Unproven Assumption Research Articles

A Hundred Years of Misunderstanding (?): Magna Carta and Power of the Purse

Magna Carta Libertatum was interpreted by social scientists firstly as the initial step forward transition to representative democracy; secondly, within the context of limiting the taxation authority of the king, it was considered, by public finance theorists, especially in developing countries such as Turkey, as the first document regarding the principle of "no taxation without representation" as a reflection of the power of the purse. On the other hand; in many studies until 1960s; it has been put forward that, what were limited by the Carta were not taxes, that the limiting body was "not representative", and that taxes in England have always been based on the consent factor since the 10th century (therefore, the Carta did not introduce a new practice for taxation). Furthermore, in open sources it is stated that, a word denoting tax [task or taske(n)] was used during the signation period of Carta. Surprisingly, this word does not appear anywhere in the Carta. Unfortunately, or deliberately, these studies were totally ignored in studies written after 1960s in public finance and budgeting fields of the literature in developed and developing countries. In conclusion; it is a debatable pre-assumption that Carta is the first document which limits the taxation authority, and it is an unproven assumption that it is the first written document on the power of the purse.

Unveiling intra-person fingerprint similarity via deep contrastive learning.

Fingerprint biometrics are integral to digital authentication and forensic science. However, they are based on the unproven assumption that no two fingerprints, even from different fingers of the same person, are alike. This renders them useless in scenarios where the presented fingerprints are from different fingers than those on record. Contrary to this prevailing assumption, we show above 99.99% confidence that fingerprints from different fingers of the same person share very strong similarities. Using deep twin neural networks to extract fingerprint representation vectors, we find that these similarities hold across all pairs of fingers within the same person, even when controlling for spurious factors like sensor modality. We also find evidence that ridge orientation, especially near the fingerprint center, explains a substantial part of this similarity, whereas minutiae used in traditional methods are almost nonpredictive. Our experiments suggest that, in some situations, this relationship can increase forensic investigation efficiency by almost two orders of magnitude.

Proving Rho Meson Is a Dynamical Gauge Boson of Hidden Local Symmetry

The rho meson has long been successfully identified with a dynamical gauge boson of Hidden Local Symmetry (HLS) Hlocal in the non-linear sigma model G/H gauge equivalent to the model having the symmetry Gglobal×Hlocal, with G=[SU(2)L×SU(2)R]≃O(4),H=SU(2)V≃O(3). However, under a hitherto unproven assumption that its kinetic term is dynamically generated, together with an ad hoc choice of the auxiliary field parameter “a=2”, we prove this assumption, thereby solving the long-standing mystery. The rho meson kinetic term is generated simply by the large N limit of the Grassmannian model G/H=O(N)/[O(N−3)×O(3)] gauge equivalent to O(N)global×[O(N−3)×O(3)]local, extrapolated to N=4, O(4)global×O(3)local, with all the phenomenologically successful “a=2 results”, i.e., ρ-universality, KSRF relation, and the Vector Meson Dominance, realized independently of the parameter “a”. This in turn establishes validity of the large N dynamics at the quantitative level directly by the experiments. The relevant cutoff reads Λ≃4πFπ for N=4, which is regarded as a matching scale of the HLS as a “magnetic dual” to QCD. Skyrmion is stabilized by such a dynamically generated rho meson without recourse to the underlying QCD, a further signal of the duality. The unbroken phase with a massless rho meson may be realized as a novel chiral-restored hadronic phase in the hot/dense QCD.

