cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Various properties of the head protein of T2 bacteriophage.

Bacteriophage T2 particles may be classified into two groups with respect either to head length or to sedimentation rate. These same two groups have now also been shown to have different permeabilities. Particles having the long head, slow sedimenting form are more permeable to passage of methylene blue through the head membrane than those having the short head, fast sedimenting form. The effect of head form on the ability of phage to infect its host has also been investigated. Although T2 particles appear to be infective under conditions favoring either the long or short head form, before infection can successfully occur the phage head must be converted to the short form. T2 particles inactivated by treatment with polyglucose sulfuric acid are unable either to infect host cells or to assume the short form under normal conditions. When treated phages are incubated at temperatures and pH's which favor the short head form they are able to inject their DNA into the cell. The change in the phage head normally occurring during virus-host cell interaction appears to be favored by components of the host cytoplasm which leak out of the cell during infection.
Curvature dependence of peaks in the cosmic microwave background distribution

The widely cited formula $\ell_1\simeq 200 \Omega_0^{-1/2}$ for the multipole number of the first Doppler peak is not even a crude approximation in the case of greatest current interest, in which the cosmic mass density is less than the vacuum energy density. For instance, with $\Omega_M$ fixed at 0.3, the position of any Doppler peak varies as $\Omega_0^{-1.58}$ near $\Omega_0=1$.
The role of the physical and occupational therapist in caring for the victim of alzheimer's disease

The threats that dementia present to us as caregivers center mainly on the lack of predictability of the client's day-to-day responses and the overwhelming sense of loss of a meaningful life as victims regress before our eyes without any sense of hope for cure. The goals of our care must be focused on maintaining as high a quality of life as possible for as long as possible. Interventions are outlined and suggestions are made to help communicate through catastrophic reactions, depression and confusion. The methods of validation therapy are suggested to be superior to reality therapy in communicating acceptance and support for the demented patient who will never again know reality as we know it.
Outsource this!: broaden support and reduce staff burnout

With constricting resources, rising service expectations, and burnt-out Tier 1 staff, support services face the question, "How can we do more with less and remain effective?" This session covers Colgate's process of outsourcing tier 1 support viewed from multiple perspectives (the idea stage, implementation, and evaluation). Universities today have increasingly complex infrastructure systems with a growing client expectation and shrinking budgets. The Help Desk Professional staff is under increased pressure and is easily burnt out. Clients experience dissatisfaction with the timeliness and quality of support; technical advances in the curriculum are underserved and needs analysis undone. Administrators have been forced to take an honest, hard look at available or planned resources and make tough decisions. Should you continue in crisis mode, drastically lower client expectations for support, or risk innovative solutions to leverage available resources? Colgate decided to try an innovative new way to meet demand. We developed an outsourced partnership to provide greatly expanded (off-site) Tier 1 client support while dedicating local professional staff to more complex (Tier 2/3) support and needs analysis consultation for University divisions. This paper will explain the process we used to get where we are today as well as lessons learned along the way.
Totally extraperitoneal repair of obturator hernia.

Background One distinct advantage of the 1aparoscopic inguinal hernia repair is the opportunity for clear visualization of the direct, indirect, femoral, and obturator spaces. The surgeon should routinely inspect all of them. Obturator hernia accounts for as few as 0.073% of all hernias, but the mortality rate when it is acutely incarcerated can be as high as 70%. There is only one previous report of a totally extraperitoneal repair for obturator hernia. Five such procedures are described.
Carcinoids of unknown origin: comparative analysis with foregut, midgut, and hindgut carcinoids.

Abstract Background: Carcinoids are rare neuroendocrine tumors typically arising in the gastrointestinal tract. A significant percentage of these tumors present as metastatic disease of unknown primary site. The aim of this study was to better define the functional and clinical characteristics of carcinoids of unknown primary (CUP) site. Methods: This study examines the hormonal activity, clinical characteristics, and survival of 434 patients with carcinoids originating in the foregut, midgut, hindgut, or unknown location. The 143 patients with CUP were compared with the other groups with regard to presenting characteristics, diagnostic tests and therapeutic modalities used, hormonal activity, and survival. Results: The hormone levels (urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and serotonin, serum and platelet serotonin) of CUP were not significantly different from midgut carcinoids with metastatic disease. Although survival with CUP was shorter than with carcinoids with identified primaries (10-year survivals of 22% vs 62%, 50%, and 48% for foregut, midgut, and hindgut, respectively), the survival curve for CUP was quite similar to that of patients with midgut carcinoids with distant disease (10-year survival of 22% vs 28%). Conclusions: CUP are similar to midgut carcinoids presenting with metastatic disease with regard to hormone production and survival. Like other carcinoids, CUP can be an indolent disease process with gradual progression over decades. (Surgery 1998;124:1063-70.)
Precise flight-path control using a predictive algorithm

