Does cost sharing really reduce inappropriate prescriptions?

This paper explores different empirical strategies to examine the effect of cost sharing for prescription drugs in some dimensions of medication-related quality, namely the probability of inappropriate prescription drug use among United States seniors. Using data from 1996 to 2005, we explore various specifications that correct for sample selection, endogeneity¸ and unobserved heterogeneity. We find a small, but measurable, negative price elasticity for inappropriate drug use with respect to self-reported average out-of-pocket costs for all drugs consumed. That is, user fees reduce the use of potentially inappropriate medications, however the elasticity of cost sharing is lower than that of drugs in general and the price elasticity is relatively close to zero, suggesting that any quality improvements from co-payments are small

Magnetoresistance and spin polarization in the insulating regime of a Si two-dimensional electron system

We have studied the magnetoresistance in a high-mobility Si inversion layer down to low electron concentrations at which the longitudinal resistivity $\rho_{xx}$ has an activated temperature dependence. The angle of the magnetic field was controlled so as to study the orbital effect proportional to the perpendicular component $B_\perp$ for various total strengths $B_{\rm tot}$. A dip in $\rho_{xx}$, which corresponds to the Landau level filling factor of $\nu=4$, survives even for high resistivity of $\rho_{xx} \sim 10^8 \Omega$ at $T= 150 {\rm mK}$. The linear $B_{\rm tot}$-dependence of the value of $B_\perp$ at the dip for low $B_{\rm tot}$ indicates that a ferromagnetic instability does not occur even in the far insulating regime.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, submitted to PR

Does Cost Sharing really Reduce Inappropriate Prescriptions?

This paper explores different empirical strategies to examine the effect of cost sharing for prescription drugs in some dimensions of medication-related quality, namely the probability of inappropriate prescription drug use among United States seniors. Using data from 1996 to 2005, we explore various specifications that correct for sample selection, endogeneity¸ and unobserved heterogeneity. We find a small, but measurable, negative price elasticity for inappropriate drug use with respect to self-reported average out-of-pocket costs for all drugs consumed. That is, user fees reduce the use of potentially inappropriate medications, however the elasticity of cost sharing is lower than that of drugs in general and the price elasticity is relatively close to zero, suggesting that any quality improvements from co-payments are small.

Studies on the function of reticulo-endothelial system, I. Effects of the R. E. S. blocking with India ink on the haema-topoiesis and the production of serum antibody

For the purpose to reveal the role of R.E.S. for hemopoiesis and antibody formation, the R.E.S. of rabbits were severely blocked by the repeated intravenous injection of a vast amount of India ink, reaching 200 to 250 cc in total and the development of anemia and antibody formation by challenging egg albumin were observed while referring to the histologic changes in bone marrow, spleen and lymph nodes. The results were as follows: 1. The repeated intravenous injection of a vast amount of carbon particles induced a severe anemia. The anemia was always normo- or hyperchromic, showing not any disturbance in iron metabolism or hemoglobin formation. The data suggested that anemia is due to the arrest of reproduction of erythroblast or differentiation of the stem cells to erythroblasts, but not due to inhibition of the iron metabolism. 2. R.E.S. had no relation to the proliferation or the differentiation of granulocytes. 3. The functions of R.E.S. related to erythropoiesis and lymphopoiesis are affected by blocking independently of its phagocytic potency. In spite of a severe anemia, the phagocytic potency of R.E.S. could never be lowered and liver and spleen grew much larger in size and weight, showing that the phagocytic ability of R.E.S. is extremely resistant against such a blocking. 4. The serum antibody titer proved to be at the normal level, and no change of the antibody production in spite of heavy blocking of R.E.S. with India ink.</p

Studies on the function of reticulo-endothelial system. II. Effects of the R.E.S. blocking with macro-molecular PVP on the lymphoid cell reproduction and the production of serum antibody

Macromolecular PVP was introduced intravenously into rabbits for a long period of 3 months, 10 g of PVP in total, and the observations were carried out to see disturbances in hematopoiesis, lymphopoiesis, and immune reaction with special reference to the histologic changes of marrow, liver, spleen and lymph nodes. The results were as follows: 1. A mild anemia was induced by the PVP injection. RE cells of liver and bone marrow were swollen moderately but otherwise no significant histologic changes were induced in bone marrow and liver. 2. A severe lymphocytopenia resulted: the RE cells of lymph follicles were blocked by PVP, the follicles collapsed into a homogeneous mass with fibrosis and minimized lymphopoietic tissues. These results suggest that RE cells of the so-called germinal centers are important for the reproduction or the differentiation of lymphocytes. 3. Intravenous injection of egg albumin caused the serum antibody formation with a marked proliferation of plasma cells around small vessels in lymph nodes and spleen as in the case of control animal. The data indicate that plasma cells are solely responsible for the serum-antibody formation and plasma cell may differentiate from adventitial cells of small vessels but not from lymphocyte or reticulum cell.</p

Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies

A systematic search of the research literature from 1996 through July 2008 identified more than a thousand empirical studies of online learning. Analysts screened these studies to find those that (a) contrasted an online to a face-to-face condition, (b) measured student learning outcomes, (c) used a rigorous research design, and (d) provided adequate information to calculate an effect size. As a result of this screening, 51 independent effects were identified that could be subjected to meta-analysis. The meta-analysis found that, on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction. The difference between student outcomes for online and face-to-face classes—measured as the difference between treatment and control means, divided by the pooled standard deviation—was larger in those studies contrasting conditions that blended elements of online and face-to-face instruction with conditions taught entirely face-to-face. Analysts noted that these blended conditions often included additional learning time and instructional elements not received by students in control conditions. This finding suggests that the positive effects associated with blended learning should not be attributed to the media, per se. An unexpected finding was the small number of rigorous published studies contrasting online and face-to-face learning conditions for K–12 students. In light of this small corpus, caution is required in generalizing to the K–12 population because the results are derived for the most part from studies in other settings (e.g., medical training, higher education)

Extraction of phosphorus from sewage sludge ash by CO2 blowing method

Phosphorus is an important element not only for use in fertilizers, but also for the manufacture of industrial products. However, depletion of this resource is a problem. Japan relies on imports for the entire amount of phosphorus it consumes. For this reason, there is an urgent need to secure a stable supply of phosphorus. On the ohter hand, there is waste containg a considerable amount of phosphorus. On of them is sewage sludg ash, but it also contains many heavy metals, extraction of only phosphorus is difficult