The Computer Science Professional\u27s Hatchery

As a recipient of a National Science Foundation Revolutionizing Engineering and Computer Science Departments (RED) grant, the Computer Science Department at the Boise State University is building a Computer Science (CS) Professionals Hatchery. This paper is a summary to accompany the poster to be presented

Towards a quantum field theory description of nonlocal spacetime defects

We propose an ansatz for encoding the physics of nonlocal spacetime defects in the Green's functions for a scalar field theory defined on a causal set. This allows us to numerically study the effects of nonlocal spacetime defects on the discrete Feynman propagator of the theory defined on the causal set in 1+1 dimensions, and to compare to the defect-free limit. The latter approaches the expected continuum result, on average, when the number of points becomes large. When defects are present, two points with the same invariant spacetime interval can have different propagation amplitudes, depending on whether the propagation is between two ordinary spacetime points, two defects, or a defect and an ordinary point. We show that a coarse-grained description that is only sensitive to the average effect of the defects can be interpreted as a defect-induced mass and wave-function renormalization of the scalar theory.Comment: 23 pages, LaTeX, 8 figure

Prevalence and Factors of Self-medication with Antibiotics in Claiborne County, Tennessee

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious concern to public health, causing an estimated 35,000 deaths annually in the U.S. Misuse of antimicrobials increases the rate of AMR. Self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) is a primary contributor to AMR that can be addressed through education. SMA has been reported at rates of 3% to 66% in the U.S. but has not been evaluated in Appalachia.1 Low health literacy and barriers to accessing care have been correlated with SMA and are common in many areas of Appalachia. Purpose: This study aims to assess factors associated with SMA, demographic differences in knowledge of / beliefs about SMA, and describe practices and beliefs of those who self-medicate in the Cumberland Gap region. Methods: Structured interviews were conducted in a rural health clinic and in a dental office to ascertain demographic information, knowledge of appropriate antibiotic use, and behaviors associated with self-medication. Inferential statistics (chi-squared, Fisher’s exact, and ANOVA tests) were conducted. Results: In the last 3 years, 41% of the 78 respondents had practiced SMA. A higher percentage of those who believed that antibiotics are used to treat viral infections have self-treated compared to those who did not hold that belief. Of those who SMA, convenience was the most common reason, while the common symptoms treated were congestion and fever. Implications: The current study provides a first estimate of SMA in the Central Appalachian Region and finds the prevalence to be higher than previously reported in other regions of the U.S. Future studies could include larger, more representative samples and longitudinal study designs to confirm these findings

Trump on Trial: A Guide to the January 6 Hearings and the Question of Criminality

President Joe Biden legitimately won a fair and secure 2020 presidential election--and Donald Trump lost. This historical fact has been uncontroverted by any evidence since at least November 7, 2020, when major news outlets projected Biden's victory. But Trump never conceded. Instead, both before and after Election Day, he tried to delegitimize the election results by disseminating a series of far-fetched and evidence-free claims of fraud. Meanwhile, with a ring of close confidants, Trump conceived and implemented unprecedented schemes to--in his own words--"overturn" the election outcome. Among the results of this "Big Lie" campaign were the terrible events of January 6, 2021--an inflection point in what we now understand was nothing less than an attempted coup.With Congress undertaking landmark hearings on all of that, this report is a comprehensive guide to the proceedings. It covers the Committee's work to date, the key players in the attempt to overturn the election, the known facts regarding their conduct that are expected to be covered at the hearings, and the criminal law applicable to their actions. The report is intended to help readers evaluate all those proceedings going forward

Liquid Nitrogen Removal of Critical Aerospace Materials

Identification of innovative solutions to unique materials problems is an every-day quest for members of the aerospace community. Finding a technique that will minimize costs, maximize throughput, and generate quality results is always the target. United Space Alliance Materials Engineers recently conducted such a search in their drive to return the Space Shuttle fleet to operational status. The removal of high performance thermal coatings from solid rocket motors represents a formidable task during post flight disassembly on reusable expended hardware. The removal of these coatings from unfired motors increases the complexity and safety requirements while reducing the available facilities and approved processes. A temporary solution to this problem was identified, tested and approved during the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) return to flight activities. Utilization of ultra high-pressure liquid nitrogen (LN2) to strip the protective coating from assembled space shuttle hardware marked the first such use of the technology in the aerospace industry. This process provides a configurable stream of liquid nitrogen (LN2) at pressures of up to 55,000 psig. The performance of a one-time certification for the removal of thermal ablatives from SRB hardware involved extensive testing to ensure adequate material removal without causing undesirable damage to the residual materials or aluminum substrates. Testing to establish appropriate process parameters such as flow, temperature and pressures of the liquid nitrogen stream provided an initial benchmark for process testing. Equipped with these initial parameters engineers were then able to establish more detailed test criteria that set the process limits. Quantifying the potential for aluminum hardware damage represented the greatest hurdle for satisfying engineers as to the safety of this process. Extensive testing for aluminum erosion, surface profiling, and substrate weight loss was performed. This successful project clearly demonstrated that the liquid nitrogen jet possesses unique strengths that align remarkably well with the unusual challenges that space hardware and missile manufacturers face on a regular basis. Performance of this task within the confines of a critical manufacturing facility marks a milestone in advanced processing

Resolving structural changes and symmetry lowering in spinel FeCr2S4

The cubic spinel FeCr2S4 has been receiving immense research interest because of its emergent phases and the interplay of spin, orbital and lattice degrees of freedom. Despite the intense research, several fundamental questions are yet to be answered, such as the refinement of the crystal structure in the different magnetic and orbital ordered phases. Here, using high-resolution synchrotron powder diffraction on stoichiometric crystals of FeCr2S4 we resolved the long sought-after cubic to tetragonal transition at ~65 K, reducing the lattice symmetry to I41/amd. With further lowering the temperature, at ~9 K, the crystal structure becomes polar, hence the compound becomes multiferroic. The elucidation of the lattice symmetry throughout different phases of FeCr2S4 provides a basis for the understanding this enigmatic system and also highlights the importance of structural deformation in correlated materials.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure