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Economists universally regard tariffs to be inflationary and free trade to be deflationary, a view that this paper challenges. It is argued that while rotectionism has generally created inflation in developing economies, the experience of the United States was totally different. Tariffs in the US were never associated with rising prices, and trade liberalization with declining prices. High tariffs were always followed by sharp drops in the cost of living. A theoretical model is developed to explain the deflationary effects of tariffs in the United States. Thus tariffs produce inflation only in nonmarket or ualistic developing economies, but not in advanced economies.

In this paper we develop a simple general equilibrium model of trade to analyze the impact of tariffs and technical progress on the equilibrium rate of unemployment. We demonstrate that if a country imposes a tariff its equilibrium rate of unemployment is likely to rise, whereas the impact of technology on equilibrium unemployment depends on the labor intensity of the two sectors.

In this paper we present a model that highlights the relationship between international trade and environmental pollution. It includes a small open economy that produces a domestic composite good and imports another composite good and energy products. The pollution is created by local production, global production and transportation. Given this model we demonstrate that free trade within the current political and economic context may produce a suboptimal level of welfare. The rationale is based upon the argument that transportation is energy-intensive and that, therefore, trade itself is a source of pollution. Consequently, under certain global conditions the introduction of an energy tariff in a small open economy raises social welfare and is superior to free trade. A consumption tariff adopted by a single nation will not have similar consequences because it has no impact upon local usage. However, when a consumption tariff is globally adopted there is the opportunity for a net benefit. Finally, we argue that a global tariff that raises both the price of energy and the price of the imported composite good may generate the greatest increase in welfare by reducing both energy-intensive production and energy-intensive trade.

When the world shifted to the regime of flexible exchange rates after 1970, economists expected that large trade imbalances would soon disappear. Instead, such imbalances not only persisted but soared in the 1980s and 1990s, in spite of significant changes in important currencies such as the yen, the mark and the dollar. This paper reports that manufacturing importers tend to suffer trade deficits whereas exporters of manufacturing products tend to enjoy trade surpluses. The reason lies in the higher rates of productivity growth experienced by exporters of manufactures.

In the last ten years, a number of economists have tried to explain the observed decline or stagnation in the real wages of the US labor force in spite of slow but steady rise in labor productivity. This paper reports a similar affliction for the Japanese labor market since 1973. The explanation for stagnant wages in spite of respectable productivity gains in Japan lies in the vast appreciation of the yen versus the dollar, and ultimately in the highly regulated retail distribution.

OBJECTIVES: To identify patient characteristics and surgical factors associated with patient-reported outcomes over 5 years following primary total hip replacement (THR). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Seven hospitals across England and Scotland. PARTICIPANTS: 1431 primary hip replacements for osteoarthritis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Oxford Hip Score (OHS) was collected preoperatively and each year up to 5 years postoperatively. Repeated measures such as linear regression modelling are used to identify patient and surgical predictors of outcome and describe trends over time. RESULTS: The majority of patients demonstrated substantial improvement in pain/function in the first year after surgery-between 1 and 5 years follow-up, there was neither further improvement nor decline. The strongest determinant of attained postoperative OHS was the preoperative OHS-those with worse preoperative pain/function had worse postoperative pain/function. Other predictors with small but significant effects included: femoral component offset-women with an offset of 44 or more had better outcomes; age-compared to those aged 50-60, younger (age 60) had worse outcome, increasing body mass index (BMI), more coexisting diseases and worse Short Form 36 mental health (MH) was related to worse postoperative pain/function. Assessment of change in OHS between preoperative and postoperative assessments revealed that patients achieved substantial and clinically relevant symptomatic improvement (change), regardless of variation in these patient and surgical factors. CONCLUSIONS: Patients received substantial benefit from surgery, regardless of their preoperative assessments and surgical characteristics (baseline pain/function, age, BMI, comorbidities, MH and femoral component offset). Further research is needed to identify other factors that can improve our ability to identify patients at risk of poor outcomes from THR surgery.

We propose a new ion-trap geometry to carry out accurate measurements of the quadrupole shifts in the $^{171}$Yb-ion. This trap will produce nearly ideal harmonic potential where the quadrupole shifts due to the anharmonic components can be reduced by four orders of magnitude. This will be useful to reduce the uncertainties in the clock frequency measurements of the $6s~{^2}S_{1/2} \rightarrow 4f^{13} 6s^2 ~{^2}F_{7/2}$ and $6s~{^2}S_{1/2} \rightarrow 5d ~{^2}D_{3/2}$ transitions, from which we can deduce precise values of the quadrupole moments ($\Theta$s) of the $4f^{13} 6s^2 ~{^2}F_{7/2}$ and $5d ~{^2}D_{3/2}$ states. Moreover, it may be able to affirm validity of the measured $\Theta$ value of the $4f^{13} 6s^2 ~{^2}F_{7/2}$ state where three independent theoretical studies defer almost by one order in magnitude from the measurement. We also perform calculations of $\Theta$s using the relativistic coupled-cluster (RCC) method. We use these $\Theta$ values to estimate quadrupole shift that can be measured in our proposed ion trap experiment., Comment: 1 table, 5 figures

Quantitative sensory testing (QST) and questionnaire-based assessments have been used to demonstrate features of neuropathic pain in subjects with musculoskeletal pain. However, their direct relationship has not been investigated in the community. The purpose of this study was to conduct an observational study to describe the characteristics of joint pain and to examine the relationship between QST measures and the PainDETECT Questionnaire (PD-Q).Warm detection, heat pain, and mechanical pain thresholds as well as mechanical pain sensitivity over the sternum were determined and the PD-Q scores were calculated in a cross-sectional study of 462 participants in the Chingford Study. Comparisons were made between subjects with and those without joint pain. Logistic regression modeling was used to describe the association between neuropathic pain features, as determined by the PD-Q score, and each of the QST measures individually, adjusting for age, body mass index, and use of pain-modifying medications.A total of 66.2% of the subjects reported recent joint pain, with a median average pain severity of 5 of 10. There was increased sensitivity to painful stimuli in the group with pain as compared to the pain-free group, and this persisted after stratification by pain-modifying medication use. While only 6.7% of subjects had possible neuropathic pain features and 1.9% likely neuropathic pain features according to the standard PD-Q thresholds, features of neuropathic pain were common and were present in50% of those reporting pain of at least moderate severity. Heat pain thresholds and mechanical pain sensitivity were significantly associated with features of neuropathic pain identified using the PD-Q, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.88 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.79-0.97; P = 0.011) and an OR of 1.24 (95% CI 1.04-1.48; P = 0.018), respectively.QST measures and the PD-Q identified features of neuropathic pain in subjects in this community-based study, with significant overlap between the findings of the two techniques.

In this paper we have utilized a two-sector, two-factor general equilibrium model of production to analyze the implications of the fair-rate of return regulation for resource allocation as well as real factor rewards. Our main conclusion is that regulation in one sector has an effect on factor rewards and resource allocation in the entire economy.

This paper argues that not a single proposition of the modern theory of free trade is upheld by the recent experience of the United States. Freer trade is supposed to raise GNP growth and productivity growth as well as the living standard. Until 1972, when the US was practically a closed economy with a trade/GNP ratio averaging a low of 12%, GNP growth was 3.8%, productivity growth was 2%, and real wages had been rising for 150 years. Since 1972, the trade/GNP ratio has been rising steadily, US GNP growth has been only 2.5%, productivity growth is below 1%, and real wages have been falling for over three-quarters of the labor force.

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) plays an important role in innate immunity. The effect of low MBL levels producing variants of MBL2 gene on tuberculosis (TB) has been controversial with some studies reporting it to confer protection against the disease, whereas others estimating a susceptibility relation. Other than conducting a case-control study to evaluate the role of MBL A/B polymorphism on TB, we conducted a longitudinal study to check whether this MBL variant can influence the host response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. A total of 357 TB patients (286 pulmonary TB, 71 extrapulmonary (EP) TB) and 392 healthy controls belonging to same ethnicity were included in the study. We found the mutant allele 'B' allele confers a protective role against TB in our study population. This effect was absent in EP patients. On stratification on the basis of sex, the protective role of the 'B' allele was found to be limited to females only and males reported no significant difference. No effect of MBL A/B polymorphism on sputum conversion time was reported. We conclude that MBL 'B' allele is associated with protection against TB, but no influence was found on sputum conversion rate.

