\u3ci\u3eFast Times at Ridgemont High\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3ePorky’s\u3c/i\u3e: Gender Perspective in the Teen Comedy

This study examines gender representation in teen comedy with an emphasis on two films from the genre. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) was directed by a woman, Amy Heckerling. Porky’s (1981) was directed by a man, Bob Clark. This research reveals the different ways male and female directors portray teenage girls and encourages a re-evaluation of the values conveyed to young viewers when the perspective represented in Hollywood entertainment films is predominantly male

Parental Valuation of Charter Schools and Student Performance

This paper reports evidence that parental value of charter schools is primarily determined by the schools’ academically effectiveness. Data on the New Jersey charter schools indicate that not all charter schools are equally effective, measured by student test scores, or equally valued, measured by the number of students on their waiting list. The charter school value model estimates the effect of tests score, student demographics and school characteristics for both the charter school and the home district traditional public schools. The estimates indicate that the charter school test scores have the largest and most robust effect on the size of the waiting list. Neither the charter school students’ race or income nor traditional public school students’ test scores affect charter school parental value. Thus this research supports a basic tenet for competitive, market based public school improvement--parents choose academically effective schools.Charter Schools, School Choice

Mortgage Default Rates and Borrower Race

We estimate a mortgage default model with national data on conventional mortgages that were current from 1986 to 1992. Our analysis confirms the results of previous analyses of Federal Housing Authority mortgages: Black households have higher marginal default rates, controlling for differences in borrower and property characteristics. Further, we do not find that Black borrowers have significantly more home equity. These results do not provide evidence of racial discrimination in mortgage lending and suggest that differences in default costs or transaction costs may explain differences in default rates.

Development of stable low-electroosmotic mobility coatings

Long-time rinsings of the Z6040-methlycellulose coating used successfully on the ASTP MA=011 experiment indicate the permanency of this coating is inadequate for continuous flowing systems. Two approaches are described for developing coatings which are stable under continuous fluid movement and which exhibit finite and predictable electroosmotic mobility values while being effective on different types of surfaces, such as glass, plastics, and ceramic alumina, such as is currently used as the electrophoresis channel in the GE-SPAR-CPE apparatus. The surface charge modification of polystyrene latex, especially by protein absorption, to be used as model materials for ground-based electrophoresis experiments, and the preliminary work directed towards the seeded polymerization of large-particle-size monodisperse latexes in a microgravity environment are discussed

The Effects of County Population Diversity on Contributions, Membership, and Adherents in the Presbyterian Religion and on Adherence in Mainline Protestant Religions

In this research we use data from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 2005-2007 to study the effects of race and ethnic diversity in the county on religious membership and religious giving in Presbyterian congregations. We also use data from the Religious Congregations Membership Study 2000 to study the effects of race and ethnic diversity in the county on religious adherence in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and in other mainline Protestant denominations. We have found that the percent of the county population non white is positively and significantly related to contributions per member by Presbyterians and to membership in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) at the congregation level and at the county level in multivariate statistical models. We have also found these results to hold at the county level for religious adherence in mainline Protestant denominations. These results are at odds with the view that increases in population diversity at the county level may lead to a decline in religious participation.religious membership, religious giving, population diversity, social capital

Electrophoresis experiment for space

The Apollo 16 electrophoresis experiment was analyzed, demonstrating that the separation of the two different-size monodisperse latexes did indeed take place, but that the separation was obscured by the pronounced electroosmotic flow of the liquid medium. The results of this experiment, however, were dramatic since it is impossible to carry out a similar separation on earth. It can be stated unequivocally from this experiment that any electrophoretic separation will be enhanced under microgravity conditions. The only question is the degree of this enhancement, which can be expected to vary from one experimental technique to another. The low-electroosmotic-mobility coating (Z6040-MC) developed under this program was found to be suitable for a free-fluid electrophoretic separation such as the experiment designed for the ASTP flight. The problem with this coating, however, is that its permanency is limited because of the slow desorption of the methylcellulose from the coated surface

Evaluation of rotating-cylinder and piston-cylinder reactors for ground-based emulsion polymerization

The objectives of this program are to apply ground-based emulsion polymerization reactor technology to improve the production of: monodisperse latex particles for calibration standards, chromatographic separation column packing, and medical research; and commercial latexes such as those used for coatings, foams, and adhesives

Process for preparation of large-particle-size monodisperse latexes

Monodisperse latexes having a particle size in the range of 2 to 40 microns are prepared by seeded emulsion polymerization in microgravity. A reaction mixture containing smaller monodisperse latex seed particles, predetermined amounts of monomer, emulsifier, initiator, inhibitor and water is placed in a microgravity environment, and polymerization is initiated by heating. The reaction is allowed to continue until the seed particles grow to a predetermined size, and the resulting enlarged particles are then recovered. A plurality of particle-growing steps can be used to reach larger sizes within the stated range, with enlarge particles from the previous steps being used as seed particles for the succeeding steps. Microgravity enables preparation of particles in the stated size range by avoiding gravity related problems of creaming and settling, and flocculation induced by mechanical shear that have precluded their preparation in a normal gravity environment

Production of large-particle-size monodisperse latexes

The research program achieved two objectives: (1) it has refined and extended the experimental techniques for preparing monodisperse latexes in quantity on the ground up to a particle diameter of 10 microns; and (2) it has demonstrated that a microgravity environment can be used to grow monodisperse latexes to larger sizes, where the limitations in size have yet to be defined. The experimental development of the monodisperse latex reactor (MLR) and the seeded emulsion polymerizations carried out in the laboratory prototype of the flight hardware, as a function of the operational parameters is discussed. The emphasis is directed towards the measurement, interpretation, and modeling of the kinetics of seeded emulsion polymerization and successive seeded emulsion polymerization. The recipe development of seeded emulsion polymerization as a function of particle size is discussed. The equilibrium swelling of latex particles with monomers was investigated both theoretically and experimentally. Extensive studies are reported on both the type and concentration of initiators, surfactants, and inhibitors, which eventually led to the development of the flight recipes. The experimental results of the flight experiments are discussed, as well as the experimental development of inhibition of seeded emulsion polymerization in terms of time of inhibition and the effect of inhibitors on the kinetics of polymerization

Multiple Storm Event Impacts on Epikarst Storage and Transport of Organic Soil Amendments in South-central Kentucky

The groundwater in agricultural karst areas, such as Kentucky’s Pennyroyal Plateau, is susceptible to contamination from organic soil amendments and pesticides. During 2011, water samples and geochemical data were collected every four hours before, during, and between storm events from a waterfall in Crumps Cave from January to September to track the transport and residence time of epikarst water and organic soil amendments during variable fl ow conditions. Geochemical data consisting of pH, specific conductivity, temperature, and discharge were collected continuously at 10-minute intervals, along with rainfall amounts. The changes in geochemistry indicate simultaneous storage and transport of meteoric water through epikarst pathways into the cave, with rapid transport of bacteria occurring through the conduits that bypass storage. Results indicate current best management practices in agricultural karst areas need to be revisited to incorporate areas that do not have surface runoff but where contaminants are transported by seepage into local aquifers