cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
33: Prior preterm birth in first pregnancy and risk of small-for-gestational-age birth in second pregnancy: a population-based study

of small-for-gestational-age birth in second pregnancy: a population-based study Jen Jen Chang, Lung-Chang Chien, George Macones Saint Louis University School of Public Health, Department of Community Health in Epidemiology, St. Louis, MO, Washington University in St. Louis, Siteman Cancer Center, St. Louis, MO, Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Louis, MO OBJECTIVE: To evaluate risk of small-for-gestational-age birth in the second pregnancy following preterm delivery in first pregnancy STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using birth certificate data from the Missouri maternally linked cohort from 1989 to 2005. The study sample included Caucasian and African American women who delivered their first 2 nonanomalous, vertex, singleton pregnancies between 20 and 44 weeks of gestation without chronic hypertension, preeclampsia, renal disease, or diabetes mellitus in both pregnancies (n 197,556). Multivariable logistic regression models were fit to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for risk of small-for-gestational-age birth (SGA) in second pregnancy by gestational age in the first preterm births. Infants were classified as SGA 5 and 10 percentile (%tile according to a population-based birth weight reference). RESULTS: Among women with a full-term 2nd pregnancy, those who delivered their 1st pregnancy at 28 weeks, 29 to 32 weeks, and 33 to 36 weeks of gestation had increased odds of 10%tile SGA in 2nd pregnancy by 71%, 90%, and 69%, respectively, after controlling for pregnancy interval, maternal age, race, pre-pregnancy BMI, cigarette use during pregnancy, and Medicaid status. Similarly, among women with a term 2nd pregnancy, those who delivered their 1st pregnancy at 28 weeks, 29 to 32 weeks, and 33 to 36 weeks of gestation had increased odds of 5%tile SGA in 2nd pregnancy by 126%, 106%, and 81%, respectively, after controlling for confounders. No significant increased risk of either 5 or 10%tile SGA in 2nd pregnancy was observed among women with recurrent preterm delivery. Conclusion: Prior preterm delivery is associated with increased odds of SGA births despite an uncomplicated term second pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Prior preterm delivery is associated with increased odds of SGA births despite an uncomplicated term second pregnancy.
Jensen inequality approach to stability analysis of discrete-time systems with time-varying delay

This paper studies the problem of stability analysis for discrete-time delay systems. By using new Lyapunov functional and the discrete Jensen inequality, new stability criteria are presented in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) and proved to be less conservative than the existing ones. Compared with the existing results, the computational complexity of the obtained stability criteria is reduced greatly since less decision variables are involved. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method.
CdTe Solar Cell from Sputtering Method

We report CdTe/CdS solar cell with CdTe layer grown by sputtering method. A controlled etch and anneal process on the sputter-grown CdTe films was performed to increase the average grain size of the film. The process involved dipping the CdTe films in a saturated solution of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) in methanol (2.08 gram in 100 ml) followed by a 30 minute annealing at 400 °C. We performed various experiments on this process by varying the dipping times, drying process and annealing times and analyzed the resultant films using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). We could see a clear increase in grain size from 200 nm to 5 μm after CdCl2 treatment. The process also increased the overall roughness of the sample so that more light is absorbed than reflected. We prepared solar cells using CdTe as p-type layer and CdS as n-type layer. The efficiency of the cell improved from 1.1% to 4.2% after air annealing. The effect of air-annealing is studied by means of quantum efficiency measurement.
A mutant T4 lysozyme (Val 131 → Ala) designed to increase thermostability by the reduction of strain within an α-helix

An attempt has been made to identify residues in T4 phage lyoszyme that may have strained conformations and, by appropriate site-directed replacements, to reduce this strain and thus increase the thermostability of the protein. Valine 131, within α-helix 126–134, was identified as a potential candidate. Its side-chain rotational as a potential candidate. Its side-chain rotation angle, χ1, differs by approximately 18° from the low-energy trans configuration. In addition, it is largely solvent exposed, yet is held in a rigid conformation. The mutant protein with Val 131 replaced by alanine temperature 0.9°C higher than that of wildtype lyoszyme at pH 2.8. As a control, The mutant Val 131 → Thr was also constructed and its melting temperature was found to be marginally lower than wild type. Higher-resolution crystal structure determination of the mutant lysozymes show that their structure are virtually identical with that of wild-type lyoszyme, except for the Val → Ala or Val → Thr replacement. Analysis of the different structures suggests that the design of the Val→Ala substitution was, in principle, successful, although the apparent gain in stability caused by reduction in strain is modest and is somewhat offset by the loss of hydrophobic interactions and by entrophic effects. The results also help to provide a structural retionalization that alanine has a higher helix propensity than valine or theronine.
The effects of dietary n‐3 vs. n‐6 fatty acids on ex‐vivo LTB4 generation by canine neutrophils

Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are widely used for amelioration of inflammatory skin disease in dogs. In this study, a diet containing two different sources of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid-triglyceride (from menhaden oil) and concentrated ethyl esters-was fed to one group of six purpose-bred dogs, while an isocaloric isonitrogenous diet with corn oil (n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids) was fed to another group of eight purpose-bred dogs for six weeks. Peripheral blood neutrophils, isolated at week-1 (baseline), week 2 and week 6, were stimulated with calcium ionophore A23187 and the amount of leukotriene B4 produced was determined via reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Analysis of variance of log-transformed data revealed a significant effect for diet (P = 0.005) at six weeks, with dogs fed the high n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet having significantly less mean ex vivo neutrophil leukotriene B4 production than dogs fed the high n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet. Further studies on the clinical usefulness of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ethyl esters are warranted.
Parental goals and Italian infant care

An examination of Italian parents' goals and childrearing practices illustrates the role of culture in maintaining practices that are no longer serving an obvious adaptive function.
Ambiguity resistant precoders in ISI/multipath cancellation: distance and optimality

Ambiguity resistant (AR) precoding has been proposed in intersymbol interference (ISI) and multipath cancellation, where the ISI/multipath channel may have frequency-selective fading characteristics and its knowledge is not necessarily known. With the AR precoding, no diversity is necessary at the receiver. In the precoding, the AR property of the precoder plays an important role. We introduce the concepts of precoder distance and optimal precoders, and characterize and construct all optimal systematic AR precoders, when additive channel random noise is considered. A necessary and sufficient condition for an AR precoder to be optimal is given, which is easy to check. With the optimal precoders, numerical simulations are presented to show the improved performance over the known AR precoders in ISI cancellation applications.
Structural Characterization of Lamellar Mg2+ Complexes of Dilauroylphosphatidic Acid Using 31P and 13NMR

Among the numerous model membrane systems showing fusion phenomena, those containing anionic lipids and fusing in response to the addition of divalent cations have attracted the most attention1. In part, the reason for this is the observed correlation of fusion in natural systems with elevations in divalent ion concentrations, particularly Ca2+. Most model systems display an enhanced activity of Ca2+ over ions such as Ba2+ and Mg2+ 2, 3. There are apparent exceptions to this rule4, but these may involve cases in which aggregation rather than membrane rupture is the limiting step in fusion. It is a challenge to understand at a molecular level, cat ion-stimulated fusion of anionic lipid systems and the origin of ion selectivity. Structural studies of anionic lipid-cation complexes are a good place to begin this understanding.
Buprenorphine for opioid dependence

As a treatment agent for opioid dependence, buprenorphine is a nearly ideal medication at our current stage of medication development. Unlike methadone, buprenorphine dosage can be rapidly adjusted with minimal potential for inducing severe consequences. In addition to its intrinsic safety, buprenorphine's relatively low abuse liability in the combination product (i.e., with naloxone as Suboxone) makes it even more acceptable in regulatory quarters as well as to prescribing physicians. The approval of buprenorphine as a pharmacotherapy for opioid dependence returns to physicians the ability to treat their opioid-dependent patients with an effective opioid-based treatment for the first time in nearly 100 years. Buprenorphine is an opioid, however, and potential for misuse remains, even in combination with naloxone. Whether buprenorphine will be increasingly accepted as a treatment for opioid-dependent patients depends on clinicians recognizing the advantages of its uniquely useful properties while still heeding the need to manage their patients' therapy with reasonable vigilance.
Empirical Guidance for Time-Window Sequential Analysis of Single Cases

Time-window sequential analyses test whether a target behavior occurs within a temporal window (e.g., within 2 seconds) after an antecedent behavior more than is expected by chance. This type of question is common when we need to know how one person or event may immediately affect another event or person in the natural environment. Theoretically, the significance of sequential associations from time-window analysis can be tested on the single subject level (Bakeman & Quera, 1995). The present Monte Carlo study was conducted to test the Type I error rates and the difference in sequential associations derived from four methods of time-window sequential analysis. The four methods vary according to whether they analyze the duration of antecedent and target behaviors. The results indicate that time-window sequential analysis method is generally valid. The results were most accurate when antecedent duration and target onset was analyzed. Although analyzing duration of the antecedent did affect the results, the effect size for the difference in results due to presence or absence of measuring duration of the antecedent was extremely small. Time-window analysis results appear unaffected by the decision to analyze the duration of the target event.
Personnel Preparation in Early Intervention Building Capacity for Program Expansion within Institutions of Higher Education

