Lowered State Research Articles

7210 Patient anxiety in the preprocedure endoscopy area: effect of music on anxiety levels.

Patient anxiety levels before impending endoscopy can lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate, apprehension and anxiety. As a result, patients may require additional sedatives and experience greater discomfort during a procedure. This study evaluated the effectiveness of listening to music in the preprocedure area as a means of decreasing patient anxiety. Method: Ninety-five patients undergoing a variety of endoscopies, including EGDs, flexible sigmoidoscopies and colonoscopies were randomly assigned to music intervention (N=48) or a control group (N=47). Demographic characteristics were similar in each group. Patients with hearing loss, diagnosed psychiatric disorders, and diagnosed hypertension were excluded. Patients' anxiety levels were obtained using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and by vital signs both before and after music intervention. Subjects listened to a selected tape from among several categories of music (classical, new age, or easy listening) for 15 minutes using cassette players with headphones. Controls rested or read during this period also with headphones (but without music) to minimize extraneous noise. All study subjects completed a patient satisfaction survey at the end of the intervention period. Results: Both the music group and controls showed improvement from baseline state anxiety scores as measured by STAI, but the improvement in state anxiety levels in the music group was significantly higher over controls (change in mean score of -5.6 vs. -2.4, p=0.039). Respiration rate improved dramatically in the music group (-1.8 breaths/min) while no change was experienced by controls (p=0.0002). Both groups also experienced decreased heart rates and systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the post-intervention period, but no significant differences were found between groups. Finally, 93% of the music group said on the patient satisfaction survey that music helped relax them, and they felt that music would be beneficial to them if repeat endoscopy was needed. Conclusion: Patients preparing to undergo endoscopy who were exposed to relaxing music experienced lowered state anxiety levels and respiration rates. Exposure to music also resulted in high levels of patient satisfaction. The findings from this study suggest that the use of music can be a cost-effective, noninvasive intervention for preparing patients for endoscopic procedures.

Stomatal Responses of Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) Leaves to Changing Irradiance, Air Humidity, and Water Potential of Root Medium

Stomatal responses of attached bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) leaves to changing spectral composition (white - WL., blue - BL, or red - RL radiation), air humidity (100 % or about 4 % RH), and water potential of the root medium (close to 0 or −1.2 MPa) were determined by air flow porometer. Opening of stomata always increased under BL and decreased under RL. In response to decline in air humidity, leaf conductance showed transient increase before it reached lowered steady state. BL enhanced and RL diminished this response.

Extreme Ultraviolet and Optical Observations of The AM Herculis Type Cataclysmic Variable V884 Herculis (RX J1802.1+1804)

ABSTRACTWe observed V884 Herculis (RX J1802.1+1804), during a high accretion state, from 1997 September 17–22 UT using the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) satellite. Simultaneously, multiple ground‐based optical telescopes obtained photometric observations. Although the EUV flux was too low for spectral study, the light curve from the Deep Survey instrument provides useful information on the system geometry. The phased, folded EUV light curve shows a brief total eclipse similar to previous ROSAT PSPC data followed by a broad dip. The optical light curve shows a lower amplitude of variability and a smoother structure. The similarity of the optical light curves on all six nights, along with previous magnetic measurements, and the coincidence of the periods determined from the optical and EUVE data, confirm the synchronism of this system and its classification as an AM Her type magnetic cataclysmic variable. Doppler tomography of 1995 high state spectra reveals a short, ballistic accretion stream with little emission from an irradiated secondary star. An optical light curve obtained in 1998 June shows the system during a lowered accretion state, with a mean magnitude that is ∼1.5 mag fainter than the high state. The low state light curve displays a smaller amplitude of orbital variation but only slight changes in accretion geometry. A spectrum obtained 15 days later shows that the optical continuum had returned to a high state, although the line strengths appear different from past high states.

Pseudo-prolines: induction of cis/trans-conformational interconversion by decreased transition state barriers.

Molecular events such as cis/trans isomerization of Xaa-Pro tertiary amide bonds in peptides and proteins are slow on the overall time scale of the formation of a final biostructure and are, therefore, rate limiting. In order to pursue a better understanding of the molecular events underlying such slow interconversions, we applied the recently introduced pseudo-proline (PsiPro) concept as a tool to study the dynamics of Xaa-Pro bonds by determining the kinetics and thermodynamics of cis/trans isomerism. We show that enhanced isomerization rates of tertiary amide bonds prior to a PsiPro unit in short model peptides is due to lowered transition state barriers. In addition, pronounced effects upon the dynamics of the reversible transition between helix I and II of oligoprolines containing one or several PsiPro units were observed.

Effects of trait and situational self-handicapping on competitive anxiety among athletes

Initial evidence suggests that the employment of self-handicapping strategies has a beneficial effect on negative affective states associated with the perceived threat of evaluative contexts (Harris & Snyder, 1986; Leary, 1986). The present study sought to describe the type of self-handicapping behaviors demonstrated by youth athletes (N=238) as well as to assess the stress-buffering role of athlete self-handicapping on indices of competitive state anxiety. Specifically, it was hypothesized that among high trait-handicapping athletes, those who report a greater degree of performance-debilitating obstacles prior to competition would demonstrate lowered cognitive and somatic state anxiety as well as greater state self-confidence than nonhandicapping athletes. However, MANOVA results indicated that both high trait and situational self-handicappers demonstrate elevated state anxiety immediately prior to competition. Results are discussed in relation to the possible role of state anxiety as a salient self-handicapping strategy within competitive sport.

Trace and rare earth elemental variation in Arabian Sea sediments through a transect across the oxygen minimum zone

We have determined the calcium carbonate (CaCO 3), organic carbon (Co org), trace element, and rare earth element (REE) composition of surface sediments collected from a transect on the central western continental shelf and slope of India in the Eastern Arabian Sea. The transect samples across the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) allows us to compare the relative abundances of trace elements and REEs in the sediments beneath and beyond the OMZ. Shale-normalized REE patterns, La n /Yb n ratios, and Eu/Eu∗ anamolies indicate that the sediments in the study area are either derived from the adjoining Archaean land masses or from distal Indus source. Sediment deposited in the OMZ have high U values from 3.6 to 8.1 ppm, with their U excess (of that can be supplied by continental particles) values ranging between 82–91% of the total U, indicating that the U may be precipitated as U +4 in the reducing conditions of OMZ. Sediments deposited beneath the intense OMZ (<0.2 mL/L) and away from the OMZ (1–2 mL/L) show slight negative Ce anomalies, with no significant differences between these two sets of sediments. The Ce/Ce shale∗ values are poorly related to U and C org which are indicators of suboxic bottom waters. Normative calculations suggest that two sources, namely, terrestrial and seawater (terrestrial ⪢ seawater) contribute to the total Cc anomaly of the sediments. The Cc anomaly values of the calculated seawater derived component are similar to the anomalies reported for other coastal waters and the oxygenated surface waters of the Arabian Sea and do not show any correspondence to the lowered redox state of the overlying water, probably due to the redirection of dissolved Ce into the oxic deeper water. This data on recently deposited sediments from a known oxygen-poor environment suggest that the Ce/Ce sh∗ in high sedimentation areas of continental margin environments may not be a good paleoredox proxy. U/Th ratios above 1.25 noticed in OMZ are in accordance with the earlier usage of this ratio for identifying reducing environment of ancient sediments.

Heterogeneity in the expression of FcγRIII in morphologically mature granulocytes from patients with chronic myeloid leukemia

Morphologically mature granulocytes from patients with chronic myeloid leukemia exhibit a defect in receptor mediated endocytosis of FITC-conjugated heat-aggregated IgG. In our earlier studies, we have shown that transcripts for FcγRII and FcγRIII are lowered in CML granulocytes, while no such trend was seen for CD11b, CD18 and actin, the other molecules involved in this process. We have also shown by flow cytometry that the number of granulocytes expressing the Fc receptors on their surface is lowered in CML patients. In this report, we show that the lowered steady state level of the mRNA for the Fc receptors is due to their faster degradation and not due to any defect in transcription. A study of the expression of mRNA for FcγRIII in morphologically mature CML granulocytes by in situ hybridization showed that there is heterogeneity in the expression of this receptor, with some cells positive for the message and some not. These results suggest that the FcγRIII transcript reaches a stable RNA pool in only some of the granulocytes, whereas in the rest of the cells, it is probably degraded after it is transcribed and is therefore not detected. The FcγRIII is probably one of the first antigens to be lost from the leukemic granulocyte surface during the transition of the disease from the chronic phase to the accelerated phase and finally to the blast crisis.

Effects of relaxation intervention in phase II cardiac rehabilitation: Replication and extension

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery on psychological and physiologic outcomes in adults with cardiovascular disease who were participating in a phase II cardiac rehabilitation program. To examine tension levels, practice patterns, and perceived helpfulness of the intervention reported by subjects. DESIGN: Prospective, quasi-experimental, with random group assignment within sites. Independent replication and extension of a study by Bohachik (1984). SETTING: Four midwestern hospital-based phase II cardiac rehabilitation programs. PATIENTS: Fifty patients who within the preceding 12 weeks had had acute myocardial infarction or coronary artery bypass surgery or both, studied during 6 weeks of participation in a phase II cardiac rehabilitation program. OUTCOME MEASURES: Psychological measures included state and trait anxiety scores on the State Trait Anxiety Inventory and reported symptoms on the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. Physiologic measures were resting heart rate and blood pressure. Subjective tension levels before and after home practice, practice patterns, and perceived helpfulness of the intervention were examined. INTERVENTION: Individual instruction session in progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery at the phase II cardiac rehabilitation program, followed by daily home practice with audiotape instructions over a 6-week period. RESULTS: No statistical differences at the p ≤ 0.05 level were found in state anxiety scores or reported symptoms at study exit. However, reductions in mean subscale scores for interpersonal sensitivity ( t [19] = 2.11, p ≤ 0.05) and depression ( t [19] = 2.07, p ≤ 0.05) by paired t tests were found for the relaxation group (RG). The two groups differed at study exit in resting heart rate ( t [42] = −2.02, p ≤ 0.05) by independent t tests and in systolic blood pressure ( F [1,42] = 5.13, p ≤ 0.05) by analysis of covariance. The RG had a mean resting heart rate 8.6 beats/min lower than that of the control group (CG) and also had within-group reductions in mean heart rate ( t [19] = 2.09, p ≤ 0.05) by paired t tests. Contrary to expectation, the CG had a 3.5 mm Hg lower mean systolic blood pressure and within-group reductions in systolic ( t [22] = 3.02, p < 0.01) and diastolic ( t [22] = 3.83, p < 0.01) blood pressure by paired t tests. CG subjects had a greater number of dose increases in cardiac medications and fewer dose reductions than did RG subjects, who also had a higher number of dose reductions. RG subjects reported frequent practice of the technique, rated it as helpful, and reported lower subjective tension levels after practice. CONCLUSIONS: Findings in this study did not support those of Bohachik (who reported lowered state anxiety and fewer somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, and depression symptoms). More instruction sessions on the relaxation method may have resulted in more positive outcomes. However, the within group scores for interpersonal sensitivity and depression, the reduction in heart rate, and the receptivity of subjects to this intervention suggest that it may be a feasible and helpful adjunctive therapy for participants in a phase II cardiac rehabilitation program. (Heart Lung® 1997; 26: 31–44)

The Loss of Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase Caused by 24-Hour Rain Treatment Fully Explains the Decrease in the Photosynthetic Rate in Bean Leaves.

Recently, we have found that simulated rainfall causes a chronic inhibition of leaf photosynthesis in Phaseolus vulgaris (M. Ishibashi and I. Terashima [1995] Plant Cell Environ 18: 431-438). Mechanisms of this inhibition were examined in the present study. After the plants were treated with continuous mist for 24 h and then dried to unwet conditions, light-saturated photosynthetic rates of the leaves measured at 35 Pa ambient CO2 decreased to one-half of the control level. The extractable activity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) also decreased to the same extent. Unexpectedly, this decline was due not to the lowered activation state but to the decrease in the amount of Rubisco. Before or after the "rain" treatment, the relationship between the net photosynthetic rate and the amount of Rubisco was expressed as a unique linear function with a small intercept (r2 = 0.84). From these it was inferred that the main cause of the rain-induced decline in photo-synthetic rate was the loss in amount of Rubisco.

Begging, food provisioning, and nestling competition in great tit broods infested with ectoparasites

Ectoparasites are a ubiquitous environmental component of breeding birds, and it has repeatedly been shown that hematoph-agous ectoparasites such as fleas and mites reduce the quality and number of offspring of bird hosts, thereby lowering the value of a current brood. Selection acting on the hosts will favor physiological and behavioral responses that will reduce the parasites' impact. However, the results of the few bird studies that addressed the question of whether parasitism leads to a higher rate of food provisioning are equivocal, and the begging response to infestation has rarely been quantified. A change in begging activity and parental rate of food provisioning could be predicted in either direction: parents could reduce their investment in the brood in order to invest more in future broods, or they could increase their investment in order to compensate for the parasites' effect on the current brood. Since the nestlings are weakened by the ectoparasites they may beg less, but on the other hand they may beg more in order to obtain more food. In this study we show experimentally that (1) hen fleas (Ceratophyllus gallinae) reduce the body mass and size of great tit (Parus major) nestlings, (2) nestlings of parasitized broods more than double their begging rate, (3) the male parents increase the frequency of feeding trips by over 50%, (4) the females do not adjust feeding rate to the lowered nutritional state of nestlings, and (5) food competition among siblings of parasitized broods is increased. Ultimately the difference in the parental feeding response may be understood as the result of a sex-related difference in the trade-off of i0vesting in current versus future broods.

Cyclotron resonance of electrons in the Wigner solid regime

The authors have studied the cyclotron resonance (CR) of high-mobility 2D electron systems in the extreme quantum limit. Beyond the fractional quantum Hall regime, below a critical filling factor (vc approximately=1/9), an additional CR line with a mass completely independent of temperature is observed on the high-energy side of the conventional CR. A total condensation into the novel state occurs at temperatures below 1 K. The determined energy gap ( approximately=4 K) separating this lowered ground state from the free carrier state breaks down above vc. This new phase is discussed in terms of a magnetically induced Wigner crystal.

Adult Reye's syndrome

A 42-year-old woman developed a flu-like illness and died 8 days later with Reye's syndrome (RS). There are 26 other cases of adult-onset RS reported. Biochemical, immunologic, and molecular studies of liver, brain, and skeletal muscle revealed a non-uniform decrease in several mitochondrial residual enzyme activities in liver and brain. Pyruvate carboxylase activity was negligible. Cross-reacting material was present in normal abundance in isolated liver mitochondria for several enzymes that had reduced catalytic activity including pyruvate carboxylase. Subunit II (encoded by mitochondrial DNA) and subunit IV (encoded by nuclear DNA) of cytochrome c oxidase also were present in normal abundance with normal electrophoretic mobility. These observations, combined with pertinent findings of other investigators, allow us to speculate that the intramitochondrial matrix chemical environment is disturbed by preceding pathophysiologic events resulting in a lowered ATP/ADP ratio. The lowered intramitochondrial energetic state interferes with the refolding and assembly of imported mitochondrial proteins, causing a loss of the catalytic efficiency of these enzymes. This explains the selective vulnerability of mitochondria in RS and the non-uniform, disproportionate loss of enzyme activity.

DNA-dependent phosphorylation of histone H2A.X during nucleosome assembly in Xenopus laevis oocytes: involvement of protein phosphorylation in nucleosome spacing.

