Four years' interferometric observations of Galactic binary Cepheids

We give an update on our long-term program of Galactic Cepheids started in 2012, whose goal is to measure the visual orbits of Cepheid companions. Using the VLTI/PIONIER and CHARA/MIRC instruments, we have now detected several com- panions, and we already have a good orbital coverage for several of them. By combining interferometry and radial velocities, we can now derive all the orbital elements of the systems, and we will be soon able to estimate the Cepheid masses.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure, proceedings of the 22nd Los Alamos Stellar Pulsation Conference "Wide-field variability surveys: a 21st-century perspective" held in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, Nov. 28-Dec. 2, 201

RICO Conspiracy: The Ninth Circuit Distinguishes Itself From the Rising Costs of Guilty Thoughts

Part I of this Comment briefly surveys the legislative development of the RICO statute. It discusses the elements of a RICO cause of action and disputes that have arisen among the circuit courts over its interpretation. Part II of this Comment examines the development of civil liability for conspiring to participate in a RICO enterprise. It focuses on cases that have significantly shaped civil RICO conspiracy liability throughout the circuit courts. Part III explores the split that has developed among the circuits over the definition of RICO conspiracy liability, specifically, the difference between the Ninth Circuit\u27s definition and that of the majority. This discussion also considers the Congressional intent that shaped the RICO statute, policy aims of the statute and implications arising from the different standards of liability

Target cell-dependent T cell-mediated lysis of vaccinia virus-infected cells

Vaccinia virus specific cytotoxicity against infected target cells was observed in vitro. Spleen lymphocytes from normal and immunized mice of the inbred strains C3H and DBA/2 were incubated with vaccinia virus-infected and non-infected 51Cr-labeled mastocytoma P-815-X2 cells and L-929 fibroblasts, which were used as targets. Cytotoxic lymphocytes could be isolated from the mice as early as 2 days after infection with vaccinia virus. The highest cytotoxic effect was obtained with lymphocytes taken 6 days after infection. The degree of lysi was correlated with the ratio of immune lymphocytes to target cells. Specific blocking of target cell lysis resulted after addition of anti-vaccinia antibody from different sources. The effector cells could be characterized as T cells by elimination of macrophages and B cells. Target cell killing was only possible in a syngeneic system; allogeneic infected target cells were not lysed significantly

9/11: Fueling the Misleading Fire of War and its Reflection in Country Music

The interplay between American patriotism and country music underwent a profound transformation in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, as significant historical events reshaped national identity. This project examines the evolution of conservative patriotism in country music through key events such as the Iranian Revolution, the Iran-Iraq War, and the First Gulf War, culminating in the post-9/11 era and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It explores how these geopolitical shifts influenced public sentiment and how country musicians became both commentators and amplifiers of national rhetoric. The pre-9/11 era saw artists like Merle Haggard and Hank Williams Jr. use their music to champion conservative values, establish a framework for modern patriotism, and address national anxieties. Post-9/11, this sentiment intensified as musicians such as Toby Keith, Alan Jackson, and Darryl Worley responded to the attacks with songs that echoed the U.S. government\u27s calls for unity and retribution. Tracks like Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue, Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)?, and Have You Forgotten? became cultural touchstones, reflecting the anger, grief, and resilience of a nation in turmoil. Through a close analysis of these songs and the historical context surrounding their creation, this project reveals how country music both shaped and was shaped by the political and emotional climate of its time, reinforcing narratives that ultimately supported U.S. military actions abroad

RICO Conspiracy: The Ninth Circuit Distinguishes Itself From the Rising Costs of Guilty Thoughts

Part I of this Comment briefly surveys the legislative development of the RICO statute. It discusses the elements of a RICO cause of action and disputes that have arisen among the circuit courts over its interpretation. Part II of this Comment examines the development of civil liability for conspiring to participate in a RICO enterprise. It focuses on cases that have significantly shaped civil RICO conspiracy liability throughout the circuit courts. Part III explores the split that has developed among the circuits over the definition of RICO conspiracy liability, specifically, the difference between the Ninth Circuit\u27s definition and that of the majority. This discussion also considers the Congressional intent that shaped the RICO statute, policy aims of the statute and implications arising from the different standards of liability

Barriers and facilitators to health care access for children in a low-income are in Cape Town

Background In Cape Town the under-5 mortality rate has plateaued to 20 per 1000 live births. The southern subdistrict has the largest paediatric population in Metro West and accounts for 31% of deaths in Metro West. Across the metropole 60% of child deaths are out of hospital. We investigated barriers to accessing health care for children in the False Bay Hospital drainage area. Methods Quantitative and qualitative methods were used: community survey (n=62), qualitative interviews (n=11) with caregivers of children who presented critically ill or deceased (January 2017 - Dec 2020) and a modified nominal group meeting of community based and clinical services managers to identify and achieve consensus on solutions. Results Community members (74%) experienced barriers in accessing care and only 60% knew the correct emergency contact numbers. Knowledge of basic home care for common conditions was limited. Interview themes showed barriers of affordability, acceptability, access, as well as household and facility factors. The nominal group technique suggested that improvement in community-based services, transport access and lengthening service hours would alleviate some of the challenges in accessing care. Conclusions The barriers to accessing care seem insurmountable to those who encounter them, yet solutions and community assets do exist. The optimal utilization of services and community assets have the potential to improve access to care with resultant decreased out-of-hospital deaths and improvement of the under-5 mortality rate. A well-coordinated Community Orientated Primary Care (COPC) program with intersectoral collaboration and government commitment needs to be implemented

Compassionate fire: Women\u27s stories of subjective and social change

Feminist social work literature has focused on the provision of educational groups for women who have been abused but has overlooked the question of women’s movement from individual survival to collective resistance. This qualitative study explores the processes through which survivors of abuse by male partners become involved in collective action to combat violence against women. Using story telling and testimonio as a research method, the author interviewed 11 women about the factors, insights, events, and processes that inspired them to join with other women to confront violence against women. The author found that women’s movement from individual survival to collective action entails significant changes in consciousness and subjectivity. Women’s processes of conscientization are complex, contradictory and often painful because they involve political and psychic dimensions of subjectivity, protracted struggles with contradictions and conflict, and resistance to knowledge that threatens to unsettle relatively stable notions of identity. She argues that feminist social work literature and practice must take into account the social, material and psychic costs of women’s growth processes, the discursive and material conditions that facilitate women’s movement, and the multifaceted and difficult nature of women’s journey in recognizing and naming abuse, making sense of their experiences, and acting on this knowledge to work for change. The author recommends that feminist social work practice recognize that survivors can and do contribute to social change efforts, and that it develop new, more inclusive liberatory models for working with survivors of abuse