bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Tax Rate Variability and Public Spending as Sources of Indeterminacy
Authors: LLOYD‐BRAGA TERESA , MODESTO LEONOR , SEEGMULLER THOMAS 
Published: May 2008

AbstractWe consider a constant returns to scale, one sector economy with segmented asset markets of the Woodford type. We analyze the role of public spending, financed by labor income and consumption taxation, on the emergence of indeterminacy. We find that what is relevant for indeterminacy is the variability of the distortion introduced by government intervention. We show that the degree of public spending externalities in preferences affects the combinations between the tax rate and its variability under which indeterminacy occurs. Moreover, we find that consumption taxes can lead to local indeterminacy when asset markets are segmented.
Effectiveness of Weighted Majority Rules with Random Decision Power Distribution
Authors: BEREND DANIEL , CHERNYAVSKY YURI 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThere is a large body of research studying the conditions under which majority decisions are best. In particular, in many circumstances, the probability of a group to decide correctly is higher than that of a random subgroup. Moreover, the latter probability increases as the subgroup size grows. Here we generalize those results by showing that, in the same setup, the simple majority rule is the most effective of all weighted majority rules when weights are distributed randomly between group members. For special families of weighted majority rules, rule effectiveness increases as we get “closer” to the simple majority rule.
An Alternative Approach to Valence Advantage in Spatial Competition
Authors: HOLLARD GUILLAUME , ROSSIGNOL STÉPHANE 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThis paper explores a two‐candidate spatial voting model, where one candidate has a valence advantage. Contrary to previous models, we introduce a multiplicative advantage, rather than an additive one. This takes into account the possible interaction between the quality of a candidate and his policy platform. This leads to a strikingly different model, in which all extreme voters support the favored candidate.
Heterogeneity Gap in Stable Jurisdiction Structures
Authors: BOGOMOLNAIA ANNA , LE BRETON MICHEL , SAVVATEEV ALEXEI , WEBER SHLOMO 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThis paper examines a model of multijurisdiction formation where individuals' characteristics are uniformly distributed over a finite interval. Every jurisdiction locates a public facility and distributes its cost equally among the residents. We consider the notions of Nash and local Nash stability, and examine the existence and characterization of stable partitions. The main feature of this analysis is that, even under the uniform distribution, there are stable structures that exhibit a high degree of heterogeneity of jurisdictional sizes.
Economics of Supply of Canada's Military Manpower
Authors: LIGHTMAN ERNIE S. 
Published: May 2008

SummaryThree key generalizations emerge from this study:

Economic factors can, in certain cases, be important in attracting applicants to other ranks of the Canadian armed forces. Sensitivity to the state of the civilian economy would appear to be greatest for the air force, where the average quality level of applicants in the labor force is highest. The impact of relative wages, as measured here, is substantially larger than that of unemployment.
Traditional and cultural considerations are also relevant. Previous historical and sociological research is supported regarding Quebec's negative attitudes towards the navy. Attitudes towards the army are less clear, as data shortcomings prevent precise interpretation of the regional dummy variables. There are also distinct seasonal patterns in application rates to each service.
Important differences in attitudes and quality of applicants were found among army, navy, and air force recruits. With the operational unification of Canada's three services into a single armed force in 1968, implications for recruitment remain an open question.
Direct Labor Market Effects of Unemployment Insurance
Authors: FIELDS GARY S. 
Published: May 2008