To create a prognostic tool to quantify the 5-year cardiovascular (CV) risk in patients with newly diagnosed Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) without premorbid CV disease. We reviewed CV outcomes during the long-term followup of patients in the first 4 European Vasculitis Study Group (EUVAS) trials of WG and MPA. CV events were defined as CV death, stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, or percutaneous coronary intervention. Logistic regression was performed to create a model to predict the absolute risk of a CV event. The model was tested using the Wegener's Granulomatosis Etanercept Trial (WGET) cohort. Seventy-four (13.8%) of 535 patients with 5 years of followup from the EUVAS trials had at least 1 CV event: 33 (11.7%) of 281 WG versus 41 (16.1%) of 254 MPA. The independent determinants of CV outcomes were older age (odds ratio [OR] 1.45, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.11-1.90), diastolic hypertension (OR 1.97, 95% CI 0.98-3.95), and positive proteinase 3 (PR3) antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) status (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.20-0.74). The model was validated using the WGET cohort (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.80). Within 5 years of diagnosis of WG or MPA, 14% of patients will have a CV event. We have constructed and validated a tool to quantify the risk of a CV event based on age, diastolic hypertension, and PR3 ANCA status in patients without prior CV disease. In patients with vasculitis, PR3 ANCA is associated with a reduced CV risk compared to myeloperoxidase ANCA or negative ANCA status. Copyright © 2011 by the American College of Rheumatology.

This paper develops a two-sector general equilibrium model to examine the impact of technical progress, factor accumulation, labor growth, unemployment, trade policy, and the government's antipoverty programs on the rate of poverty. the results are then tested empirically using the data regarding the United States. We find that low unemployment, productivity growth, and government transfers have the expected effects of alleviating poverty; but trade liberalization has the unexpected effect of being associated with a major increase in poverty-a result contradicting traditional views.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of disease activity in vasculitis can be achieved using the BVAS, a clinical checklist of relevant symptoms, signs and features of active disease. The aim of this study was to revalidate the BVAS version 3 (BVAS v. 3) in a cohort of patients with systemic vasculitis. METHODS: A total of 238 patients with vasculitis from seven countries in Europe were evaluated at a single time point. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated between BVAS v. 3 scores, vasculitis activity index (VAI), physician's global assessment (PGA), the physician's treatment decision, CRP and the vasculitis damage index (VDI) to demonstrate that the BVAS v. 3 measures disease activity. RESULTS: WG (63%), Churg-Strauss syndrome (9%) and microscopic polyangiitis (9%) were the most common diagnoses. The BVAS v. 3 showed convergent validity with the VAI [ρ = 0.82 (95% CI 0.77, 0.85)], PGA [ρ = 0.85 (95% CI 0.81, 0.88)] and the physician's treatment decision [ρ = 0.54 (95% CI 0.44, 0.62)]. There was little or no correlation between BVAS v. 3 and the CRP level [ρ = 0.18 (95% CI 0.05, 0.30)] or with the VDI [ρ = -0.10 (95% CI 0.22, 0.03)]. The inter-observer reliability was very high with an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.996 (95% CI 0.990, 0.998) for the total BVAS v. 3 score. CONCLUSION: The BVAS v. 3 has been evaluated in a large cohort of patients with vasculitis and the important properties of the tool revalidated. This study increases the utility of the BVAS v. 3 in different populations of patients with systemic vasculitis.

The purpose of this paper is to explode the myth of free trade. Productivity and real wages in the United States rose sharply between 1950 and 1972, but since then real earnings have been falling in spite of a continuous rise in productivity. It turns out that America was more or less a closed economy until 1972, as its trade/GNP ratio was close to 10%; but since then it has become an open economy. the theoretical model shows how real wages may fall in an open economy, but not in a closed economy, in spite of rising productivity.

ObjectiveTo determine whether neuromyelitis optica (NMO) immunoglobulin (IgG) antibody status in NMO/Devic’s disease patients followed prospectively is persistent or can change relative to the clinical status and/or response to therapy.DesignA cross-sectional group of patients with NMO, relapsing extensive longitudinal transverse myelitis (RLETM) or optico-spinal multiple sclerosis (OSMS) were evaluated for the presence of NMO IgG antibodies. Repeated evaluation was made in all NMO/RLETM patients and in a subgroup of OSMS patients.SettingBaird Multiple Sclerosis Center, Buffalo, New York, an academic multiple sclerosis center.ResultsOut of a consecutive cohort of 38 patients evaluated for the presence of NMO IgG, 12 had NMO and 26 had OSMS. Five of the 12 NMO/RLETM patients were NMO IgG positive at the time of their initial evaluation. Four of these patients were repeatedly tested for NMO IgG: two of these became negative and two remained positive. One patient who was initially negative became positive during an acute event and again became negative during the stable disease phase following treatment. A positive test result was associated with active disease, whereas a negative NMO IgG result was consistently found in stable, long-term treated patients. None of the OSMS patients were positive for NMO IgG even during acute attacks.ConclusionsNMO IgG antibodies are associated with active NMO/RLETM. A well-controlled stable disease usually under effective immunosuppressive therapy can transform the NMO IgG to a negative status. Repeated NMO IgG testing should be considered as a useful biological marker for monitoring NMO/RLETM disease and or response to therapy.

In this paper, the authors analyze the factors determining the pattern of trade between underemployed economies. They find, among other things, that a low-wage, land-abundant country exports the land-using, labor-intensive product to a high-wage, capital-abundant country. The authors also find conditions under which a high-wage, capital-rich country may export the labor-intensive product (the Leonteif paradox). Copyright 1990 by The London School of Economics and Political Science.

PURPOSE: To study the modulatory effects of Salmonella lipid associated protein - lipopolysaccharides (LAP-LPS) on murine macrophages as the intracellular survival within the host macrophages is an important feature for a number of gram-negative pathogens like S.typhi. METHODS: Macrophage functions were studied in two groups of mice immunized with either LPS or LAP-LPS. RESULTS: Comparison of protective efficacy of mice preimmunized with LPS based preparations, against challenge infectious doses, showed higher protection in LAP-LPS complex immunized mice group as compared to the mice group immunized with LPS alone. Aggregation of S.typhi cells was lesser with intestinal mucus extracted from LAP-LPS immunized mice as compared to LPS immunized challenged group. A significant increase in the number of macrophages in LAP-LPS immunized mice was also observed in comparison to control and LPS immunized mice groups. Nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) production were also more in macrophages derived from LAP-LPS immunized mice group. Phagocytic uptake studies showed that there was enhanced uptake of bacteria in the LAP-LPS immunized animals in comparison to LPS immunized and controls. Similar trend was observed in intracellular killing of bacteria by the macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated the involvement of protein moiety in LAP on modulation of effects of LPS on macrophages.

Fluid flow due to loading in bone is a potent mechanical signal that may play an important role in bone adaptation to its mechanical environment. Previous in vitro studies of osteoblastic cells revealed that the upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and c-fos induced by steady fluid flow depends on a change in actin polymerization dynamics and the formation of actin stress fibers. Exposing cells to dynamic oscillatory fluid flow, the temporal flow pattern that results from normal physical activity, is also known to result in increased COX-2 expression and PGE2release. The purpose of this study was to determine whether dynamic fluid flow results in changes in actin dynamics similar to steady flow and to determine whether alterations in actin dynamics are required for PGE2release. We found that exposure to oscillatory fluid flow did not result in the development of F-actin stress fibers in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells and that inhibition of actin polymerization with cytochalasin D did not inhibit intracellular calcium mobilization or PGE2release. In fact, PGE2release was increased threefold in the polymerization inhibited cells and this PGE2release was dependent on calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum. This was in contrast to the PGE2release that occurs in normal cells, which is independent of calcium flux from endoplasmic reticulum stores. We suggest that this increased PGE2release involves a different molecular mechanism perhaps involving increased deformation due to the compromised cytoskeleton.

Sonic crystals containing locally resonant structures exhibit strong sound attenuation bands at frequencies about two orders of a magnitude smaller than those predicted by Bragg's theory. Small-size slabs can be designed from these materials, which have sound attenuation effects similar to the usual sonic crystals, but in the audible frequency range. Numerical simulations of the acoustic wave propagation in sonic crystals are performed within the framework of the local interaction simulation approach (LISA). By means of suitable imaging tools, they help to understand the underlying mechanisms. More importantly, they can be used for improving and custom tailoring their design and performance. For our simulations we have used a 13 cm slab of locally resonant sonic material and driven them at frequencies in the range from 0.3 to 6.0 kHz. Three different modes of local resonances are found in good qualitative agreement with experimental data, and their dependence on the structural parameters of the sonic crystal is analyzed. Based on these investigations we develop a simple analytical model, which is able to predict the resonance frequencies obtained by the experiments and LISA simulations.

s / Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 20 (2012) S54–S296 S152 study ,using the cell culturing technology, was to observe what different results would come out from the MTTassay of the ATDC5 cell proliferation, whick had been cultured with different concentration E2. Methods: The 17-bestradiol we use was ordered from Sigma co. and the ATDC5 cell line was form the Riken cell bank. We culture the ATDC5 24 hours in the media with different concentration 17-bestradiol, then we test the OD value of the different cells in MTT assay to assume the proliferation of the ATDC5. Results: After culturing 24 hours in the media with different concentration 17-bestradiol, the proliferation of the ATDC5 in different concentration 17-bestradiol were different significantly, the higher of the concentration, the higher of the proliferation, as follows: beside the 10-11M against 0 M, the 10-10,10-9,10-8 and 10-7 M have significant difference in stimulating the proliferation of ATDC5 against 0 M. between the different concentration groups, only 10-8 M has significant difference against 10-11,10-10 M. Conclusions: First, 17-bestradiol has stimulation on the proliferation of ATDC5. Second, 10-8 M concentration of 17-bestradiol has the strongest stimulating effect than the other concentration of 17-bestradiol. Clinical Aspects / Outcomes 302 PRE-OPERATIVE BMI AS A PREDICTOR OF PATIENT REPORTED OUTCOMES OF PRIMARY HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY: A COMBINED ANALYSIS OF 4 PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDIES R.N. Batra , A. Judge , M.K. Javaid , G.E. Thomas , D. Beard , D. Murray , P. Dieppe , K. Drienhoefer , K. Peter-Geunther , R. Field , C. Cooper , N.K. Arden . NIHR BioMed. Res. Unit, Univ. of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, Univ. of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; 3 Peninsula Coll. of Med. and Dentistry, Plymouth, United Kingdom; Charite Univ.smedizin Berlin, Dept. of Orthop., Traumatology and Sports Med., Berlin, Germany; Univ. Hosp. Carl Gustav Carus, Technical Univ. of Dresden, Dresden, Germany; 6 Elective Orthop. Ctr., Epsom, United Kingdom Purpose: Total hip replacement (THR) is a successful surgical intervention, providing relief from pain, increasingmobility and improving quality of life for majority of patients. Within the literature some, but not all studies, have found that obesity is associated with worse patient reported outcomes (PROMs) of THR, and there is increasing concern that obesity may be used as a barrier to accessing surgery. Methods: We obtained information from 4 prospective cohort studies of patients receiving primary THR for osteoarthritis (OA): Exeter Primary Outcomes Study (EPOS) (n1⁄41589); EUROHIP (n1⁄4908); South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC) (n1⁄41523); and St. Helier (n1⁄4799). The primary outcome was the 12 month Oxford Hip Score (OHS) which is used to assess pain and function.For the EUROHIP study, we imputed the OHS from WOMAC scores using truncated regression. Confounding variables included: age, sex, SF-36 mental health, comorbidities, fixed flexion, analgesic use, college education, OA in other joints, expectation of less pain, radiographic KL only age and sex were available in all 4 cohorts. Linear regression (ANCOVA) is used to describe the association of BMI on the 12 month OHS, adjusting for the pre-operative OHS. Multiple imputation methods were used to handle missing data. In order to combine data across the 4 studies we used two methodological approaches: a) Meta-Analysis For each study, separate models are built to describe the association of BMI on outcome. Models are adjusted only for age and sex in order to construct related hypotheses in each study. Fixed effects metaanalysis is used to combine the results; b) Combining studies Data from all 4 studies are combined using multiple imputation methods to impute data on missing confounders, allowing the association of BMI on outcome to be adjusted for all potential confounders. Results: a) Meta-Analysis Adjusting for age and sex, for a 5 unit increase in BMI, the 12 month OHS decreases by 0.81 95%CI (0.55 1.08) units (Figure 1); Ă b) Combining Studies Adjusting for age and sex alone, for a 5 unit increase in BMI, the 12 month OHS decreases by 0.72 (0.46 0.99) units. Adjusting for all potential confounders, the effect is attenuated to 0.51 (0.09 0.92). Hence, for each 5 unit increase in BMI, the difference in post-op OHS becomes larger and more important. For example, compared to people with a normal BMI (20 25), those in the morbidly obese group (BMI 35 40) would have a post-op OHS that is 1.53 units lower. However, there is a substantial improvement in OHS after THR across all BMI groups, which greatly outweighs any difference in post-op score (Figure 2).

