Auto plant closures, policy responses and labour market outcomes:a comparison of MG Rover in the UK and Mitsubishi in Australia

This paper provides a preliminary comparative longitudinal analysis of the impact on workers made redundant due to the closure of the Mitsubishi plant in Adelaide and the MG Rover plant in Birmingham. Longitudinal surveys of ex-workers from both firms were undertaken over a 12-month period in order to assess the process of labour market adjustment. In the Mitsubishi case, given the skills shortage the state of Adelaide was facing, together with the considerable growth in mining and defence industries, it would have been more appropriate if policy intervention had been redirected to further training or re-skilling opportunities for redundant workers. This opportunity was effectively missed and as a result more workers left the workforce, most notably for retirement, than could have otherwise been the case. The MG Rover case was seen as a more successful example of policy intervention, with greater funding assistance available and targeted support available, and with more emphasis on re-training needs to assist adjustment. However, despite the assistance offered and the rhetoric of successful adjustment in both cases, the majority of workers have nevertheless experienced deterioration in their circumstances particularly in the Australian case where casual and part-time work were often the only work that could be obtained. Even in the UK case, where more funding assistance was offered, a majority of workers reported a decline in earnings and a rise in job insecurity. This suggests that a reliance on the flexible labour market is insufficient to promote adjustment, and that more active policy intervention is needed especially in regard to further up-skilling.

Apropiación cultural en las traducciones de una obra (auto)traducida:la proyección exterior de 'Herba Moura', de Teresa Moure

La publicación de la novela Herba moura en 2005 supuso todo un acontecimiento literario en el panorama cultural gallego. En los años inmediatamente posteriores resultaba frecuente toparse con expresiones del tipo “fenómeno Teresa Moure” (Cid 2007: 2; Vilavedra 2005: 331) en alusión a su autora, a quien esta novela feminista habría convertido precisamente en la “autora de moda” (Novo 2006: 208). Y es que la publicación de este libro desencadenaría, en palabras de Helena Miguélez Carballeira, “un estado novo e certamente anovador no sistema literario galego: aquel ocasionado polo feito inédito de que unha escritora atraia arredor de si e da súa obra un torrente imparable de reverberacións mediáticas e paratextuais” (Miguélez Carballeira 2007: 73). En estos ecos mediáticos pronto tendrían cabida también las referencias a las diferentes traducciones de Herba moura, pues tan sólo un año después de su publicación, en septiembre de 2006 salían al mercado la autotraducción de la autora a castellano y la traducción a catalán, a las que seguirían posteriormente las traducciones a otras lenguas europeas como portugués, italiano u holandés. Partiendo de esta constatación, en este artículo me propongo evaluar desde una perspectiva comparada la representación de Herba moura en su contexto de producción original y en los diferentes sistemas meta de su autotraducción y traducciones. Con este análisis buscaré determinar las posibles interferencias y relaciones intertextuales entre las diferentes versiones, valorando en qué medida la proyección interior y exterior de la obra participan (o no) de discursos similares. Comenzaré por explorar la recepción de Herba moura en el sistema literario gallego, para después centrarme en las características de la versión autotraducida Hierba mora y, finalmente, examinar la representación traductiva en Herba d’enamorar, Erva-do-diabo, Le tre donne di Cartesio y Nachschade.

Auto-solitons guided by in-line nonlinear optical loop mirrors in dispersion-managed communication systems

Summary form only given. Both dispersion management and the use of a nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM) as a saturable absorber can improve the performance of a soliton-based communication system. Dispersion management gives the benefits of low average dispersion while allowing pulses with higher powers to propagate, which helps to suppress Gordon-Haus timing jitter without sacrificing the signal-to-noise ratio. The NOLM suppresses the buildup of amplifier spontaneous emission noise and background dispersive radiation which, if allowed to interact with the soliton, can lead to its breakup. We examine optical pulse propagation in dispersion-managed (DM) transmission system with periodically inserted in-line NOLMs. To describe basic features of the signal transmission in such lines, we develop a simple theory based on a variational approach involving Gaussian trial functions. It, has already been proved that the variational method is an extremely effective tool for description of DM solitons. In the work we manage to include in the variational description the point action of the NOLM on pulse parameters, assuming that the Gaussian pulse shape is inherently preserved by propagation through the NOLM. The obtained results are verified by direct numerical simulations

