bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relating rheological measurements to primary and secondary skin feeling when mineral‐based and Fischer–Tropsch wax‐based cosmetic emulsions and jellies are applied to the skin
Authors: Bekker M. , Webber G. V. , Louw N. R.
Published: March 2013

Synopsis

Rheology measurements were correlated to skin sensations occurring when cream and petroleum jelly cosmetic products containing different amounts of synthetic Fischer–Tropsch wax were applied to the skin. A panel of 15 people with a background in cosmetic product development were asked to rate skin feelings when a range of petroleum jelly and cream samples are applied to the skin. Primary skin feel, or the spreadability of a cosmetic product, was correlated to the product's flow onset and maximum viscosity as measured by a Anton Paar rheometer, whereas secondary skin feel or the sensation occurring at the end of application when the product was completely rubbed into the skin was correlated to the product's viscosity measured at high shear rates. The cream samples prepared with a petroleum jelly containing 10% and 20% Fischer–Tropsch wax fell within the boundary of good primary skin feeling of cream products. Predominantly, synthetic petroleum jellies were given the best assessments in terms of primary skin feeling and were used with mineral‐based petroleum jellies to determine the boundary of good primary skin feeling for petroleum jelly products. The further away a product falls from this rheological boundary the poorer the skin feeling assessment appears to be by the panel. Products containing Fischer–Tropsch waxes were given the best assessment by the panel for secondary skin feeling. Comments from the panel include that these products feel silky and light on the skin. The higher the Fischer–Tropsch wax content, the lower viscosity was at high shear rate (ϒ = 500 s−1) and the higher the assessment by the panel. Rheological measurements can be used to objectively determine skin sensation when products are applied to the skin; this may shorten research and development times. A rheology boundary of certain product viscosity and shear stress applied is associated with good primary skin feeling for lotions, creams and petroleum jellies. Lower product viscosity at high shear rate seems to be associated with better secondary skin feeling. Products with higher Fischer–Tropsch wax content appear to be rated higher in terms of secondary skin feeling.
‘Surviving the sting’: the use of solicited diaries in children and young people with oral mucosal disease
Authors: O' Donnell Suzi Carew , Marshman Zoe , Zaitoun Halla
Published: March 2013

Background

Chronic oral mucosal conditions, including oral ulcers, commonly affect children and young people and are capable of significant pain and morbidity. Little is known about patient perception of paediatric oral medicine services offered in relation to these conditions. The concept of a diary is increasingly recognised as a valuable way to capture patient events and perspective in healthcare research.

Aim of the paper

This article provides the background to the use of solicited diaries as a method of accessing the perspective of children and young people and describes a service evaluation that aimed to explore the experiences of young people with chronic oral ulcers attending the paediatric oral medicine clinic in a UK Dental Hospital.

Results

Chronic oral ulcers were found to significantly impact on a variety of physical and psychosocial aspects of young people's lives. Overall, feedback regarding the specialist service was positive but suggestions were made for improvements.

Conclusion

This article reviews the use of the solicited diary within healthcare research. It also illustrates the value of the diary in exploration of children and young people's perspective on their chronic oral mucosal disease. In addition, a need for further research in this area has been highlighted.
TAXING TIMES: LEAN WORKING AND THE CREATION OF (IN)EFFICIENCIES IN HM REVENUE AND CUSTOMS
Authors: CARTER BOB , DANFORD ANDY , HOWCROFT DEBRA , RICHARDSON HELEN , SMITH ANDREW , TAYLOR PHIL
Published: March 2013

The prevailing economic and budgetary climate is intensifying the search for methods and practices aimed at generating efficiencies in public sector provision. This paper investigates the increasingly popular bundle of techniques operating under the generic descriptor oflean, which promises to improve operational quality processes while simultaneously reducing cost. It offers a critical appraisal of lean as a fashionable component of public sector reform and challenges the received wisdom that it unambiguously delivers ‘efficiencies’. Quantitative and qualitative research in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) centred on employees' experiences has indicated the extent to which work has been reorganized along lean principles. However, employees perceive that changes in organizational processes and working practices have unintentionally generated inefficiencies which have impacted on the quality of public service. These suggested outcomes raise wider concerns as lean working is adopted in other public sector organizations.
Female crickets assess relatedness during mate guarding and bias storage of sperm towards unrelated males
Authors: Tuni C. , Beveridge M. , Simmons L. W.
Published: March 2013

Recent evidence shows that females exert a post‐copulatory fertilization bias in favour of unrelated males to avoid the genetic incompatibilities derived from inbreeding. One of the mechanisms suggested for fertilization biases in insects is female control over transport of sperm to the sperm‐storage organs. We investigated post‐copulatory inbreeding‐avoidance mechanisms in females of the cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus. We assessed the relative contribution of related and unrelated males to the sperm stores of double‐mated females. To demonstrate unequivocally that biased sperm storage results from female control rather than cryptic male choice, we manipulated the relatedness of mated males and of males performing post‐copulatory mate guarding. Our results show that when guarded by a related male, females store less sperm from their actual mate, irrespective of the relatedness of the mating male. Our data support the notion that inhibition of sperm storage by female crickets can act as a form of cryptic female choice to avoid the severe negative effects of inbreeding.
Risk‐induced hatching timing shows low heritability and evolves independently of spontaneous hatching in red‐eyed treefrogs
Authors: Gomez‐Mestre I. , Warkentin K. M.
Published: March 2013

Plasticity in the timing of transitions between stages of complex life cycles allows organisms to adjust their growth and development to local environmental conditions. Genetic variation in such plasticity is common, but the evolution of context‐dependent transition timing may be constrained by information reliability, lag‐time and developmental constraints. We studied the genetic architecture of hatching plasticity in embryos of the red‐eyed treefrog (Agalychnis callidryas) in response to simulated predator attacks using a series of paternal and maternal half‐sibs from a captive breeding colony of wild‐collected animals. We compared the developmental timing of induced early hatching across sibships and estimated cross‐environment genetic correlations between induced and spontaneous hatching traits. Additive genetic variance for induced early hatching was very low, indicating a constraint on the short‐term evolution of earlier hatching timing. This constraint is likely related to the maturation of the hatching mechanism. The most plastic genotypes produced the most extreme spontaneous hatching phenotypes, indicating that developmental range, per se, is not constrained. Cross‐environment genetic correlation in hatching timing was negligible, so the evolution of spontaneous hatching in this species has not depended on the evolution of risk‐induced hatching and vice versa.
Infection Prevention in Long‐Term Care: A Systematic Review of Randomized and Nonrandomized Trials
Authors: Uchida Mayuko , Pogorzelska‐Maziarz Monika , Smith Philip W. , Larson Elaine
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this systematic review was to critically review and synthesize current evidence and the methodological quality of nonpharmacological infection‐prevention interventions in long‐term care (LTC) facilities for older adults. Two reviewers searched three electronic databases for studies published over the last decade assessing randomized and nonrandomized trials designed to reduce infections in older adults in which primary outcomes were infection rates and reductions of risk factors related to infections. To establish clarity and standardized reporting of findings, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses checklist was used. Data extracted included study design, sample size, type and duration of interventions, outcome measures reported, and findings. Two reviewers independently assessed study quality using a validated quality assessment tool. Twenty‐four articles met inclusion criteria; the majority were randomized control trials (67%) in which the primary purpose was to reduce pneumonia (66%). Thirteen (54%) studies reported statistically significant results in favor of interventions on at least one of their outcome measures. The methodological clarity of available evidence was limited, placing them at potential risk of bias. Gaps and inconsistencies surrounding interventions in LTC are evident. Future interventional studies need to enhance methodological rigor using clearly defined outcome measures and standardized reporting of findings.
Potential for adaptation in response to thermal stress in an intertidal macroalga
Authors: Clark Jennifer S. , Poore Alistair G. B. , Ralph Peter J. , Doblin Martina A.
Published: March 2013

Understanding responses of marine algae to changing ocean temperatures requires knowledge of the impacts of elevated temperatures and the likelihood of adaptation to thermal stress. The potential for rapid evolution of thermal tolerance is dependent on the levels of heritable genetic variation in response to thermal stress within a population. Here, we use a quantitative genetic breeding design to establish whether there is a heritable variation in thermal sensitivity in two populations of a habitat‐forming intertidal macroalga, Hormosira banksii (Turner) Descaisne. Gametes from multiple parents were mixed and growth and photosynthetic performance were measured in the resulting embryos, which were incubated under control and elevated temperature (20°C and 28°C). Embryo growth was reduced at 28°C, but significant interactions between male genotype and temperature in one population indicated the presence of genetic variation in thermal sensitivity. Selection for more tolerant genotypes thus has the ability to result in the evolution of increased thermal tolerance. Furthermore, genetic correlations between embryos grown in the two temperatures were positive, indicating that those genotypes that performed well in elevated temperature also performed well in control temperature. Chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements showed a marked decrease in maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII) under elevated temperature. There was an increase in the proportion of energy directed to photoinhibition (nonregulated nonphotochemical quenching) and a concomitant decrease in energy used to drive photochemistry and xanthophyll cycling (regulated nonphotochemical quenching). However, PSII performance between genotypes was similar, suggesting that thermal sensitivity is related to processes other than photosynthesis.
The Development and Validation of the Male Genital Self-Image Scale: Results from a Nationally Representative Probability Sample of Men in the United States
Authors: Herbenick Debby , Schick Vanessa , Reece Michael , Sanders Stephanie A. , Fortenberry J. Dennis
Published: March 2013

Introduction

Numerous factors may affect men's sexual experiences, including their health status, past trauma or abuse, medication use, relationships, mood, anxiety, and body image. Little research has assessed the influence of men's genital self-image on their sexual function or behaviors and none has done so in a nationally representative sample.

Aims

The purpose of this study was to, in a nationally representative probability sample of men ages 18 to 60, assess the reliability and validity of the Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGSIS), and to examine the relationship between scores on the MGSIS and men's scores on the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF).

Methods

The MGSIS was developed in two stages. Phase One involved a review of the literature and an analysis of cross-sectional survey data. Phase Two involved an administration of the scale items to a nationally representative sample of men in the United States ages 18 to 60.

