Stability property of matchings is a natural solution concept in coalitional market games

Stability of matchings was proved to be a new cooperative equilibrium concept in Sotomayor (Dynamics and equilibrium: essays in honor to D. Gale, 1992). That paper introduces the innovation of treating as multi-dimensional the payoff of a player with a quota greater than one. This is done for the many-to-many matching model with additively separable utilities, for which the stability concept is defined. It is then proved, via linear programming, that the set of stable outcomes is nonempty and it may be strictly bigger than the set of dual solutions and strictly smaller than the core. The present paper defines a general concept of stability and shows that this concept is a natural solution concept, stronger than the core concept, for a much more general coalitional game than a matching game. Instead of mutual agreements inside partnerships, the players are allowed to make collective agreements inside coalitions of any size and to distribute his labor among them. A collective agreement determines the level of labor at which the coalition operates and the division, among its members, of the income generated by the coalition. An allocation specifies a set of collective agreements for each player.

Customer Perception about Loyalty Programs in Agricultural Market: a case study

This study discusses the use of loyalty programs and Customer perception in, agricultural market. The theoretical review includes relationship marketing, its objectives, dimensions and instruments, and loyalty programs. The method for the empirical part consisted on qualitative research, through a case study conducted at one of the largest crop protection chemical companies in Brazil. The case is representative once this company was pioneer in its segment in adopting the customer relationship management. (CRM) approach to-their clients: It has been a consensus that customer relationship is a tool to amplify the Customer share. This.,is so, due the. increasing competition generated by the entrance of generic products and the retaliation actions adopted by the multinational groups. The case study includes a market overview, a description of the company, its loyalty program, the image of the program from the customer`s perspective, and the main results acquired with the CRM program. The Study also presents some recommendations for-companies that are pursuing strategies to. increase their customer share through loyalty programs.

Energy turnover in the normoxic and anoxic turtle heart

We examined the possibility that the heart of the turtle Chrysemys scripta is an exceptional anaerobic performer, by measuring myocardial power output, lactate output, and estimated ATP turnover in perfused heart preparations. Over a range of myocardial power outputs at 5 and 15 degrees C we find that turtle hearts perfused with anoxic saline do not show a particularly outstanding ability to produce ATP anaerobically. Furthermore, at 15 degrees C anoxia reduced the ATP turnover rate to 50% of the normoxic rate. At 5 degrees C the anoxia-induced depression of ATP turnover was even more pronounced, being 4-fold lower than the normoxic rate. In addition, anoxia at 5 degrees C reduced the basal metabolic rate of the turtle heart. We conclude that long-term cardiac tolerance of hypoxia in this species is more likely related to metabolic depression rather than to an exceptional anaerobic performance. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.

The influence of collision energy and strain accumulation on the kinetics of mechanical alloying

The kinetics of mechanical alloying have been investigated by examining the effect that ball mass has on the rate at which titanium carbide forms from the elements. By varying the ball density while keeping the ball diameter and the charge ratio constant, the collision energy was independently controlled. Grinding media with a density from 3.8 g cm(-3) (agate) to 16.4 g cm(-3) (tungsten carbide) were used. The reaction rate increases exponentially with ball mass until a critical level is reached, which is determined by the induced temperature rise. Above this level, collisions of higher energy have no advantage. It is also shown that the reaction rate increases exponentially with the rate at which strain accumulates in the reactants. It is suggested that the strain accumulation rate in mechanically induced reactions is analogous to temperature in thermally induced chemical reactions.

Testing market efficiency: Evidence from the NFL sports betting market

This article examines the efficiency of the National Football League (NFL) betting market. The standard ordinary least squares (OLS) regression methodology is replaced by a probit model. This circumvents potential econometric problems, and allows us to implement more sophisticated betting strategies where bets are placed only when there is a relatively high probability of success. In-sample tests indicate that probit-based betting strategies generate statistically significant profits. Whereas the profitability of a number of these betting strategies is confirmed by out-of-sample testing, there is some inconsistency among the remaining out-of-sample predictions. Our results also suggest that widely documented inefficiencies in this market tend to dissipate over time.

Non-equilibrium energy and momentum accommodation coefficients of Ar atoms scattered from Ni(001) in the thermal regime: A molecular dynamics study

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study energy and momentum transfer of low-energy Ar atoms scattered from the Ni(001) surface. The investigation concentrates on the dependence of these processes on incident energy, angles of incidence and surface temperature. Energy transfer exhibits a strong dependence on the surface temperature, at incident energies below 500 meV, and incident angles close to specular incidence. Above 500 meV, the surface temperature dependence vanishes, and a limiting value in the amount of energy transferred to the surface is attained. Momentum exchange is investigated in terms of tangential and normal components. Both components exhibit a weak surface temperature dependence, but they have opposite behaviours at all incidence angles. In each component, momentum can be lost or gained following the interaction with the surface. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.

