213 research outputs found
The growth and form of knowledge networks by kinesthetic curiosity
Throughout life, we might seek a calling, companions, skills, entertainment,
truth, self-knowledge, beauty, and edification. The practice of curiosity can
be viewed as an extended and open-ended search for valuable information with
hidden identity and location in a complex space of interconnected information.
Despite its importance, curiosity has been challenging to computationally model
because the practice of curiosity often flourishes without specific goals,
external reward, or immediate feedback. Here, we show how network science,
statistical physics, and philosophy can be integrated into an approach that
coheres with and expands the psychological taxonomies of specific-diversive and
perceptual-epistemic curiosity. Using this interdisciplinary approach, we
distill functional modes of curious information seeking as searching movements
in information space. The kinesthetic model of curiosity offers a vibrant
counterpart to the deliberative predictions of model-based reinforcement
learning. In doing so, this model unearths new computational opportunities for
identifying what makes curiosity curious
High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC): Proofs of Concept
The atmosphere of Venus is an exciting destination for both further scientific study and future human exploration. A recent internal NASA study of a High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC) led to the development of an evolutionary program for the exploration of Venus, with focus on the mission architecture and vehicle concept for a 30-day crewed mission into Venus's atmosphere at 50 kilometers. Key technical challenges for the mission include performing the aerocapture maneuvers at Venus and Earth, inserting and inflating the airship at Venus during the entry sequence, and protecting the solar panels and structure from the sulfuric acid in the atmosphere. Two proofs of concept were identified that would aid in addressing some of the key technical challenges. To mitigate the threat posed by the sulfuric acid ambient in the atmosphere of Venus, a material was needed that could protect the systems while being lightweight and not inhibiting the performance of the solar panels. The first proof of concept identified candidate materials and evaluated them, finding FEP-Teflon (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene-Teflon) to maintain 90 percent transmittance to relevant spectra even after 30 days of immersion in concentrated sulfuric acid. The second proof of concept developed and verified a packaging algorithm for the airship envelope to inform the entry, descent, and inflation analysis
The Grizzly, April 20, 1979
College Ready For Middle States Evaluation • Ciampanna Wins In \u27Gold Rush\u27 • MCC Proposals Examined • Orientation In June • Importance of Tradition • Life After Ursinus • Letters to the Editor: Clouser Rebutted; Students Praised • Ugly Man On Campus • Songfest \u2779: A Night to Remember • Cummings Flies High In \u27Wings\u27 • Twelfth Night • Portrait Of The Professor: Pam Chlad • Pro Baseball Preview • Ursinus Women Split • Golf Team Rolls On • Tennis Winless • Lacrosse 4-1https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1018/thumbnail.jp
Physical activity profile of old order Amish, Mennonite, and contemporary children
Purpose: This study explored the influence of modernity on the physical activity behaviors (e.g., intensity and timing) of children. Methods: Children aged 8-13 yr living a traditional lifestyle (Old Order Amish [OOA], n = 68; Old Order Mennonite [OOM], n = 120) were compared with children living a contemporary lifestyle (rural Saskatchewan [RSK], n = 132; urban Saskatchewan [USK], n = 93). Physical activity was objectively assessed for seven consecutive days using Actigraph 7164 accelerometers. Custom software was used to reduce the raw accelerometer data into standardized outcome variables. Results: On weekdays, there were group differences in moderate physical activity between all lifestyle groups (OOA > OOM > USK > RSK). On the weekend, the group differences in moderate physical activity persisted between, but not within, lifestyle groups (OOA = OOM > USK = RSK). During school hours, all groups had similar activity and inactivity periods; however, they differed in magnitude, with the OOA and OOM being both more sedentary and more active. In comparison with the children in school, the OOA and the OOM children had 44% lower sedentary time out of school compared with only 15% lower for RSK and USK children. Conclusions: Although cross sectional, these data suggest that contemporary/modern living is associated with lower levels of moderate-and vigorous-intensity physical activity compared with lifestyles representative of earlier generations. Analyzing the physical activity and inactivity patterns of traditional lifestyle groups such as the OOA and the OOM can provide valuable insight into the quantity and quality of physical activity necessary to promote health. Copyright © 2010 by the American College of Sports Medicine
Efficacy of exercise counselling as an aid for smoking cessation: a randomized controlled trial.
To examine whether exercise counselling increases smoking abstinence and reduces tobacco withdrawal and gains in weight and body fat
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