cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
U.S. Consideration of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, voted overwhelmingly at the biennial meeting of its General Conference in Paris on October 17, 2003 to adopt a new international Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. That Convention became international law on April 30, 2006. By the end of 2006 it had been ratified or accepted by 68 countries; today, that number is approaching universal acceptance with more than 160 nations having acceded to the convention. At the 2003 session, some 120 nation-members voted for the convention; more registered their support subsequently. No one voted against it; only a handful of nations abstained – Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States among them. Within some of those nations, debate over whether to ratify the treaty continues. In this paper, the author considers the convention and unofficially examines the U.S. government position with regard to why support for it was withheld in 2003, how deliberations have proceeded since then, and whether or not the U.S. might ultimately accept the treaty.
Route design for last-in, first-out deliveries with backhauling

Abstract The retail route design problem extends the capacitated vehicle routing problem with time windows by introducing several operational constraints, including order loading and delivery restrictions (last-in, first-out), order-dependent vehicle capacity, material handling limits at the warehouse, backhauling, and driving time bounds. In this paper, the problem is modeled on a directed network for an application associated with a major grocery chain. Because the corresponding mixed-integer program proved too difficult to solve with commercial software for real instances, we developed a greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP) augmented with tabu search to provide solutions. Testing was done using data sets provided Kroger, the largest grocery chain in the US, and benchmarked against a previously developed column generation algorithm. The results showed that cost reductions of $4887 per day or 5.58% per day on average, compared to Kroger’s corresponding solutions.
Energy demands of off-grid ice production and refrigeration

Refrigeration and freezing projects are becoming increasingly relevant in developing countries as the need for temperature-controlled food and medicine becomes more ubiquitous. Ice can be locally produced in remote areas using renewable energy powered freezers; however, minimal data exists in the literature about the time and energy requirements needed for this process. This introduces significant challenges in sizing the energy source required to power an off-grid ice making operation, as cooling the water drives the power consumption of the freezer. In this paper, a basic model is developed which calculates the time taken to freeze a quantity of water and experimental data is collected to validate the model. Both analytical and experimental techniques are used to examine how the freezing process is affected by parameters such as opening and closing the freezer door, varying the quantity of water being frozen, and the local atmospheric conditions. These results are related back to the energy consumption of the freezer compressor and are compared with field data from freezers and refrigerators installed in energy kiosks in Zambia. With this newly developed model, more accurate load profiles can be established for designing energy kiosks which support off-grid ice-making operations in developing countries.
What’s So Spatial about Diversification in Nigeria?

Summary Many households in developing countries allocate their productive assets among various income generating activities in order to develop a portfolio of income from occupations with different degrees of risk, expected returns and seasonal and liquidity constraints. The push and pull factors influencing diversification decisions of households are widely discussed in the literature; however, no study to date has taken into account spatial interdependence of household decisions in spite of various channels of neighborhood effects such as information flow, learning from others, social networks and agglomeration economies. This paper fills in the gap by incorporating spatial dependence in the choice model of diversification using a spatial auto-regressive probit model and an advanced Bayesian strategy to its estimation. Empirical analysis is run taking advantage of the Nigerian General Household Survey Panel, 2010–11 providing GIS coordinates for the surveyed households. The results imply endogeneity of the neighbors’ decisions to allocate their productive assets among various occupations and signal the importance of social learning and agglomeration effects favoring the spillover of diversification activities through neighbors’ networks and local markets. The households’ decisions respond to local environment factors such as weather shocks or infrastructural constraints. As shown by the regional differences, taking into account spatial interdependence is particularly important in the event of a wide divide of the data available into different zones, as for example in case of the Nigerian northern region where the states are larger.
DEVELOPMENT OF A ROLL DYNAMICS MODEL OF A LIQUID TANK VEHICLE

The roll dynamics model of a liquid tank vehicle is developed by integrating an equivalent mechanical analogy model of the liquid cargo to the roll plane model of a heavy commercial vehicle. The mechanical analogy model of the fluid slosh is represented through an equivalent pendulum system derived from the potential flow theory for a cylindrical tank. The non-linear vehicle model equations are derived in the roll plane of the tank vehicle by the use of Lagrang’s equations. The fluid-vehicle interaction is hence dynamically coupled in order to investigate the directional behavior of the tank vehicle during typical highway maneuvers. Computer simulations are performed on the dynamic roll model of the tank vehicle under various fill conditions and dynamic maneuver conditions. The roll response of the tank vehicle is then compared to that of an equivalent rigid cargo vehicle to study the impact of fluid slosh behavior. The influence of fluid fill level, loading conditions and vehicle characteristics on the d...
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Inositol Phospholipids at the Synapse in Neuronal Responsiveness

