bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hospital palliative care consult improves value-based purchasing outcomes in a propensity score–matched cohort
Authors: Glasgow Justin M , Zhang Zugui , O’Donnell Linsey D , Guerry Roshni T , Maheshwari Vinay
Published: February 2019

Background:

Hospital-based palliative care consultation is consistently associated with reduced hospitalization costs and more importantly with improved patient quality of life. As healthcare systems move toward value-based purchasing rather than fee-for-service models, understanding how palliative care consultation is associated with value-based purchasing metrics can provide evidence for expanded health system support for a greater palliative care presence.

Aim:

To understand how a palliative care consultation impacts rates of patient readmission and hospital-acquired infections associated with value-based purchasing metrics.

Design:

Retrospective propensity-matched case–control study evaluating the impact of palliative care consultation on hospital charges, hospital and intensive care unit length of stay, readmission rates, and rates of hospital-acquired conditions.

Setting/participants:

All adult patients admitted to a two hospital healthcare system over a 2-year period from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2017. The palliative care team involved three physicians, five advanced practice providers, a social worker, and a chaplain during the study period.

Results:

A total of 3415 patients receiving a palliative consult were propensity matched to 25,028 controls. Compared to controls, cases had decreased charges per day and decreased rates of 7-, 30-, and 90-day readmissions.

Conclusion:

Through value-based purchasing, hospitals have 3% of their Medicare reimbursements at risk based on readmission rates. By clarifying prognosis and patient goals, palliative care consultation reduces readmission rates. Hospital systems may want to invest in larger palliative care programs as part of their efforts to reduce hospital readmissions.
Spatial Frequency Thresholds for Detecting Latent Facial Signals of Threat
Authors: Watier Nicholas , DeGagne Brock
Published: February 2019

This study examined whether latent facial signals of threat can be detected at more extreme ranges of spatial frequencies (SFs), and thus with fewer frequencies from an optimal middle band for face identification, compared with latent nonthreatening facial signals. Using an adaptive staircase procedure and a two-interval forced-choice same-different task, SF thresholds from the lower and higher ends of the SF spectrum were obtained for nonexpressive threatening and nonthreatening faces. Threatening faces were discriminated from neutral faces more quickly and accurately, and engendered more extreme SF thresholds, compared with nonthreatening faces. The results indicate that the components of latent threatening facial signals can be detected under a greater degree of impoverished visual information for face processing compared with their nonthreatening counterparts.
Correlation of Aggregate Form Properties with Fourier Frequencies
Authors: Xu Hongbin , Prozzi Jorge A.
Published: February 2019

Aggregate morphology consists of three independent components: form, angularity, and surface texture. As these three components act in different ways in affecting the performance of pavement layer, it is vital to characterize them objectively and accurately. In this study, the coordinates of boundary pixels of aggregate from 2-D images were treated as an equally spaced complex series. The description of the aggregate shape in the frequency domain was obtained by analyzing this complex series with the discrete Fourier transform (DFT). Based on this, the reconstruction of aggregate shape at different frequencies was performed, which validated that the three elements of aggregate shape correspond to different frequencies. In addition, by fitting the relationship between DFT coefficients and form parameters (elongation ratio, sphericity, mean radius, variance of radius), the frequencies contributing to the form properties of aggregate were identified. Moreover, prediction models for the elongation ratio, sphericity, mean, and variance of radius based on the DFT coefficients at the contributing frequencies were developed separately.
Eudaimonia Around the Kitchen: A Hermeneutic Approach to Understanding Food Well-Being in Consumers’ Lived Experiences
Authors: Mugel Ophélie , Gurviez Patricia , Decrop Alain
Published: February 2019

This article focuses on food well-being (FWB) in consumers’ lived experiences. Adopting a consumer-centric and interpretive approach, the authors combine phenomenological interviews, photo elicitation, and personal diaries to develop a better understanding of FWB. The present research findings lead to a proposed conceptual model of the FWB experience. These elements reflect the eudaimonic approach to well-being, which is related to individual fulfillment and personal growth and helps define FWB not only as a positive relationship with food but also as a eudaimonic experience that includes various processes, meanings, contextual conditions, and resulting moods and emotions. The authors’ findings may help consumers, public authorities, and activist networks reinvest meanings and values into individuals’ relationship with food.
Burnout in Home Palliative Care: What Is the Role of Coping Strategies?
Authors: Ercolani Giacomo , Varani Silvia , Peghetti Barbara , Franchini Luca , Malerba Maria Beatrice , Messana Rossana , Sichi Vittoria , Pannuti Raffaella , Pannuti Franco
Published: February 2019

Objective:

The study examines psychophysical distress of health-care professionals providing home-based palliative care. The aim is to investigate potential correlations between dimensions of burnout and different coping strategies.

