Conjoint analysis is a stated-preference survey method that can be used to elicit responses that reveal preferences, priorities, and the relative importance of individual features associated with health care interventions or services. Conjoint analysis methods, particularly discrete choice experiments (DCEs), have been increasingly used to quantify preferences of patients, caregivers, physicians, and other stakeholders. Recent consensus-based guidance on good research practices, including two recent task force reports from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, has aided in improving the quality of conjoint analyses and DCEs in outcomes research. Nevertheless, uncertainty regarding good research practices for the statistical analysis of data from DCEs persists. There are multiple methods for analyzing DCE data. Understanding the characteristics and appropriate use of different analysis methods is critical to conducting a well-designed DCE study. This report will assist researchers in evaluating and selecting among alternative approaches to conducting statistical analysis of DCE data. We first present a simplistic DCE example and a simple method for using the resulting data. We then present a pedagogical example of a DCE and one of the most common approaches to analyzing data from such a question format-conditional logit. We then describe some common alternative methods for analyzing these data and the strengths and weaknesses of each alternative. We present the ESTIMATE checklist, which includes a list of questions to consider when justifying the choice of analysis method, describing the analysis, and interpreting the results.

We report the preparation method of, and boron isotope effect for MgB2, a new binary intermetallic superconductor with a remarkably high superconducting transition temperature Tc( 10 B) = 40.2 K. Measurements of both temperature dependent magnetization and specific heat reveal a 1.0 K shift in Tc between Mg 11 B2 and Mg 10 B2. Whereas such a high transition temperature might imply exotic coupling mechanisms, the boron isotope effect in MgB2 is consistent with the material being a phonon-mediated BCS superconductor.PACS numbers: 74.70. Ad, 74.62.Bf The discovery of superconductivity with T c ≈ 39K in magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ) was announced in January 20011 . It caused excitement in the solid state physics community because it introduced a new, simple (3 atoms per unit cell) binary intermetallic superconductor with a record high (by almost a factor of two) superconducting transition temperature for a non-oxide and non-C 60 -based compound. The reported value of T c seems to be either above or at the limit suggested theoretically several decades ago for BCS, phonon-mediated superconductivity 2,3 . An immediate question raised by this discovery is whether this remarkably high T c is due to some form of exotic coupling. Therefore, any experimental data that can shed light on the mechanism of superconductivity in this material are of keen interest.One probe of the extent to which phonons mediate superconductivity is the isotope effect 4,5 . In the classical form of BCS theory 6 , the isotope coefficient α, defined by the relation T c ∝ M −α , where M is the mass of the element, is equal to 1/2. For simple metals like Hg, Pb, Sn, and Zn, the isotope coefficient is found experimentally to be close to 1/2. More detailed and realistic theories predict slight deviations from α = 1/2 2,7 . In this Letter, we describe how to prepare high-quality powders of MgB 2 and, more importantly, present data on the boron isotope effect, which is consistent with phonon mediated coupling within the framework of the BCS model.MgB 2 crystallizes in the hexagonal AlB 2 type structure, which consists of alternating hexagonal layers of Mg atoms and graphite-like honeycomb layers of B atoms. * On leave from Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, DRFMC-SPSMS, 38054 Grenoble, France † On leave from Dept. of Physics, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA 50112 This material, along with other 3d − 5d transition metal diborides, has been studied for several decades, mainly as a promising technological material 8 . The B -Mg binary phase diagram 9 is shown in Fig. 1. As can be seen, MgB 2 decomposes peritectically and has no exposed liquid-solidus line. Whereas the growth of single crystals of this compound promises to be a difficult problem, high quality powders can be formed in the following manner. Elemental Mg (99.9 % pure in lump form) and isotopically pure boron (99.5 + % pure, < 100 mesh) are combined in a sealed Ta tube in a stoichiometric ratio. The Ta tube is then sealed in a quartz ampoule, placed in a 950• C box furnace for two hours, and ...

To examine factors influencing readiness for healthcare organizational change, 654 randomly selected hospital staff completed questionnaires measuring the logistical and occupational risks of change, ability to cope with change and to solve jobrelated problems, social support, measures of Karasek's (1979) active vs. passive job construct (job demand× decision latitude) and readiness for organizational change. Workers in active jobs (Karasek, 1979) which afforded higher decision latitude and control over challenging tasks reported a higher readiness for organizational change scores. Workers with an active approach to job problem‐solving with higher job change self‐efficacy scores reported a higher readiness for change. In hierarchical regression analyses, active jobs, an active job problem‐solving style and job‐change self‐efficacy contributed independently to the prediction of readiness for organizational change. Time 1 readiness for organizational change scores and an active approach to job problem‐solving were the best predictors of participation in redesign activities during a year‐long re‐engineering programme.

M gB2 becomes superconducting just below 40 K. Whereas porous polycrystalline samples of M gB2 can be synthesized from boron powders, in this letter we demonstrate that dense wires of M gB2 can be prepared by exposing boron filaments to M g vapor. The resulting wires have a diameter of 160 µm, are better than 80% dense and manifest the full χ = −1/4π shielding in the superconducting state. Temperaturedependent resistivity measurements indicate that M gB2 is a highly conducting metal in the normal state with ρ(40 K) = 0.38 µOhm-cm. Using this value, an electronic mean free path, l ≈ 600Å can be estimated, indicating that M gB2 wires are well within the clean limit. Tc, Hc2(T ), and Jc data indicate that M gB2 manifests comparable or better superconducting properties in dense wire form than it manifests as a sintered pellet.74.70. Ad, 74.25.Fy, 74.25.Ha, 74.60.Jg

A significant percentage of children with disruptive behavior disorders do not receive mental health assistance. Utilization is lowest among groups whose children are at greatest risk. To increase the availability, accessibility, and cost efficacy of parent training programs, this prospective randomized trial compared a large group community-based parent training program to a clinic-based individual parent training (PT) programs. All families of junior kindergartners in the Hamilton public and separate school boards were sent a checklist regarding problems at home. Those returning questionnaires above the 90th percentile were block randomly assigned to: (1) a 12-week clinic-based individual parent training (Clinic/Individual), (2) a 12-week community-based large group parent training (Community/Group), or (3) a waiting list control condition. Immigrant families, those using English as a second language, and parents of children with severe behaviour problems were significantly more likely to enroll in Community/Groups than Clinic/Individual PT. Parents in Community/Groups reported greater improvements in behaviour problems at home and better maintenance of these gains at 6-month follow-up. A cost analysis showed that, with groups of 18 families, Community/Groups are more than six times as cost effective as Clinic/Individual programs.

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This study examined factors associated with the utilization of universally available school-based parent training. In a randomly selected, prospectively screened, unreferred community sample of 1,498 5- to 8-year-olds, 28% to 46% of families of children with high parent-reported externalizing problems enrolled. Externalizing problems, first-child status, and a high school education were associated with increased enrollment. Single-parent status, immigrant background, and limited extracurricular child activities were associated with lower enrollment. Economic disadvantage, stress, family dysfunction, and parental depressive symptoms were not associated with participation. Most families attributed nonparticipation to busy personal schedules, inconvenient times, and logistical difficulties.

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