A model for forecasting wheat production

A model for forecasting production of wheat considering the effects of irrigation, fertilizer application, high yielding varieties, rainfall, labour and farm machinery is derived. Applicabilitty of this model is tested for Indian conditions and is found satisfactory. Strength and limitations of this model can be applied successfully to other national conditions also. This model has been applied to the prediction of wheat production using two growth relations.     

An experimental evaluation of a proactive pastoral care initiative within an introductory university course

Improving student retention and academic performance is a key objective for higher education institutions, and finding effective interventions for assisting with at-risk students is therefore important. In this article, we evaluate a proactive pastoral care intervention that was trialled in an introductory economics course in New Zealand. We first identified students at high risk of failure, and then randomized these students into two treatment groups and a control group. The first treatment group received an email with information about academic support, while the second treatment group received the email as well as a personal telephone call to follow-up. In evaluating the impact of the intervention trial, we found that the first intervention did not significantly improve student outcomes, but the second intervention improved outcomes in one of the two semesters evaluated. Overall, the initiative was a qualified success. It is both simple and cost-effective and should be considered for wider implementation and further evaluation.     

Pressure ulcers and materiel management: cost-effective prevention and care

In summary, it's important for the materiel manager to have an understanding of the clinical aspects of pressure ulcers. By understanding how ulcers are staged, treated, and prevented, the materiel manager will have a better idea why certain products are needed and how they are used to reduce overall patient costs. Specialty beds, replacement mattresses, and high-end overlays represent a significant cost--approximately $500,000 to $1 million based on studies cited in this article. Further proven by research is the fact that these costs can be reduced by carrying out utilization plans with specific criteria for patient selection. Finally, materiel managers can be key coordinators in the entire process since they are often on the front lines in any institution's cost containment efforts.     

Het statistische verband tussen arbeidsproduktiviteit en produktie

The statistical relation between labour-productivity and production.
Rising labour productivity can be induced by increases in output, or result from "autonomous" factors. Many induced increases will be irreversible, in particular those associated with "learning" processes. Under conditions of continuous economic growth the learning curve hypothesis leads to a simple exponential relation between labour demand and output in the long run.
In the short run, current and past profits and the profitability of import substitution join output as explanatory factors of labour demand.
In the long run, the effect of growth of capital must be taken into account. Autonomous factors can be represented by an exponential trend. With United States data, increasing returns to scale are still found. Under conditions of a constant savings ratio and continuous population growth a production function, which takes account of all these factors, can be shown to be compatible with a constant labour-output elasticity, however.     

Are Chinese nationals’ attitudes to wildlife tourist attractions different from those of other nationalities?

Many wildlife tourist attractions (WTAs) have negative impacts on animal welfare and species conservation. In the absence of regulation, raising standards requires tourists to create market pressure by choosing to attend WTAs with benefits for wildlife. We surveyed respondents from five countries – China, Australia, Canada, UK, and USA – to quantify how attitudes to captive animals, and towards WTAs’ outputs and standards, may vary with nationality. Our aim was to provide a firm basis for behaviour change interventions to alter current patterns of tourist consumption of WTAs. All respondents agreed on the importance of conservation and animal welfare, but Chinese respondents were twice as likely to believe that WTAs would not be allowed to exist if they were bad for animals, and that WTAs’ promotional materials were reliable indicators of welfare and conservation standards. These findings indicate Chinese respondents had fundamentally similar attitudes to those from the other countries, but differed in how those attitudes were likely to be applied. Chinese tourists may experience more barriers to aligning their actions with their values with respect to WTAs. Removing these barriers may require information campaigns to highlight the lack of regulation, and the unreliability of some WTAs’ promotional materials and tourists’ reviews.