cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrating carbon market uncertainties into a sustainable manufacturing investment decision: a Bayesian NPV approach

Net present value (NPV) is a widely used technique in capital budgeting. In this paper, we develop a Bayesian NPV framework using a Gibbs sampler. This approach allows decision-makers to integrate their knowledge, past experience, and uncertain and volatile cash flows from carbon emissions credits into decisions dealing with energy efficient, sustainable manufacturing equipment. The results indicate NPV is highly dependent on the nature of volatility and uncertainty of the cash flows. Without inclusion of this information through the Bayesian framework results, NPV becomes overstated, and thus it may provide biased guidance for the investment. The results developed in this paper further show that the frequency of very high and low cash flows and to a lesser degree their variability adversely impacts NPV. The results may also explain reasons for the economic phenomenon known as the energy efficiency gap.
Performance of Tapered Land Thrust Bearings for Large Steam Turbines

Bearings of 350-, 363-, and 450-square-inch area and ranging up to 31.5-inch outside diameter were tested at speeds up to 5000 rpm and at loads up to 1000 psi. Laminar-turbulent transition conditions are analyzed as well as performance relations for both regimes. Presented at the 26th ASLE Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, May 3–6, 1971
Adjuvant chemotherapy improves survival in patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage II colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether the administration of adjuvant chemotherapy improves survival in patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage II colon cancer. METHODS: The authors used the State of California Cancer Surveillance Program (CSP) to assess patients ages 18 to 80 years with AJCC stage II colon cancer (ie, T3 or T4 and N0) who underwent surgical resection during 1991 and 2006. Patients who had rectal and rectosigmoid cancers were excluded. The cohort was stratified according to the receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy, and clinical and pathologic characteristics and outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: From the CSP data, 3716 patients were identified who underwent curative-intent surgical resection for stage II colon cancer. When the 2 treatment groups (surgery plus adjuvant chemotherapy [n = 916] and surgery alone [n = 2800]) were compared, patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy were more likely to be younger and to have left-sided lesions with ≥12 lymph nodes examined. There was no difference in sex or tumor differentiation between the 2 groups. According to a Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy had improved overall survival compared with patients who underwent surgery alone (median survival, 12 years vs 9.2 years, respectively; P < .001). In multivariate analysis, adjuvant chemotherapy was identified as an independent predictor of improved survival (hazard ratio, 0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-0.99; P = .031). CONCLUSIONS: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first population-based analysis to identify a survival advantage for adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with AJCC stage II colon cancer. On the basis of the current findings, the authors concluded that the administration of adjuvant chemotherapy improves survival in select patients with stage II disease. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Photoconductivity in homojunction internal photoemission far-infrared detectors

A photoconductivity generation mechanism in homojunction interfacial workfunction internal photoemission (HIWIP) far-infrared detectors has been studied. A simple model is proposed and shows that the photoconductive gain of internal photoemission detectors is less than but close to unity and independent of the number of the emitter layers, while the current responsivity is proportional to the number of emitter layers. The results are in good agreement with the p-GaAs HIWIP experiments. The response time of the p-GaAs HIWIP detectors was estimated to be 20 ps from the bias-dependent responsivity measurements, which shows the suitability for high-speed heterodyne applications.
FESTERING FOOD: CHYTRIDIOMYCETE PATHOGEN REDUCES QUALITY OF DAPHNIA HOST AS A FOOD RESOURCE

When parasitic infections are severe or highly prevalent among prey, a significant component of the predator's diet may consist of parasitized hosts. However, despite the ubiquity of parasites in most food webs, comparisons of the nutritional quality of prey as a function of infection status are largely absent. We measured the nutritional consequences of chytridiomycete infections in Daphnia, which achieve high prevalence in lake ecosystems (>80%), and tested the hypothesis that Daphnia pulicaria infected with Polycaryum laeve are diminished in food quality relative to uninfected hosts. Compared with uninfected adults, infected individuals were smaller, contained less nitrogen and phosphorus, and were lower in several important fatty acids. Infected zooplankton had significantly shorter carapace lengths (8%) and lower mass (8-20%) than uninfected individuals. Parasitized animals contained significantly less phosphorus (16-18% less by dry mass) and nitrogen (4-6% less) than did healthy individuals. Infected individuals also contained 26-34% less saturated fatty acid and 31-42% less docosahexaenoic acid, an essential fatty acid that is typically low in cladocera, but critical to fish growth. Our results suggest that naturally occurring levels of chytrid infections in D. pulicaria populations reduce the quality of food available to secondary consumers, including planktivorous fishes, with potentially important effects for lake food webs.
RhoA-induced changes in fibroblasts cultured on organic monolayers.

Abstract Substantial previous work indicates that adherent cell morphology in culture is modulated by surface chemistry. Activation of the intracellular small molecular weight GTPase, RhoA, has recently been shown to play an essential role in controlling initiation of key integrin-mediated events in surface adhesion and proliferation. RhoA is interconvertible between an active, membrane-bound form and an inactive, cytosolic RhoGDI-bound form in response to integrin stimulation. This study reports the use of self-assembled functionalized organic alkylthiol monolayers (SAMs) as well-defined cell culture substrates to investigate the relationships between surface chemistry, RhoA activation and subsequent cell morphological and molecular level signal transduction responses in cells attaching to derivatized SAMs. Well-controlled alkylthiol surface chemistries were used to monitor and modulate the activation state of RhoA in attaching cells. Activation states were determined indirectly by fractionating cell lysates into membrane and cytosolic fractions by ultracentrifugation. Western blots were then performed, showing RhoA localization to be surface chemistry-dependent. RhoGDI levels and its intracellular localization were also shown to be surface-chemistry dependent. Cells cultured on –CH 3 terminated SAMs, which normally exhibit a low-growth phenotype, were transfected with a constitutively active mutant form of RhoA. Subsequent cell morphological changes were observed on SAM surfaces by fluorescence microscopy. Results support surface chemistry influences on the activation state of RhoA mediated by adsorbed proteins and distinct changes in adherent cell morphology resulting from modulation of this activation state.
Direct visualization of three-dimensional crystallization behavior in microgels

We use confocal microscopy to study the three-dimensional (3D) structure of colloidal crystals formed by poly($N$-isopropylacrylamide)-co-(acrylic acid) microgels of diameter 1.0--1.5 $\ensuremath{\mu}$m. The confocal images are tracked to locate particle positions in 3D, which are used to compute pair-correlation functions $g$($r$), bond order parameters, and structure factors $s$($q$). We find that the structure remains fcc for a range of charge, size, and concentration of the particles. When the particles are weakly attractive and are at low concentrations, polycrystalline solids result. In addition, owing to the compressibility of the colloids, the crystals display remarkable structural stability when subjected to external stress.
Adsorption, Diffusion, and Dissociation of H2S on Fe(100) from First Principles

We employ spin-polarized periodic density functional theory (DFT) to characterize H2S and HS adsorption, diffusion, and dissociation on the Fe(100) surface. We investigate the site preference of H2S, HS, and S on Fe(100). H2S is predicted to weakly adsorb on hollow, bridge, and on-top sites of Fe(100), with the bridge site preferred. The diffusion barrier from the bridge site to the next most stable on-top site is predicted to be small (∼0.15 eV). In contrast to H2S, HS is predicted to be strongly chemisorbed on Fe(100), with the S atom in the hollow site and the HS bond oriented perpendicular to the surface, due to charge transfer from the surface to S p-orbitals. Isolated S atoms also are predicted to bind strongly to the hollow sites of Fe(100), with the bridge site found to be a transition state for S hopping between neighboring hollow sites. The minimum energy paths for H2S and HS dehydrogenation involve rotating an H atom toward a nearby surface Fe atom, with the S−H bonds breaking on the top of onl...
Sleep Deprivation, EEG, and Functional MRI in Depression: Preliminary Results

One night of total or partial sleep deprivation (SD) produces temporary remissions in 40–60% of patients with major depression. Two unmedicated patients with major depression and a matched control received quantitative perfusion MR images at baseline and after one night of partial SD (PSD). A reduction ⩾30% in the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (omitting sleep and weight loss items) defined antidepressant response. Theory, techniques, strengths and weaknesses of quantitative perfusion MRI are described in detail. At baseline, the responder exhibited elevated perfusion covering ventral anterior cingulate/medial frontal cortex; the control's maximal perfusion area was markedly smaller. The nonresponder's perfusion was lowest of all, particularly ventrally. PSD decreased perfusion over much of the responder's hyperperfused area but did not change the nonresponder's scan. These preliminary findings are consistent with previous SD studies using PET and SPECT.
Plasma-induced charging damage in P+-polysilicon PMOSFETs

This paper reports plasma-induced charging damage in p + -polysilicon PMOSFETs as a function of amount of boron penetration. Plasma charging effect is amplified using contact antenna structures with ratios of 10, 100 and 1K. The antenna is connected to the gate of a 25μm/0.8μm PMOSFET from a matched pair to minimized device performance deviation due to process non-uniformity. It is found that initial device characteristics, such as threshold voltage, transconductance and subthreshold swing, are degraded in the antenna devices as compared to the control devices and this degradation is aggravated with the amount of boron penetration. The percentage degradation in maximum transconductance of the antenna devices is proportional to its increase in peak charge pumping current, suggesting that the degraded interface property is responsible for the reduced G m . It is believed that boron-penetration causes latent defects in gate oxides and thereby increases charge trapping and interface states generation during stress, resulting in an enhancement of plasma damages in the p + -polysilicon PMOSFETs.
Kyanite deformation in whiteschist of the ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic Kokchetav Massif, Kazakhstan

