bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biological characteristics of pikeperch, Sander lucioperca, during spawning migration in a Baltic Bay
Authors: SAULAMO K. , LAPPALAINEN J. , LEHTONEN H.
Published: March 2005

Abstract  Protection of pikeperch, Sander lucioperca (L.), during its pre‐spawning migration is a hotly debated issue in the Baltic as fishing regulations to protect these stocks are based on anecdotal information. To improve understanding of pikeperch migration and improve the setting of regulations, fish were sampled with a fyke net and gill nets during the migration period (April to June) at the entrance of a spawning bay, and changes in length, sex ratio and gonadosomatic index (GSI) were analysed. Catches were greatest at the beginning of the period and consisted mainly of mature fish. From the beginning of spawning migration in April to late May, daily mean length of pikeperch decreased and then increased rapidly in early June. Sex ratio was equal at the beginning of migration, but was dominated by males thereafter. Pikeperch caught during June had already spawned.
Junctional epidermolysis bullosa: a case report
Authors: MOMENI A. , PIEPER K.
Published: March 2005

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of genetically determined disorders characterized by blistering of the skin and mucosae. There are three major forms – simple, junctional and dystrophic – and each has several varieties. The present case report describes a male child with junctional EB. The aim of the report is to present the dietary situation and the dental status of the child, examples of potential dental and nutritional consequences, and the therapeutic interventions possible for children with this disease.
Nitration and Increased α‐Synuclein Expression Associated With Dopaminergic Neurodegeneration In Equine Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction
Authors: McFarlane D. , Dybdal N. , Donaldson M. T. , Miller L. , Cribb A. E.
Published: March 2005

Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is a spontaneously occurring progressive disease affecting aged horses and ponies. The pathogenesis of PPID is poorly understood, but the available evidence supports a loss of dopaminergic inhibition of the melanotropes of the pars intermedia. Horses with PPID have increased plasma concentrations of pars intermedia pro‐opiomelanocortin‐derived peptides that decrease in response to dopamine or dopamine agonist administration. Dopamine and dopamine metabolite concentrations are decreased in the pars intermedia of affected horses compared to age‐matched control horses. Horses with disease that are treated with the dopamine agonist pergolide show improvement in clinical signs and normalisation of diagnostic test results. In the present study, immunohistochemical evaluation of pituitary and hypothalamic tissue demonstrated reduced tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in affected horses compared to age‐matched and young controls, supporting the role of dopaminergic neurodegeneration in PPID. In addition, immunohistochemical evaluation revealed an increase in the oxidative stress marker, 3‐nitrotyrosine and in nerve terminal protein, α‐synuclein that colocalised in the pars intermedia of horses with disease. These findings suggest a role for nitration of overexpressed α‐synuclein in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration in PPID.
Cyclic AMP–Protein Kinase A and Protein Kinase C Mediate In Vitro T3 Activation of Brain Tyrosine Hydroxylase in the Female Catfish Heteropneustes fossilis
Authors: Chaube R. , Joy K. P.
Published: March 2005

The present in vitro study demonstrates an involvement of both cAMP‐dependent protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC) signal transduction mechanisms in the triiodothyronone (T3)‐activation of forebrain (telencephalon and hypothalamus) tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity in the female catfish Heteropneustes fossilis. Incubations of the enzyme preparations with different concentrations of T3 (0.15–2.4 ng/ml) stimulated TH activity over the concentrations. Similarly, coincubations of the enzyme preparations with T3 and cAMP (1.0 mM) or cAMP‐elevating drugs such as 1‐methyl‐3‐isobutylxanthine (1.5 mM) or theophylline (1.5 mM) increased TH activity significantly over that of T3. The stimulatory effect of TH activity with T3 or cAMP was coincident with a low apparent Km and high Vmax for the cofactor, suggesting a higher affinity of the enzyme. Incubation of the enzyme preparations with PKA (H‐89) and PKC (calphostin‐C) inhibitors decreased basal enzyme activity significantly, with the inhibition being greater in the former group. The incubations of the enzyme preparations with T3 or T3 + cAMP, followed by the different inhibitors, also decreased enzyme activity. Although T3 could not reverse the inhibitory effect of H‐89, it could over‐ride the effect of calphostin‐C to some extent. The suppressive effect of the inhibitors could be related to a high apparent Km and low Vmax for the cofactor. The evidence strongly suggests a nongenomic action of T3 on TH activity via the cell signalling pathways, for which the cAMP‐dependent PKA appears to be the major regulatory mechanism.
Clenched fist syndrome with palmar lichen planus
Authors: Aytekin Sema , Turhanoglu Ayşe Dicle , Ozkan Mustafa , Uzunlar Ali Kemal
Published: March 2005

A 16‐year‐old girl had a 4‐year history of hyperkeratosis and fissures on the palm. The skin lesions had gradually progressed to thick hyperkeratosis with mild pruritus, diffusely covering the right palm, and leading to flexion contractures of the fingers with mild pain. There was no family history of similar lesions. Her father had died 4 years previously. Dermatologic examination revealed hyperkeratosis, scaling, a mild yellow color, fissures, and maceration on the palm and volar surface of the fingers of the right hand (Fig. 1). There was an approximately 3 cm × 4 cm hyperkeratotic lesion on the palm of the left hand.

