Past Volume Research Articles

The Effect of Solder Paste Volume on Chip Resistor Solder Joint Fatigue Life

The solder joint topology plays a significant role in determining its fatigue life. Due to the complex nature of the actual manufacturing environment, there are variations in solder volume for each joint, which can induce the solder shape variations and misalignment of the chip resistor. The solder shape variation can severely affect its fatigue life. In this study, we use surface evolver software to calculate the solder shape with the global minimum energy. A finite element method was used to model the resistor solder joint under thermal cycling and to predict the fatigue life for different solder paste volumes. Through varying the solder past volume to obtain different solder joint shape, the corresponding fatigue life was predicted. The result could provide a guideline for an/the choosing optimal solder paste volume for surface mount components. Analysis results show that a larger and balanced solder volume can give the best fatigue life under thermal cycling conditions.

The impact of global financial crisis on informational efficiency: Evidence from price-volume relation in crude palm oil futures market

This study examines price-volume relation in crude palm oil (CPO) futures market during the pre-crisis, crisis and post-crisis periods. Based on daily data from January 2000 to July 2017, cross-correlation function (CCF) provides four findings: First, volatilities of past trading volume and current return are correlated in pre- and post-crisis with an inconsistent sign, supporting the nature of noise trader demand. Second, in the pre-crisis period, both volatilities are negatively correlated within a short time span. Third, during the crisis period, there is no volatility spillover between both series. Fourth, in the post-crisis period, both volatilities of past trading volume and current return are positively correlated within a long time span, in addition to volatility spillover from the current return to the future trading volume which also happens within a short time span. Notably, significant volatility spillovers from trading volume to return across the crisis change the sign of correlations with a longer time span, supporting the “heterogeneity of traders” hypothesis. This study suggests that market participants have become risk-averse, particularly after the crisis. As a result, there has been an increase in volatility persistence which reduces the level of informational efficiency.

Markov chain modeling and forecasting of product returns in remanufacturing based on stock mean-age

A method is presented for real-time forecasting of product returns in remanufacturing. It determines the quantity of imminent returns and quality features such as age distribution and number of past cycles. Required data in real-time include the mean age of stock, a scaled quantity (population average) reliably monitored, even from small-size or decentralized stock samples, the maximum and minimum age in return samples and past volumes of net demand or sales. The characteristic parameters of the return distribution (center axis and spread) are updated in real-time. The method sequentially determines the retention probability in each time period, a key random variable that unties the dynamic closed-loop-supply chain knot. The retention probability sequence is used in explicit expressions for the product return flow and age distribution (a quality index), based on Markov representation of stock and flows. The model allows for arbitrarily random early loss and non-stationarities, uncertain demand and varying utilization of reusable returns. Markov-chain Monte-Carlo simulation enables assessment of the efficacy of the forecasting method. Exploiting reliable, current information, the method may provide improved estimates of product returns compared to linear models that relate returns to past levels of sales and/or returns, and utilize conventional regression, recursive least squares, or adaptive identification methods. Forecasting efficiency is higher as measured by mean or integral absolute error, and particularly so, regarding peaks and lows of the return flow. The results may be useful for enhanced acquisition of returns with reduced stock inventories and efficient planning of remanufacturing operations.

Alcohol use patterns and risk of diabetes onset in the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth Cohort

One of the major limitations in studying alcohol's effect on risk for diabetes is the issue of classifying drinking patterns across the life course prior to the onset of diabetes. Furthermore, this research often overlooks important life course risk factors such as obesity and early-life health problems that may complicate estimation of the relationship between alcohol and diabetes. This study used data from the US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort of 14–21 year olds followed through 2012 (n = 8289). Alcohol use was captured through time-varying measures of past month volume and frequency of days with 6+ drinks. Discrete-time survival models controlling for demographics, early-life characteristics and time-varying risk factors of employment, smoking, and body mass index (BMI) group, stratified by sex and race/ethnicity, were estimated. Increased odds of diabetes onset was found among lifetime abstainers for women compared to the low volume reference group (odds ratio (OR) 1.57; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.07–2.3). Increased odds of diabetes onset was also found among women who reported drinking 6+ drinks in a day on a weekly basis during the prior 10 years (OR 1.55; CI 1.04–2.31). Models interacting alcohol and BMI groups found increased odds of diabetes onset from lifetime abstention among overweight women only (OR 3.06; CI 1.67–5.60). This study confirms previous findings of protective effects from low volume drinking compared to lifetime abstention and harmful effects from regular heavy occasion drinking for women. Further, protective effects in this US sample were found to be limited to overweight women only.

