Forensic evaluation: A strategy for and results of an impact evaluation of a universal labor market program - The Swedish activity guarantee

To evaluate the effects of a universal program, i.e. all targeted get access, is associated with the problem that there are no individuals who represent the hypothetical or counterfactual state of being eligible to the program but not participating in it. In this study of a Swedish universal labor market program the Activity Guarantee we show how regional differences in the implementation of instructions on assignment to the program were utilized to create a control group representing the counterfactual state. After having gained access to a treatment and a control group, the authors evaluated the effects of the program on the probability of leaving unemployment and on the duration of unemployment. The effects estimated were statistically significant and indicate a clear positive effect of program participation. -- In dieser Analyse wird das Evaluierungsproblem untersucht, das entsteht, wenn die Effekte eines Programms untersucht werden sollen, das einschränkungslos für alle Mitglieder einer Zielgruppe gilt. Dann nämlich gibt es nicht mehr die Fälle, die den gegenteiligen Zustand repräsentieren, d.h. Anspruchsberechtigte, die nicht an dem Programm teilnehmen. In dieser Studie über ein in diesem Sinne universelles Arbeitsmarktprogramm in Schweden mit dem Titel Aktivitäts- Garantie wird gezeigt, wie regionale Unterschiede bei der Umsetzung der Vorschriften zur Zuweisung in das Programm genutzt werden, um eine Kontrollgruppe zu bilden. Nachdem der Zugang zu den Daten einer Teilnehmergruppe und einer Kontrollgruppe geklärt war, evaluierten die Autoren die Effekte des Programms auf die Abgangswahrscheinlichkeit aus und auf die Dauer der Arbeitslosigkeit. Die geschätzten Effekte waren statistisch signifikant und belegen einen eindeutig positiven Effekt einer Teilnahme an dem Programm.

Using the unemployed as temporary employment counsellors: Evaluation of an initiative to combat longterm unemployment

This study investigates empirically the effects of a pilot project in which unemployed persons were used as temporary employment counsellors. Economic theory clearly points in the di-rection of a positive relation between search intensity and exit from unemployment. The fundamental concept of the project was the use of unemployed, who underwent customised training, to assist other unemployed in their job search. The project was carried out during a period in which the caseload was very high at public employment offices, which resulted in a drastic reduction in individual placement services available to the unemployed. It was based on a collaboration agreement between trade union confederations and the Swedish Labour Market Administration. Based on individual records drawn from administrative data, this paper examines the impact of the project on the probability of being removed from the live register of the Employment Service (various reasons for being removed are analysed separately) or being placed in a labour market policy programme. For job seekers placed in such programmes, the evaluation also examines effects on the probability of gaining employment within a given time period subsequent to programme participation. The impact on the period of time from the start of the project until a job seeker is removed from the register or placed in a labour market policy programme is also examined. The estimated effects indicate that the project had a positive impact on job search effectiveness and, thereby, in its efforts to reduce long periods out of work. -- Die vorliegende Studie ist eine empirische Untersuchung der Auswirkungen eines Pilotpro-jektes, bei dem Arbeitslose vorübergehend als Arbeitsberater eingesetzt wurden. Wirtschaftstheorien sehen einen positiven Zusammenhang zwischen der Intensität der Su-che nach einem Arbeitsplatz und dem Austritt aus der Arbeitslosigkeit. Das grundlegende Konzept des Projektes lag im Einsatz von Arbeitslosen, die nach einer kundenorientierten Schulung anderen Arbeitslosen bei ihrer Arbeitssuche assistierten. Zeitlich angesiedelt wur-de das Projekt in einer Phase sehr hoher Arbeitsbelastung in den öffentlichen Arbeitsagenturen, die zu einer drastischen Reduzierung der Kapazitäten für die Einzelbera-tung von Arbeitslosen führte. Grundlage bildete ein Abkommen zwischen Gewerkschaftsverbänden und der schwedischen Arbeitsverwaltung. Basierend auf Geschäftsdaten der Arbeitsverwaltung untersucht dieses Papier die Wirkung des Projektes auf die Wahrscheinlichkeit aus der Arbeitslosenstatistik der Beschäftigungs-agenturen auszuscheiden (einzelne Gründe für das Ausscheiden werden separat untersucht) oder in ein Beschäftigungsprogramm aufgenommen zu werden. Für arbeitssuchende Pro-grammteilnehmer untersucht die Studie auch die Wahrscheinlichkeit des Eintritts in Beschäftigung im Anschluss an die Programmteilnahme. Ebenso wird der zeitliche Zusam-menhang zwischen dem Projektbeginn bis zum Ausscheiden eines Arbeitssuchenden aus der Arbeitslosenstatistik oder dessen Eintritt in ein Arbeitsmarktprogramm untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich das Projekt positiv auf die Bemühungen bei der Suche nach einer Beschäftigung auswirkt und dadurch Langzeitarbeitslosigkeit reduziert wird.

