Unemployment Insurance and Low-Educated Single Working Mothers Before and After Welfare Reform

Using the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), a nationally representative, longitudinal survey, this study examines changing levels of Unemployment Insurance (UI) eligibility and benefit receipt among working low-educated single mothers, 1990–2005. It also examines changing participation in cash welfare and the Food Stamp Program (FSP). Relative to single childless women, there has been no increase in UI benefit receipt among single mothers entering a spell of unemployment in the postreform period, even though single mothers have increased their relative rates of UI eligibility. Because of declining cash assistance receipt, UI became a more common income support than cash assistance for this population during the period 2001–2005. Furthermore, the probability of accessing FSP for low-educated single mothers entering a spell of unemployment increased in the years 2001–2005. As a result, the proportion of this population accessing benefits from one or more of these programs remained virtually unchanged across the study period.Welfare Reform, Unemployment Insurance, Low-educated Single Mothers

The Rad51 function : An Evo/Reco approach In Arabidopsis

In an attempt to better understand the " qualities " of Rad51, we set up an Evo/Devo, or Evo/Reco, approach to examine the properties of Rad51 proteins from diverse origins in Arabidopsis. One of our concerns was that gene targeting which is extremely efficient in the moss Physcomitrella patens, is not in Arabidopsis thaliana. We thus wondered if this could be attributed to some specific properties of PpRad51. In the course of this study, we also wondered whether the phenotype of an Arabidopsis rad51 mutant, which is absolutely sterile (Li et al, 2004, PNAS, 101:10596), could be rescued by other Rad51 proteins. As a preliminary observation, we had already determined, using a Y2H approach, that all the tested Rad51 proteins were able to interact with the AtRad51 protein which indicates a high level of conservation of these proteins. We tested along this study the Rad51s from Physcomitrella, from rice, but also from human or yeast. Complementation was partial with Rad51s from Pp or Os, giving rise sometimes to a dominant dmc1-like phenotype at meiosis (Couteau et al, 1999, Plant Cell, 11:723), thus suggesting that the foreign Rad51 poisons the Arabidopsis Dmc1 protein. The human protein was able to restore wt meiosis but in a low proportion of the observed meiocytes, and thus not often enough to restore fertility. This may be related to the ability of these proteins to also interact with AtBrca2 (the protein whose mutations are involved in Breast Cancer in human). We know that Brca2 is essential to meiosis in Arabidopsis, which is related to its interaction with Rad51 and Dmc1 (Siaud et al, 2004, EMBO J, 23:1392). However and despite our efforts, no Brca2-like sequence was ever found in Physcomitrella... (Texte intégral

Analysis of Criteria for MRI Diagnosis of TMJ Disc Displacement and Arthralgia

Aims. To improve diagnostic criteria for TMJ disc displacement (DD). Methods:. The standard protocol for MRI diagnosis of DD, using a 12 o'clock reference position, was compared to an alternative protocol. The alternative protocol involves the functional relationship between the condyle and articular eminence, using a line perpendicular to the posterior slope of the eminence as a reference for disc position. The disc location was examined using both protocols, and disc diagnoses were compared in their relationship with joint pain. Statistical analyses included P value, sensitivity, specificity, odds ratio, and kappa statistic. Results:. 58 MRIs were interpreted. 36 subjects reported arthralgia; 22 did not. Both protocols demonstrated significance (standard P = 0.004, alternative P < 0.001) for the ability to predict arthralgia. The odds of arthralgia increased in DD patients diagnosed by standard methods 9.71 times and in DD diagnosed by alternative means 37.15 times. The diagnostic sensitivity decreased 30% using the alternative versus the standard protocol (0.6389 versus 0.9444), while specificity increased 60% (0.9545 versus 0.3636). Conclusions:. A stronger relationship occurs between DD and arthralgia when using a function-based protocol. The alternative protocol correctly identifies subjects without arthralgia, who by standard methods would be diagnosed with DD, as having nondisplaced discs, providing a more clinically relevant assessment of TMJ disc displacement

Type Ia Supernovae: An Examination of Potential Progenitors and the Redshift Distribution

We examine the possibility that supernovae type Ia (SN Ia) are produced by white dwarfs accreting from Roche-lobe filling evolved companions, under the assumption that a strong optically thick stellar wind from accretor is able to stabilize the mass transfer. We show that if a mass transfer phase on a thermal timescale precedes a nuclear burning driven phase, then such systems (of which the supersoft X-ray sources are a subgroup) can account for about 10% of the inferred SN Ia rate. In addition, we examine the cosmic history of the supernova rate, and we show that the ratio of the rate of SN Ia to the rate of supernovae produced by massive stars (supernovae of types II, Ib, Ic) should increase from about z = 1 towards lower redshifts.Comment: 29 pages, Latex, 6 figures, aasms4.sty, psfig.sty, to appear in The Astrophysical Journa

Just-So Oscillation: as Just as MSW?

