Wearing corset,losing shape: The euro's effect on trade imbalances

When does trade become a one-way relationship? We study bilateral trade balances for a sample of 18 European countries over the period from 1948 through 2008. We find that, with the introduction of the euro, trade imbalances among euro area members widened considerably, even after allowing for permanent asymmetries in trade competitiveness within pairs of countries or in the overall trade competitiveness of individual countries. This is consistent with indications that pair-wise trade tends to be more balanced when nominal exchange rates are flexible. Intra-euro area imbalances also seem to have become more persistent with the introduction of the euro, some of which is linked to labor market inflexibility. Reviewing the direction of imbalances, we find that bilateral trade surpluses are decreasing in the real exchange rate, decreasing in growth differentials, and increasing in the relative volatility of national business cycles. Finally, countries with relatively higher fiscal deficits and less flexible labor and product markets exhibit systematically lower trade surpluses than others.     

Global employment and decent jobs, 2010–2030: The forces of demography and automation

Globally, an estimated 734 million jobs will be required between 2010 and 2030 to accommodate recent and ongoing demographic shifts, account for plausible changes in labour force participation rates, and achieve target unemployment rates of at or below 4 per cent for adults and at or below 8 per cent for youth. The facts that most new jobs will be required in countries where “decent” jobs are less prevalent and workers in many occupations are increasingly subject to risks of automation further compound the challenge of job creation, which is already quite sizable in historical perspective. Failure to create the jobs that are needed through 2030 would put currently operative social security systems under pressure and undermine efforts to guarantee the national social protection floors enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).     

4-6岁幼儿社会戏剧游戏水平调查研究

本研究以68名幼儿为研究对象，运用《游戏检核表》对其社会戏剧游戏水平进行调查，研究发现：4-6岁幼儿角色扮演、口语交流、互动和同伴支持水平高，游戏时间充分；但物品假装、如何进入游戏小组、问题解决和轮流技能较低。教师应通过明确自身角色、丰富幼儿游戏材料和经验、提升幼儿语言能力和社会交往技能促进幼儿社会戏剧游戏发展。     

A permutation alternative and other test procedures for spatially correlated data in one-way anova

Research in many disciplines involves data with spatially correlated observations. Spatial dependence violates the independent errors assumption required for techniques such as the standard one-way analysis of variance for a completely randomized design. The testing methodology within the correlated errors approach has not been investigated within a spatial context. For one-way fixed effects analysis of variance, a permutation test and tests associated with the correlated errors approach are investigated through simulation. No single test was superior with respect to both power and size but the standard Wald F test and a simple adjustment to it performed well overall.     

“课考融合”式英语专业基础英语课改革

新TEM4（Test for English Majors）在题量、时长、内容及能力四个方面进行了改革,倾向于测量学生的英语综合运用能力。新TEM4在检查学生是否达到了大纲所规定的各项英语专业基础阶段的技能要求和教学质量评估方面有高度的信度和效度。研究显示：在所有的基础阶段专业技能课程中,基础英语课和TEM4互动最大;选择优秀教材并将基础英语课的教学手段———听写、背诵、课堂陈述和语篇分析和TEM4测试内容进行和谐地融合,不仅能大力提高4级过关率,还能促进基础英语课教学质量的提高。     

Estimation and goodness-of-fit procedures for Farlie–Gumbel–Morgenstern bivariate copula of order statistics

In this study, we provide the Farlie–Gumbel–Morgenstern bivariate copula of rth and sth order statistics. The main emphasis in this study is on the inference procedure which is based on the maximum pseudo-likelihood estimate for the copula parameter. As for the methodology, goodness-of-fit test statistic for copulas which is based on a Cramér–von Mises functional of the empirical copula process is applied for selecting an appropriate model by bootstrapping. An application of the methodology to simulated data set is also presented.     

India's demand for international reserve and monetary disequilibrium: Reserve adequacy under floating regime

The main aim of this study is to investigate India's demand for international reserve by focusing on the role of national monetary disequilibrium and to present new benchmarks for assessing the adequacy of international reserves. We assessed India's position in terms of reserve adequacy and found that India is well placed and has sufficient stock of international reserves to meet the minimum adequacy requirements. Also, the results reveal that the central bank is holding substantial excess reserves and the related opportunity cost (1.5% of GDP) appears to be quite considerable. Further, the estimates of reserve demand function suggest that scale of foreign trade, uncertainty and profitability considerations play significant role in determining India's long-term reserve demand policies. More importantly, validating the monetary approach to balance of payment, our results show that national monetary disequilibrium does play a crucial role in short-run reserve movements. An excess of money demand (supply) induces an inflow (outflow) of international reserves with an elasticity of 0.56 which also implies that Reserve Bank of India responds to correct the domestic money market disequilibrium; and did not just leave it completely on the mercy of reserve inflows.     

Curved versus straight scissors to avoid 3rd and 4th degree perineal tears: A randomised feasibility study

BackgroundSevere perineal tears sustained during childbirth cause significant distress and morbidity amongst women. The objective of this study was to compare the use of straight scissors for cutting an episiotomy with the use of curved scissors, which are designed to curve away from the anal sphincter.MethodsWe used a single-centre, randomised feasibility trial. The intervention was the use of curved scissors. Women were recruited during a prenatal visit and randomised in the delivery suite, when it became clear that an episiotomy was required. The feasibility outcomes were the proportion of women able to be recruited, randomised and followed up. We also calculated the incidence of obstetric anal sphincter injury when either straight or curved scissors were used to cut an episiotomy. Other outcomes assessed were pain, length of hospital stay, perineal infection and perineal dehiscence.ResultsOf the 155 patients recruited in the prenatal period, only 20 (12.9%) were eventually randomised at birth. The main reasons for the high loss were that women either did not have a vaginal delivery (38, 24.5%), or they did not need an episiotomy (72, 46.5%). Rates of obstetric anal sphincter injury and other outcomes were similar between groups.DiscussionAnal sphincter injury during childbirth remains an important problem. Although the use of curved scissors provides a theoretical solution, we found that the high attrition rate made feasibility of conducting a suitably powered, randomised trial using the current design untenable. Alternative strategies have been suggested to make any future study more viable.     

对华北油田勘探历程的再认识

华北油田是我国最早发现古潜山海相碳酸盐岩油气藏的地方,也是产量骤起骤降幅度最大的一个油田,它的勘探过程中蕴含着太多丰富的经验值得总结.从任4井发现的细节入手进行回顾,对华北油田勘探经验中的古潜山、碳酸盐岩、震旦系灰岩等关键问题进行了深入思考.指出按有机成油论的学说很难将华北油田的历史经验深入总结下去,应按无机成油论的观点,对华北油田的历史经验进行再认识.     

Percentile Related Bounds and Estimator for the Mean of the Negative Binomial Distribution

Upper and lower bounds are obtained for the mean of the negative binomial distribution. These bounds are simple functions of a percentile determined by the shape parameter. The result is then used to obtain a robust estimate of the mean when the shape parameter is known.