cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disease Knowledge, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Lifestyle Behavior Change in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Impact of an Educational Intervention.

Lifestyle modification is currently the only treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The most effective way to motivate behavior change in this population is not well understood. The aims of this study were to characterize the association between patient disease knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors and to determine the impact of an educational intervention. Adults with NAFLD had the following assessed before and after an educational intervention: (1) disease knowledge; (2) health-related quality of life (HRQOL); (3) physical activity; (4) diet; (5) stages of change; and (6) clinical variables. Median age of the cohort (N = 248) was 53.5, 46% were male, 85% were white, and median body mass index was 33.9. Forty-eight percentage had nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and 28% had cirrhosis. The median correct knowledge score was 73.6%, median Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire-NAFLD was 5.2/7, and diet score was 7/16 (higher indicating unhealthy diets). The cohort was sedentary at baseline, with 46% and 60% in active phases of change for nutrition and physical activity, respectively. Fifty-six (22%) had all three high-risk behaviors (sedentary, poor diet scores, low stage of change), which was independently associated with depression. The educational intervention improved diet scores, HRQOL, stages of change, and weight. Despite good disease knowledge, NAFLD participants were sedentary and 1/4 had high-risk lifestyle behaviors. An educational intervention had positive impacts on clinical outcomes, though effect size was small. Pairing educational interventions with targeted interventions to motivate behavior change can improve care for patients with NAFLD.
Butyrate-production pathway abundances are similar in human and nonhuman primate gut microbiomes.

Over the course of human evolution, shifts in dietary practices such as meat-eating and cooking, have resulted in reduced fiber intake, a trend that has been exaggerated more recently in industrialized populations. Reduced fiber consumption is associated with a loss of gut microbial taxa that degrade fiber, particularly butyrate. Therefore, this dietary shift in humans may have altered the abundance of microbial genes involved in butyrate production. This study uses a gene-targeted alignment approach to quantify the abundance of butyrate production pathway genes from published wild nonhuman primate and human gut metagenomes. Surprisingly, humans have higher diversity and relative abundances of butyrate production pathways compared with all groups of nonhuman primates except cercopithecoids. Industrialized populations of humans also differ only slightly in butyrate pathway abundance from non-industrialized populations. This apparent resilience of butyrate-production pathways to shifts in human diet across both evolutionary and modern populations may signal an evolutionary shift in host-microbe interactions in humans that increased SCFA production. Such a shift could have contributed to meeting the increased energy requirements of humans relative to nonhuman primates.
A Fixed Point Approach to Simulation of Functional Differential Equations with a Delayed Argument

A computational method is developed for a family of functional differential equations in one independent variable with a single deviating argument, assumed to be a delay. These equations are mapped into a finite system of ODEs, a subsystem of which involves only the function controlling the delay. Key features include efficiency during method of steps, freedom from Jacobians and root finding techniques, and computing a continuous approximation. The nonlinear differential equations may be retarded, neutral or advanced. The method is established for state dependent delays, stiff equations, discontinuous initial history, a specific loss of monotonicity in the delay and extended naturally to distributed delays. When restricted to ODEs, the method extends naturally to PDEs; the hope is the delayed version here can eventually be extended to delayed PDEs. Conditions for convergence of the approximation are established, and results of numerical experiments are reported to indicate robustness of the implementation.
Atypical moles: diagnosis and management.

Atypical moles are benign pigmented lesions. Although they are benign, they exhibit some of the clinical and histologic features of malignant melanoma. They are more common in fair-skinned individuals and in those with high sun exposure. Atypical moles are characterized by size of 6 mm or more at the greatest dimension, color variegation, border irregularity, and pebbled texture. They are associated with an increased risk of melanoma, warranting enhanced surveillance, especially in patients with more than 50 moles and a family history of melanoma. Because an individual lesion is unlikely to display malignant transformation, biopsy of all atypical moles is neither clinically beneficial nor cost-effective. The ABCDE (asymmetry, border irregularity, color unevenness, diameter of 6 mm or more, evolution) mnemonic is a valuable tool for clinicians and patients to identify lesions that could be melanoma. Also, according to the “ugly duckling” concept, benign moles tend to have a similar appearance, whereas an outlier with a different appearance is more likely to be undergoing malignant change. Atypical moles with changes suggestive of malignant melanoma should be biopsied, using an excisional method, if possible.
Termination for Restricted Derivations and Conditional Rewrite Systems

In this paper, two topics will be examined. First, the general path ordering will be applied to three conditional rewrite systems to show termination. Second, the relationship between forward closures and innermost rewriting will be discussed. This leads one to consider completion limited to innermost derivations. The ability to easily extend innermost and outermost forward closures is examined.
Biodiversity Informatics Infrastructure: An Information Commons for the Biodiversity Community

This paper provides an overview of efforts to create an informatics infrastructure for the biodiversity community. A vast amount of biodiversity information exists, but no comprehensive infrastructure is in place to provide easy assess and effective use of this information. The advent of modern information technologies provides a foundation for a remedy. Biodiversity informatics infrastructures are being called for at national, regional, and global levels, and plans are in place to coordinate these efforts to ensure interoperability. The paper reviews some essential requirements and some challenges related to building this infrastructure.
Teaching Quantum Mechanics

ABSTRACT The axiomatic way of teaching quantum mechanics (QM) is analyzed in the light of its effectiveness in making students ready to understand and use QM. A more intuitive method of teaching QM is proposed. An outline of how a course implementing that method could be structured is presented.
Rapid method for determining serum bactericidal activity.