One tune, many tempos: Faults trade off slip in time and space to accommodate relative plate motions

Analysis of incremental slip rates from the four major strike-slip faults of the Marlborough fault system (MFS) of northern South Island, New Zealand, provides a first-ever record at the scale of an entire plate-boundary fault system of how relative plate motions are accommodated in time and space. This record, which spans the past 350–450 m of relative plate motion and ca. 12–14 ky, demonstrates that the fault system as a whole accommodates a steady plate-boundary slip rate, with the MFS faults “keeping up” with the overall rate of relative Pacific-Australia plate motion at relatively short displacement (10 s of meters) and time (102–103 yr) scales. These results affirm the often-assumed but until now unproven assumption that the relative plate-motion rate provides a robust basic constraint on both geodynamical models and analyses of system-level seismic hazard at these scales. In marked contrast, the incremental slip rates of each of the four main Marlborough faults are highly variable through time, marked by coordinated accelerations and decelerations spanning 4–6 earthquakes and several millennia as the faults trade off slip to accommodate a steady relative plate motion rate. These results suggest that (a) the weakest fault in the system will slip faster than average while adjacent mechanically complementary faults slip more slowly, and (b) that these patterns switch back and forth through time, likely reflecting reversible changes in the strength (i.e., resistance to shear) of the individual faults as they collectively accommodate relative plate motion. Interestingly, the periods of fast slip on the MFS faults exhibit ∼20–25 m of displacement, suggesting that these may record periods of fast slip on a weakened fault/ductile shear zone that continues until it uses up all locally stored elastic strain energy, thus potentially approaching local complete stress drop, albeit during a few tens of meters of rapid fault slip during multiple earthquakes, rather than during a single event. This hypothesis is consistent with typical earthquake stress drops of ∼1–10 MPa and estimates of depth-averaged crustal shear stress of a few 10 s of MPa, such as might be released in clusters of 4–6 earthquakes. These results emphasize the need to analyze the collective behavior of the entire fault systems, rather than just individual faults, to understand the mechanics of the system. Moreover, these patterns suggest a potential path forward for more accurate estimation of time-dependent seismic hazard, with the possible incorporation of current position of a fault within a fast- or slow/no-slip period into the probability analysis, as well as a means of potentially estimating crustal shear stress.

A new potentiometric method of determining the ionization constant of water based on the ionic liquid salt bridge consisting of N-ethyl-N-heptylpyrrolidinium bis(pentafluoroethanesulfonyl)amide

The ionization constant of water, KW, has been determined potentiometrically by use of an ionic liquid salt bridge (ILSB) consisting of a moderately hydrophobic N-ethyl-N-heptylpyrrolidinium bis(pentafluoroethanesulfonyl)amide at 25°C. The value obtained for pKW = -log10(KW) on the assumption that the liquid junction potential across the ILSB inserted between aqueous ca. 0.001 mol dm−3 solutions of HCl and NaOH is negligible was 13.81 ± 0.01(STDEV), which is smaller than 13.9965, reported about 90 years ago [1,2], based on potentiometry of the cells claimed to be without liquid junction. The present results seem to challenge the unproven assumption of no liquid junction in the so-called Harned cells in that if our Ecell value were greater by 10 mV, pKW would have been in perfect agreement with their 13.99, although it is very difficult to expect such a substantial magnitude of potential difference across the ILSB; logically, one may expect the opposite case, that is, that their value bears ca. 10 mV surplus possibly due to the hidden liquid junctions in the Harned cell.Relevant physicochemical properties of N-ethyl-N-alkylpyrrolidinium+ (alkyl = pentyl, hexyl and heptyl) and its ionic liquids formed in combination with bis(pentafluoroethanesulfonyl)amide− at 25°C are also reported.

Counting microstates via heat capacity and implications for the third law

Although supported by empirical data, two fundamental relations in thermodynamics are unproven. The current most authoritative statement of the third law contains an unproven assumption of the equivalency between entropy based on the distribution of energy and an entropy based on the distribution of matter at 0 K. The equality S0 + ∫(CV/T)dT = kBln(W/W0) where S0 is the zero point entropy, CV is the constant volume heat capacity, T is the absolute temperature, kB is Bolzmann’s constant, W is the number of microstates at T, and W0 is the number of microstates at 0 K has not previously been shown to be mathematically correct. This work offers a proof that positional and energy-based entropies are generally equal at 0 K, thus validating the assumption in the third law. But because positional entropy is not temperature dependent, any equality above 0 K is purely coincidental. This work also offers a mathematical proof of the equality between the entropy calculated from the temperature integral of (CV/T) and from kBln(W/W0) thus showing that heat capacity counts the number of energy microstates.

