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Kinds of Point Increase Selected AbstractsSINGLE MOTHERS WORKING AT NIGHT: STANDARD WORK AND CHILD CARE SUBSIDIESECONOMIC INQUIRY, Issue 2 2007ERDAL TEKIN This article examines the effect of child care subsidies on the standard work decision of single mothers. Results suggest that child care subsidy receipt is associated with about a 7 percentage point increase in the probability of working at a standard job. When the effect of subsidy receipt is allowed to differ between welfare recipients and nonrecipients, results indicate that subsidy receipt has a large and positive effect among welfare recipients, whereas the effect on nonrecipients is much smaller. These findings underscore the importance of child care subsidies in helping low-income parents, especially welfare recipients, gain standard employment. (JEL J13, I38) [source] Sustained virologic response prevents the development of esophageal varices in compensated, Child-Pugh class A hepatitis C virus,induced cirrhosis.HEPATOLOGY, Issue 6 2010A 12-year prospective follow-up study The incidence of de novo development of esophageal varices (EV) in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis has been determined by few studies in the short term and never in the long term. The aims of the present study were to determine the incidence and the risk factors associated with the development of EV and to assess whether antiviral treatment and achievement of sustained virologic response (SVR) may prevent de novo EV development in patients with HCV-induced cirrhosis. We studied 218 patients with compensated EV-free, HCV-induced cirrhosis consecutively enrolled between 1989 and 1992 at three referral centers in Milan, Italy. Endoscopic surveillance was performed at 3-year intervals according to international guidelines. SVR was defined as undetectable serum HCV-RNA 24 weeks after treatment discontinuation. During a median follow-up of 11.4 years, 149/218 (68%) patients received antiviral treatment and 34 (22.8%) achieved SVR. None of the SVR patients developed EV compared with 22 (31.8%) of the 69 untreated subjects (P < 0.0001) and 45 (39.1%) of the 115 non-SVR patients (P < 0.0001). On multivariate analysis, HCV genotype 1b (hazard ratio [HR] 2.40; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17-4.90) and baseline model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score (HR 1.20; 95% CI 1.07-1.35 for 1 point increase) were independent predictors of EV. Conclusion: In the long term, the achievement of SVR prevents the development of EV in patients with compensated HCV-induced cirrhosis. Therefore, in these patients, endoscopic surveillance can be safely delayed or avoided. Genotype 1b infection and MELD score identify the subset of patients at higher risk of EV development who need tailored endoscopic surveillance. Hepatology 2010 [source] International liquidity swaps: is the Chiang Mai Initiative pooling reserves efficiently?INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FINANCE & ECONOMICS, Issue 4 2008E. Kohlscheen Abstract We analyse the network of bilateral liquidity swaps (BSAs) among the ASEAN+3 countries. We find that the network has taken the correlation of capital flows in the region into account, in the sense that countries with lower correlation of reserve growth have engaged in larger BSAs. All else equal, a decimal point increase in the correlation of international reserve growth decreases the size of a bilateral swap agreement between 18% and 27%. Moreover, we find that the approximately $ 60,bn of BSAs have had a limited impact, if any, on government bond spreads so far. Finally, we identify potential gains from inter-regional BSAs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Relationship between assertiveness and burnout among nurse managersJAPAN JOURNAL OF NURSING SCIENCE, Issue 2 2009Eiko SUZUKI Abstract Aim:, We aimed to clarify the relationship between assertiveness and burnout among nurse managers at university hospitals. Methods:, The directors at three university hospitals agreed to cooperate with our study. During a one-month period from May to June 2007, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 203 nurse managers (head and sub-head nurses). The Japanese version of the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (J-RAS) and the Japanese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were used as scales. Burnout was operationally defined as a total MBI score in the highest tertile. Results:, Valid responses were obtained from 172 nurse managers. The mean J-RAS score of the burnout group (,14.3) was significantly lower than that of the non-burnout group (,3.3). Responses about work experience and age showed no significant group difference. Total MBI score was inversely correlated with J-RAS score (R = ,0.30, P < 0.01). Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated a decrease in the risk of burnout by 26% (0.74 times) for every 10 point increase in the J-RAS score, and by 60% (0.40 times) for greater satisfaction with own care provision. Conclusions:, The results suggest that increasing assertiveness and satisfaction with own care provision contributes to preventing burnout among Japanese nurse managers. [source] Structure,properties relations of the drawn poly(ethylene terephthalate) filament sewing threadJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 5 2008Andreja Rudolf Abstract This article presents research into draw ratio influence on the structure,properties relationship of drawn PET filament threads. Structural modification influence due to the drawing conditions, i.e., the birefringence and filament crystallinity, on the mechanical properties was investigated, as well as the shrinkage and dynamic mechanical properties of the drawn threads. Increasing draw ratio causes a linear increase in the birefringence, degree of crystallinity, filament shrinkage, and a decrease in the loss modulus. In addition, loss tangent and glass transition temperature, determined at the loss modulus peak, were increased by drawing. The observed structural changes influence the thread's mechanical properties, i.e., the breaking tenacity, elasticity modulus, and tension at the yield point increase, while breaking extension decreases by a higher draw ratio. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Dose,response relationship between periodontal inflamed surface area and HbA1c in type 2 DiabeticsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Willem Nesse Abstract Background: A dose,response relationship between the amount of inflamed periodontal tissue and HbA1c level, might be indicative for a causal association between periodontitis and type 2 diabetes. Aim: To assess a dose,response relationship between the periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA), as a measure of the amount of inflamed periodontal tissue, and HbA1c levels in type 2 diabetics. Material and Methods: Forty consecutive dentate type 2 diabetics attending their general practitioner for regular check-up, underwent full-mouth probing pocket depth and bleeding on probing assessment. From these data PISA was calculated. HbA1c levels were retrieved from patients' medical files. The dose,response relationship between PISA and HbA1c levels was assessed using multiple linear regression analyses, controlling for factors that might influence PISA or HbA1c levels. Results: The higher the PISA of type 2 diabetics was, the higher their HbA1c levels were. On a group level, an increase of PISA with 333 mm2 was associated with a 1.0 percentage point increase of HbA1c, independent of the influence of other factors. Conclusion: On a group level, there is a dose,response relationship between PISA and HbA1c in type 2 diabetics. This might be an indication of a causal relationship between type 2 diabetes and periodontitis. [source] Car ownership and welfare-to-workJOURNAL OF POLICY ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2002Paul M. Ong This study examines the role of car ownership in facilitating employment among recipients under the current welfare-to-work law. Because of a potential problem with simultaneity, the analysis uses predicted car ownership constructed from two instrumental variables, insurance premiums and population density for car ownership. The data come from a 1999,2000 survey of TANF recipients in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The empirical results show a significant independent contribution of car ownership on employment. The presence of an predicted ownership is associated with a 9 percentage point increase in the odds of being employed. Moreover, the results indicate that lowering insurance premiums by $100 can increase the odds of employment by 4 percentage points. © 2002 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management. [source] Don't Forget to Vote: Text Message Reminders as a Mobilization ToolAMERICAN JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2009Allison Dale Current explanations of effective voter mobilization strategies maintain that turnout increases only when a potential voter is persuaded to participate through increased social connectedness. The connectedness explanation does not take into account, however, that registered voters, by registering, have already signaled their interest in voting. The theory presented in this article predicts that impersonal, noticeable,messages can succeed in increasing the likelihood that a registered voter will turn out by reminding the recipient that Election Day is approaching. Text messaging is examined as an example of an impersonal, noticeable communication to potential voters. A nationwide field experiment (n = 8,053) in the 2006 election finds that text message reminders produce a statistically significant 3.0 percentage point increase in the likelihood of voting. While increasing social connectedness has been shown to positively affect voter turnout, the