446 research outputs found
Global unions: chasing the dream or building the reality?
This article takes as its theme the global restructuring of capital and its impact on worker organization. It argues for a reassertion of class in any analysis of global solidarity, and assesses the opportunities and barriers to effective global unionization. Rooted in the UK experience, the article analyzes the impact of the European social dimension on trade unions, before taking the discussion into a global dimension. It concludes by suggesting that there are reasons for cautious optimism in terms of solidarity building, despite difficult historical legacies and the common replacement of action with rhetoric
Conflict in pedestrian networks
Encouraging pedestrian activity is increasingly recognised as beneïŹcial for public health, the environment and the economy. As our cities become more crowded, there is a need for urban planners to take into account more explicitly pedestrian needs. The term that is now in use is that a city should be âwalkableâ. For route planning, whereas much attention has been given to shortest path, in distance or time, much less attention has been paid to ïŹow levels and the diïŹculties they pose on the route. This paper considers problems posed by conïŹicting paths, for example cross-traïŹc. We use network centrality measures to make a ïŹrst estimate of diïŹering levels of conïŹict posed at the network nodes. We take special note of the role of collective motion in determining network usage. A small case study illustrates the method
The Ring Imaging Cherenkov detector (RICH) of the AMS experiment
The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) experiment to be installed on the
International Space Station (ISS) will be equipped with a proximity focusing
Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detector for measuring the electric charge and
velocity of the charged cosmic particles. A RICH prototype consisting of 96
photomultiplier units, including a piece of the conical reflector, was built
and its performance evaluated with ion beam data. Preliminary results of the
in-beam tests performed with ion fragments resulting from collisions of a 158
GeV/c/nuc primary beam of Indium ions (CERN SPS) on a Pb target are reported.
The collected data included tests to the final front-end electronics and to
different aerogel radiators. Cherenkov rings for a large range of charged
nuclei and with reflected photons were observed. The data analysis confirms the
design goals. Charge separation up to Fe and velocity resolution of the order
of 0.1% for singly charged particles are obtained.Comment: 29th International Conference on Cosmic Rays (Pune, India
Changing a semantics: opportunism or courage?
The generalized models for higher-order logics introduced by Leon Henkin, and
their multiple offspring over the years, have become a standard tool in many
areas of logic. Even so, discussion has persisted about their technical status,
and perhaps even their conceptual legitimacy. This paper gives a systematic
view of generalized model techniques, discusses what they mean in mathematical
and philosophical terms, and presents a few technical themes and results about
their role in algebraic representation, calibrating provability, lowering
complexity, understanding fixed-point logics, and achieving set-theoretic
absoluteness. We also show how thinking about Henkin's approach to semantics of
logical systems in this generality can yield new results, dispelling the
impression of adhocness. This paper is dedicated to Leon Henkin, a deep
logician who has changed the way we all work, while also being an always open,
modest, and encouraging colleague and friend.Comment: 27 pages. To appear in: The life and work of Leon Henkin: Essays on
his contributions (Studies in Universal Logic) eds: Manzano, M., Sain, I. and
Alonso, E., 201
Hepatic abnormalities in patients with chronic granulomatous disease
Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a rare congenital disorder characterized
by repeated bacterial and fungal infections. Aside from a high incidence of liver
abscess, little is known about hepatic involvement in CGD. The aim of this study
was to describe the spectrum of liver abnormalities seen in CGD. The charts of
194 patients with CGD followed at the NIH were reviewed, with a focus on liver
abnormalities. Liver enzyme elevations occurred on at least one occasion in 73%
of patients during a mean of 8.9 years of follow-up. ALT elevations were
generally transient. Although transient alkaline phosphatase (ALP) elevations
were also common, persistent ALP elevations lasting up to 17.6 years were seen in
25% of patients. Liver abscess occurred in 35% of patients. Drug-induced
hepatotoxicity was documented in 15% of patients but likely occurred more
frequently. Hepatomegaly was found in 34% and splenomegaly in 56% of patients.
Liver histology showed granulomata in 75% and lobular hepatitis in 90% of
specimens. Venopathy of the portal vein was common (80%) and associated with
splenomegaly. Venopathy of the central vein was also common (63%) and was
associated with the number of abscess episodes. Nodular regenerative hyperplasia
(NRH) was seen in 9 patients, including 6 of 12 autopsy specimens. CONCLUSION:
Liver enzyme abnormalities occur frequently in patients with CGD. In addition to
liver abscesses and granulomata, drug hepatotoxicity is likely underappreciated.
Vascular lesions such as venopathy and--to a lesser extent--NRH are common. The
cause and clinical consequences of venopathy await prospective evaluation
Position resolution and particle identification with the ATLAS EM calorimeter
In the years between 2000 and 2002 several pre-series and series modules of
the ATLAS EM barrel and end-cap calorimeter were exposed to electron, photon
and pion beams. The performance of the calorimeter with respect to its finely
segmented first sampling has been studied. The polar angle resolution has been
found to be in the range 50-60 mrad/sqrt(E (GeV)). The neutral pion rejection
has been measured to be about 3.5 for 90% photon selection efficiency at pT=50
GeV/c. Electron-pion separation studies have indicated that a pion fake rate of
(0.07-0.5)% can be achieved while maintaining 90% electron identification
efficiency for energies up to 40 GeV.Comment: 32 pages, 22 figures, to be published in NIM
Volatility in the Housing Market: Evidence on Risk and Return in the London Sub-market
The impact of volatility in housing market analysis is reconsidered via examination of the risk-return relationship in the London housing market is examined. In addition to providing the first empirical results for the relationship between risk (as measured by volatility) and returns for this submarket, the analysis offers a more general message to empiricists via a detailed and explicit evaluation of the impact of empirical design decisions upon inferences. In particular, the negative risk-return relationship discussed frequently in the housing market literature is examined and shown to depend upon typically overlooked decisions concerning components of the empirical framework from which statistical inferences are drawn
Apoptosis Is Essential for Neutrophil Functional Shutdown and Determines Tissue Damage in Experimental Pneumococcal Meningitis
During acute bacterial infections such as meningitis, neutrophils enter the tissue where they combat the infection before they undergo apoptosis and are taken up by macrophages. Neutrophils show pro-inflammatory activity and may contribute to tissue damage. In pneumococcal meningitis, neuronal damage despite adequate chemotherapy is a frequent clinical finding. This damage may be due to excessive neutrophil activity. We here show that transgenic expression of Bcl-2 in haematopoietic cells blocks the resolution of inflammation following antibiotic therapy in a mouse model of pneumococcal meningitis. The persistence of neutrophil brain infiltrates was accompanied by high levels of IL-1ÎČ and G-CSF as well as reduced levels of anti-inflammatory TGF-ÎČ. Significantly, Bcl-2-transgenic mice developed more severe disease that was dependent on neutrophils, characterized by pronounced vasogenic edema, vasculitis, brain haemorrhages and higher clinical scores. In vitro analysis of neutrophils demonstrated that apoptosis inhibition completely preserves neutrophil effector function and prevents internalization by macrophages. The inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases, roscovitine induced apoptosis in neutrophils in vitro and in vivo. In wild type mice treated with antibiotics, roscovitine significantly improved the resolution of the inflammation after pneumococcal infection and accelerated recovery. These results indicate that apoptosis is essential to turn off activated neutrophils and show that inflammatory activity and disease severity in a pyogenic infection can be modulated by targeting the apoptotic pathway in neutrophils
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