Review of: Dorothy J. Howell, Ecology for Environmental Professionals (Quorum Books 1994)

Review of: Dorothy J. Howell, Ecology for Environmental Professionals (Quorum Books 1994). Appendices, bibliographical references, figures, glossary, index, preface, tables. LC 93-5580; ISBN 0-89930-745-0 [215 pp. Cloth $59.95. 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881.

Driven localized excitations in the acoustic spectrum of small nonlinear macroscopic and microscopic lattices

Both bright and dark traveling, locked, intrinsic localized modes (ILMs) have been generated with a spatially uniform driver at a frequency in the acoustic spectrum of a nonlinear micromechanical cantilever array. Complementary numerical simulations show that a minimum density of modes, hence array size, is required for the formation of such locked smoothly running excitations. Additional simulations on a small 1-D antiferromagnetic spin system are used to illustrate that such uniformly driven running ILMs should be a generic feature of a nanoscale atomic lattice.Comment: Physical Review Letters, accepte

Overview of the subsonic propulsion technology session

NASA is conducting aeronautical research over a broad range of Mach numbers. In addition to the generic and high speed propulsion research, the Lewis Research Center is continuing its substantial efforts towards propulsion technology for a broad range of subsonic flight applications. Reviewed here are some of the elements of that program, including small engine technology, rotorcraft, icing research, hot section technology, and the Advanced Turboprop Project

Valuing high technology growth firms

For the valuation of fast growing innovative firms Schwartz and Moon (2000, 2001) develop a fundamentals based valuation model where key parameters, such as revenues and expenses, follow stochastic processes. Guided by economic theory, this paper tests this model on a sample of around 30,000 technology firm quarter observations from 1992 to 2009 using realized accounting data and benchmark it against the traditional Enterprise Value-Sales Multiple. Our results show that the Schwartz-Moon model is on average nearly as accurate as the multiple approach, while it is even more accurate in certain industries such as pharmaceutical and computer firms. Most importantly, the Schwartz-Moon model shows the ability to indicate severe market over- or undervaluation.Schwartz-Moon model, market mispricing, empirical test, company valuation

Molecular Mechanisms of Kidney Injury and Repair in Arterial Hypertension

The global burden of chronic kidney disease is rising. The etiologies, heterogeneous, and arterial hypertension, are key factors contributing to the development and progression of chronic kidney disease. Arterial hypertension is induced and maintained by a complex network of systemic signaling pathways, such as the hormonal axis of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, hemodynamic alterations affecting blood flow, oxygen supply, and the immune system. This review summarizes the clinical and histopathological features of hypertensive kidney injury and focusses on the interplay of distinct systemic signaling pathways, which drive hypertensive kidney injury in distinct cell types of the kidney. There are several parallels between hypertension-induced molecular signaling cascades in the renal epithelial, endothelial, interstitial, and immune cells. Angiotensin II signaling via the AT1R, hypoxia induced HIFα activation and mechanotransduction are closely interacting and further triggering the adaptions of metabolism, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and profibrotic TGF signaling. The interplay of these, and other cellular pathways, is crucial to balancing the injury and repair of the kidneys and determines the progression of hypertensive kidney disease

A triple GEM detector with two dimensional readout

The triple GEM detector is a micropattern gas detector which consists of a primary ionisation gap and three consecutive gas electron multiplier (GEM) foils. A printed circuit board with readout strips detects the current induced by the drifting electron cloud originating from the last GEM stage. Thus the gas amplification and the signal readout are completely separated. Triple GEM detectors are being developed as a possible technology for the inner tracking in the LHCb experiment. In an earlier note we have reported first experience with such a detector in a test beam at PSI. Here we describe the construction of an improved version (thinner transfer gaps, segmented GEM foils, two dimensional readout). Results from performance measurements are presented using intense hadronic beams as well as cosmic ray data.Comment: 20 pages, 24 figure

Vibrational pocket modes: predictions by the embedded crystallite method and their experimental observation

Simulation studies based on the embedded crystallite method are used to predict, with no free parameters, complex dynamical behavior for a simple alkali halide defect system, Na+ in KI. Far infrared spectroscopic measurements, including uniaxial stress, confirm the predicted vibrational properties, indicating that this methodology can readily be used for complex and extended defects in ionic crystals