Temporal pattern in number of staff on sick leave: the effect of downsizing

Summary.  The pattern of absenteeism in the downsizing process of companies is a topic in focus in economics and social science. A general question is whether employees who are frequently absent are more likely to be selected to be laid off or in contrast whether employees to be dismissed are more likely to be absent for the remaining time of their working contract. We pursue an empirical and microeconomic investigation of these theses. We analyse longitudinal data that were collected in a German company over several years. We fit a semiparametric transition model based on a mixture Poisson distribution for the days of absenteeism per month. Prediction intervals are considered and the primary focus is on the period of downsizing. The data reveal clear evidence for the hypothesis that employees who are to be laid off are more frequently absent before leaving the company. Interestingly, though, no clear evidence is seen that employees being selected to leave the company are those with a bad absenteeism profile.     

科技创新是现代化高校发展的重要标志

近年来,高校作为国家科技创新体系的重要组成部分,大力加强科学研究。北京大学让本科生提前介入科研,培养科研创新能力。高校创办的具有特色的大学科技园、高科技产业群,逐步发展成为普遍趋势,高校已经成为中国基础研究的主力军。高校现有的人才资源有效结合起来,就形成一批充满活力的科技创新集体。     

A theoretical basis for perturbation methods

In this paper we discuss a new theoretical basis for perturbation methods. In developing this new theoretical basis, we define the ideal measures of data utility and disclosure risk. Maximum data utility is achieved when the statistical characteristics of the perturbed data are the same as that of the original data. Disclosure risk is minimized if providing users with microdata access does not result in any additional information. We show that when the perturbed values of the confidential variables are generated as independent realizations from the distribution of the confidential variables conditioned on the non-confidential variables, they satisfy the data utility and disclosure risk requirements. We also discuss the relationship between the theoretical basis and some commonly used methods for generating perturbed values of confidential numerical variables.     

A-H键振动频率与原子价层轨道能

本文研究了原子价层轨道能与共价型分子氢化物中A-H键的振动频率v_(A-H)的关系,结果表明二者间有良好的线性关系,其计算式为: v_(A-H)=-a∑n_1E_1/∑n_1(A)+b (1) V_(A-H)=-c∑n_1E_1/∑n~(B)+d (2)利用上式计算的振动频率V_(A-H)值接近于文献值。从而验证了用韩长日方法计算电负性的合理性。     

Potential exposures and risks from beryllium-containing products.

Beryllium is the strongest of the lightweight metals. Used primarily in military applications prior to the end of the Cold War, beryllium is finding new applications in many commercial products, including computers, telecommunication equipment, and consumer and automotive electronics. The use of beryllium in nondefense consumer applications is of concern because beryllium is toxic. Inhalation of beryllium dust or vapor causes a chronic lung disease in some individuals at concentrations as low as 0.01 microg/m3 in air. As beryllium enters wider commerce, it is prudent to ask what risks this might present to the general public and to workers downstream of the beryllium materials industry. We address this question by evaluating the potential for beryllium exposure from the manufacturing, use, recycle, and disposal of beryllium-containing products. Combining a market study with a qualitative exposure analysis, we determine which beryllium applications and life cycle phases have the largest exposure potential. Our analysis suggests that use and maintenance of the most common types of beryllium-containing products do not result in any obvious exposures of concern, and that maintenance activities result in greater exposures than product use. Product disposal has potential to present significant individual risks, but uncertainties concerning current and future routes of product disposal make it difficult to be definitive. Overall, additional exposure and dose-response data are needed to evaluate both the health significance of many exposure scenarios, and the adequacy of existing regulations to protect workers and the public. Although public exposures to beryllium and public awareness and concern regarding beryllium risks are currently low, beryllium risks have psychometric qualities that may lead to rapidly heightened public concern.     

高T_c超导材料微波特性的自动化测量

采用单腔多模谐振腔,通过部分置换样品的方法,在程控标量网络分析系统上,实现了高 T_c 超导材料微波特性的自动化测量。该方法简单、准确,能同时测出超导样品的工作频率、微波表面阻抗、工作温度等多个参数,并能以图或表的形式给出测试结果。给出了3 cm 频段上YBCO 块材样品在77K 及附近温度下的测量结果,指出 YBCO 块材的微波特性还有待提高。     

新型蓄光性长余辉荧光陶瓷的研制

研究了基础釉的成分、蓄光粉的加入量、釉层厚度和烧成温度制度等因素对蓄光陶瓷发光性能的影响以及各种制品最佳工艺技术路线的确定.     

Local spatial data infrastructure, Trujillo-Peru

The development of a Municipal Information System, or currently better known as a local spatial data infrastructure, is considered complex due to the required inter-institutional relationships. In many developing countries Geographical Information Systems (GISs) are introduced but the benefits are modest as no changes take place in technical and organisational structure of organisations. Digital databases and computer-aided design (CAD) maps are mushrooming in great variety within different private and public institutions, municipal organisations and even within single departments and with structures similar to the paper period and thus operating on a stand-alone basis.Many national mapping agencies are not able to provide large-scale digital urban base maps, while the absence or low quality of cadastres makes those basic core data sets unavailable or inaccessible. The result is that duplication and incompatible data are frequently observed and also donor-driven stand-alone projects have a limited impact through the lack of institutional embedding and are not able to mature from the project to the institutional level. However, a positive sign is that there is an increasing awareness among data producers and consumers that investments in the development of digital data sets should be combined to reduce costs and increase benefits from especially GIS, and information and communication technology (ICT) in general.Within Trujillo a long-term vision was developed to make full use of ICT and GIS to modernise all operations of the Municipality to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its tasks. However, large investments are not feasible due to the very limited municipal budgets. To guarantee the support of the municipal council, short-term results are required. This paper describes three ‘products’ as part of the vision to develop through a step-by-step approach a local spatial data infrastructure for Trujillo.The three, rather different, products are:

1. fiscal cadastre, to increase municipal revenues through property taxation;

2. an ‘environmental atlas’ based on a compatible spatial and attribute data sets from a variety of organisations; and

3. a municipal website with interactive GIS and meta data information.

The paper concludes with some comments on the institutional and political requirements for the successful development of a local spatial data infrastructure and stresses that such an infrastructure is not a product but an incremental development process that will progress only in case such a process is simple, cost effective, user-friendly, and flexible with clear products.Political interest and institutional stability and genuine interest for inter-institutional cooperation will add much to the success of this process.     

Valuation of childhood risk reduction: the importance of age, risk preferences, and perspective.

This article explores two problems analysts face in determining how to estimate values for children's health and safety risk reductions. The first addresses the question: Do willingness‐to‐pay estimates for health risk changes differ across children and adults and, if so, how? To answer this question, the article first examines the potential effects of age and risk preferences on willingness to pay. A summary of the literature reporting empirical evidence of differences between willingness to pay for adult health and safety risk reductions and willingness to pay for health and safety risk reductions in children is also provided. The second dimension of the problem is a more fundamental issue: Whose perspective is relevant when valuing children's health effects—society's, children's, adults‐as‐children, or parents'? Each perspective is considered, followed ultimately by the conclusion that adopting a parental perspective through an intrahousehold allocation model seems closest to meeting the needs of the estimation problem at hand. A policy example in which the choice of perspective affects the outcome of a regulatory benefit‐cost analysis rounds out the article and emphasizes the importance of perspective.     

“X化”结构构成限制及条件

现代汉语中的“X化”能产性很强,功能上也很有特点,近年来的使用频率日趋上升,“X化”结构的词几乎每天都在增加。但是,我们常说:“现代化、工业化、规范化、绿化、美化、老化”等,却从不说:“(*雷锋化、*长化、*大化”等,这说明在“X化”内部一定蕴含着某种规律支配着这个结构的运转,“X化”的强大的能产性是受到一定限制的。本文根据调查结果[1]对这种限制做一些初步探讨,认为一个成分能否进入“X化”结构大概受到三个方面的限制:1)“X”本身在概念上的要求;2)语用频率上的限制;3)类推作用的影响。