The applicability of the decisional conflict scale in nursing home placement decision among Chinese family caregivers: A mixed methods approach

This study aimed to 1) examine relationships between uncertainty, perceived information, personal values, social support, and filial obligation among Chinese family caregivers faced with nursing home placement of an older adult family member with dementia; and 2) describe the applicability of the Decisional Conflict Scale in nursing home placement decision making among Chinese family caregivers through the integration of quantitative and qualitative data. We used a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data analysis consisted of descriptive and correlational statistics. We utilized a thematic analysis for the qualitative data. Data transformation and data comparison techniques were used to combine qualitative and quantitative data. Thirty Chinese family caregivers living in Taiwan caring for an older adult with dementia participated in this study. We found a significant association among the quantitative findings, which indicated that perceived information, personal values, social support, and filial obligation, and nursing home placement decisional conflict. Mixed-method data analysis additionally revealed that conflicting differences existed between the traditional role of Chinese family collective decision making and the contemporary role of single family member surrogate decision making. Although the Decisional Conflict Scale can be utilized when exploring nursing home placement for an older adult with dementia among Chinese family caregivers, applicability issues existed regarding cultural beliefs and values related to filial piety and family collectivism. Findings strongly support the need for researchers to consider cultural beliefs and values when selecting tools that assess health-related decision making across cultures. Further research is needed to explore the role culture plays in nursing home decision making

Long-Run Purchasing Power Parity with Asymmetric Adjustment: Evidence from Mainland China and Taiwan

This study applies threshold cointegration test advanced by Enders and Siklos (2001) to investigate the properties of asymmetric adjustment in long-run purchasing power parity (PPP) for both Mainland China and Taiwan during the January 1986 to October 2009 period. Although there is evidence of long-run PPP for both Mainland China and Taiwan, the adjustment mechanism is asymmetric. These results have important policy implications for both Mainland China and Taiwan under study.threshold cointegration test; Purchasing Power Parity; asymmetric adjustment; Mainland China; Taiwan

Estimating the Impacts of Climate Change on Mortality in OECD Countries

The major contribution of this study is to combines both climatic and macroeconomic factors simultaneously in the estimation of mortality using the capital city of 22 OECD countries from the period 1990 to 2008. The empirical results provide strong evidences that higher income and a lower unemployment rate could reduce mortality rates, while the increases in precipitation and temperature variation have significantly positive impacts on the mortality rates. The effects of changing average temperature on mortality rates in summer and winter are asymmetrical and also depend on the location. Combining the future climate change scenarios with the estimation outcomes show that mortality rates in OECD countries in 2100 will be increased by 3.77% to 5.89%.Climate change; mortality; panel data model

Patellar Tendon Morphology in Trans-tibial Amputees Utilizing a Prosthesis with a Patellar-tendon- Bearing Feature

A patellar-tendon-bearing (PTB) bar is a common design feature used in the socket of trans-tibial prostheses to place load on the pressure-tolerant tissue. As the patellar tendon in the residual limb is subjected to the perpendicular compressive force not commonly experienced in normal tendons, it is possible for tendon degeneration to occur over time. The purpose of this study was to compare patellar tendon morphology and neovascularity between the residual and intact limbs in trans-tibial amputees and healthy controls. Fifteen unilateral trans-tibial amputees who utilized a prosthesis with a PTB feature and 15 age- and sex- matched controls participated. Sonography was performed at the proximal, mid-, and distal portions of each patellar tendon. One-way ANOVAs were conducted to compare thickness and collagen fber organization and a chi-square analysis was used to compare the presence of neovascularity between the three tendon groups. Compared to healthy controls, both tendons in the amputees exhibited increased thickness at the mid- and distal portions and a higher degree of collagen fber disorganization. Furthermore, neovascularity was more common in the tendon of the residual limb. Our results suggest that the use of a prosthesis with a PTB feature contributes to morphological changes in bilateral patellar tendons

Factors associated with daytime sleep in nursing home residents

A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the occurrence of daytime sleep (DS) and to examine factors associated with DS in nursing home residents. We used the Minimum Data Set 2.0 records of 300 residents in a nursing home from January 2005 to March 2010. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, chi-square, Pearson correlations, and logistic regression were utilized in analysis. About 71.3% of the residents slept more than 2 hours during the day, and this was significantly associated with residents’ comorbidity (t = 2.0, p = .04), cognitive performance (t = 7.3, p = .01), activities of daily living (t = 3.7, p = .01), and social involvement (t = −7.6, p = .01). Cognitive performance and social involvement significantly predicted the occurrence of DS with social involvement being the strongest predictor (odds ratio: .58; 95% confidence interval: [.45, .75]). The findings suggest that interventions to engage nursing home residents in more social activities during the day may be beneficial to minimize their DS, especially for those who have difficulties with engaging socially on their own

Modeling the Effect of Oil Price on Global Fertilizer Prices

The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of crude oil price on global fertilizer prices in both the mean and volatility. The endogenous structural breakpoint unit root test, the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model, and alternative volatility models, including the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model, Exponential GARCH (EGARCH) model, and GJR model, are used to investigate the relationship between crude oil price and six global fertilizer prices. Weekly data for 2003-2008 for the seven price series are analyzed. The empirical results from ARDL show that most fertilizer prices are significantly affected by the crude oil price, which explains why global fertilizer prices reached a peak in 2008. We also find that that the volatility of global fertilizer prices and crude oil price from March to December 2008 are higher than in other periods, and that the peak crude oil price caused greater volatility in the crude oil price and global fertilizer prices. As volatility invokes financial risk, the relationship between oil price and global fertilizer prices and their associated volatility is important for public policy relating to the development of optimal energy use, global agricultural production, and financial integration.Volatility; Global fertilizer price; Crude oil price; Non-renewable fertilizers; Structural breakpoint unit root test