Understanding the Transition between High School and College Mathematics and Science

Mathematics and science education is gaining increasing recognition as key for the well-being of individuals and society. Accordingly, the transition from high school to college is particularly important to ensure that students are prepared for college mathematics and science. The goal of this study was to understand how high school mathematics and science course-taking related to performance in college. Specifically, the study employed a nonparametric regression method to examine the relationship between high school mathematics and science courses, and academic performance in college mathematics and science courses. The results provide some evidence pertaining to the positive benefits from high school course-taking. Namely, students who completed high school trigonometry and lab-based chemistry tended to earn higher grades in college algebra and general chemistry, respectively. However, there was also evidence that high school coursework in biology and physics did not improve course performance in general biology and college physics beyond standardized test scores. Interestingly, students who completed high school calculus earned better grades in general biology. The implications of the findings are discussed for high school curriculum and alignment in standards between high schools and colleges

Asymptotics of the solutions of the stochastic lattice wave equation

We consider the long time limit theorems for the solutions of a discrete wave equation with a weak stochastic forcing. The multiplicative noise conserves the energy and the momentum. We obtain a time-inhomogeneous Ornstein-Uhlenbeck equation for the limit wave function that holds both for square integrable and statistically homogeneous initial data. The limit is understood in the point-wise sense in the former case, and in the weak sense in the latter. On the other hand, the weak limit for square integrable initial data is deterministic

Long time, large scale limit of the Wigner transform for a system of linear oscillators in one dimension

We consider the long time, large scale behavior of the Wigner transform W_\eps(t,x,k) of the wave function corresponding to a discrete wave equation on a 1-d integer lattice, with a weak multiplicative noise. This model has been introduced in Basile, Bernardin, and Olla to describe a system of interacting linear oscillators with a weak noise that conserves locally the kinetic energy and the momentum. The kinetic limit for the Wigner transform has been shown in Basile, Olla, and Spohn. In the present paper we prove that in the unpinned case there exists $\gamma_0>0$ such that for any $\gamma\in(0,\gamma_0]$ the weak limit of W_\eps(t/\eps^{3/2\gamma},x/\eps^{\gamma},k), as \eps\ll1, satisfies a one dimensional fractional heat equation $\partial_t W(t,x)=-\hat c(-\partial_x^2)^{3/4}W(t,x)$ with $\hat c>0$. In the pinned case an analogous result can be claimed for W_\eps(t/\eps^{2\gamma},x/\eps^{\gamma},k) but the limit satisfies then the usual heat equation

Superdiffusion of energy in Hamiltonian systems perturbed by a conservative noise

We review some recent results on the anomalous diffusion of energy in systems of 1D coupled oscillators and we revisit the role of momentum conservation.Comment: Proceedings of the conference PSPDE 2012 https://sites.google.com/site/meetingpspde

Thermal conductivity in harmonic lattices with random collisions

We review recent rigorous mathematical results about the macroscopic behaviour of harmonic chains with the dynamics perturbed by a random exchange of velocities between nearest neighbor particles. The random exchange models the effects of nonlinearities of anharmonic chains and the resulting dynamics have similar macroscopic behaviour. In particular there is a superdiffusion of energy for unpinned acoustic chains. The corresponding evolution of the temperature profile is governed by a fractional heat equation. In non-acoustic chains we have normal diffusivity, even if momentum is conserved.Comment: Review paper, to appear in the Springer Lecture Notes in Physics volume "Thermal transport in low dimensions: from statistical physics to nanoscale heat transfer" (S. Lepri ed.

Adaptive upregulation of FOXD3 and resistance to PLX4032/4720-induced cell death in mutant B-RAF melanoma cells.

Melanoma cells driven by mutant v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (B-RAF) are highly resistant to chemotherapeutic treatments. Recent phase 1 results with PLX4032/RG7204/vemurafenib, which selectively inhibits B-RAF/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 signaling in mutant B-RAF cells, has given encouragement to this struggling field. Nearly all patients in the phase 1-3 studies saw at least some response and the overall response rates ranged from 48 and 81%. However, despite initial tumor shrinkage, most responders in the trial experienced tumor relapse over time. These findings indicate that both intrinsic and acquired resistance may affect the clinical efficacy of PLX4032. It is critical to optimize PLX4032 activity to improve response rates and understand why some patients with the B-RAF mutation do not respond. We have previously shown that the stemness factor, Forkhead box D3 (FOXD3), is upregulated following inhibition of B-RAF-MEK signaling in mutant B-RAF melanoma cells. Here, we show that upregulation of FOXD3 following treatment with PLX4032 and PLX4720 (the non-clinical tool compound for PLX4032) confers resistance to cell death. Small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of FOXD3 significantly enhanced the cell death response after PLX4032/4720 treatment in mutant B-RAF melanoma cell lines. Additionally, upregulation of FOXD3 after PLX4720 treatment was attenuated in non-adherent conditions and correlated with enhanced cell death. Ectopic expression of FOXD3 in non-adherent cells significantly reduced cell death in response to PLX4720 treatment. Together, these data indicate that upregulation of FOXD3 is an adaptive response to RAF inhibitors that promotes a state of drug resistance

Projected precipitation changes within the Great Lakes and Western Lake Erie Basin: a multi‐model analysis of intensity and seasonality

The Great Lakes region encompasses the largest freshwater lake network in the world and supports a diverse network of agriculture, transportation, and tourism. Recently, Lake Erie has experienced increased hypoxia events, which have been attributed to agricultural practices and changes in run‐off. Here we examine the projected changes in extreme precipitation events to address concerns regarding regional agriculture, surface run‐off, and subsequent water quality. Precipitation projections within the overall Great Lakes Basin and the Western Lake Erie Basin subregion are examined using climate model simulations of varying spatial resolutions to understand historical precipitation and projected future precipitation. We develop three model ensembles for the historical period (1980–1999) and the mid‐century (2041–2060) that cover a range of spatial resolutions and future emissions scenarios, including: (1) 12 global model members from the fifth Climate Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) using Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5, (2) ten regional climate model (RCM) members from the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program driven by CMIP3 global models using the A2 emissions scenario, and (3) two high resolution RCM simulations (RCM4) driven by CMIP5 global models using the RCP 8.5 scenario. For the historical period, all model ensembles overestimate winter and spring precipitation, and many of the models simulate a summer drying that is not observed. At mid‐century, most of the models predict a 10–20% increase in precipitation depending on the time of year. Daily probability distribution functions from three model ensembles reveal spring seasonal increases in high precipitation event probabilities when compared to the historical period, suggesting an increase in the frequency of high intensity precipitation at mid‐century. Overall, the presence of lakes or higher spatial resolution does not ensure improved representation of historical processes, and more complex interactions between large‐scale dynamics, local feedbacks, and physical parameterizations drive the model spread.We examine extreme precipitation events in the Great Lakes and the Western Lake Erie Basin using global and regional climate model simulations of to understand historical precipitation and projected future mid‐century precipitation. At mid‐century, most models predict a 10–20% precipitation increase and an increase in the frequency of high intensity precipitation at mid‐century. The presence of lakes or higher spatial resolution does not ensure improved representation of precipitation and large‐scale dynamics, local feedbacks, and physical parameterizations drive the model spread.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/139100/1/joc5128.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/139100/2/joc5128_am.pd

Bell inequalities for three systems and arbitrarily many measurement outcomes

We present a family of Bell inequalities for three parties and arbitrarily many outcomes, which can be seen as a natural generalization of the Mermin Bell inequality. For a small number of outcomes, we verify that our inequalities define facets of the polytope of local correlations. We investigate the quantum violations of these inequalities, in particular with respect to the Hilbert space dimension. We provide strong evidence that the maximal quantum violation can only be reached using systems with local Hilbert space dimension exceeding the number of measurement outcomes. This suggests that our inequalities can be used as multipartite dimension witnesses.Comment: v1 6 pages, 4 tables; v2 Published version with minor typos correcte

Ghigliottin-AI @ EVALITA2020: Evaluating artificial players for the language game “La Ghigliottina”

Evaluating Artificial Players for the Language Game “La Ghigliottina” (Ghigliottin-AI) task is one of the tasks organized in the context of the 2020 EVALITA edition, a periodic evaluation campaign of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and speech tools for the Italian language. Ghigliottin-AI participants are asked to build an artificial player able to solve “La Ghigliottina”, namely the final game of an Italian TV show called “L'Eredità”. The game involves a single player who is given a set of five words unrelated to each other, but related with a sixth word that represents the solution to the game. Fourteen teams registered to Ghigliottin-AI. Nevertheless, only two teams submitted their run. In order to evaluate the submitted systems, we rely on an API base methodology, via a Remote Evaluation Server (RES). In this report we describe the Ghigliottin-AI task, the data, the evaluation and we discuss results