The Efficiency of Labor Input in the Tree Nut Growers Industry: A Stochastic Frontier Production Approach Study in Butte County, California

The U.S. government recruits immigrant workers through the H-2A program as a short-term solution to the agricultural sectors’ labor shortage problem. Although the sector insists hiring immigrant workers is essential for their survival, history has proven the socio-economic cost for doing so is enormous. This paper aims to investigate the contribution of labor to agricultural production efficiency. A discussion of marginal rate of technical substitution, economies of scale, and economies of scope will also be included. The stochastic production frontier regression approach was applied to input/output data collected from a survey of tree nut growers in Butte County, California. Results indicate the labor input is not significant in deciding farm production efficiency. Instead of attempting to increase short-term labor, producers’ and policy makers’ efforts should be directed toward improving the logistics of farm management and the quality of labor, thus more efficiently utilizing available resources.Stochastic Frontier Production Model, Labor Input Efficiency, Labor Economics, Labor and Human Capital, Production Economics, Productivity Analysis, Q120, J240, D240,

Estimating the Stochastic Sickness Effect on Employment, Worktime and Saving Decisions

This paper aims to study labor supply and saving decisions as a result of health uncertainty. O’Donnell (1995) suggested a theoretical positive relationship between working hours (or saving rate) and the perceived health uncertainty. That is, for risk-averse individuals, there exists a precaution motion to work harder and save more when facing the uncertainty for the health condition. We test this hypothetical relationship by applying the 2003-2005 data from the Panel Study of Family Dynamics (PSFD) in Taiwan. Following Hughes and Maguire’s approach (2003), our estimation result indicates that a stochastic sickness has positive effects on the decisions of working time and saving rate.Health, Uncertainty, Labor Supply, Saving

Effects of natto extract on endothelial injury in a rat model

Vascular endothelial damage has been found to be associated with thrombus formation, which is considered to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. A diet of natto leads to a low prevalence of cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of natto extract on vascular endothelia damage with exposure to laser irradiation. Endothelial damage both in vitro and in vivo was induced by irradiation of rose bengal using a DPSS green laser. Cell viability was determined by MTS assay, and the intimal thickening was verified by a histological approach. The antioxidant content of natto extract was determined for the free radical scavenging activity. Endothelial cells were injured in the presence of rose bengal irradiated in a dose-dependent manner. Natto extract exhibits high levels of antioxidant activity compared with purified natto kinase. Apoptosis of laser-injured endothelial cells was significantly reduced in the presence of natto extract. Both the natto extract and natto kinase suppressed intimal thickening in rats with endothelial injury. The present findings suggest that natto extract suppresses vessel thickening as a synergic effect attributed to its antioxidant and anti-apoptosis properties

The Effects of College Education on Career Earnings in the NBA

The purpose of our research is to investigate whether the high school basketball player is better off attending or forgoing his college career to enter the NBA directly out of high school. We measure better off\u27 by total salary earned in the first ten years of a player\u27s NBA career. Using both OLS and a Heckit model, to control for possible sample selection bias, our results suggest that although college is an investment period for athletes, rational athletes do understand the opportunity cost of each year spent in college, with the most talented players forgoing their college education altogether

Why Not Honors? Understanding Students’ Decisions Not to Enroll and Persist in Honors Programs

In recent years, retention and graduation of honors students have received increasing attention in scholarly literature. In the spring of 2013, as a part of the strategic planning process, the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College invited current honors students to complete an online survey aimed at collecting information about the key factors that affected students’ initial decision to enroll in the honors college, the main reasons affecting their decision to continue their enrollment, and the challenges and levels of satisfaction they experienced. Study results indicated that most students were highly satisfied with their honors experience, smaller classes, opportunities to enhance their leadership and intellectual growth, and close connection with honors faculty and their peers (Nichols and Chang). In 2014, as an extension of the 2013 study, a team of researchers set out to further explore the other side of these issues: why not honors? What factors influence students’ decisions whether to enroll or not to enroll and persist through graduation with honors? While this research is based on students at South Dakota State University, insights gained may be relevant to other honors programs and professionals seeking to better understand and serve their students