Generalized predictive control describes an algorithm for the control of dynamic systems in which a control input is generated that minimizes a quadratic cost function consisting of a weighted sum of errors between desired and predicted future system output and future predicted control increments. The output predictions are obtained from an internal model of the plant dynamics. A design technique is discussed for applying the single-input/single-output generalized predictive control algorithm to a problem of longitudinal/vertical terrain-following flight of a rotorcraft. By using the generalized predictive control technique to provide inputs to a classically designed stability and control augmentation system, it is demonstrated that a robust flight-path control system can be created that exhibits excellent tracking performance.
Stability of electrostatic actuated membrane mirror devices

Membrane mirrors with transparent electrodes were fabricated for adaptive optics. These devices are capable of generating large, low-spatial-order deformations but exhibit instability for high-order deformations. A variational calculation of the electrostatic and mechanical energy of such membrane devices leads to criteria for stable operation. Simulations based upon this calculation are able to reproduce the observed behavior of fabricated devices and suggest suitable device parameters for improved performance with high-order deformations.
Sex differences in anxiety response and adjustment to dental surgery: Effects of general vs. specific preoperative information

Monitored anxiety level by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Corah's (1969a) dental anxiety scale and evaluated adjustment via behavioral ratings, in 32 female and 31 male dental surgery patients who were presented general or specific information prior to surgery. The findings indicated that dental surgery is a stressful procedure that elicits comparably high levels of state anxiety in males and females. For most patients, even those high in dental anxiety, state anxiety level returns to "normal" levels just after the completion of surgery. The dental anxiety scale administered well before surgery is a good predictor of patient anxiety level in the dental situation, especially for males. Females responded to an informational tape received prior to surgery with increased anxiety, and were rated as showing poorer overall adjustment in surgery than males. The general and specific information tapes did not differentially affect adjustment, but informational input and related variables such as patient expectancies and prior level of information are factors that need further investigation in terms of their potential relevance for the reduction of patient anxiety and enhancement of patient adjustment during dental procedures.
APPROXIMATE IMAGE QUALITY MEASURE IN LOW-DIMENSIONAL DOMAIN BASED ON RANDOM PROJECTION

Image Quality Measure (IQM) is used to automatically measure the degree of image artifacts such as blocking, ringing and blurring effects. It is calculated traditionally in the image spatial domain. In this paper, we present a new method of transforming an image into a low-dimensional domain based on random projection, so we can efficiently obtain the compatible IQM. From the transformed domain, we can calculate the Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) and apply fuzzy logic to generate a Low-Dimensional Quality Index (LDQI). Experimental results show that the LDQI can approximate the IQM in the image spatial domain. We observe that the LDQI is suited for measuring the compression blur due to its relatively low distortion. The relative error is about 0.15 as the compression blur increases.
Recent models and techniques for solving the layout problem

Abstract In this paper, some models for the layout problem are surveyed. Seven heuristic algorithms for solving the models are also listed and briefly compared. Certain issues that need to be addressed while solving the layout problem are mentioned.
Amenable to Reason: Aristotle's Rhetoric and the Moral Psychology of Practical Ethics

An Aristotelian conception of practical ethics can be derived from the account of practical reasoning that Aristotle articulates in is Rhetoric and this has important implications for the way we understand the nature and limits of practical ethics. an important feature of this conception of practical ethics is its responsiveness to the complex ways in which agents form and maintain moral commitments, and this has important implications for the debate concerning methods of ethics in applied ethics. In particular, this feature enables us to understand casuistry, narrative, and principlism as mutually supportive modes of moral inquiry, rather than divergent and mutually exclusive methods of ethics. As a result, an Aristotelian conception of practical ethics clears the conceptual common ground upon which practical ethicists can forge a stable and realistic self-understanding.
Bromophenol accumulation and sediment contamination by the marine annelids Notomastus lobatus and Thelepus crispus

Abstract The occurrence of bromophenols in Notomastus lobatus and Thelepus crispus and associated sediment and porewater was determined. 4-Bromophenol, 2,4-dibromophenol, and 2,4,6-tribromophenol were identified in N. lobatus with the highest concentrations occurring in the anterior and posterior abdomen and substantially less in the thorax (345, 209, and 6.6 μg/ml of worm, respectively). The concentration of dibromobenzyl alcohol was highest in the tail (last 15 setigers) of T. crispus (1.02 mg/ml of worm), but did not differ among body parts as the bromophenols did in N. lobatus . Concentrations in sediments were significantly reduced from those in the worms and decreased from the inner burrow lining out to 5 cm from N. lobatus burrows. Similarly for T. crispus , concentrations of dibromobenzyl alcohol in the surrounding sediments and porewater were low and increased with proximity to the burrow. For both species, concentrations in surface sediment (upper 1 cm) did not differ from those at 6 cm depth. Several lines of evidence indicate that these compounds are produced by the worms and hence their presence in sediments is derived from the worms. The contamination of sediment by these bromophenols has important implications for the structure and activities of benthic-associated communities.
An electronic psychogalvanometer for student use.

