Leading birds by their beaks : the response of flocks to external perturbations

Peer reviewed

Was ist aus dem Integrierten Handlungsmodell geworden?

In diesem Beitrag wird das von Thomas Martens und Jürgen Rost entwickelte Integrierte Handlungsmodell reflektiert, auf Lernprozesse übertragen, theoretische erweitert und beispielhaft empirisch überprüft. Zunächst werden die theoretischen Potenziale des Modells aufgezeigt, indem es auf Lernprozesse angewendet wird. Danach werden die typischen Prozesse der drei Handlungsphasen dargestellt, insbesondere die funktionslogische Integration von bewussten und unbewussten sowie kognitiven und affektiven Prozessen. Abschließend wird eine empirische Studie vorgestellt, die das Lernen von Statistik im Hochschulbereich untersucht. Mit Hilfe von Mischverteilungsmodellen werden sieben Lerntypen identifiziert, die den entsprechenden motivationalen, intentionalen und volitionalen Mustern der Lern- und Handlungsgenese entsprechen. (DIPF/Orig.)

Hyperpolarizabilities of the methanol molecule: A CCSD calculation including vibrational corrections

In this work we present the results for hyperpolarizabilities of the methanol molecule including vibrational corrections and electron correlation effects at the CCSD level. Comparisons to random phase approximation results previously reported show that the electron correlation is in general important for both electronic contribution and vibrational corrections. The role played by the anharmonicities on the calculations of the vibrational corrections has also been analyzed and the obtained results indicate that the anharmonic terms are important for the dc-Pockels and dc-Kerr effects. For the other nonlinear optical properties studied the double-harmonic approximation is found to be suitable. Comparison to available experimental result in gas phase for the dc-second harmonic generation second hyperpolarizability shows a very good agreement with the electronic contribution calculated here while our total value is 14% larger than the experimental value.

Some vocabulary and grammar for the analysis of multi-environment trials, as applied to the analysis of FPB and PPB trials

For the improvement of genetic material suitable for on farm use under low-input conditions, participatory and formal plant breeding strategies are frequently presented as competing options. A common frame of reference to phrase mechanisms and purposes related to breeding strategies will facilitate clearer descriptions of similarities and differences between participatory plant breeding and formal plant breeding. In this paper an attempt is made to develop such a common framework by means of a statistically inspired language that acknowledges the importance of both on farm trials and research centre trials as sources of information for on farm genetic improvement. Key concepts are the genetic correlation between environments, and the heterogeneity of phenotypic and genetic variance over environments. Classic selection response theory is taken as the starting point for the comparison of selection trials (on farm and research centre) with respect to the expected genetic improvement in a target environment (low-input farms). The variance-covariance parameters that form the input for selection response comparisons traditionally come from a mixed model fit to multi-environment trial data. In this paper we propose a recently developed class of mixed models, namely multiplicative mixed models, also called factor-analytic models, for modelling genetic variances and covariances (correlations). Mixed multiplicative models allow genetic variances and covariances to be dependent on quantitative descriptors of the environment, and confer a high flexibility in the choice of variance-covariance structure, without requiring the estimation of a prohibitively high number of parameters. As a result detailed considerations regarding selection response comparisons are facilitated. ne statistical machinery involved is illustrated on an example data set consisting of barley trials from the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). Analysis of the example data showed that participatory plant breeding and formal plant breeding are better interpreted as providing complementary rather than competing information.

3-d residual eddy current field characterisation: applied to diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

Clinical use of the Stejskal-Tanner diffusion weighted images is hampered by the geometric distortions that result from the large residual 3-D eddy current field induced. In this work, we aimed to predict, using linear response theory, the residual 3-D eddy current field required for geometric distortion correction based on phantom eddy current field measurements. The predicted 3-D eddy current field induced by the diffusion-weighting gradients was able to reduce the root mean square error of the residual eddy current field to ~1 Hz. The model's performance was tested on diffusion weighted images of four normal volunteers, following distortion correction, the quality of the Stejskal-Tanner diffusion-weighted images was found to have comparable quality to image registration based corrections (FSL) at low b-values. Unlike registration techniques the correction was not hindered by low SNR at high b-values, and results in improved image quality relative to FSL. Characterization of the 3-D eddy current field with linear response theory enables the prediction of the 3-D eddy current field required to correct eddy current induced geometric distortions for a wide range of clinical and high b-value protocols.

