The Evolution of Welfare Participation Among Canadian Lone Mothers From 1973 ­ 1991

The objective of this paper is to analyse changes in the welfare participation of Canadian lone mothers between 1973 and 1991. Lone mothers under age 35 do show an increasing reliance on SA income accompanied by stagnant wages and declining levels of market work and earnings. In contrast, lone mothers age 35 and over exhibit a declining reliance on SA income accompanied by rising levels of market work, wages and earnings income. Estimates of a simple economic­demographic probit model of welfare participation are both consistent with theoretical expectations and capable of accounting for a large portion of the very different observed trends for older and younger lone mothers. Much of the declining welfare use among older lone mothers can be explained by decreasing family size, increasing education and market wages which grew at the same rate as welfare benefits. Much of the rising welfare use among younger lone mothers can be explained by a decline in wages relative to welfare benefits accompanied by a mixed pattern of demographic change for this age group. Among younger lone mothers, modest declines in family size and increases in schooling were offset by a large increase in the proportion never married.

Persistence and Academic Success in University

We use a unique set of linked administrative data sets to explore the determinants of persistence and academic success in university. The explanatory power of high school grades greatly dominates that of other variables such as university program, gender, and neighbourhood and high school characteristics. Indeed, high school and neighbourhood characteristics, such as average standardized test scores for a high school or average neighbourhood income, have weak links with success in university.University Success, High School, Neighbourhood

Persistence and Academic Success in University

We use a unique set of linked administrative data sets to explore the determinants of persistence and academic success in university. The explanatory power of high school grades greatly dominates that of other variables such as university program, gender, and neighbourhood and high school characteristics. Indeed, high school and neighbourhood characteristics, such as average standardized test scores for a high school or average neighbourhood income, have weak links with success in university.university success, high school, neighbourhood.

The Impact of Cost on the Choice of University: Evidence from Ontario

This paper provides the first Canadian study of the link between cost to the student and the choice of university. Over the past two decades, there has been a substantial increase in the differences among Ontario universities in “net cost” defined as tuition and fees minus the expected value to an academically strong student of a guaranteed merit scholarship. Our estimates generally indicate no relationship between net cost and the overall share of strong applicants that a university is able to attract. An increase in net cost is associated with an increase in the ratio of strong students from high income neighborhoods to strong students from middle income and low income neighborhoods in Arts and Science programs but not in Commerce and Engineering. Finally, more advantaged students are more likely to attend university, but merit aid is not of disproportionate benefit to those from more economically advantaged backgrounds given registration.health education and welfare, university, choice, cost.

Within-Cohort Earnings Inequality Among Canadian Men: 1971-1982

Cet article expose les résultats des derniers changements survenus dans la disparité des salaires à l'intérieur des groupes d'hommes au Canada. Cette recherche s'applique aux salaires gagnes sur le marche du travail plutôt qu'aux revenus globaux, aux hommes plutôt qu'à l'ensemble des individus ou des familles. De plus, l'article attire principalement l'attention sur le degré de la disparité des salaires à l'intérieur de groupes par rapport aux niveaux d'éducation et d'âge en les comparant à la diversité des salaires entre de tels groupes.Cette étude précise que la disparité des gages ou des salaires à l'intérieur des groupes se fonde sur une triple justification. Premièrement, cet aspect particulier n'a jamais été étudie d'une façon systématique dans les statistiques canadiennes, du moins à la connaissance de l'auteur. Deuxièmement, il y a lieu de souligner que la disparité des salaires parmi les familles canadiennes a augmenté au début de la décennie 1970. L'article aide à clarifier les causes possibles de cette constatation. Troisièmement, une étude récente tirée de statistiques américaines démontre qu'il y a eu un accroissement substantiel de la disparité des salaires parmi les différents groupes d'hommes à la fin de la décennie 1960 et durant la décennie 1970. On a estimé que l'une des causes de ce changement résidant dans l'arrivée sur le marche du travail des enfants nés à la suite de la forte hausse du taux de natalité et de l'explosion qui l'a suivie. Une autre cause consisterait dans la bipolarité de la demande de travail et de la répartition des salaires dans les économies avancées. Les statistiques canadiennes fournissent une excellente occasion de considérer les explications à la fois fondée sur la démographie et la demande de travail puisque, au cours des années passées, le Canada et les États-Unis ont connu les mêmes expériences en ce qui a trait aux modifications survenues dans la structure des âges et la demande de travail. Les données sur lesquelles repose la présente étude sont tirées de sept des enquêtes sur les dépenses de consommation au cours de la période 1971-1982. Les groupes de référence n'incluent que l'âge et quatre catégories de scolarisation. Les mesures de disparité utilisée dans ces analyses préliminaires consistaient dans la divergence des gains annuels et des salaires hebdomadaires au sein d'un échantillon de tous les travailleurs à gages et à salaires de sexe masculin et un échantillon des travailleurs à temps complet durant toute l'année.Nos estimations indiquent que la disparité des salaires à l'intérieur des groupes a tendance d'abord à diminuer et à augmenter ensuite avec l'âge, spécialement dans le cas des gains annuels pour l'ensemble de l'échantillon et les moins scolarisés. L'effet positif du taux de chômage dans toutes les régressions signifie que la disparité tant dans les heures effectuées que dans les salaires horaires est anticyclique. Les estimations de la tendance signifient qu'il y a augmentation modérée soutenue de la disparité nette en ce qui a trait aux différences d'âge et de scolarisation dans tout l'échantillon, à l'exception des travailleurs à temps plein dont l'emploi est à l'année. Cependant, même cette tendance positive disparait lorsqu'on fait intervenir le taux de chômage. Par conséquent, nos statistiques confirment l'assertion que la disparité des salaires parmi les travailleurs de sexe masculin a augmente modérément, mais ceci peut s'expliquer par la tendance à la hausse dans le taux de chômage qui l'accompagne.Les effets des autres facteurs comme les changements démographiques dans la main-d’œuvre ou la bipolarité de la demande de travail ne semblent pas avoir d'influence indépendamment des facteurs cycliques.This paper presents resultsfrom a study of recent changes in earnings inequality within cohorts of Canadian men defined by levels of schooling and age. Data are taken from seven Surveys of Consumer Finances during the period 1971 through 1982

