Earnings losses of job losers during the 2001 economic downturn

Job losses may involve not only lost earnings during unemployment but also declines in earnings at subsequent jobs. After a time consuming job search, workers may need to restart their careers from scratch, accepting a lower wage. Workers may also need time to acquire new skills, and total earnings lost during such a period of re-adjustment can be considerable. But experiences may vary widely. In this article, using a novel data set, Shigeru Fujita and Vilas Rao provide evidence on earnings losses after unemployment. Although the usefulness of the evidence is limited by the short sample period, the data set allows us to ask some important questions, the answers to which may help inform us about important macroeconomic issues such as the cost of business-cycle fluctuations and the benefits of policies intended to avoid such fluctuations.Recessions ; Unemployment ; Wages

Leptin receptor signaling regulates protein synthesis pathways and neuronal differentiation in pluripotent stem cells

The role of leptin receptor (OB-R) signaling in linking pluripotency with growth and development and the consequences of dysfunctional leptin signaling on progression of metabolic disease is poorly understood. Using a global unbiased proteomics approach we report that embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) carrying the db/db mutation exhibit metabolic abnormalities, while their reprogrammed induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) show altered expression of proteins involved in embryonic development. An upregulation in expression of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4e (Eif4e) and Stat3 binding to the Eif4e promoter was supported by enhanced protein synthesis in mutant iPSCs. Directed differentiation of db/db iPSCs toward the neuronal lineage showed defects. Gene editing to correct the point mutation in db/db iPSCs using CRISPR-Cas9, restored expression of neuronal markers and protein synthesis while reversing the metabolic defects. These data imply a direct role for OB-R in regulating metabolism in embryonic fibroblasts and key developmental pathways in iPSCs.publishedVersio

Solar System Processes Underlying Planetary Formation, Geodynamics, and the Georeactor

Only three processes, operant during the formation of the Solar System, are responsible for the diversity of matter in the Solar System and are directly responsible for planetary internal-structures, including planetocentric nuclear fission reactors, and for dynamical processes, including and especially, geodynamics. These processes are: (i) Low-pressure, low-temperature condensation from solar matter in the remote reaches of the Solar System or in the interstellar medium; (ii) High-pressure, high-temperature condensation from solar matter associated with planetary-formation by raining out from the interiors of giant-gaseous protoplanets, and; (iii) Stripping of the primordial volatile components from the inner portion of the Solar System by super-intense solar wind associated with T-Tauri phase mass-ejections, presumably during the thermonuclear ignition of the Sun. As described herein, these processes lead logically, in a causally related manner, to a coherent vision of planetary formation with profound implications including, but not limited to, (a) Earth formation as a giant gaseous Jupiter-like planet with vast amounts of stored energy of protoplanetary compression in its rock-plus-alloy kernel; (b) Removal of approximately 300 Earth-masses of primordial gases from the Earth, which began Earth's decompression process, making available the stored energy of protoplanetary compression for driving geodynamic processes, which I have described by the new whole-Earth decompression dynamics and which is responsible for emplacing heat at the mantle-crust-interface at the base of the crust through the process I have described, called mantle decompression thermal-tsunami; and, (c)Uranium accumulations at the planetary centers capable of self-sustained nuclear fission chain reactions.Comment: Invited paper for the Special Issue of Earth, Moon and Planets entitled Neutrino Geophysics Added final corrections for publicatio

Twitter permeability to financial events: an experiment towards a model for sensing irregularities

