The United States as a Coastal Nation

US economic activity is overwhelmingly concentrated at its ocean and Great Lakes coasts, reflecting a large contribution from coastal proximity to productivity and quality of life. Extensively controlling for correlated natural attributes and initial conditions decisively rejects that the coastal concentration of economic activity is spurious or just derives from historical forces long since dissipated. Measuring proximity based on coastal attributes that contribute to either productivity or quality of life, but not to both, suggests that the coastal concentration derives primarily from a productivity effect but also, increasingly, from a quality of life effect.     

The earnings effects of health and health-related activities: a panel data approach

We investigate the effects of health and health-related habits on earnings in China using panel data to control for unobserved heterogeneity related to individual traits and job characteristics. Health-related habits include smoking cigarettes, drinking tea, frequency of drinking alcohol and physical exercising. We find a significant and large impact of health status on earnings, controlling for schooling, experience and the unobserved individual heterogeneity and job heterogeneity. We also find that smoking has a strong negative effect on earnings net of health status, while the estimated effects of other health-related activities are statistically insignificant.     

The earnings of Mexican immigrants in the United States

"This paper documents the trends in the earnings of Mexican immigrants during the 1970-1990 period. The empirical evidence indicates that there has been a decline in the relative wage of successive Mexican immigrant waves in the past three decades and that little wage convergence occurs between the typical Mexican immigrant and the typical native worker. The data also suggest that the increasing importance of Mexican immigration is partly responsible for the deterioration in relative skills observed in the aggregate immigrant population, but that there has also been a decline in relative skills even among non-Mexican immigrants."     

The impact of job mobility on earnings growth of migrant workers in urban China

Using survey data on migrant workers in urban China, this paper carries out a positive study on the impact of inner-industrial and inter-industrial job shifts on earnings growth of migrant workers. Results show that low human capital, low employment grades and low income are the most important reasons for migrant workers to switch jobs. The migrant workers who are young, unmarried new entrants with low level of education, no training and low income tend to change their jobs within the industry. And those who have high income and who find their jobs by themselves are more likely to switch jobs inter-industrially. Inner-industrial job switches have a significant positive impact on earnings growth of low-income migrant workers and a significant negative one on that of high-income migrant workers. Moreover, inter-industrial shifts have a significant negative impact on earnings growth of migrant workers of all income levels. The inner cause for the positive effect of inner-industrial shifts lie in the fact that the cumulative effect of years of service within enterprises is not obvious while continuing engagement in the same type of job within an industry will lead to accumulation of qualifications, which has a significant augmentation effect on earnings of migrant workers.     

Health Selection and the Effect of Smoking on Mortality

We show that individuals who are in poorer health, independently from smoking, are more likely to start smoking and to smoke more cigarettes than those with better non‐smoking‐related health. We present evidence of selection, relying on extensive data on morbidity and mortality. We show that health‐based selection into smoking has increased over the last 50 years with knowledge of its health effects. We show that the effect of smoking on mortality is greater for more highly educated individuals and for individuals in good non‐smoking‐related health.     

美国自华进口对其经济增长的影响

本文利用协整分析与Granger因果检验方法,对美国自华进口对美国经济增长影响进行了实证研究。研究认为,美国GDP增长与美国自华制成品进口间呈反向长期均衡关系,与自华初级产品进口问则没有这种均衡关系,但美国自华制成品进口不是引致美国GDP下降的原因。美国不应将其经济增长趋缓或下降归咎于中国,中国也应通过扩大进口缓解当前的国内流动性过剩。     

抚养负担、居民健康与经济增长——影响我国县市经济发展的人口特征因素

文章在扩展经济趋同理论研究框架的基础上,建立了抚养负担影响经济增长的可识别方程,并利用2000-2007年我国县级层面数据进行了实证检验,研究发现:老年和少儿抚养负担的加重对经济增长均有非常显著的负向影响,并且前者的影响更大;居民健康水平对经济增长有非常显著的正向影响;选择更为合理的衡量居民健康水平的指标对正确识别健康与抚养负担对经济增长的真实影响非常重要。文章指出,随着我国人口老龄化趋势的加快,伴随人口生育水平下降的少儿抚养负担的减轻和居民健康水平的改进可能仍不足以抵消老年抚养负担加重对经济增长的负向影响。     

