The effect of financial incentives on chlamydia testing rates: Evidence from a randomized experiment☆

PubMed Central

Dolan, Paul; Rudisill, Caroline

2014-01-01

Financial incentives have been used in a variety of settings to motivate behaviors that might not otherwise be undertaken. They have been highlighted as particularly useful in settings that require a single behavior, such as appointment attendance or vaccination. They also have differential effects based on socioeconomic status in some applications (e.g. smoking). To further investigate these claims, we tested the effect of providing different types of non-cash financial incentives on the return rates of chlamydia specimen samples amongst 16–24 year-olds in England. In 2011 and 2012, we ran a two-stage randomized experiment involving 2988 young people (1489 in Round 1 and 1499 in Round 2) who requested a chlamydia screening kit from Freetest.me, an online and text screening service run by Preventx Limited. Participants were randomized to control, or one of five types of financial incentives in Round 1 or one of four financial incentives in Round 2. We tested the effect of five types of incentives on specimen sample return; reward vouchers of differing values, charity donation, participation in a lottery, choices between a lottery and a voucher and including vouchers of differing values in the test kit prior to specimen return. Financial incentives of any type, did not make a significant difference in the likelihood of specimen return. The more deprived individuals were, as calculated using Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), the less likely they were to return a sample. The extent to which incentive structures influenced sample return was not moderated by IMD score. Non-cash financial incentives for chlamydia testing do not seem to affect the specimen return rate in a chlamydia screening program where test kits are requested online, mailed to requestors and returned by mail. They also do not appear more or less effective in influencing test return depending on deprivation level. PMID:24373390

The effect of financial incentives on chlamydia testing rates: evidence from a randomized experiment.

PubMed

Dolan, Paul; Rudisill, Caroline

2014-03-01

Financial incentives have been used in a variety of settings to motivate behaviors that might not otherwise be undertaken. They have been highlighted as particularly useful in settings that require a single behavior, such as appointment attendance or vaccination. They also have differential effects based on socioeconomic status in some applications (e.g. smoking). To further investigate these claims, we tested the effect of providing different types of non-cash financial incentives on the return rates of chlamydia specimen samples amongst 16-24 year-olds in England. In 2011 and 2012, we ran a two-stage randomized experiment involving 2988 young people (1489 in Round 1 and 1499 in Round 2) who requested a chlamydia screening kit from Freetest.me, an online and text screening service run by Preventx Limited. Participants were randomized to control, or one of five types of financial incentives in Round 1 or one of four financial incentives in Round 2. We tested the effect of five types of incentives on specimen sample return; reward vouchers of differing values, charity donation, participation in a lottery, choices between a lottery and a voucher and including vouchers of differing values in the test kit prior to specimen return. Financial incentives of any type, did not make a significant difference in the likelihood of specimen return. The more deprived individuals were, as calculated using Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), the less likely they were to return a sample. The extent to which incentive structures influenced sample return was not moderated by IMD score. Non-cash financial incentives for chlamydia testing do not seem to affect the specimen return rate in a chlamydia screening program where test kits are requested online, mailed to requestors and returned by mail. They also do not appear more or less effective in influencing test return depending on deprivation level. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Reynolds-stress and dissipation-rate budgets in a turbulent channel flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mansour, N. N.; Kim, J.; Moin, P.

1988-01-01

The budgets for the Reynolds stresses and for the dissipation rate of the turbulence kinetic energy are computed using direct simulation data of a turbulent channel flow. The budget data reveal that all the terms in the budget become important close to the wall. For inhomogeneous pressure boundary conditions, the pressure-strain term is split into a return term, a rapid term, and a Stokes term. The Stokes term is important close to the wall. The rapid and return terms play different roles depending on the component of the term. A split of the velocity pressure-gradient term into a redistributive term and a diffusion term is proposed, which should be simpler to model. The budget data is used to test existing closure models for the pressure-strain term, the dissipation rate, and the transport rate. In general, further work is needed to improve the models.

Reynolds-stress and dissipation rate budgets in a turbulent channel flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mansour, N. N.; Kim, J.; Moin, P.

1987-01-01

The budgets for the Reynolds stresses and for the dissipation rate of the turbulence kinetic energy are computed using direct simulation data of a turbulent channel flow. The budget data reveal that all the terms in the budget become important close to the wall. For inhomogeneous pressure boundary conditions, the pressure-strain term is split into a return term, a rapid term, and a Stokes term. The Stokes term is important close to the wall. The rapid and return terms play different roles depending on the component of the term. A split of the velocity pressure-gradient term into a redistributive term and a diffusion term is proposed, which should be simpler to model. The budget data is used to test existing closure models for the pressure-strain term, the dissipation rate, and the transport rate. In general, further work is needed to improve the models.

Mass collecting and the diet breadth model: A Great Basin example

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madsen, D.B.; Schmitt, D.N.

1998-01-01

The energetic return rates of many small animal and plant resources are often density dependent. When these resources are collected in mass, change in abundance can dramatically affect diet rank, and challenges the assumption that return rates are generally correlated with body size. When mass collecting is employed, as a result of either natural events (e.g. windrows) or technological developments (e.g. nets), population density may largely determine the overall return rate for a resource. Since a single food or resource type can be many prey types, an increase in the abundance of a food resource can change its diet rank. We examined this relationship at Lakeside Cave in northwestern Utah, and discovered that when the abundance of grasshoppers is high, and mass collecting is productive, the hunting of bighorn sheep and other large animal resources may have been abandoned, contradicting commonly held assumptions about prey size. In archaeological situations it may be necessary to determine what foraging technique was used before assuming that the presence of small animals and fish in the diet is a result of reduced foraging efficiency. ?? 1998 Academic Press Limited.

When is Retention in Health Promotion Interventions Intentional? Predicting Return to Health Promotion Interventions as a Function of Busyness

PubMed Central

Albarracín, Dolores; Wilson, Kristina; Durantini, Marta R.; Livingood, William

2018-01-01

To test when intentional decisions enhance retention in health-promotion interventions, we analyzed the rate of return of 278 clients of HIV-prevention counseling at a state health department in Florida. Specifically, the role of intentions as a facilitator of returns was analyzed as a function of busyness (more children and work hours), while demographic and health factors that also influenced returns were controlled for. Consistent with the notion that actions depend on ability, intentions predicted the behavior of the less busy participants but failed to facilitate retention when participants were occupied with children and work. These findings suggest the efficacy of different retention strategies –one emphasizing explicit intention formation, and the other either attracting clients to counseling on the spot or using more ubiquitous technologies. PMID:29809205

Multinuclear NMR Study of the Pressure Dependence for Carbonate Exchange in the UO 2(CO 3) 3 4-(aq) Ion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Rene L.; Harley, Stephen J.; Ohlin, C. André

2011-09-16

Rates of carbonate exchange by two pH-sensitive pathways between aqueous carbonate ion and UO 2(CO 3) 3 4-(aq) (see picture) are measured by high-pressure NMR. To accomplish this, a custom pulse sequence is employed to achieve selective inversion. Rates of chemical exchange are determined by modeling the return to equilibrium.

Multinuclear NMR study of the pressure dependence for carbonate exchange in the [UO2(CO3)3]4- (aq) ion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Rene L.; Harley, S. J.; Ohlin, C. A.

2011-09-16

Rates of carbonate exchange by two pH-sensitive pathways between aqueous carbonate ion and UO₂(CO₃)₃⁴⁻(aq) are measured by high-pressure NMR. To accomplish this, a custom pulse sequence is employed to achieve selective inversion. Rates of chemical exchange are determined by modeling the return to equilibrium.

Return to sport following tibial plateau fractures: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Robertson, Greg A J; Wong, Seng J; Wood, Alexander M

2017-01-01

AIM To systemically review all studies reporting return to sport following tibial plateau fracture, in order to provide information on return rates and times to sport, and to assess variations in sporting outcome for different treatment methods. METHODS A systematic search of CINAHAL, Cochrane, EMBASE, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, PEDro, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science was performed in January 2017 using the keywords “tibial”, “plateau”, “fractures”, “knee”, “athletes”, “sports”, “non-operative”, “conservative”, “operative”, “return to sport”. All studies which recorded return rates and times to sport following tibial plateau fractures were included. RESULTS Twenty-seven studies were included: 1 was a randomised controlled trial, 7 were prospective cohort studies, 16 were retrospective cohort studies, 3 were case series. One study reported on the outcome of conservative management (n = 3); 27 reported on the outcome of surgical management (n = 917). Nine studies reported on Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF) (n = 193), 11 on Arthroscopic-Assisted Reduction Internal Fixation (ARIF) (n = 253) and 7 on Frame-Assisted Fixation (FRAME) (n = 262). All studies recorded “return to sport” rates. Only one study recorded a “return to sport” time. The return rate to sport for the total cohort was 70%. For the conservatively-managed fractures, the return rate was 100%. For the surgically-managed fractures, the return rate was 70%. For fractures managed with ORIF, the return rate was 60%. For fractures managed with ARIF, the return rate was 83%. For fractures managed with FRAME was 52%. The return rate for ARIF was found to be significantly greater than that for ORIF (OR 3.22, 95%CI: 2.09-4.97, P < 0.001) and for FRAME (OR 4.33, 95%CI: 2.89-6.50, P < 0.001). No difference was found between the return rates for ORIF and FRAME (OR 1.35, 95%CI: 0.92-1.96, P = 0.122). The recorded return time was 6.9 mo (median), from a study reporting on ORIF. CONCLUSION Return rates to sport for tibial plateau fractures remain limited compared to other fractures. ARIF provides the best return rates. There is limited data regarding return times to sport. Further research is required to determine return times to sport, and to improve return rates to sport, through treatment and rehabilitation optimisation. PMID:28808629

Socioeconomic Status and Self-Rated Oral Health; Diminished Return among Hispanic Whites.

PubMed

Assari, Shervin

2018-04-24

Background. An extensive body of knowledge has documented weaker health effects of socio-economic status (SES) for Blacks compared to Whites, a phenomenon also known as Blacks’ diminished return. It is, however, unknown whether the same diminished return also holds for other ethnic minorities such as Hispanics or not. Aim. Using a nationally representative sample, the current study aimed to compare Non-Hispanic and Hispanic Whites for the effects of SES on self-rated oral health. Methods. For the current cross-sectional study, we used data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES), 2001⁻2003. With a nationally representative sampling, CPES included 11,207 adults who were either non-Hispanic Whites ( n = 7587) or Hispanic Whites ( n = 3620. The dependent variable was self-rated oral health, treated as dichotomous measure. Independent variables were education, income, employment, and marital status. Ethnicity was the focal moderator. Age and gender were covariates. Logistic regressions were used for data analysis. Results. Education, income, employment, and marital status were associated with oral health in the pooled sample. Although education, income, employment, and marital status were associated with oral health in non-Hispanic Whites, none of these associations were found for Hispanic Whites. Conclusion. In a similar pattern to Blacks’ diminished return, differential gain of SES indicators exists between Hispanic and non-Hispanic Whites, with a disadvantage for Hispanic Whites. Diminished return of SES should be regarded as a systemically neglected contributing mechanism behind ethnic oral health disparities in the United States. Replication of Blacks’ diminished return for Hispanics suggests that these processes are not specific to ethnic minority groups, and non-White groups gain less because they are not enjoying the privilege and advantage of Whites.

The Return of Magnetic Flux to the Inner Saturnian Magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Hairong; Russell, Christopher T.; Jia, Yingdong; Masters, Adam; Dougherty, Michele K.

2017-04-01

The addition of plasma to the rotating inner Saturnian magnetosphere drives the circulation of the magnetic flux. The magnetic flux is loaded with cold plasma originating from Enceladus and its plasma torus. It then convects outward to the tail region, is emptied of plasma during reconnection events, and returns buoyantly to the inner magnetosphere. Returning flux tubes carry hot and tenuous plasma that serves as a marker of this type of flux tube. The plasma inside the tubes drifts at different rates depending on energy in the curved and inhomogeneous magnetosphere when the tubes convect inward. This energy dispersion can be used to track the flux tube. With data from MAG and CAPS, we model the energy dispersion of the electrons to determine the age and the point of return of the 'empty' flux tubes. The results show that even the 'fresh' flux tubes are several hours old when seen and they start to return at 19 Saturn radii, near Titan's orbit. This supports the hypothesis that returning flux tubes generated by reconnection in the far-tail region are injected directly into the inner magnetosphere.

Relationships between Employment Quality and Intention to Quit: Focus on PhD Candidates as Traditional Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Travaglianti, F.; Babic, A.; Hansez, I.

2018-01-01

Current statistics show that the attrition rate among PhD candidates is high (i.e. from 30% to 40% depending on the discipline and the country). This high-attrition rate has an impact on both economic (e.g. negative impact on the return-on investment in doctoral education) and human levels (e.g. negative consequences on candidates' self-esteem and…

Using permutations to detect dependence between time series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cánovas, Jose S.; Guillamón, Antonio; Ruíz, María del Carmen

2011-07-01

In this paper, we propose an independence test between two time series which is based on permutations. The proposed test can be carried out by means of different common statistics such as Pearson’s chi-square or the likelihood ratio. We also point out why an exact test is necessary. Simulated and real data (return exchange rates between several currencies) reveal the capacity of this test to detect linear and nonlinear dependences.

The mass function and dynamical mass of young star clusters: why their initial crossing-time matters crucially

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parmentier, Geneviève; Baumgardt, Holger

2012-12-01

We highlight the impact of cluster-mass-dependent evolutionary rates upon the evolution of the cluster mass function during violent relaxation, that is, while clusters dynamically respond to the expulsion of their residual star-forming gas. Mass-dependent evolutionary rates arise when the mean volume density of cluster-forming regions is mass-dependent. In that case, even if the initial conditions are such that the cluster mass function at the end of violent relaxation has the same shape as the embedded-cluster mass function (i.e. infant weight-loss is mass-independent), the shape of the cluster mass function does change transiently during violent relaxation. In contrast, for cluster-forming regions of constant mean volume density, the cluster mass function shape is preserved all through violent relaxation since all clusters then evolve at the same mass-independent rate. On the scale of individual clusters, we model the evolution of the ratio of the dynamical mass to luminous mass of a cluster after gas expulsion. Specifically, we map the radial dependence of the time-scale for a star cluster to return to equilibrium. We stress that fields of view a few pc in size only, typical of compact clusters with rapid evolutionary rates, are likely to reveal cluster regions which have returned to equilibrium even if the cluster experienced a major gas expulsion episode a few Myr earlier. We provide models with the aperture and time expressed in units of the initial half-mass radius and initial crossing-time, respectively, so that our results can be applied to clusters with initial densities, sizes, and apertures different from ours.

Gating current studies reveal both intra- and extracellular cation modulation of K+ channel deactivation

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhuren; Zhang, Xue; Fedida, David

1999-01-01

The presence of permeant ions can modulate the rate of gating charge return in wild-type human heart K+ (hKv1.5) channels. Here we employ gating current measurements in a non-conducting mutant, W472F, of the hKv1.5 channel to investigate how different cations can modulate charge return and whether the actions can be specifically localized at the internal as well as the external mouth of the channel pore. Intracellular cations were effective at accelerating charge return in the sequence Cs+ > Rb+ > K+ > Na+ > NMG+. Extracellular cations accelerated charge return with the selectivity sequence Cs+ > Rb+ > Na+ = NMG+. Intracellular and extracellular cation actions were of relatively low affinity. The Kd for preventing slowing of the time constant of the off-gating current decay (τoff) was 20.2 mM for intracellular Cs+ (Csi+) and 358 mM for extracellular Cs+ (Cso+). Both intracellular and extracellular cations can regulate the rate of charge return during deactivation of hKv1.5, but intracellular cations are more effective. We suggest that ion crystal radius is an important determinant of this action, with larger ions preventing slowing more effectively. Important parallels exist with cation-dependent modulation of slow inactivation of ionic currents in this channel. However, further experiments are required to understand the exact relationship between acceleration of charge return and the slowing of inactivation of ionic currents by cations. PMID:10050001

Return to Work After Diskogenic Fusion in Workers' Compensation Subjects.

PubMed

Anderson, Joshua T; Haas, Arnold R; Percy, Rick; Woods, Stephen T; Ahn, Uri M; Ahn, Nicholas U

2015-12-01

Lumbar fusion for degenerative disk disease (DDD) is associated with variable clinical outcomes. Patients with workers' compensation claims often have worse fusion outcomes than the general population. Few studies have evaluated the risk factors for poor outcomes within this clinically distinct population. The goal of this study was to identify preoperative predictors of return to work status after fusion for DDD in a workers' compensation setting. The authors used International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9), diagnosis and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) procedural codes to identify 1037 subjects from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation database who underwent fusion for DDD between 1993 and 2013. Of these subjects, 23.2% (n=241) made a sustained return to work within 2 years after fusion. To identify preoperative predictors of postoperative return to work status, the authors used multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusting for many important covariates. These included prolonged time out of work (P<.001; odds ratio [OR], 0.24), psychiatric history (P<.001; OR, 0.14), prolonged use of opioid analgesics (P<.001; OR, 0.46), male sex (P=.014; OR, 0.65), and legal representation (P=.042; OR, 0.67). The return to work rates associated with these risk factors were 10.4%, 2.0%, 11.9%, 21.1%, and 20.7%, respectively. Of the study subjects, 76.8% (n=796) did not return to work and had considerably worse postoperative outcomes, highlighted by chronic opioid dependence and high rates of failed back syndrome, additional surgery, and new psychiatric comorbidity. The low return to work rates and other generally poor outcomes reported in this study may indicate a more limited role for lumbar fusion among patients with DDD who have workers' compensation claims. More studies are needed to determine whether fusion for DDD can improve function and quality of life in these patients. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Time-dependent upregulation of electron transport with concomitant induction of regulated excitation dissipation in Haslea diatoms.

PubMed

Perkins, R; Williamson, C; Lavaud, J; Mouget, J-L; Campbell, D A

2018-04-16

Photoacclimation by strains of Haslea "blue" diatom species H. ostrearia and H. silbo sp. nov. ined. was investigated with rapid light curves and induction-recovery curves using fast repetition rate fluorescence. Cultures were grown to exponential phase under 50 µmol m -2  s -1 photosynthetic available radiation (PAR) and then exposed to non-sequential rapid light curves where, once electron transport rate (ETR) had reached saturation, light intensity was decreased and then further increased prior to returning to near growth light intensity. The non-sequential rapid light curve revealed that ETR was not proportional to the instantaneously applied light intensity, due to rapid photoacclimation. Changes in the effective absorption cross sections for open PSII reaction centres (σ PSII ') or reaction centre connectivity (ρ) did not account for the observed increases in ETR under extended high light. σ PSII ' in fact decreased as a function of a time-dependent induction of regulated excitation dissipation Y(NPQ), once cells were at or above a PAR coinciding with saturation of ETR. Instead, the observed increases in ETR under extended high light were explained by an increase in the rate of PSII reopening, i.e. Q A - oxidation. This acceleration of electron transport was strictly light dependent and relaxed within seconds after a return to low light or darkness. The time-dependent nature of ETR upregulation and regulated NPQ induction was verified using induction-recovery curves. Our findings show a time-dependent induction of excitation dissipation, in parallel with very rapid photoacclimation of electron transport, which combine to make ETR independent of short-term changes in PAR. This supports a selective advantage for these diatoms when exposed to fluctuating light in their environment.

Tensile Deformation and Adiabatic Heating in Post-Yield Response of Polycarbonate

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-01

display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) November 2015 2...to investigate the rate-dependent mechanical response from quasi-static to intermediate (~5/s) strain rates using a traditional servo -hydraulic load...less than 7-mm thickness) These specimens were loaded in tension using an Instron servo -hydraulic test frame. Far-field load and stress measurements

High tidal volume ventilation induces NOS2 and impairs cAMP- dependent air space fluid clearance.

PubMed

Frank, James A; Pittet, Jean-Francois; Lee, Hyon; Godzich, Micaela; Matthay, Michael A

2003-05-01

Tidal volume reduction during mechanical ventilation reduces mortality in patients with acute lung injury and the acute respiratory distress syndrome. To determine the mechanisms underlying the protective effect of low tidal volume ventilation, we studied the time course and reversibility of ventilator-induced changes in permeability and distal air space edema fluid clearance in a rat model of ventilator-induced lung injury. Anesthetized rats were ventilated with a high tidal volume (30 ml/kg) or with a high tidal volume followed by ventilation with a low tidal volume of 6 ml/kg. Endothelial and epithelial protein permeability were significantly increased after high tidal volume ventilation but returned to baseline levels when tidal volume was reduced. The basal distal air space fluid clearance (AFC) rate decreased by 43% (P < 0.05) after 1 h of high tidal volume but returned to the preventilation rate 2 h after tidal volume was reduced. Not all of the effects of high tidal volume ventilation were reversible. The cAMP-dependent AFC rate after 1 h of 30 ml/kg ventilation was significantly reduced and was not restored when tidal volume was reduced. High tidal volume ventilation also increased lung inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) expression and air space total nitrite at 3 h. Inhibition of NOS2 activity preserved cAMP-dependent AFC. Because air space edema fluid inactivates surfactant and reduces ventilated lung volume, the reduction of cAMP-dependent AFC by reactive nitrogen species may be an important mechanism of clinical ventilator-associated lung injury.

Long-range dependence in returns and volatility of global gold market amid financial crises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omane-Adjepong, Maurice; Boako, Gideon

2017-04-01

Using sampled historical daily gold market data from 07-03-1985 to 06-01-2015, and building on a related work by Bentes (2016), this paper examines the presence of long-range dependence (LRD) in the world's gold market returns and volatility, accounting for structural breaks. The sampled gold market data was divided into subsamples based on four global crises: the September 1992 collapse of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM), the Asian financial crisis of mid-1997, the Subprime meltdown of 2007, and the recent European sovereign debt crisis, which hit the world's market with varying effects. LRD test was carried-out on the full-sample and subsample periods using three semiparametric methods-before and after adjusting for structural breaks. The results show insignificant evidence of LRD in gold returns. However, very diminutive evidence is found for periods characterized by financial/economic shocks, with no significant detections for post-shock periods. Collectively, this is indicative that the gold market is less speculative, and hence could be somehow less risky for hedging and portfolio diversification.

Decay Kinetics of UV-Sensitive Materials: An Introductory Chemistry Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Via, Garrhett; Williams, Chelsey; Dudek, Raymond; Dudek, John

2015-01-01

First-order kinetic decay rates can be obtained by measuring the time-dependent reflection spectra of ultraviolet-sensitive objects as they returned from their excited, colored state back to the ground, colorless state. In this paper, a procedure is described which provides an innovative and unique twist on standard, undergraduate, kinetics…

Simultaneous ocean cross-section and rainfall measurements from space with a nadir-pointing radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meneghini, R.; Atlas, D.

1984-01-01

A method to determine simultaneously the rainfall rate and the normalized backscattering cross section of the surface was evaluated. The method is based on the mirror reflected power, p sub m which corresponds to the portion of the incident power scattered from the surface to the precipitation, intercepted by the precipitation, and again returned to the surface where it is scattered a final time back to the antenna. Two approximations are obtained for P sub m depending on whether the field of view at the surface is either much greater or much less than the height of the reflection layer. Since the dependence of P sub m on the backscattering cross section of the surface differs in the two cases, two algorithms are given by which the path averaged rain rate and normalized cross section are deduced. The detectability of P sub m, the relative strength of other contributions to the return power arriving simultaneous with P sub m, and the validity of the approximations used in deriving P sub m are discussed.

The Rate of Return to the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program.

PubMed

Heckman, James J; Moon, Seong Hyeok; Pinto, Rodrigo; Savelyev, Peter A; Yavitz, Adam

2010-02-01

This paper estimates the rate of return to the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program, an early intervention program targeted toward disadvantaged African-American youth. Estimates of the rate of return to the Perry program are widely cited to support the claim of substantial economic benefits from preschool education programs. Previous studies of the rate of return to this program ignore the compromises that occurred in the randomization protocol. They do not report standard errors. The rates of return estimated in this paper account for these factors. We conduct an extensive analysis of sensitivity to alternative plausible assumptions. Estimated annual social rates of return generally fall between 7-10 percent, with most estimates substantially lower than those previously reported in the literature. However, returns are generally statistically significantly different from zero for both males and females and are above the historical return on equity. Estimated benefit-to-cost ratios support this conclusion.

The Rate of Return to the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program

PubMed Central

Heckman, James J.; Moon, Seong Hyeok; Pinto, Rodrigo; Savelyev, Peter A.; Yavitz, Adam

2010-01-01

This paper estimates the rate of return to the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program, an early intervention program targeted toward disadvantaged African-American youth. Estimates of the rate of return to the Perry program are widely cited to support the claim of substantial economic benefits from preschool education programs. Previous studies of the rate of return to this program ignore the compromises that occurred in the randomization protocol. They do not report standard errors. The rates of return estimated in this paper account for these factors. We conduct an extensive analysis of sensitivity to alternative plausible assumptions. Estimated annual social rates of return generally fall between 7–10 percent, with most estimates substantially lower than those previously reported in the literature. However, returns are generally statistically significantly different from zero for both males and females and are above the historical return on equity. Estimated benefit-to-cost ratios support this conclusion. PMID:21804653

Pandemic influenza A(H1N1) outbreak among a group of medical students who traveled to the Dominican Republic.

PubMed

Vilella, Anna; Serrano, Beatriz; Marcos, Maria A; Serradesanferm, Anna; Mensa, Josep; Hayes, Edward; Anton, Andres; Rios, Jose; Pumarola, Tomas; Trilla, Antoni

2012-01-01

From the beginning of the influenza pandemic until the time the outbreak described here was detected, 77,201 cases of pandemic influenza A(H1N1) with 332 deaths had been reported worldwide, mostly in the United States and Mexico. All of the cases reported in Spain until then had a recent history of travel to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, or Chile. We describe an outbreak of influenza among medical students who traveled from Spain to the Dominican Republic in June 2009. We collected diagnostic samples and clinical histories from consenting medical students who had traveled to the Dominican Republic and from their household contacts after their return to Spain. Of 113 students on the trip, 62 (55%) developed symptoms; 39 (45%) of 86 students tested had laboratory evidence of influenza A(H1N1) infection. Most students developed symptoms either just before departure from the Dominican Republic or within days of returning to Spain. The estimated secondary attack rate of influenza-like illness among residential contacts of ill students after return to Spain was 2.1%. The attack rate of influenza A(H1N1) can vary widely depending on the circumstances of exposure. We report a high attack rate among a group of traveling medical students but a much lower secondary attack rate among their contacts after return from the trip. These findings may aid the development of recommendations to prevent influenza. © 2011 International Society of Travel Medicine.

Evaluation of the return rate of volunteer blood donors

PubMed Central

Lourençon, Adriana de Fátima; Almeida, Rodrigo Guimarães dos Santos; Ferreira, Oranice; Martinez, Edson Zangiacomi

2011-01-01

Background To convert first-time blood donors into regular volunteer donors is a challenge to transfusion services. Objectives This study aims to estimate the return rate of first time donors of the Ribeirão Preto Blood Center and of other blood centers in its coverage region. Methods The histories of 115,553 volunteer donors between 1996 and 2005 were analyzed. Statistical analysis was based on a parametric long-term survival model that allows an estimation of the proportion of donors who never return for further donations. Results Only 40% of individuals return within one year after the first donation and 53% return within two years. It is estimated that 30% never return to donate. Higher return rates were observed among Black donors. No significant difference was found in non-return rates regarding gender, blood type, Rh blood group and blood collection unit. Conclusions The low percentage of first-time donors who return for further blood donation reinforces the need for marketing actions and strategies aimed at increasing the return rates. PMID:23049294

[Do people with mental disorders who, due to complete reduction in earning capacity, receive a temporary pension want to return into active employment?].

PubMed

Kobelt, Axel; Grosch, Eberhard; Hesse, Bettina; Gebauer, Erika; Gutenbrunner, Christoph

2009-07-01

In Germany the number of invalidity pensions due to mental disorders is increasing. More than one third of these insurants do not take part in rehabilitation measures before their early retirement. Only 6 % return into their employment relationship. 1. People with mental disorders still have severe health problems after their two-year temporary leave/retirement. 2. About one third of these insurants are generally interested in being reintegrated into their jobs. 3. Their motivation for reintegration depends on their age and their individual health status. Data of all insurants (of DRV Braunschweig-Hannover) under 50 who drew a short-term benefit due to complete reduction in earning capacity in 2004 (n = 352) were collected with the help of an anonymous questionnaire (response rate = 54 %). This questionnaire compiled data on their general health status, their functional capacity and work ability, their motivation for returning to work as well as psychosocial aspects. At the same time, socio-demographic characteristics from the regional pension insurance database were analyzed. Compared to patients treated in hospitals, those insurants who had been on a two-year temporary leave were psychologically strongly distressed. There was also a gender effect: Women in particular showed significant limitations in daily activities/routines, a higher level of anxiety and somatization. Less than 30 % of the pensioners were motivated for vocational rehabilitation in order to return to their jobs. The motivation was not dependant on the psychological load and the age but most probably on the somatization tendencies and the daily activities. It seems that classic vocational rehabilitation for insurants who already receive a disability pension does not lead to a higher rate of reintegration into work. The relatively large number of insurants who want to return to their jobs implies the necessity of a special rehabilitation programme with concepts for reintegration: an individual case-management should help to continually counsel the patients and, by means of work-trial phases, prepare them for their return into their career.

10 CFR 436.22 - Adjusted internal rate of return.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Methodology and Procedures for Life Cycle Cost Analyses § 436.22 Adjusted internal rate of return. The adjusted internal rate of return is the overall rate of return on an energy or water conservation measure... yearly net savings in energy or water and non-fuel or non-water operation and maintenance costs...

Comparing Two Approaches to the Rate of Return to Investment in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kara, Orhan

2010-01-01

The economic value of investment in education has typically been measured by its rate of return, frequently estimated by the internal rate of return or the earning function approach. Given the importance of the rate of return estimates for individuals and countries, especially developing countries, in making decision on educational investment, we…

System 6 alternatives: an economic analysis

Treesearch

Bruce G. Hansen; Hugh W. Reynolds; Hugh W. Reynolds

1984-01-01

Three System 6 mill-size alternatives were designed and evaluated to determine their overall economic potential for producing standard-size hardwood blanks. Internal rates of return ranged from about 15 to 35 percent after taxes. Cost per square foot of blanks ranged from about $0.88 to $1.19, depending on mill size and the amount of new investment required.

Efficiency or speculation? A time-varying analysis of European sovereign debt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, Paulo

2018-01-01

The outbreak of the Greek debt crisis caused turmoil in European markets and drew attention to the problem of public debt and its consequences. The increase in the return rates of sovereign debts was one of these consequences. However, like any other asset, sovereign debt returns are expected to have a memoryless behaviour. Analysing a total of 15 European countries (Eurozone and non-Eurozone), and applying a time-varying analysis of the Hurst exponent, we found evidence of long-range memory in sovereign bonds. When analysing the spreads between each bond and the German one, it is possible to conclude that Eurozone countries' spreads show more evidence of long-range dependence. Considering the Eurozone countries most affected by the Eurozone crisis, that long-range dependence is more evident, but started before the crisis, which could be interpreted as possible speculation by investors.

Frictional behavior of large displacement experimental faults

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beeler, N.M.; Tullis, T.E.; Blanpied, M.L.; Weeks, J.D.

1996-01-01

The coefficient of friction and velocity dependence of friction of initially bare surfaces and 1-mm-thick simulated fault gouges (400 mm at 25??C and 25 MPa normal stress. Steady state negative friction velocity dependence and a steady state fault zone microstructure are achieved after ???18 mm displacement, and an approximately constant strength is reached after a few tens of millimeters of sliding on initially bare surfaces. Simulated fault gouges show a large but systematic variation of friction, velocity dependence of friction, dilatancy, and degree of localization with displacement. At short displacement (<10 mm), simulated gouge is strong, velocity strengthening and changes in sliding velocity are accompanied by relatively large changes in dilatancy rate. With continued displacement, simulated gouges become progressively weaker and less velocity strengthening, the velocity dependence of dilatancy rate decreases, and deformation becomes localized into a narrow basal shear which at its most localized is observed to be velocity weakening. With subsequent displacement, the fault restrengthens, returns to velocity strengthening, or to velocity neutral, the velocity dependence of dilatancy rate becomes larger, and deformation becomes distributed. Correlation of friction, velocity dependence of friction and of dilatancy rate, and degree of localization at all displacements in simulated gouge suggest that all quantities are interrelated. The observations do not distinguish the independent variables but suggest that the degree of localization is controlled by the fault strength, not by the friction velocity dependence. The friction velocity dependence and velocity dependence of dilatancy rate can be used as qualitative measures of the degree of localization in simulated gouge, in agreement with previous studies. Theory equating the friction velocity dependence of simulated gouge to the sum of the friction velocity dependence of bare surfaces and the velocity dependence of dilatancy rate of simulated gouge fails to quantitatively account for the experimental observations.

Rates and Determinants of Return to Play After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Soccer Athletes: A Study of the Southeastern Conference.

PubMed

Howard, Jennifer S; Lembach, Mark L; Metzler, Adam V; Johnson, Darren L

2016-02-01

Factors and details regarding return to play in elite, collegiate female soccer athletes after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and reconstruction have not been well studied. To evaluate return to play among collegiate female soccer players, specifically examining the effect of surgical and individual athlete characteristics on the return-to-play rate. Descriptive epidemiology study. Sports medicine and athletic training staff at institutions from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Southeastern Conference (SEC) were contacted to request participation in the study. All institutions were sent a standardized spreadsheet with response choices and instructions regarding athlete inclusion criteria. Athlete, injury, surgical technique, and return-to-play data were requested for ACL reconstructions performed on female soccer athletes at the participating institutions over the previous 8 years. χ(2) analyses were used to compare the return-to-play rate by year in school, scholarship status, position, depth chart status, procedure, graft type, graft fixation, concomitant procedures, and previous ACL injuries. All 14 of the SEC institutions chose to participate and provided data. A total of 80 ACL injuries were reported, with 79 surgical reconstructions and return-to-play data for 78 collegiate soccer athletes. The overall return-to-play rate was 85%. There was a statistical significance in return-to-play rates favoring athletes in earlier years of eligibility versus later years (P < .001). Athletes in eligibility years 4 and 5 combined had a return-to-play rate of only 40%. Scholarship status likewise showed significance (P < .001), demonstrating a higher return-to-play rate for scholarship athletes (91%) versus nonscholarship athletes (46%). No significant differences in return-to-play rates were observed based on surgical factors, including concomitant knee procedures, graft type, and graft fixation method. Collegiate female soccer athletes have a high initial return-to-play rate. Undergoing ACL reconstruction earlier in the college career as well as the presence of a scholarship had a positive effect on return to play. Surgical factors including graft type, fixation method, tunnel placement technique, concomitant knee surgeries, and revision status demonstrated no significant effect on the return-to-play rate. © 2015 The Author(s).

Organizational performance, Marketing strategy, and Financial strategic alignment: an empirical study on Iranian pharmaceutical firms.

PubMed

Mohammadzadeh, Mehdi; Aarabi, Sied Mohammad; Salamzadeh, Jamshid

2013-08-02

Strategic Functional-level planning should be aligned with business level and other functional strategies of a company. It is presumed that assimilating the strategies could have positive contribution to business performance, in this regard alignment between marketing strategy and financial strategy seems to be the most important strategies being studied. An empirical work in generic pharmaceutical manufacturing companies for evaluating effect of alignment between these two functions on organizational performance was developed in this paper. All Iranian pharmaceutical generic manufactures listed in Tehran stock market have been tested for period of five years between 2006-2010 and their marketing strategies were determined by using Slater and Olson taxonomy and their financial strategies have been developed by calculating total risk and total return of sample companies for five years based on rate of risk and return in the frame of a 2 × 2 matrix. For the business performance three profitability indices including Q-Tubin (Rate of market value to net asset value), ROA (Return on Asset), ROE (Return on Equity) have been tested. For analysis, a series of one-way ANOVAs as a collection of statistical models within marketing strategies considering financial strategy as independent variable and the three performance measures as dependent variables was used. Results show strategic alignment between financial and marketing has significant impact on profitability of company resulting in arise of all three profitability indices. Q tubing's rate were 2.33,2.09,2.29,2.58 and rate of ROA were 0.21,0.194,0.25,0.22 and rate of ROE were 0.44,0.46,0.45,0.42 for matched strategy types, respectively the rates shown here are more than average meaning that specific type of marketing strategy is fitted with specific type of financial strategy. Managers should not consider decisions regarding marketing strategy independently of their financial strategy.

Organizational performance, Marketing strategy, and Financial strategic alignment: an empirical study on Iranian pharmaceutical firms

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Strategic Functional-level planning should be aligned with business level and other functional strategies of a company. It is presumed that assimilating the strategies could have positive contribution to business performance, in this regard alignment between marketing strategy and financial strategy seems to be the most important strategies being studied. An empirical work in generic pharmaceutical manufacturing companies for evaluating effect of alignment between these two functions on organizational performance was developed in this paper. Methods All Iranian pharmaceutical generic manufactures listed in Tehran stock market have been tested for period of five years between 2006–2010 and their marketing strategies were determined by using Slater and Olson taxonomy and their financial strategies have been developed by calculating total risk and total return of sample companies for five years based on rate of risk and return in the frame of a 2 × 2 matrix. For the business performance three profitability indices including Q-Tubin (Rate of market value to net asset value), ROA (Return on Asset), ROE (Return on Equity) have been tested. For analysis, a series of one-way ANOVAs as a collection of statistical models within marketing strategies considering financial strategy as independent variable and the three performance measures as dependent variables was used. Results Results show strategic alignment between financial and marketing has significant impact on profitability of company resulting in arise of all three profitability indices. Q tubing’s rate were 2.33,2.09,2.29,2.58 and rate of ROA were 0.21,0.194,0.25,0.22 and rate of ROE were 0.44,0.46,0.45,0.42 for matched strategy types, respectively the rates shown here are more than average meaning that specific type of marketing strategy is fitted with specific type of financial strategy. Conclusion Managers should not consider decisions regarding marketing strategy independently of their financial strategy. PMID:23915467

Evaluation of the effects of an offer of a monetary incentive on the rate of questionnaire return during follow-up of a clinical trial: a randomised study within a trial.

PubMed

Hardy, Pollyanna; Bell, Jennifer L; Brocklehurst, Peter

2016-07-15

A systematic review on the use of incentives to promote questionnaire return in clinical trials suggest they are effective, but not all studies have sufficient funds to use them. Promising an incentive once data are returned can reduce the cost-burden of this approach, with possible further cost-savings if the offer were restricted to reminder letters only. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of promising a monetary incentive at first mailout versus a promise on reminder letters only. This was a randomised Study Within A Trial (SWAT) nested within BUMPES, a multicentre randomised controlled trial of maternal position in the late stage of labour in women with an epidural. The follow-up questionnaire asked for information on the women's health, wellbeing and health service use one year following the birth of their baby. Women who consented to be contacted were randomised to a promise of a monetary incentive at first mailout or a promise on reminder letters only. Women were given an option of completing the questionnaire on paper or on online. The incentive was posted out on receipt of a completed questionnaire. The primary outcome was the overall return rate, and secondary outcomes were the return rate without any chasing from the study office, and the total cost of the vouchers. A total of 1,029 women were randomised, 508 to the first mailout group and 518 to the reminder group. There was no evidence to suggest a difference between groups in the overall return rate (adjusted RR 1.03 (95 % CI 0.96 to 1.11), however the proportion returned without chasing was higher in the first mailout group (adjusted RR 1.22, 95 % CI 1.07 to 1.39). The total cost of the vouchers per participant was higher in the first mailout group (mean difference £4.56, 95 % CI £4.02 to £5.11). Offering a monetary incentive when a reminder is required could be cost-effective depending on the sample size of the study and the resources available to administer the reminder letters. The BUMPES Trial is registered with Current Controlled Trials: ISRCTN35706297 , 26(th) August 2009.

Heterogeneity in Schooling Rates of Return

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Daniel J.; Polachek, Solomon W.; Wang, Le

2011-01-01

This paper relaxes the assumption of homogeneous rates of return to schooling by employing nonparametric kernel regression. This approach allows us to examine the differences in rates of return to education both across and within groups. Similar to previous studies we find that on average blacks have higher returns to education than whites,…

Fluctuation Dynamics of Exchange Rates on Indian Financial Market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, A.; Barat, P.

Here we investigate the scaling behavior and the complexity of the average daily exchange rate returns of the Indian Rupee against four foreign currencies namely US Dollar, Euro, Great Britain Pound and Japanese Yen. Our analysis revealed that the average daily exchange rate return of the Indian Rupee against the US Dollar exhibits a persistent scaling behavior and follow Levy stable distribution. On the contrary the average daily exchange rate returns of the other three foreign currencies show randomness and follow Gaussian distribution. Moreover, it is seen that the complexity of the average daily exchange rate return of the Indian Rupee against US Dollar is less than the other three exchange rate returns.

Bare soil and rill formation following wildfires, fuel reduction treatments, and pine plantations in the southern Sierra Nevada, California, USA

Treesearch

Neil H. Berg; David L. Azuma

2010-01-01

Accelerated erosion commonly occurs after wildfires on forested lands. As burned areas recover, erosion returns towards prefire rates depending on many site-specific characteristics, including fire severity, vegetation type, soil type and climate. In some areas, erosion recovery can be rapid, particularly where revegetation is quick. Erosion recovery is less well...

Is Log Ratio a Good Value for Measuring Return in Stock Investments?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ultsch, Alfred

Measuring the rate of return is an important issue for theory and practice of investments in the stock market. A common measure for rate of return is the logarithm of the ratio of successive prices (LogRatio). In this paper it is shown that LogRatio as well as arithmetic return rate (Ratio) have several disadvantages. As an alternative relative differences (RelDiff) are proposed to measure return. The stability against numerical and rounding errors of RelDiff is much better than for LogRatios and Ratio). RelDiff values are identical to LogRatios and Return for small absolutes. The usage of RelDiff maps returns to a finite range. For most subsequent analyses this is a big advantage. The usefulness of the approach is demonstrated on daily return rates of a large set of actual stocks. It is shown that returns can be modeled with a very simple mixture of distributions in great precision using Relative differences.

Making the business case for telemedicine: an interactive spreadsheet.

PubMed

McCue, Michael J; Palsbo, Susan E

2006-04-01

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the business case for telemedicine in nonrural areas. We developed an interactive spreadsheet to conduct multiple financial analyses under different capital investment, revenue, and expense scenarios. We applied the spreadsheet to the specific case of poststroke rehabilitation in urban settings. The setting involved outpatient clinics associated with a freestanding rehabilitation hospital in Oklahoma. Our baseline scenario used historical financial data from face-to-face encounters as the baseline for payer and volume mix. We assumed a cost of capital of 10% to finance the project. The outcome measures were financial breakeven points and internal rate of return. A total of 340 telemedicine visits will generate a positive net cash flow each year. The project is expected to recoup the initial investment by the fourth year, produce a positive present value dollar return of more than $2,000, and earn rate of return of 20%, which exceeds the hospital's cost of capital. The business case is demonstrated for this scenario. Urban telemedicine programs can be financially self-sustaining without accounting for reductions in travel time by providers or patients. Urban telemedicine programs can be a sound business investment and not depend on grants or subsidies for start-up funding. There are several key decision points that affect breakeven points and return on investment. The best business strategy is to approach the decision as whether or not to build a new clinic.

Basin view geothermal heating district, Klamath Falls, Oregon. Conceptual design and economic-feasibility study report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-07-01

The findings of a feasibility study performed for Basin View Heating District in Klamath Falls, Oregon are reported. The physical, economic, and political feasibility of establishing a geothermal heating district to provide space heat to housing units in the Basin View Development of Klamath Falls are determined. Of the several systems considered, all are physically feasible. The project is politically feasible if the owner complies with governmental requirements. Economic feasibility is based on considerations of money value rates, tax rates and expected rates of return, which are dependent on government and money markets. For analysis a money value rate of 21% and an owner's marginal tax rate of 35% were adopted.

The Levy sections theorem revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Figueiredo, Annibal; Gleria, Iram; Matsushita, Raul; Da Silva, Sergio

2007-06-01

This paper revisits the Levy sections theorem. We extend the scope of the theorem to time series and apply it to historical daily returns of selected dollar exchange rates. The elevated kurtosis usually observed in such series is then explained by their volatility patterns. And the duration of exchange rate pegs explains the extra elevated kurtosis in the exchange rates of emerging markets. In the end, our extension of the theorem provides an approach that is simpler than the more common explicit modelling of fat tails and dependence. Our main purpose is to build up a technique based on the sections that allows one to artificially remove the fat tails and dependence present in a data set. By analysing data through the lenses of the Levy sections theorem one can find common patterns in otherwise very different data sets.

Asset securitization and rate of return: A study on letters of guarantee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Binghui

2018-01-01

Using the theory of asset securitization, we analyze the feasibility of the securitization of letters of guarantee in theory. In the process of constructing the model of rate of return of securities backed by letters of guarantee, we propose two indices: the risk probability of asset-backed securities and the loss rate of asset-backed securities to analyze the cash flow of securities. On the basis of no arbitrage principle, the expression of rate of return of securities backed by letters of guarantee is put forward. In order to study the relationship between the rate of return of securities and other influential factor in the model, a simulation experiment is designed. The experiment results show that (i) an increasing risk probability of cash flow or a short maturity date also make the return rate of securities increase and (ii) the return rate of securities is higher in economic boom than that in economic recession when other parameters remain unchanged.

Option pricing: Stock price, stock velocity and the acceleration Lagrangian

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baaquie, Belal E.; Du, Xin; Bhanap, Jitendra

2014-12-01

The industry standard Black-Scholes option pricing formula is based on the current value of the underlying security and other fixed parameters of the model. The Black-Scholes formula, with a fixed volatility, cannot match the market's option price; instead, it has come to be used as a formula for generating the option price, once the so called implied volatility of the option is provided as additional input. The implied volatility not only is an entire surface, depending on the strike price and maturity of the option, but also depends on calendar time, changing from day to day. The point of view adopted in this paper is that the instantaneous rate of return of the security carries part of the information that is provided by implied volatility, and with a few (time-independent) parameters required for a complete pricing formula. An option pricing formula is developed that is based on knowing the value of both the current price and rate of return of the underlying security which in physics is called velocity. Using an acceleration Lagrangian model based on the formalism of quantum mathematics, we derive the pricing formula for European call options. The implied volatility of the market can be generated by our pricing formula. Our option price is applied to foreign exchange rates and equities and the accuracy is compared with Black-Scholes pricing formula and with the market price.

78 FR 41129 - Market Test of Experimental Product - International Merchandise Return Service-Non-Published Rates

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-09

...--Non-Published Rates AGENCY: U.S. Postal Service\\TM\\. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Postal Service hereby gives notice of a market test for International Merchandise Return Service--Non-Published Rates in... Return Service (IMRS) Non-published Rate (NPR) experimental product on August 15, 2013. The Postal...

Long-term geomagnetically induced current observations in New Zealand: Earth return corrections and geomagnetic field driver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mac Manus, Daniel H.; Rodger, Craig J.; Dalzell, Michael; Thomson, Alan W. P.; Clilverd, Mark A.; Petersen, Tanja; Wolf, Moritz M.; Thomson, Neil R.; Divett, Tim

2017-08-01

Transpower New Zealand Limited has measured DC currents in transformer neutrals in the New Zealand electrical network at multiple South Island locations. Near-continuous archived DC current data exist since 2001, starting with 12 different substations and expanding from 2009 to include 17 substations. From 2001 to 2015 up to 58 individual transformers were simultaneously monitored. Primarily, the measurements were intended to monitor the impact of the high-voltage DC system linking the North and South Islands when it is operating in "Earth return" mode. However, after correcting for Earth return operation, as described here, the New Zealand measurements provide an unusually long and spatially detailed set of geomagnetically induced current (GIC) measurements. We examine the peak GIC magnitudes observed from these observations during two large geomagnetic storms on 6 November 2001 and 2 October 2013. Currents of 30-50 A are observed, depending on the measurement location. There are large spatial variations in the GIC observations over comparatively small distances, which likely depend upon network layout and ground conductivity. We then go on to examine the GIC in transformers throughout the South Island during more than 151 h of geomagnetic storm conditions. We compare the GIC to the various magnitude and rate of change components of the magnetic field. Our results show that there is a strong correlation between the magnitude of the GIC and the rate of change of the horizontal magnetic field (H'). This correlation is particularly clear for transformers that show large GIC current during magnetic storms.

Return to Duty Rate of Amputee Soldiers in the Current Conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

Conclusion: During the 1980s , 11 of 469 amputees returned to active duty (2.3%). The number of amputees returning to duty has increased signifi- cantly...between 1980 and 1988, but only 11 of the 469 (2.3%) remained on active duty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the return to duty rate of...During the 1980s and 1990s, no such designated military amputee centers were in operation. This may be one reason for the lower return to duty rate of

Some Further Evidence on the Rate of Return to Schooling and the Business Cycle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Randall H.

1980-01-01

The business cycle has a strong impact on calculated rates of return to schooling. Cross-sectional rates of return are positively related to the unemployment rate in the year the cross-section is taken. The sensitivity of the relationship was not found to be substantially different among the races. (CT)

What do sales data tell us about implant survival?

PubMed

Seemann, Rudolf; Jirku, Alexander; Wagner, Florian; Wutzl, Arno

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of implant diameter, length and shape on a surrogate parameter of implant survival; i.e. the implant return rate in a big data analysis. A retrospective study was conducted and the factors influencing the success rates of 69,377 sold implants over a seven-year period were evaluated. The osseointegration program of a reseller provides reliable data of a single country. Implant loss rates were investigated using logistic regression models and regressed by implant type, diameter, and length. The return rate of 69,377 sold implants was 2.78% and comparable to implant loss rates in previous published prospective studies as its surrogate parameter. A total of 80% of implant returns had occurred within 157 days, and an additional 15% within 750.25 days. Diameters of 3.8 to 5.0mm showed the lowest return rates with its bottom in the 4.3mm implant whilst 6.0mm implants had significantly higher return rates. In comparison to the most sold implant length (13mm) shorter implants showed significantly higher early return rates. The study provides evidence that in cases of standard indications and sufficient bone, the use of screw typed dental implants with 3.8 or 4.3 diameter and 11 or 13 mm length shows the lowest implant return rates. Other implants may be selected only in specific indications.

14 CFR 65.87 - Powerplant rating; additional privileges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: AIRMEN OTHER THAN FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS Mechanics § 65.87... certificated mechanic with a powerplant rating may approve and return to service a powerplant or propeller or... and return it to service. (b) A certificated mechanic with a powerplant rating can approve and return...

14 CFR 65.87 - Powerplant rating; additional privileges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: AIRMEN OTHER THAN FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS Mechanics § 65.87... certificated mechanic with a powerplant rating may approve and return to service a powerplant or propeller or... and return it to service. (b) A certificated mechanic with a powerplant rating can approve and return...

14 CFR 65.87 - Powerplant rating; additional privileges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: AIRMEN OTHER THAN FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS Mechanics § 65.87... certificated mechanic with a powerplant rating may approve and return to service a powerplant or propeller or... and return it to service. (b) A certificated mechanic with a powerplant rating can approve and return...

14 CFR 65.87 - Powerplant rating; additional privileges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: AIRMEN OTHER THAN FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS Mechanics § 65.87... certificated mechanic with a powerplant rating may approve and return to service a powerplant or propeller or... and return it to service. (b) A certificated mechanic with a powerplant rating can approve and return...

14 CFR 65.87 - Powerplant rating; additional privileges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: AIRMEN OTHER THAN FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS Mechanics § 65.87... certificated mechanic with a powerplant rating may approve and return to service a powerplant or propeller or... and return it to service. (b) A certificated mechanic with a powerplant rating can approve and return...

Quadriceps Strength Deficit at 6 Months After ACL Reconstruction Does Not Predict Return to Preinjury Sports Level.

PubMed

Novaretti, João Victor; Franciozi, Carlos Eduardo; Forgas, Andrea; Sasaki, Pedro Henrique; Ingham, Sheila Jean McNeill; Abdalla, Rene Jorge

There is a lack of literature-based objective criteria for return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Establishing such objective criteria is crucial to improving return to sport after ACL reconstruction (ACLR). Patients who return to their preinjury level of sport will have higher isokinetic, postural stability, and drop vertical jump test scores 6 months after surgery and greater patient satisfaction compared with those who did not. Additionally, quadriceps strength deficit cutoff values of 80% and 90% would differentiate patients who returned to preinjury sports level from those who did not. Cohort study. Level 3. A retrospective search was conducted to identify all patients who underwent ACLR and completed isokinetic evaluation, postural stability analysis, and drop vertical jump testing at 6 months postoperatively. Patients were asked to complete 3 questionnaires at a minimum 1 year after surgery. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used for categorical dependent variables, while the Student t test, Pearson correlation, or analyses of variance with Bonferroni post hoc testing were used for continuous dependent variables. A post hoc power analysis was completed. Based on the results regarding correlations between return to preinjury level and all other variables, effect sizes from 0.24 to 3.03 were calculated. With these effect sizes, an alpha of 0.05 and sample size of 58, a power ranging from 0.15 to 0.94 was calculated. The rates of return to preinjury level and to any sports activity were 53.4% and 84.4%. Those who were able to return to their preinjury level of sport (n = 33) showed significantly higher Lysholm (91.6 ± 9.7 vs 76.7 ± 15.4) and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) (83.6 ± 10.6 vs 69.8 ± 14.6) values compared with those who were unable to return to their preinjury level of sport (n = 25) ( P < 0.001). No significant differences were found for the clinical evaluations between those who were and those who were not able to return at the same level for the clinical evaluations (isokinetic evaluation, postural stability, drop vertical jump test) ( P > 0.05). No significant differences were found when comparing quadriceps strength deficit with cutoff values of 80% and 90% for return to preinjury activity level (Tegner), Lysholm, and IKDC scores. Quadriceps strength deficit, regardless of cutoff value (80% or 90%), at 6 months after ACLR does not predict return to preinjury level of sport. Patients who returned to sport at their preinjury level were more satisfied with their reconstruction compared with those who did not. Quadriceps strength deficit is not a reliable predictor of return to sports, and therefore it should not be used as the single criterion in such evaluations.

Detrending the realized volatility in the global FX market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Anatoly B.

2009-05-01

There has been growing interest in realized volatility (RV) of financial assets that is calculated using intra-day returns. The choice of optimal time grid for these calculations is not trivial and generally requires analysis of RV dependence on the grid spacing (so-called RV signature). Typical RV signatures have a maximum at the finest time grid spacing available, which is attributed to the microstructure effects. This maximum decays into a plateau at lower frequencies, which implies (almost) stationary return variance. We found that the RV signatures in the modern global FX market may have no plateau or even have a maximum at lower frequencies. Simple averaging methods used to address the microstructure effects in equities have no practical effect on the FX RV signatures. We show that local detrending of the high-frequency FX rate samples yields RV signatures with a pronounced plateau. This implies that FX rates can be described with a Brownian motion having non-stationary trend and stationary variance. We point at a role of algorithmic trading as a possible cause of micro-trends in FX rates.

Some statistical investigations on the nature and dynamics of electricity prices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bottazzi, G.; Sapio, S.; Secchi, A.

2005-09-01

This work analyzes the log-returns of daily electricity prices from the NordPool day-ahead market. We study both the unconditional growth rates distribution and the distribution of residual shocks obtained with a non-parametric filtering procedure based on the Cholesky factor algorithm. We show that, even if the Subbotin family of distributions is able to describe the empirical observations in both cases, the Subbotin fit obtained for the unconditional growth rates and for the residual shocks reveal significant differences. Indeed, the sequence of log-returns can be described as the outcome of an aggregation of Laplace-distributed shocks with time-dependent volatility. We find that the standard deviation of shocks scales as a power law of the initial price level, with scaling exponent around -1. Moreover, the analysis of the empirical density of shocks, conditional on the price level, shows a strong relationship of the Subbotin fit with the latter. We conclude that the unconditional growth rates distribution is the superposition of shocks distributions characterized by decreasing volatility and fat-tailedness with respect to the price level.

10 CFR 436.22 - Adjusted internal rate of return.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... adjusted internal rate of return is the overall rate of return on an energy or water conservation measure... attributable to the proposed energy or water conservation measure. The denominator of the ratio is the present... proposed energy or water conservation measure. [61 FR 32651, June 25, 1996] ...

10 CFR 436.22 - Adjusted internal rate of return.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... adjusted internal rate of return is the overall rate of return on an energy or water conservation measure... attributable to the proposed energy or water conservation measure. The denominator of the ratio is the present... proposed energy or water conservation measure. [61 FR 32651, June 25, 1996] ...

10 CFR 436.22 - Adjusted internal rate of return.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... adjusted internal rate of return is the overall rate of return on an energy or water conservation measure... attributable to the proposed energy or water conservation measure. The denominator of the ratio is the present... proposed energy or water conservation measure. [61 FR 32651, June 25, 1996] ...

10 CFR 436.22 - Adjusted internal rate of return.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... adjusted internal rate of return is the overall rate of return on an energy or water conservation measure... attributable to the proposed energy or water conservation measure. The denominator of the ratio is the present... proposed energy or water conservation measure. [61 FR 32651, June 25, 1996] ...

How long is the memory of the US stock market?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, Paulo; Dionísio, Andreia

2016-06-01

The Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH), one of the most important hypothesis in financial economics, argues that return rates have no memory (correlation) which implies that agents cannot make abnormal profits in financial markets, due to the possibility of arbitrage operations. With return rates for the US stock market, we corroborate the fact that with a linear approach, return rates do not show evidence of correlation. However, linear approaches might not be complete or global, since return rates could suffer from nonlinearities. Using detrended cross-correlation analysis and its correlation coefficient, a methodology which analyzes long-range behavior between series, we show that the long-range correlation of return rates only ends in the 149th lag, which corresponds to about seven months. Does this result undermine the EMH?

Ka-Band Link Study and Analysis for a Mars Hybrid RF/Optical Software Defined Radio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeleznikar, Daniel J.; Nappier, Jennifer M.; Downey, Joseph A.

2014-01-01

The integrated radio and optical communications (iROC) project at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is investigating the feasibility of a hybrid RF and optical communication subsystem for future deep space missions. The hybrid communications subsystem enables the advancement of optical communications while simultaneously mitigating the risk of infusion by combining an experimental optical transmitter and telescope with a reliable Ka-band RF transmitter and antenna. The iROC communications subsystem seeks to maximize the total data return over the course of a potential 2-year mission in Mars orbit beginning in 2021. Although optical communication by itself offers potential for greater data return over RF, the reliable Ka-band link is also being designed for high data return capability in this hybrid system. A daily analysis of the RF link budget over the 2-year span is performed to optimize and provide detailed estimates of the RF data return. In particular, the bandwidth dependence of these data return estimates is analyzed for candidate waveforms. In this effort, a data return modeling tool was created to analyze candidate RF modulation and coding schemes with respect to their spectral efficiency, amplifier output power back-off, required digital to analog conversion (DAC) sampling rates, and support by ground receivers. A set of RF waveforms is recommended for use on the iROC platform.

Role of Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric carcinogenesis: Current knowledge and future directions

PubMed Central

Sokic-Milutinovic, Aleksandra; Alempijevic, Tamara; Milosavljevic, Tomica

2015-01-01

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) plays a role in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer. The outcome of the infection depends on environmental factors and bacterial and host characteristics. Gastric carcinogenesis is a multistep process that is reversible in the early phase of mucosal damage, but the exact point of no return has not been identified. Therefore, two main therapeutic strategies could reduce gastric cancer incidence: (1) eradication of the already present infection; and (2) immunization (prior to or during the course of the infection). The success of a gastric cancer prevention strategy depends on timing because the prevention strategy must be introduced before the point of no return in gastric carcinogenesis. Although the exact point of no return has not been identified, infection should be eradicated before severe atrophy of the gastric mucosa develops. Eradication therapy rates remain suboptimal due to increasing H. pylori resistance to antibiotics and patient noncompliance. Vaccination against H. pylori would reduce the cost of eradication therapies and lower gastric cancer incidence. A vaccine against H. pylori is still a research challenge. An effective vaccine should have an adequate route of delivery, appropriate bacterial antigens and effective and safe adjuvants. Future research should focus on the development of rescue eradication therapy protocols until an efficacious vaccine against the bacterium becomes available. PMID:26556993

The demographics of unfunded pensions.

PubMed

Keyfitz, N

1985-01-01

The performance of pay-as-you-go old-age insurance under different demographic conditions can be estimated from a metric consisting of the implicit rate of return to successive cohorts. The author shows a positive return for the prospective population over the next few years, but for cohorts born after the end of the century returns will become sharply negative. A decline in returns is typical of pay-as-you-go schemes as they mature, and a change to negative returns is typical in particular as the birth rate falls under fixed economic conditions. The return can be kept positive by greatly increased fertility or immigration. Taking labor-force participation rates into account, and supposing entitlement independent of contribution, gives much larger negative rates of return, however. The main calculations considered here are for schemes with a constant pension. If the contribution rather than the pension is kept constant then the disparities between cohorts with respect to their returns are smaller, and although the negative returns for future generations then set in earlier they are smaller. The conclusions of the paper are broadly applicable to any population that showed a baby boom after World War II and replacement-level or lower fertility subsequently.

Derivative pricing with non-linear Fokker-Planck dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michael, Fredrick; Johnson, M. D.

2003-06-01

We examine how the Black-Scholes derivative pricing formula is modified when the underlying security obeys non-extensive statistics and Fokker-Planck dynamics. An unusual feature of such securities is that the volatility in the underlying Ito-Langevin equation depends implicitly on the actual market rate of return. This complicates most approaches to valuation. Here we show that progress is possible using variations of the Cox-Ross valuation technique.

Multifactor analysis of multiscaling in volatility return intervals.

PubMed

Wang, Fengzhong; Yamasaki, Kazuko; Havlin, Shlomo; Stanley, H Eugene

2009-01-01

We study the volatility time series of 1137 most traded stocks in the U.S. stock markets for the two-year period 2001-2002 and analyze their return intervals tau , which are time intervals between volatilities above a given threshold q . We explore the probability density function of tau , P_(q)(tau) , assuming a stretched exponential function, P_(q)(tau) approximately e;(-tau;(gamma)) . We find that the exponent gamma depends on the threshold in the range between q=1 and 6 standard deviations of the volatility. This finding supports the multiscaling nature of the return interval distribution. To better understand the multiscaling origin, we study how gamma depends on four essential factors, capitalization, risk, number of trades, and return. We show that gamma depends on the capitalization, risk, and return but almost does not depend on the number of trades. This suggests that gamma relates to the portfolio selection but not on the market activity. To further characterize the multiscaling of individual stocks, we fit the moments of tau , mu_(m) identical with(tautau);(m);(1m) , in the range of 10

Multifactor analysis of multiscaling in volatility return intervals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fengzhong; Yamasaki, Kazuko; Havlin, Shlomo; Stanley, H. Eugene

2009-01-01

We study the volatility time series of 1137 most traded stocks in the U.S. stock markets for the two-year period 2001-2002 and analyze their return intervals τ , which are time intervals between volatilities above a given threshold q . We explore the probability density function of τ , Pq(τ) , assuming a stretched exponential function, Pq(τ)˜e-τγ . We find that the exponent γ depends on the threshold in the range between q=1 and 6 standard deviations of the volatility. This finding supports the multiscaling nature of the return interval distribution. To better understand the multiscaling origin, we study how γ depends on four essential factors, capitalization, risk, number of trades, and return. We show that γ depends on the capitalization, risk, and return but almost does not depend on the number of trades. This suggests that γ relates to the portfolio selection but not on the market activity. To further characterize the multiscaling of individual stocks, we fit the moments of τ , μm≡⟨(τ/⟨τ⟩)m⟩1/m , in the range of 10<⟨τ⟩⩽100 by a power law, μm˜⟨τ⟩δ . The exponent δ is found also to depend on the capitalization, risk, and return but not on the number of trades, and its tendency is opposite to that of γ . Moreover, we show that δ decreases with increasing γ approximately by a linear relation. The return intervals demonstrate the temporal structure of volatilities and our findings suggest that their multiscaling features may be helpful for portfolio optimization.

What do sales data tell us about implant survival?

PubMed Central

Seemann, Rudolf; Jirku, Alexander; Wagner, Florian; Wutzl, Arno

2017-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of implant diameter, length and shape on a surrogate parameter of implant survival; i.e. the implant return rate in a big data analysis. Materials and methods A retrospective study was conducted and the factors influencing the success rates of 69,377 sold implants over a seven-year period were evaluated. The osseointegration program of a reseller provides reliable data of a single country. Implant loss rates were investigated using logistic regression models and regressed by implant type, diameter, and length. Results The return rate of 69,377 sold implants was 2.78% and comparable to implant loss rates in previous published prospective studies as its surrogate parameter. A total of 80% of implant returns had occurred within 157 days, and an additional 15% within 750.25 days. Diameters of 3.8 to 5.0mm showed the lowest return rates with its bottom in the 4.3mm implant whilst 6.0mm implants had significantly higher return rates. In comparison to the most sold implant length (13mm) shorter implants showed significantly higher early return rates. Conclusions The study provides evidence that in cases of standard indications and sufficient bone, the use of screw typed dental implants with 3.8 or 4.3 diameter and 11 or 13 mm length shows the lowest implant return rates. Other implants may be selected only in specific indications. PMID:28222128

Excitation laser energy dependence of surface-enhanced fluorescence showing plasmon-induced ultrafast electronic dynamics in dye molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itoh, Tamitake; Yamamoto, Yuko S.; Tamaru, Hiroharu; Biju, Vasudevanpillai; Murase, Norio; Ozaki, Yukihiro

2013-06-01

We find unique properties accompanying surface-enhanced fluorescence (SEF) from dye molecules adsorbed on Ag nanoparticle aggregates, which generate surface-enhanced Raman scattering. The properties are observed in excitation laser energy dependence of SEF after excluding plasmonic spectral modulation in SEF. The unique properties are large blue shifts of fluorescence spectra, deviation of ratios between anti-Stokes SEF intensity and Stokes from those of normal fluorescence, super-broadening of Stokes spectra, and returning to original fluorescence by lower energy excitation. We elucidate that these properties are induced by electromagnetic enhancement of radiative decay rates exceeding the vibrational relaxation rates within an electronic excited state, which suggests that molecular electronic dynamics in strong plasmonic fields can be largely deviated from that in free space.

[Economic aspects of migration: remittances by migrant workers].

PubMed

Prskawetz, A

1995-01-01

"Worldwide annual remittances...by migrant workers to their home countries amount to some 70 billion U.S. dollars, exceeded by oil export earnings only.... The amount of remittances depends on the income of both the migrants and their family members.... Remittances meant for investment at home are determined by interest rates, foreign exchange regulations, exchange rates, monetary stability etc. in the immigration and emigration countries. Home remittances and saving habits of emigrants also depend on whether or not they expect to return to their home countries and the prospects of family reunification, all of which is directly linked to the (immigration) policy and economic conditions of both the countries of origin and residence." The factors influencing remittances flowing into and out of Austria are analyzed using data from the Austrian National Bank. (EXCERPT)

Public Rates of Return on Higher Education Investments, by State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Courtright, Stephen H.; Fry, Cary G.

2007-01-01

Public rates of return on higher education expenditures are calculated by state. Benefits accruing to states from their investments in higher education are measured by differential tax revenues collected from college-educated citizens versus high-school-educated citizens. For most states we find an adequate rate of return on such investments.…

The dynamic conditional relationship between stock market returns and implied volatility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Sung Y.; Ryu, Doojin; Song, Jeongseok

2017-09-01

Using the dynamic conditional correlation multivariate generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (DCC-MGARCH) model, we empirically examine the dynamic relationship between stock market returns (KOSPI200 returns) and implied volatility (VKOSPI), as well as their statistical mechanics, in the Korean market, a representative and leading emerging market. We consider four macroeconomic variables (exchange rates, risk-free rates, term spreads, and credit spreads) as potential determinants of the dynamic conditional correlation between returns and volatility. Of these macroeconomic variables, the change in exchange rates has a significant impact on the dynamic correlation between KOSPI200 returns and the VKOSPI, especially during the recent financial crisis. We also find that the risk-free rate has a marginal effect on this dynamic conditional relationship.

Particle loading rates for HVAC filters, heat exchangers, and ducts.

PubMed

Waring, M S; Siegel, J A

2008-06-01

The rate at which airborne particulate matter deposits onto heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) components is important from both indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy perspectives. This modeling study predicts size-resolved particle mass loading rates for residential and commercial filters, heat exchangers (i.e. coils), and supply and return ducts. A parametric analysis evaluated the impact of different outdoor particle distributions, indoor emission sources, HVAC airflows, filtration efficiencies, coils, and duct system complexities. The median predicted residential and commercial loading rates were 2.97 and 130 g/m(2) month for the filter loading rates, 0.756 and 4.35 g/m(2) month for the coil loading rates, 0.0051 and 1.00 g/month for the supply duct loading rates, and 0.262 g/month for the commercial return duct loading rates. Loading rates are more dependent on outdoor particle distributions, indoor sources, HVAC operation strategy, and filtration than other considered parameters. The results presented herein, once validated, can be used to estimate filter changing and coil cleaning schedules, energy implications of filter and coil loading, and IAQ impacts associated with deposited particles. The results in this paper suggest important factors that lead to particle deposition on HVAC components in residential and commercial buildings. This knowledge informs the development and comparison of control strategies to limit particle deposition. The predicted mass loading rates allow for the assessment of pressure drop and indoor air quality consequences that result from particle mass loading onto HVAC system components.

Replica Analysis for Portfolio Optimization with Single-Factor Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinzato, Takashi

2017-06-01

In this paper, we use replica analysis to investigate the influence of correlation among the return rates of assets on the solution of the portfolio optimization problem. We consider the behavior of an optimal solution for the case where the return rate is described with a single-factor model and compare the findings obtained from our proposed methods with correlated return rates with those obtained with independent return rates. We then analytically assess the increase in the investment risk when correlation is included. Furthermore, we also compare our approach with analytical procedures for minimizing the investment risk from operations research.

Multifractality and value-at-risk forecasting of exchange rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batten, Jonathan A.; Kinateder, Harald; Wagner, Niklas

2014-05-01

This paper addresses market risk prediction for high frequency foreign exchange rates under nonlinear risk scaling behaviour. We use a modified version of the multifractal model of asset returns (MMAR) where trading time is represented by the series of volume ticks. Our dataset consists of 138,418 5-min round-the-clock observations of EUR/USD spot quotes and trading ticks during the period January 5, 2006 to December 31, 2007. Considering fat-tails, long-range dependence as well as scale inconsistency with the MMAR, we derive out-of-sample value-at-risk (VaR) forecasts and compare our approach to historical simulation as well as a benchmark GARCH(1,1) location-scale VaR model. Our findings underline that the multifractal properties in EUR/USD returns in fact have notable risk management implications. The MMAR approach is a parsimonious model which produces admissible VaR forecasts at the 12-h forecast horizon. For the daily horizon, the MMAR outperforms both alternatives based on conditional as well as unconditional coverage statistics.

Rapid hiv testing in urban outreach: a strategy for improving posttest counseling rates.

PubMed

Keenan, P A; Keenan, J M

2001-12-01

In 1998, 48% of persons who had HIV testing at publicly funded sites in the United States failed to return for test results and posttest counseling. Opportunities for timely HIV therapy were lost; valuable resources were wasted. This study tested the hypothesis that rapid HIV testing enables a high percentage of high-risk outreach clients to learn their serostatus. We did on-site counseling and rapid HIV testing at community-based organizations (e.g., chemical dependency programs, homeless shelters) in North Minneapolis. The project tested 735 persons. All but one (99.9%) learned their HIV serostatus. African Americans made up 79% of subjects. Rapid testing has a role to play in HIV outreach. It is useful in populations who are at high risk of HIV infection, who currently are not accessing HIV testing, and who have high failure to return rates. Future developments in rapid testing technology will make this testing option more convenient and cost-effective.

SIMPLE DECISION RULES REDUCE REINJURY RISK AFTER ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION

PubMed Central

Grindem, Hege; Snyder-Mackler, Lynn; Moksnes, Håvard; Engebretsen, Lars; Risberg, May Arna

2016-01-01

Background Knee reinjury after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is common and increases the risk of osteoarthritis. There is sparse evidence to guide return to sport (RTS) decisions in this population. Objectives To assess the relationship between knee reinjury after ACL reconstruction and 1) return to level I sports, 2) timing of return to sports, and 3) knee function prior to return. Methods 106 patients who participated in pivoting sports participated in this prospective two year cohort study. Sports participation and knee reinjury were recorded monthly. Knee function was assessed with the Knee Outcome Survey–Activities of Daily Living Scale, global rating scale of function, and quadriceps strength and hop test symmetry. Pass RTS criteria was defined as scores >90 on all tests, failure as failing any. Results Patients who returned to level I sports had 4.32 (p=0.048) higher reinjury rate than those who did not. The reinjury rate was significantly reduced by 51 % for each month RTS was delayed until 9 months after surgery, after which no further risk reduction was observed. 38.2 % of those who failed RTS criteria suffered reinjuries versus 5.6 % of those who passed (HR: 0.16, p=0.075). More symmetrical quadriceps strength prior to return significantly reduced the knee reinjury rate. Conclusion Returning to level I sports after ACL reconstruction leads to a more than 4-fold increase in reinjury rates over 2 years. Return to sport 9 months or later after surgery and more symmetrical quadriceps strength prior to return substantially reduces the reinjury rate. PMID:27162233

A Study of the Education Rate of Return for Rural Residents in Northwest Minority Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baicai, Sun

2015-01-01

Studying the rate of return for rural residents in minority areas can give a good explanation for the problems of children enrolling in school and dropping out. On the whole, the education rate of return for rural residents in northwest minority areas is low, the Mincer function estimate is 2%, and the Heckman model estimate is 2.49%. The rate of…

Private and Social Rates of Return to Higher Education in Science and Technology in a Caribbean Economy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourne, Compton; Dass, Anand

2003-01-01

Estimates private and social rates of return for university science and technology graduates in Trinidad and Tobago. Makes comparisons with other fields of study such as agriculture, natural sciences, engineering, and humanities. Concludes that rates of return are inconsistent with the allocative preferences of policymakers. (Authors/PKP)

A Pedagogical Note on the Superiority of Price-Cap Regulation to Rate-of-Return Regulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Currier, Kevin M.; Jackson, Brian K.

2008-01-01

The two forms of natural monopoly regulation that are typically discussed in intermediate microeconomics textbooks are marginal cost pricing and average cost pricing (rate-of-return regulation). However, within the last 20 years, price-cap regulation has largely replaced rate-of-return regulation because of the former's potential to generate more…

31 CFR 359.10 - What is the fixed rate of return?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) FISCAL SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY BUREAU OF THE PUBLIC DEBT OFFERING OF UNITED STATES SAVINGS BONDS, SERIES I General Information § 359.10 What is the fixed rate of return? The Secretary, or the... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What is the fixed rate of return? 359...

Risk of portfolio with simulated returns based on copula model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razak, Ruzanna Ab; Ismail, Noriszura

2015-02-01

The commonly used tool for measuring risk of a portfolio with equally weighted stocks is variance-covariance method. Under extreme circumstances, this method leads to significant underestimation of actual risk due to its multivariate normality assumption of the joint distribution of stocks. The purpose of this research is to compare the actual risk of portfolio with the simulated risk of portfolio in which the joint distribution of two return series is predetermined. The data used is daily stock prices from the ASEAN market for the period January 2000 to December 2012. The copula approach is applied to capture the time varying dependence among the return series. The results shows that the chosen copula families are not suitable to present the dependence structures of each bivariate returns. Exception for the Philippines-Thailand pair where by t copula distribution appears to be the appropriate choice to depict its dependence. Assuming that the t copula distribution is the joint distribution of each paired series, simulated returns is generated and value-at-risk (VaR) is then applied to evaluate the risk of each portfolio consisting of two simulated return series. The VaR estimates was found to be symmetrical due to the simulation of returns via elliptical copula-GARCH approach. By comparison, it is found that the actual risks are underestimated for all pairs of portfolios except for Philippines-Thailand. This study was able to show that disregard of the non-normal dependence structure of two series will result underestimation of actual risk of the portfolio.

A study of a diffusive model of asset returns and an empirical analysis of financial markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alejandro Quinones, Angel Luis

A diffusive model for market dynamics is studied and the predictions of the model are compared to real financial markets. The model has a non-constant diffusion coefficient which depends both on the asset value and the time. A general solution for the distribution of returns is obtained and shown to match the results of computer simulations for two simple cases, piecewise linear and quadratic diffusion. The effects of discreteness in the market dynamics on the model are also studied. For the quadratic diffusion case, a type of phase transition leading to fat tails is observed as the discrete distribution approaches the continuum limit. It is also found that the model captures some of the empirical stylized facts observed in real markets, including fat-tails and scaling behavior in the distribution of returns. An analysis of empirical data for the EUR/USD currency exchange rate and the S&P 500 index is performed. Both markets show time scaling behavior consistent with a value of 1/2 for the Hurst exponent. Finally, the results show that the distribution of returns for the two markets is well fitted by the model, and the corresponding empirical diffusion coefficients are determined.

Return rate, fidelity, and dispersal in a breeding population of flammulated owls (Otus flammeolus)

Treesearch

Brian D. Linkhart; Richard T. Reynolds

2007-01-01

We estimated annual return rate, fidelity, and breeding dispersal in a migratory population of Flammulated Owls (Otus flammeolus) in central Colorado. Return rates, based on capture-recapture histories of 39 males and 52 females from 1981 to 2003, were higher for males (84%) than for females (45%). Annual recapture probability was higher for females...

Schooling and National Income: How Large Are the Externalities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breton, Theodore R.

2010-01-01

This paper uses a new data-set for cumulative national investment in formal schooling and a new instrument for schooling to estimate the national return on investment in 61 countries. These estimates are combined with data on the private rate of return on investment in schooling to estimate the external rate of return. In 1990 the external rate of…

27 CFR 25.166 - Payment of reduced rate of tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS BEER Tax on Beer Preparation and Remittance of Tax Returns... the reduced rate of tax on beer may, upon filing the notice required by § 25.167, pay the reduced rate of tax on beer by return for deferred payment of tax as provided in § 25.164 or by prepayment return...

27 CFR 25.166 - Payment of reduced rate of tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS BEER Tax on Beer Preparation and Remittance of Tax Returns... the reduced rate of tax on beer may, upon filing the notice required by § 25.167, pay the reduced rate of tax on beer by return for deferred payment of tax as provided in § 25.164 or by prepayment return...

27 CFR 25.166 - Payment of reduced rate of tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ALCOHOL BEER Tax on Beer Preparation and Remittance of Tax Returns... the reduced rate of tax on beer may, upon filing the notice required by § 25.167, pay the reduced rate of tax on beer by return for deferred payment of tax as provided in § 25.164 or by prepayment return...

27 CFR 25.166 - Payment of reduced rate of tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ALCOHOL BEER Tax on Beer Preparation and Remittance of Tax Returns... the reduced rate of tax on beer may, upon filing the notice required by § 25.167, pay the reduced rate of tax on beer by return for deferred payment of tax as provided in § 25.164 or by prepayment return...

17 CFR Appendix B to Part 4 - Adjustments for Additions and Withdrawals in the Computation of Rate of Return

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Return Method Rate of return for a period may be calculated by computing the net performance divided by the beginning net asset value for each trading day in the period and compounding each daily rate of... commodity pool operator or commodity trading advisor may present to the Commission proposals regarding any...

17 CFR Appendix B to Part 4 - Adjustments for Additions and Withdrawals in the Computation of Rate of Return

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Return Method Rate of return for a period may be calculated by computing the net performance divided by the beginning net asset value for each trading day in the period and compounding each daily rate of... commodity pool operator or commodity trading advisor may present to the Commission proposals regarding any...

17 CFR Appendix B to Part 4 - Adjustments for Additions and Withdrawals in the Computation of Rate of Return

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Return Method Rate of return for a period may be calculated by computing the net performance divided by the beginning net asset value for each trading day in the period and compounding each daily rate of... commodity pool operator or commodity trading advisor may present to the Commission proposals regarding any...

17 CFR Appendix B to Part 4 - Adjustments for Additions and Withdrawals in the Computation of Rate of Return

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Return Method Rate of return for a period may be calculated by computing the net performance divided by the beginning net asset value for each trading day in the period and compounding each daily rate of... commodity pool operator or commodity trading advisor may present to the Commission proposals regarding any...

17 CFR Appendix B to Part 4 - Adjustments for Additions and Withdrawals in the Computation of Rate of Return

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Return Method Rate of return for a period may be calculated by computing the net performance divided by the beginning net asset value for each trading day in the period and compounding each daily rate of... commodity pool operator or commodity trading advisor may present to the Commission proposals regarding any...

27 CFR 25.166 - Payment of reduced rate of tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS BEER Tax on Beer Preparation and Remittance of Tax Returns... the reduced rate of tax on beer may, upon filing the notice required by § 25.167, pay the reduced rate of tax on beer by return for deferred payment of tax as provided in § 25.164 or by prepayment return...

Beyond the Mincer Equation: The Internal Rate of Return to Higher Education in Colombia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

García-Suaza, Andrés Felipe; Guataquí, Juan Carlos; Guerra, José Alberto; Maldonado, Darío

2014-01-01

In order to present an estimation of the internal rate of return (IRR) to higher education in Colombia, we take advantage of recent updates on the methodological approach towards earnings equations. In order to overcome the criticism that surrounds interpretations of the education coefficient of Mincer equations as being the rate of return to…

Risk management considerations and the pregnancy handheld record. An audit of the return rate of the pregnancy handheld record.

PubMed

Toohill, Jocelyn; Soong, Barbara; Meldrum, Melissa

2006-12-01

Risk management is integral to the provision of contemporary health care. As maternity practices change and with a commitment on women being at the centre of care, one strategy has been for women to retain their records during the antenatal period. This paper explores the return rate of the pregnancy handheld record in a major tertiary facility and discusses the risk management implications when the record is not available upon presentation to the treating practitioner. Four audits were conducted over a 2 year period to determine the return rate of the pregnancy handheld record at time of admission for labour and birth. A total of 1096 records were returned out of a possible 1256 during the study. A 6.6% increase in the return rate was achieved over the 4 audit periods (82-88.5%) with an overall return rate of 85%. Our audit highlights the need for consumers, clinicians and heath care facilities to consider the advantages and disadvantages of the pregnancy handheld record, as well as the medico-legal responsibilities that ultimately fall back on the health facility.

Does the Hall Effect Solve the Flux Pileup Saturation Problem?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorelli, John C.

2010-01-01

It is well known that magnetic flux pileup can significantly speed up the rate of magnetic reconnection in high Lundquist number resistive MHD,allowing reconnection to proceed at a rate which is insensitive to the plasma resistivity over a wide range of Lundquist number. Hence, pileup is a possible solution to the Sweet-Parker time scale problem. Unfortunately, pileup tends to saturate above a critical value of the Lundquist number, S_c, where the value ofS_c depends on initial and boundary conditions, with Sweet-Parker scaling returning above S_c. It has been argued (see Dorelli and Bim [2003] and Dorelli [2003]) that the Hall effect can allow flux pileup to saturate (when the scale of the current sheet approaches ion inertial scale, di) before the reconnection rate begins to stall. However, the resulting saturated reconnection rate, while insensitive to the plasma resistivity, was found to depend strongly on the di. In this presentation, we revisit the problem of magnetic island coalescence (which is a well known example of flux pileup reconnection), addressing the dependence of the maximum coalescence rate on the ratio of di in the "large island" limit in which the following inequality is always satisfied: l_eta di lambda, where I_eta is the resistive diffusion length and lambda is the island wavelength.

Return to sport after shoulder arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Liu, Joseph N; Steinhaus, Michael E; Garcia, Grant H; Chang, Brenda; Fields, Kara; Dines, David M; Warren, Russell F; Gulotta, Lawrence V

2018-01-01

With increasing incidence and indications for shoulder arthroplasty, there is an increasing emphasis on the ability to return to sports. The main goal of this study was to determine the rate of return to sport after shoulder arthroplasty. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed to perform this systematic review and meta-analysis. A search was performed on MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. The quality of the included studies was evaluated according to the Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies checklist. The main judgement outcome was the rate of return to sports activity after shoulder arthroplasty and the level of play upon return (identical or higher/lower level). Thirteen studies were reviewed, including 944 patients (506 athletes), treated with shoulder arthroplasty at an average follow-up of 5.1 years (range, 0.5-12.6 years). The most common sports were swimming (n = 169), golf (n = 144), fitness sports (n = 71), and tennis (n = 63). The overall rate of return to sport was 85.1% (95% CI, 76.5-92.3%), including 72.3% (95% CI, 60.6-82.8%) returning to an equivalent or improved level of play, after 1-36 months. Patients undergoing anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty returned at a significantly higher rate (92.6%) compared to hemiarthroplasty (71.1%, p = 0.02) or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (74.9%, p = 0.003). Most patients are able to return to one or more sports following shoulder arthroplasty, with anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty having the highest rate of return. IV.

Trends in the Mincerian Rates of Return to Education in Urban China: 1989-2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiaohao, Ding; Suhong, Yang; Ha, Wei

2013-01-01

This study examines the trends in the Mincerian rates of return (MRRs) to education in urban China between 1989 and 2009 using two sources of data: the China Urban Household Survey and the China Health and Nutrition Survey, and attempts to explain the underlying causes of the trends. The authors find that while the rates of return to education had…

Accounting for Risk of Non-Completion in Private and Social Rates of Return to Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toutkoushian, Robert K.; Shafiq, M. Najeeb; Trivette, Michael J.

2013-01-01

Conventional studies of the private and social rates of return to a Bachelor's degree focus on the earnings difference between Bachelor degree holders and high school graduates, and find that there are large rates of return for degree recipients. The estimates in these studies, however, do not take into account the risk of not completing a degree.…

Dynamic structure of stock communities: a comparative study between stock returns and turnover rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Li-Ling; Jiang, Xiong-Fei; Li, Sai-Ping; Zhong, Li-Xin; Ren, Fei

2017-07-01

The detection of community structure in stock market is of theoretical and practical significance for the study of financial dynamics and portfolio risk estimation. We here study the community structures in Chinese stock markets from the aspects of both price returns and turnover rates, by using a combination of the PMFG and infomap methods based on a distance matrix. An empirical study using the overall data set shows that for both returns and turnover rates the largest communities are composed of specific industrial or conceptional sectors and the correlation inside a sector is generally larger than the correlation between different sectors. However, the community structure for turnover rates is more complex than that for returns, which indicates that the interactions between stocks revealed by turnover rates may contain more information. This conclusion is further confirmed by the analysis of the changes in the dynamics of community structures over five sub-periods. Sectors like banks, real estate, health care and New Shanghai take turns to comprise a few of the largest communities in different sub-periods, and more interestingly several specific sectors appear in the communities with different rank orders for returns and turnover rates even in the same sub-period. To better understand their differences, a comparison between the evolution of the returns and turnover rates of the stocks from these sectors is conducted. We find that stock prices only had large changes around important events while turnover rates surged after each of these events relevant to specific sectors, which shows strong evidence that the turnover rates are more susceptible to exogenous shocks than returns and its measurement for community detection may contain more useful information about market structure.

10Gbit/s all-optical NRZ to RZ conversion based on TOAD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Yumei; Yin, Lina; Zhou, Yunfeng; Liu, Guoming; Wu, Jian; Lin, Jintong

2006-01-01

Future network will include wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) and optical time division multiplexing (OTDM) technologies. All-optical format conversion between their respective preferable data formats, non-return-to-zero (NRZ) and return-to-zero (RZ), may become an important technology. In this paper, 10Gbit/s all-optical NRZ-to-RZ conversion is demonstrated based on terahertz optical asymmetric demultiplexer (TOAD) using clock all-optically recovered from the NRZ signal for the first time. The clock component is enhanced in an SOA and the pseudo-return-to-zero (PRZ) signal is filtered. The PRZ signal is input into an injection mode-locked fiber ring laser for clock recovery. The recovered clock and the NRZ signal are input into TOAD as pump signal and probe signal, respectively, and format conversion is performed. The quality of the converted RZ signal is determined by that of the recovered clock and the NRZ signal, whereas hardly influenced by gain recovery time of the SOA. In the experimental demonstration, the obtained RZ signal has an extinction ratio of 8.7dB and low pattern dependency. After conversion, the spectrum broadens obviously and shows multimode structure with spectrum interval of 0.08nm, which matches with the bit rate 10Gbit/s. Furthermore, this format conversion method has some tolerance on the pattern dependency of the clock signal.

Theoretical study of the effect of ionospheric return currents on the electron temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schunk, R. W.; Sojka, J. J.; Bowline, M. D.

1987-01-01

A time-dependent, three-dimensional model of the high-altitude ionosphere is presently used to study the effects of field-aligned ionospheric return currents on auroral electron temperatures for different seasonal and solar cycle conditions, as well as for different upper boundary heat fluxes. The average, large scale, return current densities, which are a few microamps/sq m, are too small to affect auroral electron temperatures. The thermoelectric effect exhibits a pronounced solar cycle and seasonal dependence, and its heat transport corresponds to an upward flow of electron energy which can be either a source or sink of electron energy depending on altitude and geophysical conditions.

The Alcohol Relapse Risk Assessment: a scoring system to predict the risk of relapse to any alcohol use after liver transplant.

PubMed

Rodrigue, James R; Hanto, Douglas W; Curry, Michael P

2013-12-01

Alcohol relapse after liver transplant heightens concern about recurrent disease, nonadherence to the immunosuppression regimen, and death. To develop a scoring system to stratify risk of alcohol relapse after liver transplant. Retrospective medical record review. All adult liver transplants performed from May 2002 to February 2011 at a single center in the United States. The incidence of return to any alcohol consumption after liver transplant. Thirty-four percent (40/118) of patients with a history of alcohol abuse/dependency relapsed to use of any alcohol after liver transplant. Nine of 25 hypothesized risk factors were predictive of alcohol relapse after liver transplant: absence of hepatocellular carcinoma, tobacco dependence, continued alcohol use after liver disease diagnosis, low motivation for alcohol treatment, poor stress management skills, no rehabilitation relationship, limited social support, lack of nonmedical behavioral consequences, and continued engagement in social activities with alcohol present. Each independent predictor was assigned an Alcohol Relapse Risk Assessment (ARRA) risk value of 1 point, and patients were classified into 1 of 4 groups by ARRA score: ARRA I = 0, ARRA II = 1 to 3, ARRA III = 4 to 6, and ARRA IV = 7 to 9. Patients in the 2 higher ARRA classifications had significantly higher rates of alcohol relapse and were more likely to return to pretransplant levels of drinking. Alcohol relapse rates are moderately high after liver transplant. The ARRA is a valid and practical tool for identifying pretransplant patients with alcohol abuse or dependency at elevated risk of any alcohol use after liver transplant.

Deriving simple and adjusted financial rates of return on Mississippi timber lands by combining forest inventory and analysis and Timber Mart-South data

Treesearch

Andrew J. Hartsell

2007-01-01

This study compares returns on investments in Mississippi timber lands with returns on alternative investments. The real annual rates of return from mature, undisturbed timber lands in Mississippi over a 17-year period (1977-94) were computed. Southern Research Station Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) timber volume data and Timber Mart-South (TMS) data on timber...

Ubiquitous burden: the contribution of migration to AIDS and Tuberculosis mortality in rural South Africa

PubMed Central

Bocquier, Philipe; Collinson, Mark A.; Clark, Samuel J.; Gerritsen, Annette A.M.; Kahn, Kathleen; TollMan, Stephen M.

2014-01-01

The paper aims to estimate the extent to which migrants are contributing to AIDS or tuberculosis (TB) mortality among rural sub-district populations. The Agincourt (South Africa) health and socio-demographic surveillance system provided comprehensive data on vital and migration events between 1994 and 2006. AIDS and TB cause-deleted life expectancy, and crude death rates by gender, migration status and period were computed. The annualised crude death rate almost tripled from 5·39 [95% CI 5·13–5·65] to 15·10 [95% CI 14·62–15·59] per 1000 over the years 1994–2006. The contribution of AIDS and TB in returned migrants to the increase in crude death rate was 78·7% [95% CI 77·4–80·1] for males and 44·4% [95% CI 43·2–46·1] for females. So, in a typical South African setting dependent on labour migration for rural livelihoods, the contribution of returned migrants, many infected with AIDS and TB, to the burden of disease is high. PMID:25574071

Recovery of Three Arctic Stream Reaches From Experimental Nutrient Enrichment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, A. C.; Benstead, J. P.; Deegan, L. A.; Peterson, B. J.; Bowden, W. B.; Huryn, A. D.; Slavik, K.; Hershey, A. E.

2005-05-01

We examined multi-year patterns in community recovery from experimental low-concentration nutrient (N+P and P only) enrichment in three reaches of two Arctic tundra streams (Kuparuk River and Oksrukuyik Creek) on the North Slope of Alaska (USA). Rates of recovery varied among community components and depended on duration of enrichment (2 to 13 consecutive growing seasons). Biomass and C:P ratio of epilithic algae returned to reference levels rapidly (within 2 years), regardless of enrichment duration. Bryophyte cover, which increased greatly after long-term enrichment (>8 years), recovered to reference levels only after 7 years, when a storm scoured most remnant moss in the recovering reach. Persistence of bryophytes slowed recovery rates of insect taxa that had either been positively (e.g., Ephemerella, most chironomid taxa) or negatively (e.g., Orthocladius rivulorum) affected by this shift in dominant primary producer and its consequence for benthic habitat. Growth of Arctic grayling (adults and young-of-year), the top predator, returned to reference rates within two years. Recovery of these Arctic stream ecosystems from nutrient enrichment was consequently controlled largely by interactions between duration of enrichment and physical disturbance, mediated through physical habitat shifts caused by bryophytes.

Trends in currency’s return

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, A.; Shahrill, M.; Daud, S.; Leung, E.

2018-03-01

The purpose of this paper is to show that short-ranged dependence prevailed for Singapore-Malaysia exchange. Although, it is perceived that there is some evidence of long-ranged dependence [1,2], it is still unclear whether Singapore-Malaysia exchange indeed exhibits long-ranged dependence. For this paper, we focus on the currency rate for a sixteen-year period ranging from September 2002 to September 2017. We estimate the Hurst parameter using the famous rescaled R/S statistics technique. From our analysis, we showed that the Hurst parameter is approximately 0.5 which indicates short-ranged dependence. This short memory property is further validated by performing a one-tailed z-test whose alternative hypothesis is that the Hurst parameter is not 0.5 at 1% significance level. We conclude that the alternative hypothesis is rejected. The existence of short memory proves that the behaviour of the exchange rate is unpredictable, supporting the efficient market hypothesis, which states that not only is price movement completely random but also tomorrow’s prices are predicted by all the information in today’s prices.

Covered interest parity arbitrage and temporal long-term dependence between the US dollar and the Yen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batten, Jonathan A.; Szilagyi, Peter G.

2007-03-01

Using a daily time series from 1983 to 2005 of currency prices in spot and forward USD/Yen markets and matching equivalent maturity short-term US and Japanese interest rates, we investigate the sensitivity of the difference between actual prices in forward markets to those calculated from differentials in short-term interest rates. According to a fundamental theorem in financial economics termed covered interest parity (CIP), the actual and estimated prices should be identical once transaction and other costs are accommodated. The paper presents three important findings: first, we find evidence of considerable variation in CIP deviations from equilibrium; second, these deviations have diminished significantly and by 2000 have been almost eliminated; third, an analysis of the CIP deviations using the local Hurst exponent finds episodes of time-varying dependence over the various sample periods, which appear to be linked to episodes of dollar decline/Yen appreciation, or vice versa. The finding of temporal long-term dependence in CIP deviations is consistent with recent evidence of temporal long-term dependence in the returns of currency, stock and commodity markets.

Exponential growth and Gaussian—like fluctuations of solutions of stochastic differential equations with maximum functionals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Appleby, J. A. D.; Wu, H.

2008-11-01

In this paper we consider functional differential equations subjected to either instantaneous state-dependent noise, or to a white noise perturbation. The drift of the equations depend linearly on the current value and on the maximum of the solution. The functional term always provides positive feedback, while the instantaneous term can be mean-reverting or can exhibit positive feedback. We show in the white noise case that if the instantaneous term is mean reverting and dominates the history term, then solutions are recurrent, and upper bounds on the a.s. growth rate of the partial maxima of the solution can be found. When the instantaneous term is weaker, or is of positive feedback type, we determine necessary and sufficient conditions on the diffusion coefficient which ensure the exact exponential growth of solutions. An application of these results to an inefficient financial market populated by reference traders and speculators is given, in which the difference between the current instantaneous returns and maximum of the returns over the last few time units is used to determine trading strategies.

Social Internal Rates of Return to College Education in the United States: 1969, 1974, 1978, and 1982. Working Paper in Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohn, Elchanan; Hughes, Woodrow W., Jr.

The issue of rates of return to educational investment over time is discussed, noting that the examination of this subject enjoyed its heyday in the middle and late 1970s. A longitudinal examination of internal rates of returns to college education for different time periods is included. Some of the reasons for reexamining the issue are: the…

Biological consequences of relocating grizzly bears in the Yellowstone ecosystem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blanchard, Bonnie M.; Knight, Richard R.

1995-01-01

Relocating grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) from human/bear conflict situations has been a standard management procedure. Using data from Yellowstone National Park, we present components of situations that may affect the outcome of a relocation. Survival rates of transported bears were lower (lx = 0.83) (P = 0.001) than those not transported (lx = 0.89). Survival was largely affected by whether the bear returned to the capture site (P = 0.029). Return rate was most affected by distance transported (P = 0.012) and age-sex group (P = 0.014). Return rates decreased at distances -75 km, and subadult females returned least (P = 0.050) often. Because of low survival and high return rates, transporting grizzly bears should be considered a final action to eliminate a conflict situation. However, transporting females must be considered a viable management technique because transports of some individuals have resulted in contributions to the population through successful reproduction.

A Follow-Up Study on Return to Work in the Year After Reporting an Occupational Injury Stratified by Outcome of the Workers' Compensation System.

PubMed

Rudbeck, Marianne; Johansen, Jens Peter; Omland, Øyvind

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare return rates to work between different groups according to the decision from the workers' compensation. Register data on disability benefits were used to describe return rates to work in Kaplan-Meier curves and association with decision on compensation claims. Disability benefits were granted by the municipalities independently of any compensation claim if sick-listed. Claimants with ongoing claims were the group with the largest proportion remaining on disability benefits. Claimants with rejected claims returned to work at the same rate (occupational disease) or slower (industrial accident) than claimants with recognized claim without compensation the subsequent year and at a faster rate after decision. Compensation claims and proceedings of the workers' compensation system probably increase time to return to work; other factors such as health and social difficulties, however, may explain some of these differences.

Patient satisfaction with the endoscopy experience and willingness to return in a central Canadian health region.

PubMed

Loftus, Russell; Nugent, Zoann; Graff, Lesley A; Schumacher, Frederick; Bernstein, Charles N; Singh, Harminder

2013-01-01

Patient experiences with endoscopy visits within a large central Canadian health region were evaluated to determine the relationship between the visit experience and the patients' willingness to return for future endoscopy, and to identify the factors associated with patients' willingness to return. A self-report survey was distributed to 1200 consecutive individuals undergoing an upper and⁄or lower gastrointestinal endoscopy at any one of the six hospital-based endoscopy facilities in the region. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess the association between the patients' overall rating of the visits and willingness to return for repeat procedures under similar medical circumstances. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with willingness to return for repeat endoscopy and overall satisfaction (rating) of the visit. A total of 529 (44%) individuals returned the questionnaire, with 45% rating the visit as excellent and 56% indicating they were extremely likely to return for repeat endoscopy. There was a low moderate correlation between overall rating of the visit and patients' willingness to return for repeat endoscopy (r=0.30). The factors independently associated with patient willingness to return for repeat endoscopy included perceived technical skills of the endoscopists (OR 2.7 [95% CI 1.3 to 5.5]), absence of pain during the procedure (OR 2.2 [95% CI 1.3 to 3.6]) and history of previous endoscopy (OR 2.4 [95% CI 1.4 to 4.1]). In contrast, the independent factors associated with the overall rating of the visit included information provided pre- and postprocedure, wait time before and on the day of the visit, and the physical environment. To facilitate patient return for needed endoscopy, it is important to assess patients' willingness to return because positive behavioural intent is not simply a function of satisfaction with the visit.

[Effects of nitrogen application rates and straw returning on nutrient balance and grain yield of late sowing wheat in rice-wheat rotation].

PubMed

Zhang, Shan; Shi, Zu-liang; Yang, Si-jun; Gu, Ke-jun; Dai, Ting-bo; Wang, Fei; Li, Xiang; Sun, Ren-hua

2015-09-01

Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of nitrogen application rates and straw returning on grain yield, nutrient accumulation, nutrient release from straw and nutrient balance in late sowing wheat. The results showed that straw returning together with appropriate application of nitrogen fertilizer improved the grain yield. Dry matter, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium accumulation increased significantly as the nitrogen application rate increased. At the same nitrogen application rate (270 kg N · hm(-2)), the dry matter, phosphorus and potassium accumulation of the treatment with straw returning were higher than that without straw returning, but the nitrogen accumulation was lower. Higher-rate nitrogen application promoted straw decomposition and nutrient release, and decreased the proportion of the nutrient released from straw after jointing. The dry matter, phosphorus and potassium release from straw showed a reverse 'N' type change with the wheat growing, while nitrogen release showed a 'V' type change. The nutrient surplus increased significantly with the nitrogen application rate. At the nitrogen application rate for the highest grain yield, nitrogen and potassium were surplus significantly, and phosphorus input could keep balance. It could be concluded that as to late sowing wheat with straw returning, applying nitrogen at 257 kg · hm(-2) and reducing potassium fertilizer application could improve grain yield and reduce nutrients loss.

Risk of Secondary Injury in Younger Athletes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

PubMed Central

Wiggins, Amelia J.; Grandhi, Ravi K.; Schneider, Daniel K.; Stanfield, Denver; Webster, Kate E.; Myer, Gregory D.

2017-01-01

Background Injury to the ipsilateral graft used for reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or a new injury to the contralateral ACL are disastrous outcomes after successful ACL reconstruction (ACLR), rehabilitation, and return to activity. Studies reporting ACL reinjury rates in younger active populations are emerging in the literature, but these data have not yet been comprehensively synthesized. Purpose To provide a current review of the literature to evaluate age and activity level as the primary risk factors in reinjury after ACLR. Study Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods A systematic review of the literature was conducted via searches in PubMed (1966 to July 2015) and EBSCO host (CINAHL, Medline, SPORTDiscus [1987 to July 2015]). After the search and consultation with experts and rating of study quality, 19 articles met inclusion for review and aggregation. Population demographic data and total reinjury (ipsilateral and contralateral) rate data were recorded from each individual study and combined using random-effects meta-analyses. Separate meta-analyses were conducted for the total population data as well as the following subsets: young age, return to sport, and young age + return to sport. Results Overall, the total second ACL reinjury rate was 15%, with an ipsilateral reinjury rate of 7% and contralateral injury rate of 8%. The secondary ACL injury rate (ipsilateral + contralateral) for patients younger than 25 years was 21%. The secondary ACL injury rate for athletes who return to a sport was also 20%. Combining these risk factors, athletes younger than 25 years who return to sport have a secondary ACL injury rate of 23%. Conclusion This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrates that younger age and a return to high level of activity are salient factors associated with secondary ACL injury. These combined data indicate that nearly 1 in 4 young athletic patients who sustain an ACL injury and return to high-risk sport will go on to sustain another ACL injury at some point in their career, and they will likely sustain it early in the return-to-play period. The high rate of secondary injury in young athletes who return to sport after ACLR equates to a 30 to 40 times greater risk of an ACL injury compared with uninjured adolescents. These data indicate that activity modification, improved rehabilitation and return-to-play guidelines, and the use of integrative neuromuscular training may help athletes more safely reintegrate into sport and reduce second injury in this at-risk population. PMID:26772611

A modelling study of long term green roof retention performance.

PubMed

Stovin, Virginia; Poë, Simon; Berretta, Christian

2013-12-15

This paper outlines the development of a conceptual hydrological flux model for the long term continuous simulation of runoff and drought risk for green roof systems. A green roof's retention capacity depends upon its physical configuration, but it is also strongly influenced by local climatic controls, including the rainfall characteristics and the restoration of retention capacity associated with evapotranspiration during dry weather periods. The model includes a function that links evapotranspiration rates to substrate moisture content, and is validated against observed runoff data. The model's application to typical extensive green roof configurations is demonstrated with reference to four UK locations characterised by contrasting climatic regimes, using 30-year rainfall time-series inputs at hourly simulation time steps. It is shown that retention performance is dependent upon local climatic conditions. Volumetric retention ranges from 0.19 (cool, wet climate) to 0.59 (warm, dry climate). Per event retention is also considered, and it is demonstrated that retention performance decreases significantly when high return period events are considered in isolation. For example, in Sheffield the median per-event retention is 1.00 (many small events), but the median retention for events exceeding a 1 in 1 yr return period threshold is only 0.10. The simulation tool also provides useful information about the likelihood of drought periods, for which irrigation may be required. A sensitivity study suggests that green roofs with reduced moisture-holding capacity and/or low evapotranspiration rates will tend to offer reduced levels of retention, whilst high moisture-holding capacity and low evapotranspiration rates offer the strongest drought resistance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extensions of the lost letter technique to divisive issues of creationism, darwinism, sex education, and gay and lesbian affiliations.

PubMed

Bridges, F Stephen; Anzalone, Debra A; Ryan, Stuart W; Anzalone, Fanancy L

2002-04-01

Two field studies using 1,004 "lost letters" were designed to test the hypotheses that returned responses would be greater in small towns than from a city, that addressees' affiliation with a group either (1) opposed to physical education in schools, (2) supporting gay and lesbian teachers, or (3) advocating Creationism or Darwinism would reduce the return rate. Of 504 letters "lost" in Study A, 163 (32.3%) were returned in the mail from residents of southeast Louisiana and indicated across 3 addressees and 2 sizes of community, addressees' affiLiations were not associated with returned responses. Community size and addressees' affiliations were associated with significantly different rates of return in the city. Return rates from sites within a city were lower when letters were addressed to an organization which opposed (teaching) health education in the schools than to one supporting daily health education. Of 500 letters "lost" in Study B, 95 (19.0%) were returned from residents of northwest Florida and indicated across 5 addressees and 2 sizes of community, addressees' affiliations were significantly associated with returned responses overall (5 addressees) and in small towns (control, Creationism, Darwinism addressees), but not with community size. Community size and addressees' affiliations were associated with significantly different rates of return in small towns, with returns greater than or equal to those in the city (except for the addressee advocating teaching Darwinism in public schools). The present findings appear to show that applications of the lost letter technique to other divisive social issues are useful in assessing public opinion.

Individual Returns to Vocational Education and Training Qualifications: Their Implications for Lifelong Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Chris

The individual results to vocational education and training qualifications (VET) and the implications thereof for lifelong learning were examined by analyzing data from Australia's 1997 Survey of Education and Training. Private rates of return to various VET qualifications for individuals were calculated by using the internal rate of return, which…

Effect of Academic Grade Level on Return to Athletic Competition After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

PubMed

Bauer, Matthew; Feeley, Brian T; Gallo, Robert A

2016-11-07

After anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, 63% to 87% of high school athletes return to competition. Although physical and psychological factors are known contributors for failure to return to play, little attention has been paid to effect of academic grade level. Our purpose was to determine the influence of effect of academic grade level on return to competitive play. The primary hypothesis is that high school seniors who undergo ACL reconstruction or knee arthroscopy will be less likely to return to competitive play at 1 year than those in grades 9 to 11. We retrospectively reviewed high school athletes who injured their knee during competitive athletic activity and underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, including ACL reconstruction. We included those 14 to 18 years old at time of surgery and analyzed records for grade level, sporting activity, surgery details, and date of return to play. The definition of return to competitive play was return to same preinjury sport within 1 year of surgery and the sport had to be organized. Our study group included 225 patients that underwent an ACL reconstruction and 74 had knee arthroscopy. Athletes undergoing ACL reconstructions were less likely to return to preinjury sport within 1 year than those undergoing knee arthroscopy (P=0.0163). Seniors were significantly less likely to return to play at 1 year than athletes in grades 9 to 11 after both ACL reconstruction (P<0.0001) and knee arthroscopy (P=0.0335). Although return to competitive play rates remained fairly constant within grades 9 to 11, a precipitous decline by 28.9% and 29.4% in return to play rates occurred in the ACL reconstruction and knee arthroscopy groups, respectively, between the junior and senior years of high school. Although return to competition rates were lower for high school athletes undergoing ACL reconstruction than those undergoing knee arthroscopy, both had declines in return when the surgery occurs during their senior season. These data are useful when interpreting return to play rates. Future studies would benefit from further defining this relationship, or at least, noting the number of "senior" athletes studied. Therapeutic study-Level III.

Modeling of waiting times and price changes in currency exchange data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Repetowicz, Przemysław; Richmond, Peter

2004-11-01

A theory which describes the share price evolution at financial markets as a continuous-time random walk (Physica A 287 (2000) 468, Physica A 314 (2002) 749, Eur. Phys. J. B 27 (2002) 273, Physica A 376 (2000) 284) has been generalized in order to take into account the dependence of waiting times t on price returns x. A joint probability density function (pdf) φ(x,t) which uses the concept of a Lévy stable distribution is worked out. The theory is fitted to high-frequency US $/Japanese Yen exchange rate and low-frequency 19th century Irish stock data. The theory has been fitted both to price return and to waiting time data and the adherence to data, in terms of the χ2 test statistic, has been improved when compared to the old theory.

Dual-polarization characteristics of the radar ocean return in the presence of rain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meneghini, R.; Kumagai, H.; Kozu, T.

1992-01-01

Experimental data are presented on the polarimetric and dual-wavelength characteristics of the ocean surface in the presence of rain. To explain a portion of the variability observed in scatter plots under rain conditions, a storm model is used that incorporates measured drop size distributions. The fairly large variability indicates that effects of drop size distribution and the presence of partially melted particles can introduce a significant error in the estimate of attenuation. This effect is especially significant in the case of a 10-GHz radar under high rain rates. A surface reference method at this frequency will tend to overestimate the rain attenuation unless melting layer attenuation is properly taken into account. Observations of the cross-polarization return in stratiform rain over an ocean surface show three distinct components. Two of these correspond to aspherical, nonaligned particles in the melting layer seen in the direct and mirror-image returns. The remaining part depends both on the off-nadir depolarization by the surface and on the rain medium. A possible mechanism for this latter effect is the bistatic scattering from the rain to the surface.

Multi-Model Assessment of the Factors Driving Stratospheric Ozone Evolution Over the 21st Century

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oman, L. D.; Plummer, D. A.; Waugh, D. W.; Austin, J.; Scinocca, J.; Douglass, A. R.; Salawitch, R. J.; Canty, T.; Akiyoshi, H.; Bekki, S.;

An exploration of the effect of onsite 12‐step meetings on post‐treatment outcomes among polysubstance‐dependent outpatient clients

PubMed Central

Stanick, Virginia; Sands, Brian

2007-01-01

Rates of return to active substance use after addiction treatment tend to be high; participation in 12‐step fellowships (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous) reduces relapse rates but many clients do not attend or attend for a short period only. This quasi‐experimental study uses repeated measurement to explore the role of presence/absence of onsite 12‐step meetings during treatment on post‐treatment outcomes. Polysubstance‐dependent clients (N = 219) recruited at a program with and one without 12‐step onsite, were followed for one year post‐treatment. Onsite 12‐step enhanced 12‐step attendance, especially during treatment, and predicted continuous abstinence for the post treatment year. Holding 12‐step meetings onsite is a low‐cost strategy that programs should consider to foster post‐treatment remission maintenance. PMID:17986710

Smart Payload Development for High Data Rate Instrument Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pingree, Paula J.; Norton, Charles D.

2007-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the development of smart payloads instruments systems with high data rates. On-board computation has become a bottleneck for advanced science instrument and engineering capabilities. In order to improve the computation capability on board, smart payloads have been proposed. A smart payload is a Localized instrument, that can offload the flight processor of extensive computing cycles, simplify the interfaces, and minimize the dependency of the instrument on the flight system. This has been proposed for the Mars mission, Mars Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (MATMOS). The design of this system is discussed; the features of the Virtex-4, are discussed, and the technical approach is reviewed. The proposed Hybrid Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology has been shown to deliver breakthrough performance by tightly coupling hardware and software. Smart Payload designs for instruments such as MATMOS can meet science data return requirements with more competitive use of available on-board resources and can provide algorithm acceleration in hardware leading to implementation of better (more advanced) algorithms in on-board systems for improved science data return

Recovery of strength is dependent on mTORC1 signaling after eccentric muscle injury.

PubMed

Baumann, Cory Walter; Rogers, Russell George; Otis, Jeffrey Scott; Ingalls, Christopher Paul

2016-11-01

Eccentric contractions may cause immediate and long-term reductions in muscle strength that can be recovered through increased protein synthesis rates. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the mechanistic target-of-rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), a vital controller of protein synthesis rates, is required for return of muscle strength after injury. Isometric muscle strength was assessed before, immediately after, and then 3, 7, and 14 days after a single bout of 150 eccentric contractions in mice that received daily injections of saline or rapamycin. The bout of eccentric contractions increased the phosphorylation of mTORC1 (1.8-fold) and p70s6k1 (13.8-fold), mTORC1's downstream effector, 3 days post-injury. Rapamycin blocked mTORC1 and p70s6k1 phosphorylation and attenuated recovery of muscle strength (∼20%) at 7 and 14 days. mTORC1 signaling is instrumental in the return of muscle strength after a single bout of eccentric contractions in mice. Muscle Nerve 54: 914-924, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

High Satisfaction and Return to Sports After Total Shoulder Arthroplasty in Patients Aged 55 Years and Younger.

PubMed

Garcia, Grant H; Liu, Joseph N; Sinatro, Alec; Wu, Hao-Hua; Dines, Joshua S; Warren, Russell F; Dines, David M; Gulotta, Lawrence V

2017-06-01

Young, active candidates for total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) are a unique group of patients. Not only do they demand longevity and improved function, but they also desire a return to physical activities. To determine the rate of return to sports in patients aged ≤55 years undergoing TSA. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. This was a retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent anatomic TSA at a single institution. Exclusion criteria included age at the time of surgery >55 years and <2 years of follow-up. All patients had end-stage osteoarthritis with significant glenohumeral joint space narrowing. The final follow-up consisted of a patient-reported sports questionnaire, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and visual analog scale (VAS) score. From 70 eligible patients, 59 patients (61 shoulders) were included with an average follow-up of 61.0 months (range, 25-103 months) and average age at the time of surgery of 48.9 years (range, 25-55 years). The average VAS score improved from 5.6 to 0.9 ( P < .001), and the average ASES score improved from 39.3 to 88.4 ( P < .001). Forty-nine procedures (80.3%) were performed for a primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis. Four shoulders returned to the operating room; none were for glenoid loosening. There was a 93.2% satisfaction rate, and 67.7% of patients (n = 40) stated that they underwent their surgery to return to sports. Moreover, patients in 96.4% of shoulders (55/57) restarted at least 1 sport at an average of 6.7 months. Direct rates of return were as follows: fitness sports (97.2%), golf (93.3%), singles tennis (87.5%), swimming (77.7%), basketball (75.0%), and flag football (66.7%). Patients in 47 shoulders (82.4%) returned to a similar or higher level of sports; 90.3% returned to high-demand sports, and 83.8% returned to high upper extremity sports. There was no significant difference in rates of return to sports by body mass index, sex, age, preoperative diagnosis, revision status, and dominant extremity. In patients aged ≤55 years undergoing TSA, there was a 96.4% rate of return to ≥1 previous sports at an average of 6.7 months. Furthermore, at an average follow-up of 61.0 months, no patients needed revision of their glenoid component, despite an 83.8% rate of return to high upper extremity sports. While caution should still be advised in young, active patients undergoing TSA, these results demonstrate a high satisfaction rate and improved ability to return to most sports after surgery.

Systematic review of the relationship between quick returns in rotating shift work and health-related outcomes.

PubMed

Vedaa, Øystein; Harris, Anette; Bjorvatn, Bjørn; Waage, Siri; Sivertsen, Børge; Tucker, Philip; Pallesen, Ståle

2016-01-01

A systematic literature search was carried out to investigate the relationship between quick returns (i.e., 11.0 hours or less between two consecutive shifts) and outcome measures of health, sleep, functional ability and work-life balance. A total of 22 studies published in 21 articles were included. Three types of quick returns were differentiated (from evening to morning/day, night to evening, morning/day to night shifts) where sleep duration and sleepiness appeared to be differently affected depending on which shifts the quick returns occurred between. There were some indications of detrimental effects of quick returns on proximate problems (e.g., sleep, sleepiness and fatigue), although the evidence of associations with more chronic outcome measures (physical and mental health and work-life balance) was inconclusive. Modern societies are dependent on people working shifts. This study systematically reviews literature on the consequences of quick returns (11.0 hours or less between two shifts). Quick returns have detrimental effects on acute health problems. However, the evidence regarding effects on chronic health is inconclusive.

The effects of behavioral and structural assumptions in artificial stock market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xinghua; Gregor, Shirley; Yang, Jianmei

2008-04-01

Recent literature has developed the conjecture that important statistical features of stock price series, such as the fat tails phenomenon, may depend mainly on the market microstructure. This conjecture motivated us to investigate the roles of both the market microstructure and agent behavior with respect to high-frequency returns and daily returns. We developed two simple models to investigate this issue. The first one is a stochastic model with a clearing house microstructure and a population of zero-intelligence agents. The second one has more behavioral assumptions based on Minority Game and also has a clearing house microstructure. With the first model we found that a characteristic of the clearing house microstructure, namely the clearing frequency, can explain fat tail, excess volatility and autocorrelation phenomena of high-frequency returns. However, this feature does not cause the same phenomena in daily returns. So the Stylized Facts of daily returns depend mainly on the agents’ behavior. With the second model we investigated the effects of behavioral assumptions on daily returns. Our study implicates that the aspects which are responsible for generating the stylized facts of high-frequency returns and daily returns are different.

Rate-Dependent Homogenization Based Continuum Plasticity Damage Model for Dendritic Cast Aluminum Alloys

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

0.25 s−1 to 0.75 s−1 The return mapping algorithm consists of an initial elastic predictor step, where the elastic response is assumed and the stresses...18 different loadings are used. The parameters F, G, H are solved by an iterative algorithm with C = 3. The step is repeated for different values of...a. REPORT unclassified b. ABSTRACT unclassified c . THIS PAGE unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 c⃝

Major floods, poor land use delay return of sedimentation to normal rates

Treesearch

Henry W. Anderson

1972-01-01

Recovery from flood-accelerated sedimentation affects both estimates of long-term average deposition and short-term monitoring of changes. "Years to return to normal" for 10 watersheds in northern California after a major flood accelerated sediment concentrations were analyzed. Returns to normalcy took from 0 to 9 years; rate of decline was related to both...

Consent Form Return Rates for Third-Grade Urban Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ji, Peter; Flay, Brian R.; Phil, D.; DuBois, David L.; Brechling, Vanessa; Day, Joseph; Cantillon, Dan

2006-01-01

Objective: To maximize active parent consent form return rates for third-grade minority, urban students enrolled in predominantly low-income elementary schools in Chicago, Ill. Methods: Research staff used a class incentive and class visits to retrieve consent forms from students. Results: Of the 811 third-grade students, 98% returned a form and …

Exploration properties of biased evanescent random walkers on a one-dimensional lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esguerra, Jose Perico; Reyes, Jelian

2017-08-01

We investigate the combined effects of bias and evanescence on the characteristics of random walks on a one-dimensional lattice. We calculate the time-dependent return probability, eventual return probability, conditional mean return time, and the time-dependent mean number of visited sites of biased immortal and evanescent discrete-time random walkers on a one-dimensional lattice. We then extend the calculations to the case of a continuous-time step-coupled biased evanescent random walk on a one-dimensional lattice with an exponential waiting time distribution.

Return to play after treatment of superior labral tears in professional baseball players.

PubMed

Fedoriw, Wasyl W; Ramkumar, Prem; McCulloch, Patrick C; Lintner, David M

2014-05-01

The published return-to-play (RTP) rates for athletes who have undergone surgical repair of superior labrum anterior-posterior (SLAP) tears vary widely and are generally accepted to be lower in the subset of competitive throwers. The efficacy of nonsurgical treatment for this group is unknown. Nonsurgical treatment of SLAP tears in professional baseball players leads to RTP before consideration of surgical treatment. Incorporating performance statistics and level of competition will result in lower calculated RTP rates than have been previously reported. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. A retrospective review of 119 consecutive patients in a single professional baseball organization with persistent shoulder pain that limited the ability to compete was performed. Sixty-eight patients had magnetic resonance imaging-documented SLAP lesions. All patients had failed 1 attempt at rehabilitation but had continued with supervised physical therapy. Treatment was according to an algorithm focusing on the correction of scapular dyskinesia and posterior capsular contracture with glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD), followed by pain-free return to throwing. Those who failed 2 cycles of nonsurgical treatment were treated surgically. Success was defined by 2 different standards: (1) RTP, in accordance with previous studies; and (2) a more stringent standard of return to the same level/quality of professional competition (A, AA, AAA, etc) with the incorporation of a return to preinjury individual performance statistics (earned run average, walks plus hits per inning pitched), termed "return to prior performance" (RPP). Sixty-eight athletes were identified with SLAP lesions. Twenty-one pitchers successfully completed the nonsurgical algorithm and attempted a return. Their RTP rate was 40%, and their RPP rate was 22%. The RTP rate for 27 pitchers who underwent 30 procedures was 48%, and the RPP rate was 7%. For 10 position players treated nonsurgically, the RTP rate was 39%, and the RPP rate was 26%. The RTP rate for 13 position players who underwent 15 procedures was 85%, with an RPP rate of 54%. Nonsurgical treatment correcting scapular dyskinesia and GIRD had a reasonable success rate in professional baseball players with painful shoulders and documented SLAP lesions. The rate of return after surgical treatment of SLAP lesions was low for pitchers. The RTP and RPP rates were higher for position players than for pitchers. Nonsurgical treatment should be considered for professional baseball players with documented SLAP lesions, as it can lead to acceptable RTP and RPP rates.

A randomized trial to evaluate the use of text messaging, letter and telephone call reminders to improve return of blood donors with reactive serologic tests

PubMed Central

Porto-Ferreira, Francisco Augusto; de Almeida-Neto, Cesar; Murphy, Edward L.; de Camargo Montebello, Sandra; Nogueira, Fátima Aparecida Hangai; Koga da Silva, Edina Mariko; MacFarland, William; Custer, Brian

2016-01-01

Introduction Low return rates for notification and counseling among donors with reactive serologic screening tests have been reported worldwide. A randomized trial to test the effectiveness of text message, letter or telephone call reminders to improve return among non-responding first-time blood donors with reactive serologic tests was conducted. Methods Donors with serologically reactive screening test results who had a cell phone and resided in the metropolitan telephone area code of São Paulo in the period from August 2013 through July 2014 were eligible. A consecutive sample of first-time donors with reactive screening tests who had not responded to a standard letter requesting the donor return to the blood center were randomly assigned to receive a text, a new letter or a telephone call requesting return for notification and counseling. Return rates were measured over the subsequent 30 days. Results Return following a phone call reminder was better than a text message (39.8% vs. 28.4%; OR=1.66; 95%CI 1.05–2.64) but not better than a letter (39.8% vs. 34.4%; OR=1.32; 95%CI 0.83–2.12). Older age was a predictor of higher rate of return with each year increase in age associated with a 2% increase in the odds of return (OR=1.02; 95%CI 1.01–1.04). Conclusion In non-responding serologic reactive donors, telephone call led to a higher return rate than text message. The results of this study suggest that use of text messages, while attractive for its simplicity, will not lead to increased donor notification success following serologically reactive marker results from blood donation in Brazil. PMID:27774609

Femoroacetabular Impingement in Professional Football Players: Return to Play and Predictors of Career Length After Hip Arthroscopy.