An inservice model demonstration project was funded to increase the capacity of institutions of higher education to offer coursework, practicum, and specialty-course sequences across personnel preparation programs for disciplines involved in early intervention. Over two years of implementation, 38 faculty representing 12 professional disciplines at 15 universities and colleges participated in the project This article describes the content, methodology, and participants in this project, as well as the outcomes across participants.
The Gesture Watch: A Wireless Contact-free Gesture based Wrist Interface

We introduce the Gesture Watch, a mobile wireless device worn on a user's wrist that allows hand gesture control of other devices. The Gesture Watch utilizes an array of infrared proximity sensors to sense hand gestures made over the device and interprets the gestures using hidden Markov models. The Gesture Watch maps intuitive gross hand gestures to control signals such as the play and pause commands commonly found on mobile media players. We present our evaluation of the Gesture Watch designed to determine its the accuracy and usability. In our study, 10 participants used the Gesture Watch in both mobile and stationary conditions as well as indoors and outdoors. Overall, we attained a recognition accuracy of 95.5% and found that the Gesture Watch worked well in both indoor and outdoor environments and while mobile.
Group V secretory phospholipase A2 enhances the progression of angiotensin II-induced abdominal aortic aneurysms but confers protection against angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis in apoE-deficient mice.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and heart failure are complex life-threatening diseases whose etiology is not completely understood. In this study, we investigated whether deficiency of group V secretory phospholipase A2 (GV sPLA2) protects from experimental AAA. The impact of GV sPLA2 deficiency on angiotensin (Ang) II–induced cardiac fibrosis was also investigated. Apolipoprotein E (apoE)−/− mice and apoE−/− mice lacking GV sPLA2 (GV DKO) were infused with 1000 ng/kg per minute Ang II for up to 28 days. Increases in systolic blood pressure, plasma aldosterone level, and urinary and heart prostanoids were similar in apoE−/− and GV DKO mice after Ang II infusion. The incidence of aortic rupture in Ang II–infused GV DKO mice (10%) was significantly reduced compared with apoE−/− mice (29.4%). Although the incidence of AAA in GV DKO mice (81.3%) and apoE−/− mice (100%) was similar, the mean percentage increase in maximal luminal diameter of abdominal aortas was significantly smaller in GV DKO mice (68.5% ± 7.7%) compared with apoE−/− mice (92.6% ± 8.3%). Deficiency of GV sPLA2 resulted in increased Ang II–induced cardiac fibrosis that was most pronounced in perivascular regions. Perivascular collagen, visualized by picrosirius red staining, was associated with increased TUNEL staining and increased immunopositivity for macrophages and myofibroblasts and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX)-2 and NOX-4, respectively. Our findings indicate that GV sPLA2 modulates pathological responses to Ang II, with different outcomes for AAA and cardiac fibrosis.
HEVC for high dynamic range services

Displays capable of showing a greater range of luminance values can render content containing high dynamic range information in a way such that the viewers have a more immersive experience. This paper introduces the design aspects of a high dynamic range (HDR) system, and examines the performance of the HDR processing chain in terms of compression efficiency. Specifically it examines the relation between recently introduced Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) ST 2084 transfer function and the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard. SMPTE ST 2084 is designed to cover the full range of an HDR signal from 0 to 10,000 nits, however in many situations the valid signal range of actual video might be smaller than SMPTE ST 2084 supported range. The above restricted signal range results in restricted range of code values for input video data and adversely impacts compression efficiency. In this paper, we propose a code value remapping method that extends the restricted range code values into the full range code values so that the existing standards such as HEVC may better compress the video content. The paper also identifies related non-normative encoder-only changes that are required for remapping method for a fair comparison with anchor. Results are presented comparing the efficiency of the current approach versus the proposed remapping method for HM-16.2.
Potassium-Ion Oxygen Battery Based on a High Capacity Antimony Anode.

Recent investigations into the application of potassium in the form of potassium–oxygen, potassium–sulfur, and potassium-ion batteries represent a new approach to moving beyond current lithium-ion technology. Herein, we report on a high capacity anode material for use in potassium–oxygen and potassium-ion batteries. An antimony-based electrode exhibits a reversible storage capacity of 650 mAh/g (98% of theoretical capacity, 660 mAh/g) corresponding to the formation of a cubic K3Sb alloy. The Sb electrode can cycle for over 50 cycles at a capacity of 250 mAh/g, which is one of the highest reported capacities for a potassium-ion anode material. X-ray diffraction and galvanostatic techniques were used to study the alloy structure and cycling performance, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to provide insight into the thermodynamics and kinetics of the K–Sb alloying reaction. Finally, we explore the application of this anode material in the form of a K3Sb–O2 c...
Pharmacy access to ulipristal acetate in Hawaii: is a prescription enough?

