bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparing Effects of Low- and High-Volume Moderate-Intensity Exercise on Sexual Function and Testosterone in Obese Men
Authors: Khoo Joan , Tian Ho-Heng , Tan Benedict , Chew Kelvin , Ng Chung-Sien , Leong Darren , Teo Raymond Choon-Chye , Chen Richard Yuan-Tud
Published: May 2013

Introduction

Obesity and inactivity are associated with erectile dysfunction and hypogonadism.

Aim

To compare the effects of low volume (LV) and high volume (HV) of moderate-intensity exercise on sexual function, testosterone, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), endothelial function, and quality of life (QoL) in obese men.

Main Outcome Measures

Weight, waist circumference (WC), body composition, International Index of Erectile Function 5-item (IIEF-5), International Prostate Symptom Scale (IPSS) (for LUTS), and 36-item Short Form Survey version 2 Instrument (SF-36) (for QoL) scores, plasma testosterone, sex-hormone binding globulin, glucose, insulin and lipids, and endothelial function (by Reactive Hyperaemia Index [RHI] using finger plethysmography) were measured at baseline and 24 weeks.

Methods

Ninety abdominally obese (body mass index>27.5kg/m2, WC>90cm), sedentary (exercise ∼80 minutes/week) Asian men (mean age 43.6 years, range 30–60) were prescribed a diet to reduce daily intake by ∼400kcal below calculated requirement and randomized to perform moderate-intensity exercise of LV (<150 minutes/week) or HV (200–300 minutes/week) (n=45 each) for 24 weeks. Seventy-five men (83.3%) completed the study.

Results

Weekly exercise volume was significantly greater in the HV (236±9 minutes) than the LV (105±9 minutes) group. The HV group had significantly greater increases in IIEF-5 score (2.6±0.5 points) and testosterone (2.06±0.46nmol/L) and reductions in weight (−5.9±0.7kg, −6.2%), WC (−4.9±0.8cm, −4.9%), and fat mass (−4.7±1.0kg, −14.5%) than the LV group (−2.9±0.7kg, −3.0%; −2.7±0.7cm, −2.5%; −1.1±0.8kg, −3.2%; 0.79±0.46nmol/L; and 1.8±0.5 points). Improvements in IPSS and SF-36 scores, and RHI, were similar.

Conclusions

Moderate-intensity HV aerobic exercise>200 minutes/week produces greater improvements in sexual function, testosterone, weight, WC, and fat mass than smaller exercise volume.
The Acceptability, Feasibility, and Efficacy (Phase I/II Study) of the OVERcome (Olive Oil, Vaginal Exercise, and MoisturizeR) Intervention to Improve Dyspareunia and Alleviate Sexual Problems in Women with Breast Cancer
Authors: Juraskova Ilona , Jarvis Sherin , Mok Kelly , Peate Michelle , Meiser Bettina , Cheah Benjamin C. , Mireskandari Shab , Friedlander Michael
Published: May 2013

Introduction

Almost half of breast cancer survivors experience chronic sexual problems. Despite the negative effects of dyspareunia on physical and overall quality of life, sexual dysfunction remains underreported and undertreated in clinical practice. This is likely due to the paucity of evidence-based interventions to improve sexual functioning.

Aim

The study aims to prospectively evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of a novel intervention (Olive Oil, Vaginal Exercise, and MoisturizeR [OVERcome]) to improve sexual problems following breast cancer treatment.

Main Outcome Measures

Dyspareunia, sexual functioning, quality of life, distress, and pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) functioning were evaluated.

Methods

Twenty-five women with dyspareunia were instructed to perform pelvic floor muscle (PFM) relaxation exercises twice/day to prevent/manage PFM overactivity, apply a polycarbophil-based vaginal moisturizer three times/week to alleviate vaginal dryness, use olive oil as a lubricant during intercourse, and complete a weekly compliance diary. PFM relaxation training was administered by a physiotherapist at weeks 0 and 4, with follow-up at weeks 12 and 26. At each visit, women completed validated self-report questionnaires and the physiotherapist recorded objective measures of PFM functioning.

Results

OVERcome resulted in significant improvements in dyspareunia, sexual function, and quality of life over time (all P < 0.001). PFM relaxation training was reported to be effective (P ≤ 0.001). Maximum benefits were observed at week 12. Most women rated PFM relaxation exercises (92%), vaginal moisturizer (88%), and olive oil (73%) as helpful, indicating that the intervention was acceptable. Unexpectedly, six cases (11%) of vaginal stenosis were noted during initial screening.

