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Background: Value of a Statistical Life Year (VSLY) provides an important economic measure of an individual's trade-off between health risks and other consumption, and is a widely used policy parameter. Measuring VSLY is complex though, especially in low-income and low-literacy communities. Methods: Using a large randomized experiment (N = 3027), we study methodological aspects of stated-preference elicitation with payment cards (price lists) in an extreme poverty context. In a 2 × 2 design, we systematically vary whether buying or selling prices are measured, crossed with the range of the payment card. Results: We find substantial effects of both the pricing method and the list range on elicited VSLY. Estimates of the gross domestic product per capita multiplier for VSLY range from 3.5 to 33.5 depending on the study design. Importantly, all estimates are economically and statistically significantly larger than the current World Health Organization threshold of 3.0 for cost-effectiveness analyses. Conclusions: Our results inform design choice in VSLY measurements, and provide insight into the potential variability of these measurements and possibly robustness checks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is evidence for the generosity of high-status individuals, there seems to be a strong perception that the elites are selfish and contribute little to others' welfare, and even less so than poorer people. We argue that this perception may derive from a gap between normative and empirical expectations regarding the behavior of the elites. Using large-scale survey experiments, we show that high-status individuals are held to higher ethical standards in both the US and China, and that there is a strong income gradient in normatively expected generosity. We also present evidence for a gap between people's normative expectations of how the rich should behave, and their empirical expectations of how they actually do: empirical expectations are generally lower than both normative expectations and actual giving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is evidence for the generosity of high-status individuals, there seems to be a strong perception that the elites are selfish and contribute little to others' welfare, and even less so than poorer people. We argue that this perception may derive from a gap between normative and empirical expectations regarding the behavior of the elites. Using large-scale survey experiments, we show that high-status individuals are held to higher ethical standards in both the US and China, and that there is a strong income gradient in normatively expected generosity. We also present evidence for a gap between people's normative expectations of how the rich should behave, and their empirical expectations of how they actually do: empirical expectations are generally lower than both normative expectations and actual giving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Microscopic and macroscopic experiments on the effects of non-ionic anti-agglomerants were carried out. • The adhesion force between hydrate particle and droplet on wall surface was affected by liquid bridge and its solidification. • The optimal concentrations of CDEA and AEO-9 to reduce adhesion between hydrate particle and droplet on wall surface are 0. 5 wt% and 0. 1 wt% respectively. • The feedback torque is the smallest for the CDEA and AEO-9 solutions at their optimal concentrations respectively. Non-ionic anti-agglomerants (AAs) are important agents to prevent hydrate deposition. In this study, the microscopical experimental results show that the adhesion force between hydrate particle and droplet on wall surface mainly depends on the force of the liquid bridge under low subcoolings; while it is dependent on the resultant force of the liquid bridge and hydrate shell under high subcoolings. Below the concentration of 2 wt%, the optimal concentrations of CDEA and AEO-9 to reduce the adhesion are 0. 5 wt% and 0. 1 wt%, respectively. The adhesion force decreases gradually with the increase of their concentrations when their concentrations are lower than the optimal values, but gradually rises with the increase of their concentrations when higher than the optimal values. Moreover, the hydrate formation experiments in a stirred reactor show that the feedback torques are the smallest at the optimal concentrations of them, which is consistent with the results of the microscopical experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is the most frequently diagnosed primary tumor originating from the nasopharynx, and the preferred treatment modality is radiotherapy.Aims: To identify nasopharyngeal carcinoma prognostic factors in patients with residual or recurrent cervical lymph node metastases after radiotherapy.Patients and Methods: The clinicopathologic characteristics and prognoses of 67 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with residual or recurrent cervical lymph node metastases who were diagnosed and treated were analyzed retrospectively. The Chi-squared test and Cox proportional hazard regression model were used to investigate associations between survival and clinicopathological features. Cumulative survival plots were obtained using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results: Data analysis using the Cox proportional hazard regression model revealed that the size of residual or recurrent lymph node metastases, level V lymph node involvement, number of involved levels, surgical procedure performed, and distant metastases were significantly associated with overall survival. Chi-squared analysis only determined a significant correlation between distant metastases and patient survival. Furthermore, the Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates for patients were 86.6%, 52.2%, and 38.6%, respectively. Radical neck dissection resulted in substantially longer overall survival than modified neck dissection.Conclusion: The size of residual or recurrent lymph node metastases, level V lymph node involvement, number of involved levels, surgical procedure performed, and presence of distant metastases were prognostic factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with residual or recurrent cervical lymph node metastases after radiotherapy, with distant metastases being the most important determinant. Classical radical neck dissection is recommended for treating recurrent nodal disease in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]