bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Notes on the biology and distribution of the tribe Agallissini in North America (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae)
Authors: AUSTIN THOMAS , HEFFERN DANIEL , GEMMILL ROBERT , RABER BRIAN , QUINN MIKE
Published: August 2018

New distributional records, new larval host records, various collecting notes, and observations are reported for the North American species of the tribe Agallissini LeConte, 1873 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae): Agallissus lepturoides (Duponchel & Chevrolat, 1841), Osmopleura chamaeropis (Horn, 1893), and Zagymnus clerinus (LeConte, 1873). The species are illustrated and distribution maps are provided.
First record of the genus Darnilia van Achterberg, 1989 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) from Vietnam, with description of three new species
Authors: LONG KHUAT DANG , ACHTERBERG CORNELIS VAN
Published: August 2018

Three new species of the genus Darnilia van Achterberg, 1989 from Vietnam, viz. D. granulata Long & van Achterberg, sp. n., D. intermedia Long & van Achterberg, sp. n. and D. vietnamica Long & van Achterberg, sp. n., are described and illustrated. This is the first record of the genus Darnilia for Vietnam. A key to the species of the genus Darnilia is provided.
First record of the genera Centistoides van Achterberg and Pygostolus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Brazil, with the description of new species
Authors: ALMEIDA LUIS FELIPE VENTURA DE , PENTEADO-DIAS ANGÉLICA MARIA
Published: August 2018

The genera Centistoides and Pygostolus are recorded for the first time in Brazil. Centistoides manoeli sp. nov., Pygostolus carolinae sp. nov. and Pygostolus odeterochae sp. nov. are described and illustrated.
Determination of Best Tropopause Definition for Convective Transport Studies
Authors: Maddox Emily M. , Mullendore Gretchen L.
Published: August 2018

An idealized three-dimensional cloud-resolving model is used to investigate the sensitivity of cross-tropopause convective mass transport to tropopause definition. A simulation is conducted to encompass the growth and decay cycle of a supercell thunderstorm, with a focus on irreversible transport above the tropopause. Five previously published tropopause definitions are evaluated: World Meteorological Organization (WMO) temperature lapse rate, potential vorticity, static stability, vertical curvature of the Brunt–Väisälä frequency, and stratospheric tracer concentration. By analyzing the behavior of different definitions both during and after active convection, we are able to define “best” choices for tropopause definitions as those that return to states most closely matching the preconvective environment. Potential vorticity and stratospheric tracer concentration are shown to perform poorly when analyzing deep convection. The WMO thermal tropopause and static stability definitions are found to perform the best, providing similar tropopause placement and quantities of irreversible mass transport. This investigation highlights the challenges of defining a tropopause in the vicinity of deep convection and demonstrates the need to clearly communicate calculation methods and threshold choices in the literature.
Sensitivity of Leaf Area to Interannual Climate Variation as a Diagnostic of Ecosystem Function in CMIP5 Carbon Cycle Models
Authors: Quetin Gregory R. , Swann Abigail L. S.
Published: August 2018

The response of the biosphere to variation in climate plays a key role in predicting the carbon cycle, hydrological cycle, terrestrial surface energy balance, and the feedbacks in the climate system. Predicting the response of Earth’s biosphere to global warming requires the ability to mechanistically represent the processes controlling photosynthesis, respiration, and water use. This study uses observations of the sensitivity of leaf area to the physical environment to identify where ecosystem functioning is well simulated in an ensemble of Earth system models. These patterns and data–model comparisons are leveraged to hypothesize which physiological mechanisms—photosynthetic efficiency, respiration, water supply, atmospheric water demand, and sunlight availability—dominate the ecosystem response in places with different climates. The models are generally successful in reproducing the broad sign and shape of the sensitivity of leaf area to interannual variations in climate, except for simulating generally decreased leaf area during warmer years in places with hot, wet climates. In addition, simulated sensitivity of the leaf area to temperature is generally larger and changes more rapidly across a gradient of temperature than is observed. We hypothesize that the amplified sensitivity and change are both due to a lack of adaptation and acclimation in simulations. This discrepancy with observations suggests that the simulated sensitivities of vegetation climate are too strong in the models. Finally, models and observations share an abrupt threshold between dry regions and wet regions around 1000 mm yr−1.
Contribution of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation to the Recent Abrupt Decrease in Tropical Cyclone Genesis Frequency over the Western North Pacific since 1998
Authors: Zhao Jiuwei , Zhan Ruifen , Wang Yuqing , Xu Haiming
Published: August 2018

Previous studies have documented an abrupt decrease of tropical cyclone (TC) genesis frequency over the western North Pacific (WNP) since 1998. In this study, results from an objective clustering analysis demonstrated that this abrupt decrease is primarily related to the decrease in a cluster of TCs (C1) that mostly formed over the southeastern WNP, south of 15°N and east of the Philippines, and possessed long tracks. Further statistical analyses based on both best track TC data and global reanalysis data during 1980–2015 revealed that the genesis of C1 TCs was significantly modulated by the interdecadal Pacific oscillation (IPO), whose recent negative phase since 1998 corresponded to a La Niña–like sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) pattern, which strengthened the Walker circulation in the tropical Pacific and weakened the WNP monsoon trough, suppressing genesis of C1 TCs in the southeastern WNP and predominantly contributing to the decrease in TC genesis frequency over the entire WNP basin. These findings were further confirmed by results from similar analyses based on longer observational datasets and also the outputs from a 500-yr preindustrial general circulation model experiment using the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) Coupled Model, version 3. Additional analysis indicates that the decrease in C1 TC genesis frequency in the recent period was dominated during August–October, with the largest decrease in October.
Reporting and Description for Congenital Middle Ear Malformations to Facilitate Surgical Management
Authors: Yang Feng , Liu Yang
Published: August 2018

Introduction:

The aim of this work was to report and describe the different types of congenital middle ear malformations in order to guide surgical treatment approaches and improve outcomes for affected patients.

Methods:

The authors reviewed patients with congenital middle ear malformations who received surgical treatment between September 2010 and March 2017. Patient characteristics, middle ear deformities, and surgical procedures were documented.

Results:

In this retrospective study, 35 patients were reviewed. A description of middle ear malformation was proposed that considers ear embryogenesis and focuses on stapes deformity, with the main purpose of facilitating surgical approach selection to reconstruct the ossicular chain. Patients were classified into 3 categories: type I (19 cases), mobile stapes footplate, which included type Ia with normal stapes suprastructure and type Ib with abnormal stapes suprastructure; type II (4 cases), fixed stapes footplate, which included type IIa with normal ossicular chain and type IIb with abnormal ossicular chain; and type III (12 cases), oval window bony atresia or aplasia, with or without round window atresia. Types II and III could have concomitant aberrant facial nerve. Different surgical approaches are described.

Conclusions:

The authors describe the different types of congenital middle ear malformations. This category description considers ear embryogenesis and is focused on stapes deformity. It may provide better understanding of disease development and guide modern hearing reconstructive surgery.
Book Review: Mahendra Pal Singh, The Indian Yearbook of Comparative Law 2016
Authors: Kumar Pratyush
Published: August 2018

Mahendra Pal Singh, The Indian Yearbook of Comparative Law 2016. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2017, 526 pp., ₹1,002.
Book Review: Yuko Aoyama and Balaji Parthasarathy, The Rise of the Hybrid Domain: Collaborative Governance for Social Innovation
Authors: Sridhar Kala S.
Published: August 2018

Yuko Aoyama and Balaji Parthasarathy, The Rise of the Hybrid Domain: Collaborative Governance for Social Innovation. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2016, 232 pp., $120.00 (cased) and $108.00 (e-book). ISBN: 978 1 78536 042 8 (cased). ISBN: 978 1 78536 043 5 (e-Book).
Analysing the effect of the use of 3D simulations on the performance of engineering students in a robotics course: Findings from a pilot study
Authors: Loreto-Gómez Gerardo , Rodríguez-Arce Jorge , González-García Salvador , Montaño-Serrano Victor M
Published: August 2018

During the last decade, students of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and mechatronics have been interested in studying robotics. It is a challenge for robotics course professors to get students to clearly understand the basic theoretical concepts for its correct application to solve problems, and to motivate them to achieve the best performance. Previous works proposed the use of 3D models to perform the simulation of industrial robots in class and consequently to reinforce the students’ theoretical and practical concepts. However, it has not yet been clearly demonstrated how the use of robots and simulations helps improve students’ academic performance. In this paper, the main contribution consists of a formal evaluation in which the comparison between the use of two teaching methods was carried out. In the first teaching method (traditional method), the professor used PowerPoint presentations and oral explanations to teach theoretical concepts and solve exercises (Group A). In the second teaching method, the professor added the use of 3D simulations together with the traditional method to teach theoretical concepts and solve exercises (Group B). Students of both groups performed the same written exam about forward kinematics in order to study and analyse the differences between the methodology used with Group A and the methodology used with Group B. This exam consisted of solving three exercises with different robot complexity levels. The results demonstrate that the performance of the students in group B is significantly better than that of the students in group A. In other words, the use of 3D simulations improves student’s academic performance, and provides a teaching tool to enhance the way the professors teach.
Evaluation of delamination damage in carbon epoxy composites under swirling abrasives made by modified internal threaded nozzle
Authors: Balasubramanian M , Madhu S
Published: August 2018

