cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Searching for Commercial Reasonableness Under the Revised Article 9

Under U.C.C. Article 9, a secured party selling repossessed collateral must conduct a commercially reasonable sale. Under the old Article 9, courts and commentators debated the question of whether the foreclosure sale process and its procedural regularity should measure the sale's commercial reasonableness or whether instead the main focus of inquiry should be the reasonableness of the proceeds produced by the sale. This question spawned conflicting and non-uniform judicial approaches, most simply described as the "procedures test" versus "proceeds test." In 2001 Article 9 was revised. The revisions included changes that addressed, but did not explicitly resolve, the question of whether courts should use a procedures test or a proceeds test to assess a sale's commercial reasonableness. The lack of clarity threatens to extend the old debate of procedures versus proceeds without end. To quash this threat, the Article makes three related arguments. First, it argues that revised Article 9 requires that a sale's commercial reasonableness be measured primarily by the sale's procedures rather than the amount of the proceeds; that a low price alone cannot render a procedurally regular sale unreasonable; and that price not is a "term" of commercial reasonableness that the secured party must prove using secondary source evidence of value and fair price. The Article also argues, however, that under revised Article 9's provisions, price's role in assessing commercial reasonableness is ambiguous. Given this ambiguity, price's role can and should be construed to retain an important but limited function in assessing the sale's commercial reasonableness. Second, the Article argues that with revised Article 9's adoption of the procedures test, the test's historical shortcomings take on a heightened importance. For revised Article 9's commercial reasonableness standard cum procedures test to have normative force, these shortcomings must be analyzed and addressed. Third, the Article makes various recommendations to address these shortcomings.
Assessing maintenance techniques and in-situ pavement conditions to restore hydraulic function of permeable interlocking concrete pavements.

Abstract Permeable pavements are increasingly implemented to mitigate the negative hydrologic outcomes associated with impervious surfaces. However, the hydraulic function of permeable pavements is hindered by clogging in their joint openings, and systematic maintenance is needed to ensure hydraulic functionality throughout the design lifespan of these systems. To quantify the effectiveness of various maintenance measures, surface infiltration rates (SIRs) were measured before and after five different maintenance techniques were applied to five permeable interlocking concrete pavements (PICPs) in central Ohio, USA. Three maintenance techniques, the Municipal Cleaning Vehicle (MCV), the Rejuvenater, and a pressure washer and the Rejuvenater performed in series, significantly improved median SIRs from 16 to 26, 5 to 106, and 11 to 37 mm/min, respectively. However, pressure washing alone resulted in no significant difference to PICP SIR (median SIRs increased from 8 to 20 mm/min). Regenerative air street sweeping significantly worsened SIRs when performed during wet weather (median SIRs decreased from 19 to 4 mm/min) but had no significant impact on SIRs during dry weather (median SIRs decreased from 21 to 18 mm/min). This work captured the maintenance effectiveness of two techniques for the first or second time, namely the Rejuvenater and MCV, to investigate their use as a suitable maintenance technique. Further, the maintenance techniques were tested on multiple PICPs, thus the effect of in-situ pavement conditions had on hydraulic improvement via maintenance could be addressed. Differences in general upkeep, traffic, and runoff routed to a PICP affected the depth of clogging below the pavement surface, which forestalled hydraulic improvement. Though shown to improve the SIR of PICP systems, results indicate that the maintenance techniques were not capable of restoring pavement hydraulics to initial conditions. These results demonstrate the need for regular, routine maintenance and topping up of joint aggregate before clogging migrates deeper into the pavement profile.
Ovarian Cancer modulates the immunosuppressive function of CD11b + Gr1 + myeloid cells via glutamine metabolism.

