Product Market Integration and Income Taxation: Distortions and Gains from Trade

It is widely perceived that globalization is a threat to tax financed public sector activities. The argument is that public activities (public consumption and transfers) financed by income taxes may distort labour markets and cause higher wages and thus a loss of competitiveness. If the importance of the latter effect is reinforced by globalization, it is inferred that the marginal costs of public funds increase and a retrenchment of the public sector follows. We consider this issue in a Ricardian trade model in which production and specialization structures are endogenous. Even though income taxation unambiguously worsens wage competitiveness, it does not follow that tax distortions or marginal costs of public funds increase with product market integration. The reason is that gains from trade tend to reduce both. Moreover, non-cooperative fiscal policies do not have a bias towards retrenchment due to a positive terms of trade effect from taxation.labour taxation, open economy, policy spill-over, marginal costs of public funds

Three-dimensional compared with two-dimensional preoperative planning of corrective osteotomy for extra-articular distal radial malunion: A multicenter randomized controlled trial

Background: Malunion is the most frequent complication seen after a fracture of the distal end of the radius. The primary aim of this study was to compare patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) after corrective osteotomy for malunited distal radial fractures with and without 3-dimensional (3D) planning and use of patient-specific surgical guides. Methods: From September 2010 to May 2015, 40 adult patients with a symptomatic extra-articular malunited distal radial fracture were randomized to 3D computer-assisted planning or conventional 2-dimensional (2D) planning for corrective osteotomy. The primary outcome was the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score. Secondary outcomes included the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) score, pain and satisfaction scores, grip strength, and radiographic measurements at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Results: From baseline to 12 months of follow-up, the reduction in the mean DASH score was -30.7 ± 18.7 points for the 3D planninggroup compared with -20.1 ± 17.8 points for 2D planning (p = 0.103). Secondary functional outcome by means of the PRWE resulted in a similar reduction of -34.4 ± 22.9 points for the 3D planning group compared with -26.6 ± 18.3 points for the 2D planninggroup (p = 0.226). There were no significant differences in pain, satisfaction, range of motion, and grip strength. Radiographic analysis showed significant differences in the mean residual volar angulation (by 3.3°; p = 0.04) and radial inclination (by 2.7°; p = 0.028) compared with the templated side, in favor of 3D planning and guidance. The duration of preoperative planning and surgery as well as complication rates were comparable. Conclusions: Although there was a trend toward a minimal clinically important difference in PROMs in favor of 3D computer-assisted guidance for corrective osteotomy of extra-articular distal radial malunion, it did not attain significance because of (post hoc) insufficient power. Despite the challenge of feasibility, a trial of large magnitude is warranted to draw definitive conclusions regarding clinical advantages of this advanced, more expensive technology. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence

Spatial and temporal patterns of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment: a review

In recent years, human and veterinary pharmaceuticals have received much attention as pollutants of water bodies or drinking water resources due to possible negative effects on humans or the ecosystem even at very low concentrations. Over the last 10 years, considerable progress has been made regarding the knowledge of the exposure of water bodies to those drugs. This review summarizes the present understanding in this broad and interdisciplinary field incorporating contributions ranging from trace analytics to spatially distributed modelling of point-source and diffuse pollution. It discusses the main factors and processes controlling the environmental fate of pharmaceuticals from their usage to their spatial and temporal occurrence in water bodies. The current research is still rather phenomenological and further advancement of the field requires more integrated, quantitative mass flux analyses. Such analyses should also consider the explicit incorporation of uncertainties that appropriately reflect the current limited understanding and data availability