cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The accurate modeling of temperature response of semiconductor production wafers during rapid thermal processing

When a production semiconductor with un-relaxed ion-implanted regions or wafer is subject to external irradiation, a portion of the incident energy is absorbed within the wafer volume, rather than at the surface. The volume absorption will alter the distribution energy within the wafer, resulting in temperature non-uniformity. In order to access the contribution of the volume absorption and emission processes the mathematical model and Fortran code was developed. The energy equation is solved in conjunction with the radiation problem. The one-dimensional transient problem is solved using the Crank-Nicholson scheme. Input to the model includes material properties specified in a look-up table form. The spectral ellipsometry is used to determine the optical properties of the ion-implanted model. The model shows the difference in the surface temperature of the wafer similar to the results observed experimentally
Serial measurement of peripheral oestrogen and progesterone concentrations in oestrous mares to determine optimum mating time and diagnose ovulation

Rapid enzyme-based immunoassays were used to measure concentrations of oestradiol-17 beta and progesterone in daily blood samples recovered throughout oestrus and for a few days after ovulation from 34 Thoroughbred and 8 pony-type maiden, barren and foaling mares. The first detectable fall in oestradiol-17 beta levels occurred in 88% of the mares within the interval -72 to 0 h with respect to ovulation and in 65% of mares within the interval of -48 to 0 h. The results indicated that serial daily hormone assays of this type could, in a high proportion of animals, predict a correct time for a single mating and diagnose the occurrence of ovulation in Thoroughbred mares at stud in the absence of the present management system which includes repeated veterinary examinations of the ovaries. However, the absolute need for serial daily sampling from all mares to produce interpretable hormone profiles, and the cost of this sampling and the hormone assays, make the method impractical at the present time.
Suggestion and Psychoanalytic Technique

The role of the analyst's suggestive influence on the course and outcome of psychoanalytic treatment is explored, and traditional and newer perspectives on analytic technique are contrasted. The intersubjective critique of the neutral, objective analyst in relation to suggestion is examined. The inevitable presence and need for suggestive factors in analysis, and the relationship of suggestion to transference susceptibility, are emphasized. The manner in which the analysis of suggestive factors is subsumed in transference analysis as part of traditional technique is highlighted.
Results From Testing of 145 3D Position-Sensitive, Pixelated CdZnTe Detectors

Testing of 20 × 20 × 15 mm3 3D position sensitive, CdZnTe detectors grown by Redlen Technologies Inc. has shown that 98 out of the 145 detectors analyzed achieved sub-1% FWHM at 662 keV for single-pixel events. Improvements in the detector performance over time reflect the improvements in detector growth and fabrication over the past several years. In addition to the spectroscopic performance of the detectors, the imaging performance of each detector was also quantified. The results show that imaging is weakly correlated to the spectroscopic performance, and more strongly correlated to the accuracy of the depth reconstruction. Other detector issues such as gain deficit and gain variation are also discussed.
A search heuristic for the sequence-dependent economic lot scheduling problem

Abstract Almost all of the research on the economic lot scheduling problem (ELSP) has assumed that setup times are sequence-independent even though sequence-dependent problems are common in practice. Furthermore, most of the solution approaches that have been developed solve for a single optimal schedule when in practice it is more important to provide managers with a range of schedules of different length and complexity. In this paper, we develop a heuristic procedure to solve the ELSP problem with sequence-dependent setups. The heuristic provides a range of solutions from which a manager can choose, which should prove useful in an actual stochastic production environment. We show that our heuristic can outperform Dobson's heuristic when the utilization is high and the sequence-dependent setup times and costs are significant.
Increased Expression of 5-HT6 Receptors in the Nucleus Accumbens Blocks the Rewarding But Not Psychomotor Activating Properties of Cocaine

Background Repeated exposure to cocaine produces enduring forms of drug experience-dependent behavioral plasticity, including conditioned place preference (CPP) and psychomotor sensitization, a progressive and persistent increase in cocaine's psychomotor activating effects. Although serotonin-6 receptors (5-HT 6 Rs) are abundantly expressed in the brain regions thought to underlie these phenomena, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc), surprisingly little is known about the role of 5-HT 6 Rs in the rewarding and psychomotor activating effects of cocaine. Methods Viral-mediated gene transfer was used to selectively increase 5-HT 6 R expression in the NAc of rats. The effects of 5-HT 6 R overexpression and the selective 5-HT 6 R antagonist Ro4368554 on CPP and psychomotor sensitization were examined. Results Increased expression of 5-HT 6 Rs in the NAc blocks a CPP to cocaine but has no effect on either the acute locomotor response to cocaine or on the development of cocaine-induced locomotor sensitization. Furthermore, antagonism of 5-HT 6 Rs facilitates the acquisition of a CPP to cocaine but has no effect on cocaine-induced stereotypy. Conclusions These results demonstrate that 5-HT 6 Rs in the NAc can selectively modulate drug reward, possibly through facilitation of reward learning.
KIR reconstitution is altered by T cells in the graft and correlates with clinical outcomes after unrelated donor transplantation.