Main Outcome Measures

Measures include demographic items, the IIEF, and the MGSIS.

Results

Overall, most men felt positively about their genitals. However, 24.6% of men expressed some discomfort letting a healthcare provider examine their genitals and about 20% reported dissatisfaction with their genital size. The MGSIS was found to be reliable and valid, with the MGSIS-5 (consisting of five items) being the best fit to the data.

Conclusion

The MGSIS was found to be a reliable and valid measure. In addition, men's scores on the MGSIS-5 were found to be positively related to men's scores on the IIEF.
Selective serotonin 2A receptor antagonism attenuates the effects of amphetamine on arousal and dopamine overflow in non‐human primates
Authors: Murnane Kevin S. , Andersen Monica L. , Rice Kenner C. , Howell Leonard L.
Published: March 2013

The objective of the present study was to further elucidate the mechanisms involved in the wake‐promoting effects of psychomotor‐stimulants. Many previous studies have tightly linked the effects of stimulants to dopamine neurotransmission, and some studies indicate that serotonin 2A receptors modulate these effects. However, the role of dopamine in arousal is controversial, most notably because dopamine neurons do not change firing rates across arousal states. In the present study, we examined the wake‐promoting effects of the dopamine‐releaser amphetamine using non‐invasive telemetric monitoring. These effects were evaluated in rhesus monkeys as a laboratory animal model with high translational relevance for human disorders of sleep and arousal. To evaluate the role of dopamine in the wake‐promoting effects of amphetamine, we used in vivo microdialysis targeting the caudate nucleus, as this approach provides clearly interpretable measures of presynaptic dopamine release. This is beneficial in the present context because some of the inconsistencies between previous studies examining the role of dopamine in arousal may be related to differences between postsynaptic dopamine receptors. We found that amphetamine significantly and dose‐dependently increased arousal at doses that engendered higher extracellular dopamine levels. Moreover, antagonism of serotonin 2A receptors attenuated the effects of amphetamine on both wakefulness and dopamine overflow. These findings further elucidate the role of dopamine and serotonin 2A receptors in arousal, and they suggest that increased dopamine neurotransmission may be necessary for the wake‐promoting effects of amphetamine, and possibly other stimulants.
Reasons to be different: do conspicuous polymorphisms in invertebrates persist because rare forms are fitter?
Authors: Ajuria Ibarra H. , Reader T.
Published: March 2013

Many invertebrate species show conspicuous colour polymorphisms, the study of which has provided us with important insights in evolutionary biology. The potential importance of frequency‐dependent selection in the maintenance of polymorphisms was identified by theoretical studies more than 50 years ago, and since then, the topic has received considerable attention from those seeking to explain observed diversity in natural populations. Here, we consider the different ecological interactions that have been shown to lead to negative frequency‐dependent selection in invertebrate populations in the wild, and assess the likely relative importance of this mechanism in comparison with alternatives that may promote genetic and phenotypic diversity. The literature shows that frequency dependence can result from a wide array of ecological interactions, in particular, those involving mate choice, sexual conflict and predation. However, even though negative frequency‐dependent selection is the most common explanation for the occurrence of conspicuous polymorphisms in invertebrates, conclusive evidence of its importance in natural populations is largely absent. A particular problem is that in most studies, it is the only explanation considered. In the most comprehensively studied systems, it has been shown that multiple mechanisms (both selective and neutral) operate to maintain observed phenotypic variation, and that negative frequency‐dependent selection is not the most important of these. Thus, as yet at least, we do not have strong grounds for believing that negative frequency‐dependent selection is a major diversifying force in invertebrate morphology. However, without more comprehensive studies in a wider range of ecological contexts, we are equally unable to dismiss it as weak and/or irrelevant.
Noradrenaline vs terlipressin in the treatment of type 2 hepatorenal syndrome: a randomized pilot study
Authors: Ghosh Saubhik , Choudhary Narendra S. , Sharma Arun K. , Singh Baljinder , Kumar Pradeep , Agarwal Ritesh , Sharma Navneet , Bhalla Ashish , Chawla Yogesh K. , Singh Virendra
Published: March 2013

Background

Various vasoconstrictors have shown promising results in the management of type 1 hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). However, there are very few studies on vasopressors in the management of type 2 HRS. Terlipressin has been used commonly; however, it is costly and not available in some countries. In this study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of terlipressin and noradrenaline in the treatment of type 2 HRS.

Methods

Forty‐six patients with type 2 HRS were managed with terlipressin (group A, N = 23) or noradrenaline (Group B, N = 23) with albumin in a randomized controlled trial at a tertiary centre.

Results

HRS reversal could be achieved in 17(73.9%) patients in group A as well as in group B (P = 1.0). Univariate analysis showed that the baseline model of end‐stage liver disease score, urine output, urinary sodium, serum creatinine and mean arterial pressure were associated with response. However, in multivariate analysis only baseline serum creatinine, urine output and urinary sodium were associated with the response. Eight patients in group A and 9 in group B died within 90 days of follow‐up (P > 0.05). Noradrenaline was less expensive than terlipressin (P < 0.05). No major adverse effects were seen.

