Democratic Paradox: The Role Of Regime Type In Civil War Intervention Initiation And Success

Abstract: Justin M. Burnett: democratic paradox: the role of regime type in civil war intervention initiation and success. (Under the direction of Dr. Timothy Nordstrom) regime type is an important yet largely ignored factor in the likelihood of civil war intervention initiation and success. Most research related to intervention processes has analyzed these processes without questioning whether or not domestic political institutions and constraints affect the decision to intervene as well as the probability of success. Democracies have unique institutions and recognized norms that do not exist in non-democratic states. I argue that these differences matter and that domestic political audiences in democracies can more effectively drive foreign policy decisions than populations in non-democratic states. When democratic populations are exposed to media images of particularly violent conflict they have the opportunity to assess the need for intervention based on ingrained democratic norms. I believe that this leads to democratic policy makers being compelled to intervene in the most intractable conflicts in response to demands from domestic audiences. However, due to the difficulty of intervention in these conflicts i argue that the same type of political pressure that leads to intervention in these conflicts also serves to pressure policy makers to withdraw prior to successful completion of the mission. By drawing from a wide variety of literatures related to conflict i proposed two hypotheses to test the whether or not regime type influences the decision to intervene and the probable success of all intervention opportunities from 1945-2012. I found empirical evidence that supports my assertion that democracies are more likely than non-democracies to intervene in the most intractable conflicts. With regard to my theory on success i did not find strong evidence that indicates that democracies are less likely to be successful than their non-democratic counter parts. Rather, it appears that they are simply less successful than when they engage in interstate war

Acute exercise on memory function: Open vs. Closed skilled exercise

© 2020 The Author(s). Background: Previous studies suggest that acute exercise may improve memory function. Few studies, however, have investigated the differential effect of the acute exercise movement patterns on memory. Such an effect is plausible, as research demonstrates that open-skilled exercise (e.g., racquetball) may have a greater effect on memory-related neurotrophins (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factors) when compared to closed-skilled exercise (e.g. treadmill exercise). A key distinction between open- and closed-skilled exercise is that open-skilled exercises are those that require an individual to react in a dynamic way to a changing, unpredictable environment. Our aim in this study was to assess wether retrospective and prospective memory are differentially influenced from open- and closed-skilled acute exercise. Methods: A within-subject design was employed. Participants (Mage = 20.6 years; 69% female) completed two visits, in a counterbalanced order. The two experimental conditions included open-skilled acute exercise (racquetball) and closed-skilled acute exercise (treadmill exercise), each lasting 30-minute at 60% of heart rate reserve (HRR). During both experimental conditions, participants completed short- and long-term assessments of retrospective and prospective memory function. Retrospective memory was evaluated across multiple word-list trials (e.g., Trials 1-6, 20-minute delay, 24-hour delay). Results: No significant effect of exercise was found on prospective memory. For retrospective memory, there was a significant main effect for condition, F(1, 57) = 5.33, P = 0.02, η2 = 0.004, main effect for trial, F(4.12, 234.9) = 227.85, P \u3c 0.001, η2 = 0.46, but no condition by trial interaction, F(4.63, 264.08) = 1.022, P = 0.40, η2 = 0.002. Conclusion: Retrospective memory was greater after closed-skilled exercise (treadmill) when compared to open-skilled exercise (racquetball)

Validating Hemoglobin Saturation and Dissolved Oxygen in Tumors using the OxyLab Probe and Photoacoustic Imaging

The goal of this experiment is to validate the relationship between hemoglobin saturation (SaO2) and partial pressure of dissolved oxygen (pO2) in breast tumors in mice using photoacoustic computed tomographic (PCT) imaging and OxyLite probe, respectively. In its simplest form, the relationship is described by the dissociation curve, or Hill’s equation, for hemoglobin, and is modeled as a sigmoidal curve that is a function of two parameters – the Hill coefficient, n, and the net association constant of HbO2, K (or pO2 at 50% SaO2). First, a calibration study to validate Hill’s equation in blood was performed by creating a closed circuit phantom to test the SaO2 (co-oximeter) and pO2 (Oxylite probe) relationship (K=23.2mmHg and n=2.26). Next, non-invasive localized measurements of SaO2 in MDA-MD-231 and MCF7 breast tumors using PCT spectroscopic methods were compared to pO2 levels, where pO2 levels were measured in 1mm increments across the central axis of the tumor. The fitted results for MCF7 and MDA-MD-231 were K=17.2mmHg and 20.7mmHg, and n=1.76and 1.63, respectively. The results are consistent with sigmoidal form of Hill’s equation. The lower value of K is indicative of the acidic microenvironment associated with tumors. Ongoing work to correct for photon transport and image artifacts are anticipated to enhance the quality of the results. In conclusion, the results from this study demonstrate photoacoustic can be used to measure tumor oxygenation, and its potential use in investigating the effectiveness of anti-angiogenesis therapy