Methods:

The present study is an observational cross-sectional investigation. The study involved all the home palliative care teams of an Italian nonprofit organization. Of a total of 275 practitioners working for the organization, 207 (75%) decided to participate in the study and complete questionnaires. Questionnaires employed were Maslach Burnout Inventory, General Health Questionnaire 12, Psychophysiological Questionnaire of CBA 2.0, and Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced. Professionals were physicians (50%), nurses (36%), and psychologists (14%). There were no exclusion criteria. Data were processed by SPSS 23 and analyses employed were Spearman ρ, Mann-Whitney U test, and 1-way analysis of variance on ranks.

Results:

Among participants, a low number of professionals were emotionally exhausted (11%) or not fulfilled at work (20%), whereas most of them complained of depersonalization symptoms (67%). Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were found to be associated with avoidance coping strategies, whereas problem-solving and positive attitude were negatively associated with emotional exhaustion and positively with personal accomplishment. Moreover, using avoidance strategies was related to a worse psychological and physical condition.

Conclusions:

Findings suggest the need to provide professionals training programs about coping and communication skills tailored to fit the professionals’ needs according to their work experience in palliative care and aimed at improving the approach to patients and relatives.
Investigations on critical anisotropic triaxiality at the crack tip under mixed-mode (I + II) fracture
Authors: Kacker Ruchin , Singh Bhadauria Shailendra
Published: February 2019

In this analytical study, anisotropic triaxiality, at the yield loci of the crack tip under mixed-mode (I + II) loading, has been modeled. According to the well-known M-criterion the crack of any orientation from the loading axis, initiates at a polar angle at which criticality of triaxiality occurs. Thus, the critical values of triaxiality have been obtained by statistically evaluating the proposed model for various crack inclinations. The combination of six anisotropic constants classifies the five different yield conditions, which are useful in various alloys. Hill’s generalized anisotropic yield equation generates these yield conditions. The assumption of limited plastic deformation at the crack tip has been the basis of analysis. In particular, the principle of linear elastic fracture mechanics (considering small-scale yielding) holds well. Plastic zone shapes at the crack tip for various crack inclinations are plotted to supplement the results obtained from critical values of triaxiality. For both, plane stress and plane strain conditions, the analysis reveals the regions of the degree of anisotropy for particular Lankford’s coefficient and vice versa where the crack initiation angles show variations.
Overcoming Resistance to Change: Using Narratives to Create More Positive Intergroup Attitudes
Authors: Murrar Sohad , Brauer Markus
Published: February 2019

Researchers and practitioners have proposed numerous methods to reduce prejudice and create more positive attitudes toward members of other groups. However, empirical support for the effectiveness of these methods is mixed at best. Here, we propose that intergroup attitudes tend to be highly resistant to change, and thus, any method aiming to change these attitudes will be effective only if it successfully overcomes this resistance. First, we argue that traditional methods used to promote positive intergroup attitudes are inadequate in this regard. Next, we suggest that narratives are a unique way of overcoming resistance because they create less reactance, transport individuals into a story world, and provide them with social models. We then describe empirical evidence suggesting that narratives are likely to be particularly useful for creating more positive attitudes toward members of other social groups. Finally, we propose a number of empirical and theoretical questions that present challenges for research on narratives and intergroup attitudes.
Work conditions and financial difficulties in post-crisis Europe: Utility versus quality of working life
Authors: Lopes Helena , Lagoa Sérgio , Santos Ana C
Published: February 2019

This article critically examines the relation between work and utility and challenges the mainstream economic view of well-being as a hedonic state for which work is a less pleasurable trade-off. It proposes a conception of work as a potential source of eudaimonic well-being, providing meaning and contributing to human flourishing and self-realisation. Based on micro-level data, the article shows the relevance of distinguishing between hedonic and eudaimonic well-being by way of comparing the effects of increased financial difficulties and deteriorated work conditions on these two types of well-being in five European Union countries – Germany, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the UK – in the post global financial crisis years between 2009 and 2014. The article concludes by underlining the political importance of addressing aspects pertaining to the quality of working life and of creating jobs that serve to improve the eudaimonic well-being of citizens.

JEL Codes: I31, J28, J81
Impact of Motivational Interviewing by Social Workers on Service Users: A Systematic Review
Authors: Boyle Sally , Vseteckova Jitka , Higgins Martyn
Published: February 2019

Purpose:

This systematic review was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI), by social workers, on service user outcomes.

Methods:

A literature search was undertaken between 2007 and 2018. All eligible studies were analyzed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. As heterogeneity was high, a narrative synthesis approach was employed, using thematic analysis for categorizing data.

Results:

Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. MI had a positive effect on service user experience, but this was not consistent. Training was variable, but the evidence suggests that practitioner’s need ongoing training, supervision, or coaching while providing MI.

Discussion:

There is a paucity of research examining the impact of MI on children, which was a limitation of this review. There is a need for more qualitative research to surface views and experience of service users to determine why MI is effective.
Provider Perspectives of Medication Complexity in Home Health Care: A Qualitative Secondary Data Analysis
Authors: Squires Allison , Ridge Laura , Miner Sarah , McDonald Margaret V. , Greenberg Sherry A. , Cortes Tara
Published: February 2019

A primary service provided by home care is medication management. Issues with medication management at home place older adults at high risk for hospital admission, readmission, and adverse events. This study sought to understand medication management challenges from the home care provider perspective. A qualitative secondary data analysis approach was used to analyze program evaluation interview data from an interprofessional educational intervention study designed to decrease medication complexity in older urban adults receiving home care. Directed and summative content analysis approaches were used to analyze data from 90 clinician and student participants. Medication safety issues along with provider–provider communication problems were central themes with medication complexity. Fragmented care coordination contributed to medication management complexity. Patient-, provider-, and system-level factors influencing medication complexity and management were identified as contributing to both communication and coordination challenges.
Exclusion of a Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysm With Covered Stents Using a Long Drug-Eluting Stent Scaffold
Authors: Cotter Ryan , Krantz Mori , Hogan Shea , Holland Matthew
Published: February 2019

Coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) are a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome and there is little consensus as to the optimal treatment. Based on case series as well as expert opinion, surgery has been suggested as the optimal treatment for a giant CAA. Here, we present the case of a patient with recurrent myocardial infarction and severe angina due to a giant CAA, who was deemed a poor surgical candidate due to his multiple medical comorbidities. Given his intractable anginal symptoms despite medical therapy, he chose to pursue percutaneous intervention. However, the aneurysm was larger than available covered coronary stents and the patient had significant atherosclerotic disease proximal and distal to the aneurysm itself. Our approach used a long drug-eluting stent as a scaffold to overlap covered coronary stents to successfully exclude the aneurysm. The patient’s angina resolved and had no complications or readmissions after nearly 1 year of follow-up.
Oral D-Aspartate enhances synaptic plasticity reserve in progressive multiple sclerosis
Authors: Nicoletti Carolina G , Monteleone Fabrizia , Marfia Girolama A , Usiello Alessandro , Buttari Fabio , Centonze Diego , Mori Francesco
Published: February 2019

Background:

Synaptic plasticity reserve correlates with clinical recovery after a relapse in relapsing–remitting forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and is significantly compromised in patients with progressive forms of MS. These findings suggest that progression of disability in MS is linked to reduced synaptic plasticity reserve. D-Aspartate, an endogenous aminoacid approved for the use in humans as a dietary supplement, enhances synaptic plasticity in mice.

Objective:

To test whether D-Aspartate oral intake increases synaptic plasticity reserve in progressive MS patients.

Methods:

A total of 31 patients affected by a progressive form of MS received either single oral daily doses of D-Aspartate 2660 mg or placebo for 4 weeks. Synaptic plasticity reserve and trans-synaptic cortical excitability were measured through transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocols before and after D-Aspartate.

Results:

Both TMS-induced long-term potentiation (LTP), intracortical facilitation (ICF) and short-interval ICF increased after 2 and 4 weeks of D-Aspartate but not after placebo, suggesting an enhancement of synaptic plasticity reserve and increased trans-synaptic glutamatergic transmission.

Conclusion:

Daily oral D-Aspartate 2660 mg for 4 weeks enhances synaptic plasticity reserve in patients with progressive MS, opening the path to further studies assessing its clinical effects on disability progression.
Using psychologically informed care to improve mental health and wellbeing for people living with a heart condition from birth: A statement paper
Authors: Morton Liza
Published: February 2019

Over the last few decades, medical and surgical advances have led to a growing population of individuals living with congenital heart disease. The challenges of this condition can reach beyond physical limitations to include anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. To date, these psychological outcomes have been neglected; yet, they need not be inevitable. The factors contributing to these difficulties are considered here, drawing on current evidence and neuropsychological theories including the novel application of polyvagal theory. Suggestions for developing psychologically informed medical and social care to improve mental health, wellbeing and recovery and influence policy and training are proposed (See supplemental material for video abstract).
Journalists’ professional self-representations: A Portuguese perspective based on the contribution made by the sociology of professions
Authors: Lima Quintanilha Tiago
Published: February 2019

