Weak Gravity Conjecture, Black Hole Entropy, and Modular Invariance

In recent literature, it has been argued that a mild form of the Weak Gravity Conjecture (WGC) is satisfied by wide classes of effective field theories in which higher-derivative corrections can be shown to shift the charge-to-mass ratios of extremal black holes to larger values. However, this mild form does not directly constrain low-energy physics because the black holes satisfying the WGC have masses above the cutoff of the effective theory. In this note, we point out that in string theory modular invariance can connect a light superextremal state to heavy superextremal states; the latter collapse into black holes at small string coupling. In the context of heterotic string theory, we show that these states are black holes that have $\alpha'$-exact charge-to-mass ratios exceeding the classical extremality bound. This suggests that modular invariance of the string partition function can be used to relate the existence of a light superextremal particle to the positive shift in charge-to-mass ratio of extremal black holes.Comment: 20 pages, 2 figures. v2: added references, matches published version. v3: updated footnote

Between Beauty and Duty: Ethics and Judgment in Camus and Kant

The ideas of Albert Camus and Immanuel Kant are not often thought of as sharing pronounced similarities. However, both thinkers are deeply concerned with role of aesthetics in moral, and subsequently, political life. According to each, taste is a faculty whereby one is able to develop the “moral insight” needed for the flourishing of a robust, thoughtful, ethical individual. Yet, both Camus and Kant utilize highly divergent methodologies in going about this. Camus prefers the artistic form and poetic language offered by the novel and Kant prefers the logical rigor of critical philosophical arguments. This thesis hopes to reveal that this methodological chasm allows one thinker to express what the other cannot. Camus is able to artistically and beautifully express the absurdity of moral life in such a way that is ripe with personal resonance and meaning; while Kant is able to philosophically ground Camus’ concerns in a logically thorough manner. Utilizing the novels of Camus and the works of Kant, this thesis posits that Camus and Kant are complimentary thinkers, each in need of one another in order to express a more nuanced conception of politics in which judgment and aesthetic taste play a key role. Such a project also hopes to demonstrate the importance of aesthetics and artistic expression in the maintenance of a just political order

A College Athlete\u27s Return from Severe Aplastic Anemia

Please enjoy Volume 5, Issue 1 of the JSMAHS. In this issue you will find Professional and under graduate research abstracts, case reports, and critically appraised topics. Thank you for viewing this 5th Annual OATA Special Edition

How can a forensic result be a “decision”? A critical analysis of ongoing reforms of forensic reporting formats for federal examiners

The decade since the publication of the 2009 National Research Council report on forensic science has seen the increasing use of a new word to describe forensic results. What were once called “facts,” “determinations,” “conclusions,” or “opinions,” are increasingly described as “decisions.” Prior to 2009, however, the term “decision” was rarely used to describe forensic results. Lay audiences, such as lawyers, might be forgiven for perceiving this as a surprising turn. In its plain English meaning, a “decision” would seem to be a strange word choice to describe the outcome of a scientific analysis, given its connotation of choice and preference. In this Article, we trace the recent history of the term “decision” in forensic analysis. We simply and clearly explain the scientific fields of “decision theory” and “decision analysis” and their application to forensic science. We then analyze the Department of Justice (DOJ) Uniform Language for Testimony and Reporting (ULTR) documents that use the term. We argue that these documents fail to articulate coherent frameworks for reporting forensic results. The Article identifies what we perceive to be some key stumbling blocks to developing such frameworks. These include a reluctance to observe decision theory principles, a reluctance to cohere with sound probabilistic principles, and a reluctance to conform to particular logical concepts associated with these theories, such as proper scoring rules. The Article elucidates each of these perceived stumbling blocks and proposes a way to move forward to more defensible reporting frameworks. Finally, we explain what the use of the term “decision” could accomplish for forensic science and what an appropriate deployment of the term would require

Closing the loop: insights into the role of partnerships in facilitating reuse in the UK

Product longevity and extending product lifetimes through repair and reuse are recognised as having an important place in waste reduction strategies (Cooper, 2005; Curran & Williams, 2010). These activities, discourage the “churn” of purchasing new items (Cox et al., 2013) and also have a part to play in addressing global concerns regarding resource efficiency, contributing to slowing material flows, conserving resources, reducing energy use and decreasing environmental pollution (WRAP, 2009; ERM, 2011). As such, they have been prioritised in European Union (EU) legislation, being placed above recycling and other waste management treatments in the waste hierarchy introduced in the Waste Framework Directive (75/442/EC), and more recently in the Circular Economy Action Plan (European Commission, 2015). In order to identify key areas for improvement in maintaining products in their most useful state for an optimum time, it is pertinent to understand product flows in a post-consumer context. This paper explores a partnership between a major retailer and the reuse sector that seeks to support reuse of products discarded by consumers who have recently purchased replacement goods. It traces the movement of discarded products, outlining the roles of the different stakeholders and sets out the product pathways to reuse enabled by this partnership. It makes recommendations for policy makers to encourage the growth of such partnerships to facilitate reuse which have economic and social benefits in addition to environmental benefits that align with circular economy concepts

Determinants of State Average Life Expectancy

In this paper, our dependent variable is average life expectancy by state in the United States. The purpose is to determine which factors have an impact on average life expectancy, as well as the magnitude of these impacts. While other studies have been conducted on life expectancy, our focus is different in a subtle but important way. Rather than centering on individual life expectancy, studying factors like “activity” or “genetics,” we focus on the broader population in a state and which factors affect life expectancy on a macro-scale. There is little known about this topic that isn’t in direct reference to life expectancy for a single person, and we found that some commonly held beliefs about life expectancy, which may be based on studies such as these, were contradicted by this study. For example, it is understood that women tend to live longer than men (Disabled World). Yet, in our analysis, although all but 4 states were majority-female, we found that states with higher proportions of men have higher average life expectancies. This appears to be contrary to the other findings, but we explore our hypothesis as to why this may be the case. The information contained in this study could be useful to state legislators for determining policies that affect the variables in question. For example, we found that obesity rates have a negative correlation with life expectancy. This understanding could be used to sponsor state health campaigns that attempt to reduce obesity rates, raising their state’s average life expectancy. We used OLS regression analysis and found that the percentage of smokers had the largest impact on life expectancy in a state, while the least impactful, though still significant, factor we found was the percentage of uninsured individuals. The information provided here on these factors could, perhaps, embolden anti-smoking and health care campaigns in states across the country