Although unrelated hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is curative for many hematologic malignancies, complications and relapse remain challenging obstacles. Natural killer (NK) cells, which recover quickly after transplantation, produce cytokines and express killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) that regulate their cytotoxicity. Some clinical trials based on a KIR ligand mismatch strategy are associated with less relapse and increased survival, but results are mixed. We hypothesized that T cells in the graft may affect NK cell function and KIR expression after unrelated transplantation and that these differences correlate with clinical outcomes. NK cell function was evaluated using 77 paired samples from the National Marrow Donor Program Research Repository. Recipient NK cells at 100 days after both unmanipulated bone marrow (UBM) and T-cell depleted (TCD) transplants were compared with NK cells from their healthy donors. NK cells expressed fewer KIRs and produced more interferon γ (IFN-γ) after UBM compared to TCD transplants. Multivariate models showed that increased NK cell IFN-γ production correlated with more acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and decreased KIR expression correlated with inferior survival. These results support the notion that T cells in the graft affect NK cell reconstitution in vivo. Understanding these mechanisms may result in strategies to improve clinical outcomes from unrelated HCT.
Melancholia and Depression: From Hippocratic Times to Modern Times

It is estimated that 13 million people in the United States daily suffer from an anxiety disorder. Goodwin's book on this condition begins with a six-chapter historical perspective on the concept of anxiety. The second part of the work introduces treatment. Part 3 deals with the anxiety disorders as defined by the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-III. The book is a concise formulation and will be helpful to anyone living in the '80s, the "age of anxiety." Anxiety is an emotion that signifies a danger that cannot be identified or, if identified, is not sufficiently threatening to justify the intensity of the emotion. Fear signifies a known danger, with the strength of the fear more or less proportionate to the degree of danger. Anxiety is generally thought to be undesirable, fear useful.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome and tuberculosis

Respiratory infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome and tuberculosis create unique risks for anyone who may be exposed. A brief history of each disease is discussed in this article. The pathogenesis, manifestations, and therapy (where applicable) are also addressed. Recommendations for limiting secondary transmission are given based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on infection control in health care facilities.
Nature and distribution of two distinct forms of hexokinase within the mammalian lens.

Hexokinase activity in calf, rabbit and rat lens represents the summated activities of two distinct forms of hexokinase. These are not unique “lens hexokinases”, but possess the same electrophoretic characteristics as Types I and II of other tissues. Lens is devoid of Types III and IV and IIb. The Michaelis constants of these lens heoxkinases are; Kml: 7·4 × 10−5M, and KmII: 1·0 × 10−3 m . In the calf lens eapsule-epithelium, 24% of the hexokinase is Type I; 33% of the nuclear hexokinase is Type I. The total hexokinase activity of the rat lens increases with age or lens size. The total activity of each member of a pair of lenses is essentially identical and lenses of similar size from rats of different sex have similar activities. The specific activity of lens heoxkinase decreases with increasing lens size and is probably a reflection of proportionally greater synthesis of non-enzymic structural protein. The capsule and epithelium contain 10% of the total lens hexokinase. The equatorial cortex contains approximately 3 times the hexokinase activity of the anterior or posterior cortex, and the nucleus is practically devoid of measureable hexokinase activity. Hexokinase and phosphofructokinase have been shown to be the rate limiting steps in lens glycolysis. Our data suggest that rather than a single form of hexokinase serving as pacemaker, there may actually be two—Type II hexokinase pacing glycolysis in areas of relatively high ambient glucose concentration (epithelium and cortex), and Type I in regions of low ambient glucose concentration (nucleus).
Demonstration of Magnetostriction

IN a recent number of NATURE (March 24) Prof. H. Nagaoka describes a method for demonstrating the change of length of an iron wire by magnetisation. I have for several years used the following arrangement for this purpose.
Diphenyl 2-(α,α,4-trichlorobenzyl)phenyl phosphate

The reaction of α,α,4-tri­chloro-α-phenyl-o-tolyl di­chloro­phosphinate with phenol leads to the selective substitution of the phospho­rus-bound chlorines by OPh groups. The product, 4-chloro-(α,α-di­chloro­benzyl)­phenyl di­phenyl phosphate, C25H18Cl3O4P, has a CCl2 group that remains intact.
When Are Peripheral Populations Valuable for Conservation

