cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development and validation of a new health-related quality of life instrument for patients with sinusitis

Background and Objective: There are few validated measures of sinusitis-specific health-related quality of life (HRQL). This study used patient focus and pretesting groups followed by a prospective cohort study to develop and validate a HRQL instrument for patients with sinusitis. Methods: Instrument development involved a systematic literature review, use of expert input, and patient focus and pretesting groups. Patients were recruited from the practices of primary care providers and otolaryngologists. The derived survey instrument then underwent prospective testing in patients with acute sinusitis, chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and asymptomatic controls. Reduced item scales of the original instrument were developed for symptom frequency and bothersomeness. The psychometric properties of the survey instrument were evaluated for reliability, construct validity, responsiveness, and interpretability. Results: In the prospective study, 47 patients with acute sinusitis and 50 patients with chronic sinusitis were compared to 18 patients with allergic rhinitis and 60 patients without nasal symptoms. Forty-three (91.5) patients with acute sinusitis completed the questionnaire at baseline and at 1-month follow-up. Internal consistency was high for the symptom impact scale for acute and chronic sinusitis patients. The symptom frequency and especially bothersomeness scales had lower internal consistency particularly for acute sinusitis patients. Reproducibility among surgical patients retested prior to their procedure was good for each scale. A high degree of disciminant validity was demonstrated when comparing sinusitis patients to other groups, and a high degree of convergent validity was seen when the new measures were compared to other HRQL measures at baseline. Among patients with acute sinusitis, the responsiveness and interpretability of the symptom frequency, bothersomeness and impact scales were excellent. Conclusions: This study developed and validated a new sinusitis-specific HRQL instrument. The instrument included symptom frequency, bothersomeness and impact scales. It was shown to be valid in patients with acute and chronic sinusitis, and highly responsive and interpretable in acute sinusitis patients managed in the primary care setting.
Saturation Current in Alloy Junctions

According to theory, the current which flows across a P-n junction when it is biased in the reverse direction should be nearly independent of the applied voltage. This current is called the saturation current, I8. In actual practice, the current often increases with voltage (due to leakage paths across the junction at the surface) and eventualy large currents flow as the breakdown voltage of the junction is approached. However, for "good" junctions well below their breakdown voltage, the reverse current follows theory so that the magnitude of I8 is of considerable practical interest. A previous equation for saturation current has been given which applies where the effect of free surfaces may be ignored and where there are quite thick (greater than a diffusion length) layers of material on either side of the junction. For alloy junctions made on thin pieces of semiconductor, these conditions are violated. In this paper a new equation is developed which applies specifically to diodes made by alloying circular junctions on thin wafers. Over its range of applicability, it gives accurate values of I8. It is shown that most of the saturation current comes from thermal generation at the free surfaces of the base wafer. The equation for I8 consists of a geometrical term and a coefficient which depends on the physical constants of the material. The principal dependences are these: I8 increases linearly with base wafer resistivity and exponentially with temperature. It also increases, but more slowly, with wafer thickness and surface recombination velocity.
Institutions and the Military's Anti-Gay Policy: Professional, Legal and Organizational Contributions

This article critically examines elements of the professional, legal, and military institutions that have contributed to the discriminatory policy against homosexuals in the military. Utilizing Abbott's concept of professionalism, this paper demonstrates how the budding field of psychiatry helped create the anti-gay policy to legitimize the profession. The essay then illustrates how attributes of the legal institution (precedence, deference, and legal interpretation) support this discrimination and, finally, how the military's administrative proceedings and institutional power strengthen its position.
Caste and Muslim Peasantries of North India and East and West Pakistan

On croit generalement que l'lslamisme est une confession religieuse egalitaire et qu'il en decoule que les societes ou l'on est de cette religion n'ont pas un systeme rigide de stratification. A la suite d'une recherche effectuee aupres de paysans musulmans dans le nord de l'lnde et dans les regions orientale et occidentale du Pakistan, l'auteur indique au contraire que des classes rigides existent dans des societes de religion islamique. II tente de demontrer que la rigidite de cette stratification tient en partie a la tradition islamique meme et pas seule-ment a rinfluence des castes hindoues.
Phenotypic instability of flusilazole sensitivity in Venturia inaequalis

Sensitivities of 16 monoconidial isolates of Venturia inaequalis to the sterol demethylation inhibitor flusilazole were found to be stable, when cultures which had been successively transferred to inhibitor-free nutrient agar and maintained at 20 C were retested 6 months after isolation. In contrast, with storage of these isolates at 2 C for 7 additional months, phenotypic sensitivities were subject to change. A high degree of phenotypic instability was also observed for 77 representative strains which had been subcultured for 10 months. In both cases, the majority of strains became more sensitive to flusilazole. The frequency and magnitude of these changes were most pronounced for strains with moderate levels of resistance. More than 70% of the strains investigated were collected from wild-type populations, suggesting that the reversion of resistant strains was not related to a process of unstable adaptation but to a high degree of plasticity in the genetic control of sensitivities to sterol demethylation inhibitors.
Regulation of Heterotypic Claudin Compatibility

Tissue barrier function is directly mediated by tight junction transmembrane proteins known as claudins. Cells that form tight junctions typically express multiple claudin isoforms which suggests that heterotypic (head-to-head) binding between different claudin isoforms may play a role in regulating paracellular permeability. However, little is known about motifs that control heterotypic claudin compatibility. We found that although claudin-3 and claudin-4 were heteromerically compatible when expressed in the same cell, they did not heterotypically interact despite having extracellular loop (EL) domains that are highly conserved at the amino acid level. Claudin-1 and -5, which were heterotypically compatible with claudin-3, did not heterotypically bind to claudin-4. In contrast, claudin-4 chimeras containing either the first EL domain or the second EL domain of claudin-3 were able to heterotypically bind to claudin-1, claudin-3, and claudin-5. Moreover, a single point mutation in the first extracellular loop domain of claudin-3 to convert Asn(44) to the corresponding amino acid in claudin-4 (Thr) produced a claudin capable of heterotypic binding to claudin-4 while still retaining the ability to bind to claudin-1 and -5. Thus, control of heterotypic claudin-claudin interactions is sensitive to small changes in the EL domains.
Acquired “Gerbode-like” Defect in Aortic Valve Endocarditis: An Imposter for Tricuspid Regurgitation?

e v e t fi t a m w e m e i v 4 A59-YEAR-OLD woman with a bioprosthetic aortic valve was referred to the authors’ heart and vascular institute for rosthetic valve endocarditis with blood cultures positive for ethicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. The transesophaeal echocardiogram (TEE) showed mobile densities on the ortic and ventricular surfaces of the Carpentier-Edwards aortic alve leaflets. The patient was scheduled for an urgent valve eplacement with an aortic valve homograft. After an un-
Reflectance Of X-Ray Mirrors From 3.8 To 50 keV (3.3 To 0.25Å)

The various theories of specular x-ray reflection at small grazing angles are briefly examined and compared with the reflectance of several very smooth mirror surfaces. Particular emphasis is given to examining the peak reflection efficiency and the harmonic rejection capability of x-ray mirrors operating in the hard x-ray domain. The graded index of refraction model of Croce and Nevot most closely matches the experimental curves. In this model the surface roughness is treated as a local variation in the refractive index. In experimental tests, platinum coated and float glass mirrors were observed to reflect x-rays with high efficiency up to 38 keV. The measured harmonic rejection capability of a float glass mirror and of a platinum coated mirror were found to be virtually identical. In particular, for a raw float glass mirror at a 3.5 milliradian angle of incidence, the mirror reflected with 85% efficiency at 8 keV and only 8% at 16 keV. For a platinum mirror at a 8 milli-radian angle, the corresponding reflectivities were 70% at 8 keV and 6% at 16 keV, Fresnel theory for a smooth platinum surface coating overestimates the reflectivity by a factor of about 30 for the 16 keV x-rays. Therefore, real platinum coated mirrors may be better harmonic rejectors than previously realized. In other experiments, changing the surface roughness of float glass by chemical etching altered the falloff rate beyond the knee of the reflection curve by factors as large as 2.5.
Trends of PCB concentrations in Lake Michigan coho and chinook salmon, 1975–2010

Abstract The manufacture and use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was banned in the United States in 1977 after it was determined that these compounds adversely affect animals and humans. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has quantified total PCB concentrations in Lake Michigan chinook (n = 765) and coho (n = 393) salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and Oncorhynchus kisutch , respectively) filets since 1975. We analyzed these data to estimate trends in PCB concentrations in these fish (1975–2010). We used generalized linear models with a gamma error distribution and log link fit to the untransformed concentrations. Trend patterns were examined using graphical smoothing and generalized additive models. We identified a candidate set of models that included time trend and other predictor variables. Using the Akaike Information Criterion to select among models we found the best models for both species included piecewise linear time trends, total body length, % lipid, and collection season as predictor variables. The intersection of the two trends was 1985 for chinook salmon and 1984 for coho salmon. PCB concentrations in both species increased with body length and % lipid, and were higher for individuals caught in the fall. Our data reveals a dramatic decline in PCB concentrations of − 16.7% and − 23.9% per year for chinook and coho, respectively, up until the intersection year likely reflecting implementation of restrictions on Aroclor-based PCBs. After the intersection year to 2010, PCB concentrations declined at an annual rate of − 4.0% (95% CI: − 4.4% to − 3.6%) and − 2.6% (95% CI: − 3.3% to − 1.9%) for chinook and coho, respectively.
Wortmannin and LY294002 inhibit the insulin-induced down-regulation of IRS-1 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

The insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) is expressed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and is involved in at least some insulin responses, notably mitogenesis. Chronic exposure to insulin down regulates IRS-1 in these cells by stimulating its degradation (Rice, K.M., Turnbow, M.A. and Garner, C.W. (1993) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 190, 961-967). This insulin response was completely inhibited by wortmannin and LY294002 (2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one), two inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase). Neither wortmannin nor LY294002 had any effect on the calcium-dependent degradation of IRS-1 in vitro nor did they inhibit the phosphorylation of IRS-1 in vitro. In addition, neomycin, a cationic aminoglycoside antibiotic that binds to phosphoinositides, inhibited the insulin-induced down-regulation of IRS-1 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and, also, the C8-PIP3-stimulated degradation of IRS-1 in vitro. These results suggest that PI 3-kinase and its 3-phosphoinositide products mediate the insulin-induced down-regulation of IRS-1 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
Asparagine synthetase activity in malignant and non-malignant human kidney and prostate specimens.

NUMEROUS studies have demonstrated the anti-tumour activity of L-asparaginase. Although most of the studies have been performed with enzyme from guinea-pig serum or E. coli, asparaginases from other sources are also inhibitory. A mechanism based on data from several laboratories1–4 has been suggested to account for the anti-tumour activity of the enzyme. A tumour with little or no capacity to synthesize asparagine must be supplied through the circulation. When asparaginase is introduced into the blood stream, asparagine levels quickly fall5, and the tumour starves for lack of one of its essential nutrients. On the other hand, if a tumour can synthesize asparagine, it should be resistant to asparaginase action.
What is driving the growth in medical tourism

The current study directly surveyed consumers on their experiences and consideration of medical tourism to test the variables thought to impact medical tourism. The sample was deployed to qSample's international traveler panel. The survey was completed by 68.5% of participants. Over a third of the respondents said they had considered medical tourism; 15% had actually traveled to another country for medical care. Dental treatment was named most often as the type of treatment pursued in another country. Cost was mentioned most frequently as the reason for medical tourism. Prior international travel emerged as an important factor.
PRESENCE OF THE LONG-ACTING THYROID STIMULATOR IN SERUM IN MONGOLISM WITHOUT HYPERTHYROIDISM.

Lats was detected in the sera of 4 mongoloid females without hyperthyroidism. Three of the 4 patients had minimal thyroid enlargement and one of these had excessive eye protrusion by exophthalmometry. The patients have remained euthyroid after 14 to 19 months of observation. The explanation for this finding is obscure but might reasonably be sought by study of the immune mechanism in mongolism.
Nah We Yone's De Fambul Camp: Facilitating Resilience in Displaced African Children

This article describes a psychosocial intervention developed by a volunteer-driven, community-based, grassroots organization designed to promote emotional well-being in displaced African children residing in the New York City metropolitan area. Drawing on their resilience, community resources, and African traditions, and using cultural, educational, and recreational activities, this unique program sought to instill cultural pride, increase self-esteem, and decrease isolation in these children. Nah We Yone's De Fambul Camp offers an example of a culturally relevant, alternative psychosocial approach for supporting the adjustment and acculturation of displaced African children as they adapt to a new cultural setting.
1852 PROSTAGLANDIN (PG) SYNTHESIS INHIBITORS AND LUNG DEVELOPMENT IN FETAL SHEEP

Before delivery in fetal sheep tracheal fluid production decreases and surfactant content of lung increases. This occurs as plasma Cortisol and PGE2 concentrations increase. As PGE2 infusions decrease tracheal fluid production and increase cortisol concentration, the increase in PGE2 concentration before delivery may contribute to the above changes. To test this hypothesis, we suppressed PG production by continuously infusing Meclofenamate (0.8 mg/kg/h), a PG synthesis inhibitor, into 5 fetal sheep (Mec) for 5-13d until delivery (133 to 150d gest). We infused solvent into 4 controls (Con) for 5-11d (131 to 146d gest). Both groups had similar daily HR, BP, pH, PO2, and PCO2. Meclofenamate infusion decreased PGE2 concentration, but in both groups, tracheal fluid production and Cortisol concentration were similar. Surfactant content of lungs of Mec were lower than of Con (P= 0.1). Birthweight and lung weight were the same in both groups. We conclude that normal lung growth and the changes in tracheal fluid production and cortisol concentration before delivery are not dependent on high plasma PGE2 concentrations. (Supported by USPHS HL27356, Pulmonary SCOR, and ALA fellowship.)
Evaluation of a Rat Model of Preeclampsia for HELLP Syndrome Characteristics