Abstract To screen large numbers of sera, a method was devised which utilizes the Steers-Foltz replicator which is usually used to determine minimal inhibitory concentration for antibiotics. Each of the wells (9 by 15 mm) of the replicator is filled with 0.06 ml of serum, 0.02 ml of a 105 suspension of organisms, and 0.02 ml of diluent (tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane-hydrochloride buffer, pH 8.4). The mixtures are incubated for 3 h, and samples are taken at 0, 1, 2, and 3 h by stamping duplicate nutrient agar plates (approximately 0.04 ml from each well). Plates are incubated overnight, and bactericidal activity is estimated by visual inspection of bacterial growth at each site for each sampling time. Results obtained with 28 serum-organism pairs paralleled standard pipetting-pour plate methods. The replicator method for determining bactericidal activity allows for the testing of a large number of samples and requires negligible amounts of serum.
Common stochastic trends among Asian currencies: Evidence for Japan, ASEANs, and the Asian tigers

This study documents that daily changes in Asian exchange rates are significantly non-normal, serially correlated, non-stationary, and have unit roots. Further, accounting for these time series properties and using a longer time horizon than other similar studies of exchange rates, this study also documents cointegration between the Japanese Yen and two sets of Asian currencies, i.e., currencies of the 'Tigers', Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan; and currencies of the ASEANs, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore. These findings of cointegration among Asian exchange rates are in contrast to the findings for the major currencies, and are evidence of nascent Yen blocs in Asia. The results presented here have important implications for understanding Asian financial integration and the international role of the Japanese yen and should be useful for developing asset allocation, currency overlay, value at risk (VAR), and hedging strategies for investments in these often illiquid Asian currencies.
A Review of the Role of FEV1 in the COPD Paradigm

Historically, spirometry has been the objective measure used to confirm a symptom-based clinical suspicion of COPD. The third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) created a strong rationale for early identification and intervention in COPD by documenting the ability of spirometry to detect mild airflow problems in many asymptomatic smokers. Predicted values for spirometry, however, must be adjusted to account for variations in age, gender, height, ethnicity and race. Many experts agree that NHANES III reference equations are much better suited to COPD practice than most other predicted value standards. However, standards other than NHANES III have been adopted in current medical guidelines; standards that may inappropriately classify younger adults as normal and older adults as abnormal, potentially leading to widespread misdiagnosis and mis-directed therapies in clinical practice. Despite the shortcomings of established diagnostic predicted values, spirometry remains the best available tool for early and accurate diagnosis of COPD in those at risk for the disease, and is also useful in conjunction with other modalities in patients with established disease to determine prognosis and assessing therapeutic benefits. In the clinical trial settings, as well as in day-to-day practice, spirometry results should be combined with other endpoints in order to better reflect overall patient status. This review highlights key medical evidence surrounding both usefulness and limitations of FEV(1) in the setting of COPD.
Typological Universals as Reflections of Biased Learning: Evidence from Artificial Language Learning

The study of language typology has played a critical role in revealing potential constraints on possible linguistic systems. Such constraints, often called “typological universals” have long been used to support a foundational premise of generative linguistics—that languages share a set of underlying commonalities. However, recent research has challenged the idea that typological universals—which (at least on the surface) are often statistical tendencies rather than absolute laws—reflect meaningful biases in the linguistic or cognitive system. In part as a response to these critiques, new behavior methods have been developed to probe the link between recurrent typological patterns and the linguistic (and broader cognitive) system. This article focuses on the novel findings which have resulted from this trend, in particular those which use Artificial Language Learning (ALL) paradigms. This exciting strand of research suggests the viability of experimental methods for investigating constraints on human language, and points to new ways of gaining traction on critical questions in cognitive science.
DENSITY FUNCTIONAL STUDY OF N-METHYLPYRROLE TRANSFORMATION INTO N-METHYLISOINDOLE THROUGH CYCLOADDITION-ELIMINATION REACTIONS