Neuronal communication involves synthesis, release, interaction with receptors, and degradation of a wide variety of chemical mediators at synapses. These mediators comprise neurotransmitters and other neuroactive substances and in some instances, two or more of these substances coexist in a given nerve ending. However, only one-tenth or less of the chemical mediators of the nervous system have been identified to date, and our understanding of how the processing of information involves the components of excitable membranes is just beginning.
REGULATION OF VASOPRESSIN AND OXYTOCIN RELEASE IN VITRO

Numerous studies have demonstrated a role for vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) in the regulation of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) release. Both VP and OT release potentiate the effect of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) on ACTH release (1), and they are present in portal plasma at the concentration required for this action (2). VP and CRF are co-localized in parvicellular neurons in the paraventricular nucleus which project to the median eminence (3–6), and both of these hormones are released from the isolated median eminence following depolarization (7). Thus, this appears to be one source of VP for regulation of ACTH release. OT is also present in some CRF neurons (8), but it has not been established whether these neurons project to the median eminence. Thus, it is not clear which neurons release OT into the portal circulation, but there are OT fibers in the external zone of the median eminence (9) suggesting a specific projection for control of the anterior pituitary.
Towards a Closer Cooperation between Theoretical and Numerical Analysis in Gas Dynamics

Publisher Summary Before the advent of computers, understanding of fluid mechanics was achieved through mathematical analysis, which deals primarily with concepts and uses formal rules to develop them. Numerical analysis deals with specific, concrete problems and intends to solve them one at a time, manipulating numbers to make them satisfy the partial differential equations of motion and the boundary conditions, so that values of physical parameters at points and instants of interest can be obtained. The use of numerical techniques has not contributed substantially to a better understanding of fluid mechanics and, perhaps, has diverted efforts into uncontrolled paths. One of the most important contributions of numerical analysis to a better understanding of fluid mechanics is the application of relaxation techniques to the study of supercritical airfoils.
Carcinomatous Arteriopathy as an Unusual Feature of Pulmonary Spread of Cholangiocarcinoma Arising in Caroli Disease

Carcinomatous arteriopathy is a rare and distinct form of pulmonary spread of solid malignant tumors characterized by fibrointimal proliferation of small pulmonary arteries and arterioles initiated by tumor emboli. Although it has been reported in many types of adenocarcinomas, no case of carcinomatous arteriopathy induced by cholangiocarcinoma has been described in the literature. We report a unique case of cholangiocarcinoma that arose in Caroli disease. Postmortem examination revealed extensive pulmonary vascular spread in the form of carcinomatous arteriopathy.
Quantitative imaging of the green fluorescent protein (GFP).

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the properties of green fluorescent protein (GFP) that are important for quantitative imaging. Spectral and physical properties of GFP affect the accuracy and usefulness of any quantitative measurement. Many of these properties, such as extinction coefficient, quantum yield, photobleaching rate, and pH dependence, can be measured with purified GFP in vitro. However, other important properties, especially the time course of chromophore formation and protein degradation in vivo , cannot be easily determined. In general, one chooses the brightest, most photostable GFP available, which may make complicated corrections for background and photobleaching unnecessary in less demanding applications. The chapter also discusses the properties of the fluorescence microscope that are important in quantitative imaging, such as microscope components (objective lenses, fluorescence filters, etc.), signal-to-noise ratio, detection linearity, and fluorophore saturation. Because of the large number of GFP mutants and the variety of potential biological applications, a comprehensive description of all possible quantitative imaging situations is not possible. Thus, most descriptions of methods for quantitative imaging will be limited to the use of fluorescein-like GFP mutants with laser scanning confocal microscopy.
Effectiveness of Living Shorelines as an Erosion Control Method in North Carolina

Living shorelines are a shoreline stabilization strategy encompassing a range of vegetative to structural materials and serve as an alternative approach to the use of structures like bulkheads, which are known to aggravate erosion. Living shorelines are often installed with little to no long-term monitoring for effectiveness; specifically, there is a lack of quantitative data regarding their performance as a shoreline stabilization strategy. This study sought to assess the performance of living shorelines with sills, with respect to shoreline protection, by determining shoreline change rates (SCR) using geospatial analysis. Shoreline surveys were conducted using a real-time kinematic (RTK)-GPS unit at a total of 17 living shoreline projects and nine control segments at 12 sites along the coast of North Carolina. Current shoreline position was compared to historic (pre-installation) shoreline positions obtained from aerial imagery, dating to 1993. The average SCR among northern sites before installation was − 0.45 ± 0.49 m year−1, and in southern sites, it was − 0.21 ± 0.52 m year−1. After installation, average SCR was significantly less erosive at northern and southern sites with living shorelines, 0.17 ± 0.47 and − 0.01 ± 0.51 m year−1, respectively. Of the 17 living shoreline project segments, 12 exhibited a reduction in the rate of erosion; of those 12, six were observed to be accreting. This study supports the convention that living shorelines can reduce the rate of erosion and potentially restore lost shore zone habitat.
Stability Analysis of Complex Networks with Linear-Threshold Rate Dynamics

