Narrow-band search of continuous gravitational-wave signals from Crab and Vela pulsars in Virgo VSR4 data

In this paper we present the results of a coherent narrow-band search for continuous gravitational-wave signals from the Crab and Vela pulsars conducted on Virgo VSR4 data. In order to take into account a possible small mismatch between the gravitational-wave frequency and two times the star rotation frequency, inferred from measurement of the electromagnetic pulse rate, a range of 0.02 Hz around two times the star rotational frequency has been searched for both the pulsars. No evidence for a signal has been found and 95% confidence level upper limits have been computed assuming both that polarization parameters are completely unknown and that they are known with some uncertainty, as derived from x-ray observations of the pulsar wind torii. For Vela the upper limits are comparable to the spin-down limit, computed assuming that all the observed spin-down is due to the emission of gravitational waves. For Crab the upper limits are about a factor of 2 below the spin-down limit, and represent a significant improvement with respect to past analysis. This is the first time the spin-down limit is significantly overcome in a narrow-band search.

Directed search for gravitational waves from Scorpius X-1 with initial LIGO data

We present results of a search for continuously emitted gravitational radiation, directed at the brightest low-mass x-ray binary, Scorpius X-1. Our semicoherent analysis covers 10 days of LIGO S5 data ranging from 50-550 Hz, and performs an incoherent sum of coherent F-statistic power distributed amongst frequency-modulated orbital sidebands. All candidates not removed at the veto stage were found to be consistent with noise at a 1% false alarm rate. We present Bayesian 95% confidence upper limits on gravitational-wave strain amplitude using two different prior distributions: a standard one, with no a priori assumptions about the orientation of Scorpius X-1; and an angle-restricted one, using a prior derived from electromagnetic observations. Median strain upper limits of 1.3 x 10(-24) and 8 x 10(-25) are reported at 150 Hz for the standard and angle-restricted searches respectively. This proof-of-principle analysis was limited to a short observation time by unknown effects of accretion on the intrinsic spin frequency of the neutron star, but improves upon previous upper limits by factors of similar to 1.4 for the standard, and 2.3 for the angle-restricted search at the sensitive region of the detector.

Advanced LIGO

The Advanced LIGO gravitational wave detectors are second-generation instruments designed and built for the two LIGO observatories in Hanford, WA and Livingston, LA, USA. The two instruments are identical in design, and are specialized versions of a Michelson interferometer with 4 km long arms. As in Initial LIGO, Fabry-Perot cavities are used in the arms to increase the interaction time with a gravitational wave, and power recycling is used to increase the effective laser power. Signal recycling has been added in Advanced LIGO to improve the frequency response. In the most sensitive frequency region around 100 Hz, the design strain sensitivity is a factor of 10 better than Initial LIGO. In addition, the low frequency end of the sensitivity band is moved from 40 Hz down to 10 Hz. All interferometer components have been replaced with improved technologies to achieve this sensitivity gain. Much better seismic isolation and test mass suspensions are responsible for the gains at lower frequencies. Higher laser power, larger test masses and improved mirror coatings lead to the improved sensitivity at mid and high frequencies. Data collecting runs with these new instruments are planned to begin in mid-2015.

Observation of the rare B-s(0)->mu(+)mu(-) decay from the combined analysis of CMS and LHCb data

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Seleção de genótipos de soja portadores ou não do gene RR por meio de análise multivariada e desempenho agronômico

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação do soro de leite como coagulante do látex de borracha natural

Pós-graduação em Ciência dos Materiais - FEIS

William Boyce White, Jr. Papers - Accession 1488

The William Boyce White, Jr. Papers consists of his genealogical research as well as his research related to the history of York County and Rock Hill, SC. The papers also include records and manuscripts relating to several of his published works. Mr. White is a Rock Hill native and taught at the Winthrop Training School (WTS) from 1958-1965 and taught at Rock Hill High School following the closing of the high school portion of the WTS. He also taught in Clover before coming to Winthrop. He was the organist at First Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill from 1945 until he moved to Virginia. His interest in local history covers the Rock Hill train depot (included in the collection is a tintype of the original depot ca. 1860s), Colonel William Hill, the Catawba River, Catawba Indians, Rock Hill and York County schools, historic homes (includes several photographs, many of which were used by Elizabeth Reed in her long running series on historic homes in Rock HillEvening Herald), local churches, as well as Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Blackstocks, and York County in general. Of special interest is a copy of the Indian Land Chronicle dated January 21, 1859. Only three copies of the Chronicle are known to exist in the state of South Carolina. The genealogical research conducted by Mr. White covers many of the prominent names of York County and of South Carolina in general. Below is a list of the prominent family names covered in Mr. White’s research: Anderson; Bankhead; Barringer; Bell; Black; Button; Campbell; Carpenter; Coffey; Cowan; Crawford; Culp; Davis; Fennell; Fewell; Graham; Hanna; Hayes; Hill; Hutchison; Irwin/ Erwin; Johnson; Lee; Martin; Massey; McClain; McConnell; McCullough; McFadden; Miller; Mobley; Morrow; Neely; Neil; Patton; Pettus; Plexico/Plaxco; Rives; Robinson; Roddey; Setzer; Stephenson; Strait; Sturgis; Sutton; Templeton; Waggoner; Wallace; Wherry; White; Williams; Williamson; Workman; Wylie.

