The RNA Polymerase II Core Promoter in Drosophila.

Transcription by RNA polymerase II initiates at the core promoter, which is sometimes referred to as the "gateway to transcription." Here, we describe the properties of the RNA polymerase II core promoter in Drosophila The core promoter is at a strategic position in the expression of genes, as it is the site of convergence of the signals that lead to transcriptional activation. Importantly, core promoters are diverse in terms of their structure and function. They are composed of various combinations of sequence motifs such as the TATA box, initiator (Inr), and downstream core promoter element (DPE). Different types of core promoters are transcribed via distinct mechanisms. Moreover, some transcriptional enhancers exhibit specificity for particular types of core promoters. These findings indicate that the core promoter is a central component of the transcriptional apparatus that regulates gene expression

Academic eloquence and the end of Cicero's De finibus

The paper considers why the structure of Cicero’s De Finibus implicitly favours the Academy, even though Cicero avoids a decision between the Stoic theory and Antiochus’ theory. Cicero’s educational aims require him to illustrate not only a range of theories but a range of criteria by which theories and the exposition of theories should be judged. By one criterion – style of exposition – the entire Academic tradition, not Antiochus specifically, is endorsed.PostprintPeer reviewe

Seneca on human rights in De beneficiis 3

The paper discusses Seneca’s phrase ‘human rights’ (ius humanum) in On Benefits 3 and relates the passage to recent debates about human rights in Stoicism and ancient philosophy. I argue that the Latin phrase refers either to rights or to a law conferring rights. The difference between the passage and a common expectation for human rights lies in the kind of relation between right and duty. In Seneca’s passage the right does not in itself have a correlative duty on the part of other people, and yet it does, if exercised through benefactions, create a duty in others. By contrast, the relation between right and duty is usually expected to be unconditional.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Monetizing Space Debris: Getting Tax Credits On Board

Human ingenuity and creativity is said to be one of the most powerful forces on Earth. Money is and historically has been a universal motivation for human ingenuity and creativity. Outer space is not an exception to this historical trend. It is common knowledge that private sector investment in outer space ventures is escalating and this investment is the engine generating the current resurgence in space ventures. The private investments in outer space are principally directed toward resource extraction, space tourism, and other activities which hold the promise of future financial returns on the investments. Noticeably, we do not hear of private sector actors investing their funds in space ventures involving the active removal of space debris, as opposed to developing technologies to capture space debris. The absent of significant private investment in active debris removal appears to flow from the fact that there is no profit in it. Accordingly, monetizing space debris removal can serve as a potential catalysis for focusing private sector creativity and ingenuity on active debris removal. While there are various means for monetizing space debris removal, one such avenue involves establishing a financial incentive through the extension of tax credits. While taxation associated with debris removal has generally focused on the government imposing a tax to finance debris removal efforts, that approach essentially negates private sector ingenuity. This paper will examine and explore how tax credits, rather than deductions, may spur private interest, investment, and ingenuity in active debris removal

Small Satellites and Liability Associated With Space Traffic Situational Awareness

At the commencement of the space age, satellites were very small objects that subsequently grew in size and complexity. A re-emergence of small satellites is occurring given that technology now allows them to perform certain operations of large satellites. This paper will explore the risk and liability in space traffic situational awareness associated with the proliferation in the deployment of small satellites. Small satellites encompass a range of space objects referred to as nanosatellites, microsatellites, picosatellites, cube satellites, femtosatellites and other designations. These satellites are generally placed into orbit as part of a “piggyback” payload on other launches or cargo on another space object. However, the precise orbit of a small satellite is generally unknown until after its deployment. Additionally, given their size, small satellites will generally lack the protection from natural space phenomena such as radiation storms, geomagnetic storms solar wind, coronal holes, coronal mass ejections, solar flares, plasma clouds, basic cosmic radiation as engineered into larger satellites. These and other circumstances create potential exposure to fault based liability under the Liability Convention and a corresponding obligation of indemnification or contribution by the owner/operator of a small satellite or other space object. They can also affect coverage under space insurance. This has caused some to consider small satellites to be “space junk,” “space debris” or simply a hazard in the space environment despite their benefits. Accordingly, space traffic situational awareness necessitates recognizing and mitigating the risks associated with the proliferation in the deployment of small satellites

