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Techno-Science, Integral Thought, and the Reality of Limits in Laudato Si'
No full text"Reality" is a term that appears dozens of times in Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’. The term is not directly defined, but appears to signal for Francis a mysterious, relational, created order that imposes limits on humans while also evoking positive feelings like wonder and peace. Francis contrasts this vision of reality with perspectives on the world that are human-centered, fragmented, or reductionist. In this way, his account of reality grounds his sharp critique of narrow, techno-scientific perspectives on life and the world that entail a will to mastery and control. Francis’s critique of reductive, fragmentary perspectives is also connected to his concern with a category of humans and nonhuman others whom Francis designates “the excluded” in Laudato Si’. Distorted views of reality perpetuate neglect of these excluded others and prevent us from grasping the integral functioning of human, ecological, and social realms. I conclude by contrasting Francis’s version of integral ecology with other forms of integral thought that express naïve enthusiasm for technology, and suggest a denial of human and natural limits
Temporal stability of functional brain modules associated with human intelligence
No full textIndividual differences in general cognitive ability (i.e., intelligence) have been linked to individual variations in the modular organization of functional brain networks. However, these analyses have been limited to static (time‐averaged) connectivity, and have not yet addressed whether dynamic changes in the configuration of brain networks relate to general intelligence. Here, we used multiband functional MRI resting‐state data ( = 281) and estimated subject‐specific time‐varying functional connectivity networks. Modularity optimization was applied to determine individual time‐variant module partitions and to assess fluctuations in modularity across time. We show that higher intelligence, indexed by an established composite measure, the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI), is associated with higher temporal stability (lower temporal variability) of brain network modularity. Post‐hoc analyses reveal that subjects with higher intelligence scores engage in fewer periods of extremely high modularity — which are characterized by greater disconnection of task‐positive from task‐negative networks. Further, we show that brain regions of the dorsal attention network contribute most to the observed effect. In sum, our study suggests that investigating the temporal dynamics of functional brain network topology contributes to our understanding of the neural bases of general cognitive abilities
The Role of Women Entrepreneurs in Rebuilding A Nation: The Rwandan Model
No full textThis Article contributes to the literature by analyzing the normative shifts within the country's institutions, both pre- and post-genocide, and observes the role of women in restructuring the institutions as a major factor in the success that Rwanda enjoys today. By prioritizing gender equality in the recreation of its legal and economic structures, Rwanda is able to leverage the talents and capabilities of its entire population, and provides a model that can be applied to a number of other countries. Part I details the historical underpinnings of the Rwandan genocide and humanitarian crisis. Part II addresses the efforts to establish the rule of law in the aftermath of such a tragedy and describes the novel use of an indigenous forum for conflict resolution, gacaca, and the impact that this type of judicial experiment had on women in particular. Part III analyzes how Rwanda created a legal environment that empowers women. Part IV analyzes how the combination of reestablishing the rule of law through gacaca and an empowering legal environment helped sparked an economic rebirth within Rwanda, and promoted peace. While some details of Rwandan society post-genocide may be unique, this Part also outlines how the lessons from Rwanda can be applied more broadly and make a contribution to our understanding of how women influence peace, transitional justice, and entrepreneurship
Centrality and transverse momentum dependence of -meson production at mid-rapidity in Au + Au collisions at =200 GeV
No full textWe report a new measurement of -meson production at mid-rapidity cp_T$, the nuclear modification factors show a characteristic structure qualitatively consistent with the expectation from model predictions that charm quarks gain sizable collective motion during the medium evolution. The improved measurements are expected to offer new constraints to model calculations and help gain further insights into the hot and dense medium created in these collisions
The proton- correlation function in Au + Au collisions at =200GeV
No full textWe present the first measurement of the proton- correlation function in heavy-ion collisions for central (0-40%) and peripheral (40-80%) Au+Au collisions at =200 GeV by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC). Predictions for the ratio of peripheral collisions to central collisions for the proton- correlation function are sensitive to the presence of a nucleon- bound state. These predictions are based on the proton- interaction extracted from (2+1)-flavor lattice QCD calculations at the physical point. The measured ratio of proton- correlation function from peripheral (small system) to central (large system) collisions is less than unity for relative momentum smaller than 40 MeV/. Comparison of our measured correlation ratio with the theoretical calculation slightly favors a proton- bound system with a binding energy of ∼ 27 MeV
"Bring Your Own Greedy"+Max: Near-Optimal 1/2-Approximations for Submodular Knapsack
No full textThe problem of selecting a small-size representative summary of a large dataset is a cornerstone of machine learning, optimization and data science. Motivated by applications to recommendation systems and other scenarios with query-limited access to vast amounts of data, we propose a new rigorous algorithmic framework for a standard formulation of this problem as a submodular maximization subject to a linear (knapsack) constraint. Our framework is based on augmenting all partial Greedy solutions with the best additional item. It can be instantiated with negligible overhead in any model of computation, which allows the classic \greedy algorithm and its variants to be implemented. We give such instantiations in the offline (Greedy+Max), multi-pass streaming (Sieve+Max) and distributed (Distributed+Max) settings. Our algorithms give (1/2−)-approximation with most other key parameters of interest being near-optimal. Our analysis is based on a new set of first-order linear differential inequalities and their robust approximate versions. Experiments on typical datasets (movie recommendations, influence maximization) confirm scalability and high quality of solutions obtained via our framework. Instance-specific approximations are typically in the 0.6-0.7 range and frequently beat even the (1−1/)≈0.63 worst-case barrier for polynomial-time algorithms
A Meta-proteogenomic Approach to Peptide Identification Incorporating Assembly Uncertainty and Genomic Variation
No full textMatching metagenomic and/or metatranscriptomic data, currently often under-used, can be useful reference for metaproteomic tandem mass spectra (MS/MS) data analysis. Here we developed a software pipeline for identification of peptides and proteins from metaproteomic MS/MS data using proteins derived from matching metagenomic (and metatranscriptomic) data as the search database, based on two novel approaches Graph2Pro (published) and Var2Pep (new). Graph2Pro retains and uses uncertainties of metagenome assembly for reference-based MS/MS data analysis. Var2Pep considers the variations found in metagenomic/metatranscriptomic sequencing reads that are not retained in the assemblies (contigs). The new software pipeline provides one stop application of both tools, and it supports the use of metagenome assembly from commonly used assemblers including MegaHit and metaSPAdes. When tested on two collections of multi-omic microbiome data sets, our pipeline significantly improved the identification rate of the metaproteomic MS/MS spectra by about two folds, comparing to conventional contig- or read-based approaches (the Var2Pep alone identified 5.6% to 24.1% more unique peptides, depending on the data set). We also showed that identified variant peptides are important for functional profiling of microbiomes. All results suggested that it is important to take into consideration of the assembly uncertainties and genomic variants to facilitate metaproteomic MS/MS data interpretation
Best (but oft-forgotten) practices: identifying and accounting for regression to the mean in nutrition and obesity research
No full textBackground: Regression to the mean (RTM) is a statistical phenomenon where initial measurements of a variable in a nonrandom sample at the extreme ends of a distribution tend to be closer to the mean upon a second measurement. Unfortunately, failing to account for the effects of RTM can lead to incorrect conclusions on the observed mean difference between the 2 repeated measurements in a nonrandom sample that is preferentially selected for deviating from the population mean of the measured variable in a particular direction. Study designs that are susceptible to misattributing RTM as intervention effects have been prevalent in nutrition and obesity research. This field often conducts secondary analyses of existing intervention data or evaluates intervention effects in those most at risk (i.e., those with observations at the extreme ends of a distribution). Objectives: To provide best practices to avoid unsubstantiated conclusions as a result of ignoring RTM in nutrition and obesity research. Methods: We outlined best practices for identifying whether RTM is likely to be leading to biased inferences, using a flowchart that is available as a web-based app at https://dustyturner.shinyapps.io/DecisionTreeMeanRegression/. We also provided multiple methods to quantify the degree of RTM. Results: Investigators can adjust analyses to include the RTM effect, thereby plausibly removing its biasing influence on estimating the true intervention effect. Conclusions: The identification of RTM and implementation of proper statistical practices will help advance the field by improving scientific rigor and the accuracy of conclusions. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00427193
Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), Far Detector Technical Design Report, Volume II: DUNE Physics
No full textThe preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe, the dynamics of the supernovae that produced the heavy elements necessary for life, and whether protons eventually decay -- these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our universe, its current state, and its eventual fate. DUNE is an international world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions as it searches for leptonic charge-parity symmetry violation, stands ready to capture supernova neutrino bursts, and seeks to observe nucleon decay as a signature of a grand unified theory underlying the standard model. The DUNE far detector technical design report (TDR) describes the DUNE physics program and the technical designs of the single- and dual-phase DUNE liquid argon TPC far detector modules. Volume II of this TDR, DUNE Physics, describes the array of identified scientific opportunities and key goals. Crucially, we also report our best current understanding of the capability of DUNE to realize these goals, along with the detailed arguments and investigations on which this understanding is based. This TDR volume documents the scientific basis underlying the conception and design of the LBNF/DUNE experimental configurations. As a result, the description of DUNE's experimental capabilities constitutes the bulk of the document. Key linkages between requirements for successful execution of the physics program and primary specifications of the experimental configurations are drawn and summarized. This document also serves a wider purpose as a statement on the scientific potential of DUNE as a central component within a global program of frontier theoretical and experimental particle physics research. Thus, the presentation also aims to serve as a resource for the particle physics community at large
Where's the Science? Exploring a New Science Teacher Educator's Theoretical and Practical Understandings of Scientific Inquiry
Get PDFThe purpose for this self-study was to explore the theoretical and practical understandings of scientific inquiry inherent in our elementary teacher preparation program, specifically those of new instructors. Although scientific inquiry and inquiry-based learning are emphasized in our program, several new instructors, doctoral students hired to teach undergraduate courses, expressed some discomfort with the lesser amount of traditional science content that could be found in the course syllabi. To support their development and our own understandings of how to guide them as they begin teaching in higher education, it was important that we understood the transition in regard to teaching scientific inquiry and using inquiry-based pedagogy. Thus, we conducted this collaborative self-study on how a new instructor, experiencing such discomfort, was experiencing a transition in which her epistemology of science was being challenged. The implications of the findings, which derived from critical friend meetings, journal entries, and student artifacts from the scientific inquiry course she taught, serve to inform the field of science education in terms of new science teacher educators moving from a traditional teacher-centered science classroom into a student-centered classroom