Abstract Objective Immature CD11b + Gr1+ myeloid cells that acquire immunosuppressive capability, also known as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), are a heterogeneous population of cells that regulate immune responses. Our study's objective was to elucidate the role of ovarian cancer microenvironment in regulating the immunosuppressive function of CD11b+Gr1+ myeloid cells. Methods All studies were performed using the intraperitoneal ID8 syngeneic epithelial ovarian cancer mouse model. Myeloid cell depletion and immunotherapy were carried out using anti-Gr1 mAb, gemcitabine treatments, and/or anti-PD1 mAb. The treatment effect was assessed by a survival curve, in situ luciferase-guided imaging, and histopathologic evaluation. Adoptive transfer assays were carried out between congenic CD45.2 and CD45.1 mice. Immune surface and intracellular markers were assessed by flow cytometry. ELISA, western blot, and RT-PCR techniques were employed to assess the protein and RNA expression of various markers. Bone marrow-derived myeloid cells were used for ex-vivo studies. Results The depletion of Gr1+ immunosuppressive myeloid cells alone and in combination with anti-PD1 immunotherapy inhibited ovarian cancer growth. In addition to the adoptive transfer studies, these findings validate the role of immunosuppressive CD11b+Gr1+ myeloid cells in promoting ovarian cancer. Mechanistic investigations showed that ID8 tumor cells and their microenvironments produced recruitment and regulatory factors for immunosuppressive CD11b+Gr1+ myeloid cells. CD11b+Gr1+ myeloid cells primed by ID8 tumors showed increased immunosuppressive marker expression and acquired an energetic metabolic phenotype promoted primarily by increased oxidative phosphorylation fueled by glutamine. Inhibiting the glutamine metabolic pathway reduced the increased oxidative phosphorylation and decreased immunosuppressive markers’ expression and function. Dihydrolipoamide succinyl transferase (DLST), a subunit of α-KGDC in the TCA cycle, was found to be the most significantly elevated gene in tumor-primed myeloid cells. The inhibition of DLST reduced oxidative phosphorylation, immunosuppressive marker expression and function in myeloid cells. Conclusion Our study shows that the ovarian cancer microenvironment can regulate the metabolism and function of immunosuppressive CD11b + Gr1+ myeloid cells and modulate its immune microenvironment. Targeting glutamine metabolism via DLST in immunosuppressive myeloid cells decreased their activity, leading to a reduction in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Thus, targeting glutamine metabolism has the potential to enhance the success of immunotherapy in ovarian cancer.
227-OR: Physical Activity and Glucose Control among Youth with T1D

Background: Challenges with exercise related glucose control in type 1 diabetes (T1D) may impact adherence to guidelines which recommend 60 minutes daily of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic activity for youth ages 6-17 years. We examined the association between physical activity and glucose control in youth with T1D. Methods: Interstitial glucose data from flash continuous glucose monitors (CGM, Abbott Diabetes Care’s Freestyle Libre Pro Flash Glucose Monitor) and physical activity data (Metria IH1 activity patch) were objectively measured. Data from 52 youth 9-17 years old with a median diabetes duration of 6 years (IQR: 3 to 8) and mean (±SD) HbA1c of 9.1 ± 1.5% were analyzed. Partial Pearson’s correlation coefficients adjusting for age, gender, and baseline HbA1c were used to assess the association between daily physical activity and glucose control; the primary analysis used a linear regression model adjusted for age, gender, and baseline HbA1c. Results: Participants with higher average energy expenditure, as measured by metabolic equivalent minutes (MET-min), on their active days had higher average % time in range (TIR: 70-180 mg/dL) in the 24 hours after exercise than participants with lower average MET-min on active days (p 180 mg/dL decreased with increased activity (p=0.002). Activity was significantly associated with lower mean glucose (p=0.02) without an increase in % time Conclusions: Among youth with T1D, objectively measured physical activity levels are associated with improved glucose control and decreased hyperglycemia. Use of biometric technology, such as activity trackers, may motivate youth to be more physically active, but integration with other diabetes-specific technologies, such as CGM and insulin pumps, may offer solutions for improved blood sugar management. Disclosure J. Gal: None. Z. Li: None. S. M. Willi: Advisory Panel; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Medtronic, Other Relationship; Self; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. M. Riddell: Advisory Panel; Self; Zealand Pharma A/S, Consultant; Self; Lilly Diabetes, Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc., Insulet Corporation, Speaker’s Bureau; Self; Novo Nordisk Inc., Sanofi, Stock/Shareholder; Self; Zucara Therapeutics Inc. Funding The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
Critical shoulder angle does not influence retear rate after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

The critical shoulder angle (CSA) has been implicated as a potential risk factor for failure following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR). However, there is conflicting evidence regarding the clinical usefulness of this measurement. Given these discrepancies and limited comparisons to clinical outcomes, the aim of the current study was to determine whether higher CSAs correlated with an increased retear rate after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and to determine if any association between CSA and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) exists. It was hypothesized that there would be no correlation between CSA and retear rate or PROs after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. A total of 164 patients who underwent arthroscopic RCR were retrospectively reviewed. CSA was measured for each patient. Patients were then divided into a retear group of 18 patients and a non-retear group of 146 patients. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs), including PROMIS 10 score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Brophy score, and visual analog pain scores (VAS) were recorded post-operatively. The average CSA was 31.2 ± 4.5° for the retear group and 32.2 ± 4.7° for the non-retear group (n.s.). No correlations were found between CSA and PROMIS score (n.s.), ASES score (n.s.), Brophy score (n.s.), or VAS (n.s.). Critical shoulder angle had no correlation to retear rate or patient-reported outcomes. CSA should not be used as a clinical predictor to assess rotator cuff retear risk after arthroscopic RCR. Level III.
Telephone vs. Video Visits During COVID-19: Safety-Net Provider Perspectives.

Objective To review the frequency as well as the pros and cons of telephone and video-enabled telemedicine during the first 9 months of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as experienced by safety net providers across New York State (NYS). Methods Analysis of visits to 36 community health centers (CHCs) in NYS by modality (telephone vs video) from February to November 2020. Semi-structured interviews with 25 primary care, behavioral health, and pediatric providers from 8 CHCs. Findings In the week following the NYS stay-at-home order, video and telephone visits rose from 3.4 and 0% of total visits to 14.9 and 22.3%. At its peak, more than 60% of visits were conducted via telemedicine (April 2020) before tapering off to about 30% of visits (August 2020). Providers expressed a strong preference for video visits, particularly for situations when visual assessments were needed. Yet, more visits were conducted over telephone than video at all points throughout the pandemic. Video-specific advantages included enhanced ability to engage patients and use of visual cues to get a comprehensive look into the patient's life, including social supports, hygiene, and medication adherence. Telephone presented unique benefits, including greater privacy, feasibility, and ease of use that make it critical to engage with key populations and as a backup for when video was not an option. Conclusions Despite challenges, providers reported positive experiences delivering care remotely using both telephone and video during the COVID-19 pandemic and believe both modalities are critical for enabling access to care in the safety net.
Environment and Behavior Studies

This chapter raises the question as to whether the now 25-year-old venture known as environment-behavior studies is or can ever be a distinctive “field” of study. In analyzing this issue, I will conclude that environment-behavior studies do not presently constitute a traditional “field” or “discipline.” However, this does not mean that scholars and practitioners who have devoted themselves to years of environment-behavior work have wasted their time nor should it discourage newcomers from investing their energies in this topic. There is much exciting work to be done and there are enormous opportunities for practical and conceptual creativity. Most important, I will argue that status as a “field” or “discipline” is ultimately less important than understanding who we are, why we do what we do, and the connections or gaps between scholars and practitioners adopting diverse perspectives. That is, if we are to make progress in understanding the richness of environment-behavior phenomena, we must come face-to-face with some fundamental philosophical assumptions about our research and action. To date we have not done so and this has resulted in rather disjointed, noncumulative, and somewhat incoherent bodies of knowledge, approaches to understanding, and conceptualizations about environment-behavior phenomena.
Corrected TOGA COARE Sounding Humidity Data: Impact on Diagnosed Properties of Convection and Climate over the Warm Pool

This study reports on the humidity corrections in the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Coupled Ocean‐Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE) upper-air sounding dataset and their impact on diagnosed properties of convection and climate over the warm pool. During COARE, sounding data were collected from 29 sites with Vaisala-manufactured systems and 13 sites with VIZ-manufactured systems. A recent publication has documented the characteristics of the humidity errors at the Vaisala sites and a procedure to correct them. This study extends that work by describing the nature of the VIZ humidity errors and their correction scheme. The corrections, which are largest in lower-tropospheric levels, generally increase the moisture in the Vaisala sondes and decrease it in the VIZ sondes. Use of the corrected humidity data gives a much different perspective on the characteristics of convection during COARE. For example, application of a simple cloud model shows that the peak in convective mass flux shifts from about 88N with the uncorrected data to just south of the equator with corrected data, which agrees better with the diagnosed vertical motion and observed rainfall. Also, with uncorrected data the difference in mean convective available potential energy (CAPE) between Vaisala and VIZ sites is over 700 J kg21; with the correction, both CAPEs are around ;1300 J kg21, which is consistent with a generally uniform warm pool SST field. These results suggest that the intensity and location of convection would differ significantly in model simulations with humidity-corrected data, and that the difficulties which the reanalysis products had in reproducing the observed rainfall during COARE may be due to the sonde humidity biases. The humidity-corrected data appear to have a beneficial impact on budget-derived estimates of rainfall and radiative heating rate, such that revised estimates show better agreement with those from independent sources.
A review of Biological Assumptions Underlying Fishery Assessment Models

This paper presents a review of fishery assessment models commonly used in the management of marine fisheries. In our review particular attention is paid to underlying biological and technical assumptions, both implicit and explicit. We also discuss the development of important fishery assessment models and their various levels of complexity from a historical perspective. The models reviewed include production models, dynamic pool models, sequential population assessment models (VPA and/or cohort analysis), spawner-recruit models, and simulation models. Each model is described in terms of management objectives, information needs, mathematical formulation, assumptions, advantages and disadvantages. The practical utility of a model from a stock assessment and/or management perspective is also discussed.
Horizontally acquired DAP pathway as a unit of self‐regulation

In this study, we report the acquisition of the diaminopimelic acid (DAP) pathway of lysine biosynthesis in choanoflagellate Monosiga brevicollis and investigate how this pathway is incorporated and regulated in the established metabolic network. Our data show that all major genes related to the DAP pathway in Monosiga were acquired from bacteria and algae. Although an endogenous lysC exists in Monosiga, the newly acquired lysC is fused to lysA and used specifically for lysine biosynthesis. In addition, these acquired genes encode two key rate-limiting enzymes, thus conferring Monosiga a self-regulated unit with ability to generate lysine. Our data suggest that a newly acquired metabolic capability can be added to the recipient organism without disturbing the previously established metabolic network. This finding also implies that the biochemical system of the recipient organism may determine the type and function of genes to be acquired.
Can One Justify Morality To Fooles

