DESIGNING THE RETURN MIGRATION OF ROMANIAN STUDENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalena VELCIU

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Romanian youth migration is an increasing phenomenon, due to subjective and objective factors as economical reasons, professional carrer and increasingly more international competition for talent. In these circumstances, the present article aims to evaluate determinant factors that contribute to the decision of Romanian graduates to return national labour market. We sustain that young Romanians consider carefully and hardly decide their professional future. A particular attention is given to their personal reasons and motivations as well as family and friends network. For designing returning factors we present the results of a questionnaire survey, asking young pupils and students about their future educational way and personal reasons underlying the decision to study in a foreign country and taking into consideration the returning decision. As far international student migration is seen as a first step to migration for work, our work desires to fight for returning home of Romanian well-educated graduates.

Evaluating the biological potential in samples returned from planetary satellites and small solar system bodies: framework for decision making

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

National Research Council Staff; Space Studies Board; Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences; National Research Council; National Academy of Sciences

... from Planetary Satellites and Small Solar System Bodies Framework for Decision Making Task Group on Sample Return from Small Solar System Bodies Space Studies Board Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications National Research Council NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS Washington, D.C. 1998 i Copyrightthe true use are Please breaks...

Return to play after hamstring injuries in football (soccer): a worldwide Delphi procedure regarding definition, medical criteria and decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Horst, Nick; Backx, Fjg; Goedhart, Edwin A; Huisstede, Bionka Ma

2017-11-01

There are three major questions about return to play (RTP) after hamstring injuries: How should RTP be defined? Which medical criteria should support the RTP decision? And who should make the RTP decision? The study aimed to provide a clear RTP definition and medical criteria for RTP and to clarify RTP consultation and responsibilities after hamstring injury. The study used the Delphi procedure. The results of a systematic review were used as a starting point for the Delphi procedure. Fifty-eight experts in the field of hamstring injury management selected by 28 FIFA Medical Centres of Excellence worldwide participated. Each Delphi round consisted of a questionnaire, an analysis and an anonymised feedback report. After four Delphi rounds, with more than 83% response for each round, consensus was achieved that RTP should be defined as 'the moment a player has received criteria-based medical clearance and is mentally ready for full availability for match selection and/or full training'. The experts reached consensus on the following criteria to support the RTP decision: medical staff clearance, absence of pain on palpation, absence of pain during strength and flexibility testing, absence of pain during/after functional testing, similar hamstring flexibility, performance on field testing, and psychological readiness. It was also agreed that RTP decisions should be based on shared decision-making, primarily via consultation with the athlete, sports physician, physiotherapist, fitness trainer and team coach. The consensus regarding aspects of RTP should provide clarity and facilitate the assessment of when RTP is appropriate after hamstring injury, so as to avoid or reduce the risk of injury recurrence because of a premature RTP. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Three-dimensional object recognition using similar triangles and decision trees

Science.gov (United States)

Spirkovska, Lilly

1993-01-01

A system, TRIDEC, that is capable of distinguishing between a set of objects despite changes in the objects' positions in the input field, their size, or their rotational orientation in 3D space is described. TRIDEC combines very simple yet effective features with the classification capabilities of inductive decision tree methods. The feature vector is a list of all similar triangles defined by connecting all combinations of three pixels in a coarse coded 127 x 127 pixel input field. The classification is accomplished by building a decision tree using the information provided from a limited number of translated, scaled, and rotated samples. Simulation results are presented which show that TRIDEC achieves 94 percent recognition accuracy in the 2D invariant object recognition domain and 98 percent recognition accuracy in the 3D invariant object recognition domain after training on only a small sample of transformed views of the objects.

Return Migration among Elderly, Chronically Ill Bosnian Refugees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Handlos, Line Neerup; Olwig, Karen Fog; Bygbjerg, Ib Christian

2015-01-01

Elderly migrants constitute a considerable share of global return migration; nevertheless, literature on the health aspects of the return migration among these migrants is still scarce. This study explores the significance of return migration among elderly, chronically ill Bosnian refugees from D...... of illness, health did matter. Viewed as physical, social and mental well-being in line with WHO's definition of health, health was indeed one of the most important factors when the decision to return was made....... that physical health, in the sense of the absence of illness and easy access to necessary health-care services and medicines, was not highly prioritized when the decision was made whether or not to return. However, if health is regarded more broadly as involving more than mere physical health and the absence......Elderly migrants constitute a considerable share of global return migration; nevertheless, literature on the health aspects of the return migration among these migrants is still scarce. This study explores the significance of return migration among elderly, chronically ill Bosnian refugees from...

Co-decision in the European Parliament: Comparing Rationalist and Constructivist Explanations of the Returns Directive

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Ariadna Ripoll Servent

2011-02-01

Full Text Available This study uses rationalist and constructivist explanations of co-decision in the European Parliament (EP. It seeks to understand the change in the policy preferences of the EP during negotiations on the ‘Returns’ directive – dealing with the voluntary or compulsory return of irregular immigrants. This article shows that the introduction of co-decision contributed considerably to the EP’s change of stance on immigration policies. A long-standing advocate of civil liberties in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ, the EP was expected to raise the standards of protection for third-country nationals. In view of the inability of the EP to construct a more liberal policy, the study uses two institutionalist approaches to understand why the EP was unsuccessful in raising the standards. Therefore, the approaches aim at identifying the logics and layers of change. The empirical application of the models highlights the necessity to integrate rationalist and constructivist understandings of co-decision in order to understand motivations for policy change. Synergies in the direction of change also point to the importance of institutional motivations, in order to understand major changes in the policy preferences of the EP.

Can we enhance the ability to return to work among workers with stress-related disorders?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lander, Flemming; Friche, Claus; Tornemand, Helle

2009-01-01

counselling e.g. on decisions concerning resumption of work, support to families, participation in meetings with the workplace. Basically, the controls and the intervention group share the same access to welfare benefits. The main outcome was time to return to labour market (TTR). RESULTS: The baseline...... characteristics were similar in the two groups. There were no differences in the rate of resuming work between the two groups. About 80% in both groups had returned to the labour market after one year. CONCLUSION: An intervention program with psychological stress management and case management did not improve...

Economic and accounting rates of return

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feenstra, D.W.; Wang, H.

2000-01-01

The rate of return on invested capital is a central concept in financial analysis. The purpose of calculating the rate of return on investment in general is to measure the financial performance, to assess the desirability of a project and to make decisions on the valuation of firms. Financial

Return to play after infectious mononucleosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Jonathan A; Smith, Julie Anne

2014-05-01

Infectious mononucleosis is a disease primarily of adolescence and early adulthood. The risk of splenic injury and chronic fatigue make return-to-play decisions a challenge for the clinician caring for athletes with infectious mononucleosis. Data were obtained from the PubMed and MEDLINE databases through December 2012 by searching for epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical manifestations, management, and the role of the spleen in infectious mononucleosis. Clinical review. Level 4. Infectious mononucleosis is commonly encountered in young athletes. Its disease pattern is variable and can affect multiple organ systems. Supportive care is the cornerstone, with little role for medications such as corticosteroids. Physical examination is unreliable for the spleen, and ultrasound imaging has limitations in its ability to guide return-to-play decisions. Exercise does not appear to place the young athlete at risk for chronic fatigue, but determining who is at risk for persistent symptoms is a challenge. Return-to-play decisions for the athlete with infectious mononucleosis need to be individualized because of the variable disease course and lack of evidence-based guidelines.

Surface-Level Diversity and Decision-Making in Groups: When Does Deep-Level Similarity Help?

OpenAIRE

2006-01-01

Abstract We examined how surface-level diversity (based on race) and deep-level similarities influenced three-person decision-making groups on a hidden-profile task. Surface-level homogeneous groups perceived their information to be less unique and spent less time on the task than surface-level diverse groups. When the groups were given the opportunity to learn about their deep-level similarities prior to t...

Return on investment for vendor computerized physician order entry in four community hospitals: the importance of decision support.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimlichman, Eyal; Keohane, Carol; Franz, Calvin; Everett, Wendy L; Seger, Diane L; Yoon, Catherine; Leung, Alexander A; Cadet, Bismarck; Coffey, Michael; Kaufman, Nathan E; Bates, David W

2013-07-01

In-hospital adverse events are a major cause of morbidity and mortality and represent a major cost burden to health care systems. A study was conducted to evaluate the return on investment (ROI) for the adoption of vendor-developed computerized physician oder entry (CPOE) systems in four community hospitals in Massachusetts. Of the four hospitals, two were under one management structure and implemented the same vendor-developed CPOE system (Hospital Group A), while the other two were under a second management structure and implemented another vendor-developed CPOE system (Hospital Group B). Cost savings were calculated on the basis of reduction in preventable adverse drug event (ADE) rates as measured previously. ROI, net cash flow, and the breakeven point during a 10-year cost-and-benefit model were calculated. At the time of the study, none of the participating hospitals had implemented more than a rudimentary decision support system together with CPOE. Implementation costs were lower for Hospital Group A than B ($7,130,894 total or $83/admission versus $19,293,379 total or $113/admission, respectively), as were preventable ADE-related avoided costs ($7,937,651 and $16,557,056, respectively). A cost-benefit analysis demonstrated that Hospital Group A had an ROI of 11.3%, breaking even on the investment eight years following implementation. Hospital Group B showed a negative return, with an ROI of -3.1%. Adoption of vendor CPOE systems in community hospitals was associated with a modest ROI at best when applying cost savings attributable to prevention of ADEs only. The modest financial returns can beattributed to the lack of clinical decision support tools.

Return Migration among Elderly, Chronically Ill Bosnian Refugees: Does Health Matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Handlos, Line Neerup; Olwig, Karen Fog; Bygbjerg, Ib Christian; Kristiansen, Maria; Norredam, Marie Louise

2015-10-12

Elderly migrants constitute a considerable share of global return migration; nevertheless, literature on the health aspects of the return migration among these migrants is still scarce. This study explores the significance of return migration among elderly, chronically ill Bosnian refugees from Denmark and the role of health issues in their decision to return. It is based on semi-structured interviews with 33 elderly, chronically ill Bosnian refugees who have moved back to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 10 elderly, chronically ill Bosnian refugees who have remained in Denmark. The interviews show that physical health, in the sense of the absence of illness and easy access to necessary health-care services and medicines, was not highly prioritized when the decision was made whether or not to return. However, if health is regarded more broadly as involving more than mere physical health and the absence of illness, health did matter. Viewed as physical, social and mental well-being in line with WHO's definition of health, health was indeed one of the most important factors when the decision to return was made.

2016 Consensus statement on return to sport from the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy, Bern

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ardern, Clare L; Glasgow, Philip; Schneiders, Anthony

2016-01-01

evidence to make recommendations for return to sport decision-making, clinical practice and future research directions related to returning athletes to sport. A half day meeting was held in Bern, Switzerland, after the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy. 17 expert clinicians participated. 4...... sense of individual factors that may influence the athlete's return to sport, and the Strategic Assessment of Risk and Risk Tolerance framework may help decision-makers synthesise information to make an optimal return to sport decision. Research evidence to support return to sport decisions in clinical...... practice is scarce. Future research should focus on a standardised approach to defining, measuring and reporting return to sport outcomes, and identifying valuable prognostic factors for returning to sport....

The decision-making capacity of elderly hospitalized patients: validation of a test on their choice of return home.

Science.gov (United States)

Romdhani, Mouna; Abbas, Rachid; Peyneau, Cécile; Koskas, Pierre; Houenou Quenum, Nadège; Galleron, Sandrine; Drunat, Olivier

2018-03-01

Elderly hospitalized patients have uncertain or questionable capacity to make decisions about their care. Determining whether an elderly patient possesses decision-making capacity to return at home is a major concern for geriatricians in everyday practice. To construct and internally validate a new tool, the dream of home test (DROM-test), as support for decision making hospitalization discharge destination for the elderly in the acute or sub-acute care setting. The DROM-test consists of 10 questions and 4 vignettes based upon the 4 relevant criteria for decision-making: capacity to understand information, to appreciate and reason about medical risks and to communicate a choice. A prospective observational study was conducted during 6 months in 2 geriatric care units in Bretonneau Hospital (Assistance publique, Hôpitaux de Paris). We compared the patient decision of DROM-test regarding discharge recommendations with those of an Expert committee and of the team in charge of the patient. 102 were included: mean age 83.1 + 6.7 [70; 97], 66.67% females. Principal components analysis revealed four dimensions: choice, understanding, reasoning and understanding. The area under the ROC curve was 0.64 for the choice dimension, 0.59 for the understanding, 0.53 for the reasoning and 0.52 for the apprehension. Only the choice dimension was statistically associated with the decision of the committee of experts (p=0.017). Even though Drom-test has limitations, it provides an objective way to ascertain decision-making capacity for hospitalised elderly patients.

Multi-Attribute Decision Making Based on Several Trigonometric Hamming Similarity Measures under Interval Rough Neutrosophic Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Surapati Pramanik

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the sine, cosine and cotangent similarity measures of interval rough neutrosophic sets is proposed. Some properties of the proposed measures are discussed. We have proposed multi attribute decision making approaches based on proposed similarity measures. To demonstrate the applicability, a numerical example is solved.

Volatility return intervals analysis of the Japanese market

Science.gov (United States)

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 . 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.

Application of a General Risk Management Model to Portfolio Optimization Problems with Elliptical Distributed Returns for Risk Neutral and Risk Averse Decision Makers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

B. Kaynar; S.I. Birbil (Ilker); J.B.G. Frenk (Hans)

2007-01-01

textabstractIn this paper portfolio problems with linear loss functions and multivariate elliptical distributed returns are studied. We consider two risk measures, Value-at-Risk and Conditional-Value-at-Risk, and two types of decision makers, risk neutral and risk averse. For Value-at-Risk, we show

Return Migration and Working Choices

OpenAIRE

TANI, Massimiliano; MAHUTEAU, Stéphane

2008-01-01

Collective Action to Support the Reintegration of Return Migrants in their Country of Origin (MIREM) This paper uses the recent survey carried out in the framework of the MIREM project on returnees to Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia and studies the duration of emigration and the labour force status upon returning. The results suggest that age and the year of emigration play a central role in the migration decision, but they do not support the hypothesis that the duration of migration is deter...

Return Migration among Elderly, Chronically Ill Bosnian Refugees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Handlos, Line Neerup; Olwig, Karen Fog; Bygbjerg, Ib Christian

2015-01-01

Elderly migrants constitute a considerable share of global return migration; nevertheless, literature on the health aspects of the return migration among these migrants is still scarce. This study explores the significance of return migration among elderly, chronically ill Bosnian refugees from...... Denmark and the role of health issues in their decision to return. It is based on semi-structured interviews with 33 elderly, chronically ill Bosnian refugees who have moved back to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 10 elderly, chronically ill Bosnian refugees who have remained in Denmark. The interviews show...

The Javanese Lunar Calendar’s Effect on Indonesian Stock Returns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robiyanto, Robiyanto

2015-08-01

Full Text Available It is very possible for an investor to take a decision based on superstitions and common beliefs. Actually, Indonesia has a specific calendar system called the Javanese lunar calendar. The Javanese calendar contains several special days because of their sacred characteristics such as “Kamis Wage” (Thursday Wage and “Jum’at Kliwon” (Friday Kliwon. The day of Friday Kliwon is often considered to be the most frightening which is similar to Friday the Thirteenth in Western culture. This study tried to scrutinize the impact of those sacred days on Indonesian stock returns. By applying GARCH-M, the finding shows that the Javanese lunar calendar does not have any impact on the Indonesian stock returns, but does affect the investors’ risk aversion level. This study has proven that, in terms of risk aversion, investors’ behavior in Indonesia is influenced by superstition.

Perceptions of Domestic Violence: The Effects of Domestic Violence Myths, Victim's Relationship with Her Abuser, and the Decision to Return to Her Abuser

Science.gov (United States)

Yamawaki, Niwako; Ochoa-Shipp, Monica; Pulsipher, Craig; Harlos, Andrew; Swindler, Scott

2012-01-01

Researchers in this study examined the attitudes toward domestic violence, the victim, and her perpetrator. A total of 194 participants were randomly assigned to one of 4 hypothetical scenarios to evaluate how observers' perceptions were influenced by their own sex and myths about domestic violence, by the victim's decision to return to the…

Formulary decision-making about cephalosporins with similar therapeutic uses.

Science.gov (United States)

Mabe, Don M

2003-05-15

The various costs and intangible factors that enter into formulary decisions in an era of increasingly frequent drug product shortages that can adversely affect patient care and increase treatment costs are described. Pharmacy administration at Carolinas HealthCare System analyzed the costs associated with making a formulary switch from the third-generation cephalosporin ceftriaxone to cefotaxime, which recently became available in generic form and has a similar spectrum of antimicrobial activity and therapeutic uses. Hard dollar costs for purchasing drugs and the supplies needed to administer them; soft dollar costs for staff time spent acquiring, preparing, and administering doses; and intangible factors were considered. A reliable supply of drug product from the manufacturer was an important intangible factor because of frequent drug shortages in the past few years and the adverse effect on patient care and the increased soft dollar costs associated with these shortages. Administrators at Carolinas HealthCare System decided not to make the proposed formulary change after weighing the many factors and costs.

2016 Consensus statement on return to sport from the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy, Bern.

Science.gov (United States)

Ardern, Clare L; Glasgow, Philip; Schneiders, Anthony; Witvrouw, Erik; Clarsen, Benjamin; Cools, Ann; Gojanovic, Boris; Griffin, Steffan; Khan, Karim M; Moksnes, Håvard; Mutch, Stephen A; Phillips, Nicola; Reurink, Gustaaf; Sadler, Robin; Silbernagel, Karin Grävare; Thorborg, Kristian; Wangensteen, Arnlaug; Wilk, Kevin E; Bizzini, Mario

2016-07-01

Deciding when to return to sport after injury is complex and multifactorial-an exercise in risk management. Return to sport decisions are made every day by clinicians, athletes and coaches, ideally in a collaborative way. The purpose of this consensus statement was to present and synthesise current evidence to make recommendations for return to sport decision-making, clinical practice and future research directions related to returning athletes to sport. A half day meeting was held in Bern, Switzerland, after the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy. 17 expert clinicians participated. 4 main sections were initially agreed upon, then participants elected to join 1 of the 4 groups-each group focused on 1 section of the consensus statement. Participants in each group discussed and summarised the key issues for their section before the 17-member group met again for discussion to reach consensus on the content of the 4 sections. Return to sport is not a decision taken in isolation at the end of the recovery and rehabilitation process. Instead, return to sport should be viewed as a continuum, paralleled with recovery and rehabilitation. Biopsychosocial models may help the clinician make sense of individual factors that may influence the athlete's return to sport, and the Strategic Assessment of Risk and Risk Tolerance framework may help decision-makers synthesise information to make an optimal return to sport decision. Research evidence to support return to sport decisions in clinical practice is scarce. Future research should focus on a standardised approach to defining, measuring and reporting return to sport outcomes, and identifying valuable prognostic factors for returning to sport. 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/

Coordination of a supply chain with consumer return under vendor-managed consignment inventory and stochastic demand

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zhihui; Chen, Dongyan; Yu, Hui

2016-07-01

In this paper, the problem of the coordination policy is investigated for vendor-managed consignment inventory supply chain subject to consumer return. Here, the market demand is assumed to be affected by promotional effort and consumer return policy. The optimal consignment inventory and the optimal promotional effort level are proposed under the decentralized and centralized decisions. Based on the optimal decision conditions, the markdown allowance-promotional cost-sharing contract is investigated to coordinate the supply chain. Subsequently, the comparison between the two extreme policies shows that full-refund policy dominates the no-return policy when the returning cost and the positive effect of return policy are satisfied certain conditions. Finally, a numerical example is provided to illustrate the impacts of consumer return policy on the coordination contract and optimal profit as well as the effectiveness of the proposed supply chain decision.

Important factors influencing the return to work after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ying-Chih; Kapellusch, Jay; Garg, Arun

2014-01-01

As the field of rehabilitation shifts its focus towards improving functional capacity instead of managing disability, return to work (RTW) and return to the community emerge as key goals in a person's recovery from major disabling illness such as stroke. To compile important factors believed to influence RTW after a stroke. Based on a comprehensive literature review, we clustered similar factors and organized these factors based on the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health (ICF) framework: body functions or structure, activity participation, environmental factors and personal and psychosocial factors. Overall, stroke severity, as assessed by the degree of residual disability such as weakness, neurological deficit or impairments (speech, cognition, apraxia, agnosia), has been shown to be the most consistent negative predictor of RTW. Many factors such as the number of working years remaining until retirement, depression, medical history, and occupation need to be taken into consideration for stroke survivors, as they can influence RTW decision making. Stroke survivors who are flexible and realistic in their vocational goal and emotionally accept their disability appear more likely to return to work. There are many barriers to employment for stroke survivors ranging from physical and cognitive impairments to psychosocial and environmental factors.

Job demands and decision control predicted return to work: the rapid-RTW cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Haveraaen, Lise Aasen; Skarpaas, Lisebet Skeie; Aas, Randi Wågø

2017-02-02

In order to help workers with long-term sickness absence return to work (RTW), it is important to understand factors that either impede or facilitate employee's reintegration into the labour force. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the impact of psychological work characteristics on time-to first RTW in sick listed employees in Norway. The study was designed as a cohort study of 543 employees participating in 50 different RTW programmes. The Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) was used to gather information on the psychological work conditions. The participants were followed for up to 18 months after they started treatment in the RTW programme. Survival analyses were used to investigate the association between psychological work conditions and time-to first RTW. Having high psychological job demands (HR = .654; 95% CI: .513-.832) and low decision control (HR = 1.297; 95% CI: 1.010-1.666) were both independent predictors of delayed RTW. Employees in low-strain jobs (low demands/high control) (HR = 1.811; 95% CI: 1.287-2.549) and passive jobs (low demands/low control) (HR = 1.599; 95% CI: 1.107-2.309), returned to work earlier compared to employees in high-strain jobs (high demands/low control). No difference was found for active jobs (high demands/high control). This study revealed that high psychological demands, low control, and being in a high strain job reduced the probability of early RTW in sick listed employees. RTW programmes should therefore increase the focus on these issues.

Chasing the deal with the money: Measuring the required risk premium and expected abnormal returns of private equity funds to maximize their internal rate of return

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Scarpati

2013-09-01

Full Text Available A number of scholars of private equity (“PE” have attempted to assess the ex-post returns, or performance, of PEs by adopting an ex-post perspective of asset pricing. In doing so a set of phenomena has been recognized that is thought to be specific to the PE sector, such as “money-chasing deal phenomenon” (Gompers and Lerner, 2000 and “performance persistence” (Lerner and Schoar, 2005. However, based on their continuing use of an ex-post perspective, few scholars have paid attention to the possible extent to which these and other PE phenomena may affect expected returns from PE investments. To address this problem this article draws on an ex-ante perspective of investment decision-making in suggesting how a number of drivers and factors of PE phenomena may produce “abnormal returns”, and that each of those drivers and factors should therefore be considered in accurately assessing the required risk premium and expected abnormal returns of PE investments. In making these contributions we examined a private equity investment of a regional PE in Italy and administered a telephone questionnaire to 40 PEs in Italy and the UK and found principally that while size is the most important driver in producing abnormal returns illiquidity alone cannot explain the expected returns of PE investments (cf. Franzoni et al., 2012. Based on our findings we developed a predictive model of PE decision-making that draws on an ex-ante perspective of asset pricing and takes into account PE phenomena and abnormal returns. This model extends the work of Franzoni et al. (2012, Jegadeesh et al. (2009, and Korteweg and Sorensen (2010 who did not consider the possible influence of PE phenomena in decision-making and will also help PE managers in making better-informed decisions.

Return handling options and order quantities for single period products

NARCIS (Netherlands)

D. Vlachos (Dimitrios); R. Dekker (Rommert)

2000-01-01

textabstractProducts which are sold through E-commerce or mail sales catalogues tend to have a much higher return rate than traditional products. The returns are especially problematic for seasonal products. To support decision making in these situations we study various options, which may be

A Qualitative Investigation of Return to Sport After Arthroscopic Bankart Repair: Beyond Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Tjong, Vehniah K; Devitt, Brian M; Murnaghan, M Lucas; Ogilvie-Harris, Darrell J; Theodoropoulos, John S

2015-08-01

Arthroscopic shoulder stabilization is known to have excellent functional results, but many patients do not return to their preinjury level of sport, with return to play rates reported between 48% and 100% despite good outcome scores. To understand specific subjective psychosocial factors influencing a patient's decision to return to sport after arthroscopic shoulder stabilization. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with patients aged 18 to 40 years who had undergone primary arthroscopic shoulder stabilization and had a minimum 2-year follow-up. All patients participated in sport before surgery without any further revision operations or shoulder injuries. Qualitative data analysis was performed in accordance with the Strauss and Corbin theory to derive codes, categories, and themes. Preinjury and current sport participation was defined by type, level of competition, and the Brophy/Marx shoulder activity score. Patient-reported pain and shoulder function were also obtained. A total of 25 patients were interviewed, revealing that fear of reinjury, shifts in priority, mood, social support, and self-motivation were found to greatly influence the decision to return to sport both in patients who had and had not returned to their preinjury level of play. Patients also described fear of sporting incompetence, self-awareness issues, recommendations from physical therapists, and degree of confidence as less common considerations affecting their return to sport. In spite of excellent functional outcomes, extrinsic and intrinsic factors such as competing interests, kinesiophobia, age, and internal stressors and motivators can have a major effect on a patient's decision to return to sport after arthroscopic shoulder stabilization. The qualitative methods used in this study provide a unique patient-derived perspective into postoperative recovery and highlight the necessity to recognize and address subjective and psychosocial

2016 Consensus statement on return to sport from the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy, Bern

OpenAIRE

Ardern, Clare L.; Glasgow, Philip; Schneiders, Anthony; Witvrouw, Erik; Clarsen, Benjamin; Cools, Ann; Gojanovic, Boris; Griffin, Steffan; Khan, Karim M.; Moksnes, Havard; Mutch, Stephen A.; Phillips, Nicola; Reurink, Gustaaf; Sadler, Robin; Silbernagel, Karin Gravare

2016-01-01

Copyright © 2017 BMJ Publishing Group Deciding when to return to sport after injury is complex and multifactorial—an exercise in risk management. Return to sport decisions are made every day by clinicians, athletes and coaches, ideally in a collaborative way. The purpose of this consensus statement was to present and synthesise current evidence to make recommendations for return to sport decision-making, clinical practice and future research directions related to returning athletes to spor...

Estimating the Ex Ante Expected Returns to College

OpenAIRE

Andrew J. Hussey; Omari H. Swinton

2011-01-01

Rather than estimating the returns to obtaining a college degree, this paper treats the college education decision as an uncertain investment involving varying likelihoods of successful graduation. We predict earnings conditional on both graduating and not graduating from both selective and non-selective institutions, and incorporate estimated individual-specific graduation rates in calculating the ex ante expected returns from college attendance for individuals across the ability distributio...

The role of decision influence and team performance in member self-efficacy, withdrawal, satisfaction with the leader, and willingness to return.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, J M

2001-01-01

This study examines team performance as a moderator of the relationship between decision influence and outcomes relevant to team effectiveness in hierarchical teams with distributed ex pertise. In this type of team staff members have unique roles and make recommendations to the team leader, who ultimately makes the team's final decisions. It is suggested that the positive rela tionship between decision influence and favorable outcomes (e.g., satisfaction) consistently described in the literature is dependent on team performance in this type of team. Specifically, team effec tiveness outcomes are proposed to be consistently more favorable in higher performing than in lower performing teams. Decision influence is proposed to relate positively to member satisfaction with the leader, willingness to return, and self-efficacy and to relate negatively to withdrawal in higher performing teams. The opposite pattern of relationships is expected in lower performing teams. A laboratory study was conducted with 228 undergradu ates performing a computer task as subordinates in 76 four-person teams with a confederate leader. The results generally support the hypotheses and illustrate a dilemma for leaders attempting to manage team effectiveness. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Remanufacturing lot-sizing under alternative perceptions of returned units' quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zikopoulos, C.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available One of the critical parameters in reverse supply chain management is the increased variability of the quality condition of used, returned products. The volatile nature of returns' quality often dictates the establishment of quality assessment procedures and the development of technologies that facilitate the fast, accurate and inexpensive classification of returns. The appropriate degree in which a firm has to allocate resources for acquiring information on the quality of returned units, naturally, depends on the anticipated improvement of recovery activities' profitability. Therefore, the quantification of the savings associated with confronting or resolving quality uncertainty is a necessary input during the determination of the proper recovery procedures' configuration. In the current paper, we study a remanufacturing system in a multi-period setting in which returns' quality information is exploited during remanufacturing planning. However, in the decision-making process, certain aspects of the problem examined, such as the quantification of shortage cost, are overlooked or simplified. The objective is to examine the advisability of acquiring advanced quality information in order to be used during sub-optimal decision-making processes, in comparison with alternative policies which do not take explicitly into account returns' quality information. Moreover, through an extensive numerical analysis we examine the implications of alternative considerations regarding returned units' quality on remanufacturing planning, lead-time and service-levels and evaluate their impact on the overall system operational cost.

Job demands and decision control predicted return to work: the rapid-RTW cohort study

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Lise Aasen Haveraaen

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In order to help workers with long-term sickness absence return to work (RTW, it is important to understand factors that either impede or facilitate employee’s reintegration into the labour force. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the impact of psychological work characteristics on time-to first RTW in sick listed employees in Norway. Methods The study was designed as a cohort study of 543 employees participating in 50 different RTW programmes. The Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ was used to gather information on the psychological work conditions. The participants were followed for up to 18 months after they started treatment in the RTW programme. Survival analyses were used to investigate the association between psychological work conditions and time-to first RTW. Results Having high psychological job demands (HR = .654; 95% CI: .513–.832 and low decision control (HR = 1.297; 95% CI: 1.010–1.666 were both independent predictors of delayed RTW. Employees in low-strain jobs (low demands/high control (HR = 1.811; 95% CI: 1.287–2.549 and passive jobs (low demands/low control (HR = 1.599; 95% CI: 1.107–2.309, returned to work earlier compared to employees in high-strain jobs (high demands/low control. No difference was found for active jobs (high demands/high control. Conclusion This study revealed that high psychological demands, low control, and being in a high strain job reduced the probability of early RTW in sick listed employees. RTW programmes should therefore increase the focus on these issues.

Determinant Keputusan investasi dan Pengaruhnya Terhadap Return Saham Pada Perusahaan Manufaktur di Bursa Efek Indonesia

OpenAIRE

Silalahi, Alistraja Dison

2012-01-01

Determinant investment decision and its influence to return stock. This research aimed to know whether capital structure, ROI, net profit and firm size are influence to investment decision. This research is also to test and analize the influence of capital structure, ROI, net profit and investment decision toward return stock at manufacture companies in Indonesian Stock Exchange. The population in this research is manufacture companies which are registered in Indonesian stock exchange at ...

Pricing, Carbon Emission Reduction, Low-Carbon Promotion and Returning Decision in a Closed-Loop Supply Chain under Vertical and Horizontal Cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hui; Wang, Chuanxu; Shang, Meng; Ou, Wei

2017-11-01

In this paper, we examine the influences of vertical and horizontal cooperation models on the optimal decisions and performance of a low-carbon closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) with a manufacturer and two retailers, and study optimal operation in the competitive pricing, competitive the low-carbon promotion, the carbon emission reduction, the used-products collection and the profits. We consider the completely decentralized model, M-R vertical cooperation model, R-R horizontal cooperation model, M-R-R vertical and horizontal cooperation model and completely centralized model, and also identify the optimal decision results and profits. It can be observed from a systematic comparison and numerical analysis that the completely centralized model is best in all optimal decision results among all models. In semi-cooperation, the M-R vertical cooperation model is positive, the R-R horizontal cooperation model is passive, and the positivity of the M-R-R vertical and horizontal cooperation model decreases with competitive intensity increasing in the used-products returning, carbon emissions reduction level, low-carbon promotion effort and the profits of the manufacturer and the entire supply chain.

The effects of integration and transnational ties on international return migration intentions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Haas, H.; Fokkema, C.M.

2011-01-01

While return migration is receiving increasing attention, there is still insufficient insight into the factors which determine migrants’ intentions and decisions to return. It is often assumed that integration in receiving countries and the concomitant weakening of transnational ties decreases the

Migration Decision-Making among Mexican Youth: Individual, Family, and Community Influences.

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Christine M; Torres-Pereda, Pilar; Minnis, Alexandra M; Bautista-Arredondo, Sergio A

2013-05-07

We explored migration decisions using in-depth, semi-structured interviews with male and female youth ages 14 to 24 (n=47) from two Mexican communities, one with high and one with low U.S. migration density. Half were return migrants and half were non-migrants with relatives in the U.S. Migrant and non-migrant youth expressed different preferences, especially in terms of education and their ability to wait for financial gain. Reasons for migration were mostly similar across the two communities; however, the perceived risk of the migration journey was higher in the low density migration community while perceived opportunities in Mexico were higher in the high density migration community. Reasons for return were related to youths' initial social and economic motivations for migration. A greater understanding of factors influencing migration decisions may provide insight into the vulnerability of immigrant youth along the journey, their adaptation process in the U.S., and their reintegration in Mexico.

Poetic Return in Afghanistan Persian Poem

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Esmaeil Shafagh

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Poetic return movement was started by a group of poets like Moshtagh and Shole Esfehani in the second half of 12 century. Their goal was restoring Persian poem and deliverance of Hindi style decline. Esfahan’s poets initiative was considered only in Iran but in other Persian language and literature areas like India, Afghanistan and Transoxiana it was ignored. After the failure of constitutional Movement in Afghanistan, motion similar poetic return was happened that caused poetic themes, which had gone towards modernism, return to Hindi style again.The present paper attempts to analyze the poetic atmosphere in Afghanistan synchronous the poetic return movement in Iran and investigate socio- political backgrounds of return to Hindi style in Afghanistan after constitution failure.

Coordinating a Supply Chain with Risk-Averse Agents under Demand and Consumer Returns Uncertainty

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Jian Liu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the optimal order decision in a supply chain when it faces uncertain demand and uncertain consumer returns. We build consumer returns model with decision-makers’ risk preference under mean-variance objective framework and discuss supply chain coordination problem under wholesale-price-only policy and the manufacturer’s buyback policy, respectively. We find that, with wholesale price policy, the supply chain cannot be coordinated whether the supply chain agents are risk-neutral or risk-averse. However, with buyback policy, the supply chain can be coordinated and the profit of the supply chain can be arbitrarily allocated between the manufacturer and the retailer. Through numerical examples, we illustrate the impact of stochastic consumer returns and the supply chain agents’ risk attitude on the optimal order decision.

Decision-Making Amplification under Uncertainty: An Exploratory Study of Behavioral Similarity and Intelligent Decision Support Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Merle Wayne

2013-01-01

Intelligent decision systems have the potential to support and greatly amplify human decision-making across a number of industries and domains. However, despite the rapid improvement in the underlying capabilities of these "intelligent" systems, increasing their acceptance as decision aids in industry has remained a formidable challenge.…

Return to Play in Athletes Following Ankle Injuries

OpenAIRE

Clanton, Thomas O.; Matheny, Lauren M.; Jarvis, Hannah C.; Jeronimus, Anastasia B.

2012-01-01

Background: The decision to return to play following an ankle injury is a multifactorial process involving both physical and psychological parameters. The current body of literature lacks evidence-based guidelines to assist in the decision. Objective: This article reviews the evidence to support such testing: the dorsiflexion lunge test, star excursion balance test, agility T-test, and sargent/vertical jump test. The importance of psychological factors is also highlighted. Evidence Acquisitio...

Understanding the stakeholders' intention to use economic decision-support tools: A cross-sectional study with the tobacco return on investment tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Kei Long; Evers, Silvia M A A; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Vokó, Zoltán; Pokhrel, Subhash; Jones, Teresa; Muñoz, Celia; Wolfenstetter, Silke B; Józwiak-Hagymásy, Judit; de Vries, Hein

2016-01-01

Despite an increased number of economic evaluations of tobacco control interventions, the uptake by stakeholders continues to be limited. Understanding the underlying mechanism in adopting such economic decision-support tools by stakeholders is therefore important. By applying the I-Change Model, this study aims to identify which factors determine potential uptake of an economic decision-support tool, i.e., the Return on Investment tool. Stakeholders (decision-makers, purchasers of services/pharma products, professionals/service providers, evidence generators and advocates of health promotion) were interviewed in five countries, using an I-Change based questionnaire. MANOVA's were conducted to assess differences between intenders and non-intenders regarding beliefs. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify the main explanatory variables of intention to use an economic decision-support tool. Ninety-three stakeholders participated. Significant differences in beliefs were found between non-intenders and intenders: risk perception, attitude, social support, and self-efficacy towards using the tool. Regression showed that demographics, pre-motivational, and motivational factors explained 69% of the variation in intention. This study is the first to provide a theoretical framework to understand differences in beliefs between stakeholders who do or do not intend to use economic decision-support tools, and empirically corroborating the framework. This contributes to our understanding of the facilitators and barriers to the uptake of these studies. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Joint pricing and inventory replenishment decisions with returns and expediting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhu, Stuart X.

2012-01-01

We study a single-item periodic-review model for the joint pricing and inventory replenishment problem with returns and expediting. Demand in consecutive periods are independent random variables and their distributions are price sensitive. At the end of each period, after the demand is realized, a

Pricing, Carbon Emission Reduction, Low-Carbon Promotion and Returning Decision in a Closed-Loop Supply Chain under Vertical and Horizontal Cooperation

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hui; Wang, Chuanxu; Shang, Meng; Ou, Wei

2017-01-01

In this paper, we examine the influences of vertical and horizontal cooperation models on the optimal decisions and performance of a low-carbon closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) with a manufacturer and two retailers, and study optimal operation in the competitive pricing, competitive the low-carbon promotion, the carbon emission reduction, the used-products collection and the profits. We consider the completely decentralized model, M-R vertical cooperation model, R-R horizontal cooperation model, M-R-R vertical and horizontal cooperation model and completely centralized model, and also identify the optimal decision results and profits. It can be observed from a systematic comparison and numerical analysis that the completely centralized model is best in all optimal decision results among all models. In semi-cooperation, the M-R vertical cooperation model is positive, the R-R horizontal cooperation model is passive, and the positivity of the M-R-R vertical and horizontal cooperation model decreases with competitive intensity increasing in the used-products returning, carbon emissions reduction level, low-carbon promotion effort and the profits of the manufacturer and the entire supply chain. PMID:29104268

Pricing, Carbon Emission Reduction, Low-Carbon Promotion and Returning Decision in a Closed-Loop Supply Chain under Vertical and Horizontal Cooperation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui Li

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we examine the influences of vertical and horizontal cooperation models on the optimal decisions and performance of a low-carbon closed-loop supply chain (CLSC with a manufacturer and two retailers, and study optimal operation in the competitive pricing, competitive the low-carbon promotion, the carbon emission reduction, the used-products collection and the profits. We consider the completely decentralized model, M-R vertical cooperation model, R-R horizontal cooperation model, M-R-R vertical and horizontal cooperation model and completely centralized model, and also identify the optimal decision results and profits. It can be observed from a systematic comparison and numerical analysis that the completely centralized model is best in all optimal decision results among all models. In semi-cooperation, the M-R vertical cooperation model is positive, the R-R horizontal cooperation model is passive, and the positivity of the M-R-R vertical and horizontal cooperation model decreases with competitive intensity increasing in the used-products returning, carbon emissions reduction level, low-carbon promotion effort and the profits of the manufacturer and the entire supply chain.

Volatility in the Housing Market: Evidence on Risk and Return in theLondon Sub-market

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Steve Cook

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The impact of volatility in housing market analysis is reconsidered via examinaton ofthe risk-return relationship in the London housing market is examined. In addition to providing thefirst empirical results for the relationship between risk (as measured by volatility and returns forthis submarket, the analysis offers a more general message to empiricists via a detailed and explicitevaluation of the impact of empirical design decisions upon inferences. In particular, the negativerisk-return relationship discussed frequently in the housing market literature is examined and shown todepend upon typically overlooked decisions concerning components of the empirical framework fromwhich statistical inferences are drawn.

The role of remote voting in encouraging return

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Djordje Stefanovic

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Once there is a genuine possibility of going home, what influences a forced migrant’s decision to return to a pre-conflict residence, often in the face of very difficult conditions? What role can remote voting play?

Strength Asymmetry and Landing Mechanics at Return to Sport after ACL Reconstruction

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, Laura C.; Paterno, Mark V.; Ford, Kevin R.; Myer, Gregory D.; Hewett, Timothy E.

2014-01-01

Purpose Evidence-based quadriceps femoris muscle (QF) strength guidelines for return to sport following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction are lacking. This study investigated the impact of QF strength asymmetry on knee landing biomechanics at the time of return to sport following ACL reconstruction. Methods Seventy-seven individuals (17.4 years) at the time of return to sport following primary ACL reconstruction (ACLR group) and 47 uninjured control individuals (17.0 years) (CTRL group) participated. QF strength was assessed and Quadriceps Index calculated (QI = [involved strength/uninvolved strength]*100%). The ACLR group was sub-divided based on QI: High Quadriceps (HQ, QI≥90%) and Low-Quadriceps (LQ, QIkinetic variables were collected during a drop vertical jump maneuver. Limb symmetry during landing, and discrete variables were compared among the groups with multivariate analysis of variance and linear regression analyses. Results The LQ group demonstrated worse asymmetry in all kinetic and ground reaction force variables compared to the HQ and CTRL groups, including reduced involved limb peak knee external flexion moments (p.05). In the ACLR group, QF strength estimated limb symmetry during landing after controlling for graft type, meniscus injury, knee pain and symptoms. Conclusion At the time of return to sport, individuals post-ACL reconstruction with weaker QF demonstrate altered landing patterns. Conversely, those with nearly symmetrical QF strength demonstrate landing patterns similar to uninjured individuals. Consideration of an objective QF strength measure may aid clinical decision-making to optimize sports participation following ACL reconstruction. PMID:25373481

SECTORAL RISK AND RETURN FOR COMPANIES IN ROMANIA

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Anis Cecilia

2012-12-01

Full Text Available probability that cash flows or return will vary from expectations. Standard corporate finance theory supposes that a company chooses a capital structure that maximizes company value. A fundamental idea in finance is the relationship between risk and return. The greater the amount of risk that an investor is willing to take on, the greater the potential return. The reason for this is that investors need to be compensated for taking on additional risk. Why put capital at significant risk for a return that is no higher than the return on government bonds? Or expect higher than averages returns from low-risk activities? It is impossible to separate measuring the performance of a company from the risks that the management takes to achieve it.In most aspects of company operations, risk assessment plays a different but equally important, role. It is an integral part of informed decision taking in achieving performance. Risk assessment is involved from the highest level in strategic choices about what activities to undertake, what assets to buy or what markets to serve all the way to detailed operational decisions about whether to accept payment in foreign currencies and the adequacy of safety measures in the workplace. It plays a part whether or not an organization is aware of managing risk and many managers feel that their instinct and judgment are enough – a behavior risk. The danger is that this leaves company risk unplanned and unmanaged. This paper proposes a framework where we realized a study cases: we test if return on assets and return on equity has influence on the risk, both on long and short term. For this purposes, we conduct an empirical research that covers 59 selected companies traded at the Bucharest Stock Exchange within the time period 1999-2010. For this study our results reveal that dynamic global risk can be associated to a low intensity with total assets performance of the company’s. Investments efficiency and the

Income, self-selection, and return and onward interprovincial migration in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Newbold, K B

1996-06-01

"Estimated returns to migration based on comparison of individual migrants may be biased owing to self-selection in the migration process. Using data derived from the 1986 Canadian census, I will study the effects of expected wage differentials in determining the return or onward migration decision of nonnative adults aged 20 to 64 years. Evidence was found that return migrations were in the 'right' direction, as they are observed to respond to provincial economic variables (that is, average employment growth and income levels) in a rational manner. After accounting for self-selectivity, I found that...return migrants...are negatively selected, and experience lower income levels, following the return migration, than onward migrants would have, had they chosen the return migration option. This drop in expected wages decreases the propensity associated with making a return migration. Despite this drop in income, the large proportion selecting the return migration option suggests the importance of the province of birth in the mental map of nonnative migrants." excerpt

ProCKSI: a decision support system for Protein (Structure Comparison, Knowledge, Similarity and Information

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Błażewicz Jacek

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We introduce the decision support system for Protein (Structure Comparison, Knowledge, Similarity and Information (ProCKSI. ProCKSI integrates various protein similarity measures through an easy to use interface that allows the comparison of multiple proteins simultaneously. It employs the Universal Similarity Metric (USM, the Maximum Contact Map Overlap (MaxCMO of protein structures and other external methods such as the DaliLite and the TM-align methods, the Combinatorial Extension (CE of the optimal path, and the FAST Align and Search Tool (FAST. Additionally, ProCKSI allows the user to upload a user-defined similarity matrix supplementing the methods mentioned, and computes a similarity consensus in order to provide a rich, integrated, multicriteria view of large datasets of protein structures. Results We present ProCKSI's architecture and workflow describing its intuitive user interface, and show its potential on three distinct test-cases. In the first case, ProCKSI is used to evaluate the results of a previous CASP competition, assessing the similarity of proposed models for given targets where the structures could have a large deviation from one another. To perform this type of comparison reliably, we introduce a new consensus method. The second study deals with the verification of a classification scheme for protein kinases, originally derived by sequence comparison by Hanks and Hunter, but here we use a consensus similarity measure based on structures. In the third experiment using the Rost and Sander dataset (RS126, we investigate how a combination of different sets of similarity measures influences the quality and performance of ProCKSI's new consensus measure. ProCKSI performs well with all three datasets, showing its potential for complex, simultaneous multi-method assessment of structural similarity in large protein datasets. Furthermore, combining different similarity measures is usually more robust than

The impact of consumer returns policies on consignment contracts with inventory control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, W.; Li, Y.; Govindan, Kannan

2014-01-01

, and then the retailer sets her retail price for selling the product. The vendor gets paid based on net sold units and salvages unsold units as well as returned items in a secondary market. Under the framework, we study and compare two different consignment arrangements: the retailer/vendor manages consignment inventory...... (RMCI/VMCI) programs. To study the impact of return policy, we discuss a consignment contract without return policy as a benchmark. We show that whether or not the vendor offers a return policy, it is always beneficial for the channel to delegate the inventory decision to the vendor. We find...

