Personalized normative feedback (PNF) has been used extensively to reduce alcohol consumption, particularly among heavy drinkers. However, the majority of PNF studies have used only descriptive norms ...(real or perceived pervasiveness of a given behavior). The purpose of the current study was to explore the efficacy of PNF both with and without an injunctive message indicating approval or disapproval based on the participants' standing relative to other students' drinking levels. This randomized trial evaluated two brief web-based alcohol intervention conditions (descriptive-norms-feedback-only condition versus a descriptive-plus-injunctive-message condition relative to an assessment-only control condition).
Participants included 176 students who had reported at least one heavy drinking episode in the past month. Participants completed baseline and follow-up assessments of perceived norms and drinking. Follow-up assessments were completed at 2 weeks post-intervention by 165 (94%) participants.
Analyses were conducted using zero-inflated negative binomial regression models. As expected, the descriptive-norms-only condition was effective in reducing drinking among heavier baseline drinkers at follow-up relative to the control condition. However, contrary to expectations, the descriptive-plus-injunctive-message condition did not predict less drinking at follow-up.
This study was unique in using an injunctive message as an adjunct to descriptive-norms feedback within the context of drinking. Findings highlight the need for additional research into the role of defensiveness, which may serve as an impediment to using injunctive norms/messages in interventions for problematic substance use and other potentially stigmatizing behaviors.
Metazoan replication origins often contain multiple potential initiation sites, and the selection of which
of the potential sites are used appears to be dependent upon multiple factors, including the ...state of
differentiation, cell metabolism, and local transcriptional activity. Numerous studies have shown that a
replication origin exists within the nontranscribed spacer region of the human ribosomal RNA gene. We
here analyze nascent leading strand DNA from S phase human lymphoid cells, and find that while the
majority of rDNA replicates in mid- and late S phase and preferentially initiates replication 6 kbp from
the transcription start site, in very early S phase the preferred initiation site is much closer to the
transcription start site and may involve rDNA promoter sequences. This early site is coincident with a
minimum GC skew value, diagnostic for replication origins in bacteria and yeast. These results suggest
that replication timing can influence initiation site selection. The timing and nucleolar localization of
rDNA further suggest that this site likely participates in the small number of perinucleolar initiation foci
observed in very early S phase cells that represent the beginning of cellular DNA replication.
Measurements of submicron aerosol mass and the mass of major ionic components have been made over the past 5 years on cruises in the Pacific and Southern Oceans and at monitoring stations across ...North America (Barrow, Alaska; Cheeka Peak, Washington; Bondville, Illinois; and Sable Island, Nova Scotia). Reported here are submicron concentrations of aerosol mass, nonsea salt (nss) sulfate, sea salt, methanesulfonate, other nss inorganic ions, and residual, or chemically unanalyzed, mass. Residual mass concentrations are based on the difference between simultaneously measured aerosol mass and the mass of the major ionic components. A standardized sampling protocol was used for all measurements making the data from each location directly comparable. For the Pacific and Southern Oceans, concentrations of the chemical components are presented in zonally averaged 20° latitude bins. For the monitoring stations, mean concentrations are presented for distinct air mass types (marine, clean continental, and polluted based on air mass back trajectories). In addition, percentile information for each chemical component is given to indicate the variability in the measured concentrations. Mean nss sulfate submicron aerosol mass fractions for the different latitude bins of the Pacific ranged from 0.14±0.01 to 0.34±0.03 (arithmetic mean±absolute uncertainty at the 95% confidence level). The lowest average value occurred in the 40°–60°S latitude band where nss sulfate concentrations were low due to the remoteness from continental sources and sea salt concentrations were relatively high. Mean nss sulfate aerosol mass fractions were more variable at the monitoring stations ranging from 0.13±0.004 to 0.65±0.02. Highest values occurred in polluted air masses at Bondville and Sable Island. Sea salt mean mass fractions ranged between 0.20±0.02 and 0.53±0.03 at all latitude bands of the Pacific (except 20°–40°N where the residual mass fraction was relatively high) and at Barrow. The concentration of residual mass was significant at the 95% confidence level at all stations and all Pacific latitude bands (assuming that all errors were random and normally distributed and contamination of the samples did not occur beyond that accounted for by storage and transport uncertainties). Mean residual mass fractions ranged from 0.09±0.07 to 0.74±0.04.
Small-scale in situ transmission electron microscopy-based Coble creep experiments were performed on Al2O3-GdAlO3 composites using localized laser heating. A primary goal of the work was to isolate ...the Al2O3-GdAlO3 interphase boundary diffusivity in order to understand how it contributes to the average properties of the composite. The diffusivities of the grain boundaries (GB) of GdAlO3 (GAP) and Al2O3 were measured to be DGb,GAP=15±14exp−580,000±62,000Jmol−1RTm2s−1, and DGB,Al2O3=25±21exp−542,000±30,000Jmol−1RTm2s−1, respectively. The average interphase boundary (IPB) diffusivity exceeds that of the grain boundaries and was measured to be DIPB=15±14exp−559,000±117,000Jmol−1RTm2s−1. Capillary smoothing experiments after creep were used to determine surface (S) diffusivities, DS,Al2O3=3.2x103±2.7x103exp−539,000±26,000Jmol−1RTm2s−1 and DS,GAP=4.6x104±7.7x10−6exp−625,000±82,000Jmol−1RTm2s−1. This works demonstrates the feasibility of small-scale Coble creep experiments to directly measure individual components of grain boundary and IPB diffusivities in composites.
The sintering behavior of single Al2O3 particles resting on GdAlO3 is characterized using in situ transmission electron microscopy imaging. In bicrystal experiments, particles with lower Al2O3-GdAlO3 ...phase boundary energies shrink via Ostwald ripening with no evidence of densification that would result from an atomic flux along the interface. Particles with higher Al2O3-GdAlO3 phase boundary energies undergo intermittent rigid body motion associated with an interfacial flux mediated by interfacial line defects, e.g. disconnections. Long incubation periods elapse between these comparatively rapid rigid body motion events. The interfacial diffusivity during each event agrees with the magnitude of interfacial diffusion obtained from independent measurements of interfacial diffusivity. The results from the model experiments suggest that capillarity driven interfacial strain mediation, e.g. densification during sintering, is interface rate limited at the driving forces investigated.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that DNA replication initiates within the 30 kBnontranscribed spacer (NTS) region of the human ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA). Using a series ofclosely spaced primer ...pairs to measure nascent leading strand abundance in mid and late S phasecells isolated by centrifugal elutriation, we find evidence for one highly preferred initiation site andtwo less utilized sites within a 6 kb region of the NTS. The initiation sites co-localize withsignificant DNA unwinding elements (DUEs), matrix attachment regions (MARs), and ARS-likesequences. An intrinsic DNA bending site was localized by circular permutation analysis to withinseveral hundred base pairs of one initiation site. While DUE and MAR elements occur elsewherethroughout the 43 kb rDNA sequence, the close association of DUE and MAR elements occursonly near replication initiation sites, a juxtaposition also seen in other well-studied mammalianreplication initiation sites. The utilization of rDNA initiation sites close to DUE and MAR elementsin mid and late S phase, but not in very early S phase as previously shown, suggests that in rRNAgenes, contributions from these sequence-associated properties may be more significant to initiationsites associated with transcriptionally inactive genes than to initiation sites associated with activegenes.
The effects of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) on total finger and forearm, and dorsal finger and forearm skin, blood flows were studied in the basal state and during reflex sympathetic ...vasoconstriction in normal subjects. Total flows were measured by venous occlusion plethysmography and skin flows by laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF). L-NMMA in doses of 2, 4, and 8 microM/min given by constant infusion via a brachial artery catheter significantly decreased finger blood flow, forearm blood flow, and vascular conductances. At 8 microM/min, total finger blood flow decreased 38.4% and forearm blood flow decreased 24.8%. Dorsal finger and forearm skin LDF were also significantly decreased (25 and 37% at 8 microM/min). Body cooling significantly decreased finger blood flow (73.6%), vascular conductance, and finger LDF (59.7%). L-NMMA had no effect on total finger blood flow or dorsal finger LDF during body cooling. Nitric oxide or related compounds contribute to the basal dilator tone of the dorsal finger and forearm skin but not during reflex sympathetic vasoconstriction.
Shipboard measurements of aerosol chemical composition and optical properties were made during both ACE‐1 and ACE‐2. ACE‐1 focused on remote marine aerosol minimally perturbed by continental sources. ...ACE‐2 studied the outflow of European aerosol into the NE Atlantic atmosphere. A variety of air masses were sampled during ACE‐2 including Atlantic, polar, Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean, and Western European. Reported here are mass size distributions of non‐sea salt (nss) sulfate, sea salt, and methanesulfonate and submicron and supermicron concentrations of black and organic carbon. Optical parameters include submicron and supermicron aerosol scattering and backscattering coefficients at 550 nm, the absorption coefficient at 550±20 nm, the Ångström exponent for the 550 and 700 nm wavelength pair, and single scattering albedo at 550 nm. All data are reported at the measurement relative humidity of 55%. Measured concentrations of nss sulfate aerosol indicate that, relative to ACE‐1, ACE‐2 aerosol during both marine and continental flow was impacted by continental sources. Thus, while sea salt controlled the aerosol chemical composition and optical properties of both the submicron and supermicron aerosol during ACE‐1, it played a relatively smaller role in ACE‐2. This is confirmed by the larger average Ångström exponent for ACE‐2 continental aerosol of 1.2±0.26 compared to the ACE‐1 average of −0.03±0.38. The depletion of chloride from sea salt aerosol in ACE‐2 continental air masses averaged 55±25% over all particle sizes. This compares to the ACE‐2 marine average of 4.8±18% and indicates the enhanced interaction of anthropogenic acids with sea salt as continental air masses are transported into the marine atmosphere. Single scattering albedos averaged 0.95±0.03 for ACE‐2 continental air masses. Averages for ACE‐2 and ACE‐1 marine air masses were 0.98±0.01 and 0.99±0.01, respectively.
New Horizons International Music Association (NHIMA) bands provide opportunities for older adults to learn, or relearn, a band instrument. Musicians have unique circumstances for vision, and older ...adults have identified vision as a top concern in their musical experiences. This study
explores vision correction experiences of older adults participating in NHIMA Bands and the effectiveness of three accommodations.
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