Sustainability of nations by indices: Comparative study between environmental sustainability index, ecological footprint and the emergy performance indices

The present work makes a comparison between the two most used environmental sustainability indices of nations: “ecological footprint” and “environmental sustainability index”, with two emergy ratios (renewability and emergy sustainability index). All of them are gaining space within the scientific community and government officials. Despite the efforts for obtaining an index that adequately represents the sustainability of a region, according to the result of this research, nowadays there is not yet a completely satisfactory index. We consider that all of them need to be improved, but the results point out the possibility of obtaining one better index of sustainability through the junction of ecological footprint with renewability emergy index.     

Invariance, price indices and estimation in almost ideal demand systems

Two issues are addressed in this paper. First, we explore the issue of price index invariance in the linearized Almost Ideal demand system. We establish that the Stone index, which lacks invariance, and the recently proposed invariant Laspeyres, Paasche and Tornqvist indices all generate biased and inconsistent estimators. Monte Carlo evidence shows that invariance does not necessarily lead to better estimates of price and income elasticities insofar as the Stone and Paasche indices are unambiguously inferior to the Laspeyres and Tornqvist indices, especially if prices are not strongly positively correlated. Second, we examine the merits of the widely used conditional ML estimator of the non-linear Almost Ideal system in which a prior value is chosen for the “subsistence” parameter. We find that the bias and trace mean square error increases induced by conditional estimation are modest. The choice between the linearized and the non-linear models favors the latter although in some cases linear methods are as good as non-linear. First Version Received: January 1999 / Final Version Received: March 2000     

Malmquist indices of productivity change in Portuguese banking: The deregulation period

This paper will evaluate productivity change in Portuguese banking using the Malmquist productivity index. The results show that between 1990 and 1997, banks in Portugal witnessed increased productivity and strong technological progress. Both small and large banks experienced higher productivity and technological change scores, while mid-sized institutions are putting more effort into catching-up policies. Rural banks have experienced strong productivity growth and are catching up with the best practices but lower levels of technological change. Urban banks show higher productivity growth and technological change levels. Government-owned banks have experienced lower levels of productivity change. Finally, the asset per employee ratio shows a positive correlation with the productivity scores, suggesting that this simple index is a good proxy for productivity.     

ARDL panel estimation of stock market indices and macroeconomic environment of CEE and SEE countries in the last decade of transition

We tested the hypothesis of the procyclicality of stock exchanges regarding the economic activity of CEE and SEE countries, to measure the level of financial integration during the last decade of the transition period, and to compare these two groups of emerging countries. Our ARDL panel estimates support the hypothesis of procyclicality in the transition period in the CEE and SEE regions, and further financial integration, due to the opening up of the market economy and repricing of systematic risk, followed by large capital inflows, trade liberalization and industrial production, along with the implementation of institutional reforms regarding EU integration. In addition, the significant positive coefficient of capital inflows and negative coefficient of unemployment rate in the CEE and SEE panel ARDL results confirm the volatility of the transition process, as is obvious in higher industrial production, followed by the significant impact of import on CEE countries and the much higher significant impact of export on SEE countries.     

Communication and coordination in the laboratory collective resistance game

This paper presents a laboratory collective resistance (CR) game to study how different forms of non-binding communication among responders can help coordinate their collective resistance against a leader who transgresses against them. Contrary to the predictions of analysis based on purely self-regarding preferences, we find that non-binding communication about intended resistance increases the incidence of no transgression even in the one-shot laboratory CR game. In particular, we find that the incidence of no transgression increases from 7 percent with no communication up to 25–37 percent depending on whether communication occurs before or after the leader’s transgression decision. Responders’ messages are different when the leaders can observe them, and the leaders use the observed messages to target specific responders for transgression.

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Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article () contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.      

On comparisons of normal and logistic models in the bivariate dichotomous analysis

In discriminating between normal and logistic models in the analysis of bivariate dichotomous dependent variables, Cox-type statistics have been proposed; however we point out that there are cases in which the two models are either statistically equivalent or nested and Cox-type statistics are not suitable for use.     

