bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonhuman Animal Suffering
Authors: Peggs Kay , Smart Barry
Published: May 2017

Each year millions of nonhuman animals are exposed to suffering in universities as they are routinely (ab)used in teaching and research in the natural sciences. Drawing on the work of Giroux and Derrida, we make the case for a critical pedagogy of nonhuman animal suffering. We discuss critical pedagogy as an underrepresented form of teaching in universities, consider suffering as a concept, and explore the pedagogy of suffering. The discussion focuses on the use of nonhuman animal subjects in universities, in particular in teaching, scientific research, and associated experiments. We conclude that a critical pedagogy of nonhuman animal suffering has the capacity to contribute to the establishment of a practical animal ethics conducive to the constitution of a radically different form of social life able to promote a more just and non-speciesist future in which nonhuman animals are not used as resources in scientific research in universities.
A new Hippeastrum (Amaryllidaceae) species from Brazil
Authors: OLIVEIRA RENATA S. , URDAMPILLETA JUAN D. , DUTILH JULIE H.A.
Published: May 2017

The largest genus of Amaryllidaceae in Brazil is Hippeastrum Herbert (1821: 31), with about 30 species and the widest geographical distribution in the country. The whole genus has about 60 species with two centers of diversity, Bolivia/Peru and Southeast/Southern Brazil (Meerow & Snijman 1998).
Spinulum lioui, a new species referred as to Lycopodium neopungens (Lycopodiopsida: Lycopodiaceae) in China
Authors: CHEN DE-KUI , ZHOU XIN-MAO , HE HAI , ZHANG LI-BING
Published: May 2017

One earlier known species of Lycopodium from China, “L. neopungens H.S. Kung & Li Bing Zhang”, is described as Spinulum lioui Li Bing Zhang & H.He (sp. nov.).
A new morphologically cryptic species of Phyllomedusa (Anura: Phyllomedusidae) from Amazonian forests of northern Peru revealed by DNA sequences
Authors: CASTROVIEJO-FISHER SANTIAGO , KÖHLER JÖRN , RIVA IGNACIO DE LA , PADIAL JOSÉ M.
Published: May 2017

We describe and name Phyllomedusa chaparroi sp. nov., a medium-sized species (snout–vent length in adult males 67.9–77.5 mm) of monkey frog from Amazonian rainforests of northern Peru. Although morphologically most similar to P. boliviana and P. camba (indistinguishable from the latter in external qualitative and quantitative traits), phylogenetic analysis of combined mitochondrial and nuclear markers place the new species sister to a clade containing P. neildi, P. tarsius, and P. trinitatis. Phyllomedusa chaparroi can be readily differentiated from these species by having a dark reddish-brown iris with indistinct tiny orange spots versus an orange iris with marked dark reticulation found in P. neildi, P. tarsius, and P. trinitatis. Furthermore, genetic distances for a 532 bp sequence of the 16S gene between the new species and its sister species are 2.8–4.1 %, whereas distances are 4.5–5.5 % to the morphologically cryptic P. camba. We briefly discuss the importance of DNA sequences in revealing morphologically cryptic species and modify the content of the P. tarsius species group based on phylogenetic analyses and observations on iris coloration.
Morphological description of early zoeal stages of Alpheus brasileiro Anker, 2012 reared in the laboratory, including a revision of the larval morphology of the first zoeal stage of the genus Alpheus Fabricius, 1798 (Caridea: Alpheidae)
Authors: PESCINELLI RÉGIS A. , PANTALEÃO JOÃO A.F. , MANTELATTO FERNANDO L. , COSTA ROGÉRIO C.
Published: May 2017

The aims of this study were to describe and illustrate the early larval stages of the snapping shrimp Alpheus brasileiro Anker, 2012 and to review the larval morphology (Zoea I) of the genus Alpheus Fabricius, 1798. Larvae were obtained from two females with embryos collected in an intertidal estuary in Cananéia, São Paulo state, Brazil. The published descriptions of all available Alpheus zoea I (only 14 spp., 4.7%) were used for a comparison of larval morphology. The zoeae I of Alpheus species are very similar, but A. brasileiro can be separated from the other studied species by the following set of characteristics: antennal scale 5-segmented with 11 plumose setae and 2 simple setae; coxal endite of maxillule with 3 simple setae and 2 sparsely plumose setae; and coxal endite of maxilla with 1 simple seta and 1 sparsely plumose seta. The description of early larval development of A. brasileiro indicates consistent characteristics, which, when analyzed along with other morphological, molecular, and biogeographical aspects, can help to elucidate the complex phylogenetic relationships between the species in the group. However, this is the first zoeal description of a member of Alpheus       armillatus species complex and it therefore does not permit a comparison. Only with new additional descriptions we will be able to generate a clearer scenario in this field due the high similarity among the species.
Cacoplistes (Laminogryllus) brevisparamerus sp. nov., a new species of Cachoplistinae (Orthoptera: Phalangopsidae) from Guangxi, China
Authors: WANG JILIANG , ZHANG DONGXIAO , WEI XIAO , LIU HAOYU
Published: May 2017