Reshoring:opportunities and limits for manufacturing in the UK - the case of the auto sector

In recent years, offshoring and outsourcing have transformed fundamentally nationally based auto sectors into global networks of design, production and distribution across the global value chains coordinated by the major automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). As manufacturing activities tended to be shifted to low-labour cost locations in Asia, Africa and Latin America, high-end design, R&D, product development have stayed anchored mostly to high-cost and high knowledge-intensive home economy locations (perhaps with the except of some design and styling activities which are often located in major end markets around the world. However, very recently the weaknesses of and risks inherent in such global value chains (GVCs) have been exposed, triggering attempts to rethink their nature and also raising possibilities to reshore some manufacturing activities to home countries. A combination of a more competitive exchange rate (despite the very recent appreciation of sterling), increased transport costs, rising wages in key areas of China, and a greater awareness of supply chain resilience have all contributed to a perceived change in some business fundamentals. The potential for some supply chain relocalisation also links in with the servitisation of manufacturing including the auto sector and shift to a hybrid model where manufacturing and services are increasingly intertwined. However, there are limits as to how far this can go and these raise some important questions and issues over the possible role for industrial policy.

Auto Warranty Data: Mean Cumulative Function

Стефанка Чукова, Хър Гуан Тео - В това изследване разглеждаме и разширяваме предишната ни работа по цензуриране, типично за авто гаранционни данни. За да разрешим проблема с непълната информация за километража, използваме линеен подход в непараметрични рамки. Оценяваме средните кумулативни гаранционни разходи (за превозно средство) и стандартната им грешка като функция на възрастта, на километража и на реалното (календарно) време.

Estudo sobre a detecção de invariância de escala discreta em sistemas com criticalidade auto-organizada

Recent studies have shown evidence of log-periodic behavior in non-hierarchical systems. An interesting fact is the emergence of such properties on rupture and breakdown of complex materials and financial failures. These may be examples of systems with self-organized criticality (SOC). In this work we study the detection of discrete scale invariance or log-periodicity. Theoretically showing the effectiveness of methods based on the Fourier Transform of the log-periodicity detection not only with prior knowledge of the critical point before this point as well. Specifically, we studied the Brazilian financial market with the objective of detecting discrete scale invariance in Bovespa (Bolsa de Valores de S˜ao Paulo) index. Some historical series were selected periods in 1999, 2001 and 2008. We report evidence for the detection of possible log-periodicity before breakage, shown its applicability to the study of systems with discrete scale invariance likely in the case of financial crashes, it shows an additional evidence of the possibility of forecasting breakage

Encapsulamento de solventes em nanotubos de haloisita para promoção de auto-reparo em polímeros

Micro cracking during service is a critical problem in polymer structures and polymer composite materials. Self-healing materials are able to repair micro cracks, thus their preventing propagation and catastrophic failure of structural components. One of the self-healing approaches presented in the literature involves the use of solvents which react with the polymer. The objective of this research is to investigate a procedure to encapsulate solvents in halloysite nanotubes to promote self-healing ability in epoxy. Healing is triggered by crack propagation through embedded nanotubes in the polymer, which then release the liquid sovent into the crack plane. Two solvents were considered in this work: dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and nitrobenzene. The nanotubes were coated using the layer-by-layer technique of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes: cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium polyacrylate. Solvent encapsulation was verified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), analysis thermogravimetry (TGA), adsorption and desorption of nitrogen and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The introduction of the solvent DMSO into the cavity of the nanotubes was confirmed by the techniques employed. However, was not verified with nitrobenzene only promoted clay aggregation. The results suggest that the CTAB reacted with the halloystite to form a sealing layer on the surface of the nanotubes, thus encapsulating the solvent, while this was not verified using sodium polyacrylate.