Comments: The Stakes Grow Higher in Defining Green Energy

Not so long ago, defining green energy was generally straightforward: renewables. It may not have been quite that simple, but the development of agreed-upon definitions based on science has become much more complex and contentious, even within the past year. It’s not just a highbrow debate about semantics. The standardization of criteria or a widely accepted taxonomy is critical as the focus increases on not only greenwashing, but on the actual processes and technologies enabling what were thought of as at least “greener” energy. The hammering out of definitions is needed to keep the energy transition moving forward globally. This scrutiny affects the options for companies seeking alternatives in carbon markets where the price of permits for emitting a tonne of CO2 is escalating. In early February, the price of CO2 permits in the EU reached a record high above 96 Euros ($109)/tonne CO2. Reuters reported that the carbon price has risen more than 200% since the start of 2021, partly due to high natural gas prices and the switch made to coal by some power generators. This resulted in higher emissions and increased the demand for permits. In January, the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance, comprising members from utilities, banks, nongovernmental organizations, and corporations, rejected the EU Commission’s draft sustainable finance rules which proposed labeling nuclear power and natural gas as green transition fuels. Nuclear projects permitted until 2045 were to be classified as green, but only if countries can safely dispose of the radioactive waste. Gas was to be included until 2030 with emissions thresholds specified. The EU Platform concluded that even if a gas plant stays under the emissions threshold, it “is not green at any point in its life.” Nuclear energy was acknowledged as already being part of the transitioning energy system and having near to zero greenhouse-gas emissions, but it would not meet the taxonomy’s requirement to “do not significant harm” to the environment because of the toxic waste that cannot be recycled or reused. The EU Commission’s taxonomy will be sent to the European Parliament and Council for review. Blue hydrogen was questioned as a transition fuel by a peer-reviewed study published in August 2021 in Energy Science & Engineering by coauthors from Cornell and Stanford universities. They wrote, “Far from being low-carbon, greenhouse-gas emissions from the production of blue hydrogen are quite high, particularly due to the release of fugitive methane. … Perhaps surprisingly, the greenhouse-gas footprint of blue hydrogen is more than 20% greater than burning natural gas or coal for heat and some 60% greater than burning diesel oil for heat, again with our default assumptions.” They added, “Our analysis assumes that captured carbon dioxide can be stored indefinitely, an optimistic and unproven assumption. Even if true though, the use of blue hydrogen appears difficult to justify on climate grounds.” In a study published last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison combined econometric analyses, land use observations, and biophysical models to estimate the realized effects of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandate to partially replace petroleum-based fuels with biofuels. They found that the RFS increased corn prices by 30% and the prices of other crops by 20%, which, in turn, expanded US corn cultivation by 8.7% and total cropland by 2.4% in the years following the policy’s enactment (2008 to 2016). “These changes increased annual nationwide fertilizer use by 3 to 8%, increased water-quality degradants by 3 to 5%, and caused enough domestic land use change emissions such that the carbon intensity of corn ethanol produced under the RFS is no less than gasoline and likely at least 24% higher. These tradeoffs must be weighed alongside the benefits of biofuels as decision makers consider the future of renewable energy policies and the potential for fuels like corn ethanol to meet climate mitigation goals.” The move toward energy transition has been pivotal for our industry and many others. It could be argued that no country, business, or individual will remain unaffected by the changes in progress and yet to come. “Transition” is defined as “the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.” And this process will take time, effort, technology, buy-in, scientific study and verification … and consensus, which may be the most challenging piece of all. A significant announcement demonstrating the application and acceptance of a scientific taxonomy was Santos Ltd.’s recent booking of 100 million metric tons of CO2 storage capacity in the Cooper Basin in South Australia. The company believes it represents the industry’s first-ever booking to be made under SPE’s CO2 Storage Resource Management System.

How green is blue hydrogen?

