Risk factors for Chlamydia trachomatis infection in a California collegiate population

Chlamydia trachomatis infection in college students has not undergone a detailed large-scale evaluation. The authors undertook a cross-sectional study of 4,086 students enrolled on the campuses of California State University, Sacramento, and 3 local community colleges from fall 2000 through spring 2002. They used an outreach screening model to determine the presence of infection by testing urine for chlamydial DNA by polymerase chain reaction. Participants completed demographic and behavioral risk questionnaires and a chlamydia knowledge assessment. Overall, 3.4% of participants tested positive for infection. Screening of male and female students was evenly distributed and incidence rates for males (3.03%) and females (3.78%) were similar Variables associated with significantly increased risk were younger than 25 years, ethnicity other than White, more than one sexual partner in the preceding year or a new partner in the preceding 2 months, and current symptoms. Innovative outreach programs to screen a majority of at-risk college students should be developed.     

Firm outsourcing decisions: evidence from U.S. foreign trade zones

This article examines the operations of firms located in U.S. foreign trade subzones to study the responsiveness of outsourcing to international cost changes. I find that firms reduce their reliance on foreign inputs when dollar depreciation increases the relative price of imported inputs. The effect is pervasive across industries and is economically significant. In addition, firms that rely more heavily on imported intermediate inputs reduce their overall shipments when dollar depreciation elevates their imported, input costs. However, the magnitude of the shipments effect is economically small, suggesting that firms respond to exchange rate movements by adjusting their operations on other dimensions.