Hyperkeratosis with a mild yellow color, scaling, fissures, maceration on the palm and palmar surface of the fingers, and flexed fingers of the right hand

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Flexion contractures were found at the metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints of the three fingers of the right hand (Fig. 1). There was no pain, tenderness in the joints of the fingers, or palpable nodular lesions on the palmar surface of the hand. Forced extension was difficult, and there was pain with passive extension. Radiography of the patient's hands revealed no abnormality, other than the clenched fingers. Electromyography of the upper extremities was normal.

There were no lesions of the oral mucosa. The nails and scalp were normal. The patient showed very poor eye contact, and responded tersely and somewhat reluctantly to questions about her medical history.

The patient was evaluated by psychiatry, but did not meet the diagnostic criteria for any mental disorder. There was a schizoid personality characteristic on both the structured clinical interview for DSM‐IV personality disorders (SCID‐II) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). In addition, there was an increase in scores on the hostility and resentment/aggression subscales of the MMPI.

The results of routine laboratory tests were within normal limits or negative, including the venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) test.

A skin biopsy specimen showed histopathologic changes of lichen planus (orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis, focal hypergranulosis, acanthosis, papillomatosis, and vacuolization with dense lymphocytic reaction at the dermo‐epidermal junction) (Fig. 2).

Hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, papillomatosis, and vacuolization with dense lymphocytic reaction at the dermo‐epidermal junction (hematoxylin and eosin, × 100)

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The patient was treated with topical 5% salicylic acid and 0.1% methylprednisolone aceponate ointment. Static splinting plus stretching was used for hand therapy. Active assisted motion was employed. The treatment produced a remarkable reduction in the skin lesions (Fig. 3), but no improvement in the flexion posture of the hand. The psychiatric and clinical findings were thought to be consistent with clenched fist syndrome and lichen planus.

Normal appearing left hand after treatment

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Analysis of ligand–receptor cross‐linked fragments by mass spectrometry*
Authors: Son C.D. , Sargsyan H. , Hurst G.B. , Naider F. , Becker J.M.
Published: March 2005

Abstract:  G‐protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a class of integral membrane receptor proteins that are characterized by a signature seven‐transmembrane (7‐TM) configuration. The α‐factor receptor (Ste2p) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a GPCR that, upon binding of a peptide ligand, transduces a signal to initiate a cascade of events leading to the mating of haploid yeast cells. This study summarizes the application of affinity purification and of matrix‐assisted laser‐desorption ionization time‐of‐flight (MALDI‐TOF) experiments using biotinylated photoactivatable α‐factor analogs. Affinity purification and enrichment of biotinylated peptides by monomeric avidin beads resulted in mass spectrometric detection of specific signals corresponding to cross‐linked fragments of Ste2p. Data obtained from cyanogen bromide (CNBr) fragments of receptor cross‐linked to an α‐factor analog with the photoaffinity group p‐benzoyl‐l‐phenylalanine on position 1 were in agreement with the previous results reported by our laboratory suggesting the cross‐linking between position 1 of α‐factor and a region of Ste2p covering residues 251–294.
The Multicultural Welfare State: International Experience and North American Narratives
Authors: Banting Keith G.
Published: March 2005

Contemporary debates are increasingly pessimistic about the impact of ethnic diversity on support for the welfare state. A growing number of analysts argue that greater ethnic diversity in Western democracies is weakening public support for redistribution, and that this underlying tension is exacerbated by the adoption of robust multiculturalism policies. The purpose of this essay is to summarize early findings from several studies that bear on the questions at the heart of such debates. These studies analyse the implications of immigration and multiculturalism policies for the welfare state across OECD countries, and also focus more closely on the experience of two distinctively multicultural countries, the United States and Canada. The evidence points to more complex relationships than often assumed. OECD countries with large foreign‐born populations have not had more difficulty in sustaining their welfare states than other countries. The extent of change does seem to matter, however, as countries in which immigrant communities grew rapidly between 1970 and the late 1990s did experience lower rates of growth in social spending. But despite the warnings of some critics, robust multiculturalism policies do not systematically exacerbate this tension. Moreover, the United States and Canada reflect different patterns. In the US racial diversity does weaken support for redistribution; but Canadian experience suggests that immigration, multiculturalism policies and redistribution can represent a stable political equilibrium. These contrasting narratives from North America stand as a warning against premature conclusions based on the US experience alone. There is no inevitability at work, and policy choices do seem to matter.
COMPARATIVE COMPUTATIONS OF YUGOSLAV NATIONAL INCOME ACCORDING TO MATERIAL AND COMPREHENSIVE CONCEPTS OF PRODUCTION
Authors: Grdjić Gojko
Published: March 2005

The author believes that the theoretical controversies relating to the two concepts of production have reached a dead end, and that the answer to these questions must be sought in the results of empirical research. It is to this end that he presents the results which he has arrived at in his computation of Yugoslav national income according to the Yugoslav methodology, which shares the material product concept, and the methodology of the United Nations, which is typical of the enlarged concept of production.