Knox-Wise Family Papers - Accession 591

The Knox-Wise Family Papers includes a land grant issued to John Knox in 1768; diaries written by Dr. John Knox [1792-1859] covering the 1840s and 1850s; James N. Knox [1806-1880] covering 1859-1880; and William D. Knox [1847-1928] covering 1869-1928; indentures, deeds, receipts, court summonses and other papers of Hugh Knox [1757-1821], sheriff and justice of the peace in Chester County, South Carolina (ca. 1780s and 1790s); correspondence of James N. Knox, correspondence, and other professional papers of Dr. John Knox; correspondence, and other papers of William D. Knox, Superintendent of Education in Chester County from 1896-1928. Papers of various other members of the Knox and Wise families including Hugh Boyd Knox [1814-1886], Robert Knox [1796-1879], Sally Knox Wallace [1803-1901], Alexander Walker Wise, and Emmie R. Knox [1885-1969]; family histories of the Knox, Wise, Dunlap, Gaston, and Wilks families; church histories, photographs, and newspaper clippings. Also included are three published volumes of the United Confederate Veterans Minutes of the 21st (1911) and 25th (1915) Annual Meeting and Reunion; and the minutes of the annual reunion of the South Carolina Division of the United Confederate Veterans (1921-1927).

South Carolina Teacher Association History - Accession 240 - M101 (130)

The South Carolina Teacher Association History collection consists of a publication written by David Duncan Wallace titled History of the South Carolina Teachers' Association in 1924. The publication covers the history of the South Carolina Teacher Association from its founding in 1850 to 1924.

Fennell Infirmary Records - Accession 227 - M97 (125)

The Fennell Infirmary Records consist of photocopies of newspaper articles, photographs, and biographical data concerning Dr. William Wallace Fennell (1869-1926), a physician and founder of Fennell Infirmary in Rock Hill, SC. The Fennell Infirmary was started in 1910.

The Critical Reception of Beethoven’s Compositions by His German Contemporaries, volume 2

The volumes in The Critical Reception of Beethoven's Compositions by His German Contemporaries bring to light contemporary perceptions of Beethoven's music, including matters such as audience, setting, facilities, orchestra, instruments, and performers as well as the relationship of Beethoven's music to theoretical and critical ideas of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. These documents, most of which appear in English for the first time, have been compiled from German-language periodicals published between 1783 and 1830. They present a wide spectrum of insights into the perceptions that Beethoven's contemporaries had of his monumental music. This is the second in a projected four-volume series. It begins with Opus 55, the Eroica, and ends with Opus 72, Fidelio.

SIDE EFFECTS OF PERSISTENT TOXICANTS

As you can see from the general tenor of the printed program for this seminar, I am in the unenviable position of trying to discourage you from certain types of chemical control; but my assigned topic "Side Effects of Persistent Toxicants," implies that mission. However, my remarks may be somewhat anticlimax at this time, because it is now generally conceded that we need to reevaluate certain chemicals in control work and to restrict or severely curtail use of those that per¬sist for long periods in the environment. So let me detail my reasons for a somewhat negative attitude toward the use of the persistent hydrocarbons from my experience with the effects of these materials on birds. But first a few words of caution about control work in general, which so often disrupts natural processes and leads to new and unforseen difficulties. As an example, I think of the irruption of mice in the Klamath valley in northern California and southern Oregon in the late '50's. Intensive predator control, particularly of coyotes, but also of hawks and owls, was followed by a severe outbreak of mice in the spring of 1958. To combat the plague of mice, poisoned bait (1080 and zinc phosphide) was widely distributed in an area used by 500,000 waterfowl each spring. More than 3,000 geese were poisoned, so driv¬ing parties were organized to keep the geese off the treated fields. Here it seems conceivable that the whole chain of costly events--cost of the original and probably unnecessary predator control, economic loss to crops from the mouse outbreak, another poisoning campaign to combat the mice, loss of valuable waterfowl resources, and man-hours involved in flushing geese from the fields--might have been averted by a policy of not interfering with the original predator-prey relationship. This points to a dilemma we always face. (We create deplorable situations by clumsy interference with natural processes, then seek artificial cures to correct our mistakes.) For example, we spend millions of dollars in seeking cures for cancer, but do little or nothing about restricting the use of known or suspected carcinogens such as nicotine and DDT.