cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Did Enron Pay Taxes: Deciphering a Corporation's Tax StatusUsing Financial Statement Information

The much publicized collapses of Enron Corporation and WorldCom, Inc. have heightened the discussion regarding the need for more consistency between measures of book and taxable income and the adequacy of the current annual report disclosure of a publicly-traded corporation's tax status. As a result of the speculation and confusion about whether these corporations paid federal income taxes despite reporting billions of dollars of book income, commentators and members of Congress are calling for, or at least questioning the need for, publicly traded companies to be required to make their federal income tax returns (or relevant summary information) available to government agencies and perhaps even shareholders and employees. In this paper we demonstrate how currently available financial statement data can be used to guesstimate a publicly-traded corporation's tax status. In so doing, we summarize the existing financial accounting literature on income tax disclosure and point out the "gaps" in such disclosure that make it difficult (impossible) to precisely discern the corporation's federal income tax status. We hope the methodology and ensuing discussion help legislators, government agencies, academic researchers, and analysts better understand current disclosure rules and evaluate whether these rules provide sufficient information about a corporation's financial accounting and tax status. If anything comes from this exercise, we hope the reader will appreciate that reliance on the company's taxes "currently payable" as a measure of the corporation's current year tax status can be very misleading, despite the theoretical underpinnings of the term as defined in FAS 109.
Minimally Invasive Soft Tissue Release of Foot and Ankle Contracture Secondary to Stroke

Lower extremity contracture associated with stroke commonly results in a nonreducible, spastic equinovarus deformity of the foot and ankle. Rigid contracture deformity leads to gait instability, pain, bracing difficulties, and ulcerations. The classic surgical approach for stroke-related contracture of the foot and ankle has been combinations of tendon lengthening, tendon transfer, osteotomy, and joint fusion procedures. Recovery after traditional foot and ankle reconstructive surgery requires a period of non-weightbearing that is not typically practical for these patients. Little focus has been given in published studies on minimally invasive soft tissue release of contracture. We present the case of a 61-year-old female with an equinovarus foot contracture deformity secondary to stroke. The patient underwent Achilles tendon lengthening, posterior tibial tendon Z lengthening, and digital flexor tenotomy of each toe with immediate weightbearing in a walking boot, followed by transition to an ankle-foot orthosis. The surgical principles and technique tips are presented to demonstrate our minimally invasive approach to release of foot and ankle contracture secondary to stroke. The main goal of this approach is to improve foot and ankle alignment for ease of bracing, which, in turn, will improve gait, reduce the risk of falls, decrease pain, and avoid the development of pressure sores.
Cardiac pain: anatomic pathways and physiologic mechanisms.

It may be concluded that the pathways of cardiac pain have been thoroughly established, with the exception of the conduction of anginal attacks occasionally referred to the neck and jaws. Afferent impulses traverse axons that travel in the cervical and thoracic sympathetic cardiac nerves. In the case of the cervical pathway, all impulses on entering the paravertebral ganglionated chain in the neck must descend to the upper thoracic level before they can gain access to the spinal cord. Other impulses reach the 3 superior thoracic ganglia via the more direct thoracic cardiac nerves. Both the cervical and thoracic fibers join the spinal nerves over the communicant sympathetic rami. After passing through the intervertebral foramina, they enter the posterior roots and terminate in the lateral horn of the spinal cord. Here they establish synapses with secondary afferent neurons of the spinothalamic tract, decussate to the opposite anterior column, and are carried rostrally to the nucleus ventralis posterolateralis of the thalamus. This is the principal locus in the brain for the perception of visceral pain. In contrast to well-defined cutaneous sensibility, there is no cortical area for exact visceral localization in the postcentral region of the cerebral cortex. Another factor in the poor localization of cardiac pain is the paucity of sensory endings in the heart. A third appears to be the limited number of secondary sensory fibers in the spinothalamic tracts. These central axons must be shared with other impulses from the surface of the body. As a result, pain from the heart is in large part referred to the cutaneous distribution of the upper 4 thoracic spinal segments. Accounting for the superficial reference of visceral pain by Mackenzie9s theory of a viscerocutaneous reflex is no longer justifiable. Even after cutaneous afferent fibers are interrupted by procaine or amputation of the arm, pain from the heart can still be felt over its previous distribution. Neither stimulation of the vagi nor interruption of transmission in these nerves has been found to have any beneficial effect in patients suffering from angina pectoris. Sensory denervation of the heart must therefore be carried out by destruction of the upper ganglia in the thoracic sympathetic trunks or by severing the corresponding posterior spinal roots.
Vitamin D receptor and growth inhibition by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in human malignant melanoma cell lines.