In comparing the results of the computations according to the two methodologies, the author concludes that in spite of conceptual differences the deviation of the Yugoslav estimates from the values calculated following the system of the UN is relatively modest (4.2%) if domestic product at factor cost is used. The difference relative to aggregates calculated at market price rises to 13.6%. The author explains these differences by the fact that all the Yugoslav aggregates are computed at market prices, and that services financed by budgetary contributions, which amount to 80% of all services, have found their place in the market prices of material production. He finds that the choice of prices used for calculation has a greater weight for the computation of production than conceptual differences in the methodology of the computations.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF YUGOSLAVIA'S NATIONAL INCOME BY SOCIAL CLASSES IN 1938
Authors: Vinski Ivo
Published: March 2005

This paper presents the results of an investigation of the distribution of Yugoslavia's national income by social classes in 1938. The population in mid‐1938 was apportioned among social classes as follows: proletariat 34.6 per cent, middle classes 59.2 per cent, bourgeoisie 5.3 per cent, 0.9 per cent unallocated. About three‐quarters of the population was rural. The proletariat amounted to 5.2 million persons, of which 3 million were peasants living on dwarf holdings and 2.2 million were rural and urban wage earners. Unemployment in the non‐agricultural sector was 10 per cent; if the agricultural sector is added, overall un‐ and under‐employment amounted to 31 per cent. The bourgeoisie consisted of 0.8 million persons, of which two‐fifths were rich peasants. Of the 9 million persons in the middle classes, 7 million were peasants with small and medium holdings. The remainder were mainly minor entrepreneurs in the non‐agricultural sector. The proletariat accounted for 35 per cent of total population but only 18 per cent of aggregate income, whereas the bourgeoisie with 5 per cent of the population received 26 per cent of aggregate income. The distribution of income among the various groups of the non‐agricultural population was more unequal than among the groups of the agricultural population. Estimates are preesented of the distribution of income by various types and sources, for agricultural and non‐agricultural population, together with income per capita, average earnings per employed worker, labor productivity, and capital intensity, the last by industrial branches as well as social classes.
ON THE POSSIBILITY OF MEASURING THE DISTRIBUTION OF PERSONAL INCOME
Authors: Dich Jørgen S.
Published: March 2005

The income distribution statistics which are based on income for a single year show a far larger inequality of income than actually exists. The distribution of annual incomes differs from the distribution of lifetime income partly because of short run fluctuations because of such things as sickness, unemployment, and unusual gains, and partly because different individuals are at different points in their life cycles. The vertical distribution of income can be considered to be the distribution of lifetime income. The horizontal distribution can be considered to be the differences arising in the current period due to short run fluctuations and differences in the age‐income cycle of persons. The observed annual income distribution statistics are a mixture of the vertical and horizontal distributions. The estimation of the lifetime income distribution implies discounting, and also raises questions as to the treatment of transfers, subsidies, public investments and taxes. However, statistics based upon a mixture of the horizontal and vertical distributions of income are of no interest.
AN ANALYSIS OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF WAGES IN COPENHAGEN IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1951*
Authors: Bjerke Kjeld
Published: March 2005

This article presents the results of a study of distributions of wage rates in approximately 250 trades, comprising 225,000 workers, in Copenhagen in the second quarter of 1951. It examines particularly the effects of heterogeneity within trades and aggregation upon the resulting distributions, both for individual trades and for all trades combined. Separate distributions are studied for men and women, for skilled and unskilled, and for three types of institutional wage payment systems.
ACCRUED CAPITAL GAINS, PERSONAL INCOME AND SAVING IN THE UNITED STATES, 1948–1964
Authors: Bhatia Kul B.
Published: March 2005

Capital gains are an important source of personal income in the United States but they are not included in the national accounts or the official estimate of personal income and saving. Individuals report their realized gains for tax purposes but the economic theorist would include both realized and accrued gains in income. National income theorists continue to debate whether capital gains should be included in income but, because of the many conceptual and statistical problems involved in estimating capital gains, no satisfactory estimates have been developed. Consequently, the debate has stayed mainly at the theoretical level. This paper deals with the methodology of estimating accrued capital gains. A simple analytical model is developed to estimate capital gains from data on market value and net acquisitions of an asset but the model can be adapted to incorporate asset prices directly. It is shown that the methods used for estimating accrued gains in the past are special cases of the model proposed in the paper. The model is then used for estimating gains accruing to individuals in the United States on their holdings of corporate stock, real estate and livestock during 1948–1964.