ATP is required for physiological nucleosome alignment in chromatin reconstituted from high-speed nuclear supernatants of Xenopus laevis oocytes. Here we show that during in vitro nucleosome assembly the histone variant H2A.X becomes phosphorylated upon transfer onto DNA, a process which is also observed in vivo. Histone H2A.X phosphorylation increases in the early phase of the assembly reaction, reaching a steady state after approximately 16 min and is maintained with a half-life of the phosphate groups of approximately 2 h. After 6 h, the overall phosphorylation state of H2A.X is reduced, indicating that the phosphorylation-dephosphorylation ratio decreases considerably over time. Addition of alkaline phosphatase leads to a persistently lowered state of H2A.X phosphorylation, in contrast to other nuclear phosphoproteins which undergo rapid rephosphorylation. This suggests that H2A.X phosphorylation is a unique step in the histone-to-DNA transfer process. Selective inhibition of DNA-dependent phosphorylation of H2A.X and of other proteins causes a loss of the physiological 180 bp spacing.

X-ray photoemission study of oxygen and nitric oxide adsorption on MoS 2

The adsorption of O 2 and NO on polycrystalline MoS 2 has been studied by XPS at temperatures from 80 to 300 and to 700 K, respectively. The data suggest that oxygen is adsorbed in a molecular form at low temperature on coordinatively unsaturated (cus) Mo sites in a lowered valence state and that much of it can be desorbed without oxidation of the MoS 2 as the temperature is raised to 300 K. By contrast, NO was partially dissociated at T > 130 K and surface oxidation became detectable at T > 200 K. In this respect the present results differ significantly from literature reports for reduced and/or sulfided molybdena-alumina catalysts where molecular NO adsorbs in the form of dimer or dinitrosyl species. A physisorbed state was also detected at T ≤180 K.

Effects of increased lifespan on chromatin condensation in the adult male housefly

Analysis of the chromatin condensation pattern in optic lobe nuclei from the adult male housefly has shown significant differences in males from a long lived, low activity (LA) group as compared to a short lived, high activity (HA) group. The rate of chromatin condensation in the LA group was very much less than that observed in the HA group, leaving the nuclei from the former group in a permanently lowered condensation state. Moreover, a detailed comparison of the amount and spatial distribution of a single high density chromatin component (HDC) suggests that the low activity conditions not only lowers the rate of chromatin condensation but also alters the normal program controlling this process. Linear discriminant analysis showed that a consistently higher percentage of nuclei from the LA group, as compared to the HA group, could be classified with a 1-day-old model derived from the HA group. These results are discussed with respect to environmental influences on lifespan and are compared to the response of lipofuscin accumulation in low activity male houseflies.

Lowering of cytosolic free Ca2+ by carbachol, a muscarinic cholinergic agonist, in clonal pituitary cells (GH3 cells).

Muscarinic cholinergic agonists have been shown to inhibit PRL secretion in normal and tumor-derived pituitary cells. Evidence from experiments with the fluorescent Ca2+ probe quin 2 shows that carbachol, acting through muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, lowers the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), in GH3 cells. A decrease in [Ca2+]i is observed rapidly after carbachol addition, the lowered steady state [Ca2+]i is maintained, and upon the addition of atropine [Ca2+]i returns to the initial basal value. The lowering from a basal [Ca2+]i, averaging 110 +/- 2 nM (+/- SEM, n = 9), to a steady state [Ca2+]i of 63 +/- 4 nM (+/- SEM, n = 5) at 10 micron carbachol is dose dependent, a significant decrease from basal [Ca2+]i being observed at 0.1 micron. Carbachol does not prevent TRH-induced mobilization of Ca2+ but attenuates the resulting rise in [Ca2+]i. The lowering of steady state [Ca2+]i and the attenuation of the rise in [Ca2+]i provoked by stimulators of PRL secretion could explain the inhibition of both basal and stimulated PRL secretion. Concomitantly with the action on [Ca2+]i, carbachol causes hyperpolarization of GH3 cells. Together with the established inhibition of adenylate cyclase by muscarinic cholinergic agonists, these findings suggest a relation between changes in trans-membrane Ca2+ fluxes and cAMP generation.

