cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Operating and synthetic leases: Exploiting financial benefits in the post-Enron era

Abstract Applying constructive lease capitalization to operating leases of firms in the 2003 S&P 500 index, we demonstrate that currently companies can hide billions of liabilities, enhance retained earnings, income, and ratios by reporting leases as operating. With the rekindled interests of the International Accounting Standards Board and Financial Accounting Standards Board on lease reporting, our study provides valuable and timely information for their decisions. Results indicate that by reporting operating leases, firms avoided on average $582 million of liabilities (11% of total liabilities) and $450 million of assets (4% of total assets) for our 366 sample firms. Partitioning sample into negative and positive income impact subgroups provides additional insight into firm's motivation for using operating leases. Under lease capitalization the top quartile positive subgroup experienced an 18% increase in income while the top quartile negative subgroup had an 11% decline in income. There was also a significant negative impact on liquidity, leverage and performance ratios.
Photoinduced Degradation of Polymer and Polymer–Fullerene Active Layers: Experiment and Theory

As organic photovoltaic effi ciencies steadily improve, understanding degradation pathways becomes increasingly important. In this paper, the stability under prolonged illumination of a prototypical polymer:fullerene active layer is studied without the complications introduced by additional layers and interfaces in complete devices. Combining contactless photoconductivity with spectroscopy, structural characterization at the molecular and fi lm level, and quantum chemical calculations, the mechanism of photoinduced degradation in bulk heterojunctions of poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) is studied. Bare fi lms are subjected to four conditions for 1000 h with either constant illumination or dark and either ambient or inert atmosphere. All samples are found to be intrinsically stable for 1000 + h under inert conditions, in contrast to complete devices. While PCBM stabilizes P3HT fi lms exposed to air, its fullerene cage is found to undergo a series of oxidations that are responsible for the deterioration of the photoconductivity of the material. Quantum chemical calculations show that PCBM oxides have deeper LUMO levels than pristine PCBM and therefore act as traps for electrons in the PCBM domains.
Real-time fusion of low-light CCD and uncooled IR imagery for color night vision

We present an approach to color night vision through fusion of information derived from visible and thermal infrared sensors. Building on the work reported at SPIE in 1996 and 1997, we show how opponent-color processing and center-surround shunting neural networks can achieve informative multi-band image fusion. In particular, by emulating spatial and color processing in the retina, we demonstrate an effective strategy for multi-sensor color-night vision. We have developed a real- time visible/IR fusion processor from multiple C80 DSP chips using commercially available Matrox Genesis boards, which we use in conjunction with the Lincoln Lab low-light CCD and a Raytheon TI Systems uncooled IR camera. Limited human factors testing of visible/IR fusion is presented showing improvements in human performance using our color fused imagery relative to alternative fusion strategies or either single image modality alone. We conclude that fusion architectures that match opponent-sensor contrast to human opponent-color processing will yield fused image products of high image quality and utility.
INCREASED URINARY ESTROGEN EXCRETION ASSOCIATED WITH ADRENAL TUMORS: REPORT OF FOUR CASES

The determinations of urinary hormone excretion were made by the routine clinical methods used in our laboratory. Steroids other than corticoids were extracted with carbon tetrachloride after acid hydrolysis. The technic for total neutral 17-ketosteroids was a modification of that described by HoltorfT and Koch (1). Dehydroisoandrosterone was determined by the method of Allen, Hayward, and Pinto (2). In the 2 patients with increased neutral 17-ketosteroid excretions, the "phenolic fraction" obtained by extraction with IN KOH was separated from the carbon tetrachloride extract and was used for bioassay of estrogens. This technic separates the true estrogens from the androgens and is necessary, since dehydroisoandrosterone and certain other androgens have been shown to have a vaginal cornifying effect (3). Bioassay for estrogens was performed at selected levels in castrated mice, using the vaginal smear technic. Corticoids were determined by a modification of the technic described by Heard, Sobel and Venning (4), and involved extraction with chloroform from acidified urine for one hour with an automatic shaker. Gonadotropins
Generalization of LSD-induced conditioned suppression

Thirsty rats were exposed to a conditioned suppression procedure in which a drug, LSD, was the US and a 6,000-Hz tone was the CS. All animals demonstrated conditioning in that responding to obtain water on a VI schedule was suppressed during CS presentation. It was then demonstrated that stimulus generalization occurred when tones between 2,000 and 10,000 Hz were presented during subsequent extinction.
Alcohols dehydrate lipid membranes: an infrared study on hydrogen bonding.

Abstract The effect of alcohols (methanol, ethanol,and n-butanol) on the hydrogen bonding of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) were studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) in water-in-oil (carbon tetrachloride) reversed micelles. The bound OH stretching mode of water, binded to DPPC, appeared as a broad band at around 3400 cm −1 . The OH bonding mode of this complex appeared as a weak broad band at 1644 cm −1 . No free OH signal was observed. When alcohols were added, a part of DPPC-bound water was replaced by the alcohols. The released ‘free’ water appeared at 3680 cm −1 . This free OH stretching band represents water-alcohol complex. A new broad band of OH stretching appeared at 3235 cm −1 , which represents the alcohol molecules bound to the phosphate moiety of DPPC. When the alcohol concentration was increased, the intensities of the free OH stretching and bending bands increased. The PO antisymmetric stretching band at 1238 cm −1 became broader and shifted to lower frequencies. This means that alcohols interacted with the phosphate moiety and replaced the bound water. In the deconvoluted spectra of the CO stretching mode, the ratio between the free sn -2 and the hydrogen-bonded sn -2 bands increased; a part of the bound water at the sn -2 carbon in the glycerol skeleton is also released and the free sn -2 signal increased. From the change in the intensity of the PO stretching band, the partition coefficients of alcohols between the phosphate region of DPPC and water were estimated: methanol 7.8, ethanol 16.7 at 22.0°C in mole fraction bases. In molality, these values translates into methanol 0.21 and ethanol 0.45. These results indicate that short-chain alcohols interact with lipid membranes at the phosphat moiety and the hydrophilic head, weaken the membrane-water interaction, and destabilize membranes.
Nucleation of cavitons in strong langmuir turbulence.

Plasmon wave packets are shown to be nucleated in narrow density holes which are the remnants of previous generations of ``burnt out'' cavitons. The proximity of the nucleation length scales to those of dissipation precludes the possibility of a self-similar inertial range for wide range of parameters. The nucleation mechanism may also arise in other contexts.
The rest room and equal opportunity

At the risk of appearing disrespectful, let me say that the best way to understand equal opportunity is to use the public toilet. Sometimes a gross approach can best clarify a subtle issue. Through the example of how society is organized to provide men and women with the capacity to relieve themselves, we can understand what it takes, as a more general matter, to provide members of different social groups with authentic equal opportunity. In many public buildings, the amount of floor area dedicated for the men's room and the women's room is the same. The prevailing public bathroom doctrine in the U.S. is one of segregation among the genders, but with equality the guiding ideology. In some jurisdictions, this square footage equality is enshrined in law. Such an arrangement follows the dictum that equality can be achieved only by policies that are "gender-blind" (or "color-blind" or "ethnic-blind") in the allocation of a public resource. To give less to women (or blacks or Hispanics) would be discrimination; to give more would be "reverse discrimination."' Women and men have the same proportion of a building to use as rest rooms. Presumably this should provide members of both genders with equal opportunity for dealing with their bodily needs in a timely and convenient way. The trouble with this sort of equality is that, being blind, it fails to recognize differences between men as a group and women as a group. These differences are not amenable to easy change. Part of women's demand for bathrooms can not exist for men because only women menstruate. Women make trips to the rest room to secure hygienic and socially appropriate adaptations to this physical fact. And because men's physiology suits them for the use of urinals, a large number of men can be serviced by a relatively small physical space. Women in our society use toilets to urinate, and toilets require a larger area than urinals. By creating men's and women's rooms of the same size, society guarantees that individual women will be worse off than individual men. By dis-
A test of the binary chloroplast membrane hypothesis by using a nonpenetrating chemical probe,p-(diazonium)-benzenesulfonic acid

Spinach chloroplasts were exposed to35S-labeledp-(diazonium)-benzenesulfonic acid (DABS), a water soluble compound which does not penetrate lipophilie regions of membranes, and which is highly reactive toward amino acid functionagroups such as e-amino, sulfhydryl, histidine, and tyrosine groups. Amino groups inl lipids can also form similar, stable covalent bonds by diazo coupling. Both chloroplast lipids and proteins were labeled with DABS, the total binding being about 1 DABS per 10 chlorophylls, depending on the reaction conditions. After diazo coupling and subsequent digitonin fractionation into photosystems I and II enriched fractions, it was observed that PS-I was more highly labeled than PS-III usually by a factor of 10 to 24 times (on a per chlorophyll basis). After digitonin isolation, however, the PS-II portion bound an amount of DABS similar to the PS-I binding, We interpret these data as consistent with the binary membrane hypothesis (Arntzen. Dilley and Crane (1969),J. Cell Biol. 43:16), which visualizes PS-I on the externa, “half” of a 90 A grana membrane, and PS-II occurring on the interior “half” of thel membrane. The alternative explanation that PS-II and PS-I are arranged as a mosaic, and that the low DABS binding in PS-II is caused by burial of the diazo reactive groups in the interior of the proteins (and only exposed through the denaturing effect of digitonin) is not directly ruled out. However, this alternative is not consistent with the facts that: (a) most of the membrane proteins in PS-I and PS-II are identical in electrophoretic properties and therefore probably have similar overall structures; and (b) digitonin does not lead to appreciable denaturation of proteins, evidenced by the retention of PS-II electron transport activity.
The position of the ZEBRA activation domain does not influence its biological activity

Abstract Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is a human herpesvirus which latently infects B lymphocytes. EBV encodes a unique transcriptional activator, known as ZEBRA, which can disrupt viral latency in B cells and induce lytic viral replication. Furthermore, ZEBRA has been shown to bind at the EBV origin of lytic replication, and is necessary for viral DNA replication to occur. Previously we demonstrated that heterologous activation domains can fully substitute for the ZEBRA activation domain. Here we extend those results by showing that the position of the ZEBRA activation domain or a heterologous replacement domain does not influence its ability to function in the disruption of EBV latency. In this study three novel clones were constructed in which the ZEBRA activation region was repositioned to the carboxy terminus of the protein. These mutants were used to demonstrate that the ability of ZEBRA's wild type domain to function in the complex biological process of virus activation is not compromised by altering its position within the protein.
Mechanism of ethidium bromide inhibition of RNA polymerase

Abstract The effect of ethidium bromide on various steps of the reaction catalyzed by Escherichia coli DNA-dependent RNA polymerase is studied. Inhibition caused by low levels (approx. 6 μm) of this DNA-binding drug is a consequence of reducing the rate of RNA chain initiation; the rate of RNA chain growth is unaffected at this concentration. The sensitive step in the initiation process is the formation of stable complexes between RNA polymerase and initiation sites on the DNA. At higher levels (25 μm), ethidium bromide does inhibit the polymerization of those RNA molecules whose initiation has not been blocked.
Market-oriented sustainability: a conceptual framework and propositions

Utilizing Resource-Advantage Theory as the underlying theoretical foundation and drawing on literature from a variety of disciplines, we develop a market-oriented sustainability framework. By incorporating sustainability into market orientation, the goal of strategic alignment of sustainability with marketing strategies is achieved to create a competitive advantage. Three constructs identified in the model are DNA, stakeholder involvement, and performance management. These three constructs are the drivers of sustainability. DNA is used as an extended metaphor to clarify and illustrate the workings of an organization and how sustainability may be implemented. This construct includes core ideology, dynamic capabilities, and societal engagement. The firm’s DNA is communicated to both internal and external stakeholders, and stakeholders’ concerns should be an influence on strategic marketing planning. Performance management is the third major construct in the model and includes corporate social performance and corporate financial performance metrics. Within the model explication, we offer propositions to support market-oriented sustainability research and provide directions for sustainability theory, research, and practice.
Analysis of behaviors involved in performance of the block design subtest of the WISC-R

Abstract This study analyzed two of the component behaviors which might contribute to developmental differences on the Block Design Subtest of the WISC-R. The performance of approximately 30 boys and girls in each of the first, third, fifth and eleventh grades was videotaped as they completed the Block Design Subtest. The behaviors coded from the videotape included the order of placement of blocks within each design, and the degree to which children persisted in placing a given block correctly before moving to the next one. Results showed no developmental differences in either of these dependent variables. There were striking similarities in the solution strategies applied by older and younger children to most of the block designs.
Morphogenesis of pulmonary emphysema.

A resume of a continuing program of study of pulmonary emphysema is presented. An orderly sequence was observed in alveolar septa of emphysematous human lungs proceeding from simple inflammation to dissolution on one hand or interstitial alveolar fibrosis on the other. In addition, quantitative methods showed a decreased number of nonrespiratory ("terminal") bronchioles and reduced mean cross sectional lumen area of those bronchioles that remained. Measurements, however, failed to demonstrate that either increased bulk of wall or epithelium accounted for the bronchiolar narrowing in emphysema. Rather, a close correlation was demonstrated between stenosis and diminished, circumferential alveolar attachments. It seemed likely that a single process could account for many, and possibly most, of the morphologic processes seen in emphysema. Essentially, that was inflammation of peripheral portions of the lungs with departitioning and interstitial alveolar fibrosis. Secondary collapse and obliteration of air passages, particularly nonrespiratory bronchioles, occurring in association with parenchymal inflammation and destruction, provided a logical basis for air trapping and abnormal mechanical tensions. Emphysema, then, was considered to be largely the result of an interplay between inflammatory and secondary mechanical factors. Dust was considered as a factor of possible secondary importance. In order to test the suggested hypothesis, parenchymal inflammation (nitric acid) and increased mechanical forces (intratracheal valve) were combined in dogs. The resulting lung defect fulfilled standard morphologic definition of the disease in man.
DNA Ligase I Is Not Essential for Mammalian Cell Viability

Of the three DNA ligases present in all vertebrates, DNA ligase I (Lig1) has been considered essential for ligating Okazaki fragments during DNA replication and thereby essential for cell viability. Here, we report the striking finding that a Lig1-null murine B cell line is viable. Surprisingly, the Lig1-null cells exhibit normal proliferation and normal immunoglobulin heavy chain class switch recombination and are not hypersensitive to a wide variety of DNA damaging agents. These findings demonstrate that Lig1 is not absolutely required for cellular DNA replication and repair and that either Lig3 or Lig4 can substitute for the role of Lig1 in joining Okazaki fragments. The establishment of a Lig1-null cell line will greatly facilitate the characterization of DNA ligase function in mammalian cells, but the finding alone profoundly reprioritizes the role of ligase I in DNA replication, repair, and recombination.
Nuclear data sheets for A = 62