PubMed

Menge, Travis J; Bhatia, Sanjeev; McNamara, Shannen C; Briggs, Karen K; Philippon, Marc J

2017-07-01

Previous studies have shown hip arthroscopy to be a highly effective treatment for symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) in a wide range of athletes; however, the rate of return to play and length of career after hip arthroscopy in professional football players are unknown. To determine how many athletes returned to professional football and the number of seasons they played after surgery. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Fifty-one professional football players (60 hips) underwent hip arthroscopy for FAI between 2000 and 2014 by a single surgeon. Return to play was defined as competing in a preseason or regular season professional football game after surgery. Data were retrospectively obtained for each player from NFL.com , ESPN.com , individual team websites, and/or CFL.ca . We found that 87% (52/60) of the arthroscopic procedures allowed professional football players to return to play in a preseason or regular season game. Athletes who returned played an average of 38 games during 3.2 seasons after arthroscopy, with an average total career length of 7.4 seasons. Ninety-two percent (48/52) of players who returned had a minimum total career length of 3 years. When participants were analyzed by position, linemen were less likely to return after hip arthroscopy compared with other players (odds ratio 5.6; 95% CI, 1.1-35; P = .04). All quarterbacks and tight ends returned to play after surgery. No significant difference in return to play rate was found between athletes who underwent microfracture and those who did not (25% vs 38%, P = .698). Hip arthroscopy for treatment of FAI and associated pathologic abnormalities in professional football players resulted in a high rate of return to play. The study's findings demonstrate that 87% of the arthroscopic procedures allowed professional football players to return to play, linemen were less likely to return compared with other positions, and the presence of microfracture did not significantly affect the return to play rate. These findings support hip arthroscopy as an effective procedure to treat FAI and related pathologic abnormalities in the professional football player, and this information is important for proper counseling of athletes with FAI.

Return-to-Play and Performance Outcomes of Professional Athletes in North America After Hip Arthroscopy From 1999 to 2016.

PubMed

Schallmo, Michael S; Fitzpatrick, Thomas H; Yancey, Hunter B; Marquez-Lara, Alejandro; Luo, T David; Stubbs, Allston J

2018-05-01

The effect of hip arthroscopy on athletic performance compared with preinjury levels for professional athletes in different sports remains unknown. In addition, while return rates have been reported for professional baseball, football, and hockey players, return rates have not been reported for professional basketball players. Professional athletes in 4 major North American sports would be able to return to their sport and preoperative level of performance at a high rate after arthroscopic hip surgery. Descriptive epidemiology study. Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and National Hockey League (NHL) athletes who underwent hip arthroscopy were identified through a previously reported protocol based on public sources. Successful return to play (RTP) was defined as returning for at least 1 professional regular season game after surgery. Performance scores were calculated by use of previously established scoring systems. Each player served as his own control, with the season prior to surgery defined as baseline. To make comparisons across sports, the authors adjusted for expected season and career length differences between sports and calculated percentage changes in performance. The authors identified 227 procedures performed on 180 professional athletes between 1999 and 2016. Successful RTP was achieved in 84.6% (192/227) of the procedures. Compared with all other athletes, NBA athletes returned at a similar rate (85.7%, P ≥ .999). NFL offensive linemen returned at a significantly lower rate than all other athletes (61.1%, P = .010). NHL athletes returned at a significantly higher rate than all other athletes (91.8%, P = .048) and demonstrated significantly decreased performance during postoperative season 1 compared with baseline (-35.1%, P = .002). Lead leg surgery for MLB athletes (batting stance for hitters, pitching stance for pitchers) resulted in a 12.7% reduction in hitter performance score ( P = .041), a 1.3% reduction in pitcher fastball velocity ( P = .004), and a 60.7% reduction in pitch count ( P = .007) one season after surgery compared with baseline. Players in nearly every sport demonstrated significant reductions in game participation after surgery. This study supports the hypothesis that hip arthroscopy in professional athletes is associated with excellent rates of return at the professional level. However, postoperative performance outcomes varied based on sport and position.

Black Art Posters, an Incentive to Increase Study Enrollment among Blacks in a Large Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Yancey, Antronette K.; Herring, R. Patti; Fraser, Gary E.; Yan, Ru; Baker, Phyllip; Lampkin, Andrew; Kyle, James

2009-01-01

Objective Black art posters were offered to replace or augment the established $10 incentive for questionnaire completion in a longitudinal cohort study. Method 81 churches located in the US southern region were divided between two intervention groups, with a control group of 24 churches from the same region. Primary outcome measures were study enrollment rates and questionnaire return rates between December 2003 and July 2004 as a proportion of church goal. Results 9.3% of participants returning questionnaires selected a poster in preference to $10. Half of participants offered both monetary and art incentives indicated a poster selection. Crude questionnaire return rates were 57.4% for the pooled intervention churches and 38.2% for the control churches. Enrollment rates among those offered both incentives were significantly higher (p<0.01) than when monetary incentives alone were offered after adjustment for church size, promotional dates, and average income of church members. Survey return rates were also higher in the churches offered both incentives (p=0.04). Conclusion These data suggest that the black art posters improved study enrollment and survey return rates. The relatively low rate of poster selection suggests that the art primarily influenced participation indirectly, by creating a more culturally inclusive image of the study. PMID:18234325

[Effect of Bt rice straw returning in soil on the growth and reproduction of Eisenia fetida.

PubMed

Cheng, Miao Miao; Shu, Ying Hua; Wang, Jian Wu

2016-11-18

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) protein can enter the soil through Bt crops straw returning to field, which may affect the growth and reproduction of soil animals, such as earthworms. Here, Bt rice (b2B138) and conventional rice (Anfeng A) straw were returned in soil to evaluate the impact of Bt rice on Eisenia fetida. Two varieties of rice straw were added into soil to breed E. fetida at the rates of 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%. The survival rate, relative growth rate, reproduction of earthworm, the Cry1Ab content in soil-straw mixture and earthworm were detected after 7, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 d. The results showed that Bt rice straw returning at higher concentrations (7.5% and 10%) inhibited the survival rate of E. fetida. Bt rice straw returning had no adverse effect on relative growth rate (RGR) of E. fetida. Bt rice straw treatment improved the reproduction of earthworms under 5%, 7.5% and 10% straw returning in soil. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results indicated that immunoreactive Cry1Ab was detectable in soil-straw mixture and E. fetida from Bt rice treatments, and a strong decline was observed in soil-straw mixture with the increase of treated time. Therefore, Cry1Ab released from Bt rice straw returning at 2.5% and 5% concentration had no adverse effects on the growth and reproduction of E. fetida.

Return to Sport After Shoulder Arthroplasty in Recreational Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Aim, Florence; Werthel, Jean-David; Deranlot, Julien; Vigan, Marie; Nourissat, Geoffroy

2018-04-01

One of the most frequent demands from patients after shoulder replacement surgery is to return to sport. To determine the rate of return to sport after shoulder arthroplasty (total shoulder arthroplasty, reverse shoulder arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty) in recreational athletes. Meta-analysis and systematic review. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed to perform this systematic review and meta-analysis of the results in the literature as well as the presentation of results. A search of the literature was performed in the electronic databases MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. The quality of the included studies was evaluated according to the MINORS (Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies) score. Inclusion criteria were studies in English evaluating return to sport after shoulder replacement surgery and on patients practicing a sport regularly, whatever the level, with all ages and sports included. The main criterion was the rate of patients who returned to a sport activity. Nine studies were selected among the 35 identified, including a total of 613 patients (39% male and 61% female) with a mean age of 71.7 years (range, 22.6-92.6 years). All the included patients practiced sports before surgery. The most common reported sports were golf (n = 140), swimming (n = 128), and tennis (n = 54). The mean rate of return to sport was 80.7% (range, 57.1%-97.3%). All patients who returned to sport were practicing in the 3 months before surgery. No radiological data were reported in the literature. The subgroup analysis for resuming golf after shoulder arthroplasty revealed a rate of return to sport of 79.2% (95% CI, 62.9%-89.5%). In the swimming subgroup, the rate was 75.6% (95% CI, 61.3%-85.8%) and in the tennis subgroup was 63.5% (95% CI, 34.1%-85.5%). The subgroup analysis for reverse shoulder arthroplasty reported a lower rate of return to sport than for all types of shoulder arthroplasty combined: 76.5% (95% CI, 60%-87%) versus 80.7% (95% CI, 70.9%-87.8%), respectively. Most patients returned to sport after surgery, and all who returned to sport were practicing their sport in the 3 months before surgery. No radiological data were reported in the literature.

Scaling analysis on Indian foreign exchange market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, A.; Barat, P.

2006-05-01

In this paper, we investigate the scaling behavior of the average daily exchange rate returns of the Indian Rupee against four foreign currencies: namely, US Dollar, Euro, Great Britain Pound and Japanese Yen. The average daily exchange rate return of the Indian Rupee against US Dollar is found to exhibit a persistent scaling behavior and follow Levy stable distribution. On the contrary, the average daily exchange rate returns of the other three foreign currencies do not show persistency or antipersistency and follow Gaussian distribution.

Do Returns to Education Matter to Schooling Participation? Evidence from India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kingdon, Geeta Gandhi; Theopold, Nicolas

2008-01-01

While it might be expected that demand for schooling will depend positively on the economic returns to education (ER) in the local labor market, in fact there is theoretical ambiguity about the sign of the schooling-ER relationship when households are liquidity-constrained. Whether the relationship is positive or negative depends on which effect…

Returning Veterans on Campus with War Related Injuries and the Long Road Back Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Church, Thomas E.

2009-01-01

This article reviews the growing numbers of returning military personnel attending higher education based on emerging national trends, including the new GI Educational Bill, amendments to the ADA, and the rising unemployment rate. The trauma of war and the high survival rate have resulted in a high percentage of veterans returning from the Global…

Lumbar surgery in work-related chronic low back pain: can a continuum of care enhance outcomes?

PubMed

Mayer, Tom G; Gatchel, Robert J; Brede, Emily; Theodore, Brian R

2014-02-01

Systematic reviews of lumbar fusion outcomes in purely workers' compensation (WC) patient populations have indicated mixed results for efficacy. Recent studies on lumbar fusions in the WC setting have reported return-to-work rates of 26% to 36%, reoperation rates of 22% to 27%, and high rates of persistent opioid use 2 years after surgery. Other types of lumbar surgery in WC populations are also acknowledged to have poorer outcomes than in non-WC. The possibility of improving outcomes by employing a biopsychosocial model with a continuum of care, including postoperative functional restoration in this "at risk" population, has been suggested as a possible solution. To compare objective socioeconomic and patient-reported outcomes for WC patients with different lumbar surgeries followed by functional restoration, relative to matched comparison patients without surgery. A prospective cohort study of chronic disabling occupational lumbar disorder (CDOLD) patients with WC claims treated in an interdisciplinary functional restoration program. A consecutive cohort of 564 patients with prerehabilitation surgery completed a functional restoration and was divided into groups based on surgery type: lumbar fusion (F group, N=331) and nonfusion lumbar spine surgery (NF group, N=233). An unoperated comparison group was matched for length of disability (U group, N=349). Validated patient-reported measures of pain, disability, and depression were administered pre- and postrehabilitation. Socioeconomic outcomes were collected via a structured 1-year "after" interview. All patients completed an intensive, medically supervised functional restoration program combining quantitatively directed exercise progression with a multimodal disability management approach. The writing of this article was supported in part by National Institutes of Health Grant 1K05-MH-71892; no conflicts of interest are noted among the authors. The F group had a longer length of disability compared with the NF and U groups (M=31.6, 21.7, and 25.9 months, respectively, p<.001). There were relatively few statistically significant differences for any socioeconomically relevant outcome among groups, with virtually identical postrehabilitation return-to-work (F=81%, NF=84%, U=85%, p=.409). The groups differed significantly after surgery on diagnosis of major depressive disorder and opioid dependence disorder as well as patient-reported depressive symptoms and pain intensity prerehabilitation. However, no significant differences in patient-reported outcomes were found postrehabilitation. Prerehabilitation opioid dependence disorder significantly predicted lower rates of work return and work retention as well as higher rates of treatment-seeking behavior. Higher levels of prerehabilitation perceived disability and depressive symptoms were significant risk factors for poorer work return and retention outcomes. Lumbar surgery in the WC system (particularly lumbar fusion) have the potential achieve positive outcomes that are comparable to CDOLD patients treated nonoperatively. This study suggests that surgeons have the opportunity to improve lumbar surgery outcomes in the WC system, even for complex fusion CDOLD patients with multiple prior operations, if they control postoperative opioid dependence and prevent an excessive length of disability. Through early referral of patients (who fail to respond to usual postoperative care) to interdisciplinary rehabilitation, the surgeon determining this continuum of care may accelerate recovery and achieve socioeconomic outcomes of relevance to the patient and WC jurisdiction through the combination of surgery and postoperative rehabilitation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simple decision rules can reduce reinjury risk by 84% after ACL reconstruction: the Delaware-Oslo ACL cohort study.

PubMed

Grindem, Hege; Snyder-Mackler, Lynn; Moksnes, Håvard; Engebretsen, Lars; Risberg, May Arna

2016-07-01

Knee reinjury after ACL reconstruction is common and increases the risk of osteoarthritis. There is sparse evidence to guide return to sport (RTS) decisions in this population. To assess the relationship between knee reinjury after ACL reconstruction and (1) return to level I sports, (2) timing of RTS and (3) knee function prior to return. 106 patients who participated in pivoting sports participated in this prospective 2-year cohort study. Sports participation and knee reinjury were recorded monthly. Knee function was assessed with the Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale, global rating scale of function, and quadriceps strength and hop test symmetry. Pass RTS criteria were defined as scores >90 on all tests, failure as failing any. Patients who returned to level I sports had a 4.32 (p=0.048) times higher reinjury rate than those who did not. The reinjury rate was significantly reduced by 51% for each month RTS was delayed until 9 months after surgery, after which no further risk reduction was observed. 38.2% of those who failed RTS criteria suffered reinjuries versus 5.6% of those who passed (HR 0.16, p=0.075). More symmetrical quadriceps strength prior to return significantly reduced the knee reinjury rate. Returning to level I sports after ACL reconstruction leads to a more than 4-fold increase in reinjury rates over 2 years. RTS 9 months or later after surgery and more symmetrical quadriceps strength prior to return substantially reduce the reinjury rate. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Return to sport after the surgical management of articular cartilage lesions in the knee: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Krych, Aaron J; Pareek, Ayoosh; King, Alexander H; Johnson, Nick R; Stuart, Michael J; Williams, Riley J

2017-10-01

Optimal surgical treatment of chondral defects in an athletic population remains highly controversial and has yet to be determined. The purpose of this review was to (1) report data on return to sport and (2) compare activity and functional outcome measures following various cartilage restoration techniques. A comprehensive review was performed for studies with return-to-sport outcomes after microfracture (MFX), osteochondral autograft transfer (OAT), osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA), and autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI). All studies containing return-to-sport participation with minimum 2-year post-operative activity-based outcomes were included. A meta-analysis comparing rate of return to sport between each surgical intervention was conducted using a random-effects model. Forty-four studies met inclusion criteria (18 Level I/II, 26 Level III/IV). In total, 2549 patients were included (1756 M, 793 F) with an average age of 35 years and follow-up of 47 months. Return to sport at some level was 76 % overall, with highest rates of return after OAT (93 %), followed by OCA (88 %), ACI (82 %), and MFX (58 %). Osteochondral autograft transfer showed the fastest return to sports (5.2 ± 1.8 months) compared to 9.1 ± 2.2 months for MFX, 9.6 ± 3.0 months for OCA and 11.8 ± 3.8 months for ACI (P < 0.001). A meta-regression was conducted due to heterogeneity in preoperative factors such as patient age, lesion size, and preoperative Tegner score. None of these factors were found to be significant determinants for rate of return to sport. In conclusion, in this meta-analysis of 2549 athletes, cartilage restoration surgery had a 76 % return to sport at mid-term follow-up. Osteochondral autograft transfer offered a faster recovery and appeared to have a higher rate of return to preinjury athletics, but heterogeneity in lesion size, athlete age, and concomitant surgical procedures are important factors to consider when assessing individual athletes. This study reports on the rate of return to sport in athletes undergoing various procedures for symptomatic chondral defects. IV.

Accounting- versus economic-based rates of return: implications for profitability measures in the pharmaceutical industry.

PubMed

Skrepnek, Grant H

2004-01-01

Accounting-based profits have indicated that pharmaceutical firms have achieved greater returns relative to other sectors. However, partially due to the theoretically inappropriate reporting of research and development (R&D) expenditures according to generally accepted accounting principles, evidence suggests that a substantial and upward bias is present in accounting-based rates of return for corporations with high levels of intangible assets. Given the intensity of R&D in pharmaceutical firms, accounting-based profit metrics in the drug sector may be affected to a greater extent than other industries. The aim of this work was to address measurement issues associated with corporate performance and factors that contribute to the bias within accounting-based rates of return. Seminal and broadly cited works on the subject of accounting- versus economic-based rates of return were reviewed from the economic and finance literature, with an emphasis placed on issues and scientific evidence directly related to the drug development process and pharmaceutical industry. With international convergence and harmonization of accounting standards being imminent, stricter adherence to theoretically sound economic principles is advocated, particularly those based on discounted cash-flow methods. Researchers, financial analysts, and policy makers must be cognizant of the biases and limitations present within numerous corporate performance measures. Furthermore, the development of more robust and valid economic models of the pharmaceutical industry is required to capture the unique dimensions of risk and return of the drug development process. Empiric work has illustrated that estimates of economic-based rates of return range from approximately 2 to approximately 11 percentage points below various accounting-based rates of return for drug companies. Because differences in the nature of risk and uncertainty borne by drug manufacturers versus other sectors make comparative assessments of performance challenging and often inappropriate, continued work in this area is warranted.

Heterogeneous effects of oil shocks on exchange rates: evidence from a quantile regression approach.

PubMed

Su, Xianfang; Zhu, Huiming; You, Wanhai; Ren, Yinghua

2016-01-01

The determinants of exchange rates have attracted considerable attention among researchers over the past several decades. Most studies, however, ignore the possibility that the impact of oil shocks on exchange rates could vary across the exchange rate returns distribution. We employ a quantile regression approach to address this issue. Our results indicate that the effect of oil shocks on exchange rates is heterogeneous across quantiles. A large US depreciation or appreciation tends to heighten the effects of oil shocks on exchange rate returns. Positive oil demand shocks lead to appreciation pressures in oil-exporting countries and this result is robust across lower and upper return distributions. These results offer rich and useful information for investors and decision-makers.

Comparison among the efficacy of interventions for the return rate to receive the pap test report: randomized controlled clinical trial 1

PubMed Central

Vasconcelos, Camila Teixeira Moreira; Pinheiro, Ana Karina Bezerra; Nicolau, Ana Izabel Oliveira; Lima, Thaís Marques; Barbosa, Denise de Fátima Fernandes

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to test the effects of a behavioral, an educative and a comparative intervention on women's adherence to the return appointment to receive the pap test report. Methods: randomized controlled clinical trial at a Primary Health Care Service, involving three groups: EG (educative session and test demonstration), BG (recall ribbon) and standard intervention (card containing the return appointment - graphical reminder), called comparative group here (CG). To select the sample, the following was established: having started sexual activity and undergoing the pap smear during the study, resulting in 775 women. Results: among the 775 women, 585 (75.5%) returned to receive the test result within 65 days. The educative group presented the highest return rate (EG=82%/CG=77%/BG=66%), statistically significant only when compared to the behavioral group (p=0.000). The educative group obtained the smallest interval (p<0.05) concerning the mean number of days of return to receive the test result (EG:M=43days/BG:M=47.5days/CG:M=44.8 days). Conclusion: the educative group reached higher return rates and the women returned earlier, but the behavioral intervention showed to be the least effective. Brazilian Clinical Trial Register: RBR-93ykhs. PMID:28301035

A Regular Production-Remanufacturing Inventory Model for a Two-Echelon System with Price-dependent Return Rate and Environmental Effects Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwicahyani, A. R.; Jauhari, W. A.; Jonrinaldi

2017-06-01

Product take-back recovery has currently became a promising effort for companies in order to create a sustainable supply chain. In addition, some restrictions including government regulations, social-ethical responsibilities, and up to economic factors have contributed to the reasons for the importance of product take-back recovery. This study aims to develop an inventory model in a system of reverse logistic management consisting of a manufacturer and a collector. Recycle dealer collects used products from the market and ships it to manufacturer. Manufacturer then recovers the used products and sell it eventually to the market. Some recovered products that can not be recovered as good as new one will be sold to the secondary market. In this study, we investigate the effects of environmental factors including GHG emissions and energy usage from transportation, regular production, and remanufacturing operations conducted by manufacturer and solve the model to get the maximum annual joint total profit for both parties. The model also considers price-dependent return rate and determine it as a decision variable as well as number of shipments from collector to manufacturer and optimal cycle period. An iterative procedure is proposed to determine the optimal solutions. We present a numerical example to illustrate the application of the model and perform a sensitivity analysis to study the effects of the changes in environmental related costs on the model’s decision.

A wavelet based approach to measure and manage contagion at different time scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, Theo

2015-10-01

We decompose financial return series of US stocks into different time scales with respect to different market regimes. First, we examine dependence structure of decomposed financial return series and analyze the impact of the current financial crisis on contagion and changing interdependencies as well as upper and lower tail dependence for different time scales. Second, we demonstrate to which extent the information of different time scales can be used in the context of portfolio management. As a result, minimizing the variance of short-run noise outperforms a portfolio that minimizes the variance of the return series.

Private Returns to Vocational Education and Training Qualifications. A National Vocational Education and Training Research and Evaluation Program Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Michael; Shah, Chandra

2008-01-01

This report presents estimates of the private rates of return for students studying for vocational education and training (VET) qualifications in Australia. Estimates of rates of return are commonly used by governments, businesses and others to compare the merits of different forms of investment where costs or benefits or both are distributed over…

Impact of Short-term Changes In Earthquake Hazard on Risk In Christchurch, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyst, M.

2012-12-01

The recent Mw 7.1, 4 September 2010 Darfield, and Mw 6.2, 22 February 2011 Christchurch, New Zealand earthquakes and the following aftershock activity completely changed the existing view on earthquake hazard of the Christchurch area. Not only have several faults been added to the New Zealand fault database, the main shocks were also followed by significant increases in seismicity due to high aftershock activity throughout the Christchurch region that is still on-going. Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment (PSHA) models take into account a stochastic event set, the full range of possible events that can cause damage or loss at a particular location. This allows insurance companies to look at their risk profiles via average annual losses (AAL) and loss-exceedance curves. The loss-exceedance curve is derived from the full suite of seismic events that could impact the insured exposure and plots the probability of exceeding a particular loss level over a certain period. Insurers manage their risk by focusing on a certain return period exceedance benchmark, typically between the 100 and 250 year return period loss level, and then reserve the amount of money needed to account for that return period loss level, their so called capacity. This component of risk management is not too sensitive to short-term changes in risk due to aftershock seismicity, as it is mostly dominated by longer-return period, larger magnitude, more damaging events. However, because the secondairy uncertainties are taken into account when calculating the exceedance probability, even the longer return period losses can still experience significant impact from the inclusion of time-dependent earthquake behavior. AAL is calculated by summing the product of the expected loss level and the annual rate for all events in the event set that cause damage or loss at a particular location. This relatively simple metric is an important factor in setting the annual premiums. By annualizing the expected losses due to events of varying severities and recurrence intervals, annual premium rates can be set with some longer term risk planning in mind. However, this metric is particularly sensitive to high frequency, moderate magnitude events. Inclusion of earthquake aftershock sequence characteristics into the stochastic event set may have a strong impact on the AAL, depending on the time window of aftershocks that is taken into account. We will present our model of the aftershock-derived, time-dependent hazard for the region of the two earthquakes and will bring about a detailed view on regional, short-term hazard. Dealing with this short-term hazard poses a challenge to the earthquake insurance business. In this presentation we will look at these short-term hazard changes from a risk perspective and quantify the impact on earthquake risk in terms of the main risk metrics used in the industry.

47 CFR 51.917 - Revenue recovery for Rate-of-Return Carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Revenue recovery for Rate-of-Return Carriers... SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERCONNECTION Transitional Access Service Pricing § 51.917 Revenue recovery for Rate... may recover, through the recovery mechanism outlined in paragraphs (d) through (f) of this section, a...

47 CFR 51.917 - Revenue recovery for Rate-of-Return Carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Revenue recovery for Rate-of-Return Carriers... SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERCONNECTION Transitional Access Service Pricing § 51.917 Revenue recovery for Rate... may recover, through the recovery mechanism outlined in paragraphs (d) through (f) of this section, a...

47 CFR 51.917 - Revenue recovery for Rate-of-Return Carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Revenue recovery for Rate-of-Return Carriers... SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERCONNECTION Transitional Access Service Pricing § 51.917 Revenue recovery for Rate... may recover, through the recovery mechanism outlined in paragraphs (d) through (f) of this section, a...

Limitations on work and attendance rates after employees with cancer returned to work at a single manufacturing company in Japan.

PubMed

Ohguri, Takayuki; Narai, Rie; Funahashi, Atsushi; Nishiura, Chihiro; Yamashita, Tsuyoshi; Yarita, Keiichiro; Korogi, Yukunori

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the work limitations and attendance rates after employees diagnosed with cancer returned to work from sick leave, and to identify the related factors for the limitations and attendance rates at a single manufacturing company in Japan. This study retrospectively analyzed 129 men and 4 women, employed in a single manufacturing industry, who returned to work after sick leave due to newly diagnosis of cancer. Limitations on work after the return to work were enforced in the workplace based on an industrial physician's evaluation. All the employees who needed measures for work were examined by the industrial physicians every 1-6 months until the termination of such work limitations. Limitations on work after the return to work were enforced for 79 (59%) employees (36 employees with alteration of work, 31 with prohibition of shift work and 55 with prohibition of overtime work). A higher degree of work limitations was significantly correlated with work-related factors before sick leave (i.e. shift work, production line) as well as disease/treatment-related factors (i.e. chemotherapy, recurrence/metastasis), while the attendance rates after the return to work were not correlated with adverse work-related factors before sick leave. The enforcement of work limitations for employees with cancer was relatively common and was based on both disease/treatment- and work-related factors, and this phenomenon may play an important role in the return to work as well as the successful continuation of work after cancer survivors return to work.

Understanding the multifractality in portfolio excess returns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Cheng; Wang, Yudong

2017-01-01

The multifractality in stock returns have been investigated extensively. However, whether the autocorrelations in portfolio returns are multifractal have not been considered in the literature. In this paper, we detect multifractal behavior of returns of portfolios constructed based on two popular trading rules, size and book-to-market (BM) ratio. Using the multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis, we find that the portfolio returns are significantly multifractal and the multifractality is mainly attributed to long-range dependence. We also investigate the multifractal cross-correlation between portfolio return and market average return using the detrended cross-correlation analysis. Our results show that the cross-correlations of small fluctuations are persistent, while those of large fluctuations are anti-persistent.

The prevalence of quality issues and adverse outcomes among 72-hour return admissions in the emergency department.

PubMed

Abualenain, Jameel; Frohna, William J; Smith, Mark; Pipkin, Michael; Webb, Cynthia; Milzman, David; Pines, Jesse M

2013-08-01

Records of patients discharged from the Emergency Department (ED) who return within 72 h and are admitted are often reviewed for potential quality issues. We explored 72-h return admissions and determined the prevalence and predictors for substandard management on the initial visit or any adverse outcome. Retrospective review of quality assurance data from 72-h return admissions in three hospitals from 2006-2010 was performed. Any substandard quality on the first visit or change in outcome on the return admission was considered "low quality." Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between cases judged as low quality vs. not low quality. Of 741,132 ED visits across 5 years, 3682 (0.5%) were 72-h return admissions. Of those, 192 (5%) were low quality. In 158 (4%) and 8 (0.2%) there were moderate and severe deviations from care standards, respectively. Similarly, in 53 (1%) and 14 (0.4%) there were moderate and severe changes in outcome. In adjusted analysis, there were higher rates of low-quality 72-h return admissions in ambulance arrivals (odds ratio [OR] 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-2.1); and lower rates in Medicaid patients (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.2-0.7). There were higher rates in low-quality 72-h return admissions in hospital 1 (OR 3.6, 95% CI 2.2-6.1) and hospital 3 (OR 3.2, 95% CI 2.0-4.7) compared to hospital 2. Poor care on the initial visit or any poor outcome upon returning in 72-h return admissions is relatively rare in the ED. Reporting 72-h return admissions without chart review may not be a good way to measure clinical quality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Return to Sport After Tibial Shaft Fractures

PubMed Central

Robertson, Greg A. J.; Wood, Alexander M.

2015-01-01

Context: Acute tibial shaft fractures represent one of the most severe injuries in sports. Return rates and return-to-sport times after these injuries are limited, particularly with regard to the outcomes of different treatment methods. Objective: To determine the current evidence for the treatment of and return to sport after tibial shaft fractures. Data Sources: OVID/MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Collaboration Database, Web of Science, PEDro, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and Google Scholar were all searched for articles published from 1988 to 2014. Study Selection: Inclusion criteria comprised studies of level 1 to 4 evidence, written in the English language, that reported on the management and outcome of tibial shaft fractures and included data on either return-to-sport rate or time. Studies that failed to report on sporting outcomes, those of level 5 evidence, and those in non–English language were excluded. Study Design: Systematic review. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Data Extraction: The search used combinations of the terms tibial, tibia, acute, fracture, athletes, sports, nonoperative, conservative, operative, and return to sport. Two authors independently reviewed the selected articles and created separate data sets, which were subsequently combined for final analysis. Results: A total of 16 studies (10 retrospective, 3 prospective, 3 randomized controlled trials) were included (n = 889 patients). Seventy-six percent (672/889) of the patients were men, with a mean age of 27.7 years. Surgical management was assessed in 14 studies, and nonsurgical management was assessed in 8 studies. Return to sport ranged from 12 to 54 weeks after surgical intervention and from 28 to 182 weeks after nonsurgical management (mean difference, 69.5 weeks; 95% CI, –83.36 to −55.64; P < 0.01). Fractures treated surgically had a return-to-sport rate of 92%, whereas those treated nonsurgically had a return rate of 67% (risk ratio, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.20 to 1.57; P < 0.01). Conclusion: The general principles are to undertake surgical management for displaced fractures and to attempt nonsurgical management for undisplaced fractures. Primary surgical intervention of undisplaced fractures, however, may result in higher return rates and shorter return times, though this exposes the patient to the risk of surgical complications, which include surgical site infection and compartment syndrome. PMID:27340245

The Discount Rate for Defense Decisionmaking: Some New Considerations,

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-11-01

the pre- corporate - income - tax cost of capital. Stockfisch calculates the pre-tax rate of return in several corporate sectors and takes a weighted average...economists assume 100 percent shifting of the corporate income tax , so if the corporate income tax is 50 percent, then the rate of return in the

Community-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Rural Population: Who Returns Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) Kits?

PubMed

Crosby, Richard A; Stradtman, Lindsay; Collins, Tom; Vanderpool, Robin

2017-09-01

To determine the return rate of community-delivered fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kits in a rural population and to identify significant predictors of returning kits. Residents were recruited in 8 rural Kentucky counties to enroll in the study and receive an FIT kit. Of 345 recruited, 82.0% returned an FIT kit from the point of distribution. These participants were compared to the remainder relative to age, sex, marital status, having an annual income below $15,000, not graduating from high school, not having a regular health care provider, not having health care coverage, being a current smoker, indicating current overweight or obese status, and a scale measure of fatalism pertaining to colorectal cancer. Predictors achieving significance at the bivariate level were entered into a stepwise logistic regression model to calculate adjusted OR and 95% CI. The return rate was 82.0%. In adjusted analyses, those indicating an annual income of less than $15,000 were 2.85 times more likely to return their kits (95% CI: 1.56-5.24; P < .001). Also, those not perceiving themselves to be overweight/obese were 1.95 times more likely to return their kits (95% CI: 1.07-3.55; P = .029). An outreach-based colorectal cancer screening program in a rural population may yield high return rates. People with annual incomes below $15,000 and those not having perceptions of being overweight/obese may be particularly likely to return FIT kits. © 2016 National Rural Health Association.

Energy Vs. Productivity: Diminishing Returns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MOSAIC, 1975

1975-01-01

Energy invested in corn production is compared with food energy returned in calculations by David Pimentel at Cornell University. The rate of return is falling off sharply in this already energy-intensive agriculture. Increased energy input, in the form of fertilizer, would yield far greater returns where agriculture is less sophisticated.…

Characteristics of VLF/LF Sferics from Elve-producing Lightning Discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaes, P.; Zoghzoghy, F. G.; Marshall, R. A.

2013-12-01

Lightning return strokes radiate an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) which interacts with the D-region ionosphere; the largest EMPs produce new ionization, heating, and optical emissions known as elves. Elves are at least six times more common than sprites and other transient luminous events. Though the probability that a lightning return stroke will produce an elve is correlated with the return stroke peak current, many large peak current strokes do not produce visible elves. Apart from the lightning peak current, elve production may depend on the return stroke speed, lightning altitude, and ionospheric conditions. In this work we investigate the detailed structure of lightning that gives rise to elves by analyzing the characteristics of VLF/LF lightning sferics in conjunction with optical elve observations. Lightning sferics were observed using an array of six VLF/LF receivers (1 MHz sample-rate) in Oklahoma, and elves were observed using two high-speed photometers pointed over the Oklahoma region: one located at Langmuir Laboratory, NM and the other at McDonald Observatory, TX. Hundreds of elves with coincident LF sferics were observed during the summer months of 2013. We present data comparing the characteristics of elve-producing and non-elve producing lightning as measured by LF sferics. In addition, we compare these sferic and elve observations with FDTD simulations to determine key properties of elve-producing lightning.

Ontogeny of Foraging Competence in Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus capucinus) for Easy versus Difficult to Acquire Fruits: A Test of the Needing to Learn Hypothesis.

PubMed

Eadie, Elizabeth Christine

2015-01-01

Which factors select for long juvenile periods in some species is not well understood. One potential reason to delay the onset of reproduction is slow food acquisition rates, either due to competition (part of the ecological risk avoidance hypothesis), or due to a decreased foraging efficiency (a version of the needing to learn hypothesis). Capuchins provide a useful genus to test the needing to learn hypothesis because they are known for having long juvenile periods and a difficult-to-acquire diet. Generalized, linear, mixed models with data from 609 fruit forage focal follows on 49, habituated, wild Cebus capucinus were used to test two predictions from the needing-to-learn hypothesis as it applies to fruit foraging skills: 1) capuchin monkeys do not achieve adult foraging return rates for difficult-to-acquire fruits before late in the juvenile period; and 2) variance in return rates for these fruits is at least partially associated with differences in foraging skill. In support of the first prediction, adults, compared with all younger age classes, had significantly higher foraging return rates when foraging for fruits that were ranked as difficult-to-acquire (return rates relative to adults: 0.30-0.41, p-value range 0.008-0.016), indicating that the individuals in the group who have the most foraging experience also achieve the highest return rates. In contrast, and in support of the second prediction, there were no significant differences between age classes for fruits that were ranked as easy to acquire (return rates relative to adults: 0.97-1.42, p-value range 0.086-0.896), indicating that strength and/or skill are likely to affect return rates. In addition, fruits that were difficult to acquire were foraged at nearly identical rates by adult males and significantly smaller (and presumably weaker) adult females (males relative to females: 1.01, p = 0.978), while subadult females had much lower foraging efficiency than the similarly-sized but more experienced adult females (subadults relative to adults: 0.34, p = 0.052), indicating that skill, specifically, is likely to have an effect on return rates. These results are consistent with the needing to learn hypothesis and indicate that long juvenile periods in capuchins may be the result of selection for more time to learn foraging skills for difficult-to-acquire fruits.

Pitfalls of using internal rate of return to rank investments in forestry

Treesearch

David A. Gansner; David N. Larsen

1969-01-01

Using the internal rate of return concept to rank the economic desirability of investment opportunities can lead to incorrect investment decisions. Present value provides a correct and unambiguous means of judging such investment alternatives.

Computer program for discounted cash flow/rate of return evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robson, W. D.

1971-01-01

Technique, incorporated into set of three computer programs, provides economic methodology for reducing all parameters to financially sound common denominator of present worth, and calculates resultant rate of return on new equipment, processes, or systems investments.

National Football League Skilled and Unskilled Positions Vary in Opportunity and Yield in Return to Play After an Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

PubMed Central

Yang, JaeWon; Hodax, Jonathan D.; Machan, Jason T.; Secrist, Eric S.; Durand, Wesley M.; Owens, Brett D.; Eltorai, Adam E.M.; Dodson, Christopher C.

2017-01-01

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries pose a significant risk to the careers of players in the National Football League (NFL). The relationships between draft round and position on return to play (RTP) among NFL players are not well understood, and the ability to return to preinjury performance levels remains unknown for most positions. Purpose: To test for differences in RTP rates and changes in performance after an ACL injury by position and draft round. We hypothesized that skilled positions would return at a lower rate compared to unskilled positions. We further hypothesized that early draft-round status would relate to a greater rate of RTP and that skilled positions and a lower draft round would correlate with decreased performance for players who return to sport. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Utilizing a previously established database of publicly available information regarding ACL tears among NFL players, athletes with ACL tears occurring between the 2010 and 2013 seasons were identified. Generalized linear models and Kaplan-Meier time-to-event models were used to test the study hypotheses. Results: The overall RTP rate was 61.7%, with skilled players and unskilled players returning at rates of 64.1% and 60.4%, respectively (P = .74). Early draft-round players and unskilled late draft-round players had greater rates of RTP compared to skilled late draft-round players and both unskilled and skilled undrafted free agents (UDFAs). Skilled early draft-round players constituted the only cohort that played significantly fewer games after an injury. Unskilled UDFAs constituted the only cohort to show a significant increase in the number of games started and ratio of games started to games played, starting more games in which they played, after an injury. Conclusion: Early draft-round and unskilled players were more likely to return compared to their later draft-round and skilled peers. Skilled early draft-round players, who displayed relatively high rates of RTP, constituted the only cohort to show a decline in performance. Unskilled UDFAs, who exhibited relatively low rates of RTP, constituted the only cohort to show an increase in performance. The significant effect of draft round and position type on RTP may be caused by a combination of differences in talent levels and in opportunities given to returning to play. PMID:28975136

A New Technique for Femoral Venous Access in Infants Using Arterial Injection Venous Return Guidance

PubMed Central

Ebishima, Hironori; Kitano, Masataka; Kurosaki, Kenichi; Shiraishi, Isao

2017-01-01

Objectives: Although venography guidance is helpful for central venous catheter placement, it is sometimes difficult to place a peripheral intravenous cannula for enhancement. We designed a new technique for establishing femoral venous access using venography guidance in the return phase of peripheral arteriography. This new technique was named arterial injection venous return guidance. Here we assessed the efficacy and safety of arterial injection venous return guidance. Methods: We reviewed data of 29 infants less than 6 months old undergoing catheter intervention at our institute in 2014. Of the 29 patients, femoral venous cannulation was performed using arterial injection venous return guidance in 5 patients, venography in 20 patients, and the landmark method in 4 patients. The technical success rates and incidence of complications were compared. Results: The overall success rates were 100% in the arterial injection venous return-guided and venography-guided groups. The mean procedure duration and mean contrast material injection time were similar between the groups. The contrast effect on the femoral vein in the arterial injection venous return-guided group was lower than that in the venography-guided group, but adequate for surgery. The overall complication rate was 17%, and obstruction of previously placed intravenous catheters was the most common complication. Conclusions: Therefore, the arterial injection venous return guidance technique was as safe and efficient as venography for establishing venous access. PMID:29034015

Return to sports after shoulder arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Johnson, Christine C; Johnson, Daniel J; Liu, Joseph N; Dines, Joshua S; Dines, David M; Gulotta, Lawrence V; Garcia, Grant H

2016-01-01

Many patients prioritize the ability to return to sports following shoulder replacement surgeries, including total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA), and hemiarthroplasty (HA). While activity levels after hip and knee replacements have been well-established in the literature, studies on this topic in the field of shoulder arthroplasty are relatively limited. A review of the literature regarding athletic activity after shoulder arthroplasty was performed using the PubMed database. All studies relevant to shoulder arthroplasty and return to sport were included. The majority of patients returned to their prior level of activity within six months following TSA, RTSA, and shoulder HA. Noncontact, low demand activities are permitted by most surgeons postoperatively and generally have higher return rates than contact sports or high-demand activities. In some series, patients reported an improvement in their ability to participate in sports following the arthroplasty procedure. The rates of return to sports following TSA (75%-100%) are slightly higher than those reported for HA (67%-76%) and RTSA (75%-85%). Patients undergoing TSA, RTSA, and shoulder HA should be counseled that there is a high probability that they will be able to return to their preoperative activity level within six months postoperatively. TSA has been associated with higher rates of return to sports than RTSA and HA, although this may reflect differences in patient population or surgical indication. PMID:27672564

Consolidation and the transformation of competition in health insurance.

PubMed

Robinson, James C

2004-01-01

This paper presents data on fifty state and substate insurance markets, in terms of the 2003 relative shares of the largest health plans and the antitrust index of concentration. It presents 2000-03 data on rates of growth in premiums, costs, operating earnings, returns on equity, and share prices for the nation's largest health plans (Well-Point, Anthem, Aetna, and CIGNA). Private insurers face renewed price and profit pressures in the short term, but long-term prospects depend on the emergence of new products and new competitors in an increasingly consolidated industry.

Vacuum boilers developed heating surfaces technic and economic efficiency evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slobodina, E. N.; Mikhailov, A. G.; Semenov, B. A.

2018-01-01

The vacuum boilers as manufacturing proto types application analysis was carried out, the possible directions for the heating surfaces development are identified with a view to improving the energy efficiency. Economic characteristics to evaluate the vacuum boilers application efficiency (Net Discounted Income (NDI), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Profitability Index (PI) and Payback Period) are represented. The given type boilers application technic and economic efficiency criteria were established. NDI changing curves depending on the finning coefficient and operating pressure were obtained as a result of the conducted calculation studies.

Does Donating Blood for the First Time During a National Emergency Create a Better Commitment to Donating Again?

PubMed Central

Tran, Sheri; Lewalski, Eva A.; Dwyre, Denis M.; Hagar, Yolanda; Beckett, Laurel; Janatpour, Kim A.; Holland, Paul V.

2009-01-01

Background and Objectives Emergency situations often elicit a generous response from the public. This occurred after attacks on the US on September 11, 2001 when many new blood donors lined up to donate. This study was performed to compare return rates for first time donors (FTD) after September 11th, 2001 to FTD during a comparable period in 2000. Materials and Methods 3315 allogeneic whole blood donations from FTD at a regional blood center were collected between September 11th and 30th, 2001. Subsequent donations by the FTD before March 31, 2002 were reviewed. This (test) group was compared to 1279 FTD(control group) donating during the same time period in September 2000 and to their return rate in the subsequent six months. Results Following September 11, 2001, 1087/3315 (32.8%) FTD returned by March 31, 2002. This return rate was similar to the control group (427/1279 (33.4%)). The deferral rate during the donor screening process for the control group was significantly higher than the deferral rate for the September 11–30, 2001 group (p < 0.01). The odds of an individual FTD returning increased with age, and the chance of a female donor returning was 1.13 times higher than a male (p = 0.06). There was a carryover effect after Sept. 11, 2001 too. Conclusion A national emergency, September 11, 2001, inspired people to donate blood for the first time. However, the proportion of return donations amongst them was not increased. Females and males in certain age groups were more likely to become repeat donors due to the residual effect of September 11, 2001. Additional efforts are needed to retain eligible FTD in donor pools. PMID:20002621

Angler harvest, hatchery return, and tributary stray rates of recycled adult summer steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss in the Cowlitz River, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kock, Tobias J.; Perry, Russell W.; Gleizes, Chris; Dammers, Wolf; Liedtke, Theresa L.

2016-01-01

Hatchery ‘recycling’ programs have been used to increase angling opportunities by re-releasing fish into a river after they returned to a hatchery or fish trap. Recycling is intended to increase opportunities for fishermen, but this strategy could affect wild fish populations if some recycled fish remain in the river and interact with wild fish populations. To quantify hatchery return and angler harvest rates of recycled steelhead, we conducted a 2-year study on the Cowlitz River, Washington. A total of 1051 steelhead were recycled, including 218 fish that were radio-tagged. Fates of recycled steelhead were similar between years: 48.4% returned to the hatchery, 19.2% were reported captured by anglers, and 32.4% remained in the river. A multistate model quantified the effects of covariates on hatchery return and angler harvest rates, which were positively affected by river discharge and negatively affected by time since release. However, hatchery return rates increased and angler harvest rates decreased during periods of increasing discharge. A total of 21.1% (46 fish) of the radio-tagged steelhead failed to return to the hatchery or be reported by anglers, but nearly half of those fish (20 fish) appeared to be harvested and not reported. The remaining tagged fish (11.9% of the radio-tagged population) were monitored into the spawning period, but only five fish (2.3% of the radio-tagged population) entered tributaries where wild steelhead spawning occurs. Future research focused on straying behaviour, and spawning success of recycled steelhead may further advance the understanding of the effects of recycling as a management strategy.

Production of Carbon Occluded in Phytolith Is Season-Dependent in a Bamboo Forest in Subtropical China

PubMed Central

Huang, Zhang-Ting; Jiang, Pei-Kun; Chang, Scott Xiaochuan; Zhang, Yan; Ying, Yu-Qi

2014-01-01

Carbon (C) occluded in phytolith (PhytOC) is a stable form of C; when PhytOC is returned to the soil through litterfall it is stored in the soil which can be an effective way for long-term C sequestration. However, few estimates on the rate of PhytOC input to the soil are available. To better understand the seasonal dynamics of PhytOC production and the annual rate of stable C sequestration through PhytOC input, we quantified the monthly litterfall, phytolith and PhytOC return to the soil over a year in a typical Lei bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox) forest in subtropical China. The monthly litterfall ranged between 14.81 and 131.18 g m−2, and the phytolith concentration in the monthly litterfall samples ranged between 47.21 and 101.68 g kg−1 of litter mass, with the PhytOC concentration in the phytolith ranged between 29.4 and 44.9 g kg−1 of phytolith, equivalent to 1.8–3.6 g kg−1 of PhytOC in the litterfall (based on litterfall dry mass). The amount of phytolith input to the soil system was 292.21±69.12 (mean±SD) kg ha−1 yr−1, sequestering 41.45±9.32 kg CO2−e ha−1 yr−1 of C in the studied Lei bamboo forest. This rate of C sequestration through the formation of PhytOC found in this study falls within the range of rates for other grass-type species reported in the literature. We conclude that return of C occluded in phytolith to the soil can be a substantial source of stable soil C and finding means to increase PhytOC storage in the soil should be able to play a significant role in mitigating the rapidly increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration. PMID:25188462

Solar Influences on the Return Direction of High-Frequency Radar Backscatter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burrell, Angeline G.; Perry, Gareth W.; Yeoman, Timothy K.; Milan, Stephen E.; Stoneback, Russell

2018-04-01

Coherent-scatter, high-frequency, phased-array radars create narrow beams through the use of constructive and destructive interference patterns. This formation method leads to the creation of a secondary beam, or lobe, that is sent out behind the radar. This study investigates the relative importance of the beams in front of and behind the high-frequency radar located in Hankasalmi, Finland, using observations taken over a solar cycle, as well as coincident observations from Hankasalmi and the Enhanced Polar Outflow Probe Radio Receiver Instrument. These observations show that the relative strength of the front and rear beams is frequency dependent, with the relative amount of power sent to the front lobe increasing with increasing frequency. At the range of frequencies used by Hankasalmi, both front and rear beams are always present, though the main beam is always stronger than the rear lobe. Because signals are always transmitted to the front and rear of the radar, it is always possible to receive backscatter from both return directions. Examining the return direction as a function of local time, season, and solar cycle shows that the dominant return direction depends primarily on the local ionospheric structure. Diurnal changes in plasma density typically cause an increase in the amount of groundscatter returning from the rear lobe at night, though the strength of this variation has a seasonal dependence. Solar cycle variations are also seen in the groundscatter return direction, modifying the existing local time and seasonal variations.

Social Security: a financial appraisal for the median voter.

PubMed

Galasso, V

Several explanations have been proposed for why voters continue to support unfunded social security systems. Browning (1975) suggests that the extremely large unfunded pension systems of most democracies depend on the existence of a voting majority composed of middle-aged and older people who fail to fully internalize the cost of financing the system. In fact, when voting, economically rational workers consider only their current and future contributions to the system and their expected pension benefits--not their past contributions, which they regard as sunk costs. If, for a majority of voters, the expected continuation return from social security exceeds the return from alternative assets, an unfunded social security system is politically sustainable. This article explores the validity of Browning's proposition by quantifying the returns that U.S. voters in presidential elections from 1964 to 1996 have obtained, or expect to obtain, from Social Security. Did "investments" in Social Security outperform alternative forms of investment, such as mutual funds or pension funds, for a majority of the voters? What can be expected for the future? The U.S. Social Security system redistributes income within age cohorts on the basis of sex, income, and marital status. To account for some of these features, the median voter is represented by a family unit whose members--a husband who accounts for 70 percent of household earnings and a wife who accounts for 30 percent--make joint economic and voting decisions. Thus, retirement and survival benefits paid out to the spouse of an insured worker can be included in the calculation of Social Security returns. Interval estimates of voters' family incomes from the U.S. Census Bureau were used to obtain the median voter's household earnings. The median voter's age is derived from the ages of those who voted in presidential elections, not from the ages of the entire electorate. The median voter's contributions to Social Security are the product of the joint employer/employee Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) tax rate and employee earnings. Data on actual contributions are available for median voters in the 1964 to 1976 elections; Social Security Administration (SSA) estimates are used for future tax rates and average wage growth rates. Data on actual old-age, retirement, and survivor benefits, as well as estimates of future benefits, are also available from SSA. Analysis of ex-post returns from "investing" in Social Security and from a buy-and-hold strategy applied to three alternative assets--the Standard & Poor's Composite Index (S&P), the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), and U.S. government bonds--shows surprising results. In 1964 and 1968, Social Security largely outperformed the other three assets. In 1972, Social Security and the stock market performed almost equally. In 1976, however, the median voter would have been better off in the stock market. The expected returns for median voters in later elections cannot be directly compared with realized returns from alternative assets. However, estimates range from 5.7 percent in 1984 to 7.0 percent in 1996 and thus compare favorably with average returns of 5.6 percent for S&P, 5.3 percent for DJIA, and 2.1 percent for government bonds over the 1964-1996 period. Although these findings must be taken with caution since they compare ex-post returns, they show that, despite a continuous reduction in profitability, Social Security still represents a safe, high-return asset for a majority of families.

The Rate of Return to Schooling and the Business Cycle: Additional Estimates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kniesner, Thomas J.; And Others

1980-01-01

Illustrates that the business cycle does indeed disturb relative Black/White rates of return to schooling. Blacks fare relatively poorly in times of high unemployment. Data tables and formulas are presented to support the argument. (CT)

The proprietary hospital industry: a financial analysis 1972-1982.

PubMed

Michel, A; Shaked, I; Daley, J

1985-01-01

This paper evaluates the performance of both specific firms within the American for-profit hospital industry and the industry as a whole. First, traditional financial analysis is used to evaluate individual publicly traded for-profit chains. Then, industry performance from 1973 to 1982 is evaluated using a set of measures based on Modern Portfolio Theory. The traditional financial analysis indicates that the industry seems increasingly profitable as well as increasingly healthy from the perspective of utilizing its assets and reducing its collection period. However, the industry's rapid growth rate has strained its ability to use additional debt funding and has created a potentially dangerous liquidity position. Measures based on Modern Portfolio Theory indicate that the average return of the industry has improved over the past 5 years. However, its risk has also increased. Nevertheless, the increase in risk is more than offset by the increased average return. In addition, recent legislation designed 'to reward the efficient' has introduced a significant degree of uncertainty into the industry's performance for the coming years. Thus, hospitals' ability to maintain the substantial profitability and rate of growth they have experienced over the past decade will depend on how well they will adapt to the changing environment.

Anti-parasite treatment, but not mercury burdens, influence nesting propensity dependent on arrival time or body condition in a marine bird.

PubMed

Provencher, J F; Forbes, M R; Mallory, M L; Wilson, S; Gilchrist, H G

2017-01-01

Arctic wildlife can be exposed to high mercury (Hg) levels, and are also naturally exposed to gastrointestinal parasites that can reduce condition and negatively affect reproductive output and/or survival in similar ways. Importantly, both Hg and parasites are increasing in wildlife in some Arctic regions. We studied the northern common eider duck (Somateria mollissima) to explore how Hg in association with both natural levels and experimentally reduced parasitic infections, affect reproduction and survival. Female eiders were measured, banded, and blood sampled to determine blood Hg burdens, prior to breeding. Propensity to nest, clutch size, nest survival, nest attendance, and return rates were assessed in relation to both Hg burden and parasite treatment. Neither reproduction nor return rates of females varied with Hg concentrations, but females arriving late to the colony, or in low body condition, showed increased nesting propensity when given the anti-parasite treatment as compared to placebo treatment. Our results suggest that parasites can play a critical role in decisions to invest in avian breeding annually, particularly among individuals with a late onset to breeding, and in poor condition. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Home is Hard to Find: Neighborhoods, Institutions, and the Residential Trajectories of Returning Prisoners

PubMed Central

Harding, David J.; Morenoff, Jeffrey D.; Herbert, Claire W.

2012-01-01

Poor urban communities experience high rates of incarceration and prisoner reentry. This paper examines the residences where former prisoners live after prison, focusing on returns to pre-prison social environments, residential mobility, and the role of intermediate sanctions. Drawing on a unique dataset that follows a cohort of Michigan parolees released in 2003 over time using administrative records, we examine returns to pre-prison environments, both immediately after prison and in the months and years after release. We then investigate the role of intermediate sanctions – punishments for parole violations that are less severe than returning to prison – in residential mobility among parolees. Our results show low rates of return to former neighborhoods and high rates of residential mobility after prison, a significant portion of which is driven by intermediate sanctions resulting from criminal justice system supervision. These results suggest that, through parole supervision, the criminal justice system generates significant residential mobility. PMID:23645931

Returns to Emergency Department, Observation, or Inpatient Care Within 30 Days After Hospitalization in 4 States, 2009 and 2010 Versus 2013 and 2014.

PubMed

Nuckols, Teryl K; Fingar, Kathryn R; Barrett, Marguerite L; Martsolf, Grant; Steiner, Claudia A; Stocks, Carol; Owens, Pamela L

2018-05-01

Nationally, readmissions have declined for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure (HF) and risen slightly for pneumonia, but less is known about returns to the hospital for observation stays and emergency department (ED) visits. To describe trends in rates of 30-day, all-cause, unplanned returns to the hospital, including returns for observation stays and ED visits. By using Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project data, we compared 210,007 index hospitalizations in 2009 and 2010 with 212,833 matched hospitalizations in 2013 and 2014. Two hundred and one hospitals in Georgia, Nebraska, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Adults with private insurance, Medicaid, or no insurance and seniors with Medicare who were hospitalized for AMI, HF, and pneumonia. Thirty-day hospital return rates for inpatient, observation, and ED visits. Return rates remained stable among adults with private insurance (15.1% vs 15.3%; P = 0.45) and declined modestly among seniors with Medicare (25.3% vs 25.0%; P = 0.04). Increases in observation and ED visits coincided with declines in readmissions (8.9% vs 8.2% for private insurance and 18.3% vs 16.9% for Medicare, both P ≤ 0.001). Return rates rose among patients with Medicaid (31.0% vs 32.1%; P = 0.04) and the uninsured (18.8% vs 20.1%; P = 0.004). Readmissions remained stable (18.7% for Medicaid and 9.5% for uninsured patients, both P > 0.75) while observation and ED visits increased. Total returns to the hospital are stable or rising, likely because of growth in observation and ED visits. Hospitalists' efforts to improve the quality and value of hospital care should consider observation and ED care. © 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine

Does posteromedial chondromalacia reduce rate of return to play after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction?

PubMed

Osbahr, Daryl C; Dines, Joshua S; Rosenbaum, Andrew J; Nguyen, Joseph T; Altchek, David W

2012-06-01

Biomechanical studies suggest ulnohumeral chondral and ligamentous overload (UCLO) explains the development of posteromedial chondromalacia (PMC) in throwing athletes with ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) insufficiency. UCL reconstruction reportedly allows 90% of baseball players to return to prior or a higher level of play; however, players with concomitant posteromedial chondromalacia may experience lower rates of return to play. The purpose of this investigation is to determine: (1) the rates of return to play of baseball players undergoing UCL reconstruction and posteromedial chondromalacia; and (2) the complications occurring after UCL reconstruction in the setting of posteromedial chondromalacia. We retrospectively reviewed 29 of 161 (18%) baseball players who were treated for the combined posteromedial chondromalacia and UCL injury. UCL reconstruction was accomplished with the docking technique, and the PMC was addressed with nothing or débridement if Grade 2 or 3 and with débridement or microfracture if Grade 4. The mean age was 19.6 years (range, 16-23 years). Most players were college athletes (76%) and pitchers (93%). We used a modified four-level scale of Conway et al. to assess return to play with 1 being the highest level (return to preinjury level of competition or performance for at least one season after UCL reconstruction). The minimum followup was 24 months (mean, 37 months; range, 24-52 months). Return to play was Level 1 in 22 patients (76%), Level 2 in four patients (14%), Level 3 in two patients (7%), and Level 4 in one (3%) patient. Our data suggest baseball players with concomitant PMC, may have lower rates of return to the same or a higher level of play compared with historical controls. Level IV, case series. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Effects of individual variation in length, condition and run-time on return rates of wild-reared Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts.

PubMed

Armstrong, J D; McKelvey, S; Smith, G W; Rycroft, P; Fryer, R J

2018-03-01

Groups of wild-reared Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts were captured during their seaward migration on a tributary of the River Conon, Scotland, U.K., from 1999 to 2014 and tagged with passive integrated transponders (PIT). Fish that subsequently returned to the river after growing at sea were recorded automatically by a PIT-detector in a fish pass. Return rate was related directly to length and condition and inversely to day of the year that the smolt was tagged. Over years, as the study progressed, there was a significant increase in the proportion of smolts returning after two or more years at sea and no trend in returns of salmon having spent one winter at sea. There was no trend in the date of return of salmon across the study period. Fish that had spent more winters at sea returned earlier in the year. © 2018 Crown Copyright. Journal of Fish Biology © 2018 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Differential Effects of Incentives on Response Error, Response Rate, and Reliability of a Mailed Questionnaire.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Darine F.; Hartman, Bruce

1980-01-01

Investigated issues associated with stimulating increased return rates to a mail questionnaire among school counselors. Results show that as the number of incentives received increased, the return rates increased in a linear fashion. The incentives did not introduce response error or affect the reliability of the Counselor Function Inventory.…

Returns to Education in Rural China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Litao

2007-01-01

Based on one of the most widely used datasets by foreign-based sociologists, this paper examines the rate of returns to education in rural China. Compared with the previous studies that showed rather low rates in rural areas throughout the 1980s, this study finds a considerably higher rate in 1996. A chief contributor is the rapid non-agricultural…

78 FR 49420 - Parties Asked To Refresh the Record Regarding Property Records for Rate-of-Return Carriers

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-14

...] Parties Asked To Refresh the Record Regarding Property Records for Rate-of-Return Carriers AGENCY: Federal... changes the Commission can make to the property record rules that would reduce record-keeping burdens for...) (``property record rules'') to price cap carriers. However, it denied forbearance from those rules to rate-of...

Phorbol ester stimulates calcium sequestration in saponized human platelets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoshida, K.; Nachmias, V.T.

1987-11-25

When platelets are activated by agonists, calcium (Ca2+) is released from an intracellular storage site. Recent studies using fura-2 show that, after thrombin stimulation, the rise in free calcium is transient and returns to base-line levels in 2-3 min, while the transient following ADP stimulation lasts only 15-20 s. We reported previously that the phorbol ester 12,13-phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), added at nanomolar levels after thrombin, immediately accelerated the rate of return of calcium to the base line severalfold. In the present study, we used both intact and saponized platelets to determine whether this is due to stimulation of calciummore » sequestration. Using fura-2 and intact platelets, we found 1) that PMA stimulated the restoration of free Ca2+ levels after ADP as well as after thrombin, and 2) that H-7, an inhibitor of protein kinase C (Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme), slowed the return of Ca2+ to baseline levels. Using saponized platelets, we also found 3) that pretreatment of platelets with PMA before saponin treatment increased the ATP-dependent /sup 45/Ca2+ uptake 2-fold, with a half-maximal effect at 5 nm; 4) that most of the Ca2+ released by ionomycin or by myoinositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate; and 5) that a GTP-binding protein inhibitor, guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate), decreased basal or PMA-stimulated /sup 45/Ca2+ uptake in saponin-treated platelets. Our data suggest that activation of protein kinase C stimulates the sequestration of Ca2+ independently of cAMP or myoinositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate.« less

Firm profitability and the network of organizational capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Friedrich; Milaković, Mishael; Alfarano, Simone

2010-11-01

A Laplace distribution for firm profit rates (or returns on assets) can be obtained through the sum of many independent shocks if the number of shocks is Poisson distributed. Interpreting this as a linear chain of events, we generalize the process to a hierarchical network structure. The hierarchical model reproduces the observed distributional patterns of firm profitability, which crucially depend on the life span of firms. While the profit rates of long-lived firms obey a symmetric Laplacian, short-lived firms display a different behavior depending on whether they are capable of generating positive profits or not. Successful short-lived firms exhibit a symmetric yet more leptokurtic pdf than long-lived firms. Our model suggests that these firms are more dynamic in their organizational capabilities, but on average also face more risk than long-lived firms. Finally, short-lived firms that fail to generate positive profits have the most leptokurtic distribution among the three classes, and on average lose slightly more than their total assets within a year.

The impact of patient education and psychosocial supports on return to normalcy 36 months post-kidney transplant.

PubMed

Wilkins, Freda; Bozik, Karen; Bennett, Katherine

2003-01-01

Improvements in immunosuppression, and expansion of immunosuppression coverage by Medicare now necessitate beginning to define success in transplantation from a holistic or whole person approach rather than the historical emphasis on patient and graft survival alone. In a new transplant environment, efforts will have to be made to redefine practice so that kidney transplant recipients are prepared for 10 or more years of life with a transplanted graft. Currently, 83% of transplanted patients will never return to work. The purpose of this study is to determine how targeted education and specific psychosocial supports affect the transplant patient's return to normalcy 36 months after kidney transplant. Normalcy is defined as age and socially appropriate activities for that patient. This is a synopsis of a 1-year cross-sectional study of 51 patients who received kidney transplants in 1999 at or near their 36-month anniversary date. Thirty-six months was chosen because this is the date when most patients will lose their Medicare coverage for immunosuppression. In 1999, a multidisciplinary plan was initiated to restructure the transplant recipient evaluation process, such that education about kidney transplantation and expectations for return to normalcy were addressed at the initial 'introduction to transplant session'. These measures were then consistently reinforced with each subsequent contact. At the second contact, written verbal plans for medication purchase and return to normalcy were identified. The team made a conscious effort to develop relationships with the recipients and their significant others, with the intention to better empower them to return to normalcy post-transplant. These measures (education and psychosocial support) were this study's independent variables. At 36 months, all patients were contacted by telephone and a 12-item questionnaire was administered. The questionnaire sought information about the study's dependent variables - employment and insurance status, pre- and post-transplant. In this study, 44% of pre-transplant patients were non-disabled compared with 62% of transplanted patients at 36 months post-transplant (P = 0.06, Chi square). Non-disabled includes persons who are employed, homemakers, students, retired or otherwise involved in age and socio-economically appropriate activities. Pre-transplant, 23% of recipients utilized Medicare and Medicaid for health insurance coverage. At 36 months post-transplant, only 11 or 20% of patients were dependent on Medicare and Medicaid. Pre-transplant, 17 recipients had private insurance coverage vs. 23 patients 36 months later (P < 0.02, Chi square). Fifty-six per cent of the patients received a living donor transplant. A targeted multidisciplinary programme of education and psychosocial support that emphasizes return to normalcy and non-disability, beginning with the first exposure to transplant and continuing throughout the first 6 months post-transplant, yielded high rates of return to normalcy for kidney transplant recipients.

Video-enabled cue-exposure-based intervention improves postdischarge drinking outcomes among alcohol-dependent men: A prospective study at a government addiction treatment setting in India.

PubMed

Nattala, Prasanthi; Murthy, Pratima; Leung, Kit Sang; Rentala, Sreevani; Ramakrishna, Jayashree

2017-04-25

Returning to alcohol use following inpatient treatment occurs due to various real life cues/triggers. It is a challenge to demonstrate to patients how to deal with these triggers during inpatient treatment. Aims of the current study were (a) to evaluate the effectiveness of video-enabled cue-exposure-based intervention (VE-CEI) in influencing treatment outcomes in alcohol dependence, (b) to identify postdischarge predictors of intervention failure (returning to ≥50% of baseline alcohol consumption quantity/day). The VE-CEI comprises live action videos in which human characters model various alcohol use cues and strategies to deal with them effectively. The VE-CEI was administered to an inpatient alcohol-dependent sample (n = 43) and compared with treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 42) at a government addiction treatment setting in India. Patients were followed up over 6 months postdischarge to evaluate effectiveness of the VE-CEI on specific drinking outcomes. Over 6-month follow-up, VE-CEI group (vs. TAU) reported significantly lesser alcohol consumption quantity, fewer drinking days, and lower intervention failure rates. Results of multivariate Cox regression showed that participants who did not receive VE-CEI had an elevated risk of intervention failure (hazards ratio: 11.14; 95% confidence interval [4.93, 25.15]), other intervention failure predictors being early-onset dependence and increased baseline drinking. Findings provide evidence from India for effectiveness of cue-exposure-based intervention delivered using video technology in improving postdischarge treatment outcomes.

Stylized facts in internal rates of return on stock index and its derivative transactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pichl, Lukáš; Kaizoji, Taisei; Yamano, Takuya

2007-08-01

Universal features in stock markets and their derivative markets are studied by means of probability distributions in internal rates of return on buy and sell transaction pairs. Unlike the stylized facts in normalized log returns, the probability distributions for such single asset encounters incorporate the time factor by means of the internal rate of return, defined as the continuous compound interest. Resulting stylized facts are shown in the probability distributions derived from the daily series of TOPIX, S & P 500 and FTSE 100 index close values. The application of the above analysis to minute-tick data of NIKKEI 225 and its futures market, respectively, reveals an interesting difference in the behavior of the two probability distributions, in case a threshold on the minimal duration of the long position is imposed. It is therefore suggested that the probability distributions of the internal rates of return could be used for causality mining between the underlying and derivative stock markets. The highly specific discrete spectrum, which results from noise trader strategies as opposed to the smooth distributions observed for fundamentalist strategies in single encounter transactions may be useful in deducing the type of investment strategy from trading revenues of small portfolio investors.

Identifying obstacles to return to duty in severely injured combat-related servicemembers with amputation.

PubMed

Hurley, Richard K; Rivera, Jessica C; Wenke, Joseph C; Krueger, Chad A

2015-01-01

The capacity of servicemembers with amputation to return to duty after combat-related amputation and the associated disabilities remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the disabling conditions and return to duty rates of servicemembers with amputation across all service branches following major limb amputations from September 2001 through July 2011. Pertinent medical information, military occupation status, return to duty designation, disabling conditions, and disability ratings for each servicemember were obtained from the Physical Evaluation Board Liaison Office (PEBLO). Across all service branches, 16 (2%) servicemembers were found fit for duty (Fit) and allowed to continue with their preinjury occupation. Another 103 (11%) were allowed to continue on Active Duty (COAD) in a less physically demanding role. More than half (554, 56%) were determined fully disabled (PEBLO rating > 75); the average disability rating was 73. COAD and Fit Army servicemembers had lower Injury Severity Scores than other servicemembers (17.4, p = 0.009 and 11.2, p < 0.001, respectively). Despite improvements in their care and rehabilitation, only 13% of all servicemembers with amputation are able to return to Active Duty and many have multiple disabling conditions that contribute to a very high level of disability.

An Empirical Assessment of Defense Contractor Risk 1976-1984.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-06-01

Model to evaluate the. Department of Defense contract pricing , financing, and profit policies . ’ D*’ ’ *NTV D? 7A’:: TA E *A l ..... -:- A-i SN 0102...defense con- tractor risk-return relationship is performed utilizing four methods: mean-variance analysis of rate of return, the Capital Asset Pricing Model ...relationship is performed utilizing four methods: mean- variance analysis of rate of return, the Capital Asset Pricing Model , mean-variance analysis of total

Effects of individual pre-fledging traits and environmental conditions on return patterns in juvenile king penguins.

PubMed

Saraux, Claire; Viblanc, Vincent A; Hanuise, Nicolas; Le Maho, Yvon; Le Bohec, Céline

2011-01-01

Despite the importance of early life stages in individuals' life history and population dynamics, very few studies have focused on the constraints to which these juvenile traits are subjected. Based on 10 years of automatic monitoring of over 2500 individuals, we present the first study on the effects of environmental conditions and individual pre-fledging traits on the post-fledging return of non-banded king penguins to their natal colony. Juvenile king penguins returned exclusively within one of the three austral summers following their departure. A key finding is that return rates (range 68-87%) were much higher than previously assumed for this species, importantly meaning that juvenile survival is very close to that of adults. Such high figures suggest little juvenile dispersal, and selection occurring mostly prior to fledging in king penguins. Pre-fledging conditions had a strong quadratic impact on juvenile return rates. As expected, cohorts reared under very unfavourable years (as inferred by the breeding success of the colony) exhibited low return rates but surprisingly, so did those fledged under very favourable conditions. Juvenile sojourns away from the colony were shorter under warm conditions and subsequent return rates higher, suggesting a positive effect of climate warming. The longer the post-fledging trip (1, 2 or 3 years), the earlier in the summer birds returned to their natal colony and the longer they stayed before leaving for the winter journey. The presence of juveniles in the colony was more than twice the duration required for moulting purposes, yet none attempted breeding in the year of their first return. Juvenile presence in the colony may be important for acquiring knowledge on the social and physical colonial environment and may play an important part in the learning process of mating behaviour. Further studies are required to investigate its potential implications on other life-history traits such as recruitment age.

Right atrial pressure: determinant or result of change in venous return?

PubMed

Bendjelid, Karim

2005-11-01

According to the concept of Guyton, cardiac output is largely controlled by venous return, which is determined by the difference between mean systemic venous pressure and right atrial pressure. In the analysis of the venous return curve, other authors have suggested that right atrial pressure is the dependent variable and venous return is the independent variable (right atrial pressure decreased because cardiac output increased). The present report analyzes this historical debate, which has already lasted > 50 years.

A pair-matched comparison of return to pivoting sports at 1 year in ACL-injured patients after a nonoperative versus operative treatment course

PubMed Central

Grindem, Hege; Eitzen, Ingrid; Moksnes, Håvard; Snyder-Mackler, Lynn; Risberg, May Arna

2013-01-01

Background The wish to return to level I pivoting sports is a major indication of ACL-reconstruction. Patients usually return to pivoting sports between 6 months and 1 year postoperatively, but no matched study has so far examined 1-year return to sport rates in nonoperatively and operatively treated ACL-injured patients. Hypothesis ACL-injured patients following a nonoperative treatment course, including recommendation of activity modification, will have lower return to pivoting sport rates than operatively treated patients 1 year after baseline testing/surgery, when matched by preinjury sports activity, age and sex. Study Design Pair-matched cohort study Methods Sixty-nine nonoperatively treated ACL-injured patients were pair-matched with 69 operatively treated patients (n=138), based on specific preinjury sport, age and sex. Nonoperatively treated patients were recommended not to return to level I sports. Patients were defined as nonoperatively or operatively treated according to their status at follow-up. The baseline and follow-up testing included registration of sports participation, KT-1000 measurements, 4 hop tests, and patient-reported outcome measures. McNemar’s test and paired t-tests or Wilcoxon’s test were used to compare outcomes of nonoperatively and operatively treated patients. Results No significant baseline differences were found. At 12.9±1.2 months (mean ± standard deviation) after baseline testing (nonoperative) and 12.7±1.2 months after surgery (operative), there was no significant difference in overall return to sport rates (nonoperative: 68.1 %, operative: 68.1 %, p=1.000), or in return to level I sport rates (nonoperative: 54.8 %, operative: 61.9 %, p=0.664). Nonoperatively treated patients who participated in level I sports prior to injury had a significantly lower return to sport rate (54.8 %) than nonoperatively treated patients who participated in level II sports (88.9 %, p=0.003). The nonoperatively treated patients had significantly higher knee joint laxity, but significantly better hop test limb symmetry indexes, KOS-ADLS scores, and IKDC 2000 scores. None of the functional differences were larger than the smallest detectable difference. Conclusion ACL-injured patients following a nonoperative treatment course, including recommendations of activity modifications, and operatively treated patients did not have significantly different rates of returning to pivoting sports after 1 year in this pair-matched cohort study. Clinicians should be aware of a potentially high level of noncompliance to recommendations of activity modifications. While these results show that it is possible for nonoperatively treated patients to return to sport after rehabilitation, future follow-ups are needed to examine whether these patients maintain sports participation over time, and what long-term consequences they may suffer regarding subsequent injuries and knee osteoarthritis. PMID:22962290

27 CFR 25.167 - Notice of brewer to pay reduced rate of tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS BEER Tax on Beer Preparation and Remittance of.... Every brewer who desires to pay the reduced rate of tax on beer authorized by 26 U.S.C. 5051(a)(2) by... return period (or prepayment return) during which the brewer pays tax on beer at the reduced rate. The...

27 CFR 25.167 - Notice of brewer to pay reduced rate of tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS BEER Tax on Beer Preparation and Remittance of.... Every brewer who desires to pay the reduced rate of tax on beer authorized by 26 U.S.C. 5051(a)(2) by... return period (or prepayment return) during which the brewer pays tax on beer at the reduced rate. The...

27 CFR 25.167 - Notice of brewer to pay reduced rate of tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ALCOHOL BEER Tax on Beer Preparation and Remittance of.... Every brewer who desires to pay the reduced rate of tax on beer authorized by 26 U.S.C. 5051(a)(2) by... return period (or prepayment return) during which the brewer pays tax on beer at the reduced rate. The...

27 CFR 25.167 - Notice of brewer to pay reduced rate of tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ALCOHOL BEER Tax on Beer Preparation and Remittance of.... Every brewer who desires to pay the reduced rate of tax on beer authorized by 26 U.S.C. 5051(a)(2) by... return period (or prepayment return) during which the brewer pays tax on beer at the reduced rate. The...

27 CFR 25.167 - Notice of brewer to pay reduced rate of tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS BEER Tax on Beer Preparation and Remittance of.... Every brewer who desires to pay the reduced rate of tax on beer authorized by 26 U.S.C. 5051(a)(2) by... return period (or prepayment return) during which the brewer pays tax on beer at the reduced rate. The...

A combined telemetry - tag return approach to estimate fishing and natural mortality rates of an estuarine fish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bacheler, N.M.; Buckel, J.A.; Hightower, J.E.; Paramore, L.M.; Pollock, K.H.

2009-01-01

A joint analysis of tag return and telemetry data should improve estimates of mortality rates for exploited fishes; however, the combined approach has thus far only been tested in terrestrial systems. We tagged subadult red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) with conventional tags and ultrasonic transmitters over 3 years in coastal North Carolina, USA, to test the efficacy of the combined telemetry - tag return approach. There was a strong seasonal pattern to monthly fishing mortality rate (F) estimates from both conventional and telemetry tags; highest F values occurred in fall months and lowest levels occurred during winter. Although monthly F values were similar in pattern and magnitude between conventional tagging and telemetry, information on F in the combined model came primarily from conventional tags. The estimated natural mortality rate (M) in the combined model was low (estimated annual rate ?? standard error: 0.04 ?? 0.04) and was based primarily upon the telemetry approach. Using high-reward tagging, we estimated different tag reporting rates for state agency and university tagging programs. The combined telemetry - tag return approach can be an effective approach for estimating F and M as long as several key assumptions of the model are met.

Maternity Leave: Tips for Returning to Work

MedlinePlus

... set yourself up for a successful return to work: Find dependable child care. Consider local child care providers and facilities or make other arrangements. Look for a safe, stimulating environment and qualified caregivers. Ask your baby's doctor, friends, ...

Effects of climate change and anthropogenic modification on a disturbance-dependent species in a large riverine system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zeigler, Sara; Catlin, Daniel H.; Bomberger Brown, M.; Fraser, J.D.; Dinan, Lauren R.; Hunt, Kelsi L.; Jorgensen, Joel G.; Karpanty, Sarah M.

2017-01-01

Humans have altered nearly every natural disturbance regime on the planet through climate and land-use change, and in many instances, these processes may have interacting effects. For example, projected shifts in temperature and precipitation will likely influence disturbance regimes already affected by anthropogenic fire suppression or river impoundments. Understanding how disturbance-dependent species respond to complex and interacting environmental changes is important for conservation efforts. Using field-based demographic and movement rates, we conducted a metapopulation viability analysis for piping plovers (Charadrius melodus), a threatened disturbance-dependent species, along the Missouri and Platte rivers in the Great Plains of North America. Our aim was to better understand current and projected future metapopulation dynamics given that natural disturbances (flooding or high-flow events) have been greatly reduced by river impoundments and that climate change could further alter the disturbance regime. Although metapopulation abundance has been substantially reduced under the current suppressed disturbance regime (high-flow return interval ~ 20 yr), it could grow if the frequency of high-flow events increases as predicted under likely climate change scenarios. We found that a four-year return interval would maximize metapopulation abundance, and all subpopulations in the metapopulation would act as sources at a return interval of 15 yr or less. Regardless of disturbance frequency, the presence of even a small, stable source subpopulation buffered the metapopulation and sustained a low metapopulation extinction risk. Therefore, climate change could have positive effects in ecosystems where disturbances have been anthropogenically suppressed when climatic shifts move disturbance regimes toward more historical patterns. Furthermore, stable source populations, even if unintentionally maintained through anthropogenic activities, may be critical for the persistence of metapopulations of early-successional species under both suppressed disturbance regimes and disturbance regimes where climate change has further altered disturbance frequency or scope.

Risk Factors for Reoperation and Performance-Based Outcomes After Operative Fixation of Foot Fractures in the Professional Athlete: A Cross-Sport Analysis.

PubMed

Singh, Sameer K; Larkin, Kevin E; Kadakia, Anish R; Hsu, Wellington K

Professional athletes are predisposed to fractures of the foot due to large stresses placed on the lower extremity. These players are concerned with efficiently returning to play at a high level. Return-to-play rates after operative treatment have been previously reported, yet performance outcomes after such treatment are generally unknown in this population. Overall, professional athletes sustaining a foot fracture would return to play at high rates with little impact on postoperative performance or league participation. However, National Football League (NFL) athletes would have a significantly greater decline in performance due to the high-impact nature of the sport. Case series. Level 4. Athletes in the National Basketball League (NBA), NFL, Major League Baseball (MLB), and National Hockey League (NHL) undergoing operative fixation of a foot fracture were identified through a well-established protocol confirmed by multiple sources of the public record. Return-to-play rate and time to return were collected for each sport. League participation and game performance data were collected before and after surgery. Statistical analysis was performed, with significance accepted as P ≤ 0.05. A total of 77 players undergoing 84 procedures met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 98.7% (76/77) of players were able to return to play, with a median time to return across all sports of 137 days. Players returned to preoperative performance levels within 1 season of surgery. Six players (7.8%) sustained refracture requiring reoperation, all of whom were in the NBA. Percentage of games started during the season after primary operative treatment was a predictive factor for reinjury (99% vs 40%, P = 0.001). Athletes returned to play at a high rate after foot fracture fixation, with excellent postoperative performance levels, regardless of sport and fracture location. NBA athletes sustaining fifth metatarsal and navicular fractures are at greater risk of reinjury compared with other athletes. Returning to high levels of athletic participation soon after surgery may predispose athletes to refracture and subsequent reoperation. Players, coaches, and team physicians should be aware of the impact of foot fractures on career performance and longevity to best guide therapy.

Increasing the rate of return of resident rotation evaluations by their attending physicians in an in-patient psychiatric facility.

PubMed

Shah, Nurun; Thompson, Britta; Averill, Patricia; Searle, Nancy

2007-01-01

Psychiatrist's evaluations of residents are the primary means of determining whether the residents are ready to be promoted. However, the return rate for evaluations is quite low. The purpose of this study was to increase the return rates. Feedback from two surveys and open discussion was utilized to develop and implement a system for increasing completion rates. Completion rates before and after the intervention were compared. The survey revealed that the initial evaluation form was too complex and not readily available. In addition, participants indicated that reminders would be helpful for increasing compliance. Completion rates were 48% and 80% for the 4 months prior and after the intervention, respectively. Addressing the problem and implementing suggested strategies increased completion rates significantly. However, it is unclear which strategy was most associated with the change. Future directions will focus on determining whether gains will be maintained and what would be necessary to obtain 100% compliance rates.

Volatility modeling for IDR exchange rate through APARCH model with student-t distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nugroho, Didit Budi; Susanto, Bambang

2017-08-01

The aim of this study is to empirically investigate the performance of APARCH(1,1) volatility model with the Student-t error distribution on five foreign currency selling rates to Indonesian rupiah (IDR), including the Swiss franc (CHF), the Euro (EUR), the British pound (GBP), Japanese yen (JPY), and the US dollar (USD). Six years daily closing rates over the period of January 2010 to December 2016 for a total number of 1722 observations have analysed. The Bayesian inference using the efficient independence chain Metropolis-Hastings and adaptive random walk Metropolis methods in the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) scheme has been applied to estimate the parameters of model. According to the DIC criterion, this study has found that the APARCH(1,1) model under Student-t distribution is a better fit than the model under normal distribution for any observed rate return series. The 95% highest posterior density interval suggested the APARCH models to model the IDR/JPY and IDR/USD volatilities. In particular, the IDR/JPY and IDR/USD data, respectively, have significant negative and positive leverage effect in the rate returns. Meanwhile, the optimal power coefficient of volatility has been found to be statistically different from 2 in adopting all rate return series, save the IDR/EUR rate return series.

Shade Tree Diversity, Cocoa Pest Damage, Yield Compensating Inputs and Farmers' Net Returns in West Africa

PubMed Central

Daghela Bisseleua, Hervé Bertin; Fotio, Daniel; Yede; Missoup, Alain Didier; Vidal, Stefan

2013-01-01

Cocoa agroforests can significantly support biodiversity, yet intensification of farming practices is degrading agroforestry habitats and compromising ecosystem services such as biological pest control. Effective conservation strategies depend on the type of relationship between agricultural matrix, biodiversity and ecosystem services, but to date the shape of this relationship is unknown. We linked shade index calculated from eight vegetation variables, with insect pests and beneficial insects (ants, wasps and spiders) in 20 cocoa agroforests differing in woody and herbaceous vegetation diversity. We measured herbivory and predatory rates, and quantified resulting increases in cocoa yield and net returns. We found that number of spider webs and wasp nests significantly decreased with increasing density of exotic shade tree species. Greater species richness of native shade tree species was associated with a higher number of wasp nests and spider webs while species richness of understory plants did not have a strong impact on these beneficial species. Species richness of ants, wasp nests and spider webs peaked at higher levels of plant species richness. The number of herbivore species (mirid bugs and cocoa pod borers) and the rate of herbivory on cocoa pods decreased with increasing shade index. Shade index was negatively related to yield, with yield significantly higher at shade and herb covers<50%. However, higher inputs in the cocoa farms do not necessarily result in a higher net return. In conclusion, our study shows the importance of a diverse shade canopy in reducing damage caused by cocoa pests. It also highlights the importance of conservation initiatives in tropical agroforestry landscapes. PMID:23520451

DOSE-RATE DEPENDENCE OF INSTANTANEOUS PHYSIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hug, O.

Nastic movements in Mimosa pudica were induced by x radiation. Using short radiation impulses of 10 to 30 sec and doses up to 120 kr/min, the leaflets were observed to close and the stem to bend in the main joint during the first minute. After irradiation of parts of the leaflet, the reaction spreads along the physiological pathways as in any other stimulus. When the action potential is completed, slow depolarization continues and reaches a maximum, finally returning to the initial value in about two hr. The effect was found to be dose- dependent. It is hypothesized that either amore » direct physicochemical change of the cell membrane or a damage of substances which influence the function of the cell membrane is induced by the irradiation. (H.M.G.)« less

The effect of test kit provision, and individual and family education on the uptake rates of fecal occult blood test in an Asian population: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Ha, Tam Cam; Yong, Sook Kwin; Yeoh, Kheng-Wei; Kamberakis, Kay; Yeo, Richard Ming Chert; Koh, Gerald Choon-Huat

2014-11-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether fecal occult blood test (FOBT) home-delivery and individual education or combined with family education increases FOBT uptake rates in Singapore. This is a randomized controlled intervention study of Singaporean residents aged 50 years and above, conducted in May 2012 till May 2013. Eligible individuals in randomly selected households were screened, and one member was randomly selected and allocated to one of the four arms: Group A (individual and family education, FOBT kits provided), Group B (individual education only, FOBT kits provided), Group C (no education, FOBT kits provided) and Group D (no education or FOBT kits provided). Overall response rate was 74.7 %. The FOBT return rates for groups A, B, C and D were 24.5 % [CI 16.2-34.4 %], 25.3 % [CI 16.4-36.0 %], 10.7 % [CI 4.7-19.9 %] and 2.2 % [CI 0.3-7.7 %], respectively. Respondents who were provided education and home-delivered FOBT kits were 15 times more likely to return FOBT kits [Group A: OR 15.0 (3.4-66.2); Group B: OR 15.5 (3.5-68.8)] and those provided with home-delivered FOBT without education were five times more likely to return FOBT kits [Group C: OR 5.8 (1.2-28.3)] than those without education and FOBT kits (Group D). There was no significant difference in return of FOBT kits whether education was provided to subject with or without a family member. Home delivery of FOBT kits increased FOBT return rates and individual education combined with home-delivered FOBT increased FOBT return rates even further. However, additional combination with family education did not increase FOBT rates further.

Eighty-three per cent of elite athletes return to preinjury sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review with meta-analysis of return to sport rates, graft rupture rates and performance outcomes.

PubMed

Lai, Courtney C H; Ardern, Clare L; Feller, Julian A; Webster, Kate E

2018-01-01

The primary objective was to calculate the rate of return to sport (RTS) following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in elite athletes. Secondary objectives were to estimate the time taken to RTS, calculate rates of ACL graft rupture, evaluate postsurgical athletic performance and identify determinants of RTS. Pooled RTS and graft rupture rates were calculated using random effects proportion meta-analysis. Time to RTS, performance data and determinants of RTS were synthesised descriptively. MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL, AMI, PEDro, SPORTDiscus and The Cochrane Library were searched from inception to 19 January 2016. Hand searching of 10 sports medicine journals and reference checking were also performed. Studies were included if they reported the ratio of elite athletes who returned to their preinjury level of sport following ACL reconstruction. Twenty-four studies were included. The pooled RTS rate was 83% (95% CI 77% to 88%). The mean time to RTS ranged from 6 to 13 months. The pooled graft rupture rate was 5.2% (95% CI 2.8% to 8.3%). Six out of nine studies that included a noninjured control group found no significant deterioration in athletic performance following ACL reconstruction. Indicators of greater athletic skill or value to the team were associated with RTS. Eighty-three per cent of elite athletes returned to sport following ACL reconstruction, while 5.2% sustained a graft rupture. Most athletes who returned to sport performed comparably with matched, uninjured controls. This information may assist in guiding expectations of athletes and clinicians following ACL reconstruction. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

26 CFR 1.6013-3 - Treatment of joint return after death of either spouse.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... joint return after death of either spouse. For purposes of section 21 (relating to change in rates... 26 Internal Revenue 13 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Treatment of joint return after death of either... because of death of either spouse, the joint return shall be treated as if the taxable years of both ended...

26 CFR 1.6013-3 - Treatment of joint return after death of either spouse.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... joint return after death of either spouse. For purposes of section 21 (relating to change in rates... 26 Internal Revenue 13 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Treatment of joint return after death of either... because of death of either spouse, the joint return shall be treated as if the taxable years of both ended...

26 CFR 1.6013-3 - Treatment of joint return after death of either spouse.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... joint return after death of either spouse. For purposes of section 21 (relating to change in rates... 26 Internal Revenue 13 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Treatment of joint return after death of either... because of death of either spouse, the joint return shall be treated as if the taxable years of both ended...

26 CFR 1.6013-3 - Treatment of joint return after death of either spouse.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... joint return after death of either spouse. For purposes of section 21 (relating to change in rates... 26 Internal Revenue 13 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Treatment of joint return after death of either... because of death of either spouse, the joint return shall be treated as if the taxable years of both ended...

26 CFR 1.6013-3 - Treatment of joint return after death of either spouse.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... return after death of either spouse. For purposes of section 21 (relating to change in rates during a... 26 Internal Revenue 13 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Treatment of joint return after death of either... death of either spouse, the joint return shall be treated as if the taxable years of both ended on the...

Estimating Marginal Returns to Higher Education in the UK. NBER Working Paper No. 13534

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moffitt, Robert

2007-01-01

A long-standing issue in the literature on education is whether marginal returns to education fall as education rises. If the population differs in its rate of return, a closely related question is whether marginal returns to higher education fall as a greater fraction of the population enrolls. This paper proposes a nonparametric method of…

Games of age-dependent prevention of chronic infections by social distancing.

PubMed

Reluga, Timothy C; Li, Jing

2013-06-01

Epidemiological games combine epidemic modelling with game theory to assess strategic choices in response to risks from infectious diseases. In most epidemiological games studied thus-far, the strategies of an individual are represented with a single choice parameter. There are many natural situations where strategies can not be represented by a single dimension, including situations where individuals can change their behavior as they age. To better understand how age-dependent variations in behavior can help individuals deal with infection risks, we study an epidemiological game in an SI model with two life-history stages where social distancing behaviors that reduce exposure rates are age-dependent. When considering a special case of the general model, we show that there is a unique Nash equilibrium when the infection pressure is a monotone function of aggregate exposure rates, but non-monotone effects can appear even in our special case. The non-monotone effects sometimes result in three Nash equilibria, two of which have local invasion potential simultaneously. Returning to a general case, we also describe a game with continuous age-structure using partial-differential equations, numerically identify some Nash equilibria, and conjecture about uniqueness.

Statistical Analysis of the Exchange Rate of Bitcoin.

PubMed

Chu, Jeffrey; Nadarajah, Saralees; Chan, Stephen

2015-01-01

Bitcoin, the first electronic payment system, is becoming a popular currency. We provide a statistical analysis of the log-returns of the exchange rate of Bitcoin versus the United States Dollar. Fifteen of the most popular parametric distributions in finance are fitted to the log-returns. The generalized hyperbolic distribution is shown to give the best fit. Predictions are given for future values of the exchange rate.

Return period adjustment for runoff coefficients based on analysis in undeveloped Texas watersheds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dhakal, Nirajan; Fang, Xing; Asquith, William H.; Cleveland, Theodore G.; Thompson, David B.

2013-01-01

The rational method for peak discharge (Qp) estimation was introduced in the 1880s. The runoff coefficient (C) is a key parameter for the rational method that has an implicit meaning of rate proportionality, and the C has been declared a function of the annual return period by various researchers. Rate-based runoff coefficients as a function of the return period, C(T), were determined for 36 undeveloped watersheds in Texas using peak discharge frequency from previously published regional regression equations and rainfall intensity frequency for return periods T of 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 years. The C(T) values and return period adjustments C(T)/C(T=10  year) determined in this study are most applicable to undeveloped watersheds. The return period adjustments determined for the Texas watersheds in this study and those extracted from prior studies of non-Texas data exceed values from well-known literature such as design manuals and textbooks. Most importantly, the return period adjustments exceed values currently recognized in Texas Department of Transportation design guidance when T>10  years.

Diagnoses and factors associated with medical evacuation and return to duty among nonmilitary personnel participating in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan

PubMed Central

Cohen, Steven P.; Brown, Charlie; Kurihara, Connie; Plunkett, Anthony; Nguyen, Conner; Strassels, Scott A.

2011-01-01

Background Nonmilitary personnel play an increasingly critical role in modern wars. Stark differences exist between the demographic characteristics, training and missions of military and nonmilitary members. We examined the differences in types of injury and rates of returning to duty among nonmilitary and military personnel participating in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Methods We collected data for nonmilitary personnel medically evacuated from military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2004 and 2007. We compared injury categories and return-to-duty rates in this group with previously published data for military personnel and identified factors associated with return to duty. Results Of the 2155 medically evacuated nonmilitary personnel, 74.7% did not return to duty. War-related injuries in this group accounted for 25.6% of the evacuations, the most common causes being combat-related injuries (55.4%) and musculoskeletal/spinal injuries (22.9%). Among individuals with non–war-related injuries, musculoskeletal injuries accounted for 17.8% of evacuations. Diagnoses associated with the highest return-to-duty rates in the group of nonmilitary personnel were psychiatric diagnoses (15.6%) among those with war-related injuries and noncardiac chest or abdominal pain (44.0%) among those with non–war-related injuries. Compared with military personnel, nonmilitary personnel with war-related injuries were less likely to return to duty (4.4% v. 5.9%, p = 0.001) but more likely to return to duty after non–war-related injuries (32.5% v. 30.7%, p = 0.001). Interpretation Compared with military personnel, nonmilitary personnel were more likely to be evacuated with non–war-related injuries but more likely to return to duty after such injuries. For evacuations because of war-related injuries, this trend was reversed. PMID:21324873

Rates of Return to Education in Botswana.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siphambe, Happy Kufigwa

2000-01-01

Using Botswana household income data, shows that education's rates of return rise by education level. The human capital model remains robust. Education is not income-equalizing; women are paid less than men despite being more highly educated. Private educational financing, job creation, and increased gender equity are needed. (Contains 27…

76 FR 13576 - Jurisdictional Separations and Referral to the Federal-State Joint Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-14

... relationships and jurisdictional cost allocation factors used in jurisdictional separations. Extending the... allocation factors used in jurisdictional separations, which freeze would otherwise expire on June 30, 2011... factors for price cap carriers and all allocation factors for rate-of-return carriers. Rate-of-return...

76 FR 30840 - Jurisdictional Separations and Referral to the Federal-State Joint Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-27

... jurisdictional cost allocation factors used in jurisdictional separations until June 30, 2012. Extending the..., froze all part 36 category relationships and allocation factors for price cap carriers and all allocation factors for rate-of-return carriers. Rate-of-return carriers had the option to freeze their...

Online Learning and Recidivism Rates: Commentary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sellers, Martin P.

2016-01-01

Return-to-prison rates are high. This indicates that imprisonment is not succeeding at rehabilitation, however return to prison is significantly reduced when prisoners receive education while in prison, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons and other related research (Aos et al., 1999; Brown, Forrester, Hull, Jobe, & McCullen, 2000; Clark…

18 CFR 2.15 - Specified reasonable rate of return.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Specified reasonable rate of return. 2.15 Section 2.15 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GENERAL RULES GENERAL POLICY AND INTERPRETATIONS Statements of General...

18 CFR 2.15 - Specified reasonable rate of return.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Specified reasonable rate of return. 2.15 Section 2.15 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GENERAL RULES GENERAL POLICY AND INTERPRETATIONS Statements of General...

18 CFR 2.15 - Specified reasonable rate of return.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Specified reasonable rate of return. 2.15 Section 2.15 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GENERAL RULES GENERAL POLICY AND INTERPRETATIONS Statements of General...

18 CFR 2.15 - Specified reasonable rate of return.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Specified reasonable rate of return. 2.15 Section 2.15 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GENERAL RULES GENERAL POLICY AND INTERPRETATIONS Statements of General...

Reintegration of Pakistani return migrants from the Middle East in the domestic labour market.

PubMed

Arif, G M

1998-01-01

This study compared the unemployment rates among return migrants and nonmigrants and examined the reintegration pattern of returnees in the domestic labor market. The study utilized three data sets: the 1980 World Bank Survey of Return Migrant Households; the 1986 ILO/ARTEP Survey of Return Migrant Households; the 1991 Pakistan Integrated Household Survey. Findings showed that unemployment rates were much higher among return migrants than nonmigrants. Although this difference narrowed with the passage of time, even among those who returned to Pakistan at least 18 months prior to the surveys, more than 10% of workers were unemployed. The multivariate analysis further showed that returnees, irrespective of the period elapsed since their return, were more likely to be unemployed than nonmigrants. With respect to the reintegration pattern of return migrants, the study revealed that variables indicating their human capital, such as occupation and pre-migration and during-migration work experience, appear to have a greater influence on their post-return adjustment than the variables related to economic positions such as savings. The results also showed that the types of jobs unemployed returnees were looking for differed substantially from those held by employed return migrants. A possibility was that unemployed returnees could not save enough from their overseas earnings to become self-employed. Thus, provision of credit for self-employment seems to be the right way to accommodate these workers.

Legislative and Regulatory Actions Needed to Deal with a Changing Domestic Telecommunications Industry.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-24

procedures? GAO recommends that the Congress address these questions by amending the Communications Act of 1934 to establish the basic framework to create...concerns with rate of return/rate base regulation 198 VII Basic procedures used in establishing rates of return 201 VIII Problems regarding AT&T’s rate...prompted a critical reexamination of the basic communications policy and regulatory methods con- tained in the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C

Volatility return intervals analysis of the Japanese market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, W.-S.; Wang, F. Z.; Havlin, S.; Kaizoji, T.; Moon, H.-T.; Stanley, H. E.

2008-03-01

We investigate scaling and memory effects in return intervals between price volatilities above a certain threshold q for the Japanese stock market using daily and intraday data sets. We find that the distribution of return intervals can be approximated by a scaling function that depends only on the ratio between the return interval τ and its mean <τ>. We also find memory effects such that a large (or small) return interval follows a large (or small) interval by investigating the conditional distribution and mean return interval. The results are similar to previous studies of other markets and indicate that similar statistical features appear in different financial markets. We also compare our results between the period before and after the big crash at the end of 1989. We find that scaling and memory effects of the return intervals show similar features although the statistical properties of the returns are different.

Attitudes and practices regarding the use of methadone in US state and federal prisons.

PubMed

Rich, Josiah D; Boutwell, Amy E; Shield, David C; Key, R Garrett; McKenzie, Michelle; Clarke, Jennifer G; Friedmann, Peter D

2005-09-01

In the United States, vigorous enforcement of drug laws and stricter sentencing guidelines over the past 20 years have contributed to an expanded incarcerated population with a high rate of drug use. One in five state prisoners reports a history of injection drug use, and many are opiate dependent. For over 35 years, methadone maintenance therapy has been an effective treatment for opiate dependence; however, its use among opiate-dependent inmates in the United States is limited. In June 2003, we conducted a survey of the medical directors of all 50 US states and the federal prison system to describe their attitudes and practices regarding methadone. Of the 40 respondents, having jurisdiction over 88% (n =1,266,759) of US prisoners, 48% use methadone, predominately for pregnant inmates or for short-term detoxification. Only 8% of respondents refer opiate-dependent inmates to methadone programs upon release. The results highlight the need to destigmatize the use of methadone in the incarcerated setting, expand access to methadone during incarceration, and to improve linkage to methadone treatment for opiate-dependent offenders who return to the community.

Return on Investment from Biochar Application

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Current literature has yet to fully address the cost of biochar application or the return on investment to the grower. The objectives were to identify possible on-farm spreader equipment, spreader capacity, application expenses, and rate of return needed for growers to apply biochar economically. Bi...

The Mathematics of the Return from Home Ownership.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vest, Floyd; Griffith, Reynolds

1991-01-01

A mathematical model or project analysis that calculates the financial return from home ownership is described. This analysis illustrates topics such as compound interest, annuities, amortization schedules, internal rate of return, and other elements of school and college mathematics up through numerical analysis. (KR)

Y2K affiliation, immediate pedestrian density, and helping responses to lost letters.

PubMed

Bridges, F S; Thompson, P C

2001-06-01

Of 75 letters "lost" in Florida, 41 were returned in the mail (the helpful response). Immediate pedestrian density was significantly related to nonhelping responses. The greater the number of subjects passing by a lost letter, the less likely any one of them would respond to it. The rates of return did vary with the addressees' affiliations. Returned responses for the affiliates, Y2K Arkbuilders and the Believers of God's Judgement Against Homosexuals: Y2K Millennium Bug, were substantially lower than for the affiliate, Y2K Computer Repair & Programming, Inc. Returns for the Believers of God's Judgement Against Homosexuals: Y2K Millennium Bug affiliate were significantly lower than for the Y2K Arkbuilders affiliate. Variables such as sex, race, and estimated age of subjects were not associated with helping to return a lost letter. The rate of return of lost letters is not the only important measure to be examined in studies using lost letters.

Performance-Based Outcomes Following Lisfranc Injury Among Professional American Football and Rugby Athletes.

PubMed

Singh, Sameer K; George, Andrew; Kadakia, Anish R; Hsu, Wellington K

2018-04-27

Professional National Football League (NFL) and rugby athletes have high rates of Lisfranc injuries. Although favorable return-to-play rates have been previously reported, a thorough assessment of postinjury performance is lacking. Professional NFL and rugby athletes who sustained a Lisfranc injury were identified using a well-established protocol confirmed by multiple sources of the public record. Return-to-play rate and time to return were determined for each athlete. League participation and game performance were collected 1 season prior to injury and up to 3 seasons after injury. Statistical analysis was performed, with P≤.05 being significant. A total of 47 athletes (NFL=35, rugby=12) with Lisfranc injuries were identified, having 23 ligamentous injuries and 24 fractures. Thirty-five (75%) were treated operatively. Among NFL players, 29 (83%) returned to play, taking 10.0±2.9 months to do so. Overall, NFL players started fewer games 2 and 3 seasons following surgery (P=.002 and .035, respectively) and showed a significant decline in performance 1 season after return compared with preinjury levels (21%; P=.05). Offensive players had a significantly greater decline in statistical performance compared with defensive counterparts (P=.02). Although professional NFL athletes return to play at a high rate (83%) following Lisfranc injury, their league participation and performance is significantly decreased on return. Ligamentous and bony injuries have similar prognoses; however, offensive players show greater declines in performance compared with defensive players. To best guide therapy, players, coaches, and team physicians should be aware of the impact of Lisfranc injuries on career performance and longevity. [Orthopedics. 201x; xx(x):xx-xx.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Consequences of actively managing a small Bull Trout population in a fragmented landscape

USGS Publications Warehouse

Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Moran, Sean; McHugh, Peter; Bernall, Shana; Fredenberg, Wade; DosSantos, Joseph M.

2015-01-01

Habitat fragmentation, which affects many native salmonid species, is one of the major factors contributing to the declines in distribution and abundance of Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus. Increasingly, managers are considering options to maintain and enhance the persistence of isolated local populations through active management strategies. Understanding the ecological consequences of such actions is a necessary step in conservation planning. We used an individual-based model to evaluate the consequences of an ongoing management program aimed at mitigating the anthropogenic fragmentation of the lower Clark Fork River in Montana. Under this program juvenile Bull Trout are trapped and transported from small, headwater source populations to Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho, for rearing, and adults are subsequently recaptured in their upstream migration and returned to the natal population for spawning. We examined one of these populations and integrated empirical estimates of demographic parameters to simulate different management scenarios where moderate (n = 4) and high (n = 8) numbers of age-2, age-3, or age-4 Bull Trout were removed for transport with variable return rates under both demographic stochasticity and environmental perturbations. Our results indicated the risks from removal with no returns increased substantially when removal totals and age of Bull Trout removed from the simulated population increased. Specifically, removing eight age-3 or age-4 individuals resulted in 26% and 62% reductions in average adult population size, respectively, across simulations. We found the risks of transport were not likely alleviated with low (3%) or moderate (6%) return rates, and there were considerable risks of declines for the source population even when return rates were extremely high (>12%). Our simulations indicated little risk of declines for the source population with removals of age-2 Bull Trout, and any risks were alleviated with low return rates. However, we found higher return rates were particularly beneficial in the presence of large, density-independent perturbations.

A cross-sport comparison of performance-based outcomes of professional athletes following primary microfracture of the knee.

PubMed

Schallmo, Michael S; Singh, Sameer K; Barth, Kathryn A; Freshman, Ryan D; Mai, Harry T; Hsu, Wellington K

2018-05-08

The purpose of this study was to compare performance-based outcomes among professional athletes in four major North American sports following microfracture to treat symptomatic chondral defects of the knee. Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and National Hockey League (NHL) athletes who underwent primary unilateral microfracture of the knee were identified through a previously reported protocol based on public sources. Successful return-to-play was defined as returning for at least one professional regular season game after surgery. Regular season player statistics and sport-specific performance scores were compiled for each player. Each player served as his own control, with the season prior to surgery defined as baseline. Comparisons across sports were enabled by adjusting for expected season and career length differences between sports and by calculating percent changes in performance. One hundred thirty one professional athletes who underwent microfracture were included. One hundred three athletes (78.6%) successfully returned to play. The ratio of games started-to-games played before surgery was found to be a significant positive independent predictor of returning (p = 0.002). Compared with their preoperative season, basketball and baseball players demonstrated significantly decreased performance one season after surgery (-14.8%, p = 0.029 and -12.9%, p = 0.002, respectively) that was recoverable to baseline by postoperative seasons 2-3 for baseball players but not for basketball players (-9.7%, p = 0.024). Knee microfracture surgery is associated with a high rate of return to the professional level. However, the impact of this procedure on postoperative performance varied significantly depending on sport. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

[Energy reactions in the skeletal muscles of rats following space flight on the Kosmos-936 biosatellite].

PubMed

Mailian, E S; Bruavkova, L B; Kokoreva, L V

1982-01-01

The respiration of mitochondria isolated from mixed skeletal muscles of hindlimbs of rats flown for 18.5 days on Cosmos-936 was investigated polarographically. At R + 10 hours the rate of mitochondrial respiration in different metabolic states during the oxidation of succinic acid and NAD-dependent substrates declined. The enzyme activity of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase and cytosol lactate dehydrogenase diminished. At R + 25 days both aerobic and anaerobic oxidative processes increased, thus leading to the recovery of the parameters (sometimes they not only returned to the norm but exceeded it).

Amount of Minutes Played Does Not Contribute to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in National Basketball Association Athletes.

PubMed

Okoroha, Kelechi R; Marfo, Kojo; Meta, Fabien; Matar, Robert; Shehab, Ramsy; Thompson, Terry; Moutzouros, Vasilios; Makhni, Eric C

2017-07-01

There is limited information on the potential risk factors for sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in National Basketball Association (NBA) athletes. This study evaluated 83 NBA players who sustained an ACL injury between 1984 and 2015 to determine the influence of minutes played on injury risk. Minutes played in the injury game, during the season, and over their career were assessed, along with the ability to return to play, player efficiency rating, and playing time after return. Athletes in the NBA played significantly fewer minutes before sustaining an ACL injury (17.1 minutes) than their average minutes per game that season (23.5 minutes; P<.01) or over their career (24.0 minutes; P<.01). One-third of all injuries occurred during the first quarter of the season (preseason to November). There was a 95% rate of return (78 players) to NBA competition the season following ACL injury. Players who were drafted as lottery picks (draft pick 1 to 15) or those who were starters played significantly more minutes the season following injury than those who were not (both P<.01). Players who returned to play had decreased player efficiency ratings when compared with matched controls. This study found that minutes played in a single NBA game did not contribute to the risk of sustaining an ACL injury. Although there was a high rate of return to NBA competition the season following injury, those who were elite athletes played more minutes per game than those who were not. Athletes who returned to play sustained a decrease in player efficiency ratings compared with similar athletes without ACL injury. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(4):e658-e662.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Randomized Hough transform filter for echo extraction in DLR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Tong; Chen, Hao; Shen, Ming; Gao, Pengqi; Zhao, You

2016-11-01

The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of debris laser ranging (DLR) data is extremely low, and the valid returns in the DLR range residuals are distributed on a curve in a long observation time. Therefore, it is hard to extract the signals from noise in the Observed-minus-Calculated (O-C) residuals with low SNR. In order to autonomously extract the valid returns, we propose a new algorithm based on randomized Hough transform (RHT). We firstly pre-process the data using histogram method to find the zonal area that contains all the possible signals to reduce large amount of noise. Then the data is processed with RHT algorithm to find the curve that the signal points are distributed on. A new parameter update strategy is introduced in the RHT to get the best parameters. We also analyze the values of the parameters in the algorithm. We test our algorithm on the 10 Hz repetition rate DLR data from Yunnan Observatory and 100 Hz repetition rate DLR data from Graz SLR station. For 10 Hz DLR data with relative larger and similar range gate, we can process it in real time and extract all the signals autonomously with a few false readings. For 100 Hz DLR data with longer observation time, we autonomously post-process DLR data of 0.9%, 2.7%, 8% and 33% return rate with high reliability. The extracted points contain almost all signals and a low percentage of noise. Additional noise is added to 10 Hz DLR data to get lower return rate data. The valid returns can also be well extracted for DLR data with 0.18% and 0.1% return rate.

Hot money and China's stock market volatility: Further evidence using the GARCH-MIDAS model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Yu; Yu, Qianwen; Liu, Jing; Cao, Yang

2018-02-01

This paper investigates the influence of hot money on the return and volatility of the Chinese stock market using a nonlinear Granger causality test and a new GARCH-class model based on mixed data sampling regression (GARCH-MIDAS). The empirical results suggest that no linear or nonlinear causality exists between the growth rate of hot money and the Chinese stock market return, implying that the Chinese stock market is not driven by hot money and vice versa. However, hot money has a significant positive impact on the long-term volatility of the Chinese stock market. Furthermore, the dependence between the long-term volatility caused by hot money and the total volatility of the Chinese stock market is time-variant, indicating that huge volatilities in the stock market are not always triggered by international speculation capital flow and that Chinese authorities should further focus on more systemic reforms in the trading rules and on effectively regulating the stock market.

Interactions of raptors and Lesser Prairie-Chickens at leks in the Texas Southern High Plains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Behney, Adam C.; Boal, Clint W.; Whitlaw, Heather A.; Lucia, Duane R.

2011-01-01

We examined behavioral interactions of raptors, Chihuahuan Ravens (Corvus cryptoleucus), and Lesser Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) at leks in the Texas Southern High Plains. Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus) and Swainson's Hawks (Buteo swainsoni) were the most common raptors observed at leks. Only 15 of 61 (25%) raptor encounters at leks (0.09/hr) resulted in a capture attempt (0.02/hr). Mean (± SD) time for Lesser Prairie-Chickens to return to lekking behavior following a raptor encounter was 4.2 ± 5.5 min suggesting the disturbance had little influence on lekking behaviors. Lesser Prairie-Chickens engaged in different escape behaviors depending on raptor species and, generally, did not respond to ravens suggesting they are able to assess different predation risks. The raptors in our study area posed little predation risk to lekking prairie-chickens. Behavioral disturbance at leks appears minimal due to the lack of successful predation events, low raptor encounter rates, and short time to return to lekking behavior.

Noncausal telemetry data recovery techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsou, H.; Lee, R.; Mileant, A.; Hinedi, S.

1995-01-01

Cost efficiency is becoming a major driver in future space missions. Because of the constraints on total cost, including design, implementation, and operation, future spacecraft are limited in terms of their size power and complexity. Consequently, it is expected that future missions will operate on marginal space-to-ground communication links that, in turn, can pose an additional risk on the successful scientific data return of these missions. For low data-rate and low downlink-margin missions, the buffering of the telemetry signal for further signal processing to improve data return is a possible strategy; it has been adopted for the Galileo S-band mission. This article describes techniques used for postprocessing of buffered telemetry signal segments (called gaps) to recover data lost during acquisition and resynchronization. Two methods, one for a closed-loop and the other one for an open-loop configuration, are discussed in this article. Both of them can be used in either forward or backward processing of signal segments, depending on where a gap is specifically situated in a pass.

Evaluating the Return in Ecosystem Services from Investment in Public Land Acquisitions

PubMed Central

Kovacs, Kent; Polasky, Stephen; Nelson, Erik; Keeler, Bonnie L.; Pennington, Derric; Plantinga, Andrew J.; Taff, Steven J.

2013-01-01

We evaluate the return on investment (ROI) from public land conservation in the state of Minnesota, USA. We use a spatially-explicit modeling tool, the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST), to estimate how changes in land use and land cover (LULC), including public land acquisitions for conservation, influence the joint provision and value of multiple ecosystem services. We calculate the ROI of a public conservation acquisition as the ratio of the present value of ecosystem services generated by the conservation to the cost of the conservation. For the land scenarios analyzed, carbon sequestration services generated the greatest benefits followed by water quality improvements and recreation opportunities. We found ROI values ranged from 0.21 to 5.28 depending on assumptions about future land use change, service values, and discount rate. Our study suggests conservation is a good investment as long as investments are targeted to areas with low land costs and high service values. PMID:23776429

NMR studies of muscle glycogen synthesis in insulin-resistant offspring of parents with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus immediately after glycogen-depleting exercise.

PubMed Central

Price, T B; Perseghin, G; Duleba, A; Chen, W; Chase, J; Rothman, D L; Shulman, R G; Shulman, G I

1996-01-01

To examine the impact of insulin resistance on the insulin-dependent and insulin-independent portions of muscle glycogen synthesis during recovery from exercise, we studied eight young, lean, normoglycemic insulin-resistant (IR) offspring of individuals with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and eight age-weight matched control (CON) subjects after plantar flexion exercise that lowered muscle glycogen to approximately 25% of resting concentration. After approximately 20 min of exercise, intramuscular glucose 6-phosphate and glycogen were simultaneously monitored with 31P and 13C NMR spectroscopies. The postexercise rate of glycogen resynthesis was nonlinear. Glycogen synthesis rates during the initial insulin independent portion (0-1 hr of recovery) were similar in the two groups (IR, 15.5 +/- 1.3 mM/hr and CON, 15.8 +/- 1.7 mM/hr); however, over the next 4 hr, insulin-dependent glycogen synthesis was significantly reduced in the IR group [IR, 0.1 +/- 0.5 mM/hr and CON, 2.9 +/- 0.2 mM/hr; (P < or = 0.001)]. After exercise there was an initial rise in glucose 6-phosphate concentrations that returned to baseline after the first hour of recovery in both groups. In summary, we found that following muscle glycogen-depleting exercise, IR offspring of parents with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus had (i) normal rates of muscle glycogen synthesis during the insulin-independent phase of recovery from exercise and (ii) severely diminished rates of muscle glycogen synthesis during the subsequent recovery period (2-5 hr), which has previously been shown to be insulin-dependent in normal CON subjects. These data provide evidence that exercise and insulin stimulate muscle glycogen synthesis in humans by different mechanisms and that in the IR subjects the early response to stimulation by exercise is normal. PMID:8643574

Free float and stochastic volatility: the experience of a small open economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selçuk, Faruk

2004-11-01

Following a dramatic collapse of a fixed exchange rate based inflation stabilization program, Turkey moved into a free floating exchange rate system in February 2001. In this paper, an asymmetric stochastic volatility model of the foreign exchange rate in Turkey is estimated for the floating period. It is shown that there is a positive relation between the exchange return and its volatility. Particularly, an increase in the return at time t results in an increase in volatility at time t+1. However, the effect is asymmetric: a decrease in the exchange rate return at time t causes a relatively less decrease in volatility at time t+1. The results imply that a central bank with a volatility smoothing policy would be biased in viewing the shocks to the exchange rate in favor of appreciation. The bias would increase if the bank is also following an inflation targeting policy.

26 CFR 1.482-5 - Comparable profits method.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... operating profit represents a return for the investment of resources and assumption of risks. Therefore... from a sufficient number of years of data to reasonably measure returns that accrue to uncontrolled... party and uncontrolled comparables include the following— (i) Rate of return on capital employed. The...

47 CFR 54.301 - Local switching support.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... requirement by summing the components listed in this paragraph. (1) Return on Investment attributable to COE... investment by the authorized interstate rate of return. Projected unseparated local switching net investment... paragraph (c) of this section: [Return on Investment attributable to COE Category 3—Included in Account 7300...

Internal cycle modeling and environmental assessment of multiple cycle consumer products

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsiliyannis, C.A., E-mail: anion@otenet.gr

2012-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dynamic flow models are presented for remanufactured, reused or recycled products. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Early loss and stochastic return are included for fast and slow cycling products. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The reuse-to-input flow ratio (Internal Cycle Factor, ICF) is determined. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The cycle rate, which is increasing with the ICF, monitors eco-performance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Early internal cycle losses diminish the ICF, the cycle rate and performance. - Abstract: Dynamic annual flow models incorporating consumer discard and usage loss and featuring deterministic and stochastic end-of-cycle (EOC) return by the consumer are developed for reused or remanufactured products (multiple cycle products, MCPs), including fast andmore » slow cycling, short and long-lived products. It is shown that internal flows (reuse and overall consumption) increase proportionally to the dimensionless internal cycle factor (ICF) which is related to environmental impact reduction factors. The combined reuse/recycle (or cycle) rate is shown capable for shortcut, albeit effective, monitoring of environmental performance in terms of waste production, virgin material extraction and manufacturing impacts of all MCPs, a task, which physical variables (lifetime, cycling frequency, mean or total number of return trips) and conventional rates, via which environmental policy has been officially implemented (e.g. recycling rate) cannot accomplish. The cycle rate is shown to be an increasing (hyperbolic) function of ICF. The impact of the stochastic EOC return characteristics on total reuse and consumption flows, as well as on eco-performance, is assessed: symmetric EOC return has a small, positive effect on performance compared to deterministic, while early shifted EOC return is more beneficial. In order to be efficient, environmental policy should set higher minimum reuse targets for higher trippage MCPs. The results may serve for monitoring, flow accounting and comparative eco-assessment of MCPs. They may be useful in identifying reachable and efficient reuse/recycle targets for consumer products and in planning return via appropriate labelling and digital coding for enhancing environmental performance, while satisfying consumer demand.« less

Statistical Analysis of the Exchange Rate of Bitcoin

PubMed Central

Chu, Jeffrey; Nadarajah, Saralees; Chan, Stephen

2015-01-01

Bitcoin, the first electronic payment system, is becoming a popular currency. We provide a statistical analysis of the log-returns of the exchange rate of Bitcoin versus the United States Dollar. Fifteen of the most popular parametric distributions in finance are fitted to the log-returns. The generalized hyperbolic distribution is shown to give the best fit. Predictions are given for future values of the exchange rate. PMID:26222702

Effects of acute fresh water exposure on water flux rates and osmotic responses in Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempi)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ortiz, R. M.; Patterson, R. M.; Wade, C. E.; Byers, F. M.

2000-01-01

Water flux rates and osmotic responses of Kemp's Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempi) acutely exposed to fresh water were quantified. Salt-water adapted turtles were exposed to fresh water for 4 d before being returned to salt water. During the initial salt water phase, absolute and relative water flux rates were 1.2+/-0.1 l d(-1) and 123.0+/-6.8 ml kg(-1) d(-1), respectively. When turtles were exposed to fresh water, rates increased by approximately 30%. Upon return to salt water, rates decreased to original levels. Plasma osmolality, Na(+), K(+), and Cl(-) decreased during exposure to fresh water, and subsequently increased during the return to salt water. The Na(+):K(+) ratio was elevated during the fresh water phase and subsequently decreased upon return to salt water. Aldosterone and corticosterone were not altered during exposure to fresh water. Elevated water flux rates during fresh water exposure reflected an increase in water consumption, resulting in a decrease in ionic and osmotic concentrations. The lack of a change in adrenocorticoids to acute fresh water exposure suggests that adrenal responsiveness to an hypo-osmotic environment may be delayed in marine turtles when compared to marine mammals.

Take Me “Home”: Return Migration among Germany’s Older Immigrants

PubMed Central

Yahirun, Jenjira J.

2013-01-01

This paper examines the determinants of return migration as foreign-born men approach old age in Germany. Return migration in later life engages a different set of conditions than return migration earlier on, including the framing of return as a possible retirement strategy. Using 23 years of longitudinal data from the German Socioeconomic Panel, this paper investigates how social and economic resources of immigrant men influence decisions to return “home.” Results suggest that immigrants from former guest worker recruitment countries within the European Union are more likely to return than non-E.U. immigrants. In addition, return migrants are “negatively selected” such that those with the least education and weakest attachments to the labor force are more likely to emigrate. However, findings vary greatly depending on the immigrant’s age and country of origin. Results from this paper highlight the heterogeneity of older immigrants and the factors that motivate their return “home.” PMID:25382866

26 CFR 20.6018-3 - Returns; contents of returns.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... maturity, amount of principal, amount of principal unpaid, rate of interest and whether simple or compound, date to which interest has been paid and amount of unpaid interest. A description of the seller's..., name of obligor, date of maturity, rate of interest, date or dates on which interest is payable, series...

10 CFR 50.75 - Reporting and recordkeeping for decommissioning planning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... up to a 2 percent annual real rate of return from the time of future funds' collection through the... annual real rate of return from the time of future funds' collection through the decommissioning period... investment manager for the funds or from giving day-to-day management direction of the funds' investments or...

18 CFR 2.15 - Specified reasonable rate of return.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... average cost of long-term debt and preferred stock for the year, and the cost of common equity shall be... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Specified reasonable rate of return. 2.15 Section 2.15 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY...

A new banding technique for nesting adult purple martins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klimkiewicz, M.K.; Jung, P.D.

1977-01-01

Mery (1966) showed an almost equal sex ratio, males returned more frequently than females, over 50% of returns paired with other returns, an adult return rate of 20%, and no pair bonds maintained for more than one season. Her study lasted 13 years. Our study has shown that the return rate of locals to parent colonies is 4.1%, sex ratios are nearly equal (combination of banding and observation), return rate of locals to nearby colonies is 0.9,one pair maintained the pair bond for two years, SY females lay fewer eggs than ASY's, SY adults occasionally do not feed frequently enough to maintain the normal growth pattern of the young, SY adults often build poorly constructed nests with little or no mud, overall nest success is lower in SY adults, adults do indeed return to the same colony (19.6%) box and/or compartment, sexes are balanced in a stable colony, males or females are sometimes in excess in a new colony, SY adults are predominate in a new colony, the limiting factor in colony size is most likely the number of boxes and/or compartments available for nesting and,finally, adults and young do indeed use the boxes for roosting after nesting and fledging is complete (even boxes not their own). All of our results are tentative and subject to change after f rther study. Much additional study will be required before we can come up with conclusive answers to many of these questions about the Purple Martin.

30 CFR 206.157 - Determination of transportation allowances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... and a return on undepreciated capital investment in accordance with paragraph (b)(2)(iv)(A) of this... allowable expenses. (iv) A lessee may use either depreciation or a return on depreciable capital investment... investment in the transportation system multiplied by the rate of return determined pursuant to paragraph (b...

Return on Investment in Education: A "System-Strategy" Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Stephen; Hovey, Don

2014-01-01

Recently, there has been growing interest in adapting Return-on-Investment thinking to education--sometimes called educational productivity, or academic-ROI. Education leaders do not seek a monetary return on their spending, rather greater student learning, or other outcomes like student citizenship, higher graduation rates, or increased lifetime…

How Random is the Walk: Efficiency of Indian Stock and Futures Markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basu, Udayan Kumar

Time series of prices of stock and its rates of return has been one of the major areas of study in Econophysics. The price of a stock depends on a number of factors as well as information related thereto, and how quickly and effectively the price of a stock assimilates all such information decides the efficiency of the stock market. Instead of individual stocks, people often study the behaviour of stock indices to get a feel of the market as a whole, and the outcomes of such studies for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), the Nasdaq Index and the S & P 500 Index have been listed in a number of articles. In this context, it has also been argued that for a market to be considered sufficiently liquid, correlation between successive price movements and rates of return should be insignificant, because any significant correlation would lead to an arbitrage opportunity that is expected to be rapidly exploited and thus washed out. The residual correlations are those little enough not to be profitable for strategies due to imperfect market conditions. Unless transaction costs or slippages or any other impediment exists, leading to some transactional inefficiency, arbitrages would take place to bring back the markets to a stage of insignifficant correlations [1, 2].

Exergy & economic analysis of biogas fueled solid oxide fuel cell systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siefert, Nicholas S.; Litster, Shawn

2014-12-01

We present an exergy and an economic analysis of a power plant that uses biogas produced from a thermophilic anaerobic digester (AD) to fuel a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). We performed a 4-variable parametric analysis of the AD-SOFC system in order to determine the optimal design operation conditions, depending on the objective function of interest. We present results on the exergy efficiency (%), power normalized capital cost ( kW-1), and the internal rate of return on investment, IRR, (% yr-1) as a function of the current density, the stack pressure, the fuel utilization, and the total air stoichiometric ratio. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first AD-SOFC paper to include the cost of the AD when conducting economic optimization of the AD-SOFC plant. Our calculations show that adding a new AD-SOFC system to an existing waste water treatment (WWT) plant could yield positives values of IRR at today's average electricity prices and could significantly out-compete other options for using biogas to generate electricity. AD-SOFC systems could likely convert WWT plants into net generators of electricity rather than net consumers of electricity while generating economically viable rates of return on investment if the costs of SOFC systems are within a factor of two of the DOE/SECA cost targets.

[Palliative care pathways of older patients].

