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Simonas Vainbergas, a teacher of Jewish primary schools in prewar Lithuania (1894?), was one of few his colleagues that actively collaborated with Lithuanian pedagogical journals. He published in them 11 papers in didactics of mathematics about teaching mathematics at primary schools. The said papers helped young teachers of primary schools to improve their qualification. There is a great probability that S. Vainbergas was a victim of holocaust.

We investigated the influence of mental imagery expertise in 15 pen and paper role-players as an expert group compared to the gender-matched control group of computer role-players in the difficult Vandenberg and Kuse mental rotation task. In this task, the participants have to decide which two of four rotated figures match the target figure. The dependent measures were performance speed and accuracy. In our exploratory investigation, we further examined midline frontal theta band activation, parietal alpha band activation, and parietal alpha band asymmetry in EEG as indicator for the chosen rotation strategy. Additionally, we explored the gender influence on performance and EEG activation, although a very small female sample section was given. The expected gender difference concerning performance accuracy was negated by expertise in pen and paper role-playing women, while the gender-specific difference in performance speed was preserved. Moreover, gender differences concerning electro-cortical measures revealed differences in rotation strategy, with women using top-down strategies compared to men, who were using top-down strategies and active inhibition of associative cortical areas. These strategy uses were further moderated by expertise, with higher expertise leading to more pronounced activation patters, especially during successful performance. However, due to the very limited sample size, the findings of this explorative study have to be interpreted cautiously.

The International Sirius Mathematics Center, located on the Black Sea coast, was founded in 2019 by the Talent and Success Foundation for organizing mathematical conferences and other events promoting the development of mathematics in Russia. In 2024, the Center has acquired its own Russian-language journal for publication of original research papers by participants of conferences held at the Center. The authors are invited to submit papers to the journal at https://ef.msp.org/submit/sirius [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let $ R $ be a ring with identity. The commuting graph of $ R $ is the graph associated to $ R $ whose vertices are non-central elements in $ R $, and distinct vertices $ A $ and $ B $ are adjacent if and only if $ AB = BA $. In this paper, we completely determine the automorphism group of the commuting graph of $ 2\times 2 $ matrix ring over $ \mathbb{Z}_{p^{s}} $, where $ \mathbb{Z}_{p^{s}} $ is the ring of integers modulo $ p^{s} $, $ p $ is a prime and $ s $ is a positive integer.

Investigating the research trends within a scientific domain by analyzing semantic information extracted from scientific journals has been a topic of interest in the natural language processing (NLP) field. A research trend evaluation is generally based on the time evolution of the term occurrence or the term topic, but it neglects an important aspect—research publication latency. The average time lag between the research and its publication may vary from one month to more than one year, and it is a characteristic that may have significant impact when assessing research trends, mainly for rapidly evolving scientific areas. To cope with this problem, the present paper is the first work that explicitly considers research publication latency as a parameter in the trend evaluation process. Consequently, we provide a new trend detection methodology that mixes auto-ARIMA prediction with Mann–Kendall trend evaluations. The experimental results in an electronic design automation case study prove the viability of our approach.

The human capability to react or adapt to upcoming changes strongly relies on the ability to forecast them [...]

Perception is an individual's ability to respond, interpret, and distinguish a view of any information to a stimulus. So the aims of this study was to find out: (1) students' perceptions of the use of an equation editor in writing mathematical notation as assignments for calculus class I papers, (2) students' perceptions of writing calculus I paper assignments using the manual method (handwriting). The research subjects consisted of 16 students majoring in Extension Informatics Engineering (afternoon class) Semester I. The type of research was descriptive qualitative. Data collection techniques are interviews. The analysis stage is to analyze the results of the interviews. The results of the study concluded that: (1) 11 (eleven) students agreed to use the equation editor in writing calculus I paper assignments,the rest were still confused about the use of the equation editor; and (2) all students do not agree if the paper is written using the manual method (handwriting) because the results are not neat and take a long time.

Paper waste in the mockups design with regular, irregular, and amorphous patterns is a critical problem in digital printing presses. Paper waste reduction directly impacts production costs, generating business and environmental benefits. This problem can be mapped to the two-dimensional irregular bin-packing problem. In this paper, an iterated local search algorithm using a novel neighborhood structure to detect overlaps between amorphous shapes is introduced. This algorithm is used to solve the paper waste problem, modeled as one 2D irregular bin-packing problem. The experimental results show that this approach works efficiently and effectively to detect and correct the overlaps between regular, irregular, and amorphous figures.

Abstract In a recently published theorem on the split common fixed point problem for strict pseudocontractive and asymptotically nonexpansive mappings, Tang et al. (J. Inequal. Appl. 2015:305, 2015) studied a uniformly convex and 2-uniformly smooth real Banach space with the Opial property and best smoothness constant κ satisfying the condition 0 < κ < 1 2 $0

Very recently, P. Saha et al. [A global optimality result in probabilistic spaces using control function. Optimization. 2021;70:2387–2400] studied the existence of best proximity points for Banach type ϕ-proximal contractions in the framework of Menger probabilistic metric spaces. In this paper, we present a simple proof of their main existence result which is based on a fixed point theorem for ϕ-contractive self-mappings in complete Menger PM-spaces due to B.S. Choudhury and K. Das [A new contraction principle in Menger spaces. Acta Math Sin. 2008;24:13791386]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Issue comprises the first collection of papers submitted by the Editorial Board Members (EBMs) of the journal Mathematical and Computational Applications (MCA), as well as outstanding scholars working in the core research fields of MCA [...]

This issue of featured papers from 2020 is related to the study of symmetry phenomena in various different fields, but mainly in theoretical physics [...]

This editorial is a short review of papers accepted in the Mathematics and Symmetry/Asymmetry section in 2020–2021 about the symmetry methods [...]

The administration of A/B exams usually involves the use of items. Issues arise when the pre-establishment of a question bank is necessary and the inconsistency in the knowledge points to be tested (in the two exams) reduces the exams ‘fairness’. These are critical for a large multi-teacher course wherein the teachers are changed such that the course and examination content are altered every few years. However, a fair test with randomly participating students should still be a guaranteed subject with no item pool. Through data-driven decision-making, this study collected data related to a term test for a compulsory general course for empirical assessments, pre-processed the data and used item response theory to statistically estimate the difficulty, discrimination and lower asymptotic for each item in the two exam papers. Binary goal programing was finally used to analyze and balance the fairness of A/B exams without an item pool. As a result, pairs of associated questions in the two exam papers were optimized in terms of their overall balance in three dimensions (as the goals) through the paired exchanges of items. These exam papers guarantee their consistency (in the tested knowledge points) and also ensure the fairness of the term test (a key psychological factor that motivates continued studies). Such an application is novel as the teacher(s) did not have a pre-set question bank and could formulate the fairest strategy for the A/B exam papers. The model can be employed to address similar teaching practice issues.

Tablet‐based technology has become a conduit for the administration of curriculum‐based measurement (CBM) tools. Using tablets to administer CBM probes has many advantages; however, little is known about how students perform on CBMs when administered via a tablet. The current investigation compared digits correct per minute obtained from 44 third‐grade students on CBM addition fluency probes administered via three different modalities. Students completed the probes using traditional paper and pencil, a tablet using their fingers to write the answer, or a tablet application using a keyboard to type the answer. A within‐subjects group design showed students performed significantly better on the tablet when using their finger to write the answer, even though most students (58%) indicated this was their least preferred modality. The discussion focuses on the implications for educators and the use of different CBM modalities for interindividual and intraindividual comparisons. Practitioner points: Third‐grade students responded to math facts faster when writing with their fingers on an iPad, even compared to paper and pencil.The results are inconsistent with other studies that found students were faster when using paper and pencil.Finally, most third‐grade students preferred answering addition facts with a pencil on paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special issue contains top-tier physics-related and mathematical research, among other topics, written by scholars who are well-known in their field [...]

Aiming at the problem of easy tampering and difficult integrity authentication of paper text documents, this paper proposes a robust content authentication method for printed documents based on text watermarking scheme resisting print-and-scan attack. Firstly, an authentication watermark signal sequence related to content of text document is generated based on the Logistic chaotic map model; then, the authentication watermark signal sequence is embedded into printed paper document by using a robust text watermarking scheme; finally, the watermark information is extracted from scanned image of paper document, and compared with the authentication watermark information calculated in real time by the text document content obtained by OCR technology, thereby performing content integrity authentication of the paper text documents. Experimental results show that our method can achieve the robust content integrity authentication of paper text documents, and can also accurately locate the tampering position. In addition, the document after embedding the watermark information has a good visual effect, and the text watermarking scheme has a large information capacity.

Nowadays, forecasting applications are receiving unprecedent attention thanks to their capability to improve the decision-making processes by providing useful indications [...]

Computer-based curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is a relatively common practice, but surprisingly few studies have examined the reliability of computer-based CBM. This study sought to examine the reliability of CBM administered via paper/pencil versus the computer. Twenty-one of 25 students in two third-grade classes (N = 21) participated in two generalizability studies. The primary facet of interest, format of assessment, was examined for two measures, a fact operation (fact family measure) and a more complex operation (multidigit addition). Researchers administered four alternate forms of each measure under both computer and paper/pencil conditions. Results indicated ideal reliability of measurement within all conditions and results were consistent across assessment formats for the fact operation. However, assessment format explained a large proportion of variance for the more complex skill (multidigit addition). Results indicate a need to consider the reliability of transitioning assessment from paper/pencil to computer-based response on a measure-by-measure basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematics is often treated as different from other disciplines, since arguments in the field rely on deductive proof rather than empirical evidence as in the natural sciences. A mathematical paper can therefore, at least in principle, be replicated simply by reading it. While this distinction is sometimes taken as the basis to claim that the results in mathematics are therefore certain, mathematicians themselves know that the published literature contains many mistakes. Reading a proof is not easy, and checking whether an argument constitutes a proof is surprisingly difficult. This article uses peer review of submissions to mathematics journals as a site where referees are explicitly concerned with checking whether a paper is correct and therefore could be published. Drawing on 95 qualitative interviews with mathematics journal editors, as well as a collection of more than 100 referee reports and other correspondence from peer review processes, this article establishes that while mathematicians acknowledge that peer review does not guarantee correctness, they still value it. For mathematicians, peer review 'adds a bit of certainty', especially in contrast to papers only submitted to preprint servers such as arXiv. Furthermore, during peer review there can be disagreements not just regarding the importance of a result, but also whether a particular argument constitutes a proof or not (in particular, whether there are substantial gaps in the proof). Finally, the mathematical community is seen as important when it comes to accepting arguments as proofs and assigning certainty to results. Publishing an argument in a peer-reviewed journal is often only the first step in having a result accepted. Results get accepted if they stand the test of time and are used by other mathematicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental pollution has become an important obstacle on the path of ecological civilization construction, and it is urgent to control environmental pollution. By establishing an evolutionary game model, this thesis focuses on analyzing how paper-making enterprises choose their own emission reduction strategies under the reward and punishment mechanism. It further analyzes how social welfare changes under the reward and punishment mechanism, and finally through simulation research, this thesis analyzes the evolutionary paths of paper-making enterprises’ pollution emission strategies under the reward and punishment mechanism. The results of the reward and punishment mechanism are as follows: under the static reward and punishment mechanism, the game system will repeatedly oscillate around a point. There is no stable equilibrium point at this time. However, under the dynamic reward and punishment mechanism, the game system will tend to a stable equilibrium point. The results of social welfare analysis show that high-intensity rewards will reduce the amount of pollution discharged by paper-making enterprises, thereby maximizing social welfare. On the contrary, when paper-making enterprises discharge a large amount of pollution, they will be subject to high-intensity penalties. When facing high-intensity punishments, paper-making enterprises will tend to not to discharge. So social welfare is also maximized. The simulation research results show that reasonable punishment strategies are more effective than reward ones. Based on this, the author proposes countermeasures, such as establishing a reasonable reward and punishment mechanism, reasonably determining the reward and punishment intensity for polluting enterprises. The emission reduction strategies of paper-making enterprises will be affected by the government’s reward and punishment mechanism. A deep study of its internal mechanism is not only of great significance for pollution control but also of great significance for the development of a green economy.

We correct the proof of Theorem 2 in the mentioned paper concerning finite-difference equilibrium solutions.

This paper proposes the use of notebooks for the design documentation and tool interaction in the rigorous design of embedded systems. Conventionally, a notebook is a sequence of cells alternating between (textual) code and prose to form a document that is meant to be read from top to bottom, in the spirit of literate programming. We extend the use of notebooks to embedded systems specified by pCharts. The charts are visually edited in cells inline. Other cells can contain statements that generate code and analyze the charts qualitatively and quantitatively; in addition, notebook cells can contain other instructions to build the product from the generated code. This allows a notebook to be replayed to re-analyze the design and re-build the product, like a script, but also allows the notebook to be used for presentations, as for this paper, and for the inspection of the design. The interaction with the notebook is done through a web browser that connects to a local or remote server, thus allowing a computationally intensive analysis to run remotely if needed. The pState notebooks are implemented as an extension to Jupyter. The underlying software architecture is described and the issue of proper placement of transition labels in charts embedded in notebooks is discussed.

The Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS) is one of the most popular instruments measuring math anxiety (MA). It has been validated across several linguistic and cultural contexts. In this study, we investigated the extent of administration method invariance of the AMAS by comparing results (average scores, reliabilities, factorial structure) obtained online with those from paper-and-pencil. We administered the online version of the AMAS to Polish students. Results indicate that psychometric properties of the AMAS do not differ between online and paper-and-pencil administration. Additionally, average scores of the AMAS did not differ considerably between administration forms, contrary to previous results showing that computerized measurement of MA leads to higher scores. Therefore, our results provide evidence for the usefulness of the AMAS as a reliable and valid MA measurement tool for online research and online screening purposes across cultures and also large similarity between administration forms outside an American-English linguistic and cultural context. Finally, we provide percentile and standard norms for the AMAS for adolescents and adults (in the latter case for both online and paper-and-pencil administration) as well as critical differences for the comparison of both subscales in an individual participant for practical diagnostic purposes.