VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Tethering Hawks: United States Restraints in the Cold War
Keywords: restraints
preventive war
nuclear weapons
cold war
Center for International Security and Cooperation
Thesis

The 2003 American invasion of Iraq broke the U.S.’s historic forbearance from pursuing a policy of preventive war. Recently, considerations of preventive war have come to the fore in the rhetoric of U.S. policymakers and academics. This thesis analyzes the U.S. restraints in historic considerations of preventive war. The period examined is the early Cold War. The cases analyzed are the American considerations of preventive war against the first and second Communist nations to develop nuclear weapons. The acquisition of nuclear weapons by each Communist state prompted the U.S. Departments of State and Defense to independently compile a litany of policy options which debated and weighed the political and military costs of preventive war. The primary source documents used in this thesis were recovered from a variety of sources, including the National Archives, where academically under-examined policy documents were recovered.
The documents examined reveal normative and theoretical restraints in each United States decision not to pursue a policy of preventive war. While the conventional narrative of the Cold War ascribes the phenomenon of peace to the dominant restraint of deterrence, this thesis proposes that each policy of restraint was instead created by several restraints, acting in concert. While current cases regarding considerations of preventive war are not examined, I hope this thesis elucidates how policies of restraint are formed. This thesis does not seek to replace the conventional narrative of deterrence, it seeks to augment it.
Thaumatrope [electronic resource] : approaching East Asian aesthetic traditions in contemporary Latin American literature
Keywords: Iberian and Latin American Cultures.

In this dissertation, I study the use of East Asian aesthetic traditions in the works of several Latin American authors. I argue that these authors use East Asian traditions in their work as aesthetic and cognitive explorations, as social and political inquiry into the conditions and ideologies surrounding East Asians in Latin America and beyond. My intention is broadly twofold. On one level, I examine the authors' choices of aesthetic tradition and how these specific traditions advance what the texts seek to accomplish. On the other, I locate the choice of these traditions and their renovations in specific socio-historical contexts to analyze how through artistic negotiations, the authors explore the material conditions of certain historical moments, often in relation to how East Asian cultures are constructed in Latin America and other histories of marginalization.
The Collaborative Filtering Effect of Netflix Ratings for Indie Films versus Blockbusters and Heavy Users versus Casual Users
Keywords:  Department of Economics
Long Tail
indie
collaborative filtering
recommendations
heavy users
Netflix
Stanford Department of Economics
Thesis

Collaborative filtering algorithms, whose adoption by online recommendation engines has markedly increased in recent years, serve to match users with items based on what they have consumed in the past or the tastes of similar users. Meanwhile, Internet economists and marketing experts have cited a new phenomenon driven by online platforms called the "Long Tail," which is a distributional shift towards lesser-known niche products. In this paper, I test whether an online platform that uses a collaborative filtering algorithm can help match non-mass market goods with previously un-informed demanders and how this can affect user heterogeneity. I choose to examine movie ratings made publicly available in the Netflix Prize, an open source competition to improve the existing algorithm used for Netflix recommendations. Looking at demand across different movie categories, I find a stronger responsiveness of demand to early user ratings for indie films, relative to blockbusters. This effect is further magnified for "heavier" users with greater rating histories. As movie "buffs" with more variety in tastes, these users not only are greater influencers of demand, but are also more inclined to be influenced by others in their own demand, in contrast to what one observes on other online platforms.
The Credibility of Extended Deterrence and Assurance: The US Commitment to Japan
Keywords: deterrence
assurance
security commitment
Center for International Security and Cooperation
Thesis

Since the end of WW2-occupation and likely into the future, the US security commitment has been a critical component of Japanese security. Given this and the vital security issues Japan faces today, it is of the utmost importance to understand the extent of this security commitment. This thesis aims to determine what exactly the United States’ security commitment to Japan is and how the US has strengthened the credibility of that commitment by examining the key security agreements between the two states and recent US nuclear policy documents . This thesis finds that the US commitment has progressed from a weak commitment to a strong one, as the United States has agreed to firm, clearly articulated obligations and established procedures and practices to prepare for and carry out the defense of Japan against armed attack. US nuclear policy affirms the United States’ intention to pursue a world free of nuclear weapons but expresses general approaches to nonetheless maintain the US commitment to provide effective, credible nuclear deterrence for its allies. The finding have implications for important Japanese security issues and the understanding of extended deterrence and assurance.
The Devil You Know: The PRC's Strategic Calculus Regarding North Korea since the Korean War
Keywords: North Korea
China
Sino-North Korea relationship
Chinese policy
Chinese history
policy
Center for International Security and Cooperation
Thesis