L'A. souleve le probleme de la necessaire justification de la morale par la philosophie, sous peine de tomber dans le relativisme ethique ou l'amoralisme. Par consequent, l'A. se demande comment et dans quelle mesure la philosophie (et plus precisement la tradition rationaliste) peut apporter une justification du devoir moral
Morphological differentiation of embryonic rat sympathetic neurons in tissue culture. I. Conditions under which neurons form axons but not dendrites.

We have examined the morphology of fetal rat sympathetic neurons grown in serum-free medium in the absence of nonneuronal cells. Because cell density can affect phenotypic expression in vitro, the morphological analysis was subdivided into the study of isolated neurons (neurons whose somata were at least 150 μm from their nearest neighbor) and of more highly aggregated neurons. When isolated neurons were injected with intracellular markers, it was found that most (79%) had a single process emanating from their somata and that this unipolar state persisted for at least 8 weeks in vitro. The processes of unipolar sympathetic neurons had the appearance of axons in that they were thin and long, had a constant diameter, and were relatively unbranched. Cytochemical methods revealed that such processes had other axonal characteristics: (1) they were more reactive with a monoclonal antibody against phosphorylated forms of the M and H neurofilament subunits than with an antibody to nonphosphorylated forms of these proteins; (2) they also reacted with antibodies to the τ microtubule-associated protein and to the phosphorylated forms of the H neurofilament subunit; and (3) they contained only small amounts of RNA as determined by [3H]uridine autoradiography. These data indicate that neurons which normally form dendrites in vivo need not express this capacity in vitro and that axonal and dendritic growth can be dissociated under some conditions in culture. While most isolated neurons were unipolar, neurons in regions of high neuronal cell density were usually multipolar. In addition to axons, multipolar neurons had processes with some of the characteristics expected of rudimentary dendrites: they ended locally (usually within 100 μm), were often highly branched, and reacted with an antibody to nonphosphorylated forms of the M and H neurofilament subunits. The effects of density were most prominent when neurons were within aggregates in which the somata were in close apposition. Density-dependent changes in morphology were less frequently observed when neuronal somata were separated by greater distances (30–100 μm). These data indicate that the morphology of sympathetic neurons is subject to environmental regulation and that neuron-neuron interactions can promote the extension of rudimentary dendrites in vitro.
Web Browser Control Using EMG Based Sub Vocal Speech Recognition

Subvocal electromyogram (EMG) signal classification is used to control a modified web browser interface. Recorded surface signals from the larynx and sublingual areas below the jaw are filtered and transformed into features using a complex dual quad tree wavelet transform. Feature sets for six subvocally pronounced control words, 10 digits, 17 vowel phonemes and 23 consonant phonemes are trained using a scaled conjugate gradient neural network. The subvocal signals are classified and used to initiate web browser queries through a matrix based alphabet coding scheme. Hyperlinks on web pages returned by the browser are numbered sequentially and queried using digits only. Classification methodology, accuracy, and feasibility for scale up to real world human machine interface tasks are discussed in the context of vowel and consonant recognition accuracy.
A new theorem in particle physics enabled by machine discovery

Abstract A widespread objection to research on scientific discovery is that there has been a noticeable dearth of significant novel findings in domain sciences contributed by machine discovery programs. The implication is that the essential parts of the discovery process are not captured by these programs. The aim of this note is to document for the AI audience a novel finding in particle physics that was enabled by the machine discovery program PAULI reported previously. This finding consists of a theorem that expresses the minimum number of conservation laws that are needed, mathematically speaking, to account for any consistent experimental data on particle reactions. This note also reports how a puzzle raised by the theorem—its conflict with physics practice—is resolved.
Improved growth and nutrient status of an oat cover crop in sod-based versus conventional peanut-cotton rotations

Nitrogen (N) leaching from agricultural soils is a major concern in the southeastern USA. A winter cover crop following the summer crop rotation is essential for controlling N leaching and soil run-off, thereby improving sustainable development. Rotation of peanut (Arachis hypogea L.) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) with bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) (i.e. sod-based rotation) can greatly improve soil health and increase crop yields and profitability. In the sod-based rotation, the winter cover crop is an important component. The objective of this study was to determine effects of summer crops, cotton and peanut, on growth and physiology of a subsequent oat (Avena sativa L.) cover crop in both a conventional (Peanut-Cotton-Cotton) and sod-based (Bahiagrass-Bahiagrass-Peanut-Cotton) rotations. Two rotations with an oat cover crop were established in 2000. In the 2006-07 and 2007-08 growing seasons, oat plant height, leaf chlorophyll and sap NO3-N concentrations, shoot biomass, and N uptake were determined. Our results showed that the previous summer crop in the two rotations significantly influenced oat growth and physiology. Oat grown in the sod-based rotation had greater biomass, leaf chlorophyll and NO3-N concentrations as compared with oat grown in the conventional rotation. At pre-heading stage, oat in the sod-based rotation had 44% greater biomass and 32% higher N uptake than oat in the conventional rotation; oat following peanut produced 40 to 49% more biomass and accumulated 27 to 66% more N than oat following cotton. Therefore, the sod-based rotation improved not only summer crops, but also the winter cover crop. Increased oat growth and N status from the sod-based rotation indicated greater soil quality and sustainability. bahiagrass / crop rotation/ oat biomass / nitrogen uptake / soil quality / sustainability
Ca depletion of the sarcolemma—ultrastructural changes

In the adult cardiac myocyte the functional and structural integrity of the sarcolemma depends on the presence of calcium ions in the extracellular fluid. Ultrastructural damage to the myocardial cell after Ca is repleted following brief periods of Ca depletion includes (1) sarcolemmal disruption, (2) mitochondrial damage and (3) severely contracted myofibrils. Ca depletion is the necessary first step in the generation of the paradox, presumably altering the sarcolemmal permeability to Ca. The structural basis for the altered membrane permeability is not known. In the adult rabbit heart two major sarcolemmal defects occur with Ca depletion: (1) 90% of Ca-depleted cells have separation of the layers of the glycocalyx over 30% of their surface. (2) Within the bilayer the intramembrane particles on the P face appear to be reoriented. Hypothermia and cadmium substitution protect against the functional manifestations of the paradox and prevent separation of the glycocalyx and the intramembrane particle changes as well. While the paradox is found in many species, the adult rat myocardium appears to be functionally more sensitive than the adult rabbit. With Ca depletion the adult rat has 65.9 +/- 4.6% of its myocardial cell surface separated while the adult rabbit has 33.4 +/- 2.1%. On the other hand, both the rat and rabbit are insensitive to the paradox before 6 days of age. Three-day old rat hearts exposed for 20 min to [Ca] less than 10(-8) mol l-1 show an intact glycocalyx in 95% of their cells. By 20 days all cells show separation of the glycocalyx over 38.5% +/- 1.6% of their surface.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A NOVEL AERIAL-INTERCEPTION TRAP FOR ARTHROPOD SAMPLING

Although there are many field techniques to estimate the abundance and diversity of arthropods in terrestrial ecosystems, all have significant limitations (Chapman and Kinghorn 1955, Southwood 1978, Masner and Goulet 1981, Canaday 1987, Atkinson et al. 1988, Chenier and Philogene 1989, McEwen 1997, Dobony and Edwards 2001). In particular, methods for sampling arthropods moving through the air usually have major drawbacks, such as high cost per unit or difficulty of installation and sample retrieval. When I wished to assess the affect of fire on the arthropod community in Florida scrub at the Archbold Biological Station in Highlands Co., I also was faced with the problems of replicate sampling at several different locations and dealing with severe thunderstorms accompanied by high wind and torrential rainfall. Here I describe a novel trap that solves some of the aforementioned problems. The trap consisted of an array of four transparent, recycled 2-liter polycarbonate beverage bottles, each having a 17 cm wide x 13 cm high strip in its side removed to allow the entry of arthropods. When viewed from the side, the area of the opening in each bottle was 10.5 x 13 cm. Hence, the effective surface area of the trap with four bottles was 550 cm2. The intact bottom of each bottle served as a reservoir for -200 ml of collecting fluid, such as soapy water. The bottles were suspended by their caps that were bolted in a 2 x 2 array centered on the underside of a 20 x 30 cm piece of 1.3 cm (0.5 in) thick exterior grade plywood (Fig. 1). This conformation stabilized the bottles in windy conditions. The wooden platform provided, along with the top portion of the bottles, shelter from precipitation. Each trap was mounted on two 1.3 cm (0.5 in) diameter x 2.5 m steel reinforcing rods (commonly called "rebar") placed vertically to a depth of 30-40 cm in the soil. After the tops of the rods were slipped through the two 1.6 cm (5/8 in) holes near the ends of a platform (Fig. 1), the trap was lowered to the desired position 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 m above ground and held in place by medium binder clips attached to the rods beneath the platform. For additional stability in high winds, a second binder clip could be attached to a rod just above the plywood platform. The cost of each trap, including the two rods, was $1-2. Furthermore, I found that I could assemble and install a dozen traps at 10 m intervals along a transect in the scrub in 2-3 h. Arthropods were removed from the four reservoirs in each trap by aspirating the fluid with a I 30cm
Coupling conjugate heat transfer with in-cylinder combustion modeling for engine simulation