To determine whether a rat model of preeclampsia includes features consistent with HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets) syndrome. Preeclampsia was induced experimentally in timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats using the reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) model. On day 14 of gestation, silver clips were placed around the aorta below the renal arteries and on the left and right uterine arcade at the ovarian artery. All animals were chronically instrumented to determine conscious blood pressure and to obtain blood samples for analysis of complete blood count, platelet count, liver function tests, uric acid, creatinine, and albumin. Blood samples were collected and animals sacrificed on day 19 of gestation, at which time placental and pup weight were obtained. A control group was analyzed similarly. Statistical analysis was performed with the Student t test. The RUPP model animals (n = 8), when compared with the normotensive controls (n = 9), did not show a statistically significant different in hemoglobin, platelets, liver function tests, uric acid, creatinine, or albumin, although the mean arterial pressure was higher (mean ± SD 131.9 ± 17.1 mmHg versus 104.0 ± 14.0 mmHg, respectively; P = 0.003) and pup number was lower (RUPP 6.6 ± 2.4 versus control 13.8 ± 2.3, P < .001). Although decreased uteroplacental perfusion induces changes similar to symptoms of preeclampsia, the RUPP rat model does not appear to express features of HELLP syndrome.
Increased numbers of microchimeric cells of fetal origin are associated with dermal fibrosis in mice following injection of vinyl chloride.

Objective To develop a murine model for use in examining the role of microchimeric cells and certain chemical exposures in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Methods Female BALB/cJ retired breeder mice were bled before and after vinyl chloride injection. The DNA from their white blood cells was obtained, and the number of microchimeric cell equivalents was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction using DNA primers specific for the H-2Kb gene, a sequence not found in BALB/cJ mice. Skin was obtained at autopsy, embedded in paraffin, sectioned, and stained with Masson's trichrome. Hydroxyproline analyses were performed on 4-mm skin biopsy samples. Results Microchimeric cells were identified and quantitated before and after 20 daily intraperitoneal injections of vinyl chloride. The number of microchimeric cells in the peripheral blood increased an average of 48-fold after treatment with vinyl chloride. Histologic examination of the skin of these same mice (which had an increased number of microchimeric cells) showed inflammation, with abundant fibroblasts and a heavy mononuclear infiltration in the dermis. The collagen fibers appeared densely packed and disorganized. Histologic examination of the skin of untreated retired breeder mice and treated virgin mice appeared normal. Quantitative assays to determine the collagen content of skin biopsy samples obtained from treated microchimeric mice compared with nontreated microchimeric or with treated nonmicrochimeric mice showed a 2–3-fold increase in collagen content in the treated microchimeric mice. Extraordinary splenomegaly was present in the vinyl chloride–treated microchimeric mice, accompanied by cellular infiltration and fibrosis. Conclusion The results suggest that vinyl chloride injections into BALB/cJ retired breeder mice lead to activation of microchimeric cells, which causes the cells to divide and multiply. The correlation between the 48-fold increase in microchimeric cells and the appearance of dermal inflammation and fibrosis similar to that of graft-versus-host disease suggests that activated microchimeric cells may be a necessary factor in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases such as SSc.
Effects of hypoxia on human mesenchymal stem cell expansion and plasticity in 3D constructs

Low oxygen tension is thought to be an integral component of the human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) native bone marrow microenvironment. HMSC were cultured under physiologically relevant oxygen environments (2% O2) in three-dimensional (3D) constructs for up to 1 month in order to investigate the combined effects of chronic hypoxia and 3D architecture on hMSC tissue-development patterns. Hypoxic hMSC exhibited an extended lag phase in order to acclimatize to culture conditions. However, they subsequently proliferated continuously throughout the culture period, while maintaining significantly higher colony-forming unit capabilities and expressing higher levels of stem cell genes than hMSC cultured at 20% O2 (normoxic) conditions. Upon induction, hypoxic hMSC also expressed higher levels of osteoblastic and adipocytic differentiation markers than normoxic controls. Hypoxia induced increased total protein levels in hMSC throughout the culture period, as well as significantly different fibronectin expression patterns suggesting that oxygen levels can significantly affect tissue-development patterns. Importantly, hMSC maintained the ability to thrive in prolonged hypoxic conditions suggesting that hypoxia may be an essential element of the in vivo hMSC niche. Further studies are required to determine how variations in cellular characteristics and ECM expression impact on the physiological properties of the engineered tissue, yet these results strongly indicate that oxygen tension is a key parameter that influences the in vitro characteristics of hMSC and their development into tissues.
Investigating the environment: teaching and learning with undergraduates in the sciences

Two librarian/instructors developed and taught a three‐credit, quarter long course for undergraduates at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA. The course emphasized research skills in natural and environmental sciences. Presents a history of the course – how it came to be and the partnerships involved; and describe the process of research, design, implementation and revision involved with teaching. Using fluency in technology and surveys of current students, the researchers concluded that greater learning is achieved through a combination of computer technology and information resources. Collaborations between librarians and departments determined the specifics of the class, which were then incorporated into the course design and implementation. Presents an evaluation of the current course and an approach for best practices.
On the asymptotic normality of self-normalized sums

Let X1, …, Xn be a sequence of non-degenerate, symmetric, independent identically distributed random variables, and let Sn(rn) denote their sum when the rn largest in modulus have been removed. We obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for asymptotic normality of the studentized version of Sn(rn), and compare this to the condition for asymptotic normality of the scalar normalized version. In particular, when rn = r these conditions are the same, but when rn → ∞the former holds more generally.
Impact of cardiac rehabilitation on depression and its associated mortality.

Abstract Purpose Depression following major cardiac events is associated with higher mortality, but little is known about whether this can be reduced through treatment including cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training. We evaluated the impact of cardiac rehabilitation on depression and its associated mortality in coronary patients. Patients and Methods We evaluated 522 consecutive coronary patients (381 men, 141 women; aged 64±10 years) enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation from January 2000 to July 2005 and a control group of 179 patients not completing rehabilitation. Depressive symptoms were assessed by questionnaire at baseline and following rehabilitation, and mortality was evaluated after a mean follow-up of 1296±551 days. Results Prevalence of depressive symptoms decreased 63% following rehabilitation, from 17% to 6% ( P P =.0004). Depressed patients who completed rehabilitation had a 73% lower mortality (8% vs 30%; P =.0005) compared with control depressed subjects who did not complete rehabilitation. Reductions in depressive symptoms and its associated mortality were related to improvements in fitness; however, similar reductions were noted in those with either modest or marked increases in exercise capacity. Conclusion In patients following major coronary events, cardiac rehabilitation is associated with both reductions in depressive symptoms and the excess mortality associated with it. Moreover, only mild improvements in levels of fitness appear to be needed to produce these benefits on depressive symptoms and its associated mortality.
Reviews of Suburban Landscapes: Culture and Politics in a New York Metropolitan Community.: By Paul H. Mattingly.

(2005). Reviews of Suburban Landscapes: Culture and Politics in a New York Metropolitan Community. The Oral History Review: Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. 131-133.
An international conversation on Stem Cell Gene Therapy. 4th Stem Cell Conference on Stem Cell Gene Therapy, Thessaloniki, Greece, 13-17 September 2007.

The first studies targeting hematopoietic stem cells for genetic modification using retrovirus vectors were reported in the 1980s. It should be no surprise that significant progress has been made in this area during the ensuing 20 years. The progress, and many remaining challenges, were evident at a recent meeting organized by George Stamatoyannopoulos and Luigi Naldini. The 4th Conference on Stem Cell Gene Therapy, held in Thessaloniki, Greece, in September 2007, provided an ideal setting for both formal and informal discussions on the wide spectrum of state-of-the-art basic research, as well as current and future clinical trials.
The universality of intrinsic F0 of vowels

Abstract The tendency for high vowels such as [i] and [u] to have higher fundamental frequencies (F0s) than low vowels such as [a] has been found in every language so far in which it has been sought. This includes 31 languages representing 11 of the world's 29 major language families (as defined by Crystal, 1987 ). While the size of the intrinsic F0 (IF0) effect varies from study to study, the differences seem to derive from differences in the study design, especially in the number of subjects. The effect appears larger for female speakers when expressed in Hz, but it is, instead, larger for males when the results are expressed in semitones. The size of the language's vowel inventory did not significantly affect the size of IF0. One other universal, though, is that the effect disappears at the low end of a speaker's F0 range. The consistency of intrinsic F0 across languages argues that the effect is truly intrinsic; that is, it is not a deliberate enhancement of the signal but rather a consequence of successfully forming a vowel.
Chapter 3. Review of the Oryzomys couesi Complex (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) in Western Mexico

Abstract The status and distribution of eight species-group taxa of the Oryzomys couesi group (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) described from western Mexico are evaluated based on morphological and morphometric comparisons. Four of these are recognized as valid species within the region: Oryzomys albiventer Merriam, 1901 (including molestus Elliot, 1903), from inland plateau of the Mesa de Anahuac; O. couesi mexicanus J.A. Allen, 1897 (including bulleri J.A. Allen, 1897; lambi Burt, 1934; rufus Merriam, 1901), from Pacific coastal plain, contiguous lower mountain slopes, and interior valleys along the Rios Tepalcatepec–Balsas; O. nelsoni Merriam, 1898, from Isla Maria Madre; and O. peninsulae Thomas, 1897, from the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. Three other taxa named from uplands in interior Mexico—aztecus Merriam, 1901; crinitus Merriam; 1901; and regillus Goldman, 1915—are provisionally retained within O. couesi, but further study of their specific stature and relationships is requ...
From Weighted Classification to Policy Search

This paper proposes an algorithm to convert a T-stage stochastic decision problem with a continuous state space to a sequence of supervised learning problems. The optimization problem associated with the trajectory tree and random trajectory methods of Kearns, Mansour, and Ng, 2000, is solved using the Gauss-Seidel method. The algorithm breaks a multistage reinforcement learning problem into a sequence of single-stage reinforcement learning subproblems, each of which is solved via an exact reduction to a weighted-classification problem that can be solved using off-the-self methods. Thus the algorithm converts a reinforcement learning problem into simpler supervised learning subproblems. It is shown that the method converges in a finite number of steps to a solution that cannot be further improved by componentwise optimization. The implication of the proposed algorithm is that a plethora of classification methods can be applied to find policies in the reinforcement learning problem.
Organizational confidence: An empirical assessment of highly positive public managers

This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Feeney, M. K. & Boardman, C. 2010. Organizational Confidence: An Empirical Assessment of Highly Positive Public Managers. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory is available online at: doi: 10.1093/jopart/muq044.
INTRODUCTION: POINTING THE WAY: TEACHING READING TO STRUGGLING READERS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL

Secondary education teachers comment that if a student does not read with some degree of proficiency by high school, there's not much that can be done to change the situation. However, the sheer nu...
MEAT GOAT DEMOGRAPHICS AND NICHE MARKETING

Six focus groups were conducted with each having ten people who attend different Islamic Centers in Ohio. The objective of the focus groups was to understand Halal meat purchase patterns and consumption patterns of the Moslem population with special attention to goat. The Ohio State University Extension personnel are utilizing these results to work with meat goat producers to understand and meet the requirements of the Halal meat market. Â Participants discussed the Zabiha approach to slaughtering animals as the most merciful by causing the least pain. Many participants noted they had no way of knowing where the animal Â came from and this held tremendous concerns relative to the feeding of animal by-products, use of hormones, and adulteration with pork. These trust concerns led to decisions about where to purchase their meat with 72% purchasing from a Moslem owned retail store. Only 13% purchased from a large grocery and 8% direct from a farmer. Â Â Participants indicated their consumption patterns according to weekly, seasonal, and holiday use in addition to variations according to their personal geographic origin. The average meat purchase was 23 pounds with an average occurrence of 12.5 times per annum. Â Purchasing trends indicated that 78% prefer lean over marbled cuts. Nearly 86% prefer fresh over frozen goat meat and nearly a third responded that they would pay more for fresh. Intact males were preferred by 42% of the respondents. Preferences for meat goat cuts were: Leg (71%), Chops (42%), Shoulder (24%), Breast (7%). Nearly a third indicated they also want the kidneys, heart, or head. Â Demographic shifts in the United States indicate that there are almost 53 million people who have a preference for goat meat. There are 2.4 million goats in the US according to the 2007 Agricultural Statistics. Based on consumption trends of this study, goat demand exceeds inventory by 160%. Meat goat consumer trends are changing regarding religious concerns, convenience, food safety, and food quality issues. Opportunities exist to develop niche marketing opportunities for fresh goat with local ethnic or faith based populations.
Novel fiber optic alignment strategy using Hamiltonian algorithm and Matlab/Simulink

An efficient and robust fiber optic alignment method for locating the optimal coupling position is critical to fiber optic packaging automation, and thus to photonics manufacturing. The often used hill-climbing type alignment method is gradient-based, 1-D "blind" searching, which is difficult for dealing with angular misalignments and the alignment of fiber arrays. This work presents a novel alignment method consisting of the Hamiltonian algorithm and Matlab/Simulink software tools. The Hamiltonian algorithm utilizes the inherent dynamic properties of the system to guide the movement of the fiber tip, and the Matlab/Simulink provides an efficient tool for solving Hamiltonian equations as well as output feedback control. Simulation results are obtained for the active alignment of single-channel fiber optic devices and multichannel-arrayed fiber optic devices, respectively. Trajectories of the searching path are demonstrated to be smooth. It is shown that time for multidegree of freedom alignment is significantly reduced compared to the conventional hill-climbing type alignment method. It is also demonstrated that, for arrayed fiber optic devices, a balanced fiber optic coupling result for all fibers can be easily reached.
The ClpX chaperone modulates assembly of the tubulin-like protein FtsZ

Summary Assembly of the tubulin-like cytoskeletal protein FtsZ into a ring structure establishes the location of the nascent division site in prokaryotes. Factors that modulate FtsZ assembly are essential for ensuring the precise spatial and temporal regulation of cytoki- nesis. We have identified ClpX, the substrate recogni- tion subunit of the ClpXP protease, as an inhibitor of FtsZ assembly in Bacillus subtilis . Genetic data indi- cate that ClpX but not ClpP inhibits FtsZ-ring forma- tion in vivo . In vitro , ClpX inhibits FtsZ assembly in a ClpP-independent manner through a mechanism that does not require ATP hydrolysis. Together our data support a model in which ClpX helps maintain the cytoplasmic pool of unassembled FtsZ that is required for the dynamic nature of the cytokinetic ring. ClpX is conserved throughout bacteria and has been shown to interact directly with FtsZ in Escheri- chia coli . Thus, we speculate that ClpX functions as a general regulator of FtsZ assembly and cell division in a wide variety of bacteria.
Intense neutron source based on 79 MeV deuterons bombarding beryllium

Abstract At fixed target power density in d-Be neutron sources for materials damage studies, the neutron fluence and helium production per neutron in irradiated material rapidly increases with incident deuteron energy.
Silica Sol-Gel Entrapment of the Enzyme Chloroperoxidase