Exiting the Emergency Medical Services Profession and Characteristics Associated with Intent to Return to Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Cash, Rebecca E; Crowe, Remle P; Agarwal, Riddhima; Rodriguez, Severo A; Panchal, Ashish R

2018-01-01

Inadequate staffing of agencies, increasing attrition rates, and frequent turnover of personnel make employee retention an ongoing concern for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Faced with increasing demand for EMS, understanding the causes underlying turnover is critical. The objectives of this study were to describe the proportion of individuals that left EMS, likelihood of returning to the profession, and key factors contributing to the decision to leave EMS. This was a cross-sectional study of nationally-certified EMS professionals who left EMS. Respondents to a census survey who reported not practicing EMS were directed to a subsection of items regarding their choice to leave EMS. Demographic and employment characteristics, likelihood of returning to EMS, and factors influencing the decision to leave EMS were assessed. Descriptive and comparative statistics (Chi-square and nonparametric test of trend [p-trend]) and univariable odds ratios were calculated. The overall response rate for the full survey was 10% (n = 32,114). A total of 1247 (4%) respondents reported leaving the profession and completed the exit survey. The majority (72%) reported that they will likely return to EMS. A stepwise decrease in the reported likelihood of returning was seen with increasing years of EMS experience (e.g., 2 or less years of experience: 83%; 16 or more years: 52%; p-trend benefits (65%), decision to pursue further education (60%), dissatisfaction with organization's management (54.7%), and desire for career change (54.1%). This cross-sectional study found an attrition rate of approximately 4% among nationally certified EMS professionals; however, the majority reported that they intended to return to the EMS profession. Intention to return to EMS decreased as years of experience and months away from the profession increased. Important factors in the decision to leave EMS included a desire for better pay and benefits and the decision to pursue further education. Targeting the

Return Migration to Mexico: Does Health Matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Arenas, Erika; Goldman, Noreen; Pebley, Anne R; Teruel, Graciela

2015-12-01

We use data from three rounds of the Mexican Family Life Survey to examine whether migrants in the United States returning to Mexico in the period 2005-2012 have worse health than those remaining in the United States. Despite extensive interest by demographers in health-related selection, this has been a neglected area of study in the literature on U.S.-Mexico migration, and the few results to date have been contradictory and inconclusive. Using five self-reported health variables collected while migrants resided in the United States and subsequent migration history, we find direct evidence of higher probabilities of return migration for Mexican migrants in poor health as well as lower probabilities of return for migrants with improving health. These findings are robust to the inclusion of potential confounders reflecting the migrants' demographic characteristics, economic situation, family ties, and origin and destination characteristics. We anticipate that in the coming decade, health may become an even more salient issue in migrants' decisions about returning to Mexico, given the recent expansion in access to health insurance in Mexico.

Analisis Pengaruh Perubahan Arus Kas dan Laba Akuntansi Terhadap Return Saham pada Perusahaan Berkapitalisasi Besar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azilia Yocelyn

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims to examine whether the changes of cash flows and accounting profit, used by investors to make investment decision, reflected in the companies’ stock return. There are four independent variables includes in this study, that is cash flows from operating, investing, and financing activities, as well as accounting profit. The stock return is calculated by using the geometric mean method. Multiple regression analysis is used to examine the data on the top 97 public companies (based on market capitalization catagory listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange for period 2009-2010. The result reveals that accounting profit disclosure markedly affected the stock return. This implies that investors took into account the publication of accounting profit in their decision making. On the other side, the study cannot prove the association of other independent variables to  the stock return.

Antiherding in Financial Decision Increases Valuation of Return on Investment: An Event-Related Potential Study

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Cuicui Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Using event-related potentials, this study investigated how financial herding or antiherding affected the valuation of subsequent outcomes. For each trial, subjects decided whether to buy the stock according to its net money flow information which could be used to reflect the strength of buying power or selling power of the stock. The return on investment (ROI as feedback included the increase or decrease percentage after subjects’ responses. Results showed that, compared with herding, antiherding induced larger discrepancies of FRN and P300 amplitude between positive ROI and negative ROI, indicating that individuals under antiherding condition had stronger motivation and paid more attention in the evaluation process of ROI. Moreover, only for positive ROI, the amplitudes of FRN and P300 were modulated by two kinds of behaviors. We suggested that individuals making antiherd decisions were more confident with their own ability and choices, which reduced the positive outcome prediction error and gave more mental resources to evaluate positive outcome. However, negative outcomes evoked no different motivational meaning and negative emotion for individuals between herding and antiherding. The study may provide new insights into neurocognitive processes of herding and antiherding in financial market.

Antiherding in Financial Decision Increases Valuation of Return on Investment: An Event-Related Potential Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Cuicui; Jin, Jia; Vieito, João Paulo; Ma, Qingguo

2017-01-01

Using event-related potentials, this study investigated how financial herding or antiherding affected the valuation of subsequent outcomes. For each trial, subjects decided whether to buy the stock according to its net money flow information which could be used to reflect the strength of buying power or selling power of the stock. The return on investment (ROI) as feedback included the increase or decrease percentage after subjects' responses. Results showed that, compared with herding, antiherding induced larger discrepancies of FRN and P300 amplitude between positive ROI and negative ROI, indicating that individuals under antiherding condition had stronger motivation and paid more attention in the evaluation process of ROI. Moreover, only for positive ROI, the amplitudes of FRN and P300 were modulated by two kinds of behaviors. We suggested that individuals making antiherd decisions were more confident with their own ability and choices, which reduced the positive outcome prediction error and gave more mental resources to evaluate positive outcome. However, negative outcomes evoked no different motivational meaning and negative emotion for individuals between herding and antiherding. The study may provide new insights into neurocognitive processes of herding and antiherding in financial market.

DAMPAK PENYAJIAN KEMBALI EPS DAN CFPS TERHADAP RETURN SAHAM

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Imelda Sinaga

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The problem in this study is whether there is a positive influence of CFPS and EPS before and after restatement in giving positive impact on stock returns. The sample used in EPS before and after the restatement, while as many as 102 samples meanwhile CFPS before and after restatement using 82 sample companies listed on the Stock Exchange. Independent variables used in this study are the earnings per share and cash flow per share and the dependent variables used in this study is the stock return. Test equipment used in this study using multiple regression statistical model           The results of this study demonstrate that EPS before restatement did not impact significantly on the stock returns which indicates that investors have been aware that there is signal to improve the EPS before the restatement. EPS after restatement had no significant effect on return, this indicates that the new information is in accordance with the Market Efficiency hypothesis is that will make the market participants to react and take action to respond that new information. CFPS before and after restatement also had no significant effect on stock returns because investors do not use operating cash flow information as a basic for investment decisions. This can have implications on investors who use financial statements to make right decisions on the location of their assets in the companies that perform restatement as well for the company itself that financial report restatement can be made if it is seen as a form of commitment and sense of responsibility to the market to provide trustable information

Centralization versus decentralization as a risk-return trade-off

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arcuri, A.; Dari-Mattiacci, G.

2010-01-01

This paper characterizes the choice between centralization and decentralization as a risk‐return trade‐off and examines it in a model that integrates ideas from committee decision‐making and portfolio theories. Centralization, by pooling expertise, rarely yields erroneous decisions; however, when it

Processes of Similarity Judgment

Science.gov (United States)

Larkey, Levi B.; Markman, Arthur B.

2005-01-01

Similarity underlies fundamental cognitive capabilities such as memory, categorization, decision making, problem solving, and reasoning. Although recent approaches to similarity appreciate the structure of mental representations, they differ in the processes posited to operate over these representations. We present an experiment that…

Different forms, reasons and motivations for return migration of persons who voluntarily decide to return to their countries of origin.

Science.gov (United States)

Callea, S

1986-03-01

Although the 1973 oil crisis did not have the drastic effects on immigration which were originally feared, it did end a period of quasi-liberal immigration policy, establish intense and effective international cooperation on immigration, and arouse great interest in immigration studies and research. This paper analyzes the situations arising as a result of the petroleum shortage and focuses on the conditions relating to the return of emigrants to Southern European countries. This new research draws attention to the following fundamental aspects of the immigration problem: 1) the emigrant's return to his homeland cannot be considered a factor in development; it is a positive element in development only if the right socioeconomic conditions exist in the country of origin. 2) Concern for children's education is one of the most common reasons for return. 3) A large percentage of emigrants are satisfied with their work abroad. 4) An emigrant's return potential is wasted due to the slight use that is made of the resources he offers. 5) Returning workers most often want to set up an independent enterprise. 6) Savings are generally used to buy a house or farm. 7) Vocational level does not increase significantly between emigration and returning, though this increase becomes greater the longer the emigrant stays abroad. 8) The number of returning emigrants is too slight to bring about any change in the country of origin. 9) Incentives and subsidies to encourage return have not had a considerable impact on the decision to return. Callea recommends that officials of the country of origin posted abroad be assigned to counsel returning emigrants on finding employment, attending vocational development courses, obtaining housing, accruing interests and savings, and on the problems and perspectives of sociocultural reintegration.

Earnings Quality Measures and Excess Returns.

Science.gov (United States)

Perotti, Pietro; Wagenhofer, Alfred

2014-06-01

This paper examines how commonly used earnings quality measures fulfill a key objective of financial reporting, i.e., improving decision usefulness for investors. We propose a stock-price-based measure for assessing the quality of earnings quality measures. We predict that firms with higher earnings quality will be less mispriced than other firms. Mispricing is measured by the difference of the mean absolute excess returns of portfolios formed on high and low values of a measure. We examine persistence, predictability, two measures of smoothness, abnormal accruals, accruals quality, earnings response coefficient and value relevance. For a large sample of US non-financial firms over the period 1988-2007, we show that all measures except for smoothness are negatively associated with absolute excess returns, suggesting that smoothness is generally a favorable attribute of earnings. Accruals measures generate the largest spread in absolute excess returns, followed by smoothness and market-based measures. These results lend support to the widespread use of accruals measures as overall measures of earnings quality in the literature.

On distributional assumptions and whitened cosine similarities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Loog, Marco

2008-01-01

Recently, an interpretation of the whitened cosine similarity measure as a Bayes decision rule was proposed (C. Liu, "The Bayes Decision Rule Induced Similarity Measures,'' IEEE Trans. Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 1086-1090, June 2007. This communication makes th...

Community ambulation: influences on therapists and clients reasoning and decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Corrigan, Rosemary; McBurney, Helen

2008-01-01

Community ambulation is an important element of a rehabilitation training programme and its achievement is a goal shared by rehabilitation professionals and clients. The factors that influence a physiotherapist's or health professionals decision making around the preparation of a client for community ambulation and the factors that influence a client's decision to return to walking in their community are unclear. To review the available literature about the factors that have influenced the reasoning and decision making of rehabilitation therapists and clients around the topic of ambulation in the community. Three separate searches of the available literature were undertaken using Ovid, Cinahl, ProQuest, Medline and Ebscohost databases. Databases were searched from 1966 to October 2006.The first search explored the literature for factors that influence the clinical reasoning of rehabilitation therapists. The second search explored the literature for factors that influence client's decision to ambulate in the community. A third search was undertaken to explore the literature for the demands of community ambulation in rural communities. Very few studies were found that explored community ambulation in the context of clinical reasoning and decision making, the facilitators and barriers to a clients return to ambulation in their community or the demands of ambulation in a rural community. Consideration of the environment is key to the successful return to walking in the community of clients with mobility problems yet little literature has been found to guide physiotherapist's decision making about preparing a clients to return to walking in the community. An individual's participation in their society is also a result of the interaction between their personal characteristics and his or her environment. The influence of these characteristics may vary from one individual to another yet the factors that influence a person's decision to return to walking in their community

Rehabilitation and return to sport after hamstring strain injury

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lauren N. Erickson

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Hamstring strain injuries are common among sports that involve sprinting, kicking, and high-speed skilled movements or extensive muscle lengthening-type maneuvers with hip flexion and knee extension. These injuries present the challenge of significant recovery time and a lengthy period of increased susceptibility for recurrent injury. Nearly one third of hamstring strains recur within the first year following return to sport with subsequent injuries often being more severe than the original. This high re-injury rate suggests that athletes may be returning to sport prematurely due to inadequate return to sport criteria. In this review article, we describe the epidemiology, risk factors, differential diagnosis, and prognosis of an acute hamstring strain. Based on the current available evidence, we then propose a clinical guide for the rehabilitation of acute hamstring strains and an algorithm to assist clinicians in the decision-making process when assessing readiness of an athlete to return to sport.

Return to Work After Lumbar Microdiscectomy - Personalizing Approach Through Predictive Modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Papić, Monika; Brdar, Sanja; Papić, Vladimir; Lončar-Turukalo, Tatjana

2016-01-01

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is the most common disease among working population requiring surgical intervention. This study aims to predict the return to work after operative treatment of LDH based on the observational study including 153 patients. The classification problem was approached using decision trees (DT), support vector machines (SVM) and multilayer perception (MLP) combined with RELIEF algorithm for feature selection. MLP provided best recall of 0.86 for the class of patients not returning to work, which combined with the selected features enables early identification and personalized targeted interventions towards subjects at risk of prolonged disability. The predictive modeling indicated at the most decisive risk factors in prolongation of work absence: psychosocial factors, mobility of the spine and structural changes of facet joints and professional factors including standing, sitting and microclimate.

[A return on investment tool in tobacco control: what do stakeholders think?].

Science.gov (United States)

Muñoz, Celia; Trapero-Bertran, Marta; Cheung, Kei Long; Evers, Silvia; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; de Vries, Hein; López-Nicolás, Ángel

2016-01-01

The European EQUIPT study will co-create a return on investment tool in several countries, aiming to provide decision makers with information and justification on the returns that can be generated by investing in tobacco control. This study aimed to identify the needs of potential users in Spain in order to provide information on the transferability of the tool. Telephone interviews with stakeholders were conducted including questions about the implementation of the tool, intended use and tobacco control interventions. Implementing the tool could provide added value to the information used in decision-making to advocate for cost-effective policies. The main drawback would be the training and time needed to learn how the tool works and for internal calculations. Knowledge and ideas from potential users collected in this study could inform the EQUIPT Tool adaptation. Thus, stakeholders could have an instrument that assists them on making healthcare decisions. Copyright © 2015 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

IMPLIKASI KOMPONEN LAPORAN ARUS KAS, LABA KOTOR, DAN SIZE PERUSAHAAN TERHADAP EXPECTED RETURN SAHAM

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Totok Sasongko

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Expected return of an investment was the probabilit y rate dist ribut ion on invest -ment returns. Although investors (stockholders did not know exact ly what rate of returnthey would get , they had base on their decisions to invest . Work performance measurementused by stockholders in investment decisions were prof it and cash f low. Besides, investorsalso considered company f inancial characterist ic like company size. The main purpose of thisresearch was to analyze the implicat ion of informat ion cash f low statement , gross prof it ,company size toward expected stock return. Populat ion of this research was manufacturecompanies listed at Jakarta Stock Exchange. The sample was selected by purposive sampling.The analysis data used was a mult i linear regression. The result showed that simultaneously,cash f low component , gross prof it and company size had signif icant ef fect to stock expectedreturns. But part ially, the cash f low f rom operat ion and f inancing didn’t have signif icantef fect to stock expected returns.

Scopolamine and amphetamine produce similar decision-making deficits on a rat gambling task via independent pathways.

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Silveira, Mason M; Malcolm, Emma; Shoaib, Mohammed; Winstanley, Catharine A

2015-03-15

Disorders characterized by disturbed cholinergic signaling, such as schizophrenia, exhibit impaired performance on measures of real-world cost/benefit decision-making. Whether the cholinergic system contributes to the choice deficits observed is currently unknown. We therefore determined the effects of broad-acting agonists and antagonists at the nicotinic and muscarinic receptor on decision making, as measured by the rodent gambling task (rGT). Given the anatomical and functional connectivity of the cholinergic and dopaminergic systems, we also sought to modulate amphetamine's previously reported effect on rGT performance via the cholinergic system. Male rats were trained on the rGT, during which animals chose from four different options. The optimal strategy on the rGT is to favor options associated with smaller immediate rewards and less punishment/loss. Impulsive action was also measured by recording the number of premature responses made. Performance on the rGT was assessed following acute treatment with the muscarinic receptor agonist oxotremorine, the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine, nicotine, and the nicotinic receptor antagonist mecamylamine. Similar to the effect produced by amphetamine, muscarinic receptor antagonism with scopolamine (0.1mg/kg) impaired decision making, albeit to a lesser degree. Prior muscarinic agonism with oxotremorine was unable to attenuate amphetamine's effects on rGT performance. Oxotremorine, nicotine, and mecamylamine did not affect the choice profile. We therefore conclude that modulation of the muscarinic, but not nicotinic, receptor system can affect decision making under conditions of risk and uncertainty. Such findings contribute to a broader understanding of the cognitive deficits observed in disorders in which cholinergic signaling is compromised. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Market Risk, Financial Leverage, and Firm Size Toward Stock Return on Non-banking Companies Listed in Lq45 Index of Idx

OpenAIRE

Tumewu, Ferdinand; Pangemanan, Sifrid S.; Koluku, Rini Feronica

2015-01-01

In the world of investment, one underlies the decision of investors is stock returns that are depend on many factors. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of Market Risk, Financial Leverage, and Firm Size to Stock Return. By counting these factors, investors can see the effect of stock returns are important in decision making. The research methods associative with regression analysis and classical assumption techniques that include normality, multicollinearity, heteroscedastici...

The effects of integration and transnational ties on international return migration intentions

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Hein de Haas

2011-12-01

Full Text Available While return migration is receiving increasing attention, there is still insufficient insight into the factors which determine migrants' intentions and decisions to return. It is often assumed that integration in receiving countries and the concomitant weakening of transnational ties decreases the likelihood of returning. However, according to alternative theoretical interpretations, return migration can also be the outflow of successful integration in receiving countries. Drawing on a data set of four African immigrant groups in Spain and Italy, this articlereviews these conflicting hypotheses by assessing the effects of integration and transnational ties on return migration intentions. The results of the analysis suggest that socio-cultural integration has a negative effect on return migration intentions, while economic integration and transnational ties have more ambiguous and sometimes positive effects. The results provide mixed support for the different hypotheses but question theoretical perspectives that unequivocally conceptualizereturn migration and transnationalism as causes and/or consequences of "integration failure".

Achieving Robustness to Uncertainty for Financial Decision-making

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnum, George M. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Van Buren, Kendra L. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Hemez, Francois M. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Song, Peter [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

2014-01-10

This report investigates the concept of robustness analysis to support financial decision-making. Financial models, that forecast future stock returns or market conditions, depend on assumptions that might be unwarranted and variables that might exhibit large fluctuations from their last-known values. The analysis of robustness explores these sources of uncertainty, and recommends model settings such that the forecasts used for decision-making are as insensitive as possible to the uncertainty. A proof-of-concept is presented with the Capital Asset Pricing Model. The robustness of model predictions is assessed using info-gap decision theory. Info-gaps are models of uncertainty that express the “distance,” or gap of information, between what is known and what needs to be known in order to support the decision. The analysis yields a description of worst-case stock returns as a function of increasing gaps in our knowledge. The analyst can then decide on the best course of action by trading-off worst-case performance with “risk”, which is how much uncertainty they think needs to be accommodated in the future. The report also discusses the Graphical User Interface, developed using the MATLAB® programming environment, such that the user can control the analysis through an easy-to-navigate interface. Three directions of future work are identified to enhance the present software. First, the code should be re-written using the Python scientific programming software. This change will achieve greater cross-platform compatibility, better portability, allow for a more professional appearance, and render it independent from a commercial license, which MATLAB® requires. Second, a capability should be developed to allow users to quickly implement and analyze their own models. This will facilitate application of the software to the evaluation of proprietary financial models. The third enhancement proposed is to add the ability to evaluate multiple models simultaneously

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

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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.…

[A multi-measure analysis of the similarity, attraction, and compromise effects in multi-attribute decision making].

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuzuki, Takashi; Matsui, Hiroshi; Kikuchi, Manabu

2012-12-01

In multi-attribute decision making, the similarity, attraction, and compromise effects warrant specific investigation as they cause violations of principles in rational choice. In order to investigate these three effects simultaneously, we assigned 145 undergraduates to three context effect conditions. We requested them to solve the same 20 hypothetical purchase problems, each of which had three alternatives described along two attributes. We measured their choices, confidence ratings, and response times. We found that manipulating the third alternative had significant context effects for choice proportions and confidence ratings in all three conditions. Furthermore, the attraction effect was the most prominent with regard to choice proportions. In the compromise effect condition, although the choice proportion of the third alternative was high, the confidence rating was low and the response time was long. These results indicate that the relationship between choice proportions and confidence ratings requires further theoretical investigation. They also suggest that a combination of experimental and modeling studies is imperative to reveal the mechanisms underlying the context effects in multi-attribute, multi-alternative decision making.

Economic analysis of venture capital funds rate of return on venture activity

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Usatenko O.V.

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The research deals with the topic of the analysis of venture capital funds’ rate of return on venture activity. The discovered venture capital funds have such a peculiarity as the involved investors of various types and concentrated financial resources, which lead to advantages in investing. Based on the analyzed scientific approaches to the evaluation of income rate met by various economic entities the paper determines the optimal indicators of such an analysis developed due to the article research. They are supposed to improve significantly the process of making decisions on venture capital investments. The author suggests to evaluate venture capital funds rate of return on venture activity by means of the basic four indicators usually employed for investment efficiency definition: net profit, internal rate of return, return period and return index. The research presents the examination of rates of return on venture activity of venture capital funds being controlled by a single asset management company. Thus, one can estimate not only the rate of return on venture activity, but also the efficiency of control taken by an asset management company.

How Do I Choose Thee? Let me Count the Ways': A Textual Analysis of Similarities and Differences in Modes of Decision-making in China and the United States

OpenAIRE

Elke U. Weber; Daniel R. Ames; Ann-Renee Blais

2004-01-01

This paper investigates the effect of decision-makers'culture on their implicit choice of how to make decisions. In a content analysis of major decisions described in American and Chinese twentieth-century novels, we test a series of hypotheses based on prior theoretical and empirical investigations of cross-cultural variation in human motivation and decision processes. The data show a striking degree of cultural similarity in the relationships between decision content, situational characteri...

Retrospectively exploring the importance of items in the decision to leave the emergency medical services (EMS) profession and their relationships to life satisfaction after leaving EMS and likelihood of returning to EMS.

Science.gov (United States)

Blau, Gary; Chapman, Susan

2011-01-01

An exit survey was returned by a sample of 127 respondents in fully compensated positions who left the EMS profession, most within 12 months prior to filling out the exit survey. A very high percentage continued to work after leaving EMS. Respondents were asked to rate the importance of each of 17 items in affecting their decision to leave EMS. A higher than anticipated response to a "not applicable" response choice affected the usability of 8 of these items. Nine of the 17 items had at least 65 useable responses and were used for further analysis. Within these 9, stress/burnout and lack of job challenges had the highest importance in affecting the decision to leave EMS, while desire for better pay and benefits had the lowest importance. Desire for career change was positively related to life satisfaction after leaving EMS and negatively related to likelihood of returning to EMS. Stress/burnout was positively related to life satisfaction after leaving EMS. Study limitations and future research issues are briefly discussed.

Reunifying abused or neglected children: Decision-making and outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Biehal, Nina; Sinclair, Ian; Wade, Jim

2015-11-01

Little is known about decision-making regarding the reunification of children in care, or about the consequences of these decisions for the children concerned. This study compared decision-making and outcomes for 149 maltreated children in seven English authorities (68 reunified, 81 who remained in care). Children were followed up six months after their return home or, for those who were not reunified, six months after the 'effective decision' that they should remain in care. They were followed up again four years (on average) after the return or effective decision. Data were extracted from case files at baseline and six month follow-up and were gathered from surveys of social workers and teachers at final follow-up. The two key predictors of reunification were assessments that parental problems had improved and that risks to the child were not unacceptably high. Two-thirds returned to improved family circumstances, sometimes due to a change in the household they returned to, but others were reunified despite persisting concerns. However 35% re-entered care within six months and 63% re-entered at some point during the four-year follow-up period, often due to recurring abuse or neglect. At final follow-up remaining in care was the strongest predictor of positive outcomes on a range of dimensions, even once children's characteristics and histories were taken into account. Outcomes were especially poor for neglected children who were reunified, irrespective of whether reunification was stable or unstable. Results show the potential of the care system to produce positive outcomes for maltreated children. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motivational goals, group identifications, and psychosocial adjustment of returning migrants: The case of Jews returning to Russia.

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Tartakovsky, Eugene; Patrakov, Eduard; Nikulina, Marina

2017-12-01

The present study investigated the motivational goals, group identifications, and psychosocial adjustment of Jews who returned to Russia after emigrating from the republics of the Former Soviet Union to different countries (n = 151). To gain a deeper understanding of these returning migrants, their traits were compared with those of Jews living in Russia who did not emigrate (n = 935). Compared to locals, returnees reported a higher preference for the openness to change and self-enhancement values and a lower preference for the conservation values; there was no difference in the self-transcendence values. Returning migrants had a relatively weak affiliation with the home country: they had a weaker identification with the home country than with the country of emigration, their identification with Russians was weaker than that among Jews who did not emigrate from Russia, and their intention to emigrate (again) from Russia was greater than that among locals. However, the Jewish identification of returning migrants was similar to that of locals. The adjustment of returning migrants varied across different dimensions: their economic adjustment was better than that of locals; however, the interpersonal adjustment of returnees was less successful than among locals. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Loss-Averse Retailer’s Optimal Ordering Policies for Perishable Products with Customer Returns

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Xu Chen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We investigate the loss-averse retailer’s ordering policies for perishable product with customer returns. With the introduction of the segmental loss utility function, we depict the retailer’s loss aversion decision bias and establish the loss-averse retailer’s ordering policy model. We derive that the loss-averse retailer’s optimal order quantity with customer returns exists and is unique. By comparison, we obtain that both the risk-neutral and the loss-averse retailer’s optimal order quantities depend on the inventory holding cost and the marginal shortage cost. Through the sensitivity analysis, we also discuss the effect of loss-averse coefficient and the ratio of return on the loss-averse retailer’s optimal order quantity with customer returns.

Can we enhance the ability to return to work among workers with stress-related disorders?

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Andersen Johan

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Stress-related disorders are widespread and responsible for high societal costs e.g. sick leave payment and reduced productivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an intervention program on return to work or labour market. Methods In a controlled interventional study design we compared 72 emotionally distressed patients, who received support during 2006, with 89 control individuals who had also been sick listed for emotional distress. Intervention was provided by trained psychologists and social workers who were in continuous dialog with the patients, providing counselling e.g. on decisions concerning resumption of work, support to families, participation in meetings with the workplace. Basically, the controls and the intervention group share the same access to welfare benefits. The main outcome was time to return to labour market (TTR. Results The baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups. There were no differences in the rate of resuming work between the two groups. About 80% in both groups had returned to the labour market after one year. Conclusion An intervention program with psychological stress management and case management did not improve work capability compared to usual care. Work resumption as a single outcome probably is an insensitive parameter of intervention management quality, and should be supplemented by other data on different aspects of treatment.

Maternal perspectives on the return of genetic results: context matters.

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Lakes, Kimberley D; Vaughan, Elaine; Lemke, Amy; Jones, Marissa; Wigal, Timothy; Baker, Dean; Swanson, James M; Burke, Wylie

2013-01-01

The objectives of this study were to study maternal preferences for the return of their child's genetic results and to describe the experiences, perceptions, attitudes, and values that are brought to bear when individuals from different racial and cultural backgrounds consider participating in genetic research. We recruited women with diverse sociodemographic profiles to participate in seven focus groups. Twenty-eight percent of participants self-identified as Hispanic; 49% as White, non-Hispanic; and 21% as Asian or Asian American. Focus groups were conducted in English or Spanish and were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed using qualitative thematic methods. Results indicated that preferences and decisions regarding the return of results may depend on both research and individual contextual factors. Participants understood the return of results as a complex issue, where individual and cultural differences in preferences are certain to arise. Another key finding was that participants desired an interpersonal, dynamic, flexible process that accommodated individual preferences and contextual differences for returning results. Our findings indicate a need to have well-developed systems for allowing participants to make and change over time their choices regarding the return of their child's genetic results. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sample Return in Preparation for Human Mission on the Surface of Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, P.

2018-04-01

Returned samples of martian regolith will help the science community make an informed decision in choosing the final human landing site and develop a better human mission plan to meet science criteria and IRSU and civil engineering criteria.

Shaping decisions in volleyball An ecological approach to decision-making in volleyball passing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Barsingerhorn, Annemiek D.; Zaal, Frank T. J. M.; De Poel, Harjo J.; Pepping, Gert-Jan

2013-01-01

To extend research on decision-making in sport we addressed the choices volleyball-players are faced with in a simple volleyball pass-return task. We manipulated the distance that eight experienced volleyball players had to cover for successful ball passing, and mapped their passing technique (i.e.,

Variables Influencing the Return on Investment in Management Training Programs: A Utility Analysis of 10 Swiss Cases

Science.gov (United States)

Chochard, Yves; Davoine, Eric

2011-01-01

In this article, we present the utility analysis approach as an alternative and promising approach to measure the return on investment in managerial training programs. This approach, linking economic value with competencies developed by trainees, enables researchers and decision-makers to compare the return on investment from different programs in…

Evaluation of trade-offs in costs and environmental impacts for returnable packaging implementation

Science.gov (United States)

Jarupan, Lerpong; Kamarthi, Sagar V.; Gupta, Surendra M.

2004-02-01

The main thrust of returnable packaging these days is to provide logistical services through transportation and distribution of products and be environmentally friendly. Returnable packaging and reverse logistics concepts have converged to mitigate the adverse effect of packaging materials entering the solid waste stream. Returnable packaging must be designed by considering the trade-offs between costs and environmental impact to satisfy manufacturers and environmentalists alike. The cost of returnable packaging entails such items as materials, manufacturing, collection, storage and disposal. Environmental impacts are explicitly linked with solid waste, air pollution, and water pollution. This paper presents a multi-criteria evaluation technique to assist decision-makers for evaluating the trade-offs in costs and environmental impact during the returnable packaging design process. The proposed evaluation technique involves a combination of multiple objective integer linear programming and analytic hierarchy process. A numerical example is used to illustrate the methodology.

Planning for positive clinical & financial returns with telemonitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Kristy

2003-10-01

Telemonitoring is a burgeoning market in the home care industry. Making the decision to invest in telemonitoring technology can be difficult in the best situations. The financial investment is significant, the risks can be high, and the need to achieve a positive return is critical to future success. In spite of the risks, this relatively new technology in home care holds the promise for the redefinition of the industry.

Uncertain programming models for portfolio selection with uncertain returns

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bo; Peng, Jin; Li, Shengguo

2015-10-01

In an indeterminacy economic environment, experts' knowledge about the returns of securities consists of much uncertainty instead of randomness. This paper discusses portfolio selection problem in uncertain environment in which security returns cannot be well reflected by historical data, but can be evaluated by the experts. In the paper, returns of securities are assumed to be given by uncertain variables. According to various decision criteria, the portfolio selection problem in uncertain environment is formulated as expected-variance-chance model and chance-expected-variance model by using the uncertainty programming. Within the framework of uncertainty theory, for the convenience of solving the models, some crisp equivalents are discussed under different conditions. In addition, a hybrid intelligent algorithm is designed in the paper to provide a general method for solving the new models in general cases. At last, two numerical examples are provided to show the performance and applications of the models and algorithm.

Modeling flash floods in ungauged mountain catchments of China: A decision tree learning approach for parameter regionalization

Science.gov (United States)

Ragettli, S.; Zhou, J.; Wang, H.; Liu, C.

2017-12-01

Flash floods in small mountain catchments are one of the most frequent causes of loss of life and property from natural hazards in China. Hydrological models can be a useful tool for the anticipation of these events and the issuing of timely warnings. Since sub-daily streamflow information is unavailable for most small basins in China, one of the main challenges is finding appropriate parameter values for simulating flash floods in ungauged catchments. In this study, we use decision tree learning to explore parameter set transferability between different catchments. For this purpose, the physically-based, semi-distributed rainfall-runoff model PRMS-OMS is set up for 35 catchments in ten Chinese provinces. Hourly data from more than 800 storm runoff events are used to calibrate the model and evaluate the performance of parameter set transfers between catchments. For each catchment, 58 catchment attributes are extracted from several data sets available for whole China. We then use a data mining technique (decision tree learning) to identify catchment similarities that can be related to good transfer performance. Finally, we use the splitting rules of decision trees for finding suitable donor catchments for ungauged target catchments. We show that decision tree learning allows to optimally utilize the information content of available catchment descriptors and outperforms regionalization based on a conventional measure of physiographic-climatic similarity by 15%-20%. Similar performance can be achieved with a regionalization method based on spatial proximity, but decision trees offer flexible rules for selecting suitable donor catchments, not relying on the vicinity of gauged catchments. This flexibility makes the method particularly suitable for implementation in sparsely gauged environments. We evaluate the probability to detect flood events exceeding a given return period, considering measured discharge and PRMS-OMS simulated flows with regionalized parameters

The probability of return conditional on migration duration: evidence from Kosovo

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Kotorri Mrika

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to conceptualise the migration duration decision within the expected utility maximisation framework, and from that to derive and estimate an empirical proposition. For this purpose, the conceptual framework in Kotorri (2015 is extended where households decide to return to the home country conditional on their migration duration. In the empirical analysis, the Cox proportional hazards model is employed. This analysis is the first to investigate migration duration based on a random sample stemming from the Kosovo census of population conducted in 2011. The findings suggest rather mixed support for the household approach. The hazard to return decreases with income but not nonlinearly. The results indicate that household return migration behaviour is influenced by demographic characteristics, psychic income, and political factors.

VOLATILITY AND KURTOSIS OF DAILY STOCK RETURNS AT MSE

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Zoran Ivanovski

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Prominent financial stock pricing models are built on assumption that asset returns follow a normal (Gaussian distribution. However, many authors argue that in the practice stock returns are often characterized by skewness and kurtosis, so we test the existence of the Gaussian distribution of stock returns and calculate the kurtosis of several stocks at the Macedonian Stock Exchange (MSE. Obtaining information about the shape of distribution is an important step for models of pricing risky assets. The daily stock returns at Macedonian Stock Exchange (MSE are characterized by high volatility and non-Gaussian behaviors as well as they are extremely leptokurtic. The analysis of MSE time series stock returns determine volatility clustering and high kurtosis. The fact that daily stock returns at MSE are not normally distributed put into doubt results that rely heavily on this assumption and have significant implications for portfolio management. We consider this stock market as good representatives of emerging markets. Therefore, we argue that our results are valid for other similar emerging stock markets.

Differential returns from globalization to women smallholder coffee ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Differential returns from globalization to women smallholder coffee and food ... the same area, female coffee producers represented a higher level of integration ... involved in small-scale production, and of a similar age and education level.

Reinforcement Learning in Repeated Portfolio Decisions

OpenAIRE

Diao, Linan; Rieskamp, Jörg

2011-01-01

How do people make investment decisions when they receive outcome feedback? We examined how well the standard mean-variance model and two reinforcement models predict people's portfolio decisions. The basic reinforcement model predicts a learning process that relies solely on the portfolio's overall return, whereas the proposed extended reinforcement model also takes the risk and covariance of the investments into account. The experimental results illustrate that people reacted sensitively to...

Evaluation of the return to work and its duration after myocardial infarction

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Seyyed Jalil Mirmohammadi

2014-05-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The evaluation of the ability for return to work among patients after myocardial infarction (MI is subject to controversy. Understanding various factors, which may affect return to work process, will help in promoting effective communication between physicians and patients. Return to work is dependent on such factors as patients’ functional capacity, MI expansion, cardiac muscle function, some psychiatric variables, job satisfaction, economic status, and age. In this study, we aimed to assess the frequency of return to work after first MI attack, and factors affecting it. METHODS: This was a follow-up study performed in Yazd, Iran from September 2007 until September 2010 on 200 patients suffering from their first MI attack. Patients were assessed 6 months and 1-year after MI regarding their cardiac function. Job satisfaction was evaluated by Direct Support Professional job satisfaction questionnaire. RESULTS: Seventy-seven percent of MI patients returned to work after 1-year. Mean time for return to work was 46.00 ± 4.12 days. Sixty percent of patients returned to work during the first 50 days after MI and 50% of them during 40 days after MI. The most common reason for not returning to work was patient’s decision. CONCLUSION: This study showed that a considerable numbers of patients returned to work after 1-year. The only factors which affected the rate of return to work were left ventricular function after MI and job satisfaction.   Keywords: Myocardial Infarction, Return to Work, Left Ventricular Function, Job Satisfaction 

Return to contact sports following infectious mononucleosis: the role of serial ultrasonography.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Tony E; Skinner, Liam J; Kiely, Patrick; Fenton, John E

2011-08-01

Splenic rupture is a rare but potentially fatal complication of infectious mononucleosis. Athletes returning to contact sports following infectious mononucleosis are at potential risk of splenic rupture secondary to abdominal trauma. No clear consensus exists as to when it is safe to allow these athletes to return to contact sports. Suggested periods of abstinence have ranged from 2 weeks to 6 months. We outline our experiences with the use of abdominal ultrasonography at 1 month after the diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis as a means of determining when athletes can safely return to contact sports. Our study group was made up of 19 such patients (mean age: 16.7 yr). We found that 16 of these patients (84%) had normal splenic dimensions on ultrasonography 1 month after diagnosis, and they were therefore allowed to return to contact sports. While the remaining 3 patients had an enlarged spleen at 1 month, their splenic dimensions had all returned to normal when ultrasonographic examination was repeated at 2 months postdiagnosis. We conclude that serial abdominal ultrasonography allows for informed decision making in determining when athletes can safely return to contact sports following infectious mononucleosis.

Price and Service Competition of Dual-Channel Supply Chain with Consumer Returns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lili Ren

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Products returned by consumers are common in the retail industry and result in additional costs to both the manufacturer and the retailer. This paper proposes dual-channel supply chain models involving consumer returns policies. Also, the price and service competition between retail channel and direct channel is considered in the models. According to the models, we analyze the optimal decisions in both centralized and decentralized scenarios. Then we design a new contract, coordinate the dual-channel supply chain, and enable both the retailer and the manufacturer to be a win-win.

Towards Personalized Medicine: Leveraging Patient Similarity and Drug Similarity Analytics

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ping; Wang, Fei; Hu, Jianying; Sorrentino, Robert

2014-01-01

The rapid adoption of electronic health records (EHR) provides a comprehensive source for exploratory and predictive analytic to support clinical decision-making. In this paper, we investigate how to utilize EHR to tailor treatments to individual patients based on their likelihood to respond to a therapy. We construct a heterogeneous graph which includes two domains (patients and drugs) and encodes three relationships (patient similarity, drug similarity, and patient-drug prior associations). We describe a novel approach for performing a label propagation procedure to spread the label information representing the effectiveness of different drugs for different patients over this heterogeneous graph. The proposed method has been applied on a real-world EHR dataset to help identify personalized treatments for hypercholesterolemia. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach and suggest that the combination of appropriate patient similarity and drug similarity analytics could lead to actionable insights for personalized medicine. Particularly, by leveraging drug similarity in combination with patient similarity, our method could perform well even on new or rarely used drugs for which there are few records of known past performance. PMID:25717413

Evidence of Macroeconomic Policy Effects over Company-Sector Stock Returns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mara Madaleno

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Given that stock markets may act as an economy mirror, it is explored the sensitivity of company-sector-specific stock returns to macroeconomic news reflecting different economic environments for the UK, US, Germany, Japan and Australian markets between March 1993 and February 2013 using monthly data. Results seem to indicate that portfolio investors need to be aware that movements in the market index is the best predictor to forecast stock returns of individual companies and sectors in developed economies. Sentiment influences individual company’s returns of the utilities sector, even if these are considered of limited growth and stable earnings, for UK, USA and Australia, turning investor confidence a relevant variable to be included. Information increases about industrial production have no influence on company and sector stocks, thus not affecting investor’s decision in developed countries. As for Japan, results seem to indicate that the higher the need of oil imports of a country, the higher will be the positive impact of oil price changes over company returns. Finally, the riskless interest rate has no effect on sector stock returns independently of the country under analysis. For developed economies, we confirm the finding that stocks cannot be used as a hedge against inflation.

A Comparative Study of CAPM and Seven Factors Risk Adjusted Return Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madiha Riaz Bhatti

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This study is a comparison and contrast of the predictive powers of two asset pricing models: CAPM and seven factor risk-return adjusted model, to explain the cross section of stock rate of returns in the financial sector listed at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE. To test the models daily returns from January 2013 to February 2014 have been taken and the excess returns of portfolios are regressed on explanatory variables. The results of the tested models indicate that the models are valid and applicable in the financial market of Pakistan during the period under study, as the intercepts are not significantly different from zero. It is consequently established from the findings that all the explanatory variables explain the stock returns in the financial sector of KSE. In addition, the results of this study show that addition of more explanatory variables to the single factor CAPM results in reasonably high values of R2. These results provide substantial support to fund managers, investors and financial analysts in making investment decisions.

An Empirical Analysis Of Stock Returns And Volatility: The Case Of Stock Markets From Central And Eastern Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Okičić Jasmina

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The main goal of this paper is to investigate the behaviour of stock returns in the case of stock markets from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE, focusing on the relationship between returns and conditional volatility. Since there is relatively little empirical research on the volatility of stock returns in underdeveloped stock markets, with even fewer studies on markets in the transitional economies of the CEE region, this paper is designed to shed some light on the econometric modelling of the conditional mean and volatility of stock returns from this region. The results presented in this paper provide confirmatory evidence that ARIMA and GARCH processes provide parsimonious approximations of mean and volatility dynamics in the case of the selected stock markets. There is overwhelming evidence corroborating the existence of a leverage effect, meaning that negative shocks increase volatility more than positive shocks do. Since financial decisions are generally based upon the trade-off between risk and return, the results presented in this paper will provide valuable information in decision making for those who are planning to invest in stock markets from the CEE region.

How to organise return handling; an exploratory study with nine retailer warehouses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.B.M. de Koster (René); M.P. de Brito (Marisa); M.A. van de Vendel (Masja)

2002-01-01

textabstractAlready for a long time retailers take back products. In this paper we explore the factors contributing to the decision of combining vs. separating inbound and outbound flows during the return handling process. We do so through a comparative analysis of the operations in nine

An analysis of the relation between return and beta for portfolios of Turkish equities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salvatore J. Terregrossa

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The present study investigates the possible existence of a systematic relation between beta and excess-return for portfolios of Turkish equities. In the process, no systematic relation is found between beta and realized portfolio excess-return, in an unconditional sense. However, the study does find a systematic relation between realized portfolio excess-return and beta, conditioned upon the sign of realized market-portfolio excess-return. Moreover, an even stronger systematic relation is found between realized portfolio excess-return and beta, conditioned not only upon the sign, but also the magnitude of realized market-portfolio excess-return, with the estimation of the security market plane (SMP model. The study has several useful implications for portfolio managers. Firstly, the empirical findings strongly suggest that employment of the SMP model may generate more accurate estimations of expected asset-return, compared with straightforward application of the capital asset pricing model (CAPM. Enhanced accuracy of expected asset-return, in turn, may lead to more accurate appraisals of asset value, resulting in more profitable investment opportunities and decisions. Employment of the SMP model may thus lead to enhanced efficient-portfolio development, by leading to construction of portfolios with greater expected-return, for a given class of quantifiable-risk.

The Effect of Exit Strategy on Optimal Portfolio Selection with Birandom Returns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guohua Cao

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The aims of this paper are to use a birandom variable to denote the stock return selected by some recurring technical patterns and to study the effect of exit strategy on optimal portfolio selection with birandom returns. Firstly, we propose a new method to estimate the stock return and use birandom distribution to denote the final stock return which can reflect the features of technical patterns and investors' heterogeneity simultaneously; secondly, we build a birandom safety-first model and design a hybrid intelligent algorithm to help investors make decisions; finally, we innovatively study the effect of exit strategy on the given birandom safety-first model. The results indicate that (1 the exit strategy affects the proportion of portfolio, (2 the performance of taking the exit strategy is better than when the exit strategy is not taken, if the stop-loss point and the stop-profit point are appropriately set, and (3 the investor using the exit strategy become conservative.

Parallel trajectory similarity joins in spatial networks

KAUST Repository

Shang, Shuo

2018-04-04

The matching of similar pairs of objects, called similarity join, is fundamental functionality in data management. We consider two cases of trajectory similarity joins (TS-Joins), including a threshold-based join (Tb-TS-Join) and a top-k TS-Join (k-TS-Join), where the objects are trajectories of vehicles moving in road networks. Given two sets of trajectories and a threshold θ, the Tb-TS-Join returns all pairs of trajectories from the two sets with similarity above θ. In contrast, the k-TS-Join does not take a threshold as a parameter, and it returns the top-k most similar trajectory pairs from the two sets. The TS-Joins target diverse applications such as trajectory near-duplicate detection, data cleaning, ridesharing recommendation, and traffic congestion prediction. With these applications in mind, we provide purposeful definitions of similarity. To enable efficient processing of the TS-Joins on large sets of trajectories, we develop search space pruning techniques and enable use of the parallel processing capabilities of modern processors. Specifically, we present a two-phase divide-and-conquer search framework that lays the foundation for the algorithms for the Tb-TS-Join and the k-TS-Join that rely on different pruning techniques to achieve efficiency. For each trajectory, the algorithms first find similar trajectories. Then they merge the results to obtain the final result. The algorithms for the two joins exploit different upper and lower bounds on the spatiotemporal trajectory similarity and different heuristic scheduling strategies for search space pruning. Their per-trajectory searches are independent of each other and can be performed in parallel, and the mergings have constant cost. An empirical study with real data offers insight in the performance of the algorithms and demonstrates that they are capable of outperforming well-designed baseline algorithms by an order of magnitude.

Parallel trajectory similarity joins in spatial networks

KAUST Repository

Shang, Shuo; Chen, Lisi; Wei, Zhewei; Jensen, Christian S.; Zheng, Kai; Kalnis, Panos

2018-01-01

The matching of similar pairs of objects, called similarity join, is fundamental functionality in data management. We consider two cases of trajectory similarity joins (TS-Joins), including a threshold-based join (Tb-TS-Join) and a top-k TS-Join (k-TS-Join), where the objects are trajectories of vehicles moving in road networks. Given two sets of trajectories and a threshold θ, the Tb-TS-Join returns all pairs of trajectories from the two sets with similarity above θ. In contrast, the k-TS-Join does not take a threshold as a parameter, and it returns the top-k most similar trajectory pairs from the two sets. The TS-Joins target diverse applications such as trajectory near-duplicate detection, data cleaning, ridesharing recommendation, and traffic congestion prediction. With these applications in mind, we provide purposeful definitions of similarity. To enable efficient processing of the TS-Joins on large sets of trajectories, we develop search space pruning techniques and enable use of the parallel processing capabilities of modern processors. Specifically, we present a two-phase divide-and-conquer search framework that lays the foundation for the algorithms for the Tb-TS-Join and the k-TS-Join that rely on different pruning techniques to achieve efficiency. For each trajectory, the algorithms first find similar trajectories. Then they merge the results to obtain the final result. The algorithms for the two joins exploit different upper and lower bounds on the spatiotemporal trajectory similarity and different heuristic scheduling strategies for search space pruning. Their per-trajectory searches are independent of each other and can be performed in parallel, and the mergings have constant cost. An empirical study with real data offers insight in the performance of the algorithms and demonstrates that they are capable of outperforming well-designed baseline algorithms by an order of magnitude.

