Book Review

Review of: MANAGEMENT OF HAZARDOUS AGENTS. Vol. 1: INDUSTRIAL AND REGULATORY APPROACHES. Vol. 2: SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND POLICY ASPECTS. (Duane G. LeVine & Arthur C. Upton eds., Praeger 1992). Each volume contains: bibliography, series foreword, foreword, figures, notes, biographical references, tables, index. Vol. 1: [194 pp.] LC-92-167 ISBN 0-275-94322-4. Vol. 2: [188 pp.] ISBN 0-275-94323-2. [Cloth, each $49.95. 88 Post Road West; Westport CT 06881.

Entropy of Contracting Universe in Cyclic Cosmology

Following up a recent proposal \cite{BF} for a cyclic model based on phantom dark energy, we examine the content of the contracting universe (cu) and its entropy $S_{cu}$. We find that beyond dark energy the universe contains on average zero or at most a single photon which if present immediately after turnaround has infinitesimally energy which subsequently blue shifts to produce $e^+e^-$ pairs. These statements are independent of the equation of state $\omega = p/\rho$ of dark energy provided $\omega < -1$. Thus $S_{cu} = 0$ and if observations confirm $\omega < -1$ the entropy problem is solved. We discuss the absence of a theoretical lower bound on $\phi = |\omega + 1|$, then describe an anthropic fine tuning argument that renders unlikely extremely small $\phi$. The present bound $\phi \lesssim 0.1$ already implies a time until turnaround of $(t_T - t_0) \gtrsim 100$ Gy.Comment: 5 pages late

Foreign Policy Views and U.S. Standing in the World

What do Americans think about the US role in world affairs and why do they think the way they do? Americans typically do not think about foreign policy most of the time, and, as a consequence, know relatively little about it (Almond 1950, Lippmann 1955, Converse 1964, Erskine 1963, Edwards 1983, Sobel 1993, Holsti 2004, Canes-Wrone 2006, Page and Bouton 2006, Berinsky 2007). While foreign policy issues can become salient when major international events (like 9/11 and the Iraq War) arise or when political candidates focus on foreign policy (Aldrich, Sullivan and Borgida 1989), ceteris paribus, Americans know and care more about domestic politics (Delli-Carpini and Keeter 1996, Holsti 1994, Canes-Wrone 2006, Converse 1964). Consequently, typical Americans are broadly aware of foreign policy, and have some available attitudes about it (Page and Bouton 2006, Aldrich et al. 1989). However, except in the face of political priming by elites or exogenous shocks, such attitudes may not be broadly accessible when making political decisions, like voting.

Ignition and subsequent flame spread over a thin cellulosic material

Both ignition and flame spread on solid fuels are processes that not only are of considerable scientific interest but that also have important fire safety applications. Both types of processes, ignition and flame spread, are complicated by strong coupling between chemical reactions and transport processes, not only in the gas phase but also in the condensed phase. In most previous studies, ignition and flame spread were studied separately with the result that there has been little understanding of the transition from ignition to flame spread. In fire safety applications this transition is crucial to determine whether a fire will be limited to a localized, temporary burn or will transition into a growth mode with a potential to become a large fire. In order to understand this transition, the transient mechanisms of ignition and subsequent flame spread must be studied. However, there have been no definitive experimental or modeling studies, because of the complexity of the flow motion generated by buoyancy near the heated sample surface. One must solve the full Navier-Stokes equations over an extended region to represent accurately the highly unstable buoyant plume and entrainment of surrounding gas from far away. In order to avoid the complicated nature of the starting plume problem under normal gravity, previous detailed radiative ignition models were assumed to be one-dimensional or were applied at a stagnation point. Thus, these models cannot be extended to include the transition to flame spread. The mismatch between experimental and calculated geometries means that theories cannot be compared directly with experimental results in normal gravity. To overcome the above difficulty, theoretical results obtained without buoyancy can be directly compared with experimental data measured in a microgravity environment. Thus, the objective of this study is to develop a theoretical model for ignition and the transition to flame spread and to make predictions using the thermal and chemical characteristics of a cellulosic material which are measured in normal gravity

Encapsulation task of the low-cost silicon solar array project. Investigation of test methods, material properties, and processes for solar cell encapsulants

The results of an investigation of solar module encapsulation systems applicable to the Low-Cost Solar Array Project 1986 cost and performance goals are presented. Six basic construction elements were identified and their specific uses in module construction defined. A uniform coating basis was established for each element. The survey results were also useful in revealing price ranges for classes of materials and estimating the cost allocation for each element within the encapsulating cost goal. The six construction elements were considered to be substrates, superstrates, pottants, adhesives, outer covers and back covers

Higgs Portals for Thermal Dark Matter - EFT Perspectives and the NMSSM -

We analyze a low energy effective model of Dark Matter in which the thermal relic density is provided by a singlet Majorana fermion which interacts with the Higgs fields via higher dimensional operators. Direct detection signatures may be reduced if blind spot solutions exist, which naturally appear in models with extended Higgs sectors. Explicit mass terms for the Majorana fermion can be forbidden by a $Z_3$ symmetry, which in addition leads to a reduction of the number of higher dimensional operators. Moreover, a weak scale mass for the Majorana fermion is naturally obtained from the vacuum expectation value of a scalar singlet field. The proper relic density may be obtained by the $s$-channel interchange of Higgs and gauge bosons, with the longitudinal mode of the $Z$ boson (the neutral Goldstone mode) playing a relevant role in the annihilation process. This model shares many properties with the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (NMSSM) with light singlinos and heavy scalar and gauge superpartners. In order to test the validity of the low energy effective field theory, we compare its predictions with those of the ultraviolet complete NMSSM. Extending our framework to include $Z_3$ neutral Majorana fermions, analogous to the bino in the NMSSM, we find the appearance of a new bino-singlino well tempered Dark Matter region.Comment: 42 pages, 14 figures. v2: added references, published in JHE

Favorability as influenced by frequency of exposure to black and white college seniors

Zajonc\u27s (1968) mere exposure effect was replicated by measuring change in favorability toward black and white college seniors. Following a preexperimental selection of the five most neutral slides for each race by sex category, 40 experimental and 40 control group subjects rated ten black and ten white slides on a pre- and a posttest. The experimental treatment consisted of ten exposure sequences of the 20 slides, whereas the control group performed an inverted alphabet printing task. A repeated measures analysis of variance, conducted on the subjects, favorability ratings for both the pre- and the posttests, supported the hypothesis that a significant attitudinal enhancement will be obtained by white subjects exposed to a slide sequence of blacks and whites. In addition, an analysis of variance on the pretest ratings revealed several significant interactions. An absence of differential demand characteristics for both treatments was indicated by a postexperimental inquiry

A eficácia e a equidade das parcerias público-privadas na educação: uma avaliação quase experimental de 17 países

I estimate achievement effects of education public-private partnerships (PPPs) in 17 countries on the 2009 PISA assessment. Enrollment in PPP schools is tied to student wealth and prior academic ability. PPP students outperform their public peers on half of all outcomes. After accounting for selection, the PPP performance advantage remains on one-quarter of outcomes. However, nearly all of these performance differences are accounted for by school-level peer group effects. PPP schools are outperforming their public counterparts not through any advantages in productive efficiency but through sorting of more capable students. Estimo los efectos de logro de las alianzas público-privadas (PPP) educativas en 17 países en la evaluación PISA 2009. La inscripción en las escuelas PPP está ligada a la riqueza estudiantil y la capacidad académica previa. Los estudiantes de PPP superan a sus pares públicos en la mitad de todos los resultados. Después de tomar en cuenta la selección, la ventaja de rendimiento de PPP permanece en una cuarta parte de los resultados. Sin embargo, casi todas estas diferencias de rendimiento se explican por los efectos del grupo de iguales a nivel escolar. Las escuelas PPP están superando a sus contrapartes públicas no por ninguna ventaja en la eficiencia productiva, sino por la clasificación de estudiantes más capaces.Estimo os efeitos de realização de parcerias de educação público-privadas (PPPs) em 17 países na avaliação do PISA 2009. A inscrição em escolas de PPP está vinculada à riqueza dos estudantes e à capacidade acadêmica anterior. Os alunos de PPP superam seus pares em metade de todos os resultados. Depois de levar em consideração a seleção, a vantagem de desempenho do PPP permanece em um quarto dos resultados. No entanto, quase todas essas diferenças de desempenho são explicadas pelos efeitos do grupo de pares no nível da escola. As escolas de PPP estão superando suas contrapartes públicas não por causa de qualquer vantagem em eficiência produtiva, mas por causa da classificação de alunos mais capacitados

Asteroid observations and planetary atmospheres analysis

Photoelectric observations of Eros and 30 other asteroids providing information on their surface characteristics, shape, and rotation axes are reported. Photographs of 18 asteroids and 4 comets yielding accurate position information on various dates were obtained. Photometric observations were made of the Saturn satellite lapetus, and electronographic images of the Uranus and Neptune satellites were obtained experimentally with a Spectracon tube to assess photometry by that method. Planetary patrol photographs of Venus and deconvolved area scans of Uranus were taken. UBV photometry of the Galilean satellites for the period 1973-1974 was completely analyzed and accepted for publication. An improved magnitude and color index for Minas were derived from 1974 area scans. A special photomultiplier tube with a suppressor grid was incorporated into a pulse-counting photometer with special added circuitry for carrying out the observations concerning the constancy of solar system dimensions over cosmic time