Abstract A theoretical study of N -methylpyrrole cycloaddition reaction with benzyne was performed using the hybrid Becke3LYP/6-31G ∗ density functional theory (DFT) method and in the combination with the AM1 semiempirical method. The reliability of the second approach was examined by determination of the activation energies and the heats of reaction. The cycloadduct is theoretically transferred to N -methylisoindole, utilizing three different pathways: elimination of acetylene, azomethine addition followed by pyrazole elimination, and the addition of 1,2,4,5-tetrazine followed by nitrogen and 1,2-diazine elimination. For these three pathways, all the activation energies and the heats of reaction were evaluated by the Becke3LYP/6-31G ∗ //AM1 theory model. The suitability of these pathways for the preparation of the isoindole derivatives is discussed.
Large displays enhance spatial knowledge of a virtual environment

Previous research has found performance for several egocentric tasks to be superior on physically large displays relative to smaller ones, even when visual angle is held constant. This finding is believed to be due to the more immersive nature of large displays. In our experiment, we examined if using a large display to learn a virtual environment (VE) would improve egocentric knowledge of the target locations. Participants learned the location of five targets by freely exploring a desktop large-scale VE of a city on either a small (25" diagonally) or large (72" diagonally) screen. Viewing distance was adjusted so that both displays subtended the same viewing angle. Knowledge of the environment was then assessed using a head-mounted display in virtual reality, by asking participants to stand at each target and paint at the other unseen targets. Angular pointing error was significantly lower when the environment was learned on a 72" display. Our results suggest that large displays are superior for learning a virtual environment and the advantages of learning an environment on a large display may transfer to navigation in the real world.
Protein turnover in rat placenta: effects of maternal fasting and maternal protein restriction.

Abstract Biochemical composition and variables of protein turnover were determined in rat placenta at 21 days gestation in control animals and in animals subjected to 72-h fasting and protein/calorie restriction (6 per cent protein) throughout gestation. Placental protein synthesis was determined following the injection of ‘massive’ amounts of 14 C phenylalanine intravenously to the pregnant rat. Protein content was reduced in placentas from rats that were fasted for 72 h and in those who were protein restricted throughout pregnancy. Placental RNA content was significantly reduced only in the protein-restricted animals. Fractional rates of protein synthesis were reduced in placentas from the protein-restricted animals ( K s = 17.9 ± 0.8 percent per day in controls versus 11.7 ± 0.9 in protein restricted, P = 0.002), but not in fasted animals. Fractional protein breakdown was markedly enhanced in placentas following maternal fasting ( K d = 9.9 per cent per day in controls versus 26.0 per cent in fasted), but not affected by protein deprivation. These results mimic those previously reported for otherfetal tissues under these experimental conditions.
Core labour standards under the Administration of George W. Bush

. Outside of the International Labour Organization, the United States uses two main channels to promote labour standards internationally: bilateral or regional trade agreements and “labour diplomacy”. Examining developments in these areas between 2001 and 2008, the author argues that the Bush Administration weakened the United States' capacity to uphold internationally recognized core labour standards. Although it concluded an unprecedented number of free trade agreements, their labour clauses are largely devoid of meaningful enforcement mechanisms – suggesting a closer connection with general foreign policy objectives than with concern for workers' rights. Furthermore, the work of the Federal Advisory Committee on Labor Diplomacy was eventually suspended.
Myeloperoxidase as a biomarker of skin irritation and inflammation

Topical exposure to many occupational and environmental chemicals is often accompanied by the induction of a cutaneous inflammatory response characterized by the influx of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs). In this study, the accumulation of myeloperoxidase (MPO), an enzyme found at high content in PMNs, was used as a biomarker to assess the inflammatory response to a number of well characterized skin irritants and tumour promoters. Of the chemicals examined, there was a good agreement between MPO accumulation and morphometric indicators of PMNs. Therefore, it was suggested that MPO accumulation could be an additional and useful toxicological tool for determining the dermal irritancy of chemicals.
Internationale wissenschaftliche Zusammenarbeit auf dem Gebiet der Forst-und Holzwirtschaft

Der Aufgabenbereich der Forschung auf dem Gebiete der Forstwissenschaft und der Wissenschaft vom Holz gliedert sich in die drei Teilgebiete: 1. Forstliche Forschung (einschlieslich der biologischen Probleme). 2. Forstpro dukteforschung (mechanische und chemische Technologie). 3. Wirtschaftsforschung und Dokumentation. Zunachst wird die historische Entwicklung der Forstwissenschaft kurz umrissen. Im Jahre 1945 entstand die Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) der Vereinten Nationen. Die Forstliche Abteilung dieser Organisation betreut ein weltweites Netz, das die Erfassung und praktische Verwertung der Forschungsergebnisse aller Lander sammelt und durch die Entsendung von Experten den weniger erfahrenen Landern und Regierungen eine wertvolle Hufte leistet. Die Forstprodukteforschung, der eigentlich richtigere Begriff fur “Holzforschung”, ist junger als die Forstforschung. Auch hier werden die wichtigsten historischen Daten in Erinnerung gebracht. Die grosen Berufs- und Fachorganisationen und ihre Bedeutung fur die internationale wissenschaftliche Zusammenarbeit auf dem Gebiet der mechanischen und chemischen Holzverwertung werden zitiert. Die Wirtschaftsforschung uberpruft die Forschungsergebnisse der Forst- und Forstprodukteforschung auf die Verwertbarkeit in der Praxis. Statistische Berichte und Jahrbucher dienen ihr als wichtige Unterlagen. Auch hierin ist die Forstabteilung der FAO den Mitgliederstaaten und Forschungsstellen durch die Herausgabe wissenschaftlicher Schriften behilflich. In den einzelnen Landern werden die Aufgaben von den regionalen Forschungsgesellschaften durchgefuhrt. Zur Deckung des grosen Bedarfs der Menschheit an dem knapp gewordenen Rohstoff Holz ist eine Zusammenfassung aller wissenschaftlichen Forschungsstellen und die Forderung der Forschung durch die Regierungen unerlaslich.
The autophagy conundrum in cancer: influence of tumorigenic metabolic reprogramming

Tumorigenesis is often accompanied by metabolic changes that favor rapid energy production and increased biosynthetic capabilities. These metabolic adaptations promote the survival and proliferation of tumor cells, and in conjunction with the hypoxic and metabolically challenged tumor microenvironment, influence autophagic activity. Autophagy is a catabolic process that allows cellular macromolecules to be broken down and re-utilized as metabolic precursors. Stimulation of autophagy promotes the survival of tumor cells under stressful metabolic and environmental conditions, and counters the potentially deleterious effects of mitochondrial dysfunction and the ROS that these organelles generate. However, inhibition of autophagy has also been reported to fuel tumorigenesis. In spite of the advances in our understanding of the relationship between autophagy and tumorigenesis, it remains unclear whether the therapeutic approaches targeting autophagy should aim to increase or decrease autophagic flux in tumor tissues in human patients. Here, we review how metabolic reprogramming influences autophagic activity in tumors, and discuss how inhibition of autophagy might be exploited to target tumor cells that show altered metabolism.
Locus of control and self-esteem as moderators of stressor-symptom relations in children and adolescents.

Locus of control and self-esteem were examined as moderators of links between negative life events and psychological symptoms in 238 young people 8 to 16 years old. Results indicated that locus of control buffered the effects of stressors on psychological symptoms, and the pattern of buffering did not differ by age or gender. Self-esteem buffered the link between Stressors and symptoms, but only for girls. Further analyses with girls only revealed a conjunctive moderation effect of locus of control and self-esteem: When faced with many negative life events, girls who have both an external locus of control and low esteem show the highest psychological maladjustment.
Salt and water transport by rabbit and guinea pig gallbladder: Effect of amphotericin B on NaCl influx

Previous studies have led to the suggestion that salt and water absorption by rabbit and guinea pig gallbladders exposed to Amphotericin B proceeds by a rheogenic Na pump at the basolateral cell membrane. The present studyin vitro was designed to further characterize transport properties of rabbit and guinea pig gallbladders under control conditions and to identify the properties of gallbladder mucosa which are altered by Amphotericin B to allow for the induced serosa-positive electrical potential differences (PD). Potassium is required in the bathing solution at a low concentration to maintain normal tissue O2 consumption, fluid absorption and the ability of the tissue to develop the maximum Amphotericin B-induced PD; the relative effectiveness of alkali metal cations in substituting for K is K≥Rb>Cs>Li>Na. The carrier mechanism for coupled influx of Na and Cl across the mucosal border of gallbladder appears to be functional in the presence of Amphotericin B; in addition, the diffusional influx of chloride is not significantly altered by the antibiotic. The primary action of Amphotericin B which appears to modify rabbit and guinea pig gallbladders from having transmural PD's of less than ±1 mV to having serosa-positive PD's of 5–30 mV is an increase in the mucosal cell membrane permeability to Na. This permeability change has the effect of partially uncoupling NaCl influx. A rheogenic Na pump mechanism at the basolateral membrane, presumably in operation under control conditions also, may account for the PD.
Process for developing a regional surface transportation security architecture

During times of emergency, the proper coordination and communication can save countless lives. To ensure that all proper state agencies, local agencies, and other stakeholders interact in the most efficient way possible during an emergency, an integrated plan must exist. The National ITS Architecture hosts an excellent platform for creating an efficient, integrated program for transportation systems. This architecture also focuses on transportation security. Using a tool such as the National ITS Architecture ensures that a regional security plan will properly coordinate with other regions for possible future integration. Because our transportation system provides vital links for both citizens and goods, its protection and enhancement through improved security can benefit all.
Linear Programming in the Allocation of Milk Resources for Cheese Making

Abstract To use linear programming, the cheese making process can be modeled as a resource conversion process. The relationship between input milk resources and output products can be analyzed using mass balance assumptions. The variables used in the linear programming model will represent the pounds of each milk resource chosen to formulate a vat of cheese milk. Additional variables will be used to represent the pounds of cream to be removed from a milk resource that has the potential to have cream removed. Three objectives that could be considered are 1) maximize net returns, 2) maximize cheese yield, or 3) minimize cost. A hypothetical example is used to illustrate how the cheese making process can be modeled. This linear programming model depends on formulas that relate ratio of casein to fat of milk to the fat on the dry basis of the cheese. Sensitivity analysis is performed to determine at what cost a milk resource not in the optimal formulation will replace a milk resource currently in the optimal formulation. The linear programming model can be an effective management tool in the allocation of milk resources for cheese making.
Political Change and Political Discourse in the Early Modern Mediterranean World

The political transformation to the early modern state occurred around 1500 not only in Europe but also in the Middle East. This transformation was marked in the Middle East by a political discourse about justice that emerged in several polities, contemporary with a similar discourse taking place in Europe. The concern for political justice, expressed in a variety of languages and genres, addressed a governmental change that occurred across the region and altered the relationship between different social groups and the state. That change was the transition from small, loosely ruled states to the larger, more consolidated ones characteristic of the early modern era.
Canon Formation and Social Conflict in Fourth-Century Egypt: Athanasius of Alexandria's Thirty-Ninth Festal Letter

In histories of the formation of the Christian biblical canon, the thirty-ninth Festal Letter of Athanasius of Alexandria, written for Easter 367, holds a justifiably prominent place. Not only is this letter the earliest extant Christian document to list precisely the twenty-seven books that eventually formed the generally accepted canon of the New Testament, but Athanasius is also the first Christian author known to have applied the term “canonized” (κανονιςόμeνα) specifically to the books that made up his Old and New Testaments. Athanasius's canon is explicitly closed: “In these books alone,” the bishop declares, “the teaching of piety is proclaimed. ‘Let no one add to or subtract from them’ (LXX Deut 12:32).” The significance of this document goes beyond these formal and terminological issues, however, for the extant fragments of the letter provide a glimpse into the social and political factors that accompanied the attempted formation of a closed canon of the Bible in one ancient Christian setting. Christianity in fourthcentury Egypt was characterized by diverse and conflicting modes of social identity and spiritual formation: study groups led by charismatic teachers, Melitian communities centered around the veneration of martyrs, and the emerging structure of imperial orthodoxy headed by Athanasius all presented themselves as legitimate expressions of Christian piety. Within this complex setting, the formation of a biblical canon with a proper mode of interpretation was an important step in the formation of an official catholic church in Egypt with its parish-centered spirituality.
Effect of Static and Dynamic Misalignment on Ball Bearing Radial Stiffness

The primary objective was to determine, through experimental testing and rotordynamic computer simulations, the radial stiffness of an angular contact ball bearing with inner race static misalignment and outer race dynamic misalignment under various axial loads. Two different testing methods were used to determine the radial stiffness of the ball bearing: 1) eigenvalue frequency analysis and 2) critical speed transition tests. Each method used experimental measurements in conjunction with computer simulation to determine the radial ball bearing spring rate. Experimental measurements of the forward eigenvalues, backward eigenvalues, backward critical speeds, and forward critical speeds were matched with computer model simulations to determine the stiffness values for each of the cases. The rotordynamic characteristics of the rotating assembly suggested significant nonlinearity of the test bearings and also revealed signs of bifurcation for higher degrees of static misalignment.
YY1 as a controlling factor for the Peg3 and Gnas imprinted domains

Imprinting control regions (ICRs) often harbor tandem arrays of transcription factor binding sites, as demonstrated by the identification of multiple YY1 binding sites within the ICRs of Peg3, Nespas, and Xist/Tsix domains. In the current study, we have sought to characterize possible roles for YY1 in transcriptional control and epigenetic modification of these imprinted domains. RNA interference-based knockdown experiments in Neuro2A cells resulted in overall transcriptional up-regulation of most of the imprinted genes within the Peg3 domain and also, concomitantly, caused significant loss in the DNA methylation of the Peg3 differentially methylated region. A similar overall and coordinated expression change was also observed for the imprinted genes of the Gnas domain: up-regulation of Nespas and down-regulation of Nesp and Gnasxl. YY1 knockdown also resulted in changes in the expression levels of Xist and Snrpn. These results support the idea that YY1 plays a major role, as a trans factor, in the control of these imprinted domains.
Evidence that nonsustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardia causes syncope (data from implantable cardioverter defibrillators)

In summary, NSPMVT causing syncope or presyncope in patients with structural heart disease is more common than previously believed. Therefore, in patients with syncope of unknown origin and underlying cardiac disease, NSPMVT as a cause of syncope must be considered. Limiting the time of VF to <10 seconds using appropriate programming and charge times of ICDs may reduce the risk of syncope.
Student Voice: Student Choice and Participation in Physical Education

