bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
More delegation, more political control? Politicization of senior-level appointments in 18 European countries
Authors: Bach Tobias , Hammerschmid Gerhard , Löffler Lorenz
Published: May 2018

This article contributes to the literature on the politicization of appointments to increase political control over public bureaucracies with often substantial managerial and policy autonomy. Using data from a large-scale executive survey from central government ministries and agencies in 18 European countries, the article provides a comprehensive cross-national and cross-organizational analysis of the autonomy-politicization conundrum and the drivers of the politicization of senior-level appointments. We find that national patterns of politicization correspond fairly well to country families as defined by administrative traditions, with some traditions being more coherent than others. At the organizational level, we find no evidence of efforts by politicians to compensate for extended autonomy by politicizing senior-level appointments, yet we provide evidence of differential effects of both formal and informal organizational characteristics on patterns of politicization. Our analyses show that politicization of senior appointments is lower in organizations with agency status, higher organizational social capital, higher financial autonomy and more extensive use of management tools. The article thereby not only offers comprehensive evidence of cross-country differences in politicization; it also adds to the literature on sub-national variation, by fleshing out an organizational perspective to the study of politicized appointments in the European context.
Rituximab-mediated late-onset neutropenia in systemic lupus erythematosus – distinct roles of BAFF and APRIL
Authors: Parodis I , Söder F , Faustini F , Kasza Z , Samuelsson I , Zickert A , Svenungsson E , van Vollenhoven R F , Malmström V , Wermeling F , Gunnarsson I
Published: May 2018

Objective

Rituximab-mediated late-onset neutropenia (LON) has been described in various diseases. We investigated its occurrence, consequences and contributing factors in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

Rituximab-treated patients from the Karolinska University Hospital ( n = 107) were surveyed. LON was defined as an absolute neutrophil count <1500 cells/μl, occurring four weeks to two years following rituximab treatment, or later during sustained B-cell depletion. Serum levels of B-cell-related cytokines and growth factors of the myeloid lineage were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Thirty-two patients (29.9%) developed LON after a median time of 201.5 days. Thirteen patients were admitted to the hospital; 10 due to fever. Three patients developed critical conditions. BAFF levels increased from baseline (median: 0.62 ng/ml) to the post-treatment evaluation (median: 1.16 ng/ml; p < 0.001); post-treatment levels were higher in the LON group ( p = 0.021). APRIL levels were higher in the LON group both at baseline (median: 1.54 versus 1.15 ng/ml; p = 0.027) and post-treatment (median: 2.39 versus 1.11 ng/ml; p = 0.011). IL-6 and GM-CSF levels decreased in the non-LON group ( p < 0.001), but not in LON patients. High baseline disease activity predicted LON development (OR: 4.1; 95% CI: 1.1–15.2 for SLEDAI-2K > 8). No association with neutropenia prior to rituximab treatment was documented.

Conclusion

Post-rituximab LON was a common complication. Although the phenomenon was predominantly self-limiting, several patients developed severe conditions. Distinct roles of BAFF and APRIL are implicated: BAFF may contribute to LON development, whereas high APRIL levels may be predictive. Rituximab-treated SLE patients should be monitored for neutrophil counts, fever and infections.
Usefulness of the Surprise Question on an Inpatient Oncology Service
Authors: Singh Sarguni , Rodriguez Adrian , Lee Darrell , Min Sung-Joon , Fischer Stacy
Published: May 2018

Background:

Prognostication of survival in patients with advanced cancer has been challenging and contributes to poor illness understanding. Prognostic disagreement occurs even among providers and is a less studied phenomenon.

Objective:

We introduced the surprise question (SQ), “Would I be surprised if this patient died in the next 1 year, 6 months, and 1 month?,” at multidisciplinary rounds to increase palliative care referrals through the introduction of this prognostic prompt.

Design, Setting, Patients:

This quality improvement project took place from March 2016 to May 2016 on the medical oncology service at a tertiary academic medical center. The question was asked 3 times a week at multidisciplinary rounds which are attended by the hospital medicine provider, palliative care provider, and consulting oncologist. Primary oncologists and bedside nurses were also asked the SQ.

Measurements:

Referral rates to outpatient palliative care clinic, community-based palliative care clinic, inpatient palliative care consults, and hospice 3 months prior to, during, and 5 months postintervention.

Results:

Regular discussion of prognosis of patients with cancer in an inpatient medical setting did not increase referrals to inpatient or outpatient palliative care or hospice. Increased clinical experience impacted hospital medicine providers and bedside nurses’ estimation of prognosis differently than oncology providers. Medical oncologists were significantly more optimistic than hospital medicine providers.
The Death Debate: Penumbra Conundrum
Authors: Johnson Robert F.
Published: May 2018

Determination and declaration of death by neurologic criteria, brain death, is an established and legally accepted clinical practice with profound implications. Concerns regarding the accuracy of this diagnosis raise important clinical, ethical, and legal issues. A recent magazine article highlights these concerns by describing a poignant example of a patient meeting accepted clinical and ancillary testing criteria for brain death in the setting of post cardiac arrest hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (CA-HIE). With continuation of ventilatory and nutritional support, this patient not only survived but over time demonstrated findings that were no longer consistent with brain death. Offered here is a review of the course of events described in the article, an overview of the variable clinical implications of CA-HIE and their relationship to the diagnosis of brain death, a proposed pathophysiologic correlation, and recommendations for palliative clinicians providing consultation with regard to goals of care and intervention options in cases of CA-HIE with severe neurologic injury.
Hybrid recommendation–based quality of service prediction for sensor services
Authors: Wang Meiyu , Shi Leilei , Liu Lu , Ahmed Mariwan , Panneerselvan John
Published: May 2018

Wireless sensor networks are being the focus of several research application domains, and the concept of sensing-as-a-service is on the rise in wireless sensor networks. Large service repositories comprising more services and functionalities usually impose new challenges to users while identifying their preferred services and may incur higher costs. Thereby, service recommendation systems have become important and integral tools of service models to provide personalized products for consumers. However, many existing methods of sensor service recommendation focus only on service discovery. To this end, this article proposes a novel hybrid recommendation method, named new hybrid recommendation method. First, latent Dirichlet allocation model is used to compute the similarity of the latent topics of the services, and the user’s latent semantic themes are used to extract the potential interest services. Moreover, the relevance of neighbourhood services is considered, which can improve the accuracy of quality of service prediction. Experiments conducted on real datasets demonstrate that the proposed method is more accurate than the existing methods of service recommendation.
Endothelial dysfunction as predictor of angina recurrence after successful percutaneous coronary intervention using second generation drug eluting stents
Authors: Montone Rocco A , Niccoli Giampaolo , Vergni Federico , Vetrugno Vincenzo , Russo Michele , Mangiacapra Fabio , Fracassi Francesco , Porto Italo , Leone Antonio M , Burzotta Francesco , D’Amario Domenico , Aurigemma Cristina , Trani Carlo , Lanza Gaetano A , Crea Filippo
Published: May 2018

Background

The role of endothelial dysfunction in predicting angina recurrence after percutaneous coronary intervention is unknown.

Design

We assessed the role of peripheral endothelial dysfunction measured by reactive-hyperaemia peripheral-artery tonometry (RH-PAT) in predicting recurrence of angina after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods

We enrolled consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with second-generation drug-eluting stents. RH-PAT was measured at discharge. The endpoint was repeated coronary angiography for angina recurrence and/or evidence of myocardial ischaemia at follow-up. Patients with in-stent restenosis and/or significant de novo stenosis were defined as having angina with obstructed coronary arteries (AOCA); all other patients as having angina with non-obstructed coronary arteries (ANOCA).

Results

Among 100 patients (mean age 66.7 ± 10.4 years, 80 (80.0%) male, median follow-up 16 (3–20) months), AOCA occurred in 14 patients (14%), ANOCA in nine patients (9%). Repeated coronary angiography occurred more frequently among patients in the lower RH-PAT index tertile compared with middle and upper tertiles (14 (41.2%) vs. 6 (18.2%) vs. 3 (9.1%), p = 0.006, respectively). ANOCA was more frequent in the lower RH-PAT index tertile compared with middle and upper tertiles. In the multivariate regression analysis, the RH-PAT index only predicted angina recurrence. The receiver operating characteristic curve of the RH-PAT index to predict the angina recurrence demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.79 (95% confidence interval: 0.69–0.89; p < 0.001), with a cut-off value of 1.705, having sensitivity 74% and specificity 70%.

Conclusions

Non-invasive assessment of peripheral endothelial dysfunction using RH-PAT might help in the prediction of recurrent angina after percutaneous coronary intervention, thus identifying patients who may need more intense pharmacological treatment and risk factor control.
Effects of Local Use of Insulin on Wound Healing in Non-diabetic Patients
Authors: Martínez-Jiménez Mario Aurelio , Valadez-Castillo Francisco Javier , Aguilar-García Jorge , Ramírez-GarciaLuna José Luis , Gaitán-Gaona Francisco Israel , Pierdant-Perez Mauricio , Valdes-Rodríguez Rodrigo , Sánchez-Aguilar Jesús Martín
Published: May 2018

Background:

Clinical trials have shown the positive effects of local insulin therapy in the formation of new vessels and fibrosis in acute and chronic diabetic wounds without major adverse effects.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of local insulin use on wound healing in non-diabetic patients.

Methods:

A randomized, split-plot, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Ten non-diabetic patients with full-thickness acute wounds were recruited (5 due to trauma, 3 to burns, and 2 to pressure). All wounds received standard bedside treatment. Each wound was divided into 2 zones. One side received a standard care plus insulin, while the other received standard care plus injection of saline solution. A biopsy specimen was taken from both sites on days 0 and 14. The amount of blood vessel growth and the percentage of fibrosis were evaluated.

Results:

A significant difference in the number of new vessels was observed on the insulin-treated site (70.6 [29.21]) compared to saline only (26.5 [34.3]; P < .04). The percentage of fibrosis (insulin 34.7 [28.02] vs saline 27.8 [29.9]) showed no significant difference. No adverse events related to the study occurred. The clinical implications of this study are considerable in terms of the formation of blood vessels but not fibrosis.