Stochastic resonance in a suspension of magnetic dipoles under shear flow

We show that a magnetic dipole in a shear flow under the action of an oscillating magnetic field displays stochastic resonance in the linear response regime. To this end, we compute the classical quantifiers of stochastic resonance, i.e., the signal to noise ratio, the escape time distribution, and the mean first passage time. We also discuss the limitations and role of the linear response theory in its applications to the theory of stochastic resonance.

Cálculo ab initio de intensidades Raman dinâmicas utilizando a teoria da resposta linear

In this paper a methodology for the computation of Raman scattering cross-sections and depolarization ratios within the Placzek Polarizability Theory is described. The polarizability gradients are derived from the values of the dynamic polarizabilities computed at the excitation frequencies using ab initio Linear Response Theory. A sample application of the computational program, at the HF, MP2 and CCSD levels of theory, is presented for H2O and NH3. The results show that high correlated levels of theory are needed to achieve good agreement with experimental data.

Kompetenzen naturwissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisgewinnung

Wissenschaftsmethodische Kompetenzen sind ein Kernelement naturwissenschaftlicher Bildung und in den Bildungsstandards als Kompetenzbereich Erkenntnisgewinnung verbindlich festgeschrieben. Fokus aktueller naturwissenschaftsdidaktischer Forschung ist es, für diese normativen Standards theorie- und evidenzbasierte Kompetenzmodelle zu erarbeiten. In der vorliegenden Dissertation wird zum Kompetenzbereich Erkenntnisgewinnung für den Teilbereich der wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnismethoden geprüft, ob sich die im Kompetenzmodell wissenschaftlichen Denkens von Mayer (2007) angenommenen Teilkompetenzen Fragestellung formulieren, Hypothesen generieren, Planung einer Untersuchung sowie Deutung der Ergebnisse empirisch bestätigen lassen. Zudem wird quer- und längsschnittlich untersucht, wie sich die Kompetenz innerhalb der Sekundarstufe I entwickelt, welche Rolle Personenmerkmale spielen und ob die Unterrichtsgestaltung im Projekt Biologie im Kontext, in dessen Rahmen die Untersuchung stattfand, einen kompetenzfördernden Einfluss auf die Lernenden hat. Als Instrument wurde ein Kompetenztest mit offenen Aufgaben im Multimatrix-Design zum Thema Experimentieren im Biologieunterricht entwickelt und in Gymnasien, Realschulen und Hauptschulen in Hessen und Bayern in den Jahrgangsstufen 5-10 eingesetzt. Die Schülerantworten wurden anhand fünf a priori entwickelter Niveaustufen bewertet und mit der Item-Response-Theorie ausgewertet. Auf Basis einer Validierungsstudie (N= 1562) wurden mittels 24 Items die Schülerkompetenzen in querschnittlichen Analysen (N= 1553) sowie in einem Längsschnitt über ein Schuljahr (N= 1129) untersucht. Die Modellprüfung weist dem vierdimensionalen Modell eine bessere Passung zu als dem eindimensionalen Modell. Schwache bis mittlere Interkorrelationen und eine nachgeschaltete Faktorenanalyse lassen ebenfalls darauf schließen, dass dem vierdimensionalen Modell mit den postulierten Teilkompetenzen Fragestellung, Hypothese, Planung und Deutung gegenüber dem eindimensionalen Modell der Vorzug zu geben ist. Die querschnittlichen Analysen zeigen, dass zwischen den Jahrgangsstufen 5 6, 7 8 und 9 10 signifikante Leistungsunterschiede in der Gesamtkompetenz und den Teilkompetenzen bestehen. Dabei nehmen die zwischen den Teilkompetenzen festgestellten Leistungsunterschiede mit der Jahrgangsstufe zu. Die längsschnittlichen Analysen belegen Leistungszuwächse der Lernenden über ein Schuljahr: Die Kompetenz steigt hier in der Gesamtstichprobe und innerhalb der einzelnen Jahrgangsstufen der Sekundarstufe I signifikant an. Vergleicht man die verschiedenen Jahrgangsstufen in ihrem Kompetenzzuwachs über ein Schuljahr, so zeigt sich, dass der Kompetenzzuwachs in den Jahrgängen 5 8 stärker ausgeprägt ist als in den Jahrgängen 9 10. Auf Ebene der Teilkompetenzen liegt für die Gesamtstichprobe ein Kompetenzzuwachs über ein Schuljahr in den Teilkompetenzen Fragestellung, Hypothese und Planung vor, während in der Teilkompetenz Deutung ein geringer Kompetenzrückgang zu verzeichnen ist. Der Kompetenzgrad hängt mit der besuchten Schulform zusammen. Dabei zeigen Gymnasiasten querschnittlich untersucht bessere Leistungen als Realschüler oder Hauptschüler, wobei die Unterschiede zur Hauptschule besonders deutlich ausfallen. Kompetenzzuwächse über ein Schuljahr zeigen sich ausschließlich in Gymnasium und Realschule. Das Alter hat weder quer- noch längsschnittlich untersucht eigene Effekte auf die Kompetenzentwicklung, ebenso wenig wie das Geschlecht der Probanden. Der Einfluss der Biologienote ist im querschnittlichen Vergleich gering, im längsschnittlichen Vergleich nicht nachweisbar. Lernende, die am Projekt Biologie im Kontext teilnahmen, in dem Unterrichtsbausteine zur Erkenntnisgewinnung eingesetzt wurden, und deren Lehrkräfte verstärkt kompetenzorientiert unterrichteten, zeigen in den Klassen 9 10 größere Kompetenzzuwächse über ein Jahr als Probanden aus entsprechenden Kontrollklassen. Die Untersuchung zeigt, dass wissenschaftsmethodische Kompetenzen in der Sekundarstufe I vermittelt und weiterentwickelt werden. Der Befund der diskontinuierlichen Kompetenzentwicklung und der mit den Schuljahren zunehmenden Leistungsunterschiede zwischen den Teilkompetenzen führt als didaktische Implikation zu dem Schluss, dass weitere Maßnahmen zur Förderung wissenschaftsmethodischer Kompetenzen notwendig sind, um einen kumulativen Kompetenzaufbau gewährleisten zu können.

