Dynamic Assessment of Oligopoly, Oligopsony Power, and Cost Efficiency using the New Empirical Industrial Organization in the U.S. Beef Packing Industry

In this paper, the new empirical industrial organization approach with a dynamic model is simultaneously employed to measure the degree of oligopoly, oligopsony power, and cost efficiency in the U.S. beef packing industry. The oligopsony power is estimated with two effects: cash cattle procurement market power and captive supply market power. The model is estimated by the Generalized Method of Moments using monthly data from 1990 to 2006. The empirical results reveal the presence of market power in both the beef retail market and the cattle procurement market in the sample period. The captive supply is a source of oligopsony market power, but the effect is considerably small. The oligopsony market power is greater and less stable than oligopoly market power for the whole sample period. The cost efficiency effect outweighs the market power effects for the sample period.beef packing industry, captive supply, cost efficiency, industrial concentration, market power, NEIO, Agricultural and Food Policy, Industrial Organization, Livestock Production/Industries, Marketing, Q13,

Dynamic Assessment of Bertrand Oligopsony in the U.S. Cattle Procurement Market

The new empirical industrial organization approach with the Bertrand model is employed to measure the oligopsony market power in the U.S. cattle procurement market. The assumption of price competition (Bertrand model) based on the nature of cattle production such as cattle cycle and seasonality is used and compared to quantity competition (Cournot model). The empirical results show that the oligopsony market power exists in the U.S. cattle procurement market. The cattle cycle and seasonality affect the oligopsony market power and the cattle cycle causes the change of market power. However, concentration has a negative effect on the oligopsony market power.cattle cycle, concentration, market power, NEIO, oligopsony, seasonality, Agribusiness, Demand and Price Analysis, Industrial Organization, Livestock Production/Industries, Marketing, Q13, L13, L16,

Trends in Avoidable Death over 20 Years in Korea

To evaluate the achievement of health care services in Korea independent of other socioeconomic factors, we observed the time trend of avoidable death between 1983 and 2004. A list of avoidable causes of death was constructed based on the European Community Atlas of "Avoidable Death". We calculated sex- and age-standardized mortality rates of Korean aged 1-64 yr using data of the Korea National Statistical Office. The avoidable mortality rate (per 100,000 persons) decreased from 225 to 84 in men and from 122 to 41 in women. Accordingly, the proportion of avoidable deaths among all classifiable deaths was reduced by 8.1% in men and 6.4% in women. However, mortality rates from some preventable causes such as ischemic heart disease and malignant neoplasms of lung, breast, cervix, and colorectum have been on the rise. Mortality preventable by appropriate medical care showed the greatest reduction (by 77.8%), while the mortality preventable by primary prevention showed the least reduction (by 50.0%). These findings suggest that health care service has significantly contributed to the improvement of health in Korea. However, more effective intervention programs would be needed given the less reduction in mortality avoidable by primary or secondary prevention than expected and unexpectedly increasing mortality from several preventable causes

Recurred pneumocephalus in a head trauma patient following positive pressure mask ventilation during induction of anesthesia -A case report-

Pneumocephalus is a condition which usually results from head trauma. It has been known that iatrogenic pneumocephalus can occur as a complication of positive pressure mask ventilation during induction of anesthesia or ventilatory care for head trauma patients. We report a case of mask ventilation during anesthesia induction in a 50-year-old male patient with head trauma. Initial pneumocephalus associated with cerebrospinal fluid leakage was diagnosed immediate following head injury involving facial sinuses. He was managed with emergent lumbar drainage and supportive care. Pneumocephalus recurred following positive pressure mask ventilation (PPMV) during anesthesia induction for surgery on the right arm. Recurred pneumocephalus was managed with high flow oxygen and supportive care. Anesthesiologists should be aware of pneumocephalus as a potential complication of PPMV in head trauma patients, even after resolution of previous pneumocephalus

A new concept for controlling tiny-scale insect pest in green house – noval technology to apply liquid ethyl formate: Poster

As increased agricultural insecticide uses and trends in insecticide resistance, increased labor cost to apply insecticide and limited its application to fertility season in green house. There is a need of a safe, labor-saving and confined space application concept to manage control tiny-scale insect pest such as thrips and whitefly. Fumigation with ethyl formate (EF), which is considered as effective to various insect pest and safely use in quarantine treatment, was evaluated in the confined space (glass house) and semi-confined space (vinyl house). The new application technology for application of liquid EF could be the one of the key options for control of tiny flying insects in greenhouses that would save labor and operation costs. It could be connected to smartfarm technologies in the near future.As increased agricultural insecticide uses and trends in insecticide resistance, increased labor cost to apply insecticide and limited its application to fertility season in green house. There is a need of a safe, labor-saving and confined space application concept to manage control tiny-scale insect pest such as thrips and whitefly. Fumigation with ethyl formate (EF), which is considered as effective to various insect pest and safely use in quarantine treatment, was evaluated in the confined space (glass house) and semi-confined space (vinyl house). The new application technology for application of liquid EF could be the one of the key options for control of tiny flying insects in greenhouses that would save labor and operation costs. It could be connected to smartfarm technologies in the near future

Decreased health-related quality of life in disease-free survivors of differentiated thyroid cancer in Korea

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Concern regarding the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of long-term survivors of thyroid cancer has risen due to the rapid increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer, which generally has an excellent prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of HRQOL in disease-free survivors of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) and to evaluate the important determinants of HRQOL.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a cross-sectional study in which we interviewed consecutive disease-free survivors of DTC. Three different validated questionnaires ("EORTC QLQ-C30" for various functional domains, the "brief fatigue inventory (BFI)" and the "hospital anxiety and depression scale" (HADS)) were used. Data from a large, population based survey of 1,000 people were used as a control.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The response rate for the questionnaires was 78.9% (316/401). Disease-free survivors of DTC showed a decreased HRQOL in all five functional domains (physical, role, cognitive, emotional, and social) on the EORTC QLQ-C30 compared with controls (<it>P </it>< 0.01). BFI and HADS-anxiety scores also showed greater distress in disease-free survivors of DTC than in controls (<it>P </it>< 0.05). A multiple regression analysis for the determinants of HRQOL showed that the HADS-anxiety, HADS-depression, and BFI scores were the most significant components of decreased HRQOL.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although disease-free survivors of DTC are expected to have disease-specific survival comparable to the general population, they experience a significantly decreased HRQOL. Anxiety, depression, and fatigue were the major determinants of the decreased HRQOL. Supportive psychological care should be integrated into the management of long-term survivors of DTC.</p