The economic impact of uncertainties associated with energy-saving technologies

We will analyze the economic sensitivity of new energy-saving technologies to weather, future energy price, and system lifetime uncertainties. Graphical rate of return analysis is employed. A representative residential solar water heating investment is analyzed to illustrate the impact of uncertainties. The wide range of reasonable rates of return found suggests some considerations for policy makers and some areas of future research.     

Optimal control of auxiliary heating of passive-solar-heated buildings

Previous papers have demonstrated that low-cost off-peak electricity can be used to provide auxiliary heating for a passive-solar-heated residence. This paper describes the development of optimal control strategies for the operation of this auxiliary heating system. The temperature in the residence throughout the day as determined by computer simulation is presented for several optimal and conventional control strategies. The optimal control strategies improved the temperature control in the building compared to the conventional strategies. All strategies were shown to depend heavily on weather prediction. Computer simulations showed that errors in weather prediction had a small effect on heating cost and a large effect on being able to maintain the desired indoor temperature.     

Risk factors associated with recidivism among extrafamilial child molesters.

This study examined the predictive efficacy of 10 rationally derived, archivally coded variables for assessing reoffense risk among extrafamilial child molesters. Follow-up data on 111 child molesters who were discharged from the Massachusetts Treatment Center between 1960 and 1984 were used. Degree of sexual preoccupation with children, paraphilias, and number of prior sexual offenses predicted sexual recidivism. Juvenile and adult antisocial behavior, paraphilias, and low amount of contact with children predicted nonsexual victim-involved and violent recidivism. Area under the receiver-operating characteristic curves in all three analyses indicated discrimination that was substantially better than chance, ranging from .73 to .79. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Total transfer capability computation for multi-area power systems

This paper presents a method for multi-area power system total transfer capability (TTC) computation. This computation takes into account the limits on the line flows, bus voltage magnitude, generator reactive power, voltage stability, as well as the loss of line contingencies. The multi-area TTC problem is solved by using a network decomposition approach based on REI-type network equivalents. Each area uses REI equivalents of external areas to compute its TTC via the continuation power flow (CPF). The choice and updating procedure for the continuation parameter employed by the CPF is implemented in a distributed but coordinated manner. The proposed method leads to potential gains in the computational efficiency with limited data exchanges between areas. The developed procedure is successfully applied to the three-area IEEE 118-bus test system. Numerical comparisons between the integrated and the proposed multi-area solutions are presented for validation.     

"Does reward increase or decrease creativity?": Correction to Eisenberger and Selbst.

Reports an error in "Does reward increase or decrease creativity" by Robert Eisenberger and Michael Selbst (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1994[Jun], Vol 66[6], 1116-1127). In the aforementioned article, Figures 1 and 2 were interchanged. The figures appear with their correct captions in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 1994-40652-001.) Two studies involving 504 school children investigated why behaviorists and cognitively oriented investigators have come to opposite conclusions about reward's effects on creativity. A monetary reward for a high degree of divergent thought in 1 task (word construction) increased children's subsequent originality in a different task (picture drawing). The same reward, made contingent on a low degree of divergent thought, reduced this generalized originality. These effects were eliminated by using a large reward and were restored by keeping the large reward out of the children's sight. The results suggest that reward training increases generalized creativity when (1) a high degree of divergent thought is required and (2) the reward is presented in not too salient a fashion. The findings are consistent with a 2-factor interpretation of rewarded creativity effects that incorporates learned industriousness and selective attention. [A correction concerning this article appears in Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 1994(Jul), Vol 67(1), 125. Figures 1 and 2 were interchanged.] (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Similarity, interactive activation, and mapping.

The question of "What makes things seem similar?" is important both for the pivotal role of similarity in theories of cognition and for an intrinsic interest in how people make comparisons. Similarity frequently involves more than listing the features of the things to be compared and comparing the lists for overlap. Often, the parts of one thing must be aligned or placed in correspondence with the parts of the other. The quantitative model with the best overall fit to human data assumes an interactive activation process whereby correspondences between the parts of compared things mutually and concurrently influence each other. An essential aspect of this model is that matching and mismatching features influence similarity more if they belong to parts that are placed in correspondence. In turn, parts are placed in correspondence if they have many features in common and if they are consistent with other developing correspondences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Numerical methods for colorimetric calculations: Sampling density requirements

This article quantifies errors arising from various integration methods and from sampling density in the numerical estimation of colorimetric integrals, e.g., tristimulus values. Both data sampling density and various numerical integration method errors will be distinguished. A test is presented to quantify sampling interval requirements for accurate colorimetric calculations for various illuminants. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Monoalkyl Esters of Isoalkylphosphonic Acid as Extractants in Rare Earth Separation

Four monoalkyl esters of isoalkylphosphonic acids have been studied for the chromatographic separation ofrare earths (RE).The relationship between distribution ratios and acid concentration of the eluants forsamarium and ytterbium has been explored.The characteristics of these extractants loaded onto macroreticularpoly (methyl methacrylate) resin beads for the separation of lanthanum,cerium,praseodymium and neodymiumhave been compared.Among the extractants studied,mono(1-methylheptyl) ester of isooctylphosphonic acidwas found to be the best for RE separation.The acidity for separation is lower than any known P-containingextractants for the same purpose.For instance,with 1.73 mol·L~(-1) nitric acid as eluent,thulium,ytterbium andlutetium can be separated quantitatively.The extractant-loaded resins possess high column efficiency with goodkinetic characteristics.The extraction mechanism was also explored.     

Yodel: A Yield Stress Model for Suspensions

A model for the yield stress of particulate suspensions is presented that incorporates microstructural parameters taking into account volume fraction of solids, particle size, particle size distribution, maximum packing, percolation threshold, and interparticle forces. The model relates the interparticle forces between particles of dissimilar size and the statistical distribution of particle pairs expected for measured or log-normal size distributions. The model is tested on published data of sub-micron ceramic suspensions and represents the measured data very well, over a wide range of volume fractions of solids. The model shows the variation of the yield stress of particulate suspensions to be inversely proportional to the particle diameter. Not all the parameters in the model could be directly evaluated; thus, two were used as adjustable variables: the maximum packing fraction and the minimum interparticle separation distance. The values for these two adjustable variables provided by the model are in good agreement with separate determinations of these parameters. This indicates that the model and the approximations used in its derivation capture the main parameters that influence the yield stress of particulate suspensions and should help us to better predict changes in the rheological properties of complex suspensions. The model predicts the variation of the yield stress of particulate suspensions to be inversely proportional to the particle diameter, but the experimental results do not show a clear dependence on diameter. This result is consistent with previous evaluations, which have shown significant variations in this dependence, and the reasons behind the yield stress dependence on particle size are discussed in the context of the radius of curvature of particles at contact.