2,940 research outputs found
Competitive Analysis and Market Power of China’s Soybean Import Market
This research conducts a competitive structure analysis of the Chinese soybean import market which leads to the hypothesis that China’s soybean importers may have stronger market power in China’s soybean import market. Then, this research develops and simultaneously estimates a two-country partial equilibrium trade model to test U.S.-China market power of soybean trade. The empirical result supports our hypothesis that Chinese soybean importers have stronger market power relative to U.S. soybean exporters. This Chinese market power can be countered by U.S. and South American companies through developing new and expanding existing markets for soybeans throughout the world and investing in Chinese soybean storage and crushing capacity.Chinese soybean import market, competitive structure analysis, market power, two-country partial equilibrium trade model, International Relations/Trade, Marketing, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Q10, Q12, Q17,
Plasma REST: a novel candidate biomarker of Alzheimer's disease is modified by psychological intervention in an at-risk population.
The repressor element 1-silencing transcription (REST) factor is a key regulator of the aging brain's stress response. It is reduced in conditions of stress and Alzheimer's disease (AD), which suggests that increasing REST may be neuroprotective. REST can be measured peripherally in blood plasma. Our study aimed to (1) examine plasma REST levels in relation to clinical and biological markers of neurodegeneration and (2) alter plasma REST levels through a stress-reduction intervention-mindfulness training. In study 1, REST levels were compared across the following four well-characterized groups: healthy elderly (n=65), mild cognitive impairment who remained stable (stable MCI, n=36), MCI who later converted to dementia (converter MCI, n=29) and AD (n=65) from the AddNeuroMed cohort. REST levels declined with increasing severity of risk and impairment (healthy elderly>stable MCI>converter MCI>AD, F=6.35, P<0.001). REST levels were also positively associated with magnetic resonance imaging-based hippocampal and entorhinal atrophy and other putative blood-based biomarkers of AD (Ps<0.05). In study 2, REST was measured in 81 older adults with psychiatric risk factors for AD before and after a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention or an education-based placebo intervention. Mindfulness-based training caused an increase in REST compared with the placebo intervention (F=8.57, P=0.006), and increased REST was associated with a reduction in psychiatric symptoms associated with stress and AD risk (Ps<0.02). Our data confirm plasma REST associations with clinical severity and neurodegeneration, and originally, that REST is modifiable by a psychological intervention with clinical benefit
Observational properties of massive black hole binary progenitors
The first directly detected gravitational waves (GW 150914) were emitted by
two coalescing black holes (BHs) with masses of ~36Msun and ~29Msun. Several
scenarios have been proposed to put this detection into an astrophysical
context. The evolution of an isolated massive binary system is among commonly
considered models. Various groups have performed detailed binary-evolution
calculations that lead to BH merger events. However, the question remains open
as to whether binary systems with the predicted properties really exist. The
aim of this paper is to help observers to close this gap by providing spectral
characteristics of massive binary BH progenitors during a phase where at least
one of the companions is still non-degenerate. Stellar evolution models predict
fundamental stellar parameters. Using these as input for our stellar atmosphere
code (PoWR), we compute a set of models for selected evolutionary stages of
massive merging BH progenitors at different metallicities. The synthetic
spectra obtained from our atmosphere calculations reveal that progenitors of
massive BH merger events start their lives as O2-3V stars that evolve to
early-type blue supergiants before they undergo core-collapse during the
Wolf-Rayet phase. When the primary has collapsed, the remaining system will
appear as a wind-fed high-mass X-ray binary. We provide feedback parameters,
broad band magnitudes, and spectral templates that should help to identify such
binaries in the future. Comparisons of empirically determined mass-loss rates
with those assumed by evolution calculations reveal significant differences.
