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We look at the effects of immigration on the Social Security program. Many of those effects are not well understood. One widespread belief--that the payment of benefits to illegal immigrants is bankrupting the program--is simply and incontrovertibly false. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) approved its new policy in July 2021 to allow collegiate athletes to monetize their names, images, and likenesses (NIL), most of the focus on this change has revolved around which universities and sports benefit or suffer from the changes. What has not been discussed as much (perhaps understandably) is what the possible transfer tax implications could be with respect to these NIL payments, especially when athletes may use these payments to take care of family and friends. This article will address some of those potential issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pay-as-you-go contracts reduce minimum purchase requirements, which may increase market participation. This paper randomizes the introduction and price(s) of a novel pay-as-you-go contract to the California auto insurance market, where 17% of drivers are uninsured. The pay-as-you-go contract increases take-up by 10.8 p.p. (89%) and days with coverage by 4.6 days over the 3-month experiment (27%). Demand is relatively inelastic, and pay-as-you-go increases insurance coverage in part by relaxing liquidity requirements: most drivers' purchasing behavior is consistent with a cost of credit in excess of payday lending rates, and 19% of drivers have a purchase rejected for insufficient funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence is limited on the factors influencing successful stroke rehabilitation in regional contexts. Additionally, the relationship between rehabilitation costs following acute stroke, based on Australian National Subacute and Non-Acute Patient (AN-SNAP) casemix classification, and rehabilitation success remains unclear. Objective: This retrospective cohort study investigated the factors contributing to improved functional outcomes following stroke rehabilitation in an Australian regional hospital, also evaluating the respective average daily and total payments. Methods: Stroke patients' admission records, during 2010–2020, were linked with rehabilitation registry data. Rehabilitation success was defined as relative functional gain (RFG) ≥ 0.5 and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) efficiency ≥ 1. Multivariate mixed effects logistical regressions modelled the sociodemographic and medical (i.e., comorbidities and stroke type) predictors of rehabilitation success, while logarithms of average daily and total rehabilitation payments were modelled using robust regressions. Results: Of 582 included patients, 315 (54.1%) achieved RFG ≥ 0.5 and 258 (52.2%) achieved FIM efficiency ≥ 1. A longer delay in starting rehabilitation was associated with a lower likelihood of achieving RFG success [Odds Ratio (OR): 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.78–0.93, P < 0.001] and FIM efficiency success (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82–0.97, P = 0.010). A higher FIM score at admission was associated with decreased odds of FIM efficiency success (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.20–0.60, P < 0.001). The average daily and total rehabilitation payments for inpatients were $AU1,255 (median) [interquartile range (IQR): 1,040, 1,771] and $AU28,363 (median) (IQR: 18,822, 41,815), respectively. FIM efficiency success was positively associated with the average daily payment (Beta: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.20–0.30, P < 0.001), but negatively correlated with the total payment (Beta: -0.18, 95% CI: -0.24–0.13, P < 0.001). No significant associations were found between RFG success and these payments. Conclusion: This study identifies key factors affecting stroke rehabilitation outcomes in a regional Australian setting. Delays in starting rehabilitation were linked to lower success rates, underscoring the importance of timely intervention. While higher average daily costs were associated with better FIM efficiency, total costs did not correlate with relative functional gains. These findings may inform rehabilitation practices and may influence future funding strategies for rehabilitation services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Umsatzsteuer-Rundschau is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Umsatzsteuer-Rundschau is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Facial recognition payment (FRP), a new method of contactless payment, has attracted considerable attention over the past few years. However, the research on this topic remains nascent. This study assessed the drivers of customers' FRP continuance intention from the perspectives of coolness and inspiration. We use online survey data from 610 Chinese FRP customers as the basis for our conceptual model. The results show that the coolness factors of subculture, attractiveness, utility, and originality have positive and significant effects on customers' inspired-by states and that subculture and utility also promote inspired-to. Inspired-by is positively associated with inspired-to, which in turn enhances customers' FRP continuance intention. Furthermore, the relationship between inspired-to and FRP continuance intention is negatively moderated by financial risk. In addition to contributing to the literature on FRP, coolness, and customer inspiration, this study offers several suggestions for implementing and developing FRP systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debate about how external incentives (e.g., payments for ecosystem services) and internal motivations (e.g., intrinsic values) interact in producing conservation outcomes is still unresolved. This paper examines the role of personal values (biospheric and egoistic) as intrinsic motivational drivers for conservation and their potential to affect conditional payments to enhance conservation behavior. We used a lab-in-the-field experiment with rural farmers in two ecological corridors of Tanzania to assess their conservation behavior under two payment modalities, namely a fixed individual payment and a fixed individual payment with an agglomeration bonus. In addition, a post-experiment survey was conducted to determine the levels of personal value endorsement for each individual participant. We consistently found that biospheric values increased conservation behavior, while egoistic values decreased it. The positive effect of biospheric values was higher than the negative effect of egoistic values. Both payments do not seem to affect the conservation behavior of farmers with high biospheric value endorsement. Heterogeneity in personal values thus likely has economic implications for the design of real-world PES schemes. Our results suggest that educational investments in training future generations of farmers with strong pro-environmental values can reduce future pressure on the environment and the costs of associated policy action. Areas for further research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Subsidy payment rates are an important policy lever in state child care subsidy programs. • Higher subsidy payment rates can give families access to more child care providers. • Our quasi-experimental design yields causal estimates of the effect of higher payment rates. • Higher subsidy payment rates lead to more stable subsidy participation and care arrangements. Participation instability has been recognized as a major challenge in state child care subsidy programs and may undermine the benefits of these programs to the children and families they are intended to support. Payment rates – the maximum amounts that state subsidy programs will pay for child care in a given period – directly determine which providers are affordable to subsidized consumers and what schedules of care they can afford. Payment rates also affect the resources available to providers and their incentive to accept subsidies. This study examines the effect of payment rate increases on the stability of participation in child care subsidies and the stability of subsidized care arrangements. We study the impact of a major update to payment rates for the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program, using monthly child- and provider-level administrative data and a quasi-experimental design. We implement a regression discontinuity design built on the state's method of setting county rates. We find strong evidence that higher subsidy payment rates lead to more stable subsidy participation and care arrangements. Thus, state-determined payment rates are a critical policy lever that affects access to care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: In a context of growing clinical and financial uncertainty, pricing and payment schemes can act as possible solutions to the problems of affordability and access to health technologies. However, a comprehensive categorization of the available schemes to help decision makers tackle these challenges is lacking. This work aims at mapping existing types of pricing and payment schemes, and proposes a new approach for their classification, in order to help decision makers and other stakeholders select the best type of scheme to meet their needs. Methods: A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR)-compliant scoping literature review was performed between 2010 and 2023 in three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus). The search strategy was developed around two groups of keywords, "pricing/payment schemes" and "scheme innovativeness". Eligible studies were those illustrating the unique design and features of each scheme type, which were extracted by two independent reviewers, and synthesized using a narrative format, including a detailed tabular description of each type of scheme. Results: A total of 70 unique types of pricing and payment schemes were identified. Around one third (33%) was only specified in principle, while two thirds (67%) had been implemented in practice. About half of the scheme types were proposed for drugs (34/70, 49%), and the vast majority were not designed for a specific therapeutic area (55/70, 79%). Each scheme type was categorized based on distinctive characteristics: the objectives, the outcome component, the timing/modalities of payments, and the evidence collection requirements. Conclusions: Instead of trying to fit the retrieved schemes into a rigid taxonomy, we propose a new approach that suggests a flexible need-driven use of the available scheme types, driven primarily by the specific objective that one might have, and allows leveraging of the other key characteristics of each type of scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to review the legislation on limitation on cash payment from a comparative perspective with France. This legal provision has been the subject of inconsistency and lack of clarity for the past two decades. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses a doctrinal legal research technique based on an analysis of the law and how it is interpreted in relation to Mauritius's prohibition on cash payments. Section 5 of the FIAMLA 2002 is interpreted in large part by this assessment using legal precedents from the Supreme Court and other Mauritius judicial authorities. France has been chosen as the comparative jurisdiction as it has well-defined legal framework on cash payment limitations in Europe. Findings: The Mauritian judiciary has played a far more significant and active role than the French judiciary. A cursory search reveals a dearth of case law concerning the interpretation of the pertinent sections of the French Monetary and Financial Code concerning the prohibition on cash payments. The French legal system places more emphasis on the kinds of transactions that are exempt, whereas the Mauritius system places more attention on the entities that are exempt, such as banks and other