Abstract The expression of vitamin D receptors (VDR) and growth inhibition induced by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3have been noted in certain human malignant melanoma cell lines. In this study, widely disparate levels of VDR mRNA expression were demonstrated in a panel of eight human malignant melanoma cell lines. Quantitation of receptor level by ligand binding assay showed a similar pattern. Proliferation and growth curve analysis was performed in two cell lines: RPMI 7951 (high VDR) and SK-MEL-28 (low VDR). Significant growth inhibition was noted in RPMI 7951 cells at 10−9M1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. SK-MEL-28 cells, which express much lower levels of VDR, did not show any growth inhibition except at extremely high concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, namely 10−6M. These findings suggest a receptor-mediated mechanism of growth inhibition for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3and a role for this hormone in the growth of malignant melanoma cells.
Methodological-conceptual problems in the study of chimpanzees¿folk physics: How studies with adult humans can help

In three experiments, we examined humans' folk physics (i.e., a naturally occurring and spontaneous understanding of the physical world), using variations of problems used to study chimpanzees' folk physics. Presented with trap-tube problems in two experiments, adult humans showed an unnecessary bias to insert a stick into the end of the tube farthest from the reward to push it out the other end. When presented with trap-table problems with ineffective trapping holes, people unnecessarily avoided the side with the hole. The similarity of humans' and chimpanzees' behavior on these tasks highlights methodological and conceptual problems in studies of chimpanzees' folk physics and suggests alternative explanations for their behavior.
From Theory to Practice: Efficient Join Query Evaluation in a Parallel Database System

Big data analytics often requires processing complex queries using massive parallelism, where the main performance metrics is the communication cost incurred during data reshuffling. In this paper, we describe a system that can compute efficiently complex join queries, including queries with cyclic joins, on a massively parallel architecture. We build on two independent lines of work for multi-join query evaluation: a communication-optimal algorithm for distributed evaluation, and a worst-case optimal algorithm for sequential evaluation. We evaluate these algorithms together, then describe novel, practical optimizations for both algorithms.
Masking by light and the sustained-transient dichotomy.

An interpretation of masking by light in terms of the sustained-transient dichotomy is presented. It is proposed that presentation of a uniform flash has two effects: a masking effect, which occurs within the transient system, and a facilitation effect due to increased adaptation level. These two components have been separated by the employment of uniform flashes (flicker around a mean luminance) that do not change adaptation level. Results of such studies generally suggest that masking by light occurs only when targets are detected by the transient system. However, not aU results are consistent with the sustained-transient model. Reexamination of other recent literature reveals that the motion/pattern dichotomy underlying the model is not tenable. Moreover, other evidence appears to refute the view that the sustained system dominates fovea vision while the transient system is more responsive in the periphery. I suggest a modified version of the dichotomy and propose a simple receptive field model of sustained and transient mechanisms.
P31.03: Giant bilateral hydrothorax treated in utero and monitored by fetal echocardiography ‐ Case report

Fetus with giant hydrothorax and ascites was diagnosed at 25th week of pregnancy. Fetal echocardiography revealed normal heart anatomy with 8 points in Cardiovascular Profile Score (CVPS), (minus one for ascites and hydrothorax). At 26th week of pregnancy pleurocenthesis and amniocenthesis for fetal karyotype were performed. Fetal karyotype was normal however there was re-accumulation of the pleural effusion next week, so at 27th week of pregnancy pleuroamniotic shunt was established. Based on fetal echocardiography CVPS was 8 due to ascites and hydrothorax. Two weeks later there was again re-accumulation of pleural effusion and CVPS was still 8 points. At 29th week of pregnancy second pleuroamniotic shunt was implemented. Four days after second shunting there was no ascites and only rim of hydrothorax. At 31st week of pregnancy the fetus had again fetal echo and hyperoxygenation test which was positive. At 34th week of pregnancy there was still only rim of pleural effusion and no ascites (CVPS was 9). At 35th week there was spontaneous rupture of membrane, however the newborn was delivered by Cesarean section with birth weight 2200g and Apgar scores of 5 and 7. There was only small pleural effusion in left pleural cavity after delivery. The newborn was discharge home at 21 days. Conclusions: Despite dramatic fetal presentation and rapid reaccumulation of hydrothorax, monitoring by fetal echocardiography examinations had shown a safety of repeated fetal needling and double shunting.
Thrust-washer tribological evaluation of PS304 coatings against Rene 41

Abstract To prevent surface damage, roughening, and wear of foil bearings during startup and shutdown conditions when speeds become insufficient to provide hydrodynamic air films, plasma-sprayed solid lubricant PS304 has been used as a journal coating. With increasing demands for operational bearing temperature, Rene 41 is one candidate material that may be considered as a replacement for current Inconel X-750 foil materials. In this study, the tribological behavior of plasma-sprayed PS304 coatings, as well as potentially smoother HVOF-sprayed PS304 coatings, was characterized against Rene 41 and Inconel X-750 counterfaces in thrust-washer tests. Tribological behavior of Rene 41 against plasma- and HVOF-sprayed PS304 coatings, and uncoated 13-8 stainless steel, at 538 °C was found to be equivalent to the high-temperature behavior of Inconel X-750 against the same surfaces. Typical wear factors found for the coatings were in 1.5–3 × 10 −4 mm 3 /N m range, while the coefficients of friction were generally about 0.4.
The roles of the three gene copies encoding hydroxylamine oxidoreductase in Nitrosomonas europaea

