We selected a mass-limited sample of 4048 objects from the VIMOS VLT Deep Survey in the redshift interval 0.5<z<1.3. We used the amplitude of the 4000 Balmer break (Dn4000) to separate the galaxy population and the EW[OII]3727 line as proxy for the star formation activity. We discuss to what extent stellar mass drives galaxy evolution, showing for the first time the interplay between stellar ages and stellar masses over the past 8Gyr. Low-mass galaxies have small Dn4000 and at increasing stellar mass, the galaxy distribution moves to higher Dn4000 values as observed in the local Universe. As cosmic time goes by, we witness an increasing abundance of massive spectroscopically ET systems at the expense of the LT systems. This spectral transformation is a process started at early epochs and continuing efficiently down to the local Universe. This is confirmed by the evolution of our type-dependent stellar mass function. The underlying stellar ages of LT galaxies apparently do not show evolution, likely as a result of a continuous formation of new stars. All star formation activity indicators consistently point towards a star formation history peaked in the past for massive galaxies, with little or no residual star formation taking place in the most recent epochs. The activity and efficiency of forming stars are mechanisms that depend on stellar mass, and the mass assembly becomes progressively less efficient in massive systems as time elapses. The concepts of star formation downsizing and mass assembly downsizing describe a single scenario that has a top-down evolutionary pattern. The role of (dry) merging events seems to be only marginal at z<1.3, as our estimated efficiency in stellar mass assembly can possibly account for the progressive accumulation of passively evolving galaxies.


We present results from the first robust investigation of galaxy morphology as a function of environment at z>1.5. Our study is motivated by the fact that star-forming galaxies contained within a protocluster at z=2.3 in the HS1700+64 field have significantly older ages and larger stellar masses on average than those at similar redshifts but more typical environmental densities. In the analysis of HST/ACS images, we apply non-parametric statistics to characterize the rest-frame UV morphologies of a sample of 85 UV-selected star-forming galaxies at z=1.7-2.9, 22 of which are contained in the protocluster. The remaining 63 control-sample galaxies are not in the protocluster but have a similar mean redshift of <z>~2.3. We find no environmental dependence for the distributions of morphological properties. Combining the measured morphologies with the results of population synthesis modeling, we find only weak correlations, if any, between morphological and stellar population properties such as stellar mass, age, extinction and star-formation rate. Given the incomplete census of the protocluster galaxy population, and the lack of correlation between rest-frame UV morphology and star-formation history at z~2 within our sample, the absence of environmental trends in the distribution of morphological properties is not surprising. Additionally, using a larger sample of photometric candidates, we compare morphological distributions for 282 UV-selected and 43 near-IR-selected galaxies. While the difference in the degree of nebulosity between the two samples appears to be a byproduct of the fainter average rest-frame UV surface brightness of the near-IR-selected galaxies, we find that, among the lowest surface brightness galaxies, the near-IR-selected objects have significantly smaller angular sizes (abridged).


sometimes performs studies of their own. The seal is a "symbol that an independent panel reviewed and approved the product for its safety and effectiveness," Spomer says. Many toothpastes carry the ADA seal. So far only one over-the-counter-bleaching product does — Crest 3D White Glamorous White Whitestrips. Even so, Sahota says many over-the-counter products that don't carry the seal can still be effective if used as directed. Most cause some tooth sensitivity during the bleaching process, but that goes away once the process is complete, she says. Depending on which product is used, bleaching can take anywhere from two to six weeks. And, if you're not careful, Sahota says the products can leak onto the gums, causing inflammation and "extra sensitivity" to pressure, temperature and touch. A safer but more costly option might be to buy a custom-made tray from your dentist, Sahota says. Unlike the one-size-fits-all trays sold over the counter, a dentist makes the tray "just for you" she says. The tray hugs the teeth and ensures the gel is kept where it should be and is evenly applied. The kits cost about $400; this at-home whitening process can take up to four weeks, depending on how stained the teeth are to begin with. Generally, the trays are worn for one or two hours a day. If you want an even faster route, you'll have to pay more. Bleaching in the dental office can run more than $1,000, but results are quick and more dramatic. Dentists use bleaching gels that rely on high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (up to 40 percent hydrogen peroxide, compared to a 5 to 6 percent concentration in drugstore kits and a 10 to 15 percent solution in the home-kits from dentists). So the whole process in the dentist's office can take just an hour or two to complete. And because the peroxide concentrations used there are much higher, the results can be many shades lighter than with take-home kits and over-the-counter products. An important caveat: Insurance companies consider in-office teeth whitening "cosmetic" so the procedures are almost never covered. Nonetheless, more Americans are opting for in-office whitening. In 2015, in-office bleaching procedures rose 29 percent over the year before, according to an American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry survey. And there's at least a little evidence that


The min-sum (MS) algorithm is arguably the second most fundamental algorithm in the realm of message passing due to its optimality (for a tree code) with respect to the {\em block error} probability \cite{Wiberg}. There also seems to be a fundamental relationship of MS decoding with the linear programming decoder \cite{Koetter}. Despite its importance, its fundamental properties have not nearly been studied as well as those of the sum-product (also known as BP) algorithm. We address two questions related to the MS rule. First, we characterize the stability condition under MS decoding. It turns out to be essentially the same condition as under BP decoding. Second, we perform a degree distribution optimization. Contrary to the case of BP decoding, under MS decoding the thresholds of the best degree distributions for standard irregular LDPC ensembles are significantly bounded away from the Shannon threshold. More precisely, on the AWGN channel, for the best codes that we find, the gap to capacity is 1dB for a rate 0.3 code and it is 0.4dB when the rate is 0.9 (the gap decreases monotonically as we increase the rate). We also used the optimization procedure to design codes for modified MS algorithm where the output of the check node is scaled by a constant $1/\alpha$. For $\alpha = 1.25$, we observed that the gap to capacity was lesser for the modified MS algorithm when compared with the MS algorithm. However, it was still quite large, varying from 0.75 dB to 0.2 dB for rates between 0.3 and 0.9. We conclude by posing what we consider to be the most important open questions related to the MS algorithm.


We study the CO and the radiocontinuum emission in an active galaxy to analyze the interplay between the central activity and the molecular gas. We present new high-resolution observations of the CO(1-0) and CO(2-1) emission lines, and 3.5 cm and 20 cm radio continuum emission in the central region of the LINER/starburst galaxy NGC 6764. The galaxy has an outflow morphology in radio continuum, spatially coincident with the CO and H$\alpha$ emission, and centered slightly off the radio continuum peak at the LINER nucleus. The total molecular gas mass in the center is about 7x10^8 \msun, using a CO luminosity to total molecular gas conversion factor that is three times lower than the standard one. CO(1-0) emission is found near the boundaries of the radio continuum emission cone. The outflow has a projected expansion velocity of 25 km/s relative to the systemic velocity of NGC6764. About 4x 10^6 \msun of molecular gas is detected in the outflow. The approximate location (~1 kpc) of the dynamical inner Lindblad resonance has been derived from the rotation curve. The peak of the CO emission is slightly (< 200 pc) offset from the peak of the radio continuum. The molecular gas has most likely been ejected by the stellar winds from the recent starburst, but the CO line ratios show indication of an interaction with the AGN. The energy released by the nuclear starburst is sufficient to explain the observed outflow, even if the data cannot exclude the AGN from being the major energy source. Comparison of the outflow with hydrodynamical simulations suggests that the nuclear starburst is 3--7 Myr old and the bubble-like outflow is still confined and not freely expanding.


We investigate the evolution of binary fractions in star clusters using N-body models of up to 100000 stars. Primordial binary frequencies in these models range from 5% to 50%. Simulations are performed with the NBODY4 code and include a full mass spectrum of stars, stellar evolution, binary evolution and the tidal field of the Galaxy. We find that the overall binary fraction of a cluster almost always remains close to the primordial value, except at late times when a cluster is near dissolution. A critical exception occurs in the central regions where we observe a marked increase in binary fraction with time -- a simulation starting with 100000 stars and 5% binaries reached a core binary frequency as high as 40% at the end of the core-collapse phase (occurring at 16 Gyr with ~20000 stars remaining). Binaries are destroyed in the core by a variety of processes as a cluster evolves, but the combination of mass-segregation and creation of new binaries in exchange interactions produces the observed increase in relative number. We also find that binaries are cycled into and out of cluster cores in a manner that is analogous to convection in stars. For models of 100000 stars we show that the evolution of the core-radius up to the end of the initial phase of core-collapse is not affected by the exact value of the primordial binary frequency (for frequencies of 10% or less). We discuss the ramifications of our results for the likely primordial binary content of globular clusters.


(Abridged) I report new light curves and determine the rotations and phase functions of several large Kuiper Belt objects, including the dwarf planet Eris (2003 UB313). (120348) 2004 TY364 shows a light curve which if double-peaked has a period of 11.70+-0.01 hours and peak-to-peak amplitude of 0.22+-0.02 magnitudes. (84922) 2003 VS2 has a well defined double-peaked light curve of 7.41+-0.02 hours with a 0.21+-0.02 magnitude range. (126154) 2001 YH140 shows variability of 0.21+-0.04 magnitudes with a possible 13.25+-0.2 hour single-peaked period. The seven new KBOs in the sample which show no discernible variations within the uncertainties on short rotational time scales are 2001 UQ18, (55565) 2002 AW197, (119979) 2002 WC19, (120132) 2003 FY128, (136108) Eris 2003 UB313, (90482) Orcus 2004 DW, and (90568) 2004 GV9. The three medium to large sized Kuiper Belt objects 2004 TY364, Orcus and 2004 GV9 show fairly steep linear phase curves (~0.18 to 0.26 mags per degree) between phase angles of 0.1 and 1.5 degrees. The extremely large dwarf planet Eris (2003 UB313) shows a shallower phase curve (0.09+-0.03 mags per degree) which is more similar to the other known dwarf planet Pluto. It appears the surface properties of the largest dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt maybe different than the smaller Kuiper Belt objects. This may have to do with the larger objects ability to hold more volatile ices as well as sustain atmospheres. The absolute magnitudes obtained using the measured phase slopes are a few tenths of magnitudes different from those given by the MPC.


(C) is addressed to a qualified individual. (3) Mail described.--Mail described in this paragraph is-- (A) any first-class mail (including any sound- or video-recorded communication) not exceeding 13 ounces in weight and having the character of personal correspondence; and (B) parcel post not exceeding 15 pounds in weight. (4) Limitations.-- (A) Number.--An individual shall be eligible for 1 voucher for each month in which such individual is a qualified individual. (B) Use.--Any such voucher may not be used-- (i) for more than a single qualified mailing; or (ii) after the earlier of-- (I) the expiration date of such voucher, as designated by the Secretary of Defense; or (II) the last day of the 1-year period referred to in section 4. (5) Coordination rule.--Postal benefits under this Act shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any reduced rates of postage or other similar benefits which might otherwise be available by or under law, including any rates of postage resulting from the application of section 3401(b) of title 39, United States Code. (d) Regulations.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense (in consultation with the Postal Service) shall prescribe any regulations necessary to carry out this Act, including-- (1) procedures by which vouchers will be provided or made available in timely manner to persons duly identified by qualified individuals to receive those vouchers; and (2) procedures to ensure that the number of vouchers provided or made available with respect to any qualified individual complies with subsection (c)(4)(A). SEC. 3. FUNDING. (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Defense a sum determined by the Department of Defense to be equal to the expenses incurred by the Department in providing the benefits described in section 2(c). (b) Transfers to Postal Service.-- (1) Based on estimates.--The Department of Defense shall transfer to the Postal Service, out of any amount so appropriated and in advance of each calendar quarter during which postal benefits under this Act may be used, an amount equal to the amount of postal benefits that the Department of Defense estimates will be used during such quarter, reduced or increased (as the case may be) by any amounts by which the Department finds that a determination under this section


any individual who-- (1) is convicted of a criminal sexual offense against a victim who is an older individual, which shall include any such offense under State law for conduct that would constitute an offense under chapter 109A of title 18, United States Code, had the conduct occurred in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison; and (2) is a sexually violent predator. (b) Compliance and Ineligibility.-- (1) Compliance date.--Each State shall have not more than 3 years from the date of enactment of this Act to comply with subsection (a), except that-- (A) the Attorney General may grant an additional 2 years to a State that is making good faith efforts to comply with such subsection; and (B) the Attorney General shall waive the requirements of subsection (a) if compliance with such subsection by a State would be unconstitutional under the constitution of such State. (2) Ineligibility for funds.--For any fiscal year after the expiration of the period specified in paragraph (1), a State that fails to comply with subsection (a) shall not receive 10 percent of the funds that would otherwise be allocated for that fiscal year to the State under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq.). (c) Reallocation.--Amounts not allocated under the program referred to in subsection (b)(2) to a State for failure to fully comply with subsection (a) shall be reallocated under that program to States that have not failed to comply with such subsection. (d) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section-- (1) the term ``older individual'' means an individual who is 65 years of age or older; and (2) the term ``sexually violent predator'' means a person who-- (A) has been convicted of a sexually violent offense; and (B) has been diagnosed by a qualified mental health professional as having a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes the person likely to engage in predatory sexually violent offenses, or has been determined by a court to suffer from such an illness or disorder. SEC. 4. AMENDMENT TO THE FEDERAL SENTENCING GUIDELINES. (a) Request for Immediate Consideration by the United States Sentencing Commission.--Pursuant to


to fill in the gap without him. Bennett signed with Green Bay in the offseason, before being released by the Packers in November. He then re-signed with the Patriots, but only appeared in two games before being placed on season-ending injured reserve. Brady said he wants to spend the rest of the time leading up to the Super Bowl avoiding all possible distractions. That includes not talking about a new series that debuted on Facebook recently and provides viewers a rare glimpse at his life off the field. "What? Let's talk about distractions," Brady joked when he was asked about the series Saturday. "We'll stick to football this week, too. I like that no distractions part." Though this will be Brady's eighth trip to the Super Bowl, the 40-year-old said he still has an appreciation for what it takes to be playing at this point of the season. "I've never taken anything like this for granted, and I think we're all very fortunate to be in this game," he said. "Being a part of a couple of these losses, those are pretty tough to swallow, but I think you realize how much effort you have to put in to prepare. It's a very unique environment, unique game, and you have to be at your best. But in order to do that, you have to prepare as well as you possibly can." ___ More AP NFL: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ___ Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower


Context: L'-band (3.8 micron) images of the Galactic Center show a large number of thin filaments in the mini-spiral, located west of the mini-cavity and along the inner edge of the Northern Arm. One possible mechanism that could produce such structures is the interaction of a central wind with the mini-spiral. Additionally, we identify similar features that appear to be associated with stars. Aims: We present the first proper motion measurements of the thin dust filaments observed in the central parsec around SgrA* and investigate possible mechanisms that could be responsible for the observed motions. Methods: The observations have been carried out using the NACO adaptive optics system at the ESO VLT. The images have been transformed to a common coordinate system and features of interest were extracted. Then a cross-correlation technique could be performed in order to determine the offsets between the features with respect to their position in the reference epoch. Results: We derive the proper motions of a number of filaments and 2 cometary shaped dusty sources close (in projection) to SgrA*. We show that the shape and the motion of the filaments does not agree with a purely Keplerian motion of the gas in the potential of the supermassive black hole at the position of SgrA*. Therefore, additional mechanisms must be responsible for their formation and motion. We argue that the properties of the filaments are probably related to an outflow from the disk of young mass-losing stars around SgrA*. In part, the outflow may originate from the black hole itself. We also present some evidence and theoretical considerations that the outflow may be collimated.


We report the detection of the millisecond pulsar B1257+12 with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. In a 20 ks exposure we detected 25 photons from the pulsar, with energies between 0.4 and 2.0 keV, corresponding to the flux F_X=(4.4+/- 0.9)*10^{-15} ergs s^{-1} cm^{-2} in this energy range. The X-ray spectrum can be described by a power-law model with photon index Gamma = 2.8 and luminosity L_X \approx 2.5*10^{29} ergs s^{-1} in the 0.3--8 keV band, for a plausible distance of 500 pc and hydrogen column density N_H=3*10^{20} cm^{-2}. Alternatively, the spectrum can be fitted by a blackbody model with kT ~ 0.22 keV and projected emitting area ~2000 m^2. If the thermal X-rays are emitted from two symmetric polar caps, the bolometric luminosity of the two caps is 2 L_bol ~ 3*10^{29} ergs s^{-1}. We compared our results with the data on other 30 millisecond pulsars observed in X-rays and found that the apparent X-ray efficiency of PSR B1257+12, L_X/Edot ~ 3*10^{-5} for d=500 pc, is lower than those of most of millisecond pulsars. This might be explained by an unfavorable orientation of the X-ray pulsar beam if the radiation is magnetospheric, or by strong asymmetry of polar caps if the radiation is thermal (e.g., one of the polar caps is much brighter than the other and remains invisible for most part of the pulsar period). Alternatively, it could be attributed to absorption of X-rays in circumpulsar matter, such as a flaring debris disk left over after formation of the planetary system around the pulsar.


Based on radial velocity measurements it has been found recently that the two giant planets detected around the star HD 73526 are in 2:1 resonance. However, as our numerical integration shows, the derived orbital data for this system result in chaotic behavior of the giant planets, which is uncommon among the resonant extrasolar planetary systems. We intend to present regular (non-chaotic) orbital solutions for the giant planets in the system HD 73526 and offer formation scenarios based on combining planetary migration and sudden perturbative effects such as planet-planet scattering or rapid dispersal of the protoplanetary disk. A comparison with the already studied resonant system HD 128311, exhibiting similar behavior, is also done. The new sets of orbital solutions have been derived by the Systemic Console (www.oklo.org). The stability of these solutions has been investigated by the Relative Lyapunov indicator, while the migration and scattering effects are studied by gravitational N-body simulations applying non-conservative forces as well. Additionally, hydrodynamic simulations of embedded planets in protoplanetary disks are performed to follow the capture into resonance. For the system HD 73526 we demonstrate that the observational radial velocity data are consistent with a coplanar planetary system engaged in a stable 2:1 resonance exhibiting apsidal corotation. We have shown that, similarly to the system HD 128311, the present dynamical state of HD 73526 could be the result of a mixed evolutionary process melting together planetary migration and a perturbative event.


in our repertoire are so amazing—it's a great honor to be able to carry them on with the new dancers for the future. Krohn with Robert Fairchild in Justin Peck's Everywhere We Go. Video Courtesy NYCB. Is there someone who's teaching style or mentorship style you'd most like to emulate? There are a couple of ballet masters that I've connected to. I'm very close to Karin von Aroldingen. Her undying passion for these pieces is incredibly inspiring. Susan Hendl has also been an inspiration. She has a wonderful talent of drawing out everyone's unique qualities and femininity. What parts of your life outside of ballet do you most look forward to cultivating now that you'll have more time on your hands? I'm looking forward to having more time to enjoy museums in the city. While I was dancing I didn't want to be up on my legs all day on my days off. I won't have to worry about that so much now, and I can spend my day off roaming around and being inspired. I also love to cook, so I'll get to cook a lot more and hopefully host more dinner parties. Krohn and Company in Balanchine's "Serenade." Photo by Paul Kolnik, Courtesy NYCB. Do you have a piece of advice for young dancers who are just starting out? What's so special about ballet is the discipline that it instills. It's important for young dancers to really understand that that is what's taught to you in ballet class every day. It's an invaluable quality for a person to have, whether they continue to dance or end up doing other things. My other piece of advice is that you have to treat each day as a new start. Some days you might not feel good about yourself, or things in your body might not be working well—every day is different. But you have to start fresh, be positive and move forward.


