Nonlinear Nonparametric Prediction of the 90-Day T-Bill Rate

We employ a nonlinear, nonparametric method to model the stochastic behavior of changes in the 90-day U.S. T-bill rate. The estimation technique is locally weighted regression (LWR), a nearest-neighbor method, and the forecasting criteria are the root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute deviation (MAD). We compare the forecasting performance of the nonparametric fit to the performance of two benchmark linear models: an autoregressive model and a random-walk-with-drift model. The nonparametric fit results in significant improvements in forecasting accuracy as compared to benchmark linear models both in-sample and out-of-sample, thus establishing the presence of substantial nonlinear mean predictability of changes in the 90-day T-bill rate.interest rates, T-bill rate, forecasting, long memory

Exploring the Impact of Education on Korean-American Entrepreneurs

Education has been shown to have myriad effects on people, from increasing their incomes to changing their views of the world. In the area of entrepreneurship, education creates opportunities and increases the rate of entrepreneurial activity. This study explores education’s effects on the immigrant entrepreneurship development processes and outcomes in the context of Korean-Americans by comparing a national sample of Korean-Americans with differing amounts of education. The sample is part of the National Minority Business Owners Surveys (NMBOS) carried out by the Lawrence N. Field Center for Entrepreneurship at Baruch College between 2003 and 2005. The authors hypothesize that high-education Korean-Americans will have larger and more successful businesses, have more varying types of businesses, and follow differing paths to business formation. In addition, the authors hypothesize that motivations, goals, and attitudes toward their businesses, families, and their lives generally will be different. Among other things, confidence and level of satisfaction with their business will be higher for the high-education group. The study finds that while the low- and high-education groups vary in their types of businesses, the paths followed into those businesses, and the size of their businesses, they are very similar as to their attitudes, motivations, and family interactions. Implications for future research are discussed

Impact of Antiretroviral Drugs on Renal Doppler Indices of Adult Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome in Sub-Saharan African Population

Background: The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy in the management of patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome has drastically reduced the morbidity and mortality as a result of HIV infections worldwide. However, there have been associated organ toxicities including nephro-toxicity. The main objective of the study was to determine the impact of   antiretroviral drugs on renal Doppler indices of adult patients with HIV/AIDS in a Sub-Saharan Africa population. Materials and Methods: This study design was a prospective cohort conducted from July 2019 to April 2020 in Kano, Nigeria. A purposive sampling method was employed to obtain a sample size of 396 participants. The sampling for the renal RI and PI was performed at the level of the interlober arteries in between the medullary pyramids. Results: Subjects on Zidovudine/Lamivudine/Navirapine regimen had the highest values of resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) (0.66±0.05 and 1.44±0.09). Those on Tenofovir Disoproxil Furamate /Lamivudine /Lopinavir/ritonavir had the lowest values of resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) (0.61±0.01 and 1.38±0.06). There was a statistically significance difference in the mean of the RI and PI between the different groups of the drugs regimens (p=0.000). Conclusion: In this study Zidovudine/Lamivudine/Navirapine regimen had the highest negative impact on RI and PI while Tenofovir Disoproxil Furamate /Lamivudine /Lopinavir/ritonavir had the lowest