Skills development for the knowledge economy in Asia: Some conclusions from the OECD experience

The development of a knowledge-based economy relies greatly on developing the skills and education needed for inclusive and sustainable development so that growth will reach all parts of the society. Addressing skills development for all is challenging for all OECD countries; Asian economies are working towards developing integrated pathways of skills and employment. This paper addresses some key aspects of skills development in OECD countries through a case study of small and medium enterprises as a key sector in both OECD and Asian economies. It extracts some lessons from this analysis that apply to the unique nature of skills development in Asia

MODERN APPROACHES, RECORDING METHODS, AND INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTING

The data expected from the governmental accounting, in which all the budget operations are recorded, and the reports based on these data couldn't be achieved until recently. To meet the necessities of society, the most important instrument of the modern state aiming to maximize the level of welfare is the taxes collected from the citizens, and the state has responsibilities in front of the society playing a funding source role. Moreover, in order to successfully manage the public administrations, which nowadays have more duties and authorities, it is a necessity to make use of the management information and methods. Thus, the development of public accounting, which refers to the determining, recording, and reporting all the financial operations performed by the state, has become inevitable. Many international regulations, modern accounting systems, and modern approaches have been developed for the public sector. In the present study, it was aimed to emphasize the development and importance of public accounting for the management and administration of the state

Microdata for social sciences and policy evaluation as a public good

The balance between the right to privacy and the right to freedom of information is altered when scientific research comes into play, because of its inherent needs and societal function. This paper argues that, for research purposes, microdata should be characterised as a public good. The evolution of the rules and practices in the European Union (EU) for protecting confidentiality, while allowing access to microdata for research purposes is reviewed. Two key directions are identified for further improvement: remote access to confidential data and the enlargement of the notion of ‘European statistics’ to include microdata produced for evaluating interventions (co)financed by the EU

European cancer mortality predictions for the year 2013.

Background Estimated cancer mortality statistics were published for the years 2011 and 2012 for the European Union (EU) and its six more populous countries. Patients and methods Using logarithmic Poisson count data joinpoint models and the World Health Organization mortality and population database, we estimated numbers of deaths and age-standardized (world) mortality rates (ASRs) in 2013 from all cancers and selected cancers. Results The 2013 predicted number of cancer deaths in the EU is 1 314 296 (737 747 men and 576 489 women). Between 2009 and 2013, all cancer ASRs are predicted to fall by 6% to 140.1/100 000 in men, and by 4% to 85.3/100 000 in women. The ASRs per 100 000 are 6.6 men and 2.9 women for stomach, 16.7 men and 9.5 women for intestines, 8.0 men and 5.5 women for pancreas, 37.1 men and 13.9 women for lung, 10.5 men for prostate, 14.6 women for breast, and 4.7 for uterine cancer, and 4.2 and 2.6 for leukaemia. Recent trends are favourable except for pancreatic cancer and lung cancer in women. Conclusions Favourable trends will continue in 2013. Pancreatic cancer has become the fourth cause of cancer death in both sexes, while in a few years lung cancer will likely become the first cause of cancer mortality in women as well, overtaking breast cancer

Bicellular cage vs. collective pen housing for rabbits: Growth performance, carcass and meat quality

The aim of this study was to compare the growth performance, slaughter results, and carcass and meat quality of rabbits reared in different housing systems. To this purpose, 456 Hyplus crossbred rabbits were reared from weaning (35 d of age) until slaughter (77 d) in 40 bicellular wire net cages (28 x 40 x 28 cm; 2 rabbits/cage; 18 animals/m2); 4 small collective pens (1.40 x 1.20 m) at low stocking density (20 rabbits/pen; 12 animals/m2); 4 small collective pens at high stocking density (27 rabbits/pen; 16 animals/m2); 2 large collective pens (1.40 x 2.40 m) at low stocking density (40 rabbits/pen; 12 animals/m2); and 2 large collective cages at high stocking density (54 rabbits/cage; 16 animals/m2). The housing of rabbits in collective pens decreased final live weight (2839 vs. 2655 g; P < 0.01), daily weight gain by 10.0% (P 64 0.01), and feed intake by 10.7% (P = 0.001), compared with rabbits housed in bicellular cages, without affecting feed efficiency. At slaughter, the rabbits from collective pens showed lower live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage (60.5% vs. 59.5%), dissectible fat proportion (3.0% vs. 2.1%), and hind leg muscle-to-bone ratio (7.53 vs. 6.63) compared with those from bicellular cages (P < 0.001); the former rabbits had shorter (P < 0.05) and thicker femurs (P = 0.01). Within the collective pens, the increase in the stocking density from 12 to 16 rabbits/m2 increased only the slaughter dressing percentage (59.4% vs. 59.8%; P = 0.05) and the femur resistance to fracture (39.9 kg vs. 45.5 kg; P < 0.01). Pen size affected meat quality: meat pH was lower (5.72 vs. 5.76 for longissimus lumborum muscle; 5.98 vs. 6.00 for biceps femoris muscle; P = 0.05) and cooking losses were higher (longissimus lumborum: 30.0% vs. 28.8%; P < 0.01) for rabbits reared in small pens compared with those in large pens. Additionally, femur maximum diameter was lower in rabbits kept in small pens compared to those in large pens (P = 0.05). In conclusion, rearing rabbits in collective pens impaired growth performance and slaughter results compared to rabbits kept in bicellular cages, regardless of stocking density or pen size. However, the skeletal development of the animals improved in collective systems, whereas meat quality was only slightly affected by the housing system