Cacoplistes (Laminogryllus) brevisparamerus sp. nov. was collected from Guangxi, China. New species is similar to C. (L.) choui Liu & Shi, 2012, but differs from the latter by the shape of male genitalia. The description and illustrations of the new species are provided. A distribution map of all species of Cacoplistes is presented.
Thermocline Fluctuations in the Equatorial Pacific Related to the Two Types of El Niño Events
Authors: Xu Kang , Huang Rui Xin , Wang Weiqiang , Zhu Congwen , Lu Riyu
Published: May 2017

The interannual fluctuations of the equatorial thermocline are usually associated with El Niño activity, but the linkage between the thermocline modes and El Niño is still under debate. In the present study, a mode function decomposition method is applied to the equatorial Pacific thermocline, and the results show that the first two dominant modes (M1 and M2) identify two distinct characteristics of the equatorial Pacific thermocline. The M1 reflects a basinwide zonally tilted thermocline related to the eastern Pacific (EP) El Niño, with shoaling (deepening) in the western (eastern) equatorial Pacific. The M2 represents the central Pacific (CP) El Niño, characterized by a V-shaped equatorial Pacific thermocline (i.e., deep in the central equatorial Pacific and shallow on both the western and eastern boundaries). Furthermore, both modes are stable and significant on the interannual time scale, and manifest as the major feature of the thermocline fluctuations associated with the two types of El Niño events. As good proxies of EP and CP El Niño events, thermocline-based indices clearly reveal the inherent characteristics of subsurface ocean responses during the evolution of El Niño events, which are characterized by the remarkable zonal eastward propagation of equatorial subsurface ocean temperature anomalies, particularly during the CP El Niño. Further analysis of the mixed layer heat budget suggests that the air–sea interactions determine the establishment and development stages of the CP El Niño, while the thermocline feedback is vital for its further development. These results highlight the key influence of equatorial Pacific thermocline fluctuations in conjunction with the air–sea interactions, on the CP El Niño.
Predictive Anisotropy of Surface Winds by Linear Statistical Prediction
Authors: Mao Yiwen , Monahan Adam
Published: May 2017

This study considers characteristics of the statistical predictability of surface wind vectors by linear regression using midtropospheric climate fields as predictors. Specifically, predictive anisotropy, which refers to unequal predictability of wind components projected onto different directions, is considered. The spatial distribution of predictability of surface wind components is determined at 2109 land surface meteorological stations across the globe. The results show that predictive anisotropy is a common feature that is spatially organized in terms of both magnitude and direction. The relationships between predictability and potential influential factors (topographic complexity, mean surface wind vectors, and standard deviation and kurtosis of wind components) are considered. It is found that poor predictability of wind components is generally associated with wind components characterized by relatively weak and non-Gaussian variability. While predictive anisotropy is often found in regions characterized by complex topography, marked predictive anisotropy also occurs away from evident surface heterogeneity. The relationships between predictability, variability, and shape of distribution of surface wind components are described using an idealized statistical model of large-scale and local influences on surface wind.
Assessing the Role of Hourly Changes in the Occurrence of Daily Extreme Temperatures
Authors: Dupuis Debbie J.
Published: May 2017

Observed hourly data from New York City and San Francisco are examined, and the role of hourly changes in the occurrence of daily extreme temperatures is assessed. The tails of the conditional distribution of daily extreme temperatures are modeled with a class of extreme value models that incorporate information on changes in hourly temperature, and location-specific behavior is found. The proposed statistical analyses, which are easily carried out using open-source software, could be used to assess whether the hourly downscaled data necessary for many impact and adaptation studies accurately reproduce the relationship between observed hourly temperatures and daily temperature extremes at a given site.
Are Glacials Dry? Consequences for Paleoclimatology and for Greenhouse Warming
Authors: Scheff Jacob , Seager Richard , Liu Haibo , Coats Sloan
Published: May 2017

Past cold climates are often thought to have been drier than today on land, which appears to conflict with certain recent studies projecting widespread terrestrial drying with near-future warming. However, other work has found that, over large portions of the continents, the conclusion of future drying versus wetting strongly depends on the physical property of interest. Here, it is shown that this also holds in simulations of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM): the continents have generally wetter topsoils and higher values of common climate wetness metrics than in the preindustrial, as well as generally lower precipitation and ubiquitously lower photosynthesis (likely driven by the low CO2), with streamflow responses falling in between. Using a large existing global pollen and plant fossil compilation, it is also confirmed that LGM grasslands and open woodlands grew at many sites of present-day forest, seasonal forests at many sites of present-day rain forest, and so forth (116–144 sites out of 302), while changes in the opposite sense were very few (9–17 sites out of 302) and spatially confined. These vegetation changes resemble the model photosynthesis responses but not the hydroclimate responses, while published lake-level changes resemble the latter but not the former. Thus, confidence in both the model hydrologic and photosynthesis projections is increased, and there is no significant conflict. Instead, paleo- and modern climate researchers must carefully define “wetting” and “drying” and, in particular, should not assume hydrologic drying on the basis of vegetation decline alone or assume vegetation stress on the basis of declines in hydroclimatic indicators.
Understanding Flood Seasonality and Its Temporal Shifts within the Contiguous United States
Authors: Ye Sheng , Li Hong-Yi , Leung L. Ruby , Guo Jiali , Ran Qihua , Demissie Yonas , Sivapalan Murugesu
Published: May 2017

