5,948 research outputs found
Re-employment Probabilities and Wage Offer Function for Russian Labor Market
No full textThis research addresses labor market transformation in Russia. It elaborates on the theory of job search and focuses on the following issues: (1) evaluation of the re-employment probabilities (hazard rates) for different socio-economic groups; and (2) estimation of wage offer distribution for the transforming labor market. We use data from Phase II of the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (RLMS) to estimate the employment and wage offer functions for Russian workers who found a job after having been unemployed. We take into account the effectiveness of search strategies used and correct for truncation in wage offers. The binomial logit-OLS estimation method with sample selection bias correction on pooled data from Rounds 5-9 of RLMS is used. The factors considered are sex, education, experience, sector of employment and search methods’ success rate, which are hypothesized to capture the main determinants of job search behavior. The results show that individual characteristics, as well as the search method used, play a decisive role in the re-employment prospects of the unemployed. The private sector employment level is estimated to have the most powerful positive effect on the wage offer function. Russian women are less likely than men to find a job after being unemployed, and wage offers for women are estimated to be lower than for men.Russia, Transition, Job Search, Wage Offer Function, Hazard Rates
A Remote Area Power Supply (RAPS) Training Facility utilising SMA Sunny Island Inverter technology and National Instruments measurement package
No full textRAPS systems can sometimes be a cheaper alternative for supplying power than connection to a distant utility. Most assuredly it is a cleaner method of producing electricity than coal or gas constituents, provided the diesel generator is used minimally. A modern RAPS system will generally have several sources of generation, typically they might be; solar, wind and a diesel/petrol generator coupled with a battery to store excess power. The RAPS 2 system at Murdoch University was selected for an overhaul early in 2010. The system was redesigned to include new inverter technology from SMA. The new system relies on 3 separate inverters to convert the sources directly into grid quality electricity, as opposed to some traditional RAPS systems that would have most of its elements feed a DC bus that connected to a single inverter. This novel way of setting up a mini grid finds its niche in situations when the terrain or meteorological conditions make it impractical to have generation equipment all localised and a DC bus would have higher associated cable losses.
For such a system to be of educational benefit to tertiary students, the variables within the system must be able to be monitored. To this end an advanced measurement system has been designed and procured so that every measurable point in the upgraded system is available for display.
The measurement system was designed using National Instruments compact DAQ (data acquisition) hardware, one of the first of its type to be introduced to the university. The compact DAQ unit has been coupled with isolation equipment supplied by Dataforth, which already has an existing prevalence throughout the engineering department. The subsequent measurement program monitors 31 system variables at a high sampling rate to provide real time information on the state of the system. The measurement program also monitors relevant meteorological aspects such as the solar irradiance and local wind speed.
This report documents and details the steps taken to set up a new and novel RAPS system. Discussed are the approaches taken throughout the semester to project manage and facilitate progress. A detailed description is also given of the measurement and protection system that has been designed to allow students and the general public to get a good grasp on the performance of the system
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Investigation of Steven Impact Test Using a Transportation Hook Projectile with Gauged Experiments and 3D Modeling
No full textThe Steven Impact Test and associated modeling offer valuable practical predictions for evaluating numerous safety scenarios involving low velocity impact of energetic materials by different projectile geometries. One such scenario is the impact of energetic material by a transportation hook during shipping, which offers complexity because of the irregular hook projectile shape. Experiments were performed using gauged Steven Test targets with PBX9404 impacted by a transportation hook projectile to compliment previous non-gauged experiments that established an impact threshold of approximately 69 m/s. Modeling of these experiments was performed with LS-DYNA code using an Ignition and Growth reaction criteria with a friction term. Comparison of the experiment to the model shows reasonable agreement with some details requiring more attention. The experimental results (including carbon resistor gauge records), model calculations, and a discussion of the dominant reaction mechanisms in light of comparisons between experiment and model will be presented
Drugs Aging
No full textBackgroundDifferences in medication use by geographic region may indicate differences in access to specialist medical care, especially in the case of prescriptions for psychotropic medications. We assessed the effect of more or less urbanized residence on likelihood of psychotropic medication use in a large cohort of older adults in Pennsylvania, USA.MethodsCommunity-dwelling older adults were recruited from senior centers across PA. Participant residences were geocoded and categorized according to U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural-Urban Continuum Codes. We used the codes to identify respondents who live in relatively urban counties with 250,000 or more residents (n=1360) or less urban counties with fewer than 250,000 residents (n=401). Participants reported prescription medications in a clinical interview. Psychotropic medications were categorized by class. Logistic regression models were estimated to assess the independent effect of residence on likelihood of psychotropic medication use.ResultsGeographic region was significantly associated with use of psychotropic medications. Psychotropic medication use was higher in less urban areas (19.7%) relative to more urban areas (14.2%), p =.007. In adjusted models, degree of urban residence was a significant correlate in models that adjusted for sociodemographic features and medical status (odds ratio, 1.62; 95% confidence interval 1.13\u20132.31, p < .01). Use of psychotropic medications on the Beers list also increased with less urban residence (13.0% vs. 8.3%, p = .005).ConclusionsOlder adults living in less urbanized areas are more likely to be prescribed psychotropic drugs. This difference may indicate a health disparity based on access to geriatric specialists or mental health care.DP002657/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United StatesP30 AG024827/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United StatesUL1 TR000005/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United State
Mid-Infrared Multi-Spectrum Sensing and Imaging for Non-Destructive Material Characterization
No full textMid-infrared (mid-IR) spectroscopy has become a powerful technique for chemical analysis. The fingerprint absorption bands in mid-IR can be used to uniquely identify a molecular specie. Such fingerprinting capability along with non-invasive measurement makes mid-IR sensing an ideal technology for applications involving chemical analysis in complex environments, such as pharmaceutical production, clinical health condition monitoring, environment monitoring, and remote sensing. Typically, FTIR is used to obtain the mid-IR spectrum of a specimen. However, such bench-top FTIR instrument is unpractical for field-deployed applications. To address this issue, miniaturized nanophotonic devices are alternatives for mid-IR sensing. The focus of this research is to apply mid-IR sensing technique in non-invasive chemical composition analysis.