Microstructures in minerals from ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic (UHPM) terranes are keys to understanding the rheological properties and the exhumation mechanisms of rocks from subduction zones. Kyanite-bearing whiteschist, associated with eclogite lenses, is part of UHPM unit II located south-west of Lake Zheltau in the Kulet region of the Kokchetav Massif. The equilibrium assemblage is kyanite + garnet + talc + phengite + coesite/quartz. Previously reported peak pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions are � 3.5 GPa at 750 � C. A strong foliation is defined by the talc and phengite, with a corresponding weak shape preferred alignment of kyanite. Crystallographic orientation maps and analysis of kyanite blades were performed using electron backscatter diffraction methods. The data are consistent with a (100)(001) slip system for the formation of undulose extinction and kink bands in kyanite. Rotations measured across individual kink bands are 10-50� about , and rotations along kyanite with undulose extinction are up to 50� about with variations between adjacent points typically <2� . The undulose extinction is interpreted to have developed through crystal plastic deformation by dislocation creep. Kink bands mark the development of high-angle grain boundaries by dislocation climb. The deformation of kyanite occurred in the fault-bounded terrane during the exhumation of the Kokchetav Massif.
Clustering and percolation transitions in helium and other thin films

A theory of the growth of thin films and the evolution of bulk characteristics is developed from a thermodynamic basis. The work has been prompted by recent experiments on $^{3}\mathrm{He}$, $^{4}\mathrm{He}$, and ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ films adsorbed on uniform basal-plane graphite surfaces, which indicate that as coverage increases the characteristics of the films may progress from a monolayer regime to a two-layer regime, and then at coverages which are specific to each system and temperature, to the relatively abrupt appearance of nearly bulklike properties. It is shown that the nature of film growth with increasing adsorption is controlled by three interfacial coefficients and the spreading pressure, which permit three general classes of behavior: (I) uniform deposits at all thicknesses; (II) bulk nucleation after a thin uniform deposit; (III) bulk nucleation with no preadsorption. Metal deposits on inert insulator and semiconductor surfaces typically belong to classes II and III. Van der Waals films are conventionally considered class I, although several class II examples are known. The recent experiments strongly suggest that He and ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ on graphite are members of class II, and quantitative estimates of the heliumgraphite parameters are consistent with this possibility. Further aspects of class-II growth are also considered. On ideal surfaces the clustering transition is guarded by a high nucleation barrier but in real systems the barrier is reduced or entirely removed by substrate heterogeneities. This usually leads to the formation of many isolated clusters which grow into "thick" islands coexisting with ultrathin film. The islands are shown to be markedly flattened by the substrate field, and as more material is deposited they grow principally in the lateral direction. When the coverage is sufficiently high the islands establish connectivity in a percolation transition. Percolation transitions appear to take place in metal films; we propose that they occur also in helium films. In $^{4}\mathrm{He}$ films below ${T}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}$ the percolation transition can take place via Josephson tunneling between droplets, at coverages too low for "geometric" connectivity: this causes the superfluid onset temperature to depend on coverage. A number of persistent puzzles associated with onset phenomena are understandable in terms of the theory. It seems likely that models of superfluid onset in uniform slab geometry have little to do with real films.
Research Policy and Review 27. New Directions for Understanding Transportation and Land Use

Theories of relationships between land use and transportation, and the empirical research conducted to test these relationships are reviewed. Recent empirical research seldom supports theoretical expectations. These results are explained by the changes in urban structure that have occurred over the past three decades. The paper concludes with some suggestions for revising the theories to represent conditions in contemporary urban areas better.
Nonlinear Resonances in a Flexible Cantilever Beam

An experimental investigation into the response of a nonlinear continuous systems with many natural frequencies in the range of interest is presented. The system is a flexible cantilever beam whose first four natural frequencies are 0.65 Hz, 5.65 Hz, 16.19 Hz, and 31.91 Hz, respectively. The four natural frequencies correspond to the first four flexural modes. The fourth natural frequency is about fifty times the first natural frequency. Three cases were considered with this beam. For the first case, the beam was excited with a periodic base motion along its axis. The excitation frequency fe was near twice the third natural frequency f3 , which for a uniform isotropic beam corresponds to approximately the fourth natural frequency f4 . Thus the third mode was excited by a principal parametric resonance (i.e., fe ≈ 2f3 ) and the fourth mode was excited by an external resonance (i.e., fe ≈ f4 ) due to a slight curvature in the beam. Modal interactions were observed involving the first, third, and fourth modes. For the second case, the beam was excited with a band-limited random base motion transverse to the axis of the beam. The first and second modes were excited through nonlinear interactions. For the third case, the beam was excited with a base excitation along the axis of the beam at 138 Hz. The corresponding response was dominated by the second mode. The tools used to analyze the motions include Fourier spectra, Poincare sections, and dimension calculations.
Adult murine prostate basal and luminal cells are self-sustained lineages that can both serve as targets for prostate cancer initiation

The prostate epithelial lineage hierarchy and the cellular origin for prostate cancer remain inadequately defined. Using a lineage-tracing approach, we show that adult rodent prostate basal and luminal cells are independently self-sustained in vivo. Disrupting the tumor suppressor Pten in either lineage led to prostate cancer initiation. However, the cellular composition and onset dynamics of the resulting tumors are distinctive. Prostate luminal cells are more responsive to Pten null-induced mitogenic signaling. In contrast, basal cells are resistant to direct transformation. Instead, loss of Pten activity induces the capability of basal cells to differentiate into transformation-competent luminal cells. Our study suggests that deregulation of epithelial differentiation is a critical step for the initiation of prostate cancers of basal cell origin.
Strontium isotopes in basalts from the Pacific Ocean basin

Basalts being erupted in the Pacific Ocean Basin vary in Sr isotopic composition in a simple geographic pattern. 87Sr/86Sr increases away from the East Pacific Rise to very high values for islands in the south-central Pacific. The 87Sr/86Sr variations are almost certainly related to past segregation of Rb, K, and other large cations. The segregation process was probably incipient partial melting which resulted in various mantle zones being enriched or depleted.
Dimethyl sulphide and methanethiol formation in microbial mats: potential pathways for biogenic signatures.

Summary Mechanisms of dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and methanethiol (MT) production and consumption were determined in moderately hypersaline mats, Guerrero Negro, Mexico. Biological pathways regulated the net flux of DMS and MT as revealed by increases in flux resulting from decreased salinity, increased temperature and the removal of oxygen. Dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) was not present in these microbial mats and DMS and MT are probably formed by the reaction of photosynthetically produced low-molecular weight organic carbon and biogenic hydrogen sulphide derived from sulphate reduction. These observations provide an alternative to the notion that DMSP or S-containing amino acids are the dominant precursors of DMS in intertidal sediment systems. The major sink for DMS in the microbial mats was biological consumption, whereas photochemical oxidation to dimethylsulphoxide was the major sink for DMS in the overlying water column. Diel flux measurements demonstrated that significantly more DMS is released from the system during the night than during the day. The major consumers of DMS in the presence of oxygen were monooxygenase-utilizing bacteria, whereas under anoxic conditions, DMS was predominantly consumed by sulphate-reducing bacteria and methanethiol was consumed by methanogenic bacteria. Aerobic and anaerobic consumption rates of DMS were nearly identical. Mass balance estimates suggest that the consumption in the water column is likely to be smaller than net the flux from the mats. Volatile organic sulphur compounds are thus indicators of high rates of carbon fixation and sulphate reduction in these laminated sediment ecosystems, and atmospheric sulphur can be generated as a biogenic signature of the microbial mat community.
An Examination of the Impacts of Brand Equity, Security, and Personalization on Trust Processes in an E Commerce Environment

This research broadens the study of trust as it applies to developing stable relationships in electronic environments. Prior studies have investigated many aspects of trust, but few have looked at its incremental development. Previous empirical research identifies antecedents to initial perceptions of trust that may influence the progression of trust to deeper levels. More conceptual work identifies antecedents that swiftly cultivate trust, allowing for stable relationships to develop more quickly. The antecedents investigated in this study, using regression and structural equation modeling, are the use of security symbols, trustworthy brand names, and personalization techniques. The results of the study indicate that the use of security symbols and trustworthy brand names have a positive and lasting effect on trusting beliefs and that personalization has a decreasing and lasting effect on trusting beliefs. There was no support for the hypothesis that trust develops over time in electronic environments.
Family history of suicide, female sex, and childhood trauma: separate or interacting risk factors for attempts at suicide?

Roy A, Janal M. Family history of suicide, female sex, and childhood trauma: separate or interacting risk factors for attempts at suicide? Acta Psychiatr Scand 2005: 112: 367–371. 2005 Blackwell Munksgaard. Objective: Female sex, childhood trauma, and a family history of suicidal behavior are three well established risk factors for attempting suicide. However, interactions between these three factors in attempting suicide have been little studied. Method: One thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine abstinent substance dependent patients were interviewed about their lifetime and family history of suicidal behavior and completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Gender, family history of suicidal behavior, and CTQ scores – and their interaction – were examined in relation to suicidal behavior. Results: Each of the three risk factors was associated with at least a doubling of the risk for an attempt at suicide. There were no significant interactions in relation to the risk of making an attempt. However, female sex and higher levels of childhood trauma each discriminated patients at risk for both a younger age of first attempting suicide and for making more attempts. Conclusion: Female sex, childhood trauma, and a family history of suicidal behavior are each independent, and non-interacting, risk factors for attempting suicide. Additionally, female sex and high childhood trauma are independent risk factors for both an early onset of first attempting suicide and for making more attempts.
A Key Gating Charge Interaction Required for Slow Inactivation of the Navab Bacterial Sodium Channel

Bacterial voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels are considered an ideal model for structure-function studies. The elucidation of the crystal structure of the bacterial channel NavAb (Payandeh et al., Nature 486, 135-139, 2011) opened an avenue to understand electrical signaling in excitable cells at the structural level. NavAb expressed in Hi5 insect cells as for structural studies has unusually negative voltage-dependent activation (Va ∼ 130 mV). NavAb also has three phases of inactivation, a biphasic early inactivation process (τ1∼103 ms, τ2∼3.8 s, at −180 mV) followed by an unusually strong and use-dependent slow-inactivation process. To search for the molecular basis for negative activation and slow inactivation of NavAb, we mutated the outermost gating charge partner in the S2 segment, Asn49, to Lys. This mutation shifted the activation curve ∼ 75 mV toward more positive potentials. Surprisingly, it also completely abolished use-dependent slow inactivation. We showed previously that the equivalent residue in NaChBac (Asp60) interacts with the R3 gating charge in the S4 segment during activation using the disulfide locking method (DeCaen et al, PNAS 2008 105 (39) 15142-15147). To test whether this interaction between R3 and N49 was critical for slow inactivation, we mutated NavAb R3 to Cys. The resulting mutant NavAb_R3C also had positively shifted channel activation (+75 mV) and no use-dependent slow inactivation. The fact that these reciprocal mutations have the same functional effects suggests that interaction between R3 in the S4 segment and N49 in the S2 segment is an important link that stabilizes the activated state of the voltage sensor and triggers the slow inactivation process.
Ultrastructure of Tobacco Ringspot Virus‐Induced Local Lesions in Lima Bean Leaves

Tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV), a nepovirus, induced unusually large, expanding lesions in the primary leaves of lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus cv. Nemagreen). During the course of lesion development, two phases were identified on the basis of ultrastructural observations. In the primary phase, cytological changes followed a pattern that was characteristic of compatible or systemic nepovirus infections. Such changes included the formation of large, membranous inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm of mesophyll parenchyma and the accumulation of phytoferritin in the stroma of chloroplasts. The cells maintained their structural integrity and appeared metabolically active. The secondary phase was degradative in nature. Ultrastructural changes observed during this phase were representative of those that occur in a virus-induced incompatible or hypersensitive (necrotic) reaction. Such changes included rounding of chloroplasts, vesiculation and disintegration of the plasma membrane and tonoplast, degeneration of cell organelles, and generalized plasmolysis. Subsequently, the cell walls collapsed, developing folds and loops around the shrunken cytosol. The collective result of these two ultrastructurally distinctive phases was the production of large necrotic lesions in the inoculated leaf, but no systemic viral spread.
An unusual case of ureteral tumor in a duplex system

We report an interesting case of ureteral tumor involving both limbs of an incompletely duplicated ureter. Such a case has not been reported in the literature. A 51-year-old female presented with refractory hematuria. A complete evaluation revealed an incompletely duplicated right system with an isolated distal ureteral tumor extending proximally into both arms of the ureter. The patient underwent a successful right nephroureterectomy. Pathology revealed low grade papillary urothelial cancer confined to both arms of the ureter. A brief review of the literature and management is detailed herein.
A haptic error: Skew in a symmetrical curve

Symmetrically curved edges are often felt to be skewed, i.e., the highpoint feels off center. The direction of the skew depends on the direction of the hand’s scanning movement, the highpoint being felt to be towards the right when the hand scans in a left to right direction and towards the left when scanning right to left. The result clarifies some earlier studies and raises questions about relationships between the nature of the scanning movement and the quality of judgment.
A metal nebulizer capillary electrophoresis/Fourier transform infrared spectrometric interface.

A capillary electrophoretic (CE) system has been successfully interfaced to a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The advantage of such an interface is that analytes may be detected and often unequivocally identified without analyte derivatization. The interface consists of a stainless steel tube in which the CE capillary is placed and the two are held in contact with the use of a metal tee. A solvent elimination approach is used with the interface, so that analytes are deposited onto an infrared transparent window, that is, CaF2, and measured with the use of an infrared microscope. A critical component of this design is to provide an electrical connection at the end of the CE column to permit stable separations that allow for efficient transport of the sample onto the window. The interface produces an aerosol that is directed at the surface of the infrared transparent window. The use of a volatile electrolyte, along with the flow of helium, allows for partial evaporation of the electrolyte in flight...
Extracellular proteolytic enzyme activity in sediments of an intertidal mudflat

Extracellular proteolytic activity (EPA) on an intertidal mudflat was examined over a 2-yr period, with focus on characteristics of enzyme systems and the controlling influences on enzyme activity levels. EPA was primarily associated with the particulate rather than the pore-water phase. Inhibitor studies indicated the presence of primarily metallo- and thiol proteases, with pH optima in the range 8–9.5. Temperature optima increased with depth in the sediment, being in the 20°–35°C range for surficial sediments and the 40°–50°C range in the subsurface. Activation energies at environmental temperatures were in the 63–67 kJ mol−1 range. The hypothesis of progressive humification of enzyme activity with depth was discarded on the basis of results from thermal denaturation experiments. EPA levels decreased with depth and hence correlated with substrate concentration and bacterial populations, but this correlation was not a tight one. Seasonal variations in EPA varied with the temperature cycle consistent with, though somewhat damped relative to, the temperature dependence of the enzymes themselves and showed no response to variations in substrate concentrations or bacterial numbers.
Does obesity have an effect on outcomes in triple-negative breast cancer?