Conclusions

The results of this randomized study suggest that terlipressin and noradrenaline are safe and effective in the treatment of type 2 HRS and baseline serum creatinine, urine output and urinary sodium are predictive of response. Noradrenaline is less expensive than terlipressin in the treatment of type 2 HRS (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number NCT01637454).
Glasses in howardites: Impact melts or pyroclasts?
Authors: Singerling Sheryl A. , McSween Harry Y. , Taylor Larry A.
Published: March 2013

We have analyzed glasses in eight howardites with the aim of distinguishing their origins as impact melts or pyroclasts. Although theoretical calculations predict that pyroclastic eruptions could have taken place on Vesta, the occurrence of pyroclastic glasses in HED meteorites has not been documented. This study involved petrographic examination of textures, electron microprobe analysis of major and minor elements, and LA‐ICP‐MS analysis for selected trace elements. Previously documented textural and compositional differences between lunar impact‐melt and pyroclastic glasses partly guided this study. This work yielded no positive identification of pyroclastic glasses. The most likely explanation is that pyroclastic glasses never formed, either because Vesta contains insufficient volatiles to have powered explosive eruptions, or because eruptive conditions produced optically dense fire‐fountains that allowed melt drops to collect as lava ponds. The impact‐melt glasses were grouped (low‐alkali, Ca‐rich, and K‐rich) based on compositions. We suggest that these glasses are the result of impacts onto known HED lithologies. The low‐alkali glasses are impact melts of bulk HED lithologies. We hypothesize that the Ca‐rich and K‐rich glasses result from oversampling of plagioclase and of mesostasis that experienced liquid immiscibility, respectively, during micrometeorite impacts into eucrite targets.
The Effect of Government Spending on the Debt‐to‐GDPRatio: SomeKeynesian Arithmetic
Authors: Leão Pedro
Published: March 2013

According to the standard approach to the issue of public debt sustainability, fiscal austerity is the route that many countries must currently follow to reduce their debt‐to‐GDPratios back to sustainable paths. We challenge this conventional wisdom and argue that, below full employment, an increase in government spending may paradoxicallyreducethe debt‐to‐GDPratio. This claim is particularly relevant today because withCentralBank interest rates near zero there is no alternative to fiscal policy, and theonlyargument against increasing government expenditure as a way to fight unemployment is its supposed negative effect on the state of public finances.
Role of SHIP1 in bone biology
Authors: Iyer Sonia , Margulies Bryan S. , Kerr William G.
Published: March 2013

The bone marrow milieu comprising both hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic lineages has a unique structural organization. Bone undergoes continuous remodeling throughout life. This dynamic process involves a balance between bone‐forming osteoblasts (OBs) derived from multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and bone‐resorbing osteoclasts (OCs) derived from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Src homology 2‐domain–containing inositol 5′‐phosphatase 1 (SHIP1) regulates cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and survival via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway initiated at the plasma membrane. SHIP1‐deficient mice also exhibit profound osteoporosis that has been proposed to result from hyperresorptive activity by OCs. We have previously observed that SHIP1 is expressed in primary OBs, which display defective development in SHIP1‐deficient mice. These findings led us to question whether SHIP1 plays a functional role in osteolineage development from MSC in vivo, which contributes to the osteoporotic phenotype in germline SHIP1 knockout mice. In this short review, we discuss our current understanding of inositol phospholipid signaling downstream of SHIP1 in bone biology.
Fat‐resident Tregs: an emerging guard protecting from obesity‐associated metabolic disorders
Authors: Chen X. , Wu Y. , Wang L.
Published: March 2013

Obesity, a chronic, low‐grade inflammatory disease, is associated with alterations of multiple immune‐cell components in the visceral adipose tissue (VAT), in which CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been suggested to be a critical regulator. This review focuses on the current understanding of VAT‐resident Tregs (VAT Tregs) and their intriguing roles in modulating fat tissue inflammation and obesity‐associated metabolic disorders. The potential mechanisms for the regulation of VAT Tregs in lean vs. obese individuals are also discussed. Accumulating evidence reveals that the modulation of VAT Tregs may offer a potential novel strategy for treating obesity‐related metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
RNAseq‐based transcriptome analysis of Lactuca sativa infected by the fungal necrotroph Botrytis cinerea
Authors: DE CREMER KAAT , MATHYS JANICK , VOS CHRISTINE , FROENICKE LUTZ , MICHELMORE RICHARD W. , CAMMUE BRUNO P A. , DE CONINCK BARBARA
Published: March 2013

The fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea establishes a necrotrophic interaction with its host plants, including lettuce (Lactuca sativa), causing it to wilt, collapse and eventually dry up and die, which results in serious economic losses. Global expression profiling using RNAseq and the newly sequenced lettuce genome identified a complex network of genes involved in the lettuce–B. cinerea interaction. The observed high number of differentially expressed genes allowed us to classify them according to the biological pathways in which they are implicated, generating a holistic picture. Most pronounced were the induction of the phenylpropanoid pathway and terpenoid biosynthesis, whereas photosynthesis was globally down‐regulated at 48 h post‐inoculation. Large‐scale comparison with data available on the interaction of B. cinerea with the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana revealed both general and species‐specific responses to infection with this pathogen. Surprisingly, expression analysis of selected genes could not detect significant systemic transcriptional alterations in lettuce leaves distant from the inoculation site. Additionally, we assessed the response of these lettuce genes to a biotrophic pathogen, Bremia lactucae, revealing that similar pathways are induced during compatible interactions of lettuce with necrotrophic and biotrophic pathogens.
Deconstructing crop processes and models via identities
Authors: PORTER JOHN R. , CHRISTENSEN SVEND
Published: March 2013