financial organisations. Originality/value: This paper fills in the gap that exists on legal interpretation of legislation on limitation on payment by cash in Mauritius. It originally contributes to legal literature on money laundering by undertaking a comparison between Mauritius and France for the benefits of students and researchers around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this longitudinal study, we aimed to determine factors influencing survival outcomes among patients with stroke at three tertiary hospitals over a 12-month period. The investigation sought to uncover influential determinants to enhance the precision of prognostic assessments and inform targeted interventions for individuals affected by stroke. Methods: Employing a longitudinal study design, participants were observed for 12 months from baseline, censoring survivors at the endpoint. The dataset originated from a comprehensive study involving stroke patients treated at three referral hospitals in Zimbabwe: Parirenyatwa, Sally Mugabe, and Chitungwiza Central Hospitals. The primary outcome variable, the duration of survival until death, was measured in days from the initiation of stroke treatment. Gompertz parametric regression analysis was utilized for data modeling following AFT model diagnostics. Results: In our study, 188 stroke patients were enrolled at baseline. However, 51 patients were excluded from the analysis due to either missing information or loss to follow-up. Among the remaining 137 patients who were tracked over a 12-month period, 42% were censored, and 58% were deceased. Individuals utilizing 'Free Service (older than 65/pensioners/retirees/social welfare)' hospital bill payment methods showed a decreased risk of death, (adjusted hazard ratio; aHR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.80), suggesting a protective effect compared to cash paying patients. Those who had attained a secondary school level education displayed a significantly lower risk of death (aHR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.79) compared to those with primary level education. Age was a significant risk factor, with individuals aged 45–65 and those over 65 years showing higher adjusted hazard ratios 3.4 (95% CI: 1.42, 8.36) and 3.7(95%CI:1.44, 9.36), respectively, relative to those below 45 years of age. Housing status revealed a protective effect for those residing with parents/relatives (aHR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.64). Total functional outcome demonstrated significantly lower hazards for individuals with mild or moderate (aHR: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.40) and severe outcomes (aHR: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.46) compared to those with very severe outcomes. Conclusion: The study findings demonstrate that hospital bill payment methods, housing status and staying with relatives, educational attainment, functional outcome, and age significantly affect survival outcomes among stroke patients. This highlights the need to consider socio-demographic and clinical variables in the development of prognostic assessments and targeted interventions for individuals recovering from stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of FinanzRundschau is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper asks whether it is optimal for a firm to pay a loss-averse agent for losses due to demotion and reassignment caused by a bad fit on an assignment, in a hidden-action setting. It is optimal for the firm to fully pay the agent for such losses with a contingent payment if the degree of loss aversion is high. When the degree of loss aversion is low, no payment for loss recovery is optimally made. We characterize the optimal contract and show that profit, utility, and welfare are enhanced when the firm follows this strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop a conditional copula model to analyze the distribution of a claim that generates different types of costs and/or simultaneously impacts several guarantees. Our methodology is adapted to taking into account the particular structure of our data, since observations are subject to right-censoring. Right-censoring occurs since payment of a claim is not made instantaneously, and therefore unsettled claims only provide a partial information on the phenomenon that one wishes to model. The new methodology that we develop is supported by theoretical results that show the asymptotic normality of our estimators. A simulation study and a real data analysis illustrate the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the relationships between barrier-breakers and customers' intention to fully adopt digital payment methods (DPMs). Design/methodology/approach: Survey data were analyzed using statistical methods focusing on hypothesis testing with an ordinal regression model and moderation analysis using the PROCESS macro extension. Participants were divided into two groups of customers in Sweden: adopters-accepters, i.e. young bank customers and adopters-resisters, i.e. members of a formally organized group opposed to a cashless society. Findings: The findings revealed that only the credibility barrier-breaker could increase the adopters-accepters' intention to fully adopt DPMs. Credibility also seemed to be an important barrier-breaker for the adopters-resisters, as were perceived usefulness and social influence. Additional analyses showed that the impersonalization barrier reduces the impact of the barrier-breakers on DPM adoption. Practical implications: Retail banks and merchants can use these results as a guide to what barrier-breakers might affect various customers' intention to fully adopt DPMs, and to act accordingly. The impersonalization barrier also merits attention when creating an emotional connection to customers who use DPMs. Originality/value: This study provides empirically based knowledge of the influence of barrier-breakers on the intention of customers, categorized as adopters-accepters and adopters-resisters, to fully adopt DPMs, and highlights the importance of maintaining a human touch in the post-COVID-19 digital era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beginner's exam on the law of sweepstakes deals with the Bielefeld Conspiracy, which was addressed in a sweepstakes. A mathematician from Bielefeld tried to prove the non-existence of the city in order to win one million euros. The legal analysis revealed that there is no claim to payment of the money, as there is no valid legal basis. [Extracted from the article]

Despite evidence-based clinical guidelines recommending earlier integration of palliative care (PC) as a critical component of high-quality cancer care, utilization of specialty PC remains surprisingly low, primarily due to prevailing health care payment structures. The authors of this commentary argue that effective expansion of PC requires a shift toward value-based insurance design and describes how an enhanced value assessment framework can facilitate this transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time-varying difference-in-difference model is used to identify the impact of payment technology on residents' consumption, and the moderation effect analysis method is used to identify its mechanism. It is found that payment technology promotes consumption capacity expansion and quality improvement(CEQI) through three pathways of alleviating liquidity constraints, reducing transaction costs and weakening the payment of pain. The parallel and serial mechanisms of the three are further explored. The effect of payment technology on the CEQI of residents' consumption shows obvious heterogeneity due to differences in urban and rural household registration and financial literacy. Based on the empirical research results and the national conditions of China, targeted policy recommendations are proposed from the demand side, the supply side and the technological side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) financial conflict of interest (FCOI) policy sets dollar maximums for panelists, but violations may occur. Methods We studied NCCN Guidelines panelists for the 20 most prevalent cancers, 2013-2022. We included panelists with at least 1 full calendar year of service ("current panelists") and those who began service during the study period ("new panelists"); NCCN FCOI policy limits ($20 000 from any single company or $50 000 across all companies) apply to both groups. Industry payments were obtained from Open Payments and mapped manually via National Provider Identifier. We calculated industry payments received, excluding the same payment categories as does NCCN (research, meals, travel and lodging). We estimated whether panelists received payments exceeding NCCN limits ("violation"). As a proxy for whether panelists were subsequently disqualified as stipulated, we measured continued service for at least 1 full calendar year ("retention") subsequent to an estimated violation. We analyzed retention before and after 2016, due to increased scrutiny on NCCN FCOI in 2016. Results The annual proportion of current panelists with estimated violations ranged between 0.5% (2020) and 5.8% (2016). Among panelists who did vs did not have violations, retention was 83.6% vs 88.5% during 2014-2015 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.26 to 1.31) and 46.6% vs 89.4% during 2017-2020 (OR = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.06 to 0.17). Among new panelists, 2.7% (5/185) had prior-year violations during 2014-2015, as did 5.5% (18/330) during 2017-2021. Conclusions Each year, a small portion of panelists receive industry payments exceeding NCCN limits. Since 2016, the likelihood that such panelists will continue to serve has decreased substantially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Commerce & Management Quarterly is the property of Chinese Association of Business & Management Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Amortization plans are well-known financial operations to repay interest-bearing loans through a sequence of periodic payments. Since amortization plans are generally settled according to the compound interest law, some questions arise about the supposed presence of anatocism and the consequent legal matters. In this paper, we derive the traditional amortization plans by means of an alternative approach, based on the concept of fair amortization and without assuming a financial law. We find that the traditional amortization plan with constant installments can be derived in this way and the supposed presence of anatocism is excluded. An investigation on the possible anatocism, in case of delayed payment of interest, completes the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a minimal set of commonly acceptable principles to consistently formulate amortization schedules in accordance with different contractual clauses. Our goal is bringing to the fore premises that are sometimes left implicit, and yet seem to draw a wide consensus in practice. We demonstrate by means of examples how these principles may be used to deal with risk or financial innovations, and to fill gaps arising from unforeseen contingencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BIEN's definitive statement of a Basic Income (BI) and the commentaries on its five characteristics are examined in turn, to identify potential clarifications, revisions and omissions. The following amendments are proposed as a basis for further discussion: to shift the position of 'unconditionally' in the definitive statement so that it refers to the cash payment rather than to its delivery; some clarifications to characteristics 3 'individual' and 4 'universal'; to introduce 'uniform', without which BIs could be used to endorse flagrant discrimination against, or even zero amounts for, less favoured groups; to restore the comprehensive nature of 'unconditionality' (which is now characteristic 6), by substituting 'behavioural requirement' in place of 'work requirement'; to give the characteristic 'without means test' its own commentary (no. 7). The introduction of 'uniform' and 'behavioural' into the definitive statement should help to prevent BIEN's definition from being regarded as male orientated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inter-firm alliances play a pivotal role in the swiftly evolving high-tech landscape, yet they often introduce uncertainty, especially when partners have varying degrees of asymmetry. This study explores the dynamics of such alliances, focusing on endogenous uncertainty (technology and partner-specific) over external factors (culture and institutions). We investigate whether the alliance portfolio distance between partners aligns with distal governance modes, which refers to the continuity from the upfront payment mode to equity investments on the timeline. Furthermore, does the investor's comparative position influence this alignment between construed uncertainty and governance modes? Drawing on Construal Level Theory (CLT), inter-partner distance corresponds to high-level construal in distal governance modes, while proximity aligns with low-level construal in proximal modes. The analysis includes 13,000 biotechnology sector alliance events across 1,700 firms in 29 countries over a decade. Findings reveal a shift in governance mode preferences from the concrete and proximal (upfront) to abstract and distal (equity), touching milestones and licensing in the middle. The investor's lead in the alliance portfolio asymmetry further strengthens the preference for abstract modes in the distal and high abstract construal levels. This study advances CLT as a framework, offers an integrated approach, and highlights a preference for high-value tech collaborations despite increased cost and risk over temporal and abstract governance conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia introduced the Service Incentive Payment (SIP) program for diabetes in 2001, which offers a trivial financial reward to general practitioners (GPs). We estimate the effect of the diabetes SIP on a wide range of healthcare utilisations of diabetes patients, with the aim of evaluating a pay‐for‐performance program more comprehensively than existing research. Using a large survey linked to administrative medical claims data, we compare a wide range of healthcare utilisation outcomes between areas with high SIP penetration and low SIP penetration. To uncover causal effects, we conduct a difference‐in‐differences analysis, which employs GPs who are ineligible for claiming a SIP reward as a control group. We find that concessional diabetes patients (who face low cost‐sharing and hence tend to use more services than the socially optimal level) in high‐SIP‐penetration areas tend to use less healthcare compared to those in low‐SIP‐penetration areas. Conversely, non‐concessional patients in high‐SIP‐penetration areas tend to use more healthcare than their counterparts in low‐SIP‐penetration areas. No compromise on health is observed, implying that despite the minor reward, the SIP program has improved systematic diabetes management and consequently enhanced social efficiency by nudging GPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers a hidden action agency model in which an agent can be incentivized to simultaneously work and exert effort to invest in human capital or process innovation so as to increase productivity in a future period. We characterize the conditions under which the principal would and would not want to incentivize such multitasking and the conditions under which the agent would want to participate. The firm's support for investment is contingent on the agent's outside market option not being too high, and sufficient conditions for a separate contingent payment for productivity increase are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide evidence that classic lottery anomalies like probability weighting and loss aversion are not special phenomena of risk. They also arise (and often with equal strength) when subjects evaluate deterministic, positive monetary payments that have been disaggregated to resemble lotteries. Thus, we find, e.g., apparent probability weighting in settings without probabilities and loss aversion in settings without scope for loss. Across subjects, anomalies in these deterministic tasks strongly predict the same anomalies in lotteries. These findings suggest that much of the behavior motivating our most important behavioral theories of risk derive from complexity-driven mistakes rather than true risk preferences. (JEL C91, D44, D81, D91) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Derecho de la Seguridad Social, Laborum is the property of Ediciones Laborum S.L. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The increasing adoption of public transport, especially metros, has facilitated the need for efficient transport management. This, in turn, has resulted in a radical movement of people via metro stations. The recent advances in mass-rapid transportation may be attributed to the urgent demand for efficient ways to perform evacuations when disasters arise. This study provides specific suggestions for seamless evacuation to improve security in metro stations in the case of disasters by simulating an evacuation at the A18 Station of Taoyuan Metro using the buildingEXODUS software. We specifically focus on ensuring the safety of people during evacuation and avoiding stampedes. After a thorough analysis of various literature, we suggest efficient management of direction lighting in payment gates and the emergency exit on the 3rd platform floor of the station. The outcomes and findings of the research can help implement smooth and efficient evacuation of people in the Taoyuan HSR Station in the cases of disasters in the forthcoming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the history of the period 1918 to 1932 mostly to clarify the connections among the Treaty of Versailles, the German Hyperinflation of the 1920s, and the Great Depression of the 1930s to the rise of Adolph Hitler. In many cases, the paper takes a fresh look at original source material; and, it incorporates much of what has been subsequently written. While there are many lessons to be learned from these events, on the matter of reparations, the lesson is strange. In spite of Germany arguably not paying one pfenning of the demanded reparations, the demand for huge reparation payments contributed to the hyperinflation. More importantly, the re-negotiation of reparation payments enabled, first, Ludendorff and, then, Hitler to make gains in the polls. In the case of Hitler, his rise in the polls came just prior to the Great Depression of the 1930s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the financial performance of target companies involved in mergers and acquisitions (M&As), aiming to reveal the dynamics affecting these organizations pre- and post-transaction. Utilizing a comprehensive dataset, we analyze the financial outcomes of M&A deals globally, spanning from 2010 to 2019. Employing various financial ratios, such as liquidity ratios, profitability measures, leverage ratios, asset management ratios, and market valuation metrics, this research provides an understanding of how M&As influence the financial performance of target companies. The key findings suggest that target companies experience significant changes in their financial ratios post-acquisition, with liquidity and profitability ratios showing marked fluctuations. The study shows that the method of payment (cash vs. non-cash) and the size of the deal significantly influence the post-acquisition financial performance of target companies. Cash-based and lower-valued deals are found to have a more positive impact on financial stability and growth metrics. This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by highlighting the marginal effects of acquisition strategies on target companies' financial performance. Our findings provide practical insights for potential acquirers, suggesting that the choice of acquisition method and deal size can significantly affect the financial outcomes of M&A activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a large sample of US firms over the period of 1991–2015, we examine the economic benefits of paying dividends. We find that dividend payments mitigate stock price crash risk. We show that dividend payments reduce bad news hoarding (overinvestments) while bad news hoarding (overinvestments) is (are) positively associated with stock price crash risk, suggesting that curbing bad news hoarding and curtailing overinvestments are two channels through which dividends mitigate crash risk. Finally, our main results are robust to a battery of sensitivity checks including controls for potential endogeneity concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper formulates six inventory models for products with instantaneous deterioration, focusing on the impacts of full and partial advance payment structures. The demand function depends on both price and stock levels and accounts for shortages through full backlogging. The primary objective is to determine the optimal payment policy under varying trade facilities, analyzing six distinct payment scenarios commonly employed in business practice. Each model is presented with closed-form solutions and supported by mathematical formulations. For each case, algorithms and mathematical proofs are developed to determine the optimal cycle duration and corresponding unit cost. Numerical examples and 2D graphical representations generated using MATLAB are included to validate the proposed models. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to examine the effects of each payment policy and parameter variation, providing key managerial insights into payment planning in inventory management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial institutions can help corporate clients strengthen their financial bases by providing them with appropriate information about them and services such as quick and accurate payment methods. Although the relationship between financial institutions and corporate clients was relatively good in the past, it is necessary to improve efficiency rather than just follow the successful management methods now because of the impact of COVID-19. It is also necessary to review the conventional method of customer satisfaction survey by using physical meetings, which were conducted by financial institutions to corporate customers. Financial institution sales representatives are to make financial business proposals and are to earn profits by maintaining effective meetings with corporate clients. In this paper, we examine the optimal policy which considers the expenditure for visits and the profit from visits within a certain period and decides whether to continue visits or not. For establishing the policy, we use the age replacement of reliability models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents inconsistent terminologies and misleading analogies in current discussions of digital money and payments. It offers a more consistent framework for understanding the potential of technological innovation in providing the functions of money and payments: as media of exchange, stores of value, and units of account and the implications of cryptographic technologies underpinning cryptocurrencies for the future of money and payments. These could support efficiency gains in money and payments, but decentralization is not inherent to their application. Radical reform leading to improved economic outcomes is conceivable, but not through disruptive displacement of existing institutional arrangements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers can choose to purchase more or less varied product assortments. The present research demonstrates that the payment method used for purchase affects the variety of options selected. Using a mix of secondary data analysis and lab experiments, we show that payment methods that elicit a higher pain of payment, such as cash, decrease variety seeking. We also elucidate the process underlying this choice outcome: as the pain of payment increases, consumers experience a higher need to justify choice, increasing the share of options that are easier to justify (e.g., one's favorites). Our findings offer a useful tool for managers to influence the composition of multi-item purchases and for policymakers to affect well-being via variety seeking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring an adequate supply of physicians is paramount in securing the future of healthcare. To do so, accurate physician workforce predictions are needed to inform policymakers. However, the United States lacks such predictions from reliable sources. Several non-governmental organizations have actively been involved in attempting to quantify workforce needs, but they often employ opaque methodologies and are deeply conflicted, leading to potentially unreliable or biased results. Moreover, while federal and state entities invest approximately $15 billion annually in graduate medical education (GME) payments, they have very little control over how the funding is used to shape the future physician workforce. In this article, we review physician workforce predictions from both an international and a domestic perspective and finally discuss how the creation of an apolitical, data-driven, expert-led panel at the federal level with sufficient authority to influence broader workforce policy is the optimal solution for ensuring an adequate supply of physicians for generations to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Experiments in money often recapitulate long‐standing human concerns over finality and fixity, despite money's reference points in political authority, trust, and the memorialization of relationships of credit and debt. From the point of view of the primary set of infrastructures facilitating the movement of money in 2050, those concerns are misplaced. Recounting the history of those infrastructures, this love letter from a future intelligence is addressed to those humans who would reimagine money so that they will recognize the human and technical infrastructures on which it has always depended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To quantify inter-surgeon variation in vertical strabismus surgery reoperation rates, and to explore associations of reoperation rate with practice type and volume, surgical techniques, and patient characteristics. Methods: Fee-for-service payments to providers in a national database for Medicare beneficiaries having vertical strabismus surgery between 2012 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed to identify reoperations in the same calendar year. Predictors of the rate of reoperation for each surgeon were determined by multivariable linear regression. Results: Among 73 surgeons, the reoperation rate for 1-vertical muscle surgery varied from 0.0% to 40.7%. Due to the presence of high-volume surgeons with high reoperation rates, just 11% of surgeons contributed over half of the reoperation events for 1-vertical muscle surgery. Use of adjustable sutures, surgeon gender, and surgical volume were not independently associated with surgeon reoperation rate. Associations of reoperation with patient characteristics, such as age and poverty, were explored. Patient poverty was independently associated with a lower surgeon reoperation rate (p = 0.03). Still, the multivariable model could explain only 14.2% of the variation in surgeon reoperation rate for 1-vertical muscle. Conclusions: Patient-level analyses which ignore inter-surgeon variation will be dominated by the practices of a small number of high-volume, high-reoperation surgeons. There are order-of-magnitude variations in reoperation rates among strabismus surgeons, the cause of which remains largely unexplained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a decision by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) regarding the fulfillment of a claim awarded in an arbitration award according to ZPO § 1059. It is debated whether the unconditional payment of the awarded amount eliminates the convicted party's grievance. The decision relates to a project company that was convicted in an arbitration proceeding, and the question of whether the payment is to be considered unconditional. It is also noted that the Higher Regional Court may not interfere in an existing arbitration agreement between the parties in the annulment proceedings. [Extracted from the article]

When having less money than needed, people experience financial scarcity. Here, we conducted a laboratory experiment to investigate whether financial scarcity increases financial avoidance – the tendency to avoid dealing with ones finances. Participants completed an incentivized task where they managed the finances of a household by earning income and paying expenses across multiple rounds. We manipulated participants' financial situation such that they either had sufficient (financial abundance) or insufficient (financial scarcity) financial resources. At the end of each round, participants received an additional expense in the form of a letter. To measure financial avoidance in the form of attentional disengagement, we used an eye-tracker and assessed whether participants in the financial scarcity condition avoided looking at the expense letters. As a behavioral measure of financial avoidance, participants had the option to delay the payment of these expenses until the end of the experiment at no additional cost. Results showed no effect of financial scarcity on the eye-tracking measure, but there was an effect on the behavioral measure: Participants that experienced financial scarcity were more likely to delay payments. The behavioral finding corroborates the notion that financial scarcity can lead to financial avoidance. We explore potential reasons for the null-effect on the eye-tracking measure and discuss how future research can build upon our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]