Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Studio Biology For Engineers: Lessons Learned

We recently transformed a traditional introductory biology course into an active learning experience that resonates with a wide range of undergraduate students. Backward course design led to an innovative curriculum that (1) is based on biology’s big ideas, (2) has measurable learning outcomes, and (3) encourages development of higher order thinking skills. Our studio classroom design maximizes interactions; cantilevered workstations distributed throughout the room encourage student-instructor and student-student interactions. Group discussions occur at whiteboards as students solve problems, create concept maps, plan experiments and interpret experimental data. Workstation computers and dual monitors support whole-class instruction as well as student-led group explorations. The classroom design meets the traditional needs of a biology lab, including access to sinks, use of compound microscopes, data acquisition, gel electrophoresis and thermal cyclers. This creative new learning space supports a constructivist approach to learning, moving student conversations past rote repetition of textbook material to evaluation and synthesis of ideas, as well as dialogue about how science generates new information and the interface between biology and engineering. In the interest of helping others along their path toward implementing active learning in their classrooms, we share a description of our course transformation and important lessons learned in the process.
A String Function for Describing the Propagation of Baroclinic Anomalies in the Ocean

The authors derive a string function that describes the propagation of large-scale, potentially large amplitude, baroclinic energy anomalies in a two-layer ocean with variable topography and rotation parameter. The generality of the two-layer results allows results for the 1-layer, 1.5-layer, inverted 1.5-layer, lens, and dome models to be produced as limiting-cases. The string function is a scalar field that acts as a streamfunction for the propagation velocity. In the linear case the string function is simply c2o/f, where co is the background baroclinic shallow water wave speed, and typically describes propagation poleward on the eastern boundaries, westward (with some topographic steering) over the middle ocean, and equatorward on the western boundaries. In the more general nonlinear case, the string function is locally distorted by the anomaly. In the fully nonlinear examples of a lens or dome, there is no rest or background string function; the string function is generated entirely by the disturbance and propagation is due to asymmetric distribution of the anomalous mass over the string function contours. It is shown that conventional beta/topographic propagation results (e.g., beta drift of eddies, the Nof speed of cold domes) can be obtained as limiting cases of the string function. The string function provides, however, more general propagation velocities that are also usually simpler to derive. The first baroclinic mode string function for the global oceans is calculated from hydrographic data. The westward propagation speeds in the ocean basins as derived from the meridional gradient of the string function are typically two to five times faster than those expected from standard theory and agree well with the propagation speeds observed for long baroclinic Rossby waves in the TOPEX/Poseidon data.
A reassessment of the Lochkovian (Lower Devonian) benthic faunas and palynomorphs from the Dornes region (southern Central Iberian Zone, Portugal)

A revision of benthic faunas and palynomorphs previously described from the Dornes syncline, southern Central Iberian Zone, Portugal, complemented with recent research, shows that the Serra de Luacao Formation is of Lochkovian age. The systematics of the benthic faunas, with clear Gondwana affinities, are described in detail.
Modeling CCN activity of chemically unresolved model HULIS, including surface tension, non-ideality, and surface partitioning

Abstract. Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity of aerosol particles comprising surface active Nordic Aquatic Fulvic Acid (NAFA) and NaCl was modeled with four different approaches to account for NAFA bulk-to-surface partitioning and the combined influence of NAFA and NaCl on surface tension and water activity of activating droplets. Calculations were made for particles with dry diameters of 30–230 nm and compositions covering the full range of relative NAFA and NaCl mixing ratios. Continuous ternary parametrizations of aqueous surface tension and water activity with respect to independently varying NAFA and NaCl mass concentrations were developed from previous measurements on macroscopic bulk solutions and implemented to a Köhler model framework. This enabled comprehensive thermodynamic predictions of cloud droplet activation, including equilibrium surface partitioning, for particles comprising chemically unresolved organic NAFA mixtures. NAFA here serves as a model for surface active atmospheric humic-like substances (HULIS) and for chemically complex organic aerosol in general. Surfactant effects are gauged via predictions of a suite of properties for activating droplets, including critical supersaturation and droplet size, bulk phase composition, surface tension, Kelvin effect, and water activity. Assuming macroscopic solution properties for activating droplets leads to gross overestimations of reported experimental CCN activation, mainly by overestimating surface tension reduction from NAFA solute in droplets. Failing to account for bulk-to-surface partitioning of NAFA introduces severe biases in evaluated droplet bulk and surface composition and critical size, which here specifically affect cloud activation thermodynamics, but more generally could also impact heterogeneous chemistry on droplet surfaces. Model frameworks based on either including surface partitioning and/or neglecting surface tension reduction give similar results for both critical supersaturation and droplet properties and reproduce reported experimental CCN activity well. These perhaps counterintuitive results reflect how the bulk phase is nearly depleted in surface active organic from surface partitioning in submicron droplets with large surface area for a given bulk volume. As a result, NAFA has very little impact on surface tension and water activity at the point of droplet activation. In other words, the predicted surfactant strength of NAFA is significantly lower in sub-micron activating droplets than in macroscopic aqueous solutions of the same overall composition. These results show similar effects of chemically complex surfactants as have previously been seen only for simple surfactants with well-defined molecular properties and add to the growing appreciation of the complex role of surface activity in cloud droplet activation.
Contextuality and Information Systems: how the interplay between paradigms can help

Through this paper, we theorize on the meanings and roles of context in the study of information systems. The literatures of information systems and information science both explicitly conceptualize information systems (and there are multiple overlapping definitions). These literatures also grapple with the situated and generalizable natures of an information system. Given these shared interests and common concerns, this paper is used as a vehicle to explore the roles of context and suggests how multi-paradigmatic research – another shared feature of both information science and information systems scholarship – provides a means to carry forward more fruitful studies of information systems. We discuss the processes of reconstructed logic and logic-in-use in terms of studying information systems. We argue that what goes on in the practice of researchers, or the logic-in-practice, is typified by what we are calling the contextuality problem. In response, we envision a reconstructed logic, which is an idealization of academic practices regarding context. The logic-in-use of the field is then further explained based on two different views on context. The paper concludes by proposing a model for improving the logic-in-use for the study of information systems.
Preparation of Ag-Nanoparticle-Loaded MnO2 Nanosheets and Their Capacitance Behavior

Silver-loaded manganese oxide nanosheets have been prepared by a reassembling reaction between Ag+ ions and delaminated manganese oxide nanosheets, followed by a reduction treatment. The morphologies and structures of the obtained materials are examined by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The reassembling process of the manganese oxide nanosheets is effectively prevented, and manganese oxide nanosheets exist in a complete exfoliation state in Ag-loaded manganese oxide nanosheets. Ag nanoparticles with a size of about 5 nm are highly monodispersed on the manganese oxide nanosheets without agglomeration. The electrochemical properties are characterized by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in a 1 mol L–1 Na2SO4 electrolyte. The Ag-loaded manganese oxide nanosheet electrode shows a characteristic Faradic capacitance behavior, and the specific capacitance value is 272 F g–1 at a scan rate of 10 mV s–1, much higher than that o.
Psychosocial Environment of Science Laboratory Classrooms in Canadian Schools and Universities

The Science Laboratory Environment Inventory assesses students’ or teachers’ perceptions of five dimensions of actual or preferred classroom environment, namely, Student Cohesiveness, Open-Endedness, Integration, Rule Clarity, and Material Environment. The instrument was field-tested in Canada, Australia, the United States, England, Israel, and Nigeria, both in secondary and in post- secondary institutions. Various analyses attested to each scale’s internal consist- ency, reliability, discriminant validity, factorial validity, predictive validity, and ability to differentiate between the perceptions of students in different classes. The instrument is equally valid for use in its actual and preferred versions, for senior secondary school and university laboratory classes, for the individual or the class mean as the unit of analysis, and for each of the six countries. Le Science Laboratory Environment Inventory evalue les perceptions des etu- diants ou des enseignants ayant trait a cinq facettes de la salle de cours, a savoir la cohesion des etudiants, l’ouverture, l’integration, la clarte du reglement et l’environnement physique. L’instrument a ete utilise au secondaire et au post- secondaire au Canada, en Australie, aux Etats-Unis, en Angleterre, en Israel et au Nigeria. Diverses analyses attestent la coherence interne, la fidelite, la validite discriminante, la validite factorielle et la validite predictive de chaque echelle comme son pouvoir de differencier les perceptions des etudiants dans diverses classes. La validite de l’instrument a egalement ete etablie dans ses versions presente et preferee, pour une utilisation dans les dernieres annees du secondaire et les cours de laboratoire a l’universite, pour la moyenne par individu ou par classe comme unite d’analyse et pour chacun de ses six pays.
ADVANCE IN COMPOSITE MATERIALS- GRAPHENE AND ITS APPLICATIONS IN MODERN COMPOSITE WORLD

Ever since the discovery and application of the composite materials have begun there has been tremendous research and development to procure a better and more advanced composite materials then the previous ones. This resulted in the development of wide range of composites for various applications in almost every field of product development. One such composite is carbon fiber composite materials known for its light weight and high stiffness and strength. The carbon fiber composites is now becoming a talk of the past due to the recent discovery of a material called graphene. This material is now considered to be utilized to create composite materials which will lead the composite materials into new era. Compared to steel, the graphene paper (GP) is six times lighter, five to six times lower density, two times harder with 10 times higher tensile strength, and 13 times higher bending rigidity. These exceptional properties have opened up new opportunities for the application of this material in the future devices and systems. This article aims to present an overview of the advancement of research in applications of graphene in composites in different areas.
BELBIC Tuned PI Controller Based Chopper Driven PMDC Motor

