Integrating Ethics & Engineering: A Graduate Option in Systems Engineering,Ethics, and Technology Studies

This paper describes an engineering graduate option in Systems Engineering designed to overcome some of the effects of specialization and compartmentalization by building a link between technical and ethical training. Students in this option produce case studies that emphasize ethical issues in the design process. The goal of the program is to turn out ethical professionals who are able to reflect on the moral implications of technology. The proposed approach uses realistic or real‐hypothetical hybrid case studies as a type of vicarious mentoring, and, when supplemented with readings in ethical theory and codes, may serve as a starting point for a deeper understanding of behavioral dilemmas. The developers of this approach are a multi‐disciplinary team from the Engineering School and the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia. The paper describes how the graduate option is structured and provides data on student outcomes.     

Rorschachbound: A 50-year memoir.

Originally introduced into America in the early 1920s, the Rorschach attracted students from many disciplines who revolted against the "trait" psychology that pervaded the psychological scene at the time. For 30 yrs, Rorschach students enthusiastically viewed the technique as a global method that could study the human personality as a whole and in depth. In the late 1960s, the Rorschach was challenged because of repeated failures in validating research, and interest declined in its development and application. Since 1970, however, it has emerged with more strength and vigor and on firmer theoretical foundations and sounder methodology. Greater prominence must be given to clinically oriented research, notably to the idiographic and interactional aspects of the method, so that the Rorschach can reach its ultimate goal of complete scientific validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experience with the locking nail (author''s transl)

Although difficult, recurrent forms of pterygium are seldom seen in central Europe, they cause considerable therapeutic problems because they cannot be cured by simple dissection and conjunctivoplasty. A useful method of treatment in these cases is the marginal, lamellar keratoplasty, which, according to the type of involvement, can take the shape of a sector, ring, horseshoe, or semicircle. If the pterygium is extensive and affects the center of the cornea, a subtotal, lamellar keratoplasty can be performed. The rate of recurrence in the group of 35 lamellar keratoplasties which we performed amounted to a satisfactory 31%. Only rarely did a pronounced astigmatism cause a decrease in the visual acuity postoperatively. Essential for the success of the procedures are exact surgical techniques and local use of atropine and cortison postoperatively. Just as with other surgical procedures, however, the lamellar keratoplasty cannot be considered the perfect method for all pterygiums.     

Authenticity, Colonialism, and the Struggle with Modernity

Puerto Rico's architectural legacy and struggle with modernity is found in the confrontation between the colonial period and the recent past. This conflict is revealed in the plan to replace the modernist icon, the Hotel La Concha in San Juan, with a revivalist "Hispanic" complex. In spite of the latter supposedly being more "Puerto Rican," it is the modern building from the recent past, rather than the new revival model, that is truly authentic. The proposed development copies an invented style imposed by the United States on the island after its conquest one hundred years ago. However, rather than acknowledging the presence of architecture built by the Spanish in Puerto Rico, the project revives the architecture of American colonization.     

The extreme eigenvalues and stability of real symmetric intervalmatrices

A novel Khoritonov-like algorithm for computing the minimal and maximal eigenvalues of n×n dimensional symmetric interval matrices is presented. It is proved that the maximal eigenvalue of a given set of interval matrices coincides with the maximal eigenvalue of a special set of 2^n-1 symmetric vertex matrices, whereas its minimal eigenvalue coincides with the minimal of another special set of 2^n-1 symmetric vertex matrices. As immediate corollaries of this algorithm, weak necessary and sufficient conditions for testing the Hurwitz and Schur stability of symmetric interval matrices, where one has to test the stability of 2^n-1 and 2ⁿ symmetric vertex matrices, respectively, are obtained     

Thermodynamic data for calcium-based alloys from a new galvanic method

A new galvanic method is used for measuring the Gibbs energies of formation of alkaline earth based alloys which were neither studied by classical electrochemical cells, nor by any other method. Direct elaboration of alloys is made by cathodic polarization of pin point electrode. Application to (Al, Ca), (Ag, Ca), (Ca,Cu), (Au, Ca) alloys is given.     

Herpes gestationis. A clinicopathologic study

Herpes gestationis is a pruritic, blistering eruption of pregnancy and the puerperium. In three patients with immunologically verified disease, the clinical presentation consisted of widespread erythematous, edematous papules and plaques, grouped vesicles on erythematous bases, and tense bullae. Histologically, these lesions showed a moderately dense, mixed-inflammatory cell infiltrate around superficial and deep dermal blood vessels, and focal necrosis of epidermal basal cells. Papillary dermal edema, subepidermal bullae, and spongiosis were prominent. Eosinophils were frequently present in the subepidermal and intrepidermal vesicles. Differentiation of herpes gestationis from other blistering diseases and other dermatitides of pregnancy may be difficult.