The Paradox of Unemployment and Job Vacancies : Some Theories Confronted by Data

Les causes principales du paradoxe résultant de la simultanéité du chômage et de la disponibilité d'emplois sont les suivantes: les changements subits du niveau et des composantes de l'activité économique, l'imperfection des voies d'accès aux marchés du travail, la répugnance des employeurs et des planificateurs sociaux à considérer le travail comme une ressource à développer et à planifier à long terme plutôt qu'à le traiter « comme un robinet qu'on ouvre et qu'on ferme à discrétion suivant les conditions économiques immédiates ».Une des conséquences de cette dernière attitude fut que le « pipe-line » de la main-d'oeuvre s'est en réalité rompu au cours de la période de faible croissance qui a marqué les années 1967 à 1972. « Une fois ainsi brisé, il devenait impossible de le remettre en état au moment de l'expansion soudaine qui a commencé en 1973 ».L'article souligne que l'assurance-chômage favorise quelque peu le paradoxe précédent, mais que la presse a vraiment amplifié son importance. Les attaques contre le régime d'assurance-chômage visaient surtout à détourner l'attention des véritables problèmes.Les chercheurs n'ont découvert aucune confirmation statistique qu'une proportion accrue des gens conseillés par les centres de main-d'oeuvre du Canada aux employeurs éventuels ne s'y rendaient que pour la forme en vue de conserver leurs droits aux prestations. La confirmation de ce fait aurait été de nature à affermir la prétention que l'assurance-chômage favorisait le chômage de personnes qui ne veulent pas travailler.Parmi les personnes qui avaient été recommandées aux employeurs, il ne s'en trouvait qu'un très petit nombre dans le premier quart de 1974 qui refusaient des emplois, alors que le chômage s'accroissait et que les réclamations étaient attentivement scrutées.Toutefois, les chercheurs ont découvert des signes d'une augmentation considérable du taux des rejets de la part des employeurs. En effet, entre 1969 et la première moitié de 1974, le pourcentage des candidats embauchés est tombé de 45.2 à 29.3.Aussi, conclure que la plupart des travailleurs alors en chômage n'étaient pas considérés comme acceptables, comme beaucoup le prétendent, traduit un état quasi désespéré de postes vacants.En d'autres mots, le marché du travail était déséquilibré structurellement. Les caractéristiques de la main-d'oeuvre (âge, sexe, qualification, formation, métier, expérience, perfectionnement, lieu de résidence) ne correspondaient pas aux besoins des employeurs.Au sujet de la qualification, par exemple, on observait de fortes hausses dans la disponibilité des emplois, mais peu ou pas d'accroissement des embauchages dans les postes administratifs, les sciences naturelles, le génie, les mathématiques, la médecine et les autres sciences de la santé. Par contre, il y avait diminution des emplois vacants dans le cas des commis-vendeurs où les embauchages furent considérables.Le taux de chômage était continuellement plus haut chez les femmes que chez les hommes, chez les jeunes que chez les adultes. Le groupe d'âge de moins de 21 ans comptait pour 32 pour cent de l'ensemble des sans-travail au milieu de 1974, mais il ne représentait que 13 pour cent des réclamants.La raison en était qu'une forte proportion des jeunes chômeurs n'avaient pas encore réussi à obtenir un premier emploi et qu'ils n'étaient pas admissibles aux prestations d'assurance-chômage.Ce qui en ressort, c'est que l'assurance-chômage n'a guère de signification lorsqu'il s'agit pour elle d'aider ceux pour qui le chômage est un problème aigu. Ceci contredit le reproche que l'on fait aux jeunes de tirer profit du régime d'assurance-chômage.L'immigration peut aider à résoudre les postes vacants dans certains cas particuliers, mais elle ne saurait y répondre d'une façon globale. Y croire équivaudrait à perpétuer l'approche actuelle qui consiste à ouvrir et à fermer le robinet au besoin, source principale des problèmes actuels en matière de main-d'oeuvre.Ce qui importe le plus, c'est améliorer les façons d'utiliser les ressources humaines, en particulier, les jeunes, les femmes et les groupes minoritaires. Il nous faut beaucoup plus pour leur faciliter la découverte d'emplois qui les satisfassent. Tout ce qui faciliterait tant pour les maisons d'enseignement que pour les employeurs un budget de fonctionnement à plus long terme ferait disparaître un des obstacles majeures à la planification de la main-d'oeuvre. Il suffirait d'un peu plus d'imagination pour remplacer par quelque formule originale, surtout pour les jeunes, la formation en usine et l'expérience acquise.Postes vacants et chômage élevé peuvent coexister, mais l'assurance-chômage n'est pas la raison principale de ce paradoxe.The purpose of this paper is to see just how well available data enable us to come to grips with the apparent paradox of simultaneous job vacancies and unemployment

Conveyor belt clock synchronization

A protocol for synchronizing distant clocks is proposed that does not rely on the arrival times of the signals which are exchanged, and an optical implementation based on coherent-state pulses is described. This protocol is not limited by any dispersion that may be present in the propagation medium through which the light signals are exchanged. Possible improvements deriving from the use of quantum-mechanical effects are also addressed.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Using polarized maser to detect high-frequency relic gravitational waves

A GHz maser beam with Gaussian-type distribution passing through a homogenous static magnetic field can be used to detect gravitational waves (GWs) with the same frequency. The presence of GWs will perturb the electromagnetic (EM) fields, giving rise to perturbed photon fluxes (PPFs). After being reflected by a fractal membrane, the perturbed photons suffer little decay and can be measured by a microwave receiver. This idea has been explored to certain extent as a method for very high frequency gravitational waves. In this paper, we examine and develop this method more extensively, and confront the possible detection with the predicted signal of relic gravitational waves (RGWs). A maser beam with high linear polarization is used to reduce the background photon fluxes (BPFs) in the detecting direction as the main noise. As a key factor of applicability of this method, we give a preliminary estimation of the sensitivity of a sample detector limited by thermal noise using currently common technology. The minimal detectable amplitude of GWs is found to be $h_{\rm{min}}\sim10^{-30}$. Comparing with the known spectrum of the RGWs in the accelerating universe for $\beta=-1.9$, there is still roughly a gap of $4\sim 5$ orders. However, possible improvements on the detector can further narrow down the gap and make it a feasible method to detect high frequency RGWs.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, accepted for Phys. Rev.

Digital intervention increases influenza vaccination rates for people with diabetes in a decentralized randomized trial

People with diabetes (PWD) have an increased risk of developing influenza-related complications, including pneumonia, abnormal glycemic events, and hospitalization. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for PWD, but vaccination rates are suboptimal. The study aimed to increase influenza vaccination rate in people with self-reported diabetes. This study was a prospective, 1:1 randomized controlled trial of a 6-month Digital Diabetes Intervention in U.S. adults with diabetes. The intervention group received monthly messages through an online health platform. The control group received no intervention. Difference in self-reported vaccination rates was tested using multivariable logistic regression controlling for demographics and comorbidities. The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03870997. A total of 10,429 participants reported influenza vaccination status (5158 intervention, mean age (±SD) = 46.8 (11.1), 78.5% female; 5271 control, Mean age (±SD) = 46.7 (11.2), 79.4% female). After a 6-month intervention, 64.2% of the intervention arm reported influenza vaccination, vers us 61.1% in the control arm (diff = 3.1, RR = 1.05, 95% CI [1.02, 1.08], p = 0.0013, number needed to treat = 33 to obtain 1 additional vaccination). Completion of one or more intervention messages was associated with up to an 8% increase in vaccination rate (OR 1.27, 95% CI [1.17, 1.38], p < 0.0001). The intervention improved influenza vaccination rates in PWD, suggesting that leveraging new technology to deliver knowledge and information can improve influenza vaccination rates in high-risk populations to reduce public health burden of influenza. Rapid cycle innovation could maximize the effects of these digital interventions in the future with other populations and vaccines

Acceptability of HIV self-sampling kits (TINY vial) among people of black African ethnicity in the UK: a qualitative study