The enzyme chloroperoxidase (CPO) was immobilized in silica sol-gel beads prepared from tetramethoxysilane. The average pore diameter of the silica host structure (~3 nm) was smaller than the globular CPO diameter (~6 nm) and the enzyme remained entrapped after sol-gel maturation. The catalytic performance of the entrapped enzyme was assessed via the pyrogallol peroxidation reaction. Sol-gel beads loaded with 4 μg CPO per mL sol solution reached 9–12% relative activity compared to free CPO in solution. Enzyme kinetic analysis revealed a decrease in but no changes in or . Product release or enzyme damage might thus limit catalytic performance. Yet circular dichroism and visible absorption spectra of transparent CPO sol-gel sheets did not indicate enzyme damage. Activity decline due to methanol exposure was shown to be reversible in solution. To improve catalytic performance the sol-gel protocol was modified. The incorporation of 5, 20, or 40% methyltrimethoxysilane resulted in more brittle sol-gel beads but the catalytic performance increased to 14% relative to free CPO in solution. The use of more acidic casting buffers (pH 4.5 or 5.5 instead of 6.5) resulted in a more porous silica host reaching up to 18% relative activity.
Dynamics of Forced Nucleosome Unraveling and Role of Nonuniform Histone-DNA Interactions

A coarse-grained model of the nucleosome is introduced to investigate the dynamics of force-induced unwrapping of DNA from histone octamers. In this model, the DNA is treated as a charged, discrete worm-like chain, and the octamer is treated as a rigid cylinder carrying a positively charged superhelical groove that accommodates 1.7 turns of DNA. The groove charges are parameterized to reproduce the nonuniform histone/DNA interaction free energy profile and the loading rate-dependent unwrapping forces, both obtained from single-molecule experiments. Brownian dynamics simulations of the model under constant loading conditions reveal that nucleosome unraveling occurs in three distinct stages. At small extensions, the flanking DNA exhibits rapid unwrapping-rewrapping (breathing) dynamics and the octamer flips ∼180° and moves toward the pulling axis. At intermediate extensions, the outer turn of DNA unwraps gradually and the octamer swivels about the taut linkers and flips a further ∼90° to orient its superhelical axis almost parallel to the pulling axis. At large extensions, a portion of the inner turn unwraps abruptly with a notable rip in the force-extension plot and a >90° flip of the octamer. The remaining inner turn unwraps reversibly to leave a small portion of DNA attached to the octamer despite extended pulling. Our simulations further reveal that the nonuniform histone/DNA interactions in canonical nucleosomes serve to: stabilize the inner turn against unraveling while enhancing the breathing dynamics of the nucleosome and prevent dissociation of the octamer from the DNA while facilitating its mobility along the DNA. Thus, the modulation of the histone/DNA interactions could constitute one possible mechanism for regulating the accessibility of the nucleosome-wound DNA sequences.
The metabolism of O-phosphorylethanolamine in animal tissues. II. Metabolic regulation of O-phosphorylethanolamine phospho-lyase in vivo.

In several vertebrate species, the soluble enzyme, O-phosphorylethanolamine (O-PE) phospho-lyase (EC group 4.2) was found to be located primarily in the soluble fraction of the liver. Ezymatic activity in rat liver was increased by feeding a high protein diet and a distinct diurnal variation in the enzyme's activity was noted, most marked when the animal was fed a 60% protein diet. O-PE phospho-lyase activity in rat liver was also markedly stimulated by the chronic intramuscular injection of cortisone acetate. Of four highly differentiated murine hepatomas tested, enzymatic activity could not be detected in two and was very low in the other two. The activity in the host livers of the tumor-bearing animals was also very low when compared to control animals without tumors. O-PE phospholyase activity rose sharply at birth, dropping to a relatively stable level 8 days later. The activity of the enzyme then began to rise, achieving at 2 years of age the same level seen on the day of birth. The results reported are discussed in relation to the physiological significance of O-PE phospho-lyase in the metabolism of its substrate.
Soil solarization reduces arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as a consequence of weed suppression.

Soil solarization, the process of heating soil by covering fields with clear plastic, is a promising method to reduce populations of soilborne pests and weeds without the use of pesticides. However, the destruction of beneficial organisms such as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi also may occur, thereby reducing positive effects of solarization. We compared the effects of solarization and chemical fumigants on the survival of indigenous AM fungi in 1995 and 1996. The infectivity of AM fungi was monitored before and after solarization using a greenhouse bioassay with Sorghum bicolor L. for both years. AM colonization of roots was also monitored in the field 8 months after solarization in 1995. Weed densities were measured 8 months after treatment in 1996. Solarization increased the average daily soil temperature 6–10°C and the maximum soil temperature reached by 10–16°C (5–20 cm depth). Solarization did not reduce the infectivity of AM fungi immediately after the solarization period in either year, as determined by the greenhouse bioassay. Infectivity was greatly reduced in solarized plots 8 months after solarization (over winter) in both years as assessed in the field (1995) or with the greenhouse bioassay (1996). Fumigation with metam sodium at 930 l ha–1 (350 kg active ingredient ha–1) reduced the infectivity of AM fungi in both years, and fumigation with methyl bromide at 800 kg ha–1 eliminated infection by AM fungi. Solarization was as effective as methyl bromide and metam sodium at 930 l ha–1 in controlling winter annual weeds measured 8 months after treatment. Solarization apparently reduced AM fungi in soil indirectly by reducing weed populations that maintained infective propagules over the winter. Fumigation with metam sodium or methyl bromide directly reduced AM fungi in soil.
Adaptive Design Optimization in Experiments with People