AbstractHydrogen is often viewed as an important energy carrier in a future decarbonized world. Currently, most hydrogen is produced by steam reforming of methane in natural gas (“gray hydrogen”), with high carbon dioxide emissions. Increasingly, many propose using carbon capture and storage to reduce these emissions, producing so‐called “blue hydrogen,” frequently promoted as low emissions. We undertake the first effort in a peer‐reviewed paper to examine the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of blue hydrogen accounting for emissions of both carbon dioxide and unburned fugitive methane. Far from being low carbon, greenhouse gas emissions from the production of blue hydrogen are quite high, particularly due to the release of fugitive methane. For our default assumptions (3.5% emission rate of methane from natural gas and a 20‐year global warming potential), total carbon dioxide equivalent emissions for blue hydrogen are only 9%‐12% less than for gray hydrogen. While carbon dioxide emissions are lower, fugitive methane emissions for blue hydrogen are higher than for gray hydrogen because of an increased use of natural gas to power the carbon capture. Perhaps surprisingly, the greenhouse gas footprint of blue hydrogen is more than 20% greater than burning natural gas or coal for heat and some 60% greater than burning diesel oil for heat, again with our default assumptions. In a sensitivity analysis in which the methane emission rate from natural gas is reduced to a low value of 1.54%, greenhouse gas emissions from blue hydrogen are still greater than from simply burning natural gas, and are only 18%‐25% less than for gray hydrogen. Our analysis assumes that captured carbon dioxide can be stored indefinitely, an optimistic and unproven assumption. Even if true though, the use of blue hydrogen appears difficult to justify on climate grounds.

TO THE ISSUE OF CREATING MODELS OF PRECISE SOIL COMPACTION DETECTION FOR PRODUCTION SCALE USE

Typical approaches to test soil compaction, along with technical possibilities are assessed with a purpose of scaling best approaches in production. Modern soil works related technologies, GPS accuracy aspirations for precision agriculture are addressed. Two most popular technologies in Ukraine to measure soil compaction are «The Top Soil Mapper» and «CTS-1000», although they function differently, most commonly are used independently. Simple mathematical calculations bringing together timing needed to gather reliable data to form variable depth soil ripping machinery and scale of Ukrainian production demonstrate irrelevance of applying typical mechanical methods. At the same time, sensor technologies have their own limitations. Thus, this article introduces the benefits of the mutual use of «The Top Soil Mapper» and «CTS-1000». Soil compaction models presented in the article include: 1. Smallest possible grid approach of soil compaction data presentation and interpolation for further use to create variable depth soil works assignment proves to provide a very good set of results and can be used as a standard, but at the same time it consumes so much time that production scaling is not achievable. As an example we can state that a grower with 1000 fields would need about 3 years to test all the fields, when production needs are to test all the fields within two or three months (depending on weather and crop rotation). 2. Small, midsize and large grid approach of soil compaction data presentation and interpolation for further use to create variable depth soil works assignment proves to vary from being still time inefficient to having gaps to gather enough data as main approach of any data processing for further interpolation makes an unproven assumption that the sample location is a center of a zone. In case with a smallest possible grid, that difference would be minimal, with a larger distance difference can be significant. 3. Depending on detecting zones to test compaction based other parameters does not prove to work and lacks scientific background. Thus it has been suggested to combine use of «Top Soil Mapper» and «CTS-1000».

Observing COVID-19 related behaviors in a high visitor use area of Arches National Park.