During this period accrued gains have amounted to roughly five times the realized gains reported for tax purposes; corporate stock and real estate are the most important sources of capital gains and corporate stock accounts for almost two‐thirds of all accrued gains. The paper goes on to examine the implications of these estimates for the existing series on personal income and saving in the United States. The inclusion of accrued gains would increase the variance in the official estimates but personal saving is affected more than personal income. The paper concludes with an evaluation of these results and some suggestions for further research.
NOTES AND MEMORANDA INCOME, CONSUMPTION AND SAVING IN URBAN AND RURAL INDIA: A NOTE
Authors: Gupta K. L.
Published: March 2005

In a recent issue of the Review of Income and Wealth[1], Uma Datta Roy Choudhury presented some results on consumption and saving functions in India. While the study is interesting, some of the results are quite peculiar. Thus she reports a marginal propensity to save of 0.88 for the urban sector, an abnormally high figure. Other available evidence points to a much lower figure. Again she reports a negative marginal propensity to consume out of permanent income for urban households. This makes no economic sense. Furthermore her attempts at explaining urban consumption behaviour are not very successful. In this paper, we shall show that these suspicious results are the consequences of the measurement and definitions of the variables, and the specification of the functions. Once these shortcomings are removed, we obtain more satisfactory and more plausible results.

In the first section we present a critique of Mrs. Roy Choudhury's article. In the second section we present our results. The last section summarizes the conclusions.
LE SYSTEME FRANCAIS DE COMPTABILITE ECONOMIQUE REGIONALE
Authors: Anfre Jean
Published: March 2005

Pour répondre aux besoins de la préparation du Plan, l'Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques (I.N.S.E.E.) élabore des séries de comptes économiques régionaux ayant pour origine 1'année 1962. Ces comptes concernent les 21 régions de programme que distingue la planification française et sont élaborés de façon centraliseé selon des concepts étroitement dérivés de ceux du système français de comptabilité nationale. Toutefois la régionalisation de certains éléments des comptes nationaux qui paraissent peu utiles pour ľanalyse régionale n'est pas prévue. A l'inverse il a fallu apporter des solutions originales à divers problèmes qui ne se posent pas au niveau national, comme celui de la localisation des entreprises èétablissements multiples.

Si le cadre comptable a été défini pour l'ensemble des comptes qu'on envisage de régionaliser, les premiers travaux ont porté sur les éléments qui pouvaient être évalués rapidement èľaide des statistiques immédiatement disponibles et qui présentaient le plus ďintérêt pour la re gionalisation du Plan. C'est ainsi qu'ont été réalisés en priorité les comptes des agents régionaux (collectivités locales, méanages, entreprises et éatablissements). Mais 1'equilobre régional des opéarations, qui nécessite de lourdes investigations stastiques, n'a fait l'objet que de travaux préliminaires.

Parallèlement è l'elaboration des comptes régionaux, un modèle projections è moyen terme a été mis au point. Ce modèle, qui constitue régionalisation du modèle physicofinancier utilisé pour la planification nationale, concerne deux domaines: les collectivités locales et les ménages. La projection des comptes des collectivités locales perment ďétudier le financement des équipements collectifs; la projection des comptes des ménages fournit une mesure des dispartés régionales de revenus et de leur évolution. Les premières projections, préparées en 1970 pour ľannéae 1975 gardent, plus encore que les séaries de comptes réagionaux, un caractégre expéarimental.
CHINA'S NATIONAL INCOME: A SURVEY OF ESTIMATES
Authors: Luey Paul
Published: March 2005

A number of official and Western estimates of China's national income for the period since 1949 are at present available. The official estimates are based on the Marxian production concept while the Western estimates are, in the main, based on the comprehensive production concept. The periods covered by the estimates vary; and even in cases where the periods covered are the same, the estimates vary in magnitude and, in most cases, in the implied rate of economic growth. Apart from differences arising from the different national income concepts and definitions employed in individual estimates, sources of discrepancies between series of estimates can be traced to the particular sets of primary data employed and also to the particular procedures followed in estimating the national income components. The present paper brings together the various estimates available to date and indicates for each, as far as possible, the basic production concept adopted, the particular national income aggregates estimated, the basic estimation approach employed, and the special procedures used for estimating some of the components of national income. Comparisons of the major series of estimates for the period 1952–1959 are made and the sources of discrepancies between the series are discussed. Finally, some problems are described which a researcher in the West has to contend with in working on China's national income accounting.
ASPECTS OF THE OFFICIAL NATIONAL INCOMES TABLES OF FIJI*
Authors: Ward Michael
Published: March 2005