This paper is part review and part opinion piece; it has three parts of increasing novelty and speculation in approach. The first presents an overview of how some of the major crop simulation models approach the issue of simulating the responses of crops to changing climatic and weather variables, mainly atmospheric CO2 concentration and increased and/or varying temperatures. It illustrates an important principle in models of a single cause having alternative effects and vice versa. The second part suggests some features, mostly missing in current crop models, that need to be included in the future, focussing on extreme events such as high temperature or extreme drought. The final opinion part is speculative but novel. It describes an approach to deconstruct resource use efficiencies into their constituent identities or elements based on the Kaya‐Porter identity, each of which can be examined for responses to climate and climatic change. We give no promise that the final part is ‘correct’, but we hope it can be a stimulation to thought, hypothesis and experiment, and perhaps a new modelling approach.
Pyoderma Gangrenosum Associated with an Aseptic Splenic Abscess in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis
Authors: Johnson Jamie L. , West Daniel A. , Haggstrom Anita N.
Published: March 2013

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a painful, ulcerating neutrophilic dermatosis commonly associated with a variety of underlying systemic conditions. We report a child with neurofibromatosis‐1 (NF‐1) and an aseptic splenic abscess who developed multifocal PG in areas of iatrogenic skin trauma. There is no clinical evidence or theoretical basis to suggest a causal relationship between NF‐1 and PG. Systemic corticosteroid and cyclosporine therapy led to complete resolution of the lesions.
Review and Assessment of Poliovirus Immunity and Transmission: Synthesis of Knowledge Gaps and Identification of Research Needs
Authors: Duintjer Tebbens Radboud J. , Pallansch Mark A. , Chumakov Konstantin M. , Halsey Neal A. , Hovi Tapani , Minor Philip D. , Modlin John F. , Patriarca Peter A. , Sutter Roland W. , Wright Peter F. , Wassilak Steven G.F. , Cochi Stephen L. , Kim Jong‐Hoon , Thompson Kimberly M.
Published: March 2013

With the intensifying global efforts to eradicate wild polioviruses, policymakers face complex decisions related to achieving eradication and managing posteradication risks. These decisions and the expanding use of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) trigger renewed interest in poliovirus immunity, particularly the role of mucosal immunity in the transmission of polioviruses. Sustained high population immunity to poliovirus transmission represents a key prerequisite to eradication, but poliovirus immunity and transmission remain poorly understood despite decades of studies. In April 2010, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened an international group of experts on poliovirus immunology and virology to review the literature relevant for modeling poliovirus transmission, develop a consensus about related uncertainties, and identify research needs. This article synthesizes the quantitative assessments and research needs identified during the process. Limitations in the evidence from oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) challenge studies and other relevant data led to differences in expert assessments, indicating the need for additional data, particularly in several priority areas for research: (1) the ability of IPV‐induced immunity to prevent or reduce excretion and affect transmission, (2) the impact of waning immunity on the probability and extent of poliovirus excretion, (3) the relationship between the concentration of poliovirus excreted and infectiousness to others in different settings, and (4) the relative role of fecal‐oral versus oropharyngeal transmission. This assessment of current knowledge supports the immediate conduct of additional studies to address the gaps.
Psychometric and Demographic Predictors of the Perceived Risk of Terrorist Threats and the Willingness to Pay for Terrorism Risk Management Programs
Authors: Mumpower Jeryl L. , Shi Liu , Stoutenborough James W. , Vedlitz Arnold
Published: March 2013

A 2009 national telephone survey of 924 U.S. adults assessed perceptions of terrorism and homeland security issues. Respondents rated severity of effects, level of understanding, number affected, and likelihood of four terrorist threats: poisoned water supply; explosion of a small nuclear device in a major U.S. city; an airplane attack similar to 9/11; and explosion of a bomb in a building, train, subway, or highway. Respondents rated perceived risk and willingness to pay (WTP) for dealing with each threat. Demographic, attitudinal, and party affiliation data were collected. Respondents rated bomb as highest in perceived risk but gave the highest WTP ratings to nuclear device. For both perceived risk and WTP, psychometric variables were far stronger predictors than were demographic ones. OLS regression analyses using both types of variables to predict perceived risk found only two significant demographic predictors for any threat—Democrat (a negative predictor for bomb) and white male (a significant positive predictor for airline attack). In contrast, among psychometric variables, severity, number affected, and likelihood were predictors of all four threats and level of understanding was a predictor for one. For WTP, education was a negative predictor for three threats; no other demographic variables were significant predictors for any threat. Among psychometric variables, perceived risk and number affected were positive predictors of WTP for all four threats; severity and likelihood were predictors for three; level of understanding was a significant predictor for two.
An Approach for Optimal Allocation of Safety Resources: Using the Knapsack Problem to Take Aggregated Cost‐Efficient Preventive Measures
Authors: Reniers Genserik L. L. , Sörensen Kenneth
Published: March 2013

On the basis of the combination of the well‐known knapsack problem and a widely used risk management technique in organizations (that is, the risk matrix), an approach was developed to carry out a cost‐benefits analysis to efficiently take prevention investment decisions. Using the knapsack problem as a model and combining it with a well‐known technique to solve this problem, bundles of prevention measures are prioritized based on their costs and benefits within a predefined prevention budget. Those bundles showing the highest efficiencies, and within a given budget, are identified from a wide variety of possible alternatives. Hence, the approach allows for an optimal allocation of safety resources, does not require any highly specialized information, and can therefore easily be applied by any organization using the risk matrix as a risk ranking tool.
Risks Perception of Electromagnetic Fields in Taiwan: The Influence of Psychopathology and the Degree of Sensitivity to Electromagnetic Fields
Authors: Tseng Mei‐Chih Meg , Lin Yi‐Ping , Hu Fu‐Chang , Cheng Tsun‐Jen
Published: March 2013

Little is known about the perceived health risks of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and factors associated with risk perception in non‐Western countries. Psychological conditions and risk perception have been postulated as factors that facilitate the attribution of health complaints to environmental factors. This study investigated people's perceived risks of EMFs and other environmental sources, as well as the relationships between risk perception, psychopathology, and the degree of self‐reported sensitivity to EMFs. A total of 1,251 adults selected from a nationwide telephone interviewing system database responded to a telephone survey about the relationships between environmental sources and human health. The interview included questions assessing participants’ psychiatric conditions and the presence and degree of sensitivity to EMFs. One hundred and seventy participants were self‐identified as having sensitivity to EMFs, and 141 met the criteria for psychiatric conditions without EMF sensitivity. More than half of the survey respondents considered power lines and mobile phone base stations to affect people's health to a big extent. Higher sensitivity to EMFs, psychopathology, being female, being married, more years of education, and having a catastrophic illness had positive associations with perceived risks of EMF‐related environmental sources as well as for all environmental sources combined. We observed no moderating effect of psychopathology on the association between degree of sensitivity to EMF and risk perception. Thus, psychopathology had influence on general people's risk perception without having influence on the relationship between people's degree of sensitivity to EMF and risk perception. The plausible explanations are discussed in the text.
Blood Pressure Recordings During Hemodialysis Access Interventions: Implications for Acute Management
Authors: Asif Arif , Castro Hector , Waheed Ahmed Ameen , Kumar Vishesh , Haqqie Syed S , Siskin Gary , Mathew Roy O , Mason Darius , Vachharajani Tushar , Nayer Ali , Merrill Donna , Akmal Muhammad UT , Salman Loay
Published: March 2013

A retrospective study evaluating the pattern of blood pressure and its related complications before, during, and after percutaneous hemodialysis interventions was performed in patients presenting with asymptomatic hypertension. Hemodialysis patients undergoing percutaneous interventions including tunneled hemodialysis catheter insertion, percutaneous balloon angioplasty and thrombectomy procedure, and stage II hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥160 mmHg) were included in this analysis. Blood pressure medications were not used while midazolam and fentanyl were routinely administered. Patients were followed for up to 4 weeks to monitor any complications. The mean blood pressure before, during, and after the procedures were 185 ± 18/96 ± 14, 172 ± 22/92 ± 15, and 153 ± 25/87 ± 14, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the blood pressure readings before and after the procedure (before = 185 ± 18/96 ± 14, after = 153 ± 25/87 ± 14; p = 0.001). None of the patients had a stroke, myocardial infarction, or acute pulmonary edema before, during, or after the procedure or during the 4‐week follow‐up period. A significant reduction in blood pressure was observed after the procedure without the administration of any antihypertensive medication. These results suggest that the reduction in blood pressure observed after percutaneous dialysis access interventions (particularly in the presence of midazolam and fentanyl) may make it unnecessary to treat asymptomatic hypertension prior to these procedures.
Large pore dermal microdialysis and liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectroscopy shotgun proteomic analysis: a feasibility study
Authors: Petersen Lars J. , Sørensen Mette A. , Codrea Marius C. , Zacho Helle D. , Bendixen Emøke
Published: March 2013

Background/Aims

The purpose of the present pilot study was to investigate the feasibility of combining large pore dermal microdialysis with shotgun proteomic analysis in human skin.

Methods

Dialysate was recovered from human skin by 2000 kDa microdialysis membranes from one subject at three different phases of the study; trauma due to implantation of the dialysis device, a post implantation steady‐state period, and after induction of vasodilatation and plasma extravasation. For shotgun proteomics, the proteins were extracted and digested with trypsin. Peptides were separated by capillary and nanoflow HPLC systems, followed by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) on a Quadrupole‐TOF hybrid instrument. The MS/MS spectra were merged and mapped to a human target protein database to achieve peptide identification and protein inference.