PubMed

Zubieta, Lourdes; Hébert, Réjean; Raîche, Michel

To determine the palliative care pathways of older patients in Sherbrooke, Qc by examining their transfers to other facilities. This analysis was conducted by linking 3 databases: emergency department, hospitalizations and nursing homes. The study period ranged from January 2011 to December 2015. SPSS was used for statistical analysis. The study only included palliative care patients. 25% of patients waited less than 7 days for transfer, and 74% waited less than 3 weeks. 64.9% of patients were transferred to a long-term facility for dependent adults (LTF), 15.2% returned home or were transferred to private accommodation, and 15.9% were transferred to an intermediate care facility. One-half of patients subsequently changed facility, mainly those in homes or intermediate care. Palliative care patient bed occupation rates represented 1% of available bed-days and less than 2% of total beds for 86.4% of days. Only 12% of patients returned to hospital within 90 days after discharge. The number of beds occupied by palliative care patients does not seem to disrupt the hospital capacity. The majority of the palliative care patients were well managed, as reflected by the low readmission rate. Our results indicate good management of transfers and an adequate supply of long-term care facilities and home services.

Developing Islamic Financial Products for Financing Solar Energy with a Special Reference to Qatar and Algeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabet, Imene Nouar

Renewable energy has become an important part of the international energy mix. This thesis aims at developing Islamic financial schemes for financing photovoltaic solar energy roof-tops and solar farms. Being an evolving technology based sector with high capital expenditures imposed a challenge for this alternative source of energy to grow especially in countries where electricity costs are low and prices are heavily subsidised. The first two chapters provide a comprehensive overview of solar energy industry with the various policies and financing models that were developed and adopted in various countries. It is found that most of its growth was dependent on government support even in financing. Ijarah Sukuk were developed for financing roof-tops in Qatar, such that the house owners do not have to pay any amount and would get the solar panels at maturity where they would be entitled to their benefit. The cost would be borne by the investors who receive stable rental payments along with their capital throughout the financing period, while electric company would be provided with the electricity at a rate lower than its production cost, hence offering it subsidy savings; the lessee who lives in house would be provided with incentives in the form of electricity-pay break. Although the electricity sector in the country remains highly dependent on government support, the model, in its hypothetical example, provides investors with 8% Internal Rate of Return. On the other hand, Output-sharing Sukuk model is developed for financing solar farms in the context of Algeria, based on the known Islamic financial contract of Muzara'ah. The state-owned electric company contributes the land, the Sukuk holders own the panels, and the developer provides management of the farm. A hypothetical example is also given with calculation of cash flow and investors' Internal Rate of Return which comes to be 7.1029% per annum.

Joint Filter and Waveform Design for Radar STAP in Signal Dependent Interference (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

scheduling for extended targets in radar using information theoretic measures , tracking etc can be seen in [45]–[50], [51]–[56], and the references...range gate, the measured snapshot vector consists of the target returns and the undesired returns, i.e. clutter returns, interference and noise. The...D. Cochran, S. Suvorova, S. Howard, and W. Moran, “Waveform libraries: Measures of effectiveness for radar scheduling,” IEEE Signal Processing

Choosing the Discount Rate for Defense Decisionmaking.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-07-01

a weighted average of the after-personal-income-tax rate of return to savers and the pre- corporate - income - tax cost of capital. Stockfisch calcu].ates...occurs between the corporate and noncorporate sector. Many economists assume 100 percent shifting of the corporate income tax , so if the corporate ...capital is a weighted average of the after-personal-income-tax rate of return to savers and the pre- corporate - income - tax cost of capital. Stockfisch

Empirical behavior of a world stock index from intra-day to monthly time scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breymann, W.; Lüthi, D. R.; Platen, E.

2009-10-01

Most of the papers that study the distributional and fractal properties of financial instruments focus on stock prices or foreign exchange rates. This typically leads to mixed results concerning the distributions of log-returns and some multi-fractal properties of exchange rates, stock prices, and regional indices. This paper uses a well diversified world stock index as the central object of analysis. Such index approximates the growth optimal portfolio, which is demonstrated under the benchmark approach, it is the ideal reference unit for studying basic securities. When denominating this world index in units of a given currency, one measures the movements of the currency against the entire market. This provides a least disturbed observation of the currency dynamics. In this manner, one can expect to disentangle, e.g., the superposition of the two currencies involved in an exchange rate. This benchmark approach to the empirical analysis of financial data allows us to establish remarkable stylized facts. Most important is the observation that the repeatedly documented multi-fractal appearance of financial time series is very weak and much less pronounced than the deviation of the mono-scaling properties from Brownian-motion type scaling. The generalized Hurst exponent H(2) assumes typical values between 0.55 and 0.6. Accordingly, autocorrelations of log-returns decay according to a power law, and the quadratic variation vanishes when going to vanishing observation time step size. Furthermore, one can identify the Student t distribution as the log-return distribution of a well-diversified world stock index for long time horizons when a long enough data series is used for estimation. The study of dependence properties, finally, reveals that jumps at daily horizon originate primarily in the stock market while at 5min horizon they originate in the foreign exchange market. The principal message of the empirical analysis is that there is evidence that a diffusion model without multi-scaling could reasonably well model the dynamics of a broadly diversified world stock index. in here

Outcomes After Shoulder and Elbow Injury in Baseball Players: Are We Reporting What Matters?

PubMed

Makhni, Eric C; Saltzman, Bryan M; Meyer, Maximilian A; Moutzouros, Vasilios; Cole, Brian J; Romeo, Anthony A; Verma, Nikhil N

2017-02-01

Return to play, as well as time to return to play, are the most important metrics considered by athletes when attempting to make treatment decisions after injury. However, the consistency of reporting of these metrics in the scientific literature is unknown. To investigate patterns of outcomes reporting in the medical literature of shoulder and elbow injuries in active baseball players. Systematic review. A systematic review of literature published within the past 10 years was performed to identify all recent clinical studies focusing on shoulder and elbow injuries in baseball players across all levels. Review articles, case reports, and laboratory/biomechanical studies were all excluded. A total of 49 studies were included for review. The majority of studies were either level 3 or level 4 evidence (96%). In total, 71% of studies reported on rates of return to preinjury level of play, whereas 31% of studies reported on time to return to preinjury level of play. Only 47% of studies reported on both rate and time of return to preinjury level of play. A minority of studies (8%) reported patient satisfaction rates. Finally, 27 different subjective and patient-reported outcomes were reported, and none of these appeared in more than 14% of all studies. Time to return to preinjury level of play is inadequately reported in studies of shoulder and elbow injury in baseball players. Similarly, satisfaction rates and scores are underreported. Finally, the significant variability of subjective and patient-reported outcomes utilized may undermine the ability of clinicians to accurately compare results from different studies.

Internal cycle modeling and environmental assessment of multiple cycle consumer products.

PubMed

Tsiliyannis, C A

2012-01-01

Dynamic annual flow models incorporating consumer discard and usage loss and featuring deterministic and stochastic end-of-cycle (EOC) return by the consumer are developed for reused or remanufactured products (multiple cycle products, MCPs), including fast and slow cycling, short and long-lived products. It is shown that internal flows (reuse and overall consumption) increase proportionally to the dimensionless internal cycle factor (ICF) which is related to environmental impact reduction factors. The combined reuse/recycle (or cycle) rate is shown capable for shortcut, albeit effective, monitoring of environmental performance in terms of waste production, virgin material extraction and manufacturing impacts of all MCPs, a task, which physical variables (lifetime, cycling frequency, mean or total number of return trips) and conventional rates, via which environmental policy has been officially implemented (e.g. recycling rate) cannot accomplish. The cycle rate is shown to be an increasing (hyperbolic) function of ICF. The impact of the stochastic EOC return characteristics on total reuse and consumption flows, as well as on eco-performance, is assessed: symmetric EOC return has a small, positive effect on performance compared to deterministic, while early shifted EOC return is more beneficial. In order to be efficient, environmental policy should set higher minimum reuse targets for higher trippage MCPs. The results may serve for monitoring, flow accounting and comparative eco-assessment of MCPs. They may be useful in identifying reachable and efficient reuse/recycle targets for consumer products and in planning return via appropriate labelling and digital coding for enhancing environmental performance, while satisfying consumer demand. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Body position and activity, but not heart rate, affect pump flows in patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices.

PubMed

Muthiah, Kavitha; Gupta, Sunil; Otton, James; Robson, Desiree; Walker, Robyn; Tay, Andre; Macdonald, Peter; Keogh, Anne; Kotlyar, Eugene; Granger, Emily; Dhital, Kumud; Spratt, Phillip; Jansz, Paul; Hayward, Christopher S

2014-08-01

The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of pre-load and heart rate to pump flow in patients implanted with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (cfLVADs). Although it is known that cfLVAD pump flow increases with exercise, it is unclear if this increment is driven by increased heart rate, augmented intrinsic ventricular contraction, or enhanced venous return. Two studies were performed in patients implanted with the HeartWare HVAD. In 11 patients, paced heart rate was increased to approximately 40 beats/min above baseline and then down to approximately 30 beats/min below baseline pacing rate (in pacemaker-dependent patients). Ten patients underwent tilt-table testing at 30°, 60°, and 80° passive head-up tilt for 3 min and then for a further 3 min after ankle flexion exercise. This regimen was repeated at 20° passive head-down tilt. Pump parameters, noninvasive hemodynamics, and 2-dimensional echocardiographic measures were recorded. Heart rate alteration by pacing did not affect LVAD flows or LV dimensions. LVAD pump flow decreased from baseline 4.9 ± 0.6 l/min to approximately 4.5 ± 0.5 l/min at each level of head-up tilt (p < 0.0001 analysis of variance). With active ankle flexion, LVAD flow returned to baseline. There was no significant change in flow with a 20° head-down tilt with or without ankle flexion exercise. There were no suction events. Centrifugal cfLVAD flows are not significantly affected by changes in heart rate, but they change significantly with body position and passive filling. Previously demonstrated exercise-induced changes in pump flows may be related to altered loading conditions, rather than changes in heart rate. Copyright © 2014 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing donor return.

PubMed

Schlumpf, Karen S; Glynn, Simone A; Schreiber, George B; Wright, David J; Randolph Steele, Whitney; Tu, Yongling; Hermansen, Sigurd; Higgins, Martha J; Garratty, George; Murphy, Edward L

2008-02-01

To predict future blood donation behavior and improve donor retention, it is important to understand the determinants of donor return. A self-administered questionnaire was completed in 2003 by 7905 current donors. With data mining methods, all factors measured by the survey were ranked as possible predictors of actual return within 12 months. Significant factors were analyzed with logistic regression to determine predictors of intention and of actual return. Younger and minority donors were less likely to return in 12 months. Predictors of donor return were higher prior donation frequency, higher intention to return, a convenient place to donate, and having a good donation experience. Most factors associated with actual donor return were also associated with a high intention to return. Although not significant for actual return, feeling a responsibility to help others, higher empathetic concern, and a feeling that being a blood donor means more than just donating blood were related to high intention to return. Prior donation frequency, intention to return, donation experience, and having a convenient location appear to significantly predict donor return. Clearly, donor behavior is dependent on more than one factor alone. Altruistic behavior, empathy, and social responsibility items did not enter our model to predict actual return. A donor's stated intention to give again is positively related to actual return and, while not a perfect measure, might be a useful proxy when donor return cannot be determined.

Effects of harness-attached transmitters on premigration and reproduction of Brant

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ward, David H.; Flint, Paul L.

1995-01-01

Radio transmitters are an important tool in waterfowl ecology studies, but little is known about their effects on free-ranging geese. We attached transmitters to female brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) to investigate migration schedules at a fall staging area, return rates to nesting grounds, and nesting rates of returning females in subsequent breeding seasons. Radio-tagged females (n = 62) carried either 35-g back-mounted transmitters attached with ribbon harnesses, or 26- or 32-g back-mounted transmitters affixed with plastic-coated wire harnesses (Dwyer 1972). Arrival and departure schedules at Izembek Lagoon, Alaska, did not differ (P > 0.05) between radio-tagged females and the entire population in 1987-89. Color-banded females with transmitters returned to the breeding colony in subsequent nesting seasons (1988-92) at a lower (P ≤ 0.003) rate (≤4%) than color-banded females without transmitters (57-83%). The 1 returning color-banded female with a transmitter did not breed, while an average 90% of the returning color-banded females without transmitters nested in subsequent breeding seasons (P = 0.005). Back-mounted, harness-attached transmitters may bias data in studies of waterfowl behavior, productivity, and survival.

Human Capital and Rates of Return: Brilliant Ideas or Ideological Dead Ends?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klees, Steven J.

2016-01-01

Human capital theory and rate of return methodology have long been a dominant framework in comparative and international education and other fields. While there have been criticisms since its inception, it has been ubiquitous and widely accepted as an important mechanism for educational planning, evaluation, and policy making. In this article, I…

Estimating investment returns from growing red pine.

Treesearch

Allen L. Lundgren

1966-01-01

This paper describes how to estimate present values of incomes and costs in growing red pine trees for sale as cordwood or sawtimber, and how to calculate expectation values and rates of return for a wide range of timber-growing conditions, using the tables of expectation value indexes and interest rate multipliers provided. It illustrates how to compare investment...

Results of Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEOI), Spring 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houston Community College System, Office of Institutional Research, 2011

2011-01-01

The "Student Evaluation of Instruction" (SEOI) was administered to all full-time and part-time faculty. Approximately 121,184 surveys were sent out in (5,346) envelopes; 78,310 surveys were returned to the Office of Institutional Research. The return rate for the SEOI packet envelopes was 96%. The response rate for the survey was 65%.…

Results of Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEOI), Spring 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houston Community College System, Office of Institutional Research, 2010

2010-01-01

The Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEOI) was administered to all full-time and part-time faculty. Approximately 105,192 surveys were sent out in (5,726) envelopes; 77,886 surveys were returned to the Office of Institutional Research. The return rate for the SEOI packet envelopes was 96%. The response rate for the survey was 74%. The…

Telecommunications Policy Research Conference. Alternatives to Rate of Return Regulation Section. Papers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Telecommunications Policy Research Conference, Inc., Washington, DC.

The first of two papers presented in this section, "Price-Caps: Theory and Implementation" (Peter B. Linhart and Roy Radner) describes a proposed method of regulation involving price caps on core services and no price regulation of other services. This method is designed to replace rate-of-return regulation during a transition period to…

Management of Vocal Nodules: A Regional Survey of Otolaryngologists and Speech-Language Pathologists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Marybeth S.; And Others

1991-01-01

Survey data from 21 otolaryngologists (70 percent return rate) and 32 speech-language pathologists (46 percent return rate) in Maine found differences in opinions between the 2 professional groups concerning referral patterns and treatment of vocal nodules in children and adults. Attitudinal problems were found to hamper a teamwork approach for…

Energy return on investment (EROI) of solar PV: An attempt at reconciliation

DOE PAGES

Carbajales-Dale, Michael; Raugei, Marco; Fthenakis, Vasilis; ...

2015-07-01

This research examines the importance of energy return on investment (EROI) as a useful metric for assessing long-term viability of energy-dependent systems. Here, focuses on the methods, applications, and analyses for determining EROI for solar power and solar energy technologies.

Return to Sports and Subsequent Injury Rates After Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Patellar Tendon Autograft.

PubMed

Shelbourne, K Donald; Benner, Rodney W; Gray, Tinker

2014-06-01

The return-to-sport and reinjury rates are not well defined after revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. School-age athletes would have a higher rate of return to sports and reinjury to either knee after revision ACL surgery compared with college or recreational athletes. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Patients were prospectively studied after revision ACL reconstruction with bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autograft. Participants were grouped by competitive sport levels of school age (mean age, 16.6 ± 0.9 years; n = 84), college (19.6 ± 1.2 years; n = 58), or recreational adult (27.6 ± 4.1 years; n = 117). An activity survey was used to determine the specific sport and sport level patients participated in before and after surgery. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) knee survey and Cincinnati Knee Rating System (CKRS) survey responses were also obtained. The rate of return to the same sport at the same level was 62 of 84 school-age athletes (74%), 43 of 58 college athletes (74%), and 73 of 117 recreational athletes (62%) (P = .1065). The number of patients who had a subsequent ACL graft tear rate after revision surgery was 2 of 84 (2.3%) in the high school group, 3 of 58 (5.1%) in the college group, and 4 of 117 (3.4%) in the recreational group (P = .6706). The number of patients who had a subsequent ACL tear in the contralateral knee was 1 of 84 (1.1%) in the school-age group, 1 of 58 (1.7%) in the college group, and 2 of 117 (1.7%) in the recreational group (P = .9501). At 2 years postoperatively, the mean IKDC subjective total score was 86.1 ± 11.7 points and the mean CKRS total score was 89.7 ± 11.1 points. Revision ACL reconstruction with BPTB autograft and perioperative rehabilitation allowed high school and college athletes to return to sports at the preinjury level at a rate of 74%; the return rate for recreational-level adults was 62%. Reinjury rates in the first 5 years after revision surgery ranged from 2% to 5%, which is lower than what has been reported for young competitive athletes after primary surgery. © 2014 The Author(s).

Personality traits of anaesthetists and physicians: an evaluation using the Cloninger Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-125).

PubMed

Kluger, M T; Laidlaw, T M; Kruger, N; Harrison, M J

1999-10-01

The personality profiles of Specialist Anaesthetists, Trainee Anaesthetists and Specialist Physicians were examined using Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory. These were compared with validated Community Sample 'average values' and a historical Norwegian Physician sample. Completed forms were returned from 364 doctors (Specialist Anaesthetists 222, Trainee Anaesthetists 75, Physicians 67), an overall response rate of 71%. Specialist Anaesthetists were more Cooperative, Harm Avoidant and Self-Directed than the Community Sample but less Reward Dependent, Novelty Seeking and Persistent than the Community Sample. Physicians were more Cooperative than their Specialist Anaesthetist colleagues, but both more so than were the general population. Trainee anaesthetists appear to be more Novelty Seeking and Reward Dependent than the Specialist Anaesthetists, this factor being predominately age related. Extreme/Mild personality traits were identified in 33% of Specialists, 41% of Trainees and 33% of Physicians, whilst personality disorders were found at the expected rates (Specialist Anaesthetists 9%, Trainee Anaesthetists 10%, Physicians 2%). Personality assessment has implications for recruitment, crisis management and professional development within anaesthesia.

Return to Work and Sport Following High Tibial Osteotomy: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Ekhtiari, Seper; Haldane, Chloe E; de Sa, Darren; Simunovic, Nicole; Musahl, Volker; Ayeni, Olufemi R

2016-09-21

The purpose of this study was to examine (1) timelines for return to sport and work following high tibial osteotomy (HTO), and (2) whether patients return to sport and work at levels similar to preoperative levels. A systematic search was conducted across 3 databases (MEDLINE, Embase, and PubMed). Two reviewers independently screened the results for relevant articles. Data regarding patient demographics, indications, surgical technique, return to work and sport, and complication and failure rates were abstracted from eligible studies. Nineteen studies were included, involving 1,189 patients (64% male, 21% female, 15% unspecified) and 1,224 knees. Mean age was 46.2 years (range, 16 to 80 years). Opening-wedge HTO was most commonly used, followed by closing-wedge HTO and hemicallotasis. Mean follow-up was 65.4 months (range, 8 to 253 months). Overall, 87.2% of patients returned to sport postoperatively, and 78.6% returned at an equal or greater level. Among competitive athletes, 54% returned to competition. Overall, 84.5% of patients returned to work postoperatively, and 65.5% returned at an equal or greater level. Approximately 90% of patients who returned to work or sport did so within 1 year. The complication rate was 5.8%, with infection being the most common complication; 7.0% of patients progressed to a total knee arthroplasty at a mean of 6.7 years (range, 0.8 to 15 years) following HTO. The majority of patients undergoing HTO return to sport and work, and most return within 1 year of the operation. Most patients return to sport at a level equal to or greater than the preoperative level. Approximately two-thirds of patients return to an equal or greater level of physical work. Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. Copyright © 2016 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.

The influence of artificial scotomas on eye movements during visual search.

PubMed

Cornelissen, Frans W; Bruin, Klaas J; Kooijman, Aart C

2005-01-01

Fixation durations are normally adapted to the difficulty of the foveal analysis task. We examine to what extent artificial central and peripheral visual field defects interfere with this adaptation process. Subjects performed a visual search task while their eye movements were registered. The latter were used to drive a real-time gaze-dependent display that was used to create artificial central and peripheral visual field defects. Recorded eye movements were used to determine saccadic amplitude, number of fixations, fixation durations, return saccades, and changes in saccade direction. For central defects, although fixation duration increased with the size of the absolute central scotoma, this increase was too small to keep recognition performance optimal, evident from an associated increase in the rate of return saccades. Providing a relatively small amount of visual information in the central scotoma did substantially reduce subjects' search times but not their fixation durations. Surprisingly, reducing the size of the tunnel also prolonged fixation duration for peripheral defects. This manipulation also decreased the rate of return saccades, suggesting that the fixations were prolonged beyond the duration required by the foveal task. Although we find that adaptation of fixation duration to task difficulty clearly occurs in the presence of artificial scotomas, we also find that such field defects may render the adaptation suboptimal for the task at hand. Thus, visual field defects may not only hinder vision by limiting what the subject sees of the environment but also by limiting the visual system's ability to program efficient eye movements. We speculate this is because of how visual field defects bias the balance between saccade generation and fixation stabilization.

Financial modeling in medicine: cash flow, basic metrics, the time value of money, discount rates, and internal rate of return.

PubMed

Lexa, Frank James; Berlin, Jonathan W

2005-03-01

In this article, the authors cover tools for financial modeling. Commonly used time lines and cash flow diagrams are discussed. Commonly used but limited terms such as payback and breakeven are introduced. The important topics of the time value of money and discount rates are introduced to lay the foundation for their use in modeling and in more advanced metrics such as the internal rate of return. Finally, the authors broach the more sophisticated topic of net present value.

Chemical dynamics between wells across a time-dependent barrier: Self-similarity in the Lagrangian descriptor and reactive basins.

PubMed

Junginger, Andrej; Duvenbeck, Lennart; Feldmaier, Matthias; Main, Jörg; Wunner, Günter; Hernandez, Rigoberto

2017-08-14

In chemical or physical reaction dynamics, it is essential to distinguish precisely between reactants and products for all times. This task is especially demanding in time-dependent or driven systems because therein the dividing surface (DS) between these states often exhibits a nontrivial time-dependence. The so-called transition state (TS) trajectory has been seen to define a DS which is free of recrossings in a large number of one-dimensional reactions across time-dependent barriers and thus, allows one to determine exact reaction rates. A fundamental challenge to applying this method is the construction of the TS trajectory itself. The minimization of Lagrangian descriptors (LDs) provides a general and powerful scheme to obtain that trajectory even when perturbation theory fails. Both approaches encounter possible breakdowns when the overall potential is bounded, admitting the possibility of returns to the barrier long after the trajectories have reached the product or reactant wells. Such global dynamics cannot be captured by perturbation theory. Meanwhile, in the LD-DS approach, it leads to the emergence of additional local minima which make it difficult to extract the optimal branch associated with the desired TS trajectory. In this work, we illustrate this behavior for a time-dependent double-well potential revealing a self-similar structure of the LD, and we demonstrate how the reflections and side-minima can be addressed by an appropriate modification of the LD associated with the direct rate across the barrier.

Interactions Increase Forager Availability and Activity in Harvester Ants.

PubMed

Pless, Evlyn; Queirolo, Jovel; Pinter-Wollman, Noa; Crow, Sam; Allen, Kelsey; Mathur, Maya B; Gordon, Deborah M

2015-01-01

Social insect colonies use interactions among workers to regulate collective behavior. Harvester ant foragers interact in a chamber just inside the nest entrance, here called the 'entrance chamber'. Previous studies of the activation of foragers in red harvester ants show that an outgoing forager inside the nest experiences an increase in brief antennal contacts before it leaves the nest to forage. Here we compare the interaction rate experienced by foragers that left the nest and ants that did not. We found that ants in the entrance chamber that leave the nest to forage experienced more interactions than ants that descend to the deeper nest without foraging. Additionally, we found that the availability of foragers in the entrance chamber is associated with the rate of forager return. An increase in the rate of forager return leads to an increase in the rate at which ants descend to the deeper nest, which then stimulates more ants to ascend into the entrance chamber. Thus a higher rate of forager return leads to more available foragers in the entrance chamber. The highest density of interactions occurs near the nest entrance and the entrances of the tunnels from the entrance chamber to the deeper nest. Local interactions with returning foragers regulate both the activation of waiting foragers and the number of foragers available to be activated.

Encouraging vehicle-to-grid (V2G) participation through premium tariff rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, David B.

2013-12-01

The provision of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) services to an electric grid by electric vehicles (EVs) can potentially reduce the cost of vehicle ownership through revenue generation. Recent studies indicate that yearly vehicle profit from V2G may not be sufficient to induce widespread participation. This paper investigates the feasibility of a premium tariff rate for V2G power, similar to current feed-in-tariff (FIT) programs for renewable energy. Using Ontario, Canada as a case study, an hourly time-series model for a fleet of commuter EVs is created. Tariff rates for V2G peak power are calculated based on the same return on investment as the current FIT for renewable energy in Ontario. The tariff rates are competitive with the renewable energy tariffs, especially when EVs are allowed to provide ancillary services to the grid in addition to peak power. Despite the guaranteed rate of return, yearly vehicle profit is low. Two variations are considered to increase vehicle profit, thereby enhancing the attractiveness of V2G. A higher return on investment is favored over direct benefits offered to EV owners. A higher return on investment may be justifiable based on the higher level of risk inherent in V2G when compared to renewable energy.

Peer tutoring program for academic success of returning nursing students.

PubMed

Bryer, Jennifer

2012-01-01

High attrition rates among students in associate degree nursing programs are a concern for faculty, administrators, and students. Programs offering academic and emotional support for students at risk for failing a clinical course may decrease attrition rates and improve academic performance. A peer tutoring program was developed for returning nursing students who were unsuccessful in a previous clinical course. Peer tutors met with returning students weekly to review course work, complete case studies and practice NCLEX questions. Trusting, supportive relationships developed among students and a significant increase in grades was noted at the end of the course for 79% of students. Implementation of peer tutoring was beneficial for returning students, tutors, and the nursing program and may be valuable in other courses where academic achievement is a concern.

Feasibility of Ecological Momentary Assessment Using Cellular Telephones in Methamphetamine Dependent Subjects

PubMed Central

Galloway, Gantt P; Didier, Ryne; Garrison, Kathleen; Mendelson, John

2008-01-01

Background Predictors of relapse to methamphetamine use are poorly understood. State variables may play an important role in relapse, but they have been difficult to measure at frequent intervals in outpatients. Methods We conducted a feasibility study of the use of cellular telephones to collect state variable data from outpatients. Six subjects in treatment for methamphetamine dependence were called three times per weekday for approximately seven weeks. Seven questionnaires were administered that assessed craving, stress, affect and current type of location and social environment. Results 395/606 (65%) of calls attempted were completed. The mean time to complete each call was 4.9 (s.d. 1.8) minutes and the mean time to complete each item was 8.4 (s.d. 4.8) seconds. Subjects rated the acceptability of the procedures as good. All six cellular phones and battery chargers were returned undamaged. Conclusion Cellular telephones are a feasible method for collecting state data from methamphetamine dependent outpatients. PMID:19997532

The outcomes of patients newly admitted to nursing homes after hip fracture.

PubMed

Kiel, D P; Eichorn, A; Intrator, O; Silliman, R A; Mor, V

1994-08-01

The outcomes of elderly, hospitalized patients discharged to nursing homes after hip fracture were examined. For 2624 hip fracture patients admitted to any of 43 proprietary nursing homes between 1984 and 1988, admission assessments were examined in relation to 1-month outcomes. Mean patient age was 82 +/- 7 y; 85% of the sample were female. Within 1 month after discharge, 24% had returned home, 12% had been rehospitalized, 3% had died, and 61% remained in the nursing home. Characteristics significantly associated with morality included disorientation, functional dependency, neurologic diagnoses, and use of cardiac medications, antidepressants, or narcotics. Rehospitalization was significantly associated with age, gender, living with someone, being ambulatory, and functional dependency. Returning home was associated with younger age, living with someone, being ambulatory, and having no disorientation, functional dependency, or psychiatric or neurologic diagnoses, nor any pressure sores. Better-functioning persons and those with social support returned home; physically and cognitively impaired persons and those taking narcotics, cardiac medications, or antidepressants were likely to die; and younger men, those with social support, those with functional dependency, and those who were free of disorientation were more likely to be rehospitalized.

Demand-side management: Why ratemaking should`nt control tax policy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haney, J.D.

1995-01-01

As utilities spend money on demand-side management (DSM) programs, they usually deduct their costs currently as ordinary and necessary business expenses. However, state regulators may force deferral of DSM costs for ratemaking purposes, with possible consequences on tax returns. When regulators defer DSM costs, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has offered several theories to challenge current tax deductions. One theory requires capitilization instead of a current deduction if regulators include the DSM cost in rate base and provide for a rate of return on the balance. The IRS explained this theory two years ago in a White Paper on conservationmore » expenses: The direct relationship between a rate of return allowed by the Regulator for conservation expenditures allowed in rate base and future profits establishes a prima facie case for capitalization under the future benefit standard. The authors believe that IRS policy should not be linked to ratemaking decisions.« less

Changes in Influenza Vaccination Rates After Withdrawal of Live Vaccine.

PubMed

Robison, Steve G; Dunn, Aaron G; Richards, Deborah L; Leman, Richard F

2017-11-01

Before the start of the 2016-2017 influenza season, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices withdrew its recommendation promoting the use of live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs). There was concern that this might lessen the likelihood that those with a previous LAIV would return for an injectable influenza vaccine (IIV) and that child influenza immunization rates would decrease overall. Using Oregon's statewide immunization registry, the ALERT Immunization Information System, child influenza immunization rates were compared across the 2012-2013 through 2016-2017 seasons. Additionally, matched cohorts of children were selected based on receipt of either an LAIV or an IIV during the 2015-2016 season. Differences between the IIV and LAIV cohorts in returning for the IIV in the 2016-2017 season were assessed. Overall, influenza immunization rates for children aged 2 to 17 years were unchanged between the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 seasons. Children aged 3 to 10 with a previous IIV were 1.03 (95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 1.04) times more likely to return for an IIV in 2016-2017 than those with a previous LAIV, whereas children aged 11 to 17 years with a previous IIV were 1.08 (95% confidence interval, 1.05 to -1.09) times more likely to return. Withdrawal of the LAIV recommendation was not associated with an overall change in child influenza immunization rates across seasons. Children with a previous (2015-2016) IIV were slightly more likely to return during the 2016-2017 season for influenza immunization than those with a previous LAIV. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Lower complication rate and faster return to sports in patients with acute syndesmotic rupture treated with a new knotless suture button device.

PubMed

Colcuc, Christian; Blank, Marc; Stein, Thomas; Raimann, Florian; Weber-Spickschen, Sanjay; Fischer, Sebastian; Hoffmann, Reinhard

2017-12-09

Suture button devices for tibiofibular syndesmosis injuries provide semirigid dynamic stabilization, but complications including knot irritation have been reported. No randomized trials of the new knotless suture button devices have been performed. We hypothesized that knotless suture button devices eliminate knot irritation and facilitate quicker return to sports. This study was performed to compare the clinical outcomes, complication rates, and time to return to sports between a new knotless suture button device and syndesmotic screw fixation. This study included 54 patients treated for ankle syndesmotic injury from 2012 to 2014 with a knotless suture button device or syndesmotic screw fixation. Clinical outcomes were measured using the American Orthopaedics Foot and Ankle Society score, Foot and Ankle Disability Index, Olerud and Molander score, and visual analog scale for pain and function. Secondary outcome measures were the complication rate and time required to return to sports. Patients underwent clinical and radiological evaluations preoperatively and three times during the 1-year postoperative follow-up. 54 of 62 eligible patients were analyzed, median age 37 (18-60) and underwent the 1-year follow-up. The screw fixation and knotless suture button groups comprised 26 and 28 patients, respectively. The complication rate was significantly lower (p = 0.03) and time to return to sports was significantly shorter in the knotless suture button than screw fixation group (average, 14 versus 19 weeks, respectively; p = 0.006). No significant differences were identified in clinical outcomes or visual analog scale scores for pain and function between the groups. Age, injury mechanism, and body mass index did not significantly affect the time required to return to sports activities. The type of fixation was the only independent variable that reached statistical significance (p = 0.006). Syndesmotic screw fixation and the new knotless suture button device both resulted in good clinical results. Lower complication rate and the earlier time to return to sports make the new knotless suture button device recommendable especially for highly active patients. Randomized controlled trial, Level I.

PATIENT-SPECIFIC AND SURGERY-SPECIFIC FACTORS THAT AFFECT RETURN TO SPORT AFTER ACL RECONSTRUCTION

PubMed Central

Lynch, Andrew; Rabuck, Stephen; Lynch, Brittany; Davin, Sarah; Irrgang, James

2016-01-01

Context Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is frequently performed to allow individuals to return to their pre-injury levels of sports participation, however, return to pre-injury level of sport is poor and re-injury rates are unacceptably high. Re-injury is likely associated with the timeframe and guidelines for return to sport (RTS). It is imperative for clinicians to recognize risk factors for re-injury and to ensure that modifiable risk factors are addressed prior to RTS. The purpose of this commentary is to summarize the current literature on the outcomes following return to sport after ACL reconstruction and to outline the biologic and patient-specific factors that should be considered when counseling an athlete on their progression through rehabilitation. Evidence Acquisition A comprehensive literature search was performed to identify RTS criteria and RTS rates after ACL reconstruction with consideration paid to graft healing, anatomic reconstruction, and risk factors for re-injury and revision. Results were screened for relevant original research articles and review articles, from which results were summarized. Study Design Clinical Review of the Literature Results Variable RTS rates are presented in the literature due to variable definitions of RTS ranging from a high threshold (return to competition) to low threshold (physician clearance for return to play). Re-injury and contralateral injury rates are greater than the risk for primary ACL injury, which may be related to insufficient RTS guidelines based on time from surgery, which do not allow for proper healing or resolution of post-operative impairments and elimination of risk factors associated with both primary and secondary ACL injuries. Conclusions RTS rates to pre-injury level of activity after ACLR are poor and the risk for graft injury or contralateral injury requiring an additional surgery is substantial. Resolving impairments while eliminating movement patterns associated with injury and allowing sufficient time for graft healing likely gives the athlete the best chance to RTS without further injury. Additional research is needed to identify objective imaging and functional testing criteria to improve clinical decision making for RTS after ACLR. Level of Evidence Level 5 PMID:27104060

Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery in Female Professional Tennis Players: Ability and Timing to Return to Play.

PubMed

Young, Simon W; Dakic, Jodie; Stroia, Kathleen; Nguyen, Michael L; Safran, Marc R

2017-07-01

To assess the outcome and time to return to previous level of competitive play after shoulder surgery in professional tennis players. Retrospective case series. Tertiary academic centre. The records of all female tennis players on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) professional circuit between January 2008 and June 2010 were reviewed to identify players who underwent shoulder surgery on their dominant (serving) shoulder. Primary outcomes were the ability and time to return to professional play and if they were able to return to their previous level of function as determined by singles ranking. Preoperative and postoperative singles rankings were used to determine rate and completeness of return to preoperative function. During the study period, 8 professional women tennis players from the WTA tour underwent shoulder surgery on their dominant arm. Indications included rotator cuff debridement or repair, labral reconstruction for instability or superior labral anterior posterior lesion, and neurolysis of the suprascapular nerve. Seven players (88%) returned to professional play. The mean time to return to play was 7 months after surgery. However, only 25% (2 of 8) players achieved their preinjury singles rank or better by 18 months postoperatively. In total, 4 players returned to their preinjury singles ranking, with their peak singles ranking being attained at a mean of 2.4 years postoperatively. In professional female tennis players, a high return to play rate after arthroscopic shoulder surgery is associated with a prolonged and often incomplete return to previous level of performance. Thus, counseling the patient to this fact is important to manage expectations. Level IV-Case Series.

An analysis of first-time blood donors return behaviour using regression models.

PubMed

Kheiri, S; Alibeigi, Z

2015-08-01

Blood products have a vital role in saving many patients' lives. The aim of this study was to analyse blood donor return behaviour. Using a cross-sectional follow-up design of 5-year duration, 864 first-time donors who had donated blood were selected using a systematic sampling. The behaviours of donors via three response variables, return to donation, frequency of return to donation and the time interval between donations, were analysed based on logistic regression, negative binomial regression and Cox's shared frailty model for recurrent events respectively. Successful return to donation rated at 49·1% and the deferral rate was 13·3%. There was a significant reverse relationship between the frequency of return to donation and the time interval between donations. Sex, body weight and job had an effect on return to donation; weight and frequency of donation during the first year had a direct effect on the total frequency of donations. Age, weight and job had a significant effect on the time intervals between donations. Aging decreases the chances of return to donation and increases the time interval between donations. Body weight affects the three response variables, i.e. the higher the weight, the more the chances of return to donation and the shorter the time interval between donations. There is a positive correlation between the frequency of donations in the first year and the total number of return to donations. Also, the shorter the time interval between donations is, the higher the frequency of donations. © 2015 British Blood Transfusion Society.

Temporal structure and gain-loss asymmetry for real and artificial stock indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siven, Johannes Vitalis; Lins, Jeffrey Todd

2009-11-01

Previous research has shown that for stock indices, the most likely time until a return of a particular size has been observed is longer for gains than for losses. We demonstrate that this so-called gain-loss asymmetry vanishes if the temporal dependence structure is destroyed by scrambling the time series. We also show that an artificial index constructed by a simple average of a number of individual stocks display gain-loss asymmetry—this allows us to explicitly analyze the dependence between the index constituents. We consider mutual information and correlation-based measures and show that the stock returns indeed have a higher degree of dependence in times of market downturns than upturns.

A systematic review of the psychological factors associated with returning to sport following injury.

PubMed

Ardern, Clare L; Taylor, Nicholas F; Feller, Julian A; Webster, Kate E

2013-11-01

Psychological factors have been shown to be associated with the recovery and rehabilitation period following sports injury, but less is known about the psychological response associated with returning to sport after injury. The aim of this review was to identify psychological factors associated with returning to sport following sports injury evaluated with the self-determination theory framework. Systematic review. Electronic databases were searched from the earliest possible entry to March 2012. Quantitative studies were reviewed that included athletes who had sustained an athletic injury, reported the return to sport rate and measured at least one psychological variable. The risk of bias in each study was appraised with a quality checklist. Eleven studies that evaluated 983 athletes and 15 psychological factors were included for review. The three central elements of self-determination theory-autonomy, competence and relatedness were found to be related to returning to sport following injury. Positive psychological responses including motivation, confidence and low fear were associated with a greater likelihood of returning to the preinjury level of participation and returning to sport more quickly. Fear was a prominent emotional response at the time of returning to sport despite the fact that overall emotions became more positive as recovery and rehabilitation progressed. There is preliminary evidence that positive psychological responses are associated with a higher rate of returning to sport following athletic injury, and should be taken into account by clinicians during rehabilitation.

The Rate of Return to Educational Investment in China: A Comparative Commentary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Fengliang; Zhao, Yandong; Morgan, W. John

2011-01-01

This article comments on several features of the rate of return (ROR) to educational investment in China: first, the ROR to educational investment has increased with the expansion of educational provision since the 1980s. Second, the greater the educational provision, the greater the ROR. Third, the ROR in urban areas is more than that in rural…

Financial Analysis: A Review of the Methods and Their Application to Employee Training. Training and Development Research Center Project Number Nine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosier, Nancy R.

Financial analysis techniques are tools that help managers make sound financial decisions that contribute to general corporate objectives. A literature review reveals that the most commonly used financial analysis techniques are payback time, average rate of return, present value or present worth, and internal rate of return. Despite the success…

Use of the "Personal Delivery" System for Assessment of Drug and Alcohol Attitudes and Usage Patterns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crabtree, J. Michael; Myers, Stanley B.

Community data concerning drug and alcohol usage patterns was assessed via a unique "personal delivery" system. The system, which can be used for collecting other community data produced a return rate of 45% and was very economical. This system largely overcomes the main drawback of the mailed questionnaire (low return rate) by (1) having…

47 CFR 54.902 - Calculation of Interstate Common Line Support for transferred exchanges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... exchanges. (a) In the event that a rate-of-return carrier acquires exchanges from an entity that is also a... actual data filed pursuant to § 54.903(a)(4) shall reflect the transfer of exchanges. All post....903(b)(3). (b) In the event that a rate-of-return carrier acquires exchanges from a price cap carrier...

A simulation model for the determination of tabarru' rate in a family takaful

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, Hamizun bin

2014-06-01

The concept of tabarru' that is incorporated in family takaful serves to eliminate the element of uncertainty in the contract as a participant agree to relinquish as donation certain portion of his contribution. The most important feature in family takaful is that it does not guarantee a definite return on a participant's contribution, unlike its conventional counterpart where a premium is paid in return for a guaranteed amount of insurance benefit. In other words, investment return on contributed funds by the participants are based on actual investment experience. The objective of this study is to set up a framework for the determination of tabarru' rate by simulation. The model is based on binomial death process. Specifically, linear tabarru' rate and flat tabarru' rate are introduced. The results of the simulation trials show that the linear assumption on the tabarru' rate has an advantage over the flat counterpart as far as the risk of the investment accumulation on maturity is concerned.

Tracking and data relay satellite system configuration and tradeoff study. Volume 1: TDRS system summary, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) concept for service of low and medium data rate user spacecraft has been defined. The TDRS system uses two geosynchronous dual spin satellites compatible with Delta 2914 to provide command, tracking, and telemetry service between multiple low earth orbiting users and a centrally located ground station. The low data rate user service capability via each TDRS is as follows: (1) forward link at UHF: voice to one user, commands to 20 users (sequential), range and range rate service, and (2) return link at VHF: voice from one user, data from 20 users (simultaneous), range and range rate return signals. The medium data rate user service via each TDRS is as follows: (1) forward link at S band: voice or command and tracking signals to one user, and (2) return link at S band: voice, data and tracking signals from one user "order wire" for high priority service requests (implemented with an earth coverage antenna).

Sports Hernia: Diagnosis, Management and Operative Treatment

PubMed Central

Emblom, Benton A.

2017-01-01

Objectives: Athletic Pubalgia, also known as sports hernia or core muscle injury, causes significant dysfunction in athletes. Increased recognition of this specific injury distinct from inguinal hernia pathology has led to better management of this debilitating condition. We hypothesize that patients who undergo our technique of athletic pubalgia repair will recover and return to high-level athletics. Methods: Using our billing and clinical database, patients who underwent sports hernia repair by single surgeon at a single institution were contacted for Harris hip score, functional outcome, and return to play data. Results: Of 101 patients who met criteria, 43 were contacted. 93% of patients were able to return to play at an average of 4.38 mo. Normal activities were rated at 95.5% and athletic function was rated at 88.9%. Negative predictors were female sex, multiple operations, and prior inguinal hernia repair. Overall complication rate was 4.6%, and reoperation rate was 4.6%. Conclusion: Our method of adductor to rectus abdominis turn up flap is a safe procedure with high return to play success. Patients who had previously undergone inguinal hernia repair or other hip/pelvic related surgery had a worse outcome.

Return to Sport and Clinical Outcomes After Hip Arthroscopic Labral Repair in Young Amateur Athletes: Minimum 2-Year Follow-Up.

PubMed

Mohan, Rohith; Johnson, Nick R; Hevesi, Mario; Gibbs, Christopher M; Levy, Bruce A; Krych, Aaron J

2017-09-01

To determine the rate of return of young amateur athletes to sport after hip arthroscopy, their clinical outcomes, and pathologic risk factors for worse outcomes 2 years after surgery. This study included all patients between age 13 and 23 who participated in a sport prior to surgery with intent to return who underwent hip arthroscopy after failure of comprehensive nonoperative management for whom 2-year outcome scores were available. Outcomes collected retrospectively included modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) and the Hip Outcome Scores (HOS) subscales for activities of daily living (ADL) and sport (HOS Sport). In addition, sport played, return to sport rates, and Tegner Scores were measured preinjury and postoperatively. Descriptive statistics were used to present demographic data. A priori analysis was used to determine the sample size needed to show minimal clinically important differences for mHHS, HOS ADL, and HOS Sport. The study population included 50 patients with a mean age of 17.8 years. Athletes returned to sport at a rate of 92% (46/50). At a mean follow-up of 34 months, the mean mHHS, HOS ADL, and HOS Sport outcome scores were 85, 91, and 80 for the entire study group; 87, 92, and 84 for the group that returned to sport; and 67, 82, and 41 for the group that did not return to sport, respectively. Median preinjury and postoperative Tegner levels were 8 and 7, respectively. Labral takedown and reattachment was associated with lower HOS ADL (P = .01) and HOS Sport scores (P = .02). Athletes returned to sport at a high rate (92%; 46/50) after hip arthroscopy and perform activities at near preinjury levels. In this group of athletes, arthroscopic labral repair with chondrolabral preservation, which reflected less severe chondrolabral pathology, performed better than labral repair with takedown and reattachment. Level IV, therapeutic case series. Copyright © 2017 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expected Rate of Return on the Personal Investment in Education of No-Fee Preservice Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Xuemin

2013-01-01

Return on personal investment is an important factor affecting the decision to invest in education. This article analyzes the personal education costs of no-fee preservice students, estimates and forecasts the return on their personal education investment, and compares the costs and benefits of for-fee preservice students and nonteaching students.…

Conducting Return on Investment Analyses for Secondary and Postsecondary CTE: A Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollenbeck, Kevin M.

2011-01-01

In recent work, the author has estimated the rate of return for several workforce development programs in the State of Washington, including secondary and postsecondary career and technical education (CTE; Hollenbeck, 2008). The returns are based on estimates of the net impact of CTE on individuals' labor market experiences and government income…

Estimating Returns to Education Using Different Natural Experiment Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leigh, Andrew; Ryan, Chris

2008-01-01

How much do returns to education differ across different natural experiment methods? To test this, we estimate the rate of return to schooling in Australia using two different instruments for schooling: month of birth and changes in compulsory schooling laws. With annual pre-tax income as our measure of income, we find that the naive ordinary…

Education and Earnings in a Transition Economy: The Case of Vietnam.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moock, Peter R.; Patrinos, Harry Anthony; Venkataraman, Meera

2003-01-01

Analyzes the return to education of liberalization of the labor market in Vietnam. Finds, for example, that private rate of return to schooling is greater for primary education than for either secondary or higher education. Overall, estimated returns to schooling in Vietnam are low compared with those for other developing countries. (Contains 6…

Returns to Education for Those Returning to Education: Evidence from Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chesters, Jenny; Watson, Louise

2014-01-01

There is widespread support for expanding access to universities for under-represented groups, such as students from lower socio-economic backgrounds and older students, because of the higher rates of return to university degrees. This study examines whether this assumption holds true for mature-aged graduates who have received their degrees in an…

Gender Differentials in Returns to Education in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arrazola, Maria; De Hevia, Jose

2006-01-01

In this article, rates of return to education for men and women have been estimated for the Spanish case, controlling for the biases appearing in the least squares estimation of the basic Mincerian equation. The results show that the returns for women are greater than those for men. The gender differential increases when taking into account the…

Knowledge of tuberculosis among drug users. Relationship to return rates for tuberculosis screening at a syringe exchange.

PubMed

Salomon, N; Perlman, D C; Friedmann, P; Perkins, M P; Ziluck, V; Jarlais, D C; Paone, D

1999-04-01

Tuberculosis is an important health issue among drug users. We sought to evaluate active drug users' (DUs) knowledge of tuberculosis (TB) and to assess the relationship between TB knowledge and attitudes and tuberculin skin test (TST) return rates at a syringe exchange program. DUs were recruited at a syringe exchange program in New York City, were interviewed and offered TSTs, and received $15.00 upon returning for TST reading. The questionnaire evaluated knowledge of TB transmission, prevention, and treatment. From March 13, 1995 to January 31, 1996, 610 of 650 (94%) of DUs approached agreed to participate. Of these, 80% had previous TSTs within the past 2 years and 20% were known to be HIV infected. Almost all knew that TB is contagious and more than two thirds knew that TB is treatable and that TB preventive therapy existed. However, fewer than half knew that HIV-related TB could be treated, 30% thought TB could be treated without a medical doctor, and the majority (70%) thought a reactive TST implied infectivity. The rate of return for TST reading was 93%. In multivariate analysis, those who knew that HIV-related TB was curable were more likely to return for TST reading (odds ratio 2.0; 95% confidence interval 1.04 to 3.95; p = .03). The high acceptance and return rates suggest that TB services can be incorporated into syringe exchange programs. However, several important gaps in TB knowledge existed in this population at high risk of TB, which may impact on adherence and which support the need for TB education for drug users.

Spatio-temporal analysis of annual rainfall in Crete, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varouchakis, Emmanouil A.; Corzo, Gerald A.; Karatzas, George P.; Kotsopoulou, Anastasia

2018-03-01

Analysis of rainfall data from the island of Crete, Greece was performed to identify key hydrological years and return periods as well as to analyze the inter-annual behavior of the rainfall variability during the period 1981-2014. The rainfall spatial distribution was also examined in detail to identify vulnerable areas of the island. Data analysis using statistical tools and spectral analysis were applied to investigate and interpret the temporal course of the available rainfall data set. In addition, spatial analysis techniques were applied and compared to determine the rainfall spatial distribution on the island of Crete. The analysis presented that in contrast to Regional Climate Model estimations, rainfall rates have not decreased, while return periods vary depending on seasonality and geographic location. A small but statistical significant increasing trend was detected in the inter-annual rainfall variations as well as a significant rainfall cycle almost every 8 years. In addition, statistically significant correlation of the island's rainfall variability with the North Atlantic Oscillation is identified for the examined period. On the other hand, regression kriging method combining surface elevation as secondary information improved the estimation of the annual rainfall spatial variability on the island of Crete by 70% compared to ordinary kriging. The rainfall spatial and temporal trends on the island of Crete have variable characteristics that depend on the geographical area and on the hydrological period.

Association of job strain with working hours, shift-dependent perceived workload, sleepiness and recovery.

PubMed

Karhula, Kati; Härmä, Mikko; Sallinen, Mikael; Hublin, Christer; Virkkala, Jussi; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi; Puttonen, Sampsa

2013-01-01

We explored the relationship of job strain with working hours, shift-dependent perceived workload, sleepiness and recovery. Nurses/nursing assistants (n = 95) were recruited from wards that belonged to either the top (high-strain group, HJS) or the bottom (low-strain group, LJS) job strain quartiles of a Job Content Questionnaire survey of employees in five health care districts and four cities in Finland. Three-week field measurements during naturally occurring shift schedules and a subset of pre-selected shift arrangements consisted of the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, perceived workload and recovery. The HJS group (n = 42) had more single days off and quick returns than the LJS group (n = 53, p < 0.01), and both mental workload and physical workload were rated as higher (p < 0.01). During naturally occurring shift arrangements, severe sleepiness was more common in the HJS group only in quick returns (p = 0.04) and the HJS group recovered on average more poorly from work after all shifts (p = 0.01) and morning shifts (p = 0.02). During pre-selected shift arrangements, the differences between the groups were only minor. In conclusion, job strain-related differences in sleepiness and recovery were mostly attributable to differences in shift arrangements.

Native Competition and Low-Skilled Immigrant Inflows*

PubMed Central

Cadena, Brian C.

2014-01-01

This paper demonstrates that immigration decisions depend on local labor market conditions by documenting the change in low-skilled immigrant inflows in response to supply increases among the US-born. Using pre-reform welfare participation rates as an instrument for changes in native labor supply, I find that immigrants competing with native entrants systematically prefer cities with smaller supply shocks. The extent of the response is substantial: for each native woman working due to reform, 0.5 fewer female immigrants enter the local labor force. These results provide direct evidence that international migration flows tend to equilibrate returns across US local labor markets. PMID:25308997

Effectiveness of a Hospital-Based Work Support Intervention for Female Cancer Patients – A Multi-Centre Randomised Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Tamminga, Sietske J.; Verbeek, Jos H. A. M.; Bos, Monique M. E. M.; Fons, Guus; Kitzen, Jos J. E. M.; Plaisier, Peter W.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.; de Boer, Angela G. E. M.

2013-01-01

Objective One key aspect of cancer survivorship is return-to-work. Unfortunately, many cancer survivors face problems upon their return-to-work. For that reason, we developed a hospital-based work support intervention aimed at enhancing return-to-work. We studied effectiveness of the intervention compared to usual care for female cancer patients in a multi-centre randomised controlled trial. Methods Breast and gynaecological cancer patients who were treated with curative intent and had paid work were randomised to the intervention group (n = 65) or control group (n = 68). The intervention involved patient education and support at the hospital and improvement of communication between treating and occupational physicians. In addition, we asked patient's occupational physician to organise a meeting with the patient and the supervisor to make a concrete gradual return-to-work plan. Outcomes at 12 months of follow-up included rate and time until return-to-work (full or partial), quality of life, work ability, work functioning, and lost productivity costs. Time until return-to-work was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results Return-to-work rates were 86% and 83% (p = 0.6) for the intervention group and control group when excluding 8 patients who died or with a life expectancy of months at follow-up. Median time from initial sick leave to partial return-to-work was 194 days (range 14–435) versus 192 days (range 82–465) (p = 0.90) with a hazard ratio of 1.03 (95% CI 0.64–1.6). Quality of life and work ability improved statistically over time but did not differ statistically between groups. Work functioning and costs did not differ statistically between groups. Conclusion The intervention was easily implemented into usual psycho-oncological care and showed high return-to-work rates. We failed to show any differences between groups on return-to-work outcomes and quality of life scores. Further research is needed to study which aspects of the intervention are useful and which elements need improvement. Trial Registration Nederlands Trial Register (NTR) 1658 PMID:23717406

Rates of return to sorghum and millet research investments: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zereyesus, Yacob A; Dalton, Timothy J

2017-01-01

Sorghum and millet grow in some of the most heterogeneous and austere agroecologies around the world. These crops are amongst the top five cereal sources of food and feed. Yet, few studies document the impact of sorghum and millet genetic enhancement. The Internal Rate of Return (ROR) is one of the most popular metrics used to measure the economic return on investment on agricultural research and development (R&D). This study conducted a meta-analysis of 59 sorghum and millet ROR estimates obtained from 25 sources published between 1958 and 2015. The average rate of return to sorghum and millet R&D investment is between 54-76 percent per year. All studies computed social rather than private RORs because the technologies were developed using public funds originating from host country National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) and international organizations such as the INTSORMIL CRSP, ICRISAT and others. Nearly three quarter of the studies focused only on sorghum (72 percent) and around one tenth of the studies (8 percent) on millet. Regression models analyzed the determinants of variation in the reported RORs. Results show that ex-ante type and self-evaluated type of analyses are positively and significantly associated with the ROR estimates. Compared to estimates conducted by a university, results from international institutions and other mixed organizations provided significantly smaller estimates. Estimates conducted at national level also are significantly lower than those conducted at sub-national levels. The ROR is higher for studies conducted in the United States and for those conducted more recently. The study also reconstructed modified internal rate of return (MIRR) for a sub-sample of the reported RORs following recent methods from the literature. These results show that the MIRR estimates are significantly smaller than the reported ROR estimates. Both results indicate that investment in sorghum and millet research generates high social rates of return.

Rates of return to sorghum and millet research investments: A meta-analysis

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Sorghum and millet grow in some of the most heterogeneous and austere agroecologies around the world. These crops are amongst the top five cereal sources of food and feed. Yet, few studies document the impact of sorghum and millet genetic enhancement. The Internal Rate of Return (ROR) is one of the most popular metrics used to measure the economic return on investment on agricultural research and development (R&D). This study conducted a meta-analysis of 59 sorghum and millet ROR estimates obtained from 25 sources published between 1958 and 2015. The average rate of return to sorghum and millet R&D investment is between 54–76 percent per year. All studies computed social rather than private RORs because the technologies were developed using public funds originating from host country National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) and international organizations such as the INTSORMIL CRSP, ICRISAT and others. Nearly three quarter of the studies focused only on sorghum (72 percent) and around one tenth of the studies (8 percent) on millet. Regression models analyzed the determinants of variation in the reported RORs. Results show that ex-ante type and self-evaluated type of analyses are positively and significantly associated with the ROR estimates. Compared to estimates conducted by a university, results from international institutions and other mixed organizations provided significantly smaller estimates. Estimates conducted at national level also are significantly lower than those conducted at sub-national levels. The ROR is higher for studies conducted in the United States and for those conducted more recently. The study also reconstructed modified internal rate of return (MIRR) for a sub-sample of the reported RORs following recent methods from the literature. These results show that the MIRR estimates are significantly smaller than the reported ROR estimates. Both results indicate that investment in sorghum and millet research generates high social rates of return. PMID:28686700

Return to play and performance after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in the National Basketball Association: surgeon case series and literature review.

PubMed

Nwachukwu, Benedict U; Anthony, Shawn G; Lin, Kenneth M; Wang, Tim; Altchek, David W; Allen, Answorth A

2017-09-01

To investigate return to play (RTP) and functional performance after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in National Basketball Association (NBA) players and to perform a systematic review of the literature to understand RTP after ACLR in professional basketball. NBA players undergoing ACLR between 2008 and 2014 by two surgeons were identified. RTP and performance were assessed based on a review of publically available statistics. A systematic review of the literature was performed using the MEDLINE database. Inclusion criteria were: English language, ACL surgery outcome, professional basketball and RTP outcome. We reviewed studies for RTP rates and RTP performance. Our study included 12 professional basketball players with NBA level experience. Eleven of the 12 players returned to their prior level of play. Eight of the 9 (88.9%) players actively playing in the NBA returned to play in the NBA at a mean 9.8 months. Among players returning to NBA play, during RTP season 1, mean per game statistics decreased for the following: minutes, points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers and personal fouls - none of these changes reached statistical significance. Player efficiency ratings significantly declined from pre-injury (12.5) to the first RTP season (7.6) (p = 0.05). By RTP season 2, player performance metrics approximated pre-injury levels and were not significantly different. Six studies met inclusion criteria; reported RTP rates ranged from 78-86%. Identified studies similarly found a decline in functional performance after RTP. There is a high rate (89%) of return to NBA play for NBA players undergoing ACLR. After RTP, however, there is a quantitative decline in initial season 1 RTP statistics with a significant decrease in player efficiency rating. By RTP season 2, performance metrics demonstrated an improvement compared to RTP season 1 but did not reach pre-injury functional performance, though performance metrics are not significantly different between pre-injury and RTP season 2.

Reduced Mortality Among Department of Veterans Affairs Patients With Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder Lost to Follow-up and Engaged in Active Outreach to Return for Care

PubMed Central

Kilbourne, Amy M.; Blow, Frederic C.; Pierce, John R.; Winkel, Bernard M.; Huycke, Edward; Langberg, Robert; Lyle, David; Phillips, Yancy; Visnic, Stephanie

2012-01-01

Objectives. We determined whether contacting Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders (serious mental illness [SMI]) who had dropped out of care for prolonged periods resulted in reengagement with VA services and decreased mortality. Methods. We developed a list of patients with SMI who were last treated in fiscal years 2005 to 2006, and were lost to follow-up care for at least 1 year. VA medical centers used our list to contact patients and schedule appointments. Additional VA administrative data on patient utilization and mortality through May 2009 were analyzed. Results. About 72% (2375 of 3306) of the patients who VA staff attempted to contact returned for VA care. The mortality rate of returning patients was significantly lower than that for patients not returning (0.5% vs 3.9%; adjusted odds ratio = 5.8; P < .001), after demographic and clinical factors were controlled. Conclusions. The mortality rate for returning patients with SMI was almost 6 times less than for those who did not return for medical care. Proactive outreach might result in patients returning to care and should be implemented to reengage this vulnerable group. PMID:22390607

Race, socioeconomic status, and return migration to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Sastry, Narayan; VanLandingham, Mark

2010-01-01

Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans on the 29th of August 2005 and displaced virtually the entire population of the city. Soon after, observers predicted the city would become whiter and wealthier as a result of selective return migration, although challenges related to sampling and data collection in a post-disaster environment have hampered evaluation of these hypotheses. In this article, we investigate return to the city by displaced residents over a period of approximately 14 months following the storm, describing overall return rates and examining differences in return rates by race and socioeconomic status. We use unique data from a representative sample of pre-Katrina New Orleans residents collected in the Displaced New Orleans Residents Pilot Survey. We find that black residents returned to the city at a much slower pace than white residents even after controlling for socioeconomic status and demographic characteristics. However, the racial disparity disappears after controlling for housing damage. We conclude that blacks tended to live in areas that experienced greater flooding and hence suffered more severe housing damage which, in turn, led to their delayed return to the city. The full-scale survey of displaced residents being fielded in 2009–2010 will show whether the repopulation of the city was selective over a longer period. PMID:20440381

Return to Play After Partial Lateral Meniscectomy in National Football League Athletes.

PubMed

Aune, Kyle T; Andrews, James R; Dugas, Jeffrey R; Cain, E Lyle

2014-08-01

Lateral meniscal injury is a common and possibly career-threatening injury among players in the National Football League (NFL). The rate of return to play (RTP) and factors that affect RTP after lateral meniscal injury in NFL players are currently not defined. The aims of this study were to determine the rate of RTP to regular-season NFL game play of NFL players after arthroscopic partial lateral meniscectomy and to identify factors that can predict the ability to return to play. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Seventy-two patients undergoing 77 arthroscopic lateral partial meniscectomies were followed to determine the rate of RTP (defined as successful RTP in at least 1 regular-season NFL game after meniscectomy) and factors predicting players' ability to return to play. Perioperative variables were recorded using retrospective chart review. Players' heights and weights, dates of return, draft rounds, and counts of games, starts, and seasons both before and after meniscectomy were all collected from statistical databases maintained by the NFL. Chi-square and Student t tests were performed to assess differences among covariates with respect to an athlete's ability to return to play, and odds ratios were calculated as appropriate. All percentages were calculated as percent of total procedures performed (n = 77). Of the 77 partial lateral meniscectomies performed, 61% (n = 47) resulted in the athlete returning to play at his previous level of competition with an average length of time to RTP of 8.5 months; 19 (40%) of those who returned were still active in the NFL at the time of follow-up. Age at time of surgery, games and seasons played before surgery, and individual position were not significantly different between those who did and did not return to play. Undergoing a concomitant procedure did not affect an athlete's ability to return to play, nor did concurrent arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction affect a player's likelihood to return to play. Players drafted in the first 4 rounds of the NFL draft were 3.7 times more likely to return to play than players drafted after the fourth round, and players who started more than 46.2% of their games played (the mean value for this population) were 2.8 times more likely to return to play. Speed-position players (running backs, receivers, linebackers, and defensive backs) were 4.0 times less likely to return to play than non-speed position players (linemen and tight ends). The majority of NFL players undergoing arthroscopic lateral meniscectomy are able to return to play. Players selected earlier in the NFL draft and who are listed as starters in more of their games are more likely to return to play, as are linemen and tight ends. It is significantly more difficult for running backs, receivers, linebackers, and defensive backs to return to play. © 2014 The Author(s).

Utilization of a reminder mailing to improve blood glucose log reporting in an outpatient diabetes clinic.

PubMed

Moorman, John M; Frazee, Lawrence A; Dillon, Melanie L; Chomo, Diane L; Myers, Nancy A

2012-07-01

Self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG) offers a strategy used to achieve glycemic control in diabetic patients. However, if SMBG readings are unavailable to clinicians, this strategy will have a limited effect. This study assessed the impact of a reminder mailing on response rates to requests for SMBG logs. Patients were asked to mail completed SMBG logs to the clinic in 2 weeks. For the intervention, a reminder mailing was sent to each patient 1 week before SMBG logs were to be returned. Compliance rates pre and postinterventions were compared. The primary outcome was the percentage of all SMBG logs returned on time. Secondary outcomes included the percentage of SMBG logs returned, percentage fulfilled, percentage of clinic appointments kept, percentage of SMBG logs brought to follow-up appointments, and number of interventions made to antidiabetic therapy. Twenty SMBG requests were made in the preintervention cohort versus 19 in postintervention cohort. A trend toward more on time and fulfilled SMBG requests was observed post vs. preintervention. Overall return rates were similar between groups. A nonsignificant increase in clinic appointments kept and a nonsignificant decrease in interventions made were observed postintervention. Receipt of a reminder mail was not a significant predictor of patients bringing an SMBG log to follow-up appointments. In conclusion, the use of a reminder mail was not associated with an increase in the return rate of SMBG logs, although there were nonsignificant trends toward more on time and fulfilled SMBG logs received during the postintervention period.

Return to Sports and Recurrences After Arthroscopic Anterior Shoulder Stabilization in Martial Arts Athletes

PubMed Central

Ranalletta, Maximiliano; Rossi, Luciano A.; Sirio, Adrian; Dilernia, Fernando Diaz; Bertona, Agustin; Maignon, Gastón D.; Bongiovanni, Santiago L.

2017-01-01

Background: The high demands to the glenohumeral joint and the violent shoulder blows experienced during martial arts (MA) could compromise return to sports and increase the recurrence rate after arthroscopic stabilization for anterior shoulder instability in these athletes. Purpose: To report the functional outcomes, return to sports, and recurrences in a series of MA athletes with anterior shoulder instability treated with arthroscopic stabilization with suture anchors. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A total of 20 consecutive MA athletes were treated for anterior shoulder instability at a single institution between January 2008 and December 2013. Range of motion (ROM), the Rowe score, a visual analog scale (VAS), and the Athletic Shoulder Outcome Scoring System (ASOSS) were used to assess functional outcomes. Return-to-sport and recurrence rates were also evaluated. Results: The mean age at the time of surgery was 25.4 years (range, 18-35 years), and the mean follow-up was 71 months (range, 36-96 months). No significant difference in preoperative and postoperative shoulder ROM was found. The Rowe, VAS, and ASOSS scores showed statistical improvement after surgery (P < .001). In all, 19 athletes (95%) returned to sports. However, only 60% achieved ≥90% recovery after surgery. The recurrence rate was 20%. Conclusion: In this retrospective study of a consecutive cohort of MA athletes, arthroscopic anterior shoulder stabilization significantly improved functional scores. However, only 60% of the athletes achieved the same level of competition, and there was a 20% recurrence rate. PMID:28932751

Return to Sports and Recurrences After Arthroscopic Anterior Shoulder Stabilization in Martial Arts Athletes.

PubMed

Ranalletta, Maximiliano; Rossi, Luciano A; Sirio, Adrian; Dilernia, Fernando Diaz; Bertona, Agustin; Maignon, Gastón D; Bongiovanni, Santiago L

2017-09-01

The high demands to the glenohumeral joint and the violent shoulder blows experienced during martial arts (MA) could compromise return to sports and increase the recurrence rate after arthroscopic stabilization for anterior shoulder instability in these athletes. To report the functional outcomes, return to sports, and recurrences in a series of MA athletes with anterior shoulder instability treated with arthroscopic stabilization with suture anchors. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. A total of 20 consecutive MA athletes were treated for anterior shoulder instability at a single institution between January 2008 and December 2013. Range of motion (ROM), the Rowe score, a visual analog scale (VAS), and the Athletic Shoulder Outcome Scoring System (ASOSS) were used to assess functional outcomes. Return-to-sport and recurrence rates were also evaluated. The mean age at the time of surgery was 25.4 years (range, 18-35 years), and the mean follow-up was 71 months (range, 36-96 months). No significant difference in preoperative and postoperative shoulder ROM was found. The Rowe, VAS, and ASOSS scores showed statistical improvement after surgery ( P < .001). In all, 19 athletes (95%) returned to sports. However, only 60% achieved ≥90% recovery after surgery. The recurrence rate was 20%. In this retrospective study of a consecutive cohort of MA athletes, arthroscopic anterior shoulder stabilization significantly improved functional scores. However, only 60% of the athletes achieved the same level of competition, and there was a 20% recurrence rate.

Quantized expected returns in terms of dividend yield at the money

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dieng, Lamine

2011-03-01

We use the Bachelier (additive model) and the Black-Scholes (multiplicative model) as our models for the stock price movement for an investor who has entered into an America call option contract. We assume the investor to pay certain dividend yield on the expected rate of returns from buying stocks. In this work, we also assume the stock price to be initially in the out of the money state and eventually will move up through at the money state to the deep in the money state where the expected future payoffs and returns are positive for the stock holder. We call a singularity point at the money because the expected payoff vanishes at this point. Then, using martingale, supermartingale and Markov theories we obtain the Bachelier-type of the Black-Scholes and the Black-Scholes equations which we hedge in the limit where the change of the expected payoff of the call option is extremely small. Hence, by comparison we obtain the time-independent Schroedinger equation in Quantum Mechanics. We solve completely the time independent Schroedinger equation for both models to obtain the expected rate of returns and the expected payoffs for the stock holder at the money. We find the expected rate of returns to be quantized in terms of the dividend yield.

Portfolio optimization with mean-variance model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoe, Lam Weng; Siew, Lam Weng

2016-06-01

Investors wish to achieve the target rate of return at the minimum level of risk in their investment. Portfolio optimization is an investment strategy that can be used to minimize the portfolio risk and can achieve the target rate of return. The mean-variance model has been proposed in portfolio optimization. The mean-variance model is an optimization model that aims to minimize the portfolio risk which is the portfolio variance. The objective of this study is to construct the optimal portfolio using the mean-variance model. The data of this study consists of weekly returns of 20 component stocks of FTSE Bursa Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (FBMKLCI). The results of this study show that the portfolio composition of the stocks is different. Moreover, investors can get the return at minimum level of risk with the constructed optimal mean-variance portfolio.

Protein hydrogen exchange: Testing current models

PubMed Central

Skinner, John J; Lim, Woon K; Bédard, Sabrina; Black, Ben E; Englander, S Walter

2012-01-01

To investigate the determinants of protein hydrogen exchange (HX), HX rates of most of the backbone amide hydrogens of Staphylococcal nuclease were measured by NMR methods. A modified analysis was used to improve accuracy for the faster hydrogens. HX rates of both near surface and well buried hydrogens are spread over more than 7 orders of magnitude. These results were compared with previous hypotheses for HX rate determination. Contrary to a common assumption, proximity to the surface of the native protein does not usually produce fast exchange. The slow HX rates for unprotected surface hydrogens are not well explained by local electrostatic field. The ability of buried hydrogens to exchange is not explained by a solvent penetration mechanism. The exchange rates of structurally protected hydrogens are not well predicted by algorithms that depend only on local interactions or only on transient unfolding reactions. These observations identify some of the present difficulties of HX rate prediction and suggest the need for returning to a detailed hydrogen by hydrogen analysis to examine the bases of structure-rate relationships, as described in the companion paper (Skinner et al., Protein Sci 2012;21:996–1005). PMID:22544567

The Effects of Different Loan Schemes for Higher Education Tuition: An Analysis of Rates of Return and Tuition Revenue in Thailand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Bruce; Lounkaew, Kiatanantha

2009-01-01

In recent times there has been considerable change and instability with respect to Thailand student loans policy. The contribution of what follows is to compare and contrast the consequences of disparate possible approaches to the payment of tuition in two main respects: the effect on internal rates of return for higher education investments; and…

Effect of High School Completion of the Agricultural Education Program on the Rate of Return on Investment for the Commonwealth of Virginia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bevins, Phillip Scott

2010-01-01

This research study sought to determine the effect high school completion of the agricultural career and technical education program has on the rate of return on investment by public schools in Virginia. The research questions guiding this study included: (1) Were students able to find employment related to the agricultural career and technical…

Using the Internal Rate of Return Method to Consider the Potential Degree Offerings of a Liberal Arts College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doss, D. Adrian; Troxel, Stacy; Sumrall, Bill

2010-01-01

This paper considered the case of a liberal arts institution of higher learning that is hoping to improve its market competitiveness through the addition of either a graduate certificate program in human resources or the addition of a full graduate degree in human resources. An examination of internal rate of return financial value capital…

Dynamics of Rate of Returns for Postgraduate Education in Taiwan: The Impact of Higher Education Expansion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Chih-Hai; Lin, Chun-Hung A.; Lin, Chien-Ru

2011-01-01

This paper analyzes the dynamics of rate of returns for postgraduate education and the determinants of wage premiums for postgraduate labor, especially for the impact of higher education expansions, in terms of quantity and quality, since the late 1990s in Taiwan. Utilizing quasi-panel data over the 1990-2004 period and employing the double fixed…

Investor sentiment and stock returns: Evidence from provincial TV audience rating in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yongjie; Zhang, Yuzhao; Shen, Dehua; Zhang, Wei

2017-01-01

In this paper, we advocate the provincial TV audience rating as the novel proxy for the provincial investor sentiment (PIS) and investigate its relation with stock returns. The empirical results firstly show that the PIS is positively related to stock returns. Secondly, we provide direct evidence on the existence of home bias in China by observing that the provincial correlation coefficient is significantly larger than the cross-provincial correlation coefficient. Finally, the PIS can explain a large proportion of provincial comovement. To sum up, all these findings support the role of the non-traditional information sources in understanding the ;anomalies; in stock market.

What stock market returns to expect for the future?

PubMed

Diamond, P A

2000-01-01

In evaluating proposals for reforming Social Security that involve stock investments, the Office of the Chief Actuary (OCACT) has generally used a 7.0 percent real return for stocks. The 1994-96 Advisory Council specified that OCACT should use that return in making its 75-year projections of investment-based reform proposals. The assumed ultimate real return on Treasury bonds of 3.0 percent implies a long-run equity premium of 4.0 percent. There are two equity-premium concepts: the realized equity premium, which is measured by the actual rates of return; and the required equity premium, which investors expect to receive for being willing to hold available stocks and bonds. Over the past two centuries, the realized premium was 3.5 percent on average, but 5.2 percent for 1926 to 1998. Some critics argue that the 7.0 percent projected stock returns are too high. They base their arguments on recent developments in the capital market, the current high value of the stock market, and the expectation of slower economic growth. Increased use of mutual funds and the decline in their costs suggest a lower required premium, as does the rising fraction of the American public investing in stocks. The size of the decrease is limited, however, because the largest cost savings do not apply to the very wealthy and to large institutional investors, who hold a much larger share of the stock market's total value than do new investors. These trends suggest a lower equity premium for projections than the 5.2 percent of the past 75 years. Also, a declining required premium is likely to imply a temporary increase in the realized premium because a rising willingness to hold stocks tends to increase their price. Therefore, it would be a mistake during a transition period to extrapolate what may be a temporarily high realized return. In the standard (Solow) economic growth model, an assumption of slower long-run growth lowers the marginal product of capital if the savings rate is constant. But lower savings as growth slows should partially or fully offset that effect. The present high stock prices, together with projected slow economic growth, are not consistent with a 7.0 percent return. With a plausible level of adjusted dividends (dividends plus net share repurchases), the ratio of stock value to gross domestic product (GDP) would rise more than 20-fold over 75 years. Similarly, the steady-state Gordon formula--that stock returns equal the adjusted dividend yield plus the growth rate of stock prices (equal to that of GDP)--suggests a return of roughly 4.0 percent to 4.5 percent. Moreover, when relative stock values have been high, returns over the following decade have tended to be low. To eliminate the inconsistency posed by the assumed 7.0 percent return, one could assume higher GDP growth, a lower long-run stock return, or a lower short-run stock return with a 7.0 percent return on a lower base thereafter. For example, with an adjusted dividend yield of 2.5 percent to 3.0 percent, the market would have to decline about 35 percent to 45 percent in real terms over the next decade to reach steady state. In short, either the stock market is overvalued and requires a correction to justify a 7.0 percent return thereafter, or it is correctly valued and the long-run return is substantially lower than 7.0 percent (or some combination). This article argues that the "overvalued" view is more convincing, since the "correctly valued" hypothesis implies an implausibly small equity premium. Although OCACT could adopt a lower rate for the entire 75-year period, a better approach would be to assume lower returns over the next decade and a 7.0 percent return thereafter.

The Effects of Twitter Sentiment on Stock Price Returns.

PubMed

Ranco, Gabriele; Aleksovski, Darko; Caldarelli, Guido; Grčar, Miha; Mozetič, Igor

2015-01-01

Social media are increasingly reflecting and influencing behavior of other complex systems. In this paper we investigate the relations between a well-known micro-blogging platform Twitter and financial markets. In particular, we consider, in a period of 15 months, the Twitter volume and sentiment about the 30 stock companies that form the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index. We find a relatively low Pearson correlation and Granger causality between the corresponding time series over the entire time period. However, we find a significant dependence between the Twitter sentiment and abnormal returns during the peaks of Twitter volume. This is valid not only for the expected Twitter volume peaks (e.g., quarterly announcements), but also for peaks corresponding to less obvious events. We formalize the procedure by adapting the well-known "event study" from economics and finance to the analysis of Twitter data. The procedure allows to automatically identify events as Twitter volume peaks, to compute the prevailing sentiment (positive or negative) expressed in tweets at these peaks, and finally to apply the "event study" methodology to relate them to stock returns. We show that sentiment polarity of Twitter peaks implies the direction of cumulative abnormal returns. The amount of cumulative abnormal returns is relatively low (about 1-2%), but the dependence is statistically significant for several days after the events.

The Calculation of ROE: Pedagogical Issues and Integrative Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinfeldt, Jeff; Rindler, Denise

2010-01-01

One of the most widely used measures of firm profitability and stockholder return is return-on-equity (ROE). However, depending upon an individual firm's financial decisions (for example, dividend policy) and an analyst's assumptions used for the ROE calculation, the results can vary significantly. This variation can create confusion for students…

Real Returns to Career Decisions: The Physician's Specialty and Location Choices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langwell, Kathryn M.

1980-01-01

Studies the physician's choice of a practice location as a factor influencing lifetime earnings. Also, computations of net present values associates with the decision to specialize, rather than enter general or family practice, suggest that returns to specialty choice are highly dependent upon the choice of a practice location. (CT)

Symbolic dynamics techniques for complex systems: Application to share price dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Dan; Beck, Christian

2017-05-01

The symbolic dynamics technique is well known for low-dimensional dynamical systems and chaotic maps, and lies at the roots of the thermodynamic formalism of dynamical systems. Here we show that this technique can also be successfully applied to time series generated by complex systems of much higher dimensionality. Our main example is the investigation of share price returns in a coarse-grained way. A nontrivial spectrum of Rényi entropies is found. We study how the spectrum depends on the time scale of returns, the sector of stocks considered, as well as the number of symbols used for the symbolic description. Overall our analysis confirms that in the symbol space transition probabilities of observed share price returns depend on the entire history of previous symbols, thus emphasizing the need for a modelling based on non-Markovian stochastic processes. Our method allows for quantitative comparisons of entirely different complex systems, for example the statistics of symbol sequences generated by share price returns using 4 symbols can be compared with that of genomic sequences.

Optimum efficiency lidar sensing of multilayer hydrometeors through a turbid atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evgenieva, Ts T.; Gurdev, L. L.

2018-03-01

The detected lidar return power is a basic factor determining the brightness of the detected lidar images and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a given measurement. At equal other characteristics, the laser radiation wavelength should influence the lidar return signal and assume an optimum value depending on the specificity of the objects investigated. As such a problem had not been considered systematically, we recently began developing a modeling approach to solving it, based on evaluating the mean and the noisy lidar profiles and the SNR profile of the measurement along the lidar line of sight by using the lidar equation and well known realistic models of the atmospheric objects and background. The main purpose of the present work is to estimate by numerical modeling the detectability of the lidar return from different distances and multilayer cirrus clouds, depending on the laser radiation wavelengths. The results obtained confirm the expectations that at a higher atmospheric turbidity, a relatively higher sensing efficiency (return power) is achievable by longer-wavelength laser radiation, within the NIR range.

Obesity-related costs and the economic impact of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding procedures: benefits in the Texas Employees Retirement System.

PubMed

Perryman, M Ray; Gleghorn, Virginia

2010-01-01

To assess the return on investment (ROI) and economic impact of providing insurance coverage for the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) procedure in classes II and III obese members of the Texas Employees Retirement System (ERS) and their dependents from payer, employer, and societal perspectives. Classes II and III obese employee members and their adult dependents were identified in a Texas ERS database using self-reported health risk assessment (HRA) data. Direct health costs and related absenteeism and mortality losses were estimated using data from previous research. A dynamic input-output model was then used to calculate overall economic effects by incorporating direct, indirect, and induced impacts. Direct health costs were inflation-adjusted to 2008 US dollars using the Consumer Price Index for Medical Care and other spending categories were similarly adjusted using relevant consumer and industrial indices. The future cost savings and other monetary benefits were discounted to present value using a real rate of 4.00%. From the payer perspective (ERS), the payback period for direct health costs associated with the LAGB procedure was 23-24 months and the annual return (over 5 years) was 28.8%. From the employer perspective (State of Texas), the costs associated with the LAGB procedure were recouped within 17-19 months (in terms of direct, indirect, and induced gains as they translated into State revenue) and the annual return (over 5 years) was 45.5%. From a societal perspective, the impact on total business activity for Texas (over 5 years) included gains of $195.3 million in total expenditures, $93.8 million in gross product, and 1354 person-years of employment. The analysis was limited by the following: reliance on other studies for methodology and use of a control sample; restriction of cost savings to 2.5 years which required out-of-sample forecasting; conservative assumptions related to the cost of the procedure; exclusion of presenteeism; and no sensitivity analyses performed. This analysis indicates that providing benefits for the LAGB procedure to eligible members of the Texas ERS and their dependents is worthy of support from payer, employer, and societal perspectives.

Study of Aerothermodynamic Modeling Issues Relevant to High-Speed Sample Return Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Christopher O.

2014-01-01

This paper examines the application of state-of-the-art coupled ablation and radiation simulations to highspeed sample return vehicles, such as those returning from Mars or an asteroid. A defining characteristic of these entries is that the surface recession rates and temperatures are driven by nonequilibrium convective and radiative heating through a boundary layer with significant surface blowing and ablation products. Measurements relevant to validating the simulation of these phenomena are reviewed and the Stardust entry is identified as providing the best relevant measurements. A coupled ablation and radiation flowfield analysis is presented that implements a finite-rate surface chemistry model. Comparisons between this finite-rate model and a equilibrium ablation model show that, while good agreement is seen for diffusion-limited oxidation cases, the finite-rate model predicts up to 50% lower char rates than the equilibrium model at sublimation conditions. Both the equilibrium and finite rate models predict significant negative mass flux at the surface due to sublimation of atomic carbon. A sensitivity analysis to flowfield and surface chemistry rates show that, for a sample return capsule at 10, 12, and 14 km/s, the sublimation rates for C and C3 provide the largest changes to the convective flux, radiative flux, and char rate. A parametric uncertainty analysis of the radiative heating due to radiation modeling parameters indicates uncertainties ranging from 27% at 10 km/s to 36% at 14 km/s. Applying the developed coupled analysis to the Stardust entry results in temperatures within 10% of those inferred from observations, and final recession values within 20% of measurements, which improves upon the 60% over-prediction at the stagnation point obtained through an uncoupled analysis. Emission from CN Violet is shown to be over-predicted by nearly and order-of-magnitude, which is consistent with the results of previous independent analyses. Finally, the coupled analysis is applied to a 14 km/s Earth entry representative of a Mars sample return. Although the radiative heating provides a larger fraction of the total heating, the influence of ablation and radiation on the flowfield are shown to be similar to Stardust.

Return to Play in Elite Contact Athletes After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

McAnany, Steven J.; Overley, Samuel; Andelman, Steven; Patterson, Diana C.; Cho, Samuel K.; Qureshi, Sheeraz; Hsu, Wellington K.

2017-01-01

Study Design: Systematic literature review and meta-analysis of studies published in English language. Objective: Return to play after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) in contact athletes remains a controversial topic with no consensus opinion in the literature. Additional information is needed to properly advise and treat this population of patients. This study is a meta-analysis assessing return to competitive contact sports after undergoing an ACDF. Methods: A literature search of Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Reviews was performed to identify investigations reporting return to play following ACDF in professional contact athletes. The pooled results were performed by calculating the effect size based on the logic event rate. Studies were weighted by the inverse of the variance, which included both within and between-study error. Confidence intervals (CIs) were reported at 95%. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Q statistic and I 2. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias calculations were performed. Results: The initial literature search resulted in 166 articles, of which 5 were determined relevant. Overall, return to play data was provided for 48 patients. The pooled clinical success rate for return to play was 73.5% (CI = 56.7%, 85.8%). The logit event rate was calculated to be 1.036 (CI = 0.270, 1.802), which was statistically significant (P = .008). The studies included in this meta-analysis demonstrated minimal heterogeneity with Q value of 4.038 and I 2 value of 0.956. Conclusions: Elite contact athletes return to competition 73.5% of the time after undergoing ACDF. As this is the first study to pool results from existing studies, it provides strong evidence to guide decision making and expectations in this patient population. PMID:28894685

Household Rates of Return to Education in Rural Bangladesh: Accounting for Direct Costs, Child Labour, and Option Value

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shafiq, M. Najeeb

2007-01-01

This study estimates the returns to boys' education for rural Bangladeshi households by accounting for some conventionally neglected items: direct costs of education, foregone child labour earnings, and option value. The estimated returns are 13.5% for primary education, 7.8% for junior-secondary education, 12.9% for higher-secondary education,…

The association of pain and fear of movement/reinjury with function during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction rehabilitation.

PubMed

Chmielewski, Terese L; Jones, Debi; Day, Tim; Tillman, Susan M; Lentz, Trevor A; George, Steven Z

2008-12-01

Cross-sectional. To measure fear of movement/reinjury levels and determine the association with function at different timeframes during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction rehabilitation. We hypothesized that fear of movement/reinjury would decrease during rehabilitation and be inversely related with function. Fear of movement/reinjury can prevent return to sports after ACL reconstruction, but it has not been studied during rehabilitation. Demographic data and responses on the shortened version of Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-11), 8-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-8), and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective form were extracted from a clinical database for 97 patients in the first year after ACL reconstruction. Three groups were formed: group 1, less than or equal to 90 days; group 2, 91 to 180 days; group 3: 181 to 372 days post-ACL reconstruction. Group differences in TSK-11 score, SF-8 bodily pain rating, and IKDC scores were determined. Hierarchical linear regression models were created for each group, with IKDC score as the dependent variable and demographic factors, SF-8 bodily pain rating, and TSK-11 score as independent variables. TSK-11 score was higher in group 1 than in group 3 (P < .05). Across the groups, SF-8 bodily pain rating decreased (P < .001) and IKDC score increased (P < .001). SF-8 bodily pain rating was a significant factor in the regression model for all groups, whereas TSK-11 score only contributed to the regression model in group 3 (partial correlation, -0.529). Pain was consistently associated with function across the timeframes studied. Fear of movement/reinjury levels appear to decrease during ACL reconstruction rehabilitation and are associated with function in the timeframe when patients return to sports. Prognosis, level 4.

Optimal Investment in HIV Prevention Programs: More Is Not Always Better

PubMed Central

Brandeau, Margaret L.; Zaric, Gregory S.

2008-01-01

This paper develops a mathematical/economic framework to address the following question: Given a particular population, a specific HIV prevention program, and a fixed amount of funds that could be invested in the program, how much money should be invested? We consider the impact of investment in a prevention program on the HIV sufficient contact rate (defined via production functions that describe the change in the sufficient contact rate as a function of expenditure on a prevention program), and the impact of changes in the sufficient contact rate on the spread of HIV (via an epidemic model). In general, the cost per HIV infection averted is not constant as the level of investment changes, so the fact that some investment in a program is cost effective does not mean that more investment in the program is cost effective. Our framework provides a formal means for determining how the cost per infection averted changes with the level of expenditure. We can use this information as follows: When the program has decreasing marginal cost per infection averted (which occurs, for example, with a growing epidemic and a prevention program with increasing returns to scale), it is optimal either to spend nothing on the program or to spend the entire budget. When the program has increasing marginal cost per infection averted (which occurs, for example, with a shrinking epidemic and a prevention program with decreasing returns to scale), it may be optimal to spend some but not all of the budget. The amount that should be spent depends on both the rate of disease spread and the production function for the prevention program. We illustrate our ideas with two examples: that of a needle exchange program, and that of a methadone maintenance program. PMID:19938440

Dynamic evaluation of airflow rates for a variable air volume system serving an open-plan office.

PubMed

Mai, Horace K W; Chan, Daniel W T; Burnett, John

2003-09-01

In a typical air-conditioned office, the thermal comfort and indoor air quality are sustained by delivering the amount of supply air with the correct proportion of outdoor air to the breathing zone. However, in a real office, it is not easy to measure these airflow rates supplied to space, especially when the space is served by a variable air volume (VAV) system. The most accurate method depends on what is being measured, the details of the building and types of ventilation system. The constant concentration tracer gas method as a means to determine ventilation system performance, however, this method becomes more complicated when the air, including the tracer gas is allowed to recirculate. An accurate measurement requires significant resource support in terms of instrumentation set up and also professional interpretation. This method deters regular monitoring of the performance of an airside systems by building managers, and hence the indoor environmental quality, in terms of thermal comfort and indoor air quality, may never be satisfactory. This paper proposes a space zone model for the calculation of all the airflow parameters based on tracer gas measurements, including flow rates of outdoor air, VAV supply, return space, return and exfiltration. Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are used as tracer gases. After using both SF6 and CO2, the corresponding results provide a reference to justify the acceptability of using CO2 as the tracer gas. The validity of using CO2 has the significance that metabolic carbon dioxide can be used as a means to evaluate real time airflow rates. This approach provides a practical protocol for building managers to evaluate the performance of airside systems.

Demographic responses of Pinguicula ionantha to prescribed fire: a regression-design LTRE approach.

PubMed

Kesler, Herbert C; Trusty, Jennifer L; Hermann, Sharon M; Guyer, Craig

2008-06-01

This study describes the use of periodic matrix analysis and regression-design life table response experiments (LTRE) to investigate the effects of prescribed fire on demographic responses of Pinguicula ionantha, a federally listed plant endemic to the herb bog/savanna community in north Florida. Multi-state mark-recapture models with dead recoveries were used to estimate survival and transition probabilities for over 2,300 individuals in 12 populations of P. ionantha. These estimates were applied to parameterize matrix models used in further analyses. P. ionantha demographics were found to be strongly dependent on prescribed fire events. Periodic matrix models were used to evaluate season of burn (either growing or dormant season) for fire return intervals ranging from 1 to 20 years. Annual growing and biannual dormant season fires maximized population growth rates for this species. A regression design LTRE was used to evaluate the effect of number of days since last fire on population growth. Maximum population growth rates calculated using standard asymptotic analysis were realized shortly following a burn event (<2 years), and a regression design LTRE showed that short-term fire-mediated changes in vital rates translated into observed increases in population growth. The LTRE identified fecundity and individual growth as contributing most to increases in post-fire population growth. Our analyses found that the current four-year prescribed fire return intervals used at the study sites can be significantly shortened to increase the population growth rates of this rare species. Understanding the role of fire frequency and season in creating and maintaining appropriate habitat for this species may aid in the conservation of this and other rare herb bog/savanna inhabitants.

High colonization rates of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli in Swiss travellers to South Asia- a prospective observational multicentre cohort study looking at epidemiology, microbiology and risk factors.

PubMed

Kuenzli, Esther; Jaeger, Veronika K; Frei, Reno; Neumayr, Andreas; DeCrom, Susan; Haller, Sabine; Blum, Johannes; Widmer, Andreas F; Furrer, Hansjakob; Battegay, Manuel; Endimiani, Andrea; Hatz, Christoph

2014-10-01

International travel contributes to the worldwide spread of multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Rates of travel-related faecal colonization with extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae vary for different destinations. Especially travellers returning from the Indian subcontinent show high colonization rates. So far, nothing is known about region-specific risk factors for becoming colonized. An observational prospective multicentre cohort study investigated travellers to South Asia. Before and after travelling, rectal swabs were screened for third-generation cephalosporin- and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Participants completed questionnaires to identify risk factors for becoming colonized. Covariates were assessed univariately, followed by a multivariate regression. Hundred and seventy persons were enrolled, the largest data set on travellers to the Indian subcontinent so far. The acquired colonization rate with ESBL-producing Escherichia coli overall was 69.4% (95% CI 62.1-75.9%), being highest in travellers returning from India (86.8%; 95% CI 78.5-95.0%) and lowest in travellers returning from Sri Lanka (34.7%; 95% CI 22.9-48.7%). Associated risk factors were travel destination, length of stay, visiting friends and relatives, and eating ice cream and pastry. High colonization rates with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae were found in travellers returning from South Asia. Though risk factors were identified, a more common source, i.e. environmental, appears to better explain the high colonization rates.

Emergency department recidivism in adults older than 65 years treated for fractures.

PubMed

Southerland, Lauren T; Richardson, Daniel S; Caterino, Jeffrey M; Essenmacher, Alex C; Swor, Robert A

2014-09-01

Fractures in older adults are a commonly diagnosed injury in the emergency department (ED). We performed a retrospective medical record review to determine the rate of return to the same ED within 72 hours (returns) and the risk factors associated with returning. A retrospective medical record review of patients at least 65 years old discharged from a large, academic ED with a new diagnosis of upper extremity, lower extremity, or rib fractures was performed. Risk factors analyzed included demographic data, type of fracture, analgesic prescriptions, assistive devices provided, other concurrent injuries, and comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index). Our primary outcome was return to the ED within 72 hours. Three hundred fifteen patients qualified. Most fractures were in the upper extremity (64% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 58%-69%]). Twenty patients (6.3% [95% CI, 3.9%-9.6%]) returned within 72 hours. Most returns (15/20, 75%) were for reasons associated with the fracture itself, such as cast problems and inadequate pain control. Only 3 (<1% of all patients) patients returned for cardiac etiologies. Patients with distal forearm fractures had higher return rates (10.7% vs 4.5%, P = .03), and most commonly returned for cast or splint problems. Age, sex, other injuries, assistive devices, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score (median, 1 [interquartile range, 1-2] for both groups) did not predict 72-hour returns. Older adults with distal forearm fractures may have more unscheduled health care usage in the first 3 days after fracture diagnosis than older adults with other fracture types. Overall, revisits for cardiac reasons or repeat falls were rare (<1%). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interactions Increase Forager Availability and Activity in Harvester Ants

PubMed Central

Pinter-Wollman, Noa; Crow, Sam; Allen, Kelsey; Mathur, Maya B.; Gordon, Deborah M.

2015-01-01

Social insect colonies use interactions among workers to regulate collective behavior. Harvester ant foragers interact in a chamber just inside the nest entrance, here called the 'entrance chamber'. Previous studies of the activation of foragers in red harvester ants show that an outgoing forager inside the nest experiences an increase in brief antennal contacts before it leaves the nest to forage. Here we compare the interaction rate experienced by foragers that left the nest and ants that did not. We found that ants in the entrance chamber that leave the nest to forage experienced more interactions than ants that descend to the deeper nest without foraging. Additionally, we found that the availability of foragers in the entrance chamber is associated with the rate of forager return. An increase in the rate of forager return leads to an increase in the rate at which ants descend to the deeper nest, which then stimulates more ants to ascend into the entrance chamber. Thus a higher rate of forager return leads to more available foragers in the entrance chamber. The highest density of interactions occurs near the nest entrance and the entrances of the tunnels from the entrance chamber to the deeper nest. Local interactions with returning foragers regulate both the activation of waiting foragers and the number of foragers available to be activated. PMID:26539724

Evaluation of fuel injection configurations to control carbon and soot formation in small GT combustors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosfjord, T. J.; Briehl, D.

1982-01-01

An experimental program to investigate hardware configurations which attempt to minimize carbon formation and soot production without sacrificing performance in small gas turbine combustors has been conducted at the United Technologies Research Center. Four fuel injectors, embodying either airblast atomization, pressure atomization, or fuel vaporization techniques, were combined with nozzle air swirlers and injector sheaths, and evaluated at test conditions which included and extended beyond standard small gas turbine combustor operation. Extensive testing was accomplished with configurations embodying either a spill return or a T-vaporizer injector. Minimal carbon deposits were observed on the spill return nozzle for tests using either Jet A or ERBS test fuel. A more extensive film of soft carbon was observed on the vaporizer after operation at standard engine conditions, with large carbonaceous growths forming on the device during off-design operation at low combustor inlet temperature. Test results indicated that smoke emission levels depended on the combustor fluid mechanics (especially the mixing rates near the injector), the atomization quality of the injector and the fuel hydrogen content.

Return to Preinjury Levels of Participation After Superior Labral Repair in Overhead Athletes: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Sciascia, Aaron; Myers, Natalie; Kibler, W. Ben; Uhl, Timothy L.

2015-01-01

Context Athletes often preoperatively weigh the risks and benefits of electing to undergo an orthopaedic procedure to repair damaged tissue. A common concern for athletes is being able to return to their maximum levels of competition after shoulder surgery, whereas clinicians struggle with the ability to provide a consistent prognosis of successful return to participation after surgery. The variation in study details and rates of return in the existing literature have not supplied clinicians with enough evidence to give overhead athletes adequate information regarding successful return to participation when deciding to undergo shoulder surgery. Objective To investigate the odds of overhead athletes returning to preinjury levels of participation after arthroscopic superior labral repair. Data Sources The CINAHL, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus databases from 1972 to 2013. Study Selection The criteria for article selection were (1) The study was written in English. (2) The study reported surgical repair of an isolated superior labral injury or a superior labral injury with soft tissue debridement. (3) The study involved overhead athletes equal to or less than 40 years of age. (4) The study assessed return to the preinjury level of participation. Data Extraction We critically reviewed articles for quality and bias and calculated and compared odds ratios for return to full participation for dichotomous populations or surgical procedures. Data Synthesis Of 215 identified articles, 11 were retained: 5 articles about isolated superior labral repair and 6 articles about labral repair with soft tissue debridement. The quality range was 11 to 17 (42% to 70%) of a possible 24 points. Odds ratios could be generated for 8 of 11 studies. Nonbaseball, nonoverhead, and nonthrowing athletes had a 2.3 to 5.8 times greater chance of full return to participation than overhead/throwing athletes after isolated superior labral repair. Similarly, nonoverhead athletes had 1.5 to 3.5 times greater odds for full return than overhead athletes after labral repair with soft tissue debridement. In 1 study, researchers compared surgical procedures and found that overhead athletes who underwent isolated superior labral repair were 28 times more likely to return to full participation than those who underwent concurrent labral repair and soft tissue debridement (P < .05). Conclusions The rate of return to participation after shoulder surgery within the literature is inconsistent. Odds of returning to preinjury levels of participation after arthroscopic superior labral repair with or without soft tissue debridement are consistently lower in overhead/throwing athletes than in nonoverhead/nonthrowing athletes. The variable rates of return within each group could be due to multiple confounding variables not consistently accounted for in the articles. PMID:25946167

Testing market informational efficiency of Constanta port operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roşca, E.; Popa, M.; Ruscă, F.; Burciu, Ş.

2015-11-01

The Romanian capital market is still an emergent one. Following the mass- privatization process and the private investments, three of the most important handling and storage companies acting in Constantza Port (OIL Terminal, Comvex and SOCEP) are listed on Romanian Stock Exchange. The paper investigates their evolution on the market, identifying the expected rate of return and the components of the shares risk (specific and systematic). Also, the price evolution could be analyzed through the informational efficiency which instantly reflects the price relevance. The Jarque-Bera normality test regarding the shares return rate distribution and the Fama test for the informational efficiency are completed for each company. The market price model is taken into consideration for price forecasting, computing the return rate auto-correlations. The results are subject of interpretation considering additional managerial and financial information of the companies’ activity.

φq-field theory for portfolio optimization: “fat tails” and nonlinear correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sornette, D.; Simonetti, P.; Andersen, J. V.

2000-08-01

Physics and finance are both fundamentally based on the theory of random walks (and their generalizations to higher dimensions) and on the collective behavior of large numbers of correlated variables. The archetype examplifying this situation in finance is the portfolio optimization problem in which one desires to diversify on a set of possibly dependent assets to optimize the return and minimize the risks. The standard mean-variance solution introduced by Markovitz and its subsequent developments is basically a mean-field Gaussian solution. It has severe limitations for practical applications due to the strongly non-Gaussian structure of distributions and the nonlinear dependence between assets. Here, we present in details a general analytical characterization of the distribution of returns for a portfolio constituted of assets whose returns are described by an arbitrary joint multivariate distribution. In this goal, we introduce a non-linear transformation that maps the returns onto Gaussian variables whose covariance matrix provides a new measure of dependence between the non-normal returns, generalizing the covariance matrix into a nonlinear covariance matrix. This nonlinear covariance matrix is chiseled to the specific fat tail structure of the underlying marginal distributions, thus ensuring stability and good conditioning. The portfolio distribution is then obtained as the solution of a mapping to a so-called φq field theory in particle physics, of which we offer an extensive treatment using Feynman diagrammatic techniques and large deviation theory, that we illustrate in details for multivariate Weibull distributions. The interaction (non-mean field) structure in this field theory is a direct consequence of the non-Gaussian nature of the distribution of asset price returns. We find that minimizing the portfolio variance (i.e. the relatively “small” risks) may often increase the large risks, as measured by higher normalized cumulants. Extensive empirical tests are presented on the foreign exchange market that validate satisfactorily the theory. For “fat tail” distributions, we show that an adequate prediction of the risks of a portfolio relies much more on the correct description of the tail structure rather than on their correlations. For the case of asymmetric return distributions, our theory allows us to generalize the return-risk efficient frontier concept to incorporate the dimensions of large risks embedded in the tail of the asset distributions. We demonstrate that it is often possible to increase the portfolio return while decreasing the large risks as quantified by the fourth and higher-order cumulants. Exact theoretical formulas are validated by empirical tests.

Strategies for In situ and Sample Return Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papanastassiou, D. A.

2006-12-01

There is general agreement that planetary exploration proceeds from orbital reconnaissance of a planet, to surface and near-surface in situ exploration, to sample return missions, which bring back samples for investigations in terrestrial laboratories, using the panoply of state-of-the-art analytical techniques. The applicable techniques may depend on the nature of the returned material and complementary and multi- disciplinary techniques can be used to best advantage. High precision techniques also serve to provide the "ground truth" and calibrate past and future orbital and in situ measurements on a planet. It is also recognized that returned samples may continue to be analyzed by novel techniques as the techniques become developed, in part to address specific characteristics of returned samples. There are geophysical measurements such as those of the moment of inertia of a planet, seismic activity, and surface morphology that depend on orbital and in-situ science. Other characteristics, such as isotopic ages and isotopic compositions (e.g., initial Sr and Nd) as indicators of planetary mantle or crust evolution and sample provenance require returned samples. In situ analyses may be useful for preliminary characterization and for optimization of sample selection for sample return. In situ analyses by Surveyor on the Moon helped identify the major element chemistry of lunar samples and the need for high precision mass spectrometry (e. g., for Rb-Sr ages, based on extremely low alkali contents). The discussion of in-situ investigations vs. investigations on returned samples must be directly related to available instrumentation and to instrumentation that can be developed in the foreseeable future. The discussion of choices is not a philosophical but instead a very practical issue: what precision is required for key investigations and what is the instrumentation that meets or exceeds the required precision. This must be applied to potential in situ instruments and to laboratory instruments. Age determinations and use of isotopes for deciphering planetary evolution are viewed as off-limits for in-situ determinations, as they require: a) typically high precision mass spectrometry (at 0.01% and below); b) the determination of parent-daughter element ratios at least at the percent level; c) the measurement of coexisting minerals (for internal isochron determinations); d) low contamination (e. g., for U-Pb and Pb-Pb); and e) removal of adhering phases and contaminants, not related to the samples to be analyzed. Total K-Ar age determinations are subject to fewer requirements and may be feasible, in situ, but in the absence of neutron activation, as required for 39Ar-40Ar, the expected precision is at the level of ~20%, with trapped Ar in the samples introducing further uncertainty. Precision of 20% for K-Ar may suffice to address some key cratering rate uncertainties on Mars, especially as applicable to the Middle Amazonian(1). For in situ, the key issues, which must be addressed for all measurements are: what precision is required and are there instruments available, at the required precision levels. These issues must be addressed many years before a mission gets defined. Low precision instruments on several in situ missions that do not address key scientific questions may in fact be more expensive, in their sum, than a sample return mission. In summary, all missions should undergo similar intense scrutiny with regard to desired science and feasibility, based on available instrumentation (with demonstrated and known capabilities) and cost. 1. P. T. Doran et al. (2004) Earth Sci. Rev. 67, 313-337.

Flying Fast and High: Operational Flight Planning for Maximum Data Return for Airborne Snow Observatory Mountain Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berisford, D. F.; Painter, T. H.; Richardson, M.; Wallach, A.; Deems, J. S.; Bormann, K. J.

2017-12-01

The Airborne Snow Observatory (ASO - http://aso.jpl.nasa.gov) uses an airborne laser scanner to map snow depth, and imaging spectroscopy to map snow albedo in order to estimate snow water equivalent and melt rate over mountainous, hydrologic basin-scale areas. Optimization of planned flight lines requires the balancing of many competing factors, including flying altitude and speed, bank angle limitation, laser pulse rate and power level, flightline orientation relative to terrain, surface optical properties, and data output requirements. These variables generally distill down to cost vs. higher resolution data. The large terrain elevation variation encountered in mountainous terrain introduces the challenge of narrow swath widths over the ridgetops, which drive tight flightline spacing and possible dropouts over the valleys due to maximum laser range. Many of the basins flown by ASO exceed 3,000m of elevation relief, exacerbating this problem. Additionally, sun angle may drive flightline orientations for higher-quality spectrometer data, which may change depending on time of day. Here we present data from several ASO missions, both operational and experimental, showing the lidar performance and accuracy limitations for a variety of operating parameters. We also discuss flightline planning strategies to maximize data density return per dollar, and a brief analysis on the effect of short turn times/steep bank angles on GPS position accuracy.

Being on sick leave due to heart failure: self-rated health, encounters with healthcare professionals and social insurance officers and self-estimated ability to return to work.

PubMed

Nordgren, Lena; Söderlund, Anne

2015-01-01

Younger people with heart failure often experience poor self-rated health. Furthermore, poor self-rated health is associated with long-term sick leave and disability pension. Socio-demographic factors affect the ability to return to work. However, little is known about people on sick leave due to heart failure. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between self-rated health, mood, socio-demographic factors, sick leave compensation, encounters with healthcare professionals and social insurance officers and self-estimated ability to return to work, for people on sick leave due to heart failure. This population-based investigation had a cross-sectional design. Data were collected in Sweden in 2012 from two official registries and from a postal questionnaire. In total, 590 subjects, aged 23-67, responded (response rate 45.8%). Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses (Spearman bivariate analysis) and logistic regression analyses were used to investigate associations. Poor self-rated health was strongly associated with full sick leave compensation (OR = 4.1, p < .001). Compared self-rated health was moderately associated with low income (OR =  .6, p =  .003). Good self-rated health was strongly associated with positive encounters with healthcare professionals (OR = 3.0, p =  .022) and to the impact of positive encounters with healthcare professionals on self-estimated ability to return to work (OR = 3.3, p < .001). People with heart failure are sicklisted for long periods of time and to a great extent receive disability pension. Not being able to work imposes reduced quality of life. Positive encounters with healthcare professionals and social insurance officers can be supportive when people with heart failure struggle to remain in working life.

Financial rates of return on thinned and unthinned stands, using large-scale forest inventory data in Mississippi and Arkansas, 1977 to 1995

Treesearch

Andrew J. Hartsell

2010-01-01

Providing landowners and natural resource managers information on financial rates of return (ROR) plays a vital role in providing and promoting forest management. I combined Timber Mart-South stumpage price data with forest inventory data spanning 17 years from the Southern Research Station, Forest Inventory and Analysis work unit for the States of Arkansas and...

Sports- and Work-Related Outcomes After Shoulder Hemiarthroplasty.

PubMed

Garcia, Grant H; Mahony, Gregory T; Fabricant, Peter D; Wu, Hao-Hua; Dines, David M; Warren, Russell F; Craig, Edward V; Gulotta, Lawrence V

2016-02-01

With an active aging population, more patients expect to return to previous activities and work after surgery. To determine the rate and timing to return of sports and employment after shoulder hemiarthroplasty. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. This was a retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent shoulder hemiarthroplasty from 2007 to 2013. Follow-up consisted of a patient-reported questionnaire regarding physical fitness, sporting activities, and work status. From 105 patients screened, 79 were available for follow-up. The average follow-up time was 63.1 months, and the average age at follow-up was 69 years. Scores on the visual analog scale for pain improved from 6.2 to 2.1 (P < .001) postoperatively, and those on the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) shoulder assessment improved from 34.6 to 71.3 (P < .001). Patients older than 65 years had significantly lower absolute postoperative ASES scores (P = .041) but experienced similar improvement from their preoperative baseline (P = .158) compared with patients younger than 65 years. There were 58 patients who played sports preoperatively, and 67.2% of these restarted at least 1 of their previous sports postoperatively. The average time to return to full sports was 6.5 months for those who returned. Direct rates of return were as follows: fitness sports (69%), swimming (65%), running (64%), cycling (63%), and doubles tennis (57%). Younger age was associated with highest demand level achieved (P = .023). Forty-nine patients worked preoperatively, with 69.4% returning to previous employment after surgery; the average time to return to work was 1.4 months. In comparative analysis, patients who did not return to work had a higher mean body mass index (32 ± 7 vs 27 ± 5 kg/m(2); P < .008). In this hemiarthroplasty cohort, there was a 67.2% rate of return to 1 or more sports at an average of 6.5 months postoperatively. Patients older than 65 years experienced similar improvements in ASES scores compared with patients younger than 65 years, although absolute scores were lower on average. Those who returned to higher demand sports were younger on average. Of patients working preoperatively, 69.4% returned to their previous employment at an average of 1.4 months. Patients who did not return to employment had significantly higher body mass index on average. These findings will help surgeons manage expectations of shoulder hemiarthroplasty candidates preoperatively. © 2015 The Author(s).

Site-specific investigations on aquifer thermal energy storage for space and process cooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, D. R.

1991-08-01

The Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has completed three preliminary site-specific feasibility studies that investigated aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) for reducing space and process cooling costs. Chilled water stored in an ATES system could be used to meet all or part of the process and/or space cooling loads at the three facilities investigated. Seasonal or diurnal chill ATES systems could be significantly less expensive than a conventional electrically-driven, load-following chiller system at one of the three sites, depending on the cooling water loop return temperature and presumed future electricity escalation rate. For the other two sites investigated, a chill ATES system would be economically competitive with conventional chillers if onsite aquifer characteristics were improved. Well flow rates at one of the sites were adequate, but the expected thermal recovery efficiency was too low. The reverse of this situation was found at the other site, where the thermal recovery efficiency was expected to be adequate, but well flow rates were too low.

Achieving donor repetition and motivation by block leaders among current blood donors.

PubMed

Martín-Santana, Josefa D; Beerli-Palacio, Asunción

2012-12-01

This paper presents an explicative model on the recommendation of donating blood made to relatives and friends by current donors. This model establishes satisfaction and intention to return as direct antecedents, and the quality perceived in the donation process and the existence of inhibitors as indirect antecedents. The results show that (1) the perceived quality has a positive influence on satisfaction and intention to return; (2) the intention to donate again depends positively on satisfaction, but negatively on the existence of internal and external inhibitors; and lastly (3) the recommendation to donate depends on donor satisfaction and their intention to return to donate, this being the most influential factor. At the same time, we contrasted how the model does not vary, whether it is a first-time donor or a repeat donor. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modified crisis intervention for personality disorder.

PubMed

Rudnick, A

1998-01-01

This study proposes that the goal of crisis intervention for persons with personality disorders should be to return them to their pre-crisis level of functioning, even though this is maladaptive. This is contrasted with standard crisis intervention, which aims to return normal or neurotic persons to their pre-crisis normal or neurotic functioning, usually by means of few and short-term therapeutic encounters. The modification proposed costs more time and resources in persons with personality disorders in crisis and fits the intervention to the personality type. This is illustrated by the case of Eve, a patient in crisis, whose pre-crisis functioning was maladaptive because of a dependent personality disorder. The goal of (modified) crisis intervention in this case was to return the patient to her dependent lifestyle, by means of pharmacotherapy combined with intensive supportive psychotherapy during 3-4 months of partial (day) hospitalization. The special nature of crisis in personality disorders is discussed.

Investigation of market efficiency and Financial Stability between S&P 500 and London Stock Exchange: Monthly and yearly Forecasting of Time Series Stock Returns using ARMA model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rounaghi, Mohammad Mahdi; Nassir Zadeh, Farzaneh

2016-08-01

We investigated the presence and changes in, long memory features in the returns and volatility dynamics of S&P 500 and London Stock Exchange using ARMA model. Recently, multifractal analysis has been evolved as an important way to explain the complexity of financial markets which can hardly be described by linear methods of efficient market theory. In financial markets, the weak form of the efficient market hypothesis implies that price returns are serially uncorrelated sequences. In other words, prices should follow a random walk behavior. The random walk hypothesis is evaluated against alternatives accommodating either unifractality or multifractality. Several studies find that the return volatility of stocks tends to exhibit long-range dependence, heavy tails, and clustering. Because stochastic processes with self-similarity possess long-range dependence and heavy tails, it has been suggested that self-similar processes be employed to capture these characteristics in return volatility modeling. The present study applies monthly and yearly forecasting of Time Series Stock Returns in S&P 500 and London Stock Exchange using ARMA model. The statistical analysis of S&P 500 shows that the ARMA model for S&P 500 outperforms the London stock exchange and it is capable for predicting medium or long horizons using real known values. The statistical analysis in London Stock Exchange shows that the ARMA model for monthly stock returns outperforms the yearly. ​A comparison between S&P 500 and London Stock Exchange shows that both markets are efficient and have Financial Stability during periods of boom and bust.

Immediate post-concussion assessment and cognitive testing (ImPACT) practices of sports medicine professionals.

PubMed

Covassin, Tracey; Elbin, Robert J; Stiller-Ostrowski, Jennifer L; Kontos, Anthony P

2009-01-01

Computerized neurocognitive testing is becoming popular among clinicians evaluating sport-related concussions across all levels of sport. Baseline neurocognitive testing has been recommended to provide more accurate representation of the preconcussion cognitive status of individual athletes. However, little is known about the use of baseline neurocognitive testing in concussion assessment and management. To examine implementation and practice trends of sports medicine professionals using baseline neurocognitive testing at the high school and collegiate levels. Quantitative survey research. Online survey. Certified athletic trainers (ATs) from approximately 1209 US institutions listed on the ImPACT Web site were recruited. A total of 399 ATs completed the survey, for a response return rate of 32.7%. Survey questions addressed educational level, years of certification, employment setting, percentage of athletes baseline tested, and accuracy of baseline tests. Other items addressed postconcussive neurocognitive testing protocols and scenarios for return-to-play decisions based on neurocognitive testing. Nearly all ATs (94.7%) administered baseline computerized neurocognitive testing to their athletes. However, only 51.9% examined these baseline tests for validity. The majority of ATs indicated that they administer baseline neurocognitive tests most frequently to football players (88.4%), followed by women's soccer players (78.8%) and men's soccer players (71.2%). Nearly all respondents (95.5%) stated that they would not return a symptomatic athlete to play if the athlete's neurocognitive scores were back to baseline. However, when asked if they would return an athlete who is symptom free but who scores below his or her baseline, 86.5% responded no, 9.8% responded yes, and 3.8% indicated that it depended on the importance of the competition. The use of baseline testing, baseline testing readministration, and postconcussion protocols among ATs is increasing. However, the ATs in this study reported that they relied more on symptoms than on neurocognitive test scores when making return-to-play decisions.

The Returns to Educational Training in Math and Science for American Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hills, Stephen M.; De Souza, Gita

The economic returns of taking math and science courses in high school are estimated for women who do not go on to college and for women entrepreneurs. A human capital model is used to estimate returns for respondents drawn from the National Longitudinal Survey's New Youth Cohort. Wage rates in 1990 of women who were ages 14-21 in 1979 were…

Returns to Investment in Ontario University Education, 1960-1990, and Implications for Tuition Fee Policy. Discussion Series, Issue 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stager, David A. A.

This analysis of Ontario's returns to investment and implications for tuition fee policy updates a 1989 publication titled "Focus on Fees." The paper examines: data on public and private return on investment (ROI) from university education, pattern of ROI rates over time, and impact of tuition fee levels on estimated ROI for various…

Can Competitive Athletes Return to High-Level Play After Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation of the Knee?

PubMed

McCarthy, Mark A; Meyer, Maximilian A; Weber, Alexander E; Levy, David M; Tilton, Annemarie K; Yanke, Adam B; Cole, Brian J

2017-09-01

To investigate functional outcomes among competitive athletes undergoing osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation of the knee, including rates of return to play (RTP), and factors preventing RTP. A retrospective review identified all competitive athletes (high school, intercollegiate, professional) undergoing isolated femoral condyle OCA from 2004 to 2013. Patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires (Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC], Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score [KOOS], Western Ontario and McMasters Universities Arthritis Index [WOMAC], 12-Item Short Form Health Survey [SF-12], Tegner, and Marx) and custom RTP surveys were administered. All subsequent reoperations were documented. Thirteen athletes (4 intercollegiate, 9 high-school) were identified with an average follow-up of 5.9 ± 2.5 years. Seven athletes (54%) returned to competitive sport at an average of 7.9 ± 3.5 months, 5 of whom returned to preinjury functional levels. Of the 8 athletes who either did not return to competitive sport or failed to sustain their high level of play, the most common reasons cited were graduation from high school or college (4 patients, 50%) or fear of reinjury (3 patients, 38%). All 4 patients citing graduation as the primary factor preventing return to preinjury level of competitive sport resumed recreational sport without limitations, yielding an adjusted RTP rate of 10 patients (77%) who either returned to competitive play or believed they could return if they had not graduated. At final follow-up, athletes reported significant improvements in all PRO scores except for KOOS-Sport, WOMAC-Stiffness, and SF-12 Mental subscales. There were 3 reoperations at an average of 3.8 ± 3.3 years after the index OCA. There were no instances of graft failure. OCAs provide an adjusted RTP rate of 77% for high-level adolescent athletes. Social factors may be more likely than persistent pain to prevent return to sport. Level IV, therapeutic case series. Copyright © 2017 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of a Nurse-Delivered Intervention to Prevent and Delay Postpartum Return to Smoking: The Quit for Two Trial.

PubMed

Pollak, Kathryn I; Fish, Laura J; Lyna, Pauline; Peterson, Bercedis L; Myers, Evan R; Gao, Xiaomei; Swamy, Geeta K; Brown-Johnson, Angela; Whitecar, Paul; Bilheimer, Alicia K; Pletsch, Pamela K

2016-10-01

Most pregnant women who quit smoking return to smoking postpartum. Trials to prevent this return have been unsuccessful. We tested the efficacy of a nurse-delivered intervention in maintaining smoking abstinence after delivery among pregnant women who quit smoking that was tailored on their high risk of relapse (eg, had strong intentions to return). We recruited 382 English-speaking spontaneous pregnant quitters from 14 prenatal clinics and randomized them to receive either a smoking abstinence booklet plus newsletters about parenting and stress (control) or a nurse-delivered smoking abstinence intervention that differed in intensity for the high and low risk groups. Our primary outcome was smoking abstinence at 12 months postpartum. Using intent-to-treat analyses, there was a high rate of biochemically validated smoking abstinence at 12 months postpartum but no arm differences ( 36% [95% confidence interval [CI]: 29-43] vs. 35% [95% CI: 28-43], P = .81). Among women at low risk of returning to smoking, the crude abstinence rate was significantly higher in the control arm (46%) than in the intervention arm (33%); among women at high risk of returning to smoking, the crude abstinence rate was slightly lower but not different in the control arm (31%) than in the intervention arm (37%). Low-risk women fared better with a minimal intervention that focused on parenting skills and stress than when they received an intensive smoking abstinence intervention. The opposite was true for women who were at high risk of returning to smoking. Clinicians might need to tailor their approach based on whether women are at high or low risk of returning to smoking. Results suggest that high-risk and low-risk women might benefit from different types of smoking relapse interventions. Those who are lower risk of returning to smoking might benefit from stress reduction that is devoid of smoking content, whereas those who are higher risk might benefit from smoking relapse prevention. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Return to Play and Patient Satisfaction After ACL Reconstruction: Study with Minimum 2-Year Follow-up.

PubMed

Nwachukwu, Benedict U; Voleti, Pramod B; Berkanish, Patricia; Chang, Brenda; Cohn, Matthew R; Williams, Riley J; Allen, Answorth A

2017-05-03

Return to play and patient satisfaction after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) have been inconsistently studied. The purposes of this study were to (1) investigate rates and predictors of return to play after ACLR, (2) evaluate patient satisfaction after ACLR, and (3) analyze the relationship between return to play and satisfaction with the result of ACLR. Eligible patients were active athletes included in an institutional ACL registry who had undergone ACLR and had been followed for a minimum of 2 years. A questionnaire was administered to elicit information regarding factors associated with return to play, sports performance, reinjury, and overall patient satisfaction. The Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare return to play with patient satisfaction. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify demographic, sports, and clinical factors associated with return to play. Two hundred and thirty-two patients with a mean age of 26.7 years (standard deviation [SD] = 12.5 years) who had been followed for a mean of 3.7 years were enrolled. Of 231 patients who responded to the return-to-play question, 201 (87.0%) had returned to play, at a mean of 10.1 months; of 175 athletes eligible to return to their prior level of competition, 89.1% had done so. Overall satisfaction was high: 85.4% were very satisfied with the outcome and 98.1% stated that they would have surgery again. Patients were more likely to respond "very satisfied" if they had returned to play (p < 0.001). Use of a patellar tendon autograft (odds ratio [OR] = 5.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.32 to 25.76) increased the chance of returning to play whereas playing soccer (OR = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.08 to 0.66) or lacrosse (OR = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.06 to 0.99) preoperatively decreased the likelihood of returning to play. The rates of return to play and patient satisfaction are high after ACLR in active athletes. The use of patellar tendon autograft increased the likelihood of returning to play whereas preinjury participation in soccer and lacrosse decreased these odds. Additionally, patients who returned to play were more likely to be very satisfied with the result of the ACLR. Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Return to work after renal transplantation: a study of the Brazilian Public Social Security System.

PubMed

Messias, Alexandre Augusto; Reichelt, Angela J; Dos Santos, Edson F; Albuquerque, Galton C; Kramer, José S P; Hirakata, Vania N; Garcia, Valter D

2014-12-15

Return to work is an objective parameter used worldwide to evaluate the success of organ transplantation and is especially feasible after renal transplantation. This study sought to describe the frequency of return to work after renal transplantation and related characteristics. Retrospective cohort of 511 isolated kidney transplant recipients was recruited from a Brazilian referral center from January 2005 to December 2009; all were matched to the public social security database to determine inclusion and benefit awards, as well as the rate of resumption of contributions to the public social security system, a surrogate marker of work rehabilitation. Characteristics associated with work return were analyzed. No social security records were found for 28 subjects. The remaining 483 subjects had a mean age of 45±13 years; 62% were male; 401 (83%) received some public social security benefit; 298 were paying dues and could, therefore, receive temporary or permanent disability benefits. Of these, 78 subjects made social security payments after transplantation, resulting in a work return rate of 26% (95% confidence interval, 21-32). Younger age, living donor graft, and chronic glomerulonephritis were significantly associated with return to work. In Brazil, most renal transplant recipients are on social security benefits, but only a small proportion return to work after surgery. Clinical characteristics may help define work resumption trends.

Impact of After Visit Summaries on Patient Return Rates at an Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Clinic

PubMed Central

Carter, Sarah Uma; Watanabe, Mika

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective: To determine whether an after visit summary (AVS) provided to patients at the conclusion of their first acupuncture treatments affects the number of times patients return for follow-up treatments, a retrospective cohort study was performed. Materials and Methods: Two random samples of 100 new patient records (N=200) at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine's (OCOM) outpatient clinics in Portland, OR, were reviewed over a 3-month period before and after the implementation of using the AVS. Patients who had been seen previously at any of the college clinics were excluded. The number of return visits recorded in the MediSoft™ database was hand counted for each patient. Results: The use of an AVS did not significantly change the mean number of return visits for acupuncture (2-sided p-value=0.91), but there was a trend toward more frequent returns by patients who received AVS, compared to those who did not (2-sided p-value=0.0827, relative risk [RR]: 1.51, confidence interval [CI] 0.95–2.41). Conclusions: These data support the concept that the AVS has a positive influence on patient return rates. In this study, patients who received an AVS were 51% more likely to return for 5 visits than patients who did not receive an AVS. PMID:25184014

International Space Station Crew Return Vehicle: X-38. Educational Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC.

The International Space Station (ISS) will provide the world with an orbiting laboratory that will have long-duration micro-gravity experimentation capability. The crew size for this facility will depend upon the crew return capability. The first crews will consist of three astronauts from Russia and the United States. The crew is limited to three…

Conservation of disturbance-dependent birds in eastern North America

Treesearch

William C. Hunter; David A. Buehler; Ronald A. Canterbury; John L. Confer; Paul B. Hamel

2001-01-01

Populations of most bird species associated with grassland, shrub-scrub habitats, and disturbed areas in forested habitats (hereafter all referred to as disturbance-dependent species) have declined steeply. However, a widespread perception exists that disturbance-dependent species are merely returning to population levels likely found by the first European explorers...

The role of breast-feeding beyond postpartum amenorrhoea on the return of fertility in India: a life table and hazards model analysis.

