Are Young and Old Workers Harmful for Firm Productivity?

This paper investigates the effects of the workforce age structure on the productivity of large Belgian firms. More precisely, it examines different scenarios of changes in the proportion of young (16-29 years), middle-aged (30-49 years) and old (more than 49 years) workers and their expected effects on firm productivity. Using detailed matched employer-employee data, we find that a higher share of young (old) workers within firms is favourable (harmful) for firm value added per capita. Results also show that age structure effects on productivity are stronger in ICT than in non-ICT firms.workforce age structure, demographic changes, firm performance

Transferts thermiques dans les verres à haute température 2e partie. Conductivité thermique des verres à haute température

Dégagés de la contribution radiative (cf. [1]) les résultats expérimentaux portant sur le transfert couplé conduction-rayonnement permettent d'inférer la conductivité thermique d'origine phonique (Κc) des verres chauds et offrent la possibilité d'effectuer des comparaisons valables avec les prévisions théoriques de la conductivité phonique des solides désordonnés. En développant les idées de Klemens, Morgan, Joshi et Walton nous rehons à l'approximation des phonons dominants, l'evolution de Kc des verres avec la température, à l'existence de fluctuations spatiales de la structure qui conduit à différentes lois en fréquence du libre parcours moyen des phonons. Α partir de considération sur la statistique d'un modèle de structure aléatoire on obtient une expression du libre parcours des phonons pour le verre de sihce à haute température qui ne dépend que d'un paramètre libre. Sur la base des données de spectres Raman et infrarouge on a pu évaluer Kc pour la silice fondue jusqu'à 1400 Κ en excellent accord avec les expériences. Au delà de la température de transition vitreuse (Tg) la thermodynamique des transformadons d'équilibre, appliquée aux verres figés et aux fontes, permet de prévoir le comportement des diverses grandeurs macroscopiques gouvernant Kc et de retrouver qualititativement le sens de la rupture de Kc en ce point en accord avec les observations

Acceptability and Acceptance of Autonomous Mobility on Demand: The Impact of an Immersive Experience

Autonomous vehicles have the potential to fundamentally change existing transportation systems. Beyond legal concerns, these societal evolutions will critically depend on user acceptance. As an emerging mode of public transportation [7], Autonomous mobility on demand (AMoD) is of particular interest in this context. The aim of the present study is to identify the main components of acceptability (before first use) and acceptance (after first use) of AMoD, following a user experience (UX) framework. To address this goal, we conducted three workshops (N=14) involving open discussions and a ride in an experimental autonomous shuttle. Using a mixed-methods approach, we measured pre-immersion acceptability before immersing the participants in an on-demand transport scenario, and eventually measured post-immersion acceptance of AMoD. Results show that participants were reassured about safety concerns, however they perceived the AMoD experience as ineffective. Our findings highlight key factors to be taken into account when designing AMoD experiences

AMOTL1 Promotes Breast Cancer Progression and Is Antagonized by Merlin

AbstractThe Hippo signaling network is a key regulator of cell fate. In the recent years, it was shown that its implication in cancer goes well beyond the sole role of YAP transcriptional activity and its regulation by the canonical MST/LATS kinase cascade. Here we show that the motin family member AMOTL1 is an important effector of Hippo signaling in breast cancer. AMOTL1 connects Hippo signaling to tumor cell aggressiveness. We show that both canonical and noncanonical Hippo signaling modulates AMOTL1 levels. The tumor suppressor Merlin triggers AMOTL1 proteasomal degradation mediated by the NEDD family of ubiquitin ligases through direct interaction. In parallel, YAP stimulates AMOTL1 expression. The loss of Merlin expression and the induction of Yap activity that are frequently observed in breast cancers thus result in elevated AMOTL1 levels. AMOTL1 expression is sufficient to trigger tumor cell migration and stimulates proliferation by activating c-Src. In a large cohort of human breast tumors, we show that AMOTL1 protein levels are upregulated during cancer progression and that, importantly, the expression of AMOTL1 in lymph node metastasis appears predictive of the risk of relapse. Hence we uncover an important mechanism by which Hippo signaling promotes breast cancer progression by modulating the expression of AMOTL1

The genome of the seagrass Zostera marina reveals angiosperm adaptation to the sea

Seagrasses colonized the sea(1) on at least three independent occasions to form the basis of one of the most productive and widespread coastal ecosystems on the planet(2). Here we report the genome of Zostera marina (L.), the first, to our knowledge, marine angiosperm to be fully sequenced. This reveals unique insights into the genomic losses and gains involved in achieving the structural and physiological adaptations required for its marine lifestyle, arguably the most severe habitat shift ever accomplished by flowering plants. Key angiosperm innovations that were lost include the entire repertoire of stomatal genes(3), genes involved in the synthesis of terpenoids and ethylene signalling, and genes for ultraviolet protection and phytochromes for far-red sensing. Seagrasses have also regained functions enabling them to adjust to full salinity. Their cell walls contain all of the polysaccharides typical of land plants, but also contain polyanionic, low-methylated pectins and sulfated galactans, a feature shared with the cell walls of all macroalgae(4) and that is important for ion homoeostasis, nutrient uptake and O-2/CO2 exchange through leaf epidermal cells. The Z. marina genome resource will markedly advance a wide range of functional ecological studies from adaptation of marine ecosystems under climate warming(5,6), to unravelling the mechanisms of osmoregulation under high salinities that may further inform our understanding of the evolution of salt tolerance in crop plants(7)

Entrepreneurship and Institutions

In this paper entrepreneurs are defined as agents who bring about economic change by combining their own effort with other factors of production in search of economic rents. The institutional setup is argued to determine both the supply and direction of entrepreneurial activity. Four key institutions are explored more closely: property rights protection, savings policies, taxation and the regulation of labor markets. Institutions have far-reaching effects on entrepreneurship, and they largely determine whether or not entrepreneurial activity will be socially productive. Due to the responsiveness of entrepreneurship to the institutional setup it is maintained that in-depth analyses of specific institutions are required in order to further our understanding of the determinants of entrepreneurial behavior and the economic effects of entrepreneurship. The paper also demonstrates that it is problematic to use self-employment as an empirical proxy for productive entrepreneurship

Chançay (Indre-et-Loire). Vaumorin

Lallemand V., Massat Thierry. Chançay (Indre-et-Loire). Vaumorin. In: Revue archéologique du Centre de la France, tome 26, fascicule 1, 1987. p. 93

Establishment size and the dispersion of wages: evidence from European Countries

We investigate how the wage distribution differs among small and large establishments in four European countries (i.e. Belgium, Ireland, Italy and Spain). To do so, we implement the Juhn, Murphy and Pierce (1993) decomposition of wages following the methodology suggested by Lemieux (2002). Findings show that within-establishment wage dispersion rises with size because large employers have a more diverse workforce. In addition they also suggest that smaller establishments more closely link pay to performance. Further results indicate that between-establishment wage dispersion decreases with employer size because smaller establishments are technologically more diversified and hence exhibit greater diversity in average workforce skills.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe