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Media literacy meets language education: Fictional Science (FiSci) promotes skills to identify and refute fake news
No full textThis article presents the theoretical and conceptual foundations of the interdisciplinary didactic concept of Fictional Science (FiSci), which is positioned at the interface between media and language didactics. Based on reference concepts such as epistemic vigilance, inoculation, lateral reading, and media literacy in education, FiSci aims to promote secondary school students’ skills in dealing with fake news. While course 1 of FiSci (Activating the Fake News Radar) sensitises students to false information, course 2 (Verification of Information) teaches strategies for identifying false information that are also used by professional fact-checkers, and course 3 (Refutation) focuses on refuting false information
Data Sampling System for Processing Event Camera Data Using a Stochastic Neural Network on an FPGA
No full textThe use of a stochastic artificial neural network (SANN) implemented on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) provides a promising method of performing image recognition on event camera recordings, however, challenges exist due to the fact that event camera data has an inherent unevenness in the timing at which data is sent out of the camera. This paper proposes a sampling system to overcome this challenge, by which all “events” occurring at specific timestamps in an event camera recording are selected (sampled) to be processed and sent to the SANN at regular intervals. This system is implemented on an FPGA in SystemVerilog, and to test it, simulated event camera data is sent to the system from a computer running MATLAB (version 2022+). The sampling system is shown to be functional. Analysis is shown demonstrating its performance regarding data sparsity, time convergence, normalization, repeatability, range, and some characteristics of the hold system
Multicore SPION Clustering within Poly(amino acid) Corrals for Enhanced MRI Contrast and Drug Release
No full textSuperparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION) clusters produce localized magnetic field inhomogeneities that enhance negative contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It is shown that high transverse relaxivity (r2) can be obtained by clustering hydrophobic SPIONs with an average core diameter of ≈7 nm via self-assembly with amphiphilic polyethylene glycol-b-poly(L-Leucine) block copolymers, PEGn-b-p(L-Leu)m, where the PEG chains are terminated by methoxy (CH3O-PEGn) or hydroxyl groups (HO-PEGn). Clusters ranging from 65 to 85 nm in diameter are formed by polymer coating and stabilization of hydrophobic SPION aggregates and yield high r2 values ranging from 226 to 342 s−1 mm Fe−1 with negligible longitudinal relaxivity (r1) and high saturation magnetization near that of bulk maghemite. Polymer composition determines the critical micelle concentrations, notably the length of the hydrophobic segment, and the extent of hydrophobic drug loading. However, it does not significantly impact the size of the SPION cluster assemblies, their magnetic relaxivity, or their drug release, whether passive or during pulsed, intermittent magnetic stimulation. This work demonstrates that the self-assembled amphiphilic block copolymer-based micelles can be used to enhance the colloidal and magnetic relaxivity behavior of SPION clusters while providing variable drug loading and the opportunity for end-group functionalization
Environmental Aging of Polymers to Evaluate Their Potential for Remediating Natural Gas Pipelines
No full textWe assess the aging of polymeric materials in natural gas environments for potential applications in pipeline remediation as liner materials. Three commercially available polymers─high-density polyethylene (HDPE), Nylon-6/6 polyamide (PA), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)─are aged under accelerated conditions in a model natural gas environment of pure alkanes at 250 PSI and 90°C for up to 30 days. The Young’s modulus and yield stress of these polymers remain unchanged within experimental error after exposure to the natural gas environment. Dynamic mechanical analysis, however, reveals drastic changes to polymer chain dynamics, with the activation energy for segmental relaxations reduced by up to 50%, corresponding to accelerated molecular motion. The environmental aging is confirmed through FTIR, which found an increase in the density of natural gas molecules within the polymer matrices. Additionally, these changes in the dynamics within polymeric solids are reversible; prolonged removal from the gas atmosphere resulted in the activation energies returning to near-initial values within 2 weeks. These observations suggest that this aging response is dominated by physical processes in which the polymers absorb natural gas molecules due to the increase in partial pressures, as opposed to a chemical mechanism in which the natural gas reacts irreversibly with the polymer chains. In applications for pipeline remediation, our results indicate that polymeric liners will provide sufficient mechanical rigidity but may suffer from accelerated rates of creep facilitated by the increase in local polymer dynamics
14. Ideal Quantum Gases II: Fermions
Get PDFPart fourteen of course materials for Statistical Physics I: PHY525, taught by Gerhard Müller at the University of Rhode Island. Documents will be updated periodically as more entries become presentable.