First, a mid-IR visualization system was demonstrated to show the capability of mid-IR sensing for ultra-fast chemical identification. The fundamental components for mid-IR sensing were discussed in the experiment. Next, on-chip vortex beam generation from waveguides was studied by FDTD simulation. A spiral phase plate was then fabricated on a glass plate to show the vortex beam generation from 3.0 ��m to 3.7 ��m experimentally. Third, the second-order nonlinear property of BaTiO3 thin film was studied by second-harmonic generation in the mid-IR region. The nonlinear integrated photonics gives opportunity for on-chip mid-IR light generation. Last, mid-IR integrated photonics for volatile organic compounds (VOC) sensing was studied for enhanced sensitivity. SiN waveguides typically offer 5 times enhancement compared with Si waveguides. Nanoparticles-coated waveguides offer another 10-15 times enhancement. Mid-IR waveguides with nanoparticle coatings is believed to bring the sensitivity towards sub ppm level of VOC gases
Predicting injury among nursing personnel using personal risk factors
No full textThe purpose of this thesis was to develop a means of predicting future injury among nursing personnel working in a hospital system. Nursing has one of the highest incidence rates of musculoskeletal injuries among U.S. occupations. Endemic to the job are tasks such as rolling, sitting, standing, and transferring large, and often times, uncooperative patients. These tasks often place large biomechanical stresses on the musculoskeletal system and, in some cases, contribute to or cause a musculoskeletal injury. Given the current nursing shortage, it is imperative to keep nurses injury-free and productive so they can provide patient care services. Even though a large number of nursing personnel are injured every year and most are exposed to these high levels of biomechanical stress, the majority of nurses are injury-free. The question then arises "Why do some nurses have injuries while others do not?" The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether individual attributes in a population of nurses were associated with risk of future injury. The subject population was comprised of 140 nursing personnel at a local hospital system hired between April 1995 and February 1999. Data on individual attributes, such as patient demographics, previous injuries, posture, joint range of motion, flexibility, and muscular strength, was ascertained during a post-offer screening on these personnel. Twenty six (19%) nurses experienced an injury associated with the axial skeleton. Chi square test for homogeneity for the categorical predictor variables, and the Student's T-test for continuous predictor variables were used to determine if any individual attributes were associated with future injuries. None of the variables were associated with a risk of future axial skeletal injury. Practical application of these results for St. Joseph Regional Health Center, and possibly other acute care facilities, directs us to stop costly pre-employment/post-offer testing for the purpose of identifying injury prone nurse applicants. Secondly, it allows the focus of limited resources to be on making the job safer through administrative and engineering controls
What can western management offer Russian social work?
