Understanding Why Universal Service Obligations May Be Unnecessary: The Private Development of Local Internet Access Markets

This study analyzes the geographic spread of commercial Internet Service Providers (ISPs), the leading suppliers of Internet access. The geographic spread of ISPs is a key consideration in U.S. policy for universal access. We examine the Fall of 1998, a time of minimal government subsidy, when inexpensive access was synonymous with a local telephone call to an ISP. Population size and location in a metropolitan statistical area were the single most important determinants of entry, but their effects on national, regional and local firms differed, especially on the margin. The thresholds for entry were remarkably low for local firms. Universal service in less densely-populated areas was largely a function of investment decisions by ISPs with local focus. There was little trace of the early imprint of government subsidies for Internet access at major U.S. universities.Internet; Universal service; Geographic diffusion; Telecommunications

Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals\u27 Interpretations of Obama\u27s 2020 Educational Goals

Utilizing qualitative methodology, participants\u27 perceptions were examined to understand midlevel professionals\u27 and their interpretations and understandings of Obama\u27s 2020 Educational Goals utilized by the six participants. Through conducting one-on-one interviews with mid-level professionals at a Community College and Four-Year College, it was found that participants had some knowledge of Obama\u27s Goals. Participant\u27s found that Obama\u27s Goals play a huge factor in Financial Aid, Accountability, Retention, and Access for students who chose to pursue a degree in higher education. Participants recommended further professional development to become better assets to their department and the students they serve, educate students about Financial Aid assistance, and further accountability from the government, between departments, and for each other. Recommendations for Student Affairs Professionals were provided to gain insight for future research and ways mid-level professionals can continue to become more aware of governmental regulations and laws they deal with on a day to day basis

Observations of the tapered element oscillating microbalance as compared to a gravimetric method for particulate matter measurement

A direct comparison has been made between a tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) and the traditional gravimetric filter method designed per 40 CFR §1065.145. A repeatability test, consisting of multiple emission tests, was also performed for the TEOM system that shows that the TEOM was a consistent instrument. The TEOM was also tested with and without a diesel particular filter (DPF) during an 8-mode test on a 1997/1998 Kubota 2.2L engine to see if the concentration of the particular matter (PM) flowing through the TEOM has an effect on accuracy. The flow rate was varied to find the optimal setting using the Federal Test Procedure (FTP) run on a 1992 Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine. The comparison to the gravimetric experiment was conducted over 30 runs using the FTP for a 2004 Cummins ISX heavy-duty diesel engine. The TEOM system was found to consistently report a total particulate matter measurement of an average of 25.7% less than that of the gravimetric filter method. During the DPF experiment it was shown that the TEOM had a 3%, 7%, 13%, 18%, 4%, 14%, 15%, and 59% less percent difference for modes 1 through 8 respectively while the engine was without the DPF compared to the DPF equipped engine. When the flow rates were varied, it was found that 2.0Lpm was the optimum setup with an average percent error of 9.68% and a coefficient of variation of 1.43%. The problems that are present in the TEOM system include inaccurate real time data because the setup was susceptible to vibrations during heavy acceleration, an increased accuracy with an increased surface area of the filter due to a buildup of PM, and a deficiency in obtaining all of the particles in a sample for an accurate calculation of total PM. An examination of the increased accuracy because of the clogged filter, which decreases the flow rate and increases the filter surface area, is conducted to show an optimal value for either has yet to be achieved. It was found that as the flow across the filter decreased, the average percent error went from 27.9% while the flow across the filter was a constant 2.0Lpm to an average of 22.4% while the flow decreased from 2.0 to 1.5Lpm

The Effects of Rancid Milk on Cheddar Cheese

One of the most serious defects .of fluid milk is hydrolytic rancidity. Although not a new problem, recent practices in the dairy industry have increased its incidence. On the farm, the use of pipeline milking and transferring systems, in conjunction with bulk cooling and storage, involves excessive agitation and foaming of the raw milk. Both agitation and foaming enhance the development of rancidity. Additional agitation occurs when milk is pumped into storage silos, and pumped about the plant f or processing. Dairy processing facilities are becoming more centralized. Hence, raw milk must be transported longer distances to the dairy plants. Also 9 milk is often collected from the farm on alternate days. This results in longer time intervals between milking and processing, hence there is more time for rancidity to develop. Consequently, milk is frequently near to having rancid flavor by the time it reaches the dairy plant (77). The rapidly growing cheese industry in the United States now utilizes a quarter of the nation\u27s milk supply (53). Over 1.8 billion kg of cheese were sold in 1980, which is a 53% increase from 10 years earlier (53). Per capita sales of American cheese (primarily cheddar) rose from 3.1 kg to 4.1 kg in the same 10 year period (53). Since both cheddar cheese production and the incidence of rancid milk is increasing, it must be concluded that increasing amounts of cheddar cheese are being manufactured from rancid milk. This raises the questions of how great is the frequency and what are the types of defects in cheddar cheese due to rancid milk. Deleterious results may include flavor and body defects, lowered yields, and undesired compositional changes. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of milk rancidity on the yields, composition, curing, and organoleptic quality of cheddar cheese manufactured from rancid milk. Since these factor s are involved in the per unit cost of making the product, as well as affecting acceptability of cheese by consumers, an additional objective was to provide managers in the cheese industry with information concerning necessity of a higher quality milk supply. The managers can then make proper decisions to assure better quality, such as education of patrons, drivers, and plant workers, and the use of penalties or premiums in payment based on the degree of rancidity in farm milk

Increasing the Corrosion Protection of AISI 1008 Carbon Steel by Surface Treatment with Unmodified and Benzotriazole Modified Sol-Gel Films

The corrosion performance of sol-gel coated AISI 1008 carbon steel was investigated in 3.5 wt% NaCl solutions of pH 7, 9, and 12 using electrochemical measurements. A corrosion inhibitor, benzotriazole (BTA) was added to the sol-gel mixture and tested as a second, modified sol-gel coating. Sol-gel films adhered evenly to metal samples and were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) showed an increase in polarization resistance from blank to sol-gel coated samples (600-18,800,000 ohms). Cyclic polarization (CPP) curves showed positive hysteresis loops for blank and unmodified sol-gel coated samples which increased at high pH following the backward potential scan, suggesting destruction to the passive film and pitting corrosion. The hysteresis loops after the addition of BTA followed an opposite trend. CPP also confirmed a lower corrosion current density and more positive corrosion potential for sol-gel films (avg: 0.0019 μA/cm2 and 94.7 mV/SCE for BTA modified sol-gel film) vs. blank samples (avg: 94.7 μA/cm2 and -540 mV/SCE). While unmodified sol-gel films slightly increased corrosion protection of AISI 1008 carbon steel, BTA modified sol-gel coated carbon steel exhibited the highest protection by far, obtaining an average corrosion rate of 0.000022 mm/yr, nearly three orders of magnitude lower than blank samples

QUICK - RELEASE END EFFECTOR TOOL INTERFACE

The various embodiments herein relate to a coupling apparatus for a medical device having a coupler body, a cavity defined in the coupler body, a rotatable drive component disposed within the cavity and having at least two pin receiving openings, and an actuable locking ring disposed around the cavity