Abstract A conjugate formulation to predict heat conduction in the solid domain and spray combustion in the fluid domain was developed for multidimensional engine simulation. Heat transfer through the wall affects the combustion process in the cylinder and the thermal loading on the combustion chamber surface. To account for the temporal and spatial variations of temperature on the chamber surface, a fully coupled numerical procedure was developed to simulate in-cylinder flow and solid heat conduction simultaneously. Temperature fields in both the fluid and the solid domains were coupled by imposing equal heat flux and equal temperature at the fluid–solid interface. The formulation was first validated against analytical solutions. The formulation was then applied to simulate the in-cylinder combustion process and the solid heat conduction in a diesel engine under different operating conditions. Results show that the present model is able to predict unsteady and non-uniform temperature distributions on the chamber surface, which can fluctuate by nearly 100 K during combustion. The highest temperature on the piston surface occurs at the bowl edge along the spray axis. Predicted global engine parameters agree well with the experimental data. The present approach can be used to improve engine design for optimal combustion and reduced thermal loading.
The Computer Design and Optimization of Axial-Field Permanent Magnet Motors

Axial-field permanent magnet d.c. machines are being evaluated for a wide range of new applications. The development of criteria for the selection of all machine parameters is described, leading to a computer program that produces a realistic design given only the desired power, speed, voltage and diameter as input data. The performance of an electric wheelchair drive motor is discussed, designed by the program for maximum power density, using SmCo5 magnets.
Student performance and high school landscapes: Examining the links

High school students today are experiencing unprecedented levels of school-related stress. At the same time, a growing body of research has linked views of nature with restoration from mental fatigue and stress reduction. How important are such views for students while they are at school? This study investigated 101 public high schools in southeastern Michigan to examine the role played by the availability of nearby nature in student academic achievement and behavior. The analyses revealed consistent and systematically positive relationships between nature exposure and student performance. Specifically, views with greater quantities of trees and shrubs from cafeteria as well as classroom windows are positively associated with standardized test scores, graduation rates, percentages of students planning to attend a four-year college, and fewer occurrences of criminal behavior. In addition, large expanses of landscape lacking natural features are negatively related to these same test scores and college plans. These featureless landscapes included large areas of campus lawns, athletic fields, and parking lots. All analyses accounted for student socio-economic status and racial/ethnic makeup, building age, and size of school enrollment.
Discussion on “Life and Work of Bhaskar Kumar Ghosh” by Pranab Kumar Sen

Abstract This article complements the broad discussion on the life and work of Kumar Ghosh with details of his work at Lehigh University.
Thermodynamics in landscape ecology: the importance of integrating measurement and modeling of landscape entropy

Entropy and the second law of thermodynamics are the central organizing principles of nature. Or perhaps more accurately, the second law is the central disorganizing principle. Hot things cool down. Cold things warm up. You cannot get something for nothing. You always pay more than you get. Things fall apart. You cannot repeat the past. We grow old and die. It is all downhill from here to the heat death of the universe. While at first these seem like grim and pessimistic ideas, a deeper understanding reveals that the disequilibrial processes of increasing entropy are what enables all organizing actions, such as the formation of a molecule, building of a cell, birth of a child, organization of an ecosystem. Yet strangely, the ideas and implications of the second law are poorly developed in the landscape ecology literature. This is particularly strange given the focus of landscape ecology on understanding pattern-process relationships across scales in space and time. Every interaction between entities leads to irreversible change which increases the entropy and decreases the free energy of the closed system in which they reside. This is the essence of the entropy principle. Descriptions of landscape patterns, processes of landscape change, propagation of pattern-process relationships across space and through time are all governed, constrained, and in large part directed by thermodynamics. This direct linkage to thermodynamics and entropy was noted in several of the pioneering works in the field of landscape ecology (e.g. Forman and Godron 1986; O'Neill et al. 1986; Naveh 1987; O'neill et al. 1989). Yet in the subsequent decades our field has largely failed to embrace and utilize these relationships and constraints, with a few exceptions (see Wu and Loucks 1995; Zhang and Wu 2002; Zurlini et al. 2013).
Gametic equilibrium of four loci on chromosome 1

The present study is the first to investigate gametic disequilibrium of loosely linked loci (recombination >22%) of known map distance in humans. The study population consisted of 302 healthy unrelated individuals of white mixed-European ancestry living in the Denver, Colorado area. Pairwise combinations of four loci on chromosome 1 (Rhesus, Duffy, phosphoglucomutase-1, and amylase-2) were examined for nonrandom association of alleles at different loci. Observed and expected values were compared with chi-square goodness-of-fit tests. There was no evidence of first-order interaction, i.e., gametic disequilibrium. From these findings it seems that gametic disequilibrium may not be important in the genetic organization of chromosome 1.
An ab initio and density functional theory study of the structure and vibrational frequencies of the CH2FO and CHF2O radicals