Secondary students frequently disengage from participating in physical education and physical activity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 60 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per day, as well as muscle and bone strengthening activities on three or more days a week for children (CDC, n.d.). Physical education may be the only opportunity for school-age children to participate in physical activity (Trudeau & Shepard, 2008).This article reviews a high school selective physical education curriculum and the students' perceptions of the activities offered in the junior and senior years. Students expressed an interest in being able to have input into activity offerings, alluding to the current teacher-directed curriculum. Students preferred learning new games, skills, and activities for continued participation in adulthood.Student input in curriculum design may lead to a more student-centered and dynamic curriculum. Determining students' needs and interests is the initial step to ...
A measurement model of the dimensions and types of output and behavior control: An empirical test in a salesforce context

Abstract The pioneering work of Thompson, James D.: Organizations in Action, McGraw-Hill, New York (1967); Ouchi, William G.: The Relationship between Organizational Structure and Organizational Control. Administrative Science Quarterly 20 (March 1977): 95–113; and Ouchi, William G.: A Conceptual Framework for the Design of Organizational Control Mechanisms. Management Science 25 (September 1979): 833–847; has lead to considerable empirical research on output and behavior control. However, empirical results from past studies are often ambiguous, partly because of (1) inconsistent conceptualization of the control construct, and (2) the lack of reliable and valid scales of control that are well grounded in theory. Our objective is to clarify the dimensions and types of supervisory control, and develop reliable and valid scales to measure these constructs. In this regard, based on conceptual definitions of control, we propose that the control construct has two key dimensions, information and reinforcements, and explicitly capture both dimensions. Further, we argue that prior conceptualizations of behavior control are too global to be of managerial relevance. Instead, we disaggregate the global behavior control construct into two types, activity control and capability control, in order to more accurately reflect the varied behaviors supervisors attempt to influence. We modify, enhance, and supplant existing scales to measure the proposed dimensions and types of control and test our measurement model in a salesforce context. The results indicate that our measures are reliable, and show convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity. J BUSN RES 1997. 39. 159–172
Stage-Stratified Prognosis of Signet Ring Cell Histology in Patients Undergoing Curative Resection for Gastric Adenocarcinoma

The prognosis of signet ring cell (SRC) gastric adenocarcinoma is regarded as poor, although studies addressing outcomes in relation to non-SRC tumors are conflicting. Our objective was to compare the survival of SRC tumors with stage-matched intestinal-type tumors in a cohort of Western patients. Review of a prospectively maintained database identified 569 patients undergoing curative resection (R0) from 1990 to 2009. Patients were divided into three histologic groups on the basis of the Lauren classification: SRC (n = 210), intestinal well- or moderately differentiated (WMD, n = 242) disease, and intestinal poorly differentiated (PD, n = 117) disease. Patient demographics, clinicopathologic features, and postoperative outcomes were determined. Stage-stratified disease-specific mortality was calculated and multivariate analysis performed. When compared with WMD and PD tumors, SRC tumors were associated with younger age (63 years SRC vs. 71 years WMD and 72 years PD, p < 0.0001) and with female sex (58 % SRC vs. 40 % WMD and 40 % PD, p = 0.0003). Median follow-up was 115 months. Patients with stage Ia SRC lesions had a better 5-year disease-specific mortality compared with stage-matched intestinal-type tumors (0 % SRC vs. 8 % WMD and 24 % PD, p = 0.001). In contrast, SRC patients with stage III disease fared significantly worse (78 % SRC vs. 54 % WMD and 72 % PD, p = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, the risk of death from gastric cancer comparing all three groups was lowest for SRC in stage I and highest for SRC in stage III disease (stage III hazard ratio: SRC 1 vs. 0.47 WMD and 0.85 PD). When compared with intestinal-type tumors, SRC tumors at early stages are not necessarily associated with poor outcomes.
The wave equation for a hypoelliptic operator with symplectic characteristics of codimension two

On considere un operateur pseudodifferentiel A, avec un symbole reel principal a∈C ∞ (T*M/O), sur une variete C ∞ compacte M. Soit Σ 2 la sous variete symplectique sur laquelle a≥2 s'annule. On montre que a peut se reduire a la forme normale pres de Σ 2 par une transformation canonique
Echo doppler evaluation of patients with acute mitral regurgitation: Superiority of transesophageal echocardiography with color flow imaging

Abstract Acute mitral regurgitation is a medical emergency that requires prompt, accurate diagnosis and urgent therapy. Although the use of echo Doppler imaging has been described in these patients, preliminary observations have suggested that color flow Doppler performed from the standard transthoracic windows may underestimate the severity of mitral insufficiency in this setting. The aim of this study was to compare transesophageal color Doppler quantitation of regurgitation with results obtained from standard transthoracic windows in patients with acute, severe mitral regurgitation. Two-dimensional echocardiography with pulsed, continuous, and color flow Doppler was performed by both transthoracic and transesophageal methods in 16 consecutive patients who were documented to have acute severe mitral insufficiency by catheterization. Transthoracic and transesophageal scans were reviewed by two blinded observers and assessed for the detection of mitral regurgitation by transthoracic pulsed wave (81%), continuouswave (100%), and color flow Doppler (81%) compared with transesophageal color flow imaging (100%; p = NS). Severity of mitral regurgitation was graded as none, mild, moderate, or severe on the basis of existing transthoracic pulsed wave and color flow criteria and compared with transesophageal color flow grading. At first examination patients were critically ill, with elevated pulmonary wedge pressures (mean 27 ± 7 mm Hg) and V waves (mean 45 ± 10 mm Hg). Fifteen of the patients underwent emergency surgery, and the overall hospital mortality rate was 12%. Maximal color flow jet areas were significantly greater on transesophageal scanning (mean 10.5 cm2) compared with transthoracic color jets (mean 2.3 cm2). Indeed, although all 16 patients had severe mitral regurgitation by catheterization, transthoracic pulsed wave and color flow methods underestimated the grade in each case: 3 patients had none, 11 mild, 2 moderate, and 0 severe. However, transesophageal color flow techniques graded the same lesions as moderate in 2 and severe in 14 (p
Power-dependence of strong-field ionization in an N-level system coupled to a continuum

Abstract An N-level system coupled to a continuum and interacting with lasers is considered. The effective decay rate of the bound states is studied as a function of laser intensity under various conditions with respect to Rabi frequencies and atomic detunings. We show that when the Rabi frequencies are comparable with the atomic detunings the Fermi Golden Rule does not hold and the effective decay rate is not proportional to IN where I is the laser intensity and N is the minimum number of photons needed to ionize the atom.
Transcriptional regulation of elsinochrome phytotoxin biosynthesis by an EfSTE12 activator in the citrus scab pathogen Elsinoë fawcettii.

Elsinochrome (ESC), produced by the citrus pathogen Elsinoe fawcettii, is a nonhost-selective, light-dependent, polyketide-derived phytotoxin and plays a crucial role for full virulence. The biosynthesis of ESC is regulated by a wide array of environmental stimuli and is primarily governed by the pathway-specific TSF1 transcription regulator whose coding gene is clustered with the EfPKS1 gene encoding a polyketide synthase and other biosynthetic genes in the genome. In this report, an EfSTE12 gene, encoding a polypeptide resembling the yeast STE12 transcription factor, was cloned and characterized to play a role, independent of TSF1, for ESC production in E. fawcettii. The loss-of-function mutant, specifically disrupted at the EfSTE12 locus, displays reduced ESC accumulation, elevated activities for pectinase and proteolytic enzymes but unaltered in conidiation and fungal pathogenicity. Impairment of the EfSTE12 gene decreased the abundance of the EfPKS1 but not the TSF1 gene transcript. In contrast, expression of the EfSTE12 gene appears normal in the EfPKS1 or TSF1 disruptants. The results indicate that EfSTE12 is functioning for ESC biosynthesis by directly activating the biosynthetic genes without regulating the pathway-specific TSF1 regulator. The defective phenotypes were fully reverted when a functional copy of EfSTE12 was re-introduced into the disrupted mutant. A hypothetical model underlying intertwined regulatory pathways via TSF1, EfSTE12, and other potent transcriptional activators led to the ESC biosynthesis and conidiation is described.
Kinetics of talc dehydroxylation

Abstract The kinetics of the dehydroxylation of talc have been measured in the temperature interval 1100–1160 K by means of isothermal weight-change determinations. The reaction follows first-order kinetics. Over the indicated temperature range the enthalpy of activation was found to be 101±4 kcal mol−1, and the entropy of activation was found to be 16±4 cal mol−1 K−1. The error estimates correspond to one standard deviation. The enthalpy necessary to break the MgOH bond was estimated from the heat of reaction for MgOH(g) → Mg(g)+OH(g). This turns out to be 97 kcal mol−1 in reasonable agreement with the measured enthalpy of activation. These activation parameters are consistent with the mechanism proposed for dehydroxylation of talc consisting of MgOH bond scission and subsequent migration of magnesium. These results contradict a previous report on the kinetics of talc dehydroxylation in which a diffusion-controlled expression was claimed to represent the rate of talc weight loss. It is suggested that the presence of adsorbed water on the talc used in the previous investigation is responsible for the discrepancy.
On a Markov‐modulated shock and wear process