Abstract Objective To determine pharmacy availability of ulipristal acetate (UPA) and compare to availability of levonorgestrel-containing emergency contraceptive pills (LNG-ECPs). Methods We conducted an observational population-based study utilizing a telephone-based secret shopper methodology. Researchers called all 198 unique retail pharmacies in Hawaii on December 2013–June 2014, representing themselves as patients and physicians. Results Only 2.6% of pharmacies had UPA immediately available, though 22.8% reported ability to order UPA. In contrast, 82.4% reported immediate availability of LNG-ECPs. No significant difference in availability was reported to patients and physicians. Conclusions Availability of UPA is limited and significantly lower compared to LNG-ECPs. The study period did overlap with a change in distributor for UPA, likely capturing some disruption of the supply chain. Implications Systems-based interventions are needed to address barriers to obtaining UPA.
Hypnosis can reduce pain in hospitalized older patients: a randomized controlled study.

Chronic pain is a common and serious health problem in older patients. Treatment often includes non pharmacological approaches despite a relatively modest evidence base in this population. Hypnosis has been used in younger adults with positive results. The main objective of this study was to measure the feasibility and efficacy of hypnosis (including self hypnosis) in the management of chronic pain in older hospitalized patients. A single center randomized controlled trial using a two arm parallel group design (hypnosis versus massage). Inclusion criteria were chronic pain for more than 3 months with impact on daily life activities, intensity of > 4; adapted analgesic treatment; no cognitive impairment. Brief pain inventory was completed. Fifty-three patients were included (mean age: 80.6 ± 8.2- 14 men; 26 hypnosis; 27 massage. Pain intensity decreased significantly in both groups after each session. Average pain measured by the brief pain index sustained a greater decrease in the hypnosis group compared to the massage group during the hospitalisation. This was confirmed by the measure of intensity of the pain before each session that decreased only in the hypnosis group over time (P = 0.008). Depression scores improved significantly over the time only in the hypnosis group (P = 0.049). There was no effect in either group 3 months post hospitals discharge. Hypnosis represents a safe and valuable tool in chronic pain management of hospitalized older patients. In hospital interventions did not provide long term post discharge relief. ISRCTN15615614 ; registered 2/1/2015.
Faulting within the Mount St. Helens conduit and implications for volcanic earthquakes

The 2004–2008 eruption of Mount St. Helens produced seven dacite spines mantled by cataclastic fault rocks, comprising an outer fault core and an inner damage zone. These fault rocks provide remarkable insights into the mechanical processes that accompany extrusion of degassed magma, insights that are useful in forecasting dome-forming eruptions. The outermost part of the fault core consists of finely comminuted fault gouge that is host to 1- to 3-mm-thick layers of extremely fine-grained slickenside-bearing ultracataclasite. Interior to the fault core, there is an ∼2-m-thick damage zone composed of cataclastic breccia and sheared dacite, and interior to the damage zone, there is massive to flow-banded dacite lava of the spine interior. Structures and microtextures indicate entirely brittle deformation, including rock breakage, tensional dilation, shearing, grain flow, and microfaulting, as well as gas and fluid migration through intergranular pores and fractures in the damage zone. Slickenside lineations and consistent orientations of Riedel shears indicate upward shear of the extruding spines against adjacent conduit wall rocks. Paleomagnetic directions, demagnetization paths, oxide mineralogy, and petrology indicate that cataclasis took place within dacite in a solidified steeply dipping volcanic conduit at temperatures above 500 °C. Low water content of matrix glass is consistent with brittle behavior at these relatively high temperatures, and the presence of tridymite indicates solidification depths of More than a million small and low-frequency "drumbeat" earthquakes with coda magnitudes (M d ) 2 ) slip patches, possibly along observed extensive principal shear zones within the fault core but probably not along the smaller Riedel shears. Although our field and structural data are compatible with stick-slip models, they do not rule out seismic and infrasound models that call on resonance of steam-filled fractures to generate the drumbeat earthquakes. We suggest that stick-slip and gas release processes may be coupled, and that regardless of the source mechanism, the distinctive drumbeat earthquakes are proving to be an effective precursor for dome-forming eruptions. Our data document a continuous cycle of deformation along the conduit margins beginning with episodes of fracture in the damage zone and followed by transfer of motion to the fault core. We illustrate the cycle of deformation using a hypothetical cross section of the Mount St. Helens conduit, extending from the surface to the depth of magmatic solidification.
Descriptive chemistry of self-assembled multilayer second-order NLO materials. Chemical, microstructural and performance interrelationships

