Multi-dimensional tunnelling and complex momentum

The problem of modeling tunneling phenomena in more than one dimension is examined. It is found that existing techniques are inadequate in a wide class of situations, due to their inability to deal with concurrent classical motion. The generalization of these methods to allow for complex momenta is shown, and improved techniques are demonstrated with a selection of illustrative examples. Possible applications are presented

GABA increases electrical excitability in a subset of human unmyelinated peripheral axons

A proportion of small diameter primary sensory neurones innervating human skin are chemosensitive. They respond in a receptor dependent manner to chemical mediators of inflammation as well as naturally occurring algogens, thermogens and pruritogens. The neurotransmitter GABA is interesting in this respect because in animal models of neuropathic pain GABA pre-synaptically regulates nociceptive input to the spinal cord. However, the effect of GABA on human peripheral unmyelinated axons has not been established

Tunnelling from non-localised initial states

An approach for calculating tunneling amplitudes from a nonlocalized initial state is presented. Generalizing the matching conditions and equations of motion to allow for complex momentum permits a description of tunneling in the presence of so-called classical motion. Possible applications of the method are presented

Effects of restrictions to Income Support on health of lone mothers in the UK: a natural experiment study

Background: In the UK, lone parents must seek work as a condition of receiving welfare benefits once their youngest child reaches a certain age. Since 2008, the lower age limit at which these Lone Parent Obligations (LPO) apply has been reduced in steps. We used data from a nationally representative, longitudinal, household panel study to analyse the health effects of increased welfare conditionality under LPO. Methods: From the Understanding Society survey, we used data for lone mothers who were newly exposed to LPO when the age cutoff was reduced from 7 to 5 years in 2012 (intervention group 1) and from 10 to 7 years in 2010 (intervention group 2), as well as lone mothers who remained unexposed (control group 1) or continuously exposed (control group 2) at those times. We did difference-in-difference analyses that controlled for differences in the fixed characteristics of participants in the intervention and control groups to estimate the effect of exposure to conditionality on the health of lone mothers. Our primary outcome was the difference in change over time between the intervention and control groups in scores on the Mental Component Summary (MCS) of the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). Findings: The mental health of lone mothers declined in the intervention groups compared with the control groups. For intervention group 1, scores on the MCS decreased by 1·39 (95% CI −1·29 to 4·08) compared with control group 1 and by 2·29 (0·00 to 4·57) compared with control group 2. For intervention group 2, MCS scores decreased by 2·45 (−0·57 to 5·48) compared with control group 1 and by 1·28 (−1·45 to 4·00) compared with control group 2. When pooling the two intervention groups, scores on the MCS decreased by 2·13 (0·10 to 4·17) compared with control group 1 and 2·21 (0·30 to 4·13) compared with control group 2. Interpretation: Stringent conditions for receiving welfare benefits are increasingly common in high-income countries. Our results suggest that requiring lone parents with school-age children toseek work as a condition of receiving welfare benefits adversely affects their mental health. Funding: UK Medical Research Council, Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office, and National Health Service Research Scotland

Worker displacement during the transition : experience from Slovenia

Unusually rich administrative data sets covering both firms and workers enabled the authors to study displacement in Slovenia during 1987-93. They describe displacement trends and the characteristics of displaced workers comparing them to those in North America during a major recession. They analyze the determinants of displacement in the framework of labor turnover, and explore factors associated with postdisplacement wage losses. Their findings were as follows. One, a comparison of displacement in Slovenia in 1990-93 and in North America during the recession of the early 1980s shows striking similarities in the incidence of displacement by gender and industry, as well as reemployment paths. Two, workers try to avoid displacement both by switching to another job and by leaving the labor force. Before becoming displaced, they also take wage cuts. Three, both the probability of displacement and the probability of job quits are negatively correlated with tenure. Fourth, women are no more likely to be displaced than men, and face smaller postdisplacement wage losses. Non-Slovenians are no more likely to be displaced than Slovenians, and face equal wage losses. Five, firm characteristics matter. The smaller and less profitable the firm, the greater the likelihood of both displacement and job-switching. Restructuring subsidies that lower firm layoff costs increase the number of firm- and worker-initiated transitions. Six, about half the displaced workers who find new jobs change occupations and about a third change industry. Seven, only about a third of workers displaced in 1990 had found a job by the end of 1991. Surprisingly, for more than 68 percent of them, wage growth exceeded the median wage growth in the economy (17 percent). Those not reemployed seem to be paying a heavy toll: not only do they stay unemployed much longer, but they face much lower reemployment wages. Eight, as studies of displacement in the United States also show, greater job experience is associated with heavier postdiplacement wage losses. The magnitude of those losses is consistent with findings about U.S. wage losses.Public Health Promotion,Labor Policies,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Environmental Economics&Policies,Labor Markets,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Environmental Economics&Policies,Labor Markets,Banks&Banking Reform,Work&Working Conditions