cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Financial Performance of US Commercial Banks 2001-2010

We examine the financial performance, risk, changing revenue and asset mix, prospects for future shareholder value creation and executive compensation of the 15 largest commercial banks in the US from 2001-2010. Aggregate revenue for large commercial banks in the US reached all-time highs in 2009 and 2010. Growth has slowed in traditional sources of revenue such as interest income from loans and investments, while revenue from trading activities, fees on credit cards, and service charges on deposits has grown in recent years. Charge-offs from non-performing loans and other assets continue to weigh on bank profits, however. Aggregate dividends declined by 80% from 2008-2010. The Tier 1 capital held by the banks in our sample has more than doubled in 2009-2010. Despite persistent quality problems with their loan portfolios, flagging profitability, a dramatic reduction in dividends and poor stock price performance, the total salaries and bonuses earned by executives at our sample of banks grew by 33% from 2008-2010. Executives have also been taking more of their compensation in the form of salaries (vs. bonuses) since 2005. We find that banks that received more TARP funds actually reduced their loan portfolios by greater amounts, which refutes the idea that the TARP program had a positive impact on bank lending.
Antenatal Maternity Leave and Childbirth Using the First Baby Study: A Propensity Score Analysis

Abstract Background Most employed American women work during pregnancy and continue working through the month they deliver. Yet, few studies estimate the relationship between maternity leave taken during pregnancy and maternal health. We evaluate the association of antenatal leave (ANL) uptake with obstetric outcomes, assessing the potential role of protective and adverse selection pathways on this relationship. Methods We sample 1,740 employed women who delivered at term from the First Baby Study, a prospective cohort of nulliparous women in Pennsylvania. We use propensity scores to estimate the relationship between ANL and negative delivery outcomes (labor induction, long labor duration, unplanned cesarean delivery, and self-reported negative birth experience). We estimated propensity scores using a range of employment, health, and sociodemographic variables. Results One-half of the sampled women worked until the day before or day of delivery. Women who stopped working at least 2 days before delivery experienced 16% more negative delivery outcomes, on average, than women who worked until delivery, driven largely by a 25% higher predicted probability of unplanned cesarean section deliveries. These robust findings hold up to a range of sensitivity analyses and demonstrate selective mechanisms operating in ANL uptake. Conclusion Our findings suggest that, even after controlling for an extensive set of observable employment, health, and sociodemographic characteristics, women who take ANL continue to differ in unobserved characteristics that lead to negative delivery outcomes. Like most U.S. states, Pennsylvania does not grant paid maternity leave. In a context of limited maternity leave availability, only relatively unhealthy women take ANL.
Notes on the vegetation of Suriname. I - Vegetation changes in a dammed up fresh water swamp in NW Suriname (

Abstract The vegetational changes in a newly dammed area on the Nanni Creek Basin in NW Suriname are here considered. The effects of periodical flooding on the different vegetation types are studied, and the types of succession ocurring at present are described. It is postulated that marsh forests that are now being drowned will be replaced by a Triplaris swamp forest. Peat levels will probably remain constant, as any accumulation of peat during high water seems to be counter-balanced by peat decomposition and destruction by fire during low water levels.
A Rapidly Enlarging Müllerian-Derived Hepatic Adenomyoma Clinically Mimicking Hepatic Adenoma in a Pregnant Woman.

A Rapidly Enlarging Mullerian-Derived Hepatic Adenomyoma Clinically Mimicking Hepatic Adenoma in a Pregnant Woman
Sensitivity analysis of human brain structural network construction.

Network neuroscience leverages diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and tractography to quantify structural connectivity of the human brain. However, scientists and practitioners lack a cl...
The effects of irregular shape on the particle stress of dilute suspensions

The irregular shape of particles in suspensions is typically approximated by simple geometries such as spheres or ellipsoids. We investigate the accuracy of such an approximation by comparing two irregular-shaped particles with different initial orientations against their equivalent spheroids in dilute volume fractions. Our results show that the average shear particle stress (and also intrinsic viscosity) of irregular particles can be 20 %–120 % higher than the maximum value of their geometric or kinematic equivalent spheroidal particles, and closer to spheroids with higher aspect ratios. We found that two geometric factors of an irregular shape, i.e., dimensionless surface-to-volume ratio and moment of inertia per unit volume (non-dimensionalized by the one-half the largest diameter of the particle), are correlated with the particle stress. In fact, the shear particle stress of a ring-shaped particle, which has a very large value of these factors, is five times larger than its equivalent spheroid. The correlation of these geometric factors with particle stress is further confirmed by considering two families of shapes (cylinder- and sphere-like particles). We also found that acceleration stress and especially Reynolds stress (stress mechanisms due to inertia) can have average values comparable to the stresslet term and effectively increase and decrease the absolute value of the first normal stress difference and second normal stress difference , respectively. However, their contribution to the shear particle stress is negligible. Our results pave the way to define better equivalent particles for irregular ones.
A Progressive Ballooning of Myelinated, TH-Positive Axons is Produced by MPTP in the Dog

Systemic injections of l-methyl-4-phenyl-l,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) produce selective degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons of the nigrostriatal pathway in some mammals such as dogs, monkeys, and humans but not others such as rats. The mechanism of MPTP’s actions has been studied by biochemical and pharmacological techniques which have found that MPTP’s toxicity requires its oxidation by glial MAO-B to l-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+)1–3. Surprisingly, MPP+ is not selectively toxic to dopaminergic neurons but damages or kills most cells with which it comes into contact including hepatocytes and granule cells of the cerebellum4,5.
Using an Interrupted Behavior Chain Strategy to Teach Generalized Communication Responses

Three students with severe disabilities were taught to request items or events within four interrupted behavior chain contexts. When interrupted behavior chain procedures were in effect, a typical operant instructional trial for teaching communication responses was inserted into the middle of an ongoing predictable sequence of behaviors such as brushing teeth or playing ball. Throughout the baseline and intervention phases, generalization probes were conducted to determine whether the newly acquired responses would be performed within behavior chains not yet used for instruction. The results demonstrated that for each of the three students the communicative function and the response form acquired within one behavior chain context generalized without further instruction to at least two chains in which training had not yet occurred. Moreover, for two of the students the picture discrimination skills required for selection of the appropriate content for each communication response generalized to nontraining ...
Utility of Breast MRI for Further Evaluation of Equivocal Findings on Digital Breast Tomosynthesis.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of MRI as a problem-solving tool for equivocal findings on diagnostic digital mammography (DM) and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT)...
Formulation and Validation of a Three-Dimensional Computational Model of Simultaneous Interfacial Evaporation and Condensation in Subcooled Boiling

Abstract Due to the practical importance of boiling heat transfer, various attempts have been made to date to formulate algorithms for computer simulations of heat transfer between vapor films and/or bubbles departing from heated walls and the surrounding liquid. However, due to problem complexity, the majority of testing, verification and applications of computational models have been limited to relatively simple problems, typically 1D or 2D. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a study on the development of a novel approach to the complete three-dimensional (3D) modeling of simultaneous evaporation and condensation occurring at subcooled boiling flow conditions in heated channels. The focus of the proposed method has been on a multiple-option model of interfacial heat transfer, which allows for an accurate evaluation of the interfacial heat flux between vapor bubbles and the surrounding subcooled or superheated liquid. The modeling of a variety of heating/cooling situations has been made possible by using appropriate newly-developed expressions for a local, position- and bubble-shape-dependent, Nusselt Number at the bubble/liquid interface. To assure the required accuracy, the new heat transfer model was extensively tested and verified in a stand-alone fashion before it has been numerically coupled with a Level-Set (LS) type solver and implemented in the NPHASE/CMFD computer code. The complete model has been tested again and experimentally validated. The stand-alone tests included model verification against the theoretical solution of the Stefan problem, and the near-analytical solution to the model of time-dependent condensation rate around a 2D bubble. As a starting point to a three-dimensional analysis, a DNS-type model has been developed to evaluate the local Nusselt Number for subcooled/superheated liquid flow around bubbles of different (fixed) shapes. The results have been validated against the available existing data. The formulae for the local Nusselt Number which have been deduced as a result of the follow-up analysis have then been implemented in the overall model of evaporation/condensation heat transfer around flowing bubbles of varying shapes. The results of NPHASE/CMFD-based 3D simulations have been validated against experimental data for a single bubble, and a good agreement has been obtained. Subsequently, simulations for multiple bubbles at subcooled boiling flow conditions have been conducted to illustrate the wide range of applicability of the proposed approach, and to demonstrate the ability of the current computational framework to model micro-scale mechanisms behind complicated nonequilibrium boiling processes. It is envisioned that future uses of the first-principle methodology discussed in this paper as virtual experiments should facilitate the development and verification of various multiphase closure laws for RANS-scale models for a variety of boiling heat transfer situations.
Our Beloved Kin: A New History of King Philip's War. By Lisa Brooks. (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2018. Pp. xv, 431. $35.00.)