In orthopaedic surgeries, permanent magnet DC motors are used to drill the bone and fix the screws. The Motor drive employs an inner current and outer speed control loop with a conventional or modern controller. To enhance the performance of the drive, this paper proposes a Brain Emotional Logic Based Intelligent Controller based chopper drive. The proposed drive scheme has been simulated using Matlab/Simulink and physically realized for validation. A comparative analysis has been made between the conventional PI controller based drive and the proposed system in order to prove that the proposed scheme has an edge over the traditional PI controller scheme counterpart.
DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF STABILITY LIMITS AND POSTURAL STABILITY PROTOCOLS FOR A COMPUTERIZED DYNAMIC POSTUROGRAPHY

Upright balance control is an important human skill which can be impaired by aging and different disorders. Therefore, clinical and laboratory measures of balance assessment were established. The latest technology in the laboratory methods is a stabilometer with a computer or computerized dynamic posturography which assesses static and dynamic balance using body sways. A computerized dynamic posturographysystem consists of a computer and a stabilometer which is an unstable platform under patient's feet and calculates center of pressure on the platform to display it immediately on the screen. For these purposes, two protocols of "Limits of stability" (LOS) and "Postural stability" (PS) were designed and developed in the present study for a prefabricatedstabilometer with a max.of 20 degrees deviation from horizontal in all directions to achieve the mentioned purposes. The protocols calculate and display the person's functional characteristics that can be saved to the computer of computerized dynamic posturographyto demonstrate a diagram of the patient's functional progression. In addition to the balance assessment, the device improves balance and neuromuscular strength, and is useful in medicine, laboratory researches, physiotherapy and bodybuilding.
Sex-Biased Parasitism of Avian Hosts: Relations to Blood Parasite Taxon and Mating System

Immunosuppressive effects of testosterone lead to a rediction of male-biased parasitism. To test this prediction, prevalences of blood parasites were compared between male and female birds using statistically correct vote counts of data from 33 studies. We found no overall difference in prevalence between males and females, in either breeding or non-breeding birds. However, infections by Haemoproteus (the most common genus of blood parasite found) were significantly more common among breeding females than breeding males, Restricting the analysis to breeding birds of polygynous species, females again were more likely than males to be infected by blood parasites: this result held for an intra-family comparison that controlled for phylogenetic effects. In comparison, measures of sexual size dimorphism did not relate to sex biases in parasitism as predicted, after controlling for phylogeny using independent comparisons. Because testosterone is often implicated in suppressing the immune system, female biases in parasitism are unexpected. Female biases in parasitism by blood parasites could result from differential exposure of the sexes to vectors, or from oestrogen-based effects on immunity.
Dynamic capabilities in the dock: A case of reification?

In his award-winning So! apbox essay, Donald Hambrick observed that the strategic management field ‘is rapidly being pulled apart by centrifugal forces. Like a supernova that once packed a wallop, our energy is now dissipating and we are quickly growing cold’ (2004: 91), and included dynamic capabilities as one of the constructs that appeared to be most detrimental to the field’s stability. At first sight, as scholars interested in dynamic capabilities, we conceded that Hambrick appeared to be right. Navigating the literature we encountered a plethora of dynamic capability definitions, a countless number of capability types (e.g. R&D, marketing, etc.) labelled as ‘dynamic’ and a variety of formulaic expressions under the generic umbrella of ‘to adapt and change firms need dynamic capabilities’. Yet, after nearly two decades, a rising number of over 100 articles, special issues and conference presentations (Di Stefano et al., 2010) seem to suggest that dynamic capabilities were, instead, one of the centripetal forces that helped keep the field together. So we were faced with a puzzle: were dynamic capabilities the last flash of the dying supernova, or could they rather save strategic management from its anticipated self-destruction? More recently, dynamic capability research appears to have become an academic conversation polarized between equally passionate critics and supporters. Perhaps a paramount example is the exchange between Arend and Bromiley (A&B) and Helfat and Peteraf (H&P) on the future of dynamic capabilities published in Strategic Organization in 2009: whereas A&B suggested that the dynamic capability construct should be abandoned due to its weak theoretical foundations and inconsistencies, H&P called for further developmental efforts given the infancy of the field and its growing relevance. Not surprisingly, this paradigmatic match between advocates of rigour and defendants of relevance (Hirsch and Levin, 19991) has regularly appeared in Strategic Organization’s2 ‘Most-Read’ rankings, together with Hambrick’s (2004) call for the consolidation of strategic management. How to solve this dilemma, then: should we discard dynamic capabilities or persist with them? In the face of the possibility of either the demise of strategic management (Hambrick, 2004) or the discovery of its ‘Holy Grail’ (H&P, 2009: 99), we decided to let the evidence speak for itself. In this essay, we intervene in the debate between A&B and H&P to propose that a specific developmental process of conceptual and empirical work might explain their different assessment of dynamic capabilities. A remarkable number3 of prior reviews on dynamic capabilities have focused on conceptual inconsistencies and contradictions (e.g. Barreto, 2010), but have not taken fully into account the effects of a process which often leads researchers to cease ‘to specify the assumptions that underlie the concept or construct and treat it like a general-purpose solution to an increasing 457977 SOQ10410.1177/1476127012457977Strategic OrganizationGiudici and Reinmoeller 2012
Condiciones psicométricas de la Escala de Acontecimientos Vitales Estresantes usada en población colombiana

