Terrestrial planet formation in low eccentricity warm-Jupiter systems

We examine the effect of giant planet migration on the formation of inner terrestrial planet systems. We consider situations in which the giant planet halts migration at semi-major axes in the range 0.13 - 1.7 AU due to gas disk dispersal. An N-body code is employed that is linked to a viscous gas disk algorithm capable of simulating: gas loss via accretion onto the central star and photoevaporation; gap formation by the giant planet; type II migration of the giant; optional type I migration of protoplanets; gas drag on planetesimals. We find that most of the inner system planetary building blocks survive the passage of the giant planet, either by being shepherded inward or scattered into exterior orbits. Systems of one or more hot-Earths are predicted to form and remain interior to the giant planet, especially if type II migration has been limited, or where type I migration has affected protoplanetary dynamics. Habitable planets in low eccentricity warm-Jupiter systems appear possible if the giant planet makes a limited incursion into the outer regions of the habitable zone (HZ), or traverses its entire width and ceases migrating at a radial distance of less than half that of the HZ's inner edge. We conclude that Type II migration does not prevent terrestrial planet formation.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A; 18 pages, 12 figures, 2 table

Physical-World Knowledge and Public Views on Climate Change

Climate change is a formidable topic, challenging the research efforts of countless scientists across many different fields. Surveys find surprisingly high levels of confidence among nonscientists, however, regarding their own understanding of climate change. More than threefourths of the respondents on recent U.S. surveys claimed to understand either a moderate amount or a great deal about climate change. Follow-up questions testing actual knowledge suggest that self-assessments are high relative to physical-world knowledge. For some people, self-assessments reflect confidence in their political views rather than geographical or science knowledge. This paper replicates and extends previous research using new data: an October 2018 survey that included a four-item test of basic, climate-relevant but belief-neutral geographical or physical knowledge, such as locations of the North and South Pole. Mean knowledge scores are higher among younger, male, and college-educated respondents, and also differ significantly across political groups. Relationships between physical/geographical knowledge and selfassessed understanding of climate change, or between knowledge and agreement with the scientific consensus on climate change, are sometimes positive as expected — but in both cases, these relationships depend on political identity

Transportation and Taxes: What New Hampshire Residents Think About Maintaining Highways and Bridges

In this brief, authors Linda Fogg, Lawrence Hamilton, and Erin Bell share New Hampshire residents’ responses to questions on the state’s transportation infrastructure in surveys conducted by the University of New Hampshire’s Granite State Poll during 2016 and 2017. They report that only 36 percent of state residents are aware of the worsening conditions of New Hampshire highways and bridges. A thin majority support increased spending on public transportation, while 42 percent support more spending on highway maintenance and environmental protection. Disaster preparation and stormwater management are seen as lower priorities. There is little agreement on the main source of funds—for example, tolls, gas taxes, per-mile assessments—to maintain highways and bridges. Majorities would support a gas tax increase of 10 cents or somewhat more if needed to maintain state highways and bridges. Both awareness of infrastructure conditions and willingness to support tax increases to maintain highways and bridges vary by party affiliation

Conflict Resolution in Popular Film

Studies on media content have been focused for decades on the frequency of violence, types of aggression, and sex roles. These studies have largely focused on children’s media, especially Disney, with few investigating the presence of violence in adult media as it is perceived as less harmful. Although these are all important topics of research, they have failed to incorporate the larger picture of media\u27s portrayal of conflict resolution. This study aims to answer the questions: how is conflict resolution portrayed in popular films and does it change based on the MPAA rating? using popular movies from 2016. The ratings are based on the Motion Picture Association of America’s rating system which is applied to all major production companies. The ratings studied, PG and PG-13, are proxies for age as the target audience changes as PG-13 rated films are not recommended for children under the age of 13 and suggests parental guidance or supervision for those youth. Results indicate that the resolution to conflicts does differ between PG and PG-13 movies, as PG movies are more likely to use verbally aggressive methods and PG-13 are more likely to use physically aggressive methods of conflict resolution. Following this, PG-13 movies are more likely to result in total control over, or the death of, the opposing member of the conflict. PG conflicts are more likely to result in toleration by one of the actors. Both PG and PG-13 movies largely follow traditional gender roles. Even as female characters engaged in violence and aggression similarly to the male characters, they also were more likely to be presented as “bad” characters when doing so and less likely to attain their goals

“They Turn to Violence”: Active Shootings and the Convergence of Hegemonic Masculinity, Race, and Perceived Injustice

Public rampage shootings like Parkland, FL, the Las Vegas concert shooting, and Sandy Hook are a type of crime that captures national attention. As media covers these incidents and the perpetrators of them, they seek to explain why someone would commit such violence. Using active shooter data for incidents that occurred between 2000 and 2019, I examine shooter identity with particular focus on the shooter’s race, an often-unreported statistic. Finding 55.4% of active shooters are white men, interviews with 20 white men and 10 white women are analyzed for explanations for white men’s violence. These men and women describe active shootings as resulting from the combination of white men’s race and gender expectations that produce strain and encourage violence. These combine with fears of lost privilege and status causing what they describe as attempts to rectify perceived injustices that threaten the hegemony of white masculinity. White masculinity is defined by historical violence and social status. Feeling threats to that social status and to white masculinity generally, white men’s last resort in the face of a society that they perceive as unjustly discriminating against them is violence. Violence restores masculinity and is the ultimate form of dominance over others. When society itself is perceived to have harmed them, all members of that society are their enemy

BARTER:promoting local spending behavior

In the wake of the 2008 economic collapse, there is renewed interest in strategies for ensuring the future economic success of nations in a globalized marketplace. One of the main ideas being championed by governments is to promote growth by encouraging local spending, although it is not clear how to motivate this behavioral shift. Local currency initiatives are increasingly popular, though due to certain practicalities are rarely successful in fostering long term and widespread change in spending behaviors. We report on the development of a persuasive system (BARTER) that leverages mobile and ubiquitous technology to overcome some of the limitations of local currencies, while also providing users with the insight needed to determine for themselves how local spending may benet their community

Structure of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (DeoD) from Bacillus anthracis

Protein structures from the causative agent of anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) are being determined as part of a structural genomics programme. Amongst initial candidates for crystallographic analysis are enzymes involved in nucleotide biosynthesis, since these are recognized as potential targets in antibacterial therapy. Purine nucleoside phosphorylase is a key enzyme in the purine-salvage pathway. The crystal structure of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (DeoD) from B. anthracis has been solved by molecular replacement at 2.24 Å resolution and refined to an R factor of 18.4%. This is the first report of a DeoD structure from a Gram-positive bacterium

London Creative and Digital Fusion

date-added: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000 date-modified: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000date-added: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000 date-modified: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000The London Creative and Digital Fusion programme of interactive, tailored and in-depth support was designed to support the UK capital’s creative and digital companies to collaborate, innovate and grow. London is a globally recognised hub for technology, design and creative genius. While many cities around the world can claim to be hubs for technology entrepreneurship, London’s distinctive potential lies in the successful fusion of world-leading technology with world-leading design and creativity. As innovation thrives at the edge, where better to innovate than across the boundaries of these two clusters and cultures? This booklet tells the story of Fusion’s innovation journey, its partners and its unique business support. Most importantly of all it tells stories of companies that, having worked with London Fusion, have innovated and grown. We hope that it will inspire others to follow and build on our beginnings.European Regional Development Fund 2007-13