Metastable states from multinucleon excitations in Tl 202 and Pb 203

The excited level structures of Tl202 and Pb203, above the 7+ and 29/2- isomers, respectively, have been studied. An isomer with Iπ=20+ and T1/2=215(10)μs has been established in Tl202, and the level scheme extended from I=10 to 20ℏ with the placement of fifteen new transitions. In Pb203, the Iπ=37/2+ state is established to be metastable, with T1/2=2.5(3)ns. Levels in both nuclei arise from intrinsic excitations, with likely particle-hole character for the higher-lying states in Pb203. The 20+ isomer in Tl202 is most likely associated with a πh11/2-1 - ν(i13/2-2,f5/2-1) configuration, while the 37/2+ state in Pb203 results from the excitation of five neutrons. Calculations, using both an empirical approach and the oxbash code, have been performed to aid in the description of the excited level structure

Common genetic variation near the connexin-43 gene is associated with resting heart rate in African Americans: A genome-wide association study of 13,372 participants

Genome-wide association studies have identified several genetic loci associated with variation in resting heart rate in European and Asian populations. No study has evaluated genetic variants associated with heart rate in African Americans

On piecewise constant delay differential equations

AbstractSome results for piecewise constant linear delay differential equations are obtained. They include existence and uniqueness theorems, a variation of parameters formula, integral inequalities, the oscillation property, and some applications. The results are extended to equations involving two types of delays

Test excavations and initial results at the middle and upper paleolithic sites of Gilvaran, Kaldar, Ghamari caves and Gar Arjene Rockshelter, Khorramabad Valley, western Iran

10.1016/j.crpv.2014.01.005This paper introduces the excavations in several Paleolithic sites in the Khorramabad Valley, Western Iran. Apart from the two well-known sites of Ghamari Cave and Gar Arjene rock shelter, first excavated by Frank Hole and Kent Flannery in the 1960s, the Gilvaran and Kaldar caves were excavated for the first time. Here we present the stratigraphy of these sites, general data from the lithic assemblages, and the identifications of a small part of the faunal remains. Preliminary results are showing that all of the sites were occupied from the Middle and Upper Paleolithic onward, and therefore provide great potential for the study of the transition between these cultural periods. Our preliminary techno-typological observations show that the lower levels of the Gilvaran and Ghamari sequences may represent an early phase of the Middle Paleolithic

Cross-Cultural Differences in a Global “Survey of World Views”

10.1177/0022022114551791We know that there are cross-cultural differences in psychological variables, such as individualism/collectivism. But it has not been clear which of these variables show relatively the greatest differences. The Survey of World Views project operated from the premise that such issues are best addressed in a diverse sampling of countries representing a majority of the world¿s population, with a very large range of item-content. Data were collected online from 8,883 individuals (almost entirely college students based on local publicizing efforts) in 33 countries that constitute more than two third of the world¿s population, using items drawn from measures of nearly 50 variables. This report focuses on the broadest patterns evident in item data. The largest differences were not in those contents most frequently emphasized in cross-cultural psychology (e.g., values, social axioms, cultural tightness), but instead in contents involving religion, regularity-norm behaviors, family roles and living arrangements, and ethnonationalism. Content not often studied cross-culturally (e.g., materialism, Machiavellianism, isms dimensions, moral foundations) demonstrated moderate-magnitude differences. Further studies are needed to refine such conclusions, but indications are that cross-cultural psychology may benefit from casting a wider net in terms of the psychological variables of focus