Understanding the causes of flood seasonality is critical for better flood management. This study examines the seasonality of annual maximum floods (AMF) and its changes before and after 1980 at over 250 natural catchments across the contiguous United States. Using circular statistics to define a seasonality index, the analysis focuses on the variability of the flood occurrence date. Generally, catchments with more synchronized seasonal water and energy cycles largely inherit their seasonality of AMF from that of annual maximum rainfall (AMR). In contrast, the seasonality of AMF in catchments with loosely synchronized water and energy cycles are more influenced by high antecedent storage, which is responsible for the amplification of the seasonality of AMF over that of AMR. This understanding then effectively explains a statistically significant shift of flood seasonality detected in some catchments in the recent decades. Catchments where the antecedent soil water storage has increased since 1980 exhibit increasing flood seasonality while catchments that have experienced increases in storm rainfall before the floods have shifted toward floods occurring more variably across the seasons. In the eastern catchments, a concurrent widespread increase in event rainfall magnitude and reduced soil water storage have led to a more variable timing of floods. The findings of the role of antecedent storage and event rainfall on the flood seasonality provide useful insights for understanding future changes in flood seasonality as climate models projected changes in extreme precipitation and aridity over land.
On the Evaluation of Seasonal Variability of the Ocean Kinetic Energy
Authors: Kang Dujuan , Curchitser Enrique N.
Published: May 2017

The seasonal cycles of the mean kinetic energy (MKE) and eddy kinetic energy (EKE) are compared in an idealized flow as well as in a realistic simulation of the Gulf Stream (GS) region based on three commonly used definitions: orthogonal, nonorthogonal, and moving-average filtered decompositions of the kinetic energy (KE). It is shown that only the orthogonal KE decomposition can define the physically consistent MKE and EKE that precisely represents the KEs of the mean flow and eddies, respectively. The nonorthogonal KE decomposition gives rise to a residual term that contributes to the seasonal variability of the eddies, and therefore the obtained EKE is not precisely defined. The residual term is shown to exhibit more significant seasonal variability than EKE in both idealized and realistic GS flows. Neglecting its influence leads to an inaccurate evaluation of the seasonal variability of both the eddies and the total flow. The decomposition using a moving-average filter also results in a nonnegligible residual term in both idealized and realistic GS flows. This type of definition does not ensure conservation of the total KE, even if taking into account the residual term. Moreover, it is shown that the annual cycles of the three types of EKEs or MKEs have different phases and amplitudes. The local differences of the EKE cycles are very prominent in the GS off-coast domain; however, because of the spatial inhomogeneity, the area-mean differences may not be significant.
A Treatment Protocol for Management of Bacterial and Fungal Malignant External Otitis: A Large Cohort in Tehran, Iran
Authors: Hasibi Mehrdad , Ashtiani Mohammadtaghi Khorsandi , Motassadi Zarandi Masoud , Yazdani Nasrin , Borghei Pedram , Kuhi Ali , Dabiri Sasan , Hosseini Reza , Sardashti Sara
Published: May 2017

Aims:

High rates of negative microbiologic test results highlight the potential role of empiric antimicrobial agents in management of malignant otitis externa (MOE). This study investigates the clinical presentation, laboratory findings, and response to empiric treatment in a large group of patients admitted to a tertiary academic hospital in Tehran, Iran.

Methods and Materials:

We recruited 224 patients diagnosed with MOE in a prospective observation from 2009 through 2015. All patients received a 2-agent antibacterial regimen at baseline (phase I). Patients with no improvement within 10 days and/or nonresponders to a second course of antibacterials were switched to antifungals (phase II). Response to treatment was observed and documented in both groups.

Results:

All patients had physical symptoms for more than 12 weeks before admission. In total, 127 patients responded well to antibacterials. Eighty-seven out of 97 patients who were switched to antifungals had complete response to treatment; patients in the latter group had significantly higher A1C levels at baseline.

Conclusion:

Our findings provide evidence to develop clinical guidelines that accelerate diagnosis and treatment of MOE to improve patient outcomes.
Antitrust Goals, Procedures, and Policies in the U.S. and the EU
Authors: Gifford Daniel J. , Kudrle Robert T.
Published: May 2017

The U.S. and the EU have somewhat similar antitrust policies, and both have been globally influential. This article, however, argues that the differences between the two systems of antitrust are deep and fundamental and that convergence is therefore sharply constrained. We explore those contentions by examining differing goals, differing procedures, and differing policies.
Damages Regimes on Both Sides of the Atlantic
Authors: Maier-Rigaud Frank
Published: May 2017