Forensic evaluation: a strategy for and results of an impact evaluation of a universal labor market program - the Swedish Activity Guarantee

"To evaluate the effects of a universal program, i.e. all targeted get access, is associated with the problem that there are no individuals who represent the hypothetical or counterfactual state of being eligible to the program but not participating in it. In this study of a Swedish universal labor market program - the 'Activity Guarantee' - we show how regional differences in the implementation of instructions on assignment to the program were utilized to create a control group representing the counterfactual state. After having gained access to a treatment and a control group, the authors evaluated the effects of the program on the probability of leaving unemployment and on the duration of unemployment. The effects estimated were statistically significant and indicate a clear positive effect of program participation." (author's abstract)"In dieser Analyse wird das Evaluierungsproblem untersucht, das entsteht, wenn die Effekte eines Programms untersucht werden sollen, das einschränkungslos für alle Mitglieder einer Zielgruppe gilt. Dann nämlich gibt es nicht mehr die Fälle, die den gegenteiligen Zustand repräsentieren, d.h. Anspruchsberechtigte, die nicht an dem Programm teilnehmen. In dieser Studie über ein in diesem Sinne universelles Arbeitsmarktprogramm in Schweden mit dem Titel 'Aktivitäts-Garantie' wird gezeigt, wie regionale Unterschiede bei der Umsetzung der Vorschriften zur Zuweisung in das Programm genutzt werden, um eine Kontrollgruppe zu bilden. Nachdem der Zugang zu den Daten einer Teilnehmergruppe und einer Kontrollgruppe geklärt war, evaluierten die Autoren die Effekte des Programms auf die Abgangswahrscheinlichkeit aus und auf die Dauer der Arbeitslosigkeit. Die geschätzten Effekte waren statistisch signifikant und belegen einen eindeutig positiven Effekt einer Teilnahme an dem Programm." (Autorenreferat

Using the unemployed as temporary employment counsellors: evaluation of an initiative to combat long-term unemployment

"This study investigates empirically the effects of a pilot project in which unemployed persons were used as temporary employment counsellors. Economic theory clearly points in the direction of a positive relation between search intensity and exit from unemployment. The fundamental concept of the project was the use of unemployed, who underwent customised training, to assist other unemployed in their job search. The project was carried out during a period in which the caseload was very high at public employment offices, which resulted in a drastic reduction in individual placement services available to the unemployed. It was based on a collaboration agreement between trade union confederations and the Swedish Labour Market Administration. Based on individual records drawn from administrative data, this paper examines the impact of the project on the probability of being removed from the live register of the Employment Service (various reasons for being removed are analysed separately) or being placed in a labour market policy programme. For job seekers placed in such programmes, the evaluation also examines effects on the probability of gaining employment within a given time period subsequent to programme participation. The impact on the period of time from the start of the project until a job seeker is removed from the register or placed in a labour market policy programme is also examined. The estimated effects indicate that the project had a positive impact on job search effectiveness and, thereby, in its efforts to reduce long periods out of work." (author's abstract)"Die vorliegende Studie ist eine empirische Untersuchung der Auswirkungen eines Pilotprojektes, bei dem Arbeitslose vorübergehend als Arbeitsberater eingesetzt wurden. Wirtschaftstheorien sehen einen positiven Zusammenhang zwischen der Intensität der Suche nach einem Arbeitsplatz und dem Austritt aus der Arbeitslosigkeit. Das grundlegende Konzept des Projektes lag im Einsatz von Arbeitslosen, die nach einer kundenorientierten Schulung anderen Arbeitslosen bei ihrer Arbeitssuche assistierten. Zeitlich angesiedelt wurde das Projekt in einer Phase sehr hoher Arbeitsbelastung in den öffentlichen Arbeitsagenturen, die zu einer drastischen Reduzierung der Kapazitäten für die Einzelberatung von Arbeitslosen führte. Grundlage bildete ein Abkommen zwischen Gewerkschaftsverbänden und der schwedischen Arbeitsverwaltung. Basierend auf Geschäftsdaten der Arbeitsverwaltung untersucht dieses Papier die Wirkung des Projektes auf die Wahrscheinlichkeit aus der Arbeitslosenstatistik der Beschäftigungsagenturen auszuscheiden (einzelne Gründe für das Ausscheiden werden separat untersucht) oder in ein Beschäftigungsprogramm aufgenommen zu werden. Für arbeitssuchende Programmteilnehmer untersucht die Studie auch die Wahrscheinlichkeit des Eintritts in Beschäftigung im Anschluss an die Programmteilnahme. Ebenso wird der zeitliche Zusammenhang zwischen dem Projektbeginn bis zum Ausscheiden eines Arbeitssuchenden aus der Arbeitslosenstatistik oder dessen Eintritt in ein Arbeitsmarktprogramm untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich das Projekt positiv auf die Bemühungen bei der Suche nach einer Beschäftigung auswirkt und dadurch Langzeitarbeitslosigkeit reduziert wird." (Autorenreferat

Substance P releases and augments the morphine-evoked release of adenosine from spinal cord

