Productivity Growth and Levels in France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States in the Twentieth Century.

This study compares labor and total factor productivity (TFP) in France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States in the very long (since 1890) and medium (since 1980) runs. During the past century, the United States has overtaken the United Kingdom and become the leading world economy. During the past 25 years, the four countries have also experienced contrasting advances in productivity, in particular as a result of unequal investment in information and communication technology (ICT). The past 120 years have been characterized by: (i) rapid economic growth and large productivity gains in all four countries; (ii) a long decline in productivity in the United Kingdom relative to the United States, and to a lesser extent also relative to France and Japan, a relative decline that was interrupted by the second world war (WW2); (iii) the remarkable catching-up to the United States by France and Japan after WW2, interrupted in the case of Japan during the 1990s. Capital deepening (at least to the extent this can be measured) accounts for a large share of the variations in performance; increasingly during the past 25 years, this has meant ICT capital deepening. However, the capital contribution to growth varies considerably over time and across the four countries, and it is always less important, except in Japan, than the contribution of the various other factors underlying TFP growth, such as, among others, labor skills, technical and organizational changes and knowledge spillovers. Most recently (in 2006), before the current financial world crisis, hourly labor productivity levels were slightly higher in France than in the United States, and noticeably lower in the United Kingdom (by roughly 10%) and even lower in Japan (30%), while TFP levels are very close in France, the United Kingdom and the United States, but much lower (40%) in Japan.Productivity, growth accounting, macro-economic history.

Impact of antimicrobial drug restrictions on doctors' behaviors

Background/aim: Broad-spectrum antibiotics have become available for use only with the approval of infectious disease specialists (IDSs) since 2003 in Turkey. This study aimed to analyze the tendencies of doctors who are not disease specialists (non-IDSs) towards the restriction of antibiotics.Materials and methods: A questionnaire form was prepared, which included a total of 22 questions about the impact of antibiotic restriction (AR) policy, the role of IDSs in the restriction, and the perception of this change in antibiotic consumption. The questionnaire was completed by each participating physician.Results: A total of 1906 specialists from 20 cities in Turkey participated in the study. Of those who participated, 1271 (67.5%) had 5 years of occupational experience in their branch expressed that they followed the antibiotic guidelines more strictly than the JSs (P < 0.05) and 755 of physicians (88%) and 720 of surgeons (84.6%) thought that the AR policy was necessary and useful (P < 0.05).Conclusion: This study indicated that the AR policy was supported by most of the specialists. Physicians supported this restriction policy more so than surgeons did

Testosterone Is Associated with Erectile Dysfunction: A Cross-Sectional Study in Chinese Men

Testosterone is essential for the regulation of erectile physiology, but the relationship between low testosterone and erectile dysfunction (ED) has not been firmly established.To examine the association between serum total, free and bio-available testosterone and ED in a population-based sample.A consecutive series of 1776 men aged 20–77 participated in the routine physical examination from September 2009 to December 2009 in Guangxi, China. ED was assessed using the five-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire. Total testosterone (TT), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and other biochemical profiles were measured. Free testosterone (FT) and bio-available testosterone (BT) were calculated based on Vermeulen’s formula. Data were collected with regard to smoking, alcoholic drinking, physical activity and metabolic syndrome.The prevalence of ED (IIEF-5<22) was 47.6%. Men with ED were significantly older, and more prone to smoke cigarettes (≥20 cigarettes/day) or drink alcohol (≥3 drinks/week), and more likely to have elevated blood pressure (P = 0.036) or hyperglycemia (P<0.001) compared with those without ED. The significant increase in SHBG with age was parallel to its increase with increasing severity of ED (P<0.001). The obscure increase in TT across the ED status was detected without significance (P = 0.418), but TT was positively associated with ED after adjustment for age [odds ratio (OR)  = 1.02, 95% CI (confidence internal): 1.00–1.04]. FT and BT were inversely associated with ED (OR = 0.14, 95%CI: 0.06–0.33; OR = 0.92 (95%CI: 0.89–0.96, respectively) in the univariate analysis, and this inverse association appeared to be independent of smoking status, alcoholic drinking, physical activity, hyper-triglyceridemia and hyperglycemia.FT and BT are inversely related to worsening ED, whereas the positive association between TT and ED is most likely due to the increase in SHBG

A determinant for family planning attitudes and practices of men: marriage features

Aim: This study was conducted to determine both the use of family planning methods among married men between the ages of 20 to 50 and some marriage characteristics affecting this use. Methods: This was a descriptive and correlational study conducted in May and June 2014. The study sample included 375 males. The study data were collected using a survey form as well as the Family Planning Attitude Scale, Marital Adjustment Scale, and Marital Problem Solving Scale. The determinants of the Family Planning Attitude Scale were found using hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The risk factors for not using family planning were evaluated by logistic regression analysis. Results: According to Model 2, to which family features were added, the male himself (ß = -0.117) and his spouse (ß = -0.154) either graduated from primary school or received no formal education. They lived in an extended family (ß = -0.129), and an increasing desire for more children (ß = -0.184) decreased the family planning attitude score. The risk factors for not using family planning were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. Accordingly, the risk for not consulting family planning services is increased by older age (OR: 1.037; CI: 1.010–1.064), desiring to have more than three children (OR: 1.279; CI: 1.01.038–1.575), and not having received information about family planning (OR: 1.871; CI: 1.145–3.057) (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Marital adjustment is an important tool in making decisions about family planning. It is necessary to enable men to access to the correct information that will carry them to the relevant resources. © 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature