bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COMPARISON OF IMAGE ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR RAPID PROCESSING OF POST FLOOD IMAGES
Authors: Harichandana M. , Sowmya V. , Sajithvariyar V. V. , Sivanpillai R.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. Satellite images are widely used for assessing the areal extent of flooded areas. However, presence of clouds and shadow limit the utility of these images. Numerous digital algorithms are available for enhancing such images and highlighting areas of interest. These algorithms range from simple to complex, and the time required to process these images also varies considerably. For disaster response, it is important to select an algorithm that can enhance the quality of the images in relatively short time. This study compared the relative performance of five traditional (Histogram Equalization, Local Histogram Equalization, Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization, Gamma Correction, and Linear Contrast Stretch) algorithms for enhancing post-flood satellite images. Flood images with different levels of clouds and shadows were enhanced and output generated were evaluated in terms of processing time and quality as measured by Blind/Reference less Image Spatial Quality Evaluator (BRISQUE), a no-reference image quality metric. Findings from this study will provide valuable information to image analysts for selecting a suitable algorithm for rapidly processing post-flood satellite images.
THE ACCESSIBILITY AND SPATIAL PATTERNS OF GREEN OPEN SPACE BASED ON GIS
Authors: Liu D. , Shi Y.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. Studies show that the green open space (GOS) is beneficial to visitors' mental and physical health and has positive social values. This study took four global cities as examples, namely Shanghai, Tokyo, New York and London. The per capita area, the coverage rate and the availability of GOS were calculated in this study. Then the GOS was classified according to the scales and morphological features. And the author analyzed the relations between availability and spatial patterns. The results showed that the four cities could be classified into two classes. Shanghai and Tokyo are high-population-density cities with medium GOS coverage and availability, and New York and London are medium-population-density cities with high GOS coverage and availability. It was found that the high GOS coverage rate did not necessarily lead to a higher availability. Shanghai and London could increase the amount of small GOS to ease the shortage of availability. And London and Tokyo could consider adding linear GOS to improve the connectivity of GOS.
IDENTIFYING EPIPHYTES IN DRONES PHOTOS WITH A CONDITIONAL GENERATIVE ADVERSARIAL NETWORK (C-GAN)
Authors: Shashank A. , Sajithvariyar V. V. , Sowmya V. , Soman K. P. , Sivanpillai R. , Brown G. K.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) missions often collect large volumes of imagery data. However, not all images will have useful information, or be of sufficient quality. Manually sorting these images and selecting useful data are both time consuming and prone to interpreter bias. Deep neural network algorithms are capable of processing large image datasets and can be trained to identify specific targets. Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) consist of two competing networks, Generator and Discriminator that can analyze, capture, and copy the variations within a given dataset. In this study, we selected a variant of GAN called Conditional-GAN that incorporates an additional label parameter, for identifying epiphytes in photos acquired by a UAV in forests within Costa Rica. We trained the network with 70%, 80%, and 90% of 119 photos containing the target epiphyte, Werauhia kupperiana (Bromeliaceae) and validated the algorithm’s performance using a validation data that were not used for training. The accuracy of the output was measured using structural similarity index measure (SSIM) index and histogram correlation (HC) coefficient. Results obtained in this study indicated that the output images generated by C-GAN were similar (average SSIM = 0.89–0.91 and average HC 0.97–0.99) to the analyst annotated images. However, C-GAN had difficulty to identify when the target plant was away from the camera, was not well lit, or covered by other plants. Results obtained in this study demonstrate the potential of C-GAN to reduce the time spent by botanists to identity epiphytes in images acquired by UAVs.
Variability of lightning hazard over Indian region with respect to
ENSO Phases
Authors: Avaronthan Veettil Sreenath , Sukumarapillai Abhilash , Pattathil Vijaykumar
Published: November 2020

Abstract. The El-Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) modulates the lightning flash rate (LFR) variability over India during pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons. The impact of ENSO phases on the LFR over the Indian subcontinent is studied using the data obtained from Optical Transient Detector and Lightning Imaging Sensors onboard the TRMM satellite. The study shows that irrespective of ENSO phases, the LFR is maximum over northeast India (NEI) in the pre-monsoon season, and the peak is shifted to the north of northwest India (NNWI) in the monsoon season. The LFR over Northeast India (NEI) and southern peninsular India (SPI) intensified (reduced) during the warm (cold) phase of ENSO in the pre-monsoon season. In the monsoon season, NEI (NNWI) is showing above normal LFR in the warm (cold) ENSO phase. It is fascinating that the three hotspots of LFR over the Indian land region became more prominent in the last decade of the monsoon season. A widespread increase of LFR is observed all over India during the warm phase of ENSO in the post-monsoon season. However, a marked increase in the LFR is confined mostly over the NNWI in the cold ENSO phase. The subtropical westerly jet stream is shifted south in association with the warm phase, and an increase in the geopotential height (GPH) is also noticed all over India in the same period. ENSO’s warm phase indirectly influences the LFR over India during the post-monsoon season by pushing the mean position of subtropical westerly towards south latitudes.
Online Urban Waterlogging Monitoring Based on Recurrent Neural
Network for Classification of Microblogging Text
Authors: Liu Hui , Hao Ya , Zhang Wenhao , Zhang Hanyue , Gao Fei , Tong Jinping
Published: November 2020

Abstract. With the global climate change and rapid urbanization, urban flood disaster spreads and becomes increasingly serious in China. The urban rainstorm and waterlogging have become an urgent challenge that needs to be real-time monitored and further predicted for the improvement of urbanization construction. In this paper, we trained a recurrent neural network (RNN) model to classify microblogging posts related to urban waterlogging, and establish an online monitoring system of urban waterlogging caused by flood disaster. We manually curated more than 4,400 waterlogging posts to train the RNN model so that it can precisely identify waterlogging-related posts of Sina Weibo to timely find out urban waterlogging. The RNN model has been thoroughly evaluated, and our experimental results showed that it achieved higher accuracy than traditional machine learning methods, such as SVM and GBDT. Furthermore, we build a nationwide map of urban waterlogging based on recent two-year microblogging data.
Reconstruction of flow conditions from 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
deposits at the Phra Thong island using a deep neural network
inverse model
Authors: Mitra Rimali , Naruse Hajime , Fujino Shigehiro
Published: November 2020

Abstract. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused major topographic changes that resulted in significant economic losses and a large number of fatalities in the coastal areas. The estimation of tsunami flow conditions using inverse models has become a fundamental aspect of disaster mitigation and management. Here, in relation to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, a case study involving the Phra Thong island in Thailand was conducted using inverse modeling that incorporates a deep neural network (DNN). The inverse analysis reconstructed the values of flow conditions such as maximum inundation length, flow velocity and maximum flow depth, sediment concentration from the post-tsunami survey around Phra Thong island. The quantification of uncertainty was also reported using the jackknife method. Using other models applied to areas in and around Phra Thong island, the predicted flow conditions were compared with the reported observed values and simulated results. The estimated depositional characteristics such as volume per unit area and grain-size distribution, were in line with the measured values from the field survey. These qualitative and quantitative comparisons demonstrated that the DNN inverse model is a potential tool for estimating the characteristics of modern tsunamis.
Cooperative Banks in Greece and Small & Medium Enterprises Views at a Time of Credit Constraints
Authors: Mylonakis John
Published: November 2020

Cooperative banks are among those credit institutions that have played an important role in the financial systems of many countries, usually operating supplementary to the traditional commercial banks, mainly at regional level and aiming mostly at supporting SMEs financial needs. They provide traditional banking products to local SMEs even in remote areas. The number of Cooperative Banks in Greece has been decreased from originally 16 banks to 6 in the second half of 2020. The scope of this paper is to examine the managers’ views of 158 SMEs towards Cooperative Banks’ support (banking facilities) over the economic and financial crisis period (2015-2019). The research was carried out the last three months of 2019, using constructed questionnaire to a random sample of 208 Cooperative Banks’ clientele in places where Cooperative Banks have branches. Research showed that SMEs have a quite good opinion for Cooperative Banks presence in Greece.
Katherine Mansfield in Colonial Seoul: Korean Modernism, Translation, Cosmopolitanism
Authors: Walsh Kelly S. , Choi Yoon-young
Published: November 2020

Korean modernism has often been termed derivative, its works considered belated attempts at mimicking Western models. It is undeniable that many writers sought out Western influences, both as a means to gain access to world literature and resist Japanese cultural imperialism; our investigation into the reception and translation of Katherine Mansfield in colonial Korea, though, offers a specific example of how cross-cultural flows and intertextuality energized modernist literature there, enabling stylistic and linguistic innovation. At the same time, while some Korean critics have dismissed modernists, like Mansfield's translators Pak T'aewŏn and Yi Hyosŏk, for their apparent retreat into aestheticism during the colonial period, we contend that the translations and literary reinventions of Mansfield meaningfully, if circumspectly, address the oppressiveness and injustice of colonial modernity, whether in the guise of gender inequality or the search for moments of haengbok (bliss). What these examples reveal is an important transnational affinity, a deep concern with the limitations imposed on life and literature and an awareness of the necessity and difficulty of overcoming them. Ultimately, it is the attunement to Mansfield's irony that gives these texts their critical force.
Against the City: A Comparative Study of Charles Dickens's The Old Curiosity Shop and 老舍«二馬» (Lao She's Mr Ma and Son)
Authors: Lee Klaudia
Published: November 2020

This article adopts a comparative approach to examine the ways in which both novels explore the theme of alienation in relation to questions of gender and race through the spatial strategies of the novels; of particular importance in my investigation is the act of walking in the city, and the forms of escape that two leading characters in the novels—Nell and Mr Ma—adopt in order to react against the social reality of the metropolis of London. My focus of inquiry, while choosing two works that are not often put together for analysis, also departs from previous studies that often focus on the two writers' use of humor and characterization, elements of which Lao She had acknowledged the inspiration that he drew from Charles Dickens's novels. I argue in this article that it is the spatial articulation of the two novels, and the characters' response to the various prejudices of their time and the constraints that they face as de facto “outsider” to the city that constitute the major connection between the two writers, both of whom drew inspiration from the city for their artistic composition and social critique.
Increasing Biofuel Proliferation via the Optimal Use of Government Incentives
Authors: Denizel Meltem , Suzuki Yoshinori , Anderson Christopher
Published: November 2020

With the increasing public awareness on global warming, the demand for low greenhouse gas emission (GHG) transportation fuel, such as biofuel, is growing rapidly. In the United States, like many other countries, the government is providing monetary incentives for biofuel displacement of fossil fuel. From the standpoint of biofuel proliferation, it is important that biofuel producers utilize these incentives in the most effective way, because better utilizations of incentives will lead to reduced costs for producers, which in turn will lower biofuel retail prices. Currently, however, biofuel producers are not taking full advantage of these incentives. This industry note introduces a new approach that allows US biofuel producers to improve their practice of using an incentive program called the LCFS (California Low Carbon Fuel Standard). Our method, which is relatively simple, is based on a recent research project conducted with a biofuel manufacturing firm, which aimed to maximize the benefit gained from the LCFS incentive program. We show, by performing numerical experiments with realistic settings, that the method matches or outperforms the current practice in terms of maximizing gains extracted from the incentive program, under all conditions.
Under the Epidemic Situation: The Study of Bilateral Trade Zone and Agreement Between China and Korea
Authors: Bu Naipeng , Kong Haiyan , Hussain M. Saddam , Fatima Sareema
Published: November 2020

In 2019, Coronavirus outbroke, and many countries in the world were impacted by COVID-19. The COVID-19 epidemic has clouded the global economic outlook. In the current dynamic situation of the world, businesses have need to integrated internationally. Chinese and Korean government has progressively upgraded the free trade zones (FTZ) to attract greater foreign investment and tourism development. In this article, we discuss the important factors for tariff concessions in the China and Korea free trade agreement (FTA). Further, according to Korean Tourism Development Bureau (KTDB), in perspective of tourism China and Korea are more prominent in the Universal Economy. Chinese and Korean tourists are rapidly integrated in the world. Consequences created by Free Trade Zone, it is suggested that both countries should consider strategies to combat negative factors by diversifying the range of products and services and both countries can also use tourism-related professionals in areas that support FTZ's economic development.
Online Information and Mentorship: Perspectives From Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Applicants
Authors: Yong Taylor M. , Austin Daniel C. , Molloy Ilda B. , Torchia Michael T. , Coe Marcus P.
Published: November 2020

Introduction:

Applying to orthopaedic surgery residency is competitive. Online information and mentorship are important tools applicants use to learn about programs and navigate the process. We aimed to identify which resources applicants use and their perspectives on those resources.

Methods:

We surveyed all applicants at a single residency program for the 2018 to 2019 application cycle (n = 610) regarding the importance of online resources and mentors during the application process. We defined mentorship as advice from faculty advisors or counselors, orthopaedic residents, medical school alumni, or other medical students. We also assessed their attitudes about the quality and availability of these resources. Applicants were asked to rank resources and complete Likert scales (1 to 5) to indicate the relative utility and quality of options. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data for comparisons.

Results:

The response rate was 42% (259 of 610 applicants). Almost 50% of applicants reported that they would have likely applied to fewer programs if they had better information. Applicants used program websites with the highest cumulative frequency (96%), followed by advice from medical school faculty/counselors and advice from orthopaedic residents at home institution (both 82%). The next two most popular online resources were a circulating Google Document (78%) and the Doximity Residency Navigator (73%). On average, the quality of online resources was felt to be poorer than mentorship with advice from orthopaedic residents receiving the highest quality rating (4.16) and being ranked most frequently as a top three resource (122 votes). Mentorship comprised three of the top five highest mean quality ratings and three of the top five cumulative rankings by usefulness.

Conclusion:

Applicants reference online resources frequently, despite valuing mentorship more. If the orthopaedic community fostered better mentorship for applicants, they may not feel compelled to rely on subpar online information. Both online information and mentorship can be improved to create a more effective application experience.
Medication Reconciliation during Admission at University Hospital
Authors: Contin Tatiane , Campos Liliane Bernardes , Toffoli-Kadri Mônica Cristina , de Matos Vanessa T. Gubert
Published: November 2020

INTRODUCTION: Medication reconciliation is the process of comparing the most accurate list of all medications that a patient is taking with the list of prescription drugs within the healthcare system while considering the patient’s allergies and history of side effects.