Conclusion:

We suggest that local insulin administration is a safe therapeutic option for angiogenesis in wounds of non-diabetic patients.
Correction to: Prevalence and predictors of burnout among obstetrics and gynecology residents in Canada
Authors: Al-Ma’mari Na’ama O. , Naimi Ashley I. , Tulandi Togas
Published: May 2018

Following the publication of this article [1], the authors have removed the “Maslach Burnout Inventory, Forms: General Survey, Human Services Survey & Educators Survey” from the supplementary materials of the article [1] due to copyright restrictions.
Dynamics of colistin and tobramycin resistance among Enterobacter cloacae during prolonged use of selective decontamination of the digestive tract
Authors: Dautzenberg M. J. D. , Bayjanov J. R. , Leverstein-van Hall M. A. , Muller A. E. , Gelinck L. B. S. , Jansen C. L. , Leyten E. M. S. , Ruys T. , Scharringa J. , van der Starre R. E. , Fluit A. C. , Bonten M. J. M.
Published: May 2018

Background

A high prevalence of colistin resistance among E. cloacae isolates in two intensive care units (ICU) (of 16 and 6 beds) using selective digestive decontamination (SDD) since 1990 instigated a retrospective and prospective investigation to quantify the role of clonal transmission. SDD is topical application of colistin and tobramycin and systemic use of cefotaxime during the first days of ICU-admission.

Methods

Multi-resistant E. cloacae (MREb) was defined as ESBL production and/or tobramycin non-susceptibility and/or colistin non-susceptibility. Incidence of acquisition and prevalence of carriage with MREb was determined from microbiological culture results.

Results

Colistin-resistant E. cloacae was first detected in November 2009 and carriage was demonstrated in 141 patients until October 2014. Mean incidence of MREb acquisition was 4.61 and 1.86 per 1000 days at risk in ICUs 1 and 2, respectively, and the mean monthly prevalence of MREb in both ICUs was 7.0 and 3.1%, respectively, without a discernible trend in time. Conversion rates from carriage of colistin-susceptible to resistant E. cloacae were 0.20 and 0.13 per 1000 patient days, respectively. Whole genome sequencing of 149 isolates revealed eight clusters, with the number of SNPs of the largest two clusters ranging between 0 and 116 for cluster 1 (n = 49 isolates), and 0 and 27 for cluster 2 (n = 36 isolates), among isolates derived between 2009 and 2014.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates a stable low-level endemicity of MREb in two Dutch ICUs with prolonged use of SDD, which was characterized by the persistent presence of two clusters, suggesting incidental clonal transmission.
Occupational moral injury and mental health: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Williamson Victoria , Stevelink Sharon A.M. , Greenberg Neil
Published: May 2018

Background

Many people confront potentially morally injurious experiences (PMIEs) in the course of their work which can violate deeply held moral values or beliefs, putting them at risk for psychological difficulties (e.g. post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, etc.).

Aims

We aimed to assess the effect of moral injury on mental health outcomes.

Method

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between work-related PMIEs and mental health disorders. Studies were independently assessed for methodological quality and potential moderator variables, including participant age, gender and PMIE factors, were also examined.

Results

Thirteen studies were included, representing 6373 participants. PMIEs accounted for 9.4% of the variance in PTSD, 5.2% of the variance in depression and 2.0% of the variance in suicidality. PMIEs were associated with more symptoms of anxiety and behavioural problems (e.g. hostility), although this relationship was not consistently significant. Moderator analyses indicated that methodological factors (e.g. PMIE measurement tool), demographic characteristics and PMIE variables (e.g. militaryv.non-military context) did not affect the association between a PMIE and mental health outcomes.

Conclusions

Most studies examined occupational PMIEs in military samples and additional studies investigating the effect of PMIEs on civilians are needed. Given the limited number of high-quality studies available, only tentative conclusions about the association between exposure to PMIEs and mental health disorders can be made.

Declaration of interest

None.
Scaling of avian bipedal locomotion reveals independent effects of body mass and leg posture on gait
Authors: Daley Monica A. , Birn-Jeffery Aleksandra
Published: May 2018

Birds provide an interesting opportunity to study the relationships between body size, limb morphology and bipedal locomotor function. Birds are ecologically diverse and span a large range of body size and limb proportions, yet all use their hindlimbs for bipedal terrestrial locomotion, for at least some part of their life history. Here, we review the scaling of avian striding bipedal gaits to explore how body mass and leg morphology influence walking and running. We collate literature data from 21 species, spanning a 2500× range in body mass from painted quail to ostriches. Using dynamic similarity theory to interpret scaling trends, we find evidence for independent effects of body mass, leg length and leg posture on gait. We find no evidence for scaling of duty factor with body size, suggesting that vertical forces scale with dynamic similarity. However, at dynamically similar speeds, large birds use relatively shorter stride lengths and higher stride frequencies compared with small birds. We also find that birds with long legs for their mass, such as the white stork and red-legged seriema, use longer strides and lower swing frequencies, consistent with the influence of high limb inertia on gait. We discuss the observed scaling of avian bipedal gait in relation to mechanical demands for force, work and power relative to muscle actuator capacity, muscle activation costs related to leg cycling frequency, and considerations of stability and agility. Many opportunities remain for future work to investigate how morphology influences gait dynamics among birds specialized for different habitats and locomotor behaviors.
Passive water collection with the integument: mechanisms and their biomimetic potential
Authors: Comanns Philipp
Published: May 2018