Conclusions

This novel intervention is acceptable to patients with demonstrated efficacy in improving dyspareunia and sexual function following breast cancer. Delivery of the OVERcome intervention appears feasible in a clinical setting, providing a potential treatment for this important clinical issue. The unexpected number of observed cases of stenosis further highlights the underreporting of sexual problems in this population, deserving further exploration.
The Relationship between Economic Growth and Energy in China: Medium‐ and Long‐Term Challenges
Authors: García Juan González
Published: May 2013

This article is structured into five main parts. It begins with a brief description of the new relationship established between China and Latin America, which is an important source of natural resources for the Chinese economy. Then it describes the Chinese economic transformation in recent decades and its relation to energy consumption. Next, it discusses recent developments in the production and consumption of energy worldwide and the entry of China as a major player. In the fourth section, it analyzes the rise of China in the global energy market. Finally, it analyzes the relationship between economic growth and Chinese energy production and consumption in the medium and long term.
China in the Central American and Caribbean Zone
Authors: Haro Navejas Francisco Javier
Published: May 2013

Traditional international relations theoretical approaches are radically divided between realism and idealism. A theoretical perspective is presented in this article to strengthen communication channels in the academic field. It includes the analysis of ideas, interests, and institutions as a means to understand the trends of Chinese actors in the Central American and Caribbean Zone (CACZ). In this region, considered to be part of a conceptual geographization process, trade is not as important as it is in other areas. Also, China has differentiated economic relations with the CACZ countries; this article shows that trade is only one dimension of a complex growing relationship.
Loss of exon 4 in a human T‐cell factor‐4 isoform promotes hepatic tumourigenicity
Authors: Tomimaru Yoshito , Xu Chelsea Q. , Nambotin Sarah B. , Yan Tao , Wands Jack R. , Kim Miran
Published: May 2013

Background

T‐cell factor (TCF) proteins represent key transcription factors that activate Wnt/β‐catenin signalling. We have reported that a pair of TCF‐4 isoforms (TCF‐4C and TCF‐4D) exhibit differential TCF transcriptional activity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, although their structure differs by only the presence (TCF‐4D) or absence (TCF‐4C) of exon 4.

Aim

To demonstrate a regulatory role of exon 4 in HCC development.

Methods

TCF‐4C and TCF‐4D expression profiles were examined in 27 pairs of human HCC and adjacent liver tissues. The functional role of the TCF‐4 isoforms was evaluated in OUMS‐29 (an immortalized hepatocyte‐derived) and HAK‐1A (a well‐differentiated HCC) cell lines using stable clones overexpressing the TCF‐4 isoforms.

Results

TCF‐4C was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues compared with corresponding peritumour and normal liver tissues; in contrast, there was no difference in TCF‐4D expression. TCF‐4C clones derived from both cell lines exhibited increased TCF activity, Wnt‐responsive target genes, cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs compared with TCF‐4D clones. Capability of cell migration and colony formation was significantly higher in TCF‐4C than TCF‐4D clones. In a nude mice xenograft model, the HAK‐1A‐derived TCF‐4C clone rapidly developed tumours compared with the TCF‐4D clone. TCF‐4C clone‐derived tumours exhibited upregulation of Wnt‐responsive target genes compared with the slow developing and small TCF‐4D‐derived tumours.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate that the TCF‐4C isoform lacking exon 4 is associated with a malignant phenotype compared with the exon 4‐harbouring TCF‐4D isoform, indicating that exon 4 of TCF‐4 plays a prominent role in HCC development.
Bacterial DNA polymerases participate in oligonucleotide recombination
Authors: Li Xin‐tian , Thomason Lynn C. , Sawitzke James A. , Costantino Nina , Court Donald L.
Published: May 2013

Synthetic single‐strand oligonucleotides (oligos) with homology to genomic DNA have proved to be highly effective for constructing designed mutations in targeted genomes, a process referred to as recombineering. The cellular functions important for this type of homologous recombination have yet to be determined. Towards this end, we have identified Escherichia coli functions that process the recombining oligo and affect bacteriophage λ Red‐mediated oligo recombination. To determine the nature of oligo processing during recombination, each oligo contained multiple nucleotide changes: a single base change allowing recombinant selection, and silent changes serving as genetic markers to determine the extent of oligo processing during the recombination. Such oligos were often not incorporated into the host chromosome intact; many were partially degraded in the process of recombination. The position and number of these silent nucleotide changes within the oligo strongly affect both oligo processing and recombination frequency. Exonucleases, especially those associated with DNA Polymerases I and III, affect inheritance of the silent nucleotide changes in the oligos. We demonstrate for the first time that the major DNA polymerases (Pol I and Pol III) and DNA ligase are directly involved with oligo recombination.
Touch massage: a pilot study of a complex intervention
Authors: Lindgren Lenita , Lehtipalo Stefan , Winsö Ola , Karlsson Marcus , Wiklund Urban , Brulin Christine
Published: May 2013

Objectives

To report and evaluate a complex touch massage intervention according to the British Medical Research Council framework. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of touch massage on levels of anxiety and physiological stress in patients scheduled for elective aortic surgery.

Background

The use of touch massage has increased during the past decade but no systematic studies have been implemented to investigate the effectiveness of such treatment. It is important to conduct multidisciplinary investigations into the effects of complex interventions such as touch massage. For this, the British Medical Research Council has provided a useful framework to guide the development, piloting, evaluation and reporting of complex intervention studies.

Method

A pilot study with a randomized controlled design including 20 patients (10 + 10) scheduled for elective aortic surgery. Selected outcome parameters included; self‐reported anxiety, measured by the State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y instrument, and physiological stress, measured by heart rate variability, blood pressure, respiratory frequency, oxygen saturation and concentrations of cortisol, insulin and glucose in serum.