A great deal of effort is spent protecting geographically peripheral populations of widespread species. We consider under what conditions it is appropriate to expend resources to protect these populations. The conservation value of peripheral populations depends upon their genetic divergence from other conspecific populations. Peripheral populations are expected to diverge from central populations as a result of the interwoven effects of isolation, genetic drift, and natural selection. Available empirical evidence suggests that peripheral populations are often genetically and morphologically divergent from central populations. The long-term conservation of species is likely to depend upon the protection of genetically distinct populations. In addition, peripheral populations are potentially important sites of future speciation events. Under some circumstances, conservation of peripheral populations may be beneficial to the protection of the evolutionary process and the environmental systems that are likely to generate future evolutionary diversity. Se gasta mucho esfuerzo protegiendo poblaciones geograficamente perifericas de especies ampliamente distribuidas. En el presente estudio, consideramos bajo que condiciones es apropiado gastar recursos para proteger estas poblaciones. El valor de conservacion de las poblaciones perifericas depende de su divergencia genetica con respecto a otras poblaciones de la misma especie. Se espera que las poblaciones perifericas diverjan de poblaciones centrales como resultado de los efectos interconectados del aislamiento, la deriva genetica y la seleccion natural. Evidencia empirica disponible sugiere que las poblaciones perifericas son con frecuencia, divergentes genetica y morfologicamente de las poblaciones centrales. La conservacion a largo plazo de las especies depende probablemente de la proteccion de las poblaciones geneticamente distintas. Adicionalmente, las poblaciones perifericas son potencialmente importantes para eventos de especiacion futuros. Bajo algunas circunstancias, la conservacion de poblaciones perifericas podria ser beneficiosa para la proteccion de los procesos evolutivos y sistemas ambientales que probablemente generen la diversidad evolutiva futura.
A new vibration signal processing method for gearbox fault detection

In this paper, a new vibration signal processing method, an adaptive narrow-band interference cancellation is developed to remove the periodic signals and background noises from the vibration signals. Narrow-band interference cancellation techniques are widely applied in signal processing of communication systems to remove the narrow-band interferences. The vibration signals of a gearbox with a damaged gear tooth contain periodic signals of both the healthy gear teeth and shaft. The periodic signals could be treated as narrowband interferences to the impulse signals of the damaged gear tooth and the background noises. The impulse signals are usually buried in the interference signals and background noises. To reveal the impulse signals for gear fault detection, the periodic signals and the noises should be removed. To cope with the dynamic interference of the vibration signals, an adaptive algorithm is incorporated in the narrow-band interference cancellation techniques. A case study with seeded gear fault tests is used to show the effectiveness of the developed method.
Dryland Crop Yields and Soil Organic Matter as Influenced by Long-Term Tillage and Cropping Sequence

Novel management practices are needed to improve the declining dryland crop yields and soil organic matter contents using conventional farming practices in the northern Great Plains. We evaluated the 21-yr effect of tillage and cropping sequence on dryland grain and biomass (stems + leaves) yields of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and pea (Pisum sativum L.) and soil organic matter at the 0- to 20-cm depth in eastern Montana, USA. Treatments were no-tilled continuous spring wheat (NTCW), spring-tilled continuous spring wheat (STCW), fall- and spring-tilled continuous spring wheat (FSTCW), fall- and spring-tilled spring wheat-barley (1984-1999) followed by spring wheat-pea (2000-2004) (FSTW-B/P), and the conventional spring-tilled spring wheat-fallow (STW-F). Spring wheat grain and biomass yields increased with crop growing season precipitation (GSP) and were greater in STW-F than in FSTCW and FSTW-B/P when GSP was <250 mm. Although mean grain and biomass yields were greater, annualized yields were lower in STW-F than in other treatments. In FSTW-B/P, barley and pea grain and biomass yields also increased with increased GSP. Soil organic C and total N were lower in STW-F than in other treatments and linearly related (R 2 = 0.64 to 0.78) with total annualized biomass residue returned to the soil from 1984 to 2004. Alternate-year summer fallowing increased spring wheat grain and biomass yields compared with annual cropping but reduced annualized yields and soil organic matter. For sustaining dryland crop yields and soil organic matter, no-tillage with annual cropping system can be adopted in the northern Great Plains.
A Two Transition State Model for Radical−Molecule Reactions: Applications to Isomeric Branching in the OH−Isoprene Reaction

A two transition state model is applied to the prediction of the isomeric branching in the addition of hydroxyl radical to isoprene. The outer transition state is treated with phase space theory fitted to long-range transition state theory calculations on an electrostatic potential energy surface. High-level quantum chemical estimates are applied to the treatment of the inner transition state. A one-dimensional master equation based on an analytic reduction from two-dimensions for a particular statistical assumption about the rotational part of the energy transfer kernel is employed in the calculation of the pressure dependence of the addition process. We find that an accurate treatment of the two separate transition state regions, at the energy and angular momentum resolved level, is essential to the prediction of the temperature dependence of the addition rate. The transition from a dominant outer transition state to a dominant inner transition state is shown to occur at about 275 K, with significant ef...
The Multi-Issue Nature of Sex Differences in Opioid Analgesia