Network models with linear-threshold rate dynamics have been widely used to explain the behavior of biological neural networks and replicate it using artificial neural networks. A full characterization of the stability properties of these networks, nevertheless, has remained elusive. This paper addresses the study of the existence and uniqueness of equilibria and asymptotic stability, leading to a thorough understanding of the conditions on the network structure that determine these properties. Given the stringency of these conditions for large-scale complex networks, we then study the stabilizability of linear-threshold network dynamics and show that, using either feedback or feedforward control, stabilization of the entire network is solely determined by the subnetwork of nodes that are not directly controlled. Illustrative examples demonstrate our results.
Immune dysregulation in cancer patients developing immune-related adverse events.

Up to 40% of cancer patients on immune checkpoint inhibitors develop clinically significant immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The role of host immune status and function in predisposing patients to the development of irAEs remains unknown. Sera from 65 patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors and 13 healthy controls were evaluated for 40 cytokines at pre-treatment, after 2–3 weeks and after 6 weeks and analysed for correlation with the development of irAEs. Of the 65 cancer patients enrolled, 55% were women; the mean age was 65 years and 98% received anti-PD1/PDL1 therapy. irAEs occurred in 35% of cases. Among healthy controls, cytokine levels were stable over time and lower than those in cancer patients at baseline. Significant increases in CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11 and CXCL13 occurred 2 weeks post treatment, and in CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL13, IL-10 and CCL26 at 6 weeks post treatment. Patients who developed irAEs had lower levels of CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11 and CXCL19 at baseline and exhibited greater increases in CXCL9 and CXCL10 levels at post treatment compared to patients without irAEs. Patients who developed irAEs have lower baseline levels and greater post-treatment increases in multiple cytokine levels, suggesting that underlying immune dysregulation may be associated with heightened risk for irAEs.
Development and validation of a high-speed video system for measuring saccadic eye movement

Laboratory-based retroreflective and magnetic scleral search-coil technologies are the current standards for collecting saccadometric data, but such equipment is costly and cumbersome. We have validated a novel, portable, high-speed video camera-based system (Exilim EX-FH20, Casio, Tokyo, Japan) for measuring saccade reaction time (RT) and error rate in a well-lit environment. This system would enable measurements of pro- and antisaccades in athletes, which is important because antisaccade metrics provide a valid tool for concussion diagnosis and determining an athlete’s safe return to play. A total of 529 trials collected from 15 participants were used to compare saccade RT and error rate measurements of the high-speed camera system to a retroreflective video-based eye tracker (Eye-Trac 6: Applied Sciences Laboratories, Bedford, MA). Bland–Altman analysis revealed that the RT measurements made by the high-speed video system were 11 ms slower than those made by the retroreflective system. Error rate measurements were identical between the two systems. An excellent degree of reliability was found between the system measurements and in the ratings of independent researchers examining the video data. A strong association (r = .97) between the RTs determined via the retroreflective and high-speed camera systems was observed across all trials. Our high-speed camera system is portable and easily set up, does not require extensive equipment calibration, and can be used in a well-lit environment. Accordingly, the camera-based capture of saccadometric data may provide a valuable tool for neurological assessment following a concussive event and for the continued monitoring of recovery.
Country Market Collection: A Case of Channel Conflict

Ashton Thyme's, an upscale furniture boutique in Athens, Georgia, has been granted exclusive territory to sell antique-reproduction furniture from Country Market Collection. But a customer has found the same Country Market Collection products Ashton Thyme's carries for a lower price online. The customer offered Ashton Thyme's the opportunity to match the online price, which the manager declined. This situation prompts an angry call from the manager to the owner of Country Market Collection, arguing that sales to websites infringe on Ashton Thyme's exclusive territory rights. Excerpt UVA-M-0942 Nov. 9, 2017 Country Market Collection: A Case of Channel Conflict In March 2011, Samantha Hodges, owner of Country Market Collection, a maker of antique-reproduction furniture, received a phone call from Jill Turnberry, a manager from Ashton Thyme's, an upscale furniture boutique in Athens, Georgia, one of Country Market Collection's biggest and longest-standing customers. Turnberry was not happy that one of Ashton Thyme's customers had just told her that he found Country Market Collection furniture cheaper at an online retailer. Like most of Country Market Collection's customers, Ashton Thyme's enjoyed rights to an exclusive distribution territory that covered Athens through Atlanta, where Ashton Thyme's operated two new stores. Even worse, from Turnberry's perspective, was the fact that Country Market Collection had agreed to let the customer pick up the furniture directly from a distribution center in Augusta, thereby saving the shipping charge and making the online purchase that much more attractive. . . .
The Mirror DBMS at TREC-9

