Measurement of the heat of fusion of titanium and a titanium alloy (90Ti-6Al-4V) by a microsecond-resolution transient technique

A microsecond-resolution pulse heating technique was used for the measurement of the heat of fusion of titanium and a titanium alloy (90Ti-6Al-4V). The method is based on rapid (50- to 100-s) resistive self-heating of the specimen by a high-current pulse from a capacitor discharge system and measuring, as functions of time, current through the specimen, voltage across the specimen, and radiance of the specimen. Melting of the specimen is manifested by a plateau in the measured radiance. The time integral of the net power absorbed by the specimen during melting yields the heat of fusion. The values obtained for heat of fusion were 272 J · g^–1 (13.0 kJ · mol^–1) for titanium and 286 J · g^–1 for the alloy 90Ti-6Al-4V, with an estimated maximum uncertainty of ±6% in each value.Paper presented at the Second Workshop on Subsecond Thermophysics, September 20–21, 1990, Torino, Italy.     

The social parameter of "learned" helplessness: Its recognition and implications.

Reexamines experiments on learned helplessness that have been interpreted previously as involving a solitary person experiencing uncontrollable and inescapable events. It is suggested that the belief that the outcomes are uncontrollable precludes the possibility that control of the outcomes can be transferred to the experimental Ss. An alternative interpretation is that the outcomes in learned helplessness experiments, rather than being uncontrollable, are controlled by the experimenter. Helplessness could be reduced by transferring this control to Ss, giving them control over their contingencies. This analysis has implications regarding both the accuracy of depressed people's perceptions and the desirability of making depressed people perceive an internal locus of control. It is further suggested that depressed people should have more control over their contingencies. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Transient testing of soy methyl ester fuels in an indirect injection,compression ignition engine

An evaluation of the exhaust emissions from a compression ignition engine for fuels composed of 100 and 30% methyl esters of soy oil (SME) is described. These fuels were compared with a low-sulfur, petroleum #2 diesel fuel in a Caterpillar 3304, prechamber, 75 kW diesel engine, operated over heavy- and light-duty transient test cycles developed by the United States Bureau of Mines. More than 60 h of testing was performed on each fuel. The objective was to determine the influence of the fuels upon diesel particulate matter (DPM) and gaseous emissions. The effect of a modern diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) also was determined in an effort to minimize emissions. Neat SME produced a higher volatile fraction of the DPM, but much less carbon soot fraction, leading to overall DPM reductions of 23 to 30% for the light- and heavy-duty transients. The DOC further reduced the volatile fraction and the total DPM. The SME fuel reduced gaseous emissions of CO by 23% and hydrocarbons by over 30% without increasing NO_x. The DOC further reduced CO and hydrocarbon levels. Mutagenicity of the SME exhaust was low. Results indicate that SME fuel, used with a proper DOC, may be a feasible emission reduction technology for underground mines. References to specific products do not imply endorsement by the U.S. Bureau of Mines, a now defunct agency.     

A biomechanical analysis of anterior load carriage

Front load carriage is a common occupational task in some industries (e.g. agriculture, construction), but, as compared to lifting tasks, relatively little research has been conducted on the biomechanical loading during these activities. The focus of this study was to explore the low back biomechanics during these activities and, specifically, to examine the effects of load height and walking speed on trunk muscle activity and trunk posture. Eleven male participants participated in two separate front load-carriage experiments. The first experiment called for carrying a barbell (with weight corresponding to 20% of elbow flexion strength) at three heights (knuckle height, elbow height and shoulder height) at a constant horizontal distance from the spine. The second experiment called for participants to carry a bucket of potatoes weighing 14 kg at the same three heights, but with no further restrictions in technique. In both experiments, the participants performed this task while either standing still or walking at a self-selected speed. As they performed these tasks, the activity levels of the right-side muscle of the rectus abdominis, external oblique, biceps brachii, anterior deltoid and three levels (T9, T12 and L3) of the erector spinae were sampled. Mid-sagittal plane trunk posture was also quantified using three magnetic field-based motion sensors at T9, T12 and L3. The results showed a significant effect of both walking speed and load height on trunk posture and trunk muscle activity levels in both the barbell and bucket experiments. In the barbell experiment, the walking trials generated 43% more trunk muscle activity than the standing trials. Trials at shoulder height produced 11% more muscle activity than trials at elbow height in the T9 erector spinae muscles and 71% more muscle activity in the anterior deltoid. In the bucket experiment, trunk muscle activity responded in a similar fashion, but the key result here was the quantification of the natural hyperextension posture of the spine used to balance the bucket of potatoes. These results provide insight into muscle activation patterns in dynamic settings, especially (load) carrying biomechanics, and have implications in industrial settings that require workers to carry loads in front of their bodies.     