Results

Results showed variation in protein amounts and profiles for each of the different sampling phases. The total protein concentration was 1.7, 0.6, and 1.3 mg/mL during the three phases, respectively. A total of 158 different proteins were identified. Immunoglobulins and the major classes of plasma proteins, including proteases, coagulation factors, apolipoproteins, albumins, and complement factors, make up the major load of proteins in all three test conditions.

Conclusion

Shotgun proteomics allowed the identification of more than 150 proteins in microdialysis samples from human skin. This highlights the opportunities of LC‐MS/MS to study the complex molecular interactions in the skin.
A novel HLA allele, HLA‐C*01:02:18, was identified by polymerase chain reaction sequence‐based typing in a Chinese leukemia patient
Authors: Tao S. ‐D. , Zhang W. , Zhu F. ‐M. , He J. , Lv H.‐J.
Published: March 2013

HLA‐C*01:02:18 shows one nucleotide difference from that of HLA‐C*01:02:01 by a single nucleotide substitution at position 474 C>T in exon 3.
Identification of a new HLA‐C allele, HLA‐C*08:75 in a Caucasian individual
Authors: Gonzalez E. A. , Mensa A. , Villarroel P. , Diaz M. , Fabregat V. , Santiago F. , Giné E. , Serra‐Pages C.
Published: March 2013

HLA‐C*08:75 differs from C*08:02:01 by a non‐synonymous mutation at codon 229 (GAG to AAG) in exon 4.
A Novel Low Cost Package for Radio Frequency Applications
Authors: Chaturvedi Sandeep , Koul Shiban K.
Published: March 2013

Design, fabrication, and test results of a novel 3-layer RF package using a commonly available high frequency laminate are presented in this paper. The developed package can be manufactured using standard multilayer printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing techniques making it cost effective for commercial applications. The package exhibits excellent RF characteristics up to 6 GHz.
Properties of Higher Order Instant Center: A Case Study of Classical Motions
Authors: Kulkarni Amit , Tesar Delbert
Published: March 2013

A generalized algebraic formulation using instant centers (IC) was developed for the motion description of a general point in the rigid body under a planar 3-DOF (degrees-of-freedom) motion for up to the fifth order kinematics. This motion theory is being applied to planar wheeled mobile platforms. Though the first order and second order instant centers have been previously studied, the properties of higher order instant centers are yet to be understood. Also the expressions for third and higher order motion are highly coupled and more complex than the first and second order motion descriptions. To this effect, this paper studies some special case scenarios of planar rigid body motion that involve well documented 1-DOF motions such as a circle (cylinder /disk/wheel) rolling on a straight line (plane/flat, smooth surface), a circle rolling inside another circle, a circle rolling on another circle, etc. This study will help us understand the physical nature of the kinematic formulation using instant centers. Otherwise, numerical specifications for the higher order properties will have little known physical reference as to the meanings of their magnitudes.
Numerical Strategies to Reduce the Effect of Ill-Conditioned Correlation Matrices and Underflow Errors in Kriging
Authors: Haarhoff Lukas J. , Kok Schalk , Wilke Daniel N.
Published: March 2013

Kriging is used extensively as a metamodel in multidisciplinary design optimization. The correlation matrix used in Kriging metamodeling frequently becomes ill-conditioned. Therefore different numerical methods used to solve the Kriging equations affect the search for the optimum Kriging parameters and the ability of the Kriging surface to accurately interpolate known data points. We illustrate this by firstly computing the inverse of the correlation matrix in the Kriging equations, and secondly by solving the systems of equations using decomposition and back substitution, thereby avoiding the inversion of the correlation matrix. Our results clearly show that by decomposing and back substituting, the interpolation accuracy is maintained for significantly higher condition numbers. We then show that computing the natural logarithm of the determinant using additive calculations as opposed to multiplicative calculations significantly reduces numerical underflow errors encountered when searching for the optimum Kriging parameters. Although the effect of decomposition and back substitution are known, and the underflow difficulties when computing the natural logarithm of the determinant of the correlation matrix has been mentioned in passing in Kriging literature, this work clearly quantifies and reinforces these methods, hopefully for the benefit of researchers entering the field.
Promising Technology for Electronic Cooling: Nanofluidic Micro Pulsating Heat Pipes
Authors: Jahani Kambiz , Mohammadi Maziar , Shafii Mohammad Behshad , Shiee Zahra
Published: March 2013

Currently, the thermal management of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) has become a challenge. In the present research, a micro pulsating heat pipe (MPHP) with a hydraulic diameter of 508 μm, is experimented. The thermal performance of the MPHP in both the transient and steady conditions, the effects of the working fluid (water, silver nanofluid, and ferrofluid), heating power (4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, and 28 W), charging ratio (20, 40, 60, and 80%), inclination angle (0 deg, 25 deg, 45 deg, 75 deg, and 90 deg relative to horizontal axis), and the application of magnetic field, are investigated and thoroughly discussed. The experimental results show that the optimum charging ratio for water is 40%, while this optimum for nanofluids is 60%. In most of situations, the nanofluid charged MPHPs have a lower thermal resistance relative to the water charged ones. For ferrofluid charged MPHP, the application of a magnetic field substantially reduces the thermal resistance. This study proposes an outstanding technique for the thermal management of electronics.
Measuring China's Circular Economy
Authors: Geng Yong , Sarkis Joseph , Ulgiati Sergio , Zhang Pan
Published: March 2013