Visitation to parks and protected areas is a common COVID-19 coping strategy promoted by state and national public health officials and political leadership. Crowding and congestions in parks has been a perennial problem and the ability to socially distance within them is an unproven assumption. Is it possible to socially distance in a busy national park that has been designed to concentrate use? An observational study was conducted in July 2020 at the outside foyer of the Visitor Center of Arches National Park. Motion sensor cameras were placed to record one-minute videos when a person entered the field of view. Number of groups, group size, facial coverings and encounters within 6 feet (1.83 meters) of other groups were recorded. Groups were smaller on average than recorded in previous studies. Approximately 61% of the visitors wore masks. Most groups (69%) were able to experience the visitor center with no intergroup encounters. We model the probability of intergroup encounters and find as group size and number of groups increases, the probability of encounters rises. With four groups present, the probability of one or more encounters ranges from 19% to 40% for common group sizes, while if eight groups are present, the probability of one or more encounters increases from 34% to 64% for common group sizes. Under conditions in which park visitors have the physical space to avoid close encounters with other groups they are taking advantage of the opportunity. Visitors are minimizing group size, wearing masks, and remaining socially distant. However, encounters increase as the number or the size of the groups increases. In other areas of the parks this ability to avoid encounters may not be as possible. We recommend that park managers continue to appeal for compliance with CDC guidelines, especially the wearing of masks and encouraging visitors to split up into small groups when visiting.

COVID-19 gender susceptibility and outcomes: A systematic review.

Epidemiological differences between men and women have been reported with regards to sepsis, influenza and severe coronavirus infections including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. To systematically review the literature relating to men versus women on SARS-CoV-2 in order to seek differences in disease characteristics (e.g. infectivity, severity) and outcomes (e.g. mortality). We searched 3 electronic databases up or observational studies reporting differences between men and women in the SARS-CoV-2 disease characteristics stated. We identified and included 47 studies, reporting data for 21,454 patients mainly from China. The unadjusted mortality rates of men were higher than those of women, with a mortality OR 0.51 [0.42, 0.61] (p<0.001) for women. The proportion of men presenting with severe disease and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) was also higher than that of women (OR 0.75 [0.60-0.93] p<0.001 and OR 0.45 [0.40-0.52] p<0.001 respectively). Adjusted analyses could not be conducted due to lack of data. COVID-19 may be associated with worse outcomes in males than in females. However, until more detailed data are provided in further studies enabling adjusted analysis, this remains an unproven assumption.

Stieltjes moment sequences for pattern-avoiding permutations

A small set of combinatorial sequences have coefficients that can be represented as moments of a nonnegative measure on $[0, \infty)$. Such sequences are known as Stieltjes moment sequences. This article focuses on some classical sequences in enumerative combinatorics, denoted $Av(\mathcal{P})$, and counting permutations of $\{1, 2, \ldots, n \}$ that avoid some given pattern $\mathcal{P}$. For increasing patterns $\mathcal{P}=(12\ldots k)$, we recall that the corresponding sequences, $Av(123\ldots k)$, are Stieltjes moment sequences, and we explicitly find the underlying density function, either exactly or numerically, by using the Stieltjes inversion formula as a fundamental tool. We show that the generating functions of the sequences $\, Av(1234)$ and $\, Av(12345)$ correspond, up to simple rational functions, to an order-one linear differential operator acting on a classical modular form given as a pullback of a Gaussian $\, _2F_1$ hypergeometric function, respectively to an order-two linear differential operator acting on the square of a classical modular form given as a pullback of a $\, _2F_1$ hypergeometric function. We demonstrate that the density function for the Stieltjes moment sequence $Av(123\ldots k)$ is closely, but non-trivially, related to the density attached to the distance traveled by a walk in the plane with $k-1$ unit steps in random directions. Finally, we study the challenging case of the $Av(1324)$ sequence and give compelling numerical evidence that this too is a Stieltjes moment sequence. Accepting this, we show how rigorous lower bounds on the growth constant of this sequence can be constructed, which are stronger than existing bounds. A further unproven assumption leads to even better bounds, which can be extrapolated to give an estimate of the (unknown) growth constant.

Stieltjes Moment Sequences for Pattern-Avoiding Permutations

A small set of combinatorial sequences have coefficients that can be represented as moments of a nonnegative measure on $[0, \infty)$. Such sequences are known as Stieltjes moment sequences. They have a number of nice properties, such as log-convexity, which are useful to rigorously bound their growth constant from below.&#x0D; This article focuses on some classical sequences in enumerative combinatorics, denoted $Av(\mathcal{P})$, and counting permutations of $\{1, 2, \ldots, n \}$ that avoid some given pattern $\mathcal{P}$. For increasing patterns $\mathcal{P}=(12\ldots k)$, we recall that the corresponding sequences, $Av(123\ldots k)$, are Stieltjes moment sequences, and we explicitly find the underlying density function, either exactly or numerically, by using the Stieltjes inversion formula as a fundamental tool.&#x0D; We first illustrate our approach on two basic examples, $Av(123)$ and $Av(1342)$, whose generating functions are algebraic. We next investigate the general (transcendental) case of $Av(123\ldots k)$, which counts permutations whose longest increasing subsequences have length at most $k-1$. We show that the generating functions of the sequences $\, Av(1234)$ and $\, Av(12345)$ correspond, up to simple rational functions, to an order-one linear differential operator acting on a classical modular form given as a pullback of a Gaussian $\, _2F_1$ hypergeometric function, respectively to an order-two linear differential operator acting on the square of a classical modular form given as a pullback of a $\, _2F_1$ hypergeometric function.&#x0D; We demonstrate that the density function for the Stieltjes moment sequence $Av(123\ldots k)$ is closely, but non-trivially, related to the density attached to the distance traveled by a walk in the plane with $k-1$ unit steps in random directions.&#x0D; Finally, we study the challenging case of the $Av(1324)$ sequence and give compelling numerical evidence that this too is a Stieltjes moment sequence. Accepting this, we show how rigorous lower bounds on the growth constant of this sequence can be constructed, which are stronger than existing bounds. A further unproven assumption leads to even better bounds, which can be extrapolated to give an estimate of the (unknown) growth constant.

Association Between the European Society of Cardiology/European Society of Hypertension Heart Rate Thresholds for Cardiovascular Risk and Neuroadrenergic Markers.

The recent European Society of Cardiology/European Society of Hypertension hypertension guidelines identify resting heart rate (HR) values >80 bpm as predictors of cardiovascular risk, with the unproven assumption that this might reflect the presence of a sympathetic overdrive. In the present study, we tested this hypothesis throughout the use of direct and indirect sympathetic markers. In 193 untreated moderate essential hypertensives aged 50.4±0.6 years (mean±SEM), we measured clinic and ambulatory blood pressure and corresponding HR, venous plasma norepinephrine (high performance liquid chromatography), and muscle sympathetic nerve traffic (microneurography). We then subdivided the study population into 2 groups according to HR < or >80 bpm. Eighty-four patients displayed resting HR >80 bpm, which was this cutoff value in the remaining 109 patients, the 2 groups showing superimposable age, and sex distribution. Clinic and ambulatory blood pressure were similar in the 2 groups, whereas left ventricular mass index was significantly greater in the group with HR >80 bpm. Muscle sympathetic nerve traffic values were also significantly greater in this latter group (72.77±0.9 versus vs 36.83±1.3 bursts/min, P<0.0001); this being the case also for norepinephrine (293.0±8.7 versus 254.1±8.9 pg/mL, P<0.002). In the whole population, there was a significant direct relationship between muscle sympathetic nerve traffic, norepinephrine, left ventricular mass index, and HR values. Similar results were obtained when 24-hour HR values were analyzed. Thus patients with hypertension displaying HR >80 bpm are characterized by a marked sympathetic overdrive, particularly when direct adrenergic markers are used. This finding suggests that cardiac and peripheral sympathetic activation are involved in the increased cardiovascular risk detected in this group of patients.

Return Times of Large Earthquakes Cannot Be Estimated Correctly from Seismicity Rates: 1906 San Francisco and 1717 Alpine Fault Ruptures

