Brokerage Intermediation in the Commercial Property Market

This study is one of the first to investigate brokerage intermediation effects in the income producing commercial property market. Employing multifamily sales data from the Atlanta and Phoenix markets under alternative brokerage specifications, little evidence to support the existence of systematic, differential transaction pricing outcomes due to the presence of brokers is found. The results suggest that the existence of brokerage intermediation effects is likely minimal in commercial markets that are relatively transparent, that have participants who are knowledgeable, and where value and price are typically determined based on a property’s income generating capacity.

Performance of two transferred modules in the Lagunera Region: Water relations

Water policy / Performance / Privatization / Irrigation systems / Operations / Maintenance / Irrigation efficiency / Water users' associations / Water rights / Water allocation / Water supply / Water distribution

The NASA/MSFC global reference atmospheric model: 1990 version (GRAM-90). Part 1: Technical/users manual

A technical description of the NASA/MSFC Global Reference Atmospheric Model 1990 version (GRAM-90) is presented with emphasis on the additions and new user's manual descriptions of the program operation aspects of the revised model. Some sample results for the new middle atmosphere section and comparisons with results from a three dimensional circulation model are provided. A programmer's manual with more details for those wishing to make their own GRAM program adaptations is also presented

The NASA/MSFC global reference atmospheric model: 1990 version (GRAM-90). Part 2: Program/data listings

A new (1990) version of the NASA/MSFC Global Reference Atmospheric Model (GRAM-90) was completed and the program and key data base listing are presented. GRAM-90 incorporate extensive new data, mostly collected under the Middle Atmosphere Program, to produce a completely revised middle atmosphere model (20 to 120 km). At altitudes greater than 120 km, GRAM-90 uses the NASA Marshall Engineering Thermosphere model. Complete listings of all program and major data bases are presented. Also, a test case is included

An experimental technique for performing 3-D LDA measurements inside whirling annular seals

During the last several years, the Fluid Mechanics Division of the Turbomachinery Laboratory at Texas A&M University has developed a rather unique facility with the experimental capability for measuring the flow field inside journal bearings, labyrinth seals, and annular seals. The facility consists of a specially designed 3-D LDA system which is capable of measuring the instantaneous velocity vector within 0.2 mm of a wall while the laser beams are aligned almost perpendicular to the wall. This capability was required to measure the flow field inside journal bearings, labyrinth seals, and annular seals. A detailed description of this facility along with some representative results obtained for a whirling annular seal are presented

Exploring the Chemical Composition and Double Horizontal Branch of the Bulge Globular Cluster NGC 6569

Photometric and spectroscopic analyses have shown that the Galactic bulge cluster Terzan 5 hosts several populations with different metallicities and ages that manifest as a double red horizontal branch (HB). A recent investigation of the massive bulge cluster NGC 6569 revealed a similar, though less extended, HB luminosity split, but little is known about the cluster's detailed chemical composition. Therefore, we have used high-resolution spectra from the Magellan-M2FS and VLT-FLAMES spectrographs to investigate the chemical compositions and radial velocity distributions of red giant branch and HB stars in NGC 6569. We found the cluster to have a mean heliocentric radial velocity of -48.8 km/s (sigma = 5.3 km/s; 148 stars) and a mean [Fe/H] =-0.87 dex (19 stars), but the cluster's 0.05 dex [Fe/H] dispersion precludes a significant metallicity spread. NGC 6569 exhibits light- and heavy-element distributions that are common among old bulge/inner Galaxy globular clusters, including clear (anti)correlations between [O/Fe], [Na/Fe], and [Al/Fe]. The light-element data suggest that NGC 6569 may be composed of at least two distinct populations, and the cluster's low mean [La/Eu] = -0.11 dex indicates significant pollution with r-process material. We confirm that both HBs contain cluster members, but metallicity and light-element variations are largely ruled out as sources for the luminosity difference. However, He mass fraction differences as small as delta Y ~ 0.02 cannot be ruled out and may be sufficient to reproduce the double HB.Comment: 72 pages, 14 figures, 8 tables; published in The Astronomical Journal; electronic versions of all tables are available in the published versio

Current Trends in Texas Charge Practice: Preservation of Error and Broad-Form Use.

