cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A DECISION MODEL FOR SMALL BUSINESS LOANS

ABSTRACT There are different credit-scoring models for the evaluation of consumer loans and commercial loans. The existing models for small business loans, however, concentrate entirely on financial data, ignoring other qualitative factors such as owner/manager capabilities. This article reviews the existing procedures for the evaluation of loans. Then, it attempts to model the loan officer's decision process through a three-step procedure: one, identifying all the key criteria including qualitative factors; two, ranking the importance of these criteria for different loan applications; and, three, developing a credit-scoring model based on multivariate statistical techniques for loan officers' behaviour. The article will conclude with an interpretation of the findings of the research.
Cosmic Ray Acceleration Mechanisms

We present a brief summary of some of the most popular theories of cosmic ray acceleration: Fermi acceleration, its application to acceleration by shocks in a scattering medium, and impulsive acceleration by relativistic shocks.
Dam Removal: A Taxonomy with Implications for Economic Analysis

Casual observers of dam removal activity in the United States are most likely familiar with the three most widely publicized removal or proposed removal projects—the Edwards Dam on the Kennebec River in Maine (removed), the Elwah and Glines Canyon Dams on the Elwah River in Washington (planned) and the proposed removal or breaching of dams on the lower Snake River along the Oregon-Idaho border. While these removal projects involve medium to large scale dams, most of the actual removal activity involves small, run-of-river dams whose economic usefulness has long past (American Rivers et al. 1999). Thus, dam removal involves projects ranging from those with small removal costs and clear, local benefits to high removal costs and uncertain benefits ranging over an entire river basin. In 2004, the Environment and Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers initiated a series of workshops aimed at the civil engineering community, to address the major issues associated with dam removal (Environmental and Water Resources Institute 2004). As the speaker on the economic aspects of dam removal at one workshop in this series, it became apparent that clarifying dam removal’s economic issues would make an important contribution to the dialogue among economists, civil engineers, biologists, environmentalists, state officials, and others involved in the dam removal process. This paper proposes a taxonomy of dam removal projects—from the simple to the complex. The dimensions of this dam removal taxonomy extend over a range from: (1) small to large dams; (2) single purpose to multipurpose projects; (3) positive to negative impacts of sediment movement; (4) dam is a liability rather than an asset; (5) removal benefits are certain rather than uncertain; (6) removal generates market benefits versus non-market benefits; (7) removal generates positive versus negative externalities; (8) the scope is local versus national; and (9) removal benefits occur sooner rather than later. Dams at one end these scales are easy to evaluate while those at the other are far more complex. By explicitly identifying the dimensions that complicate dam removal decisions, this paper aims to clarify how these project parameters affect economists’ estimates of net benefits and thus improve understanding of economic analysis among the many disciplines involved in such projects.
MISHIMA: Multilateration of Internet Hosts Hidden Using Malicious Fast-Flux Agents (Short Paper)

Fast-flux botnets are a growing security concern on the Internet. At their core, these botnets are a large collection of geographically-dispersed, compromised machines that act as proxies to hide the location of the host, commonly referred to as the “mothership,” to/from which they are proxying traffic. Fast-flux botnets pose a serious problem to botnet take-down efforts. The reason is that, while it is typically easy to identify and consequently shut down single bots, locating the mothership behind a cloud of dynamically changing proxies is a difficult task.
Hecho en Tejas: Texas-Mexican Folk Arts and Crafts

Book about Texas and Mexican folk arts and crafts, including paper crafts, quilting, weaving, sculpture, yard art, saddle-making, and other folk crafts. The index begins on page 349.
Germany, Hitler, and World War II: Hitler's decision for war

If one compares the publications on the beginning of World War II with the vast literature on the outbreak of war in 1914, a significant difference immediately becomes apparent. A substantial proportion of the latter works concerns itself with questions of detail about the various mobilization measurers and declarations of war in 1914 and attempts to arrive at a most precise reconstruction of the course of events at the time. With very few exceptions, there is nothing similar in the literature about 1939. This difference is easy to explain. The interest in the most minute details of the crisis of July 1914 is connected with the controversy over the responsibility for the outbreak of the First World War; there is, on the other hand, no sensible person who today disputes the fact that the Third Reich initiated World War II. There are, nevertheless, details of the developments of August 1939 which merit closer examination because they spotlight important aspects of German foreign policy at the time. It is generally known that the German government in 1939 arranged a number of measures in order to surprise Poland while simultaneously blaming the Poles for the outbreak of war. The quiet, publicly unannounced mobilization, now described in detail in the first part of the fifth volume of the series “Germany in the Second World War” was expected to contribute to the element of surprise, while the provocative incidents fabricated on German soil at the Gleiwitz radio station and near the villages of Hochlinden and Pitschen were supposed to prove that it was the Poles who had attacked Germany.
Radiation bleaching of thin lunar surface layer.

The thin, lighter-colored, upper layer of lunar soil shown in the television pictures from several Surveyor missions may be due to reversible bleaching by solar radiation. Of several possible bleaching reactions, the one considered most important is the photoreduction of Fe+3 to Fe+2.
Advanced Automation for Shirt‐collar Manufacturing

Summarizes the work conducted on the research and development of machinery to automate the turning and pressing of collars and their automated assembly to the shirt‐collar bands sponsored by the Defense Logistics Agency. This research and development has involved the conceptualization, design and development of proof‐of‐concept shirt‐collar turning and pressing processes based on “double‐point turning and pressing” and their systems integration into a robot‐assisted apparel workstation. The work has also involved a second activity to understand, design and develop technology which can temporarily fold and crease single‐ply shirt‐collar bands for continuous automated assembly of shirt collars and collar‐bands. This work has involved the understanding of the folding and creasing properties of various apparel fabrics, the evaluation of two technology approaches for accomplishing this task, and the attachment machine control technology for high‐speed collar and collar‐band joining.
The cardiomyopathy of overload: a hypothesis.

Progressive deterioration of the failing heart is now recognized to be a major cause of disability and death in patients with congestive heart failure. It appears that although the normal human heart functions for at least 90-100 years. overload-induced hypertrophy shortens the heart's life span to about 5 years. This accelerated deterioration of the failing heart can be viewed as a cardiomyopathy of overload in which chronic overloading causes changes in the myocardial cells that, while increasing cell mass, reduce their long-term viability
The hygienic aspects of wastewater reuse

Historically drinking water contaminated with wastewater discharged from nearby communities has been a major public health problem whose solution was directed towards the treatment of drinking water rather than of the source of contamination. The increased need for deliberate wastewater reuse has stimulated greater interest in the ability of wastewater treatment processes to produce a product in which the risk of infection, upon reuse, is reduced to an acceptable level. A brief overview of the disease agents involved, human dose-response considerations, microbial standards, and treatment plant reliability is presented. Selected experiences with the question as to how our terrestrial experience can be applicable to advanced life support systems is addressed.
Family Care before and after Bereavement

Distress reverberates throughout the family during palliative care and bereavement, inviting consideration of a family-centered model of care. Targeting families thought to be “at risk” has merit. The Family Focused Grief Therapy model was tested in a randomized controlled trial of 81 families (353 individuals) and bereavement outcome is reported here for treatment completers compared to controls. There were no significant baseline differences between treatment completers and non-completers. Significant reduction in distress occurred at 13 months post death for the families completing treatment, with further improvements for the 10% of individuals most distressed at baseline. A preventive model of family-centered care applied to those at greatest risk is meritorious and in keeping with the aspirations of Cicely Saunders for improving the quality of hospice care.
Material Properties Over-Estimated by Boundary Conditions in Biaxial Tension Can Be Corrected Using Finite Element Analysis

Tissue modeling requires an appropriate stress-strain constitutive relationship and a corresponding set of material properties. It is often the goal of experimental studies to determine these material properties. Uniaxial tension experiments are simple in experimental approach and the interpretation of results is straightforward, prompting its use in several studies. However, the freely contracting lateral edges observed in this loading modality do not mimic the in situ conditions of many fiber-reinforced soft tissues and the unconstrained fibers may also create errors.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing prior to myeloablative allo-SCT: a feasibility study

The feasibility of symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) prior to allo-SCT was assessed in addition to the prognostic value of CPET-derived measures. CPET was performed prospectively on 21 patients with hematologic malignancies, with assessments of peak (for example, peak oxygen consumption, VO2peak) and submaximal (for example, ventilatory threshold (VT)) measures of cardiopulmonary function. No serious adverse events were observed during CPET procedures, with 95% of patients achieving criteria for a peak test. Mean VO2peak was 24.7±6.4 mL kg−1min−1 (range: 10.9–35.5), equivalent to 29%±17% below that of age-matched healthy controls. All patients proceeded with the conditioning regimen followed by allo-SCT. Median follow-up was 25 months. During this period, 11 (52.4%) patients died (n=6, relapsed disease; n=5, non-relapse mortality (NRM)); 9 patients (43%) developed pulmonary toxicity. In univariate analyses, both peak and submaximal markers of cardiopulmonary function were predictors of OS, pulmonary toxicity and NRM. For OS, the HR for VO2peak and VT were 0.89 (95% CI, 0.8–0.99, P=0.04) and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.71–0.98, P=0.03), respectively. In conclusion, CPET is safe and feasible prior to allo-SCT. Patients have marked impairments in cardiopulmonary function prior to allo-SCT. CPET-derived metrics may complement conventional measures to improve risk stratification.
The Five-Factor Model of Personality Traits and OrganizationalCitizenship Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis

Using meta-analytic tests based on 87 statistically independent samples, we investigated the relationships between the five-factor model (FFM) of personality traits and organizational citizenship behaviors in both the aggregate and specific forms, including individual-directed, organization-directed, and change- oriented citizenship. We found that Emotional Stability, Extraversion, and Openness/Intellect have incremental validity for citizenship over and above Conscientiousness and Agreeableness, 2 well- established FFM predictors of citizenship. In addition, FFM personality traits predict citizenship over and above job satisfaction. Finally, we compared the effect sizes obtained in the current meta-analysis with the comparable effect sizes predicting task performance from previous meta-analyses. As a result, we found that Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Extraversion have similar magnitudes of rela- tionships with citizenship and task performance, whereas Openness and Agreeableness have stronger relationships with citizenship than with task performance. This lends some support to the idea that personality traits are (slightly) more important determinants of citizenship than of task performance. We conclude with proposed directions for future research on the relationships between FFM personality traits and specific forms of citizenship, based on the current findings.
Effect of topical applications of heavy suspensions of killed Malassezia ovalis on rabbit skin.

Heavy applications of suspensions of killedMalassezia ovalis on rabbit skin produced lesions that both grossly and microscopically resembled human psoriasis. This system may afford not only a model but also an explanation for that disease.
Analyzing the Teaching Effectiveness of Clinical Nursing Faculty of Full- and Part-Time Generic BSN, LPN–BSN, and RN–BSN Nursing Students

Effective clinical teaching has been a focus for scrutiny across the health-care disciplines. Nursing researchers have investigated students' and faculty members' views of effective clinical teaching. Various students (diploma, ADN, BSN) and their respective faculty have been studied, and some investigators have researched opinions of part-time students. No study was available that analyzed effective clinical teaching from the perspectives of students representing various formats of nursing education (basic BSN, RN–BSN, LPN–BSN students) and whether they were full or part time. The purpose of the study was to examine full- and part-time basic BSN, LPN–BSN, and RN–BSN students' ratings of effective clinical teaching behaviors. A stratified sample ( n = 198) of baccalaureate nursing students (basic, LPN–BSN, RN–BSN) who represented both full- and part-time attendees was obtained. Students were informed about the study's purpose and asked to complete a demographic questionnaire and two instruments, by Knox and Mogan [Knox, J. E., & Mogan, J. (1985). Important clinical teaching behaviors as perceived by university nursing faculty, students, and graduates. The Journal of Nursing Education , 10, 295–301] and Zimmerman and Westfall [Zimmerman, L., & Westfall, J. (1988). The development and validation of a scale measuring effective clinical teaching behaviors. The Journal of Nursing Education , 27, 274–277], measuring perceptions of effective clinical teaching. Responses to open-ended questions were recorded on one instrument. Data were analyzed using summary and inferential statistics utilizing SPSS version 12.0. Responses to open-ended questions were thematically analyzed. Findings from the study demonstrated that part-time students rated their clinical instructors statistically significantly higher in effective clinical teaching and associated subscales. Type of student (basic BSN, LPN–BSN, RN–BSN) did not affect students' ratings. Type of program format and type of student did not interact to affect ratings at a statistically significant level. Implications for nursing education, administration, and future research are delineated.
Quantitative study of the localization of sudanophilic coeliac lesions in the White Carneau pigeon

Abstract Polar coordinate mapping was used to determine the rate of progression of spontaneous sudanophilic coeliac lesions on the aortic wall in White Carneau pigeons. Three age groups of 5 pigeons were studied (∼1, ∼4 and ∼6.5 years). Serum cholesterol was found to decrease with age ( r = 0.69, P r = 0.86, P r = 0.92, P
Calcium Antagonists and the Kidney: Future Therapeutic Perspectives

During the past decade, attention has focused on the effects of calcium antagonists on renal function. Recent studies using diverse videomicroscopic techniques including the isolated perfused hydronephrotic rat kidney model, which permits direct visualization of afferent and efferent arterioles, have demonstrated that calcium antagonists acutely antagonize preglomerular vasoconstriction. In contrast, most studies suggest that the efferent arteriole appears to be refractory to the vasodilatory effects of these agents. Although the clinical implications of such observations have not been fully delineated, the results of recent studies indicate that calcium antagonists exert salutary effects on renal function in clinical settings characterized by impaired renal hemodynamics, including transplant-associated acute renal insufficiency and, possibly, cyclosporine nephrotoxicity. Evidence has accrued to suggest that calcium antagonists also may be protective against acute radiocontrast-induced nephrotoxicity. Finally, the renal hemodynamic and natriuretic effects of calcium antagonists commend their use as antihypertensive agents in the management of essential hypertension and transplant-associated hypertension.
A type I collagen defect leads to rapidly progressive osteoarthritis in a mouse model.

Objective This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that abnormalities of the subchondral bone can result in osteoarthritis (OA). Methods We used a knockin model of human osteogenesis imperfecta, the Brittle IV (Brtl) mouse, in which defective type I collagen is expressed in bone. OA in individual mice was documented by micro–magnetic resonance imaging (micro-MRI) and micro–computed tomography (micro-CT). Alterations in the knee joints were confirmed by histopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis. In addition, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to assess the ultrastructure of the articular cartilage and subchondral bone matrix. Results Brtl mice had decreased integrity of bone but initially normal articular cartilage. However, by the second month of life, Brtl mice developed alterations of the cartilage that were characteristic of OA, as documented by micro-CT, micro-MRI, and histologic evaluation. In addition, chondrocyte loss and breakdown of the collagen matrix in the residual cartilage were demonstrated using AFM. Conclusion The Brtl mouse model demonstrates that progressive destruction of articular cartilage characteristic of OA may be secondary to altered architecture of the underlying subchondral bone.
The new comparative administration: A proposal

This position paper proposes that pessimistic self-criticism in the field of comparative public administration be replaced by recognition of its already notable accomplishments; and, more importantly, by its clearly great promise when the field is not narrowly conceived as merely non-American public administration but a generic, master field of administrative study. Hence the “new comparative administration” incorporates subnational and supranational comparisons as well as those in which the independent variable of national or national system is used. Also the redefined field will embrace: organizational, programmatic, and other such comparisons; use of disparate comparative methodologies ; and research aimed frankly at ameliorating practical problems. This redefinition is intended not to down-grade the study of public administration in foreign countries, but merely to place that work in a broader disciplinary context in which revitalization can proceed.
In vitro evaluation of nonconventional accessory devices for pressurized metered-dose inhalers.

Objective: To evaluate nonconventional accessory devices and the open-mouth technique with and without ideal coordination of actuation and inhalation to identify and understand the considerations for recommending potential inexpensive devices. Methods: In vitro performance parameters of the beclomethasone dipropionate pMDI were evaluated with several devices (AeroChamber, toilet paper roll, paper towel roll, rolled paper, plastic bottle spacer, bottleholding chamber, and nebulizer reservoir tubing). Results: Compared with the pMDI alone, all the accessory devices evaluated have significantly lower drug exposure and throat deposition and higher respirable fractions, with the paper towel roll having the greatest effect of the devices evaluated (exposure decreased from a mean [SD] of 76.1 [4.8] mg to 49.2 [2.0] mg, throat deposition decreased from 32.0 [3.2] mg to 0.8 [0.3] mg, and respirable fraction increased from 49.8% [3.2%] to 96.4% [0.4%]). Introduction of a delay between actuation and inhalation resulted in greater variability in performance metrics for the devices evaluated, and the bottle-holding chamber and paper towel roll were most effective in mitigating the effect of the delay. The open-mouth technique was found to decrease throat deposition and respirable mass compared with the pMDI alone. Conclusion: In addition to cost, the amount of drug that deposits in the throat and the lungs and the effect of asynchronous actuation and inhalation can vary with the selection of an accessory device, which may affect the therapeutic benefits of the pMDI selected.
CCR7 Is Critical for the Induction and Maintenance of Th17 Immunity in Dry Eye Disease

Purpose. We characterized antigen-presenting cell (APC)–relevant chemokine receptor expression in dry eye disease (DED), and investigated the effect of topical CC chemokine receptor (CCR)-7 blockade specifically on Th17 cell immunity and dry eye disease severity.
Quasicrystals : A short review from a surface science perspective

Quasicrystals are materials of both intellectual and practical importance. Although some level of understanding can now be applied to their bulk electronic and atomic structure, the same cannot be said of their surface properties. In this article, we point out some of the key issues in the surface science of quasicrystals at present.
Strengthening of discontinuously reinforced MoSi2 composites at high temperatures

Abstract The high-temperature compressive yield strength of discontinuously reinforced MoSi 2 composites can be several times greater than that of single-phase MoSi 2 . To understand the mechanism responsible for this observed strengthening, particulate reinforced MoSi 2 composites with 15–45 vol.% SiC, TiB 2 , ZrB 2 , and HfB 2 , and average diameters ranging from 1 to 5 μm were produced by the XD™ process. The high-temperature yield strength of these alloys was found to be a function of particle size, volume fraction, and reinforcement distribution. These three variables can be reduced to a single quantity, interparticle spacing. Specifically, the yield strength was found to be proportional to the inverse square root of the interparticle spacing. This indicates that the operative strengthening mechanism for these composites may be interphase barrier strengthening, a generalization of Hall-Petch strengthening where the particle-matrix interfaces act as obstacles to dislocation motion. The strength of these composites was found to be independent of particle type when interparticle spacings were taken into consideration.
HU Binding to Bent DNA: A Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer and Anisotropy Study †

