Extreme Walrasian Dynamics: The Gale Example in the Lab

We study the classic Gale (1963) economy using laboratory markets. Tatonnement theory predicts prices will diverge from an equitable interior equilibrium towards infinity or zero depending only on initial prices. The inequitable equilibria determined by these dynamics give all gains from exchange to one side of the market. Our results show surprisingly strong support for these predictions. In most sessions one side of the market eventually outgains the other by more than twenty times, leaving the disadvantaged side to trade for mere pennies. We also find preliminary evidence that these dynamics are sticky, resisting exogenous interventions designed to reverse their trajectories

From Imitation to Collusion: Long-run Learning in a Low-Information Environment

We study long-run learning in an experimental Cournot game with no explicit information about the payoff function. Subjects see only the quantities and payoffs of each oligopolist after every period. In line with theoretical predictions and previous experimental findings, duopolies and triopolies both reach highly competitive levels, with price approaching marginal cost within 50 periods. Using the new ConG software, we extend the horizon to 1,200 periods, far beyond that previously investigated. Already after 100 periods we observe a qualitative change in behavior, and quantity choices start to drop. Without pausing at the Cournot-Nash level quantities continue to drop, eventually reaching almost fully collusive levels in duopolies and often reaching deep into collusive territory for triopolies. Fitted models of individual adjustment suggest that subjects switch from imitation of the most profitable rival to other behavior that, intentionally or otherwise, facilitates collusion via effective punishment and forgiveness. Remarkably, subjects never learn the best-reply correspondence of the one-shot game. Our results suggest a new explanation for the emergence of cooperation

Pancreatic Cancer, Leptin, and Chemoresistance: Current Challenges

Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Currently, conventional chemotherapies have showed only limited benefits for PC patients. Main factors affecting PC treatment failures are due to late detection, lack of early symptoms and biomarkers, and the development of desmoplasia and chemoresistance. Various mechanisms have been implicated in PC chemoresistance that includes stem cells, epigenetic changes, and alteration of signaling pathways, among others. Obesity is a modifiable factor for PC risk, which is characterized by high levels of the adipokine leptin that is a proinflammatory, proangiogenic, survival factor that affects chemotherapy effectiveness. Here, we will discuss on the mechanisms of PC chemoresistance and the influence of obesity and leptin signaling. Furthermore, the potential use of nontoxic leptin antagonists as a novel sensitization strategy for PC chemotherapeutics will also be discussed

Reactor for In-Situ Measurements of Spatially Resolved Kinetic Data in Heterogeneous Catalysis

The present work describes a reactor that allows in-situ measurements of spatially resolved kinetic data in heterogenous catalysis. The reactor design allows measurements up to temperatures of 1300 ±C and 45 bar pressure, i.e. conditions of industrial relevance. The reactor involves reactants flowing through a solid catalyst bed containing a sampling capillary with a side sampling orifice through which a small fraction of the reacting fluid (gas or liquid) is transferred into an analytical device (e.g. MS, GC, HPLC) for quantitative analysis. The sampling capillary can be moved with ¹m resolution in or against flow direction to measure species profiles through the catalyst bed. Rotation of the sampling capillary allows averaging over several scan lines. The position of the sampling orifice is such that the capillary channel through the catalyst bed remains always occupied by the capillary preventing flow disturbance and fluid bypassing. The second function of the sampling capillary is to provide a well which can accommodate temperature probes such as a thermocouple or a pyrometer fiber. If a thermocouple is inserted in the sampling capillary and aligned with the sampling orifice fluid temperature profiles can be measured. A pyrometer fiber can be used to measure the temperature profile of the solid catalyst bed. Spatial profile measurements are demonstrated for methane oxidation on Pt and methane oxidative coupling on Li/MgO, both catalysts supported on reticulated a-Al2O3 foam supports

Ureteroscopia transuretrală în tratamentul calculilor ureterului distal

Summary Giving an objective assessment of the results accumulated during the treatment of 101 patients diagnosed with ureterolithiasis, we consider that the endoscopic transurethral ureterolythotripsy and ureterolithoextraction can be used as independent methods for treatment of calculus in the distal region of ureter (this study showed a 79,36% treatment efficiency), while in the complex treatment of the nephrolithiasis they may be used in conjunction with ESWL and percutaneous surgery

Clindamycina în tratamentul prostatitei uretrogene (rezultate preliminare)

Summary. The study was performed on the basis of the data accumulated while applying antibacterial treatment for 53 patients with sexual transmitted disease. The results showed the increased efficiency of clindamycine in treatment of chronic uretrogenic prostatitis associated with Chi. Trachomatis si Ur. Urealythicum (Мус. Hominis)

HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM BLEND DOWN PROGRAM AT THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE PRESENT AND FUTURE

The Department of Energy (DOE) and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) entered into an Interagency Agreement to transfer approximately 40 metric tons of highly enriched uranium (HEU) to TVA for conversion to fuel for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant. Savannah River Site (SRS) inventories included a significant amount of this material, which resulted from processing spent fuel and surplus materials. The HEU is blended with natural uranium (NU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) with a 4.95% 235U isotopic content and shipped as solution to the TVA vendor. The HEU Blend Down Project provided the upgrades needed to achieve the product throughput and purity required and provided loading facilities. The first blending to low enriched uranium (LEU) took place in March 2003 with the initial shipment to the TVA vendor in July 2003. The SRS Shipments have continued on a regular schedule without any major issues for the past 5 years and are due to complete in September 2008. The HEU Blend program is now looking to continue its success by dispositioning an additional approximately 21 MTU of HEU material as part of the SRS Enriched Uranium Disposition Project