bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Mofetta Tylicz – an example of carbonated water springs in the
area of Tylicz (Beskid Sądecki, the Carpathians)
Authors: Modelska Magdalena , Buczyński Sebastian , Błachowicz Marek , Heidemann Monika , Grzęda Olga , Karkoszka Łukasz
Published: April 2016

The paper characterise the group of CO2-rich (carbonated) water springs in the Carpathians,
which are accompanied by exhalation of CO2. These springs called the Mofetta
Tylicz are the example of the environmental and touristic unique object. We present
geological and hydrogeological background as well as chemical analysis of the springs
composition. The springs are characterised by the variability of the chemical composition
of analysed groundwater, which indicates the need to implement a systematic
monitoring. The monitoring would assess the reasons for this variability and allow the
effective protection of spring waters of this area in the future.
Synthesis and mechanical behaviour of green metal matrix composites using waste eggshells as reinforcement material
Authors: Dwivedi Shashi Prakash , Sharma Satpal , Mishra Raghvendra Kumar
Published: April 2016

Chicken eggshell (ES) is an aviculture by-product that has been listed worldwide as one of the worst environmental problems. The effective utilisation of ES biowaste is strongly encouraged in our society due to environmental and economic reasons. The aluminium alloy (AA) 2014/5 wt% carbonised ES metal matrix composite used in this study was fabricated by electromagnetic stir casting technique at parameters of 12 A (current), 180 s (time) and 700°C (matrix pouring temperature), respectively, and immediately extruded on universal testing machine at 60 MPa using cylindrical H13 tool steel die coated with graphite to avoid upper flow of ES particles and to improve wettability of carbonised ES with AA2014 alloy. Microstructures of composites show uniform distribution of carbonised ES particles. Density and overall cost of the metal matrix composite decreases 3.57% and 5%, respectively, when carbonised ES particulate is added 5% by weight. Tensile strength, hardness, toughness and fatigue strength of AA2014/5 wt% carbonized eggshell composite were also measured. Results show an improvement in these mechanical properties with addition of ES in the matrix alloy.
Genetic Diversity and Core Collection Constitution for Subsequent Creation of New Sunflower Varieties in Tunisia
Authors: Sahari Khoufi , Nicolas Pouilly , Stéphane Muños , Aurélie Bérard , Fayçal Ben Jeddi , Patrick Vincourt , Dominique Brunel
Published: April 2016

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is used as “seed snacks”, so called “pipas”, in the Mediterranean countries which may offer an interesting opportunity for agricultural diversification of this crop. The morpho-phenological variability already demonstrated in the Tunisian local populations can be a basis for the creation of new varieties well adapted to climate and soil conditions in that region. The molecular characterization of 59 accessions and reference lines generated 194 alleles from 30 SSR loci (3–10 alleles per locus) and 54 haplotypes, built from 117 SNP detected by NGS sequencing of 7 genes (4–16 haplotypes per gene). These data highlight some uniqueness of the Tunisian material compared to 7 control lines but a low genetic dispersion between accessions. However, a core collection of 8 populations, capturing 88 % of the Tunisian genetic diversity, could be proposed for a future sunflower breeding program.
Probing catalytic rate enhancement during intramembrane proteolysis
Authors: Arutyunova Elena , Smithers Cameron C. , Corradi Valentina , Espiritu Adam C. , Young Howard S. , Tieleman D. Peter , Lemieux M. Joanne
Published: April 2016

Rhomboids are ubiquitous intramembrane serine proteases involved in various signaling pathways. While the high-resolution structures of the Escherichia coli rhomboid GlpG with various inhibitors revealed an active site comprised of a serine-histidine dyad and an extensive oxyanion hole, the molecular details of rhomboid catalysis were unclear because substrates are unknown for most of the family members. Here we used the only known physiological pair of AarA rhomboid with its psTatA substrate to decipher the contribution of catalytically important residues to the reaction rate enhancement. An MD-refined homology model of AarA was used to identify residues important for catalysis. We demonstrated that the AarA active site geometry is strict and intolerant to alterations. We probed the roles of H83 and N87 oxyanion hole residues and determined that substitution of H83 either abolished AarA activity or reduced the transition state stabilization energy (ΔΔG‡) by 3.1 kcal/mol; substitution of N87 decreased ΔΔG‡ by 1.6–3.9 kcal/mol. Substitution M154, a residue conserved in most rhomboids that stabilizes the catalytic general base, to tyrosine, provided insight into the mechanism of nucleophile generation for the catalytic dyad. This study provides a quantitative evaluation of the role of several residues important for hydrolytic efficiency and oxyanion stabilization during intramembrane proteolysis.
Thermochemical Approach for Screening of Alternative Metal Oxides as a Flame Retardant of Modacrylic Fiber
Authors: Tanaka Takeshi , Terakado Osamu , Hirasawa Masahiro
Published: April 2016

In the view of the exploring novel flame retardants for polymers, modacrylic fibers, which consist of acrylonitrile and vinylidene dichloride, containing metal oxide have been investigated by thermogravimetric–mass spectrometry (TG-MS) analysis. It was found that, among the examined oxides, germanium and antimony oxides formed the corresponding volatile chlorides through the reactions of oxides with hydrogen chloride formed during thermal decomposition of the polymer. The results have been discussed in the framework of thermochemistry. Based on the equilibrium calculation of the polymer–oxide mixture, the predominance diagrams of the M-O-Cl systems (M = Sb and Ge) show that the chlorides are the most stable phases at 573 K, at which temperature the major decomposition of the polymer starts. These results suggest that GeO2 would be a possible candidate of a flame retardant for chlorinated polymers. However, combustion experiments revealed an insufficient performance of the oxide. The inductively coupled plasma with atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) analysis showed the reactivity of GeO2 for HCl was inferior to that of Sb2O3, and X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) analysis of the solid thermal decomposition products showed that the evaporation of germanium was less intense than that of the conventional antimony system. This result is presumably due to the smaller rate of the chlorination of GeO2 than that of Sb2O3.
25(OH)D levels and skinfolds thickness in athletes
Authors: Książek Anna , Zagrodna Aleksandra , Pietraszewska Jadwiga , Słowińska-Lisowska Małgorzata
Published: April 2016

Purpose

The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between 25(OH)D levels and skinfold thickness in Poland’s premier league (Ekstraklasa) football players.

Methods

We enrolled 43 Poland’s premier league football players. The mean age was 22.7 ± 5.3 years. Serum levels of 25(OH)D were measured by electrochemiluminescence (ECLIA) using the Elecsys system (Roche, Switzerland). Skinfold measurements were taken with a Harpenden-type skinfold calliper body fat tester, characterised by a constant pressure of 10 g/mm2.

Results

Our study showed decreased serum 25(OH)D levels in 74.4% of the professional football players. We did show a statistically significant negative correlation between the 25(OH)D levels and the biceps skinfold thickness (r = −0.33), iliac crest skinfold thickness (r = −0.43), the sum of all the studied parameters (r = −0.5) and percentage of body fat (r = −0.49).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that athletes with higher content of the adipose tissue may be at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency, and that 25(OH)D levels need to be monitored in professional athletes, particularly during the winter season.
Illicit Trade as a Countervailing Effect: What the FDA Would Have to Know to Evaluate Tobacco Regulations
Authors: Kleiman Mark , Prieger James , Kulick Jonathan
Published: April 2016

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act [P.L. 111–31] gives the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco products, including placing restrictions on product composition, sale, and distribution. A complete accounting of the costs and benefits of any tobacco regulation includes harms from possible illicit trade in tobacco products (ITTP): costs of enforcement, violence, incarceration, etc. Indeed, the law instructs the FDA to take into account the “countervailing effects” of regulation on public health, “such as the creation of a significant demand for contraband or other tobacco products that do not meet the requirements.” While the law’s narrow focus on public health may limit the scope of an inquiry by the FDA compared to a full benefit-cost analysis, aspects of ITTP such as violence and incarceration have substantial health impacts. Illicit markets in drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, not to mention the grand experiment of alcohol Prohibition in the early twentieth century, illustrate the substantial risks of unwanted side effects of drug prohibition. But taxes, product limitations, access restrictions, and narrowly defined product bans constitute “lesser prohibitions,” and are subject to the same kind (if not degree) of risks. All tobacco policy-making should therefore consider ITTP. This article sets forth a research agenda for the FDA to consider in order to estimate the effects of contemplated tobacco-product regulation and ITTP. To carry out fully its legislative mandate, the FDA would have to determine the current size and impacts of ITTP, analyze how these may be expected to change under new regulations, and look for interdependencies among tobacco-product markets that may complicate single-product regulation. A more challenging element of the research agenda would be to develop a better theoretical groundwork for the prediction of the emergence, size, and side effects of illicit markets. We close with discussion of how the proposed research agenda may lead to insights into other policy areas as well.
Historische Angemessenheit als hermeneutisches Konzept, Argument oder Problem?
Authors: Willand Marcus
Published: April 2016

Arguments about the concept of adequacy (›Angemessenheit‹) of interpretation are as constitutive for many hermeneutic theories of meaning as they are for the interpretive praxis derived from these theories. This essay seeks to illustrate by way of exemplary approaches by Georg Friedrich Meier (1718–1777), Johann Martin Chladenius (1710–1759) and Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher (1768–1834) that very different notions are prevalent within hermeneutics as to what counts as an adequate interpretation. For instance, the ascription of

The goal of the following elaborations is not, however, a (linguistic) historical derivation of diverse forms of ›Angemessenheit‹. By means of a complex example for the interpretive deployment of (il-)legitimate anachronisms, the semantic conceptions of the three hermeneuticists mentioned above will be exemplified and analyzed with respect to the question of which bids for a specifically