Application of Markowitz model in analysing risk and return a case study of BSE stock

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manas Pandey

2012-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper the optimal portfolio formation using real life data subject to two different constraint sets is attempted. It is a theoretical framework for the analysis of risk return choices. Decisions are based on the concept of efficient portfolios. Markowitz portfolio analysis gives as output an efficient frontier on which each portfolio is the highest return earning portfolio for a specified level of risk. The investors can reduce their risks and can maximize their return from the investment, The Markowitz portfolio selections were obtained by solving the portfolio optimization problems to get maximum total returns, constrained by minimum allowable risk level. Investors can get lot of information knowledge about how to invest when to invest and why to invest in the particular portfolio. It basically calculates the standard deviation and returns for each of the feasible portfolios and identifies the efficient frontier, the boundary of the feasible portfolios of increasing returns

Use of the stepwise progression return-to-play protocol following concussion among practicing athletic trainers

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Jessica Wallace

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether practicing athletic trainers (ATs were using the stepwise progression to make return-to-play (RTP decisions after concussion and to determine what factors influenced their decision to use the stepwise progression. Methods: A total of 166 ATs (response rate = 16.6% completed a 21-item questionnaire that evaluated participant demographics, methods of concussion management, and RTP decision-making using the stepwise progression. Descriptive statistics and a logistic regression were completed to analyze data. Results: Factors such as education level (p = 0.05 and number of concussions treated (p = 0.05 predicted use of the stepwise progression, whereas sex (p = 0.17, employment setting (p = 0.17, state law (p = 0.86, and years practicing (p = 0.17 did not predict whether ATs were following the stepwise progression. Conclusion: The majority of the ATs from this study are employing the stepwise progression to safely return athletes to play after sustaining a concussion. This demonstrates that ATs are providing a standard of care for concussed athletes across various athletic training settings; however, having a graduate degree and treating more concussions per year are predictors of whether an AT follows all steps of the stepwise progression. Keywords: Athletic trainers, Concussion, Concussion management, Graduate degree, Return to play, Sports medicine, Stepwise progression

Second Chances: Making Meaning from Adult Literacy Students Returning to School

Science.gov (United States)

Grossman, Helene Joyce

2012-01-01

Sokolowski (2000) summarized the phenomenological attitude by saying, "We look at what we normally look through" (p. 50). Through interviews and document analysis, this study looked at the lives of six students and their decision to return to their education to earn a high school diploma. The purpose of this study was to illuminate how…

Estimating the Accuracy of the Return on Investment (ROI Performance Evaluations

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Alexei Botchkarev

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Return on Investment (ROI is one of the most popular performance measurement and evaluation metrics. ROI analysis (when applied correctly is a powerful tool in comparing solutions and making informed decisions on the acquisitions of information systems. The purpose of this study is to provide a systematic research of the accuracy of the ROI evaluations in the context of information systems implementations. Measurements theory and error analysis, specifically propagation of uncertainties methods, were used to derive analytical expressions for ROI errors. Monte Carlo simulation methodology was used to design and deliver a quantitative experiment to model costs and returns estimating errors and calculate ROI accuracies. Spreadsheet simulation (Microsoft Excel spreadsheets enhanced with Visual Basic for Applications was used to implement Monte Carlo simulations. The main contribution of the study is that this is the first systematic effort to evaluate ROI accuracy. Analytical expressions have been derived for estimating errors of the ROI evaluations. Results of the Monte Carlo simulation will help practitioners in making informed decisions based on explicitly stated factors influencing the ROI uncertainties.

Risk-Return Trade-off in Emerging Markets:Evidence from Dhaka Stock Exchange Bangladesh

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Abu T. Mollik

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This paper attempts to measure the risk and return relationship in Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE. The study reports a statistically significant positive relationship between risk and return both at the individual security level and at the portfolio level, confirming the theoretical predictions and empirical findings on this issue in developed markets. Although portfolio risk and returns are found to be significantly positively related in general, some inconsistencies were revealed in the context of relative risk for high risk portfolios, suggesting the existence of some anomalies or mispricing in high risk assets. These findings have important implications for investment decisions at the DSE in that the investors may be able to create profitable investment strategies using the mispricing information.

Optimising decision making in mastitis control

OpenAIRE

Down, P.M.

2016-01-01

Mastitis remains one of the most common diseases of dairy cows and represents a large economic loss to the industry as well as a considerable welfare issue to the cows affected. Decisions are routinely made about the treatment and control of mastitis despite evidence being sparse regarding the likely consequences in terms of clinical efficacy and return on investment. The aim of this thesis was to enhance decision making around the treatment and prevention of mastitis using probabilistic meth...

Analysis advanced methods of data bases of industrial experience return

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lannoy, A.; Procaccia, H.

1994-05-01

This is a presentation, through different conceptions of data bases on industrial experience return, of the principal methods for treatments and analyses of the collected data, going from the frequency statistic and factorial analysis, to the the Bayesian statistical decision theory, which is a real decision assistance tool for responsibles, conceivers and operators. Examples in various fields are given (OREDA: Offshore REliability DAta bank for marine drilling platforms, CEDB: Component Event Data Bank for european electric power industry, RDF 93: reliability of electronic components of ''France Telecom'', EVT: failure EVenTs data bank in the french nuclear power plants by ''EDF''). (A.B.). refs., figs., tabs

Labour market outcomes and their Impact on tertiary decisions in Germany

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reimer, David

2011-01-01

suggest that variations in relative income returns do not seem to affect educational decisions of school leavers while variation in unemployment seems to have significant effects on postsecondary decisions for women only. Furthermore, female students from lower class backgrounds appear to be more...

CHINESE SMEs' USES OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN DECISION MAKING

OpenAIRE

HOWARD VAN AUKEN; KUI YANG

2014-01-01

With a sample of 46 Chinese small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this study examines factors that might affect firms' use of financial statements to make decisions. Financial statements contain insightful information about potential risk and return implications of various decisions. A logit analysis shows that owners of Chinese SMEs use financial statements to make decisions according to the frequency of available financial statement information and their ability to interpret the informa...

Time-bound product returns and optimal order quantities for mass merchandisers

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Min-Chun; Goh, Mark

2012-01-01

The return guidelines for a mass merchandiser usually entail a grace period, a markdown on the original price and the condition of the returned items. This research utilises eight scenarios formed from the variation of possible return guidelines to model the cost functions of single-product categories for a typical mass merchandiser. Models for the eight scenarios are developed and solved with the objective of maximising the expected profit so as to obtain closed form solutions for the associated optimal order quantity. An illustrative example and sensitivity analysis are provided to demonstrate the applicability of the model. Our results show that merchandisers who allow for returns within a time window, albeit with a penalty cost imposed and the returned products being recoverable, should plan for larger order amounts as such products do not affect the business. Similarly, the merchandisers who allow for returns beyond a grace period and without any penalty charges, but where the returned products are irrecoverable, should manage their stocks in this category more judiciously by ordering as little as possible so as to limit the number of returns and carefully consider the effects of their customer satisfaction-guaranteed policies, if any.

Current thinking: return to play and transient quadriplegia.

Science.gov (United States)

Cantu, Robert V; Cantu, Robert C

2005-02-01

Athletes that participate in contact and collision sports assume risk of serious injury each time they take the field. For those athletes that have sustained an episode of transient quadriplegia, the decision of whether to return to competition can be a difficult one. Some athletes, realizing how close they may have come to permanent injury, may decide that further participation is not in their best interest. Others may be somewhat undecided, and some may want to return at all costs. As the treating physician, the goal is to identify those athletes who after a single episode of transient quadriplegia are at increased risk for further injury and consequently should discontinue participation in contact sports. Factors that may contribute to that determination include mechanism of injury, prior history of neurologic symptoms or injury, and anatomic features that may predispose to further injury such as disc herniation, fracture, or cervical stenosis.

Uncertainty modeling and decision support

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yager, Ronald R.

2004-01-01

We first formulate the problem of decision making under uncertainty. The importance of the representation of our knowledge about the uncertainty in formulating a decision process is pointed out. We begin with a brief discussion of the case of probabilistic uncertainty. Next, in considerable detail, we discuss the case of decision making under ignorance. For this case the fundamental role of the attitude of the decision maker is noted and its subjective nature is emphasized. Next the case in which a Dempster-Shafer belief structure is used to model our knowledge of the uncertainty is considered. Here we also emphasize the subjective choices the decision maker must make in formulating a decision function. The case in which the uncertainty is represented by a fuzzy measure (monotonic set function) is then investigated. We then return to the Dempster-Shafer belief structure and show its relationship to the fuzzy measure. This relationship allows us to get a deeper understanding of the formulation the decision function used Dempster- Shafer framework. We discuss how this deeper understanding allows a decision analyst to better make the subjective choices needed in the formulation of the decision function

The similarity of Ali (as and Jesus (PBUH in Islamic tradition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahdi Hasanzadeh

2015-12-01

Full Text Available According to the teachings of the Shia, Imam Ali (AS has unique features by which he earned the merits of becoming the successor to the Prophet (pbuh as the Imam and Wali. One of the most important of his features is his similarity to the Jesus as one of the greatest prophets before Prophet Muhammad (pbuh. This similarity was first mentioned in some Islamic traditions, especially the ones narrated through Shiite Isnad in interpretation of the verses 57-59 of the Surta Az-Zukhruf. In these traditions, the Prophet has regarded the Position of Imam Ali (AS in his nation the same as Jesus's Position among the Israel. The Quran has cited the inimical arguments of the Arab infidels against this prophet's saying: they considered the worshiping of their own gods better than accepting Prophet's remark in equating his cousin with Jesus (pbuh. By resorting to this remark, the infidels regarded worshiping their own gods more preferable than deifying a man. Therefore, the first and most prominent similarity between Imam Ali (AS and Jesus Christ (pbuh is attributing divinity to Imam Ali (AS, at least by some of his extreme lovers. The Quranic command saying: "Do not Exaggerate about your religion… .(Quran 4:17 refers to the Christian extremism in deifying Jesus, But soon word Ghali was borrowed from this verse and used to refer to Shiite extremists. Moreover, the Quran (4: 159, talks about the advent of Jesus Christ to his followers before their death .The same concept has been mentioned in Shiite traditions about Imam Ali (AS, according to which, he is believed to be present beside every dying Muslim individual. This appearance of Imam Ali (AS would remind us the idea of Imam Ali's (AS return to this world. Thus, the return of Imam Ali (AS to this world is the third similarity between Imam Ali (AS and Jesus Christ (PBUH. Not only the return of Jesus has been mentioned in in the Christian tradition as the one manifested to the apostles after his ascension

The similarity of Ali (as and Jesus (PBUH in Islamic tradition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sorush Ghanbari

2016-01-01

Full Text Available According to the teachings of the Shia, Imam Ali (AS has unique features by which he earned the merits of becoming the successor to the Prophet (pbuh as the Imam and Wali. One of the most important of his features is his similarity to the Jesus as one of the greatest prophets before Prophet Muhammad (pbuh. This similarity was first mentioned in some Islamic traditions, especially the ones narrated through Shiite Isnad in interpretation of the verses 57-59 of the Surta Az-Zukhruf. In these traditions, the Prophet has regarded the Position of Imam Ali (AS in his nation the same as Jesus's Position among the Israel. The Quran has cited the inimical arguments of the Arab infidels against this prophet's saying: they considered the worshiping of their own gods better than accepting Prophet's remark in equating his cousin with Jesus (pbuh. By resorting to this remark, the infidels regarded worshiping their own gods more preferable than deifying a man. Therefore, the first and most prominent similarity between Imam Ali (AS and Jesus Christ (pbuh is attributing divinity to Imam Ali (AS, at least by some of his extreme lovers. The Quranic command saying: "Do not Exaggerate about your religion… .(Quran 4:17 refers to the Christian extremism in deifying Jesus, But soon word Ghali was borrowed from this verse and used to refer to Shiite extremists. Moreover, the Quran (4: 159, talks about the advent of Jesus Christ to his followers before their death .The same concept has been mentioned in Shiite traditions about Imam Ali (AS, according to which, he is believed to be present beside every dying Muslim individual. This appearance of Imam Ali (AS would remind us the idea of Imam Ali's (AS return to this world. Thus, the return of Imam Ali (AS to this world is the third similarity between Imam Ali (AS and Jesus Christ (PBUH. Not only the return of Jesus has been mentioned in in the Christian tradition as the one manifested to the apostles after his ascension

The return to work discussion: a qualitative study of the line manager conversation about return to work and the development of an educational programme.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Debbie; Allen, Joanna; Rhydderch, Melody; Aylward, Mansel

2012-07-01

To investigate the conversation between line manager and employee about return to work to inform the development of an online interactive educational programme for line managers to improve the effectiveness of their discussions. An inductive qualitative approach, using the principles of action research and motivational interviewing were adopted. The results informed the development of the educational programme for line managers. Middle grade line managers in a large public services employer in the UK. Four discussion groups were conducted over a period of 8 months. Line managers explored the challenges of the return to work interview, analysed their interactions with employees and constructed the content of an educational programme. Multiple methods were used to build engagement with participants, including video and role-play. Nine line managers were recruited across 3 business areas. Managers recognised that their conversations focused on the organisations' policies and procedures and the outcome, rather than the interaction. They recognised the strength of shifting style to shared decision-making and guidance rather than process and instruction. These communication strategies were depicted in the educational programme. The content and flow of the return to work discussion is of high importance and influences employee behaviour and return to work outcomes.

Examination of the behavior of R&D returns using a power law

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Casault, Sébastien; Groen, Arend J.; Linton, J.D.; Linton, Jonathan

2013-01-01

This paper provides an improved model, based on historical data, that describes the returns on assets that result from R&D efforts to assist managers of public and private R&D activities. Such a model may lead to better decision support tools to monetize the value that may be extracted from R&D,

Computing return times or return periods with rare event algorithms

Science.gov (United States)

Lestang, Thibault; Ragone, Francesco; Bréhier, Charles-Edouard; Herbert, Corentin; Bouchet, Freddy

2018-04-01

The average time between two occurrences of the same event, referred to as its return time (or return period), is a useful statistical concept for practical applications. For instance insurances or public agencies may be interested by the return time of a 10 m flood of the Seine river in Paris. However, due to their scarcity, reliably estimating return times for rare events is very difficult using either observational data or direct numerical simulations. For rare events, an estimator for return times can be built from the extrema of the observable on trajectory blocks. Here, we show that this estimator can be improved to remain accurate for return times of the order of the block size. More importantly, we show that this approach can be generalised to estimate return times from numerical algorithms specifically designed to sample rare events. So far those algorithms often compute probabilities, rather than return times. The approach we propose provides a computationally extremely efficient way to estimate numerically the return times of rare events for a dynamical system, gaining several orders of magnitude of computational costs. We illustrate the method on two kinds of observables, instantaneous and time-averaged, using two different rare event algorithms, for a simple stochastic process, the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process. As an example of realistic applications to complex systems, we finally discuss extreme values of the drag on an object in a turbulent flow.

Determinants of the return to hometowns after the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant: A case study for the village of Kawauchi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orita, M.; Hayashida, N.; Urata, H.; Shinkawa, T.; Endo, Y.; Takamura, N.

2013-01-01

The Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 destroyed the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) and almost all residents in a 20 km radius from the plant eventually evacuated. FNPP reactors were stabilised in December 2011; some evacuees decided to return to their hometowns, and the other evacuees remained. Efforts were made to identify the determinants that affect the decision to return home in order to promote recovery of the surrounding area of FNPP. Seventy one residents who had not returned to hometown and 56 residents who had returned were selected. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors showed that being female [odds ratio (OR): 2.43, p=50.03], living in areas with relatively higher ambient doses (OR: 3.60, p=50.01) and expressing anxiety over radiation exposure (OR: 8.91, p < 0.01) were independently associated with decisions not to return. Results of this study suggest the importance of active participation by scientists and local authorities in communicating the risk to the general population involved in returning home. (authors)

[Return to Work Strategies of Employees who Experienced Depression: Employers and HR's Perspectives].

Science.gov (United States)

Corbière, Marc; Lecomte, Tania; Lachance, Jean-Philippe; Coutu, Marie-France; Negrini, Alessia; Laberon, Sonia

Major depression is one of the leading causes of work disability across the world. In Canada, the lifetime prevalence of depression varies from 10 to 12%. Depression impacts not only the employee who is often stigmatized and can lose his professional identity, but also has consequences on colleagues and supervisors in organizations. In the literature, four models are described from which employers and managers use in their organizations to make decisions regarding the work disability of employees on sick leave: biomedical, financial management, personnel management, and organizational development. These models can also be supported by economic, legal and ethical interests. Even though these models are essential to better understand the decision of employers and HR regarding work disability, information remains scarce regarding the concrete strategies used by these stakeholders to facilitate the return to work for employees on sick leave due to depression.Objectives the aim of this paper is to document, considering employers' and human resources' perspectives, the best strategies to put in place to facilitate the return to work of employees on sick leave due to depression.Method This study was part of a larger study carried out in Canada to assess factors influencing the return to work after a depression-related sick leave, taking into account the viewpoint of four types of stakeholders: employers/human resources, supervisors, unions and people diagnosed with depression. 219 employers (68.5%) and human resources directors (31.5%) from 82.6% organizations having more than 100 employees accepted to answer a telephone semi-structured interview. The question of interest in this study is: In your opinion, what are the best strategies to help an employee who has had a depression to return to work? Coding was influenced by empirical findings and theories related to psychosocial risk factors that the authors use in their respective disciplines as well as return to work

Making College Worth It: A Review of the Returns to Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Oreopoulos, Philip; Petronijevic, Uros

2013-01-01

Despite a general rise in the return to college, likely due to technological change, the cost-benefit calculus facing prospective students can make the decision to invest in and attend college dauntingly complex. Philip Oreopoulos and Uros Petronijevic review research on the varying costs and benefits of higher education and explore in full the…

Back to school: drop-out and return to school among youth in Mexico City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilio Blanco Bosco

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses the return to school among youngsters in Mexico City that had dropped out of school at some point between the beginning of elementary school and the end of upper secondary level. More than a quarter of these youngsters returned to school, which supports the idea that quitting school does not equal to the end of the educational career. There is a significant association between the socioeconomic origin and the probability of an individual returning to school, although weaker (and in the opposite direction than correlation with the probability of dropping out. Complex, non-linear patterns were found between the return and the moment when the drop out occurred, which questions mainstream theories about educational decisions. It was also found that an important proportion of those who returned to school completed upper secondary education, particularly remarkable among youngsters of lower social origins. The evidence supports the idea of considering both the effects of the social structure and the individual agency, and particularly to take into account the actors’ rationality.

The Smoothing Hypothesis, Stock Returns and Risk in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Lopo Martinez

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Income smoothing is defined as the deliberate normalization of income in order to reach a desired trend. If the smoothing causes more information to be reflected in the stock price, it is likely to improve the allocation of resources and can be a critical factor in investment decisions. This study aims to build metrics to determine the degree of smoothing in Brazilian public companies, to classify them as smoothing and non-smoothing companies and additionally to present evidence on the long-term relationship between the smoothing hypothesis and stock return and risk. Using the Economatica and CVM databases, this study focuses on 145 companies in the period 1998-2007. We find that Brazilian smoothers have a smaller degree of systemic risk than non-smoothers. In average terms, the beta of smoothers is significantly lower than non-smoothers. Regarding return, we find that the abnormal annualized returns of smoothers are significantly higher. We confirm differences in the groups by nonparametric and parametric tests in cross section or as time series, indicating that there is a statistically significant difference in performance in the Brazilian market between firms that do and do not engage in smoothing.

Revisiting the investor sentiment-stock returns relationship: A multi-scale perspective using wavelets

Science.gov (United States)

Lao, Jiashun; Nie, He; Jiang, Yonghong

2018-06-01

This paper employs SBW proposed by Baker and Wurgler (2006) to investigate the nonlinear asymmetric Granger causality between investor sentiment and stock returns for US economy while considering different time-scales. The wavelet method is utilized to decompose time series of investor sentiment and stock returns at different time-scales to focus on the local analysis of different time horizons of investors. The linear and nonlinear asymmetric Granger methods are employed to examine the Granger causal relationship on similar time-scales. We find evidence of strong bilateral linear and nonlinear asymmetric Granger causality between longer-term investor sentiment and stock returns. Furthermore, we observe the positive nonlinear causal relationship from stock returns to investor sentiment and the negative nonlinear causal relationship from investor sentiment to stock returns.

Optimal policy for value-based decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Tajima, Satohiro; Drugowitsch, Jan; Pouget, Alexandre

2016-08-18

For decades now, normative theories of perceptual decisions, and their implementation as drift diffusion models, have driven and significantly improved our understanding of human and animal behaviour and the underlying neural processes. While similar processes seem to govern value-based decisions, we still lack the theoretical understanding of why this ought to be the case. Here, we show that, similar to perceptual decisions, drift diffusion models implement the optimal strategy for value-based decisions. Such optimal decisions require the models' decision boundaries to collapse over time, and to depend on the a priori knowledge about reward contingencies. Diffusion models only implement the optimal strategy under specific task assumptions, and cease to be optimal once we start relaxing these assumptions, by, for example, using non-linear utility functions. Our findings thus provide the much-needed theory for value-based decisions, explain the apparent similarity to perceptual decisions, and predict conditions under which this similarity should break down.

Geopolitics and the corporate investment decision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boulos, A.J.

1996-01-01

The impact of geopolitics in any international oil company's investment decisions, was discussed. Geopolitics in this context was defined as all government policies, be they economic, political strategic or military, that determine national interests, which a company has to take into account in making an investment decision. Geopolitical considerations have taken on added importance with the arrival of the Cold War and its aftermath, to the point where investment decisions based on traditional parameters such as geological productivity, rates of return, net present values, fiscal and contractual provisions frequently take a back seat to investment decisions that were taken with geopolitical impacts foremost in mind. From time to time, geopolitical factors can even pre-empt corporate investment decisions. The nature of geopolitics, its historical antecedents, the emergence of international rivalries following World War I, intensified after World War II, particularly after the formation of OPEC in 1973, the changing forms of resource ownership, and the general impact of geopolitical factors on corporate investment decisions were reviewed

Return on Investment: A Placebo for the Chief Financial Officer... and Other Paradoxes

Science.gov (United States)

Andru, Peter; Botchkarev, Alexei

2011-01-01

Background: Return on investment (ROI) is one of the most popular evaluation metrics. ROI analysis (when applied correctly) is a powerful tool of evaluating existing information systems and making informed decisions on the acquisitions. However, practical use of the ROI is complicated by a number of uncertainties and controversies. The article…

Return migration: changing roles of men and women.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakka, D; Dikaiou, M; Kiosseoglou, G

1999-01-01

This article addresses changes in gender roles among returning migrant families. It focuses on Greek returnees from the Federal Republic of Germany and explores changes in task sharing behavior and gender role attitudes resulting from changes in the sociocultural environments. A group of return migrants was compared with a group of non-migrants, both living in villages in the District of Drama, Greece. Groups were interviewed to investigate the extent to which each spouse shared house tasks, as well as their attitudes towards sharing and gender role in the family. The t-test for independent samples was used to determine mean differences between the two groups. In addition to demographic variables, those concerning the "time lived abroad" and the "number of years in Greece" after return were inserted into a series of regression analyses. Findings showed that migrants' task sharing and gender role attitudes were influenced differently by the migration-repatriation experience and subsequent cultural alternation. Results also suggest that migrant couples either take on new patterns of behavior or maintain traditional ones only when these were congruent with the financial aims of the family or can be integrated into living conditions in Greece upon return. Furthermore, migrants seem to adopt a more "traditional" attitude than non-migrants toward the participation of women in family decision making. From the study, it is suggested that gender role change is an on-going process influenced by the migration-repatriation experience, as well the factors, which accompany movement between the two countries.

Workplace disability management programs promoting return-to-work

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gensby, Ulrik; Lund, Thomas; Kowalski, Krystyna

Return-to-work (RTW) following work related injuries or illnesses is receiving continued attention from a wide spectrum of research fields and is an important topic for many policy- and decision-makers. In particular long-term sickness absence is a challenge associated with a series of negative...... is still needed. This review will evaluate the effect of workplace disability management programs promoting RTW - i.e. report on the evidence and describes and combine results from individual studies on workplace disability management programs and explain possible variations in practice....

26 CFR 301.6103(h)(2)-1 - Disclosure of returns and return information (including taxpayer return information) to and by...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... administration. 301.6103(h)(2)-1 Section 301.6103(h)(2)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT... Returns Returns and Records § 301.6103(h)(2)-1 Disclosure of returns and return information (including..., shall, to the extent provided by section 6103(h)(2) (A), (B), and (C) and subject to the requirements of...

Modeling the Conditional Covariance between Stock and Bond Returns

NARCIS (Netherlands)

P. de Goeij (Peter); W.A. Marquering (Wessel)

2002-01-01

textabstractTo analyze the intertemporal interaction between the stock and bond market returns, we allow the conditional covariance matrix to vary over time according to a multivariate GARCH model similar to Bollerslev, Engle and Wooldridge (1988). We extend the model such that it allows for

A conceptual framework for a sports knee injury performance profile (SKIPP) and return to activity criteria (RTAC).

Science.gov (United States)

Logerstedt, David; Arundale, Amelia; Lynch, Andrew; Snyder-Mackler, Lynn

2015-01-01

Injuries to the knee, including intra-articular fractures, ligamentous ruptures, and meniscal and articular cartilage lesions, are commonplace within sports. Despite advancements in surgical techniques and enhanced rehabilitation, athletes returning to cutting, pivoting, and jumping sports after a knee injury are at greater risk of sustaining a second injury. The clinical utility of objective criteria presents a decision-making challenge to ensure athletes are fully rehabilitated and safe to return to sport. A system centered on specific indicators that can be used to develop a comprehensive profile to monitor rehabilitation progression and to establish return to activity criteria is recommended to clear athletes to begin a progressive and systematic approach to activities and sports. Integration of a sports knee injury performance profile with return to activity criteria can guide clinicians in facilitating an athlete's safe return to sport, prevention of subsequent injury, and life-long knee joint health.

A conceptual framework for a sports knee injury performance profile (SKIPP and return to activity criteria (RTAC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Logerstedt

2015-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACTInjuries to the knee, including intra-articular fractures, ligamentous ruptures, and meniscal and articular cartilage lesions, are commonplace within sports. Despite advancements in surgical techniques and enhanced rehabilitation, athletes returning to cutting, pivoting, and jumping sports after a knee injury are at greater risk of sustaining a second injury. The clinical utility of objective criteria presents a decision-making challenge to ensure athletes are fully rehabilitated and safe to return to sport. A system centered on specific indicators that can be used to develop a comprehensive profile to monitor rehabilitation progression and to establish return to activity criteria is recommended to clear athletes to begin a progressive and systematic approach to activities and sports. Integration of a sports knee injury performance profile with return to activity criteria can guide clinicians in facilitating an athlete's safe return to sport, prevention of subsequent injury, and life-long knee joint health.

Return to sports participation after articular cartilage repair in the knee: scientific evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Mithoefer, Kai; Hambly, Karen; Della Villa, Stefano; Silvers, Holly; Mandelbaum, Bert R

2009-11-01

Articular cartilage injury in the athlete's knee presents a difficult clinical challenge. Despite the importance of returning injured athletes to sports, information is limited on whether full sports participation can be successfully achieved after articular cartilage repair in the knee. Systematic analysis of athletic participation after articular cartilage repair will demonstrate the efficacy of joint surface restoration in high-demand patients and help to optimize outcomes in athletes with articular cartilage injury of the knee. Systematic review. A comprehensive literature review of original studies was performed to provide information about athletic participation after articular cartilage repair. The athlete's ability to perform sports postoperatively was assessed by activity outcome scores, rate of return to sport, timing of the return, level of postoperative sports participation, and the continuation of athletic activity over time. Twenty studies describing 1363 patients were included in the review, with an average follow-up of 42 months. Return to sports was possible in 73% overall, with highest return rates after osteochondral autograft transplantation. Time to return to sports varied between 7 and 18 months, depending on the cartilage repair technique. Initial return to sports at the preinjury level was possible in 68% and did not significantly vary between surgical techniques. Continued sports participation at the preinjury level was possible in 65%, with the best durability after autologous chondrocyte transplantation. Several factors affected the ability to return to sport: athlete's age, preoperative duration of symptoms, level of play, lesion size, and repair tissue morphology. Articular cartilage repair in the athletic population allows for a high rate of return to sports, often at the preinjury level. Return to sports participation is influenced by several independent factors. The findings provide pertinent information that is helpful for the

RETURNS OF PRIVATE EQUITY COMPARATIVE ANALYSES OF THE RETURNS OF VENTURE CAPITAL AND BUYOUT FUNDS IN EUROPE AND IN THE US

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Becsky-Nagy Patrícia

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on the returns of two segments of Private Equity (PE market in Europe and in the US; Venture Capital (VC and Buyout (BO. Contrary to the publicly traded stocks where information about the trade of securities is public, the measuring of the returns of these asset classes is not unambiguous. The returns of PE investments are considered as confidential information therefore we only have estimations about the real characteristics of the financial performance of the PE industry. Although it is impossible to observe the whole industry it is important to chart its performance because PE plays an essential role in the financing of firms, especially firms at special stages of their lives and the more information the investors and companies have, the more effective PE market can be therefore it can contribute to economic growth, employment, innovation etc. In the literature PE, VC and BO are not distinguished properly and they are often used as synonyms. Despite their similarities, there are significant differences in the features of these types of investments. In this paper the authors present the return characteristics of the PE industry of Europe and the US with regard to the stage-focus of PE funds. The key findings of this paper are that in average the returns of BO funds exceeded the returns of VC funds in the US as well as in Europe. Not just according to the absolute value of the returns, but also according to its risk-return tradeoff BO seems to be a preferable investment. The same statements can be made in case of the European market. The US returns are higher than European VC returns, because compared to the US VC industry the European is undeveloped. On the other hand the gap between the performances of BO funds is not as significant as the difference of VC funds. While in the 90’s US BO funds outperformed the European ones, after the millennia European BO returns were higher. The analysis of returns reveals the

Flow shop scheduling decisions through Techniques for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arun Gupta

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The flow-shop scheduling problem (FSP has been widely studied in the literature and having a very active research area. Over the last few decades, a number of heuristic/meta-heuristic solution techniques have been developed. Some of these techniques offer excellent effectiveness and efficiency at the expense of substantial implementation efforts and being extremely complicated. This paper brings out the application of a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM method known as techniques for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS using different weighting schemes in flow-shop environment. The objective function is identification of a job sequence which in turn would have minimum makespan (total job completion time. The application of the proposed method to flow shop scheduling is presented and explained with a numerical example. The results of the proposed TOPSIS based technique of FSP are also compared on the basis of some benchmark problems and found compatible with the results obtained from other standard procedures.

Weather effects on the returns and volatility of the Shanghai stock market

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Sang Hoon; Jiang, Zhuhua; Lee, Yeonjeong; Yoon, Seong-Min

2010-01-01

This study investigates the weather effects on returns as well as volatility in the Shanghai stock market. In order to analyze the influence of the opening of B-share market to domestic investors, it is assumed that domestic investors are more sensitive to the Shanghai local weather than foreign investors. In doing so, extreme weather condition dummies are generated by using the 21-day and 31-day moving average and its standard deviation. Empirical analysis provides two key results regarding weather effects. First, the weather effect exists in the A-share returns, but does not exist in the B-share returns over the whole period. In addition, the post-opening period shows the strong weather effect on B-share returns only, indicating that the market openness to domestic investors results in the weather effect. Second, the weather effect has a strong influence on the volatility of both A- and B-share returns. Similar to the case of returns, the weather effect on volatility is explained by the openness of B-share market.

Is Mars Sample Return Required Prior to Sending Humans to Mars?

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Michael; Abell, Paul; Allwood, Abigail; Baker, John; Barnes, Jeff; Bass, Deborah; Beaty, David; Boston, Penny; Brinkerhoff, Will; Budney, Charles;

The Psychology and Neuroscience of Financial Decision Making.

Science.gov (United States)

Frydman, Cary; Camerer, Colin F

2016-09-01

Financial decisions are among the most important life-shaping decisions that people make. We review facts about financial decisions and what cognitive and neural processes influence them. Because of cognitive constraints and a low average level of financial literacy, many household decisions violate sound financial principles. Households typically have underdiversified stock holdings and low retirement savings rates. Investors overextrapolate from past returns and trade too often. Even top corporate managers, who are typically highly educated, make decisions that are affected by overconfidence and personal history. Many of these behaviors can be explained by well-known principles from cognitive science. A boom in high-quality accumulated evidence-especially how practical, low-cost 'nudges' can improve financial decisions-is already giving clear guidance for balanced government regulation. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

PREMISES OF BEHAVIORAL FINANCE IN RATIONAL DECISION-MAKING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurentiu Droj

2016-07-01

Full Text Available One cannot separate decision from psychology of human being. People see world by perception and this leads to various ways of understanding even the most concrete or certain things. Financial literature reflects the subjective nature of human being in making decisions by classifying decision-making process into being 'rationally' oriented or the opposite, 'irrational', according to individual’s attitude towards risk – 'appetite' or 'aversion'. Process of understanding risk associated with future financial returns implies attaching mental probabilities to it. This activity is always affected by human nature of agents that take financial decisions, therefore bearing risk. Psychological factors such as perception, framing effect, information asymmetry, irrationality, emotions are accompanying every financial decision. Paper intends to study the direct relationship between psychological traits of a human being playing the role of a decisional agent in financial context. Financial decisions are always accompanied by the notion of probability in defining what we call as 'expected' returns that translate into risk associated with financial investments. Empirical analysis done on the financial market reflects that agents use their perception on risk of gaining or losing from a certain financial transaction to decide whether to invest or not. The notion of 'expected utility' has been complementary used with the one of 'prospect value' as financial literature evolved over time and researchers brought new insights into the mechanism of financial decision. This paper studies direct relationship between psychological traits of a human being according to classical and rational decision-making process in the light of the prospect theory and risk attitude regarding financial outcome of decisions. In this sense, an econometric model is tested on the international financial market in order to find out what kind of subjective factors lie hidden in an investor

Return-to-Work Program for Injured Workers: Factors of Successful Return to Employment.

Science.gov (United States)

Awang, Halimah; Shahabudin, Sharifah Muhairah; Mansor, Norma

2016-11-01

This study examined the factors of successful return to employment among participants in the return to work program (RTW) following work-related injury. Data were obtained from the Social Security Organization database containing 9850 injured workers who underwent RTW in 2010 to 2013. About 65% had successfully returned to employment. Significant factors of successful return include gender, employer interest, motivation, age, intervention duration, and type of injury. Male and motivated employees were more likely to return to employment compared with female and unmotivated employees, respectively. Participants from interested employers were 23.22 times more likely to return to work than those from uninterested employers, whereas participants whose intervention period exceeded 5 months were 41% less likely to return to work compared with those whose intervention period was within 3 months. Appropriate strategy and enhanced collaboration between the stakeholders would improve the proportion of successful return to employment. © 2016 APJPH.

Multiscale multifractal DCCA and complexity behaviors of return intervals for Potts price model

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jie; Wang, Jun; Stanley, H. Eugene

2018-02-01

To investigate the characteristics of extreme events in financial markets and the corresponding return intervals among these events, we use a Potts dynamic system to construct a random financial time series model of the attitudes of market traders. We use multiscale multifractal detrended cross-correlation analysis (MM-DCCA) and Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC) perform numerical research of the return intervals for two significant China's stock market indices and for the proposed model. The new MM-DCCA method is based on the Hurst surface and provides more interpretable cross-correlations of the dynamic mechanism between different return interval series. We scale the LZC method with different exponents to illustrate the complexity of return intervals in different scales. Empirical studies indicate that the proposed return intervals from the Potts system and the real stock market indices hold similar statistical properties.

To kill a kangaroo: understanding the decision to pursue high-risk/high-gain resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, James Holland; Bird, Rebecca Bliege; Bird, Douglas W

2013-09-22

In this paper, we attempt to understand hunter-gatherer foraging decisions about prey that vary in both the mean and variance of energy return using an expected utility framework. We show that for skewed distributions of energetic returns, the standard linear variance discounting (LVD) model for risk-sensitive foraging can produce quite misleading results. In addition to creating difficulties for the LVD model, the skewed distributions characteristic of hunting returns create challenges for estimating probability distribution functions required for expected utility. We present a solution using a two-component finite mixture model for foraging returns. We then use detailed foraging returns data based on focal follows of individual hunters in Western Australia hunting for high-risk/high-gain (hill kangaroo) and relatively low-risk/low-gain (sand monitor) prey. Using probability densities for the two resources estimated from the mixture models, combined with theoretically sensible utility curves characterized by diminishing marginal utility for the highest returns, we find that the expected utility of the sand monitors greatly exceeds that of kangaroos despite the fact that the mean energy return for kangaroos is nearly twice as large as that for sand monitors. We conclude that the decision to hunt hill kangaroos does not arise simply as part of an energetic utility-maximization strategy and that additional social, political or symbolic benefits must accrue to hunters of this highly variable prey.

The Relationship between Decision Making Styles and Leadership Styles among Public Schools Principals

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Omari, Aieman Ahmad

2013-01-01

The present study examined the relationships between leadership styles and decision-making styles among public schools principals. A total of 108 principals returned questionnaires from Russaifa Education District in Jordan. The Decision Style Inventory and the Administrative Styles Questionnaire were used in this study. "Directive decision…

Return to Play After Hamstring Injuries: A Qualitative Systematic Review of Definitions and Criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Horst, Nick; van de Hoef, Sander; Reurink, Gustaaf; Huisstede, Bionka; Backx, Frank

2016-06-01

More than half of the recurrent hamstring injuries occur within the first month after return-to-play (RTP). Although there are numerous studies on RTP, comparisons are hampered by the numerous definitions of RTP used. Moreover, there is no consensus on the criteria used to determine when a person can start playing again. These criteria need to be critically evaluated, in an attempt to reduce recurrence rates and optimize RTP. To carry out a systematic review of the literature on (1) definitions of RTP used in hamstring research and (2) criteria for RTP after hamstring injuries. Systematic review. Seven databases (PubMed, EMBASE/MEDLINE, CINAHL, PEDro, Cochrane, SPORTDiscus, Scopus) were searched for articles that provided a definition of, or criteria for, RTP after hamstring injury. There were no limitations on the methodological design or quality of articles. Content analysis was used to record and analyze definitions and criteria for RTP after hamstring injury. Twenty-five papers fulfilled inclusion criteria, of which 13 provided a definition of RTP and 23 described criteria to support the RTP decision. "Reaching the athlete's pre-injury level" and "being able to perform full sport activities" were the primary content categories used to define RTP. "Absence of pain", "similar strength", "similar flexibility", "medical staff clearance", and "functional performance" were core themes to describe criteria to support the RTP decision after hamstring injury. Only half of the included studies provided some definition of RTP after hamstring injury, of which reaching the athlete's pre-injury level and being able to perform full sport activities were the most important. A wide variety of criteria are used to support the RTP decision, none of which have been validated. More research is needed to reach a consensus on the definition of RTP and to provide validated RTP criteria to facilitate hamstring injury management and reduce hamstring injury recurrence. PROSPERO

Invariance in the recurrence of large returns and the validation of models of price dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Lo-Bin; Geman, Stuart; Hsieh, Fushing; Hwang, Chii-Ruey

2013-08-01

Starting from a robust, nonparametric definition of large returns (“excursions”), we study the statistics of their occurrences, focusing on the recurrence process. The empirical waiting-time distribution between excursions is remarkably invariant to year, stock, and scale (return interval). This invariance is related to self-similarity of the marginal distributions of returns, but the excursion waiting-time distribution is a function of the entire return process and not just its univariate probabilities. Generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) models, market-time transformations based on volume or trades, and generalized (Lévy) random-walk models all fail to fit the statistical structure of excursions.

Economic comparison of common treatment protocols and J5 vaccination for clinical mastitis in dairy herds using optimized culling decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kessels, J A; Cha, E; Johnson, S K; Welcome, F L; Kristensen, A R; Gröhn, Y T

2016-05-01

This study used an existing dynamic optimization model to compare costs of common treatment protocols and J5 vaccination for clinical mastitis in US dairy herds. Clinical mastitis is an infection of the mammary gland causing major economic losses in dairy herds due to reduced milk production, reduced conception, and increased risk of mortality and culling for infected cows. Treatment protocols were developed to reflect common practices in dairy herds. These included targeted therapy following pathogen identification, and therapy without pathogen identification using a broad-spectrum antimicrobial or treating with the cheapest treatment option. The cost-benefit of J5 vaccination was also estimated. Effects of treatment were accounted for as changes in treatment costs, milk loss due to mastitis, milk discarded due to treatment, and mortality. Following ineffective treatments, secondary decisions included extending the current treatment, alternative treatment, discontinuing treatment, and pathogen identification followed by recommended treatment. Average net returns for treatment protocols and vaccination were generated using an existing dynamic programming model. This model incorporates cow and pathogen characteristics to optimize management decisions to treat, inseminate, or cull cows. Of the treatment protocols where 100% of cows received recommended treatment, pathogen-specific identification followed by recommended therapy yielded the highest average net returns per cow per year. Out of all treatment scenarios, the highest net returns were achieved with selecting the cheapest treatment option and discontinuing treatment, or alternate treatment with a similar spectrum therapy; however, this may not account for the full consequences of giving nonrecommended therapies to cows with clinical mastitis. Vaccination increased average net returns in all scenarios. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

26 CFR 1.6013-2 - Joint return after filing separate return.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... the case of a joint return made under section 6013(b), the period of limitations provided in sections... (c)(1) of this section, relating to the application of sections 6501 and 6651 with respect to a joint... 26 Internal Revenue 13 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Joint return after filing separate return. 1...

Modeling the stock price returns volatility using GARCH(1,1) in some Indonesia stock prices

Science.gov (United States)

Awalludin, S. A.; Ulfah, S.; Soro, S.

2018-01-01

In the financial field, volatility is one of the key variables to make an appropriate decision. Moreover, modeling volatility is needed in derivative pricing, risk management, and portfolio management. For this reason, this study presented a widely used volatility model so-called GARCH(1,1) for estimating the volatility of daily returns of stock prices of Indonesia from July 2007 to September 2015. The returns can be obtained from stock price by differencing log of the price from one day to the next. Parameters of the model were estimated by Maximum Likelihood Estimation. After obtaining the volatility, natural cubic spline was employed to study the behaviour of the volatility over the period. The result shows that GARCH(1,1) indicate evidence of volatility clustering in the returns of some Indonesia stock prices.

Between crisis, agency and return: the vulnerability of Bolivian migrants in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabel Yépez del Castillo

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This article addresses the interrelationships between the economic crisis, international migration and the labour market, and their impact on female migration agency, both in the decision to migrate and in the subsequent possibility of return to Bolivia. Based on information collected in a large survey conducted in the city of Cochabamba and the tracing of multiple female migration trajectories, the extreme vulnerability of these women, who are the heads of single-parent households, working in elderly care in Bergamo, is shown. Despite their deteriorating working conditions in the context of current Italian economic crisis and the competition of immigrant care workers from countries of Eastern Europe, they choose to remain in Italy instead of returning to Bolivia.

The Risk Return Relationship: Evidence from Index Return and Realised Variance Series

OpenAIRE

Minxian Yang

2014-01-01

The risk return relationship is analysed in bivariate models for return and realised variance(RV) series. Based on daily time series from 21 international market indices for more than 13 years (January 2000 to February 2013), the empirical findings support the arguments of risk return tradeoff, volatility feedback and statistical balance. It is reasoned that the empirical risk return relationship is primarily shaped by two important data features: the negative contemporaneous correlation betw...

The semantic similarity ensemble

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Ballatore

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Computational measures of semantic similarity between geographic terms provide valuable support across geographic information retrieval, data mining, and information integration. To date, a wide variety of approaches to geo-semantic similarity have been devised. A judgment of similarity is not intrinsically right or wrong, but obtains a certain degree of cognitive plausibility, depending on how closely it mimics human behavior. Thus selecting the most appropriate measure for a specific task is a significant challenge. To address this issue, we make an analogy between computational similarity measures and soliciting domain expert opinions, which incorporate a subjective set of beliefs, perceptions, hypotheses, and epistemic biases. Following this analogy, we define the semantic similarity ensemble (SSE as a composition of different similarity measures, acting as a panel of experts having to reach a decision on the semantic similarity of a set of geographic terms. The approach is evaluated in comparison to human judgments, and results indicate that an SSE performs better than the average of its parts. Although the best member tends to outperform the ensemble, all ensembles outperform the average performance of each ensemble's member. Hence, in contexts where the best measure is unknown, the ensemble provides a more cognitively plausible approach.

A numerical study on bow shocks around the lightning return stroke channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Qiang; Chen, Bin; Yi, Yun; Chen, P. F.; Mao, Yunfei; Xiong, Run

2015-01-01

Bow shock structures are important to various hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) phenomena in geophysics and astrophysics. The formation and propagation of bow shocks around the lightning return stroke channel are investigated based on the self-similar motion theory and simulated with a two-dimensional Eulerian finite volume resistive radiation MHD code. In this framework, as verification of theoretical models, the evolving structures of many quantities, such as the plasma density, temperature, pressure, shock velocity, and magnetic field, can be obtained, which present all the characteristics of bow shocks in the lightning return stroke processes. The evolution characteristics and the configuration of the curved return stroke channels, e.g., the non-ideal effects and the scaling laws, are discussed in detail. The results may have applications for some observed features of the return stroke channels and other phenomena in the lightning discharge plasmas

Mars Sample Return - Launch and Detection Strategies for Orbital Rendezvous

Science.gov (United States)

Woolley, Ryan C.; Mattingly, Richard L.; Riedel, Joseph E.; Sturm, Erick J.

2011-01-01

This study sets forth conceptual mission design strategies for the ascent and rendezvous phase of the proposed NASA/ESA joint Mars Sample Return Campaign. The current notional mission architecture calls for the launch of an acquisition/cache rover in 2018, an orbiter with an Earth return vehicle in 2022, and a fetch rover and ascent vehicle in 2024. Strategies are presented to launch the sample into a coplanar orbit with the Orbiter which facilitate robust optical detection, orbit determination, and rendezvous. Repeating ground track orbits exist at 457 and 572 km which provide multiple launch opportunities with similar geometries for detection and rendezvous.

Mars Sample Return: Launch and Detection Strategies for Orbital Rendezvous

Science.gov (United States)

Woolley, Ryan C.; Mattingly, Richard L.; Riedel, Joseph E.; Sturm, Erick J.

2011-01-01

This study sets forth conceptual mission design strategies for the ascent and rendezvous phase of the proposed NASA/ESA joint Mars Sample Return Campaign. The current notional mission architecture calls for the launch of an acquisition/ caching rover in 2018, an Earth return orbiter in 2022, and a fetch rover with ascent vehicle in 2024. Strategies are presented to launch the sample into a nearly coplanar orbit with the Orbiter which would facilitate robust optical detection, orbit determination, and rendezvous. Repeating ground track orbits existat 457 and 572 km which would provide multiple launch opportunities with similar geometries for detection and rendezvous.

DECIDE: a Decision Support Tool to Facilitate Parents' Choices Regarding Genome-Wide Sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Birch, Patricia; Adam, S; Bansback, N; Coe, R R; Hicklin, J; Lehman, A; Li, K C; Friedman, J M

2016-12-01

We describe the rationale, development, and usability testing for an integrated e-learning tool and decision aid for parents facing decisions about genome-wide sequencing (GWS) for their children with a suspected genetic condition. The online tool, DECIDE, is designed to provide decision-support and to promote high quality decisions about undergoing GWS with or without return of optional incidental finding results. DECIDE works by integrating educational material with decision aids. Users may tailor their learning by controlling both the amount of information and its format - text and diagrams and/or short videos. The decision aid guides users to weigh the importance of various relevant factors in their own lives and circumstances. After considering the pros and cons of GWS and return of incidental findings, DECIDE summarizes the user's responses and apparent preferred choices. In a usability study of 16 parents who had already chosen GWS after conventional genetic counselling, all participants found DECIDE to be helpful. Many would have been satisfied to use it alone to guide their GWS decisions, but most would prefer to have the option of consulting a health care professional as well to aid their decision. Further testing is necessary to establish the effectiveness of using DECIDE as an adjunct to or instead of conventional pre-test genetic counselling for clinical genome-wide sequencing.

Decision Usefulness Approach Of Accounting Information: Bagaimana Informasi Akuntansi Menjadi Useful ?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zarah Puspitaningtyas

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Application of decision usefulness approach to produce accounting information that is relevant and reliable. Relevant information, that has the capacity to affect the confidence of investors about future returns, and should be released in a timely manner.The concept of decision usefulness of accounting information plays an important role in identifying problems for users of financial reports and selection of accounting information that users of financial statements to make the best decision. To apply the concept of decision usefulness is necessary linkages with the various theories in economics and finance. Decision usefulness approach assumes that individual decision makers are rational, that is individuals who will choose the action that will yield the highest expected utility.