The nitrifying bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea contains three copies of the gene (hao) encoding hydroxylamine oxidoreductase (HAO), the second enzyme in the nitrification pathway which oxidizes NH(2)OH to NO(2)(-). The nucleotide sequences of the hao genes differ by only one nucleotide. Two of the three gene copies have identical promoter sequences, while the third promoter has a different nucleotide sequence. Mutant strains with two of the three copies of hao inactivated were created by insertional inactivation, using DNA cassettes containing kanamycin- and gentamycin-resistance genes. All three double-mutant combinations were obtained. These double mutants were phenotypically identical under the conditions tested. Two of these double mutants were similar to wild-type cells or cells having a single hao copy inactivated regarding growth rates or hydroxylamine-dependent O(2) uptake activity, but had only about 50% of the wild-type level of in vitro HAO activity and hao mRNA. The third hao double mutant had an unstable genotype, resulting in recombination of the gentamycin marker into another copy of hao. The N. europaea genomic sequence was recently completed, revealing the locations of the copies of hao and other nitrification genes. Comparison with the arrangement of hao genes in the closely related strain, Nitrosomonas sp. strain ENI-11, showed a similar organization.
Control of prolactin secretion in teleosts, with special reference to Gillichthys mirabilis and Tilapia mossambica.

Two euryhaline teleosts, Gillichthys mirabilis (seawater) and Tilapia mossambica (fresh-water), were used to study the control of prolactin secretion. Cytological changes of prolactin cells, plasma sodium measurements, and densitometry of disk electrophoretograms of pituitary extracts and incubation media provided the data for the study. When seawater Gillichthys are transferred to a hypotonic environment, both morphological and physiological data indicate that prolactin secretion is activated dramatically, confirming the physiological role of prolactin in adaptation to hyposmotic conditions. Prolactin cells are cytologically activated by pituitary transplantation as well as by injections of reserpine and 6-hydroxydopamine with a significant elevation of plasma sodium concentration. In contrast, the cells were inactivated by the injection of l-DOPA. When seawater fish bearing an autografted pituitary were transferred to fresh water, a significant decrease in prolactin cell granules was observed. In addition, the injection of estradiol-17β caused cytological activation of both prolactin cells and ACTH cells. Pituitary glands of Tilapia were incubated with 3H-leucine for 5–6 hr, and the radioactive prolactin present in the pituitary gland and that released in the incubation medium were measured. Prolactin release is directly stimulated by low osmotic pressure of the incubation medium. Addition of dopamine caused a significant decrease in the amount of radioactive prolactin released into the hyposmotic medium. The results indicate that at least four mechanisms may be involved in the control of prolactin secretion in teleosts: (1) inhibitory control from the hypothalamus presumably mediated by aminergic fibers, (2) direct stimulation due to decreasing plasma osmotic pressure, (3) negative feedback by either prolactin itself or increased plasma sodium level, and (4) stimulation by circulating estrogen.
Physical Attractiveness Stereotype in Causal Attributions for Socially Undesirable Behavior

Causal attributions for socially undesirable behavior performed by physically attractive and unattractive stimulus persons were investigated among 144 men and women respondents. An attributional bias was predicted such that upon learning that a person has engaged in socially undesirable behavior in the context of a pattern of low consensus, low distinctiveness, and high consistency information, respondents would make more internal attributions for unattractive than for attractive persons. It was also predicted that respondents exposed to a pattern of high consensus, high distinctiveness, and high consistency information would make more external attributions for attractive than for unattractive individuals. These predictions were not confirmed. Although there was evidence for stereotyping of physical attractiveness, respondents (72 male and 72 female undergraduates) indicated no bias in the causal attributions made for the behavior of individuals differing in attractiveness. These findings suggest a limita...
Intradimensional transfer of duration matching-to-sample in pigeons with signals differing in color and location

Duration matching-to-sample (MTS) was used to study the influence of signal attributes on temporal transfer in pigeons. Each of two groups was trained on two problems that involved 2 and 10 s duration samples that varied with respect to color and-or spatial location. For Group Color, signals were either a red or white light projected from the front wall. For Group Location, signals were a white light from either the front wall or the ceiling. Within each group, each combination of signal type (color or location) and duration was associated with a different choice stimulus, and one set of color choices always followed one signal type and a different set of color choices always followed the other signal type. Transfer tests involved a set of choices that had not previously been associated with the type of signal presented on that trial. Accuracy on transfer trials was very high in Group Color but at a chance level in Group Location, which indicates that temporal transfer occurs when signals emanate from the same location but not when signals emanate from different locations. These results are discussed in terms of other evidence of transfer of duration-MTS.
Changes in blood ACTH under various experimental conditions studied by means of a cross-circulation technique.

IN PREVIOUS papers (1, 2) a method has been described for the estimation of ACTH in blood by the establishment of a crossed circulation between an intact and hypophysectomized rat. By this means, the ACTH activity in 10 ml. of blood or less may be detected. Since this method does not involve any chemical manipulation of the blood prior to the assay of ACTH by the adrenal ascorbic acid depletion technique, it offers possibilities to determine the effect of various procedures on the ACTH secretion from the pituitary of the intact partner. In the present investigation, several procedures known to increase ACTH secretion were applied to the intact partner. The change as well as the duration of the altered rate of secretion were determined by uniting the stressed animal with a hypophysectomized partner at various times after the application of the stress.
Household preparedness for the Aftermath of Hurricanes in Florida

Abstract Hurricane Wilma in 2005 resulted in difficulties for Florida agencies in satisfying emergency relief demands by citizens. Because of this, a study was conducted to assess overall household preparedness for the aftermath of a disaster causing loss of electricity and other utilities for at least three days. Telephone interviews were conducted with 1200 Florida households to ask about current levels of preparedness in the spring of 2006 and about preparedness levels during the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. Preparedness scores were computed based on a list of eight items for current preparedness and a list of ten items for preparedness for recent hurricanes. Results indicated that most households reported being well prepared to subsist on their own for at least three days following a disaster. Preparedness was strongly related to income, home ownership, race, age, and type of housing. Difficulties in meeting demand for emergency relief following Wilma appear to have resulted from needs of a relatively small percentage of households in an area having a very large population and from a number of households consuming relief supplies even though they reported being prepared.
Autonomous optical navigation for interplanetary missions

The automation of interplanetary spacecraft is becoming increasingly desirable to meet various mission requirements. A prototype autonomous spacecraft which will flyby an asteroid and comet is slated for flight in mid-1998 as part of NASA's New Millennium Program. This spacecraft will navigate by using optical data taken by the onboard camera to determine its orbit, and use this information to predict its future trajectory and make necessary course corrections. The basic navigation data available from the camera are star-relative astrometric observations of solar system bodies which can be used to determine line-of-sight vectors to those objects. The directional sightings are obtained by determining the precise centers of the object and stars in the image. During interplanetary cruise, centerfinding is performed by using two pattern matching techniques inherited from the Galileo mission. Near-encounter images are processed with a separate algorithm employing image modeling and brightness centroiding. This paper describes the image processing algorithms, and the results of a ground-based test of the algorithms using real data.
Interfacial inhibitors: targeting macromolecular complexes

Interfacial inhibitors belong to a broad class of natural products and synthetic drugs that are commonly used to treat cancers as well as bacterial and HIV infections. They bind selectively to interfaces as macromolecular machines assemble and are set in motion. The bound drugs transiently arrest the targeted molecular machines, which can initiate allosteric effects, or desynchronize macromolecular machines that normally function in concert. Here, we review five archetypical examples of interfacial inhibitors: the camptothecins, etoposide, the quinolone antibiotics, the vinca alkaloids and the novel anti-HIV inhibitor raltegravir. We discuss the common and diverging elements between interfacial and allosteric inhibitors and give a perspective for the rationale and methods used to discover novel interfacial inhibitors.
Changes of visual sensitivity caused by on- and off-transients

Abstract The effects of abrupt increases and decreases of light in one part of the retina on sensitivity in an adjacent part of the retina were studied under low scotopic conditions near absolute threshold. The basic finding is that a brief annular surround decreases sensitivity to test spots occurring near, the time of its onset or its offset, but that the surround increases sensitivity to test spots occurring the first few hundred milliseconds following its offset. If the annulus is presented in one eye and the test flash to the other, annulus onset reduces sensitivity, but annulus offset has almost no effect on thresholds in the contralateral eye. In fully dark-adapted observers, absolute sensitivity is somewhat greater when the test flashes are preceded by a flashed surround than when they are presented alone. These results challenge the idea that sensitivity to these stimuli is limited by an irreducible level of noise in the dark and under dim illumination.
Evaluation of fish sampling using rotenone in a navigation lock

Annual sampling in locks with rotenone has been a principal means of assessing fish populations in the commercially navigable portions of the Ohio River. Despite extensive use, sampling in locks with rotenone and interpretation of the data obtained have not been adequately evaluated. The purpose of our study was to determine the degree of inter- and intra-seasonal variation in lock samples, estimate correction factors (CFs) for fish recovery rates, and compare lock samples to other fish collections from the navigational pools above and below the lock. Lock samples from all seasons had a greater proportion of pelagic and demersal fish than samples from the navigational pools, which contained greater proportions of littoral species. CF for non-recovery of fish were determined. Spring and summer lock collections yielded several more species and estimates of overall fish biomass were an order of magnitude higher than fall collections. Within season variation between lock samples was relatively low; however, variation in lock samples among seasons was high, equivalent to that seen among the annual samples from the 1980s. Thus, single-season sampling may not be adequate, and fall may be the least preferred season.
Late Onset Optic Neuropathy in Methylmalonic and Propionic Acidemia

