Distributed Problem Solving (DPS) decomposes problems into subproblems to be solved by interacting, cooperative software agents. Thus, DPS is suitable for modeling, in the context of parallel and distributed architectures, the solving of problems characterized by many inter-dependencies among subproblems. Concurrent Constraint Programming (CCP) provides a powerful execution framework for DPS, w...

Reinforcement learning (RL) methods based on direct policy search (DPS) have been actively discussed to achieve an efficient approach to complicated Markov decision processes (MDPs). Although they have brought much progress in practical applications of RL, there still remains an unsolved problem in DPS related to model selection for the policy. In this paper, we propose a novel DPS method, weig...

The rapid development of communication systems in the last few decades has increased the deployment of multimedia and real-time applications within it. These applications require the support of Quality of Service routing algorithms that support multiple constraints to provide a service the meets the user expectations. Applying QoS on mobile ad-hoc networks (MANET) raises the challenge because o...

Two possible approaches to reuse with design patterns (DPs) are described: pattern-based design and pattern-related code composition. For pattern-based design, a new representation of DPs similar to class diagrams as well as different modes for creating an instance of DP are proposed. Design patterns (DPs) [2] capture and communicate approved design solutions. DPs identify participants, their r...

This study investigates the online comprehension of Determiner Phrases (DPs) as a function of the given-new distinction in two-sentence texts in German and further focuses on DPs whose interpretation depends on inferential information (so-called 'bridging relations'). Previous reaction time studies report an advantage of given over new information. In the present study, this difference is refle...

To survive in host cells, intracellular pathogens or symbiotic bacteria require protective mechanisms to overcome the oxidative stress generated by phagocytic activities of the host. By genomic library tagging, we cloned a dps (stands for DNA-binding protein from starved cells) gene of the symbiotic "Candidatus Legionella jeonii" organism (called the X bacterium) (dps(X)) that grows in Amoeba p...

Some members of the DNA-binding protein from stationary phase cells (Dps) family of proteins have been shown to play an important role in protecting microorganisms from oxidative or nutritional stress. Dps homologs have been identified in various bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Listeria innocua. Recently we have reported the presence of a Dps homolog, Ms-Dps, in Mycoba...

Pro-Q Diamond (Pro-Q DPS) is a commercially available stain that binds the phosphate moiety of phosphoproteins with high sensitivity and linearity. To conserve consumable costs we demonstrate that threefold diluted Pro-Q DPS offers the same sensitivity and linearity of signal to that obtained with undiluted Pro-Q DPS. The optimal conditions for Pro-Q DPS indicate that fixation, staining, and de...

Soil phosphorus (P) release capability could be assessed through the degree of P saturation (DPS). Our main objective was to determine DPS and, hence, P threshold DPS values of an Ultisol treated with triple superphosphate (TSP), Gafsa phosphate rocks (GPR), or Christmas Island phosphate rocks (CIPR), plus or minus manure. P release was determined by the iron oxide-impregnated paper strip (stri...

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a common airway commensal and opportunistic pathogen that persists within surface-attached biofilm communities. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that bacterial stress-responses are activated within biofilms. Transcripts for several factors associated with bacterial resistance to environmental stress were increased in biofilm cultures as compar...