bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
DIAGNOSTIC SELF‐TESTING: AUTONOMOUS CHOICES AND RELATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Authors: KEARNS ALAN J. , O'MATHÚNA DÓNAL P. , SCOTT P. ANNE 
Published: February 2009

ABSTRACTDiagnostic self‐testing devices are being developed for many illnesses, chronic diseases and infections. These will be used in hospitals, at point‐of‐care facilities and at home. Designed to allow earlier detection of diseases, self‐testing diagnostic devices may improve disease prevention, slow the progression of disease and facilitate better treatment outcomes. These devices have the potential to benefit both the individual and society by enabling individuals to take a more proactive role in the maintenance of their health and by helping society improve health and reduce health costs. However, the full implications of future home‐based diagnostic technology for individuals and society remain unclear due to their novelty.We argue that the development of diagnostic tools, especially for home use, will heighten a number of ethical challenges. This paper will explore some of the ethical implications of home‐based self‐testing diagnostic devices for the autonomous and relational dimensions of the person. This will be facilitated by examining the impact of diagnostic devices for individual autonomy, for the delivery of accurate diagnosis and for the personal significance of the information for the user. The latter will be examined using Charles Taylor's view of personhood and his emphasis on human agency and interpretation.While the ethical issues are not necessarily new, the development of home‐based self‐testing diagnostic devices will make issues regarding autonomy, accuracy of information and personal significance more and more demanding. This will be the case particularly when an individual's autonomous choices come into conflict with the person's relational responsibilities.
The impact of pay‐for‐performance on professional boundaries in UK general practice: an ethnographic study
Authors: Grant Suzanne , Huby Guro , Watkins Francis , Checkland Kath , McDonald Ruth , Davies Huw , Guthrie Bruce 
Published: February 2009

AbstractThe 2004 new General Medical Services (nGMS) contract exemplifies trends across the public services towards increased definition, measurement and regulation of professional work, with general practice income now largely dependent on the quality of care provided across a range of clinical and organisational indicators known collectively as the ‘Quality and Outcomes Framework’ (QOF). This paper reports an ethnographically based study of the impact of the new contract and the financial incentives contained within it on professional boundaries in UK general practice. The distribution of clinical and administrative work has changed significantly and there has been a new concentration of authority, with QOF decision making and monitoring being led by an internal QOF team of clinical and managerial staff who make the major practice‐level decisions about QOF, monitor progress against targets, and intervene to resolve areas or indicators at risk of missing targets. General practitioners and nurses, however, appear to have accommodated these changes by re‐creating long established narratives on professional boundaries and clinical hierarchies. This paper is concerned with the impact of these new arrangements on existing clinical hierarchies.
Practising Open Disclosure: clinical incident communication and systems improvement
Authors: Iedema Rick , Jorm Christine , Wakefield John , Ryan Cherie , Dunn Stewart 
Published: February 2009

AbstractThis article explores the way that professionals are being inducted into articulating apologies to consumers of their services, in this case clinicians apologising to patients. The article focuses on the policy of Open Disclosure that is being adopted by health care organisations in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia and other nations. Open Disclosure policy mandates ‘open discussion of clinical incidents’ with patient victims. In Australia, Open Disclosure policy implementation is currently being complemented by intensive staff training, involving simulation of apology scenarios with actor‐patients. The article presents an analysis of data collected from such training sessions. The analysis shows how simulated apologising engages frontline staff in evaluating the efficacy of their disclosures, and how staff may thereby be inducted into reconciling their affective and reflexive sensibilities with their organisational and professional responsibilities, and thereby produce the required organisational apology. The article concludes that Open Disclosure, besides potentially relaxing tensions between clinicians and consumers, may also affect how staff experience and enact their role in the overall system of health care organisation.
Spatial Econometric Analysis of Foreign Direct Investment Determinants in Russian Regions
Authors: Ledyaeva Svetlana 
Published: February 2009

AbstractUsing a spatial autoregressive model of cross‐sectional and panel data, we study the determinants and dominant strategies of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Russia before and after the 1998 financial crisis. The important determinants of FDI inflows into Russian regions since the start of transition appear to be market size, the presence of large cities and sea ports, oil and gas availability, proximity to European market, and political and legislative risks. Since 1998, it appears the importance of big cities, the Sakhalin region, oil and gas resources, proximity to European markets, and legislation and political risks has increased. Our results also reveal a shift from horizontal FDI strategy to vertical FDI strategy in the post‐crisis period. Using a multiple spatial lags approach, we show that neighbouring port‐endowed regions tend to have emerged in the post‐crisis era as competitors for FDI.
The Impacts of Alignment with Global Product Standards on Exports of Firms in Developing Countries
Authors: An Galina , Maskus Keith E. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractComplying with global standards and technical norms can be costly, making them potential impediments to trade, but it can also expand export opportunities. Two policies available to governments are alignment of domestic technical regulations with international standards and entry into mutual recognition agreements (MRAs). We study the effects of such decisions on the volume of exports to developed markets by firms in developing countries, using data from a World Bank firm‐level survey of awareness of global product norms. Both standards alignment and MRAs are associated with more exports to developed countries, but only MRAs significantly promote exports. This finding is consistent with theoretical predictions that MRAs should reduce the fixed costs of exporting more than standards alignment, permitting more firms to enter export markets in higher volumes. Governments in developing countries hoping to encourage exports may wish to favour the negotiation of mutual recognition of testing and certification procedures with major trading partners as a more affirmative avenue to expanding international sales.
Low‐wage Employment and the Role of Education and On‐the‐job Training
Authors: Cuesta Maite Blázquez , Salverda Wiemer 
Published: February 2009

AbstractGeneral education and on‐the‐job training are major forces determining earnings. This contribution analyses the effects of general education and on‐the‐job training, relative to each other, on workers' relative earnings and on the probability of making an upwards transition in the earnings distribution. The analysis is done for Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain, using the European Community Household Panel (1995–2001). Our results reveal that in all countries on‐the‐job training and high levels of general education reduce the risk of being in a low‐pay situation, whereas they increase the probability of escaping from low‐paid jobs to better‐paid jobs. However, the relative contributions differ significantly, on‐the‐job training being relatively more important for upward mobility in Italy and Spain and tertiary education more important for reducing the risk of being in low pay in Denmark and the Netherlands.
Workers' Perceptions of Job Insecurity: Do Job Security Guarantees Work?
Authors: Bryson Alex , Cappellari Lorenzo , Lucifora Claudio 
Published: February 2009

AbstractWe investigate the effect of employer job security guarantees on employee perceptions of job insecurity. Using linked employer–employee data from the 1998 British Workplace Employee Relations Survey, we find job security guarantees reduce employee perceptions of job insecurity. This finding is robust to endogenous selection of job security guarantees by employers engaging in organizational change and workforce reductions. Furthermore, there is no evidence that increased job security through job guarantees results in greater work intensification, stress, or lower job satisfaction.
Why Do Part‐time Workers Invest Less in Human Capital than Full‐timers?
Authors: Nelen Annemarie , De Grip Andries 
Published: February 2009

AbstractWe analyse whether lower investments in human capital of part‐time workers are due to workers' characteristics or human resource practices of the firm. We focus on investments in both formal training and informal learning. Using the Dutch Life‐Long‐Learning Survey 2007, we find that part‐time workers have different determinants for formal training and informal learning from full‐time workers. The latter benefit from firms' human resource practices such as performance interviews, personal development plans, and feedback. Part‐time workers can only partly compensate the lack of firm support when they have a high learning motivation and imagination of their future development.
Foreign Participation and Hiring Patterns after Privatization
Authors: Chong Alberto , Galdo Virgilio 
Published: February 2009

AbstractCritics of globalization claim that foreign ownership of privatized firms is linked to negative post‐privatization labor outcomes, such as more firing and less hiring. This paper uses new firm‐level data for a cross‐section of countries to test this idea and provides evidence that foreign purchasers of state‐owned enterprises tend to acquire firms that were already better restructured before privatization. Additionally, this paper does not find evidence that foreign participation in privatized firms is linked to negative labor outcomes.
Controlled and dependent: experiences of living on social assistance in Sweden
Authors: Marttila Anneli , Whitehead Margaret , Canvin Krysia , Burström Bo 
Published: February 2009

Marttila A, Whitehead M, Canvin K, Burström B. Controlled and dependent: experiences of living on social assistance in Sweden Int J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 142–151 © 2009 The Author(s), Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.This study explored experiences of people receiving social assistance in 21st‐century Sweden, based on 33 in‐depth interviews conducted in 2005 and 2006. Two overarching themes emerged from the accounts, encompassing both a material and a psychosocial dimension of living on social assistance. Recipients reported that social assistance was generally sufficient for their basic material needs but allowed for no extras. It was possible to live on social assistance for a short time, but became difficult in the longer term. Perceptions of powerlessness, hopelessness and dependency were common and had the most damaging consequences for the recipients' perceived wellbeing. Some recipients believed that society at large had negative perceptions of people living on social assistance; it was something to be ashamed of but, at the same time, it was the recipients' only possible source of income. Findings of this study are partly similar to previous studies conducted in Sweden, suggesting that improvement in services should take into account the experiences of social assistance recipients.
The impact of the use of the social welfare services or social security benefits on attitudes to social welfare policies
Authors: Muuri Anu 
Published: February 2009

