Keeping our cool

Keeping our cool How air conditioning tamed temperatures in the great indoors

By Harry Sauer Jr. (sauer@umr,edu)

Humanity ' s quest for cool comfort has a long history. Even during the time of Christ, the Roman architect Vitruvius considered ventilation in his building plans. By the end of the 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci had built a ventilating fan. While these and other crude forms of "air conditioning" appeared centuries ago, air conditioning as we know it today had its real beg inning near the end of the 19th century. As the 20th century approached, engineers were starting to recognize the widespread implications of cooling systems.

One of the milestones for air conditioning took place at the 1904 SI. Louis World's Fair. Boston engineer Gardner Voorhees, who was initially in charge of the cooling plans for the World 's Fair, proposed an ambitious program to entice commercial participants to hook up to the fair's central refrigeration plant for airconditi oning purposes. But World 's Fair officials broke their contract with Voorhees, and hi s dream of coo ling the many restaurants, ex hibits and theaters was never realized, Fa irgoers , however, were treated to one ai rconditioned building, The State of Mi ssouri Building's rotunda and j ,ODD-seat auditorium were cooled using some 35,000 cfm (cubic feet per minute) of partially recirculated air. That air was cooled by direct expansion and delivered through mid-height wall registers, The installation proved impressive to fairgoers, many of whom experienced comfort cooling for the first time,

Before air conditionin g, life in America followed seasonal patterns determined by the weather. In many instances , factories, stores and theaters closed down on hot SUlllmer days. The more affl uent people fl ed the cities for mountain and seaside resorts, Low-tech solutions helped the less fortunate cope with the heat, (Con tinued on page J 7)

1904

Public debut of air conditioning at th e St. Louis World's Fair,

1906

Passenger compartments of Mississippi River steamboats are air cond iti on ed,

1928

Stuart W Cramer 1929/1930 co ins the term The U,S, House of "a ir conditioning," Representatives becomes air conditioned, fo llowed by the Senate (1929) and 1936 the White House (1930) A customized Cadi llac becomes the first air-conditioned car. ---\ United Air Lines uses 1946 air condi tioning in its After World War II , "three-m i I e-a-m i nute" demand for room air passenger planes, cond itioners increases; 30,000 produced,

1974

Air conditioners become first appliances labeled with energy consumption information,

1999

Stay Cooll Air Conditioning America exhibit opens at the National Build ing Museum in Washington, D,C,

1995

CFC production in the United States ends Dec. 31; ASHRAE celebrates its centennial.

Photo Source: Clevenger, Martha R, Ed itor. Indescribably Grand: Diaries and LeIters From the 1904 World's Fair, Missouri. 1996.Ryan, William and Guinness, Desmond. The White House: An Architectural HisIOlY. New York, 19BQ, Severns. WlillamH . and Fellows, Julian R. Air Condltionmg and Refrigeration. London, 1958.

MSM·UM R ALUMNUS I Winter 1999 15

The genetics revolution

By Ronald L. Frank (rfrank@umr.edu)

Identifying the 80,000 genes in the human genome, a goal of the sequencing project, will benefit the field of

medicine significantly. Genetic testing will allow earlier detection

of inherited diseases ...

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MSM·UMR ALUMNUS I Winlcr 1999

In 1990, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH ) jointl y presented to Congress the goals for the first fi ve years of a U.S. Human Genome Proj ect (HGP). This was the form al beginning to a IS-year project to determine the entire sequence of three billion bases in the human geneti c materi al - an undertaking so immense that it was compared to the lun ar landing project proposed in the earl y 60s. Like the moonshot project before it, the Human Genome Project was launched before the technology was ava il abl e to accomplish it, but with the ex pectation that advances in technology would come along in time to meet the deadl ine. The latest rev ised S-year pl an for the HGP has put the ex pected comp leti on date to 2003, two years before ori ginall y proposed.

We hear a lot about genomes ill the news, but what, exactl y, is a genome?