Abstract Background Among patients with breast cancer, obesity has been associated with an increased likelihood of having triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This association has been thought to be due to the antiapoptotic effects of obesity-related proteins. However, the effect of obesity on the outcomes in patients with TNBC remains unclear. We hypothesized that obesity would be associated with decreased overall survival and disease-free survival in these patients. Materials and methods A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was conducted of patients treated for breast cancer at an academic medical center from March 1998 to September 2011. The body mass index (BMI) of patients with TNBC was calculated at diagnosis. The patients were categorized as normal (BMI 30 kg/m2). The endpoints of overall survival and disease-free survival were analyzed. Results A total of 183 patients with TNBC were included for analysis. Of the 183 patients, 24 (13.1%) were normal (BMI 30 kg/m2). The median follow-up period was 42.5 months. Of the 183 patients, 2 (9.1%) died in the normal group, 10 (23.1%) died in the overweight group, and 25 (21.4%) died in the obese group (P = 0.28). The patients who were overweight or obese had larger tumors (P = 0.02), a higher T stage (P = 0.001), and higher tumor grade (P = 0.01) than the normal BMI patients. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, normal patients had higher overall survival than the overweight or obese patients, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.29). Disease-free survival was also not significantly different (P = 0.91). Conclusions Despite an increased frequency of larger tumors, higher T stage, and higher tumor grade, obesity was not associated with decreased overall or disease-free survival in patients with TNBC.
Cyrtodactylus kotschyi (STEINDACHNER 1870) in the Santorin archipelago

For the first time proof is given of the existence of the Aegean Bogenfingergecko (Cyrtodactylus kotschyi) on the islands of Thirasia and Thira in the Santorin archipelago. A brief survey of the herpetological research work concerning this archipelago is provided. The collected material was biometrically analysed. As a result of this investigation the specimens of both islands are to be allocated taxonomically to the transition form saronicus x solerii.
Looking down the atrioventricular canal.

This editorial refers to ‘Down's syndrome-like cardiac developmental defects in embryos of the transchromosomic Tc1 mouse’ by L. Dunlevy et al ., pp. 287–295, this issue. Down's syndrome (DS) is the most common aneuploidy diagnosed in liveborn babies (∼1/700 live births). While DS is typically associated with recognizable dysmorphic features, clinical anomalies exhibit variable expressivity. The DS phenotype includes many organ systems and affects all three embryonic germ layers. DS is the most frequent chromosomal cause of mental retardation, is a recognized genetic aetiology of Alzheimer disease, and is associated with congenital anomalies of the gastrointestinal and cardiac systems.1 It has been over 50 years since trisomy 21 was discovered as the genetic aetiology of DS.2 Despite progress in diagnosis and management of DS-related health problems, the definition of the pathogenetic mechanisms by which these gene dosage errors induce the DS phenotype and elucidation of DS genotype–phenotype correlations remains elusive. One of the barriers to progress in defining the underlying pathogenesis of this common genetic disorder has been the lack of a suitable animal model (reviewed in refs.3,4). This has been especially true for DS-associated cardiovascular malformations. Nearly half of the DS patients have a congenital heart malformation;5 the signature cardiac defect is atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD), also known as atrioventricular (AV) canal defect or endocardial cushion defect.6,7 The paper by Dunlevy et al .8 in the … *Corresponding author. Tel: +1 513 636 0389; fax: +1 513 636 5958, Email: woody.benson{at}cchmc.org
AMPLITUDE FOR TRANSITIONS BETWEEN MOLECULAR (TWO-CENTER) CHANNELS

Abstract We derive an exact expression for the transition amplitude between molecular (two-center) states, using an extension of the well-known method of auxiliary Hamiltonians (two-potential formalism). A first order approximation, corresponding to DWBA, is also given.
Contraceptive use and attitudes among U.S. women

More than half of the 6.3 million pregnancies which occur annually in the US are unintended. Approximately 50% of the unintended pregnancies which occurred in 1987 were among women not using birth control while the other 50% occurred among women who were using some form of birth control when they became pregnant and most likely suffered method- or user-related contraceptive failure. The incidence and outcomes of unintended pregnancies vary with womens age. Oral contraceptives are the most popular of reversible birth control methods among US women with nearly 30% of American couples choosing the pill as their method of reversible contraception. 25% chose tubal sterilization and 11% vasectomy. A 1992 survey found 25% of contraceptive users to use condoms 8% withdrawal and 1% the subdermal hormonal implant. As for method satisfaction 94% of OC users are content with their method compared to only 17% and 57% who are satisfied using rhythm and withdrawal respectively. The following factors affect womens choice of a contraceptive method: childbearing plans and age womens perceptions of birth control methods past experience with contraception physicians influence religious factors education access and cost factors and health concerns. Future trends in contraception will likely be shaped by the changing demographics of the US population and increased awareness of sexually transmitted diseases along with the continuation of the AIDS pandemic.
Training basic scientists to bridge the gap between basic science and its application to human disease.

