Was Working Nation Working?

After several months of research and consultation the previous Labor government introduced in May 1994 a set of labour market programs targeted at the long term unemployed with its publication of Working Nation. With the new Coalition government taking office in March 1996 we saw the end of Working Nation. Working Nation had a short life: it was born accompanied with a loud fanfare, it was buried quietly. Did Working Nation labour market programs lead to a fall in unemployment and a fall in long term unemployment? This paper attempts to evaluate its success using simple econometric methods on macroeconomic data. Our results suggest that although Working Nation had a very short life it succeeded in helping the long term unemployed: it was a very valuable social experiment which was aborted for political reasons. The Coalition government has apparently lost interest in the long term unemployed: there has been a massive cutback in expenditure on labour market programs and the only plans it has announced to date are the work for the dole scheme for long term unemployed young people. It is hoping that its industrial relations legislation will lead to a miraculous solution to the problem of unemployment and long term unemployment which has plagued most of the OECD economies for several years

Magnon gap excitations and spin-entangled optical transition in van der Waals antiferromagnet NiPS3

Optical magneto-spectroscopy methods (Raman scattering, far-infrared transmission, and photoluminescence) have been applied to investigate the properties of the NiPS3 semiconducting antiferromagnet. The fundamental magnon gap excitation in this van der Waals material has been found to be split into two components, in support of the biaxial character of the NiPS3 antiferromagnet. Photoluminescence measurements in the near-infrared spectral range show that the intriguing 1.475 eV-excitation unique to the NiPS3 antiferromagnetic phase splits upon the application of the in-plane magnetic field. The observed splitting patterns are correlated with properties of magnon excitations and reproduced with the simple model proposed. Possible routes toward a firm identification of the spin-entangled 1.475 eV-optical excitation in NiPS3, which can hardly be recognized as a coherent Zhang-Rice exciton, are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Investigation of organic dust detonation in the presence of chemically inert particles,

The results of experimental studies of organic dust detonation in the presence of chemically inert particles are presented. Tests were carried out using a vertical detonation tube, and direct streak pictures showing the flame acceleration and pressure and temperature records were obtained. Flax dust, dispersed in an oxygen atmosphere, was used as the fuel, and two kinds of quartz sand were introduced as nonreacting particles. It was found that addition of inert particles caused a linear decrease of the detonation wave velocity but had no special influence on the transition distance. Calculations using the Gordon McBride Code Showed that propagation of the detonation wave in a dust-oxygen mixture requires that the dust particles burnout at a level of about 70% but addition of inert particles increased the necessary burnout level to over 80% (with a significant decrease of the detonation wave velocity).Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/31938/1/0000891.pd

Muskellunge and Northern Pike Ecology and Management: Important Issues and Research Needs

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141909/1/fsh0258.pd

Magnon gap excitations in van der Waals antiferromagnet MnPSe3_3

Magneto-spectroscopy methods have been employed to study the zero-wavevector magnon excitations in MnPSe$_3$. Experiments carried out as a function of temperature and the applied magnetic field show that two low-energy magnon branches of MnPSe$_3$ in its antiferromagnetic phase are gapped. The observation of two low-energy magnon gaps (at 14 and 0.7 cm$^{-1}$) implies that MnPSe$_3$ is a biaxial antiferromagnet. A relatively strong out-of-plane anisotropy imposes the spin alignment to be in-plane whereas the spin directionality within the plane is governed by a factor of 2.5 $\times$ 10$^{-3}$ weaker in-plane anisotropy.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Food information presentation: consumer preferences when eating out

