bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Head and Neck Cancer Tumor Seeding at the Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Site
Authors: Greaves June R.
Published: January 2018

The National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute estimates that over 13,000 new cases of head and neck cancer (HNC) will be diagnosed in 2017. Patients with HNC often require enteral nutrition (EN) via gastrostomy tube to provide nutrition support and hydration because of tumor obstruction of the oropharynx and/or cumulative effects of chemoradiation therapy. The percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube has become the preferred technique for EN access because placement is considered a minimally invasive procedure. There are 3 methods of PEG placement: Gauderer‐Ponsky “pull,” Sachs‐Vine “push,” and Russell “push” method. The Gauderer‐Ponsky “pull” method has become the preferred method of PEG placement. It has been previously reported that the rate of stomal metastasis can be 0.5%–1% of those undergone the Gauderer‐Ponsky “pull” method that is consistent with HNC morphology. Other researchers believe the rate may be as high as 0.5%–3%. This article reviews the 3 methods of PEG placement, as well as all potential complications, including metastatic seeding at the PEG site. In addition, 1 additional case of tumor seeding at the PEG site will be reviewed. Consideration for avoidance of the Gauderer‐Ponsky pull method of PEG placement or other methods of feeding tube placement where the gastrostomy tube has to pass through the oral cavity before exiting the abdominal wall in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck should be considered.
Spatial stability for the monolithic and sequential methods with various space discretizations in poroelasticity
Authors: Yoon Hyun C. , Kim Jihoon
Published: January 2018

We investigate spatial stability with various numerical discretizations in displacement and pressure fields for poroelasticity. We study 2 sources of the early time instability: discontinuity of pressure and violation of the inf‐sup condition. We consider both compressible and incompressible fluids by employing the monolithic, stabilized monolithic, and fixed‐stress sequential methods. Four different spatial discretization schemes are used: Q1Q1, Q2Q1, Q1P0, and Q2P0. From mathematic analysis and numerical tests, the piecewise constant finite volume method for flow provides stability at the early time for the case of the pressure discontinuity. On the other hand, a piecewise continuous (or higher‐order) interpolation of pressure shows spatial oscillation, having lower limits of time step size, although lower approximations of pressure than displacement can alleviate the oscillation. For an incompressible fluid, Q2Q1 can be better than Q1P0, because Q1P0 might not satisfy the inf‐sup condition. However, regardless of fluid compressibility and the pressure discontinuity, the fixed‐stress method can effectively stabilize the oscillation without an artificial stabilizer. Even when Q1P0 and Q1Q1 with the monolithic method cannot satisfy the inf‐sup condition, the fixed‐stress method can yield the full‐rank linear system, providing stability. Thus, the fixed‐stress method with Q1P0 can effectively circumvent the aforementioned 2 types of instability.
Fiber orientation prediction in nylon‐6 glass fiber composites using transient rheology and 3‐dimensional x‐ray computed tomography
Authors: Perumal Vishak , Gupta Rahul K. , Bhattacharya Sati N. , Costa Franco S.
Published: January 2018

In an attempt to relate transient rheology to 3‐dimensional fiber orientation, experimental testing on compression molded Nylon‐6 (PA‐6) containing 30% by weight short glass fibers (PA6‐30GF) and unfilled PA‐6 were carried out. On applying steady shear, PA6‐30GF samples displayed a transient viscosity overshoot while unfilled PA‐6 did not. The overshoot behavior has been attributed to the reorientation of fibers from an initial orientation to a steady state orientation. Samples subjected to different shear strain units were obtained from the rheometer by rapid cooling for morphological analysis. X‐ray Computed Tomography (X‐CT) was used to image samples to obtain 3‐dimensional fiber orientation and fiber concentration data. As the applied strain was increased, the second‐order orientation tensor was found to increase in the shearing direction and reduce in the radial and thickness directions. Experimental fiber orientation evolution data were compared with simulations from the Reduced Strain Closure (RSC) orientation model which is based on Folgar‐Tucker's orientation model. The interaction coefficient (Ci) and scalar reduction factor (K) which are parameters in the RSC model were fit using the experimental data. Currently available empirical expressions for determining the value of Ci were used to compare the experimental values. The experimental and predicted Ci values showed reasonable agreement which provided validation for the use of X‐CT as an experimental technique to determine fiber orientation distribution. The added benefit of obtaining fiber concentration data from X‐CT provides the opportunity to investigate the combined effects of fiber orientation and fiber concentration on transient rheological behavior of composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E392–E398, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Structure and topography of thermally reduced graphene oxide reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol‐g‐acrylonitrile) films and study of their mechanical and electrical behavior
Authors: Maravi Sangeeta , Bajpai Jaya , Bajpai Anil K.
Published: January 2018

