Annual Contract Research Articles

Increasing density of juvenile Atlantic ( Gadus morhua) and Greenland cod ( G. ogac) in association with spatial expansion and recovery of eelgrass ( Zostera marina) in a coastal nursery habitat

Global declines of eelgrass ( Zostera marina) have major ramifications for the juvenile fishes for which this plant can provide nursery habitat. However, it is less clear how rapidly fishes can recover when habitat loss is reversed, either through natural growth or through habitat enhancement efforts. We investigated the consequences of natural expansion and recovery of eelgrass following disturbance, on the densities of juveniles of two cod species – Atlantic ( Gadus morhua) and Greenland ( Gadus ogac) cod – in a coastal nursery area in Newfoundland, Canada. Eelgrass has been expanding at this location, likely as a result of reduced disturbance from winter pack-ice in the past decade. We conducted bi-weekly sampling of juvenile fish densities at 12 sites from July to November annually, 1995–2006, by seine netting. Each site was designated as either ‘natural’, ‘expansion’, ‘removal–recovery’ or ‘unvegetated’ dependent on their recent eelgrass coverage and involvement in a manipulation study (1999–2000; Laurel et al. 2003b). We measured eelgrass percentage cover at each site by analysis of aerial photographs. Eelgrass cover had noticeably increased in the 1999–2000 ‘removal–recovery’ sites and at the ‘expansion’ sites following 2000. Using randomized intervention analysis (RIA) we detected positive relationships between eelgrass cover and relative fish density during 2001–2006. These results suggested a significant and rapid increase in age-0 cod density associated with eelgrass habitat expansion. We suggest that juvenile cod density responds to annual expansion and contraction of eelgrass cover, illustrating the potential cascading effects of eelgrass loss associated with climate change, human disturbance, and disease and the potential benefits of eelgrass conservation and enhancement.

Socioeconomics of Retinopathy of Prematurity In-Hospital Care

To determine if there was any uniform experience across the United States relative to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) services provided, reimbursement, and malpractice insurance coverage. An online pediatric ophthalmology listserv poll queried pediatric ophthalmologists regarding ROP screening, reimbursement, malpractice insurance, and call and consult coverage. Compensation for providing ROP services is quite variable around the United States. The Southern respondents reported the highest contract income while the Northeast reported the lowest. The mean annual contract income was $63 753 and the median annual contract income was $39 000. There was an even distribution between physicians vs hospitals providing malpractice coverage. There was also a fairly even distribution between physicians who do and do not provide consult and call coverage. Nationwide, there is no standard rate of compensation for ROP in-hospital care, coverage of liability insurance, or providing additional consult or on-call services. Income generation performing ROP screening examinations is roughly half what a pediatric ophthalmologist can generate by seeing patients in the clinic or performing surgery.

Maximizing Team Mentoring for Empowering Success in Multidisciplinary Research and Career Development

The integration of basic, clinical and translational research has required new approaches to complex problem solving in neurosciences and other discipline. Often colleagues and trainees with very diverse expertise are needed to come together and share their unique vantage points to develop unique solutions to complex questions – what is now known as “team science”. Yet few basic and clinical investigators have been prepared in their training to work in this collaborative manner – and one that will be essential toward a wide distribution of new knowledge and improved clinical practice via translational research approaches. With support from the NIH Roadmap Initiative and the Clinical Science and Translational Award at the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at the University of Pittsburgh, we have developed a comprehensive program for mentoring trainees, including graduate students, postdocs, clinical fellows and junior faculty to help maximize their unique group of mentors who bring the necessary multidisciplinary perspectives to the research investigation at hand. This presentation will provide an overview of some of the elements that contribute to this new model of preparing individuals for success with team mentoring including 1) definitions of the roles of mentee and mentors, 2) the use of annual contracts to affirm commitment to the process, 3) the approaches and strategies used to train both mentees and mentors to ensure a successful launch of a new team, 4) approaches for monitoring, advising, adjusting and/or terminating mentoring relationships, if needed, and 5) strategies to keep the process focused on the mentee's career goals in clinical and translational research – typically a unique path that will differ from the path of the more experienced mentors.