OBJECTIVES: To reconcile medication upon the patients’ admission to a university hospital in the municipality of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

METHOD: A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2018 and May 2019 at the medical clinic unit of an university hospital. Discrepancies observed between the prescription and the best possible medication history were classified as intentional discrepancy; undocumented intentional; and unintentional.

RESULTS: A total of 1,134 discrepancies were found between home-based drugs and those prescribed upon admission to the MCU. Among the discrepancies, 815 (72%) were intentional, 89 (8%) were undocumented intentional, and 230 (20%) were unintentional. The number of consultation sources and the number of medicines in use at home showed significant correlation with the occurrence of unintentional discrepancies (p = 0.039 and p = 0.008, respectively). A total of 318 pharmaceutical interventions were performed, 230 related to unintended discrepancies. Of these, 138 (60%) interventions were not accepted.

CONCLUSION: The study verified the high frequency of drug omission, conferring treatment interruption and the need for pharmaceutical assistance of polymedicated patients.
A Critical Assessment of China’s Role in the South China Sea Dispute
Authors: Peng Junyuan , Shi Jing
Published: November 2020

South China Sea is only a small part on the map, but it plays a vital role in the stability of the Pacific-Asian region. South China Sea issue has been under spotlight. Five countries have claimed their rights on these tiny islands splashed in the region of South China Sea. Spratly Islands (Nansha) is endowed with abundant natural resources of petroleum, gas, and others. China, as an emerging super power, plays an important role in maintaining the stability of the region. Which role will China play, a bull in the china shop or a coordinator in finding a peaceful solution? This paper attempts to answer this question by presenting a critical assessment of China’s role in the South China Sea dispute.
Hoe kan sport bijdragen aan het re-integreren van delinquenten?
Authors: Kleijer-Kool Lianne , Bosker Jacqueline , Zuurbier Moniek
Published: November 2020

How can sport contribute to reintegrating offenders?

The contribution of sport to reintegrating offenders receives limited attention, both in science and in the practice of probation and the prison system. From the perspective of desistance, this literature study concluded that sport can contribute to the development of individual capital, social capital and an alternative identity. However, the effect of sport is not necessarily positive. There are risks of negative influence or the reinforcement of problem behaviour. In counselling offenders, sport should be combined with other interventions to reduce recidivism. A personalized approach is required, based on the risk-need-responsivity model.
Spenner i en overgangstid. Sene småspenner i den turbulente overgangen mellom eldre og yngre jernalder
Authors: Kristoffersen Elna Siv , Røstad Ingunn Marit
Published: November 2020

To understand the transition between the Early and the Late Scandinavian Iron Age, and the turbulent time around the year 536, we are dependent on our ability to recognize the changes in the artefacts. A chronology with well-defined criteria concerning the latest phase of the Migration Period as well as the beginning of the Merovingian Period is, therefore, required. The small square-headed brooches with spade-shaped feet is one of the types replacing cruciform brooches in the late Migration Period. Our paper discusses their typology and chronology in relation to other late types of brooches and pots as well as early Merovingian types of jewellery, aiming at a more easily accessible synthesis of a complex chronological discussion. Finally, we comment on the definition and relationship of the chronological phases on both sides of the period transition, touching upon the implications for the social changes and the bearers of the brooches.
Norsk Arkeologisk Selskaps vårtur til Helgelandskysten 6 – 11 juni 2019
Authors: Robøle Sonja
Published: November 2020

Norsk Arkeologisk Selskaps vårtur til Helgelandskysten 6 – 11 juni 2019.
Profilbildung unter der DSGVO
Authors: Hoffmann Raphael
Published: November 2020

Mit dem Begriff „Profiling“ erfasst die EU-Datenschutzgrundverordnung (DSGVO) Datenverarbeitungen unterschiedlicher Wirtschaftsbereiche, die die Bewertung von Persönlichkeitsaspekten betreffen. Die gesetzliche Definition wirft Fragen auf: Ist ein Profiling datenschutzrechtlich anders zu behandeln als eine „normale“ Verarbeitung? Welche persönlichkeitsrechtlichen Gefahren drohen und wie lassen sich diese wirtschaftlich vertretbar abmildern? Können Profile datenschutzkonform vermarktet werden? Unter dem Dach einer „Profilbildungsperspektive“ zeigt der Autor im bereichsübergreifenden Vergleich grundrechtsverträgliche und zugleich praktikable Rahmenbedingungen für einzelne Mitarbeiter-, Kunden-, und Versichertenprofilbildungen auf.
Nanomaterials for Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: F. de Freitas Lucas
Published: November 2020