Muuri A. The impact of the use of the social welfare services or social security benefits on attitudes to social welfare policies Int J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 182–193 © 2009 The Author(s), Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.This article investigates the attitudes of citizens and clients to social welfare services and social security benefits. The data come from a Finnish national survey conducted at the end of 2006. First, the article overviews the previous welfare‐state studies relating especially to the theoretical perspectives of self‐interest and legitimacy. The empirical analysis indicates (i) that a different operation of self‐interest can only weakly explain the differences in attitudes between services and benefits; (ii) that there is general support for Finnish social welfare services and social security benefits, which, however, is mixed with growing criticism among women and pensioners who are supposed to benefit most from the welfare policies; and (iii) that such determinants of attitude as gender, use and, to some extent, lifecycle have become as important as class‐related factors such as income and education.
Effect of guard dogs on the behavior and reproduction of gazelles in cattle enclosures on the Golan Heights
Authors: Gingold G. , Yom‐Tov Y. , Kronfeld‐Schor N. , Geffen E. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractCattle on the Golan Heights are kept in enclosures and some of these enclosures have guard dogs. We studied the effect of such dogs on the behavior and breeding success of mountain gazelles Gazella gazella living within enclosures. We found that guard dogs have both direct and indirect effects on gazelles. Gazelles living in enclosures with dogs spent more time in vigilance behavior and running, and less time resting and walking, in comparison with gazelles in dog‐free enclosures. In the absence of dogs, gazelle female herds in enclosures tended to stay closer to the cattle, but shunned away from them in the presence of the dogs, which, in turn, remained near the cattle. The percentage of fawns per female was higher in enclosures without dogs in comparison with those with dogs, but the difference was not significant. However, the largest of the enclosures with dogs, which had the largest number of gazelles, had only an average number of dogs in it. Hence, the gazelles in this enclosure were better able to avoid the dogs in comparison with those in smaller enclosures. Removing this enclosure from the overall calculation revealed that guard dogs have a significant negative effect on gazelle reproductive success. In two of the four enclosures with dogs no fawn still survived 6 months after birth, while in each of the four enclosures without dogs some fawns did survive to that age and beyond, suggesting that the dogs themselves may predate the fawns.
Inter‐ and intra‐observer agreement of intrapartum ST analysis of the fetal electrocardiogram in women monitored by STAN
Authors: Westerhuis MEMH , van Horen E , Kwee A , van der Tweel I , Visser GHA , Moons KGM 
Published: February 2009

Objective  The objective of this study was to quantify inter‐ and intra‐observer agreement on classification of the intrapartum cardiotocogram (CTG) and decision to intervene following STAN guidelines.Design  A prospective, observational study.Setting  Obstetrics Department of a tertiary referral hospital.Population  STAN recordings of 73 women after 36 weeks of gestation with a high‐risk pregnancy, induced or oxytocin‐augmented labour, meconium‐stained amniotic fluid or epidural analgesia.Methods  Six observers classified 73 STAN recordings and decided if and when they would suggest an intervention. Proportions of specific agreement (Ps) and kappa values (K) were calculated.Main outcome measures  Agreement upon classification of the intrapartum CTG and decision to perform an intervention.Results  Agreement for classification of a normal and a (pre)terminal CTG was good (Ps range 0.50–0.84), but poor for the intermediary and abnormal CTG (Ps range 0.34–0.56). Agreement on the decision to intervene was higher, especially on the decision to perform ‘no intervention’ (Ps range 0.76–0.94). Overall inter‐observer agreement on the decision to intervene was considered moderate in five of six observer combinations according to the kappa (K range 0.42–0.73). Intra‐observer agreement for CTG classification and decision to intervene was moderate (K range 0.52–0.67 and 0.61–0.75).Conclusions  Inter‐observer agreement on classification of the intrapartum CTG is poor, but addition of information regarding fetal electrocardiogram, especially in case of intermediary or abnormal CTG traces, results in a more standardised decision to intervene.
Why women do not accept randomisation for place of birth: feasibility of a RCT in the Netherlands
Authors: Hendrix M , Van Horck M , Moreta D , Nieman F , Nieuwenhuijze M , Severens J , Nijhuis J 
Published: February 2009

