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Work in teacher noticing has captured to what extent teachers notice students' thinking on paper and pencil tasks and technology tasks, yet no one study has considered how the same group of teachers notices across task types. This study used Jacobs et al.'s (Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 2010, 41(2), pp: 169–202.) professional noticing of students' thinking framework to guide the design and analysis of prospective secondary mathematics teachers' (PSMTs) noticing of high school students' thinking on two geometry tasks: a paper and pencil task and a technology task. High school students' written work and a video clip were shared as the artifacts from which to notice for each task. PSMTs responded to a set of noticing prompts to capture how they were attending, interpreting, and deciding to respond to students' thinking for each task. Their written responses to these questions were then open coded for each noticing component and codes from each task were compared to reveal any differences in the content of PSMTs' noticing across task types. Results revealed differences between tasks for each component skill of noticing. Implications of these findings for mathematics teacher educators and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Only a few studies with small sample sizes have compared electronic Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) rating checklists with traditional paper-based OSCE rating checklists. In this study, the examiner-perceived usability and preference for type of OSCE checklist (electronic vs. paper based) were compared, and the influence of OSCE checklist type on missed ratings was determined, for the Swiss Federal Licensing Examination in clinical skills for human medicine. Methods: All examiners in the Swiss Federal Licensing Examination in clinical skills for human medicine were invited over two subsequent years to evaluate the OSCE checklist type they had worked with during the examination. This was based on a questionnaire with 14 closed questions (i.e., demographic, checklist-type experience, perceived usability, checklist type preference). Furthermore, the numbers of missed ratings for the paper-based checklist were recorded. Results: The data from these examiners (n=377) with experience of both OSCE checklist types were analyzed. The electronic OSCE checklist was rated significantly higher on all usability aspects (i.e., ease of use, candidate rating and error correction, clarity, distraction using the checklist, overall satisfaction), except for the speed of registering comments (no significant difference). The majority of the examiners in both years (2014: 54.5%, n=60, 2015: 89.8%, n=230) reported preference for working with the electronic OSCE checklist in the future. Missed ratings were seen for 14.2% of the paper-based OSCE checklists, which were prevented with the electronic OSCE checklists. Conclusions: Electronic OSCE checklists were rated significantly more user-friendly and were preferred over paper-based OSCE checklists by a broad national sample of examiners, supporting previous results from faculty-level examinations. Furthermore, missed ratings were prevented with the electronic OSCE checklists. Overall, the use of electronic OSCE checklists is therefore advisable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pencil drawing is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways of fabricating miniaturized electrodes on a paper substrate. However, it is limited by the lack of reproducibility regarding the electrode drawing process. A 3D-printed pencil holder (3DPH) is proposed here for simple, reproducible, and low-cost hand-drawn fabrication of paper-based electrochemical devices. 3DPH was designed to keep pressure and angulation of the graphite mine constant on the paper substrate using a micromechanical pencil regardless of the user/operator. This approach significantly improved the reproducibility and cost of making reliable pencil-drawn electrodes. The results showed high reproducibility and accuracy of the 3DPH-assisted electrodes prepared by 4 different operators in terms of sheet resistance and electrochemical behavior. Cyclic voltammetric (CV) curves in the presence of [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− redox probe showed only 3.9% variation for the anodic peak currents of different electrodes prepared by different operators when compared with electrodes prepared without the 3D-printed support. SEM analyses revealed a more uniform graphite deposition/design of the electrodes prepared with 3DPH, which corroborates the results obtained by CV. As a proof of concept, 3DPH-assisted pencil-drawn graphite electrodes were employed for dopamine detection in synthetic saliva, showing a proportional increase in anodic peak current at 0.12 V vs. carbon pRE with increasing dopamine (DA) concentration, with a detection limit of 0.39μmol L−1. Moreover recovery was in the range 93–104% of DA (4–7% RSD) in synthetic saliva for three different concentrations, demonstrating the reliability of the approach. Finally, we believe this approach can make pencil-drawn technology more robust, accessible, reliable, and inexpensive for real on-site applications, especially in hard-to-reach locations or research centers with little investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of mLearning or mobile device practice on the attention and accuracy of student's use of math concepts, specifically, telling time. A single subject, alternating treatment design was used to compare mLearning to paper and pencil practice in four 3rd grade male students. Results were mixed; two children were observed to be more on-task during the mLearning practice, and two children were observed to perform similarly across both conditions. Additionally, two children performed similarly on correctly completed problems across both