This paper describes and examines three particular features of the official national income tables recently published by the Fiji Government. The need of development planners for a comprehensive set of national accounts incorporating detailed information relating to central government current expenditure, the operations of the private business sector, and the rural household economy has assumed special importance. The uses and limitations to the information contained under these specific headings is discussed and throughout an emphasis is placed on the need for the adoption of consistent and systematic methods of collection and estimation procedures to facilitate planning and decision making. As aids to more detailed interpretation and analysis, the features described are considered to be of general interest to other developing countries.
DATA SOURCES ON INCOME DISTRIBUTION IN BANGLADESH, INDIA, PAKISTAN AND SRI LANKA: AN EVALUATION
Authors: Rajaraman Indira
Published: March 2005

This paper examines the data base available in four South Asian countries, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, for the examination of trends in real inequality and poverty. Taking the position that sample surveys of household income and consumption are the only really adequate bases on which size distributions of income for a less developed country can be constructed, the paper examines in Section I the reliability of the surveys available in the four countries. Section II evaluates available price data. Section III looks at directions for future development of data collection. The conclusion is reached that sample surveys regularly conducted in these countries do not provide a particularly good basis for this type of analysis. Needed alterations include permitting access to the primary data (or redesign of published tabulations to meet the needs of this type of analysis), use of per capita rather than total household income and consumption, better coverage of regions and occupations, and exploitation of the price data implicit in the survey data collected. Further, the surveys themselves need to be overhauled, especially with regard to timing of interviews. The paper concludes with a short discussion of alternatives to estimates of inequality that can be used to measure absolute deprivation, such as the QUAC stick for identifying nutritional insufficiency.
THE ECONOMIC WELFARE OF THE AGED AND INCOME SECURITY PROGRAMS*
Authors: Moon Marilyn L.
Published: March 2005

This paper examines several nonmoney components of economic welfare in both a theoretical and an empirical framework, computes the distributional ranking of aged families arising from such a measure, and subsequently examines the target effectiveness of eleven programs of the U.S. federal government aimed at the aged. While the theoretical discussion attempts to cover all factors contributing to the economic welfare of the aged, the empirical measure is somewhat less comprehensive, excluding the value of nonmarket productive activities and leisure time as well as benefits derived from direct government expenditures and some in‐kind transfers and taxes. The study makes use of a subsample of the 1967 Survey of Economic Opportunity data composed of all families with at least one aged member. Specific attention is devoted to dissaving from net worth, in‐kind transfers, incidence of taxes, and intrafamily transfers. Government cash and in‐kind transfers are found to constitute a third of the total measured economic welfare of the aged, and the impact of each of these programs is examined individually. As might be expected, public assistance and public housing are the programs of most benefit to the aged poor. Medicaid and Medicare are substantially less so, and Social Security is distributionally neutral. Such programs as unemployment insurance are of little benefit to the aged. Tax expenditures, finally, provide no benefits to even the lower half of the distribution.
CAPITAL STOCK AND CAPITAL CONSUMPTION ESTIMATES BY INDUSTRIES IN THE SWEDISH NATIONAL ACCOUNTS
Authors: Tengblad ÅKe , Westerlund Nana
Published: March 2005

This paper gives a general description of the principles and methods in connection with making estimates of capital stock and capital consumption in the Swedish National Accounts, with breakdowns into industries and purposes of government services. The first section of the paper deals with definitions, principles and related questions. The major part of the estimates have been made according to the perpetual inventory method. The principles of this method are summarized. A number of problems relating to price indices are also described, as well as problems of valuation of capital for net worth and capital consumption estimates. The second section describes the methods of estimation and sources of data. The calculations have been made on a level of disaggregation into 41 industries and 13 purposes of government services. Three methods are used, i.e., direct estimates for capital objects, where some form of current stock data has been available, insurance values as proxy for replacement values, and perpetual inventory estimates. Comparisons between estimates according to the various methods are made in a number of cases.

In the third section a few special problems regarding the quality of the estimates and the possibilities of improving the estimates are explored. The main problems refer to the lack of gross fixed capital formation data, in the form of detailed series which are consistent, cover a long period, and are deflated with an adequate set of price indices. The lack of information on survival curves and durabilities of various types of capital objects is also a severe set‐back. Direct inventories would improve the level of the estimates, but they would also be difficult and costly to undertake. The change in capital stock would in any case have to be determined on the basis of gross fixed capital formation data.
THE INTEGRATION OF A SYSTEM OF PRICE AND QUANTITY STATISTICS WITH DATA ON RELATED VARIABLES
Authors: Popkin Joel
Published: March 2005