AbstractThe unproven assumption that the Gutenberg–Richter (GR) relationship can be extrapolated to estimate the return time, Tr (1/probability of occurrence), of major and large earthquakes has been shown to be incorrect along 196 faults, so far. Here, two more examples of great, well-known faults that do not produce enough earthquakes to fulfill the hypothesis are analyzed. The 300 km section of the San Andreas fault, California, United States, that ruptured in 1906 in the M 8 San Francisco earthquake, produced 200 earthquakes with M≥2 in the last 52 yr, when about 250,000 such events are expected according to the hypothesis. Along a 250 km section that broke in an M 7.9 earthquake in 1717 along the Alpine fault, New Zealand, the number of reported M≥3.6 earthquakes during the last 34 yr was 100, when about 6000 would be expected, based on the hypothesis. Extrapolating the GR relationships for these two fault segments, one estimates Tr of mainshocks of M 8 to be about 10,000 and 100,000 for the 1717 and 1906 ruptures, respectively. Regardless of choice of analysis parameters, this is by factors of 10–400 larger than estimates based on paleogeology, tectonics, and geodesy. In addition, second catalogs for each case yield estimates of probabilities for M 8 earthquakes along the 1717 and 1906 rupture segments that differ by factors of about 2 and 80 (between 5000 and 98,000 yr) from the first respective catalogs. It follows that the probability of large earthquakes cannot be estimated correctly based on local seismicity rates along major faults.

Comparative Analysis of Existing and Alternative Version of the Special Theory of Relativity

The article explains that: 1) relativistic formulas obtained in the existing version of the special theory of relativity (STR) are incorrect; 2) relativistic formulas obtained in the existing version of the STR are explained incorrect due to the use of the nonexistent in nature principle of light speed non-exceedance; 3) conclusions on physical unreality of imaginary numbers and existence of only our visible Monoverse drawn from relativistic formulas of the existing version of the STR are incorrect due to the use of the incorrect principle of light speed non-exceedance. In other words, the existing version of the STR created in the 20th century is not quite true. Moreover, the correct STR could not be created in the 20th century, since 1) the principle of physical reality of imaginary numbers refuting experimentally the postulated (i.e. being an unproven assumption) principle of light speed non-exceedance was published only in the 21st century; 2) experimental data whose mathematical analysis discerned the quaternion structure of the hidden Multiverse consisting of twenty to twenty-two invisible parallel universes in six-dimensional space were obtained by WMAP and Planck spacecraft only in the 21st century; 3) explanation of the way how astronomical observations of constellations of the starry sky in portals can experimentally prove the existence of invisible universes was published only in 2019. Therefore, the article presents an alternative version of the STR, free from the shortcomings of its existing version. Other relativistic formulas that have been obtained in the alternative version of the STR are explainable both at sub-light and hyper-light speeds, and for real and imaginary values of all quantities corresponding to these formulas. Therefore, the principle of light speed non-exceedance is excluded from this version of the STR. For the same reason, the alternative version of the STR states that there is a Multiverse of mutually invisible parallel universes, rather than a Monoverse, since all the mutually invisible parallel universes are relative to each other beyond the event horizon. It also explains how the existence of these invisible parallel universes can be proved by astronomical observations in portals. Moreover, the WMAP and Planck spacecraft data are used in the alternative version of the STR to clarify the structure of the hidden Multiverse. Their mathematical processing has testified that the hidden Multiverse has a quaternion structure and contains twenty-twenty two invisible universes in six-dimensional space.

Universes Being Invisible on Earth outside the Portals Are Visible in Portals

The authors of the existing version of the special theory of relativity had to use the princi-ple of light speed non-exceedance to explain relativistic formulas obtained therein within the space of real numbers. The principle implied existence of only our visible universe and absence of physical content in imaginary numbers. However, since the principle is just a postulate, i.e. an unproven assumption, it has always carried little credibility. The paper refutes the principle by the experimentally proven principle of physical reality of imagi-nary numbers. As follows from the principle of physical reality of imaginary numbers, relativistic formulas of the existing version of the STR are wrong and incorrectly ex-plained, and conclusions drawn from them are misguided. In other words, this version is incorrect1 and, thus, the STR was not actually created in the 20th century. Moreover, it could not be created in the 20th century, as its creation required experimental data ob-tained in the 21st century. The paper provides an alternative version of the STR contain-ing relativistic formulas corrected given experimental data obtained in the 21st century. These formulas imply that instead of the Monoverse, whose existence is supposed in the existing version of the STR, there is a Multiverse, whose universes are mutually invisible (and the invisibility is explainable) and therefore it has been referred to as hidden. The paper explains that existence of invisible universes of the hidden Multiverse gives rise to the phenomenon of dark matter and dark energy that is actually a sort of optical effect (however, not electromagnetic, but gravitational), a shadow, rather than some physical substance2. It also explains that existence of other invisible universes outside the hidden Multiverse gives rise to the phenomenon of dark space. Invisible universes are claimed to really exist, which can be experimentally proved by astronomical observations in portals, where universes not visible outside portals become partially visible. Therefore, constella-tions observed in the starry sky inside the portals are different from those observed in our visible universe. The alternative version of the special theory of relativity can also suc-cessfully solve other issues of astrophysics. In particular, it can explain where antimatter is located and why it does not annihilate with matter, as well as where tachyons are locat-ed and why they don’t violate the principle of causality, etc.