The molecule that contain s the informati on that is decoded into the human form is deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The informati on is contained in the sequence of the four subunits that compri se D NA , referred to as nucleotides, or bases, and designated A, G, T, or C. Human DNA has about three bill ion bases among 24 di fferent chromosomes (chromosomes I through 22, X and Y ). Short reg ions of the DNA (genes) govern spec ifi c fun ctions that resul t in outwa rd traits and characteri sti cs, such as eye color, bl ood ty pe and height. Humans are estimated to have around 80,000 genes. All of these genes, and the DNA between them on the chromosomes, constitu te the hum an genome.

The congressionall y approved and funded HGP is the name given to the U.S. effort ca rri ed out at th ree nati onal laboratori es, seven Genome Centers at uni versities, and several smaller genome research labs. Sequencing of the human genome is not exclusively an Ameri can endeavor, however. Thousands of researchers in dozens of countries will make significant contributions to the completion of the sequence. Many of these labs coordinate their effort through the Human Genome Orga ni zation (HUG O) whi ch was estab li shed before the U.S. effort was launched.

Identifying the 80,000 genes in the human genome, a goal of the sequencing project, will benefit the fi eld of medi cine signifi cantly. Geneti c testing will allow earlier detec ti on of inherited di sease or predi spositi ons to di seases. All di seases, inherited or not, adversely affect the normal fun cti on of particular genes. Research follow in g the HGP cou ld reveal these fu nd amental cellul ar effects and improve diagnosis as we ll as treatment of many diseases. Some treatments may even go as far as gene therapy, the restoration or repl acement of a nonfuncti onal gene in the patient. Gene therapy has already proven effecti ve in certain immune disorders and is in the research stage for cystic fi bros is and hemophilia.

More comp lete knowledge about an indi vidu al's genome will help surgeons match donors more closely fo r organ transpl ants. Many drugs ' side effects or their ineffecti veness ill some pati ents result from minor genetic differences am ong individuals. Know ledge of these vari ations will all ow physicians to prescribe drug regimens that are customized to the pa ti ent. Current forensic use of DNA for identifi cati on focuses on several va ri able regions of the human genome fo r compari son and relies heav il y on

probabilities and stati stics to convince. Potential use of the entire genome would resul t in absolute identification because no two individuals have identica l genomes (except identical twins). Benefits of the Jmow ledge gained from the HGP go far beyond these examples in medicine to fields as diverse as microbiology, archaeology, anthropology, agriculture, ri sk assessment, and bioprocessing.

The project's goals are not Limited to sequencing the genome and identifying genes. Federal funding prov ided for the establishment of a worki ng group to identify the ethical, legal, and social issues that are li kely to arise from this new knowledge. Additionally this group is expected to promote public discussion of these issues, help develop policies to deal with them, and promote education.

Concerns over the appropri ate use of genome information are not unfo unded. Who will decide if and when a person should be genetically tested fo r a disease that has a late onset or one that as yet has no treatment? Who should have access to an indi vidual's genetic information: insurance companies , employers, courts, the public? How will knowledge of one's own genetic differences affect an individual psychologicall y? A working group will deal with these issues and others that have yet to surface if we are to maximi ze the benefi ts of this knowledge and mini mize the negative effects.

For more information on the goals, benefits, progress, ethics and science of the HGP go to the Human Genome Project Information page (www.ornl .govfTechResources/ Human _ Genome/home. html).

Ronald L. Frank is an associate professor of biolog ical sciences at UMR.

Keeping our cool, continued from page 15

Houses and office buildings were designed to aid natural cooling, and people spent summer days and evenings on porches or fire escapes, near open fire hydrants or at the swimming hole.

Although comfort cooling was rarely applied to individual homes before 1920, it was already a steadily growi ng indusu-y, servi ng commercial and industrial markets. It made good business sense, too. Where air conditioning was used to facilitate manufacturing, workers were not onl y more comfortable but also more productive and less prone to absenteeism.

Comfort air conditioning soon made its way into motion picture theaters, and by the end of the 1920s hundreds of theaters throughout the counu'y had employed the relatively new technology.

