Review of \u3ci\u3eWest of 98: Living and Writing the New American West\u3c/i\u3e edited by Lynn Stegner and Russell Rowland

West of 98 is an ambitious and comprehensive collection of personal essays and poems by over sixty contributors who work to define the parameters of the American West: the vast and complex region west of the 98th meridian. As Lynn Stegner explains in the collection\u27s introduction, the goal of the book is to offer a Greek chorus that might define, remark upon, and otherwise characterize the West as each of [the writers] grew to know it, and equally important, the West that is still becoming. The chorus of voices featured in the collection reflects a broad range of cultural and geographical backgrounds and experiences, and many of the names will be familiar to readers of this journal: Louise Erdrich, Dan O\u27Brien, Ron Hansen, and Larry Woiwode to name only a few. While the contributors cover a diverse assortment of subjects related to western experience-from the meaning of grass (Erdrich), to the importance of fences (Jonis Agee), to the loneliness of the real cowboys (Larry McMurtry)-they all grapple with what it means to develop a sense of place in an environment as complex and challenging as the American West

Effect of Improving the Lattice Gauge Action on QCD Topology

We use lattice topology as a laboratory to compare the Wilson action (WA) with the Symanzik-Weisz (SW) action constructed from a combination of (1x1) and (1x2) Wilson loops, and the estimate of the renormalization trajectory (RT) from a renormalization group transformation (RGT) which also includes higher representations of the (1x1) loop. Topological charges are computed using the geometric (L\"uscher's) and plaquette methods on the uncooled lattice, and also by using cooling to remove ultraviolet artifacts. We show that as the action improves by approaching the RT, the topological charges for individual configurations computed using these three methods become more highly correlated, suggesting that artificial lattice renormalizations to the topological susceptibility can be suppressed by improving the action.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, poster presented at LATTICE96(improvement

On the Scale Uncertainties in the B→XsγB \to X_s \gamma Decay

We analyze the theoretical uncertainties in $Br(B\to X_s\gamma)$ due to the choice of the high energy matching scale \mu_W=\ord(\mw) and the scale $\mu_t$ at which the running top quark mass is defined: \mtb(\mu_t). To this end we have repeated the calculation of the initial conditions confirming the final results of Adel and Yao and Greub and Hurth and generalizing them to include the dependences on $\mu_t$ and $\mu_W$ with $\mu_t\not=\mu_W$. In the leading order the $\mu_W$ and $\mu_t$ uncertainties in $Br(B\to X_s\gamma)$ turn out to be $\pm 13$ and $\pm 3$ respectively. We show analytically how these uncertainties are reduced after including next-to-leading QCD corrections. They amount to $\pm 1.1$ and $\pm 0.4$ respectively. Reanalyzing the uncertainties due to the scale \mu_b=\ord(m_b) we find that after the inclusion of NLO effects they amount to $\pm 4.3$ which is a factor 2/3 smaller than claimed in the literature. Including the uncertainties due to input parameters as well as the non-perturbative $1/m_b^2$ and $1/m_c^2$ corrections we find $Br(B{\to}X_s \gamma) = (3.60 \pm 0.33) \times 10^{-4}$ where the error is dominated by uncertainties in the input parameters. This should be compared with $(3.28 \pm 0.33) \times 10^{-4}$ found by Chetyrkin et al. where the error is shared evenly between the scale and parametric uncertainties.Comment: 11 pages, Latex. The paper is updated by incorporating recently modified results of the literature that were used for the numerical evaluation of eq. (17). A term originally missing in eq. (22) is adde

Connections of the lateral reticular nucleus to the lateral vestibular nucleus in the rat. An anterograde tracing study with Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin

Efferent projections from the lateral reticular nucleus in the rat were investigated with anterograde transport of Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin. Besides the well known mossy fibre connections to the cerebellar cortex and collaterals to the cerebellar nuclei, a substantial bilateral projection to the lateral vestibular nucleus was found. Terminal arborizations found within this nucleus appeared to detach from the reticulocerebellar fibres in the cerebellar white matter and enter the lateral vestibular nucleus from dorsally. This projection may have functional relevance for the control, by ascending spinal pathways, of the descending lateral vestibulospinal tract

Improving the sensitivity of future GW observatories in the 1-10 Hz band: Newtonian and seismic noise

The next generation gravitational wave interferometric detectors will likely be underground detectors to extend the GW detection frequency band to frequencies below the Newtonian noise limit. Newtonian noise originates from the continuous motion of the Earth’s crust driven by human activity, tidal stresses and seismic motion, and from mass density fluctuations in the atmosphere. It is calculated that on Earth’s surface, on a typical day, it will exceed the expected GW signals at frequencies below 10 Hz. The noise will decrease underground by an unknown amount. It is important to investigate and to quantify this expected reduction and its effect on the sensitivity of future detectors, to plan for further improvement strategies. We report about some of these aspects. Analytical models can be used in the simplest scenarios to get a better qualitative and semi-quantitative understanding. As more complete modeling can be done numerically, we will discuss also some results obtained with a finite-element-based modeling tool. The method is verified by comparing its results with the results of analytic calculations for surface detectors. A key point about noise models is their initial parameters and conditions, which require detailed information about seismic motion in a real scenario. We will describe an effort to characterize the seismic activity at the Homestake mine which is currently in progress. This activity is specifically aimed to provide informations and to explore the site as a possible candidate for an underground observatory. Although the only compelling reason to put the interferometer underground is to reduce the Newtonian noise, we expect that the more stable underground environment will have a more general positive impact on the sensitivity.We will end this report with some considerations about seismic and suspension noise

Temperature dependent characterization of optical fibres for distributed temperature sensing in hot geothermal wells

This study was performed in order to select a proper fibre for the application of a distributed temperature sensing system within a hot geothermal well in Iceland. Commercially available high temperature graded index fibres have been tested under in-situ temperature conditions. Experiments have been performed with four different polyimide coated fibres, a fibre with an aluminum coating and a fibre with a gold coating. To select a fibre, the relationship between attenuation, temperature, and time has been analyzed together with SEM micrographs. On the basis of these experiments, polyimide fibres have been chosen for utilisation. Further tests in ambient and inert atmosphere have been conducted with two polyimide coated fibres to set an operating temperature limit for these fibres. SEM micrographs, together with coating colour changes have been used to characterize the high temperature performance of the fibres. A novel cable design has been developed, a deployment strategy has been worked out and a suitable well for deployment has been selected.Comment: PACS: 42.81.Pa, 93.85.Fg, 47.80.Fg, 91.35.Dc, 07.20.Dt, 07.60.V

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING: A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODEL FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS

Social/emotional competencies have been identified as some of the most important abilities that support early school success and the development of academic proficiency during elementary school (Denham et al., 2012). However, currently there are no required professional development opportunities for family child care providers on the topic. When professional development is offered to family child care providers, the content and format of the offerings are not always designed for their needs. This current structure of misaligned professional development content affects the quality of programs, including the relationships between child care providers and children, which in turn impacts children’s social/emotional development (Votruba-Drzal et al., 2004). A professional development structure aligned with the Pyramid Model (Fox et al., 2003) was used as an intervention to provide social/emotional content specifically to family child care providers. The focus was on the adult learner using the methods of Bloom (1976) and Knowles (1980) with the purpose of meeting family child care providers’ learning needs. In addition, coaching was provided for additional implementation support. Working with thirty family child care providers specifically on social/emotional learning through professional development, and a coaching variable for fifteen providers, showed positive impact on program quality

Stochastic background from extra-galactic double neutron stars

We present Monte Carlo simulations of the extra galactic population of inspiralling double neutron stars, and estimate its contribution to the astrophysical gravitational wave background, in the frequency range of ground based interferometers, corresponding to the last thousand seconds before the last stable orbit when more than 96 percent of the signal is released. We show that sources at redshift z>0.5 contribute to a truly continuous background which may be detected by correlating third generation interferometers.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures - proceeding of a talk given at the 11th GWDAW, to appear in CQ

Next-To-Leading-Order Matching for the Magnetic Photon-Penguin Operator in the B→XsγB \to X_s \gamma Decay

The initial condition at the matching scale $\mu_W = O(M_W)$ for the Wilson coefficient of the magnetic photon-penguin operator in the decay $B\to X_s \gamma$ is calculated in the next-to-leading-order approximation. The technical details of the necessary two-loop calculation in the full theory are described and the matching with the corresponding result in the effective theory is discussed in detail. Our outcome for the initial condition confirms the final results of Adel and Yao and Greub and Hurth. We show that --- contrary to the claims in the second of these papers --- the matching procedure can be properly performed for infrared divergent amplitudes, i.e. independently of contributions from gluon bremsstrahlung.Comment: 24 pages, Latex, 3 Figure

Genetic diversity in the env V1-V2 region of proviral quasispecies from long-term controller MHC-typed cynomolgus macaques infected with SHIVSF162P4cy

Intra-host evolution of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) has been shown by viral RNA analysis in subjects who naturally suppress plasma viremia to low levels, known as controllers. However, little is known about the variability of proviral DNA and the inter-relationships among contained systemic viremia, rate of reservoir reseeding and specific major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genotypes, in controllers. Here, we analysed the proviral DNA quasispecies of the env V1-V2 region, in PBMCs and in anatomical compartments of 13 long-term controller monkeys after 3.2 years of infection with simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV)SF162P4cy. A considerable variation in the genetic diversity of proviral quasispecies was present among animals. Seven monkeys exhibited env V1-V2 proviral populations composed of both clusters of identical ancestral sequences and new variants, whereas the other six monkeys displayed relatively high env V1-V2 genetic diversity with a large proportion of diverse novel sequences. Our results demonstrate that in SHIVSF162P4cy-infected monkeys there exists a disparate pattern of intra-host viral diversity and that reseeding of the proviral reservoir occurs in some animals. Moreover, even though no particular association has been observed between MHC haplotypes and the long-term control of infection, a remarkably similar pattern of intra-host viral diversity and divergence was found within animals carrying the M3 haplotype. This suggests that in animals bearing the same MHC haplotype and infected with the same virus, viral diversity follows a similar pattern with similar outcomes and control of infection