bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hargrove’s Ontological Argument for the Aesthetic Foundation of Wilderness Preservation
Authors: Gao Shan ,   Center for Environmental Philosophy, The University of North Texas
Published: September 2024

Hargrove’s ontological argument for Aesthetic Foundation of Wilderness Preservation was the extension of the thinking paradigm from human beings to moral consideration and aesthetic appreciation of wilderness. The thinking paradigm was based on the framework of traditional Western philosophy, which includes metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. In this article, I will examine Hargrove’s ontological argument by making a little comparison with the perspective of a Chinese philosophical framework. This paper will be divided into three parts. In the part I, I will summarize Hargrove’s ontological argument for natural beauty and environmental preservation. In part II, I will examine the metaphysical framework in Hargrove’s ontological argument. I argue it is the extension of Plato’s metaphysics of the ultimate reality to wilderness. In Part III, I will examine the ethical and aesthetic framework in his ontological argument. I point out Hargrove’s ethical framework comes from ethical rationalism and his aesthetic framework is the legacy of Plato’s aesthetics. By comparison, Chinese metaphysics stresses the process and Chinese ethics stresses care. The two different directions promote the aesthetic appreciation of agricultural land rather than wilderness.
Unpacking the Linkages Between Structural Violence and the Climate Crisis
Authors: Arenas-Garcia Nahuel ,   Center for Environmental Philosophy, The University of North Texas
Published: September 2024

The connections between structural violence and the climate crisis have received scant attention in the literature, despite their significant implications. Structural violence is deeply entrenched in our social, cultural, and economic systems, to the extent ordinary individuals, engaged in legal and routine activities, can become indirect participants in harming others. The climate crisis is not only an expression of structural violence but also deepens structural violence, creating a vicious cycle through multi-directional and self-reinforcing linkages. To address violent outcomes and resolve the climate crisis, we need to shift power relations at the heart of our social and cultural arrangements. Taking a structural lens has the power to radically change how we tackle the problem of climate change. Rather than focusing solely on state-level goals and ambitions, this lens highlights the moral gravity of the climate crisis, pressing for urgent action to address the violence exerted among ourselves as human beings and to the environment on which we depend.
Late Cancer Presentation and Increase Palliative Care Burden on Healthcare Delivery in Makurdi Benue State: A Need for Strategic Intervention
Authors:   Department of Surgery, Federal Medical Centre Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria, Inunduh Peteru Suega , Otene Samuel Anaja ,   Department of Radiology, Federal University of Health Science Otukpo, Benue State-Nigeria, Labe Ransome Msughve ,   Department of Oncology and Palliative Care, Federal Medical Centre Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria, Swende Laadi Terrumun , Daniel David Aondona , Ornguga Ohoizoje Bamidele , Akwaras Nndunno Asheku ,   Department of Family Medicine, Federal Medical Centre Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria, Popoola Benjamin Olayinka ,   Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Baze University Abuja, Nigeria, Ahmadu Tessy Oiza ,   Oncology Department Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, Nigeria, N. Rimamnunra Grace ,   Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Benue State University Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria, Njor Samuel Terkura ,   Branas Isaf. Care Tech Group, United Kingdom, Ayatse Doofan Ortese ,   Department of Internal Medicine, Benue State University Teaching Hospital Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria
Published: September 2024

The study employed a narrative review design for the purpose of identifying statistical findings on late-stage cancer diagnosis from previously published studies to use as evidence to describe the prevailing incidence of patients’ presenting with late-stage cancer disease in Benue State. The data were searched from journals indexed in Google scholar, Semantic scholar, ResearchGate, Cross-references, PubMed, DOAJ, and Abstract journals. The statistical results obtained from the review shows that, late-stage cancer presentation among people who develop the disease is a common situation in Nigeria. Specifically, to Benue State one among the few published studies reported that patients who had presented with advanced clinical diseases as evidenced by fungating masses, palpable axillary nodes, are indications of histologically established metastatic disease. Another study applying the FIGO Staging method revealed that (81.8%) presented with advanced stage disease ranging from stage IIb–IV and stage III disease was the commonest with (42.9%) of cases. A recent study revealed that (46.7%) of patients were diagnosed with stage II disease. Whereas (49.1%) presented with advanced stage III and (1.3%) stage IV disease respectively. Based on these evidences, is the pertinent need to solicit for a strategic intervention by various stakeholders in the health system to establish a specialized palliative care service facility in Benue State. Late cancer presentation is an eligible condition for palliative care; early and routine referral of cancer patients for palliative care will accord patients the benefits of enjoying improved QOL and delay of early death from the disease.
Advancements in Materials and Engineering Showcasing New Horizons
Authors: Godihal Jagdish H
Published: September 2024