Thermally reduced graphene oxide (TRGO) reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol‐g‐acrylonitrile) (PVA‐g‐PAN) films were prepared by carrying out graft co‐polymerization of acrylonitrile onto poly(vinyl alcohol) in a thermally and mechanically stabilized and reduced suspension of GO using potassium persulfate as initiator and N,N′methylene bis acrylamide as a crosslinking agent. The structural and morphological characterization of the TRGO reinforced (PVA‐g‐PAN) films were performed using fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), field emission gun‐transmission electron microscopy (FEG‐TEM), zeta potential analysis, dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements, and atomic force microscopy techniques. The FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of TRGO, PVA, and PAN in the prepared nanocomposite film, whereas zeta potential and DLS analysis provided information regarding the charge carried and particle size distribution of the TRGO nanosheets. The effect of variation in TRGO content on electrical conductivity, and mechanical properties of the TRGO reinforced (PVA‐g‐PAN) films were also investigated. The optimum tensile strength and Young's modulus of the 10%TRGO‐reinforced nanocomposite were found to be 85.06 and 33.33 MPa, respectively which were significantly higher than those for the native PVA‐g‐PAN film. The microhardness of the same nanocomposite was found to be 9.86 kg/mm2 which is nearly double than that of the native graft copolymer film. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E409–E421, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Application of polyurethane/gamma‐irradiated carbon nanotubes composites as antifouling coat
Authors: Eyssa Hanan M. , Abulyazied Dalia E. , Abo‐State Mervat A. M.
Published: January 2018

The aim of this study is to avoid or reduce the risks of biofouling of ship hulls, using polyurethane/γ‐irradiated functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (PU/FMWCNT) nanocomposites as a coating for wood. These nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and hardness, adhesion, and bending of the coated samples were examined. The antifouling ability of PU/γ‐irradiated FMWCNTs was studied by using an algae test. FTIR proved the presence of COOH group on the surface of MWCNT, while the FESEM results showed good dispersion of FMWCNT in polyurethane matrix. Mechanical properties of the coated wooden samples were improved; the samples showed good hardness and very good adhesion, and reasonable flexural modulus. The antifouling property of the coatings showed that 0.1 and 0.2 wt% FMWCNTs immobilized on polyurethane composite and irradiated for 100 kGy, were the most efficient antifouling coat when immersed in Chlorella vulgaris microalgae. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E1196–E1207, 2018. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Electrical conductivity of graphene filled PLA/PMMA blends: Experimental investigation and modeling
Authors: Paydayesh Azin , Pashaei Soorbaghi Fatemeh , Aref Azar Ahmad , Jalali‐Arani Azam
Published: January 2018

In order to gain a fundamental understanding about the influences of filler characteristic on the electrical properties of polymer blend nanocomposites two types of graphene, graphene nanoplates (GNPs) and functionalized graphene (FG), were added to immiscible blend of poly (lactic acid)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PLA/PMMA) and experimental and theoretical studies were carried out. Structure and properties of graphenic nanoparticles were investigated by Raman spectroscopy, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The state of dispersion and distribution of fillers within the blend were examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy, Atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy as well as XRD patterns. Theoretical modeling was carried out by several statistical and thermodynamic based models. Results showed that FG was more homogenously dispersed in the PLA matrix compared with GNP which results in lower percolation threshold and better electrical conductivity in the FG filled blends, despite its poor intrinsic electrical conductivity. For the PLA/PMMA blends filled composites, electrical conductivity modeling results showed that thermodynamic‐based models exhibit more satisfactory estimations than Power law statistical model. Thus, the electrical conductivity of two‐phase polymer blend filled with graphenic materials is predictable with thermodynamic models. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:704–715, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Effect of nano‐magnetite particle content on mechanical, thermal and magnetic properties of polypropylene composites
Authors: Di Palma Luca , Bavasso Irene , Sarasini Fabrizio , Tirillò Jacopo , Puglia Debora , Dominici Franco , Torre Luigi , Galluzzi Armando , Polichetti Massimiliano , Ramazanov Mahammadali Ahmed , Hajiyeva Flora V. , Shirinova Habiba A.
Published: January 2018

Magnetic nanoparticles embedded in polymer matrices have excellent potential for electromagnetic device applications, like electromagnetic interference suppression or strain sensing applications in the structural health monitoring domain. In this work, polymer nanocomposites of polypropylene loaded with varying concentrations of magnetite nanoparticles (from 2 to 40 wt%) have been synthesized by an ex situ process. The magnetite nanoparticles were produced using a simple co‐precipitation technique. The nanocomposites were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, tensile and hardness testing, vibrating sample magnetometry. The mechanical properties were found to be dependent on the degree of dispersion and on the strong nucleating ability of magnetite nanoparticles, while a superparamagnetic behavior was reported. These composites have tailorable mechanical and magnetic properties highly dependent on the content of magnetic filler. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E1742–E1750, 2018. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
A DC Model of the Planar Dual‐Gated FD‐SOI MOSFET that Captures the Effects of High Biases and HALO
Authors: Tarakji Ahmad Houssam
Published: January 2018

No models exist for fully depleted silicon‐on‐insulator (FD‐SOI) metal‐oxide‐silicon field‐effect‐transistors (MOSFETs) that operate at high currents and voltages. Operation at high currents and voltages dictates the radio‐frequency (rf) output power that such devices can deliver and transmit from the particular rf‐integrated circuits used in today's cellular phones. In this work, a first order dc model for FD‐SOI MOSFETs that are specifically designated to operate at high biases and large rf swings is presented. These devices typically incorporate HALO and body‐tied‐source (BTS), which enable much higher biases to be applied to the gate and drain and allow larger rf swings. They also employ dual‐gated designs that further reduce the threshold voltage and increase the current. Although the newly established model accurately replicates the general dc behavior of any FD‐SOI MOSFET that incorporates HALO and BTS, it is specifically tailored to an innovative and recently patented device structure for FD‐SOI MOSFET. The new structure adopts an improved and unique design for BTS and HALO that most effectively filters the impact‐ionization current to BTS and improves the device performance. New design rules that enable the designs of area‐efficient layouts for FD‐SOI MOSFETs that incorporate the HALO and BTS are also presented.
Public disclosure in acquisitions
Authors: Subrahmanyam Avanidhar , Xu Wenyuan
Published: January 2018

This paper analyzes firms’ optimal choice of information disclosure before an acquisition. The intuition is that value‐maximizing firms face the following tradeoffs. First, a more precise disclosure reduces risk premia. Second, too precise a disclosure that allows targets to profit increases the price paid for the target in an acquisition. The main conclusion is that firm chooses to disclose either all information or the minimum information required by the regulators, depending on the disclosure requirements, investors’ risk aversion, and the uncertainty embedded in technology shocks.
Bioinspired Universal Flexible Elastomer‐Based Microchannels
Authors: Wu Feng , Chen Songyue , Chen Baiyi , Wang Miao , Min Lingli , Alvarenga Jack , Ju Jie , Khademhosseini Ali , Yao Yuxing , Zhang Yu Shrike , Aizenberg Joanna , Hou Xu
Published: January 2018

Flexible and stretchable microscale fluidic devices have a broad range of potential applications, ranging from electronic wearable devices for convenient digital lifestyle to biomedical devices. However, simple ways to achieve stable flexible and stretchable fluidic microchannels with dynamic liquid transport have been challenging because every application for elastomeric microchannels is restricted by their complex fabrication process and limited material selection. Here, a universal strategy for building microfluidic devices that possess exceptionally stable and stretching properties is shown. The devices exhibit superior mechanical deformability, including high strain (967%) and recovery ability, where applications as both strain sensor and pressure‐flow regulating device are demonstrated. Various microchannels are combined with organic, inorganic, and metallic materials as stable composite microfluidics. Furthermore, with surface chemical modification these stretchable microfluidic devices can also obtain antifouling property to suit for a broad range of industrial and biomedical applications.
A Bifunctional Highly Efficient FeNx/C Electrocatalyst
Authors: Li Erling , Yang Fa , Wu Zhemin , Wang Yong , Ruan Mingbo , Song Ping , Xing Wei , Xu Weilin
Published: January 2018

Herein, a type of Fe, N‐codoped carbon electrocatalyst (FeNx/C, Fe‐N‐BCNT#BP) containing bamboo carbon nanotubes and displaying bifunctional high catalytic efficiency for both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) is reported. It shows high electrocatalytic activity and stability for both the ORR process with onset potential of 1.03 VRHE in alkaline and the CO2RR to CO with high faradic efficiency up to 90% and selectivity of about 100% at low overpotential of 0.49 V. For CO2RR to CO, it is revealed that Fe3C is active but the activity of FeNx centers is lower than that of C–N‐based centers, contrary with that observed for ORR. Due to its low cost and high electrocatalytic performance for these two reduction reactions, the obtained catalyst is very promising for extensive application in future. The revealed huge activity difference of the same types of active sites for different reactions can efficiently guide the synthesis of advanced materials with multifunction.
A Transformable Chimeric Peptide for Cell Encapsulation to Overcome Multidrug Resistance
Authors: Zhang Chi , Liu Li‐Han , Qiu Wen‐Xiu , Zhang Yao‐Hui , Song Wen , Zhang Lu , Wang Shi‐Bo , Zhang Xian‐Zheng
Published: January 2018

Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains one of the biggest obstacles in chemotherapy of tumor mainly due to P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp)‐mediated drug efflux. Here, a transformable chimeric peptide is designed to target and self‐assemble on cell membrane for encapsulating cells and overcoming tumor MDR. This chimeric peptide (C16‐K(TPE)‐GGGH‐GFLGK‐PEG8, denoted as CTGP) with cathepsin B‐responsive and cell membrane‐targeting abilities can self‐assemble into nanomicelles and further encapsulate the therapeutic agent doxorubicin (termed as CTGP@DOX). After the cleavage of the Gly‐Phe‐Leu‐Gly (GFLG) sequence by pericellular overexpressed cathepsin B, CTGP@DOX is dissociated and transformed from spherical nanoparticles to nanofibers due to the hydrophilic–hydrophobic conversion and hydrogen bonding interactions. Thus obtained nanofibers with cell membrane‐targeting 16‐carbon alkyl chains can adhere firmly to the cell membrane for cell encapsulation and restricting DOX efflux. In comparison to free DOX, 45‐time higher drug retention and 49‐fold greater anti‐MDR ability of CTGP@DOX to drug‐resistant MCF‐7R cells are achieved. This novel strategy to encapsulate cells and reverse tumor MDR via morphology transformation would open a new avenue towards chemotherapy of tumor.
Self‐Collapsing of Single Molecular Poly‐Propylene Oxide (PPO) in a 3D DNA Network
Authors: Wu Fen , Zhao Zhiyong , Chen Chun , Cao Tianyang , Li Chuang , Shao Yu , Zhang Yiyang , Qiu Dong , Shi Qian , Fan Qing‐Hua , Liu Dongsheng
Published: January 2018

On the basis of DNA self‐assembly, a thermal responsive polymer polypropylene oxide (PPO) is evenly inserted into a rigid 3D DNA network for the study of single molecular self‐collapsing process. At low temperature, PPO is hydrophilic and dispersed uniformly in the network; when elevating temperature, PPO becomes hydrophobic but can only collapse on itself because of the fixation and separation of DNA rigid network. The process has been characterized by rheological test and Small Angle X‐Ray Scattering test. It is also demonstrated that this self‐collapsing process is reversible and it is believed that this strategy could provide a new tool to study the nucleation‐growing process of block copolymers.
Influence of Strain State on the Kinetics of Martensitic Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) in AISI 304 Stainless Steel
Authors: Mansourinejad Mostafa , Ketabchi Mostafa
Published: January 2018

The influence of strain state on the kinetics of martensitic phase transformation in stainless steel 304 is investigated. The methodology involves stretching various specimens with different widths over a hemispherical punch. The specimens are stretched to various depths by controlling the punch traveling in order to achieve different strain levels. The volume fraction of strain induced martensite is then measured using ferrite scope and plotted versus strain for different strain states. The results show that the martensitic transformation curve has the lowest value for plane strain condition among strain states used for determination of forming limit diagram. There are a close proximity between the two sets of the experimental data and those of the modified Olson‐Cohen and Santacreu's models.
Nano Silver Vanadate AgVO3: Synthesis, New Functionalities and Applications
Authors: de Melo Monteiro Ana Paula , Dias Holtz Raphael , Carneiro Fonseca Leandro , Zanini Martins Carlos Henrique , de Sousa Marcelo , de Luna Luis Augusto Visani , de Sousa Maia Djalma Lucas , Alves Oswaldo Luiz
Published: January 2018

Silver vanadates have been widely investigated because of their many interesting properties and their potential use in several applications. In addition to this, a large number of groups have investigated silver vanadates in the form of nanostructures. Here, we address first the synthesis and properties of nanosilver vanadate. Different techniques, such as precipitation, thermal decomposition, hydrothermal treatment, and sol‐gel, are among the methods that have been employed for the controlled synthesis of silver vanadate. The use of nanosilver vanadate for the development of novel electronic devices, catalysts, and antibacterial agents for industry and biomedical applications will then be discussed. In this sense, the present review highlights the major advances regarding the synthesis, properties and applications of nanostructured silver vanadates.
Gene–gene and gene–environment interactions in complex traits in yeast
Authors: Yadav Anupama , Sinha Himanshu
Published: January 2018

One of the fundamental questions in biology is how the genotype regulates the phenotype. An increasing number of studies indicate that, in most cases, the effect of a genetic locus on the phenotype is context‐dependent, i.e. it is influenced by the genetic background and the environment in which the phenotype is measured. Still, the majority of the studies, in both model organisms and humans, that map the genetic regulation of phenotypic variation in complex traits primarily identify additive loci with independent effects. This does not reflect an absence of the contribution of genetic interactions to phenotypic variation, but instead is a consequence of the technical limitations in mapping gene–gene interactions (GGI) and gene–environment interactions (GEI). Yeast, with its detailed molecular understanding, diverse population genomics and ease of genetic manipulation, is a unique and powerful resource to study the contributions of GGI and GEI in the regulation of phenotypic variation. Here we review studies in yeast that have identified GGI and GEI that regulate phenotypic variation, and discuss the contribution of these findings in explaining missing heritability of complex traits, and how observations from these GGI and GEI studies enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying genetic robustness and adaptability that shape the architecture of the genotype–phenotype map.
A Two-Pillar Phillips Curve for Switzerland
Authors: Gerlach-Kristen Petra
Published: January 2018

Monetary aggregates have historically been important in Swiss monetary policy. The Swiss National Bank used money growth targets until 1999. The new policy framework introduced in 2000 focuses on an inflation forecast that relies on money growth as an indicator. How useful is money growth for explaining inflation in Switzerland? Using data spanning 1979 to 2007, we estimate a Phillips curve model that incorporates a measure of “trend” money growth and find that it impacts on inflation if one takes the downward shift in nominal interest rates over the sample into account. Including money growth reduces the in-sample forecasting errors by 15%.
Health Shocks and the Hazard Rate of Early Retirement in the ECHP
Authors: Hagan Ronald , Jones Andrew M. , Rice Nigel
Published: January 2018

In this paper we use discrete-time proportional hazard models with internationally comparable longitudinal data from the full eight waves of the European Community Household Panel (ECHP) to study the relationship between retirement, health levels and health shocks in nine European countries. The results show a consistency of effect with only small variation in magnitude both for latent health stock variables as well as the subjective SAH measures. This is compatible with previous findings that declining health is associated with an increased probability of retirement. Additionally a three-level graduated acute health shock variable was created, that shows evidence of a gradient in the effect.
Economies of Scale and Efficiency Measurement in Switzerland’s Nursing Homes
Authors: Farsi Mehdi , Filippini Massimo , Lunati Diego
Published: January 2018

This paper examines the cost efficiency in the nursing home industry, an issue of concern to Swiss policy makers because of the explosive growth of national expenditure on elderly care and the aging of the population. A stochastic cost frontier model has been applied to a panel of 1780 observations from 356 nursing homes operating over 1998–2002 in Switzerland. We compare the estimation results from different econometric techniques focusing on the specification of unobserved heterogeneity across firms. The potential effects of such unobserved factors on the estimation results and their interpretation have been discussed. The findings suggest that the economies of scale are an important potential source of cost reduction in a majority of Swiss nursing homes. Moreover the average performance of a representative nursing home is very close to the estimated best practice.
Regional Quantity, Productivity and Efficiency Measures of the Swiss Health Care System
Authors: Schleiniger Reto
Published: January 2018

In Switzerland, there are substantial cantonal differences in per capita cost of the mandatory health care system. The present paper breaks these differences down into price and quantity effects revealing both, a large quantity and a somewhat smaller price variance across cantons. As a statistical fact, a positive correlation of price and quantity index results.

Dividing the inferred quantity output index by a corresponding input index yields a measure of total factor productivity. While the canton of Zurich exhibits the highest productivity, the measures in Geneva, Neuchâtel, Berne and Vaud are far below average.

Finally, a data envelopment analysis of hospital services shows little evidence for variable returns to scale implying that low productivities are, for the most part, due to pure technological slacks.
How Do the Determinants of Demand for GP Visits Respond to Higher Supply? An Analysis of Grouped Counts
Authors: Teckle Paulos , Sutton Matt
Published: January 2018

Although there is a substantial literature on the determinants of demand for primary care, few studies have been able to examine how these determinants respond to higher supply. Some demand studies include supply variables or regional dummy variables to allow for different supply conditions. A few have tested for marginal effects of supply variables attributed at a highly aggregated geographic level. However, relatively little is known about whether there is a supply constraint and how demand responses differ across population groups. We used information from a household survey of 60,806 individuals for whom we had detailed information on supply and access conditions. As in many surveys, the annual measure of utilisation is a grouped count and we estimate a grouped negative binomial model (NegBin2) of the determinants of demand for general practitioner (GP) visits by Maximum Likelihood. We exploit a variable on which respondents were asked to report the convenience with which they were able to access GP services. We demonstrate the significance of this variable in determining the number of GP visits. We then examine which demand determinants are correlated with reported convenience. Finally, we compare the demand equations for respondents reporting unconstrained access to GPs with respondents reporting constrained access. We find that being unemployed has a significant positive effect on GP visits for individuals who reported poor access. People who own a car and reported a good access to GPs have significantly higher visits.
Liberalizing the Swiss Meat Market with the EU: Welfare Effects and Impacts on Third Countries
Authors: Campo Isabelle Schluep , Jörin Robert
Published: January 2018

This article analyzes the welfare effects of multilateral versus bilateral trade liberalization between Switzerland and the EU in the meat sector. A multi-market multi-region partial equilibrium model is used. The removal of tariffs and tariff rate quotas between Switzerland and the EU results in noticeable net welfare gains for Switzerland. The impacts on the EU and on the rest of the world are minimal. However, multilateral trade liberalization is still first best.
Retrospective Price Indices and Substitution Bias
Authors: Diewert W. Erwin , Huwiler Marco , Kohli Ulrich
Published: January 2018

The consumer price index (CPI) is usually computed as a fixed-weighted Laspeyres price index, with the weights updated at discrete intervals only. It is well known that the Laspeyres functional form entails a substitution bias. One way to reduce it would be to use chained indices, and superlative ones if possible. Unfortunately, the necessary data are often missing. This paper proposes a simple method to retroactively compute the CPI once updated weights become available. The proposed index has the Fisher form. This makes it possible to assess the size of the substitution bias. An application to Swiss data is provided.
Regional per Capita-Income — The Importance of Region-Specific Production Factors
Authors: Fornahl Dirk , Schaffer Axel , Siegele Jochen
Published: January 2018

Endowment with infrastructure, human and cultural capital is highly significant for regional economic performance. After clustering the regions, this hypothesis is tested for Austrian, German and Swiss NUTS 3 regions by applying a quantile regression analysis.

First results confirm the hypothesis for all factors. However, coefficients differ significantly both between clusters as well as among the quantiles of each cluster. Furthermore, insights into the regions’ efficiency in using these factors are generated: investments into region-specific factors will not push the regional economy automatically, but the under- or over-average efficiency has to be taken into account.
Ten years’ experience with the Swiss National Bank’s monetary policy strategy
Authors: Jordan Thomas J. , Peytrignet Michel , Rossi Enzo
Published: January 2018

In December 1999 the Swiss National Bank (SNB) abandoned monetary targeting and introduced a new monetary policy strategy. The cornerstones of the new framework are an explicit definition of what the SNB considers to be price stability, a forecast of inflation over a three-year horizon, and a target range for the three-month Swiss franc Libor. The strategy lived up to expectations in every respect and contributed to strengthening the SNB’s credibility. In particular, the new framework’s flexibility proved successful in times of financial stress. The term reference interest rate contains an automatic monetary stabilizer that has insulated the nonfinancial sector from much of the turbulence. The major challenge lying ahead is sustained accuracy in the assessment of future inflation.
Semiparametric base-independent equivalence scales and the cost of children in Switzerland
Authors: Bütikofer Aline
Published: January 2018

How much additional income does a couple with two children need to be equally well-off as a childless couple? This question is important for public policy decisions on social benefits or child allowances. Since equivalence scales express the change in the cost required to attain a certain welfare level when the household size and composition varies, they answer this question. This paper provides semi-parametric estimates of consumption-based equivalence scales by applying the extended partially linear model to the Swiss Household Budget Survey 2000–2005. The results permit welfare comparisons across households and provide an indirect measure of the cost of children.
Is there a Swiss price puzzle?
Authors: Kaufmann Daniel , Lein Sarah
Published: January 2018

This paper estimates the response of consumer prices to a monetary policy shock in Switzerland. We find that there is no evidence of a price puzzle at the aggregate level. This is because our factor-augmented vector autoregression (FAVAR) avoids misspecification by including more information than a traditional VAR. However, the response is still delayed by at least four quarters, partly because there is a price puzzle in some sectors. In particular, rents tend to rise after a monetary policy tightening because there are legal provisions in Switzerland which link them to interest rates. But durable goods prices also rise, which is consistent with the existence of a cost channel of monetary policy.
The Swiss debt brake — has it been a success?
Authors: Beljean Tobias , Geier Alain
Published: January 2018

This paper describes how the Swiss fiscal rule at federal level has fared since it was introduced in 2003. Generally speaking, the rule has modified the budget process and led to a better implementation of fiscal policy objectives. It is argued that the most important factor is the existence of a binding ceiling for expenditure. The design of the mechanism is important in setting the right incentives. A basic feature of the rule is its simplicity and transparency. It is argued that an increase in sophistication would eliminate this advantage without guaranteeing preferable outcomes. It appears that the rule has contributed to a substantial reduction in nominal debt. This outcome has occurred against the backdrop of a favourable economic situation (which was not anticipated) and is primarily attributable to an underestimation of both revenues and economic growth. Nominal debt reduction may not materialise to the same extent under different circumstances. It appears that systematic underspending with respect to the budget leads to a bias towards budget surpluses. In addition, there has been no visible reduction in the quality of budget composition, and the fiscal policy stance as measured by the change in the cyclically adjusted budget balance has been appropriate given the prevailing economic conditions. While some design features may be debatable, the overall rules-based approach to fiscal policy has been successful.
How to enforce fiscal discipline in EMU: A proposal
Authors: de Haan Jakob , Gilbert Niels , Hessel Jeroen , Verkaart Silvie
Published: January 2018

Based on Inman’s (1996) classification of successful fiscal policy rules, we argue that the Stability and Growth Pact suffers from two serious weaknesses: a politicized decision-making process and lack of effective instruments to enforce that Member States adjust their fiscal policies if needed. Although recent changes in the European Union’s governance of national fiscal policy are considered to be an improvement, we argue that they do not address these shortcomings sufficiently. More independent enforcement is needed, and our preferred long-term solution would be to delegate the enforcement of European budgetary rules to a fully independent Budgetary Authority. Once the enforcement by this authority is well established and government debt-to-GDP ratios have declined towards 60%, fiscal discipline could be strengthened even further by introducing well-designed Eurobonds as the capstone of EMU. We propose centrally issued Eurobonds for the full public debt under the condition that Member States will no longer be allowed to independently raise funds in the money or capital markets. The independent Budgetary Authority only distributes funds to Member States if they have sustainable fiscal policies as defined under the SGP or if they properly implement a strictly monitored adjustment program.
The Swedish fiscal policy framework and intermediate fiscal policy targets
Authors: Andersen Torben M.
Published: January 2018

