The Road to Negative Behavior: Discriminatory Intentions in the German Population

This study analyzes discriminatory intentions shared by members of the German majority against several outgroups in Germany. Patterns of discriminatory intentions against various minority groups were investigated for several indicators, including gender, age, and political orientation, by means of a representative survey (N = 1,778). The relationship between prejudices and discriminatory intentions against different target groups was also analyzed. Prejudice and discriminatory intentions show moderate but consistently positive correlations in relation to one and the same target group. Moreover, it was found that discriminatory intentions against one outgroup are related to hostile attitudes towards other outgroups, too. The results support the hypothesis of a syndrome of group-focused enmity.

On Transport Service Selection in Intermodal Rail/Road Distribution Networks

Intermodal rail/road freight transport constitutes an alternative to long-haul road transport for the distribution of large volumes of goods. The paper introduces the intermodal transportation problem for the tactical planning of mode and service selection. In rail mode, shippers either book train capacity on a per-unit basis or charter block trains completely. Road mode is used for short-distance haulage to intermodal terminals and for direct shipments to customers. We analyze the competition of road and intermodal transportation with regard to freight consolidation and service cost on a model basis. The approach is applied to a distribution system of an industrial company serving customers in eastern Europe. The case study investigates the impact of transport cost and consolidation on the optimal modal split.

Treatment of multiple adjacent Miller class I and II gingival recessions with a Modified Coronally Advanced Tunnel (MCAT) technique and a collagen matrix or palatal connective tissue graft: a randomized, controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND A newly developed collagen matrix (CM) of porcine origin has been shown to represent a potential alternative to palatal connective tissue grafts (CTG) for the treatment of single Miller Class I and II gingival recessions when used in conjunction with a coronally advanced flap (CAF). However, at present it remains unknown to what extent CM may represent a valuable alternative to CTG in the treatment of Miller Class I and II multiple adjacent gingival recessions (MAGR). The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes following treatment of Miller Class I and II MAGR using the modified coronally advanced tunnel technique (MCAT) in conjunction with either CM or CTG. METHODS Twenty-two patients with a total of 156 Miller Class I and II gingival recessions were included in this study. Recessions were randomly treated according to a split-mouth design by means of MCAT + CM (test) or MCAT + CTG (control). The following measurements were recorded at baseline (i.e. prior to surgery) and at 12 months: Gingival Recession Depth (GRD), Probing Pocket Depth (PD), Clinical Attachment Level (CAL), Keratinized Tissue Width (KTW), Gingival Recession Width (GRW) and Gingival Thickness (GT). GT was measured 3-mm apical to the gingival margin. Patient acceptance was recorded using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The primary outcome variable was Complete Root Coverage (CRC), secondary outcomes were Mean Root Coverage (MRC), change in KTW, GT, patient acceptance and duration of surgery. RESULTS Healing was uneventful in both groups. No adverse reactions at any of the sites were observed. At 12 months, both treatments resulted in statistically significant improvements of CRC, MRC, KTW and GT compared with baseline (p < 0.05). CRC was found at 42% of test sites and at 85% of control sites respectively (p < 0.05). MRC measured 71 ± 21% mm at test sites versus 90 ± 18% mm at control sites (p < 0.05). Mean KTW measured 2.4 ± 0.7 mm at test sites versus 2.7 ± 0.8 mm at control sites (p > 0.05). At test sites, GT values changed from 0.8 ± 0.2 to 1.0 ± 0.3 mm, and at control sites from 0.8 ± 0.3 to 1.3 ± 0.4 mm (p < 0.05). Duration of surgery and patient morbidity was statistically significantly lower in the test compared with the control group respectively (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The present findings indicate that the use of CM may represent an alternative to CTG by reducing surgical time and patient morbidity, but yielded lower CRC than CTG in the treatment of Miller Class I and II MAGR when used in conjunction with MCAT.

Treatment of multiple adjacent Miller Class I and II gingival recessions with collagen matrix and the modified coronally advanced tunnel technique

OBJECTIVE To clinically evaluate the treatment of Miller Class I and II multiple adjacent gingival recessions using the modified coronally advanced tunnel technique combined with a newly developed bioresorbable collagen matrix of porcine origin. METHOD AND MATERIALS Eight healthy patients exhibiting at least three multiple Miller Class I and II multiple adjacent gingival recessions (a total of 42 recessions) were consecutively treated by means of the modified coronally advanced tunnel technique and collagen matrix. The following clinical parameters were assessed at baseline and 12 months postoperatively: full mouth plaque score (FMPS), full mouth bleeding score (FMBS), probing depth (PD), recession depth (RD), recession width (RW), keratinized tissue thickness (KTT), and keratinized tissue width (KTW). The primary outcome variable was complete root coverage. RESULTS Neither allergic reactions nor soft tissue irritations or matrix exfoliations occurred. Postoperative pain and discomfort were reported to be low, and patient acceptance was generally high. At 12 months, complete root coverage was obtained in 2 out of the 8 patients and 30 of the 42 recessions (71%). CONCLUSION Within their limits, the present results indicate that treatment of Miller Class I and II multiple adjacent gingival recessions by means of the modified coronally advanced tunnel technique and collagen matrix may result in statistically and clinically significant complete root coverage. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the performance of collagen matrix compared with connective tissue grafts and other soft tissue grafts.

The cement prosthesis-like spacer: an intermediate halt on the road to healing.

BACKGROUND Periprosthetic infections remain a devastating problem in the field of joint arthroplasty. In the following study, the results of a two-stage treatment protocol for chronic periprosthetic infections using an intraoperatively molded cement prosthesis-like spacer (CPLS) are presented. METHODS Seventy-five patients with chronically infected knee prosthesis received a two-stage revision procedure with the newly developed CPLS between June 2006 and June 2011. Based on the microorganism involved, patients were grouped into either easy to treat (ETT) or difficult to treat (DTT) and treated accordingly. Range of motion (ROM) and the knee society score (KSS) were utilized for functional assessment. RESULTS Mean duration of the CPLS implant in the DTT group was 3.6 months (range 3-5 months) and in the ETT group 1.3 months (range 0.7-2.5 months). Reinfection rates of the final prosthesis were 9.6% in the ETT and 8.3% in the DTT group with no significant difference between both groups regarding ROM or KSS (P = 0.87, 0.64, resp.). CONCLUSION The results show that ETT patients do not necessitate the same treatment protocol as DTT patients to achieve the same goal, emphasizing the need to differentiate between therapeutic regimes. We also highlight the feasibility of CLPS in two-stage protocols.

Initial clinical experience with the Coherex FlatStent™ and FlatStent™ EF PFO closure system for in-tunnel PFO closure: Results of the Coherex-EU study

OBJECTIVE The Coherex-EU Study evaluated the safety and efficacy of PFO closure utilizing novel in-tunnel PFO closure devices. BACKGROUND Transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) followed the development of transcatheter closure devices designed to patch atrial septal defects (ASDs). The Coherex FlatStent™ and FlatStent™ EF devices were designed specifically to treat PFO anatomy. METHODS A total of 95 patients with a clinical indication for PFO closure were enrolled in a prospective, multicenter first in man study at six clinical sites. Thirty-six patients received the first-generation FlatStent study device, and 57 patients received the second-generation FlatStent EF study device, which was modified based on clinical experience during the first 38 cases. Two patients enrolled to receive the first generation did not receive a device. RESULTS At 6 months post-procedure, 45% (17/38) of the intention-to-treat (ITT) cohort receiving the first-generation FlatStent device had complete closure, 26% (10/38) had a trivial residual shunt, and 29% (11/38) had a moderate to large residual shunt. In the ITT cohort receiving the second-generation FlatStent EF device, 76% (43/57) had complete closure, 12% (7/57) had a trivial shunt, and 12% had a moderate to large shunt. Five major adverse events occurred, all without sequelae. CONCLUSION This initial study of the Coherex FlatStent/FlatStent EF PFO Closure System demonstrated the potential for in-tunnel PFO closure. The in-tunnel Coherex FlatStent EF may offer an alternative to septal repair devices for PFO closure in appropriately selected patients; however, further investigation will be necessary to establish the best use of this device.

On the road through the Bolivian Amazon: a multi-level land governance analysis of deforestation

Previous studies have shown that collective property rights offer higher flexibility than individual property and improve sustainable community-based forest management. Our case study, carried out in the Beni department of Bolivia, does not contradict this assertion, but shows that collective rights have been granted in areas where ecological contexts and market facilities were less favourable to intensive land use. Previous experiences suggest investigating political processes in order to understand the criteria according to which access rights were distributed. Based on remote sensing and on a multi-level land governance framework, our research confirms that land placed under collective rights, compared to individual property, is less affected by deforestation among Andean settlements. However, analysis of the historical process of land distribution in the area shows that the distribution of property rights is the result of a political process based on economic, spatial, and environmental strategies that are defined by multiple stakeholders. Collective titles were established in the more remote areas and distributed to communities with lower productive potentialities. Land rights are thus a secondary factor of forest cover change which results from diverse political compromises based on population distribution, accessibility, environmental perceptions, and expected production or extraction incomes.

C-14 Measurements of Ice Samples from the Juvfonne Ice Tunnel, Jotunheimen, Southern Norway-Validation of a C-14 Dating Technique for Glacier Ice

Establishing precise age-depth relationships of high-alpine ice cores is essential in order to deduce conclusive paleoclimatic information from these archives. Radiocarbon dating of carbonaceous aerosol particles incorporated in such glaciers is a promising tool to gain absolute ages, especially from the deepest parts where conventional methods are commonly inapplicable. In this study, we present a new validation for a published C-14 dating method for ice cores. Previously C-14-dated horizons of organic material from the Juvfonne ice patch in central southern Norway (61.676 degrees N, 8.354 degrees E) were used as reference dates for adjacent ice layers, which were C-14 dated based on their particulate organic carbon (POC) fraction. Multiple measurements were carried out on 3 sampling locations within the ice patch featuring modern to multimillennial ice. The ages obtained from the analyzed samples were in agreement with the given age estimates. In addition to previous validation work, this independent verification gives further confidence that the investigated method provides the actual age of the ice.