The principles underlying the quantification of damage are universal. Differences between jurisdictions therefore do not originate in economics. In a cartel, the damage of direct purchasers arises from the portion of the price increase that is not passed on to indirect purchasers together with the lost margin of those sales that are no longer made due to the price increase. Actual harm suffered has economically been properly captured when both amounts are allowed to accrue compounded interest until compensation. This article discusses the variable permeation of these economic insights in EU and U.S. law. In fact, the reasons for the limited influence of economics appear to stem from coincidences and path dependencies. Notably the normative effects of the specific circumstances of the first U.S. damages case going back to a bid rigging case in the nineteenth century and the prevalence of U.S. literature when the EU devised its framework.
The Google Case in the EU
Authors: Kokkoris Ioannis
Published: May 2017

This article discusses the European Commission’s investigation of Google in relation to the alleged abuse in the online search market concerning Google’s comparison shopping service. Drawing a comparison with the investigation conducted by the Federal Trade Commission in the U.S., the analysis focuses on whether the conditions of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) are satisfied and whether there is scope to conclude that the Google’s conduct has caused harm to consumers or restricted competition. In particular, insights relating to the treatment of innovation in competition law will be provided. Finally, the article aims at shedding light on the investigation and at predicting the possible theory of harm to which the European Commission will make reference.
Identifying Anticompetitive Agreements in the United States and the European Union
Authors: Jones Alison , Kovacic William E.
Published: May 2017

Commentary in both the U.S. and the European Union (EU) has repeatedly debated whether, and when, it is more efficient to use “rules” or “standards” to determine the legality of conduct subject to the antitrust laws and how such rules or standards should be formulated. This article concentrates principally on the question of how this debate impacts on the analytical framework for identifying infringing agreements in the U.S. and EU. It sets out the view that the question of how agreements are to be analyzed under both the U.S. and the EU jurisprudence is unduly opaque. Confusion as to, in particular, the role and scope of per se rules, the role and scope of ancillary restraint doctrines, and how competing anticompetitive and procompetitive effects of mixed agreements are to be balanced against each other have led to excessive complexity in the system. The article considers what factors might shape development of a coherent and optimal framework for antitrust analysis in a jurisdiction. Once these factors have been set out, it examines how U.S. and EU competition law have approached the issues identified in relation to the analysis of agreements and what features of each system have molded the developments there. It concludes that both systems require some development to create more intelligible frameworks for antitrust analysis of agreements based on common concepts rather than historical categories of antitrust analysis and, further, that competition agencies could play an important part as catalysts in this progress.
The Transatlantic Divide on Verticals—The Underlying Reasons and the Way Forward
Authors: Czapracka Katarzyna
Published: May 2017

While the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Sylvania put an end to the debate on the treatment of vertical territorial restraints under the U.S. antitrust rules forty years ago, the debate continues in the EU. EU applies a broad presumption that such restrictions are anticompetitive. The EU schism on verticals is becoming more and more relevant for multinationals, as the European Commission has recently started a number of investigations targeting restrictions in online distribution. This article shows that the EU policy on vertical restraints is driven predominantly by the perceived need to use the competition rules to further the integration of the EU internal market. A more teleological interpretation of that objective would allow for a more flexible, effects-based analysis of vertical agreements under the EU competition rules.
Merger Remedies
Authors: Kwoka John
Published: May 2017

Merger remedies have increased in frequency and expanded in scope, all with the purpose of permitting legitimate consolidation while preserving the premerger degree of competition in an industry. While considerable attention has been paid to the practical issues to be addressed in developing remedies, there has been no integrated framework for designing and evaluating such remedies. This article proposes such a framework. It builds on the theory of a profit-maximizing firm, and embeds structural and conduct remedies into that framework to better understand how firm behavior is, or is not, thereby changed. Structural remedies are shown to alter a firm’s incentives whereas conduct remedies impose constraints on its behavior. This incentive/constraint perspective highlights the strengths and limitations of both types of remedies, the comparative advantage of structural remedies, and also circumstances under which conduct remedies are more likely to be effective. Some corroborative evidence is surveyed.
Developing a New Generation of Antimicrobial and Bioactive Dental Resins
Authors: Cheng L. , Zhang K. , Zhang N. , Melo M.A.S. , Weir M.D. , Zhou X.D. , Bai Y.X. , Reynolds M.A. , Xu H.H.K.
Published: May 2017

Dental caries is prevalent, and secondary caries causes restoration failures. This article reviews recent studies on developing a new generation of bioactive resins with anticaries properties. Extensive effects were made to develop new antimicrobial composites, bonding agents, and other resins containing quaternary ammonium methacrylates to suppress plaque buildup and bacterial acid production. The effects of alkyl chain length and charge density and the antimicrobial mechanisms for chlorhexidine, nano-silver, quaternary ammonium methacrylates, and protein-repellent agents were discussed. Synergistic effects of contact-killing and protein-repellent properties were shown to yield the greatest biofilm-inhibition effects. The combination of antimicrobial, protein-repellent, and calcium phosphate nanoparticle remineralization was suggested to provide maximal anticaries effects. In addition, for use orally, cytotoxicity and biocompatibility were important considerations for the new bioactive materials. Furthermore, rather than kill all bacteria, it would be more desirable to modulate the oral biofilm compositions via bioactive resins to suppress cariogenic/pathogenic species and promote benign species. For widespread clinical use of the new antimicrobial and therapeutic materials, whether they would induce bacterial drug resistance needs to be determined, which requires further study. Nonetheless, the new generation of bioactive anticaries resins with therapeutic and biofilm acid-inhibiting properties has the potential to substantially benefit oral health.
Employer and employer association matters in Australia in 2016
Authors: Barry Michael , You Kevin
Published: May 2017

