Low Wage Jobs and Pathways to Better Outcomes

Many people find their first employment in a low wage job. Others accept low wage jobs after a period out of the workforce or unemployed. An issue of vital social interest is the speed with which low wage workers move on to better jobs. This review of the international literature finds that the extent of mobility depends on the definition of low wage, and that the least upwardly mobile are older, less educated workers, including middle aged women, sole mothers and men who have been retrenched. Young, educated, urban workers quickly move to better paid jobs. Everywhere, women are more likely to be low paid than men, and have lower mobility. Higher education reduces the risk of low pay, but not to zero. The paper goes on to examine the extent and sources of wage mobility, and looks carefully at the question of whether a low wage job can be assumed to be preferable to no job (and finds that it cannot). It finds that countries with high levels of wage inequality have lower levels of wage mobility. It concludes with a discussion of possible policy steps that could reduce the risk of people being stuck in low wage jobs for long periods. These should be targeted at both the demand side (the structure of jobs) and the supply side (the capacity of workers).Low wages; mobility; work and welfare; low wage workers.

Evaluation of agronomic, seed quality traits, and transcript abundance in conventional high oleic soybeans with mutant FAD2-1A and FAD2-1B genes

Two soybean omega-6 fatty acid desaturase genes [FAD2-1A and FAD2- 1B] are responsible for converting oleic acid into linoleic acid (Okuley et al., 1994). Plant introductions [PI] 603452 and 283327 have naturally occurring mutations in FAD2-1A and FAD2-1B, respectively, which hinder the conversion of oleic acid to polyunsaturated fatty acids. The end result is more functional soybean oil with exceptionally high levels of oleic acid. The homozygous alleles of FAD2-1A and FAD2-1B were combined in a BC3F2:4 [backcross three, second filial generation selected, advanced to the fourth filial generation] population of forty-eight lines and were evaluated in Tennessee. Each line belonged to a double homozygous genotypic class: i) double wild-type [WT] (AABB), ii) mutant FAD2-1A with WT FAD2-1B (aaBB), iii) the converse (AAbb), and iv) double mutant (aabb). All genotypic groups yielded similarly to each other and to three high yielding checks (p\u3c0.05). When one mutant allele was present the high oleic content was increased significantly (aaBB-34.4% and AAbb-26.2%) compared to AABB-21.3%. When both mutations were combined, aabb, the mean oleic content was significantly greater (p\u3c0.05) than all other genotypic groups (80.4%). The range of oleic acid content across all twelve double mutant groups was 77.1% - 81.8%. It appears that the high oleic genotype has a significant effect on total oil, crude protein, and the concentration of five amino acids. The aabb group had significantly more oil (240 ± 1 g kg-1) and crude protein (400 ± 7 g kg-1) than all other groups. This increase in crude protein is consistent with the significantly lowered amino acid concentration (p\u3c0.05) of lysine, methionine, tryptophan, and threonine in the aabb group. Conversely, the high oleic group had the greatest concentration of cysteine (p\u3c0.05). It appears that mutant FAD2-1 genes from PI 603452 and PI 283327 are a useful source for developing high oleic soybean lines in Tennessee with no yield drag. It will be beneficial to explore the effect of these mutant alleles on total oil and protein in the future

University of Montana Forensic Case #12: Comprehensive Case Analysis

The remains labeled University of Montana Forensic Case #12 (UMFC 12) were unearthed on August 30, 1983 during the construction of Cruse Avenue in Helena, Montana near the old School Administration Building on Allen Street. Construction workers, using a bulldozer accidently exposed the decomposing grave (Roesgen, 1983). It has been speculated that these remains might belong to a Chinese laborer dating back to the gold rush (Joyce, 1983). An 1884 map of Last Chance Gulch, in which the remains were discovered, indicate that a Chinese cemetery is in the area but the exact coordinates have never been determined (Joyce, 1983). After an in-depth analysis of the remains present it has been determined that the remains are most consistent with an adult white male individual between the ages of 24 to 40 years old, with an approximate height of 62.8-67.8 inches. There appears to be some pathological abnormality affecting the cranium and the right humerus. No obvious antemortem or perimortem trauma is visible on the remains, but there is extensive postmortem breakage. The noticeable staining and deterioration present on the skeletalized remains would indicate that these remains are not recent. It is possible that they could be historic. Additional data, such as associated artifacts or association with datable natural or cultural features, would be needed to suggest a narrower time since death range. ii

Unfamiliar Justice: Indigent Criminal Defendants\u27 Experiences With Civil Legal Needs

Our legal system - and much of the research conducted on that system - often separates people and issues into civil and criminal silos. However, those two worlds intersect and influence one another in important ways. The qualitative empirical study that forms the basis of this Article bridges the civil-criminal divide by exploring the life circumstances and events of public defender clients to determine how they experience and respond to civil legal problems. To date, studies addressing civil legal needs more generally have not focused on those individuals enmeshed with the criminal justice system, even though that group offers a rich source of valuable information. Researchers interested in civil aspects of criminal defense have focused primarily on the collateral consequences of conviction and the effectiveness of holistic defense programs. This exploratory study is the first of its kind - focused on civil legal problems unrelated to clients\u27 criminal cases, but instead those that arise int he course of their everyday lives. The study reveals that for public defender clients, civil justice is unfamiliar territory. While not strangers to the legal system or to lawyers, the clients we interviewed had very little experience with - or awareness of - available civil legal resources. In addition, they face a number of cognitive, procedural, and structural obstacles that make it difficult to navigate the legal system, including a lack of access to information and tools that enable them to use the civil legal system to address relevant needs. Yet, their life circumstances and the situations they encounter suggest many opportunities for possible civil legal intervention, whether through an attorney or other self-help mechanism. By providing a better understanding of how indigent criminal defendants understand, experience, and respond to civil legal problems, the barriers that prevent them from addressing those needs, and opportunities for intervention, this Article forces the access-to-justice conversation out of its siloed confines. In doing so, it aims to engage civil and criminal scholars, practitioners, and policymakers in a discussion of how to make the civil justice system more accessible to all

NURS 360: For females, does the use of external catheters reduce the risk of catheter associated urinary tract infections compared with women who use indwelling Foley catheters?

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections are among one of the highest hospital-acquired infections. These infections are most commonly associated with the use of indwelling Foley catheters. The indwelling Foley catheter is placed through the urethra and can remain inserted for prolonged periods of time. This increases the risk for build-up of bacteria, which leads to the urinary tract infection. Due to the increased risk of infection, the external female catheter has now become an alternative. This device is placed externally, between the labia majora, and is changed every eight to twelve hours. This alternative has tremendously decreased the associated risk of urinary tract infections

How Important is being Liked ? The Relation between Facebook Use and Well-being

Facebook is used by approximately 1.06 billion(Craig,2013) to keep in touch with family and friends. However, the question remains whether Facebook is helpful or harmful to people’s well being. According to a research study conducted by Gonzales and Hancock (2010), Facebook use enhances self-esteem by providing multiple opportunities for selective self-presentation through photos and personal details. Another research study by Twenge, Freeman and Campbell (2012) found that participants who spent time on social network sites endorsed more positive self-views. While some research indicates that Facebook has a positive effect on the user other studies suggest that Facebook use is detrimental. A study conducted by Tazghini and Siedlecki (2013) found a negative association between self-esteem and Facebook activity. This association was related to actions like untagging “undesirable” pictures or adding others as friends who they are not familiar with. Similarly, Sheppard Pratt’s (2012) research indicated that Facebook has a negative impact on self-esteem and body image . “Facebook is making it easier for people to spend more time and energy criticizing their own bodies and wishing they looked like someone else” (Dr. Harry Brandt, director of The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt). Given the discrepancies in the research, a worthwhile next step involves examining personal characteristics that may influence the relationship between Facebook use and well-being. The present research will examine whether certain factors influence the relationship between Facebook use and overall well-being.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1033/thumbnail.jp

Does Experimental Anterior Knee Pain Alter Effects of Running on Femoral Articular Cartilage Thickness and Volume? A Pilot Study

Anterior knee pain is a common problem for runners that often alters running biomechanics. It is unclear how/if changes in running biomechanics due to anterior knee pain affect knee articular cartilage health. PURPOSE: To determine if experimental anterior knee pain during running acutely alters deformation in femoral articular cartilage due to running. METHODS: 10 runners completed three sessions that each in- volved a 60-min treadmill run: a control, sham, and pain session. Experimental anterior knee pain was in- duced during the pain session via a continuous infusion of hypertonic saline into the infrapatellar fat pad. The sham and control sessions involved a continuous infusion of physiological saline and no infusion, re- spectively. Before and after running, magnetic resonance imaging was used to quantify femoral articular cartilage thickness and volume. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to evaluate effects of running with experimental anterior knee pain on perceived knee pain and femoral articular cartilage deformation (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Perceived anterior knee pain was significantly greater during the pain session relative to the control and sham sessions (p p = 0.05), and more due to the pain session run (-57.7 ± 157.4 mm3) than the control session run (p = 0.09). No significant effects of session were observed for medial or lateral thickness or lateral volume. CONCLUSION: Articular cartilage response to running (medial femoral volume) was different for the pain and sham sessions relative to the control session. The physiological and hypertonic saline infusions appeared to alter medial knee articular cartilage response to running. These changes might be due to altered biomechanics due to the infusions. Additional research is needed to clarify the cause of the altered response to running

The Effects of a High Fat Meal on Blood Flow Regulation during Arm Exercise

A diet high in saturated fats results in endothelial dysfunction and can lead to atherosclerosis, a precursor to cardiovascular disease. Exercise training is a potent stimulus though to mitigate the negative effects of a high saturated fat diet; however, it is unclear how high-saturated fat meal (HSFM) consumption impacts blood flow regulation during a single exercise session. PURPOSE: This study sought to examine the impact of a single HSFM on peripheral vascular function during an acute upper limb exercise bout. METHODS: Ten young healthy individuals completed two sessions of progressive handgrip exercise. Subjects either consumed a HSFM (0.84 g of fat/kg of body weight) 4 hours prior or remained fasted before the exercise bout. Progressive rhythmic handgrip exercise (6kg, 12kg, 18kg) was performed for 3 minutes per stage at rate of 1 Hz. The brachial artery (BA) diameter and blood velocity was obtained using Doppler Ultrasound (GE Logiq e) and BA blood flow was calculated with these values. RESULTS: BA blood flow and flow mediated dilation (normalized for shear rate) during the handgrip exercise significant increased from baseline in all workloads, but no differences were revealed in response to the HSFM consumption. CONCLUSION: Progressive handgrip exercise augmented BA blood flow and flow mediated dilation in both testing days; however, there was no significant differences following the HSFM consumption. This suggests that upper limb blood flow regulation during exercise is unaltered by a high fat meal in young healthy individuals.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/gradposters/1060/thumbnail.jp

Which Algorithm Best Propagates the Meyer-Miller-Stock-Thoss Mapping Hamiltonian for Non-Adiabatic Dynamics?

A common strategy to simulate mixed quantum-classical dynamics is by propagating classical trajectories with mapping variables, often using the Meyer-Miller-Stock-Thoss (MMST) Hamiltonian or the related spin-mapping approach. When mapping the quantum subsystem, the coupled dynamics reduce to a set of equations of motion to integrate. Several numerical algorithms have been proposed, but a thorough performance comparison appears to be lacking. Here, we compare three time-propagation algorithms for the MMST Hamiltonian: the Momentum Integral (MInt) (J. Chem. Phys., 2018, 148, 102326), the Split-Liouvillian (SL) (Chem. Phys., 2017, 482, 124-134), and the algorithm in J. Chem. Phys., 2012, 136, 084101 that we refer to as the Degenerate Eigenvalue (DE) algorithm due to the approximation required during derivation. We analyze the accuracy of individual trajectories, correlation functions, energy conservation, symplecticity, Liouville's theorem, and the computational cost. We find that the MInt algorithm is the only rigorously symplectic algorithm. However, comparable accuracy at a lower computational cost can be obtained with the SL algorithm. The approximation implicitly made within the DE algorithm conserves energy poorly, even for small timesteps, and thus leads to slightly different results. These results should guide future mapping-variable simulations