HU, an architectural DNA-binding protein, either stabilizes DNA in a bent conformation or induces a bend upon binding to give other proteins access to the DNA. In this study, HU binding affinity for a bent DNA sequence relative to a linear sequence was investigated using fluorescence anisotropy measurements. A static bend was achieved by the introduction of two phased A4T4 tracts in a 20 bp duplex. Binding affinity for 20 bp duplexes containing two phased A-tracts in either a 5‘-3‘ or 3‘-5‘ orientation was found to be almost 10-fold higher than HU binding to a random sequence 20 bp duplex (6.1 vs 0.68 μM-1). The fluorescence technique of resonance energy transfer was used to quantitatively determine the static bend of the DNA duplexes and the HU-induced bend. DNA molecules were 5‘-end labeled with fluorescein as the donor or rhodamine as the acceptor. From the efficiency of energy transfer, the end-to-end distance of the DNA duplexes was calculated. The end-to-end distance relative to DNA contour length (...
Agenda trees and sincere voting: a response to Schwartz

Schwartz (Public Choice 136:353–377, 2008) has identified a controversy within the voting theory literature pertaining to the representation of agenda structures and the consequent definition of sincere voting. This note responds to Schwartz’s remarks by arguing that the kind of agenda tree he uses does not adequately represent some common parliamentary agendas, and that consequently his definition of sincere voting cannot always be applied.
Deconvolution techniques for passive radar imaging

Forming images of aircraft using passive radar systems that exploit illuminators of opportunity, such as commercial television and FM radio systems, involves reconstructing an image from sparse samples of its Fourier transform. For a given flight path, a single receiver-transmitter pair produces one arc of data in Fourier space. Since the resulting Fourier sampling patterns bear a superficial resemblance to those found in radio astronomy, we consider using deconvolution techniques borrowed from radio astronomy, namely the CLEAN algorithm, to form images from passive radar data. Some deconvolution techniques, such as the CLEAN algorithm, work best on images which are well-modeled as a set of distinct point scatterers. Hence, such algorithms are well-suited to high-frequency imaging of man-made targets, as the current on the scatterer surface tends to collect at particular points. When using low frequencies of interest in passive radar, the images are more distributed. In addition, the complex-valued nature of radar imaging presents a complication not present in radio astronomy, where the underlying images are real valued. These effects conspire to present a great challenge to the CLEAN algorithm, indicating the need to explore more sophisticated techniques.
Multiple P3s to Emotional Stimuli and Their Theoretical Significance

Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded to both predictive (consonant-vowel-consonant) and feedback (picture) stimuli as subjects learned associations between these stimuli. The consonantvowel-consonants (CVCs) were selected for lack of emotional content while the pictures (PICs) varied in emotional value (Learning Group; N=20). A second group of subjects was exposed to the same CVC-PIC stimuli but was required only to count the number of different CVCs and PICs (Counting Group; N=20). A principal components analysis with varimax rotation was performed on ERPs to PICs and revealed multiple late positive components (P3 and P4) and a slow positive wave (SPW). In both groups, the P3 and P4 factors varied with the emotional value of the stimuli. The learning group had a larger SPW than the counting group, and disconfirmed predictions elicited larger P4s than confirmed predictions. For CVC stimuli, only P4 increased as subjects learned CVC-PIC relationships. From the similar scalp and temporal distributions of P3 and P4, as well as their functional similarity, it was concluded that these two factors reflect the same neural process which is activated by the emotional value of stimuli. One possible function of this process is suggested.
Customers’ cognitive, emotional, and actionable response to the servicescape: A test of the moderating effect of the restaurant type

Abstract This article explores the psychological processes by which the servicescape influences perceived service quality, pleasure-feeling, situational factor, and revisit intention. Drawing on Bitner's framework of environmental perception, the following questions are hypothesized: (1) Will the servicescape have a significant effect on customers’ perceived service quality and pleasure-feeling? (2) Do customers’ perceived service quality and pleasure-feeling positively influence revisit intention? (3) Does the situational factor, namely, the theme restaurant type have a moderation role among perceived service quality, pleasure-feeling, and revisit intention? The results emphasize that theme restaurant managers should seek an understanding of customers’ perception process in relation to emotion and cognition.
MKR mice have increased dynamic glucose disposal despite metabolic inflexibility, and hepatic and peripheral insulin insensitivity

Aims/hypothesis Recent work has shown that there can be significant differences when glucose disposal is assessed for high-fat induced insulin resistance by static clamp methods vs dynamic assessment during a stable isotope i.p. glucose tolerance test. MKR mice, though lean, have severe insulin resistance and decreased muscle fatty acid oxidation. Our goal was to assess dynamic vs static glucose disposal in MKR mice, and to correlate glucose disposal and muscle–adipose–liver flux interactions with metabolic flexibility (indirect calorimetry) and muscle characteristics.
Educational Credentials and the Labour Market in Japan: A Cross-National Comparison with the United States and Britain