Unfortunately, it seems there's a phishing scheme to go along with virtually every event in life, whether a holiday, a tragedy, or an annual ritual. Tax time is not exempt, so to speak. Whether you work in finance or you support users who do, it's important to be on the lookout this tax season for phishing schemes geared towards obtaining confidential information from unsuspecting individuals. What should users look out for? A common phishing attempt involves compromised or spoofed emails which purport to be from an executive at your organization and are sent either to human resources or finance/payroll employees. The email requests a list of employees and their related W-2 forms. That's not all, however. Another common scam (which can occur throughout the year) involves receiving a phone call from an individual claiming to be from the IRS (caller ID can be spoofed to show this as well) who informs you that you owe money for back taxes and often threatens law enforcement retribution if payment (usually via credit card over the phone) isn't provided. The IRS will never call you on the phone to report you owe them money nor demand money over the phone; they utilize the postal service for such notifications. They also will not engage in threats and are supposed to provide an opportunity for you to work constructively with them or negotiate payment. SEE: IT leader's guide to cyberattack recovery (Tech Pro Research) What standard protection methods should be used? The typical safeguards against phishing can protect you and your employees; establish a policy against requesting confidential information through email, call people directly to verify such requests, arrange for secure transfer of data, and limit the number of employees who possess the authority to access or handle W-2 forms. The IRS also recommends contacting them about any malicious activity. Phishing attempts can be reported to phishing@irs.gov. If someone from your company has given out W-2 information, contact dataloss@irs.gov with a description of what happened and how many employees were affected. Also make sure not to attach any confidential information! If your company is contacted by scammers claiming you owe the IRS money, report it via the IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting webpage. You can also call 800-366-4484. You should also report this to the Federal Trade Commission via the FTC Complaint Assistant on FTC.gov. What else is available to help here? Education and establishing proper procedures can be helpful in minimizing risk, but I also highly recommend using technology to safeguard


we just couldn't get it. We just didn't want to give it up." Day was on his "third-string" caddie. He said Luke Reardon, who caddied for him at the end of last year, and David Lutterus, who was going to be on the bag, had trouble securing visas. His third in line, childhood friend Rika Batibasaga, "he's marrying an American and I knew that he's in here already," Day said. "So I was like, 'I've got to grab someone, either grab him or grab someone out of the crowd.'" Day hopes this victory leads to a turnaround from a miserable 2017, which included his mother recovering from lung cancer and a game that lost some discipline and focus. "I think last year was a good kick in the butt, you know, not really being talked about and being talked about for the wrong reasons," the 30-year-old Australian said. "Obviously take my mum and stuff out of the equation, but just I see the guys winning, Jordan (Spieth), and Dustin (Johnson) is playing some tremendous golf, Jon Rahm's playing some tremendous golf, and I feel like I should be there as well, winning." Day is currently ranked No. 10 in the world. Getting back to the top is the goal. "I got there for 51 weeks, but I've always wanted to be a dominant No. 1 player in the world and that is going to take time," he said. "That's going to take a lot of hard work and dedication because I know how hard it is to get to No. 1 in the world and I know the quality of play that is fighting to get to No. 1 as well." ___ Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/berniewilson


In the Alabama Republican Senate race, every candidate wants to be just like Donald Trump. But in Tuesday's primary, the leading candidate sounds and acts more like the president, while it's the incumbent, an appointed senator just fighting to make it into a likely runoff, who has Trump's actual blessing — but also the curse of being Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's favorite candidate. That's the conundrum of the Republican contest, largely seen as a three-way race between front-runner Roy Moore, a controversial former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice; Sen. Luther Strange, appointed back in February to fill the seat of now-Attorney General Jeff Sessions; and Rep. Mo Brooks, who's seized on an anti-McConnell platform as the president's attacks against the Senate's top Republican have intensified recently. Moore has consistently polled atop the field, and looks likely to claim a spot in a probable September runoff. His ads sound downright Trumpian, promising to "drain the swamp" and taking a swipe at D.C. elites. Moore is well-known throughout the state — and the country — too. He first gained national notoriety when he refused to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from a state judicial building despite a federal court order; Moore himself was then removed from his position as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court in 2003. He won election to the same post again in 2012, but was then suspended after he ordered judges to enforce the state's ban on same-sex marriage despite the Supreme Court's 2015 decision in favor of gay marriage nationwide under the federal Constitution. He resigned earlier this year to challenge Strange. To state observers, it's not surprising that Moore has been able to build a strong following and even expand beyond what might be his typical conservative base in the state. "Alabama voters supported Trump because he spoke his mind and said all the things they had been thinking about government," said Brent Buchanan, a GOP strategist and pollster in the state. "Out of all the candidates, Roy Moore has some of those similar characteristics. You may not agree with all of his policy or personal preferences, but you know that Roy Moore is going to do what Roy Moore believes." That's why it was so, well, strange last week when Trump tweeted out his support for Strange, saying the incumbent has his "complete and total endorsement!" The senator has benefited from millions of dollars in ads from the McConnell-aligned Senate Leadership Fund super PAC. The very next


PARIS (AP) — A young American man tried an underhand serve while cramping during a five-setter at the French Open. Hmm. Seen that before, haven't we? Except there was one key difference this time: For 21-year-old Jared Donaldson against No. 4-seed Grigor Dimitrov on Wednesday, unlike for 17-year-old — and eventual tournament champion — Michael Chang against Ivan Lendl in 1989, the unorthodox strategy didn't come in a victory. Dimitrov came back to beat the 57th-ranked Donaldson 6-7 (2), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8 in a second-round match that lasted 4 hours, 19 minutes on the new Court 18 at Roland Garros. The most memorable aspect was Donaldson's two unusual service motions; he won the point the first time, but not the other. "I would never try it if I was feeling 100 percent and stuff," said Donaldson, who could barely move by the end because of painful cramps in his legs. "But obviously Grigor was playing so far back on the return that I felt like, 'You know, maybe it's just something that I'll try.' He obviously wasn't expecting it, you know what I mean? It's kind of a cheeky way to get a point." Donaldson said he has never seen footage of what Chang did 29 years ago. He did, however, know of the episode: Chang used an underhand serve while cramping during a fourth-round win over Lendl on the way to the French Open title; he remains the youngest man to win a major singles championship. Dimitrov was not angered by the tactic. Quite the opposite, actually, shrugging his shoulders and conceding it was smart for Donaldson to try it. "It was beautiful, right?" Dimitrov said. "He wanted to use something different to kind of try to put me off guard." Before his first underhand attempt, Donaldson was actually two points from the victory, leading 6-5 in the fifth set and at love-30 on Dimitrov's serve. But Dimitrov took the next four points. In the next game, at 6-all, 40-30, Donaldson successfully used the underhand motion. He hit a short serve that two-time Grand Slam semifinalist Dimitrov returned long


According to a recent proposal [S. Takayama et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 061107 (2005)], the triangular lattice of triangular air holes may allow to achieve a complete photonic band gap in two-dimensional photonic crystal slabs. In this work we present a systematic theoretical study of this photonic lattice in a high-index membrane, and a comparison with the conventional triangular lattice of circular holes, by means of the guided-mode expansion method whose detailed formulation is described here. Photonic mode dispersion below and above the light line, gap maps, and intrinsic diffraction losses of quasi-guided modes are calculated for the periodic lattice as well as for line- and point-defects defined therein. The main results are summarized as follows: (i) the triangular lattice of triangular holes does indeed have a complete photonic band gap for the fundamental guided mode, but the useful region is generally limited by the presence of second-order waveguide modes; (ii) the lattice may support the usual photonic band gap for even modes (quasi-TE polarization) and several band gaps for odd modes (quasi-TM polarization), which could be tuned in order to achieve doubly-resonant frequency conversion between an even mode at the fundamental frequency and an odd mode at the second-harmonic frequency; (iii) diffraction losses of quasi-guided modes in the triangular lattices with circular and triangular holes, and in line-defect waveguides or point-defect cavities based on these geometries, are comparable. The results point to the interest of the triangular lattice of triangular holes for nonlinear optics, and show the usefulness of the guided-mode expansion method for calculating photonic band dispersion and diffraction losses, especially for higher-lying photonic modes.