In the vast landscape of engineering, innovation is the compass guiding us towards a future defined by sustainability, efficiency, and resilience. In this compilation, we embark on a journey through the frontiers of engineering, where researchers, practitioners, and visionaries converge to push the boundaries of possibility. From the sanitation mapping of public toilets to the assessment of thermal conductivity in cement concrete, each chapter offers a glimpse into the diverse tapestry of challenges and opportunities that define our modern world.
Evaluasi akuntabilitas dan transparansi pengelolaan Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Desa (APBDes) Desa Pineleng Dua Indah Kecamatan Pineleng
Authors: Kawatu Avelina Setyadeo Frerivili , Tirayoh Victorina Z , Datu Christian
Published: September 2024

Accountability can be interpreted as the embodiment of the duty of village government officials to be responsible for the management of village funds to achieve predetermined goals efficiently, effectively, and economically. The purpose of this research is to assess the accountability of Village Revenue and Expenditure Budget or APBDes in Pineleng Dua Indah Village and to assess the transparency of APBDes in Pineleng Dua Indah Village. This research was conducted in Pineleng Dua Indah Village, Pineleng District, Minahasa Regency using the descriptive analysis method, which is a type of data analysis used to describe, present, and summarise a set of data. The research found that the practice of village financial management in Pineleng Dua Indah Village shows good efforts to improve transparency, and accountability in the village's financial decision-making process.
Dynamique de la courbe des taux en réponse aux ajustements de la politique monétaire
Authors: AITBELLA Hicham , LAKHYAR Zouhair
Published: September 2024

Objectif : Cet article se concentre sur l'analyse des rendements des bons du Trésor sur le marché secondaire, mettant en lumière les dynamiques de la courbe des taux en réponse aux ajustements du taux directeur dans un contexte de politiques monétaires de plus en plus restrictives.
Méthodologie : La méthodologie adoptée dans cette investigation empirique repose sur une approche statistique pointue, analysant la variation temporelle des taux de rendement en fonction du taux directeur via la différence appelée techniquement le Spread.
Résultats : Les résultats soulignent la pertinence du spread comme outil d'analyse des marchés des taux. Nous avons observé une sensibilité marquée des maturités courtes aux ajustements du taux directeur, révélant une réactivité rapide des investisseurs cherchant à tirer profit. Parallèlement, une prime de risque importante caractérise les échéances longues, suggérant une anticipation accrue des risques dans ce segment de la courbe.
Originalité : L'intérêt de cette étude réside dans son analyse approfondie de la relation entre la courbe des taux et la politique monétaire à travers l'utilisation du spread, un aspect peu exploré par les chercheurs et les professionnels. Néanmoins, cette mesure, à la fois simple et efficace, représente un outil essentiel pour les acteurs des marchés financiers en matière d'analyse et de prévision des taux de rendement.
Acquiescement de l’intelligence artificielle par les préparateurs de comptes
Authors: MIMCHE KOUOTOU Anicet Clément
Published: September 2024

Objet : L’objet de ce papier est d’analyser les enjeux de l’adoption de l’intelligence artificielle par les préparateurs de comptes, ceci pour contourner les erreurs de comptabilité, le manque de transparence, les retards dans la préparation des états financiers, la « non-conformité » aux réglementations comptables et le manque de compétences dans la pratique de la comptabilité.
Méthodologie : Pour faire ce travail, nous nous sommes servi du modèle d’acceptation de la technologie de Davis (1989).
Résultats : A la fin de nos analyses on retient que l’IA peut être une solution efficace pour résoudre les problèmes auxquels sont confrontés les comptables d’entreprises.  
Originalité du papier : En automatisant les tâches répétitives, en détectant les erreurs et les fraudes, en améliorant les prévisions financières, en assistant à la conformité réglementaire et en améliorant l’efficacité, l’IA peut aider les comptables à être plus efficaces et à prendre des décisions plus éclairées.
Financement islamique et performance financière des PME
Authors: OUSMANA Youssouf , MANDENG MA NTAMACK Jules
Published: September 2024

Objectif : Ce papier vise à analyser dans quelle mesure le financement islamique peut contribuer à la performance financière des PME.
Méthode : Pour de satisfaire cet objectif, nous avons mené une enquête quantitative auprès de 48 PME après avoir effectué une étude exploratoire portant sur 8 entreprises qui nous a permis de mieux affiner les échelles de mesure de nos concepts.
Résultat : Il ressort de l’analyse de la régression que le financement islamique à travers sa dimension niveau d’endettement islamique de l’entreprise influence positivement la performance financière.
Originalité/pertinence : dépasser l’analyse de la structure financière des entreprises selon la logique de contingence, dettes bancaires et capitaux propres, pour s’intéresser à d’autres formes de financement dans l’explication de la performance financière des entreprises. Cette étude s’inscrivant dans le prolongement de débat sur la structure financière des entreprises (Modigliani et Miller, 1963 ; Kraus et Litzenberger, 1973 ; Myers et Majluf, 1984) et de la finance islamique (Maududi, 1947 ; Martens, 2001 ; Causse, 2010) met en exergue le rôle du financement islamique sur la performance financière des PME.
Revealing the Tapestry of Control Configurations
Authors: TENENG Hippolyte nkeng , NGANTCHOU Alexis
Published: September 2024

