34,171 research outputs found
Developing a Conceptual Framework of Seroadaptive Behaviors in HIV-Diagnosed Men Who Have Sex With Men
Background. Seroadaptive behaviors are strategies employed by men who have sex with men (MSM) to reduce the transmission risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It has been suggested that they contribute to the increasing diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections in HIV-diagnosed MSM. To understand the context in which the reemerging sexually transmitted infections appear, we developed a social epidemiological model incorporating the multiple factors influencing seroadaptive behaviors. Methods. A literature review of seroadaptive behaviors in HIV-diagnosed MSM was conducted. The literature was synthesized using a social epidemiological perspective. Results. Seroadaptive behaviors are adopted by MSM in high-income countries and are a way for HIV-diagnosed men to manage and enjoy their sexual lives. Influences are apparent at structural, community, interpersonal, and intrapersonal levels. There is little evidence of whether and when the behavior forms part of a premeditated strategy; it seems dependent on the social context and on time since HIV diagnosis. Social rules of HIV disclosure and perception of risk depend on the setting where partners are encountered. Conclusions. Seroadaptive behaviors are strongly context dependent and can reduce or increase transmission risk for different infectious diseases. Further data collection and mathematical modeling can help us explore the specific conditions in more detail
Direction discriminating hearing aid system
A visual display was developed for people with substantial hearing loss in either one or both ears. The system consists of three discreet units; an eyeglass assembly for the visual display of the origin or direction of sounds; a stationary general purpose noise alarm; and a noise seeker wand
Correlation length and negative phase velocity in isotropic dielectric-magnetic materials
A composite material comprising randomly distributed spherical particles of
two different isotropic dielectric-magnetic materials is homogenized using the
second-order strong-property-fluctuation theory in the long-wavelength
approximation. Whereas neither of the two constituent materials by itself
supports planewave propagation with negative phase velocity (NPV), the
homogenized composite material (HCM) can. The propensity of the HCM to support
NPV propagation is sensitive to the distributional statistics of the
constituent material particles, as characterized by a two--point covariance
function and its associated correlation length. The scope for NPV propagation
diminishes as the correlation length increases
Resuscitation-promoting factors possess a lysozyme-like domain
The novel bacterial cytokine family – resuscitation-promoting factors (Rpfs) – share a conserved domain of uncharacterized function. Predicting the structure of this domain suggests that Rpfs possess a lysozyme-like domain. The model highlights the good conservation of residues involved in catalysis and substrate binding. A lysozyme-like function makes sense for this domain in the light of experimental characterization of the biological function of Rpfs
Evolution of Migrating Planets Undergoing Gas Accretion
We analyze the orbital and mass evolution of planets that undergo run-away
gas accretion by means of 2D and 3D hydrodynamic simulations. The disk torque
distribution per unit disk mass as a function of radius provides an important
diagnostic for the nature of the disk-planet interactions. We first consider
torque distributions for nonmigrating planets of fixed mass and show that there
is general agreement with the expectations of resonance theory. We then present
results of simulations for mass-gaining, migrating planets. For planets with an
initial mass of 5 Earth masses, which are embedded in disks with standard
parameters and which undergo run-away gas accretion to one Jupiter mass (Mjup),
the torque distributions per unit disk mass are largely unaffected by migration
and accretion for a given planet mass. The migration rates for these planets
are in agreement with the predictions of the standard theory for planet
migration (Type I and Type II migration). The planet mass growth occurs through
gas capture within the planet's Bondi radius at lower planet masses, the Hill
radius at intermediate planet masses, and through reduced accretion at higher
planet masses due to gap formation. During run-away mass growth, a planet
migrates inwards by only about 20% in radius before achieving a mass of ~1
Mjup. For the above models, we find no evidence of fast migration driven by
coorbital torques, known as Type III migration. We do find evidence of Type III
migration for a fixed mass planet of Saturn's mass that is immersed in a cold
and massive disk. In this case the planet migration is assumed to begin before
gap formation completes. The migration is understood through a model in which
the torque is due to an asymmetry in density between trapped gas on the leading
side of the planet and ambient gas on the trailing side of the planet.Comment: 26 pages, 29 figures. To appear in The Astrophysical Journal vol.684
(September 20, 2008 issue
Three-dimensional Calculations of High and Low-mass Planets Embedded in Protoplanetary Discs
We analyse the non-linear, three-dimensional response of a gaseous, viscous
protoplanetary disc to the presence of a planet of mass ranging from one Earth
mass (1 M) to one Jupiter mass (1 M) by using the ZEUS hydrodynamics
code. We determine the gas flow pattern, and the accretion and migration rates
of the planet. The planet is assumed to be in a fixed circular orbit about the
central star. It is also assumed to be able to accrete gas without expansion on
the scale of its Roche radius. Only planets with masses M \gsim 0.1 M
produce significant perturbations in the disc's surface density. The flow
within the Roche lobe of the planet is fully three-dimensional. Gas streams
generally enter the Roche lobe close to the disc midplane, but produce much
weaker shocks than the streams in two-dimensional models. The streams supply
material to a circumplanetary disc that rotates in the same sense as the
planet's orbit. Much of the mass supply to the circumplanetary disc comes from
non-coplanar flow. The accretion rate peaks with a planet mass of approximately
0.1 M and is highly efficient, occurring at the local viscous rate. The
migration timescales for planets of mass less than 0.1 M, based on torques
from disc material outside the planets' Roche lobes, are in excellent agreement
with the linear theory of Type I (non-gap) migration for three-dimensional
discs. The transition from Type I to Type II (gap) migration is smooth, with
changes in migration times of about a factor of 2. Starting with a core which
can undergo runaway growth, a planet can gain up to a few M with little
migration. Planets with final masses of order 10 M would undergo large
migration, which makes formation and survival difficult.Comment: Accepted by MNRAS, 18 pages, 13 figures (6 degraded resolution).
Paper with high-resolution figures available at
http://www.astro.ex.ac.uk/people/mbate
Concorde noise-induced building vibrations John F. Kennedy International Airport
The outdoor and indoor noise levels resulting from aircraft flyovers and certain nonaircraft events were recorded at six home sites along with the associated vibration levels in the walls, windows, and floors of these test homes. Limited subjective tests conducted to examine the human detection and annoyance thresholds for building vibration and rattle caused by aircraft noise showed that both vibration and rattle were detected subjectively in several houses for some operations of both the Concorde and subsonic aircraft. Preliminary results indicate that the relationship between window vibration and aircraft noise is: (1) linear, with vibration levels being accurately predicted from OASPL levels measured near the window; (2) consistent from flyover to flyover for a given aircraft type under approach conditions; (3) no different for Concorde than for other conventional jet transports (in the case of window vibrations induced under approach power conditions); and (4) relatively high levels of window vibration measured during Concorde operations are due more to higher OASPL levels than to unique Concorde source characteristics
NACA Transonic Wind-tunnel Test Sections
Report presents an approximate subsonic theory for the solid-blockage interference in circular wind tunnels with walls slotted in the direction of flow. This theory indicated the possibility of obtaining zero blockage interference. Tests in a circular slotted tunnel based on the theory confirmed the theoretical predictions
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