Sweden is a front-runner in defining intermediate targets for fiscal policy (fiscal rules) as well as in setting up an independent fiscal council to monitor and comment on developments. Swedish public finances are among the most sound in the OECD having been able to consolidate public finances and ensure fiscal sustainability, and they have maintained room for fiscal manoeuvre also during the financial crisis. This paper takes a closer look at the Swedish case as the stepping stone for a more general discussion of how to set intermediate targets for fiscal policy and the role fiscal councils may have in strengthening political accountability and thus ultimately credibility of fiscal policy. The Swedish fiscal framework is compared to the fiscal compact for EU countries, and it is argued that it has a number of desirable features.
Fiscal institutions in Germany
Authors: Burret Heiko T. , Feld Lars P.
Published: January 2018

In 2009 Germany introduced a new fiscal rule in its Basic Law. It stipulates that the federal budget must be (structurally) close to balance from 2016 onwards and does not allow for (structural) budget deficits in the Laender (states’) budgets after 2019. While the already existing debt brakes at the Laender level have relatively wide loopholes, six states do not even seriously consider the introduction of new fiscal rules. In fact, only 9 of the 16 Laender as well as the federal level passed binding consolidation plans. Despite historically high revenues in 2011, most states ran deficits and increased public debt. In this paper, we analyze the German debt brakes at the federal and the Laender levels and assess the probability that the German jurisdictions manage to comply with the constitutional requirements of its debt brake.
Who benefits most from university education in Switzerland?
Authors: Perini Lionel
Published: January 2018

Recent literature on private returns to education considers diversity in the population, heterogeneity in wage gains and self-selection into schooling. This research addresses these issues by analyzing to what extent returns associated with completing a university degree in Switzerland depend on the propensity to attend and complete this degree. Using data from the Swiss Household Panel and propensity score matching models, I find that low propensity men — after controlling for labor market variables — benefit most from a university degree while returns for women are rather homogenous along the propensity score distribution. This finding suggests that completing university increases more the earning capability of men with disadvantaged family backgrounds than that of men with more favorable background, refuting the hypothesis of comparative advantage. An auxiliary analysis focusing on the relationship between returns to education and inherent ability within a quantile regression framework leads to similar conclusions.
Assessing the Impacts of Non-Ricardian Households in an Estimated New Keynesian DSGE Model
Authors: Marto Ricardo
Published: January 2018

A New Keynesian DSGE model with non-Ricardian households is estimated for the Portuguese economy and the stability of the model’s prediction (posterior distributions, impulse responses, and sources of fluctuations in endogenous variables) tested under different assumptions on non-Ricardian households. Their share is estimated to be relatively high (58 %). Furthermore, estimates of several parameters as well as the magnitude and persistence of shocks are particularly sensitive to the share of non-Ricardian households. Impulse responses to consumption preference and productivity shocks are amplified for lower shares; for greater proportions, the model predicts more noticeable responses to price markup and government spending shocks. Fluctuations in output growth are mainly driven by productivity shocks for a lower share and by price markup shocks in the opposite scenario. A high proportion of these households together with a high degree of price stickiness lead the Taylor-type interest rate rule solution to be locally indeterminate.
The Sources and Magnitudes of Switzerland’s Gains from Trade
Authors: Hepenstrick Christian
Published: January 2018

This paper uses the modern workhorse model of quantitative trade theory (Eaton and Kortum, 2002) as a measurement tool to quantify Switzerland’s gains from trade. I find that individual trading partners matter surprisingly little for Switzerland’s welfare because of reallocation effects: if trade between Switzerland and some partner country is inhibited, other supplier countries step into the breach so that the losses are limited and typically amount to less than 1 %. The conclusions are different if one considers groups of countries such as for example the EU: participating in a multilateral 25 % trade cost reduction increases Swiss welfare by 11 % relative to the status quo. However, it must also be noted that in the case of non-participation, the actual welfare losses relative to the status quo are modest with less than 1 %.
Obesity and Health-Care Costs in Switzerland: Dealing with Endogeneity in Non-Linear Regression Models
Authors: Meyer Stefan
Published: January 2018