Purpose: Imagine control configurations within SMEs in Cameroon as a vibrant tapestry, intricately woven with various threads of managerial practices and systems. The aim of this work is to unravel this tapestry and shed light on the interconnected elements that constitute control configurations in the context of SMEs in Cameroon.
Method: This study is exploratory and thus, follows a qualitative/abduction approach to explore an uncover control practices and contextual variables in SMEs in the Cameroon context and to understand the way they interact in a package. The population of our study is made up of top management team (general managers or chief executive officers, internal and external accountants, management controllers, financial and operational managers) of SMEs in Cameroon. Therefore, semi structured interviews were used on 25 top management teams from 20 SMEs in the cities of Douala, Bafoussam and Bamenda for data collection. Data collected were analysed using the Qualitative Comparative Analysis, a set theoretic method designed to compare multiple cases in terms of complex configurations of attributes and outcomes. NVivo 12 and fsQCA software were used as data analysis tools.
Findings: From the analysis, findings revealed six control configurations used by top managers in the Cameroon SMEs labelled as holistic, soft-driven, police-based, semi engaged, mechanistic and formation.
Originality: This study is one of the first in the SME context in Africa. This work explores and uncover the configuration of management control systems operating as a package in SME that leads to superior performance.
Reviewers Acknowledgements
Authors: HENCHIRI Jamel Eddine
Published: September 2024

Reviewers Acknowledgements
Determinants of financial inclusion and the impact of COVID-19 in the Latin America and Caribbean
Authors: ONYINA Paul
Published: September 2024

Purpose: The study examines the determinants of financial inclusion and the impact of COVID-19 in the Latin America and the Caribbean during the pandemic.
Methodology: It uses the database from the World Bank’s Global Findex 2021 collected during the COVID-19 pandemic on eight Caribbean countries to run logit regression to investigate the determinants and how COVID-19 influenced financial inclusion.
Results: On the main determinants, the study found that female and lower income group individuals have low financial exclusion rate though financial inclusion increases with increase income.
 Originality of the Paper: The study used data collected during COVID-19 era to investigate how the pandemic affected financial inclusion which is one fo the first of its kind.
Financial Inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean during the COVID pandemic
Authors: OZILI Peterson K.
Published: September 2024

Purpose: This paper provides an overview of financial inclusion in the Latin America and Caribbean region during the COVID pandemic based on 2021 Global Findex data.
Methodology: The study used descriptive data analysis to show the trend in financial inclusion during the pandemic.
Results: The study found that there was low level of financial inclusion in the LAC region. Account ownership and formal savings of the LAC region were below the world average in all population categories during the pandemic. The female, poor and uneducated population were the most adversely affected during the pandemic. This calls for urgent need to accelerate recovery from the pandemic and increase financial inclusion interventions for the vulnerable members of the population in the LAC region.
Originality: Existing financial inclusion studies focusing on LAC countries have not provided an overview of the state of financial inclusion in Latin America and Caribbean countries during the COVID pandemic. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the current state of financial inclusion in the Latin American and Caribbean region during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Transaction électronique : un facteur d’inclusion financière en zone CEMAC pendant la COVID-19
Authors: FOGO PAWO Romain , TSIAZE MOUAFFO Charlie
Published: September 2024

Objectif : décrire l’évolution des transactions de monnaie électronique en mettant en relief les motifs de transactions afin de déduire les effets sur l’inclusion financière dans un contexte de covid 19.
Méthode : pour cette étude nous avons fait recours aux chiffres contenu dans les récents rapports de la Banque des Etats d’Afrique Centrale sur les services de paiement en monnaie électronique de la CEMAC pour la période 2011 à 2020, et les analyses descriptives ont été effectuer.
 Résultats : Il en ressort de la description des chiffres, une évolution ascendante plus accentuée à partir de l’année 2019 quant aux points de distributions, du nombre et valeur de transaction en monnaie électronique notamment dans les pays comme le Cameroun, Gabon et Congo. Ces résultats traduisent les difficultés liées à l’accès aux services financiers traditionnels ; difficultés qui semblent être remédier par les services de monnaie électronique (FMI, 2020a).
Originalité :
Cette étude réconforte l’idée selon laquelle les transactions en monnaie électronique sont des facteurs d’inclusion financière dans la sous-région CEMAC et le motif le plus prépondérant étant le paiement des factures d’électricité, qui a considérable réduit les files d’attente observer par le passé devant les caisses de la société d’électricité et la pandémie du COVID-19 a été un facteur d’accélération de la transformation numérique.
Preface
Authors: HENCHIRI Jamel Eddine
Published: September 2024

