bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Economic freedom, human capital, and foreign direct investment
Authors: Naanwaab Cephas , Diarrassouba Malick
Published: February 2016

This paper investigates the impact of economic freedom and human capital on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in a large panel dataset of 137 developing and developed countries covering the period of 1995-2010. Foreign direct investment is by far the largest source of private capital flows to developing and middle income countries, far exceeding other private capital flows such as portfolio investment and remittances. Many of these countries have been liberalizing their policies in recent decades to attract more foreign direct investment. The ultimate goal of attracting more foreign direct investment is to augment limited domestic investment and spur economic growth through transfer of knowledge, technology, and managerial skills. The role of traditional determinants of FDI such as availability of natural resources, market size, and cheap labor are well researched in the literature. What has not received much attention is the impact of non-traditional determinants of FDI flows like the presence of economic freedom and high skilled labor in the recipient countries. Besides, there has not been any attempt to simultaneously model the impacts of economic freedom and human capital as well as their interaction on foreign direct investment inflows, a crucial void which this paper fills. In order to deal with potential endogeneity problem in the explanatory variables and unobserved country fixed-effects, we use dynamic panel data methods. The system generalized method of moments (S-GMM) estimator of Arellano and Bond, and Blundell and Bond are estimated in two-step procedure, using levels of the variables as instruments for the difference equation and differences of the variables as instruments for the levels equation. We test for instrument validity using Sargan’s test and second order autocorrelation AR (2) in the differenced equation. The results show that economic freedom has a positive and significant effect on foreign direct investment in middle- and high-income countries. Human capital is a significant determinant of FDI in all countries. After accounting for endogeneity of and interaction between economic freedom and human capital, we find that the marginal effect of economic freedom on FDI is contingent upon the level of human capital in the recipient country. We postulate that Transnational Corporations (TNCs) care about the quality of human capital only in the case of low-income countries when they make their decisions to locate in developing countries. We do not find this to be the case with respect to TNCs’ decisions to invest in middle-income and high-income countries.
Theory, principle and practice of local governance in Nigeria
Authors: Makinde J. T. , Hassan A. O. , Taiwo A. Olaiya
Published: February 2016

The paper assessed the performance of local government councils in Nigeria, using the yardsticks of the rationale behind their creation and existing theories of local government. Essentially, contentious issues regarding corrupt practices, most especially as they pertain to public accountability at the grassroots were critically explored. It extracted data from existing literature on local government, government documents and other secondary sources. The investigation revealed that at the initial stage, local governments in Nigeria contributed, in some ways, to development and transformation of both the urban and rural areas in Nigeria. Such contributions included refuse disposal from markets and other strategic locations across cities; opening up of the rural areas through provision of roads, which facilitated rural transformation in the country to an extent; provision of elementary school education and other valuable services as medical treatment dispensaries and disease control projects, which included management of diseases like leprosy and small-pox. Many rural communities at the period relied on these services. In urban areas, Town Councils offered an array of services that city dwellers relied on. Sanitary inspection, town planning, water supply and markets and their managements were among valuable services that Town Councils provided across Nigeria. These accomplishments were possible partly because they internally raised the revenues from which they funded the services that they provided. Although they received subventions from Regional and Central Governments for targeted expenditures, they still imposed taxes and as well raised tax revenues from the services they provided. The feats, however, were achieved mostly in the colonial period and in pre-civil war independent Nigeria. Soon after this period, local government administrations in Nigeria began to dwindle and subsequently fell far short of expectation. Despite public expectations that ushered in the creations of extension of governance closer to the people, the practice of local governance in Nigeria failed to bring the much-expected dividend of democracy to the grassroots. This was partly due to some internal shortcomings within the local councils and partly due to some critical external factors like constitutional inadequacies and usurpation of local government powers by the governments of the federating units, under whom the the local governments operate. If anything, local government in Nigeria did not enjoy independent status and power decentralisation as expected in a federal system. For this reasons, translating the theories to practice in the Nigerian local government had almost become a mirage; promoting democracy and effectively delivering local public services had, as well, not been realistic..
Evaluating banks performance using key financial indicators – a quantitative modeling of Russian banks
Authors: Sharma Satish , Shebalkov Mikhail , Yukhanaev Andrey
Published: February 2016

