Trust and Fertility: Evidence from OECD countries

Using panel data for 24 (OECD) countries during the period 1980–2004 this study examines how social trust affects fertility. The major finding through the random effects approach is that the social trust increases the fertility rate. A 1% rise in the trust rate leads to an increase in fertility by 0.01 points. The results presented here suggest that in developed countries, trust underlies the desirable circumstances for child rearing.Trust, fertility, OECD, inequality, female labor participation.

Does corruption affect suicide? Empirical evidence from OECD countries

The question to what extent corruption influences suicide remains still unanswered. This paper examines the effect of corruption on suicide using a panel data approach for 24 OECD countries over the period 1995-1999. Our results indicate suicide rates are lower in countries with lower levels of corruption. We also find evidence that this effect is approximately three times larger for males than for females. It follows that corruption has a detrimental effect on societal well-being.Corruption, Panel data, Suicide, Well- Being, OECD

Does corruption affect suicide? Empirical evidence from OECD countries

Panel data regressions for 24 OECD countries showed that the less corrupt a society is, the lower the total suicide rate. This effect was approximately three times larger for males than for females. It follows that corruption has a detrimental effect on social well-being.Corruption, Panel data, Suicide, OECD

Influence of age of child on differences in marital satisfaction of males and females in East Asian countries

Using individual-level data for China, Korea, and Japan for 2006, this research examines how the age of children influences marital satisfaction for males and females in East Asian countries. Our results show that the marital satisfaction of males is barely affected by a child of the relationship, whereas the marital satisfaction of females with a young child is lower than that of females who do not have a child. This result holds for countries at different development stages. There is also a gender differential regarding the effect of young children on marital satisfaction. Furthermore, the more developed the country, the greater this difference becomes.Marital satisfaction, child, East Asian countries, ordered probit.

Influence of age of child on differences in marital satisfaction of males and females in East Asian countries

Using individual-level data from China, Korea, and Japan for 2006, this research examines how the age of children of the relationship influences marital satisfaction for males and females in East Asian countries. Our results show that the marital satisfaction of males is barely affected by a child of the relationship, whereas the marital satisfaction of females with a young child is lower than that of females who do not have a child. This result holds for countries of different development stages. There is also a gender differential regarding the effect of young children on marital satisfaction. Furthermore, the more developed the country, the greater this difference becomes.Marital satisfaction, child, East Asian countries, probit

Does corruption affect suicide? Empirical evidence from OECD countries

The question to what extent corruption influences suicide remains still unanswered. This paper examines the effect of corruption on suicide using a panel data approach for 24 OECD countries over the period 1995-2004. Our results show that suicide rates are lower in countries with lower levels of corruption. We also find evidence that this effect is approximately three times larger for males than for females. It follows from these findings that corruption has a detrimental effect on societal well-being and its effect differs based on the social position of genders.Corruption, Panel data, Suicide, Well- Being, OECD

Extracellular matrix proteins are potent agonists of human smooth muscle cell migration

AbstractPurpose: Extracellular matrix proteins can stimulate smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration by three distinct mechanisms: chemokinesis (nondirected migration in the presence of soluble protein), chemotaxis (directed migration toward soluble protein), and haptotaxis (directed migration toward insoluble, substrate-bound protein). This study investigates the effects of four prevalent extracellular matrix proteins (collagen types I and IV, fibronectin, and laminin), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) on haptotaxis, chemotaxis, and chemokinesis of human SMCs. The role of large guanosine triphosphate-binding proteins (G-proteins) in the signaling mediating these effects is also evaluated.Methods: Human saphenous vein SMCs were used in all migration studies. Chemokinesis, chemotaxis, and haptotaxis to each of the matrix proteins were measured and compared with PDGF through the use of a 48-well microchemotaxis chamber. The role of G-proteins in matrix-induced SMC migration was studied with the modulators of G-protein function, cholera and pertussis toxins.Results: For all matrix proteins the relative strength of the various stimuli for migration was haptotaxis > chemotaxis > chemokinesis (p < 0.05). For all three stimuli collagen I and IV produced the most significant migration followed by fibronectin > PDGF-AB > laminin (p < 0.05). Pertussis toxin completely inhibited chemotaxis and partially inhibited haptotaxis by laminin but did not affect migration by other matrix proteins, whereas cholera toxin abolished migration in response to all four matrix proteins.Conclusion: Matrix proteins, with the exception of laminin, provide a more significant stimulus for SMC locomotion than does the prototypical agonist, PDGF-AB. Of the three mechanisms by which migration can be stimulated, haptotaxis elicits the most pro-found effect. The importance of G-proteins as second messengers for migration varies with each matrix protein and with the mechanism of stimulation. (J Vasc Surg 1996;24:25-33.

High-K Precession modes: Axially symmetric limit of wobbling motion

The rotational band built on the high-K multi-quasiparticle state can be interpreted as a multi-phonon band of the precession mode, which represents the precessional rotation about the axis perpendicular to the direction of the intrinsic angular momentum. By using the axially symmetric limit of the random-phase-approximation (RPA) formalism developed for the nuclear wobbling motion, we study the properties of the precession modes in $^{178}$W; the excitation energies, B(E2) and B(M1) values. We show that the excitations of such a specific type of rotation can be well described by the RPA formalism, which gives a new insight to understand the wobbling motion in the triaxial superdeformed nuclei from a microscopic view point.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures (Spelling of the authors name was wrong at the first upload, so it is corrected

MicroRNA-383 located in frequently deleted chromosomal locus 8p22 regulates CD44 in prostate cancer.

A major genomic alteration in prostate cancer (PCa) is frequent loss of chromosome (chr) 8p with a common region of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at chr8p22 locus. Genomic studies implicate this locus in the initiation of clinically significant PCa and with progression to metastatic disease. However, the genes within this region have not been fully characterized to date. Here we demonstrate for the first time that a microRNA component of this region-miR-383-is frequently downregulated in prostate cancer, has a critical role in determining tumor-initiating potential and is involved in prostate cancer metastasis via direct regulation of CD44, a ubiquitous marker of PCa tumor-initiating cells (TICs)/stem cells. Expression analyses of miR-383 in PCa clinical tissues established that low miR-383 expression is associated with poor prognosis. Functional data suggest that miR-383 regulates PCa tumor-initiating/stem-like cells via CD44 regulation. Ectopic expression of miR-383 inhibited tumor-initiating capacity of CD44+ PCa cells. Also, 'anti-metastatic' effects of ectopic miR-383 expression were observed in a PCa experimental metastasis model. In view of our results, we propose that frequent loss of miR-383 at chr8p22 region leads to tumor initiation and prostate cancer metastasis. Thus, we have identified a novel finding that associates a long observed genomic alteration to PCa stemness and metastasis. Our data suggest that restoration of miR-383 expression may be an effective therapeutic modality against PCa. Importantly, we identified miR-383 as a novel PCa tissue diagnostic biomarker with a potential that outperforms that of serum PSA

Low Cost and Compact Quantum Cryptography

We present the design of a novel free-space quantum cryptography system, complete with purpose-built software, that can operate in daylight conditions. The transmitter and receiver modules are built using inexpensive off-the-shelf components. Both modules are compact allowing the generation of renewed shared secrets on demand over a short range of a few metres. An analysis of the software is shown as well as results of error rates and therefore shared secret yields at varying background light levels. As the system is designed to eventually work in short-range consumer applications, we also present a use scenario where the consumer can regularly 'top up' a store of secrets for use in a variety of one-time-pad and authentication protocols.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, to be published in New Journal of Physic