We present transient and asymptotic reliability indices for a single-unit system that is subject to Markov-modulated shocks and wear. The transient results are derived from the (transform) solution of an integro-differential equation describing the joint distribution of the cumulative degradation process and the state of the modulating process. Additionally, we prove the asymptotic normality of a properly centered and time-scaled version of the cumulative degradation at time t. This asymptotic result leads to a simple normal approximation for a properly centered and space-scaled version of the system's lifetime distribution. Two numerical examples illustrate the quality of the normal approximation. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 56: 563-576, 2009 In this article, we investigate transient and asymptotic reli- ability indices for a single-unit system that degrades over time due to normal wear induced by its operating environment and randomly occurring shocks that cause additional damage to the system. The wear rate and shock arrival rate are both modulated by an external process (the random environment) which is modeled as a continuous-time, regenerative stochas- tic process {Zt : t ≥ 0}. At time zero, the device begins its lifetime in perfect working order but degrades over time under the influence of its random environment and shock damage until the cumulative degradation reaches a fixed threshold x, at which time it fails. We denote this random time until failure by Tx. Derived herein are transform expressions for the cumulative distribution function (c.d.f.) of Tx and its nth moment (n ≥ 1) when the environment is assumed to evolve as a time-homogeneous Markov process. The main transient results are obtained by showing that the joint distribution of the cumulative degradation level and the environment state conditionally satisfies an integro-differential equation. This equation leads to the Laplace-Stieltjes transform (LST) of the lifetime distribution function and the LST of its moments. We additionally investigate a scaled version of the unit's lifetime with the aim of developing simple approximations that allow us to circumvent (numerical) Laplace transform inversion.
A New Method of Assessing Contagion, Applied to a Distribution of Redear Sunfish

Abstract The method of binomial corner-association analysis proposed in this paper is applicable to data from grids of contiguous cells, all or most of which are sampled. After sampling, the frequency distribution of cells at successive densities is grouped into a series of successive density categories. A separate binomial analysis is then conducted for each density category, in which the unit of observation is the number, from 0 to 4, of cells of the same density category which occur around each point of intersection on the grid. Applied to a distribution of the redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus (Gunther)) in a small lake in Oklahoma, the method revealed that unoccupied cells, and cells occupied at medium and at high densities, were contagiously distributed; low density cells, however, were acceptably random. The rationale of this analytical method is compared with that of inherently single-dimensioned analyses such as the Poisson and negative binomial. Corner-association analysis is shown to be inher...
Quantum Monte Carlo determination of the lithium 2 (2)S-->2 (2)P oscillator strength: Higher precision.

We employ a quantum Monte Carlo method for the oscillator strength to the computation of the controversial 2 $^{2}$S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2 $^{2}$P transition of the Li atom. We use simple trial functions that are optimized for accuracy in coordinate expectation values as well as the energy. We obtain an oscillator strength of 0.7431(6), in very good agreement with the experimental value of 0.7416(12) [A. Gaupp, P. Kuske, and H. J. Andr\"a, Phys. Rev. A 26, 3351 (1982)]. The precision obtained here, an order of magnitude greater than that of our previous value [R. N. Barnett, P. J. Reynolds, and W. A. Lester, Jr., Int. J. Quantum Chem. 42, 837 (1992)] shows that the quantum Monte Carlo oscillator strength unambiguously supports the experimental value over recent theoretical values.
Statistical emulation of climate model projections based on precomputed GCM runs

AbstractThe authors describe a new approach for emulating the output of a fully coupled climate model under arbitrary forcing scenarios that is based on a small set of precomputed runs from the model. Temperature and precipitation are expressed as simple functions of the past trajectory of atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and a statistical model is fit using a limited set of training runs. The approach is demonstrated to be a useful and computationally efficient alternative to pattern scaling and captures the nonlinear evolution of spatial patterns of climate anomalies inherent in transient climates. The approach does as well as pattern scaling in all circumstances and substantially better in many; it is not computationally demanding; and, once the statistical model is fit, it produces emulated climate output effectively instantaneously. It may therefore find wide application in climate impacts assessments and other policy analyses requiring rapid climate projections.
Home management of malaria.

www.thelancet.com Vol 374 July 25, 2009 289 in diff erent epidemiological settings, and WHO and the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases are engaged in such studies. Home management of malaria is an evolving strategy, and the introduction of rapid diagnostic tests to minimise overtreatment is very much the next stage of this evolution. However, studies need to be very clear with their terminology and their objectives. In the case of the Article by Staedke and colleagues, lack of attention to this resulted in misleading headlines that home management of malaria was inappropriate in urban settings. If such statements are allowed to go uncorrected, they could have an unjustifi ed negative eff ect on home management programmes and their funding, and ultimately cost lives.
Rearing Temperature Is Inconsequential to Broiler Phosphorus Excretion

ABSTRACT A feeding trial was conducted to determine the influence of rearing temperature on P excretion by male broilers. Experimental diets were formulated with three levels of dietary available P (aP): control at 0.38% aP, control less 20% or 0.304% aP of diet, and control plus 20% or 0.456% aP of diet. From 21 to 40 d of age, broilers were fed the experimental diet. Broilers were housed in grow-out batteries inside environmental chambers that provided a constant temperature of 16, 21, or 26°C. Manure was sampled at 25 d (a baseline sample in which all birds had been on the control diet) then twice weekly to 40 d. Excreted fecal P ranged from 1.7 to 2.3%, with a significant effect due to the dietary aP level. Environmental temperature did not impact manure P, irrespective of dietary aP.