Termites and stone lines - traps for the unwary archaeologist

An unproven assumption in the case of prehistoric archaeological sites has always been that where the optical and/or radiocarbon ages are in stratigraphic order, becoming older with depth, the ages obtained provide unambiguous ages for any artefacts within the same stratigraphic horizon. This is not necessarily so. A growing body of evidence gathered by dating practitioners, soil scientists and geomorphologists during the past few decades in many parts of the world has shown that post-depositional and syn-depositional disturbance is the norm rather than the exception.Field observations in tropical northern Australia show that termite activity operating in conjunction with soil creep, subsurface lateral eluviation and slope wash can generate a buried stone layer 30–50 cm thick within 10,000–15,000 years and can replenish the topsoil to a depth of 15–30 cm thick within the same time. Termites can cause differential displacement of artefacts and can seriously interfere with attempts to obtain a reliable chronology based on radiocarbon and/or optical ages for the sediments in which the artefacts occur.

Drug-Placebo Additivity in Randomized Clinical Trials.

In randomized clinical trials (RCTs), it is assumed that nonspecific effects beyond action of pharmacological agents are roughly equivalent in drug and placebo treatment groups. Hence, since the inception of RCTs, drug efficacy is determined by comparing outcomes in active to those in placebo control arms. However, quantitation of efficacy is based on an unproven assumption, that drug and placebo responses are always additive. Response to treatment in RCTs can be differentially influenced by the perturbing effects of patient expectations, side effects, and pharmacogenomic interactions in both drug and placebo arms. Ability to control for these effects requires understanding of when and where they arise, how to mitigate, analyze, and even leverage their impact. Here, we examine three factors that influence additivity: expectation, side effects, and pharmacogenomics. Furthermore, to provide novel insights into nonadditivity and solutions for managing it, we introduce systems pharmacogenomics, a network approach to integrating and analyzing the effects of the numerous interacting perturbations to which a patient is exposed in RCTs.

The nucleosome core particle remembers its position through DNA replication and RNA transcription

Nucleosomes are the fundamental structural unit of chromatin. In addition to stabilizing the DNA polymer, nucleosomes are modified in ways that reflect and affect gene expression in their vicinity. It has long been assumed that nucleosomes can transmit memory of gene expression through their covalent posttranslational modifications. An unproven assumption of this model, which is essential to most models of epigenetic inheritance, is that a nucleosome present at a locus reoccupies the same locus after DNA replication. We tested this assumption by nucleating a synthetic chromatin domain in vivo, in which ∼4 nucleosomes at an arbitrary locus were covalently labeled with biotin. We tracked the fate of labeled nucleosomes through DNA replication, and established that nucleosomes present at a locus remembered their position during DNA replication. The replication-associated histone chaperones Dpb3 and Mcm2 were essential for nucleosome position memory, and in the absence of both Dpb3 and Mcm2 histone chaperone activity, nucleosomes did not remember their position. Using the same approach, we tested the model that transcription results in retrograde transposition of nucleosomes along a transcription unit. We found no evidence of retrograde transposition. Our results suggest that nucleosomes have the capacity to transmit epigenetic memory across mitotic generations with exquisite spatial fidelity.