Smaller terrestrial planets (< 0.3 Earth masses) are less likely to retain the substantial atmospheres and ongoing tectonic activity probably required to support life. A key element in determining if sufficiently massive "sustainably habitable" planets can form is the availability of solid planet-forming material. We use dynamical simulations of terrestrial planet formation from planetary embryos and simple scaling arguments to explore the implications of correlations between terrestrial planet mass, disk mass, and the mass of the parent star. We assume that the protoplanetary disk mass scales with stellar mass as Mdisk ~ f Mstar^h, where f measures the relative disk mass, and 1/2 < h < 2, so that disk mass decreases with decreasing stellar mass. We consider systems without Jovian planets, based on current models and observations for M stars. We assume the mass of a planet formed in some annulus of a disk with given parameters is proportional to the disk mass in that annulus, and show with a suite of simulations of late-stage accretion that the adopted prescription is surprisingly accurate. Our results suggest that the fraction of systems with sufficient disk mass to form > 0.3 Earth mass habitable planets decreases for low-mass stars for every realistic combination of parameters. This "habitable fraction" is small for stellar masses below a mass in the interval 0.5 to 0.8 Solar masses, depending on disk parameters, an interval that excludes most M stars. Radial mixing and therefore water delivery are inefficient in lower-mass disks commonly found around low-mass stars, such that terrestrial planets in the habitable zones of most low-mass stars are likely to be small and dry.


where water seeped from the reservoir through a hillside were common issues with dams. What mattered, said John Moyle, New Jersey's director of dam safety and flood control, was whether dam operators dealt with the problems carefully — patching cracks so they were watertight, and dealing with spots where water was leaking through so they didn't grow to undermine the concrete. The Department of Water Resources declined to answer specific questions about the repair work, saying engineers were focused on ensuring public safety. Robert Bea, professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering at University of California, Berkeley, said it's "obvious those repairs didn't work." "We don't have details on the repairs, but they put cement into the cracks and troweled it over," Bea said. "I call it 'patch and pray.'" On Monday, federal regulators told the department it must enlist a group of independent consultants both to assess what went wrong and to recommend long-term fixes. Documents and interviews show that crews were patching cracks in 2009 and 2013. A water resources department spokesman said it was normal for maintenance crews to be troubleshooting cracks in the channel during dry summer months. One resident of the region said he saw crews in the spillway at least once a year for the past several years. "When they have four or five trucks down there, the only thing they have to do is fill cracks," said Don Reighley, a retiree and fisherman who several times a week drives past the channel to launch his boat into the reservoir. One of the state inspectors who went to Oroville Dam in August said authorities may never know exactly what destabilized the spillway. "Any type of evidence that might have been there is gone," Eric Holland of the water resources department's dam safety division said. "Everything has been washed away." ___ Knickmeyer reported from Sonoma, California, Pritchard reported from Los Angeles. John Flesher in Traverse City, Michigan, contributed. ___ Contact Pritchard at https://twitter.com/lalanewsman.


This paper investigates GRB 050802, one of the best examples of a it Swift gamma-ray burst afterglow that shows a break in the X-ray lightcurve, while the optical counterpart decays as a single power-law. This burst has an optically bright afterglow of 16.5 magnitude, detected throughout the 170-650nm spectral range of the UVOT on-board Swift. Observations began with the XRT and UVOT telescopes 286s after the initial trigger and continued for 1.2 x 10^6s. The X-ray lightcurve consists of three power-law segments: a rise until 420s, followed by a slow decay with alpha_2 = 0.63 +/- 0.03 until 5000s, after which, the lightcurve decays faster with a slope of alpha_3 = 1.59 +/- 0.03. The optical lightcurve decays as a single power-law with alpha_O = 0.82 +/- 0.03 throughout the observation. The X-ray data on their own are consistent with the break at 5000s being due to the end of energy injection. Modelling the optical to X-ray spectral energy distribution, we find that the optical afterglow can not be produced by the same component as the X-ray emission at late times, ruling out a single component afterglow. We therefore considered two-component jet models and find that the X-ray and optical emission is best reproduced by a model in which both components are energy injected for the duration of the observed afterglow and the X-ray break at 5000s is due to a jet break in the narrow component. This bright, well-observed burst is likely a guide for interpreting the surprising finding of Swift that bursts seldom display achromatic jet breaks.


, Yahiya Osman helps Syrians register for ID cards and health care. He's a Syrian refugee himself, and has worked here for four years — even though he only got a work permit two weeks ago. "It makes me eligible for private health insurance, a pension and worker's compensation," says Osman, 33. "You've got to think ahead. We're not sure what's going to happen in Syria. We might have to stay here in Turkey forever." But Turkish government statistics show out of the 3 million Syrians here, fewer than 14,000 had work permits by January — a year into the program. "It's a very exhausting procedure," says Sule Akarsu, who manages a charity that teaches Syrian refugees how to do bricklaying and other construction work. Her work is dedicated to helping Syrian refugees. Yet even she has not applied for work permits for her Syrian staff. "It takes nearly three months to get permission for the Syrians," she says. "It's also difficult for Turkish industry, doing all these procedures." Only companies can apply for these permits, not employees, and they must pay monthly social security for each worker — even if it's a Syrian who doesn't plan to stay in Turkey long-term. Some employers say it's not worth the hassle and expense. There are questions about how much Turkey's government really wants to implement this policy. It has threatened to fine companies that hire Syrians without permits. But the fines are rarely enforced. At an Istanbul cafe, Adnan Hadad, another Syrian, says it's not just the bureaucracy that slows things down. He's dragged his feet too. When he arrived four years ago, he thought he'd be in Turkey "a couple of years," he says. "But the Syrian war, and how it eventually evolved, made me realize I'll be here a lot longer," Hadad says. He still dreams of growing old back home in Syria. But for now, he's starting in on some Turkish paperwork.


We first study the temporal Wilson loop in the finite-temperature non-commutative dipole field theory from the string/gauge correspondence. The associated dual supergravity background is constructed from the near-horizon geometry of near-extremal D-branes, after applying T-duality and smeared twist. We investigate the string configuration therein and find that while the temperature produces a maximum distance $L_{max}$ in the interquark distance the dipole in there could produce a minimum distance $L_{min}$. The quark boundary pair therefore could be found only if their distance is between $L_{min}$ and $L_{max}$. We also show that, beyond a critical temperature the quark pair becomes totally free due to screening by thermal bath. We next study the spatial Wilson loop and find the confining nature in the zero temperature 3D and 4D non-supersymmetry dipole gauge theory. The string tension of the linear confinement potential is obtained and found to be a decreasing function of the dipole field. We also investigate the associated t'Hooft loop and determine the corresponding monopole anti-monopole potential. The conventional screening of magnetic charge which indicates the confinement of the electric charge is replaced by a strong repulsive however. Finally, we show that the dual string which is rotating along the dipole deformed $S^5$ will behave as a static one without dipole field, which has no minimum distance and has larger energy than a static one with dipole field. We discuss the phase transition between these string solutions.


Context: Weak flares are supposed to be an important heating agent of the outer layers of stellar atmospheres. However, due to instrumental limitations, only large X-ray flares have been studied in detail until now. Aims: We used an XMM-Newton observation of the very active BY-Dra type binary star CC Eri in order to investigate the properties of two flares that are weaker than those typically studied in the literature. Methods: We performed time-resolved spectroscopy of the data taken with the EPIC-PN CCD camera. A multi-temperature model was used to fit the spectra. We inferred the size of the flaring loops using the density-temperature diagram. The loop scaling laws were applied for deriving physical parameters of the flaring plasma. We also estimated the number of loops involved in the observed flares. Results: A large X-ray variability was found. Spectral analysis showed that all the regions in the light curve, including the flare segments, are well-described by a 3-T model with variable emission measures but, surprisingly, with constant temperatures (values of 3, 10 and 22 MK). The analysed flares lasted ~ 3.4 and 7.1 ks, with flux increases of factors 1.5-1.9. They occurred in arcades made of a few tens of similar coronal loops. The size of the flaring loops is much smaller than the distance between the stellar surfaces in the binary system, and even smaller than the radius of each of the stars. The obtained results are consistent with the following ideas: (i) the whole X-ray light curve of CC Eri could be the result of a superposition of multiple low-energy flares, and (ii) stellar flares can be scaled-up versions of solar flares.


The soft X-ray background shows a general enhancement toward the inner region of the Galaxy. But whether this enhancement is a local feature (e.g., a superbubble within a distance of <= 200 pc) and/or a phenomenon related to energetic outflows from the Galactic center/bulge remains unclear. Here we report a comparative X-ray emission and absorption study of diffuse hot gas along the sight lines toward 3C 273 and Mrk 421, on and off the enhancement, but at similar Galactic latitudes. The diffuse 3/4-keV emission intensity, as estimated from the ROSAT All Sky Survey, is about three times higher toward 3C 273 than toward Mrk 421. Based on archival \chandra grating observations of these two AGNs, we detect X-ray absorption lines (e.g., OVII Kalpha, Kbeta, and OVIII Kalpha transitions at z~0) and find that the mean hot gas thermal and kinematic properties along the two sight lines are significantly different. By subtracting the foreground and background contribution, as determined along the Mrk 421 sight line, we isolate the net X-ray absorption and emission produced by the hot gas associated with the enhancement in the direction of 3C 273. From a joint analysis of these differential data sets, we obtain the temperature, dispersion velocity, and hydrogen column density as 2.0(1.6, 2.3)E6 K, 216(104,480) km/s, and 2.2(1.4, 4.1)E19 cm^{-2}, respectively (90% confidence intervals), assuming that the gas is approximately isothermal, solar in metal abundances, and equilibrium in collisional ionization. We also constrain the effective line-of-sight extent of the gas to be 3.4(1.0, 10.1) kpc, strongly suggesting that the enhancement most likely represents a Galactic central phenomenon.