Since the financial crisis of 2008, risk based performance management has been one of the important indicator to determine the financial health of banks and financial institutions. This study relates to the problem within the Russian Banking sector for regulators to determine and reduce risks at the marco-level and assessing performance of banks at the micro-level. The objectives are: to analyse a range of performance indicators and to structure the Russian banking sector. To explore the structure of Russian Banking sector in terms of performance over the period 2000-2010, we took a sample of 1279 banks and the financial data which was in the HTML format was extracted through PHP programming. With the help of trend analysis, the period 2000-2010 was divided into four sub periods: the period of stabilization (2002-2004), substantial development (2004-2007), financial crisis (2007-2009) and moderate development (2009-2010). Multivariate analysis were applied to classify the sample banks in these sub periods which provides evidence that despite the changes in the stage of development of the economy, the Russian Banking sector can be described with quantitative modeling. Naturally, the structural changes are affected by the described economic cycles, but these changes do not affect the determination capabilities of the model. In the period 2002-2004, nine types of banks are found. There are some prosperous as well as weak banks. During the period 2004-2007, banks had a chance to increase their profits; the banking sector became more differentiated – 12 clusters are singled out. There is no doubt that the financial crisis also affected the banking industry; there were still 12 clusters in 2007-2009, but the majority were concentrated into a single cluster with low performance indicators. Finally, the Russian banking sector started its development in the period 2009-2010, uniting some bank clusters, 10 groups are found. The results indicated that through mathematical modelling, Russian banks could be rated as “rating groups” based on their performance which might be of particular interest to bank’s managers, investors, credit analysts and bank regulators. Moreover, it could be emphasized that the changes in structure are not significant, as certain groups of banks can be found at any period of time. These groups or clusters can be referred to certain “rating groups” (from the banks with the best results to those with low results) and compared to international ratings.
Is Africa’s dependence on agriculture the cause of poverty in the continent?: An empirical review
Authors: Oluwatayo Isaac B. , Ojo Ayodeji O.
Published: February 2016

The continent of Africa is blessed with natural resources and most especially large expanse of land area suitable for agricultural production. But despite this huge deposit of untapped resources and opportunities in the continent, it is very appalling to know that many of the countries in Africa are homes to the poorest of the poor and vulnerable people across the globe. The continent is faced with multi-faceted problems of insecurity arising from the activities of violent extremists and marginalized sect, decaying infrastructural facilities exacerbated by corruption and prolonged neglect, rising youth unemployment occasioned by bad governance and inadequate planning coupled with dwindling income resulting from poor and inadequate production technologies. However, in spite of the worsening food crisis situation and constraints to agricultural transformation in Africa, agriculture, which is the main source of livelihood for most Africans (especially those residing in the rural areas) remains the economic nerve centre considering its contribution to the African economy in terms of labor employment and share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Thus, the task of poverty reduction in Africa portends a moving target as the number of poor and undernourished people keeps increasing. This paper therefore examined the link between agriculture and poverty in Africa. The problems and prospects of African agriculture were x-rayed, the poverty situation in Africa and the likely causes were also highlighted. The paper suggests a bottom-up (also called community-driven development) approach to policy formulation through involvement of farmers in policy discussions at both national and international levels starting from project/problem identification to evaluation. There is the need for partnerships between government and private sector in the area of input and infrastructure provision. This is very important considering the fact that government alone can no longer shoulder the responsibility of providing and maintaining infrastructures due to declining revenue. Farm level processing and value addition should be encouraged by government through the provision of enabling environment and farmers should endeavour to join and participate in cooperative activities so as to enhance their access to credit, markets and benefit from collective bargaining power in terms of input acquisition and getting support from government and prospective funders.
The impact of extension and ecosystem services on smallholder’s credit constraint
Authors: Benjamin Emmanuel Olatunbosun , Blum Matthias , Punt Maarten
Published: February 2016

On formal credit markets, access to formal credit and reasonable credit terms of smallholder farmers in rural sub-Saharan Africa is limited due to adverse selection. Financial institutions operating in rural areas often cannot distinguish between borrowers (farmers) that are creditworthy and those that are not, thus, allocate limited resource to agriculture to reduce credit risk. In the presence of limited business quality signaling by smallholder farmers, financial institutions shall demand for collateral and/or offer unfavorable contract terms. Moreover, agricultural productivity of rural sub-Saharan Africa, dominated by subsistence or small-scale farmers, is also negatively impacted by the adverse effect of climate change. A strategy that may make the farming practices of smallholder farmer’s climate resilient and profitable may also improve smallholder farmer’s access to formal credit. This study investigates to what extent participating in ecosystem and extension services (EES) programs signals business quality of smallholders, thus granting them credit accessibility. We collected data on 210 smallholder farmers in 2013, comprising farmers that receive payments for ecosystem services (PES) and farm management training from the International Small Group Tree Planting Program (TIST) Kenya to test the aforementioned theory empirically. We use game theory, particularly a screening and sorting model, to illustrate the prospects for farmers with EES to access formal credit and to improve their credit terms given that they receive PES and banking services training. Furthermore, the PES’ long term duration (10 – 30 years) generates stable cash-flow which may be perceived as collateral substitute. Results suggest that smallholder farmers in the TIST program were less likely to be credit constraint compared to non-TIST farmers. Distance to market, education, livestock and farm income are factors that determine access to credit from microfinance institutions in rural Kenya. Amongst farmers that have obtained loans, those keeping business records enjoy more favorable formal credit conditions. These farmers were observed to pay ca. 5 percent less interest rate in microfinance charges. For TIST farmers, this type of farm management practices may be attributed to the banking services and other training they receive within the program. While the availability of classical collateral (farmlands) and PES may reduce interest rate, the latter was found to be statistically insignificant. This research underlines the importance of an effective extension services in rural areas of developing countries and the need to improve gains from conservation agriculture and ensuing PES. The benefits associated with EES and PES may encompass agricultural financing.
Foreign capital inflows and economic growth in developed and emerging economies: A comparative analysis
Authors: Sawalha Nabeel N. , Elian Mohammad I. , Suliman Adil H.
Published: February 2016

This paper attempts to test the impact of foreign capital inflow; foreign direct investment (FDI) and foreign portfolio investment (FPI)) on economic growth in developed and emerging economies. It also explores whether this inflow generate synergies in boosting economic growth. A cross-sectional time series growth regression was used for 21 developed and 19 emerging economies sample from 1980 to 2012. The Generalized-Method of Moments (GMM) estimators developed for dynamic models of panel data were used to avoid spurious conclusions and to add robustness and inferences correction to our results, and to deal with the econometric problem of heteroskedastic error of unknown functional form. Analysis revealed mixed results for the sample. For the initial FDI and FPI impact on growth, FDI poses a positive and significant influence, while FPI reveals a negative and significant influence in both samples. In addition, the results on the population proxy support the classical model where higher growth rate of population would initiates economic progress, while the results for the saving growth proxy support the saving-led growth phenomenon; where higher saving rate would accelerate economic growth. It was also found that the Market Capitalization (MC) proxy was positively correlated with economic growth in both samples, while the results of the stock trading proxy indicate that private capital inflows had a positive effect on growth only for the developed economies. The FPI results indicated that the presence of FPI inflows may not be a precondition to produce a positive spillover effect in both sample economies. Interestingly, we observed that the interactions between FPI and the Market Capitalization (MC), Stock Trading, and growth have provided evidence that equity markets advancements do have positive contributions toward attracting more capital inwards to the host country. Analysis also showed that FDI inflows augment domestic resources of most economies, and hence boosting economic growth. As policy implication, governments should be aware that market liberalization polices would have a different influence on inward net capital based on the composition of the capital inflows desired and the level of economic development, reflecting the necessity of capturing a targeted financial market threshold in order to stimulate capital control to attract FDI and FPI. In emerging economies, the interaction term (FPI*MC) implies that catching a threshold of equity market development would have a positive impact on higher levels of capital inflows, hence countries with advanced equity markets tend to gain more welfare from FPI capital inflows.
The US Power Elite and the Political Economy of Haiti’s Occupation: Investment, Race, and World Order
Authors: Sommers Jeffrey W.
Published: February 2016

The centennial of Wilsonian interventionism was marked in 2015, remembering the US occupation of Haiti in 1915 and Haiti’s resistance to that signal event in its history. This article surveys the issues of economics, race, and realpolitik embedded in the political economy of US interactions with Haiti that heard their crescendo in that occupation, which lasted until 1934. It delivers insights derived from a forensic analysis of Woodrow Wilson’s perception of race and his decision to intervene in Haiti. The attitudes enabling US military leaders to implement a policy of occupation are described through a study of Admiral William Caperton’s role in the US intervention. It also interrogates what constitutes the “state” as it pertains to foreign policy, along with a Gramscian inspection of who benefits ( cui bono ) from empire. This approach eschews dichotomies of whether or not the US as a whole materially benefited from empire, and instead simply looks at who individually gained, and what were the capacities of these beneficiaries to craft policy. In short, the project answers the questions of why, who, and how the US occupation was undertaken in 1915. Haiti and the United States, along with the relationship between them, can be understood only through an examination and analysis of culture, economics, geopolitics, and race. The United States had a hemispheric hegemonic agenda that drove it to promote an investment agenda targeted at Haiti. It justified its violation of Haiti’s sovereignty through longstanding, deeply entrenched racial stereotypes and civilizational taxonomies. Taken together, a constellation of perceptions and interests aligned to create an image of Haiti that allowed the US to reconcile its founding ethos as a republic, having the consent of the governed, with its empire formation in the name of liberal interventionism and colonial uplift.
Ether Today, Gone Tomorrow: 21st Century Sound Recording Collection in Crisis
Authors: Tsou Judy , Vallier John
Published: February 2016

Today’s music industry increasingly favors online-only, direct-to-consumer distribution. No longer can librarians expect to collect recordings on tangible media where first-sale doctrine applies. Instead, at an ever-increasing rate, librarians are discovering that music recordings are available only via such online distribution sites as iTunes or Amazon.com . These distributors require individual purchasers to agree to restrictive end-user license agreements (EULAs) that explicitly forbid institutional ownership and such core library functions as lending. What does this mean for the future of music libraries? The coauthors present an overview of an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funded project tasked with investigating the issue, and recommend a series of next steps designed to build our professional capacity toward addressing the challenge.
The effect of group training implemented on hemodialysis patients for their stress management, psychosocial adjustment and self-care strength
Authors: Fırat Kılıç Hülya , Alpar Sule Ecevit
Published: February 2016

Purpose: The current study was made with the objective of determining the effect of group training implemented on hemodialysis patients for their stress management, psychosocial adjustment and self-care strength.Method and Material: The single group pre-experiment model with pre-test – post-test was used. The participants were selected from a group of 100 patients who were undergoing treatment in 2011, at the Hemodialysis Units of two state hospitals in North Cyprus. The sampling composed of 90 patients who met the screening criteria and fully consented to take part in the study conducted between January 2011 and June 2011. The researcher collected data before training and 3 months after training by using the Patient Sociodemographic Characteristics Form, Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale-Self-Report, Self-care Strength Evaluation Scale and the Hemodialysis Stressor Scale.Results: It was observed that as the stressors increased in hemodialysis patients, the self-care strength and adjustment to illness decreased. Additionally, it was also found that as the self-care strength increased the adjustments to illness also increased. Furthermore, it was determined that the stressors of female patients were higher compared to male patients. The adjustment of patients working and those receiving treatment at Institution 2 were found to be lower.Conclusions: It was concluded that there was a decrease in the stressors perceived by hemodialysis patients who had undergone the training program. Moreover, these patients also evidenced an increase in the adjustment to illness and in self-care strength after the training program had been implemented.
The influence of developing technology and mother’s songs; lullabies
Authors: Kaya Saibe Özlem , Özkut Berna
Published: February 2016

Just like changing every phenomenon of life, developing technologies have affected mother’s songs/lullabies, which are precious treasures of our culture and they are technologically shaping our mother’s songs/lullabies in an artificial way. Today, with the developing technology we are able to make the babies listen to lullabies without touching the babies or without having eye contact with the babies. In fact, this situation affects mother-infant communication and interaction and the quality bond between mother-infant adversely. Compared to the impact of mother’s singing the lullabies traditionally to the baby by touching, looking and stroking; the impact of making the babies listen to the lullabies with technological tools has become a matter of discussion. However; the latter is not as effective as the lullabies that are sung with the mother's natural voice and are important treasure chest of our own culture. Thus, it was aimed with this study to investigate the effect of today's technology on mother’s songs/lullabies that are very significant artistic aspect of the communication between mother-infant and hold a very deep place in our culture.
Introducing a Third Timed Up & Go Test Trial Improves Performances of Hospitalized and Community-Dwelling Older Individuals
Authors: Bloch Mette L. , Jønsson Line R. , Kristensen Morten T.
Published: February 2016

Background and Purpose:

Originally, the Timed Up & Go (TUG) test was described as including a practice trial before a timed trial, but recent studies in individuals with hip fracture have reported that performance improved with a third trial and that high intertester reliability was achieved when the fastest of 3 timed trials was used. Thus, the fastest of 3 TUG trials is recommended when testing individuals with hip fracture. To our knowledge, no study has examined the number of trials needed to achieve performance stability on the TUG test (defined as no further improvement on subsequent trials) when performed by older individuals without hip fracture. The aim of the study, therefore, was to examine whether a third TUG trial is faster than either of 2 TUG trials conducted according to standardized TUG instructions and whether the fastest of 3 trials is the most appropriate measure to apply in hospitalized and community-dwelling older individuals.

Methods:

Eighty-two participants (50 from a geriatric hospital unit and 32 from an outpatient geriatric center; 52 women, 30 men) with a mean (SD) age of 83.6 (7.9) years were included in this cross-sectional study. All participants (except one from the hospital unit) performed 3 TUG trials, as fast as safely possible on the same day, and separated by up to 1-minute pauses. A rollator (4-wheeled rolling walker) was used as a standardized walking aid in the geriatric hospital unit, whereas participants used their normal walking aid (if any) in the outpatient geriatric center.

Results and Discussion:

The fastest trial was trial 3 for 47 (57%), trial 2 for 25 (31%), and trial 1 for 10 (12%). Repeated-measures analyses of variance with Bonferroni corrections showed that TUG times improved from trial 1 to trial 3 (P < .04). In addition, the fastest of the 3 timed trials was significantly (P < .001) faster than the other 2 trials.