Significance of cross correlations in the stress relaxation of polymer melts

According to linear response theory, all relaxation functions in the linear regime can be obtained using time correlation functions calculated under equilibrium. In this paper, we demonstrate that the cross correlations make a significant contribution to the partial stress relaxation functions in polymer melts. We present two illustrations in the context of polymer rheology using (1) Brownian dynamics simulations of a single chain model for entangled polymers, the slip-spring model, and (2) molecular dynamics simulations of a multichain model. Using the single chain model, we analyze the contribution of the confining potential to the stress relaxation and the plateau modulus. Although the idea is illustrated with a particular model, it applies to any single chain model that uses a potential to confine the motion of the chains. This leads us to question some of the assumptions behind the tube theory, especially the meaning of the entanglement molecular weight obtained from the plateau modulus. To shed some light on this issue, we study the contribution of the nonbonded excluded-volume interactions to the stress relaxation using the multichain model. The proportionality of the bonded/nonbonded contributions to the total stress relaxation (after a density dependent "colloidal" relaxation time) provides some insight into the success of the tube theory in spite of using questionable assumptions. The proportionality indicates that the shape of the relaxation spectrum can indeed be reproduced using the tube theory and the problem is reduced to that of finding the correct prefactor. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics

Disentangling multi-level systems: averaging, correlations and memory

We consider two weakly coupled systems and adopt a perturbative approach based on the Ruelle response theory to study their interaction. We propose a systematic way of parameterizing the effect of the coupling as a function of only the variables of a system of interest. Our focus is on describing the impacts of the coupling on the long term statistics rather than on the finite-time behavior. By direct calculation, we find that, at first order, the coupling can be surrogated by adding a deterministic perturbation to the autonomous dynamics of the system of interest. At second order, there are additionally two separate and very different contributions. One is a term taking into account the second-order contributions of the fluctuations in the coupling, which can be parameterized as a stochastic forcing with given spectral properties. The other one is a memory term, coupling the system of interest to its previous history, through the correlations of the second system. If these correlations are known, this effect can be implemented as a perturbation with memory on the single system. In order to treat this case, we present an extension to Ruelle's response theory able to deal with integral operators. We discuss our results in the context of other methods previously proposed for disentangling the dynamics of two coupled systems. We emphasize that our results do not rely on assuming a time scale separation, and, if such a separation exists, can be used equally well to study the statistics of the slow variables and that of the fast variables. By recursively applying the technique proposed here, we can treat the general case of multi-level systems.