The Mirror DBMS is a prototype database system especially designed for multimedia and web retrieval. From a database perspective, this year's purpose has been to check whether we can get suffcient effciency on the larger data set used in TREC-9. From an IR perspective, the experiments are limited to rather primitive web-retrieval, teaching us that web-retrieval is (un?-)fortunately not just retrieving text from a different data source. We report on some limited (and disappointing) experiments in an attempt to benefit from the manually assigned data in the metatags. We further discuss observations with respect to the effectiveness of title-only topics.
An exploratory study of visitors’ motivations at a heritage destination: The case of the South Luogu Alley in China

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine visitors’ motivations for going to the South Luogu Alley, a famous hutong with an over 700-year history in Beijing, China. Design/methodology/approach The study applied a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from visitors on the main street of the South Luogu Alley. Findings It was found that most visitors of the hutong are casual tourists pursuing relaxation, including tension release and spending time with friends and family; seeking authenticity is not visitors’ most important motivation. Research limitations/implications This study used only one hutong to assess visitors’ motivations in hutong tourism, so the results may not be applicable to all hutongs. Practical implications The research on the demographics and different motivations of the South Luogu Alley visitors can be useful to managers of tourism-related organizations. Social implications This study shows that tourists with different motivations for visiting a hutong have varying requirements for authenticity. The reconstruction of some historical hutongs is not always perceived as negative, and the influence of Western cultural elements can be seen as positive if they contribute to the sustainable development of the local culture. Originality/value The term “hutonger,” which includes casual visitors, entertainment seekers, authenticity seekers and pure escapees, based on these respective motivations, is introduced to describe the specific groups of hutong visitors and contribute to the hutong tourism literature.
News Frame Analysis: An Inductive Mixed-method Computational Approach

ABSTRACTFraming is one of the most central, applicable, and contested theories in communication research. At the heart of the debate on framing is the question of operationalizing and measuring emp...
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Recommendations for Hepatitis C Testing: The Need to Adopt Universal Screening in an Appalachian Emergency Department

BACKGROUND The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends screening baby boomers and high-risk patients for hepatitis C virus (HCV); however, the incidence of HCV is rapidly increasing among younger populations, and screening is limited by access to care and risk factor assessment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate characteristics of HCV antibody-positive (Ab+) and ribonucleic acid (RNA)-confirmed-positive patients identified via two screening models in an Appalachian emergency department (ED). METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who screened HCV Ab+ in the ED from January 1 to October 31, 2018. Data were extracted, and comparative analyses were conducted between the risk-based and the universal screening models. RESULTS Overall, 444 patients screened HCV Ab+, with a median age of 39 years. From January to May 2018, the risk factor model identified 126 HCV Ab+ patients out of 3,014 screened (4%), whereas from June to October 2018, the universal model identified 318 HCV Ab+ patients out of 5,407 screened (6%; p < 0.001). A consistently large proportion of diagnoses were new (71%). There was no statistically significant decrease between the RNA-confirmed-positive patients during the risk factor model (76, 60%) and universal model (186, 58%) time periods (p = 0.72). The models had high rates of reported intravenous drug use, and the universal screening adoption was modest at 33%. CONCLUSION This study was the first to present characteristics of HCV Ab+ and RNA-confirmed-positive patients identified during the transition to a universal screening model in an Appalachian ED. Most diagnoses were new regardless of screening model, but more patients screened HCV Ab+, and a similar proportion were RNA-confirmed-positive, under the universal model. Given that adoption of universal screening was modest, and risk factors remained similar, future research should investigate how to more effectively implement a universal screening model on a wider scale to identify early infections.
TPM3-NTRK1 fusion in a pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma presenting with haemorrhage in a child.

A previously healthy 6-year-old boy presented with acute onset of headache, vomiting and right sided weakness. CT imaging was performed which revealed an intracerebral left-sided 7 cm haemorrhagic mass associated with midline shift ([figure 1][1]). The patient subsequently developed signs of
Impact of Seeking Safety Dose on Depression and PTSD Symptoms Among Pregnant and Post-Partum Women

Seeking Safety (SS) is a present-focused counseling model for individuals struggling with PTSD and/or substance abuse. PTSD and depression, the main outcome measures in this study, are prevalent during the perinatal and postpartum period and have been associated with substance use. Using data from a SAMHSA funded study, we examined the association between the dose of SS and PTSD and depression symptom severity. Data were collected at baseline and at two follow up time points: immediately at discharge from treatment (N = 95), and at six months post-baseline (N = 57). All of the second follow-up interviews were conducted in the community. Participants included 114 pregnant (N = 35) or postpartum (N = 79) women between 18 and 45 years of age admitted into a residential treatment program for substance abuse treatment. Participants completed an average of 7.5 SS sessions during their stay at the residential treatment program. A significant negative association was initially observed between the number of SS sessions and PTSD and depression symptoms. Although the number of SS sessions was no longer significant when baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were accounted for, the importance of the initial finding for future research and clinical practice is discussed. Given the high rates of substance use and mental health problems among pregnant and postpartum women and the negative consequences for these women and their children, further research on the impact of SS, or other trauma-specific similar interventions is needed.
Predictors of International News Flow: Exploring a Networked Global Media System

This study examines a networked global media system by discerning what drives international news flow in multiple dimensions. A network analysis of news coverage from news websites in 67 countries ...
Cataract Surgery Complexity and Surgical Complication Rates Among Medicare Beneficiaries With and Without Dementia.

Purpose To evaluate cataract surgery complexity and complications among US Medicare beneficiaries with and without dementia. Design Retrospective claims-based cohort study. Participants A 20% representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries, 2006-2015. Methods Dementia was identified from diagnosis codes on or prior to each beneficiary's first-eye cataract surgery. For each surgery, we identified setting, routine vs complex coding, anesthesia provider type, duration, and any postoperative hospitalization. We evaluated 30- and 90-day complication rates—return to operating room, endophthalmitis, suprachoroidal hemorrhage, retinal detachment, retinal tear, macular edema, glaucoma, or choroidal detachment—and used adjusted regression models to evaluate likelihood of surgical characteristics and complications. Complication analyses were stratified by second-eye cataract surgery within 90 days postoperatively. Results We identified 457,128 beneficiaries undergoing first-eye cataract surgery, 23,332 (5.1%) with dementia. None of the evaluated surgical complications were more likely in dementia-diagnosed beneficiaries. There was also no difference in likelihood of nonambulatory surgery center setting, anesthesiologist provider, or postoperative hospitalization. Dementia-diagnosed beneficiaries were more likely to have surgeries coded as complex (15.6% of cases vs 8.8%, P Conclusions Among US Medicare beneficiaries undergoing cataract surgery, those with dementia are more likely to have “complex” surgery” lasting more than 30 minutes. However, they do not have greater likelihood of surgical complications, higher-acuity setting, advanced anesthesia care, or postoperative hospitalization. This may be influenced by case selection and may suggest missed opportunities to improve vision. Future research is needed to identify dementia patients likely to benefit from cataract surgery.
Case 3: Term Infant with Delayed Meconium Passage and Bilious Emesis.

An infant boy is born via emergency cesarean section because of cord prolapse. The mother is a 33-year-old, gravida 4, para 2 Black woman. Maternal history is significant for obesity (body mass index >30 kg/m2) with a normal result on 1-hour glucose tolerance test. The pregnancy course is unremarkable. The infant is born at 37 2/7 weeks with a birthweight of 2,950 g (20th percentile). Apgar scores are 8 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. The infant grunts after delivery, with an oxygen saturation of 99% but no respiratory distress, which resolves shortly after birth. At 24 hours of age, the family reports that the infant had 2 episodes of bilious emesis in the setting of delayed passage of meconium. The infant had breastfed 3 times and urinated 4 times. Physical examination findings include decreased bowel sounds, soft and nontender but distended abdomen, no hepatosplenomegaly, and mild hypotonia. Because of persistent bilious emesis, the infant is transferred to the NICU for nasogastric tube placement, bowel rest, and intravenous fluids. An upper gastrointestinal series is performed with abdominal radiography and contrast enema (Figs 1 and 2). Figure 1. Abdominal radiograph demonstrating gaseous distention of large and small bowel with gas observed to the level of the rectum. Figure 2. Contrast enema of neonatal small left colon demonstrating a smaller caliber short segment …
CRC-Aided List Decoding of Convolutional Codes in the Short Blocklength Regime.

This paper identifies convolutional codes (CCs) used in conjunction with a CC-specific cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code as a promising paradigm for short blocklength codes. The resulting CRC-CC concatenated code naturally permits the use of the serial list Viterbi decoding (SLVD) to achieve maximum-likelihood decoding. The CC of interest is of rate-$1/\omega$ and is either zero-terminated (ZT) or tail-biting (TB). For CRC-CC concatenated code designs, we show how to find the optimal CRC polynomial for a given ZTCC or TBCC. Our complexity analysis reveals that SLVD decoding complexity is a function of the terminating list rank, which converges to one at high SNR. This behavior allows the performance gains of SLVD to be achieved with a small increase in average complexity at the SNR operating point of interest. With a sufficiently large CC constraint length, the performance of CRC-CC concatenated code under SLVD approaches the random-coding union (RCU) bound as the CRC size is increased while average decoding complexity does not increase significantly. TB encoding further reduces the backoff from the RCU bound by avoiding the termination overhead. As a result, several CRC-TBCC codes outperform the RCU bound at moderate SNR values while permitting decoding with relatively low complexity.
Linking Transient Voltage to Spatially-Resolved Luminescence Imaging to Understand Reliability of Perovskite Photovoltaics

In this work, we present a methodology to separate effects of perovskite device metastability from irreversible degradation, using stress/rest cycling under constant current bias while collecting a series of electroluminescence images and continuously monitoring voltage. We develop a simulation model and procedures for image processing to better understand the effects of ion parameters on the transient nature of voltage and evolving electroluminescence images.
Epidural Corticosteroid Injections Provide Minimal, If Any, Benefit in Low Back Pain with Sciatica.

Epidural corticosteroid injections provide a small and probably clinically insignificant reduction in leg and back pain in the immediate term (less than two weeks), and a small to moderate reduction in disability in the short and intermediate terms.
Salvage of Failed Protein Targets by Reductive Alkylation

The growth of diffraction-quality single crystals is of primary importance in protein X-ray crystallography. Chemical modification of proteins can alter their surface properties and crystallization behavior. The Midwest Center for Structural Genomics (MCSG) has previously reported how reductive methylation of lysine residues in proteins can improve crystallization of unique proteins that initially failed to produce diffraction-quality crystals. Recently, this approach has been expanded to include ethylation and isopropylation in the MCSG protein crystallization pipeline. Applying standard methods, 180 unique proteins were alkylated and screened using standard crystallization procedures. Crystal structures of 12 new proteins were determined, including the first ethylated and the first isopropylated protein structures. In a few cases, the structures of native and methylated or ethylated states were obtained and the impact of reductive alkylation of lysine residues was assessed. Reductive methylation tends to be more efficient and produces the most alkylated protein structures. Structures of methylated proteins typically have higher resolution limits. A number of well-ordered alkylated lysine residues have been identified, which make both intermolecular and intramolecular contacts. The previous report is updated and complemented with the following new data; a description of a detailed alkylation protocol with results, structural features, and roles of alkylated lysine residues in protein crystals. These contribute to improved crystallization properties of some proteins.
Metabolism of d-Arabinose by Aerobacter aerogenes: Purification of the Isomerasea

In Aerobacter aerogenes , the mutational event permitting the utilization of d-arabinose as a source of carbon and energy is a regulatory mutation resulting in the constitutive synthesis of certain enzymes of the l-fucose catabolic pathway. l-Fucose isomerase catalyzes the isomerization of d-arabinose to d-ribulose. This enzyme was purified to homogeneity as indicated by a single band in disc-gel electrophoretic columns and single peaks with column chromatography and ultracentrifugation from the wild-type PRL-R3 strain, induced with l-fucose and two constitutive mutants, 502 and 510. The ratios of the activities of this isomerase on d-arabinose and l-fucose remained constant throughout all purifications. The apparent K m of the isomerase from the wild-type strain induced with l-fucose and from the constitutive mutant strains was 5.0 × 10 −2 m for l-fucose and 1.5 × 10 −1 m for d-arabinose. A strain 531 possessing an apparent alteration in the isomerase was isolated from the strain 502. This altered isomerase exhibited a lowered K m for d-arabinose. Images
Central Structural Parameters of Early-Type Galaxies as Viewed with NICMOS on the Hubble Space Telescope*

We present surface photometry for the central regions of a sample of 33 early-type (E, S0, and S0/a) galaxies observed at 1.6 � m (H band) using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Dust absorption has less of an impact on the galaxy morphologies in the near-infrared than found in previous work based on observations at optical wavelengths. When present, dust seems to be most commonly associated with optical line emission. We employ a new technique of two-dimensional fitting to extract quantitative parameters for the bulge light distribution and nuclear point sources, taking into consideration the effects of the point-spread function. Parameterizing the bulge profile with a “Nuker” law (Lauer et al. 1995), we confirm that the central surface-brightness distributions largely fall into two categories, each of which correlates with the global properties of the galaxies. “Core” galaxies tend to be luminous ellipticals with boxy or pure elliptical isophotes, whereas “power-law” galaxies are preferentially lower luminosity systems with disky isophotes. The infrared surface-brightness profiles are very similar to the optical, with notable exceptions being very dusty objects. Similar to the study of Faber et al. (1997) based on optical data, we find that galaxy cores obey a set of fundamental-plane relations wherein more luminous galaxies with higher central stellar velocity dispersions generally possess larger cores with lower surface brightnesses. Unlike most previous studies, however, we do not find a clear gap in the distribution of inner cusp slopes; several objects have inner cusp slopes (0.3 < γ < 0.5) which straddle the regimes conventionally defined for core and power-law type galaxies. The nature of these intermediate objects is unclear. We draw attention to two objects in the sample which appear to be promising cases of galaxies with isothermal cores that are not the brightest members of a cluster. Unresolved nuclear point sources are found in ∼50% of the sample galaxies, roughly independent of profile type, with magnitudes in the range m nuc = 12.8 to 17.4 mag, which correspond to M nuc H = −12.8 to −18.4 mag. Although the detection rate of compact nuclei seems favored toward galaxies spectroscopically classified as weak active galactic nuclei, we find no significant correlation between the near-infrared nuclear luminosities and either the optical emission-line luminosities or the inferred black-hole masses. Subject headings: galaxies: active — galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD — galaxies: nuclei — galaxies: photometry — galaxies: Seyfert — galaxy: structure
Virtual Chat World (VCW)

Chat software has revolutionized the way people all over the world interact with one another. Not only has it bridged the gap between continents but it has also made the transfer of data over long distances very fast and reliable. While many of today's internet chat applications offer many features besides straightforward text-based communication (i.e., games, file sharing, voice communication), not many have attempted to place the user in a virtual setting where they can walk around an artificial environment and interact with other users in real time.
Effect of water pollutants and other chemicals upon ribonuclease activity in vitro.