The neutrino long wavelength (just-so) oscillation is reconsidered as a solution to the solar neutrino problem. In the light of the presently updated results of the four solar neutrino experiments, the data fit in the just-so scenario substantially improves and becomes almost as good as in the MSW scenario. Surprising result of our analysis is that best fit is achieved when the oscillation occurs only between two neutrino states: switching on the oscillation into third neutrino increases the $\chi^2$ value. Namely, we consider the vacuum oscillation scenario in the three-neutrino system (4 parameters) and find out that the $\chi^2$ minimum is always achieved in the {\it two} parameter subspace in which actually only {\it two} neutrino states oscillate. This holds in the framework of any solar model with relaxed prediction of the various neutrino fluxes. The possible theoretical implications of this observation are also discussed.Comment: 9 pages, Latex, 4 figures (not included, available upon request from [email protected]

A Single Scale Theory for Cold and Hot Dark Matter

We show that a recently proposed extension of the MSSM can provide a scenario where both the cold and hot dark matter of the universe owe their origin to a single scale connected with the breakdown of the global B-L symmetry. The susy partner of the majoron and the light Majorana neutrinos are the cold and hot dark matter candidates respectively in this model and their desired relative abundances emerge when the scale of B-L symmetry breaking is in the TeV range.Comment: UMD-PP-94-102 (latex file; 15 pages

Quantum phase transition in the Frenkel-Kontorova chain: from pinned instanton glass to sliding phonon gas

We study analytically and numerically the one-dimensional quantum Frenkel-Kontorova chain in the regime when the classical model is located in the pinned phase characterized by the gaped phonon excitations and devil's staircase. By extensive quantum Monte Carlo simulations we show that for the effective Planck constant $\hbar$ smaller than the critical value $\hbar_c$ the quantum chain is in the pinned instanton glass phase. In this phase the elementary excitations have two branches: phonons, separated from zero energy by a finite gap, and instantons which have an exponentially small excitation energy. At $\hbar=\hbar_c$ the quantum phase transition takes place and for $\hbar>\hbar_c$ the pinned instanton glass is transformed into the sliding phonon gas with gapless phonon excitations. This transition is accompanied by the divergence of the spatial correlation length and appearence of sliding modes at $\hbar>\hbar_c$.Comment: revtex 16 pages, 18 figure

Inflammatory biomarker changes and their correlation with Framingham cardiovascular risk and lipid changes in antiretroviral-naive HIV-infected patients treated for 144 weeks with abacavir/lamivudine/atazanavir with or without ritonavir in ARIES.

Propensity for developing coronary heart disease (CHD) is linked with Framingham-defined cardiovascular risk factors and elevated inflammatory biomarkers. Cardiovascular risk and inflammatory biomarkers were evaluated in ARIES, a Phase IIIb/IV clinical trial in which 515 antiretroviral-naive HIV-infected subjects initially received abacavir/lamivudine + atazanavir/ritonavir for 36 weeks. Subjects who were virologically suppressed by week 30 were randomized 1:1 at week 36 to either maintain or discontinue ritonavir for an additional 108 weeks. Framingham 10-year CHD risk scores (FRS) and risk category o

Addition of or switch to insulin therapy in people treated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists : a real-world study in 66 583 patients

Background Real world outcomes of addition or switch to insulin therapy in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients on glucagon-like paptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) with inadequately controlled hyperglycaemia, are not known. Materials and methods Patients with T2DM (n = 66 583) with a minimum of 6 months of GLP-1RA treatment and without previous insulin treatment were selected. Those who added insulin (n = 39 599) or switched to insulin after GLP-1RA cessation (n = 4706) were identified. Adjusted changes in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), weight, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and LDL cholesterol were estimated over 24 months follow-up. Results Among those who continued with GLP-1RA treatment without adding or switching to insulin, the highest adjusted mean HbA1c change was achieved within 6 months, with no further glycaemic benefits observed during 24 months of follow-up. Addition of insulin within 6 months of GLP-1RA initiation was associated with 18% higher odds of achieving HbA1c <7% at 24 months, compared with adding insulin later. At 24 months, those who added insulin reduced HbA1c significantly by 0.55%, while no glycaemic benefit was observed in those who switched to insulin. Irrespective of intensification with insulin, weight, SBP and LDL cholesterol were significantly reduced by 3 kg, 3 mm Hg, and 0.2 mmol/L, respectively, over 24 months. Conclusions Significant delay in intensification of treatment by addition of insulin is observed in patients with T2DM inadequately controlled with GLP-1RA. Earlier addition of insulin is associated with better glycaemic control, while switching to insulin is not clinically beneficial during 2 years of treatment. Non-responding patients on GLP-1RA would benefit from adding insulin therapy, rather than switching to insulin

Predicting Defection

Eric Posner\u27s cooperation theory of social norms develops from rational choice theory an austere and powerful explanation of why people comply with social norms. He illustrates his theory with subtle analysis of a number of legal issues. The book will help anyone influenced by law and economics to incorporate into her thinking the work in sociology, psychology, and ethics that bears on human behavior. Most readers will find applications for Posner\u27s theory