No full textThis paper contributes to the debate on the process and the efficacy of Western management 'knowledge' transfer by casting light on the ways in which it has had an impact on the largely neglected area of public service and public administration. The study from which the paper derives took place in 1997 and 1998 in two social services departments in regions south of Moscow, and in the Ministry of Labour and Social Development (formerly Social Protection) in Moscow. The author is a British management academic acting as a consultant to the development of social work management on a recent Tacis project. The paper is an ethnographic, participant observer account of working with Russian social workers, social work managers, and heads of service. In Russia, the institutions for protection of the most vulnerable groups in the population, and the legislative frameworks for such institutions (the ‘social safety net’), are being radically re-drawn, in efforts to forestall the direst social consequences of a rapid shift to the market. Social work as a profession is being shaped and defined within this context, and an infrastructure to manage and resource it is being gradually and painfully developed by its leaders, often in extremis. Social services managers are struggling with a gargantuan task of reconciling the contradiction between vastly expanding public expectations and rapidly dwindling resources. Within this contradiction, Western influences, traditional Russian values and the harsh reality of the present, meet, collide and confront each other. Inherent tensions lead to the psychological phenomenon known as ‘splitting’ - the separating out of negative emotions or feelings judged unhelpful, and their projection onto other groups. Using an ethnographic approach to a small number of recent consultancy episodes, the author contends that only those Western management approaches which can accommodate a diverse range of ideological positions will be helpful, because they will be recognised in terms of current realities and comprehended as consistent with dominant values. No single set of values can yet be said to be dominant. The ensuing result is that a focus on developing practice in social work delivery is seen to be more relevant, and less problematical, than the transfer of new approaches to service management
The Shoah Foundation\u27s Visual History: U-M\u27s Access to the Holocaust
No full textIn 1994, following the filming of Schindler\u27s List, many survivors of the Nazi Holocaust came forward to offer their stories. Realizing that time was running out to document these personal histories, film director Steven Spielberg established the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation (SVHF). In late 2003, the U-M University Library initiated contact with the SVHF with the goal of bringing access to the Video History Archive to the U-M campus
Schizophrenia
No full textLeading researchers address conceptual and technical issues in schizophrenia and suggest novel strategies for advancing research and treatment. Despite major advances in methodology and thousands of published studies every year, treatment outcomes in schizophrenia have not improved over the last fifty years. Moreover, we still lack strategies for prevention and we do not yet understand how the interaction of genetic, developmental, and environmental factors contribute to the disorder. In this book, leading researchers consider conceptual and technical obstacles to progress in understanding schizophrenia and suggest novel strategies for advancing research and treatment. The contributors address a wide range of critical issues: the construct of schizophrenia itself; etiology, risk, prediction, and prevention; different methods of modeling the disorder; and treatment development and delivery. They identify crucial gaps in our knowledge and offer creative but feasible suggestions. These strategies include viewing schizophrenia as a heterogeneous group of conditions; adopting specific new approaches to prediction and early intervention; developing better integration of data across genetics, imaging, perception, cognition, phenomenology, and other fields; and moving toward an evidence-based, personalized approach to treatment requiring rational clinical decision-making to reduce functional disability. Contributors Robert Bittner, Robert W. Buchanan, Kristin S. Cadenhead, William T. Carpenter, Jr., Aiden Corvin, Daniel Durstewitz, André A. Fenton, Camilo de la Fuente-Sandoval, Jay A. Gingrich, Joshua A. Gordon, Chloe Gott, Peter B. Jones, René S. Kahn, Richard Keefe, Wolfgang Kelsch, James L. Kennedy, Matcheri S. Keshavan, Angus W. MacDonald III, Anil K. Malhotra, John McGrath, Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Kevin J. Mitchell, Bita Moghaddam, Vera A. Morgan, Craig Morgan, Kim T. Mueser, Karoly Nikolich, Patricio O'Donnell, Michael O'Donovan, William A. Phillips, Wulf Rössler, Louis Sass, Akira Sawa, Jeremy K. Seamans, Steven M. Silverstein, William Spaulding, Sharmili Sritharan, Heike Tost, Peter Uhlhaas, Aristotle Voineskos, Michèle Wessa, Leanne M. Williams, Ashley Wilson, Til Wyke
Information, accounting, and the regulation of concessioned infrastructure monopolies
No full textEconomists often characterize the regulation of monopolies as a"game"(between the regulator and the service provider) in which the two players do not share the same information. The regulator is assumed to have poorer information than the service provider about the scope of future efficiency gains and the size and timing of future investment plans. Over time, the regulator must increase its information base so that regulatory targets become more realistic - but this is a costly process. The authors examine the ways such information can and should be generated, especially throughthe accounting requirements a regulator can impose on private operators of infrastructure concessions. (They view concessioning and regulation as complementary, not substitute, activities.) Concessionaires should provide regulators with the information they need to: 1) Compare outcomes with expectations. 2) Evaluate the cost of adverse shocks that may warrant relaxed regulations. 3) Evaluate whether lower costs than expected are the result of better performance or diminished output. 4) Properly evaluate the asset base and charge for the consumption of capital. Information that regulators get from private operators of infrastructure monopolies should be used to make both regulators and concessionaires accountable. In Chile, for example, the privatization of monopolies led to significant efficiency gains, but it took a long time for these gains to be passed on to users because neither the firms nor the regulators were held accountable - until Congress expressed reluctance to endorse further privatization because earlier waves of privatization had not benefited consumers. In other words, information should be used to make regulatory decisions more transparent and to reduce the risk of the private providers"capturing"the regulators.Labor Policies,International Terrorism&Counterterrorism,Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Decentralization,Financial Intermediation,Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,International Terrorism&Counterterrorism,Banks&Banking Reform
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