Photodynamic therapy is a non-invasive option for eliminating superficial tumors and to control infections. However, despite some protocols are already approved for the clinic, PDT applications could be much broader if some of its main hindrances were overcome. For instance, the most efficient photosensitizers are hydrophobic, so if one injects them intravenously they tend to aggregate and to be internalized by phagocytes in the blood, impairing the delivery to the target site. In addition, visible light has a limited penetration in tissues, therefore the main applications of PDT are limited to superficial tumors unless an invasive procedure is used for the light to reach deeper sites. Another setback is the hypoxia that commonly happens in tumors, hindering the full potential of PDT as it depends on a constant oxygen supply. In this chapter the reader will find some strategies based on Nanotechnology to overcome these and other obstacles for PDT to reach its full clinical potential, i.e. hypoxia-reverting protocols, X-ray-driven PDT, Cherenkov radiation-driven PDT, and active tumor-targeting.
Traditional Chinese Medicine in Geriatrics, Evidences, and the Guideline
Authors: Iwasaski Koh
Published: November 2020

The average life span of Japanese is 90 years. So that Japan is an unprecedented super-aging society. However, healthy life span is 10 years shorter than life span. Many spend an average of 10 years in frailty. People become frail, and reached to “geriatric syndrome.”
Colloidal Stability of Cellulose Suspensions
Authors: Stygar Lopes Marina
Published: November 2020

Cellulose is the most abundant natural compound in nature and the main component of the cell wall of plants. It is a linear polymer with a high degree of polymerization, responsible for most of the properties of wood. Colloidal phenomena are often used in various industrial production processes. Suspended cellulose, used worldwide in the paper and cellulose industries, with regard to stability, has a high tendency to aggregate and form clots. The different interactions between the dispersed phase and the dispersion phase are one of the critical points in the study of the behavior and stability of colloids. Cellulose is no different, as several studies seek to improve the colloidal stability of cellulose in aqueous media by observing the specific characteristics of the colloid, such as its geometry, mass and area/volume ratio, and the possible interactions between particles that make up the cellulose dispersion in order to understand and control colloidal stability. Therefore, the objective of this chapter is to define the main characteristics of colloids, to classify them, to present the main methods of preparation, to address important aspects about colloid stability and the colloidal stability of cellulose.
Comparison of Motor Development in Preterm, and Term Children Aged 3 to 7 Years
Authors: Dehghan Musa , Ghasemi Abdullah , Kashi Ali , Arabameri Elahe , Molanorouzi Kayvan
Published: November 2020

Background: Human development is influenced by genetic, environmental, and social factors whose foundation is formed from infancy and childhood. Preterm birth and low birth weight are important issues that can affect the development and threaten the public health. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare motor development manipulation, balance, aiming, and receiving in low, very low birth weight, and normal children aged 3 to7 years. Methods: In this comparative study, 63 children were selected from among the preterm infants admitted to NICU ward. They were divided into three groups of (1) low birth weight children (mean 2066 ± 354 g) (n = 30), (2) very low birth weight children (mean 1325 ± 117 g) (n = 13), and (3) preterm twin children (mean 1781 ± 385 g) (n = 20).Also, 15 term children with an average weight (3345 ± 365 g) were selected. To evaluate the motor development of children, the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (Second Edition) (MABC-2) test was used. The results were analyzed by SPSS using one-way ANOVA test (P ≤ 0.05). Results: Low birthweight and very low birthweight children had poorer performance on manipulation, aiming, catching, and balance compared to normal children (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: VLBW children performed significantly poorer than LBW and Twin children on the subscales of posting coins, threading beads, drawing trail, one-leg balance, and walking heels raised.
Two new nematode species of the genus Paratrilobus Micoletzky, 1922 (Nematoda, Triplonchida) from the water area of Lake Baikal (Russia)
Authors: Naumova Tatyana V. , Gagarin Vladimir G.
Published: November 2020

This paper describes and illustrates two new nematode species of the genus Paratrilobus Micoletzky, 1922. The species Paratrilobus tankhoyensis sp. nov. was found at the estuary of the Pereyomnaya River (water area of Lake Baikal, near the Tankhoy railway station). Paratrilobus tankhoyensis sp. nov. is most similar to P. expugnator (Tsalolichin, 1976) in the body size, but differs in the comparatively thin body, shorter and thicker tail, shorter stoma and spicules. Another new species, Paratrilobus aquaticus sp. nov., was found in Posolsk Bank (natural underwater elevation of the bottom between the southern and central basins of Lake Baikal). The species is similar to P. granulosus Gagarin & Naumova, 2011 and P. ultimus (Tsalolichin, 1977) in the structure of the precloacal supplements. It differs from the former in the absence of crystalloids, a comparatively longer pharynx, longer stoma and outer labial setae as well as the absence of subterminal seta. It differs from the latter in a longer pharynx, stoma and longer outer labial setae as well as a longer and more slender tail. We also discuss diagnostic features of the males of the genus Paratrilobus.
Sharing Teaching Ideas: Finding a Parking Spot for the Binomial Theorem
Authors: Hansen Karen M. , Lewis Geoffrey J.
Published: November 2020

