CosmoTransitions: Computing Cosmological Phase Transition Temperatures and Bubble Profiles with Multiple Fields

I present a numerical package (CosmoTransitions) for analyzing finite-temperature cosmological phase transitions driven by single or multiple scalar fields. The package analyzes the different vacua of a theory to determine their critical temperatures (where the vacuum energy levels are degenerate), their super-cooling temperatures, and the bubble wall profiles which separate the phases and describe their tunneling dynamics. I introduce a new method of path deformation to find the profiles of both thin- and thick-walled bubbles. CosmoTransitions is freely available for public use.Comment: 9 figure

The Institutional Speech or Debate Protection: Nondisclosure as Separation of Powers

The Speech or Debate Clause encompasses certain privileges that inure to the benefit of legislators. But its nondisclosure protection secures legislative—not legislators\u27—independence. This nondisclosure protection provides Congress as an institution the procedural right to assert its interests prior to the executive branch\u27s compelling the disclosure of legislative acts and corresponding documentary materials. Reading the opinion of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in United States v. Rayburn House Office Building as a separation-of-powers case distinguishes this institutional, procedural protection from a so-called nondisclosure privilege against any compelled disclosure, which was rejected by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in United States v. Renzi. The D.C. Circuit\u27s construction of the Speech or Debate Clause in Rayburn leaves executive-branch officials considerable latitude to investigate Members of Congress, subject to procedural constraints. Because the value the Clause protects is democratic representation, rather than legislative independence per se, the question of nondisclosure is one of protective procedure, not of privilege: Congress, not the executive branch, gets to make first determinations as to privilege

Fostering a community of scholars at the University of Warwick : the Wolfson Research Exchange

This paper focuses on the University of Warwick’s Wolfson Research Exchange which opened in October 2008. It describes the varied environment that the facility offers to Warwick’s research community, and explores the service model provided. The new approaches to learning space design and the students’ expectations which informed and influenced the Research Exchange’s creation (as well as its ongoing service development) are also discussed. This case study provides an overview of the Research Exchange’s developments, successes and lessons learnt which could be applicable to other institutions exploring dedicated spaces and support for their research communities

Variability in heart rate recovery measurements over 1 year in healthy, middle-aged adults.

This study assessed the longer-term (12-month) variability in post-exercise heart rate recovery following a submaximal exercise test. Longitudinal data was analysed for 97 healthy middle-aged adults (74 male, 23 female) from 2 occasions, 12 months apart. Participants were retrospectively selected if they had stable physical activity habits, submaximal treadmill fitness and anthropometric measurements between the 2 assessment visits. A submaximal Bruce treadmill test was performed to at least 85% age-predicted maximum heart rate. Absolute heart rate and Δ heart rate recovery (change from peak exercise heart rate) were recorded for 1 and 2 min post-exercise in an immediate supine position. Heart rate recovery at both time-points was shown to be reliable with intra-class correlation coefficient values ≥ 0.714. Absolute heart rate 1-min post-exercise showed the strongest agreement between repeat tests (r = 0.867, P < 0.001). Lower coefficient of variation (≤ 10.2%) and narrower limits of agreement were found for actual heart rate values rather than Δ heart rate recovery, and for 1-min rather than 2-min post-exercise recovery time points. Log-transformed values generated better variability with acceptable coefficient of variation for all measures (2.2-10%). Overall, 1 min post-exercise heart rate recovery data had least variability over the 12-month period in apparently healthy middle-aged adults

Advanced fiber placement of composite fuselage structures

The Hercules/NASA Advanced Composite Technology (ACT) program will demonstrate the low cost potential of the automated fiber placement process. The Hercules fiber placement machine was developed for cost effective production of composite aircraft structures. The process uses a low cost prepreg tow material form and achieves equivalent laminate properties to structures fabricated with prepreg tape layup. Fiber placement demonstrations planned for the Hercules/NASA program include fabrication of stiffened test panels which represent crown, keel, and window belt segments of a typical transport aircraft fuselage

Configuration interaction matrix elements for d sup n configurations

Configuration interaction matrix elements for weak interaction

The sciences in America, circa 1880

For many years American science in the late 19th century was regarded as an intellectual backwater. This view derived from the assumption that the health of American science at the time was equivalent to the condition of pure science, especially pure physics. However, a closer look reveals that there was considerable vitality in American scientific research, especially in the earth and life sciences. This vitality is explainable in part by the natural scientific resources of the American continent but also in part by the energy given science from religious impulses, social reformism, and practicality. Furthermore, contrary to recent assumptions, the federal government was a significant patron of American science. The portrait of American science circa 1880 advanced in this article suggests that the nation's scientific enterprise was characterized by pluralism of institutional support and motive and that such pluralism has historically been the normal mode

Spin-other-orbit matrix elements for f sup 4 configurations

Data for spin orbit matrix elements for f to 4th power configuratio