Research Brief No. 11 - How Costs Affect Student Choice of University

This study delves into the link between the cost to attain an undergraduate degree and the choice of university among academically stronger students. By looking at Ontario Undergraduate Application Centre data as well as the average family income in the student’s neighbourhood, researchers were able to conclude that the number of strong registrants at a university does not change substantially when there is a change in the net cost (tuition minus entry scholarship) of attending the institution. Entry scholar-ships usually are granted solely on the basis of high school grades and are guaranteed to any qualified applicant. There are, however, changes in the type of strong student that registers: when net cost rises, more students from high-income neighbourhoods and fewer from low to medium-income neighbourhoods will apply for the Arts and Sci-ence programs. There is no discernible difference in professional programs like Commerce and Engineering. The study also concludes that there are only very small differences among university students from low-, medium- and high-income neighborhoods in the likelihood of winning an entry scholarship

Characterization of thermal effects in the Enhanced LIGO Input Optics

We present the design and performance of the LIGO Input Optics subsystem as implemented for the sixth science run of the LIGO interferometers. The Initial LIGO Input Optics experienced thermal side effects when operating with 7 W input power. We designed, built, and implemented improved versions of the Input Optics for Enhanced LIGO, an incremental upgrade to the Initial LIGO interferometers, designed to run with 30 W input power. At four times the power of Initial LIGO, the Enhanced LIGO Input Optics demonstrated improved performance including better optical isolation, less thermal drift, minimal thermal lensing and higher optical efficiency. The success of the Input Optics design fosters confidence for its ability to perform well in Advanced LIGO

Titania-doped tantala/silica coatings for gravitational-wave detection

Reducing thermal noise from optical coatings is crucial to reaching the required sensitivity in next generation interferometric gravitational-wave detectors. Here we show that adding TiO2 to Ta2O5 in Ta2O5/SiO2 coatings reduces the internal friction and in addition present data confirming it reduces thermal noise. We also show that TiO2-doped Ta2O5/SiO2 coatings are close to satisfying the optical absorption requirements of second generation gravitational-wave detectors

Rounding of low serum creatinine levels and consequent impact on accuracy of bedside estimates of renal function in cancer patients

To compare glomerular filtration rate measured by technetium-99m ([Tc(99m)]) DTPA clearance with estimated creatinine clearance (CrCl) (Cockcroft and Gault (C&G) method) in patients with serum creatinine (Scr) levels 100 ml min(-1). This work indicates that when bedside estimates of renal function are calculated using the C&G formula actual Scr should be used first to estimate CrCl. If the resultant CrCl is </=100 ml min(-1), then the Scr should be rounded up to 0.06 mmol l(-1) and CrCl recalculated. Further assessment of this approach is warranted in a larger cohort of patients

Efficacy and safety of the anti-IL-12/23 p40 monoclonal antibody, ustekinumab, in patients with active psoriatic arthritis despite conventional non-biological and biological anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy: 6-month and 1-year results of the phase 3, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised PSUMMIT 2 trial

Objective: Assess ustekinumab efficacy (week 24/week 52) and safety (week 16/week 24/week 60) in patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) despite treatment with conventional and/or biological anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agents. Methods: In this phase 3, multicentre, placebo-controlled trial, 312 adults with active PsA were randomised (stratified by site, weight (&#8804;100 kg/&#62;100 kg), methotrexate use) to ustekinumab 45 mg or 90 mg at week 0, week 4, q12 weeks or placebo at week 0, week 4, week 16 and crossover to ustekinumab 45 mg at week 24, week 28 and week 40. At week 16, patients with &#60;5% improvement in tender/swollen joint counts entered blinded early escape (placebo→45 mg, 45 mg→90 mg, 90 mg→90 mg). The primary endpoint was &#8805;20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology (ACR20) criteria at week 24. Secondary endpoints included week 24 Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) improvement, ACR50, ACR70 and &#8805;75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI75). Efficacy was assessed in all patients, anti-TNF-naïve (n=132) patients and anti-TNF-experienced (n=180) patients. Results: More ustekinumab-treated (43.8% combined) than placebo-treated (20.2%) patients achieved ACR20 at week 24 (p&#60;0.001). Significant treatment differences were observed for week 24 HAQ-DI improvement (p&#60;0.001), ACR50 (p&#8804;0.05) and PASI75 (p&#60;0.001); all benefits were sustained through week 52. Among patients previously treated with &#8805;1 TNF inhibitor, sustained ustekinumab efficacy was also observed (week 24 combined vs placebo: ACR20 35.6% vs 14.5%, PASI75 47.1% vs 2.0%, median HAQ-DI change −0.13 vs 0.0; week 52 ustekinumab-treated: ACR20 38.9%, PASI75 43.4%, median HAQ-DI change −0.13). No unexpected adverse events were observed through week 60. Conclusions: The interleukin-12/23 inhibitor ustekinumab (45/90 mg q12 weeks) yielded significant and sustained improvements in PsA signs/symptoms in a diverse population of patients with active PsA, including anti-TNF-experienced PsA patients