Glacier changes in the Qilian Mountains in the past half-century: Based on the revised First and Second Chinese Glacier Inventory

Glaciers are the most important fresh-water resources in arid and semi-arid regions of western China. According to the Second Chinese Glacier Inventory (SCGI), primarily compiled from Landsat TM/ETM+ images, the Qilian Mountains had 2684 glaciers covering an area of 1597.81±70.30 km2 and an ice volume of ~84.48 km3 from 2005 to 2010. While most glaciers are small (85.66% are <1.0 km2), some larger ones (12.74% in the range 1.0–5.0 km2) cover 42.44% of the total glacier area. The Laohugou Glacier No.12 (20.42 km2) located on the north slope of the Daxue Range is the only glacier >20 km2 in the Qilian Mountains. Median glacier elevation was 4972.7 m and gradually increased from east to west. Glaciers in the Qilian Mountains are distributed in Gansu and Qinghai provinces, which have 1492 glaciers (760.96 km2) and 1192 glaciers (836.85 km2), respectively. The Shule River basin contains the most glaciers in both area and volume. However, the Heihe River, the second largest inland river in China, has the minimum average glacier area. A comparison of glaciers from the SCGI and revised glacier inventory based on topographic maps and aerial photos taken from 1956 to 1983 indicate that all glaciers have receded, which is consistent with other mountain and plateau areas in western China. In the past half-century, the area and volume of glaciers decreased by 420.81 km2 (–20.88%) and 21.63 km3 (–20.26%), respectively. Glaciers with areas <1.0 km2 decreased the most in number and area recession. Due to glacier shrinkage, glaciers below 4000 m completely disappeared. Glacier changes in the Qilian Mountains presented a clear longitudinal zonality, i.e., the glaciers rapidly shrank in the east but slowly in the central-west. The primary cause of glacier recession was warming temperatures, which was slightly mitigated with increased precipitation.

Iterative near-term ecological forecasting: Needs, opportunities, and challenges.

Two foundational questions about sustainability are "How are ecosystems and the services they provide going to change in the future?" and "How do human decisions affect these trajectories?" Answering these questions requires an ability to forecast ecological processes. Unfortunately, most ecological forecasts focus on centennial-scale climate responses, therefore neither meeting the needs of near-term (daily to decadal) environmental decision-making nor allowing comparison of specific, quantitative predictions to new observational data, one of the strongest tests of scientific theory. Near-term forecasts provide the opportunity to iteratively cycle between performing analyses and updating predictions in light of new evidence. This iterative process of gaining feedback, building experience, and correcting models and methods is critical for improving forecasts. Iterative, near-term forecasting will accelerate ecological research, make it more relevant to society, and inform sustainable decision-making under high uncertainty and adaptive management. Here, we identify the immediate scientific and societal needs, opportunities, and challenges for iterative near-term ecological forecasting. Over the past decade, data volume, variety, and accessibility have greatly increased, but challenges remain in interoperability, latency, and uncertainty quantification. Similarly, ecologists have made considerable advances in applying computational, informatic, and statistical methods, but opportunities exist for improving forecast-specific theory, methods, and cyberinfrastructure. Effective forecasting will also require changes in scientific training, culture, and institutions. The need to start forecasting is now; the time for making ecology more predictive is here, and learning by doing is the fastest route to drive the science forward.