Increasingly, society demands that long-standing disease-related problems be solved, but who will solve them? The opportunities are greater than in the past because of the great conceptual and tech...
Parsing and question classification for question answering

This paper describes machine learning based parsing and question classification for question answering. We demonstrate that for this type of application, parse trees have to be semantically richer and structurally more oriented towards semantics than what most treebanks offer. We empirically show how question parsing dramatically improves when augmenting a semantically enriched Penn treebank training corpus with an additional question treebank.
Microscale dispersion of meiobenthic copepods in response to food-resource patchiness

Abstract Microscale (mm 2 -cm 2 ) spatial patterns of harpacticoid copepods were determined in intertidal mud-flat sediments using contiguous coring and were analysed with spatial autocorrelation. Associations with potential major food resources (diatoms) were further examined in laboratory studies. In the field, patches of Microarthridion littorale (Poppe) are positively correlated with high concentrations of diatoms (as measured by Chl a concentration) at low tide. Also, laboratory preference experiments show that this species seeks and locates sediments containing high concentrations of diatoms and/or their chemical exudates. During high water, significant patchiness in M. littorale disappears as some individuals frequent the water column. Scottolana canadensis (Willey) is not associated with sediment chlorophyll pigments. S. canadensis is a burrow dweller which feeds primarily during times of water cover on suspended planktonic material and laboratory preference experiments indicate it does not actively seek sediments containing high concentrations of sediment food resources. Microspatial dispersion of intertidal meiofauna does not appear to be regulated by any single factor and patterns vary with species and feeding mode (benthic or planktonic). Additionally, spatial pattern in epibenthic mud dwelling copepods appears to be disrupted with each tidal cycle due to active or passive resuspension processes. Spatial patterns, therefore, probably develop relatively quickly and are influenced by processes occurring during the proceeding tidal stage.
Nonlinear vibrations of a radially stretched circular hyperelastic membrane

Abstract This paper presents a detailed analysis of the nonlinear vibration response of a pre-stretched hyperelastic membrane subjected to finite deformations and a time-varying lateral pressure. The problem is both geometrically and materially nonlinear due to finite deformations and a hyperelastic constitutive relationship. The membrane material is assumed to be isotropic, homogeneous, and neo-Hookean. First, the exact solution of the membrane under a uniform radial stretch is obtained. The equations of motion of the pre-stretched membrane are then derived. From the linearized equations, the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the membrane are analytically obtained. The natural modes are then used to approximate the nonlinear deformation field using the Galerkin method. Several reduced order models are tested and compared with the results evaluated for the same membrane using a nonlinear finite element formulation. Excellent agreement is observed. The results show the strong influence of the stretching ratio on the linear and nonlinear oscillations of the membrane. Finally, the influence of the constitutive law on linear and nonlinear vibrations is investigated. Results show that several constitutive laws for hyperelastic rubber-like materials lead to the same frequency–amplitude relation.
Functional analysis of a novel potassium channel (KCNA1) mutation in hereditary myokymia

Myokymia is characterized by spontaneous, involuntary muscle fiber group contraction visible as vermiform movement of the overlying skin. Myokymia with episodic ataxia is a rare, autosomal dominant trait caused by mutations in KCNA1, encoding a voltage-gated potassium channel. In the present study, we report a family with four members affected with myokymia. Additional clinical features included motor delay initially diagnosed as cerebral palsy, worsening with febrile illness, persistent extensor plantar reflex, and absence of epilepsy or episodic ataxia. Mutation analysis revealed a novel c.676C>A substitution in the potassium channel gene KCNA1, resulting in a T226K nonconservative missense mutation in the Kv1.1 subunit in all affected individuals. Electrophysiological studies of the mutant channel expressed in Xenopus oocytes indicated a loss of function. Co-expression of WT and mutant cRNAs significantly reduced whole-oocyte current compared to expression of WT Kv1.1 alone.
Tight linkage of apolipoprotein C2 to myotonic dystrophy on chromosome 19

The cDNA and genomic probes for apolipoprotein C2 detect two restriction fragment length polymorphisms on chromosome 19. The combined estimated percentage of heterozygosity, assuming equilibrium, is approximately 75%, ie, apolipoprotein C2 is informative in 75% of matings. We have analyzed over 350 individuals in large multigenerational families for linkage of apolipoprotein C2 to myotonic muscular dystrophy. The maximum lod score was 16.29 with the maximum recombination fraction (𝛉) of 0.02, with 95% confidence limits for 𝛉 of 0.001 to 0.065. Thus, apolipoprotein C2 is useful in carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis with an accuracy of about 98%.
Normal subgroup reconstruction and quantum computation using group representations

