Repeated measures and longitudinal data analysis using higher‐order entropies

This paper implements the generalized maximum entropy (GME) method in longitudinal data setup to investigate the regression para meters and correlation among the repeated measurements. We derive the GME system using Shannon classical entropy as well as some higher‐order entropies assuming an autoregressive correlation structure. This method is illustrated using two simulated examples to study the effect of changing the support range and compare the performance of the GME approach with the classical estimation methods.     

Does terrorism reduce life satisfaction?

We study the effect of terrorism on life satisfaction for a sample of 81 countries over the 1994–2009 period. We find that terrorism is robustly associated with less life satisfaction. This effect, however, translates into only modest social costs.     

Sanctions and the shadow economy: empirical evidence from Iranian provinces

Using Iranian province level data from 2001 to 2013, this study finds that the international sanctions of 2012/2013 had a significantly stronger negative impact on the growth rate of the shadow economy than they did on the official GDP growth rate. Thus, the international sanctions on Iran have damaged the informal economy even more than the formal economy.     

Cost-effectiveness of alemtuzumab and natalizumab for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis treatment in Iran: decision analysis based on an indirect comparison

Background: Alemtuzumab and natalizumab are approved as second-line therapies for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients in Iran who have shown an inadequate response to other disease-modifying therapy (DMT). In the absence of head-to-head trials, evaluations based on decision analytic modeling may be a suitable alternative to compare alemtuzumab and natalizumab in RRMS.

Purpose: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of alemtuzumab compared with natalizumab in RRMS in Iran, based on an indirect comparison of clinical trial data.

Methods: A cost-utility analysis was conducted using a cohort-based Markov model to analyze cost-utility in a cohort of 1,000 RRMS patients treated with alemtuzumab or natalizumab who had failed at least one previous DMT. Costs were measured in 2018?US Dollars, and were estimated from both the societal and National Healthcare Service (NHS) perspective over a 20-year time horizon in Iran. One-way deterministic sensitivity analyses were carried out to investigate the impact of individual variables on model results.

Results: Alemtuzumab dominated natalizumab in both NHS and societal perspective analyses. From the NHS perspective, the total discounted costs per patient were estimated at $147,417 and $150,579 for alemtuzumab and natalizumab, respectively, over 20 years. The discounted quality-adjusted life years were estimated to be 7.07 and 6.05, respectively. Results were similar for the societal perspective analysis. Results were most sensitive to acquisition costs and the time horizon, while no sensitivity was observed for Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) health-states utility, relapse relative risk, adverse event or EDSS-related costs, and laboratory/monitoring costs.

Conclusion: Alemtuzumab was dominant in the treatment of RRMS compared with natalizumab due to lower total cost, greater efficacy and slowing of disease progression, and lower rate of relapses over a 20-year time horizon in Iran. Comparative head-to-head trials and long-term follow-up are needed to confirm these results.     

Entrepreneurial,market, learning and networking orientations as determinants of business capability and international performance: the contingent role of government support

International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal - This study presents a business capability model that connects strategic orientations, business capability, government support, and...     

Applied linguistics research in three decades: a methodological synthesis of graduate theses in an EFL context

Quality & Quantity - The recent years have witnessed an increasing awareness in methodological issues in the field of applied linguistics, which brought about what Byrnes (Mod Lang J...     

Board gender diversity and transparency of environmental,social and governance disclosure: Evidence from Malaysia

This study aims to investigate the effect of board gender diversity on the transparency of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosures in an emerging market such as Malaysia. Dataset is comprised of 568 firm-year observations from 78 firms listed on the Bursa Malaysia. Ordinary least squares regression analysis of the data shows that ESG disclosure scores are significantly improved with the increasing presence of women directors on corporate boards. However, when the individual components are studied, the impact of board gender diversity varies. This study contributes to the limited but growing literature on ESG reporting quality and board gender diversity especially in emerging economies.     

Is ‘no news’ really ‘good news’? Country visibility and FDI location choice

In choosing where to invest, firms seek out information on a set of possible locations. Information asymmetries may make country visibility particularly important in decisions to locate investment abroad. We develop a country visibility index based on international news stories in The Economist, and show that broad country visibility is at least as important in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) as other specific investment promotion activities or proxies for information frictions. Controlling for standard gravity model determinants of FDI, we find that greater visibility of developing countries, in particular lower middle- and low-income countries, increases the investment that they receive from US multinational corporations.     

Trends and projections for Bangladeshi food production : An alternative viewpoint

This article analyses growth in Bangladeshi food production and yields, by reviewing past evidence and critically examining the contribution of James K. Boyce. General statistical evidence is considered on whether the past growth rate is being sustained; the evidence suggests that past growth is unlikely to continue. Data from a recent field survey in two different areas of Bangladesh add weight to this view. On both ecological and economic grounds, it seems likely that Bangladesh's ability to feed its population will continue to decline.