conditions, and two children performed better using paper and pencil practice. All students completed more math problems during the paper and pencil practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) instruments can be administered online or with paper and pencil. These procedures involve different interactions between respondents and instruments which could cause errors when administrators and researchers want to compare or relate online results with paper-based results. This study aimed to analyze if the Romanian version of the Student Evaluations of Educational Quality instrument presents similar psychometric characteristics regardless if it is completed online or by paper and pencil. Data was collected from two groups of students (N = 809). One group completed the SEEQ on paper-pencil support (312 responders, 38.6%). The other group completed the scale for the same teachers and courses, but online and one year later. Psychometrical checks and measurement invariance analysis suggested that the Romanian version of SEEQ has passed the internal validity and reliability test and presented configural, metric, and scalar invariance across the results obtained from both administration procedures. • Nowadays, SET instruments are administered online or by paper-pencil procedures. • The procedures involve different interactions between respondents and instruments. • Checking the measure invariance is necessary when using both SET procedures. • The SEEQ has good invariance indices across data collected with both procedures. • The SEEQ has a good fit for the Romanian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a period in time in which people all over the globe witnessed the hypervisibility of white supremacist violence, anti-Black racism, and Black activism on a global scale. Graph Click for larger view View full resolution "Scored Club Vaccine tickets, after waiting for hours" (2021), part of the COVID drawings. Graph Click for larger view View full resolution "You Better Put Some Respek" (2021), part of the COVID drawings. [Extracted from the article]

[Display omitted] • Developing a superhydrophobic, kirigami, stretchable pencil-on-paper device platform. • Simultaneously detecting gas, temperature, electrophysiological signals, and providing treatments via thermal therapy and electrical stimulation. • The gas sensor exhibits a large response to NO 2 gas at elevated temperature from self-heating. • The integrated temperature sensor and electrodes accurately detect temperature and electrophysiological signals. • The thermal therapy and electrical stimulation deliver effective means to battle against inflammation/infection and treat chronic wounds. Wearable electronics with applications in healthcare, human–machine interfaces, and robotics often explore complex manufacturing procedures and are not disposable. Although the use of conductive pencil patterns on cellulose paper provides inexpensive, disposable sensors, they have limited stretchability and are easily affected by variations in the ambient environment. This work presents the combination of pencil-on-paper with the hydrophobic fumed SiO 2 (Hf-SiO 2) coating and stretchable kirigami structures from laser cutting to prepare a superhydrophobic, stretchable pencil-on-paper multifunctional sensing platform. The resulting sensor exhibits a large response to NO 2 gas at elevated temperature from self-heating, which is minimally affected by the variations in the ambient temperature and relative humidity, as well as mechanical deformations such as bending and stretching states. The integrated temperature sensor and electrodes with the sensing platform can accurately detect temperature and electrophysiological signals to alert for adverse thermal effects and cardiopulmonary diseases. The thermal therapy and electrical stimulation provided by the platform can also deliver effective means to battle against inflammation/infection and treat chronic wounds. The superhydrophobic pencil-on-paper multifunctional device platform provides a low-cost, disposable solution to disease diagnostic confirmation and early treatment for personal and population health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some previous research studies, quite successful results have been obtained in using online tools to increase students' academic achievement. In many fields; the benefits of online formative quizzes have been widely recognized by educators. However, there is little research determining whether weekly formative online exams affect students' academic achievement, especially in engineering courses. In this quasi‐experimental study, it was investigated whether the weekly quiz application method had an effect on students' academic achievement in an engineering course. One hundred and ninety sophomores participated in the study. Although the experimental group (n = 81) used the quizzes prepared on the Course Portal online to learn the Sensors and Transducers Unit, the control group (n = 109) solved the quizzes in the textbook on a paper‐pencil basis. After the online quizzes were solved, the experimental group was given which questions they answered incorrectly and the related video link of these incorrectly answered questions, and the relevant section of the book was given by the Course Portal as feedback. The pretest and posttest data of the students were obtained, and analysis of covariance was utilized as the analysis method to reveal the answer to the study question. The statistical analysis of the students' average achievement scores in the posttest (midterm exam) showed that the experimental group's average achievement score was significantly better than the control group. Results show that online weekly exams have significant effects on students' academic achievement. Weekly online quizzes are recommended to engineering lecturers as they offer students to improve their students' academic success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that Suman Chakraborty, a professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur won the 2022 Infosys Prize in Engineering and Computer Science for his contributions to deepening the understanding of fluid mechanics at micro and nanoscales. Topics include examines Chakraborty's innovations have led to the development of low-cost medical devices for healthcare in resource-limited areas.

This article reports a facile fabrication of a highly sensitive enzyme-free sweat glucose sensor over Whatman filter paper substrate employing a dual-step pencil and pen approach. Initially, two pencil-drawn electrodes (PDEs) are obtained on the filter paper through the manual abrasion of an 8B graphite pencil. Then, the sensing layer is drawn over one of the PDEs using a custom-made copper (Cu) nanoparticle ink (CuNP-ink) pen to form copper nanoparticle ink decorated PDE (CuNP-ink/PDE) which serves as a working electrode, while the other PDE is drawn with silver conductive ink (Ag-ink) pen to form reference electrode. The developed CuNP-ink/PDE is composed of 43.5% of metallic Cu nanoparticles, inducing a highly crystalline and conductive nature, thus promoting fast electron transfer during glucose electrooxidation. The developed sensor offers a sensitivity of 2691.7 μ AmM−1cm−2, a detection limit of 0.5 μM, a linear range of 1.2–40 μM, and a fast response time of ∼ 1.5 s. Besides, the sensor measurements are stable, reproducible, and selective in glucose sensing. Also, the reliability of the sensor is tested by comparing its performance with a UV–Visible spectrophotometer for proving its efficacy in sweat glucose detection. Experimental results evince the effectiveness of the designed sensor for glucose detection in human sweat. [Display omitted] • Sensor is fabricated by hand drawing a layer of copper nanoparticle ink over pencil-drawn electrode (PDE). • Ink deposition allows permeation of glucose sensitive copper nanoparticles. • CuNP-ink/PDE is composed of 44.5% of metallic Cu nanoparticles. • Sensor offers sensitivity of 2616.6 μA mM−1 cm−2 and detection limit of 0.5 μM. • Results are compared with UV–Vis spectrophotometric assay in real sweat samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under controlled dispersion conditions, sample injection towards a detector opened essential fields for the Analytical Chemistry fast development methods. Flow injection analysis (FIA) and batch injection analysis (BIA) systems are crucial for injecting the sample in these analytical methods. The BIA system eliminated the flow manifold, with samples injected directly onto the detector inside the batch injection cell. Paper was slightly evaluated coupled to FIA, and no reports were found associated with BIA. Still, it can potentially reduce the BIA manifold by removing the batch injection cell based on the capillarity properties to disperse the injected solution over the detection system. Hence, this article reported the first work coupling batch-injection analysis and microfluidic paper-based analytical device (BIA-μPAD) with pencil-drawn electrodes directly attached to the paper using a CO 2 laser pre-treated chromatographic paper. The laser pretreatment of the paper (optimized conditions: 6.5% laser power, 12 mm s−1 scan rate, and 12 mm output distance) was essential to enhance the electrochemical response for ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple and paracetamol (PAR), as shown by spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques. The proposed BIA-μPAD was evaluated using pharmaceutical paracetamol samples as proof-of-concept (optimized conditions: 15 μL injected volume and 6.4 μL s−1 dispensing rate), obtaining good linearity (R = 0.9961) and recovery values ranging from 95 to 103%. Repeatability (n = 16) and reproducibility (n = 9) tests with 1 mmol L−1 PAR also presented well relative standard deviation (RSD) results of 5.1% and 6.6%, respectively. A sampling frequency of 76 h−1 was obtained, which is a similar value compared with conventional BIA apparatus. Limits of detection and quantification were estimated in 0.046 and 0.154 mmol L−1, respectively. Additionally, an improvement in the current response and the sample throughput was observed when comparing FIA and BIA-μPADs, attesting the applicability of the proposed device and opening for new possibilities related to paper-based devices coupled with flow techniques. [Display omitted] • The first batch injection analysis paper-based device (BIA-μPAD) reported. • Paper can reduce the BIA manifold by removing the batch injection cell-based. • Pencil-drawing directly on the paper device using laser pretreatment. • BIA-μPAD was compared with flow injection paper-based configuration. • A proof-of-concept of the proposed BIA-μPAD was shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we analyze the stability of the problem of performing a rational QZ step with a shift that is an eigenvalue of a given regular pencil H - λ K in unreduced Hessenberg–Hessenberg form. In exact arithmetic, the backward rational QZ step moves the eigenvalue to the top of the pencil, while the rest of the pencil is maintained in Hessenberg–Hessenberg form, which then yields a deflation of the given shift. But in finite-precision the rational QZ step gets "blurred" and precludes the deflation of the given shift at the top of the pencil. In this paper we show that when we first compute the corresponding eigenvector to sufficient accuracy, then the rational QZ step can be constructed using this eigenvector, so that the exact deflation is also obtained in finite-precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract concepts, such as gravity, may provide the perfect opportunity to bring phenomena into the classroom. As a knowledge generation strategy, summarizing can foster that opportunity. Using phenomena and summary writing together might help student learning