Program document for Energy Systems Optimization Program 2 (ESOP2). Volume 1: Engineering manual

The Energy Systems Optimization Program, which is used to provide analyses of Modular Integrated Utility Systems (MIUS), is discussed. Modifications to the input format to allow modular inputs in specified blocks of data are described. An optimization feature which enables the program to search automatically for the minimum value of one parameter while varying the value of other parameters is reported. New program option flags for prime mover analyses and solar energy for space heating and domestic hot water are also covered

Pediatric liver transplantation from neonatal donors

Sixteen recipients of neonatal liver grafts were compared with 114 contemporaneous pediatric recipients of grafts from older donors. Graft and patient survival were worse in the neonatal group although the differences were not statistically significant. Patients with neonatal livers who had no technical complications required a longer time postoperatively to correct jaundice and a prolonged prothrombin time. These functional differences were limited to the 1st postoperative month and the end result was the same as with liver transplantation from older donors. © 1992 Springer-Verlag

“True fan = watch match”? In Search of the ‘Authentic’ Soccer Fan.

Academics have created typologies to divide association football (soccer) fans into categories based upon the assumed ‘authenticity’ of their fandom practices. One of the main requirements of ‘authentic’ fandom has been assumed to be match attendance. The goal of this paper was to critically assess this assumption through considering how fans themselves talk about the significance of match attendance as evidence of ‘authentic’ fandom. In light of the fact that the voices of English non-league fans on the ‘authenticity’ debate have so far been overshadowed by the overbearing focus of much previous research on the upper echelons of English soccer, an e-survey was conducted with 151 members of an online community of fans of English Northern League (NL) clubs (a semi-professional / amateur league based in North East England). Findings revealed that opinion was divided on the constituents of ‘authentic’ fandom and match attendance was not deemed to be the core evidence of support for a club by 42% of the sample. Elias (1978) suggested that dichotomous thinking hinders sociological understanding and it is concluded that fan typologies are not sufficient for assessing the ‘authenticity’ of fan activities

Data assimilation in a multi-scale model

Data assimilation for multi-scale models is an important contemporary research topic. Especially the role of unresolved scales and model error in data assimilation needs to be systematically addressed. Here we examine these issues using the Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) with the two-level Lorenz-96 model as a conceptual prototype model of the multi-scale climate system. We use stochastic parameterization schemes to mitigate the model errors from the unresolved scales. Our results indicate that a third-order autoregressive process performs better than a first-order autoregressive process in the stochastic parameterization schemes, especially for the system with a large time-scale separation.Model errors can also arise from imprecise model parameters. We find that the accuracy of the analysis (an optimal estimate of a model state) is linearly correlated to the forcing error in the Lorenz-96 model. Furthermore, we propose novel observation strategies to deal with the fact that the dimension of the observations is much smaller than the model states. We also propose a new analog method to increase the size of the ensemble when its size is too small

Four-H leadership inservice training needs of Tennessee County Extension Agents

In this study the self-perceived training needs of Tennessee County Extension Agents were compared with the training needs as per-ceived by the district supervisors in the areas of adult and junior leadership training. Factors considered in this study were: (1) super-visory district, (2) sex, (3) percent of time devoted to 4-H work, and (4) years of tenure with the Tennessee Extension Service. Questionnaires were completed by 345 Tennessee county Extension agents and by 15 district supervisors on 11 adult and 6 junior leader-ship training needs. The data collection instrument was developed by The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Education Department in collaboration with the 4-H Department and the 1969-70 Committee on 4-H Inservice Training Needs. The part of the questionnaire which was used in the study dealt with how well-trained the agents considered themselves to be in the areas of adult and junior leadership training. Also, district super-visors indicated how well-trained they felt their agents were as a whole on each of the adult and junior leadership items. The agents and super-visors were asked to indicate three priority training needs to be chosen from the entire survey. Data obtained from the completed questionnaire were tabulated according to a weighted value basis. Average ratings were calculated. Numbers and percents were calculated separately in certain categories. Percentages were based on the total number responding to each item. Findings disclosed that the district supervisors gave lower ratings for their agents on all adult and junior leadership training items than the county Extension agents gave themselves. In all cases the men and women district supervisors\u27 ratings of their agents in the areas of adult and junior leadership training were more similar than different. The data indicated that there was only a slight degree of disagreement concerning the self-perceived adult and junior leadership training needs when the county Extension agents were compared on district and sex bases. However, with respect to junior leadership training the men agents more frequently rated themselves not very” well-trained than did the women agents. The 0 to 25 percent of time devoted to 4-H group more frequently ranked both adult and junior leadership training needs as being more critical than was true for the 25 to 75 percent” or the “75 through 100 percent groups. The data indicated little difference in training needs of agents in the areas of adult and junior leadership training needs on the basis of tenure with the Tennessee Extension Service. The district supervisors\u27 perception of the agents\u27 priority training needs indicated that the supervisors, in general, selected more priority needs in the adult leadership training area than agents selected in this area. On the other hand, the county Extension agents felt that the junior leadership priority needs were of greater importance than did the district supervisors. The data indicated that, as the percent of time devoted to 4-H work increased, so did the proportion of agents indicating adult leadership priority needs. Recommendations for use of the findings and for further study were made

Towards a model for measuring holistic performance of professional Football clubs

This paper introduces an experimental model to measure the holistic performance of professional football clubs. The model utilizes a selection of established financial and sporting indicators, which are weighted in accordance with their perceived relative importance and in relation to components of financial management and governing body regulations. The paper uses data pertaining to clubs competing in the English Premier League to demonstrate the outputs of the model. The authors argue that although the model is experimental, it still provides a useful platform to analyse performance of football clubs through further scientific investigation

A Study of the Influence of Birth Order and Other Variables on Student Perceptions of School Effectiveness in a Southwestern Michigan County

Problem. There is an increasing demand for quality education. In his initiative for education reform, U.S. President George W. Bush promoted the concept of no child left behind, in which he calls for more accountability. It is useful to examine student perceptions of how well the education system functions. Instead of a monolithic view, their perceptions were analyzed by birth order, gender, and ethnicity. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent student perceptions differed by their birth order, gender, and ethnicity. Method. This study utilized a 4 x 2 x 2 (birth order by gender by ethnicity) factorial design with a survey as the method for data collection. The instrument used in collection of data was the School Effective Questionnaire (SEQ). It is an instrument consisting of 48 items on school effectiveness to which 412 respondents used a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1, strongly disagree, to 5, strongly agree, to evaluate their schools. The instrument has seven scales. The statistical analysis was performed using a 4 x 2 x 2 ANOVA. Results. The results of this study indicated that birth order was not a significant discriminating factor. There was no significant difference in student perceptions on any of the seven dimensions in this study based on birth order. The one small exception was on the dimension, maximum opportunities for learning for African American females. Firstborn African American females had significantly higher mean scores than the last-born counterparts. There was a slight increase in the number of variables with significant difference between males and females. Males had a significantly higher mean than females on the dimension, positive school climate. On the dimension, maximum opportunities for learning, middle-born and last-born males had significantly higher means than middle-born and last-bom females. On five of the seven dimensions, Caucasians had significantly higher mean scores than African Americans. Even though African Americans had higher mean scores than Caucasians on the dimension, emphasis on basic skills, it was not significant. Conclusions. Birth order was not a significant factor in this study, except in one small sector of the population. Gender, as an independent variable, was more discriminating than birth order, but did not overwhelmingly influence student perceptions. Ethnicity, as the literature suggested, played the greatest role in influencing student perceptions