Abstract Atmospheric degradation of fluorinated ether compounds, which are being considered as replacements for the current generation of freon substitutes, and is expected to produce the CH2FO and CHF2O radicals, and the latter radical is believed to be formed in the course of flame suppression by halons. In the present study, the molecular structures of the two radicals are determined using one density functional and two correlated ab initio methods. Structures were determined using Becke's three-parameter exchange functional with non-local correlation from the Lee, Yang, and Parr functional (the B3LYP functional) and second order unrestricted Moller–Plesset (UMP2) theory. Basis sets ranging from 631G(d) to 6311G(3df,2pd) were employed. The quadratic configuration interaction method with singles, doubles, and a perturbative treatment of the triples excitations (QCISD(T)) was employed at a more restricted range of basis sets. The C–O bond length is somewhat sensitive to the level of theory employed but somewhat less dependent on the basis set employed. Comparison is made to structural features of the CH3O and CF3O radicals. Vibrational frequencies were determined at B3LYP for basis sets up to 6-311G(2df,2p).
The variability of volcanic activity at Zamama, Culann, and Tupan Patera on Io as seen by the Galileo Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer

Abstract Zamama, Culann, and Tupan Patera are three large, persistent volcanic centers on the jovian moon Io. As part of an ongoing project to quantify contributions from individual volcanic centers to Io’s thermal budget, we have quantified the radiant flux from all suitable observations made by the Galileo Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) of these volcanoes, in some cases filling omissions in previous analyses. At Zamama, after a long period of cooling, we see a peak in thermal emission that corresponds with new plume activity. Subsequently, toward the end of the Galileo epoch, thermal emission from Zamama drops off in a manner consistent with a greatly reduced eruption rate and the cooling of emplaced flows. Culann exhibits possible episodic activity. We present the full Tupan Patera NIMS dataset and derive new estimates of thermal output and temporal behavior. Eruption rates at these three volcanoes are on the order of 30 m3 s−1, consistent with a previous analysis of NIMS observations of Prometheus, and nearly an order of magnitude greater than Kilauea volcano, Hawai’i, Earth’s most active volcano. We propose that future missions to the jovian system could better constrain activity at these volcanoes and others where similar styles of activity are taking place by obtaining data on a time scale of, ideally, at least one observation per day. Observations at similar or even shorter timescales are desirable during initial waxing phases of eruption episodes. These eruptions are identifiable from their characteristic spectral signatures and temporal behavior.
Structures and relative stabilities of silicon-containing buckminsterfullerenes: An AM1 computational study

A computational study of 60-atom clusters having the general formula @C60-n Si n (n=1, 2, and 12) is presented. Based on total energies and calculated enthalpies of formation, the incorporation of silicon into buckminsterfullerene frameworks is destabilizing, but not prohibitively so. The synthesis of these “silaballs” by controlled pyrolysis of C6H6 mixed with compatible organosilicon compounds is considered. For the @C58Si2 system theortho (Si-Si bonded) isomer is less stable by about 40 kcal/mol than others in which the heteroatoms are separated.
Cognitive and antismoking effects of varenicline in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Abstract Objective Varenicline has been shown to be an effective anti-smoking treatment in smokers without identified psychiatric illness, and the drug's pharmacology suggests possibilities of pro-cognitive effects. However, recent reports suggest varenicline may have the potential for important psychiatric side-effects in some people. We present the first prospective quantitative data on the effects of varenicline on cognitive function, cigarette smoking, and psychopathology in a small sample of schizophrenic patients. Method Fourteen schizophrenic smokers were enrolled in an open-label study of varenicline with a pre-post design. Measures of cognitive function (RBANS, Virtual Water-Maze Task), cigarette smoking (cotinine levels, CO levels, self-reported smoking and smoking urges), and psychopathology (PANSS) were evaluated prior to and during treatment with varenicline. Data on psychopathology changes among schizophrenic smokers in another drug study, in which patients were not receiving varenicline, were used for comparison. Results 12 patients completed the study, and 2 patients terminated in the first two weeks of active varenicline because of complaints of nausea or shaking. Varenicline produced significant improvements in some cognitive test scores, primarily associated with verbal learning and memory, but not in scores on visual-spatial learning or memory, or attention. Varenicline significantly decreased all indices of smoking, but did not produce complete smoking abstinence in most patients. During treatment with varenicline there were no significant increases in psychopathology scores and no patient developed signs of clinical depression or suicidal ideation. Conclusions Our small prospective study suggests that treatment with varenicline appears to have some beneficial cognitive effects which need to be confirmed in larger studies with additional neuropsychological tests. Varenicline appears to have some anti-smoking efficacy in schizophrenia but longer studies are needed to determine whether it will produce rates of smoking abstinence similar to those found in control smokers. Treatment with varenicline may not increase psychopathology or depression in most patients with schizophrenia, but we cannot accurately estimate the absolute risk of a potentially rare side-effect from this small sample.
Scalable Fabric: flexible task management