since it requires making connections between their ideas and words to explain the natural phenomena. This article describes how anchoring phenomena and summary writing were integrated into a cohesive unit by using five generative activities that include different language and epistemic practices. Five activities include 1) Asking, 2) Designing, 3) Negotiating, 4) Explaining, and 5) Summarizing. A series of lessons, aligning with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and the NGSS, were designed with the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) approach. After these lessons, students were asked to write a letter to their younger peers about what they learned related to the phenomenon. The teacher mentioned that class discussions and summary writing practice helped her to see connections in students' ideas and how those connections changed throughout the unit. Many of the students also mentioned that they preferred completing a summary writing rather than a paper-pencil test because they were able to explain themselves in a more comfortable way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a simple and rapid technique to form structural colors would be an important step to achieve the coloring without dyes containing toxic organic dyes or heavy metals. Here, a novel method to form structural color using plasma etching is presented. The structural color is reproducibly formed by the plasma irradiation of the surface of a pencil lead for 40–120 s. The color changes with the plasma irradiation time. The formed colors exhibit a luster and turn blue, yellow, red‐purple, blue, green, or pale red by the plasma irradiation time of 40, 60, 80, 90, 100, and 120 s, respectively. The surface asperities due to the removals of the graphite at the surface of the pencil lead by the plasma etching are changed by the irradiation time. This causes the changes in the structural color of the pencil lead. The coloring by this method can easily control the colored part by using a masking plastic plate. Furthermore, a paper painted with a pencil is also colored by the plasma treatment. The presented method is a simple and rapid technique to form structural colors and can be applied for coloring without dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper we find sufficient conditions on the coefficients of a class of third order quasi-elliptic operator pencils providing the completeness of the part of eigen and associated vectors in a separable Hilbert space. The completeness of the system of decreasing elementary solutions of the corresponding homogeneous equation in the space of solutions of this equation is proved. All these conditions are expressed by the coefficients of the operator pencil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let R=K[x,y,z]$R=\mathbb {K}[x,y,z]$. A reduced plane curve C=V(f)⊂P2$C=V(f)\subset \mathbb {P}^2$ is free if its associated module of tangent derivations Der(f)$\mathrm{Der}(f)$ is a free R$R$‐module, or equivalently if the corresponding sheaf TP2(−logC)$T_ {\mathbb {P}^2 }(-\log C)$ of vector fields tangent to C$C$ splits as a direct sum of line bundles on P2$\mathbb {P}^2$. In general, free curves are difficult to find, and in this paper, we describe a new method for constructing free curves in P2$\mathbb {P}^2$. The key tools in our approach are eigenschemes and pencils of curves, combined with an interpretation of Saito's criterion in this context. Previous constructions typically applied only to curves with quasihomogeneous singularities, which is not necessary in our approach. We illustrate our method by constructing large families of free curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pictorial journalism in the latter nineteenth century faced a temporal conundrum: whereas words could travel by telegraph and hence at the speed of electricity, the accompanying illustrations had to travel as material objects and were chronically belated. This article analyzes the strategies with which two prominent Victorian weekly papers—Illustrated London News and Punch—sought to deal with the slowness of illustration and reconcile the speed differentials between textual and visual news with their printing deadlines and production cycles. The most striking of these strategies was to deploy an 'oracular pencil' to work up an illustration before an event had taken place. These pre-produced illustrations relied on specific visual codes that shaped the illustrations' 'truth.' The article shows that, contrary to the self-positioning of pictorial journalists as reporting truthfully and speedily on the world 'out there,' the pictorial press had its own temporal and epistemological laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial neglect is the dominant behavioral disorder after right hemisphere brain lesions. Reliabel diagnosis by formal neuropsychological testing is often achieved only later during hospitalization, leading to delays in targeted therapies. We propose a way to diagnose spatial neglect right at admission. We measured the conjugated eye deviation (CED) on the initial computed tomography (CT) scans, in combination with the verbal instruction "Please look straight ahead" during the scan. The command was implemented in the scanner program and automatically played before a cranial CT started. This prospective study included a total 46 consecutive subjects (16 patients with first ever right brain damage and no spatial neglect, 12 patients with first ever right brain damage and spatial neglect, and 18 healthy controls). The right brain damaged groups were submitted to paper pencil tests to access the diagnosis of a spatial neglect after radiological confirmation of the brain damage during the initial phase of their hospitalisation. This procedure allowed us to define a cut-off value of 14.1 degrees of CED to the ipsilesional side to differentiate right hemispheric stroke patients with versus without