Purpose: Establishing a population-based estimate for the lifetime risk of total hip and knee replacement (THR/TKR) is an important epidemiological development which will assist health service planners in assessing the future burden of lower limb arthroplasty. Methods:We used data from the U.K. General Practice Research Database (GPRD) which contains all the computerised records of 6.25m patients, and is representative of the population of the U.K. We collected data on all THRs and TKRs performed between 1991 and 2006, a total of over 27,000 THRs and 24,000 TKRs. We calculated incidence rates for THR/TKR under a Poisson model and combined these rates with mortality rates from the U.K Office for National Statistics (ONS) using a life-table framework. These estimates were then aggregated to produce a simple lifetime risk of THR and TKR by gender for age 50 and above. We also calculated the temporal trend in lifetime risk at age 50 by single calendar year from 1991 to 2006. Results: We estimated that at age 50 the mortality-adjusted lifetime risk of THR was 7.80% for females and 5.05% for males (TKR: 6.66% and 5.04% respectively). The risks of THR for females aged 50 was 54% greater for than for males (32% greater for TKR). The risk percentage decreases with increasing age for both THR and TKR in males and females. At age 80 the gender gap in risk of THR remains in favour of females (53% higher) but in TKR it is two-thirds of that at age 50 (females 21% higher). Between 1991 and 2006, the lifetime risk of THR rose from 3.89% to 10.41% for females and for males from 3.43% to 6.34%. Over the same period, for TKR the risk for females increased from 2.78% to 10.02% and for males from 1.57% to 7.39%.

Sequential lead accumulation and biochemical and histopathological changes were observed in rat testis and epididymis after oral administration at varied doses of lead (10, 50 and 200 mg kg(-1) body wt.) for 3 months and also following the concomitant administration of lead with zinc (1 mg kg(-1) body wt. +50 mg Pb kg(-1) body wt.). Accumulation of lead in both testis and epididymis increased with dose. The concomitant administration of zinc reduced the lead levels. Similarly, dose-related changes were seen in the activities of the enzymes alkaline phosphatase and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, which decreased with increased dose of lead. A significant improvement in the activities of these enzymes was seen in the groups given both lead and zinc. Histologically, discernible changes were noticed only at higher doses (50 and 200 mg kg(-1) body wt.), which included disorganization and disruption of spermatogenesis with accumulation of immature cells in lumen of tubule. At higher doses of lead, complete arrest of spermatogenesis was seen and a significant decrease in germ cell layer population was evident. Even in epididymis, the histoarchitecture was disrupted only at higher doses of lead both in the caput and corpus regions. The changes included damage of basement membrane, disorganization of epithelium and vacuolization of cells. The tubules were found almost empty, indicating arrest of spermatogenesis. However, with concomitant administration of lead and zinc both testis and epididymis presented a near-normal picture, indicating the protective role of zinc. Hence, the data indicate that the protective effect of zinc on lead toxicity was mediated largely by significant competition between lead and zinc or due to reduction of the available binding sites.

Because of the potential risks associated with phakic IOL implantation, the current use of these devices is mainly in the treatment of high and extreme myopia which are expected to respond poorly to keratorefractive procedures. Overall, in this setting, the outcomes of phakic IOL implantation have been rather favorable, with significant improvement in uncorrected visual acuity, and tolerable visual symptoms in terms of glare and halo.