Our studies have shown that as displays become larger, users leave more windows open for easy multitasking. A larger number of windows, however, may increase the time that users spend arranging and switching between tasks. We present Scalable Fabric, a task management system designed to address problems with the proliferation of open windows on the PC desktop. Scalable Fabric couples window management with a flexible visual representation to provide a focus-plus-context solution to desktop complexity. Users interact with windows in a central focus region of the display in a normal manner, but when a user moves a window into the periphery, it shrinks in size, getting smaller as it nears the edge of the display. The window "minimize" action is redefined to return the window to its preferred location in the periphery, allowing windows to remain visible when not in use. Windows in the periphery may be grouped together into named tasks, and task switching is accomplished with a single mouse click. The spatial arrangement of tasks leverages human spatial memory to make task switching easier. We review the evolution of Scalable Fabric over three design iterations, including discussion of results from two user studies that were performed to compare the experience with Scalable Fabric to that of the Microsoft Windows XP TaskBar.
On the detailed dynamics of coupled continuous stirred tank reactors

Abstract The dynamic behaviour of coupled parallel and serial arrays of cells is analysed. Phenomena such as synchrnization of oscillations at a common frequency, rhythm splitting, amplitude amplification, jump between oscillatory regimes and quasi-periodic oscillations of a torus type have been observed for an autocatalytic reaction with product inhibition. The possibility of steady-state operation driven by the coupling of two cells, each of which is oscillatory by itself, has been detected. The configuration of the cell arrays does not change the bifurcation pattern drastically.
Technique for image data hiding and reconstruction without host image

A new technique for embedding image data that can be recovered in the absence of the original host image, is presented. The data to be embedded, referred to as the signature data, is inserted into the host image in the DCT domain. The signature DCT coefficients are encoded using a lattice coding scheme before embedding. Each block of host DCT coefficients is first checked for its texture content and the signatured codes are appropriately inserted depending on a local texture measure. Experimental results indicate that high quality embedding is possible, with no visible distortions. Signature images can be recovered even when the embedded data is subject to significant lossy JPEG compression.
On Abel Inversions of Emission Data from an Inductively Coupled Plasma

In a typical inductively coupled plasma (ICP) with cylindrical symmetry, the physical system is best characterized in terms of the radial coordinate r and the height h measured from the induction coil. However, the emission (or absorption) intensity is usually measured as a function of lateral coordinate, x, and height, h, and the Abel integral equation is used to transform the lateral intensity, I(x), into the radial intensity, i(r). Therefore, an accurate Abel inversion is a prerequisite for physical characterizations of ICP at any levels of sophistication. And it follows that the error in the inverted radial intensity must be properly evaluated.
The AdS/CFT Correspondence and Holographic QCD

Holographic QCD is an extra-dimensional approach to modeling QCD resonances and their interactions. Holographic models encode information about chiral symmetry breaking, Weinberg sum rules, vector meson dominance, and other phenomenological features of QCD. There are two complementary approaches to holographic model building: a top–down approach which begins with string-theory brane configurations, and a bottom–up approach which is more phenomenological. In this talk I will describe the AdS/CFT correspondence, which motivates Holographic QCD, and the techniques used to build holographic models of QCD and to calculate observables in those models. I will also discuss an intriguing lightcone approach to Holographic QCD discovered by Brodsky and De Teramond.
TUBOCURARINE REQUIREMENTS AND PLASMA PROTEIN CONCENTRATIONS IN THE NEWBORN INFANT

The tubocurarine requirements in mg/kg/hr have been determined in 50 neonates undergoing a variety of surgical operations. These requirements have been correlated with the concentration of the plasma protein fractions. No significant correlation could be found between the tubocurarine requirements and any plasma protein fraction. It is concluded that an alteration in the concentration of plasma proteins is not associated with the changing sensitivity of the infant to tubocurarine during the neonatal period of life. However, variations in the binding capacity of plasma proteins could accoSunt for the observed effect.
Comparing competition and collusion: a numerical approach

Collusion is a serious problem in many procurement auctions. In this research, I study a model of first price sealed bid procurement auctions with asymmetric bidders. I demonstrate that the equilibrium to the model is unique and describe three algorithms that can be used to compute the inverse equilibrium bid functions. I then use the computational algorithms to compare competitive and collusive bidding. The algorithms are useful for structural estimation of auction models and for assessing the damages from bid-rigging.
Manipulation of Event-Related Potential Manifestations of Information Processing Stages

The timing of two event-related potential components was differentially affected by two experimental variables. The earlier component (NA) was affected by degradation of the stimuli and the later component (N2) by the nature of a classification task. The results support the hypothesis that NA and N2 reflect sequential stages of information processing, namely, pattern recognition and stimulus classification.