影响中国税收增长率变动的经济因素分析——基于1978-2006年中国税收收入时间序列数据

近年来,中国税收呈现高增长态势。税收增长率远超经济增长率,税收高速增长以及税收结构不合理在一定程度上抑制了消费增长。然而,影响税收增长率变动的经济因素是多元的,主要受到经济增长水平、价格水平等影响。实证分析表明,经济波动决定税收增长率的变动,经济波动与税收增长率变动存在长期均衡变动关系,价格对税收增长率也有较大影响。     

我国微利上市公司盈余管理方式研究

基于我国资本市场“微利现象”,以1998-2009年沪深两市A股非金融类上市公司为样本,采用独立样本T检验和多元回归分析方法,研究微利上市公司的盈余管理方式。研究表明：微利上市公司同时存在应计盈余管理和真实活动盈余管理两种方式,并且真实活动盈余管理是微利公司调增利润的主要手段,微利公司的总体真实活动盈余管理程度比非微利公司平均高3％或4．6％,而应计盈余管理程度平均只高1．5％,为我国资本市场真实活动盈余管理的存在性提供了新的经验证据。     

Impact of income tax on happiness: evidence from the United States

The present work considers the level of demonstrated happiness and unhappiness within groups, the latter measured by the conditional probability of suicide within groups facing an income tax rate and those without. Using US data for the year 2004, our results show that individuals have lower rates of suicide or are ‘happy’ when they do not pay income taxes than those who pay.     

The impact of job mobility on earnings: using occupational and industrial classifications to identify job changes

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median number of years that a US worker has been with their current employer is 4.4 years. Although many job changes may not be classified as ‘career changes,’ any type of job change may have an impact on a person’s future earnings. In the present study, the following three types of job changes are examined in order to determine which ones result in higher incomes: a change in occupational status; a change in industry; or a change in both. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY), a log-linear wage regression with a correction for self-selection is estimated. Results suggest that changing jobs within the same industry or within the same occupation both increase a person’s income. However, a job change that is characterized by both a change in industry and occupation reduces a person’s income. The present study is one of the few studies to examine the effects of job mobility on earnings when mobility is defined in the context of changes in occupational and/or industrial classification.     

A weighty issue revisited: the dynamic effect of body weight on earnings and satisfaction in Germany

We estimate the relationship between changes in the body mass index (bmi) and wages or satisfaction, respectively, in a panel of German employees. In contrast to previous findings, our dynamic models indicate an inverse u-shaped association between bmi and wages. As the implied maximum occurs in the ‘overweight’ category, the positive trend in weight may not yet constitute a major limitation to productivity. Further investigation points out a stronger association among young workers and workers with jobs that are less protected. Work satisfaction of young workers is associated with bmi beyond the effect of earnings.     

资源税改革的有效性分析——基于新制度经济学的视角

用新制度经济学的分析方法,首先,对资源大省产生问题的原因进行分析。其次,介绍了资源税的改革方向与好坏的判定标准。最后,对资源税的实施效果进行了预测并提出了解决资源地区问题的解。     

Burden of illness for patients with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease and anemia in the United States: review of the literature

Objective: To assess the health-related quality of life (HRQL) and economic burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) related anemia in non-dialysis patients in the United States (US) via literature review.

Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PROQOLID, and Cochrane Library/Renal Group Resources were searched. Studies were appraised for patient populations, disease-specific versus generic HRQL assessments, and type and magnitude of health-related costs.

Results: The treatment costs for CKD patients with anemia compared to those without anemia were significantly higher and were blunted but persistent after controlling for comorbidities and confounders. Intervention with erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA) decreased anemia and avoided hospital admissions. Costs were higher when anemia was poorly controlled or untreated. HRQL burden was mainly due to physical limitations and difficulty in ability to perform activities of daily living. Significant positive correlations between increases in hemoglobin levels and HRQL measures were reported.

Conclusions: Although evidence is limited, the economic and HRQL burden of non-dialysis CKD-related anemia is substantial. Under-treatment of anemia may contribute to higher resource consumption and higher costs; however, patient co-morbidities, use of erythropoietin-stimulating agents, and overall management introduce potential confounds. The contribution of anemia to humanistic disease burden is due to a constellation of factors, including physical activity and functional status.     