Results

There were significant differences in self‐reported anxiety levels before and after touch massage (p = 0·007), this was not observed in the control group (p = 0·833). There was a significant difference in self‐reported anxiety levels between the touch massage group and the control group after touch massage and rest (p = 0·001). There were no significant differences in physiological stress‐related outcome parameters between patients who received touch massage and controls.

Conclusion

In our study, touch massage decreased anxiety levels in patients scheduled for elective aortic surgery, and the British Medical Research Council framework was a useful guideline for the development, evaluation and reporting of a touch massage intervention.

Relevance to clinical practice

Touch massage can reduce patients' anxiety levels and is thus an important nursing intervention in intensive and post‐operative care.
Ascending excitatory neural pathways modulate slow phasic myogenic contractions in the isolated human colon
Authors: Carbone S. E. , Dinning P. G. , Costa M. , Spencer N. J. , Brookes S. J. H. , Wattchow D. A.
Published: May 2013

Background

In animal models, enteric reflex pathways have potent effects on motor activity; their roles have been much less extensively studied in human gut. The aim of this study was to determine if ascending excitatory interneuronal pathways can modulate spontaneous phasic contractions in isolated preparations of human colonic circular muscle.

Methods

Human colonic preparations were cut into T shapes, with vertical bar of the ‘T’ pharmacologically isolated. Electrical stimulation and the nicotinic agonist, 1,1‐dimethyl‐4‐phenylpiperazinium iodide (DMPP), were applied to the isolated region and circular muscle contractile activity was measured from the cross‐bar of the T, more than 10 mm orally from the region of stimulation.

Key Results

The predominant form of spontaneous muscle activity consisted of tetrodotoxin‐resistant, large amplitude, slow phasic contractions (SPCs), occurring at average intervals of 124 ± 68 s. Addition of a high concentration of hexamethonium (1 mmol L−1) to the superfusing solution significantly increased the interval between SPCs to 278.1 ± 138.3 s (P < 0.005). Focal electrical stimulation more than 10 mm aboral to the muscle recording site advanced the onset of the next SPC, and this effect persisted in hexamethonium. However, the effect of electrical stimulation was blocked by tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1 μmol L−1). Application of the nicotinic agonist DMPP (1 mmol L−1) to the aboral chamber often stimulated a premature SPC (n = 4).

Conclusions & Inferences

The major form of spontaneous contractility in preparations of human colonic circular muscle is SPCs, which are myogenic in origin. Activation of ascending excitatory neural pathways, which involve nicotinic receptors, can modulate the timing of SPCs and thus influence human colonic motility.
Choices choices: regulation of precursor differentiation during enteric nervous system development
Authors: Harrison C. , Shepherd I. T.
Published: May 2013

Background The enteric nervous system (ENS) is the largest subdivision of the peripheral nervous system and forms a complex circuit of neurons and glia that controls the function of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Within this circuit, there are multiple subtypes of neurons and glia. Appropriate differentiation of these various cell subtypes is vital for normal ENS and GI function. Studies of the pediatric disorder Hirschprung's Disease (HSCR) have provided a number of important insights into the mechanisms and molecules involved in ENS development; however, there are numerous other GI disorders that potentially may result from defects in development/differentiation of only a subset of ENS neurons or glia. Purpose Our understanding of the mechanisms and molecules involved in enteric nervous system differentiation is far from complete. Critically, it remains unclear at what point the fates of enteric neural crest cells (ENCCs) become committed to a specific subtype cell fate and how these cell fate choices are made. We will review our current understanding of ENS differentiation and highlight key questions that need to be addressed to gain a more complete understanding of this biological process.
Changes in the innervation of the mouse internal anal sphincter during aging
Authors: Wang C. , Houghton M. J. , Gamage P. P. K. M. , Collins H. E. , Patel B. A. , Yeoman M. S. , Ranson R. N. , Saffrey M. J.
Published: May 2013

Background

The innervation of the mouse internal anal sphincter (IAS) has been little studied, and how it changes during aging has not previously been investigated. The aim of this study was therefore to characterize the distribution and density of subtypes of nerve fibers in the IAS and underlying mucosa in 3‐, 12‐ to 13‐, 18‐ and 24‐ to 25‐month‐old male C57BL/6 mice.

Methods

Nerve fibers were immunolabeled with antibodies against protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), substance P (SP), calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP), and calretinin (CR). Immunoreactivity in nerve fibers in the circular muscle and mucosa was quantified using Image J software.

Key Results

In young adult (3 month) mice, nNOS‐immunoreactive (IR) nerve fibers were densely distributed in the circular muscle, but relatively few in the mucosa; VIP‐IR nerve fibers were abundant in the circular muscle and common in the mucosa; SP‐IR nerve fibers were common in circular muscle and mucosa; CGRP‐ and CR‐IR nerve fibers were dense in mucosa and sparse in circular muscle. The density of PGP9.5 immunoreactivity (IRY) was not significantly reduced with age, but a significant reduction in nNOS‐IRY and SP‐IRY with age was found in the IAS circular muscle. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase‐, VIP‐, and SP‐IRY in the anal mucosa were significantly reduced with age. CGRP‐IRY in both circular muscle and mucosa was increased in 18‐month‐old animals.

