Perspectives on the sources of heterogeneity in Indian industry

The authors examine technical efficiency variation across four industrial sectors in India, using a stochastic production frontier technique. The results are comparable to technical efficiency distribution patterns obtained in other countries. The authors examine heterogeneity in firm-level efficiency against internal, firm-level characteristics and against external characteristics (industry and location). The results suggest that managerial effectiveness significantly influences efficiency and that considerable benefits derive from location within established industrial clusters for particular industries. The methodology and findings indicate that the study of industry-specific technical efficiency patterns is a useful analytical tool for tracking domestic firms'response to liberalization and the advance of market forces. An important policy implication of the authors'results: There is considerable room for efficiency gains through better organization and management of production processes and improved supply chain management, even in the highly organized corporate sector. These gains could be achieved by purely internal learning processes with no extra investment in physical plant or equipment, or with the help of outside consultants, or through business alliances with partners from industrial countries (a rising trend). The results also show that greater technical efficiency correlates with better energy use and higher investments in plant management. How firms can be induced to undertake such investments in the"software"of production is an important issue. Liberalization and globalization are likely to bring significant productivity gains even in low-technology industries as managers gear up to meet the challenges of competition.Environmental Economics&Policies,Water and Industry,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Economic Theory&Research,Banks&Banking Reform

Return to Sport and Athletic Function in an Active Population After Primary Arthroscopic Labral Reconstruction of the Hip

Background: Labral reconstruction has been advocated as an alternative to debridement for the treatment of irreparable labral tears, showing favorable short-term results. However, literature is scarce regarding outcomes and return to sport in the nonelite athletic population. Purpose: To report minimum 1-year clinical outcomes and the rate of return to sport in athletic patients who underwent primary hip arthroscopy with labral reconstruction in the setting of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome and irreparable labral tears. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Data were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed for patients who underwent an arthroscopic labral reconstruction between August 2012 and December 2017. Patients were included if they identified as an athlete (high school, college, recreational, or amateur); had follow-up on the following patient-reported outcomes (PROs): modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Nonarthritic Hip Score (NAHS), Hip Outcome Score–Sport Specific Subscale (HOS-SSS), and visual analog scale (VAS); and completed a return-to-sport survey at 1 year postoperatively. Patients were excluded if they underwent any previous ipsilateral hip surgery, had dysplasia, or had prior hip conditions. The proportions of patients who achieved the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS) for mHHS and HOS-SSS were calculated. Statistical significance was set at P =.05. Results: There were 32 (14 females) athletes who underwent primary arthroscopic labral reconstruction during the study period. The mean age and body mass index of the group were 40.3 years (range, 15.5-58.7 years) and 27.9 kg/m2 (range, 19.6-40.1 kg/m2), respectively. The mean follow-up was 26.4 months (range, 12-64.2 months). All patients demonstrated significant improvement in mHHS, NAHS, HOS-SSS, and VAS (P \u3c.001) at latest follow-up. Additionally, 84.4% achieved MCID and 81.3% achieved PASS for mHHS, and 87.5% achieved MCID and 75% achieved PASS for HOS-SSS. VAS pain scores decreased from 4.4 to 1.8, and the satisfaction with surgery was 7.9 out of 10. The rate of return to sport was 78%. Conclusion: At minimum 1-year follow-up, primary arthroscopic labral reconstruction, in the setting of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome and irreparable labral tears, was associated with significant improvement in PROs in athletic populations. Return to sport within 1 year of surgery was 78%

Comparison of Surface Area across the Allograft-Host Junction Site Using Conventional and Navigated Osteotomy Technique.

Bulk allograft reconstruction plays an important role in limb-salvage surgery; however, non-union has been reported in up to 27% of cases. The purpose of this study is to quantify average surface contact areas across simulated intraoperative osteotomies using both free-hand and computer-assisted navigation techniques. Pressure-sensitive paper was positioned between two cut ends of a validated composite sawbone and compression was applied using an eight-hole large fragment dynamic compression plate. Thirty-two samples were analyzed for surface area contact to determine osteotomy congruity. Mean contact area using the free-hand osteotomy technique was equal to 0.21 square inches. Compared with a control of 0.69 square inches, average contact area was found to be 30.5% of optimal surface contact. Mean contact area using computer-assisted navigation was equal to 0.33 square inches. Compared with a control of 0.76 square inches, average contact area was found to be 43.7% of optimal surface contact. Limited contact achieved using standard techniques may play a role in the high rate of observed non-union, and an increase in contact area using computer-assisted navigation may improve rates of bone healing. The development of an oncology software package and navigation hardware may serve an important role in decreasing non-union rates in limb salvage surgery

Development of Mountain Climate Generator and Snowpack Model for Erosion Predictions in the Western United States Using WEPP: Phase IV

Executive Summary: Introduction: This report summarizes work conducted during the funding period (December 1, 1991 through September 30, 1992) of a Research Joint Venture Agreement between the Intermountain Research Station, Forest Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture and the Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL), Utah State University (USU). The purpose of the agreement is to develop a Western Mountain Cilmate Generator (MCLIGEN) similar in function to the existing (non-orographic area) Climate Generator (CLIGEN), which is part of the Water Erosion Prediciton Project (WEPP) procedure. Aso, we are developing a Western U.S. Snowpack Simulation Model for includsion in WEPP. In the western U.S., topographic influences on climate make the climate too variable to be captured by one representatbie station per 100 km, as is done in CLIGEN. Also, few meteorological observations exist in high-elevation areas where Forest Service properties are located. Therefore, a procedure for estimating climatological variables in mountainous areas is needed to apply WEPP in these regions. A physically based approach, using an expanded and improved orographic precipitation model, is being utilized. It will use radiosonde lightning data to estimate historical weather sequences. Climatological sequences estimated at ungaged locations will be represented using stochastic models, similar to the approach used in the existing CLIGEN. By using these stochastic models, WEPP users will be able to synthesize climate sequences for input to WEPP. MCLIGEN will depend on historically based, physically interpolated weather sequences from a mesoscale-climate modeling system which is comprised of four nested layers: 1. an existing synoptic scale forecast model (200 x 300 km) 2. a regional scale slimate model (60 x60 km) 3. a local scale climate model (10 x 10 km); and 4. a specific point climate predictor, referred to as ZOOM. Two additional MCLIGEN components are: 5. a local scalses stochastic climate generator; and 6. a point energy balance snowmelt model Progress made during the reporting period in developing the physically based interpolation climate modeling system stochastic models, and snowpack models is summareized below

Development of Mountain Climate Generator and Snowpack model for Erosion Predictions in the Western United States Using WEPP, Progress Report No. 1

Executive Summary: This report summarizes work conducted during the initial funding period (November 1, 1989 through June 30, 1990) of a Cooperative Agreement between the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL), Utah State University. The purpose of the agreement is to develop a procedure for incorporating western mountain climate into the existing Climate Generator (CLIGEN), which is part of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) procedure. In the Western U.S., few meteorological observations exist in high elevation areas where Forest Service properties are located. Therefore, a procedure for estimating climatological variables in mountainous areas is needed to apply WEPP in these regions. A physically-based approach, an expanded and improved orographic precipitation model, is proposed in this report. It will use radiosonde data and also lightning data to simulate convective storms. Climatological sequences thus estimated at ungaged locations will be represented using stochastic models, similar to the approach used in the existing CLIGEN, and their parameters will be available to users through maps. By using these stochastic models, WEPP users can synthesize climate sequences for input to WEPP. Several alternative approaches to developing the Mountain Climate Generator (MCLIGEN) have been formulated and evaluated. These options vary in their spatial resolution. Some will provide synthetic climate inputs whereas others will provide synthetic sequences of water delivery to the ground surface or overland flow delivery. The latter will reduce the user\u27s responsibility for judging adequate snowpack or hydrological simulations, but will enormously increase the effort required for parameterization during the developmental phase. Based on our evaluation, we recommend that Option 2 for generating fine scale climate sequences be adopted. This option appears to satisfy the WEPP spatial resolution requirements of the USFS and requires a reasonable level of developmental effort. We also recommend that Option 3 be available to the users. We recomment that under this option snowpack initial conditions at a specified date be available based on a return period or exceedance probability. Under this option discontinuous simulation periods could be considered. The data, models, and parameters needed to implement the recommended approach can be divided into three parts: 1) climatological process models, 2) a snowpack imulation model, and 3) stochastic models of climatological variables and parameter regionalization. A chapter of the report is devoted to each of these three parts. Each chapter includes a literature review and a description of the proposed methodology and work plan for its development. We further recommend that a comprehensive plan for data collection for validation of the entire WEPP methodology applied to the mountainous Western U.S. be developed. Also, we propose that UWRL take the lead in settin gup a user group for orographic precipitation modelers