Decision-making under risk in children, adolescents, and young adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulsen, David J; Platt, Michael L; Huettel, Scott A; Brannon, Elizabeth M

2011-01-01

Adolescents often make risky and impulsive decisions. Such behavior has led to the common assumption that a dysfunction in risk-related decision-making peaks during this age. Differences in how risk has been defined across studies, however, make it difficult to draw conclusions about developmental changes in risky decision-making. Here, we developed a non-symbolic economic decision-making task that can be used across a wide age span and that uses coefficient of variation (CV) in reward as an index of risk. We found that young children showed the strongest preference for risky compared to sure bet options of equal expected value, adolescents were intermediate in their risk preference, and young adults showed the strongest risk aversion. Furthermore, children's preference for the risky option increased for larger CVs, while adolescents and young adults showed the opposite pattern, favoring the sure bet more often as CV increased. Finally, when faced with two gambles in a risk-return tradeoff, all three age groups exhibited a greater preference for the option with the lower risk and return as the disparity in risk between the two options increased. These findings demonstrate clear age-related differences in economic risk preferences that vary with choice set and risk. Importantly, adolescence appears to represent an intermediate decision-making phenotype along the transition from childhood to adulthood, rather than an age of heightened preference for economic risk.

Preferences and actual chemotherapy decision-making in the greater plains collaborative breast cancer study.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Ann M; Buzalko, Russell J; Kupzyk, Kevin A; Gardner, Bret J; Djalilova, Dilorom M; Otte, Julie L

2017-12-01

There is renewed interest in identifying breast cancer patients' participation in decision-making about adjuvant chemotherapy. There is a gap in the literature regarding the impact of these decisions on quality of life (QOL) and quality of care (QOC). Our aims were to determine similarities and differences in how patients diagnosed with breast cancer preferred to make decisions with providers about cancer treatment, to examine the patient's recall of her role when the decision was made about chemotherapy and to determine how preferred and actual roles, as well as congruence between them, relate to QOL and perceived QOC. Greater Plains Collaborative clinical data research network of PCORnet conducted the 'Share Thoughts on Breast Cancer' survey among women 12-18 months post-diagnosis at eight sites in seven Midwestern United States. Patients recalled their preferred and actual treatment decision-making roles and three new shared decision-making (SDM) variables were created. Patients completed QOL and QOC measurements. Correlations and t-tests were used. Of 1235 returned surveys, 873 (full sample) and 329 (subsample who received chemotherapy) were used. About one-half of women in both the full (50.7%) and subsample (49.8%,) preferred SDM with providers about treatment decisions, but only 41.2% (full) and 42.6% (subsample) reported experiencing SDM. Significant differences were found between preferred versus actual roles in the full (p decision-making variables with QOL, but there was an association with QOC. The subsample's decision-making variables related to several QOL scales and QOC items, with a more patient-centered decision than originally preferred related to higher physical and social/family well-being, overall QOL and QOC. Patients benefit from providers' efforts to identify patient preferences, encourage an active role in SDM, and tailor decision making to their desired choice.

Decision-making Under Risk in Children, Adolescents, and Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David ePaulsen

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Adolescents often make risky and impulsive decisions. Such behavior has led to the common assumption that a dysfunction in risk-related decision-making peaks during this age. Differences in how risk has been defined across studies, however, make it difficult to draw conclusions about developmental changes in risky decision-making. Here, we developed a non-symbolic economic decision-making task that can be used across a wide age span and that uses coefficient of variation (CV in reward as an index of risk. We found that young children showed the strongest preference for risky compared to sure bet options of equal expected value, adolescents were intermediate in their risk preference, and young adults showed the strongest risk aversion. Furthermore, children’s preference for the risky option increased for larger CVs, while adolescents and young adults showed the opposite pattern, favoring the sure bet more often as CV increased. Finally, when faced with two gambles in a risk-return tradeoff, all three age groups exhibited a greater preference for the option with the lower risk and return as the disparity in risk between the two options increased. These findings demonstrate clear age-related differences in economic risk preferences that vary with choice set and risk. Importantly, adolescence appears to represent an intermediate decision-making phenotype along the transition from childhood to adulthood, rather than an age of heightened preference for economic risk.

Portfolio risk-return analysis: The case of the automotive industry in the Czech Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florin Aliu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Risk has always been the concern of managers and shareholders as a part of decision-making processes. Managers tend to control unsystematic risk mostly while trying to minimize the exposure to systematic (market risk. The paper aims to assess the risk level and risk-return tradeoffs for the companies operating in Czech automotive industry. A diversification formula and calculation of returns using return-on-equity were employed on the yearly basis from 2005 till 2014. The returns and risk calculations were conducted on the portfolio of auto manufacturers, followed by the portfolio of auto suppliers, while the third one was performed for suppliers and manufacturers taken together. The results of the study show that the average correlation coefficient tends to decrease when we move from manufacturers to suppliers, while increasing when we join manufacturers and suppliers in one portfolio. The highest diversification benefit has been reached in the portfolio of auto suppliers. The highest risk is manifested for the portfolio of manufacturers, while the lowest – in the portfolio of auto suppliers. Risk level declined when we joined manufacturers and suppliers in comparison with risk of manufacturers alone. However, the lowest risk and the highest risk-return tradeoff were achieved in the portfolio of suppliers.

78 FR 41128 - Market Test of International Merchandise Return Service

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-09

... solution through the postal network, to create an ``unfair or otherwise inappropriate competitive advantage for the Postal Service or any mailer'' particularly with regard to small businesses. It indicates that it is unaware of any small business offering a similar return service, and that it expects small...

Integrating ecosystem-service tradeoffs into land-use decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Joshua H; Caldarone, Giorgio; Duarte, Thomas Kaeo; Ennaanay, Driss; Hannahs, Neil; Mendoza, Guillermo; Polasky, Stephen; Wolny, Stacie; Daily, Gretchen C

2012-05-08

Recent high-profile efforts have called for integrating ecosystem-service values into important societal decisions, but there are few demonstrations of this approach in practice. We quantified ecosystem-service values to help the largest private landowner in Hawaii, Kamehameha Schools, design a land-use development plan that balances multiple private and public values on its North Shore land holdings (Island of O'ahu) of ∼10,600 ha. We used the InVEST software tool to evaluate the environmental and financial implications of seven planning scenarios encompassing contrasting land-use combinations including biofuel feedstocks, food crops, forestry, livestock, and residential development. All scenarios had positive financial return relative to the status quo of negative return. However, tradeoffs existed between carbon storage and water quality as well as between environmental improvement and financial return. Based on this analysis and community input, Kamehameha Schools is implementing a plan to support diversified agriculture and forestry. This plan generates a positive financial return ($10.9 million) and improved carbon storage (0.5% increase relative to status quo) with negative relative effects on water quality (15.4% increase in potential nitrogen export relative to status quo). The effects on water quality could be mitigated partially (reduced to a 4.9% increase in potential nitrogen export) by establishing vegetation buffers on agricultural fields. This plan contributes to policy goals for climate change mitigation, food security, and diversifying rural economic opportunities. More broadly, our approach illustrates how information can help guide local land-use decisions that involve tradeoffs between private and public interests.

Trajectory similarity join in spatial networks

KAUST Repository

Shang, Shuo

2017-09-07

The matching of similar pairs of objects, called similarity join, is fundamental functionality in data management. We consider the case of trajectory similarity join (TS-Join), where the objects are trajectories of vehicles moving in road networks. Thus, given two sets of trajectories and a threshold θ, the TS-Join returns all pairs of trajectories from the two sets with similarity above θ. This join targets applications such as trajectory near-duplicate detection, data cleaning, ridesharing recommendation, and traffic congestion prediction. With these applications in mind, we provide a purposeful definition of similarity. To enable efficient TS-Join processing on large sets of trajectories, we develop search space pruning techniques and take into account the parallel processing capabilities of modern processors. Specifically, we present a two-phase divide-and-conquer algorithm. For each trajectory, the algorithm first finds similar trajectories. Then it merges the results to achieve a final result. The algorithm exploits an upper bound on the spatiotemporal similarity and a heuristic scheduling strategy for search space pruning. The algorithm\\'s per-trajectory searches are independent of each other and can be performed in parallel, and the merging has constant cost. An empirical study with real data offers insight in the performance of the algorithm and demonstrates that is capable of outperforming a well-designed baseline algorithm by an order of magnitude.

[Who makes decisions--the dilemma of decision-making within the framework of job-sharing in a hospital].

Science.gov (United States)

Voglmayr, Elisabeth; Widder, Joachim

2006-05-01

By means of a case report on a 44-year-old female patient, we show how, with changing personnel and places of care, decisions as well as the kind of decision-making during illness influence the quality of care. The patient was receiving immunosuppressive therapy after kidney transplantation and then suffered from a carcinomatous ovary. At first she refused postoperative chemotherapy, but then returned with a very advanced state of metastatic growth. The lack of continuity, a missing overall interdisciplinary concept of medical case, as well as the failure to document decision processes and the patient's attitude to life and suffering made it difficult for the caring team to accompany her in the last weeks of life. A possible solution to such a complex problem will be the introduction of ethical case deliberation.

Returning to the homeland: The migratory patterns between Brazil and Japan for Japanese-Brazilians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoko Baba

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Migration to well-off countries has been well documented. However, the reasons why migrants return to their home countries, which often face severe economic disadvantages, are examined less frequently. The return migration ofJapanese-Brazilians (Brazilian citizens of ethnic Japanese descent who migrate to Japan and return again to Brazil has not been studied to any great extent. To understand the factors associated with Japanese-Brazilians’ return migration, using Gmelch's (1983 model of push and pull factors, we examined what motivated Japanese-Brazilian migrant laborers to return to Brazil from Japan.With a mixed method including in-person interviews, a total of n=47 Brazilian migrants to Japan were sampled in São Paulo, Brazil. The present examination resulted in a pattern similar to the one Gmelch (1983 observed in his study on Irish and Newfoundlander return migrants. In the current study, pull factors were more important than push factors in terms of repatriation. Personal and social pull factors were stronger reasons compelling migrants return to Brazil than were economic or familial factors. Nevertheless, familial and economic reasons were also reported as important motivators for returning to Brazil in our interviews. Limitations are also discussed.

Restaurant customer satisfaction and return patronage in a Bloemfontein shopping mall

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hermanus Johannes Moolman

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Restaurants form one of the core components of a mall's retail offering and its tenant mix. In order to successfully manage the tenant mix, research suggests that mall management continuously monitor their tenants' performance through customer satisfaction and return patronage surveys. The purpose of the study on which this article is based, was to gain insight into restaurant customers' satisfaction and return patronage in a shopping mall context. Research questions: The research was conceptualised with the following three research questions in mind: Which dining attributes are important for customer satisfaction and return patronage in mall restaurants? Is there a difference in restaurant customers' satisfaction and return patronage levels based on their demographic characteristics? Is there a difference in restaurant customers' satisfaction and return patronage in the respective mall restaurants? Design / methodology / approach: A mixed-methods research design was followed. The views of restaurateurs and mall managers were explored (qualitative and 590 customers of eight restaurants situated in the mall successfully completed questionnaires (quantitative. Analysis of variance, t-tests, correlation analysis and regression analysis were performed to reach the objectives of the study. Findings: This research showed that food quality, quality service, restaurant ambience, the quality of facilities and the presence of management are important attributes in contributing to customers' overall dining satisfaction. Food quality and overall dining satisfaction are regarded as important attributes for restaurant customers' decision to return to a mall restaurant. Demographic characteristics of restaurant customers have little impact on customer satisfaction and return patronage levels. Mall restaurants were not equally successful in satisfying their customers in terms of service quality, quality of facilities and the presence of management

Linkage of management decision to shareholder's value: EVA concept

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shrikant Krupasindhu Panigrahi

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the author investigated the influence of management decisions like capital structure, dividend policies, remunerations, credit policy decisions and investment decisions on shareholder wealth maximization. To achieve the objective, portfolio theory, capital asset pricing model and modern financial theory providing evidence on the linkage between management decisions to shareholder’s value. Shareholders are only concerned about the value of shares of the company and the amount of return in the form of dividend paid. Thus in order to meet the demands of the shareholders of the company, managers needs to increase their abilities and skills to overcome the organizational goals. Thus the main goal of this paper is to discuss on the role of management decisions towards increasing shareholder’s wealth and meet organizational goals.

Decision management - projects subject to uncertainty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.E. Paterson

2003-12-01

Full Text Available The human mind is normally unable to grasp more than five to nine aspects relating to the same decision circumstances simultaneously. It has been demonstrated that only between four and eight variables significantly affect return on engineering projects (at the 90% level irrespective of scale. The most powerful means of isolating these significant variables is by computer simulation. This is demonstrated through the application of the interactive CASPAR programme to a simulated mining project. The significant variables are separated into controllable, influence able and uncontrollable categories for decision and control purposes since the nature of the speculative risk differs. The managerial treatment of each category is discussed.

Stakeholders identify similar barriers but different strategies to facilitate return-to-work: A vignette of a worker with an upper extremity condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Susan E; Truong, Anthony P; Johnston, Venerina

2018-01-01

Stakeholders involved in the return-to-work (RTW) process have different roles and qualificationsOBJECTIVE:To explore the perspectives of Australian stakeholders of the RTW barriers and strategies for a worker with an upper extremity condition and a complex workers' compensation case. Using a case vignette, stakeholders were asked to identify barriers and recommend strategies to facilitate RTW. Content analysis was performed on the open-ended responses. The responses were categorised into RTW barriers and strategies using the biopsychosocial model. Pearson's Chi Square and ANOVA were performed to establish group differences. 621 participants (488 healthcare providers (HCPs), 62 employers, 55 insurers and 16 lawyers) identified 36 barriers (31 modifiable): 4 demographic; 8 biological; 15 psychological and 9 social barriers. 484 participants reported 16 RTW strategies: 4 biological; 6 psychological and 6 social strategies. 'Work relationship stressors' (83.4%) and 'Personal relationship stressors' (64.7%) were the most frequently nominated barriers. HCPs most frequently nominated 'Pain management' (49.6%), while employers, insurers and lawyers nominated 'RTW planning/Suitable duties programs' (40.5%; 42.9%; 80%). Stakeholders perceived similar barriers for RTW but recommended different strategies. Stakeholders appeared to be more proficient in identifying barriers than recommending strategies. Future research should focus on tools to both identify RTW barriers and direct intervention.

Induction of Ordinal Decision Trees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.C. Bioch (Cor); V. Popova (Viara)

2003-01-01

textabstractThis paper focuses on the problem of monotone decision trees from the point of view of the multicriteria decision aid methodology (MCDA). By taking into account the preferences of the decision maker, an attempt is made to bring closer similar research within machine learning and MCDA.

Data-driven decision support for radiologists: re-using the National Lung Screening Trial dataset for pulmonary nodule management.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, James J; Hostetter, Jason; Wang, Kenneth; Siegel, Eliot L

2015-02-01

Real-time mining of large research trial datasets enables development of case-based clinical decision support tools. Several applicable research datasets exist including the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), a dataset unparalleled in size and scope for studying population-based lung cancer screening. Using these data, a clinical decision support tool was developed which matches patient demographics and lung nodule characteristics to a cohort of similar patients. The NLST dataset was converted into Structured Query Language (SQL) tables hosted on a web server, and a web-based JavaScript application was developed which performs real-time queries. JavaScript is used for both the server-side and client-side language, allowing for rapid development of a robust client interface and server-side data layer. Real-time data mining of user-specified patient cohorts achieved a rapid return of cohort cancer statistics and lung nodule distribution information. This system demonstrates the potential of individualized real-time data mining using large high-quality clinical trial datasets to drive evidence-based clinical decision-making.

Estimating the Returns to Firm-Sponsored on-the-Job and Classroom Training

OpenAIRE

Benoit Dostie

2010-01-01

In this paper, we estimate returns to classroom and on-the-job firm-sponsored training in terms of value-added per worker using longitudinal linked employee-employer Canadian data from 1999 to 2006. We estimate a standard production function controlling for endogenous training decisions because of perceived net benefits and time-varying market conditions using dynamic panel GMM methods. We find that employees who undertook classroom training are 11 percent more productive than otherwise simil...

Challenges estimating the return period of extreme floods for reinsurance applications

Science.gov (United States)

Raven, Emma; Busby, Kathryn; Liu, Ye

2013-04-01

Mapping and modelling extreme natural events is fundamental within the insurance and reinsurance industry for assessing risk. For example, insurers might use a 1 in 100-year flood hazard map to set the annual premium of a property, whilst a reinsurer might assess the national scale loss associated with the 1 in 200-year return period for capital and regulatory requirements. Using examples from a range of international flood projects, we focus on exploring how to define what the n-year flood looks like for predictive uses in re/insurance applications, whilst considering challenges posed by short historical flow records and the spatial and temporal complexities of flood. First, we shall explore the use of extreme value theory (EVT) statistics for extrapolating data beyond the range of observations in a marginal analysis. In particular, we discuss how to estimate the return period of historical flood events and explore the impact that a range of statistical decisions have on these estimates. Decisions include: (1) selecting which distribution type to apply (e.g. generalised Pareto distribution (GPD) vs. generalised extreme value distribution (GEV)); (2) if former, the choice of the threshold above which the GPD is fitted to the data; and (3) the necessity to perform a cluster analysis to group flow peaks to temporally represent individual flood events. Second, we summarise a specialised multivariate extreme value model, which combines the marginal analysis above with dependence modelling to generate industry standard event sets containing thousands of simulated, equi-probable floods across a region/country. These events represent the typical range of anticipated flooding across a region and can be used to estimate the largest or most widespread events that are expected to occur. Finally, we summarise how a reinsurance catastrophe model combines the event set with detailed flood hazard maps to estimate the financial cost of floods; both the full event set and also

IFRS and Stock Returns: An Empirical Analysis in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo F. Malaquias

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the convergence of accounting standards has been an issue that motivated new studies in the accounting field. It is expected that the convergence provides users, especially external users of accounting information, with comparable reports among different economies. Considering this scenario, this article was developed in order to compare the effect of accounting numbers on the stock market before and after the accounting convergence in Brazil. The sample of the study involved Brazilian listed companies at BM&FBOVESPA that had American Depository Receipts (levels II and III at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and graphic analysis were employed in order to analyze the behavior of stock returns around the publication dates. The main results indicate that the stock market reacts to the accounting reports. Therefore, the accounting numbers contain relevant information for the decision making of investors in the stock market. Moreover, it is observed that after the accounting convergence, the stock returns of the companies seem to present lower volatility.

OPTIMIZING USABILITY OF AN ECONOMIC DECISION SUPPORT TOOL: PROTOTYPE OF THE EQUIPT TOOL.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Kei Long; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Präger, Maximilian; Jones, Teresa; Józwiak-Hagymásy, Judit; Muñoz, Celia; Lester-George, Adam; Pokhrel, Subhash; López-Nicolás, Ángel; Trapero-Bertran, Marta; Evers, Silvia M A A; de Vries, Hein

2018-01-01

Economic decision-support tools can provide valuable information for tobacco control stakeholders, but their usability may impact the adoption of such tools. This study aims to illustrate a mixed-method usability evaluation of an economic decision-support tool for tobacco control, using the EQUIPT ROI tool prototype as a case study. A cross-sectional mixed methods design was used, including a heuristic evaluation, a thinking aloud approach, and a questionnaire testing and exploring the usability of the Return of Investment tool. A total of sixty-six users evaluated the tool (thinking aloud) and completed the questionnaire. For the heuristic evaluation, four experts evaluated the interface. In total twenty-one percent of the respondents perceived good usability. A total of 118 usability problems were identified, from which twenty-six problems were categorized as most severe, indicating high priority to fix them before implementation. Combining user-based and expert-based evaluation methods is recommended as these were shown to identify unique usability problems. The evaluation provides input to optimize usability of a decision-support tool, and may serve as a vantage point for other developers to conduct usability evaluations to refine similar tools before wide-scale implementation. Such studies could reduce implementation gaps by optimizing usability, enhancing in turn the research impact of such interventions.

The Effects of Federal Funds Target Rate Changes on S&P100 Stock Returns, Volatilities, and Correlations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H. Chulia-Soler (Helena); M.P.E. Martens (Martin); D.J.C. van Dijk (Dick)

2007-01-01

textabstractWe study the impact of FOMC announcements of Federal funds target rate decisions on individual stock prices at the intraday level. We find that the returns, volatilities and correlations of the S&P100 index constituents only respond to the surprise component in the announcement, as

Forecasting the variance and return of Mexican financial series with symmetric GARCH models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fátima Irina VILLALBA PADILLA

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The present research shows the application of the generalized autoregresive conditional heteroskedasticity models (GARCH in order to forecast the variance and return of the IPC, the EMBI, the weighted-average government funding rate, the fix exchange rate and the Mexican oil reference, as important tools for investment decisions. Forecasts in-sample and out-of-sample are performed. The covered period involves from 2005 to 2011.

COMPASS Final Report: Near Earth Asteroids Rendezvous and Sample Earth Returns (NEARER)

Science.gov (United States)

Oleson, Steven R.; McGuire, Melissa L.

2009-01-01

In this study, the Collaborative Modeling for Parametric Assessment of Space Systems (COMPASS) team completed a design for a multi-asteroid (Nereus and 1996 FG3) sample return capable spacecraft for the NASA In-Space Propulsion Office. The objective of the study was to support technology development and assess the relative benefits of different electric propulsion systems on asteroid sample return design. The design uses a single, heritage Orion solar array (SA) (approx.6.5 kW at 1 AU) to power a single NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster ((NEXT) a spare NEXT is carried) to propel a lander to two near Earth asteroids. After landing and gathering science samples, the Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) vehicle spirals back to Earth where it drops off the first sample s return capsule and performs an Earth flyby to assist the craft in rendezvousing with a second asteroid, which is then sampled. The second sample is returned in a similar fashion. The vehicle, dubbed Near Earth Asteroids Rendezvous and Sample Earth Returns (NEARER), easily fits in an Atlas 401 launcher and its cost estimates put the mission in the New Frontier s (NF's) class mission.

Inventory decision in a closed-loop supply chain with inspection, sorting, and waste disposal

Science.gov (United States)

Dwicahyani, A. R.; Jauhari, W. A.; Kurdhi, N. A.

2016-02-01

The study of returned item inventory management in a closed-loop supply chain system has become an important issue in recent years. So far, investigations about inventory decision making in a closed-loop supply chain system have been confined to traditional forward and reverse oriented material flow supply chain. In this study, we propose an integrated inventory model consisting a supplier, a manufacturer, and a retailer where the manufacturer inspects all of the returned items collected from the customers and classifies them as recoverable or waste. Returned items that recovered through the remanufacturing process and the newly manufactured products are then used to meet the demand of the retailer. However, some recovered items which are not comparable to the ones in quality, classified as refurbished items, are sold to a secondary market at a reduced price. This study also suggests that the flow of returned items is controlled by a decision variable, namely an acceptance quality level of recoverable item in the system. We apply multiple remanufacturing cycle and multiple production cycle policy to the proposed model and give the corresponding iterative procedure to determine the optimal solutions. Further, numerical examples are presented for illustrative purpose.

Risk attitude in small timesaving decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Munichor, Nira; Erev, Ido; Lotem, Arnon

2006-09-01

Four experiments are presented that explore situations in which a decision maker has to rely on personal experience in an attempt to minimize delays. Experiment 1 shows that risk-attitude in these timesaving decisions is similar to risk-attitude in money-related decisions from experience: A risky prospect is more attractive than a safer prospect with the same expected value only when it leads to a better outcome most of the time. Experiment 2 highlights a boundary condition: It suggests that a difficulty in ranking the relevant delays moves behavior toward random choice. Experiments 3 and 4 show that when actions must be taken during the delay (thereby helping compare delays), this increases the similarity of timesaving decisions to money-related decisions. In these settings the results reflect an increase in risk aversion with experience. The relationship of the results to the study of non-human time-related decisions, human money-related decisions and human time perception is discussed.

Predictability of Stock Returns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmet Sekreter

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Predictability of stock returns has been shown by empirical studies over time. This article collects the most important theories on forecasting stock returns and investigates the factors that affecting behavior of the stocks’ prices and the market as a whole. Estimation of the factors and the way of estimation are the key issues of predictability of stock returns.

Return on investment. What is ROI and how to use it.

Science.gov (United States)

Cotter, Steve

2014-08-01

Formulated and interpreted correctly, ROI tools and techniques can be very useful for EMS managers when evaluating various competing projects and initiatives within the organization. More so, decision makers and elected bodies responsible for approving the financial support of these initiatives are demanding that they be presented with a more complete picture of the return for any dollars allocated under ever-tightening financial considerations that all organizations face today. ROI can be a powerful tool in supporting your organization when competing for limited dollars.

Modeling Perceived Quality, Customer Satisfaction and Probability of Guest Returning to the Destination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olivera Blagojevic Popovic

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In the hotel industry, it is a well-known fact that, despite of quality and variety of services provided, there is a low probability that the guests will return. This research is focused on identifying the basic factors of the hotel offer, which could determine the influence on the correlation between the guests’ satisfaction and the probability of their return. The objective of the article is to explore the relationship between the guests’ satisfaction with the quality hotel services in total (including the tourist offer of the place and the probability of his return to the same destination. The questionnaire method was applied in the survey, and the data were analysed based on factor analysis. Thereafter, the model for forecasting the probability of the guests returning to the destination was established, by using the example of Montenegrin tourism. The model represents a defined framework for the guest’s decision-making process. It identifies two main characteristics of guest experiences: satisfaction and rated quality (of the destination’s overall hotel service and tourist offer. The same model evaluates the impact of the above factors on the probability of the guests’ returning to the same destination. The starting hypothesis was the existence of a high degree of correlation between the guests’ satisfaction (with the destination’s hotel services and tourist offer and the probability of returning to the selected Montenegrin destinations. The research confirmed the above-mentioned hypothesis. The results have revealed that there are significant differences in perceived quality, i.e. satisfaction between the target groups of Eastern and Western European tourists

Modifying cochlear implant design: advantages of placing a return electrode in the modiolus.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Steven Y; Wiet, Richard J; Richter, Claus-Peter

2004-07-01

A modiolar return electrode significantly increases the current flow across spiral ganglion cells into the modiolus, and may decrease the cochlear implant's power requirements. Ideal cochlear implants should maximize current flow into the modiolus to stimulate auditory neurons. Previous efforts to facilitate current flow through the modiolus included the fabrication and use of precurved electrodes designed to "hug" the modiolus and silastic positioners designed to place the electrodes closer to the modiolus. In contrast to earlier efforts, this study explores the effects of return electrode placement on current distributions in the modiolus. The effects of return electrode positioning on current flow in the modiolus were studied in a Plexiglas model of the cochlea. Results of model measurements were confirmed by measurements in the modiolus of human temporal bones. The return electrode was placed either within the modiolus, or remotely, outside the temporal bone, simulating contemporary cochlear implant configurations using monopolar stimulation. Cochlear model results clearly show that modiolar current amplitudes can be influenced significantly by the location of the return electrode, being larger when placed into the modiolus. Temporal bone data show similar findings. Voltages recorded in the modiolus are, on average, 2.8 times higher with the return electrode in the modiolus compared with return electrode locations outside the temporal bone. Placing a cochlear implant's return electrode in the modiolus should significantly reduce its power consumption. Reducing power requirements should lead to improved efficiency, safer long-term use, and longer device life.

Making college worth it: a review of the returns to higher education.

Science.gov (United States)

Oreopoulos, Philip; Petronijevic, Uros

2013-01-01

Despite a general rise in the return to college, likely due to technological change, the cost-benefit calculus facing prospective students can make the decision to invest in and attend college dauntingly complex. Philip Oreopoulos and Uros Petronijevic review research on the varying costs and benefits of higher education and explore in full the complexity of the decision to invest in and attend college. Optimal college attainment decisions are different for all prospective students, who diverge in terms of what they are likely to get out of higher education and what specific options might be best for them. Earnings of college graduates depend in important measure on the program of study and eventual occupation they choose. Students uninterested in or unable to complete a four-year college degree appear to benefit from completing a two-year degree. Prospective students may also face both financial constraints, which prohibit them from taking advantage of more education, and information problems and behavioral idiosyncrasies, such as reluctance to take on debt, which keep them from making optimal decisions about attending college. In their discussion of how student debt figures in the college investment, the authors note that some students borrow too little and, as a result, underinvest in their education. Carefully calculating the return on the college investment can help determine the "appropriate" amount of debt. Students are more likely to benefit from postsecondary education the more informed they are about the expenses associated with college and the potential options for financial aid, which can be extremely complex. To make the best college investment, Oreopoulos and Petronijevic stress, prospective students must give careful consideration to selecting the institution itself, the major to follow, and the eventual occupation to pursue. For any particular program at a particular school, anticipated future labor market earnings, the likelihood of completion, the

The Return to Foreign Aid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalgaard, Carl-Johan Lars; Hansen, Henrik

2017-01-01

We estimate the average rate of return on investments financed by aid and by domestic resource mobilisation, using aggregate data. Both returns are expected to vary across countries and time. Consequently we develop a correlated random coefficients model to estimate the average returns. Across...... different estimators and two different data sources for GDP and investment our findings are remarkably robust; the average gross return on ‘aid investments’ is about 20 per cent. This is in accord with micro estimates of the economic rate of return on aid projects and with aggregate estimates of the rate...

Information needs at the beginning of foraging: grass-cutting ants trade off load size for a faster return to the nest.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Bollazzi

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Acquisition of information about food sources is essential for animals that forage collectively like social insects. Foragers deliver two commodities to the nest, food and information, and they may favor the delivery of one at the expenses of the other. We predict that information needs should be particularly high at the beginning of foraging: the decision to return faster to the nest will motivate a grass-cutting ant worker to reduce its loading time, and so to leave the source with a partial load.Field results showed that at the initial foraging phase, most grass-cutting ant foragers (Acromyrmex heyeri returned unladen to the nest, and experienced head-on encounters with outgoing workers. Ant encounters were not simply collisions in a probabilistic sense: outgoing workers contacted in average 70% of the returning foragers at the initial foraging phase, and only 20% at the established phase. At the initial foraging phase, workers cut fragments that were shorter, narrower, lighter and tenderer than those harvested at the established one. Foragers walked at the initial phase significantly faster than expected for the observed temperatures, yet not at the established phase. Moreover, when controlling for differences in the fragment-size carried, workers still walked faster at the initial phase. Despite the higher speed, their individual transport rate of vegetable tissue was lower than that of similarly-sized workers foraging later at the same patch.At the initial foraging phase, workers compromised their individual transport rates of material in order to return faster to the colony. We suggest that the observed flexible cutting rules and the selection of partial loads at the beginning of foraging are driven by the need of information transfer, crucial for the establishment and maintenance of a foraging process to monopolize a discovered resource.

Perceptions of shared decision making and decision aids among rural primary care clinicians.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Valerie J; Davis, Melinda M; Gorman, Paul N; Rugge, J Bruin; Fagnan, L J

2012-01-01

Shared decision making (SDM) and decision aids (DAs) increase patients' involvement in health care decisions and enhance satisfaction with their choices. Studies of SDM and DAs have primarily occurred in academic centers and large health systems, but most primary care is delivered in smaller practices, and over 20% of Americans live in rural areas, where poverty, disease prevalence, and limited access to care may increase the need for SDM and DAs. To explore perceptions and practices of rural primary care clinicians regarding SDM and DAs. Cross-sectional survey. Setting and Participants Primary care clinicians affiliated with the Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network. Surveys were returned by 181 of 231 eligible participants (78%); 174 could be analyzed. Two-thirds of participants were physicians, 84% practiced family medicine, and 55% were male. Sixty-five percent of respondents were unfamiliar with the term shared decision making, but following definition, 97% reported that they found the approach useful for conditions with multiple treatment options. Over 90% of clinicians perceived helping patients make decisions regarding chronic pain and health behavior change as moderate/hard in difficulty. Although 69% of respondents preferred that patients play an equal role in making decisions, they estimate that this happens only 35% of the time. Time was reported as the largest barrier to engaging in SDM (63%). Respondents were receptive to using DAs to facilitate SDM in print- (95%) or web-based formats (72%), and topic preference varied by clinician specialty and decision difficulty. Rural clinicians recognized the value of SDM and were receptive to using DAs in multiple formats. Integration of DAs to facilitate SDM in routine patient care may require addressing practice operation and reimbursement.

76 FR 22611 - Specified Tax Return Preparers Required To File Individual Income Tax Returns Using Magnetic...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-22

... Specified Tax Return Preparers Required To File Individual Income Tax Returns Using Magnetic Media... Register on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 (76 FR 17521) providing guidance to specified tax return preparers who prepare and file individual income tax returns using magnetic media pursuant to section 6011(e)(3...

Methodology Development for Assessment of Spaceport Technology Returns and Risks

Science.gov (United States)

Joglekar, Prafulla; Zapata, Edgar

2001-01-01

As part of Kennedy Space Center's (KSC's) challenge to open the space frontier, new spaceport technologies must be developed, matured and successfully transitioned to operational systems. R&D investment decisions can be considered from multiple perspectives. Near mid and far term technology horizons must be understood. Because a multitude of technology investment opportunities are available, we must identify choices that promise the greatest likelihood of significant lifecycle At the same time, the costs and risks of any choice must be well understood and balanced against its potential returns The problem is not one of simply rank- ordering projects in terms of their desirability. KSC wants to determine a portfolio of projects that simultaneously satisfies multiple goals, such as getting the biggest bang for the buck, supporting projects that may be too risky for private funding, staying within annual budget cycles without foregoing the requirements of a long term technology vision, and ensuring the development of a diversity of technologies that, support the variety of operational functions involved in space transportation. This work aims to assist in the development of in methods and techniques that support strategic technology investment decisions and ease the process of determining an optimal portfolio of spaceport R&D investments. Available literature on risks and returns to R&D is reviewed and most useful pieces are brought to the attention of the Spaceport Technology Development Office (STDO). KSC's current project management procedures are reviewed. It is found that the "one size fits all" nature of KSC's existing procedures and project selection criteria is not conducive to prudent decision-making. Directions for improving KSC's - procedures and criteria are outlined. With help of a contractor, STDO is currently developing a tool, named Change Management Analysis Tool (CMAT)/ Portfolio Analysis Tool (PAT), to assist KSC's R&D portfolio determination. A

A Pseudo-Bayesian Model for Stock Returns In Financial Crises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric S. Fung

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Recently, there has been a considerable interest in the Bayesian approach for explaining investors' behaviorial biases by incorporating conservative and representative heuristics when making financial decisions, (see, for example, Barberis, Shleifer and Vishny (1998. To establish a quantitative link between some important market anomalies and investors' behaviorial biases, Lam, Liu, and Wong (2010 introduced a pseudo-Bayesian approach for developing properties of stock returns, where weights induced by investors' conservative and representative heuristics are assigned to observations of the earning shocks and stock prices. In response to the recent global financial crisis, we introduce a new pseudo-Bayesian model to incorporate the impact of a financial crisis. Properties of stock returns during the financial crisis and recovery from the crisis are established. The proposed model can be applied to investigate some important market anomalies including short-term underreaction, long-term overreaction, and excess volatility during financial crisis. We also explain in some detail the linkage between these market anomalies and investors' behavioral biases during financial crisis.

What stock market returns to expect for the future?

Science.gov (United States)

Diamond, P A

2000-01-01

. 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.

What's gender got to do with it? Examining masculinities, health and safety and return to work in male dominated skilled trades.

Science.gov (United States)

Stergiou-Kita, Mary; Mansfield, Elizabeth; Colantonio, Angela; Moody, Joel; Mantis, Steve

2016-06-16

Electrical injuries are a common cause of work-related injury in male dominated skilled trades. In this study we explored how issues of gender, masculinities and institutional workplace practices shape expectations of men and their choices when returning to work following a workplace electrical injury. Twelve workers, who suffered an electrical injury, and twelve employer representatives, completed semi-structured interviews. Using thematic analysis we identified key themes related to how masculinities influenced men's health and safety during the return to work process. Strong identification with worker roles can influence injured workers decisions to return to work 'too early'. A desire to be viewed as a strong, responsible, resilient worker may intersect with concerns about job loss, to influence participants' decisions to not report safety issues and workplace accidents, to not disclose post-injury work challenges, and to not request workplace supports. Institutionalized workplace beliefs regarding risk, de-legitimization of the severity of injuries, and the valorization of the "tough" worker can further re-enforce dominant masculine norms and influence return to work processes and health and safety practices. Workplaces are key sites where gender identities are constructed, affirmed and institutionalized. Further research is warranted to examine how established masculine norms and gendered workplace expectations can influence workplace health and safety in male dominated high risk occupations. Future research should also evaluate strategies that encourage men to discuss post-injury work challenges and request supports when work performance or health and safety issues arise during the return to work process.

Temporal Oculomotor Inhibition of Return and Spatial Facilitation of Return in a Visual Encoding Task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steven G Luke

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Oculomotor inhibition of return (O-IOR is an increase in saccade latency prior to an eye movement to a recently fixated location compared to other locations. It has been proposed that this temporal O-IOR may have spatial consequences, facilitating foraging by inhibiting return to previously attended regions. In order to test this possibility, participants viewed arrays of objects and of words while their eye movements were recorded. Temporal O-IOR was observed, with equivalent effects for object and word arrays, indicating that temporal O-IOR is an oculomotor phenomenon independent of array content. There was no evidence for spatial inhibition of return. Instead, spatial facilitation of return was observed: Participants were significantly more likely than chance to make return saccades and to refixate just-visited locations. Further, the likelihood of making a return saccade to an object or word was contingent on the amount of time spent viewing that object or word before leaving it. This suggests that, unlike temporal O-IOR, return probability is influenced by cognitive processing. Taken together, these results are inconsistent with the hypothesis that inhibition of return functions as a foraging facilitator. The results also provide strong evidence for a different oculomotor bias that could serve as a foraging facilitator: saccadic momentum, a tendency to repeat the most recently executed saccade program. We suggest that models of visual attention could incorporate saccadic momentum in place of inhibition of return.

Risk factors for early return visits to the emergency department in patients with urinary tract infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Jorgensen, Sarah; Zurayk, Mira; Yeung, Samantha; Terry, Jill; Dunn, Maureen; Nieberg, Paul; Wong-Beringer, Annie

2018-01-01

Optimal management of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the emergency department (ED) is challenging due to high patient turnover, decreased continuity of care, and treatment decisions made in the absence of microbiologic data. We sought to identify risk factors for return visits in ED patients treated for UTI. A random sample of 350 adult ED patients with UTI by ICD 9/10 codes was selected for review. Relevant data was extracted from medical charts and compared between patients with and without ED return visits within 30days (ERVs). We identified 51 patients (15%) with 59 ERVs, of whom 6% returned within 72h. Nearly half of ERVs (47%) were UTI-related and 33% of ERV patients required hospitalization. ERVs were significantly more likely (Ppregnancy; skilled nursing facility residence; dementia; psychiatric disorder; obstructive uropathy; healthcare exposure; temperature≥38 °C heart rate>100; and bacteremia. Escherichia coli was the most common uropathogen (70%) and susceptibility rates to most oral antibiotics were below 80% in both groups except nitrofurantoin (99% susceptible). Cephalexin was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic (51% vs. 44%; P=0.32). Cephalexin bug-drug mismatches were more common in ERV patients (41% vs. 15%; P=0.02). Culture follow-up occurred less frequently in ERV patients (75% vs. 100%; PUTI patients may be minimized by using ED-source specific antibiogram data to guide empiric treatment decisions and by targeting at-risk patients for post-discharge follow-up. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mars Sample Return Architecture Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, C. D.; Vijendran, S.

2018-04-01

NASA and ESA are exploring potential concepts for a Sample Retrieval Lander and Earth Return Orbiter that could return samples planned to be collected and cached by the Mars 2020 rover mission. We provide an overview of the Mars Sample Return architecture.

Return to Work After Acute Myocardial Infarction: Comparison Between Young Women and Men.

Science.gov (United States)

Dreyer, Rachel P; Xu, Xiao; Zhang, Weiwei; Du, Xue; Strait, Kelly M; Bierlein, Maggie; Bucholz, Emily M; Geda, Mary; Fox, James; D'Onofrio, Gail; Lichtman, Judith H; Bueno, Héctor; Spertus, John A; Krumholz, Harlan M

2016-02-01

Return to work after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is an important outcome and is particularly relevant to young patients. Women may be at a greater risk for not returning to work given evidence of their worse recovery after AMI than similarly aged men. However, sex differences in return to work after AMI has not been studied extensively in a young population (≤ 55 years). We analyzed data from 1680 patients with AMI aged 18 to 55 years (57% women) participating in the Variation in Recovery: Role of Gender on Outcomes of Young AMI Patients (VIRGO) study who were working full time (≥ 35 hours) before the event. Data were obtained by medical record abstraction and patient interviews. We conducted multivariable regression analyses to examine sex differences in return to work at 12 months after AMI, and the association of patient characteristics with return to work. When compared with young men, young women were less likely to return to work (89% versus 85%; 85% versus 89%, P=0.02); however, this sex difference was not significant after adjusting for patient sociodemographic characteristics, psychosocial factors, and health measures. Being married, engaging in a professional or clerical type of work, having more favorable physical health, and having no previous coronary disease or hypertension were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of return to work at 12 months. Among a young population, women are less likely to return to work after AMI than men. This disadvantage is explained by differences in demographic, occupational, and health characteristics. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Mental Health Issues in Recently Returning Women Veterans: Implications for Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, Bonnie E.; Stromwall, Layne K.; Lietz, Cynthia A.

2013-01-01

Increasing numbers of women are found in the military, and they are now performing roles very similar to those of male service members. More returning servicewomen and veterans have been exposed to stressful and traumatic experiences, such as combat and difficult living circumstances, and military sexual trauma is common. These experiences have…

Decision Utility Theory: Back to von Neumann, Morgenstern, and Markowitz

OpenAIRE

Kontek, Krzysztof

2010-01-01

Prospect Theory (1979) and its Cumulative version (1992) argue for probability weighting to explain lottery choices. Decision Utility Theory presents an alternative solution, which makes no use of this concept. The new theory distinguishes decision and perception utility, postulates a double S-shaped decision utility curve similar to one hypothesized by Markowitz (1952), and applies the expected decision utility value similarly to the theory by von Neumann and Morgenstern (1944). Decision Uti...

Research on the robust optimization of the enterprise's decision on the investment to the collaborative innovation: Under the risk constraints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Qing; Fang, Gang; Wang, Dong-peng; Yang, Wei

2016-01-01

Abstracts: The robust optimization model is applied to analyze the enterprise's decision of the investment portfolio for the collaborative innovation under the risk constraints. Through the mathematical model deduction and the simulation analysis, the research result shows that the enterprise's investment to the collaborative innovation has relatively obvious robust effect. As for the collaborative innovation, the return from the investment coexists with the risk of it. Under the risk constraints, the robust optimization method could solve the minimum risk as well as the proportion of each investment scheme in the portfolio on the condition of different target returns from the investment. On the basis of the result, the enterprise could balance between the investment return and risk and make optimal decision on the investment scheme.

26 CFR 20.6018-2 - Returns; person required to file return.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... executor or administrator shall file the return. If there is more than one executor or administrator, the return must be made jointly by all. If there is no executor or administrator appointed, qualified and... decedent situated in the United States is constituted an executor for purposes of the tax (see § 20.2203-1...

Closing the Loop : Reverse supply chain management andproduct return processes in electronics retailing

OpenAIRE

Gorskova, Julija; Ortega, Edrion

2012-01-01

Abstract Problem There is a gap in the knowledge concerning reverse product flows due to a lack of research and empirical data in the field of reverse supply chain management in general. Furthermore, more research is needed to investigate the factors influencing the decision making process regarding the right reverse supply chain recovery option choice for companies in order to close the supply chain loop. Processing product returns has become a critical activity for organisations as the volu...

Semantic similarity measure in biomedical domain leverage web search engine.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chi-Huang; Hsieh, Sheau-Ling; Weng, Yung-Ching; Chang, Wen-Yung; Lai, Feipei

2010-01-01

Semantic similarity measure plays an essential role in Information Retrieval and Natural Language Processing. In this paper we propose a page-count-based semantic similarity measure and apply it in biomedical domains. Previous researches in semantic web related applications have deployed various semantic similarity measures. Despite the usefulness of the measurements in those applications, measuring semantic similarity between two terms remains a challenge task. The proposed method exploits page counts returned by the Web Search Engine. We define various similarity scores for two given terms P and Q, using the page counts for querying P, Q and P AND Q. Moreover, we propose a novel approach to compute semantic similarity using lexico-syntactic patterns with page counts. These different similarity scores are integrated adapting support vector machines, to leverage the robustness of semantic similarity measures. Experimental results on two datasets achieve correlation coefficients of 0.798 on the dataset provided by A. Hliaoutakis, 0.705 on the dataset provide by T. Pedersen with physician scores and 0.496 on the dataset provided by T. Pedersen et al. with expert scores.

Quantifying Trade-Offs Among Ecosystem Services, Biodiversity, and Agricultural Returns in an Agriculturally Dominated Landscape Under Future Land‑Management Scenarios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emma C. Underwood

2017-07-01

Full Text Available https://doi.org/10.15447/sfews.2017v15iss2art4Change in land use in agriculturally dominated areas is often assumed to provide positive benefits for land-owners and financial agricultural returns at the expense of biodiversity and other ecosystem services. For an agriculturally dominated area in the Central Valley of California we quantify the trade-offs among ecosystem services, biodiversity, and the financial returns from agricultural lands. We do this by evaluating three different landscape management scenarios projected to 2050 compared to the current baseline: habitat restoration, urbanization, and enhanced agriculture. The restoration scenario benefited carbon storage services and increased landscape suitability for birds, and also decreased ecosystem disservices (nitrous oxide emissions, nitrogen leaching, although there was a trade-off in slightly lower financial agricultural returns. Under the urbanization scenario, carbon storage, suitability for birds, and agricultural returns were negatively affected. A scenario which enhanced agriculture, tailored to the needs of a key species of conservation concern (Swainson’s Hawk, Buteo swainsoni, presented the most potential for trade-offs. This scenario benefitted carbon storage and increased landscape suitability for the Swainson's Hawk as well as 15 other focal bird species. However, this scenario increased ecosystem disservices. These spatially explicit results, generated at a scale relevant to land management decision-makers in the Central Valley, provide valuable insight into managing for multiple benefits in the landscape and an approach for assessing future land-management decisions.

Decision Making in Action

Science.gov (United States)

Orasanu, Judith; Statler, Irving C. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The importance of decision-making to safety in complex, dynamic environments like mission control centers and offshore installations has been well established. NASA-ARC has a program of research dedicated to fostering safe and effective decision-making in the manned spaceflight environment. Because access to spaceflight is limited, environments with similar characteristics, including aviation and nuclear power plants, serve as analogs from which space-relevant data can be gathered and theories developed. Analyses of aviation accidents cite crew judgement and decision making as causes or contributing factors in over half of all accidents. A similar observation has been made in nuclear power plants. Yet laboratory research on decision making has not proven especially helpful in improving the quality of decisions in these kinds of environments. One reason is that the traditional, analytic decision models are inappropriate to multidimensional, high-risk environments, and do not accurately describe what expert human decision makers do when they make decisions that have consequences. A new model of dynamic, naturalistic decision making is offered that may prove useful for improving decision making in complex, isolated, confined and high-risk environments. Based on analyses of crew performance in full-mission simulators and accident reports, features that define effective decision strategies in abnormal or emergency situations have been identified. These include accurate situation assessment (including time and risk assessment), appreciation of the complexity of the problem, sensitivity to constraints on the decision, timeliness of the response, and use of adequate information. More effective crews also manage their workload to provide themselves with time and resources to make good decisions. In brief, good decisions are appropriate to the demands of the situation. Effective crew decision making and overall performance are mediated by crew communication. Communication

Functional imaging of decision conflict

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pochon, J.B.; Riis, J.; Sanfey, A.G.; Nystrom, L.E.; Cohen, J.D.

