Are Defined Contribution Pension Plans Fit For Purpose In Retirement?

This Article considers the historical basis for the shift from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans, the structural and practical shortcomings of defined contribution plans, alternate pension models, and adjustments to existing retirement plan models that may offer a degree of protection to plan contributors. Like the United States, Australia is now realizing the limitations of a defined contribution retirement system insofar as it relates the provision of reliable retirement income for a population with increasing life expectancy. Unlike defined contribution plans, defined benefit plans provide a benefit based typically on time served and a predetermined proportion of either career average or final salary. A successful and sustainable defined contribution system must address the short-comings of defined contribution plans. A properly integrated retirement plan should seek to protect contributors from three key financial risks: inflation, deviation from expected outcome, and longevity

Are Defined Contribution Pension Plans Fit For Purpose In Retirement?

This Article considers the historical basis for the shift from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans, the structural and practical shortcomings of defined contribution plans, alternate pension models, and adjustments to existing retirement plan models that may offer a degree of protection to plan contributors. Like the United States, Australia is now realizing the limitations of a defined contribution retirement system insofar as it relates the provision of reliable retirement income for a population with increasing life expectancy. Unlike defined contribution plans, defined benefit plans provide a benefit based typically on time served and a predetermined proportion of either career average or final salary. A successful and sustainable defined contribution system must address the short-comings of defined contribution plans. A properly integrated retirement plan should seek to protect contributors from three key financial risks: inflation, deviation from expected outcome, and longevity

Cross-cultural probing: an examination of university student ICT ownership and use of e-learning materials in Thai and Australian Contexts

This paper reports on the second phase of an ongoing project being carried out at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Western Australia examining ECU Education students’ ownership and use of information and communication technologies (ICT). It is critical that modern universities understand their students’ ICT capabilities in terms of hardware ownership, software facility, and preferences in order that online course and content delivery may be tailored to deliver effective, usable and engaging learning resources (Smith & Caruso, 2010). In addition, with universities placing greater focus upon attracting students from beyond the borders of any one country though e‐learning, it is equally important that we understand these basic capabilities more globally. In this second phase data was collected at a Thai university as well as in Australia. The objective being to both inform the individual institutions, and to provide comparative data. In particular the study gathered information concerning students’ self‐perceived software skills and frequency of use, hardware ownership and frequency of use, access to and location of Internet use, preference for various types of online learning materials, and access and use of university email and university online learning environments. An online survey consisting of both Thai and English language versions was used that fed respondent data into a common database for analysis

Is There a Burden of Proof in Mental Health Cases?

This article examines the concept of the burden of proof in the context of the First-tier Tribunal (Mental Health). Whereas it is well established that in an adversarial system the burden of proof in a case will always rest with the party bringing the action, the position in an inquisitorial system is far less clear. At least 4 positions have been competing for supremacy on this issue for over 30 years

Structural and electrostatic effects at the surfaces of size- and charge-selected aqueous nanodrops.

The effects of ion charge, polarity and size on the surface morphology of size-selected aqueous nanodrops containing a single ion and up to 550 water molecules are investigated with infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectroscopy and theory. IRPD spectra of M(H2O) n where M = La3+, Ca2+, Na+, Li+, I-, SO42- and supporting molecular dynamics simulations indicate that strong interactions between multiply charged ions and water molecules can disrupt optimal hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) at the nanodrop surface. The IRPD spectra also reveal that "free" OH stretching frequencies of surface-bound water molecules are highly sensitive to the ion's identity and the OH bond's local H-bond environment. The measured frequency shifts are qualitatively reproduced by a computationally inexpensive point-charge model that shows the frequency shifts are consistent with a Stark shift from the ion's electric field. For multiply charged cations, pronounced Stark shifting is observed for clusters containing ∼100 or fewer water molecules. This is attributed to ion-induced solvent patterning that extends to the nanodrop surface, and serves as a spectroscopic signature for a cation's ability to influence the H-bond network of water located remotely from the ion. The Stark shifts measured for the larger nanodrops are extrapolated to infinite dilution to obtain the free OH stretching frequency of a surface-bound water molecule at the bulk air-water interface (3696.5-3701.0 cm-1), well within the relatively wide range of values obtained from SFG measurements. These cluster measurements also indicate that surface curvature effects can influence the free OH stretching frequency, and that even nanodrops without an ion have a surface potential that depends on cluster size

Validation of a TELEMAC-3D model of a seamount

Water Qualit

The Effects of Bacterial Endotoxin LPS on Synaptic Transmission at the Neuromuscular Junction

The direct action of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) endotoxin was shown to enhance synaptic transmission and hyperpolarize the membrane potential at low doses, but block glutamatergic receptors and decrease observable spontaneous events at a high dosage. The dosage effects are LPS type specific. The hyperpolarization is not due to voltage-gated potassium channels or to activation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). The effects are induced directly by LPS, independent of an immune response

A murine model of variant late infantile ceroid lipofuscinosis recapitulates behavioral and pathological phenotypes of human disease.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs; also known collectively as Batten Disease) are a family of autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorders. Mutations in as many as 13 genes give rise to ∼10 variants of NCL, all with overlapping clinical symptomatology including visual impairment, motor and cognitive dysfunction, seizures, and premature death. Mutations in CLN6 result in both a variant late infantile onset neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (vLINCL) as well as an adult-onset form of the disease called Type A Kufs. CLN6 is a non-glycosylated membrane protein of unknown function localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In this study, we perform a detailed characterization of a naturally occurring Cln6 mutant (Cln6(nclf)) mouse line to validate its utility for translational research. We demonstrate that this Cln6(nclf) mutation leads to deficits in motor coordination, vision, memory, and learning. Pathologically, we demonstrate loss of neurons within specific subregions and lamina of the cortex that correlate to behavioral phenotypes. As in other NCL models, this model displays selective loss of GABAergic interneuron sub-populations in the cortex and the hippocampus with profound, early-onset glial activation. Finally, we demonstrate a novel deficit in memory and learning, including a dramatic reduction in dendritic spine density in the cerebral cortex, which suggests a reduction in synaptic strength following disruption in CLN6. Together, these findings highlight the behavioral and pathological similarities between the Cln6(nclf) mouse model and human NCL patients, validating this model as a reliable format for screening potential therapeutics