Physical Objective Research Articles

Muon energy reconstruction for applications in neutrino astronomy in the DUNE far detector

DUNE (Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment) is a proposed long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment located in the United States. The main physics objectives of DUNE are to measure neutrino oscillations and interactions, search for nucleon decay, observe supernova neutrino bursts and beyond Standard Model (BSM) effects. The DUNE far detector will be located 4850 feet underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. It will house the world's largest liquid-argon time projection chambers (TPC). The DUNE far detector can detect high-energy leptons that arise from interactions of cosmogenic neutrinos and search for neutrinos originating from the decay of weakly-interactive massive particles (WIMPs) annihilations occurring inside the Sun. Selecting upward-going muons reduces the background from cosmic-ray muons. The muon energy is estimated from the electromagnetic showers accompanying the muon, a technique that allows energy reconstruction up to a few hundred TeV.

Gender and Work Experience as Moderators of Relations between Management Level, Physical Activity, Eating Attitudes, and Social Skills of Managers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Being employed in a managerial position is often associated with maintaining high standards in many aspects of life. Many leaders pay attention to their physical activity, eating habits, and social skills. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought additional difficulties to the already-demanding job of managing people and forced managers to make many changes to their daily functioning at work. The main goal of this study was to establish whether Gender, Experience, and Management Level influenced respondents' healthy behaviors (eating attitudes and physical activity) or soft skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic with a sample of 348 managers from a variety of companies (n = 222 women, n = 126 men) with different levels of experience and responsibility. The authors used the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), four questions from the Physical Activity Objectives Questionnaire, and a self-authored soft skills questionnaire. The results showed that, compared to females, males were characterized by lower levels on all three EAT-26 scales: Bulimia and Food Preoccupation, Oral Control, and Dieting. On the other hand, male respondents who held high managerial positions were characterized by high levels of Dieting, Oral Control, Bulimia, and Food Preoccupation. This analysis provides insights that may help improve the quality of life of employees; however, further research is needed to investigate the direct influence of managers on employees in different industries.

A Comprehensive Exercise (COMEX) Intervention to Optimize Exercise Participation for Improving Patient-Centered Outcomes and Physical Functioning in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis: Development and Pilot Testing

To address the need for an intradialytic exercise program that is easily delivered in clinical setting, engaging and scalable, we developed a novel COMprehensive EXercise (COMEX) program based on input from patients receiving hemodialysis (HD), dialysis staff members and nephrologists. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility, safety, and acceptance of COMEX during HD. Single-arm prospective pilot feasibility study. Seventeen patients receiving in-center HD. Three-month participation in the COMEX program, which included video-based dialysis chair exercises (aerobic and resistance) integrated with educational and motivational components. Data on recruitment, adherence, safety and acceptability were collected. Additional assessments were performed to evaluate changes in physical functioning, patient-reported symptoms, and objectively measured sleep and physical activity. We also examined the feasibility of obtaining skeletal muscle biopsies and blood samples to explore molecular mechanisms of muscle atrophy and to assess platelet mitochondrial function and adaptation to exercise during HD. Thirteen of the 17 (76%) participants completed the 3-month intervention. The mean participant age was 63.6±15.1 years. In total, 46% of participants were males, and 55% were White. The mean body mass index was 38.7±11.6kg/m2. There were no reported adverse effects, and the adherence rate to exercise sessions was high with 88% of the sessions completed. Patient satisfaction was high, as 100% of the patients would recommend the program to other dialysis patients. It was feasible to collect data on physical functioning, patient-reported symptoms, and objective sleep and physical activity and to obtain muscle biopsies and blood samples. Small sample size, lack of an onsite exercise professional, and technological issues with telemedicine behavioral motivation. The COMEX intradialytic exercise intervention is safe and acceptable to patients, and outcome measures were feasible to obtain. Future studies should consider including exercise professionals to facilitate progression through a personalized exercise protocol. This work is supported by pilot award from P30 DK079307 (PI, Jhamb). ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03055299. We tested a new COMprehensive EXercise (COMEX) program to deliver exercise during dialysis. This 3-month program included video-based dialysis chair exercises (aerobic and resistance) integrated with educational and motivational components. Our study shows COMEX was feasible, had high satisfaction and adherence, and was safe. It was feasible to collect data on physical functioning, patient-reported symptoms, and objective sleep and physical activity and to obtain muscle biopsies and blood samples. Future studies should consider including exercise professionals to facilitate progression through a personalized exercise protocol.

