Private Consumption, Nontraded Goods and Real Exchange Rate: A Cointegration_Euler Equation Approach

This paper presents an empirical study of real exchange rate movements from a consumer's perspective. Trade between two countries creates a link between real exchange rate and terms of trade. It is the private consumption of non-traded goods that induces an equilibrium relationship between real exchange rate and private consumption of traded and non-traded goods. We use Ogaki and Park's (1989) cointegration-Euler equation approach to explore long-run implications from the equilibrium relationship. Given the stationary preference shocks assumption, the testable restriction is that real exchange rate and private consumption of traded and non-traded goods in the home and foreign countries are cointegrated. The empirical evidence suggests that private consumption in the home and foreign countries accounts for a significant fraction of the long run movements of real exchange rate in South Korea and Taiwan. Accounting for real government consumption does not overturn the result.

Equilibrium radiative heating tables for Earth entry

The recent resurgence of interest in blunt-body atmospheric entry for applications such as aeroassisted orbital transfer and planetary return has engendered a corresponding revival of interest in radiative heating. Radiative heating may be of importance in these blunt-body flows because of the highly energetic shock layer around the blunt nose. Sutton developed an inviscid, stagnation point, radiation coupled flow field code for investigating blunt-body atmospheric entry. The method has been compared with ground-based and flight data, and reasonable agreement has been found. To provide information for entry body studies in support of lunar and Mars return scenarios of interest in the 1970's, the code was exercised over a matrix of Earth entry conditions. Recently, this matrix was extended slightly to reflect entry vehicle designs of current interest. Complete results are presented

A Public Health Framework for Screening Mammography: Evidence-Based Versus Politically Mandated Care

This Viewpoint highlights the societal risks of politically motivated mandates relating to public health guidelines. Although the Affordable Care Act mandated insurance coverage for U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)-recommended preventive services, it went further for mammography screening. Instead of relying on the most recent USPSTF guidelines, Congress amended the ACA to require the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to use its 2002 guidelines, which recommended screening every 1-2 years starting at age 40. The FY 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act instructs DHHS to interpret any reference to “current” USPSTF breast cancer screening recommendations to mean those issued “before 2009” — in other words, its 2002 recommendations. Essentially, Congress is requiring health insurers to ignore modern scientific assessments, and instead use 14-year-old guidance. The ACA improved the public’s health by guaranteeing that insurers provide uniform, cost-free access to preventive services based on modern evidence of effectiveness. The public’s health is best served when women’s personal decisions about screening are informed by evidence rather than political considerations. The Congress’s paternalistic response to USPSTF mammography-screening recommendations vividly illuminate the social costs of politically mandated care. Rather than benefiting women, political interference with science can discourage shared decision-making, increase harms from screening, and sow public doubt about the value and integrity of science

Tilt-N-Go: The Alternative Control System for Electric Wheelchairs

The Tilt-n-Go system offers an alternative electric wheelchair control mechanism for those with mobility problems that prevent them from properly using the provided joystick controller. The majority of electric wheelchairs currently on the market are controlled by an armrest-mounted joystick. Users with tremors, arthritis or other medical conditions that result in loss of grip strength, may find the joystick interface difficult or painful to use. In the Tilt-n-Go system, the movement control system no longer receives movement commands from a joystick but instead responds to the orientation of an inertial measurement unit (IMU) mounted on a glove worn by the user. The IMU, containing a gyro, accelerometer, and microcontroller unit (MCU), outputs unique voltage signals for every distinct way a user tilts it. The IMU sends wheelchair control signals wirelessly using an XBee RF transmitter to an XBee RF receiver that outputs data to a second MCU which drives the wheelchair motors. As it stands, the Tilt-n-Go system allows for successful control of the wheelchair in all directions (forward, backward, right, left, forward-right, forward-left, backward-right, and backward-left) by tilting the hand in the predetermined manner

Private consumption, nontraded goods, and real exchange rate

노트 : - This PDF is a selection from an out-of-print volume from the National Bureau of Economic Research - Volume Title: Changes in exchange rates in rapidly development countries: Theory, practice, and policy issues (NBER-EASE volume 7

Ethanol Ablation of a Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Presenting as a Small Bowel Obstruction.

Ethanol has historically been used as an ablative agent for a variety of lesions. One of the more common applications of this technique is celiac plexus neurolysis; however, recent reports have suggested a role for the endoscopic alcohol ablation of a variety of solid and cystic lesions. We report a novel case of endoscopic ethanol ablation of a peripheral nerve sheath tumor presenting as a small bowel obstruction

Sensor and Electronic Biases/Errors in Air Temperature Measurements in Common Weather Station Networks*

The biases of four commonly used air temperature sensors are examined and detailed. Each temperature transducer consists of three components: temperature sensing elements, signal conditioning circuitry, and corresponding analog-to-digital conversion devices or dataloggers. An error analysis of these components was performed to determine the major sources of error in common climate networks. It was found that, regardless of microclimate effects, sensor and electronic errors in air temperature measurements can be larger than those given in the sensor manufacturer’s specifications. The root-sum-of-squares (RSS) error for the HMP35C sensor with CR10X datalogger was above 0.2C, and rapidly increases for both lower (20C) and higher temperatures (30C). Likewise, the largest errors for the maximum-minimum temperature system (MMTS) were at low temperatures (40C). The temperature linearization error in the HO-1088 hygrothermometer produced the largest errors when the temperature was lower than 20C. For the temperature sensor in the U.S. Climate Reference Networks (USCRN), the error was found to be 0.2 to 0.33C over the range 25 to 50C. The results presented here are applicable when data from these sensors are applied to climate studies and should be considered in determining air temperature data continuity and climate data adjustment models

NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE Uncertainties of Derived Dewpoint Temperature and Relative Humidity

This paper presents an evaluation of derived dewpoint temperature and derived relative humidity, in which the dewpoint temperature is calculated using measured ambient air temperature and measured relative humidity variables and the derived relative humidity is calculated from measured dewpoint temperature. The derived dewpoint temperature and relative humidity are calculated using algorithms provided by the World Meteorological Organization. The method of uncertainty analysis, provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is applied to calculate the uncertainties of an indirect measurement of derived dewpoint temperature and derived relative humidity. The results from the uncertainty analyses of derived and observed variables suggest that the use of derived dewpoint temperature and derived relative humidity involves risk because the uncertainties of modern dewpoint temperature and relative humidity sensors can create several degrees Celsius of error in the derived dewpoint temperature and several percent in the derived relative humidity

Real Estate Mutual Funds: A Style Analysis

We find that the characteristics of real estate related securities are different from those of the general common equities. To help investors understand better the products offered by real estate mutual funds, we develop style descriptors that are specifically created for real estate related securities. Among the universe of real estate securities, we find real estate funds tilt toward large stocks and favor growth moderately over value. Growth managers outperform value mangers in this sector by 1.51% to 2.30% per year. However, there is evidence of shifts in the investment style among the funds. Our results help investors in evaluating real estate fund performance and making better asset allocation decisions