PubMed

Nath, D C; Land, K C; Singh, K K

1994-04-01

This paper investigates the effects of continued breast-feeding after resumption of menses on fertility, using data from two retrospective surveys in India and single decrement life table and multivariate time-dependent hazards analyses. Breast-feeding even after the return of menses is found to be associated with longer birth intervals. The interaction of breast-feeding duration after resumption of menses and postpartum amenorrhoea has a significant effect on the risk of conception after return of menses.

Probabilistic model of nonlinear penalties due to collision-induced timing jitter for calculation of the bit error ratio in wavelength-division-multiplexed return-to-zero systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinkin, Oleg V.; Grigoryan, Vladimir S.; Menyuk, Curtis R.

2006-12-01

We introduce a fully deterministic, computationally efficient method for characterizing the effect of nonlinearity in optical fiber transmission systems that utilize wavelength-division multiplexing and return-to-zero modulation. The method accurately accounts for bit-pattern-dependent nonlinear distortion due to collision-induced timing jitter and for amplifier noise. We apply this method to calculate the error probability as a function of channel spacing in a prototypical multichannel return-to-zero undersea system.

“Slimming” of power-law tails by increasing market returns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sornette, D.

2002-06-01

We introduce a simple generalization of rational bubble models which removes the fundamental problem discovered by Lux and Sornette (J. Money, Credit and Banking, preprint at http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/cond-mat/9910141) that the distribution of returns is a power law with exponent <1, in contradiction with empirical data. The idea is that the price fluctuations associated with bubbles must on average grow with the mean market return r. When r is larger than the discount rate rδ, the distribution of returns of the observable price, sum of the bubble component and of the fundamental price, exhibits an intermediate tail with an exponent which can be larger than 1. This regime r> rδ corresponds to a generalization of the rational bubble model in which the fundamental price is no more given by the discounted value of future dividends. We explain how this is possible. Our model predicts that, the higher is the market remuneration r above the discount rate, the larger is the power-law exponent and thus the thinner is the tail of the distribution of price returns.

Return to sport following clavicle fractures: a systematic review.

PubMed

Robertson, G A J; Wood, A M

2016-09-01

This review aims to provide information on the return rates and return times to sport following clavicle fractures. A systematic search of Medline, EMBASE, CINAHAL, Cochrane, Web of Science, PEDro, SPORTDiscus, Scopus and Google Scholar was performed using the keywords 'clavicle', 'clavicular', 'fractures', 'athletes', 'sports', 'non-operative', 'conservative', 'operative', 'return to sport'. Twenty-three studies were included: 10 reported on mid-shaft fractures, 14 on lateral fractures. The management principles for athletic patients were to attempt non-operative management for undisplaced fractures to undertake operative intervention for displaced lateral fractures and to recommend operative intervention for displaced mid-shaft fractures. The optimal surgical modality for mid-shaft and lateral clavicle fractures. Operative management of displaced mid-shaft fractures offers improved return rates and times to sport compared to non-operative management. Suture fixation and non-acromio-clavicular joint (ACJ)-spanning plate fixation of displaced lateral fractures show promising results. Future prospective studies should aim to establish the optimal treatment modalities for clavicle fractures. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Strategies to Maximize Data Collection Response Rates in a Randomized Control Trial Focused on Children with Medical Complexity.

PubMed

Finkelstein, Stanley M; Celebrezze, Margaret; Cady, Rhonda; Lunos, Scott; Looman, Wendy S

2016-04-01

Obtaining complete and timely subject data is key to the success of clinical trials, particularly for studies requiring data collected from subjects at home or other remote sites. A multifaceted strategy for data collection in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) focused on care coordination for children with medical complexity is described. The influences of data collection mode, incentives, and study group membership on subject response patterns are analyzed. Data collection included monthly healthcare service utilization (HCSU) calendars and annual surveys focused on care coordination outcomes. One hundred sixty-three families were enrolled in the 30-month TeleFamilies RCT. Subjects were 2-15 years of age at enrollment. HCSU data were collected by parent/guardian self-report using mail, e-mail, telephone, or texting. Surveys were collected by mail. Incentives were provided for completed surveys after 8 months to improve collection returns. Outcome measures were the number of HCSU calendars and surveys returned, the return interval, data collection mode, and incentive impact. Return rates of 90% for HCSU calendars and 82% for annual surveys were achieved. Mean return intervals were 72 and 65 days for HCSU and surveys, respectively. Survey response increased from 55% to 95% after introduction of a gift card and added research staff. High return rates for HCSU calendars and health-related surveys are attainable but required a flexible and personnel-intensive approach to collection methods. Family preference for data collection approach should be obtained at enrollment, should be modified as needed, and requires flexible options, training, intensive staff/family interaction, and patience.

Return to Sport in the Younger Patient With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

PubMed Central

Webster, Kate E.; Feller, Julian A.; Whitehead, Timothy S.; Myer, Gregory D.; Merory, Peter B.

2017-01-01

Background: Although anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is generally regarded as a successful procedure, only 65% of patients return to their preinjury sport. While return-to-sport rates are likely higher in younger patients, there is a paucity of data that focus on the younger patient and their return-to-sport experience after ACL reconstruction. Purpose: To investigate a range of return-to-sport outcomes in younger athletes who had undergone ACL reconstruction surgery. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A group of 140 young patients (<20 years old at surgery) who had 1 ACL reconstruction and no subsequent ACL injuries completed a survey regarding details of their sport participation at a mean follow-up of 5 years (range, 3-7 years). Results: Overall, 76% (95% CI, 69%-83%) of the young patient group returned to the same preinjury sport. Return rates were higher for males than females (81% vs 71%, respectively; P > .05). Of those who returned to their sport, 65% reported that they could perform as well as before the ACL injury and 66% were still currently participating in their respective sport. Young athletes who never returned to sport cited fear of a new injury (37%) or study/work commitments (30%) as the primary reasons for dropout. For those who had successfully returned to their preinjury sport but subsequently stopped participating, the most common reason cited for stopping was study/work commitments (53%). At a mean 5-year follow-up, 48% of female patients were still participating in level I (jumping, hard pivoting) sports, as were 54% of males. Conclusion: A high percentage of younger patients return to their preinjury sport after ACL reconstruction surgery. For patients in this cohort who had not sustained a second ACL injury, the majority continue to participate and are satisfied with their performance. PMID:28473996

Economic feasibility of manufacturing COM-PLY floor joists

Treesearch

Gerald A. Koenigshof

1983-01-01

Investments, production costs, and probable returns for manufacture of COM-PLY floor joists are presented. The report shows that it is possible to obtain a 25 percent or greater after-tax internal rate of return on the investment

A Coupled Model for Simulating Future Wildfire Regimes in the Western U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bart, R. R.; Kennedy, M. C.; Tague, C.; Hanan, E. J.

2017-12-01

Higher temperatures and larger fuel loads in the western U.S. have increased the size and intensity of wildfires over the past decades. However, it is unclear if this trend will continue over the long-term since increased wildfire activity has the countering effect of reducing landscape fuel loads, while higher temperatures alter the rate of vegetation recovery following fire. In this study, we introduce a coupled ecohydrologic-fire model for investigating how changes in vegetation, forest management, climate, and hydrology may affect future fire regimes. The spatially-distributed ecohydrologic model, RHESSys, simulates hydrologic, carbon and nutrient fluxes at watershed scales; the fire-spread model, WMFire, stochastically propagates fire on a landscape based on conditions in the ecohydrologic model. We use the coupled model to replicate fire return intervals in multiple ecoregions within the western U.S., including the southern Sierra Nevada and southern California. We also examine the sensitivity of fire return intervals to various model processes, including litter production, fire severity, and post-fire vegetation recovery rates. Results indicate that the coupled model is able to replicate expected fire return intervals in the selected locations. Fire return intervals were highly sensitive to the rate of vegetation growth, with longer fire return intervals associated with slower growing vegetation. Application of the model is expected to aid in our understanding of how fuel treatments, climate change and droughts may affect future fire regimes.

Geography, Not Health System Affiliations, Determines Patients' Revisits to the Emergency Department.

PubMed

Rising, Kristin L; Karp, David N; Powell, Rhea E; Victor, Timothy W; Carr, Brendan G

2018-04-01

To determine how frequently patients revisit the emergency department after an initial encounter, and to describe revisit capture rates for the same hospital, health system, and geographic region. Florida state data from January 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011, from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. This is a retrospective cohort study of emergency department return visits among Florida adults over an 18-month period. We evaluated pairs of index and 30-day return emergency department visits and compared capture rates for hospital, health system, and geographic units. Data were obtained from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project and the American Hospital Association Annual Survey Database. Among 9,416,212 emergency department visits, 22.6 percent (2,124,441) were associated with a 30-day return. Seventy percent (1,477,772) of 30-day returns occurred to the same hospital. The 30-day return capture rates were highest within the same geographic area: county-level capture at 92 percent (IQR=86-96 percent) versus health system capture at 75 percent (IQR = 68-81 percent). Acute care utilization patterns are often independent of health system boundaries. Current population-based health care models that attribute patients to a single provider or health system may be strengthened by considering geographic patterns of acute care utilization. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Claim rates of compensable back injuries by age, gender, occupation, and industry. Do they relate to return-to-work experience?

PubMed

Gluck, J V; Oleinick, A

1998-07-15

A retrospective cohort study of Michigan workers' compensation cases involving back injuries in 1986 and 1987 with incidence and outcome data. To determine claim rates by age, gender, and industry or occupation for compensable back injuries and to investigate the relation between occupation and return to work. The cohort of 24,094 Michigan workers' compensation cases from 1986 and 1987 in which claimants were compensated for back injuries was reviewed. Compensation eligibility requires more than 7 days' disability after injury. Claim rates for back injuries by age, gender, and industry or occupation using employment data interpolated from 1980 and 1990 Census 1% Public Use Microdata Samples. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed for return to work in the first 8 weeks after injury, with occupation coded at the three-digit level. All-age claim rates for Michigan compensable back injuries by occupation ranged between 0.03% and 1.7% annually (0.39% for all cases) and were generally higher in women in white collar occupations and in men in blue collar occupations. The claim rate peaked in men in the 25-34 year range, with the highest rates in manual labor occupations. The peak claim rates by age were less marked in women, tending to occur broadly throughout the 25-44-year range. Similar all-age values were recorded by industry. The male-to-female risk ratio over all occupations does not vary by age and is approximately 1.4:1. As the classification of occupation became more detailed, large differences in risk were documented within major occupation groups. The highest risk in this study was approximately 6% annually for 25-44 year old men in driver-sales (beverage truck drivers and delivery workers). Only 7 of 40 occupation categories showed a significant relative hazard for return to work in the first 8 weeks after injury, and these were blue collar occupations with earlier return than the reference sales category. For Michigan compensable back injuries, a rough estimate of the true annual incidence of new claims is 94% of the reported claim rate. The relative risk of compensable back injury is generally higher for females in white collar occupations, higher for males in blue collar occupations and approximately equal in service occupations. Although the risk of back injury is related to occupation, the same occupational factors do not operate as a barrier to return to work.

Healthcare Utilization Rates after Oregon's 2008 Medicaid Expansion: Within-and between-group differences over time among New, Returning, and Continuously Insured Enrollees

PubMed Central

O'Malley, Jean P.; Rosetti, Maureen O'Keeffe; Lowe, Robert A.; Angier, Heather; Gold, Rachel; Marino, Miguel; Hatch, Brigit; Hoopes, Megan; Bailey, Steffani R.; Heintzman, John; Gallia, Charles; DeVoe, Jennifer E.

2016-01-01

Background Although past research demonstrated that Medicaid expansions were associated with increased emergency department (ED) and primary care (PC) utilization, little is known about how long this increased utilization persists or whether post-coverage utilization is affected by prior insurance status. Objectives (1) To assess changes in ED, PC, mental and behavioral health care (MBHC), and specialty care visit rates among individuals gaining Medicaid over 24 months post-insurance gain; (2) To evaluate the association of previous insurance with utilization. Methods Using claims data, we conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of adults insured for 24 months following Oregon's 2008 Medicaid expansion. Utilization rates among 1,124 new and 1,587 returning enrollees were compared to those among 5,126 enrollees with continuous Medicaid coverage (≥1 year pre-expansion). Visit rates were adjusted for propensity score classes and geographic region. Results PC visit rates in both newly and returning insured individuals significantly exceeded those in the continuously insured in months four through 12, but were not significantly elevated in the second year. In contrast, ED utilization rates were significantly higher in returning insured compared to newly or continuously insured individuals and remained elevated over time. New visits to PC and specialist care were higher among those who gained Medicaid compared to the continuously insured throughout the study period. Conclusions Predicting the effect of insurance expansion on healthcare utilization should account for the prior coverage history of new enrollees. Additionally, utilization of outpatient services changes with time after insurance, so expansion evaluations should allow for rate stabilization. PMID:27547943

Influence of footwear designed to boost energy return on running economy in comparison to a conventional running shoe.

PubMed

Sinclair, J; Mcgrath, R; Brook, O; Taylor, P J; Dillon, S

2016-01-01

Running economy is a reflection of the amount of inspired oxygen required to maintain a given velocity and is considered a determining factor for running performance. Athletic footwear has been advocated as a mechanism by which running economy can be enhanced. New commercially available footwear has been developed in order to increase energy return, although their efficacy has not been investigated. This study aimed to examine the effects of energy return footwear on running economy in relation to conventional running shoes. Twelve male runners completed 6-min steady-state runs in conventional and energy return footwear. Overall, oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate, respiratory exchange ratio, shoe comfort and rating of perceived exertion were assessed. Moreover, participants subjectively indicated which shoe condition they preferred for running. Differences in shoe comfort and physiological parameters were examined using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, whilst shoe preferences were tested using a chi-square analysis. The results showed that VO2 and respiratory exchange ratio were significantly lower, and shoe comfort was significantly greater, in the energy return footwear. Given the relationship between running economy and running performance, these observations indicate that the energy return footwear may be associated with enhanced running performance in comparison to conventional shoes.

The Effects of Twitter Sentiment on Stock Price Returns

PubMed Central

Ranco, Gabriele; Aleksovski, Darko; Caldarelli, Guido; Grčar, Miha; Mozetič, Igor

2015-01-01

Social media are increasingly reflecting and influencing behavior of other complex systems. In this paper we investigate the relations between a well-known micro-blogging platform Twitter and financial markets. In particular, we consider, in a period of 15 months, the Twitter volume and sentiment about the 30 stock companies that form the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index. We find a relatively low Pearson correlation and Granger causality between the corresponding time series over the entire time period. However, we find a significant dependence between the Twitter sentiment and abnormal returns during the peaks of Twitter volume. This is valid not only for the expected Twitter volume peaks (e.g., quarterly announcements), but also for peaks corresponding to less obvious events. We formalize the procedure by adapting the well-known “event study” from economics and finance to the analysis of Twitter data. The procedure allows to automatically identify events as Twitter volume peaks, to compute the prevailing sentiment (positive or negative) expressed in tweets at these peaks, and finally to apply the “event study” methodology to relate them to stock returns. We show that sentiment polarity of Twitter peaks implies the direction of cumulative abnormal returns. The amount of cumulative abnormal returns is relatively low (about 1–2%), but the dependence is statistically significant for several days after the events. PMID:26390434

ERROR REDUCTION IN DUCT LEAKAGE TESTING THROUGH DATA CROSS-CHECKS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ANDREWS, J.W.

1998-12-31

One way to reduce uncertainty in scientific measurement is to devise a protocol in which more quantities are measured than are absolutely required, so that the result is over constrained. This report develops a method for so combining data from two different tests for air leakage in residential duct systems. An algorithm, which depends on the uncertainty estimates for the measured quantities, optimizes the use of the excess data. In many cases it can significantly reduce the error bar on at least one of the two measured duct leakage rates (supply or return), and it provides a rational method ofmore » reconciling any conflicting results from the two leakage tests.« less

Marginal oil fields, profitable oil at low reserves: How?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Agiza, M.N.; Shaheen, S.E.; Barawi, S.A.

1995-12-31

Fields with recoverable reserves of about five million barrels of oil are considered in Egypt as marginal fields. Economics of Egyptian marginal oil fields depend on non-traditional approaches followed in developing and operating such fields. The actual exploration, development and operating expenses and state fiscal terms were used to evaluate the sensitivity of the economic parameters of such marginal fields. The operator net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) beside the government take are presented for different parameters used. The purpose is to make acceptable profits out of the marginal oil fields, for the mutual benefits ofmore » both the country and the investors.« less

ENERGY SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AND LOAD MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE REHABILITATION AND RETURN TO PLAY PROCESS.

PubMed

Morrison, Scot; Ward, Patrick; duManoir, Gregory R

2017-08-01

Return-to-play from injury is a complex process involving many factors including the balancing of tissue healing rates with the development of biomotor abilities. This process requires interprofessional cooperation to ensure success. An often-overlooked aspect of return-to-play is the development and maintenance of sports specific conditioning while monitoring training load to ensure that the athlete's training stimulus over the rehabilitation period is appropriate to facilitate a successful return to play. The purpose of this clinical commentary is to address the role of energy systems training as part of the return-to-play process. Additionally the aim is to provide practitioners with an overview of practical sports conditioning training methods and monitoring strategies to allow them to direct and quantify the return-to-play process. 5.

How large is the subducted water flux? New constraints on mantle regassing rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parai, R.; Mukhopadhyay, S.

2012-02-01

Estimates of the subducted water (H2O) flux have been used to discuss the regassing of the mantle over Earth history. However, these estimates vary widely, and some are large enough to have reduced the volume of water in the global ocean by a factor of two over the Phanerozoic. In light of uncertainties in the hydration state of subducting slabs, magma production rates and mantle source water contents, we use a Monte Carlo simulation to set limits on long-term global water cycling and the return flux of water to the deep Earth. Estimates of magma production rates and water contents in primary magmas generated at ocean islands, mid-ocean ridges, arcs and back-arcs are paired with estimates of water entering trenches via subducting oceanic slab in order to construct a model of the deep Earth water cycle. The simulation is constrained by reconstructions of Phanerozoic sea level change, which suggest that ocean volume is near steady-state, though a sea level decrease of up to 360 m may be supported. We provide limits on the return flux of water to the deep Earth over the Phanerozoic corresponding to a near steady-state exosphere (0-100 meter sea level decrease) and a maximum sea level decrease of 360 m. For the near steady-state exosphere, the return flux is 1.4 - 2.0- 0.3+ 0.4 × 1013 mol/yr, corresponding to 2-3% serpentinization in 10 km of lithospheric mantle. The return flux that generates the maximum sea level decrease over the Phanerozoic is 3.5- 0.3+ 0.4 × 1013 mol/yr, corresponding to 5% serpentinization in 10 km of lithospheric mantle. Our estimates of the return flux of water to the mantle are up to 7 times lower than previously suggested. The imbalance between our estimates of the return flux and mantle output flux leads to a low rate of increase in bulk mantle water content of up to 24 ppm/Ga.

Lake Roosevelt Fisheries Evaluation Program : Lake Whatcom Kokanee Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka kennerlyi) : Investigations in Lake Roosevelt Annual Report 1999-2000.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McLellan, Holly J.; Scholz, Allan T.; McLellan, Jason G.

2001-07-01

Lake Whatcom stock kokanee have been planted in Lake Roosevelt since 1988 with the primary goal of establishing a self-sustaining fishery. Returns of hatchery kokanee to egg collection facilities and recruitment to the creel have been minimal. Therefore, four experiments were conducted to determine the most appropriate release strategy that would increase kokanee returns. The first experiment compared morpholine and non-morpholine imprinted kokanee return rates, the second experiment compared early and middle run Whatcom kokanee, the third experiment compared early and late release dates, and the fourth experiment compared three net pen release strategies: Sherman Creek hatchery vs. Sherman Creekmore » net pens, Colville River net pens vs. Sherman Creek net pens, and upper vs. lower reservoir net pen releases. Each experiment was tested in three ways: (1) returns to Sherman Creek, (2) returns to other tributaries throughout the reservoir, and (3) returns to the creel. Chi-square analysis of hatchery and tributary returns indicated no significant difference between morpholine imprinted and non-imprinted fish, early run fish outperformed middle run fish, early release date outperformed late release fish, and the hatchery outperformed all net pen releases. Hatchery kokanee harvest was estimated at 3,323 fish, which was 33% of the total harvest. Return rates (1998 = 0.52%) of Whatcom kokanee were low indicating an overall low performance that could be caused by high entrainment, predation, and precocity. A kokanee stock native to the upper Columbia, as opposed to the coastal Whatcom stock, may perform better in Lake Roosevelt.« less

Return to duty and disability after combat-related hindfoot injury.

PubMed

Sheean, Andrew J; Krueger, Chad A; Hsu, Joseph R

2014-11-01

To characterize the return-to-duty (RTD) rates and disability outcomes for soldiers who sustained combat-related hindfoot injuries that were treated with either reconstruction or transtibial amputation (TTA). Retrospective cohort series. Tertiary trauma center. All patients treated for combat-related hindfoot injuries between May 2005 and July 2011. TTA or hindfoot reconstruction/ankle fusion. Age, RTD rate, combined disability, and associated disabling conditions. One hundred twenty-two patients underwent treatment for combat-related hindfoot injuries. Fifty-seven patients were treated with amputation, and 65 patients were treated with hindfoot reconstruction or ankle fusion. The overall RTD rate was 20%. Amputees had a RTD rate of 12%, which was lower than those who had a fusion or hindfoot repair [26% (P < 0.06)]. The disability ratings of amputees were significantly higher than those patients undergoing either ankle fusion or primary hindfoot repair [75% and 62%, respectively (P < 0.006)]. While RTD rates were higher for hindfoot reconstruction or ankle fusion compared with TTA, psychiatric conditions were more common among these patients. Although there were clear differences between both groups, the relationship between true functional outcomes and disability ratings remains unclear and both treatment groups seem to do poorly in terms of returning to active duty. Therapeutic level III. See instructions for authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Mental health of refugees following state-sponsored repatriation from Germany

PubMed Central

von Lersner, Ulrike; Elbert, Thomas; Neuner, Frank

2008-01-01

Background In recent years, Voluntary Assisted Return Programmes (VARPs) have received increasing funding as a potential way of reducing the number of refugees in EU member states. A number of factors may affect the mental well-being of returnees. These include adjustment to the home country following return, difficult living conditions, and long-term effects resulting from the severe traumatic stress that had originally driven the affected out of their homes. Little is known about the extent to which these and other factors may promote or inhibit the willingness of refugees to return to their country of origin. The present pilot study investigated refugees who returned to their country of origin after having lived in exile in Germany for some 13 years. Methods Forty-seven VARP participants were interviewed concerning their present living conditions, their views of their native country, and their attitudes towards a potential return prior to actually returning. 33 participants were interviewed nine months after returning to their country of origin. Mental health and well-being were assessed using the questionnaires Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS) and EUROHIS and the structured Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.). Our objectives were to examine the mental health status of refugees returning to their home country following an extended period of exile. We also aimed to assess the circumstances under which people decided to return, the current living conditions in their home country, and retrospective returnee evaluations of their decision to accept assisted return. Results Prior to returning to their home country, participants showed a prevalence rate of 53% for psychiatric disorders. After returning, this rate increased to a sizeable 88%. Substantial correlations were found between the living situation in Germany, the disposition to return, and mental health. For two thirds of the participants, the decision to return was not voluntary. Conclusion Psychological strain among study participants was of a considerable magnitude. As a result of traumatic stress experienced during war and refuge, victims were vulnerable and not well equipped to cope with either post-migration stressors in exile or with a return to their country of origin. It is noteworthy that the majority returned under pressure from immigration authorities. Living conditions after return (such as housing, work, and health care) were poor and unstable. Participants also had great difficulty readapting to the cultural environment after having lived abroad for an average of 13 years. Current VARPs do not take these factors into account and are therefore not able to assist in a humanitarian reintegration of voluntary returnees. PMID:19000300

Mental health of refugees following state-sponsored repatriation from Germany.

PubMed

von Lersner, Ulrike; Elbert, Thomas; Neuner, Frank

2008-11-10

In recent years, Voluntary Assisted Return Programmes (VARPs) have received increasing funding as a potential way of reducing the number of refugees in EU member states. A number of factors may affect the mental well-being of returnees. These include adjustment to the home country following return, difficult living conditions, and long-term effects resulting from the severe traumatic stress that had originally driven the affected out of their homes. Little is known about the extent to which these and other factors may promote or inhibit the willingness of refugees to return to their country of origin. The present pilot study investigated refugees who returned to their country of origin after having lived in exile in Germany for some 13 years. Forty-seven VARP participants were interviewed concerning their present living conditions, their views of their native country, and their attitudes towards a potential return prior to actually returning. 33 participants were interviewed nine months after returning to their country of origin. Mental health and well-being were assessed using the questionnaires Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS) and EUROHIS and the structured Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.).Our objectives were to examine the mental health status of refugees returning to their home country following an extended period of exile. We also aimed to assess the circumstances under which people decided to return, the current living conditions in their home country, and retrospective returnee evaluations of their decision to accept assisted return. Prior to returning to their home country, participants showed a prevalence rate of 53% for psychiatric disorders. After returning, this rate increased to a sizeable 88%. Substantial correlations were found between the living situation in Germany, the disposition to return, and mental health. For two thirds of the participants, the decision to return was not voluntary. Psychological strain among study participants was of a considerable magnitude. As a result of traumatic stress experienced during war and refuge, victims were vulnerable and not well equipped to cope with either post-migration stressors in exile or with a return to their country of origin. It is noteworthy that the majority returned under pressure from immigration authorities. Living conditions after return (such as housing, work, and health care) were poor and unstable. Participants also had great difficulty readapting to the cultural environment after having lived abroad for an average of 13 years. Current VARPs do not take these factors into account and are therefore not able to assist in a humanitarian reintegration of voluntary returnees.

Raise cutting diameters for increased returns

Treesearch

H. Clay Smith; G. R., Jr. Trimble; Paul S. DeBald

1979-01-01

Diameter-limit cutting is widely used to harvest logs in eastern hardwoods. Studies show that cutting limits are often set so low that they sacrifice financial returns. The value of lumber cut from logs is largely dependent on the diameter, grade, and tree species. As tree size increases so does the proportion of higher grade lumber, and this is reflected in improved...

Financing commercial RLVs: Considering government incentives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenberg, Joel S.

1997-01-01

There appears to be a national goal to achieve a commercial space transportation industry that provides launch services utilizing a fleet of reusable launch vehicles (RLVs). Because of the combination of large required investment, inadequate rate of return, and perceived high risk, industry has indicated that this goal may not be achievable without government support. What form of government support will likely be necessary? Government programs and policies can effect private sector investment decisions by reducing risk perceptions, reducing capital requirements, and increasing expected rates of return. Different programs and policies will have different impacts. For example, tax policies will affect expected return on investment but are likely to have little or no effect on risk perceptions and magnitude of required investment, whereas anchor tenancy is likely to alter risk perceptions and may increase expected rates of return. This paper is concerned with the development of an approach that may be used to identify packages of government incentives that may be required to influence private sector investment decisions so as to achieve the desired goal of a commercial space transportation industry that provides launch services utilizing a fleet of RLVs. The paper discusses the relationship of government incentive programs and policies to the RLV investment decision.

A time-dependent probabilistic seismic-hazard model for California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cramer, C.H.; Petersen, M.D.; Cao, T.; Toppozada, Tousson R.; Reichle, M.

2000-01-01

For the purpose of sensitivity testing and illuminating nonconsensus components of time-dependent models, the California Department of Conservation, Division of Mines and Geology (CDMG) has assembled a time-dependent version of its statewide probabilistic seismic hazard (PSH) model for California. The model incorporates available consensus information from within the earth-science community, except for a few faults or fault segments where consensus information is not available. For these latter faults, published information has been incorporated into the model. As in the 1996 CDMG/U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) model, the time-dependent models incorporate three multisegment ruptures: a 1906, an 1857, and a southern San Andreas earthquake. Sensitivity tests are presented to show the effect on hazard and expected damage estimates of (1) intrinsic (aleatory) sigma, (2) multisegment (cascade) vs. independent segment (no cascade) ruptures, and (3) time-dependence vs. time-independence. Results indicate that (1) differences in hazard and expected damage estimates between time-dependent and independent models increase with decreasing intrinsic sigma, (2) differences in hazard and expected damage estimates between full cascading and not cascading are insensitive to intrinsic sigma, (3) differences in hazard increase with increasing return period (decreasing probability of occurrence), and (4) differences in moment-rate budgets increase with decreasing intrinsic sigma and with the degree of cascading, but are within the expected uncertainty in PSH time-dependent modeling and do not always significantly affect hazard and expected damage estimates.

When it is too hot for photosynthesis: heat-induced instability of photosynthesis in relation to respiratory burst, cell permeability changes and H₂O₂ formation.

PubMed

Hüve, Katja; Bichele, Irina; Rasulov, Bahtijor; Niinemets, Ulo

2011-01-01

Photosynthesis rate (A(n)) becomes unstable above a threshold temperature, and the recovery upon return to low temperature varies because of reasons not fully understood. We investigated responses of A(n), dark respiration and chlorophyll fluorescence to supraoptimal temperatures of varying duration and kinetics in Phaseolus vulgaris asking whether the instability of photosynthesis under severe heat stress is associated with cellular damage. Cellular damage was assessed by Evans blue penetration (enhanced membrane permeability) and by H₂O₂ generation [3,3'-diaminobenzidine 4HCl (DAB)-staining]. Critical temperature for dark fluorescence (F(0) ) rise (T(F)) was at 46-48 °C, and a burst of respiration was observed near T(F). However, A(n) was strongly inhibited already before T(F) was reached. Membrane permeability increased with temperature according to a switch-type response, with enhanced permeability observed above 48 °C. Experiments with varying heat pulse lengths and intensities underscored the threshold-type loss of photosynthetic function, and indicated that the degree of photosynthetic deterioration and cellular damage depended on accumulated heat-dose. Beyond the 'point of no return', propagation of cellular damage and reduction of photosynthesis continued upon transfer to lower temperatures and photosynthetic recovery was slow or absent. We conclude that instability of photosynthesis under severe heat stress is associated with time-dependent propagation of cellular lesions. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Distal Fibula Fractures in National Football League Athletes.

PubMed

Werner, Brian C; Mack, Christina; Franke, Kristina; Barnes, Ronnie P; Warren, Russell F; Rodeo, Scott A

2017-09-01

Despite the frequency of distal fibula fractures in elite athletes and the significant potential impact on the athletes' season and future careers, little data exist characterizing the epidemiology of these injuries or, more importantly, return to competition. To (1) evaluate the incidence of acute distal fibula fractures in National Football League (NFL) athletes, including isolated distal fibula and combined ankle fracture patterns; (2) analyze distal fibula fracture rates in NFL athletes by position, type of play, and contact type; (3) determine the rates of distal fibula fracture surgery in NFL athletes; and (4) report the days missed due to distal fibula fractures in NFL athletes. Descriptive epidemiology study. A retrospective review of distal fibula fractures reported to the NFL from 2000 to 2014 was performed using the NFL Injury Surveillance System. All distal fibula fractures were included, along with isolated and combined fracture patterns. Stress fractures and proximal fibula fractures were excluded. Epidemiological data and rates of surgery were determined. Return to sport was calculated and stratified by injury pattern and management. Overall, 237 distal fibula fractures in NFL athletes from 2000 to 2014 were included; 197 (83%) were isolated distal fibula fractures. A mean of 16 distal fibula fractures occurred each year (median, 16 per year). Fractures occurred most frequently on running (38%) and passing (24%) plays, but the frequency was next highest on kickoffs (16%), despite the relative infrequency of kickoffs during the average game compared with other play types. Surgery was reported for more than half of all distal fibula fractures (n = 128, 54%). Overall, patients who underwent surgery missed significantly more days (mean, 123.8 days) than players who did not undergo surgery (mean, 75.3 days) ( P < .001). Players with isolated distal fibula fractures had significantly fewer days missed (mean, 93.6 days) compared with those with combined patterns (mean, 132.3 days) ( P = .0004). Fibula fractures affect a number of NFL athletes and result in significant time missed from competition. Further research is required to determine the optimal management of fibula fractures in NFL athletes. In this study, time to return to play depended on both the fracture pattern and whether surgery was required and ranged from 72 to 145 days.

Seasonal variation and solar activity dependence of the quiet-time ionospheric trough

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishida, T.; Ogawa, Y.; Kadokura, A.; Hiraki, Y.; Häggström, I.

2014-08-01

We have conducted a statistical analysis of the ionospheric F region trough, focusing on its seasonal variation and solar activity dependence under geomagnetically quiet and moderate conditions, using plasma parameter data obtained via Common Program 3 observations performed by the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) radar between 1982 and 2011. We have confirmed that there is a major difference in frictional heating between the high- and low-latitude sides of the EISCAT field of view (FOV) at ~73°0'N-60°5'N (geomagnetic latitude) at an altitude of 325 km, which is associated with trough formation. Our statistical results show that the high-latitude and midlatitude troughs occur on the high- and low-latitude sides of the FOV, respectively. Seasonal variations indicate that dissociative recombination accompanied by frictional heating is a main cause of trough formation in sunlit regions. During summer, therefore, the occurrence rate is maintained at 80-90% in the postmidnight high-latitude region owing to frictional heating by eastward return flow. Solar activity dependence on trough formation indicates that field-aligned currents modulate the occurrence rate of the trough during the winter and equinox seasons. In addition, the trough becomes deeper via dissociative recombination caused by an increased ion temperature with F10.7, at least in the equinox and summer seasons but not in winter.

Mini-open repair of achilles rupture in the national football league.

PubMed

McCullough, Kirk A; Shaw, Christopher M; Anderson, Robert B

2014-01-01

Tears of the Achilles tendon in professional athletes are an infrequent yet devastating injury. Historical studies have demonstrated not only a poor rate of return to competitive play but have also noted significant declines in performance for those able to return. While classic treatment of these injuries in the competitive athlete has been an open, locked suture repair, this article reports on a consecutive series of professional football athletes who underwent mini-open repair. All athletes returned to professional football, with seven out of nine (78%) returning to National Football League (NFL) competition. Average return to play was 273 days (8.9 months), with one athlete returning at 166 days (5.4 months). There have been no reruptures and no sural nerve or wound healing complications. Although limited in number currently, mini-open repair in NFL athletes has allowed successful return to competitive play with no reruptures and a trend toward faster return to play compared with historical open repair outcomes.

Twelve fundamental life histories evolving through allocation-dependent fecundity and survival.

PubMed

Johansson, Jacob; Brännström, Åke; Metz, Johan A J; Dieckmann, Ulf

2018-03-01

An organism's life history is closely interlinked with its allocation of energy between growth and reproduction at different life stages. Theoretical models have established that diminishing returns from reproductive investment promote strategies with simultaneous investment into growth and reproduction (indeterminate growth) over strategies with distinct phases of growth and reproduction (determinate growth). We extend this traditional, binary classification by showing that allocation-dependent fecundity and mortality rates allow for a large diversity of optimal allocation schedules. By analyzing a model of organisms that allocate energy between growth and reproduction, we find twelve types of optimal allocation schedules, differing qualitatively in how reproductive allocation increases with body mass. These twelve optimal allocation schedules include types with different combinations of continuous and discontinuous increase in reproduction allocation, in which phases of continuous increase can be decelerating or accelerating. We furthermore investigate how this variation influences growth curves and the expected maximum life span and body size. Our study thus reveals new links between eco-physiological constraints and life-history evolution and underscores how allocation-dependent fitness components may underlie biological diversity.

Estimation of value at risk in currency exchange rate portfolio using asymmetric GJR-GARCH Copula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurrahmat, Mohamad Husein; Noviyanti, Lienda; Bachrudin, Achmad

2017-03-01

In this study, we discuss the problem in measuring the risk in a portfolio based on value at risk (VaR) using asymmetric GJR-GARCH Copula. The approach based on the consideration that the assumption of normality over time for the return can not be fulfilled, and there is non-linear correlation for dependent model structure among the variables that lead to the estimated VaR be inaccurate. Moreover, the leverage effect also causes the asymmetric effect of dynamic variance and shows the weakness of the GARCH models due to its symmetrical effect on conditional variance. Asymmetric GJR-GARCH models are used to filter the margins while the Copulas are used to link them together into a multivariate distribution. Then, we use copulas to construct flexible multivariate distributions with different marginal and dependence structure, which is led to portfolio joint distribution does not depend on the assumptions of normality and linear correlation. VaR obtained by the analysis with confidence level 95% is 0.005586. This VaR derived from the best Copula model, t-student Copula with marginal distribution of t distribution.

Efficient Portfolios of the Energy Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikonov, Oleg I.; Medvedeva, Marina A.

2011-09-01

The goal of the research is to apply the methods of Portfolio Theory to a set of technologies instead of to a set of securities on a stock market (as it is the case in the original model). Assets on the stock market are objects that have risk and return, parameters that depend on uncertain factors and thus are uncertain. The returns from the use of technologies also depend on uncertain factors and thus each technology has a certain amount of risk. The simultaneous use of technologies could diversify the risks that are associated with technologies just the same way as diversification works on the stock market.

Return to work in sick-listed cancer survivors with job loss: design of a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

van Egmond, Martine P; Duijts, Saskia F A; Vermeulen, Sylvia J; van der Beek, Allard J; Anema, Johannes R

2015-02-18

Despite long-term or permanent health problems, cancer survivors are often motivated to return to work. For cancer survivors who have lost their job, return to work can be more challenging compared to employed survivors, as they generally find themselves in a more vulnerable social and financial position. Cancer survivors with job loss may therefore be in need of tailored return to work support. However, there is a lack of return to work intervention programs specifically targeting these cancer survivors. The number of cancer survivors with job loss in developed countries is rising due to, amongst others, increases in the incidence and survivor rate of cancer, the retirement age and the proportion of flexible employment contracts. Hence, we consider it important to develop a tailored return to work intervention program for cancer survivors with job loss, and to evaluate its effectiveness compared to usual care. This study employs a two-armed randomised controlled trial with a follow-up period of 12 months. The study population (n = 164) will be recruited from a national sample of cancer survivors (18-60 years), who have been sick-listed for 12-36 months. Participants will be randomised by using computerized blocked randomisation (blocks of four). All participants will receive usual care as provided by the Dutch Social Security Agency. Additionally, participants in the intervention group will receive a tailored return to work intervention program, which includes vocational rehabilitation and supportive psychosocial components, as well as (therapeutic) placement at work. The primary outcome measure is duration until sustainable return to work; the secondary outcome measure is rate of return to work. Other parameters include, amongst others, fatigue, coping strategy and quality of life. We will perform Cox regression analyses to estimate hazard ratios for time to sustainable return to work. The hypothesis of this study is that a tailored approach for cancer survivors with job loss is more effective, regarding return to work, compared to usual care. The results of this study will provide insight into the ways in which return to work can be facilitated for cancer survivors with job loss. Netherlands Trial Register: NTR3562 .

Return-to-Play Outcomes in Professional Baseball Players After Medial Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries: Comparison of Operative Versus Nonoperative Treatment Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings.

PubMed

Ford, Gregory M; Genuario, James; Kinkartz, Jason; Githens, Thomas; Noonan, Thomas

2016-03-01

The medial ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is the primary static stabilizer to valgus stress of the elbow. Injuries to the UCL are common in baseball pitchers. In the 1970s, reconstructive surgery was developed. Return-to-play (RTP) rates of 67% to 95% after reconstruction have been reported. There is a paucity of published studies among professional baseball players reporting RTP with nonoperative treatment. To identify professional baseball players' ability to RTP after the nonoperative treatment of UCL injuries based on the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) grade. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. A review of elbow injuries among a professional baseball organization from 2006 to 2011 was performed. MRI was performed on all players. Forty-three UCL injuries were diagnosed. Treatment included rehabilitation, surgery, or both. Rates of RTP and return to the same level of play or higher (RTSP) were calculated and correlated with the MRI grade, location of injury, and player position. MRI grading was as follows: I, intact ligament with or without edema; IIA, partial tear; IIB, chronic healed injury; and III, complete tear. Forty-three UCL injuries in 43 players were diagnosed. Eight had complete tears (grade III), were treated operatively with UCL reconstruction, and had an RTP rate of 75% and RTSP rate of 63% (5/8 returned to the same level and 1 to a lower level). All 8 were pitchers. The remaining 35 players had incomplete injuries (4 grade I, 8 grade IIA, and 23 grade IIB), consisting of 24 pitchers and 11 positional players. Of these 35 players, 1 underwent surgery without attempted rehabilitation, 3 initiated rehabilitation until MRI was performed and then underwent surgery, and 3 underwent surgery after failed rehabilitation. The 7 players who underwent UCL reconstruction surgery had an RTP rate of 100% and RTSP rate of 86% (6/7 returned to the same level and 1 to a lower level). The remaining 28 with nonoperative treatment had both RTP and RTSP rates of 93% (26/28 returned to the same level and 0 to a lower level). Of these, 10 were positional players with an RTSP rate of 90%, and 18 were pitchers with an RTSP rate of 94%. Of all players with incomplete UCL injuries who completed nonoperative rehabilitative treatment (n = 31), 26 had a successful RTSP (84%). Incomplete UCL injuries in professional baseball players can be successfully treated nonoperatively in the majority of cases. Pitchers are more likely to have complete tears leading to surgery. MRI grading of UCL injuries can help predict RTP and the need for surgery. © 2016 The Author(s).

47 CFR 65.800 - Rate base.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Rate base. 65.800 Section 65.800 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERSTATE RATE OF RETURN PRESCRIPTION PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGIES Rate Base § 65.800 Rate base. The rate base shall...

47 CFR 65.800 - Rate base.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Rate base. 65.800 Section 65.800 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERSTATE RATE OF RETURN PRESCRIPTION PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGIES Rate Base § 65.800 Rate base. The rate base shall...

47 CFR 65.800 - Rate base.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Rate base. 65.800 Section 65.800 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERSTATE RATE OF RETURN PRESCRIPTION PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGIES Rate Base § 65.800 Rate base. The rate base shall...

47 CFR 65.800 - Rate base.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Rate base. 65.800 Section 65.800 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERSTATE RATE OF RETURN PRESCRIPTION PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGIES Rate Base § 65.800 Rate base. The rate base shall...

Infection Reduces Return-to-duty Rates for Soldiers with Type III Open Tibia Fractures

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

Infection reduces return-to-duty rates for soldiers with Type III open tibia fractures Matthew A. Napierala, MD, Jessica C. Rivera, MD, Travis C... Type III open tibia fracture and tabulated the prevalence of infectious complications.We searched the Physical Evaluation Board database to determine...were not infected ( p 0.1407). Soldiers who experienced any type of infectious complication ( p 0.0470) and having osteomyelitis ( p 0.0335) had a lower

Return to work following spinal cord injury: a review.

PubMed

Lidal, Ingeborg Beate; Huynh, Tuan Khai; Biering-Sørensen, Fin

2007-09-15

To review literature on return to work (RTW) and employment in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), and present employment rates, factors influencing employment, and interventions aimed at helping people with SCI to obtain and sustain productive work. A systematic review for 2000 - 2006 was carried out in PubMed/Medline, AMED, (ISI) Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycInfo and Sociological abstracts database. The keywords 'spinal cord injuries', 'spinal cord disorder', 'spinal cord lesion' or 'spinal cord disease' were cross-indexed with 'employment', 'return to work', 'occupation' or 'vocational'. Out of approximately 270 hits, 110 references were used, plus 13 more found elsewhere. Among individuals with SCI working at the time of injury 21 - 67% returned to work after injury. RTW was higher in persons injured at a younger age, had less severe injuries and higher functional independence. Employment rate improved with time after SCI. Persons with SCI employed ranged from 11.5% to 74%. Individuals who sustained SCI during childhood or adolescence had higher adult employment rates. Most common reported barriers to employment were problems with transportation, health and physical limitations, lack of work experience, education or training, physical or architectural barriers, discrimination by employers, and loss of benefits. Individuals with SCI discontinue working at younger age. This review confirmed low employment rates after SCI. Future research should explore interventions aimed at helping people with SCI to obtain and sustain productive work.

Sampling blood from big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in the field with and without anesthesia: impacts on survival.

PubMed

Ellison, Laura E; O'Shea, Thomas J; Wimsatt, Jeffrey; Pearce, Roger D; Neubaum, Daniel J; Neubaum, Melissa A; Bowen, Richard A

2006-10-01

Blood was collected from wild big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) with and without anesthesia in Fort Collins, Colorado in 2004 to assess the impacts of these procedures on short-term survival and 1-yr return rates. Short-term survival and 1-yr return rates after release were passively monitored using PIT tag detection hoops placed at selected buildings. Comparison of 14-day maximum likelihood survival estimates from bats not bled (142 adult females, 62 volant juveniles), and bats sampled for blood with anesthesia (96 adult females, 23 volant juveniles) and without anesthesia (112 adult females, 22 volant juveniles) indicated no adverse effects of either treatment (juveniles: chi(2) = 53.38, df = 41, P = 0.09; adults: chi(2) = 39.09, df = 44, P = 0.68). Return rates of bats one year after sampling were similar among adult female controls (75.4%, n = 142, 95% CI = 67.4-82.2%), females sampled for blood with anesthesia (83.0%, n = 112, 95% CI = 74.8-89.5%), and females sampled without anesthesia (87.5%, n = 96, 95% CI = 79.2-93.4%). Lack of an effect was also noted in 1-yr return rates of juvenile females. These data suggest that the use of anesthesia during sampling of blood has no advantages in terms of enhancement of survival in big brown bats.

Evidence of Large Fluctuations of Stock Return and Financial Crises from Turkey: Using Wavelet Coherency and Varma Modeling to Forecast Stock Return

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oygur, Tunc; Unal, Gazanfer

Shocks, jumps, booms and busts are typical large fluctuation markers which appear in crisis. Models and leading indicators vary according to crisis type in spite of the fact that there are a lot of different models and leading indicators in literature to determine structure of crisis. In this paper, we investigate structure of dynamic correlation of stock return, interest rate, exchange rate and trade balance differences in crisis periods in Turkey over the period between October 1990 and March 2015 by applying wavelet coherency methodologies to determine nature of crises. The time period includes the Turkeys currency and banking crises; US sub-prime mortgage crisis and the European sovereign debt crisis occurred in 1994, 2001, 2008 and 2009, respectively. Empirical results showed that stock return, interest rate, exchange rate and trade balance differences are significantly linked during the financial crises in Turkey. The cross wavelet power, the wavelet coherency, the multiple wavelet coherency and the quadruple wavelet coherency methodologies have been used to examine structure of dynamic correlation. Moreover, in consequence of quadruple and multiple wavelet coherence, strongly correlated large scales indicate linear behavior and, hence VARMA (vector autoregressive moving average) gives better fitting and forecasting performance. In addition, increasing the dimensions of the model for strongly correlated scales leads to more accurate results compared to scalar counterparts.

Sampling blood from big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in the field with and without anesthesia: Impacts on survival

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellison, L.E.; O'Shea, T.J.; Wimsatt, J.; Pearce, R.D.; Neubaum, D.J.; Neubaum, M.A.; Bowen, R.A.

2006-01-01

Blood was collected from wild big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) with and without anesthesia in Fort Collins, Colorado in 2004 to assess the impacts of these procedures on short-term survival and 1-yr return rates. Short-term survival and 1-yr return rates after release were passively monitored using PIT tag detection hoops placed at selected buildings. Comparison of 14-day maximum likelihood survival estimates from bats not bled (142 adult females, 62 volant juveniles), and bats sampled for blood with anesthesia (96 adult females, 23 volant juveniles) and without anesthesia (112 adult females, 22 volant juveniles) indicated no adverse effects of either treatment (juveniles: X2=53.38, df=41, P=0.09; adults: X2=39.09, df=44, P=0.68). Return rates of bats one year after sampling were similar among adult female controls (75.4%, n=142, 95% CI=67.4-82.2%), females sampled for blood with anesthesia (83.0%, n=112, 95% CI=74.8-89.5%), and females sampled without anesthesia (87.5%, n=96, 95% CI=79.2-93.4%). Lack of an effect was also noted in 1-yr return rates of juvenile females. These data suggest that the use of anesthesia during sampling of blood has no advantages in terms of enhancement of survival in big brown bats. ?? Wildlife Disease Association 2006.

Return to play after chondroplasty of the knee in National Football League athletes.

PubMed

Scillia, Anthony J; Aune, Kyle T; Andrachuk, John S; Cain, E Lyle; Dugas, Jeffrey R; Fleisig, Glenn S; Andrews, James R

2015-03-01

Knee injuries, including articular cartilage damage, are common in football players and are potentially career threatening. The rate of return to play (RTP) as well as the factors affecting return after arthroscopic chondroplasty of the knee is performed in National Football League (NFL) athletes are not known. To determine the rate of return to regular season NFL competition after arthroscopic knee surgery including chondroplasty of articular cartilage lesions. In addition, identification of factors that influence successful return was investigated. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Athletes in the NFL who underwent arthroscopic chondroplasty at a single institution were identified. Retrospective chart review and review of the NFL online database were utilized to determine the rate of RTP and factors affecting an athlete's ability to return. Chi-square and Student t tests were used to assess differences among players who were and were not able to RTP, and logistic regression was employed to determine a player's odds of return. There were 52 patients (54 procedures) identified from the surgical database who met the inclusion criteria for the study operated on between August 1, 2001, and March 31, 2011. Of these players, 36 (67%) were able to return to regular season NFL game play at an average of 8.2 months, including 13 (24%) who were still active in the NFL. The average time to follow-up was 5.9 years, and all players were allowed at least 2 years of follow-up. There was no significant correlation of RTP to athlete age, lesion size, lesion location, position played, or round selected in the NFL draft. Players who underwent concomitant microfracture were 4.4 times less likely to return to the NFL than were those who did not undergo this procedure (95% CI, 1.3-15.5). Athletes who played more than 11.6 games per season were 4.7 times more likely to RTP than were those who played fewer games per season (95% CI, 1.4-16.6). Athletes who returned to play competed in 56 fewer games, 3.3 fewer seasons, and played in 3.2 fewer games per season compared with their level of competition before surgery. A majority (67%) of NFL players are able to RTP after arthroscopic knee surgery including chondroplasty of articular cartilage lesions. Athletes who play more games per season are more likely to RTP after chondroplasty of articular cartilage lesions of the knee, but those undergoing concomitant microfracture are less likely to return. No statistical significance was determined when comparing the athletes who returned to play with respect to age at surgery, lesion location, lesion size, lesion grade, position that the athlete played, or draft round. © 2015 The Author(s).

Utility of biochemical verification of tobacco cessation in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

PubMed

Noonan, Devon; Jiang, Yunyun; Duffy, Sonia A

2013-03-01

Research on the validity of self-report tobacco use has varied by the population studied and has yet to be examined among smokers serviced by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The purpose of this study was to determine the predictors of returning a biochemical urine test and the specificity and sensitivity of self-reported tobacco use status compared to biochemical verification. This was a sub-analysis of the larger Tobacco Tactics research study, a pre-/post-non-randomized control design study to implement and evaluate a smoking cessation intervention in three large VA hospitals. Inpatient smokers completed baseline demographic, health history and tobacco use measures. Patients were sent a follow-up survey at six-months to assess tobacco use and urine cotinine levels. A total of 645 patients returned six-month surveys of which 578 also returned a urinary cotinine strip at six-months. Multivariate analysis of the predictors of return rate revealed those more likely to return biochemical verification of their smoking status were younger, more likely to be thinking about quitting smoking, have arthritis, and less likely to have heart disease. The sensitivity and specificity of self-report tobacco use were 97% (95% confidence interval=0.95-0.98) and 93% (95% confidence interval=0.84-0.98) respectively. The misclassification rate among self-reported quitters was 21%. The misclassification rate among self-reported tobacco users was 1%. The sensitivity and specificity of self-report tobacco use were high among veteran smokers, yet among self-report quitters that misclassification rate was high at 21% suggesting that validating self-report tobacco measures is warranted in future studies especially in populations that are prone to misclassification. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adult tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) survival on the polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated Housatonic River, Massachusetts, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Custer, Christine M.; Custer, T.W.; Hines, J.E.; Nichols, J.D.; Dummer, P.M.

2007-01-01

Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) were captured and banded at six sites that differed in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination levels in the Housatonic River watershed, western Massachusetts, USA, from 2000 through 2004 to test the prediction that apparent survival rates of females in more contaminated areas were lower than those from less contaminated areas. We also tested whether plumage coloration affected over-winter survival and whether concentrations of PCBs in eggs differed between birds that did and that did not return the following year. Apparent survival rates were calculated using mark?recapture methods and compared using Akaike's Information Criterion. Model-adjusted survival rates ranged from 0.365 to 0.467 for PCB-contaminated females and between 0.404 and 0.476 for reference females. Models with either survival or capture probability modeled as functions of treatment (degree of PCB contamination), year, and age received some support. The model-averaged parameter estimate reflecting a treatment effect for high-PCB birds was negative ( = -0.046, SE() = 0.0939). Fifty-four percent of the total model weights involved models in which survival was a function of PCB treatment. Eggs were collected for contaminant analyses from a random sample of females that did and that did not return the following year. Concentrations of total PCBs were the same or higher in the eggs of females that returned compared to the eggs of those that did not return at both the highly and the moderately contaminated PCB sites. This may have resulted from higher-quality females with higher lipid reserves being more likely than lower-quality females to return the following year. Percentage lipid was positively correlated with total PCBs in eggs. Survival rates were similar among swallows with brown versus blue plumage.

A case study of nurse practitioner care compared to general practitioner care for children with respiratory tract infections.

PubMed

van Vugt, Saskia F; van de Pol, Alma C; Cleveringa, Frits G W; Stellato, Rebecca K; Kappers, Marieke P; de Wit, Niek J; Damoiseaux, Roger A M J

2018-05-13

To compare quality of care provided by nurse practitioners with care provided by general practitioners for children with respiratory tract infections in the Netherlands. Nurse practitioners increasingly manage acute conditions in general practice, with opportunities for more protocolled care. Studies on quality of nurse practitioners' care for children with respiratory tract infections are limited to the US health care system and do not take into account baseline differences in illness severity. Retrospective observational cohort study. Data were extracted from electronic healthcare records of children 0-6 years presenting with respiratory tract infection between January-December 2013. Primary outcomes were antibiotic prescriptions and early return visits. Generalized estimating equations were used to correct for potential confounders. A total of 899 respiratory tract infection consultations were assessed (168 seen by nurse practitioner; 731 by general practitioners). Baseline characteristics differed between these groups. Overall antibiotic prescription and early return visit rates were 21% and 24%, respectively. Adjusted odds ratio for antibiotic prescription after nurse practitioner vs. general practitioner delivered care was 1.40 (95% confidence interval 0.89-2.22) and for early return visits 1.53 (95% confidence interval 1.01-2.31). Important confounder for antibiotic prescription was illness severity. Presence of wheezing was a confounder for return visits. Complication and referral rates did not differ. Antibiotic prescription, complication and referral rates for paediatric respiratory tract infection consultations did not differ significantly between nurse practitioner and general practitioner consultations, after correction for potential confounders. General practitioners, however, see more severely ill children and have a lower return visit rate. A randomised controlled study is needed to determine whether nurse practitioner care quality is truly non-inferior. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Anterior cruciate ligament- specialized post-operative return-to-sports (ACL-SPORTS) training: a randomized control trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is standard practice for athletes that wish to return to high-level activities; however functional outcomes after ACLR are poor. Quadriceps strength weakness, abnormal movement patterns and below normal knee function is reported in the months and years after ACLR. Second ACL injuries are common with even worse outcomes than primary ACLR. Modifiable limb-to-limb asymmetries have been identified in individuals who re-injure after primary ACLR, suggesting a neuromuscular training program is needed to improve post-operative outcomes. Pre-operative perturbation training, a neuromuscular training program, has been successful at improving limb symmetry prior to surgery, though benefits are not lasting after surgery. Implementing perturbation training after surgery may be successful in addressing post-operative deficits that contribute to poor functional outcomes and second ACL injury risk. Methods/Design 80 athletes that have undergone a unilateral ACLR and wish to return to level 1 or 2 activities will be recruited for this study and randomized to one of two treatment groups. A standard care group will receive prevention exercises, quadriceps strengthening and agility exercises, while the perturbation group will receive the same exercise program with the addition of perturbation training. The primary outcomes measures will include gait biomechanics, clinical and functional measures, and knee joint loading. Return to sport rates, return to pre-injury level of activity rates, and second injury rates will be secondary measures. Discussion The results of this ACL-Specialized Post-Operative Return To Sports (ACL-SPORTS) Training program will help clinicians to better determine an effective post-operative treatment program that will improve modifiable impairments that influence outcomes after ACLR. Trial registration Randomized Control Trial NIH 5R01AR048212-07. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01773317 PMID:23522373

Partial anterior cruciate ligament tears treated with intraligamentary plasma rich in growth factors

PubMed Central

Seijas, Roberto; Ares, Oscar; Cuscó, Xavier; Álvarez, Pedro; Steinbacher, Gilbert; Cugat, Ramón

2014-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the effect of the application of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF)-Endoret to the remaining intact bundle in partial anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. METHODS: A retrospective review of the rate of return to play in football players treated with the application of PRGF-Endoret in the remaining intact bundle in partial ACL injuries that underwent surgery for knee instability. Patients with knee instability requiring revision surgery for remnant ACL were selected. PRGF was applied in the wider part of posterolateral bundle and the time it took patients to return to their full sporting activities at the same level before the injury was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 19 patients were reviewed. Three had a Tegner activity level of 10 and the remaining 16 level 9. The time between the injury and the time of surgery was 5.78 wk (SD 1.57). In total, 81.75% (16/19) returned to the same pre-injury level of sport activity (Tegner 9-10). 17 males and 2 females were treated. The rate of associated injury was 68.42% meniscal lesions and 26.31% cartilage lesions. The KT-1000 values were normalized in all operated cases. One patient was not able to return to sport due to the extent of their cartilage lesions. The 15 patients with Tegner activity level 9 returned to play at an average of 16.20 wk (SD 1.44) while the 3 patients with Tegner activity level 10 did so in 12.33 wk (SD 1.11). CONCLUSION: With one remaining intact bundle the application of PRGF-Endoret in instability cases due to partial ACL tear showed high return to sport rates at pre- injury level in professional football players. PMID:25035842

Evaluating Active Parental Consent Procedures for School Programming: Addressing the Sensitive Topic of Suicide Prevention.

PubMed

Totura, Christine M Wienke; Kutash, Krista; Labouliere, Christa D; Karver, Marc S

2017-02-01

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents. Whereas school-based prevention programs are effective, obtaining active consent for youth participation in public health programming concerning sensitive topics is challenging. We explored several active consent procedures for improving participation rates. Five active consent methods (in-person, students taking forms home, mailing, mailing preceded by primers, mailing followed by reminder calls) were compared against passive consent procedures to evaluate recruitment success, as determined by participation (proportion who responded yes) and response (proportion who returned any response) rates. Participation acceptance rates ranged from 38 to 100% depending on consent method implemented. Compared with passive consent, active consent procedures were more variable in response and participation rates. In-person methods provided higher rates than less interpersonal methods, such as mailing or students taking consents home. Mailed primers before or reminder calls after consent forms were mailed increased response but not participation rates. Students taking consents home resulted in the lowest rates. Although passive consent produces the highest student participation, these methods are not always appropriate for programs addressing sensitive topics in schools. In-person active consent procedures may be the best option when prioritizing balance between parental awareness and successful student recruitment. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Hospital-Level Factors Associated with Pediatric Emergency Department Return Visits.

PubMed

Pittsenbarger, Zachary; Thurm, Cary; Neuman, Mark; Spencer, Sandra; Simon, Harold; Gosdin, Craig; Shah, Samir; McClead, Richard; Stack, Anne; Alpern, Elizabeth

2017-07-01

Return visits (RVs) and RVs with admission (RVAs) are commonly used emergency department quality measures. Visit- and patient-level factors, including several social determinants of health, have been associated with RV rates, but hospital-specific factors have not been studied. To identify what hospital-level factors correspond with high RV and RVA rates. Multicenter mixed-methods study of hospital characteristics associated with RV and RVA rates. Pediatric Health Information System with survey of emergency department directors. Adjusted return rates were calculated with generalized linear mixed-effects models. Hospitals were categorized by adjusted RV and RVA rates for analysis. Twenty-four hospitals accounted for 1,456,377 patient visits with an overall adjusted RV rate of 3.7% and RVA rate of 0.7%. Hospitals with the highest RV rates served populations that were more likely to have government insurance and lower median household incomes and less likely to carry commercial insurance. Hospitals in the highest RV rate outlier group had lower pediatric emergency medicine specialist staffing, calculated as full-time equivalents per 10,000 patient visits: median (interquartile range) of 1.9 (1.5-2.1) versus 2.9 (2.2-3.6). There were no differences in hospital population characteristics or staffing by RVA groups. RV rates were associated with population social determinants of health and inversely related to staffing. Hospital-level variation may indicate population-level economic factors outside the control of the hospital and unrelated to quality of care. © 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine

Return to Play After Shoulder Instability Surgery in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Intercollegiate Football Athletes.

PubMed

Robins, R Judd; Daruwalla, Jimmy H; Gamradt, Seth C; McCarty, Eric C; Dragoo, Jason L; Hancock, Robert E; Guy, Jeffrey A; Cotsonis, George A; Xerogeanes, John W; Tuman, Jeffrey M; Tibone, James E; Javernick, Matthew A; Yochem, Eric M; Boden, Stephanie A; Pilato, Alexis; Miley, Jennifer H; Greis, Patrick E

2017-08-01

Recent attention has focused on the optimal surgical treatment for recurrent shoulder instability in young athletes. Collision athletes are at a higher risk for recurrent instability after surgery. To evaluate variables affecting return-to-play (RTP) rates in Division I intercollegiate football athletes after shoulder instability surgery. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Invitations to participate were made to select sports medicine programs that care for athletes in Division I football conferences (Pac-12 Conference, Southeastern Conference [SEC], Atlantic Coast Conference [ACC]). After gaining institutional review board approval, 7 programs qualified and participated. Data on direction of instability, type of surgery, time to resume participation, and quality and level of play before and after surgery were collected. There were 168 of 177 procedures that were arthroscopic surgery, with a mean 3.3-year follow-up. Overall, 85.4% of players who underwent arthroscopic surgery without concomitant procedures returned to play. Moreover, 15.6% of athletes who returned to play sustained subsequent shoulder injuries, and 10.3% sustained recurrent instability, resulting in reduction/revision surgery. No differences were noted in RTP rates in athletes who underwent anterior labral repair (82.4%), posterior labral repair (92.9%), combined anterior-posterior repair (84.8%; P = .2945), or open repair (88.9%; P = .9362). Also, 93.3% of starters, 95.4% of utilized players, and 75.7% of rarely used players returned to play. The percentage of games played before the injury was 49.9% and rose to 71.5% after surgery ( P < .0001). Athletes who played in a higher percentage of games before the injury were more likely to return to play; 91% of athletes who were starters before the injury returned as starters after surgery. Scholarship status significantly correlated with RTP after surgery ( P = .0003). The majority of surgical interventions were isolated arthroscopic stabilization procedures, with no statistically significant difference in RTP rates when concomitant arthroscopic procedures or open stabilization procedures were performed. Athletes who returned to play often played in a higher percentage of games after surgery than before the injury, and many played at the same or a higher level after surgery.

