Strategic Investments in the Pulp and Paper Industry: A Count Data Regression Analysis

This paper analyses the effects of price and market size variables on the investment propensities in the pulp and paper industry. A panel of 15 European countries in the time period 1984 - 1997 is used in the regression analysis. We find the wages, the US/ECU exchange rate, the price of paper and the installed production capacity to be the main determinants of strategic investments in this industry. Our measure of market size have no - or only very small - effects.Lumpy investments; Prices; Market size; Agglomeration; Distance; Investment determinants

Bivariate Count Data Regression Using Series Expansions: With Applications

Most research on count data regression models, i.e. models for there the dependent variable takes only non-negative integer values or count values, has focused on the univariate case. Very little attention has been given to joint modeling of two or more counts. We propose parametric regression models for bivariate counts based on squared polynomial expansions around a baseline density. The models are more flexible than the current leading bivariate count model, the bivariate Poisson. The models are applied to data on the use of prescribed and nonprescribed medications.

Lighting Recommendations in Operating Theatres

“The eyes lead the body.” A good visual environment is important for performance and wellbeing. Unsatisfactory visual conditions often induce a strained posture, more or less unconsciously, in an effort to improve vision. The requirements for the visual environment in an operating theatre are high. Surgeons or assistants who are having visual problems can induce treatment hazards. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the visual environment in operating theatres, and also examine if the surgeon’s visual acuity at near work can be improved with better glasses. Thirty percent of the surgeons had eyestrain, and those with eyestrain had three times as much musculoskeletal strain. The measurements of the illuminance and luminance show a low uniformity level on the operating table; the operating lamps give an average of 100.000 lux, while the surrounding area values are much lower. The most important recommendation for lighting intervention in the operating theatre is a more uniform illuminance on the operating table

Plasma chemical purification of flue gases using pulsed electron beams

The article presents the study of the pulsed electron beam propagation in oxygen and nitrogen. The researches were performed using the TEA-500 pulsed electron accelerator and drift tube. Parameters of the TEA-500 pulsed electron accelerator are as follows: the electron energy (varies) is 200-450 keV, the beam current is 10 kA, the half-amplitude current pulse duration is 60 ns, the pulse repetition rate is up to 10 Hz (in the pulse burst). The accelerator is equipped with the necessary means of diagnostics of the beam parameters: particle energy, current and current density, the total energy transferred by the beam. The drift tube includes a chamber consisting of two sections of reverse current shunts located along the entire length of the drift tube. The following precursors used N2 and O2. The specified types of gases were chosen as they are among the main components of the flue gases, whose treatment has been widely reported recently

Electronic screening and brief intervention for risky drinking in Swedish university students -A randomized controlled trial

a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Keywords: College student Alcohol Electronic screening Brief intervention Computer RCT Background: The limited number of electronic screening and brief intervention (e-SBI) projects taking place in young adult student populations has left knowledge gaps about the specific methods needed to motivate reduced drinking. The aim of the present study was to compare differences in alcohol consumption over time after a series of e-SBIs was conducted with two groups of young adult students who were considered risky drinkers. The intervention group (IG) (n = 80) received extensive normative feedback; the control group (CG) (n = 78) received very brief feedback consisting of only three statements. Method: An e-SBI project was conducted in naturalistic settings among young adult students at a Swedish university. This study used a randomized controlled trial design, with respondents having an equal chance of being assigned to either the IG or the CG. The study assessed changes comparing the IG with the CG on four alcohol-related measurements: proportion with risky alcohol consumption, average weekly alcohol consumption, frequency of heavy episodic drinking (HED) and peak blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Follow-up was performed at 3 and 6 months after baseline. Results: The study documented a significant decrease in the average weekly consumption for the IG over time but not for the CG, although the differences between the groups were non-significant. The study also found that there were significant decreases in HED over time within both groups; the differences were about equal in both groups at the 6-month follow-up. The proportion of risky drinkers decreased by about a third in both the CG and IG at the 3-and 6-month follow-ups. Conclusions: As the differences between the groups at 6 months for all alcohol-related outcome variables were not significant, the shorter, generic brief intervention appears to be as effective as the longer one including normative feedback. However, further studies in similar naturalistic settings are warranted with delayed assessment groups as controls in order to increase our understanding of reactivity assessment in email-based interventions among students

Across-country test-day model evaluations for Holstein, Nordic Red Cattle, and Jersey

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Wake Development behind Paired Wings with Tip and Root Trailing Vortices: Consequences for Animal Flight Force Estimates

Recent experiments on flapping flight in animals have shown that a variety of unrelated species shed a wake behind left and right wings consisting of both tip and root vortices. Here we present an investigation using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) of the behaviour and interaction of trailing vortices shed by paired, fixed wings that simplify and mimic the wake of a flying animal with a non-lifting body. We measured flow velocities at five positions downstream of two adjacent NACA 0012 aerofoils and systematically varied aspect ratio, the gap between the wings (corresponding to the width of a non-lifting body), angle of attack, and the Reynolds number. The range of aspect ratios and Reynolds number where chosen to be relevant to natural fliers and swimmers, and insect flight in particular. We show that the wake behind the paired wings deformed as a consequence of the induced flow distribution such that the wingtip vortices convected downwards while the root vortices twist around each other. Vortex interaction and wake deformation became more pronounced further downstream of the wing, so the positioning of PIV measurement planes in experiments on flying animals has an important effect on subsequent force estimates due to rotating induced flow vectors. Wake deformation was most severe behind wings with lower aspect ratios and when the distance between the wings was small, suggesting that animals that match this description constitute high-risk groups in terms of measurement error. Our results, therefore, have significant implications for experimental design where wake measurements are used to estimate forces generated in animal flight. In particular, the downstream distance of the measurement plane should be minimised, notwithstanding the animal welfare constraints when measuring the wake behind flying animals

How does comorbidity affect cost of health care in patients with irritable bowel syndrome? A cohort study in general practice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is associated with other disorders (comorbidity), reduced quality of life and increased use of health resources. We aimed to explore the impact of comorbidity on cost of health care in patients with IBS in general practice.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this cohort study 208 consecutive patients with IBS (Rome II) were recruited. Sociodemographic data, IBS symptoms, and comorbidity (somatic symptoms, organic diseases and psychiatric disorders) were assessed at baseline. Based on a follow up interview after 6-9 months and use of medical records, IBS and non-IBS related health resource use were measured as consultations, hospitalisations, use of medications and alternative health care products and sick leave days. Costs were calculated by national tariffs and reported in Norwegian Kroner (NOK, 1 EURO equals 8 NOK). Multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of costs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 164 patients (mean age 52 years, 69% female, median duration of IBS 17 years) were available at follow up, 143 patients (88%) had consulted their GP of whom 31 (19%) had consulted for IBS. Mean number of sick- leave days for IBS and comorbidity were 1.7 and 16.3 respectively (p < 0.01), costs related to IBS and comorbidity were 954 NOK and 14854 NOK respectively (p < 0.001). Age, organic diseases and somatic symptoms, but not IBS severity, were significant predictors for total costs.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Costs for health resource use among patients with IBS in general practice were largely explained by comorbidity, which generated ten times the costs for IBS.</p