Linux. And if you're wondering whether it's possible to hack the Classic Edition and load more games? That answer is also yes. There's plenty of information on the internet that will show you how to update the system's software and install additional games. But be warned: There's always a chance that modifying your system could cause irreparable damage. More importantly, downloading and using games for which you don't already own a license for is usually illegal. Yesterday's games running on today's tech The NES Classic Edition is pure retro gaming fun. It's a much easier way to play old NES games than hunting through flea markets or online auctions for original hardware. And, it's less complicated (and more legal) than running emulator software with downloaded games on a PC. Unfortunately, after selling over 2 million Classic Editions, Nintendo unexpectedly discontinued the console in April 2017. If you didn't manage to scoop one up then, you may still be able to buy one online, albeit at a likely inflated price. It's also being released again on June 29. We shelled out $200 for the one I cracked open, which is way more than the $60, £50 or AU$100 retail price. Perhaps what stood out the most to me after cracking open the NES Classic Edition was just how much technology has improved in the past three decades. The hardware inside the Classic Edition is tiny compared with the original system, yet it's so much more powerful. I can't wait to see how far technology advances in the next 30 years. Also see: Update, May 29 at 5:55 p.m. PT: Added information about the NES Classic Edition returning to stores in June 2018.


than $200 million for beating Pacquiao. No one is making predictions, but it's likely the hybrid fight will at least end up in second place in pay-per-view sales behind the $400 million or so brought in by the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. Balance that against the chance McGregor may ruin his brand — and that of the UFC — by being embarrassed by Mayweather in the ring, and the money wins out. Even White, who was initially skeptical about putting his star in a boxing match, seems ready now to push the idea that he could actually win. "I've stopped doubting this kid a long time ago," White said. "The reason he's such a superstar is this guy will fight anyone, anywhere, at any time." Give McGregor credit for doing that, but give him even more credit for what turned out to be a masterful plan to make the fight happen. It was two years ago that he first suggested he could beat Mayweather in a boxing ring, and he's trolled Mayweather ever since, jabbing at every opening until he finally got him to sign on the dotted line. Sure, it's a freak show of sorts, bordering on something you see in WWE. But both fighters know their roles, and they will play them well. So enjoy the ride, because it should be a wild one. Just understand that the fun almost surely ends when the opening bell rings. ___ Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap.org or http:twitter.com//timdahlberg


Previously, we have identified the cytoplasmic zinc metalloprotease insulin-degrading enzyme(IDE) in human tissues by an immunohistochemical method involving no antigen retrieval (AR) by pressure cooking to avoid artifacts by endogenous biotin exposure and a detection kit based on the labeled streptavidin biotin (LSAB) method. Thereby, we also employed 3% hydrogen peroxide(H2O2) for the inhibition of endogenous peroxidase activity and incubated the tissue sections with the biotinylated secondary antibody at room temperature (RT). We now add the immunohistochemical details that had led us to this optimized procedure as they also bear a more general relevance when demonstrating intracellular tissue antigens. Our most important result is that endogenous peroxidase inhibition by 0.3% H2O2 coincided with an apparently positive IDE staining in an investigated breast cancer specimen whereas combining a block by 3% H2O2 with an incubation of the biotinylated secondary antibody at RT, yet not at 37 degrees Celsius, revealed this specimen as almost entirely IDE-negative. Our present data caution against three different immunohistochemical pitfalls that might cause falsely positive results and artifacts when using an LSAB- and peroxidase-based detection method: pressure cooking for AR, insufficient quenching of endogenous peroxidases and heating of tissue sections while incubating with biotinylated secondary antibodies.


other sales of tobacco products; ``(2) provides for the seizure of tobacco products or other property related to a violation of such laws; or ``(3) establishes cooperative programs for the administration of such laws. ``SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS. ``As used in this Act-- ``(1) the term `attorney general', with respect to a State, means the chief law enforcement officer of that State, or the designee of that officer; ``(2) the term `cigarette' means-- ``(A) any roll of tobacco wrapped in paper or in any substance not containing tobacco which is to be heated or burned; ``(B) any roll of tobacco wrapped in any substance containing tobacco that, because of its appearance, the type of tobacco used in the filler, or its packaging or labeling is likely to be offered to, or purchased by consumers as a cigarette described in subparagraph (A); ``(C) any roll of tobacco wrapped in any substance that because of its appearance, the type of tobacco used in the filler, or its packaging or labeling is likely to be offered to, or purchased by consumers as a cigarette; or ``(D) loose rolling tobacco that, because of its appearance, type, packaging, or labeling, is likely to be offered to, or purchased by, consumers as tobacco for making cigarettes; ``(3) the term `smokeless tobacco' means any product intended or marketed for human consumption containing finely cut, ground, powdered, leaf, or other tobacco that is intended to be placed in the oral or nasal cavity or otherwise consumed without being combusted; ``(4) the term `interstate sale of cigarettes or smokeless tobacco' means any sale of cigarettes or smokeless tobacco in interstate or foreign commerce to a person, other than a person licensed or otherwise authorized as a distributor, wholesaler, or retailer in the State where the cigarettes or smokeless tobacco is delivered, in which-- ``(A) the buyer submits the order for such sale by means of a telephone or other method of voice transmission, the mails, or the Internet or other online service, or the seller is not in the physical presence of the buyer when the request for purchase or order is made; or ``(B) the cigarettes or smokeless tobacco are delivered by use of a common carrier, private delivery service, or the mails, or the seller is not in the physical presence of the buyer when the buyer obtains physical possession of the delivered cigarettes or smokeless tobacco; ``(5)


Low mass helium-core white dwarfs (M < 0.45 Msun) can be produced from interacting binary systems, and traditionally all of them have been attributed to this channel. However, a low mass white dwarf could also result from a single star that experiences severe mass loss on the first ascent giant branch. A large population of low mass He-core white dwarfs has been discovered in the old metal-rich cluster NGC 6791. There is therefore a mechanism in clusters to produce low mass white dwarfs without requiring binary star interactions, and we search for evidence of a similar population in field white dwarfs. We argue that there is a significant field population (of order half of the detected systems) that arises from old metal rich stars which truncate their evolution prior to the helium flash from severe mass loss. There is a consistent absence of evidence for nearby companions in a large fraction of low mass white dwarfs. The number of old metal-rich field dwarfs is also comparable with the apparently single low mass white dwarf population, and our revised estimate for the space density of low mass white dwarfs produced from binary interactions is also compatible with theoretical expectations. This indicates that this channel of stellar evolution, hitherto thought hypothetical only, has been in operation in our own Galaxy for many billions of years. One strong implication of our model is that single low mass white dwarfs should be good targets for planet searches because they are likely to arise from metal-rich progenitors. We also discuss other observational tests and implications, including the potential impact on SN Ia rates and the frequency of planetary nebulae.


We present SEST observations of the molecular environment ahead of the southern Herbig-Haro object 188 (HH188), associated with the low-mass protostar Re4 IRS. We have also used the SuperCosmos Halpha survey to search for Halpha emission associated with the Re4 IRS - HH188 region. The aim of the present work is to study the properties of the molecular gas and to better characterize this southern star forming region. We mapped the HCO+ 3-2 and H13CO+ 1-0 emission around the YSO and took spectra of the CH3OH 2(0)-1(0)A+ and 2(-1)-1(-1)E and SO 6(5)-5(4) towards the central source. Column densities are derived and different scenarios are considered to explain the origin of the molecular emission. HCO+ arises from a relatively compact region around the YSO; however, its peak emission is displaced to the south following the outflow direction. Our chemical analysis indicates that a plausible scenario is that most of the emission arises from the cold, illuminated dense gas ahead of the HH188 object. We have also found that HH188, a high excitation object, seems to be part of a parsec scale and highly collimated HH system. Re4 IRS is probably a binary protostellar system, in the late Class 0 or Class I phase. One of the protostars, invisible in the near-IR, seems to power the HH188 system.


for advice. I’d say, BAIL LAUREN BAIL! Right, but if I told you I truly felt like it was a one-off and that he apologized—Oh wait. Yeah, that sounds like any other abusive situation. Advertisement Exactly. He yanked me down to the sofa and told me not to move. He knew I was really upset. I threw a plate of food at him and he gets pissed and chased me into the bathroom and I stayed there until he cooled off. But it’s totally fine now, I swear! Right. Jeesh. That wasn’t an abusive act on the part of your dad. But I have eighteen years of knowing him to understand that. Now, emotional abuse. You said you’ve experienced it? Yeah, in a few ways, mainly gaslighting. Explain to me how gaslighting works. I’ve been hearing it a lot more lately. It’s like, you confront your partner on something and they make it all about them and manipulate you into thinking not only that you’re incorrect—but you’re the one causing harm. Give me an example. My friend saw a hickey on her partner’s neck and confronted him. He said it was a rash. But then it became this whole thing. He made her feel like she ruined their whole day together and then it became about how she just wasn’t a good partner overall. What happened to just dealing with a good-old-fashioned liar? They’re out there. But it might not necessarily be emotional abuse. Gaslighting feels like it’s coming from a seriously evil person! Depends on the person. I’ve done it too. Oh. In what instances have you done it? When the person has done it to me! But, that’s no excuse. Wrong is wrong. Emotional abuse is serious. It’s not just lying or the regular ways we can disappoint or even hurt our partners. It’s continual manipulation when you specifically want to hurt someone. Like, that’s the goal. And you’re dealing with this? Yeah. Actually, I have to check myself about the ways I’m conditioned to expect the worse in a relationship. Are you catching these signs? Sometimes. But even when I do catch it. I don’t always do something about it. Like, when people plays those games with contacting. Like texting and stuff. Can that be considered emotional abuse? Maybe not at first. But if you’re dating someone who plays that stupid I’ll-wait


On-axis achromatic interfero-coronagraph. We present a new type of stellar interfero-coronagraph, the "CIAXE", which is a variant of the "AIC", the Achromatic Interfero-Coronagraph [3,4]. The CIAXE is characterized by a very simple, compact and fully coaxial optical combination. Indeed, contrarily to the classical AIC which has a Michelson interferometer structure, the CIAXE delivers its output beam on the same axis as the input beam. This will ease its insertion in the focal instrumentation of existing telescopes or next generation ones. Such a device could be a step forward in the field of instrumental search for exoplanets. ----- Dans le but deparvenir \`a l'imagerie \`a haute dynamique d'objets comme les exoplan\`etes, nous pr\'esentons ici un nouveau concept de coronographe stellaire interf\'erentiel, le "CIAXE". Il est d\'eriv\'e du "CIA", le Coronographe Interf\'erentiel Achromatique. Le CIAXE se distingue de son pr\'ed\'ecesseur par une combinaison optique originale, simplifi\'ee, tr\`es compacte et totalement coaxiale. En effet, \`a la diff\'erence du CIA classique qui est d\'eriv\'e de l'interf\'erom\`etre de Michelson, le CIAXE d\'elivre son faisceau de sortie sur le m\^eme axe que le faisceau d'entr\'ee, ce qui facilitera grandement son insertion au sein de l'instrumentation focale d'un t\'elescope. Un tel dispositif pourrait constituer une avanc\'ee en mati\`ere d'instrumentation focale pour la recherche d'exoplan\`etes.


that contains the following information: ``(A) How using the electronic interstate case- processing system developed pursuant to paragraph (4) has changed the time it takes for children to be placed across State lines. ``(B) The number of cases subject to the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children that were processed through the electronic interstate case- processing system, and the number of interstate child placement cases that were processed outside the electronic interstate case-processing system, by each State in each year. ``(C) The progress made by States in implementing the electronic interstate case-processing system. ``(D) How using the electronic interstate case- processing system has affected various metrics related to child safety and well-being, including the time it takes for children to be placed across State lines. ``(E) How using the electronic interstate case- processing system has affected administrative costs and caseworker time spent on placing children across State lines. ``(6) Data integration.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretariat for the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children and the States, shall assess how the electronic interstate case-processing system developed pursuant to paragraph (4) could be used to better serve and protect children that come to the attention of the child welfare system, by-- ``(A) connecting the system with other data systems (such as systems operated by State law enforcement and judicial agencies, systems operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purposes of the Innocence Lost National Initiative, and other systems); ``(B) simplifying and improving reporting related to paragraphs (34) and (35) of section 471(a) regarding children or youth who have been identified as being a sex trafficking victim or children missing from foster care; and ``(C) improving the ability of States to quickly comply with background check requirements of section 471(a)(20), including checks of child abuse and neglect registries as required by section 471(a)(20)(B).''. SEC. 5. CONTINUATION OF DISCRETIONARY FUNDING TO PROMOTE SAFE AND STABLE FAMILIES. Section 437(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629g(a)) is amended by striking ``2016'' and inserting ``2018''. SEC. 6. RESERVATION OF FUNDS TO IMPROVE THE INTERSTATE PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN. Section 437(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629g(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(


Image via Getty. Carrie Fisher’s death is heartbreaking to so many because her openness and honesty about her life made her seem like someone you’ve known all your life, an intimate and wonderful old friend. The words of her actual old friend supports some of those feelings. Advertisement In a tribute published on The Hollywood Reporter Monday, Mark Hamill shared some sweet memories of getting to know Carrie Fisher as a young man and the joy of having his life inextricably linked to hers through the Star Wars series. Before shooting with Fisher began, Hamill asked the production office to set up a dinner between them so he could get to know her, and it sounds like she knew how to make instant pals: You know, she was 19 years old at the time. I was a worldly 24. So I was thinking, “Oh my God, it’ll be like working with a high school kid.” But I was just bowled over. I mean she was just so instantly ingratiating and funny and outspoken. She had a way of just being so brutally candid. I’d just met her but it was like talking to a person you’d known for ten years. She was telling me stuff about her stepfather, about her mom, about Eddie Fisher — it was just harrowing in its detail. I kept thinking, “Should I know this?” I mean, I wouldn’t have shared that with somebody that I had trusted for years and years and years. But she was the opposite. She just sucked you into her world. Most of his anecdotes are similar to the goofy memories you might have of your own social group’s hijinks, except they were on the set of one of the most successful movies of all time: Advertisement Once at lunchtime she said, “You should try on my jumpsuit.” I said, “The one-piece white jumpsuit? You’re what, 5’2”? I’ll never get in!” She said, “Just try.” I put on that Princess Leia zipper jump suit and it was so tight I looked like a Vegas lounge singer. If that wasn’t ridiculous enough, she had me put on one of those bald cap masks with the Bozo hair and glasses and nose and then she walked me around the back lot. Hamill alludes to times when he and Fisher were in conflict, and times when they “hated each other’s guts.” But, he says, “That’s all part of what makes a relationship complete. It


Aiming at a better understand of the physical and chemical processes in the hot molecular core stage of high-mass star formation, we observed the prototypical hot core G29.96-0.02 in the 862mu band with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) at sub-arcsecond spatial resolution. The observations resolved the hot molecular core into six submm continuum sources with the finest spatial resolution of 0.36''x0.25'' (~1800AU) achieved so far. Four of them located within 7800(AU)^2 comprise a proto-Trapezium system with estimated protostellar densities of 1.4x0^5 protostars/pc^3. The plethora of ~80 spectral lines allows us to study the molecular outflow(s), the core kinematics, the temperature structure of the region as well as chemical effects. The derived hot core temperatures are of the order 300K. We find interesting chemical spatial differentiations, e.g., C34S is deficient toward the hot core and is enhanced at the UCHII/hot core interface, which may be explained by temperature sensitive desorption from grains and following gas phase chemistry. The SiO(8-7) emission outlines likely two molecular outflows emanating from this hot core region. Emission from most other molecules peaks centrally on the hot core and is not dominated by any individual submm peak. Potential reasons for that are discussed. A few spectral lines that are associated with the main submm continuum source, show a velocity gradient perpendicular to the large-scale outflow. Since this velocity structure comprises three of the central protostellar sources, this is not a Keplerian disk. While the data are consistent with a gas core that may rotate and/or collapse, we cannot exclude the outflow(s) and/or nearby expanding UCHII region as possible alternative causes of this velocity pattern.


(7) while roadless areas may have many wilderness-like attributes, unlike wilderness areas, the use of mechanized means of travel is allowed in many roadless areas; (8) roadless areas contain many sites sacred to Native Americans and other groups that use roadless areas for spiritual and religious retreats; (9) from the inception of Federal land management, it has been the mission of the Forest Service and other agencies to manage the National Forest System for the dual purposes of resource extraction and conservation; (10) consistent with that dual mission, this Act-- (A) protects social and ecological values, while allowing for many multiple uses of inventoried roadless areas; and (B) does not impose any limitations on the use of, or access to, private, State, or National Forest System land outside inventoried roadless areas; (11) establishing a consistent national policy for the protection of inventoried roadless areas-- (A) ensures that the considerable long-term ecological and economic benefits of protecting roadless areas for future generations are properly considered; (B) diminishes the likelihood of controversy at the project level; and (C) enables the Forest Service to focus on the economic and environmental benefits of reducing hazardous fuel buildups in already roaded portions of the landscape; (12) the National Fire Plan indicates that fires are almost twice as likely to occur in roaded areas as in roadless areas, because roadless areas are generally located further away from communities and are harder to access; (13) the report entitled ``Protecting People and Sustaining Resources in Fire-Adapted Ecosystems--A Cohesive Strategy'' (65 Fed. Reg. 67480) advocates a higher priority for fuel reduction on land that is near communities and readily accessible municipal watersheds; (14) the Forest Service has an enormous backlog of maintenance needs for the existing 386,000 mile road system of the Forest Service that will cost millions of dollars to eliminate; (15) no State or private land owner would continue to build new roads in the face of such an enormous backlog; (16) failure to maintain forest roads-- (A) limits public access; and (B) causes degradation of water quality and wildlife and fish habitat; and (17) protection of roadless areas-- (A) will impact less than 0.5 percent of the national timber supply; and (B) will have a negligible impact on oil and gas production since-- (i


SECTION 1. TRAFFICKING IN COUNTERFEIT MARKS. (a) Short Title; Findings.-- (1) Short title.--This section may be cited as the ``Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act''. (2) Findings.--The Congress finds that-- (A) the United States economy is losing millions of dollars in tax revenue and tens of thousands of jobs because of the manufacture, distribution, and sale of counterfeit goods; (B) the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection estimates that counterfeiting costs the United States $200 billion annually; (C) counterfeit automobile parts, including brake pads, cost the auto industry alone billions of dollars in lost sales each year; (D) counterfeit products have invaded numerous industries, including those producing auto parts, electrical appliances, medicines, tools, toys, office equipment, clothing, and many other products; (E) ties have been established between counterfeiting and terrorist organizations that use the sale of counterfeit goods to raise and launder money; (F) ongoing counterfeiting of manufactured goods poses a widespread threat to public health and safety; and (G) strong domestic criminal remedies against counterfeiting will permit the United States to seek stronger anticounterfeiting provisions in bilateral and international agreements with trading partners. (b) Trafficking in Counterfeit Marks.--Section 2320 of title 18, United States Code, is amended as follows: (1) Subsection (a) is amended by inserting after ``such goods or services'' the following: ``, or intentionally traffics or attempts to traffic in labels, patches, stickers, wrappers, badges, emblems, medallions, charms, boxes, containers, cans, cases, hangtags, documentation, or packaging of any type or nature, knowing that a counterfeit mark has been applied thereto, the use of which is likely to cause confusion, to cause mistake, or to deceive,''. (2) Subsection (b) is amended to read as follows: ``(b)(1) The following property shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States and no property right shall exist in such property: ``(A) Any article bearing or consisting of a counterfeit mark used in committing a violation of subsection (a). ``(B) Any property used, in any manner or part, to commit or to facilitate the commission of a violation of subsection (a). ``(2) The provisions of chapter 46 of this title relating to civil forfeitures,


ad's goal is to work for NASA. He emailed NPR that same day, that his brother is a research astronomer working for NASA at Goddard. "I think it would be a cool follow up to connect the son to my brother and help him make the connections needed to pursue studies in astronomy," he wrote. Cool, indeed. The connection was made, emails were exchanged, and last week, at the invitation of Jeremy Schnittman, Murad and his mother, Limara Rahimova, made the trip to Goddard outside Washington, D.C. Schnittman, an astrophysicist who specializes in black holes, spent several hours showing the Rahimovs the inner workings of the space flight center and sharing his enthusiasm for space science. Murad was clearly in his element, sporting a t-shirt with a picture of the Millennium Falcon spaceship from Star Wars, and a line from the movie: "the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy." He and his mother got to see the giant cryo-vac chamber where spacecraft are tested to find out if they'll withstand the extreme temperatures of space. They walked inside the acoustic chamber that blasts spacecraft with earsplitting sound to simulate the vibration of launch. They toured the laser lab where scientists are fine-tuning measurements to detect gravitational waves. "Amazing," Murad marveled. Back in his office, ("black hole central," as he calls it) Schnittman talked with Murad about his research into how light gets bent around black holes. Naturally, they both share a hero in Albert Einstein, whose photo Schnittman keeps pinned above his desk. "It's remarkable," Schnittman said. "It's over 100 years since Einstein did all of this stuff, and still, everything is Einstein. Einstein, Einstein, Einstein." When Murad mused about the possibilities of time travel, Schnittman sounded optimistic. "It's really not that much of a stretch to say that we're one step closer to time travel," he told Murad. "This is something that Einstein predicted 100 years ago. According to the theory, the equations, time travel should be possible. The trick is just building it and getting it to work, but as far as we can tell, there's no rule against it." The astrophysicist and the would-be astronaut parted ways with the promise to stay in touch. Later Murad said he loves science because it shows "


We present a photoionization model study of the effects of micro-turbulence and dissipative heating on emission lines for number and column densities, elemental abundances, and ionizations typical for the narrow emission line regions (NLRs) of Seyfert galaxies. Earlier studies of NLR spectra generally found good agreement between the observations and the model predictions for most strong emission lines, such as [O III] $\lambda$5007, [O II] $\lambda$3727, [N II] $\lambda$6583, [Ne III] $\lambda$3869, and the H and He recombination lines. Nevertheless, the strengths of lines from species with ionization potentials greater than that of He$^{+}$(54.4 eV), e.g. N$^{+4}$ and Ne$^{+4}$, were often under-predicted. Among the explanations suggested for these discrepancies were (selectively) enhanced elemental abundances and contributions from shock heated gas. Interestingly, the NLR lines have widths of several 100 km s$^{-1}$, well in excess of the thermal broadening. If this is due to micro-turbulence, and the turbulence dissipates within the emission-line gas, the gas can be heated in excess of that due to photoionization. We show that the combined effects of turbulence and dissipative heating can strongly enhance N V $\lambda$1240 (relative to He II $\lambda$1640), while the heating alone can boost the strength of [Ne V] $\lambda$3426. We suggest that this effect is present in the NLR, particularly within $\sim$ 100 pc of the central engine. Finally, since micro-turbulence would make clouds robust against instabilities generated during acceleration, it is not likely to be a coincidence that the radially outflowing emission-line gas is turbulent.


SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — It looks like a perfectly staged assassination, straight out of the pages of a spy novel: North Korean royalty Kim Jong Nam, the estranged, exiled half-brother of leader Kim Jong Un, falls ill at a Malaysian airport, complains of being sprayed with some sort of chemical, and drops dead. But, as with many things about the alleged motives of cloistered North Korea, the unknowns currently far outweigh the certainties. A look at what officials are trying to piece together as they work to reconstruct one of the most audacious, mysterious assassinations in recent Asian history: ___ WHY NOW? This is the big one: Motive. Kim Jong Nam, a jovial, overweight gambler and playboy, had embarrassed Pyongyang before — he tried to sneak into Tokyo Disney; he criticized his half-brother — but he's been generally seen more as an annoyance than an existential threat to North Korea's stability. Why would Kim Jong Un go through the massive logistical trouble — and potential embarrassment — of staging the risky assassination of a blood relation on foreign soil? Without elaborating, South Korea's spy service told lawmakers Wednesday that the North had been trying to kill Kim Jong Nam for five years. Spy officials offered a single, shaky motive for the death: Kim Jong Un's "paranoia" over his estranged brother. But the South's National Intelligence Service has a long history of botching intelligence on North Korea and has long sought to portray the North's leadership as mentally unstable. Some in Seoul wonder if Kim Jong Un might have become enraged when a South Korean newspaper reported last week that Kim Jong Nam tried to defect to the South in 2012. South Korea's spy service denied this, but it's still an open question: Could public speculation that a member of the exalted Kim dynasty wanted to flee to the hated South have pushed Kim Jong Un to order his brother's assassination? ___ WHY THE AIRPORT IN MALAYSIA? There would seem to be easier, less public places to kill such a high-profile target. A possible explanation might be found in another nugget provided by South Korea's spy agency: China had long protected Kim Jong Nam and his family in their home base of Macau. Analysts have seen Beijing as looking to Kim Jong Nam as a potential leader should North Korea's regime collapse. With security, presumably overseen by China, tight in Macau, could there have been a security gap


Most of us use macros to automate processes that we repeat or that require specialized knowledge. Regardless of why you use macros, you want them to run as quickly as possible. You can optimize your code by: Disabling features that update the sheet Avoiding selecting things In this article, I'll show you how to make simple changes to your code to optimize it for speed. I'm using Excel 2016 on a Windows 10 64-bit system, but these tips will work in older versions. The tips are specific to the desktop version because macros don't run in the browser version. There's no demonstration file; you won't need one. 1: Disable updating features Have you noticed that your screen sometimes flickers while a macro is running? This happens when Excel attempts to redraw the screen to show changes made by the running macro. If screen updates aren't necessary while running the macro, consider disabling this feature so your macro can run a bit faster. Use the following statements to disable and enable this feature: Application.ScreenUpdating = False'macro code Application.ScreenUpdating = True You can expect Excel to redraw the screen when the macro completes its work—when you reset the property to True. Disabling screen updates won't disable the Status Bar, which displays information during normal operations, including what your macro is doing. To disable updates to the Status Bar, use the DisplayStatusBar property as follows: Application.ScreenUpdating = False Application.DisplayStatusBar = False'macro code Application. DisplayStatusBar = True Application.ScreenUpdating = True If your macro is analyzing a lot of data, consider setting the Calculation property to Manual while the macro is running. That way, the workbook won't recalculate unless you force it to by pressing F9. Calculation speed probably isn't a large performance factor is most normal workbooks though, and it can have unexpected results, so use it sparingly—as needed: Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual Application.ScreenUpdating = False Application.DisplayStatusBar = False'macro code Application. DisplayStatusBar = True Application.ScreenUpdating = True Application.Calculation = xlCalculationAutomatic Macros can trigger unnecessary event procedures. For instance, entering a value into a cell triggers the Worksheet_Change event. A few won't be noticeable, but if the macro is complex enough, you might consider disabling events while the macro is running: Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual Application.ScreenUpdating = False Application.DisplayStatusBar = False Application.EnableEvents = False'macro code Application.EnableEvents =


ultimate aim is the selection of the Chief Executive by universal suffrage upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures''; (H) provides that the legislature of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be the Legislative Council; and (I) provides that ``the ultimate aim is the election of all the members of the Legislative Council by universal suffrage''. (3) The National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) determined on December 29, 2007, that Hong Kong could elect the Chief Executive by universal suffrage beginning in 2017, and that Hong Kong could thereafter elect the Legislative Council by universal suffrage beginning in 2020. (4) The Chief Executive is currently selected by an Election Committee consisting of 1,200 members. In order to run, candidates for Chief Executive must currently receive the support of one-eighth of the members of the Election Committee, the majority of whom reportedly support or have ties to the Chinese Communist Party. (5) On August 31, 2014, the NPCSC determined that the 2017 election for the Chief Executive could be held by universal suffrage but that Hong Kong voters could only choose from two to three candidates, each of whom is to be chosen by a majority of a nominating committee similar to the current Election Committee that is heavily controlled by pro-Beijing members. (6) International standards for elections, including Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, guarantee citizens the right to vote and to be elected in genuine periodic elections by universal and equal suffrage without unreasonable restrictions. (7) Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong residents have consistently and peacefully expressed their dissatisfaction with the electoral reform plans of the Hong Kong government and the Government of the People's Republic of China, including the August 2014 NPCSC decision, and have called for a genuine choice in elections that meet international standards. Their peaceful and orderly protests have set an example for other democratic movements around the world, including those in mainland China who continue to fight for their fundamental freedoms. (8) Media reports indicate that Hong Kong police used tear gas and pepper spray against demonstrators on September 28, 2014, and that police allegedly failed to adequately protect demonstrators from mobs of counter-protestors, some of whom had affiliations with gangs known as ``triads'', who beat students and forcibly tried to remove them from their places of protest


or other benefit provided or reasonably likely to be provided in the future to or on behalf of a claimant, as a result of an injury or wrongful death, pursuant to-- (A) any State or Federal health, sickness, income- disability, accident or workers' compensation Act; (B) any health, sickness, income-disability, or accident insurance that provides health benefits or income-disability coverage; (C) any contract or agreement of any group, organization, partnership, or corporation to provide, pay for, or reimburse the cost of medical, hospital, dental, or income disability benefits; and (D) any other publicly or privately funded program. (6) Drug.--The term ``drug'' has the meaning given such term in section 201(g)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321(g)(1)). (7) Economic damages.--The term ``economic damages'' means objectively verifiable monetary losses incurred as a result of the provision of, use of, or payment for (or failure to provide, use, or pay for) health care services or medical products such as past and future medical expenses, loss of past and future earnings, cost of obtaining domestic services, loss of employment, loss due to death, burial costs, and loss of business or employment opportunities. (8) Harm.--The term ``harm'' means any legally cognizable wrong or injury for which punitive damages may be imposed. (9) Health benefit plan.--The term ``health benefit plan'' means-- (A) a hospital or medical expense incurred policy or certificate, (B) a hospital or medical service plan contract, (C) a health maintenance subscriber contract, or (D) a Medicare+Choice product (offered under part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act), that provides benefits with respect to health care services. (10) Health care liability action.--The term ``health care liability action'' means a civil action brought in a State or Federal court or pursuant to alternative dispute resolution against a health care provider, an entity which is obligated to provide or pay for health benefits under any health benefit plan (including any person or entity acting under a contract or arrangement to provide or administer any health benefit), or the manufacturer, distributor, supplier, marketer, promoter, or seller of a medical product, in which the claimant alleges a claim (including third party claims, cross claims, counter claims, or contribution claims