Conclusion:

We suggest that the fastest of the 3 TUG trials is recorded instead of the second trial in both hospitalized and community-dwelling older individuals.
The Impact of Competitive Trait Anxiety on Collegiate Powerlifting Performance
Authors: Judge Lawrence W. , Urbina Leslie J. , Hoover Donald L. , Craig Bruce W. , Judge Lani M. , Leitzelar Brianna M. , Pearson David R. , Holtzclaw Kara A. , Bellar David M.
Published: February 2016

Judge, LW, Urbina, LJ, Hoover, DL, Craig, BW, Judge, LM, Leitzelar, BM, Pearson, DR, Holtzclaw, KA, and Bellar, DM. The impact of competitive trait anxiety on collegiate powerlifting performance. J Strength Cond Res 30(9): 2399–2405, 2016—The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between competitive trait anxiety measures and powerlifting (PL) performance. Thirty-six collegiate powerlifters on club teams from 3 universities were recruited during a competition (men = 26, women = 10; age = 19.9 ± 1.5 years; height = 172.5 ± 8.6 cm; weight = 81.4 ± 21.0 kg). The athletes were distributed across weight classes for collegiate PL (47.6 kg: 1; 51.7 kg: 1; 54.9 kg: 1; 59.8 kg: 3; 67.1 kg: 2; 74.8 kg: 7; 82.1 kg: 4; 89.8 kg: 9; 99.8 kg: 5; super heavyweight: 3). A survey containing questions about PL performance history and the 15-item Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT) were administered to the participants before competing. The SCAT total was negatively correlated (r = −0.397; p = 0.02) to the athletes' percentage of best total achieved in the competition (actual performance total/best comp total × 100). Of the individual lifts, the SCAT score was negatively correlated to the personal best for bench press (r = −0.368; p = 0.03) and deadlift (r = −0.317, p = 0.05), but did not significantly correlate for squat (r = −0.182, p = 0.27). These results indicate a negative correlation between the SCAT score and athletes' personal best totals in PL. Increased SCAT scores were associated with decreased personal best PL totals. The results suggest that competitive trait anxiety may have negatively impacted performance and that some PL athletes may benefit from interventions aimed at decreasing anxiety before and during performance.
Current Management of Ventricular Tachycardia: Approaches and Timing
Authors: John Roy M. , Stevenson William
Published: February 2016

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) in the presence of structural heart disease is associated with sudden cardiac death and warrants prompt attention. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) while highly effective in terminating sustained ventricular arrhythmias and reducing mortality, have no effect on the arrhythmia substrate and recurrent shocks for VT termination occur in approximately 20% of patients. Shocks worsen quality of life and are associated with progression of heart failure and increased mortality. Antiarrhythmic drugs, mainly in the form of beta-blockers or amiodarone, are moderately effective in reducing ICD therapies but drug intolerance and serious toxicities of amiodarone necessitate drug cessation in a quarter of patients. Catheter ablation has emerged as an effective treatment for control of frequent VT episodes and can be life saving in cases of incessant VT or VT storm. As experience increases, it is being used increasingly earlier, rather than a last resort therapy. Efficacy varies with the nature of the underlying heart disease. Intramural arrhythmia substrate and failure to create permanent ablation lesions remain challenges and repeat procedures are necessary in a third to a half of patients. For idiopathic VTs or PVCs that are symptomatic or worsen LV function, catheter ablation is often an effective therapy.
Principles of Arrhythmia Management During Pregnancy
Authors: Burkart Thomas Adam , Miles William M. , Conti Jamie Beth
Published: February 2016

This paper reviews current recommendations on the appropriate evaluation and management of cardiac arrhythmias in the pregnant patient. Most arrhythmias during pregnancy are benign and require no intervention. When required, the decision to treat should be based on symptom severity and the associated risk to mother and fetus posed by potentially recurring arrhythmia episodes throughout the pregnancy. Any treatment strategy in this patient population has inherent risk to both mother and unborn child. Before the initiation of any intervention, documentation of a clinical arrhythmia and correlation with clinical symptoms should be obtained. There is no role for empiric therapy.
Syncope and Early Repolarization: A Benign or Dangerous ECG Finding?
Authors: McKillop Matthew , Miles William M.
Published: February 2016

Early repolarization is a well-described, common electrocardiographic variant. It was initially felt to be benign, but in the last twenty years a suggested a link between specific types of early repolarization and sudden cardiac death has emerged. This association was has been termed the J wave syndrome and includes both the high risk early repolarization and Brugada ECG patterns. The odds of early repolarization change being associated with poor outcomes are still exceedingly small. Nevertheless, the association of a fairly ubiquitous ECG finding with fatal or near fatal clinical outcomes has raised concern. How can we identify the truly high-risk patients? If a patient has a significant clinical event with a concerning ECG repolarization pattern, what should be done next? The authors of this review present current information regarding the Early Repolarization and Brugada Syndromes and how to proceed with diagnosis, management, and risk stratification when early repolarization change is observed on ECG.
Athletes and Arrhythmias
Authors: Jansen Michael J. , Burke Floyd W.
Published: February 2016

Sudden cardiac death related to athletic competition is a rare but tragic event. The victims are typically young with no previous cardiovascular symptoms or limitations. The majority of sudden cardiac death events in athletes are due to ventricular arrhythmias as a result of underlying molecular and/or structural level pathologic substrate. In this article, we will review the physiologic cardiac adaptations to exercise along with arrhythmias seen in athletes with a focus on those commonly associated with sudden cardiac death.
Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: Indications, New Advances, and Complications
Authors: Ma Chang-Sheng
Published: February 2016

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia affecting millions of people worldwide with increasing incidence and prevalence. Radiofrequency catheter ablation has evolved as the treatment of choice for both paroxysmal and persistent AF. Several studies have been reported on catheter ablation as the first-line treatment for paroxysmal AF and different strategies for persistent AF. New technologies such as contact-force sensing catheters and cryoballoon have been recently used and the procedure carries the risk of complications like hematoma, arteriovenous fistula, cardiac tamponade, pulmonary vein stenosis, atrio-esophageal fistula and death.
Inherited Wolff–Parkinson–White Syndrome
Authors: Liu Yang , Xue Yumei , Wu Shulin , Hu Dan
Published: February 2016

Wolff–Parkinson–White (WPW) syndrome is a congenital disorder of cardiac conduction system characterized by electrocardiographic preexcitation and episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. It is caused by a cardiac developmental defect in the electrical insulation between the atria and the ventricles due to the presence of an accessory pathway. WPW syndrome is a common cause of supraventricular tachycardia with benign prognosis. However, this clinical entity also predisposes patients to an increased risk of sudden cardiac death, especially in the setting of preexcited atrial fibrillation. WPW syndrome is usually sporadic and of unknown etiology in most cases. During the past 10 years, a significant heritable factor is increasingly recognized. Identification of the genetic basis among patients with WPW syndrome has important implications for understanding the molecular mechanism of ventricular preexcitation and the development of therapeutic strategies for risk stratification and management. The goal of this review is to examine the previous studies on hereditary variants, as well as to outline potential future avenues toward defining the heritability of WPW syndrome.
Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Current Strategies and Recommendations
Authors: Naccarelli Gerald V. , Caputo Gregory , Abendroth Thomas , Faber Samuel , Sendra-Ferrer Mauricio , Wolbrette Deborah , Samii Soraya , Hussain Sarah , Gonzalez Mario
Published: February 2016

Stroke is the most common complication of atrial fibrillation (AF). Guidelines recommend anticoagulant treatment in patients with CHA2DS2VASc scores of >2. Registry data suggests that almost half of patients who should be on therapeutic anticoagulation for stroke prevention in AF (SPAF) are not. Warfarin and more recently developed agents, the “novel anticoagulants” (NOACs) reduce the risk of embolic strokes. In addition, the NOACs also reduce intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) by over 50% compared to warfarin. Anticoagulation and bridging strategies involving cardioversion, catheter ablation, and invasive/surgical procedures are reviewed. The development of reversal agents for NOACs and the introduction of left atrial appendage occluding devices will evolve the use of newer strategies for preventing stroke in high risk AF patients.
Molecular basis of ion permeability in a voltage‐gated sodium channel
Authors: Naylor Claire E , Bagnéris Claire , DeCaen Paul G , Sula Altin , Scaglione Antonella , Clapham David E , Wallace BA
Published: February 2016

Voltage‐gated sodium channels are essential for electrical signalling across cell membranes. They exhibit strong selectivities for sodium ions over other cations, enabling the finely tuned cascade of events associated with action potentials. This paper describes the ion permeability characteristics and the crystal structure of a prokaryotic sodium channel, showing for the first time the detailed locations of sodium ions in the selectivity filter of a sodium channel. Electrostatic calculations based on the structure are consistent with the relative cation permeability ratios (Na+ ≈ Li+ ≫ K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) measured for these channels. In an E178D selectivity filter mutant constructed to have altered ion selectivities, the sodium ion binding site nearest the extracellular side is missing. Unlike potassium ions in potassium channels, the sodium ions in these channels appear to be hydrated and are associated with side chains of the selectivity filter residues, rather than polypeptide backbones.
Follow-up duration influences the relative importance of OGTT and optimal timing of glucose measurements for predicting future type 2 diabetes
Authors: Nielsen Mette Lundgren , Pareek Manan , Leósdóttir Margrét , Højlund Kurt , Eriksson Karl-Fredrik , Nilsson Peter M , Olsen Michael Hecht
Published: February 2016

Objective

To examine the impact of follow-up duration on the incremental prognostic yield of a baseline oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for predicting type 2 diabetes and to assess the discrimination ability of blood glucose (BG) obtained at different time points during OGTT.

Design

A prospective, population-based cohort study (Malmö Preventive Project) with inclusion of subjects from 1974 to 1992.

Methods

A total of 5256 men without diabetes, who had BG measured at 0, 20, 40, 60, 90, and 120 min during OGTT (30 g/m2 glucose), were followed for 30 years. Incident type 2 diabetes was recorded using registries. The performance of OGTT added to a clinical prediction model (age, body mass index (BMI), diastolic blood pressure, fasting BG, triglycerides, and family history of diabetes) was assessed using Harrell’s concordance index (C-index) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI).

Results

Median age was 48 years, mean BMI 24.9 kg/m2, and mean fasting BG 4.7 mmol/L. Models with added post-load BG performed better than the clinical model (C-index: P = 0.08 for BG at 120 min at 5 years, otherwise P ≤ 0.045; IDI: P ≥ 0.06 for BG at 60 and 90 min at 5 years, otherwise P ≤ 0.01). With a longer follow-up duration, C-index decreased, and the C-index increase associated with OGTT was attenuated. Models including BG at 60 or 90 min performed significantly better than the model with BG at 120 min, evident beyond follow-up of 10 and 5 years, respectively.

Conclusions

OGTT provided incremental prognostic yield for type 2 diabetes prediction. BG measured at 60 or 90 min provided better discrimination than BG at 120 min.
Matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 and MMP9/NGAL complex activity in women with PCOS
Authors: Ranjbaran Javad , Farimani Marzieh , Tavilani Heidar , Ghorbani Marzieh , Karimi Jamshid , Poormonsefi Faranak , Khodadadi Iraj
Published: February 2016

It is believed that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play important roles in follicular development and pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, conflicting results are available about the alteration of MMP2 and MMP9 concentrations or activities in PCOS. In fact, there is no study entirely investigating both concentration and activity of these MMPs and serum levels of their tissue inhibitors TIMP2 and TIMP1, as well as lipocalin-bound form of MMP9 (MMP9/NGAL). Therefore, the thoroughness of previous studies is questionable. This study was conducted to determine circulatory concentration of MMP2, MMP9, MMP9/NGAL complex, TIMP1 and TIMP2 as well as gelatinase activities of MMP2, MMP9 and MMP9/NGAL complex in women with PCOS and controls. Mean age and BMI as well as serum levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, HDL-C, LDL-C, fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin, estradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin did not differ between groups, whereas a marked decrease in FSH and significant increases in LH, LH/FSH ratio, testosterone and free androgen index were observed. Women with PCOS and controls showed closed concentrations of MMP2, MMP9, MMP9/NGAL, TIMP1 and TIMP2. Gelatinase activity of MMP9 was found significantly higher in PCOS than in controls (64.53±15.32 vs 44.61±18.95 respectively) while patients and healthy subjects showed similar activities of MMP2 and MMP9/NGAL complex. Additionally, PCOS patients showed a higher MMP9/TIMP1 ratio compared with control women. Direct correlations were also observed between circulatory MMP9 level and the concentration and activity of MMP9/NGAL complex. In conclusion, based on the results of present study, we believe that MMP9 may be involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS.
Perceived Motor Competence Differs From Actual Performance in 8-Year-Old Neonatal ECMO Survivors
Authors: Toussaint Leontien C.C. , van der Cammen-van Zijp Monique H.M. , Janssen Anjo J. , Tibboel Dick , van Heijst Arno F. , IJsselstijn Hanneke
Published: February 2016

OBJECTIVE:

To assess perceived motor competence, social competence, self-worth, health-related quality of life, and actual motor performancein 8-year-old survivors of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

METHODS:

In a prospective nationwide study, 135 children completed the extended version of the “athletic competence” domain of the Self Perception Profile for Children (SPPC) called the m-CBSK (Motor supplement of the Competentie BelevingsSchaal voor Kinderen) to assess perceived motor competence, the SPPC, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), andwere tested with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. SD scores (SDS) were used to compare with the norm.

RESULTS:

The mean (SD) SDS for perceived motor competence, social competence, and self-worth were all significantly higher than the norm: 0.18 (0.94), P = .03; 0.35 (1.03), P < .001; and 0.32 (1.08), P < .001, respectively. The total PedsQL score was significantly below the norm: mean (SD) SDS: –1.26 (1.53), P < .001. Twenty-two percent of children had actual motor problems. The SDS m-CBSK and actual motor performance did not correlate (r = 0.12; P = .17). The SDS m-CBSK significantly correlated with the athletic competence domain of the SPPC (r = 0.63; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Eight-year-old ECMO survivors feel satisfied with their motor- and social competence, despite impaired PedsQL scores and motor problems. Because motor problems in ECMO survivorsdeteriorate throughout childhood, clinicians should be aware that these patients may tend to “overrate” their actual motor performance. Education andstrict monitoring of actual motor performanceare important to enable timelyintervention.
Probiotic Supplementation and Late-Onset Sepsis in Preterm Infants: A Meta-analysis
Authors: Rao Shripada C. , Athalye-Jape Gayatri K. , Deshpande Girish C. , Simmer Karen N , Patole Sanjay K.
Published: February 2016

CONTEXT:

Late-onset sepsis (LOS) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in preterm infants. Despite various preventive measures, its incidence continues to remain high, hence the urgent need for additional approaches. One such potential strategy is supplementation with probiotics. The updated Cochrane Review (2014) did not find benefits of probiotics in reducing the risk of LOS in preterm infants (19 studies, N = 5338). Currently there are >30 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of probiotics in preterm infants that have reported on LOS.