Electrical Maintenance of IIT Bombay Hostels

The Electrical Maintenance Department (EMD) of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) is responsible for the electrical maintenance of all hostels on campus. At present, EMD activity is outsourced to Chintamani Electrical on an annual contract. The latter puts up its resources to operate EMD. The EMD supervisor Vijay Bhogale is concerned about the productivity of the electricians because his boss, the owner of Chintamani Electrical, has pushed him several times to improve it. This case on electrical maintenance of IIT Bombay hostels explains the functioning of EMD along with relevant data to apply operations management techniques such as simulation and capacity analysis. The first step for using these techniques is to understand the situation by mapping its processes; hence, the initial part of the case throws light on this. The latter part of the case emphasizes relevant and precise data collection to apply the appropriate operations management technique. This case creates a stimulating environment for class discussion on key data, the underlying notion in the application of simulation and/or queuing model for a given situation.

Activity-based costing methodology as tool for costing in hematopathology laboratory

Cost analysis in laboratories represents a necessary phase in their scientific progression. To calculate indirect cost and thus total cost per sample of various tests at Hematopathology laboratory (HPL). Activity-based costing (ABC) method is used to calculate per cost test of the hematopathology laboratory. Information is collected from registers, purchase orders, annual maintenance contracts (AMCs), payrolls, account books, hospital bills and registers along with informal interviews with hospital staff. Cost per test decreases as total number of samples increases. Maximum annual expense at the HPL is on reagents and consumables followed by manpower. Cost per test is higher for specialized tests which interpret morphological or flow data and are done by a pathologist. Despite several limitations and assumptions, this was an attempt to understand how the resources are consumed in a large size government-run laboratory. The rate structure needs to be revised for most of the tests, mainly for complete blood counts (CBC), bone marrow examination, coagulation tests and Immunophenotyping. This costing exercise is laboratory specific and each laboratory needs to do its own costing. Such an exercise may help a laboratory redesign its costing structure or at least understand the economics involved in the laboratory management.

Spatiotemporal Modeling of Asian Citrus Canker Risks: Implications for Insurance and Indemnification Fund Models

AbstractAsiatic citrus canker is a disease that poses a significant hazard to commercial citrus production. This article examines spatiotemporal models of the risks of citrus canker transmission. Models evaluate risks and are used to price annual contracts, which would pay producers a prespecified indemnity in the event that their grove is found to be infected with canker. Implications for risk management policy are discussed.

Low Immunity to Measles and Rubella among Female Guest Workers, Northern Mariana Islands

Low Immunity to Measles and Rubella among Female Guest Workers, Northern Mariana Islands

Independent sector treatment centres: the first independent evaluation, a Scottish case study

The pound5 billion English Independent Sector Treatment Centre (ISTC) programme remains unevaluated because of a lack of published contract data and poor quality data returns. Scotland has a three-year pilot ISTC, the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre (SRTC), the contract for which is now in the public domain. This study aims to conduct an independent evaluation of the performance of the SRTC during the first year of operation. A retrospective analysis of the SRTC comparing activity as reported by hospital episode statistics returned to ISD Scotland with: volume and cost data in the SRTC contract; a 10-month audit carried out by management consultants Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC); and an internal NHS Tayside performance report. All day-case and inpatient activity at the SRTC from 1 December 2006 to 31 January 2008. Activity and cost. The annual contract was based on patient referrals to the SRTC and not actual treatments. The contract was awarded on the basis of 2624 referrals a year, total value of pound5,667,464. According to ISD data, the SRTC performed 831 procedures (32% of annual contract) in the first 13 months worth pound1,035,603 (18%). PWC's figures report 2200 referrals (84%) to the SRTC at a cost of 2,642,000 (47%) in the first 10 months. Basing the SRTC contract on payments for referrals rather than actual treatment represents a major departure from normal standards of reporting and commissioning and may have resulted in over-payment for referrals for patients who did not receive treatment of up to pound3 million in the first 10 months. The PWC report falls well below the standards one would expect of an independent evaluation and we were unable to validate PWC's analysis and the claim of value for money. If wave-one ISTCs in England perform similarly to the SRTC then as much as pound927 million may have been paid for patients who did not receive treatment. We recommend a moratorium on all ISTC contracts until the contracts have been published and properly evaluated with respect to work paid for and actual work carried out and quality of care.

