Winter Home Range and Habitat Use of the Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus)

We radio-tracked two male and one female Virginia northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus) in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia at Snowshoe Mountain Resort, in winter 2003 and Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge in winter 2004, respectively, to document winter home range and habitat use in or near ski areas. Male home range size in the winter was larger than that reported for males during summer and fall, whereas the female home range we observed was smaller than those reported for summer and fall. However, winter habitat use was similar to summer and fall habitat use reported in other studies. Virginia northern flying squirrels foraged and denned in both red spruce (Picea rubens)-dominated forests and northern hardwood forests; however, selection of red spruce-dominated forests and open areas was greater than expected based on availability. Use of northern hardwood forest occurred less than expected based on availability. Male squirrels denned near, and routinely crossed, downhill ski slopes and unimproved roads during foraging bouts, whereas the female approached, but did not cross forest edges onto roads or trails

Properties of gluten-free pasta prepared from rice and different starches

Rice is one of the few cereal products that does not contain gluten. However, the absence of gluten poses problems in the structure of and cooking quality of rice pasta. The objective of this project was to investigate the addition of starch on the physicochemical properties and cooking quality of rice-based pasta. Rice-based pasta was prepared from parboiled long-grain rice flour with the addition of 25% cooked starch from different sources. The color and pasting properties of the ground pasta flour were measured by a chroma meter and a Rapid Visco Analyser, respectively. The pasta was cooked to the optimum cooking time to evaluate its hardness, stickiness, adhesiveness and resilience by using texture profile analysis with a texture analyzer. The water absorption and cooking loss of pasta were determined by weight difference. Overall the addition of starch improved the processibility of rice pasta and enabled the b* value (yellow color) of the uncooked rice pasta to be close to that of the semolina control. The pasting properties of rice pasta containing common corn starch were close to those of the semolina control. Upon cooking, the rice flour control had higher water absorption and greater cooking loss than the semolina control. The addition of starch decreased both the water absorption and the cooking loss relative to the rice flour control. The effect of starch addition on the textural properties of rice-based pasta varied with the type of starch. The addition of waxy starch or tapioca starch resulted in rice pasta with an increase in hardness and stickiness, whereas the addition of common corn, Hylon V, or Hylon VII resulted in rice pasta with a decrease in hardness, stickiness, and adhesiveness. This project demonstrates that the addition of starch significantly changes the color, pasting, cooking and texture properties of rice pasta, and these changes are governed by the type of starch incorporated into the rice pasta. Gluten-free rice pasta can be prepared with properties similar to the semolina pasta by incorporating starches

Thematic Mapper image quality: Preliminary results

Based on images analyzed so far, the band to band registration accuracy of the thematic mapper is very good. For bands within the same focal plane, the mean misregistrations are well within the specification, 0.2 pixels. For bands between the cooled and uncooled focal planes, there is a consistent mean misregistration of 0.5 pixels along-scan and 0.2-0.3 pixels across-scan. It exceeds the permitted 0.3 pixels for registration of bands between focal planes. If the mean misregistrations were removed by the data processing software, an analysis of the standard deviation of the misregistration indicates all band combinations would meet the registration specifications except for those including the thermal band. Analysis of the periodic noise in one image indicates a noise component in band 1 with a spatial frequency equivalent to 3.2 pixels in the along-scan direction

Momentum dependence of the N to Delta transition form factors

We present a new method to determine the momentum dependence of the N to Delta transition form factors and demonstrate its effectiveness in the quenched theory at $\beta=6.0$ on a $32^3 \times 64$ lattice. We address a number of technical issues such as the optimal combination of matrix elements and the simultaneous overconstrained analysis of all lattice vector momenta contributing to a given momentum transfer squared, $Q^2$.Comment: Talk presented at Lattice 2004 (spectrum), Fermilab, 21-26 Jun. 2004. 3 pages, 3 figures. One typo in phenomenological Ansatz correcte

Eradication of an epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from a geriatric university hospital: evidence from a 10-year follow-up

We report on a successful eradication of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) after an epidemic in 1992 in the geriatric ward of a tertiary-care hospital. After identification of MRSA in seven patients, all patients and staff members in the geriatric ward underwent screening. A multifaceted intervention plan was implemented: contact isolation, optimization of infection control and decolonization of all MRSA carriers. Thirty-two patients and five staff members were found to be MRSA carriers. Twenty one of 32 (66%) patients and all five staff members were successfully decolonized. Seven of 32 (22%) patients died during the epidemic before decolonization. A couple was discharged with persisting MRSA colonization and two individuals were lost to follow-up. The eradication of the epidemic clone was proven by systematic screenings in 1995 and 1997. Since then, the strain has no longer been identified in our institution, based on epidemiological surveillance and molecular typing of all MRSA strains obtained from any specimen. This study provides strong evidence that long-term eradication of an MRSA epidemic in a hospital is feasible, and endemicity of MRSA after an outbreak can be avoided. The successful bundle approach for eradication of MRSA during an epidemic is expensive, but the long-term benefits likely outweigh the initial heavy use of resource

Geochemistry of lavas from Mohns Ridge, Norwegian-Greenland Sea: implications for melting conditions and magma sources near Jan Mayen

Mohns Ridge lavas between 71 and 72°30′N (∼360 km) have heterogeneous compositions varying between alkali basalts and incompatible-element-depleted tholeiites. On a large scale there is a continuity of incompatible element and isotopic compositions between the alkali basalts from the island Jan Mayen and Mohns Ridge tholeiites. The variation in isotopes suggests a heterogeneous mantle which appears to be tapped preferentially by low degree melts (∼5%) close to Jan Mayen but also shows its signature much further north on Mohns Ridge. Three lava types with different incompatible element compositions [e.g. chondrite-normalized (La/Sm)N2] occur in the area at 72°N and were generated from this heterogeneous mantle. The relatively depleted tholeiitic melts were mixed with a small degree melt from an enriched source. The elements Ba, Rb and K of the enriched melt were probably buffered in the mantle by residual amphibole or phlogopite. That such a residual phase is stable in this region of oceanic mantle suggests both high water contents and low mantle temperatures, at odds with a hotspot origin for Jan Mayen. Instead we suggest that the melting may be induced by the lowered solidus temperature of a “wet” mantle. Mohns MORB (mid ocean ridge basalt) and Jan Mayen area alkali basalts have high contents of Ba and Rb compared to other incompatible elements (e.g. Ba/La >10). These ratios reflect the signature of the mantle source. Ratios of Ce/Pb and Rb/Cs are normal MORB mantle ratios of 25 and 80, respectively, thus the enrichments of Ba and Rb are not indicative of a sedimentary component added to the mantle source but were probably generated by the influence of a metasomatizing fluid, as supported by the presence of hydrous phases during the petrogenesis of the alkali basalts. Geophysical and petrological models suggest that Jan Mayen is not the product of hotspot activity above a mantle plume, and suggest instead that it owes its existence to the unique juxtaposition of a continental fragment, a fracture zone and a spreading axis in this part of the North Atlantic

Klinische Ethik als Partnerschaft - oder wie eine ethische Leitlinie für den patientengerechten Einsatz von Ressourcen entwickelt und implementiert werden kann

Zusammenfassung: Ethische Leitlinien für die klinische Praxis erfreuen sich zunehmender Beliebtheit. Damit klinisch-ethische Leitlinien aber überhaupt erfolgreich wirksam werden können, ist noch Pionierarbeit zu leisten. Solche Leitlinien müssen wissenschaftlich stärker fundiert und ihre praktische Anwendbarkeit muss verbessert werden. In dieser Arbeit werden die ersten Schritte des Projekts METAP zur methodischen Entwicklung und praktischen Implementierung einer Leitlinie für eine patientengerechte Versorgung am Krankenbett beschrieben und zur Diskussion gestellt. Das Projekt orientiert sich methodisch an der Entwicklung medizinischer Leitlinien und generiert damit eine forschungs- und konsensgestützte Leitlinie, die systematischer Evaluation und Modifikation unterliegt und Rechenschaft über ihre wissenschaftliche Fundierung gibt. Zusätzlich zur Leitlinie bietet das Projekt in der Form eines Handbuchs ein Entscheidungsfindungsverfahren an, welches unter anderem deliberative Aspekte unterstützt. Das Handbuch konzentriert sich auf ethische Fragen der Mikroallokation und liefert darüber hinaus Informationen über empirische, ethische und rechtliche Grundlagen für Therapieentscheidungen. Anhand eines Eskalationsmodells können unterschiedliche Instrumente nach Bedarf als ethische Lösungsstrategien eingesetzt werden, von der Kurzfassung im Kitteltaschenformat ("Leporello") mit den wichtigsten Fakten, weiterführenden Texten und Empfehlungen mit normativen und prozeduralen Hinweisen, über stationsinterne Lösungsversuche bis hin zum Ethikkonsil. Klinische Partner sind von Beginn an aktiv in den Entwicklungsprozess eingebunden und verbessern so die Praxistauglichkeit und Akzeptanz sowie die Ausrichtung des Instrumentariums an den tatsächlichen Bedürfnissen. Dieses partnerschaftliche, partizipative Vorgehen scheint eine wichtige Voraussetzung dafür zu sein, dass METAP in der Klinik Fuß fassen konnt

The effects of exposure to a rotating environment /10 rpm/ on four aviators for a period of twelve days

Motion sickness studies of aviators exposed to rotating environment - Aerospace medicin