Jonathan Edwards, 1703-1758: his theory and practice of evangelism

Jonathan Edwards has two claims to fame. He was known to his own age primarily as an evangelistic pastor, and he is still remembered chiefly in that role because of his connection with the "Great Awakening" of the middle eighteenth century. As his major works cane to press rather late in his life, he drew the world's attention to himself as a logician and commanded high respect from theologians and philosophers alike, even those who disagreed with his position showing deference to his logic.The "Great Awakening" was not simply a passing wave of emotional froth washing the shores of New England and then sinking back into the ocean of indifference to be for¬ gotten. It came in the wake of, and seemingly as a result of, definite doctrinal preaching} and both the doctrine and the experience of the revival have left their mark, their particular flavor, upon the thought life and the religious practice of America and, to a lesser extent, of all Christendom—so much so that books are still being written about Jonathan Edwards, and the relative merits and demerits of the "Great Awakening" are still being debatedThis thesis seeks to present the great doctrinal concepts of Edwards that, as preached, made for revival and to examine his manner of communicating those concepts

Screening for Park Access during a Primary Care Social Determinants Screen.

While there is evidence that access to nature and parks benefits pediatric health, it is unclear how low-income families living in an urban center acknowledge or prioritize access to parks.MethodsWe conducted a study about access to parks by pediatric patients in a health system serving low-income families. Adult caregivers of pediatric patients completed a survey to identify and prioritize unmet social and economic needs, including access to parks. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to explore associations between lack of access to parks and sociodemographic variables. We also explored the extent to which access to parks competed with other needs.ResultsThe survey was completed by 890 caregivers; 151 (17%) identified "access to green spaces/parks/playgrounds" as an unmet need, compared to 397 (45%) who endorsed "running out of food before you had money or food stamps to buy more". Being at or below the poverty line doubled the odds ( Odds ratio 1.96, 95% CI 1.16-3.31) of lacking access to a park (reference group: above the poverty line), and lacking a high school degree nearly doubled the odds. Thirty-three of the 151 (22%) caregivers who identified access to parks as an unmet need prioritized it as one of three top unmet needs. Families who faced competing needs of housing, food, and employment insecurity were less likely to prioritize park access (p < 0.001).ConclusionClinical interventions to increase park access would benefit from an understanding of the social and economic adversity faced by patients

HIV Screening via Fourth-Generation Immunoassay or Nucleic Acid Amplification Test in the United States: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

BACKGROUND: At least 10% of the 56,000 annual new HIV infections in the United States are caused by individuals with acute HIV infection (AHI). It unknown whether the health benefits and costs of routine nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) are justified, given the availability of newer fourth-generation immunoassay tests. METHODS: Using a dynamic HIV transmission model instantiated with U.S. epidemiologic, demographic, and behavioral data, I estimated the number of acute infections identified, HIV infections prevented, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained, and the cost-effectiveness of alternative screening strategies. I varied the target population (everyone aged 15-64, injection drug users [IDUs] and men who have sex with men [MSM], or MSM only), screening frequency (annually, or every six months), and test(s) utilized (fourth-generation immunoassay only, or immunoassay followed by pooled NAAT). RESULTS: Annual immunoassay testing of MSM reduces incidence by 9.5% and costs <$10,000 per QALY gained. Adding pooled NAAT identifies 410 AHI per year, prevents 9.6$92,000 per QALY gained, and remains <$100,000 per QALY gained in settings where undiagnosed HIV prevalence exceeds 4$10,000 per QALY gained. Increasing the screening frequency to every six months reduces incidence by 11% (MSM only) or 16% (MSM and IDUs) and costs <$20,000 per QALY gained. CONCLUSIONS: Pooled NAAT testing every 12 months of MSM and IDUs in the United States prevents a modest number of infections, but may be cost-effective given sufficiently high HIV prevalence levels. However, testing via fourth-generation immunoassay every six months prevents a greater number of infections, is more economically efficient, and may obviate the benefits of acute HIV screening via NAAT