The Gender Pay Gap in the US: Does Sector Make a Difference?

Analyses of data from the 2000 US Census show that the gender pay gap differs by sector of employment and according to the part of the earnings distribution that is considered. The gender pay differential in the private sector in the US does not display either the glass ceiling or sticky floor effects that have been reported for many other countries. The government sector is, however, characterized by a distinct sticky floor effect in the female–male pay differential. Regardless of the sector of employment, females have lower hourly rates of pay than men across the entire earnings distribution.

A Bayesian Approach for Analyzing Results of Vehicle Collision Tests

Certain motor vehicle safety standards stipulate a collision test speed and a set of performance criteria that vehicles must satisfy during or after the collision test. For example, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 301 requires a 30 mile per hour (mph) barrier collision and specifies a certain maximum allowable limit on the total spillage of fuel. Vehicle designs are required to meet this standard; however, when collision tests are conducted at speeds higher than the standard, vehicles do not always satisfy the performance criteria. This paper develops a mathematical model for estimating the probability of meeting the standard by using a Bayesian framework to incorporate engineering judgment with collision test results. The model is based on the idea that there are random features to a vehicle's ability to meet performance standards in a collision, especially at such elevated speeds. Example calculations are included to illustrate the estimation of the probability of meeting the standard and to compare it with a maximum likelihood approach.     

The meaning of frailty according to Dutch older frail and non-frail persons

Frailty is a term often used by researchers and clinicians to describe a state in which older persons are at risk for adverse outcomes such as falls, disability, institutionalization and mortality. However, no study so far examined what frailty means to older persons. Therefore the aim of this study was to describe the meaning that older community-dwelling persons attach to frailty. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted. The interviews were analyzed using the grounded theory method. Frailty was described as being in poor health, having walking difficulties, feeling down, being anxious, having few social contacts and not being able to do the things one likes to do. Men described in more detail the physical dimension whereas women elaborated in more depth on the psychological and social component. Existing definitions of frailty should be adjusted to better reflect the meaning of frailty for older persons.     

面向未来的埃及教育改革

埃及实行免费教育体制,长期和持续的国家投入保证了教育在大众中间的普及,使埃及教育长期在阿拉伯国家和非洲地区处于领先地位。但随着全球化的日益深入以及埃及国内经济形势的变化,单纯依靠政府投入越来越不能满足人民群众对高质量教育服务的需求。埃及教育主管部门根据形势发展的迫切要求,一方面大力推进教育体制改革,力行非中央化的政策,在教育投入和管理上,加大社会力量参与的力度,加强了教育基础设施建设,提高了教师待遇;另一方面用先进的信息技术手段改造传统教育模式,并在教学过程中引入问责制度,保证教育质量不断提高,使其更好地服务于社会经济的发展。     

中国高龄老年人口生活质量研究

本文从《中国高龄老人健康长寿调查数据集 (1998)》所提供的资料中筛选出有关生理健康、心理健康、日常生活功能和社会完好性等四个方面的评价指标 ,将这些指标的加权值进行量化处理。发现中国高龄老年人口总体生活质量的平均等级分最高 ,生理健康的平均等级分最低 ,心理健康与日常生活功能的平均等级分居中。同时 ,还发现中国男性高龄老人生活质量的平均等级分高于女性高龄老人 ;80— 90岁组生活质量的平均等级分高于 90— 99级老人 ,更高于 10 0— 10 5岁级老人 ;城镇高龄老人生活质量的平均等级分高于农村高龄老人。     

素质教育与中华文明

素质教育是着眼于提高全体国民综合素质的教育。素质教育具有全面性、全体性、重能力性、贯通性等特点。实施素质教育既是教育改革的需要,也是经济、社会发展的客观要求。加强人文素质教育,离不开中华民族优秀传统文明成果的学习,而通过人文素质教育,能够使这些宝贵的资源在人才培养中发扬光大,并且与社会主义的现代文明完美地结合在一起。     

Evaluating Item Discrimination Power of WHOQOL-BREF from an Item Response Model Perspectives

Quality of life (QOL) has become an important component of health. By using the methodology of psychometric theory, we examine the item properties of the WHOQOL-BRIEF. Samejima’s graded response model with natural metrics of the logistic response function was fitted. The results showed items with negative natures were less discriminating. Items written in a specific way were more suitable to assess certain subgroups. The national items showed variation in discriminatory power. Questions measuring objective and specific issues performed worse than items assessing general aspects of the QOL.     

提高深圳出生人口素质的理论与思考

本文通过全面回顾深圳市在提高出生人口素质，预防出生缺陷方面的机构设置、工作方法，分析了深圳提高出生人口素质面临的挑战．并从政策分析的角度提出了提高出生人口素质的政策建议。     

Incorporating quality into data envelopment analysis of nursing home performance: A case study

When using data envelopment analysis (DEA) as a benchmarking technique for nursing homes, it is essential to include measures of the quality of care. We survey applications where quality has been incorporated into DEA models and consider the concerns that arise when the results show that quality measures have been effectively ignored. Three modeling techniques are identified that address these concerns. Each of these techniques requires some input from management as to the proper emphasis to be placed on the quality aspect of performance. We report the results of a case study in which we apply these techniques to a DEA model of nursing home performance. We examine in depth not only the resulting efficiency scores, but also the benchmark sets and the weights given to the input and output measures. We find that two of the techniques are effective in insuring that DEA results discriminate between high and low quality performance.     

控股股东掏空动机与多元化的盈余波动效应

多元化经营是公司关注的重大发展问题,因此,多元化经营的动机及其经济后果也成为学者们研究的重点话题。本文从我国上市公司的多元化经营与盈余波动性之间的关系入手对这一问题进行研究,具体分析了公司多元化经营的程度对盈余波动性的影响及控股股东的掏空动机对多元化盈余波动效应的作用。研究发现,我国上市公司的多元化经营显著降低了公司的盈余波动性,多元化程度越高,盈余的波动性越低;但由控股股东代理问题而形成的掏空动机损害了多元化的盈余波动效应。本文的研究为多元化的经济后果增添了新的文献,同时也为上市公司监管提供了参考依据。