After World Wau' II, comfort air conditioning had become affordable to the growing middle class American family. In the eau'ly 1950s, homeowners and house builders had several choices of cooling systems. Central air conditioning was available in either a combination heating and cooling unit or as a sepau'ate cooling unit. Another option was the window unit.

Since then, affordable air conditioning has been responsible, in large pau'!, for major shifts in the popu lation centers of the United States. The air conditioner's taming of hot and humid SUllUller conditions has led to the rapid growth of Sun Belt cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami , Las Yegas and Phoenix.

Beginning with the oil embargo of 1973, the air-conditioning field could no longer conduct business as us ual. Older methods of determi ning the size and performance of equipment were replaced by new, scientifically sound and computer-assisted design, sizing and selection procedures. The vau'iable air volume (YAY) rapidly became the most popular type of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HYAC) system for offices, hospitals and some school buildings. Although energy efficient, the YAY systems proved to have their own set of problems related to indoor air quality, sick-bui lding syndrome and building-related illness. Solutions to these problems au'e onl y now being reali zed.

A new exhi bit at the National Building Museum (www.nbm.org) in Washington, D.C., called Stay Cool! Air Conditioning America opened May 1, 1999, and will run through Jan. 2, 2000. Stay Cool! acknowledges the work of mechanical engineers, who, after a century of effort, have succeeded in creating artificial weather environments.

Harry Sauer Jr., ME'56, MS ME'58, is a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UMR and a Fellow of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.

MSM·UMR ALUMNUS I Winter 1999 17

Movies for the millennium

By James Bogan (jbogan@umr.edul

Since the initiation of the UMR Film Series in

1975, more than 700 films have been screened in

various venues on

campus. The series moved from Thursday nights to Tuesdays about 10 years ago, but the criteria for selection has

remained constant: the

best films to be had for

the money available that have not played Rolla.

I list, in no particular order, some of my favorites with no pretense to objectivity. Isn't watching a f ilm an intensely persona l experience? These are f ilms that I have gone back to agai n and again, and that have even

w ithstood the rigors of being taught.

DAYS OF HEAVEN (19781. directed by Terence Malick. with a fine performance by Sam Shepard. Visual poetry of tragic romance and of work on the plains with a voiceover narration at odds with what we are seeing happen. Film Noir: Howard Hawks' THE BIG SLEEP (19461, with Humphrey Bogart; TOUCH OF EVIL (19581, directed and starring Orson Welles; DETOUR (19451, the cheapest and best of the bunch; SCARLET STREET (19451, directed by Fritz Lang with Edward G. Robinsonl; DOUBLE INDEMNITY (19441. Almost all of Ingmar Bergman, especially SEVENTH SEAL (19561. PERSONA (19661. CRIES AND WHISPERS (19721. and FANNY AND ALEXANDER (19821 Almost al l of Federico Fel lini, especially THE NIGHTS OF CABIRIA (19571, FELLINI-SATYRICON (19691, and THE SHIP SAILS ON (19831. The documentary films of Les Blank: A WELL SPENT LIFE (19711. about blues singer Mance Lipscomb; BURDEN OF DREAMS (19821. simply the best film ever made about what it takes to make a film; and GARLIC IS AS GOOD AS TEN MOTHERS (19801. WALKABOUT (19711. directed by Nicholas Roeg, and set in the Australian outback with harrowing cinematography that brings out the clash of societies "primitive" and "modern.