The construction of covalently self-assembled second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) Materials containing stilbazole or alkynyl-type high-β chromophores acentrically organized on inorganic oxide substrates is discussed. These structurally different chromophores exhibit differing packing densities on the surface when introduced under the same reaction conditions. In the stilbazolium chromophores, ion-exchange of the chloride counter-anion with very large anionie organic dyes results in appreciably enhanced second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency. The frequency-dependent SHG response for self-assembled Monolayers derived from the alkynyl-type chromophore was also investigated. The linear absorption spectra exhibit two maxima in the visible region which are assigned to electronically isolated chromophores (480 nm) and aggregated species (540 nm). The dispersion of the second-order NLO coefficient reveals that both microstructures are NLO-active. The origin of the SHG response from both assemblies is discussed.
Nephritis and the risk of acute myocardial infarction in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We examined if nephritis or other clinical manifestations of SLE identified patients at increased risk. Methods In this population-based case-control study, we identified patients with SLE hospitalized with an AMI in California in 1996-2000. We compared the frequency of six manifestations of SLE (nephritis, pleuritis, hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, psychosis/major depression, seizures) and of venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolism, in this group (n=535) to the frequency of these manifestations in two control groups: patients with SLE hospitalised for pulmonary disease (n=529), and patients with SLE hospitalized for gastrointestinal bleeding (n=349). Results Nephritis was present in 23.7% of patients with AMI, 11.0% of patients with pulmonary disease and 25.2% of patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. In adjusted analyses, nephritis was more common in the AMI group (odds ratio (OR) 2.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.97-4.14; p<.0001) than in the pulmonary disease control group. Among women, nephritis was more common in the AMI group (OR 2.83; 95% CI 1.33-6.01 ; p=0.007) than in the gastrointestinal bleeding control group. Psychosis/major depression was less common among patients with AMI. Conclusions Among patients with SLE, nephritis was associated with 2.8-fold increased risk of AMI.
A systematic review of commercial weight loss programmes' effect on glycemic outcomes among overweight and obese adults with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus.

SummaryObjective We examined the glycemic benefits of commercial weight loss programmes as compared with control/education or counselling among overweight and obese adults with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and references cited by individual programmes. We included randomized controlled trials of ≥12 weeks duration. Two reviewers extracted information on study design, population characteristics, interventions, and mean changes in haemoglobin A1c and glucose. Results We included 18 randomized controlled trials. Few trials occurred among individuals with T2DM. In this population, Jenny Craig reduced A1c at least 0.4% more than counselling at 12 months, Nutrisystem significantly reduced A1c 0.3% more than counselling at 6 months, and OPTIFAST reduced A1c 0.3% more than counselling at 6 months. Among individuals without T2DM, few studies evaluated glycemic outcomes, and when reported, most did not show substantial reductions. Discussion Few trials have examined whether commercial weight loss programmes result in glycemic benefits for their participants, particularly among overweight and obese individuals without T2DM. Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem and OPTIFAST show promising glycemic lowering benefits for patients with T2DM, although additional studies are needed to confirm these conclusions. © 2016 World Obesity
Improving the Efficiency and Activity of Electrocatalysts for the Reduction of CO2 through Supramolecular Assembly with Amino Acid-Modified Ligands

The use of hydrogen-bonding interactions to direct the noncovalent assembly of a Re-based bimetallic supramolecular electrocatalyst containing either tyrosine or phenylalanine residues is reported. Computational modeling and spectroelectrochemical characterization indicate that under catalytic conditions the phenol residues of tyrosine can act both as pendant proton sources and participate in the structural assembly of the bimetallic active species. As a result, an increased rate of catalysis is observed experimentally for the reductive disproportionation of CO2 to CO and CO32– by a tyrosine-modified complex in comparison to a control complex containing phenylalanine residues. These findings demonstrate that noncovalent assembly is a powerful method for generating new bimetallic electrocatalyst systems where the choice of substituent can be used to both control structural assembly and introduce cocatalytic moieties.
Application Model Trends in Distributed Object Systems

The fervour with which Java(tm)1 has been adopted by many within the Information Technology industry is already changing the way in which information is delivered across the world wide web. IBM as one of the many companies who have licensed the Java technology, recognises the potential it has for changing the way distributed object systems are implemented in the future.
A Well-Formed VHDL Model

This chapter presents a methodology for defining formally what it means for a Static Model representation of a VHDL description to be well-formed. The well-formedness rules are written as a series of axioms describing conditions which must hold true for the Static Model to be considered correct. Each well-formedness condition is written as an informal requirement with a reference to the appropriate section in the LRM followed by the formal axiom.
Effects of temperature and sustained loading on the mechanical response of CFRP bonded to concrete

