Risk practice of HIV in men who have sex with men are a gender practice. A training of health professional in a transcultural perspective

Relations between men who have sex with men (MSM) are power relations between different masculinities. A qualitative study with health professionals assisting MSM looked into HIV prevention in Spain. Barriers were observed in the HIV test at three levels: institutions, social and individual. Deficiencies appeared in public policies: lack of knowledge about MSM realities; lack of tools to assist diversity by health professionals; stigma and prejudice; difficulties to access health. Migration, poverty and vulnerability influence MSM health and the presence of risk practices. We suggest health professionals training in gender transcultural perspective integrated within educative programs to improve MSM's health

Significance analysis and statistical mechanics: an application to clustering

This paper addresses the statistical significance of structures in random data: Given a set of vectors and a measure of mutual similarity, how likely does a subset of these vectors form a cluster with enhanced similarity among its elements? The computation of this cluster p-value for randomly distributed vectors is mapped onto a well-defined problem of statistical mechanics. We solve this problem analytically, establishing a connection between the physics of quenched disorder and multiple testing statistics in clustering and related problems. In an application to gene expression data, we find a remarkable link between the statistical significance of a cluster and the functional relationships between its genes.Comment: to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Gene-network inference by message passing

The inference of gene-regulatory processes from gene-expression data belongs to the major challenges of computational systems biology. Here we address the problem from a statistical-physics perspective and develop a message-passing algorithm which is able to infer sparse, directed and combinatorial regulatory mechanisms. Using the replica technique, the algorithmic performance can be characterized analytically for artificially generated data. The algorithm is applied to genome-wide expression data of baker's yeast under various environmental conditions. We find clear cases of combinatorial control, and enrichment in common functional annotations of regulated genes and their regulators.Comment: Proc. of International Workshop on Statistical-Mechanical Informatics 2007, Kyot

Gene-network inference by message passing

The inference of gene-regulatory processes from gene-expression data belongs to the major challenges of computational systems biology. Here we address the problem from a statistical-physics perspective and develop a message-passing algorithm which is able to infer sparse, directed and combinatorial regulatory mechanisms. Using the replica technique, the algorithmic performance can be characterized analytically for artificially generated data. The algorithm is applied to genome-wide expression data of baker's yeast under various environmental conditions. We find clear cases of combinatorial control, and enrichment in common functional annotations of regulated genes and their regulators.Comment: Proc. of International Workshop on Statistical-Mechanical Informatics 2007, Kyot

Gene-network inference by message passing

The inference of gene-regulatory processes from gene-expression data belongs to the major challenges of computational systems biology. Here we address the problem from a statistical-physics perspective and develop a message-passing algorithm which is able to infer sparse, directed and combinatorial regulatory mechanisms. Using the replica technique, the algorithmic performance can be characterized analytically for artificially generated data. The algorithm is applied to genome-wide expression data of baker's yeast under various environmental conditions. We find clear cases of combinatorial control, and enrichment in common functional annotations of regulated genes and their regulators.Comment: Proc. of International Workshop on Statistical-Mechanical Informatics 2007, Kyot

Testing of Candidate Rigid Heatshield Materials at LHMEL for the Entry, Descent, and Landing Technology Development Project

The material testing results described in this paper were part of a material development program of vendor-supplied, proposed heat shield materials. The goal of this program was to develop low density, rigid material systems with an appreciable weight savings over phenolic-impregnated carbon ablator (PICA) while improving material response performance. New technologies, such as PICA-like materials in honeycomb or materials with variable density through-the-thickness were tested. The material testing took place at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Laser Hardened Materials Laboratory (LHMEL) using a 10.6 micron CO2 laser operating with the test articles immersed in a nitrogen-gas environment at 1 atmosphere pressure. Test measurements included thermocouple readings of in-depth temperatures, pyrometer readings of surface temperatures, weight scale readings of mass loss, and sectioned-sample readings of char depth. Two laser exposures were applied. The first exposure was at an irradiance of 450 W/cm2 for 50 or 60 seconds to simulate an aerocapture maneuver. The second laser exposure was at an irradiance of 115 W/cm2 for 100 seconds to simulate a planetary entry. Results from Rounds 1 and 2 of these screening tests are summarized

Gender roles and intimate partner violence among female university students in Spain: A cross-sectional study

