Assessing students' conceptual understanding using an online three‐tier diagnostic test

When solving a mathematical problem, students who do not have sufficient conceptual understanding may perform poorly and exhibit misconceptions. This study was aimed to examine students' conceptual understanding and significant misconceptions when solving number sense‐related problems. An online three‐tier diagnostic test was administered to 125 fifth‐grade students with varied socio‐economic backgrounds in Hong Kong. Only 14.40% of the students exhibited high performance with high confidence, indicating that these students had a profound conceptual understanding of number sense. In addition, the majority of the students (66.40%) did not demonstrate number sense; these students exhibited several significant misconceptions and could solve the questions only by using a rule‐based method or guessing. Accordingly, most students performed unsatisfactorily on number sense‐related problems. This study is imperative in identifying early predictors and provides information for further compatible interventions in the teaching and learning of number sense in Hong Kong in particular and worldwide in general.     

Fold and flexibility: what can proteins' mechanical properties tell us about their folding nucleus?

The determination of a protein''s folding nucleus, i.e. a set of native contacts playing an important role during its folding process, remains an elusive yet essential problem in biochemistry. In this work, we investigate the mechanical properties of 70 protein structures belonging to 14 protein families presenting various folds using coarse-grain Brownian dynamics simulations. The resulting rigidity profiles combined with multiple sequence alignments show that a limited set of rigid residues, which we call the consensus nucleus, occupy conserved positions along the protein sequence. These residues'' side chains form a tight interaction network within the protein''s core, thus making our consensus nuclei potential folding nuclei. A review of experimental and theoretical literature shows that most (above 80%) of these residues were indeed identified as folding nucleus member in earlier studies.     

Collection efficiency of liquid‐based samplers for fungi in indoor air

This study assessed the collection efficiency (CE) of two popularly used sampling devices (BioSampler and Coriolis sampler) for fungal aerosols. Phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) supplemented with or without surfactant (Tween‐20, Tween‐80, or Triton X‐100) and antifoam agent was prepared and used as collection liquids. The agar impactor (BioStage) was simultaneously operated with liquid‐based samplers to collect fungi from seven sites located at a university building, public library, and animal farming. Fungal concentrations determined by liquid samplers were divided by those by BioStage, and the ratio values represented CE. Results indicate that the CE of BioSampler was superior to that of Coriolis (P = 0.0001) and the PBS containing surfactant collected fungi better than that without surfactant (P < 0.0001), whereas antifoam agent showed no influence (P = 0.8). Moreover, fungal concentrations determined by BioSampler with surfactant‐added PBS were statistically indifferent from those by BioStage (P > 0.05) with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.81‐0.83 (P < 0.01). In addition to sampler and collection liquid, sampling location was also identified as a significant CE factor (P = 0.006), implying potential influences by fungal genera in the studied fields. Overall, BioSampler with surfactant‐supplemented PBS (eg, Triton X‐100) is recommended considering the great CE and compatibility with a variety of analytical assays.     

High dynamic range InP HBT delta-sigma analog-to-digital converters

To date, the development of multifunction multicarrier digital receivers for cellular base station and military communications applications has been limited by the demanding dynamic range requirements for the analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The use of oversampling delta-sigma modulators provides a promising approach to overcoming the dynamic range barriers Nyquist-rate converters face in the same applications. This paper discusses issues involved in the design of high-speed high dynamic range wide-band delta-sigma ADCs for such communications applications. Test results of prototype designs are also presented. The delta-sigma modulators described in this paper operate at sampling frequencies ranging from 1 to 2.5 GHz with center frequencies ranging from dc to 100 MHz, providing between 74 and 84.2 dB signal-to-noise ratio (12 and 13.7 bits) for bandwidths of 25 and 12.5 MHz, respectively. The loop filters are continuous-time low-pass and bandpass implementations of order 6 and 10, and were fabricated in an InP heterojunction bipolar (HBT) technology. A typical tenth-order design consumes 6 W of power and occupies a die area of 23.5 mm/sup 2/.     

