cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Initial Margin Simulation with Deep Learning

Regulatory initial margin (IM) for non-cleared OTC derivatives is currently being implemented in the financial industry per BCBS-IOSCO requirements. To incorporate IM into counterparty credit risk (CCR) measurements and xVA calculations (especially MVA), it is necessary to simulate future IM requirements inside a CCR/xVA system. However, this is an extremely challenging task because the two readily available approaches – brute force simulation and regression-based approximation – are either prohibitively expensive in terms of computational cost, or extremely difficult for large and diverse portfolios due to the high dimensionality of the problem. In this paper, a practical deep learning approach to IM simulation is proposed, with a proof-of-concept implementation and test results demonstrating fast and accurate portfolio-level simulation of scenario-dependent IM through multiple time steps. Model training is shown to converge quickly, and model performance is robust under practical conditions. This approach separates offline training from online simulation, so that it can be implemented in production without significant system overhaul. Conceptually, since training data are generated by a deterministic function (in this case the sensitivity-based SIMM model), data noise is not a concern and overfitting can be avoided, assuming portfolio turnovers occur gradually during periods of time much longer than model training cycles. Model output can also be explained or validated by the underlying data-generating function for transparency. Other potential applications of this deep learning approach are also discussed, including collateral optimization.
Study protocol for developing #CuttingCRC: a barbershop-based trial on masculinity barriers to care and colorectal cancer screening uptake among African-American men using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design.

Introduction Colorectal cancer (CRC) is preventable, as screening leads to the identification and removal of precancerous polyps. African-American men consistently have the highest CRC mortality rates, and their CRC-screening uptake remains low for complex reasons. Culture-specific masculinity barriers to care may contribute to the low uptake among African-American men. Examining these barriers to care is vital as CRC screening may challenge cultural role expectations of African-American men, whose tendency is to delay help-seeking medical care. Barbershops provide a pathway for reaching African-American men with masculinity barriers to care who are not regularly receiving healthcare services and CRC screening. This study aims to develop and pilot test a theory-driven, culture-specific, barbershop-based intervention targeting masculinity barriers to care and CRC-screening uptake among African-American men ages 45–75. Methods and analysis Guided by the theory of planned behaviour and the behaviour change wheel, we will use a multistage mixed-methods study design, beginning with an exploratory sequential approach to validate items for subsequent use in a pilot mixed-methods intervention. First, we will collect and analyse qualitative data from focus groups, cognitive interviews and expert item review to validate and test a culture-specific Masculinity Barriers to Care Scale (MBCS) among African-American men. Next, we will administer the MBCS to our target population as an online quantitative survey and evaluate the association between scores and CRC-screening uptake. Then, we will consider existing evidence-based approaches, our integrated results (qualitative +quantitative), and community input to design a culture-specific, behavioural intervention aimed at increasing CRC-screening uptake among African-American men and feasible for barbershop delivery. We will test the peer intervention in a pilot study with a two-arm cluster randomised design (six barbershops, randomised by site) to reduce contamination and account for barbershop culture differences. Our primary outcomes for the pilot are recruitment, sample size estimation, preliminary efficacy and acceptability. Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval was obtained from the University of Utah Institutional Review Board (00113679), who will also be responsible for receiving communication updates regarding important protocol modifications. To ensure confidentiality, data dispersed to project team members will be blinded of any identifying participant information. Study results will be disseminated through publications in peer-reviewed journals, community dialogue sessions, and presentations at conferences. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03733197 (Pre-results);https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03733197
Evaluation of scheduled video visits for cancer care at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University.

277Background: Telehealth is currently undergoing exponential growth as a result of improved access through less costly, more portable, and better quality technology and through increased broadband...
Drinking Water Security in the Mid-hill Region of Nepal

Drinking water security is increasingly becoming a global concern in recent decades. The mid-hill region of Nepal is also experiencing serious water shortages in recent years. In order to assess the availability of drinking water in the mid-hill regions of Nepal, we studied hydrogeology, land use types and collected water samples from 30 springs in Kavre, Kahmandu Valley, Nuwakot and Tanahu in Nepal between July 17-September 12, 2017. For each sampling spring, while surrounding land use type (mixed, agriculture, urban, vegetation) and spring type (fracture, depression, contact) were determined through field observation, the field pH, conductivity and temperature was determined using relevant probes and thermometers. Water samples were collected in 1L and 165mL plastic bottles for chemical and total coliform determination, respectively, in the lab. Bottles were rinsed twice using spring water before filling them with sample water, then stored in an ice chest, and brought to the lab. In the laboratory, turbidity, conductivity, Ca, Mg, HCO3, SO4, Na, NO3, Cl, Fe, As, and total coliform were determined using standard methods. Spring water in agricultural areas showed significantly higher suspended solids compared to other land use types whereas spring water in urban areas showed significantly higher dissolved substances. By spring type, turbidity and conductivity values and the concentration of dissolved constituents (Ca, Mg, HCO3, SO4, NO3, and Cl) were ranked in the order of fracture < contact < depression. Na and Fe concentration were in the order of fracture = contact < depression. By land-use type, conductivity and dissolved constituents (Ca, Mg, HCO3) were in the order of agriculture < vegetation < mixed < urban. Whereas urban land use had the highest values for SO4, Na, NO3, and Cl, other land use types showed variable order. Fe concentration was ranked in the order of urban < mixed < vegetation < agriculture. Total coliform was in the order of mixed < agriculture < urban < vegetation. These results indicate that land use type and surface condition, which is possibly associated with human activities, heavily affect spring water properties in the region. These results suggest that drinking water security of mid-hill region of Nepal is threatened heavily due to poor spring water quality. Protection of drinking water sources should be specific to land use type and activities around the springs. Index Terms— three to six pertinent, specific to the paper, keywords added after the abstract, separated by commas.
On-line model identification for the machining process based on multirate process data

