Endogenous, Regime-Switching Hedonic Estimation of Commercial Waterway Water Quality Impact on Home Values in the Alabama Black Belt

We are the first researchers to investigate the impact of the water quality of a commercial marine waterway on the housing market. We use housing data for properties in proximity to the major waterways and minor tributaries of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in the Alabama Black Belt. Research shows a positive relationship between water quality and the value of waterfront properties. We use waterway impairment as a proxy to measure water quality to conduct a counterfactual analysis based on a unique endogenous regime-switching hedonic price model. We find significant empirical evidence that properties in proximity to the Black Belt’s major waterways could depreciate by approximately 22% compared to the counterfactual case of properties located on or near minor tributaries. A possible implication might be that homeowners prefer properties on or near minor tributaries of the Alabama Black Belt because of perceptions that the water quality is better than on major commercial waterways

Endogenous, Regime-Switching Hedonic Estimation of Commercial Waterway Water Quality Impact on Home Values in the Alabama Black Belt

We are the first researchers to investigate the impact of the water quality of a commercial marine waterway on the housing market. We use housing data for properties in proximity to the major waterways and minor tributaries of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in the Alabama Black Belt. Research shows a positive relationship between water quality and the value of waterfront properties. We use waterway impairment as a proxy to measure water quality to conduct a counterfactual analysis based on a unique endogenous regime-switching hedonic price model. We find significant empirical evidence that properties in proximity to the Black Belt’s major waterways could depreciate by approximately 22% compared to the counterfactual case of properties located on or near minor tributaries. A possible implication might be that homeowners prefer properties on or near minor tributaries of the Alabama Black Belt because of perceptions that the water quality is better than on major commercial waterways

Effects of the diagnostic label 'schizophrenia', actively used or passively accepted, on general practitioners' views of this disorder

Background: General practitioners (GPs) play a key role in the care of somatic and psychiatric problems in people diagnosed with schizophrenia (PWS). It is probable that, like other health professionals, GPs are not all free of prejudices toward PWS. In clinical practice, GPs sometimes interact with clients diagnosed with schizophrenia by specialists, passively accepting this diagnosis. Other times, GPs interact with clients having symptoms of schizophrenia but who have not been diagnosed. In this case, GPs are expected to actively make a diagnosis. Giving the key role of GPs in the process of care, it is worthwhile examining whether passive acceptance and active usage of the diagnosis schizophrenia have differential effects on GPs' attitudes toward people with this disorder. Aims: To investigate GPs' views of schizophrenia and whether they were influenced by a 'schizophrenia' label, passively accepted or actively used. Methods: A total of 430 randomly selected GPs were invited to complete a questionnaire about their views of schizophrenia, either after reading a description of this disorder and making a diagnosis, or without being provided with a description but passively accepting the label 'schizophrenia' given in the questionnaire. Results: The GPs who passively accepted the label schizophrenia (n = 195) and those who actively identified schizophrenia from the description (n = 127) had similar views. Compared to the GPs who did not identify schizophrenia in the description (n = 65), those who used the diagnosis, actively or passively: more frequently reported heredity and less frequently psychosocial factors as causes of the disorder; were more skeptical about recovery; were more convinced of the need for long-term pharmacotherapies; believed more strongly that PWS should be discriminated against when in medical hospital; and perceived PWS as more dangerous and as kept at greater social distance. Conclusion: The diagnosis 'schizophrenia', however used, is associated with pessimistic views. Stigma education should be provided to GPs

Early postinfarction ventricular restraint improves borderzone wall thickening dynamics during remodeling.

BACKGROUND: Early infarct expansion impairs function of normally perfused borderzone myocardium (BZM), initiates adverse remodeling, and portends a poor long-term outcome. Early ventricular restraint has been demonstrated to improve global remodeling but its effect on BZM function has not been assessed. Using an ovine model of infarct induced remodeling and MRI, we tested the hypothesis that ventricular restraint early after MI preserves BZM function and reduces remodeling. METHODS: Six sheep had a large anterior infarction after ligation of all diagonal branches. One week after infarction 3 sheep had placement of a cardiac support device (CSD) to restrain infarct expansion. Global remodeling and borderzone wall thickening strain were assessed using tagged MRI before and 8 weeks after infarction. RESULTS: Global remodeling was greatly reduced in the CSD group compared with control. The BZM systolic wall thickening was similar in both groups at baseline (13.5% +/- 2.0%, control; 12.8% +/- 2.0%, CSD, p = 0.8). After 8 weeks of infarction-induced remodeling, systolic wall thickening strain decreased significantly to 4.9% +/- 0.7% in the control group (p = 0.03). In contrast, systolic wall thickening was preserved in the CSD group at 8 weeks (11.0% +/- 1.6%, p = 0.3). In the control group all thickening occurred during isovolemic contraction, plateauing during ejection. The CSD improved late systolic borderzone wall thickening, although dynamics remained perturbed. CONCLUSIONS: Ventricular restraint early after MI improves both contractile function of the BZM and global ventricular remodeling. The dynamics of BZM wall thickening are impaired during remodeling. The CSD significantly improves but does not completely maintain baseline BZM wall thickening dynamics