The management of acid-related disorders: the burden of disease and the need for effective treatment

Summary

A large and increasing number of people suffer from acid-related disorders such as dyspepsia, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), and peptic ulcer disease. In 1994 alone, about 2 million patients consulted their family doctor for an acid-related disorder. Treatment of these patients represents a high cost to the NHS in terms of medications, consultations, referrals and treatment of complications. UK government statistics also indicate that there is a huge economic burden associated with acid-related disorders in terms of lost productivity.

Effective management of acid-related disorders is required to ensure that the available resources are used efficiently and to the benefit of the NHS, society and the patient.

Proton pump inhibitors are the most effective and predictable therapy available for acid-related disorders and many clinical studies have demonstrated their superior efficacy over H2-receptor antagonists in the management of these conditions. These therapeutic advantages translate into economic gains. Several economic studies have shown that it is more cost-effective to treat GORD and peptic ulcer disease with the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole than with H2-receptor antagonists.     

Institutionalism and New Trade Theory: Rethinking Comparative Advantage and Trade Policy

Gomory and Baumol (2000), and Samuelson (2004) have raised concerns about international trade’s future impact on U.S. national income. The focus is how globalization may affect the size and distribution across countries of gains from trade. Though their analysis is developed using a pure trade theoretical framework, it has strands in common with institutionalist thinking. Their findings spotlight the need for a new U.S. trade policy agenda aimed at maximizing the U.S. share of gains from trade, and complementing conventional Keynesian open economy macroeconomic analysis.     

Monetary policy before and after the euro: evidence from Greece

We model Greek monetary policy in the 1990s and use our findings to address two interrelated questions. First, how was monetary policy conducted in the 1990s so that the hitherto highest-inflation EU country managed to join the euro by 2001? Second, how compatible is the ECB monetary policy with Greek economic conditions? We find that Greek monetary policy in the 1990s was: (i) primarily determined by German/ECB interest rates, though still influenced by domestic fundamentals; (ii) involving non-linear output gap effects; (iii) subject to a deficit of credibility culminating in the 1998 devaluation. On the question of compatibility our findings depend on the value assumed for the equilibrium post-euro real interest rate and overall indicate both a reduction in the pre-euro risk premium and some degree of monetary policy incompatibility. Our analysis has policy implications for the new EU members and motivates further research on fast-growing EMU economies.     

农地承包经营权的职能异化与回归

当前,在我国各地广泛实施的农地承包制度正遇到前所未有的尴尬,不能适应二元经济结构变迁的现实,农地制度改革势在必行。目前,我国土地承包经营权的就业与收入职能不断弱化,农村社会保障事业严重滞后。安徽省肥东县农村的31户农户调研数据表明：从公平与效率两个角度分析回归农地生产要素这一根本职能是十分可行和必要的,因此,可以尝试“以土地换保险”的办法回归农地的根本职能。     

浅析物流信息化与资源节约型城市的可持续发展

21世纪是全球物流发展的时代,其中信息在物流中发挥重要的作用。全社会掀起物流信息化建设的热潮,资源节约型城市要抓住这一有利时机,充分利用有利信息来发展物流业,实现经济的转型,从而保证本地经济的持续、健康、稳定的发展。本文从分析物流信息化与资源节约型城市的可持续发展关系入手,指出目前其原型城市在物流信息化建设中存在的问题及形成的原因,最后提出合理的建议。     

沥青路面再生设备在高等级公路上的应用

高等级沥青路面维修量的不断增加,沥青混凝土路面的维修成本也在提高,旧路面废弃料也在增加,沥青路面再生技术对旧沥青混合料的再生利用,即节省了材料,又节省了资金。     

浅析连锁便利店之竞争优势

我国连锁便利店自20世纪90年代初开始出现以来,发展迅速,大有星火燎原,全国蔓延之势,但背后蕴藏着潜在的危机和薄弱环节。本文主要阐述连锁便利店如何形成自己的竞争优势,在需求过剩、市场激烈竞争中脱颖而出。     

长株潭国家级烟草物流园竞争力研究

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