Over the years Texas appellate courts have been wrestling with two overwhelming charge issues—charge preservation of error and broad-form use. Since the charge is the controlling document the jury uses to decide the factual issues of the case, it is of extreme importance. Before a party can complain on appeal about charge errors, the error must be preserved at trial. The Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (TRCP) have a certain set of procedures for preservation of charge error. The Texas Supreme Court amended charge preservation of error practice in State Department of Highways & Public Transportation v. Payne. In the years since, the Texas courts of review have been inconsistent in applying charge preservation of error. There are two general types of charge error: errors of omission and errors of commission. When there is a question, instruction or definition which should be included in the charge, but was not, there is an error of omission. When there is a question, instruction or definition in the charge, but it is incorrect, there is an error of commission. Conversely, under broad-form practice, questions are drafted generally and include most or all elements. Furthermore, much of the charge is contained in instructions to the general questions. Basically, the jury is asked to find conclusions without having to agree on specific facts. There are two looming issues in current Texas charge practice—preservation of error and broad-form use. At present, the TRCP generally mandates objections to be used to preserve incorrect questions, definitions and instructions within the jury charge. Whereas written requests will preserve erroneous omissions from the charge. The confusion stems from the unpredictable ways the courts have interpreted these rules. The most logical option to remedy the existing inconsistencies is to adopt new charge preservation of error rules

Current Trends in Texas Charge Practice: Preservation of Error and Broad-Form Use.

Over the years Texas appellate courts have been wrestling with two overwhelming charge issues—charge preservation of error and broad-form use. Since the charge is the controlling document the jury uses to decide the factual issues of the case, it is of extreme importance. Before a party can complain on appeal about charge errors, the error must be preserved at trial. The Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (TRCP) have a certain set of procedures for preservation of charge error. The Texas Supreme Court amended charge preservation of error practice in State Department of Highways & Public Transportation v. Payne. In the years since, the Texas courts of review have been inconsistent in applying charge preservation of error. There are two general types of charge error: errors of omission and errors of commission. When there is a question, instruction or definition which should be included in the charge, but was not, there is an error of omission. When there is a question, instruction or definition in the charge, but it is incorrect, there is an error of commission. Conversely, under broad-form practice, questions are drafted generally and include most or all elements. Furthermore, much of the charge is contained in instructions to the general questions. Basically, the jury is asked to find conclusions without having to agree on specific facts. There are two looming issues in current Texas charge practice—preservation of error and broad-form use. At present, the TRCP generally mandates objections to be used to preserve incorrect questions, definitions and instructions within the jury charge. Whereas written requests will preserve erroneous omissions from the charge. The confusion stems from the unpredictable ways the courts have interpreted these rules. The most logical option to remedy the existing inconsistencies is to adopt new charge preservation of error rules

Integrating Through-Wafer Interconnects with Active Devices and Circuits

Through wafer interconnects (TWIs) enable vertical stacking of integrated circuit chips in a single package. A complete process to fabricate TWIs has been developed and demonstrated using blank test wafers. The next step in integrating this technology into 3D microelectronic packaging is the demonstration of TWIs on wafers with preexisting microcircuitry. The circuitry must be electrically accessible from the backside of the wafer utilizing the TWIs; the electrical performance of the circuitry must be unchanged as a result of the TWI processing; and the processing must be as cost effective as possible. With these three goals in mind, several options for creating TWIs were considered. This paper explores the various processing options and describes in detail, the final process flow that was selected for testing, the accompanying masks that were designed, the actual processing of the wafers, and the electrical test results