This paper has two main points. First, the usefulness of the industry detail called for in the SNA would be increased if it were altered to facilitate the construction of price and quantity aggregates classified by stage‐of‐process sectors. Second, the price and quantity data so arranged should be augmented by data on behaviorally related variables classified the same way. The feasibility of the stage‐of‐process approach is demonstrated by a table showing the high degree to which the U.S. input‐output table for 1967 can be triangularized. The analytical usefulness of the approach is demonstrated through analysis of changes in prices, output, unfilled orders and finished goods inventories for primary and for finished goods manufacturers.
INCOME INEQUALITY IN URBAN COLOMBIA: A DECOMPOSITION ANALYSIS
Authors: Fields Gary S.
Published: March 2005

The persistence of poverty and income inequality in less developed countries (LDCs) is a source of serious concern to development economists. To understand the structure of inequality, several researchers using a variety of methodologies have measured the importance of various contributory factors to overall income variability. The available literature—which now includes studies of Brazil, Mexico, Iran, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Pakistan, and Colombia‐has been reviewed elsewhere (Fields, forthcoming). This paper presents additional evidence for urban Colombia, in the process raising some important methodological issues which bear on the design of future research studies.

The data set used in this paper is described in Section I. The decomposition of Colombian inequality by functional income source is presented in Section 11 for micro data. Section I11 examines the robustness of source decomposition procedures to data aggregation. Section IV presents inequality decompositions by city, and Section V by other income‐determining characteristics. Conclusions appear in Section VI.
THE INCOME UNIT AND THE ANATOMY OF INCOME DISTRIBUTION*
Authors: Danziger Sheldon , Taussing Michael K.
Published: March 2005

This paper focuses on a neglected aspect of the treatment of the income unit in the construction of size distributions of income. If the size distribution is to be an indicator of the distribution of economic welfare, and if the economic welfare of each individual in society is to count equally, then conventional distributions are inconsistent with individualistic welfare functions. We estimate size distributions with each person's welfare weighted equally, and contrast these results with those weighting each household unit's welfare equally. The choice of weights is shown to affect both the level and the trend in income inequality.
INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS OF REAL PRODUCT AND ITS COMPOSITION: 1950–77
Authors: Summers Robert , Kravis Irving B. , Heston Alan
Published: March 2005

Structural relationships estimated from data obtained in a benchmark study of the expenditures and prices of 16 countries are used to develop a table of real gross domestic product and shares of gross domestic product devoted to private and public consumption and investment for each of over 100 countries in the years 1950 and 1960 through 1977. Price level estimates for total product and the three components are also provided.
SOCIAL ACCOUNTS AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME: THE MALAYSIAN ECONOMY IN 1970
Authors: Chander Ramesh , Gnasegarah S. , Pyatt Graham , Round Jeffrey I.
Published: March 2005

Although the functional and institutional distributions of income are integrally connected to individual living standards and other development policy objectives, these dimensions are rarely given prominence or even accommodated within standard national accounting frameworks. This paper summarizes research on the estimation of a social accounting matrix (SAM) for Malaysia for 1970 in which the distribution of income between different factors and socio‐economic groups is identified. It is the latest of a series of case studies involving some of the authors and is, perhaps, the most detailed of its kind. The study departs from the United Nations SNA guidelines at various points. The SNA basically proposes a commodity balance approach to national income accounting. In giving equal emphasis to income/outlay accounts as to the production accounts, the present study has brought together data from two major primary sources: a household expenditure survey and a production survey. Their combination poses several problems which are discussed in the paper. It leads to an integrated picture, in matrix form, of the interrelationships between income distribution and production structure in the Malaysian economy.

Both the factor and household accounts in our SAM are disaggregated according to race and the geographic distinction between Peninsular and East Malaysia, with an urban/rural split within Peninsula Malaysia. The Peninsula labor force is further disaggregated by education level, while its households are then subdivided according to the employment status of main income earners. Arguments for and against these choices are presented.

Some other aspects of the study can be noted. First, the distinction drawn between East and Peninsular Malaysia is desirable not only because of the inherent interest of the regions but also because of large differences in data availability and hence in estimation methods. Secondly, to complete our SAM it was necessary to estimate inter‐household transfers, being the institutional analogue of inter‐industry commodity flow. And finally an attempt has been made to impute the labor component of unincorporated business income. These, then, are the major problems which had to be overcome in our attempt to quantify the generation, distribution, and redistribution of income within Malaysia in a SAM framework.
MEASUREMENT PROBLEMS IN THE CHANGING PATTERN OF INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTIONS, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO CANADIAN EXPERIENCE
Authors: Carty E. Bower , Mcalister D. Keith
Published: March 2005

The unsolved problems of measurement of international transactions may have consequences which are serious both for policymakers and for those undertaking research. Emphasis is placed on the need for users of data to understand and take into account the limitations and qualifications attached to them.

The causes of deterioration in the quality of estimates of international transactions likely lie in their changing pattern. After a brief discussion of the basic sources and methods used, the paper selects for comment possible measurement problems related to inflation, taxation, illegal transactions, and affluence.

