Higher Profiles Research Articles

Impact of Solubilized Substances on the Techno-Functional, Pasting and Rheological Properties of Ultrasound-Modified Rice, Tef, Corn and Quinoa Flours.

The modification of flours by ultrasound (US) treatments requires excess water to suspend the sample to be treated, which must be removed after treatment to recover the ultrasonicated flour. The aim of this study was to determine the influence that the water removal method has on the final characteristics of US-treated gluten-free flours (rice, brown tef, corn and quinoa). US treatment parameters were constant, and two water removal methods were studied: freeze-drying and centrifugation + drying. The elimination of water by centrifugation resulted in the loss of solubilized compounds from the treated flours, which led to important differences between the final characteristics of US-treated flours. Ultrasonication resulted in the reduction of flours' particle size and modification of their color parameters. Techno-functional properties were modified by US treatment, where the water removal method was more influential in whole grain samples (brown tef and quinoa). Few differences were found in thermal properties among pairs of US-treated samples, indicative that the effect caused to starch was mainly attributed to ultrasonication conditions than to the drying method. The water removal method markedly influenced the pasting properties of US-treated flours, resulting in lower profiles when freeze-drying was applied and higher profiles when flours were retrieved by centrifugation. Gels made with tef, corn and quinoa presented reduced tan(δ)₁ values after sonication, while gels made with rice did not show any modification. The water removal method is a decisive step in US treatments, defining the final characteristics of the treated matter, and having a great influence in the modification attributed to ultrasonication.

Sports Journalism and Women Athletes: Coverage of Coming Out Stories by William P. Cassidy

Reviewed by: Sports Journalism and Women Athletes: Coverage of Coming Out Stories by William P. Cassidy Michael Tsai (bio) Sports Journalism and Women Athletes: Coverage of Coming Out Stories William P. Cassidy Palgrave Macmillan, 2019, ix + 127 pp. ISBN 9783030305253, $59.99 hardcover. Building on his incisive study of how journalists reported the coming out of two American male professional athletes (Sports Journalism and Coming Out Stories: Jason Collins and Michael Sam), William P. Cassidy has turned his attention to how the media covered the coming-out stories of prominent female athletes Billy Jean King, Sheryl Swoopes, and Brittney Griner in his latest book Sports Journalism and Women Athletes: Coverage of Coming Out Stories. Cassidy's 2017 examination of how American print media reacted to the public announcements by NBA veteran Jason Collins and Michael Sam (a standout collegiate defensive end drafted by the NFL's Los Angeles Rams) offered fresh insight into the breadth and depth of reporting and analysis devoted to the events over their initial thirty-day coverage cycles. In content analysis of some 248 print stories, the author found that, contrary to the perception of sports sections as the "toy departments" of daily newspapers, sports journalists dug deeper than presenting facts, reached beyond official sourcing, and addressed social issues outside the traditional boundaries of sports coverage. In the new book, Cassidy acknowledges previous analysis of media coverage of LGBTQ athletes from a perspective of cultural hegemony—thereby accounting for the vast disparity between overall coverage devoted to men's and women's sports as well as perceptions about the comparative impact and newsworthiness of male and female athlete coming-out stories—and expands the conversation utilizing the same media sociology approach he applied to his analyses of the Collins and Sam examples. [End Page 113] Cassidy's book is meticulously researched and firmly grounded in established theory and practice. In the first of four chapters, the author lays out the justification for his examination, citing the traditional lack of coverage of women's sports, the unique challenges faced by women in professional sports, and evolving media coverage of lesbian athletes. In King, Swoopes, and Griner, Cassidy selected three very distinct subjects whose coming-out stories effectively span the history of out lesbians in professional athletics. The chapter devotes the most space to explaining the unprecedented circumstances surrounding King's public disclosure that she had engaged in a years-long affair with hairstylist Marilyn Barnett, a response to a lawsuit Barnett had filed against King that revealed their relationship. As Cassidy notes, "When King was outed in 1981, it marked perhaps the first time journalists were forced to directly discuss lesbian athletes in sports" (2). The extended history lesson on King, which documents the range of positive and negative reactions and representations in the press and the issues they raised, establishes a baseline for the examination of Swoopes's more contrived and significantly less controversial coming out (via a 2005 story cowritten with LZ Granderson for ESPN's website and magazine), which coincided with her newly signed endorsement deal with Olivia, a travel company marketed to lesbian clients. While Swoopes's announcement received generally positive coverage, Cassidy observes that much of the reporting and commentary either questioned the significance of the story (given the widely held assumption that many female athletes are gay) or reframed the story as a set-up for the question, "How much harder would it be for a male athlete to come out?" By the time Griner came out eight years later, the reaction from the media seemed to be a collective shrug of indifference. While it is true that King, a pioneering feminist icon whose fame and popularity transcended her involvement in sports, and Swoopes, who ranks among the most dominant WNBA players of the generation next to Cynthia Cooper and Lisa Leslie, had higher profiles when they came out, the physically imposing Griner was a Wilt Chamberlain-like presence in college basketball and one of the few female basketball players to regularly garner highlights on ESPN's SportsCenter before becoming the overall No. 1 pick in the 2013 WNBA draft. The muted reaction was largely attributed to Griner's own understated...