The paper empirically examines four propositions which are derived from the thesis of "educational credentialism" in Japan using social survey data sets collected in Japan, the United States and Britain. The thesis implies that the opportunities for education are open to all the individuals in the society and that educational credentials are the major determinant of socio-economic achievement in Japanese society. The data analysis seems to support none of the propositions. Educational attainment is not independent of social background, and educational credentials are not necessarily more important than social background in labour market success in Japan. The socio-economic benefits of education are not particularly larger in Japan than in the United States and Britain, and the effect of college quality on labour market outcomes is not always stronger in Japan than in the United States. The paper concludes with a discussion on why the thesis of "educational credentialism" is so prevalent in Japan despite limited empirical support.
Protection from superoxide damage associated with an increased level of the YggX protein in Salmonella enterica

Abstract The deleterious effect of superoxide radicals on cell growth and survival is predominately caused by rapid oxidation of labile [Fe-S] clusters in proteins. Oxidation of these clusters releases Fe(II) ions, which participate in Fenton chemistry that damages DNA. Here it is shown that elevated levels of the YggX protein increase the resistance of Salmonella enterica to superoxide stress, reverse enzymatic defects attributed to oxidized [Fe-S] clusters, and decrease the spontaneous mutation frequency. The data are consistent with a model in which YggX protects protein [Fe-S] clusters from oxidation.
Generalized isothermal transport coefficients of ZnCl2-H2O at 25°C

Abstract Existing transport data for aqueous ZnCl 2 at 25°C have been critically reviewed from 0 to 5 molar. These data, together with previously reviewed activity data, have been used to calculate three sets of generalized transport coefficients: the solvent-fixed ionic Onsager coefficients I ij /N; the Friedman distinct diffusion coefficients D ij d ; and the Hertz velocity correlation coefficients f ij . These coefficients for ZnCl 2 are contrasted with the analogous coefficients for aqueous MgCl 2 , a model strong electrolyte. Although also known from other evidence, all three sets indicate very clearly that ZnCl 2 behaves as a strong electrolyte to about 0.1 molar. Cation-anion interactions then rapidly become very large, which corresponds to strong ZnCl complexing. There are puzzling aspects of the interpretation of the D ij d and the f ij ; the I ij /N seem more intuitively understandable.
Sloughing esophagitis is associated with chronic debilitation and medications that injure the esophageal mucosa

Sloughing esophagitis is characterized by superficial necrotic squamous epithelium and endoscopic plaques or membranes. According to abstract reports SE affects older, debilitated patients on multiple medications. This study seeks to evaluate the clinical findings in patients with SE. Thirty-one patients with necrotic superficial squamous epithelium, with endoscopic white plaques or membranes, but without fungi, were compared with 34 patients having esophageal biopsies done for any purpose other than Barrett's surveillance. Sloughing esophagits patients were older than controls (56 vs 43.5 years) and were more likely to be taking five or more medications (77 vs 32%), especially central nervous system depressants (65 vs 32%) and medications associated with esophageal injury (55 vs 18%). In 69% the plaques were in the distal and/or mid-esophagus; 23% involved the entire esophagus; 8% were limited to the proximal esophagus. There was no correlation between medication history and site. Sloughing esophagitis patients were likely to be debilitated based on evidence such as being on home oxygen, in nursing homes, bedridden, hospitalized, or malnourished, having metastatic cancer, organ transplantation, and/or being immunosuppressed. Sloughing esophagitis patients were more likely to have died since the biopsy (23 vs 3%), have peptic ulcer disease (55 vs 24%), or renal insufficiency (16% vs none), but no more likely to have dysmotility disorders, irritable bowel disease, or atherosclerosis. SE patients were less likely to have gastroesophageal reflux disease (45 vs 74%). No specific cause for sloughing esophagitis was identified, but the association with multiple drugs and conditions that may lead to esophageal stasis and/or injury, suggest that this is a local, perhaps contact injury, rather than an ischemic injury.
Nucleic acid template hypotheses.