Using the scheme »a is suitable for b with respect to c«, we can with some clarity reconstruct the problem areas (among others, author, spatiotemporal contexts, reader, hypothetical reader models) associated with adequacy on the interpretive and theoretical levels. However, it will also be shown that a field of reference for arguments about adequacy which limits the scope of statements (»with reference to c«) is seldom explicated. It has to be deduced from precisely those premises which are axiomatic for a specific theory and its conception of meaning. If we compare the explicit arguments, the argumentative fields of reference, and the axiomatic premises of each hermeneutic with one another, we can very clearly prove that 1) there is no

Against this background, a position can be taken with regard to the two arguments discussed repeatedly over the course of the essay: i) Arguments for adequacy are to be understood as hermeneutic topics and can in this way count as unproblematic aspects of theories of meaning. ii) Arguments for adequacy provide – contrary to i) – references to a previously insufficiently reflected type of argument in literary studies that hardly provides a solution to historically determined difficulties of understanding.

The argumentative reference to specifically historical adequacy certainly invokes the central problems of a conception of meaning, but it does not explicate the strategies for solving them. The vagueness that results from such an attempt at reconstructive explication not only indicates the insufficient reflection of this type of argumentation (thesis ii). It also raises the question of whether adequacy – just like plausibility (cf. Winko 2015) – as a
Design and Analysis of Higher Order Exponential Horn Profiles for Ultrasonic Machining
Authors: Chhabra Akash Deep , Vinod Kumar R. , Vundavilli Pandu R. , Surekha B.
Published: April 2016

Now-a-days ultrasonic machining (USM) is playing a vital role in machining recently developed very hard and high strength materials that are difficult to machine using other conventional processes. It is important to note that the vibrating/oscillating acoustic horn along with abrasive slurry are responsible for removal of material in USM process, the performance of the process relies largely on the design of the acoustic horn. Therefore, in the present study an attempt is made to design and analyse various shapes, such as exponential, double exponential and triple exponential profiles of the acoustic horns. Further, the performances of the designed acoustic horns have been analysed with the help of finite element method in terms of deformation profile, stress profile, strain and amplitude variation for each of the horn profiles. In the present analysis structural steel is considered as material of the tool for the USM process. Moreover, a new type of horn profile, namely a mixed profile that consists of two exponential and one cylindrical portion has been designed and its performance has been compared with the commercially available horn profiles.
Thermodynamic Assessment of TiO2 Reduction to Ti Metal in Molten CaCl2
Authors: Bogala Mallikharjuna R. , Reddy Ramana G.
Published: April 2016

Thermodynamic assessment of electrochemical reduction of TiO2 to Ti metal in CaCl2 molten salt electrolyte is discussed. The conversion of TiO2 to Ti takes place via multi-step reduction process that involves formation of several intermediates or sub-oxides of titanium at different reaction conditions. A complete understanding of these redox chemical reactions, and change in reaction Gibbs energy is very essential for efficient extraction of the Ti metal. This research article discusses the thermodynamic modelling studies on the formation of different titanium sub-oxides and corresponding reaction conditions (change in Gibb’s energy, temperature, and pressure) during TiO2 reduction to Ti metal.
Employee privileges in the Polish tobacco industry in a period of Polish People’s Republic
Authors: Synowiec Andrzej
Published: April 2016

Described privileges of determined employee groups in the Polish tobacco industry in a period of Polish People’s Republic on example of Kraków plants arose largely from the statute law, although not without meaning carried out its interpretation, by workers self-management and Company’s Dispute Adjudication Boards (CDAB). It was possible to notice the sign of appropriating privileges by determined employees groups not-arising from the existing law, but being a sign of aspirations to ensure a higher position for oneself in the unit through certain acquaintances and in consequence achieving common benefits, etc. informally. The article constitutes only a starting point for further in-depth studies covering employee issues in all tobacco industry in Poland.
High-Efficiency Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems: R-30 Walls in Three-Inch Thickness—Modeling, Performance Testing, and Installation
Authors: Altum Steve , Carbary Lawrence , Seitz Aaron , Preston Bill , Serino Roland , Dunlap Andrew
Published: April 2016

Fumed silica vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) have been known to provide excellent thermal insulation due to their extremely low thermal conductivity. VIPs are more fragile than conventional insulation and do not lend themselves to usage under typical jobsite conditions. An innovative way of incorporating VIPs into a 3-in.-thick wall cladding system was developed over a multiyear period through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program DE-EE0003915. Initial performance testing of an exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS) utilizing VIPs was completed at Oak Ridge National Laboratories. Thermal performance was validated by using a heat flux meter (ASTM C518) and two hot box tests (ASTM C1363). Based on the results, THERMV © 5.2 and WUFI modeling were performed to determine optimum design. Field trials were completed on a retrofit project in a northern climate that resulted in delivering an R30 wall in a 3-in. thickness. The field trial further improved on the designs tested and modeled. The system uses drainage EIFS construction methods with the exception that the layout of insulation is engineered and sequenced. The wall system was then taken through further testing to ASTM E119, ASTM E330, NFPA 285, and NFPA 268 standards, to which all results were positive, rendering a code compliant commercial grade system. Thermal resistance performance values from R-24 to R-40 in a 3-in. overall panel thickness are demonstrated using Type 2 expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation and varying the thickness of the VIP within the EPS. Installation of batt insulation within the steel stud cavities demonstrated an upgrade of R5. This high-efficiency wall cladding system will deliver top performance in a thin wall system not seen before in commercial construction in North America.
Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems—Then and Now
Authors: Nelson Peter E.
Published: April 2016

