ECONOMIC AND BEHAVIORAL FACTORS IN AN INDIVIDUALfS DECISION TO TAKE THE INFLUENZA VACCINATION IN JAPAN

In this paper, we investigate what people in Japan consider when deciding to take the influenza vaccination. We develop an economic model to explain the mechanism by which people decide to take the influenza vaccination. Using our model and the data obtained from a large-scale survey we conducted in Japan, we demonstrated that people make rational decisions about vaccinations after considering its cost and benefits. People consider the probability of infection, severity of the disease, and the vaccinationfs effectiveness and side effects. The time discount rate is another consideration because the timing of costs and benefits of the vaccination differ. Risk aversion (fearing the contraction of the flu and vaccinationfs side effects) also affects the decision. People also deviate from rationality-altruism and status quo bias play important roles in the decision-making. Overconfidence indirectly affects the decision via perception variables such as the subjective probability of infection and assessment of influenzafs severity. The decision also depends on attributes such as gender, age, and marital status. If the general perception of flu and vaccination is inaccurate, supplying accurate information regarding those may increase or decrease the vaccination rate, depending on whether this perception is, respectively, higher or lower than the objective rates. Thus, we examine whether the general perception is biased. Our survey suggests that disseminating information on the vaccinationfs effectiveness may increase the rate of vaccination, whereas that on the probability of infection may have the opposite effect.influenza; inoculation; survey; time preference; Japan

Light Elements and Cosmic Rays in the Early Galaxy

We derive constraints on the cosmic rays responsible for the Be and part of the B observed in stars formed in the early Galaxy: the cosmic rays cannot be accelerated from the ISM; their energy spectrum must be relatively hard (the bulk of the nuclear reactions should occur at $>$30 MeV/nucl); and only 10$^{49}$ erg/SNII in high metallicity, accelerated particle kinetic energy could suffice to produce the Be and B. The reverse SNII shock could accelerate the particles.Comment: 5 pages LATEX using paspconf.sty file with one embedded eps figure using psfig. In press, Proc. Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph Symposium, PASP, 199

Recalled emotions and risk judgments: Field study of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War

The current study is based on a field study of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war that was conducted in two waves, the first two weeks after the end of the war, and the second 18 months later (2008). The purpose of the study was to examine recalled emotions and perceived risks induced by manipulation using a short videoclip that recalled the sounds of the alarms and the sights of the missile attacks during the war. Before filling in the study questionnaire in 2008, the experimental group watched a short videoclip recalling the events of the war. The control group did not watch the video before filling in the questionnaire. Using the data provided by questionnaires, we analyzed the effect of recalled emotions on perceived risks in two different regions in Israel: the northern region, which was under missile attack daily during the war, and the central region, which was not under missile attacks. In general, our results suggest that the videoclip had a strong effect on the level of recalled emotions in both regions, while it did not have any impact on individuals’ risk judgments. The results of the analytical framework in the northern region support both the valence approach (Johnson & Tversky, 1983) and the modified appraisal tendency theory (Lerner & Keltner, 2000). The current study emphasizes the effects of recalled emotion in the context of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war on perceived risks among those in the northern region who were under direct attack compared to those who were not directly exposed to the war. Understanding people’s responses to stressful events is crucial, not only when these events take place but also over time, since previous studies have suggested that media-induced emotions can influence appraisals and decisions regarding public policies.Risk perception, emotions, terrorism, Israel.

How good is the Exponential Function discounting Formula? An Experimental Study

This paper estimates the degree of the exponential-function misvaluation, its variation with given product price level, and its expected growth rate. The paper examines whether other mathematical functions, such as linear, quadratic and cubic functions, conform to the discounting and compounding processes of individual decision makers. Using subjects familiar with the exponential function discounting formula, this study finds that individuals undervalue the compound interest discounting formula given by the exponential function and overvalue the simple interest discounting formula given by the linear function. These findings can be attributed to the overreaction, overconfidence, mental accounting and narrow-framing behaviors discussed in psychology.Exponential Discount Function; Experimental Subjective Discount Rates; Linear, Quadratic and Cubic Functions; overreaction, overconfidence, mental accounting and narrow-framing behavior; Economic Psychology.

A study of thrombo-angiitis obliterans; or, Pre-senile gangrene of the extremities in Russian and Polish Hebrews, based on an investigation of five cases.

(1) Ultimate etiology is unknown.(2) The disease starts in the larger (viz:- popliteal arteries) and not in the smaller blood-vessels as Buerger claims.(3) Immediate cause of symptoms is thrombosis secondary to hypertrophy and degeneration of intima; Buerger says the thrombosis is primary and is not due to vascular changes.(4) Operative interference should not be resorted to except in very extreme emergencies such as absolutely unbearable pain and moist spreading gangrene.(5) The disease tends to become quiescent after the lapse of many years

The potential for combining living wall and vertical farming systems with aquaponics

Aquaponics is a method of food production, growing fish and vegetables in a recirculating aquaculture system. Aquaponics uses the water from the fish to feed the plants in a totally natural way and like hydroponics, aquaponics is considered to be more sustainable as more plants can be grown per square metre compared to normal agriculture. However, as is the case with normal agriculture, in aquaponics plants are grown within horizontally. In aquaponics, using the UVI system, the ratio between fish tanks:filters:plant tanks is 2:1:5 which means that the plant tanks are occupying close to half of the production space. In order to reduce the spatial requirement for plants, which would make production even more sustainable, this research investigates aspects of combining living wall and vertical farming technologies in aquaponics. It is considered that by growing the plants vertically less space would be required. In this research living wall system are investigated but the main focus is on the potentials of using various inert substrates in the living wall systems for vertical aquaponics. The results showed that a pot system performs better in terms of management of the systems. With regard to substrates, horticultural grade coconut fibre and horticultural grade mineral wool outperformed other substrates

The relation of Jeremiah to the Deuteronomic reform

This item was digitized by the Internet Archive. Thesis (M.A.)--Boston Universityhttps://archive.org/details/therelationofjer00app