Several mechanisms of water acquisition have evolved in animals living in arid habitats to cope with limited water supply. They enable access to water sources such as rain, dew, thermally facilitated condensation on the skin, fog, or moisture from a damp substrate. This Review describes how a significant number of animals – in excess of 39 species from 24 genera – have acquired the ability to passively collect water with their integument. This ability results from chemical and structural properties of the integument, which, in each species, facilitate one or more of six basic mechanisms: increased surface wettability, increased spreading area, transport of water over relatively large distances, accumulation and storage of collected water, condensation, and utilization of gravity. Details are described for each basic mechanism. The potential for bio-inspired improvement of technical applications has been demonstrated in many cases, in particular for several wetting phenomena, fog collection and passive, directional transport of liquids. Also considered here are potential applications in the fields of water supply, lubrication, heat exchangers, microfluidics and hygiene products. These present opportunities for innovations, not only in product functionality, but also for fabrication processes, where resources and environmental impact can be reduced.
Factors Contributing to Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome in Runners: A Prospective Study
Authors: BECKER JAMES , NAKAJIMA MIMI , WU WILL F. W.
Published: May 2018

Purpose

Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) is one of the most common overuse injuries sustained by runners. Despite the prevalence of this injury, risk factors for developing MTSS remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate differences in passive range of motion, muscle strength, plantar pressure distributions, and running kinematics between runners who developed MTSS and those who did not.

Methods

Twenty-four National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 cross-country runners participated in this study. Participants underwent a clinical examination documenting passive range of motion and muscle strength at the hips and ankles. Plantar pressure analysis was used to quantify mediolateral pressure balances while walking and 3D motion capture was used to quantify running kinematics. Participants were followed up for a 2-yr period during which time any runners who developed MTSS were identified by the team’s certified athletic trainer.

Results

Runners who developed MTSS demonstrated tighter iliotibial bands (P = 0.046; effect size [ES] = 1.07), weaker hip abductors (P = 0.008, ES = 1.51), more pressure under the medial aspect of their foot at initial foot contact (P = 0.001, ES = 1.97), foot flat (P < 0.001, ES = 3.25), and heel off (P = 0.034, ES = 1.30), greater contralateral pelvic drop (P = 0.021, ES = 1.06), and greater peak amounts (P = 0.017, ES = 1.42) and durations (P < 0.001, ES = 2.52) of rearfoot eversion during stance phase. A logistic regression (χ2 = 21.31, P < 0.001) indicated that every 1% increase in eversion duration increased odds of developing MTSS by 1.38 (P = 0.015).

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate that the development of MTSS is multifactorial, with passive range of motion, muscle strength, plantar pressure distributions, and both proximal and distal kinematics all playing a role. We suggest that coaches or sports medicine professionals screening runners for injury risk consider adopting a comprehensive evaluation which includes all these areas.
Reconciling Results on Racial Differences in Police Shootings
Authors: Fryer Roland G.
Published: May 2018

Police use of force, particularly lethal force, is one of the most divisive issues of the twenty-first century. To understand the nexus of race, criminal justice, and police brutality, academics and journalists have begun to amass impressive datasets on officer-involved-shootings (OIS). I compare the data and methods of three investigative journalism articles and two publications in the social sciences on a set of five rubrics and conclude that the stark differences between their findings are due to differences in what qualifies for a valid research design and not underlying differences in the datasets.
Racial and Ethnic Sentencing Differentials in the Federal Criminal Justice System
Authors: McConnell Brendon , Rasul Imran
Published: May 2018

A large body of multidisciplinary research has documented how sentencing outcomes vary tremendously across racial and ethnic groups. The research challenge lies in establishing whether these sentencing differentials are driven by unobserved heterogeneity correlated to defendant race/ethnicity, or whether they reflect discrimination. We add to the debate by examining the robustness of racial/ethnic sentencing gaps, by gender, when allowing for selection on unobservables. We do so in the context of federal criminal cases, considering 250,000 cases, and using a dataset containing a rich set of covariates relating to defendant and legal characteristics of cases.
Intangibles, Investment, and Efficiency
Authors: Crouzet Nicolas , Eberly Janice
Published: May 2018

Recent work on macroeconomic trends has emphasized slowing capital investment, but strong business profits and valuations. The retail sector is a microcosm of these trends, and accounts for a large share of the increase in aggregate business concentration also observed in recent years. We show that, in that sector, weak investment and rising concentration are associated with rising productivity. Additionally, stronger productivity is correlated with intangible investment, both over time and across subindustries. Intangible investment may thus provide a joint explanation for rising productivity, weak capital investment, and increasing industry concentration.
Ownership, Concentration, and Investment
Authors: Gutiérrez Germán , Philippon Thomas
Published: May 2018

The US business sector has underinvested relative to profits, funding costs, and Tobin's Q since the early 2000s. Building on prior work, we argue that decreasing competition, rising intangibles, and tightening governance explain, respectively, about one-half, one-third, and one-sixth of the investment gap. In particular, quasi-indexer ownership appears to lower investment, and this effect is stronger in noncompetitive industries.
Digital Financial Services Go a Long Way: Transaction Costs and Financial Inclusion
Authors: Bachas Pierre , Gertler Paul , Higgins Sean , Seira Enrique
Published: May 2018

Debit cards reduce the travel distance to access bank accounts and can increase financial inclusion. We show that in Mexico, cash transfer beneficiaries who already received their transfers in bank accounts and subsequently received debit cards reduce their median distance to access the account from 4.8 to 1.3 kilometers and report being less likely to forgo important activities (childcare, work) to withdraw their transfer. Using account level data, we find a strong negative correlation between the reduction in travel distance and financial activity: beneficiaries facing the largest reductions in distance increase both their number of withdrawals and their savings balances.
Salary Delays and Overdrafts in Rural Ghana
Authors: Buehren Niklas , Ceretti Virginia , Dervisevic Ervin , Goldstein Markus , Klapper Leora , Koroknay-Palicz Tricia , Schaner Simone
Published: May 2018

Checking overdrafts are an expensive yet common way for bank account holders to obtain short-term credit when faced with unexpected shocks. In developing countries, one common shock that many salaried workers face is late or erratic payment from their employer. We use administrative data from a rural bank in Ghana to show that receiving a late salary payment increases the likelihood of taking an overdraft by 10 percent. Past overdrafts are also associated with future overdrafts, suggesting that late payment exacerbates the risk of trapping workers in a costly debt cycle.
What Can Machines Learn and What Does It Mean for Occupations and the Economy?
Authors: Brynjolfsson Erik , Mitchell Tom , Rock Daniel
Published: May 2018

Advances in machine learning (ML) are poised to transform numerous occupations and industries. This raises the question of which tasks will be most affected by ML. We apply the rubric evaluating task potential for ML in Brynjolfsson and Mitchell (2017) to build measures of “Suitability for Machine Learning” (SML) and apply it to 18,156 tasks in O*NET. We find that (i) ML affects different occupations than earlier automation waves; (ii) most occupations include at least some SML tasks; (iii) few occupations are fully automatable using ML; and (iv) realizing the potential of ML usually requires redesign of job task content.
Modeling Automation
Authors: Acemoglu Daron , Restrepo Pascual
Published: May 2018

Modeling automation as factor-augmenting technological change has unappealing implications. Instead, modeling it as the process of machines replacing tasks previously performed by labor is both descriptively realistic and leads to distinct and plausible predictions. In contrast to factor-augmenting technological change, the automation of tasks always reduces the labor share and can reduce the equilibrium wage (for realistic parameter values). This approach to automation underscores the role of new tasks, changes in the comparative advantage of labor, the possibility that machines become more productive in automated tasks, and the elasticity of substitution and capital accumulation in the adjustment of the economy.
Carbon Pricing Induces Innovation: Evidence from China's Regional Carbon Market Pilots
Authors: Cui Jingbo , Zhang Junjie , Zheng Yang
Published: May 2018

China has launched seven regional pilots of emission trading scheme (ETS) to limit its carbon emissions. Taking advantage of the variations in the regional ETS pilots across regions and sectors and over time, we employ a difference-in-difference-indifferences (DDD) approach to evaluate the effect of ETS on low-carbon innovation at the firm level. Using patent application data of publicly-listed firms in China between 2003 and 2015, we find that the ETS pilots induced innovation in low-carbon technologies. The more active pilots—measured by carbon price and turnover rate of allowance trading—are associated with more intense low-carbon innovation.
Misperceptions about Tax Audits
Authors: Bérgolo Marcelo , Ceni Rodrigo , Cruces Guillermo , Giaccobasso Matias , Perez-Truglia Ricardo
Published: May 2018

For some entities, the utility-maximizing evasion rate depends substantially on tax audit features, such as audit probabilities and penalty rates. Bergolo et al. (2017) document large misperceptions about these features. In this paper, we expand the analysis of survey data to explore potential sources of these misperceptions. Of all the channels that we explore, recent contact with audits best explains differences in misperceptions.
Nonlinear Persistence and Partial Insurance: Income and Consumption Dynamics in the PSID
Authors: Arellano Manuel , Blundell Richard , Bonhomme Stephane
Published: May 2018

In this paper we highlight the importance of the PSID in understanding income dynamics and consumption insurance. We explore the nonlinear nature of income shocks and describe a new quantile-based panel data framework for income dynamics. In this approach the persistence of past income shocks is allowed to vary according to the size and sign of the current shock. The model provides a good match with data and we confirm the results on population register data from Norway. Using the enhanced consumption and asset data in the PSID, nonlinear persistence is shown to have key implications for consumption insurance.
From “Traditional” to Research-Based Instructional Strategies: An Assessment of Learning Gains
Authors: Cosgrove Sarah B. , Olitsky Neal H.
Published: May 2018