Nuclear structure data available through August 1, 1978 are compiled, and adopted level properties are given. The bulk of the data is presented pictorially for easy comparison. Experimental details, references, and additional comments, where required, are given in the text. All drawings, tables, and comments are reproduced from the computerized Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File (ENSDF). Any additions or corrections desired by the users should be addressed to the evaluators for maintenance and updating of the computer file.
Banana Wars: Power, Production, and History in the Americas

Contributors: Philippe Bourgois Marcelo Bucheli Dario Euraque Cindy Forster Lawrence Grossman Mark Moberg Laura T. Raynolds Karla Slocum John Soluri Steve Striffler Allen Wells
Imipramine hyperpigmentation: a slate-gray discoloration caused by long-term imipramine administration.

A 48-year-old white woman, skin type III, had a slate-gray discoloration of the face and dorsa of both hands after ingesting imipramine, 150 mg/day for 5 years. Her iris color was also darkened. One year after cessation of the therapy, the discoloration became lighter. Sun-protected skin showed no discoloration. Light microscopy revealed an accumulation of doubly refractile golden yellow granules in the papillary dermis, mostly scattered, with some concentration around the blood vessels but not in the endothelial cells. Electron micrographs showed numerous amorphous electron-dense inclusion bodies in histiocytes, phagocytes, fibroblasts, and dermal dendrocytes. Melanosomes were phagocytosed in the same cells but in separated locations. Imipramine is structurally related to ehlorprornazine and can cause slate-gray discoloration. However, the color of the granules deposited in the papillary dermis is golden-yellow and they are not deposited in endothelial cells.
Molecular Structures, Vibrational Spectroscopy, and Normal-Mode Analysis of M(2)(CtCR)(4)(PMe(3))(4) Dimetallatetraynes. Observation of Strongly Mixed Metal-Metal and Metal-Ligand Vibrational Modes.

The nature of the skeletal vibrational modes of complexes of the type M2(C⋮CR)4(PMe3)4 (M = Mo, W; R = H, Me, But, SiMe3) has been deduced. Metrical data from X-ray crystallographic studies of Mo2(C⋮CR)4(PMe3)4 (R = Me, But, SiMe3) and W2(C⋮CMe)4(PMe3)4 reveal that the core bond distances and angles are within normal ranges and do not differ in a statistically significant way as a function of the alkynyl substituent, indicating that their associated force constants should be similarly invariant among these compounds. The crystal structures of Mo2(C⋮CSiMe3)4(PMe3)4 and Mo2(C⋮CBut)4(PMe3)4 are complicated by 3-fold disorder of the Mo2 unit within apparently ordered ligand arrays. Resonance-Raman spectra (1(δ→δ*) excitation, THF solution) of Mo2(C⋮CSiMe3)4(PMe3)4 and its isotopomers (PMe3-d9, C⋮CSiMe3-d9, 13C⋮13CSiMe3) exhibit resonance-enhanced bands due to a1-symmetry fundamentals (νa = 362, νb = 397, νc = 254 cm-1 for the natural-abundance complex) and their overtones and combinations. The frequencies and...
[125I]Iberiotoxin-D19Y/Y36F, the first selective, high specific activity radioligand for high-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels.

Iberiotoxin (IbTX), a selective peptidyl ligand for high-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (maxi-K) channels cannot be radioiodinated in biologically active form due to the importance of Y36 in interacting with the channel pore. Therefore, an IbTX double mutant (IbTX-D19Y/Y36F) was engineered, expressed in Escherichia coli, purified to homogeneity, and radiolabeled to high specific activity with 125I. IbTX-D19Y/Y36F and [127I]IbTX-D19Y/Y36F block maxi-K channels expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes with equal potency as wild-type IbTX (Kd ∼ 1 nM). Under low ionic strength conditions, [125I]IbTX-D19Y/Y36F binds with high affinity to smooth muscle sarcolemmal maxi-K channels (Kd of 5 pM, as determined by either equilibrium binding or kinetic binding analysis), and with a binding site density of 0.45 pmol/mg of protein. Competition studies with wild-type IbTX, IbTX-D19Y/Y36F or charybdotoxin (ChTX) result in complete inhibition of binding whereas toxins selective for voltage-gated K+ channels (margatoxin (MgTX) o...
Power and delay reduction via simultaneous logic and placement optimization in FPGAs

Traditional FPGA design flows have treated logic synthesis and physical design as separate steps. With the recent advances in technology the lack of information on the physical implementation during logic synthesis has caused mismatches between the final circuit characteristics (delay, power and area) and those predicted by logic synthesis. In this paper, we present a technique that tightly links the logic and physical domains-we combine logic and placement optimization in a single step. The combined algorithm is based on simulation annealing and hence, very amenable to new optimization goals or constraints. Two types of moves, directed towards global reduction in the cost function (linear congestion), are accepted by the simulated annealing algorithm: (1) logic optimization steps consisting of removing or replacing redundant wires in a circuit using functional flexibilities derived from SPFDs and (2) the placement optimization steps consisting of swapping a pair of blocks in the FPGA. Feedback from placement is very valuable in making an informed choice of a target wire during logic optimization moves. Experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of our approach over the placement independent approach.
Identification of mitogen-responsive ribosomal protein S6 kinase pp90rsk, a homolog of Xenopus S6 kinase II, in chicken embryo fibroblasts.

Abstract Antiserum raised against recombinant Xenopus ribosomal protein S6 kinase (rsk) was used to identify a 90,000-Mr ribosomal S6 kinase, pp90rsk, in chicken embryo fibroblasts. Adding serum to cells stimulated the phosphorylation of pp90rsk on serine and threonine residues and increased the activity of S6 kinase measured in immune complex assays. Xenopus S6 kinase II and chicken embryo fibroblast pp90rsk had nearly identical phosphopeptide maps.
Some effects of energy-transfer inhibitors and of Ca++-free or K+-enhanced media on the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the rat pituitary gland in vitro.

The hypothalamic extract-stimulated release of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the rat pituitary incubated in vitro was found to be dependent upon the presence of Ca++ in the medium. When the K+ concentration of the medium was increased to 59 HIM the release of LH was much stimulated as compared to controls in 5.9 HIM K+. When hypothalamic extract and 59 mM K+ when both present the stimulatory effects on LH release were additive. The 59 mM K+- stimulated release of LH was also dependent upon the presence of Ca++. However, absence of Ca++ did not inhibit, nor did excess K+ stimulate, the incorporation of 14C-leucine into LH. At concentrations of dinitrophenol and oligomycin where 75% of the incorporation of 14C-leucine into LH was inhibited the release of LH was not affected. These results indicate that the synthesis and release of LH are separate phenomena. (Endocrinology 82: 225, 1968)
Time-dependent dyadic Green's functions for rectangular and circular waveguides

Closed-form expressions for the time-dependent dyadic Green's functions of electric and magnetic types for rectangular and circular waveguides are derived from the dyadic Maxwell equations in the time domain. These functions can be used to obtain the time-dependent electric and magnetic fields propagating in those guides due to any arbitrary time-dependent current distribution inside the guide. Stationary vector wave functions are introduced that separate the space-dependent parts from the time-dependent parts of the Green's functions. Comparison of the results for the rectangular and circular guides reveals that the time-dependent parts are identical. Thus the results can be easily extended to some other cylindrical pipes such as elliptical waveguides and also to coaxial cables. >
Obstructive sleep apnea screening and postoperative mortality in a large surgical cohort.

Abstract Objective A recent investigation at Barnes-Jewish Hospital located in St. Louis, Missouri, found that an estimated 22% of adults presenting for inpatient surgery screened as high risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Surgical patients with OSA have multiple comorbidities and are at increased risk for perioperative complications. Our objective was to determine if a prior diagnosis of OSA or a positive screen for OSA was associated with increased risk for 30-day and one-year mortality. Methods B-J APNEAS (Barnes-Jewish Apnea Prevalence in Every Admission Study) was a prospective cohort study. Unselected adult surgical patients at Barnes Jewish Hospital were prospectively enrolled between February 2006 and April 2010. All patients completed preoperative OSA screening and those who were at risk for OSA according to a combination of the Berlin and Flemons screening tools received targeted postoperative interventions. STOP (loud Snoring, daytime Tiredness, Observed apneas, and high blood Pressure) and STOP-BANG (STOP, plus body mass index [BMI], age, neck circumference, and gender) scores also were obtained. Results Overall, the sample included 14,962 patients, of whom 1939 (12.9%) reported a history of OSA. All four screening tools identified a high prevalence of undiagnosed patients at risk for OSA (9.5%–41.6%), but agreement among screens was not strong with κ statistic ranging from 0.225 to 0.611. There was no significant difference in 30-day postoperative mortality between patients with possible OSA (based on their history or on a positive OSA screen with any of the four instruments) and the rest of the surgical population. Significant differences in one-year mortality were noted between the low-risk and high-risk groups as identified by the Flemons’ (4.96% vs 6.91%; p p p Conclusion Neither a prior diagnosis of OSA nor a positive screen for OSA risk was associated with increased 30-day or one-year postoperative mortality. Differences in 1 year postoperative mortality were noted with three of the screening tools. The results of our study highlight uncertainties and research priorities for the medical community.
Alzheimer’s Disease and Animal Models

