A Few Words for the Firing Squad (editorial)

South Carolina’s governor has signed into law a bill adding the firing squad as one of the methods of execution that a person sentenced to death must choose between if lethal injection drugs are unavailable. This editorial discusses the inherent issues with the bill

A Few Words for the Firing Squad (editorial)

South Carolina’s governor has signed into law a bill adding the firing squad as one of the methods of execution that a person sentenced to death must choose between if lethal injection drugs are unavailable. This editorial discusses the inherent issues with the bill

UC-400 Electric Vehicle Team

The KSU Electric Vehicle Team is developing a fully autonomous electric go-kart to compete in the Autonomous Karting Series (AKS). Our team will be making two programs for the kart’s software stack. These programs include a race line optimizer, which can take the centerline of a track and generate a minimum curvature path for it to follow to get around the track faster, as well as a race controller which can switch navigation algorithms automatically based on the current conditions of the race

Computational approach to the Schottky problem

We present a computational approach to the classical Schottky problem based on Fay's trisecant identity for genus $g\geq 4$. For a given Riemann matrix $\mathbb{B}\in\mathbb{H}^{g}$, the Fay identity establishes linear dependence of secants in the Kummer variety if and only if the Riemann matrix corresponds to a Jacobian variety as shown by Krichever. The theta functions in terms of which these secants are expressed depend on the Abel maps of four arbitrary points on a Riemann surface. However, there is no concept of an Abel map for general $\mathbb{B} \in \mathbb{H}^{g}$. To establish linear dependence of the secants, four components of the vectors entering the theta functions can be chosen freely. The remaining components are determined by a Newton iteration to minimize the residual of the Fay identity. Krichever's theorem assures that if this residual vanishes within the finite numerical precision for a generic choice of input data, then the Riemann matrix is with this numerical precision the period matrix of a Riemann surface. The algorithm is compared in genus 4 for some examples to the Schottky-Igusa modular form, known to give the Jacobi locus in this case. It is shown that the same residuals are achieved by the Schottky-Igusa form and the approach based on the Fay identity in this case. In genera 5, 6 and 7, we discuss known examples of Riemann matrices and perturbations thereof for which the Fay identity is not satisfied

Stability of self-referent encoding task performance and associations with change in depressive symptoms from early to middle childhood.

Depressed individuals exhibit memory biases on the self-referent encoding task (SRET), such that those with depression exhibit poorer recall of positive, and enhanced recall of negative, trait adjectives (referred to as positive and negative processing biases). However, it is unclear when SRET biases emerge, whether they are stable, and if biases predict, or are predicted by, depressive symptoms. To address this, a community sample of 434 children completed the SRET and a depressive symptoms measure at ages 6 and 9. Negative and positive processing exhibited low, but significant, stability. At ages 6 and 9, depressive symptoms correlated with higher negative, and lower positive, SRET processing. Importantly, lower positive processing at age 6 predicted increased symptoms at age 9. However, negative processing at age 6 did not predict depressive symptoms at age 9, and depressive symptoms at age 6 did not predict SRET processing scores at age 9. This suggests that less positive processing may reflect vulnerability for future depressive symptoms

Comparison of Sports Medicine Questions on the Orthopaedic In-Training Examination Between 2009 and 2012 and 2017 and 2020 Reveals an Increasing Number of References

Purpose To provide an updated analysis of the sports medicine section of the Orthopedic In-Training Examination (OITE). Methods A cross-sectional review of OITE sports medicine questions from 2009 to 2012 and 2017-2020 was performed. Subtopics, taxonomy, references, and use of imaging modalities were recorded and changes between the time periods were analyzed. Results The most tested sports medicine subtopics included ACL (12.6%), rotator cuff (10.5%), and throwing injuries to the shoulder (7.4%) in the early subset, while ACL (10%), rotator cuff (6.25%), shoulder instability (6.25%), and throwing injuries to the elbow (6.25%) were the most common in the later subset. The American Journal of Sports Medicine (28.3%) was the most cited journal referenced from 2009 to 2012, while The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (17.5%) was most referenced in questions from 2017 to 2020. The number of references per question increased from the early to the late subset (P \u3c .001). There was a trend toward an increased taxonomy type one questions (P = .114), while type 2 questions had a decreased trend (P = .263) when comparing the new subset to the early group. Conclusion When comparing sports medicine OITE questions from 2009 to 2012 and 2017 to 2020, there was an increase in the number of references per question. Subtopics, taxonomy, lag time, and use of imaging modalities did not show statistically significant changes. Clinical Relevance This study provides a detailed analysis of the sports medicine section of the OITE, which can be used by residents and program directors to direct their preparation for the annual examination. The results of this study may help examining boards align their examinations and provide a benchmark for future studies

Maximally mixing active nematics

Active nematics are an important new paradigm in soft condensed matter systems. They consist of rod-like components with an internal driving force pushing them out of equilibrium. The resulting fluid motion exhibits chaotic advection, in which a small patch of fluid is stretched exponentially in length. Using simulation, this Letter shows that this system can exhibit stable periodic motion when sufficiently confined to a square with periodic boundary conditions. Moreover, employing tools from braid theory, we show that this motion is maximally mixing, in that it optimizes the (dimensionless) ``topological entropy'' -- the exponential stretching rate of a material line advected by the fluid. That is, this periodic motion of the defects, counterintuitively, produces more chaotic mixing than chaotic motion of the defects. We also explore the stability of the periodic state. Importantly, we show how to stabilize this orbit into a larger periodic tiling, a critical necessity for it to be seen in future experiments

The Ursinus Weekly, October 29, 1951

Sororities bid upperclassmen during week • Lachman named vice-president • Henning Prentis delivers Founders Day Address • Curtain Club reveals leads for Fall play • Y group hears talk; Four at conference • Pianist to perform in Bomberger Hall on November 8 • Frosh give show; Custom period ends • Junior bazaar slated • Ruby takes photos; Tentative dates set • Movie list made up • Editorials: Alumni spirit; And in this corner; Sororities, fraternities do nothing for Ursinus • Donahue, \u2751 alumnus, reports on life among Arabs in French Morocco • Letters to the editor • Jones to read Saki at English meeting • Practice teachers look for professional savoir faire • Optimistic graduates explore world • Garnet hands Ursinus soccer team third defeat by downing locals 10-1 • Ursinus hopes for upset in game with F&M eleven • Temptation of Norma Gorinowski • Soccer team downs alumni • Curtis Hall remains leader in football • Undefeated Owlettes down Ursinus; Locals down Chestnut Hill eleven • Fynan\u27s conversion gives 13-12 win over Wagner • Jr. Bearettes win to stay unbeaten • Ryan to speak at magic showhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1525/thumbnail.jp

Heterogeneity in the effect of marked weight loss on metabolic function in women with obesity

BACKGROUNDThere is considerable heterogeneity in the effect of weight loss on metabolic function in people with obesity.METHODSWe evaluated muscle and liver insulin sensitivity, body composition, and circulating factors associated with insulin action before and after approximately 20% weight loss in women identified as Responders (n = 11) or Non-responders (n = 11), defined as the top (\u3e75% increase) and bottom (\u3c5% increase) quartiles of the weight loss-induced increase in glucose disposal rate (GDR) during a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp procedure, among 43 women with obesity (BMI: 44.1 ± 7.9 kg/m2).RESULTSAt baseline, GDR, which provides an index of muscle insulin sensitivity, and the hepatic insulin sensitivity index were more than 50% lower in Responders than Non-responders, but both increased much more after weight loss in Responders than Non-responders, which eliminated the differences between groups. Weight loss also caused greater decreases in intrahepatic triglyceride content and plasma adiponectin and PAI-1 concentrations in Responders than Non-responders and greater insulin-mediated suppression of plasma free fatty acids, branched-chain amino acids, and C3/C5 acylcarnitines in Non-responders than Responders, so that differences between groups at baseline were no longer present after weight loss. The effect of weight loss on total body fat mass, intra-abdominal adipose tissue volume, adipocyte size, and circulating inflammatory markers were not different between groups.CONCLUSIONThe results from our study demonstrate that the heterogeneity in the effects of marked weight loss on muscle and hepatic insulin sensitivity in people with obesity is determined by baseline insulin action, and reaches a ceiling when normal insulin action is achieved.TRIAL REGISTRATIONNCT00981500, NCT01299519, NCT02207777.FUNDINGNIH grants P30 DK056341, P30 DK020579, P30 DK052574, UL1 TR002345, and T32 HL13035, the American Diabetes Association (1-18-ICTS-119), the Longer Life Foundation (2019-011), and the Atkins Philanthropic Trust

Shared Scooter Parking: The Role of Parking Density and Land Use in Compliance and Demand

53 pagesThe findings of this report attempts to address the planning questions of how much parking is needed, and how a city can navigate the many challenges to installing a dense network of parking spaces while considering that parked shared micromobility vehicles can at times obstruct sidewalks, storefronts, and pedestrian ramps. Drawing on data provided by Lime from a dozen cities in the US and Europe, the study provides three key planning and policy recommendations for cities to consider as they work to make scooters a part of the overall transportation system