The cognitive science literature provides several research based instructional strategies (RBIS) proven to be effective in student learning. Given the prevalence of lecture-based classes and instructor-led discussions, understanding the effects of switching from the “traditional” method to employing RBIS would provide a better understanding of the value of these strategies. In this paper, we conduct a controlled experiment comparing a “traditional,” lecture-based class to a class in which these RBIS are carefully employed. Students exposed to the refined RBIS approach show significantly higher gains in learning of approximately 15 percentage points when compared to students in a traditional class.
Exchange Rates and the Working Capital Channel of Trade Fluctuations
Authors: Bruno Valentina , Kim Se-Jik , Shin Hyun Song
Published: May 2018

Exchange rates affect the economy not only through the competitiveness of exports but also through a financial channel. The financial channel goes in the opposite direction to the competitiveness channel in that a stronger currency goes hand-in-hand with more buoyant real economic activity on the back of faster credit growth and cross-border banking flows. The effect is particularly marked for emerging market economies for the broad dollar index: a stronger dollar may actually lead to a decline in trade volumes of an emerging market economy. Our paper develops a stylized model that generates such an effect and finds supporting evidence in a firm-level investigation of manufacturing firms from Asia.
A Cross-Country Comparison of Dynamics in the Large Firm Wage Premium
Authors: Colonnelli Emanuele , Tåg Joacim , Webb Michael , Wolter Stefanie
Published: May 2018

We provide stylized facts on the existence and dynamics over time of the large firm wage premium for four countries. We examine matched employer-employee micro-data from Brazil, Germany, Sweden, and the UK, and find that the large firm premium exists in all these countries. However, we uncover substantial differences among them in the evolution of the wage premium over the past several decades. Moreover, we find no clear evidence of common cross-country industry trends. We conclude by discussing potential explanations for this heterogeneity, and proposing some questions for future work in the area.
Dynamics of Child Mortality Inequality
Authors: Vogl Tom S.
Published: May 2018

Half a century of economic research asks how economic inequality evolves during aggregate economic progress. I extend this literature to quantify inequality in the incidence of child death across mothers and study its evolution during aggregate mortality decline. Data from 238 household surveys in 79 developing countries show that as child mortality falls in aggregate, it becomes more unequally distributed across mothers.
Challenges in the Measurement of Leakage Risk
Authors: Fowlie Meredith , Reguant Mar
Published: May 2018

Concerns about emissions leakage, i.e., the increase in emissions in foreign jurisdictions induced by a domestic emissions regulation, loom large in debates about unilateral climate change policy. Correctly identifying the kinds of economic activities most at risk of carbon leakage is a critical first step in the design of effective leakage mitigation. We briefly summarize current approaches to assessing leakage risk and highlight a sizable gap between academic research and real-world policy implementation. An emerging research agenda that aims to close this gap is discussed.
Gender Norms and Relative Working Hours: Why Do Women Suffer More than Men from Working Longer Hours than Their Partners?
Authors: Fleche Sarah , Lepinteur Anthony , Powdthavee Nattavudh
Published: May 2018

Constraints that prevent women from working longer hours are argued to be important drivers of the gender wage gap in the United States. We provide evidence that in couples where the wife's working hours exceed the husband's, the wife reports lower life satisfaction. By contrast, there is no effect on the husband's satisfaction. The results still hold when controlling for relative income. We argue that these patterns are best explained by perceived fairness of the division of household labor, which induces an aversion to a situation where the wife works more at home and on the labor market.
The Differential Incidence and Severity of Food Insecurity by Racial, Ethnic, and Immigrant Groups over the Great Recession in the United States
Authors: Flores-Lagunes Alfonso , Jales Hugo B. , Liu Judith , Wilson Norbert L.
Published: May 2018

We document the differences in food insecurity incidence and severity by race/ethnicity and immigrant status over the Great Recession. We show that the disadvantaged groups with a higher incidence of food insecurity do not necessarily have a higher severity of food insecurity, which underscores the importance of examining both the extensive and intensive margins of food insecurity. Our decomposition analysis indicates that the contribution of compositional and structural factors to the observed differences in exposure to food insecurity is heterogeneous across these groups and over the Great Recession. Finally, SNAP does not seem to fundamentally change the patterns documented.
The Changing Face of Debt and Financial Fragility at Older Ages
Authors: Lusardi Annamaria , Mitchell Olivia S. , Oggero Noemi
Published: May 2018

We investigate changes in older individuals' financial fragility as they stand on the verge of retirement. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we compare how debt has changed for successive cohorts of people age 56–61. Our analysis shows that recent older Americans close to retirement hold more debt, and hence face greater financial insecurity, than earlier generations. This is primarily due to having bought more expensive homes with smaller down payments. We discuss possible policy implications.
Eliminating the Weakest Link Approach to Army Unit Readiness
Authors: Goethals Paul L. , Scala Natalie M.
Published: May 2018

One of the most difficult measurements to obtain with some level of accuracy is military readiness. While a multitude of factors exist that affect the ability of a unit to achieve success in mission, an accurate assessment of readiness is crucial and drives federal funding, defense policy, and deployment decisions. The current readiness metric for the U.S. Army statically assesses units on personnel, equipment on hand, equipment readiness/serviceability, and unit training proficiency using a weakest-link approach. This leads to reporting challenges and the tendency for commanders to subjectively upgrade their units’ assessments. This research proposes a metric that evaluates units with greater precision, flexibility, and robustness. By taking a decision analysis approach and using desirability functions, we are able to measure readiness based on a set of priorities, adapting for type of mission and unit. We test our metric using notional case studies and discuss extensions to other branches of the U.S. military and beyond.
Allocating Students to Multidisciplinary Capstone Projects Using Discrete Optimization
Authors: Magnanti Thomas L. , Natarajan Karthik
Published: May 2018

We discuss an allocation mechanism of capstone projects to senior-year undergraduate students, which the recently established Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has implemented. A distinguishing feature of these projects is that they are multidisciplinary ; each project must involve students from at least two disciplines. This is an instance of a bipartite many-to-one matching problem with one-sided preferences and with additional lower and upper bounds on the number of students from the disciplines that must be matched to projects. This leads to challenges in applying many existing algorithms. We propose the use of discrete optimization to find an allocation that considers both efficiency and fairness. This provides flexibility in incorporating side constraints, which are often introduced in the final project allocation using inputs from the various stakeholders. Over a three-year period from 2015 to 2017, the average rank of the project allocated to the student is roughly halfway between their top two choices, with around 78 percent of the students assigned to projects in their top-three choices. We discuss practical design and optimization issues that arise in developing such an allocation.
Effect of local density dependence on the exchange and direct part of α-α interaction potential
Authors: Ismail M. Y. , Elgebaly H. , Osman M. M.
Published: May 2018

The study show that the error in neglecting s-dependence affects strongly both the values of Uex and Utot . This effect is about 30 %( 23%) in Uex (Utot) for the force BDM3Y2 -Reid type while it is less than 7% for BDM3Y1-Ried. It decreases as α– α separation distance increases. For BDM3Y3 type force the corresponding error is too large at separation distance R=0.
Kinetic and thermodynamic analysis study of the dyeing process of acrylic fabrics with basic dyes in presence of organic solvents
Authors: Batouti M. El. , Al Harby N. F. , Gamal A. M.
Published: May 2018

Kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of the dyeing process of acrylic fibers (Orlon) with basic dyes in the presence of small amounts of the solvents benzyl alcohol, butanol and 1-4 Dioxane are described in the present work. The dyeing affinity was measured using Gilbert and Rideal?s equation. Results show a close affinity on dye structure. The effect of increasing the dyeing temperatures from 80 to 95 oC as well as increasing the dyeing time over a range from 10 minutes to180 minutes was studied. Changes of enthalpy and entropy related to the process of absorption are calculated. The best thermodynamic conditions for dye uptake by acrylic fibers appear at the highest temperatures, when the standard free energy of absorption takes the most positive values. The mechanism of dye interaction with the fiber has been briefly considered. From the results, we find that the absorption of dye by acrylic fibers in the temperature interval investigated takes place with establishment of chemical bonds, although physical contributions of electrostatic nature between both the dye and the available sites in the fiber.
The effect of solidification rate on morphology microstructures and mechanical properties of 80%Cu-20%Sn bronze alloys
Authors: Gede Sugita I Ketut , Soekrisno R. , Made Miasa I. , Suyitno Suyitno
Published: May 2018

The purpose of this study is to investigate the morphology of solidification microstructures 80% Cu-20%Sn on different solidification rate. The commercial pure copper and tin were melted in crucible furnace at temperature 1000oC. The molten metal was casted in permanent moulds which have variation temperature, i.e. 35oC, 200oC, 400oC. The cooling curves of the castings were recorded using a computer aided data acquisition system. The microstructure and mechanical properties of this alloy have been investigated. The results of this research indicate that decreasing the mould temperatures affected on increasing solidification rate that caused to reduce the solidification time. The difference of solidification rate have effected on microstructure morphology. The secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) decreases with increasing solidification rate, the hardness and strength increase correspondingly. The distribution of hardness cast product increased from the center to outside the cast specimens.
Continued fraction evaluation of Jn (x)/Jn-1 (x)
Authors: AL-FHAID A. S.
Published: May 2018

In this paper, continued fraction expansion for the Bessel funcions ratio Jn (x)/Jn-1 (x) was developed. An efficient and simple computational algorithm based on this expansion was also developed using top-down evaluation procedure.Numerical results of the algorithm are in full agreement at least to fifteen digits accuracy with that of the standared tables.
Hardenability and corroson resistance of as cast Fe-9Al-0,6C alloy
Authors: Kartikasari Ratna , Soekrisno Soekrisno. , Noer Ilman M. , Suyitno Suyitno.
Published: May 2018