Preface
A Taste of Racket
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

or, How I Learned to Love Functional Programming We recognize that not every reader has an appreciation for functional programming. Yet here on this blog, we’ve done most of our work in languages teeming with functional paradigms. It’s time for us to take a stand and shout from the digital mountaintops, “I love functional programming!” In fact, functional programming was part of this author’s inspiration for Math ∩ Programming.
Number of Games in a Tournament
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: 1000 players compete in a tournament. In each round, players are matched with opponents, and the winner proceeds to the next round. If there are an odd number of players in a round, one player chosen at random sits out of that round. What is the total number of games are played in the tournament? Solution: 999. Each player loses exactly one game, except for the winner of the tournament.
Number Theory—A Primer
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

This primer exists for the background necessary to read our post on RSA encryption, but it also serves as a general primer to number theory. Oh, Numbers, Numbers, Numbers We start with some easy definitions.
P vs. NP, A Primer (And a Proof Written in Racket)
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Decidability Versus Efficiency In the early days of computing theory, the important questions were primarily about decidability. What sorts of problems are beyond the power of a Turing machine to solve? As we saw in our last primer on Turing machines, the halting problem is such an example: it can never be solved a finite amount of time by a Turing machine.
Turing Machines and Conway's Dreams
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Additional Patterns Last time we left the reader with the assertion that Conway’s game of life does not always stabilize. Specifically, there exist patterns which result in unbounded cell population growth. Although John Conway’s original conjecture was that all patterns eventually stabilize (and offered $50 to anyone who could provide a proof or counterexample), he was proven wrong.
Google's Page Rank—Why it Doesn't Work Anymore
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

A Bully By Any Other Name From the New York Times: “Shopping online in late July, Clarabelle Rodriguez typed the name of her favorite eyeglass brand into Google’s search bar. In moments, she found the perfect frames — made by a French company called Lafont — on a Web site that looked snazzy and stood at the top of the search results.
Busy Beavers, and the Quest for Big Numbers
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Finding Bigger Numbers, a Measure of Human Intellectual Progress Before we get into the nitty gritty mathematics, I’d like to mirror the philosophical and historical insights that one can draw from the study of large numbers. That may seem odd at first. What does one even mean by “studying” a large number?
Random (Psychedelic) Art
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

And a Pinch of Python Next semester I am a lab TA for an introductory programming course, and it’s taught in Python. My Python experience has a number of gaps in it, so we’ll have the opportunity for a few more Python primers, and small exercises to go along with it. This time, we’ll be investigating the basics of objects and classes, and have some fun with image construction using the Python Imaging Library.
The Perceptron, and All the Things it Can't Perceive
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

This post assumes some basic familiarity with Euclidean geometry and linear algebra. Though we do not assume so much knowledge as is contained in our primer on inner product spaces, we will be working with the real Euclidean inner product. For the purpose of this post, it suffices to know about the “dot product” of two vectors. The General Problem One of the main problems in machine learning is to classify data.
Tiling a Chessboard with Dominoes (Opposite Colors Removed)
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

This is a natural follow-up to our first gallery entry on the impossibility of tiling certain chessboards with dominoes. Problem: Suppose we remove two squares from a chessboard which have opposite color. Is it possible to tile the remaining squares with 2-by-1 dominoes?
The Smallest Non-Cyclic Simple Group has Order 60
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Preamble: This proof is not particularly elegant or insightful. However, it belongs in this gallery for two reasons. First, it is an example of the goal of most mathematics: to classify things. In the same way that all natural numbers can be built up from primes, every group can be built up from simple groups. So if we want to understand all groups, it suffices to understand the simple ones.
False Proof—The Reals are Countable
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

It seems that false proofs are quickly becoming some of the most popular posts on Math ∩ Programming. I have been preparing exciting posts on applications of graph coloring, deck stacking, and serial killers. Unfortunately, each requires resources which exist solely on my home desktop, which is currently dismantled in California while I am on vacation in Costa Rica.
Turing Machines—A Primer
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Last time we saw some models for computation, and saw in turn how limited they were.
Dynamic Time Warping for Sequence Comparison
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: Write a program that compares two sequences of differing lengths for similarity.
K-Nearest-Neighbors and Handwritten Digit Classification
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

The Recipe for Classification One important task in machine learning is to classify data into one of a fixed number of classes. For instance, one might want to discriminate between useful email and unsolicited spam. Or one might wish to determine the species of a beetle based on its physical attributes, such as weight, color, and mandible length.
Double Angle Trigonometric Formulas
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: Derive the double angle identities $$\sin(2\theta) = 2\sin(\theta)\cos(\theta)\\ \cos(2\theta) = \cos^2(\theta) – \sin^2(\theta)$$ Solution: Recall from linear algebra how one rotates a point in the plane. The matrix of rotation (derived by seeing where $ (1,0)$ and $ (0,1)$ go under a rotation by $ \theta$, and writing those coordinates in the columns) is $$A = \begin{pmatrix} \cos(\theta) & -\sin(\theta) \\ \sin(\theta) &
Handshake Lemma
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: Prove or disprove: at a party of $ n$ people, there must be an even number of people who have an odd number of friends at the party. Solution: Let $ P$ be the set of all people, and for any person $ p \in P$, let $ d(p)$ be the number of friends that person has. Let $ f$ be the total number of friendships between pairs of people at the party.
Set Theory—A Primer
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

It’s often that a student’s first exposure to rigorous mathematics is through set theory, as originally studied by Georg Cantor. This means we will not treat set theory axiomatically (as in ZF set theory), but rather we will take the definition of a set for granted, and allow any operation to be performed on a set. This will be clear when we present examples, and it will be clear why this is a bad idea when we present paradoxes.
The Discrete Fourier Transform — A Primer
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

So here we are. We have finally made it to a place where we can transition with confidence from the classical continuous Fourier transform to the discrete version, which is the foundation for applications of Fourier analysis to programming. Indeed, we are quite close to unfurling the might of the Fast Fourier Transform algorithm, which efficiently computes the discrete Fourier transform.
The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra (with the Fundamental Group)
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

This post assumes familiarity with some basic concepts in algebraic topology, specifically what a group is and the definition of the fundamental group of a topological space. The fundamental theorem of algebra has quite a few number of proofs (enough to fill a book!). In fact, it seems a new tool in mathematics can prove its worth by being able to prove the fundamental theorem in a different way.
Learning Programming — Finger-Painting and Killing Zombies
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

By the end, the breadth and depth of our collective knowledge was far beyond what anyone could expect from any high school course in any subject. Education Versus Exploration I’m a lab TA for an introductory Python programming course this semester, and it’s been…depressing.
The Square Root of 2 is Irrational (Geometric Proof)
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: Show that $ \sqrt{2}$ is an irrational number (can’t be expressed as a fraction of integers). Solution: Suppose to the contrary that $ \sqrt{2} = a/b$ for integers $ a,b$, and that this representation is fully reduced, so that $ \textup{gcd}(a,b) = 1$. Consider the isosceles right triangle with side length $ b$ and hypotenuse length $ a$, as in the picture on the left.
N Choose 2 is the Sum of the First N-1 Integers
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: Determine an arithmetic expression for $ \binom{n}{2}$. Solution: The following picture describes a bijection between the set of yellow dots and the set of pairs of purple dots: In particular, selecting any yellow dots and travelling downward along diagonals gives a unique pair of blue dots. Conversely, picking any pair of blue dots gives a unique yellow dot which is the meeting point (the “peak”) of the inward diagonals.
Caching (and Memoization)
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: Remember results of a function call which requires a lot of computation. Solution: (in Python) def memoize(f): cache = {} def memoizedFunction(*args): if args not in cache: cache[args] = f(*args) return cache[args] memoizedFunction.cache = cache return memoizedFunction @memoize def f(): ... Discussion: You might not use monoids or eigenvectors on a daily basis, but you use caching far more often than you may know.
Three Circles and Collinear Centers of Dilation
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: Suppose their are three circles in the plane of distinct radii. For any two of these circles, we may find their center of dilation as the intersection point of their common tangents. For example, in the following picture we mark the three centers of dilation for each pair of circles: We notice that the three centers of dilation are collinear. Show they are always collinear for any three non-intersecting circles of distinct radii.
False Proof—All Horses are the Same Color
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: Show that all horses are of the same color. “Solution”: We will show, by induction, that for any set of $ n$ horses, every horse in that set has the same color. Suppose $ n=1$, this is obviously true. Now suppose for all sets of $ n$ horses, every horse in the set has the same color. Consider any set $ H$ of $ n+1$ horses. We may pick a horse at random, $ h_1 \in H$, and remove it from the set, getting a set of $ n$ horses.
Metrics on Words
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

We are about to begin a series where we analyze large corpora of English words. In particular, we will use a probabilistic analysis of Google’s ngrams to solve various tasks such as spelling correction, word segmentation, on-line typing prediction, and decoding substitution ciphers. This will hopefully take us on a wonderful journey through elementary probability, dynamic programming algorithms, and optimization.
Numerical Integration
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Rectangles, Trapezoids, and Simpson’s I just wrapped up a semester of calculus TA duties, and I thought it would be fun to revisit the problem of integration from a numerical standpoint.
False Proof—31.5 = 32.5
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: Show 31.5 = 32.5. “Solution”: Explanation: It appears that by shifting around the pieces of one triangle, we have constructed a second figure which covers less area!
The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra (with Galois Theory)
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

This post assumes familiarity with some basic concepts in abstract algebra, specifically the terminology of field extensions, and the classical results in Galois theory and group theory. The fundamental theorem of algebra has quite a few number of proofs (enough to fill a book!). In fact, it seems a new tool in mathematics can prove its worth by being able to prove the fundamental theorem in a different way.
Metric Spaces — A Primer
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

The Blessing of Distance We have often mentioned the idea of a “metric” on this blog, and we briefly described a formal definition for it. Colloquially, a metric is simply the mathematical notion of a distance function, with certain well-behaved properties.
The Fast Fourier Transform
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

It’s often said that the Age of Information began on August 17, 1964 with the publication of Cooley and Tukey’s paper, “An Algorithm for the Machine Calculation of Complex Fourier Series.” They published a landmark algorithm which has since been called the Fast Fourier Transform algorithm, and has spawned countless variations.
Streaming Median
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: Compute a reasonable approximation to a “streaming median” of a potentially infinite sequence of integers. Solution: (in Python) def streamingMedian(seq): seq = iter(seq) m = 0 for nextElt in seq: if m > nextElt: m -= 1 elif m < nextElt: m += 1 yield m Discussion: Before we discuss the details of the Python implementation above, we should note a few things.
Graduate Studies
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

I want to thank all my readers for visiting Math ∩ Programming as often as you do, and doubly thank those who are kind enough to leave a comment. UIC's east side campus. My office building is unseen, to the left of this picture. Unfortunately over the next few weeks I may not have time to do work as much on this blog as I have in the past two months.
n-Colorability is Equivalent to Finite n-Colorability (A Formal Logic Proof)
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Warning: this proof requires a bit of familiarity with the terminology of propositional logic and graph theory. Problem: Let $ G$ be an infinite graph. Show that $ G$ is $ n$-colorable if and only if every finite subgraph $ G_0 \subset G$ is $ n$-colorable.
In Place Uniform Shuffle
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: Write a program that shuffles a list. Do so without using more than a constant amount of extra space and linear time in the size of the list.
Eigenfaces, for Facial Recognition
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

This post assumes familiarity with the terminology and notation of linear algebra, particularly inner product spaces. Fortunately, we have both a beginner’s primer on linear algebra and a follow-up primer on inner products. The Quest We are on a quest to write a program which recognizes images of faces. The general algorithm should be as follows. Get a bunch of sample images of people we want to recognize.
Programming Primers—An Introduction
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

So far on this blog we’ve assumed familiarity with the programming languages used (at the time of this writing, this is Mathematica and Java). This is unfair for the mathematicians who have little to no programming experience, and we admit that some readers tend to skim those technical sections with source code.
Tiling a Chessboard
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Problem: Take a chessboard and cut off two opposite corners. Is it possible to completely tile the remaining board with 2-by-1 dominoes? Solution: Notice that every domino covers exactly one white tile and one black tile. Counting up the colors, we have 32 white and 30 black. Hence, any tiling by 2-by-1 dominoes will leave two extra white squares unaccounted for. So no such tiling is possible. Problem: Cut one corner off a chessboard.
Other Complexity Classes
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

Not Just Time, But Space Too! So far on this blog we’ve introduced models for computation, focused on Turing machines and given a short overview of the two most fundamental classes of problems: P and NP. While the most significant open question in the theory of computation is still whether P = NP, it turns out that there are hundreds (almost 500, in fact!) other “classes” of problems whose relationships are more or less unknown.
Hunting Serial Killers
Authors: Kun Jeremy
Published: September 2024

