Screening demand-side management programs with a value-based test

A value-based test is presented for economic screening of electric utility demand-side management (DSM) programs. The widely used least cost test is valid if the programs do not alter the amount or value of energy services provided to customers. But, in general, DSM programs have such effects and, as a result, the value consumers receive is changed. A more general economic efficiency test, the most value test, provides a practical method for considering the effects of DSM on customer value. The version presented allows for multiple load periods and can account for rate impacts on several customer classes. Four typical DSM programs are evaluated as illustrations     

Compulsory notification of cysticercosis in Ribeir?o Preto-SP, Brazil

Cysticercosis is a severe public health problem in several regions of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Epidemiologic studies based on the frequency of cases observed in specialized neurology, neurosurgery and computed tomography services, at autopsy and in seroepidemiologic studies do not permit the determination of the true prevalence of the disease in the population. The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of cysticercosis by compulsory notification. The coefficient of prevalence was 54 cases/100,000 inhabitants in the municipality of Ribeir?o Preto. The results also indicated that cysticercosis is not under control in our region since 21% of cases presented the active form of the disease. Compulsory notification proved to be a valuable resource for the epidemiologic study of cysticercosis, also permitting the mapping of more affected areas for a better direction of prevention strategies.     

Patterns of DSM-III-R alcohol dependence symptom progression in a general population survey

Age of onset reports obtained retrospectively for each symptom of DSM-III-R alcohol dependence (AD) are used to study patterns of lifetime symptom progression in a large general-population survey of people in the United States. It is shown that symptom progression among a substantial majority of respondents can be summarized as movement across three clusters. Cluster A is defined by symptoms of role impairment/hazardous use (A4), use despite social, psychological or physical problems (A6), and drinking larger amounts or over a longer period of time than intended (A1). Cluster B is defined by tolerance (A7) and impaired control (A2, A3). Cluster C is defined by withdrawal (A8, A9) and giving up activities in order to drink (A5). Clusters are shown to follow a time sequence, with at least one symptom in Cluster A usually occurring first, followed by symptoms in Clusters B and C. In all, 83.4% of the symptom cluster transitions estimated from retrospective age of onset reports are consistent with this progression. Progression to AD is differentially predicted by symptom profiles reported at the age of first symptom onset, with persons reporting Cluster C symptoms most likely to progress subsequently to AD. Furthermore, profiles of AD defined by the highest symptom cluster present at AD onset are differentially predicted by prior personal and parental histories of psychopathology and, among men, are predictive of diagnosis persistence.     

The morphology of rigid-rod polymers and molecular composites resulting from coagulation processing

The effects of processing conditions on the morphology of molecular composite films are examined by optical and electron microscopy. During coagulation processing from solutions in methanesulfonic acid (MSA), rigid-rod polymer, such as poly(p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole) (PBO), phase separates into undesirable aggregates. The coagulant and the method of its introduction have been found to exert a strong impact on the final film morphology. A quench of a PBO solution in MSA into a water bath results in a three dimensional interconnected network of PBO, while a slower introduction of water results in a more amorphous material. A computer simulation program of the coagulation process has been developed to better understand the different structures emerging from coagulation processing of molecular composites. The simulation results are in qualitative agreement with the experimental observations.     

Military tobacco use: a synthesis of the literature on prevalence, factors related to use, and cessation interventions

Tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable morbidity and premature death in the United States. As a result, military leaders are recognizing that tobacco can adversely affect military fitness levels, deployment readiness, and safety and can increase health care costs. Yet military members continue to use tobacco. Tobacco may be viewed as part of the military culture since military members have used tobacco for many decades for pleasure, comfort, and currency and as a morale booster. Most recently, the military has seen an increase in tobacco use among young military members. A number of research studies have examined the prevalence of tobacco and factors related to use in the military, and several have evaluated cessation and prevention interventions. This article provides a brief historical perspective of military tobacco use in the 20th century and a critical review of the literature published between 1991 and 2006 describing prevalence of tobacco use, factors influencing use, and cessation interventions in the military. Recommendations for future research and for interventions are provided.     

Lipid damage in farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) after slaughtering and chilled storage

The flow ice system including ozone (OFI condition) was tested for slaughtering and storage (up to 16 days) of farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Lipid damage analyses were carried out and compared to sensory acceptance and instrumental colour changes. Comparison to individuals processed with the flow ice system in the absence of ozone (FI condition) was undertaken. Rainbow trout slaughtered and chilled under FI and OFI conditions showed a low lipid damage development, according to lipid oxidation and hydrolysis events and lipid composition (polyunsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids and endogenous antioxidants) changes. Additionally, both icing conditions led to largely good quality and shelf life times and to the absence of changes in colour properties. It is concluded that flow ice as such, or including the presence of ozone, can be considered as ideal strategy to be employed as slaughtering and storage system during the commercialisation of the actual farmed species. The ozone presence has shown some profitable effects as leading to an extended shelf life time by quality retention of several sensory parameters; in contrast, some negligible negative effects could be observed on the secondary and tertiary lipid oxidation development. However, the oxidation values reached by individuals kept under OFI conditions cannot be considered as particularly high.     

Determination of the viremia threshold for dental cross-infection in a mouse model

An animal model of dental virus transmission was developed using the lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) of mice to study cross infection. Mouse-to-mouse cross-infection was carried out by scaling the teeth of LDV-infected donor mice with dental instruments, immediately prior to using the contaminated instruments on the teeth of recipient indicator mice. The level of donor viremia was found to correlate with the rate of virus cross-infection, with a viremia threshold level of 10(7.5) ID50/ml observed for dental cross-infection. The blood volume transferred during dental cross-infection was approximately 10(-4) to 10(-5) ml, demonstrating the inefficiency of virus cross-infection, since deposition of about 1000 virions on dental instruments was associated with the threshold limit. Virus transferred during dental cross-infection rapidly entered the blood circulation, showing that dental cross-infection was not dependent on an oral infection. The results from these model studies predict the general inefficiency of dental instrument virus cross-infection, and a further reduced likelihood of dental cross-infection with appropriately cleaned instruments.     

A comparative study of human skin thermal response to sapphirecontact and cryogen spray cooling

Surface cooling, in conjunction with various thermally mediated therapeutic procedures, can provide a means to protect superficial tissues from injury while achieving destruction of deeper targeted structures. We have investigated the thermal response of in-vivo human skin to: (1) contact cooling with a sapphire window (6-12°C); and (2) spray cooling with a freon substitute cryogen [tetrafluoroethane; boiling point ≈-26°C at 1 atmospheric pressure (atm)]. Measurements utilizing infrared radiometry show surface temperature reductions from 30°C to 14-19°C are obtained within approximately is in response to sapphire contact cooling. Surface temperature reductions to values between 5°C and -9°C are obtained in response to 20-100-ms cryogen spurts. Computational results, based on fitting the measured radiometric surface temperature to estimate heat transfer parameters, show: (1) temperature reductions remain localized to approximately 200 μm of superficial tissue; and (2) values of heat flux and total energy removed per unit skin surface area at least doubled when using cryogen spray cooling