Purpose To describe 3 cases of late-onset bilateral optic neuropathy with visual dysfunction in patients with organic acidemia. Design Retrospective case series. Methods A total of 3 subjects, a 16-year-old male with methylmalonic acidemia (MMA), a 21-year-old male with MMA, and a 20-year-old female with propionic acidemia (PA), are included in this series. Comparison of the patients' clinical course, ophthalmologic exam, and testing are discussed. The outcome measures include visual acuity (VA), fundus appearance, visual fields, brain imaging, and genetic testing. Results All 3 subjects had late-onset severe bilateral VA loss with bilateral optic nerve pallor, central or cecocentral scotomas on visual field testing, and negative diagnostic workups for other causes of bilateral optic neuropathy. Conclusions Patients with organic acidemia may develop late-onset bilateral optic neuropathy with visual dysfunction despite lifelong propiogenic amino acid restriction and dietary supplementation.
Coherence, correlation and fluctuation in empty-wave experiments

States coherent to finite order are discussed in detail and applied to the Blake-Scarl experiment. A number of distinct photon probability distributions having different wavelike fluctuations seem compatible with their results. We propose a relation between wavelike fluctuations and limits on the level of correlation expected.
Assignment of the human α2-plasmin inhibitor gene (PLI) to chromosome 17, region pter-p12, by PCR analysis of somatic cell hybrids

The human gene for the alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor (PLI) had been assigned by others to the pericentromeric region of chromosome 18 by in situ hybridization. However, when we used a probe for this gene in our efforts to construct a complete physical map of chromosome 18, we discovered that PLI could be excluded from this chromosome. On the basis of the published PLI sequence, we designed primers to sequences in intron 6 and 7 that direct amplification of a 353-bp fragment that includes the entire exon 7. By using PCR analysis of rodent x human hybrid panels, we have unequivocally assigned the PLI locus to human chromosome 17. With a regional mapping panel, the assignment could be narrowed to region 17pter-p12.
Integrated studies on the use of cognitive task analysis to capture surgical expertise for central venous catheter placement and open cricothyrotomy.

Abstract Background Cognitive task analysis (CTA) methods were used for 2 surgical procedures to determine (1) the extent that experts omitted critical information, (2) the number of experts required to capture the optimalamount of information, and (3) the effectiveness of a CTA-informed curriculum. Methods Six expert physicians for both the central venous catheter placement and open cricothyrotomy were interviewed. The transcripts were coded, corrected, and aggregated as a "gold standard." The information captured for each surgeon was then analyzed against the gold standard. Results Experts omitted an average of 34% of the decisions for the central venous catheter and 77% of the decisions for the Cric. Three to 4 experts were required to capture the optimal amount of information. A significant positive effect on performance ( t [21] = 2.08, P = .050), and self-efficacy ratings ( t [18] = 2.38, P = .029) were found for the CTA-informed curriculum for cricothyrotomy. Conclusions CTA is an effective method to capture expertise in surgery and a valuable component to improve surgical training.
Salmonella enteritidis has a homologue of tolC that is required for virulence in BALB/c mice.

The ability of Salmonella to invade tissue culture cells is correlated with virulence. Therefore, the tissue culture invasion model has been used extensively to study this process and to identify the bacterial genes involved and their products. Described here is the further characterization of a Salmonella enteritidis mutant (SM6T) originally identified as non-invasive for tissue culture cells. A chromosomal DNA fragment complementing this defect was cloned and sequenced. The derived protein sequence is 89% identical to TolC from Escherichia coli, an outer membrane protein required for the signal peptide-independent transport of α-haemolysin and colicin V. Therefore, sinA was renamed tolC and is referred to in this text as tolCs to distinguish it from tolC of E. coli TolCs and TolC are functionally similar since tolC can complement the invasion-defective phenotype of a tolCs mutant, and tolCs is required for export of α-haemolysin by Salmonella. The tolCs mutant is avirulent for mice when administered by the oral route, suggesting that the gene is important for virulence. Further characterization of the tolCs mutant indicated that like tolC mutants it is more sensitive than the wild-type strain to various detergents, antibiotics and dyes. This mutant is more sensitive to Triton X-100 only when associated with the monolayer, and the invasion-defective phenotype appears to be an artifact of this sensitivity. In addition, the tolCs mutant is more sensitive to the bactericidal activity of human serum. Therefore, the avirulent phenotype could be the result of an inability to secrete a necessary virulence factor, or an increased sensitivity to complement and detergents as a result of a subtle alteration in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) associated with tolC mutations.
Probing the diphosphoglycerate binding pocket of HbA and HbPresbyterian (β108Asn → Lys)