Transport and thermoelectric properties of the Pb1-xSnxTe topological crystalline insulator in the vicinity of the band inversion

Semiconductor solid solutions Pb1-xSnxTe are well known as promising materials widely used in the IR electronics, thermoelectricity and other fields of science and technology. Recently, it has been found that these alloys in certain concentration ranges exhibit the properties characteristic of the new quantum objects of solid-state physics – topological crystalline insulators (TCIs), whose unique properties define new possibilities for practical use of these materials in spintronics, quantum computing and thermoelectricity. The fact that in Pb1-xSnxTe the band inversion near some composition xc, leads to the emergence of the TCI states stimulates a detailed study of the behavior of transport and thermoelectric properties near xc. In this work, for the Pb1-xSnxTe solid solutions in the composition range x = 0.59–0.68, we obtained the dependences of electrical conductivity, the Hall coefficient, charge carrier mobility, the Seebeck coefficient, and thermoelectric power factor on x at fixed temperatures in the interval (77–300) K. In the isotherms of all studied properties, we observed peaks at x ∼0.62 and attributed them to the band inversion and transition into the TCI state, which are accompanied by the self-organization processes in the crystal lattice.

Flexible Isosurface Extraction for Gradient-Based Mesh Optimization

This work considers gradient-based mesh optimization, where we iteratively optimize for a 3D surface mesh by representing it as the isosurface of a scalar field, an increasingly common paradigm in applications including photogrammetry, generative modeling, and inverse physics. Existing implementations adapt classic isosurface extraction algorithms like Marching Cubes or Dual Contouring; these techniques were designed to extract meshes from fixed, known fields, and in the optimization setting they lack the degrees of freedom to represent high-quality feature-preserving meshes, or suffer from numerical instabilities. We introduce FlexiCubes, an isosurface representation specifically designed for optimizing an unknown mesh with respect to geometric, visual, or even physical objectives. Our main insight is to introduce additional carefully-chosen parameters into the representation, which allow local flexible adjustments to the extracted mesh geometry and connectivity. These parameters are updated along with the underlying scalar field via automatic differentiation when optimizing for a downstream task. We base our extraction scheme on Dual Marching Cubes for improved topological properties, and present extensions to optionally generate tetrahedral and hierarchically-adaptive meshes. Extensive experiments validate FlexiCubes on both synthetic benchmarks and real-world applications, showing that it offers significant improvements in mesh quality and geometric fidelity.

ADAPTations to low load blood flow restriction exercise versus conventional heavier load resistance exercise in UK military personnel with persistent knee pain: protocol for the ADAPT study, a multi-centre randomized controlled trial

BackgroundMuscle atrophy, muscle weakness and localised pain are commonly reported following musculoskeletal injury (MSKI). To mitigate this risk and prepare individuals to return to sport or physically demanding occupations, resistance training (RT) is considered a vital component of rehabilitation. However, to elicit adaptations in muscle strength, exercise guidelines recommend lifting loads ≥ 70% of an individual’s one repetition maximum (1-RM). Unfortunately, individuals with persistent knee pain are often unable to tolerate such high loads and this may negatively impact the duration and extent of their recovery. Low load blood flow restriction (LL-BFR) is an alternative RT technique that has demonstrated improvements in muscle strength, hypertrophy, and pain in the absence of high mechanical loading. However, the effectiveness of high-frequency LL-BFR in a residential rehabilitation environment remains unclear. This study will compare the efficacy of high frequency LL-BFR to ‘conventional’ heavier load resistance training (HL-RT) on measures of physical function and pain in adults with persistent knee pain.MethodsThis is a multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) of 150 UK service personnel (aged 18–55) admitted for a 3-week residential rehabilitation course with persistent knee pain. Participants will be randomised to receive: a) LL-BFR delivered twice daily at 20% 1-RM or b) HL-RT three-times per week at 70% 1-RM. Outcomes will be recorded at baseline (T1), course discharge (T2) and at three-months following course (T3). The primary outcome will be the lower extremity functional scale (LEFS) at T2. Secondary outcomes will include patient reported perceptions of pain, physical and occupational function and objective measures of muscle strength and neuromuscular performance. Additional biomechanical and physiological mechanisms underpinning both RT interventions will also be investigated as part of a nested mechanistic study.DiscussionLL-BFR is a rehabilitation modality that has the potential to induce positive clinical adaptations in the absence of high mechanical loads and therefore could be considered a treatment option for patients suffering significant functional deficits who are unable to tolerate heavy load RT. Consequently, results from this study will have a direct clinical application to healthcare service providers and patients involved in the rehabilitation of physically active adults suffering MSKI.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.org reference number, NCT05719922

