No abstract

This paper describes a simple approach for modifying an input-output (or queueing) diagram to measure the time and distance spent by vehicles in a queue in a much simpler and self-serving manner than using a time-space diagram. The graphical technique requires construction of a curve depicting the cumulative number of vehicles to have reached the back of the queue as a function of time, but as shown herein, the technique can be easily automated with a spreadsheet. Application of the technique is shown for the simple case of a constant departure rate from a bottleneck, and for the slightly more general case of a bottleneck capacity which changes once, which is demonstrated to be applicable to the study of an undersaturated traffic signal. In the course of describing the usefulness of this technique for estimating several measures, including the maximum length of a physical queue and the time at which this maximum occurs, the paper clarifies the difference between "delay" at a bottleneck and the "time spent in queue," which appear to have been confused in some of the literature.

Infantile-onset multisystem inflammatory disease (IOMID) is a newly recognized disease that is similar to systemic-onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). The clinical symptoms of IOMID include rash, fever, lymphadenopathy, chronic meningitis, uveitis, and a distinct arthropathic condition. Skeletal involvement is surprisingly constant. The long bones become short, bowed, and widened. The metaphyses flare and simulate rickets. Grotesque epiphyses appear fragmented early in the course of the disease but are gradually incorporated into the widened shafts. We observed these and other radiologic findings in the four cases described in the present study. The findings are distinctive and allow for a specific diagnosis.

No abstract

When optimizing a highway alignment, it is desirable to consider new and modified intersections along it. This article develops methods for locally optimizing intersections within highway alignment optimization processes. Design and operational characteristics for intersections are reviewed from the literature. The formulation considers the major costs that are sensitive to intersection characteristics. Genetic algorithms are used for optimal search. The proposed methods are implemented on an artificial study area and on a real one through the use of geographic information systems. The results show how the methods work for local optimization of intersections as well as for optimizing entire alignments. These methods can be used for improving search flexibility, thus allowing more effective intersections. They also provide a basis for extending the alignment optimization from single highways to networks.