Thermogravimetric, mass spectrometric and XPS investigation on the chlorination reactions of V 2O 5 AND TiO 2

Comparative studies on the kinetics and mechanism of the chlorination of V 2O 5 and TiO 2 /anatase/ with CCl 4 have been performed. The chlorination of V 2O 5 occurred to be O.5 order in CCl 4, whereas in case of TiO 2 closely first order kinetics was observed with apparent activation energies of 77 ± 5 and 118 ± 7 kJ.mol −1, resp. In both cases a dissociative adsorption of CCl 4 is considered to precede the reaction and the transformation of CCl 4 to CO 2 is assumed to occur via the formation of adsorbed COCl 2 intermediate. In case of V 2O 5, phosgene is less reactive than CCl 4, so during the chlorination of V 2O 5 by CCl 4 the gas phase concentration of COCl 2 might achieve a considerable level, while in the TiO 2CCl 4 system only trace quantities of phosgene are observable. At the beginning of the reactions step by step exchange of surface O by Cl occurs, and the surface intermediates of the chlorination are V and Ti ions of lowered valence state, as it has been characterized by ESCA.

Functional impairment of mitochondria from rat livers acutely injured by thioacetamide

Thioacetamide, when administered in a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight to adult female rats, leads to functional disturbances in mitochondria isolated from livers 24 h after its application. The RCI is significantly reduced due to an increase in state 4 respiration and a lowered state 3 activity. Maximum respiratory activity of the mitochondria is also depressed. The mitochondrial Ca2+-content is significantly increased to 185%. In accordance with the uncoupling effect the Ca2+-transport behaviour of the hepatic mitochondria from thioacetamide-injured rats is altered. The results are indicative of structural alterations of the inner mitochondrial membranes.

Aftershock activity of the Petatlan earthquake: The first 54 hours

Abstract Aftershocks of the 14 March 1979, Petatlan, Mexico, earthquake ( M S = 7.6) were recorded by a temporary seismic network deployed by the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics. This paper describes the aftershock activity in the first 54 hr following the main shock. The aftershock area expanded to about 4800 km 2 at the end of the first day and did not significantly increase during the second day. Only an additional 26 per cent enlargement occurred by the 36th day. The aftershock region contains two zones of relatively higher seismicity. The ratio of slip between these two zones alternates (1.75, 0.72, 1.73) for time periods determined by the minima and maxima of the slip difference between them. The total slip during the first 54 hr is about 3 mm. The aftershock b value for the rupture region is 1.49, higher than the foreshock b value of 1.11 obtained by the same local network. This result is consistent with the lowered state of stress of the area after the major shock.

Somatostatin lowers the cytosolic free Ca 2+ concentration in clonal rat pituitary cells (GH 3 cells)

Changes in the cytosolic free Ca 2+ concentration, [Ca 2+] i, have been proposed to mediate the regulation of the secretion of pituitary hormones by hypothalamic peptides. Using an intracellularly trapped fluorescent Ca 2+ probe, quin2, [Ca 2+] i was monitored in GH 3 cells. Somatostatin lowers [Ca 2+] i in a dose dependent manner from a prestimulatory level of 120 ± 4 nM (SEM, n=13) to 78 ± 9 nM (n=5) at 10 −7M; the effect is half maximal at 2×10 −9M somatostatin. The decrease in [Ca 2+] i occurs rapidly after somatostatin addition and a lowered steady state [Ca 2+] i is maintained for several minutes. Somatostatin does not inhibit the rapid rise in [Ca 2+] i elicited by thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) and can still cause a decrease in [Ca 2+] i in the presence of TRH (10 −7M). Concomitantly with its action on [Ca 2+] i somatostatin causes hyperpolarization of GH 3 cells assessed with the fluorescent probe bisoxonol. The lowering of [Ca 2+] i by somatostatin is however not only due to reduced Ca 2+ influx through voltage dependent Ca 2+ channels, since it persists in the presence of the channel blocker verapamil. These results suggest that somatostatin may exert its inhibitory action on pituitary hormone secretion by decreasing [Ca 2+] i.