New spectroscopic studies of plutonium (IV) nitrate complex formation in solution

Spectrophotometric titrations of Pu(IV) with HNO{sub 3} were conducted in a series of aqueous HClO{sub 4} solutions ranging ionic strength from 2 to 19 mol/kg on the molality scale. The Pu f-f absorption spectra in the visible and near IR range were deconvoluted into spectra of Pu{sup 4+}(aq), Pu(NO{sub 3}){sup 3+} and Pu(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}{sup 2+} complexes and their formation constants as functions of ionic strength. When corrected for the incomplete dissociation of nitric acid, these formation constants exhibit smooth increases with ionic strength from 5 to 19 mol/kg

Limit on the fermion masses in technicolor models

Recently it has been pointed out that no limits can be put on the scale of fermion mass generation $(M)$ in technicolor models, because the relation between the fermion masses $(m_f)$ and $M$ depends on the dimensionality of the interaction responsible for generating the fermion mass. Depending on this dimensionality it may happens that $m_f$ does not depend on $M$ at all. We show that exactly in this case $m_f$ may reach its largest value, which is almost saturated by the top quark mass. We make few comments on the question of how large can be a dynamically generated fermion mass.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, RevTeX

Spike Protein Fusion Peptide and Feline Coronavirus Virulence

Mutations can occur erratically and accompany tropism changes, resulting in unpredictable new diseases

Learning difficulties : a portuguese perspective of a universal issue

In this article we present findings of a study that was conducted with the purpose of deepening the knowledge about the field of learning difficulties in Portugal. Therefore, within these findings we will discuss across several cultural boundaries, themes related with the existence of learning difficulties as a construct, the terminology, the political, social and scientific influences on the field, and the models of identification and of ongoing school support for students. While addressing the above-mentioned themes we will draw attention to the different, yet converging, international understandings of learning difficulties

A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased negative emotions and decreased positive emotions globally. Left unchecked, these emotional changes might have a wide array of adverse impacts. To reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions, we tested the effectiveness of reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that modifies how one thinks about a situation. Participants from 87 countries and regions (n = 21,644) were randomly assigned to one of two brief reappraisal interventions (reconstrual or repurposing) or one of two control conditions (active or passive). Results revealed that both reappraisal interventions (vesus both control conditions) consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions across different measures. Reconstrual and repurposing interventions had similar effects. Importantly, planned exploratory analyses indicated that reappraisal interventions did not reduce intentions to practice preventive health behaviours. The findings demonstrate the viability of creating scalable, low-cost interventions for use around the world

The Psychological Science Accelerator’s COVID-19 rapid-response dataset

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychological Science Accelerator coordinated three large-scale psychological studies to examine the effects of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing manipulations on behavioral intentions and affective measures. The data collected (April to October 2020) included specific measures for each experimental study, a general questionnaire examining health prevention behaviors and COVID-19 experience, geographical and cultural context characterization, and demographic information for each participant. Each participant started the study with the same general questions and then was randomized to complete either one longer experiment or two shorter experiments. Data were provided by 73,223 participants with varying completion rates. Participants completed the survey from 111 geopolitical regions in 44 unique languages/dialects. The anonymized dataset described here is provided in both raw and processed formats to facilitate re-use and further analyses. The dataset offers secondary analytic opportunities to explore coping, framing, and self-determination across a diverse, global sample obtained at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be merged with other time-sampled or geographic data

The Psychological Science Accelerator’s COVID-19 rapid-response dataset

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychological Science Accelerator coordinated three large-scale psychological studies to examine the effects of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing manipulations on behavioral intentions and affective measures. The data collected (April to October 2020) included specific measures for each experimental study, a general questionnaire examining health prevention behaviors and COVID-19 experience, geographical and cultural context characterization, and demographic information for each participant. Each participant started the study with the same general questions and then was randomized to complete either one longer experiment or two shorter experiments. Data were provided by 73,223 participants with varying completion rates. Participants completed the survey from 111 geopolitical regions in 44 unique languages/dialects. The anonymized dataset described here is provided in both raw and processed formats to facilitate re-use and further analyses. The dataset offers secondary analytic opportunities to explore coping, framing, and self-determination across a diverse, global sample obtained at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be merged with other time-sampled or geographic data

Effect of diet type and added copper on growth performance, carcass characteristics, energy digestibility, gut morphology, and mucosal mRNA expression of finishing pigs

A total of 757 pigs (PIC 337 × 1050, initially 60.8 lb) were used to determine the effects of added Cu (TBCC, tribasic copper chloride, IntelliBond C; Micronutrients, Inc., Indianapolis, IN) and diet type on growth performance, carcass characteristics, energy digestibility, gut morphology, and mucosal mRNA expression of finishing pigs. Pens of pigs were allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments, balanced on average pen weight in a randomized complete-block design with 26 to 28 pigs per pen and 7 replications per treatment. Treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of diet type, a corn-soybean meal-based diet or a high by-product diet with 30% distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and 15% bakery meal (by-product), and with or without added Cu (0 or 150 ppm added Cu). There were no Cu × diet type interactions for growth performance. Overall, neither added Cu nor diet type influenced growth performance. Pigs fed the by-product diet had decreased carcass yield (P = 0.007) and HCW F/G (P = 0.013), and tended to have decreased HCW (P = 0.067) and HCW ADG (P = 0.056) compared to pigs fed the corn-soybean meal-based diet. A Cu × diet type interaction (P < 0.05) existed for DM and GE digestibility during the early finishing period as added Cu improved digestibility of DM and GE in the corn-soybean mealbased diet, but not in the by-product diet. During the late finishing period, added Cu increased DM and GE digestibility (P = 0.060), while pigs fed the by-product diet had decreased DM and GE digestibility (P = 0.001). For gut morphology, pigs fed added Cu had decreased crypt depth (P = 0.017) in the distal small intestine. Relative mRNA expression of intestinal fatty acid binding protein (iFABP) was decreased (P = 0.032) in pigs fed added Cu. In summary, adding 150 ppm added Cu or including 30% DDGS and 15% bakery meal into a corn-soybean meal-based diet did not influence growth performance. However, HCW ADG and HCW G/F were reduced in pigs fed the by-product diet. Only minor differences in gut morphology or mRNA expression were observed from pigs fed diets with high levels of Cu or by-products compared to those fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet