Extending Benchmarks For Commodity Investments

Study into commodity investment has historically been an underfocused area of the financial literature. In particular, there is a need for benchmarks to evaluate commodity investment managers to measure skill. This paper seeks to extend and replicate results on the four-factor model and benchmark proposed by Blocher et al. to more recent data and to more commodities. Our findings indicate that recent data illuminates the volatility associated with time series momentum strategies

Skin Cancer Knowledge, Beliefs, Self-Efficacy, And Preventative Behaviors Among North Mississippi Landscapers

Skin cancer is a significant public health problem in the US. Each year over 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in more than two million individuals, resulting in nearly 12,000 deaths (American Cancer Society, 2012). Many studies have been conducted on outdoor workers to assess quantitative data of exposure and protection behaviors, with the majority of studies carried out on farmers, construction workers, and postal workers (Saraiya et al., 2004). Nonetheless, far too little attention has been given to members of other occupational groups who mainly work outdoors, such as landscapers. It was estimated in the US that there are slightly over one million workers in the landscape service industry. Moreover, no US based study was identified that targeted landscapers, one of the most comoutdoor workers, who are at high risk of UV damage which increases the individuals\u27 risk of skin cancer development (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). This cross-sectional study determined landscapers\u27 skin cancer knowledge, health beliefs, self-efficacy, and protective behaviors. Additional purpose was to assess relationship between selected Health Belief Model (HBM) variables (i.e., perceived threat, perceived benefits minus perceived barrier, and self-efficacy) and protection behavior. Of 140 landscapers from 23 companies contacted, 117 participated (83.6% response rate). Questionnaires were mailed to 22 companies and one company requested on-site administration. Data were collected via a modified version of the Skin Cancer Survey, which included demographics, knowledge, preventive behaviors, and HBM variables (Marlenga, 1995). Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations were performed to analyze the survey data. Alpha level of 0.05 was set a priori. The sample (n = 109) had a mean age of 37.06 years (± 12.18), with 94.5% males, and 77.1% White. Participants spent an average of 5.36 hours/day in the during peak hours. Participants correctly answered 67.1% of the knowledge questions, 69.7% believed they were more likely than the average person to get skin cancer, and 87.2% perceived that skin cancer is a severe disease. Participants believed the use of wide-brimmed hats, long sleeved shirts/long pants, and sunscreen were beneficial. However, participants reported low use of these and other protective strategies. The primary barriers for not using protection were I forget to wear it and it is too hot to wear. Of the HBM variables, perceived benefits minus perceived barrier (r = 0.285, p = .003) and self-efficacy (r = .538, p = .001) were correlated with protection. The HBM proposes that perceived threat is strongly correlated with an individual\u27s likelihood to engage in protective behaviors. This HBM proposition is not supported in the present study. However, the results indicate that perceived benefits outweigh the perceived barriers to protection. Furthermore, self-efficacy to engage in protection is associated with protection behaviors. The reasons behind absence of the relationship between perceived skin cancer threat and protection behaviors could be lack of skin cancer knowledge, low rate of personal skin cancer history, and several barriers to protection

Utility Of The Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model In Measuring And Predicting Protection Behaviors Among Skin Cancer Patients

Adoption of effective protection behaviors (SPB) is of paramount importance, particularly among individuals previously diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), since they have a considerably higher risk of new NMSC and malignant melanoma; the most lethal form of skin cancer (Nahar et al., 2015). The objective of the current study was to examine the utility of the information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model in measuring and predicting SPB among people who have had NMSC. For this descriptive cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of NMSC patients was recruited at the University of Mississippi Medical Center between July 2015 and April 2016. Inclusion criteria were as follows: a) patients diagnosed with NMSC and b) ages 18 years or older. Participants were excluded from this study if they had severe physical or cognitive impairments. Demographic information and IMB model variables (i.e., knowledge, perceived risk, attitudes, social support, self-efficacy, and SPB) were assessed using a 114-item content valid questionnaire. A total of 311 NMSC patients participated in this study. The mean age of the participants was 64.12 (±12.02) years. Majority (58.8%) of the participants were males. Between 14% and 43% of the participants reported always engaging in SPB while outdoors. Internal consistency reliabilities for the subscales of IMB model ranged from acceptable to excellent (Cronbach’s α = 0.70-0.95). Confirmatory factor analysis verified construct validity and confirmed that the set of constructs in a hypothesized IMB model provides an acceptable fit to the empirical data (X2 = 287.618 [df = 133], p \u3c 0.001; RMSEA = 0.06; CFI = 0.93; TLI = 0.91; SRMR = 0.05). Path analysis shoSPB was directly predicted by self-efficacy (β = 0.5, p \u3c 0.001) and social support (β = 0.199, p = 0.010). Another important finding to emerge from the analysis is that SPB was indirectly predicted (through self-efficacy) by social support (β = 0.160, p \u3c 0.001) and attitudes (β = 0.192, p = 0.001). The explained variances for self-efficacy and SPB were 43% and 35.4%, respectively. Findings of this study demonstrated partial utility of IMB model in predicting SPB among NMSC patients. safety intervention programs are needed for NMSC patients and should be especially focused on improving motivation (attitudes and social support) and behavioral skills (self-efficacy)

NGF – the TrkA to successful pain treatment

Chronic pain arising from various pathological conditions such as osteoarthritis, low back or spinal injuries, cancer, and urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes presents significant challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Specifically, since the underlying cause of these pain syndromes is unknown or heterogeneous, physicians diagnose and treat patients based on the symptoms presented. Nerve growth factor (NGF) has been recognized as an important mediator of chronic pain in many pathological conditions, and has been shown to be upregulated in a subset of individuals suffering from such pain syndromes. These findings have led to the development of anti-NGF monoclonal antibodies such as tanezumab as potentially effective therapeutics for chronic pain. Although tanezumab has reached Phase II and III clinical trials, the trials of anti-NGF antibodies were halted due to safety concerns. Some of these trials of anti-NGF treatment have had statistically significant decreases in pain, while others have yielded inconclusive results. These findings are suggestive of, though do not prove, target (NGF) neutralization in chronic pain syndromes. A biomarker-driven anti-NGF clinical study layout is proposed that incorporates NGF measurements in the relevant samples before and after treatment, in addition to collecting the pain scores. This approach might not only confirm the mechanism of tanezumab’s action in these chronic pain patients, but should establish NGF levels as a predictive biomarker for patients who can benefit from anti-NGF treatment, thereby creating a personalized approach to pain treatment