Developments in Business Gaming A Review of the Past 40 Years

This article examines developments in business simulation gaming during the past 40 years. Covered in this article are a brief history of business games, the changing technology employed in the development and use of business games, changes in why business games are adopted and used, changes in how business games are administered, and the current state of business gaming. Readers interested in developments in other areas of simulation gaming (urban planning, social studies, ecology, economics, geography, health, etc.) are encouraged to look at other articles appearing during the 40th anniversary year of Simulation & Gaming and at the many fine articles that appeared in the silver anniversary issue of Simulation & Gaming (December 1995)

Mobility of the SecA 2-helix-finger is not essential for polypeptide translocation via the SecYEG complex

The bacterial ATPase SecA and protein channel complex SecYEG form the core of an essential protein translocation machinery. The nature of the conformational changes induced by each stage of the hydrolytic cycle of ATP and how they are coupled to protein translocation are not well understood. The structure of the SecA–SecYEG complex revealed a 2-helix-finger (2HF) of SecA in an ideal position to contact the substrate protein and push it through the membrane. Surprisingly, immobilization of this finger at the edge of the protein channel had no effect on translocation, whereas its imposition inside the channel blocked transport. This analysis resolves the stoichiometry of the active complex, demonstrating that after the initiation process translocation requires only one copy each of SecA and SecYEG. The results also have important implications on the mechanism of energy transduction and the power stroke driving transport. Evidently, the 2HF is not a highly mobile transducing element of polypeptide translocation

Unlocking biomarker discovery: Large scale application of aptamer proteomic technology for early detection of lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, because ~84% of cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Worldwide in 2008, ~1.5 million people were diagnosed and ~1.3 million died – a survival rate unchanged since 1960. However, patients diagnosed at an early stage and have surgery experience an 86% overall 5-year survival. New diagnostics are therefore needed to identify lung cancer at this stage. Here we present the first large scale clinical use of aptamers to discover blood protein biomarkers in disease with our breakthrough proteomic technology. This multi-center case-control study was conducted in archived samples from 1,326 subjects from four independent studies of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in long-term tobacco-exposed populations. We measured >800 proteins in 15uL of serum, identified 44 candidate biomarkers, and developed a 12-protein panel that distinguished NSCLC from controls with 91% sensitivity and 84% specificity in a training set and 89% sensitivity and 83% specificity in a blinded, independent verification set. Performance was similar for early and late stage NSCLC. This is a significant advance in proteomics in an area of high clinical need

BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF LOADED PLYOMETRIC EXERCISES

Plyometric intensity and specificity are determined by the exercises performed. This study assessed ground reaction forces (GRF) in the frontal (F), horizontal-anterior (H), and vertical (V) planes, and the ratio of H to V GRF (H:V) of plyometric exercises and load conditions. Subjects (N=15) performed five plyometric variations with five handheld loads on two force platforms. A two-way RM ANOVA was used. Analysis of F GRF revealed main effects for plyometric exercise (p = 0.004). Analysis of H GRF revealed main effects for plyometric load (p = .042) and plyometric exercise (p ≤ 0.001). Analysis of V GRF revealed main effects for plyometric load (p ≤ 0.001) and plyometric exercise (p ≤ 0.001). Analysis of H:V revealed main effects for plyometric exercise (p ≤ 0.001). Practitioners should use the plyometric exercises and loads that optimize the kinetics and transfer of training

BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF ACCELERATION LADDERS WITH VARYING STEP DISTANCES

This study assessed select kinetics and kinematics of each of the first three steps of the acceleration phase of sprinting using three different acceleration ladders. Subjects (N=15) performed sprints using acceleration ladders with short, medium, and long rung spacing, over two large force platforms. Multi-factorial repeated measure ANOVAs were used to assess horizontal and vertical ground reaction force (GRF), the ratio of horizontal to vertical GRF, the duration of vertical GRF, time between steps, distance between steps, and velocity between steps and across all steps. Main effects were significant (p ≤ 0.05) for all variables except time. Post-hoc analysis identified a variety of differences in the dependent variables in the analysis of steps, test condition and their interaction (p ≤ 0.05). Results show that greater velocity is attained with ladders that have longer step distances

The impact of fathers' military deployment on child adjustment. The support needs of primary school children and their families separated during active military service: A pilot study

BACKGROUND: Although direct exposure to war-related trauma negatively impacts children's psychological well-being, little is known about this impact within the context of parental military deployment to a combat zone and 'indirect' experience of the effects of armed conflict. This study investigates the impact of father's military deployment to Afghanistan on child well-being in primary schoolchildren and compares measures of adjustment with a matched group of children with fathers deployed on military training (non-combat) deployment. METHOD: Data were collected within primary schools in 2011-2012 from 52 children aged 8-11 years with fathers deploying to Afghanistan ( n = 26) and fathers deploying on military training ( n = 26) via self-completion of questionnaires assessing symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress and levels of self-esteem. Data were collected in both groups, at pre-, mid- and post-parental deployment. Class teachers and parents (non-deployed) completed a measure of child behaviour and parents completed a measure of parenting stress and general health. RESULTS: Unexpectedly child adjustment difficulties were not significantly raised in children whose parents deployed to Afghanistan. Ratings of behavioural difficulties and depression were low in both groups. However, clinically elevated levels of anxiety and stress symptoms were reported by both groups of children at each stage of deployment. No associations between parental stress, parental mental health and child adjustment were found. CONCLUSION: High levels of children's anxiety and stress reported during fathers' active military service warrant further investigation. Implications for school and health monitoring and CAMHS community liaison work are discussed

Innovative interstellar explorer

An interstellar "precursor" mission has been under discussion in the scientific community for at least 30 years. Fundamental scientific questions about the interaction of the Sun with the interstellar medium can only be answered with in situ measurements that such a mission can provide. The Innovative Interstellar Explorer (IIE) and its use of Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP) is being studied under a NASA "Vision Mission" grant. Speed is provided by a combination of a high-energy launch, using current launch vehicle technology, a Jupiter gravity assist, and long-term, low-thrust, continuous acceleration provided by an ion thruster running off electricity provided by advanced radioisotope electric generators. A payload of ten instruments with an aggregate mass of ~35 kg and requiring ~30 W has been carefully chosen to address the compelling science questions. The nominal 20-day launch window opens on 22 October 2014 followed by a Jupiter gravity assist on 5 February 2016. The REP system accelerates the spacecraft to a "burnout" speed of 7.8 AU per year at 104 AU on 13 October 2032 (Voyager 1's current speed is ~3.6 AU/yr). The spacecraft will return at least 500 bits per second from at least 200 AU ~30 years after launch. Additional (backup) launch opportunities occur every 13 months to early 2018. In addition to addressing basic heliospheric science, the mission will ensure continued information on the far-heliospheric galactic cosmic ray population after the Voyagers have fallen silent and as the era of human Mars exploration begins

The Lantern Vol. 20, No. 3, Summer 1952

• Atmosphere • On Observation • Memories • Melvin • The Bell Dong\u27s Song, Marie • Delusion • The Student and Dead-Eye Danny Hill • Spring Mutiny • Lines Written in Rejection Near Maples • Spring in Valley Forge • The Locust Tree • Covered Bridge • Active or Passive • Stag Night • Filler • The Spring Lecture • Early Migration • A Beatitudehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1057/thumbnail.jp