3,258 research outputs found
Alternate Dispute Resolution As An Alternative to the Litigation of Non-Union Employee Claims of Illegal Termination
Paper Presented to the Commission on the Future of Worker-Management Relations.Paper_Tobias_040694.pdf: 795 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020
Current Trends in Employment Dismissal Law: The Plaintiff\u27s Perspective
I. Employment-At-Will Doctrine—Historical Background
II. Exceptions to At-Will Doctrine ... A. Special Purpose Legislation ... B. Tort Remedies ... C. Movement for Change
III. Recent Development
Current Trends in Employment Dismissal Law: The Plaintiff\u27s Perspective
I. Employment-At-Will Doctrine—Historical Background
II. Exceptions to At-Will Doctrine ... A. Special Purpose Legislation ... B. Tort Remedies ... C. Movement for Change
III. Recent Development
On Predicting the Solar Cycle using Mean-Field Models
We discuss the difficulties of predicting the solar cycle using mean-field
models. Here we argue that these difficulties arise owing to the significant
modulation of the solar activity cycle, and that this modulation arises owing
to either stochastic or deterministic processes. We analyse the implications
for predictability in both of these situations by considering two separate
solar dynamo models. The first model represents a stochastically-perturbed flux
transport dynamo. Here even very weak stochastic perturbations can give rise to
significant modulation in the activity cycle. This modulation leads to a loss
of predictability. In the second model, we neglect stochastic effects and
assume that generation of magnetic field in the Sun can be described by a fully
deterministic nonlinear mean-field model -- this is a best case scenario for
prediction. We designate the output from this deterministic model (with
parameters chosen to produce chaotically modulated cycles) as a target
timeseries that subsequent deterministic mean-field models are required to
predict. Long-term prediction is impossible even if a model that is correct in
all details is utilised in the prediction. Furthermore, we show that even
short-term prediction is impossible if there is a small discrepancy in the
input parameters from the fiducial model. This is the case even if the
predicting model has been tuned to reproduce the output of previous cycles.
Given the inherent uncertainties in determining the transport coefficients and
nonlinear responses for mean-field models, we argue that this makes predicting
the solar cycle using the output from such models impossible.Comment: 22 Pages, 5 Figures, Preprint accepted for publication in Ap
Soliton microcomb based spectral domain optical coherence tomography
Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) is a widely used and
minimally invaive technique for bio-medical imaging [1]. SD-OCT typically
relies on the use of superluminescent diodes (SLD), which provide a low-noise
and broadband optical spectrum. Recent advances in photonic chipscale frequency
combs [2, 3] based on soliton formation in photonic integrated microresonators
provide an chipscale alternative illumination scheme for SD-OCT. Yet to date,
the use of such soliton microcombs in OCT has not yet been analyzed. Here we
explore the use of soliton microcombs in spectral domain OCT and show that, by
using photonic chipscale Si3N4 resonators in conjunction with 1300 nm pump
lasers, spectral bandwidths exceeding those of commercial SLDs are possible. We
demonstrate that the soliton states in microresonators exhibit a noise floor
that is ca. 3 dB lower than for the SLD at identical power, but can exhibit
significantly lower noise performance for powers at the milliWatt level. We
perform SD-OCT imaging on an ex vivo fixed mouse brain tissue using the soliton
microcomb, alongside an SLD for comparison, and demonstrate the principle
viability of soliton based SD-OCT. Importantly, we demonstrate that classical
amplitude noise of all soliton comb teeth are correlated, i.e. common mode, in
contrast to SLD or incoherent microcomb states [4], which should, in theory,
improve the image quality. Moreover, we demonstrate the potential for circular
ranging, i.e. optical sub-sampling [5, 6], due to the high coherence and
temporal periodicity of the soliton state. Taken together, our work indicates
the promising properties of soliton microcombs for SD-OCT
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Observation of playa salts as nuclei in orographic wave clouds
During the Ice in Clouds Experiment-Layer Clouds (ICE-L), dry lakebed, or playa, salts from the Great Basin region of the United States were observed as cloud nuclei in orographic wave clouds over Wyoming. Using a counterflow virtual impactor in series with a single-particle mass spectrometer, sodium-potassium-magnesium-calcium-chloride salts were identified as residues of cloud droplets. Importantly, these salts produced similar mass spectral signatures to playa salts with elevated cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) efficiencies close to sea salt. Using a suite of chemical characterization instrumentation, the playa salts were observed to be internally mixed with oxidized organics, presumably produced by cloud processing, as well as carbonate. These salt particles were enriched as residues of large droplets (>19 μm) compared to smaller droplets (>7 μm). In addition, a small fraction of silicate-containing playa salts were hypothesized to be important in the observed heterogeneous ice nucleation processes. While the high CCN activity of sea salt has been demonstrated to play an important role in cloud formation in marine environments, this study provides direct evidence of the importance of playa salts in cloud formation in continental North America has not been shown previously. Studies are needed to model and quantify the impact of playas on climate globally, particularly because of the abundance of playas and expected increases in the frequency and intensity of dust storms in the future due to climate and land use changes
Randomized controlled trial of a primary care–based screening program to identify older women with prevalent osteoporotic vertebral fractures: Cohort for skeletal health in Bristol and Avon (COSHIBA)
Approximately 12% of postmenopausal women have osteoporotic vertebral fractures (VFs); these are associated with excess morbidity and mortality and a high risk of future osteoporotic fractures. Despite this, less than one-third come to clinical attention, partly due to lack of clear clinical triggers for referral for spinal radiographs. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a novel primary care–based screening tool could be used to identify postmenopausal women with osteoporotic VFs and increase appropriate management of osteoporosis. A randomized controlled trial was undertaken in 15 general practices within the Bristol area of the UK. A total of 3200 women aged 65 to 80 years were enrolled, with no exclusion criteria. A simple screening tool was carried out by a nurse in primary care to identify women at high risk of osteoporotic VFs. All identified high-risk women were offered a diagnostic thoracolumbar radiograph. Radiographs were reported using standard National Health Service (NHS) reporting, with results sent back to each participant's general practitioner (GP). Participants in the control arm did not receive the screening tool or radiographs. The main outcome measure was self-reported prescription of medication for osteoporosis at 6 months with a random 5% subsample verified against electronic GP records. Secondary outcome was self-reported incidence of new fractures. Results showed that allocation to screening increased prescription of osteoporosis medications by 124% (odds ratio [OR] for prescription 2.24 at 6 months; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16 to 4.33). Allocation to screening also reduced fracture incidence at 12-month follow-up (OR for new fracture 0.60; 95% CI, 0.35–1.03; p = 0.063), although this did not reach statistical significance. This study supports the use of a simple screening tool administered in primary care to increase appropriate prescription of medications for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women in the UK. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Researc
Hypogravity reduces trunk admittance and lumbar muscle activation in response to external perturbations
Reduced paraspinal muscle size and flattening of spinal curvatures have been documented after spaceflight. Assessment of trunk adaptations to hypogravity can contribute to develop specific countermeasures. In this study, parabolic flights were used to investigate spinal curvature and muscle responses to hypogravity. Data from five trials at 0.25g, 0.50g and 0.75g were recorded from six participants, positioned in a kneeling-seated position. During the first two trials, participants maintained a normal, upright posture. In the last three trials, small-amplitude perturbations were delivered in the anterior direction at the T10 level. Spinal curvature was estimated using motion capture cameras. Trunk displacement and contact force between the actuator and participant were recorded. Muscle activity responses were collected using intramuscular electromyography (iEMG) of the deep and superficial lumbar multifidus, iliocostalis lumborum, longissimus thoracis, quadratus lumborum, transversus abdominis, obliquus internus and obliquus externus muscles. The root mean square iEMG and the average spinal angles were calculated. Trunk admittance and muscle responses to perturbations were calculated as closed-loop frequency response functions. Compared with 0.75g, 0.25g resulted in: lower activation of the longissimus thoracis (P=0.002); lower responses of the superficial multifidus at low frequencies (P=0.043); lower responses of the superficial multifidus (P=0.029) and iliocostalis lumborum (P=0.043); lower trunk admittance (P=0.037) at intermediate frequencies; and stronger responses of the transversus abdominis at higher frequencies (p=0.032). These findings indicate that exposure to hypogravity reduces trunk admittance, partially compensated by weaker stabilizing contributions of the paraspinal muscles and coinciding with an apparent increase of the deep abdominal muscle activity
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