Carbon fibre-reinforced polymer composites are finding increased applications in the field of automotive manufacture and aircraft industries due to their appreciative combination of high strength and low weight. The machining of these composites with economically viable and high part qualities requires enhancement in machining strategies. Delamination and surface roughness are the undesirable geometrical defects inherent in abrasive jet machining of layered polymer composites. This investigation focuses on the mechanism of delamination and surface roughness in abrasive jet machining of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer composite. The paper endeavors at the exploration of the viability of imparting swirling motion to SiC abrasive particles by presenting internal threads in the newly designed nozzle. In this research, a novel threaded nozzle was introduced in the abrasive jet machine for making holes on the carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites with the objective of reducing the delamination and surface roughness. This is a distinctive attempt of its kind and this has brought down the delamination factor considerably and, as a consequence, surface roughness obtained was minimum. Holes were made on carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composite by abrasive jet machining with a modified nozzle with and without an internal thread. The influence of abrasive jet parameters on the delamination factor (bottom and top) and surface roughness (Ra) was investigated. Maximum pressure and minimum SOD cause decrease in delamination and surface roughness in carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composite composites.
Guidelines for porcine models of human bacterial infections
Authors: Jensen Louise K , Henriksen Nicole L , Jensen Henrik E
Published: August 2018

During the last 10 years the number of porcine models for human bacterial infectious diseases has increased. In the future, this tendency is expected to continue and, therefore, the aim of the present review is to describe guidelines for the development and reporting of these models. The guidelines are based on a review of 122 publications of porcine models for different bacterial infectious diseases in humans. The review demonstrates a substantial lack of information in most papers which hampers reproducibility and continuation of the work that was established in the models. The guidelines describe overall principles related to the inoculum, the animal, the infected animal and the post-mortem characterization that are of crucial importance when porcine models of infectious diseases are developed, validated and reported.
Psychotherapeutic interventions for chronic pain: Evidence, rationale, and advantages
Authors: Majeed Muhammad Hassan , Ali Ali Ahsan , Sudak Donna M
Published: August 2018

Background

Long-term use of opioids to treat chronic pain incurs serious risks for the individual—including misuse, abuse, addiction, overdose and death—as well as creating economic, social, and cultural impacts on society as a whole. Chronic pain and substance use disorders are often co-morbid with other medical problems and at the present time, primary care clinicians serve most of this population. Primary care clinicians would benefit from having alternatives to opioids to employ in treating such patients.

Method

We electronically searched different medical databases for studies evaluating the effect of nonpharmacological treatments for chronic pain. We describe alternative approaches for the treatment of chronic pain and cite studies that provide substantial evidence in favor of the use of these treatments.

Results

Cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and mindfulness-based programs have well-documented effectiveness for the treatment of chronic nonmalignant pain. Integration of such behavioral health therapies into primary care settings may optimize health resources and improve treatment outcomes.

Conclusion

Evidence-based psychotherapy for chronic pain has established efficacy and safety and improves quality of life and physical and emotional functioning. Such interventions may be used as an alternative or adjunct to pharmacological management. Chronic opioid use should be reserved for individuals undergoing active cancer treatment, palliative care, or end-of-life care.
Preparation of Three-dimensional (3-D) Human Liver (HepaRG) Cultures for Histochemical and Immunohistochemical Staining and Light Microscopic Evaluation
Authors: Clayton Natasha P. , Burwell Alanna , Jensen Heather , Williams Barbara F. , Brown Quashana D. , Ovwigho Pamela , Ramaiahgari Sreenivasa , Hermon Tonia , Dixon Darlene
Published: August 2018

The use of three-dimensional (3-D) in vitro culture systems (spheroids, organoids) in biomolecular and drug discovery research has become increasingly popular. The popularity is due, in part, to a diminished reliance on animal bioassays and a desire to develop physiologically relevant cell culture systems that simulate the in vivo tissue microenvironment. Most evaluations of 3-D cultures are by confocal microscopy and high-content imaging; however, these technologies do not allow for detailed cellular morphologic assessments or permit basic hematoxylin and eosin histologic evaluations. There are few studies that have reported detailed processes for preparing 3-D cultures for paraffin embedding and subsequent use for histochemical or immunohistochemical staining. In an attempt to do so, we have developed a protocol to paraffin-embed human liver spheroids that can be sectioned with a microtome and mounted onto glass slides for routine histochemical and immunohistochemical staining and light microscopic evaluations.
Pearls and Pitfalls of Team Science
Authors: Conn Vicki S. , McCarthy Ann Marie , Cohen Marlene Z. , Anderson Cindy M. , Killion Cheryl , DeVon Holli A. , Topp Robert , Fahrenwald Nancy L. , Herrick Linda M. , Benefield Lazelle E. , Smith Carol E. , Jefferson Urmeka T. , Anderson Elizabeth A.
Published: August 2018