Conclusions & Inferences

The density of immunoreactivity of markers for some types of IAS nerve fibers decreases during aging, which may contribute to age‐related ano‐rectal dysfunction.
Morphological demonstration of a vagal inhibitory pathway to the lower esophageal sphincter via nitrergic neurons in the rat esophagus
Authors: Kuramoto H. , Kadowaki M. , Yoshida N.
Published: May 2013

Background

The involvement of vagal parasympathetic efferents in esophageal myenteric neurons in vagal inhibitory pathways to the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is not clear. Thus, this study was performed to demonstrate morphologically the presence of vagal inhibitory pathways to the LES via esophageal neurons.

Methods

Fast Blue (FB) was injected into the LES of Wistar rats, and 3 days after injection, the animals were subjected to electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve. The esophagus was processed for immunohistochemistry for Fos that was an immediate‐early gene as a marker of neuronal activity, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). The immunoreactivities were then compared with the FB labeling in esophageal neurons.

Key Results

Fast Blue‐labeled neurons were observed within an esophageal area of 30 mm oral to the LES, with the highest frequency in the esophagus just above the LES. Most of the FB‐labeled neurons were positive for NOS and VIP, but a few for ChAT. Following vagal‐electrical stimulation, one fourth of the FB‐labeled neurons presented nuclei expressing Fos and most of these Fos/FB neurons were NOS‐positive.

Conclusions & Inferences

A majority of the FB‐labeled esophageal neurons appeared to be descending motor neurons innervating the LES. Moreover, the colocalization of VIP and NOS in most of the LES‐projecting neurons suggests that VIP and NO released from these neurons induce LES relaxation, and the innervation of the vagal efferents to the LES‐projecting esophageal neurons in the distal esophagus implies a vagal inhibitory pathway responsible for LES relaxation.
The bile acid receptor, TGR5, regulates basal and cholinergic‐induced secretory responses in rat colon
Authors: Ward J. B. J. , Mroz M. S. , Keely S. J.
Published: May 2013

Bile acids (BA) are becoming increasingly appreciated as enteric hormones that regulate many aspects of intestinal physiology. The BA receptor, TGR5, has been recently shown to be expressed on enteric nerves and enterochromaffin cells (ECs), where its activation regulates small intestinal and colonic motility. Here, we show that TGR5 is also expressed on colonic epithelial cells and that its activation decreases basal secretory tone and inhibits cholinergic‐induced secretory responses. Our data demonstrate a new role for TGR5 in regulating colonic fluid and electrolyte transport and suggest that the receptor represents a good therapeutic target for intestinal transport disorders.
MtQRRS1, an R‐locus required for Medicago truncatula quantitative resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum
Authors: Ben Cécile , Debellé Frédéric , Berges Hélène , Bellec Arnaud , Jardinaud Marie‐Françoise , Anson Philippe , Huguet Thierry , Gentzbittel Laurent , Vailleau Fabienne
Published: May 2013

Ralstonia solanacearum is a major soilborne pathogen that attacks > 200 plant species, including major crops. To characterize MtQRRS1, a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) for resistance towards this bacterium in the model legume Medicago truncatula, genetic and functional approaches were combined.

QTL analyses together with disease scoring of heterogeneous inbred families were used to define the locus. The candidate region was studied by physical mapping using a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of the resistant line, and sequencing. In planta bacterial growth measurements, grafting experiments and gene expression analysis were performed to investigate the mechanisms by which this locus confers resistance to R. solanacearum.

The MtQRRS1 locus was localized to the same position in two recombinant inbred line populations and was narrowed down to a 64 kb region. Comparison of parental line sequences revealed 15 candidate genes with sequence polymorphisms, but no evidence of differential gene expression upon infection. A role for the hypocotyl in resistance establishment was shown.

These data indicate that the quantitative resistance to bacterial wilt conferred by MtQRRS1, which contains a cluster of seven R genes, is shared by different accessions and may act through intralocus interactions to promote resistance.
Optimal Policies for Perishable Products When Transportation to Export Market Is Disrupted
Authors: Cai Xiaoqiang , Zhou Xian
Published: May 2013

We consider a problem where a firm produces a variety of fresh products to supply two markets: an export market and a local market. A public transportation service is utilized to deliver the products to the export market, which is cheap, but its schedule is often disrupted severely. Each time this happens, the firm faces the following questions. (i) For a product that has been finished and is waiting for delivery to the export market, should it continue to wait, at an increasing risk of decay, and when should the waiting be terminated and the product be put to the local market? (ii) For a product that has not been finished, should its processing be postponed, so as to reduce the loss from decay after its completion? (iii) What is the best sequence to process the remaining products, according to the information available? We develop, in this study, a model to address these and other related questions. We find optimal policies that minimize the total expected loss in both the make‐to‐order and make‐to‐stock production systems, respectively. For each finished product, we reveal relationships among the desirable waiting time, the price at the local market, and the decaying cost. For unfinished products, we find the optimal start times and processing sequence. Numerical experiments are also conducted to evaluate the optimal policies.
Prioritizing and Monitoring Concurrent Project Work: Effects on Switching Behavior
Authors: Bendoly Elliot , Swink Morgan , Simpson Wendell P.
Published: May 2013