In cognitive science, empirical data collected from participants are the arbiters in model selection. Model discrimination thus depends on designing maximally informative experiments. It has been shown that adaptive design optimization (ADO) allows one to discriminate models as efficiently as possible in simulation experiments. In this paper we use ADO in a series of experiments with people to discriminate the Power, Exponential, and Hyperbolic models of memory retention, which has been a long-standing problem in cognitive science, providing an ideal setting in which to test the application of ADO for addressing questions about human cognition. Using an optimality criterion based on mutual information, ADO is able to find designs that are maximally likely to increase our certainty about the true model upon observation of the experiment outcomes. Results demonstrate the usefulness of ADO and also reveal some challenges in its implementation.
On Lower Bounds for Algebraic Decision Trees over the Complex Numbers

We prove a new lower bound for the decision complexity of a complex algebraic set in terms of the sum of its (compactly supported) Bettinumbers, which is for the first time better than logarithmic. We apply this result to subspace arrangements including some well studied problems such as the knapsack and element distinctness problems.
Response To Intervention: Research And Practice

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a service model designed to meet the learning needs of students prior to diagnosis and placement in special education settings. Results of a quantitative quasiexperimental research study to investigate the relationship between the RTI plan and self-reported implementation practices among general education elementary teachers in a Florida school district using analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed no significant difference between demonstration school and comparable school general education teachers’ self-reported practices, self-reported implementation success rates, or self-reported data collection responsibilities. Recommendations for professional development opportunities for all teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators involved in the RTI process based upon analyzed research study data are included.
Irrigation Communities of the Upper Rio Grande Bioregion: Sustainable Resource Use in the Global Context

The R(o Declaration in 1992 brought attention to the importance of placing human settlements at the center of planning for sustainable resource management, including the incorporation of the traditional knowledge and practices available from the land-based peoples of the world. There is growing evidence that countries in both the Third World and the West are giving serious attention to alternative models of development* that emphasize community-based management emanating from traditional values and institutions embedded in local cultures. A water rights transfer case study from the upper R(o Grande bioregion in the western United States illustrates the need for policy-makers and the public at-large to consider cultural values alongside economic and ecologic-environmental factors when planning for a common sustainable future. Also, people's democratic institutions, such as the acequia [ditch] organizations of northcentral New Mexico, need to assert their historic rights to life-sustaining water resources by taking concerted actions to preserve the resource base on which they and other stakeholders in the region depend.
Profiling with structural elucidation of the neutral and anionic O-linked oligosaccharides in the egg jelly coat of Xenopus laevis by Fourier transform mass spectrometry

A strategic method with high speed and sensitivity is outlined for the analysis of mucin-type oligosaccharide from the jelly coat of Xenopus laevis. The method relies primarily on mass spectrometric techniques, in this case matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization Fourier-transform mass spectrometry (MALDI-FTMS) and collision-induced dissociation (CID). Separation with isolation of the oligosaccharides was streamlined to couple well with mass spectrometry allowing the rapid determination of all detectable components from both neutral and anionic species. Partial structures of anionic components, composed primarily of sulfate esters, were obtained with CID. For neutral species, a method that allowed the complete structural determination using mass spectrometry was used. The method builds on the structure of small number of known compounds to determine unknown structures from the same biological source. In this example, a small number of oligosaccharides, elucidated previously by NMR, were used to develop a set of substructural motifs that were characterized by CID. The presence of the motifs in the CID spectra were then used to determine the structures of unknown compounds that were in abundances too small for NMR analysis.
Concentration- and chromosome-organization-dependent regulator unbinding from DNA for transcription regulation in living cells

Binding and unbinding of transcription regulators at operator sites constitute a primary mechanism for gene regulation. While many cellular factors are known to regulate their binding, little is known on how cells can modulate their unbinding for regulation. Using nanometer-precision single-molecule tracking, we study the unbinding kinetics from DNA of two metal-sensing transcription regulators in living Escherichia coli cells. We find that they show unusual concentration-dependent unbinding kinetics from chromosomal recognition sites in both their apo and holo forms. Unexpectedly, their unbinding kinetics further varies with the extent of chromosome condensation, and more surprisingly, varies in opposite ways for their apo-repressor versus holo-activator forms. These findings suggest likely broadly relevant mechanisms for facile switching between transcription activation and deactivation in vivo and in coordinating transcription regulation of resistance genes with the cell cycle.