Oftentimes when learning the binomial theorem, students can apply the theorem's formula, but it has little meaning for them. Introducing the binomial theorem using an engaging application gives the theorem life and meaning. This activity relates the coefficients in the formula to finding a parking spot. First, the students discover Pascal's triangle using a parking spot simulation.
Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
Authors: Walker Janet M.
Published: November 2020

An activity for secondary mathematics students using digital imaging on The Geometer's Sketchpad to model polar functions of flowers. Students import images of flowers into GSP and use its capabilities to find a best fit polar equation.
Delving Deeper: More on Powers of m, Phone Trees, Symbolic Algebra, and Combinations
Authors: Zhang Linrong , Wang Ying
Published: November 2020

In this article, we respond to questions raised by the editors' notes at the end of “Delving Deeper” in the April 2006 issue of the Mathematics Teacher.
Ecosystem Simulations and Chaos on the Graphing Calculator
Authors: Sinn Robb
Published: November 2020

“How can there be a half a deer at the end of the year?” “Maybe one deer was pregnant!” came the laughing rejoinder. The eighth-grade students in Susan Tucker's class were simulating an ecosystem using a versatile feature of their graphing calculators: easy iterations. These activities were part of a mathematics-science unit focused on linear functions, pattern seeking, and the ecosystems of endangered species. These students at Southside Christian School in Simpsonville, South Carolina, acted as ecologists, exploring ecosystem behavior using calculator simulations.
Who Will Win? Predicting the Presidential Election Using Linear Regression
Authors: Lamb John H.
Published: November 2020

When teaching mathematics at the secondary level, it is ideal to find real-time data for students to collect and analyze. One activity that can utilize statistics, technology, and data analysis involves collecting presidential election poll data from across the country, analyzing their significance, and communicating predictions following the analysis. This article will illustrate how students used the Internet, linear regression, and Microsoft Excel to predict the 2004 presidential election. This article also discusses how the objective of predicting the election using linear regression can be implemented at various stages of achievement at the secondary level.
Using a Before-During-After (BDA) Model to Plan Effective Secondary Mathematics Lessons
Authors: Wilburne Jane , Peterson Winnie
Published: November 2020

Creating effective mathematics lessons can be a challenge for any teacher. Typically, the biggest hurdle for many teachers is motivating secondary students to want to learn and keeping them interested. The key to motivation is designing lessons that are well organized and centered around student engagement. Whether your district requires well-organized lesson plans or not, it is beneficial to have them. Findings from recent brain research indicate that students are mentally primed to learn during the first fifteen minutes of a typical forty- five-minute class period (Sousa 2001). During the middle fifteen minutes of class time, they experience a mental slump and are more apt to daydream. This research suggests a need to restructure the typical mathematics class from reviewing homework during the first ten minutes of class to getting students' immediate attention by involving them in a problem or activity. One way to design an effective lesson is to use a beforeduring- after (BDA) format.
Technology Tips: Orstat-2000: Educational Software for Probability and Optimization
Authors: Tijms Henk
Published: November 2020

In this month's tip, Henk Tijms introduces Orstat-2000, recently released software for the probability and optimization problems typically found in discrete mathematics units. This article introduces the software and shows examples of how it can be used. Readers are encouraged to download the software, test it, and contact Tijms for more detailed “how-to” specifics.
Connecting Research to Teaching: Quadratic Functons: Students Graphic and Analytic Representations
Authors: Eraslan Ali , Aspinwall Leslie
Published: November 2020

When designing and implementing a lesson, a teacher must draw upon knowledge of the difficulties his or her students are experiencing in order to help them understand the mathematics being taught. We have examined student work in an attempt to identify the difficulties— which we have called cognitive obstacles (Herscovics 1989)—encountered by tenth-grade honors algebra students learning about quadratic functions. We think that calling attention to these results will help classroom teachers in the process of planning instruction. If teachers know about potential obstacles to understanding before a lesson is taught, they can devise well-developed lesson plans and use modified teaching strategies to help students overcome or at least minimize these obstacles.
Connecting Research to Teaching: The When and Why of Using Proportions
Authors: Heinz Karen , Sterba-Boatwright Blair
Published: November 2020

In our mathematics classes, we engage students in explorations involving similarity, relative growth and size, dilations, scaling, pi, constant rate of change, slope, speed, rates, percent, trigonometric ratios, probability, relative frequency, density, and direct and inverse variations. What do all of these (and many other) mathematics concepts have in common? They all involve ratios.
Activities for Students: Get the Most Pop for Your Buck!
Authors: Hall Randy
Published: November 2020

Orville Redenbacher's television commercial claims that his gourmet popping corn “blows the top off the popper.” One interpretation of this claim is that Redenbacher's brand produces the most popped corn per package. Does it? What if cost is taken into consideration? Students are consumers too, and they have a stake in finding out which product is best. One interpretation of best is the brand that produces the most popcorn. In this activity, students will use units of measure as the primary tool to answer questions about which brand of popcorn is the best buy. Testing different varieties of popcorn—measuring, popping, and eating them—will engage students because these activities are not contrived. Testing and analyzing the results in class gives students ownership of the mathematics as advertisers' claims are put to the test.
Delving Deeper: Filling In the Gaps
Authors: Marion Charles
Published: November 2020