Forecasting ETFs with Machine Learning Algorithms

In this article, the authors apply cutting-edge machine learning algorithms to one of the oldest challenges in finance: predicting returns. For the sake of simplicity, they focus on predicting the direction (either up or down) of several liquid exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and do not attempt to predict the magnitude of price changes. The ETFs serve as asset class proxies. The authors employ approximately five years (from January 2011 to January 2016) of historical, daily data obtained through Yahoo Finance. Using supervised learning classification algorithms, readily available from Python’s Scikit-Learn, they employ three powerful techniques: (1) deep neural networks, (2) random forests, and (3) support vector machines (linear and radial basis function). They document the performance of the three algorithms across four information sets: past returns, past volume, dummies for days/months, and a combination of all three. They use a gain criterion to compare classifiers’ performance. First, they find that these algorithms work well over one- to three-month horizons. Short-horizon predictability, over days, is extremely difficult, and thus the results support the short-term random walk hypothesis. Second, they document the importance of cross-sectional and intertemporal volume as a powerful information set. Third, they show that many features are needed for predictability because each feature makes very small contributions toward predictability. The authors conclude that ETF returns can be predicted with machine learning algorithms, but practitioners should incorporate prior knowledge of markets and intuition on asset class behavior. <b>TOPICS:</b>Exchange-traded funds and applications, big data/machine learning, performance measurement

When Online Reviews Meet Sales Volume Information: Is More or Accurate Information Always Better?

This paper studies how two types of market-generated information, namely, online reviews and past sales volume information, jointly affect consumer purchase decisions as well as firms’ pricing strategies. We build a two-period duopoly model in a market with herding consumers who have different preferences and are unsure of the quality difference between products. In addition, a firm’s sales volume is uncertain because of the existence of “irregular” consumers. We find that the impacts of online reviews and sales volume information on firms’ profits are mutually enhancing. The impact of such market-generated information depends on both product characteristics (the level of consumers’ misfit for the nonpreferred product) and how consumers a priori perceive the quality difference between the products. Contrary to the conventional wisdom that more/accurate information is beneficial to high-quality firms, as well as consumers, we find that such information can be detrimental to firms, as firms adjust prices to induce, or react to, favorable market-generated information. Accordingly, consumers may not benefit from such market-generated information if the gain from less uncertainty cannot offset the loss from higher product prices. Such findings offer guidelines for firms to design better pricing strategies, as well as information policies, such as whether or not to promote more informative reviews. The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2017.0715 .

CORP: Measurement of lung function in small animals.

The measurement of lung function in mice and rats is crucial for understanding how well small animal models of pulmonary disease recapitulate human clinical pathology but brings with it the challenge of making accurate measurements in animals as small as a mouse. Overcoming these challenges can be achieved in a number of ways, each based on a model idealization of how the lung works as a mechanical system. Accordingly, it is important to understand the theoretical basis on which an assessment of lung function rests to interpret experimental measurements appropriately. It is also crucial to attend to a number of practical issues that determine the quality of the measurements. The most accurate measurements of lung function in small animals are provided by the forced oscillation technique that provides lung resistance and elastance and its multifrequency generalization known as impedance. Measurement quality is maximized when the greatest possible degree of control is exerted over the amplitude and frequency with which air is oscillated in and out of the lungs, the mean or end-expiratory transpulmonary pressure pertaining to when the oscillations are applied, and the immediate past volume history of the lungs. It is also crucial that no spontaneous breathing efforts occur during the measurement period. Finally, there is no substitute for the skill in animal handling and surgical preparation that comes with practice; such a skill should be in place before embarking on any important series of experiments.

Ice sheet retreat and glacio-isostatic adjustment in Lützow-Holm Bay, East Antarctica

The East Antarctic Ice Sheet has relatively few field data to constrain its past volume and contribution to global sea-level change since the Last Glacial Maximum. We provide new data on deglaciation history and develop new relative sea-level (RSL) curves along an 80 km transect (from Skallen to Skarsvnes, Langhovde and the Ongul Islands) in Lützow Holm Bay, East Antarctica. The geological constraints were compared with output from two Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) models. The minimum radiocarbon age for regional deglaciation is c. 11,240 cal. yr BP on West Ongul Island with progressively younger deglaciation ages approaching the main regional ice outflow at Shirase Glacier. Marked regional differences in the magnitude and timing of RSL change were observed. More in particular, in Skarvsnes a minimum marine limit of 32.7 m was inferred, which is c. 12.7 m higher than previously published evidence, and at least 15 m higher than that reported in the other three ice-free areas. Current GIA model predictions slightly underestimate the rate of Late Holocene RSL fall at Skallen, Langhovde, and West Ongul, but provide a reasonable fit to the reconstructed minimum marine limit at these sites. GIA model predictions are unable to provide an explanation for the shape of the reconstructed RSL curve at Skarvsnes. We consider a range of possible explanations for the Skarvsnes RSL data and favour an interpretation where the anomalously high marine limit and rate of RSL fall is due to reactivation of a local fault.