“Close as lips and teeth,” “xuemeng”—meaning blood ties or shared blood—and “united in communist brotherhood,” are all phrases employed within Chinese rhetoric to describe the Sino-North Korean relationship. The relationship, as described through these phrases, is difficult for outsiders to comprehend. The policy-making processes of both of these governments are extraordinarily opaque, and as such, the relationship between the People’s Republic of China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea appears to exist within a black box, seemingly allowing foreign scholars to be able only to speculate about what shapes and drives the relationship.
This thesis presents analysis that challenges widely advanced explanations for China’s motivations behind its North Korea policy, which suggest that this policy has remained constant since the Korean War. This paper argues instead that China’s policies toward North Korea are based on an evolving strategic calculus, primarily influenced by what Beijing perceives to be the perils and possibilities offered by the international system and the constraints and requirements of China’s domestic politics. This paper employs international relations (IR) theory and foreign policy analysis (FPA) theory as analytical frameworks through which to review the sixty year-long relationship since the Korean War, in order to illuminate the “black box” of Sino-North Korean relations and provide some insight on the factors which have influenced and shaped China’s policy orientation toward North Korea.
The Effect of Selective Blockade of CD80 and CD86 on Immune Regulation in Cardiac Allograft Transplantation in Mice
Keywords:  Department of Biology
CD28:B7 co-stimulatory pathway
regular T cells development
immunosuppression
selective blockade of B7
preferential signaling
biology
adaptive immunity
Thesis

The human immune system utilizes T lymphocytes to distinguish between self and non-self to protect the host against pathogens. This same process can lead to recognition of transplanted organs as foreign, and initiates an immune response against the graft. Thus, immunosuppression, which primarily targets cell-mediated immunity by T cells, becomes crucial for graft survival. Optimal T cell activation requires signal 1 that results from the ligation of antigen-specific T cell receptor (TCR) and cognate peptide bound to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins on antigen presenting cells (APC), as well as signal 2, that can be either a negative or positive co-stimulatory signal from APC. Initiating positive co-stimulatory signals when bound by CD28 on naïve T cells, B7-1 (CD80) and B7-2 (CD86) on AOC are rapidly upregulated upon APC activation, even though their up-regulation timing and signaling mechanisms may differ. CTLA-4 is a B7 family member that competitively inhibits CD28 by binding to B7 with greater affinity, thus producing negative co-stimulatory signals and reducing the immune response.1,2 Abatacept is a is a CTLA4-Ig fusion protein that has been used to prolong graft survival by interfering with signal 2 delivered by the B7/CD28 interaction. However, previous work may have oversimplified the outcome of the CD28:B7 co-stimulatory pathway as binary (activate vs. inactivate) instead of combinatorial. In this study we address the quantitative and qualitative effects of the B7/CD28 pathway on regulatory T cells (Treg) development and maintenance by selective blockade of CD80 and CD86. We hypothesized that selective blockade of either CD80 or CD86 molecules can result in different degrees of immune regulation and Treg cells. Using a mouse heterotopic heart model of Treg-dependent long-term graft survival, we take immunomodulatory approaches that spare CD80 signaling to promote Treg development. After differentially treating mice with anti-CD80 and anti-CD86 blocking antibodies and CTLA4-Ig, we confirmed that CTLA4-Ig treatment results in accelerated graft rejection and a reduction in Helios+ Treg, a putative marker of natural Treg. We further show that combinatorial (anti-CD80+anti-CD86) approaches suppress both effector memory T cells and Tregs, while single monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment of anti-CD86 mAb alone or anti-CD80 mAb alone results in a variable population of Treg and T effector cells, depending on the timing and the degree of surface molecule expression. Therefore, selective blockade of B7 molecules may be useful for promoting expansion of Treg cells in transplantation, although their optimal induction time and magnitude still needs further research.
The Effects of Stress Inoculation on Stress-Coping Behavior in Mice
Keywords:  Department of Biology
Biology
Stanford Biology
Stanford University
Stress
Stress Inoculation
Mice
Behavior
Thesis

Adolescent stress is a common occurrence in most mammals’ lives, especially during weaning and the transition to independence. Early stress has often been linked to the development of psychiatric disorders later in life (Toledo-Rodriguez and Sandi, 2011; Ito et al., 2006; Lupien et al., 2009), but more recent studies have found that early stressful experiences that are not overwhelming may calibrate development and lead to increased resilience and arousal regulation in adulthood (Lyons et al., 2009; Kendig et al., 2011). The idea that mild early stress may be involved in developmental calibration is called stress inoculation, and it has been shown to have effects on both behavior and physiological changes in the brain. I use a mouse model to investigate whether early social stress in mice increases resilience and stress-coping behaviors later in life. Juvenile mice were exposed to eleven 10 minute sessions of social stress, and were subsequently tested for changes in stress-coping, novelty-seeking, reward-seeking, and risk-taking behaviors. Based on the results of the Tail Suspension, Open Field, Novel Object Exploration, and Sucrose Preference Tests, stress inoculation leads to an increase in indications of stress-coping and some novelty-seeking and risk-taking behaviors, but not reward-seeking.
The Empire Strikes Back: Postcolonialism and Colorism in Indian Women
Keywords: Program in Feminist Gender and Sexuality Studies
India
Postcolonial Studies
skin color bias
socioeconomic status
Thesis

Undergraduate Honors Thesis by Samra Adeni. This thesis considers the contemporary societal phenomenon of the fair skin bias in India, especially concentrated among Indian women. This colorism is reflected in matrimonial advertisements, commercial advertising and media, especially the 500 million dollar skin-lightening product industry, and Bollywood, the cinematic opium of the masses. This thesis examines the theory that this cultural mindset arises from the history of the subcontinent, namely the numerous invasions and imperial conquests that have occurred, where an imbalance of power has been created along the lines of light skin and dark skin. This power dynamic leads to a difference in socioeconomic status that over time became correlated with India’s caste system, and remains deeply entrenched in Indian society, even after the legalized prohibition of caste-based discrimination.
The Impact of Rising Interest Rates on the Optimal Social Security Claim Age
Keywords:  Department of Economics
Social Security
Net Present Value
Retirement Benefits
Stanford Department of Economics
Thesis

Individuals are eligible to claim Social Security benefits between the ages of 62 and 70. While the actuarial present value of benefits for each individual is supposed to be unchanged, regardless of the age at which they are claimed, previous research has shown that this is not true. This paper aims to analyze the impact that interest rates have on the present value of the benefits and attempts to study how different interest rate expectations affect the optimal age at which to claim Social Security. The methodology used in this paper differs from that used in previous studies; I introduce a dynamic interest rate model based on forward rates under both a deterministic and stochastic approach to calculate the Net Present Value associated with different claim ages so as to identify the optimal claim age. The results of this paper display that under certain assumptions, it is advantageous for both men and women to begin claiming retirement benefits early – between the ages of 62 and 65. Moreover, the results indicate that there are significant losses associated with delaying claims beyond the optimal claim age.
The Impacts of Natural Episodic Hypoxia on Escape Performance in Juvenile Sebastes mystinus
Keywords:  Department of Biology
Biology
Marine Ecology
Hypoxia
Kelp Forest
Rockfish
Thesis

The physical characteristics of an ecosystem provide the framework for its biological structure, and changes to this framework can have widespread ecological impacts. While it is well documented that the kelp forest in Monterey Bay experiences frequent low oxygen (hypoxic) episodes, little is known about how these episodes affect kelp forest organisms. To answer this question, specimens of Sebastes mystinus (blue rockfish) were collected from the wild and C-start escape responses—burst swimming to evade predation—were elicited in the laboratory using a dropped weight method. Trials were performed both in normoxic conditions and discrete low oxygen levels spanning levels measured in the field. Each C-start escape was recorded at high speed with a digital video camera and analyzed in ImageJ to quantify swimming performance and responsiveness, both indicators of ability to escape predators and thus of fitness. As oxygen levels declined, fewer individuals responded to the startle stimulus, indicating lower escape performance in hypoxia. Significant changes to escape response duration and final escape velocity were also observed with changes in dissolved oxygen concentration, possibly representing strategies for mediating physiological stress in hypoxia and conserving energy. Physiological stress could motivate S. mystinus and other kelp-associated species to avoid hypoxic areas, a distributional shift that could alter the structure of the kelp forest ecosystem and interactions among its associated species. Exploring the impacts of hypoxia on kelp forest organisms is crucial to understanding how these ecosystems will change in response to changes in the physical environment.
The Influence of ENSO on Migrations and Vertical Movements of Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) in the Equatorial Pacific South of Hawaii
Keywords:  Department of Biology
Biology
Marine Biology
Thesis

Upwelling in the equatorial Pacific changes in intensity according to the ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) phase. The cold phase of the cycle (La Niña) is associated with intense upwelling that brings cold and oxygen-depleted water closer to the surface. The warm phase with reduced upwelling, El Niño, deepens the mixed layer and brings warmer waters closer to the surface. In this thesis, I hypothesize that low oxygen concentration and temperature associated with La Niña conditions form an oceanographic boundary that precludes blue marlin migrations due to limitations of their circulatory and cardiac physiology. The purpose of this study is to determine how ENSO events in the equatorial Pacific Ocean affect the long-range movements and depth distributions of blue marlin (Makaira nigricans). I use pop-up satellite telemetry data from tag deployments in 2009-2012, during which a moderate El Niño, a strong La Niña, a weak La Niña, and a normal year occurred. To examine the impacts of ENSO variability on blue marlin movements I compare World Ocean Atlas and shipboard in situ data sets in the geographic region from 30oN-20oS and 175oW-115oW to analyze diving behavior in relation to physical oceanographic conditions during this period. For blue marlin tagged in this region, temperature and depth distributions revealed a preference for a warmer subset (>24oC) of the available thermal habitat and a bimodal diving behavior consistent with previous studies of this species. Blue marlin spent 85.25% of their time in surface waters warmer than 25.5oC and 14.75% in those less than 25.5oC. The ENSO phase and related changes in sea surface temperatures and upwelling strength affected not only the probability of trans-equatorial blue marlin migrations, but also their longitudinal location along the equator. Blue marlin traversed regions of cold surface water coupled with downwelling, warm surface water combined with upwelling, but not cold surface water in concert with upwelling. These results suggest that sea surface temperature is the limiting factor for blue marlin migrations across upwelling regions of the equatorial Pacific south of Hawaii. These findings will inform future efforts to conserve blue marlin populations and their ability to exchange genetic information across oceanographic boundaries.
The Neural Mechanism of Social Ascent: A Novel Role for Isotocin and Arginine Vasotocin in Behavior Modulation during Social Flux
Keywords:  Department of Biology
Biology
Neurobiology
Social Behavior
Neuropeptide
Isotocin
Arginine Vasotocin
Social Ascent
Thesis

In vertebrates, social status not only impacts reproductive success, but also regulates physiology across the reproductive axis. While lower social status represses aggressive behavior and limits mating opportunities, a dynamic social environment can allow subordinate individuals to “ascend” to dominance. The hormonal, physiological, and behavioral changes that accompany the social ascent process are well understood, but little is known about the mechanisms by which the brain translates the sensory information associated with social opportunity into changes along the reproductive axis. While previous studies have implicated broad regions of the brain in social ascent, none have convincingly identified the neuronal populations involved. Here, we determined the specific brain nuclei and neuronal populations activated upon the perception of social opportunity in the African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. In the wild, male burtoni exist in one of two social states, dominant (D) or nondominant (ND), and ND males can ascend to dominance in response to a dynamic social environment. This natural social structure allows for reliable, reproducible manipulation of social status in the laboratory. By allowing males to ascend socially and measuring consequent neuronal activity via immediate early gene expression, we determined that multiple discrete regions of the preoptic area of the hypothalamus are activated during social ascent. Furthermore, three candidate peptidergic populations (Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone 1, Arginine Vasotocin, Isotocin) show increased activity in ascending as compared to stable dominant and non-dominant males. We observe Isotocin receptor expression in regions of the brain responsible for both sensory processing and overall arousal, suggesting that Isotocin may play a role in modulating the brain’s response to both visual and olfactory cues during social flux. Finally, we find that Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone 1 neurons, the so- called “gateway to the reproductive axis” express neither Isotocin nor Arginine Vasotocin receptors, suggesting that at least a portion of this mechanism exists external to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
The persistence of stoicism in New Father masculinity: A case study of first time parents in Sweden
Keywords: Parental leave
Sweden
fatherhood
masculinity
Thesis

Studies have demonstrated Swedish fathers are conscious of the importance of sex roles, and aspire to a gender-equal, childcare-oriented model of manhood. Among gender traits not well examined is stoicism, or reluctance to communicate openly about personal stress and anxiety. The aim of this study is to locate stoicism as a gendered trait in Swedish definitions of fatherhood-masculinity through an examination of individual ideologies, and the infrastructure and practices of parental leave in Sweden. The data come from semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 20 fathers, 4 mothers, and 4 professionals who work with parents. Interview data were analyzed using a grounded qualitative approach. Evidence suggests fathers have stoic dispositions by default, but they are not analytical about stoicism like they are for other gender traits. Fathers seem to value stoicism but also avoid acknowledging it, suggesting a potential incongruity with idealized Swedish father masculinity. I suggest practical barriers to fathers developing emotional openness due to the nature of public resources available for fathers on leave.