Employers and their associations were hopeful that the double dissolution election in 2016 would end continuing policy deadlock, which had hitherto stalled progress on their desired industrial relations reforms. But the coalition’s less than convincing victory at the polls dashed any hope that such progress would be swift and comprehensive. Towards the end of the year, the government was finally able to secure the passage of the contentious Australian Building and Construction Commission and Registered Organisations bills that triggered the election. But action on other fronts, like implementing the recommendations of the Productivity Commission’s 2015 Inquiry, had been slow. The Fair Work Commission’s much anticipated deliberation on Sunday penalty rates is also delayed, creating more uncertainties for award-reliant employers at the end of 2016. To aggravate matters further, unions are continuously trying to chip away various key features of casual working arrangements, through Fair Work Commission test cases and by pushing strongly in favour of the inclusion of casual deeming provisions in modern awards.
Unions and collective bargaining in Australia in 2016
Authors: Nicholson Daniel , Pekarek Andreas , Gahan Peter
Published: May 2017

In 2016, Australian unions faced a mix of new and enduring challenges. A re-elected Conservative federal government made life difficult for unions, maintaining its hard-line approach to public sector bargaining and passing new laws to intensify regulatory scrutiny of union governance and tactics. Unions continued to secure wage premiums through enterprise bargaining, but the longer-term decline in the level of agreement-making and the number of workers covered by enterprise agreements continued. Disputation rose, although less than half of all disputes were caused by enterprise bargaining. Concern over ongoing membership decline saw unions explore and experiment with organisational reforms and initiatives as new, ‘union-like’ actors entered the field. However, our analysis of longer-term membership developments across union types suggests the outlook is alarming for all but those unions focused on occupational identity.
Public Representations of Loss in Death Announcements, 1912 to 2002
Authors: Brusser Paul , Louw Johann
Published: May 2017

This work presents a historical analysis of death announcements ( N = 1,443) posted in the New York Times between 1912 and 2002. Announcements were coded according to two main categories: the genre of the announcement and the presence of emotion words. Four distinct main genres emerged: death notices, memorials, recognition postings by organizations, and recognition postings by nonorganizational parties (friends and family). The proportion of death notices declined steadily from 1912 to 2002, while the proportion of announcements paying tribute to the deceased increased. The announcements were also analyzed in terms of emotion words used, and it is argued that the increasing frequency of emotion words used in the death announcements reflects a progressive emotionalization and psychologization of grief and loss.
Workplace Responses and Psychologists’ Needs Following Client Suicide
Authors: Finlayson Melissa , Simmonds Janette
Published: May 2017

This research aimed to explore the role of workplace responses in psychologists’ adaptation to client suicides. Participants were 178 psychologists who completed an online self-report questionnaire which included both open and closed questions yielding qualitative and quantitative data. Fifty-six (31.5%) participants reported one or more client suicides. Mixed results were found in terms of perceived support from the workplace following a client suicide. Psychologists reported a need for more open communication in the workplace, peer supports, space to grieve, as well as opportunities to engage in a learning process. The findings have important implications for research and for understanding the role of the workplace postvention. It also raises the need for external support to be accessible for psychologists working in private practice.
‘The Sanctuary of his Body’: Body and Sanctuary in Paul and John
Authors: Hooker Morna D.
Published: May 2017

This article explores the possibility that John’s reference to ‘the sanctuary of his body’ (2.19) may have been inﬂuenced by Paul’s images of the church as Christ’s body and as a sanctuary. Paul describes both the church (1 Cor. 6.16) and the bodies of individual Christians (6.19) as sanctuaries of the Holy Spirit. Similarly, he describes Christians as ‘limbs of the body of Christ’ (12.17) and ‘limbs of Christ’ (6.15). The question arises as to whether the two images are related. Discussing his own mortality (2 Cor. 4–5), Paul uses imagery connected with the sanctuary – ‘tent’, and ‘a house not made with hands’ (a possible dominical saying); he then reminds the Corinthian church of their calling to fulﬁl Israel’s mission to be ‘the sanctuary of the living God’ (ch. 6). Elsewhere, the work of the Spirit is vital for the church, whether described as ‘body’ or as ‘sanctuary’. Paul seems to have linked the two ideas, and John may have been aware of this when he used the phrase ‘the sanctuary of his body’.
Social Support in Intimate Relationships: The Role of Relationship Autonomy
Authors: Don Brian P. , Hammond Matthew D.
Published: May 2017