Advances have been made in the provision of nutritional and ingredient information on packaged food, however there is a need to translate this to eating out reflecting consumer desire for greater transparency and knowledge of menu content. The aim of this study is to assess consumer’s preferences for food information presentation in four European countries (UK, Greece, Denmark, and France) in a workplace dining setting. This study focuses on work-place canteens since the regularity in which they are used provides an important context and potential for behaviour change. An exploratory phase designed iteratively in collaboration with experts, end-users and researchers (qualitative) informed a survey (quantitative) conducted in four European countries. The survey was used to examine workplace diners’ preferences towards food information presentation. Differences were found and clustered (n=5) to ‘Heuristic Processors’ (33%) ‘Brand orientated’ (25%) ‘Systematic Processors’ (17.3%) ‘Independent Processors’ (16.1%) and ‘Tech-savvy’ (8.6%). Dual process theories were used to analyse the findings and produce new insight into how menu information can be most effectively delivered. When eating out consumers struggle to make choices or make the wrong choice from a health perspective, partly caused by a lack of nutrient profile information as well as other criteria of concern. Giving catering managers the understanding of preferred communication channels can enable a more competitive operator. Traffic light labeling was the optimal presentation with the opportunity for consumers to discover more detailed information if desired. For the first time this research has given operational clarity whilst allowing food providers to be considered as part of corporate health

The impact of privatisation on union membership and density: A Western Australian case study

Falling membership numbers and declining union density are issues of concern for many Australian unions. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that between 2005 and 2008, trade union membership declined from 22.4% to 18.9% of the workforce. Studies and statistics consistently show that union membership and density are lowest in Western Australia, despite trend reversals elsewhere. Using the Western Australian branches of two 'blue-collar' unions - the Australian Rail, Tram and Bus Industry Union, Western Australian Branch and the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union, covering a range of transport, metal working, printing and manufacturing trades - as examples, this article examines whether privatisation has contributed significantly to falling trade union density and membership in this state. These unions represented large public sector workforces. In order to test the hypothesis that privatisation has adversely affected union membership and density, the article examines three areas: changing policies in the Australian Labor Party, the breaking down of union culture and changes in trade training, and concludes that privatisation is a significant factor in the recent decline of these two unions

Standing genetic variation and compensatory evolution in transgenic organisms: a growth-enhanced salmon simulation

Genetically modified strains usually are generated within defined genetic backgrounds to minimize variation for the engineered characteristic in order to facilitate basic research investigations or for commercial application. However, interactions between transgenes and genetic background have been documented in both model and commercial agricultural species, indicating that allelic variation at transgene-modifying loci are not uncommon in genomes. Engineered organisms that have the potential to allow entry of transgenes into natural populations may cause changes to ecosystems via the interaction of their specific phenotypes with ecosystem components and services. A transgene introgressing through natural populations is likely to encounter a range of natural genetic variation (among individuals or sub-populations) that could result in changes in phenotype, concomitant with effects on fitness and ecosystem consequences that differ from that seen in the progenitor transgenic strain. In the present study, using a growth hormone transgenic salmon example, we have modeled selection of modifier loci (single and multiple) in the presence of a transgene and have found that accounting for genetic background can significantly affect the persistence of transgenes in populations, potentially reducing or reversing a “Trojan gene” effect. Influences from altered life history characteristics (e.g., developmental timing, age of maturation) and compensatory demographic/ecosystem controls (e.g., density dependence) also were found to have a strong influence on transgene effects. Further, with the presence of a transgene in a population, genetic backgrounds were found to shift in non-transgenic individuals as well, an effect expected to direct phenotypes away from naturally selected optima. The present model has revealed the importance of understanding effects of selection for background genetics on the evolution of phenotypes in populations harbouring transgenes

Inner Ear Malformations in Congenital Deafness Are Not Associated with Increased Risk of Breech Presentation

Background: There is speculation that an immature vestibular system may be associated with breech presentation at delivery. Our aim was to determine whether syndromes with congenital inner ear malformations were accompanied by a higher frequency of breech presentation/malpresentations than in the general population (2%−3%). Methods: A review was conducted for published literature using PubMed/MEDLINE (1936–2016), to determine frequency of breech presentation and transverse lie in cases with congenital deafness (Michel aplasia, Wildervanck syndrome, Mondini-Alexander dysplasia, Waardenburg syndrome, CHARGE syndrome, Large vestibular aqueductal syndrome, Pendred syndrome, Oculo-aurico-vertebral spectrum, Jervel and Lange-Nielsen syndrome, Usher syndrome, and Scheibe dysplasia) and vestibular nerve aplasia. Results: Identified were total of 122 cases. The frequency of breech presentation was 1.64%, and of transverse lie 1.64%, giving a total of 3.28% malpresentations. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that congenital malformations of the vestibular apparatus are not associated with the increased risk of breech presentation at delivery