A Review Of Australia's Compulsory Superannuation Scheme After A Decade

The Australian superannuation system places trustees in the key role of managing superannuation assets and we subject the role of trustee to close scrutiny while identifying the very substantial principal-and-agent problems that exist in the industry. We consider two policy issues: member choice of fund and portability of accumulated balances in the light of how they would improve the ability of individual members to maximise retirement benefits and the efficiency of the system. We argue that the award superannuation scheme which requires, by conditions in industrial awards, contributions of three per cent of wage or salary of an employee continues along side the SG scheme is due for review.

Sustainable Retirement: A Look At Consumer Desires

This paper examines the findings of the research project, 'Retirement Savings: Drivers and Desires', commissioned by the Investment and Financial Services Association Ltd (IFSA) in 2001. The paper investigates retirement savings decision-making and retirement income product stream choice. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of questionnaire data relating to decision-making and product stream choice and discusses these issues in the context of established research findings about retirement income. The paper consists of five sections. The first is a brief review of the 'Drivers and Desires' research project conducted in 2001. An important theme to emerge from the initial project was that participants reported a high level of risk aversion and a strong desire to obtain the publicly funded age pension. Based on the findings of the initial project, the remaining sections of this paper focuses on consumer preferences, particularly relating to risk aversion and demand for the age pension. The second section focuses on a specific issue emanating from the initial project, specifically the market for annuities. The third section considers retirement income streams in terms of risks to investors. The fourth section carries out a quantitative analysis of consumer preferences toward the identified risks in previous sections, and specifically considers various trade-offs in the decision-making process. The fifth section outlines various policy alternatives and issues for future consideration.

Canadian nursing students’ understanding, and comfort levels related to Medical Assistance in Dying

Background: Recent legislation regarding medical assistance in dying (MAiD) has important implications for nursing practice and education. It follows that Canadian nursing programmes must integrate theoretical and clinical practice related to MAiD in current curricula. Understanding student knowledge and comfort regarding MAiD provides important direction for developing curricula. Purpose: To explore the understanding and comfort levels of BSN students regarding MAiD. Methods: An applied health research methodology drawing on Interpretive Description was employed. Forty BSN students were surveyed before receiving MAiD education delivered through coursework and clinical experiences; 32 students participated in post intervention surveys; six students participated in individual interviews. Results: Three major themes emerged from data analysis: Prior Experience and Lack of Experience; Personal Beliefs and Role Challenges; Need for Knowledge. Student understandings and comfort level levels related to MAiD were strongly influenced by their previous experiences, personal values and beliefs, and knowledge of MAiD policies and practices. Both theory courses and clinical experiences related to MAiD had positive impacts on students’ knowledge and comfort levels. Conclusions: Study findings draw attention to the need for improved education related to end of life and MAiD through both theory courses and clinical practicum experiences to improve student knowledge and comfort levels. Résumé Contexte : La législation récente concernant l’aide médicale à mourir a des implications importantes pour la pratique et la formation en sciences infirmières. Les programmes de sciences infirmières canadiens doivent donc intégrer dans les cours actuels la pratique théorique et clinique liée à l’aide médicale à mourir. Comprendre les connaissances et le niveau de confort des étudiantes concernant l’aide médicale à mourir fournit une orientation importante pour l’élaboration des programmes d’études. Objectif : Explorer les niveaux de compréhension et de confort des étudiantes au baccalauréat en sciences infirmières concernant l’aide médicale à mourir. Méthodologie : Une méthodologie de recherche appliquée en santé inspirée de la description interprétative a été utilisée. Quarante (40) étudiantes au baccalauréat en sciences infirmières ont été interrogées avant de recevoir une formation sur l’aide médicale à mourir dispensée dans le cadre de cours et d’expériences cliniques; 32 étudiantes ont participé à des sondages post-intervention et 6 étudiantes ont participé à des entrevues individuelles. Résultats : L’analyse des données a révélé trois thèmes principaux : expérience antérieure et manque d’expérience; croyances personnelles et défis liés au rôle; et, besoin de connaissances. Les niveaux de compréhension et de confort des étudiantes liés à l’aide médicale à mourir étaient fortement influencés par leurs expériences antérieures, leurs valeurs et croyances personnelles ainsi que leurs connaissances des politiques et des pratiques relatives à l’aide médicale à mourir. Les cours théoriques et les expériences cliniques liées à l’aide médicale à mourir ont eu des effets positifs sur les connaissances et le niveau de confort des étudiantes. Conclusions : Les résultats de l’étude attirent l’attention sur la nécessité d’améliorer la formation liée à la fin de vie et à l’aide médicale à mourir par le biais de cours théoriques et d’expériences de pratique en milieu clinique afin d’améliorer les connaissances et le niveau de confort des étudiants

Utilization of Robotics in Higher Education

The use of technology in the classroom has evolved from the most primitive to the widespread use of personal computers. One of the trends in technological advancements to enter the classroom is the use of robotics. The relationship between robotics and education spans many years. This paper details Papert’s Constructionism theory defining learning as being more effective when students are “constructing” or “doing” activities that are personally meaningful. Research includes assessment of experiences of this method of teaching Information Technology through robotics at such institutions as West Point, Reykjavik University and University of South Florida. Based on the experiences reported at the various institutions, authors conclude with recommendations to Bryant College as the college launches an integration of the utilization of robotic components into the Information Technology curriculum to more effectively introduce students to Information Technology concepts

