Who knows who we are? Questioning DNA analysis in disaster victim identification

The use of DNA analysis as a mode of identification of disaster victims has become increasingly predominant to other, traditional, methods of identification in recent years. Scientific advances of the technological processes, high-profile use in identification efforts across the globe (such as after 9/11 or in the Asian Tsunami of 2004), and its inclusion in popular media, have led to its popular adoption as one of the primary modes of identification in disaster scenarios, and to the expectation of its use in all cases by the lay public and media. It is increasingly argued to be integral to post-disaster management. However, depending on the circumstances, location, and type of disaster, this technology may not be appropriate, and its use may instead conflict with socio-political and cultural norms and structures of power. Using examples primarily from Cambodia and Iraq this article will explore what these conflicts may be, and in doing so, question the expanding assumption that DNA analysis is a universally appropriate intervention in disaster victim identification. It will argue instead that its use may be a result of a desire for the political and social capital that this highly prestigious technological intervention offers rather than a solely humanitarian intervention on behalf of survivors and the dead

The Proteus Navier-Stokes code

An effort is currently underway at NASA Lewis to develop two- and three-dimensional Navier-Stokes codes, called Proteus, for aerospace propulsion applications. The emphasis in the development of Proteus is not algorithm development or research on numerical methods, but rather the development of the code itself. The objective is to develop codes that are user-oriented, easily-modified, and well-documented. Well-proven, state-of-the-art solution algorithms are being used. Code readability, documentation (both internal and external), and validation are being emphasized. This paper is a status report on the Proteus development effort. The analysis and solution procedure are described briefly, and the various features in the code are summarized. The results from some of the validation cases that have been run are presented for both the two- and three-dimensional codes

Andreev Tunneling in Strongly Interacting Quantum Dots

We review recent work on resonant Andreev tunneling through a strongly interacting quantum dot connected to a normal and to a superconducting lead. We derive a general expression for the current flowing in the structure and discuss the linear and non-linear transport in the nonperturbative regime. New effects associated to the Kondo resonance combined with the two-particle tunneling arise. The Kondo anomaly in the $I-V$ characteristics depends on the relative size of the gap energy and the Kondo temperature.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures; submitted to Superlattices and Microstructure

Tailored quantum dots for entangled photon pair creation

We compare the asymmetry-induced exchange splitting delta_1 of the bright-exciton ground-state doublet in self-assembled (In,Ga)As/GaAs quantum dots, determined by Faraday rotation, with its homogeneous linewidth gamma, obtained from the radiative decay in time-resolved photoluminescence. Post-growth thermal annealing of the dot structures leads to a considerable increase of the homogeneous linewidth, while a strong reduction of the exchange splitting is simultaneously observed. The annealing can be tailored such that delta_1 and gamma become comparable, whereupon the carriers are still well confined. This opens the possibility to observe polarization entangled photon pairs through the biexciton decay cascade.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Small quantum networks operating as quantum thermodynamic machines

We show that a 3-qubit system as studied for quantum information purposes can alternatively be used as a thermodynamic machine when driven in finite time and interfaced between two split baths. The spins are arranged in a chain where the working spin in the middle exercises Carnot cycles the area of which defines the exchanged work. The cycle orientation (sign of the exchanged work) flips as the difference of bath temperatures goes through a critical value.Comment: RevTeX, 4 pages, 7 figures. Replaced by version accepted for publication in EP

Proteus three-dimensional Navier-Stokes computer code, version 1.0. Volume 2: User's guide

A computer code called Proteus 3D was developed to solve the three-dimensional, Reynolds-averaged, unsteady compressible Navier-Stokes equations in strong conservation law form. The objective in this effort was to develop a code for aerospace propulsion applications that is easy to use and easy to modify. Code readability, modularity, and documentation were emphasized. The governing equations are solved in generalized nonorthogonal body-fitted coordinates, by marching in time using a fully-coupled ADI solution procedure. The boundary conditions are treated implicitly. All terms, including the diffusion terms, are linearized using second-order Taylor series expansions. Turbulence is modeled using either an algebraic or two-equation eddy viscosity model. The thin-layer or Euler equations may also be solved. The energy equation may be eliminated by the assumption of constant total enthalpy. Explicit and implicit artificial viscosity may be used. Several time step options are available for convergence acceleration. The documentation is divided into three volumes. This User's Guide describes the program's features, the input and output, the procedure for setting up initial conditions, the computer resource requirements, the diagnostic messages that may be generated, the job control language used to run the program, and several test cases

Proteus two-dimensional Navier-Stokes computer code, version 2.0. Volume 2: User's guide

A computer code called Proteus 2D was developed to solve the two-dimensional planar or axisymmetric, Reynolds-averaged, unsteady compressible Navier-Stokes equations in strong conservation law form. The objective in this effort was to develop a code for aerospace propulsion applications that is easy to use and easy to modify. Code readability, modularity, and documentation were emphasized. The governing equations are solved in generalized nonorthogonal body-fitted coordinates, by marching in time using a fully-coupled ADI solution procedure. The boundary conditions are treated implicitly. All terms, including the diffusion terms, are linearized using second-order Taylor series expansions. Turbulence is modeled using either an algebraic or two-equation eddy viscosity model. The thin-layer or Euler equations may also be solved. The energy equation may be eliminated by the assumption of constant total enthalpy. Explicit and implicit artificial viscosity may be used. Several time step options are available for convergence acceleration. The documentation is divided into three volumes. This is the User's Guide, and describes the program's features, the input and output, the procedure for setting up initial conditions, the computer resource requirements, the diagnostic messages that may be generated, the job control language used to run the program, and several test cases

Proteus two-dimensional Navier-Stokes computer code, version 2.0. Volume 1: Analysis description

A computer code called Proteus 2D was developed to solve the two-dimensional planar or axisymmetric, Reynolds-averaged, unsteady compressible Navier-Stokes equations in strong conservation law form. The objective in this effort was to develop a code for aerospace propulsion applications that is easy to use and easy to modify. Code readability, modularity, and documentation were emphasized. The governing equations are solved in generalized nonorthogonal body-fitted coordinates, by marching in time using a fully-coupled ADI solution procedure. The boundary conditions are treated implicitly. All terms, including the diffusion terms, are linearized using second-order Taylor series expansions. Turbulence is modeled using either an algebraic or two-equation eddy viscosity model. The thin-layer or Euler equations may also be solved. The energy equation may be eliminated by the assumption of constant total enthalpy. Explicit and implicit artificial viscosity may be used. Several time step options are available for convergence acceleration. The documentation is divided into three volumes. This is the Analysis Description, and presents the equations and solution procedure. The governing equations, the turbulence model, the linearization of the equations and boundary conditions, the time and space differencing formulas, the ADI solution procedure, and the artificial viscosity models are described in detail