Problems of operationalizing the concept of a cost-of-living index

The aim of our paper is to discuss the problems of operationalizing the concept of a .cost-of-living-index. (COLI). For this purpose we are first undertaking a theoretical analysis of Diewert’s theory of superlative index numbers as one possible approach to approximate a COLI. We show that Diewert.s superlative index approach is arguable in many points and that the approach requires restrictive assumptions which are not likely to be met in observed households behaviour. To get a better idea about the deviation of observed households behaviour from the neoclassical assumptions about utility maximizing behaviour, we are estimating an Almost Ideal Demand System and a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System with cross section micro data from the German income and expenditure survey. Using the results of the demand system estimations we calculate COLIs and compare them with superlative index numbers and the Laspeyres price index.cost-of-living index; superlative index numbers; Diewert; demand systems

Bearing children in unstable times: psychological traits and early parenthood in a lowest-low fertility context, Rostock 1990 - 1995

In this paper, we analyze a unique longitudinal data set from Rostock in Eastern Germany. Data collection began in the communist era and has been followed up until today. Employing proportional-hazard models, we use psychological individual-level measures (such as personality traits, social and cognitive resources, coping styles, etc.) at age 20 as determinants of the subjects´ subsequent transition rate to parenthood. We find strong evidence to support the notion that psychological factors function as proximate determinants of differential fertility. We conclude that psychological individual-level data are important in understanding patterns, especially during times when society faces massive and incalculable upheavals.

Problems of operationalizing the concept of a cost-of-living index

The aim of our paper is to discuss the problems of operationalizing the concept of a .cost-of-living-index. (COLI). For this purpose we are first undertaking a theoretical analysis of Diewert’s theory of superlative index numbers as one possible approach to approximate a COLI. We show that Diewert.s superlative index approach is arguable in many points and that the approach requires restrictive assumptions which are not likely to be met in observed households behaviour. To get a better idea about the deviation of observed households behaviour from the neoclassical assumptions about utility maximizing behaviour, we are estimating an Almost Ideal Demand System and a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System with cross section micro data from the German income and expenditure survey. Using the results of the demand system estimations we calculate COLIs and compare them with superlative index numbers and the Laspeyres price index

Problems of operationalizing the concept of a cost-of-living index

The aim of our paper is to discuss the problems of operationalizing the concept of a .cost-of-living-index. (COLI). For this purpose we are first undertaking a theoretical analysis of Diewert’s theory of superlative index numbers as one possible approach to approximate a COLI. We show that Diewert.s superlative index approach is arguable in many points and that the approach requires restrictive assumptions which are not likely to be met in observed households behaviour. To get a better idea about the deviation of observed households behaviour from the neoclassical assumptions about utility maximizing behaviour, we are estimating an Almost Ideal Demand System and a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System with cross section micro data from the German income and expenditure survey. Using the results of the demand system estimations we calculate COLIs and compare them with superlative index numbers and the Laspeyres price index

Integrated Circuit Design in US High-Energy Physics

This whitepaper summarizes the status, plans, and challenges in the area of integrated circuit design in the United States for future High Energy Physics (HEP) experiments. It has been submitted to CPAD (Coordinating Panel for Advanced Detectors) and the HEP Community Summer Study 2013(Snowmass on the Mississippi) held in Minnesota July 29 to August 6, 2013. A workshop titled: US Workshop on IC Design for High Energy Physics, HEPIC2013 was held May 30 to June 1, 2013 at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). A draft of the whitepaper was distributed to the attendees before the workshop, the content was discussed at the meeting, and this document is the resulting final product. The scope of the whitepaper includes the following topics: Needs for IC technologies to enable future experiments in the three HEP frontiers Energy, Cosmic and Intensity Frontiers; Challenges in the different technology and circuit design areas and the related R&D needs; Motivation for using different fabrication technologies; Outlook of future technologies including 2.5D and 3D; Survey of ICs used in current experiments and ICs targeted for approved or proposed experiments; IC design at US institutes and recommendations for collaboration in the future

ESR, raman and conductivity studies on fractionated poly(2-methoxyaniline-5-sulfonic acid)