Ribonuclease was treated in vitro with 73 chemicals, many of which are environmental pollutants, including inorganic, organic, and metal-organic chemicals, pesticides and other biocides, alkyl and aryl industrial pollutants, and certain additional chemicals, to determine their effect upon enzyme activity. Palladium (II and IV) and gold (III) were the strongest inhibitors of RNase activity. Other strong inhibitors, in decreasing order of effect, were: sodium dodecyl sulfate, silver (I), EDTA, mercury (II), copper (II), thiram (fungicide), platinum (IV), malathion (pesticide), lead (II), and beryllium (II). Intermediate effects were found with other inorganic cations, many anions, and some other chemicals. A number of compounds of different chemical types caused no measurable effect. None of the chemicals tested caused a measurable activation of this enzyme.
Design and implementation of ADVANCE: The Illinois dynamic navigation and route guidance demonstration program

A demonstration program to design, implement and evaluate an in-vehicle navigation and route guidance system with dynamically updated travel time information is being undertaken on a suburban arterial road system in Northeast Illinois. In July, 1991, the Illinois Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Motorola, Inc., and Illinois Universities Transportation Research Consortium agreed to proceed with the design and test phase of the demonstration program. This phase will design the route guidance system demonstration, implement the software design for the Traffic Information Center and conduct a system test. Detailed plans for monitoring and assessing the system's performance will also be prepared. These designs will guide the studies to be performed during the implementation phase of the demonstration program expected to commence in 1993.
How should a snake turn on ice: a case study of the asymptotic isoholonomic problem

It is a classical result that solutions to the isoperimetric problem, i.e., finding the planar curves with a fixed length that enclose the largest area, are circles. As a generalization, we study an asymptotic version of the dual isoholonomic problem in a Euclidean space with a co-dimension one distribution. We propose the concepts of asymptotic rank and efficiency, and compute these quantities as well as the efficiency-achieving curves in several special cases. In particular, an example of a snake moving on ice is worked out in detail to illustrate the results.
Introduction to Part Five: Teaching Social Work with Groups

This article introduces Papell’s unpublished writings on teaching social work with groups. These articles discuss the impact on students and faculty of a new generic/generalist curriculum, the identification of styles of learning for social work practice, and the use of process recording in the classroom as well as the field placement. The author goes on to discuss one of Papell’s published works examining dialectical issues in social work education.
Purification of antiovalbumin from specific precipitates by gel filtration.

Abstract Specific precipitates of ovalbumin and rabbit antiovalbumin dissolved in pH 2·25 glycine buffer have been fractionated on Sephadex G-200. Three fractions were obtained which on the basis of immunodiffusion and ultracentrifuge data were concluded to be soluble complexes, antibody and ovalbumin, respectively.
Transnational Financial Crime Crooked Lawyers, Tax Evasion, and Securities Fraud

Serious transnational organized criminals must always be on the alert for prospective places to hide and to secure their ill-gotten proceeds. Offshore havens have long been the harbor of choice for these criminals, as well as for legitimate businesspersons who evade taxes. The authors chronicle and analyze several case studies of grand-scale fraud and other crimes, complete with analysis of noteworthy criminals. The article concludes with an examination of the many permutations of the social networks that are necessary to carry out these schemes.
Diel periodicity and influence of age and mating on sex pheromone titer in gypsy moth,Lymantria dispar (L.).

The diel periodicity of sex pheromone titer from pheromone glands of femaleLymantria dispar is described. On the day of emergence (day 0), pheromone titer was generally low; means ranged from 1 to 4 ngcis- 7,8-epoxy-2-methyloctadecane during photophase and gradually increased to 8.4 ng over the course of scotophase. For day-1, -2, and -3 females, the diel fluctuations of titer were more pronounced. Lowest titers (5–9 ng) occurred 0–4 hr after lights-on, and peak titers (19–32 ng) were found 0–4 hr before lights-off. Comparison of the average daily titer among the different age groups (data pooled over six time points at 4-hr intervals) indicated that significantly less pheromone was extracted from glands of day-0 (4.5 ng) than day-1 (12.4 ng), day-2 (15.4 ng), or day-3 females (13.5 ng). No significant differences were found among the three older ages. Femalesin copula exhibited a rapid reduction in titer within the first 0.5 hr of mating initiation (7.6 ng vs. 19.5 ng from virgin females of similar age). After the second 0.5 hr, the reduction in titer was not nearly as marked, falling only to 4.5 ng. Twenty-four hours after mating, titer fell below the limits of detection (0.5 ng). All extracts from pheromone glands of virgin or mated females contained < 1.0 ng of the putative pheromone precursor, 2-methyl-cis-7-octadecene.
The macroeconomics of the equal pay act