(1949). An Electronic Psychogalvanometer for Student Use. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 3-7.
Religious activity and lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorder.

There is growing evidence that current religious activity is associated with less psychological distress, yet research on clinical levels of psychopathology along with lifetime patterns of religious activity remains limited. In this study, we used data on 718 participants from the Providence, RI, cohort of the National Collaborative Perinatal Project, to test for the association between lifetime patterns of religious service attendance frequency, subjective religiosity, and lifetime psychiatric diagnosis. For women, but not men, a changing pattern of service attendance (having stopped or started attending services since childhood) was associated with increased lifetime rates of generalized anxiety, and marginally increased rates of alcohol abuse/dependence (OR for generalized anxiety: 2.71, 95% CI: 1.11–6.62; OR for alcohol abuse/dependence = 1.97, 95% CI: 0.92–4.20) compared to a stable pattern of continuous religious service attendance. Conversely, men who changed their frequency of religious service attendance were less likely to have ever met diagnostic criteria for major depression (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31–0.83) as compared to those who had always been religiously active. The rates of psychiatric illness among those who reported never attending religious services were not statistically different from those who either had always been religiously active or those who reported changing patterns of attendance. These findings suggest that lifetime religious activity patterns are associated with psychiatric illnesses, with different patterns observed for men and women.
A fundamental Precambrian-Phanerozoic shift in earth's glacial style?

Abstract It has recently been found that Neoproterozoic glaciogenic sediments were deposited mainly at low paleolatitudes, in marked qualitative contrast to their Pleistocene counterparts. Several competing models vie for explanation of this unusual paleoclimatic record, most notably the high-obliquity hypothesis and varying degrees of the snowball Earth scenario. The present study quantitatively compiles the global distributions of Miocene–Pleistocene glaciogenic deposits and paleomagnetically derived paleolatitudes for Late Devonian–Permian, Ordovician–Silurian, Neoproterozoic, and Paleoproterozoic glaciogenic rocks. Whereas high depositional latitudes dominate all Phanerozoic ice ages, exclusively low paleolatitudes characterize both of the major Precambrian glacial epochs. Transition between these modes occurred within a 100-My interval, precisely coeval with the Neoproterozoic–Cambrian “explosion” of metazoan diversity. Glaciation is much more common since 750 Ma than in the preceding sedimentary record, an observation that cannot be ascribed merely to preservation. These patterns suggest an overall cooling of Earth's longterm climate, superimposed by developing regulatory feedbacks involving an increasingly complex biosphere.
Operative challenges in management of concurrent interrupted aortic arch and descending thoracic aortic aneurysm

Interrupted aortic arch is a rare finding in the adult patient. This condition in combination with a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm is an even more exceptional occurrence. Surgical management includes open, endovascular, and hybrid options. We present the case of a 57-year-old man with interrupted aortic arch and concomitant descending thoracic aortic aneurysm, review characterization of this entity, and discuss management options with consideration to associated risks.
Anatomical and functional connections among cell groups in the gerbil brain that are activated with ejaculation.

Based on Fos expression, four areas of the gerbil brain are activated with ejaculation, i.e., the posterodorsal preoptic nucleus (PdPN), the lateral part of the posterodorsal medial amygdala (MeApd), the medial cell group of the sexually dimorphic preoptic area (medial SDA), and the parvicellular part of the subparafascicular thalamus (SPFp). The SPFp and medial SDA also express Fos earlier in the context of mating. To study connections among these areas, we injected one with FluoroGold and assessed the colocalization of FluoroGold and mating-induced Fos in the others. To determine if any of these areas activates the others, we lesioned one unilaterally and measured mating-induced Fos ipsilaterally and contralaterally in the others. Half of the SPFp cells projecting to the medial SDA, PdPN, and MeApd were activated with mating. SPFp lesions also decreased Fos expression in those areas. However, those areas do not project to the SPFp or affect its Fos expression with mating. Projections from the lateral MeApd to the medial SDA and PdPN, and from the medial SDA to the lateral MeApd, were also activated with mating, but lesions in these areas did not affect Fos expression in the others. Because 32-50% of the mating-activated cells in the SPFp participated in each SPFp projection identified, projections may have been identified for all of the mating-activated cells in the SPFp. In contrast, most of the mating-activated cells in the lateral MeApd, PdPN, and medial SDA do not participate in any projection studied, suggesting that they are either interneurons or project elsewhere.
Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF)

The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) is to be a free-flying national x-ray observatory that is Shuttle-launched (in mid-1988), maintainable on-orbit, and retrievable. The design lifetime is > 10 years. The AXAF is conceived as an x-ray telescope with 6 nested Wolter type I mirrors (maximum aperture of 1.2 m), a focal length of 10 m, and interchangeable and replaceable focal plane instruments. The optics will provide 0.5 arcsecond imagery over a several arcminute field and somewhat reduced resolution over 1 degree in the x-ray band from 0.1 to 8 keV. The performance requirements and design of the facility will be discussed and comparisons made with an existing x-ray observatory. The scientific objectives of the AXAF will also be discussed briefly.
DNA macrorestriction profiles and antifungal susceptibility of Candida (Torulopsis) glabrata

