A Critical Analysis of the EPAS Competencies and Practice Behaviors

This papers reviews the changes in the expectations regarding EPAS Competencies and Practice Behaviors since first presented by CSWE and how that has affected program development and outcome assessment. The language of the EPAS is critiqued from several perspectives, including Bloom\u27s Taxonomy, face validity, and exhaustiveness

HfC(310) High Brightness Sources for Advanced Imaging Applications

The authors report on electron emission from HfC(310) operating in extended Schottky emission mode. Data are gathered from test stands as well as through operation in a commercial scanning electron microscope. Emitter end-form geometry consisted of rounded, via electrochemical etching, and truncated, via ion milling. The authors demonstrate high angular intensity operation of \u3e60 mA/sr especially for the rounded end-form emitters. Advantages include robustness of the material, which is not reliant on material supply as is the case with standard ZrO/W(100) sources. Hence, operation is available over a much larger range of temperatures, fields, and potentially pressures. Operation in a commercial scanning electron microscope gave ten times higher beam currents for identical operational parameters over a standard Schottky source

The design of a cathode to operate in an oxygen-rich environment

The primary problem with Hall plasma accelerator operation on oxygen is poor cathode performance and short lifetime. The primary problem with micro Hall thrusters is the absence of a stable low power cathode. Cathodes traditionally used for both applications employ thermionic emitters which are not efficient and which are easily oxidized in an oxygen-rich environment. The field emitter cathode presented in this report has the potential of filling both vacancies since it does not require a high-power heater and can be scaled down with the size of the thruster. The advantages to using Hf and HfC as emitting materials are low work functions and high resistance to oxygen poisoning. Preliminary investigations proved that HfC emitters can operate in 7.6 mTorr oxygen pressure environments. The initial cathode design employs an electrostatic lens that also acts as an ion filter to prevent thruster ions from bombarding the field emitters while decelerating the electron beam and keeping it focused to ensure efficient performance. Electron trajectories through the cathode and ion filtering capabilities are presented in this report as predicted by the charged particle code, MAGIC. © 1997 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87392/2/305_1.pd

Electron Emission from Hafnium Carbide

Abstract: HfC was evaluated as a cold field emission source. Single crystal HfC was produced and fabricated into cold field emitters, then angular intensity and reduced brightness were determined from experimental I(V) data. Energy distribution data were in agreement with a theoretical model. The reduced brightness, energy distribution, and emission stability are compared to commercially available sources which show that HfC produced a higher brightness and a lower energy spread than a W cold field source or a ZrO/W Schottky emitter. HfC maintains its emission level for one hour in moderate UHV condition; a dramatic improvement over the stability of W. This combined with a durability that allows for frequent flash cleaning without degradation of the emitter end form make HfC a highly promising source. We compared stability and noise to emission from a tungsten tip at the same angular intensity. By increasing the emitter temperature slightly, stability is improved while maintaining a low energy spread

Adam Smith and the theory of punishment

A distinctive theory of punishment plays a central role in Smith's moral and legal theory. According to this theory, we regard the punishment of a crime as deserved only to the extent that an impartial spectator would go along with the actual or supposed resentment of the victim. The first part of this paper argues that Smith's theory deserves serious consideration and relates it to other theories such as utilitarianism and more orthodox forms of retributivism. The second part considers the objection that, because Smith's theory implies that punishment is justified only when there is some person or persons who is the victim of the crime, it cannot explain the many cases where punishment is imposed purely for the public good. It is argued that Smith's theory could be extended to cover such cases. The third part defends Smith's theory against the objection that, because it relies on our natural feelings, it cannot provide an adequate moral justification of punishment

A 2dF spectroscopic study of globular clusters in NGC 5128: Probing the formation history of the nearest giant Elliptical

We have performed a spectroscopic study of globular clusters (GCs) in the giant elliptical NGC 5128 using the 2dF facility at the Anglo-Australian telescope. We obtained integrated optical spectra for a total of 254 GCs, 79 of which are newly confirmed on the basis of their radial velocities and spectra. In addition, we obtained an integrated spectrum of the galaxy starlight along the southern major axis. We derive an empirical metallicity distribution function (MDF) for 207 GCs (~14 of the estimated total GC system) based upon Milky Way GCs. This MDF is multimodal at high statistical significance with peaks at [Z/H]~-1.3 and -0.5. A comparison between the GC MDF and that of the stellar halo at 20 kpc (~4 Reff) reveals close coincidence at the metal-rich ends of the distributions. However, an inner 8 kpc stellar MDF shows a clear excess of metal-rich stars when compared to the GCs. We compare a higher S/N subsample (147 GCs) with two stellar population models which include non-solar abundance ratio corrections. The vast majority of our sample (~90%) appears old, with ages similar to the Milky Way GC system. There is evidence for a population of intermediate-age (~4-8 Gy) GCs (<15% of the sample) which are on average more metal-rich than the old GCs. We also identify at least one younger cluster (~1-2 Gy) in the central regions of the galaxy. Our observations are consistent with a picture where NGC 5128 has undergone at least two mergers and/or interactions involving star formation and limited GC formation since z=1, however the effect of non-canonical hot stellar populations on the integrated spectra of GCs remains an outstanding uncertainty in our GC age estimates.Comment: 17 figures, some long table