Hydrodynamic behaviour of velocity of applied magnetic field on unsteady MHD Couette flow of dusty fluid in an annulus

This research work inspects mass transport phenomenon of Saffman’s dusty fluid model for transient magnetohydrodynamics fluid flow of a binary mixture passing through an annular duct. Particularly, effort has been devoted to theoretically explore the role of velocity of applied magnetic field. Here, our treatment of the governing momentum equations accountable for the flow is done using the classical Laplace transform technique and Riemann-Sum Approximation. The effects of the physical parameters such as time, relaxation time parameter, radii ratio, Hartmann number, variable mass parameter and velocity of applied magnetic field on the fluid phase velocity, dust phase velocity and skin friction have been illustrated pictorially. It is concluded that contrary to the known classical effect of boosting Hartmann number on velocity, both components of flow (fluid and dust phase) and skin friction are seen to be heightened with an overwhelming presence of velocity of applied magnetic field. For large time, it is anticipated that higher profiles for velocity and skin friction are seen with fluid phase and an accelerated moving wall.

Individual's pretreatment psychological symptoms and progress in couples therapy: A person-centered analysis.

This study examined how individual pretreatment symptoms (depression and anxiety) predicted longitudinal, relational processes in couples therapy (the therapeutic alliance and couple satisfaction). This study included 99heterosexual couples receiving systemic couples therapy. Partners reported their individual pretreatment symptoms of depression and anxiety before intake. Each member reported their therapeutic alliance with the therapist at the end of sessions 2-8, as well as their couple satisfaction before intake and at the end of sessions 4 and 8. A Latent Profile Analysis revealed four profiles characterizing couples on their pretreatment psychological symptoms, namely both higher (where both members of the couple had higher depressive and anxiety symptoms), female higher, male higher, and both lower profiles. Furthermore, longitudinal, dyadic multilevel models revealed that men in male higher, female higher, and both higher profiles had higher initial alliance levels, compared to men in the both lower profile. In contrast, only female partners in the both higher profile had a higher initial therapeutic alliance than those in the both lower profile. Men in the both higher profile had faster reductions in their alliance, whereas other profiles did not predict changes in male or female alliance. Additionally, the male higher and both higher profiles predicted a lower initial level of couple satisfaction in males but not females. The profiles did not predict changes in couple satisfaction, which may be a result of lowered power due to missing data. Findings were discussed in the context of systemic family theory, with clinical implications for distressed couples.

