A Novel Neural Model with Lateral Interaction for Learning Tasks

We propose a novel neural model with lateral interaction for learning tasks. The model consists of two functional fields: an elementary field to extract features and a high-level field to store and recognize patterns. Each field is composed of some neurons with lateral interaction, and the neurons in different fields are connected by the rules of synaptic plasticity. The model is established on the current research of cognition and neuroscience, making it more transparent and biologically explainable. Our proposed model is applied to data classification and clustering. The corresponding algorithms share similar processes without requiring any parameter tuning and optimization processes. Numerical experiments validate that the proposed model is feasible in different learning tasks and superior to some state-of-the-art methods, especially in small sample learning, one-shot learning, and clustering.

Teaching Severe Weather: Examining Teacher Candidates’ Early Field Experience in a Makerspace Environment

This qualitative study examines first-year teacher candidates early field experience designing and implementing maker workshops for an afterschool program. The maker workshops were offered as part of a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) enrichment club at a local elementary school. The participants engaged in 50 hr of guided design, planning, and facilitation of a weather-focused maker workshop. Findings illuminate the role early teaching experiences (e.g., makerspaces) can play in the early professional development of elementary teacher candidates. This study calls for further investigation regarding maker environments as sites for elementary field experiences for teacher candidates.

Developing Teacher Candidates' Formative Assessment Practices

This chapter describes an initiative to better prepare teacher candidates to use formative assessment practices in their elementary mathematics instruction. Specifically, the initiative involved a curriculum and pedagogical redesign of an elementary mathematics methods course sequence. During the redesign implementation, the instructors intentionally modeled formative assessment practices for teacher candidates and had teacher candidates complete scaffolded field-based assignments in their elementary field placement classrooms in order to practice formative assessment strategies. Throughout the chapter, there are illustrative examples of how the instructors implemented this initiative as well as how teacher candidates carried out the formative assessment practices in their settings. The chapter concludes with a discussion about teacher candidate growth and challenges when learning about and implementing formative assessment practices in mathematics.

On the SLq(2) extension of the standard model and the concept of charge

Our SLq(2) extension of the standard model is constructed by replacing the elementary field operators, [Formula: see text], of the standard model by [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is an element of the [Formula: see text]-dimensional representation of the SLq(2) algebra, which is also the knot algebra. The allowed quantum states [Formula: see text] are restricted by the topological conditions [Formula: see text] postulated between the states of the quantum knot [Formula: see text] and the corresponding classical knot [Formula: see text] where the [Formula: see text] are (the number of crossings, the writhe, the rotation) of the 2d projection of the corresponding oriented classical knot. Here, [Formula: see text] is an odd number that is required by the difference in parity between [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. There is also the empirical restriction on the allowed states [Formula: see text] that holds at the [Formula: see text] level, connecting quantum trefoils [Formula: see text] with leptons and quarks [Formula: see text]. The so-constructed knotted leptons and quarks turn out to be composed of three [Formula: see text] particles which unexpectedly agree with the preon models of Harrari and Shupe. The [Formula: see text] particles, being electroweak neutral, are dark and plausibly greatly outnumber the quarks and leptons. The SLq(2) or [Formula: see text] measure of charge has a direct physical interpretation since [Formula: see text] is the total number of preonic charges while [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are the numbers of writhe and rotation sources of preonic charge. The total SLq(2) charge of a particle, measured by writhe and rotation and composed of preons, sums the signs of the counterclockwise turns [Formula: see text] and clockwise turns [Formula: see text] that any energy–momentum current makes in going once around the knot. In this way, the handedness of the knot reduces charge to a geometric concept similar to the way that curvature of space–time encodes mass and energy. According to this model, the leptons and quarks are [Formula: see text] particles, the preons are [Formula: see text] particles, and the [Formula: see text] particles are candidates for dark matter. It is possible to understand [Formula: see text] as a simple deformation parameter or as the ratio [Formula: see text] of the electroweak to the gluon coupling constants.

Method for Location of An External Dump in Surface Mining Using the A-Star Algorithm

The construction of a surface mine always involves the necessity of accessing deposits through the removal of the residual overburden above. In the beginning phase of exploitation, the masses of overburden are located outside the perimeters of the excavation site, on the external dump, until the moment of internal dumping. In the case of lignite surface mines, these dumps can cover a ground surface of several dozen to a few thousand hectares. This results from a high concentration of lignite extraction, counted in millions of Mg per year, and the relatively large depth of its residual deposits. Determining the best place for the location of an external dump requires a detailed analysis of existing options, followed by a choice of the most favorable one. This article, using the case study of an open-cast lignite mine, presents the selection method for an external dump location based on graph theory and the A-star algorithm. This algorithm, based on the spatial distribution of individual intersections on the graph, seeks specified graph states, continually expanding them with additional elementary fields until the required surface area for the external dump - defined by the lowest value of the occupied site - is achieved. To do this, it is necessary to accurately identify the factors affecting the choice of dump location. On such a basis, it is then possible to specify the target function, which reflects the individual costs of dump construction on a given site. This is discussed further in chapter 3. The area of potential dump location has been divided into elementary fields, each represented by a corresponding geometrical locus. Ascribed to this locus, in addition to its geodesic coordinates, are the appropriate attributes reflecting the degree of development of its elementary field. These tasks can be carried out automatically thanks to the integration of the method with the system of geospatial data management for the given area. The collection of loci, together with geodesic coordinates, constitutes the points on the graph used during exploration. This is done using the A-star algorithm, which uses a heuristic function, allowing it to identify the optimal solution; therefore, the collection of elementary fields, which occupy the potential construction area of a dump, characterized by the lowest value representing the cost of occupation and dumping of overburden in the area. The precision of the boundary, generated by the algorithm, is dependent on the established size of the elementary field, and should be refined each time by the designer of the surface mine. This article presents the application of the above method of dump location using the example of “Tomisławice,” a lignite surface mine owned by PAK KWB Konin S. A. The method made it possible to identify the most favorable dump location on the northeast side of the initial pit, within 2 kilometers of its surrounding area (discussed further in chapter 3). This method is universal in nature and, after certain modifications, can be implemented for other surface mines as well.