Inter-physician agreement on the readiness of sick-listed employees to return to work.

PubMed

Schreuder, Jolanda A H; Roelen, Corné A M; de Boer, Mintje; Brouwer, Sandra; Groothoff, Johan W

2012-01-01

To determine the agreement between occupational physician (OP) ratings of an employee's readiness to return to work (RRTW). Anonymized written vignettes of 132 employees, sick-listed for at least 3 weeks, were reviewed by 5 OPs. The OPs intuitively rated RRTW as the ability (knowledge and skills) and willingness (motivation and confidence) of sick-listed employees to resume work. Inter-OP percentages of agreement were calculated and Cohen's kappas (κ) were determined to correct for agreement by chance. The percentage of agreement between OPs was 57% (range 39-89%) on the ability and 63% (range 48-87%) on the willingness of sick-listed employees to resume work. The mean κ was 0.14 (range from -0.21 to 0.79) for ability and 0.25 (range from -0.11 to 0.74) for willingness. The OP-rating of RRTW of employees sick-listed with mental disorders did not differ from the OP-rating of RRTW of employees with musculoskeletal disorders. The inter-OP agreement on intuitively rated RRTW showed a wide variability, which accentuates the need for instruments to establish an employee's RRTW and for training in giving well founded return to work recommendations.

Sodium-dependent transport of sugars and iodide from the cerebral venticles of the rabbit.

PubMed

Bradbury, M W; Brondsted, H E

1973-10-01

1. The objective was to discover whether the extraction of sugars and iodide from the perfused cerebral ventricles is Na(+)-dependent.2. In the ventriculo-aqueductal and ventriculo-cisternal perfusion systems in the rabbit the extraction of (14)C-labelled D-hexoses (glucose, 3-O-methyl-glucose, alpha-methyl-glucoside and galactose), (131)I(-) and (24)Na was inhibited when 82% of the Na(+) in the perfusion fluid was replaced by choline. The extraction returned to control levels when the Na(+) concentration in the perfusion fluid was returned to normal.3. Ouabain, 5 x 10(-5)M in the perfusion fluid inhibited the extraction of the above (14)C sugars and (131)I(-), but hardly affected that of [(3)H]2-deoxy-D-glucose. It enhanced the extraction of (24)Na. C.s.f. production was usually totally inhibited.4. The extraction of [(14)C]urea remained unchanged during perfusion with low Na(+) fluid or ouabain.5. Recovery from brain of [(14)C]3-O-methyl-glucose, [(3)H]2-deoxy-glucose and (131)I(-) was low while recovery of [(14)C]alpha-methyl-glucoside and (24)Na was high. On an equal weight basis recovery of [(14)C]3-O-methyl-glucose was about twelve times higher from the choroid plexus than from the brain.6. Part of the movement of (14)C sugars may be explained on basis of a Na(+)-gradient hypothesis with involvement of the Na(+) pump at the blood-c.s.f. or blood-brain barriers.7. The rate of c.s.f. production from the first three ventricles comprised about 40% of the rate from all four ventricles. The extraction of sugars, urea and cations was similar in both perfusion systems while the extraction of (131)I(-) was higher in the ventriculo-cisternal system than in the ventriculo-aqueductal system.

High Rate of Return to Cycling After Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome.

PubMed

Frank, Rachel M; Ukwuani, Gift; Clapp, Ian; Chahla, Jorge; Nho, Shane J

Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) is most commonly diagnosed in athletes who sustain repetitive flexion and rotational loading to their hip. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a patient's ability to return to cycling after hip arthroscopy for FAIS. There is a high rate of return to cycling after hip arthroscopy. Retrospective analysis. Level 4. Consecutive patients who had identified themselves as cyclists and had undergone hip arthroscopy for the treatment of FAIS were reviewed. Pre- and postoperative physical examinations, imaging, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) scores, including the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Hip Outcome Score Activities of Daily Living (HOS-ADL) and Sports-Specific (HOS-SS) subscales, and visual analog scale for pain, as well as a cycling-specific questionnaire, were assessed for all patients. A total of 58 patients (62% female; mean age, 30.0 ± 7.1 years; mean body mass index, 23.2 ± 2.7 kg/m 2 ) were included. Prior to surgery, patients averaged 30 ± 42 miles per week (range, 2-300 miles). Fifty-five patients (95%) were forced to discontinue cycling at an average of 7.5 ± 6.2 months prior to surgery due to hip pain. Fifty-six patients (97%) returned to cycling at an average of 4.5 ± 2.5 months after surgery, with 33 (59%) returning to a better level of cycling and 23 (41%) to the same cycling level. Postoperatively, there was no difference in the average number of miles patients completed per week compared with preoperative values ( P = 0.08). At a mean follow-up of 31.14 ± 0.71 months (range, 24-48 months), all patients experienced significant improvements in mHHS, HOS-ADL, and HOS-SS PROs (all P < 0.0001), with an overall satisfaction rate of 91% ± 13%. Recreational and competitive cyclists return to cycling 97% of the time after hip arthroscopy for FAIS, with most of these patients returning at an average of 4.5 months after surgery. This information is helpful in counseling patients on their expectations with regard to returning to cycling after hip arthroscopy for FAIS. Cyclists return to sport 97% of the time at an average of 4.5 months after hip arthroscopy for FAIS.

Decomposing intraday dependence in currency markets: evidence from the AUD/USD spot market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batten, Jonathan A.; Ellis, Craig A.; Hogan, Warren P.

2005-07-01

The local Hurst exponent, a measure employed to detect the presence of dependence in a time series, may also be used to investigate the source of intraday variation observed in the returns in foreign exchange markets. Given that changes in the local Hurst exponent may be due to either a time-varying range, or standard deviation, or both of these simultaneously, values for the range, standard deviation and local Hurst exponent are recorded and analyzed separately. To illustrate this approach, a high-frequency data set of the spot Australian dollar/US dollar provides evidence of the returns distribution across the 24-hour trading ‘day’, with time-varying dependence and volatility clearly aligning with the opening and closing of markets. This variation is attributed to the effects of liquidity and the price-discovery actions of dealers.

Evaluation of gonorrhea test of cure at 1 week in a Los Angeles community-based clinic serving men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Beymer, Matthew R; Llata, Eloisa; Stirland, Ali M; Weinstock, Hillard S; Wigen, Christine L; Guerry, Sarah L; Mejia, Everardo; Bolan, Robert K

2014-10-01

Because of the decreasing susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to cephalosporin therapy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends test of cure (TOC) 1 week after gonorrhea (GC) treatment if therapies other than ceftriaxone are used. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asks clinicians, particularly those caring for men who have sex with men (MSM) on the west coast, to consider retesting all MSM at 1 week. However, it is unclear if this is acceptable to providers and patients or if nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are useful for TOC at 7 days. Between January and July 2012, MSM with GC were advised to return 1 week after treatment for TOC using NAAT. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine demographic and behavioral differences between MSM who returned for follow-up and MSM who did not. Of 737 men with GC, 194 (26.3%) returned between 3 and 21 days of treatment. Individuals who returned were more likely to have no GC history (P = 0.0001) and to report no initial symptoms (P = 0.02) when compared with individuals who did not return for TOC. Of those who returned, 0% of urethral samples, 7.4% of rectal samples, and 5.3% of pharyngeal samples were NAAT positive at TOC. Although TOC may be an important strategy in reducing complications and the spread of GC, low return rates may make implementation challenging. If implemented, extra efforts should be considered to enhance return rates among individuals with a history of GC. If TOCs are recommended at 1 week and NAATs are used, the interpretation of positive results, particularly those from extragenital sites, may be difficult.

The Effects of Money on Fake Rating Behavior in E-Commerce: Electrophysiological Time Course Evidence From Consumers.

PubMed

Wang, Cuicui; Li, Yun; Luo, Xuan; Ma, Qingguo; Fu, Weizhong; Fu, Huijian

2018-01-01

Online ratings impose significant effects on the behaviors of potential customers. Thus, online merchants try to adopt strategies that affect this rating behavior, and most of these strategies are connected to money, such as the strategies of returning cash coupons if a consumer gives a five-star rating (RI strategy, an acronym for "returning" and "if") or returning cash coupons directly with no additional requirements (RN strategy, an acronym for "returning" and "no"). The current study explored whether a certain strategy (RN or RI) was more likely to give rise to false rating behaviors, as assessed by event-related potentials. A two-stimulus paradigm was used in this experiment. The first stimulus (S1) was the picture of a product with four Chinese characters that reflected the product quality (slightly defective vs. seriously defective vs. not defective), and the second stimulus (S2) displayed the coupon strategy (RN or RI). The participants were asked to decide whether or not to give a five-star rating. The behavioral results showed that the RI strategy led to a higher rate of five-star ratings than the RN strategy. For the electrophysiological time courses, the N1, N2, and LPP components were evaluated. The slightly defective products elicited a larger amplitude of the N1 component than the seriously defective and not-defective products, reflecting that perceptual difficulty was associated with the processing of the slightly defective products. The RI strategy evoked a less negative N2 and a more positive LPP than the RN strategy, indicating that the subjects perceived less conflict and experienced stronger incentives when processing the RI strategy. These findings will benefit future studies of fake online comments and provide evidence supporting the policy of forbidding the use of the RI strategy in e-commerce.

A Needs Assessment for the Army Education Information System

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-01

mailing date, the total mmber of ESO questionnaires returned was 131 , for a 72% return rate; 313 Counselors, or 64%, returned their questionnaires...US Army Ocnmunication Cormand; US Army Military Academy) TRADOC (18) 100 % FORSCOM (20) 69% DARCOM (10) 40% US Military Dist. (4) 50% MIMC (1... 100 % INSOOM (2) 100 % WESCOM (1) 100 % (19) 67% (4) 75% (2) 50% (5) 25% (1) 100 % (138) 40% US Army Europe and 7th Army Far East (US Army

The Impact of an Integrated Program of Return-to-Field and Targeted Trap-Neuter-Return on Feline Intake and Euthanasia at a Municipal Animal Shelter

PubMed Central

Spehar, Daniel D.; Wolf, Peter J.

2018-01-01

Simple Summary Dramatic declines in the number of cats admitted to and euthanized at U.S. shelters have taken place in recent decades. Still, millions of cats, many of them free-roaming, enter shelters each year. At some facilities, as many as 70% of feline admissions are euthanized, and it is estimated that, nationally, up to one million or more cats are euthanized each year. New approaches, including return-to-field (RTF) and targeted trap-neuter-return (TNR) appear to have transformative potential. The present study examines changes in feline intake and euthanasia, as well as impacts on associated metrics, at a municipal animal shelter in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after formal RTF and targeted TNR protocols, collectively referred to as a community cat program (CCP), were added to ongoing community-based TNR efforts and a pilot RTF initiative. As part of the three-year CCP, 11,746 cats were trapped, sterilized, vaccinated and returned or adopted. Feline euthanasia at the Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department (AAWD) declined by 84.1% and feline intake dropped by 37.6%; the live release rate (LRR) increased by 47.7% due primarily to these reductions in both intake and euthanasia. Modest increases in the percentage of cats returned to owner (RTO) and the adoption rate were also observed, although both metrics decreased on an absolute basis, while the number of calls to the city about dead cats declined. Abstract Available evidence indicates that overall levels of feline intake and euthanasia at U.S. shelters have significantly declined in recent decades. Nevertheless, millions of cats, many of them free-roaming, continue to be admitted to shelters each year. In some locations, as many as 70% of cats, perhaps up to one million or more per year nationally, are euthanized. New approaches, including return-to-field (RTF) and targeted trap-neuter-return (TNR) appear to have transformative potential. The purpose of the present study was to examine changes in feline intake and euthanasia, as well as additional associated metrics, at a municipal animal shelter in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after institutionalized RTF and targeted TNR protocols, together referred to as a community cat program (CCP), were added to ongoing community-based TNR efforts and a pilot RTF initiative. Over the course of the CCP, which ran from April 2012 to March 2015, 11,746 cats were trapped, sterilized, vaccinated, and returned or adopted. Feline euthanasia at the Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department (AAWD) declined by 84.1% and feline intake dropped by 37.6% over three years; the live release rate (LRR) increased by 47.7% due primarily to these reductions in both intake and euthanasia. Modest increases in the percentage of cats returned to owner (RTO) and the adoption rate were also observed, although both metrics decreased on an absolute basis, while the number of calls to the city about dead cats declined. PMID:29652808

Factors affecting first return to work following a compensable occupational back injury.

PubMed

Oleinick, A; Gluck, J V; Guire, K

1996-11-01

Occupational back injuries produced $27 billion in direct and indirect costs in 1988. Predictors of prolonged disability have generally been identified in selected clinical populations, but there have been few population-based studies using statewide registries from workers' compensation systems. This study uses a 1986 cohort of 8,628 Michigan workers with compensable back injuries followed to March 1, 1990. Cox proportional hazards analyses with nine categorical covariates identified factors predicting missed worktime for the first disability episode following the injury. The model distinguished factors affecting the acute (< or = 8 weeks) and chronic disability periods (> 8 weeks). The first disability episode following injury contains 69.6% of the missed worktime observed through follow-up. In the acute phase, which contributes 15.2% of first episode missed worktime, gender, age, number of dependents, industry (construction), occupation, and type of accident predict continued work disability. Marital status, weekly wage compensation rate, and establishment size do not. Beyond 8 weeks, age, establishment size and, to a lesser degree, wage compensation rate predict duration of work disability. Graphs show the predicted disability course for injured workers with specific covariate patterns. Future efforts to reduce missed worktime may require modifications in current clinical practice by patient age group and the development of new strategies to encourage small and medium-size employers to find ways to return their injured employees to work sooner. Recent federal statutes covering disabled workers will only partially correct the strong effect of employer establishment size.

Characteristics of unscheduled emergency department return visit patients within 48 hours in Thammasat University Hospital.

PubMed

Imsuwan, Intanon

2011-12-01

Auditing the return visit charts of patients who returned within 48 hours is a very important method of quality assurance. Several factors can be possible causes of unscheduled emergency return visits. Therefore, identifying these factors is critical to decreasing the number of unnecessary visits in this group. To determine rate, common initial presentation and cause of unscheduled emergency department return visits within 48 hours at Thammasat University Hospital. The present study design involves retrospective observational study of patients who returned to the Emergency department (ED) within 48 hours after being discharged from the ED. Data was collected from August 1, 2009 to July 31, 2010. Patient age, gender triage level, patient-in time, patient-out time, length of stay, chief complaint, first and second visit diagnoses and disposition after second visit were recorded by chart review. The factors and causes of revisits were classified by the author as illness-related, patient-related, doctor-related and/or healthcare system-related. A total of 307 (0.92%) patients returned visit to the ED within 48 hours during August 1, 2009 to July 31, 2010. The most common chief complaint were dyspnea (75 cases or 24.4%), abdominal pain (53 cases or 17.3%), bleeding per vagina (28 cases or 9.1%). The rates of revisit that were related to factors of illness, patients, doctors and healthcare system were 60.6, 8.5, 28.3 and 2.6, respectively. Chi-squared was used for categorical data. Unscheduled ED return visit patients represent high risk patients. Patients in this group are associated with various factors. The present study indicates that the most common factor behind return visits were illness-related. Illness-related and patient-related factors were significantly associated with discharged patient. Observational units could reduce unnecessary return visit in this group. Doctor-related and healthcare-related factors were significantly associated with admitted return visit patients. Emergency physician training system and guideline implementation for doctors could reduce unexpected early discharge in this group.

Influence of secondary settling tank performance on suspended solids mass balance in activated sludge systems.

PubMed

Patziger, M; Kainz, H; Hunze, M; Józsa, J

2012-05-01

Secondary settling is the final step of the activated sludge-based biological waste water treatment. Secondary settling tanks (SSTs) are therefore an essential unit of producing a clear effluent. A further important function of SSTs is the sufficient thickening to achieve highly concentrated return sludge and biomass within the biological reactor. In addition, the storage of activated sludge is also needed in case of peak flow events (Ekama et al., 1997). Due to the importance of a high SST performance the problem has long been investigated (Larsen, 1977; Krebs, 1991; Takács et al., 1991; Ekama et al., 1997; Freimann, 1999; Patziger et al., 2005; Bürger et al., 2011), however, a lot of questions are still to solve regarding e.g. the geometrical features (inflow, outflow) and operations (return sludge control, scraper mechanism, allowable maximum values of surface overflow rates). In our study we focused on SSTs under dynamic load considering both the overall unsteady behaviour and the features around the peaks, investigating the effect of various sludge return strategies as well as the inlet geometry on SST performance. The main research tool was a FLUENT-based novel mass transport model consisting of two modules, a 2D axisymmetric SST model and a mixed reactor model of the biological reactor (BR). The model was calibrated and verified against detailed measurements of flow and concentration patterns, sludge settling, accompanied with continuous on-line measurement of in- and outflow as well as returned flow rates of total suspended solids (TSS) and water. As to the inlet arrangement a reasonable modification of the geometry could result in the suppression of the large scale flow structures of the sludge-water interface thus providing a significant improvement in the SST performance. Furthermore, a critical value of the overflow rate (q(crit)) was found at which a pronounced large scale circulation pattern develops in the vertical plane, the density current in such a way hitting the outer wall of the SST, turning then to the vertical direction accompanied with significant flow velocities. This phenomenon strengthens with the hydraulic load and can entrain part of the sludge thus resulting in unfavourable turbid effluent. As a representative case study an operating circular SST most commonly used in practice was investigated. Focusing on the sludge return strategies, it was found that up to a threshold peak flow rate the most efficient way is to keep the return sludge flow rate constant, at 0.4Q(MAX). However, once the inflow rate exceeds the threshold value the return sludge flow rate should be slowly increased up to 0.6Q(MAX), performed in a delayed manner, about 20-30 min after the threshold value is exceeded. For preserving the methodology outlined in the present paper, other types of SSTs, however, need further individual investigations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Return-to-play outcomes after microscopic lumbar diskectomy in professional athletes.

PubMed

Watkins, Robert G; Hanna, Robert; Chang, David; Watkins, Robert G

2012-11-01

It has been shown a microscopic lumbar diskectomy (MLD) is effective in getting professional athletes back to their sport after a herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP). There is a need for more information on the time it takes professional athletes to return after surgery. To determine average time for return to play and success in returning to play for professional athletes undergoing MLD. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Between 1996 and 2010, the senior authors treated 171 professional athletes for lumbar HNP. A retrospective review was performed using patient charts, operative reports, team medical records, and internet search. Eighty-five patients were treated with MLD, and 86 patients were treated nonoperatively. This study focused on the return to play of the operatively treated patients. Primary outcome measures were return rate and average return time, considering only patients whose sport is in season at specific postoperative time points. Of surgically treated patients, 89.3% returned to sport. The average time it took operative patients to return to their sport (return time) was 5.8 months. Progressive return data for surgically treated patients showed the percentage of athletes who returned increased from 50% at 3 months to 72% at 6 months to 77% at 9 months and 84% at 12 months. The chance a player returns to play after MLD is 50% at 3 months, 72% at 6 months, 77% at 9 months, and 84% at 12 months. The overall chance of returning to play at any point is 89%.

Cross-polarization microwave radar return at severe wind conditions: laboratory model and geophysical model function.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troitskaya, Yuliya; Abramov, Victor; Ermoshkin, Alexey; Zuikova, Emma; Kazakov, Vassily; Sergeev, Daniil; Kandaurov, Alexandr

2014-05-01

Satellite remote sensing is one of the main techniques of monitoring severe weather conditions over the ocean. The principal difficulty of the existing algorithms of retrieving wind based on dependence of microwave backscattering cross-section on wind speed (Geophysical Model Function, GMF) is due to its saturation at winds exceeding 25 - 30 m/s. Recently analysis of dual- and quad-polarization C-band radar return measured from satellite Radarsat-2 suggested that the cross-polarized radar return has much higher sensitivity to the wind speed than co-polarized back scattering [1] and conserved sensitivity to wind speed at hurricane conditions [2]. Since complete collocation of these data was not possible and time difference in flight legs and SAR images acquisition was up to 3 hours, these two sets of data were compared in [2] only statistically. The main purpose of this paper is investigation of the functional dependence of cross-polarized radar cross-section on the wind speed in laboratory experiment. Since cross-polarized radar return is formed due to scattering at small-scale structures of the air-sea interface (short-crested waves, foam, sprays, etc), which are well reproduced in laboratory conditions, then the approach based on laboratory experiment on radar scattering of microwaves at the water surface under hurricane wind looks feasible. The experiments were performed in the Wind-wave flume located on top of the Large Thermostratified Tank of the Institute of Applied Physics, where the airflow was produced in the flume with the straight working part of 10 m and operating cross section 0.40?0.40 sq. m, the axis velocity can be varied from 5 to 25 m/s. Microwave measurements were carried out by a coherent Doppler X-band (3.2 cm) scatterometer with the consequent receive of linear polarizations. Experiments confirmed higher sensitivity to the wind speed of the cross-polarized radar return. Simultaneously parameters of the air flow in the turbulent boundary layer (friction velocity and roughness height) were retrieved by velocity profiling and subsequent data processing based on self-similarity of the turbulent boundary layer and 10-m wind speed was calculated. The wind wave field parameters in the flume were measured by three wire gauges. The measured data on wind waves were used for estimation of the short wave spectra and slope probability density function for "long waves" within composite Bragg theory of microwave radar return. Estimations showed that for co-polarized radar returns the difference between measurements and the predictions of the model is about 1-2 dB and it can be explained by our poor knowledge about the short wave part of the spectrum. For cross-polarized return the difference exceeds 10 dB, and it indicates that some non-Bragg mechanisms (short-crested waves, foam, sprays, etc) are responsible for the depolarization of the returned signal. It seems reasonable then to suppose that the cross-polarized radar return in X- and C-bands will demonstrate similar dependence on wind speed. We compared the dependence of cross-polarized X-band radar cross-section on 10-m wind speed obtained in laboratory conditions with the similar dependence obtained in [2] from the field data for C-band radar cross-section and found out that the laboratory data follow the median of the field data with the constant bias -11 dB. Basing on laboratory data an empirical polynomial geophysical model function was suggested for retrieving wind speed up to 40 m/s from cross-polarized microwave return, which is in good agreement with the direct measurements. This work was carried out under financial support of the RFBR (project codes ¹ 13-05-00865, 12-05-12093) and by grant from the Government of the Russian Federation (project code 11.G34.31.0048). References [1] B. Zhang, W. Perrie Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 93, 531-541, 2012. [2] G.-J. van Zadelhoff, et.al. Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., 6, 7945-7984, doi:10.5194/amtd-6-7945-2013, 2013.

Nitrogen rate strategies for reducing yield-scaled nitrous oxide emissions in maize

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xu; Nafziger, Emerson D.; Pittelkow, Cameron M.

2017-12-01

Mitigating nitrogen (N) losses from agriculture without negatively impacting crop productivity is a pressing environmental and economic challenge. Reductions in N fertilizer rate are often highlighted as a solution, yet the degree to which crop yields and economic returns may be impacted at the field-level remains unclear, in part due to limited data availability. Farmers are risk averse and potential yield losses may limit the success of voluntary N loss mitigation protocols, thus understanding field-level yield tradeoffs is critical to inform policy development. Using a case study of soil N2O mitigation in the US Midwest, we conducted an ex-post assessment of two economic and two environmental N rate reduction strategies to identify promising practices for maintaining maize yields and economic returns while reducing N2O emissions per unit yield (i.e. yield-scaled emissions) compared to an assumed baseline N input level. Maize yield response data from 201 on-farm N rate experiments were combined with an empirical equation predicting N2O emissions as a function of N rate. Results indicate that the economic strategy aimed at maximizing returns to N (MRTN) led to moderate but consistent reductions in yield-scaled N2O emissions with small negative impacts on yield and slight increases in median returns. The economic optimum N rate strategy reduced yield-scaled N2O emissions in 75% of cases but increased them otherwise, challenging the assumption that this strategy will automatically reduce environmental impacts per unit production. Both environmental strategies, one designed to increase N recovery efficiency and one to balance N inputs with grain N removal, further reduced yield-scaled N2O emissions but were also associated with negative yield penalties and decreased returns. These results highlight the inherent tension between achieving agronomic and economic goals while reducing environmental impacts which is often overlooked in policy discussions. To enable the development of more scalable environmental N loss mitigation strategies, yield tradeoffs occurring at the critical point of adoption (i.e. the farm-level) should be considered.

Heart rate variability and turbulence in hyperthyroidism before, during, and after treatment.

PubMed

Osman, Faizel; Franklyn, Jayne A; Daykin, Jacqueline; Chowdhary, Saqib; Holder, Roger L; Sheppard, Michael C; Gammage, Michael D

2004-08-15

Patients with subclinical and treated overt hyperthyroidism have an excess vascular mortality rate. Several symptoms and signs in overt hyperthyroidism suggest abnormality of cardiac autonomic function that may account in part for this excess mortality rate, but few studies have examined cardiac autonomic function in untreated and treated hyperthyroidism. We assessed heart rate turbulence (HRT) and time-domain parameters of heart rate variability in a large, unselected cohort of patients with overt hyperthyroidism referred to our thyroid clinic (n = 259) and compared findings with a group of normal subjects with euthyroidism (n = 440). These measures were also evaluated during antithyroid therapy (when serum-free thyroxine and triiodothyronine concentrations returned to normal but thyrotropin remained suppressed (i.e., subclinical hyperthyroidism, n = 110) and when subjects were rendered clinically and biochemically euthyroid (normal serum thyrotropin, free thyroxine and triiodothyronine concentrations, n = 219). We found that overall measures of heart rate variability and those specific for cardiac vagal modulation were attenuated in patients with overt hyperthyroidism compared with normal subjects; measurements of overall heart rate variability remained low in those with low levels of serum thyrotropin but returned to normal in patients with biochemical euthyroidism. Measurements of HRT (onset and slope) were also decreased in patients with overt hyperthyroidism, but HRT slope returned to normal values with antithyroid treatment. This study is the first to evaluate HRT in overt and treated hyperthyroidism.

A systematic review of studies identifying predictors of poor return to work outcomes following workplace injury.

PubMed

Street, Tamara D; Lacey, Sarah J

2015-06-05

Injuries occurring in the workplace can have serious implications for the health of the individual, the productivity of the employer and the overall economic community. The objective of this paper is to increase the current state of understanding of individual demographic and psychosocial characteristics associated with extended absenteeism from the workforce due to a workplace injury. Studies included in this systematic literature review tracked participants' return to work status over a minimum of three months, identified either demographic, psychosocial or general injury predictors of poor return to work outcomes and included a heterogeneous sample of workplace injuries. Identified predictors of poor return to work outcomes included older age, female gender, divorced marital status, two or more dependent family members, lower education levels, employment variables associated with reduced labour market desirability, severity or sensitive injury locations, negative attitudes and outcome perceptions of the participant. There is a need for clear and consistent definition and measurement of return to work outcomes and a holistic theoretical model integrating injury, psychosocial and demographic predictors of return to work. Through greater understanding of the nature of factors affecting return to work, improved outcomes could be achieved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koshelev, A. E.

Multiple-band electronic structure and proximity to antiferromagnetic (AF) instability are the key properties of iron-based superconductors. In this paper, we explore the influence of scattering by the AF spin fluctuations on transport of multiple-band metals above the magnetic transition. A salient feature of scattering on the AF fluctuations is that it is strongly enhanced at the Fermi surface locations where the nesting is perfect (“hot spots” or “hot lines”). We review derivation of the collision integral for the Boltzmann equation due to AF-fluctuations scattering. In the paramagnetic state, the enhanced scattering rate near the hot lines leads to anomalous behaviormore » of electronic transport in magnetic field. We explore this behavior by analytically solving the Boltzmann transport equation with approximate transition rates. This approach accounts for return scattering events and is more accurate than the relaxation-time approximation. The magnetic-field dependences are characterized by two very different field scales: the lower scale is set by the hot-spot width and the higher scale is set by the total scattering amplitude. A conventional magnetotransport behavior is limited to magnetic fields below the lower scale. In the wide range in-between these two scales, the longitudinal conductivity has linear dependence on the magnetic field and the Hall conductivity has quadratic dependence. The linear dependence of the diagonal component reflects growth of the Fermi-surface area affected by the hot spots proportional to the magnetic field. Finally, we discuss applicability of this theoretical framework for describing of anomalous magnetotransport properties in different iron pnictides and chalcogenides in the paramagnetic state.« less

Recovery from exercise at varying work loads - Time course of responses of heart rate and systolic intervals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nandi, P. S.; Spodick, D. H.

1977-01-01

The time course of the recovery period was characterized by noninvasive measurements after 4 minute bicycle exercise at 3 separate work loads in volunteers with normal peak responses. Most responses started immediately to return toward resting control values. Left ventricular ejection time and stroke volume change are discussed. Changes in pre-ejection period were determined by changes in isovolume contraction time, and factors affecting the degree and rate of return are considered. The rates of change in the ejection time index and in the ratio pre-ejection period/left ventricular ejection time were virtually independent of load throughout most of recovery.

Keynote address: Reinventing fire: Physics + markets = energy solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovins, Amory B.

2015-03-01

Rocky Mountain Institute's multi-year, 61-author, peer-reviewed Reinventing Fire synthesis showed how the U.S. can realistically run a 2.6× bigger U.S. economy in 2050 with no oil, coal, or nuclear energy, one-third less natural gas, tripled efficiency, and 74% renewable supplies (80% for electricity). This transition, at historically reasonable rates, could be led by business for profit, applying normal rates of return, with some innovative subnational and administrative policies but no Acts of Congress. Excluding carbon emissions and all other externalities, the net present value would be 5 trillion more favorable than business-as-usual, averaging a 14% Internal Rate of Return.

Reasons anglers did not respond to an internet survey and evaluation of data quality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gigliotti, Larry M.; Henderson, Kjetil R.

2015-01-01

Natural resource management agencies have traditionally used statewide mail surveys to gather information from anglers, but cost savings and faster returns occur using the internet. This study examined mail or internet fishery survey return rates and associated data by license type of South Dakota resident anglers. Junior anglers (ages 16-18; Junior Combination license) had the lowest internet and mail survey return rates (20% and 28%, respectively), followed by adult anglers (ages 19-64; Adult Fishing and Adult Combination licenses; 30% and 39%, respectively), and senior anglers (ages 65+; Senior Fishing and Senior Combination licenses; 42% and 66%, respectively). The three age groups were significantly different on three email use characteristics (shared email, frequency of use, and comfort level). The primary reason for not responding to the internet survey was not receiving or noticing the email request, and secondarily, being too busy to respond. Although having a relatively low response rate, data collected by the internet compared to follow-up mail surveys of internet non-respondents were similar.

[Maternity leave and experience of working mothers in Lebanon].

PubMed

Saadé, N; Barbour, B; Salameh, P

2010-09-01

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 802 Lebanese mothers to evaluate effect of rapid return to work on their health and that of their child. Breastfeeding practices were also assessed. The duration of maternity leave was insufficient for 72.8% of the women. Rapid return to work could cause physical and psychological problems depending on the type of work. The average length of breastfeeding was 4.7 months and while the average desired length was 10.9 months. Breastfeeding depended on the duration of the maternity leave, the possibility of breaks for breastfeeding and the presence of nurseries at work. Urgent interventions are necessary to prolong maternity leave and promote breastfeeding among working women.

Economics of United States tuberculosis airline contact investigation policies: a return on investment analysis.

PubMed

Coleman, Margaret S; Marienau, Karen J; Marano, Nina; Marks, Suzanne M; Cetron, Martin S

2014-01-01

In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention modified its 2008 protocol for flight-related tuberculosis contact investigation initiation. The 2011 Modified protocol was implemented and replaced the 2008 CDC protocol based on comparative epidemiologic and economic analyses; this publication reports the economic analysis results. A return on investment model compared relative changes in tuberculosis disease treatment costs resulting from expenditures on tuberculosis contact investigations and latent tuberculosis infection treatment for the 2008 CDC and Modified protocols. At moderate/high rates of latent tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease, positive returns on investment indicated each $1.00 spent on tuberculosis contact investigations and latent tuberculosis treatment resulted in more than $1.00 of savings from reduced tuberculosis disease treatment costs. Low rates of latent tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease resulted in negative returns on investment, indicating economic losses from tuberculosis disease treatment costs. There were smaller economic losses at low latent tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease rates with the Modified protocol in comparison to the 2008 CDC protocol, while both identified comparable numbers of persons at risk for tuberculosis. The Modified protocol for conducting flight-related tuberculosis contact investigations represents a better use of resources and protects public health. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Economics of United States tuberculosis airline contact investigation policies: A return on investment analysis

PubMed Central

Coleman, Margaret S.; Marienau, Karen J.; Marano, Nina; Marks, Suzanne M.; Cetron, Martin S.

2017-01-01

Summary Background In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention modified its 2008 protocol for flight-related tuberculosis contact investigation initiation. The 2011 Modified protocol was implemented and replaced the 2008 CDC protocol based on comparative epidemiologic and economic analyses; this publication reports the economic analysis results. Methods A return on investment model compared relative changes in tuberculosis disease treatment costs resulting from expenditures on tuberculosis contact investigations and latent tuberculosis infection treatment for the 2008 CDC and Modified protocols. Results At moderate/high rates of latent tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease, positive returns on investment indicated each $1.00 spent on tuberculosis contact investigations and latent tuberculosis treatment resulted in more than $1.00 of savings from reduced tuberculosis disease treatment costs. Low rates of latent tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease resulted in negative returns on investment, indicating economic losses from tuberculosis disease treatment costs. There were smaller economic losses at low latent tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease rates with the Modified protocol in comparison to the 2008 CDC protocol, while both identified comparable numbers of persons at risk for tuberculosis. Conclusion The Modified protocol for conducting flight-related tuberculosis contact investigations represents a better use of resources and protects public health. PMID:24262643

The impact of psychological symptoms on return to work in workers after occupational injury.

PubMed

Lin, Kuan-Han; Guo, Nai-Wen; Shiao, Shu-Chu; Liao, Shih-Cheng; Hu, Pei-Yi; Hsu, Jin-Huei; Hwang, Yaw-Huei; Guo, Yue Leon

2013-03-01

This study aimed to investigate the impact of psychological symptoms on return to work (RTW) in workers after occupational injuries. Our study candidates were injured workers who were hospitalized for 3 days or longer and received hospitalization benefits from the Labor Insurance. A self-reported questionnaire including Brief Symptom Rating Scale (BSRS-50) and RTW was sent to workers at 12 weeks after injury. At 1 year, all participants were contacted again to determine whether or not they had RTW. A total of 2001 workers completed the questionnaire (response rate 45.5 %) at 12 weeks after injury, among them, 1,149 had returned to work. Among the 852 who were unable to return to work at 12 weeks after injury, 225 reportedly returned to work by 1 year. A proportional hazards regression indicated that after adjusting for all possible risk factors, higher scores in BSRS-50 and BSRS-5 at 12 weeks after injury were significant risk factors for not return to work (NRTW) at 1 year after injury. Other risk factors were gender, education level, length of hospitalization, affected physical appearance, and injury type. Among 10 psycho-physiological symptoms of BSRS-50, a proportional hazards regression indicated that high score in phobic-anxiety scale was a risk factor for NRTW. After considering all other factors, psychological symptoms further predicted poorer probability of returning to work after occupational injury, and phobic-anxiety was the most significant symptom predicting poor RTW. Development of preventive measures among injured workers according to the risk factors identified in this study is warranted.

Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale

PubMed Central

Gipson, Polly Y.; Agarwala, Prachi; Opperman, Kiel J.; Horwitz, Adam; King, Cheryl A.

2016-01-01

Objective Despite the high prevalence of psychiatric emergency (PE) visits for attempted suicide and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents, we have limited information about assessment tools that are helpful in predicting subsequent risk for suicide attempts among adolescents in PE settings. This study examined the predictive validity of a highly promising instrument, the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). Method Participants were 178 adolescents (44.4% male; ages 13–17 years) seeking PE services. The C-SSRS interview and selected medical chart data were collected for the index visit and subsequent visits during a 1-year follow-up. Results A suicide risk concern was the most common chief complaint (50.6%) in this sample, and nearly one third of the adolescents (30.4%) reported a lifetime history of suicide attempt at index visit. Sixty-two adolescents (34.8%) had at least one return PE visit during follow-up. Lifetime history of NSSI predicted both return PE visits and a suicide attempt at return visit. The C-SSRS intensity scale score was a significant predictor of a suicide attempt at return visit for both the full sample of adolescents and the subsample who reported suicidal ideation at their index visit. In this subsample, one specific item on the intensity scale, duration, was also a significant predictor of both a return PE visit and a suicide attempt at return visit. Conclusions The C-SSRS intensity scale and NSSI had predictive validity for suicide attempts at return visit. Results also suggest that duration of adolescents’ suicidal thoughts may be particularly important to risk for suicidal behavior, warranting further study. PMID:25285389

Educated Prisoners Are Less Likely to Return to Prison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vacca, James S.

2004-01-01

Since 1990, the literature has shown that prisoners who attend educational programs while they are incarcerated are less likely to return to prison following their release. Studies in several states have indicated that recidivism rates have declined where inmates have received an appropriate education. Furthermore, the right kind of educational…

Getting Real about Resiliency: Two Approaches

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-14

Union and Confederate armies, and the Greatest Generation that liberated Europe in World War II retuned to home and hearth once the guns fell silent...alcohol abuse in our returning veterans.19 In addition, a statistic often overlooked is the rise in divorce rates. Many return to hearth and home with

Education and Poverty Reduction in Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wedgwood, Ruth

2007-01-01

This paper reviews research on the returns to education in Tanzania, both financial and non-financial, and considers whether these returns translate into poverty reduction. It looks at reasons why achievement of high primary enrolment rates in the past did not lead to the realisation of the associated developmental outcomes, considering factors…

27 CFR 40.32 - Rates of special tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) TOBACCO MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS, CIGARETTE PAPERS AND TUBES, AND... section shall apply. (c) Controlled group. All persons treated as one taxpayer under 26 U.S.C. 5061(e)(3...). (e) Returns and allowances. Gross receipts for any taxable year shall be reduced by returns and...

Software, Copyright, and Site-License Agreements: Publishers' Perspective of Library Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Happer, Stephanie K.

Thirty-one academic publishers of stand-alone software and book/disk packages were surveyed to determine whether publishers have addressed the copyright issues inherent in circulating these packages within the library environment. Twenty-two questionnaires were returned, providing a 71% return rate. There were 18 usable questionnaires. Publishers…

Assessing the influence of return density on estimation of lidar-based aboveground biomass in tropical peat swamp forests of Kalimantan, Indonesia

Treesearch

Solichin Manuri; Hans-Erik Andersen; Robert J. McGaughey; Cris Brack

2017-01-01

The airborne lidar system (ALS) provides a means to efficiently monitor the status of remote tropical forests and continues to be the subject of intense evaluation. However, the cost of ALS acquisition canvary significantly depending on the acquisition parameters, particularly the return density (i.e., spatial resolution) of the lidar point cloud. This study assessed...

Modeling the effect of toe clipping on treefrog survival: Beyond the return rate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waddle, J.H.; Rice, K.G.; Mazzotti, F.J.; Percival, H.F.

2008-01-01

Some studies have described a negative effect of toe clipping on return rates of marked anurans, but the return rate is limited in that it does not account for heterogeneity of capture probabilities. We used open population mark-recapture models to estimate both apparent survival (ϕ) and the recapture probability (p) of two treefrog species individually marked by clipping 2–4 toes. We used information-theoretic model selection to examine the effect of toe clipping on survival while accounting for variation in capture probability. The model selection results indicate strong support for an effect of toe clipping on survival of Green Treefrogs (Hyla cinerea) and only limited support for an effect of toe clipping on capture probability. We estimate there was a mean absolute decrease in survival of 5.02% and 11.16% for Green Treefrogs with three and four toes removed, respectively, compared to individuals with just two toes removed. Results for Squirrel Treefrogs (Hyla squirella) indicate little support for an effect of toe clipping on survival but may indicate some support for a negative effect on capture probability. We believe that the return rate alone should not be used to examine survival of marked animals because constant capture probability must be assumed, and our examples demonstrate how capture probability may vary over time and among groups. Mark-recapture models provide a method for estimating the effect of toe clipping on anuran survival in situations where unique marks are applied.

Relationships between blood mercury levels, reproduction, and return rate in a small seabird.

PubMed

Pollet, Ingrid L; Leonard, Marty L; O'Driscoll, Nelson J; Burgess, Neil M; Shutler, Dave

2017-01-01

Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous heavy metal that occurs naturally in the environment, but its levels have been supplemented for decades by a variety of human activities. Mercury can have serious deleterious effects on a variety of organisms, with top predators being particularly susceptible because methylmercury bioaccumulates and biomagnifies in food webs. Among birds, seabirds can have especially high levels of Hg contamination and Leach's storm-petrels (Oceanodroma leucorhoa), in particular, have amongst the highest known levels. Several populations of Leach's storm-petrels have declined recently in the Northwest Atlantic. The causes of these declines remain uncertain, but the toxic effects of Hg could be a potential factor in this decline. Here, we tested for relationships between adult blood total Hg (THg) concentration and several offspring development parameters, and adult return rate of Leach's storm-petrels breeding on Bon Portage Island (43° 28' N, 65° 44' W), Nova Scotia, Canada, between 2011 and 2015 (blood samples n = 20, 36, 6, 15, and 13 for each year, respectively). Overall, THg levels were elevated (0.78 ± 0.43 μg/g wet wt.) compared to other species of seabirds in this region, and varied significantly among years. However, we found no associations between THg levels and reproductive parameters or adult return rate. Our results indicate that levels of mercury observed in Leach's storm-petrel blood, although elevated, appear not to adversely affect their offspring development or adult return rate on Bon Portage Island.

Increase Return on Investment of Software Development Life Cycle by Managing the Risk - A Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

for increasing the return on investment during the Software Development Life Cycle ( SDLC ) through selected quantitative analyses employing both the...defect rate, return on investment (ROI), software development life cycle ( SDLC ) DE FE N SE A C Q U IS IT IO N UN IVERSITY ALU M N I A SSO C IATIO N R...becomes comfortable due to its intricacies and learning cycle. The same may be said with respect to software development life cycle ( SDLC ) management

X-Ray Computed Tomography: The First Step in Mars Sample Return Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welzenbach, L. C.; Fries, M. D.; Grady, M. M.; Greenwood, R. C.; McCubbin, F. M.; Zeigler, R. A.; Smith, C. L.; Steele, A.

2017-01-01

The Mars 2020 rover mission will collect and cache samples from the martian surface for possible retrieval and subsequent return to Earth. If the samples are returned, that mission would likely present an opportunity to analyze returned Mars samples within a geologic context on Mars. In addition, it may provide definitive information about the existence of past or present life on Mars. Mars sample return presents unique challenges for the collection, containment, transport, curation and processing of samples [1] Foremost in the processing of returned samples are the closely paired considerations of life detection and Planetary Protection. In order to achieve Mars Sample Return (MSR) science goals, reliable analyses will depend on overcoming some challenging signal/noise-related issues where sparse martian organic compounds must be reliably analyzed against the contamination background. While reliable analyses will depend on initial clean acquisition and robust documentation of all aspects of developing and managing the cache [2], there needs to be a reliable sample handling and analysis procedure that accounts for a variety of materials which may or may not contain evidence of past or present martian life. A recent report [3] suggests that a defined set of measurements should be made to effectively inform both science and Planetary Protection, when applied in the context of the two competing null hypotheses: 1) that there is no detectable life in the samples; or 2) that there is martian life in the samples. The defined measurements would include a phased approach that would be accepted by the community to preserve the bulk of the material, but provide unambiguous science data that can be used and interpreted by various disciplines. Fore-most is the concern that the initial steps would ensure the pristine nature of the samples. Preliminary, non-invasive techniques such as computed X-ray tomography (XCT) have been suggested as the first method to interrogate and characterize the cached samples without altering the materials [1,2]. A recent report [4] indicates that XCT may minimally alter samples for some techniques, and work is needed to quantify these effects, maximizing science return from XCT initial analysis while minimizing effects.

THE EFFECT OF FEEDBACK ON THE ACCURACY OF CHECKLIST COMPLETION DURING INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TRAINING

PubMed Central

Rantz, William G; Dickinson, Alyce M; Sinclair, Gilbert A; Van Houten, Ron

2009-01-01

This study examined whether pilots completed airplane checklists more accurately when they receive postflight graphic and verbal feedback. Participants were 8 college students who are pilots with an instrument rating. The task consisted of flying a designated flight pattern using a personal computer aviation training device (PCATD). The dependent variables were the number of checklist items completed correctly. A multiple baseline design across pairs of participants with withdrawal of treatment was employed in this study. During baseline, participants were given postflight technical feedback. During intervention, participants were given postflight graphic feedback on checklist use and praise for improvements along with technical feedback. The intervention produced near perfect checklist performance, which was maintained following a return to the baseline conditions. PMID:20190914

Responses of many-species predator-prey systems to perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esmaily, Shadi; Pleimling, Michel

2015-03-01

We study the responses of many-species predator-prey systems, both in the well-mixed case as well as on a two-dimensional lattice, to permanent and transient perturbations. In the case of a weak transient perturbation the system returns to the original steady state, whereas a permanent perturbation pushes the system into a new steady state. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we monitor the approach to stationarity after a perturbation through a variety of quantities, as for example time-dependent particle densities and correlation functions. Different types of perturbations are studied, ranging from a change in reaction rates to the injection of additional individuals into the system, the latter perturbation mimicking immigration. This work is supported by the US National Science Foundation through Grant DMR-1205309.

Localization Transition Induced by Learning in Random Searches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falcón-Cortés, Andrea; Boyer, Denis; Giuggioli, Luca; Majumdar, Satya N.

2017-10-01

We solve an adaptive search model where a random walker or Lévy flight stochastically resets to previously visited sites on a d -dimensional lattice containing one trapping site. Because of reinforcement, a phase transition occurs when the resetting rate crosses a threshold above which nondiffusive stationary states emerge, localized around the inhomogeneity. The threshold depends on the trapping strength and on the walker's return probability in the memoryless case. The transition belongs to the same class as the self-consistent theory of Anderson localization. These results show that similarly to many living organisms and unlike the well-studied Markovian walks, non-Markov movement processes can allow agents to learn about their environment and promise to bring adaptive solutions in search tasks.

A Guide for the Management of Special Education Programs. 1.0 Program Organization. Newday Operations Guide for Drug Dependent Minor Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools, CA.

Presented is the first component, Program Organization, of a special day class educational program emphasizing rehabilitation, remedial instruction, and return to regular school programs for drug dependent minors. Included are statistics on drug use in California and the administrative code under which drug dependent minors are eligible for…

The returns and risks of investment portfolio in a financial market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jiang-Cheng; Mei, Dong-Cheng

2014-07-01

The returns and risks of investment portfolio in a financial system was investigated by constructing a theoretical model based on the Heston model. After the theoretical model and analysis of portfolio were calculated and analyzed, we find the following: (i) The statistical properties (i.e., the probability distribution, the variance and loss rate of equity portfolio return) between simulation results of the theoretical model and the real financial data obtained from Dow Jones Industrial Average are in good agreement; (ii) The maximum dispersion of the investment portfolio is associated with the maximum stability of the equity portfolio return and minimal investment risks; (iii) An increase of the investment period and a worst investment period are associated with a decrease of stability of the equity portfolio return and a maximum investment risk, respectively.

Return to work and its relation to financial distress among Iranian cancer survivors.

PubMed

Ghasempour, Mostafa; Rahmani, Azad; Davoodi, Arefeh; Sheikhalipour, Zahra; Ziaeei, Jamal Evazie; Abri, Fariba

2015-01-01

Return to work after treatment completion is important for both cancer survivors and society. Financial distress is one of the factors that may influence the return to work in cancer survivors. However, this relationship has not been well investigated. This study aimed to determine the rate of return to work and its relation to financial distress among Iranian cancer survivors. This descriptive-correlational study was undertaken among 165 cancer survivors who completed their initial treatments and had no signs of active cancer. The Return to Work questionnaire and Financial Distress/Financial Well-Being Scale were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. After initial treatments, 120 cancer survivors (72%) had returned to work, of which 50 patients (42%) had returned to full-time work and 70 (58%) reduced their work hours and returned to part-time work. Cancer survivors also reported high levels of financial distress. In addition, the financial distress was lower among patients who had returned completely to work, in comparison to patients who had quit working for cancer-related reasons (p=0.001) or returned to work as part-time workers (p=0.001). The findings showed that a high percent of Iranian cancer survivors had not returned to their jobs or considerably reduced working hours after treatment completion. Accordingly, due to high levels of financial distress experienced by participants and its relation to return to work, designing rehabilitation programs to facilitate cancer survivor return to work should be considered.

Extreme Unconditional Dependence Vs. Multivariate GARCH Effect in the Analysis of Dependence Between High Losses on Polish and German Stock Indexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rokita, Pawel

Classical portfolio diversification methods do not take account of any dependence between extreme returns (losses). Many researchers provide, however, some empirical evidence for various assets that extreme-losses co-occur. If the co-occurrence is frequent enough to be statistically significant, it may seriously influence portfolio risk. Such effects may result from a few different properties of financial time series, like for instance: (1) extreme dependence in a (long-term) unconditional distribution, (2) extreme dependence in subsequent conditional distributions, (3) time-varying conditional covariance, (4) time-varying (long-term) unconditional covariance, (5) market contagion. Moreover, a mix of these properties may be present in return time series. Modeling each of them requires different approaches. It seams reasonable to investigate whether distinguishing between the properties is highly significant for portfolio risk measurement. If it is, identifying the effect responsible for high loss co-occurrence would be of a great importance. If it is not, the best solution would be selecting the easiest-to-apply model. This article concentrates on two of the aforementioned properties: extreme dependence (in a long-term unconditional distribution) and time-varying conditional covariance.

Arthroscopic capsular plication for microtraumatic anterior shoulder instability in overhead athletes.

PubMed

Jones, Kristofer J; Kahlenberg, Cynthia A; Dodson, Christopher C; Nam, Denis; Williams, Riley J; Altchek, David W

2012-09-01

Extreme loading conditions at the glenohumeral joint during overhead athletic activities can result in both soft tissue and osseous adaptative changes at the shoulder. Subtle alterations in the stabilizing structures may lead to anterior instability and debilitating shoulder pain with subsequent inability to participate in athletics. There is currently a paucity of data documenting clinical outcomes after arthroscopic capsular plication in overhead athletes who demonstrate objective findings of pain and anterior instability on physical examination. To evaluate outcomes after arthroscopic capsular plication for anterior instability in overhead athletes with an emphasis on postoperative range of motion, postoperative shoulder function, and return to sport. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. The authors identified 20 overhead athletes with debilitating shoulder pain and a failed trial of nonoperative management who underwent arthroscopic capsular plication (12 suture plication, 8 suture anchor plication) for anterior instability related to isolated capsular redundancy. Patients were evaluated with the Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation (SANE) and Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic (KJOC) Shoulder and Elbow Score, and they were interviewed to determine the rate of return to athletic activity. Failures of treatment included patients who demonstrated debilitating pain that precluded return to sport. At a mean follow-up of 3.6 years (range, 2.0-5.5 years), 18 (90%) patients returned to overhead sports, with 17 (85%) at their preinjury level. The mean (SD) SANE score was 86 (17.5%; range, 30%-100%), and the mean (SD) KJOC score was 82 (18.2; range, 28-100). When compared with the contralateral extremity, there were no significant differences in glenohumeral range of motion. Two patients with associated rotator cuff injury experienced persistent pain with overhead activity and were unable to return to sport, representing a 10% failure rate. Arthroscopic capsular plication for anterior instability related to isolated capsular redundancy is an effective procedure that yields a high rate of patient satisfaction and return to overhead athletic activity with an acceptably low failure rate. Patients with associated rotator cuff injury may be at higher risk for treatment failure.

School-based survey participation: oral health and BMI survey of Ohio third graders.

PubMed

Detty, Amber M R

2013-09-01

During the 2009-2010 school year, the Ohio Department of Health conducted a statewide oral health and body mass index (BMI) screening survey among 3rd grade children. This marked the fifth school-based survey regarding the oral health of Ohio children since 1987. At 50 %, the participation rate of the 2009-2010 oral health and BMI survey was at the lowest level ever experienced. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with participation rates in a school-based survey. A stratified, random sample of 377 schools was drawn from the list of 1,742 Ohio public elementary schools with third grade students. All third grade children in the sampled schools with parent or guardian consent received an oral health screening and height/weight measurement by trained health professionals. Participation rates at the school level were then combined with data on school characteristics and survey implementation. Predictors of school form return, participation, and refusal rates were assessed by generalized linear modeling (GLM). High student mobility and larger school size were associated with lower form return (p = 0.000 and p = 0.001, respectively) and lower participation rates (p = 0.000 and p = 0.005, respectively). Surveying in the fall or spring (as opposed to winter) significantly decreased form return (p = 0.001 and p = 0.016, respectively) and participation rates (p = 0.008 and p = 0.002, respectively), while being surveyed by internal staff (versus external screeners) significantly increased form return (p = 0.003) and participation rates (p = 0.001). Efforts to increase participation should focus more on schools with higher student mobility and larger size. Additionally, participation could be improved by using internal staff and surveying during winter.

Assessing the Role of Dissolved Organic Phosphate on Rates of Microbial Phosphorus Cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, A. C.; Popendorf, K. J.; Duhamel, S.

2016-02-01

Phosphorus (P) is an element crucial to life, and it is limiting in many parts of the ocean. In oligotrophic environments, the dissolved P pool is cycled rapidly through the activity of microbes, with turnover times of several hours or less. The overarching aim of this study was to assess the flux of P from picoplankton to the dissolved pool and the role this plays in fueling rapid P cycling. To determine if specific microbial groups are responsible for significant return of P to the dissolved pool during cell lifetime, we compared the rate of cellular P turnover (cell-Pτ, the rate of cellular P uptake divided by cellular P content) to the rate of cellular biomass turnover (cellτ). High rates of P return to the dissolved pool during cell lifetime (high cell-Pτ/cellτ) indicate significant P regeneration, fueling more rapid turnover of the dissolved P pool. We hypothesized that cell-Pτ/cellτ varies widely across picoplankton groups. One factor influencing this variation may be each microbial group's relative uptake of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) versus dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP). As extracellular hydrolysis is necessary for P incorporation from DOP, this process may return more P to the dissolved pool than DIP incorporation. This leads to the question: does a picoplankton's relative uptake of DOP (versus DIP) affect the rate at which it returns phosphorus to the dissolved pool? To address this question, we compared the rate of cellular P turnover based on uptake of DOP and uptake DIP using cultured representatives of three environmentally significant picoplankton groups: Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, and heterotrophic bacteria. These different picoplankton groups are known to take up different ratios of DOP to DIP, and may in turn make significantly different contributions to the regeneration and cycling phosphorus. These findings have implications towards our understanding of the timeframes of biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus in the ocean.

Rehabilitation After Hamstring-Strain Injury Emphasizing Eccentric Strengthening at Long Muscle Lengths: Results of Long-Term Follow-Up.

PubMed

Tyler, Timothy F; Schmitt, Brandon M; Nicholas, Stephen J; McHugh, Malachy P

2017-04-01

Hamstring-strain injuries have a high recurrence rate. To determine if a protocol emphasizing eccentric strength training with the hamstrings in a lengthened position resulted in a low recurrence rate. Longitudinal cohort study. Sports-medicine physical therapy clinic. Fifty athletes with hamstring-strain injury (age 36 ± 16 y; 30 men, 20 women; 3 G1, 43 G2, 4 G3; 25 recurrent injuries) followed a 3-phase rehabilitation protocol emphasizing eccentric strengthening with the hamstrings in a lengthened position. Injury recurrence; isometric hamstring strength at 80°, 60°, 40°, and 20° knee flexion in sitting with the thigh flexed to 40° above the horizontal and the seat back at 90° to the horizontal (strength tested before return to sport). Four of the 50 athletes sustained reinjuries between 3 and 12 mo after return to sport (8% recurrence rate). The other 42 athletes had not sustained a reinjury at an average of 24 ± 12 mo after return to sport. Eight noncompliant athletes did not complete the rehabilitation and returned to sport before initiating eccentric strengthening in the lengthened state. All 4 reinjuries occurred in these noncompliant athletes. At time of return to sport, compliant athletes had full restoration of strength while noncompliant athletes had significant hamstring weakness, which was progressively worse at longer muscle lengths (compliance × side × angle P = .006; involved vs noninvolved at 20°, compliant 7% stronger, noncompliant 43% weaker). Compliance with rehabilitation emphasizing eccentric strengthening with the hamstrings in a lengthened position resulted in no reinjuries.

Simulation of finite-strain inelastic phenomena governed by creep and plasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhen; Bloomfield, Max O.; Oberai, Assad A.

2017-11-01

Inelastic mechanical behavior plays an important role in many applications in science and engineering. Phenomenologically, this behavior is often modeled as plasticity or creep. Plasticity is used to represent the rate-independent component of inelastic deformation and creep is used to represent the rate-dependent component. In several applications, especially those at elevated temperatures and stresses, these processes occur simultaneously. In order to model these process, we develop a rate-objective, finite-deformation constitutive model for plasticity and creep. The plastic component of this model is based on rate-independent J_2 plasticity, and the creep component is based on a thermally activated Norton model. We describe the implementation of this model within a finite element formulation, and present a radial return mapping algorithm for it. This approach reduces the additional complexity of modeling plasticity and creep, over thermoelasticity, to just solving one nonlinear scalar equation at each quadrature point. We implement this algorithm within a multiphysics finite element code and evaluate the consistent tangent through automatic differentiation. We verify and validate the implementation, apply it to modeling the evolution of stresses in the flip chip manufacturing process, and test its parallel strong-scaling performance.

Intrinsic Multi-Scale Dynamic Behaviors of Complex Financial Systems.

PubMed

Ouyang, Fang-Yan; Zheng, Bo; Jiang, Xiong-Fei

2015-01-01

The empirical mode decomposition is applied to analyze the intrinsic multi-scale dynamic behaviors of complex financial systems. In this approach, the time series of the price returns of each stock is decomposed into a small number of intrinsic mode functions, which represent the price motion from high frequency to low frequency. These intrinsic mode functions are then grouped into three modes, i.e., the fast mode, medium mode and slow mode. The probability distribution of returns and auto-correlation of volatilities for the fast and medium modes exhibit similar behaviors as those of the full time series, i.e., these characteristics are rather robust in multi time scale. However, the cross-correlation between individual stocks and the return-volatility correlation are time scale dependent. The structure of business sectors is mainly governed by the fast mode when returns are sampled at a couple of days, while by the medium mode when returns are sampled at dozens of days. More importantly, the leverage and anti-leverage effects are dominated by the medium mode.

Right TKR Patients Treated with Enhanced Pain and Rehabilitation Protocols Can Drive at 2 Weeks.

PubMed

Dalury, David F; Chapman, Danielle M

2018-06-20

An important milestone in the recovery following total knee replacement (TKR) is the ability to return to driving. With advances in pain control and the widespread introduction of rapid rehab programs, we hypothesized that the ability to drive would also return sooner than had been traditionally observed. In our group of consecutive right TKR patients, using a driving simulator, we showed that at the 2-week mark, 36 of the 40 patients tested had returned to their preoperative driving capabilities and the other 4 had reached baseline at 3 weeks. While the eventual decision to return to driving is complex and dependent on many factors, we conclude that one of the benefits of enhanced pain and rehab protocols is that patients undergoing right TKR can return to driving in most instances at the 2-week mark rather than the traditional 6-week mark. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

31 CFR 359.12 - What happens in deflationary conditions?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... deflationary situations, the semiannual inflation rate may be negative. Negative semiannual inflation rates will be used in the same way as positive semiannual inflation rates. However, if the semiannual inflation rate is negative to the extent that it completely offsets the fixed rate of return, the redemption...

Recovery of three arctic stream reaches from experimental nutrient enrichment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benstead, J.P.; Green, A.C.; Deegan, Linda A.; Peterson, B.J.; Slavik, K.; Bowden, W.B.; Hershey, A.E.

2007-01-01

1. Nutrient enrichment and resulting eutrophication is a widespread anthropogenic influence on freshwater ecosystems, but recovery from nutrient enrichment is poorly understood, especially in stream environments. We examined multi-year patterns in community recovery from experimental low-concentration nutrient enrichment (N + P or P only) in three reaches of two Arctic tundra streams (Kuparuk River and Oksrukuyik Creek) on the North Slope of Alaska (U.S.A.). 2. Rates of recovery varied among community components and depended on duration of enrichment (2-13 consecutive growing seasons). Biomass of epilithic algae returned to reference levels rapidly (within 2 years), regardless of nutrients added or enrichment duration. Aquatic bryophyte cover, which increased greatly in the Kuparuk River only after long-term enrichment (8 years), took 8 years of recovery to approach reference levels, after storms had scoured most remnant moss in the recovering reach. 3. Multi-year persistence of bryophytes in the Kuparuk River appeared to prevent recovery of insect populations that had either been positively (e.g. the mayfly Ephemerella, most chironomid midge taxa) or negatively (e.g. the tube-building chironomid Orthocladius rivulorum) affected by this shift in dominant primary producer. These lags in recovery (of >3 years) were probably driven by the persistent effect of bryophytes on physical benthic habitat. 4. Summer growth rates of Arctic grayling (both adults and young-of-year) in Oksrukuyik Creek (fertilised for 6 years with no bryophyte colonisation), which were consistently increased by nutrient addition, returned to reference rates within 1-2 years. 5. Rates of recovery of these virtually pristine Arctic stream ecosystems from low-level nutrient enrichment appeared to be controlled largely by duration of enrichment, mediated through physical habitat shifts caused by eventual bryophyte colonisation, and subsequent physical disturbance that removed bryophytes. Nutrient enrichment of oligotrophic Arctic stream ecosystems caused by climate change or local anthropogenic activity may have dramatic and persistent consequences if it results in the colonisation of long-lived primary producers that alter physical habitat. ?? 2007 The Authors.