results of this study, in combination with empirical evidence from prior studies, suggest that connectedness is not a necessary condition for a successful mobilization campaign. For certain voters, a noticeable reminder is sufficient to drive them to the polls. [source] Racial Disparities in Emergency Department Length of Stay for Admitted Patients in the United StatesACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 5 2009Jesse M. Pines MD Abstract Objectives:, Recent studies have demonstrated the adverse effects of prolonged emergency department (ED) boarding times on outcomes. The authors sought to examine racial disparities across U.S. hospitals in ED length of stay (LOS) for admitted patients, which may serve as a proxy for boarding time in data sets where the actual time of admission is unavailable. Specifically, the study estimated both the within- and among-hospital effects of black versus non,black race on LOS for admitted patients. Methods:, The authors studied 14,516 intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU admissions in 408 EDs in the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS; 2003,2005). The main outcomes were ED LOS (triage to transfer to inpatient bed) and proportion of patients with prolonged LOS (>6 hours). The effects of black versus non,black race on LOS were decomposed to distinguish racial disparities between patients at the same hospital (within-hospital component) and between hospitals that serve higher proportions of black patients (among-hospital component). Results:, In the unadjusted analyses, ED LOS was significantly longer for black patients admitted to ICU beds (367 minutes vs. 290 minutes) and non-ICU beds (397 minutes vs. 345 minutes). For admissions to ICU beds, the within-hospital estimates suggested that blacks were at higher risk for ED LOS of >6 hours (odds ratio [OR] = 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01 to 2.01), while the among-hospital differences were not significant (OR = 1.08 for each 10% increase in the proportion of black patients, 95% CI = 0.96 to 1.23). By contrast, for non-ICU admissions, the within-hospital racial disparities were not significant (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.94 to 1.23), but the among-hospital differences were significant (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.22) per 10% point increase in the percentage of blacks admitted to a hospital. Conclusions:, Black patients who are admitted to the hospital through the ED have longer ED LOS compared to non,blacks, indicating that racial disparities may exist across U.S. hospitals. The disparity for non-ICU patients might be accounted for by among-hospital differences, where hospitals with a higher proportion of blacks have longer waits. The disparity for ICU patients is better explained by within-hospital differences, where blacks have longer wait times than non,blacks in the same hospital. However, there may be additional unmeasured clinical or socioeconomic factors that explain these results. [source] The impact of lower urinary tract symptoms and comorbidities on quality of life: the BACH and UREPIK studiesBJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2007Chris Robertson In a large epidemiological study, authors investigated the effect of LUTS on quality of life among various cultures. They showed a close association between the two, and that the effect of having moderate symptoms has a similar effect on quality of life as diabetes, hypertension or cancer, and that having severe symptoms had a similar effect as a heart attack or stroke. OBJECTIVES To investigate the effect of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on quality of life (QoL) and to determine its extent across a variety of cultures, and the confounding effects of self-reported comorbidities and demographics. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Data were obtained from two population-based studies in five cities: UREPIK (Boxmeer, the Netherlands; Auxerre, France; Birmingham, UK; and Seoul, Korea) and the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) study (Boston, USA). UREPIK used stratified random samples of men aged 40,79 years. BACH used a multistage stratified cluster sample to randomly select adults aged 40,79 years. QoL was assessed using a standard Medical Outcomes Study,Short Form 12 (SF-12, mental and physical health component scores); LUTS was assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). The association between QoL and IPSS, associated illnesses, and lifestyle factors was investigated using weighted regression. RESULTS The UREPIK studied 4800 men aged 40,79 years; BACH recruited 1686 men aged 40,79 years. The prevalence of LUTS, defined as an IPSS of ,8, varied by city (P < 0.001), with Auxerre reporting a prevalence (se) of 18.1 (1.2)%, Birmingham 25.6 (1.5)%, Boston 25.1 (1.6)%, Boxmeer 21.2 (1.3)%, and Seoul 19.0 (1.2)%. Overall, this was similar to the reported rate of high blood