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common type of age-associated dementia, is characterized by progressive impairments in memory, cognition, language, praxis, visual-spatial skills, and behavior (McKhann et al., 1984; Khachaturian, 1985). These abnormalities are due to involvement of certain neuronal circuits in several regions of brain, including systems within amydala, hippocampus, neocortex, basal forebrain, and brainstem. For example, in virtually every case, AD affects basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, which express receptors for nerve growth factor (NGF). Perikarya of many neurons in involved systems develop neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) (fibrillar intracytoplasmic inclusions) and abnormally enlarged distal axons/terminals (forming neurites that surround senile plaques). Amyloid, deposited in plaques and around blood vessels (congophilic angiopathy), is made up of a 4-kiloDalton (kD) β/A4 peptide, derived from the amyloid precursor protein (APP). This brief review focuses on: the neuropathology of AD; investigations of the pathogenesis of age-associated abnormalities in the brains of aged nonhuman primates; and studies of the effects of NGF on experimentally induced degenerative changes in basal forebrain cholinergic neurons of animals.
DYNAMIC REMODELING OF NUCLEAR ARCHITECTURE DURING THE CELL CYCLE

The nuclear matrix is an integral part of nuclear structure which undergoes a profound reorganization during the cell cycle reflecting major changes in functional requirements. This includes the processes of DNA replication and gene expression at interphase and partitioning of the nuclear contents during mitosis. Using a monoclonal antibody (mAb2A) which specifically stains a novel nuclear meshwork which reorganizes during the cell cycle in Drosophila, we have initiated a study to: 1 ) more closely analyze this structural reorganization; 2) clone and characterize the antigens recognized by this antibody; and 3 ) isolate other interacting proteins in order to gain insight into the regulation of this process. The mAb2A-labeled structure changes from what appears as a diffuse meshwork at interphase to a distinct spindle-like scaffold at prophase. Since at metaphase the microtubules of the mitotic apparatus co-localize with the mAb2A spindle structure, a model is considered whereby the nuclear mAb2A-labeled scaffolding reorganizes during the cell cycle to provide a guide for the establishment of the mitotic apparatus. The mAb2A has identified two separate antigens, each of which shows similar distribution patterns. One of these antigens has been partially cloned and contains an unusual tandem ser-thr kinase domain. The association of this kinase homologue with a nuclear scaffold which reorganizes during the cell cycle suggests that it may be involved in regulating changes in nuclear architecture during the cell cycle andlor in mediating the downstream consequences of such changes. e 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The role of body-based sensory information in the acquisition of enduring spatial representations

Although many previous studies have shown that body-based sensory modalities such as vestibular, kinesthetic, and efferent information are useful for acquiring spatial information about one's immediate environment, relatively little work has examined how these modalities affect the acquisition of long-term spatial memory. Three groups of participants learned locations along a 146 m indoor route, and subsequently pointed to these locations, estimated distances between them, and constructed maps of the environment. One group had access to visual, proprioceptive, and inertial information, another had access to matched visual and matched inertial information, and another had access only to matched visual information. In contrast to previous findings examining transient, online spatial representations, our results showed very few differences among groups in the accuracy of the spatial memories acquired. The only difference was the improved pointing accuracy of participants who had access to proprioceptive information relative to that of participants in the other conditions. Results are discussed in terms of differential sensory contributions to transient and enduring spatial representations.
Structural and functional characterization of the genomic locus encoding the murine beta 2 thyroid hormone receptor.

beta 1 and beta 2 are functional thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) that are generated from the same genomic locus by splicing of a different amino terminus onto a common carboxyl region containing the DNA and hormone binding domains. TR beta 1 is widely expressed whereas TR beta 2 is found primarily in the pituitary gland although low levels of expression have been described in other tissues. To gain insight into the mechanisms governing expression of this complex transcriptional unit, we cloned mouse genomic fragments containing the common carboxyl terminus as well as the unique TR beta 2 amino-terminal sequence that was located at least 25 kilobases upstream. The DNA and ligand binding exons are identical in size and location of their boundaries to those of the human TR beta 1 gene. To determine whether the region 5' of the TR beta 2 amino terminus represented the promoter region, we examined it for sites of transcriptional initiation and for its ability to function as a promoter in TR beta 2-expressing t...
Dynamics of Arabidopsis Dynamin-Related Protein 1C and a Clathrin Light Chain at the Plasma Membrane

Plant morphogenesis depends on polarized exocytic and endocytic membrane trafficking. Members of the Arabidopsis thaliana dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) subfamily are required for polarized cell expansion and cytokinesis. Using a combination of live-cell imaging techniques, we show that a functional DRP1C green fluorescent fusion protein (DRP1C-GFP) was localized at the division plane in dividing cells and to the plasma membrane in expanding interphase cells. In both tip growing root hairs and diffuse-polar expanding epidermal cells, DRP1C-GFP organized into dynamic foci at the cell cortex, which colocalized with a clathrin light chain fluorescent fusion protein (CLC-FFP), suggesting that DRP1C may participate in clathrin-mediated membrane dynamics. DRP1C-GFP and CLC-GFP foci dynamics are dependent on cytoskeleton organization, cytoplasmic streaming, and functional clathrin-mediated endocytic traffic. Our studies provide insight into DRP1 and clathrin dynamics in the plant cell cortex and indicate that the clathrin endocytic machinery in plants has both similarities and striking differences to that in mammalian cells and yeast.
The theory of the chemostat: A Size-Structured Competition Model

