Men is Cheap: Exposing the Frauds of Free Labor in Civil War America

Over 2 million men, including African Americans, served in the U.S. army during the Civil War. But questions remain about what may have (or not) motivated men to join the U.S. Army. Recent scholarship moves the historical conversation beyond discussions of military tactics and prominent figures to an important, but often marginalized topic—U.S. Army recruitment\u27s financial logistics. Brian P. Luskey argues in Men is Cheap: Exposing the Frauds of Free Labor in Civil War America, that capitalism, class dynamics, and labor speculation is critical to understanding both the successes and shortcomings of U.S. Army recruitment. Luskey places U.S. Army labor brokers as the central figures of his study. He emphasizes their usage of the free labor system, made famous by the Free Labor Party (and later the Republican Party), to boost enlistment numbers through monetary enticements. Furthermore, Luskey asserts that labor brokers\u27 willingness to apply capitalist elements of the fee labor system allowed some U.S. Army representatives (and occasionally potential substitutes) to profit from wealthy northerners\u27 unwillingness to serve financially

Living By Inches: The Smells, Sounds, Tastes, and Feeling of Captivity in Civil War Prisons

Contrary to popular opinion, Civil War battles were not always formal military engagements or guerilla skirmishes between Confederate and U.S. forces. Hundreds of thousands of prisoners of war (POWs) knew that their battles were starkly different from armed conflicts. POWs understood that fights in captivity occurred against their enemies, themselves, elements, animals, insects, and diseases. We know an extensive amount of information about infamous prison camps, including Andersonville and Elmira. Recent scholarship has brought to light the complexity of pardoning and surrendering processes and the black flag policy\u27s racial politics. However, the day-to-day lived experiences of imprisoned soldiers and their struggles for survival are regularly portrayed in cliché terms. In Living By Inches: The Smells, Sounds, Tastes, and Feeling of Captivity in Civil War Prisons, Evan A. Kutzler argues that rather than view POWs through a stereotypical lens, we must understand the complicated lives of captives in more concrete ways

Molecular modeling and anticholinesterasic activity of novel 2-arylaminocyclohexyl N,N-dimethylcarbamates

This work reports a detailed theoretical and experimental study of the novel isomer series cis- and trans-2-arylaminocyclohexyl N,N-dimethylcarbamates as potential inhibitors of cholinesterases. In vitro inhibition assay by Ellman's method with human blood samples showed that the new carbamates are selective to the inhibition of enzyme butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) with maximum inhibition of 90% and IC50 of 6 and 8 mmol L-1 for the more actives compounds of the series. Molecular modeling studies point to significant differences for the conformations of the compounds in the active sites of enzymes BuChE and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The results show that the compounds interact more effectively with the active site of enzyme BuChE since the carbamate group is close to the key residues of the catalytic triad.O presente trabalho reporta um estudo teórico e experimental detalhado das séries inéditas de isômeros cis- e trans-N,N-dimetilcarbamatos de cicloexila 2-arilaminossubstituídos como potenciais inibidores de colinesterases. Os testes de inibição in vitro, realizados através do método de Ellman em amostras de sangue humano, mostraram que os novos carbamatos apresentaram boa seletividade frente à inibição da enzima butirilcolinesterase (BuChE), com um máximo de inibição de 90% e IC50 de 6 e 8 mmol L-1 para os compostos mais ativos da série. Os estudos de modelagem molecular apontaram significantes diferenças entre as orientações destes compostos nos sítios ativos das enzimas BuChE e acetilcolinesterase (AChE). Os resultados mostraram que os compostos interagem de forma mais efetiva com o sítio ativo da enzima BuChE, pois o grupo carbamato está próximo aos resíduos chave da tríade catalítica.17981807Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Bringing lipid bilayers into shape

Lipid bilayers form the thin and floppy membranes that define the boundary of compartments such as cells. Now, a method to control the shape and size of bilayers using DNA nanoscaffolds has been developed. Such designer materials advance synthetic biology and could find use in membrane research

Advancements in phase change materials in asphalt pavements for mitigation of urban heat island effect: bibliometric analysis and systematic review