Unique environmental and economic challenges provide a laboratory for developing new indicator systems.
Integrating Inquiry-Based Teaching with Faculty Research
Authors: Fukami Tadashi
Published: March 2013

Biology 44Y, an IBI prize-winning module, helps students do science by practice, with a focus on plant-pollinator-microbe interactions as a model system.
Topology-Driven Magnetic Quantum Phase Transition in Topological Insulators
Authors: Zhang Jinsong , Chang Cui-Zu , Tang Peizhe , Zhang Zuocheng , Feng Xiao , Li Kang , Wang Li-li , Chen Xi , Liu Chaoxing , Duan Wenhui , He Ke , Xue Qi-Kun , Ma Xucun , Wang Yayu
Published: March 2013

Simultaneous topological and magnetic quantum phase transitions are observed in thin films of Bi
2
(Se
x
Te
1-x
)
3
doped with chromium
Structure of the Integral Membrane Protein CAAX Protease Ste24p
Authors: Pryor Edward E. , Horanyi Peter S. , Clark Kathleen M. , Fedoriw Nadia , Connelly Sara M. , Koszelak-Rosenblum Mary , Zhu Guangyu , Malkowski Michael G. , Wiener Michael C. , Dumont Mark E.
Published: March 2013

Lamin Loppers

The nuclear lamina provides mechanical stability to the nuclear envelope and is involved in regulation of cellular processes such as DNA replication. Defects in the nuclear lamina lead to diseases such as progeria and metabolic disorders. One of the components of the nuclear lamina, lamin A, undergoes a complex maturation process. A key player is an inner nuclear membrane zinc metalloprotease (ZMP) that is responsible for two proteolysis steps (see the Perspective by

Michaelis and Hrycyna

).

Quigley
et al.

(p.
1604
) report the crystal structure of human ZMPSTE24 and

Pryor
et al.

(p.
1600
) that of the yeast homolog Ste24p. The structures provide insight into the mechanism of catalysis and into why mutations in ZMPSTE24 lead to laminopathies.
Photoredox Activation for the Direct β-Arylation of Ketones and Aldehydes
Authors: Pirnot Michael T. , Rankic Danica A. , Martin David B. C. , MacMillan David W. C.
Published: March 2013

Beta Bonding

Carbonyl compounds, which incorporate carbon-oxygen double bonds, are among the most productively reactive molecules in synthetic as well as biochemical contexts. The carbon directly bonded to oxygen is rendered highly electrophilic, while the adjacent (α) carbons are easily deprotonated to undergo further transformations. In contrast, the β carbons that are one step further along the chain tend to be relatively inert.

Pirnot
et al.

(p.
1593
) now show that a dual catalyst system—consisting of an amine and a photoactive metal complex—can activate the β carbons of carbonyl compounds to couple with aryl substrates.
A Wild Life
Tibet Wild
A Naturalist's Journeys on the Roof of the World

by George B. Schaller

Island Press, Washington, DC, 2012. 399 pp. $29.95, £18.99. ISBN 9781610911726.
Authors: Greene Harry W.
Published: March 2013

Schaller reflects on three decades of his research and conservation efforts on the Tibetan Plateau.
ESCRT-III Assembly and Cytokinetic Abscission Are Induced by Tension Release in the Intercellular Bridge
Authors: Lafaurie-Janvore Julie , Maiuri Paolo , Wang Irène , Pinot Mathieu , Manneville Jean-Baptiste , Betz Timo , Balland Martial , Piel Matthieu
Published: March 2013

Making the Final Cut

Abscission, the final separation of two daughter cells, was long thought to be an unimportant step in cytokinesis, triggered merely by the cells pulling strongly enough on the bridge to rupture it. Research over the past 10 years, however, has challenged this notion. Defects in cutting the cytokinetic bridge can lead to the formation of large networks of connected cells or to binucleate cells.

Lafaurie-Janvore
et al.

(p.
1625
) now show that the forces postmitotic cells exert on the cytokinetic bridge play an important role in abscission: Surprisingly, increasing the tension in the bridge inhibits abscission, while reducing tension induces abscission. This could provide a sensing mechanism to ensure that daughter cells establish sound connections with their surrounding cells and matrix before detaching from one another.
FRETting over the Spectroscopic Ruler
Authors: Winkler Jay R.
Published: March 2013

Time-resolved ultraviolet spectra of myoglobin show that electron transfer can compete with Förster resonance energy transfer at short distances.

[Also see Report by

Consani
et al.

]
A Midcourse Correction For U.S. Missile Defense System
Authors: Marshall Eliot
Published: March 2013

The U.S. secretary of defense made a surprise announcement bolstering the U.S. national missile defense system and effectively ending a controversial interceptor program.
Congress Limits NSF Funding for Political Science
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: March 2013

Language in the final 2013 spending bill prohibits the National Science Foundation from spending money on political science except for research certified as promoting U.S. national security or the economic interests.