Perioperative Laboratory Abnormalities in Gynecologic Oncology Surgical Patients

Background: Laboratory blood testing incurs financial costs and the blood draws can increase discomfort, yet minimal data exists regarding routine testing in gynecologic oncology surgical patients. Additionally, an increasing number of gynecologic oncology surgeries are performed via a laparoscopic approach. Thus, further investigation into perioperative laboratory testing for gynecologic oncology patients is warranted. An increasing number of gynecologic oncology surgeries are performed via a laparoscopic approach. Thus, further investigation into perioperative laboratory testing for gynecologic oncology patients is warranted. Objective: The aims of this study were (1) to evaluate the frequency and etiology of perioperative laboratory test abnormalities in patients undergoing laparoscopic and laparotomy surgery in a gynecologic oncology service, and (2) to establish an evidence-based algorithm to reduce unnecessary laboratory testing. Materials and Methods: A single-institution retrospective study was completed, investigating laparoscopic and laparotomic surgeries over 4 years. Information on preoperative and postoperative laboratory data, surgical parameters, perioperative interventions, and patient demographics was collected. Quality-assurance data were reviewed. Data were tabulated and analyzed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 22. A Student's t-test was used to test for group differences for continuous variables with equal variance, the Mann-Whitney?U test for continuous variables when unequal variance was detected, and Pearson's ?2 was used to investigate categorical variables of interest. p-Values 98% of patients underwent at least one preoperative and postoperative laboratory test, totaling 8060 preoperative and 5784 postoperative results. The laparoscopy group was significantly less likely to have postoperative metabolic abnormalities or to undergo perioperative blood transfusion. Patients taking an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor, angiotensin-II?receptor blocker, or diuretic were significantly more likely to have elevated creatinine preoperatively (odds ratio [OR]: 5.0; p?Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/140101/1/gyn.2015.0106.pd

Non-Analytic Vertex Renormalization of a Bose Gas at Finite Temperature

We derive the flow equations for the symmetry unbroken phase of a dilute 3-dimensional Bose gas. We point out that the flow equation for the interaction contains parts which are non-analytic at the origin of the frequency-momentum space. We examine the way this non-analyticity affects the fixed point of the system of the flow equations and shifts the value of the critical exponent for the correlation length closer to the experimental result in comparison with previous work where the non-analyticity was neglected. Finally, we emphasize the purely thermal nature of this non-analytic behaviour comparing our approach to a previous work where non-analyticity was studied in the context of renormalization at zero temperature.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figure

Minimal renormalization without epsilon-expansion: Amplitude functions in three dimensions below T_c

Massive field theory at fixed dimension d<4 is combined with the minimal subtraction scheme to calculate the amplitude functions of thermodynamic quantities for the O(n) symmetric phi^4 model below T_c in two-loop order. Goldstone singularities arising at an intermediate stage in the calculation of O(n) symmetric quantities are shown to cancel among themselves leaving a finite result in the limit of zero external field. From the free energy we calculate the amplitude functions in zero field for the order parameter, specific heat and helicity modulus (superfluid density) in three dimensions. We also calculate the q^2 part of the inverse of the wavenumber-dependent transverse susceptibility chi_T(q) which provides an independent check of our result for the helicity modulus. The two-loop contributions to the superfluid density and specific heat below T_c turn out to be comparable in magnitude to the one-loop contributions, indicating the necessity of higher-order calculations and Pade-Borel type resummations.Comment: 41 pages, LaTeX, 8 PostScript figures, submitted to NPB [FS

