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Can governments make courts politically compliant without undermining public confidence in the judicial system? Many studies show a positive relationship between judicial independence and citizens' trust in courts. However, most of them have shown static cross-sectional correlations rather than actual effects of court curbing on trust. Factors such as citizens' level of education and political preferences may also play a role in moderating reactions to court curbing. We analyse how assaults on judicial independence by populist governments in Turkey, Hungary, and Poland affected judicial trust, using a difference-in-differences approach to Eurobarometer data. While we find evidence that court curbing has an adverse effect on judicial trust, this effect is much clearer among citizens who are ideologically distant from their governments. These findings coincide with experimental evidence indicating how citizens tolerate democratic backsliding, suggesting that, for many, trust in the judicial system can subsist even when courts are made politically subservient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on perceptions of corruption have grown in recent years but are still struggling with several conceptual and measurement issues. This scoping review provides an analysis of the peer-reviewed literature on perception-based corruption. From a total of 1,374 articles surveyed, 90 ultimately met inclusion criteria. We found two main quantifiable trends when exploring our sample: publications in high-impact journals were slow in addressing perception-based corruption, and perceptions of corruption are of interest not only to political science and sociology but to other disciplinary traditions. In more qualitative terms, we observe that the explicit or implicit definitions of "corruption" behind these studies tend to fall into two categories: corruption as a "Deviant Process" or as a "Deviant Outcome," while measurements can be typified in a two-dimensional scheme: "Sociotropic" vs. "Egocentric" and "Generic" vs. "Specific." Most measurement approaches surveyed tend to use a "deviant process" definition, whereas the measurement of corruption as a "deviant outcome" still lacks development. This might represent a challenge for future research focusing on the social understanding of corruption in various contexts (administrative, organizational, political, economic, legal, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National Health Service use the Community Mental Health Service User Questionnaire (NHS-CMH) to assess care quality. However, its reliability and internal validity is uncertain. To test the NHS-CMH structure, reliability and item-level characteristics. We used data from 11,373 participants who answered the 2017 NHS-CMH survey. First, we estimated the NHS-CMH structure using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) in half of the dataset. Second, we tested the best EFA-derived model with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). We tested the internal validity, construct reliability (omega – ω), explained common variance of each factor (ECV), and item thresholds. EFA suggested a 4-factor solution. The structure derived from the EFA was confirmed, demonstrating good reliability for the four correlated dimensions: "Relationship with Staff" (ω = 0.952, ECV = 40.1%), "Organizing Care" (ω = 0.855, ECV = 21.4%), "Medication and Treatments" (ω = 0.837, ECV = 13.3%), and "Support and Well-being" (ω = 0.928, ECV = 25.3%). A second-order model with a high-order domain of "Quality of Care" is also supported. The NHS-CMH can be used to reliably assess four user-informed dimensions of mental health care quality. This model offers an alternative for its current use (item-level and untested sum scores analysis). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the role played by the concept of nation in the interwar writings of Carl Schmitt (1888–1985) and Eric Voegelin (1901–1985). It contends that, although these conservative thinkers were drawn in different ways to the anti-progressive potential of nationalist ideas, the centre of their political and theoretical horizons in that period is occupied by the problems of political unity and authority. Therefore, their nationalism is fundamentally determined by, and instrumental to, their adherence to a monistic and authoritarian conception of the state. This, in turn, leads them to embrace, though not without some reservations, the solutions put forward by the emergent far-right 'strongmen' to the interwar crisis of liberal democracy. Each author tested in his own way the porous borders between conservatism, nationalism, and fascism – a topic whose scholarly and political relevance is far from being exhausted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two findings stand out in the literature on public attitudes vis-à-vis courts. The first is that judicial independence increases public trust. The second is that 'to know courts is to love them'. In this study, these stylised facts are used as a starting point to ask three questions. First, is there also a role for judicial accountability in fostering public trust, above and beyond that played by independence? Second, could it be that only the most aware citizens are sensitive to such properties of the judicial system? Third, is the notion that 'to know courts is to love them' limited to systems with high levels of judicial independence and accountability? Using recently available macro-level indicators of judicial independence and accountability and the high-quality survey data collected by the European Social Survey in 32 countries throughout more than a decade, this study provides evidence that the answers to these questions are positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trauma pathology is not only a sum of risk factors, but emerges as a result of complex causal interaction. The case presented here illustrates the pathway from suicide exposure to the development of fully-fledged treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), demonstrating how recognized risk factors can act in tandem to generate a difficult to treat syndrome. From a clinical perspective, bottom-up approaches that take into account real coping experiences of people bereaved by suicide are more effective to facilitate recovery and prevent adverse outcomes. Finally, even though treatment is often implemented, the diagnosis can be missed further complicating coping and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2019 Portuguese general elections have led to the formation of another minority government of the Socialist Party. Right-wing parties suffered a resounding defeat. The election had two key consequences. First, after four years of contract parliamentarism with an extreme-left party, the Socialists returned to their historical position of pivotal party in the system. Socialist leader Costa refused to replicate alliances with parties to his left. Second, the 2019 election witnessed the emergence of three new parties, Chega, Iniciativa Liberal and Livre. The election of Chega marks a watershed moment in Portuguese democratic history, as for the first time an extreme-right populist party has gained representation in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015, for the first time in the history of Portuguese democracy, radical left parties relinquished their status as outsiders and lent their support to a Socialist Party cabinet. Defying the expectations of many, this government survived its first years. In fact, it did more than survive: while largely fulfilling the interparty agreements that originated it, the government has presided over positive economic developments and even managed to abide by EU budgetary rules. How was this possible? We show that the political solution found, as well as the policies and practices that sustain it, involve a form of a 'contract parliamentarism'. This solution has allowed the parties to the left of the Socialists to obtain policy benefits without compromising their core identity or significantly hindering the support of their constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Hypertension affects African–American adults more than any other ethnic group in the US. However, some of the black populations living outside Africa are well adapted to food and lifestyle. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics underlying the gender-specific determinants of BP and the risk of hypertension in public-sector workers living in Angola. Materials and methods:609 volunteers (48% men) were included in this cross-sectional and descriptive study. Demographic, socioeconomic and life style data were collected during an interview. Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were measured, along with some anthropometric and clinical variables. Results:The prevalence of hypertension is 45.2% without difference between genders. Obesity was more prevalent in women (29.2%vs.8.9%,p < 0.05). The age-related increment in SBP is higher in women (14.2 ± 1.1vs9.5 ± 1.3 mmHg/decade,p < 0.05). In men, age, BMI, cholesterol and LDLc/HDLc explained 21, 4, 2.5 and 2.9% of SBP variability, respectively. In women, age, BMI and HC explain 27, 2 and 1% of SBP variability, respectively. The risk for hypertension is 5 × high among men aged ≥45 years, and 3.5× in those having BMI ≥25. Women aged 45 years or older have 8 × risk of hypertension and 2× the risk by having BMI ≥25. Conclusions:We found that advanced age (≥45) and overweight/obesity (BMI ≥25) are the main risk factors for hypertension in adults from Angola. However, our data suggest that age and BMI may have different influence on increasing BP in men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Renal tract malformations (RTMs) are congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract, which are the major cause of end-stage renal disease in children. Using immunoassay-based approaches (ELISA, western blot), individual urinary proteins including transforming growth factor β, tumor necrosis factor and monocyte attractant proteins 1 were found to be associated to RTMs. However, only mass spectrometry (MS) based methods leading to the identification of panels of protein-based markers composed of fragments of the extracellular matrix allowed the prediction of progression of RTMs and its complications. Areas covered: In this review, we summarized relevant studies identified in “Pubmed” using the keywords “urinary biomarkers” and “proteomics” and “renal tract malformations” or “hydronephrosis” or “ureteropelvic junction obstruction” or “posterior urethral valves” or “vesicoureteral reflux”. These publications represent studies on potential protein-based biomarkers, either individually or combined in panels, of RTMs in human and animal models. Expert commentary: Successful use in the clinic of these protein-based biomarkers will need to involve larger scale studies to reach sufficient power. Improved performance will potentially come from combining immunoassay- and MS-based markers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: Benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo (BPPV) has significant recurrence rates, mainly in older patients. The etiopathology of recurrent BPPV is possibly related to low serum vitamin D levels. Finding a therapeutic weapon will help with these complicated cases, reducing disability, falling risk and also health care costs. Study design:Clinical trial: one-year duration. Setting: Ten patients with diagnosis of BPPV made by history and physical examination and at least two episodes of documented BPPV in the previous two years and chronic complaints of dizziness. Neurologic and other otological diseases were excluded for these patients. Subjects and methods: Vitamin D was evaluated by measuring serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD). Levels below 20 ng/mL were considered deficiency and levels between 20 and 30 ng/mL were considered insufficiency. Half of the patients (treatment group) started a treatment with cholecalciferol while the remaining patients were the control group. All of the patients were reevaluated every three months. Results: All patients of the treatment group did not have any subsequent episode of positional vertigo, dizziness complaints or nystagmus evoked by provocative manoeuvers. At reevaluations, the mean value of serum 25-OHD for the treatment group had increased noticeably. It was also significantly higher than the mean value of control group. All patients of control group had positional vertigo episodes, as well as positional nystagmus at office reevaluations. Conclusion: These results support the need to systematically measure and correct vitamin D levels in patients with recurrent BPPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the fortieth anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, it is pertinent to ask how Portuguese citizens understand their transition to democracy. In this article, some of the main findings concerning the meanings and legacies of 25 April 1974 are presented, drawing on the findings of two surveys focusing on Portuguese attitudes towards 25 April and fielded in 2004 and 2014, respectively, to a representative sample of the Portuguese population. Here we focus on the degree to which the transition is viewed positively and its social and economic legacies. In the final sections, the main findings of the articles in this special issue are discussed through a presentation of the main questions they answer and the new ones they raise. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Context: The labdenic diterpene labd-8(17)-en-15-oic acid (labd-8) isolated from a methanolic extract of Moldenhawera nutans Queiroz & Alkin (Leguminosae) has hypotensive and tachycardiac properties in normotensive rats. A part of the hypotensive effect was due to a reduction in the sympathetic nerve drive to vessels, an event admittedly enhanced in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Objectives: We assessed whether the cardiovascular effects induced by labd-8 could be enhanced in SHRs. Materials and methods: For in vivo experiments, arterial and venous catheters were implanted under anesthesia for blood pressure recording and drug administration, respectively. For in vitro experiments, thoracic aorta rings were suspended in organ baths containing warm (37 °C) perfusion medium that was continuously bubbled with carbogen. Results: Intravenous injection of labd-8 (1, 3, 5, and 10 mg/kg) induced similar dose-dependent hypotension and tachycardia in both SHRs and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). In SHRs, only the tachycardia response to labd-8 was significantly reduced by pretreatment with methylatropine or propranolol. However, both cardiovascular effects of labd-8 were reduced by hexamethonium while remained unchanged by l-NAME. In isolated aortic preparations from SHRs, labd-8 (1-1000 µg/mL) relaxed potassium-induced contractions with an IC50 (geometric mean [95% confidence interval]) value (536.5 [441.0-631.9] µg/mL) significantly greater than that (157.6 [99.1-250.5] µg/mL) obtained in preparations from WKY rats. Conclusion: In SHRs, the hypotension induced by labd-8 is associated with a reflex tachycardia and seems mediated partly through withdrawal of sympathetic vasomotor tone and partly through an active vasorelaxation. Its magnitude was not enhanced when compared with WKY rats likely because of impaired vasorelaxant effects of labd-8 in preparations from SHRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the basic patterns of voting behaviour in the most recent elections in Portugal. These elections were fought under one of the most profound economic crises in the country's four decades of democracy, after a bailout agreement with the EU and the IMF, and under an unusually high level of campaign polarization around the issues of economic austerity and liberalization. First, the article examines whether this context ended up being favourable to “performance” voting or, instead, to an enhanced importance of position issues, particularly those related to the role of the state in the economy and welfare provision. Second, it examines how the context of the Great Recession and the European sovereign debt crisis created opportunities for incumbents to use blame-shifting and blame-sharing strategies, and the extent to which voters' ambivalence about who to hold responsible for the sorry state of the economy was consequential for vote choices, either by directly affecting them or by moderating the relationship between economic perceptions and the vote. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper approaches euroscepticism from the perspective of party positions and mass-level attitudes. It documents the nature and evolution of party euroscepticism from 1976 to 2005. Although the poles of party-based euroscepticism can be found, predictably, at the extremes of the party system, there is also a dynamic and contingent element to party positions that can only be accounted for on the basis of a strategic explanation. It also shows that, whenever parties attempted to mobilise voters on the basis of a eurosceptic discourse, voters responded to such attempts. Under those conditions, citizens' attitudes vis-a-vis the EC/EU, in terms of both the economic and the political consequences of integration, emerged as a relevant electoral cleavage in Portuguese politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Initially, the seeds of Baccharis dracunculifolia were collected from populations of 10 different regions, and the cultivation experiment was carried out in an experimental area of 1,800 m² by cultivating 100 individuals of each population. The essential oil analyses were performed on both GC-FID and GC/MS, which allowed the identification of 14 compounds. The oil yield varied from 0.31% to 0.70% among populations and season. The major oxygenated sesquiterpenes in the cultivated experiment were (E)-nerolidol (32%) and spathulenol (17%). The mean concentration in the plant of (E)-nerolidol was five times higher in March (136.53 mg/100 g of plant) than it was in July (25.03 mg/100 g of plant). The mean concentration of spathulenol increased about three fold from July (16.25 mg/100 g of plant) to April (47.50 mg/100 g of plant). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. While there is a recommendation to screen for postpartum depression (PPD), there are worries about the validity of instruments other than the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; little is known about the construct validity of one of the most used screening instruments, the Beck Depression Inventory, in this period. Methods. This study evaluated the validity and reliability of the BDI in a population-based sample of women and their spouses (n=772) in the postpartum. Additionally, we compared factor scores within the couple. Results. Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated a two-factor solution (depressive symptoms and somatic symptoms), accounting for 44.01% of the total variance. Internal consistency was good (Cronbach's α=0.90). Women had higher scores than their partners in both factors (P<0.001), but not a higher proportion of the total score attributable to somatic symptoms. Conclusion. With little factor variance between women and men, and a similar proportion of somatic symptoms, these results should be taken to reinforce the validity of the BDI in the postpartum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition of Baccharis dracunculifolia essential oil and the water soluble oil obtained by steam distillation that were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. In the first hour of distillation, B. dracunculifolia aerial parts yielded 0.08% oil and in the second hour, 0.27%. The oil recovered from the distillate water yielded 0.18 g/L in the first hour and 0.44 g/L in the second hour of distillation. The main volatile compounds identified in the distillate water were aromatic compounds and sesquiterpene alcohols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines what has driven voters' choices in the 2006 presidential election in Portugal. Electing a semipresidential head of state has often been treated either as a "popularity contest" or as a full-fledged "first-order" election, depending on the particular national political system in which those elections were studied. Using data from a panel survey conducted following the 2005 legislative and 2006 presidential elections, this article suggests that, in a "premier-presidentialist" system such as Portugal - where presidents are neither the heads of the executive nor mere figureheads - voters are unlikely to be oblivious to the conventional partisan and ideological cues provided by campaigns, but also unlikely to see these elections as a mechanism with which to hold government accountable. Instead, patterns of defection from the government party seem to conform to theoretical expectations derived from the notion that presidential elections in such cases can be conceived as "less important", but where parties and voters remain aware of the connections between what is at stake in different electoral arenas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family-related factors play a crucial role in the onset, development, and maintenance of drug misuse and addiction. To investigate the hypothesis that families with a cocaine addicted son display more dysfunction than control families, we applied the Personal Authority in the Family System and the Self-Report Measure of Family Functioning to 67 case triads (child–father–mother) in which the son was an inpatient with a primary diagnosis of cocaine abuse or dependence and to 67 matched control triads from the community (Pelotas, Brazil) in 2000. Case children, mothers, and fathers were significantly more likely to present nuclear family triangulation than their matched control subjects. In addition, case triads had a significantly greater chance of perceiving family functioning as enmeshment. These results suggest both structural and functional differences in these families. We argue for the need of interventions in the family as a whole and for further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three decades after the fall of the Portuguese authoritarian regime, support for democracy has become widespread among the mass public. However, similarities between Portugal and other more established democracies should not be overestimated. In most of the latter, several studies have found increasing political and civic activism on the part of pro-democratic and politically sophisticated citizens, who are nevertheless increasingly dissatisfied with democratic performance. However, the most prevalent and consequential attitudinal-behavioural syndrome in Portugal is less one of ‘democratic dissatisfaction’ than one of ‘democratic disaffection’, entailing low levels of political engagement and participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report analyses the 2001 local elections and the 2002 legislative elections in Portugal. The results of the local elections were not an objective disaster for the Socialists. However, due to deteriorating political and economic circumstances, Prime Minister Guterres tendered his resignation. The legislative elections which ensued spelled the end of Socialist Party rule, and the victory, albeit without an absolute majority, of the centre-right party, the PSD. The elections also led to the formation of a coalition government, after 15 years of single-party government. Nevertheless, the alternation in power, as well as the change in government type, did not represent a fundamental shift in voting behaviour, as indicated by national and district party results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Explains the transformation of Portuguese social democratic politics in 1970s, 1980s and 1990s and its relation to European integration. Importance of European integration on Socialist Party's development; Results of the Socialist Party's pursuit of European Monetary Union and introduction of the integration agenda.