Perhaps inspired by my regular reading of Mathematics Teacher's “Delving Deeper” department, I recently took another look at two sets of equations that I usually give to high school students for practice in discovering and then verifying patterns.
The Power of Investigative Calculus Projects
Authors: Perrin John Robert , Quinn Robert J.
Published: November 2020

Your calculus students have no doubt posed questions similar to one my students came up with: “Why is the derivative of the area of a circle its circumference, but the derivative of the area of a square is not its perimeter?” Such insightful student questions present auspicious learning opportunities. Wanting to make the most of these learning opportunities in my AP Calculus course ultimately led me to implement investigative calculus projects in which all students explore a question or problem of their own construction. My intent was to strengthen students' problem-solving skills, increase students' understanding of and interest in calculus, make learning more meaningful, and allow students to demonstrate their understanding in a nontraditional way. Not only did my students meet my intentions; a number submitted work that exceeded my expectations. This article traces the development of the projects and showcases three exemplary student projects that encapsulate the richness of student work and the potential for using such projects in a calculus course.
Why Aren't They Called Probability Intervals?
Authors: Devlin Thomas F.
Published: November 2020

Several years ago a friend was anticipating her first child. Naturally, an office pool was started to see who could best estimate the baby's birth date. But this was no ordinary office and no ordinary office lottery. This was an office of statisticians, and their definition of the winning, or best, estimate was quite different from the usual one. For them, specifying a single date was not adequate. Instead, lottery participants would specify an interval of days, and the winning estimate would be the shortest interval of days that included the baby's actual birth date. To win the pool, one needed to specify the actual birth date as well as the shortest interval that included it. Precision in addition to accuracy was required, and new betting strategies were undertaken.
Technology Tips: Pivot Tables Can Turn Your Record Keeping Around
Authors: Green Kris
Published: November 2020

Many educators may find themselves in a situation similar to one I experienced in spring 2006. I was teaching an instructional technology course for high school mathematics and science teachers who had a wide variety of experiences in using technology. Some were familiar with graphing calculators, others with spreadsheets. Some had used PowerPoint, some had experience creating Web pages, and some used a computer only for e-mail and word processing. To meet all these teachers' needs and help them develop new skills and understanding while building on their prior experiences, I felt the need to differentiate my assessments. The issue, however, was how to do what is best for each student without letting the paperwork become overwhelming. Fortunately, I had spent a lot of time learning how to use spreadsheets. Thus, I was able to find a way to minimize the time spent on my record keeping while still obtaining practical information that guided my instructional design and aided me in meeting each student's individual needs. This miracle was facilitated by a little-known tool that is standard in Microsoft Excel: the pivot table.
Infant Mortality in Post-Reform Russia: Dynamics, Regional Differences and the Role of Traditional Norms
Authors: Natkhov Timur Vladimirovich , Vasilenok Natalia
Published: November 2020

The article analyzes dynamics and regional differences in infant mortality in the post-reform Russian Empire. Based on extensive statistical, ethnographic and medical sources, the authors have shown that the infant mortality rate depended primarily on traditional practices of infant feeding and caring rather than on income, literacy or access to medicine. High infant mortality rate among the Great Russian population (compared with other ethnic and religious groups) was primarily due to the early stop of breastfeeding and solid food feeding. The latter sometimes began in the first days of baby’s life. The authors’ conclusions are consistent with the results of similar studies carried out in European demographic history and show that the use of infant mortality as an indicator of the population living standard in agricultural societies cannot always be justified. Consequently, it is unreasonable to draw conclusions about the stagnation of living standards in pre-revolutionary Russia on the basis of the infant mortality rate.
Information Value of the Database “Vocational Education in Sverdlovskaya Oblast (1920s-1950s)”
Authors: Razinkov Sergey , Zakharovskii Leonid Vladimirovich
Published: November 2020

The article describes the conceptual model and the structure of the database on the history of vocational education in Sverdlovskaya Oblast in the 1920s-1950s. The database systematizes and generalizes the main indicators of the development dynamics of vocational education in the region on the basis of a wide range of mass sources. These indicators are organizational, industrial, economical, socio-demographic and behavioral ones. Particular attention is paid to describe the database in terms of its ability to systematize, analyze and group information on the history of work training in the region that is the number of students, the employment of graduates, the dynamics of the educational institutions network, etc. The research novelty is the original structure of the database as an information product for multipurpose use which, first of all, provides for the effective systematization of primary information from various types of mass sources and the creation of a model of historical data on the vocational training system in Sverdlovskaya Oblast. The authors attempt to generalize their practice to digitize, systematize, analyze and synthesize archival vocational education data and formulate the principles to create and use the local historical database within the digital humanities context: complexity, task-orientation, integration, etc.
Virtual Reconstruction of Petrovskoe-Alabino Manor near Moscow: Research Sources, Methods and Technologies
Authors: Poshevelya Svetlana Aleksandrovna
Published: November 2020

