Synthesis of 3-stannyl and 3-silyl propargyl phosphanes and the formation of a phosphinoallene

The group 14 chloropropargyls R3ECCCH2Cl (R3E = Bu3Sn, Ph3Sn, Me2PhSi, iPr3Si, nPr3Si, nBu3Si), obtained by a modified literature procedure, react with LiPPh2 to afford the novel propargyl phosphanes Ph2PCH2CCER3 in high yield, as viscous oils; (Me3Si)2PCH2CCSiPhMe2 is similarly obtained from LiP(SiMe3)2. In contrast, the reaction of PhCCCH2MgCl with ClP(NEt2)2 fails to produce a comparable propargyl phosphane, but generates preferentially (>70%) the novel phosphinoallene (Et2N)2PC(Ph)=C=CH2, which is characterised spectroscopically, and through its reaction with HCl. The coordination chemistry of representative phosphanes is explored with respect to platinum and palladium for the first time

House Prices and Home Ownership: a Cohort Analysis

England has very volatile house prices. We use pseudo-panel data spanning multiple house-price cycles over nearly forty years, to assess the extent to which house prices affect access to homeownership by age thirty, and whether differences in ownership rates persist. We find that ownership rates at age thirty have varied substantially, with this variation significantly related to prices. Measurement error problems – attenuation bias and other biases - complicate an analysis of the persistence of these differences in ownership. We use two methods - including one that develops the ideas of Deaton (1985) - to deal with this and find robust evidence that cohorts with low ownership rates at thirty close about 80% of the ownership gap by age forty.

Design for a Three-Fingered Hand

A general purpose end-effector for use on the space manipulator proposed for the shuttle program was developed. The end-effector has the capabilities of a human hand and peel-off value as a human prosthetic device. The design evolved through two mock-up stages. The final form contains four electric motors. While thumb and forefinger bend, their ultimate phalanges maintain a parallel stance to one another. The grip centerline is at 45 degrees to the mounting base

Design and fabrication of an end effector

The construction is described of a prototype mechanical hand or 'end effector' for use on a remotely controlled robot, but with possible application as a prosthetic device. An analysis of hand motions is reported, from which it is concluded that the two most important manipulations (apart from grasps) are to be able to pick up a tool and draw it into a nested grip against the palm, and to be able to hold a pistol-grip tool such as an electric drill and pull the trigger. A model was tested and found capable of both these operations

National Catastrophic Drug Insurance Revisited: Who Would Benefit from Senator Kirby's Recommendations?

The recent "Romanow" and "Kirby" inquiries into the Canadian health care system recommended a publicly funded catastrophic prescription drug insurance program to protect Canadians from potentially ruinous drug costs. While the Romanow commission was not specific about the nature of such a program, the Kirby commission recommended that household prescription drug expenses be capped at 3% of total household income, or $1,500 per household member, whichever is lower, with government picking up the remainder. Using recent survey data on household spending, we estimate how the program would assist households of different means and ages, residing in different regions of the country. We find that, despite the fact that senior and low income non-senior households are the primary beneficiaries of provincial government drug plans, average subsidies would be over 4 times higher for these households than for all other (non-senior, non-indigent) households. A small percentage of other households would be among the largest beneficiaries of the program. Program benefits are typically larger in provinces with less generous public coverage and tend to benefit lower income households. Program costs are estimated to be at least$461 million annually, although reductions in out of pocket drug spending will reduce medical tax credits and thereby increase tax revenues by at least $80 million. Program costs appeared to be very sensitive to increased household drug spending that might result from the program introduction.drug insurance; prescription drug expenses

National Catastrophic Drug Insurance Revisited: Who Would Benefit from Senator Kirby's Recommendations?

The recent "Romanow" and "Kirby" inquiries into the Canadian health care system recommended a publicly funded catastrophic prescription drug insurance program to protect Canadians from potentially ruinous drug costs. While the Romanow commission was not specific about the nature of such a program, the Kirby commission recommended that household prescription drug expenses be capped at 3% of total household income, or $1,500 per household member, whichever is lower, with government picking up the remainder. Using recent survey data on household spending, we estimate how the program would assist households of different means and ages, residing in different regions of the country. We find that, despite the fact that senior and low income non-senior households are the primary beneficiaries of provincial government drug plans, average subsidies would be over 4 times higher for these households than for all other (non-senior, non-indigent) households. A small percentage of other households would be among the largest beneficiaries of the program. Program benefits are typically larger in provinces with less generous public coverage and tend to benefit lower income households. Program costs are estimated to be at least$461 million annually, although reductions in out of pocket drug spending will reduce medical tax credits and thereby increase tax revenues by at least $80 million. Program costs appeared to be very sensitive to increased household drug spending that might result from the program introduction.drug insurance; prescription drug expenses

Thin-film GaAs photovoltaic solar energy cells Final report

Thin film gallium arsenide photovoltaic solar cell

Out-of-Pocket Prescription Drug Expenditures and Public Prescription Drug Programs

Canadian household prescription drug expenditures are studied using different years of the Statistics Canada Family Expenditure Survey. Master files are used, expanding the number of available years and permitting provincial rather than regional identifiers. Nonparametric Engel curves are estimated. Difference-in-difference mean and 80th percentile regressions examine budget shares by low-income and high-income households before and after the introduction of provincial prescription drug programs. The evidence is consistent with the view that unlike senior prescription drug subsidies, nonsenior prescription drug subsidies are probably more redistributive than an equal-cost proportional income transfer.Prescription drug benefits; incidence

Out-of-Pocket Prescription Drug Expenditures and Public Prescription Drug Programs

Canadian household prescription drug expenditures are studied using different years of the Statistics Canada Family Expenditure Survey. Master files are used, expanding the number of available years and permitting provincial rather than regional identifiers. Nonparametric Engel curves are estimated. Difference-in-difference mean and 80th percentile regressions examine budget shares by low-income and high-income households before and after the introduction of provincial prescription drug programs. The evidence is consistent with the view that unlike senior prescription drug subsidies, nonsenior prescription drug subsidies are probably more redistributive than an equal-cost proportional income transfer.Prescription drug benefits; incidence

Birth Law

Book review of Birth Law by Anne Hellum, ed. and published by Scandinavian University Press (Oslo), 1993. (149 pp.