An 18th Century Deesis Icon and its Cultural Context

Μη διαθέσιμη περίληψηno abstrac

Capital Measurement and Productivity Growth Across International Databases

A country’s multifactor productivity (MFP) growth, the growth of GDP that is not accounted for by growth of factor inputs, is of great interest as an indicator of living standards and technological progress. Yet different well-established databases show markedly different MFP growth rates for the same country and period. In this article, we show that differences in the measurement of capital input can account for one-third of the range of MFP growth rates across databases. Harmonizing a series of methodological choices for capital measurement substantially reduces variation across databases, but sizeable differences remain. This work highlights the continued relevance of these choices and can inform users who try to understand differences between databases and assess the robustness of differences in MFP growth across countries to measurement choices

Capital Measurement and Productivity Growth Across International Databases

A country’s multifactor productivity (MFP) growth, the growth of GDP that is not accounted for by growth of factor inputs, is of great interest as an indicator of living standards and technological progress. Yet different well-established databases show markedly different MFP growth rates for the same country and period. In this article, we show that differences in the measurement of capital input can account for one-third of the range of MFP growth rates across databases. Harmonizing a series of methodological choices for capital measurement substantially reduces variation across databases, but sizeable differences remain. This work highlights the continued relevance of these choices and can inform users who try to understand differences between databases and assess the robustness of differences in MFP growth across countries to measurement choices

Capital Measurement and Productivity Growth Across International Databases

A country’s multifactor productivity (MFP) growth, the growth of GDP that is not accounted for by growth of factor inputs, is of great interest as an indicator of living standards and technological progress. Yet different well-established databases show markedly different MFP growth rates for the same country and period. In this article, we show that differences in the measurement of capital input can account for one-third of the range of MFP growth rates across databases. Harmonizing a series of methodological choices for capital measurement substantially reduces variation across databases, but sizeable differences remain. This work highlights the continued relevance of these choices and can inform users who try to understand differences between databases and assess the robustness of differences in MFP growth across countries to measurement choices

Acute Calculous Cholecystitis: What is new in diagnosis and therapy?

The management of patients with acute calculous cholecystitis has changed during recent years. The etiology of acute cholecystitis is still not fully understood. Infection of bile is relatively unimportant since bile and gallbladder wall cultures are sterile in many patients with acute cholecystitis. Ultrasonography is first choice for diagnosis of acute cholecystitis and cholescintigraphy is second best. Percutaneous puncture of the gallbladder that can be used for therapeutic drainage has also diagnostic qualities. Early cholecystectomy under antibiotic prophylaxis is the treatment of choice, and has been shown to be superior to delayed surgery in several prospective trials. Mortality can be as low as 0.5% in patients younger than 70–80 years of age, but a high mortality has been reported in octogenerians. Selective intraoperative cholangiography is now generally accepted and no advantage of routine cholangiography was shown in clinical trials. Percutaneous cholecystostomy can be successfully performed under ultrasound guidance and has a place in the treatment of severely ill patients with acute cholecystitis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be done safely in patients with acute cholecystitis, but extensive experience with this technique is necessary. Endoscopic retrograde drainage of the gallbladder by introduction of a catheter in the cystic duct is feasible but data are still scarce

Improved Results for Resection of Periampullary Adenocarcinoma

Background: This study evaluates the indications for and effects of pancreaticoduodenectomy (102 patients) or total pancreatectomy (15 patients) with extensive lymph node dissection performed upon 117 patients for treatment of periampullary adenocarcinoma