The ocean's role in polar climate change: asymmetric Arctic and Antarctic responses to greenhouse gas and ozone forcing

In recent decades, the Arctic has been warming and sea ice disappearing. By contrast, the Southern Ocean around Antarctica has been (mainly) cooling and sea-ice extent growing. We argue here that interhemispheric asymmetries in the mean ocean circulation, with sinking in the northern North Atlantic and upwelling around Antarctica, strongly influence the sea-surface temperature (SST) response to anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) forcing, accelerating warming in the Arctic while delaying it in the Antarctic. Furthermore, while the amplitude of GHG forcing has been similar at the poles, significant ozone depletion only occurs over Antarctica. We suggest that the initial response of SST around Antarctica to ozone depletion is one of cooling and only later adds to the GHG-induced warming trend as upwelling of sub-surface warm water associated with stronger surface westerlies impacts surface properties. We organize our discussion around ‘climate response functions’ (CRFs), i.e. the response of the climate to ‘step’ changes in anthropogenic forcing in which GHG and/or ozone-hole forcing is abruptly turned on and the transient response of the climate revealed and studied. Convolutions of known or postulated GHG and ozone-hole forcing functions with their respective CRFs then yield the transient forced SST response (implied by linear response theory), providing a context for discussion of the differing warming/cooling trends in the Arctic and Antarctic. We speculate that the period through which we are now passing may be one in which the delayed warming of SST associated with GHG forcing around Antarctica is largely cancelled by the cooling effects associated with the ozone hole. By mid-century, however, ozone-hole effects may instead be adding to GHG warming around Antarctica but with diminished amplitude as the ozone hole heals. The Arctic, meanwhile, responding to GHG forcing but in a manner amplified by ocean heat transport, may continue to warm at an accelerating rate.

Collabowrighting the hyper(play)text: a postdramatic digital poetics

The aim of this research is to exhibit how literary playtexts can evoke multisensory trends prevalent in 21st century theatre. In order to do so, it explores a range of practical forms and theoretical contexts for creating participatory, site-specific and immersive theatre. With reference to literary theory, specifically to semiotics, reader-response theory, postmodernism and deconstruction, it attempts to revise dramatic theory established by Aristotle’s Poetics. Considering Gertrude Stein’s essay, Plays (1935), and relevant trends in theatre and performance, shaped by space, technology and the everchanging role of the audience member, a postdramatic poetics emerges from which to analyze the plays of Mac Wellman and Suzan-Lori Parks. Distinguishing the two textual lives of a play as the performance playtext and the literary playtext, it examines the conventions of the printed literary playtext, with reference to models of practice that radicalize the play form, including works by Mabou Mines, The Living Theatre and Fiona Templeton. The arguments of this practice-led Ph.D. developed out of direct engagement with the practice project, which explores the multisensory potential of written language when combined with hypermedia. The written thesis traces the development process of a new play, Rumi High, which is presented digitally as a ‘hyper(play)text,’ accessible through the Internet at www.RumiHigh.org. Here, ‘playwrighting’ practice is expanded spatially, collaboratively and textually. Plays are built, designed and crafted with many layers of meaning that explore both linguistic and graphic modes of poetic expression. The hyper(play)text of Rumi High establishes playwrighting practice as curatorial, where performance and literary playtexts are in a reciprocal relationship. This thesis argues that digital writing and reading spaces enable new approaches to expressing the many languages of performance, while expanding the collaborative network that produces the work. It questions how participatory forms of immersive and site-specific theatre can be presented as interactive literary playtexts, which enable the reader to have a multisensory experience. Through a reflection on process and an evaluation of the practice project, this thesis problematizes notions of authorship and text.

Reading That Matters : A Literature Review on Meaningful Reading Experiences in the EFL Classroom

This thesis is a literature review on literature reading in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom, of mainly upper secondary schools. The underlying objective for this work is that meaningful reading experiences can have a positive impact on a developing young individual on his or her way into adulthood. The aim of this thesis is to explore what theories and methods are used when trying to create prerequisites for meaningful reading experiences, and how these experiences actually are realized. Qualitative methods are mainly used, except for a small section of the methodology of finding the sources, which is quantitative in nature. Since very little previous research has been done in the field, the six sources used in this review are internationally spread over five continents. They are mainly analyzed from a theoretical background of reader response and critical literacy perspectives. The main findings show that a number of theoretical approaches and methodologies can be useful in creating meaningful reading experiences. What may have proven most effective was addressing actual problems in the students’ everyday lives through applied critical literacy.

O leitor no tribunal subversivo de João Guimarães Rosa: a benfazeja à luz da teoria do efeito

By understanding the reader as a central link to the meaning of the literary text and with the opportunity to extend the relevance of such studies, this work aims at analyzing the short story A benfazeja, by João Guimarães Rosa, with subsidies from Aesthetic Response Theory, by Wolfgang Iser. It investigates how structures of the text conduct the reading, in a subversive manner, by technique, repertory of themes, allusions, inversions of expectations, determinations and “gaps”. It verifies that there is an allegorical court with a persuasive rhetoric, in which the defense lawyer not only intends to protagonist MulaMarmela’s absolution, but also an invitation to new ways to see and judge to implied reader, beyond obvious reason and prejudice.