Part-time work and Health among Older Workers in Ireland and Britain

Part-time work is viewed as a viable option for people who wish to have a gradual transition to retirement. From a policy viewpoint, this may help to alleviate some labour supply shortages, especially in the context of the aging population. Factors such as health or pension provision may influence a person´s decision to work part-time. This paper considers the impact of health on the work decision for people aged 50 and over in the UK and Ireland. Methodological issues are discussed and the impact of unobserved individual effects is estimated using the Mundlak estimator applied to the multinomial probit model. The impact of health on part-time work is negative in Ireland, but we find no significant effect in the UK. The paper discusses potential reasons for these impacts and current policies on part-time work

Excavating the iconic: The rediscovery of the Fairbottom Bobs Colliery pumping engine

Steam engines were one of the first machine-types to attract the attention of antiquarians and later Industrial Archaeologists. From the first Newcomen engine in 1712 to the 20th-century steam turbine, these objects still exert a fascination for archaeologists and historians of the Industrial Era. None more so than the Newcomen or more properly the atmospheric steam engine. Such engines were described by L. T C. Rolt as one of the prehistoric forefathers of the Industrial Revolution period steam engine. Only a handful of examples remain standing today, and amongst the better known are engines from 1791 in the Science Museum in London; from 1787 still in situ at Elsecar in Barnsley; the Coventry Canal Engine from Hawksbury; and Fairbottom Bobs from Ashton-under-Lyne, now in the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan. Of these only the site of one, Fairbottom Bobs, has been the subject of modern excavation and historical study although it is in the nature of archaeological research that at the time of the site's excavation in 1999 the iconic status of this particular steam engine was not fully appreciated

Cardiovascular Effects of Vibration Semiannual Report, 1 Aug. 1965 - 28 Feb. 1966

Vibration induced cardiovascular changes in anesthetized dog

Wide range operation of advanced low NOx combustors for supersonic high-altitude aircraft gas turbines

An initial rig program tested the Jet Induced Circulation (JIC) and Vortex Air Blast (VAB) systems in small can combustor configurations for NOx emissions at a simulated high altitude, supersonic cruise condition. The VAB combustor demonstrated the capability of meeting the NOx goal of 1.0 g NO2/kg fuel at the cruise condition. In addition, the program served to demonstrate the limited low-emissions range available from the lean, premixed combustor. A follow-on effort was concerned with the problem of operating these lean, premixed combustors with acceptable emissions at simulated engine idle conditions. Various techniques have been demonstrated that allow satisfactory operation on both the JIC and VAB combustors at idle with CO emissions below 20 g/kg fuel. The VAB combustor was limited by flashback/autoignition phenomena at the cruise conditions to a pressure of 8 atmospheres. The JIC combustor was operated up to the full design cruise pressure of 14 atmospheres without encountering an autoignition limitation although the NOx levels, in the 2-3 g NO2/kg fuel range, exceeded the program goal

A Mixed Effects Model of Crop Yields for Purposes of Premium Determination

Farm income is highly variable due to annual price and yield uncertainties. The federally subsidized crop insurance program is an important tool for managing this risk, and has grown from a relatively modest program to one that encompasses the majority of productive cropland in the country. The success of this program depends on identification of actuarially fair insurance premium rates, which in turn depends on accurate estimation of farm-level yield distributions. We use the confidential U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (RMA) panel dataset to estimate farm-specific distributions of yields and actually fair crop insurance premiums. Our ongoing work includes using the difference between our estimated actually fair premiums and RMA's to predict which insurance contracts farmers select. Ultimately, we will predict potential efficiency gains from using our empirical model for premium determination.Yield, Crop Insurance, Policy, Mixed Model, Agricultural and Food Policy,

Estimation of squeeze-film damping and inertial coefficients from experimental free-decay data

The results are given for an experimental program concerned with a parametric identification of the damping and inertial coefficients of a cylindrical squeeze-film bearing, through an analysis of transient response data. The results enable the operating range for which a linear model of the squeeze-film is appropriate to be determined. Comparisons are made between the estimated coefficients and theoretical predictions. Presentation is by courtesy of the Council of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London

Advanced Low NO Sub X Combustors for Supersonic High-Altitude Aircraft Gas Turbines

A test rig program was conducted with the objective of evaluating and minimizing the exhaust emissions, in particular NO sub x, of three advanced aircraft combustor concepts at a simulated, high altitude cruise condition. The three combustor designs, all members of the lean reaction, premixed family, are the Jet Induced Circulation (JIC) combustor, the Vortex Air Blast (VAB) combustor, and a catalytic combustor. They were rig tested in the form of reverse flow can combustors in the 0.127 m. (5.0 in.) size range. Various configuration modifications were applied to each of the initial JIC and VAB combustor model designs in an effort to reduce the emissions levels. The VAB combustor demonstrated a NO sub x level of 1.1 gm NO2/kg fuel with essentially 100% combustion efficiency at the simulated cruise combustor condition of 50.7 N/sq cm (5 atm), 833 K (1500 R) inlet pressure and temperature respectively and 1778 K (3200 R) outlet temperature on Jet-A1 fuel. Early tests on the catalytic combustor were unsuccessful due to a catalyst deposition problem and were discontinued in favor of the JIC and VAB tests. In addition emissions data were obtained on the JIC and VAB combustors at low combustor inlet pressure and temperatures that indicate the potential performance at engine off-design conditions

Effect of gaseous and solid simulated jet plumes on an 040A space shuttle launch configuration at m=1.6 to 2.2

The effect of plume-induced flow separation and aspiration effects due to operation of both orbiter and the solid rocket motors on a 0.019-scale model of the launch configuration of the Space Shuttle Vehicle is determined. Longitudinal and lateral-directional stability data were obtained at Mach numbers of 1.6, 2.0, and 2.2 with and without the engines operating. The plumes exiting from the engines were simulated by a cold-gas jet supplied by an auxiliary 200-atm air supply system and solid-body plume simulators. The aerodynamic effects produced by these two simulation procedures are compared. The parameters most significantly affected by the jet plumes are pitching moment, elevon control effectiveness, axial force, and orbiter wing loads. The solid rocket motor (SRM) plumes have the largest effect on the aerodynamic characteristics. The effect of the orbiter plumes in combination with the SRM plumes is also significant. Variations in the nozzle design parameters and configuration changes can reduce the jet plume-induced aerodynamic effects