We draw microdata from the Swiss Household Panel to estimate the causal effect of obesity on the number of physician visits, the amount of hospital days, and the respective costs incurred. We do so by simultaneously coping with three endogeneity issues, comprising reporting errors, omitted variables, and simultaneity. Using the conditional expectation approach, we first account for the reporting errors in weight and height. Second, we address endogeneity in the body mass index (BMI) by applying a control function approach. In contrast to the method of two-stage least squares, this technique is consistent in non-linear regression settings. Using the mean BMI of relatives as an instrument for the respondent’s BMI, we show that naïve regression methods considerably underestimate the impact of weight on the use of inpatient care, outpatient care, and costs. Accordingly, an additional unit of BMI raises annual health-care costs by CHF 253 or 11.5%, while the non-IV estimate amounts to only CHF 34 or 1.5%. Several robustness checks suggest the average marginal effect to be in the range of between CHF 220 and CHF 294. The model also predicts that if the overweight and obese people in the sample lost weight to the threshold of being of normal weight (BMI = 25), health-care costs could be reduced by about −4.7%. We conclude that the negative external effects caused by overweight and obesity are considerably larger than previously thought.
Design process robustness: a bipartite network analysis reveals the central importance of people
Authors: Piccolo Sebastiano A. , Lehmann Sune , Maier Anja
Published: January 2018

Design processes require the joint effort of many people to collaborate and work on multiple activities. Effective techniques to analyse and model design processes are important for understanding organisational dynamics, for improving collaboration, and for planning robust design processes, reducing the risk of rework and delays. Although there has been much progress in modelling and understanding design processes, little is known about the interplay between people and the activities they perform and its influence on design process robustness. To analyse this interplay, we model a large-scale design process of a biomass power plant with $100+$ people and ${\sim}150$ activities as a bipartite network. Observing that some people act as bridges between activities organised to form nearly independent modules, in order to evaluate process fragility, we simulate random failures and targeted attacks to people and activities. We find that our process is more vulnerable to attacks to people rather than activities. These findings show how the allocation of people to activities can obscure an inherent fragility, making the process highly sensitive and dependent on specific people. More generally, we show that the behaviour of robustness is determined by the degree distributions, the heterogeneity of which can be leveraged to improve robustness and resilience to cascading failures. Overall, we show that it is important to carefully plan the assignment of people to activities.
Collective Economic Conceptualization of Strategic Actions by Québec Cidermakers: A Mixed Methods–Based Approach
Authors: Cloutier L. Martin , Arcand Sébastien , Laviolette E. Michael , Renard Laurent
Published: January 2018

The objective of this article is to estimate the spatial structure of the collective economic conceptualization of strategic actions by cidermakers in Québec. It employs group concept mapping, a mixed methods–based approach. Given the limited research on the economic conceptualization of horizontal coordination for guiding collective strategic action orientations, this contribution is threefold: methodological, empirical, and practical. Methodologically, the results show the perspective of horizontally coordinated cidermakers and use statistical estimates and retroduction as an inference mode to produce and structure the concept map. Empirically, the spatial economic conceptualization consists of a concept map with seven strategic action clusters organized around the notions of product supply and demand and highlights tensions between individual and collective strategic actions. Practically, measures of relative importance and relative feasibility are obtained for each cluster on the map, and implications are discussed. (JEL Classifications: D02, L23, L26, L66, Q18)
Consumer Preferences for Sustainable Wine Attributes: A Conjoint Analysis
Authors: Kelley Kathleen M. , Zelinskie Jennifer , Centinari Michela , Gardner Denise M. , Govindasamy Ramu , Hyde Jeffrey , Rickard Bradley , Storchmann Karl
Published: January 2018

Mid-Atlantic wine consumers participated in an Internet survey to determine which of three attributes (retail base prices, Botrytis cinerea [bunch rot] control measure, or weed-control strategy) and attribute levels (e.g., a retail base price of $12, $16, $22, or $26) were the most important factors in their decisions to purchase 750mL glass bottles of wine. Conjoint analysis was used to calculate average importance for the three attributes. Based on these calculations, the base retail price attribute had the greatest impact on participants’ decision to purchase the wine (57.40%), followed by bunch rot control measure (20.76%) and weed control strategy (21.49%). Participants were also asked to indicate how interested (not at all interested to extremely interested) they were in purchasing wines produced from grapes grown using minimal pesticides or with cover crops to control weeds. Separate conjoint analyses were then performed based on participants’ level of interest in the two sustainable production methods. In both instances, the average importance values for retail base price were still higher than the values for either bunch rot or weed control strategies. Average importance values for price were lower for participants who responded that they were “very” or “extremely interested” in purchasing wine produced with minimal pesticides or with cover crops than for participants who were “not all interested” in purchasing such wines. (JEL Classifications: Q18, Q11, M31)
Patterns of Relative Cost of Champagne by the Same Producer: Analysis of the Cost of Entry-Level, Mid-Range, and Flagship Champagne
Authors: Merton Paul J.
Published: January 2018

This paper examines the evolution of champagne prices in New York City from 1948 to 2013 by determining how many hours one must work, using after-tax income, to purchase a bottle of champagne. Each of the three brands analyzed—Bollinger, Louis Roederer, and Moët & Chandon—was divided into three tiers of nonvintage, vintage, and flagship champagne. The results indicated that all income groups worked fewer hours for entry-level nonvintage bottles of champagne, whereas the number of hours required to purchase flagship bottles generally increased. (JEL Classifications: E31, H24)