More on Strikes by Public Employees

We have two brief observations on the paper by Messrs. Burton and Krider. First, we suggest that society is not limited to a choice between their strike and no-strike alternatives. Our earlier article argued that the typical municipal political structure is vulnerable to strikes by wvell entrenched public employee unions, and that, given this existing political structure, the no-strike model is preferable to the strike model. We stated, however, that changes in the political structure which reduce the vulnerability of municipal employers to strikes by public employees can be made and that we intended (and we still do intend) to explore these possibilities in a future article. There is, therefore, a third model—one which permits some strikes in conjunction with various changes in municipal political structures. Second, we wish to define what seems to be the principal area of our disagreement with Messrs. Burton and Krider. All agree that the services performed by some public employees are in one way or another essential and that this essentiality is in some sense related to society\u27s ability to tolerate strikes. However, which employees under the Burton-Krider strike model are to have union activities limited depends very much on one\u27s view of essentiality. It is now clear that our vision is different from theirs

Comparison of the binding properties of the mushroom Marasmius oreades lectin and Griffonia simplicifolia I-B 4 isolectin to αgalactosyl carbohydrate antigens in the surface phase

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73881/1/j.1399-3089.2004.00108.x.pd

Spatiotemporal expression patterns of sialoglycoconjugates during nephron morphogenesis and their regional and cell type-specific distribution in adult rat kidney

The expression of α2,6- and α2,3-linked sialic acids on N-glycans was studied in embryonic, postnatal, and adult rat kidney. Histochemistry and blotting using Polyporus squamosus and Sambucus nigra lectins for α2,6-linked sialic acids and the Maackia amurensis lectin for α2,3-linked sialic acids were performed and sialyltransferase activity was assayed. N-glycans with α2,6- and α2,3-linked sialic acid were differently expressed in the two embryonic anlagen and early stages of nephron. Metanephrogenic mesenchyme was positive for α2,3-linked sialic acid but not for the α2,6-linked one, which became detectable initially in the proximal part of S-shaped bodies. Collecting ducts were positive for α2,6-linked sialic acid, whereas α2,3-linked sialic acid was restricted to their ampullae. Although positive in embryonic kidney, S1 and S2 of proximal tubules became unreactive for α2,3-linked sialic acid in postnatal and adult kidneys. In adult kidney, intercalated but not principal cells of collecting ducts were reactive for α2,3-linked sialic acid. In contrast, α2,6-linked sialic acids were detected in all cells of adult kidney nephron. Blot analysis revealed a different but steady pattern of bands reactive for α2,6- and α2,3-linked sialic acid in embryonic, postnatal, and adult kidney. Activity of α2,6 and α2,3 sialyltransferases was highest in embryonic kidney and decreased over postnatal to adult kidney with the activity of α2,6 sialyltransferase always being three to fourfold that of α2,3 sialyltransferase. Thus, α2,6- and α2,3-linked sialic acids are differently expressed in embryonic anlagen and mesenchyme-derived early stages of nephron and show regional and cell type-specific differences in adult kidne

An unusual distribution of 4-substituted glutamic acids in Sophora japonica

High levels of 4-methyleneglutamine accumulate in the roots and leaves of Sophora japonica, but no detectable amounts of 4-methyleneglutamic acid and only trace quantities of 2-oxo-4-methyleneglutaric acid are seen. 4-Methylglutamic acid, however, is present in leaves and roots at a level 5-25% of that found for 4-methyleneglutamine; 2-oxo-4-methylglutaric acid is the most abundant keto acid detected in 28-day leaf extracts, but no 4-methylglutamine is seen. Transamination by pig heart glutamate: oxalacetate aminotransferase of the 2-oxo-4-methylglutaric acid that occurs in this species yields erythro-4-methylglutamic acid; the 2-oxo acid, therefore, has the (4R) configuration. The 4-methylglutamic acid isolated from this plant is also the erythro isomer and is probably of the (2S, 4R) configuration. This is the first report of the presence of 4-substituted glutamic acids in Sophora and the first instance where high levels of 4-methyleneglutamine are present in the absence of detectable levels of 4-methyleneglutamic acid.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/27011/1/0000578.pd

Status of Transferring NASA's Terminal Sequencing and Spacing Technologies to the FAA

This paper provides a brief overview of the Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration 1 (ATD-1) technologies. These technologies are comprised of ground-based automation tools and airborne automation tools. The ground-based automation tools are referred to as terminal sequencing and spacing (TSS). NASA is currently maturing TSS prior to transfeering it to the FAA. This paper discusses the status of the transfer

Who benefits from individual placement and support?:A meta-analysis

Aims Individual placement and support (IPS) is an evidence-based service model to support people with mental disorders in obtaining and sustaining competitive employment. IPS is increasingly offered to a broad variety of service users. In this meta-analysis we analysed the relative effectiveness of IPS for different subgroups of service users both based on the diagnosis and defined by a range of clinical, functional and personal characteristics. Methods We included randomised controlled trials that evaluated IPS for service users diagnosed with any mental disorder. We examined effect sizes for the between-group differences at follow-up for three outcome measures (employment rate, job duration and wages), controlling for methodological confounders (type of control group, follow-up duration and geographic region). Using sensitivity analyses of subgroup differences, we analysed moderating effects of the following diagnostic, clinical, functional and personal characteristics: severe mental illness (SMI), common mental disorders (CMD), schizophrenia spectrum disorders, mood disorders, duration of illness, the severity of symptoms, level of functioning, age, comorbid alcohol and substance use, education level and employment history. Results IPS is effective in improving employment outcomes compared to the control group in all subgroups, regardless of any methodological confounder. However, IPS was relatively more effective for service users with SMIs, schizophrenia spectrum disorders and a low symptom severity. Although IPS was still effective for people with CMD and with major depressive disorder, it was relatively less effective for these subgroups. IPS was equally effective after both a short and a long follow-up period. However, we found small, but clinically not meaningful, differences in effectiveness of IPS between active and passive control groups. Finally, IPS was relatively less effective in European studies compared to non-European studies, which could be explained by a potential benefits trap in high welfare countries. Conclusions IPS is effective for all different subgroups, regardless of diagnostic, clinical, functional and personal characteristics. However, there might be a risk of false-positive subgroup outcomes and results should be handled with caution. Future research should focus on whether, and if so, how the IPS model should be adapted to better meet the vocational needs of people with CMD and higher symptom severity

On the Importance of UX Quality Aspects for Different Product Categories

User experience (UX) is a holistic concept. We conceptualize UX as a set of semantically distinct quality aspects. These quality aspects relate subjectively perceived properties of the user interaction with a product to the psychological needs of users. Not all possible UX quality aspects are equally important for all products. The main use case of a product can determine the relative importance of UX aspects for the overall impression of the UX. In this paper, the authors present several studies that investigate this dependency between the product category and the importance of several well-known UX aspects. A method to measure the importance of such UX aspects is presented. In addition, the authors show that the observed importance ratings are stable, i.e., reproducible, and hardly influenced by demographic factors or cultural background. Thus, the ratings reported in our studies can be reused by UX professionals to find out which aspects of UX they should concentrate on in product design and evaluation

Sialic-acid-binding lectin from the slug Limax flavus

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66061/1/j.1432-1327.1998.2540217.x.pd