Drivers of extreme wind events in Mexico for windpower applications

In this study, we use a k-mean clustering approach to investigate the weather patterns responsible for extreme wind speed events throughout Mexico using 40 years of the ERA-5 atmospheric reanalysis. Generally, we find a large geographical split between the weather patterns that generate the strongest winds across the country. The highest wind power production periods therefore occur at different times in different regions across the country. In the South, these are associated with cold surge events, where an anticyclone is present in the Gulf of Mexico resulting in a strong Northerly flow across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. In the North-East, Easterly trade winds are responsible for the strongest wind events, whereas in the North-West, it is the proximity of the North Pacific High. However, the weakest winds and lowest power production periods occur at the same times for all stations with the exception of Baja California Sur, meaning that low wind power production may be unavoidable at these times. The El Ni\uf1o Southern Oscillation is found to influence wind speeds at some locations across Mexico at sub-seasonal time-scales. We report that statistically stronger wind speeds are observed during the Summer during El Ni\uf1o months than during La Ni\uf1a months for both sites in Chiapas and Oaxaca. 10.1002/joc.684

Teach Me or Lie to Me

Your nose does not grow when you lie, thankfully. However, there are a number of indicators of deception (Vrij, 2008). People who held more accurate beliefs about these indicators of deception were better lie detectors (Forrest, Feldman, & Tyler, 2004). Yet, people tend to not be very accurate lie detectors and hold a number of false beliefs (Bond & DePaulo, 2006; Global Deception Research Team). Recently, a study has found that the implementation of a workshop has been effective for increasing accurate beliefs about indicators of deception and reducing negative attitudes toward deception for physical therapy students (Curtis, Huang, & Nicks, 2015).The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effectiveness of an educational workshop for enhancing correct beliefs and reducing negative attitudes

Investigations into the Influence of Chronic Colitis on Colonic Adenocarcinoma Cell Growth A Progress Report

Graduate Basi

Superhyperfine interactions in inhomogeneously broadened paramagnetic centers observed via a hole-burned free induction decay

Superhyperfine interactions in inhomogeneously broadened paramagnetic centers are observed using a single high-turn-angle microwave pulse. The free induction signal that follows the hole-burning pulse exhibits oscillations that are distinct from the oscillatory free induction decay observable in some inhomogeneously broadened systems. It contains frequencies characteristic of the superhyperfine splittings, together with a zero frequency component. Experimental examples of the effect in both orientationally disordered (powdered) and structurally disordered (glassy) systems are presented and compared with the conceptually similar Fourier transform electron paramagnetic resonance detected nuclear magnetic resonance experiment, together with numerical simulations. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics

The demography of fine roots in response to patches of water and nitrogen

Fine root demography was quantified in response to patches of increased water and nitrogen availability in a natural, second-growth, mixed hardwood forest in northern Michigan, USA. As expected, the addition of water and water plus nitrogen resulted in a significant overall increase in the production of new fine roots. New root production was much greater in response to water plus nitrogen when compared with water alone, and the duration of new root production was related to the length of resource addition in the water plus nitrogen treatments; the average difference in new root length between the 20 vs. 40 d additions of water plus nitrogen amounted to almost 600%. Roots produced in response to the additions of water and water plus nitrogen lived longer than roots in the control treatments. Thus, additions of water and water plus nitrogen influenced both the proliferation of new roots and their longevity, with both proliferation and longevity related to the type and duration of resource supply. Results suggest that root longevity and mortality may be plastic in response to changes in soil resource availability, as is well known for root proliferation.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65770/1/j.1469-8137.1993.tb03905.x.pd

Perturbed mitochondria-ER contacts in live neurons that model the amyloid pathology of Alzheimer\u27s disease.

The use of fixed fibroblasts from familial and sporadic Alzheimer\u27s disease patients has previously indicated an upregulation of mitochondria-ER contacts (MERCs) as a hallmark of Alzheimer\u27s disease. Despite its potential significance, the relevance of these results is limited because they were not extended to live neurons. Here we performed a dynamic in vivo analysis of MERCs in hippocampal neurons from McGill-R-Thy1-APP transgenic rats, a model of Alzheimer\u27s disease-like amyloid pathology. Live FRET imaging of neurons from transgenic rats revealed perturbed \u27lipid-MERCs\u27 (gap width \u3c10 nm), while \u27Ca2+-MERCs\u27 (10-20 nm gap width) were unchanged. In situ TEM showed no significant differences in the lipid-MERCs:total MERCs or lipid-MERCs:mitochondria ratios; however, the average length of lipid-MERCs was significantly decreased in neurons from transgenic rats as compared to controls. In accordance with FRET results, untargeted lipidomics showed significant decreases in levels of 12 lipids and bioenergetic analysis revealed respiratory dysfunction of mitochondria from transgenic rats. Thus, our results reveal changes in MERC structures coupled with impaired mitochondrial functions in Alzheimer\u27s disease-related neurons.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper