2,162 research outputs found
Literary Lepidopterology: Nabokov and the Book that Was a Butterfly
In this paper I examine Vladimir Nabokov\u27s Lolita, arguing that contrary to many interpretations, the book does not assert a moral lesson, and is instead a work of art for art’s sake. I examine its formal structures to demonstrate this claim. First I look at a Doppelgänger motif between the characters of Humbert Humbert and Clare Quilty. Since this motif is independent of Humbert’s character arc, it is narratively insignificant and becomes merely one of many themes related to doubles, twins, and mirror images. I also explain how Nabokov was a lifelong scientist studying butterflies and moths, and saw them as natural expressions of aesthetic bliss. I note how the prose is heavy with butterfly-related or insectoid references and images, such as the main character Humbert’s word “nymphet.” The story is told in two equal and mirrored Parts, both of which meet in the middle at the most narratively significant scene. Conceptualized visually, therefore, the two Parts resemble a butterfly’s wings. Given the possibility that these structures were intended this way by the aesthetically-minded Nabokov, I conclude that his authorial intent was earnestly to produce aesthetically pure art, unconcerned with teaching a moral lesson
A study of the ozonolysis of isoprene in a cryogenic buffer gas cell by high resolution microwave spectroscopy
We have developed a method to quantify reaction product ratios using high
resolution microwave spectroscopy in a cryogenic buffer gas cell. We
demonstrate the power of this method with the study of the ozonolysis of
isoprene, CH2=C(CH3)-CH=CH2, the most abundant, non-methane hydrocarbon emitted
into the atmosphere by vegetation. Isoprene is an asymmetric diene, and reacts
with O3 at the 1,2 position to produce methyl vinyl ketone (MVK), formaldehyde,
and a pair of carbonyl oxides: [CH3CO-CH=CH2 + CH2=OO] + [CH2=O +
CH3COO-CH=CH2]. Alternatively, O3 could attack at the 3,4 position to produce
methacrolein (MACR), formaldehyde, and two carbonyl oxides [CH2=C(CH3)-CHO +
CH2=OO] + [CH2=O + CH2=C(CH3)-CHOO]. Purified O3 and isoprene were mixed for
approximately 10 seconds under dilute (1.5-4% in argon) continuous flow
conditions in an alumina tube held at 298 K and 5 Torr. Products exiting the
tube were rapidly slowed and cooled within the buffer gas cell by collisions
with cryogenic (4-7 K) He. High resolution chirped pulse microwave detection
between 12 and 26 GHz was used to achieve highly sensitive (ppb scale),
isomer-specific product quantification. We observed a ratio of MACR to MVK of
2.1 +/- 0.4 under 1:1 ozone to isoprene conditions and 2.1 +/- 0.2 under 2:1
ozone to isoprene conditions, a finding which is consistent with previous
experimental results. Additionally, we discuss relative quantities of formic
acid (HCOOH), an isomer of CH2=OO, and formaldehyde (CH2=O) under varying
experimental conditions, and characterize the spectroscopic parameters of the
singly-substituted 13C trans-isoprene and 13C anti-periplanar-methacrolein
species. This work has the potential to be extended towards a complete
branching ratio analysis, as well towards the ability to isolate, identify, and
quantify new reactive intermediates in the ozonolysis of alkenes
Power system technologies for the manned Mars mission
The high impulse of electric propulsion makes it an attractive option for manned interplanetary missions such as a manned mission to Mars. This option is, however, dependent on the availability of high energy sources for propulsive power in addition to that required for the manned interplanetary transit vehicle. Two power system technologies are presented: nuclear and solar. The ion thruster technology for the interplanetary transit vehicle is described for a typical mission. The power management and distribution system components required for such a mission must be further developed beyond today's technology status. High voltage-high current technology advancements must be achieved. These advancements are described. In addition, large amounts of waste heat must be rejected to the space environment by the thermal management system. Advanced concepts such as the liquid droplet radiator are discussed as possible candidates for the manned Mars mission. These thermal management technologies have great potential for significant weight reductions over the more conventional systems
South Platte Mapping and Analysis Program (SPMAP): implementation of a user-centered decision support tool
May 2005.Includes bibliographical references
Cold and Slow Molecular Beam
Employing a two-stage cryogenic buffer gas cell, we produce a cold,
hydrodynamically extracted beam of calcium monohydride molecules with a near
effusive velocity distribution. Beam dynamics, thermalization and slowing are
studied using laser spectroscopy. The key to this hybrid, effusive-like beam
source is a "slowing cell" placed immediately after a hydrodynamic, cryogenic
source [Patterson et al., J. Chem. Phys., 2007, 126, 154307]. The resulting CaH
beams are created in two regimes. One modestly boosted beam has a forward
velocity of vf = 65 m/s, a narrow velocity spread, and a flux of 10^9 molecules
per pulse. The other has the slowest forward velocity of vf = 40 m/s, a
longitudinal temperature of 3.6 K, and a flux of 5x10^8 molecules per pulse
Predictors of job satisfaction among pharmacists: A regional workforce survey
Background: Job satisfaction affects organizational outcomes including performance and retention. The pharmacy job satisfaction literature points to several predictors of job satisfaction, but educational debt and various work settings have not been previously examined. Objectives: To identify predictors of Virginia pharmacists\u27 job satisfaction. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the 2018 Virginia Pharmacist Workforce Survey. Of 15,424 registered pharmacists, 13,962 (90.5%) completed the survey. Pharmacists who reported being employed and working in Virginia in the previous year (2017) were included in the analysis (n = 6042). Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Multiple logistic regression identified predictors of job satisfaction. Results: Respondents were primarily female (66.3%), Pharm.D. degree holders (65.5%), with a 14.8-year average work experience. Most pharmacists (86%) reported being very/somewhat satisfied with their job. Educational debt was not significantly associated with job satisfaction. Significant predictors of job satisfaction included: being female (aOR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.08, 1.52); working \u3c30 (aOR = 1.80, 95% CI 1.14, 2.84), 30–39 (aOR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.02, 2.11), or 40–49 (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.02, 1.98) versus ≥50 h per week; earning an annual income of \u3c150,000 (aOR = 2.05, 95% CI 1.30, 3.23) versus 149,999; working in an independent community pharmacy (aOR = 3.72, 95% CI 2.54, 5.44), health system (aOR = 3.81, 95% CI 2.78, 5.22), clinic-based pharmacy (aOR = 4.39, 95% CI 2.18, 8.83), academia (aOR = 5.20, 95% CI 1.97, 13.73), benefits administration (aOR = 3.64, 95% CI 1.71, 7.74), long-term home and home health/infusion (aOR = 1.71, 95% CI 1.10, 2.67), mass merchandiser community (aOR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.62, 0.99), or manufacturer and wholesale distributor (aOR = 3.46, 95% CI 1.97, 6.08) versus chain community pharmacy. Conclusions: Overall, Virginia pharmacists reported high job satisfaction. Pharmacists working in chain community pharmacy reported lower satisfaction relative to other settings. Being female, having a high annual income, and working for less hours was associated with improved job satisfaction
Political feasibility of 1.5°C societal transformations: the role of social justice
Constraining global climate change to 1.5°C is commonly understood to require urgent and deep societal transformations. Yet such transformations are not always viewed as politically feasible; finding ways to enhance the political feasibility of ambitious decarbonization trajectories is needed. This paper reviews the role of social justice as an organizing principle for politically feasible 1.5°C transformations. A social justice lens usefully focuses attention on 1) protecting vulnerable people from climate change impacts, 2) protecting people from disruptions of transformation, and 3) enhancing the process of envisioning and implementing an equitable post-carbon society. However, justice-focused arguments could also have unintended consequences, such as being deployed against climate action. Hence proactively engaging with social justice is critical in navigating 1.5°C societal transformations
Processing Images from the Zwicky Transient Facility
The Zwicky Transient Facility is a new robotic-observing program, in which a
newly engineered 600-MP digital camera with a pioneeringly large field of view,
47~square degrees, will be installed into the 48-inch Samuel Oschin Telescope
at the Palomar Observatory. The camera will generate ~petabyte of raw
image data over three years of operations. In parallel related work, new
hardware and software systems are being developed to process these data in real
time and build a long-term archive for the processed products. The first public
release of archived products is planned for early 2019, which will include
processed images and astronomical-source catalogs of the northern sky in the
and bands. Source catalogs based on two different methods will be
generated for the archive: aperture photometry and point-spread-function
fitting.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, submitted to RTSRE Proceedings (www.rtsre.org
Antipsychotic dose escalation as a trigger for Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS): literature review and case series report
Background: “Neuroleptic malignant syndrome” (NMS) is a potentially fatal idiosyncratic reaction to any medication which affects the central dopaminergic system. Between 0.5% and 1% of patients exposed to antipsychotics develop the condition. Mortality rates may be as high as 55% and many risk factors have been reported. Although rapid escalation of antipsychotic dose is thought to be an important risk factor, to date it has not been the focus of a published case series or scientifically defined.
<p/>Aims: To identify cases of NMS and review risk factors for its development with a particular focus on rapid dose escalation in the 30 days prior to onset.
<p/>Methodology: A review of the literature on rapid dose escalation was undertaken and a pragmatic definition of “rapid dose escalation” was made. NMS cases were defined using DSM-IV criteria and systematically identified within a secondary care mental health service. A ratio of titration rate was calculated for each NMS patient and “rapid escalators” and “non rapid escalators” were compared.
<p/>Results: 13 cases of NMS were identified. A progressive mean dose increase 15 days prior to the confirmed episode of NMS was observed (241.7mg/day during days 1-15 to 346.9mg/day during days 16-30) and the mean ratio of dose escalation for NMS patients was 1.4. Rapid dose escalation was seen in 5/13 cases and non rapid escalators had markedly higher daily cumulative antipsychotic dose compared to rapid escalators.
<p/>Conclusions: Rapid dose escalation occurred in less than half of this case series (n=5, 38.5%), although there is currently no consensus on the precise definition of rapid dose escalation. Cumulative antipsychotic dose – alongside other known risk factors - may also be important in the development of NMS
Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) - Optical Telescope Assembly (OTA) Status
The WFIRST Mission is the next large astrophysical observatory for NASA after the James Webb Space Telescope and is the top priority mission from the 2010 National Academy of Sciences' decadal survey. The WFIRST OTA includes the inherited primary and secondary mirrors with precision metering structures that are to be integrated to new mirror assemblies to provide optical feeds to the two WFIRST science instruments. We present here: (1) the results for the review of the inherited hardware for WFIRST through a thorough technical pedigree process, (2) the status of the effort to establish the capability of the telescope to perform at a cooler operational temperature of 265K, and (3) the status of the work in requirement development for OTA to incorporate the inherited hardware, and (4) the path forward
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