Updated with version 2 on 1/8/2026
Empathetic Teaching: Why Authentic Blind Representation in Curricula Matters
Get PDFUnderstanding the lived experience of blindness is challenging for sighted individuals. While literature can provide insights into this experience, many portrayals are written by sighted authors who rely on metaphor or their own fears of blindness. For blind authors, the challenge of connecting with sighted readers is compounded by the fact that reading itself is performed differently by sighted and non-sighted individuals. This essay explores how authentic authorship can foster empathy and understanding of blindness, and how introducing students to literature with genuine blind representation in school curricula can positively influence perceptions of blindness. Mark Paterson\u27s article Blindness, empathy, and ‘feeling seeing’ emphasizes the role of imagination in fostering empathy, noting that prose struggles to fully convey the sensory experiences of blind individuals. To create spaces for authentic blindness representation, teachers can use children’s picture 30 books and poetry. Early exposure to blindness can normalize disability and reduce misunderstandings over time. For older students, Russell Brakefield\u27s poetry about his own vision loss offers an insightful perspective. Chloë Hughes’ article Seeing Blindness in Children’s Picturebooks demonstrates how young students can engage with books depicting blindness, such as Sarah’s Sleepover. By integrating disability literature into education, schools can play a pivotal role in fostering empathy and understanding of disability
Cooperative Deterministic Learning-Based Formation Control for a Group of Nonlinear Mechanical Systems Under Complete Uncertainty
Get PDFMulti-agent systems (MASs) have become a powerful approach for solving complex real-world problems due to their efficiency, scalability, and adaptability. MASs consist of multiple agents that collectively perform tasks, often requiring precise coordination, collision avoidance, and efficient navigation. Formation control is essential in such systems, regulating agents\u27 positions, velocities, and orientations to maintain specific patterns. Formation control methods are categorized into three approaches: (1) Behavioral, where agents follow predefined behaviors derived from subsolutions; (2) Leader-following, where agents maintain a configuration relative to designated leaders but are vulnerable to leader faults; and (3) Virtual structure, where agents follow a virtual leader, enhancing system robustness. These approaches operate under centralized or decentralized control. Most leader-following techniques assume linear time-invariant leader dynamics without inputs, limiting their ability to handle complex formation tracking tasks. Additionally, challenges related to dynamic variations in inertia remain unresolved. To address these issues, we propose a generalized leader dynamics model with a virtual leader subject to bounded time-varying external inputs. We develop a novel cooperative deterministic learning-based adaptive formation control scheme for nonlinear mechanical systems with uncertain dynamics. Our framework consists of two layers: (1) a cooperative nonlinear estimation protocol to estimate leader 24 states and (2) a cooperative deterministic learningbased formation control protocol using radial basis function neural networks (RBF NNs) for formation tracking and accurate learning of nonlinear dynamics. Numerical simulations confirm that our approach ensures formation tracking while achieving cooperative and accurate learning of system dynamics with guaranteed convergence and learning consensus
The Shift in Children\u27s Dance: From a Culture of Innocence to a Battlefield of Hypersexualization
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Spiritual Practices in Survivor Care: A Qualitative Analysis of Christian Faith-Based Shelters and Survivor Well-Being
Get PDFChristian faith-based organizations constituted a significant proportion of shelter programs for survivors of sex trafficking in the United States, with an estimated 63% identifying as Christian-affiliated (Institute for Survivor Care, 2024). Despite their prevalence, such programs often elicited skepticism due to the rise of secularism (Pew Research, 2022) and concerns that spiritual programming might retraumatize survivors (Ahrens et al., 2010; Hodge, 2020). However, Ahrens et al. (2010) and Hodge (2020) also found that religious practices can be helpful. This qualitative study employed a trauma-informed, descriptive survey design to explore the experiences of 158 trafficking survivors, who had either resided in or exited from Christian faith-based residential programs, to understand how religious practices were perceived and what role, if any, those practices played in survivor recovery and well-being. A 17-item, trauma-informed survey instrument was developed in collaboration with survivor advisors and shelter providers. Participants, who each received a $25 digital gift card delivered to their email address to preserve anonymity, responded to questions about their prior religious affiliations, reasons for selecting a shelter, their reception of faith-based practices, and their perceived spiritual growth. Digital distribution was facilitated by shelter staff to ensure anonymity throughout the process. Results indicated that 84% of respondents self-identified as Christian, and over 75% entered Christian faith-based shelters to reconnect with, or begin, a relationship with God. While 65% of respondents indicated no discomfort with religious practices, approximately 9.5% described feeling pressure to conform. Nevertheless, participants frequently cited community belonging, forgiveness, identity formation, and renewed spirituality as key contributors to their healing (Nguyen et al., 2014; Van Hook, 2016). The findings suggested that Christian faith-based residential programs facilitated meaningful psychological and spiritual transformation when implemented with respect for autonomy and trauma-informed principles (SAMHSA, 2013). These results challenged the assumption that religion inherently hinders recovery (Walker et al., 2009; Pressley & Spinazzola, 2015) and highlighted spirituality as a powerful pathway to resilience and post-traumatic growth