Transgenerational effects of the holocaust: Externalization of aggression in second generation of holocaust survivors.

Examined the psychological characteristics of the children of holocaust survivors. 38 males and females in their late 20's were interviewed; the parents of 19 Ss were holocaust survivors, and the parents of the other 19 Ss were in Israel during World War II and did not suffer directly. It was hypothesized that reactions of the children of the holocaust survivors would include guilt rather than external aggression and a tendency not to externalize aggressive impulses in reaction to frustrating events. The Ss' reactions to a projective test were analyzed, and the responses provide support for the major hypothesis. Results show that sons and daughters of holocaust survivors were less likely to externalize aggression than were those in a control group. This finding is supported by the content analysis of the structured interview conducted with the Ss in both groups. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ozonation of CI Reactive Black 5 using rotating packed bed and stirred tank reactor

This study investigates the ozonation of CI Reactive Black 5 (RB5) by using the rotating packed bed (RPB) and completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) as ozone contactors. The RPB, which provides high gravitational force by adjusting the rotational speed, was employed as a novel ozone contactor. The same ozone dosage was separately introduced into either the RPB or the CSTR for the investigation, while the experimental solution was continuously circulated within the apparatus consisting of the RPB and CSTR. The decolorization and mineralization efficiencies of RB5 in the course of ozonation are compared for these two methods. Moreover, the dissolved and off‐gas ozone concentrations were simultaneously monitored for the further analysis. As a result, the ozone mass transfer rate per unit volume of the RPB was significantly higher because of its higher mass transfer coefficient and gas–liquid concentration driving force. Furthermore, ozonation kinetics was found to be independent of the gravitational magnitude of an ozone gas–liquid contactor. Therefore, the results suggest employing RPBs as ozone‐contacting devices with the advantage of volume reduction. The experimental results, which can be used for further modeling of the ozonation process in the RPB, also show the requirement of correct design for the RPB. Consequently, the present study is useful for the understanding of practical application of RPBs. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Synthesis and characterization of novel copolymers with the trimethylsilyl group for deep‐UV photoresists

N‐(4‐Acetoxyphenyl) maleimide (APMI) and three kinds of comonomers bearing a trimethylsilyl group were copolymerized at 60°C in the presence of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator in 1,4‐dioxane to obtain the three IP, IIP, and IIIP copolymers. These copolymers were removed from the acetoxy group in a transesterification process into new IVP, VP, and VIP copolymers with a pendant hydroxyl group. Two modified processes were adopted to prepare photoresists using these copolymers. The first process involved mixing the dissolution inhibitor, o‐nitrobenzyl cholate, with the new copolymers. Second, o‐nitrobenzyl cholate was introduced into the copolymers using 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU) in dimethylformamide (DMF). The cyclic maleimide structure is responsible for the high thermal stability of these copolymers. After irradiation using deep–UV light and development with aqueous Na₂CO₃ (0.01 wt %), the developed patterns showed positive images and exhibited good adhesion to the silicon wafer without using any adhesion promoter. The resolution of these resists was at least 0.8 μm and an oxygen‐plasma etching rate was 1/5.3 to that of hard‐baked HPR‐204. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 2791–2798, 2002; DOI 10.1002/app.10255     

Effect of grain boundary phase on the thermal conductivity of aluminium nitride ceramics

AIN with high thermal conductivity was fabricated by pressureless sintering with Y₂O₃ as the sintering aid. The thermal conductivity was observed to increase with sintering time (up to 8 h) at 1810 °C. The distribution of the sintering aid was identified as one of the major factors influencing the thermal conductivity in AIN. Non-uniform distribution of the grain boundary phase was found to be associated with a significant amount of porosity, resulting in the enhancement of phonon scattering and thereby lowering the thermal conductivity.