The deregulation of labour markets and the proliferation of precarious labour contracts are making it more difficult for journalists to retain occupational control of their professional practice, and this is in turn forcing them to renegotiate their contract with society. At the same time, journalists’ authority as gatekeepers is constantly being eroded and is being replaced by ‘gatewatching’ – a practice underpinned by a more participatory audience that plays the part of content curator. That authority is also being challenged by the redefinition of the barriers between news producers and consumers brought about by the advent en masse of networked journalists. This is the perspective from which this article addresses the dynamics of change in the journalist’s profession, which is further heightening the uncertainty and angst felt in the structures of professional performance. Taking professional self-representation as a starting point and framing it against the background of the leading ideas postulated in the sociology of professions, the article’s goal is to paint a picture of the journalistic profession in Portugal and to understand how journalists evaluate their profession, the structures of professionalism and the dynamics of deprofessionalisation and proletarianisation, while situating those perceptions within the theory of ‘ambivalence in professions’. The primary methodology is quantitative, with longitudinal analyses of the main data gathered from surveys of journalists based on three intentional non-probabilistic samples (2010, 2012, and 2016).
What are newspaper editorials interested in? Understanding the idea of criteria of editorial-worthiness
Authors: Marques Francisco Paulo Jamil , Mont’Alverne Camila
Published: February 2019

Despite the large array of research dedicated to examining the concepts of news values and newsworthiness, journalism studies barely attempt to deal with the idea of editorial-worthiness at the theoretical level. This article proposes a conceptual foundation to reflect on the elements influencing how news organizations build their editorial positions. Studying the idea of editorial-worthiness is essential to catalog the characteristics guiding newspapers’ editorial decisions and production processes, as well as to understand the differences between professional rules and cultures shaping opinionated practices in contemporary journalism. By employing an approach based on a review of the literature, the article proposes a conceptualization of criteria of editorial-worthiness consisting of (1) editorial factors and (2) editorial values, further divided into 25 items. The proposal allows journalism research to acknowledge how the gatekeeping function plays out on editorial pages by categorizing the elements influencing editorial production routines.
Hemorrhage simulated by lower body negative pressure provokes an oxidative stress response in healthy young adults
Authors: Park Flora S , Kay Victoria L , Sprick Justin D , Rosenberg Alexander J , Anderson Garen K , Mallet Robert T , Rickards Caroline A
Published: February 2019

Hemorrhage is a leading cause of potentially preventable death in both civilian and military trauma settings. Lower body negative pressure (LBNP) is a validated, non-invasive, and reproducible approach to simulate hemorrhage by inducing central hypovolemia in healthy conscious humans. The oxidative stress response to simulated hemorrhage via LBNP has not been quantified. We hypothesized that systemic markers of oxidative stress would increase with application of maximal, pre-syncopal limited LBNP. Fifteen healthy human subjects (11 M/4 F; age 27 ± 1 y) were recruited for a single LBNP experiment to presyncope (chamber pressure was progressively reduced every 5-min in a stepwise manner). Heart rate was assessed via ECG, arterial pressure and stroke volume (SV) were measured continuously via finger photoplethysmography, muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) was measured via near-infrared spectroscopy, and venous blood samples were collected at baseline and presyncope. Plasma samples were analyzed for F2-isoprostanes (F2-IsoP), a global marker of oxidative stress. The magnitude of central hypovolemia, indexed by the maximal decrease (%Δ) in SV, ranged from 27 to 74% (53.5 ± 3.9%; P < 0.001), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased by 12.6 ± 2.6% ( P < 0.001 vs. pre-LBNP baseline). F2-IsoP increased by 28.5 ± 11.6% ( P = 0.05) from baseline (24 ± 2 pg/mL) to presyncope (29 ± 3 pg/mL). The increase in F2-IsoP was not associated with %Δ SV ( r = 0.21, P = 0.46), %Δ MAP ( r = 0.05, P = 0.86), %Δ SmO2 ( r = 0.05, P = 0.90), or the maximum level of LBNP attained ( r = 0.35, P = 0.20). Simulated hemorrhage induced by LBNP to presyncope elicited an increase in oxidative stress, but this response was not associated with the magnitude of central hypovolemia, hypotension, or the decrease in peripheral muscle tissue oxygen saturation. These findings have important implications for the study of hemorrhage using LBNP, and future investigations of interventions targeting oxidative stress.

