bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the amino acid content and sensory value of flageolet bean seeds (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as affected by preprocessing methods before freezing
Authors: Słupski Jacek 
Published: October 2015

SummaryThe aim of the work was to evaluate the content of amino acids in flageolet bean seeds, prepared for consumption from frozen products obtained using different methods. One of the frozen products was obtained using the traditional method (blanching–freezing–frozen storage) and then cooked. The other was obtained using the modified technology (cooking–freezing–frozen storage), followed by defrosting and heating in a microwave oven. The culinary and technological processing applied brought about a pronounced decrease in tyrosine content (35–47% in 16 g N). The content of the remaining amino acids decreased or increased in relation to the raw material within the extremes of −15% to +17%. Sulphur amino acid was the limiting amino acid. Product obtained using traditional method had the higher quality protein (EAA index 144–166) of seeds prepared for consumption. In sensory test products, blanched before freezing were evaluated a bit higher than those cooked before freezing (ready‐to‐eat).
How do primary care doctors deal with uncertainty in making diagnostic decisions?
Authors: Schneider Antonius , Löwe Bernd , Barie Stefan , Joos Stefanie , Engeser Peter , Szecsenyi Joachim 
Published: October 2015

AbstractRationale, aims and objectives  Diagnostic uncertainty plays an important role in primary care. Nevertheless, the practical way how general practitioners (GPs) deal with uncertainty remains unclear. The purpose was to develop a questionnaire which describes and measures the level of action and active reasoning in dealing with uncertainty.Methods  Raw items for the ‘GP action scale’ and ‘GP diagnostic reasoning scale’ were derived by literature research. The questionnaire was modified by focus group discussion. The final version was administered to 325 GPs. The results of the ‘Dealing with uncertainty questionnaire’ (DUQ) were compared with the scales of the ‘Physician Reaction to Uncertainty’ (PRU) questionnaire. PRU measures affective reactions to uncertainty.Results  Item‐scale correlation of the ‘GP action scale’ and ‘GP diagnostic reasoning scale’ ranged from 0.41 to 0.61 and from 0.31 to 0.53, respectively. Crohnbach's alpha for ‘GP action scale’ was 0.75 and for ‘GP diagnostic reasoning scale’ 0.62. The ‘GP diagnostic action scale’ was significantly positively associated with ‘Anxiety due to uncertainty’, ‘Concern about bad outcomes’ and ‘Reluctance to disclose mistakes to physicians’, scales of PRU. In female doctors, ‘Concern about bad outcomes’ correlated positively with the ‘GP diagnostic reasoning scale’ (0.213; P < 0.05). In male doctors, ‘Anxiety due to uncertainty’ correlated negatively with the ‘GP diagnostic reasoning scale’ (−0.163; P < 0.05).Conclusions  Diagnostic reasoning in primary care appears as a complex process using typical primary care inherent ‘heuristics’. Affective intolerance against uncertainty correlates with self‐rated diagnostic activity. Affective reactions to uncertainty might influence gender‐specific reactions to uncertainty in different ways.
How to construct and implement script concordance tests: insights from a systematic review
Authors: Dory Valérie , Gagnon Robert , Vanpee Dominique , Charlin Bernard 
Published: October 2015

