We estimate the fraction of disease cases, and the fraction of their total medical expenditures, attributable to smoking for two disease groups: (LC) lung and laryngeal cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, (CHD) cardiovascular disease, stroke and other smoking-caused cancers. We use a generalized additive model to predict the probability of disease; and a semi-parametric, two-part ...

This paper provides a framework to evaluate human life based on civil court decisions on damages for pain and suffering. Using judgements from Germany and Austria over the last 25 years, we calculate an average Value of Damages for Pain and Suffering (VDPS) of about EUR 1.79 millions, with a minimum (maximum) of around EUR 0.67 (4.62) millions. Our approach also allows to calculate the value of...

We identify the rate of off-label use of prescription drugs in the United States during 1993-2008. We apply Detection Controlled Estimation to a comprehensive crosssection of prescriptions and find that rates of off-label use rise from 30.2% to 39.1% during this period. This coincides with a surge in settlements of Department of Justice lawsuits for off-label marketing. Additionally, physicians...

This paper considers non-economic factors involved in the occurrence and sustainability of collusion. Group development among executives of incumbent firms created during the evolution of an industry can stimulate collusion, even in the uncertain introduction stage of a new industry. Certain social conditions and social characteristics of executives related to the industry characteristics of en...

We propose a dynamic model for studying the time evolution of fish stocks in an environment divided into two adjacent zones with different fishing policies. We analyze two particular harvesting methods: constant fishing effort and profit maximization. In this case, some agents engage in competition based on maximization of individual profit whereas others cooperate. The asymptotic behavior of t...

The present paper compares the distributional and risk-sharing consequences of two pension reform proposals in Germany which both aim to improve the sustainability of the current system by introducing demographic variables to the benefit calculation. While the first reform proposes a so-called ” sustainability factor“ which measures the changes in the dependency ratio, the second reform propose...

Comproportionation reactions of yttrium triiodide, yttrium and nickel led to the formation of the compound [NiY6]I10, which is isostructural with the prototypical [RuY6]I10. In particular, [NiY6]I10 is composed of isolated nickel centered yttrium octa-hedra (site symmetry -1) that are further surrounded by iodide ligands to construct a three-dimensional cluster complex framework. Although this ...

The paper proposes a global mechanism to finance and promote sustainable development (SD) that is multinational, provides incentives for rich and poor countries to promote SD, incorporates the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and links incentives and funding for SD to structural benchmarks and performance targets. The mechanism would operate as a large fund into which ric...

Most state (and local) governments in the U.S. operate under formal fiscal rules which limit their ability to run budget deficits and resort to debt financing. A priori, one would expect to find evidence in favor of an intertemporally balanced budget, or fiscal sustainability, for these states, especially those characterized by a relatively high degree of fiscal stringency. We test this hypothe...

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we operate at work. Dealing with these changes may require new ways of thinking about our models employment relationships, to create more sustainable organizations during troubled times. Sustainability can be understood as an attempt strike a balance between economic, social and environmental goals companies—a that could drive global recovery from crisi...