Are the social groups most likely to be unemployed also those most likely to prefer being employed? Evidence from the 2000 British Cohort Study and 2000/2008 National Child Development Study

This paper first argues for a new approach to researching the issue of unemployment and work attitudes, and then presents findings from an analysis of 2000 British Cohort Study and 2000/2008 National Child Development Study data. Existing social policy literature has shown that a large majority of unemployed people want jobs and actively seek them, but it has not examined choices between less enjoyable jobs and unemployment. Indeed, literature on whether or not unemployed people want employment has not discussed work attitude measurement at all, and has often used measures that do not offer respondents a choice between employment and unemployment and do not hold job quality constant. Furthermore, while the unemployed and employed are found to generally share the same values including a strong work ethic, there is little or no discussion of differences in values and preferences among groups that cut across the two categories. Nor is there recognition that the unemployed category contains disproportionately high numbers from certain social groups and hence inevitably exhibits these groups‟ cultural characteristics and preferences. We suggest that people generally, whether currently unemployed or not, are willing to undertake some kinds of work but not others, and that there is considerable diversity in attitudes towards various jobs and towards being unemployed. Therefore, our research focused on how all respondents answered the agree/disagree statement „Having almost any job is better than being unemployed‟. Of the groups most at risk of unemployment, single people were found to be significantly anti-employment, and those with low academic attainment significantly pro-employment, but there was little or no significance in men, the young, or working class people. Of the numerous living circumstances, lifestyle choice, attitude, and demographic variables included in the study, the following were not only found to have strong associations with agreeing with the statement in all three datasets, but also emerged as significant each time in the logistic regression analysis: those with authoritarian, politically right wing and traditional moral attitudes, the employed not unemployed, and people living in multiple occupancy households and mortgaged (not rented) accommodation. The employed/unemployed finding indicates that survey items offering a choice between employment (including unattractive jobs) and unemployment show unemployed people to be less pro-employment than measures that do not. This is important because how people exercise that choice is important to the debate about whether or not attaching more conditions to the receipt of unemployment benefits is justified

Applying work-based learning practice and theories to the employability skills and learning opportunities of music students

The music industry is a highly fragmented commercial sector, which is facing ma-jor challenges and undergoing rapid change. When evaluating potential employ-ees during a time that key roles are evolving to meet the demands of the contem-porary marketplace, the music industry attaches real credence and weight to prac-tical experience in addition to academic achievement. This article considers the importance of students not concentrating solely on their academic work, but also applying focus on acquiring employability skills, experience and work-based knowledge. For example, highly structured, short–term, work-based learning ac-tivities and the knowledge and employability skills these opportunities provide stu-dents are considered. Looking at how various learning styles and theories can be applied to enhance the experience of individual students, it is clear that, although most music industry related companies offer work placement opportunities which are unstructured, the integration of activities such as reflective and analytical dis-sertations aimed at building self-awareness, self-reflection and self-confidence, are just as important as practical experience and can cater for the needs of a di-verse range of learning stylesPeer reviewedFinal Published versio

Food Miles, Carbon Footprinting and their potential impact on trade

To obtain market access for NZ food exports to high value developed country markets exporters are having to comply and consider environmental factors such as carbon footprinting. This growth in demand for environmental attributes is shown in the rise of the food miles debate or concept. Food miles is a concept which has gained traction with the popular press arguing that the further food travels the more energy is used and therefore carbons emissions are greater. This paper assesses, using the same methodology, whether this is the case by comparing NZ production shipped to the UK with a UK source. The study found that due to the different production systems even when shipping was accounted for NZ dairy products used half the energy of their UK counterpart and in the case of lamb a quarter of the energy. In the case of apples the NZ source was 10 per cent more energy efficient. In case of onions whilst NZ used slightly more energy in production the energy cost of shipping was less than the cost of storage in the UK making NZ onions more energy efficient overall. The paper then explores other developments in market access to developed markets especially the rise in demand for products to be carbon footprinted and the introduction of carbon labelling. A review of latest methodology in carbon footprinting the PAS from the UK is reviewed and implications for trade assessed.

Historical Trauma Response Scores as a Function of Unresolved Grief and Substance Use Disorder in American Indian Populations

Abstract Researchers are interested in the outcomes of interventions, specifically, measuring historical trauma (HT) among American Indian/Alaska Native communities and the long-term distress and substance abuse as a result of historical trauma response (HTR). Previous literature has implicated limitations in the clinical conceptualization of the relationship between intergenerational transfer of HTR and substance abuse. The aim of the current study is to examine treatment efficacy of 50 homosexual, American Indian males randomized to a culturally-adapted juxtaposition of (1) Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), (2) Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and (3) Historical Trauma and Unresolved Grief Intervention (HTUG), or (4) waitlisted on American Indian populations, with and without comorbid Substance Use Disorder (SUD). In a multiple-arm randomized controlled trial Fifty homosexual, male AI participants will be recruited from a Midwestern, American Indian reservation and compensated a small monetary reward. A multitude of surveys and scales will be administered to participants for assessment including, The Historical Loss Scale(HLS)and its counterpart Historical Loss Associated Symptoms Scale(HLASS), which qualitatively measure historical trauma. Results are expected to reveal a reduction in mean HT scores from the group receiving a conjunction of a 2-arm culturally-congruent intervention which will be statistically significantly more efficacious for Substance Use Disorder (SUD), compared to the group in the waitlisted condition; such that, the expected findings suggest the treatment arm group are more likely to experience large reductions in incidence of substance abuse, in contrast to the group in the waitlist control

The Ontogeny of Social Behavior of Uinta Ground Squirrels

The social behavior of juvenile Uinta ground squirrels (Spermophilus armatus) was studied for 2 1/2 years in northeastern Utah. The purpose of the study was to describe the developing social behavior of unconfined, marked squirrels. Their behavior was recorded with motion pictures and written descriptions from the time they emerged from the natal burrow until they entered hibernation. Three phases of behavioral development were apparent. The first phase began when the juveniles appeared above ground and ended 5 weeks later. This was a period of socialization and consisted of behavioral patterns best described as play. The second phase began abruptly with the development of intolerance and attachment to a particular site. The agonistic behavior of juveniles at this time was much the same as the adult pattern. The third phase began when they had been above ground about 8 1/2 weeks and ended with hibernation, at about 11 weeks. During this period juveniles combined the behavioral patterns of the first two periods . However, they became progressively less active as hibernation approached. Sex was an important determinant of the developing behavior of juveniles. Although males and females had similar behavioral repertoires, the frequency with which they performed specific activities often differed between the three periods

Genetic analysis confirms a link between gastrointestinal disorders and endometriosis

Patients with endometriosis often report gastrointestinal symptoms in addition to those usually considered hallmarks of the disorder (pain and infertility). Yang et al.1 identify genetic risk factors that can contribute to a shared disease etiology, providing new opportunities for improvements in disease management.</p

In Vitro Maturation of a Humanized Shark VNAR Domain to Improve Its Biophysical Properties to Facilitate Clinical Development

Acknowledgments: The authors would like to acknowledge the funding support for this work from Scottish Enterprise [VNAR_001(2012)] and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/K010905/1).Peer reviewedPublisher PD