Roberto Simonetti

The effect of milk and sucrose consumption on caries in 6-to-11-year-old Italian schoolchildren

The effect of milk on dental caries was studied on a sample of 6-to-11-year-old Italian schoolchildren. The daily amount of milk consumed and the frequency of consumption of sucrose-containing foods were obtained by a 24-hour dietary diary. In the subsequent oral examination, the level of visible plaque and the number of decayed, extracted and filled teeth (both primary and permanent) of the children were recorded. 439 children (217 boys) who did not use fluoride prophylaxis and with poor oral hygiene were selected from among 890 children. They were divided into three groups according to the frequency of sucrose consumption. The data were statistically analysed using multiple logistic regression. The children consumed a daily average of 209 ± 133 ml of milk and there were no differences among the three groups in this respect. As expected, the dental health of the children with low sucrose frequency was significantly better than that of the children with high sucrose frequency. The regression on the whole sample showed a weak, significant, negative association between milk consumption and caries (p < 0.05). In the group of high sucrose-consuming children a negative, highly significant association was found (p < 0.001), while in the two groups of low and moderate sucrose-consuming children no association was found. These data suggest that, in the present sample of children who did not use fluoride and with poor oral hygiene, milk has a caries preventive effect only on those subjects with a high daily sucrose-consuming frequency.

The Dynamics of Pharmaceutical Patenting in India: Evidence from USPTO Data

Abstract This article analyses the impact of the implementation of the ‘Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights’ (TRIPS) on various segments of the Indian pharmaceutical industry. In particular, it focuses on the conditions under which a strong patent system can create benefits for a developing countrys pharmaceutical industry. The theoretical analysis suggests that the greater the technological capabilities of the Indian pharmaceutical industry the greater are its chances to benefit from the introduction of stronger intellectual property rights (IPRs). The evidence presented paints a generally positive picture of the state of the Indian pharmaceutical industry, with the existence of strong and growing technological competencies that can be used as a platform for further expansion. These conclusions are dependent on Indias worldwide success in the industry and cannot be automatically applied to other developing countries, especially if their pharmaceutical industry is not strong at the moment of the transition to a stronger IPR regime.

A macroeconometric model for the analysis of the impact of technological change and trade on employment

This paper introduces the theoretical foundations and the structure of a macroeconometric model for the analysis of compensation schemes. After a brief explanation of the main relationships between technical change and employment, the general structure of the model is outlined with reference to the objective of the analysis. The formal model illustrates a possible way of approaching, from a macroeconomic perspective, the analysis of the complex relations between technological change, trade, growth and employment dynamics. The aim is to highlight the relevance of some aspects that in the past have only received a minor treatment in mainstream contributions to the issue. In particular, the strong dependence of the results on distribution and demand is recognized. The model proposed is the extended version of a macroeconomic model previously presented by Vivarelli (1995). Modifications have both theoretical and technical relevance. Some results from an application to Italy and the United Kingdom follow a brief discussion on the techniques adopted for the econometric estimation.

Objects and Subjects in Technological Interdependence. Towards a Framework to Monitor Innovation

Technology, even more than other aspects of economic life, is characterized by a strong interdependence across both sectors and organizations. However, we still know little about the determinants and impact of technological interdependence. The standard input-output analysis is unable to explain interdependence in technological life since a large proportion of innovations are either untraded or are disembodied from products. Innovations which are not appropriated by the innovators are not signalled by prices. Moreover, input-output tables do not systematically consider exchanges within economic organizations, such as firms. This paper proposes a more complex accounting framework for innovation which would monitor the technological field of the innovation and the product where it is used, as well as the producer-user interrelationship.

Pharmaceuticals in Kenya: The Evolution of Technological Capabilities

As Chapter 1 briefly outlined, Kenya has a strong and long-standing pharmaceutical industry. A 2015 Business Monitor report on pharmaceutical manufacturing in Kenya states that the country hosts the largest pharmaceutical industrial base in East Africa. The report also sees a bright future as a ‘potential base for export across East Africa’ (BMI Research, 2015). This chapter locates the Kenyan pharmaceutical industry within the country’s historical context of industrial development and growth.