A Connection between Paired Data Analysis and Regression Analysis for Estimating Sales Adjustments

The two methods most often recommended for obtaining market-derived adjustments utilized in the sales comparison approach to appraisal are Paired Data Analysis and Multiple Regression Analysis. These approaches are viewed as competing alternatives, with advocates and detractors for each. The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that these two alternatives to estimating sales adjustments are equivalent under certain circumstances. This point of equivalence may prove to be a useful starting place for improving our understanding of the differences between and similarities of the two methods. After explaining the data requirements of each method, we provide a set of sufficient conditions under which the two methods produce identical adjustment estimates. We finish with a discussion ofrelative advantages and disadvantages of these two methods in estimating sale comparison adjustments.

Exchange-Rate Risk Mitigation with Price-Level-Adjusting Mortgages: The Case of the Mexican UDI

In 1995, Mexico introduced a credit system based on a price-level-adjusting unit of account called the Unidad de Inversion (UDI, pronounced “oo-dee”), which is Spanish for “unit of investment.” The Bank of Mexico maintains an UDI Index, which sets the peso value of an UDI on any given day. Loans denominated in UDIs maintain their purchasing power and provide a real rate of return in the local currency, pesos. The focus of this study is the real rate of return earned by dollar investors in UDI mortgages. Most dollar investors fear exposure to exchange rate losses in unstable currencies. In this paper, we examine the real-dollar rate of return and the extent to which the inflation adjusting aspect of the UDI mitigates the losses from currency devaluations. We also examine exchange-rate patterns relative to purchasing-power-parity to find investment strategies that increase the real-dollar rate of return on investments in Mexico’s UDI mortgages.

An Empirical Investigation of Four Market-Derived Adjustment Methods

This study uses published data on 422 market sales of FHA/VA insured/guaranteed houses to examine and compare four methods of estimating market-derived adjustment values to be employed in the sales comparison appraisal approach. These four adjustment methods are variations and combinations of matched pair and multiple regression analysis. Two major conclusions drawn from the results are: (1) regression on matched pair data set is equivalent to matched pair analysis using regression coefficients as secondary adjustments and produces the same primary adjustment estimate for the feature of interest, and (2) even under relatively ideal circumstances, market-derived adjustments contain a high degree of uncertainty.

Social Studies Preservice Teachers’ Citizenship Knowledge and Perceptions of the U.S. Naturalization Test

Teacher educators from six states invited their social studies methodology students to complete an abbreviated version of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Naturalization Test. The preservice teachers were also asked to share their conceptions of citizenship and evaluate the naturalization test. The findings from this study indicated that although this sample of preservice teachers had limited conceptions of citizenship, most were able to get a satisfactory score on the test. The authors discuss the implications of these results and suggest ways to broaden citizenship education in teacher preparation programs

Survival After Sublobar Resection versus Lobectomy for Clinical Stage IA Lung Cancer An Analysis from the National Cancer Data Base

BackgroundRecent data have suggested possible oncologic equivalence of sublobar resection with lobectomy for early-stage non–smallcell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our aim was to evaluate and compare short-term and long-term survival for these surgical approaches.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study utilized the National Cancer Data Base. Patients undergoing lobectomy, segmentectomy, or wedge resection for preoperative clinical T1A N0 NSCLC from 2003 to 2011 were identified. Overall survival (OS) and 30-day mortality were analyzed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, logistic regression models, and propensity score matching. Further analysis of survival stratified by tumor size, facility type, number of lymph nodes (LNs) examined, and surgical margins was performed.ResultsA total of 13,606 patients were identified. After propensity score matching, 987 patients remained in each group. Both segmentectomy and wedge resection were associated with significantly worse OS when compared with lobectomy (hazard ratio: 1.70 and 1.45, respectively, both p < 0.001), with no difference in 30-day mortality. Median OS for lobectomy, segmentectomy, and wedge resection were 100, 74, and 68 months, respectively (p < 0.001). Finally, sublobar resection was associated with increased likelihood of positive surgical margins, lower likelihood of having more than three LNs examined, and significantly lower rates of nodal upstaging.ConclusionIn this large national-level, clinically diverse sample of clinical T1A NSCLC patients, wedge and segmental resections were shown to have significantly worse OS compared with lobectomy. Further patients undergoing sublobar resection were more likely to have inadequate lymphadenectomy and positive margins. Ongoing prospective study taking into account LN upstaging and margin status is still needed

Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities Are More Pronounced in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Than Other Breast Cancers

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare yet aggressive form of breast cancer. We examined differences in patient demographics and outcomes in IBC compared to locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) and all other breast cancer patients from the Breast and Prostate Cancer Data Quality and Patterns of Care Study (POC-BP), containing information from cancer registries in seven states. Out of 7,624 cases of invasive carcinoma, IBC and LABC accounted for 2.2% (N = 170) and 4.9% (N = 375), respectively. IBC patients were more likely to have a higher number (P = 0.03) and severity (P = 0.01) of comorbidities than other breast cancer patients. Among IBC patients, a higher percentage of patients with metastatic disease versus nonmetastatic disease were black, on Medicaid, and from areas of higher poverty and more urban areas. Black and Hispanic IBC patients had worse overall and breast cancer-specific survival than white patients; moreover, IBC patients with Medicaid, patients from urban areas, and patients from areas of higher poverty and lower education had worse outcomes. These data highlight the effects of disparities in race and socioeconomic status on the incidence of IBC as well as IBC outcomes. Further work is needed to reveal the causes behind these disparities and methods to improve IBC outcomes

Supplement to Christian Chronicle, May 10, 1968

A supplement to the Christian Chronicle, this special issue contains a report of the Race Relations Workshop held March 4-8, 1968, in Nashville, Tennessee at Schrader Lane Church of Christ. Included are full texts of speeches delivered by the workshop theme speakers: David Jones, Jr., Lawrence L. (Bud) Stumbaugh, James Dennis, Sr., Don Finto, leon Hill, Phillip Roseberry, Joseph Tucker, Joe Tomlinson, Perry Wallace, Jim Mayo, Walter E. Burch, and an article by David Lipscomb condensed from the February 21, 1878 Gospel Advocate

Inventory of Data Sources for Estimating Health Care Costs in the United States

To develop an inventory of data sources for estimating health care costs in the United States and provide information to aid researchers in identifying appropriate data sources for their specific research questions