Prior research on effective support interactions in intimate relationships often focuses on support provision rather than how people seek support. The current study investigated how differences in relationship autonomy—authentic and self-determined relationship motivations—predicted the behavior and outcomes of couples ( N = 80) in support interactions. Results indicated that support seekers’ motivation and behavior were the primary contributor to effective support interactions. Support seekers who were autonomously motivated tended to seek support in a more direct and positive manner, which in turn promoted greater levels of emotional, informational, and tangible support from their partners. The relationship autonomy of both the support provider and the support seeker also predicted better subjective experiences regardless of behavior, such as perceiving the interaction as more supportive. These results illustrate how relationship autonomy promotes well-being in relationships via support seeking behaviors, as well as positive interpretations and experiences of important relationship interactions.
High capacity, low resilience: The ‘developmental’ state and military–bureaucratic authoritarianism in South Korea
Authors: Hellmann Olli
Published: May 2017

This article argues that high levels of state capacity are not a sufficient condition for consolidating autocratic rule. Rather, whether non-democratic rulers can harness the infrastructural power of the state to implement strategies of regime stabilization depends on three crucial factors: the state’s social embedding; the international context; and the extent of elite cohesion. The paper develops this argument through a case study of the military–bureaucratic regime in South Korea (1961–1987), which – despite a high-capacity ‘developmental’ state at its disposal – failed to maintain high levels of resilience.
Low pacemaker incidence with continuous-sutured valves: a retrospective analysis
Authors: Niclauss Lars , Delay Dominique , Pfister Raymond , Colombier Sebastien , Kirsch Matthias , Prêtre René
Published: May 2017

Background

Permanent pacemaker implantation after surgical aortic valve replacement depends on patient selection and risk factors for conduction disorders. We aimed to identify risk criteria and obtain a selected group comparable to patients assigned to transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Methods

Isolated sutured aortic valve replacements in 994 patients treated from 2007 to 2015 were reviewed. Demographics, hospital stay, preexisting conduction disorders, surgical technique, and etiology in patients with and without permanent pacemaker implantation were compared. Reported outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation were compared with those of a subgroup including only degenerative valve disease and first redo.

Results

The incidence of permanent pacemaker implantation was 2.9%. Longer hospital stay ( p = 0.01), preexisting rhythm disorders ( p < 0.001), complex prosthetic endocarditis ( p = 0.01), and complex redo ( p < 0.001) were associated with permanent pacemaker implantation. Although prostheses were sutured with continuous monofilament in the majority of cases (86%), interrupted pledgetted sutures were used more often in the pacemaker group ( p = 0.002). In the subgroup analysis, the incidence of permanent pacemaker implantation was 2%; preexisting rhythm disorders and the suture technique were still major risk factors.

Conclusion

Permanent pacemaker implantation depends on etiology, preexisting rhythm disorders, and suture technique, and the 2% incidence compares favorably with the reported 5- to 10-fold higher incidence after transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Cost analysis should take this into account. Often dismissed as minor complication, permanent pacemaker implantation increases the risks of endocarditis, impaired myocardial recovery, and higher mortality if associated with prosthesis regurgitation.
Development of a high fidelity pressurized porcine beating heart simulator for cardiac surgery training
Authors: Ribeiro Igo B. , Ngu Janet M.C. , Gill Gurinder , Rubens Fraser D.
Published: May 2017

Background:

Development of a high-fidelity cardiac surgery simulator (CSS) requires integration of a heart model with a mock cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit that can provide feedback to mimic the pathophysiology of cardiac surgery. However, the cost of commercially available simulators precludes regular use. We describe steps in the construction of a high-fidelity CSS that integrates a pulsatile paracorporeal ventricular-assist device (Pulse-VAD) and a commercially available CPB simulator.

Methods/Results:

Eight porcine hearts were initially prepared. The configuration consisted of cannulation of the distal descending aorta and the inferior vena cava to enable pressurization of the heart after connection to the Califia® simulator, as well as Pulse-VAD cannulation (fitted with inflatable balloons) of both ventricles. After each simulation run, the team addressed key issues to derive successive model changes through consensus. Key modifications included: a) pressure maintenance of the cardiac chambers (removal of lungs, Pulse-VAD cannulation sites at the left pulmonary artery and vein, double ligation of arch vessels); b) high-fidelity beating of both ventricles (full Pulse-VAD bladder filling and ensuring balloon neck placement at the valvular plane) and c) reproducible management of porcine anatomy (management of porcine aorta, ligation of left azygous vein and shortened ascending thoracic aortic segment).

Conclusion:

A CSS can be prepared at low cost, with integration into a high-fidelity CPB simulator with a novel beating heart component. This setup can be used in teaching the basics of CPB techniques and complex surgical procedures. Future work is needed to validate this model as a simulation instrument.
Optimizing calf muscle pump function
Authors: Lattimer Christopher R , Franceschi Claude , Kalodiki Evi
Published: May 2017

Background

The tip toe manoeuvre has been promoted as the gold standard plethysmography test for measuring calf muscle pump function. The aim was to compare the tip toe manoeuvre, dorsiflexion manoeuvre and a body weight transfer manoeuvre using the ejection fraction of air-plethysmography and evaluate which has the best pumping effect.

