Declining labor force attachment and downward trends in unemployment and participation

The US labor market witnessed two apparently unrelated secular movements in thelast 30 years: a decline in unemployment between the early 1980s and the early 2000s,and a decline in participation since the early 2000s. Using CPS micro data and a stock-flow accounting framework, we show that a substantial, and hitherto unnoticed, factorbehind both trends is a decline in the share of nonparticipants who are at the margin ofparticipation. A lower share of marginal nonparticipants implies a lower unemploymentrate, because marginal nonparticipants enter the labor force mostly through unemployment,while other nonparticipants enter the labor force mostly through employment.

Pratique du scanner en Suisse: fréquence et évolution temporelle [CT utilisation in Switzerland: frequency and secular trends]

PURPOSE: This study analyzes CT examinations in Switzerland. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using different sources (administrative data on the equipment, a 1998 nationwide inquiry into practices, and data provided by the Swiss University Hospitals of Basel, Zurich, and Lausanne), we determined the frequency of CT examinations (hospitals and private radiologists) in 1998 according to different descriptive variables and studied the progression in CT use over time. RESULTS: CT scanners increased by 7% between 1998 and 2004. The average annual number of CT examinations in 1998 was 46.3/1000 population, 3.4% of all radiological examinations in Switzerland in 1997-1998. The most frequent examination was CT of the skull (24%), while private radiology institutes perform more CTs of the spine. More CT examinations were performed for men than for women (sex ratio M/F=1.17). The average annual increase in CT in Swiss hospitals varied from 8% for Basel to 18% for Lausanne. Finally, the proportion of pediatric examinations was 5%; their numbers appear to be stabilizing. CONCLUSION: There is a significant increase in CT examinations. It is hoped that our study will heighten awareness among doctors of CT examinations in order to optimize their use.

Delphinium L. subgen Delphinium: origin and evolutionary trends

Les caractéristiques avançades de Delphinium L. subgèn. Delphinium (taxons anuals) son comparades amb les del subgèn. Delphinastrum (DC.) Wang i del subgèn. Oligophyllon Dimitrova (taxons perennes). La morfología floral mostra un intercanvi de funcions entre els petals laterals i els petals superiors i restructura de la inflorescencia de molts taxons anuals afavoreix un augment de les taxes de geitonogàmia-autogàmia. L'evolució dels cariotips és basada en una disminució de la longitud total dels cromosomes i en un increment del grau d'asimetria; el nombre cromosómic roman constant per a totes les especies anuals (2n = 16). Leficàcia de la dispersió de les especies anuals és mes gran que no pas la de les especies perennes, per causa d'un increment en la producció de granes i per l'augment de la flotabilitat, tant a l'aire com a l'aigua. D'altres caractéristiques adaptatives avançades son l'adquisició de noves defenses químiques i l'aparició d'un nou tipus embriogènic. Els nínxols ecologies del subgèn. Delphinium corresponen a habitats oberts i alterats, en comparado amb els habitats estables i relativament tancats dels subgéneros Delphinastrum i Oligophyllon. Es presenta una hipótesi global de les tendencies évolutives observades en anuals vs. perennes en connexió amb consideracions biogeogràfiques, així corn un resum taxonomic final.

Chirurgie endoscopique endonasale des tumeurs de la base du crane : historique, état de l'art et perspectives d'avenir [Shifting paradigm in skull base surgery: Roots, current state of the art and future trends of endonasal endoscopic approaches].