Background: Increasing routine HIV testing among key populations is a public health imperative, so improving access to acceptable testing options for those in need is a priority. Despite increasing targeted distribution and uptake of HIV self-sampling kits (SSKs) among men who have sex with men in the UK, little is known about why targeted SSK interventions for black African users are not as wide-spread or well-used. This paper addresses this key gap, offering insight into why some groups may be less likely than others to adopt certain types of SSK interventions in particular contexts. These data were collected during the development phase of a larger study to explore the feasibility and acceptability of targeted distribution of SSKs to black African people. Methods: We undertook 6 focus groups with members of the public who self-identified as black African (n = 48), 6 groups with specialists providing HIV and social services to black African people (n = 53), and interviews with HIV specialist consultants and policy-makers (n = 9). Framework analysis was undertaken, using inductive and deductive analysis to develop and check themes. Results: We found three valuable components of targeted SSK interventions for this population: the use of settings and technologies that increase choice and autonomy; targeted offers of HIV testing that preserve privacy and do not exacerbate HIV stigma; and ensuring that the specific kit being used (in this case, the TINY vial) is perceived as simple and reliable. Conclusions: This unique and rigorous research offers insights into participants’ views on SSK interventions, offering key considerations when targeting this population.. Given the plethora of HIV testing options, our work demonstrates that those commissioning and delivering SSK interventions will need to clarify (for users and providers) how each kit type and intervention design adds value. Most significantly, these findings demonstrate that without a strong locus of control over their own circumstances and personal information, black African people are less likely to feel that they can pursue an HIV test that is safe and secure. Thus, where profound social inequalities persist, so will inequalities in HIV testing uptake – by any means

Active Control of Acoustic Field-of-View in a Biosonar System

Echolocating bats can actively change the area scanned by their biosonar sensory system (“field of view”), and they do so according to the complexity of the environment and depending on the distance to the target

Measurement of higher cumulants of net-charge multiplicity distributions in Au++Au collisions at sNN=7.7−200\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=7.7-200 GeV

We report the measurement of cumulants ($C_n, n=1\ldots4$) of the net-charge distributions measured within pseudorapidity ($|\eta|<0.35$) in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=7.7-200$ GeV with the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The ratios of cumulants (e.g. $C_1/C_2$, $C_3/C_1$) of the net-charge distributions, which can be related to volume independent susceptibility ratios, are studied as a function of centrality and energy. These quantities are important to understand the quantum-chromodynamics phase diagram and possible existence of a critical end point. The measured values are very well described by expectation from negative binomial distributions. We do not observe any nonmonotonic behavior in the ratios of the cumulants as a function of collision energy. The measured values of $C_1/C_2 = \mu/\sigma^2$ and $C_3/C_1 = S\sigma^3/\mu$ can be directly compared to lattice quantum-chromodynamics calculations and thus allow extraction of both the chemical freeze-out temperature and the baryon chemical potential at each center-of-mass energy.Comment: 512 authors, 8 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. v2 is version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C as a Rapid Communication. Plain text data tables for the points plotted in figures for this and previous PHENIX publications are (or will be) publicly available at http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/papers.htm

Transverse energy production and charged-particle multiplicity at midrapidity in various systems from sNN=7.7\sqrt{s_{NN}}=7.7 to 200 GeV

Measurements of midrapidity charged particle multiplicity distributions, $dN_{\rm ch}/d\eta$, and midrapidity transverse-energy distributions, $dE_T/d\eta$, are presented for a variety of collision systems and energies. Included are distributions for Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$, 130, 62.4, 39, 27, 19.6, 14.5, and 7.7 GeV, Cu$+$Cu collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ and 62.4 GeV, Cu$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV, U$+$U collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=193$ GeV, $d$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV, $^{3}$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV, and $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. Centrality-dependent distributions at midrapidity are presented in terms of the number of nucleon participants, $N_{\rm part}$, and the number of constituent quark participants, $N_{q{\rm p}}$. For all $A$$+$$A$ collisions down to $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=7.7$ GeV, it is observed that the midrapidity data are better described by scaling with $N_{q{\rm p}}$ than scaling with $N_{\rm part}$. Also presented are estimates of the Bjorken energy density, $\varepsilon_{\rm BJ}$, and the ratio of $dE_T/d\eta$ to $dN_{\rm ch}/d\eta$, the latter of which is seen to be constant as a function of centrality for all systems.Comment: 706 authors, 32 pages, 20 figures, 34 tables, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2012 data. v2 is version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.