneumatic compression, whereas the control group received 60 minutes for the same selected physical therapy exercise only. There were 18 treatment sessions for each domain over the course of six weeks. The outcome measures: Using the wolf motor function scale (WMFT) and quantitative EEG (QEEG), which assesses brain activity, the upper limb motor function was assessed before and after therapy. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups for any of the pre-treatment examined factors. IPC showed a significantly shorter performance time in the study group as well as a significantly improved motor outcome and functional outcome of the damaged upper extremity. The excitability of the brain's motor and sensory regions increased noticeably. Conclusion: IPC has a positive impact on stroke cases’ cortical reconfiguration as well as the functional result and motor performance of the damaged upper extremity.
Effect of dietary substitution of maize with banana pseudostem on performance and economics of crossbred grower pigs

Forty eight (48) Hampshire crossbred grower pigs (24 females and 24 males) with 75% inheritance were randomly divided into four (4) groups for the experiment. The pigs were allotted to 4 compounded dietary treatments, replacing maize with dried banana pseudostem powder by 0% (T 0 ), 10% (T 1 ), 20% (T 2 ) and 30% (T 3 ) in the ration. By modifying the amounts of maize with banana pseudostem, all compounded diets were rendered isonitrogenous and isocalorie. Results indicated signi�cant (p < 0.05) improvement in the total body weight gain and average daily gain (ADG) in both male and female crossbred pigs, fed with ration replacing 20% maize with banana pseudostem in comparison to the other groups. The performances of the both female and male pigs were signi�cantly (p < 0.05) lower when dietary levels of banana pseudostem were increased up to 30% in place of maize in the ration. The feed cost/kg live weight gain in 20% replacement group was signi�cantly (p < 0.05) lower than the control group in both the sexes. Blood biochemical parameters in both the sexes did not differ signi�cantly (p > 0.05), irrespective of different dietary treatments. In conclusion, crossbred pigs can tolerate up to 20% dietary substitution of maize with banana pseudostem in the ration without compromising their growth, blood biochemical parameters, reproductive performances and carcass quality.
Super-b 4 coefficients in supergravity

For covariantly chiral superfields coupled to background Yang-Mills superfields and defined on a curved superspace background, the superfield analogue of the heat kernel associated with the differential operator appearing in the quadratic part of the action is defined. The super-b4 coefficient in the asymptotic expansion of the kernel is computed using a system of superspace normal coordinates. These coefficients are shown to determine the one-loop trace supermultiplet and the one-loop logarithmic divergence for pure supergravity.
On Normal Approximations of Distributions in Terms of Dependency Graphs

L'auteur interprete les bornes de l'erreur, introduites par Stein, dans l'approximation normale de sommes de variables aleatoires dependantes en termes de graphes de dependance. Ceci mene a des ameliorations d'un theoreme de limite centrale de Petrovskaya et Leontovich et de recentes applications de Baldi et Rinatt. En particulier, on obtient des bornes pour des taux de convergence. On etudie ensuite l'approximation normale du nombre de maximums locaux d'une fonction aleatoire sur un graphe
Free-standing porous silicon single and multiple optical cavities

Porous silicon free-standing microcavity structures, with different layer designs, have been fabricated. Single microcavities show transmission resonances in the technologically relevant wavelength region of 1.55 μm with quality factors up to 3380. High-order cavities show sub-nm transmission peaks over the whole stop band. Coupled microcavity structures, where splitting of the degenerate cavity mode occurs, lead to multiple transmission peaks in a limited region of the stop band. We also report incident angle-dependent measurements, where transmission peak blueshift and splitting of transverse electric and transverse magnetic polarized modes due to porous silicon birefringence were observed.
Parameterization of Convective Precipitation in Mesoscale Numerical Models: A Critical Review

Abstract Current approaches for incorporating cumulus convection into mesoscale numerical models are divided into three groups. The traditional approach utilizes cumulus parameterization at convectively unstable points and explicit (nonparameterized) condensation at convectively stable points, The fully explicit approach uses explicit methods regardless of stability. The hybrid approach parameterizes convective scale updrafts and downdrafts, but “detrains” a fraction of parameterized cloud and precipitation particles to the grid scale. This allows the path and phase changes of such particles to be explicitly predicted over subsequent time steps. The traditional approach provides the only alternative for numerical models with grid spacing too large to resolve mesoscale structure. As grid spacing falls below 50 km, the traditional approach becomes increasingly likely to violate fundamental scale-separation requirements of parameterization, particularly if mesoscale organization of convection is parameterize.
Image denoising using cloud images

Image denoising manages to recover a digital image from its noisy version by exploring the statistical features inside a given noisy image. Most denoising methods perform well at low noise levels but lose efficiency at higher ones. In this paper, we propose a novel image denoising method, which restores an image by exploiting the correlations between the noisy image and the images retrieved from the cloud. Given a noisy image, we first retrieve relevant images based on feature-level similarity. These images are then geometrically aligned to the noisy image to increase global statistical correlation. Using the aligned images as references, we propose recovering the image with patch-level noise removal. For each noisy patch, we first retrieve similar patches from the references and stack these patches (including the noisy one) into a three dimensional (3D) group. We then obtain the noise free (NF) patches by collaborative filtering over the 3D groups. These recovered NF patches are aggregated together, producing the desired NF image. Experimental results demonstrate that our scheme achieves significantly better results compared to state-of-the-art methods in terms of both objective and subjective qualities.
Multispacecraft Analysis of Energetic Ion Flux Dropouts

We present an analysis of dispersionless flux dropouts in solar energetic particles (SEPs) associated with impulsive solar flares observed by ACE/ULEIS and Wind/STEP. These flux dropouts are thought to be caused by an observer encountering magnetic field lines that are populated with particles or unpopulated, depending on their connection to the source. Since ACE and Wind typically have spatial separations less than or of order a correlation scale of the turbulent component of the interplanetary magnetic field (Lc ∼ 106 km), they are ideal for studying the effects of the turbulent magnetic field on impulsive SEP events, especially those that exhibit intensity dropouts. By examining the timing of the dropout events seen by each spacecraft and accounting for the convection of frozen-in magnetic fields by the solar wind, we have found that both spacecraft generally see the same event features when they are separated by less than Lc and different features when they are separated by more than Lc. This is consistent with the propagation of impulsive SEPs along random walking magnetic lines of force. We find that dropouts occur in approximately half of the impulsive SEP events in our sample, indicating that this is a fairly common phenomenon. Moreover, we find that there is not a clear correspondence between the timing of these events and changes in the local interplanetary magnetic field more often than random coincidence. This supports the idea that intensity dropouts are mostly caused by field line mixing rather than by localized magnetic structures.
Latitudinal transport effects on the modulation of a few‐MeV cosmic ray electrons from solar minimum to solar maximum

[1] A three-dimensional, steady state, numerical model was used to model the propagation of 7 MeV jovian and galactic electrons in the heliosphere. The computations are compared with 3–10 MeV Ulysses/KET electron observations which are still not well explained after ∼1998. To explain these observations, coinciding with solar maximum conditions, it is shown that a reduction in the enhancement of perpendicular transport toward the poles is required compared to solar minimum. The decrease in this enhancement can be correlated to the disappearance of the fast solar wind and/or a heliospheric magnetic field with a meridional component at solar maximum. By assuming a substantial jovian contribution to the total low-energy electron intensity at high latitudes to explain the Ulysses/KET observations in these regions, important information on the magnitude of perpendicular transport in the polar direction and its time dependence can be deduced.
The cosmic microwave background power spectrum out to ℓ= 1400 measured by the Very Small Array

We have observed the cosmic microwave background (CMB) in three regions of sky using the Very Small Array (VSA) in an extended configuration with antennas of beamwidth 2° at 34 GHz. Combined with data from previous VSA observations using a more compact array with larger beamwidth, we measure the power spectrum of the primordial CMB anisotropies between angular multipoles = 160 and 1400. Such measurements at high l are vital for breaking degeneracies in parameter estimation from the CMB power spectrum and other cosmological data. The power spectrum clearly resolves the first three acoustic peaks, shows the expected fall-off in power at high f and starts to constrain the position and height of a fourth peak.
A Conditionally Distribution-Free Multivariate Sign Test for One-Sided Alternatives

We consider the problem of testing the hypothesis that a multivariate location vector is in the positive orthant. A conditionally distribution-free sign test is proposed for this problem. This test is related to the Hodges test and can be motivated by the union–intersection principle. Moreover, it is valid under very mild assumptions. A characterization of the conditional null distribution of the test statistic is given. We provide a step-by-step procedure that can be used to perform the test in practice. In the bivariate case, an explicit formula for the exact null conditional distribution of the test statistic is derived. This conditional distribution can be used to compute exact conditional P values. A simulation study compares the new test to some competitors, including the likelihood ratio test. The results show that the new test is very competitive for a wide variety of distributional models. A real data example illustrating the use of the test is also presented.