Analysis of a fragmentary diatom record from Lake Van (Turkey) reveals substantial lake-level variability during previous interglacials MIS7 and MIS5e

Ancient lake sediments provide opportunities to reconstruct aquatic ecosystems during previous interglacials. In the summer of 2010, the ICDP project PALEOVAN drilled a complete succession of the lacustrine sedimentary sequence deposited during the last ~600,000 years in Lake Van, eastern Anatolia (Turkey). Previous palaeolimnological analysis of the Lake Van sediment record has shown diatoms to be absent over most of the sequence apart from a short interval during the Holocene. Here, we demonstrate the preservation of additional fragmentary diatom records during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 7 (243,000–191,000 years ago; Lisiecki and Raymo in Paleoceanography 20:PA1003, 2005; Jouzel et al. in Science 317:793–796, 2007) and MIS5e (130,000–116,000 years ago; Lisiecki and Raymo 2005; Jouzel et al. 2007), each spanning no more than a few thousand years. Although brief, the presence of contrasting diatom assemblages between these two interglacials provide a snapshot of varying water depth and, by inference, climate. Analysis of MIS7e samples suggests that lake water levels were low after a period when the lake was open (i.e., high lake levels with the presence of an outflow present), resulting in higher salinities and possibly less stable bottom waters, which switched between anoxic and oxic states more frequently. By contrast, the diatom assemblages during MIS5e are characteristic of fresh, relatively nutrient rich waters. This suggests that lake levels were high, that the lake was hydrologically open with an outlet, and that the bottom waters were anoxic for long periods of time. Furthermore, our palaeoconductivity estimates and modelling of the past lake volumes with respect to its salt content support the presence of an outflow.

The History and Current Status of Behavior and Social Issues: 1978–2016

We discuss the inception and history of Behavior and Social Issues (BSI) and its predecessor journals, Behaviorists for Social Action Journal and Behavior Analysis and Social Action , as the journals approaches 40 years of publication. We offer an analysis of the past volumes of the journals to provide a status update on BSI . Data on BSI article impact, content, and frequent contributors indicate that the journal has served as a valuable outlet to discuss applications of behavior analysis to a range of social issues.

Primary care diabetes prescribing rates: latest analysis shows continued rise in volume and cost

Primary care diabetes prescribing rates: latest analysis shows continued rise in volume and cost

Temporal variation in relative zircon abundance throughout Earth history

Zircon is the preeminent chronometer of deep time on Earth, informing models of crustal growth and providing our only direct window into the Hadean Eon. However, the quantity of zircon crystallised per unit mass of magma is highly variable, complicating interpretation of the terrestrial zircon record. Here we combine zircon saturation simulations with a dataset of ∼52,000 igneous whole rock geochemical analyses to quantify secular variation in relative zircon abundance throughout Earth history. We find dramatically increasing zircon abundance per mass of magma through geologic time, suggesting that the zircon record underestimates past crustal volume even if preservation bias is eliminated. Similarly, zircons were even less likely to crystallise from low-silica magmas in early Earth history than they are today, together suggesting that the observed Hadean zircon record may require a larger volume of generally felsic Hadean crust than previously expected.

