Propensity Score Matching with Limited Overlap

In this article, we have demostrated the application of two newly proposed estimators which accounts for lack of overlap under propensity score matching on a case study involing the analysis of health expenditure data for the United States.

Buku Teks: Reka Cipta Tingkatan 5

Buku teks Reka Cipta Tingkatan 5 ini merupakan buku teks yang dihasilkan berdasarkan keperluan Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Menengah (KSSM) Mata Pelajaran Elektif Ikhtisas (MPEI) dan Dokumen Standard Kurikulum dan Pentaksiran (DSKP) Reka Cipta Tingkatan 5 yang disediakan oleh Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum (BPK), Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. Buku ini mengandungi lapan bab yang ditulis berdasarkan dua kluster. Bab satu hingga empat ditulis berdasarkan Teknologi Pembuatan. Dalam kluster ini, murid akan diberi pendedahan dari aspek pengetahuan, kemahiran dan nilai bagi bidang teknologi di samping dilatih dalam pengujian dan pengukuran kefungsian produk yang dihasilkan. Bab lima hingga lapan pula ditulis berdasarkan Strategi Pemasaran. Dalam strategi pemasaran, murid didedahkan mengenai produk, harga, promosi, tempat dan harta intelek kepada produk, strategi pemasaran serta proses komunikasi dan dokumentasi yang berkesan. Buku ini turut menerapkan pelbagai pendekatan pembelajaran yang sesuai dengan keperluan semasa seperti Pembelajaran Kendiri, Pembelajaran Kolaboratif, Pembelajaran Berasaskan Projek, Inkuiri, Penyelesaian Masalah, Pembelajaran Masteri, Konstruktivisme, Pembelajaran Penerokaan dan Pendekatan STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Sehubungan dengan itu, buku ini diharap dapat mewujudkan suatu dimensi pengajaran dan pembelajaran Reka Cipta yang lebih berkesan. Bagi tujuan menarik minat serta mengukuhkan kefahaman murid pula, buku ini telah ditulis dengan mempelbagaikan kaedah serta corak persembahan grafik seperti penggunaan gambar foto, gambar rajah, peta i-Think, carta, graf dan ilustrasi. Akhir kata, buku teks Reka Cipta Tingkatan 5 ini diharap dapat membentuk daya imaginatif, kreatif, inovatif, inventif serta mampu merealisasikan Falsafah Pendidikan Kebangsaan dan wawasan negara. Selain itu, buku ini juga diharap mampu melahirkan generasi saintifik, progresif, berdaya fikir tinggi, berpandangan jauh, menyumbang kepada pembangunan teknologi, peka terhadap alam sekitar, mengamalkan literasi kewangan dan keusahawanan, berdaya saing serta mengagumi ciptaan Tuhan

Study on Capacity, Change and Performance: Interim Report

In 2002 the chair of the Govnet, the OECD's Network on Governance and Capacity Building, asked the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) in Maastricht, the Netherlands, to undertake a study of the capacity of organisations and groups of organisations, mainly in low-income countries, its development over time and its relationship to improved performance. The specific purposes of this study were twofold:to enhance understanding of the interrelationships amongst capacity, change and performance across a wide range of development experiences; andto provide general recommendations and tools to support the effectiveness of external interventions aimed at improving capacity and performance

Publications over the Academic Life-cycle: Evidence for Academic Economists

It is widely assumed that the productivity of academic specialists declines with academic age. This paper provides empirical evidence of this phenomenon among economists using a panel data set from the departments of nine major midwestern universities.

Severity index for rheumatoid arthritis and its association with health care costs and biologic therapy use in Turkey

Objective: This study aimed to apply the previously validated severity index for rheumatoid arthritis (SIFRA) to prevalent rheumatoid arthritis (RA) groups in Turkey and determine the effect of RA severity on health care costs and biologic use. Methods: This retrospective study used the Turkish national health insurance database MEDULA (June 1, 2009-December 31, 2011). Prevalent RA patients were required to be age 18 to 99, have two RA diagnoses at least 60 days apart and be continuously enrolled 1 year prior to (baseline period) and post (follow-up period) index date, which was the first RA claim during the identification period (June 1, 2010-December 31, 2010). SIFRA was calculated for the baseline period. Total health care costs and biologic use were examined for the follow-up period. The chi-square test was used to determine the association between SIFRA score terciles and outcomes. Generalized linear models were applied to determine health care costs while multivariate logistic regression determined the effect of SIFRA on outcome measures for biologic use. Results: A total of 1,920 patients were identified. The mean SIFRA score was 14.21, and 7.05 (49.57%) of the mean composed of clinical and functional status variables, followed by 6.32 (44.47%) for medications, 0.48 (3.40%) for radiology and laboratory findings, and 0.32 (2.25%) for extra-articular manifestation. There was a significant variation in scores across cities. After controlling for age, gender, region, and comorbidity index, patients in the high SIFRA tercile were 5.16 times more likely to be prescribed biologics (p<0.001, confidence interval [CI]: 3.46-7.69), and incurred annual health care costs that were 2,091 higher (p<0.001, CI: 1,557 - 2,625) than those in the low SIFRA score tercile. Conclusion: RA severity varies throughout Turkey and is a significant determinant of health care costs and biologic therapy use. Therefore, future comparative effectiveness studies should include the severity measure in their analysis

A study on the transferable skills of the engineering students at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia

The purpose of this study was to identify the students' levels of awareness of the importance of transferable skills and the mastery of the aspects of adaptive, critical thinking, and problem-solving. In addition, this study also aimed to identify differences in students' levels of awareness of the importance of transferable skills and the difference levels of awareness between male and female students. Research method used in this study was quantitative survey by using questionnaire. Data were analysed by finding the mean and an independent t-test. The results showed that students' levels of awareness of the importance of transferable skills and the mastery levels of these skills were at a high and there were significant differences between female and male students' levels of awareness of the importance of transferable skills. However, the analysis showed no difference in the levels of dominance. Overall, greater awareness will help students to master the skills perfectly. It can also be used as a guide for students to identify elements and features that are required by employers nowaday