This powerful, eminently readable work provides a long‐needed Indigenous view of one of the most significant wars in American history. Brooks focuses on two Native leaders who are usually given lig...
Optimizing Gather/Scatter Patterns

Many modern microarchitectures rely on single-instruction multiple-data execution to provide high compute ­capabilities in an energy efficient manner. Such microarchitectures—including those employed by the most recent Intel® Xeon® processors and Intel® Xeon Phi™ coprocessors—are optimized and/or better suited to dealing with contiguous loads and stores than non-contiguous loads (i.e., gathers) and stores (i.e., scatters). Gather and scatter behavior are more complex than that of contiguous loads and stores (e.g., it may depend on how close together the data items being read/written are). While today’s compilers emit gathers and scatters where necessary, they cannot always fully optimize performance, since they do not have enough knowledge about the access pattern. Programmers who perform only traditional memory optimizations, leaving gathers and scatters completely to the compiler, are likely to leave a significant amount of performance on the table.
Accuracy and Reproducibility of Linear and Angular Measurements in Virtual Reality: a Validation Study

The purpose of this experimental study is to validate linear and angular measurements acquired in a virtual reality (VR) environment via a comparison with the physical measurements. The hypotheses tested are as follows: VR linear and angular measurements (1) are equivalent to the corresponding physical measurements and (2) achieve a high degree of reproducibility. Both virtual and physical measurements were performed by two raters in four different sessions. A total of 40 linear and 15 angular measurements were acquired from three physical objects (an L-block, a hand model, and a dry skull) via the use of fiducial markers on selected locations. After both intra- and inter-rater reliability were evaluated using inter-class coefficient (ICC), equivalence between virtual and physical measurements was analyzed via paired t test and Bland-Altman plots. The accuracy of the virtual measurements was further estimated using two one-sided tests (TOST) procedure. The reproducibility of virtual measurements was evaluated via ICC as well as the repeatability coefficient. Virtual reality measurements were equivalent to physical measurements as evidenced by a paired t test with p values of 0.413 for linear and 0.533 for angular measurements and Bland-Altman plots in all three objects. The accuracy of virtual measurements was estimated to be 0.5 mm for linear and 0.7° for angular measurements, respectively. Reproducibility in VR measurements was high as evidenced by ICC of 1.00 for linear and 0.99 for angular measurements, respectively. Both linear and angular measurements in the VR environment are equivalent to the physical measurements with high accuracy and reproducibility.
Challenge of ensuring access to high-quality emergency surgical care for all.

Emergency general surgery (EGS) encompasses a variety of common acute surgical conditions with high morbidity and mortality that often require timely delivery of resource-intensive care. In the UK, over 30 000 patients require an emergency laparotomy each year1 and a 2012 audit by the UK Emergency Laparotomy Network revealed a greater than 10-fold variation in mortality rates between hospitals.2 The wide variability in both processes of care and clinical outcomes make EGS a prime target for quality improvement (QI) programmes, whereby promotion of evidence-based practices associated with better outcomes have the potential to impact thousands of lives. The Enhanced Peri-Operative Care for High-risk patients (EPOCH) trial was designed to evaluate the impact of a national QI programme on survival after emergency abdominal surgery across 93 National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in the UK.1 In this trial, a care pathway consisting of 37 consensus-derived best practices was implemented at each hospital using a step-wedged trial design. Over the 85-week study period, the trial failed to demonstrate any significant improvements in mortality, length of stay or readmissions among adults undergoing open emergency abdominal procedures.3 When QI efforts aimed at sweeping practice change fail to improve outcomes, they may fail for one of two reasons. First, it may be a failure of implementing the required changes to existing practice. A trial …
The Role of the Most Important Financial Institutions in the Development of Small and Micro Agricultural Projects in Egypt

UNEMPLOYMENT and poverty in Egypt are the main problems that the Egyptian economy is experiencing in the labor market at present. So development and rural development in particular are essential, where the rural is the backbone of the Egyptian society to achieve social security and still represents the rural about 60% of population sentence in Egypt in 2016. Therefore, the problem of the study was poverty, hunger and unemployment, where the unemployment rate reached about 13% of the total population.The research aimed to study the sources of financing small and micro enterprises, as well as the role and importance of financing institutions in the development of small and micro enterprises such as loans, facilities provided, the number of projects, projects types.The results of the study showed that 85% of the jobs available in the economy through small and micro enterprises. The Ministry of Social Solidarity is the least resource in terms of the cost of the job opportunity, which amounted to about 2950.67LE for the job opportunity. All sources finance micro projects except the Small Enterprise Development Authority and the Agricultural Bank of Egypt are funded small and micro projects. The number of projects financed by the Small Enterprise Development Authority since its inception is higher than the number of projects financed from all other sources of financing.Therefore, this study recommends encouragement of the financing sources mentioned above because its' projects are characterized by increasing the net profit and return.
Response to Santeramo and Searle (2019)

Abstract In a recent article, Santeramo and Searle (2019: Henceforth San-Sea) argued that the linkages between the soy oil and palm oil markets and their land use consequences could negatively affect the climate performance of the US Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and California's Low Fuel Standard. To support their arguments, San-Sea estimated the own and cross-price elasticities for supplies of soy and palm oils in the US. These authors refer to a valid point that induced land use changes may negatively impact emissions savings due to biofuels. However, their estimated elasticities provide no new insight on this issue. In addition, their approach, findings, analysis, and conclusion are subject to several deficiencies and limitations. These authors provide no new evidence for the link between biofuel production and land use change due to substitution among vegetable oils. In what follows, we reflect on some important facts and concerns.
High precision paleosalinity determination from measured porewater density

Abstract We have developed a density-based method for determining porewater salinity that can be performed shipboard on small volume samples with greater efficiency and precision than the currently available shore-based chloride titration technique. This approach is based on a recently developed water column method that determines salinity at the precision of a conductivity measurement through density measurements and the seawater thermodynamic equation of state. Diagenesis causes deviations in porewater composition from standard seawater values, affecting the density salinity relationship, that we correct for through precise measurements of each ion's concentration before converting measured density to chloride concentration. We account for the diffusive change in porewater chloride that occurs over time independent of diagenesis by optimizing diffusion modeled, sea-level determined bottom water chloride as a function of time to measured modern porewater and converting the best fit to salinity. We applied our density method to porewater samples extracted from adjacent long cores collected from the deep western North Atlantic, determining Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) bottom water paleosalinity in a region critical to understanding deep water mass distribution. High uncertainty is associated with current LGM bottom water salinity characterizations and their implications for LGM overturning circulation and climate. Density was determined to a precision of 2.3 × 10−6 g/mL, which translates to a relative uncertainty of 0.03% for LGM salinity. We compare the high precision chloride concentration profiles determined using our method to profiles determined from chloride titrations of parallel samples. Salinity change at our site between the pre-industrial and LGM is 3.07 ± 0.03 % and 3.65 ± 0.06 % when determined from density and 2.96 ± 0.12 % and 1.96 ± 0.21 % when determined from titrated Cl− for the two co-located cores analyzed. This is consistent with nearby deep Atlantic paleosalinity data ( Adkins et al., 2002 ) and global sea-level-change determined salinity change ( Clark and Mix, 2002 ). By comparing these uncertainties we demonstrate that porewater salinity can be determined to a higher precision and with increased reproducibility through our density protocol compared to titration-determined salinity. Application of our shipboard method at further locations will increase the resolution, precision, and accuracy of available LGM bottom water salinity reconstruction, improving the characterization of glacial deep water masses and overturning circulation.
Consecutive Treatments with a Multicomponent Sanitizer Inactivate Biofilms Formed by Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica and Remove Biofilm Matrix.

ABSTRACT Many foodborne pathogens, including Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica, can develop biofilms on contact surfaces at meat processing plants. Owing to the high tolerance of the biofilm cells associated with the three-dimensional biofilm structure and the well-expressed bacterial extracellular polymeric substances, it is a real challenge to completely inactivate and remove mature biofilms, as well as further prevent biofilm reoccurrence and pathogen survival. In the present study, we evaluated the effectiveness of consecutive treatments (10 to 120 min per treatment) by repeatedly applying a multicomponent sanitizer, based on a functional mechanism by synergistic combination of hydrogen peroxide and quaternary ammonia compounds, against biofilms formed by E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica strains. Biofilms on stainless steel surfaces were treated with 2.5, 5, or 10% (recommended working concentration) of the sanitizer applied as a foam or liquid solution. Our results showed that the multicomponent sanitizer significantly (P 60 min per treatment) effectively controlled pathogen survival postsanitization. Examination with a scanning electron microscope showed that treatment with the sanitizer at 5% strength significantly dissolved the connecting extracellular polysaccharide matrix and removed the majority of the biofilm matrix. No intact biofilm structure was detected after the 10% sanitizer treatment; instead, scattered individual bacteria with visibly altered cell morphology were observed. The treated bacteria exhibited indented and distorted shapes with shortened cell length and increased surface roughness, indicating severe cell injury and death. Our observations indicated that consecutive treatments with the multicomponent sanitizer was effective in inactivating E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica biofilms and preventing pathogen reoccurrence. HIGHLIGHTS
CSR-enhancing Acquisitions: Investigating the Role of CSR in Corporate Strategy

In this paper, we explore and investigate whether and to what extent CSR-enhancing acquisitions, defined as acquisitions where targets have a better corporate social responsibility (CSR) record tha...
Alkaline Stability Evaluation of Polymerizable Hexyl-tethered Ammonium Cations.

One of the important challenges in designing robust alkaline anion exchange membranes is the difficulty associated with the chemical stability of covalently bound cationic units. Here, a systematic study exploring alkaline stabilities of polymerizable hexyltrimethylammonium cations is presented, where the hexyl spacer chain is linked to a phenyl ring through a direct carbon-carbon, phenyl ether, or benzyl ether functionality. For this work, small molecule model compounds, styrenic monomer analogues, and their homopolymers were synthesized. Alkaline stabilities of the small molecule cations and their homopolymers were compared to alkaline stability of benzyltrimethylammonium (BTMA) cation and its homopolymer poly(BTMA), respectively. All the hexyl tethered cations and their homopolymers were significantly more stable under strongly alkaline conditions (2M KOD at 80 °C). Moreover, ether linked cations showed comparable, if not better, stability compared to the direct carbon-carbon linked cation. Via 1 H NMR analyses, possible degradation mechanisms were investigated for each small molecule cation. Findings of this study strongly suggested that the alkaline stability is dictated by the steric hindrance around the β-hydrogen. This study expands beyond the limits of general knowledge on alkaline stability of spacer modified ammonium cations via the Hofmann elimination route, highlights important design parameters for stable ammonium cations, and demonstrates accessible directly polymerizable alkaline stable ammonium cations . This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Increased Underwater Optical Imaging Performance via Multiple Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

Abstract : The major goal of this project is to explore the possibility of using Multiple Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for increasing the performance of underwater optical imaging systems. The main objective, in this context, is to simulate the potential benefits that multiple vehicles can have in increasing the range, imaging footprint, and potentially 3-dimensional applications that can be afforded using this new approach. This report details the Year 2 efforts that culminated in the execution of an experiment that was performed just a week ago (September, 2008) on a cruise in the Santa Barbara channel.
Radio-Frequency Electronics: Amplitude and frequency modulation

Modulation means variation of the amplitude or the phase (or both) of an otherwise constant sinusoidal RF carrier wave in order that the signal carry information: digital data or analog waveforms such as audio or video. In this chapter we look at pure amplitude modulation (AM) and pure frequency modulation (FM). Historically, these were the first methods to be used for communications and broadcasting. While still used extensively, they are giving way to modulation schemes, mostly digital, some of which amount to simultaneous AM and FM. The simplest form of AM is on/off keying . This binary digital AM (full on is a data “1” and full off is a data “0”) can be produced with a simple switch, originally a telegraph key in series with the power source or the antenna. The first voice transmissions used a carbon microphone as a variable resistor in series with the antenna to provide a continuous range of amplitudes. With AM, the frequency of the carrier wave is constant, so the zero crossings of the RF signal are equally spaced, just as they are for an unmodulated carrier. The simplest FM uses just two frequencies; the carrier has frequency f 0 for data “zero” and f 0 + Δ f for data “one.” FM is usually generated by a VCO (voltage-controlled oscillator). For binary FSK (frequency shift keying), the control voltage has only two values: one produces f 0 and the other produces f 0 + Δ f .
Ribonucleic Acid and Ribosomes of Bacillus stearothermophilus

Saunders, Grady F. (University of Illinois, Urbana), and L. Leon Campbell. Ribonucleic acid and ribosomes of Bacillus stearothermophilus. J. Bacteriol. 91:332-339. 1966.-The ability of some thermophilic bacteria to grow at temperatures as high as 76 C emphasizes the remarkable thermal stability of their crucial macromolecules. An investigation of the ribonucleic acid (RNA) and ribosomes of Bacillus stearothermophilus was conducted. Washed log-phase cells were disrupted either by sonic treatment or by alumina grinding in 10(-2)m MgCl(2)-10(-2)m tris-(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffer, pH 7.4 (TM buffer). Ultracentrifugal analysis revealed peaks at 72.5S, 101S, and 135S, with the 101S peak being the most prominent. By lowering the Mg(++) concentration to 10(-3)m, the ribosome preparation was dissociated to give 40S, 31S, and 54S peaks. These in turn were reassociated in the presence of 10(-2)m Mg(++) to give the larger 73S and 135S particles. When heated in TM buffer, Escherichia coli ribosomes began a gradual dissociation at 58 C, and at 70 C underwent a large hyperchromic shift with a T(m) at 72.8 C. In contrast, B. stearothermophilus ribosomes did not show a hyperchromic shift below 70 C; they had a T(m) of 77.9 C. The thermal denaturation curves of the 4S, 16S, and 23S RNA from both organisms were virtually identical. The gross amino acid composition of B. stearothermophilus ribosomes showed no marked differences from that reported for E. coli ribosomes. These data suggest that the unusual thermal stability of B. stearothermophilus ribosomes may reflect either an unusual packing arrangement of the protein to the RNA or differences in the primary structure of the ribosomal proteins.
Improvements in the accuracy and stability of algorithms for the small-disturbance and full-potential equations applied to transonic flows

Numerical techniques that improve the accuracy and stability of algorithms for the small disturbance and full potential equations used to calculate transonic flows are described. For the small disturbance equation, the algorithm improvements are: (1) the use of monotone switches in the type dependent finite differencing, and (2) the use of stable and simple second order accurate spatial differencing; these improvements are for steady and unsteady transonic flows. For the steady full potential equation, the improvement is in the use of a monotone switch in the type dependent finite differencing of an approximate factorization (AF2) algorithm. All these improvements are implemented in present computer codes by making minor coding modifications.
The Relative Revealed Competitiveness of China's Exports to the United States vis á vis Other Countries in Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the OECD

This paper compares the export competitiveness of China with that of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and of other developing countries in Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America. Using endowment-driven trade theory as a guide, this assessment is made along two dimensions: the distribution of countries's export products to the United States and the distribution of export prices across countries within each product category.
Secular Trends in Birthweight

From the mid- to late 20th century, average birthweight increased in many countries, including the United States. However, more recent data now suggest that mean birthweight has begun to decline. The most recent US data indicate that in 2008, compared with 1990, about half as many babies were macrosomic at birth (≥5,000 g), whereas there was a 17% increase in low birthweight (<2,500 g). Part of the observed decline in birthweight likely relates to decreases in gestation length and corresponding increases in rates of preterm and early term birth over the past several decades. However, available data suggest that fetal growth has also declined independent of gestational age at birth. Since 2000, rates of small for gestational age have increased, whereas rates of large for gestational age have decreased. Declines in birthweight and macrosomia are most likely largely explained by decreases in gestation length, itself caused by obstetric interventions, especially induction of labor and to a lesser extent elective cesarean delivery. However, it appears that fetal growth is also declining, at least in some settings, independent of gestation length. Reasons for this decline are as of yet unexplained and merit further investigation.
On-line parameter identification and model validation for distributed parameter models with applications to solar thermal systems

The parameter identification problem for a class of distributed parameter plug flow models characterized by first-order vector partial differential equations is investigated. It is assumed that the physical process is represented by a system of partial differential equations of known form but containing unknown parameters. A sequential parameter identification algorithm is developed to estimate the parameters for two distributed-parameter plug flow models, namely the one- and two-temperature-plug-flow models that are used to describe the dynamics of a solar collector. The problem is put into the general framework of a nonlinear identification problem which is solved by a nonlinear recursive least-square (NRLS) algorithm. The NRLS algorithm is used to estimate the model parameters from both stimulated and experimental data taken from Colorado State Universities Solar House III. >
Stress-tolerant fully inkjet-printed Reed Relays

A fully printed micro-electro-mechanical (MEM) Reed Relay is demonstrated to provide zero off-state leakage (I OFF ), low on-state resistance (R ON ) (∼15 Ω), and moderate switching delay (∼32 µs), while offering excellent immunity to mechanical stress variations in the printed cantilevers. Leveraging the stress gradient in sintered metal nanoparticles films and using a novel device architecture, this device is promising for large area electronics.
Poly(2-vinylpyridine) block copolymers. Phase separation and electric conductivity of iodine complexes†

A series of AB diblock copolymers of poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P-2VP) and either polybutadiene or polystyrene were prepared in a nonpolar solvent at low temperature. Well-defined polymers with narrow molecular weight distributions were obtained and electron micrographs showed that these block copolymers form a well-separated two-phase morphology. Percolation of P-2VP domains could be achieved for samples with 40 and with 60 mol-% of P-2VP blocks. These samples were modified by addition of various amounts of iodine in solution and in the melt. Electric conductivities of the doped composites were determined by the four-probe method. The conductivities of the two phase systems were, in general, lower than that of P-2VP doped with I2.
Formal specification of the OpenMP memory model

OpenMP [1] is an important API for shared memory programming, combining shared memory's potential for performance with a simple programming interface. Unfortunately, OpenMP lacks a critical tool for demonstrating whether programs are correct: a formal memory model. Instead, the current official definition of the OpenMP memory model (the OpenMP 2.5 specification [1]) is in terms of informal prose. As a result, it is impossible to verify OpenMP applications formally since the prose does not provide a formal consistency model that precisely describes how reads and writes on different threads interact. This paper focuses on the formal verification of OpenMP programs through a proposed formal memory model that is derived from the existing prose model [1]. Our formalization provides a two-step process to verify whether an observed OpenMP execution is conformant. In addition to this formalization, our contributions include a discussion of ambiguities in the current prose-based memory model description. Although our formal model may not capture the current informal memory model perfectly, in part due to these ambiguities, our model reflects our understanding of the informal model's intent. We conclude with several examples that may indicate areas of the OpenMP memory model that need further refinement however it is specified. Our goal is to motivate the OpenMP community to adopt those refinements eventually, ideally through a formal model, in later OpenMP specifications.
An anomaly detection technique based on a chi-square statistic for detecting intrusions into information systems

An intrusion into an information system compromises its security (e.g. availability, integrity and confidentiality) through a series of events in the information system. Intrusive events often show departures (anomalies) from normal events in an information system. This paper presents an anomaly detection technique based on a chi-square statistic. This technique builds a profile of normal events in an information system—a norm profile computes the departure of events in the recent past from the norm profile and detects a large departure as an anomaly—a likely intrusion. This technique was tested for its performance in distinguishing normal events from intrusive events in an information system. The test results demonstrated the promising performance of this technique for intrusion detection in terms of a low false alarm rate and a high detection rate. Intrusive events were detected at a very early stage. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Closed form expression for antenna patterns of the Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub

An approximate closed form expression for radiation patterns of the Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub (VICTS) antenna is derived. The main beam can be interpreted as being outside real space and having a position independent of frequency and slot rotation angle. The real space beam can be interpreted as a grating lobe that is positioned by an adjustment of the element locations and their relative phase.
Dynamic response of glass panels subjected to shock loading

Abstract A controlled study has been performed to understand fracture and damage in glass panels subjected to air blast. A shock tube apparatus has been utilized to obtain the controlled blast loading. Five different panels, namely plain glass, sandwiched glass, wired glass, tempered glass and sandwiched glass with film on both the faces are used in the experiments. Fully clamped boundary conditions are applied to replicate the actual loading conditions in windows. Real-time measurements of the pressure pulses affecting the panels are recorded. A post-mortem study of the specimens was also performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the materials to withstand these shock loads. The real time full-field in-plane strain and out-of-plane deformation data on the back face of the glass panel is obtained using 3D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique. The experimental results show that the sandwich glass with two layers of glass joined with a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer and protective film on both the front and back faces maintains structural integrity and outperforms the other four types of glass tested.
Acoustic Scattering by Inhomogeneous Obstacles

Acoustic scattering problems are considered when the material parameters (density and speed of sound) are functions of position within a bounded region. An integro-differential equation for the pressure in this region is obtained. It is proved that solving this equation is equivalent to solving the scattering problem. Problems of this kind are often solved by regarding the effects of the inhomogeneity as an unknown source term driving a Helmholtz equation, leading to an equation of Lippmann--Schwinger type. It is shown that this approach is incomplete when the density is discontinuous. Analogous scattering problems for elastic waves and for electromagnetic waves are also discussed briefly.
Mechanism of the Vinylcyclopropane−Cyclopentene Rearrangement Studied by Quasiclassical Direct Dynamics

The stereochemical course of the thermal rearrangement of vinylcyclopropane to cyclopentene is computed using quasiclassical trajectories run on a modified AM1 potential parametrized to fit ab init...
Finite-time power limit for solar-radiant Ericsson engines in space applications

The power output and thermal efficiency of a finite-time optimized solar-radiant Ericsson heat engine is studied. The thermodynamic model adopted is a regenerative gas Ericsson cycle coupled to a heat source and heat sink by radiant heat transfer. Both the heat source and heat sink have infinite heat capacity rates. Mathematical expressions for optimum power and the efficiency at optimum power are obtained for the cycle based on higher and lower temperature bounds. The results of this theoretical work provide a base line criteria for use in the performance evaluation and design of such engines as well as for use in performance comparisons with existing extra-terrestrial solar power plants.
36: Alterations in plasma testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin during puberty

Others have reported a decrease in sex hormone binding capacity during male puberty and higher values for adult females than for males. We have examined the relationship of the total serum testosterone (T) to total sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) (T:SHBG ratio) as an index of biologically active T during the pubertal development of both sexes. We estimated SHBG by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (J.Clin.Endo.Metab., in press) and T by immunoassay in 33 boys and 30 girls aged 9-19 years (CA) and compared the T:SHBG ratio with clinical parameters of pubertal development. Informed consent was obtained from the parents and the study was approved by our human experimentation committee. Tanner staging, bone age (BA) and lean body mass (LBM) by K-40 counting were estimated. In boys plasma T rose and SHBG fell as puberty advanced. The T:SHBG ratio appears to be positively correlated with the difference between BA and CA, and the correlation with the LBM/Ht ratio was 0.76. In contrast the girls showed little change in either T or T:SHBG ratio during puberty and no relationships with the clinical parameters were found. The T:SHBG ratio may be useful as a parameter of male pubertal development. Supported by USPHS Grants HD-18454, CA-11198.
The Los Angeles Times’ Coverage of the 1992 Rebellion Still Burning Matters of Race and Justice

Focusing on staff writers’ articles and editorials published in the wake of the 1992 Los Angeles rebellion, this article examines the Los Angeles Times by paying attention to how race in general, a...
Ontogeny of glucose homeostasis in low birth weight infants

Suppression of the endogenous glucose production rate (Ra) is the adult response to glucose infusion. Persistent Ra (≥1mg · kg −1 min −1 or −1 min −1 -(U- 13 C)glucose tracer was infused by prime constant infusion to determine Ra, during infusion of either saline solution or glucose, the latter at a rate of 5.3±0.2 mg · kg −1 min −1 (mean±SEM). When the results of the saline infusion turnover period were compared with those of the glucose infusion turnover period, plasma glucose concentration increased significantly, from 88±3 mg/dL to 101±4 mg/dL (P
Modulation of angiogenesis by tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-4

Despite the importance of MMP activity in the regulation of angiogenesis, relatively little is known about the role of TIMP-4, the most recently discovered endogenous MMP inhibitor, in modulating neovascularization. It has largely been assumed that all TIMPs are capable of inhibiting angiogenesis in vivo. However, it is now widely appreciated that TIMPs-1, -2, and -3 differ significantly in their ability to modulate angiogenic processes in vitro and angiogenesis in vivo. In order to study the effect of TIMP-4 in controlling angiogenesis, we have cloned and expressed TIMP-4 in a Pichia pastoris expression system, purified it to homogeneity, and tested its ability to regulate angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Our studies demonstrate that TIMP-4 is an inhibitor of capillary endothelial cell migration, but not of proliferation or of angiogenesis in vivo.
Characterization of Air Flow Management and Control in a Fuel Cell Turbine Hybrid Power System Using Hardware Simulation

Air flow management and control in a fuel cell gas turbine hybrid power system is evaluated using the Hybrid Performance (Hyper) hardware simulation facility at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), U.S. Department of Energy. The Hyper facility at NETL is a hardware simulation of a fuel cell gas turbine hybrid power system capable of emulating systems in the range of 300kW to 900kW. The hardware portion is comprised of a modified single-shaft gas turbine, a high performance exhaust gas recuperator, several pressure vessels that represent the volumes and flow impedances of the fuel cell and combustors, and the associated integration piping. The simulation portion consists of a real time fuel cell model that is used to control a natural gas burner which replicates the thermal output of a solid oxide fuel cell. Thermal management in the fuel cell component of the hybrid system, especially during an imposed load transient, is improved through the control of cathode air flow. This can be accomplished in a fuel cell turbine hybrid by diverting air around the fuel cell system. Two methods for air flow control are presented in the paper. In this paper, the use of bleed air by-pass and cold air by-pass are characterized quantitatively in terms of compressor inlet flow, process limits, system efficiency and system performance.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Cyclic AMP‐independent processes mediate Kirsten sarcoma virus‐induced changes in collagen production and other properties of cultured cells

Previous studies suggested that the decreased collagen production observed in Kirsten sarcoma virus (Ki-MSV)-transformed BALB 3T3 cells could be reversed by treating cells with Bt2cAMP. We examined the relationship between intracellular cAMP, collagen production, and other properties in NRK and BALB 3T3 cells transformed by Ki-MSV. Two 3T3 transformants (Ki-3T3-234 and Ki-3T3Cl1) had lower cAMP levels than nontransformed cells. The level in a temperature-sensitive transformant, tsKi-3T3-714, was similar to the level in its parent, 3T3-714, and when it was shifted to a temperature nonpermissive for transformation (40 degrees C), intracellular cAMP did not increase although the growth and morphological properties were normal. The relative rate of collagen production also increased to the normal level. These results indicate that transformation-induced changes were regulated independently of cAMP. Further observations supported this conclusion. Intracellular cAMP in a flat revertant of Ki-3T3Cl1 was lower, rather than higher, than in the transformant, although the relative rate of collagen production was higher. Treatment of Ki-3T3-234 and tsKi-3T3-714 with cholera toxin plus isobutylmethylxanthine increased intracellular cAMP concentrations to 2-20 times the level in untreated cells, levels much higher than in nontransformed 3T3. In spite of this, collagen production was not increased by these agents in tsKi-3T3-714 and it was only partially restored in Ki-3T3-234 relative to the level in the nontransformed cells. In contrast, these agents inhibited growth on a substratum or in soft agar and produced a flattened morphology in both lines. Similarly, collagen production in transformed NRK cells (K-NRK) was only 3% of normal but treatment with Bt2cAMP or cholera toxin plus isobutylmethylxanthine increased production to only one-third the normal level while increasing cAMP to four times the normal level. We conclude that in Ki-MSV-transformed BALB 3T3 cells, changes in cAMP may be secondary effects and not related to maintenance of the transformed phenotype. The high levels of cAMP induced by exogenous agents may act on similar targets as those affected by transformation, but reversal of the transformed phenotype by these agents probably occurs by a different mechanism than that originally used to impose the changes.
Cardiac Arrest Postoperatively in a Patient Infected with Ascaris, the Roundworm

W e report the case of a Pakistani who underwent successful cardiac surgery but who had an unexplained cardiac arrest and who had a concurrent infestation with Ascaris lumbricoides, the roundworm. Retrieval of a large worm from his endotracheal tube led us to speculate that the length and diameter of the worm was sufficient to obstruct the endotracheal tube. The distinctive probing and penetrating behavior of this parasite may occasionally cause serious problems. The parasitic infestation must be considered in patients from the developing areas ofthe world who seek urban medical care.