Geologic Provinces Beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet Constrained by Geophysical Data Synthesis

Present understanding of Greenland's subglacial geology is derived mostly from interpolation of geologic mapping of its ice‐free margins and unconstrained by geophysical data. Here we refine the extent of its geologic provinces by synthesizing geophysical constraints on subglacial geology from seismic, gravity, magnetic and topographic data. North of 72°N, no province clearly extends across the whole island, leaving three distinct subglacial regions yet to be reconciled with margin geology. Geophysically coherent anomalies and apparent province boundaries are adjacent to the onset of faster ice flow at both Petermann Glacier and the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream. Separately, based on their subaerial expression, dozens of unusually long, straight and sub‐parallel subglacial valleys cross Greenland's interior and are not yet resolved by current syntheses of its subglacial topography

Long-Term Aberrations To Cerebellar Endocannabinoids Induced By Early-Life Stress

Emerging evidence points to the role of the endocannabinoid system in long-term stress-induced neural remodeling with studies on stress-induced endocannabinoid dysregulation focusing on cerebral changes that are temporally proximal to stressors. Little is known about temporally distal and sex-specific effects, especially in cerebellum, which is vulnerable to early developmental stress and is dense with cannabinoid receptors. Following limited bedding at postnatal days 2-9, adult (postnatal day 70) cerebellar and hippocampal endocannabinoids, related lipids, and mRNA were assessed, and behavioral performance evaluated. Regional and sex-specific effects were present at baseline and following early-life stress. Limited bedding impaired peripherally-measured basal corticosterone in adult males only. In the CNS, early-life stress (1) decreased 2-arachidonoyl glycerol and arachidonic acid in the cerebellar interpositus nucleus in males only; (2) decreased 2-arachidonoyl glycerol in females only in cerebellar Crus I; and (3) increased dorsal hippocampus prostaglandins in males only. Cerebellar interpositus transcriptomics revealed substantial sex effects, with minimal stress effects. Stress did impair novel object recognition in both sexes and social preference in females. Accordingly, the cerebellar endocannabinoid system exhibits robust sex-specific differences, malleable through early-life stress, suggesting the role of endocannabinoids and stress to sexual differentiation of the brain and cerebellar-related dysfunctions

Transduction of rat pancreatic islets with pseudotyped adeno-associated virus vectors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pancreatic islet transplantation is a promising treatment for type I diabetes mellitus, but current immunosuppressive strategies do not consistently provide long-term survival of transplanted islets. We are therefore investigating the use of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) as gene therapy vectors to transduce rat islets with immunosuppressive genes prior to transplantation into diabetic mice.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We compared the transduction efficiency of AAV2 vectors with an AAV2 capsid (AAV2/2) to AAV2 vectors pseudotyped with AAV5 (AAV2/5), AAV8 (AAV2/8) or bovine adeno-associated virus (BAAV) capsids, or an AAV2 capsid with an insertion of the low density lipoprotein receptor ligand from apolipoprotein E (AAV2apoE), on cultured islets, in the presence of helper adenovirus infection to speed expression of a GFP transgene. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry were used. The AAV2/5 vector was superior to AAV2/2 and AAV2/8 in rat islets. Flow cytometry indicated AAV2/5-mediated gene expression in approximately 9% of rat islet cells and almost 12% of insulin-positive cells. The AAV2/8 vector had a higher dependence on the helper virus multiplicity of infection than the AAV 2/5 vector. In addition, the BAAV and AAV2apoE vectors were superior to AAV2/2 for transducing rat islets. Rat islets (300 per mouse) transduced with an AAV2/5 vector harboring the immunosuppressive transgene, <it>tgfβ1</it>, retain the ability to correct hyperglycemia when transplanted into immune-deficient diabetic mice.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>AAV2/5 vectors may therefore be useful for pre-treating donor islets prior to transplantation.</p