Analyzing the Gender Gap on an Entrance Exam for Mathematically Talented Students

We investigate the qualifying entrance exam for the University of Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program (UMTYMP), a five-year accelerated program covering high school- and undergraduate-level mathematics. The exam is used to assess the computational, numerical reasoning, and geometric skills of hundreds of fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-grade students annually. It has accurately identified qualified students in past years, but female participants consistently have had lower overall scores. Based on our belief that they are equally well qualified, in 2011 we began an extensive investigation into the structure and content of the exam to determine the possible sources for these differences. After gathering and analyzing data, we made relatively modest changes in 2012 which essentially eliminated the gender bias on one version of the entrance exam, increasing the percentage of females who qualified. The other unmodified versions in 2012 exhibited the typical gender difference from previous years. We continue to analyze the possible reasons for the gender differences while monitoring the overall student performance upon entering the Program

A multi-scale distribution model for non-equilibrium populations suggests resource limitation in an endangered rodent.

Species distributions are known to be limited by biotic and abiotic factors at multiple temporal and spatial scales. Species distribution models, however, frequently assume a population at equilibrium in both time and space. Studies of habitat selection have repeatedly shown the difficulty of estimating resource selection if the scale or extent of analysis is incorrect. Here, we present a multi-step approach to estimate the realized and potential distribution of the endangered giant kangaroo rat. First, we estimate the potential distribution by modeling suitability at a range-wide scale using static bioclimatic variables. We then examine annual changes in extent at a population-level. We define available habitat based on the total suitable potential distribution at the range-wide scale. Then, within the available habitat, model changes in population extent driven by multiple measures of resource availability. By modeling distributions for a population with robust estimates of population extent through time, and ecologically relevant predictor variables, we improved the predictive ability of SDMs, as well as revealed an unanticipated relationship between population extent and precipitation at multiple scales. At a range-wide scale, the best model indicated the giant kangaroo rat was limited to areas that received little to no precipitation in the summer months. In contrast, the best model for shorter time scales showed a positive relation with resource abundance, driven by precipitation, in the current and previous year. These results suggest that the distribution of the giant kangaroo rat was limited to the wettest parts of the drier areas within the study region. This multi-step approach reinforces the differing relationship species may have with environmental variables at different scales, provides a novel method for defining available habitat in habitat selection studies, and suggests a way to create distribution models at spatial and temporal scales relevant to theoretical and applied ecologists

Fog Computing with Go: A Comparative Study

The Internet of Things is a recent computing paradigm, de- fined by networks of highly connected things – sensors, actuators and smart objects – communicating across networks of homes, buildings, vehicles, and even people. The Internet of Things brings with it a host of new problems, from managing security on constrained devices to processing never before seen amounts of data. While cloud computing might be able to keep up with current data processing and computational demands, it is unclear whether it can be extended to the requirements brought forth by Internet of Things. Fog computing provides an architectural solution to address some of these problems by providing a layer of intermediary nodes within what is called an edge network, separating the local object networks and the Cloud. These edge nodes provide interoperability, real-time interaction, routing, and, if necessary, computational delegation to the Cloud. This paper attempts to evaluate Go, a distributed systems language developed by Google, in the context of requirements set forth by Fog computing. Similar methodologies of previous literature are simulated and benchmarked against in order to assess the viability of Go in the edge nodes of Fog computing architecture

Computers in Social Work and Social Welfare Issues and Perspective

This paper provides a general overview of the areas in which technology has had significant impact. These are specifically important for social workers, since technology poses many challenges for both society and the social work profession. Most important about modern technology is that It can either improve the human condition or destroy society. With this In mind, social workers must learn about technology, so that Its benefits are understood and problems avoided. This will not occur, however, if technology is ignored or treated as something which is inherently bad because it disrupts the status gun

SWECS tower dynamics analysis methods and results

Several different tower dynamics analysis methods and computer codes were used to determine the natural frequencies and mode shapes of both guyed and freestanding wind turbine towers. These analysis methods are described and the results for two types of towers, a guyed tower and a freestanding tower, are shown. The advantages and disadvantages in the use of and the accuracy of each method are also described

Enhancement of thrust reverser cascade performance using aerodynamic and structural integration

This paper focuses on the design of a cascade within a cold stream thrust reverser during the early, conceptual stage of the product development process. A reliable procedure is developed for the exchange of geometric and load data between a two dimensional aerodynamic model and a three dimensional structural model. Aerodynamic and structural simulations are carried out using realistic operating conditions, for three different design configurations with a view to minimising weight for equivalent or improved aerodynamic and structural performance. For normal operational conditions the simulations show that total reverse thrust is unaffected when the performance of the deformed vanes is compared to the un-deformed case. This shows that for the conditions tested, the minimal deformation of the cascade vanes has no significant affect on aerodynamic efficiency and that there is scope for reducing the weight of the cascade. The pressure distribution through a two dimensional thrust reverser section is determined for two additional cascade vane configurations and it is shown that with a small decrease in total reverse thrust, it is possible to reduce weight and eliminate supersonic flow regimes through the nacelle section. By increasing vane sections in high pressure areas and decreasing sections in low pressure areas the structural performance of the cascade vanes in the weight reduced designs, is improved with significantly reduced levels of vane displacement and stress

Great Canadian Lagerstätten 2. Macroand Microfossils of the Mount Cap Formation (Early and Middle Cambrian, Northwest Territories)

The Early–Middle Cambrian Mount Cap Formation, NWT, hosts a diverse range of exceptionally preserved fos sils. Like the celebrated Burgess Shale of British Columbia, the Mount Cap contains carbonaceous compression fossils of animals that lacked mineral ized hard parts, as well as the fully articulated skeletons of shelly taxa. Its unique importance, however, lies in exceptional carbonaceous preservation at a microscopic scale. Acid-extracted microfossils from the ‘Little Bear biota’ of the Mackenzie Mountains reveal important details of problematic groups including chancelloriids and hyolithids, and provide direct evidence of Cambrian diets in the form of fae cal strings. A complementary microfos sil assemblage from the subsurface of the Colville Hills region contains an extraordinary diversity of exquisitely preserved arthropod cuticle, and con stitutes the oldest known record of complex crown-group crustaceans. We discuss the wider significance of the Mount Cap fossils, and describe some new forms that point to the potential for future discoveries.La Formation de Mount Cap dans les T.N.-O. qui va du début de Cambrien jusqu’au Cambrien moyen renferme une gamme diverse de fossiles excep tionnellement bien préservés. Comme dans le cas des schistes de Burgess de Colombie-Britannique, la Formation de Mount Cap renferme des fossiles de compression carbonés d’animaux exempts de parties dures minéralisées, de même que de squelettes pleinement articulés de taxons coquillers. Cepen dant, son importance unique tient à sa préservation carbonée exceptionnelle à l’échelle microscopique. Les microfos siles obtenus par extraction à l’acide sur le « biote de Little Bear » des monts Mackenzie montrent d’impor tants détails sur des groupes controver sés incluant les chancelloriidés et les hyolithidés, ainsi que des indices directs de la diète cambrienne sous la forme de trainées fécales. Un assemblage microfossile complémentaire du sous sol de la région de Colville contient une extraordinaire diversité de cuticules d’arthropode très finement préservées, constituant ainsi la plus ancienne archive du groupe-couronne complexe de crustacés. Nous commentons à grands traits la signification de l’exis tence des fossiles de Mount Cap, et décrivons quelques formes nouvelles qui laissent penser que d’autres décou vertes sont possibles

Causation, Measurement Relevance and No-conspiracy in EPR

In this paper I assess the adequacy of no-conspiracy conditions employed in the usual derivations of the Bell inequality in the context of EPR correlations. First, I look at the EPR correlations from a purely phenomenological point of view and claim that common cause explanations of these cannot be ruled out. I argue that an appropriate common cause explanation requires that no-conspiracy conditions are re-interpreted as mere common cause-measurement independence conditions. In the right circumstances then, violations of measurement independence need not entail any kind of conspiracy (nor backwards in time causation). To the contrary, if measurement operations in the EPR context are taken to be causally relevant in a specific way to the experiment outcomes, their explicit causal role provides the grounds for a common cause explanation of the corresponding correlations.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figur