Современное состояние и экологические проблемы Обь-Иртышского бассейна

Results of the comprehensive water/resources and ecological researchers of the OB-Irtysh basin current state are given. Assessment of the many-year dynamics of the main indicators characterizing the Ob River ecological status has been made. The data are quoted on the basis of the analysis of materials of many-year hydrological, hydro/chemical, ecological and water/economic researchers of Russian Academy of Sciences Siberian Branch Institute of Water and Ecological Problems. The main problems of water supply and water use special for this basin have been revealed: non-uniformity of water resources distribution, hazardous hydrological phenomena (inundation, flooding, and channel processes), as well as water pollution (of human and natural origin). The situation is aggravated by the Ob-Irtysh basin transboundary status. The anthropogenic transformation of the region has been estimated: its index is the highest in the steppe and Southern forest/steppe areas of the Ob-Urtysh basin, while it is much lower in the Northern part of the basin; in mountain areas of Altay, Salair and Kuznetsk Alatau anthropogenic transformation is not high, and in the regions of Transuralia and Kuznetsk depression the territories of environmental problems have been identified. Non-synchronism of water content changes many-year trends for different parts of the basin has been revealed. Over the past decades volumes of water use and water disposal somewhat decreased in respect of the whole basin. Bearing in mind the level of groundwater and surface water resources availability, 15% of the total population of the Ob-Irtysh basin live in the conditions of extremely low and very low potential water supply. New data obtained as a result of comprehensive expedition water/ecological researches in 2016 with the use of research fleet are quoted.

Profitability of Momentum Strategies in Malaysia

This paper examines the profitability of momentum strategies within the Malaysian stock market. Its also investigates relationship between stock returns and past trading volume. The study finds weak but insignificant evidence of momentum returns for Malaysian equities which is pervasive across different combinations of formation and holding periods with a maximum average return of 1.76 % per quarter. A clear reversal pattern with greater volatility is observed when non-overlapping portfolios are used. The study also finds that momentum return is more pronounced among stocks with low trading volume which contradicts previous studies. The impact of Asian financial crisis on momentum return is marginal and trend in the stock returns remains relatively unchanged.

Abnormal Trading Volume and the Cross-Section of Stock Returns

Stocks with high trading volume outperform otherwise stocks for one week, but subsequently underperform at the longer horizon. We show that such time-varying predictability of trading volume is attributed to abnormal trading activity, which is not explained by past volume. Specifically, we find that the return forecasting power of abnormal trading activity is strongly positive up to five weeks ahead. In contrast, the predictive power of the expected trading activity is negative, and lasts for longer horizons. We further argue that behavioral biases and investors’ attention induces abnormal trading activity, but its price impact is primarily related to behavioral biases. Overall evidence emphasizes the role of behavioral biases and investors’ attention to explain trading volume.

Genetics and Organizational Behavior

Articles on the genetics of complex human behaviors and psychological traits provided in past volumes of journals published by Annual Reviews tended to adopt a pathological perspective and focused heavily on the disorders of human affect and behaviors. In our review, we expand our focus to the more general, nonclinical population, and in particular on the advances in the understanding of the genetics of attitudes and behaviors in work settings. We review the recent and emerging literature using a behavioral genetics approach to examine the influence of genetics on a wide array of important constructs in organizational behavior (OB) research and provide unique theoretical insights offered by this approach. We discuss practical implications and future research directions from a broad person-environment interactionist perspective by taking a genetics approach.

A Study Of The Euro And US Dollar In The Foreign Exchange Market Using Technical Analysis Tools

This primary goal of this article is to examine the price movements of EURO and USD currencies to understand the growth of FOREX market. These two currencies were selected for the study with an assumption of each being an effective representative of the FOREX industry in the entire world. This study also discusses about one of the tool i.e. technical analysis which helps in analyzing the foreign market before taking investment decisions by the investors. Technical Analysis is a study of the foreign exchange price market considering factors related to the supply and demand. This is very useful method of evaluating securities by analyzing the statistics generated by market activity, such as past prices and volume. This study used four indicators in technical analysis and the results of these indicators show that almost similar patterns in the stock prices and also provide almost similar signals to the trader/investor. The reason for choosing these indicators is because most of the traders use these as a base when it comes to the foreign exchange market. To conclude this study provides a good exposure in technical analysis of the Foreign exchange markets around the world giving an example of one of the most majorly traded currency pairs which is the EURO and US DOLLAR.

Peptide Arrays on Planar Supports.

On a past volume of this monograph we have reviewed general aspects of the varied technologies available to generate peptide arrays. Hallmarks in the development of the technology and a main sketch of preparative steps and applications in binding assays were used to walk the reader through details of peptide arrays. In this occasion, we resume from that work and bring in some considerations on quantitative evaluation of measurements as well as on selected reports applying the technology.