The right to know: disclosure of information for collective bargaining and joint consultation

The legal obligation on employers to provide information to employees has grown since the early 1970s. At that time, the emphasis was on disclosure for collective bargaining. In the 1980s and 1990s, the emphasis shifted more to disclosure for joint consultation. In the context of new legislation, the possibility of further interventions from Europe, and a greater commitment to openness in other areas of company and public life, disclosure of information for collective bargaining and joint consultation at work is again on the agenda. This article focuses on disclosure for both of these processes. Disclosure for collective bargaining is the most developed and potentially significant area of the law from an industrial relations perspective. Disclosure for joint consultation, however, has been the most dynamic area in recent years. Voluntary information provision by firms has also been a significant part of developing human resource management practice. The paper therefore provides a broad examination of the law on disclosure. The UK provisions are conceptualised as constituting an agenda-driven disclosure model; i.e. the trigger for their use lies within the bargaining agenda. By contrast, the provisions stemming from European initiatives are event-driven; i.e. they are triggered by specific employer initiated events that affect employment contracts in other ways irrespective of the representative context. In the final sections, we attempt a broader evaluation of the intent and impact of the legislation and assess the pros and cons of the different approaches

The Right to Know: Disclosure of Information for Collective Bargaining and Joint Consultation

The legal obligation on employers to provide information to employees has grown since the early 1970s. At that time, the emphasis was on disclosure for collective bargaining. In the 1980s and 1990s, the emphasis shifted more to disclosure for joint consultation. In the context of new legislation, the possibility of further interventions from Europe, and a greater commitment to openness in other areas of company and public life, disclosure of information for collective bargaining and joint consultation at work is again on the agenda. This article focuses on disclosure for both of these processes. Disclosure for collective bargaining is the most developed and potentially significant area of the law from an industrial relations perspective. Disclosure for joint consultation, however, has been the most dynamic area in recent years. Voluntary information provision by firms has also been a significant part of developing human resource management practice. The paper therefore provides a broad examination of the law on disclosure. The UK provisions are conceptualised as constituting an agenda-driven disclosure model; i.e. the trigger for their use lies within the bargaining agenda. By contrast, the provisions stemming from European initiatives are event-driven; i.e. they are triggered by specific employer initiated events that affect employment contracts in other ways irrespective of the representative context. In the final sections, we attempt a broader evaluation of the intent and impact of the legislation and assess the pros and cons of the different approaches.Disclosure of information, collective bargaining, joint consultation

A Direct Interaction between IP3 Receptors and Myosin II Regulates IP3 Signaling in C. elegans

AbstractMolecular and physiological studies of cells implicate interactions between the cytoskeleton and the intracellular calcium signalling machinery as an important mechanism for the regulation of calcium signalling [1–11]. However, little is known about the functions of such mechanisms in animals. A key component of the calcium signalling network is the intracellular release of calcium in response to the production of the second messenger inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3), mediated by the IP3 receptor (IP3R) [12–14]. We show that C. elegans IP3Rs, encoded by the gene itr-1, interact directly with myosin II. The interactions between two myosin proteins, UNC-54 and MYO-1, and ITR-1 were identified in a yeast two-hybrid screen and subsequently confirmed in vivo and in vitro. We defined the interaction sites on both the IP3R and MYO-1. To test the effect of disrupting the interaction in vivo we overexpressed interacting fragments of both proteins in C. elegans. This decreased the animal's ability to upregulate pharyngeal pumping in response to food. This is a known IP3-mediated process [15]. Other IP3-mediated processes, e.g., defecation [16], were unaffected. Thus it appears that interactions between IP3Rs and myosin are required for maintaining the specificity of IP3 signalling in C. elegans and probably more generally

Evidence for the Direct Detection of the Thermal Spectrum of the Non-Transiting Hot Gas Giant HD 88133 b

