Clarifying the Relationship Between Trichotillomania and Anxiety

Although research has consistently linked unidimensional anxiety with Trichotillomania (TTM) severity, the relationships between TTM severity and anxiety dimensions (e.g., cognitive and somatic anxiety) are unknown. This knowledge gap limits current TTM conceptualization and treatment. The present study examined these relationships with data collected from ninety-one adults who participated in a randomized clinical trial for TTM treatment. Based on prior research, it was hypothesized that TTM severity would be related to the cognitive anxiety dimension and that psychological inflexibility would mediate the association. Hypotheses were not made regarding the relationship between TTM severity and somatic anxiety. Regression analyses indicated that only cognitive dimensions of anxiety predicted TTM severity and that psychological inflexibility mediated this relationship. Implications for the conceptualization and treatment of TTM are discussed

Factor Analysis of the Milwaukee Inventory for Subtypes of Trichotillomania-Adult Version

The Milwaukee Inventory for Subtypes of Trichotillomania-Adult Version (MIST-A; Flessner et al., 2008) measures the degree to which hair pulling in Trichotillomania (TTM) can be described as “automatic” (i.e., done without awareness and unrelated to affective states) and/or “focused” (i.e., done with awareness and to regulate affective states). Despite preliminary evidence in support of the psychometric properties of the MIST-A, emerging research suggests the original factor structure may not optimally capture TTM phenomenology. Using data from a treatment-seeking TTM sample, the current study examined the factor structure of the MIST-A via exploratory factor analysis. The resulting two factor solution suggested the MIST-A consists of a 5-item “awareness of pulling” factor that measures the degree to which pulling is done with awareness and an 8-item “internal-regulated pulling” factor that measures the degree to which pulling is done to regulate internal stimuli (e.g., emotions, cognitions, and urges). Correlational analyses provided preliminary evidence for the validity of these derived factors. Findings from this study challenge the notions of “automatic” and “focused” pulling styles and suggest that researchers should continue to explore TTM subtypes

Photographic Assessment of Change in Trichotillomania: Psychometric Properties and Variables Influencing Interpretation

Although photographic assessment has been found to be reliable in assessing hair loss in Trichotillomania, the validity of this method is unclear, particularly for gauging progress in treatment. The current study evaluated the psychometric properties of photographic assessment of change in Trichotillomania. Photographs showing hair loss of adults with Trichotillomania were taken before and after participating in a clinical trial for the condition. Undergraduate college students (N = 211) rated treatment response according to the photos, and additional archival data on hair pulling severity and psychosocial health were retrieved from the clinical trial. Photographic assessment of change was found to possess fair reliability (ICC = 0.53), acceptable criterion validity (r = 0.51), good concurrent validity (r = 0.30–0.36), and excellent incremental validity (ΔR2 = 8.67, p \u3c 0.01). In addition, photographic measures were significantly correlated with change in quality of life (r = 0.42), and thus could be considered an index of the social validity of Trichotillomania treatment. Gender of the photo rater and pulling topography affected the criterion validity of photographic assessment (partial η2 = 0.05–0.11). Recommendations for improving photographic assessment and future directions for hair pulling research are discussed

Draft Genome Sequence of the Redox-Active Enteric Bacterium Citrobacter portucalensis Strain MBL

We grew a soil enrichment culture to identify organisms that anaerobically oxidize phenazine-1-carboxylic acid. A strain of Citrobacter portucalensis was isolated from this enrichment and sequenced by both Illumina and PacBio technologies. It has a genome with a length of 5.3 Mb, a G+C content of 51.8%, and at least one plasmid

Draft Genome Sequence of the Redox-Active Enteric Bacterium Citrobacter portucalensis Strain MBL

We grew a soil enrichment culture to identify organisms that anaerobically oxidize phenazine-1-carboxylic acid. A strain of Citrobacter portucalensis was isolated from this enrichment and sequenced by both Illumina and PacBio technologies. It has a genome with a length of 5.3 Mb, a G+C content of 51.8%, and at least one plasmid

The Colorful World of Extracellular Electron Shuttles

Descriptions of the changeable, striking colors associated with secreted natural products date back well over a century. These molecules can serve as extracellular electron shuttles (EESs) that permit microbes to access substrates at a distance. In this review, we argue that the colorful world of EESs has been too long neglected. Rather than simply serving as a diagnostic attribute of a particular microbial strain, redox-active natural products likely play fundamental, underappreciated roles in the biology of their producers, particularly those that inhabit biofilms. Here, we describe the chemical diversity and potential distribution of EES producers and users, discuss the costs associated with their biosynthesis, and critically evaluate strategies for their economical usage. We hope this review will inspire efforts to identify and explore the importance of EES cycling by a wide range of microorganisms so that their contributions to shaping microbial communities can be better assessed and exploited

Understanding the nature of the optically faint radio sources and their connection to the submillimeter population

We present a sample of 43 submillimeter sources detected (at >3 sigma), drawn from our program to follow-up optically faint radio sources with SCUBA. These sources already have associated radio and in many cases optical identifications, and many are also detected at 450 microns. We compare these with 12 submillimeter sources drawn from the literature, which were discovered in blank field mapping campaigns, but also have radio detections. We then use this total sample (55 sources) to study and model the evolution of dusty galaxies. A correlation is observed in the sub-mm/radio color-magnitude diagram, which can be modeled by strong luminosity evolution. The selection effects of the radio/optical pre-selection technique are determined from the models, and a corrected redshift distribution is constrained using a range of model assumptions. The temperature/redshift effects on the 450 microns detected subset of our sample are studied in relation to the models, and prospects for improved measurements in the shorter sub-mm wavelength windows (450 microns and 350 microns) are explored.Comment: to appear in ApJ, 19 pages, 9 figure

First results from the Very Small Array -- IV. Cosmological parameter estimation

We investigate the constraints on basic cosmological parameters set by the first compact-configuration observations of the Very Small Array (VSA), and other cosmological data sets, in the standard inflationary LambdaCDM model. Using a weak prior 40 < H_0 < 90 km/s/Mpc and 0 < tau < 0.5 we find that the VSA and COBE_DMR data alone produce the constraints Omega_tot = 1.03^{+0.12}_{-0.12}, Omega_bh^2 = 0.029^{+0.009}_{-0.009}, Omega_cdm h^2 = 0.13^{+0.08}_{-0.05} and n_s = 1.04^{+0.11}_{-0.08} at the 68 per cent confidence level. Adding in the type Ia supernovae constraints, we additionally find Omega_m = 0.32^{+0.09}_{-0.06} and Omega_Lambda = 0.71^{+0.07}_{-0.07}. These constraints are consistent with those found by the BOOMERanG, DASI and MAXIMA experiments. We also find that, by combining all the recent CMB experiments and assuming the HST key project limits for H_0 (for which the X-ray plus Sunyaev--Zel'dovich route gives a similar result), we obtain the tight constraints Omega_m=0.28^{+0.14}_{-0.07} and Omega_Lambda= 0.72^{+0.07}_{-0.13}, which are consistent with, but independent of, those obtained using the supernovae data.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, MNRAS in pres

Lensing-Induced Structure of Submillimeter Sources: Implications for the Microwave Background

We consider the effect of lensing by galaxy clusters on the angular distribution of submillimeter wavelength objects. While lensing does not change the total flux and number counts of submillimeter sources, it can affect the number counts and fluxes of flux-limited samples. Therefore imposing a flux cut on point sources not only reduces the overall Poisson noise, but imprints the correlations between lensing clusters on the unresolved flux distribution. Using a simple model, we quantify the lensing anisotropy induced in flux-limited samples and compare this to Poisson noise. We find that while the level of induced anisotropies on the scale of the cluster angular correlation length is comparable to Poisson noise for a slowly evolving cluster model, it is negligible for more realistic models of cluster evolution. Thus the removal of point sources is not expected to induce measurable structure in the microwave or far-infrared backgrounds.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, accepted to Astrophysical Journa

Detection of Cosmic Microwave Background Structure in a Second Field with the Cosmic Anisotropy Telescope

We describe observations at frequencies near 15 GHz of the second 2x2 degree field imaged with the Cambridge Cosmic Anisotropy Telescope (CAT). After the removal of discrete radio sources, structure is detected in the images on characteristic scales of about half a degree, corresponding to spherical harmonic multipoles in the approximate range l= 330--680. A Bayesian analysis confirms that the signal arises predominantly from the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation for multipoles in the lower half of this range; the average broad-band power in a bin with centroid l=422 (theta = 51') is estimated to be Delta_T/T=2.1^{+0.4}_{-0.5} x 10^{-5}. For multipoles centred on l=615 (theta =35'), we find contamination from Galactic emission is significant, and constrain the CMB contribution to the measured power in this bin to be Delta_T/T <2.0 x 10^{-5} (1-sigma upper limit). These new results are consistent with the first detection made by CAT in a completely different area of sky. Together with data from other experiments, this new CAT detection adds weight to earlier evidence from CAT for a downturn in the CMB power spectrum on scales smaller than 1 degree. Improved limits on the values of H_0 and Omega are determined using the new CAT data.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures (gif), submitted to MNRA