bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
MANAGING INTENTIONS: THE END‐OF‐LIFE ADMINISTRATION OF ANALGESICS AND SEDATIVES, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SLOW EUTHANASIA
Authors: DOUGLAS CHARLES , KERRIDGE IAN , ANKENY RACHEL 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTThere has been much debate regarding the ‘double‐effect’ of sedatives and analgesics administered at the end‐of‐life, and the possibility that health professionals using these drugs are performing ‘slow euthanasia.’ On the one hand analgesics and sedatives can do much to relieve suffering in the terminally ill. On the other hand, they can hasten death. According to a standard view, the administration of analgesics and sedatives amounts to euthanasia when the drugs are given with an intention to hasten death. In this paper we report a small qualitative study based on interviews with 8 Australian general physicians regarding their understanding of intention in the context of questions about voluntary euthanasia, assisted suicide and particularly the use of analgesic and sedative infusions (including the possibility of voluntary or non‐voluntary ‘slow euthanasia’). We found a striking ambiguity and uncertainty regarding intentions amongst doctors interviewed. Some were explicit in describing a ‘grey’ area between palliation and euthanasia, or a continuum between the two. Not one of the respondents was consistent in distinguishing between a foreseen death and an intended death. A major theme was that ‘slow euthanasia’ may be more psychologically acceptable to doctors than active voluntary euthanasia by bolus injection, partly because the former would usually only result in a small loss of ‘time’ for patients already very close to death, but also because of the desirable ambiguities surrounding causation and intention when an infusion of analgesics and sedatives is used. The empirical and philosophical implications of these findings are discussed.
BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES IN CLINICAL ETHICS CONSULTATIONS: THE EXPERIENCES OF NINE CLINICAL ETHICS COMMITTEES
Authors: PEDERSEN REIDAR , AKRE VICTORIA , FØRDE REIDUN 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTClinical ethics committees have recently been established in nearly all Norwegian hospital trusts. One important task for these committees is clinical ethics consultations. This qualitative study explores significant barriers confronting the ethics committees in providing such consultation services. The interviews with the committees indicate that there is a substantial need for clinical ethics support services and, in general, the committee members expressed a great deal of enthusiasm for the committee work. They also reported, however, that tendencies to evade moral disagreement, conflict, and ‘outsiders’ are common in the hospitals. Sometimes even the committees comply with some of these tendencies. The committees agree that there is a need to improve their routines and procedures, clarify the committees' profile and field of responsibility, to make the committees well‐known, to secure adequate operating conditions, and to develop organizational integration and support. Various strategies to meet these challenges on a local, regional or national level are also explored in this paper.
AGAINST THE INALIENABLE RIGHT TO WITHDRAW FROM RESEARCH
Authors: CHWANG ERIC 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTIn this paper I argue, against the current consensus, that the right to withdraw from research is sometimes alienable. In other words, research subjects are sometimes morally permitted to waive their right to withdraw. The argument proceeds in three major steps. In the first step, I argue that rights typically should be presumed alienable, both because that is not illegitimately coercive and because the general paternalistic motivation for keeping them inalienable is untenable. In the second step of the argument, I consider three special characteristics of the right to withdraw, first that its waiver might be exploitative, second that research involves intimate bodily access, and third that it is irreversible. I argue that none of these characteristics justify an inalienable right to withdraw. In the third step, I examine four considerations often taken to justify various other allegedly inalienable rights: concerns about treating yourself merely as a means as might be the case in suicide, concerns about revoking all your future freedoms in slavery contracts, the resolution of coordination problems, and public interest. I argue that the motivations involved in these four types of situations do not apply to the right to withdraw from research.
Determinants and consequences of soft budget constraints An empirical analysis using enterprise‐level data in transition countries1
Authors: Bignebat Céline , Gouret Fabian 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThis paper presents empirical work grounded in the soft budget constraint (SBC) literature. A loan is soft when a bank cannot commit the enterprise to hold to a fixed initial budget and/or the timing of repayment. Using data collected by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) (Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS), 2002) in 26 transition economies, we analyze the determinants of managers’ expectations of having a soft loan. In particular, we find that managers’ expectations are lower when the initial financing requires collateral, and higher for larger firms and when firms had recently experienced financial distress. We also provide evidence that managers’ expectations influence their price responsiveness.
Who bears the cost of Russia's military draft?
Authors: Lokshin Michael , Yemtsov Ruslan 
Published: June 2008

