How do policy levers shape the quality of a national health system?

Poor quality of care may have a detrimental effect on access and take-up and can become a serious barrier to the universality of health services. This consideration is of particular interest in view of the fact that health systems in many countries must address a growing public-sector deficit and respond to increasing pressures due to COVID-19 and aging population, among other factors. In line with a rapidly emerging literature, we focus on patient satisfaction as a proxy for quality of health care. Drawing on rich longitudinal and cross-sectional data for Spain and multilevel estimation techniques, we show that in addition to individual level differences, policy levers (such as public health spending and the patient-doctor ratio, in particular) exert a considerable influence on the quality of a health care system. Our results suggest that policymakers seeking to enhance the quality of care should be cautious when compromising the level of health resources, and in particular, health personnel, as a response to economic downturns in a sector that traditionally had insufficient human resources in many countries, which have become even more evident in the light of the current health crisis. Additionally, we provide evidence that the increasing reliance on the private health sector may be indicative of inefficiencies in the public system and/or the existence of features of private insurance which are deemed important by patients.     

Partial Identification of Economic Mobility: With an Application to the United States

Abstract

The economic mobility of individuals and households is of fundamental interest. While many measures of economic mobility exist, reliance on transition matrices remains pervasive due to simplicity and ease of interpretation. However, estimation of transition matrices is complicated by the well-acknowledged problem of measurement error in self-reported and even administrative data. Existing methods of addressing measurement error are complex, rely on numerous strong assumptions, and often require data from more than two periods. In this article, we investigate what can be learned about economic mobility as measured via transition matrices while formally accounting for measurement error in a reasonably transparent manner. To do so, we develop a nonparametric partial identification approach to bound transition probabilities under various assumptions on the measurement error and mobility processes. This approach is applied to panel data from the United States to explore short-run mobility before and after the Great Recession.     

Visualization of generalized mean estimators using auxiliary information in survey sampling

Abstract

The mean estimators with ratio depend on multiple auxiliary variables and unknown parameters in a finite population setting. We propose a new generalized approach with matrices for modeling the mutivariate mean estimators with two auxiliary variables. Our approach brings naturally a graphical analysis for comparing mean estimators.     

大学英语作文非语法错误分析及纠错策略

通过深入分析非英语专业大学生英语作文中出现的内容、篇章结构、语言表达等方面的非语法错误,提出了写前阶段构思、审题技巧训练及寓写作于精读课教学等相应的纠错策略。     

Computing maximum likelihood estimates from type II doubly censored exponential data

It is well-known that, under Type II double censoring, the maximum likelihood (ML) estimators of the location and scale parameters, θ and δ, of a twoparameter exponential distribution are linear functions of the order statistics. In contrast, when θ is known, theML estimator of δ does not admit a closed form expression. It is shown, however, that theML estimator of the scale parameter exists and is unique. Moreover, it has good large-sample properties. In addition, sharp lower and upper bounds for this estimator are provided, which can serve as starting points for iterative interpolation methods such as regula falsi. Explicit expressions for the expected Fisher information and Cramér-Rao lower bound are also derived. In the Bayesian context, assuming an inverted gamma prior on δ, the uniqueness, boundedness and asymptotics of the highest posterior density estimator of δ can be deduced in a similar way. Finally, an illustrative example is included.     

严复的能力观及其对当代公共管理创新的启示——对史华兹《寻求富强:严复与西方》的一种解读

对美国著名汉学家史华兹的代表作<寻求富强:严复与西方>进行文本解读发现:该著所反映出的严复能力观对当代公共管理的创新发展具有重要的启示意义.严复认为中西方的关键性差别在于能力,而隐含其中的是以能力为导向的主体意识和公共意识方面的差距."-3代公共管理的创新发展有必要吸收严复能力观中的思想精髓,以国家能力建构为着力点,以公民启蒙为社会基石,以突显公正为其内在灵魂.对正处于社会转型期的国家而言,努力实现国家能力与公民自由问的平衡是达致善治的关键.     

开放式数控切割机神经网络误差补偿研究

分析了影响数控火焰切割机加工精度的主要因素,利用开放式数控系统的软件开放性,提出了采用IGCAQBP学习算法的神经网络方法来对包括金属热变形、机械传动误差等非线性因素在内的多种因素造成的加工误差进行误差补偿,设计了嵌入开放式数控系统中的神经网络误差补偿器,给出了实用的补偿器使用方法,并对误差补偿功能进行了扩展,仿真结果和实际应用表明该方法稳定有效。     

串联稳压器基准误差放大电路的设计

针对串联型稳压器,设计了一种应用于串联型稳压器具有自建基准的新型误差放大电路。该电路具有构思巧妙,结构优化,易于集成及较高的开环增益,共模抑制比及交流特性的优点。通过验证,实测数据与仿真结果基本一致。     

Some remarks on the physical models concerning two different approaches to inference in statistical process control

Summary For technological applications it can be useful to identify some simple physical mechanisms, which, on the basis of the available knowledge of the production process, may suggest the most appropriate approach to statistical control of the random quantities of interest. For this purpose the notion of rupture point is introduced firstly. A rupture point is characterized bym randomly arising out of control states, assumed to be mutually exclusive and stochastically independent. Shewhart's control charts seem to represent the natural statistical tool for controlling a rupture point; however it is shown that they are fully justified only when the hazard rates attached to the causes of failure are constant. Otherwise, typically in the presence of time increasing hazard rates, Shewhart's control charts should be completed by a preventive intervention rule (preventive maintenance). In the second place, the notion of dynamic instability point is introduced, which is specifically characterized by assuming that the random quantity of interest is ruled by a stochastic differential equation with constant coefficients. By discretization, developed according to a possibly new approach, it is shown that the former model reduces to an equation error model, which is among the simplest used in adaptive control, and thus particularly easy to deal with in regard to parameter estimation and the definition of the optimum control rule.     

香山“长庆”有遗篇——试论《长恨歌》与《圆圆曲》的黍离之感

梅村体是长庆体的变格,但其中都充满着浓烈的黍离麦秀之感,所不同者在于一为乱世之音,一为亡国之音.诗人感伤兴寄,作垂戒之用.