Will better performing health-care services have higher profiles and be more active on social media? A comparative study between hospitals from Colombia and Spain

Hospitals make increasingly more use of social media. The basic hypothesis of this study is that the more developed the health care services of a country are, the higher the communicative activity of its hospitals will be on social media. Moreover, the highest presence and activity on social media will be associated with the most prestigious hospitals in countries with fewer economic resources. The presence of the most prestigious hospitals in both Colombia and Spain on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram are analyzed in this paper to either refute or to accept these hypotheses. Both countries have similar populations, but their economic and health care services differ greatly. The degree of activity on these platforms, the participation of Internet users, and the reputation of the hospitals are also studied. In total, 165 profiles are analyzed. The results are processed in a statistical software program and various tests establish whether there are significant relations. It was observed that the level of health-care services of the country was not correlated with the presence and activity of the hospitals on social media, nor with the interaction of Internet users. In addition, a correlation between social-media presence and reputation was detected in the country with the most developed health-care services (Spain). In conclusion, the fact that a country has more health-care resources neither implies that its hospitals have either a greater presence or are more active on social media, nor that the public interact more with those hospitals.

Electrical fire simulation in control room of an AGN reactor

Fire protection is one of important issues to ensure safety and reduce risks of nuclear power plants (NPPs). While robust programs to shut down commercial reactors in any fires have been successfully maintained, the concept and associated regulatory requirements are constantly changing or strengthening by lessons learned from operating experiences and information all over the world. As part of this context, it is necessary not only to establish specific fire hazard assessment methods reflecting the characteristics of research reactors and educational reactors but also to make decisions based on advancement encompassing numerical analyses and experiments. The objectives of this study are to address fire simulation in the control room of an educational reactor and to discuss integrity of digital console in charge of main operation as well as analysis results through comparison. Three electrical fire scenarios were postulated and twenty-four thermal analyses were carried out taking into account two turbulence models, two cable materials and two ventilation conditions. Twelve supplementary thermal analyses and six subsequent structural analyses were also conducted for further examination on the temperature and heat flux of cable and von Mises stress of digital console, respectively. As consequences, effects of each parameter were quantified in detail and future applicability was briefly discussed. On the whole, higher profiles were obtained when Deardorff turbulence model was employed or polyvinyl chloride material and larger ventilation condition were considered. All the maximum values considered in this study met the allowable criteria so that safety action seems available by sustained integrity of the cable linked to digital console within operators’ reaction time of 300 s.

The Three Hundred project: the stellar and gas profiles

ABSTRACT Using the catalogues of galaxy clusters from The Three Hundred project, modelled with both hydrodynamic simulations (gadget-x and gadget-music), and semi-analytical models (SAMs), we study the scatter and self-similarity of the profiles and distributions of the baryonic components of the clusters: the stellar and gas mass, metallicity, the stellar age, gas temperature, and the (specific) star formation rate. Through comparisons with observational results, we find that the shape and the scatter of the gas density profiles matches well the observed trends including the reduced scatter at large radii which is a signature of self-similarity suggested in previous studies. One of our simulated sets, gadget-x, reproduces well the shape of the observed temperature profile, while gadget-music has a higher and flatter profile in the cluster centre and a lower and steeper profile at large radii. The gas metallicity profiles from both simulation sets, despite following the observed trend, have a relatively lower normalization. The cumulative stellar density profiles from SAMs are in better agreement with the observed result than both hydrodynamic simulations which show relatively higher profiles. The scatter in these physical profiles, especially in the cluster centre region, shows a dependence on the cluster dynamical state and on the cool-core/non-cool-core dichotomy. The stellar age, metallicity, and (s)SFR show very large scatter, which are then presented in 2D maps. We also do not find any clear radial dependence of these properties. However, the brightest central galaxies have distinguishable features compared to the properties of the satellite galaxies.