AbstractIn this paper we use data from a large nationally representative survey in Russia to empirically estimate the distribution of the burden induced by the military draft. We focus on draft avoidance as a common response to the conscription system ridden by corruption. We develop a simple theoretical model that describes household compliance decisions with respect to enlistment as a function of its pre‐draft welfare. We employ the full information maximum‐likelihood instrumental variable model to estimate the effect of household characteristics on the probability of serving in the army. Our results indicate that the burden of conscription falls excessively on the poor. Poor, low‐educated, rural households are much more likely to have their sons enlisted compared to urban, wealthy and better‐educated families. Using the predicted probability of draft avoidance, we estimate the short‐term direct economic cost of the draft as lost wages of serving conscripts. Our results suggest that losses incurred by the poor are disproportionately large and exceed the statutory rates of personal income taxes.
Productivity, innovation and convergence in Poland1
Authors: Kolasa Marcin 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThis paper provides evidence on factors driving productivity growth in the new EU member states, focusing on Polish manufacturing industries. The results obtained indicate that companies in Poland benefit significantly from transfer of technologies accumulated in more developed economies. No strong evidence is found on immediate technology transfer. The significant effect of domestic innovation activity is mainly due to its impact on the speed of convergence and is particularly strong in high‐tech industries, relatively privatized industries and industries initially further from the technological frontier.
The role of social capital in the labour market in China1
Authors: Knight John , Yueh Linda 
Published: June 2008

AbstractSocial capital is considered to play an economic role in labour markets. It may be particularly pertinent in one that is in transition from an administered to a market‐oriented system. One factor that may determine success in the underdeveloped Chinese labour market is thus guanxi, the Chinese variant of social capital. With individual‐level measures of social capital, we test for the role of guanxi using a dataset designed for this purpose, covering 7,500 urban workers and conducted in early 2000. The evidence is consistent with the basic hypothesis. Both measures of social capital – size of social network and Communist Party membership – have significant and substantial coefficients in the income functions. Social capital can have influence either in an administered system or in one subject to market forces. It appears to do so in both parts of the labour market.
Human capital externalities  Evidence from the transition economy of Russia1
Authors: Muravyev Alexander 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThe paper tests for the existence of human capital externalities using a micro‐level approach: the Mincerian wage regression augmented with the average level of education in cities. To solve identification problems arising from the endogeneity of average education, the study exploits a natural experiment provided by the process of economic transition: average education at the end of communism can be seen as exogenous in respect of wages prevailing after the start of transition. Our empirical results based on the RLMS data show that a 1 percentage point increase in the share of city residents with a university degree results in an increase of wages of city residents by about 1 percent.
Political patronage in Ukrainian banking1
Authors: Baum Christopher F. , Caglayan Mustafa , Schäfer Dorothea , Talavera Oleksandr 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThis paper empirically investigates the link between political patronage and bank performance for Ukraine during 2003Q3–2005Q2. We find significant differences between politically affiliated and non‐affiliated banks. The data suggest that affiliated banks have significantly lower interest rate margins and increase their capitalization. Furthermore, we show that the level of activity of affiliated deputies in parliament has a positive (negative) impact on banks’ capitalization ratio (interest rate margin). Our findings imply, in line with the related literature, that political affiliation has important effects on banks’ behaviour.
Treatment of disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis with topical diclofenac gel: a case series
Authors: Vlachou C , Kanelleas AI , Martin‐Clavijo A , Berth‐Jones J 
Published: June 2008

AbstractDisseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis (DSAP) is the most common of the of five clinical variants of porokeratosis. These are disorders of keratinization and the distinctive pathological feature is the cornoid lamella at the margin. DSAP usually manifests in the third or fourth decades of life with a female preponderance and with multiple lesions over sun‐exposed areas. A diverse range of treatments is employed though evidence of efficacy remains largely anecdotal. We report a series of eight patients with DSAP treated with 3% diclofenac gel (Solaraze® gel).
Foraging site fidelity of lactating New Zealand sea lions
Authors: Chilvers B. L. 
Published: June 2008

AbstractEcologists often describe the foraging ecology of a species as a whole, treating conspecific individuals as ecologically equal. However, individual specialization has potentially important ecological, evolutionary and conservation implications. Foraging studies are usually based on the foraging behaviours of individuals sampled in only 1 year. In this study, the site fidelity of foraging locations of nine female New Zealand sea lions (NZ sea lions Phocarctos hookeri) from Enderby Island, Auckland Islands, were investigated by repeating their satellite tracking between 1 and 4 years after they were first tracked. Females were monitored during early lactation in the austral summers of 2001–2005. The kernel ranges of females' foraging satellite location concentrations overlapped consistently within and between years. As predicted for benthic foragers, NZ sea lions show low individual variability in foraging behaviour and greater specialization. It is important to understand the spatial and temporal limitations on an individual's foraging‐site fidelity, because they can affect a species' ability to cope with environmental changes and anthropogenic impacts. This has significant implications for NZ sea lions management and conservation.
Estimating red deer abundance in a wide range of management situations in Mediterranean habitats
Authors: Acevedo P. , Ruiz‐Fons F. , Vicente J. , Reyes‐García A. R. , Alzaga V. , Gortázar C. 
Published: June 2008

AbstractWhen human interventions interfere with the natural regulation of wildlife populations by favouring some species, overabundance can emerge. We evaluated different methods of estimating red deer abundance in a wide range of population densities from southern Spain. Distance sampling estimates were used as the reference method across 22 localities and were compared with two kilometric abundance indices (KAIs), four indices based on pellet group counts and two browsing indices (BWIs). The average red deer density estimated by distance sampling was 19.51±3.19 deer per 100 ha, showing a wide range across the study area (0.04–66.77). Distance sampling estimates correlated with the KAIs, pellet group‐based index and the BWI. The agreement with distance sampling improved when groups were used instead of individuals in the KAIs, when the minimum pellet group size was fixed at 20 pellets in the dropping counts, and when only highly palatable species were used in the BWI. Thus, several direct and indirect methods can estimate red deer abundance in Mediterranean habitats from Southern Spain with appropriate modifications.
Female within‐nest spawning‐site preference in a paternal brooding blenny and its effect on the female mate choice
Authors: Matsumoto Y. , Takegaki T. , Tawa A. , Natsukari Y. 
Published: June 2008

AbstractFemale spawning‐site preference within a nest and its effect on the female mate choice in a paternal brooding blenny Rhabdoblennius ellipes, were examined in rocky intertidal pools using artificial nests. The number of eggs deposited at the nest entrance site was lower than the number deposited at the center and at deep sites. Moreover, the within‐nest difference in the egg developmental stage indicated that eggs at the nest entrance site were deposited after those at the center and deep sites. These results indicated that females prefer to spawn eggs in the center and deep sites rather than at the entrance site. Owing to the higher egg mortality rate at the entrance site, females may avoid spawning at such sites. An analysis of the nests in the study area suggested that the within‐nest site preference affects female mate choice that is females avoided nests where only the entrance site was available for spawning and instead spawned in nests where the center and deep sites were available.
Home range and habitat selection of pampas deer
Authors: Vila A. R. , Beade M. S. , Barrios Lamunière D. 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThe southernmost subspecies of pampas deerOzotocerus bezoarticus celeris an endemic and endangered cervid of the Argentine Pampas. The aim of our study was to describe the habitat use of this deer on the coast of Samborombón Bay. Twelve adult pampas deer (seven female and five male) were radiotracked and their home‐range sizes and habitat selection studied from 1995 to 2001. The mean home‐range size was 898±181 ha, and the core area was concentrated in 22% of their range. The home‐range size of males was three times larger than that of females (1422 vs. 523 ha). Deer home ranges overlapped extensively. No sex differences were found regarding habitat selection.Celtis talaforests andSpartina densifloragrasslands were used more than expected by their availability, while wetlands, coastal grasslands andSalicornia ambiguabeaches were avoided. Their habitat selection was affected by cattle presence, suggesting avoidance: they tended to use areas free of cattle, and their home ranges were larger when cattle were absent. An action plan for this endangered population of pampas deer should include initiatives involving private landowners in pampas deer conservation, the use of fire and cattle grazing management tools to improve deer habitat, and studies to provide biological and health data related to pampas deer coexistence with cattle.
Risk Analysis Modeling of Production Costs and Occupational Health Exposure of Single‐Wall Carbon Nanotube Manufacturing
Authors: Ok Zeynep D. , Benneyan James C. , Isaacs Jacqueline A. 
Published: June 2008

SummaryConsiderable uncertainty exists about occupational risks, future environmental health and safety (EHS) standards, and associated production and compliance costs for single‐wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) manufacturing processes. We propose and illustrate the use of risk analysis Monte Carlo (MC) models to assess cost and exposure trade‐offs of the high‐pressure carbon monoxide (HiPco) SWNT manufacturing process given these uncertainties. Assumptions regarding the timing, frequency, magnitude, and expense of EHS standards are modeled as stochastic events and examined for their impact on the expected values, variances, and probability distributions of total production costs and occupational exposure. With a better understanding of associated risks, these models can help policy makers and manufacturers explore potential EHS benefits, consequences, and trade‐offs. For example, results suggest that voluntary implementation of a low level of protection (rather than none at all) can lead to reduced cost and exposure uncertainty with insignificant increases in production costs, as well as lowering total manufacturing and liability costs, depending on the assumptions made. Conversely, slower implementation rates of higher standards produce greater uncertainty in long‐term costs and exposure. More generally, the results of this study underscore three important observations: (1) Expected costs alone are insufficient for informed decision making; (2) the best level of standards, overall cost, and optimal voluntary standards are highly dependent on uncertain health effects; and (3) the resultant amount of uncertainty in total costs and exposure can be extreme.
Evolution of host avoidance in a leafmining fly, Amauromyza flavifrons
Authors: Uesugi Akane 
Published: June 2008

AbstractHerbivorous insects are characterized by a great diversity of host plant associations, yet, the processes driving host range evolution are not fully understood. When herbivores encounter a novel host, local selection pressures are expected to shape traits that mediate plant–insect interactions. I show that a leafmining fly, Amauromyza flavifrons (Meigen) (Diptera: Agromyzidae), suffers a profound fitness cost by ovipositing on a novel host, Beta vulgaris L. (sugar beet) (Chenopodiaceae). Leafminers from a sugar beet‐free population readily oviposit on B. vulgaris leaves, whereas those collected from a population near sugar beet farms discriminate against B. vulgaris. This finding suggests that oviposition specificity in A. flavifrons populations may have evolved in response to the presence of the novel host, and represents the first evidence of host‐avoidance evolution in the wild. Because this study compared only one pair of populations and thus lacks replication, future studies will test whether parallel evolution has occurred at B. vulgaris farm locales across North America.
Terpenoid lactones with the p‐menthane system as feeding deterrents to the lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus
Authors: Szczepanik Maryla , Dams Iwona , Wawrzeńczyk Czesław 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThe application of antifeedants, often in combination with other methods within integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, has proven to be a good way to control insect pests. Little is known about compounds that have antifeedant activity against the lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus Panzer (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The antifeedant properties of optically pure isomers of pulegone and isopulegol and some enantiomeric pairs of bicyclic terpenoid lactones with the p‐menthane system, derived from these isomeric starting compounds, were studied in choice and no‐choice tests with the lesser mealworm. The original monoterpenes and γ‐spirolactones were weak feeding deterrents to larvae and adults of A. diaperinus. The δ‐hydroxy‐γ‐spirolactones showed significant activity against adults, but substituting the hydroxy group with a ketone group considerably reduced the deterrent activity of the resulting δ‐keto‐γ‐spirolactones. The bicyclic γ‐hydroxy‐δ‐lactones with condensed rings and with the (1S,6R,8R)‐(+) and (1R,6S,8S)‐(–) configuration of the chiral centres, and δ‐hydroxy‐γ‐lactone (1S,4S,6S)‐(+) were very strong antifeedants to both larvae and adults. The hydroxy groups and the configuration of the chiral centres of the molecules were very important features for determining the antifeedant activity of the lactones tested. Generally, the compounds studied were better antifeedants to adults than to larvae.
Deterrent effect of a guild of extrafloral nectary‐visiting ant species onRaphidopalpa foveicollis, a major insect pest of sponge gourd,Luffa cylindrica
Authors: Agarwal Vivek M. , Rastogi Neelkamal 
Published: June 2008

AbstractAmong the 10 ant species visiting the extrafloral nectaries of sponge gourd plants [Luffa cylindricaL. (Cucurbitaceae)],Camponotus compressus(Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) appears to be the ecologically dominant species, due to its abundance and the high frequency of deterrent encounters with the major insect herbivore,Raphidopalpa foveicollisLucas (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). A significant positive linear correlation was found between the number of extrafloral nectaries per leaf, calyx, bract, and bracteole and the patrolling time ofC. compressus,Camponotus paria(Emery),Pheidolespec., andTetramoriumspec. (all Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at the corresponding plant parts. Many one‐to‐one deterrent interactions between the ant visitors and adultR. foveicolliswere recorded, withC. compressusbeing involved in most encounters on the calyx and bracts,Pheidolespec. on the leaves, andPachycondyla tesserinoda(Emery) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on the bracteoles.Tapinoma melanocephalum(Fabr.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) exhibited significant deterrent effects on adult herbivores on the corolla when in groups larger than 15 ants. Ant exclusion and inclusion experiments revealed a significant reduction in the residence time, as well as dose‐ and time‐dependent reduction in the frequency of visits of the herbivore on crop plants withC. compressus,C. paria,Pheidolespec., andT. melanocephalumants, compared to the control. Results support the optimal defence hypothesis, as the plant structures most closely linked to plant fitness bear the extrafloral nectaries and are defended by the visiting ant species. This is a valuable, indirect plant‐protection strategy of an annual crop plant.