Demand system estimation in the absence of price data: an application of Stone-Lewbel price indices

This article evaluates the feasibility of estimating a system of demand equations in the absence of price information using the approach developed by Lewbel (1989). Stone-Lewbel (SL) price indices for commodity groups are constructed using information on the budget shares and the Consumer Price Indices (CPIs) of the goods comprising the commodity groups, which allows for household-level prices to be recovered. This study evaluates how susceptible are elasticities and marginal effects estimates from traditional parametric demand systems to the CPI used in the construction of the SL prices. To do this, three alternative regional CPIs are considered for the construction of the SL prices: monthly, quarterly and a constant (unity) price index. Elasticities and marginal effect estimates are computed for eight food commodity groups using the Exact Affine Stone Index (EASI) model as the parametric demand system and data from the United States Consumer Expenditure Survey. The estimates proved to be robust to the alternative regional CPIs considered in the construction of SL price indices, even to the absence of one. Hence, the results suggest that it is possible to accurately estimate a demand system even in the absence of price information.     

Cost effectiveness of oseltamivir for the treatment of influenza in adults,adolescents and children in Finland

Summary

The objective of this study was to perform an economic assessment of the use of oseltamivir, compared with usual care, for the treatment of patients presenting with influenza-like illness in Finland. Three patient subpopulations were distinguished: (i) otherwise healthy adults; (ii) patients at risk; and (iii) children. The analyses were based on a decision analytic model populated with data specific for Finland and using first- and second-order Monte Carlo simulations. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the impact of uncertainty regarding the most appropriate value for the variables and to derive cost-effectiveness acceptability curves in order to summarise the results. From a societal perspective, oseltamivir treatment was found to reduce costs in all groups. From a healthcare payer's perspective, improvements in outcomes were obtained at relatively modest incremental costs. The estimated incremental cost per day of normal activity gained was €27 in healthy adults, €8 in elderly and at-risk patients, and €14 in children.     

A history of resistance to privatization in Russia

We investigate the connection between privatization in post-communist Russia and a mass privatization reform in Imperial Russia, the 1906 Stolypin land reform. Specifically, we relate historical measures of conflicts associated with the Stolypin reform to contemporary views on whether the privatization of the 1990s should be revised. These historical measures could influence contemporary views in two ways: first, differences in privatization-related conflicts in the past could have directly altered attitudes towards privatization in the 1990s and, second, these differences could merely reflect pre-determined dissimilarities in preferences. We first show that historical measures of resistance to privatization are associated with views that favor state ownership. One standard deviation increase in the historical resistance to privatization explains a quarter of the negative sentiment toward private property today. We also find that negative experiences with the Stolypin reform are associated with views on the procedural unfairness of modern privatization reforms, suggesting that pre-determined preferences cannot fully explain the weight of history.     

The role of news-based uncertainty indices in predicting oil markets: a hybrid nonparametric quantile causality method

A recent strand in the literature emphasizes the role of news-based economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and equity market uncertainty (EMU) as drivers of oil price movements. Against this backdrop, this paper uses a kth-order nonparametric quantile causality test, to analyse whether EPU and EMU predict stock returns and volatility. Based on daily data covering the period of 2 January 1986 to 8 December 2014, we find that, for oil returns, EPU and EMU have strong predictive power over the entire distribution barring regions around the median, but for volatility, the predictability virtually covers the entire distribution, with some exceptions in the tails. In other words, predictability based on measures of uncertainty is asymmetric over the distribution of oil returns and its volatility.     

Origins of reform resistance and the Southern European regime

With a particular interest for Southern Europe, this contribution develops a classification of obstacles to economic policy reforms. This classification covers approaches ranging from classical economics and political-economic explanations to more innovative explanations linked to behavioral economics. The subsequent part analyzes qualitatively and quantitatively to which extent the “Southern European regime” may imply a particular relevance of some of the potential reform obstacles classified before. We derive “reform ability profiles” which quantify several of the reform obstacles (or reform drivers) to compare EU countries in their likely reform predisposition. These profiles confirm particular Southern European weaknesses which tend to reduce the political-economic feasibility of long-term reforms: a low effectiveness in poverty protection, high intertemporal discounting and uncertainty avoidance, a poor information level of the population and deeply shattered trust in national institutions. In a microeconometric analysis based on Eurobarometer survey data, the analysis leaves the highly aggregated level and looks into the individual heterogeneity in reform acceptance. It is shown that several of the reform obstacles identified in theory are also empirically correlated with the individual inclination to accept reforms.     

