Micro-based evidence of EU competitiveness: The CompNet Database. National Bank of Belgium Working Paper No. 253, March 2014

Drawing from confidential firm-level balance sheets in 11 European countries, the paper presents a novel sectoral database of comparable productivity indicators built by members of the Competitiveness Research Network (CompNet) using a newly developed research infrastructure. Beyond aggregate information available from industry statistics of Eurostat or EU KLEMS, the paper provides information on the distribution of firms across several dimensions related to competitiveness, e.g. productivity and size. The database comprises so far 11 countries, with information for 58 sectors over the period 1995-2011. The paper documents the development of the new research infrastructure, the construction of the database, and shows some preliminary results. Among them, it shows that there is large heterogeneity in terms of firm productivity or size within narrowly defined industries in all countries. Productivity, and above all, size distribution are very skewed across countries, with a thick left-tail of low productive firms. Moreover, firms at both ends of the distribution show very different dynamics in terms of productivity and unit labour costs. Within-sector heterogeneity and productivity dispersion are positively correlated to aggregate productivity given the possibility of reallocating resources from less to more productive firms. To this extent, we show how allocative efficiency varies across countries, and more interestingly, over different periods of time. Finally, we apply the new database to illustrate the importance of productivity dispersion to explain aggregate trade results

Determinazione dello zearalenone e dei suoi metaboliti nei tessuti di cinghiale

Lo zearalenone è una molecola prodotta dal metabolismo secondario di funghi appartenenti al genere FUsarium. Una volta assunta per via orale, la micotossina viene trasformata in diversi metaboliti, inclusi i due di principale interesse: alpha-zearalenolo e beta-zearalenolo. L'interesse verso questi composti è legata alla loro provata attività estrogenica, che causa l'insorgenza di iperestrogenismo, caratterizzato da alterazioni fenotipiche degli organi sessuali, in caso di animali in via di sviluppo e dalla modificazione dell'omeostasi ormonale, negli animali adulti e nell'uomo. La contaminazione da zearalenone è tipica nelle colture cerealicole e in ambienti abitati da animali selvatici, come i cinghiali, che si nutrono di conseguenza di cibi contaminati. Lo scopo della presente tesi, è stato quello di valutare la presenza di zearalenone e dei suoi metaboliti in tessuti di cinghiali, da poter utilizzare sia come indicatore del tasso di contaminazione ambientale, ma anche come indice di pericolosità per l'uomo che, oramai, è diventato consumatore abituale di carne di cinghiale

1H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and its role in predicting neurodevelopmental impairment in preterm neonates: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives To assess the diagnostic utility of proton (1H) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in early diagnosis of neurodevelopmental impairment in preterm newborns. Methods Systematic review and meta-analysis performed in compliance with the PRISMA statements. Eligible articles were searched in MEDLINE, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science databases using the following medical subject headings and terms: “magnetic resonance spectroscopy”, “infant”, and “newborn”. Studies of any design published until December 20th, 2021 and fulfilling the following criteria were selected: 1) studies including newborns with gestational age at birth <37 weeks which underwent at least one 1H-MRS scan within 52 weeks’ postmenstrual age and neurodevelopmental assessment within 4 years of age; 2) studies in which preterm newborns with congenital infections, genetic disorders, and brain congenital anomalies were clearly excluded. Data regarding the relationship between metabolite ratios in basal ganglia, thalamus, and white matter, and neurodevelopment were analysed. The quality assessment of included studies was performed according to the criteria from the QUADAS-2. Results N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/choline (Cho) was the most studied metabolite ratio. Lower NAA/Cho ratio in basal ganglia and thalamus was associated with adverse motor, cognitive, and language outcomes, and worse global neurodevelopment. Lower NAA/Cho ratio in white matter was associated with cognitive impairment. However, some associations came from single studies or were discordant among studies. The quality of included studies was low. Conclusion 1H-MRS could be a promising tool for early diagnosis of neurodevelopmental impairment. However, further studies of good quality are needed to define the relationship between metabolite ratios and neurodevelopmen

An empirical investigation of analytic process: Contrasting a good and poor outcome case