The effects of substance P on the morphine-evoked release of adenosine were examined. Substance P alone produced a multiphasic effect on release of adenosine, with release occurring at low nanomolar concentrations and at a micromolar concentration, but not at intermediate concentrations. An inactive dose of substance P augmented the morphine-evoked release of adenosine at a nanomolar concentration of morphine. Release of adenosine by substance P alone (1 nM) or substance P/morphine (100 nM/10 nM) was Ca2(+)-dependent and originated from capsaicin-sensitive nerve terminals

Interaction between Intrathecal Gabapentin and Adenosine in the Formalin Test of Rats

Spinal gabapentin and adenosine have been known to display an antinociceptive effect. We evaluated the nature of the interaction between gabapentin and adenosine in formalin-induced nociception at the spinal level. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were prepared for intrathecal catheterization. Pain was evoked by injection of formalin solution (5%, 50 µL) into the hindpaw. After examination of the effects of gabapentin and adenosine, the resulting interaction was investigated with isobolographic and fractional analyses. Neither gabapentin nor adenosine affected motor function. Gabapentin or adenosine decreased the sum of the number of flinches during phase 2, but not during phase 1 in the formalin test. Isobolographic analysis, in phase 2, revealed an additive interaction between gabapentin and adenosine. Taken together, intrathecal gabapentin and adenosine attenuated the facilitated state and interacted additively with each other

Physiological properties of enkephalin-containing neurons in the spinal dorsal horn visualized by expression of green fluorescent protein in BAC transgenic mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Enkephalins are endogenous opiates that are assumed to modulate nociceptive information by mediating synaptic transmission in the central nervous system, including the spinal dorsal horn.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To develop a new tool for the identification of <it>in vitro </it>enkephalinergic neurons and to analyze enkephalin promoter activity, we generated transgenic mice for a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). Enkephalinergic neurons from these mice expressed enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) under the control of the preproenkephalin (PPE) gene (<it>penk1</it>) promoter. eGFP-positive neurons were distributed throughout the gray matter of the spinal cord, and were primarily observed in laminae I-II and V-VII, in a pattern similar to the distribution pattern of enkephalin-containing neurons. Double immunostaining analysis using anti-enkephalin and anti-eGFP antibodies showed that all eGFP-expressing neurons contained enkephalin. Incubation in the presence of forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase, increased the number of eGFP-positive neurons. These results indicate that eGFP expression is controlled by the <it>penk1 </it>promoter, which contains cyclic AMP-responsive elements. Sections obtained from sciatic nerve-ligated mice exhibited increased eGFP-positive neurons on the ipsilateral (nerve-ligated side) compared with the contralateral (non-ligated side). These data indicate that PPE expression is affected by peripheral nerve injury. Additionally, single-neuron RT-PCR analysis showed that several eGFP positive-neurons in laminae I-II expressed glutamate decarboxylase 67 mRNA and that some expressed serotonin type 3 receptors.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results suggest that eGFP-positive neurons in laminae I-II coexpress enkephalin and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and are activated by forskolin and in conditions of nerve injury. The <it>penk1</it>-eGFP BAC transgenic mouse contributes to the further characterization of enkephalinergic neurons in the transmission and modulation of nociceptive information.</p

Report of the AACP Task Force on Patient-Centered Medical Homes and Accountable Care Organizations

A task force was convened by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) to provide rationale for academic pharmacy engagement with organizations/institutions providing new models of team-based patient care designed to improve patient access, care quality, and affordable care. Descriptions of new care models, such as patient centered medical homes (PCMHs) and accountable care organizations (ACO), were included as well as descriptions of existing partnerships with academic pharmacy

Systematic review: acculturation strategies and their impact on the mental health of migrant populations

Objectives This study aims to examine the correlation between the different types of migrant acculturation strategies according to Berry’s model of acculturation (integration, assimilation, separation, and marginalisation) and their effects on mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety and PTSD. Study design Systematic Review. Methods Three databases (PubMed, Ovid and Ebsco) were searched using different combinations of search terms to identify relevant articles to be included. The search terms were pre-identified using relevant synonyms for “migrants”, “mental health” and “integration”. The list of article titles from these searches were then filtered using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The mental health consequences included a range of common conditions including suicide/self-harm, depressive disorders, psychosis, as well as substance misuse. Results 21 primary studies were included in the review, which assessed 61,885 migrants in total (Fig. 1 and Supplemental File 1). Of these, seven were cohort studies and fourteen were cross-sectional studies. Most studies showed that marginalisation was associated with worse depression symptoms, compared to integration, assimilation and separation, while integration was associated with the least depressive symptoms. Marginalisation more than triples the likelihood of anxiety-related symptoms compared to integration. Similarly, separation increased the likelihood of anxiety-related symptoms nearly six-fold. Conclusions Our review found out that marginalisation had the worst effects on mental health of the migrant populations while integration had the most positive effects. The study also identified three key sources which may contribute to acculturation stress and worse mental health: low education or skill set, proficiency of the host country’s language, and financial hardships