Project switching occurs when a multi‐project worker shifts his/her attention from one project to another before completing the first project. In this study, we study the effects of two areas of management policy on project switching behavior, project prioritization, and work monitoring. We conduct a controlled experiment to evaluate direct and combined effects of prioritization, scheduled progress checks, and managerial progress checks on project switching behavior in a distributed, multi‐project work environment. We use computerized tasks constituting multiple projects as a means of efficiently simulating a project work setting. Working professionals served as subjects for the experiment, thereby enabling us to control for experience and other individual differences that may vary across workers in real‐world projects. We find that clarifying priorities has little overall effect on the prevalence of switching in our multi‐project setting, while the presence of managerial progress checks has significant and distinct impacts, driving up switch tendencies. Interestingly, various attributes of the timing of these monitoring events also significantly impact the likelihood that workers will switch in response to these event triggers. We discuss the implications of these findings for managerial practice and for future research.
Is State Gambling Policy “Morality Policy”? Framing Debates Over State Lotteries
Authors: Ferraiolo Kathleen
Published: May 2013

The politics of so‐called “morality policies” including same‐sex marriage, abortion, gun control, and gambling have captured the attention of both the public and political scientists in recent years. Many studies have argued that morality policy constitutes a category of public policy that has distinctive characteristics (such as technical simplicity and less amenability to compromise) compared with non‐morality policy. However, in a recent contributionMucciaroni argues that morality “policy” should instead be viewed primarily as a strategy for framing issues. Drawing on examples from the debate over gay rights,Mucciaroni finds that opponents focus on rational‐instrumental or procedural frames more so than engaging in “morality talk.” In this study,Iseek to extendMucciaroni's analysis to the issue of lottery gambling in theUnitedStates. Drawing on data from legislative records in four states,Ifind that lottery critics mostly avoid private behavior‐based morality arguments. Instead, they criticize government's role in sanctioning lotteries and denounce the negative consequences of gambling. Supporters, meanwhile, emphasize the potential benefits of lottery creation and the importance of allowing the state public a voice on the issue. The results indicate that rational‐instrumental arguments coexist alongside morality talk in state lottery debates, and that private behavior morality frames are on the decline while governmental morality frames are on the rise.
How Risk Perceptions Influence Evacuations from Hurricanes and Compliance with Government Directives
Authors: Stein Robert , Buzcu‐Guven Birnur , Dueñas‐Osorio Leonardo , Subramanian Devika , Kahle David
Published: May 2013

In this study we present evidence supporting the view that people's perceived risk of hurricane‐related hazards can be reduced to a single seriousness score that spans different hurricane‐induced risk types and that compliant behavior with official advisories is strongly dependent on whether one perceives a high risk with respect to any type of hurricane‐related hazards. Our analysis suggests that people are less sensitive to risk type than they are to the general seriousness of the risks. Using this single seriousness score, representing a composite risk measure, emergency managers can be informed about the severity of the public's risk perceptions to impending hurricane hazards and might better craft their public directives in ways that minimize disruptive evacuations and achieve greater compliance with government directives.
The Influence of Organizations and Institutions on Wetland Policy Stability: The Rapanos Case
Authors: Arnold Gwen , Fleischman Forrest D.
Published: May 2013

This paper uses a case study of wetland regulation in the United States to develop elements of a theory about institutional stability and change in policy processes involving large public organizations. This theoretical approach draws on the Institutional Analysis and Development framework to understand events that are not well explained by other policy theories. Our approach accounts for the theoretically unexpected outcomes of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Rapanos v. United States, which stood to change the way the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulate the filling of wetlands. We propose a typology of institutional types that operate inside public organizations, and use process tracing to show how tacit institutions, those created informally within public organizations, can play key roles in determining the outcomes of policy processes. In the Rapanos case, informal coordination mechanisms enabled regulators and members of the regulated community to preserve substantially the pre‐ruling status quo. The key role of these microlevel interactions in shaping the macrolevel behaviors of public organizations underscores the importance of further research investigating how, in similar cases, different behavioral mechanisms interact in often complex and unexpected ways to determine the outcomes of policy processes.
Polls and Elections: Two Paradigms of Presidential Nominations
Authors: Steger Wayne
Published: May 2013

This article uses forecasts of the contested vote in presidential primaries to assess competing hypotheses about political power in presidential nominations. Forecasts are estimated using information from the invisible primary and from the earliest nominating elections as a means of assessing which nominations were largely settled during the invisible primary consistent with Cohen et al. (2008) and which were influenced more by momentum during the primaries as Aldrich (1980) and Bartels (1988) argue. Both patterns exist, which suggests that future research on presidential nominations should focus on why party elites and mass partisans unify more in some years than in other years.
The Law: No Relief in Sight: Barring Bivens Claims in Torture Cases
Authors: Klarevas Louis
Published: May 2013