SummaryIt has been established that relatively high income families receive a disproportionately large share of UI benefits. Little information on the distribution of costs by income class is available, but it is quite possible that the upper income groups may also bear a disproportionately large share of the costs. More empirical research is needed before the redistributive effects of UI can be known with any degree of confidence.There is little argument about the desirability on income mainlenance grounds of extending Unemployment insurance benefits in a recessionary period, all other things being equal. U1 is quite efficient as an income maintenance tool for covered workers. With respect to the unemployment problem, though, it is feared by some that the program goes too far in maintaining the incomes of covered workers, and as a result any extension of UI benefits will aggravate the unemployment problem. The evidence presented here suggests that fears of a major increase in unemployment as a result of such changes are largely unwarranted. However, extended UI benefits would appear to have some small, nontrivial adverse impact on unemployment. Finally, it seems that UI's income distributional impact has been portrayed unjustly as pro‐rich. It may be that income is transferred through the UI system from the relatively well‐to‐do to the relatively poor.There is no scientific way of bringing these considerations to bear in deciding whether or not to restructure the unemployment insurance system. This question can be answered only by invoking fundamental value judgments to decide how sociely would be better off, and I would not presume here to offer my own. This paper will have served its purpose if it has provided the basis for a more informed decision.
Testing a Behavioral Theory Model of Labor Negotiations
Authors: PETERSON RICHARD B. , TRACY LANE 
Published: May 2008

SummaryThe Behavioral Theory we have developed stands up well and helps us gain a better feeling for the behavioral dynamics of collective bargaining. As expected, economic variables such as bargaining power and the estimated cost and probability of a work stoppage are important determinants of bargaining behavior. Nevertheless, the variables have a differential effect on bargaining goals, with strong bargaining power and low probability of a strike contributing to both distributive and integrative bargaining, whereas high expected costs of a strike help to persuade constituents to support their negotiators (intraorganizational bargaining). Thus we see the roie of intraorganizational bargaining as an alternative to being able to obtain a better settlement from the opponents.Attitudinal structuring seems to be more closely tied to integrative bargaining than was indicated by Walton and McKersie. Furthermore, there seems to be less direct conflict between the tactics used in integrative bargaining and those used in distributive bargaining than predicted by theory. Perhaps the mixed nature of most bargaining keeps the majority of negotiators from applying all‐out distributive tactics. At any rate, strong bargaining power, constructive relationships, clear and specific statements of issues, as well as exploring them in a noncommital fashion, seem to aid both distributive and integrative bargaining.We uncovered a number of relationships which varied significantly according to the side (labor or management) and/or team role (chief negotiator or other team member) of the respondent. Although we feel they should be included in the theory of bargaining as moderator variables, and have thus included them in our model, we have only hinted at their impact in this paper.Overall, bargaining behavior and conditions seem to have as much effect on bargaining success as do the economic variables. Of course, we did not measure every possible economic variable, but neither did we examine all possible tactics. Our study confirms that collective bargaining is an interpersonal, attitudinal process as well as an economic one and that there are several distinct goals for the process. We have also demonstrated that, despite problems of locating current negotiations and obtaining an adequate rate of response, field study of the behavioral aspects of collective bargaining is feasible. We hope that investigations along this line will continue.
Sex and Interoccupational Wage Differences in Israel
Authors: IZRAELI DAFNA NUNDI , GAIER KALMAN 
Published: May 2008

SummaryAn examination of the influence of the sex identification of an occupation on earnings reveals that: (1) male occupations earn more than female occupations; (2) nonsegregated occupations tend to be more similar in earnings to female than to male occupations; (3) the majority of female occupations earn below the mean for occupations at each level of education; the inverse is true for male occupations; (4) men in female occupations earn less than they do in male occupations; and (5) women in male occupations do not consistently earn more than women in female occupations at comparable levels of education. Our data indicate that they tend to gravitate toward the lower earning male occupations.These findings support the hypothesis that in Israel, as elsewhere, occupational segregation is an important factor underlying earning differentials between women and men. Wage differentials are the result not only of differences in human capital resources, but also of unequal opportunities within the occupational structure. The division of labor by sex does not cause inequality—rather it permits the perpetuation of a system of social relations in which the work women do is allocated inferior status and economic rewards. The social forces which produce and sustain this reality are worthy of further investigation.
Unionism and Employer Discrimination: Analysis of 8(a)(3) Violations
Authors: KLEINER MORRIS M. 
Published: May 2008

Summary and ConclusionsThe choice model of firm violations of section 8(a)(3) of the NLRA specified here was tested for the period 1972–1979 using a sample of firms from the New York and American Stock Exchange. The results show that previous violations of this section of the Act, relative per cent of union organization, and changes in firm employment are statistically significant determinants of the marginal benefits of violations. These findings generally support union officials' claims that the penalties in the Act are not strong deterrents to management violations and may be considered a relatively low cost of doing business. However, assertions by union officials that product market factors are important in firm decisions to violate the Act are not supported. In addition, the results do not support NLRB officials' belief that firms that commit violations are not likely to commit them again.The fact that there are no significant differences in violations by firms in our sample as a result of product market variables or industry implies that ethical considerations may be a factor in choosing to violate the Act. Since current penalties are low, and past violations are significant in determining current violators, an increase in penalties may reduce violations by those who do not consider the ethical implications of the Act. If the intent of the current NLRA is to reduce the coercion of employees by employers, an amendment to increase the economic costs to employers seems indicated.
Factors Affecting Perceptions of Smallest Meaningful Pay Increases
Authors: VARADARAJAN POONDI , FUTRELL CHARLES 
Published: May 2008

SummaryThis analysis suggests that an individual's current level of earnings may be one of the most important variables influencing his/her perception of incremental increases. Also, job difficulty (measured in terms of the average number of nights spent away from home per month on job‐related duties) contributes significantly to the explanation of SMPI for both the organizational recognition group and the monetary considerations group. For the ORG group, the pay increase an individual finds meaningful appears to be influenced as well by job input factors such as total work experience, tenure in present job, tenure with present employer, and age. These results support the hypothesis that individuals with relatively high levels of training and experience and higher current earnings will tend to have higher expectations with regard to salary increases than will others, and that these expectations in turn will be reflected in higher thresholds of what is perceived as the smallest meaningful pay increase.Overall, much of the evidence supports the hypothesis that the predictors of SMPI will be different for the ORG and MCG groups. However, the relatively small size of the MCG sample and the associated problem of multicollinearity dictate caution in generalizing our results.* In addition, our study suffers from problems related to model underspecification, insofar as some of the explanatory variables identified in Lawler's model of pay satisfaction were not considered.
Power of Tests for a Dichotomous Independent Variable Measured with Error
Authors: McCaffrey Daniel F. , Elliott Marc N. 
Published: May 2008

Objective.To examine the implications for statistical power of using predicted probabilities for a dichotomous independent variable, rather than the actual variable.Data Sources/Study Setting.An application uses 271,479 observations from the 2000 to 2002 CAHPS Medicare Fee‐for‐Service surveys.Study Design and Data.A methodological study with simulation results and a substantive application to previously collected data.Principle Findings.Researchers often must employ key dichotomous predictors that are unobserved but for which predictions exist. We consider three approaches to such data: theclassification estimator(1); thedirect substitution estimator(2); thepartial information maximum likelihood estimator(3, PIMLE). The efficiency of (1) (its power relative to testing with the true variable) roughly scales with the square of one less the classification error. The efficiency of (2) roughly scales with theR2for predicting the unobserved dichotomous variable, and is usually more powerful than (1). Approach (3) is most powerful, but for testing differences in means of 0.2–0.5 standard deviations, (2) is typically more than 95 percent as efficient as (3).Conclusions.The information loss from not observing actual values of dichotomous predictors can be quite large. Direct substitution is easy to implement and interpret and nearly as efficient as the PIMLE.
Medicaid Managed Care and the Unmet Need for Mental Health Care among Children with Special Health Care Needs
Authors: Tang Michael H. , Hill Kristen S. , Boudreau Alexy A. , Yucel Recai M. , Perrin James M. , Kuhlthau Karen A. 
Published: May 2008