Just as the nature of the pain experience can be affected by many factors, both physiologic and psychological, so can the effectiveness of opioid analgesia. Of the many possibilities, three factors are presented in this commentary in response to the preceding Focus article of Miaskowski and Levine. First, two previous studies reporting male-female differences in opioid consumption found such differences to occur only prior to age 60 to 65, at female menopause, suggesting that sex hormonal status should be considered in studies assessing the efficacy of opioid treatment. Second, given that sex and sex hormonal status have been shown to relate to both human and animal physiologic responses to stress and the likelihood that these responses affect nociceptive mechanisms, it is important to further explore these differences in order to optimize pain intervention strategies. Finally, it is encouraged that researchers strive to incorporate chronobiologic and sex hormonal considerations in future animal studies in an effort to more closely model clinical phenomena in exploring biobehavioral responses to stress, pain, and pain-relieving treatment modalities.
A direct measurement of the trion relaxation and dipole decoherence rate: An application of high resolution coherent nonlinear optical spectroscopy

Coherent nonlinear optical spectroscopy of single electron quantum dots allows us to measure the decay and decoherence times of the charged exciton (trion) state. Our results show that the decoherence time of QD trions is not significantly affected by pure dephasing processes, which are suppressed by the zero-dimensional nature of the orbital states of the QD.
Toward the Validation of Tinto's Model of College Student Attrition: A Review of Recent Studies.

This paper describes the salient findings of six studies undertaken to assess the construct validity of Tinto's model of college student attrition. The studies are based on three independent data collections over a three-year period and indicate that students' informal contacts with faculty members are consistently related to subsequent persistence/withdrawal decisions. Background characteristics appear not to be reliably related to attrition by themselves, but they are significantly involved in the ways they interact with the college experience. The findings suggest that Tinto's model is a conceptually useful framework for thinking about student attrition—whether by researchers for purposes of future study, or by administrators for practical action.
Elementary and Composite Particles

It is shown for two simple fixed-source theories with one stable excited state of the source that (1) a knowledge of the physical $S$-matrix elements of the theory is sufficient to decide if the state is associated with an elementary particle or a composite particle, and (2) the theory in which the particle is composite corresponds to the elementary-particle theory in the limit of vanishing wave function renormalization constant of the elementary particle. The distinction between elementary and composite particle is related to a generalization of Levinson's theorem, and it is made plausible that this generalization is valid in local field theory. In an Appendix, the result (2) is generalized, and an application to the dispersion-theoretic treatment of rearrangement collisions is suggested.
Gene expression profiling of the brain: pondering facts and fiction.

During the last decade brain transcriptome profiling by DNA microarrays has matured, developed sound experimental design standards, reporting practices, analytical procedures, and data sharing resources. It has become a powerful scientific tool in the exploratory research portfolio. Along this journey by trial and error, we encountered a number of intriguing questions and comments--pondering the value of hypothesis-driven research, appropriate sample size, the importance and interpretation of transcripts changes vis-a-vis protein changes, the role of statistical stringency, false discovery and magnitude of expression change, and many other interesting questions. Our field fully acknowledges and tries to address all of these challenges associated with high-throughput, data-driven transcriptomics. As a research field, we strongly advocate implementing the highest standards of our trade, and we deeply believe that transcriptome profiling studies will continue to be essential for deciphering the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to complex brain disorders.
Maryland Voices of the Civil War – Edited by Charles W. Mitchell

In this handsomely designed book, the author tells the story of the divisions that kept Marylanders in contention with one another during the Civil War. Nevertheless, he also shows that most Maryla...
Bifunctional and moonlighting enzymes: lighting the way to regulatory control.

Bifunctional and moonlighting enzymes are unusual multifunctional proteins. Bifunctional enzymes generally contain two large structural domains whose association facilitates metabolic pathway control and/or allows more efficient substrate conversion. Moonlighting enzymes have a recognized catalytic activity and an additional regulatory or structural function. Here, I describe known plant proteins of both groups and consider the specific advantages to their being multifunctional. Bifunctional enzymes are sometimes co-expressed with monofunctional forms. Identified plant moonlighting enzymes often have an alternate function in signal transduction pathways or as structural components. Properties of proteins of both groups reveal unexpected cell regulatory programs and support the idea that eukaryotes use multitasking activities to achieve their densely connected regulatory networks.
Onset of Cone Cracking in Ion‐Exchanged Glass

A simple fracture mechanics approach is used to predict the critical crack size required to initiate Hertzian cracks in a brittle material in the absence and presence of a residual surface stress. To test the approach, the load and location of ring/cone cracks are measured in a silicate glass before and after ion exchange. The crack sizes estimated by this technique are, however, different before and after the ion-exchange process. It is concluded that the ion-exchange process changes the nature of the surface flaws, which is a key assumption in previous theoretical analyses in using Hertzian contacts as a means to estimate surface stress.
Models of soot formation and oxidation

Advances in modeling soot formation and burnout in combustion systems are surveyed. The types of models are divided up into three classes: empirical, semi-empirical and detailed. Empirical models use correlations of experimental data to predict trends in soot loadings. Semi-empirical models solve rate equations that are calibrated against experimental data. Detailed models seek to predict the concentrations of all the important species in a flame, from fuel to polyaromatic hydrocarbons to soot. The three classes of models have demonstrated success in predicting soot concentrations. However, our knowledge of some of the fundamental underlying is still open to question and the success of the models has been obtained to some degree by adjustments to fit measurements.
Behavioral and physiological measurements of maternal investment in the Steller sea lion, Eumetopias jubatus

The onshore and at-sea cycles of females, suckling behavior of pups and their milk intake were studied in Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) during 1983 at Ano Nuevo Island, California. Females averaged approximately 21 h ashore and 36 h at sea. The trips to sea lengthened as pups aged, resulting in an overall decline in female time ashore to 30% by the sixth week following parturition. Activity budgets of pups showed no significant differences among suckling time, age and sex. Milk intake, estimated using labeled water studies, revealed that heavier pups consumed more milk than lighter ones (milk ingestion in ml/d = 4.26 + 0.0687 x {Pup Mass in kg]). Mean milk intake was 1.78 i 0.33 liters/d. Mean pup growth rate was 0.38 f 0.1 kg/d. The results suggest that female attendance patterns are shaped by the increasing nutritional demands of growing pups and their increasing efficiency at suckling.
Fractionation of isotopes in relation to the problem of elemental sulphur transport by micro-organisms.

THE mechanism of elemental sulphur transport from the medium into the cells of sulphur-utilizing micro-organisms was investigated by Umbreit, Vogel and Vogler1, They concluded that for Thiobacillus thiooxidans, the sulphur, on contact with the cells, dissolves in globules of highly unsaturated fat located at the poles of the cells. Knaysi2 was unable to confirm the existence of polar fat globules and pointed out the difficulties involved in postulating contact between an extracellular particle and an intraprotoplasmic structure. Vishniac and Santer3 suggested a sulphur-transport mechanism involving reduced glutathione (GSH) or a similar molecule reacting as follows: the sulphide formed enters the cell in free or bound form and the GSSG is reduced by subsequent intracellular sulphide oxidation. No experimental evidence was presented to support this mechanism. It is apparent that the problem is not yet solved.
A steady-state model for the rotating biological disc reactor

Abstract A steady-state model for substrate removal in a rotating biological disc reactor is presented. The model considers the consumption of substrate by micro-organisms in the biofilm attached to the rotating disc, and mass transfer from the attached liquid film to the biofilm. A mass balance on substrate over the liquid in the trough provides an expression for effluent substrate in terms of the microbial kinetic constants, the geometry of the system and the operating conditions. In order to simplify the solution of the equations in the model, first order kinetics are assumed for the rate of microbial growth and substrate utilization. This simplified model can be solved, for example, by using a programmable calculator. The model predicts that the fractional removal of substrate per stage is strongly dependent on the hydraulic loading rate per unit disc area but independent of feed substrate concentration. It predicts constant removal independent of disc size provided the hydraulic loading per unit area is kept constant. The rotational speed has only a slight predicted effect on the rate of substrate removal. The predictions of the model are compared with published data from the literature for both domestic wastewater and some industrial wastes. Trends observed in the field are predicted qualitatively by the model.
Role of charged defects and impurities in kinetics of hydrogen storage materials: A first-principles study

We identify hydrogen-related point defects as a dominant defect species involved in (de)hydrogenation of sodium alanate, a viable hydrogen storage material. These defects are positively or negatively charged, and hence their formation energies are Fermi-level dependent---an important feature that has not been recognized in past studies. This dependence enables us to explain why small amounts of transition-metal additives drastically alter the kinetics of dehydrogenation. The rate-limiting step for hydrogen release is the creation of charged hydrogen-related defects, while transition-metal additives act as electrically active impurities that lower the formation energy of these defects.
Crystal structures of Toxoplasma gondii uracil phosphoribosyltransferase reveal the atomic basis of pyrimidine discrimination and prodrug binding.

Uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (UPRTase) catalyzes the transfer of a ribosyl phosphate group from α‐D‐5‐phosphoribosyl‐1‐pyrophosphate to the N1 nitrogen of uracil. The UPRTase from the opportunistic pathogen Toxoplasma gondii is a rational target for antiparasitic drug design. To aid in structure‐based drug design studies against toxoplasmosis, the crystal structures of the T.gondii apo UPRTase (1.93 A resolution), the UPRTase bound to its substrate, uracil (2.2 A resolution), its product, UMP (2.5 A resolution), and the prodrug, 5‐fluorouracil (2.3 A resolution), have been determined. These structures reveal that UPRTase recognizes uracil through polypeptide backbone hydrogen bonds to the uracil exocyclic O2 and endocyclic N3 atoms and a backbone–water–exocyclic O4 oxygen hydrogen bond. This stereochemical arrangement and the architecture of the uracil‐binding pocket reveal why cytosine and pyrimidines with exocyclic substituents at ring position 5 larger than fluorine, including thymine, cannot bind to the enzyme. Strikingly, the T.gondii UPRTase contains a 22 residue insertion within the conserved PRTase fold that forms an extended antiparallel β‐arm. Leu92, at the tip of this arm, functions to cap the active site of its dimer mate, thereby inhibiting the escape of the substrate‐binding water molecule.
Racial disparities and socioeconomic status in association with survival in a large population‐based cohort of elderly patients with colon cancer

BACKGROUND. To the authors' knowledge, few studies have addressed racial disparities in the survival of patients with colon cancer by adequately incorporating treatment and socioeconomic factors in addition to patient and tumor characteristics. METHODS. The authors studied a nationwide and population-based, retrospective cohort of 18,492 men and women who were diagnosed with stage II or III colon cancer at age ≥65 years between 1992 and 1999. This cohort was identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registries-Medicare linked databases and included up to 11 years of follow-up. RESULTS. A larger proportion (70%) of African-American patients with colon cancer fell into the poorest quartiles of socioeconomic status compared with Caucasians (21%). Patients who lived in communities with the lowest socioeconomic level had 19% higher all-cause mortality compared with patients who lived in communities with the highest socioeconomic status (hazards ratio [HR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.13–1.26; P < .001 for trend). The risk of dying was reduced only slightly after controlling for race/ethnicity (HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.10–1.24). Compared with Caucasian patients with colon cancer, African-American patients were 21% more likely to die after controlling for age, sex, comorbidity scores, tumor stage, and grade (HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.12–1.30). After also adjusting for definitive therapy and socioeconomic status, the HR of mortality was only marginally significantly higher in African Americans compared with Caucasians for all-cause mortality (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.02–1.19) and colon cancer-specific mortality (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.01–1.33). CONCLUSIONS. Lower socioeconomic status and lack of definitive treatment were associated strongly with decreased survival in both men and women with colon cancer. Racial disparities in survival were explained substantially by differences in socioeconomic status. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Genetic variation of stomatal conductance, blue light sensitivity and zeaxanthin content in guard cells of Pima cotton (Gossypium barbadense)

Pima S-6 (Gossypium harbadense L.) is a modern line with high stomatal conductance, while B368 is a primitive cotton with low conductance. The blue light sensitivity of adaxial guard cells, probed as the blue light-dependent enhancement of the red light-induced chlorophyll a fluorescence quenching, was investigated in these two cotton lines with contrasting stomatal conductance. Adaxial guard cells isolated from Pima S-6 cotton plants had a significantly higher carotenoid content and a higher blue light sensitivity than those isolated from B368 plants. In a growth chamber-grown F 2 population of a cross between these two lines, adaxial stomatal conductances of individual plants segregated over a range exceeding the average conductances of the parents. Carotenoid content and the blue light sensitivity of adaxial guard cells also segregated. The concentrations of xanthophylls and β-carotene in the adaxial guard cells were poorly correlated with the blue light response, except for zeaxanthin. The co-segregation of stomatal conductance and blue light sensitivity suggested that the stomatal response to blue light may play a role in the regulation of stomatal conductance in the intact leaf. Zeaxanthin content and blue light sensitivity also co-segregated, suggesting that both parameters are under genetic control. The co-segregation of zeaxanthin content, blue light sensitivity and stomatal conductance provides further evidence for a role of zeaxanthin in the blue light photoreception of guard cells.
Conceptual and methodological issues in examining behavioral development through environment-organism interactions

Abstract The importance of understanding behavior in terms of interactions between organismic and environmental variables has become more salient and calls for research focused on such interactions have been made. However, several conceptual paths may encourage investigating and understanding behavior in terms of organism-environment interactions. One such path is the development and testing of constructs which cut across the traditional organism-environment dichotomy and conceptualize behavioral development as fundamentally an organism-environment interaction. In this paper, a metatheoretical framework for thinking about behavioral development as fundamentally an organism-environment interaction is presented. Issues involved in conceptualizing and examining behavior and behavioral development as fundamentally an organism-environment interaction are also examined by reviewing the concept of affordances and some of the illustrative research that has been conducted. From the review, it is suggested that research which attempts to understand behavior as inseparably a function of organism-environment interactions will benefit if additional methodological avenues are developed. Marken's (1997, Psychological Methods, 2, 436–446) test for controlled variables is presented as an example of one such method. Finally, suggestions for developing the ideas reviewed in this paper for other research domains (i.e., anxiety in children) are also presented.
Embodying the Writer in the Multimodal Classroom through Disability Studies

Abstract This essay explores whether multimodal composition can compel the academy to revise its vision of writing as an exclusively intellectual practice, a vision that limits the authority students can claim in their academic writing. I argue that without theorizing the embodiment of composition, multimodal composition will ultimately do little to alter the ideal of the academic writer engaged in intellectual rather than material production. The essay advocates the pedagogical possibilities of disability theory as one approach to emphasizing the physical nature of writing and meaning-making in the multimodal composition classroom.
Soil Quality Index Comparisons Using Fort Cobb, Oklahoma, Watershed-Scale Land Management Data

The Soil Conditioning Index (SCI) and Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) are two different but complementary methods for evaluating soil quality. Both tools have been widely used, but little is known regarding how they compare and if they provide similar results when the same agricultural management practices are compared. This SCI and SMAF soil quality index (SQI) comparison was conducted on the Fort Cobb Reservoir Experimental Watershed (FCREW) in Oklahoma. Forty-one loamy and sandy surface soil sites were sampled on the FCREW under (i) annual cropping with conventional tillage (conventional), (ii) annual cropping with either conservation tillage or no-till (conservation), (iii) cropland that had been converted to perennial grass (managed grass), and (iv) native grass. The SCI and SMAF SQI gave similar assessments, indicating that soil quality within conventional and conservation systems was similar but lower than in either managed or native grassland systems. Simple comparisons of soil properties by textural class showed no significant effects on most soil quality indicator values, and although texture by management subgroups was examined, no clear relationships were detected because of the limited number of sampling sites. The SMAF and SCI indicators and scores were correlated in tilled systems with limited vegetative cover but not for no-till or forage-based pasture or grassland systems that were in place for at least 10 yr. The SMAF provided more resolution when evaluating agroecosystem management effects on soil quality, including soil organic C enrichment, especially within forage-based systems. Recognizing that the SMAF currently does not account for soil loss, we conclude with recommendations for improving the tool, particularly for tilled systems.
THE ACCREDITATION OF HILDEGARD VON BINGEN AS MEDIEVAL FEMALE TECHNICAL WRITER

Although scholars have acknowledged technical texts written during the Middle-Ages, there is no mention of “technical writer” as a profession except for Geoffrey Chaucer, and historically absent is...
Deprotonation Dynamics and Stokes Shift of Pyranine (HPTS)

The short and intermediate time scale dynamics of the photoacid pyranine (1-hydroxy-3,6,8-pyrenetrisulfonic acid, commonly referred to as HPTS) are studied with visible pump-probe spectroscopy in various solvents to elucidate the nature of its proton-transfer kinetics in water. The observed time dependences of HPTS are compared with those of the methoxy derivative, MPTS. A global fitting procedure is employed to model both the spectral shift (Stokes shift) caused by solvent reorganization and deprotonation of pyranine in water. Three distinct time-dependent features can be clearly identified. They are the Stokes shift (1 ps in H 2O and 1.5 ps in D2O), followed by the deprotonation processes, which gives rise to a biexponential decay of the protonated species with time constants (in H2O) of 3 and 88 ps. By the use of a model previously discussed in the literature, the biexponential process can be interpreted as an initial deprotonation step followed by the longer time scale process which separates the resulting ion pair. The results presented here are consistent with some of the previous reports but unambiguously identify and quantitatively measure the Stokes shift as a separate and distinct phenomenon from the deprotonation process, in contrast to other reports that have suggested that all short time (a few picoseconds) dynamics are merely a Stokes shift.
Identification of biochemical network modules based on shortest retroactive distances.

Modularity analysis offers a route to better understand the organization of cellular biochemical networks as well as to derive practically useful, simplified models of these complex systems. While there is general agreement regarding the qualitative properties of a biochemical module, there is no clear consensus on the quantitative criteria that may be used to systematically derive these modules. In this work, we investigate cyclical interactions as the defining characteristic of a biochemical module. We utilize a round trip distance metric, termed Shortest Retroactive Distance (ShReD), to characterize the retroactive connectivity between any two reactions in a biochemical network and to group together network components that mutually influence each other. We evaluate the metric on two types of networks that feature feedback interactions: (i) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling and (ii) liver metabolism supporting drug transformation. For both networks, the ShReD partitions found hierarchically arranged modules that confirm biological intuition. In addition, the partitions also revealed modules that are less intuitive. In particular, ShReD-based partition of the metabolic network identified a ‘redox’ module that couples reactions of glucose, pyruvate, lipid and drug metabolism through shared production and consumption of NADPH. Our results suggest that retroactive interactions arising from feedback loops and metabolic cycles significantly contribute to the modularity of biochemical networks. For metabolic networks, cofactors play an important role as allosteric effectors that mediate the retroactive interactions.
Measurement of health status in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Objective. To develop and validate a self- or parent-administered instrument for measuring functional status in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Methods. We adapted the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) for use in children ages 1–19 years, by adding several new questions, such that for each functional area, there was at least 1 question relevant to children of all ages. The face validity of the instrument was evaluated by a group of 20 health professionals and parents of 22 healthy children. The questionnaire was then administered to parents of 72 JRA patients (mean age 9.1 years, onset type systemic in 16, polyarticular in 21, pauciarticular in 35). Results. The instrument showed excellent internal reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.94), with a mean inter-item correlation of 0.6. The convergent validity was demonstrated by strong correlations of the Disability Index (average of scores on all functional areas) with Steinbrocker functional class (Kendall's tau b = 0.77, P 8 years) was 0.84 (n = 29; P 0.9 by paired t-test; Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.8, P < 0.002). Conclusion. The Childhood HAQ, which takes less than 10 minutes to complete, is a valid, reliable, and sensitive instrument for measuring functional status in children with JRA.
Mortality of the Lobate Lac Scale, Paratachardina pseudolobata (Hemiptera: Kerriidae), at Near or Below Freezing Temperatures