OBJECTIVES:

To conduct a systematic review including all relevant RCTs.

DATA SOURCES:

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and E-abstracts from the Pediatric Academic Society meetings and other pediatric and neonatal conference proceedings were searched in June and August 2015.

STUDY SELECTION:

RCTs comparing probiotics versus placebo/no probiotic were included.

DATA EXTRACTION:

Relevant data were extracted independently by 3 reviewers.

RESULTS:

Pooled results from 37 RCTs (N = 9416) using fixed effects model meta analysis showed that probiotics significantly decreased the risk of LOS (675/4852 [13.9%] vs 744/4564 [16.3%]; relative risk, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.78–0.94; P = .0007; I2 = 35%; number needed to treat, 44). The results were significant even after excluding studies with high risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS:

Probiotic supplementation reduces the risk of LOS in preterm infants.
Familiáris myelodysplasiás szindróma és akut myeloid leukaemia klinikai és genetikai háttere
Authors: Király Péter Attila , Kállay Krisztián , Marosvári Dóra , Benyó Gábor , Szőke Anita , Csomor Judit , Bödör Csaba
Published: February 2016

Myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukaemia are mainly sporadic diseases, however, rare familial cases exist. These disorders are considered rare, but are likely to be more common than currently appreciated, and are characterized by the autosomal dominant mutations of hematopoietic transcription factors. These syndromes have typical phenotypic features and are associated with an increased risk for developing overt malignancy. Currently, four recognized syndromes could be separated: familial acute myeloid leukemia with mutated CEBPA, familial myelodysplastic syndrome/acute myeloid leukemia with mutated GATA2, familial platelet disorder with propensity to myeloid malignancy with RUNX1 mutations, and telomere biology disorders due to mutations of TERC or TERT. Furthermore, there are new, emerging syndromes associated with germline mutations in novel genes including ANKRD26, ETV6, SRP72 or DDX41. This review will discuss the current understanding of the genetic basis and clinical presentation of familial leukemia and myelodysplasia. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(8), 283–289.
Did Man Provoke Extinctions of Endemic Large Mammals on the Mediterranean Islands? The View from Corsica
Authors: Vigne Jean-Denis
Published: February 2016

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Archaeological Myths and the Overkill Hypothesis in Cypriot Prehistory
Authors: Strasser Thomas F.
Published: February 2016

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Determinantes de la equidad en el financiamiento de los medicamentos en Argentina: un estudio empírico
Authors: Dondo Mariana , Monsalvo Mauricio , Garibaldi Lucas A.
Published: February 2016

Resumen Los medicamentos constituyen un alto porcentaje del gasto en salud de los hogares, por eso, tener un sistema progresivo de financiamiento de medicamentos es fundamental para lograr un sistema de salud equitativo. Se ha propuesto que los determinantes de la equidad en el financiamiento son socioeconómicos, demográficos y asociados a la intervención pública, sin embargo, se ha avanzado poco en su evaluación empírica y en la cuantificación de su importancia relativa. En este trabajo estimamos regresiones por cuantiles a nivel provincial en Argentina y encontramos que la población mayor a 65 años, el desempleo, la existencia de laboratorios públicos de producción de medicamentos, las transferencias de tratamientos y la orientación del sistema de salud a la atención primaria, son importantes predictores de la progresividad en el esquema de pagos. Ingresos bajos, instituciones débiles, infraestructura y provisión de servicios insuficientes redundan en respuestas sociales más regresivas a las necesidades sanitarias, empeorando las condiciones de vida y limitando las oportunidades de desarrollo.
Acurácia do relacionamento probabilístico de registros na identificação de óbitos em uma coorte de pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca descompensada
Authors: Spineti Pedro Pimenta de Mello , Souza Andrea Silvestre de , Feijó Luiz Augusto , Garcia Marcelo Iorio , Xavier Sergio Salles
Published: February 2016

Resumo O relacionamento probabilístico de registros vem sendo cada vez mais empregado na identificação de desfechos em estudos de coorte. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a acurácia deste método na identificação de óbitos em uma coorte de 450 pacientes admitidos em um hospital universitário por insuficiência cardíaca descompensada, em um período de seis anos. O estado vital dos membros da coorte foi determinado a partir dos registros no prontuário eletrônico dos pacientes (padrão-ouro). O software OpenRecLink foi utilizado para relacionar os registros da coorte com aqueles da base do Sistema de Informações de Mortalidade, visando à identificação de óbitos. Apenas 53,6% pacientes apresentavam estado vital conhecido ao final do seguimento e destes 59,3% haviam falecido. O método apresentou sensibilidade de 97,9%, especificidade de 100%, valor preditivo positivo de 100%, valor preditivo negativo de 97% e acurácia de 98,8%. Esses resultados sugerem que o relacionamento probabilístico de registros é uma valiosa ferramenta na identificação de óbitos para estudos de coorte.