spatial neglect with a confidence interval of 99%. This simple addition to a radiological routine procedure provides a new tool to help diagnose spatial neglect at the earliest stage possible and thus offers the possibility of providing patients with optimized rehabilitative therapy from a very early stage on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with second-order differential pencils with a fixed frozen argument on a finite interval. We obtain the trace formulae under four boundary conditions: Dirichlet–Dirichlet, Neumann–Neumann, Dirichlet–Neumann, Neumann–Dirichlet. Although the boundary conditions and the corresponding asymptotic behaviour of the eigenvalues are different, the trace formulae have the same form which reveals the impact of the frozen argument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions of a surface pencil pair interpolating a Bertrand pair as common asymptotic curves in Euclidean 3-space E 3 . Afterwards, the conclusion to the ruled surface pencil pair is also obtained. Meanwhile, the epitomes are stated to emphasize that the proposed methods are effective in product manufacturing by adjusting the shapes of the surface pencil pair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study relations between various natural structures on F-manifolds. In particular, given an arbitrary Riemannian F-manifold, we present a construction of a canonical flat F-manifold associated to it. We also describe a construction of a canonical homogeneous Riemannian F-manifold associated to an arbitrary exact homogeneous flat pencil of metrics satisfying a certain non-degeneracy assumption. In the last part of the paper, we construct Legendre transformations for Riemannian F-manifolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper we construct a, new approach structure called Fell approach structure We define the new structure by means of lows' regular function frames and prove that, the Top-corefleetion of this new structure is the ordinary Fell topology. We also give analogue result for the extended Fell topology and investigate some properties of Fell approach structure [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers' knowledge of proportional reasoning is important, particularly in the middle grades in the USA. This exploratory study investigated 32 teachers' use of knowledge resources in two mathematically similar tasks (one a paper and pencil task, the other a dynamic task) around proportional reasoning. The two tasks invoked different knowledge resources by the same teachers. Results suggest questions to the field around how we access or invoke teacher knowledge and the need to more purposefully explore the potential benefits of using a dynamic task to invoke knowledge resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the following quadratic pencil of Schrödinger operators L(λ) generated in L 2 (ℝ +) by the equation with the boundary condition y ′ (0) y (0) = β 1 λ + β 0 α 1 λ + α 0 , where p(x)and q(x) are complex valued functions and α0, α1, β0, β1 are complex numbers with α 0 β 1 − α 1 β 0 ≠ 0 . It is proved that L(λ) has a finite number of eigenvalues and spectral singularities, and each of them is of a finite multiplicity, if the conditions and sup 0 ≤ x < + ∞ { e ε x [ | p ′ (x) | + | q ′ ′ (x) | ] } < + ∞ hold, where ε> 0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is devoted to the study of the relative B-essential spectra of 2 × 2 unbounded operator matrix pencils defined with nondiagonal domain. The main tool used to prove the results is the Frobenuis–Schur factorization associated with this kind of operator matrix which has proven very useful in dealing with stability analysis in the theory of B-Fredholm operators pencils. Therefore, the theoretical results are tested in pencil transport integro-differential equation with specific boundary conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with a new type of inverse spectral problems for second‐order quadratic differential pencils when one of the boundary conditions involves arbitrary entire functions of the spectral parameter. Although various aspects of the inverse spectral theory for the pencils have been of a special interest during the last decades, such settings were considered before only in the particular case of a Sturm–Liouville equation. We develop an approach covering also the quadratic dependence on the spectral parameter in the differential equation, which is based on the completeness and basisness of certain functional systems. By this approach, we obtain a uniqueness theorem and an algorithm for solving the inverse problem along with sufficient properties of the mentioned systems. The presented results give a universal tool for studying a number of important specific situations, including various Hochstadt–Lieberman‐type inverse problems both on an interval and on geometrical graphs, which is illustrated as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that spectral singularities play a certain critical role in the spectral theory of nonselfadjoint differential operators. Their existence is accompanied by specific phenomenon which are new in the sense that they do not occur either in the spectral theory of self-adjoint or normal operators. So, in this paper, we examine spectrum and spectral singularities of the impulsive quadratic pencil of Schrödinger operators. In particular, we study the dependence of the structure of discrete spectrum and spectral singularities of these operators of the behaviour of the potential functions at infinity. We present some conditions on potential functions which guarantee that the impulsive quadratic pencil of Schrödinger operators have a finite number of eigenvalues and spectral singularities with finite multiplicities. Later, we discuss the properties of principal functions corresponding to the spectral singularities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to provide a thorough overview of the ongoing debate about whether artifactual kind terms (such as 'pencil,' 'chair,' 'television,' and so on) have a directly referential or descriptivist semantics. Hilary Putnam (1975) originated the mentioned debate by arguing that artifactual kind terms refer directly ‐ as natural kind terms (like 'water,' 'tiger,' 'gold,' etc.) do ‐ that is, a direct, external relation between the terms and the world determines their extension. However, terms for artifactual kinds appear more likely subjected to a descriptivist view, that is to be defined in terms of conjunctions or clusters of properties. The paper offers a reasoned survey of this debate by pointing out trends and problems associated with each proposed account on the matter. What kind of reference (if any) do terms such as "pencil," "chair," "television," and so on have? On the matter, a debate between directly referential theorists and descriptivist theorists is open. It is largely acknowledged that natural kind terms (such as "water," "gold," "tiger," etc.) are directly referential expressions (cf. Putnam, 1975). That is, they are expressions whose reference is determined by their referents' nature, independent of whether we know or will ever know what this nature is. However, it does not seem likewise convincing that all artifactual kind terms (like "pencil," "chair," "television," etc.) semantically behave the same. Terms for artifactual kinds seem more likely to be subject to a descriptivist view, that is definable not by links to their extensions' nature but in terms of conjunctions or clusters of properties. In his celebrated "The Meaning of 'Meaning'" (1975), Hilary Putnam originated the mentioned debate by arguing that artifactual kind terms also refer directly. Thus, the discussion ultimately revolves around establishing whether artifactual and natural kind terms are both directly referential expressions. The authors engaged in this debate have tried to argue in favor of (or against) Putnam's proposal by highlighting the similarities (or differences) between natural vis‐à‐vis artifactual kind words and their respective referents. This paper aims to provide a thorough and reasoned overview of the debate at stake, pointing out trends and problems associated with each proposed account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the inverse nodal problem for a quadratic pencil of the Sturm -- Liouville equations with parameter-dependent Bitsadze -- Samarskii type nonlocal boundary condition and we give an algorithm for the reconstruction of the potential functions by obtaining the asymptotics of the nodal points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We solve the open problem of describing the possible Kronecker invariants of quasi-regular matrix pencils under bounded rank perturbations. By a quasi-regular matrix pencil we mean the full (normal) rank matrix pencil. The solution is explicit and constructive, and it is valid over arbitrary fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we review and investigate some properties of a linear pencil in the frame of the point spectrum and an isolated point in its spectrum. We next give relationships among the spectrum of the linear pencil, the Taylor spectrums of a commuting pair and its spherical Aluthge transform through projection maps and the spectral mapping theorem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing happens across space and time, and is action orientated by pen/pencil, inkjet or paint. The substrate that is drawn/marked on is also important, whether mylar, paper or sculptural instruments. Penelope Haralambidou explores her fellow Bartlett School of Architecture professor and office room‐mate Nat Chard's Instrument 10, part of a longstanding iterative drawing and representation project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we show how to construct diagonal scalings for arbitrary matrix pencils λB - A, in which both A and B are complex matrices (square or nonsquare). The goal of such diagonal scalings is to "balance" in some sense the row and column norms of the pencil. We see that the problem of scaling a matrix pencil is equivalent to the problem of scaling the row and column sums of a particular nonnegative matrix. However, it is known that there exist square and nonsquare nonnegative matrices that cannot be scaled arbitrarily. To address this issue, we consider an approximate embedded problem, in which the corresponding nonnegative matrix is square and can always be scaled. The new scaling methods are then based on the Sinkhorn-Knopp algorithm for scaling a square nonnegative matrix with total support to be doubly stochastic or on a variant of it. In addition, using results of U. G. Rothblum and H. Schneider [Linear Algebra Appl., 114-115 (1989), pp. 737-764], we give simple sufficient conditions on the zero pattern for the existence of diagonal scalings of square nonnegative matrices to have any prescribed common vector for the row and column sums. We illustrate numerically that the new scaling techniques for pencils improve the accuracy of the computation of their eigenvalues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waiving the positive definiteness of the leading matrix A in a hyperbolic quadratic eigenvalue problem Q(λ)x=(λ²A+λB+C)x=0, x 6ǂ0 one obtains a definite eigenvalue problem, which is known to have 2n eigenvalues in R?