IN a recent review and discussion of protein synthesis, Campbell and Work1 have discussed a hypothesis for peptide chain synthesis published by me2; but in spite of rather favourable comments on this particular hypothesis, these authors have attempted to raise certain objections against the general concept that nucleic acids might be templates for protein synthesis. However, there seems to be a certain tendency to confuse nucleic acid template hypotheses with nuclear template hypotheses, where the word ‘nuclear’ refers to the nucleus of the cell.
The Catalytic Reaction of NO over Cu Supported on Meso-Carbon Microbeads of Ultrahigh Surface Area

The catalytic reaction of NO with meso-carbon microbeads (MCMB) of ultrahigh surface area (3187 m2/g) in the presence of 20 wt% supported Cu was investigated. High conversions of NO were obtained at 330°C, higher by a factor of about six than those over Cu/activated carbon for the same amount of catalyst. The NO conversion decreased because of sintering with increasing decomposition temperature of MCMB impregnated with Cu(NO3)2. A mechanism for the NO+C reaction was suggested by calculating the activation energy barriers of the possible elementary steps using the bond-order conservation method. One concludes that the NO dissociation aided by C and the disproportionation of NO are the preferred pathways of the reaction.
Prediction of Interfacial Tension between Oil Mixtures and Water

Abstract An equation that can predict the interfacial tension between oil mixtures and water was developed: γ=(γ1−γ2) exp(αV0.7)+γ2. Five oils were used in the development of this equation. Interfacial tension between mixtures of these oils and water was measured using a Kruss K12 tensiometer in the Wilhelmy plate mode. The model developed was able to predict interfacial tension values for different ratios of the oil mixtures/water systems investigated. The limitations of this model when applied to surface active components are also discussed.
Growth and development after cardiovascular surgery in infants and children.

ROWTH G DISTURBANCE is a major consequence of congenital heart disease in infancy and childhood. The severity of growth retardation is generally dependent on the anatomic lesion and its functional effects. Most children with mild defects grow normally. In addition to the symptoms and limitations imposed by the cardiovascular malformation, the child with delayed physical development may not only lag in height and weight maturation but also in motor skills and in the development of intelligence.’ The child with retarded development will not do as well in athletics or school and may be kept back a year or placed in a class more appropriate to his chronological age. Children with growth failure tend to be treated as younger than age, are teased by peers, and become socially isolated. As a consequence, they often feel rejected and may become either very passive or aggressive. The goal of surgery in infants and children with congenital heart disease is not only the saving of life but also the prevention of the adverse effects of congenital heart disease on growth, and intellectual and psychologic development. Growth assessment may provide the parents and the postoperative child with a reassurance they need about the individual’s health. The purpose of this report is to examine to what extent palliative and corrective surgery has influenced subsequent growth.
The Experience of Noye's Fludde : A church and community adventure in music-making and learning

This paper addresses music learning as it occurred in a church and community production of Benjamin Britten's opera Noye's Fludde . As music director, the author was a participant as well as researcher. Interviews and informal conversations with cast members were conducted both during and after the performance period. A performance video added a further dimension to the data. Evidence from the data demonstrates that music learning occurred in three areas: vocal/choral development, musicianship, and socialisation. Participants noted advances in the art of singing, aural skills, the combining of singing with movement, and cited difficulties with memorisation. Gains were made in music literacy and performance skill, and musical horizons were broadened. Social aspects included the beginner to professional continuum, the intergenerational mix and the emergence of a sense of community amongst the participants. Learning related to conceptions of both music training and music education.
Improved Functional Deflection with a Dual-Deflection Flexible Ureteroscope

Purpose: To compare the maximal active deflection capabilities of a newly designed dual-deflection ureteroscope with those of a standard flexible ureteroscope. Materials and Methods: The dual-defle...
A Report on the Seventh International Conference on Case Method Research and Case Method Application

This report reviews the papers presented at the seventh WACRA conference. The range of topics and perspectives is very wide, as is the range of application areas and countries represented. However, some recurring themes can be identified, notably the growing interest in effective use of instructional design technologies for case development and effective case implementation and discussion strategies.
The Value of Recounting Narratives: Memorable Learning Experiences in the Lives of Inner-City Students and Teachers

This article examines the narratives of more than fifty students and teachers who live and work in inner-city areas of the U.S. and South Africa. The purpose of this investigation was to consider some striking similarities in the themes that emerged from the narratives of "most memorable learning experiences" shared by these inner-city learners and their implications for policy. In this article, attention is given not only to the value of these narratives to the individuals who have shared them, but also to the value of sharing these narratives with "Others" (i.e., policy makers, administrators, and curriculum developers) who are engaged in dialogues about the reform of education for inner-city populations here in the U.S. and in South Africa. The U.S. and South Africa are two countries with similarities that make them well-suited for this investigation. Structurally, the U.S. and South Africa are both seeking ways to more effectively educate large numbers of inner-city students who are culturally and linguistically different from the "mainstream" and from the students for whom the majority of instructional materials and school expectations are tailored. With an end to legal segregation in the U.S. and apartheid in South Africa, policy makers in both countries are making critical decisions concerning the reconstruction of education systems for students whom they know very little about. A disjunction exists between the lives of the students and the policy environment that seeks to design and control the educational experiences of inner-city youth. Through narratives, this article helps the reader to appreciate this disjunction and exposes a sharp contrast between the world in which the inner-city youth lives and the world implied by the policies and practices that are proposed. I propose that narratives of memorable learning experiences collected from students and teachers who live and work in inner-city areas can provide insight concerning "what counts" as learning and what aspects of life and school experiences have most shaped their lives as learners. This article demonstrates two important functions of narrative: it demonstrates how students and teachers who live and work in inner-city areas make sense of their experiences through narrative, and how (by listening to the voices of inner-city students and teachers) others can gain a data base from which to craft expanded visions of the possibilities for the change and restructuring of schools. (Content analyses of oral and written narrative data)
Second-Generation DBFOX Ligands for the Synthesis of β-Substituted α-Amino Acids via Enantioselective Radical Conjugate Additions