Generally, the appropriate private cause of action against officials who, under color of federal law, violate someone's constitutional rights is to seek damages in a Bivens lawsuit. When national security issues are involved, however, the federal courts regularly bar relief under Bivens. As the recent appellate decisions in Lebron v. Rumsfeld, Padilla v. Yoo, Doe v. Rumsfeld, and Vance v. Rumsfeld display, even when the rights violations involve torture and similar acts, which “shock the conscience,” there is no Bivens relief available to plaintiffs.
The Historical Presidency: “Generalissimo of the Nation”: War Making and the Presidency in the Early Republic
Authors: Adler William D.
Published: May 2013

This article explores the nature of congressional‐presidential relations regarding war making in the early republic. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, I argue thatCongress was not primary in war making during this period. Examining small wars, particularly those against native tribes, demonstrates how little influenceCongress had, with oversight generally occurring only after the fact. Rhetorical presidential support forCongress's role did not accord with their practical readiness to initiate and manage hostilities unilaterally. The willingness of modern presidents to act without congressional consent is therefore not necessarily a historical aberration.
A subcellular tug of war involving three MYB‐like proteins underlies a molecular antagonism in Antirrhinum flower asymmetry
Authors: Raimundo João , Sobral Rómulo , Bailey Paul , Azevedo Herlânder , Galego Lisete , Almeida Jorge , Coen Enrico , Costa Maria Manuela R.
Published: May 2013

The establishment of meristematic domains with different transcriptional activity is essential for many developmental processes. The asymmetry of the Antirrhinum majus flower is established by transcription factors with an asymmetric pattern of activity. To understand how this asymmetrical pattern is established, we studied the molecular mechanism through which the dorsal MYB protein RADIALIS (RAD) restricts the activity of the MYB transcription factor DIVARICATA (DIV) to the ventral region of the flower meristem. We show that RAD competes with DIV for binding with other MYB‐like proteins, termed DRIF1 and DRIF2 (DIV‐ and‐RAD‐interacting‐factors). DRIF1 and DIV interact to form a protein complex that binds to the DIV‐DNA consensus region, suggesting that the DRIFs act as co‐regulators of DIV transcriptional activity. In the presence of RAD, the interaction between DRIF1 and DIV bound to DNA is disrupted. Moreover, the DRIFs are sequestered in the cytoplasm by RAD, thus, preventing or reducing the formation of DRIF‐DIV heterodimers in the nuclei. Our results suggest that in the dorsal region of the Antirrhinum flower meristem the dorsal protein RAD antagonises the activity of the ventral identity protein DIV in a subcellular competition for a DRIF protein promoting the establishment of the asymmetric pattern of gene activity in the Antirrhinum flower.
RHD variants in Polish blood donors routinely typed as D–
Authors: Orzińska Agnieszka , Guz Katarzyna , Polin Helene , Pelc‐Kłopotowska Monika , Bednarz Justyna , Gieleżyńska Agata , Śliwa Beata , Kowalewska Małgorzata , Pawłowska Elżbieta , Włodarczyk Bogusława , Malaga, Alicja Żmudzin Małgorzata , Krzemienowska Magdalena , Srivastava Kshitij , Michalewska Bogumiła , Gabriel Christian , Flegel Willy A. , Brojer Ewa
Published: May 2013

Background

Blood donors exhibiting a weak D or DEL phenotypical expression may be mistyped D– by standard serology hence permitting incompatible transfusion to D– recipients. Molecular methods may overcome these technical limits. Our aim was to estimate the frequency of RHD alleles among the apparently D– Polish donor population and to characterize its molecular background.

Study Design and Methods

Plasma pools collected from 31,200 consecutive Polish donors typed as D– were tested by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of RHD‐specific markers located in Intron 4 and Exons 7 and 10. RHD+ individuals were characterized by PCR or cDNA sequencing and serology.

Results

Plasma cross‐pool strategy revealed 63 RHD+ donors harboring RHD*01N.03 (n = 17), RHD*15 (n = 12), RHD*11 (n = 7), RHD*DEL8 (n = 3), RHD*01W.2 (n = 3), RHD‐CE(10) (n = 3), RHD*01W.3, RHD*01W.9, RHD*01N.05, RHD*01N.07, RHD*01N.23, and RHD(IVS1‐29G>C) and two novel alleles, RHD*(767C>G) (n = 3) and RHD*(1029C>A). Among 47 cases available for serology, 27 were shown to express the D antigen

Conclusion

1) Plasma cross‐pool strategy is a reliable and cost‐effective tool for RHD screening. 2) Only 0.2% of D– Polish donors carry some fragments of the RHD gene; all of them were C or E+. 3) Almost 60% of the detected RHD alleles may be potentially immunogenic when transfused to a D– recipient.
A Global Assessment of the Economic Effects of Export Taxes
Authors: Laborde David , Estrades Carmen , Bouët Antoine
Published: May 2013

