The Conviction of Miss Prediction

Miss Prediction is questioned in a court of law over her involvement in the mischaracterization of linear models when they were inappropriate

Quik Church, Route 3.141592

The following set of poems are from one of ten sections in a collection of poetry called Quik Church: Short Poems that Travel Far. Each section illustrates one of many “streets” which individuals often take on their spiritual journey through life, e.g., the Old Gods Path, Nature Trail, Memory Skyway, Mystic Avenue, Pastoral Lane, and so on. This one, Route 3.141592, is the route of mathematics and the science that depends on mathematics

The Grammar of Approximating Number Pairs (ANPs) in Mandarin Chinese

There are twenty or thirty people. What exactly does this mean? Is it exactly twenty or thirty, or is it an approximate range? What about twenty or twenty-six people ? Approximating number pairs (ANPs) are a kind of approximative expression that takes a number pair and expresses a quantity close to it. There are constraints on the structure and choice of numerals: many combinations would be ungrammatical or denote a precise disjunction rather than being approximative. Studies like Eriksson et al. (2010) statistically generalized the grammar of ANPs through corpus studies on select European languages. However, these surface-level generalizations fail to apply straightforwardly to an analytical, classifier language like Mandarin. This paper offers a description of Mandarin ANPs, proposing a new set of rules for the well-formedness of ANPs based on grammatical rather than mathematical properties. The new proposals also align with theories of other approximatives in Mandarin, shedding light on the cognition of approximation

Quantifying Enrichment of Metals and Inorganic Ions in Sea Spray Aerosols

Sea spray aerosols (SSA), formed by the bursting of bubbles at the sea-air interface, are important regulators of atmospheric chemistry and climate. SSA make significant contributions to the total aerosol mass of the atmosphere, impact earth’s radiation balance, and react with various atmospheric elements and compounds. To develop accurate climate models, it is critical to understand the molecular composition of SSA, as it differs from seawater. Various factors, such as complexation with organic species, air-water interface accumulation, and marine organismal emission lead to the enrichment of metals and inorganic ions in SSA. In this study, we aimed to identify and quantify this enrichment as a function of both particle size and wind speed via high-performance ion-exchange chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Samples were collected using Scripps Ocean Atmosphere Research Simulator (SOARS)4 and concentrations of these inorganic and metallic species were used to calculate molecular enrichment relative to seawater. Our findings revealed a direct relationship between analyte concentration and wind speed, and while enrichment varied significantly by species, smaller aerosols were typically more enriched than larger ones. Additionally, transition metals enrichment was considerably greater than that of alkali and alkali earth metal, likely due to its higher charge and ability to complex with organic matter. Understanding enrichment of metals and inorganic ions in sea spray aerosols gives insight into its governing mechanisms helps explain oceanic influences on atmospheric processes. Our novel quantification will aid in the development of more accurate climate models necessary for the fight against climate change

The Exploration of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and the Prospective Integration of Neuronal imaging in Early Detection Mechanisms

Numerous athletes worldwide endure subconcussive and concussive head traumas associated with engagement in contact sports like football, rugby, and boxing. These injuries pose significant risks, with the potential of leading to neurological disorders. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is one of the most severe of these disorders. Observable symptoms of CTE include memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, aggression, depression, anxiety, suicidality, and in later-stage developments: Parkinson\u27s, Alzheimer\u27s, and dementia (Fesharaki-Zadeh, 2019). Currently, CTE can only be definitively diagnosed through post-mortem brain autopsy. CTE develops from disrupted tau protein regulation, which is important in maintaining neuronal structure. The aggregation of tau proteins results in the formation of abnormal clusters of neurofibrillary tangles which ultimately causes neuronal degradation. Recent studies utilizing methods including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and PET imaging suggest expanding research on athletes with previous head injuries to identify early signs of dementia. In this thesis, we propose a study extending the work conducted by Pearce and colleagues (2017) to investigate new ways of identifying CTE in living individuals. In the experiment, three groups of retired athletes are assigned to one of three test groups: symptomatic, asymptomatic, or a control group. Each undergoes pre-screening suitability assessments, symptom surveys, somatosensory data processing, and TMS. These tests assess an individual\u27s reaction rate and depiction of different stimuli strengths. Tau PET imaging represents a developing method for diagnosing and determining the stages of tauopathy, a sign of early-onset dementia. The use of neuronal imaging as a mechanism for early detection could potentially transform research, not only in the aiding of early identification of dementia but also advancing investigations into non-invasive treatments for Alzheimer\u27s disease. Further, with the potential success in the proposed experiment, there is a possibility of reducing premature deaths caused by CTE

Hypatia\u27s Math: A Play

Hypatia of Alexandria was the most famous woman mathematician of antiquity, and her story is as relevant now as it was in her day. This play tells her story. While the events in the play are based closely on extant historical texts, inspiring excerpts from classical works by Porphyry, Plotinus, Aristotle and Plato are woven into the action to further the plot and add to the classical mood. Dance and music, including an Homeric hymn, add to the artistic texture

Understanding Empathy: Exploring Power Relations, Group Dynamics, and Counter-dominance in Shaping Outgroup Attitudes

This article is a literature review of how the context of group dynamics, power relations, and counter-dominance change our understanding of empathy towards outgroups. A large focus of current psychological research around empathy aims to better understand empathy in improving intergroup relations. However, many of the current studies measure the perspectives of the majority (high-power) groups, while failing to take into account the differences in the perspectives of the minority (low-power) groups, for whom empathy does not predict positive intergroup attitudes. In order to look at the importance of group dynamics and power relations in understanding empathy, I analyze different studies both in the interpersonal and intergroup contexts. Furthermore, when analyzing these studies within the different types of empathy contexts, I illustrate the prominent role of counter-dominance in explaining why empathy relates to positive attitudes toward subordinate groups but negative attitudes toward dominant groups. Additionally, I use counter-dominance to explain differences and similarities in findings when examining different intergroup empathy contexts such as group empathy and attitudinal empathy. In explaining these similarities and differences, I illustrate how counter-dominance is important to understanding empathy in the context of intergroup relations due to its ability to positively predict positive attitudes towards low-power groups and negatively predict attitudes towards high-powered groups

CEO Characteristics That Lead to Extreme Outperformance: A Statistical Analysis of William Thorndike’s “The Outsiders”

What makes a high-performing CEO? What CEOs should you invest in? These are the questions that the Board of Directors, headhunters, academics, and investors all seek the answer to. This paper explores the answer to this question by examining CEO performance at the extremes. Inspired by the work of William N. Thorndike’s “The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success,” this study expands upon his methodology, employing a statistical approach to analyze a broader dataset of CEOs over the past thirty years. Using a logit model of hyper-outperforming versus hyper-underperforming CEOs, it assesses the significance of individual CEO characteristics and capital allocation strategies as indicators. The research reveals a mixed result, with only some of Thorndike’s variables being statistically significant and others having opposite impacts. Additionally, while involvement in multiple outside boards correlates negatively with CEO performance, leading or working for outside companies has a positive impact, suggesting a nuanced view of CEO engagement outside their own firm. This paper challenges traditional assumptions of effective corporate leadership and provides new insights into the evolving role of CEOs in generating corporate success. It helps aid in the question and offers a fresh perspective on what makes a CEO truly exceptional in today\u27s dynamic markets

Predicting Financial Failure for Retail and Hospitality Companies in the United States

This paper determines bankruptcy predictors during turbulent economic times for specific consumer facing industries. I specifically investigate the predictors of bankruptcy in the retail and hospitality industries as they are some of the most consumer-spending dependent sectors. I hypothesize that unprofitable, highly levered, and cash flow dependent companies in the retail and hospitality industries are more likely to go bankrupt even during turbulent economic conditions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The model used is a logistic regression along with numerous economic variable combinations, including solvency, liquidity, and profitability ratios. A sample of retail and hospitality (RH) firms and non-retail and non-hospitality (NRH) firms totalling 16,690 between 2017 and 2022 were identified from the COMPUSTAT database. The significance of the coefficients for each variable in the model was evaluated by using the t-statistic corresponding to each coefficient’s value. The overall models for RH and NRH are significant at a ∝‐level of 0.05