National Scientific Facilities and Their Science Impact on Non-Biomedical Research

H-index, proposed by Hirsch is a good indicator of the impact of a scientist's research. When evaluating departments, institutions or labs, the importance of h-index can be further enhanced when properly calibrated for size. Particularly acute is the issue of federally funded facilities whose number of actively publishing scientists frequently dwarfs that of academic departments. Recently Molinari and Molinari developed a methodology that shows the h-index has a universal growth rate for large numbers of papers, allowing for meaningful comparisons between institutions. An additional challenge when comparing large institutions is that fields have distinct internal cultures, with different typical rates of publication and citation; biology is more highly cited than physics, which is more highly cited than engineering. For this reason, this study has focused on the physical sciences, engineering, and technology, and has excluded bio-medical research. Comparisons between individual disciplines are reported here to provide contextual framework. Generally, it was found that the universal growth rate of Molinari and Molinari holds well across all the categories considered, testifying to the robustness of both their growth law and our results. The overall goal here is to set the highest standard of comparison for federal investment in science; comparisons are made with the nations preeminent private and public institutions. We find that many among the national facilities compare favorably in research impact with the nations leading universities.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figure

Low redshift star-forming galaxies: What can they teach us about primeval galaxies?

The analysis of the UV plus optical spectra of three star-forming galaxies, Mrk 496, Mrk 357, TOL1924-416, obtained by matching the size of the optical aperture with that of IUE, has given unexpected results. These can be summarized as follows: (1) the dereddened Ly(alpha)/H(beta) ratios are consistent with the prediction of case B recombination for nebular emission, within the uncertainties; (2) the decrease of the Ly(alpha)/H(beta) ratio with increasing metallicities is not confirmed in our three objects, although the sample is too small to consider this result definitive. The first result is surprising, mainly because at least the two Markarian galaxies have a large enough H1 content to markedly increase the optical depth for the Ly(alpha) photons and to trigger their absorption by dust. This finding can probably be explained as an effect of the inhomogeneous distribution of gas and dust within the galaxies. On the basis of these results, we conclude that the detection of the Ly(alpha) emission line in searching for primeval galaxies (PG's) can be still considered a valid technique

Development of a KSC test and flight engineering oriented computer language, Phase 1

Ten, primarily test oriented, computer languages reviewed during the phase 1 study effort are described. Fifty characteristics of ATOLL, ATLAS, and CLASP are compared. Unique characteristics of the other languages, including deficiencies, problems, safeguards, and checking provisions are identified. Programming aids related to these languages are reported, and the conclusions resulting from this phase of the study are discussed. A glossary and bibliography are included. For the reports on phase 2 of the study, see N71-35027 and N71-35029

EXPERIMENTAL PANEL FLUTTER RESULTS FOR SOME FLAT AND CURVED TITANIUM SKIN PANELS AT SUPERSONIC SPEEDS

Panel flutter results for flat and curved titanium skin panels at supersonic spee

Examining Construct Stability Across Career Stage Cohorts

The purpose of this study is to evaluate construct stability of the same certification test taken at different points in a test taker\u27s career, taking into account changes is experience over time. A single medical certification exam administration was used to analyze the construct stability of the certification exam across testing cohorts at varied stages in their medical careers. The Rasch model was used for item analysis to calibrate the difficulty hierarchy of the exam items for each cohort. Correlations between the item difficulty hierarchies for each cohort supported the overall construct stability of the certification exam. Individual item function for each cohort was analyzed through a differential item functioning (DIF) procedure, which showed less than 5% overall DIF, again supporting the construct stability of the examination. The support for the stability of the construct measured by the exam is a necessary condition in the process establishing the validity of the exam, making the information in this study valuable for a variety of testing implications

Interview with Charles Kinney by Diane Dewhirst

Biographical NoteCharles Ludlow Kinney was born in Parksburg, West Virginia, on May 31, 1952. His father, David Whittemore Kinney, was born in Malden, Massachusetts, and his mother was also a Parksburg native. His parents met in the hospital during World War II; Charles is the third of four children. He grew up in Parksburg and was graduated from Georgetown University with a major in foreign service. He worked for Senator Byrd in the Senate Democratic Cloakroom in January of 1974. He was offered a position as a member of the floor staff for then Majority Leader Senator Byrd after taking the bar exam in 1979. When Senator Byrd left the position of majority leader to become chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee in 1988, Kinney was offered a position on his staff. At the same time, the newly appointed majority leader, George Mitchell, offered him a position as a floor staffer, and he assumed that post until 1993. He eventually joined the Washington, DC, law firm Winston & Strawn. SummaryInterview includes discussion of: the Senate in the 1970s; working for Senator Byrd; George Mitchell’s working as an aide for Muskie; Democratic Policy Committee 1979; George Mitchell’s nomination to Muskie’s seat; Mitchell’s becoming majority leader in 1988; working as a floor staffer for Majority Leaders Robert Byrd and George Mitchell; the Republican Party; bipartisan friendships that Mitchell enjoyed during his Senate career; Bob Dole; the Clean Air Act; and Mitchell’s character

Predictors of Patient Activation at ACS Hospital Discharge and Health Care Utilization in the Subsequent Year

Background. AHA guidelines have been established to reduce Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)-related morbidity, mortality and recurrent events post-discharge. These recommendations emphasize the patient as an engaged member of the health care team in secondary prevention efforts. Patients with high levels of activation are more likely to perform activities that will promote their own health and are more likely to have their health care needs met. Despite evidence and strong expert consensus supporting patients as active collaborators in their own ACS care, the complexity and unexpected realities of self-managing one’s care at home are often underestimated. This study seeks to examine the correlates of patient activation at hospital discharge and then identifies activation trajectories in this same cohort in subsequent months. Lastly, this study examines the association between patient activation and health care utilization in the year subsequent to an ACS event. Methods. This study incorporates three aims: Aim 1, identification of the correlates of low patient activation post-discharge; Aim 2, identification of patient activation trajectories among this same cohort in the months following hospitalization; and Aim 3, examination of the association between patient activation and health utilization, post-discharge. Results. Fifty-nine percent of ACS patients identified as being at the lowest two activation stages at the time of hospital discharge. Perceived stress (pidentified post-discharge: low, stable (T1), high, sharp decline (T2), and sharp improvement (T3). The majority of patients (67%) identified as being in T1. Those patients of older age (OR: 2.22; CI 1.4- 3.5), identifying as Black in race (OR: 2.14: CI 1.1- 4.3), and reporting moderate/high perceived stress (OR: 2.54: CI 1.4- 4.5) had increased odds of being in the low, stable trajectory. The bivariate analysis indicated a significant association (P=0.008) between low patient activation and self-reported hospital readmissions in the months following discharge. In the final model, moderate to severe depression (OR: 1.60; CI 1.1- 2.3) was the strongest predictor of readmissions in the 12 months subsequent to discharge. Conclusions: Patients reported low activation at hospital discharge after an ACS event indicated that these patients were not prepared to take an active role in their own care. Correlates of low activation at discharge include moderate to high perceived stress, depression, and low social support. Furthermore, in the months following hospital discharge, the majority of these patients followed either a low/stable or a sharp decline activation trajectory. Hence, these results suggest that over time patients feel less and less confident to take an active role in self-management. Lastly, we found that patient activation may impact healthcare utilization in the year subsequent to hospital discharge, although patient self-reported depression appears to be the strongest predictor of utilization in the subsequent year. Future research is needed to better understand the relationship(s) among patient activation, depression, and health care utilization

The Spectral Energy Distribution of Normal, Starburst and Active Galaxies

We present the results of an extensive literature search of multiwavelength data for a sample of 59 galaxies, consisting of 26 Starbursts, 15 Seyfert 2's, 5 LINER's, 6 normal spirals and 7 normal elliptical galaxies. The data include soft X-ray fluxes, ultraviolet and optical spectra, near, mid/far infrared photometry and radio measurements, selected to match as closely as possible the IUE aperture (10" X 20"). The galaxies are separated into 6 groups with similar characteristics, namely, Ellipticals, Spirals, LINER's, Seyfert 2's, Starbursts of Low and High reddening, for which we create average spectral energy distributions (SED). The individual groups SED's are normalized to the $\lambda$7000\AA flux and compared, looking for similarities and differences among them.The bolometric fluxes of different types of galaxies were calculated integrating their SED's. These values are compared with individual waveband flux densities, in order to determine the wavebands which contribute most to the bolometric flux. Linear regressions were performed between the bolometric and individual band fluxes for each kind of galaxy. These fits can be used in the calculation of the bolometric flux for other objects of similar activity type, but with reduced waveband information. We have also collected multiwavelength data for 4 HII regions, a thermal supernova remnant, and a non-thermal supernova remnant (SNR), which are compared with the Starburst SED's.Comment: 29 pages, 13 postscript figures and 10 tables. To appear in The Astronomical Journa