Effects of real-time remote cardiac rehabilitation on exercise capacity and quality of life: a quasi-randomised controlled trial

BackgroundThe impact of real-time remote cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on health and disability-related outcomes and its correlation with physical function are unknown. We compared the effectiveness of real-time remote CR with that of hospital-based CR on physical function improvement and physical functions of improvement (Δ) to clarify the relationship between health and disability at baseline.MethodsPatients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) were enrolled (n = 38) in this quasi-randomised controlled trial and underwent 4 weeks of hospital-based CR, followed by 12 weeks of remote or hospital-based CR based on quasi-randomised allocation. Patients were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks of remote or hospital-based CR using the shortened version of the World Health Organization (WHO) Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL-BREF) for subjective satisfaction, WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS2.0-J) for objective performance, and cardiopulmonary exercise test for physical function and peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2). The trends in measured variables from baseline to the post-CR stage were analysed.ResultsSixteen patients (mean age, 72.2 ± 10.4 years) completed remote CR, and 15 patients (mean age, 77.3 ± 4.8 years) completed hospital-based CR. The post-CR physical function differed significantly between the groups (Δpeak VO2, 2.8 ± 3.0 versus 0.84 ± 1.8 mL·min−1·kg−1; p < 0.05). The differences in post-CR changes in the WHOQOL-BREF scores between the groups were insignificant. The post-CR changes in the WHODAS2.0-J scores were significantly lower in the remote CR group than in the hospital-based CR group (ΔWHODAS2.0-J score, –8.56 ± 14.2 versus 2.14 ± 7.6; p < 0.01). Forward multiple stepwise regression analysis using overall data showed that the intervention method (β = 0.339, p < 0.05), baseline cognition (β = − 0.424, p < 0.05), and social interaction level (β = 0.658, p < 0.01; WHODAS2.0-J) were significant independent contributors to Δpeak VO2 (r2 = 0.48, F = 8.13, p < 0.01).ConclusionsRemote CR considerably improved physical function and objective performance in patients with CVDs. Remote CR can be used to effectively treat stable patients who cannot visit hospitals.Trial registrationThis interventional trial was registered at the UMIN-CTR registry (trial title: Development of remote programme for cardiac rehabilitation using wearable electrocardiograph; trial ID: UMIN000041746; trial URL: https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000046564; registration date: 2020/09/09).

Congruency of the Goals and Objectives of a Graduate Program in Physical Education: An Assessment of Stakeholders Thru Importance-Performance Analysis Framework

