Pathogen burden and cortisol profiles over the day

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) regulation in adults is influenced by early psychosocial adversity, but the role of infectious disease history is poorly understood. We studied the association between cumulative pathogen burden and cortisol profile over the day in a sample of 317 healthy men and women aged 51-72 years. Cumulative pathogen burden was defined as positive serostatus for Chlamydia pneumoniae, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). Salivary cortisol was sampled repeatedly over the day. The cortisol slope was defined as the decrease across the day and evening. Age, gender, grade of employment, body mass index, smoking status, self-rated health, cardiovascular medication, depressed mood and time of waking were included as covariates. The pathogen burden averaged 1.76 (S.D. = 0.92). The cortisol slope was inversely associated with pathogen burden after controlling for covariates. When individual pathogens were studied, only CMV was associated with flatter cortisol rhythms in isolation. We conclude that pathogen burden is independently associated with flatter cortisol slopes over the day, and may contribute to disturbed neuroendocrine regulation

Places and spaces without news: The contested phenomenon of news deserts

News deserts have gained prominence both in academic literature and policy discussions about local news in recent years. Although there is no agreed definition of the term, it usually refers to the lack of or diminishing availability, access, or use of local news or media in a community. It is seen as a significant phenomenon that highlights inequalities in local news provisions, challenges of local media operations in the digital environment, and issues around the quality of local journalism and the critical information needs of communities. This thematic issue aims to contribute to the field by bringing together different approaches to the topic, considering varied empirical studies and methodological designs, and providing perspectives from countries around the world with different media systems and cultures. The articles in the thematic issue address three broad issues: approaches to studying news deserts, local news production and news deserts, and the impact of news deserts on communities. Overall, the contributions reveal that the presence of a news desert is not a simple question of a locality having or not having a local media outlet. The concept is better understood as processes affecting access and quality of local news involving places, news media outlets and production, communities, and audiences. We end the editorial highlighting areas for further research, including the need for more holistic, conceptual, and comparative work on the topic

DarkSUSY - A numerical package for dark matter calculations in the MSSM

The question of the nature of the dark matter in the Universe remains one of the most outstanding unsolved problems in basic science. One of the best motivated particle physics candidates is the lightest supersymmetric particle, assumed to be the lightest neutralino. We here describe DarkSUSY, an advanced numerical FORTRAN package for supersymmetric dark matter calculations which we release for public use. With the help of this package, the masses and compositions of various supersymmetric particles can be computed, for given input parameters of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (MSSM). For the lightest neutralino, the relic density is computed, using accurate methods which include the effects of resonances, pair production thresholds and coannihilations. Accelerator bounds are checked to identify viable dark matter candidates. Finally, detection rates are computed for a variety of detection methods, such as direct detection and indirect detection through antiprotons, gamma-rays and positrons from the Galactic halo or neutrinos from the center of the Earth or the Sun.Comment: 6 pages, no figures. Contribution to the proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on the Identification of Dark Matter (IDM2000) in York, in pres

Can Heavy WIMPs Be Captured by the Earth?

If weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) in bound solar orbits are systematically driven into the Sun by solar-system resonances (as Farinella et al. have shown is the case for many Earth-crossing asteroids), then the capture of high-mass WIMPs by the Earth would be affected dramatically because high-mass WIMPs are captured primarily from bound orbits. WIMP capture would be eliminated for M_x>630 GeV and would be highly suppressed for M_x>~150 GeV. Annihilation of captured WIMPs and anti-WIMPs is expected to give rise to neutrinos coming from the Earth's center. The absence of such a neutrino signal has been used to place limits on WIMP parameters. At present, one does not know if typical WIMP orbits are in fact affected by these resonances. Until this question is investigated and resolved, one must (conservatively) assume that they are. Hence, limits on high-mass WIMP parameters are significantly weaker than previously believed.Comment: 8 pages + 1 figure. Submitted to Ap

Test Administration Models

The need for increased exam security, improved test formats, more flexible scheduling, better measurement, and more efficient administrative processes has caused testing agencies to consider converting the administration of their exams from paper-and-pencil to computer-based testing (CBT). Many decisions must be made in order to provide an optimal examination program from the perspectives of validity, customer service, and cost. Methods to administer computer-based testing include Computer Adaptive, Linear-On-The-Fly, Multistage testing, and multiple fixed forms. Each of these methods has pros and cons that must be considered in relation to the purpose and characteristics of the exam. Issues of security, access, psychometrics, and cheating will also be addressed. Accessed 8,210 times on https://pareonline.net from December 12, 2013 to December 31, 2019. For downloads from January 1, 2020 forward, please click on the PlumX Metrics link to the right

Spontaneous electro-weak symmetry breaking and cold dark matter

In the standard model, the weak gauge bosons and fermions obtain mass after spontaneous electro-weak symmetry breaking, which is realized through one fundamental scalar field, namely Higgs field. In this paper we study the simplest scalar cold dark matter model in which the scalar cold dark matter also obtains mass through interaction with the weak-doublet Higgs field, the same way as those of weak gauge bosons and fermions. Our study shows that the correct cold dark matter relic abundance within $3\sigma$ uncertainty ($0.093 < \Omega_{dm} h^2 < 0.129$) and experimentally allowed Higgs boson mass ($114.4 \le m_h \le 208$ GeV) constrain the scalar dark matter mass within $48 \le m_S \le 78$ GeV. This result is in excellent agreement with that of W. de Boer et.al. ($50 \sim 100$ GeV). Such kind of dark matter annihilation can account for the observed gamma rays excess ($10\sigma$) at EGRET for energies above 1 GeV in comparison with the expectations from conventional Galactic models. We also investigate other phenomenological consequences of this model. For example, the Higgs boson decays dominantly into scalar cold dark matter if its mass lies within $48 \sim 64$ GeV.Comment: 4 Revtex4 pages, refs adde

Middle-Upper Ordovician conodonts from the Ffairfach and Golden Grove groups in South Wales, United Kingdom

The conodont fauna of the reference succession of the regional British Llandeilian Stage of the Llanvirn Series was first described in a classical study by Rhodes more than 65&nbsp;years ago using single element (form) taxonomy. Although several subsequent authors have recorded a substantial number of conodont taxa from the Llandeilo area, the present study is the first to present a modern taxonomic review of these late Darriwilian-early Sandbian faunas that include approximately 20 multielement species. Most prominent are representatives of Amorphognathus, Baltoniodus, Eoplacognathus, and Plectodina. The study faunas have their own biogeographical character. The distinctive genera Complexodus, Protopanderodus, and Pygodus, which are common in coeval Baltoscandic faunas, are not present, but the occurrence of Amorphognathus, Baltoniodus, and Eoplacognathus provides a link to age equivalent Baltoscandic faunas. The presence of abundant specimens of Plectodina and less common representatives of Erismodus and Icriodella are reminiscent of North American Midcontinent faunas. This type of faunal assemblage is in some respects similar to those of the early Caradoc Series of the Welsh Borderland. Biostratigraphically diagnostic species indicate that the Llandeilo study succession ranges from the Eoplacognathus lindstroemi Subzone of the Pygodus serra Zone to the Baltoniodus variabilis Subzone of the Amorphognathus tvaerensis Zone

Kinetic decoupling of neutralino dark matter

After neutralinos cease annihilating in the early Universe, they may still scatter elastically from other particles in the primordial plasma. At some point in time, however, they will eventually stop scattering. We calculate the cross sections for neutralino elastic scattering from standard-model particles to determine the time at which this kinetic decoupling occurs. We show that kinetic decoupling occurs above a temperature $T\sim$ MeV. Thereafter, neutralinos act as collisionless cold dark matter.Comment: Replaced with revised version, new references adde

Soft Tissue to Hard Tissue Advancement Ratios for Mandibular Elongation Using Distraction Osteogenesis in Children

Distraction osteogenesis is extensively used for the elongation of hypoplastic mandibles in children, yet the soft tissue profile response to this is not well understood. The pre- and posttreatment lateral cephalometric radiographs of 27 pediatric patients who underwent bilateral mandibular elongation using distraction osteogenesis were analyzed retrospectively to correlate horizontal soft tissue advancement with horizontal underlying bone advancement at B point and pogonion. Horizontal advancement (in millimeters) of bone and overlying soft tissue at these points was collected from the radiographs of each patient, and linear regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship of hard to soft tissue horizontal advancement at these points. A 1:0.90 mean ratio of bone to soft tissue advancement was observed at B point/labiomental sulcus and at pogonion/soft tissue pogonion (linear regression analysis demonstrated slopes [β1 values] of 0.94 and 0.92, respectively). These ratios were consistent throughout the sample population and are highly predictive of the soft tissue response that can be anticipated. Magnitude of advancement, age, and sex of the patient had no effect on these ratios in our population. This study assists with our understanding of the soft tissue response that accompanies bony elongation during distraction osteogenesis which will allow us to more effectively treatment plan the orthodontic and surgical intervention that will optimize the patients\u27 functional and esthetic outcome