This paper investigates the performance of hedge funds adjusted for higher order risk factors. Traditional risk-adjusted performance measures are subject to size distorted in the presence of skewness and kurtosis. A residual augmented least squares approach to model higher order risk moments in returns allows us to estimate a robust risk-adjusted performance measure for hedge funds. In a compar...

BACKGROUND In order to improve the quality of care delivered to patients and to enable patient choice, public reports comparing hospital performances are routinely published. Robust systems of hospital 'report cards' on performance monitoring and evaluation are therefore crucial in medical decision-making processes. In particular, such systems should effectively account for and minimise systema...

BACKGROUND The objective of this research was to profile and compare state-level physical restraint use, urethral catheterization, contractures, pressure ulcers, and psychoactive medication use as indicators of quality of care in nursing facilities. METHODS Using nationally representative data from the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting system for 2000 (N = 17,072), we calculated pre...

The present study aimed to evaluate the health risk of heavy metals (iron, zinc, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, lead, and mercury), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the workplace in a secondary oil re-refining factory. In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, samples were collected and analyzed using the NIOSH 1501 method at eight sa...

Protecting constructed facilities from damages from natural and man-made hazards in a costeffective manner is a challenging task. Several measures of economic performance are available for evaluating building-related investments. These measures include, but are not limited to, life-cycle cost, present value net savings, savings-to-investment ratio, and adjusted internal rate of return. This gui...

In the fuzzy set theory, information  measures play a paramount role in several areas such as decision making, pattern recognition etc. In this paper, similarity measure based on cosine function and entropy measures based on logarithmic function for IFSs are proposed. Comparisons of proposed similarity and entropy measures with the existing ones are listed. Numerical results limpidly betoken th...

This study illustrates the use of data envelopment analysis to benchmark mutual funds on the basis of risk-adjusted performance, load, 12b-1 plan, and expense ratios. Using the DEA methodology, we calculate an efficiency score for 189 funds on a scale of 1 to 100 by maximizing twelve month total return and minimizing beta, standard deviation, load, 12b-1 charges, and expense ratios. This study ...