2008-01-01

Decision conflict occurs when people feel uncertain as to which option to choose from a set of similarly attractive ( or unattractive) options, with many studies demonstrating that this conflict can lead to suboptimal decision making. In this article, we investigate the neurobiological underpinnings

A Hybrid Genetic-Simulated Annealing Algorithm for the Location-Inventory-Routing Problem Considering Returns under E-Supply Chain Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Hao; Fu, Jing

2013-01-01

Facility location, inventory control, and vehicle routes scheduling are critical and highly related problems in the design of logistics system for e-business. Meanwhile, the return ratio in Internet sales was significantly higher than in the traditional business. Many of returned merchandise have no quality defects, which can reenter sales channels just after a simple repackaging process. Focusing on the existing problem in e-commerce logistics system, we formulate a location-inventory-routing problem model with no quality defects returns. To solve this NP-hard problem, an effective hybrid genetic simulated annealing algorithm (HGSAA) is proposed. Results of numerical examples show that HGSAA outperforms GA on computing time, optimal solution, and computing stability. The proposed model is very useful to help managers make the right decisions under e-supply chain environment. PMID:24489489

A hybrid genetic-simulated annealing algorithm for the location-inventory-routing problem considering returns under e-supply chain environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yanhui; Guo, Hao; Wang, Lin; Fu, Jing

2013-01-01

Facility location, inventory control, and vehicle routes scheduling are critical and highly related problems in the design of logistics system for e-business. Meanwhile, the return ratio in Internet sales was significantly higher than in the traditional business. Many of returned merchandise have no quality defects, which can reenter sales channels just after a simple repackaging process. Focusing on the existing problem in e-commerce logistics system, we formulate a location-inventory-routing problem model with no quality defects returns. To solve this NP-hard problem, an effective hybrid genetic simulated annealing algorithm (HGSAA) is proposed. Results of numerical examples show that HGSAA outperforms GA on computing time, optimal solution, and computing stability. The proposed model is very useful to help managers make the right decisions under e-supply chain environment.

A Hybrid Genetic-Simulated Annealing Algorithm for the Location-Inventory-Routing Problem Considering Returns under E-Supply Chain Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanhui Li

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Facility location, inventory control, and vehicle routes scheduling are critical and highly related problems in the design of logistics system for e-business. Meanwhile, the return ratio in Internet sales was significantly higher than in the traditional business. Many of returned merchandise have no quality defects, which can reenter sales channels just after a simple repackaging process. Focusing on the existing problem in e-commerce logistics system, we formulate a location-inventory-routing problem model with no quality defects returns. To solve this NP-hard problem, an effective hybrid genetic simulated annealing algorithm (HGSAA is proposed. Results of numerical examples show that HGSAA outperforms GA on computing time, optimal solution, and computing stability. The proposed model is very useful to help managers make the right decisions under e-supply chain environment.

Energy Return on Investment - Fuel Recycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halsey, W.; Simon, A.J.; Fratoni, M.; Smith, C.; Schwab, P.; Murray, P.

2012-01-01

This report provides a methodology and requisite data to assess the potential Energy Return On Investment (EROI) for nuclear fuel cycle alternatives, and applies that methodology to a limited set of used fuel recycle scenarios. This paper is based on a study by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and a parallel evaluation by AREVA Federal Services LLC, both of which were sponsored by the DOE Fuel Cycle Technologies (FCT) Program. The focus of the LLNL effort was to develop a methodology that can be used by the FCT program for such analysis that is consistent with the broader energy modeling community, and the focus of the AREVA effort was to bring industrial experience and operational data into the analysis. This cooperative effort successfully combined expertise from the energy modeling community with expertise from the nuclear industry. Energy Return on Investment is one of many figures of merit on which investment in a new energy facility or process may be judged. EROI is the ratio of the energy delivered by a facility divided by the energy used to construct, operate and decommission that facility. While EROI is not the only criterion used to make an investment decision, it has been shown that, in technologically advanced societies, energy supplies must exceed a minimum EROI. Furthermore, technological history shows a trend towards higher EROI energy supplies. EROI calculations have been performed for many components of energy technology: oil wells, wind turbines, photovoltaic modules, biofuels, and nuclear reactors. This report represents the first standalone EROI analysis of nuclear fuel reprocessing (or recycling) facilities.

PUC fast track nips returns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1990-01-01

In the first of what it says will be annual cost-of-capital proceedings to set returns on equity and rates of return on rate base for electric utilities, the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) lowered from 1989 levels the 1990 returns on common equity (ROE) and rates of return (ROR) for the state's four major investor-owned electric utilities. Under this fast-track procedure, by May 8 of every year, utilities will have to file an application for rate adjustments that reflect their projected costs of capital for the following year

The return to foreign aid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalgaard, Carl-Johan Lars; Hansen, Henrik

We investigate the marginal productivity of investment across countries. The aim is to estimate the return on investments financed by foreign aid and by domestic resource mobilization, using aggregate data. Both returns are expected to vary across countries and time. Consequently we develop...... a correlated random coefficients model, to estimate the average aggregate return on ‘aid investments’ and ‘domestic investments’. Across different estimators and two different sources for GDP and investment data our findings are remarkably robust; the average gross return on ‘aid investments’ is about 20 per...

The Bank's Choice of Financing and the Correlation Structure of Loan Returns

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ioannidou, V.; Pierides, Y.

2003-01-01

This paper examines how the correlation structure of loan returns within a bank s loan portfolio a.ects its choice of .nancing when the bank faces binding capital constraints and there is asymmetric information about the quality of its loans.The paper uses an asymmetric information model similar to

Decision Making Methods in Space Economics and Systems Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Shishko, Robert

2006-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews various methods of decision making and the impact that they have on space economics and systems engineering. Some of the methods discussed are: Present Value and Internal Rate of Return (IRR); Cost-Benefit Analysis; Real Options; Cost-Effectiveness Analysis; Cost-Utility Analysis; Multi-Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT); and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP).

Longer term follow-up on effects of Tailored Physical Activity or Chronic Pain Self-Management Programme on return-to-work

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Lotte Nygaard; Juul-Kristensen, Birgit; Sørensen, Thomas Lund

2016-01-01

the reference group as regards return-to-work. Compared with the reference group no other benefits of TPA and CPSMP were evident regarding pain, work ability, kinesiophobia or physical capacity. CONCLUSION: After 11 months TPA, the reference group, and CPSMP show similar patterns of facilitating return...

Enhancing Media Personalization by Extracting Similarity Knowledge from Metadata

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Butkus, Andrius

be seen as a cognitive foundation for modeling concepts. Conceptual Spaces is applied in this thesis to analyze media in terms of its dimensions and knowledge domains, which in return defines properties and concepts. One of the most important domains in terms of describing media is the emotional one...... only “more of the same” type of content which does not necessarily lead to the meaningful personalization. Another way to approach similarity is to find a similar underlying meaning in the content. Aspects of meaning in media can be represented using Gardenfors Conceptual Spaces theory, which can......) using Latent Semantic Analysis (one of the unsupervised machine learning techniques). It presents three separate cases to illustrate the similarity knowledge extraction from the metadata, where the emotional components in each case represents different abstraction levels – genres, synopsis and lyrics...

Decision making on fitness landscapes

Science.gov (United States)

Arthur, R.; Sibani, P.

2017-04-01

We discuss fitness landscapes and how they can be modified to account for co-evolution. We are interested in using the landscape as a way to model rational decision making in a toy economic system. We develop a model very similar to the Tangled Nature Model of Christensen et al. that we call the Tangled Decision Model. This is a natural setting for our discussion of co-evolutionary fitness landscapes. We use a Monte Carlo step to simulate decision making and investigate two different decision making procedures.

Decision Making on Fitness Landscapes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arthur, Rudy; Sibani, Paolo

2017-01-01

We discuss fitness landscapes and how they can be modified to account for co-evolution. We are interested in using the landscape as a way to model rational decision making in a toy economic system. We develop a model very similar to the Tangled Nature Model of Christensen et. al. that we call...... the Tangled Decision Model. This is a natural setting for our discussion of co-evolutionary fitness landscapes. We use a Monte Carlo step to simulate decision making and investigate two different decision making procedures....

Influence of portofolio management in decision-making

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rolney Baptestone

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This research aims to demonstrate how portfolio management influences the decision-making process in the projects of a financial organization. And to achieve this goal was used the single case study method. In order to reach this goal, the study began by means of bibliometric research on the subject of portfolio management and subsequent bibliographic research on the theme, decision making. Next, the relationships between portfolio management and decision making were studied. The results of the data collected confirmed the relationship between "the use of the project identification process in portfolio management to influence decision making" in order to add value to the business. It is also possible to demonstrate moderately that "the use of criteria for project selection influences the consequences of decision making", helping in the strategic management of the organization. One of the academic contributions was to note a migration of the portfolio management process, such as a tool that only controls the projects that will compose the portfolio of an organization, for a process that aims at a direct alignment with the strategic management of the organization. Regarding the practical implications, it was verified the importance of portfolio analysis for decision making, to the detriment of the evaluation of only one project. Taking into account the profitability and the return on investment of the projects, as the most important aspects for a decision making.

Categorization = Decision Making + Generalization

Science.gov (United States)

Seger, Carol A; Peterson, Erik J.

2013-01-01

We rarely, if ever, repeatedly encounter exactly the same situation. This makes generalization crucial for real world decision making. We argue that categorization, the study of generalizable representations, is a type of decision making, and that categorization learning research would benefit from approaches developed to study the neuroscience of decision making. Similarly, methods developed to examine generalization and learning within the field of categorization may enhance decision making research. We first discuss perceptual information processing and integration, with an emphasis on accumulator models. We then examine learning the value of different decision making choices via experience, emphasizing reinforcement learning modeling approaches. Next we discuss how value is combined with other factors in decision making, emphasizing the effects of uncertainty. Finally, we describe how a final decision is selected via thresholding processes implemented by the basal ganglia and related regions. We also consider how memory related functions in the hippocampus may be integrated with decision making mechanisms and contribute to categorization. PMID:23548891

The effect of OPEC policy decisions on oil and stock prices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guidi, Marco G.D.; Russell, Alexander; Tarbert, Heather

2006-01-01

This paper presents evidence of the effects of OPEC policy decisions on the US and UK stock markets, as well as on oil prices, during periods of conflict and non-conflict from 1986 to 2004. The outcomes of this study are potentially valuable in assessing future strategies for OPEC policy decisions on oil production targets for its Members. This paper also adds to the strong body of evidence supporting the hypothesis that market returns are influenced by factors that affect business conditions, such as oil price shocks. The key findings are that there are asymmetric reactions to OPEC policy decisions during conflict periods for the US and UK stock markets. During conflict periods, oil markets require time to incorporate OPEC decisions. Conversely, in non-conflict periods the evidence suggests that the oil markets incorporate OPEC decisions efficiently. (Author)

Adaptive Management of Return Flows: Lessons from a Case Study in Environmental Water Delivery to a Floodplain River

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfenden, Benjamin J.; Wassens, Skye M.; Jenkins, Kim M.; Baldwin, Darren S.; Kobayashi, Tsuyoshi; Maguire, James

2018-03-01

For many floodplain rivers, reinstating wetland connectivity is necessary for ecosystems to recover from decades of regulation. Environmental return flows (the managed delivery of wetland water to an adjacent river) can be used strategically to facilitate natural ecosystem connectivity, enabling the transfer of nutrients, energy, and biota from wetland habitats to the river. Using an informal adaptive management framework, we delivered return flows from a forested wetland complex into a large lowland river in south-eastern Australia. We hypothesized that return flows would (a) increase river nutrient concentrations; (b) reduce wetland nutrient concentrations; (c) increase rates of ecosystem metabolism through the addition of potentially limiting nutrients, causing related increases in the concentration of water column chlorophyll-a; and (d) increase the density and species richness of microinvertebrates in riverine benthic habitats. Our monitoring results demonstrated a small increase in the concentrations of several key nutrients but no evidence for significant ecological responses was found. Although return flows can be delivered from forested floodplain areas without risking hypoxic blackwater events, returning nutrient and carbon-rich water to increase riverine productivity is limited by the achievable scale of return flows. Nevertheless, using return flows to flush carbon from floodplains may be a useful management tool to reduce carbon loads, preparing floodplains for subsequent releases (e.g., mitigating the risk of hypoxic blackwater events). In this example, adaptive management benefited from a semi-formal collaboration between science and management that allowed for prompt decision-making.

Court Decisions Specific to Public School Responses to Student Concussions

Science.gov (United States)

Zirkel, Perry A.

2016-01-01

This article provides an up-to-date and comprehensive canvassing of the judicial case law concerning the responses to students with concussions in the public school context. The two categories of court decisions are (a) those concerning continued participation in interscholastic athletics, referred to under the rubric of "return to play"…

Fundamental volatility and stock returns : does fundamental volatility explain stock returns?

OpenAIRE

Selboe, Guner K.; Virdee, Jaspal Singh

2017-01-01

In this thesis, we investigate whether the fundamental uncertainty can explain the crosssection of stock returns. To measure the fundamental uncertainty, we estimate rolling standard deviations and accounting betas of four different fundamentals: revenues, gross profit, earnings and cash flows. The standard deviation and the beta of revenues significantly explain returns in the Fama-Macbeth procedure, but only appears significant among smaller stocks in the portfolio formation ...

Implementation of the Danish return-to-work program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aust, Birgit; D. Nielsen, Maj Britt; Grundtvig, Gry

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the Danish national return-to-work (RTW) program in 21 Danish municipalities. METHODS: We conducted a structured process evaluation on (i) reach and recruitment, (ii) fidelity, (iii) dose-delivered, (iv) dose-received, and (v...... (defined as implementation consistent with the principles of the interdisciplinary RTW process). Five municipalities had high and eight had low fidelity scores. Similar large differences were found with regard to dose-delivered, particularly in the quality of cooperation with beneficiaries, employers...

Studsvik's implementation of the DOE spent fuel return program: The US perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grover, Stephen; Browser, Rita C.

1996-01-01

The government of Sweden has long been a proponent of nuclear nonproliferation policies. This includes laws governing the conduct of the Studsvik R2 Reactor in Nykoeping, Sweden. Studsvik became a participant in the RERTR program early on and was one of the first research reactors to convert from Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) to Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) fuel. Since Studsvik operates the reactor on a commercial basis, it is important to fully comply with all Swedish laws and regulations for the operation of a nuclear reactor. This includes development of a proper long term program for the final disposition for the irradiated fuel. For this reason it was very important to Studsvik to be involved in the process for development of the DOE Spent Fuel Return Program as early as possible. This process included input into the Environmental Impact Statement process, early contractual negotiations after the issuance of the Record of Decision, participation in litigation involving the Spent Fuel Return Program, and plans for return of HEU fuel on the first European shipment. Not only was program involvement important, but actual program implementation was necessary for Studsvik to maintain its reactor license. Studsvik needed to have fuel included in the first shipment in the return program not only for licensing considerations, but also to reduce the proliferation risk associated with the storage of non-self protecting fuel. To ensure participation in the first shipment, Studsvik's activities included the early development of Appendix A's, coordinating the shipment, obtaining approvals and authorizations, and other technical aspects. (author)

Distribution Free Approach for Coordination of a Supply Chain with Consumer Return

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jinsong; Xu, Yuanji

Consumer return is considered in a coordination of a supply chain consisting of one manufacturer and one retailer. A distribution free approach is employed to deal with a centralized decision model and a decentralized model which are constructed under the situation with only knowing the demand function's mean and variance, respectively. A markdown money contract is designed to coordinate the supply chain, and it is also proved that the contract can make the supply chain perfectly coordinated. Several numerical examples are given at the end of this paper.

The net return from animal activity in agro-ecosystems: trading off benefits from ecosystem services against costs from crop damage [v2; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/3c4

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gary W Luck

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Animals provide benefits to agriculture through the provision of ecosystem services, but also inflict costs such as damaging crops. These benefits and costs are mostly examined independently, rather than comparing the trade-offs of animal activity in the same system and quantifying the net return from beneficial minus detrimental activities. Here, I examine the net return associated with the activity of seed-eating birds in almond orchards by quantifying the economic costs and benefits of bird consumption of almonds. Pre-harvest, the consumption of harvestable almonds by birds cost growers AUD$57.50 ha-1 when averaged across the entire plantation. Post-harvest, the same bird species provide an ecosystem service by removing mummified nuts from trees that growers otherwise need to remove to reduce threats from fungal infection or insect pest infestations. The value of this ecosystem service ranged from AUD$82.50 ha-1–$332.50 ha-1 based on the replacement costs of mechanical or manual removal of mummified nuts, respectively. Hence, bird consumption of almonds yielded a positive net return of AUD$25–$275 ha-1 averaged across the entire plantation. However, bird activity varied spatially resulting in positive net returns occurring primarily at the edges of crops where activity was higher, compared to negative net returns in crop interiors. Moreover, partial mummy nut removal by birds meant that bird activity may only reduce costs to growers rather than replace these costs completely. Similar cost-benefit trade-offs exist across nature, and quantifying net returns can better inform land management decisions such as when to control pests or promote ecosystem service provision.

Classifying Returns as Extreme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Charlotte

2014-01-01

I consider extreme returns for the stock and bond markets of 14 EU countries using two classification schemes: One, the univariate classification scheme from the previous literature that classifies extreme returns for each market separately, and two, a novel multivariate classification scheme tha...

Confronting dynamics and uncertainty in optimal decision making for conservation

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Byron K.; Johnson, Fred A.

2013-06-01

The effectiveness of conservation efforts ultimately depends on the recognition that decision making, and the systems that it is designed to affect, are inherently dynamic and characterized by multiple sources of uncertainty. To cope with these challenges, conservation planners are increasingly turning to the tools of decision analysis, especially dynamic optimization methods. Here we provide a general framework for optimal, dynamic conservation and then explore its capacity for coping with various sources and degrees of uncertainty. In broadest terms, the dynamic optimization problem in conservation is choosing among a set of decision options at periodic intervals so as to maximize some conservation objective over the planning horizon. Planners must account for immediate objective returns, as well as the effect of current decisions on future resource conditions and, thus, on future decisions. Undermining the effectiveness of such a planning process are uncertainties concerning extant resource conditions (partial observability), the immediate consequences of decision choices (partial controllability), the outcomes of uncontrolled, environmental drivers (environmental variation), and the processes structuring resource dynamics (structural uncertainty). Where outcomes from these sources of uncertainty can be described in terms of probability distributions, a focus on maximizing the expected objective return, while taking state-specific actions, is an effective mechanism for coping with uncertainty. When such probability distributions are unavailable or deemed unreliable, a focus on maximizing robustness is likely to be the preferred approach. Here the idea is to choose an action (or state-dependent policy) that achieves at least some minimum level of performance regardless of the (uncertain) outcomes. We provide some examples of how the dynamic optimization problem can be framed for problems involving management of habitat for an imperiled species, conservation of a

Confronting dynamics and uncertainty in optimal decision making for conservation

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Byron K.; Johnson, Fred A.

2013-01-01

The effectiveness of conservation efforts ultimately depends on the recognition that decision making, and the systems that it is designed to affect, are inherently dynamic and characterized by multiple sources of uncertainty. To cope with these challenges, conservation planners are increasingly turning to the tools of decision analysis, especially dynamic optimization methods. Here we provide a general framework for optimal, dynamic conservation and then explore its capacity for coping with various sources and degrees of uncertainty. In broadest terms, the dynamic optimization problem in conservation is choosing among a set of decision options at periodic intervals so as to maximize some conservation objective over the planning horizon. Planners must account for immediate objective returns, as well as the effect of current decisions on future resource conditions and, thus, on future decisions. Undermining the effectiveness of such a planning process are uncertainties concerning extant resource conditions (partial observability), the immediate consequences of decision choices (partial controllability), the outcomes of uncontrolled, environmental drivers (environmental variation), and the processes structuring resource dynamics (structural uncertainty). Where outcomes from these sources of uncertainty can be described in terms of probability distributions, a focus on maximizing the expected objective return, while taking state-specific actions, is an effective mechanism for coping with uncertainty. When such probability distributions are unavailable or deemed unreliable, a focus on maximizing robustness is likely to be the preferred approach. Here the idea is to choose an action (or state-dependent policy) that achieves at least some minimum level of performance regardless of the (uncertain) outcomes. We provide some examples of how the dynamic optimization problem can be framed for problems involving management of habitat for an imperiled species, conservation of a

Confronting dynamics and uncertainty in optimal decision making for conservation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, Byron K; Johnson, Fred A

2013-01-01

The effectiveness of conservation efforts ultimately depends on the recognition that decision making, and the systems that it is designed to affect, are inherently dynamic and characterized by multiple sources of uncertainty. To cope with these challenges, conservation planners are increasingly turning to the tools of decision analysis, especially dynamic optimization methods. Here we provide a general framework for optimal, dynamic conservation and then explore its capacity for coping with various sources and degrees of uncertainty. In broadest terms, the dynamic optimization problem in conservation is choosing among a set of decision options at periodic intervals so as to maximize some conservation objective over the planning horizon. Planners must account for immediate objective returns, as well as the effect of current decisions on future resource conditions and, thus, on future decisions. Undermining the effectiveness of such a planning process are uncertainties concerning extant resource conditions (partial observability), the immediate consequences of decision choices (partial controllability), the outcomes of uncontrolled, environmental drivers (environmental variation), and the processes structuring resource dynamics (structural uncertainty). Where outcomes from these sources of uncertainty can be described in terms of probability distributions, a focus on maximizing the expected objective return, while taking state-specific actions, is an effective mechanism for coping with uncertainty. When such probability distributions are unavailable or deemed unreliable, a focus on maximizing robustness is likely to be the preferred approach. Here the idea is to choose an action (or state-dependent policy) that achieves at least some minimum level of performance regardless of the (uncertain) outcomes. We provide some examples of how the dynamic optimization problem can be framed for problems involving management of habitat for an imperiled species, conservation of a

A proposed approach to backfit decision-making using risk assessment and benefit-cost methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Donnell, E.P.; Raney, T.J.

1984-01-01

This paper outlines a proposed approach to backfit decision-making which utilizes quantitative risk assessment techniques, benefit-cost methodology and decision criteria. In general terms, it is structured to provide an objective framework for decision-making aimed at ensuring a positive return on backfit investment while allowing for inclusion of subjective value judgments by the decision-maker. The distributions of the independent variables are combined to arrive at an overall probability distribution for the benefit-cost ratio. In this way, the decision-maker can explicitly establish the probability or level of confidence that a particular backfit will yield benefits in excess of cost. An example is presented demonstrating the application of methodology to a specific plant backfit. (orig.)

Managing risk and expected financial return from selective expansion of operating room capacity: mean-variance analysis of a hospital's portfolio of surgeons.

Science.gov (United States)

Dexter, Franklin; Ledolter, Johannes

2003-07-01

Surgeons using the same amount of operating room (OR) time differ in their achieved hospital contribution margins (revenue minus variable costs) by >1000%. Thus, to improve the financial return from perioperative facilities, OR strategic decisions should selectively focus additional OR capacity and capital purchasing on a few surgeons or subspecialties. These decisions use estimates of each surgeon's and/or subspecialty's contribution margin per OR hour. The estimates are subject to uncertainty (e.g., from outliers). We account for the uncertainties by using mean-variance portfolio analysis (i.e., quadratic programming). This method characterizes the problem of selectively expanding OR capacity based on the expected financial return and risk of different portfolios of surgeons. The assessment reveals whether the choices, of which surgeons have their OR capacity expanded, are sensitive to the uncertainties in the surgeons' contribution margins per OR hour. Thus, mean-variance analysis reduces the chance of making strategic decisions based on spurious information. We also assess the financial benefit of using mean-variance portfolio analysis when the planned expansion of OR capacity is well diversified over at least several surgeons or subspecialties. Our results show that, in such circumstances, there may be little benefit from further changing the portfolio to reduce its financial risk. Surgeon and subspecialty specific hospital financial data are uncertain, a fact that should be taken into account when making decisions about expanding operating room capacity. We show that mean-variance portfolio analysis can incorporate this uncertainty, thereby guiding operating room management decision-making and reducing the chance of a strategic decision being made based on spurious information.

Distribution, stock composition and timing, and tagging response of wild Chinook Salmon returning to a large, free-flowing river basin

Science.gov (United States)

Eiler, John H.; Masuda, Michele; Spencer, Ted R.; Driscoll, Richard J.; Schreck, Carl B.

2014-01-01

Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha returns to the Yukon River basin have declined dramatically since the late 1990s, and detailed information on the spawning distribution, stock structure, and stock timing is needed to better manage the run and facilitate conservation efforts. A total of 2,860 fish were radio-tagged in the lower basin during 2002–2004 and tracked upriver. Fish traveled to spawning areas throughout the basin, ranging from several hundred to over 3,000 km from the tagging site. Similar distribution patterns were observed across years, suggesting that the major components of the run were identified. Daily and seasonal composition estimates were calculated for the component stocks. The run was dominated by two regional components comprising over 70% of the return. Substantially fewer fish returned to other areas, ranging from 2% to 9% of the return, but their collective contribution was appreciable. Most regional components consisted of several principal stocks and a number of small, spatially isolated populations. Regional and stock composition estimates were similar across years even though differences in run abundance were reported, suggesting that the differences in abundance were not related to regional or stock-specific variability. Run timing was relatively compressed compared with that in rivers in the southern portion of the species’ range. Most stocks passed through the lower river over a 6-week period, ranging in duration from 16 to 38 d. Run timing was similar for middle- and upper-basin stocks, limiting the use of timing information for management. The lower-basin stocks were primarily later-run fish. Although differences were observed, there was general agreement between our composition and timing estimates and those from other assessment projects within the basin, suggesting that the telemetry-based estimates provided a plausible approximation of the return. However, the short duration of the run, complex stock structure, and

EFISIENSI PERBANKAN DI INDONESIA DAN PENGARUHNYA TERHADAP RETURN SAHAM DENGAN PENDEKATAN DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS ( DEA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rina Sari Qurniawati

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to analyze bank efficiency listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX and to empirically determine the effect of bank efficiency listed in BEI toward stock performance reflected in stock returns. The sampling is bank listed in IDX from 2004 until 2008. DEA is used to measure the bank efficiency from each Decision Making Units  (DMUs,which is obtained as the maximum weight ratio of outputs and inputs. The result of banks efficiency using DEA approach indicated that most of Bank in Indonesia is efficient. Only 6 banks from 16 banks which have not yet reached the efficiency score over the 5 years. Meanwhile, the regression test did not revealed any effect of the bank efficiency in Indonesia toward stock return.

SIMPLE DECISION RULES REDUCE REINJURY RISK AFTER ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION

Science.gov (United States)

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

QR-GARCH-M Model for Risk-Return Tradeoff in U.S. Stock Returns and Business Cycles

OpenAIRE

Nyberg, Henri

2010-01-01

In the empirical finance literature findings on the risk return tradeoff in excess stock market returns are ambiguous. In this study, we develop a new QR-GARCH-M model combining a probit model for a binary business cycle indicator and a regime switching GARCH-in-mean model for excess stock market return with the business cycle indicator defining the regime. Estimation results show that there is statistically significant variation in the U.S. excess stock returns over the business cycle. Howev...

Return Migration as Failure or Success?: The Determinants of Return Migration Intentions Among Moroccan Migrants in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

de Haas, Hein; Fokkema, Tineke; Fihri, Mohamed Fassi

Different migration theories generate competing hypotheses with regard to determinants of return migration. While neoclassical migration theory associates migration to the failure to integrate at the destination, the new economics of labour migration sees return migration as the logical stage after migrants have earned sufficient assets and knowledge and to invest in their origin countries. The projected return is then likely to be postponed for sustained or indefinite periods if integration is unsuccessful. So, from an indication or result of integration failure return is rather seen as a measure of success. Drawing on recent survey data ( N  = 2,832), this article tests these hypotheses by examining the main determinants of return intention among Moroccan migrants across Europe. The results indicate that structural integration through labour market participation, education and the maintenance of economic and social ties with receiving countries do not significantly affect return intentions. At the same time, investments and social ties to Morocco are positively related, and socio-cultural integration in receiving countries is negatively related to return migration intentions. The mixed results corroborate the idea that there is no uniform process of (return) migration and that competing theories might therefore be partly complementary.

BWR feedwater nozzle and control-rod-drive return line nozzle cracking

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1981-01-01

In its 1978 Annual Report to Congress, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission identified as an unresolved safety issue the appearance of cracks in feedwater nozzles at boiling-water reactors (BWRs). Later similar cracking, detected in return water lines for control-rod-drive systems at BWRs, was designated Part II of the issue. This article outlines the resolution of these cracking problems

Patients With Limited Health Literacy Have Similar Preferences but Different Perceptions in Surgical Decision-making for Carpal Tunnel Release.

Science.gov (United States)

Roh, Young Hak; Koh, Young Do; Kim, Jong Oh; Noh, Jung Ho; Gong, Hyun Sik; Baek, Goo Hyun

2018-04-01

Health literacy is the ability to obtain, process, and understand health information needed to make appropriate health decisions. The proper comprehension by patients regarding a given disease, its treatment, and the physician's instructions plays an important role in shared decision-making. Studies have disagreed over the degree to which differences in health literacy affect patients' preferences for shared decision-making; we therefore sought to evaluate this in the context of shared decision-making about carpal tunnel release. (1) Do patients with limited health literacy have different preferences of shared decision-making for carpal tunnel release than those with greater levels of health literacy? (2) How do patients with limited health literacy retrospectively perceive their role in shared decision-making after carpal tunnel release? Over a 32-month period, one surgeon surgically treated 149 patients for carpal tunnel syndrome. Patients were eligible if they had cognitive and language function to provide informed consent and complete a self-reported questionnaire and were not eligible if they had nerve entrapment other than carpal tunnel release or had workers compensation issues; based on those, 140 (94%) were approached for study. Of those, seven (5%) were lost to followup before 6 months, leaving 133 for analysis here. Their mean age was 55 years (range, 31-76 years), and 83% (111 of 133) were women. Thirty-three percent (44 of 133) of patients had less than a high school education. Health literacy was measured according to the Newest Vital Sign during the initial visit, and a score of ≤ 3 was considered limited health literacy. Forty-four percent of patients had limited health literacy. The Control Preferences Scale was used for patients to indicate their preferred role in surgical decision-making preoperatively and to assess their perceived level of involvement postoperatively. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed to determine whether

75 FR 76940 - Specified Tax Return Preparers Required To File Individual Income Tax Returns Using Magnetic...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-10

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service 26 CFR Parts 1 and 301 [REG-100194-10] RIN 1545-BJ52 Specified Tax Return Preparers Required To File Individual Income Tax Returns Using Magnetic... for ``specified tax return prepares,''. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith L. Brau at (202) 622...

A Perishable Inventory Model with Return

Science.gov (United States)

Setiawan, S. W.; Lesmono, D.; Limansyah, T.

2018-04-01

In this paper, we develop a mathematical model for a perishable inventory with return by assuming deterministic demand and inventory dependent demand. By inventory dependent demand, it means that demand at certain time depends on the available inventory at that time with certain rate. In dealing with perishable items, we should consider deteriorating rate factor that corresponds to the decreasing quality of goods. There are also costs involved in this model such as purchasing, ordering, holding, shortage (backordering) and returning costs. These costs compose the total costs in the model that we want to minimize. In the model we seek for the optimal return time and order quantity. We assume that after some period of time, called return time, perishable items can be returned to the supplier at some returning costs. The supplier will then replace them in the next delivery. Some numerical experiments are given to illustrate our model and sensitivity analysis is performed as well. We found that as the deteriorating rate increases, returning time becomes shorter, the optimal order quantity and total cost increases. When considering the inventory-dependent demand factor, we found that as this factor increases, assuming a certain deteriorating rate, returning time becomes shorter, optimal order quantity becomes larger and the total cost increases.

Research on scholarships holders who studied abroad and returned to Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nena A. Vasojevic

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Knowledge has become the most valuable resource of the new era and the resource of the future. The intention of this study is to improve knowledge about the problem of migration of educated people from Serbia from the perspective of scholarship holders who, after being abroad, returned to their country. The aim of this research is to show the profile of the scholarship holders of post-academic and post-graduate students, who studied abroad and then returned to Serbia. Their motives for departure and return, as well as their perception of integration into the work environment in Serbia and utilization of their knowledge is presented. Methods: For the purpose of this research a questionnaire was constructed which was distributed online. Collected data were analysed using statistical tools. Results: This research has shown that the primary motive for education abroad is the desire for personal development. It has also been shown that an important factor for the return of students from abroad is their expectation of comparative advantage in the labour market and their belief of getting a desired job. Apart from this, it is shown that the scholarship holders only partially used the acquired knowledge and thus, do not have enough influence in the development of their organizations.Conclusion: The main research contribution is reflected in the improvement of the knowledge about the motivation of scholars to return from developed countries and highlighted problems which scholarship holders have after returning.Implications and research limitation: the results obtained can be generalised to countries that are passing or have recently moved a transition, and are similar in cultural characteristics. The present contains certain limitations that must be taken into account while interpreting final results. The most significant constraint is the sample size, but the obtained results, especially the motives of the scientific experts for a return to the country

Shared Decision-Making for Nursing Practice: An Integrative Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Truglio-Londrigan, Marie; Slyer, Jason T

2018-01-01

Shared decision-making has received national and international interest by providers, educators, researchers, and policy makers. The literature on shared decision-making is extensive, dealing with the individual components of shared decision-making rather than a comprehensive process. This view of shared decision-making leaves healthcare providers to wonder how to integrate shared decision-making into practice. To understand shared decision-making as a comprehensive process from the perspective of the patient and provider in all healthcare settings. An integrative review was conducted applying a systematic approach involving a literature search, data evaluation, and data analysis. The search included articles from PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and PsycINFO from 1970 through 2016. Articles included quantitative experimental and non-experimental designs, qualitative, and theoretical articles about shared decision-making between all healthcare providers and patients in all healthcare settings. Fifty-two papers were included in this integrative review. Three categories emerged from the synthesis: (a) communication/ relationship building; (b) working towards a shared decision; and (c) action for shared decision-making. Each major theme contained sub-themes represented in the proposed visual representation for shared decision-making. A comprehensive understanding of shared decision-making between the nurse and the patient was identified. A visual representation offers a guide that depicts shared decision-making as a process taking place during a healthcare encounter with implications for the continuation of shared decisions over time offering patients an opportunity to return to the nurse for reconsiderations of past shared decisions.

The relationship between information content of depreciation and abnormal return and future benefits in manufacturing companies in Tehran Stock Exchange(TSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reza Zare

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In present study by virtue of the importance of  the fiscal statement contents and illiquid items ignored by the merchant the depreciation contents relation with abnormal return of the shares and future benefits are examined in order to influence the items under consideration of the investors to take related decisions; 94 companies were selected from the accessible universe in five years (2006-2010 to have the data necessary for the study in order to achieve the goal. The simple and multivariable regression statistical techniques Chow and Hausman  Test were used to test the hypotheses. The significant test was conducted for the paradigms by using the ‘F’ and ‘T’ statistics. The study findings show there is no relation between the depreciation expense and abnormal return and there is a significant and positive relation between the depreciation expense and future benefits.Key Words: Abnormal return, Information Contents, depreciation, abnormal return.

Social context and reproductive potential affect worker reproductive decisions in a eusocial insect.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boris Yagound

Full Text Available Context-dependent decision-making conditions individual plasticity and is an integrant part of alternative reproductive strategies. In eusocial Hymenoptera (ants, bees and wasps, the discovery of worker reproductive parasitism recently challenged the view of workers as a homogeneous collective entity and stressed the need to consider them as autonomous units capable of elaborate choices which influence their fitness returns. The reproductive decisions of individual workers thus need to be investigated and taken into account to understand the regulation of reproduction in insect societies. However, we know virtually nothing about the proximate mechanisms at the basis of worker reproductive decisions. Here, we test the hypothesis that the capacity of workers to reproduce in foreign colonies lies in their ability to react differently according to the colonial context and whether this reaction is influenced by a particular internal state. Using the bumble bee Bombus terrestris, we show that workers exhibit an extremely high reproductive plasticity which is conditioned by the social context they experience. Fertile workers reintroduced into their mother colony reverted to sterility, as expected. On the contrary, a high level of ovary activity persisted in fertile workers introduced into a foreign nest, and this despite more frequent direct contacts with the queen and the brood than control workers. Foreign workers' reproductive decisions were not affected by the resident queen, their level of fertility being similar whether or not the queen was removed from the host colony. Workers' physiological state at the time of introduction is also of crucial importance, since infertile workers failed to develop a reproductive phenotype in a foreign nest. Therefore, both internal and environmental factors appear to condition individual reproductive strategies in this species, suggesting that more complex decision-making mechanisms are involved in the regulation

Decision algorithms in fire detection systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ristić Jovan D.

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Analogue (and addressable fire detection systems enables a new quality in improving sensitivity to real fires and reducing susceptibility to nuisance alarm sources. Different decision algorithms types were developed with intention to improve sensitivity and reduce false alarm occurrence. At the beginning, it was free alarm level adjustment based on preset level. Majority of multi-criteria decision work was based on multi-sensor (multi-signature decision algorithms - using different type of sensors on the same location or, rather, using different aspects (level and rise of one sensor measured value. Our idea is to improve sensitivity and reduce false alarm occurrence by forming groups of sensors that work in similar conditions (same world side in the building, same or similar technology or working time. Original multi-criteria decision algorithms based on level, rise and difference of level and rise from group average are discussed in this paper.

PENGARUH MODAL INTELEKTUAL TERHADAP MANAJEMEN LABA RIIL DAN FUTURE STOCK RETURNS

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Tendy Wato

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This study aims to examine the influence of Intellectual Capital (IC on Real Earnings Management (MR and  Future Stock Returns (FSR in the manufacturing companies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX.  The data used was obtained using multiple  regression of 27 companies manufacturing for the period 2007 to 2013. Model IC using VAICTM of Pulic (2000, Model Manajemen Laba Riil (MR of Roychowdhury (2006 and the FSR of Sloan (1996. Model analysis of the test data is performed by Multiple Regression. The results showed a partial effect on the IC to MR- PROD, MR-DISX and MR-CFO. IC has affect the FSR significantly. The overall results of this study support the theory resourced-based and knowledge-based. Research of Intellectual Capital (IC is a new one in Indonesia, so that the data associated with the IC is still difficult to obtain. Also there is no official standard referenced in particular the Financial Accounting Standards (IFRSs Indonesia in calculating the IC. The paper shows that intellectual capital is an important element affecting the future stock returns with real earnings management as intervening. The paper’s finding suggest that it is necessary to improve the transparency of the accounting information, so as to reduce  real earnings management,  especially in cash flow operation and improve earnings quality to some extent, which provides valuable reference for the company’s decision. This paper extends prior research by addressing the potential effects of IC on future stock returns with real earnings management as intervening.  The findings reported in this paper provide novel insights to the empirical financial accounting literature. Keyword: Intellectual  capital, real earning management, future stock returns.

Instructional decision making of high school science teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Carver, Jeffrey S.

The instructional decision-making processes of high school science teachers have not been well established in the literature. Several models for decision-making do exist in other teaching disciplines, business, computer game programming, nursing, and some fields of science. A model that incorporates differences in science teaching that is consistent with constructivist theory as opposed to conventional science teaching is useful in the current climate of standards-based instruction that includes an inquiry-based approach to teaching science. This study focuses on three aspects of the decision-making process. First, it defines what factors, both internal and external, influence high school science teacher decision-making. Second, those factors are analyzed further to determine what instructional decision-making processes are articulated or demonstrated by the participants. Third, by analyzing the types of decisions that are made in the classroom, the classroom learning environments established as a result of those instructional decisions are studied for similarities and differences between conventional and constructivist models. While the decision-making process for each of these teachers was not clearly articulated by the teachers themselves, the patterns that establish the process were clearly exhibited by the teachers. It was also clear that the classroom learning environments that were established were, at least in part, established as a result of the instructional decisions that were made in planning and implementation of instruction. Patterns of instructional decision-making were different for each teacher as a result of primary instructional goals that were different for each teacher. There were similarities between teachers who exhibited more constructivist epistemological tendencies as well as similarities between teachers who exhibited a more conventional epistemology. While the decisions that will result from these two camps may be different, the six step

Foreign currency returns and systematic risks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Galsband, V.; Nitschka, T.

2015-01-01

We apply an empirical approximation of the intertemporal capital asset pricing model (ICAPM) to show that cross-sectional dispersion in currency returns can be rationalized by differences in currency excess returns' sensitivities to the market return's cash-flow news component. This finding echoes

Experiences and concerns about 'returning to work' for women breast cancer survivors: a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiedtke, Corine; de Rijk, Angelique; Dierckx de Casterlé, Bernadette; Christiaens, Marie-Rose; Donceel, Peter

2010-07-01

To explore how female breast cancer patients experience work incapacity during the treatment and return-to-work phases and how interactions between patients and stakeholders affect this experience. Database search for full text articles published between January 1995 and January 2008 that focused on employed female breast cancer patients, factors related to work incapacity, and returning to work. Only results based on self-report data were included. Studies focusing on treatment, financial factors, rate of return, or absence were excluded. Six articles met the inclusion criteria. Women with breast cancer receive varied reactions but little advice about returning to work. Women were primarily concerned with disclosing the diagnosis to their employer and to relatives. Uncertainties about physical appearance, ability to work, and possible job loss affected the women's decisions about working during the treatment phase. After treatment, most women wanted to regain their 'normal life', but concentration and arm or fatigue problems potentially interfered. Although supportive work environments were helpful, the individual needs of women differed. Employers and employees need to find a balance in defining accommodating work. Many women received favourable support, but some reported feeling discriminated against. Many women re-evaluated the role of work in their lives after being confronted with breast cancer. Work adjustments could help women to keep their jobs during illness and recovery. To resolve women's concerns about returning to work, employers, physicians, and insurance institutions should consider increasing and improving communication with breast cancer patients and playing a more active and supportive role. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Changes and continuities in families with migrant parents who have returned to Antioquia and the Colombian coffeegrowing region

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Jair Eduardo Restrepo Pineda

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article carries out an approach to the families immersed in a migratory process of international return of their fathers and mothers, allowing to make visible the modification and reconfiguration of their dynamics and how these affect the relations, cohabitation and functioning of family life. Aspects such as authority and decision-making, gender roles and economic supply are the ones that demonstrate greater changes for every member of the family unit. As regards the continuities, it is highlighted the fact that the carer role is still being inherently bound to the women. The return is a dynamic process in which communication, care and economic supply prepare the migrants’ way towards their reincorporation into family life.

Stock return distribution in the BRICS

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George Adu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Stock returns in emerging market economies exhibit patterns that are distinctively different from developed countries: returns are noted to be highly volatile and autocorrelated, and long horizon returns are predictable. While these stylized facts are well established, the assumption underlying the distribution of returns is less understood. In particular, the empirical literature continues to rely on the normality assumption as a starting point, and most asset pricing models tend to overstretch this point. This paper questions the rationale behind this supposition and proceeds to test more formally for normality using multivariate joint test for skewness and kurtosis. Additionally, the paper extends the literature by examining a number of empirical regularities for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (the BRICS for short. Our main findings are that the distribution of stock returns for the BRICS exhibits peakedness with fatter and longer tails, and this is invariant to both the unit of measurement and the time horizon of returns. Volatility clustering is prevalent in all markets, and this decays exponentially for all but Brazil. The relationship between risk and return is found to be significant and risk premiums are prevalent in our sample.

Semantic similarity from natural language and ontology analysis

CERN Document Server

Harispe, Sébastien; Janaqi, Stefan

2015-01-01

Artificial Intelligence federates numerous scientific fields in the aim of developing machines able to assist human operators performing complex treatments---most of which demand high cognitive skills (e.g. learning or decision processes). Central to this quest is to give machines the ability to estimate the likeness or similarity between things in the way human beings estimate the similarity between stimuli.In this context, this book focuses on semantic measures: approaches designed for comparing semantic entities such as units of language, e.g. words, sentences, or concepts and instances def

Risk-return of Belgian SRI funds

OpenAIRE

Van Liedekerke, Luc; De Moor, Lieven; Vanwalleghem, Dieter

2007-01-01

We analyse the risk-return profile of Belgian SRI funds versus conventional investment funds. We apply a four-factor conditional Carhart model to establish whether there are significant differences in risk-return profile between an SRI portfolio and a conventional portfolio and test for learning effects in SRI funds. We show that there is no difference in risk-return profile between SRI and conventional funds. If return is not the problem, then what is it that limits the development of an SRI...

A conceptual framework for a sports knee injury performance profile (SKIPP) and return to activity criteria (RTAC)

OpenAIRE

Logerstedt, David; Arundale, Amelia; Lynch, Andrew; Snyder-Mackler, Lynn

2015-01-01

ABSTRACTInjuries to the knee, including intra-articular fractures, ligamentous ruptures, and meniscal and articular cartilage lesions, are commonplace within sports. Despite advancements in surgical techniques and enhanced rehabilitation, athletes returning to cutting, pivoting, and jumping sports after a knee injury are at greater risk of sustaining a second injury. The clinical utility of objective criteria presents a decision-making challenge to ensure athletes are fully rehabilitated and ...

Decision-making in percutaneous coronary intervention: a survey

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Rahilly-Tierney Catherine R

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Few researchers have examined the perceptions of physicians referring cases for angiography regarding the degree to which collaboration occurs during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI decision-making. We sought to determine perceptions of physicians concerning their involvement in PCI decisions in cases they had referred to the cardiac catheterization laboratory at a major academic medical center. Methods An anonymous survey was mailed to internal medicine faculty members at a major academic medical center. The survey elicited whether responders perceived that they were included in decision-making regarding PCI, and whether they considered such collaboration to be the best process of decision-making. Results Of the 378 surveys mailed, 35% (133 were returned. Among responding non-cardiologists, 89% indicated that in most cases, PCI decisions were made solely by the interventionalist at the time of the angiogram. Among cardiologists, 92% indicated that they discussed the findings with the interventionalist prior to any PCI decisions. When asked what they considered the best process by which PCI decisions are made, 66% of non-cardiologists answered that they would prefer collaboration between either themselves or a non-interventional cardiologist and the interventionalist. Among cardiologists, 95% agreed that a collaborative approach is best. Conclusion Both non-cardiologists and cardiologists felt that involving another decision-maker, either the referring physician or a non-interventional cardiologist, would be the best way to make PCI decisions. Among cardiologists, there was more concordance between what they believed was the best process for making decisions regarding PCI and what they perceived to be the actual process.

Colorectal cancer patients' attitudes towards involvement in decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Beaver, Kinta; Campbell, Malcolm; Craven, Olive; Jones, David; Luker, Karen A; Susnerwala, Shabbir S

2009-03-01

To design and administer an attitude rating scale, exploring colorectal cancer patients' views of involvement in decision making. To examine the impact of socio-demographic and/or treatment-related factors on decision making. To conduct principal components analysis to determine if the scale could be simplified into a number of factors for future clinical utility. An attitude rating scale was constructed based on previous qualitative work and administered to colorectal cancer patients using a cross-sectional survey approach. 375 questionnaires were returned (81.7% response). For patients it was important to be informed and involved in the decision-making process. Information was not always used to make decisions as patients placed their trust in medical expertise. Women had more positive opinions on decision making and were more likely to want to make decisions. Written information was understood to a greater degree than verbal information. The scale could be simplified to a number of factors, indicating clinical utility. Few studies have explored the attitudes of colorectal cancer patients towards involvement in decision making. This study presents new insights into how patients view the concept of participation; important when considering current policy imperatives in the UK of involving service users in all aspects of care and treatment.

[Analysis of posttraumatic stress disorders in Polish soldiers who returned from stabilization mission in Iraq].

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Skotnicka, Justyna

2013-01-01

The aim of the survey was to establish whether PTSD is present among Polish soldiers returning from a one-year deployment to Iraq and an analysis of its individual symptoms. Sixty soldiers were examined, including 30 who returned from the Iraqi mission and 30 who remained in Poland. Five analysing devices were used: (IPSA), (STAI), (BDI), a PTSD questionnaire and a socio-demographical form. A significant number of soldiers experienced a traumatic event during the mission in Iraq. Although the Iraq deployment did not change the level of depression and anxiety among the two groups of soldiers, disproportions were found in the range of anger level intensity, which was significantly higher among soldiers who returned from Iraq. Stabilisation mission and the experience of a traumatic event influenced the biological and psychological functioning patterns among soldiers who returned from Iraq. The manifestations of this were emotional and physiological reactions that the soldiers experienced (nightmares, excessive sweating, increased heartbeat rate, stressful reactions in situations similar to the traumatic occurrence and intensified responses to them). However, contrary to the assumptions, it was not concluded that soldiers who returned from Iraq are suffering from PTSD.

7 CFR 3560.305 - Return on investment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Return on investment. 3560.305 Section 3560.305... AGRICULTURE DIRECT MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING LOANS AND GRANTS Financial Management § 3560.305 Return on investment. (a) Borrower's return on investment. Borrowers may receive a return on their investment (ROI) in...

Measuring Return on Investment for Professional Development Activities: Implications for Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Opperman, Cathleen; Liebig, Debra; Bowling, Judith; Johnson, Carol Susan; Harper, Mary

2016-01-01

What is the return on investment (ROI) for the time and resources spent for professional development activities? This is Part 2 of a two-part series to report findings and demonstrate how financial analysis of educational activities can drive decision-making. The resources consumed for professional development activities need to be identified and quantified to be able to determine the worth of such activities. This article defines terms and formulas for financial analysis for nursing professional development practitioners to use in analysis of their own programs. Three fictitious examples of common nursing professional development learning activities are provided with financial analysis. This article presents the "how to" for the busy practitioner.

Characteristics of donors who do or do not return to give blood and barriers to their return

Science.gov (United States)

Wevers, Anne; Wigboldus, Daniël H.J.; de Kort, Wim L.A.M.; van Baaren, Rick; Veldhuizen, Ingrid J.T.

2014-01-01

Background In the Netherlands about 50% of whole blood donors return to give blood after an invitation to donate. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of donor return behaviour and to gain insight into the barriers to blood donation reported by the donors themselves. Materials and methods A total of 4,901 whole blood donors were invited to donate in week 39 of 2009. Barriers mentioned by donors who informed the blood bank for not donating were registered for 1 month. Logistic regression analyses assessed relevant characteristics of return behaviour, such as age and blood type, in men and women separately. Results Of the invited donors, 55% returned to give a donation, whereas 45% did not return. Male donors were more likely to return when they were older, had a higher previous return rate and had no past deferrals. The same pattern was found among women, but was less strong. The main barriers were: time constraints (35%), preference to postpone donation due to general physical problems although being eligible to donate (29%), and being ineligible to donate due to medical deferral criteria (9%). Discussion Specific donor characteristics are associated with return behaviour. Not donating due to time constraints could mean that donors do not feel the urgency of donating blood. Interventions targeted to increase commitment among specific donor groups should be tested further. PMID:23522891

Insular neural system controls decision-making in healthy and methamphetamine-treated rats.

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Mizoguchi, Hiroyuki; Katahira, Kentaro; Inutsuka, Ayumu; Fukumoto, Kazuya; Nakamura, Akihiro; Wang, Tian; Nagai, Taku; Sato, Jun; Sawada, Makoto; Ohira, Hideki; Yamanaka, Akihiro; Yamada, Kiyofumi

2015-07-21

Patients suffering from neuropsychiatric disorders such as substance-related and addictive disorders exhibit altered decision-making patterns, which may be associated with their behavioral abnormalities. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying such impairments are largely unknown. Using a gambling test, we demonstrated that methamphetamine (METH)-treated rats chose a high-risk/high-reward option more frequently and assigned higher value to high returns than control rats, suggestive of changes in decision-making choice strategy. Immunohistochemical analysis following the gambling test revealed aberrant activation of the insular cortex (INS) and nucleus accumbens in METH-treated animals. Pharmacological studies, together with in vivo microdialysis, showed that the insular neural system played a crucial role in decision-making. Moreover, manipulation of INS activation using designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drug technology resulted in alterations to decision-making. Our findings suggest that the INS is a critical region involved in decision-making and that insular neural dysfunction results in risk-taking behaviors associated with altered decision-making.

Money growth and aggregate stock returns

OpenAIRE

Böing, Tobias; Stadtmann, Georg

2016-01-01

We empirically evaluate the predictive power of money growth measured by M2 for stock returns of the S&P 500 index. We use monthly US data and predict multiperiod returns over 1, 3, and 5 years with long-horizon regressions. In-sample regressions show that money growth is useful for predicting returns. Higher recent money growth has a significantly negative effect on subsequent returns of the S&P 500. An out-of-sample analysis shows that a simple model with money growth as a single predictor ...

The Future of Computerized Decision Making

Science.gov (United States)

2014-12-01

professionals will be becoming more adept at scripting, modeling, graphical and statistical displays. Decision makers may, similarly, be less likely to shy...elsewhere in this proceedings (Sanchez 2014) simulation can be the core for model-driven big data and inferential decision-making. We need to stake... descriptive , not prescriptive.” In our field, we deal with prospective decision making. We have an advantage in this area: since our output data are

Migration Decision-Making among Mexican Youth: Individual, Family, and Community Influences

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Christine M.; Torres-Pereda, Pilar; Minnis, Alexandra M.; Bautista-Arredondo, Sergio A.

2013-01-01

We explored migration decisions using in-depth, semistructured interviews with male and female youth ages 14 to 24 (n = 47) from two Mexican communities, one with high and one with low U.S. migration density. Half were return migrants and half were nonmigrants with relatives in the United States. Migrant and nonmigrant youth expressed different…

Common Factors in International Bond Returns

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Driessen, J.J.A.G.; Melenberg, B.; Nijman, T.E.

2000-01-01

In this paper we estimate and interpret the factors that jointly determine bond returns of different maturities in the US, Germany and Japan.We analyze both currency-hedged and unhedged bond returns.For currency-hedged bond returns, we find that five factors explain 96.5% of the variation of bond

Return-to-work coordination programmes for improving return to work in workers on sick leave.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Nicole; Schandelmaier, Stefan; Zumbrunn, Thomas; Ebrahim, Shanil; de Boer, Wout El; Busse, Jason W; Kunz, Regina

2017-03-30

To limit long-term sick leave and associated consequences, insurers, healthcare providers and employers provide programmes to facilitate disabled people's return to work. These programmes include a variety of coordinated and individualised interventions. Despite the increasing popularity of such programmes, their benefits remain uncertain. We conducted a systematic review to determine the long-term effectiveness of return-to-work coordination programmes compared to usual practice in workers at risk for long-term disability. To assess the effects of return-to-work coordination programmes versus usual practice for workers on sick leave or disability. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2016, Issue 11), MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and PsycINFO up to 1 November 2016. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that enrolled workers absent from work for at least four weeks and randomly assigned them to return-to-work coordination programmes or usual practice. Two review authors independently screened titles, abstracts and full-text articles for study eligibility; extracted data; and assessed risk of bias from eligible trials. We contacted authors for additional data where required. We conducted random-effects meta-analyses and used the GRADE approach to rate the quality of the evidence. We identified 14 studies from nine countries that enrolled 12,568 workers. Eleven studies focused on musculoskeletal problems, two on mental health and one on both. Most studies (11 of 14) followed workers 12 months or longer. Risk of bias was low in 10 and high in 4 studies, but findings were not sensitive to their exclusion.We found no benefits for return-to-work coordination programmes on return-to-work outcomes.For short-term follow-up of six months, we found no effect on time to return to work (hazard ratio (HR) 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93 to 1.88, low-quality evidence), cumulative sickness absence (mean difference (MD) -16.18 work

Medical end-of-life decisions in Switzerland 2001 and 2013: Who is involved and how does the decision-making capacity of the patient impact?

Science.gov (United States)

Schmid, Margareta; Zellweger, Ueli; Bosshard, Georg; Bopp, Matthias

2016-01-01

In Switzerland, the prevalence of medical end-of-life practices had been assessed on a population level only once - in 2001 - until in 2013/14 an identical study was conducted. We aimed to compare the results of the 2001 and 2013 studies with a special focus on shared decision-making and patients' decision-making capacity. Our study encompassed a 21.3% sample of deaths among residents of the German-speaking part of Switzerland aged 1 year or older. From 4998 mailed questionnaires, 3173 (63.5%) were returned. All data were weighted to adjust for age- and sex-specific differences in response rates. Cases with at least one reported end-of-life practice significantly increased from 74.5% (2001) to 82.3% (2013) of all deaths eligible for an end-of-life decision (p Switzerland, there remains potential for further improvement in shared decision-making. Efforts to motivate physicians to involve patients and relatives may be a win-win situation.

Enemies and Friends in the Neighborhood: Orthographic Similarity Effects in Semantic Categorization

Science.gov (United States)

Pecher, Diane; Zeelenberg, Rene; Wagenmakers, Eric-Jan

2005-01-01

Studies investigating orthographic similarity effects in semantic tasks have produced inconsistent results. The authors investigated orthographic similarity effects in animacy decision and in contrast with previous studies, they took semantic congruency into account. In Experiments 1 and 2, performance to a target (cat) was better if a previously…

Improving efficiency of decision making units through BSC-DEA technique

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Amir Reza Khaki

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Performance evaluation is one of the most important techniques to prioritize different decision making units. Data envelopment analysis (DEA, as a non-parametric method, plays an important role for measuring relative efficiency. Balanced score card, on the other hand, is another method to evaluate a business plan based on non-financial perspectives. The integrated BSC-DEA takes advantage of the advantages of both methods' features. In this paper, we propose a BSC-DEA method to rank different decision making units. We consider different financial criteria such as profit-margin, return on assets along with non-financial criteria such as customer satisfaction, advanced services, employee skills to compare the performance of different banks. The results are analyzed and discussed, which could be used for making better decisions.

Physicians' intentions and use of three patient decision aids

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Mitchell Susan L

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Decision aids are evidence based tools that assist patients in making informed values-based choices and supplement the patient-clinician interaction. While there is evidence to show that decision aids improve key indicators of patients' decision quality, relatively little is known about physicians' acceptance of decision aids or factors that influence their decision to use them. The purpose of this study was to describe physicians' perceptions of three decision aids, their expressed intent to use them, and their subsequent use of them. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of random samples of Canadian respirologists, family physicians, and geriatricians. Three decision aids representing a range of health decisions were evaluated. The survey elicited physicians' opinions on the characteristics of the decision aid and their willingness to use it. Physicians who indicated a strong likelihood of using the decision aid were contacted three months later regarding their actual use of the decision aid. Results Of the 580 eligible physicians, 47% (n = 270 returned completed questionnaires. More than 85% of the respondents felt the decision aid was well developed and that it presented the essential information for decision making in an understandable, balanced, and unbiased manner. A majority of respondents (>80% also felt that the decision aid would guide patients in a logical way, preparing them to participate in decision making and to reach a decision. Fewer physicians ( Conclusion Despite strong support for the format, content, and quality of patient decision aids, and physicians' stated intentions to adopt them into clinical practice, most did not use them within three months of completing the survey. There is a wide gap between intention and behaviour. Further research is required to study the determinants of this intention-behaviour gap and to develop interventions aimed at barriers to physicians' use of decision aids.

Functional imaging of decision conflict.

Science.gov (United States)

Pochon, Jean-Baptiste; Riis, Jason; Sanfey, Alan G; Nystrom, Leigh E; Cohen, Jonathan D

2008-03-26

Decision conflict occurs when people feel uncertain as to which option to choose from a set of similarly attractive (or unattractive) options, with many studies demonstrating that this conflict can lead to suboptimal decision making. In this article, we investigate the neurobiological underpinnings of decision conflict, in particular, the involvement of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Previous studies have implicated the ACC in conflict monitoring during perceptual tasks, but there is considerable controversy as to whether the ACC actually indexes conflict related to choice, or merely conflict related to selection of competing motor responses. In a functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we dissociate the decision and response phases of a decision task, and show that the ACC does indeed index conflict at the decision stage. Furthermore, we show that it does so for a complex decision task, one that requires the integration of beliefs and preferences and not just perceptual judgments.

26 CFR 301.6103(n)-1 - Disclosure of returns and return information in connection with written contracts or agreements...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... administration purposes. 301.6103(n)-1 Section 301.6103(n)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE... and Returns Returns and Records § 301.6103(n)-1 Disclosure of returns and return information in... administration purposes. (a) General rule. (1) Pursuant to the provisions of section 6103(n) of the Internal...

The impact of macroeconomic and conventional stock market variables on Islamic index returns under regime switching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slah Bahloul

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to study the impact of conventional stock market return and volatility and various macroeconomic variables (including inflation rate, short-term interest rate, the slope of the yield curve and money supply on Islamic stock markets returns for twenty developed and emerging markets using Markov switching regression models. The empirical results for the period 2002–2014 show that both developed and emerging Islamic stock indices are influenced by conventional stock indices returns and money supply for both the low and high volatility regimes. However, the other macroeconomic variables fail to explain the dynamics of Islamic stock indices especially in the high volatility regime. Similar conclusions are obtained by using the MS-VAR model.

Research on investment decisions model of trans-regional transmission network based on the theory of NPV

Science.gov (United States)

Zai, Wenjiao; Wang, Bo; Liu, Jichun; Shi, Haobo; Zeng, Pingliang

2018-02-01

The investment decision model of trans-regional transmission network in the context of Global Energy Internet was studied in this paper. The key factors affecting the trans-regional transmission network investment income: the income tax rate, the loan interest rate, the expected return on investment of the investment subject, the per capita GDP and so on were considered in the transmission network investment income model. First, according to the principle of system dynamics, the causality diagram of key factors was constructed. Then, the dynamic model of transmission investment decision was established. A case study of the power transmission network between China and Mongolia, through the simulation of the system dynamic model, the influence of the above key factors on the investment returns was analyzed, and the feasibility and effectiveness of the model was proved.

Positive Mood Risk Attitudes, and Investment Decisions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lepori, Gabriele

moodshifting mechanism commonly employed in lab studies. More specifically, I exploit the time-series variation in the domestic theatrical release of comedy movies as a natural experiment for testing the impact that happy mood (proxied by weekend comedy movie attendance) has on investment in risky assets...... (proxied by the performance of the U.S. stock market on the following Monday). My hypothesis rests upon the evidence that individual investors are more likely to ponder trading decisions during the weekend and trade on Mondays. To control for unobserved factors that may contemporaneously affect movie...... attendance and equity returns, I employ the percentage of theater screens dedicated to the comedy genre as an instrument. Using a sample of data from 1995 to 2010, I estimate that an increase in comedy attendance on a given weekend is followed by a decrease in equity returns on the subsequent Monday, which...

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

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

2017-01-01

benefits were granted by the municipalities independently of any compensation claim if sick-listed. RESULTS: 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) compared to claimants with recognized claim without compensation the subsequent year and at a faster rate after decision. CONCLUSIONS: Compensation claims and proceedings of the workers' compensation system probably increase time to return to work, other factors as health...

The cost-effectiveness of semi-rigid ankle brace to facilitate return to work following first-time acute ankle sprains.

Science.gov (United States)

Fatoye, Francis; Haigh, Carol

2016-05-01

To examine the cost-effectiveness of semi-rigid ankle brace to facilitate return to work following first-time acute ankle sprains. Economic evaluation based on cost-utility analysis. Ankle sprains are a source of morbidity and absenteeism from work, accounting for 15-20% of all sports injuries. Semi-rigid ankle brace and taping are functional treatment interventions used by Musculoskeletal Physiotherapists and Nurses to facilitate return to work following acute ankle sprains. A decision model analysis, based on cost-utility analysis from the perspective of National Health Service was used. The primary outcomes measure was incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, based on quality-adjusted life years. Costs and quality of life data were derived from published literature, while model clinical probabilities were sourced from Musculoskeletal Physiotherapists. The cost and quality adjusted life years gained using semi-rigid ankle brace was £184 and 0.72 respectively. However, the cost and quality adjusted life years gained following taping was £155 and 0.61 respectively. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for the semi-rigid brace was £263 per quality adjusted life year. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that ankle brace provided the highest net-benefit, hence the preferred option. Taping is a cheaper intervention compared with ankle brace to facilitate return to work following first-time ankle sprains. However, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio observed for ankle brace was less than the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence threshold and the intervention had a higher net-benefit, suggesting that it is a cost-effective intervention. Decision-makers may be willing to pay £263 for an additional gain in quality adjusted life year. The findings of this economic evaluation provide justification for the use of semi-rigid ankle brace by Musculoskeletal Physiotherapists and Nurses to facilitate return to work in individuals with first-time ankle

Stock Market Liquidity and Investment Decisions of Non-Financial Quoted Companies in Nigeria

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Rafiu Oyesola Salawu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The study examined the impact of market liquidity on investment decision of 50 non-financial quoted companies in Nigeria between 2006 and 2012. The study employed secondary source of data collection. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics such as pool OLS and fixed effect model. The results showed that Size of the Firm (FS and Firms’ Age (FAGE were the only significant determinants of Return on Investment (ROI. The turnover ratio (TOR which is a proxy for market liquidity had positive but insignificant effect on ROI. Based on the above findings, the study concluded that for most of the companies operating in the non-financial sector of the Nigerian economy, the influence of market liquidity on investment decision is positive, but not significant. The study recommended that management should place more emphasis on the firm age and in particular firm size as they can be employed to predict the return on investment.

Sustainable Mars Sample Return

Science.gov (United States)

Alston, Christie; Hancock, Sean; Laub, Joshua; Perry, Christopher; Ash, Robert

2011-01-01

The proposed Mars sample return mission will be completed using natural Martian resources for the majority of its operations. The system uses the following technologies: In-Situ Propellant Production (ISPP), a methane-oxygen propelled Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), a carbon dioxide powered hopper, and a hydrogen fueled balloon system (large balloons and small weather balloons). The ISPP system will produce the hydrogen, methane, and oxygen using a Sabatier reactor. a water electrolysis cell, water extracted from the Martian surface, and carbon dioxide extracted from the Martian atmosphere. Indigenous hydrogen will fuel the balloon systems and locally-derived methane and oxygen will fuel the MAV for the return of a 50 kg sample to Earth. The ISPP system will have a production cycle of 800 days and the estimated overall mission length is 1355 days from Earth departure to return to low Earth orbit. Combining these advanced technologies will enable the proposed sample return mission to be executed with reduced initial launch mass and thus be more cost efficient. The successful completion of this mission will serve as the next step in the advancement of Mars exploration technology.

26 CFR 1.458-1 - Exclusion for certain returned magazines, paperbacks, or records.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...” means a disc, tape, or similar item on which music, spoken or other sounds are recorded. However, the... purchaser or industry practice (such return evidencing the fact that the purchaser has not and will not... will not be resold by the purchaser; or (B) The past dealings, if any, between the parties and industry...

Similarity, Self-Esteem and Reactions to Aid in a Simulated Decision Making Task.

Science.gov (United States)

esteem - low self esteem recipients were the three experimental factors. The effect of these experimental variables on the recipients self -perceptions...The study explored the effects of the overall similarity between donor and recipient of resistance and the recipient’s level of self - esteem on his...reactions to being helped. A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial between subjects design was employed in which aid-no aid, similar donor-dissimilar donor and high self

Utility allowed returns and market extremes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murry, D.A.; Nan, G.D.; Harrington, B.M.

1993-01-01

In recent years interest rates have fluctuated from exceptionally high levels in the early 1980s to their current levels, the lowest in two decades. Observers and analysts generally have assumed that allowed returns by regulatory commissions follow the movement of interest rates; indeed some analysts use a risk premium method to estimate the cost of common equity, assuming a constant and linear relationship between interest rates and the cost of common equity. That suggests we could expect a relatively stable relationship between interest rates and allowed returns, as well. However, a simple comparison of allowed returns and interest rates shows that this is not the case in recent years. The relationship between market interest rates and the returns allowed by commissions varies and is obviously a great deal more complicated. Empirically, there appears to be only a narrow range where market interest rates significantly affect the allowed returns on common stock set by state commissions, at least for electric and combination utilities. If rates are at historically low levels, allowed returns based largely on market rates will hasten subsequent rate filings, and commissions appear to look beyond the low rate levels. Conversely, it appears that regulators do not let historically high market rates determine allowed returns either. At either high or low interest levels, caution seems to be the policy

Return to sports after shoulder arthroplasty

Science.gov (United States)

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

Personalized mortality prediction driven by electronic medical data and a patient similarity metric.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Joon; Maslove, David M; Dubin, Joel A

2015-01-01

Clinical outcome prediction normally employs static, one-size-fits-all models that perform well for the average patient but are sub-optimal for individual patients with unique characteristics. In the era of digital healthcare, it is feasible to dynamically personalize decision support by identifying and analyzing similar past patients, in a way that is analogous to personalized product recommendation in e-commerce. Our objectives were: 1) to prove that analyzing only similar patients leads to better outcome prediction performance than analyzing all available patients, and 2) to characterize the trade-off between training data size and the degree of similarity between the training data and the index patient for whom prediction is to be made. We deployed a cosine-similarity-based patient similarity metric (PSM) to an intensive care unit (ICU) database to identify patients that are most similar to each patient and subsequently to custom-build 30-day mortality prediction models. Rich clinical and administrative data from the first day in the ICU from 17,152 adult ICU admissions were analyzed. The results confirmed that using data from only a small subset of most similar patients for training improves predictive performance in comparison with using data from all available patients. The results also showed that when too few similar patients are used for training, predictive performance degrades due to the effects of small sample sizes. Our PSM-based approach outperformed well-known ICU severity of illness scores. Although the improved prediction performance is achieved at the cost of increased computational burden, Big Data technologies can help realize personalized data-driven decision support at the point of care. The present study provides crucial empirical evidence for the promising potential of personalized data-driven decision support systems. With the increasing adoption of electronic medical record (EMR) systems, our novel medical data analytics contributes to

Personalized mortality prediction driven by electronic medical data and a patient similarity metric.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joon Lee

Full Text Available Clinical outcome prediction normally employs static, one-size-fits-all models that perform well for the average patient but are sub-optimal for individual patients with unique characteristics. In the era of digital healthcare, it is feasible to dynamically personalize decision support by identifying and analyzing similar past patients, in a way that is analogous to personalized product recommendation in e-commerce. Our objectives were: 1 to prove that analyzing only similar patients leads to better outcome prediction performance than analyzing all available patients, and 2 to characterize the trade-off between training data size and the degree of similarity between the training data and the index patient for whom prediction is to be made.We deployed a cosine-similarity-based patient similarity metric (PSM to an intensive care unit (ICU database to identify patients that are most similar to each patient and subsequently to custom-build 30-day mortality prediction models. Rich clinical and administrative data from the first day in the ICU from 17,152 adult ICU admissions were analyzed. The results confirmed that using data from only a small subset of most similar patients for training improves predictive performance in comparison with using data from all available patients. The results also showed that when too few similar patients are used for training, predictive performance degrades due to the effects of small sample sizes. Our PSM-based approach outperformed well-known ICU severity of illness scores. Although the improved prediction performance is achieved at the cost of increased computational burden, Big Data technologies can help realize personalized data-driven decision support at the point of care.The present study provides crucial empirical evidence for the promising potential of personalized data-driven decision support systems. With the increasing adoption of electronic medical record (EMR systems, our novel medical data analytics

Communicating asset risk: how name recognition and the format of historic volatility information affect risk perception and investment decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Elke U; Siebenmorgen, Niklas; Weber, Martin

2005-06-01

An experiment examined how the type and presentation format of information about investment options affected investors' expectations about asset risk, returns, and volatility and how these expectations related to asset choice. Respondents were provided with the names of 16 domestic and foreign investment options, with 10-year historical return information for these options, or with both. Historical returns were presented either as a bar graph of returns per year or as a continuous density distribution. Provision of asset names allowed for the investigation of the mechanisms underlying the home bias in investment choice and other asset familiarity effects. Respondents provided their expectations of future returns, volatility, and expected risk, and indicated the options they would choose to invest in. Expected returns closely resembled historical expected values. Risk and volatility perceptions both varied significantly as a function of the type and format of information, but in different ways. Expected returns and perceived risk, not predicted volatility, predicted portfolio decisions.

Assessment for returning to work after spinal cord injuries and patient's vocational preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Ullah, Mohammad Mosayed; Sarker, Amit; Chowdhury, Suman Kanti

2015-01-01

Returning to work after spinal cord injury (SCI) is a complex process due to the nature of injury and its devastating effect on all aspects of patients. This case study report is based on a spinal cord injury centre of Bangladesh. The evaluation examined vocational assessment process and vocational interest of persons with SCI undergoing rehabilitation program in the center. Occupational Therapists were interviewed to understand the existing vocational assessment services. This study also used data from 183 vocational assessment forms to find out the association of vocational interests and other demographic factors. The vocational assessment conducted to gathered information on the physical capacity of the patient and physical environment of patients living area only. The most preferred vocational interest was shop management 39%, and returning to previous job 38%. Vocational trades with the lowest level of interest were computer (2%) and electronics (3%), and 10% of patients at the time of assessment were undecided. A statistically significant association between interest to return to previous job and gender, age, occupation before injury and living area were found. Patients go through a complex process to adapt to a new life after experiencing SCI which is significantly influenced by the rehabilitation professionals around him/her. A comprehensive assessment including psychosocial information and therapist's expertise on facilitations making vocational decision based on the variables can optimize the rehabilitation outcome.

26 CFR 301.6019-1 - Gift tax returns.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Gift tax returns. 301.6019-1 Section 301.6019-1... ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION Information and Returns Returns and Records § 301.6019-1 Gift tax returns. For provisions relating to requirement of gift tax returns, see §§ 25.6019-1 to 25.6019-4...

Colorectal cancer patients’ attitudes towards involvement in decision making

Science.gov (United States)

Beaver, Kinta; Campbell, Malcolm; Craven, Olive; Jones, David; Luker, Karen A.; Susnerwala, Shabbir S.

2009-01-01

Abstract Objectives  To design and administer an attitude rating scale, exploring colorectal cancer patients’ views of involvement in decision making. To examine the impact of socio‐demographic and/or treatment‐related factors on decision making. To conduct principal components analysis to determine if the scale could be simplified into a number of factors for future clinical utility. Methods  An attitude rating scale was constructed based on previous qualitative work and administered to colorectal cancer patients using a cross‐sectional survey approach. Results  375 questionnaires were returned (81.7% response). For patients it was important to be informed and involved in the decision‐making process. Information was not always used to make decisions as patients placed their trust in medical expertise. Women had more positive opinions on decision making and were more likely to want to make decisions. Written information was understood to a greater degree than verbal information. The scale could be simplified to a number of factors, indicating clinical utility. Conclusion  Few studies have explored the attitudes of colorectal cancer patients towards involvement in decision making. This study presents new insights into how patients view the concept of participation; important when considering current policy imperatives in the UK of involving service users in all aspects of care and treatment. PMID:19250150

Stock Returns and Risk: Evidence from Quantile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas C. Chiang

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This paper employs weighted least squares to examine the risk-return relation by applying high-frequency data from four major stock indexes in the US market and finds some evidence in favor of a positive relation between the mean of the excess returns and expected risk. However, by using quantile regressions, we find that the risk-return relation moves from negative to positive as the returns’ quantile increases. A positive risk-return relation is valid only in the upper quantiles. The evidence also suggests that intraday skewness plays a dominant role in explaining the variations of excess returns.

Return to Golf After Lumbar Fusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Shifflett, Grant D; Hellman, Michael D; Louie, Philip K; Mikhail, Christopher; Park, Kevin U; Phillips, Frank M

Spinal fusion surgery is being increasingly performed, yet few studies have focused on return to recreational sports after lumbar fusion and none have specifically analyzed return to golf. Most golfers successfully return to sport after lumbar fusion surgery. Case series. Level 4. All patients who underwent 1- or 2-level primary lumbar fusion surgery for degenerative pathologies performed by a single surgeon between January 2008 and October 2012 and had at least 1-year follow-up were included. Patients completed a specifically designed golf survey. Surveys were mailed, given during follow-up clinic, or answered during telephone contact. A total of 353 patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, with 200 responses (57%) to the questionnaire producing 34 golfers. The average age of golfers was 57 years (range, 32-79 years). In 79% of golfers, preoperative back and/or leg pain significantly affected their ability to play golf. Within 1 year from surgery, 65% of patients returned to practice and 52% returned to course play. Only 29% of patients stated that continued back/leg pain limited their play. Twenty-five patients (77%) were able to play the same amount of golf or more than before fusion surgery. Of those providing handicaps, 12 (80%) reported the same or an improved handicap. More than 50% of golfers return to on-course play within 1 year of lumbar fusion surgery. The majority of golfers can return to preoperative levels in terms of performance (handicap) and frequency of play. This investigation offers insight into when golfers return to sport after lumbar fusion surgery and provides surgeons with information to set realistic expectations postoperatively.

A Two-Stage Algorithm for the Closed-Loop Location-Inventory Problem Model Considering Returns in E-Commerce

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanhui Li

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Facility location and inventory control are critical and highly related problems in the design of logistics system for e-commerce. Meanwhile, the return ratio in Internet sales was significantly higher than in the traditional business. Focusing on the existing problem in e-commerce logistics system, we formulate a closed-loop location-inventory problem model considering returned merchandise to minimize the total cost which is produced in both forward and reverse logistics networks. To solve this nonlinear mixed programming model, an effective two-stage heuristic algorithm named LRCAC is designed by combining Lagrangian relaxation with ant colony algorithm (AC. Results of numerical examples show that LRCAC outperforms ant colony algorithm (AC on optimal solution and computing stability. The proposed model is able to help managers make the right decisions under e-commerce environment.

Stochastic model of financial markets reproducing scaling and memory in volatility return intervals

Science.gov (United States)

Gontis, V.; Havlin, S.; Kononovicius, A.; Podobnik, B.; Stanley, H. E.

2016-11-01

We investigate the volatility return intervals in the NYSE and FOREX markets. We explain previous empirical findings using a model based on the interacting agent hypothesis instead of the widely-used efficient market hypothesis. We derive macroscopic equations based on the microscopic herding interactions of agents and find that they are able to reproduce various stylized facts of different markets and different assets with the same set of model parameters. We show that the power-law properties and the scaling of return intervals and other financial variables have a similar origin and could be a result of a general class of non-linear stochastic differential equations derived from a master equation of an agent system that is coupled by herding interactions. Specifically, we find that this approach enables us to recover the volatility return interval statistics as well as volatility probability and spectral densities for the NYSE and FOREX markets, for different assets, and for different time-scales. We find also that the historical S&P500 monthly series exhibits the same volatility return interval properties recovered by our proposed model. Our statistical results suggest that human herding is so strong that it persists even when other evolving fluctuations perturbate the financial system.

When Kahneman meets Manski: Using dual systems of reasoning to interpret subjective expectations of equity returns

OpenAIRE

Gouret , Fabian; Hollard , Guillaume

2011-01-01

International audience; To understand how decisions to invest in stocks are taken, economists need to elicit expectations relative to expected risk-return trade-off. One of the few surveys which have included such questions is the Survey of Economic Expectations in 1999-2001. Using this survey, Dominitz and Manski find an important heterogeneity across respondents that can hardly be accounted for by simple models of expectations formation. This paper claims that much of the heterogeneity deri...

Does Aggregated Returns Disclosure Increase Portfolio Risk Taking?

Science.gov (United States)

Beshears, John; Choi, James J; Laibson, David; Madrian, Brigitte C

2017-06-01

Many experiments have found that participants take more investment risk if they see returns less frequently, see portfolio-level returns (rather than each individual asset's returns), or see long-horizon (rather than one-year) historical return distributions. In contrast, we find that such information aggregation treatments do not affect total equity investment when we make the investment environment more realistic than in prior experiments. Previously documented aggregation effects are not robust to changes in the risky asset's return distribution or the introduction of a multi-day delay between portfolio choice and return realizations.

Spatial variability of maximum annual daily rain under different return periods at the Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roriz Luciano Machado

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Knowledge of maximum daily rain and its return period in a region is an important tool to soil conservation, hydraulic engineering and preservation of road projects. The objective of this work was to evaluate the spatial variability of maximum annual daily rain considering different return periods, at the Rio de Janeiro State. The data set was composed by historical series of 119 rain gauges, for 36 years of observation. The return periods, estimated by Gumbel distribution, were 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 years. The spatial variability of the return periods was evaluated by semivariograms. All the return periods presented spatial dependence, with exponential and spherical model fitted to the experimental semivariograms. The parameters of the fitted semivariogram model were very similar; however, it was observed the presence of higher nugget effects for semivariograms of longer return periods. The values of maximum annual daily average rain in all the return periods increased from north to south and from countryside to the coast. In the region between the Serra do Mar range and the coast, besides increasing in magnitude, an increase in the spatial variability of the studied values with increasing return periods was also noticed. This behavior is probably caused by the orographic effect. The interpolated maps were more erratic for higher return periods and at the North, Northeast and Coastal Plain regions, in which the installation of new pluviometric stations are recommended.

Does Aggregated Returns Disclosure Increase Portfolio Risk Taking?

Science.gov (United States)

Beshears, John; Choi, James J.; Laibson, David; Madrian, Brigitte C.

2016-01-01

Many experiments have found that participants take more investment risk if they see returns less frequently, see portfolio-level returns (rather than each individual asset’s returns), or see long-horizon (rather than one-year) historical return distributions. In contrast, we find that such information aggregation treatments do not affect total equity investment when we make the investment environment more realistic than in prior experiments. Previously documented aggregation effects are not robust to changes in the risky asset’s return distribution or the introduction of a multi-day delay between portfolio choice and return realizations. PMID:28553012

Has the athlete trained enough to return to play safely? The acute:chronic workload ratio permits clinicians to quantify a player's risk of subsequent injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanch, Peter; Gabbett, Tim J

2016-04-01

The return to sport from injury is a difficult multifactorial decision, and risk of reinjury is an important component. Most protocols for ascertaining the return to play status involve assessment of the healing status of the original injury and functional tests which have little proven predictive ability. Little attention has been paid to ascertaining whether an athlete has completed sufficient training to be prepared for competition. Recently, we have completed a series of studies in cricket, rugby league and Australian rules football that have shown that when an athlete's training and playing load for a given week (acute load) spikes above what they have been doing on average over the past 4 weeks (chronic load), they are more likely to be injured. This spike in the acute:chronic workload ratio may be from an unusual week or an ebbing of the athlete's training load over a period of time as in recuperation from injury. Our findings demonstrate a strong predictive (R(2)=0.53) polynomial relationship between acute:chronic workload ratio and injury likelihood. In the elite team setting, it is possible to quantify the loads we are expecting athletes to endure when returning to sport, so assessment of the acute:chronic workload ratio should be included in the return to play decision-making process. 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/

Pengaruh Indikator Rasio Keuangan Perusahaan Price Earning Ratio (PER dan Price to Book Value (PBV terhadap Return Portfolio Saham di Bursa Efek Jakarta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Gunawan

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This emerged during a kind of perception that the financial statements do not quite believable as the basis of capital market investment decisions. Using the results of the ratio of the financial statements as an object to be examined, the study will look at the extent of the influence indicator Price Earning Ratio and Price to Book Value of the Return Portfolio Shares on the Jakarta Stock Exchange. The results showed that of the portfolio is formed, it turns out the low indicators of Price Earning Ratio and Price to Book Value does not affect the portfolio return.

MULTICRITERIA DECISION-MAKING

NARCIS (Netherlands)

HENDRIKS, MMWB; DEBOER, JH; SMILDE, AK; DOORNBOS, DA

1992-01-01

Interest is growing in multicriteria decision making (MCDM) techniques and a large number of these techniques are now available. The purpose of this tutorial is to give a theoretical description of some of the MCDM techniques. Besides this we will give an overview of the differences and similarities

Are there Diminishing Returns to R&D?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Jakob B.

Semi-endogenous models and, to some extent, also Schumpeterian models are based on the assumption of diminishing returns to R&D. This paper shows that the null hypothesis of constant returns to R&D cannot be rejected for the OECD countries......Semi-endogenous models and, to some extent, also Schumpeterian models are based on the assumption of diminishing returns to R&D. This paper shows that the null hypothesis of constant returns to R&D cannot be rejected for the OECD countries...

Morally-Relevant Similarities and Differences Between Assisted Dying Practices in Paradigm and Non-Paradigm Circumstances: Could They Inform Regulatory Decisions?

Science.gov (United States)

Kirby, Jeffrey

2017-12-01

There has been contentious debate over the years about whether there are morally relevant similarities and differences between the three practices of continuous deep sedation until death, physician-assisted suicide, and voluntary euthanasia. Surprisingly little academic attention has been paid to a comparison of the uses of these practices in the two types of circumstances in which they are typically performed. A comparative domains of ethics analysis methodological approach is used in the paper to compare 1) the use of the three practices in paradigm circumstances, and 2) the use of the practices in paradigm circumstances to their use in non-paradigm circumstances. The analytical outcomes suggest that a bright moral line cannot be demonstrated between any two of the practices in paradigm circumstances, and that there are significant, morally-relevant distinctions between their use in paradigm and non-paradigm circumstances. A thought experiment is employed to illustrate how these outcomes could possibly inform the decisions of hypothetical deliberators who are engaged in the collaborative development of assisted dying regulatory frameworks.

A Model of Supervisor Decision-Making in the Accommodation of Workers with Low Back Pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams-Whitt, Kelly; Kristman, Vicki; Shaw, William S; Soklaridis, Sophie; Reguly, Paula

2016-09-01

Purpose To explore supervisors' perspectives and decision-making processes in the accommodation of back injured workers. Methods Twenty-three semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with supervisors from eleven Canadian organizations about their role in providing job accommodations. Supervisors were identified through an on-line survey and interviews were recorded, transcribed and entered into NVivo software. The initial analyses identified common units of meaning, which were used to develop a coding guide. Interviews were coded, and a model of supervisor decision-making was developed based on the themes, categories and connecting ideas identified in the data. Results The decision-making model includes a process element that is described as iterative "trial and error" decision-making. Medical restrictions are compared to job demands, employee abilities and available alternatives. A feasible modification is identified through brainstorming and then implemented by the supervisor. Resources used for brainstorming include information, supervisor experience and autonomy, and organizational supports. The model also incorporates the experience of accommodation as a job demand that causes strain for the supervisor. Accommodation demands affect the supervisor's attitude, brainstorming and monitoring effort, and communication with returning employees. Resources and demands have a combined effect on accommodation decision complexity, which in turn affects the quality of the accommodation option selected. If the employee is unable to complete the tasks or is reinjured during the accommodation, the decision cycle repeats. More frequent iteration through the trial and error process reduces the likelihood of return to work success. Conclusion A series of propositions is developed to illustrate the relationships among categories in the model. The model and propositions show: (a) the iterative, problem solving nature of the RTW process; (b) decision resources necessary

Structural similarity causes different category-effects depending on task characteristics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerlach, Christian

2001-01-01

difference was found on easy object decision tasks. In experiment 2 an advantage for natural objects was found during object decisions performed under degraded viewing conditions (lateralized stimulus presentation). It is argued that these findings can be accounted for by assuming that natural objects...... it is in difficult object decision tasks). However, when viewing conditions are degraded and performance tends to depend on global shape information (carried by low spatial frequency components), natural objects may fare better than artefacts because the global shape of natural objects reveals more of their identity......It has been suggested that category-specific impairments for natural objects may reflect that natural objects are more globally visually similar than artefacts and therefore more difficult to recognize following brain damage [Aphasiology 13 (1992) 169]. This account has been challenged...

Integrated science and engineering for the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission

Science.gov (United States)

Lauretta, D.

2014-07-01

, photometric, spectroscopic, thermal, regolith, and asteroid environmental properties. We have captured this information in a mission configuration-controlled document called the Design Reference Asteroid. This information is used across the project to establish the environmental requirements for the flight system and for overall mission design. Maintaining a Pristine Sample: OSIRIS-REx is driven by the top-level science objective to return >60 g of pristine, carbonaceous regolith from asteroid Bennu. We define a "pristine sample" to mean that no foreign material introduced into the sample hampers our scientific analysis. Basically, we know that some contamination will take place --- we just have to document it so that we can subtract it from our analysis of the returned sample. Engineering contamination requirements specify cleanliness in terms of particle counts and thin- films residues --- scientists define it in terms of bulk elemental and organic abundances. After initial discussions with our Contamination Engineers, we agreed on known, albeit challenging, particle and thin-film contamination levels for the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) and the Sample Return Capsule. These levels are achieved using established cleaning procedures while minimizing interferences for sample analysis. Selecting a Sample Site: The Sample Site Selection decision is based on four key data products: Deliverability, Safety, Sampleability, and Science Value Maps. Deliverability quantifies the probability that the Flight Dynamics team can deliver the spacecraft to the desired location on the asteroid surface. Safety maps assess candidate sites against the capabilities of the spacecraft. Sampleability requires an assessment of the asteroid surface properties vs. TAGSAM capabilities. Scientific value maximizes the probability that the collected sample contains organics and volatiles and can be placed in a geological context definitive enough to determine sample history. Science

Economic return from the Women's Health Initiative estrogen plus progestin clinical trial: a modeling study.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Joshua A; Etzioni, Ruth; Waters, Teresa M; Pettinger, Mary; Rossouw, Jacques E; Anderson, Garnet L; Chlebowski, Rowan T; Manson, Joann E; Hlatky, Mark; Johnson, Karen C; Ramsey, Scott D

2014-05-06

The findings of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) estrogen plus progestin (E+P) trial led to a substantial reduction in use of combined hormone therapy (cHT) among postmenopausal women in the United States. The economic effect of this shift has not been evaluated relative to the trial's $260 million cost (2012 U.S. dollars). To estimate the economic return from the WHI E+P trial. Decision model to simulate health outcomes for a "WHI scenario" with observed cHT use and a "no-WHI scenario" with cHT use extrapolated from the pretrial period. Primary analyses of WHI outcomes, peer-reviewed literature, and government sources. Postmenopausal women in the United States, aged 50 to 79 years, who did not have a hysterectomy. 2003 to 2012. Payer. Combined hormone therapy. Disease incidence, expenditure, quality-adjusted life-years, and net economic return. The WHI scenario resulted in 4.3 million fewer cHT users, 126,000 fewer breast cancer cases, 76,000 fewer cardiovascular disease cases, 263,000 more fractures, 145,000 more quality-adjusted life-years, and expenditure savings of $35.2 billion. The corresponding net economic return of the trial was $37.1 billion ($140 per dollar invested in the trial) at a willingness-to-pay level of $100,000 per quality-adjusted life-year. The 95% CI for the net economic return of the trial was $23.1 to $51.2 billion. No evaluation of indirect costs or outcomes beyond 2012. The WHI E+P trial made high-value use of public funds with a substantial return on investment. These results can contribute to discussions about the role of public funding for large, prospective trials with high potential for public health effects. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Regime switches in the risk-return trade-off

OpenAIRE

Marcellino, Massimiliano; Ghysels, Eric; Guerin, Pierre

2014-01-01

This paper deals with the estimation of the risk-return trade-off. We use a MIDAS model for the conditional variance and allow for possible switches in the risk-return relation through a Markov-switching specification. We find strong evidence for regime changes in the risk-return relation. This finding is robust to a large range of specifications. In the first regime characterized by low ex-post returns and high volatility, the risk-return relation is reversed, whereas the intuitive positive ...

ANALYSING TURKISH INDIVIDUAL PENSION SYSTEM FEES AND RETURNS

OpenAIRE

Peker, Ibrahim

2018-01-01

This study aims at categorizing, computing and analyzing fees and costs in Turkish Individual Pension System. To this end, net real returns after all costs were computed and these returns were compared with the disclosed fees and returns. Generally in practice, only fund management fees are taken into consideration for calculating net returns and with this method net annual average (geometric) return of the system is calculated as 2.01% for the 2008-2014 period. However, the results of this s...

Phobos Sample Return: Next Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Zelenyi, Lev; Martynov, Maxim; Zakharov, Alexander; Korablev, Oleg; Ivanov, Alexey; Karabadzak, George

The Martian moons still remain a mystery after numerous studies by Mars orbiting spacecraft. Their study cover three major topics related to (1) Solar system in general (formation and evolution, origin of planetary satellites, origin and evolution of life); (2) small bodies (captured asteroid, or remnants of Mars formation, or reaccreted Mars ejecta); (3) Mars (formation and evolution of Mars; Mars ejecta at the satellites). As reviewed by Galimov [2010] most of the above questions require the sample return from the Martian moon, while some (e.g. the characterization of the organic matter) could be also answered by in situ experiments. There is the possibility to obtain the sample of Mars material by sampling Phobos: following to Chappaz et al. [2012] a 200-g sample could contain 10-7 g of Mars surface material launched during the past 1 mln years, or 5*10-5 g of Mars material launched during the past 10 mln years, or 5*1010 individual particles from Mars, quantities suitable for accurate laboratory analyses. The studies of Phobos have been of high priority in the Russian program on planetary research for many years. Phobos-88 mission consisted of two spacecraft (Phobos-1, Phobos-2) and aimed the approach to Phobos at 50 m and remote studies, and also the release of small landers (long-living stations DAS). This mission implemented the program incompletely. It was returned information about the Martian environment and atmosphere. The next profect Phobos Sample Return (Phobos-Grunt) initially planned in early 2000 has been delayed several times owing to budget difficulties; the spacecraft failed to leave NEO in 2011. The recovery of the science goals of this mission and the delivery of the samples of Phobos to Earth remain of highest priority for Russian scientific community. The next Phobos SR mission named Boomerang was postponed following the ExoMars cooperation, but is considered the next in the line of planetary exploration, suitable for launch around 2022. A

Do expectancies of return to work and Job satisfaction predict actual return to work in workers with long lasting LBP?

Science.gov (United States)

Opsahl, Jon; Eriksen, Hege R; Tveito, Torill H

2016-11-17

Musculoskeletal disorders including low back pain have major individual and socioeconomic consequences as it often leads to disability and long-term sick leave and exclusion from working life. Predictors of disability and return to work often differ, and the dominant knowledge is on predictors for prolonged sick leave and disability. Therefore it is also important to identify key predictors for return to work. The aim of the study was to assess if overall job satisfaction and expectancies of return to work predicts actual return to work after 12 months, among employees with long lasting low back pain, and to assess if there were gender differences in the predictors. Data from the Cognitive interventions and nutritional supplements trial (CINS Trial) was used. Predictors for return to work were examined in 574 employees that had been on sick leave 2-10 months for low back pain, before entering the trial. Data were analysed with multiple logistic regression models stratified by gender, and adjusted for potential confounders. Regardless of gender high expectancies were a strong and significant predictor of return to work at 12 months, while high levels of job satisfaction were not a significant predictor. There were no differences in the levels of expectancies or overall job satisfaction between men and women. However, men had in general higher odds of returning to work compared with women. Among individuals with long lasting low back pain high expectancies of returning to work were strongly associated with successful return to work. We do not know what factors influence individual expectancies of return to work. Screening expectancies and giving individuals with low expectancies interventions with a goal to change expectancies of return to work, such as CBT or self-management interventions, may contribute to increase actual return to work. http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ , with registration number NCT00463970 . The trial was registered at the 18th of April 2007.