A set of second-generation DBFOX ligands possessing extended aryl or benzyl-type groups was synthesized. The requisite amino alcohols were either commercially available (DBFOX/Bn) or constructed via Sharpless asymmetric aminohydroxylation (DBFOX/Nap, DBFOX/ t-BuPh, DBFOX/Pip) or phase-transfer-catalyzed asymmetric alkylation (DBFOX/MeNap). Complexes of the ligands with Mg(NTf2)2 were evaluated as promoters of enantioselective radical conjugate additions to alpha,beta-unsaturated alpha-nitro amides and esters. Reactions employing the DBFOX/Nap ligand exhibited improved enantioselectivity relative to previously published additions mediated by DBFOX/Ph. However, the relatively modest increase in diastereomeric ratio suggests that our substrate-Lewis acid binding model, which was formulated based on results from DBFOX/Ph-promoted radical conjugate additions, is in need of revision.
An expert system for setting timesteps in dynamic finite element programs

An expert system, ETUDES - Expert Time integration control Using Deep and Surface Knowledge System, which addresses the determination of the timestep for time integration of linear structural dynamic equations is described. This timestep may also be applicable for a moderately nonlinear simulation of the same structure. The system also determines whether an explicit or implicit method is most efficient for the particular simulation. A production rule programming system written in OPS5 is used for the implementation of this prototype expert system. Issues relating to the expert system architecture for this application, such as knowledge representation, reasoning mechanisms, and structure are discussed. The domain knowledge is comprised of the analysis of error in time integration and the behavior of structural dynamic systems. The various types of errors; frequency distortion and amplitude attenuation, and methods for measuring their effects are examined. It is shown that frequency distortion causes amplitude distortion even if the method is free of amplitude attenuation error. A mathematical model for the effect of these errors on the solution is proposed for a single degree-of-freedom system. The results are then extended to multi-degree-of-freedom systems and to approximate spectral representations of the system. Error estimation using apriori information is considered and described within the framework of a discrete spectrum model--a scenario. The prototype is evaluated by measuring its performance in various benchmark model problems.
On Transverse Vibrations of Rotating Non-Uniform Beams

Several evaluations of natural frequencies of rotating structural elements such as windmill rotors, aircraft propellers, space frames and turbine blades have been published. Lateral vibration of centrifugally tensioned uniform Euler-Bernoulli beam, and transverse deflections of a straight tapered symmetric beam attached to a rotating hub as model for bending vibration of blades in turbomachinery have been reported in the literature. This paper presents the factorization of the fourth-order linear differential equation of motion of bending vibrations of rotating nonuniform Euler-Bernoulli beams into a pair of second-order differential Sturm-Liouville equations. Two classes of such rotating beams are reported.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Refereed paper: Reversible data mixing procedure for efficient public-key encryption

This paper describes a data mixing method for encrypting a plaintext block using a block encryption algorithm (such as Elliptic Curve, RSA, etc.) having a block size smaller than that of the plaintext block. The process of encrypting a plaintext block consists of first mixing the plaintext block and then encrypting a portion or all of the mixed plaintext block. The mixing method is a reversible procedure which performs a 'complete' mixing of the plaintext block such that no secret bit in the plaintext block can be determined unless every bit in the mixed plaintext block is known. The 'mixing' of the plaintext is done in such a way that encrypting only a small portion of the mixed plaintext will still provide the same level of protection as if the entire plaintext was encrypted.
Mechanical properties of Y-PSZ after aging at low temperature

Abstract Y-PSZ (partially stabilized zirconia) materials containing 2·0, 2·5, 3·0, 4·0 and 5·0 mol% of yttrium oxide, which had been prepared by cold isostatic pressing and sintering, hot pressing, or hot isostatic pressing, were aged in air between 200 and 500°C for 500–9000 h. The materials were examined to determine their mechanical properties and microstructure. It was confirmed that Y-PSZ containing 2·5–5·0 mol% yttrium oxide showed little degradation in strength after 2000 h of aging at 200°C with no changes in monoclinic/tetragonal ratio and density, when the grain size of the sintered material was less than 0·5 μm and the density was greater than 6·07 Mg m−3.