Candida (Torulopsis) glabrata is an emerging nosocomial pathogen that may be relatively resistant to fluconazole. A series of 75 isolates (blood, urine, tissue, and other sites) from 16 patients (1 to 12 isolates per patient) at a single university medical center were analyzed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of restriction endonuclease digests of chromosomal DNA. The MICs of the isolates for amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, and itraconazole, were determined by a microdilution broth method. A preliminary study of seven restriction enzymes, three producing small fragments (Hinf I, Hind III, Eco RI) and four producing large fragments (Eag I, BssH II, Sfi I, Not I) identified Not I as giving interpretable banding patterns. Isolates were considered of different types if they differed by two or more bands. Sixteen distinct DNA types (A to P) were identified. Karyotyping was used an an additional technique to compare strains with a common PFGE type. Most patients were colonized or infected with a single type at multiple body sites and over time. One PFGE type was shared by four patients housed in different areas of the institution at different times. For two of these four patients, the karyotype was also indistintuishable. Five patients were each colonized with two distinct types. The MIC of the strains studied were amphotericin B 0.5-1.0 microgram/ml (MIC90 = 1.0 microgram/ ml), 5-fluorocytosine 0.25-->256 micrograms/ml (MIC90 = 2 micrograms/ml), fluconazole 0.25-->128 micrograms/ml (MIC90 = 32 micrograms/ml), and itraconazole 0.06-8.0 micrograms/ml). Molecular typing by PFGE using Not I digestion is a useful technique for epidemiological investigation as epidemiologically related isolates are generally identical and epidemiologically unrelated isolates are different by this method.
Poly(L-lactic acid) metal organic framework composites: optical, thermal and mechanical properties

Biodegradable composites based on poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) and metal organic frameworks (MOFs) were developed. PLLA without and with the addition of 1, 3 and 5 wt% MOFs was melt compounded in a microextruder. The optical, physical, thermal, mechanical and thermomechanical properties of the composites were evaluated. The Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet and colorimetric studies showed selected absorption at particular wavelengths due to the presence of copper and benzene belonging to the MOFs. The dynamic mechanical analysis results revealed that the heat deflection temperature, storage modulus and loss modulus of the PLLA–MOF composites did not significantly change compared with the neat PLLA samples. However, a significant decrease in the brittleness of the PLLA–MOF composite was found as evidenced by an increase of 15% in Izod impact strength and 170% in elongation at break. Overall, the brittleness of the PLLA–MOF composite sample decreased as the amount of MOF in the PLLA increased. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Kinetic effects of fiber type on the two subcomponents of the Huxley-Simmons phase 2 in muscle.

Abstract The Huxley-Simmons phase 2 controls the kinetics of the first stages of tension recovery after a step-change in fiber length and is considered intimately associated with tension generation. It had been shown that phase 2 is comprised of two distinct unrelated phases. This is confirmed here by showing that the properties of phase 2 fast are independent of fiber type, whereas those of phase 2 slow are fiber type dependent. Phase 2 fast has a rate of 1000–2000s −1 and is temperature insensitive ( Q 10 ∼1.16) in fast, medium, and slow speed fibers. Regardless of fiber type and temperature, the amplitude of phase 2 fast is half (∼0.46) that of phase 1 (fiber instantaneous stiffness). Consequently, fiber compliance (cross-bridge and thick/thin filament) appears to be the common source of both phase 1 elasticity and phase 2 fast viscoelasticity. In fast fibers, stiffness increases in direct proportion to tension from an extrapolated positive origin at zero tension. The simplest explanation is that tension generation can be approximated by two-state transition from attached preforce generating (moderate stiffness) to attached force generating (high stiffness) states. Phase 2 slow is quite different, progressively slowing in concert with fiber type. An interesting interpretation of the amplitude and rate data is that reverse coupling of phase 2 slow back to P i release and ATP hydrolysis appears absent in fast fibers, detectable in medium speed fibers, and marked in slow fibers contracting isometrically. Contracting slow and heart muscles stretched under load could employ this enhanced reversibility of the cross-bridge cycle as a mechanism to conserve energy.
New axioms for the contrast model of similarity

Abstract An additive version of Tversky's (1977, Psychological Review84, No. 4, 327–352) contrast model of similarity is discussed, and an axiomatization proposed for it. A representation theorem for the new system is derived on the basis of results drawn from Krantz et al. (1971, Foundations of Measurement, Vol. 1, New York: Academic Press).
Anuran assemblages associated with roadside ditches in a managed pine landscape

