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An Introduction to the Hyperreals
No full textIn this paper, we introduce the hyperreal number system, an extension of the reals that incorporates infinitesimals and unlimited numbers into the core of real analysis. We begin by formally constructing the hyperreals as equivalence classes of real-valued sequences and exploring properties of this fascinating number system. Next, we discuss the transfer principle, a powerful tool that facilitates the seamless translation of statements concerning the hyperreals into equivalent statements pertaining to the standard real numbers. Finally, we conclude by restating standard definitions from real analysis from the perspective of the hyperreals to illustrate the intuitive nature of this number system
Parents’ Willingness to Pay for Child Adoption: The Effects of Adoption Subsidies on Adoption Costs
No full textChild adoption has become more common in the United States over the past couple of decades, and currently, two percent of all children in the United States are adopted for a total of 1.4 million adopted kids. However, due to parental preferences for and against certain traits, there are disparities in adoption rates and adoption costs based on child characteristics. Through adoption subsidies, the federal government has increased the adoption rate of children with less desired qualities. This paper uses data from adoptions occurring in Michigan between 2007 and 2009 to study the effect of adoption subsidies on the cost parents are willing to pay for adoption based on the child’s characteristics. This study finds that the effect of adoption subsidies on adoption costs is statistically insignificant. Thus, parents are not responsive in their willingness to pay for adoption due to a subsidy
Gender, Labor, and Futurity: Imagining New Paradigms In The Apocalypse
No full textFollowing the worldwide economic collapse of 2008, Mark Fisher released a concise theory on late capitalism, titled Capitalist Realism, that addressed what he perceived as an inability for subjects to conceptualize worlds free of the system that had subsumed their lives. One area that Fisher directs his attention to is depictions of the apocalypse, lamenting its incapacitation as an exercise in imagination.
In exploring pieces of apocalyptic media such as Children of Men, The Last of Us, and Station Eleven, the themes present encompass the figure of the nuclear family, the naturalized parent-child hierarchy, and even socially constructed frameworks of time. Apocalyptic media feels inextricably linked to these ideas, but the formal and narrative approaches each work takes defines the contours of its message. Through further analysis of these themes in relation to frameworks of thought developed by thinkers such as Judith Butler, Antonio Gramsci, and Elizabeth Freeman this paper seeks to challenge Fisher\u27s lack of faith in apocalyptic narratives and offer a new way of looking at the genre as a whole
Human-Accelerated Regions (HARs) & Schizophrenia: Evidence for a Genetic Driver and Recent Negative Selection
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Targeting proteins in the midgut of mosquitoes to prevent transmission of the malaria parasite
No full textMalaria is a major public health concern that infected 247 million and killed 619,000 people in 2022. The protozoan parasite undergoes a complex life cycle with multiple stages in both human and mosquito hosts. Vaccine development benefits from this complexity because each stage is essential for transmission and therefore is a potential target. Many of the transformations are facilitated by proteins in the midgut that can be inhibited via a vaccine, which would break the life cycle of the parasite. These proteins can be added to transmission blocking vaccines, so a human can create antibodies that will be ingested by a mosquito and prevent spread. Chitinase is a target that showed success in the lab, but is not realistic for implementation because of its similarity to human chitinase. Two fibrinogen related proteins, FREP1 and FBN9, showed colocalization with the malaria parasite. FREP1 facilitated chitinase release and FBN9 inhibited chitinase release and these show great potential. Xanthurenic acid inhibition has not yet been investigated but shows potential to inhibit malaria gametogenesis
Bank Bailouts: A Trade-Off Analysis
No full textBank bailouts present the government with an interesting, but extremely difficult dilemma. During the global financial crisis, the government conducted bank bailouts to minimize systemic risk in the economy. However, despite their good intentions, bank bailouts have many trade-offs associated with them. This paper seeks to explore those trade-offs through the lens of a cost-benefit analysis both theoretically and empirically. Furthermore, this paper seeks to determine if bank bailouts are a net benefit as well as the government’s best course of action to address bank failures and bailouts. This paper finds the benefits of bank bailouts to include stimulating the economy, preventing mass bank failures and their contagion effects, increasing welfare, creating value for banks, improving firm liquidity, increasing firm trade credits, increasing job creation, and decreasing bankruptcies. Moreover, this paper finds the costs of bank bailouts to include moral hazard and consequential risk increases, decreases in competition that lead to systemic risk increases, and a decrease in stability following bailouts.
