Raising the curtain on cancer. Is the puzzle finally becoming clear?

Looking back at the long history of cancer, we can still relate to that POSTGRADUATE MEDICINE editorial written 50 years ago: "None of the basic problems of cancer has been solved. The death rate is constantly mounting. Small wonder that many doctors face cancer with a pessimism bordering on resignation." The temptation is still to prepare for the worst. Nonetheless, cautious optimism is evident among cancer researchers. As Eugenie Kleinerman, a pediatric oncologist at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, recently explained, "We're running a marathon, not a sprint. What's important is not how fast we run the first two miles but when we cross the finish line." In many ways, cancer is still a derogatory word used figuratively in reference to uncontrolled evil. But progress against this common disease is real, as evidenced by the growing population of long-term survivors. New discoveries are expanding therapeutic options every year. The challenge continues to be educating health professionals and patients alike about environmental risks and warning signs, recognizing cancer early, and finding more effective and less toxic therapies. In addition, we need to learn about the prevention, detection, and treatment of late effects of long-term survivors. The curtain is rising on a new era of cancer management, and we all have fron-row seats.     

A Study on S.R.Topography of the Structural Defects in High-J_c Superconducting YBaCuO Crystal Prepared by the MTG Technique

It is well known that for technological application,a great effort has been done to enchance J_c value ofsuperconducting YBaCuO sintered bulk.Except oxygen content,the main problem for increasing critical cur-rent density J_c is to eliminate the weak link and to control crystallographic anisotropy.It is necessary tomake YBaCuO superconducting bulk have a strong texture with C-axis orientation.Since Jin et al.has suc-     

Whither cognitive bias modification research? Commentary on the special section articles.

This commentary reviews key theoretical, methodological, and clinical issues raised by recent research on cognitive bias modification (CBM). The authors identify the major ways in which the new work reported within this special section extends earlier CBM research. In particular, they note that it considers a wider range of participants, includes a greater diversity of symptoms measures, and targets for change a broader array of processing biases than previously has been the case. Furthermore, they point out that the present work develops and employs a more diverse arsenal of bias modification procedures, in some cases delivered across extended periods of time within naturalistic settings. They also draw attention to methodological limitations associated with the current studies, offering recommendations concerning how future CBM research might profitably build upon these exciting new directions while overcoming such limitations. Finally, they evaluate the theoretical and applied implications of the reported findings, discussing their capacity to illuminate the causal contributions made by cognitive bias to emotional vulnerability and their promise concerning the potential therapeutic value of CBM as a clinical tool. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal study of the role of negative affectivity on the work stressor–strain process.

A significant proportion of previous research in the occupational stress area has tended to treat the personality variable negative affectivity (NA) as a nuisance variable. This perspective has led researchers to routinely control for the effects of NA. However, P. E. Spector, D. Zapf, P. Y. Chen, and M. Frese (2000) have proposed a number of different mechanisms by which NA could have substantive effects. The current research used a longitudinal framework to test several competing mechanisms proposed by Spector et al. (specifically, the perception, hyperresponsivity, and causality mechanisms) on the relationship between work stressors and psychological well-being. Customs workers and dentists constituted the longitudinal sample (N = 345). Results provided strong support for the perception mechanism, indicating that the effects of NA on psychological health were partially mediated by work stressors. The authors discuss the theoretical and practical relevance of the perception mechanism to occupational health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ductility in high-chromium super-ferritic alloys—I. Microstructural influences on the ductile-brittle transition

The competition between microfracture and plastic flow was studied in relation to the thermomechanical processing parameters and minor element chemistry of super-ferritic alloys based on a composition of Fe-40 wt% Cr. The ductile response of the alloys to a series of isothermal annealing cycles was evaluated, and the microstructural development was rationalised by studying alloys with higher levels of controlled residual elements. The major parameters governing ductility were found to be: (1)_the state of the residual elements, which must be controlled to preclude the formation of secondary phases associated with brittle crack-initiation events, (2) the independent effect of the residual elements, and (3) the tendency of the alloys to form a stable recovered dislocation sub-structure, which modifies the precipitation processes.     

A Study on the Kinetics of the Europium Electrochemistry Reduction 1.The Polarization Properties of Europium Reduced at the Cathode

This article studies the polarization properties of the cathode reduction of Eu in the Sm-Eu-Gdchloride system by using a constant potential method.As the feed concentration,temperature,and stirringrate of the system change,the system can gradually turn from chemical polarization to concentrationpolarization,and there would be a higher limiting current.As to the effects of acidity,only at a rather higherpH there will be a typical polarization property.The study can give some bases for the Eu electroreductiontechnlolgy parameter selection.     

Comment on the Article “Initial Reactions at the Electrodes of the FFC-Cambridge Process in Molten CaCl2 to Produce Ti” by P.S. Lai,M.L. Hu,Z.F. Qu,L.Z. Gao,C.G. Bai,T.X. Wang,S.F. Zhang,and G.B. Qiu

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B -     

Alumininium consumption on the increase

China's domestic consumption for alumini-um is estimated to reach 2.9 million tonsthis year,according to analysts.Although production capacity increased500,000 tons last year,actual growth ofoutput was limited due to short supply of     

A scientist–practitioner's viewpoint on the admissibility of behavioral and social scientific information.

Problems in applying the Daubert (1993) test to social science evidence are discussed, and new issues are raised. In particular, the difference between the legal treatment of clinical evidence, as opposed to actuarial evidence, is discussed. The changing nature of science and the effect of societal norms on evidence requirements are noted. Questions are raised about the definition of the scientific method, and an alternative to the traditional scientific treatment of data is offered and discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Internal friction in F.C.C. alloys due to solute drag on dislocations—I. A model for the effect of core diffusion

The internal friction (mechanical loss) behavior of dislocations is studied in a model which, for the first time, considers the substitutional solute mobility in the dislocation core to be higher than in the bulk around it. The parameters investigated include the external stress σ_xy, the solute concentration c₀, the pinning length of the dislocation and the temperature. It is shown that, at low c₀ and high σ_xy, the kinetics of the dislocation motion is determined by the fast diffusion of the solute atoms in the core, while for high c₀ and low σ_xy the diffusion of the atoms far away from the dislocation is rate-limiting. The results are compared with the analytical model of Schoeck and are applied to the alloy system SlSi. New experimental results supporting the model are described in a companion paper (Part II).     

Report of the… .

Asummary of a report containing "information about subdoctoral training programs,… questions the committee deemed relevant and important,… and appropriate recommendations." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Determination of the interfacial tension by zero creep experiments on multilayers—I. Theory

The zero creep load of a multilayered thin film is calculated for deformation by grain-boundary-diffusion-limited flow (Coble creep). A kinetic model is used to relate the zero creep load for uniaxial tension to the interfacial free energies and the grain dimensions.