The impact of the SARS outbreak on Taiwanese hotel stock performance: An event-study approach

The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 weakened the Taiwanese economy. The tourism industry suffered the most, experiencing the highest stock price decline (approximately 29 percent) within a month of the SARS outbreak. This research examined the effect of the SARS epidemic on Taiwanese hotel stock price movements using an event-study approach. Seven publicly traded hotel companies experienced steep declines in earnings and stock price during the SARS outbreak period. On and after the day of the SARS outbreak, Taiwanese hotel stocks showed significantly negative cumulative mean abnormal returns, indicating a significant impact of the SARS outbreak on hotel stock performance. Empirical findings could be used to prepare businesses for the similar epidemics, such as a deadly bird-flu epidemic.     

Endogenizing the Planning Horizon in Urban fringe agriculture

To evaluate the nature of farm operation longevity in urban fringe agriculture, this paper develops a model that endogenizes planning horizon and estimates an empirical model whereby anticipated longevity in farming is regressed against farm, farmer, regulatory and land market related variables. The results suggest that the length of the planning horizon is directly related to farm profitability and confirm the impermanence syndrome hypothesis that land values are inversely related to the planning horizon. Contrary to farmers’ claims that periodic land disposal provides an internal source of credit to support long-term viability, the disposition of portions of the farmland is found to shorten the planning horizon. Innovative farmers are found to have longer planning horizons while experiences with Right-to-Farm conflicts are found to result in decreased planning horizon. Given the expected continual increase in land values and the growing physical closeness of farmers to their non-farm neighbors, significant concerns remain about the long-term survivability of urban fringe farmers. This study suggests the importance of considering farmers’ planning horizon as a key component in farmland retention programs.     

Are employees more committed and willing to accept critical assignments during a crisis? A study of organizational commitment,professional commitment and willingness to care during the SARS outbreak in Taiwan

Few researches were involved in investigating the factors of commitment affecting employees' willingness to take critical assignment during a crisis. The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) event provided as a good arena for crisis research. The study focused on the impact of crisis on the employees' willingness to accept critical assignments and the influencing factors of their willingness. This empirical study of willingness is captured by comparing the nurses' willingness to take care of SARS patients during and after 2 years of SARS outbreak and investigating organizational commitment (OC) and professional commitment (PC) as the determinants of their willingness to care under SARS outbreak. Registered nurses were surveyed during (2003) and after (2005) the SARS outbreak. The results showed that crisis does not affect a change on employees' willingness to accept critical assigned jobs. However, the nurses had higher level of desire to stay at the job and lower level of professional identification during the SARS crisis. The determinants of the nurses' willingness to care for SARS patients with pooling data were organizational identification, and particularly willingness to work in extra efforts. To enhance employees' willingness to accept critical assignments during a crisis, improving their level of OC and PC is a direction for the management to work on.     

Clopidogrel: a pharmacoeconomic review

Summary

Recent randomised, prospective studies have demonstrated the clinical efficacy and safety of clopidogrel in the treatment of patients with acute coronary syndromes, including those treated with primary percutaneous intervention. In these settings clopidogrel decreased the risk of atherothrombotic events by 20–30%.

The use of clopidogrel instead of aspirin, for secondary prevention in patients with stable cardiovascular disease, results in a modest 8.7% relative risk reduction. However, clinical trial failed to show benefit in patients treated with clopidogrel added to aspirin in this population.

Economic analyses conducted in the US and Europe demonstrated the cost effectiveness of clopidogrel in combination with aspirin in patients with acute coronary syndromes, and showed a favourable economic profile for clopidogrel compared with other cardiovascular interventions. On the other hand, the data for the use of clopidogrel in patients with stable cardiovascular disease either alone or in combination with aspirin is not as compelling.     

Costs of bleeds relating to acute coronary syndrome therapies

Objective: To estimate the costs to manage selected types of bleeding complications in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) treated with antithrombotics, including antiplatelet, and fibrinolytic therapies: decrease in haemoglobin >3 g/dL, puncture site, and bleeding requiring transfusion of blood products.

Methods: Retrospective chart reviews of ACS patients experiencing decrease in Hb, puncture site, or bleeding requiring transfusion were conducted in hospitals in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden to determine the total length of stay (LOS), stay post-bleeding, procedures to identify the extent of bleeding, number and types of transfusion products, patient demographics, reason for hospital admission and disposition upon discharge. Country-specific costs were applied to estimate the average cost per patient by type of bleeding event.

Results: Records of 158 ACS patients with the bleeding complications were examined (26.9% decrease in Hb, 35.5% puncture site, and 37.8% transfusion). The average LOS was 10.6 days for decreasing Hb, 7.7 days for puncture site bleeding, and 11.3 days for patients receiving transfusions due to these bleeding events. The average costs per patient ranged between €3,986 and €10,252. The LOS ranged widely both within and across countries.

Limitations: The study has a small sample size and costs are confounded by co-morbidities.

Conclusions: The estimated costs for decreasing Hb, puncture site bleeding and bleeding resulting in transfusions provide a tool for researchers to conduct economic analyses of bleeding events associated with therapies for ACS.     

Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation: a European-focused systematic literature review of disease burden

Abstract

Objective:

To conduct a systematic literature review to assess burden of disease and unmet medical needs in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with constipation (IBS-C), with a focus on five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK).

Methods:

MEDLINE, EMBASE, and grey literature searches were carried out using terms for IBS and constipation, to identify studies reporting epidemiological, clinical, humanistic, or economic outcomes for IBS-C, published between 2000 and 2010.

Results:

Searches identified 885 unique abstracts and 33 supplementary articles, of which 100 publications and six grey literature sources met the inclusion criteria. Among patients with IBS, the prevalence estimates of IBS-C ranged from 1 to 44%. Co-morbid conditions, such as personality traits, psychological distress, and stress, were common. Patients with IBS-C had lower health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) compared with the general population, and clinical trials suggested that effectively treating IBS-C improves HRQoL. The European societal cost of IBS-C is largely unknown, as no IBS-C-specific European cost-of-illness studies were identified. Two cost analyses demonstrated the substantial societal impact of IBS-C, including reduced productivity at work and work absenteeism. Guidelines offered similar recommendations for the diagnosis and management of IBS; however, recommendations specifically for IBS-C varied by country. Current IBS-C treatment options have limited efficacy and the risk:benefit profile of early 5-HT₄ agonists restricts clinical use.

Conclusions:

This systematic review indicates a clear need for European-focused IBS-C burden-of-disease and cost-of-illness studies to address identified evidence gaps. There is a need for new therapies for IBS-C that are effective, well tolerated, and have a positive impact on HRQoL.     

Injury minimization in construction projects

Non-intentional drowning incidents remain a leading cause of mortality in Turkey as well as all over the world. A following related secondary syndrome is composed of those who drown during altruistic attempts to rescue a drowning person. Such ‘rescuers’ who attempt to rescue a drowning person, may themselves drown, resulting in a tragic multiple death. This study covers the year 2009, and necessary data was found by using internet search engines to identify cases in which a potential rescue attempt resulted with the rescuer's fatal drowning. Thirty-one ‘rescuers’ and 20 primary drowning victims (PDV) drowned in 28 incidents in which 80% of drowned primary victims (DPV) were children, and 48.4% of the ‘rescuers’ were children. In 48.4% of the ‘rescuers’ succeeded in rescuing the PDV's life. Out of them, 38.7% of the ‘rescuers’ and PDVs were friends/colleagues. The aim of this study is to define and examine multiple drowning syndromes (MDSs) and to suggest preventative measures. An increased awareness of such risks as promotion of swimming and rescue skills could help reducing the MDSs.     

实时荧光定量PCR法检测对虾白斑综合征病毒

对虾白斑病由白斑综合征病毒（WSSV）感染引起,所有养殖对虾对该病高度易感,蟹类、小龙虾、淡水虾以及各种龙虾也易感,但发病率和死亡率有很大差别。多种虾类常表现为持续感染或终身隐性感染。隐性感染虾体内的病毒含量极低,需建立一种快速、灵敏、准确的检测方法。本文应用TaqMan探针技术设计了探针和引物,建立了检测WSSV的实时荧光定量PCR方法。对影响PCR反应的主要因素Mg^2＋浓度和退火温度等进行了优化,证明当Mg2＋浓度为3.5～4.0 mmol,退火温度为59～60℃时可获得最佳的扩增和检测效果。     

高职课程项目化教学及“驾证式”考核探索——以“建筑识图与构造”课程为例

从高职建筑工程技术专业教育的人才培养目标出发,通过分析目前高职课程教学存在的问题,针对＂建筑识图与构造＂课程建设,探索实施项目化（任务）教学模式、＂驾证式＂考核方式、适应课程教学体系构建方法的项目化特色教材的课程建设思路。     

心理契约强弱分类及其在企业管理中的应用

心理契约变革综合症是指企业变革中管理者在管理员工的心理契约时出现的一系列症状。要消除这一综合症,管理者需要区分心理契约的强弱,了解心理契约强度的构成要素,以及掌握增强和减弱心理契约强度的方法。