Formidable health problems are often best addressed by teams of scientists with varied expertise. This diversity among team members and complexities in managing teams can lead to challenges in designing, funding, conducting, and reporting research. Team science difficulties can be addressed by sophisticated planning, frequent reassessment and realignment of team strategies with goals, and consistent transparent communication. This article addresses specific strategies to build and sustain research teams, manage team meetings, strategically develop publications and grants, thrive in the midst of disciplinary and individual team member differences, embrace new ideas and change to maintain creativity, and build future team scientists and projects. The potential value in team science justifies the effort required to build and maintain efficient and effective research teams.
The Hero program: Development and initial validation of an intervention program to promote prosocial behavior in adolescents
Authors: Mesurado Belén , Distefano María José , Robiolo Gabriela , Richaud María Cristina
Published: August 2018

This article has a dual purpose. First, it proposes to investigate adolescents’ opinion and acceptance of the new online program called “Hero.” Second, this article studies the program’s effectiveness in promoting prosocial behavior. The sample included 51 men and women participants between the ages of 12 and 16 (average age 15.02; SD = 1.07; 49% men). All of the adolescents attended high school and belonged to a middle socioeconomic status. The results indicated that the majority of the users enjoyed participating in the Hero program and thought that it was easy to use and useful, that what they learned could be transferred to daily life, and that they would recommend the program to other adolescents. Moreover, the Hero intervention was effective in promoting prosocial behavior toward strangers and family members but not in promoting prosocial behavior toward friends.
Migraine is associated with high brain 5-HT levels as indexed by 5-HT4 receptor binding
Authors: Deen Marie , Hougaard Anders , Hansen Hanne D , Svarer Claus , Eiberg Hans , Lehel Szabolcs , Knudsen Gitte M , Ashina Messoud
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Serotonin (5-HT) plays a role in migraine pathophysiology, but whether brain 5-HT is involved in the conversion from episodic to chronic migraine is unknown. Here, we investigated brain 5-HT levels, as indexed by 5-HT4 receptor binding, in chronic migraine patients and evaluated whether these were associated with migraine frequency.

Methods

Sixteen chronic migraine patients underwent a dynamic PET scan after injection of [11C]SB207145, a specific 5-HT4 receptor radioligand. Data from 15 episodic migraine patients and 16 controls were included for comparison. Quantification of 5-HT4 receptor binding was used as a proxy for brain 5-HT levels, since 5-HT4 receptor binding is inversely related to brain 5-HT levels.

Results

Chronic migraine patients had 9.1% (95% CI: [−17%; −1.0%]) lower 5-HT4 receptor binding compared to controls ( p = 0.039). There was no difference in 5-HT4 receptor binding between chronic and episodic migraine patients ( p = 0.48) and no association between number of monthly migraine days and 5-HT4 receptor binding (slope estimate 0.003, 95% CI: [−0.004; 0.715], p = 0.39).

Conclusion

The finding of low 5-HT4 receptor binding suggests that cerebral levels of 5-HT are elevated in chronic migraine patients. This is in line with observations made in patients with episodic migraine. Elevated brain 5-HT levels may thus be an inherent trait of the migraine brain rather than a risk factor for conversion from episodic to chronic migraine.
Evaluation of Clustering Algorithms for the Prediction of Trends in Bus Travel Time
Authors: Elsa Shaji Hima , Tangirala Arun K. , Vanajakshi Lelitha
Published: August 2018

Providing accurate and reliable travel time information to travellers is essential to improve the quality of public transit systems. With the availability of the latest technologies, it has become possible to collect a large amount of traffic data to analyze and understand these systems better. Traffic in India is characterized by lack of lane discipline and the presence of vehicles of varying static and dynamic characteristics, which makes prediction of bus travel time especially challenging. The aim of this study is to identify both a prediction algorithm that can handle high variability and suitable inputs or regressors to be used. Earlier studies performed offline manual grouping considering the patterns observed, which leads to limitations for automated field implementations. The present study explores the use of data-driven approaches, primarily clustering, to address the challenges for the prediction of bus travel time trends. Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) was used to extract trends from the travel time measurements. Three popular clustering algorithms— k-means, hierarchical, and self organizing maps (SOM)—were used to identify patterns. Travel time trends were then predicted by searching for similar cluster patterns within the historical database using pattern sequence-based forecasting (PSF). A comparison of the performance of these algorithms was carried out based on prediction errors. The clustering +prediction framework developed was also compared with the case when no clustering was done on the regressor dataset.
Development of Reusable High-Molecular-Weight–High-Density Polyethylene Crash Cushions
Authors: Carney J. F. , Faramawi M. I. , Chatterjee S.
Published: August 2018

The development of a family of low-maintenance, reusable crash cushions that employ energy dissipaters made of high-molecular-weight–high-density polyethylene is described. This “smart” energy dissipating thermoplastic is self-restorative and reusable and possesses excellent hysteresis characteristics. The design process involved quasi-static and impact scale model experiments, finite-element modeling, and a full-scale crash testing program conducted according to the guidelines of NCHRP Report 350. A treatment of all of these design components is presented. It is demonstrated that scale model experiments and finite-element modeling are cost-effective tools whose employment can minimize the number of costly full-scale crash tests required to qualify devices as acceptable for use on the National Highway System.
Use of Soldier Pile–Tremie Concrete Slurry Walls as Permanent Tunnel Walls
Authors: Das Prabir K. , Ricci Anthony L. , Ni Huang , Harrington Paul
Published: August 2018