Background Traditional gender roles (GRs) have a considerable influence on relationships among couples. These can lead to negative health effects in women; however, their impact on intimate partner violence (IPV) has been less explored, especially among younger women. Objective To explore the association between traditional GRs and several indicators of IPV on a sample of Spanish female university students involved in heterosexual dating relationships. Methods A cross-sectional study involving female university students (n = 1, 005) pursuing ten degrees (four Health Science degrees and six Social Sciences degrees). Data were collected using two validated scales: 1) the Questionnaire on the Gender Determinants of Contraception (COGANT), used to examine four traditional GRs (submissive, blind, and passive attitudes of female students, and male dominance), and 2) the Dating Violence Questionnaire-R (DVQ-R) scale, used to measure five types of IPV-behaviors (coercion, detachment, humiliation, sexual violence, and physical violence), perceived fear, entrapment, and abuse. Logistic and linear regressions were conducted to study the association between GR and a series of IPV indicators in dating relationships. Results Traditional GRs were highly prevalent (57.0% submissive, 52.0% blind attitude, 75.7% passive, and 31.7% identified their boyfriend as being dominant). Up to 66.3% experienced some type of violent behavior. All GRs were significantly associated with IPV indicators. A submissive attitude in female students was the GR that was most strongly associated to total IPV-behavior (adjusted odd ratio [OR] = 3.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.29-4.42), followed by male dominance (OR = 2.79: 95% CI:1.71: 4.54). Both GRs were also highly associated with perceived fear, entrapment, and abuse. Conclusions A high presence of traditional GRs was found in the relationships held by female university students, which was significantly associated with IPV indicators. Universities must adopt policies for gender equality and raise awareness on dating violence. Copyright: © 2021 Llano-Suárez et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

New system and methodology for avoiding calibers in ceramic tile production

MACER, S.L, in collaboration with the Institute of Ceramic Technology, has developed a comprehensive control system of the pressing operation called CALIBREUNICO® which keeps constant in time the bulk density of all the ceramic pieces shaped in an industrial press. The CALIBREUNICO® system consists of two subsystems that permit one hand, balance the variations in moisture spray-dried powder by the continuous regulation in real time of the pressure moulding and, secondly, regulate the load individually in each of the holes of the press with de purpose of equalling the bulk density of all pieces obtained in the same press cycle. CALIBREUNICO®, ensuring the constancy of bulk density of all pieces processed, guarantees a single piece size and the minimization of the production problems associated with variability in bulk density of the pieces.MACER, S.L., en colaboración con el Instituto de Tecnología Cerámica, ha desarrollado un sistema de control integral de la operación de prensado denominado CALIBREUNICO® que permite mantener constante en el tiempo la densidad aparente de todas las piezas cerámicas conformadas en una prensa industrial. El sistema CALIBREUNICO® está constituido por dos subsistemas complementarios que permiten, por un lado, compensar las variaciones de humedad del polvo atomizado mediante la regulación continua y en tiempo real de la presión de prensado y, por otro lado, regular la carga individualizada en cada uno de los alvéolos de la prensa con el fin de igualar la densidad aparente de todas las piezas obtenidas en un mismo ciclo de prensado. CALIBREUNICO®, al asegurar la constancia de la densidad aparente de todas las piezas procesadas, garantiza un único tamaño de pieza y la minimización de los problemas de producción asociados a la variabilidad de la densidad aparente de los soportes

Nuevo sistema para la medida y control de la presión máxima de prensado en los alvéolos del molde: ISOPRESS®

The organization MACER, in collaboration with the Institute of Ceramic Technology, has developed the system ISOPRESS®, an integrated control device that permits to equal automatically the maximum pressure applied on the powder contained in each of the holes of the mould. This system consists of a set of pressure transducers which are located in the isostatic punches of the mould itself. With them it is possible to register in real-time the evolution of the measured pressure of the oil contained in the compensation chamber of each punch. All the transducers are connected to a data acquisition system which transfers the pressure values to a PC which performs the signal processing to obtain the pressure maximum value reached during a pressing cycle, in each one of the holes. The system is completed with a control software especially developed, that permits to regulate individually the height of the first fall of each inferior punch to guarantee the uniformity of the pressure applied in all the holes. ISOPRESS®, by assuring the constancy of the bulk density of all the pieces processed, guarantees a unique piece size and minimize production problems associated to the variability of the bulk density of the pieces