Abstract Managed forests support a diverse assemblage of herpetofauna. However, less is known about how aquatic features embedded in intensively managed landscapes, particularly modified aquatic habitat types, influence biodiversity. Further, whether additional anthropogenic disturbances to modified aquatic habitats affect occupancy of amphibians has not been studied, but has important ramifications for ongoing policy debates regarding water quality regulations in the United States. We examined species diversity and occupancy of anuran assemblages in an intensively managed forest landscape with a history of ditching, draining, and periodic maintenance of ditches. During 2012–2013, we conducted repeated aural surveys for calling male frogs and toads across 16 roadside ditch segments that were maintained from 3 to 17 years earlier. Across 12 survey events, we detected 15 species of frogs and toads 555 times. We used a community occupancy model to estimate occupancy for multiple anurans and to examine associations between species occupancy for roadside ditches and the time since drainage ditch maintenance, amount of nearby mature forest cover, and metrics describing adjacent depressional wetlands. We predicted a quadratic relationship between both species richness and probability of occupancy for individual species with time since ditch maintenance because we hypothesized anurans would respond positively to intermediate vegetation structure and canopy cover when selecting calling and oviposition sites. Based on previous studies, we also predicted positive relationships between anuran occupancy and diversity with proportion of the surrounding landscape in mature forest or in depressional wetlands, and negative relationship with increasing distance to nearest wetland. Contrary to our prediction, we did not find evidence of a positive response (95% credible intervals included 0) by the community or individual species to time since ditch maintenance or the forest or wetland covariates, but we did observe a diverse assemblage of frogs and toads associated with roadside ditches in managed pine forest. Estimated richness ranged from 5.5 to 11.5 species/site and probabilities of occurrence ranged from 0.01 to 1.00 by species and site. Detection probabilities by species within a season ranged from 0 to 0.93 and were positively influenced by rainfall for several species and differed across months for many species. Our results indicate that reconfigured aquatic habitat types embedded in managed forests can support local and regional occupancy of anurans, but the current anuran community likely differs from what occurred historically.
The influence of addition of gallic acid, tannic acid, or quebracho tannins to alfalfa hay on in vitro rumen fermentation and microbial protein synthesis

Tannins may reduce rumen degradability of protein, increase the proportion of feed protein reaching the lower digestive tract for enzymatic digestion and thereby increase the efficiency of protein utilization. The objective was to assess the effects of different types and levels of tannins on rumen in vitro gas production and its kinetics, in vitro true degradability (IVTD) and rumen degradability of protein (IVRDP), and microbial protein synthesis by incubating alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay in buffered rumen fluid. Alfalfa was incubated in buffered rumen fluid with and without the addition of different levels of gallic acid (GA), quebracho tannin (QT), or tannic acid (TA). Tannins at the lower inclusion levels had minimal effects on fermentation products compared to the higher levels. Addition of QT and TA reduced ammonium-N (NH4+-N) concentration. Addition of QT at 20, 40, and 60 g/kg DM decreased NH4+-N by 2, 7, and 12% compared with control whereas addition of TA reduced NH4+-N by 5, 6, and 12% when added at 20, 40 and 60 g/kg DM, respectively. In experiment 2, addition of QT at 50, 100, and 150 g/kg DM, resulted in reduction of NH4+-N by 12, 30, and 51%, respectively, compared with the control. Addition of TA at 50, 100, and 150 g/kd DM reduced NH4+-N by 14, 26, and 47% compared with control. Inclusion of QT at 50, 100, 150 DM reduced IVRDP by 13, 30, and 36% compared with control whereas at these levels of inclusion, TA resulted in reduction of IVRDP by 14, 25, and 48%. Rate of gas production decreased (P<0.001), while asymptotic gas production increased (P<0.0001) with increasing level of GA and TA. Quebracho tannin decreased (P<0.0001) both the rate and asymptotic of gas production. Gallic acid had a positive effect on fermentation as indicated by increased gas production and total short chain fatty acids (SCFA) production. Quebracho tannin decreased 24 h gas production, IVTD, and total SCFA production. Acetate to propionate ratio increased with the addition of GA and but decreased when QT was added. Addition of tannins did not markedly increase total purines but numerical values tended to be higher in the presence of tannins compared with the control. Efficiency of microbial growth was lower in the presence of GA and unaltered by TA, but higher in the presence of QT compared with the control. The effect of tannins on rumen fermentation and protein degradation varied with type and level of tannins. In vivo studies will be conducted to validate the in vitro results.
Effects of Mg2+, K+, and H+ on an equilibrium between alternative conformations of an RNA pseudoknot

A complex pseudoknot structure surrounds the first ribosome initiation site in the Escherichia coli alpha mRNA and mediates its regulation by ribosomal protein S4. A 112 nt RNA fragment containing this pseudoknot exists in two conformations that are resolvable by gel electrophoresis below room temperature. Between 30 degrees C and 45 degrees C the conformers reach thermodynamic equilibrium on a time scale ranging from one hour to one minute, and the interconversion between conformers is linked to H+, K+ and Mg2+ concentrations. Mg2+ favors formation of the "fast" electrophoretic form: a single Mg2+ is bound in the rate-limiting step, followed by cooperative binding of approximately 1.7 additional ions. Binding of the latter ions provides most of the favorable free energy for the reaction. However, the "slow" form binds about the same number of Mg ions, albeit more weakly, so that saturating Mg2+ concentrations drive the equilibrium to only approximatley 70% fast form. A single H+ is taken up in the switch to the "slow" conformer, which has apparent pK approximately 5.9; low pH also stabilizes part of the pseudoknot structure melting at approximately 62 degrees C. Mg2+ and H+ appear to direct alpha mRNA folding by relatively small (10 to 100-fold) differences in their affinities for alternative conformers. K+ has very little effect on the conformational equilibrium, but at high concentrations accelerates interconversion between the conformers. The alpha mRNA conformational switch is similar in its slow kinetics, large activation energy, and Mg2+ dependence of the equilibrium constant to slow steps in the folding of tRNA, group I introns, and RNase P RNA tertiary structures, though it differs from these in the association of a single Mg2+ with the rate-limiting step.
A comparison between single- and double-breath vital capacity inhalation induction with 8% sevoflurane in children.

Summary Background : This study was conducted to determine if a double-breath (DB) vital capacity (VC) rapid inhalation induction using immediate high-inspired concentration of sevoflurane is as well tolerated as a single-breath (SB) technique and if it results in a shorter induction time. Methods : A total of 104 children, ASA I-II, 6 year and above, undergoing elective surgery were randomly assigned to two groups: SB VC inhalation induction or DB VC inhalation induction with 8% sevoflurane in 66% nitrous oxide. The induction time, complications (cough, laryngospasm, breath-hold, movement, salivation) and level of satisfaction were documented. Results : Induction was significantly faster in the DB group (41 ± 9 s) compared with the SB group (50 ± 14 s). DB inhalation induction was associated with fewer complications (15.4%) than the SB technique (50%). Conclusions : Double-breath VC inhalation induction with 8% sevoflurane is as well tolerated as a SB technique and results in a faster onset of anaesthesia.
Push-Pull Tests to Quantify In Situ Degradation Rates at a Phytoremediation Site

Nine push-pull tests (PPTs) were performed to determine in-situ aerobic respiration rates at a creosote-contaminated site and to assess the contribution of hybrid poplar trees to the remediation of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in groundwater. PPTs were conducted by injecting a solution containing dissolved oxygen and naphthalene (reactive tracers) with bromide (nonreactive tracer) into wells constructed in a shallow unconfined aquifer. The objective of this study was to determine seasonal variation and spatial differences (contaminated versus uncontaminated areas and treed versus untreed areas) in the rate of consumption of dissolved oxygen. First-order aerobic respiration rates varied from 0.0 (control well) to 1.25 hr(-1), which occurred at a planted area in early summer (June). Rates measured in winter at treed areas were greater by a factor of 3-5 when compared to winter rates determined at nontreed areas of the site. Rates at treed regions were found to increase by over 4 times in summer relative to winter at the same location.
A comparison of tagging methodology for North Pacific giant octopus Enteroctopus dofleini

New opportunities for the export of food grade octopus have furthered interest in developing an actively managed directed fishery for North Pacific giant octopus Enteroctopus dofleini in Alaska state waters. Trawl, long-line, and pot fisheries already harvest over 230 metric tons of octopus as bycatch annually. Managed under the authority of commissioner's permits, applications for directed harvest in most management regions have historically been rejected due to the lack of information on stock status. Our limited knowledge of octopus movement, age structure, and demography hamper the ability to successfully manage this potential fishery. Chief among these obstacles is the lack of abundance estimates on which to base harvest guidelines. While catch-per-unit-effort estimates can be made from bycatch data and used as a proxy of abundance, these estimates can often be inaccurate. Mark-recapture estimates can be more accurate, but can also be expensive and require an effective means of marking individuals. We compared two different tags in order to assess their effectiveness for use on octopuses. We tagged 97 octopuses with modified Peterson discs and visible implant elastomer tags in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Three tagged octopuses were recaptured, making a statistically sound tag comparison difficult. Our data suggest that visible implant elastomer tags will be a more effective means of marking octopuses.
Long term outcomes of lymphatic sparing laparoscopic varicocelectomy.

Abstract Objective To assess the long-term occurrence of hydroceles and varicocele recurrence in patients receiving lymphatic sparing laparoscopic varicocelectomy (LSLV) compared to those receiving plain laparoscopic varicocelectomy (PLV), and also to assess the growth of testicular volume postoperatively. Methods We employed a standard three-trocar configuration. The spermatic vessels were identified in the retroperitoneum above the internal inguinal ring. Lymphatics were dissected free from the spermatic artery and veins based on laparoscopic appearance. The spermatic artery and veins were divided between plastic locking clips. We performed a retrospective chart review of all pediatric patients who underwent laparoscopic varicocelectomy between June 2003 and January 2009. Results Of a total of 97 patients, 67 underwent LSLV with mean follow-up of 45.8 ± 20.7 months and 30 underwent PLV with mean follow-up of 40.8 ± 25.3 months (p = 15). There was a 4.5% hydrocele rate in the LSLV group compared to 43.3% in the PLV group. Of the patients who underwent a PLV and subsequently developed a hydrocele, 31% (n = 4) required a hydrocelectomy, vs none of those who developed a hydrocele after LSLV. Varicocele rate was 6% in the LSLV group vs 3.3% in the PLV group. However, when the artery was not preserved, the probability of recurrence in the LSLV group was 1.3%. Time to hydrocele formation was 16 months in the LSLV group vs 37 months in the PLV group. There was catch-up testicular growth in both groups. Conclusions There appears to be increased risk of need for a hydrocelectomy after a PLV as compared to LSLV. Performing a lymphatic sparing, non-artery preserving, laparoscopic varicocelectomy has success and complication rates comparable with those of subinguinal microsurgical varicocelectomy. There appears to be excellent catch-up testicular growth with either laparoscopic varicocelectomy technique.
ROLE OF PERCEPTUAL OBJECT IN IMPRESSION FORMATION.

Summary.-In order to determine whether the nature of the perceptual object entered into the process of impression formation 80 Ss were read lists of adjectives, favorable and unfavorable, presumably descriptive of either an individual or a group. Ss then indicated their favorableness of impression for either the individuals or groups on 8-point racing scales. Significant differences suggested that the form of the integrative process in impression formation is dependent upon the nature of the perceptual object. The present study was concerned with a hitherto neglected question in research in impression formation: the role played by the perceptual object in the process of impression formation. To date, studies in this area have been confined to the questions and procedures set forth by Asch (1946) in his pioneering scudy in this area, ciz., how information about the perceptual object is integrated into a final impression, where this information is provided in the form of lists of adjectives, and the judge responds, usually by means of a rating scale or checking another list of adjectives. Concerned primarily with questions of order effects and whether the integrative process is Gestalt-like or additive (e.g., Anderson, 1962; Anderson & Barrios, 1961; Asch, 1946; Levy & Richter, 1963) the implications of these studies, implicitly at least, have been that their findings would hold regardless of the nature of the perceptual object. While in many ways a more elegant theory of impression formation seems possible if the nature of the perceptual object could be ignored, it would be surprising if this were the case. For the nature of the percepcual object seems to be an item of information in its own right and therefore should be expected to enter into the perceptual process at some point. There are several approaches which might be taken to this problem. The one chosen in the present study was to replicate a well-designed study in impression formation, one that had yielded clearly defined results and that had used an individual as the perceprual object, but the replication would include a group and an individual, to determine whether this affected the results. The adoption of this strategy ruled out a comparison between the Anderson (1962) study and the Levy and Richter (1963) study since the former had used adjectives as the inputs while the latter used photographs. The inputs would have to be the same; only the perceptual object could vary. This led to the decision to attempt to replicate the Anderson and Barrios (1961) study in which clear-cut evidence for a primacy effect in impression
Relationships of Body Size, Fecundity, and Invasion Success Among Predatory Lady Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) Inhabiting Alfalfa Fields

Reproductive potentials were compared for a large invasive lady beetle, sevenspotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and a set of four smaller native North American species that have been displaced from alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., fields in Utah. The invader rapidly attained predominance in these fields during years when aphid populations were high. In a laboratory experiment, females were provided with excess numbers of their principal prey in these fields, pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris). Among the five species, both the number and total volume of eggs (number × mean egg volume) produced per day increased with increasing female size and were greatest for C. septempunctata. Rates of reproduction also increased with increasing female size within species. Similarly sized females of C. septempunctata and transverse lady beetle, Coccinella transversoguttata richardsoni (Brown), laid similar total volumes of eggs per day, but females of the invasive species had more ovarioles and laid larger numbers of individually smaller eggs. In summary, when feeding on abundant prey in a habitat in which it predominates, the invasive C. septempunctata gains reproductive advantage over native, North American lady beetles, from its large body size and its investment in many small eggs. The results support the generalization that high fecundity linked with large body size may often be one important factor that promotes the dominance of introduced species over native competitors in resource-rich environments.
Direct genetic selection for a specific RNA-protein interaction

Abstract The decision between lytic and lysogenic development of temperate DNA bacteriophages is determined largely by transcriptional regulation through DNA-binding proteins. To determine whether a heterologous RNA-binding activity could control the developmental fate of a DNA bacteriophage, a derivative of P22 was constructed in which the chosen developmental pathway is regulated by an RNA-binding molecule interacting with its RNA target site located in a phage mRNA. In the example presented, lysogenic development of the phage relies upon R17 coat protein expression in the susceptible host cell and the availability of a suitable coat protein binding site encoded by the phage genome. Through the analysis of phage mutants that are able to grow lytically in susceptible cells that express the coat protein, additional insights were obtained regarding the specific interaction of the R17 coat protein with its RNA binding site. This study also suggests a novel and extremely sensitive strategy for selecting RNA-binding activities in vivo.
Magnetic Field Assisted Fractionation of Nonmagnetic Colloids in Ferrofluid

Flocculation of nonmagnetic colloidal particles in ferrofluid while in the presence of an external uniform magnetic field is investigated experimentally. Magnetic nanoparticles in ferrofluid create magnetic interactions between nonmagnetic colloidal particles. It is demonstrated that nonmagnetic particles can be fractionated by size much more efficiently in the presence of these magnetic interactions
Requirement for p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Activity in Neointima Formation After Vascular Injury

Background— Angioplasty and stent delivery are performed to treat atherosclerotic vascular disease but often cause deleterious neointimal lesion formation. Previously, growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2), an intracellular linker protein, was shown to be essential for neointima formation and for p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). In this study, the role of vascular SMC p38α MAPK in neointimal development was examined. Methods and Results— Compound transgenic mice were generated with doxycycline-inducible SMC-specific expression of dominant-negative p38α MAPK (DN-p38α). Doxycycline treatment resulted in the expression of DN-p38α mRNA and protein in transgenic arteries. Doxycycline-treated compound transgenic mice were resistant to neointima formation 21 days after carotid injury and showed reduced arterial p38 MAPK activation. To explore the mechanism by which p38α MAPK promotes neointima formation, an in vitro SMC culture system was used...
Qualitative impact of the endovascular era on vascular surgeons' comfort level and enjoyment with open and endovascular AAA repairs.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the qualitative impact of training in the endovascular era (post-2000) on vascular surgeons' comfort level and enjoyment with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repairs. METHODS A sample of vascular surgeons (n = 1754) were sent a survey pertaining to their fellowship training and practice of AAA repair. The influence of training- and practice-related variables on qualitative outcomes was assessed. RESULTS A total of 382 (22%) surgeons completed the survey. Surgeons who performed more endovascular aneurysm repairs (EVARs) than open AAA repairs were more likely to enjoy EVAR (P < .001). Those completing fellowship after 2000 reported a higher level of procedure-related comfort with EVAR (P = .001) compared to those completing fellowship before 2000. Conversely, surgeons completing fellowship before 2000 reported a higher level of procedure-related comfort with open AAA repair (P = .001). CONCLUSION The advent of EVAR has changed fellowship training of AAA repair and has translated into changes in both practice patterns and comfort level.
Passive Millimeter-Wave Imaging Module With Preamplified Zero-Bias Detection

An analytical model and supporting measured data are presented for a preamplified W-band radiometer with a zero-bias detector appropriate for commercial millimeter-wave imaging cameras. Basic radiometer parameters, including RF bandwidth, are computed directly from simple low-frequency measurements and compare well with those obtained from RF measurements. A detailed analytical model shows how radiometer performance depends on internal component parameters, such as low-noise amplifier gain, noise factor, reflection coefficient, detector responsivity, etc. The measurements suggest that performance is sufficient for operation without a Dicke switch or mechanical chopping. A measured noise equivalent temperature difference of 0.45 K was obtained, assuming a single sensor is scanned across a focal plane, forming 32 pixels with 3.125-ms integration time per pixel. This sensitivity is considered sufficient by commercial manufacturers to obtain quality images in low-contrast (e.g., indoor) environments.
Hydrogen isotopic fractionation in lipid biosynthesis by H2-consuming Desulfobacterium autotrophicum

We report hydrogen isotopic fractionations between water and fatty acids of the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfobacterium autotrophicum. Pure cultures were grown in waters with deuterium (D) contents that were systematically varied near the level of natural abundance (−37‰ ≤ δD ≤ 993‰). H_2 of constant hydrogen isotope (D/H) ratio was supplied to the cultures. The D/H ratios of water, H_2, and specific fatty acids were measured by isotope-ratio mass spectrometry. The results demonstrate that D. autotrophicum catalyzes hydrogen isotopic exchange between water and H_2, and this reaction is conclusively shown to approach isotopic equilibrium. In addition, variation in the D/H ratio of growth water accounts for all variation in the hydrogen isotopic composition of fatty acids. The D/H ratios of fatty acids from cultures grown on H_2/CO_2 are compared with those from a separate set of cultures grown on D-enriched formate, an alternative electron donor. This comparison rules out H_2 as a significant source of fatty acid hydrogen. Grown on either H_2/CO_2 or formate, D. autotrophicum produces fatty acids in which all hydrogen originates from water. For specific fatty acids, biosynthetic fractionation factors are mostly in the range 0.60 ≤ αFA–water ≤ 0.70; the 18:0 fatty acid exhibits a lower fractionation factor of 0.52. The data show that αFA_–water generally increases with length of the carbon chain from C_14 to C_17 among both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. These results indicate a net fractionation associated with fatty acid biosynthesis in D. autotrophicum that is slightly smaller than in another H_2-consuming bacterium (Sporomusa sp.), but much greater than in most photoautotrophs.