The article describes methods and technologies of virtual 3D architectural historical reconstruction by the example of the exterior restoration process of Petrovskoye-Alabino manor (18th century) located in Naro-Fominsk District of Moscow Oblast. Currently the object is ruined, the interiors have been completely lost, the facades have also been almost unpreserved and the park has completely disappeared. Petrovskoe-Alabino was a summer country estate built by Nikita Akinfievich Demidov for his wife Aleksandra Evtikhievna who had not seen the manor completion. Having not achieved its main purpose, the manor, despite its unique appearance and aesthetic splendor, did not become famous and left no noticeable traces in historical sources. The primary purpose of the estate determined its special architectural type that is "Monplaisir" which is not often found in Russia. The manor was ruined in the 20th century and is now unprotected. It has not been reconstructed before and all the studies at stake are rather art reviews than historical studies. This article emphasizes the need to preserve cultural heritage and record the current state of destroyed objects as well as describes the process of virtual three-dimensional reconstruction of the manor based on archival and published materials as well as those collected during the research. The work grounds on drawings, sketches and measurements made by professional commissions in the 20th century as well as photographs of various eras, text descriptions of the manor and a set of graphic files created during the process of aerial and land photography of the current state of Petrovskoe-Alabino. Not only have the buildings of the complex been reconstructed, but also the courtyard, the main park alley and the landscape of the main manor territory. The work was carried out in close cooperation with the Central State Archive of Moscow Oblast.
Simultaneous quantification of mRNA and protein in single cells reveals post-transcriptional effects of genetic variation
Authors: Brion Christian , Lutz Sheila M , Albert Frank Wolfgang
Published: November 2020

Trans-acting DNA variants may specifically affect mRNA or protein levels of genes located throughout the genome. However, prior work comparedtrans-acting loci mapped in separate studies, many of which had limited statistical power. Here, we developed a CRISPR-based system for simultaneous quantification of mRNA and protein of a given gene via dual fluorescent reporters in single, live cells of the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. In large populations of recombinant cells from a cross between two genetically divergent strains, we mapped 86trans-acting loci affecting the expression of ten genes. Less than 20% of these loci had concordant effects on mRNA and protein of the same gene. Most loci influenced protein but not mRNA of a given gene. One locus harbored a premature stop variant in theYAK1kinase gene that had specific effects on protein or mRNA of dozens of genes. These results demonstrate complex, post-transcriptional genetic effects on gene expression.
Swedish School Reforms and Teacher Professionalism
Authors: Nilsson Lindström Margareta
Published: November 2020

The education policy of the last few decades has significantly changed the Swedish school system. Municipalization and deregulation reforms were implemented in parallel with an internationally prescribed professionalization of teachers. This seemingly contradictory combination has reshaped not only teachers’ attitudes and actions but also those of principals and students as managers and consumers. In light of these changes, the professionalization of teachers and the strategic importance of a teacher-specific knowledge base, multi-year academic training, certification and career steps are analysed. Based on Freidson's three competing work organization and control logics, this article focuses on how the mix of logics has changed at the expense of professionalism in favour of bureaucracy and the market. The professionalization reforms have in some respects benefited teachers, especially with regard to their positions in the labour market. In other respects, the actions of managers and consumers have resulted in restrictions on teachers' autonomy as professionals.
Diversity of edible insects in a Natural World Heritage Site of India: entomophagy attitudes and implications for food security in the region
Authors: Hazarika Arup Kumar , Kalita Unmilan , Khanna Subhash , Kalita Tarali , Choudhury Sangeeta
Published: November 2020

Insects not only play a significant role in the ecological process of nature but since pre-historic times have also formed a part of the human diet. With a still growing population and skewed demographic structures across most societies of the world, their role as nutrient-rich food has been increasingly advocated by researchers and policymakers globally. In this study, we examine the edible insect diversity and entomophagy attitudes of ethnic people in Manas National Park, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, located in Assam (India). The study involved a field investigation through which the pattern of entomophagy and the attitude towards insect-eating was studied. Following this, we examined the edible insect diversity and abundance at different sampling points. A total of 22 species of edible insects belonging to fifteen families and eight orders were recorded from different habitat types. Out of these 22 species, Orthopterans showed a maximum number of eight species followed by Hymenoptera (four), Hemiptera (three), Lepidoptera (two), Blattodea (two) and one species each from Coleoptera, Odonata, and Mantodea. Dominance, diversity, and equitability indices were computed along with the relative abundance of the insects concerning four habitat types. Aspects of the economic significance of entomophagy were also observed during the field investigation. To manage insects in the interest of food security, more attention should be given to sustainable collecting and rearing methods emphasizing their economic, nutritional, and ecological advantages.