Objetivo. Determinar las condiciones psicométricas desde el modelo TRI y evaluar la permanencia a través del tiempo de su calidad métrica determinada desde la Teoría Clásica de los Test de la Escala de Acontecimientos Vitales Estresantes. Muestra. Fue de 1225 colombianos entre 17 y 64 años (M = 33.14; DT = 12.47) de edad y ambos sexos, estratificada por sexos y procedencia. Método. Se analizaron las condiciones psicométricas de la escala desde la Teoría de Respuesta al Ítem (TRI), se mejoró el formato de presentación, se definieron límites de interpretación de los puntajes, y se analizó la diferencia en el impacto psicológico provocado por cada evento de acuerdo al sexo. Resultados. Los resultados muestran que la escala cuenta con un nivel adecuado de validez y confiabilidad, que el cambio de formato facilita su diligenciamiento y que es necesario ratificar si existen diferencias de sexo que deben ser estudiadas.
A category of modules for the full toroidal Lie algebra

Toroidal Lie algebras are very natural multi-variable generalizations of affine Kac-Moody algebras. The theory of affine Lie algebras is rich and beautiful, having connections with diverse areas of mathematics and physics. Toroidal Lie algebras are also proving themselves to be useful for the applications. Frenkel, Jing and Wang [FJW] used representations of toroidal Lie algebras to construct a new form of the McKay correspondence. Inami et al., studied toroidal symmetry in the context of a 4-dimensional conformal field theory [IKUX], [IKU]. There are also applications of toroidal Lie algebras to soliton theory. Using representations of the toroidal algebras one can construct hierarchies of non-linear PDEs [B2], [ISW]. In particular, the toroidal extension of the Korteweg-de Vries hierarchy contains the Bogoyavlensky’s equation, which is not in the classical KdV hierarchy [IT]. One can use the vertex operator realizations to construct n-soliton solutions for the PDEs in these hierarchies. We hope that further development of the representation theory of toroidal Lie algebras will help to find new applications of this interesting class of algebras. The construction of a toroidal Lie algebra is totally parallel to the well-known construction of an (untwisted) affine Kac-Moody algebra [K1]. One starts with a finite-dimensional simple Lie algebra ġ and considers Fourier polynomial maps from an N + 1-dimensional torus into ġ. Setting tk = e ixk , we may identify the algebra of Fourier polynomials on a torus with the Laurent polynomial algebra R = C[t0 , t ± 1 , . , t ± N ], and the Lie algebra of the ġ-valued maps from a torus with the multi-loop algebra C[t±0 , t ± 1 , . , t ± N ] ⊗ ġ. When N = 0, this yields the usual loop algebra. Just as for the affine algebras, the next step is to build the universal central extension (R⊗ ġ)⊕K of R⊗ ġ. However unlike the affine case, the center K is infinite-dimensional when N ≥ 1. The infinite-dimensional center makes this Lie algebra highly degenerate. One can show, for example, that in an irreducible bounded weight module, most of the center should act trivially. To eliminate this degeneracy, we add the Lie algebra of vector fields on a torus, D = Der (R) to (R⊗ ġ)⊕K. The resulting algebra,
Unicam Activity Framework (UAF)

This presentation illustrates the framework of processing performance of the faculty of the University of Camerino. The evaluation criteria are explained and the technological structure that allows automatic performance assessment available online anywhere and anytime. The designed framework is usually applied to the performance evaluation of staff working for Universita di Camerino (ITALY). It has provided excellent results which were positively judged by those who underwent the assessment, who also found that it portrayed their work quite properly.