Introduction The models considered in previous chapters of this monograph have ignored the fact that populations of microorganisms contain individuals with differing body size and that individuals of different size have different characteristics. Body size is clearly an important factor in determining an organism's energy requirements and its ability to uptake resources. Furthermore, if an organism can grow as well as reproduce, then it becomes important to determine how the organism allocates its energy resources between growth and reproduction. Data from [Wi] – particularly figures 3, 6, 8, 10, 18, 19, and 21 – leave no doubt that, at least for certain populations of algae, individual cell volume varies significantly during the course of experiments in the chemostat. These data also suggest that steady-state size distributions are reached which have remarkably stable shapes with respect to changes in the control parameters for the chemostat (flow rates, temperature, CO 2 ). The purpose of this chapter is to present a model of competition in the chemostat for a single resource that takes these factors into account, and to determine the extent to which these factors influence the outcome of competition. The model presented here is a special case of a more general class of models formulated in [DMKH] and treated in [MD, sec. 1.3]. This simplified model is one of several considered in an elegant paper by Cushing [Cu2]. Most of the results of this chapter are taken from [Cu2].
Immunoultrastructural studies of human NK cells: I. Ultracytochemistry and comparison with T cell subsets.

Human NK activity is known to be associated with a population of large granular lymphocytes (LGL) exhibiting several immunophenotypic surface markers including Leu-11a (NKP-15), Leu-7 (HNK-1), Leu-3a (T4), and Leu-2a (T8). Based upon correlation with cytolytic activity, Leu-11a is now considered the most specific antigenic marker for human NK cells. Present investigation compared the ultrastructure of cells expressing Leu-11a, Leu-7, Leu-3a, and Leu-2a, both in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and the purified LGL fraction. Subcellular cytochemical reactions were investigated in Leu-7+ or Leu-11a+ PBL or LGL and in cells conjugated with K562 targets (indicating NK cytolytic potential). The surface markers, localized with monoclonal antibodies, were detected by immunoelectron microscopy by using direct or indirect avidin-biotin-peroxidase (ABC) or colloidal gold methods. A peroxidase-colloidal gold double-labeling system was used to identify subsets of Leu-7+ or Leu-11a+ cells. Previously described ultrastructural features of LGL including a villous surface, reniform nuclei, low nuclear/cytoplasm ratios, and abundant cytoplasm with vesicles, vacuoles, electron-dense granules, parallel tubular arrays (PTA), or paracrystalline inclusions were associated with Leu-7+, Leu-11a+, Leu-7+/Leu-11a+, Leu-7+/Leu-11a−, and Leu-7−/Leu-11a+ PBL or LGL. Results showed that the Leu-7+/Leu-11a+ cells were the most abundant NK cells in PBL. Lymphocyte subsets with Leu-3a or Leu-2a surface marker showed some ultrastructural features including PTA similar to Leu-7+ cells and Leu-11a+ cells, and their subsets. These T-cells appeared ultrastructurally more similar to the Leu-7+/Leu-11a− subset. Cytochemical studies showed that electron-dense cytoplasmic granules and PTA typical of the Leu-11a+ cells and Leu-7+ cells contained glycoprotein, acid phosphatase, and arylsulfatase. Large cytoplasmic vacuoles were heterogeneous and typically contained electron-dense material with DAB reactivity, membranous material, PTA, and/or paracrystalline inclusions. Glycoprotein, acid phosphatase, and arylsulfatase, and peroxidase reactive material were also found in these vacuoles. These features suggested that the vacuoles could be secondary lysosomes. The coexistence of intact PTA or degenerating PTA in the same vacuoles with paracrystalline inclusions suggested that the latter are possibly derived from PTA.
Some Infants With Down Syndrome Spontaneously Outgrow Their Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Introduction. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is commonly seen in children with Down syndrome (DS). Though some infants with DS spontaneously outgrow their OSA, it is not clear how often this occurs or how this should affect the choice between surgical and nonsurgical treatment. Methods. Retrospective chart review of all infants with DS younger than 2 years referred over a 66-month period to Children’s Hospital Boston for sleep study because of suspected OSA. Results. A total of 16 of 29 children studied were diagnosed with OSA; 6 were treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), 3 of whom were found 5, 5, and 10 months later on repeat sleep study to have no further evidence of OSA. Conclusion. A significant number of infants with DS and OSA may outgrow it within several months. This has implications for treatment choice, especially between CPAP and tracheostomy, because it may only be needed for a short time.
Change analysis in spatial datasets by interestingness comparison