The aim of this article is to assess the difference in the analytic processes between two patients with similar personality profiles, who were in analysis during the same time, by two analysts with similar training and working in a similar setting. We explored patients' personality and changes with the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF; APA, 2000) and the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure-200 (SWAP-200; Westen & Shedler, 1999a, 1999b) applied by two pairs of independent raters in 16 sessions. In addition, we assessed therapeutic processes with the Analytic Process Scales (APS; Waldron, Scharf, Hurst, Firestein, & Burton, 2004b) and the Dynamic Interaction Scales (DIS; Waldron, Gazzillo, Genova, Lingiardi, 2013) applied by three independent raters to 20 sessions, as well as the Helping Alliance Rating Scale (HAR; Luborsky, Crits-Cristoph, Alexander, Margolis, & Cohen, 1983) applied to eight sessions from the beginning of each therapy. Our results showed striking differences between the outcomes of these two psychoanalyses that are paralleled by differences in their therapeutic process. We provide verbatim clinical interactions to illustrate these differences and explore the potential implications of these findings. © 2014 American Psychological Association

Fostering the capacity of the patients to oscillate between experiencing and reflecting: an empirical study on process and outcome of psychoanalyses

Aim: The aim of this study is to identify the technical and relation factors which contribute to the good outcome of psychoanalysis. Method: In order to accomplish this goal, we have assessed 600 sessions from 30 psychoanalytic treatments audio recorded an transcripted, 8 sessions from the first month, 4 from the middle of the therapy and 8 from the last month. The 8 sessions from the first month and the 8 sessions from the last month were assessed with the Shedler-Westen assessment Procedure-200 (SWAP-200; Shedler, Westen, 1999a, b), the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF, APA, 2000); the first 8 sessions were assessed also with the Helping Alliance Rating Scales (HAR; Luborsky, Crits-Cristoph, Alexander, Margolis, & Cohen, 1983) and all the sessions were assessed with the Analytic Process Scales (APS; Waldron et al., 2004) and the Dynamic Interaction Scales (DIS; Waldron et al., 2013). Results: The comparison between good and poor outcome treatments pointed out the relevance of both classical analytic interventions (clarification and interpretation of defenses, conflicts and emotional and behavioral patterns) and relational factors (straightforwardness, warmly and attuned responsiveness, empathy). Moreover, our data pointed out the correlation of the capacity of the patients to oscillate between experiencing and reflecting of the patients on their experience with the level of their Personality Health Index (PHI; Waldron et al., 2011).Finally, we explored what are the technical and relational elements of therapist communication that foster the patients capacity to oscillate between experiencing and reflecting. Discussion: The clinical and training implications of these data will be discussed

Clinical efficacy of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt created with covered stents with different diameters: Results of a randomized controlled trial

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: The incidence of post-TIPS hepatic encephalopathy (HE) could be reduced by using stents with a small diameter. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of HE and the clinical efficacy of TIPS created with 8- or 10-mm PTFE-covered stents. METHODS: Consecutive cirrhotics submitted to TIPS for variceal bleeding or refractory ascites were randomized to receive a 8- or 10-mm covered stent. As recommended by our Ethical Committee, the trial was stopped after the inclusion of 45 patients. RESULTS: The two groups were comparable for age, sex, etiology, and psychometric performance. After TIPS, the portosystemic pressure gradient was significantly higher in the 8-mm stent group (8.9+/-2.7 versus 6.5+/-2.7 mmHg; p=0.007). Consequently, the probability of remaining free of complications due to portal hypertension was significantly higher in the 10-mm than in the 8-mm stent group: 82.9% versus 41.9% at one year; log-rank test, p=0.002. In particular, the persistence of ascites with the need for repeated paracentesis was significantly more frequent in the patients treated with 8-mm stent diameter for refractory ascites (log-rank test, p=0.008). The probability of remaining free of HE was similar in both groups. Cumulative survival rate was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The use of 8-mm diameter stents for TIPS leads to a significantly less efficient control of complications of portal hypertension. HE remains an unsolved major problem after TIPS