Impact statement

We characterize the systemic oxidative stress response in young, healthy human subjects with exposure to simulated hemorrhage via application of lower body negative pressure (LBNP). Prior work has demonstrated that LBNP and actual blood loss evoke similar hemodynamic and immune responses (i.e. white blood cell count), but it is unknown whether LBNP elicits oxidative stress resembling that produced by blood loss. We show that LBNP induces a 29% increase in F2-isoprostanes, a systemic marker of oxidative stress. The findings of this investigation may have important implications for the study of hemorrhage using LBNP, including future assessments of targeted interventions that may reduce oxidative stress, such as novel fluid resuscitation approaches.
Self-prioritization of fully unfamiliar stimuli
Authors: Woźniak Mateusz , Knoblich Günther
Published: February 2019

Recently, Sui and colleagues introduced an experimental task to investigate prioritization of arbitrary stimuli associated with the self. They demonstrated that after being told to associate three identities (self, friend, stranger) with three arbitrary stimuli (geometrical shapes), participants were faster in a perceptual matching task to recognise matching pairs of self-associated shape with self-label, than respective friend or stranger-related pairings. They interpreted this as evidence that a brief self-association is sufficient to facilitate processing of previously neutral stimuli. However, in the matching trials of the self-prioritization task, participants are processing not only self-associated arbitrary stimuli but also familiar verbal labels with an established meaning. Therefore, the self-advantage may be caused by familiarity of the labels, rather than self-association of the shapes. To test whether self-prioritization can be elicited in a task employing exclusively neutral stimuli, we asked participants to associate avatar faces with three identities (self, name of best friend, and stranger) and replaced labels with unfamiliar abstract symbols that were associated to the words (you, friend, stranger) before the actual experiment started. The results presented the usual pattern of self-prioritization showing that this effect does not critically depend on the presence of familiar labels and that it can be elicited in the absence of any familiar stimuli.
Association of scapholunate dissociation and two-part articular fractures of the distal radius
Authors: Sun Grace T.W. , MacLean Simon B.M. , Alexander Justin J. , Woodman Richard , Bain Gregory I.
Published: February 2019

Scapholunate dissociation may occur in association with distal radial fractures and is easily missed at initial presentation. The aim of this study was to examine variances in the scapholunate distance with respect to subtypes of two-part partial articular distal radial fractures. Axial computed tomography (CT) scans of acute two-part intra-articular radial fractures were assessed retrospectively from 80 patients and compared to 20 controls. From each scan, two images were analysed to identify the scaphoid, lunate and articular fracture line in the distal radius for fracture type categorization. The images were overlaid on a standardized distal radius template and the scapholunate distance measured. Significant increase in the scapholunate distance was noted in fracture subtypes: radial styloid oblique; dorsal ulnar column; sagittal ulnar column; and volar coronal. We conclude that these findings support the need for a higher index of suspicion for scapholunate dissociation in these distal radial fracture subtypes.

Level of evidence: III
The Mechanics of Regime Instability in Latin America
Authors: Przeworski Adam
Published: February 2019

The paper is narrowly addressed to a single puzzle: How did it happen that countries that attempted to install democracy earlier enjoyed it less frequently? Regime dynamics are driven by two mechanisms: (1) Democracies become more durable as per capita income increases, and (2) Past experiences with democracy destabilize both democracies and autocracies. As a result, countries that experiment with democracy at lower income levels experience more regime instability. Moreover, until they reach some income threshold, at any time such countries are less likely to be democratic than countries that first enter democracy when they have higher incomes. Hence, paradoxically, the resistance of European monarchies against democracy resulted in democracies that were more stable than those following post-independence attempts in Latin America.
Institutional Change in Latin America: External Models and their Unintended Consequences
Authors: Weyland Kurt
Published: February 2019

Influential theories claim that institutions shape actor behavior but are sustained by these actors’ behavior. How do scholars escape from this trap of endogeneity? This article highlights a partially exogenous factor: institutional models and blueprints. Since these ideational schemes do not emerge from actor preferences, they play an independent, irreducible role in institutional creation. In fact, Latin America has borrowed many blueprints from the “First World.” But transferred to a different setting, these imported models often fail to command firm, reliable compliance and do not operate well. Therefore, informal mechanisms arise and guide behavior. External borrowing thus produces persistent disjunctures in institutional development.
From the Boardroom to the Chamber: Business Interests and Party Politics in Mexico
Authors: Wuhs Steven T.
Published: February 2019

One of the lesser-acknowledged conclusions from analyses of the third wave of democratization relates to the importance of conservatives to democratic consolidation. Yet we know very little about the way that such interests are incorporated into the formal, institutional arena of parties and elections – especially as relates to business interests. This is true in spite of a clear, cross-regional rise in the presence of entrepreneurs themselves in politics. This article generates and evaluates a set of expectations for the political behavior of business interests. I focus my empirical attention on Mexico, where such interests are historically speaking very well organized internally, and analyze the incorporation of business-association members into the parliamentary delegation of Mexico's three major political parties. I conclude by considering where we might look for the political mobilization of business interests in the interest of establishing a research agenda for the future.
Measuring Variance in Subnational Regimes: Results from an Expert-Based Operationalization of Democracy in the Argentine Provinces
Authors: Gervasoni Carlos
Published: February 2019