The consideration of the empirical mass-loss rates in evolution calculations
will possibly entail a shift of the maximum in the predicted binary-BH merger
rate to higher metallicities, that is, more candidates should be expected in
our cosmic neighborhood than previously assumed.Comment: 64 pages, 30 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysics, v2: typos correcte
Planning a Family:priorities and concerns in rural Tanzanmia
A fertility survey using qualitative and quantitative techniques described a high fertility setting (TFR 5.8) in southern Tanzania where family planning use was 16%. Current use was influenced by rising parity, educational level, age of last born child, breastfeeding status, a\ud
preference for longer than the mean birth interval (32 months), not being related to the household head, and living in a house with a tin roof. Three principal concerns amongst women were outlined from the findings. First, that there is a large unmet need for family planning services in the area particularly among teenagers for whom it is associated with induced abortion. Second, that family planning is being used predominantly for spacing but fears\ud
associated with it often curtail effective use. Third, that service provision is perceived to be lacking in two main areas — regularity of supply, and addressing rumours and fears associated with family planning. Reproductive health interventions in the area should ultimately be more\ud
widespread and, in particular, abortion is highlighted as an urgent issue for further research.\ud
The potential for a fast and positive impact is high, given the simplicity of the perceived needs of\ud
women from this study. (Afr J Reprod Health 2004; 8[2]:111-123)\u
Classification and prediction of macroinvertebrate assemblages from running waters in Victoria, Australia
Plasma REST: A novel candidate biomarker of Alzheimer\u27s disease is modified by psychological intervention in an at-risk population
The repressor element 1-silencing transcription (REST) factor is a key regulator of the aging brain’s stress response. It is reduced in conditions of stress and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which suggests that increasing REST may be neuroprotective. REST can be measured peripherally in blood plasma. Our study aimed to (1) examine plasma REST levels in relation to clinical and biological markers of neurodegeneration and (2) alter plasma REST levels through a stress-reduction intervention—mindfulness training. In study 1, REST levels were compared across the following four well-characterized groups: healthy elderly (n=65), mild cognitive impairment who remained stable (stable MCI, n=36), MCI who later converted to dementia (converter MCI, n=29) and AD (n=65) from the AddNeuroMed cohort. REST levels declined with increasing severity of risk and impairment (healthy elderly>stable MCI>converter MCI>AD, F=6.35, P<0.001). REST levels were also positively associated with magnetic resonance imaging-based hippocampal and entorhinal atrophy and other putative blood-based biomarkers of AD (Ps<0.05). In study 2, REST was measured in 81 older adults with psychiatric risk factors for AD before and after a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention or an education-based placebo intervention. Mindfulness-based training caused an increase in REST compared with the placebo intervention (F=8.57, P=0.006), and increased REST was associated with a reduction in psychiatric symptoms associated with stress and AD risk (Ps<0.02). Our data confirm plasma REST associations with clinical severity and neurodegeneration, and originally, that REST is modifiable by a psychological intervention with clinical benefit
New Candidate Interstellar Particle in Stardust IS Aerogel Collector: Analysis by STXM and Ptychography
The Stardust Interstellar Preliminary Examination (ISPE) reported in 2014 the discovery of 7 probable contemporary interstellar (IS) particles captured in Stardust IS Collector aerogel and foils. The ISPE reports represented work done over 6 years by more than 60 scientists and >30,000 volunteers, which emphasizes the challenge identifying and analyzing Stardust IS samples was far beyond the primary Stardust cometary collection. We present a new potentially interstellar particle resulting from a continuation of analyses of the IS aerogel collection
Triboelectrostatic Separation of Mineral Matter from Slovakian Coals
V èlánku sĂş diskutovanĂ© niektorĂ© technickĂ© aspekty triboelektrostatickej separácie a vĂ˝s-ledky aplikácie tohto postupu pri Ăşprave troch typov uhlia, konkrĂ©tne energetickĂ©ho uhlia z CĂgÂľa, Handlovej a Novák. Bolo zistenĂ©, e úèinnos separácie veÂľmi Ăşzko závisĂ na druhu separovan uhlia. PrvĂ© vĂ˝sledky preukázali sĂşvislos medzi úèinnosou separácie obsahom popola v uhlĂ
- …