Risperidone-induced weight gain is mediated through shifts in the gut microbiome and suppression of energy expenditure

AbstractRisperidone is a second-generation antipsychotic that causes weight gain. We hypothesized that risperidone-induced shifts in the gut microbiome are mechanistically involved in its metabolic consequences. Wild-type female C57BL/6J mice treated with risperidone (80μg/day) exhibited significant excess weight gain, due to reduced energy expenditure, which correlated with an altered gut microbiome. Fecal transplant from risperidone-treated mice caused a 16% reduction in total resting metabolic rate in naïve recipients, attributable to suppression of non-aerobic metabolism. Risperidone inhibited growth of cultured fecal bacteria grown anaerobically more than those grown aerobically. Finally, transplant of the fecal phage fraction from risperidone-treated mice was sufficient to cause excess weight gain in naïve recipients, again through reduced energy expenditure. Collectively, these data highlight a major role for the gut microbiome in weight gain following chronic use of risperidone, and specifically implicates the modulation of non-aerobic resting metabolism in this mechanism

Three-loop critical exponents, amplitude functions, and amplitude ratios from variational perturbation theory

We use variational perturbation theory to calculate various universal amplitude ratios above and below T_c in minimally subtracted phi^4-theory with N components in three dimensions. In order to best exhibit the method as a powerful alternative to Borel resummation techniques, we consider only to two- and three-loops expressions where our results are analytic expressions. For the critical exponents, we also extend existing analytic expressions for two loops to three loops.Comment: Author Information under http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/institution.html . Latest update of paper (including all PS fonts) at http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/kleiner_re318/preprint.htm

Five-loop additive renormalization in the phi^4 theory and amplitude functions of the minimally renormalized specific heat in three dimensions

We present an analytic five-loop calculation for the additive renormalization constant A(u,epsilon) and the associated renormalization-group function B(u) of the specific heat of the O(n) symmetric phi^4 theory within the minimal subtraction scheme. We show that this calculation does not require new five-loop integrations but can be performed on the basis of the previous five-loop calculation of the four-point vertex function combined with an appropriate identification of symmetry factors of vacuum diagrams. We also determine the amplitude functions of the specific heat in three dimensions for n=1,2,3 above T_c and for n=1 below T_c up to five-loop order. Accurate results are obtained from Borel resummations of B(u) for n=1,2,3 and of the amplitude functions for n=1. Previous conjectures regarding the smallness of the resummed higher-order contributions are confirmed. Borel resummed universal amplitude ratios A^+/A^- and a_c^+/a_c^- are calculated for n=1.Comment: 30 pages REVTeX, 3 PostScript figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Minimal renormalization without \epsilon-expansion: Three-loop amplitude functions of the O(n) symmetric \phi^4 model in three dimensions below T_c

We present an analytic three-loop calculation for thermodynamic quantities of the O(n) symmetric \phi^4 theory below T_c within the minimal subtraction scheme at fixed dimension d=3. Goldstone singularities arising at an intermediate stage in the calculation of O(n) symmetric quantities cancel among themselves leaving a finite result in the limit of zero external field. From the free energy we calculate the three-loop terms of the amplitude functions f_phi, F+ and F- of the order parameter and the specific heat above and below T_c, respectively, without using the \epsilon=4-d expansion. A Borel resummation for the case n=2 yields resummed amplitude functions f_phi and F- that are slightly larger than the one-loop results. Accurate knowledge of these functions is needed for testing the renormalization-group prediction of critical-point universality along the \lambda-line of superfluid He(4). Combining the three-loop result for F- with a recent five-loop calculation of the additive renormalization constant of the specific heat yields excellent agreement between the calculated and measured universal amplitude ratio A+/A- of the specific heat of He(4). In addition we use our result for f_phi to calculate the universal combination R_C of the amplitudes of the order parameter, the susceptibility and the specific heat for n=2 and n=3. Our Borel-resummed three-loop result for R_C is significantly more accurate than the previous result obtained from the \epsilon-expansion up to O(\epsilon^2).Comment: 29 pages LaTeX including 3 PostScript figures, to appear in Nucl. Phys. B [FS] (1998