Abstract Accurate identification of the model parameters of the machining process based on on-line process data is a crucial prerequisite for its model-based control and diagnostics. A typical machining process generates multi-output and multirate data streams. Whereas various sensors provide in-process information about the process, many important process outcomes including product qualities can be only measured in postprocess manner. This paper proposes to improve the identification by using both in-process and postprocess data and by analyzing the identifiability of model parameters. The identification of the model parameters based on multirate output is formulated using the maximum-likelihood estimation and the Fisher information matrix for a multirate-sampled system is derived to study the identifiability of model parameters. A strategy is developed to improve accuracy and robustness of the model identification considering the identifiability. The proposed method is tested on two batches of multirate process data from the cylindrical grinding process. The test results demonstrate using both in-process and postprocess data improves the identifiability and the proposed identification strategy results in improved prediction performance.
Conclusion: Implications for the Field of Conflict Resolution

In this brief concluding chapter, I revisit the issues of oil revenues, peace, and conflict in West Africa vis-a-vis their linkages to the field of conflict resolution. I look at the wide-ranging ramifications (real and perceived) of the expanding oil industry on various facets of life in West Africa: human security, community relations, securitization of the state, military–civil relations, maritime and riverine activities, and conflict. I reexamine some of the key concepts and theoretical frameworks that help inform oil extraction in the region and its implications for the field of conflict resolution. Drawing on this analysis, the chapter ends with a concise outline of the potential outcomes of petro-capitalism in the West African subregion. The key point that can be extrapolated from this chapter, and indeed from the book, is that what happens in West Africa, a region of over 240 million people, is of importance to the conflict resolution discipline, both as an academic endeavor and as a field of practice. The issues of human security, civil society, basic human needs, and the institutions of global governance—and the varied political and social conflicts that the interaction among these varied actors spur—are of relevance to the field of conflict resolution, which emphasizes the peaceful resolution of conflicts through the addressing of underlying issues. The three “realms” of conflict resolution: theory, research, and practice, will help foster our understanding of the various facets of conflicts and the different mechanisms for resolving them in an amicable and sustainable way. The theories of conflict resolution is a good starting point.
Causes and Effects Contributing to Sudden Death in Epilepsy and the Rationale for Prevention and Intervention

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) claims the lives of one in every thousand epileptic patients each year. Autonomic, cardiac, and respiratory pieces to a mechanistic puzzle have not yet been completely assembled. We propose a single sequence of causes and effects that unifies disparate and competitive concepts into a single algorithm centered on ictal obstructive apnea. Based on detailed animal studies that are sometimes impossible in humans, and striking parallels with a growing body of clinical examples, this framework (1) accounts for the autonomic, cardiac, and respiratory data to date by showing the causal relationships between specific elements, and (2) highlights specific kinds of data that can be used to precisely classify various patient outcomes. The framework also justifies a "near miss" designation to be applied to any cases with evidence of obstructive apnea even, and perhaps especially, in individuals that do not require resuscitation. Lastly, the rationale for preventative oxygen therapy is demonstrated. With better mechanistic understanding of SUDEP, we suggest changes for detection and classification to increase survival rates and improve risk stratification.
Human Adenovirus 7-Associated Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis-Like Illness: Clinical and Virological Characteristics in a Cluster of Five Pediatric Cases