During the last two decades, endoscopic endonasal approach has completed the minimally invasive skull base surgery armamentarium. Endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery (EESBS) was initially developed in the field of pituitary adenomas, and gained an increasing place for the treatment of a wide variety of skull base pathologies, extending on the midline from crista galli process to the occipitocervical junction and laterally to the parasellar areas and petroclival apex. Until now, most studies are retrospective and lack sufficient methodological quality to confirm whether the endoscopic endonasal pituitary surgery has better results than the microsurgical trans-sphenoidal classical approach. The impressions of the expert teams show a trend toward better results for some pituitary adenomas with the endoscopic endonasal route, in terms of gross total resection rate and probably more comfortable postoperative course for the patient. Excepting intra- and suprasellar pituitary adenomas, EESBS seems useful for selected lesions extending onto the cavernous sinus and Meckel's cave but also for clival pathologies. Nevertheless, this infatuation toward endoscopic endonasal approaches has to be balanced with the critical issue of cerebrospinal fluid leaks, which constitutes actually the main limit of this approach. Through their experience and a review of the literature, the authors aim to present the state of the art of this approach as well as its limits.

Thinning response and growth trends of seeded Scots pine stands at the arctic timberline

Abstract

Allergen-specific immunotherapy of allergy and asthma: current and future trends.

Allergen-specific immunotherapy is the only immunomodulatory and etiological therapy of allergy and asthma. Conventional specific immunotherapy (SIT) with whole-allergen extract is antigen specific, effective on multiple organs, efficient on asthma in defined conditions, provides long-lasting protection and is cost effective. Moreover, SIT is able to prevent the course of rhinitis to asthma. SIT has its drawbacks: the long duration of treatment, the unsatisfactory standardization of allergen extracts and a questionable safety level. Novel approaches are aimed at drastically reducing adverse anaphylactic events, shortening the duration of therapy and improving its efficacy. Novel promising approaches have based their formulation on a limited set of recombinant allergens or chimeric molecules as well as on hypoallergenic allergen fragments or peptides. The simultaneous use of adjuvants with immunomodulatory properties may contribute to improve both the safety and efficacy of allergen-SIT of allergy and asthma.

Iowa: Education and Workforce Trends through 2025, September 29, 2015

Since the 1980s, education or training beyond high school has become the new minimum threshold for Americans to earn a living wage and attain middle class status. In 1973, only 28 percent of U.S. jobs required education beyond a high school diploma; by 2025, almost two out of three jobs in the nation will require at least some post secondary education or training. Iowa’s economy reflects this national trend and demonstrates a steady increase in the demand for post secondary education and training in the industries that form the mainstay of the national economy.

Patulin in food: state-of-the-art and analytical trends

Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by several fungal species of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus, found on several fruit species and, remarkably, in apples and apple products. Patulin has a broad spectrum of toxicity, including carcinogenicity and teratogenicity in animals. Due to the stability of the molecule, considerable amounts of patulin still remain in apple products after processing. This paper reviews different analytical methods for patulin determination and methods to reduce levels of patulin in apple products as well.

Veränderung von Inzidenz und Mortalität von Kopf-Hals-Malignomen in Rheinland-Pfalz, 2000-2009 [Changes in Incidence and Mortality Trends of Head and Neck Cancer in Rhineland-Palatinate, 2000-2009].

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological data on HNC are often reported aggregated despite their anatomical and histological heterogeneity. In Germany, few studies have analyzed incidence and mortality trends separately for specific anatomic sites. Furthermore, little is known about whether the incidence of HPV-associated tumour entities of the head and neck region has increased. METHODS: Based on cancer registry data from Rhineland-Palatinate from 2000 to 2009, age-standardized incidence and mortality rates were calculated for all HNC sites and localisation groups that might be HPV-associated according to the literature. Trends were analyzed by Joinpoint regression and reported as the annual percentage change (APC). RESULTS: Throughout the study period, 8 055 incident cases and 3 177 deaths were identified. The incidence rates of overall HNC increased among women (APC:+2.2%) and declined slightly among men (- 0.9%). Significantly increasing incidence rates among women were seen for tumours of the oral cavity (+2.7%) and the oropharynx (+3.6%). Among men, a significant decrease in incidence rates for tumours of the hypopharynx (-3.4%) and the larynx (-2.7%) are noteworthy. Cancers at HPV-associated sites showed increased incidence rates in men (+3.3%) and women (+4.3%). A decrease in mortality was found for tumours of the larynx in both sexes (-5.8% men,-9.1% women). CONCLUSIONS: A detailed analysis by localisation of HNC showed significant and often opposing trends for men and women regarding incidence and mortality.