Comment on ‘When in Rome, reform’

Comment on ‘When in Rome, reform’

Replacement of 137Cs Irradiators with X-ray Irradiators

Self-shielded 137Cs irradiators have been used for many years to irradiate blood products to prevent graft vs. host disease and to irradiate cells and small animals in research. A report by the National Academy of Sciences recommends that careful consideration be given to replacement of 137Cs irradiators with x-ray irradiators. Several manufacturers and users of x-ray irradiators were contacted to determine costs of replacing and maintaining 137Cs irradiators with x-ray units and to assess users' experience with x-ray irradiators. Purchase costs of x-ray units are similar to 137Cs irradiators, but maintenance costs are significantly higher if annual service contracts are used. Performance of the two irradiator types appears to be equivalent, but in some cases x-ray irradiations may need to be performed in multiple configurations to achieve adequate uniformity in dose. No literature reports were found that evaluated the biological effectiveness of x rays vs. 137Cs gamma rays; therefore, a careful study should be conducted to determine the biological effectiveness of x rays vs. 137Cs gamma rays for biological responses relevant to transfusion medicine and immunological research. Throughput may be problematic for large transfusion medicine programs, and back-up plans may be necessary in case the x-ray unit needs to be taken out of service for extended maintenance. Disposition of a 137Cs irradiator will add to the cost of replacement with an x-ray unit, but disposal may be possible through the U.S. Department of Energy's Off-Site Source Recovery Program.

Spatio-Temporal Risk and Severity Analysis of Soybean Rust in the United States

Soybean rust is a highly mobile infectious disease and can be transmitted across short and long distances. Soybean rust is estimated to cause yield losses that can range between 1%-25%. An analysis of spatio-temporal infection risks within the United States is performed through the use of a unique data set. Observations from over 35,000 field-level inspections between 2005 and 2007 are used to conduct a county-level analysis. Statistical inferences are derived by employing zero-inflated Poisson and negative binomial models. In addition, the model is adjusted to account for potential endogeneity between inspections and soybean rust finds. Past soybean rust finds and inspections in the county and in the surrounding counties, weather and overwintering conditions, and plant maturity groups and planting dates are all found to be significant factors determining soybean rust. These results are then used to accordingly price annual insurance contracts or indemnification programs that cover soybean rust damages.

Bonus Contracts, Private Information and CEO Turnover

In this paper, we address the question whether performance measures that are specified in annual bonus contracts represent overall performance dimensions used by boards of directors in making governance decisions. Recent studies claim that managerial incentives are predominantly provided by equity holdings rather than short-term cash compensation. Given the dominance of equity compensation and the fact that firms invest resources in the design and use of bonus contracts, it is unclear why the vast majority of firms continue to use annual bonus contracts if these would create only minor, or no incentive benefits. We argue that boards of directors use bonus contracts as a channel to ex-ante communicate how performance will be evaluated annually and thus signal the measures relevant for CEO termination decisions, which provides significant incentives. Further, the resulting cash compensation communicates the board's actual performance evaluation of the CEO, which can disclose private information to the capital market. Our empirical results are consistent with these arguments and show that the incentive weight on privately observed performance measures in bonus contracts is systematically related to the importance of these measures for CEO turnover. We further show that the stock market reaction to a management change depends on bonus contract design. We specifically find a positive reaction when boards of directors have signaled to solely use public information in CEO performance evaluation (good news about the board) and a negative reaction when they (also) use private information (bad news about the CEO). Overall, we show that the care taken in designing annual bonus contracts can be explained by its link with governance decisions and indicate that performance measurement issues are an important part of the corporate governance process.

Selling two environmental services: In-kind payments for bird habitat and watershed protection in Los Negros, Bolivia

Marketing several environmental services from a single area can help access diverse sources of funding and make conservation a more competitive land use. In Bolivia's Los Negros valley (Department of Santa Cruz), bordering the Amboró National Park, 46 farmers are currently paid to protect 2774 ha of a watershed containing the threatened cloud-forest habitat of 11 species of migratory birds. In this payment for environmental services (PES) scheme, annual contracts prohibit tree cutting, hunting and forest clearing on enrolled lands. Farmer–landowners as service providers submit to independent yearly monitoring, and are sanctioned for non-compliance. Facilitated by a local NGO, Fundación Natura Bolivia, one service buyer is an international conservation donor (the US Fish and Wildlife Service) interested in biodiversity conservation. The second service users are downstream irrigators who likely benefit from stabilized dry-season water flows if upstream cloud forests are successfully protected. Individual irrigators have been reluctant to pay, but the Los Negros municipal government has on their behalf contributed ~ US$4500 to the scheme. The negotiated payment mode is annual quid pro quo in-kind compensations in return for forest protection. Predominantly, payments are made as “contingent project implementation”, transferring beehives supplemented by apicultural training. With regard to service provision, environment committees and education programs have increased awareness in downstream communities of the probable water-supply reduction effect of continued upstream deforestation. External donors have funded subsequent studies providing basic economic, hydrological and biodiversity data, and covered PES start-up (~ US$40,000) and running transaction costs (~ US$3000 per year over the last three years). The greatest challenges in the development of the PES mechanism have been the slow process of building trust between service buyers and providers, and in achieving clear service-provision additionality.

Vigilância epidemiológica da doença de Chagas em programa descentralizado: avaliação de conhecimentos e práticas de agentes municipais em região endêmica de Minas Gerais, Brasil

This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological surveillance of Chagas disease in the central-western region of Minas Gerais State, Brazil, based on knowledge and practice among municipal health agents working in the Chagas Disease Control Program. Thirty-five municipalities (counties) were visited, with meetings and application of a questionnaire on knowledge, practice, and difficulties in conducting the surveillance work. Twenty-six agents were on temporary (annual) contracts, and only two had job stability. 77.1% of the agents commented that the local population had difficulty identifying the vector insects (triatomines). Twenty-three employees stated that the municipal governments provided adequate conditions for conducting the surveillance program, although 27 made suggestions, particularly requesting more educational materials, better wages, and greater appreciation of their work by the municipal governments. Such suggestions are crucial to the consolidation of the program's results.

Why Do Phacoemulsification? Manual Small-Incision Cataract Surgery Is Almost as Effective, but Less Expensive

To compare the cost of phacoemulsification with foldable lenses with that of manual small-incision cataract surgery (SICS) in a hospital setting. Average cost comparision between 2 surgical techniques. Four hundred patients and 4 surgeons. A single masked randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted previously to compare safety and efficacy of the 2 techniques for rehabilitation of the cataract patient. The fixed-facility and recurrent (consumables) cost for phacoemulsification and SICS were calculated based on information collected at different sources using standard norms. Average cost per procedure was calculated by dividing the total cost by the number of procedures performed. Average fixed-facility cost and average consumable cost for both the techniques. The average cost of a phacoemulsification surgery for the hospital was Indian rupees (Rs) 1978.89 ($42.10), and the average cost for a SICS surgery was Rs 720.99 ($15.34), of which Rs 500.99 ($10.65) was the fixed-facility cost common to both. Phacoemulsification cost was more because of the foldable lens used. Phacoemulsification needs additional cost for the machine (depreciation), replenishment of parts, and annual maintenance contract. Manual SICS is far more economical than phacoemulsification. Its visual result is comparable with that of phacoemulsification and is as safe.