Abstract The ability of the invasive lobate lac scale, Paratachardina pseudolobata Kondo & Gullan, to survive exposure to near or below freezing temperatures (-25, -15, -10, -5, 0, 5, and 10°C) for extended durations (6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h) was assessed in the laboratory. Exposure at 10°C for 6 to 72 h did not cause significant mortality in immature and adult lobate lac scales. All nymphs and adults were killed after exposure to very low temperatures (-25 to -10°C) for 6 h. All nymphs were killed within 24 h at -5, 0, and 5 oC, while about 2% of adults were still alive after 72 h at 0 and 5°C. Results suggested that the range expansion of the lobate lac scale in the United States will be limited by winter temperature. The lobate lac scale may have a higher potential to invade areas where the average winter temperature do not drop below freezing for an extended duration (3 or more consecutive days), such as southern Florida, Rio Grande Valley in Texas, and Colorado river Delta between California and Arizona.
Oral mucosal presentation of lymphoma: report of case

The broad range of diagnostic possibilities associated with persistent ulcerations in the oral mucosa is discussed. A case report is used as an example. The use of repeated biopsies to establish a definite diagnosis of a persistent oral ulceration is discussed.
Structural protein 4.1R is integrally involved in nuclear envelope protein localization, centrosome–nucleus association and transcriptional signaling

The multifunctional structural protein 4.1R is required for assembly and maintenance of functional nuclei but its nuclear roles are unidentified. 4.1R localizes within nuclei, at the nuclear envelope, and in cytoplasm. Here we show that 4.1R, the nuclear envelope protein emerin and the intermediate filament protein lamin A/C co-immunoprecipitate, and that 4.1R-specific depletion in human cells by RNA interference produces nuclear dysmorphology and selective mislocalization of proteins from several nuclear subcompartments. Such 4.1R-deficiency causes emerin to partially redistribute into the cytoplasm, whereas lamin A/C is disorganized at nuclear rims and displaced from nucleoplasmic foci. The nuclear envelope protein MAN1, nuclear pore proteins Tpr and Nup62, and nucleoplasmic proteins NuMA and LAP2α also have aberrant distributions, but lamin B and LAP2β have normal localizations. 4.1R-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts show a similar phenotype. We determined the functional effects of 4.1R-deficiency that reflect disruption of the association of 4.1R with emerin and A-type lamin: increased nucleus–centrosome distances, increased β-catenin signaling, and relocalization of β-catenin from the plasma membrane to the nucleus. Furthermore, emerin- and lamin-A/C-null cells have decreased nuclear 4.1R. Our data provide evidence that 4.1R has important functional interactions with emerin and A-type lamin that impact upon nuclear architecture, centrosome–nuclear envelope association and the regulation of β-catenin transcriptional co-activator activity that is dependent on β-catenin nuclear export.
Air Independent Fuel Cells Utilizing Borohydride and Hydrogen Peroxide

The US Navy continues to pursue electrochemical power sources with high energy density for low rate, long endurance air independent, undersea applications. The use of borohydride and hydrogen peroxide as fuel and oxidant sources offer several different fuel cell configurations; each with their own advantages and technical challenges. The direct electro-oxidation and electro-reduction of sodium borohydride and hydrogen peroxide is conceptually a simple system. In the fuel cell configuration where Nafion 115 is used and both electrolyte solutions are allowed to have a pH >8, high efficiencies (>70%) can be maintained with careful control of the concentration of reactants in the flowing electrolyte, choice of catalyst and electrode architecture. The onset of borate precipitation is offset by diffusion of water created by the osmotic pressure between anode and cathode. The direct liquid/liquid system has the potential to be a “2V” system if the pH of the hydrogen peroxide catholyte is maintained at a pH<1. In order to make this a viable system for Naval applications, the amount of acid used in the catholyte to establish the desired pH needs to be minimized. The key enabling technology is the development of a suitable anion exchange membrane. The characteristics of the anion membrane are: 1) conduct hydroxides generated at the cathode to the anode in order to minimize its concentration buildup in the catholyte solution and to maintain the desired pH.<1, 2) minimize hydrogen peroxide cross-over and 3) afford high ionic conductivity. Efforts are currently underway to improve the understanding of the reaction mechanism of borohydride at the catalyst surface and to identify membranes with higher ionic conductivity. These efforts have been identified as critical paths for the successful development of a liquid/liquid borohydride/hydrogen peroxide fuel cell.