HbPresbyterian (beta 108Asn --> Lys, HbP) contains an additional positive charge (per alpha beta dimer) in the middle of the central cavity and exhibits a lower oxygen affinity than wild-type HbA in the presence of chloride. However, very little is known about the molecular origins of its altered functional properties. In this study, we have focused on the beta beta cleft of the Hb tetramer. Recently, we developed an approach for quantifying the ligand binding affinity to the beta-end of the Hb central cavity using fluorescent analogues of the natural allosteric effector 2, 3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) [Gottfried, D. S., et al. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 1571-1578]. Time-correlated single-photon counting fluorescence lifetime studies were used to assess the binding of pyrenetetrasulfonate to both HbA and HbP in the deoxy and CO ligation states under acidic and neutral pH conditions. Both the native and mutant proteins bind the probe at a weak binding site and a strong binding site; in all cases, the binding to HbP was stronger than to HbA. The most striking finding was that for HbA the binding affinity varies as follows: deoxy (pH 6.35) > deoxy (pH 7.20) > CO (pH 6.35); however, the binding to HbP is independent of ligation or pH. The mutant oxy protein also hydrolyzes p-nitrophenyl acetate, through a reversible acyl-imidazole pathway linked to the His residues of the beta beta cleft, at a considerably higher rate than does HbA. This implies a perturbation of the microenvironment of these residues at the DPG binding pocket. Structural consequences due to the presence of the new positive charge in the middle of the central cavity have been transmitted to the beta beta cleft of the protein, even in its liganded conformation. This is consistent with a newly described quaternary state (B) for liganded HbPresbyterian and an associated change in the allosteric control mechanism.
Evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function from spectral and color M-mode doppler in genetically altered mice

Doppler indices of transmitral flow are commonly used to assess noninvasively left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in species larger than mice. The objective of our study was to characterize patterns of LV diastolic function in 2 genetically altered mouse models using Doppler- and color M-mode echocardiography. Phospholamban (PLB) reversibly inhibits the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase (SERCA) and is a key regulator of myocardial relaxation. Twelve-week-old PLB knockout mice (PLB/KO) were examined in parallel with age-matched transgenic mice expressing a mutant form of PLB (PLB/N27A) that exhibited superinhibition of SERCA. Transmitral Doppler flow indexes, including isovolumic relaxation time, the ratio of peak early-to-late filling velocities, and deceleration time of peak early transmitral velocity indicate impaired diastolic filling in the PLB/N27A mutants, but improved LV diastolic function in the PLB/KO mice. In addition, a relatively load-independent parameter of LV relaxation measured by color M-mode Doppler, the propagation velocity of early flow into the LV cavity confirmed the observed differences. We conclude that transmitral filling patterns and color M-mode flow propagation velocity reflect changes in myocardial relaxation in mice with genetically altered levels of PLB and may be useful tools to characterize LV diastolic function in other mouse models of disease.
Existence of a nonlocality in the nucleon- O 16 optical potential and its physical origin

The cross section and polarization for nucleon elastic scattering from $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ has a minimum at large angles and low energies that cannot be fitted with phenomenological or microscopic local optical potentials. Inclusion of exchange terms, e.g., knock-on and heavy-ion exchange, also failed to reproduce this minimum. However, it has been well fitted previously with a parity dependent (local) optical potential. It is shown here that this parity dependence simulates, at least in part, the nonlocality due to channel coupling.
Baby BEEP: A randomized controlled trial of nurses' individualized social support for poor rural pregnant smokers.

Objectives We tested the effect of nurse-delivered telephone individualized social support (“Baby BEEP”) and eight mailed prenatal smoking cessation booklets singly and in combination (2 × 2 factorial design) on smoking cessation in low-income rural pregnant women (N = 695; 75% participation). Methods Participants randomized to Baby BEEP groups (n = 345) received weekly calls throughout pregnancy plus 24-7 beeper access. Saliva cotinine samples were collected monthly from all groups by other nurses at home visits up to 6 weeks post-delivery. Primary outcomes were point prevalence abstinence (cotinine < 30 ng/ml) in late pregnancy and post-delivery. Results Only 47 women were lost to follow-up. Intent-to-treat analyses showed no difference across intervention groups (17–22%, late pregnancy; 11–13.5%, postpartum), and no difference from the controls (17%, late pregnancy; 13%, postpartum). Post hoc analyses of study completers suggested a four percentage-point advantage for the intervention groups over controls in producing early and mid-pregnancy continuous abstainers. Partner smoking had no effect on late pregnancy abstinence (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 0.95, 3.2), but post-delivery, the effect was pronounced (OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.8, 5.9). Conclusions High abstinence rates in the controls indicate the power of biologic monitoring and home visits to assess stress, support, depression, and intimate partner violence; these elements plus booklets were as effective as more intensive interventions. Targeting partners who smoke is needed.
Obligations, Internalization, and Excuse Making: Integrating the Triangle Model and Self-Determination Theory

Schlenker's triangle model (Schlenker, Britt, Pennington, Murphy, & Doherty, 1994, Schlenker, Pontari, & Christopher, 2001) identifies three excuses people use to avoid taking responsibility after failure: that one had no control in the situation, that the obligation was unclear, and that it was not really one's obligation. Three retrospective studies tested the presumed negative association between excuse making and responsibility taking. The studies also examined the effects of self-determination theory's concept of motivational internalization (Deci & Ryan, 2000) upon these variables. A complex but replicable pattern emerged, such that responsibility taking and motivational internalization correlated with adaptive outcomes such as future commitment and positive expectancy and excuse making did not. Of particular interest, perceiving that the person levying the obligation internalized motivation predicted responsibility taking, in all three studies. Implications for the triangle model, as well as for theories of maturity and personality development, are considered.
Hsc70 Rapidly Engages Tau after Microtubule Destabilization

The microtubule-associated protein Tau plays a crucial role in regulating the dynamic stability of microtubules during neuronal development and synaptic transmission. In a group of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer disease and other tauopathies, conformational changes in Tau are associated with the initial stages of disease pathology. Folding of Tau into the MC1 conformation, where the amino acids at residues 7–9 interact with residues 312–342, is one of the earliest pathological alterations of Tau in Alzheimer disease. The mechanism of this conformational change in Tau and the subsequent effect on function and association to microtubules is largely unknown. Recent work by our group and others suggests that members of the Hsp70 family play a significant role in Tau regulation. Our new findings suggest that heat shock cognate (Hsc) 70 facilitates Tau-mediated microtubule polymerization. The association of Hsc70 with Tau was rapidly enhanced following treatment with microtubule-destabilizing agents. The fate of Tau released from the microtubule was found to be dependent on ATPase activity of Hsc70. Microtubule destabilization also rapidly increased the MC1 folded conformation of Tau. An in vitro assay suggests that Hsc70 facilitates formation of MC1 Tau. However, in a hyperphosphorylating environment, the formation of MC1 was abrogated, but Hsc70 binding to Tau was enhanced. Thus, under normal circumstances, MC1 formation may be a protective conformation facilitated by Hsc70. However, in a diseased environment, Hsc70 may preserve Tau in a more unstructured state, perhaps facilitating its pathogenicity.
The origin of diastereoselectivity in cyclopropanation reactions of the iron carbene complex [(η5-C5H5)(CO)2FeCH[(η6-o-CH3OC6H4)Cr(CO)3]]+

Abstract The origin of diastereoselectivity in cyclopropanation reactions of the iron carbene complex [(η 5 -C 5 H 5 )(CO) 2 FeCH[(η 6 - o -CH 3 OC 6 H 4 )Cr(CO) 3 ]] + has been investigated. The chromium participation has been proved by the upfield shifts of both 1 H- and 13 C-NMR for C α  H and C α , which stabilized the iron carbene and may result in a late transition-state for the cyclopropanation reaction via tricarbonylchromium-complexed iron carbene. Hence, trans selectivity is expected. However, when using aromatic alkenes, a π stacking effect may exist during the transition-state, resulting in the cis selectivity for cyclopropanation.
Wildlife, urban inputs, and landscape configuration are responsible for degraded swimming water quality at an embayed beach

Jeorse Park Beach, on southern Lake Michigan, experiences frequent closures due to high Escherichia coli (E. coli) levels since regular monitoring was implemented in 2005. During the summer of 2010, contaminant source tracking techniques, such as the conventional microbial and physical surveys and hydrodynamic models, were used to determine the reasons for poor water quality at Jeorse Park. Fecal indicator bacteria (E. coli, enterococci) were high throughout the season, with densities ranging from 12–2419 (culturable E. coli) and 1–2550 and < 1–5831 (culturable and qPCR enterococci, respectively). Genetic markers for human (Bacteroides HF183) and gull (Catellicoccus marimammalium) fecal contamination were found in 15% and 37% of the samples indicating multiple sources contributing to poor water quality. Nesting colonies of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) have steadily increased since 2005, coinciding with high E. coli levels. A hydrodynamic model indicated that limited circulation allows bacteria entering the embayed area to be retained in nearshore areas; and bacterial resuspension from sand and stranded beach wrack during storm events compounds the problem. The integration of hydrodynamics, expanded use of chemical and biological markers, as well as more complex statistical multivariate techniques can improve microbial source tracking, informing management actions to improve recreational water quality. Alterations to embayed structures to improve circulation and reduce nuisance algae as well as growing native plants to retain sand to improve beach morphometry are among some of the restoration strategies under consideration in ongoing multi-agency collaborations.
Evaluating a sex-related ability: Social comparison with similar others and standard setters

A study was conducted to test Festinger's (1954) hypothesis that when people evaluate an ability they prefer to compare with others similar on characteristics related to performance vs the hypothesis that they prefer to compare with best-off others or standard setters. In a 2 × 2 design male and female undergraduates received ambiguous feedback about their performance on a test of an intellectual ability on which they believed either males or females excelled. The results indicated that virtually all subjects first chose a same-sex reference group with which to compare and thus gave strong support to Festinger's similarity hypothesis. It was also found that subjects in conditions where the opposite sex excelled switched more often to an opposite-sex reference group on their second choice, indicating that comparing with standard setters is a secondary comparison priority. No sex differences were expected or found.
DNA as Membrane-Bound Ligand-Receptor Pairs: Duplex Stability Is Tuned by Intermembrane Forces