pressure. Severe LUTS, defined as an IPSS of ,20, affected , 3.3% of the age group; this was roughly similar to stroke (2.2%), cancer (4.5%), or heart attack (4.5%) and less than half as much as diabetes (8.6%). A 10-point increase in IPSS was associated with a 3.3 (0.3)-point reduction in SF-12 physical health component score, with the same effect in all cities (P = 0.682 for the interaction test). This was more than the physical health component score reduction caused by cancer, diabetes, or high blood pressure (2 points each), but less than stroke or heart attack (6 points). The comorbidities had no significant impact on SF-12 mental health component score (other than a heart attack, that had a 1.8-point reduction). A 10-point increase in IPSS was associated with a 3.4 (0.6)-point reduction of the mental health component score in the four western cities and a 1.4 (0.3)-point reduction in Seoul. CONCLUSIONS Increasingly severe LUTS is associated with a lower QoL. The effect of moderate LUTS on QoL physical health component score is similar to that of having diabetes, high blood pressure or cancer, while the effect of severe LUTS is similar to a heart attack or stroke. These changes were consistent across cultures. This analysis shows the magnitude and consistency of the effects of LUTS on QoL. While these patients might be seen by several types of practitioners, it is likely that urologists will be in the best position to recognize the true impact of LUTS on a patient's QoL, to be aware of the effects of therapies for LUTS on QoL, and to ensure that colleagues in other disciplines recognize the importance of these symptoms and their treatment. [source] Commodity trading advisors' leverage and reported margin-to-equity ratiosTHE JOURNAL OF FUTURES MARKETS, Issue 10 2003Fernando Diz We investigate the effect of leverage on Commodity Trading Advisors' (CTAs) performance measurement. We find that leverage has important effects on the cross section of CTA returns, volatility, and survival experience. On average, a 100-basis points increase in leverage is associated with a 27-basis points increase in returns. After performance is adjusted for leverage, volatility, and survival experience, CTAs' style variables have no significant effect on performance. The amount of leverage used by a CTA is found to reduce the likelihood of survival. However, the total effect of leverage on survival is much smaller than its partial effect. Contrary to common beliefs, we find that CTA diversification leads to higher levels of leverage and volatility. This apparent contradiction is related to how the diversification process affects the use of leverage. The findings in this study have implications for measuring and comparing managers' performance track records. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 23:1003,1017, 2003 [source] Global phase behavior of imidazolium ionic liquids and compressed 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a)AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 2 2009Wei Ren Abstract Novel processes involving ionic liquids with refrigerant gases have recently been developed. Here, the complete global phase behavior has been measured for the refrigerant gas, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a) and 1- n -alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium ionic liquids with the anions hexafluorophosphate [PF6], tetrafluoroborate [BF4] and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [Tf2N] from ,0°C to 105°C and to 33 MPa. All of the systems studied were Type V from the classification scheme of Scott-van Konynenburg with regions of vapor-liquid equilibrium, miscible/critical regions, vapor-liquid-liquid equilibrium, and upper and lower critical endpoints (UCEP and LCEP). The effect of the alkyl chain length has been investigated, for ethyl-([EMIm]), n -butyl-([BMIm]), and n -hexyl-([HMIm]). With increasing chain length, the temperature of the lower critical end points increases and pressure at the mixture critical points decrease. With a common cation, the temperature of the LCEP increased and the mixture critical point pressures decreased in the order of [BF4], [PF6], and [Tf2N]. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009 [source] Nonconvergence in the Variation of the Hedging Strategy of a European Call OptionMATHEMATICAL FINANCE, Issue 4 2003R. Th. In this paper we consider the variation of the hedging strategy of a European call option when the underlying asset follows a binomial tree. In a binomial tree model the hedging strategy of a European call option converges to a continuous process when the number of time points increases so that the price process of the underlying asset converges to a Brownian motion, the Bachelier model. However, the variation of the hedging strategy need not converge to the variation of the limit process. In fact, it is shown that the asymptotic variation of the hedging strategy may be of any order. [source] | |||||||||||||