Television as a Design Tool

Television is not only the most powerful medium of communication that our age has produced; it is also the most flexible. Yet its common role in education is that of a mere substitute, called in to mitigate the effects of the shortage of teachers or (to look at the matter historically) the excess of students. That it can be more than that is shown by two University of Nebraska faculty members, describing an experiment in the creative use of television as a tool in the development of that awareness of the characteristics of space which is among the architect's indispensable qualifications.     

A Converging Wall-Jet Instrument for Ion Selective Electrode Dynamic Response Studies

Abstract

Ion selective electrodes are used to conduct real-time measurements of gaseous thermal degradation products from halon replacement experiments. Response characteristics of these ion selective electrodes are needed to address potential interferences and surface poisoning experienced under field conditions. The design and the fabrication of an in situ, converging wall-jet instrument for the measurement of the dynamic responses of ion selective electrodes are described. Various time delays associated with the generation and detection of ion activity steps have been quantitatively determined.

Dynamic response measurements for iodide steps on a Corning iodide/cyanide ion selective electrode are comparable to those obtained on the best of the earlier instrument designs, the in situ, switched wall-jet instrument. The advantages of the converging wall-jet instrument over the switched wall-jet instrument are identified.     

Predicting liquid filled transformer loading capability

The IEEE Transformer Loading Guide equations use the top oil temperature rise over ambient to determine the winding hottest spot temperature during an overload. Recent investigations by the author and others have shown that during overloads there is a time lag between the top oil temperature rise and the oil temperature rise in the winding cooling ducts. This phenomena results in winding hottest spot temperatures greater than predicted by the current (1981) IEEE Loading Guide equations. Accurate predictions of the winding hottest spot temperature requires the use of the temperature of the oil entering and exiting the winding cooling ducts. Low flammability liquids such as silicone or high temperature hydrocarbons are not covered in the present Loading Guide. Resistance change with temperature and liquid viscosity are not considered in current Loading Guide equations. Loading Guide equations also assume a constant ambient air temperature during a load cycle. Improved loading equations based on analysis and testing are presented in this paper. The improved equations consider type of liquid, cooling mode, winding duct oil temperature rise, resistance and viscosity changes, and ambient temperature and load changes during a load cycle. A PC BASIC computer program to perform the calculations was developed and will be included in the next edition of the IEEE Loading Guide for Mineral Oil Immersed Transformers     

Was there significant tax evasion after the 1999 50 cent per pack cigarette tax increase in California?

OBJECTIVES: Several states, including California, have implemented large cigarette excise tax increases, which may encourage smokers to purchase their cigarettes in other lower taxed states, or from other lower or non-taxed sources. Such tax evasion thwarts tobacco control objectives and may cost the state substantial tax revenues. Thus, this study investigates the extent of tax evasion in the 6-12 months after the implementation of California's 0.50 dollars/pack excise tax increase. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective data analysis from the 1999 California Tobacco Surveys (CTS), a random digit dialled telephone survey of California households. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sources of cigarettes, average daily cigarette consumption, and reported price paid. RESULTS: Very few (5.1 (0.7)% (+/-95% confidence limits)) of California smokers avoided the excise tax by usually purchasing cigarettes from non- or lower taxed sources, such as out-of-state outlets, military commissaries, or the internet. The vast majority of smokers purchased their cigarettes from the most convenient and expensive sources: convenience stores/gas (petrol) stations (45.0 (1.9)%), liquor/drug stores (16.4 (1.6)%), and supermarkets (8.8 (1.2)%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the potential savings, tax evasion by individual smokers does not appear to pose a serious threat to California's excise tax revenues or its tobacco control objectives.     

The perceived utility of human and automated aids in a visual detection task

Although increases in the use of automation have occurred across society, research has found that human operators often underutilize (disuse) and overly rely on (misuse) automated aids (R. Parasuraman & V. Riley, 1997). Nearly 275 Cameron University students participated in 1 of 3 experiments performed to examine the effects of perceived utility (M. T. Dzindolet, H. P. Beck, L. G. Pierce, & L. A. Dawe, 2001) on automation use in a visual detection task and to compare reliance on automated aids with reliance on humans. Results revealed a bias for human operators to rely on themselves. Although self-report data indicate a bias toward automated aids over human aids, performance data revealed that participants were more likely to disuse automated aids than to disuse human aids. This discrepancy was accounted for by assuming human operators have a "perfect automation" schema. Actual or potential applications of this research include the design of future automateddecision aids and training procedures for operators relying on such aids.     

Comparing end-user and intelligent remote control interface generation

Traditional remote controls typically allow users to activate functionality of a single device. Given that users activate a subset of functionality across devices to accomplish a particular task, it is attractive to consider a remote control directly supporting this behavior. We present qualitative and quantitative results from a study of two promising approaches creating such a remote control: end-user programming and machine learning. In general, results show that each approach possesses advantages and disadvantages, and that neither is optimal.     

Estrous cycle effects on operant responding for ethanol in female rats

Human females have been reported to be uniquely sensitive to the deleterious effects of ethanol, thus it is important to study the characteristics of and mechanisms underlying alcohol consumption that may be specific to females. Models of ethanol self-administration in female rats that take into consideration the estrous cycle have the potential to provide important information concerning these characteristics and mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of the cycle on ethanol self-administration using a limited access operant paradigm. Female Wistar rats were trained to lever press for 10% ethanol versus water using a saccharin fading procedure. Responses were examined across the four phases of the estrous cycle. No effects of estrous cycle phase were observed when these rats were allowed to cycle freely. Subsequently, estrous phase effects were investigated in females whose cycles had been synchronized. Under this condition, an effect of estrous phase was present, with lower ethanol intake observed in estrus (and in some cases proestrus). Synchronized rats all showed at least one very clear 4-day estrous cycle, whereas free-running rats' cycles ranged from 3 to 5 days. Thus, it is more likely that synchronized rats were tested in the identical portion of each phase, when hormone levels were less variable. These results suggest that ethanol may be more reinforcing during diestrus than proestrus and estrus in female rats.     

Expression, purification, and bioassay of human stanniocalcin from baculovirus-infected insect cells and recombinant CHO cells

Pustulosis palmoplantaris (PPP) is a common chronic skin disease, which is very resistant to treatment. It is not known why the lesions are located in the palms and soles. There are few studies of the disease and in particular studies of the histology. Fifty-nine patients with PPP answered a questionnaire concerning their medical history and 39 of them were clinically examined. Biopsy specimens were taken from involved skin in 22 of the 39 patients and studied immunohistologically for tryptase+ mast cells, EG2+ eosinophils, lipocalin+ neutrophils and CD3+ T lymphocytes. The sweat gland and sweat duct were visualized with AE1/AE3 antibody (cytokeratins 1-8, 10, 14/15, 16, 19). In addition to neutrophils in the pustule and lymphocytes in the upper dermis, there were also large numbers of mast cells and eosinophils in the subpustular area. Numerous eosinophils were present in the pustule. The epidermal part of the eccrine duct was not detectable in any of the specimens from patients with PPP but was present in all of the nine control persons (including two smokers). The results indicate that the acrosyringium is involved in the inflammation and also that mast cells and eosinophils participate in a hitherto unknown way. Of the 39 patients clinically examined, two had previously diagnosed thyroid disease and two had gluten hypersensitivity. Seventeen had one or several abnormal serum concentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone, thyroxin, antibodies against thyroglobulin or thyroperoxidase and 10 had immunoglobulin (Ig) A antibodies to gliadin. The mean +/- SD for serum IgA and for eosinophil cationic protein was increased. From the questionnaire the most notable finding was that 56 of the 59 patients had been or still were smokers, all of whom had started smoking before the first signs of PPP. We hypothesize that the acrosyringium might be the target for the inflammation and that PPP is linked to autoimmune thyroid disease and smoking.