Synthesis methods used to produce poly(2-methoxyaniline-5-sulfonic acid) (PMAS), a water soluble, self-doped conducting polymer, have been shown to form two distinctly different polymer fractions with molecular weights of approximately 2 kDa and 8 -10 kDa. The low molecular weight (LMWT) PMAS fraction is redox inactive and non-conducting while the high molecular weight (HMWT) PMAS is electro-active with electrical conductivities of 0.94 0.05 S cm-1. Previous investigations have illustrated the different photochemical and electrochemical properties of these fractions, but have not correlated these properties with the structural and electronic interactions that drive them. Incomplete purification of the PMAS mixture, typically via bag dialysis, has been shown to result in a mixture of approximately 50:50 HMWT:LMWT PMAS with electrical conductivity significantly lower at approximately 0.10 to 0.26 S cm-1. The difference between the electrical conductivities of these fractions has been investigated by the controlled addition of the non-conducting LMWT PMAS fraction into the HMWT PMAS composite film with the subsequent electronic properties investigated by solid-state ESR and Raman spectroscopies. These studies illustrate strong electronic intereactions of the insulating LMWT PMAS with the emeraldine salt HMWT PMAS to substantially alter the population of the electronic charge carriers in the conducting polymer. ESR studies on these mixtures, when compared to HMWT PMAS, exhibited a lower level of electron spin in the presence of LMWT PMAS indicative of the the formation of low spin bipolarons without a change the oxidation state of the conducting HMWT fraction

Blurred Boundaries: Gender and Work-Family Interference in Cross-National Context

Although well theorized at the individual level, previous research has neglected the role of national context in shaping overall levels of nonwork-work and work-nonwork interference. This study fills this gap by examining how a national context of gender empowerment affects the likelihood of experiencing nonwork-work and work-nonwork interference at the individual and national levels. Controlling for individual-level differences in the distribution of job demands and resources, results from our multilevel models indicate that women's empowerment has significant net gender and parenthood effects on nonwork-work interference. By contrast, gender empowerment equally structures work-nonwork interference for these groups. Our results highlight the need to investigate interference bidirectionally and in a multilevel context. © The Author(s) 2013

Long-Term Safety of Risankizumab in Patients with Psoriatic Disease: A Comprehensive Analysis from Clinical Trials

Introduction: Risankizumab has demonstrated a favourable safety profile in patients with psoriatic disease (moderate-to-severe psoriasis [PsO] and psoriatic arthritis [PsA]). We evaluated the long-term safety of risankizumab in psoriatic disease. Methods: Long-term safety was evaluated by analysing data from 20 (phase 1–4) clinical trials for plaque PsO and four (phase 2–3) trials for PsA. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and AEs in areas of special interest were reported among patients receiving ≥ 1 dose of risankizumab. Exposure-adjusted event rates were presented as events (E) per 100 patient-years (PY). Results: The long-term safety data analyses included 3658 patients with PsO (13,329.3 PY) and 1542 patients with PsA (3803.0 PY). The median (range) treatment duration for patients with PsO and PsA was 4.1 (0.2–8.8) years and 2.8 (0.2–4.0) years, respectively. In the PsO population, rates of TEAEs, serious AEs and AEs leading to discontinuation were 145.5 E/100 PY, 7.4 E/100 PY and 1.9 E/100 PY, respectively; in the PsA population, these rates were 142.6 E/100 PY, 8.6 E/100 PY, and 1.8 E/100 PY, respectively. The rates of serious infections (excluding COVID-19-related infections) in the PsO and PsA populations were 1.2 and 1.4 E/100 PY, respectively. The rates of opportunistic infections (excluding tuberculosis and herpes zoster) were low (< 0.1 E/100 PY) in both populations. The rates of both nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and malignant tumours excluding NMSC were 0.6 and 0.5 E/100 PY in PsO and PsA, respectively, which are within the benchmarks of prior epidemiological studies. Adjudicated major cardiovascular event rates were 0.5 E/100 PY in PsO and 0.3 E/100 PY in PsA, which are within the epidemiologic reference benchmarks for both indications. No additional safety concerns were identified with this long-term exposure. Conclusions: The results support the favourable safety profile of risankizumab for long-term treatment of psoriatic disease with no new safety concerns and similar safety profiles among both PsO and PsA populations