This paper uses a new detailed global data set on export taxes at the HS6 level and the MIRAGE global Computable General Equilibrium model to assess the impact of export taxes on the world economy. We find that removing export taxes would have worldwide effects: the average export tax on global merchandise trade was 0.48 per cent in 2007, with the bulk of these taxes imposed on energy products. The removal of these taxes would increase global welfare by 0.23 per cent, a larger figure than expected gains from the Doha Round. Both developed and emerging economies, such as China and India, would gain from such policies even if they currently impose export taxes. Medium and small food‐importing countries without market power (such as the least‐developed countries) would also benefit from the elimination of export restrictions – especially during food crisis situations. Both the energy sector and the export taxes implemented by the Commonwealth of Independent States countries appear to play a critical role in the overall economic impact of such a policy change. However, the fact that some countries, such as Argentina, would experience income losses due to such a policy change is a major challenge to overall positive reform in this area.
Using the 3D beam propagation method to model the effects of lithographic roughness on the attenuation of highly multimodal polymer waveguides
Authors: Riegel Nicholas , Middlebrook Christopher , Kruse Kevin , Roggemann Michael
Published: May 2013

Waveguide sidewall surface roughness is a primary cause of attenuation in lithographically defined, multimode, polymer optical waveguides. Techniques that are currently employed to analyze the effect of roughness on highly multimode waveguides such as coupled mode theory are not easily adaptable to more complicated structures. For example, this technique cannot be used for waveguides that utilize bends, where the modal distribution can not be easily calculated. In this paper, the beam propagation method is used to find sidewall roughness losses empirically. Straight waveguides of different roughnesses are first modeled, and the modeled results are compared to the attenuation of manufactured straight waveguides. The roughness that closely matches the manufactured waveguides attenuation is then verified further by matching the attenuation of waveguides containing 90° bends.
Atomically resolved force microscopy
Authors: Morita Seizo
Published: May 2013

Atomic force microscopy(AFM) with atomic resolution has opened up a new “atom world” based on the chemical nanoscale force. In the noncontact regime where a weak attractive chemical force appears, AFM has successfully achieved atomically resolved imaging of various surfaces. In the near-contact regime, where a strong attractive chemical force or Pauli repulsive force appears, AFM can map the force and potential even on insulator surfaces, it can identify the chemical species of individual atoms using the chemical force, manipulate embedded heterogeneous atoms vertically and laterally, image individual chemical bondsusing the Pauli repulsive force, and detect the energy gap opening induced by covalent bond formation in combination with scanning tunneling microscopy.
Rapid emission angle selection for rotating‐shield brachytherapy
Authors: Liu Yunlong , Flynn Ryan T. , Yang Wenjun , Kim Yusung , Bhatia Sudershan K. , Sun Wenqing , Wu Xiaodong
Published: May 2013

Purpose:

The authors present a rapid emission angle selection (REAS) method that enables the efficient selection of the azimuthal shield angle for rotating shield brachytherapy (RSBT). The REAS method produces a Pareto curve from which a potential RSBT user can select a treatment plan that balances the tradeoff between delivery time and tumor dose conformity.

Methods:

Two cervical cancer patients were considered as test cases for the REAS method. The RSBT source considered was a Xoft AxxentTM electronic brachytherapy source, partially shielded with 0.5 mm of tungsten, which traveled inside a tandem intrauterine applicator. Three anchor RSBT plans were generated for each case using dose‐volume optimization, with azimuthal shield emission angles of 90°, 180°, and 270°. The REAS method converts the anchor plans to treatment plans for all possible emission angles by combining neighboring beamlets to form beamlets for larger emission angles. Treatment plans based on exhaustive dose‐volume optimization (ERVO) and exhaustive surface optimization (ERSO) were also generated for both cases. Uniform dwell‐time scaling was applied to all plans such that that high‐risk clinical target volume D90 was maximized without violating the D2cc tolerances of the rectum, bladder, and sigmoid colon.

Results:

By choosing three azimuthal emission angles out of 32 potential angles, the REAS method performs about 10 times faster than the ERVO method. By settingD90 to 85–100 Gy10, the delivery times used by REAS generated plans are 21.0% and 19.5% less than exhaustive surface optimized plans used by the two clinical cases. By setting the delivery time budget to 5–25 and 10–30 min/fx, respectively, for two the cases, the D90 contributions for REAS are improved by 5.8% and 5.1% compared to the ERSO plans. The ranges used in this comparison were selected in order to keep both D90 and the delivery time within acceptable limits.