Purpose: This study assessed the congruency of a graduate physical education program's goals and objectives using the Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) framework. The research aimed to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement, ultimately enhancing curriculum and bridging the gap between academia and the physical education and sports industry. Materials and Methods: a cross-sectional survey was conducted, utilizing a structured questionnaire distributed to 135 participants classified as internal and external stakeholders selected via purposive convenience sampling. The questionnaire was administered via Google Forms. The questionnaire consisted of items related to stakeholders' demographic profile, awareness, acceptability, and perceived levels of importance and performance of the goals and objectives of the program. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, IPA, and Independent Samples T-test to determine varying perceptions among stakeholders. Results: The findings indicated a substantial degree of awareness and acceptability of the program's goals and objectives among stakeholders. The study also revealed a strong alignment between the program objectives, graduate school objectives, and the university's vision and mission. However, certain discrepancies emerged concerning stakeholders' acceptability levels for specific objectives. With regard to the importance-performance analysis, the results highlighted the need for the organization to enhance its performance in producing graduates possessing advanced disciplinary content knowledge. Graduates should be equipped to examine and appreciate both traditional and contemporary theories, concepts, and models within their respective disciplines. Conclusion: The study concludes that stakeholders have high awareness and acceptability of the preambular provisions of the university and the MPE program, but external stakeholders have lower awareness and acceptability. The congruency between program objectives and graduate school objectives, as well as the alignment between the university vision and graduate school vision and mission, suggests a well-designed and implemented program. Meanwhile, the importance-performance analysis highlights areas to improve, such as advanced disciplinary content, effective communication, and critical thinking and research skills. Enhancing communication and engagement strategies, monitoring alignment with stakeholder needs, and reassessing the importance of certain goals can improve the program's alignment with broader institutional goals and contribute to the university's overall success.

Interactive Multimedia Design Based on Cognitive Conflict on Dynamic Fluid Using Adobe Animate CC 2019

In the 21st century Science and Technology (IPTEK) is experiencing very rapid development which requires students to have skills in that century. In addition, one of the objectives of learning physics in the 2013 curriculum is to have a good understanding of concepts and principles. However, in reality there are still obstacles in students' understanding of concepts that are still low, including dynamic fluid material. The solution given is to develop interactive multimedia based on cognitive conflict. This study aims to determine the characteristics of interactive multimedia design and determine its validity. This type of research is development research using the Plomp development model which is special to the preliminary research and prototyping stages to the expert review. Preliminary research data obtained from needs analysis through filling out a questionnaire by 3 physics teachers and the validity of the data obtained from 3 physics lecturers. The instruments in this study were teacher questionnaires, self-evaluation sheets and expert validity sheets. Data were analyzed descriptively. This research produces interactive multimedia with characteristics set according to 4 syntaxes of cognitive conflict-based learning models using the adobe animate cc 2019 application. Multimedia is designed to improve students' conceptual understanding of dynamic fluid materials and justify 4C skills. the results of self-evaluation show that multimedia is in the very good category.

IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL REALITY IS SUPERIOR TO CONVENTIONAL TRAINING FOR SURGICAL TEAM MEMBERS LEARNING ANTERIOR APPROACH TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Superior team performance in surgery leads to fewer technical errors, reduced mortality, and improved patient outcomes. Scrub nurses are a pivotal part of this team, however they have very little structured training, leading to high levels of stress, low confidence, inefficiency, and potential for harm. Immersive virtual reality (iVR) simulation has demonstrated excellent efficacy in training surgeons. We tested the efficacy of an iVR curriculum for training scrub nurses in performing their role in an anterior approach total hip arthroplasty (AA-THA).Sixty nursing students were included in this study and randomised in a 1:1 ratio to learning the scrub nurse role for an AA-THA using either conventional training or iVR. The training was derived through expert consensus with senior surgeons, scrub nurses and industry reps. Conventional training consisted of a 1-hour seminar and 2 hours of e-learning where participants were taught the equipment and sequence of steps. The iVR training involved 3 separate hour-long sessions where participants performed the scrub nurse role with an avatar surgeon in a virtual operation. The primary outcome was their performance in a physical world practical objective assessment with real equipment. Data were confirmed parametric using the Shapiro-Wilk test and means compared using the independent samples student's t-test.53 participants successfully completed the study (26 iVR, 27 conventional) with a mean age of 31±9 years. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics or baseline knowledge test scores between the two groups (p&gt;0.05). The iVR group significantly outperformed the conventionally trained group in the real-world assessment, scoring 66.9±17.9% vs 41.3±16.7%, p&lt;0.0001.iVR is an easily accessible, low cost training modality which could be integrated into scrub nursing curricula to address the current shortfall in training. Prolonged operating times are strongly associated with an increased risk of developing serious complications. By upskilling scrub nurses, operations may proceed more efficiently which in turn may improve patient safety.