KINERJA KEUANGAN KONVENSIONAL, ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED, DAN RETURN SAHAM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bambang Sudiyatno

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji pengaruh kinerja keuangan konvensional; Return on Asset (ROA, Return on Equity (ROE, Residual Income (RI, dan kinerja keuangan yang lebih modern; Economic Value Added (EVA terhadap return saham pada perusahaan-perusahaan dalam industry makanan dan minuman yang terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia. Pengambilan sampel dalam penelitian ini menggunakan metode sensus, karena semua perusahaan dalam industry makanan dan minuman digunakan sebagai sampel. Namun dalam proses samplingnya mengunakan metode purposive sampling, yaitu menggunakan sampel dengan criteria-kriteria tertentu. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Return on Asset (ROA dan Residual Income (RI berpengaruh positif dan secara statistik signifikan terhadap return saham pada level signifikansi 1%. Sedangkan Return on Equity (ROE berpengaruh negative dan secara statistik signifikan terhadap return saham pada level signifikansi 10%, dan Economic Value Added (ERA berpengaruh positif tetapi tidak signifikan terhadap return saham.This study aims to test the effect of conventional financial performance i.e. Return on Asset (ROA, Return on Equity (ROE, Residual Income (RI, and the more modern financial performance which is Economic Value Added (EVA toward stock returns on companies in the food and beverage industry listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange. Sampling technique in this study uses the census method, all companies in the food and beverage industry are used as a sample. The process of sampling using purposive sampling method. The result shows that Return On Asset (ROA and Residual Income (RI are positive and statistic significant impact on the stock returns at significance level 1%. While the Return on Equity (ROE is negative and statistic significant impact on the stock returns at significance level 10%, Economic Value Added (EVA is positive and statistic not significant impact on the stock returns.

Identification of reverse logistics decision types from mathematical models

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Pascual Cortés Pellicer

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The increase in social awareness, politics and environmental regulation, the scarcity of raw materials and the desired “green” image, are some of the reasons that lead companies to decide for implement processes of Reverse Logistics (RL. At the time when incorporate new RL processes as key business processes, new and important decisions need to be made. Identification and knowledge of these decisions, including the information available and the implications for the company or supply chain, will be fundamental for decision-makers to achieve the best results. In the present work, the main types of RL decisions are identified. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is based on the analysis of mathematical models designed as tools to aid decision making in the field of RL. Once the types of interest work to be analyzed are defined, those studies that really deal about the object of study are searched and analyzed. The decision variables that are taken at work are identified and grouped according to the type of decision and, finally, are showed the main types of decisions used in mathematical models developed in the field of RL.     Findings: The principal conclusion of the research is that the most commonly addressed decisions with mathematical models in the field of RL are those related to the network’s configuration, followed by tactical/operative decisions such as the selections of product’s treatments to realize and the policy of returns or prices, among other decisions. Originality/value: The identification of the main decisions types of the reverse logistics will allow the managers of these processes to know and understand them better, while offer an integrated vision of them, favoring the achievement of better results.

The Determinants of Return Migration: Evidence for Kosovo

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Ardiana Gashi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Return migration represents a potentially important contributor to economic development for countries that are large exporters of labor. This paper provides an analysis of the determinants of return migration to Kosovo, a country with an especially high level of recent emigration. The findings of this investigation suggest that there is a non-linear relationship between the age of the migrant and their probability of returning. In addition, the more educated migrants and those that have acquired additional education whilst abroad are more likely to return, whereas recent migrants, those that possess permanent resident status and have their family abroad are less likely to return. As expected, the stronger the family ties of a migrant with their home country, the more likely they are to return. Finally, migrants that are expected to invest in businesses in Kosovo are more inclined to return. Together these findings suggest that return migration may be an important contributor to economic development in Kosovo and policies are outlined that could strengthen this contribution.

Phishing Detection: Analysis of Visual Similarity Based Approaches

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Ankit Kumar Jain

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Phishing is one of the major problems faced by cyber-world and leads to financial losses for both industries and individuals. Detection of phishing attack with high accuracy has always been a challenging issue. At present, visual similarities based techniques are very useful for detecting phishing websites efficiently. Phishing website looks very similar in appearance to its corresponding legitimate website to deceive users into believing that they are browsing the correct website. Visual similarity based phishing detection techniques utilise the feature set like text content, text format, HTML tags, Cascading Style Sheet (CSS, image, and so forth, to make the decision. These approaches compare the suspicious website with the corresponding legitimate website by using various features and if the similarity is greater than the predefined threshold value then it is declared phishing. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of phishing attacks, their exploitation, some of the recent visual similarity based approaches for phishing detection, and its comparative study. Our survey provides a better understanding of the problem, current solution space, and scope of future research to deal with phishing attacks efficiently using visual similarity based approaches.

Cross-polarization microwave radar return at severe wind conditions: laboratory model and geophysical model function.

Science.gov (United States)

Troitskaya, Yuliya; Abramov, Victor; Ermoshkin, Alexey; Zuikova, Emma; Kazakov, Vassily; Sergeev, Daniil; Kandaurov, Alexandr

2014-05-01

(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.

Communicating Value in Simulation: Cost-Benefit Analysis and Return on Investment.

Science.gov (United States)

Asche, Carl V; Kim, Minchul; Brown, Alisha; Golden, Antoinette; Laack, Torrey A; Rosario, Javier; Strother, Christopher; Totten, Vicken Y; Okuda, Yasuharu

2018-02-01

Value-based health care requires a balancing of medical outcomes with economic value. Administrators need to understand both the clinical and the economic effects of potentially expensive simulation programs to rationalize the costs. Given the often-disparate priorities of clinical educators relative to health care administrators, justifying the value of simulation requires the use of economic analyses few physicians have been trained to conduct. Clinical educators need to be able to present thorough economic analyses demonstrating returns on investment and cost-effectiveness to effectively communicate with administrators. At the 2017 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference "Catalyzing System Change through Health Care Simulation: Systems, Competency, and Outcomes," our breakout session critically evaluated the cost-benefit and return on investment of simulation. In this paper we provide an overview of some of the economic tools that a clinician may use to present the value of simulation training to financial officers and other administrators in the economic terms they understand. We also define three themes as a call to action for research related to cost-benefit analysis in simulation as well as four specific research questions that will help guide educators and hospital leadership to make decisions on the value of simulation for their system or program. © 2017 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Estimating Exchange Rate Exposure over Various Return Horizons: Focusing on Major Countries in East Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeong Wook Lee

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we estimate the exchange rate exposure, indicating the effect of exchange rate movements on firm values, for a sample of 1,400 firms in seven East Asian countries. The exposure estimates based on various exchange rate variables, return horizons and a control variable are compared. A key result from our analysis is that the long term effect of exchange rate movements on firm values is greater than the short term effect. And we find very similar results from using other exchange rate variables such as the U.S. dollar exchange rate, etc. Second, we add exchange rate volatility as a control variable and find that the extent of exposure is not much changed. Third, we examine the changes in exposure to exchange rate volatility with an increase in return horizon. Consequently the ratio of firms with significant exposures increases with the return horizons. Interestingly, the increase of exposure with the return horizons is faster for exposure to volatility than for exposure to exchange rate itself. Taken as a whole, our findings suggest that the so-called "exposure puzzle" may be a matter of the methodology used to measure exposure.

Corporate Governance and Equity Returns

OpenAIRE

Uchida, Shigeru

2012-01-01

This paper analyses the relationship between corporate governance and equity returns from the small investors view point. A primary survey has been conducted to gather the data required to examine the link. Preliminary result of the study shows that the four elements of governance: board structure, transparency, fairness and responsibility are positively related with equity returns.

Effectiveness of Securities with Fuzzy Probabilistic Return

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Krzysztof Piasecki

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The generalized fuzzy present value of a security is defined here as fuzzy valued utility of cash flow. The generalized fuzzy present value cannot depend on the value of future cash flow. There exists such a generalized fuzzy present value which is not a fuzzy present value in the sense given by some authors. If the present value is a fuzzy number and the future value is a random one, then the return rate is given as a probabilistic fuzzy subset on a real line. This kind of return rate is called a fuzzy probabilistic return. The main goal of this paper is to derive the family of effective securities with fuzzy probabilistic return. Achieving this goal requires the study of the basic parameters characterizing fuzzy probabilistic return. Therefore, fuzzy expected value and variance are determined for this case of return. These results are a starting point for constructing a three-dimensional image. The set of effective securities is introduced as the Pareto optimal set determined by the maximization of the expected return rate and minimization of the variance. Finally, the set of effective securities is distinguished as a fuzzy set. These results are obtained without the assumption that the distribution of future values is Gaussian. (original abstract

22 CFR 42.22 - Returning resident aliens.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Returning resident aliens. 42.22 Section 42.22... Returning resident aliens. (a) Requirements for returning resident status. An alien shall be classifiable as... presented that: (1) The alien had the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the...

The return period analysis of natural disasters with statistical modeling of bivariate joint probability distribution.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ning; Liu, Xueqin; Xie, Wei; Wu, Jidong; Zhang, Peng

2013-01-01

New features of natural disasters have been observed over the last several years. The factors that influence the disasters' formation mechanisms, regularity of occurrence and main characteristics have been revealed to be more complicated and diverse in nature than previously thought. As the uncertainty involved increases, the variables need to be examined further. This article discusses the importance and the shortage of multivariate analysis of natural disasters and presents a method to estimate the joint probability of the return periods and perform a risk analysis. Severe dust storms from 1990 to 2008 in Inner Mongolia were used as a case study to test this new methodology, as they are normal and recurring climatic phenomena on Earth. Based on the 79 investigated events and according to the dust storm definition with bivariate, the joint probability distribution of severe dust storms was established using the observed data of maximum wind speed and duration. The joint return periods of severe dust storms were calculated, and the relevant risk was analyzed according to the joint probability. The copula function is able to simulate severe dust storm disasters accurately. The joint return periods generated are closer to those observed in reality than the univariate return periods and thus have more value in severe dust storm disaster mitigation, strategy making, program design, and improvement of risk management. This research may prove useful in risk-based decision making. The exploration of multivariate analysis methods can also lay the foundation for further applications in natural disaster risk analysis. © 2012 Society for Risk Analysis.

Personalized Mortality Prediction Driven by Electronic Medical Data and a Patient Similarity Metric

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Joon; Maslove, David M.; Dubin, Joel A.

2015-01-01

Background Clinical outcome prediction normally employs static, one-size-fits-all models that perform well for the average patient but are sub-optimal for individual patients with unique characteristics. In the era of digital healthcare, it is feasible to dynamically personalize decision support by identifying and analyzing similar past patients, in a way that is analogous to personalized product recommendation in e-commerce. Our objectives were: 1) to prove that analyzing only similar patients leads to better outcome prediction performance than analyzing all available patients, and 2) to characterize the trade-off between training data size and the degree of similarity between the training data and the index patient for whom prediction is to be made. Methods and Findings We deployed a cosine-similarity-based patient similarity metric (PSM) to an intensive care unit (ICU) database to identify patients that are most similar to each patient and subsequently to custom-build 30-day mortality prediction models. Rich clinical and administrative data from the first day in the ICU from 17,152 adult ICU admissions were analyzed. The results confirmed that using data from only a small subset of most similar patients for training improves predictive performance in comparison with using data from all available patients. The results also showed that when too few similar patients are used for training, predictive performance degrades due to the effects of small sample sizes. Our PSM-based approach outperformed well-known ICU severity of illness scores. Although the improved prediction performance is achieved at the cost of increased computational burden, Big Data technologies can help realize personalized data-driven decision support at the point of care. Conclusions The present study provides crucial empirical evidence for the promising potential of personalized data-driven decision support systems. With the increasing adoption of electronic medical record (EMR) systems, our

Return currents in solar flares - Collisionless effects

Science.gov (United States)

Rowland, H. L.; Vlahos, L.

1985-01-01

If the primary, precipitating electrons in a solar flare are unstable to beam plasma interactions, it is shown that strong Langmuir turbulence can seriously modify the way in which a return current is carried by the background plasma. In particular, the return (or reverse) current will not be carried by the bulk of the electrons, but by a small number of high velocity electrons. For beam/plasma densities greater than 0.01, this can reduce the effects of collisions on the return current. For higher density beams where the return current could be unstable to current driven instabilities, the effects of strong turbulence anomalous resistivity is shown to prevent the appearance of such instabilities. Again in this regime, how the return current is carried is determined by the beam generated strong turbulence.

Financial returns on R&D: looking back at history, looking forward to adaptive licensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Scannell, J W; Hinds, S; Evans, R

2015-01-01

Investment in R&D for drugs launched in the late 1970s to early 1990s generated good returns for investors. R&D was inexpensive. Clinical trial success rates were high. Consumption was increasing. Drug prices were outstripping inflation, which raised profit margins. Tax rates were falling. However, returns on R&D have been falling since the early 1990s given rising clinical trial costs, rising trial failure rates, and lower consumption growth in developed markets. Many investors believe that average financial returns on today's R&D will be below the cost of capital, particularly if US drug price inflation moderates. Thus R&D investment by major drug companies is flat or perhaps falling in real terms. Various regulatory initiatives have tried to streamline clinical development and approval. The latest is Adaptive Licensing (AL). The near-term effect of AL on industry-level financial returns will be modest. AL will, however, be salient for decisions to invest in specific trials and may make it easier for smaller companies to fund development. AL could become more important in the long run if it helps shift industry, regulators, and payers from what has been an increasingly linear model of innovation; predicated on the ideas that basic science predicts, trials test predictions, and trial results form a complete description of a drug's attributes. History shows that many drugs become important because doctors and patients discover utility that was not initially apparent to regulators, payers, or investors. One hope for AL, therefore, is that it will bring more acceptably safe chemical diversity into real world use at lower R&D cost.

Value at Risk and Hedge Fund Return - Does High Risk Bring High Return?

OpenAIRE

Jing, Tao; Zhao, Hongxiang

2010-01-01

This paper mainly focuses on the correlation between live hedge fund return and their value at risk (VaR), and is based on the historical data from May 2000 to April 2010. The authors adopt portfolio level analyses and fund level cross-sectional regression, and find that there is significant positive correlation, both statistically and economically, between the hedge fund return and VaRs (parametric, non-parametric and GARCH). Further research is conducted by sub-dividing the overall period i...

Mars Earth Return Vehicle (MERV) Propulsion Options

Science.gov (United States)

Oleson, Steven R.; McGuire, Melissa L.; Burke, Laura; Fincannon, James; Warner, Joe; Williams, Glenn; Parkey, Thomas; Colozza, Tony; Fittje, Jim; Martini, Mike;

Linkage between company scores and stock returns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saban Celik

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Previous studies on company scores conducted at firm-level, generally concluded that there exists a positive relation between company scores and stock returns. Motivated by these studies, this study examines the relationship between company scores (Corporate Governance Score, Economic Score, Environmental Score, and Social Score and stock returns, both at portfolio-level analysis and firm-level cross-sectional regressions. In portfolio-level analysis, stocks are sorted based on each company scores and quintile portfolio are formed with different levels of company scores. Then, existence and significance of raw returns and risk-adjusted returns difference between portfolios with the extreme company scores (portfolio 10 and portfolio 1 is tested. In addition, firm-level cross-sectional regression is performed to examine the significance of company scores effects with control variables. While portfolio-level analysis results indicate that there is no significant relation between company scores and stock returns; firm-level analysis indicates that economic, environmental, and social scores have effect on stock returns, however, significance and direction of these effects change, depending on the included control variables in the cross-sectional regression.

Inactive nurses in Taiwan: human capital, intention to return to hospital nursing, and incentives for returning.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Hsing-Yi; Tang, Fu-In; Chen, I-Ju; Yin, Teresa J C; Chen, Chu-Chieh; Yu, Shu

2016-04-01

To investigate inactive nurses' human capital, intention to return to hospital nursing and incentives for returning. Few studies have discussed the loss of human capital with regard to inactive nurses and how to attract them to return to clinical work. Systematic random sampling was used, with 328 subjects completing the mailed questionnaires, resulting in a response rate of 25.4%. Inactive nurses not only had moderate to high human capital (average years of nursing experience was 10.29, with moderate to high levels of nursing professional commitment and nursing competence) and were young. Forty-three percent of subjects reported intending to return to hospital nursing. Sufficient nurse staffing, greater safety in the working environment, and re-entry preparation programmes were incentives for returning. Recruiting inactive nurses back to hospital work is vital and feasible as inactive nurses had a moderate to high degree of human capital. The most feasible way is offering reasonable working conditions, in particular, providing sufficient staffing, a safe working environment and re-entry preparation programmes. The findings confirm the human capital of inactive nurses and provide concrete directions for nursing managers to follow when recruiting inactive nurses to hospital nursing. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

20 CFR 30.317 - Can the FAB request a further response from the claimant or return a claim to the district office?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Can the FAB request a further response from....317 Can the FAB request a further response from the claimant or return a claim to the district office? At any time before the issuance of its final decision, the FAB may request that the claimant submit...

Decision Making under Uncertainty: A Neural Model based on Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes

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Rajesh P N Rao

2010-11-01

Full Text Available A fundamental problem faced by animals is learning to select actions based on noisy sensory information and incomplete knowledge of the world. It has been suggested that the brain engages in Bayesian inference during perception but how such probabilistic representations are used to select actions has remained unclear. Here we propose a neural model of action selection and decision making based on the theory of partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs. Actions are selected based not on a single optimal estimate of state but on the posterior distribution over states (the belief state. We show how such a model provides a unified framework for explaining experimental results in decision making that involve both information gathering and overt actions. The model utilizes temporal difference (TD learning for maximizing expected reward. The resulting neural architecture posits an active role for the neocortex in belief computation while ascribing a role to the basal ganglia in belief representation, value computation, and action selection. When applied to the random dots motion discrimination task, model neurons representing belief exhibit responses similar to those of LIP neurons in primate neocortex. The appropriate threshold for switching from information gathering to overt actions emerges naturally during reward maximization. Additionally, the time course of reward prediction error in the model shares similarities with dopaminergic responses in the basal ganglia during the random dots task. For tasks with a deadline, the model learns a decision making strategy that changes with elapsed time, predicting a collapsing decision threshold consistent with some experimental studies. The model provides a new framework for understanding neural decision making and suggests an important role for interactions between the neocortex and the basal ganglia in learning the mapping between probabilistic sensory representations and actions that maximize

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Exploring Longitudinal Risk-return Relationships

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Torben J.; Bettis, Richard A.

2015-01-01

We study a longitudinal fit model of adaptation and its association with the longitudinal risk-return relationship. The model allows the firm to adjust its position in response to partial learning about a changing environment characterized by two path-dependent processes—a random walk and a stoch......We study a longitudinal fit model of adaptation and its association with the longitudinal risk-return relationship. The model allows the firm to adjust its position in response to partial learning about a changing environment characterized by two path-dependent processes—a random walk...... can lead to the inverse longitudinal risk-return relationships observed empirically. We discuss this apparent paradox and the possible resolution between mindless and conscious behavior as plausible causes of the longitudinal Bowman Paradox....

Assessment of an alternative postdeployment reintegration strategy with soldiers returning from Iraq.

Science.gov (United States)

Sipos, Maurice L; Foran, Heather M; Wood, Michael D; Wright, Kathleen M; Barnhart, Vincent J; Riviere, Lyndon A; Adler, Amy B

2014-05-01

The present study examined behavioral health outcomes, risk behaviors, aggression, alcohol misuse, marital satisfaction, and attitudes toward reintegration associated with an alternative, front-loaded reintegration strategy compared with a more standardized reintegration process in soldiers returning from combat deployments. The type of reintegration strategy used did not predict differences in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, alcohol misuse, aggression, and marital satisfaction, although slightly higher reports of risk behaviors were found in the unit using the standard reintegration approach even after controlling for demographic covariates and combat exposure. These findings may help guide leadership when making decisions regarding reintegration approaches in the future. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Can Social Media Content Increase Financial Market Returns? Survey Results from Poland

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Cwynar Andrzej

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Background and Purpose: In recent years classic financial market theory based on decision makers’ rationality has been challenged by repeated anomalies that became a ‘new normal’. As a result, what we witness today is a considerable turn to behavioral concepts that can shed a new light on choices made by market participants. The astonishing development of social media accelerated scientific validation of such concepts, since the media opened new and capacious ‘laboratory space’ for testing behavioral hypotheses. The main purpose of the article is to examine whether financial market professionals believe that social media content can be useful in achieving additional financial market returns and to investigate the factors behind this belief.

Individual differences in emotion processing: how similar are diffusion model parameters across tasks?

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Christina J; White, Corey N; Kuchinke, Lars

2017-11-27

The goal of this study was to replicate findings of diffusion model parameters capturing emotion effects in a lexical decision task and investigating whether these findings extend to other tasks of implicit emotion processing. Additionally, we were interested in the stability of diffusion model parameters across emotional stimuli and tasks for individual subjects. Responses to words in a lexical decision task were compared with responses to faces in a gender categorization task for stimuli of the emotion categories: happy, neutral and fear. Main effects of emotion as well as stability of emerging response style patterns as evident in diffusion model parameters across these tasks were analyzed. Based on earlier findings, drift rates were assumed to be more similar in response to stimuli of the same emotion category compared to stimuli of a different emotion category. Results showed that emotion effects of the tasks differed with a processing advantage for happy followed by neutral and fear-related words in the lexical decision task and a processing advantage for neutral followed by happy and fearful faces in the gender categorization task. Both emotion effects were captured in estimated drift rate parameters-and in case of the lexical decision task also in the non-decision time parameters. A principal component analysis showed that contrary to our hypothesis drift rates were more similar within a specific task context than within a specific emotion category. Individual response patterns of subjects across tasks were evident in significant correlations regarding diffusion model parameters including response styles, non-decision times and information accumulation.

Similarity, trust in institutions, affect, and populism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scholderer, Joachim; Finucane, Melissa L.

-based evaluations are fundamental to human information processing, they can contribute significantly to other judgments (such as the risk, cost-effectiveness, trustworthiness) of the same stimulus object. Although deliberation and analysis are certainly important in some decision-making circumstances, reliance...... on affect is a quicker, easier, and a more efficient way of navigating in a complex and uncertain world. Hence, many theorists give affect a direct and primary role in motivating behavior. Taken together, the results provide uncannily strong support for the value-similarity hypothesis, strengthening...... types of information about gene technology. The materials were attributed to different institutions. The results indicated that participants' trust in an institution was a function of the similarity between the position advocated in the materials and participants' own attitudes towards gene technology...

The Reference Return Ratio

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nicolaisen, Jeppe; Faber Frandsen, Tove

2008-01-01

The paper introduces a new journal impact measure called The Reference Return Ratio (3R). Unlike the traditional Journal Impact Factor (JIF), which is based on calculations of publications and citations, the new measure is based on calculations of bibliographic investments (references) and returns...... (citations). A comparative study of the two measures shows a strong relationship between the 3R and the JIF. Yet, the 3R appears to correct for citation habits, citation dynamics, and composition of document types - problems that typically are raised against the JIF. In addition, contrary to traditional...

Return to nucleate boiling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shumway, R.W.

1985-01-01

This paper presents a collection of TMIN (temperature of return to nucleate boiling) correlations, evaluates them under several conditions, and compares them with a wide range of data. Purpose is to obtain the best one for use in a water reactor safety computer simulator known as TRAC-B. Return to nucleate boiling can occur in a reactor accident at either high or low pressure and flow rates. Most of the correlations yield unrealistic results under some conditions. A new correlation is proposed which overcomes many of the deficiencies

SKEWNESS IN STOCK RETURNS: EVIDENCE FROM THE BUCHAREST STOCK EXCHANGE DURING 2000 – 2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

IULIAN PANAIT

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Our paper investigates the symmetry in stock returns of the 30 most liquid companies traded on Bucharest Stock Exchange during 2000 – 2011 and also the most representative 5 market indices. Our daily data shows that skewness estimates are slightly negative for most indices and individual stocks, but only a few present values significantly different from the characteristics of a normal distribution. We compare our results with skewness estimates for 21 major and emerging stock market indices around the world and find that such results are similar to other low capitalization and trading volume markets. For all the Romanian and international assets studied, the Studentized-Range (St-R and Jarque-Bera (J-B tests reject the hypothesis of normal distribution of daily returns.

MANAJEMEN LABA, RETURN SAHAM, DAN KINERJA OPERASI SEBAGAI PEMODERASI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farid Addy Sumantri

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine the indications of the practice of earnings management at the time of the IPO, one year after the IPO, and two years after the IPO. This study also examined the effect of earnings management on stock returns and operating performance in moderating the relationship between earnings management and stock returns. The study sample comprised 33 firms that go public in the year 2007 to 2011 using a purposive sampling method. Earnings management is proxied by discretionary accruals using the Modified Jones Model, which used proxy for the stock return is cummulative abnormal returns (CAR, while for the company's operating performance used proxy for the return on assets (ROA. The results showed that there were indications of earnings management at the time of the IPO, one year after the IPO, and two years after the IPO with a lower profit rate. No effect on earnings management is proxied by stock return cummulative abnormal returns (CAR. Operating performance of the company also can not moderate the relationship between earnings management with stock return.   Keywords: Earning Management, Initial Public Offering, Cummulative Abnormal Return, Return On Asset

Investing in Cognac Producing Vineyards to Hedge Wealth While Receiving High Returns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hakob Hakobyan

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The general trend over the last decade for investments has been moving towards emerging markets, where investors are promised high returns for risky investments. These kind of investments favor the brave and bold, but are frightening for the risk averse. In this paper I will be presenting the opportunities that an investment into cognac producing vineyards can offer. High return and relatively low risk investment opportunities that exists in France. Included in the paper will be examples of large investments made recently into the industry. I will analyze the trends in the market over the past 8 years for the prices of land, cognac itself and the ease of sales of such products. There will also be an in-depth explanation of why cognac is today’s least risky product to invest into, comparing it to the Champagne regions’ similar historic trends. The findings show that land prices have increased at an average of 10% while simultaneously the price of cognac, has grow at an average of 14%. This product also has a unique hedging opportunity for investors. In short, excluding the growth of cognac prices in general the product itself gains value the longer it is stored, by an average of 12%. In this industry there are 5 big players that compete with each other on quality and also access to future stocks. This reality gives an investor the unique ability to sign futures contracts for 100% of their production over a 5 year period (standard market contract. Similar contracts can be signed with cooperatives who manage the lands for the investor, making the investment hassle free. This allows for an assured projection of both costs and returns for an unprecedented length of time compared to any other industry today. In conclusion, cognac producing vineyards are an investment that can potentially bring high returns, while being able to hedge the investment and see capital gains over the course of time. There will be a final simulation of a 5 year

Sequential decision making in computational sustainability via adaptive submodularity

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, Andreas; Golovin, Daniel; Converse, Sarah J.

2015-01-01

Many problems in computational sustainability require making a sequence of decisions in complex, uncertain environments. Such problems are generally notoriously difficult. In this article, we review the recently discovered notion of adaptive submodularity, an intuitive diminishing returns condition that generalizes the classical notion of submodular set functions to sequential decision problems. Problems exhibiting the adaptive submodularity property can be efficiently and provably near-optimally solved using simple myopic policies. We illustrate this concept in several case studies of interest in computational sustainability: First, we demonstrate how it can be used to efficiently plan for resolving uncertainty in adaptive management scenarios. Secondly, we show how it applies to dynamic conservation planning for protecting endangered species, a case study carried out in collaboration with the US Geological Survey and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Predicting the intentions of women in domestic violence shelters to return to partners: does forgiveness play a role?

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Kristina Coop; Burton, Shacunda; Porter, Laura

2004-06-01

Recent findings indicate that college women's forgiveness of hypothetical dating violence was predictive of their hypothetical decisions to stay in the relationship. This study was designed to evaluate the role of forgiveness in women's intentions to return to their partners from a domestic violence shelter. A sample of 121 women residing in both urban and rural domestic violence shelters filled out a series of questionnaires evaluating demographic information, severity of violence, attributions for violence, psychological constraints (or investment), and forgiveness of the partner. Forgiveness was found to predict intention to return to partner over and above the other variables studied. These findings suggest that the degree to which women are willing to "move on" from the abuse and to let go of their anger toward their partners may play a significant role in their intention to remain in a relationship with their partners.

Evaluation of the return rate of volunteer blood donors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana de Fátima Lourençon

2011-06-01

Full Text Available 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.

The role of personal values in Chinese consumers' food consumption decisions. A case study of healthy drinks.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Pui Yee; Lusk, Karen; Mirosa, Miranda; Oey, Indrawati

2014-02-01

Differences in culture, language, and behavior between Chinese and Western consumers make entering the Chinese market a challenge. Chinese consumers may desire similar product features (e.g. brand name, quality, and flavor) to Western consumers but the value that consumers attach to the same product may differ cross-nationally. Besides values, an understanding of desired product attributes and the consequences linking to these values is also important. To the authors' knowledge, there is no published scientific research that investigates how personal values influence Chinese consumers' food consumption decisions. The aim of this research was to identify the links among product attributes, consequences of these attributes, and personal values associated with healthy drink consumption decisions within the Chinese market. Specifically, this research employed means-end chain theory and used association pattern technique (APT) as the main data collection technique to identify these links. Focus groups (n=6) were held in Hangzhou, China to identify the important attributes and consequences involved in the consumption decisions of healthy drinks. These attributes and consequences along with Schwartz's 10 basic values were used to construct the matrices included in the APT survey. A total of 600 APT surveys were administered in six different companies in Hangzhou, with 570 returned. Construction of the hierarchical value map (HVM) identified four of Schwartz's personal values influencing Chinese consumers' healthy drink consumption decisions: security, hedonism, benevolence, and self-direction. Food safety was the foremost concern for Chinese consumers when choosing healthy drinks. Chinese consumers also sought a good tasting and nutritious drink that was good value for money. Results from this study provide food marketers with an in-depth understanding of Chinese consumers' healthy drink consumption decisions. Implications and recommendations are provided that will assist

Return migration as failure or success? : The determinants of return migration intentions among Moroccan migrants in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Haas, H.; Fokkema, T.; Fihri, M.F.

2015-01-01

Different migration theories generate competing hypotheses with regard to determinants of return migration. While neoclassical migration theory associates migration to the failure to integrate at the destination, the new economics of labour migration sees return migration as the logical stage after

Global Variance Risk Premium and Forex Return Predictability

OpenAIRE

Aloosh, Arash

2014-01-01

In a long-run risk model with stochastic volatility and frictionless markets, I express expected forex returns as a function of consumption growth variances and stock variance risk premiums (VRPs)—the difference between the risk-neutral and statistical expectations of market return variation. This provides a motivation for using the forward-looking information available in stock market volatility indices to predict forex returns. Empirically, I find that stock VRPs predict forex returns at a ...

How similar are recognition memory and inductive reasoning?

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, Brett K; Heit, Evan

2013-07-01

Conventionally, memory and reasoning are seen as different types of cognitive activities driven by different processes. In two experiments, we challenged this view by examining the relationship between recognition memory and inductive reasoning involving multiple forms of similarity. A common study set (members of a conjunctive category) was followed by a test set containing old and new category members, as well as items that matched the study set on only one dimension. The study and test sets were presented under recognition or induction instructions. In Experiments 1 and 2, the inductive property being generalized was varied in order to direct attention to different dimensions of similarity. When there was no time pressure on decisions, patterns of positive responding were strongly affected by property type, indicating that different types of similarity were driving recognition and induction. By comparison, speeded judgments showed weaker property effects and could be explained by generalization based on overall similarity. An exemplar model, GEN-EX (GENeralization from EXamples), could account for both the induction and recognition data. These findings show that induction and recognition share core component processes, even when the tasks involve flexible forms of similarity.

Using Multimodal Input for Autonomous Decision Making for Unmanned Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Neilan, James H.; Cross, Charles; Rothhaar, Paul; Tran, Loc; Motter, Mark; Qualls, Garry; Trujillo, Anna; Allen, B. Danette

2016-01-01

Autonomous decision making in the presence of uncertainly is a deeply studied problem space particularly in the area of autonomous systems operations for land, air, sea, and space vehicles. Various techniques ranging from single algorithm solutions to complex ensemble classifier systems have been utilized in a research context in solving mission critical flight decisions. Realized systems on actual autonomous hardware, however, is a difficult systems integration problem, constituting a majority of applied robotics development timelines. The ability to reliably and repeatedly classify objects during a vehicles mission execution is vital for the vehicle to mitigate both static and dynamic environmental concerns such that the mission may be completed successfully and have the vehicle operate and return safely. In this paper, the Autonomy Incubator proposes and discusses an ensemble learning and recognition system planned for our autonomous framework, AEON, in selected domains, which fuse decision criteria, using prior experience on both the individual classifier layer and the ensemble layer to mitigate environmental uncertainty during operation.

Better understanding flow-restricted environments from hideout return analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ollar, Ph.; Viricel-Honorez, L.

1998-01-01

Understanding and controlling the chemical phenomena in flow-restricted areas of the secondary side of steam generators (SG) is a key point in fighting against corrosion (IGA) in these areas. Hence, more than 150 hideout returns from French plants are used to assess the chemical environment in flow-restricted areas. The influence of several parameters such as tube support plates design, SG blowdown flowrate and temperature at the end of hideout returns, on returned weights and on flow-restricted environments predicted by modelling are examined. A correlation between different operating and returned chemistry indexes (molar ratios), and IGA is sought: no link is found between IGA and Na/Cl molar ratio at the beginning of hideout returns. However, as IGA extends, the returned weights of sodium and chloride seem to decrease, suggesting a greater hideout and a lower hideout return efficiency, perhaps due to SG fouling, and/or a smaller hideout/hideout return thanks to an improved operating chemistry. Using the pH computed from hideout return data as an index for the presence of IGA is also studied: no correlation is found between the two. Improving plants chemistry is finally proposed, based on an optimization of hideout returns. (authors)

A decision support system using combined-classifier for high-speed data stream in smart grid

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Hang; Li, Peng; He, Zhian; Guo, Xiaobin; Fong, Simon; Chen, Huajun

2016-11-01

Large volume of high-speed streaming data is generated by big power grids continuously. In order to detect and avoid power grid failure, decision support systems (DSSs) are commonly adopted in power grid enterprises. Among all the decision-making algorithms, incremental decision tree is the most widely used one. In this paper, we propose a combined classifier that is a composite of a cache-based classifier (CBC) and a main tree classifier (MTC). We integrate this classifier into a stream processing engine on top of the DSS such that high-speed steaming data can be transformed into operational intelligence efficiently. Experimental results show that our proposed classifier can return more accurate answers than other existing ones.

The Returns to Entrepreneurship

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Van Praag, Mirjam; Raknerud, Arvid

Empirical studies show low pecuniary returns of switching from wage employment to entrepreneurship. We reconsider the pecuniary gains of this switching by employing a two-stage procedure, where the randomness in the timing of inheritance transfers is used as an exclusion restriction to identify...... causal effects. The model is estimated on data covering the whole Norwegian population of individuals matched to the entire population of firms established in the period 2002-2011. The results indicate that the average returns to entrepreneurship are significantly negative for individuals entering...... entrepreneurship through self-employment and modest, but significantly positive, for incorporated startups....

Communication and collaboration among return-to-work stakeholders.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Elizabeth; Kosny, Agnieszka

2018-05-17

Workers who are injured or become ill on the job are best able to return-to-work when stakeholders involved in their case collaborate and communicate. This study examined health care providers' and case managers' engagement in rehabilitation and return-to-work following workplace injury or illness. In-depth interviews were conducted with 97 health care providers and 34 case managers in four Canadian provinces about their experiences facilitating rehabilitation and return-to-work, and interacting with system stakeholders. A qualitative thematic content analysis demonstrated two key findings. Firstly, stakeholders were challenged to collaborate as a result of: barriers to interdisciplinary and cross-professional communication; philosophical differences about the timing and appropriateness of return-to-work; and confusion among health care providers about the workers' compensation system. Secondly, these challenges adversely affected the co-ordination of patient care, and consequentially, injured workers often became information conduits, and effective and timely treatment and return-to-work was sometimes negatively impacted. Communication challenges between health care providers and case managers may negatively impact patient care and alienate treating health care providers. Discussion about role clarification, the appropriateness of early return-to-work, how paperwork shapes health care providers' role expectations, and strengthened inter-professional communication are considered. Implications for Rehabilitation Administrative and conceptual barriers in workers' compensation systems challenge collaboration and communication between health care providers and case managers. Injured workers may become conduits of incorrect information, resulting in adversarial relationships, overturned health care providers' recommendations, and their disengagement from rehabilitation and return-to-work. Stakeholders should clarify the role of health care providers during

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

Science.gov (United States)

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 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 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.

26 CFR 301.6103(j)(1)-1 - Disclosures of return information reflected on returns to officers and employees of the...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... related activities. 301.6103(j)(1)-1 Section 301.6103(j)(1)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE... and Returns Returns and Records § 301.6103(j)(1)-1 Disclosures of return information reflected on... related activities. (a) General rule. Pursuant to the provisions of section 6103(j)(1) of the Internal...

Predictability of Returns and Cash Flows

OpenAIRE

Ralph S.J. Koijen; Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh

2010-01-01

We review the literature on return and cash-flow growth predictability from the perspective of the present-value identity. We focus predominantly on recent work. Our emphasis is on U.S. aggregate stock return predictability, but we also discuss evidence from other asset classes and countries.

Return on Investment from Biochar Application

Science.gov (United States)

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...

Skills, earnings, and employment: exploring causality in the estimation of returns to skills

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franziska Hampf

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Ample evidence indicates that a person’s human capital is important for success on the labor market in terms of both wages and employment prospects. However, unlike the efforts to identify the impact of school attainment on labor-market outcomes, the literature on returns to cognitive skills has not yet provided convincing evidence that the estimated returns can be causally interpreted. Using the PIAAC Survey of Adult Skills, this paper explores several approaches that aim to address potential threats to causal identification of returns to skills, in terms of both higher wages and better employment chances. We address measurement error by exploiting the fact that PIAAC measures skills in several domains. Furthermore, we estimate instrumental-variable models that use skill variation stemming from school attainment and parental education to circumvent reverse causation. Results show a strikingly similar pattern across the diverse set of countries in our sample. In fact, the instrumental-variable estimates are consistently larger than those found in standard least-squares estimations. The same is true in two “natural experiments,” one of which exploits variation in skills from changes in compulsory-schooling laws across U.S. states. The other one identifies technologically induced variation in broadband Internet availability that gives rise to variation in ICT skills across German municipalities. Together, the results suggest that least-squares estimates may provide a lower bound of the true returns to skills in the labor market.

Investigating the Geological History of Asteroid 101955 Bennu Through Remote Sensing and Returned Sample Analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Messenger, S.; Connolly, H. C., Jr.; Lauretta, D. S.; Bottke, W. F.

2014-01-01

The NASA New Frontiers Mission OSRIS-REx will return surface regolith samples from near-Earth asteroid 101955 Bennu in September 2023. This target is classified as a B-type asteroid and is spectrally similar to CI and CM chondrite meteorites [1]. The returned samples are thus expected to contain primitive ancient Solar System materials that formed in planetary, nebular, interstellar, and circumstellar environments. Laboratory studies of primitive astromaterials have yielded detailed constraints on the origins, properties, and evolutionary histories of a wide range of Solar System bodies. Yet, the parent bodies of meteorites and cosmic dust are generally unknown, genetic and evolutionary relationships among asteroids and comets are unsettled, and links between laboratory and remote observations remain tenuous. The OSIRIS-REx mission will offer the opportunity to coordinate detailed laboratory analyses of asteroidal materials with known and well characterized geological context from which the samples originated. A primary goal of the OSIRIS-REx mission will be to provide detailed constraints on the origin and geological and dynamical history of Bennu through coordinated analytical studies of the returned samples. These microanalytical studies will be placed in geological context through an extensive orbital remote sensing campaign that will characterize the global geological features and chemical diversity of Bennu. The first views of the asteroid surface and of the returned samples will undoubtedly bring remarkable surprises. However, a wealth of laboratory studies of meteorites and spacecraft encounters with primitive bodies provides a useful framework to formulate priority scientific questions and effective analytical approaches well before the samples are returned. Here we summarize our approach to unraveling the geological history of Bennu through returned sample analyses.

Improvement of decision-making criteria for the care of elderly cancer patients by general practitioners (Lorraine, France

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niemier JY

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Jean-Yves Niemier,1,2 Frédérique Claudot,3,4 Phi Linh Nguyen-Thi,4 Jean-Marie Hubert,5 Hubert Rousselot,2,6 Athanase Benetos,1 Christine Perret-Guillaume1,3 1Department of Geriatric Medicine, CHRU de Nancy, Nancy, France; 2UCOG Lorraine, Nancy, France; 3EA 4360 APEMAC, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France; 4PARC, CHRU de Nancy, Nancy, France; 5Spincourt Multidisciplinary MSP, Spincourt, France; 6SISSPO Department, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France Objective: The objective of this study was to identify changes in the decision-making criteria of general practitioners (GPs concerning the care of elderly cancer patients after 1 year of corrective measures for care practices in the Lorraine region, France. Materials and methods: In 2014, a postal mail questionnaire was sent to all GPs in the Lorraine region. This questionnaire was designed to identify GPs’ decision-making criteria. It was based on the results of a literature review and on existing guidelines. During 1 year, corrective measures were implemented to improve practices, especially training sessions for physicians and production of specific tools, including a guide to the accepted ideas in geriatric oncology. In 2015, the same questionnaire was resent to all GPs to compare the answers. Results: In 2014, 430 questionnaires were returned out of 2,048 sent, and in 2015, 378 questionnaires were returned out of 2,066 sent. Our results show for the first time that there exists a significant difference in the overall decision criteria between the two survey periods. This difference mainly concerns criteria related to the cancerous diseases. Physicians tend to consider the principal decision criteria to be less important after the training period. GPs express the importance of accessibility to specialists for additional advice in both 2014 and 2015; the distance between the patient’s home and an adapted care facility and the

Does graded return-to-work improve sick-listed workers' chance of returning to regular working hours?

Science.gov (United States)

Høgelund, Jan; Holm, Anders; McIntosh, James

2010-01-01

Using Danish register and survey data, we examine the effect of a national graded return-to-work program on the probability of sick-listed workers returning to regular working hours. During program participation, the sick-listed worker works fewer hours and receives the normal hourly wage for the hours worked and sickness benefit for the hours off work. When the worker's health improves, working hours are increased until the sick-listed worker is able to work regular hours. Taking account of unobserved differences between program participants and non-participants, we find that participation in the program significantly increases the probability of returning to regular working hours. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fitness for duty: A tried-and-true model for decision making

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horn, G.L.

1989-01-01

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rules and regulations pertaining to fitness for duty specify development of programs designed to ensure that nuclear power plant personnel are not under the influence of legal or illegal substances that cause mental or physical impairment of work performance such that public safety is compromised. These regulations specify the type of decision loop to employ in determining the employee's movement through the process of initial restriction of access to the point at which his access authorization is restores. Suggestions are also offered to determine the roles that various components of the organization should take in the decision loop. This paper discusses some implications and labor concerns arising from the suggested role of employee assistance programs (EAPs) in the decision loop for clinical assessment and return-to-work evaluation of chemical testing failures. A model for a decision loop addressing some of the issues raised is presented. The proposed model has been implemented in one nuclear facility and has withstood the scrutiny of an NRC audit

Validating the predictions of case-based decision theory

OpenAIRE

Radoc, Benjamin

2015-01-01

Real-life decision-makers typically do not know all possible outcomes arising from alternative courses of action. Instead, when people face a problem, they may rely on the recollection of their past personal experience: the situation, the action taken, and the accompanying consequence. In addition, the applicability of a past experience in decision-making may depend on how similar the current problem is to situations encountered previously. Case-based decision theory (CBDT), proposed by Itzha...

Decision support in vaccination policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Piso, B; Wild, C

2009-10-09

Looking across boarders reveals that the national immunization programs of various countries differ in their vaccination schedules and decisions regarding the implementation and funding of new vaccines. The aim of this review is to identify decision aids and crucial criteria for a rational decision-making process on vaccine introduction and to develop a theoretical framework for decision-making based on available literature. Systematic literature search supplemented by hand-search. We identified five published decision aids for vaccine introduction and program planning in industrialized countries. Their comparison revealed an overall similarity with some differences in the approach as well as criteria. Burden of disease and vaccine characteristics play a key role in all decision aids, but authors vary in their views on the significance of cost-effectiveness analyses. Other relevant factors that should be considered before vaccine introduction are discussed to highly differing extents. These factors include the immunization program itself as well as its conformity with other programs, its feasibility, acceptability, and equity, as well as ethical, legal and political considerations. Assuming that the most comprehensive framework possible will not provide a feasible tool for decision-makers, we suggest a stepwise procedure. Though even the best rational approach and most comprehensive evaluation is limited by remaining uncertainties, frameworks provide at least a structured approach to evaluate the various aspects of vaccine implementation decision-making. This process is essential in making consistently sound decisions and will facilitate the public's confidence in the decision and its realization.

I. Do chronic pain patients' perceptions about their preinjury jobs determine their intent to return to the same type of job post-pain facility treatment?

Science.gov (United States)

Fishbain, D A; Rosomoff, H L; Cutler, R B; Steele-Rosomoff, R

1995-12-01

To demonstrate that chronic pain patients' (CPPs') perceptions about their preinjury jobs determine their intent to return to the same type of job post pain facility treatment. A total of 225 CPPs completed a series of rating scales and yes/no questions relating to their preinjury job perceptions and a question relating to intent to return to the same type of preinjury job post-pain facility treatment. The CPPs were broken down into subgroups (males, females, college males, noncollege males, college females, noncollege females), and within each subgroup those not intending to return to the same type of pre-injury job were compared to those intending to return on the preinjury job perception questions. In addition for the whole group, stepwise discriminant analysis was used to predict who planned to return to the preinjury job utilizing the job perceptions questions. Multidisciplinary Pain Center. Consecutive chronic pain patients. For the whole group, CPPs not intending to return were more likely to complain of job excessive physical demands, job satisfaction, and job dislike. Job perception complaints that were significantly different between the intending and not intending to return groups differed between the subgroups. For example, noncollege males not intending to return were more likely to complain of excessive physical demands only versus satisfaction and liking as significant items for college males who did not intend to return. Within the discriminant analysis, the combination of job satisfaction, excessive physical demands, employee conflicts, job liking, job dangerousness, supervisory conflicts, job stress, and age classified 73.46% of the CPPs correctly as to intent to return to the same type of preinjury job. There appears to be a relationship between preinjury job perceptions and intent to return to the same type of job post pain treatment. However, subgroups of CPPs will differ by which job perceptions are important towards making that decision.

Parasitic diseases in the returning traveller

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2009-06-11

Jun 11, 2009 ... exception is infection with schistosomiasis after leisure activities in infested freshwater. (the water sports enthusiast returning from a sojourn on Lake Malawi .... are harbouring a 'blind passenger' from abroad. However, long-term travellers, both private or business, should be screened on return. A thorough ...

Sealed Planetary Return Canister (SPRC), Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Sample return missions have primary importance in future planetary missions. A basic requirement is that samples be returned in pristine, uncontaminated condition,...