Abstract Fiber reinforced polymer composites are commonly bonded to concrete structures for strengthening reasons, even though little is known about the evolution of bond strength while the strengthening systems are subject to sustained loads and elevated temperatures. This investigation uses single-lap shear specimens to examine the effects of sustained load and elevated temperature on the time-dependent deformation of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite bonded to concrete as well as the pull-off strength of the composite after the sustained loading period. Increased temperature during the sustained loading period led to increased slip of the CFRP, whereas increased curing time of the polymer resin prior to the sustained loading period led to reduced slip. Specimens that underwent sustained loading had increased pull-off strength and interfacial fracture energy following the sustained loading period. This beneficial effect was most significant for roughly 30 days of sustained loading. The analysis of strain distributions and fracture surfaces indicated that stress relaxation of the adhesive occurred in the 30 mm closest to the loaded end of the CFRP during sustained loading, which increased the pull-off strength provided the failure locus remained mostly in the concrete. For longer sustained loading times, the bond failure locus shifted to the epoxy/concrete interface, which diminished part of the strength increase brought on by the stress relaxation of the adhesive.
Evaluator and Program Manager Perceptions of Evaluation Capacity and Evaluation Practice

The evaluation community has demonstrated an increased emphasis and interest in evaluation capacity building in recent years. A need currently exists to better understand how to measure evaluation ...
Capital Management in Banks

This article examines risk management as a strategic lifecycle based process, and particularly delves in the area of ‘Capital Budgeting’ as an indispensible tool to avert future catastrophes of the magnitude we witness today in global financial markets. It introduces a risk management framework called as ‘Capital Budgeting & Management Cycle,' and discusses its components like capital planning, allocation, attribution, risk aggregation, and performance measurement in detail that would enable a bank build a sound long term capital planning framework.
New and Noteworthy: Blowing Our Own Horns - Library Marketing as an Essential Management Skill

This New and Noteworthy review column presents a few recent, representative books and articles on library marketing and public relations, focusing on the importance of these areas in the library manager's skillset.
Clinical efficacy and safety of surface imaging guided radiosurgery (SIG-RS) in the treatment of benign skull base tumors

Frameless, surface imaging guided radiosurgery (SIG-RS) is a novel platform for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) wherein patient positioning is monitored in real-time through infra-red camera tracking of facial topography. Here we describe our initial clinical experience with SIG-RS for the treatment of benign neoplasms of the skull base. We identified 48 patients with benign skull base tumors consecutively treated with SIG-RS at a single institution between 2009 and 2011. Patients were diagnosed with meningioma (n = 22), vestibular schwannoma (n = 20), or nonfunctional pituitary adenoma (n = 6). Local control and treatment-related toxicity were retrospectively assessed. Median follow-up was 65 months (range 61–72 months). Prescription doses were 12–13 Gy in a single fraction (n = 18), 8 Gy × 3 fractions (n = 6), and 5 Gy × 5 fractions (n = 24). Actuarial tumor control rate at 5 years was 98%. No grade ≥3 treatment-related toxicity was observed. Grade ≤2 toxicity was associated with symptomatic lesions (p = 0.049) and single fraction treatment (p = 0.005). SIG-RS for benign skull base tumors produces clinical outcomes comparable to conventional frame-based SRS techniques while enhancing patient comfort.
Natural and artificial spectral edges in exoplanets

Technological civilizations may rely upon large-scale photovoltaic arrays to harness energy from their host star. Photovoltaic materials, such as silicon, possess distinctive spectral features, including an "artificial edge" that is characteristically shifted in wavelength shortwards of the "red edge" of vegetation. Future observations of reflected light from exoplanets would be able to detect both natural and artificial edges photometrically, if a significant fraction of the planet's surface is covered by vegetation or photovoltaic arrays respectively. The stellar energy thus tapped can be utilized for terraforming activities by transferring heat and light from the day side to the night side on tidally locked exoplanets, thereby producing detectable artifacts.
Predicting the Pursuit and Support of Challenging Life Opportunities.