Objective  The purpose of this study was to investigate why low‐risk nulliparae were not willing to participate in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of place of birth.Design  Prospective study.Setting  The Netherlands.Population  All low‐risk nulliparous women starting their pregnancy under midwife.Methods  A questionnaire for 107 nulliparae who were willing to participate in a cohort study on place of birth, but at an earlier stage in their pregnancy declined to participate in a RCT of place of birth. This questionnaire included 12 items on a 4‐point Likert scale but was not subjected to formal validation.Main outcome measure  Reasons why nulliparae did not accept randomisation of place of birth.Results  The most important reason why women refused participation in the trial was that they had already chosen their place of birth before they were asked to participate at 12 weeks of pregnancy. From their answers, it became clear that pregnant women strongly value their autonomy of choice. The decision not to participate in the trial was not influenced by the information given by the midwife and the additional written information.Conclusions  Factors that prevent randomisation for place of birth are difficult to influence. There is a need to explore why there is such certainty of view among women having their first child. Until we have an understanding of why women select information to make these choices and why women are reluctant to participate in trials that challenge choice, it may well be impossible to mount a trial of place of birth.
Bibliometrics of global malaria vaccine research
Authors: Garg Kailash C. , Kumar Suresh , Madhavi Yennapu , Bahl Mala 
Published: February 2009

AbstractObjectives:  This study evaluates malaria vaccine research carried out in different parts of the world during 1972–2004 using different bibliometric indicators.Method:  Data have been downloaded from PubMed for the period 1972–2004 using the keywords (malaria* or plasmodium or falciparum) and (vaccine*) in the title and abstract fields. The study examined the pattern of growth of the output, its geographical distribution, profile of different countries in different subfields and pattern of citations using GOOGLE Scholar.Results:  Malaria vaccine research output is gradually increasing. The USA, followed by the UK and Australia contributed the highest number of papers. Publication activity has decreased in Switzerland and Sweden, but has increased in Brazil and China. The majority of the countries have focused on the development of asexual blood stage malaria. Citations per paper and incidence of high‐quality papers for the USA, the UK, Papua New Guinea and Denmark are more than the average. The majority of the prolific institutions are located in the USA, the UK, France and Australia.Conclusion:  The last two decades have witnessed considerable growth in research output in this field, while a successful malaria vaccine still remains elusive. Interestingly, the countries like the USA, the UK and Australia that lead in the quantity, quality and citation of this output are often not those directly affected by malaria.
Regulation and function of neuronal GTP‐Ras in facial motor nerve regeneration
Authors: Makwana Milan , Serchov Tsvetan , Hristova Mariya , Bohatschek Marion , Gschwendtner Andreas , Kalla Roger , Liu ZhiQiang , Heumann Rolf , Raivich Genndij 
Published: February 2009

AbstractActivation of Ras into the GTP‐binding, ‘ON’ state is a key switch in the neurotrophin‐mediated neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth, in vitro as well as in vivo. In the current study we explored changes in GTP‐Ras levels following facial nerve injury and the ensuing regeneration and the effects of perturbing these changes in vivo using synapsin‐promoter mediated neuronal expression of constitutively active Val12H‐Ras (synRas). Quantification of GTP‐Ras and total Ras revealed a precipitous drop in the relative GTP‐Ras levels in the axotomized facial motor nucleus, to 40% of normal levels at 2 days after cut, followed by a partial recovery to 50–65% at 4–28 days. On western blots, control and axotomized nuclei from synRas mutants showed a 2.2‐ and 2.5‐fold elevation in GTP‐Ras, respectively, compared with their wild type littermate controls (p < 5%, anova, TUKEY post‐hoc), with the levels in the axotomized synRas nucleus slightly but not significantly above that in the uninjured littermate control (p = 9.9%). Similar increase was also observed in the pERK but not pAKT targets of the Ras cascade. This moderate elevation of GTP‐Ras strongly curtailed post‐traumatic neuronal cell death (−65%), the influx of T‐cells (−48%) as well as other parameters of neuroinflammatory response. Although synRas did not affect the speed of axonal regeneration or functional recovery it caused a very pronounced increase in central axonal sprouting. These current data emphasize the role of reduced active Ras, and by extension, the reduced overall level of retrograde neurotrophin signalling after axotomy, in mediating post‐traumatic cell death and inflammation and in restricting the sprouting response. Moreover, the neuroprotective and central sprouting‐enhancing effects of neuronal Val12H‐Ras could help promote recovery in CNS injury.