美国区域产业调节法律制度构建与启示

文章对美国区域产业调节法律制度的历史变迁及主要内容进行了考察,分析了美国构建区域产业调节法律制度以促进区域经济协调的主要措施与成功经验。通过历史分析、规范分析等方法,研究了美国通过设立综合性区域产业调节机构,创立促进西部地区产业结构升级机制,建立倾斜支持区域农业发展机制,健全区域产业调节工具协调机制以构建区域产业调节法律制度,规范政府区域产业调节行为,促进市场机制和政府调节机制协同运作的基本做法。研究表明,美国的相关成功经验对我国区域产业调节法律制度合理处理市场调节与政府调节机制之间的关系,建立综合性的区域调节机构,明确区域产业调节作用的重点,建立完整的区域产业调节制度体系等方面具有重要的启示与借鉴作用。     

The effect of computer use on earnings in Italy

This paper studies the effect of computer use on earnings among a cohort of recent Italian high school graduates. The IV and Heckman techniques are used in order to control for endogeneity of computer use. Results show that the wage premium associated with computer use disappears once selection into computer use is accounted for. On the other hand, using the computer to perform a number of specific tasks leads to higher earnings. It is therefore suggested that not all individuals who use a computer at work receive a wage premium, but only those possessing complementary computer skills such as communication, networking and problem solving abilities.      

The healthy development of economies: A strategic framework for competitiveness in the health industry

Applying a strategic decision-making perspective on the economics of business, we suggest that a competitive locality in the health industry is one that, relative to other localities, is effective in: (1) providing the healthcare that enables everyone to participate fully in the democratic development of the locality; (2) providing the healthcare that is democratically identified as a direct objective of this development; (3) contributing through the health industry to any other democratically determined objectives of the locality's development. The paper hypothesizes that strategic decision-making in organizations is an especially significant determinant of the impacts of the health industry. We conclude that: (i) a locality that suffers concentration in the power to determine the objectives of its health industry could not be strictly competitive in that industry; (ii) the first best way to achieve competitiveness in the health industry would be to democratize its strategic decision-making. What this would entail in practice is discussed in some detail.     

The burden of illness of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) in the United States: a retrospective analysis of electronic health records

Objectives: Hepatorenal Syndrome (HRS) is characterized by renal failure in patients with advanced chronic liver disease (CLD) and is the leading cause of hospitalizations in CLD. This study examines the clinical and economic burden, outcomes, and unmet need of HRS treatment in US hospitals.

Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted based on a large electronic health records database (Cerner HealthFacts) with records for hospitalized HRS patients from January 2009–June 2015. Demographics, clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and economic outcomes were analyzed. Prognostic indicators of cirrhosis, kidney injury, end-stage liver disease, and acute-on-chronic liver failure were used to determine mortality risk.

Results: A total of 2,542 patients hospitalized with HRS were identified (average age = 57.9 years, 61.8% males, 74.2% Caucasian), with an average total hospital charge of $91,504 per patient and a mean length of stay (LOS) of 30.5?days. The mortality rate was 36.9% with 8.9% of patients discharged to hospice. Of all patients, 1,660 patients had acute kidney injury, 859 with Stage 3 disease, and 26.7% had dialysis. The 30-day readmission rate was 33.1%, 41% of which were unplanned. Nearly one-third of study patients had commercial insurance (30.2%), followed by Medicare (29.9%); hospital charges varied by LOS, receipt of dialysis, and discharge status. Regression analysis demonstrated that HRS costs are associated with LOS, dialysis, and hospital mortality.

Conclusion: HRS is associated with poor outcomes and high hospital costs. Analysis of HRS cost drivers demonstrated an unmet need for additional treatment options to improve outcomes in this patient population.     

中国老年人口的自理预期寿命变动——二元结构下的城乡差异分析

基于2005年"小普查"及2010年"六普"的主要汇总数据,利用生命表技术及Sullivan法,分析了城镇与农村老年人口预期寿命、自理预期寿命,及其差异的变化。城镇老年人口预期寿命及自理预期寿命均高于农村,而且随着年龄的提高,预期寿命与自理预期寿命的城乡差异呈缩减趋势。5年间老年人口自理预期寿命占余寿的比重呈上升趋势,而且农村该比重的上升幅度高于城镇。