We present and analyze high-resolution optical spectra of the Algol binaries S Equ and KO Aql. New accurate radial velocities for the hotter primary components are obtained. Thanks to the cross-correlation procedure, we were able to measure, for the first time to our knowledge, radial velocities also for the cool secondary components of S Equ and KO Aql. By combining the parameters obtained from the solution of the radial velocity curves with those obtained from the light curve analysis, reliable absolute parameters of the systems have been derived. The rotational velocity of the hotter components of S Equ and KO Aql has been measured and it is found that the gainers of both systems rotate about 30 % faster than synchronously. This is likely due to mass transfer across the Lagrangian L1 point from the cooler to the hotter component. The lower luminosity of the mass-gaining components of these systems compared to normal main-sequence stars of the same mass can be also an effect of the mass transfer. The H-alpha profiles reveal clear evidence of mass transfer and accretion structures. In both systems we clearly observed extra-absorption lines. From the integrated absorption and the radial velocity variations of these features, we found that the mass accretion is very dense around the impact region of the hotter components. A double-peaked emission in the spectra of S Equ was seen outside the eclipses. One of these peaks is likely originated in a region between the center of mass and the cooler component, which is occupied by the flowing matter. Furthermore, the H-alpha difference spectra of S Equ and KO Aql display also emission features, which should be arising from the magnetic activity of the cooler components.


In this paper we study $\mu-e$ conversion in nuclei within the context of the Constrained Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, enlarged by three right handed neutrinos and their supersymmetric partners, and where the neutrino masses are generated via a seesaw mechanism. Two different scenarios with either universal or non-universal soft supersymmetry breaking Higgs masses at the gauge coupling unification scale are considered. In the first part we present a complete one-loop computation of the conversion rate for this process that includes the photon-, $Z$-boson, and Higgs-boson penguins, as well as box diagrams, and compare their size in the two considered scenarios. Then, in these two scenarios we analyse the relevance of the various parameters on the conversion rates, particularly emphasising the role played by the heavy neutrino masses, $\tan \beta$, and especially $\theta_{13}$. In the case of hierachical heavy neutrinos, an extremely high sensitivity of the rates to $\theta_{13}$ is indeed found. The last part of this work is devoted to the study of the interesting loss of correlation between the $\mu-e$ conversion and $\mu \to e \gamma$ rates that occurs in the non-universal scenario. In the case of large $\tan \beta$ and light $H^0$ Higgs boson an enhanced ratio of the $\mu-e$ to $\mu \to e \gamma$ rates, with respect to the universal case is found, and this could be tested with the future experimental sensitivities.


We report the X-ray detection of the Type II-plateau supernova SN 2004et in the spiral galaxy NGC 6946, using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. The position of the X-ray source was found to agree with the optical position within ~0.4 arcsec. Chandra also surveyed the region before the 2004 event, finding no X-ray emission at the location of the progenitor. For the post-explosion observations, a total of 202, 151, and 158 photons were detected in three pointings, each ~29 ks in length, on 2004 October 22, November 6, and December 3, respectively. The spectrum of the first observation is best fit by a thermal model with a temperature of kT=1.3 keV and a line-of-sight absorption of N_H=1.0 x 10^{22} cm^{-2}. The inferred unabsorbed luminosity (0.4-8 keV) is ~4x10^{38} erg/s, adopting a distance of 5.5 Mpc. A comparison between hard and soft counts on the first and third epochs indicates a softening over this time, although there is an insufficient number of photons to constrain the variation of temperature and absorption by spectral fitting. We model the emission as arising from the reverse shock region in the interaction between the supernova ejecta and the progenitor wind. For a Type IIP supernova with an extended progenitor, the cool shell formed at the time of shock wave breakout from the star can affect the initial evolution of the interaction shell and the absorption of radiation from the reverse shock. The observed spectral softening might be due to decreasing shell absorption. We find a pre-supernova mass loss rate of (2-2.5)x 10^{-6} M_{\odot} /yr for a wind velocity of 10 kms, which is in line with expectations for a Type IIP supernova.


the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall direct that all elements of the Department of Defense suspend use of depleted uranium munitions. (b) Duration.--(1) The suspension of use of depleted uranium munitions required by subsection (a) shall remain in effect until the Secretary of Health and Human Services, based upon the results of the study under section 7(a), certifies to the committees specified in paragraph (2) that use of depleted uranium munitions in future conflicts-- (A) will not pose a likely long-term or residual threat to the health of United States or NATO military personnel; and (B) will not jeopardize the health of civilian populations in the area of such use. (2) The committees referred to in paragraph (1) are the following: (A) The Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Government Reform of the House of Representatives. (B) The Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate. (c) Future Use Limited to Stocks Free of Transuranic Matter.--Upon a certification by the Secretary of Health and Human Services described in subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall limit any subsequent use of depleted uranium munitions to stocks of such munitions that the Secretary certifies to be free of plutonium and other transuranic matter. SEC. 5. SUSPENSION OF SALE AND EXPORT OF DEPLETED URANIUM MUNITIONS. (a) Suspension of Sale and Export.--Upon the enactment of this Act, all elements of the Government with responsibility for approving the foreign sale or export of munitions shall suspend the approval of the sale and export of munitions containing depleted uranium. (b) Duration.--The suspension required by subsection (a) of approval of the foreign sale and export of depleted uranium munitions shall remain in effect until the Secretary of Health and Human Services makes a certification described in section 4(b). (c) Future Exports To Be Limited to Stocks Free of Transuranic Matter.--Upon a certification by the Secretary of Health and Human Services described in section 4(b), any subsequent foreign sale or export of depleted uranium munitions or preproduction depleted uranium may be made only from stocks of such munitions or preproduction depleted uranium that the Secretary of Defense certifies to be free of plutonium and other transuranic matter, excluding depleted uranium. SEC. 6. COMPTROLLER GENERAL INVESTIGATION OF PLUTONIUM CONT


The X-ray binary Cygnus X-3 is a highly variable X-ray source that displays a wide range of observed spectral states. One of the main states is significantly harder than the others, peaking at ~ 20 keV, with only a weak low-energy component. Due to the enigmatic nature of this object, hidden inside the strong stellar wind of its Wolf-Rayet companion, it has remained unclear whether this state represents an intrinsic hard state, with truncation of the inner disc, or whether it is just a result of increased local absorption. We study the X-ray light curves from RXTE/ASM and CGRO/BATSE in terms of distributions and correlations of flux and hardness and find several signs of a bimodal behaviour of the accretion flow that are not likely to be the result of increased absorption in a surrounding medium. Using INTEGRAL observations, we model the broad-band spectrum of Cyg X-3 in its apparent hard state. We find that it can be well described by a model of a hard state with a truncated disc, despite the low cut-off energy, if the accreted power is supplied to the electrons in the inner flow in the form of acceleration rather than thermal heating, resulting in a hybrid electron distribution and a spectrum with a significant contribution from non-thermal Comptonization, usually observed only in soft states. The high luminosity of this non-thermal hard state implies that either the transition takes place at significantly higher L/Ledd than in the usual advection models, or the mass of the compact object is > 20 Msun, possibly making it the most massive black hole observed in an X-ray binary in our Galaxy so far. We find that an absorption model as well as a model of almost pure Compton reflection also fit the data well, but both have difficulties explaining other results, in particular the radio/X-ray correlation.


could produce results detrimental to the safety and well-being of the United States and its people'' under the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 (3 U.S.C. 102 note; Public Law 88-277); (13) Congress has previously expressed its intent ``that appropriate actions be authorized and taken to avoid or minimize any disruption'' and ``that all officers of the Government so conduct the affairs of the Government for which they exercise responsibility and authority as (1) to be mindful of problems occasioned by transitions in the office of the President, (2) to take appropriate lawful steps to avoid or minimize disruptions that might be occasioned by the transfer of the executive power, and (3) otherwise to promote orderly transitions in the office of President'' under the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 (3 U.S.C. 102 note; Public Law 88-277); (14) the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States established under title VI of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (6 U.S.C. 101 note; Public Law 107-306) expressly recognized the need to ``Improve the Transitions between Administrations'' in its final report; (15) the Commission specifically recommended that, ``[s]ince a catastrophic attack could occur with little or no notice, we should minimize as much as possible the disruption of national security policymaking during the change of administrations by accelerating the process for national security appointments'' and that ``the process could be improved significantly so transitions can work more effectively and allow new officials to assume their new responsibilities as quickly as possible''; (16) the Commission suggested that ``[a] president-elect should submit lists of possible candidates for national security positions to begin obtaining security clearances immediately after the election, so that their background investigations can be complete before January 20'', that ``[a] president-elect should submit the nominations of the entire new national security team, through the level of under secretary of cabinet departments, not later than January 20'', that ``[t]he Senate, in return, should adopt special rules requiring hearings and votes to confirm or reject national security nominees within 30 days of their submission'', and that an outgoing Administration should work cooperatively with an incoming President to ensure a smooth transition, in the interest of national security; and (17) there is no more important national security position than the office of President, and thus it is essential to national security that any new administration establish