This paper presents an expert-based operationalization strategy to measure the degree of democracy in the Argentine provinces. Starting with a mainstream and “thick” definition of regime type, I assess each of its aspects using a subjective or perception-based approach that taps the knowledge of experts on the politics of each province. I present and justify the methodological design of the resulting Survey of Experts on Provincial Politics (SEPP) and conduct a preliminary analysis of its results. Some aspects of the provincial regimes appear to be clearly democratic, while others are mixed or even leaning towards authoritarianism. Moreover, some show little inter-provincial variance, while others vary considerably from province to province. An analysis of the central tendency and dispersion of the survey items allows for a general description of the Argentine provincial regimes. Inclusion is the most democratic dimension, while the effectiveness of institutional constraints on the power of the Executive is the most deficient. Electoral contestation is generally free of traditional forms of fraud, but incumbents often command far more campaign resources and media attention than do their challengers. Physical repression is rare, but opponents in some provinces face subtler forms of punishment. While the survey does not uncover any clear cases of subnational authoritarianism, stricto sensu, provincial regimes do vary significantly from basically democratic to clearly hybrid.
No Country for Leftists? Clientelist Continuity and the 2006 Vote in the Brazilian Northeast
Authors: Montero Alfred P.
Published: February 2019

Building upon recent studies of the electoral effects of social policy and President Lula da Silva's coattails in the 2006 Brazilian elections, this article explains the performance of leftist and conservative candidates in elections for governor during that cycle in the Northeast region. The study assesses three systemic factors: the conditional cash transfer program, Bolsa Família, economic growth, and Lula's coattails on support for right-wing incumbents and left-wing oppositions in the states of Bahia, Maranhão, and Ceará. Based on the analysis of an original municipal-level dataset and a survey of partisan elites, the findings underscore the importance of urban-based party building strategies across the three states and patterns of elite alliances specific to each state. Alliances made in the capitals coupled with divided conservative establishments, facilitated leftist victories in the examined states. At the same time, variations in alliance patterns and leftist party development across the three states reveal that conservative clientele networks remain vibrant bases of right-wing support, especially in the interior, and despite either social policy or Lula's coattails.
The Ideological “Coherence” of the Brazilian Party System, 1990-2009
Authors: Lucas Kevin , Samuels David
Published: February 2019

This paper contributes to the debate about the ideological coherence of the Brazilian party system. Using discriminant function analysis of 20 years of surveys of Brazilian legislators, we find that the party system now exhibits relatively little coherence. Though the Worker's Party (PT) is clearly distinct, no clear ideological differences exist between the placement of the system's three other main parties. Moreover, the spatial distance between the PT and the other parties is diminishing over time. Given the importance of a coherent ideological map to any consolidated party system, we question the notion that the Brazilian party system has gradually consolidated. Indeed, our results suggest the opposite: in recent years the Brazilian party system has become relatively more “inchoate.”
Considering Local Democratic Transition in Latin America
Authors: Bland Gary
Published: February 2019

Drawing from well-known theories of democracy and democratic transition, this essay considers the transition to local democracy in Latin America. It raises a central question: Given the landmark decentralization of the past three decades, what constitutes local democracy in the region today and in which countries can we say it exists? Core considerations in comparing local democracy and national democracy are discussed. I present the concept of “minimum decentralization” and, using this framework, posit six procedural and institutional conditions for defining local democracy. Eighteen systems are evaluated against these conditions at the municipal and intermediate levels of government. Despite the real transfer of authority in many countries, and though several Latin American countries have established or nearly established local democracies, only a few of the local systems can be considered democratic. Though the conclusion is somewhat counterintuitive, explanations for the slow development of decentralization and local democracy are considered.
The Fates of Presidents in Post-Transition Latin America: From Democratic Breakdown to Impeachment to Presidential Breakdown
Authors: Hochstetler Kathryn
Published: February 2019

The books discussed in this review essay all investigate the same basic phenomenon: presidents who do not complete their terms in office, but who are removed without open democratic breakdown. The essay traces the conceptual frameworks used, as they shifted from impeachment to the broader presidential breakdown. It evaluates explanations of the causes of presidential breakdown, and makes suggestions for further research on how the presidential regime type functions. The essay concludes with a call for more empirical investigation of the consequences of presidential breakdown.
Making Sense of an Unstable Legislature: Committee Assignments in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies, 1946–2001
Authors: Danesi Silvina Lilian , Rheault Ludovic
Published: February 2019

Latin American legislatures have gone largely unstudied, with the functioning of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies prior to the 1980s being an entirely unexplored subject. This paper fills that gap by examining the organization of the Chamber, with particular focus on its standing committee system from 1946 to 2001. We assess the portability of two U.S.-based theoretical approaches to legislative organization by applying them to committee assignments. An original data set of Argentine deputies was constructed and a way of measuring political power in committees was devised for this study. Despite weak democratic governments, military interventions, and changes to the electoral system, we find that ruling parties have consistently influenced the committee system, shaping its structure and securing an over-proportion of their deputies in key committee positions. These results support the applicability of the U.S. originated Cartel Theory of legislative organization to understanding and studying legislatures outside that country.
Attitudes, Ideological Associations and the Left–Right Divide in Latin America
Authors: Wiesehomeier Nina , Doyle David
Published: February 2019