Physicians' intentions and use of three patient decision aids

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, Ian D; Logan, Jo; Bennett, Carol L; Presseau, Justin; O'Connor, Annette M; Mitchell, Susan L; Tetroe, Jacqueline M; Cranney, Ann; Hebert, Paul; Aaron, Shawn D

2007-01-01

Background Decision aids are evidence based tools that assist patients in making informed values-based choices and supplement the patient-clinician interaction. While there is evidence to show that decision aids improve key indicators of patients' decision quality, relatively little is known about physicians' acceptance of decision aids or factors that influence their decision to use them. The purpose of this study was to describe physicians' perceptions of three decision aids, their expressed intent to use them, and their subsequent use of them. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of random samples of Canadian respirologists, family physicians, and geriatricians. Three decision aids representing a range of health decisions were evaluated. The survey elicited physicians' opinions on the characteristics of the decision aid and their willingness to use it. Physicians who indicated a strong likelihood of using the decision aid were contacted three months later regarding their actual use of the decision aid. Results Of the 580 eligible physicians, 47% (n = 270) returned completed questionnaires. More than 85% of the respondents felt the decision aid was well developed and that it presented the essential information for decision making in an understandable, balanced, and unbiased manner. A majority of respondents (>80%) also felt that the decision aid would guide patients in a logical way, preparing them to participate in decision making and to reach a decision. Fewer physicians (<60%) felt the decision aid would improve the quality of patient visits or be easily implemented into practice and very few (27%) felt that the decision aid would save time. Physicians' intentions to use the decision aid were related to their comfort with offering it to patients, the decision aid topic, and the perceived ease of implementing it into practice. While 54% of the surveyed physicians indicated they would use the decision aid, less than a third followed through with this

The Psychology of Stroke in Young Adults: The Roles of Service Provision and Return to Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reg Morris

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Literature about the psychological consequences of stroke in those under 65 is reviewed focussing on services and work. Despite similarities, young and old survivors have different experiences and needs. These are attributable to the effects of stroke on age-normative roles and activities, self-image, and the young person's stage in the life-cycle, especially family and work. “Hidden” cognitive impairments, a disrupted sense of self, and the incongruity of suffering an “older person's” disease are salient. Young survivors benefit from services, but experience lack of congruence between their needs and service philosophy, methods, and aims, and consequently have unmet needs. Employment is psychologically salient, and the evidence about return rates, factors that affect return, and the adequacy of employment-related service provision is reviewed. Specific and general recommendations are made for increasing congruence between young survivors' needs and service provision and also for facilitating their return to work.

Return to work after spinal stenosis surgery and the patient's quality of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Truszczyńska, Aleksandra; Rąpała, Kazimierz; Truszczyński, Olaf; Tarnowski, Adam; Łukawski, Stanisław

2013-06-01

The return to work of patients who undergo spinal surgery poses important medical and social challenge. 1) To establish whether patients who undergo spinal stenosis surgery later return to work. 2) To establish the patient's attitude towards employment. 3) To assess the quality of life of the patients and its influence on their attitude to work. The study population consisted of 58 patients aged from 21 to 80 years (the mean age was 52.33±14.12). There were 29 women (50%) and 29 men (50%) in the group. The patients' quality of life was measured by the use of the WHOQOL-BREF instrument. Individual interviews were conducted 3 to 8 months (a mean of 5.72 months ±1.6) after the surgery. 1) Although 13 patients (22.3%) returned to work, 44 (75.9%) did not, these being manual workers of vocational secondary education. 2) Almost half of the patients (27 patients, i.e. 44%) intend to apply for disability pension, 16 patients (27.6%) consider themselves unfit to work, 22 patients (37.9%) do not feel like working again. 3) The quality of life of the patients decreased. Domain scores for the WHOQOL-BREF are transformed to a 0-100 scale. The mean physical health amounted to 60.67 (±16.31), the mean psychological health was 58.78 (±16.01), while the mean social relations with family and friends were 59.91 (±20.69), and the mean environment 59.62 (±12.48). 1) A total of 75% of the patients operated for lumbar spinal stenosis do not return to their preoperative work. Difficulties in returning to work and decreased quality of life are associated with female sex, lower-level education, hard physical work and low income. 2) Physical health, psychological health, social relations and environment decreased to the mean of approximately 60. 3) The quality of life of the patients who did return to work was similar to that of healthy people.

Communicating Value in Simulation: Cost Benefit Analysis and Return on Investment.

Science.gov (United States)

Asche, Carl V; Kim, Minchul; Brown, Alisha; Golden, Antoinette; Laack, Torrey A; Rosario, Javier; Strother, Christopher; Totten, Vicken Y; Okuda, Yasuharu

2017-10-26

Value-based health care requires a balancing of medical outcomes with economic value. Administrators need to understand both the clinical and economic effects of potentially expensive simulation programs to rationalize the costs. Given the often-disparate priorities of clinical educators relative to health care administrators, justifying the value of simulation requires the use of economic analyses few physicians have been trained to conduct. Clinical educators need to be able to present thorough economic analyses demonstrating returns on investment and cost effectiveness to effectively communicate with administrators. At the 2017 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference "Catalyzing System Change through Health Care Simulation: Systems, Competency, and Outcomes", our breakout session critically evaluated the cost benefit and return on investment of simulation. In this paper we provide an overview of some of the economic tools that a clinician may use to present the value of simulation training to financial officers and other administrators in the economic terms they understand. We also define three themes as a call to action for research related to cost benefit analysis in simulation as well as four specific research questions that will help guide educators and hospital leadership to make decisions on the value of simulation for their system or program. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Association of sleep and fatigue with decision regret among critical care nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Linda D; Arslanian-Engoren, Cynthia; Engoren, Milo C

2014-01-01

The effects of inadequate sleep on clinical decisions may be important for patients in critical care units, who are often more vulnerable than patients in other units. Fatigued nurses are more likely than well-rested nurses to make faulty decisions that lead to decision regret, a negative cognitive emotion that occurs when the actual outcome differs from the desired or expected outcome. To examine the association between selected sleep variables, impairment due to fatigue, and clinical-decision self-efficacy and regret among critical care nurses. Decision regret was the primary outcome variable. Methods A nonexperimental, descriptive design and extant measures were used to obtain data from a random sample of full-time nurses. Binary logistic regression models were used to examine the association between sleep variables, fatigue, and clinical-decision self-efficacy and regret. The discrimination of the models was compared with the C statistic, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. A total of 605 nurses returned the questionnaires (17% response rate). Among these, decision regret was reported by 157 of 546 (29%). Nurses with decision regret reported more fatigue, more daytime sleepiness, less intershift recovery, and worse sleep quality than did nurses without decision regret. Being male, working a 12-hour shift, and clinical-decision satisfaction were significantly associated with decision regret (C statistic, 0.719; SE, 0.024). Nurses who experience impairments due to fatigue, loss of sleep, and inability to recover between shifts are more likely than unimpaired nurses to report decision regret.

Product return management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shaharudin, Mohd Rizaimy; Govindan, Kannan; Zailani, Suhaiza

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which product returns motivate manufacturing firms to adopt closed-loop supply chain activities that influence the effectiveness of reverse supply chains. The hypotheses have been tested using data from a sample of 150 environmental management...... system ISO 14001 certified manufacturing firms in Malaysia through the census sampling approach. The results of the empirical test using LISREL Version 8.70 for the structural equation modeling support the fundamental explanation of the influence of the institutional forces towards the adoption of closed...... eventually impacts the firm's effectiveness in the reverse supply chain. The findings also help managers to understand the factors that can improve the outcome of the adoption of closed-loop supply chain activities by intensifying the extent of involvement in product returns, which provides a valuable...

Tracking Perceptual and Memory Decisions by Decoding Brain Activity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Vugt, Marieke; Brandt, Armin; Schulze-Bonhage, Andreas

2017-01-01

Decision making is thought to involve a process of evidence accumulation, modelled as a drifting diffusion process. This modeling framework suggests that all single-stage decisions involve a similar evidence accumulation process. In this paper we use decoding by machine learning classifiers on

76 FR 17521 - Specified Tax Return Preparers Required To File Individual Income Tax Returns Using Magnetic Media

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-30

... regulations reflect changes made to the law by the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009... definition of a ``specified tax return preparer'' must electronically file Federal income tax returns that... of the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-92 (123 Stat. 2984...

Stock returns and foreign investment in Brazil

OpenAIRE

Reis, Luciana; Meurer, Roberto; Da Silva, Sergio

2008-01-01

We examine the relationship between stock returns and foreign investment in Brazil, and find that the inflows of foreign investment boosted the returns from 1995 to 2005. There was a strong contemporaneous correlation, although not Granger-causality. Foreign investment along with the exchange rate, the influence of the world stock markets, and country risk can explain 73 percent of the changes that occurred in the stock returns over the period. We also find that positive feedback trading play...

INSTITUTIONAL OWNERSHIP LEVEL AND RISK-ADJUSTED RETURN

OpenAIRE

Isaiah, Chioma; Li, Meng (Emma)

2017-01-01

This paper examines the relationship between the level of institutional ownership andrisk-adjusted return on stocks. We find a significant positive relationship between the level ofinstitutional ownership on a stock and its risk-adjusted return. This result holds both in the longrun and in shorter time periods. Our findings suggest that all things being equal, it is possible toobtain risk-adjusted return by going short on the stocks with low institutional ownership andgoing long on those with...

76 FR 36996 - Extension of Time for Filing Returns

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-24

... less time to complete accurate income tax returns and to provide timely information to the trust's... either chapter 7 or chapter 11 of Title 11 of the U.S. Code that is required to file an income tax return... estate or trust income tax return or failure to pay the amount shown as tax on the return. (g) Effective...

The Effects of Asset Management and Profitability on Stock Returns: A Comparative Study between Conventional and Islamic Stock Markets in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shelly Midesia

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This study aims at empirically examining whether there are differences in stock returns between conventional and Islamic stock returns In Indonesia for the period 2010-2013. This study also attempts to explore the effect of asset management and profitability both stock returns in Indonesia. Annual pooled data gathered from the annual financial reports of 100 conventional and Islamic stock returns, which were published by the Indonesian Stock Exchange from 2010 to 2013 were used and analyzed by using the independent t-test and panel multivariate regression analysis. The result shows that there was no difference in stock returns between the conventional and Islamic stock markets. Additionally, the study documents that only profitability, which is measured by market ratio, was found to have an influence on the conventional stock markets. Meanwhile, as for Islamic stock market, only management of assets was found to have a significant effect on the stock return. These findings imply that investors who are investing in both Islamic and conventional markets would gain similar returns. However, in predicting and stabilizing the stock markets, both investors and policy makers should focus on the profitability for the conventional and management of assets for the Islamic stock market.

SAFETY ALERT - Failure of brass non-return valves in gas point installations

CERN Multimedia

HSE Unit

2016-01-01

There have been three recent failures in brass non-return valves in separate high pressure gas point installations across CERN. Whilst each was in a different gas service, the visual nature of the failure has been similar.   In all three cases, these components were connected to stainless steel flexible connections and stainless steel pipework. From the metallurgical investigation of the failed component, it appears that the failure is linked to uncontrolled tightening, leading to a localised weakening resulting in premature failure when subjected to pressure. Lead levels in the examined components appear to be a contributing factor to the reduction in ductility but are not identified as the root cause. It has also not been possible to attribute failure to a particular batch of material. The Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Unit prescribes the following actions to be taken, aligned with the CERN Safety Rules: Verification of all brass non-return valves (prioritising...

27 CFR 41.112 - Tax return.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Tax return. 41.112 Section 41.112 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF... States Deferred Payment of Tax in Puerto Rico on Tobacco Products § 41.112 Tax return. The internal...

[Organising a successful return home].

Science.gov (United States)

Mézière, Anthony

Discharge from hospital is a major component of the quality and efficiency of the healthcare system. The failures of the return home of elderly people testify to the difficulties of applying guidelines in the area of hospital discharge. The action plan decided in the hospital for a successful return home can be jeopardised for personal, relational, functional and structural reasons originating from the different players involved in the hospital discharge. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Capital Structure and Stock Returns

OpenAIRE

Ivo Welch

2002-01-01

U.S. corporations do not issue and repurchase debt and equity to counteract the mechanistic effects of stock returns on their debt-equity ratios. Thus over one- to five-year horizons, stock returns can explain about 40 percent of debt ratio dynamics. Although corporate net issuing activity is lively and although it can explain 60 percent of debt ratio dynamics (long-term debt issuing activity being most capital structurerelevant), corporate issuing motives remain largely a mystery. When stock...

Systems Analysis and Design for Decision Support Systems on Economic Feasibility of Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Balaji, S. Arun

2010-11-01

This paper discuss about need for development of the Decision Support System (DSS) software for economic feasibility of projects in Rwanda, Africa. The various economic theories needed and the corresponding formulae to compute payback period, internal rate of return and benefit cost ratio of projects are clearly given in this paper. This paper is also deals with the systems flow chart to fabricate the system in any higher level computing language. The various input requirements from the projects and the output needed for the decision makers are also included in this paper. The data dictionary used for input and output data structure is also explained.

Mobility, return for development and sense of Europe: narratives of Moldavian immigrants returning from the European Union

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Marcu

Full Text Available The article links migration, cross-border mobility and return for development embedded in terms of identity and approach to sense of Europe. Taking into account the global changes in Moldova, the paper examines the perceptions of mobility, return and identity of the Moldovans engaged in emigration in the countries of the European Union (EU. Utilising a multi-discipline approach and an in-depth qualitative interview technique, this article seeks to analyze how mobility and return can support social change and development of the country, and argues that people, who cross EU borders, living through the experience of emigration, acquire a pro-European mentality.

The attentional drift-diffusion model extends to simple purchasing decisions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ian eKrajbich

2012-06-01

Full Text Available How do we make simple purchasing decisions (e.g., whether or not to buy a product ata given price? Previous work has shown that the Attentional-Drift-Diffusion-Model (aDDMcan provide accurate descriptions of the psychometric data for binary and trinary value-based choices, and of how the choice process is guided by visual attention. However, the computational processes used to make purchasing decisions are unknown. Here we extend the aDDM to the case of purchasing decisions, and test it using an eye-tracking experiment. We find that the model provides a quantitatively accurate description of the relationship between choice, reaction time, and visual fixations using parameters that are very similar to those that best fit the previous data. The only critical difference is that the choice biases induced by the fixations are about half as big in purchasing decisions as in binary choices.This suggests that the brain uses similar computational processes in these varied decision situations.

14 CFR 49.21 - Return of original conveyance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Return of original conveyance. 49.21... RECORDING OF AIRCRAFT TITLES AND SECURITY DOCUMENTS General § 49.21 Return of original conveyance. If a person submitting a conveyance for recording wants the original returned to him, he must submit a true...

Return to work from long-term sick leave: a six-year prospective study of the importance of adjustment latitudes at work and home.

Science.gov (United States)

Dellve, Lotta; Fallman, Sara L; Ahlstrom, Linda

2016-01-01

The aim was to investigate the long-term importance of adjustment latitude for increased work ability and return to work among female human service workers on long-term sick leave. A cohort of female human service workers on long-term sick leave (>60 days) was given a questionnaire four times (0, 6, 12, 60 months). Linear mixed models were used for longitudinal analysis of the repeated measurements of work ability and return to work. Having a higher level of adjustment latitude was associated with both increased work ability and return to work. Adjustments related to work pace were strongly associated with increased work ability, as were adjustments to the work place. Having individual opportunities for taking short breaks and a general acceptance of taking short breaks were associated with increased work ability. At home, a higher level of responsibility for household work was related to increased work ability and return to work. Individuals with possibilities for adjustment latitude, especially pace and place at work, and an acceptance of taking breaks had greater increased work ability over time and a greater work ability compared with individuals who did not have such opportunities. This study highlights the importance of opportunities for adjustment latitude at work to increase work ability and return to work among female human service workers who have been on long-term sick leave. The results support push and pull theories for individual decision-making on return to work.

Decision Making in Action: Applying Research to Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Orasanu, Judith; Statler, Irving C. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The importance of decision-making to safety in complex, dynamic environments like mission control centers and offshore installations has been well established. NASA-ARC has a program of research dedicated to fostering safe and effective decision-making in the manned spaceflight environment. Because access to spaceflight is limited, environments with similar characteristics, including aviation and nuclear power plants, serve as analogs from which space-relevant data can be gathered and theories developed. Analyses of aviation accidents cite crew judgement and decision making as causes or contributing factors in over half of all accidents. A similar observation has been made in nuclear power plants. Yet laboratory research on decision making has not proven especially helpful in improving the quality of decisions in these kinds of environments. One reason is that the traditional, analytic decision models are inappropriate to multidimensional, high-risk environments, and do not accurately describe what expert human decision makers do when they make decisions that have consequences. A new model of dynamic, naturalistic decision making is offered that may prove useful for improving decision making in complex, isolated, confined and high-risk environments. Based on analyses of crew performance in full-mission simulators and accident reports, features that define effective decision strategies in abnormal or emergency situations have been identified. These include accurate situation assessment (including time and risk assessment), appreciation of the complexity of the problem, sensitivity to constraints on the decision, timeliness of the response, and use of adequate information. More effective crews also manage their workload to provide themselves with time and resources to make good decisions. In brief, good decisions are appropriate to the demands of the situation. Effective crew decision making and overall performance are mediated by crew communication. Communication

In and out of home care decisions: The influence of confirmation bias in developing decision supportive reasoning.

Science.gov (United States)

Spratt, Trevor; Devaney, John; Hayes, David

2015-11-01

The aims of this study were to identify the themes Social Workers regard as important in supporting decisions to remove children from, or return them to, the care of their parents. To further elicit underlying hypotheses that are discernible in interpretation of evidence. A case study, comprising a two-part vignette with a questionnaire, recorded demographic information, child welfare attitudes and risk assessments, using scales derived from standardised instruments, was completed by 202 Social Workers in Northern Ireland. There were two manipulated variables, mother's attitude to removal and child's attitude to reunification 2 years later. In this paper we use data derived from respondents' qualitative comments explaining their reasoning for in and out of home care decisions. Some 60.9% of respondent's chose the parental care option at part one, with 94% choosing to have the child remain in foster care at part two. The manipulated variables were found to have no significant statistical effect. However, three underlying hypotheses were found to underpin decisions; (a) child rescue, (b) kinship defence and (c) a hedged position on calculation of risk subject to further assessment. Reasoning strategies utilised by social workers to support their decision making suggest that they tend to selectively interpret information either positively or negatively to support pre-existing underlying hypotheses. This finding is in keeping with the literature on 'confirmation bias.' The research further draws attention to the need to incorporate open questions in quantitative studies, to help guard against surface reading of data, which often does not 'speak for itself.' Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FINANCIAL RETURN ON ASSETS. THE IMPACT OF THE FINANCIAL RETURN ON ASSETS OVER THE COMPANY’S DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Constantin Căruntu

2009-11-01

Full Text Available The financial rate of return is a significant indicator for assessing the economic and financial performance of an enterprise for the internal diagnosis, as well as for the analysis required by the external partners. The financial return is a basic indicator which characterizes the business performances that is found directly under the trade policy (trade cost, efficiency of capital employed (economic profitability but also under the financial policy of the company. If the economic rate of return expresses a remuneration of the employed capital only in relation to operating activities, the financial rate of return quantifies a remuneration of the private capital trough all three types of activity: operational, financial and extraordinary. Starting from the consideration that the financial rate of return expresses the efficiency of equity or permanent capital use of the company we can state that it is of particular importance to the shareholders of the company, which considers according to it’s level whether their investments are justified and they will continue to support the business development through raising of fresh capital or abandonment for a limited period to one part of the dividends due. Managers, in turn, will be keen on maintaining an appropriate level of this rate, in order to retain their positions and to achieve the performance criteria of the company.

Decision Making Under Uncertain Categorization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie Ying-Fen Chen

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Two experiments investigated how category information is used in decision making under uncertainty and whether the framing of category information influences how it is used. Subjects were presented with vignettes in which the categorization of a critical item was ambiguous and were asked to choose among a set of actions with the goal of attaining the desired outcome for the main character in the story. The normative decision making strategy was to base the decision on all possible categories; however, research on a related topic, category-based induction, has found that people often only consider a single category when making predictions when categorization is uncertain. These experiments found that subjects tend to consider multiple categories when making decisions, but do so both when it is and is not appropriate, suggesting that use of multiple categories is not driven by an understanding of what categories are and are not relevant to the decision. Similarly, although a framing manipulation increased the rate of multiple-category use, it did so in situations in which multiple-category use was and was not appropriate.

Economic Recession, Job Vulnerability, and Tourism Decision Making: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis

OpenAIRE

Papatheodorou, A.; Pappas, Nikolaos

2016-01-01

Occupational uncertainty has a considerable effect upon consumer decisions during a recession, especially with respect to discretionary products and services such as tourism. Using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), the study examines the complex relations among job vulnerability, disposable income for tourism, marketing activities, and price and quality issues for Greek holiday makers returning from their vacations. The article also compares QCA with the two dominant linear methods of a...

Influence of information on behavioral effects in decision processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelarosa Longo

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Rational models in decision processes are marked out by many anomalies, caused by behavioral issues. We point out the importance of information in causing inconsistent preferences in a decision process. In a single or multi agent decision process each mental model is influenced by the presence, the absence or false information about the problem or about other members of the decision making group. The difficulty in modeling these effects increases because behavioral biases influence also the modeler. Behavioral Operational Research (BOR studies these influences to create efficient models to define choices in similar decision processes.

Financial Decisions, Tax Effect and Investment Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasemin COSKUN

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study is to measure influence of taxation while making financial decisions and predict it with the general application in Turkey. Except for equity returns of financial and negative capital institutions registered in Borsa Istanbul between 2000 and 2012, those of all other businesses were calculated. In order to measure cost of capital, Capital Assets Pricing Model(CAPM was employed. Businesses were divided into for regions as stated in Tax Incentive Law according to the study. As stated in Tax Incentive Law, the businesses whose costs of capital were divided into six regions where statistical analysis was made to determine whether taxation influenced financial decisions of the related businesses based on Tax Incentive Law or not. Assessment of the findings within the study determined that businesses in 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd regions were affected by taxation 5,69, 2,75 and 1,39 as means between 2007 and 2012, respectively. Accordingly taxation load of businesses in 1 st region provinces was found to be heavier than those of businesses in other regions. Considering the Tax Incentive Law, it was found to be statistically important that taxation load of the related region should be taken into account in making any financial decisions. In this respect, there is an impact of tax when one makes financial decisions. However, other relevant factors should also be considered.

27 CFR 25.211 - Beer returned to brewery.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Beer returned to brewery..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS BEER Beer Returned to Brewery § 25.211 Beer returned to brewery. (a) General. Beer, produced in the United States, on which the brewer has paid or determined the tax may be...

Determining the semantic similarities among Gene Ontology terms.

Science.gov (United States)

Taha, Kamal

2013-05-01

We present in this paper novel techniques that determine the semantic relationships among GeneOntology (GO) terms. We implemented these techniques in a prototype system called GoSE, which resides between user application and GO database. Given a set S of GO terms, GoSE would return another set S' of GO terms, where each term in S' is semantically related to each term in S. Most current research is focused on determining the semantic similarities among GO ontology terms based solely on their IDs and proximity to one another in the GO graph structure, while overlooking the contexts of the terms, which may lead to erroneous results. The context of a GO term T is the set of other terms, whose existence in the GO graph structure is dependent on T. We propose novel techniques that determine the contexts of terms based on the concept of existence dependency. We present a stack-based sort-merge algorithm employing these techniques for determining the semantic similarities among GO terms.We evaluated GoSE experimentally and compared it with three existing methods. The results of measuring the semantic similarities among genes in KEGG and Pfam pathways retrieved from the DBGET and Sanger Pfam databases, respectively, have shown that our method outperforms the other three methods in recall and precision.

Returning to sports after a back injury

Science.gov (United States)

... medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000518.htm Returning to sports after a back injury To use the sharing ... Back pain - returning to sports Which Type of Sport is Best? In deciding when and if to ...

The Extinction and Return of Fear of Public Speaking.

Science.gov (United States)

Laborda, Mario A; Schofield, Casey A; Johnson, Emily M; Schubert, Jessica R; George-Denn, Daniel; Coles, Meredith E; Miller, Ralph R

2016-11-01

Prior studies indicate extinguished fear often partially returns when participants are later tested outside the extinction context. Cues carried from the extinction context to the test context sometimes reduce return of fear, but it is unclear whether such extinction cues (ECs) reduce return of fear of public speaking. Here we assessed return of fear of public speaking, and whether either of two types of ECs can attenuate it. Participants gave speeches of increasing difficulty during an exposure practice session and were tested 2 days later in a different context. Testing occurred in the presence of physical ECs, after mentally rehearsing the exposure session, or without either reminder. Practice reduced fear of public speaking, but fear partially returned at test. Neither physical nor mental ECs reduced partial return of fear of public speaking. The return of extinguished fear of public speaking, although small, was reliable, but not appreciably sensitive to presence of ECs. © The Author(s) 2016.

Encounter Decision Aid vs. Clinical Decision Support or Usual Care to Support Patient-Centered Treatment Decisions in Osteoporosis: The Osteoporosis Choice Randomized Trial II.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annie LeBlanc

Full Text Available Osteoporosis Choice, an encounter decision aid, can engage patients and clinicians in shared decision making about osteoporosis treatment. Its effectiveness compared to the routine provision to clinicians of the patient's estimated risk of fracture using the FRAX calculator is unknown.Patient-level, randomized, three-arm trial enrolling women over 50 with osteopenia or osteoporosis eligible for treatment with bisphosphonates, where the use of Osteoporosis Choice was compared to FRAX only and to usual care to determine impact on patient knowledge, decisional conflict, involvement in the decision-making process, decision to start and adherence to bisphosphonates.We enrolled 79 women in the three arms. Because FRAX estimation alone and usual care produced similar results, we grouped them for analysis. Compared to these, use of Osteoporosis Choice increased patient knowledge (median score 6 vs. 4, p = .01, improved understanding of fracture risk and risk reduction with bisphosphonates (p = .01 and p<.0001, respectively, had no effect on decision conflict, and increased patient engagement in the decision making process (OPTION scores 57% vs. 43%, p = .001. Encounters with the decision aid were 0.8 minutes longer (range: 33 minutes shorter to 3.0 minutes longer. There were twice as many patients receiving and filling prescriptions in the decision aid arm (83% vs. 40%, p = .07; medication adherence at 6 months was no different across arms.Supporting both patients and clinicians during the clinical encounter with the Osteoporosis Choice decision aid efficiently improves treatment decision making when compared to usual care with or without clinical decision support with FRAX results.clinical trials.gov NCT00949611.

ANALISIS REAKSI INVESTOR TERHADAP PENGUMUMAN RIGHT ISSUE DI BURSA EFEK JAKARTA (Suatu Pengamatan pada Return, Abnormal Return, Aktivitas Volume Perdagangan dan Bid-Ask Spread Saham

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SRI DEWI YUSUF

2012-05-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Development of stock market activity, which grows very fast lead to significant changes on the demand of information quality. To make the rational investor decision making, it is needed a relevant information in order to identify any work of the company. Event study is a study which analyze any market reactions toward an event which the information is published as announcement. Right issue announcement can affect market, it is depent on the existence of the content of the information in the right issue announcement above. If the right issue announcement contains some information so the market will react and the market won’t react if no information. The research sample is determined by a purposive sampling method, and there are 17 companies which announce right issue between 2000-2003. Statistical experiment used is T-test experiment (paired two samples for means. The Observation period which is done in 11 day, consist of 5 day before, 1 day in the moment, and 5 day after the announce right issue. Results show that there is a significant difference between return and abnormal return in the period of between at the moment, and after the announce right issue. The result in the before-after announce right issue period shows that there is no significant difference. The result in the variable activity of stock’s trade volume shows that there is signification difference in the before-at the moment and after period, but in the result of before-after period show that there is no significant difference there. And the result of bid-ask spread variable shows that there is no significant different in the before-at the moment and after period of announce right issue, but in the before-after period the result shows that there is no significant different there. And the result of bid-ask spread variable shows that there is no significant different in the before-at the moment and after period of announce right issue, but in the before-after period

Bullwhip Entropy Analysis and Chaos Control in the Supply Chain with Sales Game and Consumer Returns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wandong Lou

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we study a supply chain system which consists of one manufacturer and two retailers including a traditional retailer and an online retailer. In order to gain a larger market share, the retailers often take the sales as a decision-making variable in the competition game. We devote ourselves to analyze the bullwhip effect in the supply chain with sales game and consumer returns via the theory of entropy and complexity and take the delayed feedback control method to control the system’s chaotic state. The impact of a statutory 7-day no reason for return policy for online retailers is also investigated. The bounded rational expectation is adopt to forecast the future demand in the sales game system with weak noise. Our results show that high return rates will hurt the profits of both the retailers and the adjustment speed of the bounded rational sales expectation has an important impact on the bullwhip effect. There is a stable area for retailers where the bullwhip effect doesn’t appear. The supply chain system suffers a great bullwhip effect in the quasi-periodic state and the quasi-chaotic state. The purpose of chaos control on the sales game can be achieved and the bullwhip effect would be effectively mitigated by using the delayed feedback control method.

Slow return of displaced Southern Sudanese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tim Morris

2007-07-01

Full Text Available The pace of repatriation of Sudanese refugees and return of IDP s to South Sudan has picked up but expectations at the time of the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA CPA in January 2005 have yet to be realised. With all eyes on Darfur, assistance to sustain returns to South Sudan remains inadequate.

Frequency of employer changes and their financial return: gender differences amongst German university graduates.

Science.gov (United States)

Wieschke, Johannes

2018-01-01

Gender differences in the frequency of employer changes and their financial return were examined in a sample of Bavarian university graduates. The search and matching theories were used to develop hypotheses which were then tested against each other. The results show that in the first few years after graduation women change employer more frequently than men. In large part this can be explained by gender differences in labor market structures, in particular the fact that a woman's first job is less likely to be in a large company, in an executive position or on a permanent contract and women tend to be less satisfied with their first job. After controlling for variance in these factors the coefficient changes sign, indicating that under similar circumstances men change employer more often. Furthermore, both men and women benefit financially from changing employer. The absolute return is higher for men, but as men tend to have a higher starting salary there is no gender difference in the relative return and hence no effect on the gender gap. The results are also discussed in the light of the specifics of the structure of the German labor market.

31 CFR 10.28 - Return of client's records.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Return of client's records. 10.28... § 10.28 Return of client's records. (a) In general, a practitioner must, at the request of a client, promptly return any and all records of the client that are necessary for the client to comply with his or...

Sustainability-Oriented Financial Resource Allocation in a Project Portfolio through Multi-Criteria Decision-Making

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nomeda Dobrovolskienė

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Modern portfolio theory attempts to maximize the expected return of a portfolio for a given level of portfolio risk, or equivalently minimize risk for a given level of expected return. The reality, however, shows that, when selecting projects to a portfolio and allocating resources in the portfolio, an increasing number of organizations take into account other aspects as well. As a result of the sole purpose (risk-return, it offers only a partial solution for a sustainable organization. Existing project portfolio selection and resource allocation methods and models do not consider sustainability. Therefore, the aim of this article is to develop a sustainability-oriented model of financial resource allocation in a project portfolio by integrating a composite sustainability index of a project into Markowitz’s classical risk-return scheme (mean-variance model. The model was developed by applying multi-criteria decision-making methods. The practicability of the model was tested by an empirical study in a selected construction company. The proposed sustainability-oriented financial resource allocation model could be used in allocating financial resources in any type of business. The use of the model would not only help organisations to manage risk and achieve higher return but would also allow carrying out sustainable projects, thereby promoting greater environmental responsibility and giving more consideration to the wellbeing of future generations. Moreover, the model allows quantifying the impact of the integration of sustainability into financial resource allocation on the return of a portfolio.

DETERMINANTS OF RETURN ON EQUITY OF COOPERATIVE BANKS IN POLAND

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Bieniasz

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to analyse the diversity of return on equity in the cooperative banks in Poland in 2010– 2014. The analysis was conducted using data of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority, on the basis of a modifi ed decomposition rate of return on equity. Assessment of the rate of return on equity was made in a size of banks, as determined by the value of assets. In addition, in order to determine the strength and direction of impact the individual components of the model on the formation of return on equity method was applied functional. The study suggests that cooperative banks eff ectively use the equity, because the rate of return on equity was signifi cantly higher than the rate of return on assets. The average return on assets in 2010–2014 was relatively lower in the largest banks and ranged from 0.7–0.9%, and the smallest banks return on assets was approximately 1%. In turn, the return on equity was higher at banks with major assets (over 200 million PLN. In 2013–2014 the rate of return both on assets and equity expressly declined. The main determinants of changes in return on equity were changing the multiplier reduction of profi t from banking activities by operating costs and costs of banking risk and return on assets, as well as measured result on banking activities.

Abnormal Returns and Contrarian Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivana Dall'Agnol

2003-12-01

Full Text Available We test the hypothesis that strategies which are long on portfolios of looser stocks and short on portfolios of winner stocks generate abnormal returns in Brazil. This type of evidence for the US stock market was interpreted by The Bondt and Thaler (1985 as reflecting systematic evaluation mistakes caused by investors overreaction to news related to the firm performance. We found evidence of contrarian strategies profitability for horizons from 3 months to 3 years in a sample of stock returns from BOVESPA and SOMA from 1986 to 2000. The strategies are more profitable for shorter horizons. Therefore, there was no trace of the momentum effect found by Jagadeesh and Titman (1993 for the same horizons with US data. There are remaing unexplained positive returns for contrarian strategies after accounting for risk, size, and liquidity. We also found that the strategy profitability is reduced after the Real Plan, which suggests that the Brazilian stock market became more efficient after inflation stabilization.

Condition-dependent individual decision-making determines cyprinid partial migration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brodersen, J.; Nilsson, P.A.; Hansson, L.A.

2008-01-01

with decreased access to food. Furthermore, fewer unfed migrants returned to the lake, indicating higher overwinter mortality. Our results suggest that individual fish trade off safety from predation and access to food differently depending on their body condition, which results in a condition-dependent partial...... migration. Hence, our main conclusion is that individual decision-making is based on assessment of own condition which offers a mechanistic explanation to partial migration. Moreover, this may be of high importance for understanding population responses to environmental variation as well as ecosystem...

Factor Structure in Commodity Futures Return and Volatility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christoffersen, Peter; Lunde, Asger; Olesen, Kasper Vinther

Using data on more than 750 million futures trades during 2004-2013, we analyze eight stylized facts of commodity price and volatility dynamics in the post financialization period. We pay particular attention to the factor structure in returns and volatility and to commodity market integration...... with the equity market. We find evidence of a factor structure in daily commodity futures returns. However, the factor structure in daily commodity futures volatility is even stronger than in returns. When computing model-free realized commodity betas with the stock market we find that they were high during 2008......-2010 but have since returned to the pre-crisis level close to zero. The common factor in commodity volatility is nevertheless clearly related to stock market volatility. We conclude that, while commodity markets appear to again be segmented from the equity market when only returns are considered, commodity...

Estimation of return levels against different return periods of extreme annual rainfall over Baluchistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, M.; Jan, B.; Iqbal, J.

2012-01-01

Unprecedented heavy monsoon rainfall began in the last week of July 2010 in the Northern part of our country, causes floods in Baluchistan and Sindh. As the high frequency rainfall events are a significant cause of current severe flooding in Pakistan and any fluctuation in the level of such events may cause huge economic losses as well as social problem, urban structures (i.e. dams, urban drainage systems and flood). Statistical distributions are used to identify extremes of annual rainfall of different cities of Baluchistan (Quetta, Sibbi, Khuzdar, Lasbella, Dalbandin and Pasni) with their return periods. Analysis predicts that Gumbel Max. (GM) Distribution is the best fitted distribution for Sibbi and Lasbella while the GEV distribution is the best fitted for Quetta, Khuzdar, Dalbandin and Pasni. The analysis also suggests that different cities of Baluchistan have 30-years return period for getting more than 90 mm average daily rainfall while they have 100-years return period for receiving more than 118 mm daily rainfall. This suggests for suitable flood forecasting and improving the river structure in Baluchistan, Pakistan. (author)

Decision Making in the Airplane

Science.gov (United States)

Orasanu, Judith; Shafto, Michael G. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

The Importance of decision-making to safety in complex, dynamic environments like mission control centers, aviation, and offshore installations has been well established. NASA-ARC has a program of research dedicated to fostering safe and effective decision-making in the manned spaceflight environment. Because access to spaceflight is limited, environments with similar characteristics, including aviation and nuclear power plants, serve as analogs from which space-relevant data can be gathered and theories developed. Analyses of aviation accidents cite crew judgement and decision making as causes or contributing factors in over half of all accidents. Yet laboratory research on decision making has not proven especially helpful In improving the quality of decisions in these kinds of environments. One reason is that the traditional, analytic decision models are inappropriate to multi-dimensional, high-risk environments, and do not accurately describe what expert human decision makers do when they make decisions that have consequences. A new model of dynamic, naturalistic decision making is offered that may prove useful for improving decision making in complex, isolated, confined and high-risk environments. Based on analyses of crew performance in full-mission simulators and accident reports, features that define effective decision strategies in abnormal or emergency situations have been identified. These include accurate situation assessment (including time and risk assessment), appreciation of the complexity of the problem, sensitivity to constraints on the decision, timeliness of the response, and use of adequate information. More effective crews also manage their workload to provide themselves with time and resources to make good decisions. In brief, good decisions are appropriate to the demands of the situation. Effective crew decision making and overall performance are mediated by crew communication. Communication contributes to performance because it assures that

Package of procedures for the decision of optimization tasks by the method of branches and borders

OpenAIRE

Nestor, Natalia

2012-01-01

The practical aspects of realization of method of branches and borders are examined. The structure of package of procedures is pointed for implementation of basic operations at the decision of optimization tasks. A package is projected as a programmatic kernel which can be used for the various tasks of exhaustive search with returning.

Inventory control with product returns : The impact of imperfect information

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Brito, M.P.; Laan, E.A.

2009-01-01

Product returns are characterized by considerable uncertainty on time and quantity. In the literature on inventory management for product return environments best forecasts of future returns are associated with methods that use the most information regarding product return history. In practice,

26 CFR 301.6103(j)(1)-1T - Disclosures of return information reflected on returns to officers and employees of the...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... related activities (temporary). 301.6103(j)(1)-1T Section 301.6103(j)(1)-1T Internal Revenue INTERNAL... ADMINISTRATION Information and Returns Returns and Records § 301.6103(j)(1)-1T Disclosures of return information... § 301.6103(j)(1)-1(a) through (b)(3)(xxiv). (xxv) From Form 6765 (when filed with corporation income tax...

Planetary protection considerations for sample-return missions

Science.gov (United States)

Rummel, J.

The analysis on Earth of materials returned from other solar system bodies, and beyond, is likely one of the most effective ways for us to learn about the origins, history, and present state of the universe outside of our home planet. In the past, the Apollo missions were able to return large quantities of material from the Moon, while missions currently flying (Genesis and Stardust) intend to return much smaller quantities of material. Planned and conceptualized future missions (cf., MUSES-C) intend to return a wide variety of samples such as those from a near-Earth asteroid, the surface and atmosphere of Mars , and perhaps once more from the Earth's Moon. In some cases, the bodies targeted for sample return missions may have the capability of harboring indigenous life, while in other cases there is scant possibility of that. Considerations in determining the potential for extraterrestrial contamination from sample return missions have been studied, and include such factors as the availability of liquid water in or on the target body, the availability of m tabolicallye useful energy sources, the likelihood that organic matter was available, and the overall temperature and radiation history of the sampled areas. Also of note is the potential that the natural influx to Earth of that materials in question (e.g., meteorites, etc.) might overwhelm the ability of a targeted sample-return mission to contribute something novel to the Earth's environment. Missions thought to pose a risk of extraterrestrial biological contamination are subject to a containment provision that may be very difficult to implement on a single, moderate-cost mission, but such steps are necessary to protect both our own planet and the health of solar-system exploration missions and the science they can do.

Return to play after an initial or recurrent concussion in a prospective study of physician-observed junior ice hockey concussions: implications for return to play after a concussion.

Science.gov (United States)

Echlin, Paul Sean; Tator, Charles H; Cusimano, Michael D; Cantu, Robert C; Taunton, Jack E; Upshur, Ross E G; Czarnota, Michael; Hall, Craig R; Johnson, Andrew M; Forwell, Lorie A; Driediger, Molly; Skopelja, Elaine N

2010-11-01

The authors investigated return-to-play duration for initial and recurrent concussion in the same season in 2 teams of junior (16-21-year-old) ice hockey players during a regular season. The authors conducted a prospective cohort study during 1 junior regular season (2009-2010) of 67 male fourth-tier ice hockey players (mean age 18.2 ± 1.2 years [SD], range 16-21 years) from 2 teams. Prior to the start of the season, every player underwent baseline assessments that were determined using the Sideline Concussion Assessment Tool 2 (SCAT2) and the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT). The study protocol also required players who entered the study during the season to complete a baseline SCAT2 and ImPACT. If the protocol was not followed, the postinjury test results of a player without true baseline test results were compared with previously established age- and sex-matched group normative levels. Each game was directly observed by a physician and at least 1 neutral nonphysician observer. Players suspected of suffering a concussion were evaluated by the physician during the game. If a concussion was diagnosed, the player underwent clinical evaluation at the physician's office within 24 hours. The return-to-play decision was based on clinical evaluation guided by the Zurich return-to-play protocol (contained in the consensus statement of international expert opinion at the 3rd International Conference on Concussion in Sport held in Zurich, November 2008). This clinical evaluation and return-to-play protocol was augmented by the 2 tests (SCAT2 and ImPACT) also recommended by the Zurich consensus statement, for which baseline values had been obtained. Seventeen players sustained a physician-observed or self-reported, physician-diagnosed concussion during a physician-observed ice hockey game. The mean clinical return-to-play duration (in 15 cases) was 12.8 ± 7.02 days (median 10 days, range 7-29 days); the mean number of physician office visits

What are retail investors' risk-return preferences towards renewable energy projects? A choice experiment in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salm, Sarah; Hille, Stefanie Lena; Wüstenhagen, Rolf

2016-01-01

Citizens own nearly half the renewable energy generation capacity in Germany and have been important drivers of the country's energy transition. In contrast to citizens' important role in financing renewable energies, the energy policy and economics literature has traditionally focused on other investors, such as incumbent energy firms. To close this gap, this paper reports on a large-scale survey of 1,990 German retail investors. Conducting a choice experiment with the subset of 1,041 respondents who expressed an interest in investing in community renewable energy projects, we present a unique dataset allowing for new insights in risk-return expectations of retail investors. We find that apart from return on investment, respondents are particularly sensitive to the minimum holding period and the issuer of community renewable energy investment offerings. A minimum holding period of 10 years implies a risk premium of 2.76% points. A subsequent segmentation analysis shows that two groups of potential community renewable energy investors with different risk-return expectations can be identified: “local patriots” and “yield investors”. In contrast to professional investors, a majority of retail investors use simple decision rules such as calculating payback time or relying on their gut feeling when making investments. - Highlights: • Out of 1,990 retail investors surveyed, 1,041 express interest to invest in renewables. • Two target segments are identified, “local patriots” and “yield investors”. • “Local patriots” are willing to forgo return on investment in local projects. • Solar photovoltaic is most popular technology, followed by wind and small hydro. • Majority of investors use simple payback calculation or decide intuitively.

One-Step Direct Return Method For Mohr-Coulomb Plasticity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Johan; Damkilde, Lars; Andersen, Lars

2004-01-01

A new return method for the Mohr-Coulomb yield criteria is presented. The idea is to transform the problem into the principal direction and thereby achieve very simple formulas for calculating the elastic return stresses.......A new return method for the Mohr-Coulomb yield criteria is presented. The idea is to transform the problem into the principal direction and thereby achieve very simple formulas for calculating the elastic return stresses....

HUBUNGAN RETURN SAHAM DAN INFLASI DI INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nyoman Triaryati

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The effect of inflation to the stock return research had been held since three decades ago based on GeneralizeFisher’s Hypotheses, but ‘how inflation influenced stock return’ had become a debate until today. In Indonesiamost of the related research used inflation as one of the variables that influenced stock return despite of others inshort period of time. This research investigated the effect of inflation to the stock return in Indonesia within fifteenyears, which was divided into 3 (three periods of time reflecting different economic growth for each of it. Thepurpose of this allotment was to see the consistency how inflation influenced the stock market. Using a secondarydata from monthly inflation and IHSG period 1998 until 2012, included three hundred and sixty observation,simple regression model analyses was applied. This research acknowledged that inflation negatively influencedstock return in a long time period, but it did not exist in the short time period, except when the level of inflationreached 10%. In conclusion, inflation influence on the stock return was not ascertained by how long the investigationwas held but if there was any inflation rate reaching 10% within the period of investigation.

Use of a decision aid for prenatal testing of fetal abnormalities to improve women's informed decision making: a cluster randomised controlled trial [ISRCTN22532458].

Science.gov (United States)

Nagle, C; Gunn, J; Bell, R; Lewis, S; Meiser, B; Metcalfe, S; Ukoumunne, O C; Halliday, J

2008-02-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a decision aid for prenatal testing of fetal abnormalities compared with a pamphlet in supporting women's decision making. A cluster randomised controlled trial. Primary health care. Women in early pregnancy consulting a GP. GPs were randomised to provide women with either a decision aid or a pamphlet. The decision aid was a 24-page booklet designed using the Ottowa Decision Framework. The pamphlet was an existing resource available in the trial setting. Validated scales were used to measure the primary outcomes, informed choice and decisional conflict, and the secondary outcomes, anxiety, depression, attitudes to the pregnancy/fetus and acceptability of the resource. Outcomes were measured at 14 weeks of gestation from questionnaires that women completed and returned by post. Women in the intervention group were more likely to make an informed decision 76% (126/165) than those in the control group 65% (107/165) (adjusted OR 2.08; 95% CI 1.14-3.81). A greater proportion of women in the intervention group 88% (147/167) had a 'good' level of knowledge than those in the control group 72% (123/171) (adjusted OR 3.43; 95% CI 1.79-6.58). Mean (SD) decisional conflict scores were low in both groups, decision aid 1.71 (0.49), pamphlet 1.65 (0.55) (adjusted mean difference 0.10; 95% CI -0.02 to 0.22). There was no strong evidence of differences between the trial arms in the measures of psychological or acceptability outcomes. A tailored prenatal testing decision aid plays an important role in improving women's knowledge of first and second trimester screening tests and assisting them to make decisions about screening and diagnostic tests that are consistent with their values.

Habit formation, surplus consumption and return predictability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engsted, Tom; Hyde, Stuart; Vinther Møller, Stig

2010-01-01

On an international post World War II dataset, we use an iterated GMM procedure to estimate and test the Campbell and Cochrane (1999, By force of habit: a consumption-based explanation of aggregate stock market behavior. Journal of Political Economy 107, 205–251.) habit formation model with a time......-varying risk-free rate. In addition, we analyze the predictive power of the surplus consumption ratio for future stock and bond returns. We find that, although there are important cross-country differences and economically significant pricing errors, for the majority of countries in our sample the model gets...... significant information about future stock returns, also during the 1990s. In addition, in most countries the surplus consumption ratio is also a powerful predictor of future bond returns. Thus, the surplus consumption ratio captures time-varying expected returns in both stock and bond markets....

Dynamic returns of beta arbitrage

OpenAIRE

Nascimento, Mafalda

2017-01-01

This thesis studies the patterns of the abnormal returns of the beta strategy. The topic can be helpful for professional investors, who intend to achieve a better performance in their portfolios. Following the methodology of Lou, Polk, & Huang (2016), the COBAR measure is computed in order to determine the levels of beta arbitrage in the market in each point in time. It is argued that beta arbitrage activity can have impact on the returns of the beta strategy. In fact, it is demonstrated that...

Returns on Investment in California County Departments of Public Health.