The costs of bank bailouts are extremely steep and, when weighed against the benefits, indicate that bank bailouts are not worthwhile since bailouts increase risk and defer systemic risk issues until later. Thus, the government should not conduct bank bailouts. However, the Dodd-Frank Act presents an attractive alternative to bank bailouts. Dodd-Frank is effective at decreasing bank risk in times of need as well as decreasing risk for large financial institutions. Accordingly, instead of conducting bank bailouts, the government should enact and enforce regulation like Dodd-Frank to prevent bank failures and bailouts altogether. However, given the recent bank failures and issues created by bank bailouts, Dodd-Frank needs to be improved upon to incentivize competition, increase the equity requirements for banks, as well as monitor and control the risks that banks take on. Those improvements should be implemented and are the government’s best policy choice regarding bailouts
Politics and institutional change: The Water Commission Act of 1913
Get PDFEconomists have long argued that increasing resource scarcity can lead to more clearly defined individual property rights, but the precise mechanism whereby this occurs remains unclear to this day. This paper documents the role of politics in shaping the creation of individual property rights within the context of appropriative water law in early 20th century California, finding evidence of interest group influence in establishing a new system for administering appropriative water rights. It also presents evidence on subsequent irrigation development that is consistent with the influence of irrigating farmers on creation of the new syste
Resurrecting a Bog Dress: A Comparative Approach to Medieval Textile Construction
No full textThrough our research we sought to recreate a medieval garment based on those detailed in Poul Nørlund\u27s Buried Norsemen at Herjolfsnes, specifically using period stitching techniques as detailed in Ann Norguard, Else Ostergaard, and Lilli Fransen\u27s book Medieval Garments Reconstructed, in order to understand how construction methods of these garments affected fit, shape, drape, appearance, durability, and the process of construction. Seams are not merely a part of a garment, but rather the central element which determines its fit and function. Fit and movement put stress on seams in a way that simply recreating a dress and not putting it on a person would not demonstrate, therefore creating a wearable garment was central to our research question. Throughout all elements of the project we prioritized three main areas in understanding our technique: use of materials, experience of construction, and qualities and potential longevity of the finished garment. We found that the medieval stitches made sense for the fabric and time in which they were made as a way to make a sturdy and attractive garment constructed from seams that laid flat without the application of pressure or heat. It was particularly useful in the case of setting in gussets, which would have been important as many, if not all, of the garments found at Herjolfsnes have at least one gusset in them, and gussets continued well into the early modern period as a standard way to add volume into basic garments. We hope that this recreation not only helped to figure out our question about the stitches, but also speaks to the importance and versatility of garments which are not only well-made, but also repairable, a problem for our own time. Finally, we hope that our project helps to illuminate the beauty and design of these garments which have spent a good 700 hundred years in a bog
Alabugin Group Chemistry Comps
No full textRedirecting Radical Cascades using Stereoelectronics
From the clothes you wear to the asphalt our cars drive on, the art of making organic molecules plays a significant role in everyday life. Synthesizing these molecules is complicated and requires a deep understanding of the driving forces of chemical selectivity. Dr. Igor Alabugin’s work focuses on understanding and directing radical cascades toward desirable products. Here, we will discuss how stereoelectronics can drive reactions toward new organic products. Join us to learn more about stereoelectronics and radical cascades