Constitutional Architecture: The First Amendment and the Single Family House

This Article argues that the exterior design of a private single-family house is a First Amendment-protected expression for the inhabitants. The exterior design of the single-family house speaks on behalf of the inhabitants, expressing who they are and how they choose to live. The Article explores the genesis of aesthetic regulation and its threat to First Amendment values. Any municipality that applies aesthetic standards to regulate this expression must justify the regulation by establishing a substantial governmental interest. The interest must be advanced by the application of narrowly and clearly defined standards

The independent and interdependent self-affirmations in action: Understanding their dynamics in India during the early phase of the COVID-19 lockdown

The study explored the role of two dissimilar familial and religious practices in distinctly shaping independent and interdependent self-affirmations in two value systems (individualism and collectivism) that emerged to protect self-integrity and self-worth challenged by the threats of COVID-19. A qualitative research design was employed. A heterogeneous sample of 19 participants (10 joint and 9 nuclear families) was recruited who reported in a semi-structured interview about the consequences of COVID-19 and the role of family and religious values in coping with the pandemic threats. The thematic method was used to analyse the data. Codes were generated using a priori criteria while reviewing and re-reviewing, multiple discussions and iterations helped in theme identification and ascertaining validity. Five themes were generated: perceived strong threat of COVID-19, dissimilar genesis of independent and interdependent self-affirmations, positive roles of joint familial values, significance of religious values, and traditional and modern religious routes of self-affirmation. Threats were expressed in experiences of anxiety, uncertainty and mood fluctuations. Interdependence, affiliation and support were joint familial values whereas independence and self-esteem reflected nuclear family-values. Focus on explicit attributes denoted modern while divine interpretation and will of God reflected traditional religious values. Novelty, uncertainty and incurability of COVID-19 caused threats to self-integrity that compelled hem to affirm their most preferred values originating from two family forms. The pandemic posed threats to their self-worth, which in turn, activated affirmations in two distinct value systems leading to the development of independent and interdependent self-affirmations. Study findings will help surface novel features of the two self-affirmations. It provides new insights for making successful behavioural changes at individual, group and community levels for the success of social, health and educational policies

First Families; the Genesis Account

The Book of Genesis is principally a description of the emergence of interconnected families with specific relationships such as husband and wife, husband and wife-surrogate ( distinct from prostitutes and harlots ) sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, fathers-sons-daughters-in-law. Love, loyalty, fidelity and affection appear often and in many forms, but no family portrayed in Genesis appears as immune to exploitation, manipulation, trickery, treachery, lust, hatred or murder. Both men and women are seen as active forces in the destiny of these troubled families, for good and ill. We ourselves still bear a likeness to these ancient portraits and many bear their names, Adam, Eve, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Rachel and Joseph, to cite only a few familiar names. This essay is not a formal exegesis. It marks a stage in an ongoing personalenquiry. Also, it is offered as an invitation to those interested in the evolution of family life to look where they might not expect to find anything worth while. What I found is hardly final - for me or for anyone else. Those religious and political leaders who are currently concerned with the plight of families might take a close look at the families which are portrayed in the Book of Genesis

Interaction of divalent cations with protein PARK9

Metals have been shown to play a role in the genesis and development of many neurodegenerative diseases. Park9 encoded protein can protect cells from manganese poisoning, an environmental risk factor for a Parkinson’s disease- like syndrome. Park9 belongs to a family of ATP-ases involved in metal coordination and transportation; familial mutations of this gene may result in early development of PD. We tested two peptide sequences from Park9, -P1D2E3K4H5E6L7- (1) and -F1C2G3D4G5A6N7D8C9G10- (2), for Mn(II), Zn(II) and Cu(II) binding. These fragments are located from 1165 to 1171 and from 1184 to 1193 residues in Park9 sequence, and are highly conserved in a number of organisms, from yeasts to humans. Experiments have been carried out at different pH values and ligand/metal molar ratios with both potentiometric and spectroscopic (NMR, UV-vis) techniques, showing that the three metals are able to effectively bind the examined peptides. Mn(II) and Zn(II) coordination with peptide (1) involves imidazol of His5 and carboxyl γ-O of Asp2, Glu3 and Glu6 residues, in a distorted octahedral geometry, possibly involving bidentate interaction of carboxyl groups; four donor atoms participate in Zn(II) binding, resulting in a tetracoordinated geometry. Mn(II) and Zn(II) coordination involves the two cysteines in peptide (2); Mn(II) accepts additional ligand bonds from D4 and D8 to complete the coordination sphere, together with some water molecules. Details of Cu(II) coordination are under study

The role of secondary cyclones and cyclone families for the North Atlantic storm track and clustering over western Europe

Secondary cyclones are those that form in association with a pre‐existing primary cyclone, typically along a trailing cold front. In previously studied cases they have been shown to cause extreme damage across Europe, particularly when multiple cyclones track over the same location in rapid succession (known as cyclone clustering). To determine the dynamical relationship between primary and secondary cyclones over the North Atlantic, a frontal identification algorithm is partnered with a cyclone identification method to objectively identify secondary cyclones in 35 extended winter periods using reanalysis data. Cyclones are grouped into “cyclone families” consisting of a single primary cyclone and one or more secondary cyclones. This paper aims to quantify the differences between secondary and primary cyclones over the North Atlantic, and how cyclone families contribute to episodes of cyclone clustering across western Europe. Secondary cyclones are shown to occur most frequently in the central and eastern North Atlantic, whereas primary cyclones are commonly found over the western North Atlantic. Cyclone families have their strongest presence over the North Atlantic Ocean and contribute more than 50% of cyclones over the main North Atlantic storm track. A final category, solo cyclones, which are not associated with cyclogenesis on any connected fronts, are most commonly identified over continental regions as well as the Mediterranean Sea. Primary cyclones are associated with the development of an environment that is favourable for secondary cyclone growth. Enhanced Rossby wave breaking following primary cyclone development leads to an increase in the upper‐level jet speed and a decrease in low‐level stability. Secondary cyclogenesis commonly occurs in this region of anomalously low stability, close to the European continent. During periods of cyclone clustering, secondary cyclones are responsible for approximately 50% of the total number of cyclones. The increase in jet speed and decrease in static stability initiated by the primary cyclones acts to concentrate the genesis region of secondary cyclones and direct the cyclones that form along a similar track. While there is an increase in the secondary cyclogenesis rate near western Europe during periods of European clustering, the basin‐wide secondary cyclogenesis rate decreases during these periods. Thus the large‐scale environment redistributes secondary cyclones during periods of clustering rather than increasing the total number of secondary cyclones

Optimal control for halo orbit missions

This paper addresses the computation of the required trajectory correction maneuvers (TCM) for a halo orbit space mission to compensate for the launch velocity errors introduced by inaccuracies of the launch vehicle. By combiningdynamical systems theory with optimal control techniques, we produce a portrait of the complex landscape of the trajectory design space. This approach enables parametric studies not available to mission designers a few years ago, such as how the magnitude of the errors and the timingof the first TCM affect the correction ΔV. The impetus for combiningdynamical systems theory and optimal control in this problem arises from design issues for the Genesis Discovery mission being developed for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Co-genesis of Matter and Dark Matter with Vector-like Fourth Generation Leptons

We propose a simple extension of the standard model by adding a fourth generation vector-like lepton doublet and show that if the fourth neutrino is a massive pseudo-Dirac fermion with mass in the few hundred GeV range and mass splitting of about 100 keV, its lighter component can be a viable inelastic dark matter candidate. Its relic abundance is produced by the CP violating out-of-equilibrium decay of the type-II seesaw scalar triplet, which also gives rise to the required baryon asymmetry of the Universe via type-II leptogenesis, thus providing a simultaneous explanation of dark matter and baryon abundance observed today. Moreover, the induced vacuum expectation value of the same scalar triplet is responsible for the sub-eV Majorana masses to the three active neutrinos. A stable fourth generation of neutrinos is elusive at collider, however might be detected by current dark matter direct search experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures and small corrections to match the version accepted for publication in Physics Letters

A study of Biblical families from the perspective of family systems therapy

This study proposes that family systems therapy can prove useful in understanding Biblical families and thus add to our understanding of the Bible. Employing family systems therapy is appropriate because the Biblical narrative contains a comprehensive treatment of the human family. The Bible deals with family overall, many specific families as in the Jacob cycle, and ends with a vision of the family of God that exists already in the kingdom of heaven. Family systems theory is often useful to the pastor in understanding his/her own family, and the larger extended family of their church congregation. Thus, with new freshness family systems helps us grasp the truth that Biblical families are like the families we know, our own families. Such appreciation can provide useful material for preaching, teaching and pastoral counselling. This study will begin by outlining some basic concepts of family systems therapy in the first chapter. It will follow by examining the Old Testament concept of family in Genesis I-3 and analyse a number of representative families in the Old Testament such as Adam and Eve, Jacob, Moses, Ruth and Naomi, and David’s families. Proceeding to the New Testament there will be a focus especially on issues of fusion, differentiation, and triangulation applying these concepts to Jesus, Paul, Peter and the Prodigal Son. The chapter on the New Testament will close by offering a suggestion about what the eschatological end of the family might be. Finally, this study points out limitations in the use of family systems therapy for Biblical interpretation, outlines possible pastoral applications, and discusses how far we can use Biblical models of family in support of the concept “traditional family values.