Background Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening condition of immune dysregulation. Children often suffer from primary genetic forms of HLH, which can be triggered by infection. Others suffer from secondary HLH as a complication of infection, malignancy, or rheumatologic disease. Identifying the exact cause of HLH is crucial, as definitive treatment for primary disease is hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Adenoviruses have been associated with HLH but molecular epidemiology data are lacking. Methods We describe the clinical and virologic characteristics of 5 children admitted with adenovirus infection during 2018-2019 who developed HLH or HLH-like illness. Detailed virologic studies, including virus isolation and comprehensive molecular typing were performed. Results All patients recovered; clinical management varied but included immunomodulating and antiviral therapies. A genetic predisposition for HLH was not identified in any patient. Adenovirus isolates were recovered from 4/5 cases; all were identified as genomic variant 7d. Adenovirus type 7 DNA was detected in the fifth case. Phylogenetic analysis of genome sequences identified two clusters - one related to strains implicated in 2016-2017 outbreaks in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the other related to a 2009 Chinese strain. Conclusions It can be challenging to determine whether HLH is the result of an infectious pathogen alone or genetic predisposition triggered by an infection. We describe 5 children from the same center presenting with an HLH-like illness after onset of adenovirus type 7 infection. None of the patients were found to have a genetic predisposition to HLH. These findings suggest that adenovirus 7 infection alone can result in HLH.
Reliability of Peer Review of Abstracts Submitted to Academic Family Medicine Meetings

Purpose: To assess the reliability of peer review of abstracts submitted to academic family medicine meetings in North America. Methods: We analyzed reviewer ratings of abstracts submitted: 1) as oral presentations to the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) meeting from 2016 to 2019, as well as 2019 poster session or workshop submissions; and 2) in 12 categories to the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Spring 2018 meeting. In each category and year, we used a multi-level mixed model to estimate the abstract-level intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the reliability of initial review (using the abstract-level ICC and the number of reviewers per abstract). Results: We analyzed review data for 1554 NAPCRG oral presentation abstracts, 418 NAPCRG poster or workshop abstracts, and 1145 STFM abstracts. Across all years, abstract-level ICCs for NAPCRG oral presentations were below 0.20 (range, 0.10 in 2019 to 0.18 in 2016) and were even lower for posters and workshops (range, 0.00-0.10). After accounting for the number of reviewers per abstract, reliabilities of initial review for NAPCRG oral presentations ranged from 0.24 in 2019 to 0.30 in 2016 and 0.00 to 0.18 for posters and workshops in 2019. Across 12 STFM submission categories, the median abstract-level ICC was 0.21 (range, 0.12-0.50) and the median reliability was 0.42 (range, 0.25-0.78). Conclusions: For abstracts submitted to North American academic family medicine meetings, inter-reviewer agreement is often low, compromising initial review reliability. For many submission categories, program committees should supplement initial review with independent postreview assessments.
FDG-PET in the assessment of recurrence, metastases and therapy response in patients with testicular cancer

1703 Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the role of FDG-PET in the management patients with suspicious laboratory, radiological and clinical findings for recurrent and metastatic testicular cancer following surgery and chemotherapy. Methods: Forty-four FDG-PET studies of 32 patients (mean age: 39.7±15.1) diagnosed with primary testicular cancer (26 seminoma, 4 teratoma, 2 testicular lymphoma) were retrospectively analyzed. After they underwent surgery and chemotherapy, a PET scan was requested because of suspicion for recurrence and or distant metastasis based on laboratory, CT and clinical findings. Whole body PET images were obtained approximately 60 minutes after the intravenous administration of FDG (5.2 MBq/kg of body weight). The degree of FDG uptake of the lesion was assessed by calculating the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax). The results were compared with clinical follow-up. Results: The average SUVmax of true positive lesions on PET was 4.6±2.8. PET and CT were both false positive in two patients among 44 studies. PET was false negative for one metastatic cystic teratoma lesion. CT was false negative for one patient with bone marrow metastasis which was detected by PET. The FDG-PET and CT results were given in the table below. Although CT showed enlarged lymph nodes and distant metastatic lesions on 11 studies, FDG-PET showed no abnormally increased uptake in these sites suggestive of inactive disease. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that FDG-PET is superior to CT for detecting active malignant lesions (lymph node and distant metastases) in patients with testicular cancer during follow up period after surgery and chemotherapy. Thus, PET may also be a useful technique for the assessment of therapy response in these patients.
Talk labour and doing ‘being neoliberal mother’

This essay considers the gendered work of childrearing through Harvey Sacks’ (1992) concept of doing ‘being ordinary’. While doing ‘being ordinary’ under-girds social order, what constitutes ‘ordinary’ changes over time. Neoliberalism ushered in middle-class childrearing ideologies that encourage parents to share ever more intensive responsibilities; yet, mothers ordinarily continue to assume the lion’s portion. Central to the intensive parenting practices primarily carried out by mothers is what we call ‘talk labour’, wherein dialoguing with children as conversational partners, beginning in infancy, is constant. The ubiquity of talk makes ordinary for young children a communicative style of heightened reflexivity about their own and others’ actions, ideas and sentiments – skills conducive to becoming a successful actor in the knowledge economy. This essay ties intensification of child-directed talk, critical to ‘doing being neoliberal mother’, to social transformations in family life rooted in modernity and the Industrial Revolution.
Defense

This paper is an exploration of the nature of what is perhaps the most widely recognized justification for inflicting harm on human beings: the appeal to defense (self-defense and other-defense). I develop and defend a rights-based account of the appeal to defense that takes into account whether and to what degree both the aggressor and his potential victim are morally responsible for the relevant threat. However, unlike most extant rights-based accounts, mine is not a forfeiture account. That is, I do not attempt to explain the permissibility of defense in terms of the aggressor’s loss of a right not to be harmed. Instead I appeal directly to the fact that defense in the relevant cases prevents the aggressor from infringing upon the rights of his potential victim. Accordingly, I call my account a “prevention account.”
Messages from the genome: the genetic makeup of ovarian cancer and the risk of venous thromboembolism

Objectives: It is well known that patients with cancer and a concurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) have poorer oncologic outcomes. Despite the fact that 25-40% of ovarian cancer patients develop a VTE, the role of tumor specific factors in VTE development is not known. Therefore, we aim to identify genomic factors in ovarian cancer that could be related to development of VTE or the associated impact on patient outcomes. Methods: We obtained ovarian high grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) samples from patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2019 for RNA sequencing. Sixteen cases of VTE were identified and matched with 16 controls (no VTE) based on histologic subtype, age (±10 years) and BMI (±10kg/m2). Bioinformatics analyses were carried out to identify genes and pathways that could contribute to the development of VTE. Results: In the 16 cases, the timing of VTE was variable, ranging from onset at the time of diagnosis of ovarian cancer (n=9; 56%), during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT; n=2, 12.5%), and within 28 days of surgery or during adjuvant chemotherapy (n=5; 31.3%). A quality control assessment of the RNA sequencing analysis showed no evidence of batch effect. We found that there were 130 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) upregulated in the VTE group and 62 DEGs were upregulated in the control group. The F3 gene which encodes tissue factor, a major factor in the procoagulant activity of cancer, was upregulated in nearly all VTE samples. In contrast, F3 was not expressed in the majority of the control samples. An outcome analysis utilizing datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) comparing ovarian tissues from patients with and without VTE also identified that seven of these DEGs showed a consistently higher expression level in the VTE cohort compared to ovarian tissue controls. A Cox regression using age, grade, and gene expression indicated that 13 of the DEGs were associated with poorer overall survival. Specifically, GAPDHP65 and NRSN2-AS1 were found to have a hazard ratio of > 1.5 (p=0.018 and Download : Download high-res image (255KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions: In this study, we provide the first comprehensive analysis of tumor tissue molecular factors and gene expression specific to VTE in HGSC. We identified several differentially expressed genes within tumor tissue that could represent a unique gene signature for which to target prevention of VTE and to develop novel therapeutics.
Liver Biopsy in Patients With Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease With Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Patients with alcohol-associated liver disease may develop severe forms of presentation of acute-on-chronic liver failure, with a high risk for short-term mortality. Alcoholic hepatitis should be suspected among patients with alcohol-associated liver disease who present with acute-on-chronic liver failure. In this review, we discuss the need and feasibility of liver biopsy in the diagnosis of alcoholic hepatitis and predicting its prognosis among decompensated patients with alcohol-associated liver disease and acute-on-chronic liver failure.
Using LiDAR and Random Forest to improve deer habitat models in a managed forest landscape

Abstract Conservation strategies are hindered by a lack of accurate maps of important habitat for many wildlife species, but especially for species inhabiting managed forest landscapes. Prioritizing restoration efforts on Alaska’s Tongass National Forest from past extensive clearcut logging is extremely challenging given the difficulty in accurately mapping its remote, rugged temperate rainforest landscapes. We tested the application of airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology to build a winter habitat model for Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis), the primary herbivore in the coastal temperate rainforest. We analyzed the importance of geomorphometric and forest structure characteristics as predictors of deer winter habitat selection using Random Forest applied to a 3-year GPS relocation dataset collected from 40 adult female deer. The LiDAR-based habitat model had a predictive performance of 94% (Out-of-bag error = 6%), a 10% lower model error compared to air-photo interpreted polygons and modeled plot data. Random Forest also outperformed analogous resource selection function models based on a comprehensive k-fold cross-validation. Deer habitat selection patterns in the LiDAR-based model were nonlinear across geomorphometric and forest structure predictive variables, and generally supported existing studies of deer habitat selection. Besides improving deer conservation and management on the Tongass National Forest, our approach could greatly enhance the accuracy and resolution of habitat maps used for conservation and restoration planning across large managed forest landscapes.
Implementation of a Plant-Based, Nutrition Program in a Large Integrated Health Care System: Results of a Pilot Program.

