The job market is looking up and small businesses are reaping the benefits.
The CBIZ Small Business Employment Index, which tracks hiring at companies with 300 or fewer employees, reported a 1.66 percent increase in March, the highest month-over-month increase since June 2010.
"I think it's an extremely positive sign, economically," said Philip Noftsinger, business unit president for CBIZ Payroll Services. He said that while employment gains at larger firms could be attributed to increases in overseas business, small business job recovery is encouraging because it implies growing demand within the U.S. economy.
Noftsinger described a?snowball effect in which increasing demand, hiring and consumer spending build on one another to propel the national economy forward. "What's really going to be important for a domestic recovery is those small businesses," he said. "What really will drive a positive movement in the economy is getting that small business employment back up and getting cash in the hands of consumers."?
One big X factor that has the potential to put the brakes on this positive trend is the price of gas, Noftsinger said. Small companies with tight operating budgets and little access to the credit markets could be materially affected if fuel prices, currently at around $4 a gallon,?continue their ascent.?
While signs of a recovery in the labor market early last year turned out to be short-lived, Noftsinger said he's more optimistic that today's improving market has staying power. In the CBIZ index, a majority of companies are keeping staffing levels steady, while more than a quarter are adding jobs, often in sales positions.
This scramble to add salespeople is a strong signal that these companies expect the economy's upward trajectory to continue. "They're seeing some greening in the economy and they want to take advantage of that," Noftsinger said. Whereas the blip of improvement last year was driven primarily by confidence that turned out to be premature, the small businesses that are adding workers today are motivated by macro-economic conditions, not sentiment, he said.?
Related story:
Sharp drop in jobless rate creates conundrum for economists
Long-term neuropsychological impairment is common in acute lung injury survivorsPublic release date: 6-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Nathaniel Dunford ndunford@thoracic.org 212-315-8620 American Thoracic Society
Cognitive and psychiatric impairments are common among long-term survivors of acute lung injury (ALI), and these impairments can be assessed using a telephone-based test battery, according to a new study.
"Neuropsychological impairment is increasingly being recognized as an important outcome among survivors of critical illness, but neuropsychological function in long-term ALI survivors has not been assessed in a multi-center trial, and evidence on the etiology of these impairments in ALI survivors is limited," said lead author Mark E. Mikkelsen, MD, MSCE, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. "To overcome the constraints of in-person assessment, we developed a telephone battery of standardized neuropsychological tests that could be administered by a non-expert and used it to assess a subset of 122 ALI survivors from the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Clinical Trials Network Fluid and Catheter Treatment Trial."
"We found that neuropsychological function can be assessed by telephone in a multi-center trial, and that long-term neuropsychological impairment is common in these patients," continued Dr. Mikkelsen. "We also found that hypoxemia was associated with an increased risk for long-term cognitive and psychiatric impairment."
The findings were published online ahead of print publication in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
The test battery was administered to study subjects at two and 12 months after discharge from the hospital. At 12 months, memory, verbal fluency, and executive function (a set of
cognitive abilities necessary for effective daily functioning) were impaired in 13, 16, and 49 percent of survivors, respectively, while cognitive impairment (defined as impairment in memory, verbal fluency, and/or executive function) was found in 41 of 75 survivors (55 percent). Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety were found in 36, 39, and 62 percent of long-term survivors.
Enrollment in a conservative fluid-management strategy was significantly associated with the development of cognitive impairment, and lower partial pressure of arterial oxygen during the trial was associated with a significantly increased risk of both cognitive and psychiatric impairment. "Although it is plausible that use of a conservative fluid-management strategy was associated with an increased risk for long-term cognitive impairment," Dr. Mikkelsen said, "based on the small sample size and an unclear mechanism, this finding warrants confirmation."
The study had a few limitations, including its small sample size and the use of self-report for several measures.
"Our study confirms earlier research showing that cognitive and psychiatric morbidity are common among long-term survivors of ALI," concluded Dr. Mikkelsen. "We are indebted to the NIH for supporting EA-PAC, the parent study of the present study, and for recognizing the importance of assessing a multitude of long-term outcomes to properly understand survivorship and ultimately to improve the lives of critically ill survivors."
###
About the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine:
With an impact factor of 10.191, the AJRRCM is a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Thoracic Society.It aims to publish the most innovative science and the highest quality reviews, practice guidelines and statements in the pulmonary, critical care and sleep-related fields.
Founded in 1905, the American Thoracic Society is the world's leading medical association dedicated to advancing pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. The Society's 15,000 members prevent and fight respiratory disease around the globe through research, education, patient care and advocacy.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Long-term neuropsychological impairment is common in acute lung injury survivorsPublic release date: 6-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Nathaniel Dunford ndunford@thoracic.org 212-315-8620 American Thoracic Society
Cognitive and psychiatric impairments are common among long-term survivors of acute lung injury (ALI), and these impairments can be assessed using a telephone-based test battery, according to a new study.
"Neuropsychological impairment is increasingly being recognized as an important outcome among survivors of critical illness, but neuropsychological function in long-term ALI survivors has not been assessed in a multi-center trial, and evidence on the etiology of these impairments in ALI survivors is limited," said lead author Mark E. Mikkelsen, MD, MSCE, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. "To overcome the constraints of in-person assessment, we developed a telephone battery of standardized neuropsychological tests that could be administered by a non-expert and used it to assess a subset of 122 ALI survivors from the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Clinical Trials Network Fluid and Catheter Treatment Trial."
"We found that neuropsychological function can be assessed by telephone in a multi-center trial, and that long-term neuropsychological impairment is common in these patients," continued Dr. Mikkelsen. "We also found that hypoxemia was associated with an increased risk for long-term cognitive and psychiatric impairment."
The findings were published online ahead of print publication in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
The test battery was administered to study subjects at two and 12 months after discharge from the hospital. At 12 months, memory, verbal fluency, and executive function (a set of
cognitive abilities necessary for effective daily functioning) were impaired in 13, 16, and 49 percent of survivors, respectively, while cognitive impairment (defined as impairment in memory, verbal fluency, and/or executive function) was found in 41 of 75 survivors (55 percent). Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety were found in 36, 39, and 62 percent of long-term survivors.
Enrollment in a conservative fluid-management strategy was significantly associated with the development of cognitive impairment, and lower partial pressure of arterial oxygen during the trial was associated with a significantly increased risk of both cognitive and psychiatric impairment. "Although it is plausible that use of a conservative fluid-management strategy was associated with an increased risk for long-term cognitive impairment," Dr. Mikkelsen said, "based on the small sample size and an unclear mechanism, this finding warrants confirmation."
The study had a few limitations, including its small sample size and the use of self-report for several measures.
"Our study confirms earlier research showing that cognitive and psychiatric morbidity are common among long-term survivors of ALI," concluded Dr. Mikkelsen. "We are indebted to the NIH for supporting EA-PAC, the parent study of the present study, and for recognizing the importance of assessing a multitude of long-term outcomes to properly understand survivorship and ultimately to improve the lives of critically ill survivors."
###
About the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine:
With an impact factor of 10.191, the AJRRCM is a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Thoracic Society.It aims to publish the most innovative science and the highest quality reviews, practice guidelines and statements in the pulmonary, critical care and sleep-related fields.
Founded in 1905, the American Thoracic Society is the world's leading medical association dedicated to advancing pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. The Society's 15,000 members prevent and fight respiratory disease around the globe through research, education, patient care and advocacy.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
The good news: Google has started testing those augmented reality glasses we heard about earlier in the year. The bad news: if the artsy shots of the test units are to be believed, they won't make you look like some '80s cinematic anti-hero. In fact, the things wouldn't look too out of place in a New York Times style story. The software giant let it be known that, while it hasn't quite got a sale date on the wearables, it's ready to test ProjectGlass amongst the non-augmented public. The company is also looking for feedback on the project, writing in a post today, "we want to start a conversation and learn from your valuable input." Want some idea of what ProjectGlass might offer the public? Sure, it's not quite as good as strapping a pair on your own eyes, but interested parties can check out a video of Google's vision after the break.
MAIDEN VOYAGE: The RMS Titanic departing Southampton on April 10, 1912.Image: By F.G.O. Stuart (1843-1923) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
The most important shipping event in North Atlantic history was the creation of the International Mercantile Marine company (IMM) in 1902. This giant shipping trust was the brainchild of the Philadelphia Quaker shipping magnate Clement Acton Griscom and was made possible by the financial backing of the New York banker J. P. Morgan. Among the many U.S., Belgian, British, Dutch and German lines controlled by the IMM, certainly the most famous among the British-flag steamship lines was the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company?more commonly known as the White Star Line.
Its flagship, the Titanic, was the largest ship in the world when it took its maiden sailing from Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912. Weighing 46,328 tons and spanning 852.5 feet long by 92.5 feet wide, she could reach a speed of 21 knots, or about 39 kilometers per hour. The ship could accommodate 2,567 passengers, although on its maiden voyage, it was not fully booked because not every experienced?or wary?traveler cared to face the North Atlantic in April. Only about half of the cabins had been sold, to 1,316 passengers. Their fate, and that of the 892 crew members, would become a part of history.
Floating Palaces
The plan to construct the Titanic and its sister ships came as a direct response to the White Star Line?s principal competitor, the Cunard Line, which had just commissioned two new superliners in 1907: the Lusitania and the Mauretania. Both could steam at 25 knots, making them the fastest liners on the North Atlantic.
Bruce Ismay, managing director of the IMM and president and chairman of the White Star Line, decided not to try and chase the Cunard liners, which could cross the Atlantic in five days. Instead he built a trio of the largest ships in the world that would be capable of six-day crossings. They would be less expensive to operate and, perhaps, more attractive to wealthy passengers.
When the Titanic was launched on May 31, 1911, it was the second of the three sister ships and was only 1,004 tons larger than its sister Olympic. Based on its experience with the Olympic, White Star realized it could sell far more first-class cabins and suites than were available. The solution on the Titanic was to enclose a portion of the promenade deck so as to increase the number of suites and to regard a portion of the second-class cabins as interchangeable with first class. The Titanic cost a reported $7.5 million, which was a phenomenal sum for the time.
(In terms of names, some sources indicate that the third sister ship was to be christened the Gigantic, but following the disaster to the Titanic, it was ultimately named the Britannic and completed in 1915. Unfortunately, it hit a mine in the Aegean Sea during World War I while serving as a hospital ship and sank without ever taking a commercial sailing.)
The master of the Titanic was the commodore of the White Star Line, Captain Edward John Smith. He had also been the first master of the Olympic and, therefore, had had a year's familiarity with the flaws and qualities of the new White Star floating palaces. He learned that they responded slowly to their rudders, partially because one of the three propellers was positioned immediately behind the rudder. Thomas Andrews, designer of the ships, brought up this issue with Ismay, but the White Star president expressed his reluctance to delay the construction in order to refine the design. He reportedly commented that the only place these liners would have to maneuver quickly would be in port and that was what you had tugboats for.
Andrews wanted another change as well: a second row of lifeboats that could be launched as soon as the first set was in the water. The result would have been enough lifeboats for all the passengers and crew. Ismay protested that they already had more than the legally required number of lifeboats (16) and the extra boats simply would clutter up the beautiful open expanse of the upper deck, where first-class passengers would want to stroll. Hence, the Titanic sailed with 16 lifeboats capable of accommodating 1,178 human beings out of the 2,200-plus passengers and crew onboard. The regulations governing the number of lifeboats had not been changed since 1894?18 years earlier?and the Titanic was 460 percent larger than the largest ship in the world at the time the outdated rules were published.
The Vestige is just plain modern cool. We call it an urban bike with an eco twist.? The Vestige is made from flax fibers, a recyclable and renewable resource that behaves and feels a lot like carbon fiber when it comes to road vibrations. It has the same dampener feel. It has a water based paint, with partially biologically sourced resin, it aids getting there clean with bamboo fenders and grips and the Schwalbe tires have recycled content and puncture protection to round out the Vestige?s eco friendly modus. But aside from its minimalistic carbon footprint, the Vestige holds a few new technology tricks. They have figured out a way to make the flax fiber frames? partially translucent, which motivated the Vestige?s design crew to add dynamo powered LED lights inside the top tube and downtube, possibly producing the first ever urban bikes that glow in the dark. Vestige did not back down at the mechanical parts on? the bike either,? it also features a posh 9-speed Shimano drivetrain, dependable non flexing alloy V-brakes, lightweight alloy double wall wheels and mounts for a rear rack, making it a highly capable urban machine, cruiser or all-around fun and fitness bike with a great personality.
*Ship to Store Exclusive*
Free Shipping on all orders over $150 at PerformanceBike.com Ground shipping only!
All-New Schwinn Vestige flax fiber frame and carbon fork make the Vestige the greenest bike ever made
The vibration-damping characteristics of flax are similar to those of carbon fiber
Frame features dynamo-powered internal LED lighting system that makes the frame glow ? no batteries required
Shimano 9-speed drivetrain with Alivio derailleur and shifter for plenty of gears and easy shifting
Bamboo fenderset is eco-friendly, funky and functional
Schwalbe tires feature a recycled rubber puncture protection layer
2012 Schwinn Vestige Uban Bikes
BOTTOM BRACKET:
Shimano Cartridge
BRAKES:
Schwinn Alloy V-brake
CASSETTE:
SRAM PG-950, 11-28T, 9-speed
CHAIN:
KMC Z99, 9-speed
CRANKSET:
Schwinn ?S? logo, alloy 42T
FORK:
Schwinn Vestige carbon with alloy steerer, 1 1/8?
FRAME:
All-New Schwinn Vestige Flax Fiber with dynamo-powered LED internal lighting system
FRONT DERAILLEUR:
NA
GRIPS/TAPE:
Bamboo lock-on
HANDLEBAR:
Schwinn Vestige alloy, 31.8mm, 25mm rise
HEADSET:
FSA threadless, 1 1/8?
LEVERS:
Schwinn Vestige alloy
PEDALS:
Plastic body with reflector and toe cage
RACK MOUNTS:
Rear
REAR DERAILLEUR:
Shimano Alivio
SADDLE:
Schwinn Vestige Ergo
SEATPOST:
Schwinn alloy, 31.6 x 350
SHIFTERS:
Shimano Alivio
STEM:
Schwinn Vestige alloy adjustable, 31.8mm
TIRES:
Schwalbe Marathon with GreenGuard puncture protection, 700 x 37c
WHEELSET:
Rims: Alex ACE19 double-wall 32-hole; Front Hub: Shimano DH-3N30 Dynamo 32-hole; Rear Hub: Alivio 32-hole; Spokes: 14G Stainless
2012 Schwinn Vestige Urban Bikes
Free Shipping on all orders over $150 at PerformanceBike.com Ground shipping only!
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_u7knUCD4j41aXct9_sfLYBVfaBNpBSt7n7PhsSOaurGNCbCM3uBhynLF30XUM3ERU_d5GYDn2JiAQBGEwhpRjaiuIdoKx3-XjzN089wZo=s0-d){kind=small}
Public release date: 6-Apr-2012
Share ] 