‘A good and constructive relationship’

Provides practical advice on how to optimize relations with information vendors, to the benefit of both vendor and customer. Considers decisions on the content required, identifying and selecting suppliers, effective negotiation and contract terms & conditions. Discusses what might go wrong, offering 12 tips on points to watch out for in contracts. Concludes that successful vendor relationships revolve round deciding what is needed via a Needs Assessment, running a focused trial of the product, negotiating acceptable terms, and thereafter repeating the process by testing existing products against new or improved alternatives as the annual contract renegotiation process comes round.

Transnational Innovations, Local Conditions, and Disruptive Teachers and Students in Interwar Education

This paper examines the grammar of schooling and educational innovations that were being promulgated transnationally in the 1920s and 1930s. First, the paper explores how some elements of the grammar of schooling such as age grading, year‐long courses of study and annual employment contracts for teachers were mediated by local circumstances in Newfoundland. Then it identifies progressive ideas that were being promoted by the Department of Education and discusses ways in which they were negotiated at the local level. The main argument is that, local conditions notwithstanding, Newfoundland administrators portrayed transient teachers and students as the chief impediments to the institutionalization of both the grammar of schooling and progressivism in the interwar years.

The real role of corporate directors: balancing prudence with progress

PurposeThis essay argues that many directors are never inducted and developed into their board directoral roles. By not understanding their legal roles and tasks as a director, as distinct from a manager, they can rarely extract themselves for long enough to become skilled at thinking strategically, assessing risks, and taking wise decisions for the future health of their companyDesign/methodology/approachThe paper draws on many years experience of working with boards. It advocates the use of the Learning Board model, the Thinking Intentions Profile psychometric, reading newspapers and journals systematically and getting out more, as ways of creating the conditions in which strategic thinking can be developed effectively.FindingsThree key conditions must be met before it is possible to achieve an effective board. First, agreement around the boardroom table that they will accept as essential board selection, induction, training and development, annual appraisal of the board and each director. Second, that the board chairman is fully committed to these, including his or her own 360 degree annual appraisal and is backed strongly by a truly independent company secretary or legal counsel. Third, that all directors have the same annual contract for services which spells out the time they need to devote to their crucial direction‐giving role.Originality/valueThis paper is of particular value to Boards in the UK, Europe and the USA and to senior executives.

Labor Militancy in South Korea*

Korea has adopted the labor institutions of Japan, which are noted for ensuring industrial peace unparalleled elsewhere, fostering worker-management cooperation: company unionism, no temporary layoffs, synchronized annual contracts, seniority-based wages, and the bonus system. Yet the labor relations in Korea have been turbulent for the last 15 years, with its strike intensity exceeding that of any industrialized country during most of that period. Why is labor so militant in South Korea? This research identifies two types of factors responsible for Korean labor militancy. First are sociopolitical factors: abrupt decontrol of labor relations in 1987 for which labor and management were and continue to be ill prepared, and the dominance of the age-cohort of young, assertive workers in the workforce. The second factor is that Korean industrial policy and structure are shown to encourage union militancy as an unintended consequence.

Endogenous model of surrender conditions in equity-linked life insurance

We propose a model for pricing a unit-linked life insurance policy embedding a surrender option. We consider both single and annual premium contracts. First we analyse a quite general contract, for which we obtain a backward recursive valuation formula based on the Cox et al. [Cox, J.C., Ross, S.A., Rubinstein, M., 1979. Option pricing: a simplified approach. J. Finan. Econ. 7, 229–263] binomial model. Then we concentrate upon a particular case, that is the famous model with exogenous minimum guarantees. In this case we extend our previous analysis in order to take into account the possibility that the guarantees at death or maturity and the surrender values are endogenously determined, and provide necessary and sufficient conditions for the premiums to be well defined.