The Los Angeles Landlord-Tenant Court

In the City of Los Angeles, virtually nothing is being built at a rental level of $400 a month or less. Each month the city\u27s housing stock diminishes as the bottom end becomes so uninhabitable as to be unrentable. Another development is occurring at the other end of the housing spectrum, which also diminishes the amount of rental housing: each month a number of luxury-type apartments are converted to condominiums. Tenants must be given a first right to purchase, but the prices are often far beyond their reach

CFD SIMULATION OF A LIQUID-FLUIDIZED BED OF BINARY PARTICLES

The ability of computational fluid dynamics to predict the expansion and segregation of a binary solids mixture in a liquid-solid fluidized bed is investigated. Unsteady laminar flow is simulated by a modified two-dimensional Eulerian-Eulerian model in Fluent 6.3. The predictions are compared with experimental results for binary particles in the same narrow (1.00-1.18 mm) size range, but with different densities, 1600 and 1900 kg/m3, fluidized by water (1). The voidages and heights of two layers which form, each dominated by one particle species, were found to be sensitive to small changes in particle properties (diameter, density, sphericity), as well as temperature (because of its effect on the water viscosity). As a result, agreement between simulations and experimental results depends on several incompletely characterized factors. Temperature via the water viscosity greatly influences heights and volume fractions of the two layers. Allowing for non-spherical particle shapes is also crucial in reconciling predictions and experimental data

Investigation of Initial Fouling Rates of Calcium Sulfate Solutions under Non-Boiling Conditions (Work-in-Progress)

This study initiates an experimental investigation of how process variables such as temperature and velocity affect the initial precipitation fouling rate of the inverse solubility salt, calcium sulfate, under sensible heating conditions. The effect of fluid velocity and temperature on the delay time is also being measured

Volume Contraction in Liquid Fluidization of Binary Solids Mixtures

When liquid-fluidized particles of radically different sizes and densities mix, the serial (additive volume) model fails to predict the fluidized bed voidage due to contraction of the mixed bed relative to the volumetric sum of the corresponding monocomponent beds. Models are proposed to predict contraction reported in the literature for both upflow and downflow fluidization

Demonstration That Circulating 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D is Loosely Regulated in Normal Children

The effects of vitamin D, 2.5 mg (100,000 U)/d for 4 d, on serum calcium, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) and serum 1a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1a,25(OH)2D) were compared in 24 normal adults and 12 normal children. The daily dose of vitamin D was 1,500 U/kg body wt in children weighing \u3c45 kg. Vitamin D increased mean serum calcium from 9.5±0.1 to 9.8±0.1 mg/dl (P \u3c 0.05), increased mean serum phosphorus from 4.6±0.1 to 5.0±0.1 mg/dl (P \u3c 0.01), increased mean serum 25-OHD from 25±3 to 34±4 ng/ml (P \u3c 0.001), and increased mean serum 1a,25(OH)2D from 34±3 to 42±4 pg/ml (P \u3c 0.02) in children. In contrast, vitamin D increased mean serum 25-OHD from 18±2 to 39±6 ng/ml (P \u3c 0.001) and did not change mean serum calcium (9.4±0.1 vs. 9.5±0.1 mg/dl), mean serum phosphorus (4.0±0.1 vs. 4.1±0.1 mg/dl), or mean serum 1a,25(OH)2D (31±2 vs. 29±3 pg/ml) in adults. Mean serum 1a,25(OH)2D was significantly higher after vitamin D in children than in adults (P \u3c 0.02). These results provide evidence that circulating 1a,25(OH)2D is not as tightly regulated in children as it is in adults. This difference in regulation could account in part for the higher values for serum 1a,25(OH)2D observed in children

Flow Characteristics of Fully Wetted Binary Solid Mixtures in Gas Fluidized Beds with Inclined Gas Distributors

A unique gas-fluidized bed in which fluidization is enhanced by adding a little water has potential for soft abrasive washing of various products. Preliminary experiments were carried out for the washing of farm products. Gas fluidized beds of binary solids mixtures with inclined gas distributors provide hydrodynamic and mixing data assisting the design of dry and wet gas-fluidized beds

Research Methodology and Rural Economy in Northern Nigeria

SUMMARY The principles of methodology of a research project in Northern Nigeria involving the collection of both farm management and nutrition data are described. This was a study of breadth rather than depth and so clear decisions were made about what was to be collected on the basis of time costs. The use of ‘registered?non registered’, ‘continuous—one point’ and ‘data cores’ are described and discussed. From these follow the means of sample stratification using these principles. Some ideas for improving RRA are suggested. RESUMEN La metodología de investigación y la economía rural del norte de Nigeria Se describen los principios en que se basa la metodología de un proyecto de investigación en el norte de Nigeria, en el que se reunieron datos de información acerca de la administración de propiedades rurales y de las características de nutrición. Este estudio fue más extensivo que intensivo y, por esta razón, se pudieron tomar decisiones claras acerca de los datos a tomar en relación con el coste correspondiente al tiempo invertido. Se describe y analiza el empleo de las modalidades de ‘registrado/no registrado’, ‘continuo/un solo punto’ y ‘núcleos de datos’. De aquí se obtienen las medias correspondientes a la estratificación de muestras relativas a dichos principios. Se hacen algunas sugerencias para mejorar la Rápida Evaluación Rural. RESUME Méthodologie de la recherche et économie rurale au Nigéria du Nord Expose les principes de la méthodologie d'un projet de recherche au Nigeria du Nord comportant le recueil de données agricoles et alimentaires. Etude générale plutôt qu'en profondeur: des décisions ont dû être prises pour savoir quelles données réunir sur la base du coût. Description et discussion des données ‘enregistrées ou non enregistrées’, ‘continues ou ponctuelles’ et des nucléus de données’. D'oú d'écoulent les moyens de stratification des exemples recourant à ces principes. Quelques idées sont avancées pour l'amélioration de l'évaluation rurale rapide

Reinstated episodic context guides sampling-based decisions for reward.

How does experience inform decisions? In episodic sampling, decisions are guided by a few episodic memories of past choices. This process can yield choice patterns similar to model-free reinforcement learning; however, samples can vary from trial to trial, causing decisions to vary. Here we show that context retrieved during episodic sampling can cause choice behavior to deviate sharply from the predictions of reinforcement learning. Specifically, we show that, when a given memory is sampled, choices (in the present) are influenced by the properties of other decisions made in the same context as the sampled event. This effect is mediated by fMRI measures of context retrieval on each trial, suggesting a mechanism whereby cues trigger retrieval of context, which then triggers retrieval of other decisions from that context. This result establishes a new avenue by which experience can guide choice and, as such, has broad implications for the study of decisions