Examining the linkage between class attendance at university and academic performance in an international branch campus setting

The relationship between class attendance and academic performance has been an important area of research, with a positive association being posited between the two. The setting for our study is an International Branch Campus (IBC) of a British university that needs to demonstrate the quality of its service delivery both to the parent institution and to the fee-paying students. We employ a dataset of over 900 students in an undergraduate degree programme and subject it to statistical techniques, namely quantile regression and two-stage quantile regression. Our results show that attendance has a beneficial influence on academic performance and this benefit persists at higher percentile of grades. We propose that IBCs could consider an attendance policy that encourages students to attend classes

Abstractive Summarization with Efficient Transformer Based Approach

One of the most significant research areas is how to make a document smaller while keeping its essential information because of the rapid proliferation of online data. This information must be summarized in order to recover meaningful knowledge in an acceptable time. Text summarization is what it's called. Extractive and abstractive text summarization are the two types of summarization. In current years, the arena of abstractive text summarization has become increasingly popular. Abstractive Text Summarization (ATS) aims to extract the most vital content from a text corpus and condense it into a shorter text while maintaining its meaning and semantic and grammatical accuracy. Deep learning architectures have entered a new phase in natural language processing (NLP). Many studies have demonstrated the competitive performance of innovative architectures including recurrent neural network (RNN), Attention Mechanism and LSTM among others. Transformer, a recently presented model, relies on the attention process. In this paper, abstractive text summarization is accomplished using a basic Transformer model, a Transformer with a pointer generation network (PGN) and coverage mechanism, a Fastformer architecture and Fastformer with pointer generation network (PGN) and coverage mechanism. We compare these architectures after careful and thorough hyperparameter adjustment. In the experiment the standard CNN/DM dataset is used to test these architectures on the job of abstractive summarization

Infrared emission from interstellar dust cloud with two embedded sources: IRAS 19181+1349

Mid and far infrared maps of many Galactic star forming regions show multiple peaks in close proximity, implying more than one embedded energy sources. With the aim of understanding such interstellar clouds better, the present study models the case of two embedded sources. A radiative transfer scheme has been developed to deal with an uniform density dust cloud in a cylindrical geometry, which includes isotropic scattering in addition to the emission and absorption processes. This scheme has been applied to the Galactic star forming region associated with IRAS 19181+1349, which shows observational evidence for two embedded energy sources. Two independent modelling approaches have been adopted, viz., to fit the observed spectral energy distribution (SED) best; or to fit the various radial profiles best, as a function of wavelength. Both the models imply remarkably similar physical parameters.Comment: 17 pages, 6 Figures, uses epsf.sty. To appear in Journal of Astronophysics & Astronom

An Eulerian–Eulerian formulation for erosion modelling: an alternate approach.

Sand is commonly produced besides petroleum fluids and it presents a major erosional hazard leading to pipe failures. Particle erosion is a complex process in which material is removed due to the repeated particle impacts. Conventionally, a CFD flow solver and computationally intensive lagrangian particle tracking sub–routines, known as Eulerian–Lagrangian (E–L) model, along with empirical erosion equations are used to predict the erosion rates. The present work introduces an Eulerian–Eulerian (E–E) approach in which the multiphase granular model resolves the solid phase and obviates the need of particles tracking. Particle–laden turbulent flow across a flow restrictor, based on an experimental study, is chosen for validation. Numerical experiments are done in Simcenter STAR–CCM+. Comparison with the experimental data demonstrate a good agreement and in particular, the E–E model yields reliable predictions of impact wear locations, erosion rates as those of E–L model. A 90° square bend is also simulated and comparison of erosion rates on the concave wall demonstrate that E–E model can be used as an alternate to computationally expensive approaches

Simulation of rectangular fluidised bed with Geldart D particles.

In this study, simulations are carried out using the Euler-Euler granular model in STAR-CCM+ for a gas-solid flow in a rectangular bubbling fluidized bed. The problem studied was announced as Small Scale Challenge Problem (SSCP-I) in 2013. Experiments for this problem were conducted by The Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). The objective of this numerical study is to evaluate the reliability of the kinetic theory based granular model (KTGF) in predicting the hydrodynamics of gas-solid flows. The experimental measurements of the bubbling fluidized bed investigated in this numerical study are 3"x9"x48". The bed material for the experiment is Geldart group D particles of uniform size and high sphericity. Simulations were performed for all the three gas superficial velocities (U = 2.19, 3.28 and 4.38 m/s) for which experiments were conducted. Results from numerical simulations are validated for vertical component of particle velocity, horizontal component of particle velocity, granular temperature and the mean axial pressure gradient. The effect of the treatment at wall boundaries and coefficient of restitution (particle-particle interactions) is studied on the results

Far Infrared Observations of the Galactic Star Forming Regions associated with IRAS 00338+6312 and RAFGL 5111

Two Galactic star forming regions, one in a very early phase of evolution and another evolved one, associated with the IRAS sources 00338+6312 and 03595+5110 (RAFGL 5111) respectively have been studied in detail. These sources have been mapped simultaneously in two far infrared bands at 143 & 185 \micron), with about 1.5 arcmin angular resolution, using the TIFR 100 cm balloon borne telescope. The HIRES processed IRAS maps at 12, 25, 60 & 100 \micron, have been used for comparison. Whereas IRAS 00338+6312 is resolved only in the TIFR bands, RAFGL 5111 is very well resolved in both the TIFR bands, as well as in at least 3 IRAS bands. The neighbouring fainter source IRAS 04004+5114 has also been resolved in the TIFR bands. Taking advantage of the identical beams in the two TIFR bands at 143 & 185 \micron, dust colour temperature, $T(143/185)$, and optical depth, $\tau_{150}$, maps have been generated for RAFGL 5111. These maps show interesting structural details. Radiative transfer modelling in spherical geometry has been carried out for individual sources. The best fit models are in good agreement with the observed spectral energy distribution (SED), radio continuum data etc. Another scheme of radiative transfer through the interstellar dust-gas cloud including the heavier elements has been used to predict ionic nebular line emission, which are in reasonable agreement with the measurements for RAFGL 5111. An important conclusion from the present study is that, for all the three sources (IRAS 00338+6312; 03595+5110; and 04004+5114, a faint source in the neighbourhood of RAFGL 5111), the best fit to the observed SED is obtained for a uniform density ($n(r) \sim r^0$) cloud

Comparison of Friedewald’s formula, modified Friedewald’s formula and Anandaraja’s formula with direct homogenous serum LDL cholesterol method in CHD patients

Background: Elevated serum Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration is a well-known atherogenic risk factor with a high predictive value for coronary heart disease. An important aspect of the assessment of coronary heart disease risk for a dyslipidemic subject is the estimation of serum Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C). There are many homogenous assays currently available for the estimation of serum LDL-C. Most clinical laboratories determine LDL-C (mg/dl) by Friedewald’s formula (FF), LD-=(TC)-HDL-C)-(TG/5), Modified Friedewald’s formula (MFF), LDL-C=(TC)-(HDL-C)-(TG/6), Recently Anandaraja and colleagues have derived a new formula for calculating LDL-C, AR-LDL-C=0.9 TC-(0.9 TG/5)-28.Methods: It is cross-sectional study. Lipid profile data was collected from known of CHD patients, who had come for lipid profile investigation to the Central Biochemistry laboratory of ACPM Medical College and hospital. LDL-C estimation was done by direct homogenous assay and also calculated using the Friedewald’s Formula, Modified Friedewald’s Formula and Anandaraja’s Formula for assessing and validity of the LDL cholesterol.Results: From the present study, The LDL-FF, MFW and AR are increased with levels of TGL > 200 mg/dl and decreased level of TC < 200 mg/dl seem to interfere with the estimation of Direct LDL cholesterolConclusions: Authors conclude that, LDL-C by direct method is most reliable and sensitive in CHD patients compare with FF, MFW, and ARF

Author Correction: LKB1 loss links serine metabolism to DNA methylation and tumorigenesis

Erratum for: LKB1 loss links serine metabolism to DNA methylation and tumorigenesis. [Nature. 2016

Penaeid prawn fishery and its maximum sustainable yield at Versova, Mumbai

Penaeid prawn fishery at Versova, Mumbai was investigated for the ten-year period of 1988 to 1997. The average annual catch during the period was 3,764 t, of which the trawlers contributed 84.9% and 15.1% by the dol nets. The major species contributing to the fishery were Parapenaeopsis stylifera (61.2%), Solenocera crassicornis (12.4%), Metapenaeus affinis (8.9%) and M. brevicornis (8.5%)'in trawlers andP. stylifera (51.5%),S. crassicornis (28.3%) andP. hardwikii (11.0%) in dol nets. Month wise abundance, size range, mean size, maturity and sex ratio in the two gears averaged for the period are discussed. Trawling at Versova commenced in 1986-'87 and due to encouraging returns many dol net owners also shifted over to trawling. Consequently the catch of penaeid prawns also increased from 1,363.71 in 1988 to 4,740.71 in 1996, and thereafter it declined considerably. Using Schaefer's surplus yield model, maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and the related effort (FMSY) were estimated. The MSY was found to be 4,368.81 with the optimum effort of 3.75 X 105 hours of fishing for the dol nets and trawlers together, which corresponds to operation of 158 daily trawler trips and 38 dol net boats for the sustainable penaeid prawn fishery at Versova

Far and mid infrared observations of two ultracompact H II regions and one compact CO clump

Two ultracompact H II regions (IRAS 19181+1349 and 20178+4046) and one compact molecular clump (20286+4105) have been observed at far infrared wavelengths using the TIFR 1 m balloon-borne telescope and at mid infrared wavelengths using ISO. Far infrared observations have been made simultaneously in two bands with effective wavelengths of ~ 150 and ~ 210 micron, using liquid 3He cooled bolometer arrays. ISO observations have been made in seven spectral bands using the ISOCAM instrument; four of these bands cover the emission from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules. In addition, IRAS survey data for these sources in the four IRAS bands have been processed using the HIRES routine. In the high resolution mid infrared maps as well as far infrared maps multiple embedded energy sources have been resolved. There are structural similarities between the images in the mid infrared and the large scale maps in the far infrared bands, despite very different angular resolutions of the two. Dust temperature and optical depth (tau_150 um) maps have also been generated using the data from balloon-borne observations. Spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for these sources have been constructed by combining the data from all these observations. Radiation transfer calculations have been made to understand these SEDs. Parameters for the dust envelopes in these sources have been derived by fitting the observed SEDs. In particular, it has been found that radial density distribution for three sources is diffrent. Whereas in the case of IRAS 20178+4046, a steep distribution of the form r^-2 is favoured, for IRAS 20286+4105 it is r^-1 and for IRAS 19181+1349 it the uniform distribution (r^0). Line ratios for PAH bands have generally been found to be similar to those for other compact H II regions but different from general H II regions.Comment: To appear in Astronomy & Astrophysics; (19 pages including 14 Figures and 6 Tables