Nurse-staffing level and quality of acute care services:Evidence from cross-national panel data analysis in OECD countries

Background:Most of previous studies aimed to estimate the effect of nurse staffing on quality of acute hospital care have used stochastic methods and their results are mixed.Objective:To measure the magnitude of effect of nurse-staffing level on increasing quality of acute care services in long-run.Data:The number of practicing nurses'density per 1000 population as the proxy of nurse-staffing level and three Health Care Quality Indicators(HCQI)included 30-day mortality per 100 patients based on acute myocardial infarction(MORTAMIO),hemorrhagic stroke(MORTHSTO)and ischemic stroke(MORTISTO)were collected as a part of ongoing project by OECD.org in panels of 26 OECD countries over 2005-2015 period.Method:Panel data analysis.Results:There were committed relationships from nurse-staffing level to the enhancement of HCQI i.e.1%increase in nurse-staffing level would reduce the rates of patient mortality based on MORTAMIO,MORTHSTO and MORTISTO by 0.65%,0.60%and 0.80%,respectively.Furthermore,the role of nursestaffing level in increasing overall HCQI were simulated at the highest level in Sweden(-3.53),Denmark(-3.31),Canada(-2.59),Netherlands(-2.33),Finland(-2.09),Switzerland(-1.72),Australia(-1.64)and United States(-1.53).Conclusion:A higher proportion of nurses-staffing level is associated with higher quality of acute care services in OECD countries.Also,the nursing characteristics of Sweden,Denmark,Canada,Netherlands,Finland,Switzerland,Australia and United States would be good patterns for other countries to maximize nursing outcomes in the care of patients with acute and life-threatening conditions by reducing the risk of complication,mortality and adverse clinical outcomes.

Effect of Recycled Coarse Aggregate on Concrete Compressive Strength

The effect of recycled coarse aggregate on concrete compressive strength was investigated based on the concrete skeleton theory. For this purpose, 30 mix proportions of concrete with target cube compressive strength ranging from 20 to 60 MPa were cast with normal coarse aggregate and recycled coarse aggregate from different strength parent concretes. Results of 28-d test show that the strength of different types of recycled aggregate affects the concrete strength obviously. The coarse aggregate added to mortar matrix plays a skeleton role and improves its compressive strength. The skeleton effect of coarse aggregate increases with the increasing strength of coarse aggregate, and normal coarse aggregate plays the highest, whereas the lowest concrete strength occurs when using the weak recycled coarse aggregate. There is a linear relationship between the concrete strength and the corresponding mortar matrix strength. Coarse aggregate skeleton formula is established, and values from experimental tests match the derived expressions.

Integration of Agricultural Census and Population Census Data

In Hungary a general agricultural census （AC） was carried out in 2000, followed in 2001 by the population and housing census. The two censuses had been designed separately. Originally the Hungarian Central Statistical Office （HCSO） did not plan the joint analysis of the data of the two censuses. Following the censuses users and researchers expressed the view that linking the data of the two databases would represent a value-added in the use of the data and the joint utilization of the databases of the two censuses was examined. The databases were matched and the aggregated handling of the information increased the potential for analysing both censuses and allowed further, more sophisticated investigations. By means of the databases of the two censuses, the first opportunity arose for matching the discrete data of the surveys. The precondition of the matching of the data was the conformity of the respective metadata of the two operations. ,,Private holding＂ and ,,dwelling-household＂ were the categories applicable as the smallest unit for the matching. The links between the private holdings and the households could be based on the identity of the persons living in the dwelling. The matching of the data required the use of individual identity codes. With the matching process used a joint database of the agricultural and population censuses was set up providing new approaches for gender disaggregated analysis. By using the linked database, the HCSO issued a series of publications on the households living in agricultural private holdings in the countryside. This presentation describes the method of matching the databases of the two censuses.

三峡2.5G光通信与4×155MbpsSDH微波自愈与倒换方式

通信同步网对整个电力通信各种业务的高质量传输起着至关重要的作用。文中以光纤、微波两大通信系统在三峡通信组网中的自愈与倒换,介绍三峡SDH通信网的特点,传输信令与数据的配合及电路的配置。

High dimensional covariance matrix estimation using multi-factor models from incomplete information

Covariance matrix plays an important role in risk management, asset pricing, and portfolio allocation. Covariance matrix estimation becomes challenging when the dimensionality is comparable or much larger than the sample size. A widely used approach for reducing dimensionality is based on multi-factor models. Although it has been well studied and quite successful in many applications, the quality of the estimated covariance matrix is often degraded due to a nontrivial amount of missing data in the factor matrix for both technical and cost reasons. Since the factor matrix is only approximately low rank or even has full rank, existing matrix completion algorithms are not applicable. We consider a new matrix completion paradigm using the factor models directly and apply the alternating direction method of multipliers for the recovery. Numerical experiments show that the nuclear-norm matrix completion approaches are not suitable but our proposed models and algorithms are promising.

Comparative phylogeography and niche modeling for three species complexes of SE China （Paradoxornis spp., Pycnonotus spp., Spizixos spp.）

Contrasting multiple organisms with similar contemporary distributions, researchers can identify shared evolutionary patterns and provide historical context for community composition. We used three species complexes with overlapping distributions in Southeastern China and surrounding islands to explore the phylogeographic history of the region. Despite similar geographic distributions, genetic data revealed few congruent patterns, but all complexes displayed genetic divergence for Taiwan Residents populations. Additionally, niche modeling and divergence dating did not find support for diversification associated with the Last Glacial Maximum [Current Zoology 61 （5）： 943-950,2015].