{⃵}. One of the characterizations of the definite quadratic eigenvalue problem is the existence of parameters ξ and µ so that Q(µ) is positive definite and Q(x) is negative definite, where ξ and µ are not known in advance. In this paper we consider the impact of the properties of the stiffness matrix C of the quadratic pencil Q(λ) on the corresponding definite quadratic eigenvalue problem and on the localization of the parameters ξ and µ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of paper is to find the condition under which a Fréchet-valued function f ∈ C ∞ ({ 0 }) admitting meromorphic extension along some pencil of complex lines can be meromorphically extended to a neighborhood of 0 ∈ ℂ N. Some auxiliary results concerning the domains of existence for Fréchet-valued meromorphic functions, Rothstein's theorem, Levi extension theorem for meromorphic functions with values in a locally complete space, convergence of formal power series of Fréchet-valued homogeneous polynomials are also proved in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with profound motor, communication, and/or cognitive impairments may face difficulties describing subjective or experiential information through (i) speech, (ii) writing using a pencil and paper, and (iii) typing using a standard computer keyboard. Although patient-reported outcome measures and patient-reported experience measures can capture information about this group through proxy-report, we cannot solely rely on the responses of a single proxy for experiential information. Research methods to understand the experiences of individuals with profound motor, communication and cognitive impairments are not well defined in the literature. Purpose: To provide guidance to disability researchers on how to explore the subjective and personal experiences, of individuals with profound, motor, communication, and/or cognitive impairments. Three axes are proposed as important to the structure of the "recreated experiences" method: (i) informants, (ii) data collection methods, and (iii) analyses and reflexivity. Different types of information can be gained by involving different informant groups in research about the central person's experience. Primary guardians can provide information about interpreting central persons' indicators of expression and broad assessments of their personal life. Other adults can provide insight relative to the central person's capacities outside of the primary guardian-central person dyad. Peers can provide insight about personal characteristics (i.e., personality traits). Utilizing different data collection methods can foster manifest and latent content to emerge. Analyses and reflexivity which involve diverse perspectives are essential to ensure findings are grounded in lived experience and professional lenses. The method highlights the importance of furthering research to understand the experiences of individuals who cannot traditionally self-express, which may influence possibilities for enhancing care, participation opportunities, and overall well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pseudospectral method is a highly accurate numerical scheme suitable for turbulence simulations. We have developed an open-source pseudospectral code, calliope, which adopts the P3DFFT library to perform a fast Fourier transform with the two-dimensional (pencil) decomposition of numerical grids. calliope can solve incompressible magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), isothermal compressible MHD, and rotational reduced MHD with parallel computation using very large numbers of cores (>105 cores for 20483 grids). The code can also solve for local magnetorotational turbulence in a shearing frame using the remapping method. calliope is currently the only pseudospectral code that can compute magnetorotational turbulence using pencil-domain decomposition. This paper presents the numerical scheme of calliope and the results of linear and nonlinear numerical tests, including compressible local magnetorotational turbulence with the largest grid number reported to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a simple, sensitive, selective, cost-effective indirect voltammetric method for determining hydrazine using a poly(Eriochrome black T) modified pencil graphite electrode (p-EBT-PGE). Alizarin Red S (ARS) was used as a mediator in acetic acid–acetate buffer (pH 5.5) and 0.2 M KCl. The difference between the mediator's oxidation currents measured in hydrazine's presence and absence served as the analytical response for voltammetrically determining hydrazine. The ARS–hydrazine system's voltammetric properties at the p-EBT-PGE were also investigated. The limit of detection and two analytical ranges of the method were estimated to be 0.87 nM and 2.9 to 10.0 nM and 3.0 to 60.0 μM. The method has the best limit of detection among reported voltammetric methods. The recoveries in tap water, wastewater, and drinking water samples were between 99.60% and 104.74%, while the relative standard deviations were between 1.6 and 4.2. Uncertainty calculations were also evaluated for hydrazine-spiked samples by following a top–down approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The even growing production of both well-known and new derivatives with pharmaceutical action involves the need for developing facile and reliable methods for the analysis of these compounds. Among the widely used instrumental techniques, the electrochemical ones are probably the simplest and the most rapid, also having good performance characteristics. However, the key tool in electroanalysis is the working electrode. Due to the inherent electrochemical and economic advantages of the pencil graphite electrode (PGE), the interest in its applicability in the analysis of different analytes has continuously increased in recent years. Thus, this paper aims to review the scientific reports published in the last 10 years on the use of the disposable eco- and user-friendly PGEs in the electroanalysis of compounds of pharmaceutical importance in different matrices. The PGE characteristics and designs (bare or modified with various types of materials), along with their applications and performance parameters (e.g., linear range, limit of detection, and reproducibility), will be discussed, and their advantages and limitations will be critically emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let X be a smooth projective K3 surface