关于中国人民银行独立性的研究--来自独立性指数和政策反应函数的证据

本文的目的在于 :(1 )根据GMT和CWN的方法 ,将中国人民银行有关法律指数化 ,并通过独立性指数的纵向和跨国家比较来分析中国人民银行在法律层面上的独立性变化和独立性程度 ;(2 )构建中国人民银行政策反应函数 (policyreactionfunction) ,并通过政策工具变量 (instrumentvariables)和政治事件虚拟变量 (dummyvariables)的变化来反映中国人民银行的实际独立性。     

Cost-effectiveness analysis of quadrivalent influenza vaccination in at-risk adults and the elderly: an updated analysis in the UK

Abstract

Objective:

To update an earlier evaluation estimating the cost-effectiveness of quadrivalent influenza vaccination (QIV) compared with trivalent influenza vaccination (TIV) in the adult population currently recommended for influenza vaccination in the UK (all people aged ≥65 years and people aged 18–64 years with clinical risk conditions).     

Sustainable food consumption among young adults in Belgium: Theory of planned behaviour and the role of confidence and values

This study investigates determinants of sustainable food consumer behaviour in Belgium. To gain a better insight in sustainable consumption, a study was conducted in which attitudes and behaviour as well as the role of individual characteristics like confidence and values related to sustainable products are analyzed. The focus of the analysis is on exploring the influence of determinants as hypothesised by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) - attitudes, perceived behavioural control, social norms - on sustainable consumption intention in general, and specifically depending on consumer's perceived confidence and personal values. The empirical research builds on a survey with a sample of 456 young adults using a questionnaire and showing an advertisement for hypothetical sustainable dairy products. Stepwise multiple regression models showed that 50% of the variance in intention to consume sustainable dairy was explained by the combination of personal attitudes, perceived social influences, perceived consumer effectiveness and perceived availability. In addition, different levels of confidence and value orientation yield different strengths of the determinants. The findings yield public policy and marketing recommendations for stimulating sustainable food consumption among young adults.     

农村全面小康社会建设进程监测指标与方法完善探讨

本文在正确理解农村全面小康社会内涵和借鉴吸收前人研究成果的基础上，重新构建了一套农村全面小康社会建设监测指标体系和监测方法,     

析《红字》中海斯特的反抗精神

《红字》是一部有关反叛女性——海斯特的小说。《红字》通过对女主人公海斯特悲惨生活的描写,再现了十七世纪美国清教社会中妇女的处境,展现了海斯特在与命运的抗争中流露的反抗精神。     

A retrospective study to assess the epidemiological and economic burden of pneumococcal diseases in adults aged 50 years and older in Taiwan

Objective:

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and pneumococcal pneumonia cause substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. This retrospective study was conducted to estimate the disease burden from pneumococcal disease in older adults in Taiwan from a health insurer’s perspective.

Methods:

Data for the years 2002–2009 from patients aged ≥50 years with insurance records indicating pneumococcal meningitis, pneumococcal bacteremia, or hospitalized or outpatient pneumonia were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Admission data for inpatients, visit data for outpatients, and associated costs were extracted from the database to estimate the incidence, case fatality rates, and direct and indirect costs of pneumococcal disease episodes. These data were applied to the estimated population of Taiwan in 2010 to provide an estimated disease burden for a single year from the payer perspective.

Results:

The average incidence per 100,000 person years was 2.4 for IPD, 278.8 for hospitalized pneumococcal pneumonia, and 1376.4 for outpatient pneumococcal pneumonia. The average case fatality rate was 12.3% for IPD and 10.0% for hospitalized pneumonia. Hospitalized pneumonia accounted for over 90% of direct medical costs. The incidence of hospitalized pneumococcal pneumonia per 100,000 person years was 84.4 for adults of 50–64 years, 313.1 for adults of 65–74 years, 820.3 for adults of 75–84 years, and 1650.9 for adults of 85+ year of age. In 2010, it was estimated there were over 113,000 episodes of pneumococcal disease, causing almost 2000 deaths, with direct medical costs of more than NT$3.4 billion annually.

Conclusions:

Pneumococcal disease is a significant cause of mortality and excess healthcare expense among the elderly in Taiwan. Disease burden in older adults increases with advancing age.     

Equilibrium play and best response to (stated) beliefs in normal form games

We report experimental results on a series of ten one-shot two-person 3×3 normal form games with unique equilibrium in pure strategies played by non-economists. In contrast to previous experiments in which game theory predictions fail dramatically, a majority of actions taken coincided with the equilibrium prediction (70.2%) and were best-responses to subjects' stated beliefs (67.2%). In constant-sum games, 78% of actions taken were predicted by the equilibrium model, outperforming simple K-level reasoning models. We discuss how non-trivial game characteristics related to risk aversion, efficiency concerns and social preferences may affect the predictive value of different models in simple normal form games.