Social Reformers and Regulation: The Prohibition of Cigarettes in the U.S. and Canada

The apogee of anti-smoking legislation in North America was reached early in the last century. In 1903, the Canadian Parliament passed a resolution prohibiting the manufacture, importation, and sale of cigarettes. Around the same time, fifteen states in the United States banned the sale of cigarettes and thirty-five states considered prohibitory legislation. In both the United States and Canada, prohibition was part of a broad political, economic, and social coalition termed the Progressive Movement. Cigarette prohibition was special interest regulation, though not of the usual narrow neoclassical genre; it was the means by which a group of crusaders sought to alter the behavior of a much larger segment of the population. The opponents of cigarette regulation were cigarette smokers and the more organized cigarette lobby. An active Progressive Movement was the necessary condition for generating interest in prohibition, while the anti-prohibition forces played a more significant role later in the legislative process. The moral reformers' succeeded when they faced little opposition because few constituents smoked and/or no jobs were at stake because there was no cigarette industry. In other words, reform is easy when you are preaching to the converted.

Thinking like a man? The cultures of science

Culture includes science and science includes culture, but conflicts between the two traditions persist, often seen as clashes between interpretation and knowledge. One way of highlighting this false polarity has been to explore the gendered symbolism of science. Feminism has contributed to science studies and the critical interrogation of knowledge, aware that practical knowledge and scientific understanding have never been synonymous. Persisting notions of an underlying unity to scientific endeavour have often impeded rather than fostered the useful application of knowledge. This has been particularly evident in the recent rise of molecular biology, with its delusory dream of the total conquest of disease. It is equally prominent in evolutionary psychology, with its renewed attempts to depict the fundamental basis of sex differences. Wars over science have continued to intensify over the last decade, even as our knowledge of the political, economic and ideological significance of science funding and research has become ever more apparent

Stochastic Uncertainty Quantification of the Conductivity in EEG Source Analysis by Using Polynomial Chaos Decomposition

The electroencephalogram (EEG) is one of the techniques used for the non-invasive diagnosis of patients suffering from epilepsy. EEG source localization identifies the neural activity, starting from measured EEG. This numerical localization procedure has a resolution, which is difficult to determine due to uncertainties in the EEG forward models. More specifically, the conductivities of the brain and the skull in the head models are not precisely known. In this paper, we propose the use of a non-intrusive stochastic method based on a polynomial chaos decomposition for quantifying the possible errors introduced by the uncertain conductivities of the head tissues. The accuracy and computational advantages of this non-intrusive method for EEG source analysis is illustrated. Further, the method is validated by means of Monte Carlo simulations.status: publishe

Fast multipole accelerated finite element-boundary element analysis of shielded induction heaters

This paper deals with the analysis of a shielded induction heater by means of a fast multipole accelerated hybrid finite-element boundary-element model. It concerns an experimental setup with passive and active shielding for mitigating the stray field in the surrounding area. Numerical results of the magnetodynamic model are compared with measurements. Further, various aspects of the numerical scheme are discussed and its efficiency is evidenced

Are deep-sea ecosystems surrounding Madagascar threatened by land-use or climate change?

In this short communication, we present a multidisciplinaty study of sedimentary records collected from a deep-sea interfluve proximal to the mouths of major northwestern Madagascan rivers. For the last 60 years, the seafloor has been repeatedly disturbed by the deposition of organic rich, tropical, terrestrial sediments causing marked reductions in benthic biodiversity. Increased soil erosion due to local land-use, deforestation and intensifying tropical cyclones are potential causes for this sedimentary budget and biodiversity shift. Our marine sedimentary records indicate that until now, these conditions have not occurred within the region for at least 20,000 years

Finnish drama on Czech stage

The Ihesis enlitled Finnish Drama on Czech Stage Iraces Ihe slaging ol Finnish Ihealre in Czech Iranslalion on Ihe lerrilory ol loday's Czech Republic, since lhe lirsl slaging ol a Finnish play in Ihe Czech environs in 1938102009. The Ihesis concenlrales on eighl plays lhal were once or repealedly slaged in Czech Ihealres, and on lhe particulars ol individual. produclions. II seeks 10 pul lhe choice ol Finnish dramalic works lor lhealrical repertoires in relalion wilh lhe dramalurgy ol Ihe lime and lhe developmenl ol Czech lhealre in general, examining also lhe polilical and social circumslances. The Ihesis queslions Ihe extenl 10 which Ihe chosen plays are represenlalive ol Finnish Ihealre as such, and seeks 10 delermine whelher Ihere is a unified style 10 their productions in Czech theatres

Frailty, financial resources and subjective well-being in later life

Though frailty status has recently been linked to poorer quality of life, the impact of income on this relationship has not previously been investigated. Data from a population-based panel study, the English Longitudinal Study of Aging, on 3225 participants aged 65-79 years were analyzed cross-sectionally. A Frailty Index (FI) was determined for each participant as a proportion of accumulated deficits and participants were categorized into four groups on the basis of their FI score: very fit (0.00-0.10), well (0.11-0.14), vulnerable (0.15-0.24), and frail (≥0.25). Subjective well-being was assessed using the CASP-19 instrument, and levels of financial resources quantified using a range of questions about assets and income from a range of sources. Linear regression models were used to assess the relationship between frailty and well-being. There was a significant negative correlation between frailty and well-being; the correlation coefficient between FI and CASP-19 scores was -0.58. The relationship was robust to adjustment for sex, age, and relevant health behaviors (smoking and physical activity) and persisted when participants with depressive symptoms were excluded from analysis. Those with greater financial resources reported better subjective well-being with evidence of a "dose-response" effect. The poorest participants in each frailty category had similar well-being to the most well-off with worse frailty status. Hence, while the association between frailty and poorer subjective well-being is not significantly impacted by higher levels of wealth and income, financial resources may provide a partial buffer against the detrimental psychological effects of frailty