Spatial and Temporal Trends in Sunshine Duration over Western Europe

This work analyzes sunshine duration variability in the western part of Europe (WEU) over the 1938– 2004 period. A principal component analysis is applied to cluster the original series from 79 sites into 6 regions, and then annual and seasonal mean series are constructed on regional and also for the whole WEU scales. Over the entire period studied here, the linear trend of annual sunshine duration is found to be nonsignificant. However, annual sunshine duration shows an overall decrease since the 1950s until the early 1980s, followed by a subsequent recovery during the last two decades. This behavior is in good agreement with the dimming and brightening phenomena described in previous literature. From the seasonal analysis, the most remarkable result is the similarity between spring and annual series, although the spring series has a negative trend; and the clear significant increase found for the whole WEU winter series, being especially large since the 1970s. The behavior of the major synoptic patterns for two seasons is investigated, resulting in some indications that sunshine duration evolution may be partially explained by changes in the frequency of some of them

Predicting Market Crashes: An Examination of the Performance of Macroeconomic Indicators and Technical Analysis

The purpose of this study is to examine macroeconomic indicators‟ and technical analysis‟ ability to signal market crashes. Indicators examined were Yield Spread, The Purchasing Managers Index and the Consumer Confidence Index. Technical Analysis indicators were moving average, Moving Average Convergence-Divergence and Relative Strength Index. We studied if commonly used macroeconomic indicators can be used as a warning system for a stock market crashes as well. The hypothesis is that the signals of recession can be used as signals of stock market crash and that way a basis for a hedging strategy. The data is collected from the U.S. markets from the years 1983-2010. Empirical studies show that macroeconomic indicators have been able to explain the future GDP development in the U.S. in research period and they were statistically significant. A hedging strategy that combined the signals of yield spread and Consumer Confidence Index gave most useful results as a basis of a hedging strategy in selected time period. It was able to outperform buy-and-hold strategy as well as all of the technical indicator based hedging strategies.

Food packaging indicators and sensors

Various categories of food packaging indicators namely; VTT, Ageless Eye, Mocon, Åbo Akademi and Impak were selected and incorporated into food trays manufactured at LUT packaging laboratory. Each of these food packaging indicators was used to investigate (visually and qualitatively) the transmission of oxygen through the seal, and tray material, as well as to detect microbial activity within the content of the package. Applications of different methods of gas flushing, content variation and introduction of two distinct levels of oxygen scavengers were employed as treatments to evaluate the packaging performance of the food packaging indicators. Ease of handling of each food packaging indicator was also taken into considerations. Findings showed that for packages, which contained chicken product, the amount of oxygen in the package, measured immediately after the sealing operation on the first day gradually decreased to zero percent by the third day of the storage period. The oxygen level remained at this point throughout the duration of storage for the chicken packages. Besides, level of oxygen in the packages without product continued to increase with the storage time, at moderate rate of 0.1% for 100%N2 and 0.3% for 30%CO2/70%N2 empty packages. More carbon dioxide gas was recorded for packages flushed with 30%CO2/70%N2. Results also revealed that visual analysis of one of the color indicators for example Ageless Eye, conformed to the data derived from the luminescence food-packaging indicator. This shows that packaging operation of the packaging line was considerably stable, and efficient with negligible exception. However, it was found that most of the food packaging indicators investigated in this research study exhibited considerable packaging challenges, such as, reaction with the content of the package (Impak); over sensitivity (Åbo Akademi and Impak); ease of handling problem (Åbo Akademi); and ease of activation problem (VTT indicators). In this study, the strengths and limitations of different indicators were analyzed. This study demonstrates the applicability of various indicators in MAP using chicken package application.