Quality of work and a new politics of the quality of life: A progressive agenda for the workplace

The goal of this short paper is to explain why labour parties must rethink their approach to the place that work has in all our lives – and in a wider progressive narrative. Of course, the focus of the Australian conversation in recent times has been on the legal rights of individuals and the regulation of trade union activities. But the case I want to outline here is that progressives should have more to say about the world of work beyond the arguments for a modest extension of employment protection legislation. Our starting point has to be that the contract of employment is more than a merely economic relationship... &nbsp

Union futures: Why progressives should care about the future of labour

This paper makes two arguments; first, that progressive parties cannot afford to be neutral about the role of organised labour and second, that a determined effort must be made to improve workplace employment relations, by encouraging effective employer-union co-operation. It may have struck you already that these seem to be two quite distinct arguments. You might even find it difficult to relate one to the other. But the case made in this paper is that the political role of organised labour is legitimised by the fact that trade unions have credibility in the workplace. &nbsp

Renal function, uraemia and early arteriovenous fistula failure

Background Guidance varies regarding the optimal timing of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) creation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between uraemia, haemodialysis and early AVF failure. Methods Immunoblotting and cell proliferation assays were performed on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSM) cells isolated from long saphenous vein samples to evaluate the cells’ ability to proliferate when stimulated with uraemic (post-dialysis) and hyperuraemic (pre-dialysis) serum. Clinical data was collected prospectively for 569 consecutive radiocephalic (RCF) and brachiocephalic (BCF) fistulae. The primary outcome was AVF failure at 6 weeks. Dialysis status (haemodialysis (HD); pre-dialysis (Pre-D)), eGFR and serum urea were evaluated to determine if they affected early AVF failure. Results Human VSM cells demonstrated increased capacity to proliferate when stimulated with hyperuraemic serum. There was no significant difference in early failure rate of either RCF or BCF depending on dialysis status (pre-D RCF 31.4% (n = 188); pre-D BCF 22.4% (n = 165); HD RCF 29.3% (n = 99); HD BCF 25.9% (n = 116); p = 0.34). There was no difference in mean eGFR between those patients with early AVF failure and those without (11.2+/-0.2 ml/min/1.73 m2 vs. 11.6+/-0.4 ml/min/1.73 m2; p = 0.47). Uraemia was associated with early AVF failure (serum urea: 35.0+/-0.7 mg/dl vs. 26.6+/-0.3 mg/dl (p &lt; 0.001)). Conclusions We present the first in vivo evidence of an association between adverse early AVF outcomes and uraemia. This is supported mechanistically by in vitro work demonstrating a pro-mitogenic effect of hyperuraemic serum. We hypothesise that uraemia-driven upregulation of VSM cell proliferation at the site of surgical insult in contributes to higher early AVF failure rates.</p

Firewall argument for acoustic black holes

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science. June 8, 2015.We investigate the rewall paradox proposed by AMPS [1] by rst explaining the Information Paradox together with Hawking's derivation of the thermal radiation emitted from a evaporating black hole [28]. We then ask if one can apply arguments similar to that of Hawking and AMPS in the regime of uid mechanics, which was rst considered by Unruh [59]. We assume that a black hole, with a geometry conformal to the Schwarzschild metric, can be formed in a uid. The sonic hole or \dumb" hole, which is characterized by an acoustic event horizon, is the locus of points at which the background uid is traveling at the local speed of sound. Since sound disturbances are coupled to the background uid and travel at the speed of sound, the acoustic event horizon a ects sound disturbances in a manner analogous to how gravitational black holes a ect light [62]. Like a gravitational black hole, which evaporates by emitting Hawking radiation, we check if an acoustic black hole will emit in a similar kind of radiation in the form of phonons. This is done by constructing a massless scalar eld describing phonon propagation and treating the acoustic black hole just like a gravitational black hole. We apply the arguments put forth by Hawking and AMPS and see if there is any validity to an \acoustic rewall" as this would require certain physical phenomena emerging from sub-atomic scales

Comprehensive Joint Time-Frequency Analysis Toward Condition Based Maintenance Regimes for Electrical and Mechanical Components

Based upon a framework of time-frequency analysis, we outline condition based maintenance (CBM), or maintenance only upon evidence of need, for both electrical and mechanical systems. We apply novel time-frequency cross-correlation metrics to helicopter drivetrain systems and electrical cables as remaining useful life assessments by non-destructive and non-invasive tests. In both cases, these metrics for health assessment provide a basis for diagnostic and prognostic analysis of underlying systems and components by performing accelerated condition tests on actual mechanical and electrical systems. We present novel time-frequency domain vibration analysis of a gearbox failure in an AH-64 Apache drivetrain testbed and quantify transient precursors of failure where previous diagnostic methods rely on stationary power spectrum analysis to analyze nonstationary signals. Using time-frequency representations of the vibration signals, a shift in energy is seen from the first harmonic of the gearmesh frequency to the third and fourth harmonics in intermittent patterns indiscernible by the standard power spectrum over the course of 4 days leading to gearbox failure due to grease lubrication drought. We demonstrate a new form of Rényi entropy-based mutual information measure based upon Shannon and Hartley entropy and derived from a cross-time-frequency distribution of separate accelerometer vibration signals for comparing rotational harmonics from multiple bearings to create new condition indicators of damage in rotorcraft drivetrains. Baseline, unbalanced, and misaligned experimental settings of helicopter drivetrain bearings and shafts are quantitatively distinguished by the proposed techniques. With unbalance quantifiable by variance in the in-phase mutual information and misalignment quantifiable by variance in the quadrature mutual information, machine health classification is accomplished by use of statistical bounding regions. Utilizing similar methods to form a time-frequency cross-correlation derived metric, a process for non-invasively assessing the health of low voltage instrumentation cables and medium to high voltage feeder and underground transmission cables is proposed by way of Joint Time-frequency Domain Reflectometry (JTFDR). We introduce a new standardized method for determination of the optimal reference signal for reflectometry to allow implementation of a stand-alone reflectometer device for cable testing and provide theoretical background for a more generalized time-frequency enveloping function of this reference. Fault location and life estimation methods are verified in networks of instrumentation cable, cable tray and conduit systems, multiple localized fault scenarios, simulations of faults on endless lines, and three separate thermal accelerated aging tests of low to high voltage cables. A 24 hour thermal aging test of underground 15kV, tree-resistant cross-linked polyethylene (TR-XLPE) cable simulates 90 years of service life and shows a monotonic increase in the measured JTFDR metric. This is compared to aging of similar duration for other cables utilizing silicon rubber (SIR), cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), and ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) insulation types. Expanding on this preliminary aging, we present a 916 hour extended accelerated aging test of XLPE insulated RG-58 instrumentation cable at reduced and more realistic temperatures to simulate 30 years of service. The time-frequency optimal reference signal is updated with a separated spectrum as enveloped by a Gaussian derivative function. Lastly, we utilize a single broadband monopole surface wave launcher and receiver in combination with the JTFDR algorithm to obtain fault location and health assessment metrics non-invasively and provide fault assessment in unshielded concentric neutral cables

Progressive Damage Analysis of Laminated Composite (PDALC) (A Computational Model Implemented in the NASA COMET Finite Element Code)

A method for analysis of progressive failure in the Computational Structural Mechanics Testbed is presented in this report. The relationship employed in this analysis describes the matrix crack damage and fiber fracture via kinematics-based volume-averaged damage variables. Damage accumulation during monotonic and cyclic loads is predicted by damage evolution laws for tensile load conditions. The implementation of this damage model required the development of two testbed processors. While this report concentrates on the theory and usage of these processors, a complete listing of all testbed processors and inputs that are required for this analysis are included. Sample calculations for laminates subjected to monotonic and cyclic loads were performed to illustrate the damage accumulation, stress redistribution, and changes to the global response that occurs during the loading history. Residual strength predictions made with this information compared favorably with experimental measurements

Longitudinal Evaluation of Eye Misalignment and Eye Movements Following Surgical Correction of Strabismus in Monkeys

Purpose: Strabismus correction surgery is well documented in both the literature and practice with varying levels of success and permanence. Our goal was to characterize longitudinal changes in eye alignment and eye movements following strabismus correction surgery in a monkey model for developmental strabismus. Methods: We studied two juvenile rhesus monkeys with exotropia previously induced via an optical prism-rearing paradigm in infancy. Eye misalignment was corrected via a resection–recession surgery of the horizontal rectus muscles of one eye. Binocular search coils were used to collect eye movement data during smooth-pursuit, saccades, and fixation tasks before surgical treatment, immediately after surgery, and through 6 months after treatment. Results: Both animals showed an immediate ?70% reduction in misalignment as a consequence of surgery that regressed to a 20%–40% improvement by 6 months after treatment. Significant changes were observed in saccade and smooth-pursuit gain of the nonviewing eye after surgery, which also reverted to presurgical values by 6 months. A temporary improvement in fixation stability of the nonviewing eye was observed after surgery; naso-temporal (N/T) asymmetry of monocular smooth-pursuit remained unchanged. Conclusions: Surgical realignment is followed by plastic changes that often lead to reversal of surgery effects. Immediate improvement in misalignment and changes in eye movement gains are likely a result of contractility changes at the level of the extraocular muscle, whereas longer-term effects are likely a combination of neural and muscle adaptation

Improving arteriovenous fistula patency : transdermal delivery of diclofenac reduces cannulation-dependent neointimal hyperplasia via AMPK activation

Creation of an autologous arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for vascular access in haemodialysis is the modality of choice. However neointimal hyperplasia and loss of the luminal compartment result in AVF patency rates of ~60% at 12months. The exact cause of neointimal hyperplasia in the AVF is poorly understood. Vascular trauma has long been associated with hyperplasia. With this in mind in our rabbit model of AVF we simulated cannulation autologous to that undertaken in vascular access procedures and observed significant neointimal hyperplasia as a direct consequence of cannulation. The neointimal hyperplasia was completely inhibited by topical transdermal delivery of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) diclofenac. In addition to the well documented anti-inflammatory properties we have identified novel anti-proliferative mechanisms demonstrating diclofenac increases AMPK-dependent signalling and reduced expression of the cell cycle protein cyclin D1. In summary prophylactic transdermal delivery of diclofenac to the sight of AVF cannulation prevents adverse neointimal hyperplasic remodelling and potentially offers a novel treatment option that may help prolong AVF patency and flow rates