Visible and Ultraviolet Laser Spectroscopy of ThF

The molecular ion ThF$^+$ is the species to be used in the next generation of search for the electron's Electric Dipole Moment (eEDM) at JILA. The measurement requires creating molecular ions in the eEDM sensitive state, the rovibronic ground state $^3\Delta_1$, $v^+=0$, $J^+=1$. Survey spectroscopy of neutral ThF is required to identify an appropriate intermediate state for a Resonance Enhanced Multi-Photon Ionization (REMPI) scheme that will create ions in the required state. We perform broadband survey spectroscopy (from 13000 to 44000~cm$^{-1}$) of ThF using both Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) and $1+1'$ REMPI spectroscopy. We observe and assign 345 previously unreported vibronic bands of ThF. We demonstrate 30\% efficiency in the production of ThF$^+$ ions in the eEDM sensitive state using the $\Omega = 3/2$ [32.85] intermediate state. In addition, we propose a method to increase the aforementioned efficiency to $\sim$100\% by using vibrational autoionization via core-nonpenetrating Rydberg states, and discuss theoretical and experimental challenges. Finally, we also report 83 vibronic bands of an impurity species, ThO.Comment: 49 pages, 7 figure

Neoliberalism and alternative food movements: markets, the state, and knowledge production in Southern California

Alternative food movements are promoted as solutions to environmental and social problems in the context of neoliberalism in the Unites States. Scholarly literature is divided over whether alternative food movements are reproducing the very structures of oppression they have sought to overcome, thus limiting the potential for systemic food change. My dissertation investigates how food justice is envisioned and practiced in this context through a qualitative research study of two alternative food projects in San Diego, California. One project is in a low-income, African American, and Latino locale, called Southeastern San Diego. They call themselves “Project New Village.” A second project is formed by white, affluent participants, located south of the city in the wild Tijuana River Estuary at the U.S. – Mexico border. They call themselves “San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project.” These two movements emerge from San Diego’s history as two different trajectories. I found that by building a community garden and local farmers market, PNV is resisting the legacy of institutional racism, class inequality, city disinvestment, and supermarket abandonment that forged Southeastern as a space of exclusion. Not simply a project about food, PNV uses food as a tool to empower the neighborhood by engaging educational institutions in the project, creating employment opportunities through the garden and neighborhood market, forging community bonds, and teaching critical knowledge about food and nutrition from their perspective. Strategically using the garden and market as a tool to leverage city support, they can position themselves in ways that can advocate for policy transformation. The obstacles they face, such as that of law enforcement patrols interrupting their community rebuilding efforts, are very different hurdles than those faced by privileged settings. The location and affluence of SDRS leaders and participants lends a different approach to food justice work. I learned that SDRS is resisting the legacy of development in San Diego that has given rise to suburban sprawl, little land for farming, importing food to survive, and environmental destruction. SDRS challenges this past by creating local markets around sustainable food production. Building on sustainable agriculture by using permaculture, dry land farming techniques, and experimenting with the local habitat, SDRS is contributing to new knowledge about how to farm ecologically in San Diego. In addition to selling their produce at the farm and local venues, they work to create a new generation of sustainable farmers, and enlightened consumers

On the Numerical Solution Of Schrodinger Equation

In the beginning, we start with reviewing basic concepts such as inner product and Hilbert spaces ; then we introduce Schrodinger Equation focusing on the solution of time–dependent and time–independent  with a stress on the harmonic oscillator  problem which will be the ingredient for our subject ; namely, the numerical solution of . The numerical solution of is then tackledusing the so–called potential morphing method .Calculations were carried  out for the ground state of the  which represents the frame of reference to work with. The obtained results were compared with similar ones and found to be in very good agreement. Finally, a brief discussion related to possible future work is given ; moreover recent  works on the subject are exposed t

Effectiveness of Cabs for Dust and Silica Control on Mobile Mining Equipment

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of cabs for controlling silica dust exposure during operation of mobile mining equipment. This study focused on bulldozers, front -end loaders and haul trucks, was conducted at surface coal mining operations and underground metal and nonmetal mining operations. Each piece of equipment tested was equipped with a cab. The vehicles sampled were from a range of manufacturers having different types of filter media and air intake configurations. The purpose of this study was to determine the reduction of dust and silica exposure that could be achieved through the use of a well-maintained cab. For each piece of equipment, dust and silica concentrations inside and outside the cab were determined and compared. In some cases, filtration efficiencies could be calculated. A properly designed environmental cab is sealed, has an intake air filtration system, and a heating and cooling system. Cabs should have good seals around the doors and windows. Factors such as cab pressurization filtration systems, filter media, and maintenance practices were also examined. In some cases, dust and silica reduction of 90 to 95% were observed

High-Throughput Sequencing Enhanced Phage Display Identifies Peptides That Bind Mycobacteria

Bacterial cell wall components have been previously used as infection biomarkers detectable by antibodies. However, it is possible that the surface of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), also possesses molecules which might be non-antigenic. This makes the probing of biomarkers on the surface of M. tb cell wall difficult using antibodies. Here we demonstrate the use of phage display technology to identify peptides that bind to mycobacteria. We identified these clones using both random clone picking and high throughput sequencing. We demonstrate that random clone picking does not necessarily identify highly enriched clones. We further showed that the clone displaying the CPLHARLPC peptide which was identified by Illumina sequencing as the most enriched, binds better to mycobacteria than three clones selected by random picking. Using surface plasmon resonance, we showed that chemically synthesised CPLHARLPC peptide binds to a 15 KDa peptide from M.tb H37Rv whole cell lysates. These observations demonstrate that phage display technology combined with high-throughput sequencing is a powerful tool to identify peptides that can be used for investigating potential non-antigenic biomarkers for TB and other bacterial infections