Trade and Sectoral Productivity

Even though differences in sectoral total factor productivity are at the heart of Ricardian trade theory and many models of growth and development, very little is known about their size and their form. In this paper we try to fill this gap by using a Hybrid-Ricardo-Heckscher-Ohlin trade model and bilateral sectoral trade data to overcome the data problem that has limited previous studies, which have used input and output data to back out productivities, to a small number of OECD economies. We provide a comparable set of sectoral productivities for 24 manufacturing sectors and more than sixty countries at all stages of development. Our results show that TFP differences in manufacturing sectors between rich and poor countries are substantial and far more pronounced in skill and R\&D intensive sectors. We also apply our productivity estimates to test theories on development that have implications for the patterns of sectoral productivities across countries.Sectoral Productivity Differences, Trade and Production Data, Ricardo, Heckscher-Ohlin, Comparative Advantage

Fiabilidad de un cuestionario empleado para la aplicación en el seguimiento longitudinal de la opinión y percepciones de la medicina de familia de los estudiantes de medicina de la Universidad de Zaragoza

Objetivo La medicina de familia aborda determinados aspectos y perspectivas que suelen quedar relegados en la formación de otros niveles de atención por lo que cada vez cobra mayor importancia la necesidad de que los estudiantes tomen contacto con la atención primaria. El objetivo de este estudio es el de evaluar la fiabilidad del cuestionario del grupo Unimedifam (FIS PI070975) para conocer la evolución longitudinal de las expectativas y conocimientos sobre medicina de familia de los estudiantes de medicina. Diseño Estudio de fiabilidad de un cuestionario. Emplazamiento Alumnos de medicina de la Universidad de Zaragoza. Participantes Contamos con un total de 371 alumnos de los cursos 1.°, 3.°, 5.° y 6.°. Método La consistencia interna del cuestionario se determinó con el coeficiente alfa de Cronbach y su estabilidad en una prueba test-retest. Resultados En la escala A del cuestionario encontramos que 3 ítems de 19 son poco estables; en la escala B 8 de 26 y en la escala C, 3 ítems de 38. El valor de alfa de Cronbach de la escala A es de 0,722, de la escala B de 0,861 y el de la escala C, 0,663. Conclusiones Las 3 escalas están entre los valores adecuados, excepto la escala C que aun así se encuentra muy próxima. Las conclusiones de este proceso de validación pueden servir de referencia y extrapolarse al cuestionario UNIMEDFAM a nivel estatal. Aim Family medicine deals with certain aspects and perspectives that are often left behind in the training of other levels of care, thus the need for medical students to make contact with Primary Care is of increasing importance. The aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability of the questionnaire of the UNIMEDIFAM group (FIS PI070975) for the long-term outcome of expectations and knowledge about family medicine. Design Reliability of a questionnaire. Setting University of Zaragoza. Participants 371 students from the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 6th years. Method The internal consistency of the questionnaire was determined using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and the stability using the test-retest. Results On scale A of the questionnaire we found that three of 19 items were unstable, in 8 of 26 on scale B, and 3 of 38 items on scale C. The Cronbach's alpha value of scale A was 0.722, 0.861 on scale B, and 0,663 on scale C. Conclusions The 3 scales are within the appropriate values, except scale C, which is very close. The findings of this validation process can serve as a reference that may be extrapolated to the UNIMEDIFAM national questionnaire

Changes in the scheduling process according to observed activity- travel flexibility

In this work we analyze the reasons for changing pre-planned activities and travels episodes considering the type of modification observed during the scheduling process. Specifically we selected a small sample from those pre-planned episodes that are no executed at all as a pilot study. The data analyzed was collected in the first wave of a weekly activity-travel panel survey carried out in Valencia (Spain) in 2010. Each survey wave consisted on a face-to-face interview to generate a pre-planned activity agenda for the following week, an activity-travel diary implemented on mobile phones to collect activities and travels as they are executed, and in-depth telephone interviews to inquire about differences between pre-planned agenda and observed activities and travels. This methodology allowed to collect data related to how respondents pre-planned activity-travel episodes and how they re-scheduled them before execution. Observed modification types provide us with information about their spatio-temporal and social flexibility. Open-ended records collected in the in-depth telephone interviews, were coded and provided a semi-formal segmentation and categorization of the changing process as the basis of our study. Spatio-temporal and social constraints, biological needs and resource constraints are differentiated along with facets of the activity-travel episodes and socio-demographic characteristics of respondents.Garcia-Jiménez, ME.; Ruiz Sánchez, T.; Mars, L.; García Garcés, P. (2014). Changes in the scheduling process according to observed activity- travel flexibility. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences. 160:484-493. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.12.161S48449316

Multilateral development banks in Latin America: Recent trends, the response to the pandemic, and the forthcoming role

The COVID-19 crisis has hit Latin America and the Caribbean harder than any other developing region. In 2020 the regional GDP will experience its greatest decline in 120 years. The pandemic represents a formidable social challenge, exposing all the regions’ endemic problems. Against this backdrop, this paper analyses the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) response to the COVID-19 crisis and their post-pandemic role and prospects in LAC. Some basic information is presented on the major MDBs that serve the region and their main trends during the last decade to provide an adequate context.Abstract .-- Introduction .-- I. Multilateral development banks in Latin America and the Caribbean: basic concepts and main institutions .-- II. Stylized facts of multilateral lending to Latin America and The Caribbean .-- III. A tale of two crises: comparing the multilateral response during the COVID-19 pandemic and the global financial crisis .-- IV. The renewed role of multilateral development banks: key issues

Trade and Sectoral Productivity

the fifth ELSNIT annual conference and the XXXII Simposio de Análisis Económico for helpful comments an

Essays on Trade, Productivity and Specialization

Aunque las diferencias entre países en la productividad total de los factores (TFP) sectorial está en el corazón de la teoría Ricardiana de comercio y en el de muchos modelos de crecimiento y desarrollo, muy poco se sabe acerca de su forma y tamaño. Los dos primeros artículos intentan rellenar esta brecha utilizando un modelo de comercio híbrido de Ricardo-Heckscher-Ohlin y datos bilaterales de comercio sectorial. Se brinda un conjunto comparable de productividades para sectores industriales en más de sesenta países en todas las etapas de desarrollo, y las estimaciones se aplican para probar teorías de desarrollo que tienen implicancias sobre el patrón de productividades sectoriales entre países. El tercer artículo se enfoca en los efectos de la liberalización comercial sobre la estructura productiva de los países. Se estiman matrices de transición que describen la dinámica de especialización en economías liberalizadas. La sección final del artículo relaciona empíricamente la especialización sectorial con la dotación e intensidad de factore

Financing development in Latin America and the Caribbean: The role and perspectives of multilateral development banks

This paper analyses the role that Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have played in financing development in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and what their role will be in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In a context where multilateralism is severely questioned, donor countries are moving their resources away from middle-income countries, and MDBs' lending represents a decreasing share of total debt in the region, we show that there is room for MDBs to continue being relevant players.Abstract .-- Introduction .-- I. Multilateral development banks: origins and financial model .-- II. The evolution of mandates of the multilateral development banks .-- III. Major multilateral development banks financing Latin America and the Caribbean .-- IV. Multilateral development banks flows to the Region: a historical perspective .-- V. Looking forward .-- VI. Conclusions

Comparison of Automated Analysis of Cirrus HD OCT Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography with Stereo Photographs of the Optic Disc

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a new automated analysis of optic disc images obtained by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Areas of the optic disc, cup, and neural rim in SD-OCT images were compared with these areas from stereoscopic photographs, to represent the current traditional optic nerve evaluation. The repeatability of measurements by each method was determined and compared. DESIGN: Evaluation of diagnostic technology. PARTICIPANTS: 119 healthy eyes, 23 eyes with glaucoma, and 7 suspect eyes METHODS: Optic disc and cup margins were traced from stereoscopic photographs by three individuals independently. Optic disc margins and rim widths were determined automatically in SD-OCT. A subset of photographs was examined and traced a second time, and duplicate SD-OCT images were also analyzed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Agreement among photograph readers, between duplicate readings, and between SD-OCT and photographs were quantified by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), by the root mean square (RMS), and the standard deviation (SD) of the differences. RESULTS: Optic disc areas tended to be slightly larger when judged in photographs than by SD-OCT, while cup areas were similar. Cup and optic disc areas showed good correlation (0.8) between average photographic reading and SD-OCT, but only fair correlation of rim areas (0.4). The SD-OCT was highly reproducible (ICC of 0.96 to 0.99). Each reader was also consistent with himself on duplicate readings of 21 photographs (ICC 0.80 to 0.88 for rim area, 0.95 to 0.98 for all other measurements), but reproducibility was not as good as SD-OCT. Measurements derived from SD-OCT did not differ from photographic readings more than the readings of photographs by different readers differed from each other. CONCLUSIONS: Designation of the cup and optic disc boundaries by an automated analysis of SD-OCT was within the range of variable designations by different readers from color stereoscopic photographs, but use of different landmarks typically made the designation of the optic disc size somewhat smaller in the automated analysis. There was better repeatability among measurements from SD-OCT than from among readers of photographs. The repeatability of automated measurement of SD-OCT images is promising for use both in diagnosis and in monitoring of progression