Conclusions:

The REAS method enables efficient RSBT treatment planning and delivery and provides treatment plans with comparable quality to those generated by exhaustive replanning with dose‐volume optimization.
On autocorrelation analysis of jet noise
Authors: Harker Blaine M. , Gee Kent L. , Neilsen Tracianne B. , Wall Alan T. , McInerny Sally A. , James Michael M.
Published: May 2013

Meaningful use of the autocorrelation in jet noise analysis is examined. The effect of peak frequency on the autocorrelation function width is removed through a temporal scaling prior to making comparisons between measurements or drawing conclusions about source characteristics. In addition, a Hilbert transform-based autocorrelation envelope helps to define consistent characteristic time scales. Application of these processes to correlation functions based on large and fine-scale similarity spectra reveal that the large-scale noise radiation from an F-22A deviates from the similarity spectrum model.
Comment on “Bateman in Nature: Predation on Offspring Reduces the Potential for Sexual Selection”
Authors: Ramm Steven A. , Jonker Rudy M. , Reinhold Klaus , Székely Tamás , Trillmich Fritz , Schmoll Tim , Schielzeth Holger , Freckleton Robert P.
Published: May 2013

Byers and Dunn’s (Reports, 9 November 2012, p.802) conclusion that predation constrains sexual selection is problematic for three reasons: their nonstandard calculation of Bateman slopes; their assertion that random processes do not influence reproductive success; and the statistically unjustifiable use of 6 variables to explain just 10 observations.
Comment on “Bateman in Nature: Predation on Offspring Reduces the Potential for Sexual Selection”
Authors: Arnqvist Göran
Published: May 2013

Byers and Dunn (Reports, 9 November 2012, p. 802) reported that sexual selection and natural selection are closely related in a wild population of pronghorns. Here, I argue that this conclusion is incorrect. Their main finding is due to the fact that, unsurprisingly, juvenile mortality and juvenile survival are negatively related across years.
Tracking Marine Pollution
Authors: Elliott John E. , Elliott Kyle H.
Published: May 2013

Seabird monitoring studies are providing a global picture of an increasing range of marine pollutants.
Is Any Science Safe?
Authors: Prewitt Kenneth
Published: May 2013

This month, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) will apply two criteria in its review of research proposals: intellectual merit and impact. One discipline, however, will have to meet a further test. In March, at the urging of U.S. Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), Congress halted funding for political science—“except for” research that the agency's director certifies as “promoting national security or the economic interests of the United States.” This extra test might not stop with political science. Representative Bill Posey (R-FL), in an NSF oversight hearing on 17 April, asked John Holdren, President Obama's science adviser, why Coburn's two criteria were not “a good and proper filter” to apply to all NSF grants, eliciting this response: “… it's a dangerous thing for Congress, or anybody else, to be trying to specify in detail what types of fundamental research NSF should be funding.”
*
The United States has benefitted enormously from a government/science partnership carefully designed by Congress over many decades. There have been bumps along the way; it is challenging to reconcile scientific autonomy with Congress's responsibility for public funds. Coburn's “except for” clause is potentially a very large bump.
Research in Limbo as Harvard Moves to Close Center
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: May 2013

After nearly 50 years, the New England Primate Research Center will close because of financial pressures, officials say.
Bill and Melinda Gates Talk Science
Authors: Roberts Leslie
Published: May 2013

Philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates chat with
Science
, mostly about two of their passions: eradicating polio worldwide by 2018 and getting modern contraceptives to another 120 million women by 2020.
Hansen's Retirement From NASA Spurs Look at His Legacy
Authors: Kintisch Eli
Published: May 2013

Is the prominent climate scientist a role model for younger researchers—or a polarizing figure whose tactics have proved counterproductive?
Mr. Borucki's Lonely Road to the Light
Authors: Bhattacharjee Yudhijit
Published: May 2013

The father of NASA's Kepler orbiting exoplanet finder had to pioneer new optical techniques and overcome decades of skepticism to get his pet project off the ground.
A Gallery of Planet Hunters
Authors: Bhattacharjee Yudhijit , Clery Daniel
Published: May 2013

Science
presents an overview of planet-hunting techniques and representative efforts for the nearly 900 confirmed exoplanets and the hundreds of fresh candidates that are turning up every month.
And a Glossary of Their Quarry
Authors: Wade Lizzie
Published: May 2013

Science
presents an overview of planet-hunting techniques and representative efforts for the nearly 900 confirmed exoplanets and the hundreds of fresh candidates that are turning up every month.
Increased Serum MicroRNA-155 Level Associated with Nonresponsiveness to Hepatitis B Vaccine
Authors: Xiong Yongzhen , Chen Shengli , Liu Linhua , Zhao Yi , Lin Weiyan , Ni Jindong
Published: May 2013

We compared the serum levels of microRNA-155 (miR-155) between subjects with normal response to hepatitis B vaccine and nonresponders. Results showed that serum expression of miR-155 was significantly higher in nonresponders than in responders (6.40 versus 2.55;Z= 2.125,P= 0.034), suggesting that overexpression of miR-155 is correlated with nonresponsiveness to hepatitis B vaccine.
Nonfebrile Seizures after Mumps, Measles, Rubella, and Varicella-Zoster Virus Combination Vaccination with Detection of Measles Virus RNA in Serum, Throat, and Urine
Authors: Eckerle Isabella , Keller-Stanislawski Brigitte , Santibanez Sabine , Buderus Stephan , Hillmann Matthias , Drosten Christian , Eis-Hübinger Anna Maria
Published: May 2013

We report the case of a child presenting with nonfebrile seizures 6 and 13 days after the first vaccination with a measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) combination vaccine. Measles virus RNA was detected in the patient's serum, throat, and urine. Genotyping revealed the Schwarz vaccine virus strain.