Methods

Sixty-six archived tracings on 22 legs were retrieved from an air-plethysmography workshop and analysed. Pumping performance was measured using the calf volume reduction after each manoeuvre.

Results

Expressed as median [inter-quartile range], body weight transfer manoeuvres resulted in a significantly greater ejection fraction (%) than tip toe manoeuvres at 59.7 [53.5–63.9] versus 42.6 [30.5–52.6], P < 0.0005 (Wilcoxon). There was no significant difference in the ejection fraction between the tip toe manoeuvre versus dorsiflexion manoeuvre, P = 0.615. The repeatability (confidence interval: 95%) of 66 ejection fraction tests was excellent: tip toe manoeuvre (±1.2), dorsiflexion manoeuvre (±1.3) and body weight transfer manoeuvre (±1.6).

Conclusion

The body weight transfer manoeuvre appears to be a better method of measuring the full potential of the calf muscle pump with a 40.1% relative increase in the ejection fraction compared to a tip toe manoeuvre. Exercises which involve body weight transfers from one leg to the other may be more important in optimizing calf muscle pump function than ankle movement exercises.
The effect of Angiojet rheolytic thrombectomy in the endovascular treatment of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis
Authors: Dumantepe Mert , Uyar Ibrahim
Published: May 2017

Objective

To evaluate the clinical safety and effectiveness of percutaneous rheolytic thrombectomy in patients with acute lower extremity deep venous thrombosis.

Method

Sixty-eight consecutive patients with acute massive lower extremity deep venous thrombosis were included in this retrospective study. A percutaneous rheolytic thrombectomy device (Angiojet ® Rheolytic thrombectomy catheter, Boston Scientific, Marlborough, MA, USA) was used in all patients in an angiography suite through ipsilateral popliteal vein access. Thrombus clearance and complications were evaluated. Furthermore, patients underwent a clinical evaluation according to a modified Villalta scale for the investigation of post thrombotic syndrome in follow-up. The Venous Clinical Severity Score, Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study-Quality of Life/Sym questionnaires were completed preoperatively and readministered postoperatively.

Results

Overall thrombus clearance (complete recanalization was achieved in 58 patients (85.2%) and partial recanalization was achieved in 7 patients (10.2%) confirmed through venographic assessment was achieved in 95.5% of the patient population. The mean Venous Clinical Severity Score preoperatively was 13.1 ± 2.2 and decreased to 4.0 ± 1.3 postoperatively (P < 0.01). The Villalta scale dropped from 12.9 ± 2.8 to 5.5 ± 1.4 postoperatively (P < 0.001). Overall quality of life and symptoms improved as assessed by Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study-Quality of Life/Sym (P < 0.01 and 0.02, respectively). Only three minor bleedings were seen but none of the patients suffered from major bleeding, symptomatic pulmonary embolism, death, or other procedure related complications. Fifty-nine out of 65 patients (90.7%) who were treated successfully with rheolytic thrombectomy remained patent at 12 months according to DUS and five patients (7.3%) developed a mild post thrombotic syndrome.

Conclusion

Rheolytic thrombectomy with or without stenting is superior to anticoagulant therapy alone in terms of both ensuring venous patency and improving clinical symptoms. This technique is a safe, effective and easily performed method of endovascular treatment with a low rate of major treatment complications and shows promising clinical mid-term results.
“Naming and Framing”: The Impact of Labeling on Health State Values for Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Green Colin , Goodwin Elizabeth , Hawton Annie
Published: May 2017

Introduction. Health state valuation is a key input in many economic evaluations that inform resource allocation across competing healthcare interventions. Empirical evidence has shown that, in preference elicitation surveys, respondents may value a health state differently if they are aware of the condition causing it (‘labeling effects’). This study investigates the impact of including a multiple sclerosis (MS) label for valuation of MS health states. Methods. Health state values for MS were elicited using two internet-based surveys in representative samples of the UK population ( n = 1702; n = 1788). In one survey respondents were not informed that health states were caused by MS. The second survey included a condition label for MS. Surveys were identical in all other ways. Health states were described using a MS-specific eight-dimensional classification system (MSIS-8D), and the time trade-off valuation technique was used. Differences between values for labeled and unlabeled states were assessed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression methods. Results. Adding a MS condition label had a statistically significant effect on mean health state values, resulting in lower values for labeled MS states v. unlabeled states. The data suggest that the MS label had a more significant effect on values for less severe states, and no significant effect on values for the most severe states. The inclusion of the MS label had a differential impact across the dimensions of the MSIS-8D. Across the MSIS-8D, predicted values ranged from 0.079 to 0.883 for unlabeled states, and 0.066 to 0.861 for labeled states. Conclusion. Differences reported in health state values, using labeled and unlabeled states, demonstrate that condition labels affect the results of valuation studies, and can have important implications in decision-analytic modelling and in economic evaluations.
Effect of High-Volume Injection, Platelet-Rich Plasma, and Sham Treatment in Chronic Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy: A Randomized Double-Blinded Prospective Study
Authors: Boesen Anders Ploug , Hansen Rudi , Boesen Morten Ilum , Malliaras Peter , Langberg Henning
Published: May 2017

Background:

Injection therapies are often considered alongside exercise for chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy (AT), although evidence of their efficacy is sparse.

