Subsidy Design in Privately Provided Social Insurance: Lessons from Medicare Part D

The efficiency of publicly-subsidized, privately-provisioned social insurance programs depends on the interaction between strategic insurers and the subsidy mechanism. We study this interaction in the context of Medicare's prescription drug coverage program. We find that the observed mechanism is successful in keeping "raise-the-subsidy" incentives relatively low, acts much like a flat voucher, and obtains a level of welfare close to the optimal voucher. Across a range of counterfactuals, we find that more efficient subsidy mechanisms share three features: they retain the marginal elasticity of demand, limit the exercise of market power, and preserve the link between prices and marginal costs.

Understanding the potency of malarial ligand (D44) in plasmodium FKBP35 and modelled halogen atom (Br, Cl, F) functional groups

The present study clearly depicts the understanding of the D44 in Plasmodium FKBP35 around the hinge region. To analyse the binding stability of D44 ligand and to understand the role of halogen bond, hydrogen bond interaction formed between the hinge region amino acids: Isoleucine (Ile74), Phenylalanine (Phe54), Aspartic acid (Asp55) Phenylalanine (Phe64),Tyrosine (Tyr100), Tryptophan (TRP 77) and ligand D44 was portrayed specifically through interaction energy calculations at HF, M062X, MP2 level of theories for different basis set (6-311G**, 6-31+G*, LANL2DZ). The investigation will provide an apparent picture regarding the non-covalent interaction that hold the contact of ligand and amino acids in the hinge region and the implication of modelled functional groups (Br, Cl, F, OSO and NH₂) on ligand, which will help chemist in synthesizing new novel ligands. HOMO, LUMO chart calculated for D44 ligands reveals graphic illustration of orbital's that stimulate for contact. The aim and natural bond orbital analysis identified key contribution of individual hydrogen/halogen bonds that contribute for the binding strength through stabilization energy, ρ and ∇²ρ values. Overall this study finds out that the Stability of D44 in Plasmodium FKBP35 was enhanced by the Halogen atom (Br, Cl, F) functional groups; which provide an innovative pathway for the selection of functional groups that opt for the hinge region side chains on the ligand.

Digit ratio (2D:4D) and altruism: evidence from a large, multi-ethnic sample

We look at the links between the Digit Ratio—the ratio of the length of the index finger to the length of the ring finger—for both right and left hands, and giving in a Dictator Game. Unlike previous studies with exclusively Caucasian subjects, we consider a large, ethnically diverse sample. Our main results are as follows. First, for Caucasian subjects we estimate a significant positive regression coefficient for the right hand digit ratio and a significant negative coefficient for its squared measure. These results replicate the findings of Brañas-Garza et al. (2013), who also observe an inverted U-shaped relationship for Caucasian subjects. Second, we are not able to find any significant association of the right hand digit ratio with giving in the Dictator Game for the other main ethnic groups in our sample, nor in the pooled sample. Third, we find no significant association between giving in the Dictator Game and the left hand digit ratio.