“Tonight’s the Night” A large volume of research goes into the psychological and behavioral analysis of criminals. In particular, serial criminals hold a special place in the imagination and nightmares of the general public (at least, American public). Those criminals with the opportunity to become serial criminals are logical, cool-tempered, methodical, and, of course, dangerous.
Clinical characteristics and outcome of the treatment of critically ill patients with abdominal sepsis
Authors: Salonski Leona , Uvelin Arsen , Popović Radmila
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Abdominal infections are common causes of sepsis and septic shock in the intensive care unit (ICU), which are often associated with negative outcomes. Aim: To determine the clinical characteristics of patients with abdominal sepsis, as well as the significance of causes thereof, therapeutic procedures in the ICU, and length of hospital stay related with abdominal sepsis treated at the Clinic for Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, and Pain Therapy from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. Material and Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Clinic for Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, and Pain Therapy, University Clinical Center of Vojvodina (UCCV). By reviewing medical records, 60 patients of both genders with abdominal sepsis were analyzed. Results: Of the 60 patients, 42% were female, while 58% were male, with an average age of 68 years. Of the total number of patients, 38.3% survived, while 61.7% died. Perforation of a hollow organ accounted for 45% of hospitalizations. The mortality rate in the ICU was 65%. Conclusion: Using multivariate logistic regression, we obtained two independent predictors of fatal outcomes with a constant. Together, in the interaction of age ≥65 years and perforations, they increase the probability of a fatal outcomes for about 5.4 times, while vasopressor therapy increases the probability of fatal outcomes about 12 times compared to patients without vasopressor therapy; mortality was statistically higher in patients who required longer mechanical ventilation and in those who were hospitalized longer in the ICU.
Patient blood management: Team working between clinical transfusiology and clinical pharmacology
Authors: Nikolić Ljubinka , Čolak Emina , Janković Slobodan , Marković Srđan , Kastratović Dragana
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Blood transfusion is the process of donating blood or blood components from a donor to a recipient of blood or blood components. Clinical pharmacology is a medical discipline created in the 20th century, that implies the most effective application of drugs, and it could be considered the culmination of all therapeutic procedures in medicine, or simply in the preservation of human health. Methods: Online search of pharmacology and transfusion literature was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Scopus databases. Topic: Patient blood management (PBM) is a multidisciplinary multimodal patient-centered approach designed to minimize the use of allogeneic blood components in order to improve the clinical outcome of patient treatment. PBM consists of 3 main pillars with specific clinical goals. 1) First pillar: increasing red cell mass including clinical-pharmacological correction such as erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA) - iron and another drugs and optimizing the time for surgical intervention in relation to achieving the required hemoglobin value; 2) Second pillar: minimize blood loss through an adequate selection of surgical and anesthetic techniques, treatment with tranexamic acid (TXA) and autologous blood salvage, and the use of blood substitutes, 3) Third pillar: increasing the patient's tolerance to anemia through maximum improvement of pulmonary and cardiac function, optimizing ventilation, oxygenation and restrictive application of blood components. Clinically it is clear that clinical transfusiology and clinical pharmacology are part of each other originating from the fact that the use of classical medicine as well as the therapeutic use of blood achieves a therapeutic effect in order to improve the clinical status of the patient. Conclusion: Patient blood management implies health teams composed of clinical pharmacologist and clinical transfusiologist with other health care specialists making successful healthcare institutions. The most important thing is to monitor the development of new drugs, new transfusion solutions, and in this area, be especially careful when applying new drugs because of serious side effects that may occur. The agility of PBM is reflected in three pillars that must be harmonized and require continuous team education.
Is true robot autonomy possible? (a philosophical consideration)
Authors: Agatonović Miloš
Published: September 2024

The paper aims to demonstrate that autonomy in action requires self-location so that it is possible to construct autonomous systems only if they are capable of self-localization. The paper briefly presents the history of the idea of humanoid robots, and then in the main part it conceptually discusses the question of the possibility of robot autonomy starting from the problem of indexicals. The paper starts from John Perry's thesis that indexicals are necessary for action, and subsequently, presents Jenann Ismael's concept of an agent representing an information system in which indexical information, for example in self-location, connects an information model with the environment. The paper points to examples of robots, such as the Figure 01 model, as systems described by Ismael, which are capable of autonomously performing actions as well as of self-locating.
Responsible and ethical application of artificial intelligence systems in healthcare through a case study in diagnostics and personalized medicine
Authors: Milovanović Dragorad
Published: September 2024

The paper discusses new challenges of responsible and ethical application of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in healthcare. Academic research and commercial development focused on medicine are showing exponential growth; however, regulatory requirements for clinical use and commercial introduction are progressing more slowly. After classifying AI applications and identifying challenges and risks, a case study in diagnostics and personalized medicine is presented. The main result is a clear overview of the upcoming trends in medicine that can help legislators prepare to create new regulations and ethical principles of practice for new AI technologies. It is essential that technical experts, policy makers, legislators and other decision-makers accept responsibility.
Fear of artificial intelligence initiated by religious feelings
Authors: Prodić Slobodan
Published: September 2024

Artificial intelligence is a specific phenomenon which largely affects modern society. Being a relatively recent phenomenon, inside communities undergoing the desecularization process, artificial intelligence inevitably leads to the question as to how and in what way it has been accepted by believing people. Believers' opinions about artificial intelligence are divided. In a number of them it causes fear and extremely negative feelings. The most frequent reason for it is the insufficient familiarity about what artificial intelligence is and what its place in modern society is. As for religious communities, huge responsibility about the attitude towards artificial intelligence is actually assumed by clergy and their willingness to speak about it to people they have been entrusted with for spiritual guidance.
A new paradigm of education and potentials of artificial intelligence
Authors: Mandić Danimir
Published: September 2024

This paper addresses the possibility of using artificial intelligence (AI) in education and establishing rules, restrictions and procedures for the safe use of AI in different fields. In the past two decades, we have been trying to improve educational technology by using multimedia, hypermedia, virtual and extended reality, as well as educational software. It has led to the raised quality of learning, increased dynamics and obviousness of the teaching process, as well as encouraged motivation of students. In the past few years, the possibilities of using AI in education have been researched, particularly in the sphere of personalized learning, more dynamic teaching, as well as complex evaluation of students' work. The paper analyzes the benefits, challenges and risks in relation to the use of AI in education and emphasizes the importance of maintaining balance between AI and human interaction. It also analyzes the use of robots in education with the aim of encouraging creativity and critical thinking, as well as developing problem-solving skills through the development of algorithm thinking. In the past year, the application of ChatGPT has been intensified in education and that is why it is necessary to define rules and procedures in which this technology would contribute to teaching and learning.
Computer modelling and artificial intelligence with big data for better diagnostics and therapy of cardiovascular disease
Authors: Filipović Nenad
Published: September 2024

In silico clinical trials are the future of medicine and virtual testing and simulation are the future of medical engineering. The use of a computational platform can reduce costs and time required for developing new models of medical devices and drugs. The computational platform in different projects, such as SILICOFCM, was developed using state-of-the-art finite element modelling for macro simulation of fluid-structure interaction with micro modelling at the molecular level for drug interaction with the cardiac cells. SILICOFCM platform is used for risk prediction and optimal drug therapy of familial cardiomyopathy in a specific patient. STRATIFYHF project is to develop and clinically validate a truly innovative AI-based Decision Support System for predicting the risk of heart failure, facilitating its early diagnosis and progression prediction that will radically change how heart failure is managed in both primary and secondary care. This rapid expansion in computer modelling, image modalities and data collection, leads to a generation of so-called "Big Data" which are time-consuming to be analyzed by medical experts. In order to obtain 3D image reconstruction, the U-net architecture was used to determine geometric parameters for the left ventricle which were extracted from the echocardiographic apical and M-mode views. A micro-mechanics cellular model which includes three kinetic processes of sarcomeric proteins interactions was developed. It allows simulation of the drugs which are divided into three major groups defined by the principal action of each drug. The presented results were obtained with the parametric model of the left ventricle, where pressure-volume (PV) diagrams depend on the change of Ca2+. It directly affects the ejection fraction. The presented approach with the variation of the left ventricle (LV) geometry and simulations which include the influence of different parameters on the PV diagrams are directly interlinked with drug effects on the heart function. It includes different drugs such as Entresto and Digoxin that directly affect the cardiac PV diagrams and ejection fraction. Computational platforms such as the SILICOFCM and STRATIFYHF platforms are novel tools for risk prediction of cardiac disease in a specific patient that will certainly open a new avenue for in silico clinical trials in the future.
Assesment of degree of monopolization of insurance sector in Serbia in the period 2011-2022
Authors: Bukvić Rajko
Published: September 2024

This article deals with the matter of determining the level of monopolization in the insurance sector of Central Serbia during the period 2011-2022. The basis of the research were data on the total insurance premium of insurance companies, for which we calculated the market concentration coefficient and the Hirschman-Herfindahl Index (HHI), as the most popular and most commonly used measures of concentration. Their values show a (relatively) high level of concentration, but without clear tendencies in its movement, and with minimal decline overall. Based on the equivalent number, as the reciprocal (inverse) value of the HHI coefficient, an index called the monopoly market ratio or boundary index of market monopolization was proposed, showing the degree to which the market is monopolized. The values of this index during the observed period range from around 75 to 60, with a clear downward tendency, significantly more intense than the minimal decline in the concentration coefficient values. This indicates that the insurance market in Serbia is reducing the influence of monopolistic (and oligopolistic) structures during the given period and is becoming increasingly competitive, despite the decrease in the number of insurance companies in the first half of the observed period and their unaltered number since 2018.
Employees as market segment and brand ambassadors of insurance companies
Authors: Slijepčević Milica , Alimpić Stefan , Madić Vladan
Published: September 2024

The role of employees is crucial in supporting the development of any company. The attitude of employees towards the company they work for is of particular significance, as is whether they are the first to willingly buy the company's products and services. In this way, the product or service receives a very important endorsement, in quality terms, and gains a competitive advantage on the market. The paper before you will showcase a successful example of employees' attitudes towards an insurance service offered by one such successful company, a leader on the local insurance market and its comprehensive household insurance product named the "home guard" package. The authors of the paper applied the Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) research method, with 37.1% of employees participating and expressing their views on the newly created insurance policy or service. The obtained results, based on a smaller sample, showed that almost all of the employees are aware of the "home guard" insurance policy (99%), and that the level of satisfaction of the respondents employed with the company regarding all aspects of the relevant policy was above 75%.