There is a general consensus of the good sensing and novelty character- istics of Twitter as an information media for the complex fi nancial market. This paper investigates the permeability of Twitter sphere, the total universe of Twitter users and their habits, towards relevant events in the financial market. Analysis shows that a general purpose social media is permeable to fi nancial-specifi c events and establishes Twitter as a relevant feeder for taking decisions regarding the fi nancial market and event fraudulent activities in that market. However, the provenance of contributions, their diferent levels of credibility and quality and even the purpose or intention behind them should to be considered and carefully contemplated if Twitter is used as a single source for decision taking. With the overall aim of this research, to deploy an architecture for real-time monitoring of irregularities in the financial market, this paper conducts a series of experiments on the level of permeability and the permeable features of Twitter in the event of one of these irregularities. To be precise, Twitter data is collected concerning an event comprising of a specifi c financial action on the 27th January 2017: the announcement about the merge of two companies Tesco PLC and Booker Group PLC, listed in the main market of the London Stock Exchange (LSE), to create the UK's Leading Food Business. The experiment attempts to answer two research questions which aim to characterize the features of Twitter permeability to the fi nancial market. The experimental results con rm that a far-impacting financial event, such as the merger considered, caused apparent disturbances in all the features considered, that is, information volume, content and sentiment as well as geographical provenance. Analysis shows that despite, Twitter not being a specifi c fi nancial forum, it is permeable to financial events

Secure information exchange - A security quantification approach

Quantification of security offers tremendous potential in improving the understanding, specification, and management of the security of a system. We propose a novel systematic approach to quantify security of a system based on the analysis of inter-dependence of security attributes and the impact of security guidelines and policies on system security. This paper presents proof-of-concept and initial investigations into the quantification of secure information exchange used as a safeguard over insecure public networks. A case study is presented to model and validate appropriate key sizes for crypto-ciphers used in a secure session based on the inter-relationship between asymmetric and symmetric key ciphers and the impact of key and session refreshes

Key factors determining success of primary eye care through vision centres in rural India: Patients′ perspectives

Aim : This paper intends to discuss the patients′ perspective on the determinants of primary eye care services from vision centers (VC) in rural India. Materials and Methods : A retrospective study design and interview method was used on 127 randomly selected patients who accessed the 4 VCs in 2007. Factor analyses and linear regression models were used to predict the associations with patient satisfaction. Results : The three factors derived from factor analyses were: (1)-vision technician (VT), (2)-location of VC, and (3)-access to VC; explaining 60% of the variance in total patients′ satisfaction with VC. The first model (R2 : 0.61; F 1,124=144.36, P <0.001), indicated that respondents who had ′difficulty to travel to the place of VC′ and those who can afford to pay had less satisfaction with VT services. The second model (R2 =0.18; F 1,124=29.5, P <0.001) explained that respondents′ difficulty to identify the building of VC had decreased patients′ satisfaction and the third model (R2 =0.36; F 1,124=45.6, P <0.001) indicated that those who had to travel<5 km to the VC and had 0.38 units of increased satisfaction level with the services of VC. Conclusion : A good VT can enhance patient satisfaction. However, patient expectations are not only confined to the provider but also other factors such as ability to pay and convenient transportation that helps patients reach the location of the VC with ease

Nutricereals for Nutritional Security

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Barriers to accessing eye care services among visually impaired populations in rural Andhra Pradesh, South India

<b>Purpose:</b> To understand the reasons why people in rural south India with visual impairment arising from various ocular diseases do not seek eye care. <b> Materials and Methods:</b> A total of 5,573 persons above the age of 15 were interviewed and examined in the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh covering the districts of Adilabad, West Godavari and Mahaboobnagar. A pre-tested structured questionnaire on barriers to eye care was administered by trained field investigators. <b> Results:</b> Of the eligible subjects, 1234 (22.1&#x0025;, N=5573)) presented with distant visual acuity &#60; 20/60 or equivalent visual field loss in the better eye. Of these, 898 (72.7&#x0025;, N=1234) subjects had not sought treatment despite noticing a decrease in vision citing personal, economic and social reasons. The analysis also showed that the odds of seeking treatment was significantly higher for literates [odds ratio (OR) 1.91, 95&#x0025; confidence interval (CI) 1.38 to 2.65], for those who would be defined as blind by visual acuity category (OR 1.35, 95&#x0025; CI 0.96 to 1.90) and for those with cataract and other causes of visual impairment (OR 1.50, 95&#x0025; CI 1.11 to 2.03). Barriers to seeking treatment among those who had not sought treatment despite noticing a decrease in vision over the past five years were personal in 52&#x0025; of the respondents, economic in 37&#x0025; and social in 21&#x0025;. <b> Conclusion:</b> Routine planning for eye care services in rural areas of India must address the barriers to eye care perceived by communities to increase the utilization of services