On the basis of economic considerations, Fe-Al-C alloy could be a good candidate for replacing some of the conventional stainless steel. Wherein, Al is used to replace the expensive alloy element in conventional Fe-Cr-C system. The aim of the research is to investigate harden ability and corrosion resistance of Fe-9Al-0,6C in the NaCl and H2SO4 solution. Thirty five kilograms of Fe-Al-C were prepared from mild steel scrap, high purity aluminium, and Fe-C. The alloy was prepared in an induction furnace under an argon atmosphere. Jominy test and microstructure were examined. And, the corrosion rate, were carried out with three-electrode polarization in 0.5% NaCl and 0.05 M H2SO4. The corrosion type and the morphology of the oxide scale were examined by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Corrosions products were examined with EDS/EDAX. The optical micrograph shows that as cast Fe-9Al-0,6C alloy has ferrite and pearlite microstructure. The result of Jominy test shows that these alloy non-harden able. The result of corrosion testing showed that the alloy more resistance in NaCl than in H2SO4 solution. Optical micrograph and SEM analysis indicated that corrosion form is general corrosion and there is no trend toward intergranular attack.
Immobilization of α - amylase from locale bacteria isolate Bacillus subtilis ITBCCB148 with diethylaminoethyl cellulose (DEAE-Cellulose)
Authors: Yandri Yandri. , Suhartati Tati , Hadipo Hadi Sutopo
Published: May 2018

The thermal stability increase of a-amylase obtained from locale bacteria isolate Bacillus subtilis ITBCCB148 was achieved by immobilization process using an ionic exchange matrix of DEAE-Cellulose. The result showed that the immobilized enzyme has an optimum temperature of 60°C; KM 14.8 mL substrate and Vmax 42.4 U/mL. The thermal stability storage temperature of 60°C, pH 9.0 and 60 minutes demonstrated the immobilized enzyme has residual activity of 28.1%; ki = 0.0224 min.-1; and ΔGi = 103.7 kJ mol-1. Although the immobilized enzyme’s thermal stability was only increased 1.5 times, at higher temperatures, it was much more stable than the native enzyme.
Study on the performance of Ajowan seeds extract on the corrosion of steel in acidic solution by effect of temperature
Authors: Al-Turkestani Aisha M.
Published: May 2018

Electrochemical measurements (EIS and PDP) have been used to study the temperature effect in the range (30p C - 70p C) on the performance of Ajowan seeds extract (ASE) and its inhibitive effects on the corrosion of steel in 2.0M H2SO4. A good agreement between the data obtained by impedance and polarization measurements was found. Results obtained reveal that ASE reduces the corrosion rate at all temperatures studied. The inhibition efficiency increases with rise temperature and the activation corrosion energy decrease in presence of ASE suggest a chemical adsorption model for the corrosion processes.Thermodynamic parameters, Ea, ΔH#, ΔS# have been calculated and are discussed.
The behavior of reaction cross-section at low and intermediate energies by considering in-medium effects in σNN for light and heavy target nuclei
Authors: El-Gebaly H.
Published: May 2018

The in-medium effects in nucleon-nucleon cross-section were treated using different approaches. We study the variation of σR with different values of rms. Also we study the variation of sR with different values of incident energy per projectile nucleon for light interacting pair 12C-12C and heavy target nucleus pair12C-208Pb. The coulombs repulsion was taken into consideration by assuming a simple model. We found that the in-medium effects on σR are small when the target nucleus becomes heavy.
Evaluation of stresses in flame resistant materials
Authors: Vasantha Geethan K. Arun , Jose S.
Published: May 2018

Reliability prediction is fundamental to system design. It involves the quantitative assessment of systems reliability prior to development. For many years the reliability of an electronic system was based, to a great extent, upon the junction temperatures of the semiconductor devices. Substantial efforts were made in the fabrication methods, mounting methods, and cooling techniques of the electronic devices to reduce these hot spot temperatures below 100 °C. This has produced a significant improvement in the reliability and effective operating life of the equipment. However, the electronic failure rates are still too high. Additional reductions in the failure rates must be achieved to further improve the reliability of our electronic equipment. Some of the failure mechanisms that can cause malfunctions in electronic systems are examined in this paper Experience has shown that most of these failures are produced by a mismatch in the thermal coefficients of expansion (TCE) of the different types of materials typically used in electronic assemblies. The mismatch often generates high forces and stresses, which produce fractures and cracks in the electronic components and assemblies. An examination of a large number of avionics failures has shown that most of them are mechanical in nature. They typically involve fractures in solder joints, electrical lead wires, plated through holes (PTH), electrical cables, connectors, adhesive bonded joints, and hermetic seals. These failures are often produced by various combinations of thermal, vibration, shock, humidity, and salt environments, combined with poor manufacturing processes and poor design practices. These failures must be reduced in order to achieve a substantial improvement in the system reliability. The paper aims at presenting the numerical evaluation by finite element analysis of the common class of PCBs under the mechanical stress. This work contributes to the study of vulnerability in packaged electronics by comparing the numerical result with finite element analysis.