Regional Differences in Self-Reported Health, Physical Activity and Physical Fitness of Urban Senior Citizens in Austria.

The aim of this study is to compare data on the health status, self-reported exercise and non-exercise physical activity as well as fitness parameters, such as grip strength, of people in retirement in two cities that are both considered urban centres according to the statistical office of the European Union (EUROSTAT), but differ by geographic location. Self-reported physical activity questionnaires and objective assessments of physical fitness indicators collected by sports scientists were used and examined for differences. A total of 210 people (66.3 years ± 2.3) in Salzburg (n = 90) and Vienna (n = 120) was analysed. While no differences were found in self-reported health, there were differences in self-reported exposure to self-reported exercise and non-exercise physical activity, with the Viennese population being more inactive than their more western comparison group. In addition, the objective indicators for muscle strength, balance and flexibility of the lower extremities differed significantly in favour of the more western Austrian population. We recommend assessing the situation of older people in Austria regarding their physical activity and fitness on a regional basis, even if they live in cities of the same category. Future projects should therefore aim to consider specific regional needs during development and incorporate both subjective and objective indicators when monitoring the success of such programs.

Graph Neural Networks for Link Prediction

Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) belong to a class of deep learning methods that are specialized for extracting critical information and making accurate predictions on graph representations. Researchers have been striving to adapt neural networks to process graph data for over a decade. GNNs have found practical applications in various fields, including physics simulations, object detection, and recommendation systems. Predicting missing links in graphs is a crucial problem in various scientific fields because real-world graphs are frequently incompletely observed. This task, also known as link prediction, aims to predict the existence or absence of links in a graph. This tutorial is designed for researchers who have no prior experience with GNNs and will provide an overview of the link prediction task. In addition, we will discuss further reading, applications, and the most commonly used software packages and frameworks.

Sociocultural predictors of obligatory exercise in young men: A Polish-Chinese comparison.

Obligatory exercise has been shown to have negative physical and mental effects on exercisers and is more prevalent among young people. However, there is limited research on obligatory exercise among young men. Social comparison theory offers a novel perspective to explore the relationship between sociocultural factors and obligatory exercise among young men, which offers an opportunity to understand potential factors contributing to obligatory exercise among young men across different cultures. We recruited a purposive sample of young people aged 18-30 from Poland (n=79) and China (n=194). Participants completed self-report measures including the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire3, Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives, and Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire. In the data analysis stage, we examined the strength of the relationships between the independent variables and the dependent variable through multiple regression analysis, and tested the role of the mediating variables. The main analyses revealed that Internalization-Athlete was a common direct predictor of obligatory exercise for both Polish and Chinese young men; that there were direct sociocultural predictors of obligatory exercise that were only used in relation to Polish or Chinese young men; and that social adaptation goals for motivation for physical activity mediated the development of obligatory exercise for Polish and Chinese young men, and that there were cross-cultural differences. Attention should be paid to their attitudes towards the idea of a muscular and athletic body and socially adapted physical activity motivations when understanding young men's obligatory exercise, while also considering cross-cultural differences.

Socio-cultural attitudes toward the body as a predictor of motivation for physical activity in young people brought up in Asian and European culture—Chinese-Polish comparison

The influence of sociocultural attitudes toward the body on young people’s physical activity has received increasing attention. However, there is a lack of cross-cultural research in this area. The main aim of this research was to identify the similarities and differences in the sociocultural attitudes toward the body of Polish and Chinese young people who grew up in European and Asian cultures and to analyze their effect on the motivation for physical activity. A cross-sectional research study was conducted among 18- to 30-year-old Polish (n = 259) and Chinese (n = 208) young people. The variables were measured using the Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance Questionnaire 3 (SATAQ 3) and the Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives (IPAO). Descriptive and comparative statistics, Spearman’s rho, and the stepwise multiple regression analysis were used. The main analysis showed There are both similarities and significant differences in the performance of young Polish and Chinese men and women on the variables studied; Internalization-Athlete, Pressures, and Internalization-General are universal sociocultural predictors of motivation for physical activity among young people in Poland and China; Information is a specific sociocultural predictor of motivation for physical activity in Polish young people. The cultural nuances need to be considered in understanding young people’s Motivation for undertaking physical activity.

Abstract 3010: Epigenetic age acceleration in older adults with hematologic malignancies

Abstract Background: Older adults with hematologic malignancy (HM) are a growing demographic with heterogenous health needs. Chronologic age, performance status and comorbidities impact the selection and intensity of treatments but may not accurately predict treatment toxicity or resiliency. Here, we conducted longitudinal measures of clinical frailty and epigenetic age to explore the relationships between physiologic aging and fitness. Methods: Newly diagnosed patients &amp;gt;60 years with HM were enrolled in a prospective longitudinal study with biomarkers procured at baseline (pre-therapy) and end-of-study (EOS). EOS was defined as the earliest of the following events: progression, transplant, or 1-year from baseline. Peripheral blood was collected, CD3+ T-cells isolated, and DNA extracted using a column-based commercial nucleic acid kit. Peripheral blood T lymphocytes samples were also procured from healthy controls using identical methods. PBTL was extracted, bisulfite converted, and methylation was quantified using the Illumina 850K EPIC methylation array at the TruDiagnostic core laboratory. Raw data was processed using the minfi pipeline, followed by normalization, batch correction, and KNN-based imputation using the GMQN and impute R packages. Principal-component (PC) PhenoAge measures were calculated using the processed methylation values. Measured clinical phenotypes of fitness included ECOG, independent activities of daily living, physical health scores, comorbidities, cognition (BOMC) and objective measures of function (SPPB). Results: 94 patients with HM (acute leukemia n=35, lymphoma n=23, CLL = 6, plasma cell n=30) with PBTL and clinical fitness data were evaluated. The median chronologic age was 70.55 years (range 28.71 yrs, IQR = 10.84). mPhenoAge was higher in patients with HM (Median = 49.59 yrs, Range = 71.245, IQR = 12.52) than healthy donors (Median = 30.46; Range = 75.58, IQR = 32.83). Patients with acute leukemia had the highest mPhenoAge (57.10 yrs, Range = 61.97, IQR = 30.03; p=3e-04). mPhenoage was lower in patients with ECOG 0 vs ECOG 1 (p=0.011). Patients with Acute leukemia also showed a decrease in mPhenoage at EOS (p=0.034), which was not seen in other HMs. Patient IADLs (p=0.032) and comorbidities (p=0.009) were positively correlated with Epigenetic Age Acceleration (EAA). Patient cognitive score (p=0.053) negatively correlated with EAA. mPhenoAge decreased more in patients who received hypomethylating therapies than those who received high-dose multi-drug chemotherapy, low-dose multi-drug chemotherapy or targeted agents. Conclusions: Physiologic age, as measured by PBTL mPhenoAge, is increased among older adults with HMs relative to healthy controls. PBTL mPhenoAge is highest among HM patients with acute leukemia and changes are associated with clinical phenotypes. PBTL mPhenoAGE decreased with hypomethylating agents in patients with acute leukemia. Citation Format: Ashley E. Rosko, Kaitlyn Dvorak, Jennifer Woyach, Varun Dwaraka, Ryan Smith, Ryann Finlayson, Alice Mims, Christin Burd. Epigenetic age acceleration in older adults with hematologic malignancies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 3010.

Data driven background estimation in HEP using generative adversarial networks

Data-driven methods are widely used to overcome shortcomings of Monte Carlo simulations (lack of statistics, mismodeling of processes, etc.) in experimental high energy physics. A precise description of background processes is crucial to reach the optimal sensitivity for a measurement. However, the selection of the control region used to describe the background process in a region of interest biases the distribution of some physics observables, rendering the use of such observables impossible in a physics analysis. Rather than discarding these events and/or observables, we propose a novel method to generate physics objects compatible with the region of interest and properly describing the correlations with the rest of the event properties. We use a generative adversarial network (GAN) for this task, as GANs are among the best generator models for various applications. We illustrate the method by generating a new misidentified photon for the gamma + textrm{jets} background of the textrm{H}rightarrow gamma gamma analysis at the CERN LHC, and demonstrate that this GAN generator is able to produce a coherent object correlated with the different properties of the rest of the event.

