One could argue that the long-standing controversy over the relative merits of the median and mean is something of a touchstone of early statistics. The touchstone of medieval alchemy was basonite, a variety of quartz used to test the purity of gold alloys ; striking an alloy against the surface of the stone revealed the quality of the alloy by the color of the mark left on the stone. Likewise,...

Contained in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 is a provision that could greatly affect Medicaid's signature child health coverage standard, embodied since 1967 in the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit. Whether the core child health and developmental principles that have been EPSDT's touchstone for four decades will continue to guide Medicaid depends on whet...

About the Cover: Research reported in this issue demonstrates that a previously unrecognized chemistry may be responsible for the formation of aqueous colloidal buckminsterfullerene (nC60), a touchstone system in environmental studies of engineered nanomaterials. This image depicts 30 nanometer diameter nC60 clusters with a 41% surface coverage of C60O, formed by reaction with trace atmospheric...

In the first edition of Adam Smith's Wealth Nations, published in London 1776, ‘by same author’ list is presented a very unusual place: directly opposite table contents. That placement suggests continuity and unity works. A photograph provides touchstone to discuss: (a) Language essay, (b) full title The Theory Moral Sentiments, (c) Nations under ethical umbrella Sentiments.

The book is divided into three parts, A, B, and C. The first part describes the CPE and discusses prevention of cancer and chronic disease as well as the CPE programme in British Columbia, “the touchstone” for the book. The second part moves on to describe five programmes in North Karelia, Northern Ireland, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Manitoba. Comparison between these programmes and British ...