We target the thermal emission spectrum of the non-transiting gas giant HD 88133 b with high-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy, by treating the planet and its host star as a spectroscopic binary. For sufficiently deep summed flux observations of the star and planet across multiple epochs, it is possible to resolve the signal of the hot gas giant's atmosphere compared to the brighter stellar spectrum, at a level consistent with the aggregate shot noise of the full data set. To do this, we first perform a principal component analysis to remove the contribution of the Earth's atmosphere to the observed spectra. Then, we use a cross-correlation analysis to tease out the spectra of the host star and HD 88133 b to determine its orbit and identify key sources of atmospheric opacity. In total, six epochs of Keck NIRSPEC L band observations and three epochs of Keck NIRSPEC K band observations of the HD 88133 system were obtained. Based on an analysis of the maximum likelihood curves calculated from the multi-epoch cross correlation of the full data set with two atmospheric models, we report the direct detection of the emission spectrum of the non-transiting exoplanet HD 88133 b and measure a radial projection of the Keplerian orbital velocity of 40 $\pm$ 15 km/s, a true mass of 1.02$^{+0.61}_{-0.28}M_J$, a nearly face-on orbital inclination of 15${^{+6}_{-5}}^{\circ}$, and an atmosphere opacity structure at high dispersion dominated by water vapor. This, combined with eleven years of radial velocity measurements of the system, provides the most up-to-date ephemeris for HD 88133.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures; accepted for publication in Ap

The NASA-UC Eta-Earth Program: II. A Planet Orbiting HD 156668 with a Minimum Mass of Four Earth Masses

We report the discovery of HD 156668b, an extrasolar planet with a minimum mass of M_P sin i = 4.15 M_Earth. This planet was discovered through Keplerian modeling of precise radial velocities from Keck-HIRES and is the second super-Earth to emerge from the NASA-UC Eta-Earth Survey. The best-fit orbit is consistent with circular and has a period of P = 4.6455 d. The Doppler semi-amplitude of this planet, K = 1.89 m/s, is among the lowest ever detected, on par with the detection of GJ 581e using HARPS. A longer period (P ~ 2.3 yr), low-amplitude signal of unknown origin was also detected in the radial velocities and was filtered out of the data while fitting the short-period planet. Additional data are required to determine if the long-period signal is due to a second planet, stellar activity, or another source. Photometric observations using the Automated Photometric Telescopes at Fairborn Observatory show that HD 156668 (an old, quiet K3 dwarf) is photometrically constant over the radial velocity period to 0.1 mmag, supporting the existence of the planet. No transits were detected down to a photometric limit of ~3 mmag, ruling out transiting planets dominated by extremely bloated atmospheres, but not precluding a transiting solid/liquid planet with a modest atmosphere.Comment: This planet was announced at the 2010 AAS meeting in Wash. DC; 12 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables, submitted to Ap

Contractile network models for adherent cells

Cells sense the geometry and stiffness of their adhesive environment by active contractility. For strong adhesion to flat substrates, two-dimensional contractile network models can be used to understand how force is distributed throughout the cell. Here we compare the shape and force distribution for different variants of such network models. In contrast to Hookean networks, cable networks reflect the asymmetric response of biopolymers to tension versus compression. For passive networks, contractility is modeled by a reduced resting length of the mechanical links. In actively contracting networks, a constant force couple is introduced into each link in order to model contraction by molecular motors. If combined with fixed adhesion sites, all network models lead to invaginated cell shapes, but only actively contracting cable networks lead to the circular arc morphology typical for strongly adhering cells. In this case, shape and force distribution are determined by local rather than global determinants and thus are suited to endow the cell with a robust sense of its environment. We also discuss non-linear and adaptive linker mechanics as well as the relation to tissue shape.Comment: 35 pages, 14 postscript figures, to appear in Physical Review

Planetary detection limits taking into account stellar noise. II. Effect of stellar spot groups on radial-velocities

The detection of small mass planets with the radial-velocity technique is now confronted with the interference of stellar noise. HARPS can now reach a precision below the meter-per-second, which corresponds to the amplitudes of different stellar perturbations, such as oscillation, granulation, and activity. Solar spot groups induced by activity produce a radial-velocity noise of a few meter-per-second. The aim of this paper is to simulate this activity and calculate detection limits according to different observational strategies. Based on Sun observations, we reproduce the evolution of spot groups on the surface of a rotating star. We then calculate the radial-velocity effect induced by these spot groups as a function of time. Taking into account oscillation, granulation, activity, and a HARPS instrumental error of 80 cm/s, we simulate the effect of different observational strategies in order to efficiently reduce all sources of noise. Applying three measurements per night of 10 minutes every three days, 10 nights a month seems the best tested strategy. Depending on the level of activity considered, from log(R'_HK)= -5 to -4.75, this strategy would allow us to find planets of 2.5 to 3.5 Earth masses in the habitable zone of a K1V dwarf. Using Bern's model of planetary formation, we estimate that for the same range of activity level, 15 to 35 % of the planets between 1 and 5 Earth masses and with a period between 100 and 200 days should be found with HARPS. A comparison between the performance of HARPS and ESPRESSO is also emphasized by our simulations. Using the same optimized strategy, ESPRESSO could find 1.3 Earth mass planets in the habitable zone of early-K dwarfs. In addition, 80 % of planets with mass between 1 and 5 Earth masses and with a period between 100 and 200 days could be detected.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Intermittent release of transients in the slow solar wind: 2. In situ evidence

In paper 1, we showed that the Heliospheric Imager (HI) instruments on the pair of NASA STEREO spacecraft can be used to image the streamer belt and, in particular, the variability of the slow solar wind which originates near helmet streamers. The observation of intense intermittent transient outflow by HI implies that the corresponding in situ observations of the slow solar wind and corotating interaction regions (CIRs) should contain many signatures of transients. In the present paper, we compare the HI observations with in situ measurements from the STEREO and ACE spacecraft. Analysis of the solar wind ion, magnetic field, and suprathermal electron flux measurements from the STEREO spacecraft reveals the presence of both closed and partially disconnected interplanetary magnetic field lines permeating the slow solar wind. We predict that one of the transients embedded within the second CIR (CIR‐D in paper 1) should impact the near‐Earth ACE spacecraft. ACE measurements confirm the presence of a transient at the time of CIR passage; the transient signature includes helical magnetic fields and bidirectional suprathermal electrons. On the same day, a strahl electron dropout is observed at STEREO‐B, correlated with the passage of a high plasma beta structure. Unlike ACE, STEREO‐B observes the transient a few hours ahead of the CIR. STEREO‐A, STEREO‐B, and ACE spacecraft observe very different slow solar wind properties ahead of and during the CIR analyzed in this paper, which we associate with the intermittent release of transients

Young pregnant women and risk for mental disorders: findings from an early pregnancy cohort

BACKGROUND:Young women aged 16-24 are at high risk of common mental disorders (CMDs), but the risk during pregnancy is unclear.AimsTo compare the population prevalence of CMDs in pregnant women aged 16-24 with pregnant women ≥25 years in a representative cohort, hypothesising that younger women are at higher risk of CMDs (depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder), and that this is associated with low social support, higher rates of lifetime abuse and unemployment. METHOD:Analysis of cross-sectional baseline data from a cohort of 545 women (of whom 57 were aged 16-24 years), attending a South London maternity service, with recruitment stratified by endorsement of questions on low mood, interviewed with the Structured Clinical Interview DSM-IV-TR. RESULTS:Population prevalence estimates of CMDs were 45.1% (95% CI 23.5-68.7) in young women and 15.5% (95% CI 12.0-19.8) in women ≥25, and for 'any mental disorder' 67.2% (95% CI 41.7-85.4) and 21.2% (95% CI 17.0-26.1), respectively. Young women had greater odds of having a CMD (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 5.8, 95% CI 1.8-18.6) and CMDs were associated with living alone (aOR = 3.0, 95% CI 1.1-8.0) and abuse (aOR = 1.5, 95% CI 0.8-2.8). CONCLUSIONS:Pregnant women between 16 and 24 years are at very high risk of mental disorders; services need to target resources for pregnant women under 25, including those in their early 20s. Interventions enhancing social networks, addressing abuse and providing adequate mental health treatment may minimise adverse outcomes for young women and their children.Declaration of interestNone

Chem-prep PZT95/5 for neutron generator applications : the effect of pore former type and density on the depoling behavior of chemically prepared PZT 95/5 ceramics.

The hydrostatically induced ferroelectric(FE)-to-antiferroelectric(AFE) phase transformation for chemically prepared niobium modified PZT 95/5 ceramics was studied as a function of density and pore former type (Lucite or Avicel). Special attention was placed on the effect of different pore formers on the charge release behavior associated with the FE-to-AFE phase transformation. Within the same density range (7.26 g/cm3 to 7.44 g/cm3), results showed that ceramics prepared with Lucite pore former exhibit a higher bulk modulus and a sharper polarization release behavior than those prepared with Avicel. In addition, the average transformation pressure was 10.7% greater and the amount of polarization released was 2.1% higher for ceramics with Lucite pore former. The increased transformation pressure was attributed to the increase of bulk modulus associated with Lucite pore former. Data indicated that a minimum volumetric transformational strain of -0.42% was required to trigger the hydrostatically induced FE-to-AFE phase transformation. This work has important implications for increasing the high temperature charge output for neutron generator power supply units