Medical Education 2012: 46: 552–563Context  Programmes of assessment should measure the various components of clinical competence. Clinical reasoning has been traditionally assessed using written tests and performance‐based tests. The script concordance test (SCT) was developed to assess clinical data interpretation skills. A recent review of the literature examined the validity argument concerning the SCT. Our aim was to provide potential users with evidence‐based recommendations on how to construct and implement an SCT.Methods  A systematic review of relevant databases (MEDLINE, ERIC [Education Resources Information Centre], PsycINFO, the Research and Development Resource Base [RDRB, University of Toronto]) and Google Scholar, medical education journals and conference proceedings was conducted for references in English or French. It was supplemented by ancestry searching and by additional references provided by experts.Results  The search yielded 848 references, of which 80 were analysed. Studies suggest that tests with around 100 items (25–30 cases), of which 25% are discarded after item analysis, should provide reliable scores. Panels with 10–20 members are needed to reach adequate precision in terms of estimated reliability. Panellists’ responses can be analysed by checking for moderate variability among responses. Studies of alternative scoring methods are inconclusive, but the traditional scoring method is satisfactory. There is little evidence on how best to determine a pass/fail threshold for high‐stakes examinations.Conclusions  Our literature search was broad and included references from medical education journals not indexed in the usual databases, conference abstracts and dissertations. There is good evidence on how to construct and implement an SCT for formative purposes or medium‐stakes course evaluations. Further avenues for research include examining the impact of various aspects of SCT construction and implementation on issues such as educational impact, correlations with other assessments, and validity of pass/fail decisions, particularly for high‐stakes examinations.
Ichthammol revisited
Authors: Boyd Alan S. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractScientific research has greatly expanded the therapeutic options for patients with cutaneous disease. This expansion, however, has not been without its drawbacks. While newer medications and procedures not only typically offer better disease control but they are also often associated with increased expense and problematic toxicities. Older medications often relegated to the dustbin of history may provide effective treatment of common dermatologic maladies and deserves reconsideration. Ichthammol, derived from shale oil, has been employed in the therapy of psoriasis, eczematous dermatitis, leg ulcers, seborrheic dermatitis, and furuncles for over a century and remains a useful topical medicament.
Epstein–Barr virus and skin manifestations in childhood
Authors: Lernia Vito Di , Mansouri Yasaman 
Published: October 2015

AbstractEpstein–Barr virus (EBV) is a human B‐lymphotropic herpes virus and one of the most common viruses in humans. Specific skin signs related to EBV infection are the exanthem of mononucleosis, which is observed more frequently after ingestion of amoxicillin, and oral hairy leukoplakia, a disease occurring mostly in immunocompromised subjects with HIV infection. Other more uncommon cutaneous disorders that have been associated with EBV infection include virus‐related exanthems or diseases such as Gianotti–Crosti syndrome, erythema multiforme, and acute genital ulcers. Other skin manifestations, not correlated to virus infection, such as hydroa vacciniforme and drug‐induced hypersensitivity syndrome have also been linked to EBV. The putative involvement of EBV in skin diseases is growing similarly to other areas of medicine, where the role of EBV infection is being investigated in potentially debilitating inflammatory diseases. The prognosis of EBV infection in healthy, immunocompetent individuals is excellent. However, lifelong infection, which is kept in check by the host immune system, determines an unpredictable risk of pathologic unpredictable scenarios. In this review, we describe the spectrum of non‐tumoral dermatological manifestations that can follow EBV primary infection or reactivation of EBV in childhood.
Corticosteroid therapy in intensive care unit patients with PCR‐confirmed influenza A(H1N1) infection in Finland
Authors: LINKO R. , PETTILÄ V. , RUOKONEN E. , VARPULA T. , KARLSSON S. , TENHUNEN J. , REINIKAINEN M. , SAARINEN K. , PERTTILÄ J. , PARVIAINEN I. , ALA‐KOKKO T. ,   THE FINNH1N1‐STUDY GROUP
Published: October 2015

ObjectiveTo evaluate the incidence, treatment, and outcome of influenza A(H1N1) in Finnish intensive care units (ICUs) with special reference to corticosteroid treatment.MethodsDuring the H1N1 outbreak in Finland between 11 October and 31 December 2009, we prospectively evaluated all consecutive ICU patients with high suspicion of or confirmed pandemic influenza A(H1N1) infection. We assessed severity of acute disease and daily organ dysfunction. Ventilatory support and other concomitant treatments were evaluated and recorded daily throughout the ICU stay. The primary outcome was hospital mortality.ResultsDuring the 3‐month period altogether 132 ICU patients were tested polymerase chain reaction‐positive for influenza A(H1N1). Of these patients, 78% needed non‐invasive or invasive ventilatory support. The median (interquartile) length of ICU stay was 4 [2–12] days. Hospital mortality was 10 of 132 [8%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3–12%]. Corticosteroids were administered to 72 (55%) patients, but rescue therapies except prone positioning were infrequently used. Simplified Acute Physiology Score II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores in patients with and without corticosteroid treatment were 31 [24–36] and 6 [2–8] vs. 22 [5–30] and 3 [2–6], respectively. The crude hospital mortality was not different in patients with corticosteroid treatment compared to those without: 8 of 72 (11%, 95% CI 4–19%) vs. 2 of 60 (3%, 95% CI 0–8%) (P = 0.11).ConclusionsThe majority of H1N1 patients in ICUs received ventilatory support. Corticosteroids were administered to more than half of the patients. Despite being more severely ill, patients given corticosteroids had comparable hospital outcome with patients not given corticosteroids.
Dry Period Management and Optimization of Post‐Partum Reproductive Management in Dairy Cattle
Authors: Gumen A , Keskin A , Yilmazbas‐Mecitoglu G , Karakaya E , Wiltbank MC 
Published: October 2015

ContentsDry period and early post‐partum management are decisive factors for fertility in lactating dairy cows. Previous studies have shown that decreased dry matter intake (DMI) and increased non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA) negatively affect fertility and subsequent milk production. The traditional dry period decreases DMI prior to parturition, resulting in a decrease in energy intake. A negative energy balance increases NEFA concentration, and increased NEFA may impair the immune system, especially by decreasing neutrophil function prior to parturition. Earlier studies have shown that post‐partum health disorders, including retained placenta and metritis, were correlated with periparturient neutrophil function. In addition, decreased DMI is also linked to a reduced body condition score (BCS) in dairy cows. These events in the periparturient period negatively affect fertility. Some manipulation, such as shortening the dry period, may be a solution to increased DMI in the periparturient period, preventing post‐partum disorders and subsequent fertility issues. This article aims to explain the effects of shortening the dry period on reproduction and early post‐partum treatments to improve fertility. In addition, timed artificial insemination protocols will be discussed for use during the post‐partum period to improve fertility in dairy cows.
Urethral trauma. Part II: Types of injury and their management
Authors: Mundy Anthony R. , Andrich Daniela E. 
Published: October 2015

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?Iatrogenic trauma aside, urethral injuries are not common. Nonetheless, there have been a large number of cohort studies, generally of small numbers of patients.This review pulls together all of the information available to try and produce a coherent narrative.
Immigrant Selection in the OECD*
Authors: Belot Michèle V. K. , Hatton Timothy J. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractIn this paper, we examine the determinants of educational selectivity in immigration using immigrant stock data for 70 source countries and 21 OECD destination countries, as observed in the year 2000/2001. We develop a variant of the Roy model to estimate the determinants of educational selectivity. Two key findings emerge. First, the effect of the skill premium, which is at the core of the Roy model, can be observed only after we take into account the poverty constraints operating in the source countries. Second, cultural similarities, colonial legacies, and physical distance are often more important determinants of educational selectivity than wage incentives or selective immigration policy.
BITs Bite: An Anatomy of the Impact of Bilateral Investment Treaties on Multinational Firms*
Authors: Egger Peter , Merlo Valeria 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBilateral investment treaties (BITs) are one of the few policy instruments that countries can use to directly attract foreign investment. Previous research has aimed at a quantification of the impact of BITs on foreign direct investment (FDI) at aggregated levels only. In contrast, in this paper, we deliver an anatomy of the effects of BITs on multinational activity at the micro level. We hope that this strategy will improve our understanding of the precise channels through which BITs determine aggregate investment. Using data on the foreign activity of the universe of German multinationals, we provide descriptive evidence on changes in the intensive and extensive margins of multinational firm activity around the adoption of BITs. The results of multivariate empirical models broadly support the hypotheses derived from a parsimonious model of heterogeneous firms on the effects of BITs on different margins of investment: BITs raise the number of multinational firms that are active in a particular host country and they have a positive effect on the number of plants per firm, as well as on FDI stocks and fixed assets per firm.
The Impact of Social Comparisons on Reciprocity*
Authors: Gächter Simon , Nosenzo Daniele , Sefton Martin 
Published: October 2015

Abstract In this paper, we investigate how social comparison information about referent others (i.e., learning what similar others do, and how they are treated) affects reciprocal relationships. Using three‐person gift‐exchange games, we study how employees’ reciprocity towards an employer is affected by pay comparison information (what co‐workers earn) and effort comparison information (how co‐workers perform). We find strong evidence of the effects of effort comparison: employees are more willing to reciprocate by choosing high effort in response to a high wage if they observe others doing so. In our setting, we find somewhat weaker evidence of the effects of pay comparison.
Fiscal Rules, Interest Payments on Debt, and the Irrelevance of the Taylor Principle
Authors: Linnemann Ludger , Schabert Andreas 
Published: October 2015

AbstractWe show that in New Keynesian models with non‐neutral government debt, the Taylor principle ceases to be relevant for equilibrium determinacy if the government follows a fiscal rule of levying taxes in proportion to its interest payments on existing debt. This is in contrast with previous studies, which typically have assumed that taxes respond to the level of debt, and have found either a confirmation or reversal of the Taylor principle depending on the feedback from debt to taxes. We find, instead, that the equilibrium effect of the interest rate on debt is crucial for determinacy. If, as in our model, taxes are raised in response to debt interest payments, the range of indeterminacy monotonically decreases with the fiscal feedback parameter. When interest payments are completely tax‐financed, indeterminacy is ruled out without any restrictions on monetary policy.
Competitive Balance: Time Series Lessons from the English Premier League
Authors: Lee Young Hoon , Fort Rodney 
Published: October 2015

AbstractStructural break points in the First Division/English Premier League time series of competitive balance identify an Early Period, a Pre‐World War II Period, a Post‐War Period, and a Modern Period. The Early Period corresponds to technology diffusion (defense and tactics) along with important economic structural imposition by leagues. The war periods are common to many time series. The Modern Period's sharp decline in balance corresponds to the newest version of the Champions League in 1994/1995 and the Bosman Ruling of 1995. Rottenberg's invariance principle suggests that it would be the former, rather than the latter, responsible for the historical rate of decline that follows this structural break.
Firm Growth, European Industry Dynamics and Domestic Business Cycles
Authors: Oberhofer Harald 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBased on the empirical firm growth literature and on heterogeneous (microeconomic) adjustment models, this paper empirically investigates the impact of European industry fluctuations and domestic business cycles on the growth performance of European firms. Since the implementation of the Single Market Program the 27 EU member states share a common market. Accordingly, the European industry business cycle is expected to become a more influential predictor of European firms’ behavior at the expense of domestic fluctuations. Empirically, the results of a two‐part model for a sample of European manufacturing firms reject this hypothesis. In addition, exporting firms and subsidiaries of multinational enterprises constitute the most stable firm cohort throughout the observed business cycle.
The World Trade Network
Authors: De Benedictis Luca , Tajoli Lucia 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThis study uses the tools of network analysis to graphically and analytically represent the characteristics of world trade. The structure of the World Trade Network is compared over time, detecting and interpreting patterns of trade ties among countries. The results show that the trading system has become more intensely interconnected, and trade integration at the world level has been increasing, but it is still far from being complete, with the exception of a few areas. At the same time, we observed a strong and increasing heterogeneity in countries’ choice of trade partners, with countries holding very different positions within the network, so that it is very difficult to talk of a representative country in the international trade system. Network indices were also used in a gravity model regression, adding to the explanatory power of the model. Furthermore, the analysis shows that trade policies do play a role in shaping the trade network, and that WTO members are more closely connected than the rest of the world. The structural difference between the extensive and the intensive margin of trade is also highlighted. An important feature of these results is that they pertain to the trading system as a whole, giving a unified view of the system characteristics and complexity.
Condylomata, cytological abnormalities and human papillomavirus infection in the anal canal in HIV‐infected men
Authors: Darwich L , Cañadas MP , Videla S , Coll J , Piñol M , Cobarsi P , Molina‐López RA , Vela S , García‐Cuyás F , Llatjos M , Sirera G , Clotet B ,   the HIV‐HPV Can Ruti Team
Published: October 2015

BackgroundGenital infections with low‐risk (LR) and high‐risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes are associated with ano‐genital condylomata and anal squamous cell cancer. HPV‐related pathologies in HIV‐infected men are a serious concern. In this study, the prevalence of anal condylomata and their association with cytological abnormalities and HPV infection in the anal canal in HIV‐infected men [men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexuals] were estimated.MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional study based on the first visits of patients in the Can Ruti HIV‐positive Men (CARH·MEN) cohort. Anal condylomata were assessed by clinical and proctological examination. Samples from the anal canal were collected for HPV genotyping and cytological diagnoses.ResultsA total of 640 HIV‐infected men (473 MSM and 167 heterosexuals) were included in the study. The overall prevalence of anal condylomata was 25% [157 of 640; 95% confidence interval (CI) 21–28%]; in MSM it was 28% and in heterosexuals it was 15% [odds ratio (OR) 2.2; 95% CI 1.4–3.5]. In patients with anal condylomata, HPV infection in the anal canal was more prevalent (92% vs. 67% in those without anal condylomata; OR 8.5; 95% CI 3.2–22). This higher HPV prevalence involved at least two HPV genotypes (OR 4.0; 95% CI 2.2–7.1), mainly HR genotypes (OR 3.3; 95% CI 1.7–6.4). Similarly, the cumulative prevalence of HPV‐6 and HPV‐11 was higher in patients with anal condylomata (63% vs. 19% in those without anal condylomata). Having anal condylomata was associated with higher prevalences of cytological abnormalities (83% vs. 32% in those without anal condylomata; OR 6.9; 95% CI 3.8–12.7) and high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) (9% vs. 3% in those without anal condylomata; OR 9.0; 95% CI 2.9–28.4) in the anal canal.ConclusionsHIV‐infected men with anal condylomata were at risk of presenting HSILs and harbouring multiple HR HPV infections in the anal canal. Although MSM presented the highest prevalence of anal condylomata, heterosexual men also had a clinically important prevalence. Our findings emphasize the importance of screening and follow‐up for condylomata in the anal canal in HIV‐infected men.
Do Changes in Product Variety Matter for Business Cycles and Monetary Policy in Open Economies?
Authors: Auray Stéphane , Eyquem Aurélien 
Published: October 2015

AbstractFirms constantly seek to develop and commercialize new goods to satisfy consumer needs. This process of creation and destruction of product varieties has important implications for competition in goods markets and consumer welfare. According to Bernard et al. (2009), product creation typically accounts for a large share of national output. Since it also crucially affects the dynamics of inflation through its effect on competition, taking this process into account may challenge traditional views on monetary policy design and transmission. In this paper, we find that changes in the range of products available to consumers matter for our understanding of business cycles and the conduct of monetary policy in open economies. Our evaluation of the welfare implications of alternative monetary policy rules shows the importance of product varieties in the design of monetary policy. Much theoretical literature has found that price stability should be the key objective of monetary policy. Considering product creation in an open economy changes this policy recommendation, since welfare is higher when central banks respond moderately to output fluctuations in addition to responding to inflation.