Purpose:

To determine whether eccentric training in combination with high-volume injection (HVI) or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections improves outcomes in AT.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

A total of 60 men (age, 18-59 years) with chronic (>3 months) AT were included and followed for 6 months (n = 57). All participants performed eccentric training combined with either (1) one HVI (steroid, saline, and local anesthetic), (2) four PRP injections each 14 days apart, or (3) placebo (a few drops of saline under the skin). Randomization was stratified for age, function, and symptom severity (Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment–Achilles [VISA-A]). Outcomes included function and symptoms (VISA-A), self-reported tendon pain during activity (visual analog pain scale [VAS]), tendon thickness and intratendinous vascularity (ultrasonographic imaging and Doppler signal), and muscle function (heel-rise test). Outcomes were assessed at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24 weeks of follow-up.

Results:

VISA-A scores improved in all groups at all time points ( P < .05), with greater improvement in the HVI group (mean ± SEM, 6 weeks = 27 ± 3 points; 12 weeks = 29 ± 4 points) versus PRP (6 weeks = 14 ± 4; 12 weeks = 15 ± 3) and placebo (6 weeks = 10 ± 3; 12 weeks = 11 ± 3) at 6 and 12 weeks ( P < .01) and in the HVI (22 ± 5) and PRP (20 ± 5) groups versus placebo (9 ± 3) at 24 weeks ( P < .01). VAS scores improved in all groups at all time points ( P < .05), with greater decrease in HVI (6 weeks = 49 ± 4 mm; 12 weeks = 45 ± 6 mm; 24 weeks = 34 ± 6 mm) and PRP (6 weeks = 37 ± 7 mm; 12 weeks = 41 ± 7 mm; 24 weeks = 37 ± 6 mm) versus placebo (6 weeks = 23 ± 6 mm; 12 weeks = 30 ± 5 mm; 24 weeks = 18 ± 6 mm) at all time points ( P < .05) and in HVI versus PRP at 6 weeks ( P < .05). Tendon thickness showed a significant decrease only in HVI and PRP groups during the intervention, and this was greater in the HVI versus PRP and placebo groups at 6 and 12 weeks ( P < .05) and in the HVI and PRP groups versus the placebo group at 24 weeks ( P < .05). Muscle function improved in the entire cohort with no difference between the groups.

Conclusion:

Treatment with HVI or PRP in combination with eccentric training in chronic AT seems more effective in reducing pain, improving activity level, and reducing tendon thickness and intratendinous vascularity than eccentric training alone. HVI may be more effective in improving outcomes of chronic AT than PRP in the short term.

Registration:

NCT02417987 ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).
Fresh Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation: Is Graft Storage Time Associated With Clinical Outcomes and Graft Survivorship?
Authors: Schmidt Kenneth J. , Tírico Luís E. , McCauley Julie C. , Bugbee William D.
Published: May 2017

Background:

Regulatory concerns and the popularity of fresh osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation have led to a need for prolonged viable storage of osteochondral grafts. Tissue culture media allow a longer storage time but lead to chondrocyte death within the tissue. The long-term clinical consequence of prolonged storage is unknown.

Hypothesis:

Patients transplanted with OCAs with a shorter storage time would have lower failure rates and better clinical outcomes than those transplanted with OCAs with prolonged storage.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A matched-pair study was performed of 75 patients who received early release grafts (mean storage, 6.3 days [range, 1-14 days]) between 1997 and 2002, matched 1:1 by age, diagnosis, and graft size, with 75 patients who received late release grafts (mean storage time, 20.0 days [range, 16-28 days]) from 2002 to 2008. The mean age was 33.5 years, and the median graft size was 6.3 cm2. All patients had a minimum 2-year follow-up. Evaluations included pain, satisfaction, function, failures, and reoperations. Outcome measures included the modified Merle d’Aubigné-Postel (18-point) scale, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) form, and Knee Society function (KS-F) scale. Clinical failure was defined as revision OCA transplantation or conversion to arthroplasty.

Results:

Among patients with grafts remaining in situ, the mean follow-up was 11.9 years (range, 2.0-16.8 years) and 7.8 years (range, 2.3-11.1 years) for the early and late release groups, respectively. OCA failure occurred in 25.3% (19/75) of patients in the early release group and 12.0% (9/75) of patients in the late release group ( P = .036). The median time to failure was 3.5 years (range, 1.7-13.8 years) and 2.7 years (range, 0.3-11.1 years) for the early and late release groups, respectively. The 5-year survivorship of OCAs was 85% for the early release group and 90% for the late release group ( P = .321). No differences in postoperative pain and function were noted between the groups. Ninety-one percent of the early release group and 93% of the late release group reported satisfaction with OCA results.

Conclusion:

The transplantation of OCA tissue with prolonged storage is safe and effective for large osteochondral lesions of the knee and has similar clinical outcomes and satisfaction to the transplantation of early release grafts.