Introduction:Despite the proven efficacy of plant-based diets in the management of cardiometabolic diseases, most healthcare providers do not incorporate them into treatment plans.Objective:Conduct...
Fast Bulk Bitwise AND and OR in DRAM

Bitwise operations are an important component of modern day programming, and are used in a variety of applications such as databases. In this work, we propose a new and simple mechanism to implement bulk bitwise AND and OR operations in DRAM, which is faster and more efficient than existing mechanisms. Our mechanism exploits existing DRAM operation to perform a bitwise AND/OR of two DRAM rows completely within DRAM. The key idea is to simultaneously connect three cells to a bitline before the sense-amplification. By controlling the value of one of the cells, the sense amplifier forces the bitline to the bitwise AND or bitwise OR of the values of the other two cells. Our approach can improve the throughput of bulk bitwise AND/OR operations by $9.7X$ and reduce their energy consumption by $50.5X$ . Since our approach exploits existing DRAM operation as much as possible, it requires negligible changes to DRAM logic. We evaluate our approach using a real-world implementation of a bit-vector based index for databases. Our mechanism improves the performance of commonly-used range queries by 30 percent on average.
Tuning of PID DDC controllers

When a system changes from pneumatic control to direct digital control (DDC), installers and site engineers lose the analog gages and logic they previously used to monitor the system. They also find it more difficult to tune DDC control algorithms properly and tend to set operating variables at less-than-optimum values, thus negating the benefits of controller technology. To maximize utilization of advanced controller equipment, field engineers must have proper initial values for the gains in proportional-integral-derivative (PID) calculations, and they must have adequate tools to monitor the effects of PID operation and adjust gains as needed.
Smoothness of the horizons of multi-black-hole solutions.

In a recent paper it was suggested that some multi-black-hole solutions in five or more dimensions have horizons that are not smooth. These black hole configurations are solutions to d-dimensional Einstein gravity (with no dilaton) and are extremely charged with a magnetic-type (d-2)-form. In this work we investigate these solutions further. It is shown that although the curvature is bounded as the horizon of one of the black holes is approached, some derivatives of the curvature are not. This shows that the metric is not ${\mathit{C}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\infty}}}$, but rather is only ${\mathit{C}}^{\mathit{k}}$ with k finite. These solutions are static so their lack of smoothness cannot be attributed to the presence of radiation.
BIMA Array Observations of the 107 GHz Methanol Masers in Cepheus A

BIMA Array observations of the 107 GHz CH3OH masers in the Cep A star-forming region have been carried out with 2'' resolution. These are the first interferometric observations of 107 GHz CH3OH masers. Two masers were observed. They are both projected near (200 and 500 AU) an ultracompact H II region/radio jet, confirming that they are class II masers. While the 107 GHz masers are positionally coincident with the 12.2 GHz CH3OH masers to within the uncertainties, these two maser groups (both of which belong to class II) are at different velocities, indicating that they are not cospatial. This suggests that the pumping requirements of 12.2 and 107 GHz masers are slightly different, and therefore suggests that these masers reside in regions with slightly different physical characteristics.
Joint-position sense after total hip replacement.

Sixteen patients were studied prior to and after total hip replacement with an apparatus designed to eliminate all sensory cues to the perception of the position of the joint, except stimuli from the joint capsule and periarticular soft tissues. The detection of passive movement and its extent and t
Behavior in two-phase aqueous polymer systems of L5178Y mouse leukemic cells in the stationary phase of growth.

Abstract L5178Y mouse leukemic cells in the stationary growth phase have been studied with respect to their behavior in two phase aqueous polymer systems. Differences in cell surface charge:space relationships which are not demonstrable by particle electrophoresis are manifest as large differences in partition ratio. The time course of partition ratio from early stationary, through stationary, and into accelerated death phase shows a decrease from 0.93 to 0.53 during which time there is no significant change in electrophoretic mobility. The decrease is pH mediated, but pH reversal experiments indicate that the decrease is not entirely due to freely dissociable groups at the cell surface. The results suggest a ‘maturation’ of the cell surface on a populational basis that is continuous with accelerated death phase. The results in terms of programmed death are discussed.
Employees’ Perceptions of Management: a Case for Leadership Training

This article tests for a relationship between employees' perceptions of inequity and their ratings of individual leader behaviours. The analytical framework is based on the inducements/contributions model of employment exchange, the concept of psychological contract and equity theory. Results support that leaders' behaviour in this organisation was more of a factor than pay issues or requirements to work long hours. Implications for leadership training are discussed, including strategies to elicit and support the identified leadership behaviours
Hypnogenic paroxysmal dystonia

The differential diagnosis of epileptic seizures, pseudoseizures, and paroxysmal dystonias is reviewed. A 10-year-old child with Hypnogenic Paroxysmal Dystonia, an unusual, newly described syndrome, is presented, illustrating the diagnostic evaluation of seizure-like episodes. The use of all-night video somnography as a useful diagnostic tool for a history of sleep-related paroxysmal motor episodes is presented. Treatment of the disorder is discussed in the context of accurate diagnosis as the therapies for these disorders are not interchangeable.
Biometric solutions for today's travel security problems.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the applicability of biometric systems in travel and explain how they can be used in response to today's increasing security problems.Design/methodology/approach – This research is conceptual. Its analysis is based on an extensive review of literature on biometric systems.Findings – Biometric systems can improve travel security without compromising consumer value, convenience, and privacy. Deployment of various applications of biometric systems (i.e. immigration/visitor management systems, trusted traveler programs) improve specific aspects of travel security. Biometric systems present challenges, associated with consumers' perceptions of system functionality, privacy, trust, and anxiety, which must be examined in the context of consumer adoption. To achieve synergy in travel information technology and provide benefits to all stakeholders, biometric systems must seamlessly integrate with other travel technologies, both intra‐firm and inter‐firm.Research li...
Thermal and 14.4 MeV neutron activation cross sections of argon

Abstract Thermal and 14.4 MeV neutron activation cross sections of argon were measured with argon quinol-clathrate powder as target material. The thermal neutron activation cross section of the 40Ar(n, γ)41Ar reaction was measured to be 510±25 mb. The 14.4±0.3 MeV neutron activation cross sections for the reactions 38Ar(n,p)38Cl, 40Ar(n,p)40Cl(1.4 min), 40Ar (n, np+n, pn+n, d)39Cl and 40Ar(n, α)37S were measured to be 75±20, 15.7±2.0, 1.40±0.15 and 10.5±1.0 mb, respectively. These values are compared with prior measurements and with semi-empirical predictions of Levkovskii and of Gardner.
Temperature dependent energies of formation for hydrogen-bonded water clusters using a modified mndo and a statistical mechanics approach

Abstract Employing a modified MNDO treatment, the hydrogen-bond energies of large water clusters are computed. Considering a statistical mechanical treatment in association with the computed results, an expression of temperature dependent formation energy for water clusters to treat varying conditions of temperature and ambient humidities is introduced. Encouragingly, predicted formation energies (energies of formation) are found to be well correlated with the classical theory of capillarity approximation for the Gibbs free energy change. Based on the predicted energies of formation, stability of water clusters is discussed as a function of cluster size.
Binospec: a dual-beam wide-field optical spectrograph for the converted MMT

Binospec is a wide-field, multi-object optical spectrograph to be used at the f/5 focus of the converted 6.5 m Multiple Mirror Telescope. Its dual beams will address adjacent 8' X 15' fields of view, yielding a total slit length of 30'. Binospec will offer approximately 1 - 6 Angstrom resolution at wavelengths between 0.39 and 1.0 micrometer with a 200 mm collimated beam diameter. Although it is difficult to design an f/5 wide-field collimator, f/5 optics are compact, allowing a small and stiff instrument structure. Binospec uses refractive optics throughout; the collimator contains three lens groups and the camera contains four lens groups. Three aspheric surfaces are used: two in the collimator and one in the camera. A pair of 2048 by 4608 pixel CCD detectors are used for each beam, yielding a sampling of 0.22' per pixel. Binospec's innovative optical design allows excellent image quality. Including the contribution of the MMT optics with the f/5 wide-field corrector, the RMS image diameter at Binospec's focal plane is 18 micrometer (1.3 pixels) averaged over field angles and colors.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Resonance fluorescence spectrum of a three-level atom

Abstract We consider the excitation spectrum arising from the interaction between a three-level atom and a strong electromagnetic field in the frequency region where the two atomic transition frequencies are nearly equal to once and twice the frequency of the pump field respectively. Detailed expressions for the spectral functions are derived describing the two-, one- and zero-photon excitations as well as those arising from the coupling between them, in the limit of high photon densities. The zero-photon excitations describe low frequency modes induced by the pump field under resonance conditions.
Experimental techniques for mechanical characterization of hydrogels at the microscale

Hydrogel actuators in microfluidic devices must endure the forces of aqueous flow, the constraint of device walls, and the restoring force of elastic membranes. In order to assess the capabilities of hydrogels, three experimental techniques for determining the uniaxial tensile properties and functional swelling properties of microscale hydrogel structures have been developed. Tensile tests were conducted to determine Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio at varying degrees of swelling equilibrium. Force response tests were performed to determine the force exerted by cylindrical hydrogel structures on compression platens held at fixed displacement. Particle image velocimetry, a method originally developed to measure velocity fields in fluid flows, was adapted to investigate the deformation rates at various times within hydrogel structures during volumetric swelling. The techniques and sample fabrication methods outlined are applicable to a variety of hydrogel chemistries.
Banded perturbations of the unit vector basis in some sequence spaces