Do Latin American citizens share a common conception of the ideological left–right distinction? And if so, is this conception linked to individuals’ ideological self-placement? Selecting questions from the 2006 Latinobarómetro survey based on a core definition of the left–right divide rooted in political theory and philosophy, this paper addresses these questions. We apply joint correspondence analysis to explore whether citizens who relate to the same ideological identification also share similar and coherent convictions and beliefs that reflect the ideological content of the left-right distinction. Our analysis indicates that theoretical conceptions about the roots of, and responsibility for, inequality in society, together with the translation of these beliefs into attitudes regarding the state versus market divide, distinguish those who self-identify with the left and those who self-identify with the right.
From Top to Bottom (and Back to the Top Again): Federal Spending, Sub-national Coalitions, and Protests in Argentina, 2002–2006
Authors: Moscovich Lorena
Published: February 2019

Can federal-state relations affect popular protests? Using an extensive dataset measuring local protests in the Argentine provinces (2002–2006), I assess the effects of the president's and governors’ tactical allocations on the persistence of contentious events. I analyze how the delivery of federal resources, to both provincial governments and local social organizations, affects the chances of protests occurrence and the nature of its demands. Results show that federal spending increases the frequency of protests in the Argentine provinces, particularly when provincial governments are not involved in its delivery. In addition, protest demands are sensitive to president's discretional expenditure, suggesting a different dynamics in which protests became a legitimate channel to obtain federal monies.
Political Factionalism in Southern Mexico: The Case of Oaxaca (2000–2006)
Authors: Correa-Cabrera Guadalupe
Published: February 2019

This article provides an explanation of major civil upheaval and violent political turmoil – hereinafter referred to as “active political factionalism” – that take place in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. More specifically, this work identifies the main causes of extra-institutional protest politics or uncivil modes of political action that seriously affect political stability and undermine democratic advancement. The analysis focuses on the effects of two groups of explanatory factors: i) deteriorated socioeconomic conditions (such as poverty and inequality), and ii) institutional limitations (corruption, electoral exclusion, a weak rule of law, among others) in a context of “sub-national authoritarianism.” The study also examines some of the mechanisms through which these variables operate and interact with other factors (resources, opportunities, government actions, etc.) to generate political factionalism. This work finally assesses the relative importance of these two groups of explanatory factors. Evidence presented here shows that institutional factors are the primary sources of political factionalism in Oaxaca, while socioeconomic factors are quite significant but not predominant.
Too Undisciplined to Legislate? Party Unity and Policy-making in Brazil
Authors: Gaylord Sylvia
Published: February 2019

Discipline and cohesiveness of political parties are essential for legislatures to engage in policy-making. Parties in Brazil have historically been considered ideologically weak and uninvolved in policy issues of national importance. Analyses of roll-call votes, however, have shown that parties can be disciplined government supporters. This paper tests the claim that Brazilian parties have also become programmatic actors in their own right. The paper uses statutory delegation content to test whether voting discipline translates into greater influence on the substance of legislation. The data analysis shows that party unity among parties of the government coalition does not affect statutory content. Opposition parties, by contrast, are more likely to reduce the executive's discretion when they are more unified. Overall, the support for the hypothesis of programmatic parties is weak, given that executive authorship is the strongest determinant of statutory content.
Michelle Bachelet's Government: The Paradoxes of a Chilean President
Authors: Weeks Gregory , Borzutzky Silvia
Published: February 2019

The purpose of this article is to explain the contradictions in Michelle Bachelet's presidency by focusing on the paradoxical nature of presidential power, the limits on the executive in the Chilean constitution, and how those limits affected President Bachelet's government. At the outset of her presidency, she faced the problem of wanting to promote inclusive policies while simultaneously experiencing political pressure to maintain elite consensus. Due to institutional and political constraints, Bachelet's rhetoric of inclusion could not be realized, and she eventually decided to opt for the more traditional elite consensus approach. In our view, the emphasis on achieving elite consensus produced contradictory results. It sustained Bachelet's personal image as a national leader, but limited her ability to get effective legislation passed. Indeed, the Concertación itself was blamed for inaction rather than the president as an individual.
Malapportionment and Geographical Bases of Electoral Support in the Brazilian Senate
Authors: Hiroi Taeko , Neiva Pedro
Published: February 2019