This research presents a dual-pronged bibliometric and systematic review of the integration of phase change materials (PCMs) in asphalt pavements to counteract the urban heat island (UHI) effect. The bibliometric approach discerns the evolution of PCM-inclusion asphalt research, highlighting a marked rise in the number of publications between 2019 and 2022. Notably, Chang’an University in China has emerged as a leading contributor. The systematic review addresses key questions like optimal PCM types for UHI effect mitigation, strategies for PCM leakage prevention in asphalt, and effects on mechanical properties. The findings identify polyethylene glycols (PEGs), especially PEG2000 and PEG4000, as prevailing PCMs due to their wide phase-change temperature range and significant enthalpy during phase transitions. While including PCMs can modify asphalt’s mechanical attributes, such mixtures typically stay within performance norms. This review emphasises the potential of PCMs in urban heat management and the need for further research to achieve optimal thermal and mechanical balanceThis research was partially funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the framework of the projects MicroCoolPav EXPL/EQU-EQU/1110/2021, NanoAir PTDC/FIS-MAC/6606/2020, UIDB/04650/2020, and UIDB/04029/2020. This research was also supported by the doctoral Grant PRT/BD/154269/2022 financed by the FCT, and with funds from POR Norte-Portugal 2020 and State Budget, under MIT Portugal Program. I.R.S. would like to acknowledge the FCT for funding (2022.00763.CEECIND). V.C.B. acknowledges the Fundação Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Funcap), MLC-0191- 00144.01.00/22 (Edital Mulheres na Ciência), and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Process 404978/2021-5—Call CNPq/MCTI/FNDCT N° 18/2021—Faixa B—Consolidated Groups

Cervical length varies considering different populations and gestational outcomes : Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis

Funding: This work was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA [OPP1107597], the Brazilian Ministry of Health and the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) [401615/20138]. RCP and BM received funds for the study. No author received salary from any funders and the funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Tumores del estroma gastrointestinal. Estudio retrospectivo de 43 casos

Introducción: los tumores del estroma gastrointestinal (GIST) son poco frecuentes, con una incidencia de 10 a 20 casos por millón de habitantes y año. Aparecen en todo el tubo digestivo, mesenterio o epiplón adyacente; siendo más frecuentes en el estómago(60-70%); también pueden aparecer en el intestino delgado (20-25%), colon y recto (5%) y esófago (< 5%). Su presentación varía desde pequeños nódulos asintomáticos hasta formas más agresivas. Su clasificación se realiza actualmente con base a los criterios de Fletcher. Objetivo: revisión y caracterización de los casos de GIST observados en nuestro centro durante un periodo de 10 años. Métodos: estudio retrospectivo de pacientes diagnosticados con GIST (identificados por criterios inmunohistoquímicos) desde enero de 1997 hasta diciembre de 2007 y clasificados por los criterios de Fletcher. Resultados: se estudiaron 43 pacientes (24 hombres y 19 mujeres), con una edad media de 62,7 años. La mayoría de los GIST encontrados se localizaban en el estómago (n = 20, 46,5%), intestino delgado (n = 18, 41,9%) y en 5 casos se detectaron como metástasis de un tumor oculto. Dieciocho casos fueron asintomáticos. Por los criterios de Fletcher 19 eran casos de alto riesgo, 7 de riesgo intermedio, 12 de bajo riesgo y 5 de riesgo indeterminado. Diez pacientes fallecieron por progresión de la enfermedad y 13 pacientes presentaron metástasis a distancia. Conclusiones: en nuestra serie, tal como en la literatura, se observa un predominio del sexo masculino y mayor frecuencia de localización gástrica. La supervivencia fue del 42% a los 5 años. La aplicación de los criterios de Fletcher fue consistente con la evolución

Identification of a new European rabbit IgA with a serine-rich hinge region

<div><p>In mammals, the most striking IgA system belongs to Lagomorpha. Indeed, 14 IgA subclasses have been identified in European rabbits, 11 of which are expressed. In contrast, most other mammals have only one IgA, or in the case of hominoids, two IgA subclasses. Characteristic features of the mammalian IgA subclasses are the length and amino acid sequence of their hinge regions, which are often rich in Pro, Ser and Thr residues and may also carry Cys residues. Here, we describe a new IgA that was expressed in New Zealand White domestic rabbits of <i>IGHV</i>a1 allotype. This IgA has an extended hinge region containing an intriguing stretch of nine consecutive Ser residues and no Pro or Thr residues, a motif exclusive to this new rabbit IgA. Considering the amino acid properties, this hinge motif may present some advantage over the common IgA hinge by affording novel functional capabilities. We also sequenced for the first time the IgA14 CH2 and CH3 domains and showed that IgA14 and IgA3 are expressed.</p></div

Radiating Shear-Free Gravitational Collapse with Charge

We present a new shear free model for the gravitational collapse of a spherically symmetric charged body. We propose a dissipative contraction with radiation emitted outwards. The Einstein field equations, using the junction conditions and an ansatz, are integrated numerically. A check of the energy conditions is also performed. We obtain that the charge delays the black hole formation and it can even halt the collapse.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures. It has been corrected several typos and included several references. Accepted for publication in GR