O figurino na narrativa dos filmes de Guel Arraes: O Auto da Compadecida (2000) e O Bem Amado (2010)

This research focuses on the course of Guel Arraes, moviemaker, and picks two movies for analysis: O Auto da Compadecida (2000) and O Bem Amado (2010), as well as their costumes. The focus on the costume is based on Semiology and aims to decode the meanings that stem out of the clothes. Three of the movies characters will have their costumes analyzed based on Roland Barthes’ theory, mainly considering semiology elements (language and speech), (significant and meaning) and (system and syntagma). The influence of the Armorial movement into the movie O Auto da Compadecida and the Kitsch aesthetic in O Bem Amado deserve consideration, aside from the study on costumes function within narrative, supported by Roland Barthes’ structural analysis of the narrative. We sought to highlight the balance between characters’ lines and the image of the costumes in the movies. Adding to the study on how costumes strongly accounts to narrative, we observed characteristic traits of director and scriptwriter Guel Arraes present in his works, which are the northeastern man identity, a presentation of the Northeast and popular comedy. We believe that his choices when creating and his life influences are not separate from one another. Our research was movie-appraisal centered and had a thorough investigation all over language. The main considerations are supported by the following theories: Barthes (2007), Figueirôa and Fechine (2008), Moles (2001), Stuart Hall (2005) and Mikhail Bakhtin (2013).

Diseño y desarrollo de herramientas para el auto-aprendizaje de Anatomía Patológica General Veterinaria

Este proyecto es la continuación de otro anterior de innovación docente: PIMCD 238/2014 “Implantación de un sistema de telepatología digital para la enseñanza práctica de Anatomía Patológica General (asignatura de 2º curso del Grado en Veterinaria)”. Hemos elaborado una colección completa de preparaciones digitalizadas para todas las prácticas de histopatología de APG. Con la colección completa de preparaciones histopatológicas digitalizadas, se han realizado también guías específicas de auto-ayuda para una mejor comprensión y observación de las mismas por parte del alumno, favoreciendo el auto-aprendizaje individualizado y en grupo. Así mismo, hemos realizado un módulo de auto-aprendizaje teórico-práctico en inglés para que el alumno auto-evalúe sus conocimientos de partes de la asignatura y los conocimientos transversales de otras asignaturas del grado en veterinaria. Como complemento se ha producido un juego de “pasapalabra” con contenidos de Anatomía Patológica, con el fin de estimular el aprendizaje mediante el juego. Ambos sistemas se encuentran en el campus virtual UCM para su utilización por los alumnos de veterinaria. Al finalizar el curso se enlazarán en la página web del Dpto.

Estatus social auto-percibido y sesgos en un dilema social sobre intervención en un conflicto entre pares

El propósito de este trabajo fue realizar una serie de estudios psicológicos sobre el estatus social humano, las decisiones de intervención en un conflicto hipotético entre pares; presentado por medio de un dilema social y las posibles consecuencias de tales decisiones. Para este fin, se investigaron muestras de jóvenes universitarios de dos distintas procedencias: Madrid, España y San José, Costa Rica. El estatus social es una de las variables que más frecuentemente se ha relacionado con las intervenciones durante los conflictos. Dada la importancia de la misma, el primer estudio empírico procedió a recabar evidencias de calidad de una medición de estatus social auto-percibido, esta estuvo compuesta por dos subescalas: dominancia auto-percibida y prestigio auto-percibido. Los procedimientos de validación incluyeron la traducción inversa inglés-español del instrumento así como procedimientos analíticos descriptivos, de diferencias de grupos, análisis factoriales exploratorios, análisis confirmatorios, análisis de congruencia e invarianza factorial, análisis de fiabilidad y análisis correlacionales con otras variables criterio (estrategia de historia de vida, dimensiones de la empatía y deseabilidad social). Los resultados mostraron que el modelo bidimensional de estatus (dominancia y prestigio cultural) era adecuado para ambos contextos estudiados. Por otra parte, los resultados obtenidos en los análisis correlacionales de la dominancia y el prestigio con las variables criterio fueron menos consistentes entre las diferentes muestras...

Antropología social, enfoques (auto)biográficos y vigilancia epistemológica

El artículo evalúa las posibilidades de conocimiento generadas por la utilización de enfoques biográficos, desde una doble premisa: la necesidad de recabar datos que ponen en juego la temporalidad, y la obligación de tener presentes tanto las falsas expectativas como las dificultades que dicho uso engendra. Se examinan sucesivamente las posiciones respectivas de los investigadores y de sus informantes, la influencia de los hábitos de pensamiento del conocimiento ordinario, así como lo que cabe esperar de herramientas heurísticas como el análisis contextual (social, intra-textual e intertextual) y la práctica comparativa.

Étude du rôle pathogénique de la formiminotransférase-cyclodésaminase dans l'hépatite auto-immune de type 2

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.