Perturbations of the unit vector basis of the formX n =Σ¦j−n¦≦m a nj e j wherem is a fixed positive integer are investigated. It is shown that if |a nj |≦1 and if {x n } possesses a biorthogonal sequence uniformly bounded inl p for some 1<=p<∞, then {x n } is a seminormalized basic sequence in some reflexive Orlicz spacel N, then {xn} is equivalent to {e n} inl N.
Menahem in Jerusalem a Brief Messianic Episode Among the Sicarii - Not "Zealot Messianism"

Mettre en rapport Jesus et les Zelotes suppose qu'il y aurait eu un puissant mouvement zelote ayant une ideologie messianiste. Or en fait, on confond souvent Sicaires et Zelotes. L'A. releve et analyse ce que dit Josephe des differentes factions rivales dans la Jerusalem insurgee. Menahem a la tete des Sicaires eut bien un comportement "messianique" quand il se fit acclamer roi par ses partisans, en entrant solennellement a Jerusalem, apres s'etre arme dans l'arsenal de Massada. Mais ce ne fut qu'un episode passager, qui cessa lorsque Menahem fut assassine.
Structure Formation Cosmic Rays: Identifying Observational Constraints

Shocks that arise from baryonic in-fall and merger events during the structure formation are believed to be a source of cosmic rays. These "structure formation cosmic rays" (SFCRs) would essentially be primordial in composition, namely, mostly made of protons and alpha particles. However, very little is known about this population of cosmic rays. One way to test the level of its presence is to look at the products of hadronic reactions between SFCRs and the ISM. A perfect probe of these reactions would be Li. The rare isotope Li is produced only by cosmic rays, dominantly in αα → 6Li fusion reactions with the ISM helium. Consequently, this nuclide provides a unique diagnostic of the history of cosmic rays. Exactly because of this unique property is Li affected most by the presence of an additional cosmic ray population. In turn, this could have profound consequences for the Big-Bang nucleosynthesis: cosmic rays created during cosmic structure formation would lead to pre-Galactic Li production, which would act as a "contaminant" to the primordial 7Li content of metalpoor halo stars. Given the already existing problem of establishing the concordance between Li observed in halo stars and primordial 7Li as predicted by the WMAP, it is crucial to set limits to the level of this "contamination". However, the history of SFCRs is not very well known. Thus we propose a few model-independent ways of testing the SFCR species and their history, as well as the existing lithium problem: 1) we establish the connection between gamma-ray and Li production, which enables us to place constraints on the SFCR-made lithium by using the observed Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Background (EGRB); 2) we propose a new site for testing the primordial and SFCR-made lithium, namely, low-metalicity High-Velocity Clouds (HVCs), which retain the pre-Galactic composition without any significant depletion. Although using one method alone may not give us strong constraints, using them in concert will shed a new light on the SFCR population and possibly give some answers about the pressing lithium problem. .
Implementation of an integer optimization platform using object oriented programming

Abstract A wide range of integer optimization formulations have been successfully used in a variety of applications dealing with distribution, production, finance, and a host of other areas. Since the general integer optimization problem is NP-complete, specialized theory and techniques have evolved to utilize the special structures in individual applications. This has led to different categories and sub-categories of techniques that need to be evaluated in selecting a solution strategy for a new integer optimization formulation. The availability of computer packages or callable libraries for only a few techniques results in the need to either modify an existing code or implement a new code from scratch. This article illustrates the utility of object oriented programming methodology in implementing a modular, reusable library of techniques that can be extended easily to develop code for solving new integer optimization formulations. The flexibility in the library allows for easy customization of existing techniques for new applications as well as development of new techniques that utilize the code in the existing library. The ease of customization or reusability of this library is depicted by comparing it with the code written in conventional programming languages, such as Fortran or C.
Use of unpaid and paid home care services among people with HIV infection in the USA.

This paper examines utilization of paid and unpaid home health care using data from a nationally representative sample of HIV-positive persons receiving medical care in early 1996 (N5 2,864). Overall, 21.0% used any home care, 12.2% used paid care and 13.6% used unpaid care. Most (70.0%) users of home care received care from only one type of provider. Substantially more hours of unpaid than paid care were used. We also found evidence of a strong association between type of service used and type of care provider: 62.4% of persons who used nursing services only received paid care only; conversely, 55.5% of persons who used personal care services only received care only from unpaid caregivers. Use of home care overall was concentrated among persons with AIDS: 39.5% of persons with AIDS received any home health care, compared to 9.5% of those at earlier disease stages. In addition to having an AIDS diagnosis, logistic regression analyses indicated that other need variables signie cantly increased utilization; a higher number of HIV-related symptoms, lower physical functioning, less energy, a diagnosis of CMV and a recent hospitalization each independently increased the odds of overall home care utilization. Sociodemographic variables had generally weak relationships with overall home care utilization. Among users of home care, non-need variables had more ine uence on use of paid than unpaid care. Both paid and unpaid home health care is a key component of community-based systems of care for people with HIV infection. The results presented in this paper are the e rst nationally representative estimates of home care utilization by persons with HIV/AIDS and are discussed with reference to policy and future research. Physicians, policymakers and patients have come to view HIV infection as a chronic disease. Over the past decade, the clinical management of HIV infection and its sequelae has shifted predominantly from inpatient to outpatient settings as a result of advances in treatment, concerns about the costs of inpatient care and consumer preferences (Crystal, 1989; Decker & Masur, 1994; Hellinger 1988; 1993; Kelly et al.,1993; Mauskopf et al., 1994; Scitovsky & Rice, 1987). This shift, in turn, has engendered increasing emphasis by policymakers on the development of new, and the enhancement of existing, systems of care to support com-
Aflatoxin control program for Peanuts