over the complex numbers and let C be an ample curve on X. In this paper we will study the semistability of the Lazarsfeld-Mukai bundle EC,A associated to a line bundle A on C such that |A| is a pencil on C and computes the Clifford index of C. We give a necessary and sufficient condition for EC,A to be semistable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider a quadratic pencil of Sturm-Liouville operator on closed sets. We study an interior-inverse problem for this kind operator and give a uniqueness theorem with an appropriate example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we define the notions of trace pseudo-spectrum, ε--determinant spectrum and ε--trace of bounded linear operator pencils on non-Archimedean Banach spaces. Many results are proved about trace pseudo-spectrum, ε--determinant spectrum and ε--trace of bounded linear operator pencils on non-Archimedean Banach spaces. Examples are given to support our work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the analysis of acoustic emission signals (AE) recorded during the propagation of sound waves in rock samples. The sources are excited by breaking a 3-mm-thick pencil lead (Hsu-Nielsen) on the surface of the rock samples at different AE source locations. Ten repetitions of pencil lead fracturing were performed at a given location. A VS150-M piezoelectric sensor with a frequency range of 100–450 kHz was attached to the upper surface of the rock samples. The results showed that the AE energy and the average frequency of the acoustic emission signals in the rock samples decreased with increasing distance from the AE source locations. These results can be used to establish a relationship between the characteristics of the acoustic emission signals and different rock types at different AE source locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the equivalence classes of deformations of localizable semisimple Poisson pencils of hydrodynamic type with respect to the action of the Miura-reciprocal group contain a local representative and are in one-to-one correspondence with the equivalence classes of deformations of local semisimple Poisson pencils of hydrodynamic type with respect to the action of the Miura group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Converting pencil sketches to real image is required in forensic analysis for identifying a person. In a reported crime, the testimony explains the physical features of the accused by recalling them from memory. As the human face is so diverse and variable, it's tough to predict the person from a forensic sketch expert's low-quality sketch. In this paper we propose a deeplearning model using DCGAN to convert the sketch to real image. The prepared sketch is used as input for training, and after a set number of epochs, our deep learning model learns and produces a realistic high-resolution image of the suspect. The face recognition system is a powerful tool which can be used for a wide range of purposes, from security to entertainment. Our proposed method's final average SSIM is 0.587 where as in the existing methods the average SSIM is 0.554. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a novel approach to detect Cd(II) using the combination of the differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry and magnetic nanoparticle based dispersive solid phase microextraction as an efficient, green and accurate method. Currents of Cd(II) increased linearly in the range from 75 to 2000 ng L−1 Cd(II) with a detection limit of 21.6 ng L−1. The RSD values of 2.6 and 6.0 % for 1.00 and 0.10 μg L−1 respectively showed that proposed method has an acceptable repeatability. Recovery values between 92.3 and 98.6 % showed that this approach can be successfully used for determination of Cd(II) in water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the inverse spectral problem for the quadratic differential pencils with discontinuity coefficient on [0, π] with separable boundary conditions and the impulsive conditions at the point x = π/2 . We prove that two potential functions on the interval [0, π], and the parameters in the boundary and impulsive conditions can be determined from a sequence of eigenvalues for two cases: (i) The potentials are given on ( 0, π/4 (1 + α) ), (ii) The potentials are given on ( π/4 (1 + α), π), where 0 < α < 1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research paper deals with the effectiveness of the control of an infinite-dimensional degenerate Cauchy problem with variable operator coefficients, skew-Hermitian pencil and bounded input condition. This study explores the minimum energy control problem. The investigation follows a set of methods to examine the procedure for developing a new result to solve the problem. Indeed, by the use of decomposition transformation of the considered system and the application of the Gramian operator, the formula of the process for controlling the system with minimum energy is obtained. Afterwards, a procedure to compute the optimal input for minimizing the performance index is then proposed. In a nutshell, the obtained results indicate that optimal control for minimizing the performance index ensures the solution of the minimum energy control of an infinite-dimensional degenerate Cauchy problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adjoint curve of a Frenet curve r=r(s) is defined as the unit speed curve tangent to the principal normal vector field of r. We show that the adjoint curve of a spacelike curve with timelike binormal is a timelike curve. We obtain some relationships between a Frenet curve and its adjoint in Minkowski 3-space. For a given spacelike curve with timelike binormal, we obtain conditions on surfaces that possess the adjoint curve as a common asymptotic, geodesic or curvature line in Minkowski 3-space. We also give examples confirming our theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]