Representative Democracy as Kitsch, and Artificial Intelligence’s Promise of Emancipation

The chapter explores relations between modernity and the decentralization of authority, kitsch and partial centralization, the avant-garde and social media. Decentralization is identified as an important expression of modernist philosophy in current technology. As a characteristic of current directions of social progress, authority-opposing trends of modernism and post-modernism find significant support in new technology via less falsifiable decentralization based on crypto-currencies, blockchain, social media, search engines, and other products of the internet era. The scalability of classic athenian democracy to large societies is not yet accomplished by technology. Against the early modernity tendency to cheaply give the masses an almost effortless sense of participation (features associated with kitsch), the system of representative democracy promises to become more genuine through opportunities for electronic civic involvement.

Inter-observer agreement on the evaluation of automated breast volume scanner for breast masses

Objective: To explore inter-observer agreement on the evaluation of automated breast volume scanner (ABVS) for breast masses. Methods: A total of 846 breast masses in 630 patients underwent ABVS examinations. The imaging data were independently interpreted by senior and junior radiologists regarding the mass size ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm, [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm and total). We assessed inter-observer agreement of BI-RADS lexicons, unique descriptors of ABVS coronal planes. Using BI-RADS 3 or 4a as a cutoff value, the diagnostic performances for 331 masses with pathological results in 253 patients were assessed. Results: The overall agreements were substantial for BI-RADS lexicons ([Formula: see text]–0.779) and the characteristics on the coronal plane of ABVS ([Formula: see text]), except for associated features ([Formula: see text]). However, the overall agreement was moderate for orientation ([Formula: see text]) for the masses [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm. The agreements were substantial to be perfect for categories 2, 3, 4, 5 and overall ([Formula: see text]–0.918). However, the agreements were moderate to substantial for categories 4a ([Formula: see text]), 4b ([Formula: see text]), and 4c ([Formula: see text]), except for category 4b of the masses [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm ([Formula: see text]). Moreover, for radiologists 1 and 2, there were no significant differences in sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values with BI-RADS 3 or 4a as a cutoff value ([Formula: see text] for all). Conclusion: ABVS is a reliable imaging modality for the assessment of breast masses with good inter-observer agreement.

Mesons and diquarks in a color superconducting regime

The behavior of the mesons and diquarks is studied at finite temperatures, chemical potentials and densities, notably when the color superconductivity is taken into account. The Nambu and Jona-Lasinio model complemented by a Polyakov loop (PNJL description) has been adapted in order to model them in this regime. This paper focuses on the scalar and pseudoscalar mesons and diquarks, in a three-flavor and three-color description, with the isospin symmetry and at zero strange density. An objective of this work is to underline the modifications carried out by the color superconducting regime on the used equations and on the obtained results. It has been observed that the two-flavor color-superconducting (2SC) phase affects the masses and the coupling constants of the mesons and diquarks in a non-negligible way. This observation is particularly true at high densities and low temperatures for the pions, [Formula: see text] and the diquarks [Formula: see text] whose color is [Formula: see text]. This reveals that the inclusion of the color superconductivity in the modeling is relevant to describe the mesons and diquarks near the first-order chiral phase transition.

Physical Properties of 29 sdB+dM Eclipsing Binaries in Zwicky Transient Facility

The development of large-scale time-domain surveys provides an opportunity to study the physical properties as well as the evolutionary scenario of B-type subdwarfs (sdB) and M-type dwarfs (dM). Here, we obtained 33 sdB+dM eclipsing binaries based on the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) light curves and {\sl Gaia} early data release 3 (EDR3) parallaxes. By using the PHOEBE code for light curve analysis, we obtain probability distributions for parameters of 29 sdB+dM. $R_1$, $R_2$, and $i$ are well determined, and the average uncertainty of mass ratio $q$ is 0.08. Our parameters are in good agreement with previous works if a typical mass of sdB is assumed. Based on parameters of 29 sdB+dM, we find that both the mass ratio $q$ and the companion's radius $R_2$ decrease with the shortening of the orbital period. For the three sdB+dMs with orbital periods less than 0.075 days, their companions are all brown dwarfs. The masses and radii of the companions satisfy the mass--radius relation for low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. Companions with radii between $0.12R_\odot$ and $0.15R_\odot$ seem to be missing in the observations. As more short-period sdB+dM eclipsing binaries are discovered and classified in the future with ZTF and {\sl Gaia}, we will have more information to constrain the evolutionary ending of sdB+dM.