This paper reviews some of the pressing issues and challenges presented in papers from the first two ASTM exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) symposiums (ASTM STP1187—September 1992 and ASTM STP1269—March 1995) and compares them to EIFS today. What has changed, and what has not, over the last two decades? What pressing problems from 20 years ago have been addressed (e.g., absence of many options for drainable systems)? What new problems have emerged (e.g., additional code-mandated restrictions and concerns with combustible foam plastics as part of exterior wall assemblies)? What additional benefits of EIFS have emerged or been more fully appreciated in recent years (e.g., code-mandated emphasis on continuous exterior insulation)?
Justice Delayed is Justice Denied
Authors: Sourdin Tania , Burstyner Naomi
Published: April 2016

Historical acknowledgements of delays in the justice system often recognise the perspective of the accused or the disputant, and suggest that for a person seeking justice, the time taken for resolution of their issue is critical to the justice experience. In essence, these acknowledgements are consistent with more recent research which has shown that the time taken to deal with a dispute is a, and in many cases the, critical factor in determining whether or not people consider that the justice system is just and fair. This article considers issues in the justice system that are related to timeliness and the interconnectedness of the definition of delay and contends that the nature of delay in the current justice environment is contingent on many aspects and mechanisms utilised by the modern justice system. The question of whether justice delayed is justice denied appears to depend on whether delay is inappropriate, out of proportion or avoidable.
Foreword
Authors: Andrews Neil
Published: April 2016

Foreword to Volume 4, Issue 1.
MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Pituitary ‘incidentaloma’: neuroradiological assessment and differential diagnosis
Authors: Vasilev Vladimir , Rostomyan Liliya , Daly Adrian F , Potorac Iulia , Zacharieva Sabina , Bonneville Jean-François , Beckers Albert
Published: April 2016

Pituitary incidentalomas are a by-product of modern imaging technology. The term ‘incidentaloma’ is neither a distinct diagnosis nor a pathological entity. Rather, it is a collective designation for different entities that are discovered fortuitously, requiring a working diagnosis based on the input of the radiologist, endocrinologist and often a neurosurgeon. In addition to pathological conditions affecting the pituitary gland, a thorough knowledge of the radiological characteristics of normal variants and technical artifacts is required to arrive at an accurate differential diagnosis. After careful radiological and hormonal evaluation, the vast majority of pituitary incidentalomas turn out to be non-functioning pituitary microadenomas and Rathke’s cleft cysts (RCCs). Based on the low growth potential of non-functioning pituitary microadenomas and RCCs, periodic MRI surveillance is currently considered the optimal management strategy. Stricter follow-up is required for macroadenomas, as increases in size occur more frequently.
Prostaglandin E1 inhibits endocytosis in the β-cell endocytosis
Authors: Zhao Ying , Fang Qinghua , Straub Susanne G , Lindau Manfred , Sharp Geoffrey W G
Published: April 2016

Prostaglandins inhibit insulin secretion in a manner similar to that of norepinephrine (NE) and somatostatin. As NE inhibits endocytosis as well as exocytosis, we have now examined the modulation of endocytosis by prostaglandin E1(PGE1). Endocytosis following exocytosis was recorded by whole-cell patch clamp capacitance measurements in INS-832/13 cells. Prolonged depolarizing pulses producing a high level of Ca2+influx were used to stimulate maximal exocytosis and to deplete the readily releasable pool (RRP) of granules. This high Ca2+influx eliminates the inhibitory effect of PGE1on exocytosis and allows specific characterization of the inhibitory effect of PGE1on the subsequent compensatory endocytosis. After stimulating exocytosis, endocytosis was apparent under control conditions but was inhibited by PGE1in a Pertussis toxin-sensitive (PTX)-insensitive manner. Dialyzing a synthetic peptide mimicking the C-terminus of the α-subunit of the heterotrimeric G-protein Gzinto the cells blocked the inhibition of endocytosis by PGE1, whereas a control-randomized peptide was without effect. These results demonstrate that PGE1inhibits endocytosis and Gzmediates the inhibition.
Long-Term Results of Pericardial Autologous Patch Enlargement of the Aortic Annulus Using the Manouguian Technique
Authors: Demïrtürk Orhan Saïm , Kiziltan H.Tarik , Coşkun İsa , Tünel Hüseyin Ali , Tekin Hatice Göknur
Published: April 2016