Under provisions of a USDA Marketing Agreement, an aflatoxin control program for peanuts produced in the United States is administered by the Peanut Administrative Committee composed of peanut growers and shellers. Regulations of this committee contain provisions about the quality of peanuts acquired from farmers, storage of unshelled peanuts, aflatoxin testing, quality and disposition of processed lots, and indemnification of handlers for losses caused by lots which test over 25 parts-perbillion aflatoxin. Effects of the control program on aflatoxin concentrations in peanut products are discussed.
Effects of chronic stimulation or antagonism of opiate receptors on GH secretion in male and female rats

The present study was undertaken to assess the role of endogenous opioid systems in the sexually dimorphic pattern of growth hormone (GH) secretion. To this end, male rats were treated chronically (6 to 12 h) with morphine and estrogen-exposed, ovariectomized female rats with morphine or naloxone. Chronic morphine exposure of male rats caused a 12-fold increase in basal GH levels and a modest rise in GH pulse frequency. These two changes resulted in a 3-fold increase in both mean GH concentration and total GH secretion over 6 h. In female rats, chronic morphine reduced GH pulse amplitudes but did not significantly affect other parameters of GH secretion. By contrast, chronic naloxone treatment of female rats reduced basal GH levels by 64% without affecting GH pulse amplitudes or pulse frequency. These data suggest that endogenous opioid systems are involved in the regulation of the basal GH secretion in both male and female rats.
Biomechanical effects of simulated resorption cavities in cancellous bone across a wide range of bone volume fractions

Resorption cavities formed during bone remodeling may act as “stress risers” and impair cancellous bone strength, but biomechanical analyses of the effects of stress risers have been limited. To provide further insight, we assessed the theoretical biomechanical effects of virtually-added resorption cavities in cancellous bone specimens spanning a wide range of bone volume fraction (BV/TV = 0.05–0.36) and across different anatomic sites (hip and spine) and species (human and canine). Micro-CT scans of 40 cubes of cancellous bone were converted into nonlinear finite element models (voxel element size ∼ 20 µm) for strength assessment. In each model, uniform trench-like resorption cavities with nominal dimensions 500 µm (length) × 200 µm (width) × 40 µm (depth), were virtually added either at random locations throughout the specimen, or, preferentially at locations of high tissue-level strain. We found that cancellous bone strength (p < 0.0001) and its relation with BV/TV (p < 0.001) were both altered by the virtual addition of the resorption cavities. When the resorption cavities were added at random locations throughout the specimen, the reduction in strength did not depend on BV/TV or anatomic site or species. When the resorption cavities were instead added preferentially at locations of high tissue-level strain, the effect was accentuated and was greatest in low-BV/TV bone. We conclude that, in theory, uniform-sized resorption cavities can reduce cancellous bone strength over the full range of BV/TV and across species, and the effect is larger if the cavities occur at highly strained locations in low-BV/TV bone. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Would a stock by any other ticker smell as sweet

Abstract Some stocks have meaningful ticker symbols; for example, LUV (Southwest Airlines), MOO (United Stockyards), and GEEK (Internet America). Such tickers might be a useful signal of the company's creativity, a memorable marker that appeals to investors, or a warning that the company feels it must resort to gimmicks to attract investors. This paper investigates the performance of stocks with memorable ticker symbols during the years 1984–2005 and finds that, on average, their daily returns are higher than for the overall market.
Dynamic strain-ageing of a copper 1.83 wt % beryllium alloy

The dependence of dynamic strain-ageing (hardening) on time, temperature, strain and applied stress has been determined for a copper-beryllium precipitation hardened alloy. Strain-ageing increased with increasing time and temperature. The maximum hardening occurred for all times and temperatures at the smallest strains measured (∼ 1.5%). Strain-ageing was found to increase with increasing stress drop during strain arrests. No single power law could describe the time dependence, neither could any single activation energy describe the temperature dependence of the hardening.