Absorptive Capacity and Efficiency: A Comparative Stochastic Frontier Approach Using Sectoral Data

In this paper, we investigate differences in and determinants of technical efficiency across three groups of OECD, Asian and Latin American countries. As technical efficiency determines the capacity with which countries absorb technology produced abroad, these differences are important to understand differences in growth and productivity across countries, especially for developing countries which depend to a large extend on foreign technology. Using a stochastic frontier framework and data for 22 manufacturing sectors for 1996-2005, we find notable differences in technical efficiency between the three country groups we examine. We then investigate the effect of human capital and domestic R&D, proxied by the stock of patents, on technical efficiency. We find that while human capital has always a strongly positive effect on efficiency, an increase in the stock of patents has positive effects on efficiency in high-tech sectors, but negative effects in low-tech sectors

Mortality due to trauma in cats attending veterinary practices in central and south-east England

Objectives: To identify important demographic and spatial factors associated with the risk of trauma and, more specifically, road traffic accident‐related mortality, relative to other diagnoses in cats. Methods: A sample of 2738 cats with mortality data derived from the VetCompass primary‐care veterinary database was selected for detailed study. Generalised linear models investigated risk factors for mortality due to trauma and due to road traffic accidents versus other causes

Epidemiology of road traffic accidents in cats attending emergency-care practices in the UK

Objectives To estimate the incidence proportion of road traffic accidents in cats attending emergency out-of-hours clinics in the UK, identify major risk factors for road traffic accident occurrence and for survival to discharge. Materials and Methods A retrospective study of a cohort of 33,053 cats in the VetCompass database attending emergency-care practice between January 1, 2012 and February 15, 2014. Incidence proportion was calculated and logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for road traffic accident and survival to discharge following road traffic accident. Results Incidence proportion was estimated at 4∙2% (95% confidence interval: 4∙0 to 4∙4%). Cats aged 6 months to 2 years were at increased odds of road traffic accident, as were male cats and crossbred cats. Odds of road traffic accident were highest in the autumn. Spinal injury, abdominal injury and increasing count of injuries were associated with increased odds of death. Clinical Significance Road traffic accident is a frequent presentation in emergency-care practice. Identification of risk factors for death within the first 24 hours following a road traffic accident can aid veterinarian and owner decision-making for treatment of cats involved in a road traffic accident.</p

Why Russia Is Lacking an Economic Strategy for the Future

Even before the economic crisis caused by Russia’s full-scale attack against Ukraine and the ensuing sanctions, the Russian economy was plagued by a number of growing problems. As a result, Russia's economy has hardly grown for almost a decade, with an average annual growth rate of just 0.5% between 2013 and 2021. However, the Russian government does not have a strategy for addressing the fundamental economic challenges that are looming just over the horizon. There also seem to be no public debates about these challenges, whether in the policy circles around the government or among the wider public