APOCALYPSE NOW (19791. PLATOON (19861 and CASUALTIES OF WAR (19891 About half of the films of Robert Altman, including IMAGES (19721, MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER (19711. THE PLAYER (19921. GINGERBREAD MAN (19981 and NASHVILLE (19751 M*A*S*H (19701. with its overlapping dialogue, improvised scenes, realistic violence, and righteous satire signaled a new era in film, as CITIZEN KANE had three decades earl ier. Yes, CITIZEN KANE (19411 REAR WINDOW (195411 saw this Hitchcock film when I was nine and the next day went out and trailed a harmless old man all day waiting for him to commit a murder between a haircut and a beer, so I could report him. Who says films do not aHect behavior in children? In adults? Karel Reisz' THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN (19811 and Richard Rush's THE STUNTMAN (19801 are two pedagogica lly sound features that teach a lot about filmmaking whi le delighting the viewer with intricate plots of love and loss. All of Jacques Tati. Period. JOUR DE FETE (19481, MONSIEUR HULDT"S HOLIDAY (19531, PLAYTIME (19671. MON ONCLE (19581. TRAFFIC (19711. PARADE (19731 If you don't think these films are funny, try them again in 10 years.

HAROLD AND MAUDE (19711. directed by Hal Ashby with Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort. If you think you have a death wish, get it cured with this film. The three best musicals: SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (19521, Bob Fosse's ALL THAT JAZZ (19791. and Richard Lester's HARD DAY'S NIGHT (19641 Akira Kurosawa's DREAMS (19901. RAN (19851, IKURU (19521. etc. THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR (19811, one of Francois TruHaut's lesser known knockouts.

Roman Polanski's CHINATOWN (19741. What L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (19971 tried to be and was not.

Spike Lee's JUNGLE FEVER (19911. DO THE RIGHT THING (19891 and SHE'S GODA HAVE IT (19861 all balance nerve and cinematography.

Almost all of: Buster Keaton, especially THE GENERAL (19261; Charlie Chaplin, especially MODERN TIMES (19361; and Harold Lloyd, especially THE KID BROTHER (19271 Woody Allen in general, especially THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO (19851. All of the really independent John Sayles films, especially BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET (19841. and his books too, including LDS GUSANOS (19911 Wern er Herzog's provocatively weird films defy dismissal: THE MYSTERY OF KASPAR HAUSER, or: EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF AND GOD AGAINST ALL (19751 is a good place to start.

BYE BYE BRAZIL (19801 and BLACK ORPHEUS (19591 are two great films of Brazil.

TOM BENTON 'S MISSOURI (19921 Directed by Frank Fillo and a UMR professor, Benton's drawling commentary and Bob Dyer's Missouri ballads are the soundtrack to this poetic exploration of the greatest mural of America's foremost muralist, available from the University of Missouri System (on the Web at www.system.missouri.edu/Benton/I. (I warned you that this li st was subjective.1 Some of the Marx Brothers fi lms: DUCK SOUP (19331. A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (19351. HORSE FEATHERS (19321. Jane Campion 's THE PIANO (19931 and AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE (19901 won't go away. DEAD MAN (19951, directed by Jim Jarmusch, is the Tibetan Book of the Dead done as an American Western, with Johnny Depp playing notorious gunslinger William Blake. Experi mental pieces of James Broughton and Van McElwee. Broughton: LOONY TOM THE HAPPY LOVER (19511. THE BED (19681. THE GOLDEN POSITIONS (19701. THE PLEASURE GARDEN (19531, THE GARDENER OF EDEN with Joel Singer (19811. McElwee: SPACE SPLICE (19941. FOLDED FOLLIES (19931. RADIO ISLAND (19971, LUXOR (19981. And don't forget: BASIC FILM TERMS: A VISUAL DICTIONARY (19701. MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (19741; Cl int Eastwood's THE UNFORGIVEN (19921; RED RIVER (19481; Chevy Chase's VACATIO N movies; THE HEIRESS (19491; TENDER MERCIES (19841; SHADOWS OF FORGODEN ANCESTORS (19641; COLD FEVER (19941; BLADE RUNNER (19821; DR . STRANGELOVE (19641; THE GRADUATE (19671; BOX OF MOONLIGHT (19961; MIAMI BLUES (19901; COLD COMFORT FARM (19961; SHALL WE DANCE (19951 and counting . Add your favorites to the list along with any UMR Film Series memories and send them to me at jbogan@umr.edu.

James Bogan is a Distingui shed Teaching Professor of art and film atUMR.

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MSM-UM R ALUMNUS ! Winlcr 1999