Alternative job search strategies in remote rural and peri-urban labour markets: the role of social networks

This paper examines the importance of informal methods (especially social networking) to the job search strategies used by unemployed people. It compares three areas: a small rural town; a larger, more sparsely populated, remote rural area; and a centrally-located, peri-urban labour market. The analysis is based first on survey research undertaken with 490 job seekers across the study areas. Emerging issues were then followed up during a series of twelve focus groups. The survey research showed that job seekers in the rural study areas were significantly more likely to use social networks to look for work. However, those who had experienced repeated or long-term periods out of work, the unskilled and young people were significantly less likely to use such networks. Focus groups confirmed the perceived importance of social networking to the job search process in rural areas, in contrast to the more marginal role such methods appear to play in peri-urban settings. For many rural job seekers, formal job search activities conducted through Jobcentres were seen as largely symbolic, lacking the practical value of social networking. These results suggest that service providers seeking to assist unemployed people in rural areas need to address the problems faced by many disadvantaged job seekers who are currently caught between their lack of social network relations and the absence of local public employment service facilities in more remote communities

Ototoxicity of cisplatin plus standard radiation therapy vs. accelerated radiation therapy in glioblastoma patients

Purpose : To assess the effect of cisplatin (CDDP) plus concurrent radiation therapy on hearing loss. Methods : 451 patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) were randomly assigned after surgery to: Arm A: Carmustine (BCNU) + standard radiation therapy (SRT); Arm B: BCNU + accelerated radiation therapy (ART: 160 cGy twice daily for 15 days); Arm C: CDDP + BCNU + SRT; or Arm D: CDDP + BCNU + ART. Patients on arms C and D received audiograms at baseline, and prior to the start of RT, and prior to cycles 3 and 6. Otologic toxicities were recorded at each visit. Results : 56% of patients had hearing loss at baseline. 13% and 50% of patients experienced worsening ototoxicity after 1 year of treatment in arms A and B vs. C and D, respectively, with 13% of those on arms C and D experiencing significant ototoxicity (≥ grade 3) at 6 months. Increasing age was associated with an increased risk of ototoxicity. Conclusions : Increased exposure to CDDP increases the risk of ototoxicity over time. Older patients are more susceptible to hearing loss with CDDP. The low proportion of patients with clinically significant ototoxicity suggests that baseline screening is unnecessary in GBM patients.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43476/1/11060_2005_Article_9049.pd

GNSS-based vehicle terminal for mechanized forestry operations

The field of application for navigation tasks within forest work can mainly be divided into two sub-areas. Thus, two different mobile navigation terminals have been developed by TeleConsult Austria GmbH: - a pedestrian terminal for the use within forest inventory and in the field of manual wood harvesting, - a vehicle terminal for the optimisation of the forest logistic chain. This paper focuses on the presentation of the GNSS-based vehicle terminal for mechanized forestry operations to support and improve the forest logistic chain management. The mobile terminal is used as navigation aid and communication device mainly. The position determination of the navigation module is based on an integration of GPS and EGNOS. Due to the usage of a high sensitive GPS/EGNOS receiver with excellent satellite tracking capabilities, a continuous and reliable position determination is also possible in forest environments with limited view to the sky and weak satellite signals under dense canopy. For communication and data transfer between the vehicles and a forest office, the GSM/GPRS infrastructure is used. The display of the mobile terminal visualizes the navigation destination, general information, and the position of the own vehicle. Thus, the user is supported efficiently in guidance and navigational tasks.Dziedzina zastosowań zadań nawigacji w zakresie prac leśnych może być podzielona na dwie podgrupy. W firmie TeleConsult Austria GmbH, zostały opracowane dwa różne przenośne terminale. Są nimi: 1) terminal osobisty - dla wykorzystania przy inwentaryzacji lasu i ręcznej wycince drzew, 2) terminal na pojeździe - dla optymalizacji leśnych procesów logistycznych. W artykule przedstawiono terminal na pojeździe dla mechanizacji prac leśnych i ulepszenia zarządzania leśnymi pracami logistycznymi. Terminal na pojeździe jest stosowany głównie jako pomoc w nawigacji i urządzenie do komunikacji. Określenie pozycji w module nawigacyjnym jest oparte na integracji GPS i EGNOS. Dzięki zastosowaniu wysokoczułego odbiornika GPS/EGNOS, z doskonałą możliwością śledzenia satelity, ciągłe i wiarygodne określenie pozycji jest także możliwe w środowisku leśnym z ograniczoną widocznością horyzontu i słabym sygnałem z satelity pod poszyciem leśnym. Komunikacja i przesyłanie danych pomiędzy pojazdem a biurem leśnym odbywa się przy pomocy urządzenia GSM/GPRS. Display terminala na pojeździe wizualizuje ogólne informacje, punkt docelowy oraz pozycję aktualną pojazdu. Tak więc użytkownik jest efektywnie wspomagany w pracach związanych z nawigacją

An alternative method of estimating the worker's reservation wage

This study follows the standard bivariate decision theory of employment and proposes an alternative technique to estimate reservation wages of employed, unemployed and out-of-labor-force (OLF) workers. The validity of this approach is demonstrated by testing several reservation wage hypotheses recommended in earlier studies. Using reservation wages estimated under this new approach, the study further examines the determinants of this important variable.Reservation wages, bivariate probit, selection bias, participation decision,