Evaluation of Audible Lane Departure Warning Treatments on Seal Coats

To help reduce single vehicle run-off-road and two-lane two-way crossover crashes, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), United States, has implemented various audible lane departure warning systems on seal coat road surfaces. This 20-month research project explored the effectiveness of these treatments using interior noise and vibration performance metrics and provided recommendations on implementation of these types of treatments. The researchers conducted performance evaluations at 24 unique field sites that had 51 treatments, and at a test deck that had 12 different variations of audible markings. The field sites consisted of varying designs and spacing of audible markings, varying spacing of rumble bars, and milled rumble strips. Researchers found that treatment effectiveness varies with vehicle type and vehicle speed. Traveling at higher speeds and in a vehicle with a stiffer suspension results in higher noise and vibration levels. The specific treatment design also impacts the performance. Treatments with closer spacing, longer bumps, and higher profiles produced higher noise and vibration levels. Certain alternative treatments were able to produce noise and vibration levels that approached levels of typical milled rumble strips. In areas where milled rumble strips cannot be used, these alternative treatments are viable options.

Determination of the Sediment Contamination Level in Dangli Waters of Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark, Kedah, Malaysia

Dangli Waters ecosystem is located at the north of Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark. Apparently, this area is currently experiencing a significant deterioration of marine habitat. Therefore, 14 stations were set up in this study area to investigate the sediment for metal contents discharged into Dangli Waters using the ecological risk assessment. The sediment samples were collected during four seasons, namely South West Monsoon, First Inter Monsoon, North East Monsoon and Second Inter Monsoon. The spatial distribution pattern of heavy metals in sediment was properly determined as well as the seasonal variation of the contamination. From the results obtained, the average concentration of each heavy metal distributed in the surface sediment of Dangli Waters can be written in decreasing order as Fe>Cr>As>Co>Cd. From the observation, heavy metal concentrations of As was recorded the most higher profiles near to the cement plant production area. Meanwhile, for the pattern of seasonal changes, FIM season was defined as the season with higher concentrations of all metals in the surface sediment compared to other seasons. This is due to highly rainfall distribution and water runoff during this period, leading an increase of sediment deposition into the Dangli Waters. According to the contamination factor (Cf) for each metal, it was shown that some heavy metals such as As were at a risky level with the Cf value was higher than 6 (Cf >6). However, the degree of contamination (Cd) for each station was classified as moderate (7 ≤ Cd < 14), except for ST2 which showed a low degree of contamination.

Effect of Packing Structure on CO2 Capturing Process

The increasing concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is a primary global environmental concern due to its detrimental impacts on climate change. A significant reduction in CO2 generation together with its capture and storage is an imperative need of the time. CO2 can be captured from power plants and other industries through various methods such as absorption, adsorption, membranes, physical and biological separation techniques. The most widely used systems are solvent based CO2 absorption method. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of various random and structured packing materials in absorption column on CO2 removing efficiency. Aspen plus was used to develop the CO2 capture model for different packing materials with Monoethanolamine (MEA) solvent in order to optimize the system. It was found that the lowest re-boiler duty of 3,444 kJ/KgCO2 yield the highest rich CO2 loading of 0.475 (mole CO2/mole MEA) by using the BX type of structured packing having the highest surface area. The surface area of the different packing materials were inversely proportional to the temperature profiles along the column. Furthermore, the packing materials with higher surface areas yielded higher CO2 loading profiles and vice versa. The findings of this study and recommendation would help further research on optimization of solvent-based CO2 capturing technologies.

Exploring what motivates and sustains support group engagement amongst young people with allergies: A qualitative study.

Positive self-care behaviours are more likely in young people who engage with allergy support groups, but reasons for this association are not well understood. This study explored how and why young people engage with allergy support groups to identify what activities and resources are beneficial. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with young people aged 12-21years who reported engaging with allergy support groups (in person or online). Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic content analysis. The 21 participants had a range of allergies; initially, most joined support groups on suggestion of their parent/carer although older participants sought groups independently. Feeling included and sharing experiences with people with similar problems/challenges were highly valued. Through membership, young people reported improved self-esteem and confidence in both managing their allergies and lives generally. Information, such as allergy alerts and hard-hitting video campaigns, were reported to positively influence adherence to self-care behaviours such as carrying medication. Participants wanted greater availability of allergy support groups, and higher profiles in health care and educational settings, as well as through social media. Participants valued the psychological and practical support of networking with others with allergies, and described how membership improved their confidence. This study also provides insight into the ways support groups improve young people's adherence to medical advice and positive self-care behaviours; participants responded well to hard-hitting video campaigns which appeared to emphasize the severity and susceptibility of anaphylaxis. Participants identified the need for more active promotion of support groups amongst young people and their clinicians, as well as making them available in more localities.

Biomechanical evaluation of interbody fixation with secondary augmentation: lateral lumbar interbody fusion versus posterior lumbar interbody fusion.

Many approaches to the lumbar spine have been developed for interbody fusion. The biomechanical profile of each interbody fusion device is determined by the anatomical approach and the type of supplemental internal fixation. Lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) was developed as a minimally invasive technique for introducing hardware with higher profiles and wider widths, compared with that for the posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) approach. However, the biomechanics of the interbody fusion construct used in the LLIF approach have not been rigorously evaluated, especially in the presence of secondary augmentation. Spinal stability of 21 cadaveric lumbar specimens was compared using standard nondestructive flexibility studies [mean range of motion (ROM), lax zone (LZ), stiff zone (SZ) in flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation]. Non-paired comparisons were made among four conditions: (I) intact; (II) with unilateral interbody + bilateral pedicle screws (BPS) using the LLIF approach (referred to as the LLIF construct); (III) with bilateral interbody + BPS using the PLIF approach (referred to as the PLIF construct); and (IV) with no lumbar interbody fusion (LIF) + BPS (referred to as the no-LIF construct). With bilateral pedicle screw-rod fixation, stability was equivalent between PLIF and LLIF constructs in lateral bending and flexion-extension. PLIF and LLIF constructs had similar biomechanical profiles, with a trend toward less ROM in axial rotation for the LLIF construct. LLIF and PLIF constructs had similar stabilizing effects.

Stability of Language and Literacy Profiles of Children With Language Impairment in the Public Schools.

The present study focused on the identification and stability of language and literacy profiles of primary school children receiving school-based language therapy over the course of one academic year. Participants included 272 early elementary school-age children (144 boys, 128 girls) who had been clinically identified as having a language impairment. A latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct profiles on the basis of a battery of language and literacy assessments in the fall and spring of the academic year. Four profiles were identified in both fall and spring that could be best described as representing high, average, and low overall abilities. Two average groups were identified that differentiated according to phonological awareness abilities. Children's profile membership was variable from fall to spring with nearly 60% of children shifting into a higher profile. The results of t tests comparing children who shifted into higher profiles from those who remained stable in profile membership revealed group differences regarding language severity, socio-economic status, and proportion of therapy sessions received in the classroom. These results provide further evidence regarding the heterogeneity of children with language impairment served in the public schools, indicating that differences may be best conceptualized along a continuum of severity.

Physical stress testing of bovine jugular veins using magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiography and electrical velocimetry☆☆☆

Bovine jugular veins (BJVs) (Contegra) are valve-bearing pulmonary artery substitutes. Their valves have higher profiles than human pulmonary valves; this might result in less optimal performance. Therefore, we investigated the impact of stress and undersizing on conduit performance with ergometry, echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Between April 2007 and June 2008, 20 BJV recipients (age 7.9-19.6 years) underwent spiroergometry and subsequent echocardiography; after due rest, ergometry was repeated and followed by MRI during recovery. A year later, exams were repeated. Data was evaluated as follows: comparison of stress related maximal individual valve performance changes (magnetic resonance: exercise induced average stroke volume changes by 61+/-49%; mean insufficiency increased by 2% in patients with <1% rest insufficiency and by 8% after rest insufficiency of >10%; the average rest gradient of 24+/-11 mmHg rose to 40+/-20 mmHg), and stratification of pooled observations by regurgitation fraction, insufficiency grades and z-values (insufficiency rose with increasing heart rate and decreasing stroke volume; undersizing increased gradients during recovery by 7+/-0.7 mmHg/z-value). Contegras high-profile valves tolerate stress without performance drop. Stress induced changes of insufficiency and gradient were clinically not significant, but sufficient to distort examination results; therefore, constant examination conditions are indispensable for a correct follow-up.

Hedge Fund Structure, Skewness and Liquidity

The paper develops a model of the hedge fund industry in which the different fees charged (management fees and redemption fees) are determined endogenously in a competitive market setting. The heterogeneity in managerial skills, the wide variety of the hedge fund strategies and the existence of investors with heterogeneous liquidity needs, give rise to a variety of hedge fund structures that differ in the expected returns delivered to investors and in the statistical properties of returns. Hedge funds try to dissuade redemptions by imposing restrictions on withdrawals through the terms of contracts (redemption fees, initial lock-up period, minimum investment, notice period.) These restrictions would allow managers to work on more long term horizons and to invest in more illiquid assets (or illiquid strategies) which command higher returns. Offering higher profiles of return-risk than other investment vehicles (when considered in the mean-variance paradigm) hedge funds also exhibit significant skewness and kurtosis. We explore in this paper, among other empirical implications of the model, the fact that this deteriorated skewness is caused by investing in illiquid assets. This would be consistent with the findings that liquid stocks tend to have superior performance in illiquid times, and that illiquid assets perform worse during liquidity crisis, and are more likely to be subject to liquidity shocks.

Removal of Slurry Residues in Tungsten Plug during Chemical Mechanical Planarization

One of key processes in tungsten (W) CMP is to remove slurry particles inside W plug after CMP. In general, HF cleaning is well known to remove the slurry residue particles in W plugs. HF chemistry lifts off the particles by etching the plug during scrubbing and effectively removes particles. It is sometimes impossible to apply HF chemisty on W plug due to the degradation of electrical characteristics of a device. In this paper, a post W CMP cleaning process is proposed to remove residue particles without applying HF chemistry. After W CMP, recessed plugs are created, therefore they easily trap slurry particles during CMP process. These particles in recessed plug are not easy to remove by brush scrubbing when NH4OH chemistry is used for the cleaning because the brush surface can not reach the recessed area of plugs. Buffing with oxide slurry was followed by W CMP due to its high selectivity to W. The buffing polishes only oxide slightly which creates higher plug profiles than surrounding oxide. Higher profiles make the brush contact much more effectively and result in a similar particle removal efficiency even in NH4OH cleaning to that in HF brush scrubbing.

Disparities in primary care for vulnerable children: the influence of multiple risk factors.

To analyze vulnerability as a profile of multiple risk factors for poor pediatric care based on race/ethnicity, poverty status, parent education, insurance, and language. Profiles are used to examine disparities in child/adolescent health status and primary care experience. Cross-sectional data on 19,485 children/adolescents 0-19 years of age from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey. Multiple logistic regression models are used to examine risk profiles in relation to health status and three aspects of primary care: access (physician and dental visit; access surety), continuity (regular source of care), and comprehensiveness (i.e., health promotion counseling). About 43 percent of (or 4.4 million) children in California have two or more risk factors (RF). Controlling for age and gender, more RFs is associated with poorer health status (i.e. percent reporting "excellent/very good" health: no RFs=81 percent, 1=71 percent, 2=57 percent, 3=45 percent, 4=35 percent, 5=28 percent, all p<.001). Controlling for health status, higher risk profiles is associated with poorer primary care access and continuity, but greater comprehensiveness of care. For example, higher risk profile children are less likely to have a regular source of care: one RF (prevalence ratio [PR]=0.92, confidence interval [CI]: 0.86-0.98), two (PR=0.77, CI: 0.69-0.84), three (PR=0.55, CI: 0.46-0.65), and four or more (PR=0.31, CI: 0.22-0.44), all p<.001. This study demonstrates a dose-response relationship of higher risk profiles with poorer child health status, access to, and continuity of primary care. Having gained access, however, adolescents with higher risk profiles are more likely to receive health promotion counseling. Higher profiles appear to be associated with greater barriers to accessing primary care for children in "fair or poor" health, suggesting that vulnerable children who have the greatest health care needs also have the greatest difficulty obtaining primary care.

Antibody responses to HIV-1 antigens are higher in HIV-1(+) intravenous drug users than in HIV-1(+) homosexuals

Immune responses to HIV-1 infection of 42 HIV-1-positive asymptomatic intravenous drug users (IVDUs) were compared with those of 135 HIV-1-infected asymptomatic homosexual men in the present study. Twenty-five HIV-1(–) individuals served as normal controls. The comparison included antibody responses to five computer-predicted epitopes of HIV-1 p17, and viral proteins gp120 and p24 as well as p17. Major immunophenotypes were also investigated. Results showed that antibody responses to the five epitopes were significantly higher in the IVDUs. A larger proportion of the IVDUs, with respect to that of homosexuals, showed positive antibody responses to p24 and p17, respectively. However, the antibody response to gp120 was similar between the two cohorts. Immunophenotyping showed that HIV-1(+) homosexuals had higher profiles in most of the major subsets than did the IVDUs, especially in the total count of lymphocytes, absolute numbers of CD3+ cells and CD8+ cells. It appeared that the HIV-1(+) IVDU cohort had higher antibody responses to most of the viral antigens, but had lower levels of lymphocyte subsets in comparison with HIV(+) homosexuals.

Personality profiles of trauma survivors.

Previous research has documented the high rate of comorbidity among persons diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The present study attempted to extend previous research by examining levels of personality disorders among those who do and those who do not have PTSD and among those who have experienced a substantially greater number of events. A profile analysis revealed that persons with PTSD differed from those without PTSD on profile elevation and shape. Those with PTSD had higher profiles overall and were significantly higher in levels of borderline, narcissistic, paranoid, passive-aggressive, self-defeating, and schizotypal personality. Those with PTSD were significantly higher on Cluster A and B personality disorders but did not differ on level of cluster C disorders. A parallel set of tests comparing those who had experienced a significant number of events (>5) with those who had experienced fewer events (1-5) revealed that profile of these two groups differed in elevation and parallel...

Possible involvement of microfilaments in the regulation of Sertoli cell aromatase activity

Recent observations indicate that Sertoli cell aromatase activity decreases when cultures are performed at high density. Increasing cell density modifies cell shape in culture from flat cells with visible anchorage sites and abundant intercellular spaces to cells with higher profiles that form a uniform epithelial sheet with no intercellular spaces. Changes in cell architecture are associated with reorganization of the cytoskeleton components. In this report, we have tested whether disruption of microfilaments and microtubules by cytochalasin B and colchicine, respectively, has any effect on the ability of FSH to stimulate aromatase activity. Cytochalasin B, but not colchicine, significantly enhanced aromatase activity in FSH and dbcAMP stimulated cells. The increase in aromatase activity was accompanied by a striking change in cell morphology. Time course studies suggested that microfilament organization is involved in some metabolic event which occurs sometime between 2 and 4 h after the initial steps of FSH action. The reversibility of the biochemical and morphological changes induced by cytochalasin B was demonstrated. The effect of cytochalasin B was observed in high but not in low-density cultures, suggesting that microfilament organization in high-density cultures constrains FSH stimulation of aromatase activity. The last two observations made suggest the existence of a dynamic interplay between microfilament organization and FSH action in Sertoli cells.