Suchergebnisse

Two puzzling facts of international real business cycles are (1) weak or negative correlations between the terms of trade and output, and (2) a rise in relative consumption for countries where national goods become relatively more expensive. We show that these puzzles either vanish or become much weaker in recent data. We propose a new mechanism that generates endogenous international price movements that are consistent with both the 'old' and the 'new' facts. In this mechanism, firms operating in a monopolistically competitive environment adjust price and quality of their products in response to technological shocks. This model is consistent with the old facts if price levels are not adjusted for quality. Instead, if quality adjustments to price level are introduced, then the model's properties are in line with the new facts.

<i>Aim:</i> To investigate the mortality rate in a cohort of 269 opioid-dependent patients and the outcome of survivors meeting DSM-IV criteria for opioid dependence. <i>Design:</i> Retrospective cohort study. <i>Participants:</i> Patients enrolled in synthetic opioid maintenance therapy during a time frame from 1998 to 1999 originally at the Addiction Clinic and then discharged to general practitioners. <i>Methods:</i> Structured interviews (Europ-ASI), urinalysis at time of interview as well as autopsy findings from deceased patients. <i>Results:</i> After six mailings, information from 147 (54.6%) patients was gained. 85 patients (31.6%) were interviewed. From these 76.5% (n = 65) were still enrolled in maintenance therapy, 18.8% (n = 16) were drug-free and 4.7% (n = 4) relapsed. From 29 fatalities, 37.9% died of intoxication with illicit substances, 34.5% related to AIDS and 27.6% of somatic complications. The Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) was 29.13 (95% CI = 19.27–44.04). A higher lifetime frequency of hospitalization, less working days and a lack of social relationships were factors associated with high mortality. <i>Conclusions:</i> The study confirms the high mortality rate in this patient group and supports the importance of maintenance therapy. Although great efforts were undertaken in locating patients, about 45% of the target group could not be located.