The analysis and design of soldier pile–tremie concrete (SPTC) slurry walls for the Massachusetts Highway Department's (MHD) Central Artery/Tunnel (CA/T) Project in downtown Boston are discussed. Unlike most slurry walls, which are used as temporary support for excavation during construction, these SPTC walls are designed also as the permanent wall system for the tunnels. The CA/T includes more than 6.1 km (20,000 ft) of slurry walls. Most of the walls are designed and are to be constructed as SPTC walls. Steel wide-flange soldier piles are installed at 1.21- to 1.83-m (4- to 6-ft) spacings in a slurry trench, and the tremie concrete is placed to form the concrete wall. The steel wide-flange piles form the primary support system for the wall. In most of the locations, the concrete is designed to act as “lagging” spanning between the structural steel members. The concrete base slab is rigidly connected to the SPTC walls, and the composite roof is pin-connected to the walls to form the tunnel. The following topics are discussed after an introduction to the project: geotechnical conditions, design concept of the SPTC slurry walls, design consideration, underpinning of the existing Central Artery, and low head-room construction.
Projected Contributions of Nurse Practitioners and Physicians Assistant to Buprenorphine Treatment Services for Opioid Use Disorder in Rural Areas
Authors: Andrilla C. Holly A. , Patterson Davis G. , Moore Tessa E. , Coulthard Cynthia , Larson Eric H.
Published: August 2018

The United States is experiencing an opioid use disorder epidemic. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act allows nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) to obtain a Drug Enforcement Administration waiver to prescribe medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder. This study projected the potential increase in MAT availability provided by NPs and PAs for rural patients. Using workforce and survey data, and state scope of practice regulations, the number of treatment slots that could be provided by NPs and PAs was estimated for rural areas. NPs and PAs are projected to increase the number of rural patients treated with buprenorphine by 10,777 (15.2%). Census Divisions varied substantially in the number of projected new treatment slots per 10,000 population (0.8-10.6). The New England and East South Central Census Divisions are projected to have the largest population-adjusted increase. NPs and PAs have considerable potential to reduce substantial MAT access disparities.
Positron emission tomography imaging in evaluation of MS pathology in vivo
Authors: Högel Heidi , Rissanen Eero , Vuorimaa Anna , Airas Laura
Published: August 2018

Positron emission tomography (PET) gives an opportunity to quantitate the expression of specific molecular targets in vivo and longitudinally in brain and thus enhances our possibilities to understand and follow up multiple sclerosis (MS)-related pathology. For successful PET imaging, one needs a relevant target molecule within the brain, to which a blood–brain barrier–penetrating specific radioligand will bind. 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO)-binding radioligands have been used to detect activated microglial cells at different stages of MS, and remyelination has been measured using amyloid PET. Several PET ligands for the detection of other inflammatory targets, besides TSPO, have been developed but not yet been used for imaging MS patients. Finally, synaptic density evaluation has been successfully tested in human subjects and gives opportunities for the evaluation of the development of cortical and deep gray matter pathology in MS. This review will discuss PET imaging modalities relevant for MS today.
Seeing like a state athletic commission: Multi-case ethnography and the making of ‘underground’ combat sports
Authors: Gong Neil
Published: August 2018

How can ethnographers access and assess macro-sociological influences on everyday life? This article extends Burawoy’s multi-case solution, which illuminates structural forces through case comparison, by using then critiquing it. I compare non-sanctioned fight events in two US states and ask why one organizes combat with self-regulation while the other utilizes a rationalized rule set, initially theorizing state regulation as the driver of contrasting niche markets. Yet to solve the first puzzle I must address another: why do organizers talk about avoiding governmental intervention when neither fears investigation? Drawing on ethnomethodology, I show how ‘the state’ becomes a resource for organizational boundary work. My contribution to micro-macro analysis is to reconcile the two frames: actual structural pressures disclosed by multi-case logic and the false discourse of ‘the state’ observed in interaction. Eschewing polemics over ‘relational’ versus ‘comparative’ approaches, I demonstrate the necessity of pluralism to see ‘the macro’ in ethnography.
Ileoileal intussusception in unspecific recurrent abdominal pain in adult: A case report
Authors: Uyulmaz Sema , Zünd Michael , Caspar Uwe , Diebold Joachim , Slankamenac Ksenija
Published: August 2018

Primary small bowel tumours are very uncommon accounting about 1% of all gastrointestinal tumours. Intestinal lipomas are a rare entity of benign tumours with an incidence at autopsy ranging from 0.04% to 4.5%, most being asymptomatic. Complications such as obstruction, haemorrhage, intussusception and perforation might demand invasive management. Among these, intussusception is the most rare complication of intestinal lipomas. Here, we present a case of intussusception in a 52-year-old female with a large intramural lipoma of the ileum.
Why the pretense of pursuing democracy? The necessity and rationality of democratic slogans for civil revolutions
Authors: Yukawa Taku , Hidaka Kaoru
Published: August 2018

While democratic revolutions are not uniform in their pursuit of democracy, they do have something in common: those calling for revolution and participating in demonstrations do so under the banner of democracy. However, studies have revealed that these citizens were not at first committed to democracy per se; rather, they took the opportunity to vent their frustration against the current regime because of their struggle against poverty and social inequality. Why, then, do citizens who are not pursuing democracy per se participate in revolutions under the banner of democracy? Previous studies have failed to clarify this point. To fill this gap, we outline three strategic rationalities and necessities behind the use of “democracy” as a common slogan to justify civil revolutions: 1) organizing large scale dissident movements in a country; 2) attracting international support; and 3) imitating successful examples from the past. Evidence from the 2003 Rose Revolution in Georgia and the 2005 Orange Revolution in Ukraine supports this theory.
Structural Violence and Migrant Deaths in Southern Arizona: Data from the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner, 1990–2013
Authors: Martínez Daniel E. , Reineke Robin C. , Rubio-Goldsmith Raquel , Parks Bruce O.
Published: August 2018

This article analyzes numeric trends and demographic characteristics of undocumented border crossers (UBCs) who have perished in southern Arizona between 1990 and 2013 in the area covered by the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (PCOME) in Tucson, Arizona. Of 2,413 UBC decedents investigated during this period, 95 percent died after 1999 and 65 percent after 2005. The rate of UBC deaths in the Tucson Border Patrol Sector has been consistently high, with an average of nearly 163 deaths investigated per year between 1999 and 2013. The increase in border enforcement during the mid-to-late 1990s, which led to a shifting of unauthorized migration flows into more desolate areas, coincided with an increase in migrant remains investigated by the PCOME. Despite a decrease in the number of unauthorized crossers traversing the area as measured by the number of Border Patrol apprehensions in the Tucson Sector, the number of remains examined for every 100,000 apprehensions nearly doubled between 2009 and 2011. These findings suggest that migrants are being forced to travel for longer periods of time through remote areas in an attempt to avoid detection by US authorities, thus increasing the probability of death.

The typical UBC decedent can be described as a male near the age of 30 from central or southern Mexico who perished in a remote area of southern Arizona after attempting to cross into the United States. Nevertheless, the share of non-Mexican UBCs in the region has increased notably over time. The findings show other important differences in UBC decedent characteristics across time periods, which speak to the dynamic nature of unauthorized migration as a social process. The authors contend that these deaths and demographic changes are the result of structural and political transformations over the past two decades. They argue that the tragic, yet mostly preventable, migrant deaths in southern Arizona constitute a form of structural violence.
US Undocumented Population Drops below 11 Million in 2014, with Continued Declines in the Mexican Undocumented Population
Authors: Warren Robert
Published: August 2018

Undocumented immigration has been a significant political issue in recent years, and is likely to remain so throughout and beyond the presidential election year of 2016. One reason for the high and sustained level of interest in undocumented immigration is the widespread belief that the trend in the undocumented population is ever upward. This paper shows that this belief is mistaken and that, in fact, the undocumented population has been decreasing for more than a half a decade. Other findings of the paper that should inform the immigration debate are the growing naturalized citizen populations in almost every US state and the fact that, since 1980, the legally resident foreign-born population from Mexico has grown faster than the undocumented population from Mexico.
New Models of International Agreement for Refugee Protection
Authors: Martin Susan F.
Published: August 2018

In June 2016, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that more than 65 million persons have fled conflict and persecution. While certainly large in its own right, the number actually underestimates displacement in today's world. Many millions more are displaced each year and cumulatively from a much broader range of life-threatening humanitarian crises than are captured by UNHCR's figures. An average of 26.4 million were displaced annually by acute natural hazards since 2008 and an unknown but sizable number displaced by gang and cartel violence, electoral and communal violence, nuclear and industrial accidents, and a range of other human-made disasters. This article argues for new frameworks to more effectively address the situation of the totality of displaced persons, citing two recent efforts — the Nansen Initiative and Migrants in Countries in Crisis Initiative — as examples of practical ways to move forward in this regard.
Borders and Duties to the Displaced: Ethical Perspectives on the Refugee Protection System
Authors: Hollenbach David S.J.
Published: August 2018

This essay proposes some ethical perspectives that can help in the task of reassessing the structure of the global refugee protection system in light of the extraordinarily high levels of refugee movement and forced migration occurring today. It addresses two chief areas. First, it considers whether ethical duties reach beyond the borders that separate nation-states and the implications of such duties for the treatment of refugees and other displaced persons. Drawing on classical ethical perspectives found in secular moral thought and in several religious traditions, the essay argues that national borders have moral weight, but that grave violations of the rights of displaced persons can create responsibilities that are more stringent than duties to co-citizens of one's own country. Second, the essay examines whether the duties to co-citizens or to displaced persons should take priority in various contexts. Negative duties that have particular urgency in the effort to shape a more adequate response to forced migrants are proposed, drawing upon classic criteria in the ethics and law of war. These include the avoidance of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other violations of justice that often lead to mass displacement. Positive duties to come to the aid of the displaced are also developed in light of several standards: the needs of the displaced, the proximity and capability of the responder, whether the response is a last resort, and if the response can be carried out without disproportionate burden on the responder. These negative and positive duties are then drawn upon to argue for a significantly more active response to the needs of forced migrants by developed nations in the global north, by regional and global intergovernmental organizations, by secular and faith-based humanitarian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and by citizens at large.
Mass Deportations Would Impoverish US Families and Create Immense Social Costs
Authors: Warren Robert , Kerwin Donald
Published: August 2018

Executive Summary1

This paper provides a statistical portrait of the US undocumented population, with an emphasis on the social and economic condition of mixed-status households - that is, households that contain a US citizen and an undocumented resident. It is based primarily on data compiled by the Center for Migration Studies (CMS). Major findings include the following:

• There were 3.3 million mixed-status households in the United States in 2014.

• 6.6 million US-born citizens share 3 million households with undocumented residents (mostly their parents). Of these US-born citizens, 5.7 million are children (under age 18).

• 2.9 million undocumented residents were 14 years old or younger when they were brought to the United States.

• Three-quarters of a million undocumented residents are self-employed, having created their own jobs and in the process, creating jobs for many others.

• A total of 1.3 million, or 13 percent of the undocumented over age 18, have college degrees.

• Of those with college degrees, two-thirds, or 855,000, have degrees in four fields: engineering, business, communications, and social sciences.

• Six million undocumented residents, or 55 percent of the total, speak English well, very well, or only English.

• The unemployment rate for the undocumented was 6.6 percent, the same as the national rate in January 2014.2

• Seventy-three percent had incomes at or above the poverty level.

• Sixty-two percent have lived in the United States for 10 years or more.

• Their median household income was $41,000, about $12,700 lower than the national figure of $53,700 in 2014 (US Census Bureau 2015).

Based on this profile, a massive deportation program can be expected to have the following major consequences:

• Removing undocumented residents from mixed-status households would reduce median household income from $41,300 to $22,000, a drop of $19,300, or 47 percent, which would plunge millions of US families into poverty.

• If just one-third of the US-born children of undocumented residents remained in the United States following a mass deportation program, which is a very low estimate, the cost of raising those children through their minority would total $118 billion.

• The nation's housing market would be jeopardized because a high percentage of the 1.2 million mortgages held by households with undocumented immigrants would be in peril.

• Gross domestic product (GDP) would be reduced by 1.4 percent in the first year, and cumulative GDP would be reduced by $4.7 trillion over 10 years.

CMS derived its population estimates for 2014 using a series of statistical procedures that involved the analysis of data collected by the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS). The privacy of all respondents in the survey is legally mandated, and, for the reasons listed in the Appendix, the identity of undocumented residents cannot be derived from the data. A detailed description of the methodology used to develop the estimates is available at the CMS website.3
Creating Cohesive, Coherent Immigration Policy
Authors: Orrenius Pia M. , Zavodny Madeline
Published: August 2018

US immigration policy has serious limitations, particularly when viewed from an economic perspective. Some shortcomings arise from faulty initial design, others from the inability of the system to adapt to changing circumstances. In either case, a reluctance to confront politically difficult decisions is often a contributing factor to the failure to craft laws that can stand the test of time. We argue that, as a result, some key aspects of US immigration policy are incoherent and mutually contradictory —new policies are often inconsistent with past policies and undermine their goals. Inconsistency makes policies less effective because participants in the immigration system realize that lawmakers face powerful incentives to revise policies at a later date. US policies regarding unauthorized immigration, temporary visas, and humanitarian migrants offer examples of incoherence and inconsistency. This article explores key features of an integrated, coherent immigration policy from an economic perspective and how policymakers could better attempt to achieve policy consistency across laws and over time.
US Immigration Policy and the Case for Family Unity
Authors: Gubernskaya Zoya , Dreby Joanna
Published: August 2018

As the Trump administration contemplates immigration reform, it is important to better understand what works and what does not in the current system. This paper reviews and critically evaluates the principle of family unity, a hallmark of US immigration policy over the past 50 years and the most important mechanism for immigration to the United States. Since 1965, the United States has been admitting a relatively high proportion of family-based migrants and allowing for the immigration of a broader range of family members. However, restrictive annual quotas have resulted in a long line of prospective immigrants waiting outside of the United States or within the United States, but without status. Further policy changes have led to an increasing number of undocumented migrants and mixed-status families in the United States. Several policies and practices contribute to prolonged periods of family separation by restricting travel and effectively locking in a large number of people either inside or outside of the United States. On top of that, increasingly aggressive enforcement practices undermine family unity of a large number of undocumented and mixed-status families. Deportations — and even a fear of deportation —cause severe psychological distress and often leave US-born children of undocumented parents without economic and social support.