Deciding to embrace challenging opportunities may present one life context through which individuals may thrive, and these decisions may be influenced by one’s significant relationships. Married couples were unobtrusively videotaped as one couple-member was presented with a challenging opportunity and decided whether to accept it. We assessed interpersonal predictors of the decision to accept or forgo the opportunity, predictors of the spouse’s support during decision-making, and follow-up thriving outcomes 6 months later. Results indicated that specific support behaviors enacted by the spouse—relational catalyst (RC) support provision—encouraged decision-makers to accept the challenge and that this decision predicted long-term thriving outcomes for the decision-maker. Results also indicated that the spouse’s support behavior was influenced by both chronic and experimentally manipulated motivations for providing support, and these motives provide pathways by which relationship satisfaction and attachment ...
Distributed target tracking in cluttered environments with guaranteed collision avoidance

We propose a distributed, online algorithm for a group of pursuer agents to track a target through a cluttered environment. The pursuer agents must avoid collision with the obstacles at all times. We introduce the Obstacle-Aware Voronoi Cell (OAVC), a modified Voronoi tessellation that dynamically weights the boundaries between agents and obstacles such that an agent's OAVC is tangent but never intersecting the obstacle. The agents plan their control actions within their OAVC, guaranteeing collision avoidance among themselves and other agents. We demonstrate that by using tools from Voronoi-based coverage control, the pursuers successfully track a target given only an estimate of its position. Simulations conducted in Matlab demonstrate the performance of our algorithm.
Barriers to Shared Use of Indoor and Outdoor Facilities at US Elementary Schools.

Background School policies and practices, such as the sharing of school facilities with the surrounding community, support physical activity among students and community members, but are often underutilized. This study examined variations in shared use practices, and associations with perceived barriers. Methods Surveys were completed by a nationally representative sample of 640 public elementary schools across the United States. Administrators reported on their school's practices related to the shared use of indoor and outdoor facilities, and perceived barriers to sharing. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine associations between barriers and practices. Results Liability or legal concerns, staffing expenses, and facility operation costs were most frequently reported as barriers, while lack of adequate facilities and perceived lack of community interest were less common. Cost concerns and perceived lack of community interest were most strongly associated with lack of sharing. Conclusions Although liability or legal concerns are common, such concerns are not necessarily associated with less sharing when other factors are taken into account. Administrators' perceptions about lack of community interest were associated with less sharing, but these perceptions may not accurately reflect the community's perspective. Active development of partnerships could increase access to school facilities.
Prevalence of antinuclear antibodies in hidradenitis suppurativa.

Aim The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of antinuclear antibody (ANA) positivity in a cohort of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), and to assess the frequency of seroconversion during treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitor therapy. Methods This prospective study was conducted through the Wound Etiology and Healing (WE-HEAL) Study. Immunofluorescence ANA testing was performed at baseline, and repeated when clinically indicated. ANA titers of ≥1 : 160 were considered positive. Data were collected on demographics and disease activity scores including the Hurley stage, the HS Sartorius score (HSS) and the active nodule (AN) count. Results At the time of data lock, 73 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of HS were enrolled, and four (5.4%) had baseline positive ANA. None of the patients had clinical evidence of systemic lupus erythematosus or other autoimmune diseases. There were no significant differences in demographics, baseline HSS (43.25 ± 47.55 compared to 59.48 ± 56.67, P = 0.58) or AN count (3.25 ± 3.20 compared to 3.45 ± 2.36, P = 0.87) in the ANA positive group. Of the 69 patients who were ANA negative at enrollment, 31 (45%) received TNF-α inhibitor therapy. During follow up, one patient developed drug-induced lupus secondary to TNF-α inhibitor use. Additionally, one patient seroconverted to ANA positive without sequelae and one patient developed drug-induced hepatitis secondary to TNF-α inhibitor use. Conclusion The prevalence of baseline ANA positivity in this HS population was similar to that seen in the general population (5.4%). The rate of seroconversion and drug-induced complications in this population were low.
Probing seco -steroid inhibition of the hedgehog signaling pathway

Calcitriol, vitamin D3 (VD3), and structurally related VD3 analogues are inhibitors of Hh signaling in multiple contexts and are promising anti-cancer agents in Hh-dependent forms of cancer; however, the cellular mechanisms through which these compounds regulate Hh signal transmission are not clearly defined. Previous studies in this area have implicated both Smoothened, a key mediator of Hh signaling, and the vitamin D receptor (VDR) as potential mediators of Hh inhibition for this class of seco-steroids. We have performed a series of in vitro studies to more fully probe the cellular mechanisms that govern seco-steroid-mediated inhibition of Hh signaling. Our results support a role for both the Hh and VDR pathways in this process, as well as the possibility that other, as yet unidentified proteins, are also central to seco-steroid-mediated inhibition of Hh signaling.
Reality of Use and Nature of Change in Small Business: A Case Study in Inefficient Compromise