Background: The management of a small aortic root at the time of aortic valve replacement is controversial. In cases in which the aortic root is very small the choice of aortic valve type and of root-enlargement method is difficult. The technical challenge of the small aortic root has instigated the creation of methods for annular enlargement. Severe mismatch as a predictor of overall 30-day mortality or midterm mortality reports about long-term results of aortic valve replacement using autologous pericardial patch are scarce. Moreover, no reports about patient series are present in the English medical literature. This retrospective study was designed to address this gap in evidence.
Methods: Twenty consecutive patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (with or without mitral valve replacement and/or coronary artery bypass grafting) at Başkent University Adana Medical Center between June 30, 1999 and April 10, 2006 were retrospectively evaluated. All clinical and echocardiographical data belonging to this population were specified. Their perioperational data were assessed.
Results: Twenty patients operated using the Manouguian technique for narrow aortic root from June 1999 to April 2006 were followed for 8.54 ± 3.35 years. Fourteen patients were alive at the end of the follow-up. Six patients had died. Early mortality rate was 5% and late mortality after 8.54 ± 3.35 years was 30%. Late mortality related to cardiac reasons was 5%. Only one death could be attributed to a cardiac cause which occured in a 36-year-old male patient 3 years and 6 months after the operation. 70% of the patients were alive after a mean follow-up period of 8.54 ± 3.35 years.
Conclusion: The main finding of the present study is that aortic root enlargement using untreated fresh autologous pericardium in Manouguian type operations is a durable option, especially in conditions when homograft or stentless valve use is difficult or economically not feasible. We found that no patient had aneurysmal dilatation or mitral regurgitation after a mean follow-up of 8.54 ± 3.35 years with autologous untreated pericardium as the enlargement patch.
Early Outcomes of Coronary Endarterectomy in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
Authors: Bagheri Amin , Masoumi Ahmad , Bagheri Jamshid
Published: April 2016

Background: Coronary endarterectomy (CE) is performed as an adjunct to coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG); however, the efficacy of this technique is still controversial. We aimed to evaluate the impact of CE combined with CABG when compared with isolated CABG.
Methods: Patients who underwent CABG between July 2007 and June 2014 were included. 70 of 2452 patients (2.8%) underwent CE in addition to CABG. Early results were compared with isolated CABG and predictors of adverse outcome were measured in stepwise multivariate logistic regression analyses.
Results: The incidence of comorbidities including prior myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, and three-vessel coronary disease in CE patients was higher; however, mortality (4.3% versus control 3.6%; P = .762) and postoperative complications were not significantly increased in this group of patients (except supraventricular arrhythmia). Although age greater than 70 years, impaired ejection fraction, intraoperative intraaortic balloon pump, and prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass time were important predictors of adverse outcomes, CE was not associated with increased mortality or postoperative morbidities.
Conclusion: Despite the higher risk profile of patients who underwent CE, this technique was not identified as an independent risk factor for adverse postoperative outcomes.
Left Ventricular Aneurysm Repair with Endoaneurysmorrhaphy Technique: An Assessment of Two Different Ventriculotomy Closure Methods
Authors: Aliyev Eldaniz , Dolapoglu Ahmet , Beketaev Ilimbek , Engin Cagatay , Yagdi Tahir , Apaydin Anil Ziya , Ozbaran Mustafa , Yuksel Munevver
Published: April 2016

Background: Left ventricular aneurysm is a serious mechanical complication of myocardial infarction and has an incidence of 10-35% after myocardial infarction. Ventricular aneurysm in patients with angina, heart failure, and ventricular arrhythmia should be surgically treated. Endoaneurysmorrhaphy is one of the repair techniques that results in better left ventricular geometry and function. After this surgical procedure the ventriculotomy is repaired either with Teflon felt strips or by direct suture of the epicardium.
Methods: In this study, we described the postoperative early outcomes of two ventriculotomy closing techniques such as Teflon felt versus direct closure after aneurysm repair. This retrospective study included a total of 73 patients (mean age > 70 years) with left ventricular aneurysm, who underwent endoaneurysmorrhaphy repair between 1997 and 2009. All selected patients were divided into two groups according to the ventriculotomy closure technique either by Teflon felt or direct by epicardial closure. The pre-, intra-, and postoperative results of these patients were analyzed accordingly.
Results: The postoperative early mortality rate and postoperative bleeding were not significantly different between the Teflon felt and primary closure groups (P = .246 and
P = .371 respectively), but postoperative arrhythmias were significantly higher in the Teflon felt repair group (P = .049).
Conclusion: Endoaneurysmorrhaphy is a better surgical technique in left ventricle aneurysm to restore the internal contour and preserve the surface anatomy of the ventricle. The ventriculotomy closure can be performed with two different approaches, including Teflon felt strips or by direct suture of the epicardium. Based on this study’s findings, two repair techniques have similar impact on the early outcomes. However, with overall outcomes with respect to Teflon felt repair, direct closure of the ventriculotomy after endoaneurysmorrhaphy was superior.
Gimme 3 Steps (With a Nod to an American Rock Song from the 1970s)
Authors: Tribble Curt G
Published: April 2016

The message that patients are frequently dissatisfied with their interactions with their physicians is a common one. And, articles about physician burnout are plentiful [Shanafelt 2015]. Indeed, a recent national survey showed a nearly 9 percent increase in burnout rates over just the last 3 years [Peckham 2015]. Many factors contribute to this problem, not the least of which is the push to use electronic medical records systems, as evidenced by the recent comment from the acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, Mr. Andy Slavitt, who said “we have to get the hearts and minds of physicians back. I think we’ve lost them” [McKnight 2016].
While many of the factors contributing to physician dissatisfaction are, and will be, difficult to control, there is at least one source of satisfaction that is within the relatively easy purview of virtually all practicing physicians, and that source is the patients for whom all physicians care.  Fortunately, there are some straightforward, simple, and efficient ways to improve the view patients have of their physicians and the satisfaction that physicians can derive from caring for their patients. Three simple steps that can make both physicians and their patients more satisfied with the interactions between patients and physicians are outlined here. These suggestions are primarily oriented toward physicians in training caring for hospitalized patients, though they are most certainly applicable to all physicians. These suggestions are based on what younger physicians can say to, ask of, or do for a patient under their care, all of which can be easily and efficiently accomplished.
Deficiencia de la vitamina D en mujeres adolescentes con obesidad
Authors: Pajuelo R. Jaime , Bernui L. Ivonne , Sánchez G. José , Agüero Z. Rosa , Miranda C. Marianella , Estrada A. Bill , Chupica L. Jackeline
Published: April 2016

Introducción. La deficiencia de vitamina está siendo considerada como un problema de salud pública. Objetivos. Describir el estatus de la vitamina D en adolescentes del género femenino con obesidad y determinar factores de asociación. Diseño. Estudio observacional, descriptivo y analítico. Lugar: Lima Metropolitana. Participantes. Adolescentes mujeres. Intervenciones. Se estudió 111 adolescentes, 58 obesas y 53 no obesas, de acuerdo al índice de masa corporal. Se llevó a cabo una encuesta de alimentos dirigida a aquellos que proporcionaran vitamina D y se identificó los suplementos vitamínicos. Se les midió la circunferencia de la cintura y se tomó la presión arterial. Se les hizo dosaje en sangre venosa de glucosa, perfil lipídico y 25 hidroxivitamina D. El estatus de la vitamina D se determinó con los criterios de Holick. El análisis estadístico se efectuó con las pruebas de t-student, chi cuadrado y ANOVA, con un intervalo de confianza del 95% y un nivel de significancia < 0,05. Principales medidas de resultados. Promedios, intervalos de confianza y prevalencias. Resultados. Se encontró un 10,8% de adolescentes con deficiencia de vitamina D (< 20 ng/mL), 11,3% en las no obesas y 10,3% en las obesas. La ingesta promedio de vitamina D fue de 1,8 ug (IC 1,4 a 2,2) en las no obesas y 1,7 ug (IC 1,4 a 2,1) en las obesas. Mientras que en los deficientes la ingesta fue 2,3 ug (IC 1,9 a 2,9) y 1,7 ug (IC 1,4 a 2) en los no deficientes. No hubo asociación entre la vitamina D y los factores de riesgo cardiovascular. Conclusiones. Una de cada 10 adolescentes presentó deficiencia de vitamina D y dos de cada 10 insuficiencia.
Percepción de médicos de una universidad de Lima sobre su capacitación en procedimientos médicos durante el internado
Authors: Taype Rondán Álvaro , Tataje Rengifo Gustavo , Arizabal Angela , Alegría Hernández Saela
Published: April 2016

Objetivos: Evaluar la percepción de médicos recién egresados sobre su capacitación en procedimientos médicos durante el internado, y determinar los factores asociados a recibir una adecuada capacitación en un mayor número de procedimientos, en una universidad de Lima, Perú. Diseño: Estudio observacional, transversal y analítico. Institución: Universidad de San Martín de Porres, Lima, Perú. Participantes: Médicos egresados. Métodos: Estudio tipo encuesta realizado en médicos egresados de una universidad privada de Lima, Perú, que realizaron el internado médico durante el año 2014. Se utilizó la red social Facebook para ubicar a los participantes, se obtuvo el consentimiento informado y se envió una encuesta autoaplicada con variables sociodemográficas y referentes a su internado médico. Principales medidas de resultados: Percepción sobre su capacitación en procedimientos médicos durante el internado. Resultados: Se analizaron 117 encuestas. El número de horas laboradas por día fue en promedio 10,0±1,8, la frecuencia de carga laboral excesiva y de ‘papeleo excesivo’ en al menos una rotación fueron 80,3% y 84,6%, respectivamente. Pocos encuestados recibieron durante su internado una adecuada capacitación en colocación de inyectables (53,9%), reducción de fracturas (28,2%) y atención de partos vaginales verticales (27,4%). Haber percibido una adecuada capacitación en más de 20 procedimientos se asoció a considerar una adecuada docencia en tres o cuatro rotaciones (RP=2,55, IC95%=1,36 a 4,76) y laborar en promedio 9 horas y 30 minutos a 10 horas y 15 minutos diarios en comparación con laborar menos horas diarias (RP=1,91, IC95%=1,01 a 3,64). Conclusiones: El exceso de carga laboral y el papeleo, así como una jornada laboral reducida, están asociados a una menor cantidad de procedimientos médicos en los que el interno se perciba adecuadamente capacitado. Es necesario implementar estrategias para mejorar la docencia en el internado.
Insulinoma pancreático gigante
Authors: Revoredo Rego Fernando , De Vinatea de Cárdenas José , Reaño Paredes Gustavo , Villanueva Alegre Luis , Kometter Barrios Fritz , Tang Sing Jorge , Uribe León Mónica , Arenas Gamio José
Published: April 2016

Los insulinomas son los tumores neuroendocrinos pancreáticos más frecuentes y típicamente son benignos y pequeños. Los insulinomas gigantes de páncreas son tumores raros. Reportamos el caso de un paciente varón de 67 años, quien presentaba síntomas y signos de hipoglicemia. Subsecuentes estudios de laboratorio y radiológicos establecieron el diagnóstico de un insulinoma de 13,5 cm. Fue sometido a pancreaticoduodenectomía. A pesar del tamaño, en la evaluación patológica no se identificó invasión local ni metástasis. Además de la descripción de la presentación clínica y los hallazgos operatorios, se realiza una revisión de las opciones para la localización y manejo de los insulinomas.
Calidad de enseñanza universitaria: relación estudiante/docente
Authors: Orellana Cuellar Laura , Ipenza Macedo David , Coronado-Quispe Joel
Published: April 2016

La calidad de educación universitaria en el Perú se rige por el Consejo de Evaluación, Acreditación y Certificación de la Calidad de la Educación Superior Universitaria (CONEAU). La ficha de evaluación de la CONEAU, en la carrera de Medicina, cuenta con 98 estándares de calificación, de los cuales el N° 33 está relacionado al número de estudiantes por docentes en las teorías y prácticas de laboratorio o prácticas clínicas (1). Durante los últimos años, la cantidad de vacantes ofrecidas de esta carrera se encuentra en aumento. Por este motivo es preciso determinar dicha relación para evaluar la calidad del desarrollo de enseñanza que el estudiante de medicina de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) recibe, de acuerdo a este indicador (2).
Responsabilidad social en estudiantes de medicina: experiencia de una sociedad científica estudiantil peruana
Authors: Chalco Huamán Joel , Zavala Portugal Juliana , Andonaire Munaico Cristian
Published: April 2016

La responsabilidad social ha intentado instaurarse como base de la estrategia educativa en las facultades de medicina a nivel mundial, puesto que, como formadoras de potenciales profesionales de salud, son actores clave en el desarrollo de una fuerza laboral sanitaria consciente de su realidad. Sin embargo, existen facultades que dejan de lado la importancia de formar agentes que generen un verdadero impacto en su sociedad y solo se interesan por sus necesidades educativas o comerciales (1).
The Evaluation of Output Convergence in Several Central and Eastern European Ccountries
Authors: Simionescu M.
Published: April 2016

The main objective of this study is to check the convergence in output for six countries from Central-Eastern Europe that are also members of the European Union. A slow convergence was obtained only for Greece during 2003–2012, for the rest of the countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Poland and Romania) the divergence being observed. The regression coefficients were estimated using bootstrap simulations in order to solve the problem of a small data set. However, the graphical representations suggested a convergence for Bulgaria and Romania, the assumption proved also by the application of the Augmented Dickey Fuller unit root test. There is no evidence of the convergence of each country towards Greece, this country having a specific evolution of its GDP with higher values than the rest of the countries.
The Relationship between Private Equity and Economic Growth
Authors: Gudiškis Karolis , Urbšienė Laimutė
Published: April 2016

The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence on the relationship between private equity, innovations, and economic growth in 13 European countries by using quantitative analysis. The objectives of the paper are as follows: description of private equity; examination of the relationship between private equity and economic growth; investigation of the methods used in the related topics; description and testing of the data used in the empirical research; estimation of the empirical model; reporting and interpretation of the results. The systematic, comparative and critical analysis of the scientific literature is used for determining the relationship between private equity, innovation, and economic growth. Further, the data are tested using unit root tests. The panel vector autoregressive model, Granger causality, impulse response, and variance decomposition analyses are applied for short-term causality. The main findings are as follows: granted patents are the most important measure of innovation, which influence private equity and economic growth. However, patents should be considered an input rather than an output of the private equity investment process. Therefore, granted patents attract private equity, and private equity impacts economic growth by commercializing granted patents in the short term.
Monetary Policy and Alternative Measures of Inflation: Empirical Evidence for the UK
Authors: Kučaidze Karina , Martin Christopher
Published: April 2016

The issue of which measure of inflation ought to be targeted by policymakers has been extensively analysed, but the equally important issue of which inflation rate is actually targeted by policymakers in practice has been given much less attention. The paper addresses this question, using data for the UK, a country where differences among the alternative measures are especially marked. We estimate simple Taylor-like monetary policy rules, using several different measures of inflation. We find that plausible models can be obtained for each of the different measures, suggesting that it may not matter which is used in empirical analysis. Models using the RPI measure of inflation have a slight empirical advantage which reflects the ability better to explain monetary policy in more turbulent circumstances.
The Importance of Creditworthiness Evaluation in the Context of Lithuanian SME Performance Measurement
Authors: Venckevičiūtė Gerda
Published: April 2016

The paper deals with the methodology of Lithuanian small and medium enterprises (here and further – SME) creditworthiness evaluation and part of empirical research which reveals the importance and motives of creditworthiness evaluation in the Lithuanian SME performance measurement process. The aim of this study is to analyse the importance of creditworthiness evaluation in performance measurement and its influence on stable company’s growth. The three main goals of the paper are: 1) to reveal the methodology of Lithuanian SME creditworthiness evaluation, 2) to analyse the periodicity of Lithuanian SME creditworthiness evaluation and the motives of one’s integration into the performance measurement process, and 3) to identify creditworthiness evaluation factors which correlate with stable SME growth results. Analysis of related literature, information comparison and generalization are used for the credit risk and creditworthiness evaluation methodology overview. Empirical research is performed using the survey method, for data evaluation the descriptive statistics method, as well as qualitative (systematization, classification, causal, functional and structural links) and quantitative data analysis (quantitative indicators calculation) were applied. The research results have revealed that the companies evaluating partners’ and their own creditworthiness have by 10% higher three last year revenues and the number of employees growth. The paper concludes that creditworthiness evaluation and stable company’s growth correlate and enable SMEs to pursue stable growth results while increasing competitiveness and considering confidence and trust among business partners.
Economic Implications of Energy Security in the Short Run
Authors: Šumskis Vaidotas , Giedraitis Vincentas
Published: April 2016

Energy security is one of the primary goals of the European Union energy policy as the region relies mostly on imports to meet its energy resources demand. In 2013, the share of the net imported energy resources was as high as 54.5% of total energy consumption in the 28 member states of the European Union. Research on energy security involves a detailed analysis of economic, technological, and socio-political factors. The main objective of this study is to find out the economic consequences in the short run due to changes in the level of the security of energy resources supply. In order to acquire quantitative measures of the research object, the energy security index calculation methodology proposed by Jansen et al. (2004) is applied. To explore what effects, if any, energy security has on the economy of the EU, five economic indicators, with which the probable short-term impact of energy security is the most likely, are distinguished: real GDP, inflation, current account balance, foreign direct investment, and employment. Granger causality tests of the panel VAR model reveal that in the short run employment may be negatively affected by energy security. The effect itself is relatively small and short-lived. No short term causality is observed running from energy security towards the remaining macroeconomic variables of the panel VAR model. Such conclusions would suggest making the European Union energy policy decisions without prioritizing possible swings of the energy security level in the short run.
Economic Crises and Emission of Pollutants: a Historical Review of Select Economies amid Two Economic Recessions
Authors: Stavytskyy Andriy , Giedraitis Vincent , Sakalauskas Darius , Huettinger Maik
Published: April 2016

This paper investigates the historical trends in economic development through the impact of economic depressions and emissions of greenhouse gasses, namely carbon dioxide (CO2). The analysis includes four countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan. The focus, therefore, will be on the impact of two economic crises and their effect on global warming. Temperature changes in the longer period are very often regarded as a result of human activity, which can be measured by the increase of GDP (per capita). The findings indicate that GDP (per capita) parameters cannot be considered as correct measures of human pollution activity. The results show that the long-run temperature can be evaluated with the help of annual average temperatures of the previous four years. The proposed model does not only provide quite satisfactory forecasts, but is very stable with coefficients variables that can make a model more reliable for practice.
The Significance of Country-specific and Common Risk Factors for CEE Government Bond Spreads Changes
Authors: Juodžiukynienė Greta
Published: April 2016

This paper provides an empirical assessment of the relationship between common European Union and country-specific risk factors of sovereign bond spreads for Central and Eastern European countries over the period of 2004-2014. The model, estimated using Pooled Mean Group techniques, that accounts for both common long-run determinants and cross-country heterogeneities in sovereign bond spreads, tends to suggest that country-specific and common factors are important in the long-run, but common European Union factors are the main determinants of bond spreads in the short-run, i.e., market volatility index series converges with changes of sovereign bond spreads and turns out to be the predominant factor in the short-run. Furthermore, countries with stronger fundamentals have a tendency for lower responsiveness to changes in global risk aversion.The decomposition of changes in spreads for the purpose to compare actual and estimated spreads specifies that during risk-on periods (when the increase of misalignment falls down) there is consistency for increasing of creditworthiness undervaluation.