Influence of Facial Symmetry and Physical Appearance in Patients Perception of Medical Students: A Gender Differences Study

Background: Studies have shown that symmetry plays an aesthetic role and has a positive effect on the perception of human faces. Our work hypothesizes that facial symmetry positively correlates with physical attractiveness and, thus, with higher visual evaluations of future doctors. Materials and methods: Observational study of 46 students (26 women and 20 men), comparing subjective indicators, symmetry of their facial features, and students’ academic performance. Results: We found no correlation between these subjective results and an objective factor of symmetry facial recognition. User evaluators’ subjective assessments of students’ physical appearance showed significant gender differences for almost all the domains assessed. Moreover, these variables were correlated to each other: women were perceived more positively than men. There were also correlations in the variables related to academic performance but no gender differences. We did not observe any relationship between subjective variables related to physical appearance and objective ones related to academic performance. Conclusion: Facial symmetry was not correlated with positive physical appearance and, therefore, with a better evaluation of future doctors by patients. Users perceive women physicians more positively, despite there being no difference at an academic level.

Das Problem nicht-körperlicher Raumhaftigkeit

Abstract The paper argues that Plessner’s theory of positionality can be traced back to Kant’s theory of predicabilia in the Critique of Pure Reason. Kant’s theory of predicabilia allows for the reformulation of Plessner’s distinction between the organic structure of the living body on the one hand and the positional unity of this living body on the other hand. This enables a concept of non-physical spatiality from which Plessner’s concept of the boundary can be derived. Therefore, Plessner’s theory of positionality competes neither with Kant’s transcendental epistemology nor with his anthropology but rather extends his philosophy of science. Plessner develops the conceptual specifics of living beings, supplementing Kant’s concept of matter as the specific object of physics.

SL(2,C) Scheme Processing of Singularities in Quantum Computing and Genetics

Revealing the time structure of physical or biological objects is usually performed thanks to the tools of signal processing such as the fast Fourier transform, Ramanujan sum signal processing, and many other techniques. For space-time topological objects in physics and biology, we propose a type of algebraic processing based on schemes in which the discrimination of singularities within objects is based on the space-time-spin group SL(2,C). Such topological objects possess an homotopy structure encoded in their fundamental group, and the related SL(2,C) multivariate polynomial character variety contains a plethora of singularities somehow analogous to the frequency spectrum in time structures. Our approach is applied to a model of quantum computing based on an Akbulut cork in exotic R4, to an hyperbolic model of topological quantum computing based on magic states and to microRNAs in genetics. Such diverse topics reveal the manifold of possibilities of using the concept of a scheme spectrum.

LaSCA: A Visualization Analysis Tool for Microstructure of Complex Systems

Over the past few decades, plenty of visualization software for the structural analysis of disordered/complex systems has been developed, but the uniqueness and correctness of structural quantification for such systems are still challenging. This paper introduces a visualization analysis tool based on the largest standard cluster analysis (LaSCA), which satisfies the three essential requirements for general structural analysis: physical correctness, objective identification, and injective representation. The specific functionalities of LaSCA include the directed graph model of complex systems, novel structural parameters, topologically close-packed structures, arbitrary partial pair distribution functions, the identification of long-range ordered structures, the adaptive selection of graphical elements, the tracking display of atom ID, user-defined view angles, various options for atom selection, and so on. The program is efficiently based on OpenGL hardware acceleration, employing special algorithms to treat bonds as cylinders or lines and treat atoms as spheres, icosahedrons, tetrahedrons, or points. LaSCA can process more than 1.2 million atoms within 50 s on a PC with 1 GB memory and four cores (Intel Core i7-9700). It is robust and low-cost for surveying short-, medium-, and long-range ordered structures and tracking their evolutions.