A recent comprehensive report concluded that immigration has overall positive impact on the US economy, suggesting that a predominantly family-based migration system carries net economic benefits. Immigrants rely on family networks for employment, housing, transportation, informal financial services, schooling, childcare, and old age care. In the US context where there is nearly no federal support for immigrants' integration and limited welfare policies, family unity is critical for promoting immigrant integration, social and economic well-being, and intergenerational mobility.

Given the benefits of family unity in the US immigrant context and the significant negative consequences of family separation, the United States would do well to make a number of changes to current policy and practice that reaffirm its commitment to family unity. Reducing wait times for family reunification with spouses and children of lawful permanent residents, allowing prospective family-based migrants to visit their relatives in the United States while their applications are being processed, and providing relief from deportation and a path to legalization to parents and spouses of US citizens should be prioritized. The cost to implement these measures would likely be minor compared to current and projected spending on immigration enforcement and it would be more than offset by the improved health and well-being of American families.
Recovering/Uncovering the ‘Indian’ in Indian Diplomacy: An ‘Ancient’ Tadka for a Contemporary Curry?
Authors: Kumar Vikas
Published: August 2018

There is a growing awareness in India of the need to nurture indigenous international relations (IR) traditions. India’s IR community, though, has only a cursory familiarity with indigenous traditions. Most Indian IR scholars and practitioners invoke indigenous traditions in a superficial manner. Non-English nouns are superimposed on full-fledged analyses, which creates an illusory bond with the tradition, rather than being an organic part of the argument. Often such nouns are either not found in the original sources referred to or appear in a very different context in those sources. Hurried attempts to indigenise Indian IR thought and practice result in a clumsy repackaging of contemporary ideas as ‘traditional Indian.’ It is only through empirically and theoretically sound protocols of recovery/re-engagement that the IR community can learn to think in and through the Indian tradition, and adapt the tradition to speak to contemporary challenges. Presently, without the scaffolding of heterodox Western IR traditions and Western scholarship on pre-modern Indian languages and knowledge traditions, India’s Anglophonic IR community cannot even critique the mainstream paradigm of the West. As a result, despite India’s long history of reflection on interstate relations, Western assessments and theorizations continue to dominate the modern scholarship on India’s IR, with Indians mostly reacting to foreign assessments.
Strategic Communication and Violent Extremism: The Importance of State Action
Authors: Cheong Damien D.
Published: August 2018

State action is an important form of strategic communication and therefore significant to countering violent extremism (CVE) initiatives on and offline. While non-state actors often use state action (and sometimes inaction) as a motivation to incite and legitimize violence against the state as well as its citizens, generating such negative sentiment does not always require instigation. This is especially so when the action(s) of a state are extremely controversial. As many violent extremists (including lone actors) have been radicalized as a result of state action (or in action), it is necessary for the state to not only carry out positive actions but also have them widely publicized. This is envisaged to counter adverse narratives and address tangible issues that push individuals towards violent extremism.
Prevalence of MTD among Patients with Functional Dysphagia
Authors: Hamdan Abdul‐Latif , Ziade Georges , Khalifee Elie , Al Souky Nader , Jaffal Hussein , El Natout Tamer
Published: August 2018

Objective

To assess the prevalence of laryngeal muscle tension patterns among patients with functional dysphagia.

Study Design

Retrospective study.

Setting

The study took place at a university medical center.

Material and Methods

The medical charts and laryngeal video recordings were reviewed for all patients who presented with dysphagia and who were referred for barium swallow between 2012 and 2017. A total of 170 cases were identified. Only those with normal findings on barium swallow and the absence of vocal fold pathology (exudative lesions, masses or tumors, paresis, and paralysis), referred to asfunctional dysphagia, were included in this study. Information retrieved included swallowing and phonatory symptoms in addition to patterns of laryngeal muscle tension.

Results

The mean ± SD age of the total group was 41.90±15.10 years with a male:female ratio of 4:1. Seventy‐five percent had evidence of at least 1 type of laryngeal muscle tension pattern. The most common pattern was type III, characterized by supraglottic anteroposterior compression (13 of 20), followed by type II, characterized by medial compression of the false vocal folds (5 of 20); only 1 patient had muscle tension pattern type IV, characterized as sphincter‐like closure of supraglottic structures. The most common laryngopharyngeal symptom was throat discomfort when swallowing (35%), followed by throat clearing and choking/coughing when eating and drinking (25%).

Conclusion

The high prevalence of laryngeal muscle tension pattern among patients with functional dysphagia supports the notion that laryngeal tension may be one of the underlying causes of dysphagia.