Sick of work or too sick to work? Evidence on health shocks and early retirement from the BHPS

We follow individuals as they retire using discrete-time hazard models applied to a stock sample from 12 waves of the British Household Panel Survey. Results confirm that health shocks are a determinant of retirement age and are quantitatively more important than pension entitlement. This is the case for both men and women and is observed for both a measure of health limitations and a measure of latent health status obtained from a generalized ordered probit model. Further, our results provide evidence that, for women, the health status of their partner impacts on their retirement decisions; an effect that is not evident for men

UK regional scale modelling of natural geohazards and climate change

For over 10 years, the British Geological Survey (BGS) has been investigating geotechnical and mineralogical factors controlling volume change behaviour of UK clay soils and mudrocks. A strong understanding of the relationship between these parameters and the clays' shrink-swell properties has been developed. More recently, partly resulting from concerns of users of this knowledge, a study of the relationships between climate change and shrink-swell behaviour over the last 30 years has been carried out. Information on subsidence insurance claims has been provided by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the UK Meteorological Office (UKMO) historical climate station data has also been utilised. This is being combined with the BGS's GeoSure national geohazard data, to build a preliminary GIS model to provide an understanding of the susceptibility of the Tertiary London Clay to climate change. This paper summarises the data analysis and identifies future work for model construction and refinement

On variational principles for linear initial value problems

AbstractEuler-Lagrange and Euler-Hamilton variational principles are presented for a class of linear initial value problems

Root calcrete formation on Quaternary karstic surfaces of Grand Cayman

The rugged karst terrain developed on the dolostones of the Miocene Cayman Formation (Fm) on Grand Cayman includes numerous large cavities that formed through the activity of tree roots. The surfaces of those cavities are coated with laminated calcrete crusts up to 8 cm thick that are formed of an alteration zone, an accretionary zone, and final infill of the cavities. These crusts are formed of various laminae, including dolostone with root traces, alveolar septal structures, peloids, micritic and microsparitic laminae, micrite with bioclasts, and pisoliths. Features such as microborings, spores, needle-fiber calcite and micro-rods are common in all parts of the calcrete crust. Calcrete formation was initiated as the roots and associated microorganisms generated the cavities. Later on trapping and binding processes and organically induced precipitation of carbonate allowed the formation of the accretionary (mostly laminar) part of the calcrete. The last phases of crust formation took place when ponded waters filled the cavities. The calcrete crusts developed on the Cayman Formation dolostones record a very specific setting for calcrete formation and constitute a good example of non-horizontal calcrete crusts

Schemes for Parallel Quantum Computation Without Local Control of Qubits

Typical quantum computing schemes require transformations (gates) to be targeted at specific elements (qubits). In many physical systems, direct targeting is difficult to achieve; an alternative is to encode local gates into globally applied transformations. Here we demonstrate the minimum physical requirements for such an approach: a one-dimensional array composed of two alternating 'types' of two-state system. Each system need be sensitive only to the net state of its nearest neighbors, i.e. the number in state 1 minus the number in state 2. Additionally, we show that all such arrays can perform quite general parallel operations. A broad range of physical systems and interactions are suitable: we highlight two potential implementations.Comment: 12 pages + 3 figures. Several small corrections mad

Shade as enrichment : testing preferences for shelter in two model fish species

N.A.R.J. was supported by an Fisheries Society of the British Isles studentship, F.M.J. by the St Andrews School of Biology and H.C.S.-J. by the John Templeton Foundation.We compared preferences shown by zebrafish Danio rerio and three‐spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus for shelter provided by above‐tank shade and artificial plants. Zebrafish showed no preference for either shelter, whereas sticklebacks showed a preference for both shelter types over open areas and for shade over plants. Our results suggest shade may be used as enrichment for captive fish and re‐emphasise the importance of species‐specific welfare considerations.PostprintPeer reviewe

Guided self-help cognitive behavioral intervention for VoicEs (GiVE): study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial

Background: Cognitive behavior therapy for psychosis (CBTp) is an effective intervention for people who hear distressing voices (auditory hallucinations). However, there continues to be a problem of poor access to CBTp. Constraints on health care funding require this problem to be addressed without a substantial increase in funding. One solution is to develop guided self-help forms of CBTp to improve access, and a symptom-specific focus on, for example, distressing voices (auditory verbal hallucinations) has the potential to enhance effectiveness. We term this cognitive behavior therapy for distressing voices (CBTv). Methods/design: This trial is an external pilot randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of 12 week guided self-help CBTv (with eight therapist support sessions) with a wait list control condition. Informed consent will be obtained from each participant. Half of the 30 participants will be randomized to receive guided self-help CBTv immediately; the remaining half will receive the intervention after a 12-week delay. All participants will continue with their usual treatment throughout the study. Outcomes will be assessed using questionnaires completed at baseline and 12 weeks postrandomization. Interviews will be offered to all those who receive therapy immediately to explore their experiences with the intervention. Discussion: The outcomes of this trial, both quantitative and qualitative, will inform the design of a definitive randomized controlled trial of guided self-help CBTv. If this intervention is effective, it could help to increase access to CBT for those who hear distressing voices

Foods and diets of communities involved in inland aquaculture in Malaita Province, Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands has a population of just over half a million people, most of whom are rural-based subsistence farmers and fishers who rely heavily on fish as their main animal-source food and for income. The nation is one of the Pacific Island Counties and Territories; future shortfalls in fish production are projected to be serious, and government policy identifies inland aquaculture development as one of the options to meet future demand for fish. In Solomon Islands, inland aquaculture has also been identified as a way to improve ood and nutrition security for people with poor access to marine fish. This report undertaken by a Worldfish study under the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems explores the e potential role of land-based aquaculture of Mozambique tilapia in Solomon Islands as it relates to household food and nutrition security. This nutrition survey aimed to benchmark the foods and diets of households newly involved in small homestead tilapia ponds and their neighboring households in the central region of Malaita, the most populous island of all the provinces in Solomon Islands. Focus group discussions and semistructured interviews were employed in 10 communities (five inland and five coastal), four clinics, and five schools

Evaluation Techniques for the Corrosion Resistance of Self-Healing Coatings

Self-healing coatings, materials that autonomically repair damage, are a method of extending the life of corrosion prevention coatings. The different types of self-healing coatings are briefly outlined. A review of the evaluation methods of the performance of self-healing coatings using electrochemical, surface and microscopy techniques are provided. Both global and local evaluation techniques are reviewed with emphasis on the most used electrochemical techniques as well as suggestions for alternative electrochemical techniques for self-healing coating evaluation