A description follows of the improvement to data which has been achieved through exchanges and comparisons between trading partner countries. Efforts to use econometric analysis to point to error sources have, however, proved less rewarding.

The paper concludes with a section on the linkage of flow and stock estimates.
IMPROVING THE ANALYTICAL AND DATA FRAMEWORK OF THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR FOR NATIONAL GOALS ACCOUNTING*
Authors: LEVY MICHAEL E.
Published: March 2005

Provision of “market goods” follows the decision rules of traditional microeconomics; pricing and resource allocation for such goods tend towards Pareto optimality. The provision of “collective goods,” by contrast, depends on political (or quasi‐political) collective decision processes; beneficiaries often receive a share of collective goods free of charge or well below average or marginal (private or social) costs. No inherent tendency towards optimality may be presumed and separate analysis of collective goods becomes an essential part of national goals accounting.

The national‐income‐accounts (NIA) distinction between personal consumption expenditures (PCE) and government purchases of goods and services corresponds roughly to a division between market goods bought by the consumer and a major category of “collective goods” (i.e. “public goods” provided by government). However, a significant proportion of PCE represents “collective goods” paid for by government, business, or nonprofit organizations and provided on behalf of the consumer, whereas a part of NIA government purchases represents services paid for by the consumer (i.e. “market goods”).

This article develops operationally meaningful distinctions among “market goods,”“collective goods,” and “tied aid” (a mixed category with market‐good and collective‐good characteristics). These distinctions are determined by the nature of the decision processes–rather than by the characteristics of the beneficiary or the supplier. This classification is related to the national income accounts and major discrepancies are pinpointed. The blurring of the distinction among market goods, collective goods and tied aid is found to be most consequential in the NIA treatment of “education” and “medical care” services. NIA data for these two services are restructured for national goals accounting purposes in order to illustrate both the quantitative importance and the empirical feasibility of classifying benefits by their respective decision processes.
VALUING GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES: THE CASE OF MEDICAL CARE TRANSFERS AND POVERTY*
Authors: Smeeding Timothy , Moon Marilyn
Published: March 2005

This paper explores the choices and potential biases involved in valuing one type of government expenditure, medical transfers, and in estimating its antipoverty impact. Three methodological approaches–(a measure of) government costs, (a measure of) cash‐equivalent values and (a measure of) funds released–are contrasted both in concept and in practice. We assign benefits to individuals after assuming that Medicare and Medicaid provide insurance to all those who are eligible. The resulting estimates for 1968 and 1974 illustrate the efficacy of these medical transfers in reducing the number of persons in poverty. Two recent studies, one by the Congressional Budget Office, and the other by Morton Paglin, further highlight the importance of medical transfers for estimating poverty, despite the fact that we do not wholly agree with the methodologies which they employ. Our results indicate that in the aggregate, while medical care transfers have a substantial impact on poverty, the choice of a specific estimation approach has little effect on poverty estimates. However, for the elderly and possibly also for other groups (e.g. the rural poor), choice of estimation technique is quite crucial for estimating the extent of poverty.
EXTERNAL TERMS OF TRADE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY USING DIFFERING METHODS OF DEFLATION*
Authors: Angermann Oswald
Published: March 2005

This paper deals with the influence of differing methods of deflation on the international terms of trade of the Federal Republic of Germany. The question to be discussed is what indices seem best suited for the deflation of exports and imports in national accounts. It will be shown that the use of alternative price indices for deflating exports and imports leads to considerable differences of the results at constant prices and so in terms of trade. In addition, terms of trade are presented by groups of countries.
CORPORATE AND SOCIAL ACCOUNTING FOR PETROLEUM
Authors: Ferran Bernardo
Published: March 2005

Present national accounting conventions regarding the treatment of flows and stocks in the petroleum sector are considered to be unsatisfactory. But changes in reporting requirements for oil and gas producers open up possibilities for a more satisfactory treatment.

In this article some aspects of the newly adopted requirements are presented and the possible uses of the additional information available for improving social accounts are discussed.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE AMONG HOUSEHOLDS IN THE UNITED STATES*
Authors: Ruggles Patricia , O'Higgins Michael
Published: March 2005

This paper presents an analysis of the distributive impact of government expenditures in the United States. The analysis uses a household‐level microdata file drawn from the 1970 U.S. Census of Population, with additional income and tax variables drawn from the Internal Revenue Service 1969—70 Tax File.

The results are presented at both federal and local levels and include analyses of the distribution of individual benefits, as well as of overall taxes and net benefits. Since a microdata file was used, distributional effects are examined with respect not only to the “traditional” variables of income class and household size, but also with regard to the number of earners in the household and the sex and race of the household head.

In a further paper in a subsequent issue of this review we will present the results of a similar analysis for the United Kingdom, and compare the results for the two countries.
SELECTED PROBLEMS OF INTER‐COUNTRY COMPARISONS ON THE BASIS OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THE EEC
Authors: Gerardi Dino
Published: March 2005

The formidable expansion in the scope of the United Nations International Comparison Project has brought into evidence limitations of the methodology used in the first three phases. The author considers that there are two indispensable conditions needed to give renewed impetus to the ICP: (a) the objectives must be redefined, and (b) the methodology must be built on an entirely new basis. He considers the broad lines of such an evolution to be the following.

(a) The objective of volume comparison must be kept distinct from that of purchasing power comparison, given that both the basic material and the formulae to be used at the aggregate level differ in the two cases.

(b) At the basic heading level, it is proposed, for both volume and purchasing power comparisons, to replace the multilateral approach by a “minimum scale” binary and unilateral approach, and to use the EKS method. This will make possible an improvement in the accuracy of the estimates, a reduction in the overall costs, and a drastic reduction in execution time. What is more, it would be possible to regionalize the worldwide comparison, in the sense that the results of the basic heading comparisons already obtained at the regional level for regional purposes can be used as an input in the framework of the worldwide comparison. At the aggregate level, in the framework of volume comparison, it is proposed that a constant price procedure in the spatial sense should continue to be used. It is, however, proposed that the prices of the set of countries (GK) be replaced by a structure of common “equi‐distant” prices (G). This would permit the elimination of the significant systematic distortions observed in the comparison between rich and poor countries in the first three phases of ICP. What is more, this gives maximum stability to results obtained for the same countries at different geographical levels. By using a set of common “equi‐distant” quantities, the same advantage can be obtained in the purchasing power comparison.
PROBLEMS IN THE COMPILATION OF INPUT‐OUTPUT TABLES IN THE NETHERLANDS
Authors: Algera S. B. , Mantelaers P. A. H. M. , van Tuinen H. K.
Published: March 2005

This article deals with some aspects of the compilation of input‐output tables (I.O. tables). A global view is given of the way in which I.O. tables are compiled in The Netherlands. It is indicated that in The Netherlands a number of developments are in progress that have led to an extension of the uses that are made of I.O. tables. The changing demands on I.O. tables that result from these developments can be met in future to an important degree. This has been made possible by extending and improving basic statistics and by increasing the uses made of automation facilities. Some problems remain, however, and one of these problems takes a central place in this article. This is the problem of accuracy and continuity: how can yearly I.O. tables be compiled that combine accuracy with consistency over time. Accuracy means here that the tables should be as complete as possible and in optimal accordance with all available information. Consistency over time means that estimates of details of I.O. tables compared with the same estimates for previous years reflect real economic developments. It is obvious that those two demands may conflict, particularly for years in which new information becomes available. It then must be decided whether accuracy or consistency in time deserves priority. What problems result from this decision and what are the consequences for the yearly I.O. tables? The problems arising from the conflicting demands of accuracy and continuity apply to the Netherlands in the last few years. This led to a revision of I.O. tables and national accounts for 1977. This revision resulted in an increase of estimated national income of more than 6 percent. For some components the adjustments have been much larger; this is particularly true for the services sector. More information on the 1977 revision is given in an annex.
IMPROVED INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS OF REAL PRODUCT AND ITS COMPOSITION: 1950–1980
Authors: Summers Robert , Heston Alan
Published: March 2005

A set of international comparisons is developed for 124 countries over the three post World War II decades, 1950‐80. A Data Table is presented which gives, for most countries and most years, real product estimates for three different national income concepts and for the major subaggregates consumption, investment, and government. Detailed comparative price level estimates are provided as well.
AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE CURRENT TREATMENT OF INTEREST AS TRANSFER IN THE UNITED NATIONS AND CANADIAN SYSTEMS OF NATIONAL ACCOUNTS
Authors: Sunga Preetom S.
Published: March 2005

The United Nations (SNA) and the Canadian (CSNA) Systems of National Accounts treat interest as a factor return to capital. The difficulties arising from the use of this concept cast doubt upon the basic premise. For example if the usual method of measuring value added by the summation of primary inputs is applied to industries mainly engaged in the lending of money, the results show negative production. This has led to the necessity of imputing bank interest in order to avoid negative income originating in the banking industry. Arguments are being put forward to extend this practice to certain other financial non‐bank areas as well to offset the negative product emerging with increasing frequency as a result of higher levels of interest transactions.

The proposed alternative is based on the contention that interest paid and received for the borrowing and lending of money should be treated in the same manner as the purchase and sale of other services. For the production accounts, for example, this would mean that interest paid by business would be treated as an intermediate expense of the paying industry and as revenue of the receiving industry. The adoption of this approach would therefore eliminate the need for the imputation of banking services and clear up the ambiguities encountered in treating interest on the public and consumer debt, issues which are also not unrelated to the present treatment of interest.