Abstract This study uses simulations based on 1980 U.S. Census data to estimate the economic disruption that would occur if the wages of women and men were adjusted according to the principles of equal pay for equal work as set out in the Equal Pay Act of 1963. Disruption is measured by the effect such wage adjustments have on the macroeconomic variables of nominal Gross National Product and unemployment. A range of government policy options which could be used to ameliorate the impact of these adjustments in earnings is also examined.
Natural language programming: styles, strategies, and contrasts

Our objective in this study was to obtain detailed empirical information about the nature of natural language “programming” to bring to bear on the issueosf increasing the usability of computer language interfaces. Although we expected numerous difficulties to be detected concerning the potentioalf actually implementing a system to interpret natural language programs, we were not prepared for the magnitude of what we see as being the three major obstacles: style, semantics, and world knowledge. Concerning the first, there is little way in which the vast differences in styles could be increased: programming-language style is simply alien to natural specification. With respect to semantics, we also were unprepared to find out the extent to which the selection of the appropriate “meaning” (to a word, phrase, or sentence) is dependent upon the immediate and prior context. And as for world nowledge, we suspect that the extent to which shared experiences and knowledge are critical to procedural communication and understanding among people has barely been hintaetd by our present data.
Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 released from polyurethane-based scaffolds promotes early osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells

The purposes of this study were to determine the pharmacokinetics of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) from a polyurethane (PUR)-based porous scaffold and to determine the biological responses of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to the rhBMP-2 released from those scaffolds. The rhBMP-2 was incorporated into the PUR three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds and release profiles were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The bioactivity of the rhBMP-2 containing releasates was determined using hMSCs and compared with exogenous rhBMP-2. Release of rhBMP-2 from PUR-based systems was bi-phasic and characterized by an initial burst followed by a sustained release for up to 21 days. Expression of alkaline phosphatase activity by hMSCs treated with the rhBMP-2 releasates was significantly greater than the cells alone (control) throughout the time periods. Furthermore, after 14 days of culture, the hMSCs cultured with rhBMP-2 releasate had a greater amount of mineralization compared to exogenous rhBMP-2. Overall, the rhBMP-2 release from the PUR-based scaffolds was sustained for 21 days and the releasates appeared to be bioactive and promoted earlier osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of hMSCs than the exogenous rhBMP-2.
Cajun and Creole Folktales : The French Oral Tradition of South Louisiana

Assembles and classifies the abundant lore and storytelling in the French culture of southern Louisiana, presenting French and English translations side-by-side, along with commentaries. Includes biographical sketches of present-day storytellers and their favorite animal and magic stories, tall tal
Inclusion body myositis : Clinical and pathological boundaries

Inclusion body myositis, polymyositis, and dermatomyositis are three distinct categories of inflammatory myopathy. Some authorities commented on the selective early weakness of the volar forearm muscles, quadriceps, and ankle dorsiflexors in inclusion body myositis. The most important feature distinguishing inclusion body myositis from the other two inflammatory myopathies is the lack of responsiveness to immunosuppressive treatment. Although most patients with inclusion body myositis have characteristic muscle biopsy findings, some cannot be distinguished histologically early from polymyositis. Predicting responsiveness to immunosuppressive medications, independent of muscle histology, would be valuable to clinicians. We retrospectively reviewed the pattern of weakness and other clinical features of 46 patients newly diagnosed with either inclusion body myositis, polymyositis, or dermatomyositis. Asymmetrical muscle weakness with prominent wrist flexor, finger flexor, and knee extensor involvement was specific for inclusion body myositis and unresponsive polymyositis. Male sex, lower creatine kinase levels, slower rate of progression, and peripheral neuropathy were also more common in inclusion body myositis and unresponsive polymyositis than in responsive polymyositis and dermatomyositis patients. Repeat muscle biopsy in 2 patients in the unresponsive polymyositis group demonstrated histological features of inclusion body myositis. We suspect that patients with clinical features of inclusion body myositis but lacking histological confirmation may nonetheless have inclusion body myositis. Our study supports the recently proposed criteria for definite and possible inclusion body myositis.
Simple stability criteria for nonlinear time-varying discrete systems

Abstract We present two sufficient conditions for asymptotic stability of nonlinear time-varying discrete systems. Our main results generalize Mori's result for linear discrete time-invariant systems to nonlinear time-varying systems.