The effect of latency variables on repeated measures inference applied to the measurement of risk-taking as a function of psychopathy

In numerous psychology studies, subjects are asked to perform some task a number of times, T. The effect of the choice of T on the associated inference, however, is usually not assessed. We investigate the appropriate choice of T empirically by using data collected in a study on the relationship between psychopathy and risk-taking in 90 inner city drug users enrolled in a residential treatment program. We show that, when studying this relationship, the latency variable usually discarded from the analysis behaves exponentially allowing a natural division of the study period 1, . . . , T into two distinct subperiods. These subperiods yield significantly different results—in the early period only (which we call “reactive”), subjects with high psychopathy scores exhibit lower sensitivity to reward and punishment in our risk taking experiment. The later period (which we call “stable”) shows no relationship between sensitivity to reward and punishment and psychopathic tendencies.     

Are auction revenues affected by rising art buyers’ premia? The case of early American art

The steady rise in the premiums charged to art buyers at auction (above hammer price) has been underway since 1992. This article, using a stable and bounded sample of repeat purchase of American works created before 1950, reveals that this tact has reduced hammer prices for that art. However, renewed and hyper-competitive efforts to bring more and higher quality art to market by the two main houses, Sotheby’s and Christie’s, have resulted in general profitability. Nevertheless, we calculate that a rise in buyers’ premia at Sotheby’s, a publically traded company, has reduced revenues and profits below their potential in the absence of such increases.     

Smokeless tobacco,smoking cessation and harm reduction: an economic analysis

Good estimates place ‘hard core’ smoking rates in the United States at approximately 25%, with little change over the decade of the 1990s. This paper examines the possibilities of ‘harm reduction’ with the use of smokeless tobacco. Specifically, using an econometric model we seek to determine whether an increase in the use of smokeless tobacco would lead to reduced smoking rates in the United States. Applying our model to the NHANES III (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) we find that the use of smokeless tobacco by an average U.S. male smoker would increase the average probability of smoke cessation by over 10%. Approximately 3 million additional ‘quits’ would result for 26 million smokers. Our study permits an examination of cessation by age groups and we find that males who use smokeless tobacco between 16 and 65 have a 10–14% probability of quitting but that the probability falls beyond age 66. Important implications for life extension and health costs would attend these results with, under conservative assumptions, life years saved approximating 2.16 million and health care cost-savings of about $3 billion per year.     

CIO在PLM中的作用——帮助开发“一流的产品”以推动经济复苏

2010年第一季度的Aberdeen商业评论指出,产品生命周期管理(PLM)对业务连续性变得空前重要,并因而被迅速列入到CIO的战略性议事日程上。基于此,Aberdeen以160多家制造商为对象开展了一项调查研究。本文是该项研究的结果,它为CIO提供了切实可行的指导意见,可确保他们从PLM中充分挖掘业务价值。     

Hospital resource use of patients receiving isavuconazole vs voriconazole for invasive mold infections in the phase III SECURE trial

Objective: In the phase III SECURE trial, isavuconazole was non-inferior to voriconazole for all-cause mortality for the primary treatment of invasive mold disease (IMD) caused by Aspergillus spp. and other filamentous fungi. This analysis assessed whether hospital resource utilization was different between patients treated with isavuconazole vs voriconazole in SECURE. Methods: The analysis population comprised adults with proven/probable/possible IMD enrolled in SECURE. The primary endpoint was hospital length of stay (LOS) in the overall trial population. Patients were also stratified by estimated glomerular filtration rate-modification of diet in renal disease category (< 60?mL/min/1.73 m² [moderate-to-severe impairment] and ≥60?mL/min/1.73 m² [mild or no impairment]), body mass index (BMI; <25, ≥25–<30, and ≥30?kg/m²), and age (≤45, >45–≤65, and >65 years). Results: Data from 516 patients (258 per arm) were evaluated. Overall, median LOS was not statistically significantly different between the isavuconazole (15.0 days) and voriconazole (16.0 days; p?=?0.607) arms. Median LOS was statistically significantly shorter in patients with moderate-to-severe renal impairment treated with isavuconazole (9.0 days) vs voriconazole (19.0 days; hazard ratio [HR]: 3.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]?=?1.51–7.83). Median LOS was shorter, but not significantly, in patients with a BMI ≥30?kg/m² (isavuconazole 13.5 days vs voriconazole 22 days; HR?=?1.57; 95% CI?=?0.70–3.52) or aged >65 years (isavuconazole 15.0 days vs voriconazole 20.0 days; HR?=?1.37; 95% CI?=?0.87–2.16). Limitations: As the patient subgroups analyzed were small, sub-group findings should be interpreted with caution in light of the lack of statistical significance for each sub-group-by-treatment interaction. Conclusions: Isavuconazole may reduce hospital LOS in certain subgroups of patients with IMD, especially those with moderate-to-severe renal impairment.     

Attitudes about EU expansion and zero‐sum thinking

EU expansion can be seen as a positive‐sum process benefiting all countries by creating larger markets that stimulate more productive economies through increased specialization and economies of scale, implying that the general public in all countries should favour expansion. Contrarily, expansion can be perceived as zero‐sum. Capital and production relocate from higher to lower wage regions while labour does the opposite, possibly raising unemployment and reducing wages in the higher wage regions. The general public in these countries may come to oppose EU expansion attributing any deterioration in their work situation to the gains of new citizens of the European Union. Analysis of changes in Irish attitudes towards EU expansion in 2002, 2007 and 2009 finds no evidence of a link from lowered economic conditions to increased opposition to EU expansion. The only evidence for zero‐sum thinking is that diminished economic circumstances are associated with increased opposition to immigration, but this is not associated with increased opposition to further EU expansion.     

Endogenous Games and Mechanisms: Side Payments Among Players

We characterize the outcomes of games when players may make binding offers of strategy contingent side payments before the game is played. This does not always lead to efficient outcomes, despite complete information and costless contracting. The characterizations are illustrated in a series of examples, including voluntary contribution public good games, Cournot and Bertrand oligopoly, principal–agent problems, and commons games, among others.     

Cost of hospital care for elderly at risk of falling

The variables that relate to cost of hospital care for a large sample of elderly patients at risk for falling are examined. The chief predictors of cost of hospitalization were medical, pharmacy, and nursing interventions. Use of nursing interventions, on average, raised the median hospital cost less than use of medical or pharmacy interventions. Using a standardized nursing language with the hospital's information system can provide nurses with information that demonstrates the cost effectiveness of their interventions.