Objective. To determine the association between Medicaid managed care pediatric behavioral health programs and unmet need for mental health care among children with special health care needs (CSHCN).Data Source. The National Survey of CSHCN (2000–2002), using subsets of 4,400 CSHCN with Medicaid and 1,856 CSHCN with Medicaid and emotional problems. Additional state‐level sources were used.Study Design. Multilevel models investigated the association between managed care program type (carve‐out, integrated) or fee‐for‐service (FFS) and reported unmet mental health care need.Data Collection/Extraction Methods. The National Survey of CSHCN conducted telephone interviews with a sample representative at both the national and state levels.Principal Findings. In multivariable models, among CSHCN with only Medicaid, living in states with Medicaid managed care (odds ratio [OR]=1.81; 95 percent confidence interval: 1.04–3.15) or carve‐out programs (OR=1.93; 1.01–3.69) were associated with greater reported unmet mental health care need compared with FFS programs. Among CSHCN on Medicaid with emotional problems, the association between managed care and unmet need was stronger (OR=2.48; 1.38–4.45).Conclusions. State Medicaid pediatric behavioral health managed care programs were associated with greater reported unmet mental health care need than FFS programs among CSHCN insured by Medicaid, particularly for those with emotional problems.
Role of State Policies in the Adoption of Naltrexone for Substance Abuse Treatment
Authors: Heinrich Carolyn J. , Hill Carolyn J. 
Published: May 2008

Objective. To examine state policies associated with adoption of a pharmaceutical agent—naltrexone—by substance abuse treatment facilities to treat alcohol‐dependent clients.Data Sources. Facility‐level data from the 2003 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services, and state‐level data on policy and environmental factors from publicly available sources.Study Design. We use facility‐ and state‐level data in a cross‐sectional, multilevel model to analyze state‐level policies that are associated with treatment facilities' naltrexone adoption.Data Collection/Extraction Methods. The analysis uses survey data.Principal Findings. State Medicaid policies supporting the use of generic drugs, reducing drug costs, and permitting managed care organizations to establish policies encouraging use of generics were associated with higher odds of naltrexone adoption (by up to 96 percent). State policies limiting access to pharmaceutical technologies through Medicaid preferred drug lists, restricting access to pharmacy networks, and imposing general limitations on use of Medicaid benefits for rehabilitation for substance abuse treatment were associated with reduced odds of naltrexone adoption.Conclusions. Policy levers that are available to state governments are associated with the adoption of pharmaceutical technologies such as naltrexone that could help meet widespread need for access to clinically proven and cost‐effective treatments for substance abuse.
Voxel‐based 3D MRI analysis helps to detect subtle forms of subcortical band heterotopia
Authors: Huppertz Hans‐Jürgen , Wellmer Jörg , Staack Anke Maren , Altenmüller Dirk‐Matthias , Urbach Horst , Kröll Judith 
Published: May 2008

Summary
Purpose: To evaluate the potential diagnostic value of a novel magnetic resonance image (MRI) postprocessing technique in subtle forms of subcortical band heterotopia (SBH). The method was introduced to improve the visualization of blurred gray–white matter junctions associated with focal cortical dysplasia but was found to be applicable also to SBH.
Methods: In the voxel‐based MRI analysis presented here, T1‐weighted MRI volume data sets are normalized and segmented using standard algorithms of SPM5. The distribution of gray and white matter is analyzed on a voxelwise basis and compared with a normal database of 150 controls. Based on this analysis, a three‐dimensional feature map is created that highlights brain areas if their signal intensities fall within the range between normal gray and white matter and differ from the normal database in this respect. The method was applied to the MRI data of 378 patients with focal epilepsy in three different epilepsy centers.
Results: SBH was diagnosed in seven patients with five of them showing subtle forms of SBH that had gone unrecognized in conventional visual analysis of MRI and were only detected by MRI postprocessing. In contrast to distinct double cortex syndrome, these patients had partial double cortex with SBH mostly confined to posterior brain regions.
Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that a considerable part of cases with SBH might remain unrecognized by conventional MRI. Voxel‐based MRI analysis may help to identify subtle forms and appears to be a valuable additional diagnostic tool in the evaluation of patients with cryptogenic epilepsy.
Altered spatial distribution of PV‐cortical cells and dysmorphic neurons in the somatosensory cortex of BCNU‐treated rat model of cortical dysplasia
Authors: Moroni Ramona Frida , Inverardi Francesca , Regondi Maria Cristina , Panzica Ferruccio , Spreafico Roberto , Frassoni Carolina 
Published: May 2008

SummaryPurpose:Cortical dysplasia (CD) represents a wide range of histopathological abnormalities of the cortical mantle that are frequently associated with drug‐resistant epilepsy. Recently, carmustine (1‐3‐bis‐chloroethyl‐nitrosurea [BCNU]), given to pregnant rats on embryonic day (E) 15, has been used to develop an experimental model mimicking human CD. The aim of this study was to characterize cytological and histological alterations in this model, and compare the results with those observed in human CD.Methods:Pregnant rats were given intraperitoneal injections of BCNU on E15. Sections of cerebral cortex from adult BCNU‐treated rats were cytoarchitecturally and immunohistochemically analyzed using anti‐SMI311, anticalbindin (CB), and antiparvalbumin (PV) antibodies. The density of the PV‐immunoreactive (PV‐ir) interneurons was quantitatively assessed by means of a two‐dimensional cell‐counting technique, and the spatial distribution of PV‐ir neurons was evaluated by using the Voronoi tessellation.Results:The morphological features included reduced cortical size, laminar disorganization, and heterotopic clusters of neurons. We also identified large, disoriented SMI311‐positive pyramidal neurons, and dysmorphic neurons intensely immunostained for neurofilaments, similar to those observed in human dysplastic cortex. An altered distribution of PV‐immunoreactive cortical interneurons was also present.Conclusions:Although some of the cytoarchitectural abnormalities found in BCNU‐exposed cortex are similar to those found in other CD models, we identified new alterations that recall the neuropathological description of type IIA (Taylor's type) CD. BCNU‐treated rat could therefore be a useful additional model for investigating the pathogenic mechanisms involved in this CD.
Age‐dependent cyclooxygenase‐2 induction and neuronal damage after status epilepticus in the postnatal rat hippocampus
Authors: Järvelä Juha T. , Lopez‐Picon Francisco R. , Holopainen Irma E. 
Published: May 2008

Summary
Purpose: Epileptic seizures lead to age‐dependent neuronal damage in the developing brain, particularly in the hippocampus, but the mechanisms involved have remained poorly elucidated. In this study, we investigated the contribution of apoptosis and inflammatory processes to neuronal damage after status epilepticus (SE) in postnatal rats.
Methods: SE was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of kainic acid (KA) in 21‐ and 9‐day‐old (P21 and P9) rats. The expression of Bax, Bcl‐2 and caspase‐3, markers for apoptosis, and cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2), an indicator for activation of inflammatory processes, were studied from 6 h up to 1 week after SE by Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. Neuronal damage was verified by Fluoro‐Jade B staining.
Results: In P21 rats, SE resulted in neuronal damage in the CA1 neurons of the hippocampus. COX‐2 expression was extensively, but transiently, increased and its immunoreactivity pronouncedly enhanced in several hippocampal subregions, amygdala, and piriform cortex by 24 h after SE. The expression of Bax and caspase‐3 remained unchanged, whereas the antiapoptotic factor Bcl‐2 transiently decreased by 24 h. Single caspase‐3 positive neurons appeared in the CA1 region of both control and KA‐treated rats. In P9 rats, no neuronal death was detected, and COX‐2 expression and immunoreactivity remained at the control level.
Discussion: Our results suggest that SE provokes age‐specific effects on COX‐2 expression. This together with the activation of putative inflammatory processes may contribute to neuronal cell death in the hippocampus of postnatal rats, whereas caspase‐dependent apoptosis seems not to be involved in the death process.