We use membrane-anchored DNA as model adhesion receptors between lipid vesicles. By studying the thermal stability of DNA duplex formation, which tethers the vesicles into superstructures, we show that the melting temperature of a 10-base DNA sequence is dependent on the lipid composition of the tethered vesicles. We propose a simple model that describes how the intermembrane interactions tilt the free energy landscape for DNA binding. From our model, we estimate the area per DNA in the binding sites between vesicles and also the total area of the adhesion plaques. We find that vesicles containing a small proportion of cationic lipid that are modified with membrane-anchored DNA can be reversibly tethered by specific DNA interactions and that the DNA also induces a small attraction between these membranes, which stabilizes the DNA duplex. By increasing the equilibrium intermembrane distance on binding, we show that intermembrane interactions become negligible for the binding thermodynamics of the DNA and hence the thermal stability of vesicle aggregates becomes independent of lipid composition at large enough intervesicle separations. We discuss the implications of our findings with regards to cell adhesion and fusion receptors, and the programmable self-assembly of nano-structured materials by DNA hybridization.
RATING THE APPROACHABILITY OF FACES IN ALS

Background: Several groups have found that a significant percentage of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have cognitive impairment. Here we investigate whether the amygdala, a temporal lobe structure, is affected by ALS. Methods: We asked patients with ALS to judge the approachability of unfamiliar faces. We showed subjects 60 faces and asked, “If you were in a strange town at dusk, would you ask this person for directions to a hotel?” Results: More than half of our patients had similar behavioral characteristics to patients with bilateral amygdala damage, approaching even faces that controls found unapproachable. This pattern was not associated with frontal lobe dysfunction on neuropsychological testing. Discussion: Patients withamyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) rated highly approachable faces similarly to controls but rated many faces approachable that controls deemed unapproachable. Like patients with amygdala damage, who show the same behavior, patients with ALS may not recognize the threat expressed through facial clues that raise concern in controls. Thus, more patients with ALS may have disease involvement outside of the motor cortex than previously suggested, manifesting as frontal lobe, temporal lobe, or frontal and temporal lobe dysfunction.
Proteasomal degradation of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase requires the carboxyl-terminal glutamic acid residues.

The rapid turnover of spermidine/spermineN 1-acetyltransferase (SSAT), a key enzyme in the regulation of polyamine levels, was found to be mediated via ubiquitination and the proteasomal system. SSAT degradation was blocked by the binding of polyamines or of the polyamine analog,N 1,N 12-bis(ethyl)spermine (BE-3-4-3), to the protein, providing a mechanism for the increase of SSAT activity in response to these agents. Site-directed mutagenesis indicated that a number of residues including arginine 19, cysteine 122, histidine 126, glutamic acid 152, arginine 155, and methionine 167 were needed for protection of SSAT by BE-3-4-3. These residues have previously been shown to reduce the affinity for the binding of polyamines to the SSAT protein, and these results indicate that the change in protein configuration brought about by this binding renders the protein resistant to proteasomal degradation. Mutations to alanines of residues arginine 7, cysteine 14, and lysine 141 also prevented the protection by BE-3-4-3, and these residues may be required for the formation of the protected conformation. The rapid degradation of SSAT required the carboxyl-terminal region of the protein, and the two terminal glutamic acid residues at positions 170 and 171 were found to be of critical importance. Truncation of the protein to remove these residues or the mutation of either of these acidic residues to glutamine completely abolished the rapid degradation of SSAT. The addition of two extra lysine residues at the carboxyl terminus or the conversion of the glutamic acids at positions 170 and 171 to lysines also prevented SSAT degradation by the proteasome. These results show the key role of the acidic residues at the carboxyl terminus of the protein in reacting with the proteasome. In contrast, mutation of lysine 166 to alanine, which extends the length of the acidic region in the carboxyl-terminal fragment of SSAT, actually increased the rate of degradation of SSAT without affecting its stabilization by BE-3-4-3. The binding of BE-3-4-3 or polyamines is therefore likely to change the configuration of the SSAT protein in a way that prevents the exposure of the carboxyl-terminal region of the ubiquitinated protein to the proteasome.
Degradation Mitigation in Polymer Electrolyte Membranes Using Cerium Oxide as a Regenerative Free-Radical Scavenger

The efficacy of CeO 2 nanoparticles in mitigating free-radical-induced polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) degradation is investigated. Commercially obtained CeO 2 and nanoparticles synthesized in-house were incorporated within a recast Nafion membrane. Membrane electrode assemblies were prepared using Nafion and Nafion-CeO 2 composite membranes (0.5, 1, and 3 wt % CeO 2 ). The composite membranes exhibited very similar proton conductivities (∼35 mS/cm) and hydrogen crossover (∼ 1 mA/cm 2 ) as Nafion. However, the fluoride emission rate (from accelerated tests) was lowered by more than 1 order of magnitude upon addition of CeO 2 into the Nafion membrane, suggesting that CeO 2 nanoparticles have tremendous potential to greatly enhance membrane durability.