Detecting changes in spatial datasets is important for many fields such as early warning systems that monitor environmental conditions, epidemiology, crime monitoring, and automatic surveillance. The goal of the presented research is the development of methodologies for change analysis in spatial datasets. An approach to change analysis is presented that analyses how the interesting regions in one time frame differ from the interesting regions in the next time frame with respect to a given interestingness perspective. Users are allowed to define their own interestingness perspectives that are captured in form of a reward-based fitness function. A change analysis framework is proposed in which reward-based fitness functions are maximized by clustering algorithms to find interesting regions for each dataset. Next, the relationships between interesting regions are analyzed. Two approaches to analyze correspondence between interesting regions are proposed. The first approach directly compares cluster models and strongly relies on analyzing relationships between polygons that capture the scope of an interesting region. The second approach compares cluster extensions that are computed by re-clustering. Finally, a knowledge base of change predicates is provided that allows analyzing various aspects of change, and report generators that are associated with particular predicates are proposed to generate summaries of change. Moreover, in contrast to most existing research, the framework does not assume that the identity of objects in the analyzed environment is known. The proposed framework is demonstrated in a case study that analyzes changes in earthquake patterns.
Should EOAD patients be included in clinical trials

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease affecting 1 in 68 in the population. An arbitrary cutoff 65 years as the age of onset to distinguish between early- and late-onset AD has been proposed and has been used in the literature for decades. As the majority of patients develop AD after 65 years of age, most clinical trials address this population. While the early-onset cases represent only 1% to 6% of AD cases, this population is the active working subset and thus contributes to a higher public health burden per individual, and early-onset cases are the most devastating at the level of the individual and their families. In this review, we compare and contrast the clinical, neuropsychological, imaging, genetic, biomarker, and pathological features of these two arbitrary groups. Finally, we discuss the ethical dilemma of non-abandonment and justice as it pertains to exclusion of the early-onset AD patients from clinical trials.
Watching TV news as para‐social interaction

(1979). Watching TV news as para‐social interaction. Journal of Broadcasting: Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 69-80.
Absence of exendin-4 effects on postprandial glucose and lipids in the Gila monster, Heloderma suspectum

Circulating nutrients serve as energy resources for functioning tissues throughout the body. While the tight regulation of plasma nutrients has been extensively studied in mammals, investigations into specific metabolic regulators in reptiles have been limited and have revealed conflicting results. The peptide exendin-4, which was isolated from the saliva of Gila monsters, Heloderma suspectum, has demonstrated prolonged plasma glucose-lowering properties in mammals. Although exendin-4 has often been labeled a venom protein, circulating plasma levels of exendin-4 have been shown to increase in response to feeding. Because exendin-4 has glucose-regulating effects in mammals, we hypothesized that post-prandial elevation in circulating exendin-4 levels in Gila monsters reduces plasma glucose and triglycerides. To examine the effect of exendin-4 on circulating nutrients, we measured plasma glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels of Gila monsters in response to one of four treatments: fed live mice (a natural post-prandial increase in exendin-4), force-fed dead mice while anesthetized (no post-prandial exendin-4 increase), force-fed dead mice while anesthetized and injected with exendin-4 immediately after feeding (exogenous increase in exendin-4), and force-fed dead mice while anesthetized and injected with exendin-4 24 h after feeding (delayed exogenous increase in exendin-4). After prey ingestion, glucose and triglyceride levels increased significantly over time in all treatment groups, but there was no significant treatment effect. Plasma exendin-4 levels showed significant time and treatment effects, but did not correspond to glucose and triglyceride levels. Our results demonstrate that plasma nutrient levels in Gila monsters respond relatively slowly to feeding and that exendin-4 does not have the same effect on circulating glucose in Gila monsters as it does in mammals. Further studies are necessary to determine whether circulating exendin-4 has an alternate role in regulating other components of energy metabolism such as nutrient uptake rate in the small intestine.
Design and development of a new biomedical/open surgical instrument

This article introduces a new biomedical / open surgical instrument to assist surgeon in applying surgical clips to patient’s body tissue and blood vessel during surgical processes. The new clip delivery system is designed to better the clip’s distal advance through internal clip channel, jaw guiding track, and all other transition areas to keep surgical clip from accidental shooting out during clip’s distal move into jaws. Currently the clip distal move in normal surgical instrument is usually driven by compression springs and some complains of clip accidental drop-off were recorded in surgical procedures. Because higher request of dimensional tolerance and better component surface quality are needed in case the compression springs are used as driven force, a little dimensional devia-tion or less qualified part surface produced from manufacturing processes will potentially cause surgical clip device malfunction or misfiring of the clips. It is clearly known that the jaws can seriously sever or damage patient’s blood ves-sel or body tissue if there is no clip inside the jaws due to accidental clip drop-off, when surgeons close instrument handles. The improved internal system design in this new open surgical instrument can prevent clip from accidental drop-off because of well guided and controlled clip distal move through internal clip channel and track. Besides the operational force to fully form clip is lower than existing surgical clip devices due to better mechanical advantage in this new instrument design. In addition to the above, manufacturing and product cost can be decreased since lower requirement of dimensional tolerance and surface quality of instrumental parts is allowed in this new surgical instrument design. This new instrumental prototype is build upon the analysis of computer aided modeling and simulation to prove its good mechanical advantage, feasible function, reliable performance. The preliminary results of instrument fir-ing force from both computer aided modeling and prototype testing are very close to each other, and preliminary prototype testing shows no accidental clip drop-off in this new biomedical / surgical clip instrument.