With increasing concerns about environmental pollution, the interaction of micronutrients with toxic metals is of great interest. The present study was designed to investigate testicular effects of lead following concomitant administration of zinc. Lead was administered orally as lead acetate (50 mg/kg b.w.) daily for 3 months to male Portan rats with or without zinc (1 mg/kg b.w. as zinc sulphate). The control group was given the same volume of distilled water. Endpoints included lead concentration in various body organs as well as in the reproductive system, including testicular subfractions; the testicular enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase; the marker enzyme delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (delta-ALAD); and testicular histoarchitecture. The concentrations of lead in bone, kidney, prostate, testis, liver, epididymis, spleen, seminal vesicles, and blood were significantly higher in lead-treated rats. Lead deposition was reduced in animals that received supplemental zinc. There was a 30% reduction in lead deposition in the testis when zinc was coadministered. At the subcellular level, there was differential accumulation of lead; the nucleus preferentially took up the metal after lead treatment alone, while zinc coadministration shifted lead accumulation to the mitochondria. A significant decrease in delta-ALAD and in SOD activity was seen in the testis with lead treatment. Coadministration of zinc prevented these decreases, at least partially. Zinc coadministration did not prevent the inhibition of catalase observed with lead treatment. Histologically, the alterations in the testis with lead treatment alone were more pronounced compared to animals in which zinc was supplemented. Improvement in the inhibition of delta-ALAD and in the ubiquitous cellular enzyme SOD suggests less testicular tissue damage due to detoxification of free radicals. In conclusion, zinc supplementation ameliorates lead-induced testicular damage both at the cellular and subcellular level. The protective effect may be due to differential distribution of lead, either because of competition between lead and zinc or displacement of lead by zinc.

Traditionally there have been two main approaches to the balance of payment disequilibrium by a country--the absorption approach and the monetary approach. This paper develops an alternative framework focusing on a country’s domestic price level. The orthodox analysis fails to explain the persistence of trade deficits in the United States despite large and regular depreciation of the dollar, whereas a similar exchange depreciation in Mexico resulted in a quick turn around in its trade short fall. The paper shows that a trade imbalance can arise only if the general price level is not the same as the one consistent with balanced trade commercial policies--competitiveness and the production structure may be responsible for such price divergence.

Currency depreciation has been studied conventionally in terms of three hypotheses—the elasticities approach, the monetary approach and the absorption approach. In this paper we offer another hypothesis called the price approach, wherein the balance of payment disequilibrium results from an inappropriate price level. Specifically, a country has a trade surplus if the equilibrium price level is below that compatible with balanced trade; by contrast, it has a trade deficit if the price level is above that compatible with balanced trade. We illustrate the price approach with the experience of currency devaluations that have occurred in emerging markets since 1997.

Objective: To determine appropriate terminology for addressing women in pregnancy. Design: 100 women (aged 15–50) were asked to fill in a questionnaire using one of the six choices provided for addressing women in pregnancy. Setting: Antenatal clinic of a teaching hospital. Results: Preferences vary according to context but simple terms like mother-to-be and pregnant women were more popular than client, consumer and maternant. Conclusion: No single terminology for addressing women in pregnancy wins all round approval but simple softer terms like Mother-to-be please a vast majority.

In this paper we provide a synthesis between the neoclassical and the Heckscher-Ohlin models of international trade by developing the properties of a two-sector, three-factor model. The neoclassical model, where one or more factors are specific to one or both industries, and the Heckscher-Ohlin model, where two (or all factors) are nonspecific, then can be analyzed as special cases of our model. The theorems by Rybczynski, Stolper and Samuelson, Jones and Chipman, among others, are reexamined in terms of our generalized model.

In this paper, we introduce diminishing returns to scale in Brecher's model of international trade with unemployment and then investigate some issues embodied in the theory of international trade. Our principal results are that tariffs need not improve a country's terms of trade and that capital accumulation also need not result in a predictable change in the terms of trade.

In this paper we have argued that the specific-factor model of trade is more suitable to the analysis of trade problems in the presence of unemployment than the traditional Heckscher-Ohlin, non-specific factor model used by Brecher and others. Among other things we have shown that protection granted to a land-using industry is unlikely to reduce unemployment, benefiting landlords at the expense of capitalists, while protection conferred to a non-land-using industry is likely to stimulate employment.

As Corden and Findlay (1975) have shown, the mobile capital Harris-Todaro model has certain curious properties, viz that capital accumulation unambiguously increases unemployment whereas labour force growth reduces unemployment. In this paper we show that introduction of labour turnover cost in the manufacturing sector dampens the above paradoxical results on one hand, and strengthens the interesting properties of the model on the other.

The theory of international investment is integrated to the monetary approach to balance of payments. It is shown that in the short run when the level of international investment is given a devaluation may not improve the balance of payments even if the Marshall-Lerner condition is met. If the devaluing country is a net importer of capital, then the chances for a successful devaluation are small. When the level of international investment is variable, a devaluation may not help balance of payments even if goods are gross substitutes. It is also shown that the effects of devaluation on international investment crucially depends on the movement of the terms of trade.