Through this case we ponder an inescapable issue faced by all small businesses. Of interest are both the positive and negative roles information technology plays when affecting organizational change. We tell a story of a small successful business that is evolving into a larger organization. While this subject brings with it myriad facets, we evaluate the actions taken in terms of technology, staff, and procedures. What learning difficulties did this enterprise face? How did management address these challenges? Why did the original entrepreneur not want to let go when the next generation attempted to implement support mechanisms? What was the outcome? Our case concerns a small service enterprise located in the western United States. There are numerous organizational issues presented in this case. Case Industry: Temporary Staffing and Service Business, OTI Major Technical Issue: Appropriate use of database technology Major Strategic Issue: Sustainable expansion when undergoing technological change Major Players/Leaders: CEO-owner (CO), operational manager (OM), IT technical manager (TM) Case Conclusion/ Recommendation: Inefficient compromise may result when small businesses employ IT to meet an increasingly competitive business environment.
Desegregation, Academic Achievement and Earnings

In 1896, the US Supreme Court decision Plessey v. Ferguson deemed that the establishment of separate school systems for whites and blacks did not violate the absolute equality of the two races before the law. Thus, the doctrine of separate but equal prevailed in the provision of public elementary, secondary, and tertiary education in southern states until 13 parents brought a class-action suit against the segregated Topeka, Kansas school district. The landmark decision Brown v. Topeka Board of Education (1954) ruled separate but equal unconstitutional in the case of education, outlawing de jure segregation. Yet, it took a number of years and additional court cases to compel districts to integrate schools and actually dismantle the dual system. Recent Supreme Court decisions do raise the possibility of resegregation going forward, as they narrow the circumstances in which race can be considered in enrolment decisions. In combination with the increasing popularity of various forms of school choice, the changing legal environment will likely erode some of the desegregation gains achieved over the past half century. This article attempts to summarize what we know about the impact of Brown on academic and economic outcomes for blacks. The first section briefly describes the legal history that established the environment governing the allocation of students among schools and the main types of plans used to desegregate schools. The next section documents changes over time in school-enrolment patterns, focusing both on the ways in which districts allocate students among schools and the distribution of students among districts. The penultimate section discusses evidence of desegregation-program effects on white enrolment and the final section discusses the evidence of the effects of school desegregation and racial composition on academic and economic outcomes.
How Representative are Cross-Listed Firms? An Analysis of Firm and Accounting Quality

We provide evidence on the characteristics of local-GAAP reported earnings for firms choosing to cross list in US markets relative to both a matched sample of foreign firms currently not choosing to cross list and a matched sample of US firms. Our evidence suggests that cross-listing firms differ from other firms in their local markets in terms of earnings performance, riskiness, the time series properties of earnings and accruals, and the degree of association between accounting data and share prices. Based on local-GAAP earnings, cross-listing firms appear to be better performing, less risky, and less aggressive in terms of earnings management. They also report accounting data that is more strongly associated with share price. On all dimensions, cross-listed firms appear to be more similar to US firms than do other firms in their local markets. Further, the evidence suggests a shift in accounting quality around the time of cross listing, suggesting that firms may change in anticipation of the cross-listing decision. Our results have potential implications for regulators in providing evidence on the extent to which firms that choose to cross list under current requirements are likely to be representative of firms that might cross list in the absence of such requirements.
Presidential Nomination Reform: Legal Restraints and Procedural Possibilities

The drawn-out contest for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 may temporarily mitigate but is not likely permanently to end pressure to halt or reverse the front-loading of presidential primaries and caucuses, including pressure for action by Congress. In this essay, written for publication in a forthcoming Brookings volume, REFORMING THE NOMINATION PROCESS edited by Steven S. Smith and Melanie J. Springer, I take no position on the desirability of reform, other than to support a ban on nominating events prior to a specified date in February or early March. Rather, the essay concentrates on congressional power to regulate the timing of nominating events. I argue that some commentators have underestimated the structural arguments against any implied power by Congress to regulate presidential nominations. However, relying on the 12th Amendment, I come to the same conclusion as most commentators, that Congress does have the implied power. With respect to possible limitations on Congress' power deriving from the parties' associational rights, it is necessary to consider who the likely complainants will be. The most likely entities to object to congressional regulation are state governments and state parties. But the former have no first amendment rights against congressional action and the latter's claims would be quite weak. National parties could have stronger constitutional grounds for objecting to congressional regulation, though it is far from clear that they would prevail. More importantly, the prospects for congressional action are not particularly great in any event and the chances that Congress would act over the strenuous objection of one or both major parties are remote. Regulation is not unconstitutional on associational grounds unless the affected association objects. Therefore, whatever the national parties' theoretical associational rights may be, there is little likelihood Congress will regulate in an unconstitutional manner. In a brief final section, I suggest that despite the probable constitutionality of congressional regulation, substantive regulation is undesirable, with the possible exception of setting a starting date. If Congress feels under political pressure to do something more, it would be better advised to facilitate joint deliberation and negotiation by the two major parties and to assist them in enforcing their own rules against the state than to impose a mandatory system on the parties and states.