This paper analyzes the relationship between malapportionment and electoral bases of support for Brazilian senators. The conventional wisdom asserts that malapportionment contributes to the “politics of backwardness” – that it facilitates clientelism and hinders issue-based campaigns, reducing electoral competition and producing geographically concentrated patterns of votes. Our study partially confirms, yet partially refutes this wisdom. Our research indicates that malapportionment affects the competitiveness of elections: senators from overrepresented states tend to dominate their key municipalities electorally, whereas senators from underrepresented states tend to share their core municipalities. In addition, overrepresentation reduces the likelihood that leftist candidates will be elected. These findings are consistent with the traditional understanding. However, contrary to the conventional wisdom, we find that senators from underrepresented states tend to exhibit geographically concentrated patterns of electoral bases, whereas those from overrepresented areas show much more scattered bases of support. Hence, our findings suggest that the relationship between malapportionment and elections may be more complex than commonly acknowledged.
Latin American Political Outsiders, Revisited: The Case of Marco Enríquez-Ominami in Chile, 2009
Authors: Bunker Kenneth , Navia Patricio
Published: February 2019

This article applies the debate on the recent emergence of outsider candidates in Latin America to independent presidential candidate Marco Enríquez-Ominami (ME-O) in Chile in 2009. We test five competing hypotheses to explain his electoral success. First, his support is explained by the consolidation of democracy, reflected by the disposition of voters to disregard the authoritarian/democratic-aligned candidates. Second, his support is explained by the decline of ideological identification, reflected by the disposition of voters to prefer nontraditional candidates. Third, his support is explained by the resurgence of the Left, reflected by the disposition of voters to identify with anti-Washington Consensus candidates. Fourth, his support is explained by the demand for quick government action, reflected in the predisposition of voters to consider candidates who will solve problems fast even if they do not ask voters for their opinions. Fifth, his support is explained by the declining support for established parties, reflected by the predisposition of voters to favor antisystemic candidates. We use survey data to test these hypotheses. We find no evidence to support the claims that ME-O fits any of the explanations. Though he was widely referred to as an outsider, his success seems to respond to national affairs rather than to a regional pattern.
Civil–Military Relations in Brazil: A Reassessment
Authors: Bruneau Thomas Charles , Tollefson Scott D.
Published: February 2019

This article analyzes Brazilian civil–military relations using a framework that directs attention to the institutions of not only democratic civilian control, but also of military effectiveness and efficiency. The article argues that democratic civilian control over the armed forces in Brazil is exercised by a wide variety of mechanisms, many of which are not specifically designed for this purpose, but are instead part of a vast array of institutions that exercise control and oversight over public bureaucracies in general. Military prerogatives that were once high are now moderate or low, and there is currently no question of civilian control of the armed forces. However, several questions remain regarding the effectiveness of the armed forces. The article also emphasizes the importance of civilian staff assuming responsibilities in defense, as they have in virtually all other areas of government policy.
Contracting, Contesting, and Co-Optation: Civil Society Organizations’ Strategies under New Institutional Arrangements in Brazil
Authors: Wampler Brian , Touchton Michael
Published: February 2019

Civil society has exploded in Latin America as democratization has continued over the last 30 years. Civil society organizations (CSOs) are thought to improve governance and oversight and to increase social capital. Nonetheless, we have limited knowledge about what motivates CSOs’ political strategies, which include participating in formal political institutions, attending demonstrations, and providing services. We build knowledge here by evaluating data from a unique survey of nine hundred CSOs across seven Brazilian cities. Our findings showcase several parallel processes: poorer CSOs continue to rely on the state and actively participate in political processes despite protesting at greater rates than wealthier CSOs; therefore, we contend that institutional and political process arguments better explain poorer CSOs’ behavior. We also argue that relatively wealthy CSOs’ disengagement reflects greater resource mobilization, more professionalization, and an increase in social capital. Our results show that multilayered explanations improve our understanding of CSO behavior and state-society relations in Brazil and Latin America.
Presidential Elections and Corruption Perceptions in Latin America
Authors: Johnson Joel W.
Published: February 2019

This paper argues that perceptions of corruption in Latin America exhibit predictable fluctuations in the wake of presidential turnover. Specifically, presidential elections that result in the partisan transfer of power are normally followed by a surge-and-decline pattern in perceived corruption control, with initial improvements that fade with time. The causes are multiple and stem from the removal of corrupt administrations, public enthusiasm about administrative change, and the relative lack of high-level corruption scandals in the early phases of new governments. A statistical analysis of two widely used corruption perceptions indices demonstrates the pattern for eighteen Latin American democracies from 1996 to 2010. Both indices exhibit a temporary surge (of about two years) after turnover elections, while no such change follows reelections of incumbent presidents or parties. The theory and results are relevant for understanding public opinion in Latin America and for the analysis of corruption perceptions indices.