Resting energy expenditure in white and non-white severely obese women

This study aimed to compare the resting energy expenditure (REE) of white and non-white severely obese Brazilian women. REE was examined in 83 severely obese Brazilian women (n = 58 white and 25 non-white) with mean (+/- SD) age 42.99 +/- 11.35 and body mass index 46.88 +/- 6.22 kg/m(2) who were candidates for gastric bypass surgery. Body composition was assessed by air displacement plethysmography (ADP) BOD PODO body composition system (Life Measurement Instruments, Concord, CA) and REE was measured, under established protocol, with an open-circuit calorimeter (Deltatrac II MBM-200, Datex-Ohmeda, Madison, WI, USA). There was no significant difference between the REE of white and non-white severely obese women (1,953 +/- 273 and 1,906 +/- 271 kcal/d, respectively; p = 0.48). However, when adjusted for fat free mass (MLG), REE was significantly higher in non-white severely obese women (difference between groups of 158.4 kcal, p < 0.01). REE in white women was positively and significantly correlated to C-reactive protein (PCR) (r = 0.41.8; P < 0.001) and MLG (r = 0.771; P < 0.001). In the non-white women, REE was only significantly correlated to MLG (r = 0.753; P < 0.001). The multiple linear regression analysis showed that skin color, MLG and PCR were the significant determinants of REE (R(2) = 0.55). This study showed that, after adjustment for MLG, non-white severely obese women have a higher REE than the white ones. The association of body composition inflammation factors and REE in severely obese Brazilian women remains to be further investigated.

New Specific Equation to Estimate Resting Energy Expenditure in Severely Obese Patients

Calculating the estimated resting energy expenditure (REE) in severely obese patients is useful, but there is controversy concerning the effectiveness of available prediction equations (PE) using body weight (BW). We evaluated the efficacy of REE equations against indirect calorimetry (IC) in severely obese subjects and aimed to develop a new equation based on body composition compartments. One hundred and twenty severely obese patients had their REE measured (MREE) by IC and compared to the most commonly used PE (Harris-Benedict (HB), Ireton-Jones, Owen, and Mifflin St. Jeor). In a random sample (n = 60), a new REE equation based on fat-free mass (FFM) was developed and validated. All PE studied failed to estimate REE in severe obesity (low concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and limits of agreement of nearly 50% of the sample +/- 10% of MREE). The HB equation using actual BW exhibited good results for all samples when compared to IC (2,117 +/- 518 kcal/day by HB vs. 2,139 +/- 423 kcal/day by MREE, P > 0.01); these results were blunted when patients were separated by gender (2,771 vs. 2,586 kcal/day, P < 0.001 in males and 1,825 vs. 1,939 kcal/day, P < 0.001 in females). A new resting energy expenditure equation prediction was developed using FFM, Horie-Waitzberg, & Gonzalez, expressed as 560.43 + (5.39 x BW) + (14.14 x FFM). The new resting energy expenditure equation prediction, which uses FFM and BW, demonstrates higher accuracy, precision, CCC, and limits of agreement than the standard PE in patients when compared to MREE (2,129 +/- 45 kcal/day vs. 2,139 +/- 423 kcal/day, respectively, P = 0.1). The new equation developed to estimate REE, which takes into account both FFM and BW, provides better results than currently available equations.

Effects of the addition of methyltestosterone to combined hormone therapy with estrogens and progestogens on sexual energy and on orgasm in postmenopausal women

Objective To evaluate the effect of the addition of methyltestosterone to estrogen and progestogen therapy on postmenopausal sexual energy and orgasm. Methods Sixty postmenopausal women in a stable relationship with a partner capable of intercourse, and presenting sexual complaints that appeared after menopause, were randomly divided into two groups: EP (n=29) received one tablet of equine estrogens (CEE) 0.625mg plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) 2.5mg and one capsule of placebo; EP+A (n=31) received one tablet of CEE 0.625mg plus MPA 2.5mg and one capsule of methyltestosterone 2.0mg; The treatment period was 12 months. The effects of treatment on sexual energy were assessed using the Sexual Energy Change Scale. The ability to reach orgasm in sexual relations with the partner was verified through monthly calendars and by calculating the ratio between monthly frequency of orgasms in sexual relations and monthly sexual frequency. Results There was a significant relationship between improvement in level of sexual energy and the addition of methyltestosterone to CEE/MPA treatment (p=0.021). No significant effect on orgasmic capacity was noted after the treatment period. Conclusion Addition of methyltestosterone to CEE/MPA therapy may increase sexual energy, but might not affect the ability to obtain orgasm in sexual relations.