We show that the treatment effect estimated by standard methods such as regression discontinuity analysis or difference-in-differences may contain a transient “learning effect” is entangled with long-term of treatment. This learning occurs when variable interest agents’ efforts, and control correspond to success failure: failure gives agents information about how much their effort matters, cons...

OBJECTIVE To assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of relief workers posted in rescue and relief bases of the Red Crescent Society of Mazandaran province of Iran during Nouroz holidays. METHODS Two hundred and nineteen relief workers were selected as the study sample from thirteen Norouz rescue and relief bases of Red Crescent Society in Mazandaran province, which has 13 cities, for th...

Acanthamoeba, a free-living amoeba, is widely distributed in the environment, water sources, soil, dust, and air. It can cause keratitis in contact lens wearers with poor hygiene and also fatal granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE) in immunocompromised hosts. The aim of this study was to gain some insights into the distribution and genotypes of the potentially pathogenic species of Acanthamoe...

The conifer needle scale, Nuculaspis abietis (Schrank) emerged as an important pest of conifers in the Kelardasht region of Mazandaran province, Iran, in the late 1990’s. This pest feeds on conifer needles and twigs causing needle drop and branch desiccation. Its discovery in Kelardasht in Mazandaran Province necessitated a local quarantine of conifers in the genera Picea, Abies, and Pinus. We ...

In randomized controlled trials, treatment is often assigned by stratified randomization. I show that among all randomization schemes treat units with probability one half, a certain matched-pair design achieves the maximum statistical precision for estimating average effect. an important special case, optimal pairs according to baseline outcome. simulation study based on datasets from ten this...

This paper shows that many estimators of thresholds in ordered response models exist, because binary choice location estimators can be converted into threshold estimators. A new threshold estimator is proposed that is consistent under more general conditions. An extension to random thresholds is provided. JEL codes: C14, C25, C13.

BACKGROUND To determine age-specific seroprevalence rates of hepatitis A virus (HAV) immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody in Savadkuh district, Mazandaran province, north of Iran, as well as to compare the collected data with earlier seroprevalence studies in the region and Iran in order to draw a proper epidemiological pattern for HAV infection in the country. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to assess...

BACKGROUND Regarding to the significant of the possibility of the malaria epidemic and nuisance of mosquitoes during the active season, the fauna and some ecological activities of mosquitoes in related to tree holes were investigated from April to December 2009 in Neka county of Mazandaran Province, northern Iran. METHODS Larval collection was carried out from natural, artificial breeding pla...