The Hidden Subgroup Problem is the foundation of many quantum algorithms. An efficient solution is known for the problem over Abelian groups and this was used in Simon's algorithm and Shor's Factoring and Discrete Log algorithms. The non-Abelian case is open; an efficient solution would give rise to an efficient quantum algorithm for Graph Isomorphism. We fully analyze a natural generalization of the Abelian case solution to the non-Abelian case, and give an efficient solution to the problem for normal subgroups. We show, however, that this immediate generalization of the Abelian algorithm does not efficiently solve Graph Isomorphism.
Socio-sexual behavior in Pan paniscus and Pan troglodytes: A comparative study

Comparative observations in a captive setting of the sexual behavior of wild born and reared Pan troglodytes and Pan paniscus revealed important and unexpected behavioral differences between these two closely related species. The external genitalia of the female Pan paniscus is rotated anteriorly, copulation takes place throughout the cycle in Pan paniscus , and homosexual copulation is a common occurrence. Vocal and gestural exchanges often precede and accompany copulation in Pan paniscus but not in Pan troglodytes . Feeding and food sharing elicit copulatory activity on virtually every occasion in Pan paniscus , but not in Pan troglodytes . Copulatory positioning among Pan paniscus is marked by considerable variability, including en face ventro-ventral positioning. These observations suggest that, at least in aspects of sexual behavior, the pygmy chimpanzee displays greater malleability and greater dependencyupon complex non-verbal signaling. In Pan paniscus , copulatory behavior is more closely intertwined with other forms of social interaction such as food sharing. The sexual behavior patterns of the pygmy chimpanzee, while still quite distinct from those of man, nevertheless display a greater degree of similarity to the sexual patterns of our own species than do those of any other living non-human primate.
IMAGE QUALITY CONTROLS FOR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

With present day trends towards smaller scale photography for topographic mapping and photomapping, there is an increasing need for high quality photography and a corresponding need for diagnostic information on potential sources of degradation. Hence subjective judgements must be supplemented by quantitative analyses of image quality that go beyond mere determinations of resolution level. A methodology for evaluating three important parameters governing image quality (development, exposure and spatial frequency content) is presented. By sequentially comparing the values measured on production or test photographs with standard values, the faults most commonly responsible for image degradation (such as errors in development and exposure, excessive image motion, vacuum failure and poor camera focus) can be isolated and measured. Resume La tendance actuelle en matiere de plans topographiques et de photocartes est de diminuer l'echelle de la couverture photo; se fait done jour le besoin d'emulsions de haute qualite et simultanement la necessite de pouvoir juger objectivement de cette qualite. II faut alors recourir a des analyses quantitatives qui aillent au-dela de la simple mesure du pouvoir de resolution. On presente ici une methodologie relative au probleme de l'evaluation de trois des principaux parametres effectuant la qualite de l'image (developpement, duree d'exposition, resolution de frequence spatiale). Avec des tests d'homogeneite on peut alors deceler les variations de qualite, et en particulier determiner et mesurer les causes d'alteration les plus frequentes (erreurs lors du developpement ou lors de la phase d'exposition, file, defauts internes, qualite mediocre de la chambre). Zusammenfassung Bei dem gegenwartigen Trend, den Bildmassstab zur Herstellung von topographischen Karten und Photokarten zu verkleinern, ergibt sich zunehmend die Notwendigkeit, Hochleistungsphotos aufzunehmen und diagnostische Informationen uber mogliche Quellen der Qualitatsverschlechterung zu erlangen. Insbesondere mussen subjektive Bewertungen durch quantitative Analysen der Bildqualitat erganzt werden, die uber Bestimmungen des Auflosungsvermogens hinausgehen. Es wird eine Methodologie zur Bewertung von drei wichtigen Parametern (Entwicklung, Belichtung, Inhalt der Orts-frequenz), die die Bildqualitat beeinflussen, angegeben. Durch Vergleich der auf Produktionsbildern oder Testbildern gemessenen Werte mit deren Standards konnen die Fehler, die meistens eine Bildverschlechterung verursachen (wie zum Beispiel Fehler bei der Entwicklung und Belichtung, unzulassige Bildwanderung, ungenugende Planlage oder Kammerabstimmung) aufgedeckt und gemessen werden.
Addressing Healthy People 2010 Objectives for Stroke

To the Editor: Healthy People 2010 objectives were set for the United States to improve patient knowledge of early warning symptoms for stroke (objective 12-8) and myocardial infarction (MI; objective 12-2). Objectives were also established to emphasize the importance of calling 911 for emergency care for MI (objective 12-2) and to increase the proportion of eligible MI patients who receive thrombolytic therapy within 1 hour of symptom onset (objective 12-3).1 However, corresponding objectives for stroke (ie, calling 911 and increasing the proportion of ischemic stroke patients …