Breeding goal traits accounting for feed intake capacity and roughage or concentrate intake separately

Current breeding tools aiming to improve feed efficiency use definitions based on total dry matter intake (DMI); for example, residual feed intake or feed saved. This research aimed to define alternative traits using existing data that differentiate between feed intake capacity and roughage or concentrate intake, and to investigate the phenotypic and genetic relationships among these traits. The data set contained 39,017 weekly milk yield, live weight, and DMI records of 3,164 cows. The 4 defined traits were as follows: (1) Feed intake capacity (FIC), defined as the difference between how much a cow ate and how much she was expected to eat based on diet satiety value and status of the cow (parity and lactation stage); (2) feed saved (FS), defined as the difference between the measured and the predicted DMI, based on the regression of DMI on milk components within experiment; (3) residual roughage intake (RRI), defined as the difference between the measured and the predicted roughage intake, based on the regression of roughage intake on milk components and concentrate intake within experiment; and (4) residual concentrate intake (RCI), defined as the difference between the measured and the predicted concentrate intake, based on the regression of concentrate intake on milk components and roughage intake within experiment. The phenotypic correlations were ?0.72 between FIC and FS, ?0.84 between FS and RRI, and ?0.53 between FS and RCI. Heritability of FIC, FS, RRI, and RCI were estimated to be 0.21, 0.12, 0.15, and 0.03, respectively. The genetic correlations were ?0.81 between FS and FIC, ?0.96 between FS and RRI, and ?0.25 between FS and RCI. Concentrate intake and RCI had low heritability. Genetic correlation between DMI and FIC was 0.98. Although the defined traits had moderate phenotypic correlations, the genetic correlations between DMI, FS, FIC, and RRI were above 0.79 (in absolute terms), suggesting that these traits are genetically similar. Therefore, selecting for FIC is expected to simply increase DMI and RRI, and there seems to be little advantage in separating concentrate and roughage intake in the genetic evaluation, because measured concentrate intake was determined by the feeding system in our data and not by the genetics of the cow.     

Rethinking Federal Housing Policy

Problem: Federal housing policy is made up of disparate programs that a) promote homeownership; b) assist low-income renters’ access to good-quality, affordable housing; and c) enforce the Fair Housing Act by combating residential discrimination. Some of these programs are ineffective, others have drifted from their initial purpose, and none are well coordinated with each other.

Purpose: We examine the trends, summarize the research evaluating the performance of these programs, and suggest steps to make them more effective and connected to each other.

Methods: We review the history of housing policy and programs and empirical studies of program effectiveness to identify a set of best principles and practices.

Results and conclusions: In the area of homeownership, we recommend that the federal government help the nation's housing markets quickly find bottom, privatize aspects of the secondary mortgage market, and move to eliminate the mortgage interest deduction and replace it with a 10-year homeownership tax credit. In the area of subsidized rental housing, we recommend that the current system of vouchers be regionalized (or alternatively, converted into an entitlement program that works through the income tax system), sell public housing projects to nonprofit sponsors where appropriate, and eliminate some of the rigidities in the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program. In the area of fair housing, we recommend that communities receiving Community Development Block Grants be required to implement inclusionary zoning programs.

Takeaway for practice: In general, we recommend that federal policy build on proven programs; focus on providing affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families and provide the funding to meet that goal; avoid grandiose and ideological ambitions and programs; use fewer and more coordinated programs; offer tax credits, not tax deductions; and promote residential filtering.

Research support: Partial funding support was provided by the National Science Foundation.     

Zero Risk Does Not Exist: Lessons Learned from Microbial Risk Assessment Related to Use of Water and Safety of Fresh Produce

Risk assessments related to use of water and safety of fresh produce originate from both water and food microbiology studies. Although the set‐up and methodology of risk assessment in these 2 disciplines may differ, analysis of the current literature reveals some common outcomes. Most of these studies from the water perspective focus on enteric virus risks, largely because of their anticipated high concentrations in untreated wastewater and their resistance to common wastewater treatments. Risk assessment studies from the food perspective, instead, focus mainly on bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella and pathogenic Escherichia coli. Few site‐specific data points were available for most of these microbial risk assessments, meaning that many assumptions were necessary, which are repeated in many studies. Specific parameters lacking hard data included rates of pathogen transfer from irrigation water to crops, pathogen penetration, and survival in or on food crops. Data on these factors have been investigated over the last decade and this should improve the reliability of future microbial risk estimates. However, the sheer number of different foodstuffs and pathogens, combined with water sources and irrigation practices, means that developing risk models that can span the breadth of fresh produce safety will be a considerable challenge. The new approach using microbial risk assessment is objective and evidence‐based and leads to more flexibility and enables more tailored risk management practices and guidelines. Drawbacks are, however, capacity and knowledge to perform the microbial risk assessment and the need for data and preferably data of the specific region.