Is Sex Like Driving? Risk Compensation Associated with Male Circumcision in Kisumu, Kenya

Mass adult male circumcision campaigns for HIV prevention are underway across much of Sub-Saharan Africa. However, concern remains about risk compensation associated with the reduction in the probability of HIV transmission per risky act. This paper examines the be- havioral response to male circumcision in Kisumu, Kenya. Contrary to the presumption of risk compensation, we find that the response due to the perceived reduction in HIV transmission appears to have been a reduction in risky sexual behavior. We suggest a mechanism for this finding: circumcision reduces fatalism about acquiring HIV/AIDS and increases the salience of the tradeoff between engaging in additional risky behavior and avoiding acquiring HIV. We also find what appears to be a competing effect that does not operate through the circumcision recipient's belief about the reduction in the risk of acquiring HIV.HIV/AIDS, male circumcision, risk compensation, beliefs, Kenya

There's no contest: Human sex differences are sexually selected

The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009An evolutionary psychological perspective drawing on sexual selection theory can better explain sex differences in aggression and violence than can social constructionist theories. Moreover, there is accumulating evidence that, in accordance with predictions derived from sexual selection theory, men modulate their willingness to engage in risky and violent confrontations in response to cues to fitness variance and future prospects

Identity and Mobility: Historical Fractionalization, Parochial Institutions, and Occupational Choice in the American Midwest

This paper examines the role played by identity, or a sense of belonging to a home community, in determining occupational choice and mobility. The analysis links competition between migrant networks in the Midwest when it was rst developing, and the in-group identity that emerged endogenously to support these networks, to institutional participation and occupational choice today. Individuals born in counties with greater ethnic fractionalization in 1860, where identity was more likely to have emerged, are (i) significantly more likely to participate in institutions such as churches and parochial schools that transmit identity from one generation to the next, and (ii) significantly less likely to select into mobile skilled occupations 150 years later. The effect of historical fractionalization on participation in these socializing institutions actually grows stronger over the course of the twentieth century, emphasizing the idea that small initial differences in identity can have large long-term effects on institutions and economic choices.identity, institutional persistence, networks, occupational choice, mobility

Leukocyte Responsiveness to Exercise in HCMV+ Individuals

Introduction: Emerging research suggests that the lymphocyte immune response during exercise is amplified in individuals who are positive for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV+). However, the responses of monocytes and neutrophils in HCMV+ individuals are unknown. HCMV, a type of herpes virus, infects 50% or more of the adult population in the United States. This virus can become a cause for concern in individuals who have a compromised immune system, which has been shown to occur after high-intensity exercise. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to characterize the lymphocyte, monocyte, and neutrophil responses to exercise in HCMV+ individuals. Methods: Participants were male (n = 7) and female (n = 9), between the ages of 18 and 44 (26.38 + 8.94) years old. Participants were either positive (HCMV+) or negative (HCMV-) for HCMV. Participants visited the Exercise Physiology laboratory on three separate occasions: (1) HCMV screening, (2) 100% VO2max test, (3) 80% VO2max run for 20 minutes. Four blood samples were taken during the third visit: (1) Pre-exercise, (2) Post-exercise, (3) 30 minutes post-exercise, and (4) 60 minutes post-exercise. 2 (virus status) x 4 (sampling condition) mixed-model factorial ANOVA procedures with repeated measures on sampling condition were performed on absolute and relative circulating lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils. Results: No interactions of absolute or relative values for HCMV status and time were found for any of the three leukocyte subsets. Significant main effects for time for both absolute (neutrophils: p \u3c .001; monocytes: p \u3c .001; lymphocytes: p \u3c .001) and relative (neutrophils: p \u3c .001; monocytes: p \u3c .001; lymphocytes: p \u3c .001) values were seen for all leukocyte subsets regardless of virus status. Significant differences for absolute and relative values were seen between sampling conditions for all leukocyte subsets. Discussion: The effects of high-intensity exercise on circulating monocyte and neutrophil volumes in the post-exercise period were the main findings of this study. We report for the first time that HCMV status does not affect circulating neutrophil responses to high-intensity exercise, though exercise-induced neutrocytosis (a significant increase in neutrophil volume) is seen during the post-exercise and 60 minutes post-exercise sampling conditions, regardless of HCMV status. There is no HCMV effect on circulating monocyte responses to exercise, though exercise-induced monocytosis was seen during the post-exercise sampling condition regardless of HCMV status

Identity and Mobility: Historical Fractionalization, Parochial Institutions, and Occupational Choice in the American Midwest

This paper examines the role played by a specific identity, defined as the attachment to a hometown, in determining occupational choice and mobility. The analysis links competition between ethnic networks in the Midwest when it was first developing, and the in-group identity that emerged endogenously to support these networks, to institutional participation and occupational choice today. Individuals born in counties with greater ethnic fractionalization in 1860 are today -- 150 years later --(i) significantly more likely to participate in institutions such as churches and parochial schools that transmit identity from one generation to the next, and (ii) significantly less likely to select into mobile skilled occupations. The effect of historical fractionalization on participation in these socializing institutions actually grows stronger over the course of the twentieth century, emphasizing the idea that small differences in initial conditions can have large long-term effects on institutions and economic choices.Identity, Institutional persistence, Networks, Occupational choice, Mobil- ity

Overview of MultiLayer Metal Insulation Development for Small Stirling Convertors at NASA Glenn Research Center

A small Stirling convertor is currently under development at the NASA Glenn Research Center to produce one watt of electrical power from eight watts of heat. Previous radioisotope power systems made use of the General-Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) which produces 250 watts of heat but is unsuitable for a one-watt Stirling convertor. The only other qualified heat source available is the Light-Weight Radioisotope Heating Unit (LWRHU), which produces one watt of heat and is primarily used to provide heat to electronics and instrumentation to maintain their appropriate operating temperature. Unfortunately, the LWRHU has a heat flux of 272 W/meters squared compared to the GPHS heat flux of 6000 W/m2 which greatly increases the demands on the insulation to ensure that enough of the heat produced is available to the convertor and not lost to the environment. An analysis was performed that showed that the insulation must have an effective thermal conductivity of 0.005 W/mK or better for the system to function. A multi-layer metal insulation package was designed and a prototype was fabricated and tested to investigate the feasibility of this design. While the prototype did not meet the requirements perfectly, the lessons learned are being used to generate an improved thermal model using the test data so that a second iteration can developed that will meet the performance requirements with a much higher confidence

Broad and thematic remodeling of the surfaceome and glycoproteome on isogenic cells transformed with driving proliferative oncogenes.

The cell surface proteome, the surfaceome, is the interface for engaging the extracellular space in normal and cancer cells. Here we apply quantitative proteomics of N-linked glycoproteins to reveal how a collection of some 700 surface proteins is dramatically remodeled in an isogenic breast epithelial cell line stably expressing any of six of the most prominent proliferative oncogenes, including the receptor tyrosine kinases, EGFR and HER2, and downstream signaling partners such as KRAS, BRAF, MEK, and AKT. We find that each oncogene has somewhat different surfaceomes, but the functions of these proteins are harmonized by common biological themes including up-regulation of nutrient transporters, down-regulation of adhesion molecules and tumor suppressing phosphatases, and alteration in immune modulators. Addition of a potent MEK inhibitor that blocks MAPK signaling brings each oncogene-induced surfaceome back to a common state reflecting the strong dependence of the oncogene on the MAPK pathway to propagate signaling. Cell surface protein capture is mediated by covalent tagging of surface glycans, yet current methods do not afford sequencing of intact glycopeptides. Thus, we complement the surfaceome data with whole cell glycoproteomics enabled by a recently developed technique called activated ion electron transfer dissociation (AI-ETD). We found massive oncogene-induced changes to the glycoproteome and differential increases in complex hybrid glycans, especially for KRAS and HER2 oncogenes. Overall, these studies provide a broad systems-level view of how specific driver oncogenes remodel the surfaceome and the glycoproteome in a cell autologous fashion, and suggest possible surface targets, and combinations thereof, for drug and biomarker discovery

Nudging Study Habits: A Field Experiment on Peer Tutoring in Higher Education

More than two of every five students who enrolled in college in 2007 failed to graduate by 2013. Peer tutoring services offer one approach toward improving learning outcomes in higher education. We conducted a randomized controlled experiment designed to increase take-up of university tutoring services. Brief, one-time messages increased tutoring take-up by 7 percentage points, or 23% of the control group mean. Attendance at multiple tutoring sessions increased by nearly the same amount, suggesting substantial changes in study habits in response to a simple and inexpensive intervention. We find little evidence of advertising-induced tutoring on learning outcomes

Industrial structural geology : principles, techniques and integration : an introduction

The authors wish to acknowledge the generous financial support provided in association with this volume to the Geological Society and the Petroleum Group by Badley Geoscience Ltd, BP, CGG Robertson, Dana Petroleum Ltd, Getech Group plc, Maersk Oil North Sea UK Ltd, Midland Valley Exploration Ltd, Rock Deformation Research (Schlumberger) and Borehole Image & Core Specialists (Wildcat Geoscience, Walker Geoscience and Prolog Geoscience). We would like to thank the fine team at the Geological Society’s Publishing House for the excellent support and encouragement that they have provided to the editors and authors of this Special Publication.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

NASA Proof-of-Concept 1-W(sub e) Stirling Convertor Development for Small Radioisotope Power Systems

Low power Stirling convertors are being developed at NASA Glenn Research Center to provide future small spacecraft with electrical power by converting heat from one or more Light Weight Radioisotope Heater Units (LWRHU). An initial design converts multiple watts of heat to one watt of electrical power output using a Stirling convertor. A variety of mission concepts have been studied by NASA and the U. S. Department of Energy that would utilize low power Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) for probes, landers, rovers, and repeaters. These missions would contain science instruments distributed across planetary surfaces or near objects of interest where solar flux is insufficient for using solar cells. Landers could be used to provide data such as, radiation, temperature, pressure, seismic activity, and other surface measurements for planetary science and to inform future mission planners. The studies propose using fractional versions of the General Purpose Heat Source or multiple LWRHUs to heat power conversion technologies for science instruments and communication. Dynamic power systems are capable of higher conversion efficiencies, which could enable equal power using less fuel or more power using equal fuel, when compared to less efficient static power conversion technologies. Providing spacecraft with more power would decrease duty cycling of basic functions and, therefore, increase the quality and abundance of science data. Efforts to develop the concept have focused on maturation of a 1-We convertor and controller design and performance evaluation of an evacuated metal foil insulation. A proof-of-concept 1-We convertor, controller, and evacuated metal foil insulation package have been fabricated and are undergoing characterization testing. The current status, findings, and path forward for the effort are explained in this paper