Parathyroidectomy May Cause Remission of Uraemic Tumoral Calcinosis in Haemodialysis Patients

Few cases of uraemic tumoral calcinosis (UTC) have been reported. This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of parathyroidectomy for UTC. Historical clinical data of patients with end-stage renal disease and UTC who underwent parathyroidectomy were analysed. Absorption of metastatic calcification was compared before and after operation. Changes in intact parathyroid hormone, serum calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase levels were analysed before parathyroidectomy and at 1 week and 3, 6, and 12 months after parathyroidectomy. Eight patients met the enrolment criteria (men, 6; mean age, 38.6 SD 10.9 years). Uraemic tumoral calcinosis, which developed 2–8 years after dialysis began, was caused by secondary hyperparathyroidism. Massive calcium deposition was found in the shoulder (n = 6), hip (n = 3), and elbow (n = 2). Four patients had > 2 joints affected, and a single joint was involved for four patients. Seven patients had rapid remission (< 6 months) of the masses after parathyroidectomy. In one patient, the mass remained unabsorbed until 6 months postoperatively. Hypocalcaemia occurred in all patients where parathyroidectomy was successful, and calcium supplementation was required 1 year postoperatively. Serum intact parathyroid hormone levels on day 7 and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively decreased significantly from baseline and remained low 1 year postoperatively (22.015 SD33.134 pg/mL). Postoperative phosphorus levels were significantly lower than preoperative levels (p < 0.05), but no significant difference was found in alkaline phosphatase levels (p > 0.05). Parathyroidectomy has promising efficacy for UTC treatment and regulation of serum intact parathyroid hormone and phosphorus. Hypocalcaemia is a common complication after parathyroidectomy. Current Controlled Trials ChiCTR2000041311, date of registration: Dec. 23, 2020.

Latest Advancements in Wearable Devices

Wearable devices have impacted the daily life of every individual. These devices come with the embedded feature that fits almost within clothes, accessories, or even watches. One of the wearables named “wrist-worn devices” has gained acceptance by the masses among other wearables. Vital information can be easily gathered with the help of such wearables. These are also suitable for myriad applications such as sports, agriculture, medical, and several more. This chapter gives a comprehensive review of wearable computing electronic devices being used in various fields and provides the latest trends in wearables. The main objective of this review is to discuss various challenges that are faced by individuals in using wearables and the latest methods that can overcome these issues. In the modern epoch, wireless wearable devices have gained a lot of importance in various fields such as sports, agriculture, medical, and many more.

Closing the window on WIMP Dark Matter

We study scenarios where Dark Matter is a weakly interacting particle (WIMP) embedded in an ElectroWeak multiplet. In particular, we consider real SU(2) representations with zero hypercharge, that automatically avoid direct detection constraints from tree-level Z-exchange. We compute for the first time all the calculable thermal masses for scalar and fermionic WIMPs, including Sommerfeld enhancement and bound states formation at leading order in gauge boson exchange and emission. WIMP masses of few hundred TeV are shown to be compatible both with s-wave unitarity of the annihilation cross-section, and perturbativity. We also provide theory uncertainties on the masses for all multiplets, which are shown to be significant for large SU(2) multiplets. We then outline a strategy to probe these scenarios at future experiments. Electroweak 3-plets and 5-plets have masses up to about 16 TeV and can efficiently be probed at a high energy muon collider. We study various experimental signatures, such as single and double gauge boson emission with missing energy, and disappearing tracks, and determine the collider energy and luminosity required to probe the thermal Dark Matter masses. Larger multiplets are out of reach of any realistic future collider, but can be tested in future $$\gamma $$ γ -ray telescopes and possibly in large-exposure liquid Xenon experiments.